Shut Up and Watch This
105 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 1 month ago - ★★★★★ - 8 ratingsJoin us as we uncover each other's media and pop culture blindspots. We're a couple getting to know each other better by sharing the must-see movies from our past.
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Episodes
#103: Happy-Go-Lucky (2008)
March 15, 2024 21:01 - 1 hour - 71.3 MBThis time, Ashley chooses HAPPY-GO-LUCKY and it's a Mike Leigh rematch! Long ago on Ep.8, Dave chose Leigh's NAKED (1993), which featured male characters so repellent that Ashley found the entire viewing experience to be extremely unpleasant. Now six years later, we discuss a Mike Leigh film she adores, longtime favorite HAPPY-GO-LUCKY, a seemingly lighthearted comedy simmering with tension and darkness. Sally Hawkins gives a brilliant, compulsively watchable performance as Poppy, a chee...
#102: My So-Called Life (1994)
January 31, 2024 12:21 - 1 hour - 94.4 MBIntroducing our lost episode! Three years ago, we started prep work for a rewatch podcast about the groundbreaking 90s teen series, MY SO-CALLED LIFE, which ran on ABC-TV from 1994 to 1995. The plan: record and bank a few episodes before committing to the launch. Then life happened…you can guess the rest. Just in time for the 30th anniversary of the series, here is Episode 1 of our MY SO-CALLED LIFE rewatch. Join us as we dissect the Pilot, share our connections to the show, and get reacqua...
#101: Something Wild (1986)
January 03, 2024 01:35 - 1 hour - 108 MBWe were going to introduce Jonathan Demme’s SOMETHING WILD by saying that not a lot of movies start with the kidnapping of the main character in the first five minutes, but according to Wikipedia’s “Films about Kidnapping” list, that isn’t true. And our main character, straitlaced banker Charlie Driggs (Jeff Daniels), isn’t exactly kicking and screaming when he’s picked up by Lulu (Melanie Griffith), an attractive Soho hipster with a Louise Brooks bob. What follows is a genre-defying film th...
#100: The Big 100! Calm Down & Share This Edition
October 26, 2023 15:44 - 1 hour - 92.5 MBFive years ago on a drive back from Lubbock, we came up with the concept for this podcast. Here we are, celebrating 100 episodes, by switching it up, with patience and love. Dave picks a movie Ashley adores, COLUMBUS (2017). Ashley chooses RASHOMON (1950) for Dave. Are we in for a Kogonada/Kurosawa rap battle? Or just a kinder, more generous show? No enforced viewing this time. Just the gift of time and attention during Ashley’s recent visit home from grad school. Subscribe on Spotify, ...
#99: Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work (2010)
September 21, 2023 14:52 - 1 hour - 90.7 MBWe're back and it's Ashley's choice! Joan Rivers was known in her later years for over the top plastic surgery and for participating in the celebrity bullying culture that was rampant in the early ‘00s. The documentary, JOAN RIVERS: A PIECE OF WORK sought to look beyond this image to better understand River’s place as a groundbreaking comedian, and possibly the hardest working person in show business. The result is a compelling look at the effects of fame and the insecurity of trying to ...
#98: Ikiru (1952)
June 15, 2023 17:39 - 1 hour - 79.2 MBIn what is turning out to be a very existential few months for the podcast, this month we take a close look at Akira Kurosawa’s IKIRU, in which we follow a lifelong civil servant played by Kurosawa regular Takashi Shimura as he comes to terms with his impending death, and maybe, just maybe figures out what the point of all of this is. And in the third act, Kurosawa, ever the keen observer of humanity, gives us a glimpse of the man’s legacy to those left behind. And so, can the living ever re...
#97: Harvey (1950)
May 19, 2023 15:50 - 1 hour - 83.5 MBIf you're like Ashley and remember from the height of the blog era a Tumblr called “Sketchy Bunnies," then you might be a little intimidated by the hero of this week’s pic, a 6 foot 3 and a half inch invisible rabbit named HARVEY. But it turns out that Harvey and his best friend Elwood P. Dowd have a lot to teach us about what is important in life: like being kind to others, finding joy in simple things, and making sure there are strong policies in place to limit the powers of private mental...
