This week, Morgan and Gavia discuss the second installment of Philip Pullman's follow-up trilogy to "His Dark Materials," "The Secret Commonwealth," which finds Lyra Silvertongue studying at Oxford as a young adult. They discuss the novel's relationship to the earlier books, Pullman's new ideas about daemons, and second-book-in-a-trilogy problems.
This week, Gavia and Morgan dive into the wild world of "The Lighthouse," Robert Eggers' surreal follow-up to "The Witch" (2015). They break down the film's bold stylistic choices, Eggers' approach to historical accuracy, and wild central performances from Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson.
In the second installment of their film festival coverage, Gavia and Morgan discuss more highlights from this year's New York and London Film Festivals, including Céline Sciamma's historical lesbian romance "Portrait of a Lady on Fire," Martin Scorsese's gangster epic "The Irishman," Armando Iannucci's adaptation of "David Copperfield," and more.
In the first installment of their film festival recap, Gavia and Morgan discuss some of the biggest films at the New York and London Film Festivals this year, including Noah Baumbach's divorce drama "Marriage Story," Pedro Almodóvar's autobiographical "Pain and Glory," the Judy Garland biopic "Judy," and more.
This week, Morgan and Gavia dive into the best show on television, HBO's "Succession." They break down the ethically bankrupt Roy family, discuss the show's treatment of current events and the media, and heap praise upon the show's remarkable ensemble.
This week, Morgan and Gavia dive into James Gray's space epic "Ad Astra," starring Brad Pitt and Tommy Lee Jones. They break down the film's many cinematic influences, discuss the effects of studio interference, and praise its depiction of toxic masculinity.
This week, Morgan and Gavia discuss September's break-out hit film "Hustlers." Topics include the movie's central romance and refreshing depiction of strippers, its vivid evocation of New York c. 2008, and that Jennifer Lopez performance.
This week, Gavia and Morgan dive into the Wachwoski's underappreciated, instant cult classic "Jupiter Ascending." They discuss the film's extraordinary production and costume design, its fairy tale tropes, its initial critical drubbing, and why it may just feature Eddie Redmayne's best performance yet.
This week, Gavia and Morgan discuss the mostly hotly anticipated horror movie of the year, "IT Chapter Two." They compare it to the superior "It" (2017), lament its long run time, and try to figure out where it all went wrong.
This week, Morgan and Gavia break down the 2012 film adaptation of the hit Broadway musical "Rock of Ages." They compare the film to other jukebox musicals, assess its box office performance, and — most importantly — discuss what the hell is going on with Tom Cruise.
This week, Morgan and Gavia cap off the podcast's summer book club with a discussion of Elizabeth Gaskell's Victorian romance "North and South." They compare the novel to other nineteenth century marriage novels and evaluate its depiction of the industrial revolution and overwrought male emotions.
This week, Gavia and Morgan discuss Jennifer Kent's cult horror film "The Babadook" (2014). They consider the merits of watching horror at the cinema and at home, compare this film's family drama structure to "Hereditary," and explain the origin of one of the internet's most inexplicable memes.
This week, Morgan and Gavia travel back to 1999 once again to dive into the Wachowskis' iconic blockbuster "The Matrix." They discuss the film's connection to other cyberpunk films, how it has been reinterpreted over time, Keanu Reeves' starpower, and more.
This week, Morgan and Gavia celebrate the twentieth anniversary of the cult classic comedy "Dick," starring Kirsten Dunst and Michelle Williams. They discuss its spin on the history of Watergate, admire its remarkable costume design, and compare it to other political satires and teen girl comedies.
This week, Gavia and Morgan debate the merits of Ari Aster's follow-up to "Hereditary," folk-horror feature "Midsommar." They discuss its effectiveness as a horror film, the importance of a good script versus good production values, and the film's allusions to white supremacist iconography.
