We might be late but we won't miss the party, the Spoilers are back to dig into everything John Wick, joined by returning guest and friend of the show Jack. As action fans, as martial arts fans, and as Keanu fans, we're all excited to dig into the stunning, globe-trotting triumph that is Chapter 4. Before that, with new releases in full swing for 2023, we've got a grab bag with the latest in drug animal cinema and the greatest in slasher satire reboot sequels, with a mix of opinions all around on just how successful either of them are. For the main event it's all John Wick, all the time, diving through a rich history of uprooting American action cinema and shifting thoughts on the franchise as a whole over the years, we piece through each of the sequels before arriving at Chapter 4, from a referential match cut to a maybe not so definitive ending. Then we gear up once again for the cinematic event of the year, Vaughn continues to play a game he doesn't like, and Stephen once again forgets to find a recommendation ahead of time. Be seeing you, listeners.

Timestamps:

Grab Bag of Recent Releases (Cocaine Bear, Scream VI) | 2:45

John Wick: Chapter 4 | 24:30

Gear Up For Gran Turismo | 1:20:15

Recommendations | 1:29:15

Have a question, a comment, or just want to say hello? Send us a message at thinkingofspoiling@gmail.com.

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Stephen on The Twin Geeks, Letterboxd, and Twitter.

This week, awards season comes to a crescendo, and with the Oscars this weekend, Stephen and Vaughn continue their tradition of special episodes. This year, in lieu of casting prediction ballots, we look back to the past 22 years of Oscar winners and each draft a team of our favorites, and leave it up to you, the viewer, to determine who will emerge the victor. Borrowing a format from our friends over at The Twin Geeks Music Show, we go head to head in ten Oscar categories to come out the other side each with a completely unique list of films. Join us as we battle through the 21st century in awards winners!

Click here to cast your vote!

Have a question, a comment, thoughts on the draft? Send us a message at thinkingofspoiling@gmail.com and we'll get back to you on our next episode of the show.

The guys return this week for a full episode of spoils, racing, dancing, recommending, and going to Paris, as releases slowly start to gain momentum in 2023. As the grab bag returns to the show after a vacation to the Mediterranean, we talk the latest from the ever divisive M. Night Shyamalan, Knock at the Cabin, along with Brandon Cronenberg's acid trip tropical nightmare Infinity Pool. Hit the nitrous for another week of gearing up for Gran Turismo, where the saga of Stephen getting his hands on a copy of GT5 persists and we learn more about every aspect of this year's most hotly anticipated film. Hit the dance floor for this episode's central film Magic Mike's Last Dance, the third in the Magic Mike trilogy and seeing director Steven Soderbergh returning to the franchise and to the podcast as we discuss his latest retirement adventure. Then it's time to check in with the listeners as we answer more of your mail and all of your questions before we pull a gem from our recent watches for our recommendation this episode. It might be our last dance but it's not our last episode, join us this week on the show!

Timestamps:

Grab Bag of Recent Releases (Knock at the Cabin, Infinity Pool) | 1:00

Gear Up For Gran Turismo | 33:15

Magic Mike's Last Dance | 41:00

Listener Mail | 1:10:35

Recommendations | 1:30:00

Have a question, a comment, or just want to say hello? Send us a message at thinkingofspoiling@gmail.com.

On this week's episode of the show we return to the world of literary adaptations, with Noah Baumbach's White Noise, adapted from Don DeLillo's novel of the same name - a favorite book of Stephen's. We dive right into our experiences with Baumbach as a director, then discuss at length how his latest film functions on its own and as an adaptation of its source material. Stephen reads passages from the book to highlight his thoughts, we discuss what works and what doesn't, Vaughn tries to figure out what defines Jack as a character, and more. Stick around as we continue to gear up for our most anticipated film of the year, Gran Turismo, answer more listener mail, and offer another set of recommendations from our recent discoveries.

