Beyond The Frame

Beyond The Frame

By Ryan Vanderhei, Joe Parente & Heidi RoodvoetsTV & Film
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Beyond The Frame episodes

  • 'Disclosure Day' And The Ethics of Withholding Information

    Disclosure Day (2026) asks a simple question: if you found out we weren't alone, would you want to know? In this episode of Beyond the Frame, Joe, Ryan, and Heidi break down Steven Spielberg's latest sci-fi blockbuster — but more importantly, they dig into the question buried beneath the alien footage: how do we determine what's ethical when it comes to withholding information from people? 

    ⚠️ FULL SPOILERS AHEAD.

    🎙️ NEW EPISODES EVERY WEEK — Subscribe so you don't miss next week's deep dive into 'Toy Story 5'.

    ABOUT THE SHOW
     Beyond the Frame is a movie podcast that goes deeper than reviews. Each week, Joe, Ryan, and Heidi unpack the themes, lessons, and life perspectives hiding in the films we watch — because movies aren't just entertainment, they're opportunities to look at ourselves and the world differently.

    Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this show are the opinions of the hosts Ryan Vanderhei, Joe Parente, and Heidi Roodvoets only. Any and all discussion of said television series, films, and books is for the sole purpose of review and criticism that can be categorized under fair use.

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    42 min
  • 'I Love Boosters' And The Cultural Significance of Satire

    ⚠️ Full spoilers ahead. 

    I Love Boosters (2026) might be the most important movie of the year — and in this episode of Beyond the Frame, Joe, Ryan, and Heidi dig into why Boots Riley's wild, color-saturated, satirical fever dream is doing what almost no other filmmaker is brave enough to do: speak truth to power and make you laugh while it lands.

    Starring Keke Palmer, Taylour Paige, Naomi Ackie, Poppy Liu, Eiza González, LaKeith Stanfield, Will Poulter, Don Cheadle, and Demi Moore, I Love Boosters is the second feature from writer-director Boots Riley (Sorry to Bother You) — a $20 million Neon production that has zero sacred cows and a whole lot to say. We unpack the satire on every level: luxury culture and how badly people want to feel "cool," celebrity worship and the bloviating of perceived geniuses, exploitation of workers, factory labor, and so much more. This episode is a conversation about why satire matters right now — and why filmmakers like Boots Riley, voices like Stephen Colbert, and shows like South Park exist as essential checks on power. 

    🎙️ NEW EPISODES EVERY WEEK — Subscribe so you don't miss next week's episode on The Backrooms.

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    44 min
  • 'Remarkably Bright Creatures' And The Power of Work Perspective

    Remarkably Bright Creatures (2026) is more than a Sally Field movie about an octopus — it's a quiet meditation on work, purpose, and the perspective shift that changes everything. In this episode of Beyond the Frame, we break down the film's biggest hidden lesson: what if work is actually a gift?

    Sally Field stars as Tova, an elderly widow working night shifts at a local aquarium, where an unlikely bond with Marcellus the octopus (voiced by Alfred Molina) sets her — and a lost young drifter named Cameron (Lewis Pullman) — on a path neither of them expected. Based on the New York Times bestselling novel by Shelby Van Pelt and directed by Olivia Newman.

    If you've ever felt stuck in autopilot, dreaded a Monday, or wondered whether your job actually matters — this one's for you.

    Spoiler warning: We discuss the full film, including the ending.

    NEW EPISODES EVERY WEEK — Subscribe so you don't miss next week's discussion on the 2026 horror film 'Obsession'!

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    35 min
  • 'I Swear' And Seeing Someone As More Than Their Label

    In this episode, we break down I Swear through the three people who changed John Davidson's life: Murray, the friend who didn't need an explanation; Dottie, the woman whose patience never flinched; and Tommy, the boss who saw a worker, not a diagnosis. What unites them isn't training or expertise — it's their willingness to be uncomfortable, and their refusal to let an involuntary action define a person. That's the lesson at the heart of this film, and it's one we think anyone watching could use right now.

    Who in your life has seen you as more than your label? Have you seen someone else this way? Share your stories, we want to hear them. 💛

    Join us next week when we extract life lessons from season 2 of Beef! 

    Watch Us On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@beyondtheframenetwork

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    38 min
  • 'The Drama' And Defining Unconditional Love

    SPOILERS! In this episode we break down and discuss the 2026 film 'The Drama' directed by Rob Reiner, and starring Zendaya, Robert Pattinson, Alana Haim, and more. We talk in depth about how the film analyzes a soon to be married couple who individually navigate hearing extremely troubling news about their partner and how this process cements their unconditional love for each other. 

    Watch Us On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@beyondtheframenetwork

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    52 min
  • 'Stand By Me' And Living In Someone Else's Shadow

    SPOILERS! In this video we break down and discuss the 1986 film 'Stand By Me' based on the novel by Stephen King, directed by Rob Reiner, and starring River Phoenix, Wil Wheaton, Corey Feldman, and Jerry O-Connell. We talk in depth about how the film analyzes four young boy's different reactions to living in the shadow of something or someone, which, unfortunately very ironically, is what both Rob Reiner and his son Nick Reiner felt. Rob chose to channel that feeling into his art, and Nick channeled it into something horrific.   

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    45 min
  • 'Project Hail Mary' And The Definition of Bravery

    SPOILERS! In this video we break down and discuss the 2026 sci-fi film ‘Project Hail Mary’ based on the novel by Andy Weir, directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, and starring Ryan Gosling, Sandra Huller, and James Ortiz. We talk in depth about how bravery is represented in the film through it's three main characters in Ryland Grace, Eva Stratt, and of course... Rocky! 

    Watch Us On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@beyondtheframenetwork

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    47 min
  • 'Hoppers' And The Importance of Awe

    SPOILERS! In this film breakdown we do an analysis on the 2026 animated movie 'Hoppers' directed by Daniel Chong and starring characters voiced by Piper Curda, Bobby Moynihan, Jon Hamm, Dave Franco, and many more. We focus our discussion on the big question that the movie raises: What role does nature play in human life? 

    Watch Us On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@beyondtheframenetwork

    Follow Us On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beyondtheframepod

    Follow Us On TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@beyondtheframestudios

    38 min
  • 'The Bride' And The Lengths We Go To For Love

    SPOILERS! In this film breakdown we do an analysis on the 2026 fantasy movie 'The Bride' directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal and starring Christian Bale, Jessie Buckley, Annette Bening, and more. We focus our discussion on the big question that the movie raises: What lengths are we willing to go to for love?

    Watch Us On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@beyondtheframenetwork

    Follow Us On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beyondtheframepod

    Follow Us On TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@beyondtheframestudios

    39 min

About Beyond The Frame

From the publisher's feed

The self improvement podcast for lovers of film and TV! Our favorite fictional movies and tv shows can teach us valuable life lessons. Join Ryan Vanderhei, Joe Parente, and Heidi Roodvoets weekly…