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Critical Darlings

Critical Darlings

By: Blank Check Productions
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Welcome to Critical Darlings: a podcast about the movies everyone is talking about, one new release after another. Every week, critics Richard Lawson and Alison Willmore cover the latest film driving the conversation—from big summer blockbusters to festival favorites, buzzy streamers, and major awards contenders. New episodes every Thursday. We’re a Blank Check Production! To catch up on our first miniseries covering the 2026 Oscars season, check out Blank Check on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen. Stick around on this feed for new episodes going forward. Produced by Benjamin Frisch Subscribe to Richard's newsletter, ⁠⁠Premiere Party,⁠⁠ and read Alison's work ⁠⁠at Vulture. Follow @blankcheckpod on ⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Threads⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠! Art Social Sciences
Episodes
  • “Disclosure Day” And Ranking Spielberg’s Alien Movies (With Starlee Kine)

    “Disclosure Day” And Ranking Spielberg’s Alien Movies (With Starlee Kine)
    Jun 18 2026
    It’s Disclosure Week on Critical Darlings, with writer, podcaster, and E.T. super fan Starlee Kine! Almost five decades after Steven Spielberg reimagined aliens on screen with E.T. and Close Encounters, he’s delivered another story of extraterrestrial awe. The movie stars Emily Blunt and Josh O’Connor. But the figure who looms largest over Disclosure Day is Spielberg himself. We discuss our relationships to Spielberg’s work, how Disclosure Day fits into his slate of alien films, and how the movie worked on us. Like audiences and critics, we’re split. Despite some production quibbles (take off that sweater, Emily!), Spielberg remains a master of the camera. Still, the movie’s optimism for humanity feels behind the times: or, maybe we’re just jaded? Why not both? Other topics include ghosts vs. aliens, Spielberg’s longing for the monoculture, E.T. in the wig, and finally, we do a ranking of Spielberg’s alien films. Next week, we’re celebrating Pride with two flavors of gay film: the goofy Stop That Train, and the spooky Leviticus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 hr and 30 mins
  • “Masters of the Universe” And The IP Drought (With Mattie Lubchansky)

    “Masters of the Universe” And The IP Drought (With Mattie Lubchansky)
    Jun 11 2026
    By the power of Grayskull, we have cartoonist and co-host of the No Gods No Mayors podcast, Mattie Lubchansky, in studio to discuss Masters of the Universe! The movie is a test for Mattel, who are going all-in on IP management in the post-Barbie era but Masters has underperformed at the box office and with critics. Has the He-Man IP run out of gas? Did it ever have gas? What would a coherent He-Man movie even look like? Where’s Orko? On this episode, we try and figure it out. We discuss the movie’s patchwork approach to plot and character, its history in development hell, its mostly-winning cast including Nicholas Galitzine, Jared Leto, and do a sidebar on Idris Elba’s history on the big screen. Finally, we wonder if this movie signals an approaching end to the toyetic IP boom of the last couple of decades, or if this is just a blip, with movies like Spider-Man and Doomsday on the horizon. Next week, we’ll be staring at the camera wistfully, eyes aglow with childlike wonder, to discuss Disclosure Day! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 hr and 31 mins
  • "Backrooms" And The Internet Horror Boom (With Ryan Broderick)

    "Backrooms" And The Internet Horror Boom (With Ryan Broderick)
    Jun 4 2026
    This week we’re joined by the very liminal Ryan Broderick, proprietor of the great Garbage Day newsletter and host of the podcast Panic World, to discuss A24’s hit, Backrooms! Based on a 4-Chan thread, creepypasta, and web series, the movie has captured young filmgoers and its young director, Kane Parsons, has captured Hollywood’s attention. Compared to last week’s subject, Obsession, Backrooms is a much more ambitious blend of effects-driven horror: juggling mid-life ennui, childhood trauma, and corporate conspiracy against an endless fluorescent yellow backdrop. It turns out, men would rather go to the backrooms than engage with therapy. We discuss what works about Backrooms, what doesn’t, and continue our conversation about YouTube directors making the jump to Hollywood. Finally, we discuss the feel-good story of so many new films finding footing in the industry, and what might be next for Parsons and other YouTube crossovers. Next week, we’re getting shirtless and toyetic, with The Masters of the Universe! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 hr and 36 mins
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