Spoilerpiece Theatre

Ever wondered what's it's like to have freedom of the press stripped from a nation? Wonder no more! BAD PRESS (2:42) follows the struggles of Angel Ellis, a no-bullshit reporter for Mvskoke Media, as she contends with the Muscogee Nation's legislative branch stripping away freedom of the press and essentially kneecapping her and her fellow reporters. It's a terrific nailbiter of a documentary. And Megan graciously indulges Dave as he climbs on his pro-reporter soapbox! Then, after much hype and brouhaha, FIVE NIGHTS AT FREDDY'S (29:22) is finally upon us, and Megan and Dave saw it! Does FNaF succumb to Curse of the Video Game Adaptation Syndrome (TM)? Or is it worth your time? And on our Patreon, our patrons voted for us to watch GINGER SNAPS, the 2000 horror flick about sisters attached at the hip and the wedge a werewolf bite drives between them. Happy Halloween!

This week we watched two movies. (Correction: Megan watched two movies and Dave watched one movie and then went to Montreal.) One of those movies is really liked, and one is...not. GUESS WHICH IS WHICH! (No peeking.) We kick things off with KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON (2:33), Martin Scorsese's latest I'm-gonna-make-longer-movies-now-that-I'm-older-fuck-it release, and continue with KILLHER (22:05), a slasher movie that's aware that it's a slasher movie. Please don't forget to check out our Patreon, in which we talk about the 1984 film 2010: The Year We Make Contact. That's available for $5/month Patreons (and above), and it's a great conversation (and there are 400-ish other great conversations to listen to, too!). Take a listen!

It's a banner of an episode on Spoilerpiece this week. Megan and Dave agree on not one, but TWO movies! Christmas comes twice a year, baby! After a little pre-movie yappin', they get into NO ONE WILL SAVE YOU (2:46), Brian Duffield's sci-fi horror film starring Kaitlyn Dever, about the long-term fallouts of personal trauma masquerading as an alien invasion flick. Then it's THE ROYAL HOTEL (28:43), Kitty Green's latest Julia Garner-led movie. This time around, Garner and co-star Jessica Henwick, American tourists, end up working in Australia's most remote and most misogynist bar (a guess, but seems on-target) in this psychological thriller. If you're a patron, please head over to the  Patreon and listen to this week's bonus episode on WHEN A STRANGER CALLS, the winner of our home invasion poll. G'day!

Megan and Dave are back to talk about two new horror movies. First, we review WHEN EVIL LURKS (4:19), a brutal possession film by Argentinian filmmaker Demián Rugna that showcases children attacked by dogs, bodies festering with unexplained evil, and children who literally eat their parents. It's a big, wide, wonderful world we live in! The second film is TOTALLY KILLER (27:01), Nahnatchkha Khan's delightful sci-fi horror movie rooted in comedy that still has lots of blood. And it's a time travel movie, too! Starring Kiernan Shipka, Olivia Holt, and Julie Bowen, a teen travels back to the 80s to team up with her mom to stop a serial killer. And be sure to check out our Patreon to hear us talk about Spike Jonze's 2013 human/OS romance HER, starring Joaquin Phoenix and Scarlett Johansson.

Megan returns! This week she and Dave talk about NIGHTMARE (13:18), Kjersti Helen Rasmussen's Norwegian horror film about a demon that lurks in dreams and tries to get itself birthed into the real world. They also talk about the much ballyhooed FAIR PLAY (30:04), Chloe Domont's sharp and complex erotic thriller about a seemingly happy couple (Phoebe Dynevor, Alden Ehrenreich) working for a hedge fund who get thrown a curveball when one of them becomes the other's boss. But before all that, Dave fills Megan in PAW PATROL: THE MIGHTY MOVIE (4:02). That's right! Dave managed to see another big-screen adaptation of his least favorite animated kids' show ever. And over on Patreon, Megan and Dave talk about David Lynch's first two films, ERASERHEAD and THE ELEPHANT MAN.