Timestamps:

White Noise | 1:00

Gear Up For Gran Turismo | 51:30

Listener Mail | 1:13:00

Recommendations | 1:29:00

Have a question, a comment, or just want to say hello? Send us a message at thinkingofspoiling@gmail.com.

We've just finished pushing the elephant up the hill and have arrived just in time for a party of a podcast, this week guest starring friend of the show Matt (host of Don't Let The Moterncast Get You). Stephen, hot off his first experience with Damien Chazelle's Babylon is yet to divulge any of his thoughts and we're eager to hear his thoughts. Before the feature film begins, it's a grab bag of a decades spanning Blaxploitation documentary and the latest lo-fi horror sensation. Previews include discussions on the filmography of Damien Chazelle, from his fuzzy jazz debut Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench (2009) to First Man (2018). Chazelle's energetic and dynamic catalog has reached us all and impacted each of our cinematic journeys in different ways - and so it's a lively discussion about his most recent work, a comprehensive dive through the rise and fall of a cinematic empire and its myriad of interconnected stories. After the credits roll we answer listener mail, share our childhood fears, sing a song, recommend some of our favorite recent discoveries, and start a new segment. Join us this week as we exit the silent era and discover the magic of cinema.

Timestamps:

Grab Bag Of Recent Releases (Is That Black Enough For You?!, Skinamarink) | 3:00

Damien Chazelle | 15:30

Babylon | 26:30

Listener Mail | 1:03:35

Recommendations | 1:30:35

Gear Up For Gran Turismo | 1:41:40

The spoils are back in town, and Stephen and Vaughn are ready after a holiday hiatus to spend another year talking about the latest releases. There's plenty of ground to cover this week as we catch up on our stockpile of high profile films we've been eager to discuss. We chat about Steven Spielberg's latest film, The Fabelmans, alongside his history of populist cinema, how his newest work compares to his other recent output, the film's strongest and weakest moments, and more. We dive briefly into Rian Johnson's Glass Onion and its clever structure and confident presentation. Then it's Aftersun, Charlotte Wells' stunning masterpiece debut and our favorite film of 2022. We dig through every detail and explore all of its atypical construction and thematic fascinations, an expansive discussion on its subtle brilliance and our own personal connections found in the film. We return to the mailbox to find a few inquiries and missives, with a lot to be discussed about the next year of the show, before we wrap up our return with our latest recommendations from our recent viewings.

Timestamps:

Grab Bag Of Recent Releases (The Fabelmans, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery) | 3:40

Aftersun | 44:00

Listener Mail | 1:18:25

Recommendations | 2:01:15

Check out both Stephen and Vaughn's top ten lists!

Have a question, a comment, or just want to say hello? Send us a message at thinkingofspoiling@gmail.com.

In this special supplemental episode, Stephen goes to the movies, bringing all his friends to see Avatar: The Way of Water and grilling them all to find out their detailed thoughts on the franchise, the world of Pandora, and the film they just watched.

This segment is discussed on Episode 33 of the show, but has been uploaded separately for the ease of access and to keep the episode itself at a reasonable length.

As always, leave us a question, a comment, or a hello over to thinkingofspoiling@gmail.com.

Stephen and Vaughn are back to talk about the latest film releases, this week with a wide range from the world of independent, microbudget horror to this year's Palme d'Or winner. There's a lot to discuss and a lot of strong opinions this week on the show, so join us as we fervently share our adoration for Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead's latest twisted Lovecraftian oddity Something in the Dirt, complete with a brief spoiler free discussion to sell the uninitiated on one of our favorite films of the year before we dive into a full conversation about every little brilliant detail. Afterwards, we discuss Ruben Ostlund's Cannes victor Triangle of Sadness, and deconstruct its many faceted failures as it boldly attempts (and perhaps completely fails) to offer poignant commentary on today's failing class structure. Our main feature this week is Luca Guadagnino's Bones and All, a filmmaker both Stephen and Vaughn have very specific thoughts on - how do we feel, how does it translate to his latest film, and will a special guest make an appearance to join the conversation? Find out this week on the show, alongside some listener mail and as always, a recommendation from each of us from our pile of recently watched films throughout cinema history.

