Spoilerpiece Theatre

We have two movies on the docket this week. First, we review Michael Grandage's disappointing queer drama MY POLICEMAN (3:26), a story told in flashback about a policeman (Harry Styles) who falls for an art curator (David Dawson) in the 1950s, but marries a woman (Emma Corrin) to conceal his sexuality. Next, we discuss HALLOWEEN ENDS (25:39) the frustrating final film in David Gordon Green's HALLOWEEN trilogy. Since none of us had seen the second film in the series, HALLOWEEN KILLS, we lead with a review it before delving into the final chapter. And in this week's Patreon exclusive audio, we talk about Mike Flanagan's 2013 horror film OCULUS! Join Our Patreon Buy Spoilerpiece Merch

Dave is under the weather this week, so Evan and Megan fly duo to review the movies. First up is Jennifer Kaytin Robinson's candy coated homage to 90s teen films, DO REVENGE (2:18), which is about two high schoolers (Camila Mendes and Maya Hawke) who team up to get revenge on the classmates who wronged them. Then we discuss Claire Denis's low octane thriller STARS AT NOON (20:33), which is about an American and Brit (Margaret Qualley and Joe Alwyn) in Nicaragua who fall for each other and must immediately flee from the authorities. And in this week's Patreon exclusive audio, we talk about a Patron's choice: Warren Beatty's 1990 comic book film DICK TRACY! Join Our Patreon Buy Spoilerpiece Merch

Hi Spoilerpeeps! Evan is off this week, so Megan and Dave cover the heavy Irish drama GOD'S CREATURES (3:55) (with a superb Emily Watson) and the HELLRAISER (28:16) reboot as a duo. Guess which one of them was on board with both films and guess which one of them wasn't? In fact, there may be enough vitriol surrounding one of this week's movies to fuel the next two episodes. (Hee-ya!) And in this week's Patreon exclusive audio, we talk about the 2013 Daniel Radcliffe/Zoe Kazan rom-com WHAT IF! Join Our Patreon Buy Spoilerpiece Merch

We kick off the show this week by discussing Kristina Buozyte and Bruno Samper's VESPER (2:27), a slow, dense dystopian sci-fi film about a 13-year-old girl trying to survive in world where the Earth's ecosystem has collapsed. Next, we cover SISSY (27:47), Kane Senes and Hannah Barlow's problematic horror movie about a twentysomething who finds herself face-to-face with a childhood bully during a bachelorette weekend. And in this week's Patreon exclusive audio, we talk about the winner of our true crime poll: David Fincher's 2007 film ZODIAC! Join Our Patreon Buy Spoilerpiece Merch

This week we have two movies on the docket. We start with Gaysorn Thavat's THE JUSTICE OF BUNNY KING (3:53) a complex, emotionally challenging drama about a homeless mother (Essie Davis) struggling against New Zealand's social services system to win back custody of her children. Then we review Andrew Dominik's BLONDE (25:59) a disgusting, exploitative, and misogynist, fictionalized look at the life of Marilyn Monroe (Ana de Armas). We have A LOT to say about this infuriating film that wallows in trauma and insults Monroe's legacy—none of it is good. And in this week's Patreon exclusive audio, we talk about Ron Clements and John Musker's 1989 Disney animated classic THE LITTLE MERMAID! Join Our Patreon Buy Spoilerpiece Merch

Dave starts the show by reviewing Ti West's PEARL (2:09), a prequel to his horror film X. It also stars Mia Goth, but is surprisingly different, in a good way. Next, we all discuss Tom George's 1950s whodunnit SEE HOW THEY RUN (11:01), a disappointing meta send-up to Agatha Christie that at least has fun performances by its leads Sam Rockwell and Saoirse Ronan. Then we cover the Julian Higgins slow-burn thriller GOD'S COUNTRY (23:28), a layered, emotionally complex film about a professor (Thandiwe Newton) caught in an escalating battle with hunters who trespass on her property. And in this week's Patreon exclusive audio, we talk about Steven Spielberg's 1977 sci-fi film CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND! Join Our Patreon Buy Spoilerpiece Merch

