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Arthur Howell

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2 Cents Critic
2 Cents Critic#165 - Don’t Worry Darling | Directed by Olivia Wilde (with Anna)Tune in as Arthur’s buddy Anna hops back onto the program for a deep dive into Don’t Worry Darling, the 2022 psychological thriller that had been swamped in a notorious wave of media frenzy (remember the spit mystery, anyone?). But once you dig past the Hollywood hubbub, what do you get with this mindfuck-lite trip through a 1950s desert-set company town whose vision of idyllic suburbia just may be hiding dark secrets beneath the surface? Along with unpacking all of that on this episode, the discussion covers rom-com chatter that ranges from Anna’s Isn’t It Romantic-related story to...
2024-07-173h 012 Cents Critic
2 Cents Critic#164 - Schindler’s List | Directed by Steven Spielberg (with Kate)Tune in as Arthur’s pal Kate comes back around to the program for a breakdown of Schindler’s List, the 1993 Holocaust drama that covers the real-life tale of German industrialist and Nazi Party member Oskar Schindler as he ends up using his factory work to rescue over a thousand Jews. Considering the genocide that Israel has been committing against Palestine for the past nine months (or really, for decades), it’s timely to go back through history and focus on a previous genocide. Frustrations with the sanitization of the dickweasel parts of Schindler’s life, the movie’s choice to...
2024-07-102h 012 Cents Critic
2 Cents Critic#162 - Sound of Violence | Directed by Alex Noyer (with Robyn Zabukovec)Tune in as Pride Month reaches the end of the road on 2CC! With this fourth and final episode of June, Arthur teams back up with his filmmaker buddy Robyn Zabukovec for a breakdown of Sound of Violence, the 2021 slasher horror film that uses synesthesia as the innovative foundation for an atmospheric and grisly ride. Famous synesthetes, admiration for the theremin, and the art gallery scene from Sound of Violence unnerving Arthur to the point that he feels pins and needles prickling through his fingers comprise just a few of this episode’s talking points. ...
2024-06-261h 582 Cents Critic
2 Cents Critic#161 - Jennifer’s Body | Directed by Karyn Kusama (with Gory Cory of The Scream Teens)Tune in as Pride Month keeps advancing forward on the show! For the third episode of June, Cory McCullough, AKA Gory Cory (The Scream Teens from Anatomy of a Scream Pod Squad), hops into the guest seat for a review and recap of Jennifer’s Body, the 2009 horror-comedy that had initially been torn apart and deemed to be a dud, but now has rightfully grown into a queer and feminist cult classic. The misogyny and sexual objectification that Megan Fox has had to endure from Hollywood, R-slurs and other aspects that stamp a late-2000s air onto the movie, an...
2024-06-191h 392 Cents Critic
2 Cents Critic#160 - The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab (with Abigail of The Manic Pixie Weirdo)Tune in as Pride Month stays strong on 2CC! For the second episode of June, Abigail (The Manic Pixie Weirdo) collaborates with Arthur for a breakdown of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, the 2020 novel by V.E. Schwab that embarks on a centuries-wide journey sprouting out of a Faustian bargain for immortality, albeit the sort where nobody is able to remember you. Addie’s central relationships with Henry and Luc, the ins and outs of how her immortality operates in this world, and worries about the upcoming film adaptation comprise a few of the subjects that the hosts co...
2024-06-122h 162 Cents Critic
2 Cents Critic#158 - The Night House | Directed by David Bruckner (with Jared)Tune in as the Rebecca Hall of Fame comes to a close with its fifth and final episode of May! It’s been such a great journey to explore her filmography throughout the month, and the conclusion shall arrive via Arthur’s friend Jared returning to 2CC for a deep dive into The Night House, the 2020 horror movie that cleverly uses negative space to deliver some paranormal and psychological chills. Jared’s pitch for a horror remake of Fifty Shades of Grey with a BDSM demon, Arthur’s recommendation of a song from the boring and uncomfy Sydney Sweeney movie Cl...
2024-05-292h 222 Cents Critic
2 Cents Critic#156 - Resurrection | Directed by Andrew Semans (with Connor Kujawinski and Robyn Zabukovec)Tune in as the Rebecca Hall of Fame advances forward for the third episode of this theme month! Arthur’s pals Connor Kujawinski and Robyn Zabukovec make yet another reappearance on the show for a review and recap of Resurrection, the 2022 psychological horror film that draws us into a businesswoman’s life as she’s forced to confront the toxic and gaslighting ways of an ex who’s made his unwelcome return to her world. Mistaking strands of hair for a coffee stain, the bizarre and campy work of John Waters, and Resurrection’s ambiguous ending that leaves some viewers fe...
2024-05-152h 282 Cents Critic
2 Cents Critic#155 - Godzilla vs. Kong | Directed by Adam Wingard (with Noah)Tune in as the Rebecca Hall of Fame rolls onward this month with its second episode! This time around, Arthur’s buddy Noah hops onboard for a discussion on Godzilla vs. Kong, the 2021 sequel to Godzilla: King of the Monsters and the fourth entry in the Monsterverse. Running through the various movies on which GVK cinematographer Ben Seresin has worked, arching an eyebrow at the casually positive lens that this movie aims at conspiracy theories, and praising all the gorgeous lighting (especially in the neon-lit Hong Kong brawl) make up a few of the topics that this episode covers....
2024-05-082h 022 Cents Critic
2 Cents Critic#154 - Red Riding: The Year of Our Lord 1974 | Directed by Julian Jarrold (with Joe Lipsett of Horror Queers and Hazel & Katniss & Harry & Starr)Tune in as this show kicks off a new theme month for all of May: the Rebecca Hall of Fame! For this first podcast of the month to honor one of Arthur’s all-time favorite actors, Joe Lipsett (Horror Queers, Hazel & Katniss & Harry & Starr) is returning to the guest chair for a breakdown of Red Riding: The Year of Our Lord 1974, the 2009 period crime drama-thriller that stands as the first film entry in a limited series made for British television called the Red Riding Trilogy. The bleak and nihilistic territory that this series boldly treads into, the surprising amount of...
2024-05-011h 562 Cents Critic
2 Cents Critic#153 - The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides (with Andy of Fat Dude Digs Flicks Movie Podcasts)Tune in as Andy (Fat Dude Digs Flicks Movie Podcasts) returns to 2CC for a review and recap of The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides, the 2018 thriller novel that follows the twists and turns of forensic psychotherapist Theo Faber’s mission to unlock the truth behind Alicia Berenson, the notorious painter who hasn’t spoken even once after apparently murdering her husband years ago (yes, she’s the eponymous “silent patient”). Talking points that Arthur and Andy bring up throughout this bookish episode include the noir vibe that runs throughout TSP, the despicable bigotry of J.K. Rowling, and frustratin...
2024-04-242h 372 Cents Critic
2 Cents Critic#152 - After Hours | Directed by Martin Scorsese (with Kate)Tune in as Arthur’s pal Kate returns to the program for a review and recap of After Hours, the 1985 Martin Scorsese film that plunges you into an overnight odyssey whose ridiculous hijinks can be darkly comedic one moment and genuinely terrifying the next. The movie’s symbolic focus on gender politics and emasculation, a scene that’s borrowed straight from a Franz Kafka parable, and Kate getting flabbergasted by the revelation that Arthur (at the time of recording) had never seen anything with one of the biggest starlets of classic Hollywood comprise a few of the topics that pop up...
2024-04-171h 472 Cents Critic
2 Cents Critic#150 - Blindsight by Peter Watts (with Seth Vargas of Movie Friends)Tune in as Seth Vargas (Movie Friends) rejoins Arthur on 2CC for a breakdown of Blindsight by Peter Watts, the 2006 hard science-fiction and cosmic horror novel that will provide plenty of dense and cerebral material to occupy your brain. The concept of self-awareness and the burden it puts on humanity, an inventively scientific depiction of vampire mythology, and an explanation of the Chinese Room comprise just a few of the talking points for this bookish episode. TW: body horror, death, torture, ableism, violence, medical content and injuries, child neglect, bullying, genocide, psychosis, mental illness...
2024-04-032h 082 Cents Critic
2 Cents Critic#148 - 2024 Oscars Recap (with Misty Rose and Jared)Tune in as my pals Misty Rose and Jared return to their comfy old guest chairs here on 2CC for a recap of the 2024 Oscars. What a year of cinema it’s been, and that makes for plenty to cap off with the conclusion of this past awards season. Talking points for this episode include Jared’s rant about the outrageously baffling and mawkish mess that is “The After,” Jonathan Glazer’s courageous speech, Robert Downey Jr.’s rude behavior toward Ke Huy Quan and blatantly racist words toward Alejandro G. Iñárritu, and some strong ambivalence over the Best Actress r...
