The Critic and the Cynic

Dave William
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  • Film Reviews
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Dave is a film critic. Hilary, his wife, is a cynic. Together, they have a different approach to movies, and have come together to discuss a wide variety of movies in a whole new way. Each host has three buttons: THE CRAP BUTTON: they both have only one chance during a marathon to decide right then and there that this movie is going to be worse than anything they will watch.THE UNICORN: A movie so good it's as rare as a unicorn THE NOPE: they have one shot to veto any given movie...but only once. Join them as they go through some of the worlds best and worst movies ever made.

Episodes

  1. 01/13/2025

    Tearjerker Films - Week 2

    🎙 The Critic and the Cynic: My Girl vs. Seven Pounds Dave and Hilary continue their journey through cinematic tearjerkers in this emotional second episode of Season 2! 💧 This week, they revisit two films that tug at the heartstrings in very different ways: the coming-of-age classic My Girl (1991) and the deeply introspective drama Seven Pounds (2008). From childhood innocence and heartbreaking loss in My Girl to themes of guilt, sacrifice, and redemption in Seven Pounds, the hosts unpack why these films have left audiences reaching for tissues for years. 🔥 Highlights include: - Hilary’s teary-eyed reflections on My Girl and its unforgettable performances by Anna Chlumsky and Macaulay Culkin. - Dave’s defense of Seven Pounds as a layered, misunderstood masterpiece. - A spirited debate over Will Smith’s dramatic chops and Rosario Dawson’s impactful presence. - Musings on whether a sad ending makes or breaks a movie's emotional resonance. Laugh, cry, and reminisce as we dive deep into what makes a movie a tearjerker. Don’t forget to leave your thoughts in the comments—did these movies make your cry scale? 🎧 Listen now! #TheCriticAndTheCynic #MyGirl #SevenPounds #Tearjerkers #FilmDiscussion #PodcastLife

  2. 12/30/2024

    Tearjerker Films - Week 1

    🎙 The Critic and the Cynic: Season 2 Premiere! Dave and Hilary are back and diving headfirst into a season dedicated to tearjerkers! 💧 This week, they explore two films with emotional depth and distinct storytelling styles: The Lovely Bones (2010) and The Peanut Butter Falcon (2019). From dreamlike visuals and haunting performances in The Lovely Bones to the heartwarming adventure of unlikely friendships in The Peanut Butter Falcon, the hosts reflect on themes of grief, redemption, and the beauty of human connection. 🔥 Highlights include: Hilary's thoughts on why The Lovely Bones gets a "5 on the cry scale." Dave's admiration for Shia LaBeouf's transformative performance in The Peanut Butter Falcon. Insightful banter on whether emotional punches land differently for the critic vs. the cynic. Fun facts about casting decisions, including Ryan Gosling's surprising involvement in The Lovely Bones. Join us as we laugh, cry (maybe), and debate what makes a movie a true tearjerker. Next week: more films, more feels! 🎥✨ 🎧 Listen now! #TheCriticAndTheCynic #PodcastPremiere #Tearjerkers #TheLovelyBones #ThePeanutButterFalcon #MovieDiscussion #FilmLovers #PodcastLife

  3. 12/23/2024

    2024 Christmas Films - Week 7

    Dave (The Critic) and Hilary (The Cynic) wrap up their first season with the final five contenders of their holiday movie marathon. It's a wild ride through festive tropes, unexpected twists, and a few outright duds as they tackle Hallmark and Netflix’s Christmas offerings one last time. 🎥 Movies Reviewed This Week: • Hanukkah on the Rocks – A cocktail-infused journey through Hanukkah traditions and some flat characters. • Carry On – Is it Die Hard 2.0 or just an airport thriller in disguise? • The Santa Class – A crash course in holiday cheer with a dash of Miracle on 34th Street. • Following Yonder Star – Scandals, nativity plays, and a bearded B&B owner in Vermont. • Happy Howlidays – Love, dogs, and predictably mismatched sweaters. 🔍 Highlights Include: • Dave’s love for action-packed Carry On versus Hilary’s indifference to "men running around." • A toast to accuracy: Hanukkah portrayed authentically in Hanukkah on the Rocks. • Motely Santas: The eclectic, endearing crew of The Santa Class. • Questionable scandals in Following Yonder Star: How big a meltdown is too big? • The "not-so-cute" dogs of Happy Howlidays—and the curious case of Hallmark’s Mr. Christmas. 📈 Season Takeaways: Hallmark's catalog surprised Dave, but did it win Hilary over? Spoiler alert: probably not. Grab your cocoa (or something stronger) and join the fun as Dave and Hilary close the book on 40 holiday films. Stick around for a preview of their next cinematic adventure.

