Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast Jason and the Movienauts

In the latest episode of their discussion of Robert Altman's classic Nashville, Bud steers Opal next door to Studio B, where Lily Tomlin's Linnea is singing with a gospel choir from Fisk University.

Jason Sacks and Dan Story compare the loose, joyful energy there with Haven's tightly controlled session, unpack Opal's improvised missionary story and Bud's barely-straight-faced reactions, and wonder whether that's screenwriter Joan Tewkesbury on the couch. Plus Geraldine Chaplin on playing Opal, the Fisk Jubilee Singers tradition, and the many sides of Linnea in Robert Altman's Nashville.

01:30 Studio A vs. Studio B

07:44 Opal's "cozy" studio

11:03 Geraldine Chaplin on Opal

16:46 Is that Joan Tewkesbury?

27:53 The Fisk University choir

32:53 The many sides of Linnea

Jason and Michelle wrap up their series on Douglas Sirk, Hollywood's master of melodrama, by counting down all 13 Sirk films they covered, from the noir thrills of Lured to the towering tearjerker Imitation of Life. They agree on seven spots, including #1 and #13, but the biggest fight is over Written on the Wind: Jason puts it at #6, while Michelle, for whom it's her all-time favorite Sirk, puts it at #2.How would you rank them? Tell us your top Sirk in the comments, and like and subscribe for more director deep dives.CHAPTERS0:00 Intro0:33 #13 Taza, Son of Cochise (1954)1:33 #12 Sleep, My Love (1948)2:46 #11 Shockproof (1949)3:47 #10 Lured / All I Desire4:35 #9 All I Desire / Lured6:52 #8 Interlude / Magnificent Obsession8:11 #7 Magnificent Obsession / Interlude11:27 #6 Written on the Wind / A Time to Love and A Time to Die13:15 #5 The Tarnished Angels (1957)15:10 #4 A Time to Love and A Time to Die / There's Always Tomorrow16:33 #3 All That Heaven Allows (1955)18:14 #2 There's Always Tomorrow / Written on the Wind21:54 #1 Imitation of Life (1959)26:20 More Sirk worth seeking out27:59 Fassbinder and Sirk29:22 The final rankingsAlso discussed: Battle Hymn, Thunder on the Hill, Hitler's Madman, Never Say Goodbye and Meet Me at the Fair, plus Rainer Werner Fassbinder with Douglas Sirk.Music: "Together We Stand" by Kaazoom.#DouglasSirk #ImitationOfLife #WrittenOnTheWind #AllThatHeavenAllows #ClassicFilm #Melodrama #MoviePodcast

In the latest episode of their minute by minute discussion of Robert Altman's epochal film Nashville, Haven stops everything to have Opal thrown out of his studio, and Nashville gives us its first burst of overlapping dialogue.

Jason Sacks and Dan Story explain the Lion's Gate 8-track sound system behind it, ask how far "I'm Opal from the BBC" could get you in 1975, and look at Bud snapping to attention when his father calls him "Buddy." Plus Haven's double standard about studio guests, Henry Gibson's career, and the what-if of Robert Duvall playing Haven Hamilton.

00:50 Altman's overlapping dialogue

01:55 "I'm Opal from the BBC"

07:08 The 8-track sound system

10:12 Bud and "Buddy"

16:01 Henry Gibson's performance

21:44 What if Robert Duvall played Haven?

Jason Sacks, Paul McCoy and Shawn Hill continue their journey through the films of John Carpenter with his late-’90s pair: Village of the Damned (1995) and Vampires (1998). Neither is anyone’s new favorite Carpenter. The verdict is “very, very okay.” But there’s plenty to dig into.

Village of the Damned was a work-for-hire job. Universal offered it in exchange for a Creature from the Black Lagoon remake that never happened, and Carpenter stuck close to the 1960 original he loved as a kid. The guys weigh a strong cast (Christopher Reeve, Kirstie Alley, Linda Kozlowski, Mark Hamill, Meredith Salenger) against blank, robotic children and a flat look.

Vampires started as a $60 million Dolph Lundgren project and became a $20 million James Woods movie. It’s gorgeously shot by Gary B. Kibbe and full of Carpenter finally getting to make his Western, with Sheryl Lee bringing Fire Walk with Me energy. Plus: casting stars who later became problematic, Maximilian Schell’s cameo, and a look ahead to Ghosts of Mars and The Ward.

