Ep. 4: Sinners and Weapons

In Episode 4 of the "Excommunication Podcast," Scott Roeben and Melissa Vegas dive into a passionate discussion about two Oscar-nominated films, "Weapons" and "Sinners." As always, the conversation begins with some playful housekeeping about podcast habits, interruptions and Scott's alleged inability to remember actors' names, before quickly veering into pop culture, Las Vegas gossip and a debate about Mark Wahlberg's rumored quiet departure from Las Vegas.

The hosts then break down the horror film "Weapons," which earned a single Oscar nomination. Melissa approaches the movie from the perspective of a horror fan, arguing the film sets up an intriguing mystery but ultimately falls flat due to tonal shifts, implausible plot developments and an over-reliance on familiar tropes. Scott agrees the film fails to deliver on its eerie premise and criticizes its lack of suspense, uneven storytelling and campy execution.

The discussion then turns to "Sinners," the heavily nominated period vampire film starring Michael B. Jordan. The conversation becomes more philosophical as Scott and Melissa debate the movie's themes, cinematography and cultural context. Melissa praises the film's visual style, production design and performances, while questioning its thin vampire mythology and lack of deeper backstory. Scott takes a more critical view of the screenplay and character choices while acknowledging the film's cultural significance and the importance of supporting diverse voices in filmmaking.

As with every episode, the discussion includes plenty of detours, jokes and disagreements, including an ongoing argument about how much each host talks during the podcast and what rating system they should use for movies. The result is a lively, unfiltered conversation about film, storytelling and the strange dynamics of reviewing movies with your ex.