Check Your Threading
36 episodes - English - Latest episode: over 2 years ago - ★★★★★ - 14 ratingsEvery two weeks, your hosts Sam and Lauren watch a movie, do some homework, and create Check Your Threading, a podcast that serves up history, psychology, and perspective on that film. Our goal is to talk about movies in a way that's easily accessible for our listeners—we believe art is for everyone! IG: checkyourthreading / Twitter: checkthreading
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Episodes
Episode 36: The Fall (2006)
August 12, 2021 21:00 - 55 minutes - 38.1 MBThis cult film opens the door for the history of Classic Hollywood stunts, the symbolism of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7, the power of storytelling and escapism, and the many ways we can fall. Support the show
Episode 35: The Lego Batman Movie (2017)
July 28, 2021 11:00 - 48 minutes - 33.4 MBLet’s talk about the history of LEGO bricks, Batman’s character flaws, mental health issues, his habit of endangering children, and his super powers: white privilege and generational wealth. Plus, our wishlist for future LEGO franchise opportunities! Support the show
Episode 34: Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
July 14, 2021 10:00 - 1 hour - 42.7 MBWe’re kicking off Superhero Month with Taika Waititi’s subversive action-comedy: join us as we discuss Ragnarok’s Māori spirit, how the film supports decolonization, its role as a pattern-breaker in the Marvel multi-verse, and Immigrant Song, of course! Featuring guest star Max Marriner. Support the show
Episode 33: Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters (1985)
June 30, 2021 10:00 - 51 minutes - 35.8 MBYukio Mishima’s controversial legacy as an LGBT icon, queer relationships and identities in Feudal Japan, Eiko Ishioka’s groundbreaking production design, kishōtenketsu narrative structure, and the movie’s unique blend of literature, theater, and film. Support the show
Episode 32: Wizard of Oz (1939)
June 16, 2021 10:00 - 52 minutes - 36.3 MBA classic for pride month! We talk about Judy Garland and the queer community, the history of anti-LGBT sentiment in the US military, the rise of the modern LGBT rights movement, the lavender scare, and the significance of Dorothy’s fate. Support the show
Episode 31: Tangerine (2015)
June 02, 2021 10:00 - 32 minutes - 22 MBCheck Your Threading says trans rights: we’re kicking off pride month with Tangerine, and talking about the current struggles for trans sex workers in the US, the damage of The Danish Girl, subversive cinematography, and the tender value of a buddy film where you least expect it. Support the show
Episode 30: Keanu (2016)
May 19, 2021 10:00 - 27 minutes - 19.2 MBHow far would you go for your cat? Let’s get into code switching, the curious role of George Michael in black pop culture, the anatomy of a buddy film, male vulnerability, and more. Support the show
Episode 29: John Wick (2014)
May 05, 2021 11:00 - 28 minutes - 19.3 MBCinema’s biggest dog lover! Join us as we chat about minimalism both in setting and in world building, the graceful intensity of gunfu, wuxia folk heroes, and the thrilling spectacle of Hong Kong Blood Opera. Support the show
Episode 28: The Lighthouse (2019)
April 21, 2021 11:00 - 32 minutes - 22.4 MBWe talk about The Lighthouse as a buddy comedy, plus the real-life Tragedy at Smalls Lighthouse, toxic masculinity, eldritch horror, and the undeniable homoeroticism of EVERYTHING. Support the show
Episode 27: Wet Hot American Summer (2001)
April 07, 2021 11:00 - 25 minutes - 17.7 MBWe’re back! This unique, absurd cult-classic comedy gives us the history of summer camp, the versatility of the “summer camp” genre, and the interplay of fantasy and reality. Support the show
Episode 26: Moonlight (2016)
April 15, 2020 11:00 - 40 minutes - 27.8 MBExplore the origins of Liberty City, the history of racism in the lighting and color correction of film, how to achieve intimacy through cinematography, and the devastating vulnerability of hope. Support the show
Episode 25: Funny Games (1997)
April 01, 2020 12:00 - 37 minutes - 26 MBStuck in your house? This week we talk about the movie that redefined “home invasion”! Plus, social contract theory, the importance (and cruelty) of breaking the fourth wall, and Michael Haneke’s message to U.S. audiences. Support the show
Episode 24: Straw Dogs (1971)
March 18, 2020 11:00 - 38 minutes - 26.3 MBIn this smorgasbord of toxic masculinity, we explore the pattern of violence in rural towns, the history of Vietnam campus protests, Sam Peckinpah’s reputation for brutality on and off camera, and the controversy surrounding the film. Support the show
