At what point does a bit border on self-parody? Is releasing a three-sided LP consisting of experimental music meant to alienate your audience in any way similar to delaying the release of your sporadically scheduled podcast due to some form of intangible anxiety built on a nonexistent expectation of bit-laden descriptions? Can this lineage of bits be traced back to the history of long-winded run on sentences often woven by its author on the written film criticism side of his work? It's hard to say, but just to be sure, we'll be producing a feature length biopic documenting the rise and fall of the world's most important and influential podcast. How they met, the critical legacy of their work, the tumultuous lead up to the infamous Things episode, the history of their months-long hiatus, and the heartwarming story of how they've reconnected in their old age to put on some more shows for their fervent dedicated audience. Actors have painstakingly studied the hosts across their hundreds of hours of compiled work in order to faithfully create an awards contending film capable of documenting such historic moments as Stephen and Vaughn discussing Final Destination: Bloodlines, Hurry Up Tomorrow, and most importantly – Pavements. It might seem like a lot of effort for one podcast, but no expense can be spared to make someone realize that writing an episode description just really isn't that big of a deal.Have a question, a comment, or just want to say hello? Send us a message at thinkingofspoiling@gmail.com.Follow us:Vaughn on Step Printed, Letterboxd, and Bluesky.Stephen on Step Printed, Letterboxd, and Bluesky.
Two film critics sit down to discuss two films and a season of television. Novel? Not particularly. However, the curious nature of one critic's unexpected admiration for one film concerning the misadventures of Steve and his world of crafting is enough to bewilder his misanthropic cohost – aghast at the very idea that one could find amusement in such a film. A perfect in for a potential listener to gauge the dynamic between these two hosts – one British, one American – before they engage in far more engaging intellectual discussions concerning the anticipated audience response to Wes Anderson's latest emotional diorama, and furthermore the shocking twists and turns found in one Nathan Fielder's latest season of network television. Their newly revitalized regular upload schedule continues. On a trial basis, of course.Have a question, a comment, or just want to say hello? Send us a message at thinkingofspoiling@gmail.com.Follow us:Vaughn on Step Printed, Letterboxd, and Bluesky.Stephen on Step Printed, Letterboxd, and Bluesky.
May 18, 2025. The US and the UK. Two film critics take podcasting positions in support of a tactical spoiling operation. This podcast uses only their memories. Every effort has been made to recreate these critics' thoughts as they experienced them while watching these films, a revolutionary approach to podcasting that will feel as if you were actually there. In real time, the listener will be taken through the visceral experience of watching Ryan Coogler's Sinners, Alex Garland's Warfare, and David Cronenberg's The Shrouds, and when the dust settles on the windswept podcast streets you will feel exactly the same as you felt going in, probably. The Emilia Pérez podcast is officially cancelled, and Stephen has a theory on why parrying has become increasingly popular in video games. How that ties into anything else may surprise you.Have a question, a comment, or just want to say hello? Send us a message at thinkingofspoiling@gmail.com.Follow us:Vaughn on Step Printed, Letterboxd, and Bluesky.Stephen on Step Printed, Letterboxd, and Bluesky.
Wouldst thou like to live moustacheously? Rumor has it that this is the call that the mysterious Count Orlok answered in order to be granted such a magnificent and bushy 'stache - the only downside of which was an immortal existence of demonic suffering and an insatiable thirst for both blood and land. In an attempt to turn his miserable existence around he became the world's first vacation home owner, purchasing a large estate in Germany that he planned to renovate and rent out as an Airbnb when he was back home in the Carpathian Mountains. He could only make the two week journey by boat so many times in a year, especially when each journey required a fresh crop of hapless sailors to be feasted on. But despite a wildly successful rat tourism and self-driving carriage program causing rapid economic expansion and lining his pockets, no amount of money could fill the void in his heart. This week on the podcast, Stephen and Vaughn discuss heartwarming vampire romcom Nosferatu, and dissect the moral quandary of unleashing a plague upon an entire continent for the sake of a romantic gesture. We also talk about Anora. Stephen is lying all 17 times he claims this is an Emilia Pérez podcast.Have a question, a comment, or just want to say hello? Send us a message at thinkingofspoiling@gmail.com.Follow us:Vaughn on Step Printed, Letterboxd, and Bluesky.Stephen on The STACKs, Letterboxd, and Bluesky.
