The Plot Sickens

Episode 26: The Farewell

This week on The Plot Sickens, Vanessa and Deltra discuss The Farewell — the heartfelt film inspired by a true story about a family who chooses to withhold a terminal cancer diagnosis from their beloved Nai Nai. Together, they unpack the ethics of hiding a diagnosis, the emotional weight of anticipatory grief, and the complicated ways families try to protect the people they love. Plus: the return of the snack rating.

Episode 25: Other People

This week, we review Other People—and it hit hard. With a powerful performance by Molly Shannon, the film explores the reality of cancer from treatment to hospice in a way that feels raw and deeply human. We break down what it gets right—and why this one stays with you. Releasing near Mother’s Day, this episode comes with a heads up: it’s an emotional one.

Episode 24: The Room Next Door

This week on The Plot Sickens, we dive into The Room Next Door—a visually stunning, quietly poetic film about terminal illness and choice. It left us with one big question: what would you do if someone asked you to be in the room next door ? From an MBC perspective, we break down what hit, what missed, and the reality of dignity at the end of life. Trigger warning: discussions of end-of-life choice

Episode 23: Steel Magnolias

It’s Deltra’s first time watching Steel Magnolias, and it brings up a lot. As two people living with metastatic breast cancer, we talk through illness, grief, and humor—and what it feels like when the person who is sick isn’t really the center of their own story. As Ouiser would say, “If you don’t have anything nice to say… come sit by us.”

Episode 22: Me Before You

This week on The Plot Sickens, we’re discussing Me Before You—a film that opens the door to a deeper conversation about love, disability, autonomy, and end-of-life choice. We unpack this story through a personal lens. Deltra shares her perspective as a Death Doula, and together we explore the balance between valuing lives with disability and supporting a patient’s right to choose—especially when it comes to dignity and suffering. Trigger Warning: This episode includes discussion of end-of-life decision-making and Medical Aid in Dying (MAID). Expect tears, big feelings, and an honest conversation that stays with you.