Across the Movie Aisle

On this week’s episode, we discuss Seth Rogen’s slanderous take on Sylvester Stallone and his thoughts on criticism more broadly. Then we reviewed Minions and Monsters , which is basically “ Babylon with less cocaine and more little yellow guys.” Swing by our Substack on Thursday for a bonus episode on the silent era’s best movies for kids. And if you enjoyed this, please share it with a friend!

On this week’s episode, we discuss A24 and Google’s deal for the major indie to institute AI processes in their filmmaking. Then we review Supergirl , a movie that works on virtually no levels. You are NOT going to want to miss our July 4th bonus episode on Independence Day . And if you enjoyed this episode, we hope you share it with a friend!

On this week’s episode, we discuss the startling news that Amazon-MGM has decided to bail on distributing Luca Guadagnino’s forthcoming film about Sam Altman and OpenAI. Is this simply a matter of reconciling conflicts of interest, or is something more dastardly involved? Then they review Toy Story 5: The One With Screens. Does it live up to its predecessors? Or is it something to be half-watched...

On this week’s episode, Sonny, Peter, and Alyssa debate the ethics of writing bogus reviews to scam the futures markets . Then they review Steven Spielberg’s Disclosure Day , which is kind of a mess. Make sure to watch Widow’s Bay ; we’re going to be discussing it for a special bonus TV episode later in the week! And we’ll have a bonus episode in which we determine the greatest Spielberg run. So m...

A programming note: As mentioned in this episode, we are going to add a monthly bonus episode for paid members dedicated to TV shows. First up: Widow’s Bay , which wraps up its first season June 17. We’ll talk the whole first season of Apple TV’s buzzy new show for an episode that should post that weekend (the 20th or 21st), depending on our own schedules!  As for this week ’s episode: We discusse...

On this week’s episode, we dive into a VERY exciting week at the box office. What does it mean that Backrooms and Obsession both may well end up outgrossing The Mandalorian and Grogu. Maybe nothing. But maybe a lot! And then we review Backrooms , which is about to become the highest-grossing-film ever released by A24 in just five days. On Thursday we’re going to chat about Tilly Norwood, who promi...

On this week’s episode, we asked what on Earth Paul Schrader is doing getting dumped by an AI girlfriend . Then they reviewed The Mandalorian and Grogu , a movie that is nominally set in the Star Wars universe and has Star Wars-like elements but feels somewhat … lacking … for those of us with a long-term relationship to the series. But did Sonny’s kids love it? And is that all that really matters?...

On this week’s episode, we went long on the silly kerfuffle surrounding the casting of The Odyssey . From Helen to Achilles (or possibly Elpenor, or maybe Tiresias), no casting choice is safe from Elon Musk and his crack investigators. Then we review In the Grey , a movie that’s only really meant for Guy Ritchie completists … and maybe not even most of them . Make sure to swing by Thursday for our...

On this week’s episode, we bid adieu to films for one segment and discussed the least -probable game show of all time: Wordle! It’ll likely raise an ocean of viewers … but will it be great ? Then we talked The Sheep Detectives , a delightful talking animal movie. Sure, it’s nice: but is it any good? We’ll let you know. Make sure to swing by Thursday for our bonus episode on Mortal Kombat II . And...

On this week’s episode, we ask if $50 is a reasonable price to pay for a single 70mm IMAX movie ticket. Then we review The Devil Wears Prada 2 , a rather generic movie about journalism. Make sure to swing by Thursday for our bonus episode previewing the summer releases. And if you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend!

On this week’s episode, we take a sideways look into the sexual harassment suit filed against Mr. Beast. (That’s right: It’s a cons and nons pulled from the chat! It’s only for members, so sign up now if you want to help influence the show!) Then we review Michael . Sure, it’s dramatically inert, and yes, it whitewashes many of the potentially criminal activities Michael Jackson engaged in with ch...

On this week’s episode the gang tackles Sharon Waxman’s piece on David Zaslav and asks if he’s the problem with Hollywood … or its inevitable result? Then they review Steven Soderbergh and Ed Solomon’s new film about authenticity in art, The Christophers. Soderbergh is on a pretty amazing run since the foundation of this podcast, and we will be here for everything he does … but is this one for com...

