A Century in Cinema

Join our Patreon for bonus episodes, and thank you to our Patreon subscribers for supporting the show! This week we talk about Avatar The Way of Water.We say goodbye to our wonderful listeners and revisit some of our past opinions and favorite episodes. We also thank all of our guests and talk about what we got out of this project.

With violent right-wing movements around the world in the 2010s, there's never been a better time to visit Terrence Malick's A Hidden Life.  In proper Malick fashion, we jump from point to point, ranging from the director's career, his unique filming style, the Disney-Fox merger, and the end of our podcast. Join us for our last official film discussion of A Century in Cinema.For our final Patreon exclusive: If we were to do a 2020 episode...Where to watch A Hidden LifeChristopher Plummer recounts working with MalickThe cast of A Hidden Life talk about the filming processTop Letterboxd review of A Hidden Life

What is the cult-classic Nicolas Cage film Mandy actually about? We discuss the masculinity and religious overtones of this insane film from director Panos Cosmatos.In our Patreon episode, we talk way too much about Neon Genesis EvangelionWhere to watch MandyThe Vulture review / thinkpieceWhere to watch A Hidden Life (2019)

A Ghost Story offers us a remedy to nihilistic thoughts as we discuss the isolation and depression of our modern age, we also talk about A24 as a brand, what a $100,000 film looks like, as well as Red Letter Media and film criticism on the internet, . We also talk about the #metoo movement that marks a cultural shift in the entertainment industry.Join us on Patreon as we read Redbox reviews for other filmsWhere to watch A Ghost StoryRed Letter Media's reviewWhere to watch Mandy (2018)

Worldwide political extremism has a lot of us turning to film and entertainment in 2016. We talk about Park Chan-wook's The Handmaiden, a South Korean film that Andrew has been looking forward to discussing since the beginning of the podcast. Topics include LGBTQ cinema, how to conduct sex scenes, and the Japanese colonization of Korea in the 1930s.Join our Patreon for our FRESH theater lobby report of Decision to LeaveWhere to watch The HandmaidenNew Yorker review of The HandmaidenWhere to watch A Ghost Story (2017)

According to the NYT, the racial politics of Bone Tomahawk are "abysmal", and it may not be a film we enjoyed, but it makes for an episode packed with great discussions. We talk about what role western films have in contemporary Hollywood, the digital look of modern films, how we try to watch a movie we don't like, as well as the career and potential problems you might have with the director, S. Craig Zahler.Join our Patreon to know what it's like to fly an airplane into a hurricane!Where to watch Bone TomahawkThe NYT reviewThe Ringer article on the problematic politics of Zahler's filmsWhere to watch The Handmaiden (2016)

What (if anything) does Darren Aronofsky's reinterpretaion of the biblical flood myth have to say about environmentalism in today's world? How does a $160 million blockbuster fit into the career of an indie director like Aronofsky? We discuss these questions and more as we talk about Noah.- Join our Patreon for more Bible talk!- Where to watch Noah- Kermode's Pope review- Fantasia 2000's adaptation- Where to watch Bone Tomahawk (2015)

40 years after The Holy Mountain, we revisit famed director Alejandro Jodorowsky with his surreal autobiographical film, The Dance of Reality. What is it like for a midnight cult director to return to the world of cinema after so many years? We talk about what makes this film more approachable than Jodorowsky's other works, while still going into detail about the scene where someone urinates on someone else's face.Join our patreonWhere to watch The Dance of RealityYourMovieSucks reviewWhere to watch Noah (2014)

Once again, we're joined by Noah Cannon who is here to help us wrangle the most labyrinthine film on our list: Cloud Atlas, technically one of the most expensive independent films ever made from the Wachowski sisters and Tom Tykwer. There's a lot to talk about: how history repeats itself, the many changes between the book and the movie, how this film has become something of a cult classic, the excitement of having a transgender director helming a huge film, and why we (as well as Tom Hanks) think you should give Cloud Atlas another shot if you overlooked it in 2012.Join our Patreon for a discussion of Angels in AmericaWhere to watch Cloud AtlasRoger Ebert's 4 star reviewThe extended trailerWhere to watch The Dance of Reality (2013)

We talk about leaving our home town, writing as therapy, mental illness in modern films, and more on this week's episode all about Young Adult.Join our Patreon for Andrew's take on Amazon's Rings of PowerWhere to watch Young AdultRoger Ebert's reviewWhere to watch Cloud Atlas (2012)

