Here’s the elevator pitch: It’s “Left, Right, and Center” meets “Siskel and Ebert.” Three friends from different ideological perspectives discuss the movies and controversies (or nontroversies!) swirling around them. You’ll have to sign up for the Substack to get bonus episodes and you can do that at movieaisle.substack.com.
142: Is 'Glass Onion' a Satisfying Murder Mystery?
Dec 27, 2022
Show notes
This week, Sonny Bunch (The Bulwark), Alyssa Rosenberg (The Washington Post), and Peter Suderman (Reason) review the first of Rian Johnson’s two Knives Out sequels for Netflix, Glass Onion. Is it a mystery worthy of Benoit Blanc or something a little lesser? Before that, the gang discusses the biggest business stories of the year: streamers, sports, theaters, China, and more all get a mention. If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to share it with a friend; listeners like you are our best advocates. And we hope you had a happy holiday!
141: Does 'Avatar: The Way of Water' Justify a Trip to Theaters?
Dec 20, 2022
Show notes
On this week’s episode, Sonny Bunch (The Bulwark), Alyssa Rosenberg (The Washington Post), and Peter Suderman (Reason) return to Pandora for James Cameron’s Avatar: The Way of Water. Is the sequel 13 years in the making worth the wait? And then they discuss the oncoming streaming crunch. What does it mean that fewer shows will be made in the coming quarters? Make sure to swing back by Bulwark+ on Friday for a special bonus episode: it’s a James Cameron draft, people. And if you enjoyed this episode, share it with a friend!
140: Are Awards Season Movies Doomed at Theaters? Plus: 'Emancipation' reviewed!
Dec 13, 2022
Show notes
On this week’s episode, Sonny Bunch (The Bulwark), Alyssa Rosenberg (The Washington Post), and Peter Suderman (Reason) ask if awards season fare has a place at the multiplex any longer. Are prestige pictures doomed to a streaming-only existence in the near future? Or will audiences come back? And then we review the streaming service Apple TV+’s award season venture Emancipation. Does it have a shot at Oscar gold? Make sure to swing by Bulwark+ this Friday for our bonus episode on streaming service Netflix’s awards season animated fare, Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio. We are truly living in a golden age of stop-motion animation. And if you enjoyed this episode, share it with a friend!
139: A New 'Greatest Movie of All Time.' Plus: Plus, Steven Spielberg interrogates his life and his art in 'The Fabelmans.'
Dec 06, 2022
Show notes
On this week’s episode, Sonny Bunch (The Bulwark), Alyssa Rosenberg (The Washington Post), and Peter Suderman (Reason) talk about the Sight and Sound’s decennial 100 Greatest Films of All Time list, which crowned a new champ … but not without controversy. Then we reviewed The Fabelmans, Steven Spielberg’s semi-autobiographical movie about his childhood and how the art of film shapes his relationship with the world. Make sure to swing by Bulwark+ for our bonus episode on Friday, in which we’re discussing Andor is it the latest Star Wars property to be “the best since Empire?” You better believe it! If you enjoyed this episode, share it with a friend!
138: Why We Said You Can Skip 'She Said.' Plus: Where does Junot Diaz go to get his reputation back?
Nov 29, 2022
Show notes
On this week's episode, Sonny Bunch (The Bulwark), Alyssa Rosenberg (The Washington Post), and Peter Suderman (Reason), talk about the sad state of Junot Diaz. Semafor's Ben Smith interviewed the novelist about his odd career limbo; why can't folks who were accused of misbehavior before being exonerated get their reputations back? Then the gang shifts to a cleaner Me Too target: Harvey Weinstein and the movie She Said, based on the book by Megan Twohey and Jodi Kantor about their efforts to unveil the producer's monstrous behavior towards women. Sadly the movie isn't that good, and we try to understand why. (On this episode we also mention Ken Auletta's book, Hollywood Ending; Sonny talked to him a couple of months back about Weinstein and his enablers.) Make sure to swing by Bulwark+ on Friday for our bonus episode on Chinese protests against draconian Covid lockdowns and the desire among the people for “cinema freedom.”
