Unspooled
Episodes
The Night of the Hunter
18 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Amy & Paul lean on the everlasting arms of 1955’s expressionist Southern Gothic The Night of the Hunter! They explore the film’s nightmarish image...
Fatal Attraction
11 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Paul & Amy can’t be ignored when discussing 1987’s hair-raising erotic thriller Fatal Attraction! They praise how casting an age-appropriate partn...
The Three Musketeers & The Four Musketeers (with Quentin Tarantino and Roger Avary)
04 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Quentin Tarantino and Roger Avary (from The Video Archives Podcast) join Paul & Amy for an unprecedented Unspooled crossover episode! The quartet cros...
Starship Troopers
28 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Paul & Amy fight a new kind of war with 1997’s science fiction action film, Starship Troopers. They dissect the movie’s initially negative recepti...
Top 3: Patton Oswalt & Meredith Salenger
21 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Patton Oswalt and Meredith Salenger (hosts of the "Did You Get My Text?" podcast) each tell Paul & Amy three of their favorite romantic films, includi...
RoboCop
14 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Amy & Paul get the future under control with 1987’s Paul Verhoeven dystopian action film RoboCop! They discover how Verhoeven satirized corporate Am...
Blade
07 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Paul & Amy sink their teeth into 1998’s vampiric superhero splatterfest Blade! They discuss how the film was found in the edit, dig deep into Wesley...
Paddington 2
30 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Amy & Paul bear their souls for 2017’s kind and polite comedy Paddington 2! They applaud Hugh Grant’s villainous turn, draw parallels to the physi...
Supercop
23 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Amy & Paul go undercover for 1992’s explosive Jackie Chan martial arts adventure Supercop! They theorize about Hong Kong cinema’s influence on Hol...
RRR
16 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Paul & Amy rise up for 2022’s revolutionary Indian epic RRR! They learn the difference between Bollywood and the Telugu-language Tollywood scene, br...
Superman
09 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Amy & Paul leap tall buildings for 1978's seminal superhero classic Superman! They learn about Christopher Reeve's fitness regimen, discuss how direct...
BONUS: Top Gun: Maverick, Chip 'N Dale, and Doctor Strange 2
07 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
On a bonus Unspooled this week, Paul & Amy discuss some of the most interesting films released in the last month - Top Gun: Maverick, the reboot of Ch...
Top Gun
26 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Amy & Paul head into the danger zone for 1986’s Tom Cruise flight school showdown Top Gun! They debate whether Maverick has a defined character arc,...
Porco Rosso
19 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Paul & Amy take to the skies for 1992’s Hayao Miyazaki aeronautic adventure Porco Rosso! They learn about Miyazaki’s history and fascination with ...
Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit
12 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Paul & Amy burrow into 2005’s Aardman claymation caper Wallace and Gromit: The Curse Of The Were-Rabbit! They describe the painstaking work that wen...
Akira
05 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Paul & Amy slide into 1988’s cyberpunk anime crossover hit Akira! They praise the gamelan-influenced score, learn how the film’s bike races were i...
Adaptation
28 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Amy & Paul podcast about podcasting about 2002’s head-spinning meta comedy Adaptation! They relate to Nicolas-Cage-as-Charlie-Kaufman’s inner mono...
Gauging Nicolas Cage (with Keith Phipps)
25 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In a special Unspooled, Paul & Amy enlist Keith Phipps (author of "Age Of Cage") to narrow down which Nicolas Cage performances deserve to be sent to ...
Conan the Barbarian
21 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Paul & Amy crush 1982's Arnold Schwarzenegger pulp fantasy Conan The Barbarian! They learn the purpose of the Wheel Of Pain, praise the operatic story...
Shrek
14 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Amy & Paul get grubby for 2001's fractured fairy tale Shrek! They discover how the film planted an anti-Disney flag in the mud, review its musical leg...
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
07 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Paul & Amy lead a quest through 1975's Arthurian sendup Monty Python And The Holy Grail! They discuss how the non-hierarchical structure of Python inf...
The Green Knight
31 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Paul & Amy lose their heads for 2021's remixed medieval myth The Green Knight! They learn about the "real" King Arthur, praise Alicia Vikander's allur...
Best of 2021/Oscars Preview
24 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Amy & Paul break down the past year in film on this Best Of 2021 special episode! They make cases for some of their favorite overlooked films from 202...
The Piano
17 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Paul & Amy strike a chord with 1993's Jane Campion gothic period drama The Piano! They praise Anna Paquin's highly naturalistic child performance, puz...
