Recommend or Refute | Riddle of Fire (2024), Take Care of Maya (2023), and Strange Darling (2024)

After the conclusion of our Retrospectacular, we kept the mics rolling to capture a signature Dixon rant and review of Robert Zemeckis's latest film. There wasn't another episode we could fit it in, so it's submitted HERE for your enjoyment.

Should aaaaaaauld acquaintance beeeeee forgot,and neeeeeever brought to miiiiiiiiind,Should aaaaaaauld acquaintance beeeeee forgot,aaaaaand aaaaaaauld laaaaaang syyyyyyne.I have no idea what that means, but we're talking about the best and worst movies of 2024!  This is our favorite episode every year, and we'd love to hear about your favorite movies and most hated movies of the year.  Join our Discord and let us know your thoughts!

With Robert Eggers's Nosferatu in theaters, Dixon thought it would only be fitting to revisit Werner Herzog's dream-like send up Nosferatu the Vampyr (1979). John and Ryan are along for the ride on this horse-drawn carriage. Once we get to Dracula's castle all bets are off --or is it Count Orlok's castle? Did you see Eggers's Nosferatu? Let us know what you thought. Check our podcast page for ways to engage with us on social media. https://theafterpod.transistor.fm

Ho ho ho! Join us for a merry Recommend or Refute Christmas Extravaganza! John reviews the Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire old Hollywood classic Holiday Inn (1942), Ryan takes us on a journey through the year in Hallmark and Hallmark-esque Christmas movies, and Dixon accidentally watches a thrilling Christmas heist movie called The Silent Partner (1978).

Through some mail mix up this year, Creators & Guests Michael Dixon - Host John Garcia - Producer Ryan King - Host received a letter to Santa from some kid named Billy. It described the hardships Billy was going through. His family had just moved into a small rental unit above a Sorority house, and little Billy is having a tough time adjusting to his new downstairs neighbors. He even invited one of them up, but he suspects they aren't interested in being friends and just want to use his sister Agnus's rocking chair. Billy's only Christmas wish is for some movie podcast to discuss his favorite holiday classic, Black Christmas. Well we happen to be a movie podcast, so here's an episode dedicated to all the Billys out there.

It's Recommend or Refute time!  Ryan talks about Liar Liar (1997) and Jim Carrey's early career, Dixon reviews the underseen Alfred Hitchcock thriller I Confess (1953), and John takes us on a horrifying journey through his annual month of self-flagellation that he calls Schlocktober.

On this episode of Afterthoughts, Ryan leads the crew through the first season of Arcane --a stylishly impressive steampunk fantasy series based on the Riot games property League of Legends.  Do you have to love League of Legends to appreciate Arcane? Will Dixon ever remember Heimerdinger's name? What the hell is a rune? Will any of these questions be answered?

It's another Recommend or Refute extravaganza!  John geeks out on Vinegar Syndrome's first theatrical release Riddle of Fire (2024), Ryan talks about the tragic documentary Take Care of Maya (2023), and Dixon argues with John about the controversial new film Strange Darling (2024).

Dixon, Ryan, and John have decided to enter the cinematic colosseum of director Ridley Scott's Gladiator (2000) in an effort to reflect on the Academy Award winning feature before the sequel hits theaters this week. Are they not entertained?! Crouch down and grab some sand with us before diving into this one, we hope you'll give us a thumbs up once we're done.

Join the Afterthoughts crew for our latest Recommend or Refute episode, where we each talk about something we watched on our own time and whether we would recommend or refute it.  Ryan regales us with tales of his journey through the Puppet Master (1989) franchise, John discusses Francis Ford Coppola's long-awaited Megalopolis (2024), and Dixon breaks down the joyously anarchic Irish rap biopic Kneecap (2024).