Flixwise Podcast

Martin is joined by John Arminio and Alexandria Daniels to discuss the Tim Burton Batman films!

Martin is joined by director Eugene Kotlyarenko to discuss his dark satirical film, Spree.

Martin is joined by actor and writer Galen Howard for a fast-paced conversation about Martin Scorsese's After Hours.

Martin is joined by returning guests Dave Eves and Zachary Curl to discuss The Ring and its various incarnations. Happy Halloween!

An interview with Canadian writer and director, Thomas Robert Lee about his upcoming folk horror film, The Curse of Audrey Earnshaw.

On the 50th anniversary of its release, Martin is joined by Matthias van der Roest for a conversation about Jerzy Skolimowski's Deep End.

Martin is joined by filmmaker and illustrator Patrick Horvath to discuss the 1967 adaptation of Frederick Knott's play Wait Until Dark, starring Audrey Hepburn and Alan Arkin.

Martin is joined by returning guest, illustrator Tony Stella. The pair discuss cinematic renderings of the artist Vincent van Gogh.

Martin is joined by returning guest Amanda for an epic and sprawling conversation about the Star Wars franchise.

Martin is joined by returning guest Spencer Seams get together to to discuss the Meiko Kaji starring film Female Prisoner #701: Scorpion and its sequels.

Martin is joined by returning guests Zachary Curl and Amanda to talk about the work of mast animator Satoshi Kon.

Martin Kessler, Emma Guerard, and Dave Eves get together to discuss Louis Feuillade's classic silent serial Fantômas!

Martin is joined by film maker and expert Daniel Bird to discuss the physical and ephemeral nature of film. Hear all about the nitty-gritty of producing a number of film restoration projects and 'reinventing the DVD extra as conceptual art'. 

Lady P makes a bid for a late-career resurgence as Flixwise host. She is joined by fellow UW-Madison grad students Megan Boyd and Tim Brayton to discuss the legacy of the 127th film on the Sight and Sound International Critics Poll, Pulp Fiction (Tarantino, 1994). With the recent release of Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood, director Quentin Tarantino has indulged a nostalgic remembrance of movies past. This episode follows his lead by revisiting Pulp Fiction, one his best known and most influential works. While the film remains a crowd pleaser among cinephiles and casual moviegoers alike, there are elements of the fractured narrative that may have played better to a mid-1990s crowd. The panel discusses the ways in which the radical structure enhances some elements of the story while doing a disservice to others. They also take time to lament how this film's legacy is in some ways tainted by its association with a subset of overeager film bros. Along the way, the panels veers into conversations about the film's melange of pop-culture references including the various music drops and the puzzling wig selection. For more podcasts with Tim check out our Hunchback of Notre Dame and Best of 2018 episodes. Also you can listen to him on the regular at his podcast, Alternate Ending.

Martin is joined by Peter Rinaldi of Filmmaker Magazine and Back To One podcast, and filmmaker/actor/teacher Mtume Gant to discuss Aleksei German's Khrustalyov, My Car! They get into their personal experiences with the film and if feeling the film is more important than understanding it.

Martin is joined by returning guest Spencer Seams to follow-up their conversation on Daratt. On this episode they discuss two more of Mahamat Saleh Haroun's films; a French comedy Sex, Okra and Salted Butter, and a Chadian tragedy A Screaming Man. They compare and contrast the two films, and further explore Haroun's approach to political subjects, and father/son relationships. Also there's plenty of yelping.

Martin is joined by master poster designer and dilm enthusiast Tony Stella to discuss Kon Ichikawa 1963 film, Revenge of a Kabuki Actor. They cover the film's unexpectedly pulp serial roots, talk about unlikely heroes and archetypical villains, and look at how the film fits into Kon Ichikawa's long and varied career.

Marcus Pinn joins Martin in discussing Leigh Whannell's 2018 film Upgrade. They talk about the virtues of small budgets, dweeby villains, and what a potential sequel would entail. They also get into what the film says about our relationship with technology, and look at how the film puts a fresh spin on old tropes.

