Midday Movies

In this episode of Midday Movies, hosts Laura and Stephen (and their guest Bryon) continue their spine-chilling journey through spooky season with a deep dive into the British folk horror classic, Blood on Satan's Claw. Released in 1971 and directed by Piers Haggard, this film is a cornerstone of the genre, exploring the unsettling transformation of a rural village in 17th century England after th...

In this chilling episode of Midday Movies, hosts Laura and Stephen kick off their Halloween folk horror coverage with a deep dive into the British classic, Witchfinder General. Starring the iconic Vincent Price, this 1968 film portrays the grim reality of the English Civil War through the eyes of Matthew Hopkins, a self-proclaimed witchfinder who exploits the chaos to profit from the persecution o...

In this episode of Midday Movies, hosts Laura and Stephen wrap up International Cinema Month with a profound exploration of the Chinese language epic, Farewell My Concubine. This Palme d'Or-winning film spans 53 years of Chinese history, offering a poignant narrative that intertwines the lives of two Peking Opera performers whose friendship evolves into a complex love story marked by betrayal and...

International Cinema Season is back next week! Today, we want to introduce you to some friends of ours. In this episode of Midday Movies, hosts Laura and Stephen join forces with fellow members of the Movie Archer Network for an exhilarating draft of the best films of 2026 so far. With excitement in the air, the crew dives into their top picks, showcasing a diverse array of cinematic gems that hig...

In this episode of Midday Movies, hosts Laura and Stephen continue their celebration of International Cinema Month with a deep dive into Wong Kar Wai's visually stunning masterpiece, 2046. Serving as a loose sequel to the acclaimed In the Mood for Love, this film intertwines elements of science fiction with the poignant reality of heartbreak in 1960s Hong Kong. The story follows Mr. Chow, a man gr...

In this episode of Midday Movies, hosts Laura and Stephen continue their celebration of International Cinema Month with an in-depth exploration of the modern Korean classic, The Handmaiden. Directed by Park Chan-wook and adapted from Sarah Waters' novel Fingersmith, this film is set against the backdrop of Japanese-occupied Korea and revolves around a complex web of deception, love, and betrayal....

In this episode of Midday Movies, hosts Laura and Stephen kick off International Cinema Month with a thorough examination of Akira Kurosawa's monumental film, Seven Samurai. Widely regarded as one of Japan's greatest cinematic achievements, this epic tale follows a group of underdog villagers who enlist the help of seven wandering ronin to protect their home from a ruthless gang of bandits. With i...

In this episode of Midday Movies, hosts Laura and Stephen conclude their captivating Summer of Love series with a deep dive into Paul Thomas Anderson's anxiety-riddled romance, Punch Drunk Love. Starring Adam Sandler in his first dramatic role, the film tells the story of Barry Egan, a neurotic young man navigating life with seven overbearing sisters, a quirky business selling novelty toilet plung...

In this episode of Midday Movies, hosts Laura and Stephen continue their Summer of Love series with a delightful exploration of the contemporary romantic comedy, Crazy Stupid Love. Starring Steve Carell and Ryan Gosling, this film follows the journey of Cal, a recently separated middle-aged man, who finds himself mentored by the suave womanizer Jacob. As they navigate the chaotic world of love and...

In this episode of Midday Movies, hosts Laura and Stephen continue their Summer of Love series with a thrilling exploration of the contemporary romance film, Challengers. Directed by the talented Luca Guadagnino and featuring a standout performance by Zendaya (who also produced), this electric love triangle unfolds in the high-stakes world of American tennis, spanning 13 years of passion, rivalry,...

In this episode of Midday Movies, hosts Laura and Stephen continue their enchanting Summer of Love series with a deep dive into Martin Scorsese's The Age of Innocence. Adapted from Edith Wharton's classic novel, the film transports us to the opulent yet suffocating world of 1870s New York society, where a tragic love triangle unfolds between Newland Archer (Daniel Day-Lewis), his innocent fiancée...

In this episode of Midday Movies, hosts Laura and Stephen wrap up their deep dive into Richard Linklater's Before Trilogy with the emotionally charged film, Before Midnight. Set nine years after the events of Before Sunset, we find Jesse and Celine navigating the complexities of parenthood with twins and a challenging custody arrangement with Jesse's ex-wife. As they spend a summer in Greece, the...

In this episode of Midday Movies, hosts Laura and Stephen continue their exploration of the captivating Before Trilogy with the poignant film, Before Sunset. Set nine years after the enchanting Before Sunrise, we reconnect with Jesse, now a successful author, and Celine, whose brief yet impactful encounter with him has inspired his bestselling novel. With only 90 minutes before Jesse's flight, the...

