Unspooled

In honor of Scream VI's release in theaters this weekend, we're re-releasing last year's discussion of the original Scream - tomorrow we'll be back with a brand new episode!   Paul & Amy don't follow the rules for 1996's Wes Craven meta-horror-comedy Scream! They learn Craven's secret to making horror films that resonate, argue that the iconic Ghostface mask works better than a more distinctive lo...

Paul & Amy enjoy a Winky Dinky Dog and watch 1987's audacious sketch satire Hollywood Shuffle! They explore the multifaceted career of star and director Robert Townsend, put the film in context of black cinema in the 80s, and ask why Townsend's critiques of Hollywood are relevant 35 years later. Plus: Eddie Murphy's surprising reaction to the film's Eddie Murphy sketch.   Next week, we look back a...

Will Menaker and Matt Christman of Chapo Trap House join Paul & Amy on this week's crossover Unspooled! Matt shares three films to watch before listening to his new history miniseries Hell On Earth, including a Puritan horror folktale and a medieval breakthrough from a master satirist. Will announces his own upcoming miniseries and highlights three films on rails to help get into "movie mindset."...

Paul & Amy slip a five dollar bill to 2012's male stripper megahit Magic Mike! They discuss why Steven Soderbergh's film is about money as much or more than sex, ask who the franchise's hottest character is, and explore what makes Channing Tatum such a generational talent. Plus: plenty of love for the super-sized follow up, Magic Mike XXL.   Next week, tune in for a Top 3 crossover episode... You...

Smriti Mundhra (Indian Matchmaking, The Romantics) talks to Paul and Amy about her three favorite Hindi-language romantic films, how romance became a blockbuster genre in India, and how she feels about the term ‘Bollywood.’ Watch The Romantics on Netflix, out today! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Amy & Paul open up 2004's decades-spanning romance The Notebook! They praise the effortless chemistry of Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams, learn how James Garner prepared (or didn't prepare) for his role, and ask why we don't see more pure romances like this. Plus: Did Gosling and McAdams really fall in love on set?   Next week, tune in as we cover Magic Mike! You can join the conversation for this...

Paul & Amy swerve into 2004's Oscar-winning race-in-LA melodrama Crash! They take a close look at how the film's attitudes on race and racism have aged, learn about the incident that happened to director Paul Haggis that inspired the film, and revisit the short-lived Crash TV series. Plus: Should Brokeback Mountain have won Best Picture instead?    Next week, tune in as we cover Magic Mike! You ca...

Amy and Paul react to the 2023 Oscar nominations in a bonus Unspooled. We'll be back on Thursday with Crash! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Paul & Amy force-project into Rian Johnson's galaxy-brained Star Wars entry The Last Jedi! They dissect the disputes between Mark Hamill and Johnson on the fate of Luke Skywalker, praise the film's illustrations of the nature of heroism, and ask if this is up there with the very best of Star Wars. Plus: The origins of porgs.   Next week, tune in as we cover 2004's Crash! You can join the conversat...

Paul & Amy send a love letter to David Lynch's uncanny 1986 noir Blue Velvet! They learn what Lynch thinks of his "Jimmy Stewart from Mars" image, discuss the film's many connections to The Wizard Of Oz, and ask why we're collectively obsessed with the dark underbelly of everyday life. Plus: What Dennis Hopper role was a 'spiritual sequel' to Frank Booth?   Next week, tune in as we cover The Last...

Amy & Paul peel the layers of Chantal Akerman’s minimalist homebound masterwork Jeanne Dielman! They praise the way Akerman trains her audience to pay attention to tiny details, debate whether the controversial ending was necessary, and ask what the film’s recent ascendancy to the top of Sight & Sound’s greatest films list says about how we live today. Plus: The truth about Tony Orlando and Dawn....

Unspooled will return with new episodes 1/13 - be sure to catch up with "Jeanne Dielman" before we kick off Jeanne-uary, until then enjoy one of our favorite holiday episodes!   Paul & Amy cross the pond for 2003’s Christmas romantic comedy smash Love Actually! They dissect director Richard Curtis’s curious understanding of love, learn the fates of each character in the 2017 sequel short, and watc...

Unspooled will return with new episodes 1/13 - be sure to catch up with "Jeanne Dielman" before we kick off Jeanne-uary, until then enjoy one of our favorite holiday episodes!   Paul & Amy unwrap 1983’s holiday nostalgia trip A Christmas Story! They learn about the life of the film’s inspiration Jean Shepherd, discover how the flagpole scene was shot, and ask if a film like this can still hold the...

