For their final episode of 2024, Karen Peterson (@KarenMPeterson) and Derek Miranda (@DerekMiranda85) sit down to talk 3 Christmas Day releases: A COMPLETE UKNOWN, THE FIRE INSIDE, and BABYGIRL.
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. We will continue this format with non-spoiler reviews of all three films together, followed by the spoiler discussion.
PLOT SUMMARY:
A COMPLETE UKNOWN
In 1961, unknown 19-year-old Bob Dylan arrives in New York City with his guitar. He forges relationships with music icons of Greenwich Village on his meteoric rise, culminating in a groundbreaking performance that reverberates worldwide.
Directed by: James Mangold
Written by: James Mangold, Jay Cocks
Starring: Timothée Chalamet, Monica Barbaro, Elle Fanning, Edward Norton, Scoot McNairy, Boyd Holdbrook, Dan Fogler, Eriko Hatsune
THE FIRE INSIDE
The story of Claressa 'T-Rex' Shields, a boxer from Flint, Michigan who trained to become the first woman in her country's history to win an Olympic gold medal in the sport.
Directed by: Rachel Morrison
Written by: Barry Jenkins
Starring: Ryan Destiny, Brian Tyree Henry, Oluniké Adeliyi, De'Adre Aziza
*Clip from THE FIRE INSIDE courtesy of MGM Studios
BABYGIRL
A high-powered CEO puts her career and family on the line when she begins a torrid affair with her much-younger intern.
Directed and by: Halina Reijn
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Harris Dickinson, Antonio Banderas, Sophie Wilde, Esther McGregor, Vaughan Reilly
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This week, Derek Miranda (@DerekMiranda85) and Karen Peterson (@KarenMPeterson) celebrate Christmas with the perfect holiday film, NOSFERATU.
As we always do, this review is in two parts, a NON-SPOILER review with letter grade, followed by a more in depth SPOILER review. With plenty of spoiler alerts.
PLOT SUMMARY:
A gothic tale of obsession between a haunted young woman and the terrifying vampire infatuated with her, causing untold horror in its wake.
Directed and Written by: Robert Eggers
Starring: Lily-Rose Depp, Bill Skarsgård, Nicholas Hoult, Willem Dafoe, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Emma Corrin, Ralph Ineson, Simon McBurney
*Clip from NOSFERATU courtesy of Focus Features.
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This week things get a little wild as Karen Peterson (@KarenMPeterson) and Derek Miranda (@DerekMiranda85) sit down to talk KRAVEN THE HUNTER.
We're also ranking the Spider-Man-free Sony/Marvel movies.
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:
Kraven's complex relationship with his ruthless father starts him down a path of vengeance, motivating him to become not only the greatest hunter in the world, but also one of its most feared.
Directed by: J.C. Chandor
Screenplay by: Richard Wenk, Art Marcum, Matt Holloway
Starring: Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Russell Crowe, Ariana DeBose, Fred Hechinger, Alessandro Nivola, Christopher Abbott
*Clip from KRAVEN THE HUNTER courtesy of Sony Pictures.
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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.
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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
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'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.
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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