One For You Podcast

Welcome to another episode of the One for You Podcast! Christmas is almost upon us, which is of course super exciting. But before the main event, there is this amazing time called advent, where you get to be excited about Christmas for about 3 weeks. In my opinion, that's also the earliest you should put up Christmas decorations or be assaulted by Christmas songs in stores. Advent is also a time to watch Christmas movies! These days that mostly means Christmas RomComs, a uniquely American genre. My guest Alan Mattli and I have watched a number of these movies, so listen to us be delighted and appalled in equal measure. We also briefly talk about our favourite Christmas movies of the non RomCom variety We watched: HAPPIEST SEASON: More Tragedy than Comedy? (09:08) LOVE HARD: Topical five years ago. (19:55) SINGLE ALL THE WAY: When your family ships you and your BFF hard. (31:16) A CASTLE FOR CHRISTMAS: An American saves the Scottish, who wear a surprising number of kilts. (No, this is not BRAVEHEART) (39:08) THE PRINCESS SWITCH 3: ROMANCING THE STAR: When you're royalty, but also moonlight as cat burglars. (49:36)

It's time for action on the ONE FOR YOU podcast! Alan Mattli joins me to discuss GUNPOWDER MILKSHAKE and its bubble gum noir aesthetic. We wonder about the empty world of the movie and whether Hollywood has learned the wrong lessons from JOHN WICK. In our gem session, we talk about V FOR VENDETTA and whether it is as good as teenage Alan thought. We also discuss whether the movie effectively criticises fascist politics or whether it is too enamoured of its own aesthetic slickness to do so. Join the discussion on social media @oneforyoupod or write an email to oneforyoupod@gmail.com

In this episode, we travel into the future and into space, hunting criminals across the solar system, while looking unbelievably cool. Yes, we are discussing COWBOY BEBOP, the Netflix remake of the beloved anime. Before the Netflix remake was announced, I'd never heard of COWBOY BEBOP. Luckily, I am joined by Astrit Abazi, who, to put it mildly, is a fan of the original. We discuss the first four episodes of the show in great detail, going into spoilers, starting at (8:14). But no worries, we have a spoiler free summary of our thoughts on the show starting at (43:12). Other topics include a number of other anime, HAWKEYE, and Astrit's promise to watch TED LASSO. Join the discussion on social media @oneforyoupod or write an email to oneforyoupod@gmail.com

It's another episode in our inadvertent “looking longingly back into the past” series! Mansi Tiwari joins me for a discussion of two films about relationships between mothers and their children. Can they ever truly know and understand each other? PETITE MAMAN, Céline Sciamma's follow up to PORTRAIT DE LA JEUNE FILLE EN FEU has an unusual solution for this problem, as past and present collide in this wishful movie (5:01). For the gem 20TH CENTURY WOMEN, director Mike Mills let himself be inspired by his own teenage years in the late 1970s. He tells a story about a mother (Annette Bening) trying to raise her son by drafting in two additional quasi-mothers (Greta Gerwig and Elle Fanning) (17:01). We also discuss what we've been watching and what we're looking forward too. (Spoilers, it's LAST NIGHT IN SOHO.) Join the discussion on social media @oneforyoupod or write an email to oneforyoupod@gmail.com

This episode's movies are all about nostalgia, which often is a powerful force for storytelling, as Alan Mattli and I discuss. THE FRENCH DISPATCH, Wes Anderson's newest movie, shows us an ironic take on American intellectual's visions of France during the first half of the 20th century. The gem, the German movie GOOD BYE LENIN! delves into the thorny issue of nostalgia, when said nostalgia happens to be about living in a socialist dictatorship. We also briefly discuss Ridley Scott's THE LAST DUEL and are confused by the title situation of the movie formerly known as EDGE OF TOMORROW. Join the discussion on social media @oneforyoupod or write an email to oneforyoupod@gmail.com

