Spoilerpiece Theatre

Megan and Dave are back to talk about two new horror movies. First, we review WHEN EVIL LURKS (4:19), a brutal possession film by Argentinian filmmaker Demián Rugna that showcases children attacked by dogs, bodies festering with unexplained evil, and children who literally eat their parents. It's a big, wide, wonderful world we live in! The second film is TOTALLY KILLER (27:01), Nahnatchkha Khan's delightful sci-fi horror movie rooted in comedy that still has lots of blood. And it's a time travel movie, too! Starring Kiernan Shipka, Olivia Holt, and Julie Bowen, a teen travels back to the 80s to team up with her mom to stop a serial killer. And be sure to check out our Patreon to hear us talk about Spike Jonze's 2013 human/OS romance HER, starring Joaquin Phoenix and Scarlett Johansson.

Megan returns! This week she and Dave talk about NIGHTMARE (13:18), Kjersti Helen Rasmussen's Norwegian horror film about a demon that lurks in dreams and tries to get itself birthed into the real world. They also talk about the much ballyhooed FAIR PLAY (30:04), Chloe Domont's sharp and complex erotic thriller about a seemingly happy couple (Phoebe Dynevor, Alden Ehrenreich) working for a hedge fund who get thrown a curveball when one of them becomes the other's boss. But before all that, Dave fills Megan in PAW PATROL: THE MIGHTY MOVIE (4:02). That's right! Dave managed to see another big-screen adaptation of his least favorite animated kids' show ever. And over on Patreon, Megan and Dave talk about David Lynch's first two films, ERASERHEAD and THE ELEPHANT MAN.

Dave is once again without his co-hosts, so Jason from Binge Movies sits in! It's a delight to have him, and he and Dave take a battering ram to DARK ASSET (2:18), action-thriller (?) with a million problems and zero solutions. We on Spoilerpiece don't go out of our way to tear a movie to pieces (honest!), but sometimes we're left no choice. Following that, they talk about FLORA AND SON (30:37), writer-director John Carney's latest musical-that's-not-a-musical, starring Eve Hewson, Jack Reynor, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Does the SING STREET/ONCE creator get it right again? In this week's Patreon exclusive audio, we talk abouut Mike Nichols's restrained foray into romantic horror, the very 1994 WOLF starring Jack Nicholson, Michelle Pfeiffer, and James Spader. It's a fun conversation about a bizarro movie.

With Megan and Evan off this week, Dave is joined by ScreenRun's The Lady-Wan! On ScreenRun, Wan and her co-host Chris Scalzo tackle the films of a particular artist or franchise. This season, ScreenRun ran through (ha) the films of John Carpenter, so in that spirit, Wan and Dave take a deep dive into JOHN CARPENTER'S VAMPIRES (1:45), and it ain't pretty (but it is fun). Next, they get to a new release: Rebekah McKendry's horror film ELEVATOR GAME (17:43), in which a bunch of kinda dumb teens (starring Gino Anania, Megan Best, Alec Carlos, Nazariy Demkowicz) play a game that lands them in The Red World, or gets them torn to shreds by "The Fifth-Floor Woman," or both. It's a movie with an intriguing premise, ideas that don't go anywhere, and a whole lotta blood and guts. And in this week's Patreon exclusive audio, Dave and Wan talk about Michael Mann's 2004 thriller COLLATERAL, starring Tom Cruise's frosted hair and Jamie Foxx.

It's family/tearjerker week at Spoilerpiece! Evan is off, so Megan and Dave tackle Sammi Cohen's family comedy YOU ARE SO NOT INVITED TO MY BAT MITZVAH (5:24), starring Sunny Sandler, Samantha Lorraine, Idina Menzel, and Adam Sandler (and more of his family). This movie has everything: Petty gripes, snipes, and pipes. (It doesn't have pipes; Dave just wanted to rhyme. -Ed.) And it features a whole lot of tween/teen angst. (One of us liked it more than the other.) Then at 28:44, the dynamic duo (TM) settles into Trish Sie's SITTING IN BARS WITH CAKE, (written by Audrey Shulman) which is exactly what it sounds like, until it turns into a pretty serious drama about two lifelong best friends (Yara Shahidi, Odessa A'zion) dealing with one's cancer diagnosis. And patrons! Don't forget to check out this week's exclusive Patreon audio in which Dave and Megan talk about James Bridges's 1979 nuclear disaster thriller THE CHINA SYNDROME, starring Jane Fonda, Jack Lemmon, and Michael Douglas. It's a fun talk about a great movie.