#96: La Dolce Vita (1960)
April 17, 2023 21:06 - 1 hour - 101 MBThere are some who believe, and we’re among them, that the creative spark is what makes us human, but making art is frequently hard, emotionally taxing and the results often fall short of our ideal. So is it any wonder that some would-be creators might lose themselves in hedonistic pleasure seeking, rather than doing the work to find meaning? This is perhaps the central question of Dave's choice, Fellini’s LA DOLCE VITA. Rife with symbolism and references to Dante’s Inferno, the soul of our ...
#95: Certified Copy (2010)
March 08, 2023 18:55 - 1 hour - 78.2 MBIntriguing, enthralling, enigmatic and ultimately moving, words that go some ways towards describing this month’s pick, CERTIFIED COPY (2010). Directed by Abbas Kiarostami and starring Juliette Binoche and William Shimmel, the film depicts two people with an undetermined relationship to one another as they spend the day in Tuscany. And so questions arise: What is the exact nature of their relationship? Does objective truth exist? And does it matter if it does? ubscribe on Spotify, Apple Pod...
#94: Tootsie (1982)
February 05, 2023 19:29 - 1 hour - 99.6 MBWe're back from our hiatus with an all-new deep dive into Dave's pick. This week we're talking about TOOTSIE (1982) and we have questions: Can someone who disguises himself as another type of person really understand what it's like to be that kind of person? And more importantly, did the screenwriters of Tootsie actually intend to convey a subtle message that indeed you can not understand what it is like to be a woman in a patriarchal society by disguising yourself as one? Is Michael Dorsey,...
#93: A Letter to Three Wives (1949)
November 03, 2022 22:03 - 1 hour - 98 MBA LETTER TO THREE WIVES is an odd film; it begins with the film’s villain, who we never see, providing character introductions, then proceeds to tell the story largely in flashbacks. Flashbacks are introduced by what we can only describe as an early vocoder effect that seems strangely out of place in a post-war drama. But the actors and the script really draw you into the domestic drama, most notably, Linda Darnell and national treasure Thema Ritter. Writer/director Joseph L. Mankiewicz woul...
#92: Seconds (1966)
October 19, 2022 19:36 - 1 hour - 116 MBThere is a lot more to John Frankenheimer’s SECONDS than a synopsis or even first viewing can convey. First of all, what is it? Is it sci-fi à la The Twilight Zone or pre-Cronenberg body horror, or a thesis on man’s search for meaning? As it turns out, it’s a little bit of all of this, and maybe some other things too. Beautifully photographed and masterfully paced and edited, Seconds turns a relatively simple premise into a tense and multilayered examination of purpose, meaning and existence...
#91: Phantasm (1979)
October 06, 2022 22:27 - 1 hour - 76.2 MBTo celebrate the changing of the seasons, we have an introspective look at how family death impacts the life of a young man, causing his retreat into a fantasy world that includes flying murder balls, corpse theft, slave labor on a mysterious red planet, and a tall man filled with what appears to be nacho cheese. Actually, maybe PHANTASM isn’t very introspective at all. This cult horror film is odd, plotless, dreamlike and yet somehow still compulsively watchable. Subscribe on Spotify, Appl...
#90: The Conversation (1974)
September 07, 2022 18:22 - 1 hour - 113 MBCan we ever be sure of the motives of others? Can we even be sure of our own? Coppola’s THE CONVERSATION explores how emotions like greed, pride and fear shape our actions through the eyes of Harry Caul (Gene Hackman), a professional wiretapper who wrestles with the implications of the information he is supplying. Lives are at stake, nothing is as it seems, and it may be Harry who loses his soul. Subscribe on Spotify. Apple Podcasts, or Android. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram and Twit...
