The Matinee: Recent Episodes
Ryan McNeil
Runtime
88 minutes
Show Contents
0:00 Introduction
2:08 Know Your Enemy with guest Vanya Garraway
32:05 The New Slang : I WANT YOUR SEX
1:14:00 The Other Side : Vanya and Ryan talk further reading after Greg Araki’s new film
Links Mentioned on Episode 374:
The NY Times podcast on Gen Z and their changing attitudes towards sex:
Episode 372 where Marya Gates and I talked about THE INVITE
Russell Crowe describing how Ridley Scott had him “look at the bird”:
Episode 216 where Sofia Texeira and I talked about VELVET BUZZZSAW
Vanya’s BlueSky can be found here. The Matinee’s BlueSky can be found here and Letterboxd can be found here.
Comments and feedback are welcome and thank you very much for listening.
Enjoy!
Runtime
75 minutes
Show Contents
0:00 Introduction
3:01 Know Your Enemy with guest Traci Thomas
21:36 The Feature Attraction : Books to Films
Links Mentioned on Episode 373:
Sarah Churchwell’s book about CONE WITH THE WIND, “The Wrath to Come”
Traci’s Instagram can be found here, and her Substack can be found here.
The Matinee’s BlueSky can be found here and Letterboxd can be found here. Comments and feedback are welcome and thank you very much for listening.
Enjoy!
Runtime
109 minutes
Show Contents
0:00 Introduction
3:47 Know Your Enemy with guest Marya E. Gates
21:26 The New Slang : THE INVITE
1:24:04 The Other Side : Marya and Ryan talk further reading after Olivia Wilde’s new film
Links Mentioned on Episode 372:
Marya’s post about MINIONS AND MONSTERS
Marya’s Letterboxd list about Rural Life Done Right
Kevin Kline going all “Avanti!” in WILD WILD WEST
Marya’s interview with Olivia Wilde on Ebert.com
Marya’s interview with THE INVITE production designer Jade Healy for Indiewire.
Trailer for THE BREAK-UP (2006)
Matineecast special lockdown episode on Certified Copy
Marya’s Letterboxd can be found here, and her BlueSky can be found here. The Matinee’s BlueSky can be found here and Letterboxd can be found here. Comments and feedback are welcome and thank you very much for listening.
Enjoy!
Runtime
115 minutes
Show Contents
0:00 Introduction
1:43 Know Your Enemy with guest Corey Atad
28:38 The New Slang : DISCLOSURE DAY
1:19:04 The Other Side : Corey and Ryan talk further reading after Steven Spielberg’s new film
Links Mentioned on Episode 371:
The Lumiere Brothers’ “Train Coming Into a Station” :
The scene in Martin Scorsese’s HUGO where you see Ben Kingsley as George Mellies and the rest of the gathered crowd react to this new technology (at 1:29) :
Ron Chernow’s biography of Mark Twain
Corey’s interview with SOUTHLAND TALES director Richard Kelly for GQ
Corey’s homepage where all of his lovely writing is collected
The soundtrack to The Farrelys’ DUMB AND DUMBER
Corey’s Letterboxd can be found here, and his BlueSky can be found here. The Matinee’s BlueSky can be found here and Letterboxd can be found here. Comments and feedback are welcome and thank you very much for listening.
Enjoy!
Runtime
88 minutes
Show Contents
0:00 Introduction
4:23 Know Your Enemy with guest Andrew Robinson
31:34 The New Slang : I LOVE BOOSTERS
62:54 The Other Side : Andrew and Ryan talk further reading after Boots Riley’s new film
Links Mentioned on Episode 370:
Matineecast 369 where we discussed MOULIN ROUGE! during “Know Your Enemy”
Boots Riley’s interview on The Daily Show:
Portal bookends:
Matineecast 271 where we talked about THE FRENCH DISPATCH OF THE LIBERTY KANSAS EVENING SUN … wow, how has it already been 100 episodes since then?
Andrew’s Letterboxd can be found here. The Matinee’s BlueSky can be found here and Letterboxd can be found here. Comments and feedback are welcome and thank you very much for listening.
Enjoy!
Runtime
84 minutes
Show Contents
0:00 Introduction
3:17 Know Your Enemy with guest Kaite Hogan
30:41 The New Slang : SOME LIKE IT HOT
66:53 The Other Side : Katie and Ryan talk further reading after Billy Wilder’s classic film
Links Mentioned on Episode 369:
Episode 200 of The Matineecast live in Lindon
Film Hounds, where Katie is an editor
Katie’s TikTok about Edinburgh Film Fest and LIBRARY SUICIDES:
@shelikesmovies2 Taking you back to Edinburgh Film Festival 2016 with TheLibrarySuicides film.
♬ original sound – SheLikesMovies
Marilyn’s iconic dress in SOME LIKE IT HOT:
The Broadway adaptation of the soundtrack for Moulin Rouge! :
The Matinee’s BlueSky can be found here and Letterboxd can be found here. Comments and feedback are welcome and thank you very much for listening.
Enjoy!
Runtime
84 minutes
Show Contents
0:00 Introduction
4:04 Know Your Enemy with guest Keisha Howerth
27:28 The New Slang : MOTHER MARY
59:44 The Other Side : Keisha and Ryan talk further reading after David Lowry’s new film
Links Mentioned on Episode 368:
Trailer for the HBO Docmentary about Rock Hudson, ALL THAT HEAVEN ALLOWED:
Keisha’s post about crushing on Rock for the Reel Stars, Reel Crushes blog-a-thon
The Erotic 90’s episode of You Must Remember This where the gang discusses Ken Russell’s 90’s thriller, WHORE
The trailer for WHORE:
Keisha’s Letterboxd can be found here. The Matinee’s BlueSky can be found here and Letterboxd can be found here. Comments and feedback are welcome and thank you very much for listening.
Enjoy!
Runtime
92 minutes
Show Contents
0:00 Introduction
2:04 Know Your Enemy with guest Bob Turnbull
28:21 The New Slang : THE CHRISTOPHERS
1:10:25 The Other Side : Bob and Ryan talk further reading after Steven Soderbergh’s new film
Links Mentioned on Episode 367:
Correction – During conversation of LEE in The Other Side, I identified the magazine Lee Miller worked for as LIFE magazine. Lee, in fact, worked for British Vogue.
The Matineecast Letterboxd List – and you can peruse the stats page here
Episode 78 where we talked about SIDE EFFECTS.
The botched restoration of Ecce Homo by Cecilia Giménez:
Lee Miller’s photographic portfolio
Bob’s BlueSky can be found here and his Letterboxd can be found here. The Matinee’s BlueSky can be found here and Letterboxd can be found here. Comments and feedback are welcome and thank you very much for listening.
Enjoy!
Runtime
80 Minutes
Show Contents
0:00 Introduction with guest, Brian J Roan
4:13 The New Slang: THE DRAMA
38:12 Spoiler Section for THE DRAMA
58:02 The Other Side: Brian and Ryan talk further reading after Kristoffer Borgli’s new film
Links Mentioned on Episode 366:
Schmidt Spirits where Brian peddles his delicious hooch.
Episode 352 where Brian & I discussed EDDINGTON
James Lasdun’s book “The Horned Man”
Opening scene of ENDURING LOVE – Warning: Graphic Imagery at the 7 minute mark
Episode 200 where we talk about empathetic films, including DEAD MAN WALKING
Brian’s Twitter can be found here.
The Matinee’s BlueSky can be found here and Letterboxd can be found here. Comments and feedback are welcome and thank you very much for listening.
Enjoy!
Runtime
91 Minutes
Show Contents
0:00 Introduction
3:23 Know Your Enemy with guest, Courtney Small
25:18 The New Slang: NIRVANNA: THE BAND, THE SHOW, THE MOVIE
1:10:25 The Other Side: Courtney and Ryan talk further reading after Matthew Johnson’s new film
Links Mentioned on Episode 365:
Episode 245 where Courtney and I discuss THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7
Courtneys review of Miroirs no. 3 on Exclaim!
The Brave Shores song that features in NTBTSTM:
Courtney’s Twitter can be found here.
The Matinee’s BlueSky can be found here and Letterboxd can be found here. Comments and feedback are welcome and thank you very much for listening.
Enjoy!
Runtime
91 Minutes
Show Contents
0:00 Introduction
4:14 Know Your Enemy with guest, Heidy Morales
21:59 The New Slang: THE BRIDE!
1:07:50 The Other Side: Heidy and Ryan talk further reading after Maggie Gyllenhaal’s new film
Links Mentioned on Episode 364:
The show notes for Episode 242 where I wrote about not wanting to get drawn into a fleeting cinematic argument.
Episode 287 where we discuss CRIMES OF THE FUTURE
The visual of The Creature from The Black Lagoon swimming beneath Julie Adams, unawares
Mallory O’Meara’s book on the flim, “The Lady from The Black Lagoon”
MILENNIUM MAMBO’s listing on Letterboxd – the banner image is one Heidy found affecting.
Episode 363 where we discuss “WUTHERING HEIGHTS”
Gyllenhaal, Buckley, and Bale discuss with Letterboxd the films that inspired THE BRIDE! in the screening room.
Episode 197 where we discuss A QUIET PLACE (and Lola mentions “Bartleby the Scrivner” at some point)
“Bartleby the Scrivner” by Herman Melville
Maureen O’Hara’s monologue at the end of DANCE GIRL DANCE
Toronto Sketch Comedy Festival
Heidy’s writing on Oscar nominated short, THE GIRL WHO CRIED PEARLS
Heidy can be followed at:
TikTok :: BlueSky :: Letterboxd :: YouTube :: Instagram
The Matinee’s BlueSky can be found here and Letterboxd can be found here. Comments and feedback are welcome and thank you very much for listening.
Enjoy!
Runtime
91 Minutes
Show Contents
0:00 Introduction
3:02 Know Your Enemy with guest, Ruby Dhillon
23:27 The New Slang: “WUTHERING HEIGHTS”
1:03:02 The Other Side: Ruby and Ryan talk further reading after Emerald Fennell’s new film
Links Mentioned on Episode 363:
Episode 201 where we review HEREDITARY
A photo from my 2017 audience with Boy George and Culture Club:
The Aretha Franklin gowns meme:
Episode 253 where Ruby and I review PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN
Tina Fey on Las Cultaristas podcast talking about the third act of SALTBURN (and how Bowen Yang can no longer criticize other artists work) :
Cineplex’s “Bitter Heartbreak” cocktail – it’s a little hard to tell, but that snifter is the size of a fishbowl:
“Local God” by Everclear – on the ROMEO + JULIET soundtrack and once the theme song to this podcast:
Episode 280 where we talked about CYRANO
Episode 355 where we talked about FRANKENSTEIN
The Stacks podcast episode 396 where the book club pick for the October 2025 was Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein”
The Matinee’s BlueSky can be found here and Letterboxd can be found here. Comments and feedback are welcome and thank you very much for listening.
Enjoy!
Runtime
69 minutes
Show Contents
0:00 Introduction with guest Simon Columb
3:12 The New Slang – 28 YEARS LATER: THE BONE TEMPLE
56:19 The Other Side: Simon and Ryan talk further reading after Nia DaCosta new film
Links Mentioned on Episode 358:
Episode 350 where Simon and I discussed 28 YEARS LATER
Episode 203 where Rachel West and I discussed LEAVE NO TRACE
Simon’s Letterboxd can be found here. The Matinee’s BlueSky can be found here and Letterboxd can be found here. Comments and feedback are welcome and thank you very much for listening.
Enjoy!
Runtime
125 minutes
Up for Discussion
- Introduction and welcome guest Marya E. Gates. (0:00)
- Rundown of the nominees for adapted and original screenplay (2:33)
- Rundown of the nominees for Supporting Actress, Supporting Actor, Actress, and Actor (22:30)
- Rundown of the nominees for Best Direction and Best Picture (1:14:20)
- Omissions, trends, and predictions (1:37:21)
Links from the show:
Richard Brody’s New Yorker reaction to this year’s Oscar class
Marya’s writing on Roger Ebert
Marya’s 2024 interview with Ethan Hawke
Marya’s Letterboxd review of Marty Supreme
Matineecast 357 where we review Wicked: For Good
Marya’s writing on Letterboxd – and likewise, her Letterboxd Reviews
Marya’s book – Cinema Her Way
Thanks for tuning in.
Marya’s Bluesky feed can be found here. Comments and feedback are welcome, and thank-you very much for listening.
Enjoy!
Runtime
72 minutes
Show Contents
0:00 Introduction with guest Jamie Dew
4:37 The New Slang – COUNTING CROWS: HAVE YOU SEEN ME LATELY?
52:18 The Other Side: Jamie and Ryan talk further reading after Amy Scott’s new film
Links Mentioned on Episode 358:
Steve Hyden’s writing on Counting Crows
The Paul Dano headphone gif from LOVE & MERCY
Jamie’s Letterboxd can be found here. The Matinee’s BlueSky can be found here and Letterboxd can be found here. Comments and feedback are welcome and thank you very much for listening.
Enjoy!
Runtime113 minutes
Up for Discussion
- Introduction with Hillary Butler and Bob Turnbull
- THE FIVES (3:02)
- THE FOURS (15:49)
- THE THREES (35:49)
- THE TWOS (1:06:18)
- THE ONES (1:31:20)
- HONOURABLE MENTIONS (1:40:39)
Links from The Show:
Hillary’s review of SORRY, BABY from Sundance 2025
The Doctor Manhattan meme:
The “This is Fine” meme:
Matineecast 355 where Jo Ryan and I talk about FRANKENSTEIN
Jonny Greenwood’s original score for ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER ( Apple / Spotify )
Matineecast 353 where Corey Atad and I talk about ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER
Hillary’s Bluesky feed can be found here. Bob’s Bluesky feed can be found here.You can subscribe to the Matineecast via iTunes or RSS
Comments and feedback are welcome, and thank-you very much for listening and all the best for the new year!
