Reel Confessions: David Wain

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1. 

   27 Aug 2026 · 1 hr 13 min

   Interview with the Vampire

   Paul and Amy sink their teeth into Interview with the Vampire, the movie project that spent nearly two decades trying to make it to the screen. They trace Anne Rice’s fiercely specific vision, unpack the unexpected pairing of Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise, and explore how a controversial casting choice became a box-office smash. Along the way, they dig into the film’s lush gothic style, its unmistakable queer subtext, and the complicated relationship at the heart of this very glamorous vampire saga. You can join the Unspooled conversation on Paul’s Discord at https://discord.gg/ZwtygZGTa6 Follow…

2. 

   20 Aug 2026 · 55 min

   Reel Confessions: Josh Greenbaum

   Director, screenwriter, and producer Josh Greenbaum enters the Reel Confessions booth to spill his movie hot takes (and a few opinions that might get him kicked out of the theater). 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 Recollections of Trauma is out now! Find it at https://www.harpercollins.com/products/joyful-recollections-of-trauma-paul-scheer Check out more of Paul's writing…

3. 

   13 Aug 2026 · 1 hr 8 min

   O Brother, Where Art Thou?

   Paul and Amy head down to the Mississippi Delta with O Brother, Where Art Thou?, the Coen Brothers’ Depression-era odyssey that transformed Homer’s epic into a bluegrass-fueled American fable. They unpack George Clooney’s career-defining comedic turn, the film’s groundbreaking digital look, and the skillful way the Coens balance myth, music, and absurdity. 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/…

4. 

   6 Aug 2026 · 1 hr 11 min

   Rerun: Wet Hot American Summer

   To celebrate the 25th anniversary theatrical re-release of Wet Hot American Summer, we're revisiting Paul and Amy’s deep dive into the beloved cult comedy. They trace the film’s scrappy journey from The State to Camp Towanda, unpack its stacked cast of future stars, and explore how a box-office flop became one of the most influential comedies of its generation. 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/…

5. 

   30 Jul 2026 · 1 hr 22 min

   Drive

   Paul and Amy hit the gas with Drive, Nicolas Winding Refn’s hypnotic neo-noir that transformed a would-be studio action movie into one of the defining films of the 2010s. They trace the unlikely collaboration between Refn and Ryan Gosling, unpack the film’s dreamlike blend of pop music, brutal violence, and Los Angeles noir, and revisit the movie’s famously misleading marketing. 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/…

6. 

   25 Jul 2026 · 1 hr 4 min

   The Odyssey (with Lucas Matthew Herchenroeder)

   Amy drops an emergency Unspooled episode to unpack Christopher Nolan’s epic take on The Odyssey, joined by USC classics professor Lucas Herrenroeder. Together they compare Homer’s original poem with Nolan’s bold reinterpretation, exploring everything from its Bronze Age authenticity and towering Cyclops sequence to the film’s treatment of Circe, the sirens, and the gods themselves. Along the way, they debate what Nolan changes, what he leaves behind, and how his version reframes Odysseus as a flawed hero. You can join the Unspooled conversation on Paul’s Discord at…

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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