Our Book Club begins our walk through awards shortlist reading with two Nebula Awards nominees for best novel, “The Mountain in the Sea” by Ray Nayler and “Spear” by Nicola Griffith. One’s a near-future thriller about sentient octopi, the other’s an Arthurian fantasy with a few twists. Next time we’ll be reading Nettle & Bone by T. Kingfisher and Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree. If you’re on Goodreads, you can also join our Book Club there. Jason Snell with Scott McNulty, Erika Ensign, Aleen ...
Apr 28, 2023•1 hr 11 min•Ep 663•Transcript available on Metacast Everyone laughed at the title, and many laughed at the over-the-top violence, but 1987’s “RoboCop” turned into a sleeper hit that kickstarted a major franchise. We revisit Paul Verhoeven’s first and best big-budget sci-fi satire. Antony Johnston with Erika Ensign, Steve Lutz and Moisés Chiullán.
Apr 21, 2023•2 hr 35 min•Ep 662•Transcript available on Metacast Sure, she’s a human lie detector, but she’s also a murder magnet who’s running from a guy who seems to want her dead. We enter the world of Rian Johnson’s “Poker Face,” where Natasha Lyonne is both Columbo and The Fugitive. Shelly Brisbin with Antony Johnston, Annette Wierstra, David J. Loehr and Ken Ray.
Apr 14, 2023•1 hr 9 min•Ep 661•Transcript available on Metacast Old Movie Club throws itself into the turning wheels of justice with two legal films from 1957, “12 Angry Men” and “Witness for the Prosecution.” Jason Snell with Dr. Drang, Shelly Brisbin, Randy Dotinga and Philip Michaels.
Apr 07, 2023•1 hr 21 min•Ep 660•Transcript available on Metacast Grab a backpack and get ready to siphon some gas—we’re setting out from the safe zone on a quest to find opinions about the first season of HBO’s video game adaptation, “The Last of Us.” Cicero Holmes with Annette Wierstra, Erika Ensign and Guy English.
Apr 01, 2023•1 hr 23 min•Ep 659•Transcript available on Metacast Avoid stepping on butterflies, step into your time machine, and go kill your grandfather—it’s time for our Time Travel Movies Draft! We select favorite films from all corners of the time-travel genre, from time loops to historical shenanigans to nonsensical plot twists. Jason Snell with James Thomson, Glenn Fleishman, Erika Ensign, Moisés Chiullán, Annette Wierstra and Monty Ashley.
Mar 24, 2023•2 hr 36 min•Ep 658•Transcript available on Metacast Our Book Club reads “Sea of Tranquility” by Emily St. John Mandel, a beautifully written story set in multiple timelines that—like her earlier novel “Station Eleven”—frustrated some, but not all, of our panelists. We also recommend a lot of other books to read! Jason Snell with Erika Ensign, Aleen Simms, Deborah Stanish and Scott McNulty.
Mar 17, 2023•1 hr 4 min•Ep 657•Transcript available on Metacast We wrap up our seven-year walkthough(!) of the seven seasons of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer.” The show is slowly grinding to a halt, but are there gems to be discovered? Buffy’s got a speech about that. Maybe the real Big Bad was the friends we made along the way! Jason Snell with Aleen Simms, Jean MacDonald, Quinn Rose, Mattie Cox and Steve Lutz.
Mar 10, 2023•1 hr 28 min•Ep 656•Transcript available on Metacast This week we’re drafting Disney Princesses! There are two simple rules: They must be Disney, and they must be princesses. How far will our intrepid panelists go to stretch those rules? Join us to find out. Annette Wierstra and Kathy Campbell with James Thomson, Rosemary Orchard, Moisés Chiullán, Monty Ashley and Glenn Fleishman.
Mar 03, 2023•1 hr 22 min•Ep 655•Transcript available on Metacast Wednesday Addams is not the girl of your dreams — she’s the stuff of your nightmares. Our group of outcasts gathers in our secret library to conjure our thoughts on the first season of “Wednesday”, streaming on Netflix. We discuss what we love about the show, while also trying to figure out, is it really meant for us? Tiff Arment with Brian Hamilton, Glenn Fleishman and Kathy Campbell.