Megan kicks things off this week by going deep into spoiler territory for Olivia Wilde's much-discussed psychological thriller DON'T WORRY DARLING (2:33), which features Florence Pugh's superb performance and striking visuals, but falters in other areas. Next, we all discuss Jean Luc Herbulot's Senegalese horror film SALOUM (15:50), a genre mashup with great acting that's most effective when it leans into its Western elements. Then we cover Christian Tafdrup's Danish horror movie SPEAK NO EVIL (35:40), a disturbing tale about a Danish family and a Dutch family that we have varied reactions to. And in this week's Patreon exclusive audio, we talk about Alfred Hitchcock's 1941 psychological thriller SUSPICION, starring Cary Grant and Joan Fontaine! Join our Patreon Buy Spoilerpiece Merch

We start this week by reviewing Duncan Birmingham's WHO INVITED THEM (3:32), an unsettling horror movie about a couple (Ryan Hansen and Melissa Tang) whose housewarming party takes an alarming turn after they realize some unexpected guests have crashed it. Then we review Ben Parker's BURIAL (23:45), a surprisingly tense World War II thriller about a group of Russian soldiers tasked with transporting Hitler's remains to Stalin. And in this week's Patreon exclusive audio, we review a Patron's choice, Jean-Pierre Jeunet's 2004 French romance/mystery/war drama A VERY LONG ENGAGEMENT, starring Audrey Tautou! Join Our Patreon Buy Spoilerpiece Merch

Megan kicks things off with a quick review of George Miller's disappointing fantasy THREE THOUSAND YEARS OF LONGING (3:23), where a lonely scholar (Tilda Swinton) encounters a Djinn (Idris Elba) who offers to grant her three wishes. Next, we discuss Jeff Baena's zany comedy SPIN ME ROUND (11:43), starring Alison Brie as the manager of an Olive Garden-like restaurant on a company trip to Italy. Then we cover William Brent Bell's ORPHAN: FIRST KILL (30:15), a satisfying, fun prequel to the 2009 horror film ORPHAN, starring Isabelle Fuhrman reprising her role, that truly justifies its existence. And in this week's Patreon exclusive audio, we talk about the winner of our summer-camp horror movie poll: YOU MIGHT BE THE KILLER! Join Our Patreon Buy Spoilerpiece Merch

We kick off this week's show by reviewing Leah Purcell's THE LEGEND OF MOLLY JOHNSON (2:09), a grim feminist Western about a bushwoman (Purcell) in Australia struggling to raise a family in the face of harsh elements and harsh people. We respect what it's going for but have a couple major criticisms of it. Next, we cover Rebekah McKendry's GLORIOUS (26:57), a horror film about a man (Ryan Kwanten) trapped in a rest stop bathroom with a mysterious figure in the stall next to him (J.K. Simmons). We like elements of the movie although we have major critiques of this one too. And in this week's Patreon exclusive audio, we discuss John Carpenter's 1982 sci-fi horror film THE THING!

Dave is back from vacation, and he's excited to talk about movies! We start with LUCK (2:17), a poorly thought out Skydance animated film about a young woman (Eva Noblezada) with bad luck trying to turn things around for herself and her young friend with the help of a black cat (Simon Pegg). Next we dig into Jae-rim Han's ambitious Korean disaster movie EMERGENCY DECLARATION (20:40), which is long, yet features a great ensemble, compelling themes, and tense action scenes. We wrap up with Scott Mann's anxiety-inducing thriller FALL (38:23), about two friends trapped at the top of a 2,000-foot radio tower. And in this week's Patreon exclusive audio, we talk about the 1989 neo noir GLEAMING THE CUBE, starring Christian Slater as a high school skateboarder investigating his adopted brother's murder.

