Spoilerpiece Theatre

Yes, you read that correctly - after five years as cohost, Kris is leaving the show, but not before he shares some memories of his wedding with Dave and Evan. Then it's on to the movies! First up, Kris recaps AD ASTRA (17:51), the James Gray film featuring Brad Pitt as an astronaut wrestling with his identity after discovering the true fate of his father. It's worth a watch, even if it's not your kind of movie, and may win you over with its great lead performance, excellent visuals, and good intentions. Then it's ABOMINABLE (29:13), a family movie about a yeti. It's good, and you won't hate yourself if you bring your child/niece/nephew/babysittee to kill a few hours. Dave and Evan close things out with MONOS (39:40), a brutal film about child soldiers that is well made, but fails to resonate beyond its fine performances and excellent score.

Kris is out on his mini-moon this week so guest Charlie Nash joins Dave and Evan to share his results for the meme "Your Gender Studies Thesis." After they each get a good chuckle sharing the titles of their fictional papers, Evan reviews TALL GIRL (6:57), a Netflix movie about vertically advantaged high schooler that barely scratches the emotional surface of its main character's life. Then Dave and Evan recount their experience watching RAÚL JULIÁ: THE WORLD'S A STAGE (18:18), a PBS documentary about the late actor that celebrates his talent, his authenticity, and his inspirational status to Latinx performers everywhere. Next Charlie and Dave delve into HER SMELL (28:50), Alex Ross Perry drama starring Elisabeth Moss that explores the life of a rock star in the throes of addiction. Lastly, Evan and Dave cover LATE NIGHT (44:20), the Mindy Kaling comedy that's funny and poignant without being preachy.

Joining Evan and Dave while Kris prepares for his wedding is friend-of-Spoilerpiece Megan Kearns! She starts things off with a review of VITA & VIRGINIA (3:59), a love story about Vita Sackville-West (Gemma Arterton) and Virginia Woolf (Elizabeth Debicki). Next up Dave and Megan tackle the new release THE GOLDFINCH (14:20), an adaptation of Donna Tartt's Pulitzer Prize-winning long-ass novel. Then Megan and Evan get to the J. Lo/Constance Wu movie HUSTLERS (40:54), and all three wrap up with UNTOUCHABLE (57:45), the new Hulu documentary about Harvey Weinstein.

This week, we've got a deep dive on one movie and one movie only: IT CHAPTER TWO! The conclusion of 2017's smash hit based on the Stephen King novel is in theaters now, and there's a whole lot of it. Dave, Evan, and Kris look at the movie from a variety of angles, comparing it to its predecessor and weighing its strengths and weaknesses.

This week the guys stumble upon an aggressive new business idea for the Wahlbergs, while discussing a recent event at Evan's company. After that Kris and Evan briefly revisit three festival movies they reviewed many moons ago on the show (3:33) that are finally available to watch: TIGERS ARE NOT AFRAID, LUCE, and TONE-DEAF. They quickly recap the reasons why each is worth watching before Evan delves into FIDDLER: MIRACLE OF MIRACLES (13:24), a delightful documentary about the iconic musical FIDDLER ON THE ROOF. He effectively spoilerpieces Dave and Kris into wanting to see it by sharing its fascinating facts, poignant social commentary, and humorous interviews. Then Dave wraps things up with BRITTANY RUNS A MARATHON (29:30), a funny, well-cast film starring Jillian Bell that he found thoroughly relatable as someone in the process of training for a marathon himself. For bonus commentary – sign up for the Spoilerpiece Patreon so you can hear the guys dissect HIGHLANDER and HIGHLANDER II in this week's exclusive audio.

It's a disparate movie line-up on Spoilerpiece this week. Dave starts things off with the music documentaries THE ROLLING STONES OLÉ OLÉ OLÉ!: A TRIP ACROSS LATIN AMERICA (4:51) and RUSH: CINEMA STRANGIATIO (11:54). Then Evan regales Kris and Dave with tales of ST. AGATHA (17:40), one of the grosser movies he's seen in a while. Finally it's Kris talking about the new release READY OR NOT (30:43).

