Hotbox the Cinema

on the latest hotbox, our good friend makenzie joins the groupchat to talk all things SCREENLIFE, from the timur bekmambetov produced desktop universe of unfriended, searching, and profile to an all-around convo about how smartphones, social networks, and streaming interface with contemporary horror movies. in the unboxing section, nadine and makenzie go to the beach that makes you old, and we all break out of the Escape Room. if u listen to this episode u just might make it to our top friends list, xoxo hotboxthecinema@gmail.com @ HotboxTheCinema on twitter & instagram cop our merch at hotboxthecinea.bigcartel.com

on the latest hotbox, we tear the crust off our tuna sandwiches, fire up the nitro, and get into the gears of our glorious return to multiplex cinema: the one and only F9. yall know your hosts ride for this series like few others, so we go under the hood and look at how it's changed over 20 years and absorbed trends in blockbuster cinema, how people misunderstand vin diesel as an actor, & the franchise's essential tension between analog mechanics and digital technology. in a quite literal opening Unboxing section, we talk about downsizing our physical media collections, the plague of rick and morty-themed glassware, and how haunting is the original pilling. LISTENER PROMPT: slide into our DMs, hit or line, or send a smoke signal and tell us... if you could see any wrestler or rapper in a future fast & furious movie, who would it be? super-fast and especially furious new mix from nadine around 1 hr 26 hotboxthecinema@gmail.com @ HotboxTheCinema on twitter & instagram cop our merch at hotboxthecinea.bigcartel.com

on the latest hotbox we SMOKE HARDER with a discussion about the influence of john mctiernan's towering action inferno Die Hard. we talk bruce willis' contributions to divorced dad representation, the endless glut of die hard knockoffs in the 1990s, & the changing bodies of action cinema, & do a little theorizing abt skyscrapers. we also answer some burning listener questions about the bressonian gameplay of Dark Souls & the jrpg vibes of Fire Emblem, and in the Unboxing segment seth gets hellbent for leather with william friedkin's Cruising. it's like Die Hard In A Podcast Studio. go hard with a new mix from seth around 1 hour 35 hotboxthecinema@gmail.com @ HotboxTheCinema on twitter & instagram cop our merch at hotboxthecinea.bigcartel.com

on our latest hotbox session, the one and only gita jackson (@ xoxogossipgita) of waypoint/vice stops by for a wide-ranging, free-flowing deep dive into that modern media tendency known as PRESTIGE. from the sopranos to the last of us, we go full Cinematic Mode as we explore the aesthetic, thematic, and referential techniques of pop entertainment that desperately wants you to take it seriously. topics include: how premium cable dramas like the walking dead & breaking bad paved the way for game storytelling techniques over the last decade, why 50 cent: blood on the sand is better than the last of us, the no-homo-eroticism of hideo kojima, & the plague of #OnePerfectShot culture. in our Unboxing section, gita takes a stab at dark souls, nadine goes all in on AEW, & seth treads dark waters. so roll up One Perfect Blunt and tune in. chill grooves courtesy of seth around ~2:40 show notes: https://tinyurl.com/cm94r2n7 hotboxthecinema@gmail.com @ HotboxTheCinema on twitter & instagram cop our merch at hotboxthecinea.bigcartel.com

on the latest episode of hotbox we invite aster gilbert (@ asterofpuppets) for an uncut conversation about the snyder cut and the tatted himbo auteur behind it... from his dawn of the dead remake to the animated owl movie, from a michael jordan docufiction to 300 memes on web 2.0, we cover snyder's cuts deep and not-so-deep, and answer that burning question ur dying to know: is zack snyder, in fact, a fascist? is he a lowkey revolutionary icon and thoughtful artist of painterly tableaus? or is he just another fanboy run amuck? in the first part of the show, aster unboxes the cinema of monte hellman (RIP), seth goes spelunking, and nathan steps into the wrestling ring. show notes: tinyurl.com/njfv4f73 hotboxthecinema@gmail.com @ HotboxTheCinema on twitter & instagram cop our merch at hotboxthecinea.bigcartel.com

on the latest hotbox the cinema, we hunt and gather new ideas about the recent big-screen adaptation of capcom's Monster Hunter franchise, directed by cinema's ultimate wife guy paul ws anderson & starring milla jovovich and tony jaa. topics we go after include the video game adaptations of PWSA, the hawksian tendencies of class-based RPGs, the unexpected direct influence of metal gear solid on the monster hunter movie, & supply-chain cinema. in the Unboxing opening segment we get into the ring to talk about the training montages of rocky IV and creed 2, the latest wrestlemania, & the late great dmx, who once was slated to beat george zimmerman's ass in a pay-per-view match. a little chopped & screwed classic country at the end... tune in to our 4/20 video program at 8EST(including a mind-melding re-score of hype williams' classic Belly) on twitch.tv/hotboxthecinema HOTBOX HOTLINE: 615-592-1003 hotboxthecinema@gmail.com @ HotboxTheCinema on twitter & instagram cop our merch at hotboxthecinea.bigcartel.com

