The Media Morgue

Opening Night x Gloria — A Rowlands Retrospective

On August 14, 2024, Gena Rowlands passed away. Her storied career spanned the stage and screen alike over seven decades—but it's her collaborations with actor-director-husband John Cassavetes that remain some of her most legendary. On this episode, Dan leads Wes and Justin through two of his favorite selections: Opening Night (1977) and Gloria (1980).  Has Gena Rowlands really gotten her full due for her contributions to the craft? Is Opening Night the greatest movie ever made about acting? Was it necessary to nominate 6-year-old John Adames for a Razzie Award because of his performance in Gloria? Stuff your revolver into a clutch and scrub in, we're gonna find out together!

SupaFantastic! (with Ani Pi)

Welcome back to the Morgue!  The Morticians are overjoyed to welcome back FOTS Ani Pi [https://www.instagram.com/anircdh/] for a review of Marvel and DC's silver age summer spectacles. How fantastic is the new casting for Marvel's first family? How superb is the selection for DC's Man of Tomorrow? How many puns will Justin put in this description?  Grab your blue super suits and space baby diapers and scrub in!  [0:00] The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025) dir. Matt Shakman [48:24] Superman (2025) dir. James Gunn If you want to hear more from Ani, check out this previous episode! [https://www.podbean.com/eas/pb-2hgxg-113f8a8]

Sinners x From Dusk Till Dawn (with Marchael Giles)

Welcome back to the Morgue! We have raised up our coffins and returned from the netherrealm of non-podcasting to review the incredibly special cultural and artistic phenomenon that is Ryan Coogler's Sinners with first time guest Marchael Giles [https://www.instagram.com/marchaelgiles/]. Then we travel back to the 90s to talk about Robert Rodriguez's manic cult classic From Dusk Till Dawn. Which of these two doomed desert watering holes would you rather spend a night in? How cool is George Clooney in this pre-Danny Ocean persona? Is this Michael B. Jordan's best performance yet? And did Quentin really have to write that moment?  As always, you're in for a rich discussion about the reflexive nature of cinema ensues with a healthy mix of tomfoolery. So grab your corn liquor, your crucifix, and your closest blood relative—bonus points if it's your brother. Let's scrub in! TIMESTAMPS [0:00] 'Sinners' (2025) dir. Ryan Coogler [48:10] 'From Dusk Till Dawn' (1996) dir. Robert Rodriguez

Longlegs x Manhunter

Welcome back to the Morgue! Assembled after a long break, the Morticians tackle one of their most hotly-anticipated releases of the year: LONGLEGS. Did Nic Cage miss his calling as a hair metal singer? How effective is horror for the communication of Oz Perkins’ particular trauma? And then we dip into the deep cerulean underbrush of MANHUNTER, Michael Mann’s third feature and the one that introduced Hannibal Lecter to moviegoers. It’s a double crime thriller doozy, so grab your boxes of dusty files and scrub in! TIMESTAMPS [0:00 - 17:45] Intro & News: Trailer Talk for 'Alien: Romulus', 'Beetlejuice Beetlejuice', 'Gladiator II' [18:05 - 58:55] 'Longlegs' (2024) dir. Osgood Perkins [59:15 - 1:22:04] 'Manhunter' (1986) dir. Michael Mann

2023: The Year's Best

Happy New Year ya lovely screen-huggin hunks!  For our first episode of 2024, the Morticians took a look back over the pretty stacked year that was 2023 to talk through their favorite performances, directorial debuts, documentaries, and of course those vaunted top 5 lists. Clocking in at close to two hours, there was clearly a lot to talk about. So check your Letterboxd and scrub in!