The leaves are yellowing and always seems like it's about to rain; that can mean only one thing: fall is here and with it the Zurich Film Festival. As the film lovers that we are, we could of course not bypass this opportunity. We went to see all the films, or at least a great portion of them, or you know the ones that sounded interesting and were on when we didn't have anything else on. Now, we're here to discuss some of the most interesting movies we've seen, so you know what to watch in cinemas in a few months or a few years time. As is tradition, I am joined by three guests for this episode: Mansi Tiwari, Astrit Abazi and Alan Mattli. The films we are discussing are: THE MAN WHO SOLD HIS SKIN by Kaouther Ben Hania (4:21) MONA LISA AND THE BLOOD MOON by Ana Lily Amirpour (16:55) RED ROCKET by Sean Baker (25:28) PLEASURE by Ninja Thyberg(33:16) Join the discussion on social media @oneforyoupod or write an email to oneforyoupod@gmail.com

Y: THE LAST MAN is the long-awaited TV adaptation of the graphic novel by the same name. It tells the story of a world, where a plague suddenly and violently kills all mammals with a Y-chromosome, apart from Yorick (Ben Schnetzer) and his monkey Ampersand. As Yorick tries to figure out, why he of all people survived, his mother (Diane Lane) takes on the presidency, while his sister Hero (Olivia Thirlby) is trying to make her way out of a dying New York. Mansi Tiwari joins me to review the first three episodes of the show, which, in Switzerland, is available on Disney+. We wonder whether the show manages to adequately display the horror of the situation and what those familiar with the graphic novel might get out of this adaptation. If you want to avoid spoilers, listen to us setting up the show until (10:31) and then jump to (38:07), when we give a spoiler-free summary of our thoughts on the show. Naturally, there's some more talk about my THE X-FILES obsession. And because we've both seen DUNE, we take a moment to sing its praises. Join the discussion on social media @oneforyoupod or write an email to oneforyoupod@gmail.com

There's absolutely no drunken podcasting in this episode! And you might be thinking to yourself, that's a very specific denial and you would be right. Because this episode, we talk about DRUNKEN MASTER II! And one lesson we've learned from that film is that heavy drinking leads to great prowess. But we are definitively not doing that. (Or are we?) We've paired this full vintage with a fresh cocktail, SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS! As you'll know from last episode, both Astrit Abazi and I were looking forward to this movie, so naturally, we went to see it and are now ready to talk about it in even more length than last time. There's also some insight into my continued obsession with THE X-FILES and a lot of excitement about DUNE. Join the discussion on social media @oneforyoupod or write an email to oneforyoupod@gmail.com

The One for You Podcast dives into the world of so-called prestige TV with an in-depth discussion of NINE PERFECT STRANGERS, a show about, well nine strangers, their weird so-called therapist, and some really nice smoothies. The show is set at a very exclusive wellness resort in California. Many people want to visit, but self-help guru Masha (Nicole Kidman) only allows a select few to into her resort, making sure the guests' problems bounce off each other perfectly. But this time around, it seems as though things might be slipping out of Masha's control as the groups is more volatile than expected. On top of that, she's also receiving threats from a mysterious source. Based on a book with the same name by Liane Moriarty, NINE PERFECT STRANGERS is streaming on Amazon Prime. Astrit Abazi and I talk about the four available episodes in great spoilerific detail. If you want to avoid spoilers, listen to us setting up the show until (12:43) and then jump to (46:49), when we give a spoiler-free summary of our thoughts on the show. One perfect show? Join the discussion on social media @oneforyoupod or write an email to oneforyoupod@gmail.com

Welcome to a very special episode of the One for You Podcast! For the very first time we are dedicating an entire episode to the Locarno Film Festival, which just finished its 74th edition! For this episode, I am joined not by one, not by two, but by three guests! Mansi Tiwari, Alan Mattli, and making his long-awaited return to the podcast, my co-founder, my original partner in crime Andri Erdin! We talk about the winner of the Pardo d'Oro VENGEANCE IS MINE, ALL OTHERS PAY CASH, the films on the Piazza Grande, as well as some of our favourite competition films, especially the short films. And of course, this would not be complete without the films we love to hate, such as THE CASE OF THE VANISHING GODS, which was baffling and yet we cannot stop talking about it. Tears might be involved. Join the discussion on social media @oneforyoupod or write an email to oneforyoupod@gmail.com For more of Alan Mattli's reviews go to his blog facingthebittertruth.com

