‘The Assessment’: Elizabeth Olsen & Himesh Patel On Moral Dilemmas, Sci-Fi Parenthood, Marvel Futures, ‘The Odyssey’ & More [The Discourse Podcast]

On the latest episode of The Discourse, host Mike DeAngelo welcomes filmmaker Alex Garland and retired Navy SEAL-turned-director Ray Mendoza to discuss their latest co-directed collaboration, 'Warfare'—a harrowing and unflinching war film based on Mendoza’s own real-life experiences in Iraq. The film stars Will Poulter, Joseph Quinn, Cosmo Jarvis, D'Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, Kit Connor, and Finn Bennett as members of a Navy SEAL unit plunged into a brutal, immersive firefight [read our review here].Set across one intense battle, the film throws audiences into the boots of a SEAL team locked in combat. It’s stripped of cinematic sheen, raw in emotion, and deeply grounded in the lived experience of soldiers in the field. While Garland’s previous film, 'Civil War,' used speculative fiction to examine the horrors of conflict, 'Warfare' pulls from memory, reality, and lived trauma. No plot, just tense, all-out war. 

On the latest episode of The Discourse, host Mike DeAngelo steps into a high-concept, near-future world of moral quandaries and psychological pressure with the sci-fi drama "The Assessment." Directed by Fleur Fortuné and starring Elizabeth Olsen, Alicia Vikander, and Himesh Patel, the film follows a couple evaluated by the government over seven increasingly intense days to determine whether they’re worthy of having a child. Think of a creepy, contained "Children of Men" by way of Ingmar Bergman and Charlie Kaufman.The film recently premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival and hits VOD on April 8th, delivering a minimalist but emotionally potent take on societal control, intimacy, and parenthood. To talk through it all, we sat down with both stars to dig into the emotional challenges of the project, their collaborations with Fortuné, and what kind of psychological strength it takes to survive the film’s titular assessment.

On the latest episode of Bingeworthy, host Mike DeAngelo heads back into Taylor Sheridan territory with the second and final season of “1923”, the Yellowstone prequel that brought new layers of trauma, tragedy, and grit to the Dutton family tree. This time, the fight for legacy grows more urgent as Jacob (Harrison Ford) and Cara (Helen Mirren) hold down the homestead, while Spencer (Brandon Sklenar) races home from across the globe. But some of the most painful blows come from closer to home—especially for Michelle Randolph’s character, Elizabeth, who endures brutal loss and finds herself unexpectedly alone by the series’ final moments.Spoiler alert: we’re diving into the Season 2 finale.Joining the show to reflect on Elizabeth’s powerful final scenes, Michelle Randolph opened up about the emotional and physical toll of the role, the empowering transformation of her character, and how she found strength in the pain in the final episodes.

On today's Bingeworthy, we're trading Hell’s Kitchen for hell itself with Prime Video’s latest genre mash-up, "The Bondsman." Blending supernatural horror, dysfunctional family drama, western grit, and country music—yes, you read that right—this new series follows Hub Halloran (Kevin Bacon), a bounty hunter resurrected by the devil himself to hunt down escaped demons. But beneath all the blood and brimstone lies an emotionally charged story about family, regret, and second chances.If it sounds wild, you're not alone. Kevin Bacon admitted it was one of the craziest pitches he'd ever said yes to—but that was exactly what drew him in.“It was pretty wild,” Bacon laughed. “But if you've done as many dudes as I have, it's hard to find something that's truly like, ‘Wow, okay, I haven't walked in these shoes before.’ So that was a big plus.”READ MORE: The 75 Most Anticipated TV Shows Of 2025

On the latest episode of Bingeworthy, host Mike DeAngelo heads back into the fists-first world of “Reacher”, which just wrapped its action-packed third season on Prime Video. Based on Lee Child’s novel “Persuader,” this season sees Alan Ritchson return as the titular wrecking ball, going undercover to extract an informant—and settle an old score along the way. But while Reacher does plenty of punching, it’s the emotional gut punches that make this season stand out—especially those delivered by new cast member Anthony Michael Hall.Yes, that Anthony Michael Hall—the ‘80s teen comedy icon from “The Breakfast Club,” “Sixteen Candles,” and “Weird Science.” But here, Hall plays Zachary Beck, a Boston arms dealer with a complicated past and even more complicated parenting instincts. What might sound like another mustache-twirling villain role turns out to be anything but.READ MORE: The 75 Most Anticipated TV Shows Of 2025

