This week, Derek Miranda (@DerekMiranda85) and Karen Peterson (@KarenMPeterson) are taking it all the way back to 1999 as they sit down to talk Y2K.
As always, featured reviews are done in two parts, a NON-SPOILER review with letter grade and brief discussion, followed by a more in depth SPOILER review.
PLOT SUMMARY:
On the last night of 1999, two high school juniors crash a New Years Eve party, only to find themselves fighting for their lives in this dial-up disaster comedy.
Directed by: Kyle Mooney
Written by: Kyle Mooney & Evan Winter
Starring: Jaeden Martell, Rachel Zegler, Julian Dennison, Lachlan Watson, The Kid Laroi, and Fred Durst
This week, Karen Peterson (@KarenMPeterson) and Derek Miranda (@DerekMiranda85) have a little post-Thanksgiving chat and sit down for MARIA.
As always, featured reviews are done in two parts, a NON-SPOILER review with letter grade and brief discussion, followed by a more in depth SPOILER review.
PLOT SUMMARY:
Famed opera singer Maria Callas retreats to Paris in the 1970s after a glamorous yet tumultuous life in the public eye.
Directed by: Pablo Larraín
Written by: Steven Knight
Starring: Angelina Jolie, Pierfrancesco Favino, Alba Rohrwacher, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Haluk Bilginer
Available on Netflix beginning December 11.
Support the show! www.Patreon.com/TheWatchAndTalk
This week, Derek Miranda (@DerekMiranda85) and Karen Peterson (@KarenMPeterson) battle it out over GLADIATOR II.
Plus, we have a non-spoilery chat about WICKED.
As always, featured reviews are done in two parts, a NON-SPOILER review with letter grade and brief discussion, followed by a more in depth SPOILER review.
PLOT SUMMARY:
Years after witnessing the death of Maximus at the hands of his uncle, Lucius must enter the Colosseum after the powerful emperors of Rome conquer his home. With rage in his heart and the future of the empire at stake, he looks to the past to find the strength and honor needed to return the glory of Rome to its people.
Directed by: Ridley Scott
Written by: David Scarpa
Starring: Paul Mescal, Denzel Washington, Pedro Pascal, Connie Nielsen, Joseph Quinn, Fred Hechinger
Support the show! www.Patreon.com/TheWatchAndTalk
'Tis the season for dysfunctional families, and this week Karen Peterson (@karenmpeterson) & Derek Miranda (@DerekMiranda85) sit down to talk A REAL PAIN.
As always, featured reviews are done in two parts, a NON-SPOILER review with letter grade and brief discussion, followed by a more in depth SPOILER review.
PLOT SUMMARY:
Mismatched cousins David and Benji tour Poland to ho:nor their grandmother. Their adventure becomes complicated as old tensions resurface while exploring their family history.
Directed and Written by: Jesse Eisenberg
Starring: Jesse Eisenberg, Kieran Culkin, Jennifer Grey, Will Sharpe, Kurt Egyiawan
*Clip from A REAL PAIN courtesy of Searchlight Pictures.
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Beware whose door you're knocking on! This week Karen Peterson (@karenmpeterson) & Derek Miranda (@DerekMiranda85) sit down to talk HERETIC.
As always, featured reviews are done in two parts, a NON-SPOILER review with letter grade and brief discussion, followed by a more in depth SPOILER review.
PLOT SUMMARY:
Two young missionaries become ensnared in a deadly game of cat and mouse when they knock on the door of the diabolical Mr. Reed. Trapped in his home, they must turn to their faith if they want to make it out alive.
Written and Directed by: Scott Beck and Bryan Woods
Starring: Hugh Grant, Sophie Thatcher, Chloe East
*Clip from HERETIC courtesy of A24.
Support the show! www.Patreon.com/TheWatchAndTalk
We're getting into the heart of Awards Season now as Karen Peterson (@karenmpeterson) & Derek Miranda (@DerekMiranda85) sit down to talk ANORA.
As always, featured reviews are done in two parts, a NON-SPOILER review with letter grade and brief discussion, followed by a more in depth SPOILER review.
PLOT SUMMARY:
Anora, a sex worker from Brooklyn, gets her chance at a Cinderella story when she meets and marries the son of an oligarch. Once the news reaches Russia, her fairytale is threatened as the parents set out for New York to get the marriage annulled.
Directed and Written by: Sean Baker
Starring: Mikey Madison, Mark Eidelstein, Yura Borisov, Karren Karagulian, Vache Tovmasyan, Aleksei Serebryakov, Darya Ekamasova
*Clip from ANORA courtesy of Neon.
