We are back with another episode of Dashboard Discourse and this week we are fully in our witch era. If you have been looking for a podcast that examines current pop culture, debates problematic authors and creators, and reviews one the most anticipated horror comedies of the year, you found it. In this episode we play a full round of Smash or Pass: Witches Edition, covering everyone from the og witch Maleficent and the Disney Channel classics to Hermione Granger, the Sanderson sisters, Sabrina Spellman, and everything in between. We also get into the witchy adjacent staples: tarot, crystals, astrology, covens, Mercury Retrograde, and yes, the Etsy witch discourse.

Then it is time for the main event. We are reviewing Forbidden Fruits, the comedy horror directorial debut from Meredith Alloy and produced by Diablo Cody, the mind behind Jennifer's Body. Set in a Dallas mall at a store called Free Eden, the film follows a coven of young women navigating girlhood, power, and contains some genuinely campy gore. We break down the performances, the fashion inspo, the single location storytelling, mall culture nostalgia, the twist we may or may not have seen coming, and why this movie is absolutely made for the girls.

Media and People of Interest Mentioned in this Episode:

Forbidden Fruits

Mona Lisa Smile

Dead Poets Society

Kiki's Delivery Service

Practical Magic

The Craft

Hocus Pocus

Halloweentown

Twitches

Wizards of Waverly Place

Sabrina the Teenage Witch

Chilling Adventures of Sabrina

Bewitched

Harry Potter

Wicked

Stardust

The Love Witch

The Witches

The Chronicles of Narnia

The Golden Compass

Freaky Friday

American Horror Story: Coven

Haunting of Hill House

Haunting of Bly Manor

You

The Pitt

Jennifer's Body

Carrie

Mean Girls

Clueless

Riverdale

The Summer I Turned Pretty

Hadestown

SNL

Two Broke Chicks (podcast)

Diablo Cody

Meredith Alloy

Lily Reinhart

Lola Tung

Victoria Pedretti

Emma Chamberlain

Alexandra Shipp

Mike Flanagan

M. Night Shyamalan

Jordan Peele

Neil Gaiman

Roald Dahl

JK Rowling

Jane Wickline

Hayley Williams

Harry Styles

Disclaimer: This episode contains nuanced critiques and we aim for honest dialogue and diverse perspectives. But truthfully, we might not actually know what we are talking about. Thanks for listening anyway, and tune in every Friday for more conversations on film and culture!