Movie Culture: Recent Episodes
Movie Culture
What messages are movies delivering? What makes them work or not work? And why does that matter?
Newbery Medal Winner Tae Keller and her husband Josh Nadel tackle these questions, and dissect the way movies both reflect and impact our culture. Tune in for story analysis, debates, a sprinkling of fun facts, and a whole lot of hot takes along the way.
We're closing out the year with Luca! We discuss nostalgia, fish love, and how we feel about representation.
02:16 Let's discuss!
05:00 Leisurely or dragging?
12:50 Side characters (This cat doesn't talk!)
16:55 They are most definitely in love
26:52 Can we ask for more?
33:35 What could explicit representation look like?
40:55 Josh loves trains
Today we're going deep, because we're talking about Soul! We discuss what makes a person, the meaning of life, and the horror of talking animals.
02:39 Let's Discuss! 11:18 What's stuck in Josh's craw? 19:25 We need to talk about race 26:34 The Zone 37:40 The Great Before 49:45 A twist message? 1:02:00 What's the deal with Joe?
Race in Soul: https://www.insider.com/pixar-soul-movie-review-2020-12
We took a bit of a break but...upward and onward, because today we are talking about Onward! We discuss planting and payoff, building theme into a setting, and how older siblings are truly the best.
02:15 Let's discuss!
09:15 How does the worldbuilding work?
17:42 Magical planting and pay off
37:55 Josh's one critique
40:35 Car Crash Watch!
43:30 What's the theme, and could it be stronger?
It’s the final installment of the Toy Story franchise! This week, we discuss Bo Peep’s feminism, Woody’s character growth, and how to thrive as an empty nester.
5:50 Bo Peep got pants!
15:40 How does Woody grow?
22:05 Let’s talk about trash toys!
31:03 So, what’s the theme?
36:15 The significance of Gabby Gabby
The Incredibles are back, and so are we! Today, we talk about power, influence, and justice.
01:58 Let's discuss!
07:00 What are the themes?
10:50 What do we think of the feminism?
20:50 Who has influence?
29:16 Wake up, Sheeple.
42:00 Who gets to administer justice?
48:55 Superheroes and the police
53:40 Brad Bird and an abundance of ideas
This week, we travel to the land of the dead to discuss Coco! We talk about memory and music, and analyze how + why this movie makes us cry.
03:00 Let's discuss!
12:21 Urbanism in the land of the dead
20:00 Let's talk about music
23:42 Why does this movie make us cry?
34:50 Plot Twists?
43:25 What's the theme?
It's the end of the Cars franchise! This week, we talk about half-hearted empowerment, fresh coats of paint, and generation wars.
01:50 Let's discuss!
06:42 What does it mean to age in Cars World?
11:23 Are we talking about the sexism now?
34:40 Josh talks about sports stats
39:20 Generations and technology
Does Finding Dory live up to its predecessor? This week, we discuss disability, heisting octopods, and the prison industrial complex.
02:08 Let's discuss!
07:55 A positive message about disability
16:33 Sequel problems, and treading familiar ground
21:47 Tae doesn't think octopods can drive, even though they have nine brains
29:14 Josh takes a big swing. Do you agree?
Link: https://www.theodysseyonline.com/psychology-behind-dorys-short-term-memory-loss
Dust of your archaeologist gear, because we are digging deep! This week, we talk about The Good Dinosaur, the challenges of storytelling, why this movie may not have worked, and what might have made it better.
00:33 Synopsis 1:30 Let's discuss! 12:18 What is "story structure" and how does this movie interpret it? 20:50 Why is this movie about dinosaurs? 22:48 We have to talk about the animation 27:12 Pixar Fix(a)r: Let's brainstorm other ideas for this movie 51:38 The challenges of storytelling, and why this isn't a "bad" movie.
Inside Out! It's Pixar's most critically acclaimed movie. Do we agree?
