Film Curious

Ashley Bernhardt
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Film Reviews

Film Curious is a movie review podcast that takes a step back from the constant media consumption to discover and ponder great films across genres and time. A podcast where we let our intrigue guide us and are not afraid to explore whatever films pique our interest. To all you film lovers, casual theatergoers, at-home movie watchers, and streaming scrollers out there, think of Film Curious as your gateway into any and every kind of movie. One that doesn’t gatekeep but doesn’t shy away from respect for the craft either. So, take a dip, the water’s fine…

  1. Disclosure Day Review | Spielberg’s Alien Fascination: How Does It Compare with Close Encounters & E.T.?

    4d ago

    Disclosure Day Review | Spielberg’s Alien Fascination: How Does It Compare with Close Encounters & E.T.?

    In this episode of Film Curious, Ashley and Pete review and break down the latest Steven Spielberg sci-fi action thriller, Disclosure Day, starring Emily Blunt, Josh O’Connor, Eve Hewson, Colman Domingo, and Colin Firth.  We kick off the episode with how this film fits in with Spielberg’s other alien movies. Then move onto a spoiler discussion of the movie’s special effects, the uneven balance of great scenes and average ones, odd choices that weren't working for us, and the film’s greatest strengths, as well as debate how people would react to a real life disclosure day and much more.  ⚠️ We get into spoilers at 5:18! Available in theaters now 🎟️  ⏱️Timestamps 00:00 Intro to the Episode & Film  00:45 Steven Spielberg’s Other Alien Films & How They Compare to Disclosure Day 02:29 Pete’s Overall Reaction to the Film | Non-Spoiler Review 05:18 Spoiler Discussion Begins⚠️ 06:04 The Film’s CGI | Would It Have Been Better with More Practical Effects? 09:15 Some Odd Choices Made | What Was and Wasn’t Working 14:53 The Film’s Greatest Strength | How Would Humanity React Debate 26:09 The Parts of the Movie That Are Absolutely Brilliant 29:18 The Alien & UFO Stories the Movie Is Based On & Uses in Its Story 31:57 Accepting the Film’s Ups and Downs & Trying to Understand “The Device” 35:37 A Complete Miss That Wasn’t Working at the Start of the Film 42:42 The Action Sequences & the Lack of Music During Them | John Williams Age & Last Film 45:14 Would People Believe Disclosure Day & Needing a Second Watch of Films 51:01 Hearing Dialogue & Sound System and Streaming Compression Side Tangent 56:50 Wrap Up | Final Consensus and Thoughts & Upcoming New Releases  01:00:00 Outro - (Go Knicks!) Thanks for Listening & Don’t Forget to Subscribe! 🔔 🎬Subscribe so you never miss a new film discovery! Resources & References: On Film…with Kevin McCarthy | Steven Spielberg Podcast Interview Disclosure Day, ET, Close Encounters, Jaws, Raiders, Private Ryan NY Times The Daily | Steven Spielberg on the Real Life Evidence That Inspired 'Disclosure Day' E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982) Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) War of the Worlds (2005) Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008) A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001) Minority Report (2002)  The Dark Tower (2017) The Fugitive (1993) Stranger Than Heaven (2027) | Tupac Appearing in an Upcoming Video Game Troll 2 (1990) Sound of Metal (2019) Sinners (2025) Nope (2022)

    1h 1m
  2. Backrooms Review | Does This Work as a Fully Formed Story or Is It Running on Aesthetics & Concepts?

    Jun 18

    Backrooms Review | Does This Work as a Fully Formed Story or Is It Running on Aesthetics & Concepts?

