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Critical Darlings

Blank Check Productions
Sinners
Oscars
One Battle After Another
Anne Hathaway
Award Season
Project Hail Mary
Beegonia (beogonia)
Sentimental Value
Oscar Nominations
Ready Or Not 2
They Will Kill You
Sheep Detectives
Michael Jackson
The Devil Wears Prada 2
Youtube
Steven Spielberg
Masters Of the Universe
Supergirl
Moana
Disney

Welcome to Critical Darlings: a podcast about the movies everyone is talking about, one new release after another. Every week, critics Richard Lawson and Alison Willmore cover the latest film driving the conversation—from big summer blockbusters to festival favorites, buzzy streamers, and major awards contenders. New episodes every Thursday. We’re a Blank Check Production! To catch up on our first... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes38Founded6 months ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Film ReviewsSociety & CultureTV & Film

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Latest Episodes

Get your dipping sauces ready, it’s Jane Schoenbrun’s Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma!

Starring Gillian Anderson and Hannah Einbinder, this meta horror picture goes to some very strange places that nonetheless right feel at home with Schoenbrun... more

After an absurd and depressing attempt by David Zaslov to bury Coyote Vs. Acme, it’s finally in theaters. What’s more, it’s great, making WB’s attempts to shelve the movie for a tax write-off seem all the feckless.

Rescued by the odd-duck distributo... more

Ey wanna leahn howta shuck an oystah? Jaya Saxena of the new, worker-owned food publication Ravenous, joins us to discuss Tony, the micro-biopic about a pipsqueak version of Anthony Bourdain learning to love food in Provincetown, Mass.

From director... more

Dinosaurs are back in business this week, with The End of Oak Street, an original blockbuster about shooting dinos in the face while getting chomped by various raptors, dactyls, and giant primordial snakes.

We’re joined by Indiewire’s Matt Singer, h... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
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Contact Information
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Recent Guests

Connor Ratliff
Actor, comedian; Looney Tunes fan
Actor
Episode: “Coyote Vs. Acme” And The Great Ketchup Rescue (With Connor Ratliff)
Jaya Saxena
Food writer and co-founder of Ravenous
Ravenous
Episode: “Tony” Or, Bourdain Begins (With Jaya Saxena)
Matt Singer
Editor and critic at ScreenCrush
ScreenCrush
Episode: “The End Of Oak Street” Is Dino-mite (With Matt Singer)
Josh Gondelman
Comedian, writer
None explicitly stated
Episode: “One Night Only” Is The Sex Purge (With Josh Gondelman)
Emily Gould
Writer for New York Magazine; coworker of Alison Willmore
New York Magazine
Episode: “The Invite” Or, Who’s Afraid Of Olivia Wilde? (With Emily Gould)
Fran Hoepfner
Contributor at Vulture; Homeric scholar
Vulture
Episode: “The Odyssey” And Christopher Nolan’s Sad Dad Triumph (With Fran Hoepfner)
Ben Hosley
Blank Check's own producer
Blank Check Productions
Episode: “Moana” Is Between The Rock And A Hard Place (With Ben Hosley)
Patrick Willems
Filmmaker, essayist, nebula personality
Independent/Film Commentaries
Episode: “Supergirl” And The New DCU (With Patrick Willems)
Colin Drucker
Host of Alright Mary Pod, Drag Race enthusiast
AlRight Mary Pod
Episode: “Stop! That! Train!”, “Leviticus”, and Pride At The Movies (With Colin Drucker)

Hosts

Richard Lawson
Host of Critical Darlings with deep ties to film criticism and industry reporting.
Alison Willmore
Co-hosts with a strong background in film criticism and industry analysis.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 470 ratings
  • Annoying

    I more I listen the more I realized these guys don’t like any movies they talk about. Gets old and annoying.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    JAJ121
    United Statesa month ago
  • Dynamite

    It’s so nice to have Richard Lawson and Allison Wilmore on the airwaves. They’re among my favorite critics and I love them. Also, Marie Party Bardi doing every intro is box office!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    arodrigueza
    United Statesa month ago
  • Love it

    Love that we’re getting contemporary discussions now too, from Blank Checkistan. And the Odyssey episode was excellent

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Bunk Moreland
    United States2 months ago
  • A dream

    Truly. Dreamy!! New releases from this whole team and another pro-doer Ben?!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Bornnmann
    United States2 months ago
  • Love

    Love the insight and the knowledge! The hosts have great chemistry and a perfect, dry sense of humor.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    TheAverageUser5
    United States2 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Some reviews call for pacing adjustments but consistently highlight high-quality analysis and engaging guests.
Audience notes the show provides strong insider context and industry insight.
Listeners praise the hosts' deep film knowledge and witty chemistry.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

“Tony” Or, Bourdain Begins (With Jaya Saxena)
Q: What do you think the movie says about the making of a public figure from the ground up?
It argues that fame often grows from a combination of raw ambition, rough edges, and meaningful mentorship, and that vulnerability and a willingness to learn are what ultimately humanize someone who could easily become a myth.
“Supergirl” And The New DCU (With Patrick Willems)
Q: Could Supergirl have worked better as a standalone origin film before entering the DCU?
Yes, several participants indicate that expanding the Krypton backstory into a longer standalone origin would help deepen the protagonist, establish a more compelling motivation, and make the broader universe integration feel earned rather than forced.
“Supergirl” And The New DCU (With Patrick Willems)
Q: Do you think this was the right project for Gillespie, given his history with needle drops and character focus?
The hosts argue Gillespie's film feels overly derivative of Gunn's universe-building while not bringing a strong personal through-line, suggesting a director with a more singular vision might have better served the material.
“Supergirl” And The New DCU (With Patrick Willems)
Q: Patrick, are you sanguine still about the James Gunn of it all kind of moving from Marvel to DC?
Patrick expresses cautious optimism, noting Gunn's track record of personal, idiosyncratic filmmaking and the potential to apply those lessons to DC, while acknowledging the challenge of translating that style into a distinct DCU that can stand apart from Marvel.
"Frankenstein" And The Craft Category Juggernauts with Bilge Ebiri
Q: What are your thoughts on Frankenstein's Oscar chances outside of the major categories?
The hosts and Bilge discuss how the film could rack up nominations in technical crafts like production design, sound, and makeup, even if it doesn't secure top prizes, while noting Netflix's inconsistent theatrical reporting complicates judging its blockbuster status.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About Critical Darlings

What is Critical Darlings about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Critically minded film conversation that combines sharp analysis with industry context, often featuring hosts Richard Lawson and Alison Willmore alongside rotating guests from production, criticism, and media. Episodes balance immediate takeaways on new releases with larger questions about aesthetics, industry dynamics, and festival-driven storytelling, including Oscar-season reflections and debates about representation, marketing, and platform strategies. Notable strengths include a seamless host dynamic, deep dives into production decisions, and guest voices that bring insider perspectives on studios, campaigns, and distribution. This show is likely to appeal to cinephiles who want thoughtful, opinionated discourse that ties film art to i... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Critical Darlings?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Critical Darlings:

1. Blank Check with Griffin & David
2. This Had Oscar Buzz
3. Prestige Junkie
4. Fighting In The War Room: A Movies And Pop Culture Podcast
5. The Big Picture

How many episodes of Critical Darlings are there?

Critical Darlings launched 6 months ago and published 38 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Critical Darlings?

Recent guests on Critical Darlings include:

1. Connor Ratliff
2. Jaya Saxena
3. Matt Singer
4. Josh Gondelman
5. Emily Gould
6. Fran Hoepfner
7. Ben Hosley
8. Patrick Willems

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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