Support the show! www.Patreon.com/TheWatchAndTalk
Politics and religion go hand in hand this week when Derek Miranda (@DerekMiranda85) and Karen Peterson (@KarenMPeterson) sit down to talk CONCLAVE.
As always, featured reviews are done in two parts, a NON-SPOILER review with letter grade and brief discussion, followed by a more in depth SPOILER review.
PLOT SUMMARY:
Cardinal Lawrence is tasked with one of the world's most secretive and ancient events -- participating in the selection of a new pope. Surrounded by powerful religious leaders in the halls of the Vatican, he soon uncovers a trail of deep secrets that could shake the very foundation of the Roman Catholic Church.
Directed by: Edward Berger
Written by: Peter Straughan, based on the novel by Robert Harris
Starring: Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, Isabella Rossellini, Lucian Msamati, Sergio Castellitto, Carlos Diehz
*Clip from CONCLAVE courtesy of Focus Features.
Support the show! www.Patreon.com/TheWatchAndTalk
We're back! After weeks away, Karen Peterson (@KarenMPeterson) and Derek Miranda (@DerekMiranda85) are back to catch up on where they've been and all the movies and TV shows they've been watching all month long.
From classic horror movies to new dramas, there's a lot packed into this episode. Enjoy!
Support the show! www.Patreon.com/TheWatchAndTalk
Decades in the making, this week Karen Peterson (@karenmpeterson) & Derek Miranda (@DerekMiranda85) sit down to talk MEGALOPOLIS.
As always, featured reviews are done in two parts, a NON-SPOILER review with letter grade and brief discussion, followed by a more in depth SPOILER review.
PLOT SUMMARY:
A conflict between Cesar, a genius artist who seeks to leap into a utopian, idealistic future, and his opposition, Mayor Franklyn Cicero, who remains committed to a regressive status quo, perpetuating greed, special interests, and partisan warfare.
Directed and Written by: Francis Ford Coppola
Starring: Adam Driver, Nathalie Emmanuel, Giancarlo Esposito, Aubrey Plaza, Laurence Fishburne, Shia Labeouf, Jon Voight, Dustin Hoffman, Talia Shire, Kathryn Hunter, Grace VanderWaal, Chloe Fineman, D.B. Sweeney
*Clip from MEGALOPOLIS courtesy of Lionsgate.
Support the show! www.Patreon.com/TheWatchAndTalk
This week, Karen Peterson (@KarenMPeterson) and Derek Miranda (@DerekMiranda85) try to keep The Evil at bay when they sit down to talk NEVER LET GO.
As always, featured reviews are done in two parts, a NON-SPOILER review with letter grade and brief discussion, followed by a more in depth SPOILER review.
PLOT SUMMARY:
When an unspeakable evil takes over the world, the only protection for a mother and her twin sons is their house and strong bond. Needing to stay connected at all times -- even tethering themselves with ropes -- they must cling to one another and never let go. However, when one of the boys questions if the evil is real, the ties that bind them together are severed, triggering a terrifying fight for survival.
Directed by: Alexandre Aja
Written by: Kevin Coughlin, Ryan Grassby
Starring: Halle Berry, Percy Daggs IV, Anthony B. Jenkins
*Clip from NEVER LET GO courtesy of Lionsgate.
Support the show! www.Patreon.com/TheWatchAndTalk
We're diving into a Blumhouse's latest this week when Karen Peterson (@karenmpeterson) & Derek Miranda (@DerekMiranda85) sit down to talk SPEAK NO EVIL.
We also spend some time chatting about the 76th Emmy Awards.
As always, featured reviews are done in two parts, a NON-SPOILER review with letter grade and brief discussion, followed by a more in depth SPOILER review.
PLOT SUMMARY:
A dream holiday turns into a living nightmare when an American couple and their daughter spend the weekend at a British family's idyllic country estate.
Directed and Written by: James Watkins
Starring: James McAvoy, Mackenzie Davis, Scoot McNairy, Aisling Franciosi, Alix West Lefler, Dan Hough
*Clip from SPEAK NO EVIL courtesy of Universal Pictures.
Support the show! www.Patreon.com/TheWatchAndTalk
More than 35 years after Tim Burton's wacky paranormal comedy became a box office hit, Karen Peterson (@karenmpeterson) & Derek Miranda (@DerekMiranda85) sit down to talk all about the sequel, BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE.