To discuss Pier Paolo Pasolini's Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom, we've assembled a quartette of liberties: Danica Anna Uskert Quinn, Caleb Quinn, Emma Guerard, and Martin Kessler. They cover the film's enduring notoriety, its source material written by Marquis de Sade, its significance in Pasolini's filmography, and its relevance to today. Then they close things off by deciding if it is worthy of the 202nd place on the Sight & Sound list.  

Martin is joined by Amanda, to discuss the animated film of Pom Poko. They cover a wide array of cartoon racoon-related subjects including environmentalism, the legacy of Rascal the Raccoon, and Tanuki 'pouches'. They also discuss the late, great Isao Takahata's body of work, as well as his unique working relationship with Hayao Miyazaki.

The Academy Award nominees were announced a week ago today, so theoretically we should have had a sufficient amount of time to mull over the various categories. However, this podcast offers something of a collective scratching of the heads at the hodgepodge of different Best Picture nominees. Host, Lady P, is joined by Oscar enthusiasts, and fellow UW-Madison Graduate Students, J.J. Bersch and Tim Brayton, to help sort through the good, the bad, and the Green Book of this year's contenders. Together they suggest reasons why there is so much incongruity in the major categories and discuss their favorites among the contenders.  Plus, since we never got around to it last year, we are finally doing an abbreviated year-in-review show wherein we chat about A Story is Born, Spike Lee, Minding the Gap, and of course, Miss Weisz.   If you want to hear more movie talk from Tim, here's a link to his regular podcasting gig, Alternate Ending. Also, he made a previous appearance on Flixwise for our Oliver & Company/The Hunchback of Notre Dame episode.  And if you want a change of pace from movies, click here to listen to J.J's fantastic music playlists. 

We're kicking off 2019, with a trip back in time! It is a look back to turn-of-the-Century Midwestern America with Orson Welles's adaptation of Booth Tarkington's The Magnificent Ambersons (1942). Film historian and author, Professor Joseph McBride joins host Lady P to talk about the legacy of Welles' feature follow-up to Citizen Kane. McBride delves into the film's fraught post-production--a process which ultimately resulted in the dismantling of Welles's directorial vision. While the film may not reflect Welles's original intentions, there is still much to admire about the craftsmanship and storytelling in the film as it currently stands. Indeed, despite the careless studio mutilation, Ambersons is still held in such critical esteem that it managed to snag the 81st spot on the Sight & Sound Critics Poll. Lady P and McBride discuss the film's enduring appeal and how the nostalgic remembrance of a time long since past is still as relevant and moving today as it was when the film first debuted. This is the third in our trilogy of recent podcasts with McBride. See our previous discussions on Ernst Lubitsch's Trouble in Paradise and our episode on Welles's (new!) film The Other Side of the Wind. And make sure to check out McBride's interview feature on the new Criterion Blu-Ray of The Magnificent Ambersons.  Note--this episode was recorded well in advance of its release. Please disregard the ending note detailing upcoming episodes. We are still in the process of preparing our slate of podcasts for this new year. 

Martin is joined by returning guests Zachary Curl and Leanne Kubicz to discuss Nagisa Oshima's atypical war film, Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence. They talk in-depth about the film's four leads: Tom Conti, Ryuichi Sakamoto, David Bowie, and Takeshi Kitano. They examine Oshima's themes and dream-like style, look at the films flashback structure, and talk about how they connect personally to it.

Martin is joined by returning guest Matthias van der Roest to discuss a pair of David Cronenberg films: A History of Violence and Eastern Promises. They talk about what makes the pair a pair, and where they fit into Cronenberg's filmography as a whole. Then they talk about both films status as 'Canadian films', and what makes a film 'Canadian'.

Martin is joined by returning guest Becky D'Anna to discuss her second favourite film of all time, Broadcast News. Becky explains why the film means so much to her, and they take a deep dive into its themes, characters and performances.  Becky and Martin then politely debate the film's ending, and bemoan the lack of film award recognition for Albert Brooks.

