Second Breakfast with Cam & Maggie

From The Social Network to The Wolf of Wall Street to Vice, the 2010s was a golden age of dramatized, real-life catastrophes. 2023's Blackberry is a ruthless, fantastic addition to that lineage (which might be one of our favorite subgenres). In this episode we track the evolution of these films and explore the innovations and triumphs of this newest Dorian Gray portrait of late-stage capitalism.

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This is by far the weirdest movie of the year – so we went to see it twice, and Cam built up one humdinger of a theory. This whole episode is him frantically working through the idea that Beau Is Afraid is the best adaptation of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein ever made. Heavy spoilers for both stories, obviously. We have domineering creators; a mildly incestuous bride of Frankenstein; echoes, bookends, and reversals of the book's signature images and themes; and a brand-new water motif that you could write a doctoral thesis unpacking. Oh and there's something in the attic that we really have to talk about. Ari Aster has created something totally original here, but he also recalls, twists, subverts, and exposes all of the most powerful parts of Mary Shelley's masterpiece.

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Discussion of The Tower of Swallows, Ch. 10

Wave your red flags in the air like you just don't care. Ciri's about to torch King's Landing or become The Punisher – either way, she's not turning out to be a traditional "Chosen One". Our discussion here is an investigation into Ciri's latest worrying evolution as Death, destroyer of worlds. Maggie dives into Ciri's possible futures and competing personas, and Cam feasts upon the greatest buffet of Sapkowski-style Problem-of-Evil-writing we've ever gotten. This chapter was brutally dark, though you may find our discussion both pleasant and enlightening. Tee-hee. (Cam's tired.)

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Sisu is the best action movie of the year, and we had to come back for a Tuesday bonus episode and talk about it. This whole episode is a full-throated endorsement, a shining bat-signal to all of you - go check out this fantastic film! It's in theaters right now. Our spoiler-free discussion runs through all of the beloved action movies that this film evokes and builds upon - from the first John Wick and Deadpool movies to Inglorious Basterds and Mad Max: Fury Road.

Check out the movie here: https://www.lionsgate.com/movies/sisu

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It's a really hard time to be a creative. Ever shrinking wages, vanishing royalties, exploitative contracts. Three days ago, the Writers Guild of America officially went on strike, and in this desperate, precarious moment, there's no work of art we'd rather the talking about than Ben Affleck's Air. It's the first release from his revolutionary new production company that prioritizes creative freedom and proper financial compensation for the whole production crew. We run through details of the Writers Strike, break down Artists Equity, and then do our usual sparkling analysis of this miraculous and incredibly well-executed movie. This one's important.

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Surprise! We've got two bonus episodes about Succession out today! Cam rewatched the whole show totally out of order and it gave him some unexpected, funky insights that we wanted to share!

This first episode, Succession: The Many Deaths of Logan Roy, is an eight-echo theory about the bookending of Succession's first and last seasons. Basically, the first two episodes of the first season are an eerily familiar dress rehearsal of the final season's big twist.

Our second new episode, Succession Rewatch: The Sitcom Reset, is live right now on Substack! In that episode, Cam develops a theory about the curious connection between the show's off-kilter episodic structure and Logan's fickle affection for his children. Subscribe here to listen to that episode: https://secondbreakfastpod.substack.com/

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Discussion of The Tower of Swallows, Ch. 9

Buckle up, buttercup. This is probably the most intricate, complex chapter we've ever covered – and how fitting that it focuses on his most elaborate and enigmatic creation: Yennefer of Vengerberg. Cam dives deep into symmetry, both within this chapter and the series as a whole. Maggie returns to Bird Corner (with good reason!). In light of certain revelations in this chapter, we pinpoint the Netflix show's greatest mistake.

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We've been waiting for Diablo IV for over a decade. It's the ultimate Second Breakfast topic – the perfect marriage of fantasy and horror. Cam and Tristan played the bajeezus out of the beta, and we've got thoughts! Join us for a breakdown of the game's character classes, abilities, gear, and skill trees. We also explore the graphical evolutions from Diablo III to Diablo IV, along with this game's unique atmosphere. We discuss quest lines and variety, and share some concerns as we wait for the full release in June.

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Welcome back to Second Breakfast! Today's episode is a pre-written column in the style of our recent Substack-exclusive bonus episodes discussing Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre, 65, and the scourge that is the multiverse.

This time, Cam's written up his complicated thoughts on Vasilis Katsoupis' Inside, starring Willem Dafoe. It's a celebration of challenging art and black box theater!

Subscribe to our Substack to support the show and get access to exclusive bonus episodes discussing 'Tarantino Tension,' Black Christmas, Pearl, Barbarian, and Top Gun: Maverick.

We'll see you back here on Friday for our discussion of the Diablo IV open beta!

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Discussion of The Tower of Swallows, Ch. 8

Welcome back to Curveball Corner with Cam and Maggie! This is by far the least traditional, least linear chapter of this series – a marathon of surprises in structure, plot, and character that reveals a growing trend in Sapkowski's writing about neutrality and self-interest. We develop a working theory of the tension at the center of his fantasy world, and discuss all the curious little cross-pollinations across our backburner storylines. Cam also confuses snakes and the Northern Lights.

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Instagram: @secondbreakfastpo

YouTube: Second Breakfast with Cam & Maggie

Cam's stories and audiobooks: https://www.cameronfucile.com/