Category Archives: Episodes

THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES BY THE COWARD ROBERT FORD (2007)

What’s a moody anti-Western got to do with mythmaking, outlaws, celebrity, bold robbers, parasocial relationships, betrayal, guilt, capitalism, Roger Deakins, Brad Pitt, and Casey Affleck? A lot, it turns out! Join us and Edward Lewis to explore the contours of Andrew Dominik’s retelling of the end of Jesse James’ life. By his own approximation, BobContinue reading “THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES BY THE COWARD ROBERT FORD (2007)”

SYMPATHY FOR THE DEVIL (2023)

Nicolas Cage has been on a run of making several movies a year for decades now, and Sympathy for the Devil is one of his latest experiments, a pulpy chamber piece road trip mystery suspense film co-starring Joel Kinnaman. We sit down the film’s director Yuval Adler (who also happened to get his PhD inContinue reading “SYMPATHY FOR THE DEVIL (2023)”

DOGVILLE (2003)

Today we explore the dark recesses of the human soul with Agnes Callard (Chicago). We discuss von Trier’s minimalist staging, the movie’s parable, the duality of human nature, the lies we tell ourselves and others, the film’s political angle, and the role of anger in response to true evil. All I see is a beautifulContinue reading “DOGVILLE (2003)”

RED DAWN (1984)

John Milius’s 1984 film Red Dawn has a reputation as a jingoistic conservative fever dream, but we talk with Nat Hansen, who argues that its political outlook is more complex and more interesting. Along the way, we also discuss the film’s portrayal of masculinity, the toll of war, the film’s many references, from The BattleContinue reading “RED DAWN (1984)”

DUNE PART TWO (2024)

We go BACK to Arrakis, desert planet, homeworld of the spice and the Fremen and keeper of Shai Hulud. We’re joined again for the journey by major spice-head ⁠John DeVore⁠ to discuss Villeneuve’s two films in relation to Lynch’s 1984 version and Frank Herbert’s book. Along the way, we consider the worm Uber, the possibilityContinue reading “DUNE PART TWO (2024)”

THE IRON CLAW (2023)

We are joined by Fran Hoepfner (BW/DR, Fran Magazine) to experience the triumph and tragedy of the Von Erich family. We discuss wrestling (duh), Zac, brothers, fathers, bodies, cults, the American political circus, all while trying to figure out our wrestling names and signature moves. Tonight, I walk with my brothers. Kerry Von Erich

ANATOMY OF A FALL (2023)

Take the plunge with us and Veronica Fitzpatrick (BW/DR, Brown University) as we explore the moral complexities of narratives, relationships, and justice. Justice for Sandra? Justice for Samuel? Tune in to find out! What you say is just a little part of the whole situation. Sandra

THE FAST AND THE FURIOUS: TOKYO DRIFT (2006)

We’re joined by two philosophers of art to discuss how they’ve helped each other come to a greater appreciation for this quirky but lovable entry into the Fast and Furious franchise. We discuss how art can change depending on the context in which it is embedded, and the ways the franchise could have gone afterContinue reading “THE FAST AND THE FURIOUS: TOKYO DRIFT (2006)”

FRED CLAUS (2007)

Join us and ⁠Emily St. James⁠ to discuss Fred Claus (streaming now on Max)! We marvel at the film’s strange and unnecessarily complicated backstory about the cosmology of sainthood, discuss Santa Claus’s moral epistemology, elf-yourself levels of CGI, why everyone deserves a second chance, and somehow spend five minutes discussing the phenomenon of “ugly hot”.Continue reading “FRED CLAUS (2007)”