Have you ever wanted to know the TRUE story that inspired King Arthur? Did you know that Arthur was a freedom fighter battling for the independence of Britannia? Wait until you see what armor Guinevere preferred to wear into battle! And don't forget Tristan and his faithful falcon! Join us and Jon Gabrus ( High & Mighty , Action Boyz , 101 Places to Party Before You Die) to unpack this forgotten mid-aughts classic from Antoine Fuqua!...
Liam Billingham ( Die Hard on a Blank / OuevreBusters ) joins us to discuss Paul Verhoeven's meta-propaganda Brechtian war film Starship Troopers. We discuss the film's odd mixture of big budget VFX with soap opera stars, how it's three movies in one, the nature of meaning in a world devoid of conflict, and art that risks embarrassment. It's a squishy, gooey, fun time, so jump on this one way rocket to Klendathu with us, folks!...
The Phantom Menace has weathered the highs and (mostly) lows of fan appraisal. Once derided, then reclaimed, where does it stand in 2023? We issue the definitive assessment: it is good (kind of). Matt Teichman (Elucidations Podcast) brings his colleague Jar Jar Binks along for the ride, as we discuss pod racing, queen wardrobes, lightsaber battles, Jedi Stoicism, ineffectual bureaucracy, and the allure of fascism. Stay with us to the end for a blast of 1999 nostalgia!
We sit down with my colleague Agustín Rayo (Professor of Philosophy, Dean of SHASS at MIT, and winner of the big number duel ) to discuss Alfonso Cuarón's autobiographical film, Roma. We discuss memory, dreams, guilt, class, background, lenses, digital formats, and, of course, Mexico City.
Join us and Bilge Ebiri (New York Magazine / Vulture) to discuss Christopher Nolan's deconstructed biopic about the man who birthed a very big bomb. Deconstructed narratives, quantum mechanics, moral dilemmas, subjective inflection, brilliant and sure-handed intercutting... and we set the record straight on whether Nolan's films are funny and whether his female characters are poorly developed.
Joining us to talk about What Maisie Knew (2012) is the film's producer, Daniela Taplin Lundberg (whose feature credits include The Kids Are All Right, Beasts of No Nation, and Honey Boy)! We talk about the challenges making independent feature films, the film's portrayal of divorce and new beginnings, and how it captures the feeling of a memory. After you listen, you should check out Daniela's podcast, Hollywood Gold , a series of interviews with Hollywood producers about the storie...
We sit down with Lydia Tár expert Emily St. James to talk about guilt, repression, cancel culture, subjectivity, moral hazards, the Todd Field Cinematic Universe, and... you guessed it... Oklahoma! How is any of this possible? Tune in to find out!
Bright light! Bright light! We sit down with Brandon Polite (Philosophy, Knox College) to discuss Joe Dante's horror comedy masterpiece. Topics include: Chekov's rules of Gremlin lore, Mogwai metaphors, slapstick humor, why you shouldn't show this movie to young children, practical special effects, old and new Hollywood, capitalism, and what we can learn from Gizmo. Guess who had a stuffed Mogwai as a baby??
How did Steven Soderbergh remake an obscure Soviet art-house film based on an even more obscure science fiction novel starring the most bankable A-list movie star? And how did he pull it off?! We sit down with Phil Iscove (Sleepy Hollow / Podcast Like It's...) to unpack the film's poetry and vibes, and explore what it would do to someone to encounter their deepest regrets and desires manifesting in physical form. Come vibe on this very odd and intangible classic of the early aughts!...
Our guest Matt Strohl (Philosophy, Montana; author of Why It's OK to Love Bad Movies) thinks Richard Kelly's 2009 film THE BOX is due for a critical reappraisal, and we agree. We talk about altruism, self-deception, faith, freedom, Hell, Sartre, and why this is a freaking Christmas movie! Buckle up for a weird and wild journey into the unknown and unknowable!
Welcoming back Carly Severn, we take a moment to indulge in Michael Mann's existential police / serial killer drama Manhunter. We talk about the film's distinctive use of unexpected style to convey the inner lives of its characters, the film's (and Mann's overall) focus on the individual rather than societal, dreams, tigers, mental illness, men doing work, men playing god, and the angst of being called to do something impossible. Follow Carly on Twitter! Follow us on Twitter! Buy...
