Spoilerpiece Theatre

After wondering what kind of person show up to a movie 15 minutes late, the guys get into an oldie-but-goodie kinda week on Spoilerpiece. Evan breaks down PRIVATE BENJAMIN (3:25), a funny feminist-ish Army-ish comedy starring Goldie Hawn as a woman who joins up because she really doesn't have anything else to do. Then Dave gets into THE LAST OF THE MOHICANS (13:27), the Michael Mann-directed Daniel Day-Lewis-starring French and Indian War epic. Technically, BILAL: A NEW BREED OF HERO (23:27) is new to the United States, but it's been out overseas quite a while. Kris and Evan discuss its flaws (many) and virtues (also many), and how it features stories outside the normal American purview.

Lotsa movies on this week's episode! First up is Dave with MY LEFT FOOT (4:21), the film that arguably sealed Daniel Day-Lewis's reputation as the world's most committed screen actor. Next, Evan runs us through MOONSTRUCK (12:45), a romantic romp with folks who just can't stop getting hit in the eye by amore. Dave then perseveres through his disdain for the MAZE RUNNER series by explaining how it limps along into its third installment, THE DEATH CURE (20:25). Dave and Evan then dive into Academy Award-nominated MUDBOUND (33:08), before Kris and Dave wrap things up with HOSTILES (47:09), two very different movies that confront America's inability to confront its own history of racism and post-traumatic stress disorder.

This week's episode starts with Dave fresh off of MY BEAUTIFUL LAUNDRETTE (6:30), which he saw as part of Coolidge Corner Theatre's series dedicated to Daniel Day-Lewis, "I'm Finished!" It's all over the place with a million plot threads and an impossibly large cast, but boasts a terrific grit and excellent performances. Next up is Kris, who just finished reading Boris Pasternak's DOCTOR ZHIVAGO and rewatched David Lean's adaptation starring Omar Sharif (21:17). Kris wishes he were more impressed with the film after reading the novel, but is he breaking his own rule of separating films from source material by lowering his opinion of a movie he enjoyed? Maybe, and he's the first to admit it. The episode then close things out with a recap of FIRST THEY KILLED MY FATHER (36:42), Angelina Jolie's film about life under the Khmer Rouge. The guys are split -- Dave and Kris enthusiastically in favor, with Evan on the fence as to whether it's a success in its own terms.

Evan is sunning himself on a beach somewhere - or maybe not. But he's in Florida, which means he's warmer than Kris and Dave. And that means there's a special guest filling in, friend-of-the-show Greg Vellante! After a brief discussion about why Greg works seven full days a week, he breaks down the latest Liam-Neeson-kills-people-in-January movie THE COMMUTER (6:03). Kris lets everyone know how's he's doing with his Letterboxd account, and then they're into tha main event: Paul Thomas Anderson's PHANTOM THREAD, starring Daniel Day-Lewis and Vicky Krieps. One word of advice: See it on film if you have the opportunity.

After discussing the trailer for the upcoming TRUTH OR DARE and a rumored long-lost Clint Eastwood movie, Evan, Kris, and Dave get down to answering some questions posed by a listener about Quentin Tarantino and rumors of his possible attachment to a new STAR TREK movie (5:00). Then they answer more questions and Kris fills the guys in on his return to letterboxd.com (15:45). Finally, it's off to the main event, the new Leigh Whannel-written INSIDIOUS: THE LAST KEY (18:30), and what the hell it all means in the context of the INSIDIOUS series. Stay warm, New England.

Happy almost New Year dear listeners! This week, after Kris reveals the very painful way he thinks Dave can fix a messed up shoulder, Dave agrees with Charlie Nash's commentary on MOLLY'S GAME (5:26) from the previous episode. Next the guys talk about holiday films (7:35) they watched like A CHRISTMAS STORY, MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET, EMMET OTTER'S JUG-BAND CHRISTMAS and CASABLANCA. Then they move onto their main event (16:00), a deep dive into their ballots for the Boston Online Film Critics Association's annual awards. The guys each share their top 10 films from the year, while also debating the merits of their favorite performances, directors, screenplays, editing, cinematography and scores, which include work in movies never-before discussed on the show.

This week, friend of the show (and the hosts!) Charlie Nash returns to the guest seat in Dave's absence. The first review of the night is Evan and Charlie with MOLLY'S GAME (3:38), Aaron Sorkin's directorial debut. The famed writer of A FEW GOOD MEN, THE WEST WING, and THE SOCIAL NETWORK, known for his tight and layered dialogue, would have benefited from applying the same discipline to his camerawork and pacing, as a worthwhile story with good performances gets buried under its own weight (and penchant for mansplaining). Next up is Charlie with a captivating recap of CALL ME BY YOUR NAME (28:15), Luca Guadagnino's coming of age tale love story starring Timothée Chalamet and Armie Hammer. It boasts lush visuals and a deep exploration of discovering sides of ourselves we neither understand how to express nor contain. Wrapping things up is THE POST (48:44), Steven Spielberg's latest masterpiece -- yes, it really is -- about the publishing of the Pentagon Papers. With a top-notch cast and a clear understanding of the stakes, it's a must-see for history buffs or anyone who cares about valuing truth and accountability above comfort and stability.

This week Kris, Evan, and Dave are joined by their good friend and fellow BOFCA member Tim Estiloz for a spirited discussion of I, TONYA (5:52), the Tonya Harding biopic with Margot Robbie as figure skater Harding. Tim, a former professional ice skater and current news/film reporter-type, brings a unique perspective to the discussion and offers some insight on the real Harding's skills. Then the guys get into STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI (38:12). Yes, we give everything away (like always), but THE LAST JEDI is so much fun no spoilers could actually spoil it.

We kick off this week's Spoilerpiece with a Crewind -- also known as Evan Can Wait and God Save the Crean -- in which Evan recaps his experiences with LOGAN (eh), BATTLE OF THE SEXES (good), and LAST FLAG FLYING (wow) (4:02, 9:30, 15:29 respectively). Next up is Dave with THE DARKEST HOUR (20:11), in which Gary Oldman portrays Winston Churchill in the earliest days of Britain's involvement in World War II. It's a bit of a recitation of well-established facts, but Oldman doing anything can never be totally boring, making this a mixed bag. Last up is all three guys with Guillermo del Toro's THE SHAPE OF WATER (32:11). If you like del Toro, you know what to expect. If you don't, well, you also know what to expect, only moreso.

After Evan tells Kris and Dave about his exploding sofa cushions, they delve into the week's movies. First there's THE DISASTER ARTIST (6:30), the absolutely wonderful making-of-THE-ROOM movie directed by James Franco and starring Franco as Tommy Wiseau and his brother Dave Franco as Greg Sestero. Then there's Sean Baker's THE FLORIDA PROJECT (22:07), which all three guys saw and have lots of opinions about.