Dave is once again without his co-hosts, so Jason from Binge Movies sits in! It's a delight to have him, and he and Dave take a battering ram to DARK ASSET (2:18), action-thriller (?) with a million problems and zero solutions. We on Spoilerpiece don't go out of our way to tear a movie to pieces (honest!), but sometimes we're left no choice. Following that, they talk about FLORA AND SON (30:37), writer-director John Carney's latest musical-that's-not-a-musical, starring Eve Hewson, Jack Reynor, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Does the SING STREET/ONCE creator get it right again? In this week's Patreon exclusive audio, we talk abouut Mike Nichols's restrained foray into romantic horror, the very 1994 WOLF starring Jack Nicholson, Michelle Pfeiffer, and James Spader. It's a fun conversation about a bizarro movie.

  With Megan and Evan off this week, Dave is joined by ScreenRun's The Lady-Wan! On ScreenRun, Wan and her co-host Chris Scalzo tackle the films of a particular artist or franchise. This season ScreenRun ran through (ha) the films of John Carpenter, so in that spirit, Wan and Dave take a deep dive into JOHN CARPENTER'S VAMPIRES (1:45), and it ain't pretty (but it is fun). Next they get to a new release: ELEVATOR GAME (17:43), in which a bunch of kinda dumb teens play a game that lands them in The Red World, or gets them torn to shreds by "The Fifth-Floor Woman," or both. It's a movie with an intriguing premise, ideas that don't go anywhere, and a whole lotta blood and guts. And in this week's Patreon exclusive audio, Dave and Wan talk about Michael Mann's 2004 film COLLATERAL, starring Tom Cruise's frosted hair and Jamie Foxx.

It's family/tearjerker week at Spoilerpiece! Evan is off, so Megan and Dave tackle the Adam Sandler family comedy (meaning it's a family comedy and it stars Sandler's family) YOU ARE SO NOT INVITED TO MY BAT MITZVAH (5:24). This movie has everything: Petty gripes, snipes, and pipes. (It doesn't have pipes; Dave just wanted to rhyme. -Ed.) And it features a whole lot of tween/teen angst. (One of us liked it more than the other.) Then at 28:44, the dynamic duo (TM) settles into SITTING IN BARS WITH CAKE, which is exactly what it sounds like, until it turns into a pretty serious drama about two lifelong best friends dealing with one's cancer diagnosis. And patrons! Don't forget to check out this week's exclusive Patreon audio in which Dave and Megan talk about the 1979 nuclear disaster thriller THE CHINA SYNDROME, starring Jane Fonda, Jack Lemmon, and Michael Douglas. It's a fun talk about a great movie. Quick LinksGet Embed PlayerShare on SocialDownload Audio File  

Megan and Dave start the show this week reviewing Jennifer Reeder's stylized feminist horror film PERPETRATOR (2:50), which follows a teen (Kiah McKirnan) with unusual powers pursuing a villain abducting girls at her school. Next, we all cover Ellie Foumbi's excellent thorny thriller OUR FATHER, THE DEVIL (21:18), about a Guinean refugee (Babetida Sadjo) living in France whose life is turned upside down by the arrival of a charismatic Catholic priest (Souleyman Sy Savane), whom she recognizes as the warlord who slaughtered her family. And in this week's Patreon exclusive audio, we talk about a Patron's request: the 1986 animated cult classic TRANSFORMERS: THE MOVIE!

Megan starts this week's show with a quick review of Angel Manuel Soto's entertaining Latinx superhero film BLUE BEETLE (3:22). Next, she and Dave discuss Charlotte Regan's well-acted drama SCRAPPER (14:47), which follows a 12-year-old girl who connects with her estranged father. Then, we all cover Cory Finley's grim sci-fi satire LANDSCAPE WITH INVISIBLE HAND (26:54), which involves teens (Asante Blackk and Kylie Rogers) who decide to broadcast their courtship for an extraterrestrial audience, but also a lot more. In this week's Patreon exclusive audio, we talk about the winner of our alien poll, Robert Wise's 1951 sci-fi film THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL! 

