Spoilerpiece Theatre

Hey, gang! Short show this week because we all had a lot of stuff to do outside the podcast. After a brief discussion of the merits of DMX, we get right into our one movie: THE SPY WHO DUMPED ME, starring Mila Kunis and Kate McKinnon. Let’s put it this way: Our reactions may surprise you (in a good way?)! And we all saw it! Yay!

This week, Dave kicks things off with a palate cleansing Riedel's Recaps after last week's weedfest: the overlong yet charming NOTTING HILL (6:57), the award-winning sex, lies, and videotape (12:29), and the par creepy, part interesting, thoroughly '90s BEAUTIFUL GIRLS (13:32). Next, Evan revisits romantic comedy, FOOLS RUSH IN (20:55) starring the then-newly famous Salma Hayek and Matthew Perry, which boasts some unexpected layers in its treatment of race, culture, and romantic independence. Then it's on to the main event, MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - FALLOUT (26:05). Full of terrific action but weighed down by twist after twist after twist, it's still well worth your time.

Just how old was the PEZ that Evan ate recently? Find out on this week’s episode! After the guys chomp through the answer, Evan and Kris share their most triumphant experience watching the Slaughterhouse Movie Club’s burlesque show and presentation of BILL & TED’S EXCELLENT ADVENTURE (5:15) on the big screen. Next Dave fills them in on his not-so-hazy adventure tracing the evolution pot films (8:37), where he saw cannabis classics like REEFER MADNESS, MARIHUANA, SHE SHOULD HAVE SAID NO, EASY RIDER, and 9 TO 5. Once the smoke clears, Evan digs into MAKTUB (20:46), the adorable Israeli film about two mobsters who attempt reform by granting people’s wishes…in their own way. Unfortunately following his glowing review, Dave must reveal why UNFRIENDED: THE DARK WEB (31:00), a movie Evan and Kris hoped to see, is a terrible sequel to its smart predecessor. Finally, Kris and Dave wrap things up with THE EQUALIZER 2, another sequel that doesn’t measure up, mainly because, as they point out, it doesn’t feel nearly

HAPPY FOURTH ANNIVERSARY TO SPOILERPIECE! We forgot to mention it until the end, so we thought we'd mention it here up front. Kris is out of town so we're joined by special guest Sean Burns. On the docket: Riedel's Recaps with SNEAKERS (3:00) and ANT-MAN AND THE WASP (7:18). Then it's a documentary download with RBG (10:54), WHITNEY (15:55), and THE KING (18:30). Then Evan hits us up with SKYSCRAPER (21:38). Everyone recaps CHEECH & CHONG'S UP IN SMOKE (32:30) before getting to Debra Granik's excellent LEAVE NO TRACE (40:10). Don't forget our Patreon! patreon.com/spoilerpiece

With Evan is back from his Florida honeymoon (!!), the guys have some catching up to do. First Dave gives us his take on ANNIHILATION (3:25), then it's a whole heaping helping of Creancaps (7:42): CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER, DR. STRANGE, PATTI CAKE$, and COCO. Then it's on to this week's new releases, both of which are surprisingly radical: THE FIRST PURGE (17:30), which exceeds all possible expectations, and SORRY TO BOTHER YOU (38:27), which complete laughs at the entire notions of expectations. Both are worth your time!

It’s another week of weddings (sort of) on Spoilerpiece, as Kris shares some big news. Then Kris and Dave are joined by Andy Crump of way-too-many-outlets-to-list as discusses NANCY (3:42) starring Andrea Riseborough. He and Dave take on the Zellners’ DAMSEL (14:57) after that, and then Kris and Dave hoot and holler about SICARIO: DAY OF THE SOLDADO (33:45), the sequel no one asked for from a franchise that doesn’t need one. Ho ho! Hot takes abound on Spoilerpiece, just as they do in this description page! Don’t forget to check out our Patreon page (patreon.com/spoilerpiece)!

Let's get a technical glitch out of the way before we forget: We recorded at a different location from our usual spot because - wait for it! - Evan got married! Yay! But he's on his honeymoon and his pad isn't available and we recorded at Kris' place and we forgot to unplug the refrigerator. That means you can hear it buzzing from about the 9:00-minute mark to about 26:15. Totes sorry, peeps. As for movies, Kris tackles ANNIHILATION (3:25) in a new "Keeping Up with the Jensons" segment. Then Dave has a few words about THE PURGE: ELECTION YEAR (14:20) for "Riedel's Recaps." JUSTICE LEAGUE (19:20) gets the heretofore unheard of "Riedel's Up with the Jensons" treatment, as both Kris and Dave tackle this weirdo what-the-eff-is-this movie. The new release this week is JURASSIC PARK: FALLEN KINGDOM (31:50). Don't forget to check out our Patreon page, and to borrow a line from the Bartles & Jaymes guys: Thank you for your support!

