Finally 'Reckoning' with AI

Finally 'Reckoning' with AI

Author: Across the Movie Aisle May 27, 2025 Duration: 45:03
On this week’s episode, Sonny Bunch (The Bulwark), Alyssa Rosenberg (The Washington Post), and Peter Suderman (Reason) discussed how AI is both helping animators lip sync cartoons and also completely inventing books for summer reading lists. Then they review Mission: Impossible—The Final Reckoning, the conclusion of a series that has grown up with—and grown wary of—the digital age. Will ‘The Entity’ be the death of us all? Make sure to swing by Bulwark+ on Friday for a bonus episode about the increasing respectability of video game movies. And if you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend!

There’s a familiar rhythm to most movie talk: either a deep dive into technical craft or a quick thumbs-up, thumbs-down reaction. Across the Movie Aisle proposes a different kind of conversation. Each week, the discussion moves past simple recommendations and into the richer territory where personal taste, cultural context, and cinematic history collide. You’ll hear thoughtful reviews of new releases and enduring classics, but the real focus is on the dialogue itself-the disagreements, the discoveries, and the shared enthusiasm that happens when perspectives meet. This isn’t about delivering a unanimous verdict; it’s about exploring why a film works for some and falls flat for others, what a director’s choices reveal, and how the landscape of television and film continues to shift. The tone is more like a spirited, informed chat among friends than a formal lecture, making even the most nuanced analysis feel accessible. Whether it’s breaking down the latest headline-grabbing series or revisiting an overlooked gem, the podcast thrives on that genuine exchange of ideas. It’s for anyone who finds that the most interesting part of watching something is the conversation that follows, where the space between different viewpoints is exactly where the understanding grows. Tune in for a weekly dose of that specific, engaging, and wonderfully contentious dialogue that only movies and TV can inspire.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Across the Movie Aisle
Podcast Episodes
Why 'Tron: Ares' Is a Boring Mess [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:50
On this week’s episode, Sonny, Peter, and Alyssa said goodbye to Diane Keaton, a key part of one of all of their favorite movies, The Godfather. Then they reviewed Tron: Ares, a music video in search of a purpose. Make s…
Dwayne Johnson's 'Smashing Machine' [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:55
Before we get to the episode, a quick note: we are spinning off Across the Movie Aisle into its own separate thing; it will no longer be part of the Bulwark network of shows, but it will still exist on Substack at moviea…
Why Did Apple Shelve 'The Savant'? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:47
On this week’s episode, Sonny, Peter, and Alyssa discussed Apple’s move to shelve the TV show The Savant in the wake of multiple bouts of politically inspired violence. Then they reviewed One Battle After Another, the la…
The FCC v. Jimmy Kimmel [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:55
On this week’s episode, delayed slightly due to technical difficulties, Sonny, Peter, and Alyssa broke down the struggle between Jimmy Kimmel, Disney, Nexstar/Sinclair, and Brendan Carr at the FCC. Is this just business…
The Degrading 'Long Walk' [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:09
On this week’s episode, Sonny Bunch, Alyssa Rosenberg, and Peter Suderman discuss Comedy Central’s decision to pull a recent South Park from the rerun rotation after the assassination of Charlie Kirk. Then they review Th…
The Delightfully Cranky 'Highest 2 Lowest' [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:28
On this week’s episode, Sonny, Alyssa, and Peter asked why Activision would turn down a chance to have Steven Spielberg direct a Call of Duty movie. Then they reviewed Highest 2 Lowest, the latest collaboration between S…
Disney's Economic Inequality [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:18
On this week’s episode, Sonny, Alyssa, and Peter discuss the widening gap between the haves and the have-nots at Disney World, as chronicled in this New York Times piece. Then they review Caught Stealing, the new Darren…
The Lost Boys of 'Alien: Earth' [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:51
On this week’s episode, Sonny, Alyssa, and Peter highlight the shocking success of Netflix’s KPop Demon Hunters at the box office last weekend and muse about what it means for the streamer’s overall strategy. Then they r…
'Nobody 2' Is Deadly, Dull [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:43
On this week’s episode, Sonny, Peter, and Alyssa discussed the problem of productions fleeing Georgia for other locales with bigger tax incentives. Then they reviewed Nobody 2, one of the rare films to, possibly, be a to…
'Weapons': 2025's Funniest Scary Movie [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:31
On this week’s episode, Sonny Bunch, Alyssa Rosenberg, and Peter Suderman discussed how to best respond to South Park’s war on the Trump Administration and its cronies. Then they reviewed Weapons, the funniest scary movi…