Episode 015: On this week’s episode of Story Punk, we do our own research into Ari Aster’s divisive modern Western-thriller starring Joaquin Phoenix, Pedro Pascal, Emma Stone, and Austin Butler. Set in a fictional New Mexico town during the height of the COVID pandemic, the film pits a sheriff against a mayor and unfolds as a raw commentary on polarization, social media, power, and crisis.

We break down Aster’s shift from horror into political satire, examine the layered themes of digital isolation, distrust, and collective madness, and ask whether Eddington hits the mark, or misses its target.