Listen, I'm going to keep it real with the audience here, I think I might have peaked with the description for the last episode. I promise this isn't an increasingly elaborate, more elevated version of my normal shtick to avoid having to come up with some kind of convoluted Megalopolis related piece because I'm about to go on vacation and can't be bothered. In fact, I'm still not convinced anyone reads these, so it may not be relevant at all that I've completely given up on this one, falling from my high rise tower like I'm Adam Driver at the beginning of Megalopolis if he didn't have the ability to stop time. Is that anything? Probably not. It's fine. Enjoy the episode, we had a lot of fun recording this one. Join us as we discuss Jeremy Saulnier's Rebel Ridge, Sean McNamara's Reagan, Coralie Fargeat's The Substance, and Francis Ford Coppola's Megalopolis, a collection of films which range from worthless garbage to revolutionary filmmaking. Which one is which? Tune in to find out. Have a question, a comment, or just want to say hello? Send us a message at thinkingofspoiling@gmail.com.Follow us:Vaughn on Step Printed, Letterboxd, and Twitter.Stephen on The STACKs, Letterboxd, and Twitter.
On the internet, two months might as well be decades, which officially makes this podcast an I'm Thinking of Spoiling Things legacy sequel. Therefore, we have ensured that this episode will please every kind of Spoiling Things fan, and the episode is packed full of references to past episodes for listeners with a keen ear. Though certainly a controversial decision in many circles, per the suggestion of podcast creator Stephen, we have decided to resurrect the performance of The Grab Bag of Recent Releases using experimental deepfake technology*, allowing us to imitate what that segment felt like in Season 1 while maintaining key discussion points about movies that have come out since the segment was eliminated. Fans of episode 14 will be overjoyed to hear callbacks to past discussions about Pixar as Stephen and Vaughn chat about Inside Out 2, and Austin Butler stans who have been stuck listening to our Dune: Part Two episode on repeat will find updated Butlerpinions as the guys discuss The Bikeriders. The Beast, previously slated to get its own dedicated episode, has been squeezed awkwardly into the middle of the podcast to appease recent listeners who were disappointed in the lack of conclusion to that cancelled episode. For those looking for an authentic Spoiling Things experience, the bulk of this show has been produced with in-camera practical effects, and the discussion on Fede Álvarez's Alien: Romulus creates a chilling atmosphere reminiscent of the show's finest episodes. Finally, worry not - for the niche subset of listeners who have been vocal supporters of nonsensical diatribes from the hosts about completely unrelated topics, the third act of this podcast hinges entirely on these references, an abominable lurching beast made up of silly antics. If this podcast performs well enough on opening weekend, investors may just greenlight another entry into this legacy reboot series, so be sure to tune in.Have a question, a comment, or just want to say hello? Send us a message at thinkingofspoiling@gmail.com.Follow us:Vaughn on Step Printed, Letterboxd, and Twitter.Stephen on The STACKs, Letterboxd, and Twitter.*To be perfectly clear, this podcast has never and will never use any form of artificial intelligence/machine learning to create any part of our show, unless Stephen isn't real and has been lying to me for several years. It's unlikely but I can't rule it out.
Where do we go, we who wander this film podcast wasteland, in search of our better episodes? Spoiling Things has a new home on Step Printed, and Stephen and Vaughn reopen everyone's favorite bar and grill at the peak of the Citadel to talk about every fortress of film on the horizon. The First Fortress, led by warlord Alex Garland, whose expert extrapolation of the American political landscape has granted us the revelation of twee folk music over lo-fi montages of the east coast. The Second Fortress, led by the great Dr. George Miller, who has created a utopia of pristine franchise filmmaking and expanded it with effortless brilliance. The Third Fortress, led by former podcast guest* Luca Guadagnino, who crafted the year's most pulse-pounding thrill ride set to the exhilarating tune of Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross' driving synths. The Fourth Fortress, led by legendary American filmmaker Richard Linklater, updating and reinventing the romcom and the neo-noir with endless charm. Civil War, Furiosa, Challengers, Hit Man, and two delirious co-hosts this week on the show.Have a question, a comment, or just want to say hello? Send us a message at thinkingofspoiling@gmail.com.Follow us:Vaughn on Step Printed, Letterboxd, and Twitter.Stephen on The STACKs, Letterboxd, and Twitter.
