Episode 184 - Toy Story 5

Jodi and Philip discuss the fifth Toy Story film from Disney/Pixar. The film takes a direct approach to addressing the difficulties of balancing the allure of technology with a healthy childhood. Sherriff Jessie is the leader of the toys that inhabit Bonnie's room, but Bonnie's love of toys isn't shared by her friends, who all have the Lilypad, a smart tablet designed for kids. When Bonnie's parents buy her a Lilypad, it initially seems like this has fixed Bonnie's friendship problems, but Jessie recognizes the deeper problems that an abandonment of true play causes. Follow @thawedcast on Twitter and Instagram. Email: genresavvypodcast@gmail.com. Find us: @philipehlke, @jodipolasky47

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 Episode 183 - Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie

Philip and Lara discuss Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie, a film from Matt Johnson and Jay McCarroll, a comedic duo known for playing fictionalized versions of themselves. They have released mockumentary-style videos since 2007 detailing the adventures of 'Nirvana the Band,' later renamed 'Nirvanna the Band' for legal reasons. Their latest film incorporates footage shot for their original web series dating back to 2008, stringing together an absurd time-travel plot that involves a hilarious series of hijinks and impeccable cinematic craft. Shot on a small, indie-level budget and maintaining a documentary aesthetic throughout, the film manages to deliver impressive setpieces and heartfelt moments befitting of the movies it is paying homage. This genre-bending experience is a clever blend of familiar, experimental, and spectacular. Follow @thawedcast on Twitter and Instagram. Email: genresavvypodcast@gmail.com. Find us: @philipehlke, @partoflarasworld

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Episode 183 - The Mandalorian and Grogu and Dsiclosure Day

Philip and Elliott discuss the latest Star Wars film, The Mandalorian and Grogu, and also dig into the latest Steven Spielberg film, Disclosure Day. In their own ways, these two films are derivative of a legacy of classic pulp sci-fi. They each evoke a sense of nostalgia and empathy in their themes and respective creative visions, and while they don't venture too far from the beaten path, there's enough new territory they cover to make for a worthwhile cinematic experience. Follow @thawedcast on Twitter and Instagram. Email: genresavvypodcast@gmail.com. Find us: @philipehlke, @ellimundo

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 Episode 182 - Obsession

Jodi, Lara and Philip review the independent horror sensation, Obsession, from writer/director Curry Barker. The film follows a group of four friends who work at a local music shop and meet up for weekly trivia nights. In a typical teenage (or in this case, early-twenties) fashion, the 2 girl/2 guy dynamic is far from devoid of romantic tension. And one of the guys, Bear, seeks the help of Ian when he is overcome by his feelings for Nikki. Ian is unable to provide much more than moral support, as Bear will need to take matters into his own hands if he stands a chance with Nikki. Bear buys a gift for Nikki to go along with his date proposal, but he eventually chickens out. His gift, a novelty item called a "One-wish Willow," promises to grant a single wish to the user who cracks it like a glowstick. This seven-dollar children's toy couldn't possibly be the key to winning Nikki's undying affection, could it? Follow @thawedcast on Twitter and Instagram. Email: genresavvypodcast@gmail.com. Find us: @philipehlke, @jodipolasky47, @partoflarasworld

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 Episode 181 - Animal Farm (1954)

Philip and Lara discuss the 1954 animated adaptation of George Orwell's 1945 novella, Animal Farm. When a drunk and cruel farmer fails to uphold the duties of his small, rural farm, the animals rise up and drive him and any other humans from the property. The crafty pigs draw up a plan for a new barnyard civilization. The former livestock agree on a set of animal-centric values that enshrine their newfound liberty, emphasizing equality and unity and condemning anything seen as too human. Follow @thawedcast on Twitter and Instagram. Email: genresavvypodcast@gmail.com. Find us: @philipehlke, @partoflarasworld

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 Episode 180 - The Super Mario Galaxy Movie

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie picks up where The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023) left off. Mario and Luigi are now heroes who traverse through magical sewer pipes to different realms, including the Mushroom Kingdom, home of the Toads and Princess Peach. The Mushroom Kingdom is threatened by the son of the defeated Bowser, and our heroes take to the stars to battle the tech-savvy Bowser Jr. Follow @thawedcast on Twitter and Instagram. Email: genresavvypodcast@gmail.com. Find us: @philipehlke, @samara_mitchell9

