On this week’s episode, Sonny Bunch (The Bulwark), Alyssa Rosenberg (The Washington Post), and Peter Suderman (Reason), try to figure out just how bad this profile is for its subject, Joss Whedon. Then they review The Tragedy of Macbeth , Joel Coen’s adaptation of The Bard’s play starring Denzel Washington as the titular tragic figure. And in the bonus episode , Sonny and Peter try to convince the notoriously horror-averse Alyssa to check out the Scream movies....
Jan 19, 2022•43 min•Ep. 93
This week, Sonny Bunch (The Bulwark), Alyssa Rosenberg (The Washington Post), and Peter Suderman (Reason) discuss the complete absence of buzz about The Golden Globes and what that means for the state of moviegoing in general. Then the gang reviews Paul Thomas Anderson’s new film, Licorice Pizza . And on a sad bonus episode , they pay tribute to a quartet of major talents who have recently passed: Sidney Poitier, Peter Bogdanovich, Betty White, and Bob Saget. If you enjoyed the show, share it wi...
Jan 12, 2022•38 min•Ep. 92
On this week’s episode, Sonny Bunch (The Bulwark), Alyssa Rosenberg (The Washington Post), and Peter Suderman (Reason) discuss consolidation in the book industry and whether that contributed to the potential cancellation of a book celebrating Norman Mailer’s centennial. Then the gang reviews Don’t Look Up , Netflix and Adam McKay’s messy satire. And on the bonus episode , our three hosts pick their favorite satires—and there’s a surprising thread running through them. Make sure to share this epi...
Jan 05, 2022•36 min•Ep. 91
This week Sonny Bunch (The Bulwark), Alyssa Rosenberg (The Washington Post), and Peter Suderman (Reason) unveil their five favorite movies of the year. A surprising amount of unanimity in this year’s lists! The gang reviews The Matrix Resurrections , Warner Bros. and Lana Wachowski’s super-meta reboot of the beloved franchise. And on the bonus episode , our hosts pick their favorite non- Matrix Wachowski movie. If you enjoyed this episode, share it with a friend!...
Dec 29, 2021•44 min•Ep. 90
On this week’s episode, Sonny, Alyssa, and Peter talk about the biggest movie of the year: Spider-Man: No Way Home . Before that, in cons and nons, they ask why Disney released three pickups from Fox— West Side Story , Nightmare Alley , and The King’s Man —in such close proximity not only to each other but also what was likely to be, again, the biggest movie of the year. And on the special bonus episode , the gang tries something a little different: A Spider-Man movie draft! Make sure to listen ...
Dec 22, 2021•38 min•Ep. 89
On this week’s episode, Alyssa Rosenberg of the Washington Post returns from maternity leave to join Peter Suderman ( Reason ) and Sonny Bunch ( The Bulwark ) to discuss whether or not the New Yorker was too mean to Succession star Jeremy Strong in their profile of the actor . And the gang reviews Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story remake: even the notoriously musical-averse Sonny is wowed by it. Make sure to check out the special bonus episode on Steven Spielberg’s greatest collaborators. And p...
Dec 15, 2021•40 min•Ep. 88
On this week’s episode, Sonny Bunch, Peter Suderman, and Chris Orr tackle Jane Campion’s western (or maybe not quite western?) The Power of the Dog . Is this a basic attack on toxic masculinity, or something a little more interesting? On cons and nons, the guys bid a not-so-fond farewell to Chris Cuomo, who has finally been fired from CNN. And the show ends on a slightly sad note, as Sonny pays tribute to Fred Hiatt, the editorial page editor at the Washington Post . Make sure to check out the b...
Dec 08, 2021•33 min•Ep. 87
On this week’s episode, Sonny Bunch, Peter Suderman, and Chris Orr look at the transition of power at Twitter and muse over how to fix the service that has an outsized—and potentially ill—effect on society. And the gang reviews House of Gucci , Ridley Scott and Lady Gaga’s overlong and over-accented look at one absurd Italian family. And on the bonus episode , the guys fete the career of Adam Driver, who has worked with a dozen or so A-list directors during his brief Hollywood career. If you lov...