Megan and Dave start the show this week reviewing Jennifer Reeder's stylized feminist horror film PERPETRATOR (2:50), which follows a teen (Kiah McKirnan) with unusual powers pursuing a villain abducting girls at her school. Next, we all cover Ellie Foumbi's excellent thorny thriller OUR FATHER, THE DEVIL (21:18), about a Guinean refugee (Babetida Sadjo) living in France whose life is turned upside down by the arrival of a charismatic Catholic priest (Souleyman Sy Savane), whom she recognizes as the warlord who slaughtered her family. And in this week's Patreon exclusive audio, we talk about a Patron's request: the 1986 animated cult classic TRANSFORMERS: THE MOVIE!

Megan starts this week's show with a quick review of Angel Manuel Soto's entertaining Latinx superhero film BLUE BEETLE (3:22). Next, she and Dave discuss Charlotte Regan's well-acted drama SCRAPPER (14:47), which follows a 12-year-old girl who connects with her estranged father. Then, we all cover Cory Finley's grim sci-fi satire LANDSCAPE WITH INVISIBLE HAND (26:54), which involves teens (Asante Blackk and Kylie Rogers) who decide to broadcast their courtship for an extraterrestrial audience, but also a lot more. In this week's Patreon exclusive audio, we talk about the winner of our alien poll, Robert Wise's 1951 sci-fi film THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL!

This week we start by reviewing Dane Elcar's compelling sci-fi horror film BRIGHTWOOD (2:23), which follows a troubled couple (Dana Berger and Max Woertendyke) who become trapped in the woods while they're out for a run. Next, we cover Stewart Thorndike's frustrating horror movie BAD THINGS (24:19), which follows a group of friends (Gayle Rankin, Hari Nef, Annabelle Dexter-Jones, and Rad Pereira) who spend a chaotic weekend at the hotel one of them has inherited. And in this week's Patreon exclusive audio, in honor of the late William Friedkin, we talk about his 1977 thriller SORCERER starring Roy Scheider, Bruno Cremer, and Francisco Rabal.

This week we start by reviewing Aaron Horvath, Michael Jelenic, and Pierre Leduc's animated movie, THE SUPER MARIO BROS. MOVIE (1:55), which adapts the popular videogame franchise for the big screen with an all-star cast. Now streaming on Peacock, this one has us pretty divided. Next, we discuss Jared Moshe's sci-fi film APORIA (22:09), which follows Sophie (Judy Greer), a wife and mother grieving the loss of her husband (Edi Gathegi). Sophie learns about a time-bending machine created by a physicist friend (Payman Maadi) that could restore her former life but using it involves an impossible choice with unforeseen consequences. This is another film that has us divided. And in this week's Patreon exclusive audio, in honor of the late Paul Reubens, we talk about a non-Pee-wee Herman movie with him, Fran Rubel Kuzui's 1992 action comedy BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, starring Kristy Swanson and Luke Perry.

This week we have reviews of SHORTCOMINGS AND WHAT COMES AROUND! We start by talking about Amy Redford's not-so-thrilling thriller WHAT COMES AROUND (1:56), a story about a teenager (Grace Van Dien) who starts dating a much older man (Kyle Gallner) with a disturbing connection to her mother (Summer Phoenix). Then we discuss Randall Park's directorial debut SHORTCOMINGS (23:00), based on a graphic novel by Adrian Tomine. The film follows Ben (Justin H. Min), a deeply unlikable twentysomething from the Bay Area, as he grumpily navigates interpersonal relationships with his friend Alice (Sherry Cola) and girlfriend Miko (Ally Maki). And in this week's Patreon exclusive audio, we talk about Robert Rodriguez's 1996 action horror comedy FROM DUSK TILL DAWN starring George Clooney, Juliette Lewis, Harvey Keitel, and Quentin Tarantino!