on the latest episode of hotbox, we transmit, you receive. a few recent releases got our brains itching and led to a rapidly mutating topic: what we call The Mind Virus. starting with recent releases like The Empty Man, We're All Going to the World's Fair, and A Glitch in the Matrix, we do a little bit of genre taxonomy about horror films in which a central image or idea becomes an obsession for a character, rewriting their entire understanding of the mind & even physical reality, like an infection changes your body. we are the carrier and this podcast is the signal. stay tuned for a new mix from nathan around 1:55:50 HOTBOX HOTLINE: 615-592-1003 hotboxthecinema@gmail.com @ HotboxTheCinema on twitter & instagram cop our merch at hotboxthecinea.bigcartel.com

on our latest episode, we go *playboi carti vox* demon time and log tf on for a discussion about olivier assayas' recently restored digital collage/non-place porno thriller Demonlover (2002), what it has to say about media consumption and the gendering of global finance, & genre as counterfeiting. as we surf the dark web of demonlover, we make stops along the way at assayas' other movies, like the post-punk of irma vep (1997) and the art pop of boarding gate (2007); the postmodern pastiche of artists like sonic youth and todd haynes; the meta-music of sparks & the klf; tomb raider and the multinational action movies of tsui hark. in the opening riffzone, nathan adds a few footnotes to our recent first person episode and seth reflects on the early-aughts action work of angeline jolie. we're sorry to inform you that this is really not our podcast — it's a knockoff we bought in hong kong. new mix from seth at 1:24:29 HOTBOX HOTLINE: 615-592-1003 @ HotboxTheCinema on twitter hotboxthecinema on instagram hotboxthecinema@gmail.com

we welcome a very special guest, critic and horror author mike thorn, to the hotbox for a tribute to the late filmmaker stacy title, the potentially vulgar auteur behind films like The Bye Bye Man, Snoop Dogg's Hood of Horror, & The Last Supper. we chop it up with mike about the social satire of stacy title's work, the nihilism and horrifying mind memes of the bye bye man, & hall of fame stoner snoop dogg's horror filmography. in the opening riff zone, nathan puts it all on the line and defends the unfairly maligned plastic pop art toy Wonder Woman 1984. say hello to hotbox before u say bye bye. RIP stacy title!!!!!! HOTBOX HOTLINE: 615-592-1003 @ HotboxTheCinema on twitter hotboxthecinema on instagram hotboxthecinema@gmail.com

on the latest episode of hotbox we hand the blunt to YOU, with a chat about the First Person Perspective in cinema. you'll cover everything from the origins of POV in film noir narration, to how new media from first person shooters to porn to real estate video production have altered visual perspective. you'll discuss films from point-and-click detective thrillers like dark passage (1946) & lady in the lake (1947) to more evocative digital experiments like 84cmopic (1989) & suzhou river (2000), & games from doom to the DIY queer indies of robert yang. the choice is all in your hands, dear player... just don't bogart the joint. (chopped&screwed ariana remix by nathan, minimix by seth) HOTBOX HOTLINE: 615-592-1003 @ HotboxTheCinema on twitter hotboxthecinema@gmail.com

on the latest episode of hotbox, we submit to media peer pressure and do our diligent duty as content curators by reflecting on media that stuck with us in 2021. we talk about the fragility of the internet and digital platforms, a weird year in overlooked movies from eugene kotlyarenko's hyperdigital work to the youtube paris hilton documentary, and the video game remake bubble. stay tuned for a mix of some of our favorite 2020 tunes by nathan at the end HOTBOX HOTLINE: 615-592-1003 @ HotboxTheCinema on twitter hotboxthecinema@gmail.com

on the latest episode of hotbox, we submit to media peer pressure and do our diligent duty as content curators by reflecting on media that stuck with us in 2021. we talk about the fragility of the internet and digital platforms, a weird year in overlooked movies from eugene kotlyarenko's hyperdigital work to the youtube paris hilton documentary, and the video game remake bubble. stay tuned for a mix of some of our favorite 2020 tunes by nathan at the end HOTBOX HOTLINE: 615-592-1003 @ HotboxTheCinema on twitter hotboxthecinema@gmail.com