Timestamps:

Something in the Dirt Spoiler Free Sales Pitch | 2:15

Something in the Dirt Full Spoiler Discussion | 17:30

Triangle of Sadness | 35:30

Bones and All | 58:00

Listener Mail | 1:23:00

Recommendations | 1:32:00

Have a question, a comment, or just want to say hello? Send us a message at thinkingofspoiling@gmail.com.

This week on the show, Stephen and Vaughn travel to the fictional Irish island of Inisherin to discuss Martin McDonagh's latest film alongside editor-in-chief Calvin and some surprise podcast party crashers. With varied thoughts across hosts on Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson's return to tenuous friendship duo it's a full show of digging deep into what does and doesn't work about The Banshees of Inisherin, its novelty, its presentation, and its secondary and tertiary characters. Join us as we discuss the existential struggles of male friendship, our appreciation of cows on film, messages from mysterious listeners, reviewing ourselves mid-episode, and more before we offer up our latest round of film recommendations from our recent watches and rest until the next time we return to dive into the latest releases.

Timestamps:

The Banshees of Inisherin | 3:00

Listener Mail | 43:50

Recommendations | 1:01:30

Have a question, a comment, or just want to say hello? Send us a message at thinkingofspoiling@gmail.com.

After a brief break to celebrate our anniversary, it's once again time to spoil some of the latest movies, this week diving in to some of this season's horror releases. First, it's Damien Leone's Terrifier 2: how does this latest horror sensation stack up to its slasher inspirations, what does it do with its formula of violence established in its predecessor, and how does aspiring icon Art the Clown function as an antagonist? Next up is Ti West's Pearl: a hypersaturated establishment of early cinematic perversion alongside a fascinating character study, we explore the potential offered by this unique experiment of constructing a new horror universe. Finally, it's David Gordon Green's Halloween Ends, and to wrap up this beloved slasher franchise we explore its many entries through the years before placing our definitive stamps on this final installment - can it swing wildly at enough to be a modern schlocksterpiece or is it a fitting failure to cap off a franchise full of mediocrity? Find out about all of these (along with two fresh recommendations from a month of gory watches) on this belated spooky episode!

Timestamps:

Terrifier 2 | 4:15

Pearl | 23:00

Halloween Ends | 36:30

Recommendations | 1:15:00

Have a question, a comment, or just want to say hello? Send us a message at thinkingofspoiling@gmail.com.

It's been one year since Stephen and Vaughn launched the show, and to celebrate, they're thinking of ranking things. This episode, the guys reflect on their year of putting the show together every fortnight and make their definitive list of every film they've covered, from best to worst. It's also one of the biggest listener mail segments yet, with lots of submitted questions on how the show came together, the production process, what they've learned, and the thrilling creation of what could one day be one of the best films ever. Thank you, listeners, for joining throughout year one!

Timestamps:

The Anniversary Ranking | 2:30

Listener Mail | 39:30

Recommendations | 1:58:45

Have a question, a comment, or just want to say hello? Send us a message at thinkingofspoiling@gmail.com.

Every year comes with a choice few dives into the realm of the biopic, and every year comes with a swath of varying results in how successful any given attempt is at being faithful or respectful to its subject. Andrew Dominik's Blonde is this year's latest, Netflix's newest biopic depicting the story of Marilyn Monroe as fictionalized in Joyce Carol Oates' book of the same name. This week on the show, Stephen and Vaughn along with friend of The Twin Geeks Kev go through and share their thoughts on the film and deconstruct its intricacies, fictionalizations, and failures. There's also plenty of listener mail to respond to and as always, your hosts' recommendations from what they've been watching recently.

