On this week’s episode of Across the Movie Aisle, Sonny Bunch (The Bulwark), Alyssa Rosenberg (The Washington Post), and Peter Suderman (Reason) discuss whether or not Focus Features is correct in their effort to silence outspoken writer-director and social media gadfly Paul Schrader. Plus, they review the remarkably bad The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard. And make sure to check out our special bonus episode on dad movies as a belated Father’s Day treat.
Jun 23, 2021•35 min•Ep. 63
On this week’s episode, Sonny Bunch (The Bulwark) takes a back set to let Alyssa Rosenberg (The Washington Post) review the new Lin-Manuel Miranda musical, In the Heights. Did it make our panel’s toes tap with joy? Or did it make them check their watches? (Spoiler: the answer is yes.) And in controversies and nontroversies, we discuss a new documentary about the film Kids making waves on the festival circuit. Is enough being done to protect younger and non-professional actors? Also, make sure to...
Jun 16, 2021•38 min•Ep. 62
This week, Sonny Bunch (The Bulwark), Alyssa Rosenberg (The Washington Post), and Peter Suderman (Reason Magazine) discuss Netflix’s The Woman in the Window , a fantastic mess of a movie. But is it more fantastic, or more mess? And we wonder about AMC’s decision to play nice with the memesters who are driving up AMC’s share prices by offering them free popcorn for investing. Will this all end in tears? And make sure to check out our special bonus episode for members of Bulwark+ ( subscribe now! ...
Jun 10, 2021•36 min•Ep. 61
Sonny Bunch (The Bulwark), Alyssa Rosenberg (the Washington Post) and Peter Suderman (Reason Magazine) were all underwhelmed by Cruella , Disney’s latest IP-mining cash grab. Plus, they debated about the end of mask mandates in theaters for the fully vaccinated and what it means for our shifting social norms. And if you want to comment or listen to our special members-only episode on long movies we love, make sure to subscribe to Bulwark+ today !...
Jun 03, 2021•39 min•Ep. 60
This week on the show, Sonny Bunch ( The Bulwark ), Alyssa Rosenberg ( The Washington Post ), and Peter Suderman ( Reason ) discussed Netflix’s long-awaited Zack Snyder zombie heist opus, Army of the Dead . Meanwhile, in cons and nons, the gang discussed the MGM/Amazon deal and if it’s a break from the past—or a continuation of it. Meanwhile, on the special bonus episode , the trio picked which indie directors they’d give free rein to for a big franchise movie. The comments are open on both post...
May 26, 2021•43 min•Ep. 59
This week Sonny Bunch (The Bulwark), Alyssa Rosenberg (The Washington Post), and Peter Suderman (Reason) review Taylor Sheridan’s new fire jumping flick, Those Who Wish Me Dead. Is this ’90s throwback a hit or a miss? Or just kind of generic and lumpy? Plus, we ask whether or not the once-canceled, now-revived biography of Philip Roth by Blake Bailey should see the light of day, given sexual assault accusations leveled against Bailey. And make sure to check out our members-only episode on the Wa...
May 19, 2021•39 min•Ep. 58
This week, Sonny Bunch (The Bulwark), Alyssa Rosenberg (The Washington Post), and Peter Suderman (Reason Magazine) discuss NBC’s decision to pull the plug on next year’s Golden Globes following a series of controversies surrounding the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. And the gang debates the merits of the new Guy Ritchie/Jason Statham action heist thriller, Wrath of Man . Make sure to check out the bonus members-only episode in which we debate which Jason Statham movie is best! And if you e...
May 12, 2021•42 min•Ep. 57
Sonny Bunch (The Bulwark), Alyssa Rosenberg (The Washington Post), and Peter Suderman are all experiencing buyer’s remorse this week after sitting through the not-quite mediocre Without Remorse. Plus, the gang talks about the Rosenberg-edited op-ed by Lucy Liu in the Washington Post about what it means to achieve progress in representation onscreen—and why young progressive critics are wrong to cast a negative eye on some of Liu’s previous work. And make sure to check out our bonus episode on al...
May 05, 2021•35 min•Ep. 56
Sonny (The Bulwark), Alyssa (The Washington Post), and Peter (Reason) have a lot of thoughts about the Oscars, both the show and the winners. And we have a lot of thoughts about The Falcon and the Winter Soldier , a TV show that thinks it has a lot of thoughts, but none of them really go anywhere. Leaving that aside, though: was it any good and is it worth six hours of your time! All that and more discussed on this week’s episode of Across the Movie Aisle!
Apr 28, 2021•42 min•Ep. 55
On this week’s episode, Sonny Bunch (The Bulwark) asks Alyssa Rosenberg (The Washington Post) and Peter Suderman (Reason Magazine) if a recent report in the New York Times proves once and for all that celebs should ditch the politics if they want the Oscars to be watchable. (Spoiler: It’s complicated!) And the gang makes their Oscar picks. Who SHOULD win? Who WILL win? Plus, on our special bonus episode , we pick the best best picture nominees of the last decade....
