20. Justin Khoo's Top 5 Sports Films & The Last Dance

On this episode of the podcast, Cinematic Underdogs welcomes a very special guest—Justin Khoo. 

Philosophy professor at MIT and podcast host at Cows In The Field (https://cowspod.wordpress.com/), Justin is someone who is never at a loss for edifying insights. His capacity to parse the complex ethical and structural elements of cinema elevates the medium well beyond the realm of mindless visceral entertainment. And yet, his intellectual focus is anything but dry—a pure giddiness radiates whenever he reflexively contemplates and tests out a new way of seeing something.

Given that Justin is steeped in the analytic tradition of philosophy, whereas I (Paul) was primarily schooled in continental philosophy, we amicably challenge one another in the best of ways throughout this episode: bringing both of our respective interpretative sensibilities and epistemological predilections toward cinema and morality and life in general to the table. Throughout, we actively attempt to clarify, exemplify, and reconcile our erudite philosophical divide using movies as idealized examples. Our shared passion for language, human psychology, and ontology directs most of the conversation, becoming the primary focal point of this particular episode's relationship to sports films. 

The discussion is very much steeped in movies, nevertheless. In particular, Justin reveals his top five sports films (the wildly brilliant Diamantino made the list, amongst other gems!), and we ultimately embark upon a meticulous dialectic about whether or not the arc of pathological competitive success—as ostensibly illustrated in the case of Michael Jordan's portrayal in The Last Dance—is conducive for a rich and fulfilling and happy life. 

It is a lovely and emergent conversation, and a pleasure to share with all of you! If you enjoy Cinematic Underdogs, don't forget to like / subscribe / spread the word and love with all your friends!