Category Archives: Episodes

MIKEY AND NICKY (1976)

We sit down with Dan Wack (Philosophy, Knox College) to discuss Elaine May’s Mikey and Nicky! We talk gangsters, friendship, honesty, barriers, hangout films, misogyny, character studies, and much more! It’s very hard to talk to a dead person. I have nothing in common. Nicky

NICKEL BOYS (2024)

We welcome back Bilge Ebiri (Vulture / New York Magazine) to discuss RaMell Ross’s 2024 film, Nickel Boys! We talk about the film’s formal stylistic innovations, its focus on interstitial moments, its exploration of different responses to injustice, how it invites us to integrate our own memories and experiences with its narrative, and more! There’s four waysContinue reading “NICKEL BOYS (2024)”

NOSFERATU (2024)

We sit down with Phil Iscove (of Podcast Like It’s…) to discuss Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu! We discuss how the film is Ellen’s story, compare it with the many other versions, sexual liberation and sexual angst, scientific progress and the patriarchy, the beauty in decay, and the film’s dark sense of humor. Professor, my dreams growContinue reading “NOSFERATU (2024)”

GRINCH x3

Merry Christmas to all, including THE GRINCH! We sit down with Emily St. James to discuss all three Grinch movies (How the Grinch Stole Christmas ’66 + ’00, and The Grinch ’18). We inquire about what the Grinch story is all about, whether we really needed a Grinch backstory, what part of speech “Grinch” is,Continue reading “GRINCH x3”

HOME ALONE (1990)

Join us and Dan Harris (Philosophy, CUNY) to discuss HOME ALONE! We consider the film’s permission structure for excusing parental negligence, humoring breaking and entering, the film’s ideological implications about the nuclear family, and what Kevin really thinks he did to his parents. Christmastime begins with the COWS now! This is my house. I haveContinue reading “HOME ALONE (1990)”

GASLIGHT (1944)

We sit down with film historian Joseph McBride to discuss George Cukor’s 1944 film, Gaslight. We discuss Cukor’s reputation among the great studio directors, his skill working with actors, the social and political dimensions of the film, including what makes diagnosing and resisting gaslighting so challenging. I thought you were being polite, you really wanted to seeContinue reading “GASLIGHT (1944)”

SONG TO SONG (2017)

Join us and Matt Strohl (Philosophy, Montana) to live from Song to Song and discuss Terence Malick, genuine freedom, the challenges of dealing with aesthetic dismissal, the value of “difficult” art, family, situated abstractionism, art and commerce, temptation, regret, second chances, and much more! I gotta go back and start over, like a kid. IContinue reading “SONG TO SONG (2017)”

THE FLY (1986)

We get crazy with the flesh with Becca Rothfeld (The Washington Post) discussing David Cronenberg’s 1986 film THE FLY. We discuss erotic transformation, de-evolution, gothic horror, mind/body interactions, Veronica’s many excellent fits, inside-out baboons, and much more! I bet you think you woke me up about the flesh, but you only know society’s straight line of theContinue reading “THE FLY (1986)”