Episode 23: Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)
March 04, 2020 11:00 - 46 minutes - 31.7 MBThe retro flavor of nuclear apocalypse films, the history of the OPEC oil crisis, how George Miller builds his own mythology - and borrows from the mythos of other cultures - and the role of music on the battlefield. Ride with us on the fury road to glory! Support the show
Episode 22: All the President's Men (1976)
February 19, 2020 11:00 - 52 minutes - 36.4 MBLet’s talk about the importance of investigative journalism, the edge-of-your-seat anxiety that this film creates, Woodward and Bernstein as heroes, and why the pen is truly mightier than the sword. Plus, the state of newspapers today, and why we need independent journalism more than ever in 2020. Featuring special guest Phil Linsalata, award-winning investigative reporter. Support the show
Episode 21: Vice (2018)
February 05, 2020 11:00 - 37 minutes - 25.5 MBWe review the history of two of our most outlandish Vice Presidents (other than Dick, obviously), the tonal ambiguity of Vice as a film, the value of a good montage sequence, and our inherent discomfort with Cheney’s legacy. Support the show
Episode 20: Ocean’s Eleven (2001)
January 22, 2020 11:00 - 40 minutes - 28.1 MBWe lay out the best real-life Las Vegas heists, debate whether or not heist movies are their own genre, and explore why Ocean’s Eleven still works almost 20 years later. Let us steal some of your time with this episode! Support the show
Episode 19: Jurassic Park (1993)
January 08, 2020 11:00 - 39 minutes - 27.1 MBLearn about the “Jurassic Park generation” of paleontologists, how the film affected the scientific community, some amazing fan theories and, the, uh, lasting impact of Dr. Ian Malcolm as the film’s moral center. Hold onto your butts! Support the show
Episode 18: The Last Temptation of Christ (1988)
December 25, 2019 11:00 - 35 minutes - 24.6 MBWhat makes an epic truly EPIC? Why were the 80s so intense for evangelical Christians? What’s up with Jungian psychology? Why was The Last Temptation of Christ so controversial when other bible movies are so formulaic? All these questions AND MORE answered in our very special holiday episode. Merry Chrysler! It’s Chrismin. Support the show
Episode 17: Maleficent (2014)
December 11, 2019 11:00 - 1 hour - 42.1 MBIn a stunning rape-revenge twist on a Disney classic, we look at Maleficent’s origins in the Sleeping Beauty myth, breaking the cycle of abuse, the importance of found family, and the symbolism of the film’s rich costuming. Featuring our very first special guest, costume designer Chad Edward Evett. Support the show
Episode 16: West Side Story (1961)
November 27, 2019 11:00 - 39 minutes - 27.4 MBThe history of Puerto Rican migration to New York City, the tradition of the Hollywood musical, and how West Side Story broke the mold. We also discuss brownface, compulsory heterosexuality, and the role of discrimination in (white) cultural assimilation. Support the show
Episode 15: Velvet Goldmine (1998)
November 13, 2019 11:00 - 42 minutes - 29 MBEnter the sensual, outrageous world of glam rock with Brian Slade and Curt Wild, as we examine Todd Haynes’ glittery musical Velvet Goldmine. We talk about the history of glam as a genre, the film’s role in queer cinematic history, and effects of David Bowie’s lack of endorsement. Support the show
Episode 14: The Wolf Man (1941)
October 30, 2019 10:00 - 36 minutes - 24.9 MBA Universal horror classic embedded in global history, we examine writer Curt Siodmak’s flight from Nazi Germany, the ancient history of werewolf lore, and The Wolf Man’s inseparable ties from the post-war Jewish identity. Plus, bonus parallels with An American Werewolf in London! Support the show
Episode 13: Hausu (1977)
October 16, 2019 10:00 - 35 minutes - 24.4 MBA group of teenage girls go on a countryside vacation and end up fighting for their lives in this layered Japanese horror-comedy. We discuss pre- and post-war Japan and Japanese cinema, Hausu’s multi-step inception, bakeneko, and My Little Ponies. (Friendship is magic, everyone.) Support the show
Episode 12: Mandy (2018)
October 02, 2019 10:00 - 34 minutes - 24 MBNicolas Cage? Check. Cocaine and LSD? Check. Chainsaw-wielding rampage? Check. This revenge-fantasy horror sci-fi delight breaks the boundaries of genre and takes the viewer on a two-act epic. We talk about the foils of masculine tenderness vs. violence, Mandy’s vital role in everyone’s life, power dynamics, and Nic Cage Rage. Support the show
Episode 11: Deep Blue Sea (1999)
