Our exploration of the spooky south continues with Neil Jordan's 1994 adaptation of Anne Rice's INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE! We love the insane family dynamics of our vampire trio, and so this episode importantly praises Kirsten Dunst, is okay with Brad Pitt, is in awe of whatever Tom Cruise is doing, and is surprised by least erotic Antonio Banderas performance. We are of course finding a way to make this story about class, Nick compares Rice to Charles Dickens, and we ask the ultimate question: what does this have to do with Cher? Plus, more teenaged Erin lore surrounding her experience with this book, how this book and film changed fan fiction forever, and another edition of Graboid Onto These Facts. Next time on the pod we're getting into Noirvember with the Wachowski sisters' debut, BOUND! Note: there is a little audio hiccup around 46:00-47:00 -- it is temporary and does not occur throughout the episode.

Hot off SINNERS last week, this week we're tackling a different kind of story about racial tensions in the south: independent filmmaker novelist John Sayles' neo-western mystery, LONE STAR from 1996! We're talking Sayles' career and how his fingerprints cover Hollywood from Roger Corman to ET the Extraterrestrial before diving into thoughts on the Alamo. And in our discussion of this film's themes and central mystery that deal with the grey areas of borders we all experience, we define once and for all what "politics in movies" means. The cast is all on fire, and we discuss how Chris Cooper plays subtext to the back walls, how we need to see more Elizabeth Peña & Joe Morton, how Kris Kristofferson is always scary, and how Matthew McConaughey has always been Daddy. Next time we're squeezing in something spooky just in time -- Tom Cruise goes southern gothic in INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE!

Gartbage is back and we're heading south with several Michael B Jordan's for Ryan Coogler's period horror musical SINNERS! As always, we're discussing with full spoilers. We're tracing Sinners' path from conception to theatre, from Coogler's visit to a cotton plantation outside of Atlanta, to discovering Miles Caton and treating Jack O'Connell like Beyonce, to one of the best theatre experiences of the year. This film trusts its audiences in ways that recent blockbusters haven't, so we're getting into some of the details that make up this (our?) world: Hoodoo, the Great Migration, Juke Joints, Choctaw vampire hunters, we've got it all. Plus, Erin breaks down how Ludwig Goransson's blues-based score helps tell this story of racism, colonialism, and vampires. And how did we feel about the big Generations dance scene? The answer may surprise you! Next week we're taking another look at racial and colonial attitudes in the south with John Sayles' LONE STAR (1996)

We're back! It's a mini-sode to catch us up after a long break, and we're breaking format to discuss our recent visit to the Mobile Criterion Closet! We made new movie folk friends, played some movie trivia for fabulous prizes, and, most importantly, made our Official Criterion Closet picks. We're also talking about our recent cinematic obsessions, finally getting French New Wave films, guys we made up to get mad at, and lament not getting to participate in TIFF this year. Join us next time for a return to our typical format with this year's vampire musical, SINNERS!

This week we're getting expended as we wrap up Bong June-ho with Bong Joon-ho's sexy sci-fi farce, MICKEY 17 from this very year of 2025! Full spoilers ahead as we discuss Bong's version of a feel-good love story, Edward Ashton's original novel MICKEY 7, the inherently boring faces of techno-religious fascism, reconciling your morality with your identity in late-stage capitalism, and how "lower" classes can become a self-exploitative population. Y'know, comedy! It's the Robert Pattinson show -- his mondo weirdo energy, falling down stairs, underwear modeling, and the DNA his performances share with Jim Carrey. Plus, we're getting into Naomi Ackie's "he said no pickles" performance, Steven Yeun's underrated comedic chops, and Mark Ruffalo's fake teeth and Toni Collette's sauces. And to wrap up the series, we're giving our top 3 Bongs. We think you'll agree that our choices are very brave.

