This week, Morgan and Gavia finally tackle Todd Phillips' gritty comic book origin story Joker, starring Joaquin Phoenix as disaffected loner-turned-criminal Arthur Fleck. They discuss the film's relationship to Batman comics and Martin Scorsese films, critique its perturbing treatment of race and mental health issues, and break down Phoenix's much-discussed performance.
Read MoreThis week, Morgan and Gavia discuss the second installment of Philip Pullman's follow-up trilogy to His Dark Materials, The Secret Commonwealth, which finds Lyra Silvertongue studying at Oxford as a young adult. They discuss the novel's relationship to the earlier books, Pullman's new ideas about daemons, and second-book-in-a-trilogy problems.
Read MoreThis week, Gavia and Morgan dive into the wild world of The Lighthouse, Robert Eggers' surreal follow-up to The Witch (2015). They break down the film's bold stylistic choices, Eggers' approach to historical accuracy, and wild central performances from Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson.
Read MoreIn the second installment of their film festival coverage, Gavia and Morgan discuss more highlights from this year's New York and London Film Festivals, including Céline Sciamma's historical lesbian romance Portrait of a Lady on Fire, Martin Scorsese's gangster epic The Irishman, Armando Iannucci's adaptation of David Copperfield, and more.
Read MoreIn the first installment of their film festival recap, Gavia and Morgan discuss some of the biggest films at the New York and London Film Festivals this year, including Noah Baumbach's divorce drama Marriage Story, Pedro Almodóvar's autobiographical Pain and Glory, the Judy Garland biopic Judy, and more.
Read MoreThis week, Morgan and Gavia dive into the best show on television, HBO's Succession. They break down the ethically bankrupt Roy family, discuss the show's treatment of current events and the media, and heap praise upon the show's remarkable ensemble.
Read MoreThis week, Morgan and Gavia dive into James Gray's space epic Ad Astra, starring Brad Pitt and Tommy Lee Jones. They break down the film's many cinematic influences, discuss the effects of studio interference, and praise its depiction of toxic masculinity.
Read MoreThis week, Morgan and Gavia discuss September's break-out hit film Hustlers. Topics include the movie's central romance and refreshing depiction of strippers, its vivid evocation of New York c. 2008, and that Jennifer Lopez performance.
Read MoreThis week, Gavia and Morgan dive into the Wachwoski's underappreciated, instant cult classic Jupiter Ascending. They discuss the film's extraordinary production and costume design, its fairy tale tropes, its initial critical drubbing, and why it may just feature Eddie Redmayne's best performance yet.
Read MoreThis week, Gavia and Morgan discuss the mostly hotly anticipated horror movie of the year, IT Chapter Two. They compare it to the superior It (2017), lament its long run time, and try to figure out where it all went wrong.
Read MoreThis week, Morgan and Gavia break down the 2012 film adaptation of the hit Broadway musical Rock of Ages. They compare the film to other jukebox musicals, assess its box office performance, and — most importantly — discuss what the hell is going on with Tom Cruise.
Read MoreThis week, Morgan and Gavia cap off the podcast's summer book club with a discussion of Elizabeth Gaskell's Victorian romance North and South. They compare the novel to other nineteenth century marriage novels and evaluate its depiction of the industrial revolution and overwrought male emotions.
Read MoreThis week, Gavia and Morgan discuss Jennifer Kent's cult horror film The Babadook (2014). They consider the merits of watching horror at the cinema and at home, compare this film's family drama structure to "Hereditary," and explain the origin of one of the internet's most inexplicable memes.
Read MoreThis week, Morgan and Gavia travel back to 1999 once again to dive into the Wachowskis' iconic blockbuster The Matrix. They discuss the film's connection to other cyberpunk films, how it has been reinterpreted over time, Keanu Reeves' starpower, and more.
Read MoreThis week, Morgan and Gavia celebrate the twentieth anniversary of the cult classic comedy Dick, starring Kirsten Dunst and Michelle Williams. They discuss its spin on the history of Watergate, admire its remarkable costume design, and compare it to other political satires and teen girl comedies.
Read MoreThis week, Gavia and Morgan debate the merits of Ari Aster's follow-up to Hereditary, folk-horror feature Midsommar. They discuss its effectiveness as a horror film, the importance of a good script versus good production values, and the film's allusions to white supremacist iconography.
Read MoreThis week, Gavia and Morgan revisit Todd Haynes' instant classic 2015 film Carol. They discuss the film's references to photography and classic film, contextualize it within Todd Haynes' wider filmography and recent queer cinema, and debate the lead performances by Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara.
Read MoreThis week, Morgan and Gavia discuss the 1994 classic of Australian indie cinema Muriel's Wedding. They compare it to other coming of age films, analyze its combination of comedy and drama, and praise its refreshing depiction of awkward young womanhood.
Read MoreThis week, Gavia and Morgan commiserate over the X-Men franchise's last gasp, X-Men: Dark Phoenix. They bemoan filmmaker Simon Kinberg's incompetent direction, marvel at the film's incomprehensible plot, reminisce about happier times, and wonder where it all went wrong.
Read MoreThis week, Morgan and Gavia dive into Olivia Wilde's debut film, Booksmart. They discuss the film's stellar jokes, queer themes, and its muddled take on the American college admissions process, and compare it to other teen movies of recent and not-so-recent times.
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