Podcast
The Strange Harbors Podcast
Hosted by Derek Wong, Amir Touray, Jeff Zhang · EN
Welcome to The Strange Harbors Podcast. Hosted by Derek Wong, Jeff Zhang, and Amir Touray, The Strange Harbors Podcast is a weekly discussion of all things pop culture, with an emphasis on film and television. Join us every week as we dive deep into big blockbusters, indie favorites, and under-seen hidden gems.
14episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
"Obsession"
1w ago00:48:21Tap to summarizeThis week, we review the horror sensation of the summer, Curry Barker's sleeper hit: Obsession. A graduate of the sketch comedy to cinema pipeline, Barker shares much of his pedigree with other breakout filmmakers such as Zach Cregger, the Philippou Brothers, and Chris Stuckmann, but does he have what it takes to break out of the habits of his contemporaries? We talk about Obsession's streamlined power, its wild turns, and the film's undeniable superstar: Inde Navarette.
Transcribe →"Mortal Kombat II"
2w ago00:43:48Tap to summarizeMortal Kombat gets a second chance as the sequel to 2021's forgotten pandemic-era reboot attempts to right the wrongs of its predecessor. For one, thing, this Mortal Kombat actually has Mortal Kombat in it. We discuss the history of the franchise, the ills of the first film, and our split-down-the-middle opinion of the new sequel. Do we have another good video game adaptation in the books? Or is this one another one to chuck into the acid pits?
Transcribe →"The Devil Wears Prada 2"
3w ago00:34:56Tap to summarizeClearly unmotivated by our Summer Box Office Wager episode and totally unbiased, this week we review The Devil Wears Prada 2. Reuniting its director and cast 20 years later once again at Runway Magazine, this much-anticipated sequel hit the ground running a week ago, but does it fall victim to your typical legacy sequel traps? What do Hannibal Lecter, clickbait, and the current media hellscape have to do with The Devil Wears Prada 2? Find out by tuning in.
Transcribe →2026 Summer Box Office Wager
May 700:49:08Tap to summarizeAfter failing to dethrone Amir for three years running, Derek and Jeff will attempt again to take the crown of box office champ in our annual wager. Once again, the pod comes together to pick their top 10 lists of the biggest movies of the summer. Tune in as we predict the winners, losers, and wild cards of the season.
Transcribe →"The Drama"
Apr 2400:39:06Tap to summarizeThis week, we review director Kristoffer Borgli's latest film, The Drama. A romantic dramedy that finds a devastating secret upending a young couple's upcoming nuptials, this Robert Pattinson and Zendaya vehicle navigates a complicated landscape of forgiveness, empathy, and the performance of compassion — not to mention, it's funny as hell.
Transcribe →"Project Hail Mary"
Apr 1400:43:54Tap to summarizeThis week, we review Project Hail Mary, the second adaptation of an Andy Weird novel following 2015's The Martian. Teaming up with directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller (The Lego Movie and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse), Ryan Gosling stars as Ryland Grace, a conscripted schoolteacher-turned-astronaut on a mission to save the Earth and its dying sun. There's no denying that Project Hail Mary is the moviegoing event of the year so far, but does it have the craft and performances to elevate it above its crowd-pleasing station? Listen and find out.
Transcribe →The 98th Oscars Recap
Mar 2600:46:54Tap to summarizeThe 98th Academy Awards have now come and gone in a largely uncontentious ceremony. We discuss the final awards season showdown between Ryan Coogler's Sinners with its record-breaking nominations and Paul Thomas Anderson's One Battle After Another, along with this year's many deserved — and maybe a few undeserved — wins. We also run down some surprises in the telecast, its beautiful In Memoriam segment, and the Timothée Chalamet of it all.
Transcribe →"The Pitt" Season 2
Mar 1900:55:21Tap to summarizeEveryone's favorite medical drama — The Pitt — is back. A new day in the emergency room brings new challenges for the Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center, and we discuss — with our own in-house medical professional, Dr. Amir Touray — how the new season is progressing, specifically, the first nine episodes. Does The Pitt continue its winning run? Was the first season just lightning in a bottle? Will Dr. Robby survive this season? We talk about it all right before the other shoe drops in the last stretch of episodes.
Transcribe →"A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms"
Mar 1200:42:46Tap to summarizeHBO's Game of Thrones is back with yet another spinoff, this time based on George R.R. Martin's Dunk and Egg novellas. A departure from the palace intrigue and massive scale of both Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms digs into more lighthearted slice-of-life drama, at least until its explosive climax. We discuss the short first season, its pitch-perfect casting, and its memorable roster of Westerosi characters.
Transcribe →"Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die"
Mar 400:41:44Tap to summarizeGore Verbinski returns with his first film in nine years with his time travel comedy "anthology" film: Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die. This time around, he tries his hand at satire and topicality — a movie about our obsession with screens, our inability to cope with tragedy-filled modernity, and the encroaching threat of AI. Is he successful? Tune in and find out.
Transcribe →