Feb 24, 2023•1 hr 5 min•Ep 654•Transcript available on Metacast Put on your home-built Iron Man suit and whisper into some beads, because it’s time to discuss “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.” Our panel talks about how the movie leaves space to grieve Chadwick Boseman and T’Challa while also providing a platform for a bunch of black women to take the lead in a geopolitical battle involving the charismatic Namor, the U.S. government, and… the French? We drift into the shipping lanes for a moment, but it doesn’t generate any enthusiasm about the film’s big boa...
Feb 17, 2023•1 hr 16 min•Ep 653•Transcript available on Metacast Our Book Club reconvenes to discuss R.F. Kuang’s “Babel.” It’s a story about magic and empire and revolution, and our feelings about it are similarly complicated. Plus: A whole bunch of book suggestions! Our next Book Club selection: “Sea of Tranquility” by Emily St. John Mandel. Jason Snell with Aleen Simms, Dan Moren, Glenn Fleishman, Deborah Stanish, Erika Ensign and Scott McNulty.
Feb 10, 2023•1 hr 28 min•Ep 652•Transcript available on Metacast Get in line to order a hero sandwich—not so fast, sidekick! We’re here to talk about 2005’s thoroughly delightful Disney movie “Sky High,” featuring superhero action and teen drama that are both full to the brim—but never quite over the top. Jason Snell with Glenn Fleishman, Jean MacDonald, Erika Ensign, Aleen Simms and Dr. Drang.
Feb 03, 2023•1 hr 9 min•Ep 651•Transcript available on Metacast This week, we’re drafting some spies, secret agents, and con artists. Con artists? Why not? They all use similar skills—sometimes, it’s impossible to tell the difference. From fiction to spoof to inspired by real life, we’ve got it all. Also, is that Cate Blanchett or Tilda Swinton? Good luck, Jim. This episode will self destruct in five seconds. David J. Loehr with Tom McGrath, Chris Klimek and Nathan Alderman.
Jan 28, 2023•1 hr 5 min•Ep 650•Transcript available on Metacast Put on your headset and get ready to jump into a polt, because we’re going to discuss “The Peripheral,” Prime Video’s adaptation of William Gibson’s novel. What makes its approach to certain famous sci-fi tropes unique? How interesting are the accents? Why is there an invisible car? We’ll answer those questions as soon as we flee to another stub. Jason Snell with Dan Moren, Erika Ensign, Lisa Schmeiser and Antony Johnston.
Jan 20, 2023•1 hr 14 min•Ep 649•Transcript available on Metacast Store up some mana and watch out for maleficers and maw-mouths! We’re going to discuss Naomi Novik’s Scholomance trilogy, which takes the familiar story of a school for teenage magicians and does some very different things with it! Before the Spoiler Horn, we talk generally about the books and why you should read them. Then we dig into some of the details of how the series changes as it comes to its end. [Our next Book Club selection is “Babel: Or the Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of ...
Jan 13, 2023•2 hr 38 min•Ep 648•Transcript available on Metacast Our favorites from 2022, plus a few clips. Jason Snell with Moisés Chiullán, David J. Loehr, Dan Moren, Erika Ensign, Monty Ashley, Shelly Brisbin, Glenn Fleishman, Chip Sudderth, Tony Sindelar, Jean MacDonald, Cicero Holmes and Lisa Schmeiser.
Jan 08, 2023•2 hr 59 min•Ep 647•Transcript available on Metacast The Knight before Christmas this year is David Lowery’s 2021 film “The Green Knight.” This year’s final Mothership episode is a game inside a gift inside a game, much like the movie. Is every episode featuring Glenn secretly (or not-so-secretly) about Zardoz? What secrets of the exotic West Midlands does Antony have to reveal? Find out as we champion diverging from the path as the most direct route to completing a quest. Moisés Chiullán with Antony Johnston and Glenn Fleishman.
Dec 23, 2022•2 hr 49 min•Ep 646•Transcript available on Metacast Our annual Kilmas tradition leads us to watch the questionable 2000 sci-fi film “Red Planet,” in which Val Kimer is at his best, and several other actors are also present. Also, the main plot points of this film are so similar to “The Martian” that we’re now convinced Andy Weir must have seen this film and vowed to do it better. But if you’ve ever wanted to watch a dumber version of “The Martian,” have we found the movie for you. Jason Snell with Moisés Chiullán, Annette Wierstra, Erika Ensign a...