On this week’s episode, Alyssa is on vacation so Sonny and Peter talked about smoking cigarettes and getting cancelled. (No, seriously: It’s cool to smoke again , maybe, and Outcome is Jonah Hill’s attempt to reckon with getting soft-canceled for entirely silly reasons.) Make sure to swing by Thursday for our bonus episode on Exit 8 . And if you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend!

We’ve got a special bonus bonus episode this week with a special guest: Mike Pesca, of The Gist! You can check out Mike’s Substack here, including his famed “Asshole Tracker” for The Pitt , which is the subject of this week’s bonus bonus episode. Mike and I both love the show, though we have some nitpicks. (Peter’s only watched a couple of episodes; he just likes hanging out and talking about movi...

On this week’s episode, we talked a bit about video game movies (tied loosely to this New York Times  piece on the genre’s successes and struggles) and then dove into The Drama , the new Robert Pattinson/Zendaya film from A24. It’s a fun movie to talk about! We honestly only scratched the surface. If you have more thoughts, leave them in the comments!

On this week’s episode, we talk about Sora pulling the plug on its AI video division. What does that mean for the industry? Are movies simply too small for AI to waste compute on? Then we review The Housemaid , a movie that rests somewhere in the liminal space between enjoyable trash and outright garbage. Which way do we come down on it? You’ll have to listen to find out!

On this week’s episode, we discuss the killing of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot, which was unexpectedly spiked by Hulu after several months of dawdling. Then we reviewed Project Hail Mary , a movie Peter describes as “preposterously charming.” Is it that good? Listen to find out! And if you loved the movie, discuss with your fellow listeners (and your humble podcasters!) in the comments!

Sonny here. So, as I mentioned at the top of this episode—and as I warned you last week—this week is kind of a nightmare for all of us. Lots going on: I was out of the country; Alyssa was starting a new job; Peter was on the West Coast. So it took us an extra day to coordinate this. But here it is, nearly an hour long … for paying subscribers. The free listeners get the first 45 minutes or so; I h...

On this week’s episode, we discuss the silly kerfuffle surrounding Timothee Chalamet’s statement that he hopes movies don’t become a niche entertainment like opera and ballet. Then we review The Bride! , a movie that might force us to create a Madame Web Scale to fully comprehend its badness. Make sure to swing by movieaisle.substack.com on Thursday for our bonus episode. And if you enjoyed this o...

On this Tuesday’s episode, the gang discusses the merger of WB and Paramount Skydance. What does it mean for jobs, consumers, and … Batman? Then they review Scream 7 . Alyssa’s never seen one of these movies: does she care for it? More importantly: Does she have ANY idea what’s going on? The answer probably won’t shock you! Make sure to swing by movieaisle.substack.com on Thursday for our bonus ep...

On this week’s episode, the gang takes a look at this op-ed from former Sony head Michael Lynton and tries to figure out why Barack Obama suggested Sony was to blame for its own hack back in 2014. Then they review Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die . Is it the anti-AI parable we need right now? Or a mushily meatphored bit of non-AI slop? Make sure to swing by movieaisle.substack.com on Thursday for a...

Pretty spicy episode this week, as we dive into how much trouble folks should be in simply for emailing associates of Jeffrey Epstein back in 2003. Then we review Emerald Fennell’s new adaptation of Wuthering Heights . Or “adaptation” of “ Wuthering Heights ,” as the studio insists we refer to it as. Make sure to swing by Thursday for our bonus episode on The Odyssey Book Club! And if you live in...

On this week’s episode, we kicked things off by discussing Michael Schulman’s piece on efforts to use evil for good. (That is: use AI to “recreate” Orson Welles’s cut of The Magnificent Ambersons .) Then we reviewed Send Help , the new one from Sam Raimi. It’s fun and mean and meanly funny. Make sure to swing by Thursday, because we’re going to be talking about drinking and watching movies, two of...

On this week’s episode, the gang discusses Rose Horowitch’s piece in the Atlantic on film students who can’t watch films. (Goddamn kids, get off my lawn and into a movie theater.) Then they review the first two episode of the new Game of Thrones spinoff, Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. A GOT sitcom? What is this world coming to? (Something delightful, apparently.) You’re going to want to listen to T...

On this week’s episode we played Will-Slash-Should. It’s a fun game! Then we reviewed The Rip , a movie that is possibly about stealing from Netflix. Maybe. Fun episode this week, kind of silly as we were all getting a little stir crazy by the time we taped. All fun and no play, well, you’ll have to see what the bonus episode has to say about that.