    *Editors Note: Hey folks! Apologies for a couple strange glitches for a few seconds at around the 31:00 and 52:30 marks (you'll here a repetition of a phrase several times from Nicole pulled from another part of the episode). Something strange happened with the editing software while processing and exporting. In this episode of Film Curious, Ashley, Pete, and Nicole dissect the latest A24 psychological horror film, Backrooms, directed by 20-year-old Kane Parsons and starring Renate Reinsve (The Worst Person in the World) and Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years a Slave).  We start off with the movie’s success at the box office and others of its kind, our initial impressions of the movie, and then onto a deep dive, spoiler discussion of what we felt was missing story wise (if anything, depends which of us you ask), its nailing of the 90s aesthetic, and our theories on the backrooms: what they are, how they work, and what they represent for different characters.  ⚠️ We get into spoilers at 8:09! Available in theaters now 🎟️  ⏱️Timestamps 00:00 Highlight Clip from Episode 00:47 Intro to the Episode & Film  02:40 The Success of the Movie & What’s Hollywood Going to Take Away from Its Success  03:51 How Original the Story Really Is & Issues with Its Storytelling 07:02 Arguments for What Was Working in the Film 08:09 Spoiler Discussion Begins⚠️ 08:42 The Film’s Atmosphere & Aesthetic, Ability to Build Dread and Unease, & Bigger Messages 18:33 Debating Whether the Movie Was Overly Vague 20:22 Our Theories on the Backrooms, the Story Contradictions, & Understanding the Ending 31:52 The Parts of the Story That Didn’t Feel Fleshed Out Enough 40:09 Is a Rewatch Necessary? Will There Be Sequels to Backrooms?  47:25 Wrap Up | Getting Some AI Critique Vibes from the Movie & Final Thoughts 53:57 Outro - Thanks for Listening & Don’t Forget to Subscribe! 🔔 🎬Subscribe so you never miss a new film discovery! Resources & References: Variety Article | ‘Backrooms’ Becomes A24’s First Movie to Surpass $200 Million Globally, Overtaking ‘Marty Supreme’ as Studio’s Highest-Grossing Release Kane Pixels | The Backrooms (Found Footage) Marty Supreme (2025) A24 Films  Obsession (2026) Channel Zero (2016-2018)  The Blair Witch Project (1999) Pan’s Labyrinth (2006) The Worst Person in the World (2021)  Sentimental Value (2025) I Love Boosters (2026) Piranesi | Novel by Susanna Clarke

    55 min
  3. I Love Boosters Review | A Well-Crafted Looney Tunes-Esque Joyride That Isn’t Afraid to Say What It Means

    Jun 11

    I Love Boosters Review | A Well-Crafted Looney Tunes-Esque Joyride That Isn’t Afraid to Say What It Means

    In this episode of Film Curious, Ashley, Pete, and Nicole chat about the newest Boots Riley film, I Love Boosters, starring KeKe Palmer, Taylour Paige, Naomi Ackie, and Poppy Lui, with supporting performances from Demi Moore, LaKeith Stanfield, Eiza González, Will Poulter, and last but not least, Don Cheadle. We discuss the joyride that is this movie, how the film was made (its production techniques), the standout performances and moments, the movie’s unique score and music, Riley’s directing style and upfront messaging. Plus, that LaKeith Stanfield scene that was a little out there for some people 😆 Also, we have some fun film side tangents, like: movies people walked out of over the years, uncomfortable in-theater experiences, and debate what people should expect when they go into a movie.  ⚠️ We do get into spoilers at 22:15! Available in theaters now 🎟️  ⏱️Timestamps 00:00 Highlight Clip from Episode 00:30 Intro to the Episode & Film  02:37 Overall Reactions to the Movie  04:16 Issues with the Sound Mix & Projector in Theaters  07:31 Production & Set Design BTS Info | How They Made the Film  10:26 Crowd Reactions, People Walking Out of Movies & Our Favorite Performances of the Film  18:41 Stop Motion, the Different Mediums Utilized in the Film, & The New LAIKA Film Wildwood Trailer 20:03 Why You Should Experience It in Theaters  22:15 Spoiler Discussion⚠️ | That Scene with LaKeith Stanfield People Walked Out On & Knowing What You’re Getting Yourself Into with Movies 27:06 Music & Score for the Movie, KeKe Palmer’s and Boots Riley’s Daughter’s EP, & Riley’s Hip-Hop Background Influence 29:14 The Handling of Messaging & Riley’s Blatant Yet Refreshing Views 41:16 LaKeith Stanfield’s Prince Like Impersonation & Filming That Demon Scene 42:54 Wrap Up | Boots Riley Filmmaking Style & Why It Works 45:20 Outro - Thanks for Listening & Don’t Forget to Subscribe! 🔔 🎬Subscribe so you never miss a new film discovery! Resources & References: How Director Boots Riley Brought I Love Boosters from Big Idea to the Big Screen Boots Riley Explains Why Capitalism is Built on Theft | I LOVE BOOSTERS Boots Riley on Art, Activism, and “I Love Boosters” | The Daily Show Indie Wire Article | Why ‘I Love Boosters’ Also Loves Stop Motion Animation and Weird Little Guys The Coup - “I Love Boosters” Song | I Love Boosters! I Love Boosters (Original Motion Picture Score) I Love Boosters (Original Motion Picture Score) | KeKe Palmer EP Sorry to Bother You (2018) I’m a Virgo (2023) Boogie Nights (1997) #ILoveBoosters #BootsRiley #KeKePalmer #LaKeithStanfield #DemiMoore #MovieReview #FilmPodcast

