Tune in as several friends of 2 Cents Critic jump back onto the podcast and celebrate it turning five years old! Guy Bradford (Jesters of Ravenloft: A D&D Podcast), Hannah and Rebecca (Can I Spoil Something?), Jessica Hart (Totally Bombed), Robert “Stew” Stewart (Stew World Order), Rolo Tony (These Guys Got Juice), and Seth Vargas (Movie Friends) are all teaming up with Arthur for some trivia gaming and banter. A recommendation for Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities, reading all main characters (including Pippa Fitz-Amobi) as autistic, Seth comparing Arthur to Jigsaw, and Rebecca mixing up the Jasons of Hollywood pop up as a few pieces of said banter. The buddies who are showing up at this party and plenty of the special guests who’ve been on 2CC throughout its run—they deserve nothing but gratitude. That same appreciation goes out to all the listeners who take the time to give this podcast a listen—a podcast that’s been full of thoughts and opinions on books, movies, TV shows, and more for five years. May that continue onwards (well, unless Seth is successful at terminating the journey)!

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Reach out at [email protected] if you want to recommend things to watch and read, share anecdotes, or just say hello!

Be sure to subscribe, rate, and review on iTunes or any of your preferred podcasting platforms!

Follow Arthur on Twitter, Goodpods, StoryGraph, Letterboxd, and TikTok: @arthur_ant18

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Tune in as Hannah, Rebecca, and Sarah (Can I Spoil Something?) head back to the program in order to unpack The Summer Hikaru Died, the 2025 coming-of-age cosmic horror anime series that follows a pair of teenage boys as one of them realizes that his friend isn’t quite here anymore, having been possessed by an eldritch being. The queerness that’s written all over this show, the sexy tree, comparing someone’s insides to raw and marinated chicken, and appreciation for body horror tales like Videodrome and The Substance provide a few of the topics for this episode.

Directed by Ryōhei Takeshita and adapted from the manga that’s written and illustrated by Mokumokuren, The Summer Hikaru Died stars:

•Japanese cast:

Shūichirō Umeda, Chiaki Kobayashi, Yumiri Hanamori, Wakana Kowaka, Chikahiro Kobayashi, Yoshiki Nakajima, Shion Wakayama, and Fuminori Komatsu.

•English cast:

Paul Castro Jr., Kyle McCarley, Jennifer Losi, Dorothy Fahn, Daman Mills, Jacob Hopkins, Valerie Rose Lohman, and Ben Diskin.

Spoilers start at 24:15

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Good Word:

• Hannah: unOrdinary by uru-chan

• Rebecca: Lepreezy

• Sarah: Gregory Alan Isakov

• Arthur: The Dreamers

Reach out at [email protected] if you want to recommend things to watch and read, share anecdotes, or just say hello!

Be sure to subscribe, rate, and review on iTunes or any of your preferred podcasting platforms!

Follow Arthur on Twitter, Goodpods, StoryGraph, Letterboxd, and TikTok: @arthur_ant18

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Tune in as Andrew (@_theinsomniaclibrary_) collaborates with the podcast for a discussion on Heated Rivalry, the 2019 queer sports romance novel by Rachel Reid that follows star hockey players Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov as their eponymous rivalry quickly and secretly turns into a years-long dynamic of spice and then love. Shane being autism-coded up the wazoo, comparisons between this book and the TV adaptation, the sex scenes being a necessary part of the story, and pushing back against the superficial jokes and bisexual erasure that have been aimed towards HR stand out as some of the talking points for this episode.

TW: sexual content, homophobia, parental death, grief, chronic illness, alcohol, medical injury, suicide (in the past), drug abuse (in the past), and mention of pregnancy

Spoilers unofficially start for the TV show at 27:35 and then officially start for the book at 34:20

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Good Word:

• Andrew: Little Earthquakes by Tori Amos

• Arthur: Stranger by the Lake

Reach out at [email protected] if you want to recommend things to watch and read, share anecdotes, or just say hello!

Be sure to subscribe, rate, and review on iTunes or any of your preferred podcasting platforms!

Follow Arthur on Twitter, Goodpods, StoryGraph, Letterboxd, and TikTok: @arthur_ant18

Follow Arthur on Bluesky: @arthur-ant18

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Tune in as Betsy Gorham (Never Seen It with Betsy and Trent) jumps back onto the program for a dive into The Beekeeper, the 2024 action movie about a beekeeper who dishes out his secret capacity for stepping outside of the law and enforcing justice to take revenge on behalf of a close friend who got swindled by a phishing scam. The effort that this invests into supporting elderly people while portraying scammers as the most sinister assholes in the world, the hilarious commitment to the bee shtick, wishing Lazarus and Anisette could have been around more often, and Clay getting delightfully creative with his weaponry land as a few of the subjects for this episode.

