Movie Schmovie

Ron, Steve, and John decided to postpone the usual Required Viewing discussion for a timely chat about the recent change of leadership at DC Studios. James Gunn and Peter Safran are out, and former MCU producer Jeremy Latchem is in! What does this mean for the current slate of films and shows and what are the cultural implications of the shift? Then it’s on to the VisionQuest finale and a few thoughts about the ongoing James Bond casting talks.

This episode finds the guys a little light on new releases to discuss, so it’s good that the Required Viewing pick offers five stories in one! The classic British “portmanteau film,” Asylum, with its cast of trained actors hamming it up handsomely, is both a nostalgic throwback and a genuinely fun ride for any era. Find out what a little robotic avatar containing a replica of your innards can do for you!

Steve’s Required Viewing pick, Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma, takes the guys on a surreal nostalgia trip into 80s slashers, and then it’s on to a mixed bag of other recent releases, like The Drop, Nobody Wants This, Buddy, Clayface, and Wildwood. Also: Sir Patrick Stewart’s career and impact are remembered. 

What’s scarier: horrible rampaging monsters or dodgy CGI? Find out when the guys dissect Hope, a fast-paced, nicely-shot Korean horror/sci-fi epic. Then it’s on to other recent releases, including Steve’s thoughts on Primetime, John’s takes on You Can See Everything and VisionQuest, and Ronald’s reaction to Netflix’s Animals.

Pop open a 25-cent pudding cup and dive back into the early aughts with the guys as they get personal with Paul Thomas Anderson’s edgy-but-sweet take on a romcom, Punch-Drunk Love. Then it’s off to the prayer closet for a look at Mike Flanagan’s fresh take on horror classic Carrie, as well as some other recent watches.

For a very special 500th episode, the guys welcome multimedia artist Pierre Bennu—a longtime friend of the show—into the conversation, and the topic is favorite decades of film. A lot of laughs, a little bit of memory lane, and a good old-fashioned Walkering. It is quite literally all you could hope for.

The guys go on an awkward date (or is it?) with Chandler Levack’s witty and observant Mile End Kicks, try to stay one step ahead of the monsters in Zach Cregger’s propulsive Resident Evil reboot, and cower in the shadows hoping to survive Adam Wingard’s Onslaught. Spoiler: everyone lives.

The guys go along for the adventure in the surreal, genre-bending indie OBEX, aka Ron’s Required Viewing pick. Then they chat about all the other recent things they’ve watched, from cartoon coyotes to intergalactic guardians.

Get ready for another wild ride with Ronald, Steve, and John as they dive headfirst into the 1979 satire classic Real Life, break down what’s brewing in HBO’s Lanterns, and unravel the mystery of The End of Oak Street! Plus, the guys are stepping up to the mic for a round of fresh takes on Spider-Man: Brand New Day, Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey, and the MCU’s recently announced X-Men casting!

Ron, Steve, and John ride along on a killing spree with Martin Sheen and Sissy Spacek for this week’s Required Viewing pick, Badlands. Then it’s back to the MCU (sorry/not sorry) for a discussion of some recent Comic-Con announcements and a spoiler-free discussion about Spider-Man: Brand New Day.