2024-03-202h 062 Cents Critic
2 Cents Critic#147 - When No One Is Watching by Alyssa Cole (with Vanessa Ondi of Best Week Ever Podcast)Tune in as Vanessa Ondi (Best Week Ever Podcast) collaborates with Arthur to review and recap When No One Is Watching by Alyssa Cole, the 2020 thriller novel that’s been marketed as a cross between Rear Window and Get Out (and was also one of Arthur’s top books of 2020). Distrusting the cops, getting deeply irritated by the persistent and widespread microaggressions of our world, rooting for a free Palestine, and sharing ambivalent thoughts on how this book wraps itself up comprise some of the topics that the hosts cover on this episode.  TW: racism, murder...
2024-03-132h 022 Cents Critic
2 Cents Critic#145 - 10 Cloverfield Lane | Directed by Dan Trachtenberg (with Joey DiCarlo and Markellus “Mark” Ragans of So Wizard Podcast)Tune in as Joey DiCarlo and Markellus “Mark” Ragans (So Wizard Podcast) collaborate with Arthur for a breakdown of 10 Cloverfield Lane, the 2016 mid-apocalyptic thriller that’s very loosely presented as a standalone sequel to 2008’s Cloverfield. The surprisingly feminist themes in 10CL, the committed and creative marketing campaign for this whole franchise, and what the hosts’ doomsday bunker jukeboxes would store make up a few of the subjects that get discussed on this episode. Directed by Dan Trachtenberg, 10 Cloverfield Lane stars Mary Elizabeth Winstead, John Goodman, John Gallagher Jr., Suzanne Cryer, and Bradley Cooper.
2024-02-282h 022 Cents Critic
2 Cents Critic#144 - The Marvels | Directed by Nia DaCosta (with Jessica and Saunya of Opinionated Lushes)Tune in as Jessica and Saunya (Opinionated Lushes) rejoin Arthur to review and recap The Marvels, the sequel to 2019’s Captain Marvel (and a few other pieces of the ever-growing MCU). The multiple factors that led to this becoming a box office bomb, the real-life cases to which the Kree’s colonialist and imperialist regime can be compared (*cough cough* Israel and the U.S.), and Kamala Khan being an authentically and lovably cringey teenager comprise just a few of the talking points that the hosts dive into today. Directed by Nia DaCosta, The Marv...
2024-02-212h 232 Cents Critic
2 Cents Critic#143 - Push | Directed by Paul McGuigan (with Sharai Bohannon of A Nightmare on Fierce Street and Blerdy Massacre)Tune in as Sharai Bohannon (A Nightmare on Fierce Street, Blerdy Massacre) returns to 2CC for a breakdown of Push, the 2009 sci-fi action movie that borrows quite a bit of energy from the X-Men. Nitpicking the inconsistencies of the psychic powers in this flick, reminding everyone that Shiv Roy isn’t meant to be a girlboss figure, running through Zack Snyder’s filmography, and bemoaning celebrity plantation weddings comprise a few of the topics that Arthur and Sharai cover on this episode. Directed by Paul McGuigan, Push stars Chris Evans, Dakota Fanning, Camilla Belle, Djim...
2024-02-142h 052 Cents Critic
2 Cents Critic#142 - Top 10 Movies of 2023 (with Misty Rose and Kate)Tune in as Arthur’s friends Misty Rose and Kate jump onto the show so that they all can list off their top ten movies of 2023. Misty dozing off during one of the best fight scenes in John Wick: Chapter 4, the hosts’ conflicting thoughts over a divisive little flick called Saltburn (between this and Promising Young Woman, Arthur slightly prefers the latter), and whether or not May December qualifies as camp make up some of the topics for this week’s podcast. Here’s how you can learn more about Palestine and Israel: http://decoloniz...
2024-02-072h 292 Cents Critic
2 Cents Critic#141 - Disney+’s Echo | Created by Marion Dayre (with Daxh Alanis)Tune in as Arthur brings back his friend Daxh Alanis for a discussion on Echo, the new MCU miniseries that’s premiering on Disney+ (as well as Hulu) and bringing us back around to Maya Lopez, the street-level fighter and deaf amputee whom we had met back in 2021’s Hawkeye. The badassery of both Maya and Alaqua Cox, Kingpin continuing to be enthralling as ever amongst the comic book villains out there, and the iffiness of that mindscape scene comprise a few of the talking points for this episode. Created by Marion Dayre, Echo star...
2024-01-311h 252 Cents Critic
2 Cents Critic#140 - Top 10 Books of 2023 (with Mel B., Jackie D., and A. of Read, Watch, or DNF and DNF Happy Hour)Tune in as Mel B., Jackie D., and A. (Read, Watch, or DNF; DNF Happy Hour) all grab some seats with Arthur at the 2CC table so that they can lay out their top 10 books of 2023. A book being powerful enough to rip out A.’s uterus, striving to read more BIPOC work, and the frustrating state of Goodreads comprise a few of the talking points for this week’s podcast. Here’s how you can learn more about Palestine and Israel: http://decolonizepalestine.com Here’s how you can act t...
2024-01-241h 462 Cents Critic
2 Cents Critic#139 - A Holly Jolly Ever After by Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone (with Torry of Ready to Be Petty and Ready to Be Romanced)Tune in as pod buddy Torry (Ready to Be Petty, Ready to Be Romanced) teams up with Arthur to discuss A Holly Jolly Ever After by Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone, the spicy Christmas rom-com that stands as the second novel in their A Christmas Notch series. Purity culture, the nods this book gives to celebrity life, and how it handles certain tropes like that of the Sex Coach make up some of the subjects that the hosts cover on this episode. TW: sexual content, drug abuse, infidelity, religious bigotry, pregnancy, misogyny, alcohol, infertility...
2024-01-171h 162 Cents Critic
2 Cents Critic#138 - Top 10 TV Shows of 2023 (with Dustin Holden of Dustin Can Read & Watch and The Rewatch Recap)Tune in as Dustin Holden (Dustin Can Read & Watch, The Rewatch Recap) rejoins 2CC so that he and Arthur can lay out their top 10 TV shows of 2023. The baffling and moronic behavior of streaming services, a reminder that Netflix’s You originally premiered on Lifetime, and a certain deeply pleasurable superpower comprise a few of the topics that the hosts discuss on this episode. Here’s how you can learn more about Palestine and Israel: http://decolonizepalestine.com Here’s how you can act to help stop Israel’s genocide of Palestine...
2024-01-102h 382 Cents Critic
2 Cents Critic#137 - Netflix’s Russian Doll | Created by Natasha Lyonne, Leslye Headland, and Amy Poehler (with Thomas)Tune in for 2CC’s first episode of 2024, which is kicking off the new year by bringing Arthur’s friend Thomas back on to cover the two-season Netflix series Russian Doll. The ways in which this plays around with time, the companionship between Nadia and Alan, and Jamie Babbit’s work make up a few of the topics that the hosts chat about on this podcast. Created by Natasha Lyonne, Leslye Headland, and Amy Poehler, Russian Doll stars Lyonne, Charlie Barnett, Greta Lee, Yul Vazquez, Elizabeth Ashley, Chloë Sevigny, Jeremy Bobb, Brendan Sexton III, Rebecca...
2024-01-031h 192 Cents Critic
2 Cents Critic#136 - Christmas Evil | Directed by Lewis Jackson (with Robyn Zabukovec)Tune in for the fourth and final episode of 2 Cents Critic Merry Month, where the show is covering holiday media throughout December! On this last week of the month (and last episode of 2023, an eventful year that’s been notable for things like Barbenheimer, the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strike, the long-awaited passing of Henry Kissinger, and the genocide that Israel is committing against Palestine), Arthur has his buddy and She’s All That superfan Robyn Zabukovec return to the podcast to break down the 1980 Christmas slasher horror movie Christmas Evil. The character study it provides of the creepy yet symp...
2023-12-272h 052 Cents Critic
2 Cents Critic#135 - National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation | Directed by Jeremiah S. Chechik (with Mama D of Petals of Support)Tune in for the third episode of 2 Cents Critic Merry Month, where the show is covering holiday media throughout December! This week, Mama D (Petals of Support) joins the podcast to discuss National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, the 1989 Christmas movie that’s full of Italian twinkle lights, vexed neighbors, and Clark Griswold’s psychopathic tendencies. Talking points for this episode include the one part of this movie that makes Arthur physically cringe, Chevy Chase being a charismatic star onscreen despite his real-life assholery, and the challenges that parents undergo to make Christmas as smooth as possible for their families.
