1-Week Rental | Behind the Scenes Film Analysis

Load Bearing Beams | Pop Culture & Film Analysis
  • 5.0 (32)
  • TV & Film
  • Biweekly

Behind the scenes look at a beloved movie every week, followed by an in-depth review and discussion, giving film lovers and pop culture enthusiasts a complete deep dive with every episode. Matt Stokes and Laci Roth rent a movie from the video store, spend the week obsessing over it, and then tell you all about it. They spend the week watching, re-watching, researching, reading interviews, and reading the source material of the week's movie. Whether it's a blockbuster from the past, an all-time flop, or a cult classic, they unpack the history behind its production and the people who made it, then discuss, review, and make fun of the movie itself. New episodes every Friday. Formerly known as Load Bearing Beams.

  1. 5d ago

    212. Ready Or Not (2019) | Diving Deep Into Radio Silence's Horror-Comedy Classic | Behind The Scenes Of Ready Or Not | Film Analysis Of Ready Or Not

    1-Shriek Rental 2026 concludes with a long look at the absolute blast that is Ready Or Not. When Grace (Samara Weaving) marries the man of her dreams, she's stunned to learn that on her wedding night, it's his family's tradition to hunt the bride for sport. But her loss is our gain because folks, this movie's a bloody delight. We tell you all about the filmmaking collective that made it, Radio Silence, and their long history on YouTube. They paved the way for your Curry Barkers and Kane Parsonses making movies like Obsession and Backrooms today. And in the movie discussion, we compare how realistic this bloody game of Hide and Seek is compared to how it played out on our wedding night when this exact same thing happened to Laci Goth.  Watch this Ready Or Not podcast in full on YouTube: https://youtu.be/EkLZf-Hqag4  Next week (November 6, 2026): Muriel's Wedding (1994)!   Time stamps: 00:08:30 — History segment: The Radio Silence filmmaking collective and its predecessor, Chad, Matt & Rob and their early YouTube viral success; production of Ready Or Not and casting of Samara Weaving 00:32:40 — Movie discussion + Ready Or Not film analysis 01:34:55 — Star ratings + final review of Ready Or Not READY OR NOT (2019) was written by Guy Busick and R. Christopher Murphy and directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett. Starring Samara Weaving, Mark O'Brien, Adam Brody, Henry Czerny, Andie MacDowell, Elyse Levesque, and Nicky Guadagni.   Sources: "Ready or Not: Radio Silence on Its Hide and Seek Nightmare" by Matthew Schuchman | Den Of Geek (2019) - https://bit.ly/4ssRJXl  "Analyzing READY OR NOT with the filmmaking collective known as Radio Silence" by Edward Douglas | The Beat (2019) - https://bit.ly/47JQFEU    Transcript: https://1weekrentalpod.com/2026/10/ready-or-not/#transcript  Artwork by Laci Roth.     Matt has two monthly spin-off podcasts: PodJob: A James Bond Podcast | Check it out on Apple Podcast (https://bit.ly/4jRL2K1), Spotify (https://bit.ly/4a8jM6E), and YouTube (https://youtube.com/@podjob007). The Sign Post Up Ahead: A Twilight Zone Recap Podcast | Check it out on Apple Podcast (https://bit.ly/4gXjtiR), Spotify (https://bit.ly/4gTE8Ev), and YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@TheSignPostUpAhead)    Music by Rural Route Nine. Listen to their album The Joy of Averages on Spotify (https://bit.ly/48WBtUa), Apple Music (https://bit.ly/3Q6kOVC), or YouTube (https://bit.ly/3MbU6tC).   Songs by Rural Route Nine in this episode: "Winston-Salem" - https://youtu.be/-acMutUf8IM "Snake Drama" - https://youtu.be/xrzz8_2Mqkg "The Bible Towers of Bluebonnet" - https://youtu.be/k7wlxTGGEIQ    Follow 1-Week Rental, a movie podcast: Twitter: @1weekrental | @MattStokes9 | @LRothConcepts Facebook: @1weekrental Instagram: @1weekrental TikTok: @1weekrental | @mattstokes9 Letterboxd: @loadbearinglaci | @mattstokes9 Bluesky: @1weekrental.bsky.social   1-Week Rental used to be Load Bearing Beams.   *Elizabeth, the bride of Frankenstein in Bride of Frankenstein (1935).

