The Strange Harbors Podcast

This week, we take a look at Martin Scorsese's three-and-a-half-hour epic tragedy, Killers of the Flower Moon. A deliberate indictment of insidious American exceptionalism, the film explores an oft-overlooked atrocity from the country's ignoble past. Focusing on a real-life conspiracy of murder to rob the Indigenous Osage of Oklahoma of their wealth, Killers of the Flower Moon is another compelling chapter in Scorsese's late style. Does it stack up against his recent masterworks of Silence and The Irishman? Tune in to our review.

Director Kevin Greutert returns to the franchise that birthed his feature-length career with Saw X, a precise and brutal affair that knows exactly what its audience wants. Tobin Bell returns as John Kramer and Shawnee Smith returns as Amanda Young in this punch-in-the-arm midquel, but is it enough to revitalize the series?

Star Wars: Rogue One director Gareth Edwards returns with his sprawling, sci-fi epic, The Creator. Breathing rarefied air as an original, non-IP, non-sequel, non-franchise movie, Edwards new vision finds itself sitting in an uphill, cinematic landscape. Does it deliver on its buzzed-about promise?

This week we are reviewing Hulu's buzzy alien abduction thriller, Bryan Duffield's No One Will Save You. With white-knuckle suspense and a stylish dialogue-free conceit, can the film sustain its bravura across 93 minutes? Tune in and find out what we thought.

Kenneth Branagh returns for a third installment of his Agatha Christie adaptations with A Haunting in Venice. Is the third time the charm for this lukewarm franchise of diminishing returns? Is Kenneth Branagh in his flop era, or is he finally cooking with gas? We investigate and review A Haunting in Venice.

This week, in lieu of covering a movie or show, we are delivering a primer on the concurrent WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes in Hollywood. We talk about wage disparities, worsening working conditions, the inequities in residual payments from digital platform, and the blurring line between journalist and promoter.

With Labor Day, thus concludes our first Summer Box Office Wager, and the results are nothing short of...disastrous. Listen to how poorly we did predicting the Barbenheimer phenomenon, a recap of this summer's releases, as well as what we're looking forward to for the rest of the year.

This week on The Strange Harbors Podcast, we talk about the horror sensation of the year, Danny and Michael Phillipou's Talk to Me. When a group of friends get swept up in a viral trend of demonic possession, they become hooked on the new thrill — until one of them unleashes terrifying supernatural forces. Does Talk to Me live up to the hype? Tune in and find out.

Part two of our Barbenheimer extravaganza finds us in a world of dolls, fashion, and existential crises. With special guest Ashley Zhang, the show reviews Greta Gerwig's much-anticipated Barbie. We talk everything from Gerwig's much-lauded filmography to the state of IP-driven cinema. Is Barbie the high watermark? Or is it another shallow cash grab?

Theory vs. practice. Creation vs. destruction. Christopher Nolan’s paradoxically sprawling, intimate Oppenheimer is a deconstruction of the “great man” biopic. Navigating the vast gulf between science and empathy, Nolan’s latest delivers a harrowing drama about the moral cost of unleashing upon the world the most horrible weapon it has ever known. Is it Nolan's best? Find out if Jeff and Derek see eye to eye.

Christopher McQuarrie returns to the Mission: Impossible franchise, along with the president of movies himself, Tom Cruise. The last movie star's crusade for analog supremacy finally becomes text as the IMF team battles a sinister AI. What death-defying stunts await in Dead Reckoning Part One? Tune in and find out as we barrel through the setpieces and the franchise itself.

This week, Derek and Amir review the fifth movie in the Indiana Jones franchise, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. A departure from previous installments, James Mangold takes the reins from Steven Spielberg. This time, we follow along as Indiana Jones must work alongside his goddaughter, played by the talented Phoebe Waller-Bridge, as they race against a nefarious foe in search of a legendary artifact that could change the course of history.

This week, Jeff and Derek review Celine Song's feature film debut, Past Lives. A quiet, restrained movie about roads not taken and choices we make, Past Lives follows Nora and Hae Sung, two deeply connected childhood friends separated after Nora's family emigrates from South Korea. Decades later, they are reunited for one fateful week as they confront destiny, love and the choices that make a life.