This week, returning guest/friend of the show/current Chicagoan Dede Crimmins returns via Skype to give us her top picks from this year's Fantasia Festival in Montreal (3:35). Following that is LUZ (18:30), the German surrealist exorcism/hypnotism flick that everyone should see. Dede then runs us through SCARY STORIES TO TELL IN THE DARK (29:14), based on the series of books that scared you silly as a kid. And the good news is, this one is also pretty dang creepy! The episode then closes with our take on tween coming-of-age comedy GOOD BOYS (43:00).

This week Kris recounts the time he couldn't go to Lenin's Tomb because it was "closed for inventory," leaving Evan and returning guest Megan Kearns completely confused. Megan leads off the episode by describing two films she saw recently THEM THAT FOLLOW (4:11), a somber film about religion and snake charming, and THE PERFECTION (10:00), a more engaging movie about classical musicians that takes some fascinating twists and turns before spiraling into body horror. Then Evan shares his experience watching Ari Aster's MIDSOMMAR (14:05), which may or may not be "an Evan movie." Lastly, all three of them dissect THE KITCHEN (28:50), a disappointing kitchen-sink crime drama chock full of critical themes about gender, race, and class that it only superficially addresses, and thinly drawn characters whose motivations don't make any sense.

Stress balls, yay! Also, this week we're talking SWORD OF TRUST (3:30), a laid back-ish comedy directed by Lynn Shelton, written by Shelton and Mike O'Brien, and starring Marc Maron as a pawn shop owner who happens upon a potentially big money maker. Then it's the big fuggin' movie of the week, FAST & FURIOUS PRESENTS: HOBBS & SHAW (18:30). Testosterone? You bet. Larfs? Sure. And, of course, kicks in the balls aplenty. Strap in.

This week, Evan's latest psycho stalker recap comes in the form of SECRET OBSESSION (3:43), now available on Netflix. And guess what, it sucks! Then it's Kris and Dave with Quentin Tarantino's latest, ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD (19:36). And guess what, it's great!

This week Spoilerpiece celebrates 5 years of existence! Yay! And of course because it's a special occasion, the guys hit some technical difficulties, which forced them to re-record the episode. Fortunately they don't let it get in the way of a good time. Kris is up first to review THE LION KING (3:21), which he describes as more of a reenactment than a remake, mimicking jokes and set pieces without contributing anything new. Then Evan fills him in on FIGHTING WITH MY FAMILY (19:20), a funny and charming movie directed by Stephen Merchant about a young British wrestler (Florence Pugh) trying to hack it in the WWE. Then Dave drops in remotely to cover THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING (30:55), a limited release documentary about gender discrimination in the film industry, that hits hard with statistics and interviews featuring just about every important woman in Hollywood (seriously, see it on July 22).

Good news, everyone! Evan watched the Adam Sandler/Jennifer Aniston Netflix flick MURDER MYSTERY (6:03) so you don't have to! And is it good? Well…it's not terrible. That's something. Kris caught the new Dave Bautista/Kumail Nanjiani vehicle (ha) STUBER (18:43), a comedy with better action scenes than comedy scenes. Then it's time to keep up with the Jensons, as Kris re-watched THE SPY WHO DUMPED ME (30:15) and has some new insight into the opening 15 minutes that kind of drove all three guys nuts. Then in a sort-of Riedel's recap, Dave talks about Ridley Scott's SOMEONE TO WATCH OVER ME (32:35), a forgotten thriller in the director's canon. Finally, because it's a slow new-release week, Evan, Kris, and Dave watched Alfred Hitchcock's TO CATCH A THIEF (37:40), which none of them had seen before. Spoiler alert: Lesser Hitchcock is still pretty fun. Patrons! Thank you for your patronage and don't forget to vote in our poll!

A whole lot of show for you this week! Kicking things off is Dave with his recaps of the forgettable THE BABYSITTER (3:31), the almost-good THE LITTLE HOURS (10:04), and fantastically cheesy Spaghetti Western MY NAME IS NOBODY (14:11). Then Kris and Dave recount their experience at Coolidge Corner Theatre's Keanuthon (19:42), six Keanu Reeves movies from midnight to noon, ranging from classics (POINT BREAK, SPEED), '90s time capsules (BILL & TED'S BOGUS JOURNEY, JOHNNY MNEMONIC), arthouse trips (A SCANNER DARKLY), and unexpected triumphs (CONSTANTINE). Closing out the episode, all three hosts give an overall solid recommendation for SPIDER-MAN: FAR FROM HOME (43:10).