#89: That Thing You Do! (1996)
August 25, 2022 01:21 - 1 hour - 94.7 MBWhile we certainly can’t claim to be in the know about all things mainstream, THAT THING YOU DO! (1995) seems to have been one of those flash in the pan films that came and went from the popular consciousness. Which is fitting since the film follows The Wonders, a fictional band that writes one catchy song and then fades away like so many Surfaris, Lemon Pipers, or Mysterians. Tom Hanks does an admirable job in his directorial debut. With its contagious soundtrack, and extremely likable cast...
#88: Thirty Two Short Films About Glenn Gould (1993)
August 10, 2022 21:05 - 1 hour - 100 MBWe open on a snowy plain, a tiny figure approaching from the horizon. What follows is a 32 part quasi-biography of the eccentric 20th century pianist told in the style of a multi-part TikTok video. Made in the early 90’s, THIRTY TWO SHORT FILMS ABOUT GLENN GOULD is clearly ahead of its time with its fractal storytelling. We get bits of music, interviews, sketches, animations and audioscapes that each give us a glimpse into the man and the artist that was Glenn Gould. Don’t be intimidated by ...
#87: Now and Then (1995)
July 27, 2022 17:54 - 1 hour - 93.5 MBBefore the surge of coming of age films in the late 90s/early 00s, there weren’t many films that addressed adolescence from girl’s perspectives the way that films like STAND BY ME did for boys. So it is perhaps no surprise that the 1995 film NOW AND THEN captured the imaginations of a generation of girls. It has everything: relatable stories of growing up, a killer soundtrack, a passable mystery, the stars of Casper to crush on, and of course a trip to the library archives. Though the “now” ...
#86: Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore (1974)
July 13, 2022 17:33 - 1 hour - 97.5 MBWhere does Alice live? Not Socorro, NM anymore. Ellen Burstyn plays a recently widowed housewife looking for a new start for herself and her son in ALICE DOESN’T LIVE HERE ANYMORE. Martin Scorsese, master of urban violence, brings a sense of danger and isolation to this otherwise heartfelt story. Highlights include the very authentic relationship between mother and son. It's not easy to be a single mom looking for work in 1970s America, but Alice meets the challenges with hope, a touch of ex...
#85: Fire Island (2022)
June 29, 2022 17:25 - 1 hour - 77.6 MBTimes are dark, but while we can still choose our podcast topics, Ashley chose 2022 gay Pride and Prejudice adaptation, FIRE ISLAND, written by and starring Joel Kim Booster. This film is clever and snarky, expertly updating P&P’s major plot points while incorporating lots of in-jokes and pop culture references. Even if you aren’t an Austen fan there is a lot of humor and heart that make this film worth a watch. Subscribe in Apple Podcasts, Android, or Spotify. Follow us on Facebook and In...
#84: The Piano (1993)
March 31, 2022 21:49 - 1 hour - 112 MBThere’s no question that THE PIANO is a very good film–everything from photography, to music, to performances, and story casts a spell. Writer/Director Jane Campion is at the full height of her formidable powers as a storyteller. She expertly revives and inhabits the emotional landscape of novels like Jane Eyre, offering us glimpses into the mind and will of our heroine. But this is a modern story, so maybe the themes of Man vs. Self and Society vs. Freedom are more interesting than the love...
#83: My Fair Lady (1964)
February 16, 2022 22:15 - 1 hour - 87.2 MBDave has missed out on a good number of the musical spectacular films from the mid-twentieth century. And maybe it’s not such a loss to miss out on OKLAHOMA or HELLO, DOLLY and the like, but there is something interesting about MY FAIR LADY. Maybe it is the classical subject matter by way of a George Bernard Shaw play, Audrey Hepburn’s charming performance as Eliza or Rex Harrison’s odd talk-singing. And sure, the gender politics are a little dated, but there is something delightful about a ...
