Podcast
Across the Movie Aisle
Hosted by The Bulwark · EN
Here's the elevator pitch: It's "Left, Right, and Center" meets "Siskel and Ebert." Three friends from different ideological perspectives discuss the movies and controversies (or nontroversies!) about them.
Featuring bonus Friday episodes exclusively for Bulwark+ members.
www.thebulwark.com
www.thebulwark.com
10episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Dwayne Johnson's 'Smashing Machine'
Oct 700:54:55Tap to summarizeBefore we get to the episode, a quick note: we are spinning off Across the Movie Aisle into its own separate thing; it will no longer be part of the Bulwark network of shows, but it will still exist on Substack at movieaisle.substack.com. If you listen via Apple, nothing much will change for the moment; if you listen via Substack there may be a few changes for you. But we’ll cover that next week in our first episode at the new spot. —SBOn this week’s episode, Sonny, Peter, and Alyssa look at the perilous state of film and television production in Los Angeles. Is Hollywood’s time as the undisputed king of film production at an end? What does that mean for the people who make a living out there? And what does it mean for the idea of an American film industry? Then they review The Smashing Machine, Dwayne Johnson and Benny Safdie’s award season play. Is this the movie The Rock needs to regain some credibility as an actor? Or does it miss the mark? This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thebulwark.com/subscribe
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Why Did Apple Shelve 'The Savant'?
Sep 3000:53:48Tap to summarizeOn this week’s episode, Sonny, Peter, and Alyssa discussed Apple’s move to shelve the TV show The Savant in the wake of multiple bouts of politically inspired violence. Then they reviewed One Battle After Another, the latest movie from Paul Thomas Anderson starring Leonardo DiCaprio. (Here’s a link to the New York Times profile of PTA mentioned briefly in the podcast this week.) Make sure to swing by Bulwark+ on Friday for a bonus episode about PTA. And if you enjoyed this episode, share it with a friend! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thebulwark.com/subscribe
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The FCC v. Jimmy Kimmel
Sep 2300:47:55Tap to summarizeOn this week’s episode, delayed slightly due to technical difficulties, Sonny, Peter, and Alyssa broke down the struggle between Jimmy Kimmel, Disney, Nexstar/Sinclair, and Brendan Carr at the FCC. Is this just business as usual at the FCC, or has the regulatory administration overstepped its bounds here. Then we said goodbye to Robert Redford, looking at some of his 1970s classics like All the President’s Men, Three Days of the Condor, and The Sting, among other titles. If you enjoyed the episode, share it with a friend! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thebulwark.com/subscribe
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The Degrading 'Long Walk'
Sep 1600:41:10Tap to summarizeOn this week’s episode, Sonny Bunch, Alyssa Rosenberg, and Peter Suderman discuss Comedy Central’s decision to pull a recent South Park from the rerun rotation after the assassination of Charlie Kirk. Then they review The Long Walk, a movie that is either appropriately brutal or exploitatively violent. Which? Hard to say, but the end result is pretty depressing, regardless. Make sure to swing by Bulwark+ on Thursday for a bonus Stephen King adaptation draft. And if you enjoyed this episode, share it with a friend. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thebulwark.com/subscribe
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The Delightfully Cranky 'Highest 2 Lowest'
Sep 900:50:28Tap to summarizeOn this week’s episode, Sonny, Alyssa, and Peter asked why Activision would turn down a chance to have Steven Spielberg direct a Call of Duty movie. Then they reviewed Highest 2 Lowest, the latest collaboration between Spike Lee and Denzel Washington. Spoiler: We all loved the score, which is apparently a controversial opinion in some quarters! (Also the rest of the movie is pretty good too.) Make sure to swing by Thursday for a bonus Spike Lee draft. And if you enjoyed this episode, share it with a friend! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thebulwark.com/subscribe
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Disney's Economic Inequality
Sep 200:48:19Tap to summarizeOn this week’s episode, Sonny, Alyssa, and Peter discuss the widening gap between the haves and the have-nots at Disney World, as chronicled in this New York Times piece. Then they review Caught Stealing, the new Darren Aronofsky film that’s being marketed like a Guy Ritchie caper but is something else entirely. Some spoilers over the last 15 minutes or so of this pod, so just keep an ear out if you’re worried about that sort of thing. Swing by the Bulwark on Thursday for a bonus episode on High and Low and King’s Ransom, the movie and book, respectively, on which Spike Lee’s new film, Highest 2 Lowest is based. And if you enjoyed this episode, share it with a friend! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thebulwark.com/subscribe
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The Lost Boys of 'Alien: Earth'
Aug 2600:50:52Tap to summarizeOn this week’s episode, Sonny, Alyssa, and Peter highlight the shocking success of Netflix’s KPop Demon Hunters at the box office last weekend and muse about what it means for the streamer’s overall strategy. Then they review the first three episodes of Alien: Earth, the gory, thought-provoking new show on Hulu. Is it another hit for Noah Hawley (who made the TV shows Fargo and Legion?) Or a misfire lost in its own metaphors? If you enjoyed this episode, leave a comment or share it with a friend! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thebulwark.com/subscribe
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'Nobody 2' Is Deadly, Dull
Aug 1900:41:44Tap to summarizeOn this week’s episode, Sonny, Peter, and Alyssa discussed the problem of productions fleeing Georgia for other locales with bigger tax incentives. Then they reviewed Nobody 2, one of the rare films to, possibly, be a too-tight 90. No bonus episode this week, see you guys next Tuesday! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thebulwark.com/subscribe
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'Weapons': 2025's Funniest Scary Movie
Aug 1200:50:31Tap to summarizeOn this week’s episode, Sonny Bunch, Alyssa Rosenberg, and Peter Suderman discussed how to best respond to South Park’s war on the Trump Administration and its cronies. Then they reviewed Weapons, the funniest scary movie of the year (so far!) that nevertheless has a poignant, melancholic core. (There are spoilers in this chat, so just let it be known that all three recommended it heartily if you’re worried about that sort of thing.) Make sure to swing by Thursday for a discussion of the shifting political winds in Hollywood. And if you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thebulwark.com/subscribe
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Why 'Oz' Is Coming to The Sphere in Vegas
Aug 500:43:39Tap to summarizeOn this week’s episode, Sonny Bunch, Alyssa Rosenberg, and Peter Suderman ask why The Wizard of Oz is being mutilated via the alchemy of AI to be shown on the enormous 16K-resolution screen at The Sphere … and why Sonny is, honestly, kind of into it. (You can watch the CBS Sunday Morning segment on Oz at The Sphere here.) Then they review The Naked Gun, a movie so funny it brought this episode to a screeching standstill when Alyssa couldn’t keep it together while trying to recount one of the jokes. Funny movie! You should go see it! No bonus episode this week, but we’ll be back Monday with a brand new one. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thebulwark.com/subscribe
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