00:32 Synopsis 01:30 Let's discuss! 12:54 What do the dynamics of "headquarters" say about us, and about maturity? 23:22 How does this movie handle stakes? 32:00 The importance of nuanced emotions 40:04 Our only critique
Grab your textbooks and hacky sacks, because we're taking you to school! This movie is all about institutions, finding value within capitalism, and... beer-lympics.
00:30 Synopsis
01:21 Let's Discuss!
10:04 The depth to Randall's character
19:11 "Scariness" and the traditional markers of masculinity
26:19 What makes someone valuable?
35:00 We try to make sense of this movie's take on capitalism, production, and value--and disagree a bit.
We interrupt your regular Pixar listening with some non-kid movies! Today, we discuss the eight movies nominated for Best Picture!
01:08 The Father
06:44 Sound of Metal
**Minor Sound of Metal spoiler 10:07-10:42
13:12 Judas and the Black Messiah
24:50 Mank
33:49 Promising Young Woman
38:33 Minari
48:00 The Trial of the Chicago 7
1:01:08 Nomadland
1:09:15 What about the Best Writing category?
1:18:20 Our Oscar Picks!
If you could change your fate, would ya? Good question, Merida! We wanted to like this movie more than we did..so what went wrong?
00:35 Synopsis
02:26 Let's discuss!
11:42 Tae's research corner: Behind-the-scenes
15:10 Conflicting themes
27:55 Josh's philosphy corner: What is fate?
36:50 Sexist tropes strike again
ReleaseTheChapmanCut
In our last episode, Josh said that if we don't like WALL-E but we like Cars 2, we're not a legitimate Pixar podcast. Well...
01:43 Let's discuss!
09:21 The problem with Lightning and Mater
18:50 What does it mean to be an American?
24:24 Cars 2 tackles autocracy and Big Oil
32:38 The hottest of hot takes
We're back at it again with Woody and the gang! Does this movie hold up? Do they have enough toy puns to fill a whole third movie? Let's find out!
00:28 Synopsis 01:57 Let's discuss! 10:07 Do these romances work? 14:39 How does this movie raise the stakes? 19:56 Car Crash Watch! 22:00 This is a Pro-Sid podcast 28:06 What are the themes?
This week is different, so we're doing something different.
00:00 <3 05:02 Let's discuss 06:06 The subtle significance of Raya's guilt 09:50 The depth of a ragtag crew 16:15 Southeast Asian representation 20:00 The world of the movie 26:55 Themes! 35:17 Is this a princess movie?
How to support the Asian community: https://stopaapihate.org/
Raya reviews:
https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a35761466/raya-and-the-last-dragon-review-representation-southeast-asia/
https://studybreaks.com/tvfilm/raya-and-the-last-dragon/
Turn it UP! And by 'it', we mean this podcast, because today we're talking about beautiful metaphors, tricky second acts, and an infamous montage.
02:26 Let's discuss! 03:40 How does the montage work? 09:04 Would Up be better as a short film? 15:32 Why doesn't the rest of the movie live up to the first act? 34:14 Kevin doesn't die, at least 37:51 What are the themes? 50:35 Josh zags! How does Pixar suspend our disbelief?
It's the end of the world. Humans have destroyed the planet and have taken to space. But that doesn't stop Movie Culture! Join us as we talk about this trash movie about a trash robot. (Technically, that's true).
01:58 Let's discuss! 03:28 What did we like? 10:57 What makes us human? 12:30 Do robots have feelings? 21:00 Wall E and Eve(a): Is it a bad romance? 28:24 Does work make us human? 38:30 Fatphobia in Wall-E 46:45 Is this a climate movie?
Bonjour! Join us as we discuss a boy who wants to cook, the rat mafia, and the relationship between art and criticism.