The DC Extended Universe winds down with the long-gestating solo outing for its resident speedster: The Flash. Can the film overcome its controversial star and troubled production to deliver the definitive Barry Allen story? Will it crumble under the fan service of its relentless cameos, or will it score another win for multiverse storytelling? Tune in and find out our thoughts!

We're taking a break from new releases this week to celebrate the 15th anniversary of one of Jeff's favorite horror movies, the 2008 cult sleeper: Lake Mungo. A profoundly sad exploration of grief, guilt, and the secrets we keep from the ones we love most, Lake Mungo is a gut punch disguised as a ghost story mockumentary.

The highly anticipated Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is finally here. With huge shoes to fill in a changing cinematic zeitgeist, does this Spider sequel live up to its acclaimed predecessor? We discuss the new film's groundbreaking artistry and keen deconstruction of wall crawler’s metafiction.

The Fast and the Furious franchise has never met a villain it couldn't reform, a dead fan favorite it couldn't resurrect. After blasting off into space in the last movie, does the series still have the sauce or has it jumped the shark? We review the latest adventure of Vin Diesel's ridiculous family, discuss its ham sandwich of a villain, and muse about all the surprising returns in the movie.

The start of a new Strange Harbors Podcast tradition begins here with our first annual summer box office wager. Jeff, Derek, and Amir write in their ballots for what they think will be the top ten biggest movies this summer. Can the Disney juggernaut be toppled? Will Top Gun mania boost Mission: Impossible? Is the Transformers series cooked? Come listen to our lively discussion on the biggest movies of the year.

This week, we dive into horror maestro Ari Asters latest film, the wildly divisive Beau Is Afraid. Coined by the filmmaker as a Jewish Lord of the Rings about a man visiting his mother, Beau Is Afraid is the ultimate subversion of the mommy issues monomyth. We talk dream logic, the film's surprising humor, and the hero's journey. Is Ari Aster three for three? Tune in and find out!

What's the best MCU trilogy? Where does Guardians of the Galaxy land? We're reviewing Vol. 3 this week, and It’s one last hurrah as the Guardians race against the clock to save a grievously injured teammate, touring through James Gunn’s warped imagination in a surprisingly personal goodbye.

This week, we're talking guts, gore, and Deadite fun with Lee Cronin's Evil Dead Rise. The latest installment of the Evil Dead franchise that originated with Sam Raimi's highly-regarded trilogy from 1981 to 1992, this new film transplants the cabin in the woods terror to a condemned LA high-rise. We run through our rankings of the series and the nasty surprises the new film has in store. Come get some.

This week, we discuss the indie drama-slash-thriller How to Blow Up a Pipeline. The surprise hit out of last year's Toronto Film Festival, Daniel Goldhaber's gutsy call to action about sabotage in the face of impending climate disaster finds a gripping, procedural heist within its incendiary message. But before we dive into the film we answer some listener mail, as we parse through our feelings about Netflix's Beef in the wake of the David Choe scandal.

Road rage comes to Netflix in Lee Sung Jin's dark comedy, Beef. Starring Steven Yeun, Ali Wong, Young Mazino, Joseph Lee, and David Choe, the ten-episode series revolves around a down-on-his-luck contractor and a wealthy entrepreneur whose traffic run-in escalates into dangerous obsession. We talk about the series' mostly Asian cast, the pitfalls of representation, and the harmful Netflix binge model.

Is Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves the first surprise hit of 2023? We sit down and discuss this breezy fantasy comedy, breaking down its surprising craft, uproarious gags, and who is the best Hollywood Chris.

2023's first action movie extravaganza is here in John Wick: Chapter 4. The eagerly anticipated end (or is it?) of the John Wick saga pulls out all the stops, and we discuss this exhilarating, metal-as-hell ballet of bullets that blows the doors off action filmmaking.

Almost two weeks later, we discuss the 95th Academy Awards — winners, losers, triumphs, and gaffes. Letting the awards marinate, we cover Everything Everywhere All at Once's historic evening, as well as some of the surprises the ceremony had in store for us. Who won? Who should've won? We give the rundown.

This week, we wrap up our coverage of the first season of HBO's "The Last of Us." We run down its explosive final set piece, its cannibal-fueled lead-up, and recap all the things we loved - and didn't love - about this inaugural season.

