Podcast – Spoilerpiece Theatre: Recent Episodes
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This week Megan and Dave check out writer-director Jac Cron’s CHESTNUT (2:19), a low-key (very low-key) queer drama about Annie (Natalia Dyer), who, after graduating college in Philadelphia, falls into a love triangle with Tyler (Rachel Keller) and her maybe-boyfriend Danny (Danny Ramirez). But is Tyler in love with Annie? Or Danny? And is Danny really into Annie? Or Tyler? We have an animated discussion about this one. Then Evan joins Megan and Dave to talk about FANCY DANCE (23:29), Erica Tremblay’s Indigenous drama starring Lily Gladstone as Jax, a Seneca-Cayuga woman searching for her missing sister while caring for her niece, Roki (Isabel Deroy-Olson). Throw into it Jax’s estranged father (Shea Whigham), an impromptu road trip to a powwow, and the missing-persons investigation for Jax’s sister and it’s an emotional 92 minutes. We all liked this one (one of us loved it!). Over on Patreon, we watched THE FIRST OMEN, Arkasha Stevenson’s horror prequel starring Nell Tiger Free, so check it out!
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In Episode #477 of Spoilerpiece Theatre, we review PERPETRATOR and OUR FATHER, THE DEVIL.
In Episode #476 of Spoilerpiece Theatre, we review LANDSCAPE WITH INVISIBLE HAND, SCRAPPER, and BLUE BEETLE.
In Episode #474 of Spoilerpiece Theatre, we review APORIA and THE SUPER MARIO BROS. MOVIE.
In Episode #470 of Spoilerpiece Theatre, we review MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - DEAD RECKONING PART ONE and FINAL CUT!
In Episode #460 of Spoilerpiece Theatre, we review GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 3 and YOU CAN LIVE FOREVER.
In Episode #459 of Spoilerpiece Theatre, we review SISU, JUDY BLUME FOREVER, and POLITE SOCIETY.
Dave is on vacation this week, so Evan and Megan review this week’s movies as a duo! We start off with Ari Aster’s latest film BEAU IS AFRAID (2:56), which follows an anxiety-ridden man (Joaquin Phoenix) confronting an escalating series of terrifying situations as he embarks on a Kaufmanesque odyssey home to his mother. We have a LOT to say about this problematic, three-hour, envelope-pushing movie and almost none of it is positive. Next, we cover Lee Cronin’s EVIL DEAD RISE (33:45), the newest entry in the EVIL DEAD franchise, which pits two estranged sisters against the famous flesh-possessing Deaddites. We have a LOT to say about this movie too, but almost all of it is positive! And in this week’s Patreon exclusive audio, in honor of the latest EVIL DEAD movie, we discuss Sam Raimi’s 1992 entry in the franchise, ARMY OF DARKNESS, starring Bruce Campbell!
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This week we’re reviewing MAFIA MAMMA and SHOWING UP! We start by discussing Kelly Reichardt’s dramedy SHOWING UP (3:22), which stars Michelle Williams as a sculptor trying to pursue her artistic work while contending with the struggles of daily life. Next, we cover Catherine Hardwicke’s comedy MAFIA MAMMA (27:42), which stars Toni Collette as an American woman who inherits her grandfather’s mafia empire in Italy and has to decide how she wants to run her crime family. And in this week’s Patreon exclusive audio, in honor of its upcoming Amazon Prime Video adaptation, we’re talking about David Cronenberg’s 1988 thriller/horror film DEAD RINGERS starring Jeremy Irons!
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We start the show this week by reviewing Saim Sadiq’s heartbreaking Pakistani drama JOYLAND (2:58), which is about a man (Ali Junejo) from a patriarchal family who becomes a backup dancer at a burlesque club and falls for the strong-willed trans woman (Alina Khan) who runs the show. Next, we cover Daniel Goldhaber’s tense environmental thriller HOW TO BLOW UP A PIPELINE (30:56), which follows a crew of environmental activists who execute a daring plan to disrupt an oil pipeline. And in this week’s Patreon exclusive audio, in honor of its 30th anniversary, we talk about the 1993 sci-fi action film DEMOLITION MAN, starring Sylvester Stallone, Wesley Snipes, and Sandra Bullock!
