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 areContinue reading “OPPENHEIMER (2023)”
Category Archives: Episodes
WHAT MAISIE KNEW (2012)
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 feelingContinue reading “WHAT MAISIE KNEW (2012)”
TÁR (2022)
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! The problem with enrolling yourself as an ultrasonic epistemic dissident is that if Bach’sContinue reading “TÁR (2022)”
GREMLINS (1984)
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.Continue reading “GREMLINS (1984)”
SOLARIS (2002)
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 whatContinue reading “SOLARIS (2002)”
THE BOX (2009)
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 wildContinue reading “THE BOX (2009)”
MANHUNTER (1986)
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, menContinue reading “MANHUNTER (1986)”
BODY DOUBLE (1984)
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,Continue reading “BODY DOUBLE (1984)”
ALMOST FAMOUS (2000)
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 illusionContinue reading “ALMOST FAMOUS (2000)”
MATCH POINT (2005)
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 withContinue reading “MATCH POINT (2005)”
Cows in the Field 