Episodes
Thomas Flight and Tom van der Linden discuss Denis Villeneuve's Dune: Part Two.
Published 03/14/24
Published 09/07/23
In Part 5 of our Gangster Cinema Series we move into the 2010s to discuss Martin Scorsese's The Irishman.
Published 09/07/23
Welcome back to our series on Gangster Cinema through the decades, in which we discuss 5 different gangster movies from 5 different decades in order to get a better understanding of the deeper meanings and evolution of the genre; continuing today in the 2000s with Ridley Scott's American Gangster.
Published 08/31/23
In Part 3 of the Gangster Series we move into the 90s to discuss Martin Scorsese's iconic masterpiece Goodfellas
Published 08/24/23
In Part 2 of the Gangster Series we move from the sobering 70s into the neon-lit 80s and follow Al Pacino into yet another iconic gangster movie: Brian DePalma's Scarface.
Published 08/17/23
We are excited to announce our new series on Gangster Cinema through the decades. Over the course of 5 episodes, we will discuss 5 different gangster movies from 5 different decades, in order to get a better understanding of the deeper meanings and evolution of the genre; starting in the 1970s with Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather.
Published 08/10/23
In this special 3-part series titled Cinema of Nuclear Dread, we explore cinema’s relation to the atomic bomb, and all the implications it represents, concluding today with an in-depth discussion of Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer.
Published 08/03/23
In this special 3-part series titled Cinema of Nuclear Dread, which we are hosting in honor of the release of Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, we explore cinema’s relation to the atomic bomb, and all the implications it represents. Continuing today with how the fear of and trauma from the nuclear bomb gave birth to the complicated and continuously evolving movie monster Godzilla.
Published 07/27/23
In this special 3-part series titled Cinema of Nuclear Dread, which we are hosting in honor of the upcoming release of Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, we explore cinema’s relation to the atomic bomb, and all the implications it represents. Beginning today with the politics of the atomic bomb and the complicated philosophy of nuclear deterrence, in Stanley Kubrick’s classic satire Dr Strangelove or: How I learned to stop worrying and love the bomb.
Published 07/20/23
Before Indiana Jones' final adventure, we revisit his previous final adventure and discuss the early wave of legacy sequels, the conflicted enjoyment found in treasure-hunting movies, and the evolution of the adventure genre, in The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
Published 06/29/23
We discuss facing the fear of existence, the often overlooked quality of language, and our relation to time, in Denis Villeneuve's Arrival.
Published 06/22/23
We discuss the nobility of servitude, the loss of collective identity, and Wes Anderson’s unique storytelling, in The Grand Budapest Hotel.
Published 06/15/23
We discuss the surprisingly fun absurdism of Ari Aster’s Beau is Afraid, and dive into its deeper themes of anxiety, childhood, and parental relations.
Published 06/08/23
We discuss filmmaking that feels timeless, the enigma of Daniel Plainview’s character, and the erosion of religion and social dynamics in the wake of rising capitalism, in Paul Thomas Anderson’s There Will Be Blood.
Published 06/01/23
We try to untangle the absurdist storytelling of Yorgos Lanthimos, the real meaning of justice, and the deeper metaphorical layers of his 2017 film The Killing of a Sacred Deer.
Published 05/25/23
We discuss the solemn new direction of the Western mythos, the unhealed wounds in US history, and dealing with grief, in Taylor Sheridan’s Wind River.
Published 05/18/23
We revisit David Fincher’s billionaire origin story The Social Network, discuss whether or not its romanticizing Zuckerberg’s rise to success, and how its surrounding myths about Silicon Valley, technological progress, and genius entrepreneurs have evolved since the movie’s release.
Published 05/11/23
Thomas Flight and Tom van der Linden discuss the marvelization of storytelling, the qualities of a perfect B movie, and the successes and shortcomings of translating one of the most influential gaming concepts to cinema, in John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein’s Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves.
Published 05/04/23
Thomas Flight and Tom van der Linden discuss one of the most enigmatic films of the 21st century: Lee Chang-dong’s Burning. A complex tale of morality, Freudian dynamics, and socio-political conflicts.
Published 04/27/23
Thomas Flight and Tom van der Linden discuss capturing the sublime grandeur of the cosmos, how different philosophies can lead to the same virtues and vices, and the relation between existentialism and the sun, in Danny Boyle’s Sunshine.
Published 04/20/23
Thomas Flight and Tom van der Linden discuss how stories evolve throughout franchises, how a formula can stay fresh across decades and the cost of fame in Matt Bettinelli and OlpinTyler Gillett's Scream 6.
Published 04/13/23
With new A.I. technologies on the rise, Thomas Flight and Tom van der Linden revisit Spike Jonze’s Her to discuss the extent of its prescience, the effects of technological progress on human culture, and the true nature of consciousness.
Published 04/06/23
Thomas Flight and Tom van der Linden discuss how movies can go from being dismissed to being hailed as masterpieces, the dynamics of (dis)trust, and the non-existence of the soul, in John Carpenter’s The Thing.
Published 03/30/23
Thomas Flight and Tom van der Linden discuss the mythologization of outlaws and the American West, and the slow and painful road of disillusionment, in Andrew Dominic’s melancholic western The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford.
Published 03/23/23