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Megan is off this week, so Evan and Dave hit the mics to talk TETRIS, the surprisingly tense spy thriller (question mark?) about the fraught negotiations between the Soviet government, Nintendo, a couple crooked English billionaires, and Henk Rogers, a coder-turned-game-inventer-turned-game-company-founder. And yes, the KGB gets involved. Over on Patreon, Evan and Dave disagree about Brian De Palma’s 1981 thriller BLOW OUT (indebted enormously to Hitchcock and Antonioni), and starring John Travolta and Nancy Allen.
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This week, we (Evan, Dave, and Megan) review RODEO (2:06), Lola Quivoron’s emotionally-intense French drama, a fascinating character study starring Julie Ledru as a tough, independent dirt bike rider who becomes a part of a turbulent group of male bikers. Next, we discuss RYE LANE (25:36), Raine Allen-Miller’s charming, witty, and vibrant British rom-com starring David Jonsson and Vivian Oparah as two twenty-somethings dealing with recent breakups and spending the day together in South London. We all recommend both films! And on this week’s Patreon exclusive audio, our women-directed genre films poll winner: Jill Gevargizian’s 2020 horror film THE STYLIST, starring Najarra Townsend and Brea Grant!
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This week, we start by sharing our thoughts on the 2023 Oscars (2:47)! Then we review Alex Herron’s intriguing, but not particularly scary horror film LEAVE (16:27), which follows a young woman (Alicia von Rittberg) trying to uncover her origins after she learns she was abandoned in a cemetery wrapped in a blanket with satanic symbols as an infant. Next, we discuss Matt Ruskin’s true crime drama BOSTON STRANGLER (36:52), which follows Loretta McLaughlin (Keira Knightley), the reporter who first connected the murders and broke the story of the Boston Strangler. And in this week’s Patreon exclusive audio, we talk about the 1999 teen rom-com SHE’S ALL THAT, starring Rachael Leigh Cook and Freddie Prinze Jr.!
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To start this week, we discuss Aline Brosh McKenna’s directorial debut, YOUR PLACE OR MINE (2:13). This Netflix rom-com, which divides us, stars Reese Witherspoon and Ashton Kutcher as long-distance best friends who figure out their romantic feelings for each other while she stays in his apartment in NYC for grad school and he takes care of her son back in LA. Next, we review Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett’s SCREAM VI (30:40), the latest installment in the SCREAM franchise. We’re also divided about this movie, but we can all agree that setting it in the Big Apple was a smart move. And in this week’s Patreon exclusive audio, we talk about Vittorio De Sica’s Italian neo-realist drama BICYCLE THIEVES in honor of its 75th anniversary this year!
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Dave leads off by reviewing Michael B. Jordan’s directorial debut, CREED III (2:15), which isn’t as strong as the other films in the CREED series but has a compelling antagonist played by Jonathan Majors. Next, we all discuss THE YEAR BETWEEN (13:45), writer/director/star Alex Heller’s semi-autobiographical dramedy about a college student named Clemence, who moves in with her family after she’s diagnosed with bipolar disorder. It lands with one of us, but two of us aren’t big fans of it. Then we cover Teodora Mihai’s ethically thorny drama LA CIVIL (34:38), which is about a mother (Arciela Ramírez), whose teenage daughter is kidnapped in Northern Mexico and decides to do whatever it takes to get her back. And in this week’s Patreon exclusive audio, we talk about Steven Spielberg’s WWII drama SAVING PRIVATE RYAN in honor of its 25th anniversary this year!
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Megan kicks things off this week with a review of the Elizabeth Banks-helmed COCAINE BEAR (2:54), a grisly and gory, dark comedy about a bear that accidentally ingests cocaine and goes on a murderous rampage. Then, Evan and Dave tackle Colin West’s LINOLEUM (11:44), a frustrating sci-fi drama starring Jim Gaffigan as the host of a failed children’s science show, whose life takes some unsettling turns after he witnesses a bizarre accident. We all wrap up with THE QUIET GIRL (30:42), Colm Bairéad’s heartbreaking Irish drama about a withdrawn girl who thrives while living with relatives for the summer. And in this week’s Patreon exclusive audio, we talk about the winner of our February poll: Nijla Mumin’s 2018 coming-of-age drama JINN!