We take on two movies this week. The first is the Andrew Semans psychological thriller RESURRECTION (3:16), a tense and visually arresting movie featuring a powerhouse performance by Rebecca Hall, and an ambiguous ending that leaves us divided. The second movie we review is Dan Trachtenberg's PREY (25:08), an artful, authentic, and action-packed origin story in the PREDATOR franchise about a Comanche warrior (Amber Midthunder) who takes on a Predator in 1719. And in our Patreon exclusive audio, we talk about Nicholas Meyer's 70s sci-film TIME AFTER TIME starring Malcolm McDowell, David Warner, and Mary Steenburgen.

This week we have two movies on the docket that we have some VERY strong opinions about. First, we cover Anita Rocha da Silveira's MEDUSA (1:57), a compelling neon-soaked feminist allegory about a militant young religious woman who experiences a world-shattering crisis of faith. It's hard to describe succinctly, but the extended summary on IMDb does a good job. Next, we review Quinn Shephard's NOT OKAY (25:56), a satire about a self-involved young woman (Zoey Deutch) who gains followers and fame by posing as the survivor of a terrorist attack, but experiences a spectacular fall from grace when her secret is discovered. Spoiler: It's a film that deeply divided us. And in this week's Patreon exclusive audio, we talk about the winner of our 1984 movie poll: Wolfgang Peterson's fantasy epic THE NEVERENDING STORY.

This week, we kick things off with Jordan Peele's latest film NOPE (2:12), delving right into spoiler territory on this intriguing, masterfully-crafted sci-fi horror movie, starring Daniel Kaluuya, Keke Palmer, and Steven Yeun. Next, we tackle Charlotte Colbert's gorgeous horror film SHE WILL (16:35), which follows an actor (Alice Krige) who gains supernatural powers while recovering from cancer surgery in the Scottish countryside. We wrap up with Billy Porter's directorial debut, ANYTHING'S POSSIBLE (28:12), a joyous and moving rom-com about a trans teen (Eva Reign) navigating her senior year of high school. And in this week's Patreon exclusive audio, we talk about the 1997 Robert Zemeckis sci-fi film CONTACT, starring Jodie Foster and Matthew McConaughey in honor of its 25th anniversary!

Dave is taking a few weeks off (and we'll miss him), so we're taking on this week's movies as a duo. First, we review Jenna Cato Bass's GOOD MADAM (2:13), a South African horror film on Shudder that we find pretty confusing. But we do think it has some interesting commentary on race and class underneath. Then we cover Hannah Marks's DON'T MAKE ME GO (25:00) an uneven Amazon drama mired by strange narrative choices. However, it features yet another amazing performance by John Cho. And in this week's Patreon exclusive audio, we talk about Nathan Greno and Byron Howard's 2010 Disney animated film TANGLED, starring Mandy Moore and Zachary Levi!

We have a full slate to discuss this week! Dave starts by offering a brief review of Taika Waititi's THOR: LOVE AND THUNDER (2:40), the latest so-so entry in the MCU. Next, everyone discusses Daniel de la Vega's convoluted and frustratingly dubbed horror movie ON THE 3RD DAY (7:51). After that we cover Mark Meir's clumsy horror film THE SUMMONED (20:17), which involves therapy and contracts with the devil. We wrap up with Le-Van Kiet's delightful Hulu action film THE PRINCESS (35:15), which we all had a blast watching. And in this week's Patreon exclusive audio we talk about Michael Anderson's 1976 sci-fi cult classic LOGAN'S RUN!

Before the show this week we offer a PSA about Roe v. Wade being overturned. Then we delve into our first movie THE FORGIVEN (2:36), John Michael McDonagh's drama about a couple (Ralph Fiennes and Jessica Chastain) who deal with the fallout of hitting and killing a young man with their car in Morocco. Next, we tackle Joseph Kosinski's SPIDERHEAD (21:11), a frustrating movie where the only good things we can say about it is that it has a great soundtrack and supporting performance by Chris Hemsworth. After that, we review Magdalena Lauritsch's RUBIKON (39:42), a disappointingly derivative sci-fi film about three astronauts caught in a moral dilemma after a climate disaster strikes Earth. And in this week's Patreon exclusive audio, we talk about Michael Crichton's 1973 sci-fi film WESTWORLD! Abortion Resources: podvoices.help

