The Mothership

The crew talks all things Marvel this week! Film Critic Brian Truitt critiques Marvel's long-awaited film "Black Widow", TV Critic Kelly Lawler praises the season finale of "Loki" and all three hosts speculate on the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe as well as it's TV series. Plus, a bonus interview with David Harbour who chats about his role as Red Guardian in the newly released "Black Widow".

Brian Truitt flies solo this week and interviews Leigh Janiak, Director of the new Netflix horror trilogy, "Fear Street". Janiak chats with Brian about the golden age of the horror genre, what two films inspired her vision for "Fear Street" and how she hopes a younger audience is scarred by the R-rated horror trilogy.

Special guest Josh Lucas comes aboard to talk about his new movie "The Forever Purge," why he doesn't totally love the horror genre, playing cowboys and his all-time favorite film.

Happy Easter weekend, and boy do we have an "egg-cellent" episode for you! Brett Molina attempts to trudge through "Snyder League", the crew reviews Disney Plus' new Marvel show "The Falcon and the Winter Soldier" and Brian Truitt interviews Erin Kellyman about her role as Karli Morgenthau, a villain we might end up loving.

Happy Friday! This week Thomas Lennon joins Brett Molina & Brian Truitt over Zoom to chat about his new movie "Shoplifters of the World", soon to be released on VOD.  Lennon talks about what it was like for his character to hate his favorite band "The Smiths" and how he drew character inspiration from his father, going to college with a typewriter, and what's to come for "Reno 911!". And if that doesn't draw you in Lennon also plays in a "The Smiths" cover band, jammed with Clint Eastwood and shares a story of being drunk in Germany and running into Bon Jovi.

Happy "Snyder Cut" sabbath! This week our Film Critic Brian Truitt reviews the infamous and long awaited "Zack Snyder's Justice League". Was it worth the wait? Did it cure the ailments of Joss Whedon's "Justice League"? Is it redundant to call it "The Snyder CUT"? All these questions and more are answered in Brian's synopsis.

In preparation for 'Zack Snyder's Justice League' the crew is taking this week off. But be sure to listen next as they dissect and discuss 'The Snyder Cut'. And there will be spoilers!

Happy Friday! In response to the post-credit reveal of our new obsession, "WandaVision" the crew has decided to celebrate their top Marvel Villains. Brett Molina and Brian Truitt will each name a villain that falls into the following three categories: favorite, underrated, and villains they're hoping to see in the future. And Brian has a pretty good pitch for a future Spidey flick.

In honor of last week's villainous revelation on "WandaVision" the crew has decided to pay homage to the wonderful Katheryn Hahn, and all her scene-stealing glory! Each host will name at least one of their favorite films or TV series the dynamic character actress has been featured in. And Kelly Lawler stumbles across a pretty hilarious pattern in Hahn's career.

Joel Kinnaman comes aboard the mothership and establishes one of the crew's all-time favorite terms, "plot donkey"! But aside from using terms that make us giggle or sing them to the tune of "Brass Monkey" he also gives us a preview into the second season of Apple TV's "For All Mankind" and describes his character evolution in "The Suicide Squad".

This week is for all the pessimistic lovers out there! Instead of doing a Valentine's Day episode the crew has decided to discuss something we can all get behind, "WandaVision" episodes 1-5. But warning, we head straight to spoiler-town as we discuss the most pressing questions and the future possibility of multiverse crossovers!

This year started off a little crazy but the crew is here to let you know what you can look forward to in this upcoming year. Each host picks one thing they are most excited about in their area of expertise and let us know when they will hopefully debut.

Happy Inauguration week! America has begun a new term of presidential leadership and the staff at USA TODAY is hard at work covering every pressing angle. So unfortunately, the crew didn't have time to record a new episode this week. But we hope you will enjoy this political, pop culture -themed rerun from 2019 featuring Emily Brandwin & Philippe Reines, hosts of the podcast "Unredacted".