The One for You Podcast returns from the summer break! Naturally, we watched a ton of movies during that time, but we'll focus on two for this episode. First, IN THE HEIGHTS, the adaptation of Lin-Manuel Miranda's pre-HAMILTON Broadway musical (06:00). The movie tells the stories of various people struggling and dreaming in the Heights, the New York neighbourhood groaning under the pressures of gentrification. Astrit Abazi and I discuss whether the movie works as an adaptation, which our favourite songs are, and also talk about the colourism controversy the film as sparked. Second, THE BOOK OF LIFE (27:12), an animated story from 2014, produced by Guillermo del Toro, tells the story of a trio of friends whose lives become the playthings for the mythical entities La Muerte (Kate del Castillo) and Xibalba (Ron Perlman). We struggle with the terribly old-fashioned story set-up, which sees two men competing for the love of a woman, have diverging opinions on the animation style, but agree on our assessment of the musical numbers. Join the discussion on social media @oneforyoupod or write an email to oneforyoupod@gmail.com

This episode is dedicated to two films by the Oscar winning director Chloé Zhao. We start off with NOMADLAND ( 4:00 ), in which Fran (Frances McDormand) is forced to go on the road and drive across the United States, following the availability of temporary jobs. The gem is Zaho's second movie THE RIDER ( 24:44 ) about a young cowboy named Brady, who is trying to find his feet again after a devastating rodeo accident. Brady Jandreau plays a fictionalised version of himself. Alan Mattli joins me to talk about the allure and the pitfalls of the American Dream and the refiguring of this most American figure of all, the cowboy. We also discuss whether the mixing of professional actors and amateurs can work or, whether instead of generating authenticity, it leads to fakeness. Join the discussion on social media @oneforyoupod or write an email to oneforyoupod@gmail.com

All aboard the express train! First stop NEMESIS (3:52), a Swiss documentary about the demolition of an old train station in Zurich, in order to replace it with a new police and prison complex. Mansi Tiwari and I discuss the impact of the images of destruction, tempered by their playfulness. We also question the intermingling of statements by the director with the testimonials of soon-to-be deportees and whether this gives or takes away a voice from those who too often do not have one. Next stop BRIEF ENCOUNTER (18:10), the David Lean classic from 1945 about an affair that begins with a chance encounter in a train station. We discuss how the rhythms of the train schedule make and break the affair, the bonding power of laughter that so easily slips into cruelty and whether our heroine is judged for the affair or not. Join the conversation on social media @oneforyoupod or via email oneforyoupod@gmail.com

“What are you doing?” Rarely has there been a scarier question. At least for the men in PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN, who do not react well to their date suddenly becoming a lot less helpless than anticipated. The Academy Award winning movie discusses questions about consent and the societal enabling of bad behaviour by so called nice guys in an unusual way. In THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO, hacker Lisbeth Salander deals with those who have wronged her in a different but equally unique way. Astrit Abazi and I discuss whether David Fincher's movie succeeds as a comment on the dark secrets of Swedish society, where it is hobbled by its status as an adaptation and why the accents are so weird. Join the conversation on social media @oneforyoupod or via email oneforyoupod@gmail.com

It's time for a roaring rampage of revenge as Alan Mattli and I discuss Quentin Tarantino's KILL BILL VOL. 1 & 2. Is there anything beyond the shiny surface of movie quotes? Or is it enough to simply be cool? We also ask ourselves, whether having a woman revenge herself on a guy who cannot take no for an answer is enough to hail the movie as feminist or whether the situation is more complicated than that. A similarly thorny question arises when that white woman is the undisputed master of martial arts she has learned from East Asian masters. And that brings us to the most important discussion of all: what happens if you never take five steps after having been hit with the Five Point Palm Exploding Heart Technique? Let us know your thoughts on the Kill Bill movies. We're on Twitter and Instagram @oneforyoupod, or write us an email: oneforyoupod@gmail.com.

Welcome to a high-octane ride! This episode I discuss the Mad Max movies with my guest Alan Mattli. What better starting point than the sensational FURY ROAD that set cinema screens on fire in 2015 with its epic imagery and the refusal to slow down for a moment. Yet, arguably, the emotional highpoint of the movie is the moment the main character reveals his name. We discuss how director George Miller manages these seeming contradictions with great elegance before looking at how we got here. That means going back to the very beginning of Miller's career and MAD MAX, very much a product of its budget and its time. Next up is MAD MAX 2 (aka THE ROAD WARRIOR), which in hindsight functions as a training run for FURY ROAD yet manages to stand on its own 40 years later. Finally, we turn to BEYOND THUNDERDOME, often considered the least admirable entry in the series, though Alan and I would disagree with that. Let us know your thoughts on the Mad Max movies. We're on Twitter and Instagram @oneforyoupod, or write us an email: oneforyoupod@gmail.com.

