River Cities Reader Podcast

Dave Levora, Darren Pitra, and Mike Schulz discuss film and what it will take to remove Aaron Sorkin from the film world. Which may involve removing him from the world entirely. Discussed: Other Mommy (dir Rob Savage, starr Jessica Chastain, Jay Duplass, Arabella Olivia Clark, Dichen Lachman, Arian Moayed, and Karen Allen). The Social Reckoning (dir Aaron Sorkin, starr Mikey Madison, Jeremy Allen...

Dave Levora, Darren Pitra, and Mike Schulz discuss film and the unforeseen success of Coyote vs Acme , which is satisfying for reasons other than its quality (Warner Bros Disccovery wanted to shelve it and declare a tax write-off, given their own lack of faith in CvA ). Under scrutiny: Verity (dir Michael Showalter, starr Anne Hathaway, Dakota Johnson, Josh Hartnett, Ismael Cruz Córdova, and Irina...

Dave Levora, Darren Pitra, and Mike Schulz discuss film and the limited number of ways one can pronounce “Anaconda.” Scrutinized: Primetime (dir Lance Oppenheim, starr Robert Pattinson, Merritt Wever, Skyler Gisondo, and Phoebe Bridgers). Heart of the Beast (dir David Ayer, starr Brad Pitt, J K Simmons, Anna Lambe, and Uber). The Disney animated fantasy comedy Forgotten Island (irs. Joel Crawford...

Dave Levora, Darren Pitra, and Mike Schulz talk film and wonder aloud what will happen when super-hero films become a ruinous investment for the movie studios. Under present scrutinization: The Resident Evil reboot (dir Zach Cregger, starr Austin Abrams, Zach Cherry, Kali Reis, Johnno Wilson, and Paul Walter Hauser). The Weight (dir Padraic McKinley, starr Ethan Hawke, Russell Crowe, Julia Jones,...

Dave Levora, Darren Pitra, and Mike Schulz talk film and the demerits (considerable) and merits (nugatory) of Oasis. Under present scrutinization: Practical Magic 2 (dir Susanne Bier, starr Sandra Bullock, Nicole Kidman, Dianne Wiest, Stockard Channing, Joey King, Lee Pace, Maisie Williams, and Xolo Maridueña). The Runner (dir Kevin Macdonald, starr Gal Gadot, Damian Lewis, and Alfred Enoch). The...

Dave Levora, Darren Pitra, and Mike Schulz talk film and the launch of the  Mystery Science Theater 3000  reboot. Score! Under scrutiny: By Any Means (dir Elegance Bratton, starr Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Mark Wahlberg, Nicole Beharie, Josh Lucas, LisaGay Hamilton, LaChanze, Ethan Embry, David Strathairn, and Giancarlo Esposito). Onslaught (dir Adam Wingard, starr Adria Arjona, Dan Stevens, Eric Ware...

Dave Levora, Darren Pitra, and Mike Schulz talk film and the latest of Mark Wahlberg’s crimes against humanity. Under review: Coyote vs Acme (dir Dave Green, starr Will Forte, Lana Condor, Tone Bell, Luis Guzmán, Martha Kelly, P J Byrne, Kenneth Choi, and John Cena; voice Eric Bauza, Candi Milo, and Jim Cummings). It Ends (dir Alexander Ullom, starr Phinehas Yoon, Akira Jackson, Noah Toth, and Mit...

Dave Levora, Darren Pitra, and Mike Schulz talk film and the unmissability of Buddy . Reviewed: Insidious: Out of the Further (dir Jacob Chase, starr Amelia Eve, Brandon Perea, Maisie Richardson-Sellers, and Lin Shaye). Tony (dir Matt Johnson, starr Dominic Sessa as Bourdain, Emilia Jones, Dagmara Domińczyk, Rich Sommer, Stavros Halkias, Leo Woodall, and Antonio Banderas). The Magic Faraway Tree (...

Dave Levora, Darren Pitra, and Mike Schulz talk film and the ungodly plethora of previews. In theatres now: The End of Oak Street (dir David Robert Mitchell, starr Anne Hathaway, Ewan McGregor, Maisy Stella, and Christian Convery). The Brink of War (dir Michael Russell Gunn, starr Jeff Daniels, Jared Harris, J K Simmons, Hope Davis, Branka Katić, Aya Cash, Guy Burnet, John Ross Bowie, Adrian Rawli...

Dave Levora, Darren Pitra, and Mike Schulz talk film and the odd bluegrass musician. Under review: One Night Only (dir Will Gluck, starr Monica Barbaro, Callum Turner, Maya Hawke, Julia Fox, Molly Ringwald, LeVar Burton, Okieriete Onaodowan, Este Haim, Ziwe, King Princess, Ben Marshall, Nicholas Braun, Quintessa Swindell, Michelle Hurd, Charlie Gillespie, Kam Patterson, Pete Davidson, Bobby Canava...

Dave Levora, Darren Pitra, and Mike Schulz talk film, which this week entails Spider-Man: Brand New Day . But not to worry: The previews promise us films other than Spider-Man: Brand New Day ! Speaking of: Spider-Man: Brand New Day (dir Destin Daniel Cretton, starr Tom Holland, Zendaya, Sadie Sink, Jacob Batalon, Jon Bernthal, Florence Pugh, Tramell Tillman, Marisa Tomei, and Mark Ruffalo). The pr...

