The Playlist Podcast Network

No matter your thoughts on the horror genre as a whole, most people can agree that John Carpenter’s 1978 film, “Halloween,” is a classic. But what about the 11 other films in the franchise? Are they worth your time? The PlaylistPodcast is here to tell you which ones to watch and which ones to skip as you prepare for the release of “HalloweenEnds.”

Filmmaker Tony Gilroy, the writer and mountain sherpa on 'Rogue One,' if you will (he helped rewrite, direct, supervise and "fix" the film), is back in the galaxy far, far away.  Gilroy is the creator/writer/showrunner of 'Andor,' a prequel to 'Rogue One,' which centers on one of its lead characters, Cassian Andor, played by Diego Luna. This new  Lucasfilm series, airing on Disney+ is a spy thriller, the likes of which you've never really seen in 'Star Wars,' a political thriller that really considers the age of oppression, life during wartime and what it's like to be on the ground as a member of the rebel alliance and as a member of the Imperial army. Going even deeper, 'Andor' really examines what it's like for everyday people struggling under oppression. Cassian Andor when we first meet him, isn't even in the resistance. He's a man of self-interest about as far away as possible from the hero and leader you see in 'Rogue One.'  The series is about the evolution of a man and how an apathetic person just looking to survive finds a purpose in joining a cause. It's also a big ensemble piece that features what Gilroy calls "the original maniacs of the Rebel Alliance," but also a big symphony of players on the side of the rebellion, civilians caught in the middle, and the Empire.  It's a pretty good interview, so strap in and get ready to become hooked on 'Andor.'  For more 'Andor,' read our review on ThePlaylist.net and don't forget to listen to episode one of 'The Rogue Ones' where we talk to supporting 'Andor' cast members Adria Arjona & Kyle Soller. Remember to check out more stories, news, reviews, interviews, and more at ThePlaylist.net, subscribe to our newsletter, and check out more of our Playlist Podcast interviews here.

Man vs. beast movies often make for electric Hollywood skirmishes, but Alaskan settings heighten the conflict even further. On today's Be Reel, Chance and Noah discuss "The Edge," "The Grey" and "Hold The Dark"—a trio of films about how outsiders to The Last Frontier find their lives (and masculinity) threatened by howling winds and howling wolves. (We would like to dedicate this episode to Bart the Bear and saying "Charles" without pronouncing the 'r'.)

A new “Star Wars” show is upon us. That’s right, with the release of the first three episodes of Disney+’s “Andor,” Editor-In-Chief of The Playlist, Rodrigo Perez and Co-Host Mike DeAngelo dust off their blasters and launch into a galaxy far, far away with a brand-new podcast dedicated to what the hosts are calling “the evolution of Star Wars.”  On what we're officially called 'The Rogue Ones: A Star Wars Andor Podcast,' each week our hosts will recap and review the latest “Andor” episode and welcome cast members and creatives from the show to discuss all things “Andor” and maybe a few other “Star Wars” properties. For the uninitiated, “Andor” serves as a prequel to “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story,” which itself was set just before the events of “Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope.” The series follows Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) five years before he meets Jyn Erso and the gang, as he finds himself thrust into the middle of a budding rebel cell that has plans to put a stick in the Empire’s eye. The show also stars Stellan Skarsgard, Genevieve O’Reilly, Adria Arjona, Kyle Soller, Fiona Shaw, and more. In the first episode of The Rogue Ones, DeAngelo and Perez break down their thoughts on the initial three episodes that dropped today on Disney+. After the discussion, two stars from the series, Kyle Soller (who plays the Imperial adjacent Syril Karn) and Adria Arjona (who plays Cassian Andor's ally Bix Caleen), drop by to chat about getting their roles, what sets “Andor” apart from other “Star Wars” shows and films, and their favorite films in the “Star Wars” canon. Remember to check out more stories, news, reviews, interviews, and more at ThePlaylist.net, subscribe to our newsletter, and check out more of our Playlist Podcast interviews here.

Letitia Wright has been in some of the biggest films of all time, playing a superhero for Marvel Studios. But her role in the new film, “The Silent Twins,” might have been one of the most intense productions she has experienced in her career, thus far. And in this episode of The Playlist Podcast, I had the opportunity to talk to Wright about her role in “The Silent Twins,” as well as one of the most anticipated films of the year, “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.” Remember to check out more stories, news, reviews, interviews, and more at ThePlaylist.net, subscribe to our newsletter, and check out more of our Playlist Podcast interviews here.