Apr 21, 2021•46 min•Ep. 54
Sonny (The Bulwark), Alyssa Rosenberg (Washington Post), and Peter Suderman (Reason Magazine) ask whether or not Will Smith and Antoine Fuqua were right to pull Emancipation out of Georgie over its voting rights law—or whether Georgia should be the go-to spot for film production at all. And then the gang reviews The Father , a devastating portrait of dementia that maybe, just maybe, is the best of the best picture-nominated films. And make sure to check out our members-only bonus episode in whic...
Apr 14, 2021•40 min•Ep. 53
What did Sonny Bunch (The Bulwark), Alyssa Rosenberg (The Washington Post) and Peter Suderman (Reason Magazine) think of Godzilla vs. Kong ? And in cons-and-nons, the gang discusses the fact that basically nobody has heard of the best picture nominees as this year’s Oscars. Note: That’s heard of , not seen . How will this impact the show’s appeal to the regular public? (Spoiler: negatively!) Make sure to check out our bonus episode about Godzilla vs. Kong' s box office success and how it’ll effe...
Apr 07, 2021•43 min•Ep. 52
This week Sonny Bunch (The Bulwark), Alyssa Rosenberg (The Washington Post), and Peter Suderman (Reason Magazine) review the new Bob Odenkirk action movie, Nobody . Does the Mr. Show with Bob and David and Better Call Saul actor have action chops to go with comedic range and a surprising dramatic depth? Plus, we discuss how Asian representation onscreen may or may not have contributed to the shooting in Atlanta in Controversies and Nontroversies. And make sure to check out our bonus members-only...
Mar 31, 2021•41 min•Ep. 51
Finally, it’s here: Sonny Bunch (The Bulwark), Alyssa Rosenberg (The Washington Post), and Peter Suderman (Reason) talk about Zack Snyder’s Justice League , a/k/a, “The Snyder Cut.” Is it everything they hoped it could be? At the very least: is it better than the abominable Whedon Cut? Plus: Why is Borat 2 winning awards for its screenplay? Isn’t it largely improvised? All that and more on this week’s episode of Across the Movie Aisle! And make sure to check out our special members-only episode ...
Mar 24, 2021•42 min•Ep. 50
On this week’s episode, Sonny Bunch (The Bulwark), Alyssa Rosenberg (The Washington Post), and Peter Suderman (Reason Magazine) review the really-not-great Raya and the Last Dragon . Is it worth your $30 on Disney+’s premium tier? Maybe you should see it in a theater instead? But can you even do that? That’s the subject of controversies and nontroversies, which tackles D.C.’s slowness to reopen its movie theaters. And make sure to check out our special bonus episode on the Oscar nominations. Who...
Mar 17, 2021•41 min•Ep. 49
On this week’s episode, Alyssa Rosenberg (The Washington Post) fills in Sonny Bunch (The Bulwark) and Peter Suderman (Reason) about the whole to-do over Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s and their interview with Oprah. And the gang reviews Coming 2 America ! Is it an exciting new adventure or a stale old rehash? You’ll never guess just by looking at the image at the top of this post … or will you? Also, make sure to check out our special bonus episode on what to watch for International Women’s Da...
Mar 10, 2021•42 min•Ep. 48
On this week’s episode, Sonny Bunch (The Bulwark), Alyssa Rosenberg (The Washington Post), and Peter Suderman (Reason) talked about the incredibly, spectacularly, dreadfully awful (and historically poorly watched ) Golden Globes. The gang also reviewed awards-season darling Minari , a family drama about immigrants trying to achieve the American dream in the middle of Arkansas. And make sure to check out our special members-only episode about the end of Peak TV!...
Mar 02, 2021•36 min•Ep. 47
On this week’s episode, Sonny Bunch (The Bulwark), Alyssa Rosenberg (The Washington Post), and Peter Suderman (Reason) discuss the corruption at the Golden Globes—and the world of awards-season film criticism more generally. And the gang reviews Nomadland , a movie about the natural beauty of the American west that doesn’t beat viewers over the head with its implied message about the vicissitudes of capitalism. And make sure to check out this week’s special bonus episode in which we discuss whet...
Feb 23, 2021•42 min•Ep. 46
This week, Sonny Bunch (The Bulwark), Alyssa Rosenberg (The Washington Post), and Peter Suderman tackle a surprisingly tricky cons and nons: Gina Carano, who was canceled and un-canceled over the course of last week. And they review the new film on HBO Max and in theaters, Judas and the Black Messiah , about the life and death of Fred Hampton and the man who betrayed him, Bill O’Neal. And make sure to check out our bonus, members-only episode on the greatest artistic achievement of this, or any ...
Feb 17, 2021•40 min•Ep. 45
On this episode of Across the Movie Aisle, Sonny Bunch (The Bulwark), Alyssa Rosenberg (The Washington Post), and Peter Suderman (Reason) get into the day’s two most pressing rivalries. No, not the Bucs versus Chiefs and hedge funds versus Reddit. First up: Donald Trump vs. the Screen Actors Guild. The president petulantly resigned from the actors union when word began circulating in the trades that Trump was going to be kicked out. But (gulp) … did he have half-a-point? Then we move to the main...