After a series of postponements, our episode on The Other Side of the Wind has at long last arrived. Of course, our delays are nothing compared to the 30-plus year wait for this brand spankin' new Orson Welles movie. Today's guest, Joseph McBride, is not only one of the great Welles historians in academia, he also makes an appearance in the film. We're fortunate to have Joe on hand to both contextualize what's onscreen, as well as regale us with tales of being onset with one of the greatest filmmakers of all time. Plus, he and host (Lady P) detail one of the major difficulties of this project--assembling all the footage without Welles on-hand to offer feedback. They discuss how the editors and sound designers went about executing this challenge and speculate about whether or not Welles would be pleased with this final cut.

Martin is joined by the very best Buñuel-enthusiasts he know, Chris Funderburg and John Cribbs to discuss the film of surrealist master Luis Buñuel by focusing specifically on the theme related to religion in his films. They look primarily at Nazarin, Viridiana, Simon of the Desert, and The Milky Way. However, other films make their way into the conversation too, like Mexican Bus Ride, as our panel shines a light on the unfair obscurity of many of Buñuel's Mexican films. They break down some of the misconceptions about Buñuel, and give their interpretations of his films.

Lady P is, once again, joined by film historian Professor Joseph McBride to talk about about his latest release, How Did Lubitsch Do It?. The book is a comprehensive critical study on the film works of famed German-American filmmaker, Ernst Lubitsch. McBride steps listeners through Lubitsch's early years, and discusses how his technique and style evolved through the various phases of his career. They also talk about career highlights, with special attention paid to what many consider to be his masterpiece, Trouble in Paradise (1932). As the 117th film on the critic's poll, Trouble in Paradise is the highest ranking Lubitsch film on the Sight and Sound list. McBride and Lady P discuss why it's considered such a seminal work, and talk about its legacy as formative film in the romantic comedy genre. Plus, McBride and Lady P make a slight digression to talk about Joe's interesting take on the on the current state of the romantic comedy, and why he believes it has had a precipitous fall from the Lubitsch era.

Martin is joined by returning guest Spencer Seams of the High and Low podcast to discuss Frank & Eleanor Perry's David and Lisa. They talk about the film's approach to character, and its portrayal of mental illness and psychiatric care. They cover surreal dream sequences and low budget naturalism, and consider the legacy of the Perrys and their post-divorce careers (as well as their relation to a certain pop superstar).  

At long last, Lady P and Martin are doing a show together again. They are joined in their reunion by film fanatic, and Wrong Reel mainstay, Becky D'Anna. The three of them join forces to tackle Marcel Carné's lengthy, 1945 period drama, Les Enfants du Paradis (aka Children of Paradise). The film was initially released in two parts, and remains bifurcated even in it's completed form. The first part, "Boulevard du Crime", follows the rising star of a young mime named Baptiste (Jean-Louis Barrault), who makes the leap from penniless street performer to veteran actor at a famous theatre. This part also introduces us to Baptiste's love interest, Garance (Arletty), a courtesan to whom Baptiste pledges his undying love. Initially, Garance doesn't seem to feel the same level of devotion, as she's got three other suitors vying for her affection, and she eventually opts to be with a wealthy Count over Baptiste. However, in the second half of the film "L'Homme Blanc", after a six year time-jump, it is revealed that Garance has been carrying a torch for Baptiste and would still like to be with him. The remainder of the film explores the will-they/won't-they dynamic of that relationship, as well as the other criminal entanglements of the tertiary characters. We here at Flixwise ascribe to the conviction that a mime is a terrible thing to waste (Thanks Mel!), however, three plus hours of backstage pantomime drama can prove taxing to even the most ardent theatre nerd. Listen up to find out how well the misadventures of Baptiste and co. held our panelists's attention and whether the broader themes of tragic love and virtuous poverty hold up in 2018. They also discuss the remarkable circumstances of the film's production, and whether there are traces of Nazi propaganda or subversive French Resistance messaging in the material. Plus, they decide whether the film is worthy of the 73rd spot on the Sight and Sound list.  

