Dana and Tom with returning guests Kieran B (Host and Creator of the Best Picture Cast) and Jaylan Salah Salman (Film Critic for In Session Film, Geek Vibes Nation, and Keith Loves Movies) discuss the horror film Saw (2004) for its 20th anniversary: directed by James Wan, written by Leigh Whannell, music by Charlie Clouser, starring Cary Elwes, Danny Glover, and Ken Leung.
Plot Summary: Saw is a horror film that takes a grim pleasure in its own sadism, positioning itself as both a grisly thriller and a twisted morality tale. At its core, the movie revolves around two men, Adam and Dr. Lawrence Gordon, who wake up in a dingy bathroom, chained to opposite sides of the room. They soon discover they are the latest victims of a deranged figure known as Jigsaw, a serial killer with a perverse mission: he doesn’t just murder his victims—he forces them into life-or-death games where survival is determined by how far they are willing to go to save themselves.
Director James Wan revels in pushing the audience's discomfort, presenting a relentless series of traps that are as much about mental anguish as physical pain. The characters’ desperation is palpable, yet their choices feel less like genuine human decisions and more like pawns being moved by the screenwriter’s hand. The result is a film that thrives on tension and shock but leaves little room for reflection.
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction to the Podcast and Guests
02:47 Cast and Recognition for Saw
04:54 Relationship(s) with Saw
12:00 What is Saw About?
20:45 Why Do People Like Horror Movies?
28:37 Are There Any Good Horror Sequels?
32:23 Plot Summary for Saw
34:06 Did You Know?
35:17 First Break
36:10 What's Happening with Kieran and Jaylan
39:46 Ask Dana Anything
51:12 Best Performance(s)
01:02:36 Best/Favorite/Indelible Scene(s)
01:09:42 Second Break
01:10:41 In Memoriam
01:14:58 Tom Rant
01:16:46 Best/Funniest Lines
01:20:23 The Stanley Rubric - Legacy
01:30:38 The Stanley Rubric - Impact/Significance
01:38:05 The Stanley Rubric - Novelty
01:41:58 The Stanley Rubric - Classicness
01:50:48 The Stanley Rubric - Rewatchability
01:57:43 The Stanley Rubric - Audience Score and Final Total
02:00:18 Remaining Questions for Saw
02:10:10 Thank You to Our Guests and Final Thoughts
Guests:
Kieran B
