The Story Punk Podcast

Episode 018:  On this week’s Story Punk, we hit the track with Joseph Kosinski’s high-octane racing drama F1: The Movie, starring Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem, and Tobias Menzies. Powered by the filmmaking team behind Top Gun: Maverick and featuring real Formula 1 teams and circuits, this film blends adrenaline, IMAX-driven spectacle, and intense character drama.
We break down the film’s use of authentic racing footage, Kosinski’s signature cinematographic style, Brad Pitt’s return to blockbuster action, and how F1: The Movie stacks up against other racing classics.
We dive into:• Formula 1 realism vs. Hollywood movie formula• Brad Pitt & Damson Idris as rival drivers• The role of real F1 teams, cars, and circuits• How Kosinski builds tension, speed, and scale• Where F1 fits into the array of modern racing movies

Episode 017: This week on Story Punk we carve into Eli Roth’s slasher throwback "Thanksgiving", starring Patrick Dempsey, Nell Verlaque, Addison Rae, Gina Gershon, and Rick Hoffman. From holiday-horror traditions to Roth’s gleefully brutal set pieces, we break down how this grindhouse-inspired story evolved from a fake trailer into a full-blown seasonal bloodbath.
We’re dropping this episode two days early in honor of the Thanksgiving holiday — so no Thursday release this week. Consider it our little cinematic appetizer before the feast.
We dig into:• Roth’s return to classic slasher vibes• How Thanksgiving fits into modern horror trends• Rick Hoffman character acting appreciation• Holiday-horror legacy and audience expectations

Episode 016: On this week’s Story Punk episode, Scott and Drew methodically dissect David Fincher’s 2023 film "The Killer", a sleek, ruthless assassin thriller starring Michael Fassbender, Tilda Swinton, Charles Parnell, and Arliss Howard. We unravel its existential assassin mindset, voice-over mantras, graphic novel roots, and how Fincher’s precision meets Reznor & Ross’s haunting score.

Episode 015: On this week’s episode of Story Punk, we do our own research into Ari Aster’s divisive modern Western-thriller starring Joaquin Phoenix, Pedro Pascal, Emma Stone, and Austin Butler. Set in a fictional New Mexico town during the height of the COVID pandemic, the film pits a sheriff against a mayor and unfolds as a raw commentary on polarization, social media, power, and crisis.
We break down Aster’s shift from horror into political satire, examine the layered themes of digital isolation, distrust, and collective madness, and ask whether Eddington hits the mark, or misses its target.

Episode 014 — Scott and Drew decode Denis Villeneuve’s Arrival, a mind-bending sci-fi masterpiece starring Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner, and Forest Whitaker. We explore its emotional storytelling, haunting score by Jóhann Jóhannsson, and how its unique take on time, language, and communication reshaped modern science fiction.

Episode 013: Halloween Scary Movie Series Part 5 of 5. This week we celebrate our 13th episode with an installment for the Friday the 13th franchise, James Isaac’s wild sci-fi take on the slasher series that sends Jason Voorhees into space. Starring Kane Hodder, Lexa Doig, Lisa Ryder, and Chuck Campbell, we dissect the film’s blend of horror and camp, the distinct Canadian-ness of the production, and how this over-the-top sequel became one of the most bizarre entries in the franchise. Of course, no Halloween episode would be complete without some commentary on the horror genre in general, so grab your sleeping bag and fresh trick or treat loot and give our latest Story Punk Podcast a listen.

Episode 012: Halloween Scary Movie Series Part 4 of 5. This week Scott and Drew take a stab at Halina Reijn’s 2022 film Bodies Bodies Bodies, a Gen-Z-fueled slasher satire starring Amandla Stenberg, Maria Bakalova, Rachel Sennott, Myha’la Herrold, Chase Sui Wonders, and Pete Davidson. We dig into the film’s biting humor, social media paranoia, neon-lit chaos, and how it flips classic whodunit tropes for the TikTok era.
 

Episode 011: Halloween Scary Movie Series Part 3 of 5. This week Scott and Drew enter the twisted, theological game set by Scott Beck & Bryan Woods, starring Hugh Grant as the enigmatic Mr. Reed, with Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East as Mormon missionaries caught in his eerie experiment. We explore how Heretic blends horror with philosophy, its observations on faith & control, and whether Grant pulls off this new acting turn in “suave terror”.

Episode 010: Halloween Scary Movie Series Part 2 of 5. week we delve into David Robert Mitchell’s haunting indie horror hit "It Follows" starring Maika Monroe, Keir Gilchrist, and Daniel Zovatto. We examine its slow-burn tension, metaphorical terror, synth-driven score by Disasterpeace, and why it remains one of the most unsettling horror films of the 2010s.
 

BONUS EPISODE: Scott and Drew discuss Paul Thomas Anderson’s sweeping political action drama "One Battle After Another" starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, Benicio Del Toro, Regina Hall, Teyana Taylor, and Chase Infiniti. We break down its Vineland inspiration, revolutionary themes, Jonny Greenwood’s score, and PTA’s signature blend of chaos, intimacy, and spectacle. So sit back and relax, and most importantly, don't forget to breath. Ocean waves, ocean waves.