Watch The Theron: The Charlize Theron Podcast

We're in the back half of #WatchTheTheron, and most of what's left are known quantities. The Burning Plain was one of the few Charlize Theron movies left that we'd never heard of, and it turned out to be one of her best performances yet. Without diving too deep into the world of spoilers, we have a (major) first for the podcast, a new job for a Charlize character, and a Charlize character who's br...

Hancock is a movie of frustrating potential. Will Smith gives a dynamic performance as the lead, but it feels like studio interference made Charlize Theron's character more prominent than she should have been... and that's a bummer! A movie written by the mastermind behind Breaking Bad shouldn't be anywhere close to this level of chaotic, but here we are. At least we get our second team-up of Char...

Sleepwalking is such a vague and aimless film that not even its Wikipedia page notes where the movie takes place. Do the filmmaker and screenwriter even know? Who can say! All we know for sure is it was directed by a man who's primarily a visual artist and written by a man who's primarily a film colorist... oh, and Charlize is barely in it. Email us: watch@cageclub.me

Battle in Seattle marks our first true CageClub Podcast Network crossover, as both Charlize Theron and Channing Tatum are in this movie! The Watch The Theron and #MagicMics podcasts crossed over to cover this (disappointing) movie, directed by Charlize's long-time boyfriend (and Mike's mortal enemy) Stuart Townsend, in his directorial debut. Email us: watch@cageclub.me

You may not know how to pronounce In the Valley of Elah -- or even know what it's about -- but it's definitely a movie you should see. In the Valley of Elah marks one of Charlize Theron's all-time best performances (so far, at least) and doubles as one of her best films yet. Email us: watch@cageclub.me

In the history of the CageClub Podcast Network, we've never tackled a show quite like Arrested Development, or Charlize's specific arc within it. Spanning five episodes in the show's third season, the For British Eyes Only/Mr. F storyline is a fan favorite that also doubles as not-even-close-to-politically-correct. Rita corny, Michael. Email us: watch@cageclub.me

How much you enjoy Aeon Flux depends on the type of movie you think you're about to watch. If you want to see a movie where Charlize Theron kicks a lot of ass (and looks good doing it), you're in luck! If you're looking for something cohesive and coherent and well-rounded, well... you might want to keep looking. Like other ambitious sci-fi from this century, one of us (Mike) found it right up his...

Like Monster just a few short movies ago, North Country represents another prestige Charlize Theron drama that earned her an Academy Award nomination. While she's undeniably great in the movie (along with a slew of other actors all at or near the top of their game), recommending the movie is a tough ask due to the subject matter and the fact that the movie feels less than the sum of its parts. If...

Today's film was a made-for-TV movie that attempts to tackle, appropriately, The Life and Death of Peter Sellers. But, as it turns out, the life and death of Peter Sellers was filled with events in which he was an unlikable mess, and the movie was so forgettable that it's hard to recall whether or not we even see him die. At the very least, we have a terrific Stanley Tucci as Stanley Kubrick appea...

Head in the Clouds reminds Joey and Mike of a lot of different movies, and almost none of the comparisons are flattering. It's not that this is a bad movie, per se, but it's boring, unfocused, and tonally inconsistent. Oh, you mean those are qualities of bad movies? Well, then I guess it's a bad movie! Email us: watch@cageclub.me

Monster marks the high-water mark in Charlize's career, netting her Oscar and Golden Globe wins. Little did we know, though, how tough of a watch this would be. In her portrayal of hooker-turned-serial killer Aileen Wuornos, Charlize taps deep into her well of acting chops and pulls out a raw and terrifying performance. Email us: watch@cageclub.me

While there's great behind-the-scenes trivia about Charlize Theron -- plus the on-screen reunion between her and Mark Wahlberg that we've all been clamoring for since the near-masterpiece film The Yards -- this is a movie you can pretty safely skip. As for this episode, though? A MUST-LISTEN! Email us: watch@cageclub.me

In the history of the CageClub Podcast Network (and the nearly 500 episodes we've released so far), rarely have opinions been as split about a movie as they are here. Is Waking Up in Reno a terrible movie, or is it a wonderfully mindless reprieve from the first-half sludge of Watch The Theron? The answer, as it turns out, depends on who you ask. Email us: watch@cageclub.me

Do you see that picture associated with this episode on cageclub.me? That one of Charlize standing in front of a window with BAD IDEA written on it? It's almost as though team that made this movie were offering a hint: watching Trapped is a bad idea! We are spiraling down, down, down on Watch The Theron as we make our way through generic thriller after generic thriller, with one wasted Charlize Th...

