Chatty movie reviews and actor/filmmaker interviews, brought to you by two queer Bay Area pals: writer Jason LeRoy (member of the San Francisco Film Critics Circle; lifelong devotee, Lilith Fair) and producer Rebecca Olarte (cohost, Shindignation Radio; lifelong subscriber, Cat Fancy).
The Binge Movie Podcast is a fantastic podcast that offers insightful and entertaining reviews of movies. Hosted by Rebecca and Jason, the podcast features their knowledgeable analysis, delightful banter, and dry sense of humor. One of the best aspects of this podcast is the connection between the hosts. They have great chemistry and complement each other perfectly. The way they bounce off each other creates an enjoyable listening experience that keeps you engaged throughout. Their witty banter adds an extra layer of entertainment to their reviews.
Another great aspect of The Binge Movie Podcast is their in-depth discussions about movies and actors. They provide not only reviews but also interesting backstories and trivia, which adds depth to their analysis. This allows listeners to gain a better understanding of the films they review. Additionally, they often have interviews with actors and guests, which adds another dimension to the podcast. These interviews are always engaging and provide valuable insights into the film industry.
One possible downside of this podcast is that some listeners may find it too snarky or catty at times. While the hosts' humor may be enjoyable for many, others may find it off-putting or overly critical. However, this snarkiness is part of what makes the podcast unique and contributes to its overall charm. It's all a matter of personal taste whether you enjoy this style or not.
In conclusion, The Binge Movie Podcast is a highly recommended podcast for movie lovers who enjoy insightful analysis mixed with humor. Rebecca and Jason are a dynamic duo who provide entertaining reviews while sharing their vast knowledge about movies and actors. Their connection and banter create an engaging listening experience that will keep you coming back for more. Whether you're looking for movie recommendations or simply want to be entertained by two passionate cinephiles, this podcast has something for everyone.
In their semi-annual Pride edition, Rebecca and Jason round up 2024's most notable queer releases. After unpacking whether CHALLENGERS qualifies as queer, they review Rose Glass' LOVE LIES BLEEDING, Julio Torres' PROBLEMISTA, Tig Notaro and Stephanie Allynne's AM I OK? and Ethan Coen's DRIVE-AWAY DOLLS.
Rebecca and Jason start the new year (in March) with some Oscar catchup chat, followed by reviews of Denis Villeneuve's DUNE 2, S.J. Clarkson's MADAME WEB, J.A. Bayona's SOCIETY OF THE SNOW, and Dave Meyers' THIS IS ME… NOW.
In their final episode of 2023, Rebecca and Jason celebrate the holidays with four crushingly dark and frequently depraved awards contenders: Todd Haynes' MAY DECEMBER, Emerald Fennell's SALTBURN, William Oldroyd's EILEEN, and Bradley Cooper's MAESTRO.
Post-summer but pre-prestige season, Rebecca and Jason review Emma Seligman's BOTTOMS, Roger Ross Williams' CASSANDRO, Chloe Domont's FAIR PLAY, and Brian Duffield's NO ONE WILL SAVE YOU.
Babe wake up, new BARBENHEIMER episode just dropped! We review the summer's biggest movies, from Greta Gerwig and Christopher Nolan, plus Rebecca's personal biggest summer movies: Adele Lim's JOY RIDE and Jeff Rowe and Kyler Spears' TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: MUTANT MAYHEM.
It's the second half of 2023 and we're kicking it off with four wildly different recent releases: Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, and Justin K. Thompson SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE MULTI-VERSE, Wes Anderson's ASTEROID CITY, Andrea Pallaoro's MONICA, and Matt Johnson's BLACKBERRY.
Rebecca and Jason are joined by writer/producer George Northy (G.B.F., Charmed) to break down the WGA strike and guest review an especially nerdy slate of recent releases: GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 3, THE SUPER MARIO BROS. MOVIE, DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: HONOR AMONG THIEVES…and odd-man-out queer horror comedy SUMMONING SYLVIA.
Rebecca and Jason are joined by fan favorite guest Ashley De La Torre for an Oscars recap and a sequel-palooza of reviews: CREED III, SCREAM VI, and ANT-MAN AND THE WASP: QUANTUMANIA.
Rebecca and Jason are ready to surprise each other with their top and bottom five movies of 2022. Will they have any overlap? Will it come to blows? Will M3GAN preemptively claim top honors for 2023? Only one way to find out!
Guys, it finally happened: Rebecca and Jason recorded together IN PERSON for the first time in nearly three years! Did it become a cautionary tale about our Covid-weakened immune systems? Irrelevant! The important thing is that they sat together in Jason's LA living room and discussed Tobias Lindholm's THE GOOD NURSE (which they'd just watched together!), Halina Reijn's BODIES BODIES BODIES, and John Patton Ford's EMILY THE CRIMINAL. Enjoy their in-person chemistry because this might be the last time!