Abbas Kiarostami's Certified Copy inspires a variety of discussions about hyperreality, film festival bubbles, and why Iran banned a film directed by one of their greatest filmmakers.Join our Patreon for a discussion on the infamous 2010 OscarsWhere to watch Certified CopyMark Kermode's review of Certified CopyWhere to watch Young Adult (2011)

As the events of the Great Recession play out, we turn to Greece where the country's debt crisis is (or isn't) showcased in the dark allegory of Yorgos Lanthimos' Dogtooth.Join our Patreon to hear what other movie we were going to talk about for 2009Where to watch DogtoothThe Greek Prime Minister's thoughts on DogtoothWhere to watch Certified Copy (2010)

Twilight and the mania surrounding the franchise at the time offers us an opportunity to talk about fandoms, romance, (Cronenberg,) modern gothic-horror, and how volatile criticism is thrown at media made for women versus media made for men.Join our Patreon to learn how to throw the perfect partyWhere to watch TwilightMark Kermode's review of TwilightWhere to watch Dogtooth (2009)

In the wake of 9/11, anti-Muslim bigotry swept across the western world. Artists like Marjane Satrapi push against the hatred with her graphic novel turned animated film, Persepolis, showing audiences what it was really like to live through the Iranian revolution and war with Iraq. Local playwriter Élise Hanson joins us to talk about how films can help us empathize with other cultures and gain a deeper understanding of the people around the world.Join our Patreon, where we talk about Jordan Peele's NopeWhere to watch PersepolisRoger Ebert's reviewWhere to watch Twilight (2008)

We talk about the Spanish film Volver  and the life of its esteemed director Pedro Almodóvar.Where to watch VolverRoger Ebert's reviewClip from Ebert & Roeper (with Mario Van Peebeles)Almodóvar Leading Ladies on Drag Race EspañaWhere to watch Persepolis (2007)

A History of Violence inspires discussions of the American psyche in a post-9/11 world and survival of the fittest within the human species. We talk about how this film fits into the careers of David Cronenberg and Viggo Mortensen.On our Patreon: Andrew's least favorite films of 2005Where to watch A History of ViolenceRoger Ebert's reviewCinephilia and Beyond InterviewWhere to watch Volver (2006)

While the Saw franchise would later go on to be defined by blood and guts and 3D gimmicks, Arthur and Andrew really admire the genuine tension and horror of the first film. We discuss the successful career of James Wan, how horror films have changed since Saw, and the "gamification" of watching films.Join our Patreon for a Catwoman reviewWhere to watch SawRoger Ebert's reviewThe love triangle trapThe carousel trapWhere to watch A History of Violence (2005)

While the US launches a second war with Iraq, we turn to talk about the burgeoning Korean film industry and Kim Ki-Duk's Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... and Spring. We discuss movies that tackle adult topics, how we relate to the philosophy in this movie, the life of the director, and The Passion of the Christ. Also, do arthouse films have to be boring?A Century in Cinema PatreonWhere to watch Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... and SpringReelViews.com reviewWhere to watch Saw

Arthur and Andrew venture to the grandiose world of Bollywood to discuss Devdas. We talk about the major differences between the films we've come to expect in the west and the melodrama of the masala musical genre. We also talk about the state of musicals in the American film landscape.Where to watch DevdasBollywood Boulevard reviewWhere to watch Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... and Spring (2003)*Mandy Moore, not Marilyn Monroe

For Arthur and Andrew, the Bosnian War of the 1990s may have been overshadowed by the 9/11 terrorists attacks in 2001,  but it's certainly still worth exploring in a film like No Man's Land. This week we discuss how this movie subverts the expectations of war films set up by Saving Private Ryan a few years earlier, and we also attempt to wrap our heads around the Bosnian War (we do not do a good job).Join a Century in Cinema Patron for more discussions!Where to watch No Man's LandThe US trailer for No Man's LandRoger Ebert's review of No Man's LandBosnian War - WikipediaWhere to watch Devdas (2002)

Arthur and Andrew are back and talking about the movies of the new millennium! Terrorists threaten the world AND the beauty pageants of San Antonio! Learn about screenplay tropes, contemporary Hollywood, and our opinions on Rotten Tomatoes as we watch and discuss Miss Congeniality! Also Sandra Bullock!!Join our Patreon for more discussions about the films of the yearWhere to watch Miss CongenialityRotten Tomatoes reviews of Miss CongenialityWhere to watch No Man's Land (2001)

