Unspooled
Episodes
Chinatown
25 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
This week Paul & Amy investigate 1974's sunlit neo-noir Chinatown! They examine the charges against Roman Polanski and discuss how to watch and contex...
The Treasure of the Sierra Madre
18 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Amy & Paul excavate 1948's Humphrey Bogart thriller The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre! They ask if Fred C. Dobbs qualifies as an antihero, look at the ...
All The President's Men
11 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
This week Paul & Amy investigate 1976's journalistic thriller All The President's Men! They learn about the controversy surrounding who wrote the scre...
Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs
04 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Amy & Paul gaze through the looking glass into 1937's Walt Disney fairy tale Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs! They appreciate Snow's sense of humor, q...
City Lights
28 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Paul & Amy tumble through 1931's Charlie Chaplin comedy City Lights! They ask whether the film presaged the structure of modern comedies, compare Chap...
West Side Story
21 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Amy & Paul rumble with 1961's musical Shakespeare riff West Side Story! They compare the film's colors to modern art, praise the intelligence Rita Mor...
A Night At The Opera
14 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
This week Paul & Amy sing the praises of 1935's Marx Brothers comedy "A Night At The Opera!" They take apart the film's most famous scene in detail, l...
Saving Private Ryan
07 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Amy and Paul storm the beaches of 1998's Steven Spielberg WWII picture Saving Private Ryan! They plunge into the disorientation of the storied opening...
The Graduate
28 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Amy & Paul scuba-dive into 1967's generation-gap dramedy The Graduate! They look for thematic connections in early Nichols & May sketches, wonder how ...
BONUS: 2019 Oscars
25 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Amy and special guest host Griffin Newman (The Tick, Blank Check) talk about last night’s Oscars, and unveil the winners of the first annual Spoolie...
Best of 2018: Listener’s Picks
21 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Paul & Amy round out the Best Of 2018 miniseries with an all-star lineup of callers talking about their favorite films of last year! Guests like Damon...
Best of 2018: Critics’ Picks
14 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Amy & Paul continue their review of 2018 in film with a look back at last year's most critically acclaimed films! They praise Nicholas Cage's passion ...
Best Of 2018: Blockbusters
07 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Paul & Amy travel to the distant era of 2018, with a look back at last year's 20 biggest movies! They cover everything from Bohemian Rhapsody to Aquam...
One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest
31 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Paul & Amy fly over 1975's countercultural touchstone One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest! They discuss how the film strays from Ken Kesey's novel, discov...
Sunset Boulevard
24 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Paul & Amy drive down to 1950's Hollywood house of horrors Sunset Boulevard! They ask if Joe Gillis is a reliable narrator, praise Gloria Swanson's tr...
The Last Picture Show
17 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Amy & Paul travel deep into the heart of 1971's Texan coming-of-age story The Last Picture Show! They ask who the film's true protagonist is, marvel a...
Unforgiven
10 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Amy & Paul saddle up for Clint Eastwood's revisionist 1992 Western Unforgiven! They ask if Gene Hackman is truly the villain of the piece, put the fil...
The Searchers
03 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
This week Paul & Amy ride deep into Texas for The Searchers! They discuss the complicated legacy of John Wayne, place the film in the context of Weste...
In The Heat Of The Night
27 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Amy & Paul take a trip down South for 1967’s racially charged police thriller “In The Heat Of The Night!” They celebrate the excellent soundtrac...
It’s A Wonderful Life
20 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Paul & Amy earn their wings with 1946’s Jimmy Stewart holiday fable “It’s A Wonderful Life!” They wonder if Mary is actually a witch, explain ...
Schindler’s List
13 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
This week Paul & Amy take a close look at Steven Spielberg's unflinching Holocaust drama "Schindler's List." They discuss the filmmaking instincts Spi...
Rocky
06 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Paul & Amy go the distance for Sylvester Stallone's 1976 pugilistic parable Rocky! They play a stunning clip of Stallone talking to himself, posit tha...
A Clockwork Orange
29 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Amy & Paul undergo the Ludovico technique to watch Stanley Kubrick's dark dystopia A Clockwork Orange! They explain the history of the famous "Singin ...
Sophie’s Choice
22 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
This week Paul & Amy travel back to 1982's love triangle / Holocaust drama Sophie's Choice! They ask whether Stingo is supposed to be an actual good w...
Mr. Smith Goes To Washington
15 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Amy and Paul filibuster through Frank Capra's 1939 political fable Mr. Smith Goes To Washington! They learn about Jean Arthur's initial impressions of...
Listener Questions Special
08 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
In this week's special episode, Paul & Amy are answering all of your questions, submitted by Unspooled's Facebook group! They reminisce about the orig...
