Reading Between the Reels: Film analysis with snark and heart

RBR #86: “Fellowship of the Ring”

Fellowship of the Ring is the first installment in the incredibly successful and critically acclaimed Lord of the Rings movie trilogy by Peter Jackson. For this episode, we bring in our friend and lover-of-all-things-Tolkien Andrew Clark to discuss why the film works so well and how it continues to have an impact on popular culture.

#StarWarsPodcastDay Bonus Episode: “Attack of the Clones” (Re-Release)

For this year’s #StarWarsPodcastDay, we go back into the archives for one of our first deconstructions and revisit an early episode of “Coruscant Community College” in which we break down Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones.

RBR #85: “Mr. & Mrs. Smith”

Mr. & Mrs. Smith is a 2005 action-comedy that follows a seemingly ordinary married couple, portrayed by Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, who are unaware that they are both highly skilled assassins working for rival agencies. With Amazon Prime Video rebooting the franchise as a streaming series, we revisit the original film and discuss the charismatic performances, humor, and thrilling action sequences.

RBR #84: “Top 5 Movies”

To kick off 2024, we each share our Top 5 Movies of all time. It’s a fun episode, and one full of surprises.

RBR #83: “Aquaman”

Aquaman is a 2018 superhero film starring Jason Momoa that became DC’s highest grossing movie. With Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom hitting theaters this week and officially wrapping up the Snyderverse, we take a look back at the original film’s stunning visual effects, epic underwater battles, and themes of identity, heritage, and the responsibility that comes with wielding immense power.

RBR #82: “Raiders of the Lost Ark”

Raiders of the Lost Ark is a classic 1981 adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg and starring Harrison Ford as the iconic archaeologist Indiana Jones. On this episode, Thomas Riddle (“Adventures in Learning with Indiana Jones,” “Imagineering Education,” “Star Wars in the Classroom”) joins us to discuss why it’s considered one of the all-time great movies. 

RBR #81: “The Hunger Games”

The Hunger Games is a dystopian science fiction film directed by Gary Ross, based on Suzanne Collins' best-selling novel of the same name. With its prequel The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes hitting theaters this week, we examine the 2012 movie’s technical aspects and discuss its themes of inequality, survival, and resistance.

RBR #80: “Highlander”

Highlander is a 1986 fantasy movie that explores the themes of immortality, destiny, and the price of eternal life. On this episode, we look back at the cult classic film and analyze its dynamic cinematography, fascinating characters, dense mythology, and iconic soundtrack featuring several songs by the band Queen.