  4. 12/15/2024

    2024 Christmas Films - Week 6

    Dave (The Critic) and Hilary (The Cynic) return for week six of their holiday watch-a-thon, diving into another batch of festive (and sometimes regrettable) holiday films. This week, the duo takes on five Christmas movies, bracing for adventure, comedy, and chaos. From archaeological treasure hunts in Iceland to a Hallmark star’s magical mishaps, these reviews are filled with laughs, sighs, and plenty of fiery debates. 🎥 Movies Reviewed This Week: •The Christmas Quest (Hallmark): Think National Treasure, but with Yule Lads. •That Christmas (Netflix): An animated tale that aims big but lands…somewhere else. •Private Princess Christmas (Hallmark): A royal mess, complete with goats and Christmas trees. •Sugarplummed (Hallmark): A self-aware romp that gives Christmas magic a playful twist. •Leah’s Perfect Gift (Hallmark): A sweet, culture-clashing holiday journey. 🔍 Highlights Include: •Dave vs. Hilary: Is The Christmas Quest a charming adventure or just holiday filler? •An animated flop? Why That Christmas left us wanting more (or less). •Hallmark at its strangest: Goats, princesses, and why Private Princess Christmas wins the “What were they thinking?” award. •The unexpected wit of Sugarplummed: Elf meets Hallmark in a tongue-in-cheek comedy. •Leah’s Perfect Gift: A quiet charmer or an underwhelming clash of traditions? Grab your cocoa, join the fun, and brace yourself for Dave and Hilary’s takes. Whether you love holiday movies or just love hearing them get roasted, this episode is your perfect holiday companion. 🎄🎁 💡 Keywords: holiday movies, Hallmark, Netflix, Christmas comedy, podcast, festive reviews, holiday traditions.

  5. 12/04/2024

    2024 Christmas Films - Week 5

    Dave (The Critic) and Hilary (The Cynic) are back with an epic holiday movie marathon, diving into another staggering six films (yes, six more!) in this festive episode. The duo rates, debates, and occasionally despairs as they tackle everything from Hallmark's heartwarming traditions to Netflix's chaotic offerings, with a special twist courtesy of Jack Black's devilishly entertaining Dear Santa. 🎥 Movies Reviewed This Week: Dear Santa (Paramount Plus) A 90s Christmas (Hallmark) Deck the Walls (Hallmark) Believe in Christmas (Hallmark) Holiday Touchdown: A Chief's Love Story (Hallmark) The Finnish Line (Hallmark) 🔍 Highlights Include: Is Dear Santa the best Christmas comedy in years, or does Jack Black deserve coal this year? Time-travel woes: Why A 90s Christmas had us questioning the logistics of aging (and Y2K jokes). Hallmark's unexpected ever-so-slight foray into gay romance (Deck the Walls): heartfelt or hokey? Believe in Christmas: Christmas magic or just plain misguided? Sports romance meets Hallmark schmaltz in Holiday Touchdown: Did the Chiefs score big or fumble? A sled-dog race through Finland (The Finnish Line): Does it run off course or warm our hearts? Grab your cocoa, crank up the holiday tunes, and join us for a rollercoaster of laughs, rants, and heartfelt critiques. Whether you love holiday movies or love to hate them, this episode is a gift just for you. 🎁 💡 Keywords: Christmas movies, Jack Black, Hallmark, Netflix, comedy podcast, movie reviews, holiday romance.

  6. 11/29/2024

    2024 Christmas Films - Week 4

    Dave (The Critic) and Hilary (The Cynic) tackle an ambitious lineup of six Christmas movies in this jam-packed episode, pitting Hallmark against Netflix to determine who really delivers holiday cheer. From heartfelt family tales to questionable rom-coms, no mistletoe cliché is safe from their sharp critiques. 🎄 This Week’s Movies: Christmas on Call (Hallmark) Three Wise Men and a Baby (Hallmark) Three Wiser Men and a Boy (Hallmark) To Have and To Holiday (Hallmark) Our Little Secret (Netflix) Debbie Macomber’s Joyful Mrs. Miracle (Hallmark) 🔍 Highlights Include: A rare sequel from Hallmark (Three Wiser Men and a Boy): charming or unnecessary? The “Christmas Olympics” premise of To Have and To Holiday. Why Our Little Secret is Netflix’s most chaotic holiday offering yet. Will Mrs. Miracle save the day, or is the franchise running on holiday fumes? Whether you're here for the laughs, the rants, or genuine movie recommendations, this episode has something for every holiday movie fan. 🎅 💡 Keywords: Christmas movies, Hallmark, Netflix, holiday rom-coms, comedy podcast, movie reviews.