Dec 16, 2022•1 hr 9 min•Ep 645•Transcript available on Metacast Star Wars gets serious with “Andor,” a show that gives us exactly what we needed (but didn’t know we wanted?) from the venerable franchise. We break down the plots, characters, and storytelling choices, live from John Siracusa’s living room! Jason Snell with Dan Moren, Tony Sindelar and John Siracusa.
Dec 09, 2022•1 hr 26 min•Ep 644•Transcript available on Metacast At midnight on New Year’s Eve, the S. S. Poseidon, enroute from New York to Athens, met with disaster and was lost. A handful of podcasters follow the challenges faced by a handful of Oscar winners and other assorted stars from the 1970s to celebrate that 50th anniversary of this classic disaster flick. This is their story. Jean MacDonald with Steve Lutz, Shelly Brisbin and John Chidgey.
Dec 02, 2022•1 hr 25 min•Ep 643•Transcript available on Metacast Are you calling us funny? Are we like a clown? Do we amuse you? More than thirty years later, “GoodFellas” still stands up. In honor of the late Ray Liotta, we break down Martin Scorsese’s classic film about street-level gangsters. Jason Snell with John Siracusa, Philip Michaels and Monty Ashley.
Nov 24, 2022•2 hr 33 min•Ep 642•Transcript available on Metacast Put on a magic bangle and pick up your briefcase, because it’s time for us to discuss two Marvel Disney+ series that push the universe in some new and interesting directions, “Ms. Marvel” and “She-Hulk: Attorney at Law.” Jason Snell with Erika Ensign, Cicero Holmes, Moisés Chiullán and Chip Sudderth.
Nov 18, 2022•2 hr 36 min•Ep 641•Transcript available on Metacast “Weird” is the direct-to-Roku movie that accurately chronicles every aspect of Al Yankovic’s life. This podcast accurately chronicles every aspect of the movie. Lex Friedman with Quinn Rose, Kelly Guimont and Brian Hamilton.
Nov 11, 2022•1 hr 24 min•Ep 640•Transcript available on Metacast We watched “Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” and “House of the Dragon” and have thoughts. Jason Snell with Moisés Chiullán, John Siracusa, Joe Rosensteel and Erika Ensign.
Nov 06, 2022•2 hr 4 min•Ep 639•Transcript available on Metacast Put on a jacket and charge up your flamethrower, because it’s almost halloween, and that means it’s time for Old Spooky Club to discuss 1982’s “The Thing.” It’s foul and drippy and gooey—the Thing, that is, and not the movie. The movie’s not foul. It’s the other two, though. Jason Snell with Steve Lutz, Philip Michaels and Erika Ensign.
Oct 28, 2022•1 hr 12 min•Ep 638•Transcript available on Metacast Our Old Movie Club sits down with a nice plate of fish and a large glass of water to watch 1972’s “Chinatown.” We discuss the merits of Jack Nicholson, the horror of John Huston’s character, and perhaps the perfect noir screenplay. Jason Snell with David J. Loehr, Shelly Brisbin, Dr. Drang, Steve Lutz and Philip Michaels.
Oct 21, 2022•2 hr 30 min•Ep 637•Transcript available on Metacast Mystery and mayhem are on the menu as we draft favorite TV detectives. Thomas Magnum is off the board, but everyone else is fair game. Who will our panelists choose to figure out whodunit? Will it be the usual suspects? Surely Jim Rockford will be on the list, unless he didn’t get his voicemail… David J. Loehr with Shelly Brisbin, Nathan Alderman, Tom McGrath, Katie Siegel and Chris Klimek.
Oct 14, 2022•1 hr 18 min•Ep 636•Transcript available on Metacast It’s time to reconvene our Book Club, not to talk about an awards shortlist but to recommend books from arbitrarily selected categories. So many books! And not many rocks, we promise. Antony Johnston with Erika Ensign, James Thomson and Jason Snell.
Oct 09, 2022•2 hr 35 min•Ep 635•Transcript available on Metacast Grab your helm, pouch, and ruby and watch out for dream vortexes! The classic Vertigo comic “The Sandman” has been adapted to a new Netflix show. What do we love about this modern retelling of the story—and what are we unsure about? Tony Sindelar with Dan Moren, Glenn Fleishman, Sarah Hendrica Bickerton, Chip Sudderth and Shannon Sudderth.
Sep 30, 2022•2 hr 32 min•Ep 634•Transcript available on Metacast