    212. Ready Or Not (2019) | Diving Deep Into Radio Silence's Horror-Comedy Classic | Behind The Scenes Of Ready Or Not | Film Analysis Of Ready Or Not

  2. Oct 23

    211. Us (2019) | A Long Look At Jordan Peele's Doppelgänger Horror-Comedy | Behind The Scenes Of Us | Us Explained

    Jordan Peele followed up his first film, the phenomenally successful Get Out, with an even more ambitious horror-comedy that ended up being way more divisive, even as it too became an enormous hit. At the time, Matt called it his favorite horror film of the 2010s. Does he still feel the same? How does Laci feel? Does this movie play differently seven years later? Do we still feel like the Tethered mean what we thought they meant back then? And how does this all lead back to Jordan Peele's love of The Twilight Zone? All that and more in the penultimate edition of 1-Shriek Rental 2026.  Watch this Us podcast in full on YouTube: https://youtu.be/xzylUHN4uXg  Next week (October 30, 2026): Ready Or Not (2019)!   Time stamps: 00:10:30 — History segment: Jordan Peele's pressure to follow up Get Out; initial idea for Us; doppelgängers; casting Lupita Nyong'o; reception and success of Us 00:40:50 — Movie discussion + Us film analysis 01:55:25 — Star ratings + final review of Us US (2019) was written and directed by Jordan Peele. Starring Lupita Nyong'o, Winston Duke, Shahadi Wright Joseph, Evan Alex, Tim Heidecker, Elisabeth Moss, Madison Curry, Anna Diop, and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II.   Sources: "The All-American Nightmares of Jordan Peele" by Brian Hiatt | Rolling Stone (2019) - https://bit.ly/4si6OuP "Jordan Peele on Us: 'This is a very different movie from Get Out'" by Steve Rose | The Guardian (2019) - https://bit.ly/4i4l1Xj  "The Myths Behind Jordan Peele's 'Us'" by Aaron Sagers | The Hollywood Reporter (2019) - https://bit.ly/4k5Cm4O  "Us Composer Michael Abels on Working With Jordan Peele, Writing "Nonsense" Lyrics, and the Film's Musical Easter Eggs" by Natalia Winkelman | Slate (2019) - https://bit.ly/3TQHJud    Transcript: https://1weekrentalpod.com/2026/10/us/#transcript  Artwork by Laci Roth.     Matt has two monthly spin-off podcasts: PodJob: A James Bond Podcast | Check it out on Apple Podcast (https://bit.ly/4jRL2K1), Spotify (https://bit.ly/4a8jM6E), and YouTube (https://youtube.com/@podjob007). The Sign Post Up Ahead: A Twilight Zone Recap Podcast | Check it out on Apple Podcast (https://bit.ly/4gXjtiR), Spotify (https://bit.ly/4gTE8Ev), and YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@TheSignPostUpAhead)    Music by Rural Route Nine. Listen to their album The Joy of Averages on Spotify (https://bit.ly/48WBtUa), Apple Music (https://bit.ly/3Q6kOVC), or YouTube (https://bit.ly/3MbU6tC).   Songs by Rural Route Nine in this episode: "Winston-Salem" - https://youtu.be/-acMutUf8IM "Snake Drama" - https://youtu.be/xrzz8_2Mqkg "The Bible Towers of Bluebonnet" - https://youtu.be/k7wlxTGGEIQ    Follow 1-Week Rental, a movie podcast: Twitter: @1weekrental | @MattStokes9 | @LRothConcepts Facebook: @1weekrental Instagram: @1weekrental TikTok: @1weekrental | @mattstokes9 Letterboxd: @loadbearinglaci | @mattstokes9 Bluesky: @1weekrental.bsky.social   1-Week Rental used to be Load Bearing Beams.   *Elizabeth, the bride of Frankenstein in Bride of Frankenstein (1935).

    211. Us (2019) | A Long Look At Jordan Peele's Doppelgänger Horror-Comedy | Behind The Scenes Of Us | Us Explained

  3. Oct 16

    Back next week with an episode about Jordan Peele's Us (2019)!

    Hey folks, 1-Shriek Rental is off today, and we'll return next week (Friday, Oct. 23, 2026) with an episode about Jordan Peele's 2019 doppelgänger horror/comedy Us.

    Back next week with an episode about Jordan Peele's Us (2019)!

