Literary Merit

Well, we done did the thing. At long last, we watched the Robin Hood movie and found some unexpected themes floating around amongst the bizarre costumes and chewed scenery. Also, Alex has a new toy and Ashley took us spelunking.

Well, Disney+ is out, so we went back to a couple of our beloved animated series: Star Wars: Rebels and Gargoyles. Also, Alex is not granted the rank of Master, and Ashley's got the music in her... arms?

Two R Pat movies in two days! We saw The Lighthouse and The King, and boy was our Robbie serving some accents. But what was it all about? Also, Alex got the munchies and Ashley stayed on theme.

For spooktober, we decided to watch something  scary-adjacent, and we really can't believe we waited so long to check this series out. Also, Alex delved further into his family history, and Ashley provided the refreshments.

We must really like our musician biopics, because we're back at it with 2004's De-Lovely. Kevin Kline plays Cole Porter, one of the most prominent songwriters of the first half of the 20th century. Of course, we focus on the gay stuff. Also, Alex talks quaint infrastructure, and Ashley gets Classical (again...). 

Boy, we were surprised to find this show was actually good! From the writing to the acting to the effects, Carnival Row completely gripped us. But what did it have to say about race, miscegenation, war, and culture? Well, you should watch it to find out, but if you want to hear what we thought about it, here you go. Also, Alex learned about our favorite rare phoneme, and Ashley sheds some light on the situation.

Leonora came over and watched The Silence of the Lambs with us, and it was a nail-biter. Even Ashley was on the edge of her seat, and she'd already seen it! Of course the big issue of queer representation had to come up, and it resulted in a great discussion. Also, Leonora has found our new political candidate, and Alex and Ashley both get mythological.

Well, it's been almost two years but it was worth the wait. Mindhunter season 2 is out, and they outdid themselves. With themes like personal agency, blame, and responsibility, as well as race and sexuality, this season gave us a lot to chew on. Also, Alex and Ashley both learned about the deep [color] sea.

The 90s had a few Big Gay Movies, and 'The Birdcage' might be the best known among them. But what about 'To Wong Foo, Thanks For Everything! Julie Newmar'? We took a look at this depiction of Drag culture and small-town America to consider its high and low points. Also, Alex learned some astronomy and Ashley learned some biology.

Alex sat Ashley down to watch a couple movies she missed this decade: Snow White and the Huntsman and it's pre-sequel, The Huntsman: Winter's War. One of these movies is better than the other, but you might be surprised which it is. Also, Alex warns of unusual infrastructure concerns, and Ashley introduces you to a woman you probably don't know.

Boy howdy, this season was a lot. We run down the many cinematic homages, as well as discuss the very rude boys that the real heroes of the day had to put up with. Also, Alex got caught up and Ashley's got a sneaky new friend.

Oh boy, just when things calmed down we had to go and kick that beehive. That's right, Captain Marvel was good and y'all gotta deal with it. Also, Alex killed some time and Ashley had a special treat.

Well, we loved it. Our discussion mostly revolved around that, but we did manage to do an OK job explaining what made it so good. And just talking about how great Taron Egerton is all the time and in everything. Also, Alex learned a new word and Ashley had a craving.

It's been a long time coming, but we've finally done it: The Magicians. Super extra spoiler warning if you haven't seen the end of season 4. WE'RE SERIOUS. Also, Alex has a craving and Ashley does some time travelling. Once again we've got some audio drops, sorry about that. We're trying to figure out how to fix it.

Did you see Jupter Ascending? Ashley hadn't and boy, was there a lot to have feelings about. Mostly that the Wachowskis didn't go far enough. Also, Ashley introduced Alex to the original original Nightstalker, and Alex learned about balls.

We sought outside help for this week's topic! Writer and friend of the show Leonora Anne joined us to discuss trans representation in film, and we had an absolute blast. Its a bit of a fraught subject, but we can all at least agree that Jared Leto sucks. Also, Alex brought us another sweet treat, Leonora found our new vacation spot, and Ashley read up on a big mystery. Find Leonora's work:  https://lightsightsreviews.com    https://letterboxd.com/leonorathelion  @LeoLermontov

Were you one of the many people who missed Crimson Peak? Ashley says you missed out. We're talking about our guy Guillermo and the spooky ghost movie he did. Also, Ashley learned about glamorous science, and Alex gives you a gift you didn't know you needed. Also also, the short story Ashley referenced is Herman Melville's "Benito Cereno"

We sat down and watched Waiting For Guffman, and ended up with a few questions. Namely, what's the point of mockumentary in the first place? Also, Ashley gets dangerous and Alex gets delicious.

Ashley and Alex are officially roommates, and the first order of business was sitting down and watching Beautiful Creatures. How was this gem of a film forgotten? Oh right, it's target audience was teen girls. Also, Alex learned about a saint, and Ashley learned about a sinner.

What is it about Netflix's adaptation of The Umbrella Academy that connected with us, and what does it say about this generation? This episode explores the themes behind the series and contrasts it with other hero stories, and maybe manages to make a point about something. Also, Alex and Ashley both managed to see the same movie in the theater and didn't even plan it.