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Cinema in Context

101 episodes - English - Latest episode: 6 days ago - ★★★★★ - 1 rating

Podcast by Cinema in Context

TV & Film
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Episodes

Episode 96: Oscars Debrief 2024

March 23, 2024 20:41 - 51 minutes - 44.1 MB

Unpacking the Academy Awards. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss the 96th Academy Awards ceremony. We begin by talking about the presentation of the ceremony itself. Our conversation moves to the Best Picture category and we consider Oppenheimer, Zone of Interest, American Fiction and The Holdovers. We discuss the Sound category and the skill of how The Zone of Interest was put together. We move into a conversation about Poor Things, including the performance of Emma Stone, t...

Episode 95: May December & Notes on a Scandal (featuring Doug Dillaman)

February 24, 2024 22:20 - 52 minutes - 43.9 MB

Scandalous love affairs. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and Doug Dillaman discuss May December (2023) and Notes on a Scandal (2006). We begin by hearing each person's reaction to watching or rewatching Notes on a Scandal. We touch on the real case that both films are based on, focused on the relationship between Matu Kay Letouneau and Vili Fualaau. We talk about the performances of Dame Judi Dench, Cate Blanchett, Bill Nighy, Juno Temple, Natalie Portman, Julianne Moore, Charles Melton and Corey ...

Minisode: Films from the Holidays

February 11, 2024 04:14 - 40 minutes - 33.4 MB

Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss the films they watched over the December-January holiday period. We talk about Bluey (2018-Present), Wonka (2023), Ferrari (2023), Killers of the Flower Moon (2023), Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (2023), Rebel Moon: Part One - A Child of Fire (2023), The Holdovers (2023), American Fiction (2023), All of Us Strangers (2023) and Poor Things (2023).

Episode 94: Maestro & Amadeus

January 29, 2024 01:18 - 48 minutes - 41.1 MB

Conductor composer biopics. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss Maestro (2023) and Amadeus (1984). We begin by discussing the life and work of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and its connection to the film. We talk about the film itself and how it tells the story of Mozart, as well as fabricating its own cinematic narrative. We praise Maestro and its feats of cinema, especially the performances of Carey Mulligan and Bradley Cooper.

Episode 93: Highlights of 2023

December 08, 2023 23:02 - 1 hour - 60.7 MB

The good, the average and the weird. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss their film and television highlights of the year, including each of their best film of the year, their biggest surprise, their biggest disappointment, their wildcard film or television season of the year and their best television show of 2023. Here are the films and television shows we discussed: • Films of the year: Anatomy of a Fall (Sarah); Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (William, with runner-ups Teen...

Episode 92: Napoleon & Gladiator [Extended]

November 27, 2023 04:50 - 1 hour - 57.8 MB

Ridley Scott historical epics starring Joaquin Phoenix. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss Napoleon (2023) and Gladiator (2000). We begin by discussing Gladiator and our initial and most recent reactions. We talk about the strength of the performances, particularly Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, Connie Nielsen, Oliver Reed and Richard Harris. We discuss the connections to Game of Thrones and how Ridley Scott established an aesthetic that HBO has been replicating for decades....

Episode 91: The Creator & Children of Men

October 28, 2023 21:23 - 52 minutes - 45.6 MB

Dystopian prejudiced world, where a male protagonist escorts a young woman across war-torn lands. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss The Creator (2023) and Children of Men (2006). We begin by discussing The Creator and exploring its strengths and faults, especially how great the film looks and how it was achieved with a small budget. We talk at length about the elements of The Creator that left us wanting more. Our conversation then pivots to Children of Men and explores the ...

Episode 90: Theater Camp & Waiting for Guffman

September 23, 2023 04:57 - 43 minutes - 36.5 MB

Amateur theatre mockumentaries. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss Theater Camp (2023) and Waiting for Guffman (1996). We begin by hearing William's fresh take on Waiting For Guffman (we had just watched the film together before our recording). We collectively praise Waiting for Guffman and trace its influence upon comedy for the following 25-plus years. We shift our conversation to Theater Camp and praise its composition, characters and comedy. We consider the connections in...

