Are You Screening? Podcast

This week (after a Covid break) we're hitting Don't Worry Darling, Blonde, and going back for See How They Run.  It turned into a somewhat weird week, especially as Blonde and Don't Worry Darling had similar issues, which doesn't seem like it should be possible.

This week we are catching up due to some technical difficulties so we are not only reviewing 3,000 Years of Longing, but we are hitting a few available on streamers - Me Time, Samaritan, and Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul. Unfortunately, the oft-mentioned lull in big, theatrical releases hasn't quite been the boon for these smaller affairs we hoped, but 3,000 Years of Longing is an "adventure" we recommend, even if it disappointed.

As we head into an episode in which we will probably be getting to three films - two streamers - we are stuck doing our best with lack of big titles at the box office. We'll be looking at Bodies, Bodies, Bodies, the twenty-something, rich kid vehicle that finds a bunch of snots throwing a party for a hurricane when the bodies start dropping. We will also run you through some possibilities at home, including big name series, like House of Dragons, etc.

We're solidly in the lull, so this week we look at the new Netflix film Dayshift and we catch up on Prey, and while neither film is devoid of positives, you really have to be looking for them to get much out of them. We'll let you know all the details and try to give you a sense of whether or not you're going to like them. We also give a quick take on She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, which is potentially a lot of fun, and potentially alienates a lot of Marvel fans.

As we enter a real lull in theatrical releases, Bullet Train hopes to capitalize on a lack of real blockbusters over the next few weeks. We'll let you know if it manages to earn your money, and why we both thought it was awfully close to becoming a classic. We also look at the Apple+ animated feature, Luck, which we had similar reactions to, and is perhaps aimed at a younger audience than you expect. Those films and more as we continue to try to showcase streaming options on the horizon.

Nope and The Gray Man are battling for the king of cultural awareness this week, and with Nope having a decent run at the box office while The Gray Man keeps people at home, it's a wild week to be sure. We'll let you know if you need to catch these, and we're also taking a look at a fascinating documentary, My Old School. Give us a listen and hit us up at the website with questions for future episodes.

It's Thor week as theaters prepare for a slow August and September and we'll let you know if this one merits breaking away from your favorite streamers. Is it goofy fun, or just goofy? We're also taking you through upcoming releases and hoping to spotlight a few gems headed your way while giant, blockbuster releases take a bit of a break.

As we get ready for Thor, we're looking at The Black Phone, based on the work of Joe Hill. The unfortunately overlooked film starring Ethan Hawke would have perhaps been better served with an October release, but it's an interesting effort even if we aren't quite in a theatrical market that can deliver for smaller features. We'll let you know if you need to catch this in theaters, and we'll again give you a rundown of some streaming options.

Pixar lands in theaters again with a curious spin on the idea of a sequel. According to the film's intro, the film that Andy saw which inspired the toy he then got for his birthday is the film you're about to watch. Thus, this animated sci-fi romp on an alien world has no real connection to the Toy Story films, leaving Pixar free to take off wherever it wants. It's a strange trip, and focuses on time travel, and we'll let you know if it holds its own among Pixar's efforts.

It's dino week and we're looking at Jurassic World Dominion this week, plus a few other bonuses and we'll let you know about some streaming options. How does that coming of dinosaurs into the rest of the world play out, and is it, like other films in the franchise, worth seeing on the big screen no matter how good it is?

This week is obviously all about Top Gun Maverick and one verdict that's already in is whether you think it's going to be good or not, you've got to see it on the biggest screen you can. But, how does it really hold up, and is it something worthwhile only if you can let yourself go to popcorn thrillrides, or is it worth anything more? As usual, we'll also let you in on some other gems available to stream.

Alex Garland fans have some idea what to expect from his efforts, but it's hard to imagine anyone could really be prepared for Men. Ex Machina was a sci-fi effort with great performances and a lot to say about the world, and Annihilation and Devs were fun, wild rides, even if they weren't perfect. Men is something else altogether. We'll let you know if you to give Men a chance and we'll also look Rebel Wilson's latest effort, Senior Year, and take a look at a few other gems on streaming services.

We're looking at Firestarter this week, the surprisingly under-marketed King adaptation that seems to be polarizing audiences. Is this one worth the effort, especially if you don't seem to be trying to truly capitalize on it? We also run through some of your better options to stream like the new release of The Lost City.

This week we look at the latest Marvel adventure, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, and we actually manage to diverge in our ratings quite a bit. That's not the norm for Marvel efforts, but one of us really didn't like this one, despite liking Doctor Strange generally, and being a serious fan of WandaVision. Tune in and we'll let you know if you need to get to this one.

This week we're looking at The Northman, a film of curious budget that hopes to spin something like a Shakespearean take on Norse fable with all the gore and madness one might expecting of a Viking revenge story. Is this one worth your time? Does the critical appreciation continue following in the wake of The Witch and The Lighthouse? Do you need to see it in theaters? We'll let you know.

This week we are reviewing/celebrating the movie that you really need to go see while it is still in theaters, Everything Everywhere All At Once. At the same time, we aren't actually quite as hot for it as a lot of critics. We're also running you through a lot of TV/Streaming options that are either hitting now or coming soon to help you get through the next couple of months' worth of theatrical releases, which will give you a few big releases but not much else to take up your time.

This is a strange week as directors go with opposite ends of the career track represented. We have rather opposite efforts as far as the films as well. A hyperkinetic chase/heist film with a wildly "on" Jake Gyllenhaal, and a slower-than-slow burn spy-focused investigation with Thandie Newton and Chris Pine, neither of whom seem able to emote at all. We'll let you know if you need to catch Ambulance or All the Old Knives, and this week we are also going to give you a quick preview of what's coming up in the next couple of months.

Morbius has, if nothing else, taken the internet by storm, but where does this film really land and is it worth your time? It's actually a tougher question than most would have you believe. This week we're also looking at the Oscars and comparing the results with the Critics Choice Awards. And, yes, we weigh in on the drama.

Now that awards season is over, and the release of truly big efforts becomes hit or miss as is the spring norm, we're looking at Deepwater. We'll also catch you up on a few other things, which will connect with our upcoming efforts to keep you posted on a lot of streaming possibilities in the near future.

It's finally time, as awards season winds down, for our own version of awards. We try to highlight the overlooked with our awards, where to be eligible for recognition, you have to be a film, or performance, that just won't get nominated for anything else. We're also covering The Adam Project and Turning Red, two surprisingly good efforts.