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We're heading back to Hogwarts! Every Thursday, we're revisiting all eight Harry Potter films, leading up to the release of the new HBO series! We're kicking things off with the film that started it all, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, directed by Chris Columbus. From the unforgettable introduction to the Wizarding World to the incredible performances, breathtaking production design, and iconic John Williams score, we're breaking down everything that made this film a magical cinematic experience. We'll explore the film's development, casting, practical effects, filmmaking secrets, and fascinating behind-the-scenes stories that brought Hogwarts to life. We'll also have some fun and talk about major plot holes and adaptation flaws that have always bugged us. Nearly 25 years later, does Sorcerer's Stone still hold up? We're discussing its greatest moments, hidden details, biggest plot holes, differences from the book, and lasting legacy as the foundation of one of the most beloved film franchises of all time. Let the magic begin! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, we’re talking Street Fighter and Whalefall, two very different releases that battled it out at the box office. We get into what worked, what didn’t, and a few things that left us scratching our heads. Then we dive into Whalefall, our favorite release of the week starring the excellent pairing of Austin Butler and Josh Brolin. So, which one worked better for us? Hit play and find out. Spoilers ahead! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Let's break the box office with Street Fighter fighting its way to a $31 million opening, You Can See Everything earning extraordinary critical acclaim, and Other Mommy, Whalefall, and Sense & Sensibility rounding out the top five! In major news, Steven Soderbergh is stepping in to help finish The Batman: Part II, Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz were spotted on set for The Mummy: Book of the Dead, and Francis Lawrence is directing a Red Rising adaptation! We're also discussing new looks at Dune: Part Three and Miami Vice 85, Greta Gerwig's first Narnia trailer, Quentin Tarantino's upcoming stage play, and Sony's ambitious plan to release all four Beatles biopics simultaneously. Plus, Netflix reportedly lays off 1,000 employees, Nicolas Cage and Antonio Banderas have been cast in True Detective Season 5, Ryan Coogler's X-Files reboot geats picked up by Hulu, and Zendaya is reportedly teaming up with Alex Garland for a new sci-fi film. We're also covering The Beekeeper 2, James Mangold's Swamp Thing, I Play Rocky, and much more! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Project Hail Mary still stands as one of the best films of 2026. With the release of the physical media versions, a wealth of information about the making of the science fiction film has been revealed. In this episode, we'll walk you through how the entire team pulled off the amazing actions sequences, practical effects, VFX, Rocky, production design and so much more! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tobe Hooper's THE TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE is one of the most terrifying and influential horror films ever made. Filmed on a shoestring budget in the sweltering Texas heat, this independent masterpiece changed horror forever, introducing Leatherface and his deranged family to the world while establishing some of the genre's most iconic tropes. We're exploring the film's fascinating development, disturbing real life inspirations, nightmarish production, and extraordinary filmmaking. From Daniel Pearl's gritty cinematography and Robert A. Burns' grotesque production design to its relentless soundscape and largely implied violence, we break down what makes Hooper's vision so unforgettable. We also revisit the film scene by scene, examining its brilliant foreshadowing, astrological symbolism, slaughterhouse imagery, and commentary on American society. Plus, its controversial release, massive box-office success, lasting influence, and why The Texas Chain Saw Massacre remains an undisputed horror masterpiece! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Other Mommy is the new winner at the box office while The Social Reckoning and Digger struggle. Plus we dive into what's next for major franchises like The Batman Part II, Sicario 3, The Exorcist, Godzilla, and Transformers. On top of that we go into Disney, Blumhouse and Atomic Monster's massive slate of films, some fun at Universal Horror Nights, Anything But Ghosts, Sense and Sensibility, Cyberpunk, Blade Runner 2099, Ben Affleck's terrible new film, David Fincher, 28 Years Later, and Christmas with the Kringles. We wrap things up with movie trivia and a discussion of the highly anticipated GTA 6. It's another packed episode full of movie news, horror talk, franchise updates, and gaming hype! