Overinvested

This week, Morgan and Gavia discuss the 1986 film "'night, Mother," adapted from the Pulitzer Prize-winning play of the same name. Sissy Spacek stars as a suicidal woman living with her mother, played by Anne Bancroft. Topics include the film's treatment of suicide and mental health, the difficulty of translating stage plays to film, and much more. Please be aware that, as the description suggests, this episode contains extensive discussions of suicide.

This week, Morgan and Gavia dive into Peter Weir's 1985 classic neo-noir "Witness," starring Lukas Haas as a young Amish boy who witnesses a murder, Kelly McGillis as his mother, and Harrison Ford as a detective trying to solve the crime. They discuss the film's journey from script to screen, its depiction of the police, Ford and McGillis' electric chemistry, and much more.

This week, Gavia and Morgan discuss "The Handmaiden," Park Chan-wook's beloved lesbian thriller starring Kim Min-hee and Kim Tae-ri, based on Sarah Waters' novel "Fingersmith." They discuss the film's relationship to its source material, its smart balance of tones, its depiction of sex, and much more.

This week, Gavia and Morgan debate the strengths and weaknesses of Spike Lee's new film "Da 5 Bloods," available on Netflix now, which chronicles the journey of a group of Black Vietnam veterans returning to Vietnam to search for a fallen comrade. Topics discussed include the film's impressive performances by Delroy Lindo and others, its engagement with contemporary politics, its relationship to other American Vietnam War films and narratives, and much more.

This week, Gavia and Morgan watch sci-fi classic "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan," starring the original cast of "Star Trek" as well as Ricardo Montalbán as superhuman villain Khan. They place the film in the larger context of the franchise's TV and film history, praise its streamlined screenplay, and much more.

This week, Gavia and Morgan watched one of the highest-grossing Nigerian films of all time, the romantic comedy "The Wedding Party" (2016). They discuss the Nollywood film industry, the film's approach to gender and class, what top-grossing films say about their countries of origin, and much more. This episode is sponsored by a generous Patreon subscriber.

This week, Morgan and Gavia discuss Elaine May's grimy gangster classic "Mikey and Nicky" (1976), starring John Cassavetes and Peter Falk. They dive into May's legendary career as a comedian and director, assess the film in comparison to other gangster movies, and sing the praises of the lead actors.

Morgan and Gavia return from their coronavirus-induced hiatus with an episode on the beloved romantic comedy "Moonstruck" (1987), starring Cher and Nicolas Cage as star-crossed lovers in Brooklyn. They discuss the film's unique narrative structure, its approach to Italian-American New York, and the blazing performances at its center.

This week, Gavia and Morgan dive into Disney Channel classic "High School Musical 2" at a Patreon subscriber's request. They discuss the film's cultural impact, its Marxist themes, its blast-from-the-past fashions, and much more.

This week, Morgan and Gavia discuss Alfred Hitchcock's 1954 mystery "Rear Window," starring James Stewart and Grace Kelly. They break down Stewart and Kelly's star power, dig into some classic feminist film theory, praise the film's iconic costumes, and more.

This week, Morgan and Gavia discuss Martin Scorsese's Best Picture-winning, Boston mob epic "The Departed" (2006), starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Mark Wahlberg, and more. They compare the film to "Infernal Affairs" (2002), the film upon which it is based, praise its depiction of Boston, and consider Leonardo DiCaprio's excellent performance and perplexing career.

Due to unforeseen chaotic events related to the coronavirus, we've delayed our next new episode until next week. In the meantime, please enjoy this oldie-but-goodie episode on the 2016 catastrophe "Passengers," which seems even more mystifying in retrospect. Stay in your pods, everybody.

This week, Morgan and Gavia discuss Autumn de Wilde's new adaptation of Jane Austen's masterpiece "Emma." They compare it to previous adaptations of the novel, puzzle over some odd casting and script choices, and praise its all-time great costumes.

This week, Gavia and Morgan discuss "Clueless" (1995), Amy Heckerling's classic high school adaptation of Jane Austen's "Emma." They compare the film to the novel and its other adaptations, discuss its engagement with nineties teen culture, and praise its costumes, performances, and more.

This week, Gavia and Morgan finally go deep on Paolo Sorrentino's art film-cum-television program "The Young Pope" and its sequel "The New Pope," in which they are both thoroughly overinvested. They discuss its treatment of Catholicism and the Church's recent scandals, Sorrentino's bravura direction, and above all, Jude Law's career-best performance as the young pope himself.

This week, Gavia and Morgan discuss "Birds of Prey," Cathy Yan's cracking sequel to the disastrous "Suicide Squad," once again featuring Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn. They praise the film's visual style and Margot Robbie's bold performance, compare the current state of DC and Marvel films, and critique the film's handling of Ewan McGregor's queer-coded villain.

This week, Gavia and Morgan offer their predictions for Sunday's Academy Awards telecast. Will "1917" or "Parasite" win the big prize? Can Bong Joon-ho topple Sam Mendes for best director? Can anyone upset Joaquin Phoenix or Brad Pitt? And more...

This week, Gavia and Morgan discuss their top ten films of the year, highlighting many of the small indies and docs that made 2019 such a great year for cinema, including "Parasite," "Hustlers," "Little Women," and many more.

This week, Morgan and Gavia revisit an old favorite: Robert Altman's 2001 masterpiece "Gosford Park." They admire the film's depiction of interwar Britain; praise its sprawling cast of legendary actors including Helen Mirren, Maggie Smith, and Clive Owen; and compare it to the less politically astute "Downton Abbey," also written by screenwriter Julian Fellowes.

This week, Gavia and Morgan discuss one of 2019's most celebrated movies, Bong Joon-ho's "Parasite." They give an overview of the film's international success, break down its political subtext, and praise its extraordinary production design and fantastic cast of actors including Song Kang-ho and Park So-dam.