As always, featured reviews are done in two parts, a NON-SPOILER review with letter grade and brief discussion, followed by a more in depth SPOILER review.
PLOT SUMMARY:
Three generations of the Deetz family return home to Winter River after an unexpected family tragedy. Still haunted by Beetlejuice, Lydia's life soon gets turned upside down when her rebellious teenage daughter discovers a mysterious portal to the afterlife. When someone says Beetlejuice's name three times, the mischievous demon gleefully returns to unleash his very own brand of mayhem.
Directed by: Tim Burton
Written by: Alfred Gough, Miles Millar, Seth Grahame-Smith
Starring: Winona Ryder, Michael Keaton, Catherine O'Hara, Jenna Ortega, Justin Theroux, Monica Bellucci, Willem Dafoe
*Promotional clip from BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE courtesy of Warner Bros.
Support the show! www.Patreon.com/TheWatchAndTalk
Everything is not what it seems when Karen Peterson (@karenmpeterson) & Derek Miranda (@DerekMiranda85) sit down to talk BLINK TWICE.
As always, featured reviews are done in two parts, a NON-SPOILER review with letter grade and brief discussion, followed by a more in depth SPOILER review.
PLOT SUMMARY:
When tech billionaire Slater King meets cocktail waitress Frida at his fundraising gala, he invites her to join him and his friends for a dream vacation on his private island. Wild nights soon blend into sun-soaked days, but when strange things start to happen, Frida must uncover the truth if she hopes to make it out alive.
Directed by: Zoë Kravitz
Written by: Zoë Kravitz and E.T. Feigenbaum
Starring: Naomi Ackie, Channing Tatum, Alia Shawkat, Adria Arjona, Christian Slater, Simon Rex, Haley Joel Osment, Liz Caribel, Trew Mullen, Levon Hawke, Maria Elena Olveras, Kyle MacLachlan, Geena Davis
*Clip from BLINK TWICE courtesy of MGM Studios.
Support the show! www.Patreon.com/TheWatchAndTalk
In space, no one can hear you scream. But on a podcast, everyone can hear you disagree. This week Karen Peterson (@karenmpeterson) & Derek Miranda (@DerekMiranda85) sit down to talk ALIEN: ROMULUS. Plus, they're ranking the seven films in the official ALIEN franchise.
As always, featured reviews are done in two parts, a NON-SPOILER review with letter grade and brief discussion, followed by a more in depth SPOILER review.
PLOT SUMMARY:
Space colonizers come face to face with the most terrifying life-form in the universe while scavenging the deep ends of a derelict space station.
Directed by: Fede Álvarez
Written by: Fede Álvarez, Rodo Sayagues
Starring: Cailee Spaeny, David Jonsson, Isabela Merced, Archie Renaux, Spike Fearn, Alice Wu
*Clip from ALIEN: ROMULUS courtesy of 20th Century Studios.
Support the show! www.Patreon.com/TheWatchAndTalk
Things are getting a little creepy this week as Karen Peterson (@karenmpeterson) & Derek Miranda (@DerekMiranda85) sit down to talk CUCKOO.
As always, featured reviews are done in two parts, a NON-SPOILER review with letter grade and brief discussion, followed by a more in depth SPOILER review.
PLOT SUMMARY:
Seventeen-year-old Gretchen reluctantly leaves America to live with her father at a resort in the German Alps. Plagued by strange noises and bloody visions, she soon discovers a shocking secret that concerns her own family.
Directed and written by: Tilman Singer
Starring: Hunter Schafer, Dan Stevens, Jessica Henwick, Marton Csokas, Jan Bluthardt
*Clip from CUCKOO courtesy of NEON.
Support the show! www.Patreon.com/TheWatchAndTalk
The Summer of Shyamalan continues. This week Karen Peterson (@karenmpeterson) & Derek Miranda (@DerekMiranda85) sit down to talk TRAP.
As always, featured reviews are done in two parts, a NON-SPOILER review with letter grade and brief discussion, followed by a more in depth SPOILER review.
PLOT SUMMARY:
A man and his teenage daughter realize they're at the center of a dark and sinister event while watching a concert.
Directed and Written by: M. Night Shymalan
Starring: Josh Hartnett, Ariel Donoghue, Saleka Shyamalan, Hayley Mills
*Clip from TRAP courtesy of Warner Bros.