Timestamps:

Blonde | 5:00

Listener Mail | 58:30

Recommendations | 1:09:00

Have a question, a comment, or just want to say hello? Send us a message at thinkingofspoiling@gmail.com.

It's a busy week with lots of new films to discuss, so from the worst to the best, Stephen and Vaughn get together to get through it all. Is Olivia Wilde's Don't Worry Darling as disastrous as its press tour indicated? Is the latest in a resurgence of whodunnits, See How They Run, a successful riff on the genre? Is Saloum a genre-bending masterpiece or a bold attempt at constant reinvention that doesn't quite work? Is Neptune Frost one of the most vibrant and inventive films the guys have seen all year? Find out all that and more before a full deconstruction of David Bowie, his career, our experiences with his music, and Bret Morgen's psychedelic, music-driven documentary Moonage Daydream. Plus, our latest recommendations from the last two weeks of exploring the world of cinema.

Timestamps:

Grab Bag of Recent Releases (Don't Worry Darling, See How They Run, Saloum, Neptune Frost) | 3:00

Moonage Daydream | 47:00

Listener Mail | 1:18:00

Recommendations | 1:25:00

Have a question, a comment, or just want to say hello? Send us a message at thinkingofspoiling@gmail.com.

With Stephen away for a while and two whole episodes dedicated to television, it turns out the guys have quite a few recent releases they haven't yet gotten a chance to discuss, so this week it's an entire episode of grab bag. Starting off with Ken Kwek's #LookAtMe before moving on to show favorite director George Miller's brand new Three Thousand Years of Longing along with some coverage of new horror releases Orphan: First Kill and Barbarian, and finally a highly anticipated discussion of Jordan Peele's Nope. All that, some listener mail, a couple of recommendations, and all recorded at the most inconveniently delirious hours we could pick.

Timestamps:

The Rehearsal In Review | 3:30

#LookAtMe | 12:00

Three Thousand Years of Longing | 38:00

Orphan: First Kill | 1:00:00

Barbarian | 1:10:00

Nope | 1:20:00

Listener Mail | 1:44:30

Recommendations | 2:07:00

Have a question, a comment, or just want to say hello? Send us a message at thinkingofspoiling@gmail.com.

After a chaotic first part of our series on The Rehearsal, it's time for Stephen to take what he learned from his carefully orchestrated plans and practice and put it to work. Vaughn's back (again?) to have some discussions with Stephen that may feel strangely familiar. Nonetheless it's all fresh and we're here to offer even more commentary on just how brilliant Nathan Fielder's The Rehearsal is as we deconstruct and discuss it along with its many points of inspiration, along with answering our listener mail and offering some recommendations for you all to check out.

Thanks so much to all of our wonderful collaborators who worked on this bizarre experimental podcast with us, and we hope you've had fun listening. If you'd like to check out any of our friends who worked on this with us, you can find them here: Calvin (acting as Mol), Jack (acting as Stephen), Murph (acting as Lucas), and Lucas (acting as Vaughn).

Timestamps:

Grab Bag Of Recent Releases (Bullet Train, The Novelist’s Film, Glorious, The Invitation, They/Them) | 8:50

The Rehearsal | 43:00

Listener Mail | 1:22:45

Recommendations | 1:47:00

Have a question, a comment, or just want to say hello? Send us a message at thinkingofspoiling@gmail.com.

It's our most ambitious episode yet, and this week the Spoilers are leaving the familiar territory of the realm of film and entering the world of television for the first time as Stephen returns from his honeymoon to co-host once again. This week, it's Nathan Fielder's The Rehearsal, after a lengthy discussion about some of the latest releases, including David Leitch's Bullet Train, Hong Sang-soo's The Novelist's Film, Rebekah McKendry's Glorious, and John Logan's They/Them. Then, it's on to the main event of attempting to deconstruct the many fascinations and machinations of HBO's latest puzzling piece of comedic docufiction.

