Ep. 346: Coyote vs. Acme

Claire and Gavia return with our annual lineup of spoiler-free reviews from the London Film Festival: queer Shakespearean theatre biopic Elsinore (starring Andrew Scott), Russian political thriller Minotaur (winner of the Grand Prix at Cannes), Norwegian-Romanian legal drama Fjord (starring Sebastian Stan; winner of the Palme d'Or), the widely acclaimed queer Spanish historical epic La Bola Negra, Martin McDonagh's star-studded spy comedy Wild Horse Nine, and Jesse Eisenberg's hilarious musical theatre satire The Debut.

Arriving after a long and scandalous delay at Warner Bros., the latest Looney Tunes movie is a satirical courtroom drama where a personal injury lawyer sues the Acme corporation on behalf of Wile E. Coyote, accusing Acme of selling faulty products. Playing with decades of Looney Tunes tradition, it combines cartoon comedy with an allegorical tale about corporate greed; a premise that coincidentally became very relevant to the film's convoluted release process, as discussed by Steffan and Gavia in this episode.

Claire and Gavia discuss their divided reactions to Jane Schoenbrun's acclaimed new horror dramedy Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma, which stars Gillian Anderson and Hannah Einbinder in a satirical deconstruction of a Friday the 13th-style slasher movie franchise. Among other topics, this episode digs into the film's use of vintage slasher tropes, its exploration of queer sexuality, and how it lines up with Schoenbrun's previous film I Saw the TV Glow.

Morgan and Gavia reunite to discuss Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey, an ambitious cinematic endeavour that showcases Nolan's greatest strengths as a filmmaker - along with some of his recurring weaknesses. Among other topics, this episode covers the film's star-studded cast, its relationship with the original poem, and the way Nolan uses an ancient story to explore contemporary anxieties. Also, we dig into some of the surrounding discourse, including classicist Emily Wilson's controversial (and piercingly negative) review.

Claire and Gavia return to discuss the second half of AMC's The Vampire Lestat, delving into the show's wide array of abusive and complicated relationships, this season's increasingly ambitious departures from Anne Rice canon, the divisive nature of the finale, and much more.

Based on a popular creepypasta concept and directed by a 20-year-old filmmaker who started out on YouTube, Backrooms became a runaway hit this summer, helping to kickstart a new wave of film deals for YouTube directors. In this episode, Steffan and Gavia discuss director Kane Parsons' impressive grasp of physical space as a source of horror, the film's underwhelming script, the online origins of the Backrooms, and whether Hollywood studios will actually do anything interesting on their quest to find the next lucrative YouTube movie.

Claire and Gavia break down the first three episodes of The Vampire Lestat, discussing the show's drastic tonal shift, its elaborate narrative structure, its bold exploration of abusive relationships - and much, much more. Adapting the iconic novel by Anne Rice, this season focuses more on Lestat's music career than on his historical backstory, reaffirming Interview with the Vampire's place among the best TV dramas of the decade.

Steven Spielberg's sci-fi conspiracy thriller Disclosure Day continues his career-long fascination with extraterrestrial life. Starring Emily Blunt and Josh O'Connor as two strangers being pursued by a shadowy military contractor, this film is a showcase for Spielberg's blockbuster expertise - although it also features some puzzling attitudes toward religion and conspiracy theories, culminating in a very divisive final act.

Claire and Gavia share their mixed feelings on Mother Mary, the stylish new psychological drama by David Lowery (The Green Knight). Exploring the tumultuous relationship between a Lady Gaga-esque pop star (Anne Hathaway) and her former costume designer (Michaela Coel), this genre-defying film incorporates elements of the supernatural into a story about creative collaboration and the destructive power of celebrity.

Anne Hathaway and Meryl Streep return for this smash-hit sequel, pivoting to a surprisingly bleak story about the demise of journalism. Among other topics, our review covers: Emily Blunt’s hilarious performance, the film’s inability to engage with its darker themes, and its depiction of how the magazine industry has changed in the 20 years since the original Devil Wears Prada movie came out.