Close Encounters of the Third Kind

More from Unspooled

1. 

   9 Jul 2026 · 1 hr 34 min

   The Muppet Movie (with BenDavid Grabinski)

   While Amy's away, Paul welcomes writer-director BenDavid Grabinski for a Critics’ Choice celebrating The Muppet Movie. Together they revisit Jim Henson’s big-screen breakthrough, exploring how its blend of heartfelt storytelling, meta Hollywood satire, groundbreaking puppetry, and unforgettable songs turned a road trip with a frog into one of cinema’s most magical family films. You can join the Unspooled conversation on Paul’s Discord at https://discord.gg/ZwtygZGTa6 Follow Paul and Amy on Letterboxd for more of their movie hot takes! https://letterboxd.com/paulscheer/…

2. 

   2 Jul 2026 · 1 hr 12 min

   Gremlins

   Paul and Amy unwrap Gremlins, Joe Dante’s delightfully chaotic holiday classic that proved cute can turn catastrophic in the blink of an eye. They trace the film’s journey from Chris Columbus’s much darker original script to Spielberg’s Amblin-produced crowd-pleaser, and unpack the inspired decision to keep Gizmo a hero instead of remaining a villain. Along the way, they explore the film’s sharp satire of consumerism, suburbia, and media overload, celebrate its groundbreaking practical effects, and revisit the PG-rated mayhem that helped give birth to the PG-13 rating. You can join the…

3. 

   25 Jun 2026 · 1 hr 24 min

   Nope

   Paul and Amy continue their alien-movie streak alive with Nope, Jordan Peele’s ambitious sci-fi spectacle. They revisit the Haywood siblings’ quest to capture the impossible on camera, celebrate Keke Palmer’s star-making performance, and unpack the unforgettable menace of Jean Jacket, one of the most original movie monsters in recent memory. You can join the Unspooled conversation on Paul’s Discord at https://discord.gg/ZwtygZGTa6 Follow Paul and Amy on Letterboxd for more of their movie hot takes! https://letterboxd.com/paulscheer/ https://letterboxd.com/theamynicholson/ Paul’s book Joyful…

4. 

   11 Jun 2026 · 1 hr 16 min

   Die Hard 2 (with Jorma Taccone)

   With Amy reporting from Cannes, Paul welcomes Jorma Taccone for a Dealer’s Choice episode on Die Hard 2, the explosive sequel that takes John McClane to a snowbound airport under siege. Together they make the case for one of action cinema’s most underrated follow-ups, celebrating Bruce Willis’s swagger, Renny Harlin’s direction, and the sequel’s knack for escalating the stakes without losing sight of character. They also dive into the film's practical effects, memorable villains, and why Die Hard 2 remains a textbook example of how to go bigger without breaking what made the original work.…

5. 

   4 Jun 2026 · 1 hr 8 min

   Josie and the Pussycats (with Joanna Robinson)

   While Amy is off at Cannes, Paul welcomes Joanna Robinson for an Unspooled Critics’ Choice episode on Josie and the Pussycats, the 2001 musical comedy that was lightyears ahead of its time. They revisit Harry Elfont and Deborah Kaplan’s razor-sharp satire of pop music, consumer culture, and corporate branding and unpack how a movie stuffed with logos became one of Hollywood’s smartest critiques of marketing. Along the way, they celebrate the infectious soundtrack, the pitch-perfect performances, and explore how a box-office disappointment can transform into a beloved cult classic. You can…

6. 

   28 May 2026 · 1 hr 16 min

   The Baby-Sitters Club (with Rob Anderson)

   Paul and Rob Anderson takes the reins for a Critics’ Choice episode with shining a spotlight on The Baby-Sitters Club, the earnest, deeply ’90s adaptation of Ann M. Martin’s beloved books that deserves far more respect. Together they revisit Stoneybrook’s summer adventures, from camp drama and crushes to heavier themes like divorce, class, body image, and responsibility, while celebrating the film’s stacked young cast and cozy suburban charm. Along the way, Rob unpacks why the movie’s “girlhood” resonated so deeply with him, as the two debate the film’s awkward romances, Stacey’s diabetes…

7. 

   8 Oct 2026 · 1 hr 14 minNew

   Hereditary (with David Ehrlich)

   This week Amy sits down with IndieWire film critic David Ehrlich to talk about Ari Aster's chilling debut, Hereditary. The two recall their unforgettable first screening at Sundance and explore how the film transforms family trauma, grief, and generational guilt into a movie that helped establish A24 as a defining force in modern horror. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

8. 

   1 Oct 2026 · 1 hr 10 min

   Salt (with Ira Madison III)

   Amy welcomes Ira Madison III to go undercover with Salt, the 2010 spy thriller that gave Angelina Jolie a chance to go full action hero. They dig into the movie’s wild development, from a Tom Cruise vehicle about “Edwin A. Salt” to Jolie’s gender-swapped Evelyn Salt, and celebrate the practical stunts, shifting loyalties, and increasingly bonkers twists that make the movie such a fun ride. You can join the Unspooled conversation on Paul’s Discord at https://discord.gg/ZwtygZGTa6 Follow Paul and Amy on Letterboxd for more of their movie hot takes! https://letterboxd.com/paulscheer/…

9. 

   24 Sep 2026 · 1 hr 22 min

   Almost Famous (with Alan Sepinwall)

   With Paul away, Amy hits the road with TV critic and former Rolling Stone writer Alan Sepinwall to revisit Cameron Crowe’s Almost Famous, the coming-of-age rock movie about a teenage journalist, a very complicated band, and the blurry line between access and honesty. They dig into Crowe’s autobiographical story, the film’s legendary cast, and its many musical highs, while exploring what it means to be a critic when you’re also a fan. Along the way, Amy and Alan debate Lester Bangs’ advice, the power critics have to shape what becomes canon, and why Almost Famous remains one of the great…

10. 

    17 Sep 2026 · 1 hr 20 min

    Beyond the Valley of the Dolls (with Julie Klausner)

    While Paul is away, Amy welcomes comedian and writer Julie Klausner to dive into Beyond the Valley of the Dolls, Russ Meyer’s gloriously outrageous collision of sex, drugs, rock and roll, and barely contained chaos. Originally conceived as a sequel to Valley of the Dolls, the film evolved into something far stranger, dropping three aspiring stars into a debaucherous version of Los Angeles. Amy and Julie dig into Roger Ebert’s unlikely screenwriting career, Jacqueline Susann’s $10 million lawsuit, and whether there’s anything remotely feminist underneath all that sexploitation. Listen to How…

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