Overinvested

Claire and Gavia review The Substance, Coralie Fargeat's divisive new horror movie starring Demi Moore as a celebrity who takes a black market anti-aging drug with alarming Jekyll-and-Hyde results. Among other topics, we discuss the film's flawed feminist messaging, overlong runtime, and puzzlingly incoherent depiction of sexism in Hollywood.

Steffan and Gavia review (and recommend!) the critically acclaimed new sitcom English Teacher, created by Brian Jordan Alvarez, who you may know from The Gay and Wondrous Life of Caleb Gallo. Alvarez stars as a gay teacher working at a Texas high school, in a comedy that satirizes the chaos of American politics and the generational divide between elder millennials and Gen-Z.

Claire and Gavia review Zoe Kravitz's disappointingly flawed directorial debut, Blink Twice. Naomi Ackie stars as a waitress who gets invited on vacation by a controversial billionaire (Channing Tatum), joining a group of guests on his private island. Drawing comparisons to Promising Young Woman, this psychological thriller belongs to a recent trend of post-MeToo films tackling abusive power structures and sexual assault.

Steffan and Gavia review M. Night Shyamalan's wildly entertaining yet divisive escape thriller Trap, starring Josh Hartnett as a lovable dad who takes his teen daughter (Ariel Donoghue) to a pop concert that turns into an elaborate manhunt for a serial killer.

Steffan and Gavia review the much-hyped horror movie Longlegs, starring Maika Monroe as an FBI agent investigating a serial killer (Nicolas Cage) who targets suburban families. Among other topics, this episode explores the film's unsettling atmosphere, its connection to Silence of the Lambs, its overlap with the Satanic Panic, and its dubious approach to dated serial killer tropes.

Opening with some spoiler-free thoughts on the show's brilliant lead performances and clever approach to adaptation, Claire and Gavia discuss season 2 of AMC's gothic drama Interview with the Vampire. Among other topics, this episode digs into IWTV's use of unreliable narrators, its thoughtful depiction of abuse and trauma, and its bold attitude to vampiric romance - along with glowing praise for the season's final episodes.

Claire and Gavia review the 1985 lesbian romance movie Desert Hearts, directed by Donna Deitch. Set in 1950s Nevada, this groundbreaking film follows a whirlwind relationship between a soon-to-be-divorced New York academic (Helen Shaver) and a devil-may-care casino worker (Patricia Charbonneau).

Steffan and Gavia review George Miller's ambitious and divisive Mad Max prequel Furiosa, starring Anya Taylor-Joy and Chris Hemsworth. Among other topics, this episode delves into the film's rich mythological worldbuilding, the Mad Max franchise's unique cinematic legacy, and George Miller's rare talent for action and visual storytelling.

Claire and Gavia review the stylish 2011 action thriller Hanna, directed by Joe Wright (Pride & Prejudice). 16-year-old Saoirse Ronan stars as Hanna, a girl raised in the wilderness by her father, a former spy. Venturing out into mainstream society for the first time, Hanna must travel alone across Europe while evading a malevolent CIA agent played by Cate Blanchett.

Claire and Gavia discuss the sweatiest film phenomenon of 2024: Luca Guadagnino's tennis drama Challengers, starring Zendaya, Mike Faist and Josh O'Connor as three athletes embroiled in a love triangle. Among other topics, we cover the star power of the lead actors, the film's already-iconic music, and Guadagnino's distinctive way of depicting sexuality and relationships.