Support the show! www.Patreon.com/TheWatchAndTalk
Deadpool is back. Wolverine is back. Marvel is back. This week, join Derek Miranda (@DerekMiranda85) and Karen Peterson (@KarenMPeterson) as they talk DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE.
As always, featured reviews are done in two parts, a NON-SPOILER review with letter grade and brief discussion, followed by a more in depth SPOILER review.
PLOT SUMMARY:
Deadpool's peaceful existence comes crashing down when the Time Variance Authority recruits him to help safeguard the multiverse. He soon unites with his would-be pal, Wolverine, to complete the mission and save his world from an existential threat.
Directed by: Shawn Levy
Written by: Ryan Reynolds, Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick, Zeb Wells, Shawn Levy
Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Emma Corrin, Matthew Macfadyen, Rob Delaney, Morena Baccarin
Support the show! www.Patreon.com/TheWatchAndTalk
There's a storm brewing this week as Karen Peterson (@karenmpeterson) & Derek Miranda (@DerekMiranda85) sit down to talk TWISTERS.
As always, featured reviews are done in two parts, a NON-SPOILER review with letter grade and brief discussion, followed by a more in depth SPOILER review.
PLOT SUMMARY:
Haunted by a devastating encounter with a tornado, Kate Cooper gets lured back to the open plains by her friend, Javi, to test a groundbreaking new tracking system. She soon crosses paths with Tyler Owens, a charming but reckless social-media superstar who thrives on posting his storm-chasing adventures. As storm season intensifies, Kate, Tyler and their competing teams find themselves in a fight for their lives as multiple systems converge over central Oklahoma.
Directed by: Lee Isaac Chung
Written by: Mark L. Smith (based on a story by Joseph Kosinski)
Starring: Daisy Edgar-Jones, Glen Powell, Anthony Ramos, Maura Tierney, Brandon Perea, Sasha Lane, David Corenswet, Katy O'Brian, Harry Hadden-Paton, Kiernan Shipka, Daryl McCormack
*Clip from TWISTERS courtesy of Universal Pictures.
Support the show! www.Patreon.com/TheWatchAndTalk
This week is looking a little dark as Derek Miranda (@DerekMiranda85) and Karen Peterson (@KarenMPeterson) talk LONGLEGS.
We're also discussing our Top 5 Serial Killer Procedural films.
As always, featured reviews are done in two parts, a NON-SPOILER review with letter grade and brief discussion, followed by a more in depth SPOILER review.
PLOT SUMMARY:
FBI Agent Lee Harker is assigned to an unsolved serial killer case that takes an unexpected turn, revealing evidence of the occult. Harker discovers a personal connection to the killer and must stop him before he strikes again.
Directed and Written by: Osgood Perkins
Starring: Maika Monroe, Nicolas Cage, Blaire Underwood, Alicia Witt, Kiernan Shipka
*Clip from LONGLEGS courtesy of Neon.
Support the show! www.Patreon.com/TheWatchAndTalk
This week Karen Peterson (@karenmpeterson) & Derek Miranda (@DerekMiranda85) sit down to talk MAXXXINE.
As always, featured reviews are done in two parts, a NON-SPOILER review with letter grade and brief discussion, followed by a more in depth SPOILER review.
PLOT SUMMARY:
In 1980s Hollywood, adult film star and aspiring actress Maxine Minx finally gets her big break. However, as a mysterious killer stalks the starlets of Los Angeles, a trail of blood threatens to reveal her sinister past.
Directed and written by: Ti West
Starring: Mia Goth, Kevin Bacon, Elizabeth Debicki, Moses Sumney, Michelle Monaghan, Halsey, Bobby Cannavale, Lily Collins, Giancarlo Esposito
*Clip from MAXXXINE courtesy of A24.
Support the show! www.Patreon.com/TheWatchAndTalk
This week, Derek Miranda (@DerekMiranda85) and Karen Peterson (@KarenMPeterson) have an extra-long talk about KINDS OF KINDNESS.
We also dive into a discussion of the filmography of Yorgos Lanthimos, plus share what else we've been watching lately.
As always, featured reviews are done in two parts, a NON-SPOILER review with letter grade and brief discussion, followed by a more in depth SPOILER review.
PLOT SUMMARY:
KINDS OF KINDNESS is a triptych fable, following a man without choice who tries to take control of his own life; a policeman who is alarmed that his wife who was missing-at-sea has returned and seems a different person; and a woman determined to find a specific someone with a special ability, who is destined to become a prodigious spiritual leader.