This week it's all about Indigenous films at Spoilerpiece Theatre. But before we delve into them, Evan pays tribute to his friend, teacher, and writing partner, Dr. Bryan Krull, who passed away very suddenly. He describes how they met, became friends, and decided to team up to write Your '80s Movie Guide to Better Living, as he expresses his gratitude for their friendship over the years. Moving on to the week's films, we start by reviewing Gina Gammell and Riley Keough's emotionally challenging Indigenous drama WAR PONY (3:50), which follows two young Oglala Lakota men growing up on the Pine Ridge Reservation. Next, we discuss Morrisa Maltz's tender narrative/documentary hybrid, THE UNKNOWN COUNTRY (26:36), starring co-writer Lily Gladstone as a young woman grieving her grandmother as she travels through the American Midwest and makes her way down to Texas. And in this week's Patreon exclusive audio, we talk about the winner of our directors' first film poll, Céline Sciamma's 2007 queer romance/coming-of-age drama WATER LILIES!

Dave is off this week, so we (Megan and Evan) tackle the show as a duo. Megan opens by reviewing Greta Gerwig's vibrant, sharp, and funny film BARBIE (2:32), in which the iconic doll (Margot Robbie) suffers an existential crisis that causes her to question her influence on the world. Next, we both talk about Molly Gordon and Nick Lieberman's musical mockumentary THEATER CAMP (20:37), which follows the eccentric staff (Gordon, Ben Platt, and Noah Galvin) of a musical theater camp in upstate New York who must team up with the founder's bro-y son (Jimmy Tatro) to save the camp from financial ruin. And in this week's Patreon exclusive audio, we discuss a Patron's choice: the 1982 John Milius sword and sorcery epic CONAN THE BARBARIAN, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and James Earl Jones!

This week we start off by reviewing Christopher McQuarrie's Tom Cruise action vehicle MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - DEAD RECKONING PART ONE (2:45). As with all MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE movies, this one brings amazing action and death-defying stunts, but is the story worthy of being told in two parts and is there an actual dead reckoning? You'll just have to listen and find out. Next, we cover the Michel Hazanavicius horror comedy FINAL CUT (28:08), a French remake of the Japanese film ONE CUT OF THE DEAD. None of us at seen the original, but two of us are fans of this version, and one of us very much isn't. And in this week's Patreon exclusive audio, we review Gus Van Sant's 1991 queer drama MY OWN PRIVATE IDAHO starring River Phoenix and Keanu Reeves!

We start this week by reviewing Mel Eslyn's post-apocalyptic dramedy BIOSPHERE (2:01), which stars Sterling K. Brown and Mark Duplass (who also co-writes) as the last two men on Earth, who learn that they must adapt, quite literally, to save humanity. It has great performances and surprising themes, but we don't all agree on how well it tackles those themes. Next, we cover Alice Troughton's thriller, THE LESSON (25:10), which stars Daryl McCormack as a young writer who tutors the son of a famous author (Richard E. Grant) and discovers a dark web of family secrets. We agree that the film's acting is top-notch, but for two of us, it isn't thrilling or surprising in any way. And in this week's Patreon exclusive audio, we talk about Nicholas D. Johnson and Will Merrick's technological thriller MISSING, a follow-up to 2018's SEARCHING (which we discussed as our AAPI Heritage Month poll winner on a recent Patreon bonus episode!

This week we start off by reviewing Nick Bruno and Troy Quane's entertaining and moving animated sci-fi action film NIMONA (1:50). The movie, which is based on a graphic novel by ND Stevenson, follows a futuristic knight (Riz Ahmed) and a mischievous shapeshifting teen (Chloe Grace Moretz) who team up to clear the knight's name after he's framed for a crime he didn't commit. Next, we cover Julie Cohen's captivating and heartbreaking documentary EVERY BODY (25:22), which chronicles the lives of three intersex individuals who overcame shame, secrecy, and unauthorized surgery to share their stories and advocate for other intersex people around the world. And in this week's Patreon exclusive audio, we talk about the winner of our Pride Month poll, Stephan Elliott's 1994 queer road trip film THE ADVENTURES OF PRISCILLA, QUEEN OF THE DESERT!

