Open Form

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A podcast about movies, hosted by award-winning author Mychal Denzel Smith. Each week, a different author chooses a movie: a movie they love, a movie they hate, a movie they hate to love.

Mychal Denzel Smith


    • Nov 3, 2022 LATEST EPISODE
    • weekly NEW EPISODES
    • 34m AVG DURATION
    • 53 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Open Form

    Episode 52: Zakiya Dalila Harrison The Wiz

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 3, 2022 33:26


    Welcome to Open Form, a weekly film podcast hosted by award-winning writer Mychal Denzel Smith. Each week, a different author chooses a movie: a movie they love, a movie they hate, a movie they hate to love. Something nostalgic from their childhood. A brand-new obsession. Something they've been dying to talk about for ages and their friends are constantly annoyed by them bringing it up. In this episode of Open Form, Mychal talks to Zakiya Dalila Harris (The Other Black Girl) about the 1978 film The Wiz, directed by Sidney Lumet. Zakiya Dalila Harris spent nearly three years in editorial at Knopf/Doubleday before leaving to write her debut novel The Other Black Girl. Prior to working in publishing, Zakiya received her MFA in creative writing from The New School. Her essays and book reviews have appeared in Cosmopolitan, Guernica, and The Rumpus. She lives in Brooklyn. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Episode 51: Ross Gay on Dreams

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 27, 2022 37:50


    Welcome to Open Form, a weekly film podcast hosted by award-winning writer Mychal Denzel Smith. Each week, a different author chooses a movie: a movie they love, a movie they hate, a movie they hate to love. Something nostalgic from their childhood. A brand-new obsession. Something they've been dying to talk about for ages and their friends are constantly annoyed by them bringing it up. In this episode of Open Form, Mychal talks to Ross Gay (Inciting Joy) about the 1990 film Dreams, directed by Akira Kurosawa. Ross Gay is the New York Times bestselling author of The Book of Delights: Essays and four books of poetry. His Catalog of Unabashed Gratitude won the 2015 National Book Critics Circle Award and the 2016 Kingsley Tufts Poetry Award, and was a finalist for the National Book Award; and Be Holding won the 2021 PEN America Jean Stein Book Award. He is a founding board member of the Bloomington Community Orchard, a non-profit, free-fruit-for-all food justice and joy project. Gay has received fellowships from Cave Canem, the Bread Loaf Writer's Conference, and the Guggenheim Foundation. He teaches at Indiana University. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Episode 50: Chantal V. Johnson on Magnolia

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 20, 2022 43:12


    Welcome to Open Form, a weekly film podcast hosted by award-winning writer Mychal Denzel Smith. Each week, a different author chooses a movie: a movie they love, a movie they hate, a movie they hate to love. Something nostalgic from their childhood. A brand-new obsession. Something they've been dying to talk about for ages and their friends are constantly annoyed by them bringing it up. In this episode of Open Form, Mychal talks to Chantal V. Johnson (Post-Traumatic) about the 1999 film Magnolia, directed by Paul Thomas Anderson. Chantal V. Johnson is a tenant lawyer and writer. A graduate of Stanford Law School and a 2018 Center for Fiction Emerging Writers Fellow, she lives in New York. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Episode 49: Dawnie Walton on Say Anything...

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 13, 2022 28:45


    Welcome to Open Form, a weekly film podcast hosted by award-winning writer Mychal Denzel Smith. Each week, a different author chooses a movie: a movie they love, a movie they hate, a movie they hate to love. Something nostalgic from their childhood. A brand-new obsession. Something they've been dying to talk about for ages and their friends are constantly annoyed by them bringing it up. In this episode of Open Form, Mychal talks to Dawnie Walton (The Final Revival of Opal & Nev) about the 1989 film Say Anything, directed by Cameron Crowe. Dawnie Walton is a fiction writer and journalist whose work explores identity, place, and the influence of pop culture. She has won fellowships from the MacDowell Colony and the Tin House Summer Workshop, and earned her MFA from the Iowa Writers' Workshop. Previously, she worked as an executive-level editor for magazine and multimedia brands, including Essence, Entertainment Weekly, Getty Images, and LIFE. A native of Jacksonville, Florida, she lives with her husband in Brooklyn. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Episode 48: Ryan Lee Wong on Princess Mononoke

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 6, 2022 31:43


    Welcome to Open Form, a weekly film podcast hosted by award-winning writer Mychal Denzel Smith. Each week, a different author chooses a movie: a movie they love, a movie they hate, a movie they hate to love. Something nostalgic from their childhood. A brand-new obsession. Something they've been dying to talk about for ages and their friends are constantly annoyed by them bringing it up. In this episode of Open Form, Mychal talks to Ryan Lee Wong (Which Side Are You on) about the 1997 film Princess Mononoke, directed by Hayao Miyazaki. Ryan Lee Wong was born and raised in Los Angeles, lived for two years at Ancestral Heart Zen Temple, and currently lives in Brooklyn, where he is the administrative director of Brooklyn Zen Center. Previously, he served as program director for the Asian American Writers' Workshop and managing director of Kundiman. He has organized exhibitions and written extensively on the Asian American movements of the 1970s. He holds an MFA in fiction from Rutgers University-Newark. Which Side Are You On is his first book. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Episode 47: Sophia Benoit on Legally Blonde

