The Incomparable Mothership

Buy some flowers and get ready to profess your feelings—we’re here to talk about “Spider-Man: Brand New Day,” in which Tom Holland’s Peter gets to be a sad sack who is saving New York while his personal life has fallen completely apart. There are surprising character reveals, unsurprising character twists (well, at least Peter was surprised), interesting guest-star choices, and a lot of themes involving the dangers of letting yourself become isolated. Jason Snell with James Thomson, Moisés Chiullán and Ben Rice McCarthy.

Put on your summer best and board a ferry to New England’s hottest tourist destination! It’s time for us to discuss “Widow’s Bay,” a funny horror story about the mayor and other denizens of a cursed island. Of course there’s a creepy clown, and a slasher, and a dark secret that goes back centuries. Of course Stephen Root is wild-eyed! Once you visit Widow’s Bay, you’ll never want to leave… which is good, because you might not be able to. Jason Snell with Annette Wierstra, Tony Sindelar and Monty Ashley.

It’s one of the best “Star Trek” movies, a classic Dad Movie, and the start of a franchise that never really started. It’s “Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World,” in which oceans have become battlefields and privateer ships lurk like horror-movie monsters. Don’t get attached to any of those nice young sailors! Jason Snell with Steven Schapansky, Philip Michaels and Brian Warren.

Get out your PowerBooks and prepare to punch an alien in patriotic fashion! We celebrate Independence Day with a 30-year-old film, “Independence Day”! It’s a lot of movie. Is Jason ready to forgive it? Jason Snell with Moisés Chiullán, David J. Loehr, Aleen Simms and Tony Sindelar.

Our survey of award-nominated novels rolls on with “The Buffalo Hunter Hunter,” “When We Were Real,” and “Sour Cherry.” Not gonna lie: we’re struggling with the reading a bit this year. But at least one of these novels threw us a lifeline. Jason Snell with Scott McNulty, Erika Ensign, Aleen Simms, Heather Berberet and Paul Weimer.

We went out to the movies to see “The Mandalorian and Grogu,” the first “Star Wars” film this decade. We had a really good time, thanks in large part to the charisma of many different puppets. (This is “Star Wars,” after all.) We aren’t without our criticisms—Is there ever really any danger? What is Sigourney Weaver doing?—but all in all, this film filled a Star Wars-shaped hole in our hearts. Jason Snell with Erika Ensign, Steven Schapansky, Helene Wecker, Moisés Chiullán, Dan Moren and Brian Warren.

Let’s travel 40 years back in time, to Chicago in 1986, where on one legendary day, a high school student named Ferris Bueller bends time and space, all in service of cheering up his best friend. We break down what makes “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” still work after all these years. Jason Snell with Cicero Holmes, Quinn Rose, Deborah Stanish, Erika Ensign and John Siracusa.

Awards Book Club reconvenes for 2026, as we discuss Nebula-nominated novels “Katabasis” by R.F. Kuang, “Wearing the Lion” by John Wiswell, and “Death of the Author” by Nnedi Okorafor. The mood of the panel is… cautious. Also: What else are we reading? Jason Snell with Aleen Simms, Erika Ensign, Heather Berberet, Scott McNulty and Paul Weimer.

Not now, Klansmen, I’m killing vampires! “Sinners” got nominated for all the awards, and it’s also a vampire (with a hint of zombie?) movie. We love it when genre movies get attention, and Ryan Coogler keeps putting out bangers, so we’re all in on the story of magical music opening the door to eldrich horror—oh, and also it’s the deep south in the 1930s so there’s some horrendous racism too! Jason Snell with Moisés Chiullán, Brian Hamilton, Monty Ashley, Tony Sindelar and Steve Lutz.