On this week’s episode, Sonny Bunch (The Bulwark), Alyssa Rosenberg (The Washington Post), and Peter Suderman (Reason) talked about the Oscars. Sonny is shockingly happy. Peter is down on the whole thing. Alyssa, meanwhile, wonders how we’ll look back on this show’s snub of Tár in years to come. Then the gang reviews 65 , the movie about Adam Driver fighting dinosaurs that has too little hot Driver-on-Dino action. Make sure to swing by Bulwark+ for our members-only bonus episode on Friday. And i...
Mar 14, 2023•35 min
On this week’s episode, Sonny Bunch (The Bulwark), Alyssa Rosenberg (The Washington Post), and Peter Suderman (Reason) talk about Vulture’s exposé on the state of theatrical exhibition. Does it actually matter to audiences? And then the gang reviews a movie that seems to have won audiences over regardless of projection quality: Creed III . Is Michael B. Jordan’s directorial debut a knockout? Make sure to swing by Bulwark+ on Friday for a bonus episode on Oscar’s disrespect for stunts. And if you...
Mar 07, 2023•41 min
On this week’s episode, Sonny Bunch (The Bulwark), Alyssa Rosenberg (The Washington Post), and Peter Suderman (Reason) discuss Scott Adams’s decision to commit reputational suicide by Twitter Cops. Then they heap praise upon Poker Face , the show worth subscribing to Peacock for. Make sure to swing by Bulwark+ on Friday for a deeper discussion of movie and TV detectives. And if you enjoyed this episode, share it with a friend!
Feb 28, 2023•36 min
On this week’s episode, Sonny Bunch (The Bulwark), Alyssa Rosenberg (The Washington Post), and Peter Suderman (Reason) ask if the decision to rewrite Roald Dahl to bring him more in line with the perspective of sensitivity readers is a controversy or a nontroversy. (The title of this podcast is a hint! For more on this insane story, make sure to check out Charlie’s newsletter .) Then they discuss the latest MCU blockbuster, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania , a movie that looks like it’s half-do...
Feb 21, 2023•41 min•Ep. 150
On this week’s episode, Sonny Bunch (The Bulwark), Alyssa Rosenberg (The Washington Post), and Peter Suderman (Reason) ask if all the famous faces at the Super Bowl mean it’s time to make selling out a dirty word again. Then they review Magic Mike’s Last Dance , a movie that doesn’t seem quite sure as to why it exists. Make sure to swing by Bulwark+ on Friday for an episode on Channing Tatum, one of our last movie stars. And if you enjoyed this episode, share it with a friend!
Feb 14, 2023•40 min•Ep. 149
This week, Sonny Bunch (The Bulwark) and Alyssa Rosenberg (The Washington Post)* discussed Netflix’s plan to crack down on password sharing. It’s a fun story because there are lots of tiny violins to break out: not only for the people who think they should get something for nothing but also Netflix itself, for allowing/encouraging this behavior for so long. Then Alyssa and Sonny discuss Women Talking , the best picture nominee. Make sure to swing by Bulwark+ on Friday for our bonus episode ranki...
Feb 07, 2023•33 min•Ep. 148
On this week’s episode, Sonny Bunch (The Bulwark), Alyssa Rosenberg (The Washington Post), and Peter Suderman (Reason) highlight the dumbest Oscar controversy of all time—did Andrea Riseborough’s friends send too many emails on her behalf in helping her secure a best actress nomination?—and try to explain the broader culture war reasons this has blown up into A Whole Thing. Then they review All Quiet on the Western Front , the Netflix original that secured nine Oscar nominations and hints, ever ...
Jan 31, 2023•36 min•Ep. 147
On this week’s episode, Sonny Bunch (The Bulwark), Alyssa Rosenberg (The Washington Post), and Peter Suderman (Reason), ask what it means that Chinese theaters are apparently open again for Hollywood business. Then they discuss Netflix’s new murder mystery, The Pale Blue Eye : Is it a cut above Netflix’s standard hashtag-content, or something to watch while folding laundry on a Wednesday night? Make sure to swing by Bulwark+ on Friday for our bonus episode on Edgar Allan Poe. And if you enjoyed ...