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We kick off the show this week by reviewing Dave Franco and Alison Brie’s surprisingly nuanced romcom SOMEBODY I USED TO KNOW (2:09). It tells the story of a reality show producer (Brie) who returns to her quaint hometown and reconnects with her ex Sean (Jay Ellis), who is engaged to a woman (Kiersey Clemons) that reminds her of the person she used to be. Then, we cover Davy Chou’s RETURN TO SEOUL (25:50), a compelling and layered exploration of identity. It follows a French woman (Park Ji-min) who returns to Korea to experience the country and try to find her birth parents. And in this week’s Patreon exclusive audio, we talk about a Patron’s choice, the 1996 Mike Nichols queer comedy THE BIRDCAGE!
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This week we discuss Gabriel Bier Gislason’s queer Jewish horror film ATTACHMENT (2:51), a smartly-told tale about a Danish woman (Josephine Park) who falls for a Jewish woman (Ellie Kendrick) but discovers some disturbing things after traveling back to London with her. Next, Megan and Dave cover MAGIC MIKE’S LAST DANCE (21: 47), Steven Soderbergh’s mediocre final chapter in the MAGIC MIKE series. Then we review a movie that two of us have a very visceral reaction to — THE OUTWATERS (39:16), Robbie Banfitch’s found footage horror film about a group of friends who get terrorized in the Mojave desert. And in this week’s Patreon exclusive audio, we watch TO LESLIE to find out what all the Oscar fuss is about.
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We kick off the show by discussing our reactions to the 2023 Oscar nominations (2:25), which dropped earlier in the week. Next, we review Brad Anderson’s frustrating horror/thriller BLOOD (15:46), which stars Michelle Monaghan as a desperate mother trying to protect her son after he gets bitten by a dog and undergoes an unsettling transformation. Then we review Cecilia Miniucchi’s disappointing COVID lockdown relationship comedy LIFE UPSIDE DOWN (34:55), a movie where Bob Odenkirk gives an uncharacteristically lousy performance. And in this week’s Patreon exclusive audio, we talk about the winner of our legacy sequels poll, TOP GUN: MAVERICK!
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Welcome to a wacky week on Spoilerpiece. You’re gonna hear hotter takes than usual when we discuss SICK (2:42), a new horror-thriller from producer and co-writer Kevin Williamson. Is it like SCREAM? Is it something new? Who’s to say what’s new in Earth’s bizarre new cinematic landscape? The second movie is THE SON (25:26), starring Hugh Jackman and Laura Dern. We can’t say with certainty – because it’s only January – but this film may have afforded a couple Spoilerpiecers their most visceral reactions of the year. But like we said, it’s January. Hearts and minds can change! Don’t forget to check out this week’s Patreon exclusive: We talk about the 1973 film PAPER MOON, starring Ryan and Tatum O’Neal.
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This week we start by reviewing Alice Diop’s emotionally compelling French courtroom drama SAINT OMER (3:11), which is about the trial of a Senegalese immigrant accused of killing her infant daughter. Then we cover Kyle Edward Ball’s hyper-stylized indie horror flick SKINAMARINK (24:31), which has nothing to do with Sharon, Lois, or Bram. It’s a movie about two kids who wake up in the middle of the night to discover that their father is gone, and all the windows in their house have disappeared. And because it’s turning 50 this year, in this week’s Patreon exclusive audio, we talk about George Roy Hill’s THE STING starring Paul Newman and Robert Redford.
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Evan is off this week, so it’s the Dave and Megan show. But before the Dave and Megan show, Megan goes solo, covering M3GAN (3:01), the crazy AF killer A.I. robot movie starring Allison Williams. And—perfect timing—one of Dave’s children interrupts and scares the crap out of him as he and Megan discuss said killer robot movie. Yeesh! Next, Megan and Dave talk about Noah Baumbach’s adaptation of Don DeLillo’s unfilmable (question mark?) novel WHITE NOISE (17:41). They round things out with the new Christian Bale thriller THE PALE BLUE EYE (36:02), directed by Scott Cooper and featuring Harry Melling as a young Edgar Allan Poe. Don’t forget to check out this week’s Patreon exclusive audio in which Megan and Dave talk about Nora Ephron’s SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE.