Enjoy!
Runtime
77 minutes
Show Contents
0:00 Introduction with guest Jim Laczkowski
4:38 The New Slang: HAMNET
58:28 The Other Side: Jim and Ryan talk further reading after Chloé Zhao’s new film
Links Mentioned on Episode 358:
Sound Opinions podcast
The Chloé Zhao tee I was wearing recording this episode from Girls on Tops
Jim’s Letterboxd can be found here. The Matinee’s BlueSky can be found here and Letterboxd can be found here. Comments and feedback are welcome and thank you very much for listening.
Enjoy!
Runtime
61 minutes
Show Contents
0:00 Introduction with guest Hillary Butler
2:36 The New Slang: WICKED: FOR GOOD
43:01 The Other Side: Hillary and Ryan talk further reading after Jon M. Chu’s new film
Links Mentioned on Episode 356:
Matineecast 357 where Hillary and I discussed WICKED: PART ONE
Hillary’s review of SENTIMENTAL VALUE
Hillary’s BlueSky can be found here and Letterboxd can be found here. The Matinee’s BlueSky can be found here and Letterboxd can be found here. Comments and feedback are welcome and thank you very much for listening.
Enjoy!
Runtime
76 minutes
Show Contents
0:00 Introduction
2:49 Know Your Enemy with guest Sharon Gissy
20:06 The New Slang: DIE MY LOVE
59:18 The Other Side: Sharon and Ryan talk further reading after Lynne Ramsay new film
Links Mentioned on Episode 356:
The Director’s Club Podcast, where Sharon features on the B-Side Me Series
The Mental Filmness festival that Sharon curates
Trailer for Let’s Scare Jessica to Death:
The Matinee’s BlueSky can be found here and Letterboxd can be found here. Comments and feedback are welcome and thank you very much for listening.
Enjoy!
Runtime
64 minutes
Show Contents
0:00 Introduction with guest Jo Ryan
4:07 The New Slang: FRANKENSTEIN
The Matinee’s BlueSky can be found here and Letterboxd can be found here. Comments and feedback are welcome and thank you very much for listening.
Enjoy!
Runtime
74 minutes
Show Contents
0:00 Introduction
3:11 Know Your Enemy with guest, Vanya Garraway
19:05 The New Slang: THE SMASHING MACHINE
57:58 The Other Side: Vanya and Ryan talk further reading after Benny Safdie’s new film
Links Mentioned on Episode 354:
Vanya’s previous appearances on Episode 328 and Episode 314
Episode 353 where we discuss ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER
Episode 306 where we discuss HEAT
Heidi Gardner as Angel, The Girlfriend in Every Boxing Movie Ever:
Episode 224 where we discuss RAGING BULL
The Paid in Sweat teaser for RAGING BULL:
Vanya’s Twitter can be found here. The Matinee’s BlueSky can be found here and Letterboxd can be found here. Comments and feedback are welcome and thank you very much for listening.
Enjoy!
Runtime
84 minutes
Show Contents
0:00 Introduction with guest Corey Atad
1:55 The New Slang: ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER
1:05:22 The Other Side: Corey and Ryan talk further reading after Paul Thomas Anderson’s new film
Links Mentioned on Episode 353:
My Blindspot Series post on THE BATTLE OF ALGIERS
Matineecast 306 where we reviewed Michael Mann’s HEAT
coreyatad.com – Corey’s home for all his writing.
justatad.xyz – Corey’s newsletter
A few written pieces by yours truly from TIFF 2025
Corey’s BlueSky can be found here. The Matinee’s BlueSky can be found here and Letterboxd can be found here. Comments and feedback are welcome and thank you very much for listening.
Enjoy!
Runtime
81 minutes
Show Contents
0:00 Introduction with guest Brian J Roan
3:25 The New Slang: EDDINGTON
33:41 Spoiler Section
60:55 The Other Side: Brian and Ryan talk further reading after Ari Aster’s new film
Links Mentioned on Episode 352:
Brian’s splendid hooch parlour, Schmidt Spirits
Episode 305 where we reviewed BEAU IS AFRAID
The theatrical trailer for EDDINGTON:
Episode 292 where we reviewed DON’T WORRY DARLING
Film Stage Podcast episode 484 where they reviewed DON’T WORRY DARLING
Brian’s reaction to the safe blasphemy of CONCLAVE
*The Matinee’s BlueSky can be found here and Letterboxd can be found here. Comments and feedback are welcome and thank you very much for listening.*
Enjoy!
Runtime
84 minutes
Show Contents
0:00 Introduction
1:46 Know Your Enemy with guest Britany A. Murphy
21:15 The New Slang: SUPERMAN
54:05 Spoiler Section
69:30 The Other Side: Britany and Ryan talk further reading after James Gunn’s new film
Links Mentioned on Episode 343:
The kitchen scene in THE IRON GANT
Muses of Media Twitter can be found here. The Matinee’s BlueSky can be found here and Letterboxd can be found here. Comments and feedback are welcome and thank you very much for listening.****
Enjoy!
Runtime
68 minutes
Show Contents
0:00 Introduction
2:22 The New Slang : 28 YEARS LATER with guest Simon Columb
32:27 Spoiler section
Links Mentioned on Episode 350:
Pop Culture Detective’s visual essay on The Myth of The Alpha Male
A brief history of Jimmy Saville
Simon’s Letterboxd can be found here. The Matinee’s BlueSky can be found here and Letterboxd can be found here. Comments and feedback are welcome and thank you very much for listening.
Enjoy!
Runtime
53 minutes
Show Contents
0:00 Introduction
2:44 The New Slang : MATERIALISTS with guest Hillary Butler
28:59 Spoiler section
Links Mentioned on Episode 349:
Ryan’s written review of MATERIALISTS
Hillary’s review of THE TROUBLE WITH JESSICA on Live for Film
Matineecast 308 where we reviewed PAST LIVES
Matineecast 289 where we reviewed CHA CHA REAL SMOOTH
Matineecast 318 where Ryan called PAST LIVES the best film he saw in 2023
The (misleading) trailer for MATERIALISTS
The final scene of GARDEN STATE
The final scene of THE GRADUATE
Hillary’s BlueSky can be found here. The Matinee’s BlueSky can be found here and Letterboxd can be found here. Comments and feedback are welcome and thank you very much for listening.
Enjoy!
Runtime
60 minutes
Show Contents
0:00 Introduction
3:07 The New Slang : WARFARE with guest Bob Turnbull
Links Mentioned on Episode 348:
Matineecast 323 where Bob and I talk about Wim Wenders PERFECT DAYS
The goals and rules of dogme 95 filmmaking as detailed by Thomas Vinterberg
Bob’s BlueSky can be found here. The Matinee’s BlueSky can be found here and Letterboxd can be found here. Comments and feedback are welcome and thank you very much for listening.
Enjoy!
Runtime
53 minutes
Show Contents
0:00 Introduction
3:16 Know Your Enemy with guest Kate Armstrong
20:31 The New Slang : THE WEDDING BANQUET
Links Mentioned on Episode 347:
Matineecast 340 where we talk about another recent remake, NOSFERATU
My blindspot post on Luis Buñuel’s BELLE DE JOUR
Kate’s BlueSky can be found here. The Matinee’s BlueSky can be found here and Letterboxd can be found here. Comments and feedback are welcome and thank you very much for listening.
Enjoy!
Runtime
57 minutes
Show Contents
0:00 Introduction
4:31 The New Slang : THE BALLAD OF WILLIS ISLAND with guest Heidy Morales
39:40 The Other Side: Heidy and Ryan talk further reading after James Griffiths’ new film
Links Mentioned on Episode 346:
Matineecast 308 where Kurt and I talked about PAST LIVES
Matineecast 99 where Corey Atad and I talked about THE BROKEN CIRCLE BREAKDOWN
The soundtrack for THE BROKEN CIRCLE BREAKDOWN:
Heidy can be followed at:
TikTok :: BlueSky :: Letterboxd :: YouTube :: Instagram
The Matinee’s BlueSky can be found here and Letterboxd can be found here. Comments and feedback are welcome and thank you very much for listening.
Enjoy!
Runtime
97 minutes
Show Contents
0:00 Introduction
3:35 Know Your Enemy with guest Kurt Halfyard
31:46 The New Slang: BLACK BAG
78:018 The Other Side: Kurt and Ryan talk further reading after Steven Soderbergh’s new film
Thoughts from Your Host
A Question for You, Dear Listeners –
In the middle of this episode, we touch on the nature of spoilers – specifically how it affects the people who listen to this show.
You see, over the lifespan of this show we have generally tried to keep our conversations spoiler-free as a way to maximize engagement. It’s not that I believe that giving details away will actual ruin one’s experience with a film, so much as it is a feeling that there is much more to talk about when it comes to movies than who-did-what-to-who.
Discussing themes, sharing personal experiences, bringing personal perspectives – these are the conversational points I find more interesting, and perhaps why you choose this show to tune into.
However –
This assumes that people listen to shows where they haven’t seen the film yet – which may or may not be the case. While I like to believe that people listen to us talk about a film they haven’t seen yet and use it as a spark to track it down, I know from personal experience that many of you might watch a movie one evening and then pick through my feed to see if it’s a film we did a show on (“…what did Ryan think of this?…)
So if you don’t mind, get in touch and let me know how you watch-and-listen:
Are you the sort to listen to us talk about a film you haven’t seen yet – or do you come back and join us after you have watched for yourself?
Thanks in advance!
Links Mentioned on Episode 345:
Matineecast 267 where Kurt and I talked about THE GREEN KNIGHT
“Things in Life” scene in CHUNGKING EXPRESS
My Blindspot post after my first time watching THE THING
Kurt has two Instagrams that you can follow here and here. The Matinee’s BlueSky can be found here and Letterboxd can be found here. Comments and feedback are welcome and thank you very much for listening.
Enjoy!
Runtime
83 minutes
Show Contents
0:00 Introduction
2:43 Know Your Enemy with guest Ruby Dhillon
18:56 The New Slang: MICKEY 17
50:09 The Other Side: Ruby and Ryan talk further reading after Bong Joon Ho’s new film
Thoughts from Your Host
In the introduction to this episode, I mention how spring is such a mixed-bag when it comes to film.
I thought about it a little more though, and I’ truly grateful for spring. After all, in recent years spring has given us CHALLENGERS, CIVIL WAR, CLOUDS OF SILS MARIA, EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE, EX-MACHINA, FIRST COW, GET OUT, HEREDITARY, NEVER RARELY SOMETIMES ALWAYS, A QUIET PLACE, THE RIDER, SHIVA BABY, and US…to name but a few.
Long live Spring.
Links Mentioned on Episode 325:
Matineecast 323 where Bob Turnbull an I discussed PERFECT DAYS
Matineecast 281 where Ruby and I discussed TURNING RED
Matineecast 325 where Ruby and I discussed CHALLENGERS
Comments and feedback are welcome and thank you very much for listening.
Enjoy!
Runtime
83 minutes
Show Contents
0:00 Introduction
3:05 Know Your Enemy with guest Robyn Bahr
20:39 The New Slang: I’M STILL HERE
52:02 Spoiler Section
67:12 The Other Side: Robyn and Ryan talk further reading after Walter Salles’ new film
Thoughts from your host…
Welcome to the morning-after and one of the weirdest bits of Oscar kismet this podcast has ever stumbled into.
Over the last twenty years or so, with the filmmaking guilds growing in prominence, it’s become easier and easier to predict Oscar wins by the time we get to the big night. Even if – like me – you don’t do well with your Oscar ballot, by the time the ceremony arrives there are generally no surprises.
Until there are – and that’s where this episode becomes relevant.
EMILIA PÉREZ came into the night both with momentum (14 nominations), and losing steam (critical reaction to the film, bad PR around one of its stars). As the night starts to play out, awards start to come its way in the form of Best Supporting Actress and Best Song. Reading the tea leaves, a win for Best International Film still seemed very much in the bag.
…and then Penélope Cruz calls up I’M STILL HERE.
Not the deepest of shocks considering that it, too, was up for Best Picture (usually an indicator of good Best International award odds), but when one compares its three nominations to the fourteen EMILIA PÉREZ scored…this is undoubtedly an upset.
…and this is where my guest Robyn and I come in. We sat down to talk about this film last week, and even say once or twice during the episode that we don’t know what’s going to happen on Oscar night. And here we are for you this morning, armed and ready to talk about one of the biggest surprises of the night!
I’m grateful that Oscar voters nudged me towards this gem by nominating it for Best Actress and Best Picture (categories where I try to see everything), and doubly grateful that more people might track it down now that it has a win to its name.
Without giving away a lot of what we are about to talk about, the film is beautiful…so please do give it a look when you can, and please do enjoy this conversation about last nights winner for Best International Film.
Links Mentioned on Episode 343:
The misleading trailer for PRESENCE:
Matineecast 330 where Robyn and I spoke about THELMA
Matineecast 341where Marya and I spoke about this year’s Oscar nominees
The Very Special Episodes podcast – E.T. and Me
Robyn’s THR piece about this years films featuring women reclaiming their sexuality
Robyn’s Letterboxd can be found here. Comments and feedback are welcome and thank you very much for listening.
Enjoy!
Runtime
61 minutes
Show Contents
0:00 Introduction with guest Andrew James
3:35 The New Slang: PRESENCE
36:25 Spoiler Section
45:21 The Other Side: Andrew and Ryan talk further reading after Steven Soderbergh’s new film
Thoughts from your host…
Greetings from Hoth!
After what had generally been a very clear and mild winter, my fair city was absolutely blanketed in snow this weekend, with around seven inches having fallen between Friday and now!
It’s left my normally-bustling neighbourhood hushed and barren. It’s made it so that any glance out the window requires a squint. And it has left a lot of us seeking refuge in the warmth of our homes. Appropriately enough – as I mention in the intro of the episode – it’s Family Day in Canada today, and the weather has kept many of us entrenched in-place with our families.
