The Edinburgh Film Festival returns for its 75th anniversary!

Dallas and Lee preview the upcoming festival which runs between August 12th and 20th and share their highlights from the 87 new features.

Back to the famous Chronicles this week, we are covering Prince Caspian. We’re turning over a new leaf because Asia actually enjoys this book. We are finally starting to get some series connective tissue for her and more fun characters. She continues her journey of disliking a main character, and we start to see the infamous decline of Susan in the reader’s view. We applaud the construction of this plot full of callbacks and laying the groundwork for future books. Of course, we do have hot takes, so it’s worth listening to hear them.

Next week we will be reading a new book in one week, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, book 5 of The Chronicles of Narnia.

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Best in Star Trek - Tournament Bracket, Part 1

Who's the best character in Star Trek? Any fan forum can debate endlessly about it - but the trio has decided to use tournament brackets (aka March Madness) to winnow down the "best" characters by their jobs. In this first entry, we look at who is the "Best Engineer" and who is the best "Tactical/Security" person? We begin with an "elite eight" from across the entire Trek franchise - leading so some lopsided match-ups, some surprising upsets, and some real 50/50 decisions. Let us know if you agree with our determinations - and find out who's the "best"!

Eager to capitalize on the enduring legacy of Silence of the Lambs, filmmakers tapped Ridley Scott to helm a sequel ten years after Anthony Hopkins captured the filmgoing imagination as Hannibal Lecter. After 15 drafts and Jodi Foster bowing out, did we get a misfire or a new masterpiece?

This week it’s time to return to the golden age of Narnia, but our story takes place in the neighboring countries of Calormen and Archenland. Shasta, Aravis, Hwin, and Bree travel through Calormen to the free North in an adventure that Charles enjoys and Asia tolerates. This book we get into a longer conversation about the stereotypes and accusations of racism levied against the series. Do you agree with our takes? Asia is starting to develop a least favorite character in the series that is frankly unexpected, so definitely listen to hear whom she’s not vibing with.

Next week we will be reading a new book in one week, Prince Caspian, book 4 of The Chronicles of Narnia.

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Filmmaker Miles Levin introduces Shawn to his favorite movie of all-time: The Sandlot. While Shawn has caught bits and pieces on TV, he's never actually seen The Sandlot all the way through. Join Shawn and Miles as they discuss Miles' love for the film, whether Shawn feels it works for someone who didn't grow up with it, and Miles' landmark theory that it is, in fact, a werewolf movie.

HOSTS

Shawn Eastridge

Miles Levin

Earth in the Future. The Star Trek franchise presents, if not a utopian future, a better future for humanity. Earth of the 24th Century is supposed to have conquered war, poverty, and disease. We catch a few glimpses of our home planet, particularly in "Deep Space Nine." The trio talks about how our home planet will work in the Star Trek future, from Phlox's treatment in "Enterprise," to the two-parter "Homefront"/"Paradise Lost" to season three of "Discovery." Do we wish we could see more of future Earth? Or is it better to simply imagine a peaceful, unified Earth?

Released in 1991 and turning Sir Anthony Hopkins into a household name, The Silence of the Lambs remains a cultural landmark of filmmaking with an influence that’s lasted decades. Houselights starts its 1990s Demme retrospective with the essential question: Does it still resonate, or is it a great work “for its time”?

After his retirement is interrupted by Gorr the God Butcher, a galactic killer who seeks the extinction of the gods, Thor enlists the help of King Valkyrie, Korg, and ex-girlfriend Jane Foster, who now inexplicably wields Mjolnir as the Mighty Thor.

It’s time for the most famous of the Chronicles of Narnia. This week we read the iconic The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. We meet the Pevensie children and discuss the things that Asia remembered from the Disney movie, as well as much of the heavy Christian imagery within the story. Charles continues to enjoy the nostalgia, while Asia remains unconvinced. These books are definitely for a younger audience, so while we can breeze through the short and simple readings, there is definitely a heft and complexity that we are missing.

Next week we will be reading a new book in one week, The Horse and his Boy, book 3 of The Chronicles of Narnia.

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