Spoilerpiece Theatre

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! 

This week, we discuss DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: HONOR AMONG THIEVES (1:58), Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley's delightful and fun fantasy heist action-comedy based on the iconic role-playing game, starring Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez, Regé-Jean Page, Justice Smith, Sophia Lillis, and Hugh Grant. Then, we review Eva Longoria's FLAMIN' HOT (25:07), a biographical comedy-drama starring Jesse Garcia as Richard Montañez, who claimed to invent Flamin' Hot Cheetos. It's a trite film, but we appreciate the Mexican-American representation. And on this week's Patreon exclusive audio, we cover James Wan's 2013 supernatural horror film THE CONJURING!

On this week's show we have one movie to talk about but boy is it a big one! We're reviewing SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE (1:44)! We have a couple more critiques than we did of the previous film in the franchise, but we have a lot to say about this excellent sequel from its styles of animation to its editing, pacing, score, new characters, and more. Plus, Evan shares a very special reason why the movie hit him in a way he wasn't expecting. Of course, in this week's Patreon exclusive audio, we're talking about SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE, since we've somehow never discussed it on a main episode! 

Megan kicks off this week's show by offering her thoughts on Disney's new live-action adaptation of THE LITTLE MERMAID (2:18), which features a fantastic performance and amazing vocals from lead Halle Bailey. Next, we all discuss Kurtis David Harder's smart and entertaining horror movie INFLUENCER (9:50), which subverts expectations in a number of ways with its tale about a social media influencer (Emily Tennant) who makes a dangerous new friend (Cassandra Naud) while traveling in Thailand. After that, we cover Alexander Jefferey's indie rom-com DAYS OF DAISY (26:52), which has us pretty divided about its story of a 39-year-old librarian's (Jency Griffin Hogan) quest to find the right guy to start a family with. And in this week's Patreon exclusive audio, we talk about the winner of our AAPI Heritage Month poll, Aneesh Chaganty's 2018 thriller SEARCHING starring John Cho and Debra Messing! 

Evan is off this week, so Dave and Megan review CONSECRATION (3:18), Cristopher Smith's disappointing supernatural horror film, starring Jena Malone who investigates her brother's death at a convent. Then we discuss Laurel Parmet's excellent nuanced drama THE STARLING GIRL (24:42), starring Eliza Scanlen as a 17-year-old in a fundamentalist Christian community dealing with her faith when she falls for the youth pastor (Lewis Pullman). And on this week's Patreon exclusive audio, since FAST X opens in theaters, we talk about Justin Lin's FAST FIVE (2011), starring Vin Diesel and Paul Walker!

This week we start by reviewing Matt Johnson's tech bro dramedy BLACKBERRY (2:27), which stars Glenn Howerton, Jay Baruchel, and Johnson himself, and chronicles the meteoric rise and fall of the famous BlackBerry smartphone. Next, we cover Niki Caro's Netflix action film THE MOTHER (29:37), which stars Jennifer Lopez as a sniper and former arms dealer who comes out of hiding to protect her daughter from her ex-business associates (Gael Garcia Bernal and Joseph Fiennes) who are seeking revenge on her. And in our Patreon exclusive audio, we talk about Martin Scorsese's MEAN STREETS in honor of its 50th anniversary this year!  

Evan starts this week by plugging his appearance on a long-time friend's podcast Seeing Read with Jim and Kelly, the show that answers the age-old millennial question: Was the book really better than the movie? He had a really fun time with them comparing M. Night Shyamalan's KNOCK AT THE CABIN to the book CABIN AT THE END OF THE WORLD! Evan and Megan then talk about Sarah Watts and Mark Slutsky's moving queer drama YOU CAN LIVE FOREVER (2:44), about a lesbian teen (Anwen O'Driscoll) who goes to live with her Jehovah's Witness relatives and falls hard for a member of the community (June Laporte). Next, Dave and Megan discuss the emotionally intense GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 3 (18:39), James Gunn's final film in his Marvel trilogy about the ragtag group of galaxy defenders. And in this week's Patreon exclusive audio, we cover a Patron's choice: Andy Tennant's 1998 fairy tale EVER AFTER: A CINDERELLA STORY, starring Drew Barrymore and Dougray Scott! 