Next time: Ghosts of Mars and The Ward.

#JohnCarpenter #VillageOfTheDamned #Vampires #HorrorMovies #MoviePodcast #JasonAndTheMovienauts

In the latest discussion of Robert Altman's brilliant Nashville, Haven Hamilton finally takes the mic, recording his bicentennial anthem "200 Years," and Jason Sacks and Dan Story ask whether it's the most pandering song in Robert Altman's Nashville.

They read Joan Tewkesbury's screenplay description of Haven, size up Henry Gibson's controlling star and meet Bud and Lady Pearl, the family in his orbit. Plus Altman's assistant directors Tommy Thompson and Alan Rudolph, the background extras with stories of their own, Geraldine Chaplin's Opal wandering in, and some unforgettable 1970s outfits.

00:24 "200 Years"

07:22 Tewkesbury on Haven

14:15 Bud and Lady Pearl

20:03 Altman's assistant directors

25:04 Opal arrives

31:23 Those 1970s outfits

Jason Sacks and Michelle wrap up their Douglas Sirk series with his most personal film, 1958's A Time to Love and A Time to Die. Based on Erich Maria Remarque's novel, it follows a young German soldier on a three-week furlough through a bombed-out Germany in 1944, where he falls fast and hard for Elizabeth.

Is Sirk imagining the life of the son he lost on the Eastern Front? Do American actors like John Gavin, Don DeFore and Keenan Wynn work as Germans? Would Paul Newman have been better in the lead? Plus Oscar, the SS man who's living large; Dorothea Wieck of Mädchen in Uniform as the landlady; the producer's cut Sirk never saw; why the film flopped in Germany; and comparisons to Billy Wilder's A Foreign Affair and Judgment at Nuremberg. Spoiler warning: we discuss the devastating ending.

00:40 Sirk's most personal film

04:27 1950s hair in 1944 Germany

06:17 Oscar and the banality of evil

09:00 Dorothea Wieck as the landlady

10:12 Americans playing Germans

14:05 The Don DeFore problem

16:10 The wounded soldiers' kindness

18:03 What if Paul Newman had starred?

21:52 Love on a three-week furlough

28:19 Sirk and his son

29:53 The cut Sirk never saw

30:45 The ending (spoilers)

34:56 Émigré directors look back at Germany

38:02 Why Germany didn't want this film

41:55 Sirk's wounded soldiers

Twelve musicians. Four backup singers. One man in white rhinestones watching every one of them like a hawk.

In episode 3 of It Don't Worry Us, Jason Sacks and Dan Story step into Haven Hamilton's dark, cramped recording studio. That's minutes 2:30 to 4:00 of Robert Altman's Nashville, where one elegant tracking shot tells you everything about the king of country music.

Is "200 Years" a heartfelt bicentennial anthem or Altman's sharpest joke? How did a Laugh-In comedian become one of the film's most commanding presences? Plus: the unsung people who pushed Altman's boulder uphill.

Hashtags

#ItDontWorryUs #Nashville #RobertAltman #HenryGibson #HavenHamilton #Nashville1975 #FilmPodcast #MoviePodcast #ClassicFilm #70sCinema #CountryMusic #RichardBaskin #Altman

Timestamps

• 0:00 – Welcome and recap: where we left the Hal Phillip Walker van
• 1:34 – Altman's first classic tracking shot through Haven's studio
• 5:16 – "200 Years": sincere patriotism or Altman poking fun?
• 11:17 – Henry Gibson, from Laugh-In and The Long Goodbye to Haven Hamilton
• 14:59 – Richard Baskin ("Frog"), Scott Bushnell and the editors behind the film

Jason Sacks and Eric Hoffman dig into Shohei Imamura's first and third films, both from 1958: Stolen Desire and Endless Desire.

Made as Nikkatsu studio assignments with titles that have nothing to do with the movies, they're still unmistakably Imamura: energetic, earthy, darkly funny portraits of Japan's underclass.

We compare Stolen Desire's chaotic traveling theater troupe to Floating Weeds by Imamura's old boss Yasujirō Ozu, debate whether studio interference softened its ending, and celebrate Endless Desire as a pulpy heist-gone-wrong caper in the spirit of The Ladykillers and The Killing.