Yo Ho, Yo Ho, a pirate's life for the pod! In this episode we travel through space and time to land in the Caribbean during the golden Age of piracy, as Astrit Abazi and I discuss the original Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy. That includes THE CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL, DEAD MAN'S CHEST and AT WORLD'S END. As the first movie is one of my favourites, we spend quite a bit of time discussing what makes it so awesome, from the slapstick comedy, to great character introductions and a fantastic score. We also try to untangle the plot of the sequels, which sounds a lot like ‘and then, and then but also, and then.' As we discuss whether all of that amounts to something entertaining, we talk about the correct way to pronounce ‘kraken', why the women in the movies can't talk to each other and whether Hector is truly a great name for a pirate.

Right now, every day feels the same – almost like we're stuck reliving the same day over and over again. So, what better time to discuss our favourite instances of the time loop genre. Mansi Tiwari joins me to talk about PALM SPRINGS and we have very differing opinions on the mixing of the rom-com and time loop genres. Is it just lazy writing? Or does the movie have something more profound to say with some laughs sprinkled on top? When it comes to the TV show RUSSIAN DOLL, we both turn into detectives trying to solve the enigma at the heart of the show. Does it come down to religion, video games or psychiatry? Either way, we know for sure we love Natasha Lyonne.

Holy Mackarel, Batman! It's an episode all about Batman! In the longest episode to date, Alan Mattli and I discuss four movies about the caped crusader in spoilerific detail. Join us as we feast our eyes on the gothic extravaganza of BATMAN and are fascinated by the villains and antagonists of BATMAN RETURNS. These are the initial building blocks of the franchise, from the weird mind of Tim Burton. Onwards we go then to the technicolour vision of BATMAN FOREVER, as Joel Schumacher takes over, before ending with a movie that is commonly called the worst superhero movie ever made: BATMAN & ROBIN. To join the discussion, you can find on Twitter and Instagram @oneforyoupod or contact us via email: oneforyoupod@gmail.com.

The One For You Podcast goes where it has never gone before: TV! It's all about WANDAVISION on this episode, as Astrit Abazi and I dive into the first seven episodes and discuss them in spoilerific detail. Is the central mystery compelling? Do we buy into Wanda and Vision's relationship? And is there such a thing as too much MCU?

Both beginnings and endings of relationships can make for great movies; both MALCOM & MARIE and BEFORE SUNRISE mine that territory. Mansi Tiwari joins me to talk about whether we think these movies (will) stand the test of time. In MALCOLM & MARIE, the titular couple has a fight to end all fights over the course of a night. But why does it feel more like two twitter threads have become sentient rather than two actual people barrelling towards a reckoning? BEFORE SUNRISE shows us, what life was like before the pandemic, when we could still meet random strangers in a foreign city. Mansi and I talk about the authenticity of the main characters and how your own age influences how you relate to them.

THE WHITE TIGER tells the story of an ambitious Indian driver who tries to claw his way from the bottom of class system, if not to the top, at least to a higher rung on the ladder. Alan Mattli and I discuss the sense of inevitable doom hanging over the story and the possible resemblance to the gangster stories of Martin Scorsese. THE REMAINS OF THE DAY shows the dehumanising effect of the English class system and how it leads to the abdication of personal responsibility for political and moral decisions. And we can't get over how Anthony Hopkins does so much by doing nothing.

As we review PIECES OF A WOMAN and JERRY MAGUIRE, the unbelievable happens: Astrit Abazi and I feel the same about not one, but two films. Must be that new 2021 spirit. PIECES OF A WOMAN is a Netflix drama about the loss of a new-born and how it impacts the parents, played by Vanessa Kirby and Shia LaBoeuf. A distant drama that is not for the faint of heart. JERRY MAGUIRE tells the story of the titular sports agent and what feels like his ongoing quest to hit rock bottom by trying to do the right thing. We talk about Tom Cruise's slightly sociopathic grin and the racial politics of the film.

