Critique Revolve

Welcome to Weird West Radio—in this episode, we wrap up our discussions on Nicolas Cage Westerns with a look at Gunslingers (2025), directed by Brian Skiba and starring Nicolas Cage, Stephen Dorff, and Heather Graham. We break down the film’s premise, performances, narrative choices, cinematography, and some of the larger issues that keep the movie...

Welcome to Weird West Radio—in this episode, we examine Butcher’s Crossing, a bleak and philosophically charged Western where a young man’s frontier ambitions unravel into a meditation on violence, obsession, and the limits of human will. Anchored by a restrained and unsettling performance from Nicolas Cage, the film reframes the Western not as conquest, but...

In Part 3 of our 2026 Oscars coverage, the hosts return after the Oscars’ ceremony to discuss winners and losers. Host(s) Thomas Cowley, Michael Flores, Dave Sabal

In Part 2 of our 2026 Oscars coverage, the hosts return after watching the nominated films to break down the race for the 98th Academy Awards. With the viewing complete, the conversation shifts from speculation to evaluation: which films truly deserve the praise, which nominations feel misplaced, and which contenders have the strongest path to the...

In this episode, we offer a few thoughts on the Oscar-nominated Train Dreams and how it successfully achieves what so many films cannot. Also, a few quick thoughts on other Oscar-adjacent films. Host(s) Thomas Cowley, Michael Flores

past violence resurfaces after the murder of his wife. We dig into how the film subverts traditional revenge narratives, framing vengeance as moral regression, and explore themes of fragile redemption, inherited trauma, and the unsettling cost of survival in the Weird West. Host(s) Mike, Dave

In this episode of Critique Revolve, the hosts break down the 2026 Academy Award nominations, focusing on first impressions, immediate points of contention, and the broader patterns that emerge from this year’s slate. As the first installment in a three-part Oscar special, this episode concentrates on initial reactions—what feels earned, what feels conspicuously absent, and...

A spinoff podcast hosted and curated by Ryan Denton. In this episode, Ryan leads a fan-driven discussion on the 1981 Clash of the Titans. This episode dives into the thrills, tropes, and lasting impact of the film, capturing the spirit of pure 80s action cinema. Host(s) Ryan, Dave, Mike

This week, we discuss Mercy (2026), the new sci-fi thriller starring Chris Pratt, set in a near-future Los Angeles where an AI judge has replaced the human justice system. We unpack the film’s real-time, screen-driven structure and its engagement with AI, truth, and post-truth logic, asking whether its philosophical ambitions hold up under scrutiny. A...

Special bonus episode: Thomas’ Everything But the Kitchen Sink. In this episode, we look at what made ‘80s blockbusters like Indiana Jones, Ghostbusters, and Back to the Future feel “original”—and whether that really holds up. We also dive into how postmodern theory messes with the whole idea of originality, especially now that Hollywood is all-in on...

A spinoff podcast hosted and curated by Ryan Denton. In this special, previously Patreon-exclusive episode, Ryan leads a fan-driven discussion on John Carpenter’s 1981 action film starring Kurt Russel. This episode dives into the thrills, tropes, and lasting impact of the film, capturing the spirit of pure 80s action cinema. Host(s) Ryan, Dave, Mike

Special bonus episode: Thomas’ Everything But the Kitchen Sink. This episode interrogates Hollywood’s growing tendency to frame films around so-called “counter-narratives”—stories that challenge authority, sympathize with the outsider, and question dominant power structures. But are these films truly radical, or are they simply echoing the language and aesthetics of socialist or...

In this episode of Critique Revolve, we examine the sudden and deeply consequential news that Netflix plans to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery—a deal that, if approved, would fundamentally reshape the film and television landscape. While Paramount’s competing $108.4 billion bid raises its own ideological and industrial concerns, Netflix’s $82.7 billion move signals something more structural:...