Michael B. Jordan makes his directorial debut with the highly-anticipated "Creed III," the ninth installment of the "Rocky" franchise. With a whole new style without mainstay Sylvester Stallone, can Jordan pull off his anime-inspired, boxing vision? We review the film and take a look back at the long-running franchise.

Our journey through "The Last of Us" continues with our penultimate recap of the season, covering episodes 6 and 7, titled "Kin" and "Left Behind." A brief detour in Jackson, Wyoming leads to another devastating flashback, this time focusing on Ellie (Bella Ramsey) and her tragic past. We discuss the trajectory of the series right before the finale while Derek breaks down the expectations and reality of the series as it relates to the games.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe kicks off Phase Five with Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. Jettisoning the fleet caper energy of the first two films, the latest Scott Lang adventure finds the titular shrinking hero at odds with a new multiverse-threatening big bad: Jonathan Majors' Kang the Conquerer. Is this new chapter for Marvel a fresh start? Or a dire miscalculation? Tune in and find out our thoughts.

After a critically acclaimed third episode of its first season, can HBO's The Last of Us keep its winning streak alive? We sit down and discuss episodes 4 and 5, titled "Please Hold to My Hand" and "Endure and Survive," respectively, diving deep into its brand new mini-arc with guest actress Melanie Lynskey as well as Joel and Ellie's budding camaraderie. Also, one of the game's most heartbreaking threads makes an appearance.

Director M. Night Shyamalan returns with his single-location home invasion thriller, Knock at the Cabin. Based on Paul Tremblay's novel Cabin at the End of the World, the film stars Jonathan Groff, Ben Aldridge, Kristen Cui, Dave Bautista, and Rupert Grint. Does Shymalan's filmmaking chops stack up to the gut punch of its source material's shocking ending? Tune in and find out if we can come to a consensus on Knock at the Cabin.

Our biweekly coverage of HBO's "The Last of Us" continues, as we discuss episodes 2 and 3 of the first season of the hit show. We review the rollicking, streamlined shocker of "Infected," and the very much talked about "Long Long Time," which features the biggest deviation from the game so far.

Keeping up our annual tradition of talking about Oscar nominations and then a horror movie, this year we are diving head first into Kyle Edward Ball's viral sensation, Skinamarink. We discuss the snubs, surprises, and predictions for the upcoming Academy Awards, and then segue into an our very different opinions about the hottest indie movie of the season. We've never been more divided!

Two newbies and a veteran sit down and discuss the pilot of the highly anticipated HBO series: The Last of Us. Based upon the hit video game of the same name, the new series by Chernobyl's Craig Mazin and Naughty Dog's own Neil Druckmann finds Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey in the roles of Joel and Ellie. We talk about our different perspectives of the series, our expectations, and our thoughts on video game adaptations as a whole. Is this a new high-watermark for video game adaptations? Tune in and find out!

It's that time again: the biggest, longest episode of the year in which Jeff, Derek, and Amir run down their top 10 films of the past 365 days. After two-plus years floundering in the pandemic, it seems that the film industry is finally regaining its legs. This year, Top Gun: Maverick and Avatar: The Way of Water blasted off, the Daniels’ multiverse-hopping stunner Everything Everywhere All at Once was the sleeper hit of the year, and old masters in their late eras such as Steven Spielberg and David Cronenberg returned in top form. It might have been harder than ever to whittle down a top ten in 2022, but it was an absolute delight to journey through the year’s cinema. Join us as we discuss our individual ballots and compare our overlaps and unique picks!

Return to the world of Pandora with our episode on the last huge blockbuster of the year, Avatar: The Way of Water. A dazzling gallery frame around cinematic technology in the hands of one James Cameron, its wild spectacle, unbelievable detail, and technical wizardry will blast the eyeballs out of your sockets, but its honest and sincere undercurrents just might be its secret weapon. In the last episode of 2022, we discuss Cameron's filmography, his commitment to technology, and the impact of the Avatar franchise.