2023-12-202h 012 Cents Critic
2 Cents Critic#134 - Die Hard | Directed by John McTiernan (with Andy of Fat Dude Digs Flicks Movie Podcasts)Tune in for the second episode of 2 Cents Critic Merry Month, where the show is covering holiday media throughout December! This week, Arthur brings Andy (Fat Dude Digs Flicks Movie Podcasts) onboard to review and recap Die Hard, the 1988 icon of both action and Christmas cinema. Discussion topics for this episode include comparing Die Hard to the much bleaker Roderick Thorp book it’s based on, the hosts’ favorite minions in Hans Gruber’s gang, the origin of Stockholm syndrome, and Sergeant Al Powell’s uncomfy backstory. Directed by John McTiernan, Die Hard stars Bruce Wi...
2023-12-132h 382 Cents Critic
2 Cents Critic#133 - Krampus | Directed by Michael Dougherty (with Misty Rose and Jared)Tune in for the first episode of 2 Cents Critic Merry Month, where the show is covering holiday media throughout December! For this first week, Arthur is bringing his buddies Misty Rose and Jared back on to break down the 2015 Christmas horror-comedy Krampus. Whether or not Doctor Sleep is a Christmas movie, the hosts’ individual experiences with Christmastime and the forced merriment that accompanies it, and Harry Houdini’s agonizing death comprise just a few of this episode’s talking points. Directed by Michael Dougherty, Krampus stars Adam Scott, Toni Collette, Allison Tolman, David Koechner, Emjay...
2023-12-062h 482 Cents Critic
2 Cents Critic#131 - The Lady Upstairs by Halley Sutton (with Connor Kujawinski)Tune in as Connor Kujawinski comes back to Arthur’s show for a review and recap of The Lady Upstairs, the 2020 neo-noir thriller novel by Halley Sutton. Talking points for this episode include the noir references that this book pulls from, listening to audiobooks, and the criminally underrated film (in Arthur’s vehement opinion) that is Danny Boyle’s Trance. TW: sexual content, murder, alcoholism, infidelity, misogyny, domestic abuse Spoilers start at 19:45 Here’s how you can learn more about Palestine and Israel: http://decoloniz...
2023-11-222h 002 Cents Critic
2 Cents Critic#129 - Prime Video’s As We See It | Created by Jason Katims (with Seth Vargas of Movie Friends)Tune in as Seth Vargas (Movie Friends) teams up with Arthur to break down As We See It, the 2022 Prime Video series that revolves around a trio of autistic mid-20s roommates who are trying to figure out their lives and gain independence. Talking points that the hosts bring up on this episode include the series being cringey in a good way, the uneven arc of Aaron Eckhart’s career, and doing away with unnecessary social customs like the one where people say “can I ask you a question?” before asking the question itself. Create...
2023-11-081h 542 Cents Critic
2 Cents Critic#128 - She’s All That | Directed by Robert Iscove (with Robyn Zabukovec)Tune in as Arthur’s buddy Robyn Zabukovec jumps onboard to discuss the 1999 high school rom-com She’s All That. M. Night Shyamalan’s uncredited writing contributions to this movie, getting irritated over actors like Paul Walker and Mark Rylance, and setting fire to Ready Player One make up a few of the subjects that this episode covers. Directed by Robert Iscove, She’s All That stars Rachael Leigh Cook, Freddie Prinze Jr., Paul Walker, Jodi Lyn O’Keefe, Kevin Pollak, Anna Paquin, Kieran Culkin, Elden Henson, Matthew Lillard, Usher, Lil’ Kim, Gabrielle Union, Dulé Hill, T...
2023-11-012h 322 Cents Critic
2 Cents Critic#127 - X-Men: First Class | Directed by Matthew Vaughn (with Sean of Review It Yourself)Tune in as Sean (Review It Yourself) jumps into the guest chair for a review and recap of X-Men: First Class, the 2011 soft reboot (until it got retconned by 2014’s X-Men: Days of Future Past) of the X-Men superhero film franchise. A few of the talking points that Arthur and Sean cover are mutation flirtation, James McAvoy donning some hair extensions, the movie completely wasting Darwin and his versatile ability, and the development that goes into Charles and Erik’s character arcs and their clashing outlooks. Directed by Matthew Vaughn, X-Men: First Class stars James McAvoy, Mich...
2023-10-252h 292 Cents Critic
2 Cents Critic#124 - Meet the Parents | Directed by Jay Roach (with Thomas)Tune in as Arthur’s buddy Thomas hangs out with him to discuss the anxiety- and cat-filled 2000 comedy Meet the Parents. Cringe humor that (mostly) works, Hollywood figures like Steven Spielberg and Jim Carrey having once been attached to this movie, and the little-known fact that it’s actually a reboot make up a few of the subjects that the hosts discuss. Directed by Jay Roach, Meet the Parents stars Ben Stiller, Robert De Niro, Teri Polo, Blythe Danner, Owen Wilson, Nicole DeHuff, Jon Abrahams, James Rebhorn, Tom McCarthy, Phyllis George, Kali Rocha, Bernie Sher...
2023-10-042h 042 Cents Critic
2 Cents Critic#122 - How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days | Directed by Donald Petrie (with Dustin Holden of Dustin Can Read & Watch and The Rewatch Recap)Tune in as return guest Dustin Holden (Dustin Can Read & Watch, The Rewatch Recap) hops back onto the podcast to cover How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, the 2003 Kate Hudson/Matthew McConaughey rom-com that’s full of deception, Knicks games, and insufferable baby talk. Movie theater etiquette, a debate about Matthew McConaughey’s hotness, and whether or not this rom-com needs a reboot make up a few of the subjects that Arthur and Dustin chat about here. Directed by Donald Petrie, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days stars Kate Hudson, Matthew McConaughey, Kath...
2023-09-201h 512 Cents Critic
2 Cents Critic#117 - Beach Read by Emily Henry (with Anna)Tune in as Arthur’s buddy Anna hops into the guest chair for a review and recap of Beach Read, the 2020 rivals-to-lovers and grumpy/sunshine contemporary romance novel by Emily Henry. There’s tons for the hosts to chat about on this episode of 2CC, including speculation over whether or not the Netflix Christmas rom-com Love Hard stole its premise from real life, the gender stereotyping that‘s baked into how books are marketed, dysfunctional family baggage, and a reminiscence on Peet’s Coffee. TW: past cancer that’s in remission, grief, past death of parents...
2023-08-163h 052 Cents Critic
2 Cents Critic#116 - The Mitchells vs. the Machines | Directed by Mike Rianda and Jeff Rowe (with Trace Thurman of Horror Queers)Tune in as Trace Thurman (Horror Queers) stops by the show to discuss The Mitchells vs. the Machines, the 2021 Netflix animated road trip movie that, if we’re being honest here, should have won the Oscar for Best Animated Feature over Encanto. The topics that are getting coverage on this episode include the subversively written nuances of the Mitchell family dynamic, how this movie handles its casual queer rep, Arthur explaining the NPC trend to a TikTokless Trace, and multiple mentions of Pixar’s Luca. Directed by Mike Rianda and co-directed by Jeff Rowe as w...
2023-08-091h 392 Cents Critic
2 Cents Critic#115 - Disney+'s Secret Invasion | Created by Kyle Bradstreet (with Guy Bradford)Tune in as pod friend Guy Bradford comes back to the show for a review and recap of Secret Invasion, the first Disney+ MCU series of 2023. The show’s horrible and lifeless AI-created opening credits, MCU fatigue, Guy mixing up Nic Cage and Nick Fury’s names numerous times, and the apparently gut-wrenching film that is Requiem for a Dream (which remains on Arthur’s watchlist) comprise just a few of this episode’s talking points. Created by Kyle Bradstreet, Secret Invasion stars Samuel L. Jackson, Ben Mendelsohn, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Emilia Clarke, Olivia Colman, Don Chea...
2023-08-022h 082 Cents Critic
2 Cents Critic#114 - Death Note | Directed by Tetsurō Araki (with Clayton Jones II and Shawn Murphy of Men Who Like Men Who Like Movies Podcast)Tune in as the program returns from its two-week hiatus to invite back previous guests Clayton Jones II and Shawn Murphy (Men Who Like Men Who Like Movies Podcast) for a breakdown of Death Note, one of Arthur’s all-time favorite anime series. Complex moral and philosophical questions, the show’s Quentin Tarantino-level obsession with feet, the smoldering love that clearly burns between Light and L, and a presentation of the hosts’ Scream rankings comprise just a few of the talking points on this episode. Directed by Tetsurō Araki, Death Note stars: ...
