Changing Reels is bi-weekly podcast that celebrates diversity and representation in cinema. In each episode, hosts Courtney Small and Kristen Lopez review a feature film and a short film and discuss there pop culture significance.
Bob Turnbull (@TheLogicalMind) returns to discuss Steve McQueen's Education.
Film critic Paolo Kagaoan (@paolocase) returns to discuss Regina King's One Night in Miami
Podcaster Petula Neale (@obesacantavit) returns to the show to discuss Kathryn Bigelow's Point Break.
Film critic Danielle Solzman (@DanielleSATM) talks about the documentary Disclosure and its examination of transgender representation in Hollywood. Danielle's short film: Pandemic Therapy: https://vimeo.com/458000594
Film critic Carolyn Mauricette (@vfdpixie) returns to talk about the dance inspired horror Climax.
Film critic Victor Stiff (@VictorJStiff) talks defining one's success and the gatekeepers of art in The Forty-Year-Old Version.
Musician Scott Knopf (a.k.a. Rhyme Time) talks battle rap and the consequences of words in the film Bodied.
Award-winning filmmaker Alicia K. Harris (@indiiiequeen) talks love and spirituality in Nurse.Fighter.Boy. Watch the film for free on CBC Gems
Film critic Rishabh Vashishtha (@Rishabh66420269) talks diversity in the writers' room and South Asian representation in the film Late Night.
Film critic Ryan McNeil (@matinee_ca) explains why Birds of Prey is one of the DCEU's best films. Articles mentioned in episode: Birds of Prey, Trauma and the Female Gaze; Allyship is More Than Acknowledging Privilege
Film critic Andrew Robinson (@gmanreviews) shares his thoughts on Selah and the Spades.
Film critic Dr. Hillary Butler (@PetDocHill) shares her thoughts on Booksmart.
Film critic Carolyn Mauricette (@vfdpixie) returns to discuss Luce.
Podcaster and film critic Dr. Jessica Rogers (@In_entertain) discusses Always Be My Maybe.
Podcaster and film critic Jay Cluitt (@LifeVsFilm) talks Attack the Block.
Podcaster and film critic Petula Neale (@obesacantavit) stops by to discuss Lorene Scafaria's Hustlers.
Freelance Film/TV critic Carolyn Hinds (@CarrieCnh12) stops by to discuss Lee Chang-dong's Burning.
Freelance journalist Max Covill (@mhcovill) stops by to discuss Satoshi Kon's Millennium Actress.
Daniel Grant (@TheYungGuard) stops by to discuss Justin Simien's Dear White People.
Bob Turnbull (@TheLogicalMind) returns to the show to discuss Nobuhiko Obayashi's 1977 film House (Hausu). This episode was originally slated to be released in June, however, Obayashi passed away six days after the show was recorded. We are releasing the episode early as a farewell to the prolific filmmaker.
Film critic Heidy Morales (@HeidyMo) stops by to discuss the mother-daughter relationship in Real Women Have Curves.
Talking faith and desire in Black Narcissus with writer Bob Turnbull (@TheLogicalMind).
Exploring the portrayal of Asperger syndrome in 2009's Adam with film critic Sean Patrick Kelly (@SKonMovies). Links Referenced in the Episode: Sean's Aspergers in Film and TV montage: https://vimeo.com/345332475/d4d2ec2a25?fbclid=IwAR1U1v9_K0vHyvGEGVaoGMdW7PSPDQ_bGEPfH6VgkUVVHY8fm8YTsi4hwmo Why The Predator 2018 is a bad representation of childhood autism: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfKtSwf_vkY&feature=youtu.be
Film critic Paolo Kagaoan (@paolocase) stops by to discuss Sean Baker's Tangerine.
Film critic and Blood in the Snow Film Festival programmer Carolyn Mauricette (@vfdpixie) returns to the show to discuss Mati Diop's Atlantics
Film critic and Blood in the Snow Film Festival programmer Carolyn Mauricette returns to the show to discuss Jordan Peele's Us
In this episode of Changing Reels we take a different approach and explore the problematic ways that disability is represented in cinema. To do this we take a deep dive into Thea Sharrock's romantic drama Me Before You. We also discuss sex and disability in the short film Prends-moi (Take Me) by Anaïs Barbeau-Lavalette & André Turpin. Opening Music: Run So Far by Rhyme Time (album available here: https://rhymetimerapper.bandcamp.com/album/gnarly) Show Notes: 1:45 – Prends-moi 12:03 – Me Before You
In this episode we discuss One False Move by Carl Franklin. The 1992 noir follows a small town police chief (Bill Paxton) as he awaits a trio of killers (Billy Bob Thornton, Cynda Williams and Michael Beach) headed his way. We also discuss our short film of the week Straight Down Low by Zach Wechter. Show Notes: 0.45 – Straight Down Low 8:39 – One False Move Short film: https://vimeo.com/77306213
We talk race and politics in the Purge franchise as we dive into The First Purge directed by Gerard McMurray. We also discuss our short film of the week Closet Space by David F. Sandberg. Show Notes: 2:14 – Closet Space 8:12 – The First Purge Short film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fje6_ou5RY
Film critic and Blood in the Snow programmer Carolyn Mauricette returns to discuss Park Chan-wook's Thirst.
