Fellowship Film Club: Ep.1 The Royal Tenenbaums (2001) / Her (2013)

August 22, 2026

Two lonely movies. Two wildly different kinds of heartbreak. Ryan and Dee kick off Fellowship Film Club with a deep dive into Her and The Royal Tenenbaums, unpacking why these films still hit so hard and what they say about love, family, and the ways we try to fill the empty spaces in our lives.

Man sitting at an office desk resting his elbow on desk

Ryan brings the Wes Anderson obsession, the sharp eye for visual detail, and a passionate case for The Royal Tenenbaums as one of the most emotionally complex ensemble films ever made. Dee brings the emotional punch of Her, revisiting Spike Jonze’s sci-fi love story as both a breakup movie and an eerily prophetic warning about AI, disconnection, and the future of human intimacy.

You’ll discover why The Royal Tenenbaums feels like a character study disguised as a comedy, how Royal’s lies and half-redemptions reshape the entire family dynamic, and why Wes Anderson’s symmetry, color palettes, and production design make every frame feel alive. You’ll also get into Her’s uncanny relevance in 2026, from Joaquin Phoenix’s devastating performance to the film’s unsettling accuracy about artificial intelligence, emotional outsourcing, and the search for real connection.

We break down standout performances, hidden visual details, the meaning behind the films’ emotional endings, and the difference between characters who are stuck in their programming and characters who manage to grow beyond it. Along the way, Ryan and Dee also dig into the movie choices that shaped their own relationship to cinema, from first-time surprises to rewatch revelations.

If you’ve ever loved a film for the way it hurts, this episode is for you. Perfect for anyone who wants thoughtful film conversation, genuine chemistry, and a few brutal reminders that loneliness can look very different – but still feel exactly the same.

If you have thoughts, questions, or reviews about the films we’re covering and want them to be shared on the podcast; or recommendations for future films, email them to: fellowshipfilmclub@gmail.com or complete the attached form: https://forms.gle/ACQcX6GGxNx9194k6

Author

Dee Cronkite

Dee Cronkite (Chiv) is the co-host of the Fellowship Film Club and a long-time digital content producer covering film, television, and pop culture. A former touring bassist turned neo-classical piano composer under the project name Duane Francis, Dee writes at the intersection of cinema, sound, and story.

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