We have two movies to discuss this week! First, we cover Bretten Hannam's Two-Spirit Indigenous drama WILDHOOD (2:39), a road trip film coming to Hulu about two brothers, one of whom is searching for his long-lost birth mother. Along the way he finds himself by connecting with his heritage and comes out through a relationship with someone he meets along the way. Next is Phil Tippett's MAD GOD (22:52), an unsettling stop-motion-animated horror film on Shudder that's 30 years in the making. It's easy to describe visually, but hard to describe narratively. And in this week's Patreon exclusive audio, we talk about the winner of our Pride Month poll, Robin Campillo's drama 120 BPM, which chronicles the work ACT UP Paris did in the early 90s to fight the AIDS epidemic.

We open this week with Amanda Micheli's HALFTIME (2:31), a moving Netflix documentary that follows Jennifer Lopez as she reflects on her career and starts to navigate the second half of it, leading up to her halftime performance at the 2020 Super Bowl. Next, we discuss Sophie Hyde's GOOD LUCK TO YOU, LEO GRANDE (22:56), a poignant dramedy about a widow (Emma Thompson) who hires a sex worker (Daryl MacCormack) to help her expand her sexual horizons. We wrap up with Cooper Raiff's CHA CHA REAL SMOOTH (44:11), a charming dramedy about recent college grad who strikes up an unlikely friendship with a mother and her autistic daughter while he's working as a Bar/Bat Mitzvah party starter. And in this week's Patreon exclusive audio, we talk about the winner of our Studio Ghibli poll, Hayao Miyazaki's 1989 film KIKI'S DELIVERY SERVICE!

We have two movies for you this week! First, we discuss Sarah Appleton and Phillip Escott's film THE FOUND FOOTAGE PHENOMENON (3:34), a Shudder documentary about found footage horror that contains some fascinating insights on the subgenre, but can also be tedious. Second, we review CHIP 'N DALE: RESCUE RANGERS (27:32), Akiva Schaffer's extremely disappointing Disney+ mashup of animation and live action starring Andy Samberg and John Mulaney. And in this week's Patreon exclusive audio, we talk about Jonathan Demme's zany 1986 film SOMETHING WILD starring Jeff Daniels, Melanie Griffith, and Ray Liotta!

We start this week by reviewing Chloe Okuno's WATCHER (3:36), a smart horror movie about gaslighting that focuses on a woman (Maika Munroe) living in a new country who is being stalked by a serial killer. Then we discuss Andrew Ahn's queer rom-com FIRE ISLAND (23:02), a joyous gay riff on Jane Austin's "Pride and Prejudice" starring Joel Kim Booster and Bowen Yang. And in this week's Patreon exclusive audio, we talk about Charles Laughton's 1955 film noir THE NIGHT OF THE HUNTER starring Robert Mitchum and Shelley Winters!

We start this week by reviewing Jerrod Carmichael's directorial debut ON THE COUNT OF THREE (1:43), a dark comedy/drama about two best friends (Carmichael and Christopher Abbott) trying to make the most of the last day of their lives. Next, we cover Aaron and Adam Nee's goofy rom-com THE LOST CITY (19:43), which stars Sandra Bullock and Channing Tatum as a romance novelist and her cover model who end up on a jungle adventure. We wrap up with Sam Raimi's DOCTOR STRANGE IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS (32:19), a Marvel movie that's a frustrating mixed bag. And on this week's Patreon exclusive audio, we're talking about David Cronenberg's 1981 sci-fi horror film SCANNERS, which is technically the runner up in our body horror poll.

