Why the Flick?

It’s the finale of our Scream King Month and since we started this special event with one of Stephen King’s best adaptations, we’re switching gears for part two to spotlight one of his worst—which brings us to Children of the Corn (1984). Despite its stinker reception, this short-story-turned-feature film has earned a reputation for sparking fear in anyone who finds themselves near a cornfield and...

Spooky season is upon us and your hosts have conjured up one of our best themes yet. Introducing Scream King Month—a two-episode special event celebrating adaptations from the king of scares himself, Stephen King. For the first flick in our lineup, we knew we had to go with one of the most iconic horror movies of all time. And with a new TV series putting this story back in the spotlight, it was t...

Fall is officially here and we’re embracing the cozy vibes with a flick that embodies the autumnal season to its fullest—Knives Out (2019). An instant classic when it hit theaters, Rian Johnson revived the murder mystery genre, bringing the whodunnit into the 21st century with its unexpected structure, sharp social commentary, and plenty of fun twists along the way. Starring Daniel Craig as the ne...

Welcome back to Roulette Bonanza! In part two of this special event, the wheel gave us the perfect flick to kick off spooky season—The Babadook (2014). This Australian film from director Jennifer Kent introduced one of the genre’s most haunting new baddies while earning him gay icon status. But beyond the scares and the memes, this flick set the standard for “elevated horror,” exploring complex th...

We love the power to pick our own flicks, but sometimes it’s more fun to leave it up to fate which brings us to Roulette Bonanza. For part one of this special event, the almighty wheel decided we should cover the oldest film yet on the pod—12 Angry Men (1957). One of the earliest courtroom dramas, this adapted teleplay starring Henry Fonda gave audiences an inside look at the twists, turns, and te...

In the summer of 2016, the search for Nicolas Cage was underway when he visited our neck of the woods to film a horror comedy about murderous parents. And now, 10 years later, we’re coming full circle by finally watching Mom and Dad (2017). The second flick as part of our prisoner exchange, this supposed B-movie delivers an absolutely wild premise that asks what would happen if a parent’s natural...

If we were going to watch any new release from this year, it was going to be The Odyssey (2026). Christopher Nolan’s long-awaited adaptation of Homer’s epic adventure is the movie everyone is talking about, so naturally, we had to join the conversation. Thankfully, it lived up to the hype both on screen and behind the scenes. Whether it was shooting entirely on IMAX cameras, recreating ancient Gre...

Are we the only people who haven’t seen Mission: Impossible (1996) until now? Probably not, but we’re accepting our mission to finally meet Ethan Hunt in the story that started it all—and we’re joined by guest and fellow first-time watcher Meghan Dhawan. Before Tom Cruise was known for risking life and limb, Brian De Palma brought the hit TV series to the big screen with a tamer take on the franch...

Sometimes we have fun watching a film. And sometimes we have more fun thinking about a film after the fact which ended up being the case with our latest pick There Will Be Blood (2007). Semi-based on Upton Sinclair’s novel Oil, this flick is the ultimate boy movie that pits two men in an age-old battle of capitalism vs religion, all in the pursuit of power. Despite its bleak themes and slow burn r...

Pride Month may be ending, but our joyful subtheme continues for one more episode—only this time we’re swapping a gay fight club for a gay nightclub with The Birdcage (1996). Starring comedic geniuses Nathan Lane and Robin Williams, this beloved farce remains as hilarious as ever thanks to its sharp wit and surprisingly pointed social commentary. On top of its unforgettable performances, the film...

It’s time for Pride Month and this year we’re putting the spotlight on joyful LGBTQ+ stories, starting with Bottoms (2023). From Shiva Baby creator Emma Seligman with acting duo Rachel Sennott and Ayo Edebiri, this female-led flick is both an ode to and fresh take on the raunchy teen comedy. Thanks to its absurdist tone and neverending visual gags, the story flips the genre on its head by centerin...

The time has come for us to sadly close out Ani-MAY-tion Month so we’re ending on the perfect note with our final pick: The Last Unicorn (1982). Based on the acclaimed story by Peter S. Beagle, it’s a cult classic that mixes '80s dark fantasy with '70s medieval revival in a way that gives peak weirdness. But despite its strange visuals, this Rankin-Bass and Top Craft (pre-Studio Ghibli) collaborat...