Jan 24, 2023•35 min•Ep. 146
This week, Sonny Bunch (The Bulwark), Alyssa Rosenberg (The Washington Post), and Peter Suderman (Reason) discuss the growing push for unionization in the visual FX industry. What will it mean for the industry—and for movie lovers—if special effects artists are treated like actual, you know, people. Then they discuss the first big hit of the new year, Blumhouse’s M3GAN . Is this your standard killer doll movie? Or is there something more? Make sure to swing by Bulwark+ on Friday for a bonus epis...
Jan 17, 2023•36 min•Ep. 145
On this week’s episode, Sonny Bunch (The Bulwark), Alyssa Rosenberg (The Washington Post), and Peter Suderman (Reason) ask if they’ve all been focused on the wrong thing when it comes to the future of streaming. Movies, TV shows: none of these things really matter compared to … sports. At least, financially. And then they discuss Babylon , Damien Chazelle’s woozy and wicked ode to/condemnation of Old Hollywood excess. Sure, it’s a movie about movies, but hey: movies matter too! Speaking of which...
Jan 10, 2023•37 min•Ep. 144
Sonny Bunch (The Bulwark), Alyssa Rosenberg (The Washington Post), and Peter Suderman (Reason) ring in 2023 by looking back at 2022. What were their 10 (or so!) favorite films of last year?
Jan 03, 2023•32 min•Ep. 143
This week, Sonny Bunch (The Bulwark), Alyssa Rosenberg (The Washington Post), and Peter Suderman (Reason) review the first of Rian Johnson’s two Knives Out sequels for Netflix, Glass Onion . Is it a mystery worthy of Benoit Blanc or something a little lesser? Before that, the gang discusses the biggest business stories of the year: streamers, sports, theaters, China, and more all get a mention. If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to share it with a friend; listeners like you are our best advo...
Dec 27, 2022•33 min•Ep. 142
On this week’s episode, Sonny Bunch (The Bulwark), Alyssa Rosenberg (The Washington Post), and Peter Suderman (Reason) return to Pandora for James Cameron’s Avatar: The Way of Water . Is the sequel 13 years in the making worth the wait? And then they discuss the oncoming streaming crunch. What does it mean that fewer shows will be made in the coming quarters? Make sure to swing back by Bulwark+ on Friday for a special bonus episode: it’s a James Cameron draft, people. And if you enjoyed this epi...
Dec 20, 2022•36 min•Ep. 141
On this week’s episode, Sonny Bunch (The Bulwark), Alyssa Rosenberg (The Washington Post), and Peter Suderman (Reason) ask if awards season fare has a place at the multiplex any longer. Are prestige pictures doomed to a streaming-only existence in the near future? Or will audiences come back? And then we review the streaming service Apple TV+’s award season venture Emancipation . Does it have a shot at Oscar gold? Make sure to swing by Bulwark+ this Friday for our bonus episode on streaming serv...
Dec 13, 2022•34 min•Ep. 140
On this week’s episode, Sonny Bunch (The Bulwark), Alyssa Rosenberg (The Washington Post), and Peter Suderman (Reason) talk about the Sight and Sound’s decennial 100 Greatest Films of All Time list, which crowned a new champ … but not without controversy. Then we reviewed The Fabelmans , Steven Spielberg’s semi-autobiographical movie about his childhood and how the art of film shapes his relationship with the world. Make sure to swing by Bulwark+ for our bonus episode on Friday, in which we’re d...
Dec 06, 2022•42 min•Ep. 139
On this week's episode, Sonny Bunch (The Bulwark), Alyssa Rosenberg (The Washington Post), and Peter Suderman (Reason), talk about the sad state of Junot Diaz. Semafor's Ben Smith interviewed the novelist about his odd career limbo; why can't folks who were accused of misbehavior before being exonerated get their reputations back? Then the gang shifts to a cleaner Me Too target: Harvey Weinstein and the movie She Said , based on the book by Megan Twohey and Jodi Kantor about their efforts to unv...