Directed by: Yorgos Lanthimos
Written by: Yorgos Lanthimos, Efthimis Filippou
Starring: Emma Stone, Jesse Plemons, Willem Dafoe, Margaret Qualley, Hong Chau, Joe Alwyn, Mamoudou Athie, and Hunter Schafer
*Clip from KINDS OF KINDNESS courtesy of Searchlight Pictures.
Support the show! www.Patreon.com/TheWatchAndTalk
With so many good movies in theaters this week, it was tough to choose! But Karen Peterson (@KarenMPeterson) and Derek Miranda (@DerekMiranda85) are sitting down to talk THELMA.
As always, featured reviews are done in two parts, a NON-SPOILER review with letter grade and brief discussion, followed by a more in depth SPOILER review.
PLOT SUMMARY:
Thelma Post is a 93-year-old grandmother who loses $10,000 to a con artist on the phone. With help from a friend and his motorized scooter, she soon embarks on a treacherous journey across Los Angeles to reclaim what was taken from her.
Directed and written by: Josh Margolin
Starring: June Squibb, Richard Roundtree, Fred Hechinger, Parker Posey, Clark Gregg
Support the show! www.Patreon.com/TheWatchAndTalk
It's time to get emotional! This week, Derek Miranda (@DerekMiranda85) and Karen Peterson (@KarenMPeterson) are talking INSIDE OUT 2.
As always, featured reviews are done in two parts, a NON-SPOILER review with letter grade and brief discussion, followed by a more in depth SPOILER review.
PLOT SUMMARY:
Disney and Pixar’s “Inside Out 2” returns to the mind of newly minted teenager Riley just as headquarters is undergoing a sudden demolition to make room for something entirely unexpected: new Emotions! Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear and Disgust, who’ve long been running a successful operation by all accounts, aren’t sure how to feel when Anxiety shows up. And it looks like she’s not alone.
Directed by: Kelsey Mann
Written by: Dave Holstein, Meg LeFauve
Starring: Maya Hawke, Amy Poehler, Phyllis Smith, Lewis Black, Tony Hale, Liza Lapira, Ayo Edebiri, Adèle Exarchopoulos, Paul Walter Hauser, Kensington Tallman, Lilimar, Diane Lane, Kyle MacLachlan, Sumayyah Nuriddin-Green, Grace Lu, Yvette Nicole Brown, Sarayu Blue, Flea, Ron Funches, Dave Goelz, James Austin Johnson, Bobby Moynihan, Frank Oz, Paula Pell, Paula Poundstone, John Ratzenberger, Kendall Coyne Schofield, June Squibb, Kirk Thatcher, Yong Yea
*Clip from INSIDE OUT 2 courtesy of Walt Disney Studios
Support the show! www.Patreon.com/TheWatchAndTalk
This week, Karen Peterson (@KarenMPeterson) and Derek Miranda (@DerekMiranda85) are talking all about THE WATCHERS.
As always, featured reviews are done in two parts, a NON-SPOILER review with letter grade and brief discussion, followed by a more in depth SPOILER review.
PLOT SUMMARY:
A 28-year-old artist gets stranded in an expansive, untouched forest in western Ireland. Finding shelter, she unknowingly becomes trapped alongside three strangers who are stalked by mysterious creatures every night.
Directed and Written by: Ishana Night Shyamalan
Starring: Dakota Fanning, Georgina Campbell, Olwen Fouéré, Oliver Finnegan
Support the show! www.Patreon.com/TheWatchAndTalk
The inspirational sports movie is back! This week, Derek Miranda (@DerekMiranda85) and Karen Peterson (@KarenMPeterson) sit down to talk YOUNG WOMAN AND THE SEA.
As always, featured reviews are done in two parts, a NON-SPOILER review with letter grade and brief discussion, followed by a more in depth SPOILER review.
PLOT SUMMARY:
Through the steadfast support of her older sister and trainers, Trudy Ederle overcomes adversity and the animosity of a patriarchal society to rise through the ranks of the Olympic swimming team and complete a 21-mile trek from France to England.
Directed by: Joachim Rønning
Written by: Jeff Nathanson (based on the book by Glenn Stout)
Starring: Daisy Ridley, Tilda Cobham-Hervey, Stephen Graham, Jeannette Hein, Kim Bodnia, Sian Clifford, Glenn Fleschler, John Carew, Christopher Eccleston
*Clip from YOUNG WOMAN AND THE SEA courtesy of Walt Disney Pictures.
Support the show! www.Patreon.com/TheWatchAndTalk