On today's show, we have another musical entry for the Flixwise Favorites List. This time UW-Madison Media and Cultural Studies graduate student, Austin Morris, is pitching Steve Antin's 2010 cultural artifact, Burlesque for inclusion in our little pantheon. In order for Burlesque to make the cut, Austin must convince host, Lady P, and our guest panelist Assistant Professor and Reverse Shot film critic, Matt Connolly, that this cinematic oddity is one of the greatest films of all time. All three panelists agree that Burlesque features some questionable aesthetic and narrative choices, however, they all agree that the film's flaws only deepen their appreciation. While the film's weakness are multitude it does have a number of superlative elements - the primary one being that it provides a sufficiently shiny platform for one of the world's most indelible pop icons to sing and vamp for two hours. Much as we love Xtina, we are of course referring to the Cher, who swoops in and claims our affections like they're Hollywood Hills "air rights." Obviously, a sizable portion of the episode is devoted to Cher-ing thoughts on the Mamma Mia 2 star, but the panel does eventually take time to highlight some of the other standout performances, including Stanley Tucci's turn as Sean, and the dog-whistling presence of Alan Rickman. Plus, they delve into various queer readings of the text, which includes comparisons to other notorious backstage dramas, All About Eve and Showgirls, and talk about whether Burlesque's value as camp classic should translate to greater recognition in mainstream canons.

Martin is joined by Alistair Pitts of the Russophiles Unite! Movie Podcast to talk about the classic (or possibly cult classic) Withnail and I. They talk about the comedy that isn't immediately apparent that it's a comedy, its depiction of the 1960s, alcoholism, and tiptoe through the character Uncle Monty. Also Martin picks on Johhny Depp, but can't pronounce "Withnail".

Martin is joined by Scorsese aficionado Robert Cotto to discuss Martin Scorsese's Religious Trilogy (The Last Temptation of Christ, Kundun, and Silence). Together they examine the themes of the trilogy, praise the many performances throughout, talk about the varied responses to each film upon their release, and manage to give their personal feelings toward each film as well.

Martin is joined by Leanne Kubicz to discuss Jackass: The Movie, Jackass Number Two, Jackass 3D, and everything that can be squeezed in between. They talk about which jokes hold up and which skits couldn't be done today. They take a look at the members of the Jackass crew, and discuss bad taste and the virtues of outsiderdom.

We at Flixwise believe that it is important that we concern ourselves with whether a film's reputation is earned or simply accepted as common wisdom. That it is important to care enough about the art of filmmaking to pause and reflect on even the most common or woeful of motion pictures. And really, what's more woeful than being given the boot from "The Happiest Place on Earth?" With that in mind, we ever so humbly present a Flixwise Favorites face-off featuring two films that have long been relegated to the Disney Corporation deep-freeze. On today's show, the all-but-forgotten 1988 Disney Animated Film, Oliver and Company (Scribner), squares off against the film that rang the death knell for the Disney Renaissance, The Hunchback of Notre Dame (Trousdale and Wise, 1996), to determine which movie is the most deserving of a spot on the Flixwise Favorites list. To weigh on which film is the more worthy selection, Lady P is joined by two of her fellow UW-Madison graduate students. Taking the Oliver side is Matt St. John who contends that Dodger (voiced by Billy Joel) remains one of the coolest, most aspirational, figures in the Disney pantheon. Then, on the Hunchback side is Disney scholar, and fellow podcaster, Tim Brayton, who steps the listeners through the historical significance of both films but remains squarely on the side of Hunchback as the true masterpiece. Listen up to hear Lady P's verdict as to which picture deserves "some more" love.

Martin is joined by Matthias van der Roest to discuss Mathieu Kassovitz' 1995 breakout film, La Haine. They talk about the film's look, soundtrack, and influences. They discuss the housing projects depicted in the film, the hip-hop soundtrack, and the continues relevance of its story. They cover the film's sound and visual style, and talk about the not-so-French films that influenced it.