Episode 89: Barbenheimer

August 28, 2023 05:46 - 57 minutes - 48.8 MB

Barbie and Oppenheimer. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss Barbie (2023) and Oppenheimer (2023). We begin by discussing the Barbenheimer phenomenon and the influences that contributed to making this cinema event happen. We talk about the musical qualities of Barbie, as well as the cinema homages. We move to discuss the representation of politics and characters in Oppenheimer. We critique elements of Barbie, including the ending, the world-building and its intended audience. W...

Episode 88: Movies That Made Us 2

July 26, 2023 22:21 - 40 minutes - 34.6 MB

Movies that made William. Jeremy and William discuss the most significant films in William's life in our series of Movies That Made Us. He talks about Who Am I (1998), The Iron Giant (1999), Les Triplettes de Belleville | The Triplets of Belleville (2003), Fantasia (1940), and Back to the Future (1985). If you enjoy our podcast then consider joining our Patreon. Listen to an extended version of this episode, access additional minisode content and have an opportunity to join us for one-on-on...

Episode 87: The Flash & Batman Returns

June 27, 2023 06:15 - 53 minutes - 45.7 MB

Michael Keaton Batman films. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss The Flash (2023) and Batman Returns (1992). We begin by discussing the Tim Burton films in the late 80s and early 90s, including Batman (1989), Edward Scissorhands (1990), Batman Returns (1992), The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) and Ed Wood (1994). We talk about the ideas and influences in Batman Returns, including German Expressionism and the imagery around The Penguin, Catwoman, Max Shreck and Batman in the...

Episode 86: Tetris & Argo

May 22, 2023 09:36 - 47 minutes - 41.8 MB

Cross-political pop culture thrillers. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss Tetris (2023) and Argo (2012). We begin by discussing Tetris: the game, the book and the film. We explore the wider world of video gaming and the development of technology. We shift to Argo and our initial reactions and our rewatching reactions. We discuss the 2013 Academy Award ceremony and Argo winning Best Picture. We talk about other connected texts, like Air (2023), Yellowjackets (2021-), Solo: A S...

Episode 85: Super Mario Bros. (featuring Billy Revell-Siō)

April 30, 2023 07:50 - 46 minutes - 39.8 MB

Super Mario Bros. films. Jeremy Downing and William Chen are joined by friend to the podcast Billy Revell-Siō to discuss the recent The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023) and the 30-year old Super Mario Bros. (1993). We begin by discussing our bafflement by the 1993 film... what did we watch?! We discuss the mythology of the Mario games and wider Nintendo game lore. We talk about the success of adaptation in both films. We discuss the female characters and writing in both movies. We finish by dis...

Episode 84: Triangle of Sadness & Triangle

March 27, 2023 04:20 - 51 minutes - 44.9 MB

Triangle named films at sea. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss Triangle of Sadness (2022) and Triangle (2009). We begin by discussing Triangle and how the successful the fils works on building the narrative on a small budget. We talk through the time loop logic in Triangle and how the central character is represented throughout. We discuss our reactions to Triangle of Sadness, especially the scatological sequence in the film. We talk about the ethics and experiences of being...

Episode 83: M3GAN & Housebound

February 26, 2023 04:06 - 50 minutes - 45.1 MB

Gerard Johnstone horror comedies. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss M3GAN (2023) and Housebound (2014). We begin by discussing the strengths of Housebound, especially how it references to many other horror classics. We talk through the horror tropes throughout the film and how successfully these moments intersect with the character moments. We move the conversation over to M3GAN, starting with key cast connections, discussing Gerard Johnstone's work, and the pros and cons of...

Episode 82: Avatar: The Way of Water & Titanic

January 25, 2023 08:04 - 54 minutes - 45.9 MB

James Cameron two billion dollar epics. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss Avatar: The Way of Water (2022) and Titanic (1997). We begin by discussing the themes of James Cameron films and how he captures big emotions in his films, and how these intersects with the representation of indigenous peoples. We discuss the performance capture of Avatar 2 and Cameron's focus on the work of the actors. We move to compare Avatar: The Way of Water with Titanic and consider the overarchi...

Episode 81: Highlights of 2022

December 09, 2022 22:49 - 1 hour - 77.9 MB

Highs and lows of the year. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss their film and television highlights of 2022, including best film of the year (and runner-ups for best film of the year), biggest surprise of the year, worst film of the year, best time we had at the cinema and the best season of television of the year (and runner-ups for best season of television this year). Here are the films we discussed: • Runner-ups for best film of the year: Athena, Elvis, and Good Luck t...