In spite of closed cinemas around the globe, many fascinating films have been released in 2020, so we discuss our favourites in the final podcast of this year. UNCUT GEMS (02:27): Alan Mattli explains why this extremely stressful tale of a huckster (his word) trying to make it big in New York's diamond district is one he can rewatch endlessly. LITTLE WOMEN (15:47): Olivia Tjon-A-Meeuw gushes about this adaptation of the classic novel and its entirely uncynical worldview. (Even though marriage is an economic proposition.) I'M THINKING OF ENDING THINGS (34:16): Astrit Abazi tells us why he would never break up with this film, in spite of, or perhaps, because we are not entirely sure what it is about.

In this episode we discuss an animation double bill: WOLFWALKERS and WALTZ WITH BASHIR. I am joined by regular contributor Mansi Tiwari. WOLFWAKERS is a beautiful hand-drawn 2D animation that retells an Irish myth, grounded in historical events. We discuss the effects of shifting perspectives, just how scary the wolves are and whether Mebh's animated hair is up there with Merida's and Moana's. WALTZ WITH BASHIR is an unusual choice for an animation, as it is a documentary. Mansi and I try to figure out the advantage of this medium for an exploration of trauma and the collective nature of memory, as the director Ari Folman tries to remember what atrocities he might have committed during the 1982 Lebanon war. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The short stories we talk about are Tim O'Brien's THE THINGS THEY CARRIED, who writes about his experiences during the Vietnam War. The other films by studio Cartoon Saloon, the makers of WOLFWALKERS, are THE SECRET OF KELLS, SONG OF THE SEA and BREADWINNER.

The pandemic has forced us to make a detour, so Astrit Abazi and I talk about GREENLAND. Luckily, our gem remains THE LONG KISS GOODNIGHT. If an algorithm put together a disaster movie, GREENLAND would probably be the result. We discuss the inherent stressfulness of apocalyptic movies and the unnecessary use of golden hour light. Astrit also admits the movie almost made him throw up. THE LONG KISS GOODNIGHT is an action film with zero regard for the laws of physics, but who even cares when the one-liners are flying. But there is also a touching vulnerability peeking out between the outrunning of explosions. Shane Black has done it again! (In 1996).

In this episode I am joined by Alan Mattli to discuss two films about rural America: HILLBILLY ELEGY and HALE COUNTY THIS MORNING, THIS EVENING. An adaptation of the best-selling memoir, HILLBILLY ELEGY tells the story of an Ohio family struggling with poverty and the opioid crisis. Alan apologies for choosing the film that he dubs "Acting: The Movie", but is it really that bad? HALE COUNTY THIS MORNING, THIS EVENING is an experiential documentary about an African American community in Alabama. Both Alan and I have seen the film twice now and it has changed how we feel about it(hint: positively).

It's the 21st century against the 18th century, as the Netflix algorithm goes up against Jane Austen, as Mansi and I discuss HOLIDATE and LOVE AND FRIENDSHIP (which is based on a 1794 novella, hence 18th century, dont @ me ;). HOLIDATE invokes the awesome powers of romcoms but isn't really genre savvy. On top of that the gender politics are highly questionable. But maybe we laughed after all? LOVE AND FRIENDSHIP is the perfect combination of Jane Austen's wit and Whit Stillman's ear for dialogue. Never have we laughed so hard about peas.

Environmental pollution by big companies is an ongoing problem. But there are always those who fight for people in need, and occasionally, Hollywood makes films about them. Astrit Abazi joins me to talk about two such movies: DARK WATERS and ERIN BROCKOVICH. In DARK WATERS Mark Ruffalo dims his charisma to play a lawyer, who usually works for big chemical companies, but now decides to change sides. Grey, cold and utterly horrifying are only some of the words to describe this Todd Haynes film. ERIN BROCKOVICH was an awards darling at the turn of the millennium, but does Steven Soderbergh's film still hold up? Was Julia Roberts' Oscar deserved? Unsurprisingly, Astrit and I once again have differing opinions on that.