Release dates have become a distant, irrelevant memory in the land of Spoiling Things, now our hosts simply float around in a sort of primordial haze of vaguely recent films and sit down to chat about whatever passes by. That is to say; despite everything, in the face of all obstacles, dates or regular posting times be damned, to the detriment of every imaginable social media algorithm or rule of internet content creation, it is our solemn duty to get this show recorded. Warning: this may result in less than desirable circumstances, such as films found in the depths of the ooze being less than fresh in the mind, or the necessities of fatherly responsibility resulting in frequent background noise. Audio texture, even. To conclude, if you were hoping for a brutal attack on the incessant stupidity of Civil War or for endless praise for the electrifying energy of Challengers, you'll have to wait. For now, join Stephen and Vaughn as they discuss a swath of the latest mid budget independent sensations, from nunsploitation and devilish talk shows to bruiser action and sapphic love on steroids.Have a question, a comment, or just want to say hello? Send us a message at thinkingofspoiling@gmail.com.Follow us:Vaughn on The Twin Geeks, Letterboxd, and Twitter.Stephen on The Twin Geeks, Letterboxd, and Twitter.
When a masterpiece is long enough in the waiting, it demands greatness, and commands a heavy air of importance surrounding its release. There's an immense pressure upon the final product to deliver, to be top of its class. When the most iconic contemporary auteurs of the medium are attached to the project, it is the only release that matters. Is a month too long in between episodes of a podcast? Are the many weeks of anticipation counter to maintaining listeners in a demanding environment constantly being flooded with content? Or can one great episode every four weeks become an experience that demands being listened to in the background during your commute, shattering all of our wildest expectations? Decide for yourself in the March edition of I'm Thinking of Spoiling Things, where Stephen and Vaughn talk Poor Things, Dune: Part Two, a dash of Drive-Away Dolls, Bionicles, the state of blockbuster cinema, and everything in between.Have a question, a comment, or just want to say hello? Send us a message at thinkingofspoiling@gmail.com.Follow us:Vaughn on The Twin Geeks, Letterboxd, and Twitter.Stephen on The Twin Geeks, Letterboxd, and Twitter.
The boys, once again, are back. The boys (or maybe just one of them, we'll leave it to you to decide which) are also unsure if they can live up to the bar they set with the episode descriptions they slowly escalated and built a small lore around many months ago. Just the descriptions, though. The podcast is better than ever, in that your two favorite film critics (we're deciding this one and we're definitely your favorites) have returned to spend their time discussing the latest movies. We've been renewed for season two on a new monthly schedule to better accommodate our busy lives (maybe just one of them is busy, that one's also on you to decide which), and to kick off a new season full of films, spoilers, tangents, bits, segments, and emails, we're covering everything we didn't get to cover in between seasons. All at once. Almost thirty films to cover and a race against the clock to get our thoughts out on each one. Join us and consider if this show has become too reliant on parentheticals (it hasn't).E-mails will return as well, and we would love to hear from you on any of these many movies, or whatever else you have thoughts on. Have a question, a comment, or just want to say hello? Send us a message at thinkingofspoiling@gmail.com.Follow us:Vaughn on The Twin Geeks, Letterboxd, and Twitter.Stephen on The Twin Geeks, Letterboxd, and Twitter.
They've ranked countless films with arbitrary criteria. Now, after two years, the first season of I'm Thinking of Spoiling Things has drawn to a close. The only sensible thing to do? Finally do what they've been trying to do since episode one. Spoil Things. This week, on the extended edition season finale of the show, join Stephen and Vaughn as they spoil 1989's microbudget SOV classic Things, a film so wildly incoherent that one host watched it twice and the other has very little idea what happened at all. Following an in depth breakdown of the madness of Things, the guys answer a barrage of inquisitions from the audience in our most expansive listener mail adventure yet.Most of all, thank you all for listening over the past two years of the show. The endless support and positive feedback that has come through has been truly incredible. What started as a way to share in a collective disappointment in the latest Bond adventure turned into a bi-weekly adventure that has always been a delight to put together. Rest assured this hiatus is not permanent, and the Spoilers will return whenever possible to bring more coverage of the latest releases (and maybe, sometimes, films from 34 years ago), so stay subscribed to catch whenever we get a chance to put something new together. Until then, follow both of your hosts at the links below, and we'll see you around.Follow us:Vaughn on The Twin Geeks, Letterboxd, Twitter, and Bluesky.Stephen on The Twin Geeks, Letterboxd, Twitter, and Bluesky.