Episode 80: Decision to Leave & Vertigo

November 27, 2022 01:34 - 48 minutes - 43.2 MB

Detective thrillers from great heights. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss Decision to Leave (2022) and Vertigo (1958). We begin by expressing our reactions to Alfred Hitchcock's Vertigo, with a range of reflections. We discuss the representation of gender and power in the film, while trying figure out what the film is trying to say. We move our conversation to Park Chan-wook's most recent film Decision to Leave, similarly discussing our reactions to the movie. We praise the ...

Minisode: Films Abroad

November 06, 2022 03:00 - 23 minutes - 19.6 MB

Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss the films they watched while abroad, jet setting around the world. They discuss the following films: Lapsis (2020); Barb and Star Go To Vista Del Mar (2021); Bridesmaids (2011); Ocean's Eleven (2001); Game Night (2018); The Rehearsal (2022); The Lost City (2022); Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (2022); the Star Wars saga; Succession (2018-); Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway (2021); and Jaws (1975).

Episode 79: Don't Worry Darling & Midsommar

October 28, 2022 19:17 - 52 minutes - 38.3 MB

Florence Pugh thrillers. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss Don't Worry Darling (2022) and Midsommar (2019). We begin by talking about our experiences and reactions watching Midsommar, both the first time and any subsequent rewatching. We discuss the film in connection to Hereditary (2018), Sing Street (2016) and A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984). We praise the films writing, structure, direction and performances. We pivot to talk about Don't Worry Darling, starting with the f...

Episode 78: Thor: Love and Thunder & Cabin in the Woods

September 26, 2022 00:49 - 49 minutes - 41.3 MB

Jam-packed genre films with Chris Hemsworth. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss Thor: Love and Thunder (2022) and Cabin in the Woods (2011). We begin by sharing our honest reactions to Thor: Love and Thunder, especially how ridiculous film is - comparing to Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022), Free Guy (2021), Black Panther (2018) and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968). We praise the performances of Russell Crowe, Christian Bale and Chris Hemsworth. We criticise th...

Episode 77: Elvis and Strictly Ballroom

August 21, 2022 10:22 - 48 minutes - 40.7 MB

Baz Luhrmann's oeuvre. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss the most recent Luhrmann film Elvis (2022) and his first film Strictly Ballroom (1992). We begin by discussing Baz's visual style, especially his use of computer generated images. We move into a discussion of Elvis and how successful we each feel the film was. We move into a conversation of Strictly Ballroom, with William watching it for the first time, Sarah for the second time and Jeremy for the... countless next tim...

Episode 76: Movies That Made Us (featuring Dan Eichblatt)

July 17, 2022 03:03 - 1 hour - 74.2 MB

Looking back at the key films in our lives. Sarah Watt and Jeremy Downing are joined by special guest Dan Eichblattt to talk about the movies that made us: key films that have had an impact on our lives. We've organised these films into five categories: Film you’ve watched the most: Sarah: The Holiday (2006) Dan: Beetlejuice (1988) Jeremy: Strictly Ballroom (1992) Film anyone can enjoy: Dan: Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989) Sarah: Game Night (2018) Jeremy: Back to the Future (1985)...

Episode 75: Top Gun: Maverick & TRON: Legacy

June 28, 2022 05:58 - 59 minutes - 51.3 MB

80s films return! Directed by Joseph Kosinski. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss Top Gun: Maverick (2022) and TRON: Legacy (2010). We begin by welcoming Sarah back to the podcast, hearing about two films she saw on her travels: The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent (2022) and The Glance of Music AKA Ennio (2021). We begin our discussion by reflecting on our experience watching TRON: Legacy, especially considering the cinema we saw it in, 3D cinema technology and the origi...

Episode 74: Everything Everywhere All at Once & Doctor Strange 2 (featuring Billy Revell-Siō)

May 25, 2022 09:00 - 52 minutes - 46.9 MB

Multiverse motherhood films. Jeremy Downing and William Chen are joined by Billy Revell-Siō to discuss Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022) and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022). We begin by discussing the horror genre elements of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, particularly harking back to the previous films of Sam Raimi: Evil Dead, Evil Dead 2 and Army of Darkness. We talk about the film in context of other Marvel content, particularly Spider-Man: No Way Ho...