Malkovich to you and welcome to the second set of Bong June-ho! This pair of episodes is all about thinking about the concept of a Guy. What if several guys became one guy? What if one guy was several guys? We're here to answer these questions and more, starting with Spike Jonze's 1999 dark comedy headtrip, BEING JOHN MALKOVICH. We get into Spike Jonze's BMX and MTV lifestyle, Charlie Kaufman's sketch comedy origins, our feelings on John Cusack, Cameron Diaz, and Catherine Keener. And of course the question everyone wants the answer to: why Malkovich? This movie's prescience lies in its surreal prediction of fan culture, and we are forced to invoke the dreaded phrase: "you couldn't make this today", while dredging up our corporate job histories. We're also drawing parallels between Bong Joon-ho's filmography and why he lists this as one of his favourites! Next time we wrap up our set of Guys by hanging out with several Robert Pattinsons in MICKEY 17!

Bong June-ho enters its second second week, and its first from our mini-series' namesake. It's time to discuss Bong Joon-ho's THE HOST from 2006 to complete our set of screw ups in the backdrop of failed American imperialisms with REPO MAN. One of Bong's trademarks is his depiction of class in his films, and while this isn't the first example in his repertoire, it's his first film expressly focused on class. We love our family of screw up underdogs led by Song Kang-ho, and we're doing our best to determine an Official THE HOST Sibling Order. Alarmingly, this movie's premise is based on a true life incident, the McFarland Incident! Somehow, this film is a less ridiculous version of the real story, and we're discussing this and the political fallout that chased Bong upon this film's release. Next time on the pod: what if a guy was multiple guys? And what if you were all those guys? It's the first part of our next pairing, Spike Jonze's BEING JOHN MALKOVICH 1999!

It's time for another mini-series: it's Bong June-ho! We're taking some of Bong' Joon-ho's favourite films and pairing them with his own and first up: fuck ups trying to survive against the backdrop of failing American imperialism. Today we start things off with Alex Cox's 1984 debut, REPO MAN! We're discussing our journey with this movie as we went from mild haters to powerful lovers, unfiltered punk worldviews, and how the soundtrack to REPO MAN changed America's punk landscape forever thanks in large part to Iggy Pop. We're trashing Reagan and car culture while praising Cox's beautiful ode to character through its casting choices. Plus, Nick tells Erin about the Brat Pack and we commit to at least 200 episodes for a Jazz Punk Teen surprise! Next time, we complete the pairing with Bong Joon-ho's monster movie with a fuck up at its centre: THE HOST.

Grab your sheer wrap and leather kneepads, we're heading to Hong Kong to hang with Michelle Yeoh, Maggie Cheung, and Anita Mui in Johnnie To's 1993 cult classic THE HEROIC TRIO! How many baby thefts is too many? We're here to answer this, how it fuses Tim Burton and James Cameron with wuxia, the mind-boggling star power on screen, and how Hong Kong's trademark tonal juggling act is pushed to the extreme. Nick is here to impart the good word of Anita Mui's life, and Erin gives us the lowdown on what makes a wuxia and how the Heroic Trio fits into its thousands-of-years long tradition. Content warning: as with the movie, there is discussion of infanticide

We're back! After our Guillermo Del Toro mini-series we're returning with the polar opposite of GDT's hopeful, community-driven cinema -- we're going sleazy, conspiratorial, and cynical (but still anti-American)! It's time for Brian De Palma's 1981 thriller, BLOW OUT! It's our first time talking De Palma, so we're breaking down his general cinematic approach and style before diving into where exactly BLOW OUT came from, and the power of a downer ending. It'd be impossible not to delve into voyeurism, Hitchcock, John Travolta's singing career, Nancy Allen & De Palma's marriage, and our complicated feelings on John "Mr Entertainment" Lithgow. Plus we're here to answer the age old question: is there a better cinematic setup scene than putting John Travolta on a bridge with an owl? Next time: back to Hong Kong for Johnnie To's gonzo superhero antics in THE HEROIC TRIO (1993)