#82: Kieslowski’s Three Colors Trilogy (1993-1994)
January 21, 2022 22:27 - 1 hour - 101 MBIf you’re like Ashley, you have probably seen the posters for the THREE COLORS TRILOGY floating around video stores, movie theaters or dorm rooms most of your life. But maybe, also like Ashley, you have never quite gotten around to seeing what BLUE, WHITE and RED are all about. And maybe the words “Polish,” “Independent,” “Film” don’t have you rushing out to plug the holes in your film knowledge. But Ashley (and maybe you also) has been remiss in seeing these very watchable and moving films....
#81: Enter the Dragon (1973)
January 06, 2022 22:56 - 1 hour - 83.1 MBHere it is: the ultimate podcast about the greatest martial arts film of all time. Wilson, Carr and Lee (Bruce Lee) give it to you straight. In this episode, we discuss ENTER THE DRAGON, Bruce Lee’s entrance into the American film industry and the last film completed before his untimely death. We can’t get enough of Bruce Lee as star, co-writer and fight choreographer. But this film has more to offer, most notably an intense fight scene featuring the talented Angela Mao. Along the way, we al...
#80: Fish Tank (2009)
December 13, 2021 16:18 - 1 hour - 81.5 MBMany films tell stories of people who when put in precarious situations are miraculously able pull themselves out at the last second. Andrea Arnold’s FISH TANK doesn’t attempt this kind of cliched hero’s journey. Here the danger to 15 year-old Mia (Katie Jarvis) is real and hope takes the form of the freedom offered by a boy and his car. And yet in spite of this more subdued take on storytelling, this film is a joy to watch. We root for Mia to find her way up, out, or away, to create somethi...
#79: What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962)
October 27, 2021 17:27 - 56 minutes - 65 MBJust in time for Halloween we have something a little creepy, a little campy, and a whole lot disturbing. WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE? quickly became a cult favorite in large part due to Bette Davis’s unhinged performance as aging former child star Baby Jane Hudson caring for her disabled sister Blanche (Joan Crawford). Hugely influential in popular culture, Baby Jane has been imitated and parodied countless times. But there is something about this film that rises above its cult-camp rep...
#78: Mona Lisa (1986)
September 18, 2021 21:03 - 1 hour - 81.1 MBThis week we travel to gritty 80’s London via Neil Jordan’s MONA LISA. Our hero is the elegant and inscrutable Simone (Cathy Tyson), a high end call girl who has gained a degree of independence in her work. Our narrator is her driver/bodyguard George (Bob Hoskins), recently released from prison, who is looking to reconnect with his estranged daughter. George wears his heart on his sleeve, and Simone never shows her hand, but they are (maybe) able to find some degree of connection in spite of...
#77: Mildred Pierce (1945)
August 25, 2021 21:49 - 1 hour - 71.8 MBIs it noir? Is it a woman’s picture? Why not both? On this week's episode we talk MILDRED PIERCE. Joan Crawford is the hardest working woman in the greater Los Angeles area, at least. She cooks, she cleans, she founds a successful chain of mid-range restaurants through a series of increasingly strange real estate maneuvers, all while raising two daughters and fielding advances from various contemptible men. Maybe you can have it all! Actually, maybe not. Subscribe in Apple Podcasts, Android...
#76: The Conformist (1970)
July 07, 2021 21:43 - 1 hour - 81 MBIn the words of noted 90s philosopher, Jack Handey, “If you ever discover that what you're seeing is a play within a play, just slow down, take a deep breath, and hold on for the ride of your life.” Bertolucci’s 1970 classic THE CONFORMIST is similarly layered; a flashback within a fantasy within a frame story. Beyond the complex structure, this film is also rife with striking imagery, symbolism and camera movement. Dave and Ashley discuss how The Conformist has influenced generations of fil...
#75: Hellboy II: The Golden Army (2008)
June 18, 2021 20:42 - 59 minutes - 68.5 MBPerhaps HELLBOY II: THE GOLDEN ARMY is an odd choice considering our general weariness with sequels and franchises and Dave’s aversion to superhero films. But this is a different kind of sequel and Hellboy is a different kind of hero, and it doesn’t hurt to have Guillermo del Toro directing, too. Del Toro is clearly having a great time bringing all kinds of interesting and creepy creatures to life. This film is a whole lot of fun, proving that there is an exception to every rule even among t...