Listen:
It’s our last episode of the year! So, as usual, we’re revealing our BOFCA ballots as we discuss our respective Top 10 Films of 2022! Unfortunately, Dave couldn’t make it this week, but we still share his top 10 before digging into each of our own. You can hear Dave’s list starting at 2:55, Megan’s at 14:36, and Evan’s at 47:39. And in this week’s Patreon exclusive audio, we’re talking about the winner of our NYE movie poll, Rob Reiner and Nora Ephron’s 1989 rom-com, WHEN HARRY MET SALLY!
Listen:Download Here – and don’t forget to follow us on Apple Podcasts, Pandora, Stitcher, or Spotify! Call us at 862-21–PIECE (862-217-4323) or send us an e-mail: spoilerpiece AT gmail.com.Our Top 10 Films of 2022Dave’s Top 101. CHA CHA REAL SMOOTH 2. GOD’S COUNTRY 3. THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN 4. AFTER YANG 5. THE WONDER 6. LIVING 7. DECISION TO LEAVE 8. PEARL 9. THE BATMAN 10. TURNING RED
Megan’s Top 101. AFTER YANG 2. A LOVE SONG 3. GOD’S COUNTRY 4. THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN 5. WE’RE ALL GOING TO THE WORLD’S FAIR 6. AFTERSUN 7. EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE 8. TÁR 9. NANNY 10. WOMEN TALKING
Evan’s Top 101. GOD’S COUNTRY 2. PREY 3. THE MENU 4. GLASS ONION: A KNIVES OUT MYSTERY 5. EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE 6. KIMI 7. WATCHER 8. THE FORGIVEN 9. EMERGENCY 10. THE PRINCESS
We start by reviewing Steven Spielberg’s autobiographical film THE FABELMANS (2:14), which explores his love of filmmaking, his parents’ marriage, and the antisemitism he experienced growing up. They’re themes we’ve seen him tackle before in his movies, but we’re split on whether there’s enough unique value that makes this movie worth watching. Next, we delve into Sarah Polley’s WOMEN TALKING (33:34), a compelling chamber piece drama about women from a religious community who have been abused by the men in it, debating whether they should forgive them, stay and fight, or leave. And in this week’s Patreon exclusive audio, we discuss a Patron’s choice, the Hallmark movie HANUKKAH ON RYE!
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Evan is off this week so Megan and Dave are a duo, and they’re a doozy of a duo, because one movie they like, and one movie they really, really don’t. They start things off with NELLY & NADINE (3:26), a documentary about an unlikely love story of two women falling in love on Christmas Eve, 1944, in the Ravensbrück concentration camp. Then it’s THE APOLOGY (27:47), a Christmas-set thriller about a missing child, her coming-to-terms-with-it mother, and the unannounced guest who shows up to pour sugar in everyone’s figurative gas tanks. Bonus: Janeane Garofalo is in this one (along with stars Anna Gunn and Linus Roache)! Don’t forget to check out this week’s Patreon exclusive audio, where Megan and Dave talk about the holiday rom-com LAST HOLIDAY starring Queen Latifah.
Listen:Download Here – and don’t forget to follow us on Apple Podcasts, Pandora, Stitcher, or Spotify! Call us at 862-21–PIECE (862-217-4323) or send us an e-mail: spoilerpiece AT gmail.com.
We start the show this week by reviewing Martin McDonagh’s darkly comedic drama THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN (1:52) about two lifelong friends (Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson) who find themselves at odds when one of them abruptly ends their friendship. Next, we discuss GUILLERMO DEL TORO’S PINOCCHIO (28:12), a creepy, yet sweet stop-motion animated retelling of the Pinocchio tale. And in this week’s Patreon exclusive audio, we talk about Steve De Jarnatt’s 1988 film MIRACLE MILE, starring Anthony Edwards and Mare Winningham.