It's the final instalment of our GDT In The GTA mini-series - hilariously one of the only films he did not shoot in Toronto - it's GUILLERMO DEL TORO'S PINOCCHIO from 2022! As our favourite of the two 2022 Pinocchio films, we're naturally discussing stop-motion animation in depth and learning how much of a nightmare it can be. We're also taking the opportunity to slag off AI, learn how quippiness goes bad, and finally identify the British version of M Emmet Walsh. GDT writes most of his movies because of his relationship with his father and this is very clearly no exception. We're picking up his cue to talk through the idea of individual responsibility in life and to their children, especially when it comes to fascism and war. Plus, we're here with a huge update from Erin's Dairy Corner. Join us as we choose our favourite puppets from the cast and rank our top 3 personal GDT films! You too will believe that Cate Blanchett is an elderly, abused monkey inspired by ... Joan Cusack!? Next time - it's time for the opposite of del Toro. That's right, time for some sleazy genre fare and we're looking at one of the best: Brian De Palma's BLOW OUT!

Week 3 of GDT in the GTA would like to offer you an egg in this trying time. It's the awards-darling moment of Guillermo Del Toro's career, and vindication for monsterf*ckers everywhere: 2017's THE SHAPE OF WATER! We're charting Del Toro's journey from the giant canvas of PACIFIC RIM to the intimately-scaled WATER, the original Creature from the Black Lagoon, and how you create a movie as a terrarium for a fishman. Naturally, we're praising all the performances--from Sally Hawkins' confidence to MIchael Shannon's incuriousity, Octavia Spencer's jokes to Michael Stuhlbarg's stuffed shirt, and Richard Jenkins' desparation to Doug Jones' toreador energy--but we're also discussing how consumerism of the 60's intersects with our antagonists, and how 'otherness' is portrayed by our heroes. Plus, we're playing ROOMMATE, TINDER DATE, OR BLOCK with classic monsters! Next time we wrap up our mini-series with GUILLERMO DEL TORO'S PINOCCHIO.

Analog. Nuclear. Podcast. Our second week of GDT In The GTA brings us Guillermo del Toro in action blockbuster mode: the rock 'em sock 'em kaiju robot punchfest, PACIFIC RIM from 2013! Join us in canceling the apocalypse! We're diving (lol) deep into how drifting works, what separates this from other mecha anime & monster movies, and what constitutes an analog robot. And we're working to answer the question: did GDT cast Charlie Day purely on the Pepe Silvia episode of Always Sunny? And where does Gamera fit into this picture? Nick takes Erin on GDT's journey from DEVIL'S BACKBONE to PACIFIC RIM and, spoiler alert, James Cameron is way more involved than you might think. And can Erin finally best a round of Graboid Onto These Facts? Next week we go full Oscars mode with 2017's THE SHAPE OF WATER!

It's the first regular episode of the new year, and a first in our winter series: GDT In The GTA. The next couple of weeks are all about Papa Cinema himself, Guillermo Del Toro, and what better place to start than his self-professed "first" movie, 2001's THE DEVIL'S BACKBONE! (aka EL ESPINAZO DEL DIABLO) Before getting into the movie proper, we're setting the table for our mini-series by covering the highlights of GDT's life in the lead up to BACKBONE, his outlook on creativity and antifascism, and how lapsed Catholics and atheists are not the same thing. We're discussing at length how he successfully ties together seemingly disparate elements of the gothic horror subgenre, themes of solidarity, the specifics of the Spanish Civil War, and Catholicism. Working with children in film is always hit or miss, but we're here to celebrate Carlos' bravery, Jaime's redemption, and the death of fascists. Next time we're just gonna go jump in the ocean: it's monster-robot fighting PACIFIC RIM!

It's cinema's biggest night -- the second annual Trashies! Come with us as we discuss our favourite performances, scores, theatre experiences, and our top 5s of 2024. Who will take home the coveted Trashy for best film of the year? Listen to find out! Movies discussed: The Return Dune Part 2 A Different Man Love Lies Bleeding Perfect Days Nosferatu Challengers The Brutalist The Substance Escape from the 21st Century Evil Does Not Exist Conclave Mars Express Next episode we begin GDT IN THE GTA: our little series on Guillermo Del Toro, aka Papa Cinema!

