Unspooled
By Paul Scheer & Amy Nicholson | Realm
Categories: TV & Film, Film Reviews
Each week actor & comedian Paul Scheer (Black Monday, The League) and film critic Amy Nicholson (LA Times Chief Film Critic ) watch and discuss the best movies out there. From the classics to new releases and every indie film in-between. Along the way, they’ll dissect iconic scenes, spotlight their favorite characters, and decide if these movies still stand the test of time.
477 episodes indexed on PodSearch.
Recent episodes
- In Bruges
With a new Martin McDonagh film on the horizon, Amy and Paul revisit his darkly hilarious cult classic In Bruges. They explore how a movie about two hitmen hiding out in Belgium becomes a surprisingly profound meditation on guilt, forgiveness, moral ambiguity, and whether even the worst among us…
- The Witch
Wouldst thou like to live deliciously? This week, Amy and Paul venture into the woods for Robert Eggers’ 2016 folk horror film The Witch. They explore the film’s painstaking historical accuracy, its unsettling atmosphere, and reveal why Black Phillip was just as terrifying behind the scenes…
- Fast Five
Fast cars, big heists, and family. This week, Paul and Amy revisit Fast Five, the movie that transformed The Fast and the Furious from a street-racing franchise into an action blockbuster juggernaut. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection…
- Spirited Away
Paul and Amy get spirited away with Hayao Miyazaki’s beloved 2001 animated classic! They explore how this magical coming-of-age adventure tackles consumerism, identity, and the power of kindness. Plus, they discuss Miyazaki’s many retirements and why the film continues to resonate with audiences…
- Hereditary (with David Ehrlich)
This week Amy sits down with IndieWire film critic David Ehrlich to talk about Ari Aster's chilling debut, Hereditary. The two recall their unforgettable first screening at Sundance and explore how the film transforms family trauma, grief, and generational guilt into a movie that helped establish…
- Salt (with Ira Madison III)
Amy welcomes Ira Madison III to go undercover with Salt, the 2010 spy thriller that gave Angelina Jolie a chance to go full action hero. They dig into the movie’s wild development, from a Tom Cruise vehicle about “Edwin A. Salt” to Jolie’s gender-swapped Evelyn Salt, and celebrate the practical…
- Almost Famous (with Alan Sepinwall)
With Paul away, Amy hits the road with TV critic and former Rolling Stone writer Alan Sepinwall to revisit Cameron Crowe’s Almost Famous, the coming-of-age rock movie about a teenage journalist, a very complicated band, and the blurry line between access and honesty. They dig into Crowe’s…
- Beyond the Valley of the Dolls (with Julie Klausner)
While Paul is away, Amy welcomes comedian and writer Julie Klausner to dive into Beyond the Valley of the Dolls, Russ Meyer’s gloriously outrageous collision of sex, drugs, rock and roll, and barely contained chaos. Originally conceived as a sequel to Valley of the Dolls, the film evolved into…
- Summer Movie Recap 2026
Paul and Amy look back at the wild summer of 2026, a blockbuster season that brought audiences back to theaters and delivered one of the most lucrative summers in over a decade. From The Invite and Jackass Forever to The Odyssey, Minions and Monsters, and Toy Story 5, they dig into a surprisingly…
- Hudson Hawk (with David Hughes)
Paul and Amy embrace an ambitious failure with Hudson Hawk, the gloriously strange Bruce Willis passion project that went from bar-napkin idea to legendary box-office flop. They dig into the movie’s chaotic production with journalist David Hughes to explore the clashing scripts, candy-bar CIA…
- Interview with the Vampire
Paul and Amy sink their teeth into Interview with the Vampire, the movie project that spent nearly two decades trying to make it to the screen. They trace Anne Rice’s fiercely specific vision, unpack the unexpected pairing of Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise, and explore how a controversial casting choice…
- Reel Confessions: Josh Greenbaum
Director, screenwriter, and producer Josh Greenbaum enters the Reel Confessions booth to spill his movie hot takes (and a few opinions that might get him kicked out of the theater). You can join the Unspooled conversation on Paul’s Discord at https://discord.gg/ZwtygZGTa6 Follow Paul and Amy on…
- O Brother, Where Art Thou?