So with a holiday to enjoy and shovelling to do, we keep things quick this week…a one hour affair, which is unusual considering how much my guest and I usually talk!
Pour the coffee, pull on the wool socks, get cozy and join us.
Links Mentioned on Episode 342:
The misleading trailer for PRESENCE:
Matineecast 279 where Andrew and I spoke about Soderbergh’s KIMI
Matineecast 183 where Andrew and I spoke about Soderbergh’s LOGAN LUCKY
Matineecast 217 where Brian J Roan and I spoke about Soderbergh’s HIGH FLYING BIRD
Andrew’s Letterboxd can be found here. Comments and feedback are welcome and thank you very much for listening.
Enjoy!
Runtime
131 minutes
Up for Discussion
- Introduction and welcome guest Marya E. Gates. (0:00)
- Rundown of the nominees for adapted and original screenplay (3:27)
- Rundown of the nominees for Supporting Actress, Supporting Actor, Actress, and Actor (20:46)
- Rundown of the nominees for Best Direction and Best Picture (1:04:41)
- Omissions and trends (1:44:55)
Thoughts from your host…
We begin this episode by remembering a legend that we just lost – rembering him by way of his portrayal of another legend in a film by yet another legend. Our world is going to keep spinning, but it will be a lot less weird…and for that we are all lesser.
As always, this is a long episode so I will keep my notes short and sweet.
It’s kinda funny, because this year has such a small class of contenders, and yet Marya and I find a lot to talk about in regards to the films and artists that are in-contention. I guess that’s what happens when you go back a ways with a guest.
The great thing is that we are just over a month away from Oscar night and I have no real clue what film is going to walk away with the big prize. Things will likely be clearer by the time we get to March 2nd, but at the moment, it certainly makes for a great discussion.
Get comfy and thanks for joining us for another year.
Links from the show:
Marya’s book – “Cinema Her Way” – which you can order straight from the publisher or anywhere fine books are sold. My copy is on pre-order with Queen Books
Marya’s Ebert.com interview with THE SUBSTANCE director Coralie Fargeat
Matineecast 335 where we talked about ANORA
Thanks for tuning into episode three-hundred-forty-one.
Marya’s Bluesky feed can be found here. Comments and feedback are welcome, and thank-you very much for listening.
Enjoy!
Runtime
77 minutes
Show Contents
0:00 Introduction
2:52 Know Your Enemy with Guest – Lindsay Traves
25:18 The New Slang: NOSFERATU
59:17 The Other Side: Lindsay and Ryan talk further reading after Robert Eggers’ film
Thoughts from your host…
I don’t do resolutions, exactly – but when a new year arrives I try to think about things I want to do more and less of. For example, last year was about “less stuff” and “more experiences”. I’m happy to say that it went well overall
One of my “less” categories this year has been “less screen time”.
There’s a few reasons for this. One reason is because, as I say in the intro of this week’s episode, times are shitty. No matter whether you move from one platform to another, or curate your feed to remove the negativity, the shittiness has a way of finding you. So, why not change the channel?
This is not to put my head in the sand and pretend that not looking at what’s happening will make it go away…but more to do with managing my own outrage and anxiety. We used to stare at the car wreck as we drove past slowly in the opposite lane…now it sorta feels like we are pulling over, taking photos, shaking our heads and mumbling with other people who pulled over too. It becomes draining.
Another reason is just to be more present and do one thing at a time. It feels like many of us (myself included) are second-screening more and more lately. Why? Are we not interested in the primary thing we are doing? Is the secondary thing that much more interesting?
I think about it all, and I don’t like the feeling. So that’s where I’m at – more presence, less screens.
How’s about you, folks? Any “more” in 2025? Any “less”?
While you mull that over, join an old friend and I as we talk about an old story and get the new year started off right.
Links Mentioned on Episode 340:
Matineecast 231 with Lindsay where we reviewed JOKER
Matineecast 216 where we reviewed VELVET BUZZSAW
The Matinee’s BlueSky can be found here. Comments and feedback are welcome and thank you very much for listening.
Enjoy!
Runtime133 minutes
Up for Discussion
- Introduction with Hillary Butler, Jo Ryan, and Bob Turnbull
2, THE FIVES (3:02) - THE FOURS (15:49)
- THE THREES (35:49)
- THE TWOS (1:06:18)
- THE ONES (1:31:20)
Thoughts from your host…
Last year at this time, I wondered if we were tasting the sweet before the bitter. Turns out, I was right.
The labour disruptions of 2023 (the strikes by WGA and SAG) meant that trips to the cinema this year was like panning for gold; a few shiny things, but a lot more mud.
The good news is that if one knows where to look, there are always lovely films to be found – so I’d never suggest that this was a bad year for film, just certainly not a great one.
On a personal note, the upside was that the world has done enough healing that many of my old rhythms are returning. While one doesn’t want to be reckless, there’s less anxiety about seeing people, gathering in larger groups, sitting in shared spaces and even travelling. I did all of that this year, and it helped me to appreciate more of what I was seeing on the screen.
It reminded me of a video clip I watched this month where Jason Segal was breaking down his time working on “How I Met Your Mother”. He spoke about how miserable he was at the end of its run because all he did was write-and-shoot tv and film for seven years, and didn’t take any time to actually live and gain the experiences needed to fuel the creativity.
So maybe that’s the thing with a down year – with less time spent in the dark; it allows us the time to live a little more. We gain the perspective, we connect with the people these stories reflect, and we recharge our audience battery and dive headlong into the next “great year” when it arrives.
On that note – the gang is all here, and we are ready to dig in.
We wander the dunes, we turn inside out, we spend a late night with the devil and see the TV glow.
We meet Maxxxine, Furiosa, and Anora.
We are wicked mean girls with long legs
And we are here to talk about it all. Grab a cookie, pour a glass of wine, and join us in our conclave while we work out what films this year stuck with us after all was said and done.
Hopefully this time next year, we’ll be talking about how the great films returned.
Quick note on the section about APRIL –
At that point of the discussion, we’d been talking for a while, and I didn’t articulate my thought properly. You’ll hear me say, in regards to a teenager terminating a pregnancy, “no one should have to go through that“.
To be clear: My belief is that this character – a minor, who is special needs, in no position to offer consent, and clearly has been sexually abused – they shouldn’t have to go through such an invasive and emotionally intense procedure…they should just be leading a normal, teenage girl life free of sexual abuse.
Further – it’s clear in the film, and it’s also my belief that terminating the pregnancy is the best choice for the girl, and that she/her mother should have the choice to make for themselves.
Links from The Show:
Matineecast 335 on ANORA
Matineecast 333 on THE SUBSTANCE
The song on the CHALLENGERS soundtrack that i want to be my “entrance music” – “Yeah x10” :
Trailer for Jo’s #2 film – the documentary “The Movie Man” :
Hillary’s Bluesky feed can be found here. Bob’s Bluesky feed can be found here.You can subscribe to the Matineecast via iTunes or RSS
Comments and feedback are welcome, and thank-you very much for listening and all the best for the new year!
Enjoy!
Runtime
57 minutes
Show Contents
0:00 Introduction
1:36 The New Slang: BLITZ with guest Odie Henderson
Thoughts from your host…
In my introduction of this episode, I mention how the holidays are about spending time with people you haven’t seen in a moment. As I sit here and write this, I’m coming down from spending a weekend catching-up with dear friends I hadn’t talked to in months
It’s a beautiful feeling … and all the same, one that’s bittersweet.
Why does it take a holiday for us to spend time with each-other? True that we’re busy, but how did we all get so busy that we couldn’t find a little bit more time for each-other?
I don’t want to sound disappointed or sad – every moment that I get to spend talking with anyone I care about is a moment well-spent. I guess I just wish sometimes that we didn;t have to wait for the holidays to share thoughts and feelings between sips of coffee.
Like I say – bittersweet, but then again, my favourite holiday songs and films all have a touch of sadness to cut the merriment.
Perhaps that’s just the nature of the holidays as we get older – and if that’s the case, I promise that I won’t linger on the bitter…and instead say how grateful I am for the sweet.
Links Mentioned on Episode 338:
Odie’s book, Black Caesars and Foxy Cleopatras published by Abrams
Odie’s review of Blitz at The Boston Globe (paysite)
Odie’s review of Small Axe: Lovers Rock
Ana Gasteyer’s holiday song that I reference in the intro
Odie’s BlueSky can be found here. Comments and feedback are welcome and thank you very much for listening.
Enjoy!
Runtime
88 minutes
Show Contents
0:00 Introduction
4:01 Know Your Enemy with Guest – Hillary Butler
25:26 The New Slang: WICKED
69:45 The Other Side: Hillary and Ryan talk further reading after Jon M. Chu’s film
Thoughts from your host…
As we introduce today’s podcast, my guest and I mention our individual moves from Twitter over to Bluesky:
Hillary’s feed is here – my feed is here.
As the Twitter exodus gained traction, I turned to a dear friend of the show expressing thoughts, concerns, theories, and more. I wondered aloud if we were ever going to get back what we once had, or if that sort of mass instant communication was gone forever.
The dear friend answered my question with a question: Whatever the form of social media communication is – do you need to be on it?
He isn’t asking whether i need to claim my account, stake my username, etc. He’s asking regardless if the community is in one place or scattered across several…is my time better served doing something else than having conversations 300 characters at a time.
Fair question.
Eight or nine years ago, I resolved to start keeping my phone in my pocket a little longer – it turned into me reading more books in one year than I ever had in my life, and was the start of a whole new habit.
I still believe in sharing thoughts, points of view, experiences, and more. I believe that the democratization of publishing is a net positive. However, so much of these short bursts of content add up in ways we don’t truly track (Even though our devices can even do that for us these days).
Case in point; My personal pet peeve is a person saying “I wish I had time to read”. Don’t get me wrong, some people who say this are very busy…but more often than not, these same people will lose hours scrolling, commenting, betting, downvoting, and more.
Is that time better served?
My hope in the move over to the place with bluer skies is that I can spark a few smiles, create a positive space, and share interests. That sort of feed won’t go viral or set the world on fire, but so be it.
To answer my friend’s question, I don’t need to be on it; none of us do.
Links Mentioned on Episode 337:
Matineecast 315with Hillary’s full Know Your Enemy History
Matineecast 280 where we discuss CYRANO
Penn Jilette discusses magic in the movies for Vanity Fair
Ariana Grande’s MEAN GIRLS-inspired music video for “thank u, next”
Hillary’s BlueSky can be found here. Comments and feedback are welcome and thank you very much for listening.
Enjoy!
Runtime
83 minutes
Show Contents
0:00 Introduction
4:13 Know Your Enemy with guest Andrew Robinson
23:51 The New Slang: WE LIVE IN TIME
63:10 The Other Side: Andrew and Ryan talk further reading after John Crowley’s new film
Thoughts from your host…
As I sit and write this, my neighbour across the street is putting up their Christmas tree.
I would like to shake my head and say that they are rushing the season, that it’s “too early”…but in reality, Chistmas is just 37 days away! American Thanksgiving is next week, and all-in-all there are a paltry 43 days left in the year.
Where does the time go?
Maybe it’s fitting that I have time on the brain this week considering the film we are here to talk about. It’s a story that is fixated on time, its passage, and trying to make the most of that time we are afforded. It wants us to consider the time as our own and as it pertains to those we care about.
The next few episodes are going to bring on people i care about a lot. These are people I can’t believe I’ve known as long as I have – the same way I can’t believe that Christimas tree is going up.
And yet I have – and yet it is.
Funny the way that goes, ain’t it?
Links Mentioned on Episode 336:
Matineecast 284 with Andrew’s full Know Your Enemy history
Kevin Smith breaks down his films – skip to 27:16 for his thoughts on “Chasing Amy”:
“What’s a Nubian?”:
Brodie and Alyssa compare “battle scars”:
“Do you know what a plethora is?”
Wrapping up TIFF 2024 with Hillary Butler – WE LIVE IN TIMEfeatures in the conversation
Florence Pugh makes cocktails and a cheese board:
Our pandemic episode of The Winchester Chronicles where we discuss CERIFIED COPY
Andrew’s Letterboxd can be found here. Comments and feedback are welcome and thank you very much for listening.
Enjoy!
Runtime
72 minutes
Show Contents
0:00 Introduction
3:16 Know Your Enemy with guest Keisha Howerth
21:24 The New Slang: ANORA
55:55 The Other Side: Keisha and Ryan talk further reading after Sean Baker’s new film
Thoughts from your host…
For once, we let the reception of a film affect our opinion of a film. I wasn’t sure if we should “go there”, but I did have it in my notes…so when Keisha “went there”, I took it as a sign.
We won’t be making a habit of it.
Elsewhere, these words are being written 48 hours before one of the most historic elections for an American president ever. It’s surreal to think that in less than three days – no matter what happens – I will look back on this feeling and either nod gently at my worry, or not realize how good I had it.
Here’s hoping.
Links Mentioned on Episode 335:
Saoirse Ronan speaketh the truth on Graham Norton:
```
A clip of Saoirse Ronan on the Graham Norton Show with Denzel Washington, Paul Mescal & Eddie Redmayne is going viral. pic.twitter.com/3AGzCLDn88
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) October 26, 2024
``` Keisha’s Letterboxd can be found here. Comments and feedback are welcome and thank you very much for listening.
Enjoy!
Runtime
92 minutes
Show Contents
0:00 Introduction
3:58 Know Your Enemy with guest Corey Atad
23:58 The New Slang: THE WILD ROBOT
75:15 The Other Side: Corey and Ryan talk further reading after Chris Sanders’ new film
Thoughts from your host…
A funny thing happened on the way to three-thirty-four.
