Episode #562: "Sinners," "The Wedding Banquet," and "The Ugly Stepsister"

Megan is flying solo this week, as Dave and Evan couldn't make it (I miss you two!). First, Megan reviews THE UGLY STEPSISTER (1:54), Emilie Blichfeldt's Norwegian fairy-tale horror film starring Lea Myren and Thea Sofie Loch Næss, which played at this year's Boston Underground Film Festival. With lush costumes and production design, it's a compelling and gruesome Cinderella retelling that critiques beauty standards.   Then, Megan talks about THE WEDDING BANQUET (19:25), Andrew Ahn's queer rom-com (a remake of Ang Lee's 1993 film) starring Kelly Marie Tran, Lily Gladstone, Bowen Yang, and Han Gi-chan, about a gay man who offers to marry his lesbian friend to pay for her partner's IVF treatments and so he can get a green card. It's a sweet and tender film with an excellent cast.   Lastly, Megan discusses SINNERS (33:41), Ryan Coogler's vampire horror film, starring Michael B. Jordan, Miles Caton, Hailee Steinfeld, and Wunmi Mosaku. Set in the 1930s, it follows two twin brothers opening a juke joint and the evil that follows them. With gorgeous cinematography and a hypnotic score, it's a visceral, moody, and captivating film.   And on this week's Patreon bonus episode, Megan talks about two newly streaming 2024 genre movies, one set in the 1980s and one in the 1990s: Kyle Mooney's sci-fi horror comedy Y2K and Joe DeBoer and Kyle McConaghy's horror film DEAD MAIL!