Paul & Amy walk across broken glass for 1988's definitive Bruce Willis action film Die Hard! They ask whether Hans Gruber is the true protagonist of the film, learn why Frank Sinatra was originally considered to play John McClane, and explore why this film succeeds where legions of imitators have failed. Plus: we settle the "Christmas movie" debate once and for all.   Next week, tune in as we disc...

Amy & Paul upload their consciousness into 2009’s otherworldly sci-fi spectacle Avatar! They confirm the concept of ‘unobtanium’ wasn’t invented by the film, learn which movie stars were up for the role of Jake Sully, and ask themselves why they feel protective of director James Cameron. Plus: did Cameron really insist the Na’Vi need to have breasts?   Next week, tune in as we discuss Die Hard! Yo...

Amy & Paul reconcile their duality with 2010's Darren Aronofsky ballet thriller Black Swan! They dissect Natalie Portman's full-bodied transformative performance, praise the subtly stunning visual effects, and float three theories for what really happens at the film's end. Plus: What does a swan really sound like?   Next week, tune in as we cover the original Avatar! You can join the conversation...

In this bonus Unspooled, Paul & Amy react to Sight & Sound magazine's newest once-a-decade poll of the 100 greatest films of all time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Paul and Amy carpool to Mexico with Ridley Scott’s 1991 fugitive road trip Thelma and Louise! They discuss how much input stars Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon had in the production, ask if the movie’s portrayal of men is cartoonish, and reveal the alternate ending that left audiences furious. Plus: can you imagine this film without Brad Pitt?   Next week, tune in as we cover Black Swan! You can jo...

Paul and Amy get waylaid by John Hughes’ 1987 road trip comedy Planes, Trains and Automobiles! They discuss the true story the movie is based on, address the hot streak that John Hughes was on at the time (11 films in five years!), and analyze Hughes’ unmatched ability to capture the full range of John Candy. Plus: was Elton John supposed to write a song for this movie?   Next week, tune in as we...

Paul and Amy receive their license to kill with 2006’s intense James Bond reinvention Casino Royale! They discuss the online controversy surrounding the first blonde Bond, contemplate a Daniel Craig-shaped popsicle, and compare Martin Campbell’s work launching both the Brosnan and Craig eras of Bond. Plus: how to make a Vesper Martini!   Next week, tune in as we discuss Planes, Trains, and Automob...

Paul and Amy go for the gold with 1964’s James Bond adventure Goldfinger! They ask how Gert Fröbe’s near-flawless voice dubbing was pulled off, reveal how JFK’s affinity for Bond gave the filmmakers unprecedented access to Fort Knox, and praise director Guy Hamilton’s choice to emphasize creativity over realism. Plus: Who would you save, Bond or the Beatles?   Next week, our spy series continues w...

Paul and Amy dare to press play on Hideo Nakata’s 1998 J-horror phenomenon Ringu! They discuss the role that journalism and investigation plays in the story, compare the lead characters of the original and the American remake, and compare Ringu with last week’s film, Halloween. Plus: Would you want to know if you had seven days left to live?   Next week, tune in as we continue Season 4 with Goldfi...

Paul & Amy stalk John Carpenter’s genre-defining 1978 slasher Halloween! They discuss this independent film’s thrifty production, draw connections between the movie and the politics of the late 70s, and recognize the massive contribution Debra Hill brought to the film. Plus: How is Halloween like a grilled cheese sandwich?   Next week, our horror series continues with Ringu! You can join the conve...

Paul and Amy are possessed by Karyn Kusama and Diablo Cody’s 2009 horror comedy, Jennifer’s Body! They analyze the marketing strategy that led to the film’s initial flop, discuss female friendship and infatuation, and applaud the fact that this film is finally getting the love it deserves in a post MeToo world. Plus: what is a succubus, anyway?   Next week, our horror series continues with Hallowe...

Paul and Amy open the box that is Clive Barker’s 1987 supernatural horror film Hellraiser! They break down the movie’s portrayal of gender roles, propose that horror films are often heightened versions of fairytales, and discuss why it’s especially terrifying when the victims in a horror story have agency. Plus: We tally your votes for the newest additions to the API list!   Next week, our horror...