Just the other day, I was talking to a new listener about my approach to the show and the conversations captured. I mentioned that my hope is to have conversations that endure; discussion less about this scene, that effect, those lines and more about themes, experiences, feelings and the like. The idea is that by talking less about the nuts and bolts of cinema and more about ideas, I can offer listeners something that lasts longer than the few weeks a film is in cinemas.
That very night, I sat down to record this episode…and I’m hard-pressed to think of an episode where we talk less about the film at hand.
Instead, my guest and I spend a lot of the time during the review section talking about the state of animation overall and the legacy of Dreamworks Animation in particular. Know what? I enjoy the change of pace!
We still get into thoughts and impressions from the film, using it as a springboard for a conversation on animation overall is something I was happy to capture this time out. Reflecting on both the medium itself and where this particular company is at in its trajectory is something I am really happy Corey brought to the table this weekend. It allows this show – for once – to expand beyond a single title or genre, and more into where animation is as an artform at this stage of its life.
An unexpected conversation … but one I am really happy we recorded.
Thanks Corey
Links Mentioned on Episode 334:
Corey’s full Know Your History answers are on The Fabelmans episode
Corey’s essay on why he cannot stop watching TENET
The Col Blimp monologue “And this, sir, is the truth” :
The finale of TIN CUP – note, this scene goes on for at least ten minutes before we get to this point:
“The Dreamworks Face: :
The McMichael Gallery where Corey spent an afternoon surrounded by painterly landscapes
Matineecast 124 where we discuss BIG HERO 6
Fleischer Studios’ SUPERMAN & THE MECHANICAL MONSTERS:
Corey’s Substack – Corey Atad XYZ
Corey’s Twitter can be found here. Comments and feedback are welcome and thank you very much for listening.
Enjoy!
Runtime
79 minutes
Show Contents
0:00 Introduction
3:16 Know Your Enemy with guest Carolyn Mauricette
19:06 The New Slang: THE SUBSTANCE
63:43 The Other Side: Carolyn and Ryan talk further reading after Coralie Fargeat’s new film
Thoughts from your host…
Hello again – Welcome to a new season of cinema and shenanigans!
It feels like so much has happened in the world since we went on break in August, but I won’t recap that now. I will say that I hope all of y’all are keeping safe during these interesting times we are living in.
As for me, I took a moment in the middle of TIFF ahead of the only Midnight Madness film I saw…and I actually mapped-out the entire autumn schedule for the show! Potential films…potential guests…the whole nine yards!
As we start our sixteenth season of the show, I’m way ahead in my planning for the first time in a long time – and it is going to be a fun few months before we close the book on ’24.
When time came to choose a film to come back with, I just knew we’d be starting with this one. And when I knew we were going to start here, I knew precisely who I wanted to have on. There are so many threads in this film to pull on, and even after an hour, I feel like we’re still untangling the knot of former tapestry.
So pour a glass, have a seat, grab a thread and start pulling. Just remember – we are one, and we must respect the schedule
Links Mentioned on Episode 333:
Blood in The Snow Film Festival
The “I am you Mother” scene from HEREDITARY:
Coralie Forgeat’s interview with Letterboxd
Carolyn’s CARRIE postcard
Both my written review and our podcast episode about THE NEON DEMON
Carolyn’s Instagram can be found here. Comments and feedback are welcome and thank you very much for listening.
Enjoy!
As the sun rises on the seventh day of these moviegoing shenanigans, we pause for a moment to take a breath.
As we do, we must admit things seem…so much more normal than they have been so far this whole decade for this festival. One might be forgiven if they suggested things were “back to before”. That might be true, but it is also not in a lot of ways.
Don’t worry, we touch on that.
Before that though, we invite you to my very favourite part of any film festival – sitting together for a few minutes, ordering a drink or two, and catching up on what we’ve seen.
Take a listen to everything that we talked about after the wine was poured, but before the mac & cheese arrived.
All of Hillary’s TIFF writing can be found at Live For Film
Info on all films – including tickets for screenings can be found at TIFF’s website.
Hillary’s Twitter feed can be found here
You can subscribe to the Matineecast via Apple, Spotify, or RSS
Comments and feedback are welcome, and thank you very much for listening.
Enjoy!
Runtime
94 minutes
Show Contents
0:00 Introduction
2:08 Know Your Enemy with guest Britany Murphy
28:23 The New Slang: SING SING
62:51 The Other Side: Britany and Ryan talk further reading after Greg Kwedar’s new film
Thoughts from your host…
During the intro of this week’s episode, I talk about the way that time flies. Specifically, I mention that it’s been two whole years since my guest and I did a podcast together…but as I sit here and look at the calendar, I realize that time has flown in a whole other way.
You see, next week, it will mark seventeen years since I started this little space. Back then it was more about writing than recording, but still – I sat, I wrote, I published…no one read. (Some things never change)
But my thoughts were put out into the world…and nothing was the same.
I have met some of the most wonderful people since I first tapped “publish” – people who have shaped me in all sorts of ways and who I wouldn’t be the same without.
Some people I only know from a distance, others who I don’t know as well as I used to…but all have had an impact, and they all came into my life over this stretch of seventeen years that has passed in a blink.
Is that a good thing? Is that a bad thing? Hard to say, honestly – but I believe it’s worth noting. Time is a funny thing – we always feel like we have lots of it, or that not that much has passed.
We’re wrong, in both cases. I think I heard that somewhere once…”Ryan is Wrong”.
Thanks for spending some time with me…whether it was a little or a lot; just yesterday or seventeen years back.
I’ve cherished every scond.
Links Mentioned on Episode 332:
Britany’s Know Your Enemy History – Matineecast 292
Matineecast 331 (the second most recent episode!) where we also talked about GRAVITY.
Dre and Pops break down what qualifies as “Black film”
Britany speaking with Colman Domingo and Corey Hawkins and blowing Corey’s mind:
Britany’s Twitter can be found here. Comments and feedback are welcome and thank you very much for listening.
Enjoy!
Enjoy!
Runtime
78 minutes
Show Contents
0:00 Introduction
3:02 Know Your Enemy with guest Andrew James
22:49 The New Slang: TWISTERS
62:20 The Other Side: Andrew and Ryan talk further reading after Lee Isaac Chung’s new film
Thoughts from your host…
Given that we are talking about a big pop blockbuster, I describe this episode as “a cookout”. Well, as fate would happen, Saturday night I actually found myself at a cookout.
Turns out, it was a pretty good metaphor!
There were good conversations had, lots of delicious morsels, jokes that weren’t all that funny but made us laugh pretty hard anyway.
It was a good time catching up with old friends…just like this film and this episode.
Maybe this is what summer is for?
Grab a drink and fix a plate – it’s time for a cookout.
Links Mentioned on Episode 331:
A summary of Andrew’s previous “Know Your Enemy” questions can be heard on Matineecast 279
The Judge’s Game scene from ROUNDERS:
The old “Doctor Joke” in the background of MONSTERS INC (bottom of the big video board) :
Episode 290 where we talked about NOPE
Comments and feedback are welcome and thank you very much for listening.
Enjoy!
Runtime
78 minutes
Show Contents
0:00 Introduction
3:18 Know Your Enemy with guest Robyn Bahr
28:29 The New Slang: THELMA
61:19 The Other Side: Robyn and Ryan talk further reading after Josh Margolin’s new film
Thoughts from your host…
I always get a little giddy when I’m able to bring on a new guest.
Perhaps it’s because I get to ask the classic set of questions…or perhaps it’s some combination “new relationship energy” and “the pink mist”. Is that a thing? Podcasters, do you get this feeling too?
More than anything, it feels like an extension of a little goal I’ve set myself over the last year – to try to arrange more get-together and be more social. It’s actually been reasonably successful, so I might try to extend the goal to the podcast.
After all, if it means I have as much fun as I had today with Robyn, then why wouldn’t I??
Here’s to The Pink Mist!
Links Mentioned on Episode 330:
Matineecast 300 where we discussed MY GIRL
Matineecast 307 where we discussed YOU HURT MY FEELINGS
Matineecast 305 where we discussed BEAU IS AFRAID (This makes two episodes in a row I’m linking back to this episode)
Matineecast 101 where we discussed Nebraska
The Film Stage Podcast where Robyn co-hosts
Robyn’s Tribecca review of SABBATH QUEEN
Oh, and did you think we forgot about young June Squibb? Heaven forbid –
Robyn’s Twitter can be found here. Comments and feedback are welcome and thank you very much for listening.
Enjoy!
Runtime
72 minutes
Show Contents
0:00 Introduction with guest Jim Laczkowski
3:35 The New Slang: KINDS OF KINDNESS
56:38 The Other Side: Jim and Ryan talk further reading after Yorgos Lanthimos’ new film
Thoughts from your host…
Today’s guest and I have recorded a lot of episodes over the years.
We have talked about cerebral films, absurdist films, and animated films (twice!). Our conversations have taken us all over the cinematic map and I, for one, have been proud of all the podcasting postcards we have sent home.
Perhaps what makes me most proud is that even when the films we choose don’t land for us, we always find our way to an interesting discussion over why. Jim has never been the sort of critic who will write off a film with a simple little “It sucks” – he’s much more interested in taking the pieces apart, finding the faulty spring or cog, and even going so far as to pose a hypothesis on why the maker put the part(s) in place.
That’s one of the many things I like about the lad – his interest in thoughtful conversation, be it praise or poisonous. It’s growing increasingly rare in an age not just of thumbs, stars, rotten and fresh…but also of fandom, allegiance, tribalism, and artistic devotion.
Writers like Jim are growing more important in a world that is growing more and more binary. He has the ability to say that something fails “even though”, or succeeds “despite”…and these are very important qualities not just in the world of criticism, but in the world full stop.
What I bring you today is a conversation where my guest and I talk about a film we don’t think works, but we do that by way of a conversation that works incredibly well in large part to the passion and perspective of my wise friend.
Links Mentioned on Episode 329:
The Director’s Club Podcast where the boys discuss 1994 in Music
Matineecast 305 where Jim and I discussed BEAU IS AFRAID
Jim’s Twitter can be found here. Comments and feedback are welcome and thank you very much for listening.
Enjoy!
Runtime
74 minutes
Show Contents
0:00 Introduction
3:12 Know Your Enemy with guest Vanya Garraway
21:50 The New Slang: HIT MAN
59:29 The Other Side: Vanya and Ryan talk further reading after Richard Linklater’s new film
Thoughts from your host…
It feels strange to look at the calendar and consider 2024 half-finished. Seems like just yesterday i was picking up bottles with you on New Years Day (Thanks, Taylor).
And yet, here we are – Cannes already in the rearview, the solstice almost upon us. What is it about getting older that makes time fly so much faster?
Maybe that’s also why it feels like just yesterday that Vanya and I first podcasted together, even thought that too was several months ago now. The woman is so much fun to talk to, and I’ve lost count of how many times she has offered to help me keep this show going since the autumn.
I quote The Muppet Movie: “The don’t have a word yet / for old friends who just met”
Here’s to the summer ahead – filled with sunshine, laughter, old friends, new friends, and great film!
Links Mentioned on Episode 328:
The catalyst for this episode – Episode x where we discussed The Killer
The Seeing Faces in Movies podcast, where Vanya will soon be discussing Cronenberg
Episode 287 where we discussed Crimes of The Future
Episode 117 where we discussed Boyhood
Episode 88 where we discussed The Before Trilogy
Get tickets here for Vanya’s next “Paid in Sweat” presentation – “Days of Thunder”
The “Help Me Help You” scene from Jerry Maguire:
Vanya’s Twitter can be found here. Comments and feedback are welcome and thank you very much for listening.
Enjoy!
Runtime
75 minutes
Show Contents
0:00 Introduction with guest Hillary Butler
2:15 The New Slang: FIELD OF DREAMS
53:52 The Other Side: Courtney and Ryan talk further reading after Phillip Alden Robinson’s classic film
Thoughts from your host…
Greeting from the end of a long weekend that your host gave himself in-honour of turning one year older! And welcome to a chance to discuss one of my all-time favourite films.
Birthdays are a funny thing – as you get older they seem less and less a cause for celebration (unless it’s a number divisible by ten). So, knowing that, I have generally kept my recent celebrating to myself – going out of town, getting tattoos, going to a concert or a ballgame. Fun times, if a little more downplayed that what I used to do growing-up.
This year though, even that seemed like something I couldn’t muscle as I’m still a little hungover from my European trip of a life time – and work has been a little tricky lately. So even just days before my nameday, I couldn’t seem to settle on a plan!
This is where friends like Hillary come in; kind folks that are really giving of their time and cherish the nature of real face time (the action, not the app). They make you feel cared-for, and make you feel valued. They join in on reindeer games like podcasts and are kind enough to gather for a drink or even a dinner.
This was a great conversation as part of a great weekend. Hopefully y’all enjoy listening to it as much as we enjoyed recording it – it’s my birthday gift to you!
Links Mentioned on Episode 327:
Discussing FIELD OF DREAMS with Andrew Robinson on his Movies You Love Podcast
There is a trailer on YouTube cut to make FIELD OF DREAMS look like a horror film! Behold:
Hillary’s Twitter can be found here. Comments and feedback are welcome and thank you very much for listening.
Enjoy!
Runtime
85 minutes
Show Contents
0:00 Introduction
2:52 Know Your Enemy with guest Courtney Small
27:30 The New Slang: I SAW THE TV GLOW
68:52 The Other Side: Courtney and Ryan talk further reading after Jane Schoenbrun’s new film
Thoughts from your host…
It’s a holiday up here in the great white north, but some of us are still on the clock.
This episode was a lot of fun to record, because even though my guest an I disagree, we do so in a way that keeps the conversation going. Films like this are why I love to talk about movies – there’s so very much to talk about regardless of whether is all works for the viewer or not.
What a great way to kick off the summer!