137: Why Did Bob (Iger) Push Out Bob (Chapek) at Disney? Plus: 'The Banshees of Inisherin,' reviewed.
Nov 22, 2022
Show notes
On this week’s episode, Sonny Bunch (The Bulwark), Alyssa Rosenberg (The Washington Post), and Peter Suderman (Reason) discuss the late-night drama in Burbank, where former Disney CEO Bob Iger replaced current Disney CEO Bob Chapek. From tumbling stock prices to unhappy talent to a messy reorg, things weren’t going well … but is Iger the guy to right the ship? And then the gang reviews Martin McDonagh’s latest, The Banshees of Inisherin, a darkly comic parable about friendship in a time of civil war. Make sure to swing by Bulwark+ for this week’s bonus episode on our favorite foodie movies. And if you enjoyed this episode, share it with a friend!
136: Should You See or Skip 'Black Panther: Wakanda Forever'?
Nov 15, 2022
Show notes
On this week’s episode, Sonny Bunch (The Bulwark), Alyssa Rosenberg (The Washington Post), and Peter Suderman (Reason) try to figure out why Warner Brothers can’t get a handle on one of their most valuable intellectual properties, the Harry Potter franchise. Then they review Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, the MCU’s effort to grapple with the untimely death of Chadwick Boseman. Is it something you should rush out and see, or can you wait for it to show up on Disney+? Make sure to swing back by Bulwark+ on Friday for a special bonus episode in which we talk about books for kids and young adults that we love.
135: You Should Go See 'Tár.' Plus: lol, Elon.
Nov 08, 2022
Show notes
On this week’s episode, Sonny Bunch (The Bulwark), Alyssa Rosenberg (The Washington Post), and Peter Suderman (Reason) review one of the best movies of the year that very few of you have gone to see: Tár. It’s a great movie about the ambiguities of our moment with an absolutely wonderful performance by Cate Blanchett at its heart. Go see it! Before that, we had some laughs at Elon’s expense as we wondered what will happen to Twitter as Musk realizes he’s made a huge mistake. Make sure to swing back by Bulwark+ on Friday for our bonus episode, in which we’ll discuss our favorite movies of the year, pre-awards-season division. And if you enjoyed this episode—or know there’s someone in your life who can use some non-election-related podcasting while we wait for results—share it with a friend!
134: Is Hollywood in a Regressive Moment? Plus: 'Ticket to Paradise,' reviewed!
Nov 01, 2022
Show notes
On this week’s episode, Sonny Bunch (The Bulwark), Alyssa Rosenberg (The Washington Post), and Peter Suderman (Reason) ask if the New York Times is right to wonder if a backlash against diversity and casting and the #MeToo movement is upon us. Then they review Ticket to Paradise, a replacement-level romcom that tries to get by on the charms of two huge stars, George Clooney and Julia Roberts. Make sure to swing by Bulwark+ on Friday for our special bonus episode, when our producer Sebastian Hughes will be joining us to discuss Billy Eichner’s Bros. And if you enjoyed this episode, share it with a friend!
133: Is 'Black Adam' a Must-See or a Must-Skip? Plus: Why has Star Wars stagnated at movie theaters?
Oct 25, 2022
Show notes
On this week’s episode, Sonny Bunch (The Bulwark), Alyssa Rosenberg (The Washington Post), and Peter Suderman (Reason) ask how much longer Kathleen Kennedy can stall the Star Wars theatrical slate. Then they discuss Black Adam, aka Murder Superman, and the movie’s interestingly muddled politics. Make sure to tune in on Friday for a House of the Dragon wrap up. How did the first season go? Will we be back for season number two? All that and more, this week on Across the Movie Aisle. If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to share it with a friend!
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