In today’s episode of The Discourse, host Mike DeAngelo puts on his “investigative reporter of some repute” hat and talks Miramax’s latest release, “Confess, Fletch,” with the director Greg Mottola (“Superbad,” “Adventureland”) and star Jon Hamm (“Mad Men,” “Top Gun: Maverick”) In the film, Fletch (Hamm) finds himself as the prime suspect for a murder investigation, requiring him to revive his own investigative skills in order to track down the real murderer and his new girlfriend’s art collection. READ MORE: ‘Confess, Fletch’ Review: A High-Spirited Sequel Returns the Character to His Literary Roots During the chat, Hamm discussed how they got the project off the ground when so many before them had failed miserably to do so, and obviously, both of them talked about the decision to move on without the great Chevy Chase. Remember to check out more stories, news, reviews, interviews, and more at ThePlaylist.net, subscribe to our newsletter, and check out more of our Playlist Podcast interviews here.

In today’s episode of The Discourse, host Mike DeAngelo sets his sights on Searchlight Pictures latest release, “See How They Run” with the star of the film, and Academy Award Winner, Sam Rockwell. In the film, Rockwell plays Inspector Stoppard, who, along with a rookie partner (Saoirse Ronan), must investigate a murder that just so happens to take place within a production of an Agatha Christie play. The often funny, meta who-done it film is directed by Tom George and also stars Ruth Wilson, Adrien Brody, David Oyelowo, Harris Dickinson, and more. READ MORE: Joe Dante Talks Almost Making The Original ‘Batman’ Film & How He Wanted John Lithgow To Play The Joker During the chat, Sam Rockwell shared the reason he decided to take the role of Inspector Stoppard, talked a bit about resisting his Marvel role, and appearing in Rockwell can be seen next in director Matthew Vaughn’s latest spy movie, “Argylle.”

In today’s episode of The Discourse, host Mike DeAngelo goes back in time to explore all of the nooks and crannies of filmmaker Joe Dante’s film career with the director himself, who is currently out promoting his Scream Factory and Shout Factory TV takeover entitled, “Joe Dante’s Film Inferno.” During the takeover, Dante will introduce and guide you through 7 underrated classic feature films from the Shout Factory/Scream Factory catalog, including films like Roger Corman’s “Attack of the Crab Monsters,” William Castle's “House on Haunted Hill,” and more. Dante discussed the origins of "Gremlins" (meant to be a low-budget horror at first before Steven Spielberg got eyes on it) and a bunch of projects that almost happened, like his unproduced “Jaws” sequel, his “Halloween III” and even his version of “Batman” before Michael Keaton and Tim Burton were brought on. Remember to check out more stories, news, reviews, interviews, and more at ThePlaylist.net, subscribe to our newsletter, and check out more of our Playlist Podcast interviews here.

One of Hollywood’s foremost chroniclers of obsession and a legendary obsessive himself, David Fincher has made serial killers and their pursuers centerpieces of his career in “Se7en” (1995), “Zodiac” (2007) and “The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo” (2011). Ahead of Fincher's 60th birthday, Be Reel investigates all the absurd kinship, crippling loneliness and gallows humor at the dark heart of Fincher’s career-defining murder mysteries.

In this episode of The Discourse Podcast, we talk to actress Alison Brie (“Community”) and director Jeff Baena (“The Little Hours”), both of whom are currently out promoting their latest project that they co-wrote together, “Spin Me Round.” It's their third collaboration following "The Little Hours" (2017) and "Horse Girl" (2020), the latter of which Brie starred in and co-wrote. “Spin Me Round” stars Alison Brie as a manager of a well-known Italian chain restaurant who wins an all-expenses-paid getaway to the restaurant’s “institute” outside of Florence, Italy. While there, she meets and has a brief romance with the charismatic owner of the chain and slips into a potentially sinister unraveling of her trip. The film has a jam-packed cast filled with comedic heavy-hitters like Aubrey Plaza (who happens to be Baena's wife), Fred Armisen, Tim Heidecker, Molly Shannon, Debby Ryan, Tricia Helfer, and Alessandro Nivola. Remember to check out more stories, news, reviews, interviews, and more at ThePlaylist.net, subscribe to our newsletter, and check out more of our Playlist Podcast interviews here.