Megan is back from vacation so the whole Spoilerpiece team is together again! She and Evan start by reviewing Keith Thomas's FIRESTARTER (3:35), a remake of Stephen King's famous story, which they both agree and disagree about. Next, everyone covers Stefan Forbes's HOLD YOUR FIRE (15:51), a disappointing documentary about a 1972 crisis in New York City that helped create modern hostage negotiation teams and techniques. They wrap up with Carey Williams's EMERGENCY (37:49), an engaging dark comedy that offers poignant social commentary as three college students of color weigh the pros and cons of calling the police when they encounter an unexpected emergency. And in this week's Patreon exclusive audio, we talk about Garry Marshall's 1990 rom-com PRETTY WOMAN starring Julia Roberts and Richard Gere.

The pandemic ain't over folks. Dave has COVID and it sucks but he does his best to manage it in this week's episode. Megan's on vacation again, so he and Evan tackle two movies. First up is Lisa Hurwitz's documentary THE AUTOMAT (3:26), a short, but interesting chronicle of the once-popular restaurant chain in New York City and Philadelphia that offered fresh-cooked meals in a commissary-style eatery. Next, they discuss Eskil Vogt's disturbing horror film THE INNOCENTS (19:07), which is about a group of children who develop dark powers that they wield against each other and the adults around them. And in this week's Patreon exclusive audio, Evan and Dave talk about Elaine May's 1976 crime drama MIKEY AND NICKY, starring Peter Falk and John Cassavetes!

Megan is on vacation this week so Evan and Dave are joined by Dan and Chris from the podcast Film Trace! They're only talking about one movie, but that's because there's a lot to say about the Daniels' latest film EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE. They dig into this bonkers sci-fi action adventure comedy, discussing its hilarious absurdity, its incredible performances, its terrific editing, stunning special effects, and more. Plus, on this week's Patreon exclusive audio, which is open to everyone for one week, Chris and Dan join Evan and Dave to talk about Robert Aldrich's 1962 thriller WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE? starring Bette Davis and Joan Crawford!

Hi gang! Evan is on vacation so Megan and Dave hold down the fort. They start things off with the Nicolas Cage comedy THE UNBEARABLE WEIGHT OF MASSIVE TALENT (2:41), a very silly romp through a weekend in the star's fictionalized life. Then it's THE AVIARY (14:54), a tense psychological drama about two women trying to escape a cult. Finally, they talk about FIREBIRD (30:50), a based-on-a-true-story movie about a young soldier who embarks on a clandestine affair with a charismatic fighter pilot on a Soviet Air Force Base at the height of 1970s Communist rule. Over on the Patreon exclusive audio, Megan and Dave talk about the 1979 Disney cult classic (question mark?) THE BLACK HOLE. It's available for $5-and-above patrons, along with more than 200 other bonus episodes. And just a reminder: There's no April poll, but there will be TWO polls in May.

Megan and Dave start this week by reviewing the Robert Eggers Viking revenge tale THE NORTHMAN (1:55), which they disagree about in a lot of places. They can at least agree Nicole Kidman is amazing in it. Next everyone discusses Gustavo Hernández's horror film VIRUS: 32 (23:31), which puts a very specific and interesting spin on its zombie narrative. Then we're excited to finally cover Jon Watts's SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME (39:38), digging into everything that we love and everything we find annoying about it. And in this week's Patreon exclusive audio, we review the 1992 Penelope Spheeris comedy WAYNE'S WORLD, starring Mike Meyers, Dana Carvey, Tia Carrere, and Rob Lowe.

Evan kicks things off this week by reviewing Alessio Rigo de Righi and Matteo Zoppis' THE TALE OF KING CRAB (2:57), an Italian adventure film split in two parts with one that's much more interesting than the other. Next, everyone reviews Sam Jones' HBO documentary TONY HAWK: UNTIL THE WHEELS FALL OFF (11:42), a comprehensive film about the life and career of skateboarder Tony Hawk, which has us split. We wrap up with Jane Schoenbrun's horror film WE'RE ALL GOING TO THE WORLD'S FAIR (30:39), a spooky, ambiguous film about a teen who plays an online horror game and documents the strange changes she goes through afterward. And in this week's Patreon exclusive audio, we talk about Gareth Evans' 2011 Indonesian action flick THE RAID aka THE RAID: REDEMPTION!