Plus: how the Japanese New Wave pushed Imamura toward Pigs and Battleships.

#ShoheiImamura #JapaneseCinema #JapaneseNewWave #StolenDesire #EndlessDesire #Nikkatsu #Ozu #ClassicFilm #FilmPodcast #MoviePodcast #CriterionCollection #HeistMovies

In this second episode of It Don't Worry Us, Jason Sacks and Dan Story dig into the opening scene of Robert Altman's Nashville, where Hal Phillip Walker's campaign van pulls out and winds through the city.

They unpack the Replacement Party's populist, folksy rhetoric against the backdrop of Watergate-era distrust and 1970s inflation, comparing Walker to Ross Perot and modern outsider candidates.

The hosts also trace the van's route through Nashville's now-vanished lower Broadway district, marveling at Altman's background details — stray pedestrians, mismatched parked cars, a beeping Volkswagen — that give the film its documentary-like texture and lived-in realism.Timestamps:

• 00:00:28 – Introducing the scene: the Walker van as a recurring "character" throughout the film
• 00:03:01 – The Replacement Party and its Watergate/Nixon-era political context
• 00:12:06 – Walker's folksy, "dumbed-down" rhetorical style and the era's inflation anxieties
• 00:19:00 – Frame-by-frame analysis of parked cars and Altman's background details
• 00:25:02 – The van turns onto Broadway, touring Nashville's lost lower Broadway district

Announcing a new podcast from the people who brought you Jason and the Movienauts! Search for "It Don't Worry Us" in your podcast feeds!

What happens when two movie obsessives decide that watching Nashville once—or even a dozen times—isn't enough?

Jason Sacks and Dan Story begin their minute-by-minute journey through Robert Altman's sprawling 1975 masterpiece. Along the way, they dig into the battered Paramount logo, Altman's war with the studios, the bizarre opening credits, K-Tel records, 24 unforgettable characters, and the visual madness that launches the movie.

Nashville contains multitudes—and this is just the first minute and a half. Come along for the rabbit hole.

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 — Welcome to The Nashville Minute

03:00 — How We Discovered Nashville

06:25 — Why Nashville Still Feels So Current

09:40 — That Battered Paramount Logo & Altman's War With the Studios

15:56 — The Mystery Hidden in the Opening Credits

22:00 — K-Tel, Chaos & The Insane Opening

Douglas Sirk's movies look like glossy Hollywood melodramas—but what happens when you start looking beneath the surface?

Jason and Michelle dig into Interlude (1957) and Imitation of Life (1959), examining Sirk's complicated relationship with stars who weren't necessarily great actors, his use of mirrors and reflections, and the devastating social commentary hiding inside seemingly conventional stories.

They explore Lana Turner's surprising depth, Juanita Moore's extraordinary performance, the painful realities of racial passing, and why Imitation of Life may be one of Sirk's greatest films. Plus: Hollywood star power, Oscar curses, and the real-life scandal surrounding Lana Turner.

00:00 — Two More Douglas Sirk Classics
Introducing Interlude and Imitation of Life and what makes Sirk's melodramas so fascinating.

05:00 — The American Woman in Europe
Interlude, June Allyson, Rossano Brazzi, and the familiar Hollywood fantasy of Americans finding themselves—and romance—in Europe.

15:00 — When Interlude Finally Clicks
Why the movie initially feels flat before unexpectedly revealing something much more interesting.

25:00 — Why Imitation of Life Is So Powerful
Sirk's ability to use one family's story to evoke an entire society—and the extraordinary performances of Juanita Moore and Susan Kohner.

40:00 — Passing, Race & the Unspoken Rules
The painful conflict surrounding Sarah Jane and the film's remarkably frank exploration of racial identity.

54:00 — Lana Turner, Hollywood & the Tragedy Beneath the Glamour
Sirk's deceptive happy ending, Juanita Moore's career, and the real-life Lana Turner scandal that adds another fascinating layer to the film.

In this episode of Jason The Movienauts, the John Carpenter team tackles one of Carpenter'ss most enduring films: They Live.

Jason, Paul, and Shawn discuss why the movie’s deliberately cheap-looking B-movie aesthetic, Roddy Piper’s unlikely leading-man performance, and Carpenter’s straightforward filmmaking make it so effective. They explore Piper’s chemistry with Keith David, the film’s iconic alley fight, its bizarre alien designs, and the hidden meanings revealed by the famous sunglasses.