We start the show this week by reviewing David Gelb's documentary STAN LEE (3:55), which chronicles the life and mythos of Marvel's Stan Lee but makes some truly bizarre storytelling choices that paint a sanitized, incomplete portrait of his life. Next, we discuss Numa Perrier's vibrant Netflix rom-com THE PERFECT FIND (25:19), where Gabrielle Union plays a woman trying to start a new chapter in her career only to be thrown for a loop when she falls for her boss's (Gina Torres) son (Keith Powers). The leads have great chemistry, there is some funny dialogue and amazing production and costume design, but we all agree that the film struggles a little in the last act. In this week's Patreon exclusive audio, we talk about Steven Spielberg's 1993 film JURASSIC PARK in honor of its recent 30th anniversary!

Friend of the show Kristen Halbert from Forces of Geek returns this week! First, Evan, Megan, and Dave review the gross and glacially-paced Vasilis Katsoupis film INSIDE (3:28), which stars Willem Dafoe as an art thief who gets trapped inside a high-tech Manhattan penthouse and struggles to maintain his sanity as he fights to survive. Next, Kristen, Megan, and Dave cover THE BLACKENING (20:37), a horror comedy Kristen has been wanting to discuss with us for months. We delve into this predictable, yet very funny film, and Kristen explains why it resonated for her even more as a Black viewer. It's a rollicking conversation, we hope you enjoy it! And in this week's Patreon exclusive audio, we talk about the 1992 Allison Anders indie drama GAS FOOD LODGING, starring Fairuza Balk, Ione Skye, and Brooke Adams!

This week, we discuss DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: HONOR AMONG THIEVES (1:58), Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley's delightful and fun fantasy heist action-comedy based on the iconic role-playing game, starring Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez, Regé-Jean Page, Justice Smith, Sophia Lillis, and Hugh Grant. Then, we review Eva Longoria's FLAMIN' HOT (25:07), a biographical comedy-drama starring Jesse Garcia as Richard Montañez, who claimed to invent Flamin' Hot Cheetos. It's a trite film, but we appreciate the Mexican-American representation. And on this week's Patreon exclusive audio, we cover James Wan's 2013 supernatural horror film THE CONJURING!

On this week's show we have one movie to talk about but boy is it a big one! We're reviewing SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE (1:44)! We have a couple more critiques than we did of the previous film in the franchise, but we have a lot to say about this excellent sequel from its styles of animation to its editing, pacing, score, new characters, and more. Plus, Evan shares a very special reason why the movie hit him in a way he wasn't expecting. Of course, in this week's Patreon exclusive audio, we're talking about SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE, since we've somehow never discussed it on a main episode!

Megan kicks off this week's show by offering her thoughts on Disney's new live-action adaptation of THE LITTLE MERMAID (2:18), which features a fantastic performance and amazing vocals from lead Halle Bailey. Next, we all discuss Kurtis David Harder's smart and entertaining horror movie INFLUENCER (9:50), which subverts expectations in a number of ways with its tale about a social media influencer (Emily Tennant) who makes a dangerous new friend (Cassandra Naud) while traveling in Thailand. After that, we cover Alexander Jefferey's indie rom-com DAYS OF DAISY (26:52), which has us pretty divided about its story of a 39-year-old librarian's (Jency Griffin Hogan) quest to find the right guy to start a family with. And in this week's Patreon exclusive audio, we talk about the winner of our AAPI Heritage Month poll, Aneesh Chaganty's 2018 thriller SEARCHING starring John Cho and Debra Messing!

Evan is off this week, so Dave and Megan review CONSECRATION (3:18), Cristopher Smith's disappointing supernatural horror film, starring Jena Malone who investigates her brother's death at a convent. Then we discuss Laurel Parmet's excellent nuanced drama THE STARLING GIRL (24:42), starring Eliza Scanlen as a 17-year-old in a fundamentalist Christian community dealing with her faith when she falls for the youth pastor (Lewis Pullman). And on this week's Patreon exclusive audio, since FAST X opens in theaters, we talk about Justin Lin's FAST FIVE (2011), starring Vin Diesel and Paul Walker!