Lady P is joined by film historian and Orson Welles scholar, Professor Joseph McBride, as well as fellow UW-Madison graduate student and Welles enthusiast, Erica Moulton, to discuss one of Orson's most popular non-directorial efforts. Today's Sight and Sound entry is the 73rd movie on the International Critics Poll, Carol Reed's The Third Man (1949). A film in which Orson utilizes his immense onscreen charisma to charm audiences across the globe into sympathizing with a heartless criminal.   Despite only appearing in the film for a small fraction of the runtime, the specter of Welles permeates the entire story. The panel talks about what makes Welles' Harry Lime character such an enduring figure in Film Noir history and how the film's structure reinforces Welles' mystique. They also discuss the ways in which The Third Man plays with and subverts conventional Noir tropes and how it directly addresses the political landscape of the era.  Lastly, they make a small detour to speculate about possible dates for the forthcoming release of Welles' previously unfinished film, The Other Side of the Wind and they chat about McBride's soon to be published book on the work of director Ernst Lubitsch.   

Martin is joined by Spencer Seams of the High and Low podcast to discuss Chadian filmmaker Mahamat Saleh Haroun's story of revenge and compassion, Daratt. They discuss the film's characters, themes, politics, and Martin manages to shoehorn Star Wars into the conversation. They examine the film's striking colour palette, its subtle soundscape, and the role of bread.

Martin and resident artist Emma Guerard have a discussion about the film work of designer Eiko Ishioka. The discuss her production designs for the literary sequences in Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters, as well as her costume designs for Dracula, The Cell, and The Fall. They try to pin down her unique aesthetic, and look at how sets and costumes can do their part to tell a story on film. They manage to touch on some of her work outside of film as well, including her work in advertising, the Beijing Olympics, and Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark.

Martin is joined by special guest Zachary Curl for a fast-paced conversation about Katsuhiro Otomo's animated masterpiece, Akira. They talk about the film's cyclical themes and its motorcycles, then get personal about perfection, imperfection, and inspiration. They discuss how Akira fits into the contexts of animated films, Japanese history, and life in general (everything from Sonic Youth to Katsushika Hokusai). Martin and Zachary also get into the follies of Hollywood remakes, with the threat of a live action adaptation of Akira dangling over all our heads.

We are so pleased and honored to welcome back to the show, writer and film historian, Professor James Naremore. As is the author of the seminal book on the film noir genre -- More Than Night: Film Noir and Its Contexts -- Naremore is more than equipped to tackle today's Sight and Sound entry: Chinatown (1974). Naremore, along with host, Lady P, discusses how the film creates an amalgam of Classic Noir homages along with an infusion of Nixon-era paranoia and cynicism. Lady P and Naremore also talk about how well the style and themes of the film hold up today, and they make a series of feeble excuses for why they are able to still enjoy the film in spite of the obvious parallels between the film's villain, John Huston's Noah Cross, and the offscreen criminal behavior of the film's director, Roman Polanski. To justify her love of the movie, Lady P makes an attempt to reclaim Chinatown as a Faye Dunaway film. Let us know if you buy into that reasoning in the comments below.

Lady P is joined by Michelle Buchman (the social media maven over at Nerdist) and Kate Hagen (the Director of Community at The Blacklist), to discuss a pair of John Cassavetes films: Faces and A Woman Under the Influence. Or is it a pair of Gena Rowlands films? Either way, our panel discusses both films' ground breaking experimentalism, their emotional resonance, and whether or not their worthy of their places on the Sight & Sound list.

Happy four year anniversary of Flixwise! I hope you'll find that the fundamental things still apply, as time goes by. On this milestone episode, Lady P is joined by an esteemed film scholar and all-around snappy dresser, David Bordwell to discuss none other than Casablanca. They see if it lives up to its reputation as the quintessential Hollywood movie, not just of the 1940s but of all time, and consider if it's worth of its 78th spot on the Sight & Sound List. For a second topic they turn to the subject of David Bordwell's book, Reinventing Hollywood; How 1940s filmmakers changed movie storytelling. Mostly it's just an excuse to talk Joan Crawford. 