How is Marvel handling their television debut of "WandaVision" on Disney Plus? TV Critic Kelly Lawler and Film Critic Brian Truitt let you know in this week's episode. Kelly, loves the sitcom tropes and enjoys watching the chemistry between Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany and Brian finds the show lacking in its ties to the Marvel universe. But the biggest question yet to be answered is whether or not Vision is alive.

Happy New Year from the crew! We're hoping this year brings better prospects both health & culture-wise, so to start off this new year we're celebrating and reviewing  our Film Critic Brian Truitt's favorite show, season three of "Cobra Kai". Brian and Tech Reporter Brett  Molina gush over how well the characters are developed, and joke about the fun absurdity of karate shenanigans that ensue. But warning, we do visit spoilertown. 

Most of the crew is away for the holiday, so Brian Truitt hosts this week's episode along with three special guests, and warning they take us deep into Spoilertown! Listen to three interviews with Felicity Jones, David Oyelowo and Kyle Chandler as they discuss their new Netflix film "The Midnight Sky", how it relates to the current state of society and what it was like to work with George Clooney who directed and produced the film as well as starred in it.

This week we celebrate the good TV, movies and video games that came out of this terrible, horrible, no good, very bad year that was 2020. Each host will pick one of their favorite things that came out of 2020 and one wild card pick which is anything they loved that is outside their area of expertise. 

This week Brett Molina ponders whether he will live to see all the 'Star Wars' and Marvel movies and the myriad shows slated to premier on Disney Plus. With so many promises and so little time the crew discusses 'Star Wars: Rouge Squadron' and which shows they are most looking forward to, if they all come to fruition.

Joe Manganiello discusses his new film, 'Archenemy,' where he plays an alcoholic, former superhero who has fallen far from grace. Joe also talks about his love of comics as a kid and his childhood dream, (now reality) of working for Dungeons & Dragons, which is owned by Hasbro. Brett and Joe attempt to predict the outcome of Monday night's football game, Pittsburgh Steelers versus Washington Football Team — spoiler, they were wrong. 

This week we head to Spoiler Town as the crew reviews season 2 of "The Mandalorian" and attempts to predict how the season will end and what future iterations may hold. Brett critiques the repetitive plot lines of season two and Brian hopes the show continues to introduce new characters rather than familiar characters from the Star Wars universe.

This week founding member of the Mothership Carly Mallenbaum comes aboard and says farewell as she prepares to leave USAToday. Carly as well as Brett, Brian and Kelly reminisce about their favorite things that got through the pandemic and explain why they are thankful for each of the distractions.

Kelly Lawler hosts this week's episode of The Mothership and interviews Tech Reporter Brett Molina on the new video game consoles Xbox Series X & PlayStation 5. Brett shares his takes and rates each console in the following categories: user experience, load times, and unique upgrades. He also tells us which console was actually worth the wait. 

This week the crew gets freaky! Brian Truitt interviews Christopher Landon, director of the new slasher-comedy "Freaky." Landon tells us how, at first, he thought Vince Vaughn would say "no" to the role of the serial killer. Landon also proudly discusses his favorite death scene from the film, which he fought to keep. And USA TODAY Business Reporter and friend of the podcast Nathan Bomey comes aboard the Mothership to discuss the current financial state of movie theaters and how they plan to stay afloat during the current pandemic. 

Robert Yowell, former Flight Controller for the NASA Space Shuttle comes aboard the Mothership to discuss his role as a Tech Consultant for Disney's historical drama series "The Right Stuff." Yowell also chats with Tech Reporter Brett Molina about working closely with Brad Pitt on the set of "Ad Astra," the complications of using the restroom in zero gravity and how the privatization of space travel is making earth orbital flight more accessible.  

Director and screenwriter Brandon Cronenberg guests in this week's episode of The Mothership. Brandon discusses his new sci-fi/horror film "Possessor" and the real life event that inspired it. And Brett and Brian chat with Brandon about his family legacy in film, his favorite movies for the Halloween season, and how he is surviving social distancing.

