Dear Movies, I Love You – February 3, 2026

Episode: No Other Choice (2025)! Plus, Micro Budget Writer/Director Morgan Evans
Hosts: Millie De Chirico & Casey O'Brien
Special Guest: Morgan Evans

Episode Overview

This episode explores Park Chan Wook’s dark comedy No Other Choice (2025), digging into themes of capitalism, masculinity, and the desperation that accompanies losing one’s place in a changing world. Millie and Casey deliver their signature blend of deep cinephilia, leftist critique, and personal candor, connecting the film to their lives and the broader state of the world. The latter half features an interview with indie filmmaker Morgan Evans, discussing the making of his microbudget mockumentary and the enigmatic career of Linda Fiorentino (The Last Seduction).

Personal Check-Ins & Societal Context

Coping with Loss and Political Anxiety

• Millie shares the recent loss of her beloved dog Sophie (02:10–08:19), offering a heartfelt tribute and reflecting on grief:
  • “She was like, a little floofer, crusty white dog...those things are fucking tanks. They live forever, you know?” (03:28 – Millie)
  • “It was like worst day of my life...I’d honestly think I’ve never been sadder in my entire life that day.” (05:42 – Millie)
• Millie thanks listeners for their supportive messages and describes the unique bond she shared with Sophie, reminiscing about their LA adventures.
• Casey describes tension in Minneapolis due to ICE raids, voicing pride in Minnesotans’ solidarity and anger about the political climate:
  • “It feels like we’re in a militarized, like, an occupation right now in Minneapolis.” (09:04 – Casey)
  • “I pray that there’s some justice for this...the way we’ve treated immigrants in this country...I hope that there is a reckoning.” (10:24 – Casey)
• Both hosts acknowledge the difficulty of finding joy amid political and personal pain, but reaffirm the value of community and art.
  (10:04–10:54)

Fandom & Capitalism

Navigating “Guilty” Pleasures

• Millie discusses her BTS fandom and the internal conflict of expensive concert culture:
  (15:01–20:18)
  • BTS’ economic power and global presence
  • Concerns about pursuing joy in the face of societal inequity:
    “I’m having a hard time with that because I know that these tickets are going to be fucking crazy expensive...I can’t justify it.” (20:18 – Millie)
  • Fandom vs. authenticity, “sleeping with capitalism but never marrying it”
• Casey raises questions about celebrity and power, referencing BTS, Taylor Swift, and The Rock:
  • “People who are that famous and rich think that there is something genetically different about them as a human being...” (21:24 – Casey)
• Discussion on authenticity, joy as resistance, and the tension between mass media entertainment and the desire for meaningful, independent art.
  (24:32–25:42)
• Millie and Casey agree that boundaries are necessary and that joy is important—even as scrutiny of how we consume media increases.

Film Diaries

(26:54–34:26)

Millie’s Classical Music Biopics:

• Rewatch: Amadeus (1984)
• Song of Love (1947)
• A Song to Remember (1945)
• Reflects on the intersection of classical music and film—“What fucking nerdy shit...” (30:29 – Millie)

Casey’s Watches:

• Together (2025, Alison Brie/Dave Franco horror): “It did feel like a very kind of A24...I think I gave it three stars on Letterboxd.” (31:37 – Casey)
• Clear and Present Danger (1994): “I love Harrison Ford...I had a great time. I’d never seen this before, so it’s like two and a half hours long, though.” (32:18 – Casey)

Film Length Preferences:

• The optimal movie is 75–82 minutes for both Millie and Casey.
  • “If I see that you get an automatic star, that’s like a star bonus on Letterboxd.” (32:56 – Casey)

Main Discussion: No Other Choice (2025) by Park Chan Wook

(36:53–81:52)

Director & Context

• Park Chan Wook is framed as one of South Korea’s essential auteurs—often compared (unfairly) to Bong Joon Ho; acclaimed for darker, more intense narratives.
  • “He’s one of those cinephile lover boys out there, wouldn’t you say?” (38:10 – Casey)
  • Notable works: Oldboy, Lady Vengeance, The Handmaiden, Decision to Leave

The Film: Summary & Analysis

Plot Overview

• Protagonist: Man Soo (Lee Byung Hun) — a specialty paper expert, family man, abruptly laid off after 20+ years.
  • “I think I can relate to that...The exact same thing happened to me.” (43:27-44:04 – Millie)
• Struggles to find new work; sees his expertise rendered obsolete.
• Man Soo devises a plan: pose as an employer to glean all job competition, then methodically eliminates the three most hireable rivals.
• Dark comedy unfolds as each murder is executed (or accidentally facilitated), and his family life unravels.

Societal & Thematic Insights

• Comparison to Parasite: Both address class, capitalism, and the meaning of work in modern South Korea.
  • “Did you think it was interesting that people were comparing it to Parasite?” (46:18 – Millie)
  • “Tonally, it actually feels...similar to Parasite in that it is a dark comedy...the house in this movie is a character.” (47:26 – Casey)
• Industry as Metaphor: Specialty paper symbolizes dying trades—echoing generational trauma, pride, obsolescence.
  • “Paper, weirdly enough, feels like vinyl...or a bygone product.” (50:48 – Millie)
  • “There’s like invisible essentials that nobody gives a fuck about anymore.” (51:26 – Millie)
• Masculinity and Work: Pride, shame, and the culturally specific pressure on men to provide.
  • “Men would rather kill their competition...than learn a new skill.” (55:32 – Casey)
  • “I have a lot of pride in it...I can’t imagine working as a dental hygienist or whatever.” (58:56 – Millie)

