Evan Crean and David Riedel

Spoilerpiece Theatre

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Boston film critics Evan Crean and David Riedel share spoiler-filled reviews of the latest blockbusters and independent films across genres. Oh, and they swear a lot, too. Opening music: "My Life as a God" by Augean Stables. Closing music: "Pants Party" by Oilhead. Show edited by Otto Klammer. Logo design by Rita Csizmadia.

Author

Evan Crean and David Riedel

Episodes

Episode #353: "Jakob's Wife," "Monday," "Voyagers," and "Tina" 16.04.2021 1:06:39

We start the show this week with TINA (1:41), the comprehensive HBO Max documentary about music icon Tina Turner, who we all love, but one of us much more than the others. Next, we review VOYAGERS (16:07), Neil Burger's LORD OF THE FLIES on a spaceship, a sci-fi thriller that gets us all extremely riled up. Then we discuss MONDAY (31:23), the Argyris Papadimitropoulos romantic drama starring Sebas...

Episode #352: "Moffie," "The Power," and "The Truffle Hunters" 09.04.2021 1:00:01

This week, we kick off with THE TRUFFLE HUNTERS (1:39), a beautifully shot documentary about the quirky men and their beloved dogs who hunt rare white Alba truffles in Northern Italy. Next, we discuss THE POWER (15:45), Corinna Faith's predictable, yet compelling horror film about a rookie nurse in 1974 London, who encounters a terrifying spirit while working at a hospital during a planned blackou...

Episode #351: "Godzilla vs Kong," "Zack Snyder's Justice League," "Wolfwalkers," and "Woodlands Dark and Days Bewitched: A History of Folk Horror" 02.04.2021 1:06:01

Dave keeps knives in his microwave?! Find out why this week. We kick off our reviews with ZACK SNYDER'S JUSTICE LEAGUE (4:21), a four-hour cut of the 2017 superhero film, which for better and worse, represents its original director's vision. Next, we talk about the heartwarming Oscar-nominated animated tale WOLFWALKERS (20:04). After that, we cover the three-hour documentary WOODLANDS DARK AND DAY...

Episode #350: "Language Lessons," "Dear Mr. Brody," and "Sound of Violence" from SXSW 2021 26.03.2021 53:47

This week we open with a statement in support of the Asian American community. Then we discuss some movies that played at this year's SXSW. Evan and Megan cover SOUND OF VIOLENCE (2:52), Alex Noyer's brutal horror film about a college student who finds herself chasing a synesthetic high at all costs. Next, we talk about Keith Maitland's uneven documentary DEAR MR. BRODY (14:30), which tells the st...

Episode #349: "The Courier," "Slaxx," "Ludi," and "Operation Varsity Blues: The College Admissions Scandal" 19.03.2021 56:51

Dave and Megan kick off this week's episode by discussing LUDI (2:09), Edson Jean's drama about a Haitian nurse chasing the American Dream. Next, everyone reviews Chris Smith's Netflix documentary OPERATION VARSITY BLUES: THE COLLEGE ADMISSIONS SCANDAL (12:38), which delves into the notorious scheme by celebrities and wealthy individuals to sneak their kids into prestigious universities. Then, we...

Episode #348: "Moxie," "Sophie Jones," "Jumbo," and films from the Boston Israeli Film Festival 12.03.2021 1:13:00

Evan starts this week by recapping two feature-length films he saw from the Boston Israeli Film Festival (1:29). He talks about Nir Bergman's HERE WE ARE , a drama about a father's changing relationship with his autistic son, and Yohanan Weller's LOVE IN SUSPENDERS , a romcom about finding love again later in life. Then Megan and Dave review Zoe Wittock's JUMBO (13:04), romantic drama about a woma...

Episode #347: "Raya and the Last Dragon," "Lucky," "The United States vs. Billie Holiday," "Boogie," and shorts from The Boston Israeli Film Festival 05.03.2021 1:16:36

This week Evan opens with a plug for the Boston Israeli Film Festival , where he briefly mentions some moving shorts he saw from it (1:56). Then, Dave shares quick thoughts about the ending of I CARE A LOT (3:57). Megan starts the new movies with BOOGIE (7:58), Eddie Huang's coming-of-age story about an Asian American basketball player. Next, everyone discusses the Lee Daniels' Hulu film THE UNITE...

Episode #346: "Cherry," "I Care A Lot," "The Vigil," and "Billie Eilish: The World's a Little Blurry" 26.02.2021 1:00:28

Dave kicks off this week's episode with a brief review of R.J. Cutler's Apple TV+ documentary BILLIE EILISH: THE WORLD'S A LITTLE BLURRY (1:43), which examines the singer-songwriter's life on the road and at home while she creates her debut album. Next, everyone reviews J Blakeson's Netflix crime drama/dark comedy I CARE A LOT (8:20), starring Rosamund Pike as a legal guardian whose scheme to take...

