Ep. 346: Coyote vs. Acme

October 17, 2026 by Morgan Davies

Arriving after a long and scandalous delay at Warner Bros., the latest Looney Tunes movie is a satirical courtroom drama where a personal injury lawyer sues the Acme corporation on behalf of Wile E. Coyote, accusing Acme of selling faulty products. Playing with decades of Looney Tunes tradition, Coyote vs. Acme combines cartoon comedy with an allegorical tale about corporate greed; a premise that coincidentally became very relevant to the film's convoluted release process, as discussed by Steffan and Gavia in this episode.

Ep. 323: KPop Demon Hunters

August 12, 2025 by Morgan Davies

Steffan and Gavia review Netflix's animated smash-hit KPop Demon Hunters, a fantasy adventure about a demon-hunting KPop girlband. Praised for its brilliant original music and stylish animation, this movie offers a well-observed tribute to KPop and its fandom. But what does its supernatural allegory actually mean?

Ep. 281: Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

June 16, 2023 by Morgan Davies

Gavia is joined by guest-host Steffan Alun to discuss the critically acclaimed new sequel to Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, whose innovative animation puts most live-action superhero films to shame.

Among other topics, we covered the film's visual artistry, its self-aware take on the concept of canon, its flawed political storytelling, and its relationship to other Marvel adaptations.

Episode 216: Akira

June 18, 2021 by Morgan Davies in episodes

This week, Gavia and Morgan discuss the classic anime film Akira (1988), directed by Katsuhiro Otomo. Topics include the film's storied production history and rich worldbuilding, its influence and legacy, and its allegorical treatment of nuclear war.

Episode 199: Batman: Mask of the Phantasm

January 30, 2021 by Morgan Davies in episodes

This week, Gavia and Morgan discuss the 1993 animated film Batman: Mask of the Phantasm, an extension of Batman: The Animated Series. Topics include the film's relationship to the TV series, its homages to classic American and German cinema, its approach to the familiar cast of Batman characters, and much more.

Episode 180: Who Framed Roger Rabbit

September 05, 2020 by Morgan Davies in episodes

This week, Gavia and Morgan discuss the pyrotechnic 1988 live action-animation hybrid Who Framed Roger Rabbit, directed by Robert Zemeckis. They praise the film's technical accomplishments and its use of cartoon and noir tropes, discuss its place in the Disney canon and its effect on the Disney Renaissance of the 1990s, and much more.

Episode 123: The Road to El Dorado

April 18, 2019 by Morgan Davies in episodes

This week, Morgan and Gavia revisit a classic of early-aughts animation: early DreamWorks animation feature The Road to El Dorado. They compare the film to newer animated fare, consider its depiction of colonization, and reminisce about its status as a slashfic ur-text for many millennials of a certain age. A Patreon-sponsored episode.

Episode 109: Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

December 30, 2018 by Morgan Davies in episodes

This week, Morgan and Gav effuse over the best superhero movie in recent memory, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. They consider its position in the superhero canon, its relationship to comicbook structure and aesthetics, its remarkable visual style, and exciting voice performances by Shameik Moore and Jake Johnson.

Episode 72: Anastasia

January 17, 2018 by Morgan Davies in episodes

This week, Morgan takes a trip down memory lane by rewatching the 1997 animated classic Anastasia... which Gavia just watched for the first time. They discuss its adaptation potential, the enduring power of the Anastasia myth, and the enduring appeal of millennial icon Dmitri.