September 18, 2019 10:00 - 37 minutes - 25.8 MBIn an episode straight out of Bonnie’s worst nightmares (literally), we watched this god awful shark movie (or is it?). Join us as we discuss the evolution of sharks and shark movies, thalassophobia, the USS Indianapolis—and just why we’re afraid of sharks in the first place. Support the show
Episode 10: Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2001)
September 04, 2019 11:00 - 33 minutes - 22.9 MBOur first requested-by-listeners selection, Hedwig is our tour guide through the history of LGBT culture in Eastern Germany, jungian psychology, the many iterations of “Hedwig” as a production. Plus, Hedwig’s genderqueer legacy, the rich conversation around binary the film creates, and the concept of gender as a performance. Support the show
Episode 9: Short Term 12 (2013)
August 21, 2019 10:00 - 29 minutes - 20.1 MBShort Term 12 gives us a look at the troubling state of Group Homes, how we deal with and heal from trauma, when to break rules and push boundaries, and the crucial value of found family. Featuring a cast of not-yet-famous stars, this story about stories is one you can’t miss. CW: non-graphic discussion around suicide, child abuse, sexual assault. Support the show
Episode 8: Spring Breakers (2012)
August 08, 2019 10:00 - 31 minutes - 21.7 MBWe’ve got the history of spring break. We’ve got race and privilege dynamics. We’ve got the American dream and the twistiness of metafictional storytelling. We’ve got shorts, of every color. We’ve got Scarface on repeat. Scarface, on repeat. LOOK AT ALL OUR SHIT, in this very special episode that discusses the psychedelic fever dream that is Spring Breakers. Support the show
Episode 7: The Purge (2013)
July 24, 2019 08:00 - 25 minutes - 17.7 MBThe Purge is the second film in our America-themed movies for July! Directed by James DeMonaco, this 2013 movie gives us the framework to talk about wealth inequality in the US, gun control analogies, the emptiness of “supporting the troops,” flower symbolism, the distressing nature of the Emergency Broadcast System, and our personal obsession with dystopian/philosophical storytelling. Support the show
Episode 6: George Washington (2000)
July 10, 2019 10:00 - 25 minutes - 17.5 MBIn July, our movies are centered around AMERICA! What better way to start than George Washington (2000) by David Gordon Green, a Malick-ian inspired poetic drama, which is part of the Criterion Collection. We talk about the dynamics of race, economics, and youth of rural South Carolina at the turn of the millennia. Plus: the symbolism of superheroes, growing up, and gross public bathrooms. Support the show
Episode 5: Nowhere (1997)
June 26, 2019 10:00 - 32 minutes - 22.4 MBNowhere, the final installment in Gregg Araki's Teenage Apocalypse trilogy, provides the perfect framework for a conversation about the rise of teen media in the 90s, valley girl linguistics, Baudrillard's simulacra and hyperreality, and the rich vitality of queer coming-of-age cinema. Plus, Bonnie divulges some personal inspirations from Araki's filmmaking philosophy. P.S. while we don't endorse piracy, and Nowhere isn't currently available for rent in the US, you can do a search for it a...
Episode 4: The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1994)
June 12, 2019 10:00 - 25 minutes - 11.7 MBWith the first of this month's Pride-themed films, we discuss The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, including Australia's LGBT history, queer cinema, and the importance of camp (hello MET Gala theme!), toxic masculinity, and the queering of the road movie genre. Support the show
Episode 3: Attack the Block (2011)
May 29, 2019 10:00 - 28 minutes - 13 MBAttack the Block broke genre conventions in 2011, and becomes the basis for our discussion of public housing in Britain (what it means, and why it matters), the tradition of alien invasion in film, the value of genre, and the importance of choosing your weapon. Support the show
Episode 2: Armageddon (1998)
May 15, 2019 12:00 - 21 minutes - 9.85 MBWhether you love it or hate it, Armageddon evokes strong opinions. Join us as we talk about this Michael Bay classic, and discuss the mass appeal of disaster movies, the history of NASA, toxic masculinity, and how this mess got into the coveted Criterion Collection. Support the show
Episode 1: Gattaca (1997)
May 01, 2019 10:00 - 21 minutes - 9.9 MBIn the premiere episode of Check Your Threading, your hosts, Bonnie and Lauren, discuss the 1997 classic sci-fi, neo-noir thriller Gattaca. An exploration of the themes of human "validity," genetics, architecture, and the futility of reaching for the stars. Every two weeks, your hosts watch a movie, do some homework, and create Check Your Threading, a podcast that serves up history, psychology, and perspective on that film. Support the show