Episode #345: "Minari," "Framing Britney Spears," "Shook," and "Sator" 19.02.2021 1:05:59

We kick off this week's show with SATOR (2:01), Jordan Graham's atmospheric horror film about a demon pursuing multiple generations of a forest-dwelling family. Then Megan and Evan review SHOOK (14:09), Jennifer Harrington's social-media-infused horror movie on Shudder. Next, everyone discusses the documentary FRAMING BRITNEY SPEARS (25:49), an episode of THE NEW YORK TIMES PRESENTS series that fo...

Episode #344: "Saint Maud," "Malcolm & Marie," "The Wanting Mare," and "A Nightmare Wakes" 12.02.2021 1:10:54

This week Dave can't make it, so Dede Crimmins, the Alec Baldwin of Spoilerpiece, fills in! After discussing cats on Zoom, we dive into this week's movies. First up is Shudder's A NIGHTMARE WAKES (3:25), Nora Unkel's period horror flick which follows Mary Shelley as she writes Frankenstein. Next, we review THE WANTING MARE (13:00), Nicholas Ashe Bateman's surreal fantasy about dreams, longing, and...

Episode #343: Sundance 2021 05.02.2021 1:15:09

SUNDANCE, SUNDANCE, SUNDANCE! We cover the Sundance Film Festival for the first time so we have a LOT of movies to discuss. We kick off with films we saw individually and would recommend: FIRST DATE (3:25), FLEE (6:14), and PASSING (9:21). Then we move on to movies at least two of us have seen like MARVELOUS AND THE BLACK HOLE (15:05), HOW IT ENDS (20:47), BRING YOUR OWN BRIGADE (27:24), and THE W...

Episode #342: "The Little Things," "Supernova," and "The Queen of Black Magic" 29.01.2021 1:06:16

This week we offer some thoughts on whipped cream before we get to the movies. First, Megan and Evan review Shudder's Indonesian horror flick THE QUEEN OF BLACK MAGIC (3:29), which is about three friends who visit the orphanage where they grew up. Next, everyone discusses SUPERNOVA (17:05), a road trip film where Stanley Tucci and Colin Firth play a couple grappling with the fact that one of them...

Episode #341: "The White Tiger," "Identifying Features," "Breaking Fast," and "Outside the Wire" 22.01.2021 1:10:16

After a everyone talks a little bit about the inauguration and plugs recent guest appearances on the Screen Fix podcast, Evan and Megan review OUTSIDE THE WIRE (5:05), a Netflix sci-fi film starring Anthony Mackie. Next, Dave and Megan discuss the dramedy BREAKING FAST (18:18), Mike Mosallam's directorial debut about a gay Muslim man navigating romantic challenges during the month of Ramadan. Then...

Episode #340: "The Marksman," "Hunted," "Don't Tell a Soul," and "MLK/FBI" 15.01.2021 1:03:27

Megan and Evan start this week's show with MLK/FBI (3:55), Sam Pollard's documentary about the FBI's campaign to intimidate and discredit Martin Luther King Jr. during the Civil Rights movement. Next, they cover Alex McAulay's DON'T TELL A SOUL (12:52), a crime drama about teen brothers (Fionn Whitehead and Jack Dylan Grazer) matching wits with a man at the bottom of the well (Rainn Wilson). Then...

Episode #339: "One Night in Miami," "Herself," and "Shadow in the Cloud" 08.01.2021 57:44

Because we recorded this episode on January 6, 2021, we take a moment to acknowledge the day's events before we talk about any movies this week. After we do that, Megan kicks things off with SHADOW IN THE CLOUD (3:25), Roseanne Liang's WWII action/horror film starring Chloë Grace Moretz. Then everyone reviews HERSELF (14:18). This film tackles difficult content so we offer a trigger warning before...

Episode #338: Our Top 10 Films of 2020 01.01.2021 1:01:00

Happy New Year Spoilerpeeps! We say hello to 2021 by saying goodbye to 2020, a year that was terrible, but pretty great for movies, if you ask us. We have a blast sharing our respective top 10 films from the year. We also had fun discussing the similarities and differences between our lists. Tune in for Evan's list at 4:35, Megan's at 15:10, and Dave's at 36:23. Then hear us briefly touch on why w...