We're podcasters, not action movie stars! That's right, we're finally breaking the seal on one of Nick's favourite directors with our second holiday episode: Satoshi Kon's TOKYO GODFATHERS from 2003. It's probably Kon's most conventional film, but he brings in his reality-blurring style nonetheless. We're discussing John Ford's influence, society's marginalized populations, and the emotions we dip into when we're trying to mask or find love. Nick gets deep into how the realism is enhanced & broken with animation and sound design flourishes, and Erin has a Baileys update! Plus, we're speculating about what happens to these characters after the cameras stop rolling, a testament to how fully-realized these titular Godfathers are. Next time: our 2024 in review! So just watch every movie that came out this year and you'll be prepped.

Welcome to the Holiday Season. We're here with what has become the Gartbage's annual holiday tradition: a Shane Black film set at Christmastime. This year, it's Black-penned but Renny Harlin-directed THE LONG KISS GOODNIGHT from 1996! Our gift this year is getting to respectfully discuss Geena Davis' biceps, our favourite Samuel L Jackson performances, their amazing chemistry, and Brian Cox's proclivity for aiding amnesiacs. In addition to how we feel about the specific subgenres to which this belongs--spy coming out of retirement & misanthropic buddy action comedy--we also get pretty nerdy about Alan Silvestri's soundtracks. Plus, Erin has a holiday trivia segment for Nick! Will he remember enough about Shane Black's filmography & amnesia-based films to win? Listen to find out! NEXT TIME: our second holiday episode on Satoshi Kon's most normal film: 2003's TOKYO GODFATHERS.

No audio engineering is required for this episode; you are hearing the raw unmanipulated audio of our mega-episode on Francis Ford Coppola's 1974 neo-noir masterpiece THE CONVERSATION. We're here to celebrate its 50th anniversary by recounting our experience seeing this in theatres as a first viewing experience. We're having a serious The Conversation about Gene Hackman's spite, John Cazale's killer filmography, Harrison Ford's babyface, the recently passed Teri Garr's ability to elevate everything she's in, and David Shire's amazing minimalist score, before running through the plot of this top-tier character study masquerading as a mystery. Spoilers within! This movie's prescience really cannot really be overstated. We're here to discuss how it locked into the zeitgeist of the 70's and predicted our current way of life, and how it not only predicted Watergate, but technical advisor Martin Kaiser's life. Plus, is The Conversation part of a franchise??? Find out here! Next time: the holiday season's already here!? We're upset about it. But we're easing the pain by watching Renny Harlin & Shane Black's THE LONG KISS GOODNIGHT!

We've come down with a case of Limania for this episode -- that's right, we're talking about Doug Liman's 2014 sci-fi time guy, EDGE OF TOMORROW! This is another big one for the household. We're obsessed with the intersection of Tom Cruise's personal vs screen personas, Bill Paxton's intersection with JFK's assassination, and Emily Blunt's intersection of aliens and her Big Sword. We're getting into the title controversy and how this is film is so much greater than the sum of its parts. And we're becoming Tom Cruise scream truthers: buckle up for a cavalcade of death yelps! Come Live, Die, Repeat with us! Next time on the pod we're visiting a stone-cold classic for its 50th anniversary: Francis Ford Coppola's THE CONVERSATION!

It's our second spooky episode of spooky season and we've decided its finally time to cover a Gartbage touchstone, a part of our specific heritage: it's SHAUN OF THE DEAD from 2004. We're talking about the inspirations for the film, zombies in general, synthesizing genre convention vs parodying genre tropes, and the lost art of back-of-DVD writing. This movie hit at a very formative time for us, so we're talking teen years, the doors to film that this movie opened to us, and how it expanded our vocabulary. And yes, we talk about Queen. Next time we're covering a movie we've longed to discuss: the Tom Cruise death vehicle EDGE OF TOMORROW, aka LIVE DIE REPEAT!