How Did This Get Praised?

Oh, to be a puritan in the 60s.... Daniella and Stefan discuss one of their most divisive films yet. Is 'Rosemary's Baby' feminist? Is it scary? Did 'False Positive' rip it off? Dive in for a difficult discussion. The mission of the Chicago Abortion Fund is to advance reproductive autonomy and justice for everyone by providing financial, logistical, and emotional support to people seeking abortion services and by building collective power and fostering partnerships for political and cultural change. You can support and donate by visiting www.chicagoabortionfund.org. Read a transcript of this episode here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WRZIBVDDfe9J2fkEQFU6Kr7VDRxh7YbRPNljn1vqpdA/edit?usp=sharing Special thanks to our editor Shanna Brown and our transcriber Whitney Wasson! Buy us a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/praise_pod Follow us: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/praise_pod/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/praise_pod

Following our conversation around the Best Animated Oscar that started with 'Shrek,' we talked about the second winner of the prestigious award: Hiyao Miyazaki's 'Spirited Away.' Stefan and Daniella discuss the ways in which Disney impacted the trajectory of Studio Ghibli, why 'Spirited Away' was the Miyazaki movie that stuck (and why arguably no Miyazaki movie has done as well since), and we ask the age old questions.... Sub or dub? Part two of a two-part series on the Best Animated Oscar! The Young Center for Immigrant Children's Rights protects and advances the rights and best interests of immigrant children according to the Convention on the Rights of the Child and state and federal law. You can support and donate by visiting www.TheYoungCenter.org. Special thanks to our editor Shanna Brown! Music: Jinsang - Summer's Day [Version 2]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRr-DZmYER0 Daniel Pimenta Martin - "Name of Life" Lofi Remix: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HorsIKhhwFU Buy us a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/praise_pod Follow us: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/praise_pod/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/praise_pod

In this special Shrekisode recorded on 'Shrek's 20th Anniversary, Daniella and Stefan unpeel the layers of one of the most memorable and memeable movies in our lifetime. Jokes aside -- is 'Shrek' good? Is 'Shrek' gay? Are WE too gay for 'Shrek'? Part one of a two-part series on the Best Animated Oscar! Brave Space Alliance is the first Black-led, trans-led LGBTQ+ Center located on the South Side of Chicago, and designed to create and provide affirming and culturally competent services for the entire LGBTQ+ community of Chicago. You can support and donate by visiting www.bravespacealliance.org. Special thanks to our editor Shanna Brown! Music: Fairytale (Thaehan Remix): https://soundcloud.com/loki-6/thaehan-once-upon-a-time-shrek-remix Livin' La Vida Loca but it's lofi Shrek-hop: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7ogjC6C5OA Buy us a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/praise_pod Follow us: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/praise_pod/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/praise_pod

We talk the 2020 awards-sweeping movie 'Nomadland' with special guest (and former Amazon employee!) Aaron Carlson. We discuss the beauty of the movie and Chloe Zhao's direction coupled with its treatment of its source material, its relationship to behemoths like Amazon, and what labor and the 2008 recession means to us. This time around we encourage you to learn more about and support the fight for Amazon workers' rights. Though the election in Alabama has been counted, it is unclear how much of a hand Amazon had in influencing the results. What is clear is that the fight is not over. Learn more by visiting www.bamazonunion.org and www.supportamazonworkers.org. Special thanks to our editor Shanna Brown! Listen to Aaron's podcast 'Sip With Me': www.www.sipwithme.org Follow us: www.instagram.com/Praise_Pod www.twitter.com/Praise_Pod

In the spirit of April Fool's, we are unveiling this special edition How Did This Get Hate? episode on the divisive, derided classic, Paul Verhoeven's 'Showgirls!' We discuss Verhoeven's track record with erotic thrillers, if 'Showgirls' is actually camp, and gush some more over our podcast favorite Kyle MacLachlan. Content Warning: This episode will reference scenes of sexual assault and violence. We encourage you to support and donate to Red Canary Song, the only grassroots Chinese massage parlor worker coalition in the U.S. There are over 9000 workplaces like these across the country with no political representation, or access to labor rights or collective organizing. You can find out more and donate by visiting redcanarysong.net. Special thanks to our editor Shanna Brown! Follow us: www.instagram.com/Praise_Pod www.twitter.com/Praise_Pod