Nov 29, 2022•40 min•Ep. 138
On this week’s episode, Sonny Bunch (The Bulwark), Alyssa Rosenberg (The Washington Post), and Peter Suderman (Reason) discuss the late-night drama in Burbank, where former Disney CEO Bob Iger replaced current Disney CEO Bob Chapek. From tumbling stock prices to unhappy talent to a messy reorg, things weren’t going well … but is Iger the guy to right the ship? And then the gang reviews Martin McDonagh’s latest, The Banshees of Inisherin , a darkly comic parable about friendship in a time of civi...
Nov 22, 2022•38 min•Ep. 137
On this week’s episode, Sonny Bunch (The Bulwark), Alyssa Rosenberg (The Washington Post), and Peter Suderman (Reason) try to figure out why Warner Brothers can’t get a handle on one of their most valuable intellectual properties, the Harry Potter franchise. Then they review Black Panther: Wakanda Forever , the MCU’s effort to grapple with the untimely death of Chadwick Boseman. Is it something you should rush out and see, or can you wait for it to show up on Disney+? Make sure to swing back by ...
Nov 15, 2022•42 min•Ep. 136
On this week’s episode, Sonny Bunch (The Bulwark), Alyssa Rosenberg (The Washington Post), and Peter Suderman (Reason) review one of the best movies of the year that very few of you have gone to see: Tár . It’s a great movie about the ambiguities of our moment with an absolutely wonderful performance by Cate Blanchett at its heart. Go see it! Before that, we had some laughs at Elon’s expense as we wondered what will happen to Twitter as Musk realizes he’s made a huge mistake. Make sure to swing ...
Nov 08, 2022•42 min•Ep. 135
On this week’s episode, Sonny Bunch (The Bulwark), Alyssa Rosenberg (The Washington Post), and Peter Suderman (Reason) ask if the New York Times is right to wonder if a backlash against diversity and casting and the #MeToo movement is upon us. Then they review Ticket to Paradise , a replacement-level romcom that tries to get by on the charms of two huge stars, George Clooney and Julia Roberts. Make sure to swing by Bulwark+ on Friday for our special bonus episode, when our producer Sebastian Hug...
Nov 01, 2022•38 min•Ep. 134
On this week’s episode, Sonny Bunch (The Bulwark), Alyssa Rosenberg (The Washington Post), and Peter Suderman (Reason) ask how much longer Kathleen Kennedy can stall the Star Wars theatrical slate. Then they discuss Black Adam , aka Murder Superman , and the movie’s interestingly muddled politics. Make sure to tune in on Friday for a House of the Dragon wrap up. How did the first season go? Will we be back for season number two? All that and more, this week on Across the Movie Aisle. If you enjo...
Oct 25, 2022•38 min•Ep. 133
On this week’s episode, Sonny Bunch (The Bulwark), Alyssa Rosenberg (The Washington Post), and Peter Suderman (Reason) ask why one of the world’s most popular musicians wants to buy one of the world’s worst social media apps, Parler, and also delve into the dangers of Elon Musk’s effort to buy Twitter. After that, they review Catherine, Called Birdy , Lena Dunham’s adaptation of a YA novel set during medieval times. Make sure to swing by Bulwark+ for the bonus episode on Friday; we’re reviewing ...
Oct 18, 2022•42 min•Ep. 132
On this week’s episode, Sonny Bunch (The Bulwark), Alyssa Rosenberg (The Washington Post), and Peter Suderman (Reason), bid farewell to Nikki Finke, the notoriously nasty maven of Hollywood gossip who revolutionized the trade magazine business at Deadline Hollywood Daily. Then they review Amsterdam , David O. Russell’s big-budget, star-heavy flop . What went wrong with this farce about fascism? Make sure to swing by Bulwark+ for our bonus episode on Friday, when we’re going to talk about the fur...
