Kate Chambers Archives -

THE STUNT DRIVER MOVIE REVIEW Some men chase fame. Some chase fortune. And some strap themselves into a rocket-powered Lincoln Continental and attempt to jump the St. Lawrence River at 280 miles per hour. Because dying of old age is for quitters. Based on the spectacularly outrageous true story of Canadian daredevil Ken Carter, The […]

FINAL FANTASTIC FIVESOME FORUM I know we have been pretty exhaustive this year (and most years) with our coverage of our favorite movie festival Fantastic Fest. Promise, this is the last thing we’re putting up for it this year. But it’s a big one. We get five of our attending critics, Chris, Wright, Martin, Mike, […]

ADULT SUPERVISION MOVIE REVIEW In this Swedish entry this year for Best International Feature Film at the Oscars, we get to explore trauma in a different way then we’re used to seeing it of late (in horror movie after horror movie, natch). In Adult Supervision, three dads are roped into being chaperones for their daughters […]

THE SPIRAL MOVIE REVIEW Coming off a run at some other major festivals and the announcement that it will be the Italian entry for Best International Feature Film at the upcoming Academy Awards, The Spiral is getting a lot of discussion right now. From a young Italian director Paolo Strippoli who has already gotten lots […]

THE WEIGHT MOVIE REVIEW Long time producer and editor Padraic McKinley (The Good Lord Bird) makes his directorial debut in The Weight, a new thriller set during the height of the Great Depression. Ethan Hawk plays Samuel Murphy, an unemployed widower with a young daughter, Penny (Ava Berry). When Samuel is wrongfully imprisoned, he’s sentenced […]

MY ADVENTURES WITH SUPERMAN SEASON 3 REVIEW Look up in the sky! It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s a lot of anime references!? Season three of My Adventures with Superman stars Jack Quaid as the titular character, Superman! After saving the world from an evil alien invasion led by the methodically apathetic dictator Brainiac, […]

AVATAR AANG: THE LAST AIRBENDER MOVIE REVIEW Water. Earth. Fire. Air. 20 years after Nickelodeon gave us one of the greatest TV series of all-time, Team Avatar is back to the beloved animated continuity, catching up with an older Aang, Katara, Sokka, Toph, and Zuko as they navigate a world still healing from the Hundred […]

CAPE FEAR SERIES REVIEW Based on John D. MacDonald’s 1957 novel The Executioners, and later adapted for the big screen in 1962 and 1991, Cape Fear introduced audiences to one of cinema’s most memorable monsters, Max Cady, a vengeful ex-con terrorizing the innocent Bowden family. Both the source novel and the original film were lean […]

LITTLE BROTHER MOVIE REVIEW Everyone has that one person who mistakes “You’re welcome anytime” for a legally binding contract. Little Brother joins the “proud” tradition of unwanted-guest comedies like What About Bob? and Jack & Jill, as a successful real estate agent’s carefully curated life is turned upside down when the eccentric “little brother” from […]

SPIDER-MAN: BRAND NEW DAY After the spell caused everyone to forget who he is, Peter (Tom Holland) has fully submerged himself in being Spider-Man all of the time. Constantly on the prowl for crime, he still is haunted by the loss of his friendship with Ned (Jacob Batalon) and his girlfriend M.J. (Zendaya) who are […]

DISCLOSURE DAY MOVIE REVIEW It’s easy to be cynical of any art designed to move you in this age of deceit and the dying of empathy. Which is why you gotta bring out the big guns like Steven Spielberg to make a movie pleading for a sane return to empathy and truth. The best way […]

SWAPPED MOVIE REVIEW Michael B. Jordan once said “That’s one of the fun parts of becoming an actor. You can become whoever you want to be.” After many acclaimed live action roles, including his oscar winning performances as twins named Smoke and Stack, Michael B. Jordan is giving his talents and voice to an animated […]

TRASH IN THE CAN: ANGUISH This week, the boys descend into the eye-popping nightmare of 1987’s Anguish. Joined by One of Us podcaster Kate “Gate” Chambers, they unpack a horror movie so deeply obsessed with mothers, milk, and murder that Freud would’ve demanded a writing credit. Plus, there’s a twist so wild we can’t spoil […]