It's the beginning of the end of the road here on the show. After saving the podcast landscape with seconds to spare, conquering the peak of human cinematic achievement, and gearing down from a notably unromantic journey from gamer to racer, things are winding down on the first season of the show. Before the guys commit to their final sign-off before the break on a very special episode 50, they've come together to rank their second year of coverage on the show. Just like the first ranking, they have collected every film discussed from the Horror Spooktacular following the first anniversary all the way until our journey with Gran Turismo, and now it's time to put them all in the most objective, concrete order possible, all by the firm laws of Spoiling Things lore. So sit back and listen in, it's another wonderful journey through another year of podcasts.Please send in your comments, questions, opinions, or any thought tumbling through your head - we would love to hear from you on Episode 50 of the show, the finale of the first season of Spoiling Things. Send us a message at thinkingofspoiling@gmail.com, and we'll see you next time for a thrilling show full of surprises, your listener mail, and more!Follow us:Vaughn on The Twin Geeks, Letterboxd, and Twitter.Stephen on The Twin Geeks, Letterboxd, and Twitter.
Start your engines gamers, the summer's biggest blockbuster podcast has finally arrived. After countless hours of tireless research, months of agonizing but extremely necessary preparation, and dozens of episodes featuring thoroughly refined segments, Gear Up For Gran Turismo has reached its end. Now we arrive at the culmination of all of our hard work, a glorious, high speed adrenaline rush 135 minutes of a gamer becoming a racer. It's time to find out if Gran Turismo is Neill Blomkamp's magnum opus, a bonafide classic soon to be included on the Sight & Sound Top 100, a confused bloated overload of overly stylized grit, or maybe something somewhere in between. Putting all of their efforts into this monumental episode, Stephen and Vaughn hope to be invited to the Podcast Academy, and with enough grit and determination, their sim-conversation skills might just be put to the real test. Until then, listen to this carefully tested simulation that also includes pit stops at the Keswick Pencil Museum, Fun Island, Australia, and the bottom of a trench. Stay tuned for the end of the episode for an announcement, and an update on the future of Spoiling Things.Timestamps:Grab Bag of Recent Releases (Talk to Me, Meg 2: The Trench) | 4:05Gran Turismo | 40:15Recommendations | 1:06:10An Announcement | 1:14:30Have a question, a comment, or just want to say hello? Send us a message at thinkingofspoiling@gmail.com.Follow us:Vaughn on The Twin Geeks, Letterboxd, and Twitter.Stephen on The Twin Geeks, Letterboxd, and Twitter.
For thousands and thousands of years, human civilization has been building, advancing, slowly creating the foundation of the ultimate culmination of our existence. Now, it is finally upon us. Barbenheimer. The ultimate double bill. Greta Gerwig's Barbie and Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer, releasing simultaneously to become the peak of cinematic experience. Swaths of rabid fans dressed head to toe in pink causing stampedes at local multiplexes; filmbros traveling thousands of miles and standing in line for days to experience 70mm IMAX like Christopher Nolan, father of cinema, intended them to. Theaters are back and the fervor is so intense it's like they never existed until now, but here we have gathered, where heartbreak feels good. And now, like true pioneers breaking ground on ideas nobody has even imagined, visualizing the imperceptible motions of atoms in the atmosphere, Steven and Vaughn have gathered to record a podcast about movies. They will talk about Barbie. They will talk about Oppenheimer. They will break down the respective filmmakers' careers and provide, a range of cold, tepid, and maybe even hot takes about their thoughts on various films. They will respond to questions sent in from around the globe from their many billions of listeners. They will recommend films from their recent watches. They might even have a cold open. And it will change the course of podcasting forever. Prepare yourself, and listen to this week's episode.Timestamps:Barbie | 3:35Oppenheimer | 32:30Listener Mail | 1:19:40Recommendations | 1:31:50Have a question, a comment, or just want to say hello? Send us a message at thinkingofspoiling@gmail.com.Follow us:Vaughn on The Twin Geeks, Letterboxd, and Twitter.Stephen on The Twin Geeks, Letterboxd, and Twitter.