For our first episode of 2022 prestige movie season, we break down Nicholas Stoller's BROS, Andrew Dominik's BLONDE, Anne Fletcher's HOCUS POCUS 2, and Lena Dunham's CATHERINE CALLED BIRDY.
We're on a roll with a new all-or-nothing episode! This week, we review Dan Trachtenberg's PREY, John Logan's THEY/THEM, Lena Dunham's SHARP STICK, James Morosini's I LOVE MY DAD, and Mariano Cohn and Gastón Duprat's OFFICIAL SELECTION.
Our comeback train continues running right on schedule! On this episode, we review the Russo Brothers' THE GRAY MAN, Billy Porter's ANYTHING'S POSSIBLE, Audrey Diwan's HAPPENING, and Peter Strickland's FLUX GOURMET—and agree on all except one!
After our fully planned and thoroughly communicated nine-month hiatus, we are BACK at the exact time we always said! On this episode featuring exactly zero mutual ratings, we dive into Taika Waititi's THOR: LOVE AND THUNDER, Sophie Hyde's GOOD LUCK TO YOU, LEO GRANDE, and recent queer releases Andrew Ahn's FIRE ISLAND and Sammi Cohen's CRUSH.
Rebecca and Jason return from an unplanned three-month hiatus to delve into Chloe Zhao's ETERNALS, Denis Villeneuve's DUNE, Rebecca Hall's PASSING, Jeymes Samuel's THE HARDER THEY FALL, and Julia Ducournau's TITANE.
We assess James Gunn's long overdue crack at THE SUICIDE SQUAD and a trio of docs: Kristine Solakis' gay conversion history PRAY AWAY, Peter Nicks' snapshot of Oakland's class of 2020 in HOMEROOM, and Ting Poo and Leo Scott's portrait of Val Kilmer, VAL.
In which a slight difference of opinion on Cate Shortland's highly anticipated BLACK WIDOW leads to lethargic semi-discussions of Janicza Bravo's ZOLA and Enrico Casarosa's LUCA, before we're revived by Questlove's SUMMER OF SOUL and restore harmony by being unimpressed with Vanessa Roth's MARY J. BLIGE'S MY LIFE.
We have polar opposite reactions to Jon M. Chu's IN THE HEIGHTS, get spooked by Michael Chaves' THE CONJURING: THE DEVIL DO IT, muddle through Zack Snyder's ARMY OF THE DEAD, revel in Anders Thomas Jensen's RIDERS OF JUSTICE, and exalt in Natalie Morales' PLAN B.
After debriefing this year's pandemic Oscars, we review Joe Wright's misbegotten THE WOMAN IN THE WINDOW, Taylor Sheridan's riveting THOSE WHO WISH ME DEAD, Mike Rianda and Jeff Rowe's delightful THE MITCHELLS VS THE MACHINES, Nikole Beckwith's tender TOGETHER TOGETHER, and Azazel Jacobs' uneven FRENCH EXIT.
It's strange bedfellows this week on The Binge, in which we mix Adam Wingard's stupidly fun spectacle GODZILLA VS. KONG with three considerably more taxing films: Emma Seligman's caustic cringe comedy SHIVA BABY, Oliver Hermanus' apartheid military drama MOFFIE, and Ricky Staub's scared-straight morality tale CONCRETE COWBOY.
On this episode we review two Oscar hopefuls, Florian Zeller's THE FATHER starring Anthony Hopkins and Thomas Vinterberg's ANOTHER ROUND starring Mads Mikkeksen, and two Oscar doubtfuls, Amy Poehler's MOXIE and Tate Taylor's BREAKING NEWS IN YUBA COUNTY.
It's another super-sized episode full of heavy hitters! We disagree over the Midwestern realness of BARB AND STAR GO TO VISTA DEL MAR, parse where NOMADLAND sits in Frances McDormand's pantheon of roles, praise Lee Isaac Chung's family drama MINARI, lament the sprawling wreckage of Lee Daniels' THE UNITED STATES VS. BILLIE HOLIDAY, revel in the proudly amoral I CARE A LOT, and get into an unexpectedly weighty debate about the gay tearjerker SUPERNOVA.
In our first new episode of 2021, we round up six notable releases from this very peculiar awards season: Emerald Fennell's provocative PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN, Shaka King's enraging JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH, Sam Levinson's painful MALCOLM & MARIE, Regina King's edifying ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI, Kornél Mundruczó's uneven PIECES OF A WOMAN, and John Lee Hancock's derivative THE LITTLE THINGS.