Boogie Nights
10 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Amy & Paul got the touch for 1997's seedy Valley epic Boogie Nights! They marvel at a young Paul Thomas Anderson's preternatural skill behind the came...
Bonus: Batman On Film
08 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Put on your bat-headphones and tune in to this bonus episode of Unspooled as Paul and Amy break down every screen portrayal of the Dark Knight, from A...
The Shining
24 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Paul & Amy hack through 1980's chilling Stanley Kubrick horror film The Shining! They learn why Stephen King hated Kubrick's adaptation of his story, ...
Remembering Ivan Reitman
21 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this bonus episode, Paul & Amy discuss the career and legacy of the late director and producer Ivan Reitman. Learn more about your ad choices. Vis...
Force Majeure
17 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Paul & Amy rulla ut the 2014 Swedish dramedy Force Majeure! They celebrate director Ruben Östlund’s dissection of masculinity and gender roles, le...
Jackass
10 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Paul & Amy catapult themselves into the daredevil Jackass franchise! They count off the elements that every film in the series shares, cringe through ...
The Grand Budapest Hotel
03 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Amy & Paul serve up 2014’s Wes Anderson confection The Grand Budapest Hotel! They praise the inventive action scenes, contrast the different eras of...
Top 3: Brian Cox
01 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Brian Cox (Succession, Zodiac, Adaptation) talks to Paul and Amy about three of his favorite films, including a medieval musical comedy and a British ...
Frozen
27 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Amy & Paul let it go for 2013's chilly Disney musical megahit Frozen! They praise the filmmakers' careful attention to all the varieties of snow, lear...
Scream
20 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Paul & Amy don't follow the rules for 1996's Wes Craven meta-horror-comedy Scream! They learn Craven's secret to making horror films that resonate, ar...
Fargo
13 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Amy & Paul kidnap 1996's Coen Bros' untrue true-crime tale Fargo! They weigh the moral yin and yang of Marge Gunderson and Jerry Lundegaard, learn abo...
In The Heat Of The Night (Re-Release)
11 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In honor of Sidney Poitier's passing, Unspooled is re-releasing this episode from the Unspooled archives. We'll be back with a new episode this Thursd...
The Last Picture Show (Re-Release)
11 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In honor of Peter Bogdonavich's passing, Unspooled is re-releasing this episode from the Unspooled archives. We'll be back with a new episode this Thu...
The Apartment (Re-Release)
06 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This week Unspooled is rereleasing our Season 1 episode on the Billy Wilder classic The Apartment. Stay tuned for a new episode (and new series) next ...
A Christmas Story
30 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Paul & Amy unwrap 1983's holiday nostalgia trip A Christmas Story! They learn about the life of the film's inspiration Jean Shepherd, discover how the...
The Matrix
23 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Amy & Paul stop time for 1999's reality-bending blockbuster The Matrix! They marvel at the preternatural shared mind of directors Lana and Lilly Wach...
Love Actually
16 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Paul & Amy cross the pond for 2003's Christmas romantic comedy smash Love Actually! They dissect director Richard Curtis's curious understanding of l...
Little Shop of Horrors
09 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Paul & Amy feed 1986’s creature feature musical Little Shop of Horrors! They credit director Frank Oz for getting Audrey II’s physicality just rig...
Lagaan
02 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Amy & Paul go to bat for 2001's mega-hit Bollywood sports musical Lagaan! They compare star Aamir Khan to Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt, learn about a key...
Chicago
25 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Amy & Paul shoot up 2002's darkly comic musical revival Chicago! They interrogate director Rob Marshall's choice to use rapid cuts over long takes, d...
Grease
18 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Paul & Amy know 1978’s retro musical sensation Grease is the word! They praise Stockard Channing’s fiercely independent performance as Rizzo, comp...
The Nightmare Before Christmas
11 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Paul & Amy kidnap 1993's Gothic stop-motion musical The Nightmare Before Christmas! They praise the carnival-esque compositions of Danny Elfman, compa...
A Nightmare on Elm Street
04 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Amy & Paul drift off into 1984's Wes Craven sleeper slasher film A Nightmare On Elm Street! They give qualified praise to Johnny Depp's first-ever scr...
The Blair Witch Project
28 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Amy & Paul take a hike through 1999's revolutionary found-footage film The Blair Witch Project! They praise Heather Donahue’s often maligned perform...
Top 3: Ed Brubaker
26 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Acclaimed comic book writer and artist Ed Brubaker (Criminal, Reckless) joins Paul & Amy to talk about three of his favorite films, including a bruisi...