This week, Gavia and Morgan revisit Todd Haynes' instant classic 2015 film "Carol." They discuss the film's references to photography and classic film, contextualize it within Todd Haynes' wider filmography and recent queer cinema, and debate the lead performances by Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara.
This week, Morgan and Gavia discuss the 1994 classic of Australian indie cinema "Muriel's Wedding." They compare it to other coming of age films, analyze its combination of comedy and drama, and praise its refreshing depiction of awkward young womanhood.
This week, Gavia and Morgan commiserate over the X-Men franchise's last gasp, "X-Men: Dark Phoenix." They bemoan filmmaker Simon Kinberg's incompetent direction, marvel at the film's incomprehensible plot, reminisce about happier times, and wonder where it all went wrong.
This week, Morgan and Gavia dive into Olivia Wilde's debut film, "Booksmart." They discuss the film's stellar jokes, queer themes, and its muddled take on the American college admissions process, and compare it to other teen movies of recent and not-so-recent times.
This week, Morgan and Gavia discuss the original 1954 "Godzilla." Topics include its references to nuclear war, its low-fi special effects, and its lasting legacy of additional Godzilla and non-Godzilla kaiju movies.
This week, Gavia and Morgan convene their first book club of the year to discuss Mary Shelley's novel "Frankenstein," first published in 1818. Topics include Shelley's storied personal history, the novel's themes of parenthood and colonialism, and its long legacy of dramatic and cinematic adaptations.
This week, Morgan and Gavia discuss Claire Denis' unnerving new science fiction film, "High Life," starring Robert Pattinson and Juliette Binoche. They discuss Denis and Pattinson's collaboration, the film's unusual relationship with the space movie canon, and the existential terror of existence.
This week, to celebrate its arrival on UK Netflix, Gavia and Morgan revisit one of 2014's best films, Bong Joon-ho's dystopian thriller "Snowpiercer." They dissect its allegorical approach to capitalism, its effective use of Chris Evans and Tilda Swinton, its stupendous production design, and its troubled history as one of the Weinstein Company's last significant releases.
This week, Gavia and Morgan discuss the children's classic "The Black Stallion." They admire its striking visuals, reflect upon its unique approach to children's cinema, and compare it to other beloved horse tales of yore. A Patreon-sponsored episode.
This week, Morgan and Gavia revisit a classic of early-aughts animation: early DreamWorks animation feature "The Road to El Dorado." They compare the film to newer animated fare, consider its depiction of colonization, and reminisce about its status as a slashfic ur-text for many millennials of a certain age. A Patreon-sponsored episode.
This week, Gavia and Morgan celebrate the 20th anniversary of classic teen movie (and Shakespeare adaptation) "10 Things I Hate About You." They compare it to its source text, "The Taming of the Shrew," as well as to other teen movies of the era, consider its feisty heroine in the context of third-wave feminism, and reflect on Heath Ledger's astonishing performance and sadly abbreviated career.
This week, Gavia and Morgan celebrate the fifth anniversary of one of Marvel's best films and their own personal favorite, "Captain America: The Winter Soldier." They dissect its political commentary, its sensitive treatment of its central characters, assess its place in the larger MCU, and reminisce about the glory days of Captain America fandom c. spring 2014.
This week, Gavia and Morgan discuss "Us," Jordan Peele's follow-up to 2017's instant-classic "Get Out." They compare the film to its predecessor, puzzle over its muddled political allegory, try to break down that crazy ending, and more.
This week, Gavia and Morgan debate the merits of Bryan Fuller's cult show "Hannibal." They discuss the show's elaborate visual imagery, its mesmerizing central performances, and the complicated ethical ramifications of its depictions of violence. A Patreon-sponsored episode.
This week, Morgan and Gavia weigh the merits (or lack thereof?) of Marvel Studios' first woman-led film, "Captain Marvel." They evaluate it against other Marvel origin stories, critique its use of amnesia as a plot device, appreciate performances from Samuel L. Jackson and Ben Mendelsohn, and more.