In this episode of Midday Movies, hosts Laura and Stephen dive into the enchanting world of Richard Linklater's Before Sunrise, a 1995 romantic classic that captures the fleeting beauty of connection. Starring Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy, the film follows two young travelers who meet on a train in Europe and decide to spend an unforgettable night exploring Vienna. With a backdrop of candid convers...

In this episode of Midday Movies, hosts Laura and Stephen continue their exploration of romance in cinema with the Billy Wilder classic, The Apartment. Released in 1960 and starring the incomparable Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine, this film dives into the cutthroat world of corporate America, where Lemmon's character, C.C. Baxter, lends out his apartment to company executives for their extramari...

In this episode of Midday Movies, hosts Laura and Stephen continue their intrepid trek through classic romance with the iconic screwball comedy, It Happened One Night. This 1934 film, featuring the unforgettable pairing of Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert, tells the story of a working-class newspaperman and a spoiled heiress who find themselves on a raucous road trip to New York City at the heigh...

In this episode of Midday Movies, hosts Laura and Stephen embark on a charming journey through the classic romance of the 1954 film, Sabrina. Starring the iconic Audrey Hepburn, alongside Humphrey Bogart and William Holden, this delightful tale follows Sabrina Fairchild, the daughter of a chauffeur, as she transforms from a love-struck girl into a sophisticated Parisian woman, capturing the hearts...

In this episode of Midday Movies, hosts Laura and Stephen dive into the sizzling world of romance and rivalry with the international hit series, Heated Rivalry. Based on Rachel Reed's Game Changers book series, this captivating show follows the lives of two Major League Hockey stars, Ilya Rozanov and Shane Hollander, as they navigate the complexities of ambition, rivalry, and a magnetic connec...

In this episode of Midday Movies, hosts Laura and Stephen take a delightful plunge into the world of romance and hockey with Prime Video's hit series, “Off Campus.” Based on Elle Kennedy's best-selling book series, this charming show introduces us to Hannah Wells, a dedicated music major, and Garrett Graham, the charismatic captain of Briar University's hockey team. As they navigate th...

In this episode of Midday Movies, hosts Laura and Stephen are joined by siblings Shay and Jason, co-hosts of the Rainy Day Rabbit Hole's History Unhinged podcast, as they dissect the iconic 1982 cyberpunk film,  Blade Runner . This cult classic, directed by Ridley Scott, explores the haunting themes of identity, humanity, and the consequences of a consumer-driven society in a dystopian Los Ang...

In this episode of Midday Movies, hosts Laura and Stephen swing into action as they explore the groundbreaking animated film,  Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse . Released in 2018 and directed by Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, and Rodney Rothman, this Oscar-winning film introduces audiences to Miles Morales, a teenager living in a Brooklyn already home to Spider-Man. When a freak accident grants h...

In this episode of Midday Movies, hosts Laura and Stephen take a deep dive into the thought-provoking 2016 sci-fi film,  Arrival , directed by Denis Villeneuve and starring Amy Adams and Jeremy Renner. This Oscar-winning masterpiece explores the arrival of 12 alien ships on Earth and the urgent need for humanity to communicate with these enigmatic visitors. Through the lens of linguistics, the fil...

In this episode of Midday Movies, hosts Laura and Stephen embark on an exhilarating exploration of the Oscar-winning sci-fi masterpiece,  Everything Everywhere All at Once . This groundbreaking film, featuring the incredible Michelle Yeoh as Evelyn Wang, tells the story of a laundromat owner grappling with an IRS audit and family turmoil, only to be thrust into a multiversal conflict where her dau...

In this episode of Midday Movies, hosts Laura and Stephen embark on a vibrant journey through the cult classic sci-fi film,  The Fifth Element . Released in 1997 and directed by Luc Besson, this visually stunning masterpiece stars Bruce Willis as the reluctant hero Corbin Dallas and Milla Jovovich in her breakout role as Leeloo, the ultimate being tasked with saving humanity. With its unique blend...

In this episode of Midday Movies, hosts Laura and Stephen dive deep into the expansive universe of the Apple TV series  Foundation , based on Isaac Asimov's legendary book series. With a star-studded cast including Lee Pace, Jared Harris, and newcomer Lou LaBelle, this series is an exemplar of the sci-fi genre, presenting a narrative that spans over a thousand years of galactic history. They e...