  4. Oct 9

    210. The Purge (2013) | How A Low-Budget Home Invasion Film Spawned A Horror Mega-Franchise | Behind The Scenes Of The Purge | The Purge Movie Review

    This week on 1-Shriek Rental, Laci Elizabeth* Goth and Matt Chokes continue their examination of 2010s horror films by going through The Purge (2013). It's the best night of the year to buy and sell exotic reptiles. But what other crazy shenanigans happen in this movie? Well, it's mostly a home invasion story. But there's a reason for that! And we tell you all about it by going through the history of this movie and the larger franchise it spawned.  Watch this The Purge podcast in full on YouTubE: https://youtu.be/UbMWku0pdAc We are taking next week off, and will return on Friday, October 23, 2026 with an episode about Jordan Peele's Us (2019)!   Time stamps: 00:13:00 — History segment: How James DeMonaco had the idea for The Purge and built it into an enormous action/horror franchise 00:39:07 — Movie discussion + The Purge film analysis 01:31:42 — Star ratings + final review of The Purge THE PURGE (2013) was directed by Ethan Hawke, Lena Headey, Adelaide Kane, Max Burkholder, Edwin Hodge, Tony Oller, Rhys Wakefield, Chris Mulkey, and Arija Bareikis as Grace.   Sources: "An oral history of 'The Purge' franchise: From micro-horror breakout to Trump-era cautionary tale" by Sonaiya Kelley | The Los Angeles Times (2018) - https://bit.ly/4y5hBcO "'The Purge' Trilogy Director James Demonaco Talks About the Movies' Shocking Origin" by Robert DeSalvo | Fandango (2016) - https://bit.ly/4ASTXmA    Transcript: https://1weekrentalpod.com/2026/10/the-purge/#transcript  Artwork by Laci Roth.     Matt has two monthly spin-off podcasts: PodJob: A James Bond Podcast | Check it out on Apple Podcast (https://bit.ly/4jRL2K1), Spotify (https://bit.ly/4a8jM6E), and YouTube (https://youtube.com/@podjob007). The Sign Post Up Ahead: A Twilight Zone Recap Podcast | Check it out on Apple Podcast (https://bit.ly/4gXjtiR), Spotify (https://bit.ly/4gTE8Ev), and YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@TheSignPostUpAhead)    Music by Rural Route Nine. Listen to their album The Joy of Averages on Spotify (https://bit.ly/48WBtUa), Apple Music (https://bit.ly/3Q6kOVC), or YouTube (https://bit.ly/3MbU6tC).   Songs by Rural Route Nine in this episode: "Winston-Salem" - https://youtu.be/-acMutUf8IM "Snake Drama" - https://youtu.be/xrzz8_2Mqkg "The Bible Towers of Bluebonnet" - https://youtu.be/k7wlxTGGEIQ    Follow 1-Week Rental, a movie podcast: Twitter: @1weekrental | @MattStokes9 | @LRothConcepts Facebook: @1weekrental Instagram: @1weekrental TikTok: @1weekrental | @mattstokes9 Letterboxd: @loadbearinglaci | @mattstokes9 Bluesky: @1weekrental.bsky.social   1-Week Rental used to be Load Bearing Beams.   *Elizabeth, the bride of Frankenstein in Bride of Frankenstein (1935).

    210. The Purge (2013) | How A Low-Budget Home Invasion Film Spawned A Horror Mega-Franchise | Behind The Scenes Of The Purge | The Purge Movie Review

  5. Oct 2

    209. It Follows (2015) | Breaking Dawn One Of The Era's Defining Horror Films | Behind The Scenes Of It Follows | Analysis Of It Follows