Evan is getting married this weekend! Before his brief break from the show for his honeymoon, he shares his thoughts on watching SCOTT PILGRIM VS. THE WORLD (6:10) for the dozenth time, a movie that does not lose anything on repeat viewings. Next, Dave gets everyone unexpectedly excited about AMERICAN ANIMALS (8:21), revealing that it's not just another cool-guy heist movie but an examination of the formation, execution, and consequences of a monumentally bad idea. Next, Kris and Dave talk about how much TAG sucks. (18:37) Finally, the moment all (okay, some) have been waiting for, the full Spoilerpiecing of HEREDITARY (37:08). Kris thinks it's a modern classic, Dave thinks it's short of that but still very impressive in some ways, particularly the performances and an exceptional turn by Toni Collette.

This week, Kris teases with some tasty tidbits about HEREDITARY (2:58) that don't give anything away, tabling that conversation for when all of the hosts have seen it. (Do see it yourself before then, though!) Then, Evan and Dave revisit old favorites: TOTAL RECALL (7:15) and HEAT (18:14) respectively, delivering some choice observations that come from repeat viewings. Was it all a dream in TOTAL RECALL? What exactly is this "cowboy" business all about in HEAT? Listen to find out! Then it's on to the main event: OCEAN'S 8 (29:45), a totally fun heist flick full of terrific stars doing what they do best. Though technically a sequel to the OCEAN'S movies of yesterdecade, it charts its own path and will charm its way into your good graces thanks to its dedicated cast and solid screenplay. Could it have benefitted from Soderbergh's direction? Maybe! Is it a blast anyway? Hell yeah!

This week kicks off with a special edition of Riedel's Crewind, as Dave and Evan talk WON'T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR (4:12), the Mr. Rogers documentary that has been charming critics and audiences the world over. Next up, Kris talks ADRIFT (14:18), a true story starring Shailene Woodley as a young woman left to fend for herself and her injured partner after a hurricane destroys their boat. It's a tad uneven, but the sheer physicality of Woodley's performance and the fascinating focus on just how taxing survival can be. This leads Dave to quickly recap DEAD CALM (25:08), before Dave and Evan wrap things up with gritty, violent, and inventive sci-fi flick UPGRADE (31:02).

We RARELY make mistakes on Spoilerpiece, but when we do, we don’t cower or deny it. WE OWN IT, MAN. So we start off episode 202 with a correction (2:59) regarding our DEADPOOL 2 segment from episode 201. Then it’s “Keeping Up with the Jensons” because Kris saw SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY (4:39)! Next it’s new movie time. Dave fills Kris and Evan in on Paul Schrader’s FIRST REFORMED (7:25), Evan gives everyone the skinny on BYE BYE GERMANY (17:05), and Dave spoilerpieces one of the saddest movies he’s ever seen, ON CHESIL BEACH (26:53). Finally, Kris and Dave talk about Michael Mann’s THIEF (37:20), which they both saw for the first time. And if you love the show, don’t forget to join our Patreon! Go to the Patreon website and search for “Spoilerpiece.” Kisses!

Here we are at episode 201, kids! We made it! Evan kicks the show off with a Crewind of GENTLEMAN’S AGREEMENT (3:04), a 1947 film about anti-Semitism starring Gregory Peck. Kris follows up with DEADPOOL 2 (11:14), a movie that Kris feels differently about from most critics. Then Dave and Evan go into DISOBEDIENCE (26:19), director Sebastian Lelio’s English-language debut starring Rachel Weisz, Rachel McAdams, and Alessandro Nivola, about, as New Order might say, a bizarre love triangle. Finally, Evan and Dave get into SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY (36:07). Who liked it? Who didn’t? By the way, there are tangents aplenty in this episode.

Hey everybody! It’s the 200th episode of Spoilerpiece Theatre! You may have noticed some different music at the opening to commemorate it. We also recorded on Kris’s birthday, so the opening muzak is doubly significant! We kick things off with an episode of KEEPING UP WITH THE JENSONS covering THE LOST BOYS (3:20). Following a spirited discussion of whether garlic works on these vampires a brief recap of Jason Patrick movies, the guys move on to BREAKING IN (13:00), a.k.a. GABRIELLE UNION KILLS SOME DUDES WHO THREATEN HER CHILDREN, which only Dave saw. (Note: This movie is super violent, and notice how Dave gets all the violent movies?) Next is Evan with LU OVER THE WALL (25:37), a weird mermaid tale that he struggled to watch (and Kris takes a detour to Tangent Street so he can talk about THE LURE, another mermaid movie). Finally, all three hosts saw the Melissa McCarthy vehicle LIFE OF THE PARTY (36:15).

This week, Evan runs us through his experiences with the best of IFFBoston (4:18) -- EIGHTH GRADE, WON'T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR?, many great docs. But it's the not-so-best -- THIRD MURDER -- that intrigues Kris with its strange premise and stranger name. Kris then gushes about his experience hosting the Q and A for the new Agnostic Front documentary THE GODFATHERS OF HARDCORE (22:57). Then Dave and Kris try and fail to run out of nice things to say about TULLY (29:38) which is a damn good movie. This Diablo Cody-Jason Reitman team-up starring Charlize Theron and Mackenzie Davis is making news for its controversial depiction of mental health, but as a mature yet funny statement about reconciling your past self with your present reality, especially after having children.

