Spirited Away

With a new Martin McDonagh film on the horizon, Amy and Paul revisit his darkly hilarious cult classic In Bruges. They explore how a movie about two hitmen hiding out in Belgium becomes a surprisingly profound meditation on guilt, forgiveness, moral ambiguity, and whether even the worst among us deserve a second chance. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Wouldst thou like to live deliciously? This week, Amy and Paul venture into the woods for Robert Eggers’ 2016 folk horror film The Witch. They explore the film’s painstaking historical accuracy, its unsettling atmosphere, and reveal why Black Phillip was just as terrifying behind the scenes. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Fast cars, big heists, and family. This week, Paul and Amy revisit Fast Five, the movie that transformed The Fast and the Furious from a street-racing franchise into an action blockbuster juggernaut. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Paul and Amy get spirited away with Hayao Miyazaki’s beloved 2001 animated classic! They explore how this magical coming-of-age adventure tackles consumerism, identity, and the power of kindness. Plus, they discuss Miyazaki’s many retirements and why the film continues to resonate with audiences of all ages. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This week Amy sits down with IndieWire film critic David Ehrlich to talk about Ari Aster's chilling debut, Hereditary. The two recall their unforgettable first screening at Sundance and explore how the film transforms family trauma, grief, and generational guilt into a movie that helped establish A24 as a defining force in modern horror. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Amy welcomes Ira Madison III to go undercover with Salt, the 2010 spy thriller that gave Angelina Jolie a chance to go full action hero. They dig into the movie’s wild development, from a Tom Cruise vehicle about “Edwin A. Salt” to Jolie’s gender-swapped Evelyn Salt, and celebrate the practical stunts, shifting loyalties, and increasingly bonkers twists that make the movie such a fun ride. You can join the Unspooled conversation on Paul’s Discord at https://discord.gg/ZwtygZGTa6 Follow Paul and Amy on Letterboxd for more of their movie hot takes! https://letterboxd.com/paulscheer/ https://letterboxd.com/theamynicholson/ Paul’s book Joyful Recollections of Trauma is out now! Find it at https://www.harpercollins.com/products/joyful-recollections-of-trauma-paul-scheer Check out more of Paul's writing on his Substack https://substack.com/@paulscheer Episodic Art by Kim Troxall: https://www.unspooledart.com/ Learn more about the show at Unspooledpod.com, follow us on Twitter @unspooled and on Instagram @unspooledpod, and don’t forget to rate, review & subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or where you listen to podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

With Paul away, Amy hits the road with TV critic and former Rolling Stone writer Alan Sepinwall to revisit Cameron Crowe’s Almost Famous, the coming-of-age rock movie about a teenage journalist, a very complicated band, and the blurry line between access and honesty. They dig into Crowe’s autobiographical story, the film’s legendary cast, and its many musical highs, while exploring what it means to be a critic when you’re also a fan. Along the way, Amy and Alan debate Lester Bangs’ advice, the power critics have to shape what becomes canon, and why Almost Famous remains one of the great movies about falling in love with music. You can join the Unspooled conversation on Paul’s Discord at https://discord.gg/ZwtygZGTa6 Follow Paul and Amy on Letterboxd for more of their movie hot takes! https://letterboxd.com/paulscheer/ https://letterboxd.com/theamynicholson/ Paul’s book Joyful Recollections of Trauma is out now! Find it at https://www.harpercollins.com/products/joyful-recollections-of-trauma-paul-scheer Check out more of Paul's writing on his Substack https://substack.com/@paulscheer Episodic Art by Kim Troxall: https://www.unspooledart.com/ Learn more about the show at Unspooledpod.com, follow us on Twitter @unspooled and on Instagram @unspooledpod, and don’t forget to rate, review & subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or where you listen to podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