On the latest episode of The Discourse, actor Will Poulter and writer-director Alex Scharfman joined host Mike DeAngelo to discuss their new A24 horror-comedy "Death of a Unicorn," a twisted genre mash-up that brings unicorns into the Spielbergian creature-feature fold. The film also stars Jenna Ortega, Paul Rudd, Téa Leoni, Anthony Carrigan, Richard E. Grant, and Sunita Mani, and tells the story of a tech billionaire's lawyer and his daughter who accidentally hit a unicorn with their car and attempt to cover it up at an elite corporate retreat. Magical madness, death, and more unicorn action ensue!Poulter, having taken a break from comedy in recent years, said he relished playing Shepard, an Ivy League-bred man-child desperate for approval and woefully out of touch. "It’s really fun to be conscious of the fact that everyone’s going to be laughing at you, and never with you," he said. "You sort of feel like he's never really left the various ivory towers that his family own around the world, but thinks he's superior to everyone around him.”READ MORE: ‘Death of a Unicorn’ Review: Jenna Ortega and Paul Rudd Make Monster Movie Magic for A24 [SXSW]Despite his delusions of grandeur, Poulter was careful not to strip Shep of all humanity. "I don’t want to absolve him of wrongdoing, but ultimately what it boils down to is the child-parent relationship," he explained. "What Shep really wants more than anything is approval from his dad, and he wants his mom to be more honest with him than she’s ever been."

On the latest episode of The Discourse, Aaron Paul and Eiza González join host Mike DeAngelo to talk about their new mind-bending sci-fi thriller, "Ash," directed by musician-turned-filmmaker Flying Lotus and written by Jonni Remmler. The film follows Riya (González), who wakes up on a desolate planet only to find her entire crew slaughtered. Things get even stranger when Brion (Paul) arrives to "rescue" her—except neither of them knows if they can truly trust the other. Tension, terror, and a whole lot of eerie sci-fi visuals follow. The film also stars Iko Uwais, Kate Elliott, Flying Lotus, and more.READ MORE: ‘The Electric State’: The Russo Brothers & Christopher Markus Talk Retro Sci-Fi, Their Marvel Homecoming & More [The Discourse Podcast]Paul and González had nothing but love for Flying Lotus, whose artistic vision shaped every aspect of the film. "Music is like the heartbeat of so many films, right? It really sets the tone," Paul said. "He had a lot of music already created even before we started shooting, and he shared it with us early on." González agreed, adding, "The music was a character. The lighting was a character. The wardrobe was a character. Everything was so carefully thought through. And you just knew he was meant to be directing movies."

After four seasons of glorious absurdity, televangelist satire "The Righteous Gemstones" is wrapping things up—and it’s as hilariously chaotic and surprisingly heartfelt as ever. Created by Danny McBride, the series follows the Gemstones, a wealthy televangelist family whose constant bickering is matched only by their love of greed, fame, and—occasionally—each other. The final season stars McBride, John Goodman, Edi Patterson, Cassidy Freeman, Adam Devine, Tony Cavalero, and Walton Goggins and introduces new faces like Megan Mullally and Sean William Scott.READ MORE: The 75 Most Anticipated TV Shows Of 2025Joining Bingeworthy for a hilarious farewell to the series is creator/star Danny McBride, alongside Cassidy Freeman, Adam Devine, and Tony Cavalero. The conversations covered everything from emotional goodbyes and surprising cameos to the genuine friendships behind their characters' bizarre antics.

After redefining blockbuster cinema with "Avengers: Infinity War" and "Endgame," the Russo Brothers are back—this time with a sci-fi adventure that swaps superheroes for sentient robots, a road trip, and some retro-futuristic ‘90s nostalgia. "The Electric State" follows Millie Bobby Brown as Michelle, a teenage runaway navigating a post-apocalyptic America filled with abandoned AI machines, scavengers, and a looming government threat. Her only companions? A quirky robot named Cosmo and a smuggler played by Chris Pratt, who may or may not be in this for the right reasons. Think "E.T." meets Pixar meets "Mad Max"—or if Spielberg and Zemeckis had made a dystopian buddy movie with a lot more existential dread. (Read our review here).The Russo Brothers and their longtime writing partner Christopher Markus joined The Discourse to talk about adapting Simon Stålenhag’s graphic novel, balancing family-friendly adventure with darker themes, and, of course, their return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Prolific writer/producer/director Steven Knight has a habit of turning historical grit into must-watch television. From the streets of 1920s Birmingham in "Peaky Blinders" to the daring real-life SAS soldiers of "Rogue Heroes," Knight’s work thrives on characters who push against the limits of their status. His latest series, "A Thousand Blows," is no different. Set in post-industrial revolution London, the show follows best friends Hezekiah and Alec as they get swept into the city’s brutal underground boxing scene while crossing paths with local legends, and the notorious all-female gang, The Forty Elephants. The show stars Malachi Kirby, Erin Doherty, Stephen Graham, Jason Tobin, Francis Lovehall, and more.When Knight sat down with Bingeworthy, the busy writer was quick to admit that he doesn’t watch much TV. "If anything, sometimes if I do watch stuff, I think, 'Oh God, this is so good. Why can’t I just make it this simple?" he joked. That might explain why "A Thousand Blows" is anything but simple. Instead of focusing on one story, the show weaves together multiple narratives—including Hezekiah’s rise in the ring, The Forty Elephants’ criminal empire, and a quiet, burning revenge arc with Jason Tobin’s Lao.