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 Episode 179 - Project Hail Mary

Philip and Bridget discuss Project Hail Mary, the film adaptation of the Andy Weir novel about an attempt to save the world through mostly real-world technology. Ryan Gosling's Ryland Grace is the sole surviving member of a crewed space mission to Tau Ceti aboard the Hail Mary. He was sent to find a cure for "astrophage," a viral organism that is draining the energy of the stars in Earth's vicinity. Tau Ceti is the only one that appears unaffected. Truly a "hail Mary" of a mission, especially now that has crewmates are dead, the amnesia-stricken Dr. Grace can only hope that a series of unexpected discoveries can somehow salvage any prospect of the mission's success. Follow @thawedcast on Twitter and Instagram. Email: genresavvypodcast@gmail.com. Find us: @philipehlke, @bridget5246

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Episode 178 - Hoppers 

Philip and Lara discuss the 2026 film from Pixar, Hoppers. This wacky comedy hearkens to a classical mode of cartooning, where animal robots piloted by humans interact with highly anthropomorphized members of the animal kingdom. This fantasy technology allows the "hopper" to understand and talk to animals, and it works in a similar way to the titular tech from the Avatar films. Mabel, a 19-year-old college student, stumbles upon this technology as she investigates a mysteriously empty wildlife habitat. The one creature she finds happens to be a beaver robot controlled by her professor, Dr. Sam. Mabel commandeers the robot in order to find the missing animals and wild adventures ensue. Follow @thawedcast on Twitter and Instagram. Email: genresavvypodcast@gmail.com. Find us: @philipehlke, @partoflarasworld

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 Episode 177 - Wuthering Heights (2026)

Philip and Jodi discuss the new film from Director Emerald Fennell and Warner Bros. Pictures, Wuthering Heights (2026), based on the 1847 novel by Emily Brontë. Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi star as childhood friends-turned-lovers Catherine and Heathcliff. Tragedy and hardship conspire to separate the pair who are then reunited later in adulthood. Passions reignite in the northern English shire where they shared their upbringing and now live as neighbors. Such a twist of fortune could only be the stuff of fairy tales--or nightmares. Follow @thawedcast on Twitter and Instagram. Email: genresavvypodcast@gmail.com. Find us: @philipehlke, @jodipolasky47

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 Episode 176 - Frankenstein (2025)

Philip and Lara discuss the new adaptation of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein from Guillermo del Toro and Netflix, featuring a star-studded cast and an impressive awards season run. This visual spectacle follows the life journey of Victor Frankenstein, son of a renowned surgeon and aristocrat, who suffers the loss of his mother at a young age. Victor becomes obsessed with the human anatomy and the preservation of one's natural life. Whilst conducting macabre experiments with human cadavers, he discovers a way to reanimate an assemblage of body parts, leading to his and his wealthy benefactor's fully-fledged scientific pursuit in the service of playing God. Their efforts yield miraculous results, but their hubris leads to certain dire consequences. Will the creature spawned from the work of Dr. Frankenstein embody the lack of humanity often displayed by its creator? Follow @thawedcast on Twitter and Instagram. Email: genresavvypodcast@gmail.com. Find us: @philipehlke, @partoflarasworld

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Episode 175 - Marty Supreme 

Philip and Jodi discuss Marty Supreme and a variety of other topics such as the Safdie Brothers' filmography, Uncut Gems, and the late 2025/early 2026 media and content landscape. The they explore the parallels between Uncut Gems protagonist Howard Ratner and Marty Mauser. Follow @thawedcast on Twitter and Instagram. Email: genresavvypodcast@gmail.com. Find us: @philipehlke, @jodipolasky47

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Episode 174 - Wicked: For Good 

