Institutes of the Cinematic Religion

Wolf Man & Den of Thieves 2 + What We Love About David Lynch

Eric saw Den of Thieves: Pantera. Matt saw Wolf Man. We also remember the great David Lynch.
 
Den of Thieves: Pantera is a sequel to 2018's hit crime heist film Den of Thieves. Christian Gudegast returns in the director chair, as do leads Gerard Butler and O'Shea Jackson Jr. The film follows ex-detective Big Nick (Butle) as he joins forces with former rival Donnie (Jackson) for a diamond heist in southern France.
 
Wolf Man is the latest film from director Leigh Whannel, and is a modern remake of the classic Universal monster movie. Wolf Man stars Christopher Abbott and Julia Garner.
 
We also remember David Lynch, the legendary director who just passed away at 78.
 
Follow Matt: @E55LUX10N (X/Letterboxd/Instagram)
 
Follow Eric: @ericpmaus (Letterboxd/Instagram)

The Cinema of 2024 In Review

We review 2024 (The Movies)
 
Matt and Eric talk through a series of categories, discussing which movies best fit that criteria, including:
 - Top Five Movies of 2024
 - Best Action Scene of 2024
 - Most Disappointing/Surprising Movies of 2024
And many, many more. We also preview the coming films of 2025 and which ones we're most looking forward to.
 
Follow Matt: @E55LUX10N (X/Letterboxd/Instagram)
 
Follow Eric: @ericpmaus (Letterboxd/Instagram)

Strange Darling & A Different Man

For our first episode of 2025, Matt and Eric caught up on some missed movies from 2024.
 
Matt watched A Different Man, from director Aaron Schimberg. The film follows aspiring actor Edward, who undergoes a radical medical procedure to drastically transform his appearance. But his new dream face quickly turns into a nightmare, as he loses out on the role he was born to play and becomes obsessed with reclaiming what was lost. A Different Man stars Sebastian Stan, Renate Reinsve, and Adam Pearson.
 
Eric watched Strange Darling, from director JT Mollner. This is a puzzle-box of a film presented in six chapters not in chronological order. Nothing is what it seems when a twisted first date spirals into a serial killer’s vicious murder spree. Strange Darling stars Willa Fitzgerald and Kyle Gallner.
 
Matt and Eric also discuss the latest movie news, and gave a weekly recommendation.
 
Follow Matt: @E55LUX10N (X/Letterboxd/Instagram)
 
Follow Eric: @ericpmaus (Letterboxd/Instagram)

Nosferatu

The gang finally saw Nosferatu. 
 
Nosferatu (2024) is the fourth film from iconic director Robert Eggers, and is a remake of 1922 F.W. Murnau movie of the same name. Nosferatu is a gothic tale of obsession between a haunted young woman and the terrifying vampire infatuated with her, causing untold horror in its wake. Nosferatu stars Lily-Rose Depp, Bill Skarsgard, Nicholas Hoult, Willem Dafoe, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson.
 
Matt and Eric also discuss the latest movie news (Nolan's The Odyssey, Matt Reeves' The Batman Part II pushed to 2027), and give a weekly recommendation.
 
Follow Matt: @E55LUX10N (X/Letterboxd/Instagram)
 
Follow Eric: @ericpmaus (X/Letterboxd/Instagram)

Juror #2 & Red One

We watched more movies!
 
First we covered Red One, the latest film from The Rock. Red One (directed by Jake Kasdan) follows the North Pole's Head of Security as he teams with the world's most infamous tracker to save Christmas and rescue Santa Claus. Red One stars Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson, Chris Evans, J.K. Simmons, and Lucy Liu.
 
We also watched Juror #2, the latest film from director Clint Eastwood. While serving as a juror in a high profile murder trial, family man Justin Kemp finds himself struggling with a serious moral dilemma . . . one he could use to sway the jury verdict and potentially convict - or free - the accused killer. Juror #2 stars Nicholas Hoult, Toni Collette, Chris Messina, and Zoey Deutch.
 
We also discussed the latest movie news, and give a weekly recommendation.
 
Follow Matt: @E55LUX10N (X/Letterboxd/Instagram)
 
Follow Eric: @ericpmaus (X/Letterboxd/Instagram)

Y2K & Robert Eggers' Commentary on The Northman

Eric watched Y2K. Matt watched The Northman with Robert Eggers audio commentary.
 