Episode 73: Turning Red and Brave (featuring Phoebe Shum)

April 29, 2022 04:22 - 49 minutes - 43 MB

Female-led Pixar films. Jeremy Downing and William Chen are joined by Phoebe Shum to discuss Brave (2012) and Turning Red (2022). We begin by discussing Turning Red, especially the strengths of its themes and confidence in setting. We turn to Brave and consider the strength in the visuals and animation, discuss the connections to Tangled (2010) and Frozen (2013), the structure and storytelling in the film, and the history of the film's production. We talk about the history of Pixar and Disney...

Episode 72: Flee and Persepolis

March 25, 2022 04:31 - 49 minutes - 43.6 MB

Animated refugee biographies. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss Flee (2021) and Persepolis (2007). We begin by discussing Persepolis and our experiences of seeing the film, rewatching it recently and reading the comic. We discuss both films and their presentation of the refugee story and the cost of freedom, especially with both films' protagonists being separated from their families. We discuss the lesson learned from both films and how we can apply provocations to our own ...

Episode 71: Scream and Scream (featuring Doug Dillaman)

February 12, 2022 00:56 - 55 minutes - 45.6 MB

Meta slasher films. Sarah Watt and Jeremy Downing, with special guest Doug Dillaman, discuss Scream (1996) and Scream (2022). We begin by discussing the self-referential and meta qualities of the Scream series, including Scream 2 (1997), Scream 3 (2000) and Scream 4 (2011). We link and talk about the films in regards to Drew Barrymore, Scooby Doo and Psycho (1960), Hereditary (2018), The Babadook (2014) and Midsommar (2019). We then move into a discussion of the lore of the films, going throu...

Episode 70: Seven Films From Summer

January 25, 2022 04:09 - 1 hour - 64.7 MB

Seven films from the summer for our 70th episode. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss the following 2021 films: Don't Look Up, Encanto, The French Dispatch, House of Gucci, The Matrix: Resurrections, The Power of the Dog and West Side Story. Don't Look Up: We begin with review by song, highlighting how much the satire was or wasn't on the nose - especially pushing a particular agenda. We celebrate the cast, especially Melanie Lynskey. We reference Heavenly Creatures (1994) a...

Episode 69: Highlights of 2021

December 21, 2021 22:51 - 1 hour - 77.2 MB

Highs and lows of the year. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss their highlight films of 2021, including their biggest surprises, disappointments, wildcards, recommendations, runner-ups for the best film/television of the year and then each person's top pick. Here are the films discussed: • Biggest surprise: Werewolves Within [William]; Annette [Sarah]; and WandaVision [Jeremy] • Disappointment: Titane [Sarah & William]; Ted Lasso - Season 2 [William]; and No Time To Die [Je...

Episode 68: Shang-Chi & In The Mood for Love

November 28, 2021 02:30 - 56 minutes - 36.4 MB

Tony Leung films. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021) and In the Mood for Love (2000). We begin by discussing Tony Leung's work in Shang-Chi and how much charisma he brings to the film, which weaves into a critique of the villains in Marvel films. We talk about the special effects of the film and the final set piece, especially the quality of the Computer Generated Imagery and the over-the-top nature of the climax. We talk about...

Episode 67: Free Guy and The Matrix

October 17, 2021 03:03 - 50 minutes - 32 MB

Virtual reality worlds. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss Free Guy (2021) and The Matrix (1999). We begin by praising The Matrix, directed by Lilly and Lana Wachowski aka "The Wachowskis". We talk about various memorable shots and sequences, and drawing connections to manga, anime, Hong Kong cinema, Shrek (2001), Swordfish (2001), Jet Li's The One (2001), the work of John Woo, and Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003). We reflect upon the lobby shoot-out scene and the state of gun violen...

Episode 66: The White Lotus

September 20, 2021 06:23 - 49 minutes - 30.6 MB

The White Lotus. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss the latest HBO limited series The White Lotus, created, written and directed by Mike White. We begin by sharing our initial thoughts, which are varied between the three of us. In our discussion, we work our way through each of the characters and the actors playing them, unpacking how each of their stories land. You can read Sarah's blog post response and review to The White Lotus here: https://bit.ly/3tPDBce

Episode 65: Pirates of the Caribbean & Jungle Cruise

August 22, 2021 08:39 - 52 minutes - 33.5 MB

Disney theme park films. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss Jungle Cruise (2021) and Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003), two action adventure films based on Disney theme park rides of the same names. We begin the discussion by focusing on Jungle Cruise, reflecting upon the circumstances of how we each saw the film, and then very quickly comparing it to Pirates of the Caribbean. We hark back to the heyday of DVDs, when Pirates of the Caribbean had ju...