Duck Soup
01 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
This week Amy & Paul hail the Marx Brothers' 1933 madcap comedy Duck Soup! They ask whether this is the first great comedy of the talkie era, parse th...
The African Queen
25 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Paul & Amy set sail through 1951’s Katharine Hepburn & Humphrey Bogart adventure The African Queen! They ask whether the central romance is convinci...
Raiders Of The Lost Ark
17 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
This week Amy and Paul uncover 1981's rollicking Indiana Jones adventure Raiders Of The Lost Ark! They ask if Indy is actually a good archeologist, fi...
Psycho
11 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Paul & Amy pull off the highway for a short stay at 1960’s proto-slasher masterwork Psycho. They dissect Alfred Hitchcock’s artful use of misdirec...
The Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring
04 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Amy & Paul embark on an epic quest through Peter Jackson’s 2001 fantasy adaptation The Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring! They praise El...
Apocalypse Now
27 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Paul & Amy plunge into the heart of darkness to cover 1979's Vietnam War fever dream Apocalypse Now. They discover which famous film character screenw...
High Noon
20 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
This week, Amy & Paul saddle up and ride through 1952’s archetypal Western, High Noon! They celebrate Katy Jurado’s fierce performance, learn abou...
ET The Extra Terrestrial
13 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Paul & Amy beam up to Steven Spielberg’s heartwarming alien feature, E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial! They learn E.T.’s real name, marvel at Spielberg’...
Taxi Driver
06 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
This week Paul & Amy cruise through 1976's terrifying character study Taxi Driver. They ask whether the film is anti-misogynist or simply misogynist, ...
The Sixth Sense
30 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Paul and Amy see dead people in 1999's supernatural drama The Sixth Sense! They debate how Haley Joel Osment's performance compares to modern child ac...
Singin' In The Rain
23 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Amy & Paul tap, swing and two-step through 1952's meta-musical Singin' In The Rain! They are dazzled by the film's stylized color, dive into its persp...
Double Indemnity
16 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Paul & Amy investigate 1944's murderous noir Double Indemnity! They talk about what lines snuck past the censors, learn about the true story that insp...
All About Eve
09 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Fasten your seatbelts - this week Paul & Amy take on 1950's showbiz satire All About Eve! They marvel at how well Joseph Mankiewicz understands his fe...
King Kong
02 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
This week Amy & Paul unveil 1933's seminal monster movie King Kong! They ask if this was the first true blockbuster film, discover how the distinctive...
The Shawshank Redemption
26 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
This week Paul & Amy tunnel through Frank Darabont's prison allegory The Shawshank Redemption! They discuss the use of opera as a 90's film signifier,...
The General
19 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Amy & Paul plow full steam ahead through Buster Keaton's silent opus The General! They realize this was the Fast And Furious of 1926, examine the riva...
Platoon
12 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Paul & Amy hunker down to cover 1986's Vietnam War drama Platoon! They look at director Oliver Stone's relationship with Martin Scorsese, discover how...
Bonnie And Clyde
05 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
This week Paul & Amy tear through 1967's revolutionary "Bonnie And Clyde!" They discuss how the film mixes wildly different tones, adore Faye Dunaway'...
2001: A Space Odyssey
28 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Paul & Amy journey beyond the infinite to Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey! They ask what the film has in common with a Rothko painting, marv...
Titanic
21 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Amy & Paul chart a course through 1998's epic tragedy Titanic! They marvel at the film's structure and use of geography, discuss whether the Titanic b...
The French Connection
14 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
This week Paul & Amy hit the streets for 1971's The French Connection! They discuss whether Popeye Doyle is actually a hero, what went sideways during...
Swing Time
07 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Put on your best dancing shoes for Swing Time with Ginger Rogers & Fred Astaire! Paul & Amy caper through the 1936 film's strange comic beats, spontan...
The Wizard Of Oz
31 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Close your eyes, tap your heels together three times, and join Paul & Amy as they discuss 1939's The Wizard Of Oz! Discover what makes the land of Oz ...
Ben Hur
24 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Strap on your death sandals, as Paul & Amy jump into 1959's Roman epic Ben Hur! They discuss the incredible scope of the film, how Star Wars ripped of...
Citizen Kane
17 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
On episode one of Unspooled, Paul and Amy jump straight into the AFI’s number one film of all time, Citizen Kane. They explain why it was almost nev...
Preview: What Is Unspooled?
07 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Paul & Amy introduce their new podcast Unspooled, where they watch every movie on the AFI’s Top 100 Films list. Subscribe now - episode 1, “Citize...