Y2K is the latest film from actor turned director Kyle Mooney. On the last night of 1999, two high school juniors crash a New Year’s Eve party, only to find themselves fighting for their lives against a horde of evil machines. Y2K stars Jaeden Martell, Julian Dennison, and Rachel Zegler.
 
The Northman is the third film from visionary director Robert Eggers. It follows a Viking prince on his quest for revenge against those murdered his family. The Northman stars Alexander Skarsgard, Nicole Kidman, Ethan Hawke, and Anya-Taylor Joy. But Matt didn't just watch The Northman, he watched the director's commentary.
 
Matt and Eric also discuss the latest movie news, and give a weekly recommendation.
 
Follow Matt: @E55LUX10N (X/Letterboxd/Instagram)
 
Follow Eric: @ericpmaus (X/Letterboxd/Instagram)

Moana 2 & Anora

The guys watched Moana 2. Plus, Anora!
 
Moana 2 is the long-awaited sequel to 2016's Moana. From Disney's animation studios, this film follows the "princess" Moana as continues in her quest to save her village and map the ocean. In Moana 2, Auli'i Cravalho returns as the eponymous Moana, and Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson returns as Maui.
 
Anora is the latest film from the brilliant Sean Baker. It follows Anora, a young call girl in Brooklyn, who marries the son of young Russian oligarch. When the boy's parents discover this, they send Armenian thugs to have the marriage annulled. Anora stars Mikey Madison and Mark Eydelshteyn.
 
Matt and Eric also discuss the latest movie news, and give a weekly recommendation.
 
Follow Matt: @E55LUX10N (X/Letterboxd/Instagram)
 
Follow Eric: @eripcmaus (X/Letterboxd/Instagram)

Gladiator II

Matt and Eric watched Gladiator II.
 
Gladiator II is the long-awaited (but possibly unnecessary) sequel to Ridley Scott's historical epic Gladiator (2000). This film follows Lucius, a young warrior from North Africa who is captured by conquering Romans and sent to fight as a slave in the Colosseum. Gladiator II stars Paul Mescal, Denzel Washington, Connie Nielsen, Joseph Quinn, and Fred Hechinger.
 
Matt and Eric also discuss the latest movie news and give a weekly recommendation.
 
Follow Matt: @E55LUX10N (X/Letterboxd/Instagram)
 
Follow Eric: @ericpmaus (X/Letterboxd/Instagram)

Vox Lux

Matt and Eric review 2018's Vox Lux, in anticipation for Brady Corbet's upcoming film The Brutalist.
 
Vox Lux stars Natalie Portman, Jude Law, and Raffey Cassidy. It follows the story of two teenage sisters Celeste and Eleanor who survive a horrific, violent tragedy. They write and perform a song about their experience - and Celeste is catapulted into stardom. By 2017, the now 31-year-old Celeste is mother to a teenage daughter of her own and struggling to navigate a waning career when another act of terrifying violence demands her attention.
 
Matt and Eric also discuss the latest movie news (Silver Surfer casting, How to Train Your Dragon live action remake, Daniel Craig in Sgt. Rock) and give a weekly recommendation.
 
Follow Matt: @E55LUX10N (X/Letterboxd/Instragram)
 
Follow Eric: @ericpmaus (X/Letterboxd/Instagram)

Heretic & The Penguin

Eric and Matt discuss the disastrous state of society evidenced by the warm reception for The Penguin then review the new film Heretic.
 
The Penguin is a tv mini-series set between Matt Reeves' The Batman and The Batman Part 2 (coming Oct. 2026). It follows the exploits of criminal Oz Cobb as he maneuvers Gotham City now that ganglord Carmine Falcone is no longer in control. The Penguin is an eight episode series, and can be watched on Max. It stars Colin Farrell, Cristin Milioti, and Rhenzy Feliz.
 
Heretic is the latest film from writer/director team Scott Beck and Bryan Woods. It follows a pair of young Mormon missionaries who find themselves trapped in a game of cat-and-mouse with a sadistic atheist. Heretic is currently in theaters and stars Hugh Grant, Sophie Thatcher, and Chloe East.
 
Matt and Eric also discuss the latest movie news and give a weekly recommendation.
 
Follow Matt: @E55LUX10N (X/Letterboxd/Instagram)
 
Follow Eric: @ericpmaus (X/Letterboxd/Instagram)