River Cities Reader Podcast

River Cities Reader Podcast

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River Cities Reader Podcast episodes

  • August 6, 2026, with Dave and Darren — “Spider-Man: Brand New Day”

    Dave Levora, Darren Pitra, and Mike Schulz talk film, which this week entails Spider-Man: Brand New Day. But not to worry: The previews promise us films other than Spider-Man: Brand New Day!

    Speaking of:

    • Spider-Man: Brand New Day (dir Destin Daniel Cretton, starr Tom Holland, Zendaya, Sadie Sink, Jacob Batalon, Jon Bernthal, Florence Pugh, Tramell Tillman, Marisa Tomei, and Mark Ruffalo).

      • The previews:

      • One Night Only (dir Will Gluck, starr Monica Barbaro, Callum Turner, Maya Hawke, Julia Fox, Molly Ringwald, LeVar Burton, Okieriete Onaodowan, Este Haim, Ziwe, King Princess, Ben Marshall, Nicholas Braun, Quintessa Swindell, Michelle Hurd, Charlie Gillespie, Kam Patterson, Pete Davidson, Bobby Canavale, and Jay Ellis).
      • I Want Your Sex (dir Gregg Araki, starr Olivia Wilde, Cooper Hoffman, Mason Gooding, Chase Sui Wonders, Johnny Knoxville, Margaret Cho, Roxane Mesquida, Charli XCX, and Daveed Diggs).
      • Maddie’s Secret (dir John Early, starr Early, Kate Berlant, Eric Rahill, Kristen Johnston, Claudia O’Doherty, Conner O’Malley, Vanessa Bayer, and Chris Bauer).
      • Ice Cream Man (dir Eli Roth, starr Ari Millen, Charlie Zeltzer, Shiloh O’Reilly, Kiori Mirza Waldman, Sarah Abbott, and Benjamin Byron Davis).
      • Super Troopers 3 (dir Jay Chandrasekhar, starr Chandrasekhar, Kevin Heffernan, Steve Lemme, Paul Soter, and Erik Stolhanske).

        • “Spider-Man: Brand New Day”

        14 min
      • July 30, 2026, with Dave and Darren — “Motor City,” “Hadestown: The Musical,” and “Her Private Hell”

        Dave Levora, Darren Pitra, and Mike Schulz talk film and advise Spider-Haters against going out this weekend.

        What’s in theatre:

        • Hadestown: The Musical (dir Brett Sullivan, starr Reeve Carney, André De Shields, Amber Gray, Eva Noblezada, Patrick Page, Bella Brown, Madeline Charlemagne, and Allie Daniel).
        • Motor City (dir Potsy Ponciroli, starr Alan Ritchson, Ben Foster, Pablo Schreiber, Lionel Boyce, and Shailene Woodley).
        • Her Private Hell (dir Nicolas Winding Refn, starr Sophie Thatcher, Charles Melton, Havana Rose Liu, Kristine Froseth, Shioli Kutsuna, Aoi Yamada, Dougray Scott, Diego Calva, and Hidetoshi Nishijima).

          • What’s coming:

          • Spider-Man: Brand New Day (dir Destin Daniel Cretton, starr Tom Holland, Zendaya, Sadie Sink, Jacob Batalon, Jon Bernthal, Florence Pugh, Tramell Tillman, Marisa Tomei, and Mark Ruffalo).

            • “Motor City,” “Hadestown: The Musical,” and “Her Private Hell”

            13 min
          • July 23, 2026, with Dave and Darren — “The Odyssey”

            Dave Levora, Darren Pitra, and Mike Schulz talk film and there’s only one film, really, to discuss. The rest is preview.

            That film:

            • The Odyssey (dir Christopher Nolan, starr Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong’o, Samantha Morton, John Bernthal, Zendaya, Eliot Page, Mia Goth, John Leguizamo, Bennie Safdie, and Charlize Theron).

              • The others:

              • Hadestown: The Musical (dir Brett Sullivan, starr Reeve Carney, André De Shields, Amber Gray, Eva Noblezada, Patrick Page, Bella Brown, Madeline Charlemagne, and Allie Daniel).
              • Motor City (dir Potsy Ponciroli, starr Alan Ritchson, Ben Foster, Pablo Schreiber, Lionel Boyce, and Shailene Woodley).
              • Her Private Hell (dir Nicolas Winding Refn, starr Sophie Thatcher, Charles Melton, Havana Rose Liu, Kristine Froseth, Shioli Kutsuna, Aoi Yamada, Dougray Scott, Diego Calva, and Hidetoshi Nishijima).