Philip, Lara, and Bridget discuss the conclusion of the film adaptations of the Broadway musical Wicked. Styled Wicked: For Good and filmed simultaneously with act one of the duology, this Universal Pictures release takes place at least a year after the conclusion of the first film. Whilst Glinda, Fiyero and Nessarose are established in their prominent roles as public servants, Elphaba is painted in the public's eye as the traitorous, deplorable "Wicked Witch of the West." The current Ozian regime is one of rapid industrialization and modernization, and anyone other than a proper human Ozian is subject to discrimination or worse. In this magical land where the foremost Wizard and Witch are incapable of real magic, true power is viewed with hostility by the one magical mastermind, Madam Morrible. Uniformity and submissiveness are paramount. Can Elphaba enlist the aid of the Wizard and Glinda to thwart their behind-the-scenes puppetmaster? Follow @thawedcast on Twitter and Instagram. Email: genresavvypodcast@gmail.com. Find us: @philipehlke, @bridget5246, @partoflarasworld

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 Episode 173 - Predator: Badlands

Philip, Samara and Elliott review and discuss the new film from Twentieth Century Studios and director Dan Trachtenberg, Predator: Badlands. This is the latest chapter in the Alien and Predator franchises that pairs Dek, a member of the "Yautja" predator species, with the android Thia on the alien planet Genna. He must claim a coveted trophy during a ritual hunt and attempt to gain the respect of his clan, despite having been exiled due to his perceived frailty and dubbed a "runt" by his father. Follow @thawedcast on Twitter and Instagram. Email: genresavvypodcast@gmail.com. Find us: @philipehlke, @samara_mitchell9, @ellimundo

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Episode 172 - American Psycho 

Philip and Bridget discuss American Psycho, a horror/thriller/Christian Bale vehicle from director Mary Harron. Released in 2000, the film is an adaptation of the American Psycho novel by Bret Easton Ellis that is meant to be a grisly, satirical critique of 1980s corporate culture. Bale portrays Patrick Bateman, a young executive on Wall Street, who is obsessed with his looks and social status, his egocentric inner monologue serving as the film's narration. Along with concealing his terrible insecurity, his outward façade also serves to hide an insatiable bloodlust. A man whose existential void has left him bereft of his humanity, Bateman must deal with the maelstrom of chaos that surrounds him constantly, a desperate scenario placated--and reinforced--by his social standing. Follow @thawedcast on Twitter and Instagram. Email: genresavvypodcast@gmail.com. Find us: @philipehlke, @bridget5246

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 Episode 171 - Tron: Ares

Philip and Jodi review and discuss Tron: Ares, the third film in Disney's TRON saga starring Jared Leto and Greta Lee, directed by Joachim Rønning. The film further expands on TRON's themes of technology and its effect on humanity by bringing objects--and people--from the computer world into reality. Tech giant Dillinger Systems uses a laser device developed by its rival Encom, depicted in the original Tron, to print vehicles and soldiers with the aims of securing military contracts. Encom employs a similar laser prototyping process, but both companies lack the "permanence code" that prevents the printed objects from eventually disintegrating. It is believed that former Encom CEO Kevin Flynn held the permanence code, and has hidden it somewhere at Encom. This puts current CEO Eve Kim in danger as her rival, Julian Dillinger, becomes impatient for a breakthrough, believing he has sculpted the perfect warrior in Ares, the Master Control Program. Ares must lead a team in the real world to kidnap Eve who has recently acquired the code, but he must do so quickly since each of his "lifespans" last only 29 minutes.... Follow @thawedcast on Twitter and Instagram. Email: genresavvypodcast@gmail.com. Find us: @philipehlke, @jodipolasky47

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Episode 170 - KPop Demon Hunters 

Philip, Bridget, and Lara discuss the new film from Netflix and Sony Pictures Animation, KPop Demon Hunters. The film follows a group of K-Pop artists in South Korea, Huntr/x, comprised of pop stars Rumi, Mira, and Zoey. These are no ordinary artists, but super-powered warriors capable of detecting and fighting off demons that manage to infiltrate the real world. They not only uses their music to entertain millions, but also to cast an aura of protection over their homeland that keeps ancient demons from feeding on human souls. This aura, the Honmoon, is threatened when one musically talented demon forms a K-Pop boy band to rival Huntr/x. Will the rivalry doom Huntr/x to failure in their mission to protect the world from their nemesis, Gwi-Ma, now that his servants, the Saja Boys, have found success? Follow @thawedcast on Twitter and Instagram. Email: genresavvypodcast@gmail.com. Find us: @philipehlke, @bridget5246, @partoflarasworld

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Episode 169 - 2025 Summer Movie Roundup