Listen:Download Here – and don’t forget to follow us on Apple Podcasts, Pandora, Stitcher, or Spotify! Call us at 862-21–PIECE (862-217-4323) or send us an e-mail: spoilerpiece AT gmail.com.
In Episode #436 of Spoilerpiece Theatre, we review GLASS ONION: A KNIVES OUT MYSTERY, THE MENU, and THE PEOPLE WE HATE AT THE WEDDING.
In Episode #435 of Spoilerpiece Theatre, we review BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER and SOMETHING IN THE DIRT.
In Episode #430 of Spoilerpiece Theatre, we review GOD'S CREATURES and HELLRAISER (2022).
In Episode #428 of Spoilerpiece Theatre, we review BLONDE and THE JUSTICE OF BUNNY KING.
In Episode #427 of Spoilerpiece Theatre, we review GOD'S COUNTRY, SEE HOW THEY RUN, and PEARL.
In Episode #426 of Spoilerpiece Theatre, we review SPEAK NO EVIL, DON'T WORRY DARLING, and SALOUM.
In Episode #424 of Spoilerpiece Theatre, we review ORPHAN: FIRST KILL, SPIN ME ROUND, and THREE THOUSAND YEARS OF LONGING.
In Episode #423 of Spoilerpiece Theatre, we review GLORIOUS and THE LEGEND OF MOLLY JOHNSON.
In Episode #422 of Spoilerpiece Theatre, we review FALL, EMERGENCY DECLARATION, and LUCK.
In Episode #419 of Spoilerpiece Theatre, we review ANYTHING'S POSSIBLE, NOPE, and SHE WILL.
In Episode #417 of Spoilerpiece Theatre, we review THE PRINCESS, THOR: LOVE AND THUNDER, THE SUMMONED, and ON THE 3RD DAY.
In Episode #416 of Spoilerpiece Theatre, we review RUBIKON, SPIDERHEAD, and THE FORGIVEN.
In Episode #414 of Spoilerpiece Theatre, we review CHA CHA REAL SMOOTH, GOOD LUCK TO YOU, LEO GRANDE, and HALFTIME.
In Episode #413 of Spoilerpiece Theatre, we review CHIP 'N DALE: RESCUE RANGERS and THE FOUND FOOTAGE PHENOMENON.
In Episode #411 of Spoilerpiece Theatre, we review DOCTOR STRANGE IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS, THE LOST CITY, and ON THE COUNT OF THREE.
In Episode #410 of Spoilerpiece Theatre, we review EMERGENCY, FIRESTARTER, and HOLD YOUR FIRE.
In Episode #407 of Spoilerpiece Theatre, we review THE UNBEARABLE WEIGHT OF MASSIVE TALENT, THE AVIARY, and FIREBIRD.
In Episode #406 of Spoilerpiece Theatre, we review SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME, THE NORTHMAN, and VIRUS: 32.
On Episode #405 of Spoilerpiece Theatre, we review WE'RE ALL GOING TO THE WORLD'S FAIR, TONY HAWK: UNTIL THE WHEELS FALL OFF, and THE TALE OF KING CRAB.
On Episode #404 of Spoilerpiece Theatre, we review ALL THE OLD KNIVES, MOTHERING SUNDAY, and WINDFALL.
On Episode #403 of Spoilerpiece Theatre, we review DEATH ON THE NILE, SCREAM, and 7 DAYS. We also talk about the 2022 Oscars.
On Episode #402 of Spoilerpiece Theatre, we review Ti West's horror film "X" with special guest Jason from Binge Movies.
On Episode #401 of Spoilerpiece Theatre, we review DEEP WATER, TURNING RED, and MEASURE OF REVENGE.
We celebrate Episode #400 of Spoilerpiece Theatre with some very special guests, including original co-host, Kris Jenson!
On Episode #399 of Spoilerpiece Theatre, we review THE BATMAN, FRESH, and THE DESPERATE HOUR.