Directed by David Ayer, The Beekeeper stars Jason Statham, Emmy Raver-Lampman, Josh Hutcherson, Jeremy Irons, Bobby Naderi, David Witts, Michael Epp, Taylor James, Phylicia Rashād, Jemma Redgrave, Minnie Driver, Don Gilet, Sophia Feliciano, Enzo Cilenti, Megan Le, Georgia Goodman, Derek Siow, and Dan Li.

Spoilers start at 25:45

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Good Word:

• Betsy: John Wick and Thelma

• Arthur: Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice 

Reach out at [email protected] if you want to recommend things to watch and read, share anecdotes, or just say hello!

Be sure to subscribe, rate, and review on iTunes or any of your preferred podcasting platforms!

Follow Arthur on Twitter, Goodpods, StoryGraph, Letterboxd, and TikTok: @arthur_ant18

Follow Arthur on Bluesky: @arthur-ant18

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Tune in as Rolo Tony (@PoorOldRoloTony and These Guys Got Juice) regains his seat at the 2CC table for a breakdown of Better Man, the 2024 jukebox musical biopic that recounts the tumultuous life of former Take That member Robbie Williams while reimagining him as a chimpanzee. The hollowness and the parasocial terror of fame, “Come Undone” and “She’s the One” standing out as particularly splendid musical sequences, how surprisingly psychological this ambitious ride gets with Robbie’s POV and his declining mental health, and the complicated father-son dynamic show up as some of the discussion matter for this episode.

Directed by Michael Gracey, Better Man stars Robbie Williams, Jonno Davies, Adam Tucker, Carter J. Murphy, Steve Pemberton, Alison Steadman, Kate Mulvany, Frazer Hadfield, Damon Herriman, Raechelle Banno, Tom Budge, Jake Simmance, Liam Head, Chase Vollenweider, Jesse Hyde, Anthony Hayes, Leo Harvey-Elledge, and Chris Gun.

Spoilers start at 40:10

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Good Word:

• Rolo Tony: Love and Monsters

• Arthur: Project Hail Mary (2026)

Reach out at [email protected] if you want to recommend things to watch and read, share anecdotes, or just say hello!

Be sure to subscribe, rate, and review on iTunes or any of your preferred podcasting platforms!

Follow Arthur on Twitter, Goodpods, StoryGraph, Letterboxd, and TikTok: @arthur_ant18

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Tune in as Kate Hergott (Bookwild) circles back around to the program in order to explore The Paradox Hotel, the 2022 sci-fi mystery-thriller novel by Rob Hart that follows an ill and grief-stricken head of security for a luxury time-travel hotel, which becomes the site for a bloody corpse that’s present and yet isn’t at the same time. The cheerful sort of nihilism, sympathizing with January in all of her complicated facets, and the capitalistic evils of corporate and government forces provide some of the talking points for this episode.

TW: death, murder, chronic illness, grief, drug use/drug abuse, violence, gun violence, animal death, racism, suicide attempt (in the past), suicidal ideation, self-harm, child neglect (in the past), homophobia, transphobia, vomit, and alcohol

Spoilers start at 13:00

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Good Word:

• Kate: The Hospital at the End of the World by Justin C. Key

• Arthur: BoJack Horseman

Reach out at [email protected] if you want to recommend things to watch and read, share anecdotes, or just say hello!

Be sure to subscribe, rate, and review on iTunes or any of your preferred podcasting platforms!

Follow Arthur on Twitter, Goodpods, StoryGraph, Letterboxd, and TikTok: @arthur_ant18

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Tune in as Gizmo (@basedgizmo) joins in for a plunge right into Last Night in Soho, the 2021 horror film about a fashion design student who’s just moved to present-day London and gets all wrapped up in what appear to be initially glamorous and increasingly terrifying visions revolving around a young woman in the Swinging Sixties. The heavy inspiration that this draws from giallo, how this portrays men and their misogyny, and wishing Jocasta could have been fleshed out beyond her bully stereotype stand out as a few of the topics for this episode.

Directed by Edgar Wright, Last Night in Soho stars Thomasin McKenzie, Anya Taylor-Joy, Matt Smith, Michael Ajao, Synnøve Karlsen, Diana Rigg, Terence Stamp, Rita Tushingham, Pauline McLynn, Aimée Cassettari, Jessie Mei Li, Kassius Nelson, and Rebecca Harrod.

Spoilers start at 22:55

"Man Bad" Horror: A Feminist Autopsy from Infinite Snow Productions (beware full spoilers for the media featured in this video essay)

Extras: Wide Angle Witness Cam - Last Night in Soho

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Good Word:

• Gizmo: Peeping Tom

• Arthur: Dead Calm

Reach out at [email protected] if you want to recommend things to watch and read, share anecdotes, or just say hello!

