In the season finale of Movie Memory Machine, Landen and Truman descend into the dark fantasy depths of Damsel(2024), Netflix’s Millie Bobby Brown-led twist on the fairy tale formula. We talk sacrificial princesses, cave horror, feminist inversions, and whether this dragon flick earns its roar—or just bellows at walls. Along the way, we dig into fantasy aesthetics, the Netflix Original paradox, and the shifting image of the Final Girl in the age of franchise collapse. It’s a scorched-earth breakdown with flaming swords, brittle politics, and the season’s most emotionally cathartic rock climb.
Topics Covered:
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Damsel as a post-Hunger Games, post-Frozen fantasy survival film
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Millie Bobby Brown’s career choices and her role as both producer and protagonist
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Why the dragon’s voice (Shohreh Aghdashloo!) carries more gravitas than most live-action characters
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The film’s commentary on royal systems, patriarchy, and complicity
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Final Girl tropes applied to high fantasy—and why it (mostly) works
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How Netflix continues to flatten spectacle while trying to manufacture mythology
Key Takeaways:
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Damsel weaponizes its genre inversion: she’s not saved by a prince—she survives in spite of them.
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Millie Bobby Brown channels rage, resolve, and rope burn with equal credibility.
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The dragon is the film’s best metaphor and best performance.
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The marriage of fairy tale and horror offers new terrain for Final Girl narratives.
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The ending gives us one of the best “walk away” shots in recent memory.
Listener Prompt: What did Damsel get right about myth, memory, or millennial fantasy fatigue? Let us know using #MovieMemoryMachine.
Support the Show! Help keep Movie Memory Machine ad-free and artist-owned! Here’s how you can support us:
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Become a Patreon supporter – For as little as $1/month, you get access to bonus content for all shows on the Grunt Work Podcast Network. Join at https://patreon.com/gruntworkpod
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Leave a rating and review – On Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen.
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Like, follow, and share on social media – We’re @MovieMemoryMachine on YouTube and @MovieMemoryPod on Letterboxd.
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Tell a friend – Word of mouth is how we grow.
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Join our Discord – Vote on whether films stay in modern memory or are left forgotten. Visit https://www.moviememorymachine.com for access.
Follow Us: 🌐 Website: https://www.moviememorymachine.com 📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MovieMemoryMachine 🎞️ Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/moviememorypod/
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