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.

Vampire fans Claire and Gavia discuss 2025's biggest horror movie, Sinners. Directed by Ryan Coogler, this historical drama explores the roots of blues music in 1930s Mississippi, starring Michael B. Jordan as a pair of identical twins who open a juke joint in their home town. Among other topics, this episode covers the film's meticulously researched historical storytelling, its imaginative use of music, and its unique vampire mythos.

Steffan and Gavia dig into the history and artistry of The Wicker Man (1973), starring Edward Woodward and Christopher Lee. Among other topics, this episode explores the film's influence on the folk horror genre, its relationship with the neo-Pagan movement, and its underrated nature as a musical.

Claire and Gavia review William Friedkin's 1980 crime thriller Cruising, starring Al Pacino as a New York cop who goes undercover in local gay bars, searching for a serial killer who targets men in the leather community. Controversial at the time, this film has since become a cult classic, praised for its remarkable exploration of masculine identity and violence.

Steffan and Gavia review Mickey 17, the new sci-fi comedy from filmmaker Bong Joon Ho (Parasite). Robert Pattinson stars as a man who signs up for a years-long space voyage, agreeing to a grueling contract where his body can be killed and resurrected again and again. Echoing Bong’s work on films like Snowpiercer and Okja, this provides the basis for a bleak yet absurd anti-capitalist satire.