We kick things off this week with Charlie McDowell's slow-burn character study WINDFALL (3:11), which is about a man (Jason Segel) who breaks into a tech billionaire's empty vacation home, but has to radically change his plans when the mogul and his wife (Jesse Plemons and Lily Collins) unexpectedly arrive. Next, we review Eva Husson's MOTHERING SUNDAY (21:31), a decades-spanning drama starring Odessa Young about grief and loss in the wake of WWI, which features a LOT of nude scenes. Then we cover Janus Metz's ALL THE OLD KNIVES (40:54), a messy spy thriller starring Chris Pine and Thandiwe Newton whose title also happens to rhyme with a Blink 182 song. And in this week's Patreon exclusive audio, we review Christopher Winterbauer's 2022 HBO Max sci-fi rom-com MOONSHOT!

We start by discussing this year's Oscars, particularly the winners, the snubs, and our overall thoughts on the program. Then Dave and Evan review the Roshan Sethi's rom-com 7 DAYS (11:49), about a mismatched Indian-American couple (Karan Soni and Geraldine Viswanathan) who start out on a traditional pre-arranged date and have to shelter in place together once COVID spreads. Next, we all tackle the latest SCREAM movie (21:55), a meta horror flick that has us split. After that we cover Kenneth Branagh's adaptation of the Agatha Christie murder mystery DEATH ON THE NILE (42:19), another film that has us divided. And in this week's Patreon exclusive audio, we talk about the winner of our women-directed films poll, Susan Seidelman's 1985 dramedy, DESPERATELY SEEKING SUSAN, starring Rosanna Arquette and Madonna!

As promised, we're going to start featuring more guests on the show, so this week Jason from Binge Movies joins us! After he briefly shares what his podcast is all about, we all review Ti West's X (7:17), a horror movie about an adult film crew in 1970s rural Texas who are attacked by their elderly hosts, starring Mia Goth, Jenna Ortega, Brittany Snow, and more. A lot of critics have unabashedly praised this film, but we have both compliments and criticism in our robust, nuanced conversation of the well-crafted yet problematic film. And in this week's Patreon exclusive audio, Jason also joins us to discuss Robert Zemeckis' 2000 thriller WHAT LIES BENEATH starring Michelle Pfeiffer and Harrison Ford! Get Your Spoilerpiece Merch Join Our Patreon

We're back to business as usual this week, starting with MEASURE OF REVENGE (3:02), an atrocious, amateurish thriller starring Melissa Leo as an unhinged stage actress seeking revenge for her son's murder. Then we review Domee Shi's moving Pixar film TURNING RED (18:49), which uses a Chinese Canadian girl's magical transformation to deftly explore the struggles of puberty. After that we cover Adrian Lyne's disappointing "erotic" thriller DEEP WATER (36:38), starring Ben Affleck and Ana de Armas as a vindictive, dysfunctional couple coming apart at the seams. And in this week's Patreon exclusive audio, we talk about RETURN OF THE JEDI! Get Your Spoilerpiece Merch Join Our Patreon

It's our 400th episode of Spoilerpiece Theatre, so we've cooked up something extra special for you, Spoilerpeeps! After some thank yous and very special announcements (hello Spoilerpiece merch), original Spoilerpiece co-host Kris Jenson stops by (16:00) to talk about Fred Zinnemann's 1952 Western, HIGH NOON from the AFI Top 100 list! Then we have previous guests and friends of the show stop by to talk about spoilers in some of their favorite films. We chat with Max Covill from It's the Pictures (49:03), Andy Crump (56:32), Dede Crimmins (65:48), Charlie Nash from Almost Major (1:12:31), J.C. from Screen Fix (1:21:24), Kristen Halbert (1:34:44), and The Lady-Wan from ScreenRun (1:49:15). And if that wasn't enough, this week's Patreon bonus audio, where we talk about Robin Hardy's 1973 horror film THE WICKER MAN is available for everyone to hear!