This week the crew reviews Netflix's "Enola Holmes" and its star-studded cast. Brian gushes on how the new film remains true to the Sherlock legacy while establishing a fresh take with a new character. Kelly and Brett discuss their favorite portrayals of Sherlock and Watson and why they love them.

Antony Starr aka Homelander comes aboard the Mothership and discusses what fans can expect from season two of "The Boys." Antony gives us spoiler-free details about a new villain on "The Seven" and the loss of stability for any characters from season one. The gang also chats about the difference between an American and New Zealand barbecue.

Happy Friday! And boy does the crew have a show for you. This week is a double feature, with special interviews from HBO's "Watchmen" and the upcoming film "Bill and Ted face the Music". Director Steph Green talks about "Watchmen," helming the Emmy-nominated episode “Little Fear of Lightning,” and how she wanted to portray the origin of key character Looking Glass. And William Sadler comes aboard to discuss reprising his role as Death in "Bill & Ted Face Music," and his method for fleshing out his favorite characters. 

This week Film Critic Brian Truitt and Tech Reporter Brett Molina chat DC FanDome and what fans can expect to see from the Comic-Con-esque, virtual experience streaming August 22nd. Brett discusses his dismay over comments about the upcoming film "The Batman," and Brian goes over details of what may or may not be teased during the FanDome stream. Our hosts also talk about current issues involving stans, how their behavior became acceptable and what can be done to discourage it.

Disney announced it will release the live-action version of "Mulan" through it's streaming platform Disney Plus on September 4th. But there is a catch—a $30.00 purchase fee to be exact. This week, Film Critic Brian Truitt & Tech Reporter Brett Molina discuss whether this release is worth the price tag on top of regular subscription costs and how the outcome might affect future film releases as movie theaters start to reopen during the pandemic.

We missed a few episodes here & there. But we’re back, and not with a bang but a rumor. Emmy Raver-Lampman comes aboard the Mothership and chats with the crew about “Umbrella Academy” and the heavy, universal themes it handles in season two. Emmy also describes what an honor it was to be part of the original cast of “Hamilton” on Broadway and dotes on her pandemic garden.

This week we beg the question: Is it actually good or is it quarantine good? Join us as our Technology Reporter Brett Molina and TV Critic Kelly Lawler examine whether they are actually enjoying the television series they are watching or are they settling to fill endless hours of quarantine. And Film Critic Brian Truitt discusses how the constant availability of streaming paired with social distancing may have lowered the standards to truly judge films.

Sheila Vand chats with the crew about her role in the horror film, "Rental" and how she uses her work in the horror genre to confront and conquer her worst fears. Sheila gushes to our Film Critic Brian Truitt about her character, Zarah Ferami on TNT's "Snowpiercer" and talks with Brett Molina about her Corona anxiety and her plans to continue working in film post-social distancing. 

This week the fireworks fly as the crew shares their favorite ways to geek out over the fourth of July! Brett likes the oldie but goodie film, "Independence Day", Brian offers other not so on the nose ideas for entertainment. And Kelly tells listeners how to view fireworks and social distance on this peculiar Independence Day.

Film Critic Brian Truitt chats with Timothy Dalton about his role as The Chief in HBO's "Doom Patrol" and what fans can look forward to in its second season. Brian names the first movie he saw in a theater and Dalton reflects on how the film was received by American audiences who didn't understand camp at the time.

This week pop culture and current events collide as our hosts speak with NPR TV Critic Eric Deggans about the current racial movement taking place in our country and how TV shows about cops and the justice system pass along derogatory and discriminative messages regarding race, specifically African-Americans. Deggans also discusses the desire among white Americans to fight systemic racism and suggests they "find one thing that may support white supremacy or passes along racist ideas and tackle it" whether it's a family member, a television show, or systemic problems in the workplace.