2023-07-262h 432 Cents Critic
2 Cents Critic#113 - The Bromance Book Club by Lyssa Kay Adams (with Torry of Ready to Be Petty)Tune in as Torry (Ready to Be Petty) rejoins Arthur for a review and recap of The Bromance Book Club, the 2019 second chance romance novel by Lyssa Kay Adams that explores what happens when a guy embarks on a plan to save his collapsing marriage by joining a club full of men who read romance books to educate themselves on love, women, and healthy masculinity. All the sexism that our society has aimed at the pumpkin spice latte, the pleasure of meeting side characters in a romance book who you realize will star in their own standalone sequels, and...
2023-07-052h 472 Cents Critic
2 Cents Critic#112 - Love, Simon | Directed by Greg Berlanti (with Jared and Misty Rose)Tune in as the program wraps up Pride Month by dropping its final queer media-focused episode of June! Arthur’s friends Jared and Misty Rose return to 2CC to break down Love, Simon, the 2018 film adaptation of the 2015 queer YA book Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli. A few of the topics they discuss include guesstimating the queer youth population of Atlanta, sneaking onto the Internet via incognito mode, the huge missed opportunity for a Leah on the Offbeat adaptation, and Jared misunderstanding the name of Simon’s email account. Directed by G...
2023-06-283h 022 Cents Critic
2 Cents Critic#110 - Something to Talk About by Meryl Wilsner (with Logan)Tune in as the show continues to celebrate Pride Month and cover queer media on this second episode of June! Arthur’s buddy Logan returns for their third guest spot to discuss Something to Talk About, the 2020 sapphic contemporary romance novel by Meryl Wilsner. Talking points include just how vehemently slow-burn this gets, the book’s nimble handling of risky tropes like employee-boss relationship and age-gap, and wishing for a big woman/small man rom-com novel. Spoilers start at 10:50 Good Word: • Logan: The Sun and the Star b...
2023-06-141h 402 Cents Critic
2 Cents Critic#108 - Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 | Directed by James Gunn (with Connor Kujawinski)Tune in as Arthur’s filmmaker friend Connor Kujawinski returns to the program for a breakdown of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, the 32nd movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the long-awaited finale to the GOTG saga. Talking points for this particularly lengthy episode include the subtle character arcs, comparing a confusing moment from the movie to Godzilla: King of the Monsters, the one-take hallway fight scene, how the High Evolutionary holds up as an MCU villain, and all the emotional devastation (obviously). Written and directed by James Gunn, Guardians of the Galaxy Vo...
2023-05-312h 542 Cents Critic
2 Cents Critic#107 - Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer (with Mel B. and Jackie D. of Read, Watch, or DNF and DNF Happy Hour)Tune in as Mel B. and Jackie D. (Read, Watch, or DNF, DNF Happy Hour) join Arthur to discuss Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer, the 2001 fantasy middle-grade novel that weaves in some sci-fi and asks the question, “What if Die Hard, but with fairies?” A quick digression into To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, nefarious antiheroes, speculating as to why Judi Dench agreed to be in the horrendous Artemis Fowl movie, and complex time mechanics make up a few of the subjects that the hosts chat about here. TW: kidnapping, confinement, mental illnes...
2023-05-242h 212 Cents Critic
2 Cents Critic#105 - What Lies Beneath | Directed by Robert Zemeckis (with Kat and Jazz of Girl, That’s Scary)Tune in as Kat and Jazz (Girl, That’s Scary) team up with Arthur for a discussion on What Lies Beneath, the 2000 supernatural domestic thriller that gave us Michelle Pfeiffer’s velvety delivery of the iconic “Your Wife” line. Hitchcockian vibes, how spicy Atomic Fireballs truly are, gorgeous cinematography, and just what the hell is going on with the Feurs are some of the topics that the hosts cover. Directed by Robert Zemeckis, What Lies Beneath stars Michelle Pfeiffer, Harrison Ford, Diane Scarwid, James Remar, Miranda Otto, Ray Baker, Wendy Crewson, Amber Valletta, Joe Morton...
2023-05-101h 592 Cents Critic
2 Cents Critic#103 - Disney+’s The Mandalorian, Season 3 | Created by Jon Favreau (with Brojem)Tune in as return guest and fellow Star Wars nerd Brojem joins Arthur for a review and recap of Disney+’s The Mandalorian, Season 3. The ways in which the hosts like and dislike the evolution of Star Wars, the franchise’s dubious stance on droid slavery (a topic that the hosts had previously covered in last year’s podcast on Disney+’s Obi-Wan Kenobi), a mini-discussion on The Book of Boba Fett, and Disney’s decision to scrap the Star Wars Legends comprise just a few of this episode’s talking points. Created by Jon Favreau...
2023-04-262h 222 Cents Critic
2 Cents Critic#102 - Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin (with Christy of X Knows All)Tune in as Christy (X Knows All) hangs out with Arthur for a breakdown of Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, the 2022 Goodreads Choice Award-winning novel by Gabrielle Zevin (The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry) that covers over three decades of a complicated friendship between two ingenious and flawed video game designers. Talking points for the podcast include the messy and endearing nature of the lead characters, comparing this book to Ready Player One, and what it’s like to consume this from gamer and non-gamer perspectives. TW: gun violence, death, grief, homophobia, drug us...
2023-04-191h 502 Cents Critic
2 Cents Critic#101 - Netflix’s The Sandman | Developed by Neil Gaiman, David S. Goyer, and Allan Heinberg (with Honer and Bruce of Drunk With Buds)Tune in as Honer and Bruce (Drunk With Buds) drop by the program to discuss the Netflix series adaptation of The Sandman, the dark fantasy comic book by Neil Gaiman (Coraline, American Gods, Good Omens, The Graveyard Book). Its existential depth, the scrapped film adaptation that Gaiman himself had sabotaged, and the Audible version of The Sandman make up a few of the talking points on this episode. Developed by Neil Gaiman, David S. Goyer, and Allan Heinberg, The Sandman stars Tom Sturridge, Boyd Holbrook, Vivienne Acheampong, Patton Oswalt, David Thewlis, Jenna Coleman, Gwendoline...
2023-04-121h 392 Cents Critic
2 Cents Critic#98 - Gravity Falls | Created by Alex Hirsch (with Marie Nicola of Alt.Pop.Repeat)Tune in as Marie Nicola (Alt.Pop.Repeat) visits the program for a deep dive into Gravity Falls, the animated Disney series that gave us two seasons full of paranormal mysteries and the adventures that twin siblings Dipper and Mabel Pines embarked on to solve them. Talking points that Arthur and Marie raise include various Gravity Falls fan theories, well-written sibling dynamics, a few vehemently critical reviews that some grump left for the show online, and the cinematic playthrough that Grant Voegtle created for The Last of Us. Created by Alex Hirsch, Gravity Falls...
2023-03-222h 002 Cents Critic
2 Cents Critic#97 - 2023 Oscars Recap (with Misty Rose and Jared)Tune in as return guest Misty Rose and newcomer Jared (though he’s been previously present on the program in spirit) hang out with Arthur for a recap of the 2023 Oscars, where the Academy showered down awards love on Everything Everywhere All At Once, people were rushed off the stage and unable to finish their acceptance speeches, and Hugh Grant provided Ashley Graham with a fascinatingly halfhearted interview. This discussion dives into those topics and more, including all the thirsting for EEAAO editor Paul Rogers, the funny little shape that a certain sweat stain from The Whale resembles, and a f...
2023-03-162h 502 Cents Critic
2 Cents Critic#96 - Mrs. Doubtfire | Directed by Chris Columbus (with Patrick of Vintage Video)Tune in as Patrick (Vintage Video) hangs out with Arthur for a discussion on Mrs. Doubtfire, the 1993 family comedy (or thriller, depending on how you look at it) starring Robin Williams as a dad who’s going through a divorce and just wants to spend more time with his kids. So what does he do? Why, he disguises himself as an elderly British woman and finagles his way into becoming their nanny. Yep, nothing major. Transphobic gags being juggled alongside some surprisingly positive facets of queer rep, questioning whether or not the movie truly understands how allergies work, and it...
2023-03-082h 082 Cents Critic
2 Cents Critic#95 - Creep | Directed by Patrick Brice (with Shawn Murphy and Clayton Jones II of Men Who Like Men Who Like Movies Podcast)Tune in as Arthur teams up with Shawn Murphy and Clayton Jones II (Men Who Like Men Who Like Movies Podcast) for a review and recap of Creep, the 2014 found-footage horror movie that takes cringe comedy to a whole new level. Topics that get coverage here include polite horror, Joe Goldberg hypothetically stashing away a Box of Clayton, the works of David Lynch and Christopher Nolan, and trying to avoid hating on movies. Directed by Patrick Brice (Creep 2), Creep stars Mark Duplass, Brice, and Katie Aselton. Spoilers start at 20:30 Good Word: • Sh...