On the eve of the new millennium, Sofia Coppola's bold debut feature The Virgin Suicides premiered to critical acclaim. We're joined by James Westervelt as we take a look at the way the film uses the aesthetic of 90's independent film to tackle a challenging subject from within the Hollywood system. We also announce a short break before we head into the last two decades of A Century in Cinema.Join our Patreon for exclusive bonus episodesWhere to watch The Virgin SuicidesInterivew with DazedWhere to watch Miss Congeniality (2000)

In 1995, a group of Danish filmmakers including Lars von Trier and Thomas Vinterberg railed against the state of modern movies and drafted the Dogma 95 manifesto. We take a look at Vinterberg's The Celebration, the first film of the Dogma 95 canon, to explore the ideas of the unique filmmaking movement and how well the rules can apply to directors today.Where to watch The CelebrationThe Dogma 95 manifestoWhere to watch The Virgin Suicides (1999)

Poetic cinema as Tarkovsky intended... We discuss John Woo's Face/Off! How this film came to be, 1990s cheese in this film versus Showgirls, and whether this film has established itself as a "classic".Our Patreon, where we lament the loss of physical mediaWhere to watch Face/OffRoger Ebert's reviewWhere to watch The Celebration (1998)

Before the 1990s, we wouldn't expect to see a film like The Watermelon Woman, a microbudget movie by a black queer filmmaker about black queer issues. But it's also a staple of 1990s independent cinema for its self-reflexivity: a film about filmmaking and film history. We tie together past episodes on Baby Face and A Page of Madness as we consider the canon of film that The Watermelon Woman challenges, and the way groups of people are buried by history. Join our Patreon for a discussion about local video storesWhere to watch The Watermelon WomanThe City Paper review of The Watermelon Woman that become political ammoWhere to watch Face/Off

Arthur and Andrew discuss a misunderstood masterpiece... the infamous NC-17 box office bomb... often cited as one of the worst films of all time... Paul Verhoeven's Showgirls.Join our Patreon for weekly bonus episodesWhere to watch ShowgirlsNYT Janet Maslin reviewInspiration for the posterWhere to watch Watermelon Woman

This week: Krzysztof Kieślowski's Three Colors trilogy, in which the Polish director sets three stories of intimate human connection amidst the formation of the European Union. These films were celebrated upon their release and have gone on to become classics in the international independent film scene.Our Patreon, in which we talk BTSWhere to watch Three Colors: Blue / White / RedWhere to watch Showgirls

Arthur and Andrew discuss this round of Hollywood romanticism, our thoughts on rom-coms, and terrorist attacks. Nora Ephron's Sleepless in Seattle was a bold film at the time, where the leads don't meet until the end and the movie was released shortly after Jurassic Park. How does it hold up in 2022?Join our Patreon for Arthur's birthday dinosaur rant!Where to watch Sleepless in SeattleRoger Ebert's reviewWhere to watch Three Colors: Blue / White / Red

To highlight the burgeoning era of independent film, we take a look at El Mariachi and the filmography of Robert Rodriguez, who infamously produced this movie on a shoestring budget of $7000. How did he put his body on the line to obtain that money? What kind of tricks on set did he use to pull this off? And is this really a film that only cost $7000?Join our Patreon for bonus content! Where we give advice about producing our own projects on tight budgets.Where to watch El MariachiRoger Ebert's reviewTrailer for El MariachiWhere to watch Sleepless in Seattle (1993)

Moving into the 1990s, we take a look at Point Break from director Kathryn Bigelow. How does the MTV aesthetic influence films of this era? How have action movies changed over the years since this movie? And how hot are Keanu Reeves and Patrick Swayze? All this and more.Join our Patreon for Andrew's Birthday RantWhere to watch Point BreakThe new Entertainment Weekly reviews Point BreakWhere to watch El Mariachi (1992)

Time just keeps on moving... We're in the 90s and we take a look at one of the last films from the legendary director Akira Kurosawa. Dreams is more like an autobiographical poem and we speak about how the different stories within the mosaic affected us, our favorite parts, and our own fears about the world.Join our Patreon for our fresh takes on the 2022 Academy AwardsWhere to watch Akira Kurosawa's DreamsVincent Canby NYT ReviewWhere to watch Point Break 

The Soviet Union collapses, Nintendo releases the Gameboy, and Batman dominates the summer box office. We talk about the Batman-mania the swept through Hollywood and the USA, stories from the set, Tim Burton, as well as comparing the various iterations of the caped crusader.Join our PatreonWhere to watch BatmanDavid Letterman interview with Michael KeatonSean Young Catwoman pleaWhere to watch Kurosawa's Dreams