Good morning, dedicated listener. The Spoilers have resurfaced once again to discuss the latest releases, returning to films they have already covered and once again scrambling to scrap together anything that resembles actual content pertaining to the upcoming Gran Turismo film. These violations of podcast standards have become an immediate threat to the podcast landscape, and have put the entire world in danger of shows entirely consisting of repeated thoughts and endless weekly segments about upcoming films nobody is looking forward to. The only chance at correcting this imminent collapse of everything we hold dear is to carefully extract the actual fresh film content from this episode and pretend that the rest of it does not exist. If the hosts are properly fooled by this ruse, a completely unique and original podcast covering the so-called "Barbenheimer" will emerge and the world of podcasts will once again be an amorphous, homogeneous blob of white guys talking about movies. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to listen to this episode in full and then write in your questions and comments to thinkingofspoiling@gmail.com. The fate of podcasts hangs in the balance. Vaughn will self-destruct (go back to bed) in five seconds.Timestamps:Updated Impressions (Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse) | 7:00Grab Bag of Recent Releases (Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, Asteroid City) | 13:45Gear Up For Gran Turismo | 54:30Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One | 58:00Listener Mail | 1:20:00Recommendations | 1:41:00Have a question, a comment, or just want to say hello? Send us a message at thinkingofspoiling@gmail.com.Follow us:Vaughn on The Twin Geeks, Letterboxd, and Twitter.Stephen on The Twin Geeks, Letterboxd, and Twitter.
We here at The Twin Geeks know this is heartbreaking new for our most dedicated fans, but the Thin Lizzy podcast has been cancelled. Stephen and Vaughn are now back to talking about recent releases, and are contractually obligated to stay on topic at all times. The consequences will be dire if there are any points at which they write and recite lengthy parodies of LL Cool J music, continually restart their recordings, or recommend movies they don’t like very much. On this episode, where the fate of the podcast hangs in the balance, the guys talk Extraction 2, also known as Tyler Rake 2, and discuss the merits of fake oners, ripping off Uncharted 2, and ripping a guy’s hand in half. They also talk Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, Stephen’s most anticipated film of the year. How are the Transformers doing? Will Bumblebee ever die? Is that Pete Davidson? Then, they get back in the driver’s seat (both of them) to gear up once again for Gran Turismo, and share all of the latest updates on Neill Blomkamp’s upcoming high octane masterpiece. Finally, it’s Facebook influencer Paul Schrader’s latest, Master Gardener, as well as Schrader’s wider catalogue as both writer and director. Find out what the guys think, get a new batch of recommendations, and send your thoughts, questions, and comments in to be discussed next time.Timestamps:Grab Bag of Recent Releases (Extraction 2, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts) | 3:00Gear Up For Gran Turismo | 49:00Paul Schrader & Master Gardener | 54:00Recommendations | 1:24:00Have a question, a comment, or just want to say hello? Send us a message at thinkingofspoiling@gmail.com.Follow us:Vaughn on The Twin Geeks, Letterboxd, and Twitter.Stephen on The Twin Geeks, Letterboxd, and Twitter.
Welcome to Dino's Bar and Grill, where Stephen and Vaughn have finally made it to the same recording slot to join forces and talk about cinema, diving into whatever releases they've both managed to get their eyes on. It's been a while, so the guys spend an extended intro kicking back and catching up, covering all kinds of important updates such as the lyrics to Thin Lizzy's "The Boys are Back in Town," issuing a wise warning to prevent a very niche subset of listeners from putting themselves in the position of playing Unicron The Planet Eater, reveal the one hidden trick that actors DON'T want you to know, and so much more. Then, they jump into two new films steeped in the corporate dilution of cinematic energy, from the executive worship of Flamin' Hot to the soulless, unaffected uncanny valley of The Little Mermaid. Is this letting on too much about how they feel about these films? Does anyone read these? Send in an email if you read these. thinkingofspoiling@gmail.com. Anyway, after the films, the guys read more listener mail, from predictions about future remakes to a descent into madness as they create a tier list of every Cheeto product. The boys are back in town.Timestamps:Flamin' Hot | 9:20The Little Mermaid | 27:20Listener Mail | 59:00Recommendations | 1:43:00Check out the incoherent Cheetos Tier List here.Have a question, a comment, or just want to say hello? Send us a message at thinkingofspoiling@gmail.com.Follow us:Vaughn on The Twin Geeks, Letterboxd, and Twitter.Stephen on The Twin Geeks, Letterboxd, and Twitter.
