Pop Culture Happy Hour Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 and What’s Making Us Happy
Dec 5, 2025
Joined by Rihanna Cruz, a freelance music and culture journalist, the discussion dives into the latest film Five Nights at Freddy's 2. Rihanna critiques its storytelling and notes how kids in theaters reacted loudly, while Stephen examines the contrast between nostalgia and weak plotlines. They explore unfulfilled story threads, the confusing role of the Marionette, and missed opportunities in new settings. On a lighter note, Rihanna shares her love for the Chicago band Gliders, and Stephen delights in a whimsical tale of a drunk raccoon.
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Nostalgia Is The Movie's Core Engine
- Five Nights at Freddy's blends Gen Z game nostalgia with Gen X memories of family restaurants to create its eerie appeal.
- The films trade childhood comfort for uncanny animatronics to tap cultural nostalgia as a horror device.
Sequel Relies On Fanservice Over Plot
- Rihanna Cruz says the sequel feels held together by fanservice and lacks a compelling plot or characters.
- She finds the PG-13 rating limits the film's horror while still frightening younger viewers in theaters.
Jump Scares Replace Earned Horror
- Stephen argues the sequel replaces rich worldbuilding with dim corridors and unearned jump scares.
- He distinguishes startling cheap scares from earned terror that pays off built-up fear.