The conversation then turns to the movie’s deeper themes: consumerism, Reagan-era politics, class inequality, propaganda, conformity, and the disturbing ways They Live continues to resonate decades later.

#TheyLive #JohnCarpenter #RoddyPiper #KeithDavid #MoviePodcast #FilmPodcast #HorrorPodcast #80sMovies #ScienceFiction #CultMovies #CultCinema #MovieDiscussion #FilmDiscussion #HorrorMovies #SciFiMovies

• 00:00:00 — Why They Live Might Be Carpenter's Best
• 00:13:00 — Roddy Piper: The Perfect Everyman
• 00:29:00 — The Iconic Fight & What It Really Means
• 00:42:00 — The Homeless Heroes & the Politics of They Live
• 00:55:00 — Why They Live Feels More Relevant Than Ever
• 01:15:00 — Final Ratings: Is They Live a 5-Star Movie?

In this episode of Jason and the Movienauts, Michelle and Jason dive into two beautifully similar Douglas Sirk melodramas: Written on the Wind and The Tarnished Angels. We talk about wealth, desire, obsession, and the damaged characters at the heart of both films—including the unforgettable performances of Rock Hudson, Robert Stack, and Dorothy Malone.

What makes these characters so compelling—and why does Sirk turn their emotional lives up to eleven? Join us for a conversation about two films that reveal very different sides of the same filmmaker.

Timestamps:00:00 — Introducing Two Douglas Sirk Melodramas

05:00 — Mitch, Kyle & the Hadley Family's Twisted Relationship

11:40 — Wealth, Privilege & Melodrama Turned Up to 11

18:00 — Robert Stack, Dorothy Malone & the Tragedy of Written on the Wind

27:00 — Mitch as the Outsider—and Sirk's Lonely Characters

34:40 — The Tarnished Angels: Desperation, Desire & Life on the Edge

Jason Sacks, Paul McCoy, and Shawn Hill dig into the second two-thirds of John Carpenter's Apocalypse Trilogy: Prince of Darkness and In the Mouth of Madness.

With Shawn watching both films for the first time, the hosts unpack Carpenter's blend of theology, quantum physics, and cosmic horror in Prince of Darkness — from its "Jesus was an alien" mythology to its unsettling practical effects and claustrophobic, single-location setting.

They then shift to In the Mouth of Madness, exploring its Lovecraftian roots, Sam Neill's descent into madness, Sutter Cane's reality-warping influence, and the film's eerily prescient commentary on fandom, mass media, and "normies" who can't handle hidden truths.

The trio compares both films' practical effects, dissects Carpenter's recurring themes of isolation and inevitable doom, and closes with a look ahead at the director's 90s output. A must-listen for horror fans and Carpenter completists alike.Timestamps

• 00:00:01 – Intro: diving into the Apocalypse Trilogy's middle chapters, first impressions of Jameson Parker
• 00:19:10 – Prince of Darkness mythology: the guardian sacrifice and the nature of evil at the church
• 00:38:01 – The single-location, "haunted house" structure of Prince of Darkness and its practical effects
• 00:54:18 – Transition into In the Mouth of Madness: Sutter Kane's reality-bending artwork and dimension-hopping horror
• 01:16:11 – "Normies" and mass media: the film's commentary on audiences who can't handle deeper truths
• 01:34:12 – Lovecraft's lasting influence, John Trent as ultimate fanboy, and wrapping toward Carpenter's 90s films

Hashtags

#JohnCarpenter #PrinceOfDarkness #InTheMouthOfMadness #ApocalypseTrilogy #HorrorMoviePodcast #Lovecraftian #SamNeill #CosmicHorror #90sHorror #PracticalEffects #HorrorFilmAnalysis #CultClassics

Is the web-slinger’s latest cinematic outing a masterpiece or a mismatched digression? Join hosts Jason Sacks and Eric Hoffman as they dive deep into the latest Tom Holland Spider-Man film.

The duo breaks down why this blockbuster’s emotional core and stunning, real-world New York visuals represent a massive return to form.

But it’s not all praise—the hosts pull no punches when dissecting the film's controversial villain choices, underutilized actors, and plotlines that left them completely divided. Tune in to find out if this sequel truly stands at the top of the Marvel hierarchy!

WARNING: MANY SPOILERS!!