Raw
21 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Paul & Amy get a taste of 2016's French coming of age/horror film Raw! They debate whether Justine's dilemma is a metaphor for drugs or sexuality, ana...
Top 3: Tim Blake Nelson
19 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Tim Blake Nelson (Old Henry, O Brother Where Art Thou?) talks to Paul and Amy about three of his all time top films, including a documentary about a r...
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
14 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Amy & Paul get revved up over 1974's archetypal slasher film The Texas Chain Saw Massacre! They draw parallels between the film and post-Vietnam Ameri...
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari
07 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Paul & Amy get hypnotized by 1920's German silent horror film The Cabinet Of Dr. Caligari! They learn about the history of German Expressionism, discu...
The Exorcist
30 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Amy & Paul make heads turn with 1973's horror classic The Exorcist! They praise Ellen Burstyn's quiet but strong take on a desperate celebrity mother ...
Top 3: Melanie Lynskey
27 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Melanie Lynskey (Lady Of The Manor, I Don't Feel At Home In The World Anymore) tells us three of her favorite films, including the breakthrough film o...
Season 2 Finale
23 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Paul & Amy close the book on Unspooled's second season with some hard choices - which movies covered during the past year of the podcast are going to ...
Mad Max: Fury Road
16 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Amy & Paul race through 2015's post-apocalyptic action masterwork Mad Max: Fury Road! They learn why director George Miller brought on feminist playwr...
Inception
09 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Paul & Amy go deep into 2010's mind-bending Christopher Nolan heist film Inception! They gawk at the protagonist's name, learn the origin of the famou...
Bridesmaids
02 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Amy & Paul let loose with 2011's breakthrough Kristin Wiig comedy Bridesmaids! They praise Wiig's nuanced lead performance, break down the dynamics of...
The Hangover
26 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Paul & Amy blearily remember 2009's Todd Phillips black comedy The Hangover! They praise the film's star-making casting choices, discuss how to improv...
The Fugitive
19 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Amy & Paul run from 1993's Harrison Ford/Tommy Lee Jones thriller The Fugitive! They praise an action film where the lead characters wear sensible sho...
Speed
12 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Paul & Amy jump over 1994's Keanu Reeves bus-gone-wild action thriller Speed! They learn about the expanded role of the bus passengers in early drafts...
Back To The Future
05 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Amy & Paul zoom at 88 miles per hour into 1985's Robert Zemeckis time travel comedy Back To The Future! They ask why Eric Stoltz wasn't the right choi...
Top 3: Steve Zahn
04 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Steve Zahn (The White Lotus, Treme) tells Paul & Amy three movies he would send to space, including an operatic Western classic and the journey of a g...
Men In Black
29 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Paul & Amy neuralize 1997's Will Smith sci-fi comedy Men In Black! They learn about the wild career of director Barry Sonnenfeld, ask how Smith became...
Bonus: Vaccination Hesitation w/ Dr. Kate Grossman
29 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Unspooled is happy to share this bonus interview from the How Did This Get Made feed with our listeners!June Diane Raphael welcomes Dr. Kate Grossman ...
Jurassic Park
22 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Amy & Paul break out of 1993's prehistoric creature feature Jurassic Park! They revisit the moment in film history when CGI was starting to break into...
The State Of Summer Blockbusters
15 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Paul & Amy break the block open with a new Unspooled series on summer blockbusters! They ask why the Fast saga has succeeded where so many original id...
Top 3: Karen Gillan
14 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Karen Gillan (Doctor Who, Gunpowder Milkshake) joins Unspooled to talk about her top 3 films she would send to space, including a 90s rom com classic ...
Apollo 13
08 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Amy & Paul come home to 1995's space disaster docudrama Apollo 13! They ask if this is secretly a film about disappointment, spot a cameo by a legenda...
Top 3: Tom Scharpling
07 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Tom Scharpling (The Best Show, Steven Universe) joins us to talk about his new book It Never Ends and his top 3 movie musicals! He talks about why he ...
Aliens
01 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Paul & Amy invade 1986's James Cameron space action classic Aliens! They learn what this film had in common with Platoon, ask why the aliens feel less...
Top 3: Daveed Diggs
29 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to Top 3, a semi-regular bonus series where we ask our favorite creative people to talk about three films they love! In this interview, Daveed...
Solaris
24 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Paul & Amy orbit 1972's Russian outer space mood piece Solaris! They learn why director Andrei Tartovsky disdained nearly all American films, compare ...
Alien
17 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Amy & Paul burst out of 1979's sci-fi horror pioneer Alien! They learn about the film's original darker ending, contrast it with another classic horro...