This week, Vaughn returns from his pilgrimage to Boston for the Motern Extravaganza, only Stephen got lost looking for him, so until he finds his way back home, Vaughn brings on a couple of guests to talk about some of the newest releases. First, friend of the show BrazyBen makes his first appearance on the podcast to discuss Shin Kamen Rider, an all out tokusatsu throwback from master director Hideaki Anno, and the guys dive into their experiences with the recent Shin films, tokusatsu as a genre, and some of their favorite Kamen Rider content. Later, returning guest Jack joins to talk Fast X and Across the Spider-Verse, both films that serve as a starting point for a multi-film journey that are both wildly different experiences with wildly different responses. We respond to listener mail, discuss a multiverse of multiverses, Vaughn tells the story of how a Jackie Chan film became part of one of the most stressful days of his life, and offer some recommendations from our most recent watches.Timestamps:Shin Kamen Rider with Ben | 0:45Fast X with Jack | 48:45Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse with Jack | 1:03:00Listener Mail | 1:27:00Recommendations | 1:38:30Have a question, a comment, or just want to say hello? Send us a message at thinkingofspoiling@gmail.com.Follow us:Vaughn on The Twin Geeks, Letterboxd, and Twitter.Stephen on The Twin Geeks, Letterboxd, and Twitter.
While Vaughn hits the road to experience the breathtaking majesty of Boston Johnny in person, Stephen invites frequently mentioned, now first time guest Emma on to the show to discuss the latest in both theatrical and home releases. As it goes with the often frustrating staggering of US and UK releases, Stephen finally gets a chance to view and discuss Sisu and Beau is Afraid, with varied and eye-opening results that will shock audiences who have become familiar with the previous episode's views on these films. Stephen and Emma discuss Jenny From The Block's latest cinematic endeavors with Netflix's The Mother before finishing up a veritable odyssey of parenthood cinema with Kelly Fremon Craig's Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. Before we sign off, of course, there's no time to miss a segment, so Stephen gears up once again for our most anticipated release of the year, questions from the audience are answered, and recent viewings are offered as recommendations for the keen and attentive listener to explore on their own time. Enjoy the show, it's a good one! I might have missed the recording but I still have to write these descriptions.Timestamps:Grab Bag of Recent Releases (Sisu, Beau Is Afraid, The Mother) | 2:00Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret | 29:30Gear Up For Gran Turismo | 1:01:50Listener Mail | 1:06:30Recommendations | 1:13:00Have a question, a comment, or just want to say hello? Send us a message at thinkingofspoiling@gmail.com.Follow us:Vaughn on The Twin Geeks, Letterboxd, and Twitter.Stephen on The Twin Geeks, Letterboxd, and Twitter.
Join us... as we return for another episode packed with spoils, surprises, and so much more! It's another horror triple feature this week as we dive into a Dracula spinoff, the latest in the long running genre of exorcism cinema, and the return of everyone's favorite campy demon gorefest. We also take our first look at the brand new Gran Turismo trailer for a live reaction, Stephen offers another option to punch up the film, we discuss the current state of DTV cinema, and we dig through our diaries to find another round of fresh recommendations to offer.Timestamps:Grab Bag of Recent Releases (Renfield, The Pope's Exorcist) | 2:30Gear Up For Gran Turismo | 33:50Evil Dead Rise | 48:40Listener Mail | 1:08:45Recommendations | 1:15:20Have a question, a comment, or just want to say hello? Send us a message at thinkingofspoiling@gmail.com.Follow us:Vaughn on The Twin Geeks, Letterboxd, and Twitter.Stephen on The Twin Geeks, Letterboxd, and Twitter.