Oh no Scott Calvin (maybe) killed Santa Claus and now through the power of legally binding contracts he has to become the Big Man himself! Will the power of belief triumph over police and psychiatry? Who will be crowned champion of the elves-only cocoa-making competition? Who are those puppets hanging out in Santa’s room? AllContinue reading “THE SANTA CLAUSE (1994)”
Tag Archives: Christmas
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)”
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)”
IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE (1946)
Join us and proverbial bringer-of-Christmas-cheer Emily St. James as we dive into Frank Capra’s existentialist Christmas classic It’s a Wonderful Life! We talk about the film’s overt and subtle political messaging, which got it labeled Communist propaganda soon after its release, and contrast the zero sum deadlocked conflict of Potter with the generosity and warmthContinue reading “IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE (1946)”
A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS (1965)
It’s the coldest time of the year, which means we need community more than ever to help us stay warm and remind us of the ongoing project of humanity and our part in it. So consider us the luckiest Peanuts on block, since we get to welcome back Emily VanDerWerff (Vox & Arden Podcast)! WeContinue reading “A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS (1965)”
EYES WIDE SHUT (1999)
It’s the holiday season, and what better way to start than with a veritable Christmas classic, Stanley Kubrick’s final film, Eyes Wide Shut! We sit down with Carly Severn (KQED San Francisco) to discuss noble lies in relationships and society, Tom and Nicole’s challenging (and, ultimately destructive) performances, and the interrelations between power, anonymity, powerlessness,Continue reading “EYES WIDE SHUT (1999)”
Cows in the Field 