Director Errol Morris reinvents the idea of documentary films with 1988's The Thin Blue Line. We talk about the film's innovative use of crime scene reenactments, human memory and eyewitness testimony, how that ties into the cinematic experience, and what "the truth" is.Where to watch The Thin Blue LinePBS interview with Errol MorrisWhere to watch Batman (1989)

We welcome special guest Stephane Glynn who wrote his graduate thesis on American imperialism of foreign bodies. What does that mean in the context of Predator and 1980s action films? We talk about Arnold Schwarzenegger, Ronald Reagan, primitive CGI effects, and a whole lot more!Join our Patreon for a discussion on Jean-Claude Van DammeWhere to watch PredatorRoger Ebert's review of PredatorWhere to watch The Thin Blue Line

Blue Velvet presents an idyllic view of contemporary Americana, but confronts the culture's dark psychological underbelly. Blue Velvet may also be the key to understanding David Lynch's work. We talk about Dune (again), Roger Ebert's infamous review of the film, and the career of a truly unique filmmaker.Our Patreon with bonus episodesWhere to watch Blue VelvetEbert's infamous review of Blue VelvetWhere to watch Predator (1987)

A controversial film about a controversial public figure. In 1970, Yukio Mishima and members of his private army took a Japanese General hostage and attempted to inspire a coup against the government. Failing, Mishima then committed ritual suicide. How does a team of American filmmakers led by Paul Shrader tackle a story like this? We discuss music, art direction, and repressed homosexuality in Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters.In our Patreon episode, we rave about TAMPOPO (1985)Where to watch Mishima: A Life in Four ChaptersNYT Vincent Canby review of MishimaWhere to watch Blue Velvet (1986)

Amadeus sweeps the Oscars and we have Chandler Burns from behind-the-scenes at the Sundance Film Festival to tell us all about it. We discuss a range of topics, from the story's beginnings on Broadway to the production's tense moments in communist Czechoslovakia.In our Patreon episode: is Aliens actually a bad sequel?Where to watch AmadeusThe MTV Trailer for AmadeusWhere to watch Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters

Scarface is radically violent for the time period, pushing boundaries with the US rating system, but what is the film's message? We wrestle with the film's viewpoints on immigration and the persistent popularity of a despicable main character in Tony Montana. Is this a story that glorifies a greedy 1980s lifestyle in American culture? Fear-mongering with Cuban immigrants? Or just anti-Florida propaganda?Join our Patreon for bonus episodesWhere to watch ScarfaceSiskel and Ebert talk ScarfaceWhere to watch Amadeus

From West Germany, reflecting on the country's relationship with its fascist past, we take a last-minute look at Veronika Voss. Andrew tells us about his problematic hero, director Rainer Werner Fassbinder, and the film's bold assessment of the post-war culture through the style of old Hollywood melodramas like Sunset Boulevard.For Patreon Subscribers: We talk about the recent 80s nostalgia waveWhere to watch Veronika VossRoger Ebert's review of Veronika VossWhere to watch Scarface (1983)

John Carpenter and Kurt Russell team up to Escape from New York as a response to Watergate and the economic decline of New York City. We watch Siskel and Ebert give their television review of this film, and we ask why we really enjoy certain b-movies like this one.Thanks for joining our Patreon!Where to watch Escape from New YorkVideo clip of Siskel and Ebert on Escape from New YorkWhere to watch Veronika Voss (1982)

While Ronald Reagan is elected President in the United States, we look to Japan where master filmmaker Akira Kurosawa rekindles his career with Kagemusha. Arthur and Andrew geek out and profess their love for all things Kurosawa, his use of color, and his attention to historical details. Find out how George Lucas and Francis Ford Coppola got involved in this film's production.In our Patreon episode, we talk about our favorite and least favorite movies from Kurosawa's career and Arthur confronts the idea that Kurosawa actually did make bad films.Join our Patreon for bonus episodes and more discussion on KurosawaWhere to watch KagemushaKurosawa's painted storyboardsWhere to watch Escape from New York (1981)

New York City went through many infamous changes in the 1970s, but director Woody Allen held an affection for the city's past life. Arthur and Andrew welcome self-appointed Woody Allen expert Noah Cannon to the show to talk about Manhattan and the life of its director, writer, and star. We discuss why so many people hate Woody Allen and why Woody Allen hates himself. We also lavish praise on Gordon Willis' cinematography and look back on the decade to discuss our favorite and least favorite films we watched for the podcast.And in our bonus episode available to Patreon subscribers, we ask the question: how would Manhattan fare in today's box office?Join our Patreon for bonus contentWhere to watch ManhattanVincent Canby's NYT review of ManhattanWhere to watch Kagemusha (1980)

