OVERINVESTED

with Morgan and Gavia

Ep. 342: Backrooms

July 25, 2026 by Morgan Davies in episodes

Based on a popular creepypasta concept and directed by a 20-year-old filmmaker who started out on YouTube, Backrooms became a runaway hit this summer, helping to kickstart a new wave of film deals for YouTube directors. In this episode, Steffan and Gavia discuss director Kane Parsons' impressive grasp of physical space as a source of horror, the film's underwhelming script, the online origins of the Backrooms, and whether Hollywood studios will actually do anything interesting on their quest to find the next lucrative YouTube movie.

Ep. 341: The Vampire Lestat (Episodes 1-3)

June 27, 2026 by Morgan Davies in episodes

Claire and Gavia break down the first three episodes of The Vampire Lestat, discussing the show's drastic tonal shift, its elaborate narrative structure, its bold exploration of abusive relationships - and much, much more. Adapting the iconic novel by Anne Rice, this season focuses more on Lestat's music career than on his historical backstory, reaffirming Interview with the Vampire's place among the best TV dramas of the decade.

Ep. 337: Lee Cronin's The Mummy (2026) and The Mummy (1932)

May 05, 2026 by Morgan Davies in episodes

The latest Mummy movie is a gruesome horror story about demonic possession, marking a departure from the blockbuster style of recent Mummy franchise instalments. It's also a bit of a misfire, so we're using this opportunity to look back at the original 1932 Mummy film, its Ancient Egyptian background, and its overlap with other Pre-Code horror classics like Dracula and Frankenstein.

Ep. 335: Ridley Scott's Alien

April 01, 2026 by Morgan Davies in episodes

Steffan and Gavia discuss one of the most influential sci-fi movies of all time: Ridley Scott's Alien. Spawning an iconic franchise and dozens of copycats, Alien is part monster movie, part dystopian thriller, starring Sigourney Weaver in her breakout role. Renowned for its genre-defining production design, this film established a "space trucker" aesthetic for its working-class spaceship setting - and introduced a uniquely grotesque antagonist in the form of H.R. Giger's xenomorph.

Ep. 333: 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple

February 26, 2026 by Morgan Davies in episodes

Steffan and Gavia share their praise for The Bone Temple, Nia DaCosta's deceptively hilarious sequel to 28 Years Later. With Ralph Fiennes and Alfie Williams reprising their roles from the previous movie, Jack O'Connell joins the cast as the sadistic cult leader Jimmy Crystal, offering a new angle on the franchise's dystopian setting.

Ep. 328: Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein

November 19, 2025 by Morgan Davies in episodes

Sticking closer to Mary Shelley's novel than most other adaptations, Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein is the culmination of a lifelong dream. His vision echoes the gothic maximalism of Francis Ford Coppola's Dracula, starring Jacob Elordi as a sympathetic interpretation of Frankenstein's Creature. But does this movie measure up to GDT's past hits? Steffan and Gavia have mixed feelings, delving into the film's characterization choices, production values, and relationship with the novel.

Ep. 321: 28 Years Later

July 10, 2025 by Morgan Davies in episodes

Steffan and Gavia review Danny Boyle's thought-provoking sequel to the iconic post-apocalyptic thriller 28 Days Later. Combining zombie thrills with folk horror themes and social commentary about British culture, the film is structured around a coming-of-age story about a boy named Spike, who grows up in a version of England overrun by zombies.

Ep. 318: Ryan Coogler's Sinners

May 23, 2025 by Morgan Davies in episodes

Vampire fans Claire and Gavia discuss 2025's biggest horror movie, Sinners. Directed by Ryan Coogler, this historical blockbuster explores the roots of blues music in 1930s Mississippi, starring Michael B. Jordan as a pair of identical twins who open a juke joint in their home town. Among other topics, this episode covers the film's meticulously researched historical storytelling, its imaginative use of music, and its unique vampire mythos.

May 07, 2025 by Morgan Davies in episodes

Steffan and Gavia dig into the history and artistry of the iconic folk horror movie The Wicker Man (1973), starring Edward Woodward and Christopher Lee. Among other topics, this episode explores The Wicker Man’s influence on the horror genre, its relationship with the neo-Pagan movement, and its underrated dual identity as a folk musical.

Ep. 312: The Best Movies of 2024

January 29, 2025 by Morgan Davies in episodes

Claire and Gavia reveal their respective top 10 films of 2024, covering everything from A-list releases (Challengers) to hidden gems (Timestalker), acclaimed Oscar contenders (All We Imagine as Light) and low-budget horror (Oddity). This year's countdown includes movies from 11 countries, celebrating a truly exciting year in cinema!