Unclear restaurant hours can really throw a wrench in your morning, as Dave discovered this week. Once he finishes airing his grievances, he thanks Kris for his inspirational review of WAR AND PEACE from the previous episode, and proceeds to rip into Michael Mann's MIAMI VICE (6:00), which takes the worst elements of the show and translates them into movie form. Next Kris breaks down MIDSOMMAR (15:11), the new film by Ari Aster, writer/director of HEREDITARY. According to Kris, this movie is very different, but also *not* very different from Aster's previous work (i.e. he dug it). Lastly, everyone digs into ANNABELLE COMES HOME (39:45), a reasonably tense haunted house movie that throws several monsters at the wall to see what sticks.

This week's episode starts with Evan recapping ALL THAT WE DESTROY (3:48), the latest entry in Bumhouse's INTO THE DARK anthology series. There have been some highs and lows in the series, but this one is unfortunately one of the lowest. Then it's Dave with ECHO IN THE CANYON (13:41), a fun and informative look at the origins of the Laurel Canyon music scene of the 1960s with interviews conducted by Jakob Dylan. Then it's Kris with his experience marathoning WAR AND PEACE (19:54) at the Brattle where he says "big" and "massive" a lot. The episode wraps up with TOY STORY 4 (37:30), which is way more fun, tearjerking, and overall effective than anyone might have expected.

After debating whether Janis Joplin wanted a pizza your heart, Kris, Evan, and Dave get down to the diverse slate of movies this week on Spoilerpiece. First up is festival-favorite THE LAST BLACK MAN IN SAN FRANCISCO (3:50). Then it's SHAFT (16:12), which is not another reboot of SHAFT, but a sequel to SHAFT. Did that make sense? Yeah, SHAFT doesn't either. Then Dave and Evan get into I AM MOTHER (33:45), a new Netflix flick about a robot that may or may not be evil. Then it's ALWAYS BE MY MAYBE (45:48), with Ali Wong and Randall Park.

On this week's episode, Kris sells Dave on BED AND SOFA (3:36) made in the USSR in 1927, and his favorite of his recent dive into classic Russian/Soviet film. It's often described as "scandalous" but it's so much more than that, and well worth your time whether or not you're familiar with the era. Then Dave recaps AMERICAN WOMAN (16:58), a film that can get mired in melodrama but is anchored by good direction from Jake Scott and a phenomenal performance by the underappreciated Sienna Miller. Kris wraps things up with DARK PHOENIX (31:09), which sucks.

On this week's episode, Dave and Kris are joined by our friend, colleague, and returning guest Bob "MovieBob" Chipman! Kicking things off, Dave recaps Olivier Assayas's new film, NON-FICTION (4:10), which if nothing else, is certainly French. Then Bob fills us in on BRIGHTBURN (14:46), the alternate take on superhero origin stories that imagines a Clark Kent-like character as a sociopath and killer. It's essentially a B movie with a big budget and star power, but is interesting enough to seek out. Next up is Kris with Werner Herzog's MEETING GORBACHEV (23:07), which is exactly what it sounds like, and is exactly why you should go see it. Closing out this episode is Bob and Kris barely containing their excitement for GODZILLA: KING OF THE MONSTERS (39:41), a drastic improvement on its predecessor that impresses in several ways -- visuals, sound, just the right amount of lore, and putting the focus back on the monsters themselves.

(NOTE: This show opens with the music, so be warned that it's a little louder than usual.) Welcome to a diverse week of movies on Spoilerpiece! As Kris notes, there couldn't be four more different flicks featured on the show. First, Kris talks a little about WHITE CROW (2:20), which Dave recently saw (and wanted to hear Kris' opinion), then Dave dives into Olivia Wilde's feature-directing debut BOOKSMART (7:16) and his interview with Wilde. Then Evan covers EXTREMELY WICKED, SHOCKINGLY EVIL, AND VILE (18:16), the Ted Bundy movie starring Zac Efron and directed by Joe Berlinger (and it features some serious stunt casting). Finally, Kris talks the Disney live-action remake of ALADDIN (32:30) and blue Will Smith. Why is 38 minutes longer than the animated version? Kris tells you why!

