Month: November 2025

368 – The Devil All the Time (with Katey Rich!)

The Devil All The Time: Tom Holland as Arvin Russell. Photo Cr. Glen Wilson/Netflix © 2020

Our annual Thanksgiving tradition means The Ankler’s Katey Rich is back! And this year, we’re got a stone cold bummer to go with the turkey! In 2020, while we were all stuck in our homes, Netflix delivered a lockdown crime saga hit with The Devil All the Time. Directed by Antonio Campos, the film follows several generations in rural America as their family history is engulfed in religion and murder between American wars. With a cast of famous young stars like Tom Holland and Robert Pattison, the film garnered strong reactions to its grim tale but no ultimate awards payoff.

This episode, we’re talking about Antonio Campos’ independent cinema rise and later television work. We also talk about Netflix in 2020, Holland balancing Spider-Man with other projects, and umm… what the hell is going on with Pattinson in this movie.

Topics also include accents, covid coping, and Thanksgiving gender binaries.

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367 – Mumford

Outside of his place in the Star Wars canon, Lawrence Kasdan has a quick rise in the 1980s after his debut Body Heat. With multiple Best Picture nominees to his name like The Big Chill and The Accidental Tourist, Kasdan’s status took a downward trajectory in the 1990s, closing the decade with 1999’s Mumford. Starring Loren Dean as a man pretending to be a certified therapist who sweeps a small town off its feet, the ensemble film has its charms and problems in equal measure.

This week, we talk about Kasdan’s directorial career and his multiple screenplay nominations (but no director nomination). We also discuss Jason Lee as a quintessential 1990s performer, how Mumford‘s release was overshadowed by the arrival of American Beauty, and Hope Davis’ best-in-show turn as Dean’s patient-turned-love interest.

Topics also include David Paymer Six Timers, online shopping addiction, and Unsolved Mysteries.

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366 – Foe

One of 2023’s most quickly forgotten buzzed titles just so happened to star some of the most heralded actors of their generation. Based on the hyped Iain Reid novel, Foe cast Saoirse Ronan and Paul Mescal as a married couple in the dystopian future whose lives are upended with a visit from Aaron Pierre as a corporate representative tasked to prepare the husband for being drafted to a space station. With promise that an artificial “substitute” to take his place at home, the film gets twisty but predictable, leaving critics to quickly dismiss the film.

This episode, we talk about director Garth Davis’ first run of awards success with Lion and the diminishing returns that followed. We also discuss how Saoirse’s Oscar nominations tied to Best Picture nominees, Mescal’s Beatles future, and Pierre’s ascendancy.

Topics also include the 2023 New York Film Festival, Amazon MGM, and Top of the Lake.

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365 – Hanging Up

We were heartbroken at the news of Diane Keaton’s passing, so we decided to quickly get another of her films in the THOB books. Keaton’s final directorial effort was Hanging Up, based on Delia Ephron’s fictionalized experience coping with distant sisters during the final years of their father’s life. Co-written by Delia and Nora Ephron, Meg Ryan took the lead with Keaton and Lisa Kudrow starring as the sisters and Walter Mathau as the aging father. Originally intended for a 1999 release, the film was received harshly by critics when it was ultimately released in 2000.

This episode, we talk about the behind-the-scenes tensions that played out onscreen and the unfavored collaborations between the Ephron sisters. We also talk about our favorite Keaton performances, Kudrow’s critical success with The Opposite of Sex, and Lisa Schwarzbaum F score reviews.

Topics also include Diet Coke commercials, Everything is Copy, and Keaton tributes.

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