Contact
10 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Paul & Amy reach out to 1997's Robert Zemeckis extraterrestrial encounter film Contact! They learn about the long journey Carl Sagan's story took to t...
Spool Party: Clueless
03 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Amy & Paul totally get into 1995's Jane-Austen-in-high-school comedy Clueless! They discuss what makes this a perfect Emma adaptation, learn which act...
Screen Test: Darkness In The Force
27 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The hosts of the George Lucas Talk Show (Connor Ratliff, Griffin Newman and Patrick Cotnoir) reenact a scene from "Ewoks: The Battle For Endor," defen...
Spool Party: Big (featuring Lauren Lapkus)
20 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Paul & Amy dance on the keys for 1988's Tom Hanks body swap comedy Big! They discuss the unique perspective director Penny Marshall brought to the fil...
Galaxy Quest
13 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Paul & Amy beam aboard 1999's TV sci-fi satire Galaxy Quest! They discuss how fandom has changed over the last 20 years, learn about an in-joke that i...
A Trip to the Moon
06 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Amy & Paul set a course for 1902's seminal space short A Trip To The Moon (aka Le Voyage dans la Lune)! They dissect it as a work of imperialist satir...
Hoop Dreams
29 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Paul & Amy take on 1994's groundbreaking high school basketball documentary Hoop Dreams! They compare the look of the film to slick modern docs, look ...
2021 Oscar Special
22 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Paul & Amy break down Nomadland, Mank, Judas & The Black Messiah, and all the Best Picture nominees before this year's Academy Awards! They discuss wh...
A League of Their Own
15 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Amy & Paul hit a grand slam for 1992's Penny Marshall baseball comedy A League Of Their Own! They make the case this is a film about female friendship...
Chariots of Fire
08 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Paul & Amy run through 1981's Olympic track drama Chariots of Fire! They learn why this is Joe Biden's favorite film, ask if this thoroughly British s...
Cool Runnings
01 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Paul & Amy slide through 1993's Jamaican bobsledding comedy Cool Runnings! They learn which parts of the script were true and which were exaggerated f...
Brian's Song
25 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Paul & Amy tackle 1971's football integration melodrama Brian's Song! They learn why Burt Reynolds ultimately wasn't cast in the James Caan role, prai...
Hoosiers
18 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Amy & Paul double team 1986's Gene Hackman basketball drama Hoosiers! They praise the film for capturing the realism of small town life, dissect what ...
Mike Nichols (with Mark Harris)
11 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Amy and Paul sit down with Mark Harris, author of "Mike Nichols: A Life," to discuss the career of the famed director of films like "The Graduate" and...
The Princess Bride
04 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Amy & Paul fight for 1987's Rob Reiner meta-fairytale The Princess Bride! They discuss what makes Reiner's films stand out, listen to Cary Elwes' Marl...
Brokeback Mountain
25 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Paul & Amy can’t quit 2005’s groundbreaking gay romance Brokeback Mountain. They analyze how the beginning and ending shots of the film mirror eac...
Love and Basketball
18 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Amy & Paul alley-oop 2000's Gina Prince-Bythewood athletic romance Love And Basketball! They discover the impact this film made on WNBA players like C...
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
11 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
This week, Paul & Amy can’t forget 2004’s mind-melting romance Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind! They learn why director Michel Gondry asked ...
BONUS: Promising Young Woman
10 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
On a bonus Unspooled, Paul & Amy discuss 2020's thorny modern revenge story Promising Young Woman! They praise the film's tonal balancing act and subv...
A Place In The Sun
04 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Amy & Paul are infatuated with 1951's tragic love triangle A Place In The Sun! They hear Elizabeth Taylor explain how watching Montgomery Clift helped...
Chungking Express
21 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Paul & Amy dream of 1994's Wong Kar-wai romantic diptych Chungking Express! They look at Wong's influence on modern auteurs like Quentin Tarantino and...
When Harry Met Sally
14 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Amy & Paul go to the airport for 1989's quintessential romantic comedy When Harry Met Sally! They learn how director Rob Reiner helped Meg Ryan prepar...
Dogtooth
07 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Paul & Amy highway into Yorgos Lanthimos' jarring family parable Dogtooth! They learn how audiences around the world interpreted the film differently,...
Home Alone
24 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Amy & Paul break into 1990's abandoned child comedy phenomenon Home Alone! They praise John Candy as the film's MVP, learn why Joe Pesci was tougher t...
The Farewell
17 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Amy & Paul say hello to 2019's Chinese-American family reunion The Farewell! They praise director Lulu Wang's use of motion, discover how Awkwafina wo...