Henry Rollins comes aboard the Mothership and chats about his new horror-fantasy film, "Dreamland" which premiers on streaming platforms today. Rollins explains how Corona has affected his life, discusses his deep and multifaceted career as a musician, actor and author and gushes about his love of collecting records and crawling record stores. 

This week the crew dissect HBO Max--whether it's worth it and what fans can expect from the infamous Snyder Cut set to debut on the platform in 2021. TV Critic Kelly Lawler breaks down the never ending question of what show is on which platform and Brian Truitt and Brett Molina give advice on how soon-to-arrive streaming services can corner the market.

Mike Ryan, Senior Entertainment Writer for UPROXX joins hosts Brian Truitt and Kelly Lawler as they pay tribute to the 40th birthday of "The Empire Strikes Back," also known as Star Wars: "Episode V." Each host explains why they love this particular installment of the Star Wars saga and discusses specific details you may or may not know about the film.

This week the Mothership has peeked! And hosts Brett Molina and Brian Triutt marvel at their guest, the incomparable Frank Welker. The name might not ring a bell but his voice--or voices, will. Frank has voiced of some of the most iconic animated characters since the 60s and recently voiced the beloved Scooby-Doo in the animated film 'Scoob!" soon to be released on VOD May 15, 2020. Frank amazes the crew as he seamlessly transitions from the voice of Megatron to Scooby-Doo to Smokey Bear and shares memories of working with Elvis Presley and Michael Jackson. We hope you enjoy this episode as much as we enjoyed making it and getting nostalgic over our childhood!

Clark Duke comes aboard the mothership to discuss his directorial debut of his new film "Arkansas". Clark chats about the challenges and lessons learned from directing a movie he also starred in and the film's "Twinsesque pairing". And Brett & Brian get Clark to nerd out about wrestling.

Jessica Rothe comes aboard the Mothership and dishes about her totally tripendicular movie "Valley Girl" soon to be digitally released on May 8th. Brett  Molina & Brian Truitt get schooled on valley girl slang and make light of a very specific review. 

Brian Truitt is away this week but filling in for him is Alexander Zalben, Managing Editor of the New York Post's Decider. Alex describes his new schedule and workout regimen while social distancing and chats with Brett Molina about top television picks for friends. Kelly Lawler confesses about unused game consoles and asks for movie suggestions to occupy her three-year-old niece during quarantine.

This week special guest Alexandra Daddario comes aboard the Mothership to talk about her character in the heavy-metal, satanic film, "We Summon the Darkness". Alexandra discusses the deeper meaning and symbolism of the horror genre, how she enjoyed and was intimidated by her stunts in the film and whether Johnny Knoxville or The Rock are the best movie dads. And as a bonus, Alexandra and Brett gush about their love for Netflix's "Tiger King" and their fascination with the complexity of its characters.

Social distancing and can't leave your house? The Mothership crew has figured out a way to escape! What is their quarantine retreat? It's "Animal Crossing: New Horizons" and boy are they enjoying themselves. This week they talk coconuts, dinosaur fossils, home loans and drunken pilots and share their best tips for advancing in the game.

Movie theaters have long been competing with streaming services but now they have to compete with COVID-19. This week, the crew takes a look at how quarantining and social distancing is affecting the movie industry.  Will Hollywood learn and adapt or will box office releases fall prey to the convenience and safety of streaming?

It's a been a crazy week for everyone and while we can't be there for you physically (social distancing and all) we can support you with entertainment. This week we share our favorite things to watch across various streaming platforms. Brian Truitt breaks his long-standing fight against dating shows with "Love is Blind" which he refers to as the "mac & cheese of Netflix", Kelly Lawler gets lost in Sundance Now's "A Discovery of Witches" and Brett Molina escapes the pandemic with "Schitt's Creek". So whether you are "single distancing" or "avoiding other beings in your house distancing" we've got your back!