William Wyler's 1961 film The Children's Hour has been hailed as a landmark piece of cinema. It was one of the few films of the time to bring LGBT issues to mainstream audiences. We dive into the pros and cons of Wyler's film and whether it is still relevant to audiences of today.
Luca Guadagnino's Oscar winning film Call Me by Your Name may not be overlooked or underappreciated, but we love it nonetheless. This week we soak up the beauty of this tender romance set in 1980s Italy. We also discuss our short film of the week Dylan by Elizabeth Rohrbaugh. Show Notes: 1:44 – Dylan 8:56 – Call Me by Your Name Short film: https://vimeo.com/110822721
We dive back into the films of Sofia Coppola with The Virgin Suicides and discuss our short film pick of the week: Hala by Minhal Baig. 1:57 – Hala 14:16 – The Virgin Suicides Courtney's Luke Cage piece for Leonard Maltin's New Voices: http://leonardmaltin.com/the-blinding-light-of-love-in-luke-cage-season-two/
Hailed by Roger Ebert as the best film of 1997, Eve's Bayou is an astonishing work. We dive into Kasi Lemmons' directorial debut and discuss the theme of memory, the lies adults tell children, and so much more. We also spend time with our short film pick 1982 by Jeremy Breslau. Show notes 1:09 – 1982 7:47 – Eve's Bayou Short film: https://vimeo.com/67093569
In this episode we discuss the 2017 film Columbus directed by Kogonada. The drama focuses on Jin (John Cho), a successful Korean-American, who strikes up a tender friendship Casey (Haley Lu Richardson), while stuck in Columbus, Indiana. We also discuss our short film of the week Dol (First Birthday) by Andrew Ahn. Show Notes: 1:17 - Dol (First Birthday) 8:16 – Columbus
In this episode we discuss Alejandro Amenábar's 1997 film Open Your Eyes. The plot revolves around a handsome playboy named César who finds his life in a downward spiral after being disfigured in the accident the day after he meets the woman of his dreams. Of course, we also touch on the Cameron Crowe American remake Vanilla Sky and discuss our short film pick, The Psychology of Dream Analysis by Rian Johnson. Show notes: 1:20 - The Psychology of Dream Analysis 8:07 – Open Your Eyes
Ida Lupino was the first woman to direct a film noir, but her work behind the camera is not as well-known as her acting career in front of it. In this episode we talk post-war America, classic cinema and why a happily married man gets the itch for something more as we take in Lupino's 1953 film The Bigamist. We also discuss our short film pick of the week Vows by Tal Zagreba. Show notes: 1:50 - Vows 10:29 - The Bigamist
In this episode Courtney and Kristen discuss the origins of Wonder Woman, polyamorous relationships and the strong and complex women in Angela Robinson's Professor Marston and the Wonder Women. They also spend time with their online short film pick of the week, Heather Fink ‘s The Focus Group written by and starring Sara Benincasa. Show Notes: 1:14 – The Focus Group 10:48 - Professor Marston and the Wonder Women
In this episode, Courtney and guest co-host Kristen Lopez (Roger Ebert, Hollywood Reporter) journey to Uganda through Disney's Queen of Katwe directed by Mira Nair. They also discuss this episode's short film pick First Match by Olivia Newman.
Film critic Kristen Lopez (Roger Ebert, Hollywood Reporter) fills in as guest co-host while Andrew is on hiatus. In this episode we spend time with the 2012 Saudi Arabian drama directed by Haifaa Al Mansour. Our short film pick of the week is Mo'ne Davis: I Throw Like a Girl by Spike Lee. Show Notes: 5:40 - Mo'ne Davis: I Throw Like a Girl by Spike Lee 15:21 - Wadjda by Haifaa Al Mansour
We celebrate Black History Month with the 2002 film Antwone Fisher directed by Denzel Washington. The film tells the true story of a young naval officer who, through the help of a determined psychiatrist, comes to terms with his painful past. For our short film spotlight, we discuss Speak It!: From the Heart of Black Nova Scotia by Sylvia Hamilton. 2:11 Speak It 17:03 Antwone Fisher
This week we revisit F. Gary Gray's 2015 film Straight Outta Compton. The film recounts the rise of the group N.W.A. whose music revolutionized Hip Hop culture and inspired a generation in the process. For our short film spotlight, we discuss Melville by James M. Johnston and Missy Elliott's Work It by David Meyers. 9:55 Melville 19:36 Work It 34:17 Straight Outta Compton
We kick off 2018 with Jim Jarmusch's 1999 film Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai. In the film Forest Whitaker plays Ghost Dog, a mafia hit man who follows the ancient code of the samurai. For our short film spotlight, we discuss the Nick Cave narrated film The Cat Piano by Ari Gibson & Eddie White and Junko's Shamisen by Sol Friedman. 4:47 The Cat Piano by Ari Gibson & Eddie White 13:19 Junko's Shamisen by Sol Friedman 21:06 Ghost Dog by Jim Jarmusch Opening music comes courtesy of https://www.bensound.com
We are keeping things loose this episode as we are still recovering from the holidays and dealing with family related issues. So while there is no short film discussion this week, special guest Seth Gorden, the talent to artist who does all of our artwork, joins us to discuss Zacharias Kunuk's stirring epic Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner. Hailed as one of the greatest Canadian films of all time, and inspired by an Inuit legend, the film is a captivating look at how community, mysticism and the sins of the past impact a family in unexpected ways. After some introductions and general cinematic musing, the conversation about The Fast Runner starts at 7:52.