Lots of action on the show this week. First up, Kris and Evan talk about Zhang Yimou's latest, SHADOW (3:30). Plus, they both have tips on how to NOT watch certain types of movies (in this case, action). Then it's the main event, JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 3 — PARABELLUM (16:30). First, Evan catches us up on the first two John Wicks (he watched them for the first time over the weekend), and then it's talk of fightin' and killin' as Keanu Reeves more or less turns every assassin in the world into mincemeat. Plus, Kris breaks down whether the linguistics of JOHN WICK hold up.

This week Dave shares why he's training for the New York Marathon and details his preparations for the big race. Next Evan shares his thoughts on THE INTRUDER (4:00), which he and Shauna watched based on Kris's recommendation. After they delve into nuances and plot holes from the movie, Dave jumps in to review THE WHITE CROW (13:05), a Ralph Fiennes film based on a true story he didn't realize that he knew until halfway through. Following a JOHN WICK tangent, Kris and Evan tackle POKÉMON DETECTIVE PIKACHU (23:05) aka POKÉMON DETECTIVE, a movie neither thinks is good, but one of them found more egregious. Tune in to find out who and to hear Evan educate Dave and Kris about Pokémon.

This week, Kris kicks things off with THE INTRUDER (3:40), a much-needed breath of trashy fresh air. He had a great time and thinks you might as well. Next up is our recap of IFFBoston, revisiting some of the highlights from Boston's biggest film festival. Included are LUCE (13:55), ASK DR. RUTH (24:43), THE DEATH OF DICK LONG (30:28), ERNIE & JOE (36:07), OFFICIAL SECRETS (44:14), THE NIGHTINGALE (content warning, 54:45), GUTTERBUG (1:02:40), and THE FAREWELL (1:09:19).

It's Spoilerpiece episode #250! Yay! Thanks for being with us as we reach this sort of arbitrary but still cool milestone! On this week's show there's talk of Passover...and then movies! And all three guys have seen the movies on the docket. First, it's writer-director Laura Steinel's Taylor Schilling-starring FAMILY (5:52), a comedy about a career-focused woman, her niece, and Juggalos. Then it's AVENGERS: ENDGAME (22:26), the final (?) movie in this phase of the Marvel cinematic universe. And yes, we spoil the ever-loving crap out of it. Stay tuned through the closing music to hear a special message from one of our listeners.

This week, Kris and Evan are joined by Nancy Campbell and Brian Tamm of the always spectacular IFFBoston ahead of the annual weeklong festival (April 4 through May 1). They discuss some of the exciting films, panels, guest appearances, and events of the fest that takes over three of Boston's best theaters: Somerville, Brattle, and Coolidge. It's a celebration of film community, and Nancy and Brian highlight filmmakers from years past who have gone on to helm some of the biggest and best movies of the past decade. Later, we meet back up with Dave, who runs us through his thoughts on LITTLE WOODS (53:38), and we close with Evan's rewatching of THE PRINCE OF EGYPT (1:01:52) ahead of Passover.

Kris has a nasty case of the super plague so guest Kristen Halbert joins Evan and Dave in hating on kale before the movies this week. First Dave describes why watching the Aretha Franklin documentary AMAZING GRACE (3:51) is a spiritual experience. Then Kristen and Evan talk about why LITTLE (11:37) is absolutely hilarious and genuine despite the fact that it borrows from several films about adults turning into the child versions of themselves. Lastly, all three of them join forces for I'M JUST FUCKING WITH YOU (27:45), the latest in Hulu's INTO THE DARK series, which has them looking for excuses to talk about literally anything else. Tangents ahoy! Also don't forget to sign up for our Patreon, where you can hear exclusive audio, like this week's clip of Evan and Dave discussing ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN.

Two new movies on this week's episode: atmospheric horror western THE WIND (3:37) and comedy-superhero flick SHAZAM! (14:21). The former is a bleak commentary on isolation and the fear of nothingness faced by women in the Old West, the latter is a gigglefest that continues DC's upward trend. Check it out!