Links Mentioned on Episode 326:
Episode 302, where Courtney and I discussed I LIKE MOVIES
“Hollywood: An Oral History” by Sam Wasson and Jeanine Basinger – the book Courtney is reading right now
The Maxell audio ad that reminded Courtney of a visual in I SAW THE TV GLOW (I incorrectly identified it is Memorex) :
Courtney’s review of I SAW THE TV GLOW on Cinema Axis
Courtney’s Twitter can be found here. Comments and feedback are welcome and thank you very much for listening.
Enjoy!
Runtime
64 minutes
Show Contents
0:00 Introduction with guest Ruby Dhillon
2:39 The New Slang: LOVE LIES BLEEDING
42:27 Spoiler Section
53:37 The Other Side: Ruby and Ryan talk further reading after Luca Guadagnino’s new film
Thoughts from your host…
Sometimes in life, one is lucky enough to go on an adventure. Sometimes bags get packed, and passports are pulled from the drawer, and one strikes out to go somewhere really special.
That was me last month and I counted myself truly lucky for every incredible second.
It was an adventure that was being planned right before the world faced a global crisis…so being able to finally make it happen felt like a gift, and a sign that life can carry on.
The adventure allowed me a chance to look at the world through my camera lens again, all while other passions sat and waited for a while. Less books, less film, but lots and lots of food, photography, and putting a few more miles on my soul.
Thanks for letting me take the break – and if you followed along with any of my feeds, thanks for coming with me!
Now, though – time has come to turn my microphone on again and I’m really excited to be doing it with a passionate guest and such a fun film. You’ll be able to hear the excitement in our voices, I’m sure – part of that comes from the subject matter, but I believe part of that too comes from the fact that my guest and I now get on like old friends catching up over drinks.
Kinda funny, that – it’s like the song from The Muppets: They don’t have a word yet / for old friends who’ve just met
Thanks for sticking around.
Links Mentioned on Episode 325:
Glimpses of my recent vacation on Instagram
Ruby’s previous appearances on the podcast to discuss PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN and TURNING RED.
“The tennis crowd shot” in STRANGERS ON A TRAIN:
Episode 325 of the podcast where we discussed LOVE LIES BLEEDING, featuring “Checkov;s Lesbian”
Episode 308 of the podcast where we discussed PAST LIVES.
Episode 177 of the podcast where we discussed OUT OF SIGHT
Huffington Post reaction to Challengers by Candice Frederick, Marina Fang and Taryn Finley
Ruby’s Twitter can be found here. Comments and feedback are welcome and thank you very much for listening.
Enjoy!
Show Contents
0:00 The Introduction
5:44 The Feature: EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE with Corey Atad
19:40 Reflections & Wrapping Up
Thoughts From Your Host…
Dear Listeners…
I’m enjoying a great vacation. Come save the multiverse with me, Corey, and Daniels.
In another life I’ll be happy to do laundry and taxes with you.
Corey’s Twitter feed can be found here. Comments and feedback are welcome and thank you very much for listening.
Enjoy!
Show Contents
0:00 The Introduction
2:32 The Feature: PAST LIVES with Heidy Morales
41:00 Reflections & Wrapping Up
Thoughts From Your Host…
Dear Listeners –
I’m heading home from a great vacation. Come remember old love with me, Heidy, and Song.
I’ll fly all the way across the world for dinner with you and your partner.
Heidy’s Twitter feed can be found here. Comments and feedback are welcome and thank you very much for listening.
Enjoy!
Show Contents
0:00 The Introduction
5:44 The Feature: NOMADLAND with Adrian Wilfred
19:40 Reflections & Wrapping Up
Dear Listeners –
I’m enjoying a great vacation. Come hit the road with me, Adrian, and Zhao.
I’ll even give you a lighter for a poem!
Comments and feedback are welcome and thank you very much for listening.
Enjoy!
Runtime
81 minutes
Show Contents
0:00 Introduction with guest Ariel Fisher
4:04 The New Slang: LOVE LIES BLEEDING
62:06 The Other Side: Ariel and Ryan talk further reading after Rose Glass’ new film
Thoughts from your host…
There are days when one really want to dig into the meaning and symbolism of a new film – that’s when one counts themselves extremely lucky to have a friend like Ariel Fisher. There were a lot of ways I could have recorded a conversation about this film and talked about how very cool it is; only Ariel could approach it from such an intersectional way and really tease its meanings apart.
Sometimes a chair is just a chair; other times the chair is an elegant representation of patriarchy. I’m happy that Ariel is here to talk about the difference…because she’s a lot smarter than me.
What’s more – this episode marks the end of a stretch for the podcast, and I am so very thrilled to be going out on such a high (seriously – even if you haven’t seen this film, listen to this episode!).
The end of the stretch that I refer to is that I’m about to take a much-needed vacation, and this is the last live episode for about a month. There will still be more shows in-store, but I’m unplugging the mic until May! It’s a weird feeling, considering how much I love talking to my guests, and by-extension you fine folks…but at the same time, I’m really eagre to get some miles on my soul and gain even more perspective to bring back to you fine folks.
So please enjoy one more live episode – a banger, if I do say so myself.
Meantime, I’m going on an adventure – play nice while I’m gone, won’t you?
Links Mentioned on Episode 324:
The Amaranthus – a “Love Lies Bleeding” flower:
The CLUE “Flames, Flames” scene that Ariel references:
Some great queer consideration of LOVE LIES BLEEDING by Tina KakaDelis and also by Lyra Hale
Ariel’s BlueSky can be found here. Comments and feedback are welcome and thank you very much for listening.
Enjoy!
Runtime
58 minutes
Show Contents
0:00 Introduction with guest Bob Turnbull
4:04 The New Slang: PERFECT DAYS
Thoughts from your host…
Even I must admit that it was odd to be posting a podcast the day after the Oscars that is not about The Oscars. It’s like opening a busy bar up for business on St Patricks Day and just wishing patrons a “Happy Sunday” as they walk through the door.
I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again – who wins Oscars doesn’t interest me all that much. When you remind yourself that Oscar gets things wrong far more than they get things right, life gets a lot easier. Don’t take any of it to heart and it all gets so much more enjoyable.
While we don’t have any sort of wrap-up for you – no chatter of who looked great and who acted weird – we do have a film to talk about today that was nominated last night and may have slipped under your radar. It was a really great year for Best International Film, especially when one includes ANATOMY OF A FALL. So here we have one of the contenders – one you may not have seen, but one that is well worth your time.
So find your favourite quiet lunchtime spot, pause all of those wonderful old cassette tapes, and press play on our little declaration of “Now is Now”. We’ve been talking about Oscars for months already…let’s change the topic :).
Bobs Twitter feed can be found here. Comments and feedback are welcome and thank you very much for listening.
Enjoy!
Runtime
56 minutes
Show Contents
0:00 Introduction with guest Heidy Morales
4:04 The New Slang: HOW TO HAVE SEX
Thoughts from your host…
Yesterday, I started work at 7am, and instead of a pitch black winter morning the sky was already a cerulean shade of blue. When I sat down to write this at 6pm, the sun was just vanishing beyond the downtown skyline.
Winter is ending.
In just a few short weeks, it will be spring and new life will be in the air. Around that same time, the Oscars will come and go and we will finally be fully embracing a new year of film.
Why do we care? Why am I writing about it? Good questions.
I mention it here because I know that life can sometimes feel like it’s stuck in place. Maybe the job is overwhelming, or the job hunt is going nowhere. Maybe it’s the doomscrolling and wondering when the fires that are burning around the world will finally start to douse. Maybe it’s a smaller uncertainty in life, like wondering when they will finally pick up the phone and text you.
But sure as dark dreary winter leads to a balmy spring, change comes to all things. It’s encouraging; it fosters hope. And as the classic film once said “Hope is a good thing – maybe the best of things – and no good thing ever dies”
Bring on the thaw.
Links Mentioned on Episode 322:
MUBI Podcast episode with Molly Manning Walker
Rolling Stone’s cover story with Kristen Stewart
Blood in The Snow Film Festival (where Heidy works) – specifically their submission section for the 2024 festival later this year.
Heidy’s Twitter feed can be found here. Comments and feedback are welcome and thank you very much for listening.
Enjoy!
Runtime
108 minutes
Up for Discussion
- Introduction and welcome guest Marya E. Gates. (0:00)
- Rundown of the nominees for adapted and original screenplay (5:00)
- Rundown of the nominees for Supporting Actress, Supporting Actor, Actress, and Actor (22:16)
- Rundown of the nominees for Best Direction and Best Picture (57:09)
- Omissions and trends (1:24:17)
Thoughts from your host…
Have you ever been in a location that hosts an epic event, but you wander through it just before or just after the event happens? There’s an eerie quiet…the space is adorned with celebratory embelishments. Maybe it’s still spotless, or maybe there is litter and empty cups everywhere to be found.
That’s what it feels like to sit here and write the greeting that goes with this post on the morning of Super Bowl Sunday. On one hand, a major cultural event hasn’t happened (as I write)…on the other, the major event is over (as you read).
Maybe something memorable happened – maybe it was just another game. Who knows!? It’s Schrodinger’s Super Bowl right this moment. The festivities both haven’t begun and are long over.
As I mentioned in the intro to this episode, The Oscars are going to be a bit like that for me as well this year thanks to a concert I will be seeing night-of. I wager that it seems like a minor dereliction of duty to be away from my screen on Oscar night…but I’m okay with it. I long ago gave up reacting to moments in real time, and with modern technology and a bit of a late night, I’ll be able to be up on the conversation before I go to bed.
Like tonight’s major sporting event, The Oscars will have happened and be happening for me all at once.
It is – and will be – a surreal feeling…and surrealism is always worth feeling.
One thing I do know for sure and one feeling that is not surreal, is that I’m really lucky to still be able to call Marya my friend and that she’s always so kind when I reach out. There’s a lot of people I met the same time as her that I don’t hear from much anymore…I’m really fortunate that she still takes the time and makes the effort for lil’ ol’ me.
Links from the show:
First and foremost, Marya’s Substack “Cool People Have Feelings Too”. Subscribe, and give some serious thought to a paid subscription.
Matineecast 303 where we discuss Justine Triet’s SIBYL during “The Other Side”
Matineecast 266 where Marya and I review ZOLA, featuring Best Actor nominee Colman Domingo
A YouTube feature on The Great Migration created in association with MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM. Marya produced the feature, and Colman Domingo narrates:
Paul Giamatti at In-N-Out burger after his Golden Globes victory for Best Actor:
Marya’s feature on director Erige Sehiri and her new feature UNDER THE FIG TREE
Thanks for tuning into episode three-hundred-twenty-one.
Marya’s Twitter feed can be found here. Comments and feedback are welcome, and thank-you very much for listening.
Enjoy!
Runtime
81 minutes
Show Contents
0:00 Introduction
4:03 Know Your Enemy with Guest – Jolie Featherstone
31:34 The New Slang: ALL OF US STRANGERS
77:58 The Other Side: Jolie and Ryan talk further reading after Andrew Haigh’s film
Thoughts from your host…
You would think after so many years of hosting this podcast, I would become accustomed to the way one years movies spill over into the next years shows. It’s the way it goes – the way it has always gone.
Whether we podcasted about C’MON C’MON, ZERO DARK THIRTY, A SINGLE MAN, PHANTOM THREAD, INHERENT VICE, or others – every year begins by keeping one foot planted in the last.
In some ways, I’m happy to do it since it keeps the circus in town just a little while longer. The clock doesn’t have to strike midnight, last call doesn’t have to arrive…we don’t have to go home and we can stay here.
In other ways, it can be hard to start eating right with a pantry full of Christmas candy.
No, I’m not used to it, and I may never be…but I always make the best of it.
Making the best of it is pretty easy when I have guests like Jolie to call on. Her perspective on films like these end of year holdovers is always so enthusiastic and insightful. She shows up to talk about the smallest titles like we are about to discuss the next great Best Picture Winner. I’m a lucky host to call such a guest my friend.
It’s also pretty easy when the cluster of films that arrives at this time of year are as great as they always are. Why wouldn’t we want to keep going back?
So here we are, almost into February and no remote interest in discussing a 2024 film yet. It’s admittedly strange, but a tradition that I don’t see going away any time soon. Remind me I said that in 2025
Links Mentioned on Episode 320:
Jolie’s favourite good scene in a bad movie:
“What is Death but a door…?” scene in CLOUD ATLAS
Matineecast 182 where Jolie drops by to discuss A GHOST STORY
Jolie’s review of THE TEACHER’S LOUNGE
Jolie’s review of ROADKILL
Jolie’s Twitter feed can be found here. Comments and feedback are welcome and thank you very much for listening.
Enjoy
Runtime
96 minutes
Show Contents
0:00 Introduction
4:03 Know Your Enemy with Guest – Brian J Roan
31:34 The New Slang: THE IRON CLAW
77:58 The Other Side: Brian and Ryan talk further reading after Sean Durkin’s film
Thoughts from your host…
The thing about bringing on different guests every episode is that I’m never sure what I will have in-store for you lovely listeners.
Take this episode, for-instance.
I had a rough roadmap sketched-out of where I thought I wanted to take the conversation with talking points and questions and the like…but then, my lovely guest took the wheel and took us in a whole other much more interesting direction.
I’m grateful for such moments, and also for such friends.
Links Mentioned on Episode 319:
Brian’s essay on Terrance Malick’s A HIDDEN LIFE
Matineecast 224 – Where Andrew Robinson and Ryan discuss RAGING BULL
Inkwell Whiskey – Brian’s distillery
Brian’s Twitter feed can be found here. Comments and feedback are welcome and thank you very much for listening.
Enjoy
Runtime121 minutes
Up for Discussion
- Introduction with Hillary Butler, Jolie Featherstone and Bob Turnbull
2, THE FIVES (3:20) - THE FOURS (19:20)
- THE THREES (35:18)
- THE TWOS (51:11)
- THE ONES (1:14:10)
- “JURY PRIZES” (1:52:29)
Thoughts from your host…
This time last year I said that I hoped the year ahead brings me back into the shared space of more friends like Hillary, Jolie, and Bob.