In our final new releases episode of 2020, we evaluate the year's unprecedented Christmas Day streaming mega-releases, WONDER WOMAN 1984 and SOUL, as well as George Clooney's phone-friendly THE MIDNIGHT SKY and Eugene Ashe's tender Black romance SYLVIE'S LOVE.
In this super-sized December episode, we disagree on the failings of Ryan Murphy's queer musical comedy THE PROM, agree on the failings of Francis Lee's period lesbian romance AMMONITE, hail Chadwick Boseman's final performance in George C. Wolfe's MA RAINEY'S BLACK BOTTOM, discuss our own cruise memories in relation to Steven Soderbergh's LET THEM ALL TALK, are underwhelmed by David Fincher's MANK, and are overwhelmed by every aspect of Darius Marder's SOUND OF METAL.
We take issue with the toxic dysfunction at the core of Clea DuVall's HAPPIEST SEASON, eviscerate the lack of compassion in Ron Howard's HILLBILLY ELEGY, praise Paul Bettany in Alan Ball's UNCLE FRANK, compare the first two episodes in Steve McQueen's SMALL AXE, and throw up our hands at Ben Falcone's SUPERINTELLIGENCE
In our first post-2020 election episode, we review Jason Woliner's perfectly of-its-moment BORAT SUBSEQUENT MOVIEFILM, Zoe Lister-Jones' thoughtful reimagining THE CRAFT: LEGACY, Miranda July's cathartic farce KAJILLIONAIRE, Robert Zemeckis' DOA remake of THE WITCHES, and Justin Simien's polarizing horror comedy BAD HAIR.
In our first episode since Jason's turbulent rebirth as an Angeleno, we review Liz Garbus and Lisa Cortes' essential voter suppression doc ALL IN: THE FIGHT FOR DEMOCRACY, Aaron Sorkin's electric courtroom opus THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7, Julie Taymor's dreadful Gloria Steinem pseudo-biopic THE GLORIAS, Maïmouna Doucouré's unjustly vilified CUTIES, and Radha Blank's hilarious knockout debut THE FORTY-YEAR-OLD VERSION.
We review the long-overdue but impressively effective BILL & TED FACE THE MUSIC, Charlie Kaufman's inexplicable I'M THINKING OF ENDING THINGS, Jeremy Hersh's explosive ethical drama THE SURROGATE, and in a meta moment we couldn't resist, The Binge reviews the teen party romp THE BINGE.
In our last episode of summer 2020 (such as it is), we review Seth Rogen's dual performance in Branson Trost's AN AMERICAN PICKLE, James Lebrecht and Nicole Newnham's enlightening documentary CRIP CAMP, Chelsea Peretti in Andrea Dorfman's SPINSTER, and Gillian Jacobs in Kris Rey's I USED TO GO HERE.
We review Karen Maine's Catholic coming-of-age sex comedy YES, GOD, YES; the blood-boiling but essential ACLU vs. Trump doc THE FIGHT; Amy Seimetz's unclassifiable contagion mood piece SHE DIES TOMORROW; and Romola Garai's boring-until-it-isn't gothic horror film AMULET.
We review Gina Prince-Bythewood's inclusive action saga THE OLD GUARD, Cristina Costantini and Kareem Tabsch's beguiling Walter Mercado documentary MUCHO MUCHO AMOR, Dave Franco's Airbnb horror flick THE RENTAL, and Natalie Erika James' dark dementia fable RELIC.
In the first episode of our by-popular-demand new biweekly format, we review five movies from the first half of July: David Dobkin's unexpectedly gentle musical comedy EUROVISION SONG CONTEST: THE STORY OF FIRE SAGA, Max Barbakow's hilarious and thought-provoking romcom PALM SPRINGS, Kelly Reichardt's tender ode to friendship FIRST COW, Hirokazu Kore-eda's French mother-daughter dramedy THE TRUTH, and Dawn Porter's important but lackluster documentary JOHN LEWIS: GOOD TROUBLE.
In which we celebrate Pride with a grueling death-march marathon of seven in-depth film reviews, joined by our dear friend Jen “Memaw” Chochinov: Judd Apatow's amiable Pete Davidson vehicle THE KING OF STATEN ISLAND, Jon Stewart's misbegotten political satire IRRESISTIBLE, Spike Lee's frenetic Vietnam thriller DA 5 BLOODS, Sasie Sealy's satisfying action-comedy LUCKY GRANDMA, Josephine Decker's unconventional literary drama SHIRLEY, Channing Godfrey Peoples' gentle character study MISS JUNETEENTH, and Shannon Murphy's devastating but surprising drama BABYTEETH.
