Ep. 301: Desert Hearts

July 05, 2024 by Morgan Davies in episodes

Claire and Gavia discuss the 1985 lesbian romance movie Desert Hearts, directed by Donna Deitch. Set in 1950s Nevada, this groundbreaking film follows a whirlwind relationship between a soon-to-be-divorced New York academic (Helen Shaver) and a devil-may-care casino worker (Patricia Charbonneau).

Among other topics, this episode covers Desert Hearts’ relationship with 1950s romance movies, its unique place in queer film history, and its pitch-perfect lead characters.

Episode 171: The Handmaiden

June 26, 2020 by Morgan Davies in episodes

This 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.

Episode 132: Todd Haynes' "Carol"

July 04, 2019 by Morgan Davies in episodes

This week, Gavia and Morgan revisit Todd Haynes' instant classic 2015 film Carol. They discuss the film's references to photography and classic film, contextualize it within Todd Haynes' wider filmography and recent queer cinema, and debate the lead performances by Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara.

Episode 114: Can You Ever Forgive Me?

February 13, 2019 by Morgan Davies in episodes

This week, Gavia and Morgan discuss Marielle Heller's Oscar-nominated film Can You Ever Forgive Me? Topics include the rare book world, Melissa McCarthy and Richard E. Grant's marvelous performances, the film's depiction of nineties New York, and its depiction of queer friendship.

Episode 69: Call Me by Your Name

December 05, 2017 by Morgan Davies in episodes

This week, Morgan and Gavia rhapsodize over Morgan's favorite movie of the year, indie sensation Call Me by Your Name. They compare it to director Luca Guadanigno's previous films, I Am Love and A Bigger Splash, reflect on its universal specificity, the brilliants of actors Timothée Chalamet and Michael Stuhlbarg, that peach scene, and more.