    46 min
  4. Mando in the Middle | The Mandalorian and Grogu Non-Spoiler Review: Some Shining Spots, Some Missed Opportunities, But Mainly Decent

    Jun 5

    Mando in the Middle | The Mandalorian and Grogu Non-Spoiler Review: Some Shining Spots, Some Missed Opportunities, But Mainly Decent

    In this episode of Film Curious, Pete gives a brief non-spoiler review of the latest Star Wars film installment, The Mandalorian and Grogu, directed by Jon Favreau and starring Pedro Pascal and Sigourney Weaver. The movie caps the end of The Mandalorian TV series that first premiered on Disney+ in 2019 and finished in 2023.  Pete gives his overall rating of the film, its highlights (and lowlights), the massive problems he has with Mando keeping the helmet on all the time, how not much of consequence happens in the movie as related to the show, the awesome stop motion fight sequence, and why Disney needs to let Lucasfilm pick a lane going forward. Also, the group’s frustration with the amount of commercials and trailers in front of movies at AMC, how announcing and hyping up films three years before their release is unnecessary with everyone’s short-term memory these days, and how weird fandoms can be about things.  ⚠️This is a non-spoiler discussion, but if you’re anything like Ashley, there is a small mention of what’s in the final fight scene at 09:51.  Available in theaters now. 🎟️  ⏱️Timestamps 00:00 Intro to the Episode  00:36 The Film’s Opening, Characters, and Settings 02:09 The Problem with the Helmet & Not Seeing Pedro Pascal’s Full Performance 04:16 Fan Service & Characters from Other Star Wars Works That Go Unexplained 07:01 Grogu & Mando’s Character Arcs (or Lack of Growth) | Show to Movie 09:51 Light Spoiler Warning ⚠️ | Final Fight Scene, Its Stop Motion Animation & Feelings on Ending 10:58 Pete’s Final Rating of the Film 12:18 The Need for the Star Wars Franchise to Pick a Road Going Forward 13:22 Announcing Movies Three Years in Advance & Unnecessary Promotion 14:07 Frustrations with AMC & The Amount of Pre-Show Commercials and Trailers 15:52 Wrap Up - The Crazy & Weird Portion of the Star Wars Fandom 16:59 Outro - Thanks for Listening & Don’t Forget to Subscribe! 🔔 🎬Subscribe so you never miss a new film discovery! #MandalorianAndGrogu #StarWars #StarWarsMovie #Grogu #PedroPascal #FilmPodcast

    17 min
  5. Obsession (2026) Review & Analysis: All the Things This Film Is Trying to Say & Do the Wish Mechanics Matter?