Check, check, and check.
I am still finding my way back to some of those spaces and those friends – the circles were broken pretty badly during the height of the crisis. The roads back are opening back up though, slowly but surely.
Interestingly for me, this was a year where I watched less overall.! My first-time-watches were about the same that they were last year, but the rewatches were way down. Find yourself going to more than 30 concerts in a calendar year, and you’ll notice that the screentime drops.
That said, when I find my way back into the world of cinema, I’m still enlightened, inspired, and entertained. That may seem a little obvious, but as time gos on, it often happens that we lose a sense of joy from what once was our passion. Happily, that’s not the case with me – I still feel that rush when the lights dim and the screen glows…even if it’s a bit less often than in the past.
In that spirit of optimism and gratitude, we close the file on another year.
It was a year of deep disruption – but much-needed disruption for the well-being of hardworking writers and actors. It was a year of poor things and past lives; a year of holdovers, bottoms, and passages.
’23 reunited us with Coppola, Gerwig, Nolan, and Scorsese; we found our way back to Indy, Ethan, The Turtles, and The Guardians,
The bitter pill to swallow is that all of that labour unrest may have us looking back next year and feeling the effects (and, to be clear – worth it). If that’s so, we’ll consider 23 the sweet that came before the bitter. Then again, I could be wrong – it’s happened before.
Here’s to 2024 and all of the possibility it brings to all of us. To all of the adventures, concerts, books, cocktails, movies, and memories it will bring
Links from The Show:
Hillary Butler’s Girls on Tops tee featuring Greta Gerwig (Note: That’s not Hillary in the photo) :
Also – the term that Greta used to describe her team’s approach to BARBIE is “Genuine artificiality”, not “Genuine artifice” as I used during the show.
My TIFF 2023 Matineecast postcard with Jolie
Matineecast 261 on TOGETHER TOGETHER
Matineecast 303 on THE FIVE DEVILS
Matineecast 307 on YOU HURT MY FEELINGS
Matineecast 310 on THEATER CAMP
Matineecast 313 on KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON
Matineecast 316 on THE HOLDOVERS
Jolie’s Twitter feed can be found here. Hillary’s Twitter feed can be found here. Bob’s Twitter feed can be found here.You can subscribe to the Matineecast via iTunes or RSS
Comments and feedback are welcome, and thank-you very much for listening and all the best for the new year!
Enjoy!
Runtime
91 minutes
Show Contents
0:00 Introduction
3:50 Know Your Enemy with Guest – Robert Daniels
28:40 The New Slang: MAY DECEMBER
70:52 The Other Side: Robert and Ryan talk further reading after Todd Haynes’ film
Thoughts from your host…
In my intro for this episode, I made mention of today’s guest being a wish-come-true.
That was before we started talking.
In the afterglow – as I listened back on our chat and edited it together, I went from wish-come-true to over-the-moon.
This conversation was so much fun, and damn if my guest doesn’t bring so much insight to the table! Heck, without patting myself on the back too much, I even feel like he elevated my game as a host.
It’s the benefit of this show being one where someone different drops by every time. I never quite know what I will learn from my guests – be they longstanding regulars, or new additions to the roster – and what my guests will bring out in me.
It’s a gift; a gift that every one of my guests give me, and this episode’s guest was especially generous.
I’m thankful for these gifts – for the lovely boxes adorned with pretty bows that have been given to me over three hundred times. Each one was the right size, right colour, entirely unexpected and deeply treasured.
Links Mentioned in Episode 317:
Angelica Jade Bastién’s post at Slate about describing films as “camp”
Robert’s feature on Saltburn for rogerebert.com
Robert’s Twitter feed can be found here. Comments and feedback are welcome and thank you very much for listening.
Enjoy!
Runtime
63 minutes
Show Contents
0:00 Introduction
3:46 The New Slang: THE HOLDOVERS with Guest Bob Turnbull
49:49 The Other Side: Bob and Ryan talk further reading after Alexander Payne’s film
Thoughts from your host…
Just last week, I introduced my team at work to my podcast. So if anyone from the office is tuning-in today – thanks for making the leap!
When I was a boy, there was one Christmas that was unlike the others. I was eight and a half, and this holiday involved a change in the normal family schedule and found me at home for most of the day instead of making the rounds to the grandparents’ homes.
What I remember the most about that Christmas was that while I played with my new toys in the family room, my mom had tuned a radio to CBC for me. We often had radios on in our house – far more so than the television – and on this Christmas Day, CBC was playing readings of classic stories. There were readings of “A Little Matchstick Girl”, “The Little Mermaid”, and eventually “A Christmas Carol”. I’m showing my age here, but this reading of “The Little Mermaid” preceded the animated Disney film by three whole years.
I bring this up because the first two stories weren’t Christmas tales, and yet the spirit of them suited the holiday well. There was a warmth to them; a tenderness. They weren’t even truly the happiest tales, and yet they kept little Ryan good company on such a happy day.
Today’s film – while certainly more of a “Christmas tale” than those stories – fits the bill. Not always a happy tale, but with warmth and tenderness. It’s the sort of film I would program on December 23rd if I could host a screening, and the sort of story I wish we’d get more of than the umpteenth Hallmark Channel classic.
Little Ryan might not have had the full attention for todays film…but I feel as though he’d have enjoyed knowing that all these years later, these stories would still be there to keep him company during the holidays.
Links Mentioned in Episode 316:
Matineecast 276 where James McNally and I discussed C’MON C’MON
Bob’s Twitter feed can be found here. Comments and feedback are welcome and thank you very much for listening.
Enjoy!
Runtime
88 minutes
Show Contents
0:00 Introduction
2:35 Know Your Enemy with Guest – Hillary Butler
21:46 The New Slang: THE MARVELS
67:35 The Other Side: Hillary and Ryan talk further reading after Nia DaCosta’s film
Thoughts from your host…
For the most part, we don’t talk about “the bigger films” here on the podcast. For instance, looking at the top ten films at the box office so far this year, we haven’t done an episode on any of them.
Last year? One
The year before? Three.
There’s nothing wrong with these movies (I usually see most of them), it’s just not what interests me for a topic of discussion. As you can see though, occasionally we make exceptions (like today’s ‘things-go-boom’ selection).
For that reason, it surprises me that my guest and I will be talking about a big franchise movie that a lot of people will not see. Not because I feel like a film like todays is essential viewing, but more because it has found itself in this weird overlap of abandonment. Those who don’t like the genre have found a whole new line of ammo to riddle it with thanks to a cover story in an industry outlet that didn’t say a single new piece of information.
Meanwhile a sizeable section of “the fans” are abandoning it because they don’t agree with who and what it represents. They believe that this story doesn’t serve their interests, and have a troubling relationship with the lead actor.
What all of this means is that while this podcast episode is focusing on a “bigger film” in brand, it’s actually a smaller film where interest and exposure are concerned – which is seven kinds of weird. It’s weird because of the specific way in which the venn diagram of disinterest for the film overlaps, but it’s most weird because the film is a truly enjoyable romp. It’s bright, it’d goofy, it’s heartfelt, and it’s a lot of fun.
And yet, for entirely different sets of reasons, both sides of the divide are turning their back on it. This is a real pity – perhaps for no other reason than the fact that it is a decision that is just riddled with baggage.
For those of you who saw the film and who are here to listen – we truly hope you enjoy!
Everyone else? Well…tune in anyway. Perhaps we can convince you.
Links Mentioned in Episode 315:
SECRETARY poster:
Captain Mervel panels written by Kelly Sue DeConnick – “…every little girl flies”:
Matineecast 161 where we talked about GHOSTBUSTERS (2016)
SNL Hall of Fame Podcast where I championed Kristen Wiig
Matineecast 253 where we talked about PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN
Trailer for 2005’s EVERYTHING IS ILLUMINATED:
The Matinee’s reaction to Brie Larson’s 2017 film UNICORN STORE
Hillary’s Twitter feed can be found here. Comments and feedback are welcome and thank you very much for listening.
Enjoy!
Runtime
90 minutes
Show Contents
0:00 Introduction
4:34 Know Your Enemy with Guest – Vanya Garraway
21:33 The New Slang: THE KILLER
57:34 The Other Side: Vanya and Ryan talk further reading after David Fincher’s film
Thoughts from your host…
It’s been a few minutes since I first met a filmgoer here in Toronto. It used to be a monthly thing when the social scene was a little more constant. Likewise when Twitter wasn’t such a dumpster fire.
Those were the days my friends!
However, glimmers of the before times still flicker around town. They come in the form of old friends, friends of friends, or occasionally doing to humble old school “Hi, I’m Ryan. You seem cool, wanna be friends?”
The interesting part about setting up this episode is how Vanya told me that when I reached out to her she (rightfully) did her own vetting by looking at who we both knew and what I had to say for myself in the various channels. I wonder how many of us think about that? About what sort of personality we put out into the world. What happens when you string your tweets together? What do you choose to take photos of and publish in your Insta? If a person was looking at these channels without you knowing – who might they think you are?
Something to think about – and in my case something to be proud of since it brought a great new guest and friend into my orbit.
Links Mentioned in Episode 314:
Vanya’s “Paid in Sweat” screening series at The Revue cinema
David Fincher’s music video for Justin Timberlake’s “Suit & Tie”
Vanya’s Twitter feed can be found here. Comments and feedback are welcome and thank you very much for listening.
Enjoy!
Runtime
90 minutes
Show Contents
0:00 Introduction
3:04 Know Your Enemy with Guest – Mike Lane
25:53 The New Slang: KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON
73:57 The Other Side: Mike and Ryan talk further reading after Martin Scorsese’s film
Thoughts from your host…
Hello again! It’s been a moment, hasn’t it? What was first intended to be a five week break in-between seasons turned into a seven week break…and nowadays, seven weeks might as well be seven years!
I really did intend to be back a lot sooner – usually our “Fall Break” is over by the first Monday in October. This October though, I decided to go see a certain Irish rock band play a concert at a certain round concert venue in a certain Nevada town…and…well…creating a podcast during such shenanigans was going to be a little difficult.
But that’s okay, because it actually set us up nicely to open a new season of shows with a multifaceted new offering by an absolute legend! I dare say that the season wouldn’t have got off to nearly as big of a bang if we’d sat down to discuss DUMB MONEY, THE CREATOR, or A HAUNTING IN VENICE. Nothing against any of those films, of course, but as far as conversation pieces, I don’t think they are in the same class as today’s feature.
But here we are – ready to start a whole new season, crank out five more episodes in 2023, and finish out this unforgettable year with a bang…and it all begins with an epic episode about an epic film.
I’ve truly had a wonderful little break – but the changing colours and nip in the air make it official; it’s time to get the conversation going again.
Thanks for rejoining it.
Links Mentioned in Episode 313:
Dorothy Malone and Humphrey Bogart in The Acme Bookshop scene from THE BIG SLEEP:
My thoughts on the phrase “Masterpiece” from back in 2014
Osage language consultant Christopher Cote voices concerns on the film’s POV at the movie’s Hollywood premiere:
Matineecast Episode 234 where Mike Lane and I talked about Scorsese’s THE IRISHMAN
“Don’t Cry” by Guns N’ Roses – Too slow to be a fast song, too fast to be a slow song:
Sam Adams’ post from Slate breaking down the final scene of KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON
Robbie Robertson’s soundtrack to FLOWER OF THE KILLER MOON:
Matineecast Episode 46 where James McNally and I talked about Clint Eastwood’s J. EDGAR
Comments and feedback are welcome and thank you very much for listening.
Enjoy!
You didn’t really think we were going to go through an entire film festival and never send a postcard home, did you? Silly rabbits…
Even though it was a protracted TIFF for me, every second of it was time well spent. From the killer slate of films I saw, to being able to bump into old friends, to just feeling a little bit of buzz in the air again – it was all welcome reminders of “the before times”.
That’s not to say that things are perfect down here on Festival Street – far from it, and we dig into thoughts on what’s happening and why within this episode.
So as the sun rises on one final day of moviegoing merriment, take a seat with Jolie and I in the shadow of four festival theatres while we talk about all of the ups and downs of ten whole days at the 48th annual Toronto International Film Festival.
All of Jolie’s TIFF writing can be found at Toronto Film Files
Info on all films – including access to the final day’s in-person screenings can be found at TIFF’s website.
Jolie’s Twitter feed can be found here
You can subscribe to the Matineecast via Apple, Spotify, or RSS
Comments and feedback are welcome, and thank you very much for listening.
Enjoy!
Runtime
85 minutes
Show Contents
0:00 Introduction
3:31 Know Your Enemy with guestAndrew James
9:16 The New Slang: HEAT
63:16 The Other Side: Carolyn and Ryan talk further reading after Chris McKay’s film
Thoughts from Your Host…
It’s probably no surprise that the beginning of June is coil of memories for me. There have been travels, new jobs, wonderful experiences, food, drink, laughter along with both tangible and intangible gifts.
For much of my life, this week has been about my friends.
It wasn’t always this way – not really. When I was a boy, the kids I knew didn’t really celebrate with me. When they did, they even used it as a way to make fun of me later. It didn’t take long though for me to find people who cared – who loved. Who in their kindness and generosity made me a kinder and more generous person. Soon, gathering them together became what this week was all about.
To this end, I am grateful for my friend that has joined me today to talk about an old movie we love, and for you, my friends, for stopping by and listening.
I do understand that in the course of time, life will slowly start to make this a harder and harder week…but this year, it finds me in a good place. For that, I am also grateful.
Thank you for your time – here’s to life!