It’s a suspenseful week on Spoilerpiece with two horror films and a thriller. First up is John Adams, Zelda Adams, and Toby Poser’s creepy family-made horror flick HELLBENDER (2:12), which is about a lonely teen uncovering her family’s connection to witchcraft. Next is BJ McDonnell’s STUDIO 666 (19:14), a horror comedy about the Foo Fighters trying to record their 10th album in a haunted mansion. Then we review Steven Soderbergh’s thriller KIMI (39:25), starring Zoë Kravitz as an agoraphobic Big Tech employee who stumbles onto a conspiracy. And in this week’s Patreon exclusive audio, we talk about the winner of our poll, Gina Prince-Bythewood’s 2000 romance LOVE & BASKETBALL, starring Sanaa Lathan and Omar Epps!
Listen: Download Here – and don’t forget to follow us on Apple Podcasts, Pandora, Stitcher, or Spotify! Call us at 862-21–PIECE (862-217-4323) or send us an e-mail: spoilerpiece AT gmail.com.
This week we have strong opinions about all the movies we cover. First up, is Josephine Decker’s THE SKY IS EVERYWHERE (1:43), a surreal romance none of us could stand about a teen coping with the death of her older sister. Next, we cover Kentucker Audley and Albert Birney’s colorful sci-fi romance STRAWBERRY MANSION (19:08), a story that’s stylized and smart, but becomes way too weird for one of us. Lastly, we review A BANQUET (30:50), Ruth Paxton’s tense psychological horror film, which we all agree falters in one key area. And in honor of Black History Month, this week we talk about Spike Lee’s biopic MALCOLM X starring Denzel Washington for our Patreon exclusive audio!
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We start the show by offering our brief reactions to this year’s Oscar nominations, which were released this week. After that we review Disney’s ENCANTO (6:39), a heartwarming animated tale about a magical Colombian family, which features incredible songs by Lin-Manuel Miranda. Next, we dig into Guillermo del Toro’s stylish, yet long film noir NIGHTMARE ALLEY (25:44), which has us split. Then we discuss Kat Coiro’s delightful rom-com MARRY ME (40:09), a film about nice things happening to nice people, starring Jennifer Lopez and Owen Wilson. And in this week’s Patreon exclusive audio, we talk about Greg Berlanti’s 2018 queer teen rom-com, LOVE, SIMON!
Listen: Download Here – and don’t forget to follow us on Apple Podcasts, Pandora, Stitcher, or Spotify! Call us at 862-21–PIECE (862-217-4323) or send us an e-mail: spoilerpiece AT gmail.com.
As Evan describes it, BOOK OF LOVE is better than your average bad rom-com
This week it’s documentary full of rom-coms! First up, is Thomas Hamilton’s doc BORIS KARLOFF: THE MAN BEHIND THE MONSTER (2:22), which offers fascinating facts, but distractingly bad production values. Next, we cover a movie that has us split, Joan Carr-Wiggin’s rom-com A GRAND ROMANTIC GESTURE (20:18), which is about a recently retired woman who falls for the man playing the Romeo to her Juliet in her drama class. Then we review another film that has us split, Analaine Cal y Mayor’s rom-com BOOK OF LOVE (36:40), which is about two writers (Sam Claflin and Veronica Echegui) who connect with each other during a book tour in Mexico. And on this week’s Patreon exclusive audio, we talk about the winner of our January poll: the 2018 Claire Denis film HIGH LIFE, starring Robert Pattinson and Juliet Binoche!
Listen: Download Here – and don’t forget to follow us on Apple Podcasts, Pandora, Stitcher, or Spotify! Call us at 862-21–PIECE (862-217-4323) or send us an e-mail: spoilerpiece AT gmail.com.