We are joined once again by film critic Kristen Lopez to further discussthe representation of disability in cinema. This time we dive into the horror genre with Mike Flanagan's 2016 thriller Hush. The film focuses on a writer who is deaf whose solitary life in the woods is disrupted by a masked killer. We also take a moment to highlight our two short film picks (available online for free): Rob Savage's Dawn of the Deaf and Charlotte Wells' Laps. 6:59 Dawn of the Deaf 21:11 Laps 35:28 Hush
Film critic Kristen Lopez returns to Changing Reels for the first of two shows looking at the representation of disabilities in cinema. This episode we revisit Brian Dannelly's 2004 satire Saved! The film follows Mary, a student at American Eagle Christian High School, whose life takes a drastic turn when she becomes pregnant after losing her virginity in hopes of “saving” her boyfriend who has recently admitted he is gay. We also take a moment to dive into our two short film picks (available online for free): Cousin by Adam Elliot and Hole by Martin Edralin. 5:33 Cousin 16:57 Hole 27:46 Saved!
A neglectful father attempts to reconnect with his young daughter by accompanying her on a train ride to see his ex-wife. What starts off as a simple journey soon turns into a harrowing fight for survival as a zombie virus rapidly spreads across South Korea. This week film critic and Blood in the Snow Film Festival programmer Caroyln Mauricette joins us to discuss Yeon Sang-ho's Train to Busan, one of the best zombie films in the last decade. We also take time to highlight our short film picks: Waterborne by Ryan Coonan and Paranoia by Sandeepan Chanda, Nitesh Mishra, Amrita Mukhopadhyay, and Sunil Kumar Yadav. 3:28 Waterborne 9:17 Paranoia 19:00 Train to Busan
Living in post-revolutionary Tehran in the 1980s has not been easy for Shideh. With her dreams of becoming a doctor fading away due to her political activism during the war, she spends most of her time taking care of her daughter Dorsa while her husband pursues his medical career on the front lines. As the dangers of missile strike inch closer to her home, Shideh's sanity is tested when Dorsa starts claiming that there is a spirit lurking in their home. This week we turn up the chills with Babak Anvari's riveting directorial debut Under the Shadow. We also discuss our short film picks of the week: Paul Trillo's At the End of the Cul-de-Sac and Steve McCarthy O Negative. 4:40 - At the End of the Cul De Sac 15:14 - O Negative 23:59 - Under the Shadow Please support Andrew's work on the podcast by contributing to his Patreon at: https://www.patreon.com/cantstopthemovies
Ryan Coogler's Creed, much like its protagonist Adonis Johnson Creed, strives to carve out its own path while dealing with the weight of his legacy. The seventh film in the Rocky franchise, not only pays homage to the films in the series that came before it, but forges its own identity while carrying the torch for a whole new generation. In this episode, we are joined by film critic Ryan McNeil to discuss why Creed ranks amongst the best boxing films in the last couple of decades. We also take time to highlight our short film picks: Quand J'ai Remplacé Camille by Nathan Otaño, Rémy Clarke & Leïla Courtillon and Standing 8 by Michael Molina Minard. 5:51 When She Replaced Camille 14:18 Standing 8 25:58 Creed
In Bliss Cavendar's small town, winning a beauty pageant is akin to being a star player on the football team. Though her mother, a former beauty queen, longs for her to follow in her footsteps, Bliss finds her own path when she discovers her love for the sport of roller derby. Assuming the name “Babe Ruthless” she soon makes waves on the circuit while dealing with the complexities that come with finding oneself. This week lace up the skates and take a spin with Drew Barrymore's 2009 film Whip It. We also discuss our short film picks: Hana Wuerker's When Perri Met Aly and River Finlay's Luchadora. 4:51 When Perri Met Aly 11:25 Luchadora 18:42 Whip It
To placate his meddling Taiwanese parents, Wai-Tung agrees to a marriage of convenience with a struggling artist Wei Wei. What he failed to mentioned to his parents is that he is already in a loving relationship with Simon. Things spiral out of control for Wai-Tung when his parents decide to make a surprise visit to help plan the wedding. This week walk down the aisle with Ang Lee's 1993 romantic comedy The Wedding Banquet. We also take time to highlight our short film picks of the week: Pink Grapefruit by Michael Mohan and In a Heartbeat by Beth David and Esteban Bravo. 4:59 Pink Grapefruit 13:49 In A Heartbeat 21:59 The Wedding Banquet
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