Key Timestamps

• 00:00 - Introduction & Spoiler Warning
• 01:34 - Premium Format Wars: RPX vs AMC XL
• 09:47 - Back to Basics: The Romita Sr. Costume Pop
• 16:31 - Under the Lens: Critiquing Director Daniel Cretton
• 22:53 - The Price of Maturity: The Cost of Growing Up
• 31:33 - Villain or Digression?: The Jean Grey Debate
• 41:52 - The Accountability Problem: A Lack of Consequences

In this episode of "Jason the Movienauts," hosts Jason Sacks and Michelle analyze two classic melodramas by director Douglas Sirk: 1955's All That Heaven Allows and 1956's There's Always Tomorrow.

They discuss how All That Heaven Allows tackles social hypocrisy, suburban conformity, and patriarchal expectations through a widow's romance with a younger gardener. Turning to There's Always Tomorrow, the hosts explore domestic dissatisfaction and mid-life isolation through Fred MacMurray's hollowed-out patriarch.

Ultimately, they praise Sirk's vibrant visual style, emotional depth, and timeless commentary on 1950s American family structures.

Timestamps:

• 00:00:04: The hosts introduce Douglas Sirk's distinct mid-century cinematic world.
• 00:14:00: They break down the cruel, selfish reactions of the children.
• 00:27:42: The conversation shifts to the film's runtime and deeper metaphysical themes.
• 00:41:24: They transition into the suburban isolation driving There's Always Tomorrow.
• 01:05:09: The duo compares the generational dynamics and behavior across both films.
• 01:10:17: They conclude with heavy praise for Fred MacMurray's powerful leading performance.

In this episode of "Jason the Movienauts," hosts Jason Sacks and Eric Hoffman contrast the kinetic fury of Shohei Imamura's 1961 satire Pigs and Battleships with the domestic claustrophobia of his 1964 film Intentions of Murder.

Pigs and Battleships uses a post-war American naval base, corrupt yakuza, and a swarm of hogs to critique Western modernization. Transitioning to Intentions of Murder, the duo unpacks the psychological depth of Sadako, a resilient woman navigating patriarchal cruelty.

Ultimately, the discussion frames both films as essential, visceral explorations of historical trauma and societal decay in post-war Japan.

Timestamps:

• 00:00:13: The hosts introduce director Shohei Imamura's early cinematic focus.
• 00:18:00: They dissect the illegal pig-breeding operations in post-war Yokosuka.
• 00:36:00: The duo assesses American military influences on Japanese youth identity.
• 00:54:00: The conversation shifts heavily toward the domestic trauma facing Sadako.
• 01:12:00: They analyze the thematic passivity of traditional 1960s male characters.
• 01:29:00: The episode concludes with praise for Imamura's visceral audio textures.

Jason, Paul, and Sean continue their John Carpenter journey with a sharp, funny double feature: the misfiring Memoirs of an Invisible Man and the beloved chaos of Big Trouble in Little China.

They dig into Chevy Chase’s awkward bid for dramatic credibility, the movie’s impressive invisible effects, Sam Neill’s scene-stealing presence, and Carpenter’s flashes of style inside a frustratingly dull project.

Then the energy flips as they celebrate Kurt Russell’s gloriously foolish Jack Burton, Dennis Dun’s true-hero status, and the joyful genre mashup that makes Big Trouble feel like a perfectly tuned cult-classic machine.

5 key moments with timestamps

1. 00:00:08 — Episode setup: Carpenter double feature, Big Trouble in Little China and Memoirs of an Invisible Man.
2. 00:06:05 — The hosts decide to start with “the pain” of Memoirs before moving to the pleasure.
3. 00:18:17 — Praise for Memoirs’ invisible effects and Sam Neill as the movie’s strongest reasons to watch.
4. 00:37:45 — Transition into Big Trouble in Little China, emphasizing how it handles its heroes and Jack Burton’s buffoonery.
5. 00:43:05 — The conversation fully shifts to “the good stuff” as the hosts begin celebrating Big Trouble in Little China.

Eric is back again, and the guys are digging into Japanese film again, continuing their look at two classics by the great Shōhei Imamura: The Insect Woman and History of Postwar Japan as Told by a Bar Hostess.

Both films are fascinating portraits of Imamura's favorite topics: Japan as a member of the underclass, and as a woman, as the country went through massive change.