Episode #337: "Wonder Woman 1984," "Sylvie's Love," "Soul," and "Mank" 25.12.2020 1:07:36

Merry Christmas Spoilerpeeps! This week we start off by discussing David Fincher's Netflix film MANK (3:18), which tells the story of how screenwriter Herman J. Mankiewicz (Gary Oldman) wrote CITIZEN KANE. Then it's onward to SOUL (14:37), Pixar's latest movie about a musician (Jamie Foxx) who must help an infant soul (Tina Fey) learn about herself. Next, we discuss Eugene Ashe's period romance SY...

Episode 336: "Promising Young Woman," "News of the World," "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom," and "The Midnight Sky" 18.12.2020 1:08:22

This week we open with the Netflix musical biopic MA RAINEY'S BLACK BOTTOM (3:34), starring Viola Davis and Chadwick Boseman. Then we review George Clooney's post-apocalyptic Netflix sci-fi film THE MIDNIGHT SKY (15:18) with Felicity Jones and David Oyelowo. Next, we discuss the first-ever Tom Hanks Western NEWS OF THE WORLD (29:21) directed by Paul Greengrass. We wrap up with Emerald Fennell's da...

Episode #335: "I'm Your Woman," "Nomadland," "Freaky," and "Lovers Rock" 11.12.2020 1:08:03

Happy Hanukkah Spoilerpeeps! This week we start with NOMADLAND (3:43), Chloe Zhao's film starring Frances McDormand as a woman living in her van as a "modern-day nomad." Next is LOVERS ROCK (18:00), a slice-of-life film following a reggae house party from Steve McQueen's SMALL AXE series on Amazon. Then we review Christopher Landon's body swap horror comedy FREAKY (26:47), starring Kathryn Newton...

Episode #334: "Ammonite," "Anything for Jackson," and "Stardust" 04.12.2020 59:22

We kick off this week's show with STARDUST (3:09), Gabriel Range's biopic that focuses on David Bowie's 1971 trip to the U.S., which inspired him to create his alter ego Ziggy Stardust. Next, we talk about ANYTHING FOR JACKSON (13:31), a horror film where unwitting grandparents get much more than they bargained for when they try to resurrect their dead grandchild. And then, we discuss AMMONITE (29...

Episode #333: "Uncle Frank," "Princess of the Row," "Animals," and "The Mystery of D.B. Cooper" 27.11.2020 1:04:45

We hope you had a Happy Thanksgiving Spoilerpeeps! This week we start with ANIMALS (3:13), a drama about hard partying friends struggling to grow up. Then it's the HBO documentary THE MYSTERY OF D.B. COOPER (14:53) about the infamous plane hijacker. Next, it's PRINCESS OF THE ROW (28:05), a drama about a teen struggling to care for her homeless, veteran father. Finally we discuss UNCLE FRANK (41:1...

Episode #332: "Happiest Season," "Time," "Leap of Faith: William Friedkin on The Exorcist," and "The Dark and the Wicked" 20.11.2020 1:08:33

Dave and Megan lead off this week with the tense possession flick THE DARK AND THE WICKED (2:43). Appropriately, the next film on the docket is LEAP OF FAITH: WILLIAM FRIEDKIN ON THE EXORCIST (17:44), a fascinating documentary about the iconic possession film. Next they talk about TIME (32:34), a poignant documentary about a woman's fight to free her husband from prison. Finally, they discuss HAPP...

Episode #331: The 2020 Boston Jewish Film Festival, "His House," and "Come Away" 13.11.2020 1:10:14

This week we discuss the results of the election before the movies. We start with the 2020 Boston Jewish Film Festival at (7:32). Evan talks about the shorts, features, and documentaries he saw solo, before he and Megan dig into movies they've both seen like TAHARA (18:01), THE END OF LOVE (25:10), and SHIVA BABY (36:44). Then Megan and Dave discuss COME AWAY (43:48), a film that borrows from famo...

Episode #330: IFFBoston's Fall Focus and Nightstream 06.11.2020 1:10:03

After a plug for The Boston Jewish Film Festival, the episode starts with Nightstream, a collaborative event put on in part by The Boston Underground Film Festival. We talk LUCKY (5:16), PELICAN BLOOD (6:34), DARKNESS (9:00), and BLACK BEAR (11:08). Then it's films everyone saw at IFFBoston's Fall Focus this year. We talk NIGHT OF THE KINGS (15:38), MLK/FBI (18:49), ZAPPA (23:01), MINARI (31:57),...

BONUS: 2020 Boston Jewish Film Festival Preview 03.11.2020 29:17

In this bonus episode, Evan chats on the phone with Ariana Cohen-Halberstam, Artistic Director of Boston Jewish Film. She reveals how the pandemic shaped this year's virtual Boston Jewish Film Festival and how her team is trying to go "beyond the screen" with classes and musical performances. She also talks about exciting filmmaker Q and As, important films in the lineup about Jews of color, and t...