FORBIDDEN FRUITS MOVIE REVIEW The online discourse (in some disturbing corners) says you should pass on cinema made for and by women in the industry. That wouldn’t be very fetch of you, no cap. If you thought that was cringe, that’s because an adult wrote it after googling “Is Gen Z a thing, how does […]

THE MORTUARY ASSISTANT MOVIE REVIEW Based on the video game of the same name, The Mortuary Assistant stars Willa Holland as Rebecca, a young woman with a troubled past who has just completed her training as a mortician. One night, her boss, the mysterious Mr. Delver (Paul Sparks), asks her in to come in and […]

DREAMS MOVIE REVIEW Whenever I see a movie about marginalized groups of people in pursuit of a better life, I am tempted to quote Steinbeck and the nightmare that is the American dream. I’m not going to do that to introduce this film though I will quote the character Professor Walter Vale played by Richard […]

THIS IS NOT A TEST MOVIE REVIEW Suburban living can be tough when your dad won’t get off your back about skipping class, and your Mom isn’t around to provide that parental balance, and your older sister bailed on the family. The only thing worse than that kind of anxiety is the emergency broadcast system […]

WUTHERING HEIGHTS MOVIE REVIEW There have been a LOT of film and tv adaptations of Wuthering Heights, author Emily Bronte’s single novel from 1847. It’s been translated into different languages, different settings, times, and genres. Like a lot of romantic dramas, the love story is deeply problematic in the sense that these are two very […]

PILLION MOVIE REVIEW One of the biggest award winning and best reviewed films of 2025 was one that might not be on your radar at all. With an American release from A24 this directorial debut by Harry Lighton has garnered lots of attention in the indie cinema world. But why have you not heard about […]

HEART/FELT – SINCERITY AMIDST ABSURDITY: MUPPET TREASURE ISLAND In this episode of Heart/Felt, I’m joined by One Of Us critic, Kate Chambers, to revisit Muppet Treasure Island. We explore how the film blends wild comedy with genuine emotional stakes, why Tim Curry’s Long John Silver grounds the chaos, and how the Muppets honor classic storytelling […]

OBEX MOVIE REVIEW OBEX, the latest film from multi-hyphenate artist Albert Birney, is set in the pre-internet days of the 1980s. In addition to writing and directing, Birney also stars as Conor, a computer nerd and shut-in who lives alone with his dog Sandy. One day, intrigued by an ad, Conor orders a copy of […]

BEST OF 2025 PART ONE We always try to do something a little different every year with our Best Of The Year shows. This year, we decided to get together just the Austin-based folks for a sorta mini-Gathering series of podcasts to take on the best of TV, Film, and Videogames of 2025. The conceit […]

NE ZHA 2 MOVIE REVIEW Ne Zha, the story of a rebellious and powerful child deity in Chinese mythology with origins in Buddhist lore, has been interpreted and adapted throughout the centuries through word of mouth, written folk lore, and like all the best myths, adapted to the silver screen. Therefore it is no surprise […]

WAKE UP DEAD MAN: A KNIVES OUT MYSTERY MOVIE REVIEW The greatest detective of the 21st century is back with a new mystery, once again written and directed by Rian Johnson and starring Daniel Craig as the quirky Benoit Blanc. This time, he is looking into a ‘locked room’ murder; an arrogant and narcissistic priest […]

WICKED: FOR GOOD MOVIE REVIEW The most anticipated movie of the year (by studios hoping to pay for the rest of the year’s screwups by this paying for it) is here. The celebrated musical adapted from a book which was a reimagining of the movie which was based on a book has now concluded (?) […]

BALLAD OF A SMALL PLAYER MOVIE REVIEW Did you know that there are other casinos in the world and Las Vegas doesn’t corner the market on gambling? It’s true! Also the tables offer more than poker and blackjack. That’s right, sometimes the cards are used for a game called baccarat. It’s a simple game in […]

