Sunset Boulevard vs. The Ex: Main Attraction

Three people from different walks of life team up to get revenge against those who abuse their power, plus the fantasy versus reality of making them pay — it's Unforgiven vs 9 to 5. Donate to Dolly Parton's Imagination Library here.

Two movies about heroes embarking on a treacherous journey back to the woman they love — it's The Odyssey vs. Forces of Nature. 

Two epic conclusions to massive franchises, both dealing in time travel and sacrifice — it's Avengers: Endgame versus The Last Sharknado: It's About Time.

Today we're getting into two creative, genre-crossing movies about love worth dying for — it's William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet vs. Heart Eyes.

Two movies about protagonists who are dismissed based on stereotypes and whose longing for respectability does them a disservice — It's The Godfather, Part II vs. Legally Blonde.

Two films that explore the class divide as someone poor infiltrates the world of the rich and we discover the grass isn't always greener — it's Parasite vs. It Takes Two (yes, the Olsen twins one!!!)

Two dystopian futures buried in dust, where our heroes have to choose between what they want and what everyone needs — it's Interstellar vs. Idiocracy.

Two movies about women who are larger than life, and why that's only acceptable when they're giving men what they want — it's Sunset Boulevard vs. The Ex. What happens when a woman refuses to be forgotten? We get into the strength that comes from creating your own reality, the weaponization of glamour and sexuality, and why Deidre Kenyon (Yancy Butler) is one of the most underrated female villains in cinema history.

Two movies about the dehumanizing nature of power and the surprising freedom of being boxed in — it's One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest vs. Send Help. This week, Emily puts a beloved classic up against a 2026 sleeper hit that she firmly believes should sweep the Oscars. On one side: the 1975 five-time Oscar winner One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, starring Jack Nicholson and Louise Fletcher. On the other: Sam Raimi's Send Help, starring Rachel McAdams aka the thinking man's Jack Nicholson. Both films ask what happens to people when systems strip them of their humanity and what they do when they finally claw some power back. Spoiler: they don't always use it nicely. Emily breaks down why Louise Fletcher's Nurse Ratched is more terrifying in her subtlety than in her reputation, why Brad Dourif deserved that Oscar, and is shocked to learn that Christopher Lloyd was a hunk. Then she makes the case for Send Help, a survival horror comedy that does magical heartbreaking work with a chunk of tuna.  Also covered: Jack Nicholson's bro-noir filmography, method acting gone too far, and the frustration of how people who play the game better earn our trust over the people that are actually competent.    Referenced in the episode: Movie Reviews in 20 Q's - Send Help

Two movies about a young woman entering a world that is ready to eat her alive and aligning with the most dangerous person in it — it's The Silence of the Lambs vs The Devil Wears Prada. In this episode, Emily breaks down how these two wildly different films tell the same story about ambition, mentorship, and what it costs to learn from someone who could destroy you. If you love film analysis that goes deeper than genre, this is a solid episode to start with.