2023-03-012h 322 Cents Critic
2 Cents Critic#94 - RWBY: Ice Queendom | Co-created by Rooster Teeth Productions and Shaft (with Jackson Leight)Tune in as return guest Jackson Leight (creator of the satirical RWBY news website https://bumbleby.com) dives back into more RWBY content with Arthur. This time, they’re focusing on RWBY: Ice Queendom, the 2022 spinoff series that anime studio Shaft produced for the Rooster Teeth web series RWBY. Primarily set between the events of Volumes 1 and 2, Ice Queendom is, to say the least, an interesting spinoff to dissect. Discussion topics include the spin-off weaving video game mechanics into its plot, the ways in which it succeeds and fails to adapt the original show’s racism allegory, Weiss’s dysfunc...
2023-02-223h 152 Cents Critic
2 Cents Critic#93 - Top 10 Books of 2022 (with Logan)Tune in as Arthur’s friend and return guest Logan pops back into the program for a presentation of the two hosts’ top ten books of 2022. Upcoming adaptations of books by Taylor Jenkins Reid, Alexandra Daddario’s filmography, and the desire to diversify one’s queer library with straight romances comprise just a few of the talking points in this episode. Good Word: • Logan: Paramount+’s The Offer • Arthur: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind Reach out at email2centscritic@yahoo.com if you want to recommend things to watch and read, share anec...
2023-02-151h 472 Cents Critic
2 Cents Critic#92 - Black Panther: Wakanda Forever | Directed by Ryan Coogler (with Jessica and Saunya of Opinionated Lushes)Tune in as previous guests Jessica and Saunya (Opinionated Lushes) swing back around to 2CC for a deep dive into Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, the 30th movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the sequel to 2018’s Black Panther, one of the strongest films in the MCU (in Arthur’s opinion). Sticking it to colonialism and cops, Wakanda Forever’s grieving process for both T’Challa and Chadwick Boseman, figuring out which Hollywood studio owns The Hunger Games movies—all those talking points and more get coverage on this podcast. Directed by Ryan Coogler (Black Panther), Black Panther: W...
2023-02-082h 322 Cents Critic
2 Cents Critic#91 - The Gift | Directed by Joel Edgerton (with Joe Lipsett of Horror Queers and Hazel & Katniss & Harry & Starr)Tune in as Joe Lipsett (Horror Queers, Hazel & Katniss & Harry & Starr) collaborates with Arthur for a breakdown of The Gift, the 2015 stalker thriller that takes an interestingly slow-burn and grounded approach to its own subgenre. The topics that get coverage include the movie’s knack for subtle foreshadowing, the fleshed-out performances from the leading trio (including Rebecca Hall, who deserves so much more love from us as a society), and the pitfalls of politeness. Written and directed by Joel Edgerton, The Gift stars Jason Bateman, Rebecca Hall, Joel Edgerton, Allison Tolman, Tim Griffin, Busy Philipps, David Denman, Na...
2023-02-011h 242 Cents Critic
2 Cents Critic#90 - Top 10 Movies of 2022 (with Connor Kujawinski)Tune in as Arthur welcomes his filmmaker friend Connor Kujawinski to the show for a presentation of their top ten movies of 2022. A few of the topics that they cover include a side chat about Call Me by Your Name, their shared bewilderment over the Academy not even shortlisting Michael Giacchino’s splendid score for The Batman, the social commentary that’s woven into their top films of the year, and the riveting performances given by stars like Rachel Sennott and Steven Yeun. SPOILER WARNING: Spoilers will be discussed for some of the movies in this podcast, part...
2023-01-252h 092 Cents Critic
2 Cents Critic#89 - Netflix’s Wednesday | Created by Alfred Gough and Miles Millar (with Kailey)Tune in as Arthur’s buddy Kailey hangs out on 2CC for a deep dive into Wednesday, the 2022 Netflix series that centers around Wednesday Addams—yes, the very same Wednesday of the morbidly eccentric Addams Family. Plenty of topics are discussed here, including a debate over the Love Triangle trope, the show‘s deliciously ruthless critique of colonialism and whitewashing, a supernatural plot twist in Riverdale that causes Arthur’s brain to momentarily glitch out, and the worrisome COVID protocol on the set of Wednesday. Created by Alfred Gough and Miles Millar (Smallville), Wednesday stars Jenna Ortega, Gwendoli...
2023-01-182h 032 Cents Critic
2 Cents Critic#88 - Netflix’s Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery | Directed by Rian Johnson (with Shawn Allred of Cheapseat Reviews)Tune in as Shawn Allred (Cheapseat Reviews) drops by for a breakdown of Netflix’s Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, the 2022 whodunnit movie that serves as the sequel to 2019’s Knives Out. That’s right, master detective Benoit Blanc is now going from the wealthy Drysdale family to tech billionaire Miles Bron and his band of so-called “disruptors.” The ensemble of suspects who are as privileged as they are unlikable, the subversions of what we expect from a whodunnit, the incredibly timely social commentary—Arthur and Shawn will be covering all that and more in this episode. Spoilers s...
2023-01-111h 462 Cents Critic
2 Cents Critic#87 - Top 10 TV Shows of 2022 (with Brandi and Mindy of Drunk Bitches Be Like)Tune in as return guests Brandi and Mindy (Drunk Bitches Be Like) team up with Arthur to list off their top ten TV shows of 2022 (a few of which are even shared between the three of them). Deeply geeky celebrities, casting Tom Holland in a theoretical Cocktails reboot, media that attempts to appeal to Gen-Z audiences, a surprisingly overt homage that Black-ish gave to The Matrix, and plenty more juicy topics are brought up in this super-sized episode. Good word: • Brandi: Disney+‘s The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special • Mindy: Knives Out, Netflix’s Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery...
2023-01-043h 052 Cents Critic
2 Cents Critic#85 - While You Were Sleeping | Directed by Jon Turteltaub (with Ryan Conner of Millennial Coffee Break)Tune in as Ryan Conner (Millennial Coffee Break) comes back to 2CC for the third episode of Christmas Month 2022, where we’re sharing our thoughts and feelings on While You Were Sleeping, the 1995 Christmas-y rom-com starring Sandra Bullock as a lonely train station tollbooth worker who falls for a man, then falls for his family—but only after she saves him from getting run over by a train, then gets herself tangled up in a huge lie about her being his fiancée. A few of the topics that Arthur and Ryan comment on are characters breaking numerous moral and e...
2022-12-211h 272 Cents Critic
2 Cents Critic#84 - Netflix’s Klaus | Directed by Sergio Pablos (with Dustin Holden of Dustin Can Read & Watch and The Rewatch Recap)Tune in as Dustin Holden (Dustin Can Read & Watch and The Rewatch Recap) visits the show for a discussion on Klaus, the 2019 Netflix Christmas movie starring Jason Schwartzman and J.K. Simmons in a Santa Claus origin story that’s set in 19th-century Norway. Similarities between Klaus and The Nightmare Before Christmas, themes of selfishness and selflessness, bringing back hand-drawn animation in the modern age, and Klaus’s horror movie beats are just a few of the subjects that Arthur and Dustin touch on here. Written and directed by Sergio Pablos (Despicable Me), Klaus stars Jason Schwartzman, J.K...
2022-12-141h 302 Cents Critic
2 Cents Critic#83 - A Merry Little Meet Cute by Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone (with Torry of Ready to be Petty)Tune in as returning guest Torry (Ready to be Petty) drops by 2CC for the first episode of Christmas Month 2022, where we’re kicking things off by reviewing and recapping A Merry Little Meet Cute, the 2022 Christmas rom-com novel by Julie Murphy (Dumplin’) and Sierra Simone (Priest). Equal amounts of sugar and spice can be found in the romance that plus-size porn star Bee Hobbes and former boy band member Nolan Shaw try to keep secret while shooting the Hallmark-esque Christmas movie Duke the Halls. On top of unpacking all that, Arthur and Torry chat about subjects like Edward and...
2022-12-072h 272 Cents Critic
2 Cents Critic#82 - It Starts with Us by Colleen Hoover (with Saba)Tune in as my bestie Saba comes back to the show for a discussion on It Starts with Us, the latest novel by Colleen Hoover. This is the sequel to what’s arguably one of her most popular books, It Ends with Us, which even has its very own episode in the 2CC catalog. ISWU isn’t nearly as dark as IEWU, but it still treads into some heavy territory while following the rekindled romance between Lily Bloom and Atlas Corrigan, the challenges that Lily has to confront thanks to the persistent presence of her ex-husband Ryle Kincaid, and the...
