In this episode of Film Curious, Ashley and Nicole review the horror comedy Send Help (2026) directed by Sam Raimi, starring Rachel McAdams and Dylan O'Brien, which is now available to stream on Hulu. We explore its unique blend of humor, horror, and power dynamics, revealing how Raimi's signature style influences the film's tone and narrative choices.

In this deep dive, we analyze the film's themes, visual style, and character arcs, highlighting its campy tone, dark humor, and its place within the horror-comedy genre, making predictions into its lasting appeal.

We also get into the rise of horror comedy and why this campy genre might be the most honest response to the current cultural moment.

⚠️This episode contains a full spoiler discussion! We suggest watching it first if you haven’t already. Available to stream on Hulu & Disney+ currently.

⏱️Timestamps

00:00 Highlight Clip from the Episode

00:30 Intro to the Film - Brief Synopsis

01:37 Exploring Sam Raimi's Directing Style & Immediate Narrative Choices

11:25 The Performances - Rachel McAdams' Versatility & Dylan O'Brien's Growth

21:17 ⚠️Spoiler Discussion & Plot Twists⚠️

33:43 Moral Ambiguity and Character Evolution

47:54 The Final Showdown and Transformation - Why It Works

55:30 Breaking the Fourth Wall: A Cinematic Technique

58:50 Audience Expectations and Film Interpretation

01:11:52 The Rise of Horror Comedies & Original Stories

01:15:53 Wrap Up - Excited to See More Original Horror in the Future! Let Us Know Your Thoughts!

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#SendHelp #RachelMcAdams #DylanOBrien #SamRaimi #FilmPodcast

In this episode of Film Curious, Ashley and Nicole dive deep into The Starling Girl (2023), an indie drama written and directed by Laurel Parmet, starring Eliza Scanlen, Lewis Pullman, and Jimmy Simpson.

A 17-year-old in a Christian fundamentalist community develops a dangerous connection with her youth pastor, and the film handles it with nuance, restraint, and visual intelligence that most films three times its budget never achieve. We get into Eliza Scanlan's micro-expression masterclass, Laurel Parmet's brilliant visual storytelling, the consent conversation the film quietly forces you to have, the small details that tell everything you need to know, and why this filmmaker deserves so much more attention.

⚠️ This is a full spoiler discussion! We suggest watching it first if you haven’t already. Available to stream on Netflix currently.

⏱️Timestamps

00:00 Highlight Clip from the Episode

00:28 Intro to the Film & How Adeptly the Story Is Handled

06:39 ⚠️Spoiler Section Starts⚠️

23:57 Handling of Sex Scene & the Consent Discussion

29:43 Analysis of the Film & Its Themes

56:06 The Surprise Turn Towards the Ending & What the Ending Means for the Main Character Going Forward

01:00:00 Wrap Up - Excited and Hoping to See Laurel Parmet Make More Movies in the Future

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#TheStarlingGirl #ElizaScanlan #FilmPodcast

In this episode of Film Curious, Ashley and guest co-host Nicole revisit No Hard Feelings (2023), the Jennifer Lawrence comedy directed by Gene Stupnitsky, now streaming on Hulu and HBO MAX. We were missing out; it's way better than we ever expected!

We break down why Jennifer Lawrence is genuinely great in this role, why Andrew Barth Feldman's surprise musical moment works so well in the film, how the movie quietly subverts every expectation you bring into it, and how this is the exact kind of comedy Hollywood doesn't make enough of anymore but should!

We also get into the supporting work from Matthew Broderick and Laura Benanti, 21 Jump Street comparisons, and why this film deserves to be remembered.

⚠️This review does contain a small amount of spoilers⚠️

⏱️Timestamps

00:00 Highlight Clip from the Episode

00:45 Intro & Welcoming Nicole to the Show

02:16 Why Ashley & Nicole Dismissed No Hard Feelings When It Came Out

05:43 Overall Review of the Film, Subverting Expectations, Jennifer Lawrence's Performance, How It Delivers a lot of Heart without Being Romantic & Reminds Us of Great Comedies From When Were Younger
10:30 Spoiler Portion Begins

16:17 The Supporting Cast & How Well They Worked to Supplement the Story

18:38 The Slapstick Comedy Aspects That Sometimes Didn’t Work

21:47 Andrew Barth Feldman & The Wonderful Musical Moment

23:29 Wrap Up - Why This Film Deserves to Be Remembered

26:02 Outro - Thanks for Listening! Tune In Next Time!

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#NoHardFeelings #JenniferLawrence #FilmPodcast