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Stanley Kubrick is one of the most influential and fascinating filmmakers in cinema history. In this Director Spotlight, we explore his journey from teenage photographer to legendary filmmaker, breaking down his obsession with creative control, meticulous research, visual style, technical innovation, and recurring themes of power, violence, technology and human nature. We dive into Kubrick’s incredible filmography, including Paths of Glory, Dr. Strangelove, 2001: A Space Odyssey, A Clockwork Orange, Barry Lyndon, The Shining, Full Metal Jacket and Eyes Wide Shut. Along the way, we explore iconic scenes and shots, cinematography, music, performances, controversies and some of the wildest behind-the-scenes stories from his career. Finally, we examine what makes a movie “Kubrickian,” his enormous influence on modern filmmaking, the myths surrounding his perfectionism and the unrealized projects that could have changed his career. Plus, we debate his greatest film, performance, scene, shot, ending and where Kubrick belongs among the greatest directors of all time. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Few movies this year have inspired reactions as divided as DIGGER. In this deep dive, we take on Alejandro González Iñárritu’s ambitious, bizarre, visually audacious new film and try to figure out exactly audiences and critics seem so split on it. We chat Iñárritu’s filmmaking, the film’s theatrical and surrealis approach, its production history and enormous studio ambitions, and of course Tom Cruise's brilliant performance. We also get into the movie’s environmental satire, its layered storytelling, its filmmaking , and everything else that has made Digger such a polarizing experience. Is it a misunderstood masterpiece or an overstuffed misfire? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hollywood just got a MASSIVE shakeup. Paramount and Warner Bros. are officially becoming Skydance, creating a new entertainment giant under David Ellison that brings WB, Paramount, HBO, DC, CBS, Harry Potter, Game of Thrones, Mission: Impossible, Top Gun and more under one roof.  At the box office, Verity takes the top spot while Resident Evil crosses $200 million worldwide, Digger struggles with an $8 million weekend and seemingly decides to embrace the hate in its new marketing campaign. We also get into the early tracking for Clayface, plus our reactions to Whalefall and Crystal Lake. Then we run through a packed week of additional news including Curry Barker and Cooper Tomlinson's Anything But Ghosts, first reactions to M. Night Shyamalan's Remain, Jennifer Lawrence joining Zach Cregger's The Flood, Game of Thrones heading to theaters with Aegon's Conquest, a live-action Fast & Furious series, Bradley Cooper joining G.I. Joe, Michael B. Jordan and Christopher McQuarrie's Battlefield, 24 Jump Street, Ridley Scott's Treasure Island, Ti West's Ebenezer, Miami Vice, Carrie, Victorian Psycho, Portrait of God and a whole lot more! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Would you erase the memory of someone to spare yourself pain? In this episode, we dive deep into Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Michel Gondry and Charlie Kaufman’s unforgettable exploration of love, memory, heartbreak, and the strange ways we try to escape our own past. Together we break down the groundbreaking story, unpacking its nonlinear structure and the emotional journey of Joel and Clementine, while also going behind the scenes to explore how the film was brought to life. From its ingenious practical effects and in-camera tricks to its inventive production design and visual storytelling, we take a close look at the filmmaking craft that makes the movie feel both intimate and surreal. We also dig into the film’s bigger questions and philosophical ideas: Is forgetting pain actually worth losing the memories attached to it? Are our relationships defined by just the bad times? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Two wildly different movies, two huge performances, and a lot to talk about this week. We’re diving into Primetime, with Robert Pattinson delivering a completely unhinged transformation into Chris Hansen, and Heart of the Beast, David Ayer’s brutal and emotional survival thriller starring Brad Pitt and a German Shepherd. From media obsession and fame to loyalty, trauma and survival, these movies could not be more different, but both give us plenty to unpack. Primetime takes the rise of To Catch a Predator and turns it into something bizarre, funny and increasingly sinister, exploring the collision of journalism, entertainment, fame and public punishment. We break down Pattinson’s incredible performance, Lance Oppenheim’s surreal direction and the gorgeous early-2000s film aesthetic that makes it one of the most visually interesting movies of the year. Then we head into the wilderness for Heart of the Beast, where a simple story about a retired Green Beret and his former combat dog becomes a powerful story about PTSD, loyalty, mortality and the bond between two veterans who have already survived hell together. We break down Brad Pitt’s restrained performance, the stunning New Zealand photography, the emotional ending and the incredible behind-the-scenes work that brought Odin to life. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Avengers is back on top of the box office as the Endgame re-release beats out Primetime and Heart Of The Beast. New trailers for Werwulf and Day Drinker stun, Digger prepares its global release, plus Gremlins 3, Ray Gunn, Godzilla Minus Zero, Clayface, Madden, The Last Of Us, Nathan Fielder, Family Guy, Mary Poppins and so much more! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A24 just crashed the summer box office party and outperformed some of Hollywood’s biggest studios in the process. In this episode, we break down how the indie powerhouse went from cult favorites and arthouse hits to competing directly with Warner Bros., Paramount, Disney, Universal, and Amazon MGM. With Backrooms exploding past $400 million worldwide, A24 suddenly looks a lot less like the scrappy outsider and a lot more like a serious Hollywood threat. We’re breaking down the biggest hits, the most painful flops, and the insane amount of money studios gambled on movies audiences simply didn’t show up for. A24 is getting bigger, bolder, and more commercial every year. So is this just one incredible summer, or are we watching the birth of Hollywood’s next major studio? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Zach Cregger’s Resident Evil is finally here, and it may be one of the greatest video game adaptations ever made. In this episode, we break down Cregger’s wild, hilarious, disgusting, and relentlessly entertaining trip through Raccoon City, Austin Abrams’ brilliant performance as Bryan, and why this completely original story manages to capture the DNA of Resident Evil better than almost any adaptation before it. We dive deep into the incredible filmmaking, from Dariusz Wolski’s cinematography and the first person and over the shoulder gameplay inspired camerawork to the practical creatures, insane body horror, brutal kills, and constantly escalating environments. We also explore the massive collection of video game references, including green herbs, typewriters, weapon upgrades, ammo management, the diamond key, Umbrella, Raccoon City, mutated dogs, sewers, laboratories, and boss fights. Most importantly, we discuss why Cregger’s approach works so well. He didn’t simply adapt the story of a Resident Evil game. He adapted the experience of playing one. Every new location feels like another level, every weapon feels like an upgrade, every bullet matters, and every monster is worse than the last. We’re breaking down the entire movie, its craziest moments, Easter eggs, production stories, and that absolutely insane ending. SPOILERS AHEAD. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week we break down Resident Evil’s massive $60 million domestic opening and the latest box office numbers before diving into the surprise announcement of the World War Z sequel with Brad Pitt returning and Conclave director Edward Berger taking over the franchise. We also discuss the new full length Cliff Booth trailer, Tom Cruise kicking off the Digger press tour, and Zach Cregger’s ambitious sci fi thriller The Flood. Plus, we react to The Last of Us potentially ending with Season 3, the new Primetime trailer with Robert Pattinson, our first looks at Greta Gerwig’s Narnia, and the biggest winners from the 2026 Emmys. We also get into The Social Reckoning, John Leguizamo joining Miami Vice, the wild premise behind David Leitch’s How to Rob a Bank, the new Other Mommy trailer, and plenty more from another huge week in movies and television. 0:00 (Intro) 1:01 (Resident Evil) 2:07 (Box Office) 2:42 (Heart of the Beast) 5:20 (World War Z) 7:41 (Cliff Booth) 10:03 (Digger) 11:28 (The Flood) 12:58 (The Last of Us) 14:57 (Primetime) 15:49 (Narnia) 17:22 (Emmys) 19:54 (The Social Reckoning) 21:04 (Miami Vice) 22:08 (How To Rob A Bank) 23:01 (Other Mommy) 23:52 (Helldivers) 24:43 (Your Mother) 25:23 (Hunger Games) 26:32 (Wife & Dog) 26:54 (Sacrifice) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.