Ep. 311: Robert Eggers' Nosferatu

January 15, 2025 by Morgan Davies in episodes

Steffan and Gavia delve into their mixed feelings toward Robert Eggers’ acclaimed new Nosferatu remake. Among other topics, this episode covers Dracula’s impact on the gothic horror genre, Eggers’ very specific style of historical storytelling, and the complicated relationship between Nosferatu’s Count Orlok (Bill Skarsgård) and Ellen Hutter (Lily-Rose Depp).

Ep. 307: The Substance

October 16, 2024 by Morgan Davies

Claire and Gavia review The Substance, Coralie Fargeat's divisive new horror movie starring Demi Moore as a celebrity who takes a black market anti-aging drug with alarming Jekyll-and-Hyde results. Among other topics, we discuss the film's flawed feminist messaging, overlong runtime, and puzzlingly incoherent depiction of sexism in Hollywood.

Ep. 305: Blink Twice

September 19, 2024 by Morgan Davies in episodes

Claire and Gavia review Zoe Kravitz's disappointingly flawed directorial debut, Blink Twice. Naomi Ackie stars as a waitress who gets invited on vacation by a controversial billionaire (Channing Tatum), joining a group of guests on his private island. Drawing comparisons to Promising Young Woman, this psychological thriller belongs to a recent trend of post-MeToo films tackling abusive power structures and sexual assault.

August 03, 2024 by Morgan Davies in episodes

Steffan and Gavia review the much-hyped horror movie Longlegs, starring Maika Monroe as an FBI agent investigating a serial killer (Nicolas Cage) who targets suburban families. Among other topics, this episode explores the film's unsettling atmosphere, its connection to Silence of the Lambs, its overlap with the Satanic Panic, and its use of potentially transphobic serial killer tropes.

Ep. 287: The Exorcist

October 30, 2023 by Morgan Davies in episodes

Gavia and Steffan delve into the iconic 1973 horror movie The Exorcist, discussing its chaotic creative process with director William Friedkin, its lasting impact on the horror genre, and its fantastic craftsmanship as an example of gritty New Hollywood cinema.

Ep. 280: Bones and All

June 01, 2023 by Morgan Davies

Gavia is joined by guest-host Claire Biddles to discuss Luca Guadagnino’s beautiful romantic horror movie Bones and All (2022), about a pair of young cannibal drifters played by Taylor Russell and Timothee Chalamet.

Among other topics, we covered the film's brilliant casting choices, its well-observed depiction of rural 1980s America, and Guadagnino's use of quasi-vampiric cannibalism as an allegory for outsider identity.

Ep. 267: Nope

August 28, 2022 by Morgan Davies in episodes

This week, Gavia and Morgan finally get to talk about Jordan Peele's third film, the UFO spectacular Nope. The film stars Daniel Kaluuya and Kiki Palmer as siblings who own a horse ranch... and discover there's a strange object lurking above their valley. Topics include Peele's increasingly ambitious career, this film's complex themes, dazzling performances from Palmer and Kaluuya, and more.

Ep. 260: Diabolique

June 25, 2022 by Morgan Davies in episodes

Gavia and Morgan return after a brief break with an episode on French horror classic Diabolique, directed by H.G. Clouzot and starring Véra Clouzot and Simone Signoret as women who collaborate to murder their abuser. Topics discussed include the film's pioneering use of horror and thriller tropes and techniques, how its classical style compares to the French New Wave, the relationship between the two central female characters, and more.

Ep. 253: Rosemary's Baby

April 09, 2022 by Morgan Davies in episodes

This week, Gavia and Morgan tackle a horror classic: Rosemary's Baby, which stars Mia Farrow as a dutiful wife unwittingly carrying the devil's child and John Cassavetes as her self-absorbed husband. Topics discussed in this episode include the film's long influence, its depiction of gaslighting by husbands and doctors, how to talk about a feminist classic directed by a sexual abuser, and more.

Ep. 250: Fresh (2022)

March 11, 2022 by Morgan Davies in episodes

In this week's episode, Gavia and Morgan pronounce Fresh, the new cannibalism romance starring Sebastian Stan and Daisy Edgar-Jones, dead on arrival. Topics discussed include the director's lack of familiarity with the horror genre, the film's clueless approach to feminism, an incredibly racist Black best friend character, and more.