Shows / Critical Darlings
Critical Darlings
Welcome to Critical Darlings: a podcast about the movies everyone is talking about, one new release after another.Every week, critics Richard Lawson and Alison Willmore cover the latest film driving the conversation—from big summer blockbusters to festival favorites, buzzy streamers, and major awards contenders. New episodes every Thursday.We’re a Blank Check Production! To catch up on our first miniseries covering the 2026 Oscars season, check out Blank Check on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or…
Episodes
- Critical Darlings
“Wildwood” Is A Labor Of Love (With Rebecca Alter)
Wildwood is the new stop motion joint from Laika and director Travis Knight, previously of Kubo And The Two Strings, Bumblebee, and Masters Of The Universe…
- Critical Darlings
"You Can See Everything" Bares It All (With Jia Tolentino)
Critical Darlings is going LIVE at The Savannah Film Festival! In our first live podcast recording, we’re doing an awards season kickoff at 2pm on Tuesday…
- Critical Darlings
"You Can See Everything" Bares It All (With Jia Tolentino)
Critical Darlings is going LIVE at The Savannah Film Festival! In our first live podcast recording, we’re doing an awards season kickoff at 2pm on Tuesday…
- Critical Darlings
“The Social Reckoning” Misses The Mark (With George Civeris)
Critical Darlings is going LIVE at The Savannah Film Festival! In our first live podcast recording, we’re doing an awards season kickoff at 2pm on Tuesday…
- Critical Darlings
“The Social Reckoning” Misses The Mark (With George Civeris)
Critical Darlings is going LIVE at The Savannah Film Festival! In our first live podcast recording, we’re doing an awards season kickoff at 2pm on Tuesday…
- Critical Darlings
"Digger" ??? (With Dana Stevens)
🚨🚨🚨 Big News! 🚨🚨🚨 Critical Darlings is going LIVE at The Savannah Film Festival! In our first live podcast recording, we’re doing an awards season kickoff at…
- Critical Darlings
"Digger" ??? (With Dana Stevens)
🚨🚨🚨 Big News! 🚨🚨🚨 Critical Darlings is going LIVE at The Savannah Film Festival! In our first live podcast recording, we’re doing an awards season kickoff at…
- Critical Darlings
“Primetime” Takes A Seat (With Jessica Kiang)
Heads up to listeners, this episode includes sensitive discussions of abuse due to the nature of the film. It's Primetime! The new Robert Pattinson vehicle is…
- Critical Darlings
“Primetime” Takes A Seat (With Jessica Kiang)
Heads up to listeners, this episode includes sensitive discussions of abuse due to the nature of the film. It's Primetime! The new Robert Pattinson vehicle is…
- Critical Darlings
Bonus: The Festival Circuit Explained, And Our Fall Festival Trip Report
In this bonus episode: After a month of festival hopping, we're back in the studio to discuss the fall festival season, its big premieres, and paint a very…
- Critical Darlings
Bonus: The Festival Circuit Explained, And Our Fall Festival Trip Report
In this bonus episode: After a month of festival hopping, we're back in the studio to discuss the fall festival season, its big premieres, and paint a very…
- Critical Darlings
"Resident Evil" Is How You Adapt A Video Game (With David Sims)
Conflict of interest disclosure: Critical Darlings is a fully owned subsidiary of The Umbrella Corporation. Today we're joined by David Sims of Blank Check…
- Critical Darlings
"Resident Evil" Is How You Adapt A Video Game (With David Sims)
Conflict of interest disclosure: Critical Darlings is a fully owned subsidiary of The Umbrella Corporation. Today we're joined by David Sims of Blank Check…
- Critical Darlings
A Critical Darlings Mailbag
As Richard and Alison are jet-setting across Venice, Europe, and Toronto, North America, we bring to you a special pre-recorded mailbag, featuring your…
- Critical Darlings
A Critical Darlings Mailbag
As Richard and Alison are jet-setting across Venice, Europe, and Toronto, North America, we bring to you a special pre-recorded mailbag, featuring your…
- Critical Darlings
“Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma” And Video Store Nostalgia
Get your dipping sauces ready, it’s Jane Schoenbrun’s Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma! Starring Gillian Anderson and Hannah Einbinder, this meta horror…
- Critical Darlings
“Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma” And Video Store Nostalgia
Get your dipping sauces ready, it’s Jane Schoenbrun’s Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma! Starring Gillian Anderson and Hannah Einbinder, this meta horror…
- Critical Darlings
“Coyote Vs. Acme” And The Great Ketchup Rescue (With Connor Ratliff)
After an absurd and depressing attempt by David Zaslov to bury Coyote Vs. Acme, it’s finally in theaters. What’s more, it’s great, making WB’s attempts to…
- Critical Darlings
“Coyote Vs. Acme” And The Great Ketchup Rescue (With Connor Ratliff)
After an absurd and depressing attempt by David Zaslov to bury Coyote Vs. Acme, it’s finally in theaters. What’s more, it’s great, making WB’s attempts to…