Philip is joined by Samara and Elliott to talk about the summer movie season. Titles include 28 Years Later, Jurassic World, Superman, Eddington, and more. Follow @thawedcast on Twitter and Instagram. Email: genresavvypodcast@gmail.com. Find us: @philipehlke, @samara_mitchell9, @ellimundo

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Episode 168 - Snow White (2025) 

Jodi, Lara, and Philip discuss the live action Disney remake Snow White from 2025. Directed by Marc Webb and starring Rachel Zegler and Gal Gadot, this retelling expands the story to encompass Snow White's relationship with her parents, having been born during a snowstorm and later suffering the loss of her mother as a child. Gal Gadot's Evil Queen uses her sorcery to enchant the king and amass her power as queen. Thought to be absent on a military campaign, the king is unable to prevent the Evil Queen from inflicting her cruelty upon Snow White and the citizenry. Snow White eventually escapes and finds herself in the company of the forest-dwelling dwarfs, where she also meets up with a band of rebels loyal to the king. Can they aid Snow White in her attempt to find her father and thwart the treacherous Evil Queen? Follow @thawedcast on Twitter and Instagram. Email: genresavvypodcast@gmail.com. Find us: @philipehlke, @partoflarasworld, @jodipolasky47

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 Episode 167 - Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)

The ThawedCast discusses the first feature-length animated film, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs from 1937. Philip, Jodi, and Lara examine the impact and legacy of this fairy tale classic that would influence countless films over the decades. Snow White is a princess living in a fantastical medieval-style kingdom currently overseen by her stepmother, a vain and cruel queen. When the Queen's envy of Snow White's beauty reaches a breaking point, she conspires to have the princess killed. Snow White is allowed to escape into the wilderness where she meets seven dwarfs. These mysterious, diminutive men are perplexed by their new house guest, but they grow to appreciate her for the kind spirit she is, and are willing to protect her from the Queen's wrath if ever she were to be found. Follow @thawedcast on Twitter and Instagram. Email: genresavvypodcast@gmail.com. Find us: @philipehlke, @partoflarasworld, @jodipolasky47

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Episode 166 - Lilo & Stitch (2002) 

Lara and Philip revisit the original Lilo & Stitch from 2002. This was the feature animation debut for both directors, Dean DeBlois and Chris Sanders, who would team up again on DreamWorks' How to Train Your Dragon (2010). Chris Sanders had originally conceived the Stitch character in 1985, and he has gone on to voice the character in numerous appearances, beginning with the famous "Inter-Stich-als" promotional campaign for this film. He would later reprise the role for the 2025 live-action adaptation, directed by Dean Fleisher Camp. The story followed an escaped alien genetics experiment who crash lands in Hawaii. He poses as a dog and is adopted by recently orphaned sisters Lilo and Nani, but their difficult life seems to only take a turn for the worse with the addition of this new family member. Follow @thawedcast on Twitter and Instagram. Email: genresavvypodcast@gmail.com. Find us: @philipehlke, @partoflarasworld

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Episode 165 - Lilo & Stitch (2025)

Philip and Alexandria review the new Disney live-action remake Lilo & Stitch, a summer 2025 smash hit at the box office directed by Dean Fleischer Camp. Lilo and her older sister and guardian, Nani, find themselves in a precarious position as Nani struggles to raise the temperamental Lilo on her own following the offscreen death of their parents. On a distant planet, the alien weapons scientist Jumba is being held on trial for unethical experiments. His latest experiment, 626, is a superpowered six-legged furry alien who escapes aboard a spaceship on a course to Earth. Experiment 626 poses as a dog an an animal shelter on the Hawaiian island of Kauai. He is then adopted by Lilo and named Stitch. Stitch introduces various elements of chaos into Lilo and Nani's lives, and the fragile family must weather threats both domestic and extraterrestrial. Follow @thawedcast on Twitter and Instagram. Email: genresavvypodcast@gmail.com. Find us: @philipehlke, @ayeedeezy

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 Episode 164 - A Minecraft Movie