A HOUSE OF DYNAMITE MOVIE REVIEW Tony Scott’s Crimson Tide. John Woo’s Broken Arrow. Heck, even Michael Bay’s The Rock. What do these films have in common? Bad men have THE BOMB and they are threatening to launch. Okay, Gene Hackman as a bad man in Crimson Tide is sort of debatable but that’s what […]

THE HAND THAT ROCKS THE CRADLE MOVIE REVIEW In the 1992 film The Hand that Rocks the Cradle, fictional character Peyton Flanders said “When your husband makes love to you, it’s *my* face he sees. When your baby’s hungry, it’s *my* breast that feeds him. Look at you! When push comes to shove… you can’t […]

STAY MOVIE REVIEW One of the most famous and spooky scary EVP’s (Electronic Voice Phenomenon) ever documented was the phrase “Get out of my house”. Often a haunted house tale is a story of a restless spirit that doesn’t want anyone in its space and someone figuring out why it’s so restless. Move on? I […]

PEACEMAKER SEASON 2 REVIEW Who would have guessed that a D list superhero like Chris Smith AKA Peacemaker would be the cornerstone of DC Comics latest cinematic universe, or that the role would offer former wrestler turned actor John Cena the meatiest role of his career, thus far? Nobody, that’s who. And yet here we […]

THE MAN IN MY BASEMENT MOVIE REVIEW Charles (Corey Hawkins) has fallen on the worst of times in the most apathetic of decades, the 90s. He doesn’t have a job, the bank is continually threatening to foreclose on his house, and he is burdened with a past full of trauma and anger. His ancestral domicile […]

ALIEN: EARTH SERIES REVIEW The common online geek response to a hyped up writer/director being giving the reins to a beloved classic sci-fi franchise is “get away from her you bitch!”. With a track record that includes the Legion and Fargo TV Series, at least some geeks were excited to give Noah Hawley a crack […]

THE TOXIC AVENGER MOVIE REVIEW The janitor becomes the hero, the mop becomes the weapon, and the toxic sludge becomes… well, a makeover. The Toxic Avenger returns in a reimagined reboot of the cult classic, telling the story of Winston (Peter Dinklage), an everyman who finds himself transformed into a grotesque but oddly noble vigilante […]

WHAT WE HIDE MOVIE REVIEW When it comes to raising a family there’s a lot hidden from the children as they come of age, and a lot to teach about what we hide from others when it comes to maintaining innocence and the beauty of childlike wonder. Easter eggs in the spring or the messiness […]

STRANGE HARVEST MOVIE REVIEW When it comes to successful harvesting, all you need is a strong work ethic, a team of farmers dedicated to the crop, and a handful of teachers with patience to cultivate the next generation of harvesters. This is community, this is life. Every once in a while though that community turns […]

HELL MOTEL SERIES REVIEW It’s a dark and stormy night and you’ll never make it to your final destination on these roads. Better check into a motel for the night. It would be quite unfortunate if that was your final destination after all! What you never know about these seedy looking places just off the […]

MONSTER ISLAND MOVIE REVIEW Secluded island paradise? Yes please? Oh wait a sec, it’s in the middle of WWII and instead of a getaway you’re a marooned castaway, chained to an enemy soldier. Maybe not such a great vacation. What could be worse than that? How about a creature from the black lagoon? Monster Island […]

EDDINGTON MOVIE REVIEW No matter how much some of us may want it, Ari Aster seems to be done with horror for now. He certainly isn’t done with horrifying though. His latest film Eddington reteams him with Joaquin Phoenix, this time playing Joe Cross, the sheriff of the titular small town in New Mexico. When […]

ESCAPE FROM THE 21ST CENTURY MOVIE REVIEW Another turning point, a fork stuck in the road, but what if time didn’t grab you by the wrist and direct you where to go? What if time violently chucked you 20 years into the future every time you sneezed? Written and directed by Yang Li, Escape from […]

F1 MOVIE REVIEW In this day and age of trademarked products being made into gigantic Hollywood films, it’s at least a little surprising that Formula 1 Racing took this long to get into the act. At least since 2013’s Rush anyway, but never quite so proudly branded as F1 (and to a great deal, paid […]