Matt Belenky returns to gush over Brian DePalma's love letter to mediocre men and the women they fancy themselves saving. We discuss the deep anxieties about inadequacy at the film's core, and how DePalma creates magic out of a plot that's somehow both threadbare and unnecessarily complex. Even Pauline Kael, one of DePalma's great champions, thought this one was old hat, but not us -- no -- we positively LOVE its shaggy unreality. So jump on this nonstop train to Hitchcocksville ...
We hit the road with Paul Keelan (Cinematic Underdogs) and talk bands, touring, growing up, and more in this jam-packed episode on Cameron Crowe's memoir film Almost Famous. Paul shares his experience touring with bands, and we discover that we were once in the same room over a decade ago! We talk about the illusion and fantasy of life on the road, the desire to hold on to fleeting moments, and role of writers in crystalizing our most cherished memories in prose. We are not golden gods, but ...
How should we engage with the work of immoral artists? We explore this question through the lens of Woody Allen's late period masterpiece Match Point. Mary Beth Willard (Philosopher, Weber State, and author of "Why it's OK to Enjoy the Work of Immoral Artists") joins us to discuss the aesthetic costs of not engaging with art, the expressive nature of uncritically loving the work of immoral artists, and we delve into the film's many themes: guilt, luck, meaning, and morality...
We're joined by Matt Pais (author of Talk 90s with Me) to discuss a favorite 90s nostalgia flick, made thirty years ago about a time thirty years prior to when it came out. So it's nostalgia about nostalgia, or what some might call meta-nostalgia! We talk about the desire to hold on to the ephemeral, how the film explores the loss of innocence in the 1960s (and compares that with the kind of Gen-X cynicism that gripped the US in the 90s), connections to another film starring Tom Everett Scott (L...
Join us and professional film/tv critic Emily St. James to talk about the BEST movies of 2022. We give out awards to our favorites, and also discuss some often overlooked categories (best use of 65mm film, best "boys are weird but hot" movie, best bed, best men are trash movie, and best movie to fall asleep to). Which movies will rise to the top and achieve a coveted Blobscar award? And which Nobel Peace Prize winner will be taking home a trophy? Tune in to find out!
With the release of the Disney+ show set in the world of Andowyne, we figured it was time to revisit a beloved fantasy classic from the 80s, Ron Howard's delightfully magical WILLOW! Big time Willow-head John DeVore joins us to talk about how the film was his fantasy gateway drug, and how it's about an adoptive family of ordinary folk who must undertake an extraordinary quest. We discuss all the wonderful action scenes as well as why the film passes the Bechdel test, why the Brownies are the bes...
Who is the INSIDE MAN? We sit down with Roxana Hadadi (Vulture / New York Magazine) to discuss Spike Lee's twisty bank heist thriller from the early aughts. We consider the film's central theme, which focuses around conflicts of duty and consequence, and takes a very even-handed look at a morally complex world. We also compare the film's insistence to call out racism with its casual dismissal of homophobia and sexual assault, and think about the challenge faced by those of us just trying to get ...
We hop into a black hole with Jon Gabrus ( High & Mighty , Action Boyz , 101 Places to Party Before You Die ) to discuss Christopher Nolan's spacetime warping epic! We consider the film's complex relationship with science, exploration, and family obligations; and we defend Nolan against the charge that he's an emotionless filmmaker. Naturally, we try to figure out which character we each are (can you guess?) and then Justin does his best to explain/understand gravitational time dilation. Don...
Join us for a re-release of our Minority Report episode from early 2020! We go running with Tom Cruise and discuss the future as it was projected in 2002, the nature of middle knowledge, themes of blindness/control/justice, and give our top five Spielberg movies. Follow us on Twitter ! Leave a review on Apple Podcasts if you enjoy the show!
Join us and proverbial bringer-of-Christmas-cheer Emily St. James as we dive into Frank Capra's existentialist Christmas classic It's a Wonderful Life! We talk about the film's overt and subtle political messaging, which got it labeled Communist propaganda soon after its release, and contrast the zero sum deadlocked conflict of Potter with the generosity and warmth of George and (especially) Mary. We consider various interpretations of what George learns in his journey through the alternate real...