Critique Revolve Presents: Bullet Time – 80s Action RewindA spinoff podcast hosted and curated by Ryan Denton. In this special Patreon-exclusive early preview, Ryan leads a fan-driven discussion of the 1987 action classic starring Dolph Lundgren. This episode dives into the thrills, tropes, and lasting impact of the film, capturing the spirit of pure 80s...

In this episode, we revisit the land of Oz to break down Wicked: For Good, the highly anticipated sequel to a film that—much to our surprise—we genuinely loved. But where the first installment offered emotional weight, rich world-building, and a narrative that earned its impact, this sequel falters. The heart may be in the right...

In this episode, we examine Nuremberg (2025), James Vanderbilt’s ambitious yet uneven historical drama that charts psychiatrist Douglas Kelley’s attempt to determine Hermann Göring’s sanity during the Nuremberg Trials. Despite its powerful performances—especially Russell Crowe’s chilling turn as Göring—the film struggles with tonal inconsistency and a fractured identity that undercuts its moral an...

In this episode, we dive into Richard Linklater’s Blue Moon, starring Ethan Hawke as lyricist Lorenz Hart, the brilliant yet self-destructive half of the legendary songwriting duo Rodgers and Hart. Host(s) Mike, Dave

In this episode, we dive into Black Phone 2 (2025), Scott Derrickson’s follow-up to his 2021 supernatural hit. We explore how the film effectively shifts from the psychological textures of 1970s horror to the visceral slasher aesthetics of the 1980s, expanding its world while maintaining its emotional and supernatural core. From its stylistic evolution to...

In this episode, we dive deep into Anemone (2025), Ronan Day-Lewis’s striking directorial debut starring his father, Daniel Day-Lewis, in his first performance since Phantom Thread. We explore how this psychological drama dissects trauma through performance, aesthetic precision, and arthouse formalism—challenging audiences to engage emotionally and intellectually rather than passively consume. Hos...

As summer 2025 comes to a close, we break down the movie season that was: the highs, the lows, and the box office stories that shaped the year. From breakout hits to high-profile disappointments, we look at how Hollywood’s summer slate measured up — and what it reveals about the industry’s current state. More than...

In this episode, we dive into Scarlett Johansson’s directorial debut Eleanor the Great (2025), a 98-minute drama starring June Squibb, Erin Kellyman, Jessica Hecht, and Chiwetel Ejiofor. Premiering at Cannes’ Un Certain Regard before its September release, the film follows a ninety-year-old widow navigating grief, memory, and belonging in New York City. We unpack Johansson’s...

In this episode, we dive into Him (2025) — directed by Justin Tipping and produced by Jordan Peele, Ian Cooper, Win Rosenfeld, and Jamal M. Watson for Monkeypaw Productions. Starring Marlon Wayans, Tyriq Withers, Julia Fox, and Tim Heidecker, the film explores the exploitation of youth athletes and the hidden costs associated with the pursuit...

In today’s episode, we plunge into Nobody 2, the wild and bloody sequel that takes Bob Odenkirk’s suburban dad-turned-assassin, Hutch Mansell, on a vacation that explodes—literally. Directed by Timo Tjahjanto and written by Derek Kolstad and Aaron Rabin, this 89-minute adrenaline blast drops the Mansell family into Plummerville, a dilapidated Midwestern town hiding a corrupt...

We break down Fantastic Four—an excellent superhero film that’s fun, full of heart, and proof that simplicity, when grounded in strong structure and resonant themes, can still shine. With some of the best VFX in recent memory, Fantastic Four marks a confident first step for Marvel’s iconic team. Host(s) Michael Flores, Thomas Cowley

In this episode, we dive deep into Eddington (2025), Ari Aster’s latest and most provocative film to date—a 149-minute neo-Western black comedy set against the backdrop of a fictional mayoral standoff in pandemic-era New Mexico. Starring Joaquin Phoenix, Pedro Pascal, Emma Stone, and Austin Butler, Eddington offers more than just political satire; it’s a Rorschach...