Gena Radcliffe (Page 13) | The Spool

Gena Radcliffe (Page 13)

Gena Radcliffe is the co-host of the award-winning (not really) horror podcast Kill by Kill, and has also written for F This Movie, Anatomy of a Scream, Daily Grindhouse, MovieJawn, and Grim magazine (although the Spool is her pride and joy). Her pitch graveyard and "pieces that don't really belong anywhere else" can be found at genawatchesthings.substack.com, and she spends entirely too much time on Instagram, BlueSky & TikTok under @genadoesthings.

“All That Jazz” & the Great Stage of Life

Bob Fosse's exhilarating semi-biographical musical drama turns 40 this year.

Review: “The Witcher” Casts a Tiresome Spell

Netflix’s adaptation of the popular fantasy novel series is a puzzling mess that brings little new to the table except Henry Cavill’s wig.

Review: Hang Out With “John Mulaney & the Sack Lunch Bunch”

The comedian’s gentle parody of children’s television boasts charming performances and catchy Broadway-style tunes.

Unraveling pop-culture one thread at a time

The Spool is an irreverent, informative source for film and television coverage, focused on diverse, thoughtful opinions that seek out a greater understanding of the media we love.

From the Ranks of the Freaks: “Magnolia” at 20

Paul Thomas Anderson's character study baffled, aggravated & emotionally moved a divisive audience.

His Dark Materials Recap: “The Fight to the Death”

Iorek reclaims his throne & Lyra gets both a new name & a family reunion in an uneven penultimate episode.

His Dark Materials Recap: “The Daemon-Cages”

Mrs. Coulter is rejected once again, and the Gyptians ride in to rescue the missing children.

Grand Isle Review: Our Sex Games Have Become Too Elaborate

Nicolas Cage stars in a Southern fried psychological thriller that’s both too much, and not enough.

His Dark Materials Recap: “The Lost Boy”

Things take a bleak turn as Lyra goes on a side trip & discovers the fate of one of the missing children.

Hot Wheels: A Look at the Brief But Glorious Trend of Roller Disco Movies

Roller skating as a pastime for the rich & famous lasted barely a year, but resulted in some of the best in 70s kitsch cinema.

Review: “Servant” Serves Up Atmosphere, But Not Much Else

Apple TV+ adds another just okay series to its lineup, psychological horror produced by M. Night Shyamalan.

His Dark Materials Episode Recap: “Armour”

Lyra & the Gyptians get some formidable muscle, both human and otherwise, in a dazzling, emotionally moving fourth episode.

How “Fearless” Made Me Grateful for My Stupid Little Life

Peter Weir’s mostly forgotten drama about survivor’s guilt is an uncynical light in the darkness of mental illness. Every month, we at The Spool select a filmmaker to explore in greater depth — their themes, their deeper concerns, how their works chart the history of cinema and the filmmaker’s own biography. For Thanksgiving, we’re going off ... How “Fearless” Made Me Grateful for My Stupid Little Life

His Dark Materials Recap: “The Spies”

Lyra finally understands what it means to have a family, as Mrs. Coulter cranks things up on the evil dial.

His Dark Materials Recap: “The Idea of North”

Lyra discovers Mrs. Coulter’s dark side in an occasionally overstuffed second episode.

Goodbye to the Light: “Interview With the Vampire” at 25

Remembering when Tom Cruise defied audience expectations in a campy, sumptuous adaptation of Anne Rice's vampire soap opera.

His Dark Materials Recap: “Lyra’s Jordan”

HBO & the BBC's lavish adaptation of Philip Pullman's fantasy series is off to a fine, visually stunning start.

Review: Don’t Bother Getting Up for “The Morning Show”

Apple+’s new drama about the cutthroat world of TV news looks good but suffers from derivative, clumsy writing. Sunday’s New York Times featured an op-ed from none other than Mark Zuckerberg, insisting that Facebook’s curious insistence on treating websites with names like hillarydid911.freedomguns.biz as legitimate news sources is helping to improve journalism. It’s sobering to ... Review: Don’t Bother Getting Up for “The Morning Show”

BHFF: “Girl on the Third Floor” is the Home Handyman’s Nightmare

Travis Stevens’ funny & creepy haunted house movie pits toxic masculinity against vengeful female ghosts.

BHFF: Out of Misery, Rage in “Mystery of the Night”

Hell hath no fury like a feral woman scorned in Adolfo Alix Jr.’s beautiful but baffling revenge horror film.

BHFF: A Beautiful Stranger Brings Destruction in “Carmilla”

The precursor to “Dracula” gets a sumptuous if not entirely faithful film adaptation.

BHFF: “Sick, Sick, Sick” is a Terminal Case

Alice Furtado's obsessive teen romance-horror is long on atmosphere, and lean on everything else.

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