#74: Ruthless People (1986)
May 27, 2021 20:04 - 57 minutes - 66.7 MBThis week’s pick is about some ruthless people and some not so ruthless people acting in some very ruthless ways, but also some not very ruthless ways. Danny DeVito, Bette Midler, Judge Reinhold and Supergirl star in RUTHLESS PEOPLE, a 1986 revenge comedy with a whole lot going on. We’ve got attempted murder, kidnapping, failed blackmail plots, a history of stereo retail sales practices, and an amazing house which is either a tribute to the Memphis style or a ruthless takedown of it. Subsc...
#73: Tank Girl (1995)
May 05, 2021 21:50 - 55 minutes - 64.6 MBFilm and other art forms are in near constant dialogue, influencing each other. This is particularly true in genre films, where quotations of influential works are used to draw viewers in. And so this week we have a film about a female tank driver in a post-apocalyptic wasteland that is controlled by one man who has all the water, and all the power. But this is not Mad Max: Fury Road, it is TANK GIRL (1995), an adaptation of an underground, post-punk comic, which was in turn almost certainly...
#72: Stolen Kisses (1968)
April 15, 2021 18:15 - 1 hour - 69.6 MBThis week we have a little truffle of a Truffaut film, romantic comedy-drama STOLEN KISSES. Third in Truffaut’s series of films about Antoine Doinel, this film concerns the misadventures of Antoine in his early 20s as he tries to figure out work and love, largely failing at both. With a cast of delightful side characters and involving the strange goings-on at a Paris detective agency, Stolen Kisses feels like something of a mix between Peter Seller’s Pink Panther films and The Graduate. A pe...
#71: SXSW 2021 - Inbetween Girl / Islands / The Fallout
March 25, 2021 01:52 - 1 hour - 80.8 MBIt’s Springtime in Austin, which means bluebonnets, beautiful weather and South by Southwest Music, Film, everything Festival. SXSW 2021, like many festivals during the pandemic, was held entirely online and we were there on our couch watching it all (or some of it). Listen as we share our reviews of INBETWEEN GIRL, ISLANDS, THE FALLOUT, and INTRODUCING, SELMA BLAIR, plus a few other favorite narrative films, documentaries, and shorts from the festival. We hope to pique your interest and nud...
#70: Celeste & Jesse Forever (2012)
March 17, 2021 23:44 - 1 hour - 73.1 MBWhy don’t we have a word for a breakup comedy? Anti-romantic comedy doesn’t quite get the idea across in the right way. Maybe it's because breakups aren’t funny in the conventional sense. Maybe there just aren’t enough of them, but there should be more films like Ashley’s pick, CELESTE & JESSE FOREVER. Rashida Jones and Andy Samberg play a couple having the best breakup ever until complications come along. Like the best relationships this film is funny, sad and maybe we even learn a little s...
#69: A Chinese Ghost Story (1987)
March 04, 2021 00:34 - 57 minutes - 67 MBWhat do you get when you mix horror, comedy, and romance with martial arts, stop motion, and a ghost story. Something that feels a little like Evil Dead, a little like Princess Bride, and a whole lot like a kung fu Ray Harryhausen film. Dave’s pick this week is A CHINESE GHOST STORY, a Hong Kong cinema gem that never saw a wide release in the U.S, but has since become a cult film. This film is jam-packed with action, plot, and imagery. It’s all a little too much in a really good way. Subscr...
#68: Wet Hot American Summer (2001)
February 10, 2021 23:00 - 53 minutes - 62.2 MBWET HOT AMERICAN SUMMER (2001) was at one point in the mid to late 00’s required viewing for those interested in the comedy world, or at least it felt that way to someone who had just discovered comedy podcasts by way of Marc Maron. It certainly stars many up-and-coming actors and comedians who are now major names in television and film, including Amy Poehler, Ken Marino, Michael Showalter, and….Bradley Cooper.. But does it continue to deserve its required viewing status or has time and com...
