This week, Gavia and Morgan debate the merits of Roland Emmerich’s 1994 hit Stargate, starring James Spader and Kurt Russell. They discuss the film’s throwback entertainments, its questionable colonial politics, and the many TV properties and fandoms its spawned in the decades since.
Read MoreThis week, Morgan and Gavia discuss Elem Klimov's 1985 masterpiece of Soviet cinema Come and See, which follows a young boy (Alexei Kravchenko) through the horrors of Nazi-occupied Belarus in the Second World War. Topics include this film's treatment of war crimes, Hollywood's often romantic depiction of Nazis, the film's masterful cinematography and sound editing, and much more.
Read MoreThis week, Gavia and Morgan watch the 1970s disaster movie classic The Towering Inferno, starring an impressive cast including Paul Newman, Steve McQueen, and Faye Dunaway. They discuss the film's striking action sequences, its wild Seventies aesthetic, its starry cast, and more.
Read MoreThis week, Morgan and Gavia discuss the 1986 film 'night, Mother, adapted from the Pulitzer Prize-winning play of the same name. Sissy Spacek stars as a suicidal woman living with her mother, played by Anne Bancroft. Topics include the film's treatment of suicide and mental health, the difficulty of translating stage plays to film, and much more.
Read MoreThis week, Morgan and Gavia dive into Peter Weir's 1985 classic neo-noir Witness, starring Lukas Haas as a young Amish boy who witnesses a murder, Kelly McGillis as his mother, and Harrison Ford as a detective trying to solve the crime. They discuss the film's journey from script to screen, its depiction of the police, Ford and McGillis' electric chemistry, and much more.
Read MoreThis week, Gavia and Morgan discuss The Handmaiden, Park Chan-wook's beloved lesbian thriller starring Kim Min-hee and Kim Tae-ri, based on Sarah Waters' novel Fingersmith. They discuss the film's relationship to its source material, its smart balance of tones, its depiction of sex, and much more.
Read MoreThis week, Gavia and Morgan debate the strengths and weaknesses of Spike Lee's new film Da 5 Bloods, available on Netflix now, which chronicles the journey of a group of Black Vietnam veterans returning to Vietnam to search for a fallen comrade. Topics discussed include the film's impressive performances by Delroy Lindo and others, its engagement with contemporary politics, its relationship to other American Vietnam War films and narratives, and much more.
Read MoreThis week, Gavia and Morgan watch sci-fi classic Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, starring the original cast of Star Trek as well as Ricardo Montalbán as superhuman villain Khan. They place the film in the larger context of the franchise's TV and film history, praise its streamlined screenplay, and much more.
Read MoreThis week, Gavia and Morgan watched one of the highest-grossing Nigerian films of all time, the romantic comedy The Wedding Party (2016). They discuss the Nollywood film industry, the film's approach to gender and class, what top-grossing films say about their countries of origin, and much more. This episode is sponsored by a generous Patreon subscriber.
Read MoreThis week, Morgan and Gavia discuss Elaine May's grimy gangster classic Mikey and Nicky (1976), starring John Cassavetes and Peter Falk. They dive into May's legendary career as a comedian and director, assess the film in comparison to other gangster movies, and sing the praises of the lead actors.
Read MoreMorgan and Gavia return from their coronavirus-induced hiatus with an episode on the beloved romantic comedy Moonstruck (1987), starring Cher and Nicolas Cage as star-crossed lovers in Brooklyn. They discuss the film's unique narrative structure, its approach to Italian-American New York, and the blazing performances at its center.
Read MoreThis week, Gavia and Morgan dive into Disney Channel classic High School Musical 2 at a Patreon subscriber's request. They discuss the film's cultural impact, its Marxist themes, its blast-from-the-past fashions, and much more.
Read MoreThis week, Morgan and Gavia discuss Alfred Hitchcock's 1954 mystery Rear Window, starring James Stewart and Grace Kelly. They break down Stewart and Kelly's star power, dig into some classic feminist film theory, praise the film's iconic costumes, and more.
Read MoreThis week, Morgan and Gavia discuss Martin Scorsese's Best Picture-winning Boston mob epic The Departed (2006), starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Mark Wahlberg, and more. They compare the film to Infernal Affairs (2002), the film upon which it is based, praise its depiction of Boston, and consider Leonardo DiCaprio's excellent performance and perplexing career.
Read MoreThis week, Morgan and Gavia discuss Autumn de Wilde's new adaptation of Jane Austen's masterpiece Emma. They compare it to previous adaptations of the novel, puzzle over some odd casting and script choices, and praise its all-time great costumes.
Read MoreThis week, Gavia and Morgan discuss Clueless (1995), Amy Heckerling's classic high school adaptation of Jane Austen's Emma. They compare the film to the novel and its other adaptations, discuss its engagement with nineties teen culture, and praise its costumes, performances, and more.
Read MoreThis week, Gavia and Morgan finally go deep on Paolo Sorrentino's art film-cum-television program The Young Pope and its sequel The New Pope, in which they are both thoroughly overinvested. They discuss its treatment of Catholicism and the Church's recent scandals, Sorrentino's bravura direction, and above all, Jude Law's career-best performance as the young pope himself.
Read MoreThis week, Gavia and Morgan discuss Birds of Prey, Cathy Yan's cracking sequel to the disastrous "Suicide Squad," once again featuring Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn. They praise the film's visual style and Margot Robbie's bold performance, compare the current state of DC and Marvel films, and critique the film's handling of Ewan McGregor's queer-coded villain.
Read MoreThis week, Gavia and Morgan offer their predictions for Sunday's Academy Awards telecast. Will 1917 or Parasite win the big prize? Can Bong Joon-ho topple Sam Mendes for best director? Can anyone upset Joaquin Phoenix or Brad Pitt? And more...
Read MoreThis week, Gavia and Morgan discuss their top ten films of the year, highlighting many of the small indies and docs that made 2019 such a great year for cinema, including Parasite, Hustlers, Little Women, and many more.
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