Gut Punch: A Beneficial Shock! Podcast

In this episode of GutPunch, Gabriel and Tom are joined by Ciara and Chris Wylie from Deep Cuts Horror Trivia to discuss their passion for horror movies, their community-building activities in Chicago and to analyze Gaspar Noé's provocative 2018 film Climax . We explore the film's themes of community breakdown, unpack the many nods Noé makes to other classic horror films and look at the st...

In this episode of Gut Punch, host Gabriel Solomons and co-host Tom Puhr welcome back film-maker Tim Rogg to discuss Brian De Palma's supernatural horror masterpiece Carrie . 50 years after its initial release, we look at the enduring popularity and relevance of the film, exploring the film's cultural significance, discussing De Palma's unique film-making techniques and selecting our o...

In this episode of Gut Punch, we unlock the dark, poetic depths of Hollywood's obsession with youth, fame and success as film historian and critic Pamela Hutchinson reveals the haunting genius of the Billy Wilder's classic film noir Sunset Boulevard . If you've ever wondered how Hollywood’s glamorous facade masks soul-crushing decline and madness, this episode dives deep into one of Bi...

In this episode of Gut Punch, hosts Gabriel and Tom welcome Jim Quail from the creative studio 'Dorothy' - a Liverpool based design studio, known for their intricate, pop-culture-inspired prints, games and art. T hey discuss Pixar's 2009 film Up , arguably one of their most emotionally resonant and enduring creations. Jim shares insights into his creative process, the importance of cul...

In this special festive episode of Gut Punch, hosts Gabriel Solomons and Tom Puhr discuss Alexander Payne's 2024 yuletide gem 'The Holdovers'. Keeping to the 'seasonal' themes of strife, loneliness and redemption - this throwback to the heady days of character driven 1970s cinema, is warm, cuddly and spiky; finding a wonderful balance of humor and pathos. The conversation saunters its way toward G...

In this episode of Gut Punch, host Gabriel Solomons and co-host Tom Puhr discuss P.T. Anderson's new film One Battle After Another , exploring its themes, character dynamics, and seamless blend of humor and drama. The conversation highlights the importance of family relationships, generational shifts in activism, and the film's political undertones, ultimately emphasizing the significance of empat...

In this episode of Gut Punch, host Gabriel Solomons and co-host Tom Puhr welcome Molly Lipson, a filmmaker, writer and founder of 'Short Stuff' - an independent publication providing dedicated coverage of short films. Together we delve into the powerful themes of solidarity and unity depicted in the 2014 film Pride . Join us as we explore how the movie beautifully portrays the alliance bet...

In this episode of Gut Punch, host Gabriel Solomons and co-host Tom Puhr welcome filmmaker Tim Rogg to discuss Martin Scorcese's classic gangster epic 'Goodfellas'. Beyond discussing key scenes, character dynamics and the importance of maintaining a human touch in filmmaking, they explore themes of authenticity in storytelling, the art of short filmmaking, and the evolution of the film...

In this episode, host Gabriel Solomons and co-host Tom Purr welcome guest Aaron Christensen (Chicago-based actor/writer and host of the podcast ‘Horror 101 with Dr. AC') to discuss George A. Romero's classic, Night of the Living Dead. We delve into personal connections to horror, the evolution of 'zombies' in popular culture, and the cultural significance of a film widely considere...

In this episode Gabriel and Tom discuss Chris Smith's hysterically poignant documentary American Movie and Robert Eggers's woozy psych-horror The Lighthouse . We open the episode with our movie recommendations of the previous week which includes a long, old-person rant about why the recent Jurassic Park: Rebirth will never match up to Spielberg's original and how, no matter who jumps a...

In This episode Gabriel and Tom welcome data journalist and author Walt Hickey to discuss a seminal scene from Alfonso Cuarón's dystopian thriller Children of Men . Walt is a Pulitzer Prize-winning writer and author of the 2024 book 'You Are What You Watch: How Movies and TV Affect Everything' which explains the power of entertainment to change our biology, our beliefs, how we see ours...

In this episode Gabriel and Tom discuss Brad Bird's animated sci-fi classic The iron Giant and Rose Glass's psychological horror Saint Maud . We open the episode with our movie recommendations of the previous week which includes 2013's Final Destination 5 and Paul Verhoeven's original crowd-pleaser Total Recall . Chat turns to film franchises as 'Happy Meals' and the simple...

In This episode Gabriel and Tom discuss powerful scenes from Paul Thomas Anderson's romatic dramedy Punch-Drunk Love and Martin Brest's unlikely screwball 'bromance' Midnight Run . As usual we kick things off with a brief chat about our respective watch-weeks, flagging some recommended films, before diving headlong into our Gut Punch movie moments. Timecodes: 00:00 Introduction to...

In this episode Gabriel and Tom discuss Maren Ade's German cringe-comedy Toni Erdmann and Jason Reitman's coming of middle-age dramedy Tully . We open the episode with our movie recommendations of the previous week which includes Geo Copolla's The Last Showgirl and Ryan Cooglers Sinners . Chat turns to ageing starlets, disjointed scripts and Chicago dust storms before turning to our chosen Gut Pun...

In This episode Gabriel and Tom discuss powerful scenes from Stanley Kubrick's visceral anti-war movie Full Metal Jacket and Frank Darabont's claustrophobic monster-mashup The Mist . As usual we kick things off with a brief chat about our respective watch-weeks, flagging some recommended films, before diving headlong into our Gut Punch movie moments. Timecodes: 00:00 Introduction to Gut Punch Podc...