                • And the trailers:

                • I Play Rocky (dir Peter Farrelly, starr Anthony Ippolito, AnnaSophia Robb, Toby Kebbell, P J Byrne, Stephan James, Jay Duplass, Robert Morgan, Tracy Letts, and Matt Dillon).
                • Avengers: Doomsday (dir Anthony and Joe Russo, starr Robert Downey Jr, Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Pedro Pascal, Paul Rudd, Anthony Mackie, Florence Pugh, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Wyatt Russell, Channing Tatum, Simu Liu, Ian McKellen, Tom Hiddleston, James Marsden, Patrick Stewart, Joseph Quinn, Sebastian Stan, David Harbour, Letitia Wright, Lewis Pullman, Kelsey Grammer, Kathryn Newton, Danny Ramirez, Winston Duke, Alan Cumming, Hannah John-Kamen, Rebecca Romijn, Mabel Cadena, and Tenoch Huerta Mejía).
                • Other Mommy (dir Rob Savage, starr Jessica Chastain, Jay Duplass, Arabella Olivia Clark, Dichen Lachman, Arian Moayed, and Karen Allen).

                  • “The Odyssey”

                  15 min
                • July 16, 2026, with Dave and Darren — “The Invite,” “Evil Dead Burn,” “Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass,” and “Moana”

                  Dave Levora, Darren Pitra, and Mike Schulz talk cinema, particularly that of Christopher Nolan.

                  Everything in theater under discussion:

                  • The Invite (dir Olivia Wilde, starr Seth Rogen, Wilde, Penélope Cruz, and Edward Norton).
                  • Evil Dead Burn (dir Sébastien Vaniček, starr Souheila Yacoub, Tandi Wright, Hunter Doohan, Luciane Buchanan, Erroll Shand, and Maude Davey).
                  • Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass (dir David Wain, starr Zoey Deutch, Jon Hamm, John Slattery, Sabrina Impacciatore, Ben Wang, Miles Gutierrez-Riley, Joe Lo Truglio, Mather Zickel, Ken Marino, Tobie Windham, Fred Melamed, Michael Cassidy, Michael Ian Black, Kerri Kenney-Silver, Richard Kind, Thomas Lennon, Toby Huss, Kevin Allison, Beth Dover, Zac Oyama, Wain, Jennifer Aniston, Henry Winkler, Elizabeth Banks, “Weird Al” Yankovic, Paul Rudd, Penn Jillette, Elizabeth Perkins, and Robert Herjavec).
                  • Moana (dir Thomas Kail, starr Catherine Laga’aia, Dwayne Johnson, Rena Owen, John Tui, Frankie Adams, and the voice of Jemaine Clement).

                    • Everything forthcoming:

                    • The Odyssey (dir Christopher Nolan, starr Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong’o, Samantha Morton, John Bernthal, Zendaya, Eliot Page, Mia Goth, John Leguizamo, Bennie Safdie, and Charlize Theron).

                      • “The Invite,” “Evil Dead Burn,” “Gail Daughtry & the Celebrity Sex Pass,” and “Moana”

                      16 min
                    • July 9, 2026, with Dave and Darren — “Minions & Monsters” and “Young Washington”

                      Dave Levora, Darren Pitra, and Mike Schulz talk movies and disagree vehemently over Minions & Monsters — well, not vehemently, but they hold their own opinions, and if they were compelled to defend them with pistols at dawn, they’ll feel somewhat aggrieved that one of them had to take a bullet.

                      Under Discussion and in Theatres:

                      • Young Washington (dir Jon Erwin, starr William Franklyn-Miller, Mary-Louise Parker, Kelsey Grammer, Andy Serkis, and Ben Kingsley).
                      • The animated comedy Minions & Monsters (dir Pierre Coffin, voice Coffin, Trey Parker, Allison Janney, Christoph Waltz, Jesse Eisenberg, Jeff Bridges, Zoey Deutch, Bobby Moynihan, and Phil LaMarr).

                        • Forthcoming:

                        • Moana (dir Thomas Kail, starr Catherine Laga’aia, Dwayne Johnson, Rena Owen, John Tui, Frankie Adams, and the voice of Jemaine Clement).
                        • Evil Dead Burn (dir Sébastien Vaniček, starr Souheila Yacoub, Tandi Wright, Hunter Doohan, Luciane Buchanan, Erroll Shand, and Maude Davey).
                        • The Invite (dir Olivia Wilde, starr Seth Rogen, Wilde, Penélope Cruz, and Edward Norton).
                        • Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass (dir David Wain, starr Zoey Deutch, Jon Hamm, John Slattery, Sabrina Impacciatore, Ben Wang, Miles Gutierrez-Riley, Joe Lo Truglio, Mather Zickel, Ken Marino, Tobie Windham, Fred Melamed, Michael Cassidy, Michael Ian Black, Kerri Kenney-Silver, Richard Kind, Thomas Lennon, Toby Huss, Kevin Allison, Beth Dover, Zac Oyama, Wain, Jennifer Aniston, Henry Winkler, Elizabeth Banks, “Weird Al” Yankovic, Paul Rudd, Penn Jillette, Elizabeth Perkins, and Robert Herjavec).