Dec 01, 2021•40 min•Ep. 86
On this week’s episode, Sonny Bunch, Peter Suderman, and Chris Orr highlight the first genuine, nominations-guaranteed piece of Oscar bait of the season: Will Smith’s King Richard , a look at the man behind the women who would go on to become the greatest female tennis players of all time. And in controversies and nontroversies, the guys debate whether or not Sean Baker, director of Tangerine and The Florida Project , deserves to have his new film, Red Rocket , destroyed pre-release because he l...
Nov 24, 2021•34 min•Ep. 85
On this week’s episode Sonny Bunch, Peter Suderman, and Chris Orr talk about non-fungible tokens, and the scarcity and value of art. They also review Belfast , Kenneth Branagh’s semi-autobiographical look at growing up in Northern Ireland during The Troubles. And on the bonus episode they consider the most disposable—and, possibly, most-watched—movie of the year, Red Notice . If you enjoyed the episode share it with a friend!...
Nov 17, 2021•38 min•Ep. 84
On this week’s episode, Sonny Bunch, Peter Suderman, and Chris Orr ask whether it’s a controversy or a nontroversy that Big Bird is reassuring kids that getting shots won’t hurt them. And they review Eternals : Is it Marvel’s first DC movie? And on the bonus episode and in honor of Eternals earning the MCU its first splat on Rotten Tomatoes, the gang discusses their favorite rotten movies from beloved franchises. If you enjoyed the episode, share it with a friend!
Nov 10, 2021•38 min•Ep. 83
This week, Sonny Bunch, Peter Suderman, and Chris Orr review The French Dispatch , Wes Anderson’s love letter to the New Yorker and art of all kinds. And we discuss the disastrous state of affairs in world cinema, where rising authoritarianism threatens the cinematic arts from Hong Kong to Kabul. What can the U.S. do to help? And on a special members-only episode , Sonny, Peter, and Chris discuss their favorite performances in Wes Anderson movies....
Nov 03, 2021•37 min•Ep. 82
On this week’s episode of Across the Movie Aisle, Sonny is joined by Peter Suderman and Chris Orr, who will be filling in for Alyssa while she’s on maternity leave. We discussed the tragedy on the set of Rust , a film that was in production until Alec Baldwin accidentally shot and killed the director of photography, Halyna Hutchins, and wounded director Joel Souza. What are some of the things that went wrong here, who, ultimately, is to blame, and how bad has the discourse gotten around it? Sonn...
Oct 27, 2021•37 min•Ep. 81
On this episode, Sonny Bunch (The Bulwark), Alyssa Rosenberg (The Washington Post), and Peter Suderman (Reason) ask whether Dave Chappelle, his new special, and the way Netflix has handled internal and external fallout from its airing, are controversies, or nontroversies. Then the gang reviews The Last Duel , a/k/a Medieval Me Too. (For more on The Last Duel , you can read Sonny here , Alyssa here , and Peter here .) Make sure to listen all the way to end for a special programming note! And chec...
Oct 20, 2021•42 min•Ep. 80
On this week’s episode, Sonny Bunch (The Bulwark), Alyssa Rosenberg (The Washington Post), and Peter Suderman (Reason) highlight the IATSE union work stoppage that seems pretty inevitable at this point. What do Hollywood’s trade unions want, in terms of money and work-life balance? Then the gang sets their sights on Bond, James Bond. Did they enjoy Daniel Craig’s final turn as 007? And, in the bonus episode , they discuss whether Craig is their favorite Bond or a mere also-ran. If you enjoyed th...