Bridget and Philip discuss A Minecraft Movie, based on the popular open-world, LEGO-esque video game, Minecraft. The film follows brother and sister Henry and Natalie as they arrive in a new town and encounter a colorful cast of characters who join in their adventure into the Overworld, the world of Minecraft accessed by a secret portal. In the Overworld, they encounter many terrors but are guided by Steve, the Minecraft protagonist carried over from the game. The Overworld has come under threat of the Piglins, who occupy the Nether, and the film's merry band of misfits must work together to keep the evil forces of the Nether from taking over Steve's beloved mining & crafting paradise. Follow @thawedcast on Twitter and Instagram. Email: genresavvypodcast@gmail.com. Find us: @philipehlke, @bridget5246

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 Episode 163 - Tiana’s Bayou Adventure

Having made recent trips to Walt Disney World, Jodi and Bridget join Philip to discuss the new Magic Kingdom attraction Tiana's Bayou Adventure, a The Princess and the Frog re-theming of the log flume ride Splash Mountain based on animated segments from Song of the South. Follow @thawedcast on Twitter and Instagram. Email: genresavvypodcast@gmail.com. Find us: @philipehlke, @bridget5246, @jodipolasky47

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 Episode 162 - The Substance

Philip and Lara discuss The Substance written and directed by French Filmmaker Coralie Fargeat. Fargeat and 'The Substance' won Best Screenplay at the festival, and the film has since received many accolades and has earned strong word-of-mouth buzz for its incisive storytelling and its iconic visual style. This sci-fi-infused horror film makes heavy use of practical makeup effects and vibrant production design, and won the Oscar for Best Makeup and Hairstyling. Demi Moore stars as Elisabeth Sparkle, an actress and TV personality who is ending her career has an exercise show host. Devastated by the prospect of aging out of a life of being celebrated for her physical appearance, Elisabeth turns to an experimental "substance" that purports to alleviate some of the difficult aspects of aging. This has a highly disruptive effect on Elisabeth's life, but the lure proves too difficult to resist, and the substance takes hold with the potential for innumerable unforeseen consequences. Follow @thawedcast on Twitter and Instagram. Email: genresavvypodcast@gmail.com. Find us: @philipehlke, @partoflarasworld

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Episode 161 - Moana 2

Philip, Lara, Jodi, and Bridget discuss the new Disney animated sequel, Moana 2. Moana returns to screens after eight years since the original. Set a number of years after the first film, the heroine has embraced her role as a wayfinder and is searching for other inhabited islands in an attempt to establish contact with the outside world. After receiving a vision from her ancestors, Moana sets out to an island that once served as the hub of her civilization. There are dark spirits and frightening creatures standing in her way, so it is bound to be a perilous voyage, posing tremendous risk to Moana and her newly formed crew. Follow @thawedcast on Twitter and Instagram. Email: genresavvypodcast@gmail.com. Find us: @philipehlke, @bridget5246, @jodipolasky47, @partoflarasworld

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Episode 160 - Star Wars: Skeleton Crew 

Philip and Elliott discuss the most recent Star Wars series from Lucasfilm and Disney Plus, Skeleton Crew. Four kids growing up in the suburbs have their life planned out on the seemingly unremarkable planet At Attin. At Attin's place in the galaxy is shrouded in mystery, however, due to its secretive role as a Republic mint holding countless credits in its vaults. Fern, KB, Wim, and Neel discover a crashed pirate ship and are taken on an an adventure with the help of pirate droid SM33 and the roguish Jod Na Nawood. Their desire to return to the safety of home is complicated by their home planet's vulnerability should its location ever be discovered by their pirate pursuers.Follow @thawedcast on Twitter and Instagram. Email: genresavvypodcast@gmail.com. Find us: @philipehlke, @ellimundo

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Episode 159 - Spellbound 

Jodi, Bridget and Philip talk about Spellbound (2024), a new animated musical from Netflix and Skydance Animation. This is the second animated feature to come from Skydance after Luck (2022) and is directed and co-written by Shrek director Vicky Jenson. The film takes viewers to the enchanted, or rather, cursed, kingdom of Lumbria, ruled by King Solon and Queen Ellsmere. Their daughter, Princess Ellian, must determine whether to become queen, since the king and queen were transformed into feral monsters and have been hidden away in the palace for a year. Ellian manages to contact two oracles who are unable to reverse the enchantment but point her toward a possible solution. She must guide the two lizard-like monsters on a journey to a lake of light, but must contend with the fact that this perilous quest will likely leave her, her kingdom, and her family forever changed. Follow @thawedcast on Twitter and Instagram. Email: genresavvypodcast@gmail.com. Find us: @philipehlke, @bridget5246