This week the guys gripe about the MBTA and the weird white cones that have popped up in Evan's neighborhood – but not for long – because Dave is back in "the studio" and they have a ton of movies to talk about! First, Kris sneaks in a quick review of Tim Burton's DUMBO (4:15) a movie that tries to tell you what's fun and fails. Next, Dave and Evan cover JUANITA (7:20) the Netflix film that's perfectly predictable and nice, although pretty mediocre. After that Dave reviews THE HUMMINGBIRD PROJECT (15:55), which he describes as two-thirds of a good movie with Jesse Eisenberg and Alexander Skarsgard. Finally, they arrive at the main event: this year's coverage of the Boston Underground Film Festival aka BUFF (25:40). Kris and Evan share their thoughts on a plethora of entertaining films including the delightful documentary HAIL SATAN?, the Boomers vs Millennials horror flick TONE-DEAF, the coming-of-age war-musical KANARIE, the queer Giallo slasher KNIFE + HEART, the creepy ghost tale THE NIGHTSHIFTER, and the sex-positive 90s indie MARY JANE'S NOT A VIRGIN ANYMORE. They even talk about a few shorts in between like I OWE YOU ONE BANANA AND TWO BLACK EYES by friend of the show Jim McDonough!

What's the most highly anticipated movie of the year thus far? Probably Jordan Peele's US, which, luckily, Kris and Evan saw. Yay! (16:50) Plus, Evan and Dave talk about PADDLETON (4:57), a Netflix film starring Mark Duplass and Ray Romano as best friends who like to play a game they invented, eat pizza, and watch kung fu movies. Then one of them is diagnosed with an incurable illness. Our Patreon exclusive audio this week features Evan talking about AWAKENINGS and BREAKING IN, and then everyone gets into a conversation about bad movie poster tagline (maybe this is becoming a theme).

We've been busy at Spoilerpiece! After doing a not-so-deep dive into the power of cocaine in 1980s rap-rock fusions, Evan, Kris, and Dave get down to what they saw this week. First is Dave with Ricky Gervais' Netflix series "After Life" (2:32). (Note: Dave makes reference to Mel Gibson's THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST at about the 11:30 mark, but mistakenly calls it THE LAST TEMPTATION OF CHRIST which is Martin Scorsese's hot take on whether Jesus was a hippie.) At 15:47, Evan covers SURVIVING R. KELLY and LEAVING NEVERLAND, two documentaries about accusations of abuse by R. Kelly (the answer's in the title) and Michael Jackson. We're not really a podcast for trigger warnings, but it's heavy, heavy stuff. Lastly, Kris talks about BORDER (36:30), a Swedish movie about a customs agent who can smell fear, and that's just the beginning. To end things, the guys have a quick discussion about how to tell non-critics whether to see a particular film (45:40).

This week the guys wonder how the heck RoboCop ended up in a KFC commercial before they tackle the two movies on their docket. First, Kris and Evan review CAPTAIN MARVEL (4:35), the Brie Larson superhero flick that's a pretty mixed bag. Really it's no worse than any other mediocre Marvel movie, but they take the time to dissect the good things (like the chemistry between Larson and Samuel L. Jackson), as well as the bad things (like its heavy reliance on momentum-killing exposition). Next, Dave, joins in to cover LORDS OF CHAOS (28:57), an in-your-face film about the Norwegian black metal scene and the rise of the band Mayhem, which lived up to its name. That's all for the regular show – but if you sign up to support us on our Patreon – you'll also have the chance to hear exclusive audio of us discussing Evan's double feature of THE FUGITIVE and U.S. MARSHALS, two very different entries in the same franchise.

Friend of the show Charlie Nash returns to Spoilerpiece! This week kicks off with the highs, lows, and low-lows of this year's Oscars (1:39). The show benefited from no host and some deserving folks got some trophies, but unfortunately ended with the worst Best Picture winner in at least a decade. Then, Charlie takes us through CLIMAX (22:15), a true spectacle from Gaspar Noé. It's everything you expect from the French boundary-pusher, condensed into his most compelling -- and least forgiving -- experiment yet. The gang wraps things up with GRETA (31:20), a campy, trashy good time from Neil Jordan starring the immortal Isabelle Huppert.

In this very special bonus episode, Evan talks with Flash Gordon star Sam Jones and filmmaker Lisa Downs about their documentary LIFE AFTER FLASH, which opened the Boston Sci-Fi Film Festival. His conversation with Sam about the highs and lows of his career covers a range of topics including the value of forgiveness, what it was like opening himself up on camera, and even his preferred ways to workout. Next, his chat with Lisa covers how she met Sam and decided to do the documentary, the things she learned working on a feature-length doc, and how she snagged her memorable interview with Queen member Brian May.