Oct 13, 2021•38 min•Ep. 79
On this week’s episode, Sonny Bunch (The Bulwark), Alyssa Rosenberg (The Washington Post), and Peter Suderman (Reason) break down the strange story of Ozy Media, the various scams of which have been chronicled by the NYT’s Ben Smith in recent weeks, and the overall state of media accountability. Then they review The Many Saints of Newark , David Chase and HBO’s new prequel to The Sopranos currently in theaters and on HBO Max. And in the members-only bonus episode , the gang debates the biggest q...
Oct 06, 2021•35 min•Ep. 78
On this week’s episode, Sonny Bunch ( The Bulwark ), Alyssa Rosenberg ( The Washington Post ), and Peter Suderman ( Reason ) discuss the legal back and forth between Disney and the estates of Marvel’s most famous creators, including those of Steve Ditko and Stan Lee, as well as fan reactions to the (very slight!) possibility that copyright termination notices will be the death of the MCU as we know it. Is legal wrangling the kryptonite (sorry, mixing universes) that will slay the biggest film fr...
Sep 29, 2021•41 min•Ep. 77
This week Sonny Bunch (The Bulwark), Alyssa Rosenberg (The Washington Post, and Peter Suderman (Reason) take a look at the controversy swirling about CBS’s instantly canceled show, The Activist . What’s so bad about making activists compete for attention dollars? And the gang reviews Cry Macho , the latest from director-star Clint Eastwood. Is he too old for this movie, or is Sonny a despicable ageist. Make sure to check out our bonus episode on our favorite Eastwood-directed movies. If you’re a...
Sep 22, 2021•35 min•Ep. 76
This week Alyssa Rosenberg (The Washington Post), Peter Suderman (Reason), and Sonny Bunch (The Bulwark) discuss the pros and cons of advice columns and whether or not it’s okay—or, frankly, just plain hilarious— to lie to advice columnists . And the gang reviews Paul Schrader’s The Card Counter (Sonny’s review here ; Peter’s here ). Make sure to check out our bonus episode on Oscar Isaac’s great decade of work, and share this episode with friends if you dug it! Our survival depends on listeners...
Sep 17, 2021•38 min•Ep. 75
Alyssa ( The Washington Post ), Peter Suderman ( Reason ), and Sonny Bunch ( The Bulwark ) know folks are a little tired of MCU-centric episodes, but this week demonstrates why it’s a constant topic of conversation: Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings grossed $75 million over its first three-day weekend and almost $95 million once Labor Day was included. Does this prove Disney was correct to keep the film off of home video for at least 45 days? Or are the people complaining about not getti...
Sep 09, 2021•40 min•Ep. 74
On this week’s episode, Sonny Bunch (The Bulwark), Alyssa Rosenberg (The Washington Post), and Peter Suderman (Reason) discuss the controversy (or possibly the nontroversy?) surrounding Spike Lee’s inclusion of 9/11 Truthers in his new documentary about New York City’s last 20 years. (To get a full sense of the issue, make sure to read this Slate piece by Jeremy Stahl on what Lee included.) Do filmmakers have a conspiracy theory problem? Are they poisoning the minds of their vulnerable listeners...
Sep 01, 2021•42 min•Ep. 73
On this week’s episode, Sonny Bunch (The Bulwark), Alyssa Rosenberg (The Washington Post), and Peter Suderman (Reason) argue about whether or not the controversy swirling around Jeopardy’s hosting post is a controversy or a nontroversy. Why didn’t Sony do a better job of vetting their host? In the back half of the show, the gang reviews Reminiscence , the neo-noir from Westworld mastermind Lisa Joy starring Hugh Jackman. Is it worth making a trip to the theater or checking out on HBO Max? And ma...
Aug 25, 2021•38 min•Ep. 72
On this week’s episode, Sonny Bunch (The Bulwark), Alyssa Rosenberg (The Washington Post), and Peter Suderman (Reason) address whether it’s a controversy or a nontroversy that the star of Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is calling out the head of Disney for saying the film’s release—a 45-day theatrical run followed by the film’s release on streaming—is an “experiment.” Is this all a ploy to turn the movie into a righteous cause rather than a popcorn-consumption excuse? Then the gang re...