Notable Quotes and Observations

• On unemployment and pride:
  “When it’s down to absolute survival mode—yeah, I’m working in a fucking cafe. I don’t give a shit. I’ll do whatever it takes.” (56:56 – Millie)
• On shifting industries:
  “Why do you think they picked paper? Specialty paper...reminded me of The Office.” (50:36 – Casey)
• On killing off rivals:
  “There isn’t any trepidation about, like, can I really kill a man? There’s none of that. He’s just like, well, I should. Yeah, I’m gonna kill these guys.” (71:00 – Casey)

Alcohol as Recurring Symbol

• Multiple victims are alcoholics. Alcohol becomes both a tool for murder and a motif for escape and ruin.
  • “It did make me think about getting drunk off Korean spirits...” (74:30 – Millie)

Comedy, Tone, and Pacing

• Scenes “take their time,” infuse slapstick and awkward humor, and subvert expectations of a thriller.
  • “I was never bored, but this barbecue scene takes, like 25 minutes, and it’s basically just like, isn’t life good?...It really is. We’re really simmering in this scene.” (45:31 – Casey)
• Both hosts find the humor and darkness effectively translated for American audiences:
  “I feel like South Korean cinema, I find very funny. I feel like it’s one of the few non-English speaking countries that I actually think the comedy translates well.” (79:54 – Casey)

Final Takes

• Pacing and multiple endings are typical Park Chan Wook.
  • “I feel like the movie has several opportunities to end and then it doesn’t.” (77:10 – Millie)
  • Both hosts ultimately praise it—Millie even preferring it to Parasite:
    “Maybe that’s just because I feel like...this is right up my fucking alley. Definitely my life experience.” (78:34 – Millie)

Interview: Morgan Evans on Micro Budget and Linda Fiorentino

(82:00–109:05)

Filmmaking on a Shoestring

• Evans’ Mockumentary:
  • Micro Budget is a faux documentary about a toxic, incompetent indie director and a diverse, exasperated crew (“he just sticks his foot in his mouth for like an hour and a half and he has no money and no idea what he’s doing.” – 84:10)
• Production parallels:
  • Real-life set was positive, but the anxiety of being mistaken for his toxic protagonist lingered.
  • “I really hope I'm not like Terry in real life, but yeah, it's unavoidable when you make a movie about a movie.” (84:57 – Evans)

Area of Expertise: Linda Fiorentino & The Last Seduction

• Evans is fascinated by Fiorentino’s unique screen presence, especially her contemporary femme fatale in The Last Seduction:
  • “Linda Fiorentino...she's a femme fatale, but in a very contemporary way for the time.” (87:11 – Evans)
• Recaps Fiorentino’s wild, noir-worthy real-life entanglement in the Hollywood Pellicano scandal—she dated the notorious private investigator, then an FBI agent on his case.
  • “That’s a 90s thriller right there.” (91:02 – Evans)
• Examines Fiorentino’s career stagnation—ostracism possibly due to misogyny (“difficult” label), industry risk-aversion, and bad luck.
• Comparison to Sharon Stone, Lauren Bacall, Dakota Johnson, Zendaya—ultimately, Fiorentino remains singular.
• Discussion of stifled mid-budget films and the lack of contemporary equivalents.

Employee Picks

(110:32–114:24)

• Millie recommends: Umberto D (1952)
  • “Maybe the saddest movie of all time,” but one that similarly explores economic dispossession and the struggle for dignity.
• Casey recommends: Fargo (1996)
  • “About a man who takes a course of action that is insane, but they feel like if we can just accomplish this horrific act, then we’ll be smooth sailing after that.”

Notable Quotes & Moments

• “Joy is an act of resistance, but...I am being more picky with what I am allowing to give me joy.” (25:07 – Casey)
• “Paper, weirdly enough, feels like vinyl...an invisible fabric of so many things...” (50:48 – Millie)
• “There’s no fucking way I’m going back to eating shit.” (55:32 – Millie, on pride after layoffs)
• “I don’t know, I just think the reality is, is that I love Lee Byung Hun so much...he really gets to be super funny in this movie.” (78:34 – Millie)
• On French humor:
  “What is French humor about? What’s the groundwork for French humor?...Smoking. Being topless on the beach, eating a baguette...” (81:39 – Millie)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [02:10] – Millie’s tribute to Sophie and grief reflections
• [09:04] – Casey discusses ICE raids, Minneapolis, and resistance
• [15:01] – BTS fandom and joy vs. late capitalism
• [26:54] – Film diary (Millie: classical biopics; Casey: Together, Clear and Present Danger)
• [36:53] – Main discussion: No Other Choice opens
• [50:48] – Paper as metaphor & relevance to modern life
• [55:32] – Masculinity, work, and layoff stigma
• [71:00] – Escalation of murder plot, “No other choice” philosophy
• [79:54] – On comedy in Korean cinema and translation
• [82:00] – Interview: Morgan Evans on Micro Budget
• [87:11] – Linda Fiorentino as contemporary femme fatale
• [110:32] – Employee Picks: Umberto D, Fargo

Final Thoughts

This episode offers a deft mix of funny, unpretentious film talk, poignant social commentary, cinephile analysis, and earnest self-disclosure. Millie and Casey’s rapport is both playful and deeply honest, making the serious material approachable. The episode stands out for its nuanced discussion of the gig economy and job displacement, a fresh take on Park Chan Wook’s global profile, and a rare deep dive into a forgotten ’90s actress-turned-myth.

If you care as much about movie culture’s capacity for healing and resistance as you do about its history, Dear Movies, I Love You is essential listening.

Find Millie and Casey on IG @dearmoviesiloveyou or check out Micro Budget at microbudgetmovie.com.