Long ago, in a galaxy far, far away... multi-million dollar franchises were born. Did 'A New Hope' deliver on its promise? Is George Lucas a genius? Will CGI ever look as good as a toy spaceship? Join Daniella and Stefan for another discussion filled with hijinks and hilarity abound. Girls Who Code continues to work with state policymakers on legislative solutions to close the gender gap in K-12 computer science classrooms -- because when you teach a girl to code, she’ll change the world. You can support and donate by visiting www.girlswhocode.com. Special thanks to our new editor Shanna Brown! Follow us: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/praise_pod/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/praise_pod

We're back! Daniella and Stefan talk about women's empowerment (well, white, cis women's empowerment, let's not kid ourselves) and how it is portrayed in 2015's 'Mad Max: Fury Road' and 2020's 'Promising Young Woman.' How do these movies aim to empower the women at the center? What constitutes as feminism in a movie? Why was comfort around issues of empowerment so different between these movies? All this and more! In lieu of advertisements, we'd like to encourage you to support Blue Tin Production, a sewing co-operative run by refugee and immigrant women. Blue Tin Production seeks to provide highly-skilled refugee and low-income immigrant women full-time work in Chicago, producing clothing for designers and brands nationally, while simultaneously meeting mental and physical health, legal, social service, child care, transportation, language, and other needs of its members. Learn more at www.bluetinproduction.com. Follow us: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/praise_pod/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/praise_pod

Daniella and Stefan are joined for a mini-reunion with Tiffani Swalley and Bill Gordon, the respective director and star of Chicago's 'Yippee Ki-Yay Merry Christmas!' The four 'Die Hard' diehards discuss what makes the movie so m*****f***ing good, their work on a 'Die Hard' parody musical, and the classic argument -- is 'Die Hard' a Christmas movie? In lieu of advertisements, we'd like to encourage you to support Fair Fight, Stacey Abrams' organization working to fight voter suppression and organizing for the run-off senate races in Georgia. Learn more at www.fairfight.com. About 'Yippee Ki-Yay Merry Christmas:' This hilarious musical parody of the classic Christmas movie 'Die Hard' invites audiences to the annual Nakatomi Christmas Eve Party on the 30th floor of the Nakatomi Plaza. Grizzled New York cop Bruce McClane is there to rekindle love between his estranged wife and 80s business woman Holly Generic. Everything is going swimmingly until fashion obsessed Hans Olo and his group of German terrorist take everyone hostage...everyone except McClane. Filled with hysterical musical numbers, farcical fight sequences, explosions, machine guns, and more Christmas Snow than Los Angeles ever gets, there is a reason Yippee Ki-Yay Merry Christmas: A DIE HARD Christmas Musical has quickly become a Chicago holiday tradition. You can watch the FULL 2018-2019 production of Yippee here: https://youtu.be/YmvVqc_aaLw Daniella's brand new GOLDEN DICKBUTT was made by Etsy shopowner Fabricator Djinn: https://www.etsy.com/shop/FabricatorDjinn Follow us for updates and a picture of the Dickbutt: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/praise_pod/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/praise_pod

Daniella and Stefan have a hard time letting it go in this wintry-themed discussion of 2013's Disney movie, 'Frozen.' We discuss the movies' takes on marriage, sisterhood, and idiot snowmen, and get heated the 'Frozen' phenomenon. In lieu of advertisements, we'd like to encourage you to support Fair Fight, Stacey Abrams' organization working to fight voter suppression and organizing for the run-off senate races in Georgia. Learn more at www.fairfight.com. Follow us: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/praise_pod/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/praise_pod

It's been a rough month and we took a couple weeks off to recover from the nonsensical election. We're back with two 90s kid animated/live-action classics -- 'Who Framed Roger Rabbit?' and 'Space Jam!' Welcome to the jam, y'all. In lieu of advertisements, we'd like to encourage you to support Fair Fight, Stacey Abrams' organization working to fight voter suppression and organizing for the run-off senate races in Georgia. Learn more at www.fairfight.com. Follow us: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/praise_pod/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/praise_pod

Happy Halloween from the Praise Pod! This special Halloween episode is on 2018's breakout hit 'Hereditary.' Stefan and Daniella are joined by long-time pal Krystal Ng to talk about horror movies, how 'Hereditary' deals with grief, our queen Toni Collette, and our love for 'Midsommar.' (SPOILERS for Midsommar