Links mentioned in Episode 306
Birthday Episodes past – HIGH FIDELITY, THE APARTMENT, RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK, BULL DURHAM, ALMOST FAMOUS, OUT OF SIGHT, RAGING BULL, SAVING PRIVATE RYAN, and VERTIGO
The trailer for THE BEASTMASTER:
The look Tom Sizemore gives an onlooker at the diner:
Andrew’s Letterboxd feed can be found here. Comments and feedback are welcome and thank you very much for listening.
Enjoy!
Runtime
82 minutes
Show Contents
0:00 Introduction with guest Jim Laczkowski
3:44 The New Slang: BEAU IS AFRAID
49:07 Spoiler Section
Thoughts from your host…
Movies like this are why I love discussing film.
I adore a film brazen enough to get ugly…to take me to the places I don’t like going and make me remember so very clearly why I don’t like going there. I like watching people who are not at all like me work through their shit, because it makes me feel like my own shit isn’t really all that shitty.
More than anything – I love when someone sits shotgun next to me as cinema takes me on these strange road trips. We can look out the windows and say
Is that…?
I think it is.
But it can’t…
And yet it is!…
Discussion doesn’t need to be about whether or not a film is good. It doesn’t even need to be about whether or not it made sense. At its best, film discussion is about what the art form makes us feel.
Afraid, amused, ashamed, anxious, intimidated, inspired…you feel it, let’s talk about it!
This film made me feel things – and it was clear from the hop that my guest felt plenty of his own feelings. I believe it made for a wonderful episode, and I hope it inspires some of you to track-down this weird, epic opus.
Whenever you do – come find me. I’d love to continue the conversation.
Links mentioned in Episode 305:
Matineecast 201 where we discussed HEREDITARY
Matineecast 227 where we discussed MIDSOMMAR
Jim’s Twitter feed can be found here. Comments and feedback are welcome and thank you very much for listening.
Enjoy!
Runtime
63 minutes
Show Contents
0:00 Introduction
3:31 Know Your Enemy with Guest – Carolyn Mauricette
21:14 The New Slang: RENFIELD
52:22 The Other Side: Carolyn and Ryan talk further reading after Chris McKay’s film
Thoughts from Your Host…
Around this time last year, we were using this space to talk about EVERYTHING, EVERYWHERE, ALL AT ONCE. This year, we’re talking about RENFIELD. What can I say? Spring is a strange season for film.
I will never stop wondering why that is – why studios think that this time of year should be devoid of quality offerings. Plenty of franchises have proven that titles released before the ground thaws can make bank. And the example cited above shows that films can still be remembered come awards time. So what’s the deal?
So in the meantime, while we wait out the tabletop film and the video game film, we turn our attention to the undead and a great friend taking her turn in the guest spot.
Grab your holy water and your warning signs of toxic relationships and join us, won’t you?
Links mentioned in Episode 304
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia – “Kitten Mittens”:
Carolyn’s Twitter feed can be found here. Comments and feedback are welcome and thank you very much for listening.
Enjoy!
Runtime
77 minutes
Show Contents
0:00 Introduction
3:30 Know Your Enemy with Guest – Jolie Featherstone
22:16 The New Slang: THE FIVE DEVILS
52:22 The Other Side: Jolie and Ryan talk further reading after Léa Mysius’ film
Thoughts from Your Host…
I know, I know – everyone is talking about the video game movie and here we are talking up some little French offering. It probably seems like buying ourselves fresh apples on free cupcake day.
Here we are though – apples in hand – coming to y’all with a great conversation about why we love certain classic actors and titles, what makes a “dirty” film, and some absolutely delightful international titles that we believe are worth watching – all of which are rather easy to find. We even finally get our rhythm back and bring you the classic Matineecast features for the first time since
As I mention in the intro, my guest today always seems to happily sit down to discuss some very under-the-radar titles (give or take a few best picture nominees). For this, she will always have my gratitude, since she is taking the time to put on a show very few people will sit in the audience for.
She is doing it both because she loves the medium, and because she is a very good friend – and for that I’m both a lucky podcaster and a lucky friend.
The apples are delicious today – come have one with us, won’t you?
Jolie’s Twitter feed can be found here. Comments and feedback are welcome and thank you very much for listening.
Enjoy!
Runtime
65 minutes
Show Contents
0:00 Introduction with guest Courtney Small
3:10 The New Slang: I LIKE MOVIES
Thoughts from Your Host…
Well, hello again!
How are ya? Get that thing with that person figured out? How’s the family? Same old same old?
Me? Well, I thought I would allow myself a breath. I know, I know, it’s much better to stay consistent with projects like these – and generally speaking I have! Every two weeks for over thirteen years. However, between three very very long episodes over the last four dispatches and what was a very hard winter for me and mine, I found myself a little burnt out.
It’s much better now though – I took a quick adventure, I replenished some spoons, I tracked down some wonderful films and I’m ready to throw myself into the next hundred.
We’re starting gently today – something small and sweet that gave us a lot to think about. I know that there are some flash gunfight movies out there, some boxers, a superhero or two…but this little offering felt right. What’s more, considering the conversation it sparked between my old friend and I, I think the proof is in the pudding.
So, yes – hello again. Thanks for sticking around. Thanks for letting me get back on my feet and remember that if I can ever help you get back on yours I’m happy to offer a hand.
Let’s do this.
Links mentioned in Episode 302…
Big Shiny Tunes 4:
Courtney Small’s Spoutible feed
Courtney’s Twitter feed can be found here. Comments and feedback are welcome and thank you very much for listening.
Enjoy!
Runtime
108 minutes
Up for Discussion
- Introduction and welcome guest Marya E. Gates. (0:00)
- Rundown of the nominees for adapted and original screenplay (2:18)
- Rundown of the nominees for Supporting Actress, Supporting Actor, Actress, and Actor (22:15)
- Rundown of the nominees for Best Direction and Best Picture (1:04:20)
- Omissions and trends (1:29:59)
- Early predictions (1:37:25)
Thoughts from your host…
Well hello again!
Seems like just yesterday I was posting a long episode and writing a lot of words to go along with it. When you combine the year-end episode, the 300th, and this Oscar episode, we get three volumes in the last four that come with epic runtimes.
What can I say – It’s just a moment in the history of this show that things are getting a little more verbose.
In light of that, I’m going to keep this intro brief.
For more than ten years now, I have been having these annual conversations with Marya. They make for some of my favorite episodes. We often use them as a way to touch on a lot of topics at once, and 301 is no exception.
Please enjoy. Please seek out some of the titles we touch on if you haven’t seen them. Please seek out Marya’s wonderful recommendations.
Links from the show:
BANSHEES OF INISHERIN director Martin McDonagh in-conversation with Taylor Swift:
The nominees group picture from the 2023 Oscar Luncheon. Notice the happy expression on the face of Brian Tyree-Henry – back row, sixth from the right:
Pop Culture Detective’s video essay on the subversive approach to masculinity posed by Waymond in EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE:
Gina Prince-Blythewood’s piece in The Hollywood Reporter regarding THE WOMAN KING’s Oscar shutout.
Thanks for tuning into episode three-hundred-one.
Marya’s Twitter feed can be found here. Comments and feedback are welcome, and thank-you very much for listening.
Enjoy!
Runtime 145 minutes
Up for Discussion
- The Introduction
- Matthew Brown and The Neverending Stofy(2:56)
- Rosa Parra and Inside Out (22:59)
- Jim Laczkowski and The Sunset Limited (44:27)
- Samantha Joyce and My Girl (1:09:36)
- Jonathan Barkan and Relic (1:35:47)
- Natalie Davey and In The Shadow of The Pines (2:05:21)
- The Wrap (2:22:28)
Thoughts from your host…
When you publish a podcast more than two hours long that also happens to be your 300th one (350 if we’re counting side-episodes!), it’s hard to know what’s left to say. But I couldn’t publish something like this without a few more thoughts
Someone near and dear to the show suggested “Open your heart and let it rain”.
The first heavy drop I feel from the sky is one of nerves – one that says that I have spent the better part of a month working on something that doesn’t land. It’s the strangest feeling since I have tossed so many of these podcasting paper airplanes over the balcony and never once thought much about where they will land (or if they land). Today though? I’m trying something different, something bigger, something that I want to land in the right places…and with that comes nerves that I have spent the better part of a month creating something that didn’t work.
The second few drops landing on my shoulders are those of weariness. The actual time spent on this project is one thing, but there was also a great deal of emotional energy that went into it. Listening, and re-listening; planning and hoping. Putting myself in the shoes of so many people I know and also those I don’t. I think about how this show affected me emotionally to create, and it leaves me with a heavy heart knowing that at least I get to move forward and start doing easier things.
Lots of people in the world aren’t that lucky – and it’s not a thought or feeling I take lightly.
The next several drops hitting my head are those of hope – hope not only that this little totem does what I want it to do, but that we all are getting to a better place. That with every passing day, week, month, and year we are understanding more and more about mental health – whether it affects us personally or not. Hope that we can continue to redefine the language, the response, the latitude.
I hope one day someone stumbles across this episode and finds it quaint that we had to dedicate so much time to something that has become common knowledge.
And as the clouds open and start to drench me, the precipitation is that of gratitude. To everyone involved with this episode – both in the audio and behind the scenes. Some wanted to join, but couldn’t – their influence is still present. Others may have wanted to, but I didn’t realize – their impulse is appreciated. And everyone who listens to even one minute of this opus, everyone who clicks ‘forward’ or ‘share’…I am grateful for you and what you bring to this endeavour.
So as I sit here getting wetter and wetter by the mental downpour – nervous, weary, hopeful, and grateful – let me just say that I appreciate every chance this little podcast has given me to share ideas, humour, empathy, passion, and perspective. It’s an opportunity I have never taken lightly, and one I hope has made good use of the privilege I am afforded.
Welcome to Wherever You Are.
Links from The Show:
Movie poster from The Sunset Limited:
Samantha Joyce’s books on Goodreads – Flirting With Fame and Dealing in Deception
Mental Health and Horror trailer, directed by Jonathan Barkan:
In The Shadow of The Pines short film by Anne Koizumi
Matthew Salesses Time essay on grief.
Natalie’s Reframeables TikTok account
Reframeables Episode 62 where Caitlin Green discusses active listening (with so much more)
Follow my guests on Twitter:
- Jonathan Barkan
- Natalie Davey
- Samantha Joyce
- Jim Laczkowski
- Rosa Parra
You can subscribe to the Matineecast via iTunes or RSS
Comments and feedback are welcome, and thank-you so very much for listening.
Take care of yourselves and Enjoy!
Runtime
77 minutes
Show Contents
0:00 Introduction with guest Andrew Robinson
3:10 The New Slang: Spoiler-riddled conversation of THE WHALE
52:22 The Other Side: Andrew and Ryan talk further reading after Darren Aronofsky’s film
Thoughts from Your Host…
Small peek behind the curtain – Episode 299 was harder to plan and pull off that Episode 300 is proving to be! My feeling is that in-part that’s because 300 has so many more moving parts that I’ve been putting more effort into that, and getting a little ahead of myself..
Oops.
Oddly enough, there are things about this episode that dovetail nicely into the next, but offering a full explanation would spoil the surprise!
Apologies in advance for going full-spoilers on this episode, but I really do believe that the film requires it. That said, I don’t feel as though it’s the sort of film that comes with a big twist, so hopefully you’ll permit us for once.
Links mentioned in Episode 299…
The Whale Trailer:
Blindspot post on Kurosawa’s IKIRU – a year-starting selection
Matineecast 79 – or “The reason I no longer podcast about random things Andrew gets me to watch”
Andrew’s Twitter feed can be found here. Comments and feedback are welcome and thank you very much for listening.
Enjoy!
Runtime 120 minutes
Up for Discussion
- Introduction with Hillary Butler and Bob Turnbull
2, THE FIVES (3:24) - THE FOURS (17:55)
- THE THREES (34:58)
- THE TWOS (45:32)
- THE ONES (1:04:02)
- “JURY PRIZES” (1:29:45)
Thoughts from your host…
First things first – the quite clever and always engaging Jolie Featherstone was supposed to join us for this episode, but fell ill at the last minute. We missed her this year, but can happily report that she’s feeling better a few days on.
This time last year, I said the following:
My hope remains that ’22 allows me a chance to start doing more episodes in person. That I will feel safe enough to go back to the cinema. That by the time next December rolls around, four of us will gather at one table once again.
Check, check, and most of a check. How often does that happen??
It can be hard to see the blessings from the curses sometimes, can’t it? We get bogged down in how hard life is getting, or how bad the news is that we lose track of the simple joys fate can offer us. Don’t get me wrong – everyone’s burdens come with their own weight, i don’t want to sit here and try to whistle them away. I only wish to say that sometimes we need to recognize that with the bitter can come an awful lot of sweet, and that to dismiss it is to disrespect it.
This year was good one for film, if not a great one. There might have been fewer masterpieces, but wow were there ever some bangers.
It was a year where I was introduced to the visions of Charlotte Wells, Colm Bairead, Alice Diop, Sophie Hyde, and Ninja Thyberg.
It was a year where storytellers like The Daniels, Josephine Decker, and Kogonada doubled-down.
It was a year I got re-acquainted with Todd Field and Sarah Polley – and the year I learned that Steven Spielberg still has things left to say.
It was a year where the discourse at times felt intolerable, and yet a year where I was still ushered towards some absolute gems by trusted voices..
I got a lot of what I hoped for these last twelve months, and at the risk of sounding like a starry-eyed optimist, I am grateful for all of it. While the year has been wonderful, the last several weeks have not – and it’s these moments of difficulty that memories of joy are built to guide us through.
So here’s to 2022 – all of its highs and even its lows. I’d make hopes for next year, but I wouldn’t want to push my luck. If anything I will say that I hope the year ahead brings me back into the shared space of more friends like Hillary, Jolie, and Bob.
If you’re reading this and you think I mean you, I probably do – here’s to catching up in ’23!