This week we start by reviewing Matt Johnson's tech bro dramedy BLACKBERRY (2:27), which stars Glenn Howerton, Jay Baruchel, and Johnson himself, and chronicles the meteoric rise and fall of the famous BlackBerry smartphone. Next, we cover Niki Caro's Netflix action film THE MOTHER (29:37), which stars Jennifer Lopez as a sniper and former arms dealer who comes out of hiding to protect her daughter from her ex-business associates (Gael Garcia Bernal and Joseph Fiennes) who are seeking revenge on her. And in our Patreon exclusive audio, we talk about Martin Scorsese's MEAN STREETS in honor of its 50th anniversary this year!

Evan starts this week by plugging his appearance on a long-time friend's podcast Seeing Read with Jim and Kelly, the show that answers the age-old millennial question: Was the book really better than the movie? He had a really fun time with them comparing M. Night Shyamalan's KNOCK AT THE CABIN to the book CABIN AT THE END OF THE WORLD! Evan and Megan then talk about Sarah Watts and Mark Slutsky's moving queer drama YOU CAN LIVE FOREVER (2:44), about a lesbian teen (Anwen O'Driscoll) who goes to live with her Jehovah's Witness relatives and falls hard for a member of the community (June Laporte). Next, Dave and Megan discuss the emotionally intense GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 3 (18:39), James Gunn's final film in his Marvel trilogy about the ragtag group of galaxy defenders. And in this week's Patreon exclusive audio, we cover a Patron's choice: Andy Tennant's 1998 fairy tale EVER AFTER: A CINDERELLA STORY, starring Drew Barrymore and Dougray Scott!

Dave is back! But before we jump into this week's movies, he offers his own very different take on EVIL DEAD RISE (2:37)! Megan kicks off our reviews of new films with her thoughts on Nida Manzoor's delightful feminist action comedy POLITE SOCIETY (9:48). Then we all discuss Davina Pardo and Leah Wolchok's timely and vital documentary JUDY BLUME FOREVER (15:17), which delves into the life and work of the trailblazing author Judy Blume through interviews with Blume herself and other YA authors influenced by her. We wrap up with Jalmari Helander's over-the-top Finnish action film SISU (33:43), which is about an ex-soldier in the waning days of WWII who engages in a bloody battle with Nazis who try to steal his gold. And in this week's Patreon exclusive audio, we talk about the winner of our Michelle Yeoh movie poll, Ang Lee's 2000 action epic CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON!

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!

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!

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!

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.

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!

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.!

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!

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!

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!

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!

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.

After the past few weeks of watching movies that have made us want to tear our hair out, we finally get a respite. ERIN'S GUIDE TO KISSING GIRLS (3:44) is a sweet teen rom-com that we all found delightful, even if we thought there were some gaps in characterization and story, and some uneven performances. (That makes it sound like we didn't like it; we did.) Then it's onto SHOTGUN WEDDING, the number one (eek?) movie on Prime. J. Lo is great! But everything else? Hoo boy. And on the Patreon exclusive audio this week, we talk about the 1973 Bruce Lee classic ENTER THE DRAGON. Yay!

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!

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.

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.

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 wild killer robot sci-fi horror movie, directed by Gerard Johnstone and 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 absurdist comedy adaptation of Don DeLillo's unfilmable (question mark?) novel WHITE NOISE (17:41), starring Adam Driver and Greta Gerwig. They round things out with Scott Cooper's mystery thriller THE PALE BLUE EYE (36:02), starring Christian Bale 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."

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!

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! Join Our Patreon Buy Spoilerpiece Merch

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.