Hi, everyone! Buckle up because we have a lot of movies this week. Megan and Dave run through Sundance and just about every movie they saw. (Evan is off this week and will return next week.) There’s so much to get to, we’ll dispense with the descriptions here, give you the lead actor info, and get right to the timecodes. Both Megan and Dave saw LIVING (2:19) starring Bill Nighy; DUAL (8:31) starring Karen Gillan and Aaron Paul; YOU WON’T BE ALONE (13:00) starring Noomi Rapace; and MASTER (19:10) starring Regina Hall and Zoe Renee. The following three movies both Megan and Dave like a lot: A LOVE SONG (27:10), starring Dale Dickey; AM I OK? (36:23), starring Dakota Johnson; and AFTER YANG (48:38), starring Colin Farrell and Haley Lu Richardson. Finally, Dave gives short reviews of CHA CHA REAL SMOOTH (59:30), starring Cooper Raiff and Dakota Johnson; ALICE (1:01:24), starring Keke Palmer; SUMMERING (1:03:48), starring Lake Bell, Sarah Cooper and Megan Mullally; and WHEN YOU FINISH SAVING THE WORLD (1:05:15), starring Julianne Moore and Finn Wolfhard. Megan gives short reviews of NANNY (1:06:37), starring Anna Diop; GOD’S COUNTRY (1:07:45), starring Thandiwe Newton; and GIRL PICTURE (1:08:46), starring Oona Airola. There are more Sundance movies on the Patreon this week and we’ll cover the January poll winner in the next episode.
Listen: Download Here – and don’t forget to follow us on Apple Podcasts, Pandora, Stitcher, or Spotify! Call us at 862-21–PIECE (862-217-4323) or send us an e-mail: spoilerpiece AT gmail.com.
Evan and Megan start this week by reviewing Mamoru Hosada’s moving anime drama BELLE (2:06) about a shy young woman who escapes to a virtual reality world where she becomes a pop star. Next, everyone discusses Asghar Farhadi’s heartbreaking drama A HERO (17:19), about a man on leave from debtor’s prison trying everything he can to keep himself from going back. We wrap up with ETERNALS (33:33), Chloe Zhao’s Marvel superhero epic about a group of ancient heroes, which feels both too long and too short at the same time. And in this week’s Patreon exclusive audio, we talk about Michael Curtiz and William Keighley’s 1938 swashbuckler THE ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD, starring Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland.
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We start this week by reviewing Adam McKay’s hotly-debated Netflix climate change satire, DON’T LOOK UP (2:17), digging into the many ways it’s ineffective, and the couple of ways it is. Then we cover Randall Okita’s tense thriller SEE FOR ME (21:20), about a blind woman stuck inside a house full of crooks with nothing but an app and an army vet on the other side of it to guide her. We wrap up with Pedro Almodóvar’s moving, complex drama PARALLEL MOTHERS (33:11), which is about two mothers who give birth on the same day, and oh so much more. We won’t spoil it here, but we sure will in the episode. And in this week’s Patreon exclusive audio, we finally review the 1985 John Hughes classic, THE BREAKFAST CLUB!
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We didn’t get a chance to share our top 10 films from 2021 last week, so we’re doing it this week! We each dig into our individual top 10 films from our 2021 Boston Online Film Critics Association Awards ballots, discussing the overlap between our lists, and the unique films that made our respective ballots. First up, is Dave (2:47), whose ballot includes a documentary, comedies, and dramas. He’s followed by Evan (33:20), whose list includes dramas, comedies, and horror. After that is Megan (47:09), whose list includes horror, dramas, and one comedy. And in this week’s Patreon exclusive audio, we decided to review a film with the number 10 in the title, 10 THINGS I HATE ABOUT YOU, starring Julia Stiles and Heath Ledger!
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We don’t all agree on HOUSE OF GUCCI, but we do all agree that Lady Gaga is great in it
Frequent guest Charlie Nash stops by this week to fill in for Megan. He offers a quick plug for his new podcast, Almost Major, before he reviews Steven Spielberg’s adaptation of WEST SIDE STORY (6:09), which despite his admitted bias against a particular actor in it, offers great spectacle and inspired tweaks to the original story. Next, we all discuss Paul Schrader’s THE CARD COUNTER (16:30), an intense tale about trauma and guilt starring Oscar Isaac, Tye Sheridan, Tiffany Haddish, and Willem Dafoe. After that we delve into Ridley Scott’s HOUSE OF GUCCI (39:28), a movie about wealth and manipulation that we have polarized reactions to. One thing we do agree on: Lady Gaga is great in it. And in this week’s Patreon exclusive audio, we talk about a Patron’s request, Ted Demme’s 1994 dark Christmas comedy, THE REF, starring Denis Leary!