The guys dig deep into the transformations in society, and how change deeply affects - and doesn't affect - these women who just survive. Sometimes like insects.

Michelle is back and we're starting to move into the prime period of Douglas Sirk's filmmaking. Sirk was famous for his melodramas that played with identity, a place in a fixed society, and the balance of responsibilities and dreams.

His films <i>Taza, Son of Cochise</i>, <i>Magnificent Obsession</i> and <i>All I Desire</i> each explore those ideas in dfferent ways. Not all are completely successful, but all are worth a deeper dive and closer exploration.

Paul and Shawn are back to talk John Carpenter movies. This time we're looking at two films that were more commercial for the master horror director: Christine and Starman. Shawn's husband has a tattoo of the car from Christine, so you can guess what Shawn's opinion of the film was. I was surprised by Paul's reacttion to Starman, which triggered a fun little debate among the guys.

Eric is back, and this time the guys are not discussing Japanese films! Instead, they decided to explore a pair of films directed by Alan Rudolph, a filmmaker mentored by Robert Altman and who directed some fascinatinhly odd films over his long career.

Eric and Jason decided to take a look at two Rudolph films which explore interesting historical figures: Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle and The Moderns. Though these films are similar, they take different paths to their ultimate conclusions and have overlapping but different feels to them.

Rudolph was kind of a blind spot for Jason; does he earn a spot in Jason's pantheon next to Altman or does the work fall short of genius?

Michelle is back, after she and Jason finished their epic watch of Billy Wilder films -- make sure to go back and listen to their rating list of Wilder movies if you haven't heard it yet!

So it was time to start a look at a new director for this pod, and who better than Michelle's all time favorite director, Douglas Sirk? Jason has enjoyed some of Sirk's melodramas, but never took the time to sit down and watch them systematically. So this is the perfect time to begin discussing the master's film work.

Sirk made movies going back to the silent era, but began making his mark in Hollywood with a series of post-War noirs. So Michelle and Jason thought this a perfect time to go back and watch those noirs, to help assess whether they're truly worthy of his longterm reputation or don't measure up to his true classics.

Carlos and Jason saw Backrooms together. After the film they got together for an in-depth conversation about that film, about the seeming transition of the film industry in America, and what that might mean for the future. Warning: this is an optimistic episode!

Carlos is back, and he's kind of burning up ready to share his comments about Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood, the Tarantino classic that has some deep and frustrating flaws according to Carlos. What are the flaws? Give the pod a listen, think about them, and then let us know what you think.

Also, major warning about SPOILERS for this episode.

Paul and Shaun are back to continue our look at the films of John Carpenter. Now it's time to discuss his film that has the biggest dichotomy between opinions when it first came out and opinions now: The Thing. Do the guys agreee with any of the complaints from 1982 or do they think this movie is a dead-on classic (spoilers for the episode but the film is a masterpiece)? And what makes it so perfect, anyway?

Michelle and Jason recently looked at nearly every film directed and/or cowritten by the great Billy Wilder. So it's time for the inevitable rankings episode. What Wilder film is number 31 and worst? Which of his masterpieces are best? And which are the mid-tier must-watches? Come listen and offer us your ratings in comments!

Eric is back once again, and once again he and Jason discuss classic Japanese cinema. But this time the pair discuss the work of one of the most iconic directors from that nation, one they hadn't discussed before: Yasujirō Ozu.

Eric and Jason dig into 1937's What Did the Lady Forget? and its 1952 semi-remake The Flavor of Green Tea Over Rice. In doing so, they explore Ozu's techniques, his vast empathy for people of all ages, his growing skill as a filmmaker and much more.

As always when Eric joins, the conversation ranges far and wide, and deep into intriguing theory. Hope you enjoy the episode!

Michelle is back for the conclusion of her and Jason's look at Billy Wilder's vast filmography, with a look at one of his absolute finest films, The Apartment. Jason overcomes his dislike of Jack Lemmon to appreciate a wonderfully subtle performance, while Michelle rhapsodizes over the brilliance and empathy of Wilder's storyline.

And both Michelle and Jason analyze the film, looking in nice detail into why just about every element of this film works - and why sometimes the most experienced creators are the most perfect people to work on a project.