#67: Old Joy (2006)
January 26, 2021 00:15 - 1 hour - 75.7 MBTwo guys, one dog, a remote hot spring, and some palpable tension. This week’s pick, Kelly Reichardt’s OLD JOY, couldn't be more stripped down, just two old friends going on a weekend trip. And yet, the scenes are subtle and emotionally fraught. There is a lot going on just below the surface. At the end of the weekend it’s not clear that anyone had a good time except for Lucy the dog and maybe Dave and Ashley as they unpack it. Subscribe in iTunes, Android, or Spotify. Follow us on Faceboo...
#66: Election (1999)
December 30, 2020 20:45 - 1 hour - 83.2 MBIf there is any movie that proves that how you feel about art can change over time, or even during the course of a single conversation, it is Ashley’s pick, Alexander Payne’s ELECTION (1999). This pitch black comedy features a usually likable Matthew Broderick playing teacher, Mr. McAllister against a difficult-to-love Tracy Flick, an against-type Reese Witherspoon. Though this seems like a simple story about what happens when a mid-life crisis mixes with a high-school election, it actually ...
#65: Witness (1985)
December 10, 2020 18:44 - 1 hour - 74.6 MBThis week we are reviewing WITNESS, the 1985 film starring Harrison Ford and directed by Peter Weir. Not, The Witness, not Witness for the Prosecution, Witness for the Defense, and definitely not Silent Witness or Hostile Witness. Name confusion aside, this film has a lot more to offer than one would expect from what seemed at first to be a Harrison Ford thriller, but is actually a more subtle exploration of the role of violence in modern life. Subscribe in iTunes, Android, or Spotify. Fol...
#64: Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead (1991)
November 25, 2020 22:11 - 59 minutes - 68.3 MBDON’T TELL MOM THE BABYSITTER’S DEAD is perhaps a strange choice for a podcast that has covered such illustrious films as Notorious, Seven Samurai and Pan’s Labyrinth. It is very much a B movie, but there is just something about this film. Certainly part of it is Christina Applegate’s charming performance, and David Duchovny’s standout turn as a general slimeball. But also, this story subverts expectations again and again. Far from perfect, this is a fun, silly fable that has something to sa...
#63: City Lights (1931)
November 19, 2020 00:17 - 57 minutes - 66.3 MBWe open on an unveiling ceremony. The genteel folk of the city are dedicating a monument to “peace and prosperity." Speeches are made, benefactors are thanked and the sculpture is revealed. A man lies sleeping in the lap of the central statue. He wakes to the sound of the disapproving crowd, tips his hat politely and begins to make his way down. This is our first glimpse of The Little Tramp in Dave’s pick, CITY LIGHTS (1931) directed by and starring Charlie Chaplin at the height of his caree...
#62: The Wicker Man (1973)
October 28, 2020 18:09 - 1 hour - 76.8 MBHave you ever found yourself in some remote place where you suddenly realize that you don’t know all the rules, or that the rules are different than you thought? Perhaps you felt unmoored and uneasy. (Perhaps this has lasted roughly 4 years?) In this week's pick, 70’s horror classic, THE WICKER MAN, we follow Officer Howie (Edward Woodward) as he tries to find his footing while investigating the disappearance of a child on a remote Scottish island. With Christopher Lee, some wacky pagan ritu...
#61: Moonlighting - TV Series (1985-1989)
October 22, 2020 01:48 - 1 hour - 75.7 MBThirty-five years is a long time between viewings of a former hit TV show, especially one that leans heavily into “battle of the sexes,” as Dave discovered with his pick this week, the 80’s screwball detective series, MOONLIGHTING, which ran from 1985-1989 on ABC. Starring Cybill Shepherd and rising star Bruce Willis as bickering partners in the Blue Moon detective agency, Moonlighting was once must-see TV, but now is mostly forgotten. Will Ashley be able to see beyond the very dated gender ...