Aug 18, 2021•37 min•Ep. 71
On this week’s episode, Sonny Bunch (The Bulwark), Alyssa Rosenberg (The Washington Post), and Peter Suderman (Reason Magazine) all agree that James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad is, basically, a nine-figure descendant of The Toxic Avenger. But does that make it good, or expensive, overbearing schlock? And they debate whether or not Johnny Depp should be given the lifetime achievement award at the San Sebastian Film Festival … but they’re not debating the thing you think they might be debating. And m...
Aug 11, 2021•39 min•Ep. 70
This week Sonny Bunch (The Bulwark), Alyssa Rosenberg (The Washington Post), and Peter Suderman (Reason) take a hard look at Scarlett Johansson’s suit against Disney alleging that the Mouse House’s dual VOD/theatrical strategy will cost her upwards of $50 million. Is this is a game-changing moment in the relationships between movie stars and studios? Or is she going to get steamrolled? Plus: the gang reviews The Green Knight , an amusingly weird indie flick of the sort that critics love and audi...
Aug 04, 2021•44 min•Ep. 69
On this week’s episode, Sonny Bunch (The Bulwark), Alyssa Rosenberg (The Washington Post), and Peter Suderman (Reason) discuss the new Nicolas Cage movie, Pig . Why do all three concur that it’s probably the best movie they’ve seen in theaters this year? Plus, Netflix is getting into gaming! What does that mean for the movie streaming service and its customers? Make sure to check out our special bonus episode on our favorite Nic Cage movies. We’ve got a ton to choose from: five distinct decades ...
Jul 28, 2021•40 min•Ep. 68
On this week’s episode, Sonny Bunch (The Bulwark), Alyssa Rosenberg (The Washington Post), and Peter Suderman (Reason) go deep on the controversies swirling about the new documentary about Anthony Bourdain, Roadrunner . Is it a big deal that the director used an AI program to have Bourdain narrate some of his emails? Is it a much bigger deal that the documentary excludes the point of view of his ex, Asia Argento, despite casting her as the villain of his final few years? And on the back half of ...
Jul 21, 2021•44 min•Ep. 67
This week Sonny Bunch ( The Bulwark ), Alyssa Rosenberg ( The Washington Post ), and Peter Suderman ( Reason ) assembled for a rare in-person show to discuss the biggest movie of the year (so far!), Black Widow . Is it fine? Okay? Acceptable? Perfectly competent? Listen to find out! Plus, the gang discusses the ethics of using personal histories of non-famous people in response to revelations that parts of the viral New Yorker short story, “Cat Person,” were cribbed from a real person. And on th...
Jul 14, 2021•43 min•Ep. 66
On this week’s episode, Sonny Bunch (The Bulwark), Alyssa Rosenberg (The Washington Post), and Peter Suderman (Reason) discuss the great Richard Donner, who died on Monday at the age of 91. They also discuss the new Prime Video offering The Tomorrow War . Is it a modern sci-fi masterpiece or a bit of a mess? Listen to find out! And make sure to check out our bonus members-only episode on the greatest movie presidents ....
Jul 08, 2021•35 min•Ep. 65
This week Sonny Bunch (The Bulwark), Alyssa Rosenberg (The Washington Post), and Peter Suderman (Reason) tackle the first big blockbuster of the post-COVID era: F9: The Fast Saga. Noted fun-hater Sonny did not care for it. But did Alyssa and Peter? You’ll have to listen to find out. And in controversies and nontroversies, we take a look at a growing problem for Hollywood: China’s increasing influence on which projects get off the ground. Make sure to listen to our special members-only episode on...
Jun 30, 2021•40 min•Ep. 64