We talked with Jack's inflamed sense of rejection and it told us to watch Fight Club with friend Brian Martinez, so here we are. We go into anger, violence, masculinity, misogyny, absurdism, meaninglessness, privilege, sexuality, narcissism, latent fascism, men's rights groups, male friendships, and also Reel Big Fish?? Follow us on Twitter! Buy a cows shirt on Threadless! ...
We delve into fascism and parenting and fascist parenting with Jack Draper (Exiting Through the 2010s), talking about mechanisms of control, acts of defiance through reclaiming an identity, the role of film as a revolutionary ideal, and, of course, Frank Sinatra. Oh yes, and can you pass the telephone? I'd like to relax in a nice, comfortable, sea. Listen to Exiting Through the 2010s! Follow Jack on Twitter! Follow us on Twitter! Buy a cows shirt on Threadless!
Is it a bad book or the Ba-Ba-Doo-Doo-Doooooook?? We chat with Libby Hill (The Wrap) about Jennifer Kent's painful and potent allegory about grief, anxiety, depression, parenting... you know -- the BIG STUFF. We discuss how the imagery of the Babadook conveys enveloping dread, and ongoing struggles with our own Babadooks. We talk about being a caregiver without a support system, and how community and friendship can help someone out of a dark place. We also laugh and cry and talk about moms and c...
It just so happens that one of us is probably possessed, and is in need of THE EXORCIST! Join us and Carly Severn (KQED San Francisco) to discuss the Friedkin / Pazuzu of it all. Why is this movie so deeply terrifying, even today, FIFTY years after its initial release?? We talk about parents -- being parents, being kids, dealing with parents, and kids, and why all those familial relationships are apt targets of twisted horror. We talk sacrifice, losing control, the many bodily fluids, and wonder...
Join us and Bilge Ebiri (New York Magazine / Vulture) to delve into Francis Ford Coppola's 1992 masterpiece. We discuss the early critical reception and why the broader consensus has come around to this sexed-up, theatrical, in-camera-practical-effects-driven, reinvention of the classic vampire story. We discuss the uncanny and the helplessness induced by the film's meandering epistolary style, as well Coppola's genre reinventions and the standoff between materialism and spiritualism. If y...
We are joined by Jamelle Bouie (NYTimes / Unclear and Present Danger Podcast) to discuss the conclusion to the Lord of the Rings Trilogy and bring our miniseries to a close. We pick up the discussion about heroism with Frodo's empathy towards Gollum, Sam's faithfulness to Frodo, and Aragorn's radical faith in the hobbits. Then, we discuss at length Charles Mills' recent essay about the racial ideology embedded in Tolkien's writings and consider what we should make of this in light of our love of...
We sit down with Agnes Callard (Philosophy, Chicago) and Robin Hanson (Economics, GMU) to discuss the second installment in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Two Towers! We talk about the film as a transitional piece that deals with the transformations of its main characters, the addictive and corruptive capacity of power, and wonder about who the hero of the film is and what that tells us about the notion of heroism. We consider Tolkien's religious inspirations as well as (drawing on Cha...
Welcome to the start of our Lord of the Rings miniseries! We kick things off with the first film of Peter Jackson's trilogy, which marks the beginning of Frodo's quest and introduces us to the main players and themes of the books/films. We welcome Bennett Eckert (MIT) and Rebecca Kuang (Yale) to consider what makes Jackson's trilogy such a powerful and successful adaptation, and explore how on (Middle) earth he managed to make these films. We explore the film's central themes while discussing To...
It's time to visit Jurassic Park (1994)! We discuss the tenuous relationship between science/art and commerce, while thinking about the relationship between order, chaos, and personal responsibility. Does Spielberg see a bit of himself in Hammond, the doomed entrepreneur who wants to bring magic to the masses? It's a movie about procreation and playing god, but also coming to terms with limitations. Justin goes on a rant about why night time shooting doesn't look as good as Jurassic Park did ove...