Dave Levora, Darren Pitra, and Mike Schulz talk film and advise Spider-Haters against going out this weekend. What’s in theatre: Hadestown: The Musical (dir Brett Sullivan, starr Reeve Carney, André De Shields, Amber Gray, Eva Noblezada, Patrick Page, Bella Brown, Madeline Charlemagne, and Allie Daniel). Motor City (dir Potsy Ponciroli, starr Alan Ritchson, Ben Foster, Pablo Schreiber, Lionel Boyc...

Dave Levora, Darren Pitra, and Mike Schulz talk film and there’s only one film, really, to discuss. The rest is preview. That film: The Odyssey (dir Christopher Nolan, starr Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong’o, Samantha Morton, John Bernthal, Zendaya, Eliot Page, Mia Goth, John Leguizamo, Bennie Safdie, and Charlize Theron). The others: Hadestown: The Mus...

Dave Levora, Darren Pitra, and Mike Schulz talk movies and disagree vehemently over Minions & Monsters — well, not vehemently , but they hold their own opinions, and if they were compelled to defend them with pistols at dawn, they’ll feel somewhat aggrieved that one of them had to take a bullet. Under Discussion and in Theatres: Young Washington (dir Jon Erwin, starr William Franklyn-Miller, M...

Dave Levora, Darren Pitra, and Mike Schulz talk movies and observing 4 July in the only manner patriots can truly appreciate: Watching Jaws on the Last Picture House rooftop. The here and now: Supergirl (dir Craig Gillespie, starr Milly Alcock, Matthias Schoenaerts, Eve Ridley, David Krumholtz, Emily Beecham, David Corenswet, and Jason Momoa). Jackass: Best & Last (dir Jeff Tremaine, starr Joh...

Dave Levora, Darren Pitra, and Mike Schulz talk movies and the rise of the children of top-tier talent — in this instance, Scott Eastwood and Colin Hanks. What’s in: The animated adventure Toy Story 5 (dir Andrew Stanton, voice Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Conan O’Brien, Scarlett Spears, Greta Lee, Shelby Rabara, Mykal-Michelle Harris, and Craig Robinson). The Death of Robin Hood (dir...

Dave Levora, Darren Pitra, and Mike Schulz talk movies at their new digs. Place probably still has that new-flat smell to it. Now, movies: Tuner (dir Daniel Roher, starr Leo Woodall, Havana Rose Liu, Lior Raz, Tovah Feldshuh, Jean Reno, and Dustin Hoffman). Disclosure Day (dir Steven Spielberg, starr Emily Blunt, Josh O’Connor, Colin Firth, Eve Hewson, Colman Domingo, and Courtney Grace). St...

Dave Levora, Darren Pitra, and Mike Schulz love film, in case you didn’t know; and they appreciate the appreciations of their late predecessors, Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert. Here, now, the reviewed: Masters of the Universe (dir Travis Knight, starr Nicholas Galitzine, Camila Mendes, Jared Leto, Alison Brie, James Purefoy, Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson, Charlotte Riley, Kristen Wiig, Morena Baccarin,...

Dave Levora, Darren Pitra, and Mike Schulz won’t let anything stop them from reviewing film — not even technological blunders. They are enjoying their new digs in Bucktown, so you know. In theaters: Backrooms (dir Kane Parsons, starr Chiwetel Ejiofor, Renate Reinsve, Mark Duplass, Finn Bennett, and Lukita Maxwell). Pressure (dir Anthony Maras, starr Andrew Scott, Brendan Fraser, Kerry Condon, Chri...

Dave Levora, Darren Pitra, and Mike Schulz discuss film. This week’s batch? Not encouraging to the future of the human species. In theatrers: The Mandalorian & Grogu (dir Jon Favreau, starr Pedro Pascal, Brendan Wayne, Lateef Crowder, Jeremy Allen White, and Sigourney Weaver). I Love Boosters (dir Boots Riley, starr Keke Palmer, Naomi Ackie, Taylour Paige, Poppy Liu, Eiza González, LaKei...

Dave Levora, Darren Pitra, and Mike Schulz discuss film. Why is it that most Star Wars fans and that includes Levora are incapable of ginning up much enthusiasm for The Mandalorian & Grogu ? Could it be that the last few franchise films, umm, sucked? Reviewed: Obsession (dir Curry Barker, starr Michael Johnston, (Inde Navarrette, Cooper Tomlinson, Megan Lawless, and Andy Richter). Is God Is (d...

Dave Levora, Darren Pitra, and Mike Schulz discuss film. Did you know Dave has never watched Dazed and Confused ? This news left us floored; and now we don’t know what to do. Perhaps a visit to a screening of the film at The Last Picture House will set us straight and informed. Film in theatres: The Sheep Detectives (dir Kyle Balda, starr Hugh Jackman, Nicholas Braun, Nicholas Galitzine, Molly Gor...

Dave Levora, Darren Pitra, and Mike Schulz discuss film and whether the forthcoming Billie Eilish concert film will open up a dimensional portal. On screen: The Devil Wears Prada 2 (dir David Frankel, starr Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt, Stanley Tucci, Justin Theroux, and Kenneth Branagh). Hokum (dir Damian McCarthy, starr Adam Scott, Peter Coonan, David Wilmot, Florence Ordesh, Michael...