    Jun 2

    Obsession (2026) Review & Analysis: All the Things This Film Is Trying to Say & Do the Wish Mechanics Matter?

    In this episode, Ashley, Nicole, and Pete dive deep into Obsession (2026), the much-applauded and talked about psychological horror thriller written and directed by Curry Barker (former YouTube creator), starring Michael Johnston and Inde Navarrette. This little movie was made on a mere million dollar budget and is now sitting pretty at over $100 million, one of the biggest box office successes of the year.   We break down Bear’s true character, the whole dead cat thing, the wish mechanics of the One Wish Willow, what the film is saying subtly (and not so subtly), the horrifying conclusion and everything in between.  ⚠️ This is a full spoiler discussion! We suggest watching it first if you haven’t already. Available in theaters now. 🎟️  ⏱️Timestamps 00:00 Highlight Clip from the Episode  00:33 The Last Few Weeks on Film Curious 00:49 Intro to This Week’s Film  03:48 Initial Reactions and Themes of the Film 08:41 The Intricacies of 'Obsession' and Its Themes 21:45 Debating What Was Working & What Wasn’t 27:48 The Directorial & Story Choices Curry Barker Makes 32:37 Exploring the Wish Mechanism & Consequences of Wishes and Accountability 44:58 Friends & the Film’s Handling of Mental Health 49:06 The Dark Ending and Its Implications 01:04:30 Wrap Up - Taking a Break from Horror Films for a Bit 01:05:42 Outro - Thanks for Listening & Don’t Forget to Subscribe! 🔔 🎬Subscribe so you never miss a new film discovery! #Obsession2026 #HorrorMovies #BlumhouseHorror #FilmPodcast #MovieReview #CurryBarker

    1h 6m
  6. Streaming Spotlight: Unpacking Send Help - Sam Raimi’s Signature Style Makes for a Riotously Fun Survival Horror Comedy

    May 21

    Streaming Spotlight: Unpacking Send Help - Sam Raimi’s Signature Style Makes for a Riotously Fun Survival Horror Comedy

    In this episode of Film Curious, Ashley and Nicole review the horror comedy Send Help (2026) directed by Sam Raimi, starring Rachel McAdams and Dylan O'Brien, which is now available to stream on Hulu. We explore its unique blend of humor, horror, and power dynamics, revealing how Raimi's signature style influences the film's tone and narrative choices. In this deep dive, we analyze the film's themes, visual style, and character arcs, highlighting its campy tone, dark humor, and its place within the horror-comedy genre, making predictions into its lasting appeal. We also get into the rise of horror comedy and why this campy genre might be the most honest response to the current cultural moment. ⚠️This episode contains a full spoiler discussion! We suggest watching it first if you haven’t already. Available to stream on Hulu & Disney+ currently.   ⏱️Timestamps 00:00 Highlight Clip from the Episode  00:30 Intro to the Film - Brief Synopsis 01:37 Exploring Sam Raimi's Directing Style & Immediate Narrative Choices 11:25 The Performances - Rachel McAdams' Versatility & Dylan O'Brien's Growth 21:17 ⚠️Spoiler Discussion & Plot Twists⚠️ 33:43 Moral Ambiguity and Character Evolution 47:54 The Final Showdown and Transformation - Why It Works 55:30 Breaking the Fourth Wall: A Cinematic Technique 58:50 Audience Expectations and Film Interpretation 01:11:52 The Rise of Horror Comedies & Original Stories 01:15:53 Wrap Up - Excited to See More Original Horror in the Future! Let Us Know Your Thoughts! 🎬Subscribe so you never miss a new film discovery! #SendHelp #RachelMcAdams #DylanOBrien #SamRaimi #FilmPodcast

    1h 21m
  7. Streaming Spotlight: The Starling Girl Review + Analysis - A Masterclass in Precise Visual Storytelling

    May 14

    Streaming Spotlight: The Starling Girl Review + Analysis - A Masterclass in Precise Visual Storytelling

