No Gods, No Monsters

The final entry in our Cloverfield series (for now!). Some say there’s a message about civilization and technology hidden somewhere beneath the messy narrative and obvious reshoots. Can we find it!?

Our Cloverfield series continues! We talk preppers, fucked up men, the use of space to tell a story, and how the power dynamics in the bunker parallel those of capital, fundamentalist communities, and the state.

The first in our three-episode series on the Cloverfield films. In this episode we talk about the first true post-9/11 American kaiju flick—how the movie was influenced not only by the events and coverage of that day, but by the wars and terror-fueled media landscape that followed.

The kaiju boys return to the world of H. P. Lovecraft! We discuss the film’s depictions of the mental health system and the pineal gland, its foundation in 17th century philosophy, its incredible practical effects, and why the world beyond our perceived reality is full of super gnarly monsters. 

We dive deep into doubles, lying as a fetish, space apes, US military bases abroad and replace Rabbit with a superior podcast host. 

Toho brings nuclear testing back to the Godzilla series, but this time it’s the movie’s villains who are victims of the atomic experiments. What does this reversal mean? And why do the Seatopians have alien friends and a giant bug weapon? What’s it like to be a remote-controlled robot who suddenly gains consciousness? Tune in to maybe find out!

We attempt to untangle the wires of this twisted practical effects gem, which Rabbit argues is a direct adaptation of chapter 15 of Karl Marx’s Capital Volume 1.

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We saw this highly anticipated spiritual follow-up to Shin Godzilla during its short US theatrical release. Tune in for our initial thoughts!

Solid monster action: check.

What doesn’t this movie have?

Ready your balloons and unholster your corn cobs—it’s Gigan time.

It’s a Christmas movie! We talk about consumerism and the dark side of the holiday, along with how aspects of the film tie into the political landscape of the ‘80s. Who are the Gremlins? What do they represent? What do they say about us?