This week we start by reviewing Dane Elcar's compelling sci-fi horror film BRIGHTWOOD (2:23), which follows a troubled couple (Dana Berger and Max Woertendyke) who become trapped in the woods while they're out for a run. Next, we cover Stewart Thorndike's frustrating horror movie BAD THINGS (24:19), which follows a group of friends (Gayle Rankin, Hari Nef, Annabelle Dexter-Jones, and Rad Pereira) who spend a chaotic weekend at the hotel one of them has inherited. And in this week's Patreon exclusive audio, in honor of the late William Friedkin, we talk about his 1977 thriller SORCERER starring Roy Scheider, Bruno Cremer, and Francisco Rabal.

This week we start by reviewing Aaron Horvath, Michael Jelenic, and Pierre Leduc's animated movie, THE SUPER MARIO BROS. MOVIE (1:55), which adapts the popular videogame franchise for the big screen with an all-star cast. Now streaming on Peacock, this one has us pretty divided. Next, we discuss Jared Moshe's sci-fi film APORIA (22:09), which follows Sophie (Judy Greer), a wife and mother grieving the loss of her husband (Edi Gathegi). Sophie learns about a time-bending machine created by a physicist friend (Payman Maadi) that could restore her former life but using it involves an impossible choice with unforeseen consequences. This is another film that has us divided. And in this week's Patreon exclusive audio, in honor of the late Paul Reubens, we talk about a non-Pee-wee Herman movie with him, Fran Rubel Kuzui's 1992 action comedy BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, starring Kristy Swanson and Luke Perry. 

This week we have reviews of SHORTCOMINGS AND WHAT COMES AROUND! We start by talking about Amy Redford's not-so-thrilling thriller WHAT COMES AROUND (1:56), a story about a teenager (Grace Van Dien) who starts dating a much older man (Kyle Gallner) with a disturbing connection to her mother (Summer Phoenix). Then we discuss Randall Park's directorial debut SHORTCOMINGS (23:00), based on a graphic novel by Adrian Tomine. The film follows Ben (Justin H. Min), a deeply unlikable twentysomething from the Bay Area, as he grumpily navigates interpersonal relationships with his friend Alice (Sherry Cola) and girlfriend Miko (Ally Maki). And in this week's Patreon exclusive audio, we talk about Robert Rodriguez's 1996 action horror comedy FROM DUSK TILL DAWN starring George Clooney, Juliette Lewis, Harvey Keitel, and Quentin Tarantino! 

This week it's all about Indigenous films at Spoilerpiece Theatre. But before we delve into them, Evan pays tribute to his friend, teacher, and writing partner, Dr. Bryan Krull, who passed away very suddenly. He describes how they met, became friends, and decided to team up to write Your '80s Movie Guide to Better Living, as he expresses his gratitude for their friendship over the years. Moving on to the week's films, we start by reviewing Gina Gammell and Riley Keough's emotionally challenging Indigenous drama WAR PONY (3:50), which follows two young Oglala Lakota men growing up on the Pine Ridge Reservation. Next, we discuss Morrisa Maltz's tender narrative/documentary hybrid, THE UNKNOWN COUNTRY (26:36), starring co-writer Lily Gladstone as a young woman grieving her grandmother as she travels through the American Midwest and makes her way down to Texas. And in this week's Patreon exclusive audio, we talk about the winner of our directors' first film poll, Céline Sciamma's 2007 queer romance/coming-of-age

Dave is off this week, so we (Megan and Evan) tackle the show as a duo. Megan opens by reviewing Greta Gerwig's vibrant, sharp, and funny film BARBIE (2:32), in which the iconic doll (Margot Robbie) suffers an existential crisis that causes her to question her influence on the world. Next, we both talk about Molly Gordon and Nick Lieberman's musical mockumentary THEATER CAMP (20:37), which follows the eccentric staff (Gordon, Ben Platt, and Noah Galvin) of a musical theater camp in upstate New York who must team up with the founder's bro-y son (Jimmy Tatro) to save the camp from financial ruin. And in this week's Patreon exclusive audio, we discuss a Patron's choice: the 1982 John Milius sword and sorcery epic CONAN THE BARBARIAN, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and James Earl Jones! 