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Episode 158 - Nosferatu (2024) 

Philip and Lara discuss the new film from Focus Features and Robert Eggers, a remake of the 1922 German silent film Nosferatu. Eggers brings his signature austere style to this classic Gothic horror story, originally an unauthorized adaptation of Bram Stoker's Dracula. Key details were changed from the book, but that didn't stop the original film's legacy from being threatened by the forcible destruction of all prints due to copyright infringement. Thankfully the film lives on and Max Shreck's iconic portrayal of the corpse-like Count Orlok would go on to inspire generations of vampire enthusiasts. Bill Skarsgård provides a unique take on Count Orlok as he haunts and seduces his unwitting victims, such as the newlywed Thomas and Ellen Hutter and their friends Frederick and Anna Harding. This dark, atmospheric film evokes the previous works of Eggers whose obsessive attention to detail transports you to 1830s Germany, where the fear of plagues and sorcery were ever-present, often requiring tremendous sacrifice to thwart the evil that infects the world. Follow @thawedcast on Twitter and Instagram. Email: genresavvypodcast@gmail.com. Find us: @philipehlke, @partoflarasworld

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Episode 157 - Moana 

Mele Kalikimaka as the ThawedCast covers Moana, the monumental 2016 film from Walt Disney Animation Studios, directed by longtime Disney Animation dynamic duo John Musker and Ron Clements, and co-directed by Don Hall and Chris Williams. Bridget, Lara and Philip revisit the mythical ancient Polynesian world of Moana of Motunui (Auli'i Cravalho) and her adventures with the demigod Maui (Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson). Moana--a princess of sorts as the daughter of the chief--is faced with inheriting the leadership of an insular island nation that has abandoned its seafaring roots. However, she must learn to sail in order to restore the Heart of Te Fiti, a magical relic bestowed on her by the ocean. Failing in her mission would doom her island to a growing famine. Guided by her grandmother's spirit and the power of the ocean, she first seeks out the aid of the shapeshifter Maui. He reluctantly agrees to accompany her, first to retrieve his magical fishhook, and then to potentially face the perils posed by the demon Te Kā, who has corrupted the influence of the nature goddess Te Fiti. Follow @thawedcast on Twitter and Instagram. Email: genresavvypodcast@gmail.com. Find us: @philipehlke, @bridget5246, @partoflarasworld

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 Episode 156 - Wicked

The ThawedCast celebrates the release of Wicked: Part I from Universal Pictures, 21 years after the Broadway musical made its sparkling debut. Jodi, Lara, Bridget, and Philip discuss the new 160-minute film which concludes at the intermission point of the stage version. This Wizard of Oz prequel began as a 1995 Gregory McQuire novel depicting a darker, more adult take on the original mythology conceived by L. Frank Baum. The film doesn’t shy away from borrowing heavily from the imagery of the seminal 1939 Judy Garland film, but it certainly provides a different take on the characters, positioning Elphaba, future Wicked Witch of the West, as the main hero of the story. Elphaba’s widowed father only grudgingly allows her to leave home in order to help care for her paraplegic younger sister, as the two enroll at the prestigious Shiz University. There, Elphaba meets Galinda, future Good Witch of the North. This iconic pair embark on a fateful rivalry that evolves heavily over the course of the film. Follow @thawedcast on Twitter and Instagram. Email: genresavvypodcast@gmail.com. Find us: @philipehlke, @bridget5246, @jodipolasky47, @partoflarasworld

