Sticking closer to Mary Shelley's novel than most other adaptations, Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein is the culmination of a lifelong dream. His vision echoes the gothic maximalism of Francis Ford Coppola's Dracula, starring Jacob Elordi as a sympathetic interpretation of Frankenstein's Creature. But does this movie measure up to GDT's past hits? Steffan and Gavia have mixed feelings, delving into the film's characterization choices, production values, and relationship with the novel.

Claire and Gavia review some highlights from the 2025 London Film Festival, ranging from big upcoming releases (the new Knives Out movie Wake Up Dead Man) to awards contenders (Chloé Zhao's Hamnet) and exciting indie titles like Kelly Reichart's heist drama The Mastermind, and the queer BDSM romcom Pillion, starring Alexander Skarsgard.

Steffan and Gavia review One Battle After Another, widely hailed as the best film of 2025. Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, this comedic thriller displays startlingly bold politics for a Hollywood studio release, telling a gripping story about leftist revolutionaries, racism, and the violence of American border control. Leonardo DiCaprio and Chase Infiniti star as the central father/daughter duo, opposite Sean Penn as the villain.

Claire and Gavia share clashing opinions on Spike Lee's new crime thriller Highest 2 Lowest, starring Denzel Washington as a music mogul who faces financial ruin after his son is kidnapped and held to ransom. Remaking Akira Kurosawa's 1960s classic High and Low, it's a divisive new addition to Lee's filmography.

Claire and Gavia delve into David Cronenberg's fascinating erotic thriller Crash, starring James Spader as a man who develops a fetish for car crashes. Divisive and controversial when it first came out in 1996, it's now regarded as one of Cronenberg's greatest films, celebrated for its peculiar characters and unique brand of sexuality.

Steffan and Gavia review Netflix's animated smash-hit KPop Demon Hunters, a fantasy adventure about a demon-hunting KPop girlband. Praised for its brilliant original music and stylish animation, this movie offers a well-observed tribute to KPop and its fandom. But what does its supernatural allegory actually mean?

Steffan and Gavia discuss the first good Superman movie since the Christopher Reeve era, a charming action-comedy from 'Guardians of the Galaxy' director James Gunn. Leaning into zany comicbook lore and the relationship between Clark Kent and Lois Lane, this reboot makes some vague attempts at political commentary - but is mostly about resetting Hollywood's vision of Superman as a lovable American icon.

Steffan and Gavia review Danny Boyle's bold and thought-provoking post-apocalyptic thriller 28 Years Later, a loose sequel to the iconic horror movie 28 Days Later. Combining zombie thrills with folk horror and social commentary about British culture, the film is structured around a coming-of-age story about a boy named Spike, who grows up in a version of England overrun by zombies.

Claire and Gavia dig into the chaotic production process and artistic accomplishments of Werner Herzog's acclaimed 1982 historical drama Fitzcarraldo, accompanied by its fascinating making-of documentary Burden of Dreams.

Set in turn-of-the-century Peru, Fitzcarraldo explores an ill-advised river voyage by an Irish businessman (Klaus Kinski), who seeks to build an opera house in the Amazon basin. Behind the scenes, life imitated art as Herzog's film shoot dragged on for years, endangering the lives of cast and crew, and raising questions about the ethics of asking others to suffer for your art.

Steffan and Gavia discuss Wes Anderson's The Phoenician Scheme, a dark comedy starring Benicio del Toro as a corrupt businessman who reconnects with his estranged daughter (Mia Threapleton) while embarking on an ambitious construction project. Among other topics, this episode covers Wes Anderson's trademark aesthetic, his relationship with absurdism, his casting choices, and this film's stylized historical setting.