While Paul is away, Amy welcomes comedian and writer Julie Klausner to dive into Beyond the Valley of the Dolls, Russ Meyer’s gloriously outrageous collision of sex, drugs, rock and roll, and barely contained chaos. Originally conceived as a sequel to Valley of the Dolls, the film evolved into something far stranger, dropping three aspiring stars into a debaucherous version of Los Angeles. Amy and Julie dig into Roger Ebert’s unlikely screenwriting career, Jacqueline Susann’s $10 million lawsuit, and whether there’s anything remotely feminist underneath all that sexploitation.  Listen to How Was Your Week with Julie Klausner here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-was-your-week-with-julie-klausner/id424991092  You can join the Unspooled conversation on Paul’s Discord at https://discord.gg/ZwtygZGTa6 Follow Paul and Amy on Letterboxd for more of their movie hot takes! https://letterboxd.com/paulscheer/ https://letterboxd.com/theamynicholson/ Paul’s book Joyful Recollections of Trauma is out now! Find it at https://www.harpercollins.com/products/joyful-recollections-of-trauma-paul-scheer Check out more of Paul's writing on his Substack https://substack.com/@paulscheer Episodic Art by Kim Troxall: https://www.unspooledart.com/ Learn more about the show at Unspooledpod.com, follow us on Twitter @unspooled and on Instagram @unspooledpod, and don’t forget to rate, review & subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or where you listen to podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Paul and Amy look back at the wild summer of 2026, a blockbuster season that brought audiences back to theaters and delivered one of the most lucrative summers in over a decade. From The Invite and Jackass Forever to The Odyssey, Minions and Monsters, and Toy Story 5, they dig into a surprisingly diverse group of hits and ask whether the era of chasing movie trends is finally giving way to something simpler: good storytelling. Along the way, they explore the return of the mid-budget movie, the Obsession and Backrooms mania sweeping through pop culture, and the season’s biggest flops. You can join the Unspooled conversation on Paul’s Discord at https://discord.gg/ZwtygZGTa6 Follow Paul and Amy on Letterboxd for more of their movie hot takes! https://letterboxd.com/paulscheer/ https://letterboxd.com/theamynicholson/ Paul’s book Joyful Recollections of Trauma is out now! Find it at https://www.harpercollins.com/products/joyful-recollections-of-trauma-paul-scheer Check out more of Paul's writing on his Substack https://substack.com/@paulscheer Episodic Art by Kim Troxall: https://www.unspooledart.com/ Learn more about the show at Unspooledpod.com, follow us on Twitter @unspooled and on Instagram @unspooledpod, and don’t forget to rate, review & subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or where you listen to podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Paul and Amy embrace an ambitious failure with Hudson Hawk, the gloriously strange Bruce Willis passion project that went from bar-napkin idea to legendary box-office flop. They dig into the movie’s chaotic production with journalist David Hughes to explore the clashing scripts, candy-bar CIA agents, singing cat burglars, and the impossible balancing act of trying to be both cool and completely ridiculous. Was Hudson Hawk simply a bad movie, or a fascinating movie that never found its right version? Paul and Amy (and David!) make the case for taking another look. Check out The Unmaking of Hudson Hawk by David Hughes:https://plumeriapics.co.uk/shop/ols/products/xn--the-unmaking-of-hudson-hawk-by-david-hughes-paperback-pre-order--out-april-1-ml53c You can join the Unspooled conversation on Paul’s Discord at https://discord.gg/ZwtygZGTa6 Follow Paul and Amy on Letterboxd for more of their movie hot takes! https://letterboxd.com/paulscheer/ https://letterboxd.com/theamynicholson/ Paul’s book Joyful Recollections of Trauma is out now! Find it at https://www.harpercollins.com/products/joyful-recollections-of-trauma-paul-scheer Check out more of Paul's writing on his Substack https://substack.com/@paulscheer Episodic Art by Kim Troxall: https://www.unspooledart.com/ Learn more about the show at Unspooledpod.com, follow us on Twitter @unspooled and on Instagram @unspooledpod, and don’t forget to rate, review & subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or where you listen to podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.