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Spoilerpiece Theatre Episode 104: The Secret Life of Pets

Louis C.K., Eric Stonestreet, and Ellie Kemper in THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS

“Spoilerpiece Theatre” is a weekly movie podcast where I talk about new releases with fellow BOFCA critics Dave Riedel and Kris Jenson. We don’t give a shit about spoilers. We just want to talk about the movies.

In Episode 104 below, we review The Secret Life of Pets, Free State of Jones, and The Man in the Wall. Apparently Erik Estrada doesn’t just play a cop on TV anymore. He’s one in real life too, as we learn in this week’s episode. After we speculate about what would happen if Ponch was charged with police brutality, I review the first movie of the week: The Secret Life of Pets (at 5:48). This cute animated film, which features an all-star voice cast, is strongest when it’s cracking jokes about animal clichés and making you feel genuine danger for its characters, but becomes increasingly predictable as it goes on. Next Kris reveals why Free State of Jones (at 21:11) is a dry film that turns a story about Reconstruction into a VH1 biography. This conversation leads to a tangent on why Gone with the Wind shouldn’t be held in such high regard, before I wrap up with The Man in the Wall (at 42:48), an Israeli thriller that keeps you guessing with its tale of a missing husband and a wife who might have something to do with his disappearance. I eagerly plug its screening at the Somerville Theatre by the Boston Jewish Film Festival and recommend checking it out on Netflix streaming.
Tags: animated filmBOFCABoston Jewish Film FestivalBoston Online Film Critics AssociationDavid RiedelEllie KemperEric StonestreetErik EstradaGone with the WindIsraeli thrillerKristofer JensonLouis CKMatthew McConaugheypetspodcastPonchReconstructionSomerville TheatreSpoilerpiece TheatreThe Man in the WallThe Secret Life of PetsVh1
Evan Crean: Hello! My name is Evan Crean. By day I work for a marketing agency, but by night, I’m a film critic based in Boston, MA. Since 2009, I have written hundreds of movie reviews and celebrity interviews for Starpulse.com. I have also contributed pieces to NewEnglandFilm.com and to The Independent, as a writer and editor. I maintain an active Letterboxd account too. In addition to publishing short form work, I am a co-author of the book Your ’80s Movie Guide to Better Living, which is available on CreateSpace and Amazon. The book is the first in a series of lighthearted self-help books for film fans, which distills advice from ’80s movies on how to tackle many of life’s challenges. On top of writing, I co-host and edit the weekly film podcast Spoilerpiece Theatre with two other Boston film critics. I’m a founding member and the current treasurer for the Boston Online Film Critics Association as well. This site, Reel Recon.com, is a one-stop-shop where you can find links to all of my past and present work. Have any questions or comments after checking it out? Please feel free to email me (Evan Crean) at: ecrean AT reelrecon DOT COM .
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