We are joined this week by special guests Robert and Sheryl Khoo (parents of a co-host of this very podcast) to talk about Mike Judge’s TPS-ridden middle-class satire, Office Space! We talk about our experiences working within soul-crushing bureaucracies, and also the surprising upsides of meetings. We consider the case for Lumbergh and the plightContinue reading “OFFICE SPACE (1999)”
Author Archives: Justin Khoo
ROUNDERS (1998)
We sit down at the poker table with Anders Schoubye to discuss perhaps the greatest poker movie ever, confronting our true calling, and what the movie gets right, and wrong, about poker and gambling. Who is team Damon and who is team Teddy KGB? Tune in to find out! If you had it to doContinue reading “ROUNDERS (1998)”
THE LAST DAYS OF DISCO (1998)
We are joined by the writer, director, and producer of The Last Days of Disco, Whit Stillman, to talk about his film, his fascination with complex female friendships and group social life generally, as well as the appeal of shaggy, meandering, narratives. Whit regales us with stories that inspired the film, his experience with disco,Continue reading “THE LAST DAYS OF DISCO (1998)”
ALI (2001)
We get into the ring with Blake Howard (One Heat Minute Productions) to discuss Michael Mann’s incredible biopic of Muhammad Ali. Despite being a major box office failure, we make the case for revisiting this stunning and complex portrayal of the greatest boxer as he transitions from brash fighter to heroic inspiration for a socialContinue reading “ALI (2001)”
TAMPOPO (1985)
Join us for a noodle-filled extravaganza as we dig into Tampopo with Nick Riggle (Philosophy, University of San Diego). We explore the interrelations between film and cuisine, and why ramen makes an ideal subject for a food film combining elements of both high art and (so-called) low art. Our love of Guy Fieri comes upContinue reading “TAMPOPO (1985)”
INCEPTION (2010)
The cows are joined by author and film critic Tom Shone (The Nolan Variations) to discuss Christopher Nolan’s epic dream-heist blockbuster, Inception. We discuss Nolan’s obsessions with knowledge and self-deception and his ambivalent obsession with fantasy and escapism. We explore the film’s central premise — that the cinematic experience is akin to a shared dreamContinue reading “INCEPTION (2010)”
AMADEUS (1984)
The cows are joined by friend Edward Lewis to revisit one of the greatest films of all time, the shortest three hour movie, Milos Foreman’s Amadeus. We witness genius through Salieri’s eyes, marvel at his ability to appreciate and translate the beauty of Mozart’s music to the uninitiated, and resign ourselves to our own mediocrities.Continue reading “AMADEUS (1984)”
MISSION IMPOSSIBLE (1996)
The cows are joined by friend Adam Kane to talk about Tom Cruise’s first outing as Ethan Hunt. We discuss what makes spy movies so appealing and fun, and situate the movie in the broader cultural context of the post-Cold War nineties. We explore the weird and wonderful career of Tom Cruise and how heContinue reading “MISSION IMPOSSIBLE (1996)”
MIDSOMMAR (2019)
Emily VanDerWerff (Vox) joins us to discuss Ari Aster’s folk horror masterpiece, Midsommar. We discuss how the film subverts folk horror genre tropes to craft a compelling story about the loss of a relationship, self-discovery, and adoption into a new family. Emily articulates a trans reading of the film, and we discuss how it grapplesContinue reading “MIDSOMMAR (2019)”
TRUE LIES (1994)
The cows revisit True Lies with Van Lathan (The Ringer), discussing how James Cameron inverts the hero’s journey to tell a story about a spy struggling to connect emotionally with his wife and kids while saving the day and causing a lot of mayhem and destruction in the process. Is it the best action comedyContinue reading “TRUE LIES (1994)”
Cows in the Field 