    Welcome to 1-Shriek Rental, where your hosts Matt Chokes and Laci Elizabeth* Goth take you through horror films all through the month of October. And this October, Ms. Goth and Mr. Chokes are specifically taking a look at horror movies from the 2010s, starting first with 2015's word-of-mouth sensation It Follows. Writer/director David Robert Mitchell was inspired by recurring childhood dreams about being followed by an amorphous, slow threat. It's a deliciously simple idea: It moves slow, but it's never gonna stop moving toward you. It will be the thing that defines you, the thing you can never escape, the thing that will ruin your life and turn you into a bad person. And it's why we think this movie is actually a metaphor for getting a job. Watch this It Follows podcast in full on YouTube: https://youtu.be/48KBGjG8wzI   Next week (Oct. 9, 2026): The Purge (2013)!   Time stamps: 00:10:00 — History segment: Career overview of writer/director David Robert Mitchell; origins of It Follows; casting Maika Monroe; success and legacy of It Follows 00:43:15 — Movie discussion + It Follows film analysis 02:08:03 — Star ratings + final review of It Follows IT FOLLOWS (2015) was directed by David Robert Mitchell. Starring Maika Monroe, Keir Gilchrist, Lili Sepe, Olivia Luccardi, Daniel Zovatto, Jake Weary, and Bailey Spry as Annie.   Sources: "'It Follows': The Story Behind the Year's Creepiest Film" by David Fear | Rolling Stone (2015) - https://bit.ly/4d2GM8s "Exploring the horror of It Follows: David Robert Mitchell interview" by Ben Rawson-Jones | Digital Spy (2015) - https://bit.ly/4hvmg1D  "Maika Monroe balances acting with kiteboarding" by Lynn Hoppes | ESPN (2012) - https://bit.ly/4yESRcN  "Sundance It Girl Maika Monroe Won't be Going Back to Kiteboarding" by Daniel Schindel | Los Angeles Magazine (2015) - https://bit.ly/4yhTOav  "David Robert Mitchell Talks It Follows" by Drew Tinnin | Dread Central (2015) - https://bit.ly/4ym4RQ1  "Myth of the American Sleepover Director on Making a Gentler American Graffiti" by Brian Brooks | IndieWire (2011) - https://bit.ly/4ymhk6h  "The Yahoo Movies Interview: 'It Follows' Director David Robert Mitchell on His Surprise Horror Hit" by Gwynne Watkins | Yahoo! (2015) - https://yhoo.it/4xSaKUc    Transcript: https://1weekrentalpod.com/2026/10/it-follows/#transcript  Artwork by Laci Roth.     Matt has two monthly spin-off podcasts: PodJob: A James Bond Podcast | Check it out on Apple Podcast (https://bit.ly/4jRL2K1), Spotify (https://bit.ly/4a8jM6E), and YouTube (https://youtube.com/@podjob007). The Sign Post Up Ahead: A Twilight Zone Recap Podcast | Check it out on Apple Podcast (https://bit.ly/4gXjtiR), Spotify (https://bit.ly/4gTE8Ev), and YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@TheSignPostUpAhead)    Music by Rural Route Nine. Listen to their album The Joy of Averages on Spotify (https://bit.ly/48WBtUa), Apple Music (https://bit.ly/3Q6kOVC), or YouTube (https://bit.ly/3MbU6tC).   Songs by Rural Route Nine in this episode: "Winston-Salem" - https://youtu.be/-acMutUf8IM "Snake Drama" - https://youtu.be/xrzz8_2Mqkg "The Bible Towers of Bluebonnet" - https://youtu.be/k7wlxTGGEIQ    Follow 1-Week Rental, a movie podcast: Twitter: @1weekrental | @MattStokes9 | @LRothConcepts Facebook: @1weekrental Instagram: @1weekrental TikTok: @1weekrental | @mattstokes9 Letterboxd: @loadbearinglaci | @mattstokes9 Bluesky: @1weekrental.bsky.social   1-Week Rental used to be Load Bearing Beams.   *Elizabeth, the bride of Frankenstein in Bride of Frankenstein (1935).

    209. It Follows (2015) | Breaking Dawn One Of The Era's Defining Horror Films | Behind The Scenes Of It Follows | Analysis Of It Follows

  6. Sep 25

    208. The Brady Bunch Movie (1995) | How A Cheesy '70s Sitcom Was Revived In A Postmodern '90s Comedy Without Really Changing Anything | Behind The Scenes Of The Brady Bunch Movie