Oct 11, 2022•38 min•Ep. 131
This week, Sonny Bunch (The Bulwark), Alyssa Rosenberg (The Washington Post), and Peter Suderman (Reason) ask if it’s a controversy or a nontroversy that Billy Eichner blamed the straights for Bros bombing at the box office. Warning: there is journalist math in this section. And then we review Blonde , a tremendously depressing movie that goes on at great length. Make sure to swing by Bulwark+ on Friday for a special bonus episode on the tricky partnerships between news organizations and movie s...
Oct 04, 2022•41 min•Ep. 130
On this week’s episode, Sonny Bunch (The Bulwark), Alyssa Rosenberg (The Washington Post), and Peter Suderman (Reason) ask if all the drama swirling about Jihad Rehab —the Sundance-selected documentary that some say never should have been made because the director is white while others say skirted questions of consent—is a controversy or a nontroversy. Then they review Don’t Worry Darling , a movie that dares to suggest that the dreamy life of the suburbs is actually, gasp, a stultifying nightma...
Sep 27, 2022•33 min•Ep. 129
On this week’s episode, Sonny Bunch (The Bulwark), Alyssa Rosenberg (The Washington Post), and Peter Suderman (Reason) discuss Woody Allen’s not-quite- retirement announcement . Or “ announcement .” What are we to do with his body of work? And then we discuss the hit series Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power . Is Middle Earth worth revisiting? Make sure to swing by Bulwark+ on Friday for a special bonus episode comparing and contrasting The Rings of Power with another fantasy prequel: House o...
Sep 20, 2022•37 min•Ep. 128
On this week’s episode, Sonny Bunch (The Bulwark), Alyssa Rosenberg (The Washington Post), and Peter Suderman (Reason) discuss the ways in which movie stars benefit from Netflix (huge paychecks!) and also how they’re ill-served by The Service (minimal promotion, which removes stars from the public eye). Is Netflix a boon or a secret curse for Hollywood’s biggest earners? Then the gang reviews Bodies Bodies Bodies , a social thriller that inverts the usual politics of such pictures. Bodies Bodies...
Sep 13, 2022•40 min•Ep. 127
On this week’s episode, Sonny Bunch (The Bulwark), Alyssa Rosenberg (The Washington Post), and Peter Suderman (Reason) discuss how the movie business fared this summer. It wasn’t terrible … and it could’ve been worse … but it certainly wasn’t great, either. And then the gang reviews Three Thousand Years of Longing , George Miller’s long-awaited follow-up to Mad Max: Fury Road . Make sure to swing by Bulwark+ for the bonus episode on Friday, when we’re going to be talking about Idris Elba and Til...
Sep 06, 2022•37 min•Ep. 126
On this week’s episode, Sonny Bunch (The Bulwark), Alyssa Rosenberg (The Washington Post), and Peter Suderman (Reason) discuss some old-fashioned Hollywood gossip. Why is so much drama swirling about Olivia Wilde and her new movie, Don’t Worry Darling ? And is it, weirdly or not-so-weirdly, helping the movie increase awareness and sell tickets to viewers? Is it tawdry prattle or classic Hollywood gossip-mongering? Why not both! (For a quick primer on all the ins and outs and what-have-yous of th...
Aug 30, 2022•37 min•Ep. 125
On this week’s show, Sonny Bunch (The Bulwark), Alyssa Rosenberg (The Washington Post), and Peter Suderman (Reason) break down the remarkably silly fight between NYT film critic Lena Wilson and Bodies Bodies Bodies star Amandla Stenberg, a tiff that feels like it could’ve been ripped from the movie Stenberg starred in and Wilson panned. And then the gang lets you know which new show is worth your time: She-Hulk: Attorney at Law or House of the Dragon . There are nigh-on infinite viewing options ...
Aug 23, 2022•42 min•Ep. 124