Paul and Amy head down to the Mississippi Delta with O Brother, Where Art Thou?, the Coen Brothers’ Depression-era odyssey that transformed Homer’s epic into a bluegrass-fueled American fable. They unpack George Clooney’s career-defining comedic turn, the film’s groundbreaking digital look, and…
- Reel Confessions: David Wain
David Wain steps into the confession booth to talk cult classics, cinematic blind spots, and the movies that shaped his comedy. Paul and Amy chat with the Wet Hot American Summer creator about his new film Gail Doughtry and the Celebrity Sex Tape, fan-favorite quotes he barely remembers, and the…
- Rerun: Wet Hot American Summer
To celebrate the 25th anniversary theatrical re-release of Wet Hot American Summer, we're revisiting Paul and Amy’s deep dive into the beloved cult comedy. They trace the film’s scrappy journey from The State to Camp Towanda, unpack its stacked cast of future stars, and explore how a box-office…
- Drive
Paul and Amy hit the gas with Drive, Nicolas Winding Refn’s hypnotic neo-noir that transformed a would-be studio action movie into one of the defining films of the 2010s. They trace the unlikely collaboration between Refn and Ryan Gosling, unpack the film’s dreamlike blend of pop music, brutal…
- The Odyssey (with Lucas Matthew Herchenroeder)
Amy drops an emergency Unspooled episode to unpack Christopher Nolan’s epic take on The Odyssey, joined by USC classics professor Lucas Herrenroeder. Together they compare Homer’s original poem with Nolan’s bold reinterpretation, exploring everything from its Bronze Age authenticity and towering…
- An American Tail
Paul and Amy set sail with An American Tail, Don Bluth’s sweeping animated tale of immigration, family, and hope. They trace Bluth’s break from Disney, debate the film's emotional impact, and celebrate how the film’s blend of darkness and optimism helped reshape the future of American animation…
- Superbad
Paul and Amy revisit Superbad, the coming-of-age comedy that turned awkward adolescence into an instant classic. They trace the film’s origins from Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg’s teenage years, celebrate the breakout performances of Jonah Hill, Michael Cera, Emma Stone, and explore how Judd Apatow…
- The Muppet Movie (with BenDavid Grabinski)
While Amy's away, Paul welcomes writer-director BenDavid Grabinski for a Critics’ Choice celebrating The Muppet Movie. Together they revisit Jim Henson’s big-screen breakthrough, exploring how its blend of heartfelt storytelling, meta Hollywood satire, groundbreaking puppetry, and unforgettable…
- Gremlins
Paul and Amy unwrap Gremlins, Joe Dante’s delightfully chaotic holiday classic that proved cute can turn catastrophic in the blink of an eye. They trace the film’s journey from Chris Columbus’s much darker original script to Spielberg’s Amblin-produced crowd-pleaser, and unpack the inspired…
- Nope
Paul and Amy continue their alien-movie streak alive with Nope, Jordan Peele’s ambitious sci-fi spectacle. They revisit the Haywood siblings’ quest to capture the impossible on camera, celebrate Keke Palmer’s star-making performance, and unpack the unforgettable menace of Jean Jacket, one of the…
- Close Encounters of the Third Kind
Paul and Amy look to the skies with Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Steven Spielberg’s awe-inspiring follow-up to Jaws and one of cinema’s most influential visions of alien contact. They unpack the film’s ambitious production, from Spielberg’s growing creative confidence, Douglas Trumbull’s…
- Die Hard 2 (with Jorma Taccone)
With Amy reporting from Cannes, Paul welcomes Jorma Taccone for a Dealer’s Choice episode on Die Hard 2, the explosive sequel that takes John McClane to a snowbound airport under siege. Together they make the case for one of action cinema’s most underrated follow-ups, celebrating Bruce Willis’s…
- Josie and the Pussycats (with Joanna Robinson)
While Amy is off at Cannes, Paul welcomes Joanna Robinson for an Unspooled Critics’ Choice episode on Josie and the Pussycats, the 2001 musical comedy that was lightyears ahead of its time. They revisit Harry Elfont and Deborah Kaplan’s razor-sharp satire of pop music, consumer culture, and…
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