Feb 09, 2021•44 min•Ep. 44
On this week’s episode, Sonny Bunch (The Bulwark), Alyssa Rosenberg (The Washington Post), and Peter Suderman (Reason) review the new thriller The Little Things . Are three Oscar-winners (Denzel Washington, Jared Leto, and Rami Malek) enough to put this one over the top? In controversies and nontroversies, the gang tries to suss out why industry rag Variety threw one of its freelance critics under the bus by appending a correction to his review of Promising Young Women. His mistake? Offending a ...
Feb 02, 2021•46 min•Ep. 43
On this week’s episode, Sonny Bunch (The Bulwark), Alyssa Rosenberg (The Washington Post), and Peter Suderman (Reason) discuss the provocative new movie Promising Young Woman . Meanwhile, in controversies and nontroversies, the gang weighs in on the Ted Cruz/Seth Rogen spat. And make sure to sign up for Bulwark+ so you can listen to a members-only bonus episode on Joe Biden’s watch and the aesthetics of politics....
Jan 26, 2021•48 min•Ep. 42
This week on Across the Movie Aisle, Sonny Bunch ( The Bulwark ), Alyssa Rosenberg ( The Washington Post ), and Peter Suderman ( Reason ) review the MCU’s big new release: Wandavision , now streaming on Disney+. Plus, in controversies and nontroversies: how much privacy Armie Hammer should be afforded after he felt forced to abandon a movie shoot following the release of damaging DMs and claims of controlling behavior by an ex-girlfriend? And don’t forget to check out our Substack members-only e...
Jan 19, 2021•36 min•Ep. 41
On this week’s episode, Sonny Bunch ( The Bulwark ), Alyssa Rosenberg ( The Washington Post ), and Peter Suderman ( Reason ) discuss the ways in which culture and technology helped influence the unchecked spread of QAnon-style conspiracy theories. And the gang reviews “Lovers Rock,” the much-ballyhooed installment of Steve McQueen’s “Small Axe” series on Amazon and BBC. Also: make sure to check out this week’s special bonus episode of Across the Movie Aisle, in which Sonny, Alyssa, and Peter dis...
Jan 12, 2021•39 min•Ep. 40
On the latest episode of Across the Movie Aisle, Sonny Bunch (The Bulwark), Alyssa Rosenberg (The Washington Post), and Peter Suderman (Reason) discuss the strange late-career filmography of Bruce Willis and the surge in stars cashing in on their personae for straight-to-DVD-and-VOD projects. And they review Pixar’s new piece of emotional terrorism, Soul . Is it good for kids and adults? Does it avoid answering the tough, and touchy, questions that it raises? All this and more on today’s episode...
Jan 05, 2021•40 min•Ep. 39
On this special year-end episode of Across the Movie Aisle—and what a weird year it has been—Sonny Bunch (The Bulwark), Alyssa Rosenberg (The Washington Post), and Peter Suderman (Reason) pick their top movies, shows, and games of the year. So much #content, such little time to discuss it all. And they review HBO Max’s hit new movie, Wonder Woman 1984. Is it as bad as the critics are suggesting? Or is it totally, you know, kind of acceptable as a piece of entertainment-like filmmaking, more or l...
Dec 29, 2020•38 min•Ep. 38
On this episode, Sonny Bunch (The Bulwark), Alyssa Rosenberg (The Washington Post), and Peter Suderman (Reason) break down Barack Obama’s list of the year’s best movies and TV shows and wonder why it is people cannot accept he loves the middlebrow features beloved by the hosts of Across the Movie Aisle. Then they review Netflix’s new feature, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom ! Alyssa provides a deep dive on the plays of August Wilson and then the gang discusses how, exactly, a filmed play translates to ...
Dec 22, 2020•36 min•Ep. 37
This week Sonny Bunch (The Bulwark), Alyssa Rosenberg (The Washington Post), and Peter Suderman (Reason Magazine) review the critically acclaimed new movie, Sound of Metal , streaming on Amazon now. And in controversies and nontroversies, they discuss whether or not directors are ingrates for being upset at Warner Bros. for dropping their whole 2021 slate on theaters and HBO Max simultaneously.
Dec 15, 2020•43 min•Ep. 36
On this week’s episode of Across the Movie Aisle, Sonny, Alyssa, and Peter talk about the politics at the heart of David Fincher’s new Netflix movie Mank , a film that is nominally about the writing of Citizen Kane but is actually about something much deeper. And, in controversies and nontroversies, the trio take a look at the shocking decision by Warner Bros. to release their entire 2021 film slate on HBO Max and in theaters simultaneously. Is Christopher Nolan right when he says that “Some of ...
Dec 08, 2020•38 min•Ep. 35
On the latest episode of Across the Movie Aisle, Sonny Bunch (The Bulwark), Alyssa Rosenberg (The Washington Post), and Peter Suderman (Reason) ask in controversies and nontroversies why the box office had an unexpectedly “good” week. And the trio reviewed the newish Kevin Costner/Diane Lane joint, Let Him Go .
Dec 01, 2020•40 min•Ep. 34