This week we start with Mimi Cave's FRESH (2:39), a horror movie starring Daisy Edgar-Jones and Sebastian Stan that made one of us so queasy they had to turn it off. Next, we review THE DESPERATE HOUR (27:27), Philip Noyce's frustrating thriller about a mother (Naomi Watts) trying to resolve a hostage crisis at her son's school from her phone while she's running through the woods. We close with Matt Reeves' much anticipated movie THE BATMAN (37:55), a stylish film noir detective story worthy of its almost three-hour runtime. And in this week's Patreon exclusive audio, we talk about Guillermo del Toro's 2006 dark fairytale, PAN'S LABYRINTH!

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!

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!

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!

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, Analeine Cal y Mayor's rom-com BOOK OF LOVE (36:40), which is about two writers (Sam Claflin and Verónica 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 Juliette Binoche!

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.

Evan and Megan start this week by reviewing Mamoru Hosoda'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), Chloé 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.

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!

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!

We're taking the red pill for our last show of 2021 so we can discuss THE MATRIX RESURRECTIONS! We had so much to say we felt that the movie deserved a whole episode worth of conversation. We delve deep into the film's themes, particularly its humorous meta commentary on its own existence, its continuation of the Matrix story as a trans allegory, and the many exciting ways it both builds on the Matrix mythology and takes a hammer to it. We also talk about how the movie fits into the context of the franchise as a whole and briefly talk about our experience revisiting the previous films as a primer for this one. And on this week's Patreon exclusive audio, we go a completely different direction by talking about the winner of our Christmas heist movie poll, Daryl Duke's 1978 film THE SILENT PARTNER starring Elliott Gould and Christopher Plummer!

It's movies-that-studios-are-pushing-for-awards week on Spoilerpiece! First up, Evan and Dave talk about Mike Mills' C'MON C'MON (1:48), a funny drama starring Joaquin Phoenix as Johnny, who steps in to take care of his nephew Jesse (Woody Norman) while Jesse's mother Viv (Gaby Hoffman) tends to her husband, Jesse's father, who has bipolar disorder. That's a clunky description, but don't hold that against us because it's a great conversation about a movie that's firmly plugged into its emotional arc. Next, everyone saw THE TENDER BAR (22:03), director George Clooney's latest, about JR (Daniel Ranieri as a kid and Tye Sheridan as a young adult), who moves with his mother (Lily Rabe) to her childhood home. Good news: Her brother, JR's Uncle Charlie, is Ben Affleck. The bad news? Not enough Ben Affleck. Lastly, we talk about RED ROCKET (39:15), director Sean Baker's latest. Mikey Saber (a terrific Simon Rex), a washed-up porn star, returns to his working class Texas hometown, crashing into his estranged wife's life, and striking up a creepy romance with a 17-year-old (Suzanna Son) whom he's trying to groom into a porn career that he hopes will restart his own. Over on our Patreon we talk about FARGO, the Coen brothers' comedic thriller starring Frances McDormand, William H. Macy, and Steve Buscemi. If you join our $5 tier, you'll get immediate access to that conversation and more than 200 bonus episodes!

Megan is back from vacation, so she's excited to review this week's films! We start with Lauren Hadaway's unsettling psychological thriller THE NOVICE (2:24), about a college student's obsessive quest to make her school's varsity rowing team. Then we review Jane Campion's beautifully shot Western THE POWER OF THE DOG (21:42), starring Benedict Cumberbatch, Kirsten Dunst, Kodi Smit-McPhee, and Jesse Plemons. The Netflix film has been racking up awards from many film critics groups, including the Boston Online Film Critics Association, so we have a lot to say about it. And in this week's Patreon exclusive audio, we change things up a bit by talking about our favorite movie car chases!

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!

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!

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!

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 folk horror film THE FEAST (15:12), which features some gruesome moments that we have varying reactions to. To completely change gears, we close with Destin Daniel Cretton's entertaining Marvel movie SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS (35:40) in honor of its arrival on Disney+. 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.

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!