    We travel back in time to the perfect year, 1995, when nothing at all was bad about the world. And it was in that year that you would have met a family unstuck from time, the Bradys, who are here to make sure you have nothing but sunshine days. You might remember The Brady Bunch Movie as a movie that sticks it to the cheesy old '70s sitcom, that injects double entendres and crass humor into those squeaky-clean Bradys, but you will be surprised to find that this is basically an update of the show that mostly keeps the wholesomeness and sweetness, and it works beautifully. The story can now be told! We take you through the history of Brady Bunch ephemera, the weird TV movies and spin-offs that eventually lead to The Brady Bunch Movie and A Very Brady Sequel in the 1990s. Then we take you through The Brady Bunch Movie itself, celebrating its neato blending of past and present and refreshing lack of world-building. Just imagine what a Brady Bunch movie would be like if it were made today. It'd be 2 hours and 45 minutes long, it'd take an hour for you to meet a single Brady, the horse statue would be beneath a dusty old sheet, etc. Watch this Brady Bunch Movie podcast in full on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@1weekrental  Next week (Oct. 2, 2026): It Follows (2014)!   Time stamps: 00:16:05 — History segment: A brief history of The Brady Bunch TV series and the many revival attempts; the casting and production of The Brady Bunch Movie and A Very Brady Sequel 00:51:30 — Movie discussion + Brady Bunch Movie film analysis 01:59:12 — Star ratings + final review of Brady Bunch Movie THE BRADY BUNCH MOVIE (1995) was directed by Betty Thomas. Starring Gary Cole, Shelley Long, Christine Taylor, Jennifer Elise Cox, Christopher Daniel Barnes, Paul Sutera, Olivia Hack, Jesse Lee Soffer, Henriette Mantel, Michael McKean, Jean Smart, Alanna Ubach, and RuPaul as Mrs. Cummings the guidance counselor.    Sources: "'Sure, Jan': How 'A Very Brady Sequel' Became a Trippy, Quippy Cult Classic" by Ashley Spencer | Vice (2021) - https://bit.ly/4h4dRTS "The Way We All Became The Brady Bunch: How the Canceled Sitcom Became the Beloved Pop Culture Icon We Are Still Talking About Today" by Kimberly Potts (2019) - https://amzn.to/3TF2lVY "A very Brady book about the making of America's favorite TV family" by Jacqueline Cutler | New York Daily News (2019) - https://bit.ly/4heN0TS "New team to rewrite 'Brady'" by Andy Marx | Variety (1993) - https://bit.ly/4AsEZ6r    Transcript: https://1weekrentalpod.com/2026/09/brady-bunch-movie/#transcript  Artwork by Laci Roth.     Matt has two monthly spin-off podcasts: PodJob: A James Bond Podcast | Check it out on Apple Podcast (https://bit.ly/4jRL2K1), Spotify (https://bit.ly/4a8jM6E), and YouTube (https://youtube.com/@podjob007). The Sign Post Up Ahead: A Twilight Zone Recap Podcast | Check it out on Apple Podcast (https://bit.ly/4gXjtiR), Spotify (https://bit.ly/4gTE8Ev), and YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@TheSignPostUpAhead)    Music by Rural Route Nine. Listen to their album The Joy of Averages on Spotify (https://bit.ly/48WBtUa), Apple Music (https://bit.ly/3Q6kOVC), or YouTube (https://bit.ly/3MbU6tC).   Songs by Rural Route Nine in this episode: "Winston-Salem" - https://youtu.be/-acMutUf8IM "Snake Drama" - https://youtu.be/xrzz8_2Mqkg "The Bible Towers of Bluebonnet" - https://youtu.be/k7wlxTGGEIQ    Follow 1-Week Rental, a movie podcast: Twitter: @1weekrental | @MattStokes9 | @LRothConcepts Facebook: @1weekrental Instagram: @1weekrental TikTok: @1weekrental | @mattstokes9 Letterboxd: @loadbearinglaci | @mattstokes9 Bluesky: @1weekrental.bsky.social   1-Week Rental used to be Load Bearing Beams.

    208. The Brady Bunch Movie (1995) | How A Cheesy '70s Sitcom Was Revived In A Postmodern '90s Comedy Without Really Changing Anything | Behind The Scenes Of The Brady Bunch Movie

  7. Sep 18

    207. Clue (1985) | How A Beloved Board Game Was Turned Into A Cult Classic With Three Endings | Behind The Scenes Of Clue | Clue Movie Review