In this episode I'm joined by Alan Mattli as we discuss one very verbose and one very quiet film: THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7 and DAS CABINET DES DR. CALIGARI. THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7 is the second film by director Aaron Sorkin, who brings his typical penchant for talking to the table in this court room drama. We discuss whether Sorkin's approach works for a film of this nature and what the politics of the movie are. DAS CABINET DES DR. CALIGARI is a central piece of German Expressionism, so I have Alan explain to me what that is. He also tells me what keeps him coming back to this film about a homicidal showman, who uses a sleepwalker as his instrument of murder -- he's seen it five times already! Watch the film on Youtube: With German intertitles: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DpF4MoeeBVI With English intertitles: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IP0KB2XC29o The book about German expressionism and its thematic connection to Nazism is called FROM CALIGARI TO HITLER: A PSYCHOLOGICAL HISTORY OF THE GERMAN FILM by Siegfried Kracauer. There is a film called FFROM CALIGARI TO HITLER: GERMAN CINEMA IN THE AGE OF THE MASSES by director Rüdiger Suchsland, which is based on the book.

In the annual Zurich Film Festival special, I am joined by three amazing guests: Mansi Tiwari, Alan Mattli and Astrit Abazi. We discuss what it's like to go to a film festival in the middle of a pandemic, what precautions have been taken and how we feel about them. Before we dive into some select films, we have a look at the program in general and come to the conclusion that we're pretty whelmed. And these are the films we're discussing in detail: MOVING ON by Dan-bi Yoon (11:37) THE DISCIPLE by Chaitanya Tamhane (19:50) SHORTA by Anders Ølholm and Frederik Louis Hviid (26:57) NEVER RARELY SOMETIMES ALWAYS by Eliza Hittman (39:30)

In this new episode, Mansi Tiwari and I discuss two films about the good old days of America, which show that they perhaps weren't so good after all: THE DEVIL ALL THE TIME and THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY. The new release THE DEVIL ALL THE TIME is an adaptation of the eponymous novel about mid-century America, and we discuss its success as an adaptation and the literary qualities this brings to the film. We also talk about the connection between violence and masculinity in the film and its connection to religion. THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY is seen as one of the great Spaghetti Westerns, so we use this gem by director Sergio Leone to discuss the genre. Our MVP is Eli Wallach as Tuco aka The Ugly, but of course we also give a shoutout to the poncho.

In the newest episode of the One for You Podcast I am joined by Astrit Abazi to discuss the new release NOTRE-DAME DU NIL and the gem HIGH AND LOW. NOTRE-DAME DU NIL tells the story of the eponymous boarding school in Ruanda in 1973, as the conflict between Hutu and Tutsi begins to escalate. The young girls in the school must contend not only with the usual struggles of teenage years, but also with the dripping poison of the ethnic conflict. We discuss postcolonial nationalism, saturated images and the poetic structure of the film. Akira Kurosawa is one of Japan's most highly regarded directors. In HIGH AND LOW he tells the story of a kidnapping gone wrong and the tensions within Japanese society it reveals. Astrit and I had wildly different views on this film. Masterpiece or snooze fest? Listen to find out.

In this episode, Olivia Tjon-A-Meeuw and Alan Mattli have a little to say about SIBYL and a lot about the director's cut of KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. SIBYL is a French psychodrama about a psychoanalyst who becomes fascinated by the life of her patient as she uses it as inspiration for her new novel. Are we as fascinated by her life as she is by her patient's? We also discuss the what seem to be the typical features of French films. The director's cut of KINGDOM OF HEAVEN is three hours long and the question that comes to mind is this: is it worth it? And can you ever really have too much insight into medieval politics? The answer might surprise you... And we wouldn't be doing our job if we didn't have a short review of the hotly anticipated TENET.

In this episode of the One for You Podcast, Olivia Tjon-A-Meeuw and Mansi Tiwari discuss two films about cross-dressing: INSUMISAS and SOME LIKE IT HOT. INSUMISAS tells the true story of Enrique Faber, a Swiss doctor who moves to Cuba in the early 1800s. However, as it turns out, the doctor was a woman all along. This Cuban-Swiss co-production leads to a long debate about how period pieces represent history: do try to approach it on its own terms or do they view it through the lens of the 21st century? Olivia and Mansi dive into discussions about slavery, race and gender. Who doesn't like SOME LIKE IT HOT? (Spoiler, Mansi and Olivia like it a lot). The Billy Wilder classic with its sharp dialogue opens up a room for queer storylines through and against the laughter it inevitably gets from its audience.