Eric is back and he and Jason are continuing their deep dive into classic Japanese cinema with a look at two pitch-dark films directed by Yasuzō Masumura: Black Test Car and Giants and Toys. These dark satires of Japanese corporate life are fascinating, intense, often funny and often horrific satires of Japanese corporate life.

Eric and Jason make the case that these are under-seen true classics of cinema, very well worth rediscovery and the deluxe Criterion type presentation.

Paul and Shawn are back, so it has to be time for another discussion of the films of John Carpenter. This time, the pair take on a real Carpenter classic along with the only sequel Carpenter ever directed: Escape from New York and Escape from L.A. As he loves to do, perverse Paul defends L.A. as, well, not terrible - especially in the new 4k remaster. Shawn kinda disagrees, which makes for some really fun discussion.

Michelle is back for another episode discussing the filmic career of the great Bily Wilder. This time the pair discuss perhaps Wilder's final great film, the complicated and butchered (but still fascinating The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes. They also take up one of Wilder's intriguing final movies, the very strange and oddly sweet Avanti!

Avanti! (exclamation mark and all) is a film that comes remarkably close to being a great Wilder film. It has all the makings, but Jason and Michelle get into a long and intriguing discussion of why it's too full of old man energy to make the film worthwhile.

Paul Moyer joins Jason Sacks for the first of a series of discussions of 1970s dystopian cinema. This time: George Lucas's THX-1138 and Douglas Trumbull's Silent Running. Join Jason and Paul for a thoughftul and (we think) fascinating discussion of alienation, ecological collapse, the trauma of the 1960s, and the impact of loneliness in these two fascinating films. It's an hour of so of great listening.

Eric Hoffman joins Jason to talk about one of Alfred Hitchcock's classic films, the 1934 version of The Man Who Knew Too Much. You may be familiar with the 1950s version of this film starring Jimmy Stewart and Doris Day, but the earlier movie is actually better than th remake, with more complex characters, more clever scenes and a more satisfying climax. Eric and Jason explore what makes the earlier film better as well as how it fits into Hitchcock's long career. It's a fast paced hour long conversation we think you will enjoy.

Shawn and Paul are back to continue our look at the amazing films of John Carpenter. This time, the trio take a look at the two TV movies Carpenter directed in 1978-79, Someone's Watching Me! and Elvis!. Both movies are early work by a director learning on the job, and both are surprisingly pretty great on their own terms. Whether you know these films or not, we think you'll enjoy this listen.

In honor of Jason's upcoming trip to Japan, Eric is back to talk about two classic Japanese crime dramas - one of which is frequently listed as one of the greatest films ever to come out of that country.

A Fugitive from the Past is a deeply immersive and deeply impressive cop drama from director Tomu Uchida, while Vengeance is Mine is a deeply upsetting journey inside the mind and life of a serial killer/rapist/general terrible person, from director Shohei Imamura.

Uchida and Imamura both show sympathy for their reprehensible lead characters, but do both of them make the audience feel that same sympathy? Eric and Jason debate, compare and contrast to come to some interesting insights.

Michelle is back to continue our look at the films of Billy Wilder. This time we look at the the three films he made which start Walter Matthau and Jack Lemmon: The Fortune Cookie, The Front Page and Buddy Buddy. Are these three late career Wilder films lost classics or signs the old man didn't have his old fastball? Hmm, well, let's just say these are not the best films in Wilder's catalog...

Eric is back again, and as usual, he and Jason are talking about Japanese films. In fact, they're continuing their series on the work of Shohei Imamura with two fascinating, odd, contrasting films: The Eel and The Pornographers.

The former is an intriguing tale of redemption, guilt and the obscure love of a fish. The latter is, well, about the obscure love of a fish, as well as bizarre families, an intiguing filmic style, and some very unsexy pornography.

These are fascinating works of film art. Even if you're not familiar with them, we think this will be a good listen.

Paul and Shawn are back! And now it's time to dig into the real beginnings of John Carpenter's rise to filmic greatness. Yes, it's time to talk about Halloween and The Fog. Both are great, but what did people think of Halloween at the time it came out, and does the film still stand up today?

And is The Fog a brilliant ghost story or a slightly dull muddle? Hmm, could that be a preview of the interesting discussion in this episode? Spoilers say, yes, we have a great disagreement.

What do you think? Be sure to send us your opinions...