00:30 Plot Synopsis 02:40 Let's Discuss! 02:48 What did we like? 11:55 It tastes like sexism 16:30 Does Remy's character work? 19:40 Family vs. passion 22:25 What does this movie have to say about theft? 29:03 What if this is a class story? 34:07 Art, art criticism, and the critic
Vroom, vroom! This week, we take the scenic route through small town America, questionable character arcs, and the end of humanity.
00:32 Plot synopsis 01:45 Let's discuss! 03:23 How does this world work? 10:11 Where does Lightning come from, and why does that matter? 16:34 Sports narratives, endings, and the part Tae liked 20:28 Pixar Fixer 23:19 Pacing and the purpose of montage 28:43 The Pixar Sexism Segment 32:07 The case against cars (#JoshHatesCars)
It's the most incredible episode of The Incredibles! We join Mr. Incredible, Elastigirl, Dash, and Violet, and try not to ruin our childhoods.
00:55 Plot synopsis 02:28 Let's discuss! 03:36 "The superhero-ness of it all" 12:10 What are the kids' character arcs? 20:16 Was there an affair? 30:10 What's Mr. Incredible's problem? 33:20 How do the parents inform their children? 38:55 Superpowers as traditional family roles 41:06 What does it mean to be special? 43:08 Superhero (genre) origin story and the death of the underdog
It's Finding Nemo! The movie that lived on Best Buy screens for years. Does it hold up?
00:27 Plot summary 01:54 Let's discuss! 05:03 Why is this movie so immersive? 09:25 How does it maintain an emotional throughline within an episodic narrative? 14:20 Is this didactic storytelling? 22:56 Marlin is the Liam Neeson of fish. 27:10 How do we feel about Dory? 33:09 A coming of age moment.
email: movieculturepodcast@gmail.com twitter: @movieculturepod
We take a trip through our closet doors into Monstropolis, where we gush about Sully, Mike, and Boo.
00:27 Plot Recap
02:00 Let's discuss!
02:20 What works? (Gush, gush, gush)
11:25 The morality of priority
21:10 What's the punchline?
25:55 Oh, sexism again
28:43 But also a really nice depiction of fatherhood!
31:25 Pete Docter (gush, gush, gush + idea development)
Who are your favorite Pixar voice actors?
Twitter: @movieculturepod Email: movieculturepodcast@gmail.com
It's Toy Story 2! Buzz and Woody are back, and so are we! This time, we meet Jessie, Bullseye, and, uh, Barbies.
00:30 Plot recap
02:42 Let's discuss!
03:20 We stan Buzz Lightyear
07:00 Womp, womp, sexism.
16:46 What makes a car crash funny?
21:05 Is this story about identity?
28:30 An epic Woody comparison and the meaning of life.
34:01 Kids vs Adults vs Capitalism
What are the best songs that exist in movies? Tae begrudgingly says Shallow from A Star is Born, because obviously. Josh shouts out Tennis Ball from Always Be My Maybe
Twitter: @movieculturepod Email: movieculturepodcast@gmail.com
This episode, we talk about A Bug's Life! Also Antz. But mostly A Bug's Life and the movie's political messaging.
00:07 Plot recap
01:37 Let's discuss!
02:18 Tae really wants to talk about Antz.
07:43 What makes Flik likeable?
09:27 How does Pixar make us care about bugs?
17:00 How does a story communicate theme?
24:19 Overt Socialist messaging in the colony. Rise up!
33:17 Why does kids' media matter?
Twitter: @movieculturepod Email: movieculturepodcast@gmail.com
It's Toy Story! The very first Pixar movie for our very first podcast episode! Does it hold up? Let's talk about Woody, Buzz, and the whole gang.
00:43 Plot Recap
02:49 Let's discuss!
04:23 What's the value of action in kids' media?
06:54 How evil is Sid really?
09:54 What's the theme?
15:18 Tae talks about coming of age stories
18:34 Is Woody really the hero?
24:49 What does it mean to be a kids' movie?
Twitter: @movieculturepod Email: movieculturepodcast@gmail.com