2022-11-301h 522 Cents Critic
2 Cents Critic#81 - You by Caroline Kepnes (with Laura Petro and Meggie Gates of YA, We Read It!)Tune in as Laura Petro and Meggie Gates (YA, We Read It!) hang out with Arthur for a review and recap of You, the 2014 debut novel by Caroline Kepnes. This psychological thriller is quite the wild ride, following bookstore clerk Joe Goldberg as he endeavors to show aspiring writer Guinevere Beck just how much he loves her and wants to take care of her—so much so that he’s willing to stalk, kidnap, and murder his way into her heart. The chillingly fleshed-out layers that Kepnes has written for the monstrous Joe, the many literary and film references, reim...
2022-11-232h 262 Cents Critic
2 Cents Critic#80 - Bloodmarked by Tracy Deonn (with Sam Cabrera-Dixon of Hardcover Hoes)Tune in as Sam Cabrera-Dixon (Hardcover Hoes) returns to 2CC for a discussion on Bloodmarked, the second book in the Legendborn Cycle by Tracy Deonn. The first book, Legendborn, had plenty of goodness to offer fantasy readers as a contemporary YA retelling of Arthurian legend. Is Bloodmarked a worthy follow-up (spoilers: it is)? Comparing the intricate worldbuilding to that of the Blood and Ash series, taking a minute to remember a specific Taylor Swift song, and diving into the layered dynamic between Bree and Sel are just a few of the things that Arthur and Sam do on this...
2022-11-161h 172 Cents Critic
2 Cents Critic#79 - The Deal by Elle Kennedy (with Dawn Marie of Opinionated Lushes)Tune in as Dawn Marie (Opinionated Lushes) stops by the program to break down The Deal, the New Adult contemporary romance by Elle Kennedy (Briar U, Avalon Bay). As the first entry in her Off-Campus series, it follows the banter, the tutoring, the sparks, and the vulnerability between music major Hannah Wells and hockey captain Garrett Graham at Briar University. Breaking Bad, the importance of consent, and using overly cruel words to dump your partner are just a few of the topics that Arthur and Dawn touch on throughout the episode. TW: discussion of rape, domestic abuse, c...
2022-11-092h 112 Cents Critic
2 Cents Critic#78 - Bungo Stray Dogs, Coffee, and Cats | A Japanese Literature Discussion (with Saba)Tune in as previous guest Saba comes back to the show for her second episode, where she and Arthur open up a discussion on the works of Japanese literature they’ve collectively read. Limited time travel, familial angst, and bleakly written self-insert characters are just a few of the topics that get coverage here. Japanese literature read by Arthur and Saba: • No Longer Human by Osamu Dazai • Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi • The Travelling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arikawa Japanese literature read by Arthur: •...
2022-11-051h 392 Cents Critic
2 Cents Critic#77 - Kung Fu Panda | Directed by Mark Osborne and John Stevenson (with Joey DiCarlo of So Wizard Podcast)Tune in as Joey DiCarlo of So Wizard Podcast hangs out with Arthur to break down Kung Fu Panda, the 2008 DreamWorks Animation movie that follows an enthusiastic and bumbling panda named Po as he goes on an unlikely-hero’s journey to become the Dragon Warrior. On top of discussing one of Arthur’s favorite animated movies of all time, the two hosts also touch on subjects like the recent teaser trailer for The Super Mario Bros. Movie, the animation industry’s habit of filling their casts with big stars, and James Hong’s extensive filmography. Directed by Mark Osb...
2022-10-261h 412 Cents Critic
2 Cents Critic#76 - Disney+’s She-Hulk: Attorney At Law | Helmed by Jessica Gao and Kat Coiro (with Guy Bradford)Tune in as returning guest Guy Bradford joins Arthur for a review and recap of She-Hulk: Attorney At Law, the newest Marvel Cinematic Universe series to premiere on Disney+. With its sitcom format, meta comedy, and fourth-wall breaks, how did it fare at introducing viewers to Jennifer Walters, a single 30-something lawyer and cousin of Bruce Banner/The Hulk who faces new obstacles in her personal and professional life after gaining Hulk powers via cross-contamination with Bruce’s blood? On top of covering all that, Arthur and Guy chat about topics like knockoff merchandise, the ridiculous burdens that VFX te...
2022-10-192h 452 Cents Critic
2 Cents Critic#74 - Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs | Directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller (with Larry Fried of My Favorite Movie is…)Tune in as Larry Fried (My Favorite Movie is…) hangs out with Arthur for a deep dive into Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, the 2009 animated movie that was loosely adapted from Judi and Ron Barrett’s 1978 children’s book of the same name. A few of the topics that the hosts chat about include subverting the Manic Pixie Dream Girl stereotype, animating scrumptious-looking food, praising the cast’s top-notch vocal performances, and dreaming of using the FLDSMDFR to solve world hunger. Directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller (21 Jump Street), Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs stars Bi...
2022-10-052h 132 Cents Critic
2 Cents Critic#73 - Thor: Love and Thunder | Directed by Taika Waititi (with Livvy)Tune in as Discord buddy Livvy hangs out with Arthur for a breakdown of Thor: Love and Thunder, the 29th movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Overhyped and underwhelming queer rep, whether it was worth it to bring back Jane Foster, and conflicting takes on those screaming goats are just a few of the subjects that get coverage on this episode. Directed by Taika Waititi (Jojo Rabbit), Thor: Love and Thunder stars Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Christian Bale, Tessa Thompson, Taika Waititi, Russell Crowe, and Jaimie Alexander. Spoilers start at 14:00 Good Word:
2022-09-282h 042 Cents Critic
2 Cents Critic#71 - Free Guy | Directed by Shawn Levy (with Jessica and Saunya of Opinionated Lushes)Tune in as Jessica and Saunya (Opinionated Lushes) collaborate with Arthur for a deep dive into Free Guy, the 2021 action-adventure comedy that follows the happy-go-lucky bank teller Guy as he realizes he’s an NPC (non-player character) inside a MMOG (massively multiplayer online game) called Free City. Are we being oversaturated with Ryan Reynolds’s presence? How big of a role does the Manic Pixie Dream Girl stereotype play in the movie? Should we be concerned over Christopher Nolan‘s upbringing? The hosts chat about all that and more on this episode. Directed by Shawn Levy (the Night...
2022-09-142h 212 Cents Critic
2 Cents Critic#68 - Dune (2021) | Directed by Denis Villeneuve (with Karyn Cooper of Chick-Lit)Tune in as Karyn Cooper (Chick-Lit) hops in to break down the 2021 film adaptation of Frank Herbert’s 1965 space opera novel Dune—or at least the first half of the epic book, a crucial detail that Warner Bros. failed to clarify in the film’s marketing campaign. This is one of the many subjects that Arthur and Karyn cover alongside their desire to see Zendaya star in a rom-com, the fact that Oscar Isaac should have earned an Emmy nomination for Moon Knight, the movie‘s choice to steer away from the source material’s morally gray depiction of House Atrei...
2022-08-242h 192 Cents Critic
2 Cents Critic#65 - Daisy Jones & the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid (with Anya and Isabel of Book Expectations)Tune in as Anya and Isabel (Book Expectations) hang out with Arthur for a deep dive into Daisy Jones & the Six, the 2019 historical fiction novel by Taylor Jenkins Reid (The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, Carrie Soto Is Back) about a ‘70s rock band that gives off Fleetwood Mac vibes. This makes sense, considering they had been a major inspiration for TJR during the writing of this book. The hosts’ expectations for the upcoming Netflix series adaptation of TSHOEH, the pronunciation of “Rhysand” and “Feyre,” and the perks of listening to the audiobook version of DJ&TS are just a few of the top...
2022-08-032h 022 Cents Critic
2 Cents Critic#64 - Disney+’s Ms. Marvel | Helmed by Bisha K. Ali and Adil & Bilall (with Guy Bradford)Tune in as previous 2CC guest Guy Bradford comes back around for a breakdown of the newest Disney+ Marvel Cinematic Universe series Ms. Marvel. It follows Kamala Khan, a 16-year-old Pakistani-American who lives in Jersey City, prides herself on her Captain Marvel geekery, and ends up getting thrown into a journey of self-discovery involving her newfound superpowers and her mysterious family history. Additional topics that Arthur and Guy open up include monstrous depictions of British colonialism, Islamophobic and misogynistic IMDb review-bombers, the burdens of VFX teams, and the stark contrast between the wholesome optimism of the MCU and the vu...
2022-07-271h 532 Cents Critic
2 Cents Critic#63 - Disney+’s Obi-Wan Kenobi | Directed by Deborah Chow (with Brojem)Tune in as gamer Brojem hops onto 2CC for a breakdown of the Disney+ Star Wars series Obi-Wan Kenobi, which follows the eponymous Jedi ten years after the events of Revenge of the Sith. While covering this expansion of the Star Wars universe, Arthur and Brojem chat about topics like the dangers of recklessly flashing your lightsaber, the desire to steer clear of droid slavery, how apparently easy it is to survive getting stabbed in the stomach, and the ultramenacing portrayal of Darth Vader. Spoilers start at 25:15 Note 1: Reva Sevander was not in Star Wars...
