Christine’s review of Adolescence, Netflix’s #1 series about an eleven-year-old boy who kills his classmate, will have you turning off her video to start watching it—if you haven’t already. Starring Stephen Graham and Owen Cooper, the show addresses, in a new and painfully palatable way, the demise of our tweens and teens and the perils they face growing up in a society that has unwittingly nurtured these outcomes. And for film buffs, the way this series was shot and rolled out is game-changing.

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Christine Merser (AKA Hollister) goes this one alone Fresh Kills, according to her review, should have been front and center at the Academy Awards. Was it overlooked because it's the first mafia genre film told from a woman's perspective? How could it have been overlooked? According to Hollister, it provides a perfect script, amazing acting, and a plotline that explores not only insight into mafia life but also inner family relationships: a strong father versus a daughter who wants out, a mother who doesn't see her daughter as something other than what she was, even though she knows it is not enough. And, perhaps most importantly, a sister-sister relationship complicated by anger and love, betrayal and love, and, lastly, hatred. Don't miss this review, but more importantly, don't miss this film. Streaming on Prime and Peacock.

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Is this RomCom dangerous to the future of relationships? Is it pushing the stereotypes that we all try to stop taking in? Or is it just fun? With more than 50 million streams already, it's a game changer. And it's right on the 30th anniversary of When Harry Met Sally. Christine Merser (AKA Hollister) and Wilder are back after a months-long hiatus. Don't miss their fun and thoughtful review of this series.

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High schooler Addie Tedrow, a lover of all things Hunger Games, joins Christine Merser to discuss the latest in the series, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, as well as the other stories in the iconic Hunger Games franchise. Don't miss their interesting, intergenerational discussion of this film. Christine's fear of snakes coils around the difficulty of some of the scenes. P.S. we do include some spoilers in this episode.

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"The Holdovers," bringing back 70s and 80s boarding school films, heads toward awards season with Paul Giamatti finding his way to front-page news. Why hasn't he had more starring roles when he's such a strong actor? We have our theories. And "NYAD", where Annette Bening and Jodie Foster save the day. NYAD's swim is an amazing feat, no question about that. How they made it into a movie is up for discussion.

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Who knew that the movie The Burial on Amazon Prime was as fabulously brilliant and fun and compelling as it is? Don’t watch the trailer. Just listen to this podcast and go watch. Better yet? They agree! Hollister and Wilder are both huge fans.

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This week it's all about Lessons in Chemistry on AppleTV+. It should not come as a surprise to regular listeners of Screen Thoughts that Hollister and Wilder hold differing opinions on the show, on pretty much every front. And, just in time for Halloween, Hollister shares some insider information on the 25th anniversary of "Practical Magic," starring Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman.

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Hollister welcomes the writers back to work and comments on the opening line of the new contract, which is something out of Star Wars to be sure. First up is 'The Super Models,' the documentary (Hollister takes offense that it's even in that category) surrounding the four super models of the eighties; Naomi Campbell, Christy Turlington, Cindy Crawford and Linda Evangelista and how they found their way to superstardom. But the highlight is the discovery of John Carney's Flora and Son, the story of a single mother, trying desperately to connect with her son. Hollister says it should be headed for awards season, although she doesn't think it's getting enough leverage to be seen enough to find its way there. 

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Merser and Wilder talk The Morning Show, reviewing this new season and commenting on the past two seasons, all the while discussing women's increasing power in the making of film & television and what an exciting time it is for our ability to showcase women in film and history. Such a great show this week. Part of the strike is still on, but hope springs eternal that the role of women will continue to grow!

**This podcast was recorded before the writer's strike had ended.

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Christine and Wilder speed through their review of the three hour Oppenheimer, singing its praises, its importance and so many behind the scenes extras. Is it about Nolan, the director? The acting acumen of everyone, from Cillian Murphy to Robert Downey? The cinematography tricks? So many things to consider. One of Christine’s recommendations is to watch Fat Man and Little Boy, the 1989 film about the Manhattan Project before you see this. Or read American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer, the more than 600 page book it’s based on. Oppenheimer makes us want to go to the movies again.

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