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Episode 155 - Uncut Gems 

Jodi, Bridget, and Philip convene prior to Thanksgiving to sneak in a quick episode about a holiday classic (Passover, in this case)--2019's Uncut Gems, directed by brothers Josh and Benny Safdie. Adam Sandler plays Howard Ratner, a jewelry dealer in Manhattan's Diamond District. He and his associates, Demany and Julia (LaKeith Stanfield and Julia Fox), work together to attract a high profile clientele. Kevin Garnett stars as himself as an interested buyer of a mysterious black opal recently obtained by Howard. Set during the 2012 NBA Eastern Conference semi-finals, Uncut Gems imagines an outcome to the series perhaps influenced by Garnett's connection to the opal, as he feels drawn to it. Howard first needs Garnett to win the opal in an auction where he hopes to gain a large enough profit to pay off a gambling debt. When this plan falters due to the opal's poor valuation, Howard sneakily uses the reduced earnings to place a bet on Garnett, now in possession of the opal, hoping KG will score big in game 7. This Rube Goldberg mousetrap of a film sees Howard go from a failed family man pleading with his wife (Idina Menzel), to uptown playboy renting helicopters, to cornered con fending off loan sharks. Follow @thawedcast on Twitter and Instagram. Email: genresavvypodcast@gmail.com. Find us: @philipehlke, @bridget5246, @jodipolasky47

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 Episode 154 - Strange Magic

In celebration of Wicked Month, Philip, Bridget, and Lara discuss the 2015 LucasFilm animated feature, 'Strange Magic.' Featuring the voice talents of Evan Rachel Wood, Alan Cumming and Kristin Chenoweth, this fairytale combines the fantasy romance of ‘A Midsummer Night's Dream’ and the musical tastes of George Lucas, who curated this jukebox musical's all-pop soundtrack. The musical selections range from the titular song by ELO and the main protagonist's eponymous "C'mon Marianne" by The Four Seasons to more recent hits from Beyoncé and Kelly Clarkson. Marianne is a fairy princess who abruptly ends her engagement to the self-obsessed knight Roland. Presumptive heir to the fairy kingdom, she must follow her destiny to protect her kingdom from the Dark Forest as well as from the scheming Roland. Follow @thawedcast on Twitter and Instagram. Email: genresavvypodcast@gmail.com. Find us: @philipehlke, @bridget5246, @partoflarasworld

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Episode 153 - Late Night with the Devil 

Samara and Philip review and discuss the found-footage horror film from directorial sibling duo Cameron and Colin Cairnes, Late Night with the Devil. This re-creation of a 1970s late night talk show, the fictional "Night Owls" with Jack Delroy, depicts one night of the show gone horribly wrong, as the broadcast becomes infiltrated by an evil force. Desperate to rise to the top of the ratings, Delroy pulls out all the stops for his 1977 Halloween special, bringing on a colorful panel of guests culminating with a psychologist and her patient. Each round of guests successively leads the show down the road toward a hellish outcome, providing a spectacle that confirms the old adage for Delroy: Careful what you wish for. Follow @thawedcast on Twitter and Instagram. Email: genresavvypodcast@gmail.com. Find us: @philipehlke, @samara_mitchell9

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 Episode 152 - Transformers One

Philip and Elliott chat about Transformers One, the new animated film from Paramount Animation depicting the origins of the Autobots and Decepticons and their respective leaders, Optimus Prime and Megatron. These central characters within the Transformers franchise begin as humble miner bots on Cybertron, a planet ravaged by conflicts that have depleted its key natural resource, Energon, needed for life to exist on Cybertron. In order to become Transformers, miner bots would need to acquire a "cog," which are also scarce. The ambitious miners simply known as Orion Pax and D-16 hatch a plan to attempt to raise all miners' status within Cybertronian society, all while attempting to unlock the secrets of their world's mysterious past. Follow @thawedcast on Twitter and Instagram. Email: genresavvypodcast@gmail.com. Find us: @philipehlke, @ellimundo

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 Episode 151 - The Boy and the Heron

Hayao Miyazaki directs the latest film from Studio Ghibli, The Boy and the Heron (2023). This Oscar-winning film serves a magnum opus for a venerated animator nearing the end of his career, reflecting on his early life in this quasi-autobiographical fantasy. Mahito Maki leaves his home in Tokyo following the death of his mother in a World War II firebombing. Raised in a wealthy family, Mahito struggles to get along with his peers at his new rural school. He spends his time exploring his maternal family's palatial estate, including an abandoned tower that holds a profound secret. A mysterious gray heron beckons him to enter the tower, and when it appears his aunt-turned-stepmother has gone to the tower as well, Mahito hurries after her, plunging headfirst into a glimpse at destiny itself. Join Philip, Jodi, and Bridget as they discuss this animated epic. Follow @thawedcast on Twitter and Instagram. Email: genresavvypodcast@gmail.com. Find us: @philipehlke, @bridget5246, @jodipolasky

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