2022-07-202h 152 Cents Critic
2 Cents Critic#62 - Netflix’s The Power of the Dog | Directed by Jane Campion (with Gabi and Margot of Oceans Apart)Tune in as Gabi and Margot (Oceans Apart) join Arthur for a deep dive into Netflix’s The Power of the Dog. Adapted from Thomas Savage’s 1967 novel of the same name, the much-lauded 2021 Western (or anti-Western, which is debated on the podcast) psychological drama provides plenty of meaty material for the hosts to analyze with its Montana-set exploration of toxic masculinity, queerness, and emotional abuse. The intriguing ways in which Savage drew inspiration from his life for the novel, Arthur’s vehement frustration with Blade Runner 2049, and an amusing little anecdote about the movie Antichrist make up some of the...
2022-07-133h 232 Cents Critic
2 Cents Critic#61 - Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness | Directed by Sam Raimi (with Franklin Cota of Teen Girl Talk)Tune in as Arthur invites Franklin Cota (Teen Girl Talk) onto the program for a deep dive into the 28th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. There’s been plenty to look forward to in this movie, especially since it marks Sam Raimi’s return to the director’s chair since the 2013 James Franco-led megaflop Oz the Great and Powerful. Aside from discussing movie elements like Wanda Maximoff’s arc and the cheesy horror vibes, the hosts chat about Doctor Doom being Franklin’s favorite Marvel character, their shared love for Ms. Marvel, an...
2022-07-063h 062 Cents Critic
2 Cents Critic#60 - The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers (with Chelsee and Christina of The Bi Pod)Tune in as Chelsee and Christina (The Bi Pod) collaborate with Arthur for Pride Month 2022, during which queer content will be featured throughout June. For the fourth and final episode of the month, the focus is on the The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet, the 2014 space opera debut novel by Becky Chambers. As the first entry in her Wayfarers series, it boasts quite a few merits, including (but not limited to) the Found Family trope, an extensively queer view on gender and sexuality, and detailed yet accessible worldbuilding. Along with breaking down all of this, the hosts mi...
2022-06-291h 522 Cents Critic
2 Cents Critic#59 - Netflix’s The Half of It | Directed by Alice Wu (with Dr. Terry Dornak of Hello Wonderful Podcast)Tune in as Dr. Terry Dornak (Hello Wonderful Podcast) stops by the show to chat with Arthur about Netflix’s The Half of it, the 2020 coming-of-age movie that follows introverted teenager Ellie Chu as she pens love letters on behalf of inarticulate jock Paul Munsky and sends them off to his crush Aster Flores. The catch: Ellie herself has caught feelings for Aster as well. On top of breaking down this queer and contemporary spin on Cyrano de Bergerac, Arthur and Terry address the usage of media like films and podcasts to process life experiences, the conservative attitudes that dri...
2022-06-242h 022 Cents Critic
2 Cents CriticOff the Cuff #2 | A Colleen Hoover Discussion (with Saba/@saidsabaaa)Finally, 2CC is back from its unplanned hiatus! The situation looked rocky for a while, what with the dead computer and the initially malfunctioning replacement computer (I blame the Mercury Retrograde), but everything is in working order now. Here’s a new episode in the bonus 2CC series Off the Cuff, which Arthur recorded two weeks ago with his Discord book-club mate Saba. The two of them discuss the work of author Colleen Hoover, who typically writes contemporary romances but also pens thrillers every now and then. Two of her books, It Ends with Us and Verity, have already be...
2022-06-041h 382 Cents Critic
2 Cents Critic#56 - Disney+’s Moon Knight | Helmed by Jeremy Slater and Mohamed Diab (with Guy Bradford)Tune in as comedian Guy Bradford returns to the show for a conversation about Moon Knight, the six-episode Marvel Cinematic Universe series that ran on Disney+ from March 30th to May 4th. As part of Phase 4 of the MCU, it adopts quite the dark, almost psychological thriller-esque mood in comparison to the rest of the franchise. Considering its mild-mannered museum gift shop employee lead Steven Grant (Oscar Isaac) becomes increasingly uncertain as to the boundary between his reality and his imagination, then gets caught up in his dissociative identity disorder (DID) and the vengeful zeal of the Egyptian moon...
2022-05-111h 582 Cents Critic
2 Cents Critic#55 - The Midnight Library by Matt Haig (with Laura Petro and Meggie Gates of YA, We Read It!)Tune in as Laura Petro and Meggie Gates (YA, We Read It!) hang out with Arthur for a recap of The Midnight Library by Matt Haig. This 2020 magical-realism take on the now-beloved Multiverse subgenre of speculative fiction follows 35-year-old Nora Seed as she ODs to escape her depressing life, which sends her off on a journey to navigate the countless versions of her life that have branched through the aforementioned multiverse. A few of the topics that the hosts chat about are mental health rep, the smell of menstrual blood being able to attract bears, multiverse media like Everything E...
2022-05-042h 002 Cents Critic
2 Cents Critic#54 - Gallant by V.E. Schwab (with Jodie and Laura of The Island Library Podcast)Tune in as Jodie and Laura (The Island Library Podcast) collaborate with Arthur for a recap of Gallant, the 2022 supernatural fantasy YA novel by V.E. Schwab (the Shades of Magic series, The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue). Coldhearted orphanages, the moment when you realize books that you thought were YA have actually been targeted at general audiences the whole time, Arthur mistakenly referring to one dead dad by the name of another dead dad, and more are all included in this episode. TW: parental death, animal death, child death, ableism, bullying, mental illness, suicide, self-harm
2022-04-271h 292 Cents Critic
2 Cents CriticInterview with Author Eric Berlin (The Puzzling World of Winston Breen)Joining the show for today is Eric Berlin, who wrote The Puzzling World of Winston Breen and its two sequels, all of which belong to the small group of puzzle-themed middle-grade books that Arthur had devoured as a child. On top of that, Eric creates puzzles for a living, having whipped up crosswords and variety puzzles for the New York Times, concocted entire puzzle hunts, and launched the puzzle subscription website Puzzlesnacks. Tune into this conversation if you want to hear him chat with Arthur about the similarities between writing books and creating puzzle hunts, the unnecessary sanitization of a...
2022-04-131h 062 Cents Critic
2 Cents Critic#51 - Rooster Teeth’s RWBY Volume 1 | Created by Monty Oum (with Jackson Leight)Tune in as Jackson Leight (creator of the satirical RWBY news website https://bumbleby.com) teams up with Arthur to dissect Volume 1 of RWBY, the American anime web series that online entertainment company Rooster Teeth premiered in 2013. RWBY has been lasting for eight seasons so far, and now 2CC (which already dropped a brief episode on Volume 8 back during the podcast’s text-to-voice days) is returning to where it all started in the world of Remnant when teenage Huntresses-in-training Ruby Rose, Weiss Schnee, Blake Belladonna, and Yang Xiao Long started their combat schooling at Beacon Academy to learn how to...
2022-03-233h 032 Cents Critic
2 Cents Critic#49 - The Spanish Love Deception by Elena Armas (with Torry of Ready to Be Petty)Tune in as Torry (Ready to Be Petty) visits the show to cover The Spanish Love Deception, the 2021 contemporary romance by debut author Elena Armas. Having originally been self-published by Armas and won the Goodsreads Choice Award for Best Debut Novel of 2021, TSLD’s enemies-to-lovers/grumpy x sunshine/fake dating/slow burn love story between engineering coworkers Catalina Martín and Aaron Blackford has enjoyed plenty of BookTok fame over the past year. Does it hold up for Arthur and Torry? In addition, they climb up on their soapboxes for issues like sexism and fatphobia, question the necessity of bac...
2022-03-092h 302 Cents Critic
2 Cents Critic#48 - Legendborn by Tracy Deonn (with Sam Dixon and Sammi Skorstad of Hardcover Hoes)Tune in as Sam Dixon and Sammi Skorstad (Hardcover Hoes) take their seats around the table for a thorough breakdown of Legendborn by Tracy Deonn. Arthur had put this 2020 YA contemporary fantasy on hold for the longest time in his digital library with the intention of covering it on 2CC. Now, it’s quite gratifying to reach the point where everyone can talk about 16-year-old Bree Matthews’s quest to infiltrate a secret society with Arthurian roots at UNC-Chapel Hill and unearth the truth about her mother’s car accident. The three hosts also cover the infuriating and insidious nature...