In our latest all-streaming roundup, we offer our (unanimous!) opinions of THE HIGH NOTE with Dakota Johnson and Tracee Ellis Ross, THE LOVEBIRDS with Kumail Nanjiani and Issa Rae, Alice Wu's THE HALF OF IT, HOW TO BUILD A GIRL starring Beanie Feldstein, Andrew Patterson's THE VAST OF NIGHT, and DRIVEWAYS with Hong Chau and Brian Dennehy.
In our second quarantine installment, we again review the best and brightest in the month's streaming new release movies, from the supernatural romps of ONWARD and EXTRA ORDINARY to the teen-girl psychodrama of NEVER RARELY SOMETIMES ALWAYS and SELAH AND THE SPADES.
In our first remote edition during the pandemic, we review three new releases that can be watched at home since we no longer have movie theaters: Pete Davidson's first starring role in BIG TIME ADOLESCENCE, the stylized pica drama SWALLOW, and the small-town feminist crime caper BLOW THE MAN DOWN.
In our February edition, we recap the Oscars and review five movies we've both fully seen: THE INVISIBLE MAN, PORTRAIT OF A LADY ON FIRE, HARLEY QUINN: BIRDS OF PREY, COME TO DADDY, and DOWNHILL.
In our first episode of 2020, we assess Sam Mendes' sudden Oscar frontrunner 1917, dueling death row dramas JUST MERCY and CLEMENCY, and delightful January garbage LIKE A BOSS.
Rebecca and Jason each count down their five favorite (and least favorite) movies of the year, with more than a few surprises along the way...and, most importantly, a comprehensive discussion of the true movie of the year: CATS.
In our December review roundup, we offer a Christmas feast including capsule reviews of THE TWO POPES, KNIVES OUT, A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, and STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER, plus full reviews of LITTLE WOMEN, BOMBSHELL, and UNCUT GEMS.
Our new monthly movie roundups continue with fan-favorite special guest Ashley De La Torre. We discuss Edward Norton's MOTHERLESS BROOKLYN, Kasi Lemmons' HARRIET, Trey Edward Shults' WAVES, Alma Har'el's HONEY BOY, Melina Matsoukas' QUEEN & SLIM, and Noah Baumbach's MARRIAGE STORY.
In our first-ever monthly episode, we dive into four of October's biggest and/or best movies: JOKER, PARASITE, JOJO RABBIT, and PAIN & GLORY. We've both seen all four and are ready to debate!
For what might be the only time so far this year, we've both seen one of the movies and we absolutely love it: Lorene Scafaria's feminist crime caper HUSTLERS. Jason also recounts the many failings of THE GOLDFINCH and is captivated by the expressiveness of Keira Knightley's jaw in OFFICIAL SECRETS.
After catching up about their first foray into international travel and Rebecca's delayed reviews of Tarantino's latest (and also NOTTING HILL), Jason surprises her by loving the Jillian Bell comedy BRITTANY RUNS A MARATHON, then they dive into the murky waters of controversial faux-trans romance ADAM and the hard-hitting exposé ONE CHILD NATION.
After doing our first-ever Tarantino review for ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD, we take on two stellar docs: the Syrian exposé FOR SAMA and a 4K restoration of the drag classic THE QUEEN.
When three working mics suddenly become two, sometimes a guest becomes a cohost! At least that's what happens this week, when Rebecca nobly sacrifices herself so that special guest Nick Sahoyah can join Jason for reviews of THE LION KING, THE FAREWELL, and SWORD OF TRUST.
After recapping our 2019 Pride weekends, we assess SPIDER-MAN: FAR FROM HOME as a winning finale to phase 3 of the MCU, go in-depth on the chilling visuals of Ari Aster's buzzy horror pic MIDSOMMAR, and celebrate the new 4K rerelease of Jennie Livingston's classic doc PARIS IS BURNING.
In which we herald the arrival of major new talent Jessie Buckley in the musical drama WILD ROSE, are extremely divided in our response to the wild Portuguese farce DIAMANTINO, and appreciate the thorough portrait assembled by TONI MORRISON: THE PIECES I AM.
We're blown away by the ravishingly beautiful and poignant THE LAST BLACK MAN IN SAN FRANCISCO, then crash back down to earth with Jim Jarmusch's barely-there zombie comedy THE DEAD DON'T DIE and the deeply misguided buddy movie PAPI CHULO.
Jason rallies through his existential crisis about falling out of love with movies to join Rebecca for reviews of the new live-action ALADDIN, Olivia Wilde's teen comedy BOOKSMART, and Olivier Assayas' French intellectual farce NON-FICTION.