This week, we're talking about director Luca Guadagnino's latest, the sweetly sick cannibal romance: Bones and All. Starring Taylor Russell, Timotheé Chalamet, and Mark Rylance, the film follows two star-crossed lovers as they embark upon a roadtrip through Middle America while grappling with their forbidden cravings of human flesh. What did we think of the movie? Tune in and find out!

This week we discuss director Steven Spielberg's most personal film yet, his autofiction as self-therapy: The Fabelmans. We examine our differing opinions on the film, its all-star cast, and we have a heated debate over a pointless Twitter prompt that leaves some of our jaws on the floor. Tune in!

This week we're diving into Todd Field's first film in over 16 years: the searing, thorny Tár. We talk about the film's timely themes, its surprising humor, and the towering performances by Cate Blanchett and Nina Hoss. A portrait of a woman undone by the ego of her own genius, Tár is one of the year's most talked about films.

The sequel to Ryan Coogler's game-changing, culture-shifting Black Panther is finally here. Reconfiguring an already-written screenplay as a moving tribute to the late Chadwick Boseman, Wakanda Forever already gets points for degree of difficulty alone. It’s sprawling, shaggy, and overstuffed, but leave it to Ryan Coogler to pull off the miraculous feat of deftly threading real-life tragedy with cultural acuity and an affecting superhero story on grief, loss, and the cycle of violence. Listen to our thoughts!

Men and their decimated kinships unraveled upon the screen, richly textured and frequently uproarious, Martin McDonagh's The Banshees of Inisherin explores evaporating bonds, crushing loneliness, and enmity in grotesque escalation. We discuss the playwright's latest and his intimate account of a detonating friendship, starring Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, Barry Keoghan, and Kerry Condon. This is The Banshees of Inisherin.

“The closer you look, the harder you fall.” Park Chan-wook cross-pollinates a police procedural with a femme fatale romance in his latest film. Swirling around two lost souls navigating a web of murder, deceit, and desire to desperately cling to their perverse affair, Decision to Leave is a sensual puzzle box. We discuss the illustrious director's filmography, the painterly craft behind the movie, and the inscrutable Tang Wei.

This week, we're wrapping up our discussion of the first season of House of the Dragon and its final three episodes. Derek is on vacation for one more week, so Jeff and Amir sit down and discuss the home stretch of the inaugural season of this much-hyped Game of Thrones spinoff. Does it stick the landing? Tune in and find out.

Is the hierarchy of power in the DC Universe really about to change? We review the DCEU's latest, Jaume Collett-Serra's Black Adam, a superhero film almost 20 years in the making. How is Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson as the Shazam-powered antihero? We discuss that, the Justice Society of America, the big cameo, and more.

This week, we discuss the new AMC series, Interview with the Vampire. A new adaptation of Anne Rice's The Vampire Chronicles, we compare the new series - starring Jacob Anderson and Sam Reid - to Neil Jordan's 1994 film and delve into this modernization. How do the new Louis and Lestat stack up against the classic performances from Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise? Tune in and find out.

Game of Thrones is back! This week, we discuss the OTHER big-budget fantasy series on the air right now, House of the Dragon. With its first big time jump out of the way, this is the perfect opportunity to discuss and review the series. We talk about the legacy of its parent series, and whether or not it's worth watching, especially if you were burned by the final season of Game of Thrones. Tune in and hear our thoughts.

Tony Gilroy returns to the Star Wars universe to helm Andor, a new Disney Plus series serving as the origin story for Rogue One’s morally ambiguous rebel spy. A refreshing bottom-up approach eschewing retreads and cameos, Andor breaks new ground detailing the everymen of Star Wars, the oppressive rot of The Empire, and the broiling foment of rebellion. Tune in for our review of the first three episodes.

Can creepy murder dungeons be included in a house’s square footage on Zillow? We talk everything Barbarian, director Zach Cregger's sleeper horror hit that's taken the country by storm. Surprisingly funny with nasty surprises, gore-hounds and squirm-fiends with appetites for the sick stuff will have a great time. Tune in to hear our thoughts!

Amazon Prime Video's big streaming play and the most expensive series ever made, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, is finally here. Taking place during the murky Second Age of Middle-Earth with dangers known and unknown lurking, does this sprawling fantasy epic live up to its deep pockets? We discuss fantasy television, Peter Jackson, Tolkien purists, and some of the controversy surrounding the show.