on the latest hotbox, we do a little manksplaining and get deep into the mank mania that's sweeping the nation. we unpack the long-running beef between Orson Welles Vs. Everybody, dissect netflix's fixation with hollywood historiography, and talk about what it means for a work to be the "Citizen Kane" of a medium. is this the Citizen Kane of hotbox episodes or the Mank of hotbox episodes? only u, trusty listener, can decide. HOTBOX HOTLINE: 615-592-1003 @ HotboxTheCinema on twitter hotboxthecinema@gmail.com

on the latest episode of hotbox the cinema, we dive into the work of two digital native filmmakers, henry joost & ariel schulman, the duo behind catfish, nerve, paranormal activity 3 & 4, and this year's netflix original project power. we talk about their work's engagement with social media and multiscreen experience, how being haunted by ghosts is like surveillance, & the impact of influencer culture on ~cinema~ HOTBOX HOTLINE: 615-592-1003 @ HotboxTheCinema on twitter hotboxthecinema@gmail.com

on the latest Hotbox The Cinema, we welcome a guest into the hotbox for the very first time. rob arcand (@ robarcand) joins us for a very special conversation about that coolest of mediums: televison. we get into movies about television and what make the mediums distinct, tik tok, the emergent Screen Life genre, & much much more about media as always. featuring a special TV-themed mix from nathan at the end. movies discussed: uhf, medium cool, truman show, broadcast news, they live, all the president's men, network, videodrome HOTBOX HOTLINE: 615-592-1003 @ HotboxTheCinema on twitter hotboxthecinema@gmail.com

kelly reichardt's First Cow has *finally* dropped on VOD, so we took the opportunity to dig into the works of america's most chilled out filmmaker, from her movies' engagement with leftist activism and histories of colonialism, to the use of weed as a social lubricant in Old Joy, to what her work shares with open world games. in fact, we love kelly reichardt's movies so much that we tried to make this episode *feel* like a kelly reichardt movie.... you just have to listen to hear what that means HOTBOX HOTLINE: 615-592-1003 @ HotboxTheCinema on twitter hotboxthecinema@gmail.com

on the second part of our battle royale series, we go hardcore gamer mode and get into the nitty gritty of games like fortnite, warzone, PUBG, and apex legends. are battle royale games anti-communist propaganda? would bernie sanders have won the democratic primary if he played fortnite? are twitch streamers auteurs? the answers to these burning questions and more, plus a new mix from seth HOTBOX HOTLINE: 615-592-1003 @ HotboxTheCinema on twitter hotboxthecinema@gmail.com

on a long overdue hotbox the cinema, we talk about the most dangerous game: battle royale, the endlessly popular and innovative video game subgenre. we get into games like fortnite and warzone, but also talk about the genre's origins in other media, from the iconic short story "the most dangerous game" to films like SURVIVING THE GAME, THE PEST, HARD TARGET, THE HUNT, FIGURES IN A LANDSCAPE, & more. why r we so fascinated with stories of humans hunting humans? what makes battle royale games different from esports? does playing call of duty make u a reactionary? why tf did john leguizamo make the pest? toke up, tune in, and learn the answers to these questions and so many more. organizations to support: the okra project: https://www.theokraproject.com/ GLITS: https://www.glitsinc.org/ gideons army (nashville): https://gideonsarmyunited.org/ your local bail fund educational resources: a radical reading list (credit to @sarahtai): https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1vJTfZMZvrh3sEpF6unAdi8ZUDYAkgzUt learn more about abolition: https://dsaemerge.org/the-abolitionist-horizon-building-a-world-without-police-or-prisons/ HOTBOX HOTLINE: 615-592-1003 @ HotboxTheCinema on twitter hotboxthecinema@gmail.com

HOTBOX THE CINEMA presents a very special 4/20/20 livestream spectacular, featuring a freewheeling and freeweeding chat with special guests adam (@ motelabyss), etan (@ etanheytan), eddie (@ ipod_video and host of Extended Clip), JR (@ juanroelmolina & @ lazypugfilms on tik tok), charlotte (@ mumble_sauce), and elusive twitter legend celery. thanks to everyone who spent their time with us on the highest of high holidays. HOTBOX HOTLINE: 615-592-1003 @ HotboxTheCinema on twitter hotboxthecinema@gmail.com

on the very first episode of hotbox from a post-corona world, we Hotbox The Quarantine with a chat about BLOODSHOT, screen life in this new distanced world, vin diesel’s cyborg identity, call of duty multiplayer, soldiers as programmable assets, genre as open source software, & so much more. also a special announcement about our exclusive Hotbox The Livestream 4/20 twitch stream. HOTBOX HOTLINE: 615-592-1003 @ HotboxTheCinema on twitter hotboxthecinema@gmail.com

