Spoilerpiece Theatre

Happy 6th Birthday Spoilerpiece! We celebrate by discussing sexy Abraham Lincoln before the movies this week. First, Megan and Evan reveal why neither could finish the twisted, brutal film THE PAINTED BIRD (3:39). Next, they dissect Shudder's Norwegian horror flick LAKE OF DEATH (9:16). Then they share their differing opinions about the queer Netflix action movie (based on the comics) about immortals, starring Charlize Theron and KiKi Layne, THE OLD GUARD (19:00). Finally, everyone reviews the Andy Samberg / Cristin Milioti rom-com PALM SPRINGS (42:07), which they all very much enjoyed.

This week it's Junkfoodpiece Theatre and who sucks before Megan excitedly reviews HAMILTON (2:55), a terrific filmed version of the musical.  Then Evan and Megan explore WE ARE LITTLE ZOMBIES (10:17), an in-your-face Japanese film that swings for the fences with mixed success. Next, everyone digs into THE BEACH HOUSE (21:05), an eco-horror flick with solid body horror that very much divides our hosts. Lastly, they all review RELIC (35:29) a movie with compelling physical and metaphorical horror.

We have Michael McDonald on the brain before Evan briefly reviews EUROVISION SONG CONTEST: THE STORY OF FIRE SAGA (3:10), a bloated comedy with fun music, but terrible jokes. Then Megan covers MUCHO MUCHO AMOR (10:13), a moving documentary about the genderbending astrologer Walter Mercado. Next, she and Evan tackle THE TRUTH (21:15), Hirokazu Koreeda's layered French drama with Catherine Deneuve. Lastly, everyone reviews HOMEWRECKER (34:32), a horror flick with good ideas that fails to capitalize on them.

This week we stop briefly in Vegantown before Megan offers two quick reviews. First, MY SPY (2:32), a mediocre, but charming movie, and then IRRESISTIBLE (7:17), a disappointing Jon Stewart film. Next, Megan and Dave cover YOU SHOULD HAVE LEFT (13:20), a terrible Kevin Bacon/Amanda Seyfried horror flick. Then, everyone applauds MISS JUNETEENTH (23:06), a heartwarming drama about a Black beauty pageant. Lastly, they praise DISCLOSURE (37:40), an incredible documentary on transgender representation in media. 

This week we discuss Lance Reddick on THE WIRE before we review movies. We start with 7500 (3:01), a tense plane hijacking film with Joseph Gordon-Levitt that sadly runs out of steam partway through. Then we discuss BABYTEETH (11:11), a divisive drama about a family grappling with a teenager's terminal illness. Next, we delve deep into Spike Lee's film DA 5 BLOODS (30:00), an ambitious and haunting story about Black Vietnam War veterans with A LOT to unpack. On our Patreon bonus episode, we discuss Dee Rees' PARIAH.

This week it’s a Bohemian Rootbeersity before the movies. To continue amplifying Black voices in film, we start by discussing PREMATURE (3:01), a recent compelling Harlem-set coming-of-age picture. Then we talk about THE SURROGATE (24:45), a challenging movie about a surrogate for her gay best friends who faces some thorny decisions. Lastly, we review THE KING OF STATEN ISLAND (49:30), Judd Apatow’s latest comedy, starring Pete Davidson in a very autobiographical story. On our Patreon bonus episode, we discuss Horace Jenkins' CANE RIVER.

Because we support Black Lives Matter, and we believe in amplifying Black voices, we open our show this week by discussing Coolidge Corner Theatre's anti-racist film list (5:44) and offering our own racial justice film recommendations. Then we talk about the brutally violent, wildly entertaining movie, BECKY (20:06), where Lulu Wilson fights a neo-Nazi played by Kevin James. Next, we cover the beautiful, psychological film SHIRLEY (39:33), where Elisabeth Moss plays a fictionalized version of writer Shirley Jackson. In our Patreon bonus audio, we review Takashi Miike's DEAD OR ALIVE, which caused one of us to turn it off after just 15 minutes.