Episode 64: The Fast and the Furious & F9: The Fast Saga

July 25, 2021 01:49 - 48 minutes - 41 MB

The Fast & Furious saga. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss F9: The Fast Saga (2021) and The Fast and the Furious (2001), the latest and initial films in the Fast and the Furious saga. We begin by discussing Jeremy's lack of exposure to the films, with Sarah and William filling in the blanks. We talk to the legacy of the series, including its representation of people of colour, masculinity, femininity and family. We then return to joyfully recounting our favourite parts of th...

Episode 63: In The Heights & Fiddler on the Roof

June 28, 2021 05:11 - 48 minutes - 41.9 MB

Cultural change musicals. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss In The Heights (2021) and Fiddler on the Roof (1971), two musical films exploring the upholding of culture amidst social change. We begin by discuss the similarities of both films. We then talk to Fiddler on the Roof and its timelessness and its sense of reality. We then discuss the ideas presented in In The Heights, including celebrating community, the journey of being otherised and the stories of undocumented youn...

Episode 62: The Mitchells vs the Machines & Terminator 2: Judgement Day

May 30, 2021 06:07 - 49 minutes - 42.6 MB

Robot uprising films. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss The Mitchells vs the Machines (2021) and Terminator 2: Judgement Day (1991), two films detailing the robot apocalypse and dysfunctional families finding their way in the skirmish. We begin by talking about The Mitchells vs the Machines, comparing it to Phil Lord and Chris Miller's other works, notably Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-verse. We applaud the visual style of the film, but cr...

Episode 61: Godzilla vs. Kong & Kramer vs. Kramer

April 22, 2021 08:39 - 49 minutes - 41.2 MB

Versus films. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss Godzilla vs. Kong (2021) and Kramer vs. Kramer (1979), two films at the ends of the 'versus films' spectrum. We jump into Godzilla vs. Kong, unpacking the plot details, and connecting and comparing it to Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016), The Guest (2014), Transformers (2007), Alien vs. Predator (2004), Alien vs. Predator: Requiem (2007), Captain America: Civil War (2016), Eagle vs Shark (2007), Freddy vs. Jason (2003),...

Minisode: Oscars 2021

April 11, 2021 09:36 - 12 minutes - 11.2 MB

Academy Awards 2021. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss the Oscar nominations for 2021 a few weeks before the awards ceremony.

Episode 60: Nomadland and Into The Wild

March 28, 2021 08:45 - 49 minutes - 41.8 MB

Houseless on the road. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss Nomadland (2020) and Into The Wild (2007), two films with protagonists who are houseless and on the road. We begin by discussing the real world connections inherent in both films, including the non-actors (but highlighting the skills and strengths of Frances McDormand), elements based on true stories and the production styles of both films. We unpack the narrative in Nomadland and how the manages genre, and what it is ...

Episode 59: Promising Young Woman and Thelma & Louise (featuring Julia Craig)

February 25, 2021 20:06 - 51 minutes - 44.2 MB

#MeToo revenge and road trips. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen are joined by Julia Craig to discuss Promising Young Woman (2021) and Thelma & Louise (1991), two films dealing with sexual assault, female revenge and the unpicking of society's complicity and encouragement of toxic, dangerous and misogynist behaviours. We begin by sharing our experiences watching Thelma & Louise and our reactions to Promising Young Woman. We then focus on the characters in both films, the lead roles ...

Episode 58: Mank and Citizen Kane

January 30, 2021 01:19 - 48 minutes - 41 MB

Exploring the "greatest film of all time". Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss Mank (2020) and Citizen Kane (1941). We start by comparing Mank to Joker and Alien3, and then jumping into a discussion of Citizen Kane, as the subjective greatest film of all time. We discuss the impressive cinematography and the strength of the cast, linking the strength of the ensemble to the films of Christopher Guest. We unpack the shots and cinema work of both Citizen Kane and Mank, praising t...