Returning guest, Chris Funderberg and John Cribbs of thepinksmoke.com join Martin in a discussion of Neil Jordan's Seaside Trilogy. The trilogy includes Mona Lisa, The Miracle, and The Crying Game. They talk about what makes it a trilogy, how it fits into Jodran's career, and whether films like Angel or The Butcher Boy might be considered unofficial additions to the trilogy. They talk about lumpy films, second-1st films, and what happened to Neil Jordan.

Martin is joined by Jon Laubinger of the FilmBabyFilm podcast to discuss the film adaptations of William Shakespeare's Scottish Play.They cover the gamut of interpretations, looking at what changes and what stays the same from film to film, and try to decide which is the most faithful. They can't resist talking about the theatre, and then give their opinion on which filmmakers they would like to see tackle The Bard's brutal tragedy.

For our Valentine's Day show, we relitigate an ancient (mid-90s) grudge, which breaks to new mutiny. Flixwise newcomers Jacob Mertens and Erica Moulton head up opposite households in the Shakespearean adaptation universe.Jacob, who hails from the House of Baz, believes that Luhrmann's 1996 cultural touchstone, Romeo + Juliet is one of the greatest movies of all time. Erica, of the House of Skeptics, thinks that Baz's formal flourishes don't do justice to the original text. Host, Lady P plays referee as these two argue over whether or not this adaptation is worthy of canonization. Expect quarreling, drawn swords, and lots of swooning over young-Leo DiCaprio.   Many thanks to friend of the show, Ma Narizza dela Cerna for the lovely intro.   

Martin is joined by returning guest Becky D’Anna to discuss Alexander Payne’s Election. They discuss the film’s use of unreliable narration, which of its characters are sympathetic, its garbage motif, and what a bee sting adds to it.  They talk about why the film’s ending is perfect, and why the original ending might not have worked. They cover the film’s political satire, depiction of high school life, and decide once and for all if Tracy Flick is a winner.

On today's show, classic movie buffs, Michelle Buchman and Kate Hagen, join Lady P for the first Flixwise Favorites entry of 2k18. Michelle is on hand to tell listeners why she thinks Robert Redford's 1980 Best Picture winner, ORDINARY PEOPLE, is actually pretty exceptional. According to Michelle, the film offers both great performances (particularly those of Mary Tyler Moore and Timothy Hutton) as well as an ahead-of-its-time portrayal of mental illness and behavioral therapy. The panel then delves into a discussion on why ORDINARY PEOPLE has been either forgotten or unfairly maligned in the years since its release. For many, the film is now better known as a spoiler for RAGING BULL winning the Academy Award, than a movie with its own artist merit.  Our panel discusses whether other 1980 releases including RAGING BULL and ELEPHANT MAN were indeed robbed that year, or whether ORDINARY PEOPLE was worthy of it's initial acclaim. Then they decide whether it should enjoy further adulation with a place on the Flixwise Favorites list. 

Our annual year in review show, and our first ever call-in episode. A whole host of guests both new and familiar join Lady P̶o̶r̶g̶ P and Martin in covering their favourite movies of the year, and manage to give their thoughts on some of 2017's most debated film topics like post-horror and if a TV show belongs on a list of the best movies of the year.

Is Titanic an unsinkable classic? A deluxe panel dives in to decide whether the one-time 'biggest movie i the world' is worthy of The Flixwise Favourites List. They discuss Kate and Leo....and James "Feminist Filmmaker" Cameron. The sing-a-long of My Heart Will Go On is just a bonus.

Martin Kessler is joined by Emma Guerard to discuss a pair of films, Pandora's Box and Diary of a Lost Girl, both starring Louise Brooks and directed by G.W. Pabst. They consider Louise Brooks' acting style, her status as an icon, and how her collaboration with Pabst fit into her career. They compare the films to one another, and look at them in context of coming at the very end of the silent period. Also Martin finds out that there are Flixwise t-shirts.