This week, Dave recaps POLAR (2:52), clarifying last week's confusion over ARCTIC. Very different films! Next, Evan and Dave recommend DOWN (17:15), an entry in Blumhouse's INTO THE DARK series on Hulu, full of lean, holiday-themed horror flicks. This one is a Valentine's Day creepfest that is well worth your time. Then, Evan and Kris talk HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON: THE HIDDEN WORLD (23:28), a fine conclusion to a great family-friendly series.

On this week's show, Evan runs us through his week in festivals: Boston Science Fiction Film Festival and Boston Israeli Film Festival (3:43). Then Kris makes the case for why you should take ALITA: BATTLE ANGEL (10:25) seriously and see it this weekend -- prove the pundits wrong! Dave recaps ARCTIC (21:08), a strong film featuring Mads Mikkelsen in a grueling, survivalist role. Kris and Evan then wrap up with HAPPY DEATH DAY 2U and RUSSIAN DOLL (34:25), which arguably have similar plots but take them in radically different -- and both extremely entertaining -- directions.

This week Kris comes up with a compelling concept for a technologically-themed horror film before the guys dig into new releases. For the first movie, he and Evan construct their take on THE LEGO MOVIE 2: THE SECOND PART (4:00), an animated sequel that operates the same way as its predecessor, with different degrees of success depending on which of them you ask. Next, Dave and Evan argue about KILLERS WITHIN (17:16), a home invasion horror flick playing at the Boston Sci-Fi Film Festival, which they are very divided on. Finally, they all review Dan Gilroy's Netflix feature VELVET BUZZSAW (29:55), a weird art-based horror movie that Evan seems to like for some reason, even though Dave and Kris don't.

Because everyone is talking about the Fyre Festival documentaries on Netflix (FYRE) and Hulu (FYRE FRAUD), Kris, Dave, and Evan all dive headlong into the two competing flicks (5:14). Think there isn't enough Fyre disaster to support two documentaries? Think again! Then it's onto Adam McKay's VICE starring Christian Bale as Dick Cheney. Why is it Kris' nomination as the worst movie to ever receive a Best Picture Oscar nomination? Explanations begin at 26:11. On our exclusive Patreon audio segment this week, we have a chat about how much we love the late Bill Paxton, and whether it's possible to get the clap in space.

This week's episode kicks off with, what else those effin Oscar nominations (2:17), recognizing outstanding achievement in male mediocrity. There are some deserving nominations -- BLACK PANTHER, CAN YOU EVER FORGIVE ME?, BLACKKKLANSMAN -- but c'mon already. From there, Kris recaps STAN & OLLIE (11:55), a well-meaning film about Laurel and Hardy in the last year of their joint career. It has some great attributes but never gathers enough momentum to explore the more interesting or entertaining dimensions of its plot. Last up is DESTROYER (21:13), a meandering neo-noir that has some good things going for it but it could have done with a bit -- or a lot -- of streamlining.

This week, Dave fills us in on the two pieces that kept him busy last week: what he's most looking forward to in 2019, and a look at some Oscar-nominated performance in films that premiered at Sundance. Next, Dave and Evan tell us about the woefully unfunny and directionless LAST LAUGH (9:45). Wrapping things up is Evan and Kris with GLASS (26:50), which is not a total waste but fails to effectively channel what was good about either of its predecessors, UNBREAKABLE and SPLIT.

This week we're joined by friend of the show Greg Vellante! Greg kicks things off with a recap of Sean Baker's career. Best known for recent successes like TANGERINE and THE FLORIDA PROJECT, there are some real gems early in his filmography, in particular TAKE OUT (3:57). Stay tuned for Greg's piece in Spectrum Culture! Next up, all three guys spent some time with BANDERSNATCH (18:37), the standalone BLACK MIRROR film where the viewer decides what happens next -- or is it simply the illusion of choice?! Closing out the episode is THE UPSIDE (31:12), which is a very misleading name. There are no upsides to this movie.

