Today’s Unwatchables is all about the loquacious, shockingly brutal modern exploitation films of S. Craig Zahler. Special guest Matt Belenky helps us discuss Zahler’s artful approach to extreme violence, the controversy around his perceived politics, and whether his films are actually as regressive as their inspirations. On deck are 2015’s grisly horror Western BONE TOMAHAWK, and 2017’s face-smashing prison flick BRAWL IN CELL BLOCK 99. You can find more from Matt at https://letterboxd.com/saveferris71/ Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth Troyer, produced by Tony Scarpitti, feat ..read more

Unwatchables kicks off Season 3 with one of the most notorious outsider cult films of the 2000’s. With help from video essayist Jacob Sleezer, we dissect the surreal provocations of filmmaker Damon Packard, starting with his epic, vomit-drenched, copyright-infringing magnum opus, 2002’s REFLECTIONS OF EVIL. Topics include Packard blowing his inheritance, whether he might actually be unwell, and his years-in-the-making sci-fi whatsit FOXFUR. You can find Jacob on Letterboxd at https://letterboxd.com/wormwould/ and on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCh-IwbDtNPL6T6zrngXpOCw Unwatchab ..read more

Get out your forks and bibs folks, we're talkin' Salò! Friend of the show Govnaim joins us as we dig into Pasolini's infamous foray into the upper echelons of the Unwatchables cannon. Bon appétit! Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth Troyer, produced by Tony Scarpitti, featuring artwork by Micah Kraus. You can support us on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/unwatchables to get access to exclusive bonus content and weigh in on what we watch next. Find us online at www.unwatchablespod.com or shoot us an email at unwatchablespodcast@gmail.com. We're on Instagram and Twitter under @un ..read more

Who better to join our Halloween special than film critic Katie Rife, aficionado of all things horror? She proves her strong stomach by exposing us to two of the most harrowing serial killer films ever made, starting with 1986’s hugely influential HENRY: PORTRAIT OF A SERIAL KILLER. We discuss its revolutionary approach to depicting violence, how it comments on the true crime genre, and one of its most repulsive descendants: Fatih Akin’s 2019 stomach-churner THE GOLDEN GLOVE. You can find more from Katie at https://x.com/RifewithKatie Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth Troyer ..read more

In our debut episode, we tackle Lars Von Trier's notorious 2009 psychological horror film Antichrist starring Willem Dafoe and Charlotte Gainsbourg. With its over-the-top art film flourishes, rotting anthropomorphic woodland critters, and graphic depictions of genital mutilation, Antichrist offers plenty of extreme content to watch or unwatch. Tune in to find out what we think.  Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth Troyer and produced by Tony Scarpitti with artwork by Micah Kraus. You can support us on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/unwatchables to get access to exclusive ..read more

Today’s guest is Robert Daniels, associate editor of http://RogerEbert.com, to help us discuss a controversial fugitive drama that takes a provocative look at police violence against Black Americans. 2019’s QUEEN & SLIM is the feature debut of Melina Matsoukas— director of the iconic music video for Beyonce’s “Formation”— and stars Oscar-winner Daniel Kaluuya. So why has it become potentially overlooked? We discuss how it holds up today, Snoop Dog’s hostile reaction at the screening Robert attended, and the online discourse over its ending. You can find more from Robert at https://www.roge ..read more

Today’s films take us deep into the subjective sensory experience of extreme mental illness, including at least one character with paranoid schizophrenia. Chicago film critic Isaac Feldberg (of http://RogerEbert.com, Paste Magazine, and more) joins us to discuss the very different— but equally harrowing— approaches of two superficially similar films, both by writer/director Lodge Kerrigan: his auspicious, disturbing 1993 debut CLEAN, SHAVEN, and its 2004 spiritual remake KEANE. You can find more from Isaac at https://linktr.ee/isaacfeldberg Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth Tro ..read more

We’ve already tackled two films from KIDS’ Larry Clark on our previous “Kids Aren’t All Right” episode— who’d have thought he had more unwatchable in him? Today we’re joined by B.R. Yeager, author of the acclaimed horror novel NEGATIVE SPACE, for further evidence that the kids still aren’t, in fact, all right. Both of these films show the dark side of coming of age in all its potential trauma and violence, though only one offers any glimmer of hope: Clark’s 2001 true crime story BULLY, and Gregg Araki’s 2004 sex abuse drama MYSTERIOUS SKIN. You can find more from B.R. Yeager at https://www.br ..read more

This week’s Unwatchables is a double feature of “NYC cop movie sleazecore”— a term coined by guest Jason Bailey, film critic, author, and host of the popular film podcast A Very Good Year. Both of these films were mired in controversy for their explicit content; both are by directed by legendary, and legendarily cranky, auteurs; and both star iconic New York actors navigating the city’s seedy underbelly. The films are William Friedkin’s (R.I.P) 1980 undercover crime thriller CRUISING, and Abel Ferrara’s 1992 morality play BAD LIEUTENANT. You can hear more from Jason at tinyurl.com/avgy-pod and ..read more

Today we’re joined by Bob McCully from the film podcast Split Your Head to discuss two of the first films to violently tear up the notion that puppets are just for kids. Back when puppetry was mostly the domain of children’s entertainment, these movies brought enough graphic sex, drugs, and violence to traumatize any child unlucky enough to stumble upon them: Peter Jackson’s 1989 ultra-dark comedy MEET THE FEEBLES, and Gerard Damiano’s 1976 pornographic musical LET MY PUPPETS COME. You can follow Bob on Letterboxd at https://letterboxd.com/bobmccully/ and check out his podcast, Split Your Head ..read more