It’s a hot week o’ movies over at Spoilerpiece. First we head into a Crewind segment, and Evan fills Kris and Dave in on his recent viewings of INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE (3:58), which he’s seen a million times, and MARATHON MAN (6:33), which is his first viewing. Then we keep up with the Jensons for a brief talk about SUPER TROOPERS 2 (14:41), and Riedel has a recap with the Joaquin Phoenix thriller YOU WERE NEVER REALLY HERE (20:07). Question: Is the title of this Phoenix movie a reference to I’M NOT HERE? Let us know! Finally, Kris and Dave fill Evan in on the big new release of the week: AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR (28:56). How does it stack up against other recent Marvel movies? Don’t forget to check out our Patreon where you can get all kinds of goodies for being a totes rad patron.

On this week's episode, Kris and Evan are joined by Nancy Campbell, Program Director for IFFBoston and staff manager for the legendary Coolidge Corner Theatre. IFFBoston begins next week (!!), so after a brief discussion of a repertory series inspired by R. Lee Ermey, the three discuss the fest's history, highlights, and much, much more. If you're familiar with IFFBoston, get a behind the scenes glimpse at one of Boston's greatest gatherings of cinephiles. If this is the first you're hearing about it, give a listen and learn more at iffboston.org.

This week's episode begins with another installment of Keepin' Up with the Jensons (2:43), in which Kris dives into his cinematic weekend with three very different movies that he recommends nonetheless: THE DEATH OF STALIN, CREEP 2, and HAPPY DEATH DAY. Then it's Dave with LEAN ON PETE (16:51), a very well made sad-animal-sad-people saga about a runaway teen with nothing but his horse. Then it's back to Kris with RAMPAGE (27:40), another movie about the bond between beast and man, this time between a monster gorilla and The Rock as they battle obstinate military men, evil corporations, and the other monsters they produced. It's as good as this movie can conceivably be, and really, what else can you ask for? Closing out this episode is TRUTH OR DARE (43:20), yet another risky endeavor from Blumhouse that capitalizes on a clever story and terrific cast to make its flaws of secondary concern so the audience can just focus on having a good time.

On this week's show, three good movies with nary a stinker among them! First up is Dave with FINDING YOUR FEET (3:31), a totally predictable, utterly cliche English comedy-drama that will nonetheless reel you in with its sincerity. Next up, Dave and Kris dig into THE INSULT (19:26), this year's Best Picture nominee from Lebanon, a film in which a minor dispute between a Christian mechanic and a Palestinian engineer in Beirut threatens to reopen wounds of the Civil War. It boasts phenomenal performances and a raw emotional core that carry it past some conventional narrative choices. Last up is A QUIET PLACE (37:58), John Krasinski's new horror film in which a family's only hope of survival is to remain completely silent among monsters who hunt by sound. It's tense from the very first moments, genuinely inventive with its premise, and utterly gripping.

There’s a lot of show this week on Spoilerpiece. First, Dave updates everyone on CHRONOLOGICAL COENS (4:05). Then Kris and Evan share their experiences covering lots of movies at the Boston Underground Film Festival (5:58), beginning with MY NAME IS MYEISHA (9:00), and followed by PIN CUSHION (13:36), THE QUEEN OF HOLLYWOOD BLVD (15:30), LET THE CORPSES TAN (18:32), THE RANGER (21:58), TOP KNOT DETECTIVE (27:47), MEXMAN (28:40), REVENGE (30:05),  TIGERS ARE NOT AFRAID (30:54), and BAD MANNERS (31:49), the only movie Kris and Evan reeeeeeeally disagree on. Dave gives a quick rundown of the new IMAX movies PANDAS (35:00). Finally, it’s Steven Spielberg’s big-ass adaptation of READY PLAYER ONE (36:33). There’s serious ‘80s regression during this section, kids. Thanks to our patrons! Some exclusive audio from this episode will be out by Saturday!

Hey gang! It’s a big week on Spoilerpiece! Before our awesome theme music kicks in, Evan, Kris, and Dave have a big announcement about the new Spoilerpiece Patreon! (Cue music…) But before launching into this week’s flicks, Dave asks that you please please PRETTY GODDAMN PLEASE go to his Twitter page and vote for “Chronological Coens” or “Chronological Cronenberg” (3:37). And yes, that means he’ll watch the Coen brothers’ movies from BLOOD SIMPLE to HAIL CAESAR! or STEREO to MAPS OF THE STARS, depending on which you choose, dear listeners. Poll closes at roughly 5 p.m. ET Friday, March 23, 2018. As for the big movies this week, it’s Steven Soderbergh’s UNSANE (9:38), which Kris and Dave more or less agree on with one important difference. Then everyone talks PACIFIC RIM UPRISING (35:03), the next chapter in the PACIFIC RIM series. Plus, Kris and Evan talk a little bit about the upcoming Boston Underground Film Festival (31:06)! Stay tuned after the closing music for (very) brief silliness.