- Critical Darlings
“Tony” Or, Bourdain Begins (With Jaya Saxena)
Ey wanna leahn howta shuck an oystah? Jaya Saxena of the new, worker-owned food publication Ravenous, joins us to discuss Tony, the micro-biopic about a…
- Critical Darlings
“Tony” Or, Bourdain Begins (With Jaya Saxena)
Ey wanna leahn howta shuck an oystah? Jaya Saxena of the new, worker-owned food publication Ravenous, joins us to discuss Tony, the micro-biopic about a…
- Critical Darlings
“The End Of Oak Street” Is Dino-mite (With Matt Singer)
Dinosaurs are back in business this week, with The End of Oak Street, an original blockbuster about shooting dinos in the face while getting chomped by various…
- Critical Darlings
“The End Of Oak Street” Is Dino-mite (With Matt Singer)
Dinosaurs are back in business this week, with The End of Oak Street, an original blockbuster about shooting dinos in the face while getting chomped by various…
- Critical Darlings
“One Night Only” Is The Sex Purge (With Josh Gondelman)
In a technofascist parallel reality, singles are only allowed to have sex one night a year: it’s One Night Only, AKA The Sex Purge! Comedian Josh Gondelman…
- Critical Darlings
“One Night Only” Is The Sex Purge (With Josh Gondelman)
In a technofascist parallel reality, singles are only allowed to have sex one night a year: it’s One Night Only, AKA The Sex Purge! Comedian Josh Gondelman…
- Critical Darlings
“Spider-Man: Brand New Day” Enters The Money-Verse (with Griffin Newman)
Griffin Newman swings back from Spain, Europe, to discuss Spider-Man: Brand New Day! Brand New Day is likely the biggest movie of the year, maybe of all time…
- Critical Darlings
“Spider-Man: Brand New Day” Enters The Money-Verse (with Griffin Newman)
Griffin Newman swings back from Spain, Europe, to discuss Spider-Man: Brand New Day! Brand New Day is likely the biggest movie of the year, maybe of all time…
- Critical Darlings
“The Invite” Or, Who’s Afraid Of Olivia Wilde? (With Emily Gould)
Come for the Les Miz karaoke takes, stay for The Invite. New York Magazine’s Emily Gould joins us to discuss Olivia Wilde’s sexy, awkward comedy of domestic…
- Critical Darlings
“The Invite” Or, Who’s Afraid Of Olivia Wilde? (With Emily Gould)
Come for the Les Miz karaoke takes, stay for The Invite. New York Magazine’s Emily Gould joins us to discuss Olivia Wilde’s sexy, awkward comedy of domestic…
- Critical Darlings
“The Odyssey” And Christopher Nolan’s Sad Dad Triumph (With Fran Hoepfner)
Daddy, tie us to the mast, we’re off to see The Odyssey! Christopher Nolan’s epic about a dad going out for cigarettes has vanquished all foes, critical…
- Critical Darlings
“The Odyssey” And Christopher Nolan’s Sad Dad Triumph (With Fran Hoepfner)
Daddy, tie us to the mast, we’re off to see The Odyssey! Christopher Nolan’s epic about a dad going out for cigarettes has vanquished all foes, critical…
- Critical Darlings
“Moana” Is Between The Rock And A Hard Place (With Ben Hosley)
You’re welcome…again! This week we’re scraping the bottom of the barrel of Disney’s “live-action” remakes, with Moana. As noted on last week’s episode…
- Critical Darlings
“Moana” Is Between The Rock And A Hard Place (With Ben Hosley)
You’re welcome…again! This week we’re scraping the bottom of the barrel of Disney’s “live-action” remakes, with Moana. As noted on last week’s episode…
- Critical Darlings
“Minions And Monsters”, What Minions Taste Like, And Other Questions
The Minions are back with a film designed to pander…to us! On this episode, three Minions neophytes try to make sense of Minions And Monsters, where the round…
- Critical Darlings
“Minions And Monsters”, What Minions Taste Like, And Other Questions
The Minions are back with a film designed to pander…to us! On this episode, three Minions neophytes try to make sense of Minions And Monsters, where the round…
- Critical Darlings
“Supergirl” And The New DCU (With Patrick Willems)
This week we’re Gunn-ing for Supergirl, with filmmaker and video essayist Patrick Willems! Supergirl is the second feature film in the new DC cinematic…
- Critical Darlings
“Supergirl” And The New DCU (With Patrick Willems)
This week we’re Gunn-ing for Supergirl, with filmmaker and video essayist Patrick Willems! Supergirl is the second feature film in the new DC cinematic…
- Critical Darlings
“Stop! That! Train!”, “Leviticus”, and Pride At The Movies (With Colin Drucker)
It’s Pride Week on Critical Darlings, and we’re joined by the co-host of the Alright Mary podcast (and Best Supporting Actress expert) Colin Drucker to break…
- Critical Darlings
“Stop! That! Train!”, “Leviticus”, and Pride At The Movies (With Colin Drucker)
It’s Pride Week on Critical Darlings, and we’re joined by the co-host of the Alright Mary podcast (and Best Supporting Actress expert) Colin Drucker to break…
- Critical Darlings
“Disclosure Day” And Ranking Spielberg’s Alien Movies (With Starlee Kine)