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. Join Our Patreon Buy Spoilerpiece Merch

This week we start by reviewing Nicholas Stoller and Billy Eichner's BROS (2:25), a funny, acerbic queer rom-com where two gay men from very different backgrounds (Eichner and Luke Macfarlane) unexpectedly find love in New York City. Next, we dig into Todd Field's TÁR (24:17), a complex portrait of a problematic character—a world-renowned conductor at the height of her career, Lydia Tár (Cate Blanchett), who has done awful things to those around her. And in this week's Patreon exclusive audio, we talk about Steven Spielberg's directorial debut, the 1971 thriller DUEL starring Dennis Weaver! Join Our Patreon Buy Spoilerpiece Merch

We start this week by reviewing Tobias Lindholm's true crime drama THE GOOD NURSE (1:54), about an ER nurse (Jessica Chastain) who discovers that her charming colleague (Eddie Redmayne) is secretly murdering their patients. The film misses some areas it could dig deeper into this real-life tragedy, but it's really well-acted and has a strong ensemble. Next, we cover Harry Bradbeer's ENOLA HOLMES 2 (22:17), a plainly named sequel that provides another engaging adventure for Enola Holmes (Millie Bobby Brown). It's a delightful romp that's still a lot of fun even if it's not quite as brisk as the first film. And in this week's Patreon exclusive audio, we talk about the winner of our Noirvember poll, Jane Campion's 2003 film IN THE CUT, starring Meg Ryan and Mark Ruffalo! For anyone who celebrated, we hope you had a Happy Thanksgiving! Join Our Patreon Buy Spoilerpiece Merch

We start the show this week by reviewing Claire Scanlon's impressively unfunny comedy THE PEOPLE WE HATE AT THE WEDDING (2:30), which is about dysfunctional siblings (Kristen Bell and Ben Platt) who reluctantly travel to the UK with their mom (Allison Janney) for their half-sister's wedding. Next, we delve into Mark Mylod's delicious social satire/horror film THE MENU (18:48), where a hyper-exclusive dining experience turns into a battle of wits between its mastermind chef (Ralph Fiennes) and an unexpected diner (Anya Taylor-Joy). Then we wrap up with Rian Johnson's wildly entertaining whodunnit GLASS ONION: A KNIVES OUT MYSTERY (42:10), the much-anticipated sequel to Johnson's murder mystery hit KNIVES OUT. And in this week's Patreon exclusive audio, we talk about a Patron's choice, Griffin Dunne's 1998 film PRACTICAL MAGIC, starring Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman! Join Our Patreon Buy Spoilerpiece Merch

This week we start by reviewing Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead's sci-fi, horror, buddy comedy mashup SOMETHING IN THE DIRT (3:46), which is about two friends (Benson and Moorhead) making a documentary about paranormal phenomenon in their apartment building. We wanted to like it so much more than we actually did, and we're pretty much on the same page about our issues with it. Next, we discuss Ryan Coogler's BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER (25:15), the highly-anticipated sequel to 2018's BLACK PANTHER, which mourns and celebrates the late Chadwick Boseman, while attempting to advance with the franchise. We have some disagreement about how well it does that, but we have a spirited and spoiler-filled discussion. And in this week's Patreon exclusive audio, we talk about Jonathan Lynn's 1992 legal comedy MY COUSIN VINNY, starring Joe Pesci and Marisa Tomei! Join Our Patreon Buy Spoilerpiece Merch

This week we start by reviewing the surprising feminist horror film RUN SWEETHEART RUN (2:43), which involves much more than just a woman running for her life from a business dinner turned date that becomes violent. Then we cover Sebastián Lelio's eerie period thriller THE WONDER (25:27), which takes place in 1862, and stars Florence Pugh as an English nurse investigating an Irish girl who has supposedly survived for months without eating. And in this week's Patreon exclusive audio, we honor the late Angela Lansbury by discussing John Frankenheimer's 1962 political thriller THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE! Join Our Patreon Buy Spoilerpiece Merch

This week we have two movies for you. First, we review V/H/S/99 (1:56), the latest annoyingly mixed bag in the V/H/S horror anthology franchise. Somehow it's Shudder's most streamed movie of all-time?! Next, we delve into Park Chan-wook's intriguing, yet lengthy film noir-inspired romance and slow-burn thriller DECISION TO LEAVE (32:26). And in this week's Patreon exclusive audio, we talk about the winner of our zombie movie poll, Bruce McDonald's 2008 movie PONTYPOOL! Join Our Patreon Buy Spoilerpiece Merch