This week we discuss obnoxious drink orders before we delve into our three movies. First, is the disappointing Netflix romcom/murder mystery THE LOVEBIRDS (2:31), which squanders Issa Rae and Kumail Nanjiani’s chemistry. Next is the entertaining dark comedy LUCKY GRANDMA (16:49), about a hilarious chain-smoking Chinese grandma (Tsai Chin). Then, we cover the sprawling Dakota Johnson/Tracee Ellis Ross music industry drama, THE HIGH NOTE (33:56), which divides our co-hosts. Over on our Patreon exclusive audio we review Justin Lin’s BETTER LUCK TOMORROW in honor of Asian and Pacific Islander American Heritage Month. Both our main episode and Patreon segment were edited by Otto Klammer.

This week is Cerealpiece Theatre before we talk about movies! First up is MILITARY WIVES (5:15), a cozy, yet predictable film about sparring military spouses (Kristin Scott Thomas and Sharon Horgan) trying to manage a choir when their husbands are deployed. Next is THE PAINTER AND THE THIEF (18:47), a moving documentary about a painter and a thief's fascinating relationship. Then, it's THE TRIP TO GREECE (38:40), the funny, but somber final film in The TRIP series with Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon. On our Patreon bonus episode we discuss the winner of our tearjerker poll: DEAD POETS SOCIETY.

Stay-at-home-piece Theatre opens this week with Megan and Evan discussing the Indigenous zombie flick BLOOD QUANTUM (2:42), which has satisfying, gore-filled action scenes. Next, everyone covers CIRCUS OF BOOKS (17:44), a slightly scattered, yet compelling documentary about a nice Jewish couple that ran a gay porn store. Lastly, they dissect THE VAST OF NIGHT (39:39), a sci-fi film that pays homage to THE TWILIGHT ZONE with very different degrees of success depending on which co-host you ask.

Another week housebound, another week streaming! First up it’s HOW TO BUILD A GIRL (3:05), the Beanie Feldstein-starring coming-of-age tale about a young woman who’s trying to find herself amid shady parents, asshole colleagues, and her own bad decisions. Then it’s SPACESHIP EARTH (23:20) a documentary that is NOT about EPCOT Center or Buckminster Fuller (or Steve Bannon, though he makes an appearance), but about the are-they-wackos who designed and lived in Biosphere 2. Finally, it’s more coming-of-age with Alice Wu’s THE HALF OF IT (41:34)! This movie stands out for its Cyrano-de-Bergerac-with-a-queer-twist plot that met with three different opinions from Evan, Megan, and Dave. Over on Patreon, we talk about REC, the 2007 horror movie that feels waaaaaaay too timely.

Megan leads off this week's show with the beautifully made, but bleak post-war film BEANPOLE (3:50). Then she and Evan review the intriguing yet problematic Hugh Jackman/Allison Janney-led HBO picture BAD EDUCATION (17:15). Next, everyone covers DEERSKIN (34:35), a crazy French film with subtext that may or may not be intentional. Finally, they all discuss The WRETCHED (48:00), a horror movie that's strongest when it focuses on its creature and mythology.

This week on StreamingPiece Theatre, we have three very different movies. First, Megan tells Evan and Dave about TRUE HISTORY OF THE KELLY GANG (3:36), yet another movie about 19th century Australian outlaw Ned Kelly. Then everyone saw THE WHISTLERS (21:16) and SEA FEVER (which, by the way, has many parallels to the current pandemic) (29:35). Which one was everyone on board with? And which one did everyone wish they hadn’t seen? All will be revealed! And this week over on our Patreon we talk about MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - GHOST PROTOCOL.

This week on Social Distancing-piece Theatre Megan leads off with AND THEN WE DANCED (3:55), a moving tale of gay romance in Georgia (the country, not the state). Then she covers SELAH AND THE SPADES (15:58), a poignant, yet stylized high school flick about a gang leader and her crew. After that everyone reviews the abominable Netflix romcom LOVE WEDDING REPEAT (30:40). Lastly, they all discuss TIGERTAIL (42:25), the Netflix drama about love, loss, and The American Dream.

