Podcast: BlacKkKlansman plus (sigh) a New Oscar Category

This week Nathaniel R, Murtada Elfadl, and Chris Feil talk Oscar changes and Spike Lee's new joint.

Index (1 Hour and 2 minutes)
00:01 Spike Lee's new joint BlacKkKlansman. He's still got it. Also we talk about how he uses Gone With the Wind, and Birth of a Nation.
15:30 Oscar's recent announcement about the "popular achievement category" and all the problems we imagine it will cause. We are not pleased but we do offer our own fixes to issues of audience's being more into the Oscars.
40:00 Film Festival excitement TIFF and NYFF plus The Favourite, and Peterloo rumors.
47:00 We return to Spike Lee and list our three favorite scenes in BlacKkKlansman.
54:00 Fall film chatter: On the Basis of Sex, Mary Queen of Scots, and The Miseducation of Cameron Post versus Boy Erased
60:00 Goodbyes!

You can listen to the podcast here at the bottom of the post. Continue the conversations in the comments, won't you? 

BlacKkKlansman and Oscar's Rule Changes

Podcast: Mission Impossible - Eighth Grade!

An intimate convo this week as Nathaniel R welcomes Murtada Elfadl to the podcast. (Apologies for the oddly imbalanced sound - still fiddling with the equipment, wondering why we're so cursed!)

Index (42 minutes)
00:01 Desiree Akhavan's The Miseducation of Cameron Post
10:10 Mission: Impossible - Fallout and Tom Cruise's ego
21:05 Eighth Grade, Bo Burnham, and authenticity
33:00 Sorry to Bother You and LaKeith Stanfield
39:00 August is a really good month for movies for once!

You can listen to the podcast here at the bottom of the post or download from iTunes. Continue the conversations in the comments, won't you? 

M:I - Eighth Grade

Smackdown '94 Finale: "Pulp Fiction" and "Bullets Over Broadway"

THE SMACKDOWN IN THREE PARTS
• Written Blurbs & Reader Votes
• Podcast Pt 1: Tom & Viv and The Madness of King George
...and now the finale!

FINALE (40 MINUTES)
The group discusses Jennifer Tilly's outrageous comic triumph in Bullets Over Broadway and why the Broadway musical adaptation didn't work. We also revisit the cultural impact of Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction and Uma's place in its success. Other films briefly discussed: Three Colors: Red and Natural Born Killers. Nathaniel thanks this month's terrific panel: Erik Anderson, Nick Davis, Itamar Moses, and Alfred Soto!

You can listen to the podcast here at the bottom of the post or download from iTunes. Continue the conversations in the comments, won't you? 

Bullets Over Broadway, Pulp Fiction

Smackdown '94 Companion: "Mrs King" and vague 'Women's Troubles'

Nathaniel R welcomes Erik Anderson, Nick Davis,  Itamar Moses, and Alfred Soto to talk 1994 movies

The Supporting Actress Smackdown of 1994 has just gone up and the panelists have gathered for a deeper conversation. 

Podcast (42 minutes)
In part one we discuss people we wish had been nominated in the category. We also discuss the comic tone of The Madness of King George, and there are split opinions on Helen Mirren's work and whether she's elevating or bringing down the movie. Surprisingly though she won the Smackdown Dianne Wiest's classic performance in Bullets Over Broadway isn't quite as loved as it once was. The panel also discusses Miramax style filmmaking of the 90s and the troubles with the 'approved' nature of literary biopics like Tom & Viv. 

You can listen to the podcast here at the bottom of the post or download from iTunes. Continue the conversations in the comments, won't you? 

Smackdown 94 Madness of Viv Over Broadway

Podcast: Disobedience and Tully

An intimate convo this week as Nathaniel R and Nick Davis discuss recent flicks. This was recorded right before Nathaniel's birthday but we are late uploading it. Here it is now for your enjoyment. Lots of Tully and Disobedience talk (among other films) all without spoilers if you haven't yet caught those early release gems!

Index (40 minutes)
00:01 Silliness about Nathaniel's Birthday
03:30 Favorites of 2018 thus far including Diablo Cody & Charlize Theron's brilliance in Tully
10:25 A long anedcote-filled conversation about Sebastian Lelio's Disobedience starring Rachel Weisz. It's quite discussable from a number of angles
25:00 On Chesil Beach, Deadpool 2 and Ready Player One
30:15 Let the Sunshine In, and Grace Jones, Bloodlight and Bami
34:45 More randomness including Book Club and the exquisite beauty of Michelle Pfeiffer in Wolf

You can listen to the podcast here at the bottom of the post or download from iTunes. Continue the conversations in the comments, won't you? 

Disobedience, Tully, Ready Player One