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

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#TheStarlingGirl #ElizaScanlan #FilmPodcast

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 Younger
10:30 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!

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#NoHardFeelings #JenniferLawrence #FilmPodcast

In this episode of Film Curious, Pete chats about catching a midnight screening of Hokum at the Florida Film Festival before its wide release; Damian McCarthy's follow-up to Oddity, starring Adam Scott in a role unlike anything you've seen from him before. We discuss why this folk horror haunted hotel film genuinely scared Pete despite knowing every trick in the book, why you don't need to have seen Oddity to enjoy it but there’s a clear connection, and how Hokum fits into the recent golden era of emotional journey driven horror.

And then there are a few tangents on the bizarre online criticism that certain horror films are bad because they actually deliver on their premise and there’s no “twist,” and why tells work in certain stories but not in others.

🍿Pro Tip: Skip the trailer entirely with this one and just watch the film.

Guest Co-Host | Pete Tedone - Instagram

⏱️Timestamps

00:00 Intro - Brief Episode Info & Film Curious Theme Music

00:36 Hokum Plot Overview (No Spoilers) & Seeing It in a Packed Theater

03:14 Hokum: Another Great Horror Film That Is About the Emotional Journey

04:41 Ashley & Pete’s Tangent on Movies Not Needing to Have a Twist

13:37 Pete’s Rant on the Obvious Give Away in Marvel’s Iron Heart

14:57 Difference Between Giving the Bag Away vs. Only Catch It If You’re Paying Close Attention

19:40 Wrap Up - Definitely a Must See & Try to Watch Oddity Beforehand

20:49 Outro - Thanks for Listening! Don’t Forget to Subscribe!

This is a spoiler-free review. ⛔⚠️

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#Hokum #FolkHorror #FilmPodcast