#60: The Wings of the Dove (1997)
October 01, 2020 22:16 - 53 minutes - 62 MBLuminous, sumptuous, rich, devastating. If this already sounds like a list of overused words from literary book reviews, you’re right. But they also describe this week’s film, Ashley’s pick, THE WINGS OF THE DOVE (1997). Helena Bonham Carter gives one of her best performances while positively draped in rich velvets, silks and handmade lace. This film definitely has a look, and Dave and Ashley think it has performances to match. Subscribe in iTunes, Android, or Spotify. Follow us on Faceboo...
#59: Wild at Heart (1990)
September 16, 2020 22:47 - 1 hour - 71.6 MBIt seems incredible that we’ve made it to episode 59 without featuring a David Lynch film. Dave is a documented super fan of Twin Peaks, after all. But Ashley had already seen most of his major works, excepting WILD AT HEART, which had the potential to invoke a Naked-type reaction (see episode 8). But the time has come. Join us for a winding discussion of dream logic, terrifying mother figures, unexplained side characters, 50’s style crooning and, as always, the magic of Laura Dern. Subscri...
#58: The Adventures of Pete & Pete (TV Series)
September 03, 2020 00:24 - 1 hour - 77.7 MBThis one’s for the millennials raised by Nickelodeon, and anyone else who enjoys good things like songs with unintelligible lyrics, golden autumn light, endless summers, and personal superheroes. This week Ashley’s pick is 90’s television series THE ADVENTURES OF PETE & PETE. Dave is struck by the wonderful oddness of the world inhabited by two brothers named Pete. Ashley is just happy to be able to share such an important part of her childhood. Subscribe in iTunes, Android, or Spotify. Fo...
#57: Days of Heaven (1978)
August 21, 2020 21:32 - 52 minutes - 60.9 MBThat thing where you avoid seeing a film or films because the trailers and descriptions make them sound too sentimental and cliche. That. This is how Ashley felt about Terrence Malick’s films, and studiously avoided his work outside of a viewing of BADLANDS some 15 years ago. So it was with some trepidation that we approached this week’s film, Dave’s pick DAYS OF HEAVEN (1978). Will Ashley’s fears be founded or will she be drawn in? Subscribe in iTunes, Android, or Spotify. Follow us on Fa...
#56: Serial Mom (1994)
July 30, 2020 00:14 - 1 hour - 74.6 MBLet us hope that serial lateness with a podcast is not a homicide level offense. It might be for the hero (?) or villain, rather, of this week’s film, John Water’s SERIAL MOM (1994). Kathleen Turner stars as happy, unhinged homemaker Beverly Sutphin in one of Waters’ most mainstream films. This dark comedy parodies the rising obsession with true crime, and turned out to be astonishingly prescient in predicting crime-related media extravaganzas such as the one surrounding the OJ Simpson trial...
#55: Black Narcissus (1947)
July 15, 2020 23:08 - 1 hour - 78.9 MBThis week we’re talking nuns, and not just any nuns, 1940s Himalayan nuns. The nun movie genre is kind of a mixed bag ranging from horror, to comedy, to drama, and is a genre that Ashley has largely been skeptical of, excepting Sister Act, of course. But BLACK NARCISSUS is singular among them all for its otherworldliness and veiled eroticism. The haunting use of Technicolor and incredible matte paintings that set the scene only enhance the beautiful strangeness of this fascinating film. Sub...
#54: Marie Antoinette (2006)
July 01, 2020 22:07 - 1 hour - 77.6 MBThis week’s pick is Sofia Coppola’s 2006 history and period-defying MARIE ANTOINETTE. Ashley fought choosing this cream puff of a film for a long time because, though it is delightful, it just didn’t stick with her the way other films by Coppola have. A story of a privileged woman seemingly oblivious to the pain and suffering of a nation. What does it mean? Does it mean anything? Is it all frivolity, pretty shoes, and macarons or is there some substance after all? Dave and Ashley try to figu...