Happy New Year Spoilerpiece fans! This week the guys start out by revealing their unconventional New Year's Eve plans. For films, there are three on the docket, and everyone has seen them, which makes for lively discussion! First, the guys review THE FAVOURITE (4:48), a period piece by Yorgos Lanthimos that Kris and Dave loved, but Evan couldn't stand. Next they cover IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK (17:37), the beautiful Barry Jenkins movie they all agree is fantastic because the theme of love permeates it. Lastly, the guys take on the much-discussed Sandra Bullock Netflix original BIRD BOX (30:17), a tense horror flick with good performances that is stunted by numerous flaws. If all that's not enough, you can also hear exclusive audio of the guys discussing New Year's Eve movies if you sign up and support them this week on Patreon.

Dave makes his Spoilerpiece return just in time for the last show of 2018! And it's a fitting too because the guys use the episode to discuss their top 10 films of the year. Dave kicks things off by revealing his picks (5:10) – bold movies like FIRST REFORMED and BLACKKKLANSMAN, as well as documentary selections like WON'T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR? and DISTANT SKY - NICK CAVE & THE BAD SEEDS LIVE IN COPENHAGEN. Next. Kris shares his top movies (22:35) – an eclectic mix of films like AT ETERNITY'S GATE, SORRY TO BOTHER YOU, and HEREDITARY with a surprise underdog in his #10 slot. Finally, Evan wraps things up with his list (35:27), delving into meaningful stories about race like THE HATE U GIVE and MY NAME IS MYEISHA, in addition to technologically driven tales like SEARCHING and EIGHTH GRADE. For Patrons the guys also recorded a special mini episode on holiday movies, so if you want to hear it be sure to check out the Spoilerpiece Patreon and sign up to support the show!

Welcome! This week, Evan revisits FIRST BLOOD (6:30), a movie with more human tragedy and a societal message than its notoriously jingoistic it's remembered for. Next up, Kris runs us through MARY POPPINS RETURNS (12:31), an unnecessary but nonetheless enjoyable remake/sequel. Last up is AQUAMAN (25:06), the DC Extended Universe's first movie that's only okay.

Lots to cover on this week's show as award season races toward the finish line for BOFCA! First up, we hear from Dave who calls in with his thoughts on BALLAD OF BUSTER SCRUGGS (2:00). Then Kris makes a hard case for SUPPORT THE GIRLS (8:25), which was a hit on the festival circuit but ought to be way more widely seen. Evan then walks us through MONSTERS AND MEN (19:07), a pretty good take on a story that has nonetheless been covered in more interesting and absorbing ways by other films this year. Kris saw BATHTUBS OVER BROADWAY (28:56), a delightful story about one of the oddest phenomena in American entertainment: the industrial musical. Evan saw INCREDIBLES 2 (35:23) -- surprise surprise, it's good -- and Kris wraps things up with MORTAL ENGINES (41:57) -- surprise surprise, it's not.

This week, we're joined by BOFCA member and Hollywood Reporter contributor Robyn Bahr! She and Evan kick things off with GREEN BOOK (4:06), a not-terrible but treacly and episodic look at racial tension containing nothing new (especially in a year with so many strong offerings tackling the same material). Then, Kris and Evan examine SUSPIRIA (15:24) and marvel at how not-fun they managed to make dance-school witches by bogging things down with extraneous characters and a go-nowhere sideplot. Then it's ASSASSINATION NATION (34:52), a powerhouse of a film with style to spare that'll leave you energized and hopefully optimistic. Last up, the crew is divided on VOX LUX (42:06), a brutal examination of what it means to be a pop star in the world we currently inhabit. Is it good? Listen to find out!

Kris recounts a bizarre run-in he had some naked bike riders in college before he and Evan put on their critic hats this week. Dave is still on paternity leave, but he didn't let that stop him from recording a special update about what he has been doing and the movies he has been watching. Buckle up for some "Riedel's Recaps" baby! Kris leads off the main show with a half review of AT ETERNITY'S GATE (8:55), the Willem Dafoe Vincent Van Gogh picture that he was really getting into before recording the show. Then Evan serves up a "Crewind" where he talks about CRAZY RICH ASIANS (17:20), which he liked a lot, and A STAR IS BORN (20:43), which he absolutely hated. After he and Kris spend some time dissecting exactly why he hated it, they tackle this week's main film, CAN YOU EVER FORGIVE ME? (27:53), an entertaining Melissa McCarthy drama based on a true story. Its direction is terrific, McCarthy is fantastic, and the unusual friendship at the movie's center is a joy to watch.