It’s episode 300 on Spoilerpiece this week! And it’s a wacky week: The coronavirus pandemic continues to turn American and international life into something almost unrecognizable. With that in mind, we’re still social distancing and going through the streaming services to find the good stuff. And we have a special guest! Shauna Harris, an attorney (and Evan’s co-host in life), joins the gang this week. The first movie on the docket is THE OTHER LAMB (4:47), a story about an all-female cult and the lone man who leads it. Next is the entirely different (from THE OTHER LAMB) SAINT FRANCES (15:21), a comedy/drama about a woman who lands a job nannying the Frances of the title. NEVER RARELY SOMETIMES ALWAYS (33:48), a movie that will likely end up on some top ten lists, depicts a young woman forced to travel to New York to seek an abortion. And lastly, everyone watched Netflix’s HOW TO FIX A DRUG SCANDAL (46:40). The multi-episode limited series depicts the aforementioned scandal, which took place right here in Ma

We're still social distancing, but we've got tons of streaming titles to discuss. First, Evan delves into the salacious Netflix docuseries TIGER KING (4:20). Next, Megan covers BACURAU (15:00), a Brazilian film that sounds bonkers, in a good way. Then Evan reviews RESISTANCE (26:10), the Jesse Eisenberg film about Marcel Marceau. After that Megan and Dave tackle Ellen Page's doc THERE'S SOMETHING IN THE WATER (33:35). Everyone wraps with UNCORKED (46:40), a delightful drama about an aspiring sommelier.  

Welcome back to Coronapiece Theatre, everyone! Megan, Evan, and Dave are still sheltering in place so it's more streaming flicks! And there are lots of flicks to stream. This week the gang talks JEZEBEL (2:58), a story about - among other things - sex work; BLOOD ON HER NAME (10:35), a tale of what NOT to do when you're committing murder; CONTAGION (19:45), Steven Soderbergh's way-too-prescient bio-horror procedural about a virus that wipes out a whole lotta people; and THE PLATFORM (40:45), one of the most popular movies on Netflix this week. Does this prison flick deserve its place among the popular? The opinions vary! And on our Patreon exclusive, we talk EVE'S BAYOU, director Kasi Lemmons' debut feature.

It’s an odd week at Spoilerpiece. We all recorded remotely because we, in the spirit of being decent human beings, are practicing social distancing. (If you’re listening to this at a different time in history, the coronavirus pandemic exploded in the last week.) As you probably know, many movie releases have been pushed to as-yet-undetermined dates, and that means critics’ screenings are canceled. So this week, and for the foreseeable future, we’re focusing on streaming movies. First is LOST GIRLS (2:41), a good, if heartbreaking, story about a mother (Amy Ryan) trying to find out what happened to her disappeared daughter. Then it’s BLOW THE MAN DOWN (21:22), a noir-flavored drama (with occasionally singing, though this is not a musical) about two sisters who find themselves up to their eyeballs in murder and trouble in a tiny Maine town. On our Patreon this week we talk about Choose Your Own Adventure books and of course we yap about lots of different movies. Stay safe everyone. 

Dave is back this week from his horse vacation! Is he rested? Neigh. First on the docket this week is EMMA. (4:16), director Autumn de Wilde’s take on Jane Austen's classic novel starring Anya Taylor-Joy. Next is SWALLOW (19:04), a movie that defies simple explanation but will definitely linger in your mind for a long time after you see it. Then THE HUNT (39:33) is finally out! Is it crummy? Or good? Or somewhere in between? Your questions will be answered! And over on Patreon this week, we talk John Carpenter’s ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK in the exclusive audio segment.

Dave's on vaca one last week, so Kristen Halbert fills in to discuss a panel about video game to film adaptations (4:05) that she and Evan attended at PAX East. After they explore ideas for future adaptations, Megan reviews the new Pixar film ONWARD (21:23), a heartwarming family tale. Next she and Evan discuss THE LODGE (29:30), a creepy horror flick they're split on. Finally, everyone digs into THE WAY BACK (47:35), a Ben Affleck film about addiction that leaves one host feeling less than enthusiastic.