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,Continue reading “THE RETURN OF THE KING (2003)”
Author Archives: Justin Khoo
THE TWO TOWERS (2002)
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 wonderContinue reading “THE TWO TOWERS (2002)”
THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING (2001)
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 makesContinue reading “THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING (2001)”
JURASSIC PARK (1993)
It’s time to visit Jurassic Park! 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, butContinue reading “JURASSIC PARK (1993)”
CLOSER (2004)
Join us and Carly Severn (KQED San Francisco) to talk about Mike Nichols’ 2004, super emo and eminently re-watchable melodrama, Closer. It’s a game of sexy Tetris between four hot people, but also a contrapuntal reflection on appearance and reality, and also a movie about two dudes who can’t get over the fact that theContinue reading “CLOSER (2004)”
NORTH BY NORTHWEST (1959)
Today we’re joined by friend of the show Adam Kane to discuss Hitchcock’s bombastic spy thriller North By Northwest! We discuss film’s confusing setup, symbolism (and Hitchcock’s refusal to read into this film), the demand not to ask silly questions, how old Cary Grant’s character is supposed to be, the many MacGuffins, the many loveContinue reading “NORTH BY NORTHWEST (1959)”
SULLY (2016)
Join us to talk about the Miracle on the Hudson with friend Chris Kaiser (Columbia University / the podcast Said and Done)! We delve into Eastwood’s hatred of bureaucracy and tease apart his complex feelings towards individualism and collective heroism. Is the film dripping with gay subtext? We explore the semiotics of a mustache and wonderContinue reading “SULLY (2016)”
REPO MAN (1984)
The life of a repo man is intense, which is why we invited friend Toby Levers to join us to talk about Alex Cox’s punk rock satire Repo Man! We discuss the film’s influence and influences, as well as how it manages to mash together genres in a style all of its own, fashioning theContinue reading “REPO MAN (1984)”
FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS (2004)
It is with clear eyes and love in our hearts that we dive into this classic football parable from the aughts with friend and returning guest Edward Lewis. We discuss the role of suffering in achievement, the paradox of youth, and the cycles that shackle us to our communities. We think about regret and expectation,Continue reading “FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS (2004)”
TOP GUN (1986)
We stuff into a tiny F14 cockpit with Sean Burns (WBUR’s The ARTery) and fly into the danger zone to discuss why Top Gun is a sports film that forges a new American myth with dazzling imagery and zero subtlety. We consider the view that Tom Cruise is America’s son and get into the trenches with KellyContinue reading “TOP GUN (1986)”
Cows in the Field 