It's not easy growing up. That's true for the protagonist of this episode's movies, who's experiences, and their filmic representation are very different, as Olivia Tjon-A-Meeuw and Astrit Abazi discuss. First up is NIMBE, the podcast's very first foray into Nollywood. The titular teenagers, struggles with problems at home and at school, slowly falling in with a group of drug dealers who make him feel at home. A morality play, with a very specific approach to aesthetics and narrative. The gem is PERSEPOLIS, a French Iranian animation, which follows Marjane Satrapi through her childhood and teenage years in the wake of the Iranian revolution. Olivia and Astrit discuss the very stark images and the question of whether this could truly happen anywhere.

It's women at the helm in this episode, at least in terms of the films discussed: THE OLD GUARD by Gina Prince-Bythewood and CERTAIN WOMEN by Kelly Reichardt. Olivia Tjon-A-Meeuw is joined by Alan Mattli and they also discuss masks in cinemas, the roadblocks with regard to drive-in cinemas and Alan's love for Werner Herzog.

The power of music is undeniable, but does it come through in THE HIGH NOTE and concert film AMAZING GRACE? To find out, listen to Olivia Tjon-A-Meeuw discuss those two female driven films with contributor Mansi Tiwari. (And realise they cannot do math in their heads).

Back from the lockdown, Olivia Tjon-A-Meeuw and guest Astritz Abazi discuss Spike Lee's DA 5 BLOODS about the consequences of the Vietnam war. The gem is PARIAH by Dee Rees about the experiences of a young queer black woman.

Due to the Corona virus pandemic we need to pause the podcast. Olivia Tjon-A-Meeuw explains what's going on.

Two films by directors who are both considered masters of their craft: ABOUT ENDLESSNESS by Roy Andersson and Hayao Miyazaki's MY NEIGHBOUR TOTORO. Listen to the episode to figure out if they're (one) for you, as Olivia Tjon-A-Meeuw is joined by special guest Alan Mattli.

Two contenders in the ring this episode: THE PEANUT BUTTER FALCON and THE FOUL KING. Who will win, who will lose? The American Indie or the Korean hit? Or is it the audience? Only one way to find out: listen to Olivia and Andri struggle with the very concept of wrestling.

A double whammy of documentaries in this episode. Listen to figure out if HONEYLAND deserves its two Oscar nominations and hear Olivia & Andri discuss the lasting impact of PARIS IS BURNING.

In this episode, we have not one but two young boys who make strange friends. Jojo in JOJO RABBIT is friends with an imaginary version of Hitler, while Oskar in LET THE RIGHT ONE IN befriends newcomer Eli - who just happens to be a vampire.

In the first episode of 2020 we have a double bill of couples on the run: New release QUEEN AND SLIM tries to grapple with the consequences of police brutality against African-Americans. Classic BONNIE AND CLYDE complicates the depression-era gangster duo and pushes against the boundaries of what was acceptable on screen in 1967.

It is time for our favourite films of the year (that we haven't yet talked about in detail)! Hear what we have to say about BOOKSMART and THE LAST BLACK MAN IN SAN FRANCISCO, our other contenders for the title and the films of 2020 we're looking forward to.

Is HUSTLERS a rallying cry for female solidarity? Is Tarsem Singh's THE FALL style over substance? Olivia Tjon-A-Meeuw and guest Mansi Tiwari try to answer these and loads of other questions (such as: Why won't there be a discussion of JUMANJI - THE NEXT LEVEL on the podcast?) in this laughter filled episode.

We dive in to THE IRISHMAN, Martin's Scorsese's latest gangster epic, discussing the relevance of such a story and debate the success of the de-aging technology. The gem WEST SIDE STORY doesn't aim for realism, instead opting for a bright technicolour retelling of ROMEO & JULIET with political themes that still resonate today.

Olivia is joined by special guest Alan Mattli on this epsiode. He brought with him the 1961 classic CLÉO DE 5 À 7 by legendary director Agnes Varda. But before they dive into that, the Swiss documentary MADAME gets its due.

Listen to Olivia and Andri as they discuss 1) THE LAUNDROMAT, Steven Soderbergh's movie about the scandal knowns as Panama Papers and 2) SING STREET, John Carney's ode to the ubending optimism of youth.

In this special episode, Andri and Olivia discuss the films they've seen at the Zurich Film Festival 2019. Special focus lies on the harrowing documentary 17 BLOCKS and the naturalistic drama ROCKS. Other films that are discussed include QUEEN OF HEARTS, SOUND OF METAL and many more.