Three years after the US military evacuates from Saigon, Hollywood begins to tackle the Vietnam War with Michael Cimino's The Deer Hunter. We talk about the controversy surrounding this film upon its release, how the story holds a mirror to US society's attitude towards Vietnam, and Andrew's mom's reaction to The Deer Hunter. We also talk about Oscar bait as a concept.A Century in Cinema PatreonWhere to watch The Deer HunterRoger Ebert's review of The Deer HunterWhere to watch Manhattan

One film overshadows the box office and pop culture in 1977, so do not worry, we speak about the importance of Star Wars before getting to our main topic: The Ascent by director Larisa Shepitko from the Soviet Union. We talk about this film's victory against the Soviet censors and our experience taking in challenging anti-war films like this one.For our Patreon bonus episode we talk about the future we'd like to see for the Star Wars franchise.Join A Century in Cinema PatreonWhere to watch The AscentNYT Review of The AscentWhere to watch The Deer Hunter

Government conspiracies and sinister secrets are on the public's mind in the wake of Watergate. We start with a discussion of All the President's Men, but Arthur and Andrew meander through various conspiracy theories, Alan J. Pakula's paranoia trilogy, the intricacies of the Watergate scandal, and what on Earth a split diopter is.Join A Century in Cinema PatreonWhere to watch All the President's MenRoger Ebert's reviewWhere to watch The Ascent (1977)

What does Nashville have to say about the American psyche? What is the public's response to so many recent and unprecedented political events? How does director Robert Altman achieve such an epic scope to explore these themes? While Jaws dominated the box office in 1975, Nashville became a critical and award-winning film that defined the era in a different way.Where to watch NashvillePauline Kael's review of NashvilleWhere to watch All The President's Men (1976)

With the Watergate scandal and the worldwide recession continuing through 1974, you could blink and miss a true cult-classic from director Brian De Palma: Phantom of the Paradise. Composer Kagan Breitenbach joins us to talk about this underground rock-opera, how the music subtly highlights dark themes, and the many influences in pop culture that were clearly inspired by this film.In our Patreon episode for premium listeners, we talk about Halloween Kills and its place in the Halloween franchise.Become a Patron on PatreonWhere to watch The Phantom of the Paradise (1974)NYT ReviewWhere to watch Nashville (1975)

Internationally, the early 1970s are filled with political upheavals and economic recessions around the world, so filmmakers capture the dizzying mood with bold and controversial films. We continue our exploration of cult cinema with Alejandro Jodorowsky's The Holy Mountain, one of the strangest but most unique and exciting films on our list. Among our topics of discussion you can expect us to interpret religious symbolism, debate animal deaths on film, and sort through the wild [alleged] life story of director Jodorowsky.Become a Patron on PatreonWhere to watch The Holy Mountain (1973)1974 NYT article on animal cruelty in filmWhere to watch The Phantom of the Paradise (1974)

** EXPLICIT CONTENT AHEAD **In this shocking new episode... Arthur and Andrew take a look at Pink Flamingos from director John Waters and starring Divine. We talk about our initial reactions to this movie, how the public reacted to it in 1972, the state of independent cinema at the time, and we consider what makes a cult film a "cult film".Become a Patron on PatreonWhere to watch Pink FlamingosA "review" of Pink Flamingos from the NYTWhere to watch The Holy Mountain (1973)

Arthur and Andrew take a look at A New Leaf from writer, director, and star Elaine May. We discuss the controversies between May and Paramount upon the film's release. Then we compare this film to an earlier movie on our list, as we consider this new generation of filmmakers' nostalgia for early Hollywood genres.Become a Patron on PatreonWhere to watch A New Leaf A New Leaf reviewed by Roger EbertWhere to watch Pink Flamingos (1972)

Welcome back to Season 2 of A Century in Cinema!We continue our exploration of independent cinema from the new Hollywood era with Wanda. We discuss how difficult it is to finance films, even when they're smaller in scale, and the challenges that come with leading a project like this. We also speak on the life and career of Barbara Loden as this film's star, writer, director, and producer. How does her filmmaking style compare with Dennis Hopper, the director of Easy Rider?Become a Patron on PatreonWhere to watch WandaWanda review from the time periodWhere to watch A New Leaf (1971)