Steffan and Gavia review Netflix's animated smash-hit KPop Demon Hunters, a fantasy adventure about a demon-hunting KPop girlband. Praised for its brilliant original music and stylish animation, this movie offers a well-observed tribute to KPop and its fandom. But what does its supernatural allegory actually mean?
Steffan and Gavia discuss the first good Superman movie since the Christopher Reeve era, a charming action-comedy from 'Guardians of the Galaxy' director James Gunn. Leaning into zany comicbook lore and the relationship between Clark Kent and Lois Lane, this reboot makes some vague attempts at political commentary - but is mostly about resetting Hollywood's vision of Superman as a lovable American icon.
Steffan and Gavia review Danny Boyle's bold and thought-provoking post-apocalyptic thriller 28 Years Later, a loose sequel to the iconic horror movie 28 Days Later. Combining zombie thrills with folk horror and social commentary about British culture, the film is structured around a coming-of-age story about a boy named Spike, who grows up in a version of England overrun by zombies.
Claire and Gavia dig into the chaotic production process and artistic accomplishments of Werner Herzog's acclaimed 1982 historical drama Fitzcarraldo, accompanied by its fascinating making-of documentary Burden of Dreams. Set in turn-of-the-century Peru, Fitzcarraldo explores an ill-advised river voyage by an Irish businessman (Klaus Kinski), who seeks to build an opera house in the Amazon basin. Behind the scenes, life imitated art as Herzog's film shoot dragged on for years, endangering the li...
Steffan and Gavia discuss Wes Anderson's The Phoenician Scheme, a dark comedy starring Benicio del Toro as a corrupt businessman who reconnects with his estranged daughter (Mia Threapleton) while embarking on an ambitious construction project. Among other topics, this episode covers Wes Anderson's trademark aesthetic, his relationship with absurdism, his casting choices, and this film's stylized historical setting.
Vampire fans Claire and Gavia discuss 2025's biggest horror movie, Sinners. Directed by Ryan Coogler, this historical drama explores the roots of blues music in 1930s Mississippi, starring Michael B. Jordan as a pair of identical twins who open a juke joint in their home town. Among other topics, this episode covers the film's meticulously researched historical storytelling, its imaginative use of music, and its unique vampire mythos.
Steffan and Gavia dig into the history and artistry of The Wicker Man (1973), starring Edward Woodward and Christopher Lee. Among other topics, this episode explores the film's influence on the folk horror genre, its relationship with the neo-Pagan movement, and its underrated nature as a musical.
Claire and Gavia review William Friedkin's 1980 crime thriller Cruising, starring Al Pacino as a New York cop who goes undercover in local gay bars, searching for a serial killer who targets men in the leather community. Controversial at the time, this film has since become a cult classic, praised for its remarkable exploration of masculine identity and violence.
Steffan and Gavia review Mickey 17, the new sci-fi comedy from filmmaker Bong Joon Ho (Parasite). Robert Pattinson stars as a man who signs up for a years-long space voyage, agreeing to a grueling contract where his body can be killed and resurrected again and again. Echoing Bong’s work on films like Snowpiercer and Okja, this provides the basis for a bleak yet absurd anti-capitalist satire.
Ahead of the 2025 Oscars, Claire and Gavia discuss three of this year's Best Picture nominees: The critically acclaimed romantic dramedy Anora, the blockbuster musical Wicked, and the uniquely controversial Emilia Pérez, a film whose 13 Oscar nominations arrived alongside a wave of wholly justified backlash.
Steffan and Gavia discuss Brady Corbet’s acclaimed historical epic The Brutalist, which stars Adrien Brody as a Hungarian-Jewish architect who emigrates to America after surviving the Holocaust. Among other topics, this episode explores the film’s ambitious technical artistry, its morally complicated historical narrative, and its role as a successor to "American Dream" dramas like The Godfather and There Will Be Blood.
Claire and Gavia reveal their respective top 10 films of 2024, covering everything from A-list Oscar contenders to hidden gems and low-budget horror. This year's countdown includes new releases from 11 different countries (!), celebrating a truly exciting year in cinema.
Steffan and Gavia delve into their mixed feelings toward Robert Eggers’ acclaimed new Nosferatu remake. Among other topics, this episode covers Dracula’s impact on the gothic horror genre, Eggers’ very specific style of historical storytelling, and the complicated relationship between Nosferatu’s Count Orlok (Bill Skarsgård) and Ellen Hutter (Lily-Rose Depp).
Claire and Gavia discuss the uniquely influential 1989 romcom When Harry Met Sally, written by Nora Ephron and directed by Rob Reiner. Kickstarting Meg Ryan's career as a romantic comedy icon, it follows the lives of two New Yorkers who become friends over a series of chance encounters.
Steffan and Gavia review the 2014 crime thriller The World of Kanako, directed by acclaimed Japanese filmmaker Tetsuya Nakashima. Kōji Yakusho stars as a disgraced former cop, whose daughter Kanako goes missing. When his ex-wife asks him to find out what happened, he discovers that Kanako has been living a disturbing double life. A Patreon-supported episode requested by Overinvested subscriber Lockwood!
