A+Z Movie Review Podcast · Alex Long and Zach Cavanagh

Episode 40 - The Substance - 2025 Best Picture Nominee

·35 min·2 clips

The finale turns into a five-minute fight scene, then “Monstro Elizasue” reaches the production stage.

1. A+Z Movie Review Podcast covers The Substance and frames it as the fastest movie-to-recording turnaround they have done. 2. Alex and Zach host the episode, and Alex’s immediate reaction matters because she is the one pushing for a quick follow-up after seeing the movie. 3. The episode asks whether The Substance is worth recommending to viewers who have not seen it yet. 4. Alex says on Instagram the film is “a very bold swing” and gives it a sideways thumb instead of a full recommendation. 5. She points to body horror, gross-out imagery, and “5,500 gallons of fake blood” as reasons the film is hard to hand to everyone. 6. Zach agrees that the movie is “different” and says he cannot just say no because he respects the craft. 7. The hosts connect the movie’s allegory to beauty standards, women, and women in entertainment. 8. They describe Elizabeth Sparkle as a former fitness star, compare her to Olivia Newton-John and Jane Fonda, and note that she has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. 9. The story they outline starts with Elizabeth turning 50 in Hollywood and then finding the substance that creates a younger version of herself. 10. That younger version is Sue, played by Margaret Qualley, and the two have to switch bodies every seven days or face corruption and deterioration. 11. Alex says Demi Moore is the stronger performer and highlights the makeup sequence where Elizabeth imitates Sue on a late-night show. 12. The hosts identify a second manic sequence centered on cooking, which they describe as building into absurdity. 13. Zach says the film is not a slasher or a mind-fuck horror movie and calls it more of a thriller with grotesque imagery. 14. They note that the movie has five Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, Director, Original Screenplay, Actress, and Makeup and Hairstyling. 15. Zach says the film’s dialogue is sparse, and Dennis Quaid has more dialogue than anyone else. 16. Alex and Zach both discuss the production design, bright colors, long hallways, and the way the movie blends an 80s look with modern objects like phones and a USB stick. 17. The episode’s tone is conversational and skeptical, with repeated side comments and pauses as the hosts compare reactions. 18. The format moves from recommendation talk to category-by-category Oscar discussion and then into a concession-stand segment. 19. Listeners who like Oscar coverage and body-horror analysis will get the most from this episode. 20. Viewers who dislike gore, surreal visuals, or long Oscar rundown sections may skip it.

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