2 Cents Critic

Tune in as Sam Cabrera-Dixon (Hardcover Hoes) returns to 2CC for a discussion on Bloodmarked, the second book in the Legendborn Cycle by Tracy Deonn. The first book, Legendborn, had plenty of goodness to offer fantasy readers as a contemporary YA retelling of Arthurian legend. Is Bloodmarked a worthy follow-up (spoilers: it is)? Comparing the intricate worldbuilding to that of the Blood and Ash se...

Tune in as Dawn Marie (Opinionated Lushes) stops by the program to break down The Deal, the New Adult contemporary romance by Elle Kennedy (Briar U, Avalon Bay). As the first entry in her Off-Campus series, it follows the banter, the tutoring, the sparks, and the vulnerability between music major Hannah Wells and hockey captain Garrett Graham at Briar University. Breaking Bad, the importance of co...

Tune in as previous guest Saba comes back to the show for her second episode, where she and Arthur open up a discussion on the works of Japanese literature they’ve collectively read. Limited time travel, familial angst, and bleakly written self-insert characters are just a few of the topics that get coverage here. Japanese literature read by Arthur and Saba: • No Longer Human by Osamu Dazai • Befo...

Tune in as Joey DiCarlo of So Wizard Podcast hangs out with Arthur to break down Kung Fu Panda, the 2008 DreamWorks Animation movie that follows an enthusiastic and bumbling panda named Po as he goes on an unlikely-hero’s journey to become the Dragon Warrior. On top of discussing one of Arthur’s favorite animated movies of all time, the two hosts also touch on subjects like the recent teaser trail...

Tune in as returning guest Guy Bradford joins Arthur for a review and recap of She-Hulk: Attorney At Law, the newest Marvel Cinematic Universe series to premiere on Disney+. With its sitcom format, meta comedy, and fourth-wall breaks, how did it fare at introducing viewers to Jennifer Walters, a single 30-something lawyer and cousin of Bruce Banner/The Hulk who faces new obstacles in her personal...

Tune in as Josh and Ryan (Millennial Coffee Break) hang out on the show to discuss Collateral, the 2004 neo-noir action thriller in which humble and street-smart cabbie Max is being forced by ruthless assassin Vincent to drive him around L.A. so that he can commit several hits. The topics you’ll hear include villain role suggestions for Tom Cruise, Bruce McGill’s filmography, the task of naturally...

Tune in as Larry Fried (My Favorite Movie is…) hangs out with Arthur for a deep dive into Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, the 2009 animated movie that was loosely adapted from Judi and Ron Barrett’s 1978 children’s book of the same name. A few of the topics that the hosts chat about include subverting the Manic Pixie Dream Girl stereotype, animating scrumptious-looking food, praising the cast’s...

Tune in as Discord buddy Livvy hangs out with Arthur for a breakdown of Thor: Love and Thunder, the 29th movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Overhyped and underwhelming queer rep, whether it was worth it to bring back Jane Foster, and conflicting takes on those screaming goats are just a few of the subjects that get coverage on this episode. Directed by Taika Waititi (Jojo Rabbit), Thor: Love...

Tune in as Brandi and Mindy (Drunk Bitches Be Like) hang out on 2CC for a deep dive into Netflix’s Do Revenge, the 2022 modernized twist on Alfred Hitchcock’s Strangers on a Train. This incredibly campy throwback to 90s and 2000s teen cinema provides a foundation for the three hosts to chat about plenty of topics: the school life, the cheating capabilities of WhatsApp and Snapchat, the countless f...

Tune in as Jessica and Saunya (Opinionated Lushes) collaborate with Arthur for a deep dive into Free Guy, the 2021 action-adventure comedy that follows the happy-go-lucky bank teller Guy as he realizes he’s an NPC (non-player character) inside a MMOG (massively multiplayer online game) called Free City. Are we being oversaturated with Ryan Reynolds’s presence? How big of a role does the Manic Pixi...

Tune in as BookTokker and Bookstagrammer Sarah Thompson joins in to shower praise on Take a Hint, Dani Brown, the fake-dating contemporary romance novel by Talia Hibbert. This is also the second standalone novel in her Brown Sisters trilogy, with its first book, Get a Life, Chloe Brown, having been the focus of a recent episode. Spunky grandma appreciation, support for emotionally self-a...

Tune in as past guest Torry (Ready to Be Petty) returns for a thorough breakdown of Everything Everywhere All At Once, the multiversal film that’s been sweeping up all the love and fame. The many overwhelming emotions swirling through this multilayered narrative, figuring out what footage to leave on the cutting room floor, Letterboxd Easter eggs, and Netflix’s First Kill are just a few of the sub...