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Sadly, we will not be raising a glass to SILENT NIGHT
Megan’s on vacation (and we miss her), so we invite a very special guest to join us this week: former Spoilerpiece co-host Kris Jenson! We’re excited to have Kris back for an episode, but feel bad about the movies we made him watch. At least we have some great discussions about them! First up is Michael Pearce’s muddled sci-fi film ENCOUNTER (4:26), starring Riz Ahmed as a father trying to protect his two sons from an alien invasion. Then we cover Camille Griffin’s uneven mix of sci-fi and dark comedy, SILENT NIGHT (31:17), which is about old friends who get together on Christmas as one last hurrah before their imminent demise. And on this week’s Patreon exclusive audio, we talk with Kris about Paul Verhoeven’s 1990 sci-fi action film TOTAL RECALL, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger!
Listen: Download Here – and don’t forget to follow us on Apple Podcasts, Pandora, Stitcher, or Spotify! Call us at 862-21–PIECE (862-217-4323) or send us an e-mail: spoilerpiece AT gmail.com.
The film’s amazing performances are KING RICHARD’s greatest strength
This week just in time for the holiday, we kick off our show with Stephen Karam’s Thanksgiving family drama THE HUMANS (1:41), which underwhelms despite its stacked cast. Next we discuss Halle Berry’s directorial debut BRUISED (16:32) a formulaic sports film about a down on her luck queer MMA fighter trying to find redemption. Then we review KING RICHARD (34:45), Reinaldo Marcus Green’s engaging sports biopic, which looks at how Venus and Serena Williams’ father Richard (Will Smith) propelled them into tennis superstardom from birth. And in this week’s Patreon exclusive audio, we talk about the winner of our November film noir poll, Robert Altman’s 1973 film THE LONG GOODBYE, starring Elliott Gould!
Check out this week’s episode of Spoilerpiece Theatre!
Listen: Download Here – and don’t forget to follow us on Apple Podcasts, Pandora, Stitcher, or Spotify! Call us at 862-21–PIECE (862-217-4323) or send us an e-mail: spoilerpiece AT gmail.com.
This week we picked two VERY different movies about food to discuss. First, we cover Julie Cohen and Betsy West’s delightful documentary JULIA (2:12), about chef Julia Child, which is chock full of great interviews, insights, and shots of food. Next, we review Lee Haven Jones’s Welsh foreboding, slow-burn folk horror film THE FEAST (15:12), starring Annes Elwy, which features some gruesome moments that we have varying reactions to. To completely change gears, we close with Destin Daniel Cretton’s entertaining Marvel Asian American superhero movie SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS (35:40), in honor of its arrival on Disney+, starring Simu Liu, Awkwafina, Tony Leung, and Michelle Yeoh. And in this week’s Patreon exclusive audio, we talk about David Fincher’s 2002 home-invasion thriller PANIC ROOM, starring Jodie Foster, Kristen Stewart, and Forest Whitaker.
Listen: Download Here – and don’t forget to follow us on Apple Podcasts, Pandora, Stitcher, or Spotify! Call us at 862-21–PIECE (862-217-4323) or send us an e-mail: spoilerpiece AT gmail.com.
This week we start by reviewing Tal Michael’s BUKRA FIL MISH-MISH (3:59), a fascinating documentary playing at the Boston Jewish Film Festival about three Jewish brothers who were pioneers of Egyptian animation. Next, we discuss Danis Goulet’s NIGHT RAIDERS (16:41), a smart Indigenous sci-fi film about a mother (Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers) trying to rescue her daughter (Brooklyn Letexier-Hart) from a fascist state. After that we review Jeymes Samuel’s THE HARDER THEY FALL (32:25), a bold Black Western with a stacked cast. And in this week’s Patreon exclusive audio, we talk about Lou Adler’s 1982 film LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE FABULOUS STAINS!
Listen: Download Here – and don’t forget to follow us on Apple Podcasts, Pandora, Stitcher, or Spotify! Call us at 862-21–PIECE (862-217-4323) or send us an e-mail: spoilerpiece AT gmail.com.