Critical Darlings

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, Producer Ben Frisch is out on a Minions-related leave of absence, so we’re joined by Producer Ben Hosley, to talk about this especially contrived-feeling cultural product. It used to be that Disney remakes were sure to break a billy at the box office, but that’s no longer the case, with only the recent Lilo and Stitch remake having any legs. Moana’s disappointing landing makes us wonder if the steam is truly run out of the remake machine.


While the movie itself is a little flimsy, it affords us the opportunity to go deep on its most controversial performance and star, Dwayne “Mr. Rock” Johnson, as Maui. Like the remakes themselves, Johnson used to be an undeniable box office draw, but in recent years his films have also begun to disappoint. We do a career retrospective to try and puzzle out what, if anything, has gone wrong.

Next week, we’re joining the boys on the boat, with The Odyssey.
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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 yellow ones land in 1920s Hollywood. among Chaplin, Keaton, and all of Gen Alpha’s favorite silent film stars. For two of us at least, it worked!

We also discuss Minions lore: The movie posits that the species consists of roving tribes of task rabbits, and raise questions about their mortality, reproductive cycle, edibility, and of course their role in 20th century geopolitical conflict. We also discuss our relationships to animation generally, the film’s character design, its ode to 2022’s Babylon, and the place of Hollywood nostalgia in our era of corporate consolidation and general pessimism. Also, a special message to the Critical Darlings community from producer Benjamin Frisch.

Next week: It's Moana, you're welcome.
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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 universe, now helmed by Guardians of the Galaxy mastermind James Gunn. Gunn’s 2025 Superman breathed new life into one of the genre’s biggest icons, but Supergirl blew a raspberry at the box office, despite the good vibes surrounding the new DCU.

Supergirl, directed by I, Tonya's Craig Gillespie, borrows liberally from Gunn’s style, but in imitating Gunn, it shows just how difficult it is to pull off his deft mix of humor, spectacle, and heart. Patrick walks us through the movie’s source material, the acclaimed comics miniseries Woman of Tomorrow, and how the film follows and diverges from that book’s True Grit-inspired journey, often to negative effect. We also get into Milly Alcock’s performance as Supergirl, the needle drops, Krypto and the Superhorse (!), and what this movie means for the future of the DCU.

Next week, we’re all in on Minions (Babylon Version)
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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 down two new wide-release gay movies: RuPaul’s spoofy Stop! That! Train! and the Australian conversion therapy horror film Leviticus.

First, we discuss the delightful Stop! That! Train!, its performances, cameos, and various controversies including lying drag queens (funny) and AI visual effects (depressing). We also get into RuPaul and her legacy as both an artist and screen presence, and the incredibly fickle nature of the RuPaul’s Drag Race fandom and how they have received the film.  In any case, she fun! 

Then, in a season rife with indie horror, Leviticus stands out for its brazen story of two queer teens in an industrial Aussie backwater. The metaphor of the movie, where a supernatural monster stalks gay teens in the guise of the object of their most beloved, feels audacious when most movies and TV are scared to acknowledge gay sexual desire on screen. Other sidebars include: mozzarella sticks, drag queen hairstylists, and mom hair.

Next week, she’s super, AND she’s a girl? It’s Supergirl! 
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It’s Disclosure Week on Critical Darlings, with writer, podcaster, and E.T. super fan Starlee Kine! 

Almost five decades after Steven Spielberg reimagined aliens on screen with E.T. and Close Encounters, he’s delivered another story of extraterrestrial awe. The movie stars Emily Blunt and Josh O’Connor. But the figure who looms largest over Disclosure Day is Spielberg himself.  We discuss our relationships to Spielberg’s work, how Disclosure Day fits into his slate of alien films, and how the movie worked on us. Like audiences and critics, we’re split. Despite some production quibbles (take off that sweater, Emily!), Spielberg remains a master of the camera. Still, the movie’s optimism for humanity feels behind the times: or, maybe we’re just jaded? Why not both? 

Other topics include ghosts vs. aliens, Spielberg’s longing for the monoculture, E.T. in the wig, and finally, we do a ranking of Spielberg’s alien films. 

Next week, we’re celebrating Pride with two flavors of gay film: the goofy Stop That Train, and the spooky Leviticus. 

 
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