It’s Disclosure Week on Critical Darlings, with writer, podcaster, and E.T. super fan Starlee Kine! Almost five decades after Steven Spielberg reimagined…
- Critical Darlings
“Disclosure Day” And Ranking Spielberg’s Alien Movies (With Starlee Kine)
It’s Disclosure Week on Critical Darlings, with writer, podcaster, and E.T. super fan Starlee Kine! Almost five decades after Steven Spielberg reimagined…
- Critical Darlings
“Masters of the Universe” And The IP Drought (With Mattie Lubchansky)
By the power of Grayskull, we have cartoonist and co-host of the No Gods No Mayors podcast, Mattie Lubchansky, in studio to discuss Masters of the Universe!…
- Critical Darlings
“Masters of the Universe” And The IP Drought (With Mattie Lubchansky)
By the power of Grayskull, we have cartoonist and co-host of the No Gods No Mayors podcast, Mattie Lubchansky, in studio to discuss Masters of the Universe!…
- Critical Darlings
"Backrooms" And The Internet Horror Boom (With Ryan Broderick)
This week we’re joined by the very liminal Ryan Broderick, proprietor of the great Garbage Day newsletter and host of the podcast Panic World, to discuss A24’s…
- Critical Darlings
"Backrooms" And The Internet Horror Boom (With Ryan Broderick)
This week we’re joined by the very liminal Ryan Broderick, proprietor of the great Garbage Day newsletter and host of the podcast Panic World, to discuss A24’s…
- Critical Darlings
“Obsession” And Youtube Creators In Hollywood
This week, it’s springtime for sad boys, with “Obsession!” a horror flick from Blumhouse and director Curry Barker. The movie has exceeded all expectations and…
- Critical Darlings
“Obsession” And Youtube Creators In Hollywood
This week, it’s springtime for sad boys, with “Obsession!” a horror flick from Blumhouse and director Curry Barker. The movie has exceeded all expectations and…
- Critical Darlings
Our Favorite Movies Of The Year So Far, And A Summer Blockbusters Preview
Coucou les cheris! As Cannes is underway on the Riviera, we take a break from our usual movie-of-the-week format to look back at the year so far, and look…
- Critical Darlings
Our Favorite Movies Of The Year So Far, And A Summer Blockbusters Preview
Coucou les cheris! As Cannes is underway on the Riviera, we take a break from our usual movie-of-the-week format to look back at the year so far, and look…
- Critical Darlings
“The Sheep Detectives” And Amazon’s Box Office Bets (With Griffin Newman)
Wake up sheeple, it’s The Sheep Detectives! This week we’re joined by our very own executive sheepherder Griffin Newman to discuss the new cozy mystery for…
- Critical Darlings
“The Sheep Detectives” And Amazon’s Box Office Bets (With Griffin Newman)
Wake up sheeple, it’s The Sheep Detectives! This week we’re joined by our very own executive sheepherder Griffin Newman to discuss the new cozy mystery for…
- Critical Darlings
“The Devil Wears Prada 2” And The Future Of Tastemakers (With Who? Weekly)
Description: “…You think that you've made a choice that exempts you from the podcast industry when, in fact, you're listening to a podcast that was selected…
- Critical Darlings
“The Devil Wears Prada 2” And The Future Of Tastemakers (With Who? Weekly)
Description: “…You think that you've made a choice that exempts you from the podcast industry when, in fact, you're listening to a podcast that was selected…
- Critical Darlings
"Michael" And The Jackson Biopic That Wasn't (With Danielle Hewitt)
Michael is many things: a box-office triumph, a savvy piece of IP management, and a Frankenstein stitched together from a movie we’ll never get to see. Today…
- Critical Darlings
"Michael" And The Jackson Biopic That Wasn't (With Danielle Hewitt)
Michael is many things: a box-office triumph, a savvy piece of IP management, and a Frankenstein stitched together from a movie we’ll never get to see. Today…
- Critical Darlings
"Mother Mary" And Fictional Pop Stars in Film
This week, we’re holding a seance in a Dress Barn™ with Mother Mary! Directed by David Lowery and starring Anne Hathaway and Michaela Cole, this two-hander…
- Critical Darlings
"Mother Mary" And Fictional Pop Stars in Film
This week, we’re holding a seance in a Dress Barn™ with Mother Mary! Directed by David Lowery and starring Anne Hathaway and Michaela Cole, this two-hander…
- Critical Darlings
"The Drama" And The State of Provocateur Cinema
This week, we’re confessing the worst thing we’ve ever done with Zendaya and Batman himself with The Drama. The twist premise of A24’s newest hit throws a…
- Critical Darlings
"The Drama" And The State of Provocateur Cinema
This week, we’re confessing the worst thing we’ve ever done with Zendaya and Batman himself with The Drama. The twist premise of A24’s newest hit throws a…
- Critical Darlings
“The Mario Galaxy Movie” And The Changing Shape Of Video Game Adaptations
This week, it's The Mario Galaxy Movie! The second film in the Nintendo/Illumination franchise is already a global hit despite less than stellar reviews. It is…