There’s something about stop-motion animation that’s equal parts beautiful and creepy so naturally we made sure to fit this art style into our Ani-MAY-tion Month lineup. And no movie captures those cozy-yet-nightmarish vibes better than Coraline (2009). A debut feature from the newly formed Laika and directed by animating legend Henry Selick, it was a labor of love that expanded the medium to a vi...

We’ve been cooking on our next theme for a while now, listeners, so when the time finally came around we knew we had to unveil Ani-MAY-tion Month. For the next four weeks, we’ll be immersing ourselves in the world of animated cinema and there’s no better place to start than with The Prince of Egypt (1998). One of Dreamwork’s first projects, this flick brings the Passover story to life in the grand...

Did Jane Austen invent the enemies to lovers trope? We can’t say for sure, but she certainly perfected it if Pride & Prejudice (2005) has anything to say about it. For Danielle’s birthday episode, we’re stepping into Regency-era England to gush over one of the most beloved adaptations from the famous romance author herself. Featuring a phenomenal cast led by Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfady...

It might be sacrilegious to suggest watching Suspiria (2018) before Suspiria (1977), but if this episode is any indication, that might be the best approach. Whichever order you choose, we’ve got you covered with a surprise double feature. Check out our discussion of the remake here and our take on the original over on Reel Millennials (Don’t Remember). Don’t be fooled though—these films might have...

The Oscars might be over, but when we recorded this episode we had high hopes that Hamnet (2025) would see some award love. Thankfully, this time our instincts were right with Jessie Buckley clinching her much-deserved Best Actress win. Because even though this film is based around one of the most famous plays of William Shakespeare, it’s really Agnes’ story. This week on the podcast, we’re experi...

Did you miss us? We’re back for season 6 and celebrating our 100th episode with one of our favorite releases of last year—Weapons (2025). Directed by Zach Cregger of Barbarian and Whitest Kids U'Know fame, his sophomore flick delivers a fresh, unexpectedly funny take on the horror genre, where every scene leaves you asking “what is even happening?”. But beneath the unhinged chaos, it's also rife w...

Welcome to the end of season 5! For our 99th bonus episode, we left it up to our listeners to decide and the people have spoken—our winning flick is The Mummy (1999). Made in a carefree era of blockbuster cinema, this instant crowd pleaser blends action, adventure, horror, romance, and comedy into a wild ride that somehow just works. Stephen Sommers’ passion project pays loving homage to the 1932...

Christmas is only two sleeps away which means we needed a holiday flick that perfectly fit the jolly and joyous season. Of course, we’re talking about The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992). Charles Dickens may not have envisioned puppets when he wrote this literary classic, but it’s definitively the best adaptation and for good reason. Quite frankly there’s no better cast to bring this beloved story t...

There’s an icy chill in the air and with it comes seasonal depression—so when we decided our next flick needed to capture those sad winter vibes we knew we had to go with Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004). Recognized by critics and film nerds as one of the best movies of the 21st century, this breakup story starring acting favorites Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet was revolutionary at the t...

It seems only right that since we started this season with The Substance it was time to circle back to her campy, slapstick sister Death Becomes Her (1992). Serving up more body comedy than body horror, this cult classic starring Meryl Streep, Goldie Hawn, and Bruce Willis is rife with cultural impact. It’s a flick that walked (or tumbled down a staircase) so others could run, inspiring generation...

Spooky season might be over, but we’re keeping the vibes going…and with a certain cinematic conclusion on the horizon, we felt it was the perfect time to revisit another sequel in the same universe (albeit less critically acclaimed) with Return to Oz (1985). Released during Disney’s experimental phase, this beautiful weirdo is a far cry from its OG predecessor—think less technicolor musical, more...

Halloween is almost here so obviously our Season of the Witchtober had to end on theme. No witchy flick fits the holiday as perfectly as Hocus Pocus (1993) and no trio of diabolical witches is as iconic as the Sanderson sisters. After all, when you’ve got the combined powers of Bette Midler, Kathy Najimy, and Sarah Jessica Parker you’re practically unstoppable (critics be double damned). This cult...

Everyone knows witches and woods go hand in hand. So for the second installment of Season of the Witchtober, we’re taking it back to a film that sparked all our deeply-rooted fears of camping—The Blair Witch Project (1999). This culturally significant flick catapulted the found footage genre in a way that no one has been able to capture since. From the method filming experience to the viral market...