Episode 57: Highlights From 2020

December 22, 2020 21:39 - 59 minutes - 51.6 MB

Memorable film and television from an unpredictable year. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss their highlights from 2020, but because of the unsettled nature of 2020, we talk about both film and TV we watched this year, regardless of when they were released. We talk about and mention the films Babyteeth, One Cut of the Dead, Cats, Corpus Christi, Queen & Slim, The Surrogate, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, Hamilton and The Invisible Man. We also mention and ...

Episode 56: The Trial of the Chicago 7 and The Social Network

November 29, 2020 00:40 - 50 minutes - 44 MB

Aaron Sorkin scripts. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss The Social Network (2010) and The Trial of Chicago 7 (2020). We start by speaking about the real-world impact of the real-life stories of both films, especially Facebook and how its impact has changed over time. Our conversation then moves into the work of Aaron Sorkin, highlighting his work on The West Wing, A Few Good Men and Molly's Game. We talk about the strengths and weaknesses of The Trial of the Chicago 7, espec...

Episode 55: Mulan and Mulan

October 25, 2020 05:31 - 51 minutes - 43.3 MB

Two versions of Mulan. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss Mulan (1998) and Mulan (2020), both available on Disney+. We start by discussing the state of Disney live action remakes and whether the new Mulan is a "cash grab". We discuss the talents of Niki Caro and what she brought to the live action film. We criticise the lack of intention in the new live action films or the new films not understanding what made the original animated films tick, including bringing up Aladdin, T...

Episode 54: Tenet and Memento (featuring Doug Dillaman)

September 28, 2020 04:35 - 50 minutes - 42.1 MB

Christopher Nolan films. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing, Doug Dillaman and William Chen discuss two Christopher Nolan films, Memento (2000) and Tenet (2020). We start by discussing how we each saw Tenet at the cinema, with a global pandemic, comparing our respective experiences - especially the sound design of Nolan's films. Sarah unpacks elements of the sound in Tenet, highlighting her own podcast The Sound of Movies and the work of Hans Zimmer. Our discussion then moves into the central story o...

Episode 53: The Speed Cubers and The King of Kong

August 27, 2020 05:43 - 42 minutes - 33.1 MB

Obsessive game competition documentaries. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss the Netflix+ distributed The Speed Cubers and The King of Kong (2007). We begin by discussing the despicable qualities of the people featured in The King of Kong, particularly Billy Mitchell, and the under-dog qualities of Steve Wiebe. We then talk about the filmmaking and crafting of The King of Kong, particularly the areas where artistic license has been taken, and highlighting the characters of Br...

Episode 52: Hamilton and Evita

July 26, 2020 07:28 - 52 minutes - 44.3 MB

Musical political figures. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss the Disney+ distributed, live-filmed presentation of Hamilton and Evita (1996). We begin by discussing Madonna, her cultural influence and her performance in Evita. We criticise the adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber shows to film, including Cats and Jesus Christ Superstar, but also highlight the ways that Evita fix aspects of the stage musical in the film. The conversation then moves into a discussion around Hamilt...

Episode 51: Da 5 Bloods and Three Kings (featuring Billy Revell-Siō)

June 28, 2020 03:44 - 44 minutes - 38.9 MB

Treasure hunts in war. Billy Revell-Siō, William Chen and Jeremy Downing discuss the Netflix film Da 5 Bloods and 1999 film Three Kings. We begin by unpacking Da 5 Bloods, and how it doesn't work on a whole, but highlighting the areas that it does do well. We then talk about Three Kings and the commentary it is trying to achieve, the experimentation with film techniques and how well those elements have aged. We talk about the films' ability to be ironic and build commentary around American mi...

Episode 50: Extraction and The Bourne Identity

May 31, 2020 03:19 - 45 minutes - 38.3 MB

Chase action films. Sarah Watt, William Chen and Jeremy Downing discuss the Netflix film Extraction and 2002 film The Bourne Identity. We begin by pulling Extraction apart, highlight many of its floors. We highlight the brilliant photography, production design and direction of the film, and spent time celebrating the action and stunt choreography. We compare the long shot in Extraction to Children of Men and Atomic Blonde. We talk about the classic qualities of The Bourne Identity, and how th...