2022-03-023h 032 Cents Critic
2 Cents Critic#47 - A Knight’s Tale | Directed by Brian Helgeland (with Shelby Schwieterman and Sam Frontera of The Rom Complex)Tune in as Shelby Schwieterman and Sam Frontera (The Rom Complex) hang out on 2CC to cover the 2001 rock ‘n roll medieval sports adventure, A Knight’s Tale. They also chat about Nike product placement, the aural creativity of foley artists, and whether or not Rufus Sewell always plays villains (considering Arthur looked up The Man in the High Castle post-recording and found out that he does indeed play the main antagonist as the Reichsführer of Nazi America, let’s say the answer is “yes”). Directed by Brian Helgeland (42), A Knight’s Tale stars Heath Ledger, Shannyn Sossam...
2022-02-231h 092 Cents Critic
2 Cents Critic#46 - Disney+’s The Book of Boba Fett | Created by Jon FavreauTune in for Arthur’s dissection of The Book of Boba Fett, the Disney+ Star Wars spinoff series that takes place after the events of Season 2 of The Mandalorian. For the first time ever, fabled bounty hunter Boba Fett is in the lead role as he—with the aid of assassin ally Fennec Shand—endeavors to take control of the criminal empire that had once been ruled by Jabba the Hutt and then Bib Fortuna. Yep, this means more time on the desert planet of Tatooine. In addition, Arthur touches on the 2022 Oscar nominees, gripes about TBOBF pulling a Ulysse...
2022-02-162h 072 Cents Critic
2 Cents Critic#45 - Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn (with Johnna Scrabis and Sabrina B. Jordan of Mean Book Club)Tune in as comedians and podcasters Johnna Scrabis and Sabrina B. Jordan (Mean Book Club) join the show to unpack their thoughts and feelings on 2012’s Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn (Dark Places, Sharp Objects). What is quite possibly one of the most iconic examples of domestic noir—you could also just call this genre “psychological thriller”—to have been published over the past decade is reaching its 10th birthday this May, so it’s fitting that 2CC is finally diving into all things Nick and Amy Dunne, Cool Girls, and deeply toxic marriages. Along the way, the hosts also try to...
2022-02-091h 292 Cents Critic
2 Cents Critic#44 - The Maid by Nita Prose (with Raye of Not Before Coffee! a Bookish Podcast)Tune in as Arthur teams up with Raye (Not Before Coffee! a Bookish Podcast) to discuss The Maid, the murder mystery novel that longtime editor and debut author Nita Prose just published on Jan. 4, 2022. It follows 25-year-old hotel maid Molly Gray as she finds business mogul and one of her workplace’s most loyal guests Mr. Black dead in his room, then gets wrapped up in the ensuing investigation. The question of whether or not Prose intentionally coded Molly as neurodivergent, the difference between cream tea and tea with cream, and a debate over the inclusion of trigger warnings in...
2022-02-022h 592 Cents Critic
2 Cents CriticInterview with Author Jody Feldman (The Gollywhopper Games)Stopping by for a conversation is Jody Feldman, author of The Gollywhopper Games series (a childhood favorite of Arthur’s), The Seventh Level, and the upcoming YA thriller No Way Home, which will be published on August 2, 2022. She chats with the giddy fanboy that is Arthur about her character-naming and puzzle-creating processes, being a flashlighter rather than a plotter or a pantser, the one possession she needs to throw out, the influential legacies of The Matrix and Inception, and more. Note: the picture book of which Arthur couldn’t recall the name is Sleepy Dog b...
2022-02-021h 112 Cents Critic
2 Cents Critic#43 - Eternals | Directed by Chloé ZhaoTune in for Arthur’s coverage of Eternals, the 26th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. More importantly, it’s the MCU flick that features the most diverse cast thus far in contrast to all the straight white men who have dominated the majority of this superhero franchise for the longest time. But it also received gobs of critical backlash and currently holds the spot of being the lowest-ranked MCU movie on the Tomatometer with a critic score of 48% (by the way, it does have an audience score of 78%). How much of the criticism is bull and how much of i...
2022-01-262h 582 Cents Critic
2 Cents CriticInterview with Author Desirée Calderón de Fawaz (Quetzalli’s Last Song)In the house today is microbiologist-turned-author Desirée Calderón de Fawaz, who wrote and illustrated the 2017 picture book Tata’s Earrings, then penned her debut novel Quetzalli’s Last Song, the first entry in the Brum Hesles Series. Listen to Arthur chat with her about topics like her former work in microbiology, the gorgeous illustrations in QLS, the strides that have (and haven’t) been made in regard to representation, and the importance of educating ourselves on climate change. Desirée’s website: https://www.desireecalderondefawaz.com Desirée’s Twitter: @DesireeGhandour...
2022-01-2646 min2 Cents Critic
2 Cents Critic#42 - It Happened One Summer by Tessa BaileyTune in for Arthur’s breakdown of It Happened One Summer, the Schitt’s Creek-inspired rom-com novel by Tessa Bailey (Fix Her Up, Window Shopping). On top of giving his thoughts on the opposites-attract romance between high-maintenance Instagram socialite Piper Bellinger and grumpy fishing captain Brendan Taggert, Arthur draws numerous correlations between It Happened One Summer and Elle Kennedy’s Off-Campus series, shows some appreciation for Bailey’s depiction of ass play, and rants about hospital sex scenes. TW: discussion of a deceased wife Spoilers start at 14:40
2022-01-191h 422 Cents Critic
2 Cents CriticInterview with Author Lacie Waldon (The Layover)Today’s guest is author Lacie Waldon, whose debut novel, The Layover, is a vacation rom-com that mixes The Hating Game with The Unhoneymooners. In this episode, you’ll hear Arthur and Lacie cover subjects like her background as a flight attendant, her upcoming book From the Jump (which will be published on July 19, 2022), being a pantser, favorite sitcoms like New Girl and Frasier, the debatable necessity of TV reboots, and the importance of YA fiction. Lacie’s website: https://www.laciewaldon.com Lacie’s Twitter: @LacieWaldon Lacie’s Instagram: @allabouttha...
2022-01-131h 112 Cents Critic
2 Cents Critic#41 - Verity by Colleen Hoover (with J.W. Friedman and Chris Collision of I Don’t Even Own a Television)Tune in as J.W. Friedman and Chris Collision hop over from the bad-book podcast I Don’t Even Own a Television to break down Verity, the 2018 psychological thriller novel by bestselling romance author Colleen Hoover (It Ends with Us, November 9). The chills never stop as the book follows broke thriller writer Lowen Ashleigh on the trail of dark secrets she uncovers while ghostwriting for comatose author Verity Crawford. But are said chills worth it in the end? On top of diving into all that, the hosts translate the numeral versions of their windup scores into letter grades, envision Dr...
2022-01-132h 402 Cents Critic
2 Cents Critic#40 - Disney+’s Hawkeye | Helmed by Jonathan Igla, Bert & Bertie, and Rhys Thomas (with Guy Bradford)Tune in as Arthur welcomes comedian Guy Bradford onto the show’s first episode of 2022 to chat about Hawkeye, the final Marvel Cinematic Universe series to have streamed on Disney+ in 2021. On top of discussing Clint Barton, Kate Bishop, Maya Lopez/Echo, Pizza Dog, and more, the hosts go on to address talking points like the dedication of LARPers, how appropriate it is for TV shows and movies to include COVID-19 and 9/11 references, and the eerie-sounding instrument that was used in the making of Natalie Holt’s top-notch Loki score.Helmed by head writer/exec...
2022-01-052h 442 Cents Critic
2 Cents Critic#39 - Top Ten Trail: 2021 EditionTune in for Top Ten Trail: 2021 Edition, the first retrospective event of its kind on 2CC in which Arthur ranks his top ten books, movies, and TV shows of the year. What polarizing Goodreads Choice Award winner turned into a Top Ten Book? How did a certain sci-fi neo-noir flick become a Top Ten Movie in spite of the disrepute it carries as a critical and financial turkey? Which Disney+ MCU series landed in the #1 spot on the Top Ten TV Shows list? The answers to those questions and more can all be found in the final episode of 2021.
2021-12-292h 052 Cents Critic
2 Cents Critic#38 - Night at the Museum | Directed by Shawn Levy (with Arthur’s Mom)Tune in as Arthur’s Mom returns for the third week in a row to cover Night at the Museum, the 2006 fantasy comedy in which struggling inventor and deadbeat dad Larry Daley becomes a night guard at the Museum of Natural History and learns the exhibits come to life at night thanks to the ancient magic of an Egyptian tablet. Inconsistent tablet rules, quick thoughts on the Night at the Museum sequels, and the stalkery undertones in some of Robin Williams’s roles are also addressed in 2CC’s penultimate episode of 2021. Directed by Shawn...
2021-12-242h 20