  7. 11/24/2024

    2024 Christmas Films - Week 3

    This week, Dave and Hilary brave a new batch of Christmas cheer—and cringe—by tackling six holiday films from Hallmark and Netflix, so you don’t have to! From a snowman-turned-heartthrob (Hot Frosty) to a holiday race across America (Jingle Bell Run), and even a family steeped in seasonal chaos (Confessions of a Christmas Letter), it’s a festive mix of the good, the bad, and the downright ridiculous. Expect laughs, debates, and the occasional eye-roll as Dave’s critic eye squares off against Hilary’s cynical takes. Will they press the CRAP button, or will a unicorn-worthy gem emerge? Tune in to hear the verdicts, their favorite holiday surprises, and which movie had them longing for a veto! 🎄 Movies reviewed: 🎬 Tis the Season to Be Irish 🎬 Hot Frosty 🎬 Christmas at the Singhs 🎬 Jingle Bell Run 🎬 Confessions of a Christmas Letter 🎬 The Merry Gentleman Grab some cocoa and your holiday spirit (or lack thereof)—this one’s a sleigh ride you won’t want to miss! 🛷✨

  8. 11/19/2024

    2024 Christmas Films - Week 2

    In this episode of 'The Critic and the Cynic,' Dave, the seasoned film critic, and Hilary, his cynical wife, dive into reviewing six more Hallmark and Netflix Christmas movies. The films on the docket include 'A Carol for Two''Our Holiday Story''Holiday Mismatch''Meet Me Next Christmas''Trivia at St. Nick's''Santa Tell Me' Listen as they dissect the plots, performances, and overall holiday spirit of each movie, deciding which ones are worth watching and which ones to avoid. Highlights include Hilary's use of the veto button on a musical, an examination of the chemistry between the actors, and a rare film that actually incorporates Christmas magic. Tune in for a lively discussion filled with fun, frustration, and festive cheer! 00:00 Introduction to the Critic and the Cynic 01:36 Predicting 'A Carol for Two' 06:18 Predicting 'Our Holiday Story' 10:23 Predicting 'Holiday Miss Match' 14:41 Predicting 'Meet Me Next Christmas' 16:58 Predicting 'Trivia at St. Nick's' 21:00 Predicting 'Santa Tell Me' 28:00 A CAROL FOR TWO 35:45 OUR HOLIDAY STORY 47:00 HOLIDAY MISMATCH 53:14 MEET ME NEXT CHRISTMAS 01:08:18 TRIVIA AT ST. NICK'S 01:17:40 SANTA TELL ME 01:24:26 Weekly Rankings and Final Thoughts

  9. 11/11/2024

    2024 Christmas Films - Week 1

    Welcome to Critic and the Cynic with Dave and Hilary! This episode kicks off their journey into reviewing the Christmas movies of 2024, focusing mainly on Hallmark Channel's massive releases and Netflix's contributions. With a list of 38 films to cover, they plan on diving into six movies per episode, giving their pre-watch predictions and post-watch reviews. This week they tackle six Hallmark movies including 'Twas the Date Before Christmas', 'Holiday Crashers', 'Scouting for Christmas', 'Operation Nutcracker', 'The Christmas Charade', and 'The Five Year Christmas Party'. Dave and Hilary discuss their rules for determining the best and worst, sharing lots of laughs, honest critiques, and even a few surprises along the way. So, get cozy and join them as they dissect the highs and lows of these cozy, sometimes cringy, holiday offerings. 00:00 Introduction to Critic and the Cynic00:13 Overview of 2024 Christmas Movies01:49 Podcast Structure and Rules07:15 First Movie: Twas the Date Before Christmas11:57 Second Movie: Holiday Crashers16:06 Third Movie: Scouting for Christmas18:37 Fourth Movie: Operation Nutcracker21:53 Fifth Movie: The Christmas Charade25:54 Sixth Movie: The Five Year Christmas Party32:39 Initial Reactions and Thoughts37:49 Rating the First Movie38:13 Reviewing 'Holiday Crashers'42:28 Discussing 'Scouting for Christmas'49:01 Thoughts on 'Operation Nutcracker'56:04 Reviewing 'The Christmas Charade'01:07:50 Final Thoughts and Rankings

  • 9 Episodes

About

Dave is a film critic. Hilary, his wife, is a cynic. Together, they have a different approach to movies, and have come together to discuss a wide variety of movies in a whole new way. Each host has three buttons: THE CRAP BUTTON: they both have only one chance during a marathon to decide right then and there that this movie is going to be worse than anything they will watch.THE UNICORN: A movie so good it's as rare as a unicorn THE NOPE: they have one shot to veto any given movie...but only once. Join them as they go through some of the worlds best and worst movies ever made.

Information

  • Creator
    Dave William
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2025
  • Episodes
    9
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright David Gilleand
  • Show Website
    The Critic and the Cynic