Midday Movies

Today we’re discussing apocalyptic scenarios we’d like to tackle — nuclear wastelands, zombie viruses, alien invasion, climate collapses, and pandemic shutdowns. We share our favorite fictional ends-of-the-world — referencing “Fallout” (2024), “Hunger Games” (by Suzanne Collins), “Station Eleven” (by Emily St. John Mandel), “Severence” (by Ling Ma), “Cold People” (by Tom Rob Smith), “The Leftovers” (2014-2017), and “28 Days Later” (Dir. Danny Boyle, written by Alex Garland). No one wants the world to end (except those pesky apocalypse cults), but which ending is your favorite? And why? What would you be comfortable confronting in a post-civilization context? Whether your favorite apocalypse is biblical or marvelously modern, we’re here for you. Join us for the last podcast you’ll ever need to listen to (just in case)!

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Today we’re taking a deep look at Alex Garland’s most recent project, “Civil War” (2024, A24 Studios), starring Kirsten Dunst, Wagner Moura, Cailee Spaeny, and Nick Offerman, and depicting the late stages of a fictitious modern American Civil War. (Special shoutout to Kevin Ryan of the “Tyrants in Training” podcast, who gave us a window into another example of a bad president.) The film, “Civil War,” follows the story of four combat journalists in pursuit of a final interview with the soon-to-be-deposed American president, necessitating travel across the war-torn southeastern states where loyalists and allied insurgent armies clash for control of territory and the civilian cost is evident everywhere. Alex Garland is the author of modern classics such as “28 Days Later,” “Ex Machina,” and “Annihilation,” and “Civil War” is entered into this collection of brilliant speculative fiction with critical and popular acclaim. Stephen (a former member of the military) and Laura (historian and cinephile) provide context, analysis, and additional detail to the chilling film, “Civil War.” Let’s get into it!

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Today we’re discussing the new Prime Video series “Fallout” (2024) —executive-produced by “Westworld” creators Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy — as well as its progenitor video game series, “Fallout” (1997-2019). Our co-hosts have got Uranium fever and are giving props to the series’ breakout stars Walton Goggins (playing “The Ghoul”), Ella Purnell (playing a Vault-born heroine), and Aaron Moten (playing a member of the Brotherhood of Steel) who all represent different moral approaches to life in the Wasteland. Relevant discussions of corpocracy, the romance of America’s Wild West, and the legacy of nuclear disarmament add to a critical analysis of “Fallout”’s themes, characters, and its alternate history of the United States. Crawl out of the fallout alongside us as we celebrate and elucidate this new blockbuster series by Amazon Studios. Let’s get into it!

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Today we’re once again unboxing Grim Rabbit Games’ “Red Flags Card Game” for another thrilling edition of Red Flags Friday. Laura and Stephen introduce each other to appealing potential dates (indicated by White Flags cards) and then proceed to ruin the dating candidate ( with ever-increasing Red Flags cards). This time around, Stephen introduces a potential mate with a powerfully persuasive White Flag and Laura finds out Stephen’s secret fetish — will it matter if these dates are serial killers? Will it matter if they name drop during sex? Is Antarctica too long a commute? Hang out with us over your lunch break as we discover how much is too much when it comes to romantic red flags.

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Today we’re unboxing the viral card game, “We’re Not Really Strangers,” an interactive way to get to know people on a deeper level. Using three skillfully crafted levels of game questions, “Perception,” “Connection,” and “Reflection,” Laura and Stephen delve into exchanges designed to deepen the connections between people — from strangers to those with relationships that have lasted for years. Our co-hosts learn new things about each other and get vulnerable in the face of “We’re Not Really Strangers’” probing questions. Childhood dreams, sorely-missed memories, and best days are discussed with candor and sensitivity between a couple who has been together for more than a decade. Join us for a revealing game of “We’re Not Really Strangers.”

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Today we’re discussing the final episode of HBO Max’s miniseries “The Regime” (2024), titled “Don’t Yet Rejoice.” Chancellor Elena Vernham’s (played by Kate Winslet) government has fallen to insurgents, Corporal Herbert Zubak (played by Matthias Schoenaerts) is leading them through the back alleys of the capital city, and survival is not assured. Will Tracy’s sweeping 6-episode account of one horrid year in this Central European country terminates with a battle between factions, geopolitical pressures, and the fate of Elena and Zubak hanging tenuously in the balance. Join us for a play-by-play of the thrilling conclusion of “The Regime,” complete with analysis and jokes. Let’s get into it!

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Today we’re breaking down episode 5 of HBO Max’s miniseries, “The Regime” (2024) starring Kate Winslet and created by Will Tracy. It’s six months into the Central European country’s civil unrest and it’s Christmastime in “All Ye Faithful.” Rebels are at the gate, Chancellor Elena is in denial, and the couple’s therapist is on call — Zubak (played by Matthias Schoenaerts) and Vernham are playing house while the country’s power base is reordered. The stakes are high, the players are manic, and the powder keg of Elena’s regime is lit. Join us for analysis and jokes as we count down to the series’ finale of Kate Winslet’s most recent triumph, “The Regime.”

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Today we’re discussing the four-day workweek movement that seeks to give Americans a 32-hour standard work schedule as well as the rash of TV series’ adaptations of popular video games. In praise of this glorious potential future, we discuss the history of the labor movement (which brought us from 6 workdays to 5 in the early 20th century) and how we would spend our additional leisure time. Laura reveals her radical political support of the 3-day workweek and reviews Tim Ferris’s famous self-development tome, “The 4-Hour Workweek.” Is entrepreneurship the answer to reducing work hours? What would you do with 4 weekend days per week? How can you have more fun right now? Join us for a laugh-filled Friday discussion of the most delightful political debate of our time — reducing work hours and increasing leisure time for all Americans!

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Today we’re discussing health, hygiene, and introducing ease into your life. How have your day-to-day health habits changed since the COVID lockdown? Do you remember the health PSAs from the 20th century? And has the news been scaring you about what in your own kitchen can kill you? We talk personal hygiene preferences and fears, the habit recommendations of James Clear’s self-help book, “Atomic Habits,” and how healthcare fits into our daily lives. Whether your family has religious beliefs that discouraged the use of modern medicine or you just know a Boomer who believes in mind-over-matter, you’ll relate to the wacky American healthcare environment we’re discussing today. Join us!

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Today we’re discussing the British phenomenon in American media — are they villains? Are they romantic leads? Are they action heroes? Discussing everyone from Tom Hiddleston to Cillian Murphy to Trevor Noah, we identify the roles culture allows them to play. Marvel movies and series are referenced, James Bond 007 movies are dissected, and the impact of the Daily Show is discussed with an eye towards the history of the British empire (and everyone they’ve imperialized). It’s the Americans versus the British/British subjects (all in good fun) in this comedy-filled analysis of culture and media. Also, special shoutout to Gerard Butler, Helena Bonham Carter, and Timothee Chalamet as well as reference to Trevor Noah’s book “Born a Crime” and Katie Crouch’s book, “Embassy Wife.” Let’s get into it!

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