                          • “Minions & Monsters” and “Young Washington”

                          21 min
                        • July 3, 2026, with Dave and Darren — “Supergirl” and “Jackass: Best & Last”

                          Dave Levora, Darren Pitra, and Mike Schulz talk movies and observing 4 July in the only manner patriots can truly appreciate: Watching Jaws on the Last Picture House rooftop.

                          The here and now:

                          • Supergirl (dir Craig Gillespie, starr Milly Alcock, Matthias Schoenaerts, Eve Ridley, David Krumholtz, Emily Beecham, David Corenswet, and Jason Momoa).
                          • Jackass: Best & Last (dir Jeff Tremaine, starr Johnny Knoxville, Steve-O, Chris Pontius, Wee Man, Preston Lacy, Dave England, Danger Ehren, Poopies, Zach Holmes, Jasper Dolphin, and Rachel Wolfson).

                            • The here and later:

                            • Young Washington (dir Jon Erwin, starr William Franklyn-Miller, Mary-Louise Parker, Kelsey Grammer, Andy Serkis, and Ben Kingsley).
                            • An extended-footage version of Backrooms (dir Kane Parsons, starr Chiwetel Ejiofor, Renate Reinsve, Mark Duplass, Finn Bennett, and Lukita Maxwell).
                            • The animated comedy Minions & Monsters (dir Pierre Coffin, voice Coffin, Trey Parker, Allison Janney, Christoph Waltz, Jesse Eisenberg, Jeff Bridges, Zoey Deutch, Bobby Moynihan, and Phil LaMarr).

                              • “Supergirl” and “Jackass: Best & Last”

                              14 min
                            • June 25, 2026, with Dave and Darren — “Toy Story 5,” “The Death of Robin Hood,” and “Leviticus”

                              Dave Levora, Darren Pitra, and Mike Schulz talk movies and the rise of the children of top-tier talent — in this instance, Scott Eastwood and Colin Hanks.

                              What’s in:

                              • The animated adventure Toy Story 5 (dir Andrew Stanton, voice Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Conan O’Brien, Scarlett Spears, Greta Lee, Shelby Rabara, Mykal-Michelle Harris, and Craig Robinson).
                              • The Death of Robin Hood (dir Michael Sarnoski, starr Hugh Jackman, Jodie Comer, Bill Skarsgård, Murray Bartlett, and Noah Jupe).
                              • Leviticus (dir Adrian Chiarella, starr Joe Bird, Stacy Clausen, Jeremy Blewitt, Ewen Leslie, Davida McKenzie, Nicholas Hope, Zamira Newman, and Mia Wasikowska).

                                • What’s coming:

                                • Supergirl (dir Craig Gillespie, starr Milly Alcock, Matthias Schoenaerts, Eve Ridley, David Krumholtz, Emily Beecham, David Corenswet, and Jason Momoa).
                                • Jackass: Best & Last (dir Jeff Tremaine, starr Johnny Knoxville, Steve-O, Chris Pontius, Wee Man, Preston Lacy, Dave England, Danger Ehren, Poopies, Zach Holmes, Jasper Dolphin, and Rachel Wolfson).
                                • Lucky Strike (dir Rod Lurie, starr Scott Eastwood, Colin Hanks, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, and Taylor John Smith).

                                  • “Toy Story 5,” “The Death of Robin Hood,” and “Leviticus”

                                  13 min
                                • June 18, 2026, with Dave and Darren — “Tuner,” “Disclosure Day,” and “Stop! That! Train!”

                                  Dave Levora, Darren Pitra, and Mike Schulz talk movies at their new digs. Place probably still has that new-flat smell to it.

                                  Now, movies:

                                  • Tuner (dir Daniel Roher, starr Leo Woodall, Havana Rose Liu, Lior Raz, Tovah Feldshuh, Jean Reno, and Dustin Hoffman).
                                  • Disclosure Day (dir Steven Spielberg, starr Emily Blunt, Josh O’Connor, Colin Firth, Eve Hewson, Colman Domingo, and Courtney Grace).
                                  • Stop! That! Train! (dir Adam Shankman, starr Ginger Minj, Jujubee, Brooke Lynn Hytes, Latrice Royale, Marcia Marcia Marcia [aka Marty Lauter], Monét X Change, Symone, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Nicole Richie, Raven-Symoné, Michelle Visage, Chris Parnell, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Charo, Brian Jordan Alvarez, Natasha Leggero, Drew Droege, and Joel McHale).