Stefan and Daniella talk about Found Footage horror in this mini episode, specifically 'The Blair Witch Project,' 'Paranormal Activity,' and a mini review of 2014's 'Creep.' We also begin to hear their origin story from that infamous High School film class. In lieu of advertisements, we'd like to encourage you to support SIECUS: Sex Ed for Social Change, a national organization that asserts asserts that sex education is a powerful vehicle for social change. Learn more at siecus.org. Follow us: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/praise_pod/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/praise_pod

It doesn't think, it doesn't feel, it doesn't give up... it gets PRAISED. Stefan and Daniella kick off SPOOKY OCTOBER with the 2015 indie horror 'It Follows.' We discuss our relationship to horror movies, if 'It Follows' is a horror movie or coming-of-age movie (or both?), and whether the actor who plays Greg was in 'Victorious.' We think this movie will be following us for quite some time (see what we did there)! Song used at beginning of episode is "What's a Girl to Do?" by Bat for Lashes. In lieu of advertisements, we'd like to encourage you to support SIECUS: Sex Ed for Social Change, a national organization that asserts asserts that sex education is a powerful vehicle for social change. Learn more at siecus.org. Follow us: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/praise_pod/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/praise_pod

This bonus episode includes some cut conversations from our Blue Velvet episode about David Lynch's other projects, 'Dune' and 'Twin Peaks.' Among discussing why Lynch's 'Dune' didn't get praised, Stefan and Daniella also play the third installment of "Who Said That?" and divulge all their favorite 'Twin Peaks' Season 2 subplots.... There's a lot. In lieu of advertisements, we'd like to encourage you to support A Long Walk Home, a Chicago-based intersectional organization fighting to end all violence against women and girls. Learn more at alongwalkhome.org. Follow us: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/praise_pod/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/praise_pod

We're talking about the all-American David Lynch classic 'Blue Velvet.' You know, BDSM, cut off ears, Isabella Rosselini... 'Merica. In lieu of advertisements, we'd like to encourage you to support A Long Walk Home, a Chicago-based intersectional organization fighting to end all violence against women and girls. Learn more at alongwalkhome.org. Follow us: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/praise_pod/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/praise_pod

Fight Club fanfiction? Tyler Durden is actually a philosopher?? The second installment of "Who said that??" This short bonus episode is PACKED with loads of Fight Club fun! In lieu of advertisements, we'd like to encourage you to support Circles and Ciphers. Circles & Ciphers is a hip-hop infused restorative justice organization led by and for young people impacted by violence. Learn more at circlesandciphers.org. Follow us: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/praise_pod/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/praise_pod

Daniella and Stefan get naughty and talk about Fight Club (come at us, Tyler Durden). Is it problematic? Is it gay? Is it good? All these answers and more will be discussed between the two -- or is it really just one? -- co-hosts.  In lieu of advertisements, we'd like to encourage you to support Circles and Ciphers. Circles & Ciphers is a hip-hop infused restorative justice organization led by and for young people impacted by violence. Learn more at circlesandciphers.org.  Follow us: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/praise_pod/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/praise_pod

Segments from our 'Joker' discussion that didn't quite make it into the main episode, including the first ever game of "Who Said That?" a timeline of the history of The Batman and Joker, and more! In lieu of advertisements, we'd like to encourage you to support Sista Afya Community Mental Wellness. Sista Afya is a Chicago South-Side, Black woman-owned organization that sustains the mental wellness of Black women through building community, sharing information, and connecting Black women to quality mental wellness services. Learn more about Sista Afya at https://www.sistaafya.com/. Follow us: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/praise_pod/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/praise_pod

In the inaugural episode of "How Did This Get Praised," Daniella Mazzio and Stefan Carlson talk Todd Phillips' 2019 Joker, Joaquin Phoenix's Academy Award, and if the movie is a praise-worthy depiction of mental health. Episode contains spoilers and language. In lieu of advertisements, we'd like to encourage you to support Sista Afya Community Mental Wellness. Sista Afya is a Chicago South-Side, Black woman-owned organization that sustains the mental wellness of Black women through building community, sharing information, and connecting Black women to quality mental wellness services. Learn more about Sista Afya at https://www.sistaafya.com/. Follow us: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/praise_pod/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/praise_pod