It's been nearly 10 episodes since we last had to stomach an atrocious Woody Allen movie, so why not double down on some of his worst work ever? Not only does The Curse of the Jade Scorpion star Woody Allen himself (in a role he wishes he never took), but it's sexist, frustrating, and aggravating. Worst of all, it takes what would otherwise be a terrific role for Charlize Theron and wastes it in a...

If we had done literally any research before plotting out our course for Watch The Theron, there's a really strong chance we would have skipped 15 Minutes. Charlize Theron appears in just one scene (as a thank you to director John Herzfeld, who gave Charlize her breakout role in 2 Days in the Valley), and while that scene isn't bad, the rest of the movie sure isn't great. As it turns out, Herzfeld...

We've covered Sweet November before, and we've seen another Keanu/Charlize pairing from her perspective. What will change when we talk about their chemistry for a FOURTH time? It turns out we're all a combination of depressed, frustrated, and confused by how little sense literally every part of this movie makes. Is Keanu Reeves a sociopath? Is Charlize Theron a sociopath? Are they BOTH sociopaths?...

The Legend of Bagger Vance may be (yet another) #problematic example of the "magical negro" trope, but that's far from this film's only fault. Overlong with a clumsy story, The Legend of Bagger Vance's biggest drawback may be not enough Charlize Theron! In this episode, we talk about the squandered use of her character, and how she goes from being a strong character with potential to an object as...

If this were a Cuba Gooding, Jr. podcast, Men of Honor might be an all-time great. As it stands, we're facing down yet another movie with minimal Charlize Theron action, yet she still makes every moment on-screen count. She drunkenly stumbles through her scenes in Men of Honor, just as she drunkenly stumbles through the decades this movie covers, as she attempts to tolerate her racist-in-recovery...

Is The Yards a near masterpiece or merely an above-average period piece lacking a sense of time and place and starring a mumbly Marky Mark? There's a real division on this episode as we head into Queens to talk about the shady backdoor deals of, I don't know, trainyard stuff? While The Yards could give Charlize Theron more to do, its meticulous pace and Godfather-esque feel elevate it far above mo...

Ho, ho, ho... it's time to talk Reindeer Games: a movie we were once going to cover for our Ben Affleck podcast that also happened to fall into Watch The Theron. No matter which actor we're focusing on, one thing is for certain: this is not a good movie. Charlize Theron is on the record, having said it's her least favorite movie she's made. While we've seen her in worse movies to date, it's hard t...

Is The Cider House Rules a good movie? That's the key question up for debate in this episode of Watch The Theron. What's inarguable is that it's the most award-decorated film we've covered so far. What's very arguable is whether or not it's a good movie, and whether or not Charlize Theron is good in it. We also talk about how this is a Spider-Friends pre-union, the Adam Scott-esque turn of Paul Ru...

Stop me if you feel like you've seen this one before. The Astronaut's Wife squanders a creepy vibe and a strong performance from Charlize in an otherwise muddled, uninspired package. At least we get our first dance scene! That's gotta count for something, right? Too bad that doesn't make up for the series of head-scratching moments and directorial choices throughout the rest of this movie.

Mighty Joe Young is a return to the Disney machine for the #CageClub Podcast Network, and a first stop for Watch the Theron. This movie is remarkable in that it may be the best love story we've seen in a Charlize Theron movie so far, and (to no one's surprise) this relationship does not include Bill Paxton. This movie also features a delightful cameo from a Disney team player, as well as some trul...

Celebrity is a catastrophe and an embarrassment for every single actor on screen. Covering Woody Allen for our podcasts was always going to be a dodgy proposition, but the immense level of icky-ness in all things here exceeds what we ever could have imagined. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.