This week we start off by reviewing Christopher McQuarrie's Tom Cruise action vehicle MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - DEAD RECKONING PART ONE (2:45). As with all MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE movies, this one brings amazing action and death-defying stunts, but is the story worthy of being told in two parts and is there an actual dead reckoning? You'll just have to listen and find out. Next, we cover the Michel Hazanavicius horror comedy FINAL CUT (28:08), a French remake of the Japanese film ONE CUT OF THE DEAD. None of us at seen the original, but two of us are fans of this version, and one of us very much isn't. And in this week's Patreon exclusive audio, we review Gus Van Sant's 1991 queer drama MY OWN PRIVATE IDAHO starring River Phoenix and Keanu Reeves! 

We start this week by reviewing Mel Eslyn's post-apocalyptic dramedy BIOSPHERE (2:01), which stars Sterling K. Brown and Mark Duplass (who also co-writes) as the last two men on Earth, who learn that they must adapt, quite literally, to save humanity. It has great performances and surprising themes, but we don't all agree on how well it tackles those themes. Next, we cover Alice Troughton's thriller, THE LESSON (25:10), which stars Daryl McCormack as a young writer who tutors the son of a famous author (Richard E. Grant) and discovers a dark web of family secrets. We agree that the film's acting is top-notch, but for two of us, it isn't thrilling or surprising in any way. And in this week's Patreon exclusive audio, we talk about Nicholas D. Johnson and Will Merrick's technological thriller MISSING, a follow-up to 2018's SEARCHING (which we discussed as our AAPI Heritage Month poll winner on a recent Patreon bonus episode! 

This week we start off by reviewing Nick Bruno and Troy Quane's entertaining and moving animated sci-fi action film NIMONA (1:50). The movie, which is based on a graphic novel by ND Stevenson, follows a futuristic knight (Riz Ahmed) and a mischievous shapeshifting teen (Chloe Grace Moretz) who team up to clear the knight's name after he's framed for a crime he didn't commit. Next, we cover Julie Cohen's captivating and heartbreaking documentary EVERY BODY (25:22), which chronicles the lives of three intersex individuals who overcame shame, secrecy, and unauthorized surgery to share their stories and advocate for other intersex people around the world. And in this week's Patreon exclusive audio, we talk about the winner of our Pride Month poll, Stephan Elliott's 1994 queer road trip film THE ADVENTURES OF PRISCILLA, QUEEN OF THE DESERT! 

We start the show this week by reviewing David Gelb's documentary STAN LEE (3:55), which chronicles the life and mythos of Marvel's Stan Lee but makes some truly bizarre storytelling choices that paint a sanitized, incomplete portrait of his life. Next, we discuss Numa Perrier's vibrant Netflix rom-com THE PERFECT FIND (25:19), where Gabrielle Union plays a woman trying to start a new chapter in her career only to be thrown for a loop when she falls for her boss's (Gina Torres) son (Keith Powers). The leads have great chemistry, there is some funny dialogue and amazing production and costume design, but we all agree that the film struggles a little in the last act. In this week's Patreon exclusive audio, we talk about Steven Spielberg's 1993 film JURASSIC PARK in honor of its recent 30th anniversary! 

Friend of the show Kristen Halbert from Forces of Geek returns this week! First, Evan, Megan, and Dave review the gross and glacially-paced Vasilis Katsoupis film INSIDE (3:28), which stars Willem Dafoe as an art thief who gets trapped inside a high-tech Manhattan penthouse and struggles to maintain his sanity as he fights to survive. Next, Kristen, Megan, and Dave cover THE BLACKENING (20:37), a horror comedy Kristen has been wanting to discuss with us for months. We delve into this predictable, yet very funny film, and Kristen explains why it resonated for her even more as a Black viewer. It's a rollicking conversation, we hope you enjoy it! And in this week's Patreon exclusive audio, we talk about the 1992 Allison Anders indie drama GAS FOOD LODGING, starring Fairuza Balk, Ione Skye, and Brooke Adams!