Dave is back! But before we jump into this week's movies, he offers his own very different take on EVIL DEAD RISE (2:37)! Megan kicks off our reviews of new films with her thoughts on Nida Manzoor's delightful feminist action comedy POLITE SOCIETY (9:48). Then we all discuss Davina Pardo and Leah Wolchok's timely and vital documentary JUDY BLUME FOREVER (15:17), which delves into the life and work of the trailblazing author Judy Blume through interviews with Blume herself and other YA authors influenced by her. We wrap up with Jalmari Helander's over-the-top Finnish action film SISU (33:43), which is about an ex-soldier in the waning days of WWII who engages in a bloody battle with Nazis who try to steal his gold. And in this week's Patreon exclusive audio, we talk about the winner of our Michelle Yeoh movie poll, Ang Lee's 2000 action epic CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON! 

Dave is on vacation this week, so Evan and Megan review this week's movies as a duo! We start off with Ari Aster's latest film BEAU IS AFRAID (2:56), which follows an anxiety-ridden man (Joaquin Phoenix) confronting an escalating series of terrifying situations as he embarks on a Kaufmanesque odyssey home to his mother. We have a LOT to say about this problematic, three-hour, envelope-pushing movie and almost none of it is positive. Next, we cover Lee Cronin's EVIL DEAD RISE (33:45), the newest entry in the EVIL DEAD franchise, which pits two estranged sisters against the famous flesh-possessing Deaddites. We have a LOT to say about this movie too, but almost all of it is positive! And in this week's Patreon exclusive audio, in honor of the latest EVIL DEAD movie, we discuss Sam Raimi's 1992 entry in the franchise, ARMY OF DARKNESS, starring Bruce Campbell! 

This week we're reviewing MAFIA MAMMA and SHOWING UP! We start by discussing Kelly Reichardt's dramedy SHOWING UP (3:22), which stars Michelle Williams as a sculptor trying to pursue her artistic work while contending with the struggles of daily life. Next, we cover Catherine Hardwicke's comedy MAFIA MAMMA (27:42), which stars Toni Collette as an American woman who inherits her grandfather's mafia empire in Italy and has to decide how she wants to run her crime family. And in this week's Patreon exclusive audio, in honor of its upcoming Amazon Prime Video adaptation, we're talking about David Cronenberg's 1988 thriller/horror film DEAD RINGERS starring Jeremy Irons! 

We start the show this week by reviewing Saim Sadiq's heartbreaking Pakistani drama JOYLAND (2:58), which is about a man (Ali Junejo) from a patriarchal family who becomes a backup dancer at a burlesque club and falls for the strong-willed trans woman (Alina Khan) who runs the show. Next, we cover Daniel Goldhaber's tense environmental thriller HOW TO BLOW UP A PIPELINE (30:56), which follows a crew of environmental activists who execute a daring plan to disrupt an oil pipeline. And in this week's Patreon exclusive audio, in honor of its 30th anniversary, we talk about the 1993 sci-fi action film DEMOLITION MAN, starring Sylvester Stallone, Wesley Snipes, and Sandra Bullock! 

Megan is off this week, so Evan and Dave hit the mics to talk TETRIS, the surprisingly tense spy thriller (question mark?) about the fraught negotiations between the Soviet government, Nintendo, a couple crooked English billionaires, and Henk Rogers, a coder-turned-game-inventer-turned-game-company-founder. And yes, the KGB gets involved. Over on Patreon, Evan and Dave disagree about Brian De Palma's 1981 thriller BLOW OUT (indebted enormously to Hitchcock and Antonioni), and starring John Travolta and Nancy Allen.