Timestamps:

Grab Bag Of Recent Releases (Bullet Train, The Novelist's Film, Glorious, They/Them) | 33:00

The Rehearsal | 1:02:30

Listener Mail | 1:50:00

Recommendations | 2:08:

Have a question, a comment, or just want to say hello? Send us a message at thinkingofspoiling@gmail.com.

While Stephen is away completing a world tour of Federico Fellini's filming locations, Vaughn puts together a very special episode, featuring three guests and three films. In each segment, one of our dear friends will join to talk about a different movie; Calvin joins to figure out whodunit in Bodies Bodies Bodies, Murph to discuss the various hunting techniques utilized in Prey, and Jack hops in to kick back and reminisce on the vibes of The Lad Goodbye. With a bloody neon mystery, an adrenaline-fueled monster hunt, and a microbudget neo-noir stoner comedy for the ages, there's lots to talk about this week on the show.

Timestamps:

Calvin & Bodies Bodies Bodies | 0:00

Murph & Prey | 49:05

Jack & The Lad Goodbye | 1:30:30

Have a question, a comment, or just want to say hello? Send us a message at thinkingofspoiling@gmail.com.

Stephen is back to reclaim his spot as co-host and he's got a lot of movies to talk about this week. It's a lengthy Grab Bag of Recent Releases as Stephen and Vaughn discuss all the latest they've been catching up on, including the latest Jane Austen adaptation Persuasion and Claire Denis' Both Sides of the Blade. Then, it's the latest from blockbuster giants The Russo Brothers, The Gray Man, Netflix's newest chaotic action comic adaptation. Can it live up to the expectations set by their endeavors in billion dollar franchises, or is it just a hollow flop of empty action and flat performances? Find out the answers to that and more, including answers to your many burning questions and recommendations from the guys.

Timestamps:

Grab Bag of Recent Releases (The Black Phone, Lightyear, Persuasion, Happening, Both Sides of the Blade, Fast and Feel Love) | 3:00

The Russo Brothers | 27:30

The Gray Man | 30:30

Listener Mail | 56:00

Recommendations | 1:34:30

Have a question, a comment, or just want to say hello? Send us a message at thinkingofspoiling@gmail.com.

This week, Vaughn and special guest Calvin tackle the MCU's latest, Taika Waititi's Thor: Love and Thunder. After the great success of his previous Thor: Ragnarok, expectations were high going in to Waititi's neon drenched stylized 80s sci-fi adventure. Before jumping into The God of Thunder's latest adventure they discuss some assorted recent releases including Sara Dosa's Fire of Love and Pixar's Lightyear, and later answer some listener mail and offer some recommendations from recent watches (including some new unprecedented territory). Between ranking daddies and designing a Thor film for this week's missing Stephen to direct, it's a busy week with plenty of chaos. Join the fun!

Timestamps:

Grab Bag of Recent Releases (Lightyear, Fire of Love, Acid Test) | 1:40

The MCU, Taika Waititi, and Thor: Love and Thunder | 27:30

Listener Mail | 1:11:00

Recommendations | 1:51:00

The godfather of body horror is back with his latest, Crimes of the Future, and Stephen and Vaughn are here to talk everything Cronenberg. Listen this week as they break down a collection of recent releases, discuss their experiences with David Cronenberg's body of work, and dive deep into his chaotically beautiful new film. In this week's listener mail they discuss the most evocative and powerful body horror, their favorites of the genre, and more.

Timestamps:

Grab Bag of Recent Releases (After Yang, Ambulance, Cha Cha Real Smooth, Flux Gourmet) | 1:40

David Cronenberg | 32:30

Crimes of the Future | 39:00

Listener Mail | 57:30

Recommendations | 1:34:00

Have a question, a comment, or just want to say hello? Send us a message at thinkingofspoiling@gmail.com.