    In this episode of Film Curious, Ashley and Nicole dive deep into The Starling Girl (2023), an indie drama written and directed by Laurel Parmet, starring Eliza Scanlen, Lewis Pullman, and Jimmy Simpson.  A 17-year-old in a Christian fundamentalist community develops a dangerous connection with her youth pastor, and the film handles it with nuance, restraint, and visual intelligence that most films three times its budget never achieve. We get into Eliza Scanlan's micro-expression masterclass, Laurel Parmet's brilliant visual storytelling, the consent conversation the film quietly forces you to have, the small details that tell everything you need to know, and why this filmmaker deserves so much more attention.  ⚠️ This is a full spoiler discussion! We suggest watching it first if you haven’t already. Available to stream on Netflix currently.   ⏱️Timestamps 00:00 Highlight Clip from the Episode  00:28 Intro to the Film & How Adeptly the Story Is Handled 06:39 ⚠️Spoiler Section Starts⚠️ 23:57 Handling of Sex Scene & the Consent Discussion 29:43 Analysis of the Film & Its Themes 56:06 The Surprise Turn Towards the Ending & What the Ending Means for the Main Character Going Forward 01:00:00 Wrap Up - Excited and Hoping to See Laurel Parmet Make More Movies in the Future 🎬Subscribe so you never miss a new film discovery! #TheStarlingGirl #ElizaScanlan #FilmPodcast

    1h 4m
  8. Streaming Spotlight: No Hard Feelings - Why We Miss These Kinds of Comedies & Crave More of Them

    May 8

    Streaming Spotlight: No Hard Feelings - Why We Miss These Kinds of Comedies & Crave More of Them

    In this episode of Film Curious, Ashley and guest co-host Nicole revisit No Hard Feelings (2023), the Jennifer Lawrence comedy directed by Gene Stupnitsky, now streaming on Hulu and HBO MAX. We were missing out; it's way better than we ever expected! We break down why Jennifer Lawrence is genuinely great in this role, why Andrew Barth Feldman's surprise musical moment works so well in the film, how the movie quietly subverts every expectation you bring into it, and how this is the exact kind of comedy Hollywood doesn't make enough of anymore but should! We also get into the supporting work from Matthew Broderick and Laura Benanti, 21 Jump Street comparisons, and why this film deserves to be remembered. ⚠️This review does contain a small amount of spoilers⚠️  ⏱️Timestamps 00:00 Highlight Clip from the Episode  00:45 Intro & Welcoming Nicole to the Show 02:16 Why Ashley & Nicole Dismissed No Hard Feelings When It Came Out 05:43 Overall Review of the Film, Subverting Expectations, Jennifer Lawrence's Performance, How It Delivers a lot of Heart without Being Romantic & Reminds Us of Great Comedies From When Were Younger10:30 Spoiler Portion Begins 16:17 The Supporting Cast & How Well They Worked to Supplement the Story 18:38 The Slapstick Comedy Aspects That Sometimes Didn’t Work 21:47 Andrew Barth Feldman & The Wonderful Musical Moment  23:29 Wrap Up - Why This Film Deserves to Be Remembered 26:02 Outro - Thanks for Listening! Tune In Next Time! 🎬Subscribe so you never miss a new film discovery! #NoHardFeelings #JenniferLawrence #FilmPodcast

    27 min
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About

Film Curious is a movie review podcast that takes a step back from the constant media consumption to discover and ponder great films across genres and time. A podcast where we let our intrigue guide us and are not afraid to explore whatever films pique our interest. To all you film lovers, casual theatergoers, at-home movie watchers, and streaming scrollers out there, think of Film Curious as your gateway into any and every kind of movie. One that doesn’t gatekeep but doesn’t shy away from respect for the craft either. So, take a dip, the water’s fine…

Information

  • Creator
    Ashley Bernhardt
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    16
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Ashley Bernhardt
  • Show Website
    Film Curious