this week on HOTBOX THE CINEMA we meet up with our ole friend chronic the hemphog... with a discussion on the new Sonic The Hedgehog movie, detective pikachu, the convergence of Video Games and Cinema, how sonic is actually the same movie as richard jewell, the deep state, zillow product placement, & so much more. get fast with a mix from seth at the end HOTBOX HOTLINE: 615-592-1003 @ HotboxTheCinema on twitter hotboxthecinema@gmail.com

just in time for you to hotbox the oscars, seth and nathan sit down to hit the gas mask bong and talk about how digital technology & special effects attempt to recreate history in nominees like 1917 & the irishman. we talk about media's recent world war 1 fetish (from war horse to wonder woman to battlefield 1), how 1917's fake single take erases the politically radical origins of film montage, the player as camera operator, and how technology remasters and remediates memory & history. get shell shocked with a wild mix from nathan at the end HOTBOX HOTLINE: 615-592-1003 @ HotboxTheCinema on twitter hotboxthecinema@gmail.com

after last month's deep dive into Theme Park Cinema, we realized we had even more thoughts on the subject. on episode 4.20 we take the amusement talk just a little bit further: we remember our own experiences with theme parks, examine the growing convergence between gaming and the attraction industry, look at the rise of super-parks, and talk about a few films that use the theme park as metaphor. from dollywood to dubai's new "Cyberzone," to epic mickey, it's all in there. after this, we promise, no more rollercoasters. stick around for an exclusive mix from seth at the end. HOTBOX HOTLINE: 615-592-1003 @ HotboxTheCinema on twitter hotboxthecinema@gmail.com

on the latest episode of HOTBOX THE CINEMA, we smoke a zip... a dee doo dah and spark up a towering inferno. inspired by some recent comments by Mr. Martin Scorsese, we dig into a discussion about all things Theme Park Cinema. topics include the historical overlap between early cinema and parks like coney island, rollercoaster versions of big-budget blockbusters, disney's adaptation of their own attractions, 70s disaster movies, rollercoaster tycoon, & so much more. stick around for the theme park Mega Mix at the end. HOTBOX HOTLINE: 615-592-1003 @ HotboxTheCinema on twitter hotboxthecinema@gmail.com

this week on your new favorite stoner cinema podcast, your hosts and hotboxers-in-chief nathan (@ trillmoregirls) and seth (@ asapsunscreen) have come down with a serious case of baby fever. we talk baby yoda, buff yoda, the boss baby, baby groot, dababy, "im baby," death stranding, ET, funko pops, chucky, minions, the horror of being trapped in the body of a baby with the brain of an adult, horny fan art, and so much more. show notes: how minions destroyed the internet - https://medium.com/the-awl/how-minions-destroyed-the-internet-e37edbc2a055 where the hell is video games version of baby yoda - https://www.fanbyte.com/trending/where-the-hell-is-video-games-version-of-baby-yoda/ chucky hates capitalism even more than you do - https://theoutline.com/post/7646/childs-play-remake-chuckie-franchise-capitalism?zd=2&zi=gyqxb7ap the top 10 video games where you can play as a baby - https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/top10/2895-the-top-10-video-games-where-you-can-play-as-a-baby-redo baby yoda GIFs controversy - https://www.cnn.com/2019/11/26/business/giphy-baby-yoda-internet-intl-scli/index.html ynw bslime "slime dreams' - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mrGMHyq3vb0

on the second episode of HOTBOX THE CINEMA, your toker-in-chief nathan smith (@ trillmoregirls) is joined once again by seth shepherd (@ asapsunscreen) as we got 420 FRAMES PER SECOND with a discussion about gemini man, HIGH frame rates, billy lynn's long halftime walk, metal gear solid, disney's dinosaur, harun farocki, and goldfish vs. cheez-its.

it's time to toke up and tune into HOTBOX THE CINEMA, a brand-new podcast about moving images and marijuana. before we actually talk about movies, we have to talk about how we get to the movies we watch. this week, your toker-in-chief nathan smith (@ trillmoregirls) is joined by seth shepherd (@ asapsunscreen) for a free-wheeling conversation about stoned streaming, the act of browsing, marie kondo as a metpahor for netflix's relationship to physical media, travis scott, and so much more. (apologies about the weird scratchy sound.... maybe it will accidentally induce an ASMR sensation tho) show notes: A Teens Guide to Stoner Cinema - Dr. Teens: https://thenewinquiry.com/a-teens-guide-to-stoner-cinema/ Disney+ twitter thread: https://twitter.com/disneyplus/status/1183715553057239040?lang=en travis scott's "maria i'm drunk": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fI-mnYR-Mp8