Jan 15
Critical Darlings: Hamnet And The History Of Oscar Villains with David Sims
This week, we’re joined by David Sims as we orbit the Golden Globes and their Best Drama winner, Chloé Zhao’s Hamnet. In the vibes-based reality of awards season predictions, Hamnet has emerged as a potential spoiler to the season’s other favorites, including Paul Thomas Anderson ... Show More
1h 14m
Jan 11
No Other Choice
Join Pulp Men (and Woman) of the Year Griffin, David, Ben, and Marie as they discuss Park Chan Wook’s latest offering, the silly and sublime No Other Choice. We’re talking about paper, AI-proof jobs, the handsomeness of Lee Byung-hun, the possibility that Director Park is the Mic ... Show More
2h 40m
Jan 8
Critical Darlings: Marty Supreme And The Precursor Circuit with Griffin Newman
This week, we’re only slightly hung over from last night’s New York Film Critics Circle Awards! Griffin Newman joins the pod to discuss the event, where, among dry-run Oscar speeches from Amy Madigan, Rose Byrne, and Wagner Moura, we saw Ethan Hawke fall into a fountain beneath a ... Show More
1h 44m
Dec 2024
SPEED RACER — The Wachowskis go full throttle
<p>After THE MATRIX and V FOR VENDETTA, <b>the Wachowskis</b> were ready to turn from darkness, into the bright, bright candy-colored light. The result was <b>SPEED RACER</b>, an eyepopping postmodern explosion that honored the gravity-defying spirit of old-school anime… and whic ... Show More
30m 46s
Dec 2024
DC Pierson on Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
We're forcing author, comedian, and actor DC Pierson to cover all the Transformers films with us here at The Spiel and he finally returns for the second film in the franchise: Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, a film that is inexplicably nearly 3 hours long, is even more incoh ... Show More
1h 33m
Jun 2025
‘Ballerina,’ ‘Bring Her Back,’ and ‘Dogma’ Reborn, with Kevin Smith!!!
Sean and Amanda are joined by Chris Ryan to discuss their disappointment with the newest installment in the John Wick franchise, ‘From the World of John Wick: Ballerina’ (2:08). Next, they cover the second horror feature film from the Philippou brothers with the deeply upsetting ... Show More
1h 54m
Oct 2024
‘Joker: Folie à Deux’ Hates You. Will You Return the Favor?
Sean is joined by Van Lathan to discuss ‘Joker: Folie à Deux,’ the off-putting sequel to Todd Phillips’s 2019 ‘Joker,’ starring Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga (1:00). They discuss the jukebox musical format’s successes and failures, the filmmaking vs. the experience of watching it ... Show More
1h 44m
Oct 2024
Furiosa: Studio Flop or Furious Masterpiece?
Start your engines! Austin and Raymond jump into FURIOSA: A MAD MAX SAGA (dir George Miller). The guys get into the mythos of this installment within the larger franchise, the role of fan service in these cinematic universes, concepts of religion and populism in Mad Max villains, ... Show More
1h 26m
Oct 24
Back To The Future 2 – The Wackiest, Darkest, Most Ambitious Sequel Ever Made
Brad Gilmore returns to celebrate Back To The Future Day (a few days late) with a deep dive into one of the most ambitious sequels ever made! He and Chris break down the 2015 that actually got a few things right, the dark alternate 1985 ruled by Biff Tannen, and all the chaos tha ... Show More
1h 10m
Apr 2025
The Summer Movie Preview Game. Plus: David Cronenberg on ‘The Shrouds.’
Sean and Amanda briefly react to some Oscars news, including a rule requiring Academy members to watch the movies and the details surrounding the new Casting and Achievement in Stunt Design award (1:34). Then, for the first time, they play the Summer Movie Preview Game, in which ... Show More
2h 40m
Oct 17
The “Should I See It in a Movie Theater?” Test: ‘Tron: Ares,’ ‘Roofman,’ and ‘After the Hunt.’ Plus, the Magic of ‘Mr. Scorsese.’
Sean and Amanda begin the show by honoring the legendary actor Diane Keaton, who passed away at 79 last Saturday (3:19). Then, following a disappointing box office performance from a handful of new weekend releases, they have an extensive conversation around what audiences want f ... Show More
1h 44m
This week, Griffin and David examine the highly anticipated 2003 follow up, The Matrix Reloaded. Was it a misstep to build this release around a video game (Enter the Matrix) most viewers hadn’t played and an animated series (The Animatrix) most of the audience hadn’t seen? Was it worth bringing Agent Smith back? Does David convince Griffin to reevaluate his ... Show More
<p><img style= "display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src= "https://assets.libsyn.com/secure/show/89428/Terminator.jpg" alt="" width="250" height="188" />Jim reflects on his first time watching James Cameron's 1984 Sci-Fi Classic "The Terminator," starring Linda ... Show More