    Cashing in on well-known intellectual properties is by no means a new thing in Hollywood. Look all the way back to 1985, when Clue opened to disappointing box office with a confusing marketing gimmick of having three different endings. You could go see Clue A, Clue B, or Clue C. This was a bad idea, but today, all three endings are included in the film and follow, one after the other, and it's beautiful. If all IP cash-grabs were as great as the Clue movie, we'd have no problem with them! A loving tribute to classic screwball comedies with a brilliant cast that perfectly matches the material, all of it anchored by an extraordinary performance by the late, great Tim Curry. In the history segment, we take you through the gestation of this movie, from original director John Landis to final director Jonathan Lynn (of My Cousin Vinny and The Whole Nine Yards), to the casting of Carrie Fisher as Miss Scarlet before her dropping out to go to rehab, to the misguided marketing strategy to the disappointing box office and critical performance, to Clue's rediscovery on home video. Then in the movie discussion, we struggle to explain and keep track of everything that happens in this movie, so we instead debate whether what happens in a movie matters, and what does it mean to matter anyway?   Watch this Clue podcast in full on YouTube: https://youtu.be/g6g95ChsEWg  Next week (Sept. 25, 2026): The Brady Bunch Movie (1995)!   Time stamps: 00:13:05 — History segment: A brief history of Cluedo the board game; development of Clue movie under original director John Landis; Jonathan Lynn is hired as writer and later as director; casting the movie; the movie's ill-fated "three endings" gambit; cult film legacy of Clue 00:54:50 — Movie discussion + Clue film analysis 01:37:55 — Star ratings + final review of Clue CLUE (1985) was directed by Jonathan Lynn. Starring Tim Curry, Eileen Brennan, Madeline Kahn, Christopher Lloyd, Michael McKean, Martin Mull, Lesley Ann Warren, Colleen Camp, Lee Ving, Bill henderson, and Jane Wiedlin as the Singing Telegram Girl.   Sources: "The Crazy Story Of How "Clue" Went From Forgotten Flop To Cult Triumph" by Adam B. Vary | BuzzFeed News (2015) - https://bzfd.it/4Ac5WLt  Review of Clue by Roger Ebert | The Chicago Sun-Times (1985) - https://bit.ly/4xqyAWM    Transcript: https://1weekrentalpod.com/2026/09/clue/#transcript  Artwork by Laci Roth.     Matt has two monthly spin-off podcasts: PodJob: A James Bond Podcast | Check it out on Apple Podcast (https://bit.ly/4jRL2K1), Spotify (https://bit.ly/4a8jM6E), and YouTube (https://youtube.com/@podjob007). The Sign Post Up Ahead: A Twilight Zone Recap Podcast | Check it out on Apple Podcast (https://bit.ly/4gXjtiR), Spotify (https://bit.ly/4gTE8Ev), and YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@TheSignPostUpAhead)    Music by Rural Route Nine. Listen to their album The Joy of Averages on Spotify (https://bit.ly/48WBtUa), Apple Music (https://bit.ly/3Q6kOVC), or YouTube (https://bit.ly/3MbU6tC).   Songs by Rural Route Nine in this episode: "Winston-Salem" - https://youtu.be/-acMutUf8IM "Snake Drama" - https://youtu.be/xrzz8_2Mqkg "The Bible Towers of Bluebonnet" - https://youtu.be/k7wlxTGGEIQ    Follow 1-Week Rental, a movie podcast: Twitter: @1weekrental | @MattStokes9 | @LRothConcepts Facebook: @1weekrental Instagram: @1weekrental TikTok: @1weekrental | @mattstokes9 Letterboxd: @loadbearinglaci | @mattstokes9 Bluesky: @1weekrental.bsky.social   1-Week Rental used to be Load Bearing Beams.

    207. Clue (1985) | How A Beloved Board Game Was Turned Into A Cult Classic With Three Endings | Behind The Scenes Of Clue | Clue Movie Review

  8. Sep 11

    206. Practical Magic (1998) | Diving Deep Into The Sandra Bullock/Nicole Kidman Cult Classic | Behind The Scenes Of Practical Magic | Film Analysis