Tune in as Karyn Cooper (Chick-Lit) hops in to break down the 2021 film adaptation of Frank Herbert’s 1965 space opera novel Dune—or at least the first half of the epic book, a crucial detail that Warner Bros. failed to clarify in the film’s marketing campaign. This is one of the many subjects that Arthur and Karyn cover alongside their desire to see Zendaya star in a rom-com, the fact that O...

Tune in as Matthew (That’s SO Matthew) hangs out on 2CC to talk about Pixar’s The Incredibles, the 2004 animated superhero movie that gives you all the alarm-button red super-suits, golden jazz, and Fantastic Four energy you could ever want. The viral TikTok fame of Michael Giacchino’s splendid score, the concept of the mundane versus the fantastic, and the casting process for animated movies...

Tune in as Kait and Renata (Worst Bestsellers) collaborate with 2CC for a discussion on Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert (Take a Hint, Dani Brown; Act Your Age, Eve Brown). The 2019 contemporary romance novel, which is the first standalone entry in the Brown Sisters series, revolves around Chloe Brown, a sharp-mouthed web designer who has fibromyalgia, and Redford “Red” Morgan, her tattooe...

Tune in as Anya and Isabel (Book Expectations) hang out with Arthur for a deep dive into Daisy Jones & the Six, the 2019 historical fiction novel by Taylor Jenkins Reid (The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, Carrie Soto Is Back) about a ‘70s rock band that gives off Fleetwood Mac vibes. This makes sense, considering they had been a major inspiration for TJR during the writing of this book. The hosts’...

Tune in as previous 2CC guest Guy Bradford comes back around for a breakdown of the newest Disney+ Marvel Cinematic Universe series Ms. Marvel. It follows Kamala Khan, a 16-year-old Pakistani-American who lives in Jersey City, prides herself on her Captain Marvel geekery, and ends up getting thrown into a journey of self-discovery involving her newfound superpowers and her mysterious family h...

Tune in as gamer Brojem hops onto 2CC for a breakdown of the Disney+ Star Wars series Obi-Wan Kenobi, which follows the eponymous Jedi ten years after the events of Revenge of the Sith. While covering this expansion of the Star Wars universe, Arthur and Brojem chat about topics like the dangers of recklessly flashing your lightsaber, the desire to steer clear of droid slavery, how apparently easy...

Tune in as Gabi and Margot (Oceans Apart) join Arthur for a deep dive into Netflix’s The Power of the Dog. Adapted from Thomas Savage’s 1967 novel of the same name, the much-lauded 2021 Western (or anti-Western, which is debated on the podcast) psychological drama provides plenty of meaty material for the hosts to analyze with its Montana-set exploration of toxic masculinity, queerness, and emotio...

Tune in as Arthur invites Franklin Cota (Teen Girl Talk) onto the program for a deep dive into the 28th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. There’s been plenty to look forward to in this movie, especially since it marks Sam Raimi’s return to the director’s chair since the 2013 James Franco-led megaflop Oz the Great and Powerful. Aside from discussing...

Tune in as Chelsee and Christina (The Bi Pod) collaborate with Arthur for Pride Month 2022, during which queer content will be featured throughout June. For the fourth and final episode of the month, the focus is on the The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet, the 2014 space opera debut novel by Becky Chambers. As the first entry in her Wayfarers series, it boasts quite a few merits, inclu...

Tune in as Dr. Terry Dornak (Hello Wonderful Podcast) stops by the show to chat with Arthur about Netflix’s The Half of it, the 2020 coming-of-age movie that follows introverted teenager Ellie Chu as she pens love letters on behalf of inarticulate jock Paul Munsky and sends them off to his crush Aster Flores. The catch: Ellie herself has caught feelings for Aster as well. On top of breaking down t...

Tune in as Ria and Valli (Queerily Ever After) hop onto 2CC for Pride Month 2022, during which queer content will be featured throughout the month of June. For the second episode, the spotlight is on Cemetery Boys, the 2020 YA contemporary paranormal novel by Aiden Thomas (Lost in the Never Woods, The Sunbearer Trials). The journey of self-acceptance that Yadriel, a 16-year-old trans Latinx boy wh...

Tune in as Bruce and Renee (The Novel Queers) join 2CC for Pride Month 2022, during which queer content will be featured throughout the June. For the first episode, the hosts kick things off by breaking down Love & Other Disasters by Anita Kelly. Having been published just back in January, this contemporary romance revolves around a cooking competition on reality TV, where sparks fly between L...

Finally, 2CC is back from its unplanned hiatus! The situation looked rocky for a while, what with the dead computer and the initially malfunctioning replacement computer (I blame the Mercury Retrograde), but everything is in working order now. Here’s a new episode in the bonus 2CC series Off the Cuff, which Arthur recorded two weeks ago with his Discord book-club mate Saba. The two of them discuss...