Be sure to subscribe, rate, and review on iTunes or any of your preferred podcasting platforms!

Follow Arthur on Twitter, Goodpods, StoryGraph, Letterboxd, and TikTok: @arthur_ant18

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Tune in as Rolo Tony (@PoorOldRoloTony) hops back into his guest chair for a review and recap of Shoot ‘Em Up, the 2007 action movie about a carrot-munching drifter who puts his mastery of gun fu to good use by going on a mission to protect a newborn baby from an assassin and his many goons. Comparing this bonkers ride to flicks like John Wick and Falling Down, the spanking gag and other moments of misogyny that haven’t aged well, the surprisingly left-wing themes that you can find while reading this film through a political lens, and taking a look at Stephen McHattie’s filmography pop up as some of the subjects for this episode.

Written and directed by Michael Davis, Shoot ‘Em Up stars Clive Owen, Paul Giamatti, Monica Bellucci, Stephen McHattie, Greg Bryk, Daniel Pilon, Ramona Pringle, Julian Richings, Tony Munch, and Scott McCord.

Spoilers start at 36:50

Madonna STAR BMW Commercial 2001

Smith’s Hand on Internet Movie Firearms Database, AKA IMFDB (only click on this if you’re ready for spoilers)

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Good Word:

• Rolo Tony: The Mountain by Gorillaz

• Arthur: John’s Not Mad and The Boy Can’t Help It

Reach out at [email protected] if you want to recommend things to watch and read, share anecdotes, or just say hello!

Be sure to subscribe, rate, and review on iTunes or any of your preferred podcasting platforms!

Follow Arthur on Twitter, Goodpods, StoryGraph, Letterboxd, and TikTok: @arthur_ant18

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Tune in as Jessica Hart (Opinionated Lushes) jumps back onto the show for a breakdown of Despicable Me, the 2010 animated movie about a super-villain who pursues a dastardly mission to prove that he’s the best bad guy around by stealing the moon, all while having to deal with taking care of three orphaned girls. Gru standing out as a subversive antihero, dysfunctional family baggage, trying to lend some nuanced sympathy towards Miss Hattie, and longing for Agnes’s innocence land as a few of the talking points for this episode.

Directed by Chris Renaud and Pierre Coffin, Despicable Me stars Steve Carell, Jason Segel, Miranda Cosgrove, Dana Gaier, Elsie Fisher, Russell Brand, Julie Andrews, Will Arnett, Kristen Wiig, Pierre Coffin, Chris Renaud, Jemaine Clement, Jack McBrayer, Danny McBride, Mindy Kaling, and Rob Huebel.

Spoilers start at 27:40

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Good Word:

• Jessica: the Life Is Strange series, particularly Life Is Strange 2

• Arthur: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power

Reach out at [email protected] if you want to recommend things to watch and read, share anecdotes, or just say hello!

Be sure to subscribe, rate, and review on iTunes or any of your preferred podcasting platforms!

Follow Arthur on Twitter, Goodpods, StoryGraph, Letterboxd, and TikTok: @arthur_ant18

Follow Arthur on Bluesky: @arthur-ant18

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Tune in as Rolo Tony (@PoorOldRoloTony), who’s a Vegas-Residency cohost on These Guys Got Juice, rejoins the podcast in order to navigate Predestination, the 2014 timey-wimey thriller about a time-traveling operative’s efforts to defeat a terrorist and the repercussions that this mission ends up having in its own intricate fashion. Drawing connections from this film to Looper and Tenet, the ways in which a certain major aspect of the story have poorly aged, effective ways to borrow from Inception (like Trance) and unsuccessful ways to do the same thing (like Transcendence), and Sarah Snook’s top-notch performance turn out to be some of the topics for this episode.

Written and directed by Peter and Michael Spierig, Predestination stars Ethan Hawke, Sarah Snook, Noah Taylor, Cate Wolfe, Christopher Kirby, Christopher Sommers, Christopher Stollery, Freya Stafford, Tyler Coppin, Madeleine West, and Christopher Bunworth.

Spoilers start at 29:55

How Predesination‘s Sarah Snook Tackled The Weirdest Love Story Ever

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Good Word:

• Rolo Tony: Timecrimes

• Arthur: Cape Fear (1991)

Reach out at [email protected] if you want to recommend things to watch and read, share anecdotes, or just say hello!

Be sure to subscribe, rate, and review on iTunes or any of your preferred podcasting platforms!

Follow Arthur on Twitter, Goodpods, StoryGraph, Letterboxd, and TikTok: @arthur_ant18

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