The Top 5 Horror Movies Of The Last 5 Years | Hour 2

Summary of The Top 5 Horror Movies Of The Last 5 Years | Hour 2

by Dan Le Batard, Stugotz

42m•May 29, 2026
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Overview of The Top 5 Horror Movies Of The Last 5 Years | Hour 2

This hour of The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz swings between everyday-life banter, a serious mental health discussion, and a spirited ranking of the best horror movies released since 2020. The crew starts with a funny but relatable story about fixing a broken dryer, detours into random trivia about oranges and grapefruit, then turns reflective over a reported death by suicide tied to NHL bad boy Claude Lemieux. The back half is all about horror films, with Dan’s family-driven love of the genre fueling a top-five list and a preview of an upcoming movie called Backrooms.

Everyday Life, Repairs, and Random Trivia

Dryer repair and the “good contractor” feeling

  • Jeremy shares the small victory of getting his broken dryer fixed after months.
  • The real win wasn’t the repair itself, but feeling like he wasn’t overcharged or ripped off.
  • The group jokes about how satisfying it is when a repair person is competent, fair, and even helpful afterward.

Talking to repair people: helpful or annoying?

  • The crew debates whether they like repairmen explaining what they’re doing.
  • Jeremy says it depends on whether they sound condescending.
  • There’s agreement that the ideal interaction is:
    • fix the problem,
    • maybe give a useful maintenance tip,
    • then leave.

Childhood backyards and fruit facts

  • The conversation drifts to childhood memories of clotheslines and backyard trees.
  • One host recalls orange and grapefruit trees growing up.
  • That leads to a long riff on the absurdity of the name “grapefruit” and a surprise fact:
    • the fruit “orange” was named before the color orange.

Sports-trivia joke: the safety signal

  • The crew jokes that the referee’s safety signal in football is one of the most exotic gestures in sports.
  • This spins into a side discussion about how football has two different meanings for “safety,” which makes the word confusing but fun to debate.

Serious Segment: Claude Lemieux and Mental Health

Discussion of a reported suicide

  • The show briefly shifts into a serious conversation after discussing a reported death by suicide involving former NHL star Claude Lemieux.
  • The crew reflects on how public figures can appear fine or even triumphant right before something tragic happens.
  • They connect it to broader examples of hidden struggle, including Robin Williams and other well-known figures.

Core takeaway on mental health

  • The segment emphasizes that outward success, fame, or a cheerful public appearance do not reveal everything someone is dealing with internally.
  • The crew encourages:
    • reaching out to people you care about,
    • taking mental health seriously,
    • and using the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline if needed.
  • They also criticize toxic attitudes toward vulnerability, especially the idea that men should avoid discussing mental health struggles.

Top 5 Horror Movies Since 2020

Dan shifts the mood with a ranked list of his favorite horror movies from the last five years. He frames it as a more manageable list than “all-time horror,” since that’s too broad.

Dan’s ranking

  1. Obsession
  2. Weapons
  3. Black Phone
  4. Smile
  5. Talk to Me

Why these movies stood out

  • Obsession: Dan’s top pick; he praises its creepy tone, strong lead performance, and unsettling supernatural premise.
  • Weapons: He calls it wild, surprising, and funny in a dark way, with a memorable and shocking ending.
  • Black Phone: Described as creepy, effective, and a strong blend of horror and suspense.
  • Smile: Noted for its unsettling marketing and genuinely creepy atmosphere.
  • Talk to Me: A possession movie centered on teenagers and a haunted hand, which Dan likes for its originality and dread.

Genre discussion

  • The crew debates whether modern horror is better because it’s often also a legitimately good movie, not just a shock/gore vehicle.
  • They compare it to older horror classics and argue that recent films tend to combine scares with stronger filmmaking.
  • There’s also a brief discussion about whether Seven counts as horror or more of a thriller.

Horror Culture and What’s Next

“Backrooms” preview

  • Dan says his kids are into horror and are excited about Backrooms.
  • He explains the premise as a creepy, liminal-space nightmare: endless rooms, fluorescent lights, and no exit.
  • The crew frames it as more psychological horror than jump-scare horror.

Family horror habits

  • Dan mentions he’s been introducing his kids to horror for years.
  • The family treats graphic scenes carefully, but horror is clearly a shared interest.

Notable Takeaways

  • Repair work feels better when the price is fair and the repair person is respectful.
  • The conversation about orange vs. orange is one of the show’s signature random fact tangents.
  • The Claude Lemieux segment is the emotional center of the hour, emphasizing compassion and mental health awareness.
  • Dan’s horror movie rankings reflect a modern view of the genre: horror as both scary and genuinely cinematic.

Top Horror List at a Glance

  • 1. Obsession
  • 2. Weapons
  • 3. Black Phone
  • 4. Smile
  • 5. Talk to Me