    Laci and Matt head to Witch Country to hang with the Owens Sisters, Sally (Sandra Bullock) and Gilly (Nicole Kidman). Together they learn about the power of blood magic, sisterhood, and body oil. Practical Magic was a critical and commercial disappointment when it came out in 1998, but it's a beloved classic at this point with a sequel out in movie theaters today! (What remarkably good timing.) Were the late-'90s critics correct? Does this movie jump awkwardly from family movie to dark horror to rom-com to domestic drama, all with a cloying Alan Silvestri score that sounds like leftovers from Richie Rich? Am I (Matt) tipping my hand about how I feel about this movie? Folks, Laci and I are in huge disagreement about Practical Magic, so you gotta listen to hear all about it!  Watch this Practical Magic podcast in full on YouTube: https://youtu.be/6jBPkskTINo  Next week (Sept. 18, 2026): Clue (1985)!    Time stamps: 00:09:15 — History segment: Alice Hoffman writes the Practical Magic novel; director Griffin Dunne hires a witch consultant; reception and legacy of Practical Magic; sequel 00:45:22 — Movie discussion + Practical Magic film analysis 01:52:40 — Star ratings + final review of Practical Magic PRACTICAL MAGIC (1998) was directed by Griffin Dunne. Starring Sandra Bullock, Nicole Kidman, Aidan Quinn, Stockard Channing, Dianne Wiest, Goran Visnjic, Evan Rachel Wood, Alexandra Artrip, Margo Martindale, and Chloe Webb as Carla, a body oil sales technician.   Sources: "How Practical Magic Pissed Off a Real-Life Witch" by Savannah Walsh | Vanity Fair (2023) - https://bit.ly/4gJamlx  "The Surprisingly Easy Way the Story of 'Practical Magic' Came to Author Alice Hoffman" by Eden Gordon | Mental Floss (2026) - https://bit.ly/4yqsbf9 "Practical Magic Got Cursed by an Actual Witch. Is That Why It Bombed?" by Lila Shapiro | Vulture (2017) - https://bit.ly/46yJU8t "Stockard Channing Answers Every Question We Have About Practical Magic" by Jessica Goldstein | Vulture (2020) - https://bit.ly/3UxAasl "Bewitched: Practical Magic Author Alice Hoffman on the Hotly Anticipated Sequel and Why All Women Should Have a Coven" by Savannah Walsh | Vulture (2026) - https://bit.ly/4xA6zMJ   "Evan Rachel Wood shades Practical Magic 2 cast for not reaching out amid recasting, praises 'sweetheart' Joey King" by Leigh Blickley | Entertainment Weekly (2026) - https://bit.ly/4ywLIe4  "Practical Magic's Lost Director's Cut Was Stunningly Beautiful, Says Writer" by Haleigh Foutch | Collider (2020) - https://bit.ly/3VksIAU  "Thank the '90s for Practical Magic" by David Sims | The Atlantic (2018) - https://bit.ly/4dvbnvl    Transcript: https://1weekrentalpod.com/2026/09/practical-magic/#transcript  Artwork by Laci Roth.     Matt has two monthly spin-off podcasts: PodJob: A James Bond Podcast | Check it out on Apple Podcast (https://bit.ly/4jRL2K1), Spotify (https://bit.ly/4a8jM6E), and YouTube (https://youtube.com/@podjob007). The Sign Post Up Ahead: A Twilight Zone Recap Podcast | Check it out on Apple Podcast (https://bit.ly/4gXjtiR), Spotify (https://bit.ly/4gTE8Ev), and YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@TheSignPostUpAhead)    Music by Rural Route Nine. Listen to their album The Joy of Averages on Spotify (https://bit.ly/48WBtUa), Apple Music (https://bit.ly/3Q6kOVC), or YouTube (https://bit.ly/3MbU6tC).   Songs by Rural Route Nine in this episode: "Winston-Salem" - https://youtu.be/-acMutUf8IM "Snake Drama" - https://youtu.be/xrzz8_2Mqkg "The Bible Towers of Bluebonnet" - https://youtu.be/k7wlxTGGEIQ    Follow 1-Week Rental, a movie podcast: Twitter: @1weekrental | @MattStokes9 | @LRothConcepts Facebook: @1weekrental Instagram: @1weekrental TikTok: @1weekrental | @mattstokes9 Letterboxd: @loadbearinglaci | @mattstokes9 Bluesky: @1weekrental.bsky.social   1-Week Rental used to be Load Bearing Beams.

    206. Practical Magic (1998) | Diving Deep Into The Sandra Bullock/Nicole Kidman Cult Classic | Behind The Scenes Of Practical Magic | Film Analysis
See All (268)

5
out of 5
32 Ratings

About

Behind the scenes look at a beloved movie every week, followed by an in-depth review and discussion, giving film lovers and pop culture enthusiasts a complete deep dive with every episode. Matt Stokes and Laci Roth rent a movie from the video store, spend the week obsessing over it, and then tell you all about it. They spend the week watching, re-watching, researching, reading interviews, and reading the source material of the week's movie. Whether it's a blockbuster from the past, an all-time flop, or a cult classic, they unpack the history behind its production and the people who made it, then discuss, review, and make fun of the movie itself. New episodes every Friday. Formerly known as Load Bearing Beams.

Information

You Might Also Like