Christine Merser reviews Netflix’s Remarkably Bright Creatures, starring Sally Field and Lewis Pullman, reflecting on grief, friendship, aging, and the quiet emotional power of the film’s unforgettable octopus, Marcellus.

In this episode I take a deep dive into The Reluctant Fundamentalist, a film that should have been front-row center but never got its moment. I talk about Riz Ahmed’s extraordinary performance, the quiet brilliance of Mira Nair’s direction, the music that pulls you into another cultural syntax, and the way the film exposes America’s post-9/11 blind spots without shouting. It is a story about identity, belonging, and the small humiliations that shape a life. And maybe more tha

Merser and Wilder could not wait to unpack Season Three of The Diplomat, which Merser calls “the best of the three, by a diplomatic mile.” After a quick walk through Seasons One and Two, they dive into the complex and ingenious storytelling that defines this season. You cannot talk about The Diplomat without invoking The West Wing and Homeland, and Debora Cahn, who wrote for both, shows how to fuse the best of those worlds while making something singular in The Diplomat. The

Christine’s review of Adolescence, Netflix’s #1 series about an eleven-year-old boy who kills his classmate, will have you turning off...

Christine Merser AKA Hollister has nothing but praise for Jesse Eisenberg from the start of this week's episode, as she dives into his...

Christine Merser aka Hollister has a solo episode for us after watching and being left speechless by Netflix's new documentary, Martha,...

Christine Merser (AKA Hollister) goes this one alone. Fresh Kills , according to her review, should have been front and center at the...

"May December," featuring a star-studded cast including Julianne Moore and Natalie Portman, is much more than the torrid story of a seventh-grade teacher who ensnared her student, went to prison for it, and married him upon her release. It transcends that narrative, offering a profound exploration of complex themes. Don't miss the discussion on the film's production, including the techniques employed by Todd Haynes. His interpretations consistently delve deeper than the obvio

High schooler Addie Tedrow, a lover of all things Hunger Games, joins Christine Merser to discuss the latest in the series, The Hunger...

"The Holdovers," bringing back 70s and 80s boarding school films, heads toward awards season with Paul Giamatti finding his way to front-page news. Why hasn't he had more starring roles when he's such a strong actor? We have our theories. And "NYAD", where Annette Bening and Jodie Foster save the day. NYAD's swim is an amazing feat, no question about that. How they made it into a movie is up for discussion. Listen anywhere you get your podcasts.

Who knew that the movie The Burial on Amazon Prime was as fabulously brilliant and fun and compelling as it is? Don’t watch the trailer....

This week it's all about "Lessons in Chemistry" on AppleTV+. It should not come as a surprise to regular listeners of Screen Thoughts...

Hollister welcomes the writers back to work and comments on the opening line of the new contract, which is something out of Star Wars to...

Merser and Wilder talk The Morning Show, reviewing this new season and commenting on the past two seasons, all the while discussing women's increasing power in the making of film & television and what an exciting time it is for our ability to showcase women in film and history. Such a great show this week. Part of the strike is still on, but hope springs eternal that the role of women will continue to grow! **This podcast was recorded before the writer's strike had ended. Lis

Christine and Wilder speed through their review of the three hour Oppenheimer, singing its praises, its importance and so many behind the...

Christine (AKA Hollister) and Wilder dissect Apple’s the Crowded Room, and address Christine’s POV around the futility of the writer’s...

The names of many of the heroes of the Civil Rights movement are well known to us today: MLK, Malcolm X, Medgar Evers—the list goes on....

On a very special episode of Screen Thoughts, Christine Merser, Bryan Cohen and Shanette Barth Cohen give a review of Netflix's The...

What a week it was chatting about Mario’s amazing box office receipts, Mafia Mama (look for no lovers on this podcast), and Renfield. We...

Tim Miller is back, guest co-hosting with Hollister and this podcast is chock full of film. They don’t agree on Air at all, with comparison’s by Hollister to Jerry Maguire versus Tim’s comparison to Moneyball. Some interesting takes on the new surge of Hollywood remakes. What do Spielberg and Tim have in common? A lot actually, and recommendations - quick ones for what is coming in April and what Tim and Hollister saw in March. Listen below & anywhere you get your podcasts. I