                                    • And now, previews:

                                    • The animated adventure Toy Story 5 (dir Andrew Stanton, voice Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Conan O’Brien, Scarlett Spears, Greta Lee, Shelby Rabara, Mykal-Michelle Harris, and Craig Robinson).
                                    • Girls Like Girls (dir Hayley Kiyoko, starr Maya da Costa, Myra Molloy, Levon Hawke, and Zach Braff).
                                    • The Death of Robin Hood (dir Michael Sarnoski, starr Hugh Jackman, Jodie Comer, Bill Skarsgård, Murray Bartlett, and Noah Jupe).
                                    • Leviticus (dir Adrian Chiarella, starr Joe Bird, Stacy Clausen, Jeremy Blewitt, Ewen Leslie, Davida McKenzie, Nicholas Hope, Zamira Newman, and Mia Wasikowska).

                                      • “Disclosure Day,” “Tuner,” and “Stop! That! Train!”

                                      14 min
                                    • June 11, 2026, with Dave and Darren — “Masters of the Universe,” “Power Ballad,” “Scary Movie,” and “Fallen Angels”

                                      Dave Levora, Darren Pitra, and Mike Schulz love film, in case you didn’t know; and they appreciate the appreciations of their late predecessors, Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert.

                                      Here, now, the reviewed:

                                      • Masters of the Universe (dir Travis Knight, starr Nicholas Galitzine, Camila Mendes, Jared Leto, Alison Brie, James Purefoy, Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson, Charlotte Riley, Kristen Wiig, Morena Baccarin, and Idris Elba).
                                      • Power Ballad (dir John Carney, starr Paul Rudd, Nick Jonas, Havana Rose Liu, and Jack Reynor).
                                      • Scary Movie (dir Michael Tiddes, starr Marlon Wayans, Shawn Wayans, Anna Faris, and Regina Hall).

                                        • And here, now, the forthcoming:

                                        • Disclosure Day (dir Steven Spielberg, starr Emily Blunt, Josh O’Connor, Colin Firth, Eve Hewson, and Colman Domingo).
                                        • Stop! That! Train! (dir Adam Shankman, starr Ginger Minj, Jujubee, Brooke Lynn Hytes, Latrice Royale, Marcia Marcia Marcia [aka Marty Lauter], Monét X Change, Symone, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Nicole Richie, Raven-Symoné, Michelle Visage, Chris Parnell, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Charo, Brian Jordan Alvarez, Natasha Leggero, Drew Droege, and Joel McHale).
                                        • The Furious (dir Kenji Tanigaki, starr Xie Miao, Joe Taslim, Yang Enyou, Jeeja Yanin, Brian Le, Joey Iwanaga, and Yayan Ruhian).

                                          • “Masters of the Universe,” “Power Ballad,” “Scary Movie,” and “Fallen Angels”

                                          19 min
                                        • June 5, 2026, with Dave and Darren — “Backrooms,” “Pressure,” and “The Breadwinner”

                                          Dave Levora, Darren Pitra, and Mike Schulz won’t let anything stop them from reviewing film — not even technological blunders. They are enjoying their new digs in Bucktown, so you know.

                                          In theaters:

                                          • Backrooms (dir Kane Parsons, starr Chiwetel Ejiofor, Renate Reinsve, Mark Duplass, Finn Bennett, and Lukita Maxwell).
                                          • Pressure (dir Anthony Maras, starr Andrew Scott, Brendan Fraser, Kerry Condon, Chris Messina, and Damian Lewis).
                                          • The Breadwinner (dir Eric Appel, starr Appel, Mandy Moore, Colin Jost, Zach Cherry, Martin Herlihy, Kumail Nanjiani, and Will Forte).

                                            • Coming soon to one near you:

                                            • Masters of the Universe (dir Travis Knight, starr Nicholas Galitzine, Camila Mendes, Jared Leto, Alison Brie, James Purefoy, Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson, Charlotte Riley, Kristen Wiig, Morena Baccarin, and Idris Elba).
                                            • Scary Movie (dir Michael Tiddes, starr Marlon Wayans, Shawn Wayans, Anna Faris, and Regina Hall).
                                            • Power Ballad (dir John Carney, starr Paul Rudd, Nick Jonas, Havana Rose Liu, and Jack Reynor).

                                              • “Backrooms,” “Pressure,” and “The Breadwinner”

                                              18 min

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                                            Live to tape interviews with Reader team members as guests on other broadcast, radio and podcast shows. Alive & Free Since 1993. The Quad Cities’ Independent Newspaper. Know More. Do More.