Kris laments the dangers of tweeting niche puns and searching for yourself on Twitter with Evan and special guest Sean Burns before they dig into this week's movies. They kick things off with a "Crewind," where Sean finally satisfies his curiosity about whether Paul Schrader's FIRST REFORMED (3:30) really is an "Evan movie" or not. Then he and Kris describe the utterly dull OUTLAW KING (13:00), a forgettable movie that covers similar cinematic material to BRAVEHEART without any of its showmanship. Next Evan wraps up his coverage of the Boston Jewish Film Festival (21:00) by reviewing their entertaining Israeli TV binge and the cute French film SIMON & THÉODORE. And finally, by the time the bell sounds for this week's main event CREED II (32:00), one of the guys finds himself on a different side of the ring than the other two, and who it is might surprise you.

This week, Kris kicks things off with his recent rewatch of BRAM STOKER'S DRACULA (5:03) directed by Francis Ford Coppola. It's wacky and well worth your eyeballs. Meanwhile, Evan's been busy! He recaps some highlights from the Boston Jewish Film Festival (13:47), everything from documentaries to found footage horror flicks. Then it's back to Kris for ROMA (22:30) from Alfonso Cuarón, his best film in years. See it in theaters if you can, Netflix if you must. Then Evan runs us through his favorites from Montreal International Documentary Festival (32:36), highlighting a trilogy focusing on the judicial system in Brazil. Kris closes out the show with THE FRONT RUNNER (46:10), which has a couple of interesting ideas buried way too deep beneath intolerable self-satisfaction.

This week, our friend Megan Kearns returns to the show! She kicks things off with PRIVATE LIFE (3:02), a frank and moving depiction of a couple's attempts to conceive. Next is Evan with LIFE WITHOUT BASKETBALL (7:37), a documentary about a Muslim American woman who faces discriminatory rules regarding dress, preventing her from advancing her basketball career. Then, Kris runs us through SALEM'S LOT (11:31), the classic spooky miniseries based on the Stephen King story, as well as Orson Welles's THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WIND (15:33), a film forty years in the making. It's a true masterpiece, argues Kris, and you should all see it on Netflix now. Then, Kris and Evan look at BOY ERASED (21:48), Joel Edgerton's film about gay conversion therapy, with some good qualities but an unfortunate amount of overlap with THE MISEDUCATION OF CAMERON POST. Last up, all three get less and less enthusiastic about Steve McQueen's WIDOWS (40:11).

In this special mini episode Evan talks with Boston Jewish Film Festival (now Boston Jewish Film) Artistic Director Ariana Cohen-Halberstam about the festival's exciting plans for this year (its 30th). Ariana teases their Israeli film festival coming in 2019, as well as their Israeli TV show binge at the festival, which features SHABABNIKIM, SLEEPING BEARS, and YOUR HONOR. She also promotes notable films paired with performances like SHALOM BOLLYWOOD, SATAN & ADAM, and SAMMY DAVIS JR.: I GOTTA BE ME. Be sure to check out the festival, which runs November 7 - November 19. Learn more at http://www.bostonjfilm.org/.

This week Kris proposes a new tactic for disposing of excess Halloween candy that involves a door-to-door Australian accent. Dave is still on paternity leave so Kris and Evan ride duo for this episode, but they keep a chair open in Dave's honor. Before they get into the movies, Evan gives his quick impressions of the 80s musical ROCK OF AGES (4:34), discussing differences between the current tour and the 2012 film. Then Kris reviews THE BALLAD OF BUSTER SCRUGGS (8:31), the miniseries turned anthology film by the Coen Brothers, which lets you know that everything is on the table with its funny, violent, and tragic short stories. Kris is so captivated by them that he barely even spoils them, encouraging you to take everything in for yourself when the film hits Netflix soon. After that both Kris and Evan cover A PRIVATE WAR (26:46), a compelling drama about real-life war correspondent Marie Colvin played by the incredible Rosamund Pike. The film directed by documentarian Matthew Heineman makes a compelling case for the value of journalism by embedding you with Colvin and exploring the impact of PTSD on journalists like her who report on the horrors of war.