Claire and Gavia discuss Gus Van Sant’s iconic queer drama My Own Private Idaho (1991), loosely based on Shakespeare’s Henriad plays. River Phoenix stars as a hustler in Portland, Oregon, who sets off on a journey across America and then the world in search of his long-lost mother, accompanied by best friend and fellow hustler Keanu Reeves.
Claire and Gavia review The Substance, Coralie Fargeat's divisive new horror movie starring Demi Moore as a celebrity who takes a black market anti-aging drug with alarming Jekyll-and-Hyde results. Among other topics, we discuss the film's flawed feminist messaging, overlong runtime, and puzzlingly incoherent depiction of sexism in Hollywood.
Steffan and Gavia review (and recommend!) the critically acclaimed new sitcom English Teacher, created by Brian Jordan Alvarez, who you may know from The Gay and Wondrous Life of Caleb Gallo. Alvarez stars as a gay teacher working at a Texas high school, in a comedy that satirizes the chaos of American politics and the generational divide between elder millennials and Gen-Z.
Claire and Gavia review Zoe Kravitz's disappointingly flawed directorial debut, Blink Twice. Naomi Ackie stars as a waitress who gets invited on vacation by a controversial billionaire (Channing Tatum), joining a group of guests on his private island. Drawing comparisons to Promising Young Woman, this psychological thriller belongs to a recent trend of post-MeToo films tackling abusive power structures and sexual assault.
Steffan and Gavia review M. Night Shyamalan's wildly entertaining yet divisive escape thriller Trap, starring Josh Hartnett as a lovable dad who takes his teen daughter (Ariel Donoghue) to a pop concert that turns into an elaborate manhunt for a serial killer.
Steffan and Gavia review the much-hyped horror movie Longlegs, starring Maika Monroe as an FBI agent investigating a serial killer (Nicolas Cage) who targets suburban families. Among other topics, this episode explores the film's unsettling atmosphere, its connection to Silence of the Lambs, its overlap with the Satanic Panic, and its dubious approach to dated serial killer tropes.
Opening with some spoiler-free thoughts on the show's brilliant lead performances and clever approach to adaptation, Claire and Gavia discuss season 2 of AMC's gothic drama Interview with the Vampire. Among other topics, this episode digs into IWTV's use of unreliable narrators, its thoughtful depiction of abuse and trauma, and its bold attitude to vampiric romance - along with glowing praise for the season's final episodes.
Claire and Gavia review the 1985 lesbian romance movie Desert Hearts, directed by Donna Deitch. Set in 1950s Nevada, this groundbreaking film follows a whirlwind relationship between a soon-to-be-divorced New York academic (Helen Shaver) and a devil-may-care casino worker (Patricia Charbonneau).
Steffan and Gavia review George Miller's ambitious and divisive Mad Max prequel Furiosa, starring Anya Taylor-Joy and Chris Hemsworth. Among other topics, this episode delves into the film's rich mythological worldbuilding, the Mad Max franchise's unique cinematic legacy, and George Miller's rare talent for action and visual storytelling.
Claire and Gavia review the stylish 2011 action thriller Hanna, directed by Joe Wright (Pride & Prejudice). 16-year-old Saoirse Ronan stars as Hanna, a girl raised in the wilderness by her father, a former spy. Venturing out into mainstream society for the first time, Hanna must travel alone across Europe while evading a malevolent CIA agent played by Cate Blanchett.
Claire and Gavia discuss the sweatiest film phenomenon of 2024: Luca Guadagnino's tennis drama Challengers, starring Zendaya, Mike Faist and Josh O'Connor as three athletes embroiled in a love triangle. Among other topics, we cover the star power of the lead actors, the film's already-iconic music, and Guadagnino's distinctive way of depicting sexuality and relationships.
Gavia and Steffan review the Australian dramedy series Upright, starring comedian/songwriter Tim Minchin as a down-on-his luck musician who tries to drive across Australia with a piano, befriending a teenage runaway (Milly Alcock) along the way.
Claire and Gavia review the much-hyped queer thriller Love Lies Bleeding, starring Kristen Stewart and Katy O'Brien. Plus, a multi-genre selection of highlights from this year's Glasgow Film Festival, including indie hits La Chimera and The Beast, and some excellent upcoming horror movies.
Claire and Gavia dig into the blockbuster event of the year, discussing Dune: Part Two's astonishing production design and incredible all-star cast, along with thornier topics like Dune's messy political worldbuilding and director Denis Villeneuve's adaptational changes to the original novel.
Claire and Gavia discuss Steven Spielberg's acclaimed 2021 adaptation of West Side Story, a musical about two young lovers caught in a turf war between rival gangs. Among other topics we delve into Spielberg's unique technical expertise, West Side Story's complicated political legacy, the lost art of movie-musical filmmaking... and Claire's passionate love for Mike Faist, who earned widespread praise for playing the charismatic gang leader Riff.