Paul and Shawn are back, and this time the guys are taking on a new project. It's time to dig into the movies of the great John Carpenter. We're not going to go completely chronological through his filmography (this later movies are famously bad) but we wanted to get his two earliest movies out of the way.

Dark Star and Assault on Precinct 13 are early works, but both have a lot to make them highly enjoyable. The slacker energy of Dark Star is especially fun for everybody this week.

Join us for the kickoff of what should be a fun series!

Michelle is back for our continuing discussion of Billy Wilder films. At this point we've watched and discussed 18 Wilder films which span the gamut of his career. There always comes a moment when doing a director durvey when we hit a few more minor obscure films in their filmography and that time is now for the great Wilder.

So this time we discuss a few notable films you might be less familiar with: The Emperor Waltz, The Spirit of St. Louis and The Major and the Minor.

All are relatively deep cuts, but all represent interesting moments in Wilder's career and are totally deserving of in-depth discussions diving deep into common themes and approaches. We hope you enjoy this pod as we begin to wrap up the great director's career.

Eric is back so it's time for him and Jason to dig into obscure masterpieces. Today the guys take on two brilliantly intense fils by British master Peter Watkins: Edvard Munch and The War Game.

Eric fills Jason in on Watkins's long and well documented history of making avant-garde films, then the guys dig deep into two of the most highly serious but emotionally satisfying movies of their experience. The Munch film in particular has so much complexity and integrity to it that the film sets a standard for biopics that may never be reached again.

I saw 93 movies released in 2026 so I feel like that's enough to give you a top 10, along with some honorable mentions and a few bottom feeders. Let me know what you think of the list!

Jacques Tati directed some of the most wonderfully humorous and charming comedies of all time. Eric Hoffman joins Jason to discuss Tati's short filmography and delight in Tati's meticulous attention to detail, his clashes between urbanism and tradition, and his deep influences on other filmmaking greats. This was Jason's first time watching a Tati film and he was blown away by the experience. It's an hour of great discussion we're sure you'll enjoy.

Michelle is back to continue Billy Wilder-Cast, this time with maybe one of the darknes movies ever committed to film, Ace in the Hole, and one of the most fun (but still kind of dark), Witness for the Prosecution. Do Jason and Michelle git whiplast from discussing these very different movies or do they find some intriguing common ground? (Spoiler: there is some common ground)

Shōhei Imamura's 1968 epic Profound Desires of the Gods is a brilliant, dizzying, extremely complex drama/satire focusing on a Japanese island in transition. The film focuses on one family on the island, a group of highly inbred people, and how the whole island reacts when post-WWI modernity starts to come to the island.

In other words, Profound Desires is just the kind of strange, heady and often surreal movie Eric and Jason love to talk about for this podcast. And talk they do, with 75 minutes of attempts to wrangle this unwieldy masterpiece into some kind of shape...

Eric is back this week, and the guys dive deep into Japanese film as they often do. This week, a look at two classic, contrasting takes on a Japanese legend, The Ballad of Narayama. Keisuke Kinoshita's 1958 version is sylized Kabuki brilliance, while Shōhei Imamura's 1983 take on the same material is deliberately strange: alienating, surreal and often brilliant in its own way.

Eric and Jason compare and contrast these two versions and find some interesting insights into the way art can illuminate history.

Shawn and Paul are back, which means it's time for the guys to wrap up their look at the Alien and Predator franchises with a review of Alien: Romulus and Predator: Badlands. Will the guys like the kids of Romulus and the family dynamics of Badlands ior will they demand the return of Sigourney and Arnold?

Michelle is back, so that means it's time again for our series looking at the films of the great Billy Wilder. This time: two of Wilder's silliest and most edgy movies -- at least, edgy for the 1960s -- Irma La Douce and Kill Me, Stupid!. Both films have a broad, wacky comedy sensibility, both involve some bed-hopping and other sexual transgressions, and both are very worthy of discussion on this week's show!

When Paul Moyer joins Jason to talk movies, that means it's '70s dystopia times. This time: two different sci-fi visions of the future from the mid-1970s. Rollerball seems prophetic in some ways, a deeply intriguing tale of future sports that imagines a future similar to the one we're living in now. Logan's Run, on the other hand, seems a little half-baked and poorly thought through, a clever idea contained in a movie that can't quite carry it. The discussion makes for an hour of interesting listening we hope you'll enjoy.

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