Links from The Show:
Pop Culture Detective’s visual essay on Waymond in “Everything Everywhere All at Once”:
Hillary’s review of Brainwashed
In addition, four of the thirteen films discussed at-length today had Matineecasts of their own – but to link them specifically would give the game away. So if you’d like to look at what you might have missed later, take a listen to the following shows:
Episode 279
Episode 293
Episode 294
Episode 296
Hillary’s Twitter feed can be found here. Bob’s Twitter feed can be found here.You can subscribe to the Matineecast via iTunes or RSS
Comments and feedback are welcome, and thank-you very much for listening and all the best for the new year!
Enjoy!
Runtime
77 minutes
Show Contents
0:00 Introduction
3:30 Know Your Enemy with Guest – Brian J. Roan
22:16 The New Slang: BONES AND ALL
52:22 The Other Side: BRIAN and Ryan talk further reading after Luca Guadagnino’s film
Thoughts from Your Host…
Considering that this is the last episode before Christmas, you’d think we’d choose something more festive…or at least more happy. But aren’t the holidays a time to spend overindulging and eating too much? Maybe this will be a new holiday classic!
Or maybe not.
Jokes aside, I’m happy to be spending time with an old friend for the last full episode of the year. It’s a reminder of the way people reconnect over the holidays – the way they share memories, have a few laughs, swap stories and generally make merry. It can be a tough time of year for some – more and more every passing year it seems – and my heart does go out to them. While I am lucky enough to have the people in my life that make the holidays bright, I know that’s not the case for everyone.
For those I offer I wish of quiet calm. I hope that they are able to get through the next several days and weeks with minimal stress and anxiety, and that the warmth of the season eventually finds them in new ways that make the time of year a little easier.
As for us at The Matineecast, we are capping off a year that came with its ups and downs like so many do, but that showed us love and community when we needed it most. This soap box remains a humble one, so we consider everyone listening to these shows our family.
So as is the family tradition, we wish you all a very Happy Holiday Season, and hope that your days and nights for what’s left of 2022 bring you warmth, light, peace, and love.
Links mentioned in Episode 297…
The Glengarry Glen Ross monologue:
Matineecast 280 where Hillary Butler dropped by to discuss Cyrano
Brian’s Twitter feed can be found here. Comments and feedback are welcome and thank you very much for listening.
Enjoy!
Talkin' 2021 at The Movies with guests Jolie Featherstone, Hillary Butler, and Bob Turnbull. Together we close out the year by naming off our top five films.
Talkin' 2021 at The Movies with guests Jolie Featherstone, Hillary Butler, and Bob Turnbull. Together we close out the year by naming off our top five films.
Talkin’ 2020 at The Movies with guest Andrew Robinson. We discuss what was and what wasn't, then close out the year by naming off our top films.
Talkin’ 2020 at The Movies with guest Andrew Robinson. We discuss what was and what wasn’t, then close out the year by naming off our top films
Talkin' 2019 at The Movies with guests Ariel Fisher, Petula Neale, and Lindsay Ragone. Together we close out the year by naming off our top five films.
Talkin' 2019 at The Movies with guests Ariel Fisher, Petula Neale, and Lindsay Ragone. Together we close out the year by naming off our top five films.
Talkin' 2018 at The Movies with guests Ariel Fisher, Petula Neale, and Lindsay Ragone. Together we close out the year by naming off our top five films.
Talkin' 2018 at The Movies with guests Ariel Fisher, Petula Neale, and Lindsay Ragone. Together we close out the year by naming off our top five films.
Danita Steinberg and Erica Gagne join me at The Rivoli as TIFF 2018 coverage continues.
I take my talents across The Don River...and get REALLY honest...to discuss the songs that help me get along.
Talkin' 2017 at the Movies with guests Ariel Fisher and Bob Barrow from A Frame Apart, and Lindsay Ragone. Together we close out the year by naming off our top five films.
Talkin' 2017 at the Movies with guests Ariel Fisher and Bob Barrow from A Frame Apart, and Lindsay Ragone. Together we close out the year by naming off our top five films.
Talkin' 2016 at the Movies with guests Ariel Fisher and Bob Barrow from A Frame Apart, and Lindsay Ragone. Together we close out the year by naming off our top five films.
Talkin' 2015 at the Movies with guests Shane McNeil and Rachel West from Cineplex, and Lindsay Ragone. Together we close out the year by naming off our top five films.
Talkin' AMY with Lindsay Ragone. She and Ryan flip the record over to play the other side, and go further down the spiral.
Talkin' INSIDE OUT with Jim Laczkowski. He and Ryan flip the record over to play the other side, and go further down the spiral.
Talkin' SLOW WEST with Ariel Fisher. She and Ryan flip the record over to play the other side, and go further down the spiral.
Talkin' BULL DURHAM with Alia Miller. She and Ryan flip the record over to play the other side, and go further down the spiral.
Talkin' 'EX MACHINA with Corey Pierce. He and Ryan flip the record over to play the other side, and launch a whole new feature of the show.
Talkin' WHILE WE'RE YOUNG with Katie Hogan. She and Ryan then flip the record over to play the other side.
Talkin' '71 with Sean Walsh. He and Ryan also flip the record over to play the other side.
Talkin' GIRLHOOD with Sarah Khan. She and Ryan also flip the record over to play the other side.
Talkin' KINGSMAN: THE SECRET SERVICE with Simon Columb. He and Ryan also read some listener feedback on trash and flip the record over to play the other side.
Talkin' JUPITER ASCENDING with Petula Neale. She and Ryan also read some listener feedback on panned sci-fi and flip the record over to play the other side.
Talkin' A MOST VIOLENT YEAR with guest Bob Turnbull from Eternal Sunshine. He and Ryan also read some listener feedback on movie spouses and flip the record over to play the other side.
Talkin' INHERENT VICE with Courtney Small from Cinema Axis. He and Ryan flip the record over to play the other side.
Talkin' 2014 at the Movies with guests Corey Pierce from Row Three and Nicole Bontoft and Lindsay Ragone. Together we close out the year by naming off our top five films.
Talkin' SELMA with Candice Frederick from Reel Talker. She and Ryan flip the record over to play the other side.
Five years ago this week, I plugged in my mic and started this podcast. Considering that I wasn’t sure I’d be able to make a go of it for five months, let alone five years…I’m pretty damned chuffed today.
So chuffed that I won’t let the difficulties I had in getting this episode online get me down!
So while the chapter markers of this feed are gone temporarily, I do hope you’ll enjoy the discussion folks – I even managed to get a talk with Halfyard in at less than 90 minutes!
Here’s what’s in store in episode one-hundred-and-twenty-five…
Runtime
84 minutes
Up for Discussion
-
Introduction
-
KNOW YOUR ENEMY– Q& A with this week’s guest, Kurt Halfyard (2:25)
-
COME TALK TO ME – Fielding some listener feedback on animated movies we want (17:08)
-
THE NEW SLANG – Review and reaction to FOXCATCHER (31:50)
-
THE OTHER SIDE – Kurt couples THE PLACE BEYOND THE PINES (1:11:22)
-
THE OTHER SIDE – Ryan couples CAPOTE (1:21:18)
Kurt’s Twitter feed can be found here. You can subscribe to the Matineecast via iTunes or RSS
Comments and feedback are welcome, and thank-you very much for listening.
Enjoy!
Fair warning folks: There were a few gremlins in the works when this episode was laid down. Nothing about this episode feels inaudible to me, but there is a recurring hiccup with my mic where my voice flares up now and then for the briefest of moments (I’m blaming a loose/bad cable). Then, as if to really make me feel dumb, the cable gives out altogether and what you hear comes from my laptop’s on-board mic.
Oddly enough, the on-board mic sounds pretty good! But since said mic is pretty close to the laptop’s speakers, you can hear a weird echo with my guest’s audio.
Again, not inaudible, but not exactly what I’d call “up to standards”. I’ll have everything fixed by next time, I swear.
As for this episode, it was a fun discussion…helped in large part, I’m sure, by the fact that this time around we aren’t discussing missing spouses, sociopathic journalists, or the astrophysics involved with spacetime. Sometimes, you just need to hit record and talk about a cartoon!
Here’s what’s in store in episode one-hundred-and-twenty-four…
Runtime
82 minutes
Up for Discussion
-
Introduction
-
KNOW YOUR ENEMY– Q& A with this week’s guest, Kristin Griffin Phelps (3:10)
-
COME TALK TO ME – Fielding some listener feedback on animated movies we want (17:08)
-
THE NEW SLANG – Review and reaction to BIG HERO 6 (29:36)
-
THE OTHER SIDE – Kristin couples I, ROBOT (55:15)
-
THE OTHER SIDE – Ryan couples THE INCREDIBLES (1:06:04)
Kristin’s Twitter feed can be found here. You can subscribe to the Matineecast via iTunes or RSS
Comments and feedback are welcome, and thank-you very much for listening.
Enjoy!
“We are only here briefly, and in this moment I want to allow myself joy.” – Amy in HER, written by Spike Jonze.
Please listen.
Please think.
Please share.
love,
Ryan
Podcasters: Do any of you use anything other than Audacity or Garage Band to create your shows? I can’t imagine that any of you do, but figured I would ask considering I’ve just run into a bit of a wall with the way I produce these shows. Drop me a not if any of y’all use something different.
As for this particular episode, I’m really happy to have the show back-on-track. Truthfully, I might be a bit too happy (I’m a little chattier than usual in this episode). But between sitting down with a guest I’ve wanted to bring in for months, and soaking up a film that’s one of my most-anticipated of the year, it was hard to keep things succinct.
Maybe it’s just that when I sit down across from this man, I’m used to being the one who’s on-the-spot and expected to bring the goods (being on his home court didn’t help either). That’s alright, I’m guesting on his show this weekend…I’ll even the score and make him do the heavy lifting. Fair’s fair, right?
Here’s what’s in store in episode one-hundred-and-twenty-three…
Runtime
83 minutes
Up for Discussion
-
Introduction
-
KNOW YOUR ENEMY– Q& A with this week’s guest, Jamie Dew (3:03)
-
COME TALK TO ME – Fielding some listener feedback on big movies (14:57)
-
THE NEW SLANG – Review and reaction to INTERSTELLAR (28:16)
-
THE OTHER SIDE – Nathan couples SUNSHINE (57:48)
-
THE OTHER SIDE – Ryan couples CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND (1:12:06)
Jamie’s Twitter feed can be found here. You can subscribe to the Matineecast via iTunes or RSS
Comments and feedback are welcome, and thank-you very much for listening.
Enjoy!
It’s been a rough few months for this humble podcaster.
I could offer you a blow-by-blow account of how both the conversation and the way I share it with you went sideways, but I fear that would bore you immensely. What I will say is that I have missed doing this. Dropping two full episodes over two months was not what I intended when I mapped out “The One Twenties” of The Matineecast. I have missed the discussion with my friends, missed the interaction with my meagre listenership, heck – I’ve even missed the mechanics involved with producing this whole caper! (Most podcasters will tell you, that’s actually the part one misses the least).
By now, you’re probably asking yourself “why?”…after all, it’s not like I get paid for this.
Part of me believes I missed it because after all this time, it’s become a part of my identity. People who have never met me face-to-face (like today’s guest), still find a strange familiarity in the sound of my voice. It’s a very personal way of connecting with you fine folks, and not one that I take lightly. So knowing I’d forsaken that connection so much these last several weeks, I found myself feeling off…like I’d lost my voice.
I guess what I’m saying is, it’s good to be back. It’s good to have new hardware to work with, new films to talk about, and a schedule that allows me to make it all happen.
Hopefully, my tardiness hasn’t cost me any more of that connection!
Here’s what’s in store in episode one-hundred-twenty-two…
Runtime
69 minutes
Up for Discussion
-
Introduction
-
KNOW YOUR ENEMY– Q& A with this week’s guest, Sam McCosh(5:27)
-
THE NEW SLANG – Review and reaction to NIGHTCRAWLER (18:16)
Sam’s Twitter feed can be found here. You can subscribe to the Matineecast via iTunes or RSS
Comments and feedback are welcome, and thank-you very much for listening.
Enjoy!
So I screwed up.
In the recording of this episode, I changed my usual routine, and when I made the change, I neglected to check how that change was affecting my usual set-up. Turns out, that change was having a HUGE effect on my usual set-up, and the original audio for this episode was completely useless. I feel bad, because my tight schedule only allowed one chance to record with the original guest who was dropping by for this episode, and now that discussion is lost. Apologies to that guest – you know who you are.
By now, you might be asking yourself “Why even cop to a mistake at all? Why not just plow forward and pretend that you meant to do that?” Perhaps it’s because I believe in acknowledging the contributions of my guests and what they bring to the show. I feel as though I need to tip my cap to the time they give unto me, and that they do so graciously. So to waste it, I feel terrible, and feel like I need to admit I’ve done so openly.
Anyway, the end result turned into something really good, something very different from the usual format of the show. So as I stretch my legs post-TIFF, and get ready to dig into a very exciting autumn at the multiplex, please do enjoy this latest episode. It’s deeply spoiler-ific, it’s very different from my usual show structure, and it’s a really good listen!
Here’s what’s in store in episode one-hundred-twenty-one…
Runtime
61 minutes
Up for Discussion
-
Introduction
-
KNOW YOUR ENEMY– Q& A with this week’s guest, Marya E. Gates (2:33)
-
THE NEW SLANG – Review and reaction to GONE GIRL(9:53)
Marya’s Twitter feed can be found here. You can subscribe to the Matineecast via iTunes or RSS
Comments and feedback are welcome, and thank-you very much for listening.
Enjoy!
Last call at the oasis.
We take a moment on Sunday night to talk about some Kiwi vampires and reflect on the week that was.
Here’s what’s in store in WLT Part Four…
Runtime: 38 minutes
Up for Discussion – WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS
Comments and feedback are welcome, and thank-you very much for listening.
Enjoy!