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 29, 2022 37:07


    Welcome to Open Form, a weekly film podcast hosted by award-winning writer Mychal Denzel Smith. Each week, a different author chooses a movie: a movie they love, a movie they hate, a movie they hate to love. Something nostalgic from their childhood. A brand-new obsession. Something they've been dying to talk about for ages and their friends are constantly annoyed by them bringing it up. In this episode of Open Form, Mychal talks to Sophia Benoit (Well, This Is Exhausting) about the 2001 film Legally Blonde, directed by Robert Luketic and starring Reese Witherspoon, Luke Wilson, Selma Blair, and Jennifer Coolidge. Sophia Benoit is a writer and comedian who grew up in Missouri and was correctly voted “Most Likely to Never Come Back.” She writes sex and relationship advice for Bustle and has had bylines in Allure, Refinery29, The Cut, The Guardian, and more. She writes an advice newsletter Here's the Thing where she tries to get everyone to ask their crush out. Sophia lives in Los Angeles with her boyfriend Dave, but usually only spouses make it into author bios, so forget about him. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Episode 46: Chelsea Martin on My Neighbor Totoro

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 22, 2022 19:52


    Welcome to Open Form, a weekly film podcast hosted by award-winning writer Mychal Denzel Smith. Each week, a different author chooses a movie: a movie they love, a movie they hate, a movie they hate to love. Something nostalgic from their childhood. A brand-new obsession. Something they've been dying to talk about for ages and their friends are constantly annoyed by them bringing it up. * In this episode of Open Form, Mychal talks to Chelsea Martin (Tell Me I'm an Artist) about the 1988 film My Neighbor Totoro, directed by Hayao Miyazaki. Chelsea Martin is the author of the essay collection Caca Dolce and the novella Mickey, among other books. She lives in Spokane, WA with her husband and child. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Episode 45: Elaine Hsieh Chou on Better Luck Tomorrow

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 15, 2022 40:53


    Welcome to Open Form, a weekly film podcast hosted by award-winning writer Mychal Denzel Smith. Each week, a different author chooses a movie: a movie they love, a movie they hate, a movie they hate to love. Something nostalgic from their childhood. A brand-new obsession. Something they've been dying to talk about for ages and their friends are constantly annoyed by them bringing it up. * In this episode of Open Form, Mychal talks to Elaine Hsieh Chou (Disorientation) about the 2002 film Better Luck Tomorrow, directed by Justin Lin. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Episode 44: Deesha Philyaw on Car Wash

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 8, 2022 37:48


    Welcome to Open Form, a weekly film podcast hosted by award-winning writer Mychal Denzel Smith. Each week, a different author chooses a movie: a movie they love, a movie they hate, a movie they hate to love. Something nostalgic from their childhood. A brand-new obsession. Something they've been dying to talk about for ages and their friends are constantly annoyed by them bringing it up. In this episode of Open Form, Mychal talks to Deesha Philyaw (The Secret Lives of Church Ladies) about the 1976 film Car Wash, directed by Michael Schultz and starring Franklyn Ajaye, Bill Duke, George Carlin, The Pointer Sisters, and Richard Pryor. Deesha Philyaw's writing on race, parenting, gender, and culture has appeared in the New York Times, the Washington Post, McSweeney's, the Rumpus, Brevity, TueNight, and elsewhere. Originally from Jacksonville, Florida, she currently lives in Pittsburgh with her daughters. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Episode 43: Chloe Cooper Jones on Coming Home

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 1, 2022 52:52


    Welcome to Open Form, a weekly film podcast hosted by award-winning writer Mychal Denzel Smith. Each week, a different author chooses a movie: a movie they love, a movie they hate, a movie they hate to love. Something nostalgic from their childhood. A brand-new obsession. Something they've been dying to talk about for ages and their friends are constantly annoyed by them bringing it up. In this episode of Open Form, Mychal talks to Chloe Cooper Jones (Easy Beauty) about the 1978 film Coming Home, directed by Hal Ashby and starring Jane Fonda, Jon Voight, and Bruce Dern. Chloé Cooper Jones is the author of Easy Beauty. She was awarded a 2020 Whiting Nonfiction Grant and was a finalist for the 2020 Pulitzer Prize in Feature Writing. She lives in Brooklyn, New York. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Episode 42: Ada Limón on Flashdance

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 25, 2022 19:12


    In this episode of Open Form, Mychal talks to Ada Limón (The Hurting Kind) about the 1983 film Flashdance, directed by Adrian Lyne and starring Jennifer Beals, Michael Nouri, and Lilia Skala. Ada Limón is the author of The Hurting Kind, as well as five other collections of poems. These include, most recently, The Carrying, which won the National Book Critics Circle Award and was named a finalist for the PEN/Jean Stein Book Award, and Bright Dead Things, which was named a finalist for the National Book Award, the National Book Critics Circle Award, and the Kingsley Tufts Award. Limón is a recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship, and her work has appeared in the New Yorker, the New York Times, and American Poetry Review, among others. She is the new host of American Public Media's weekday poetry podcast The Slowdown. Born and raised in California, she now lives in Lexington, Kentucky. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Episode 41: Ingrid Rojas Contreras on Solaris

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 18, 2022 27:40


    Welcome to Open Form, a weekly film podcast hosted by award-winning writer Mychal Denzel Smith. Each week, a different author chooses a movie: a movie they love, a movie they hate, a movie they hate to love. Something nostalgic from their childhood. A brand-new obsession. Something they've been dying to talk about for ages and their friends are constantly annoyed by them bringing it up. In this episode of Open Form, Mychal talks to Ingrid Rojas Contreras (The Man Who Could Move Clouds) about the 1972 film Solaris, directed by Andrei Tarkovsky. Ingrid Rojas Contreras was born and raised in Bogotá, Colombia. Her debut novel, Fruit of the Drunken Tree, was the silver medal winner in First Fiction from the California Book Awards, and a New York Times editor's choice. Her essays and short stories have appeared in the New York Times Magazine, The Believer, and Zyzzyva, among others. She lives in California. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Episode 40: Elif Batuman on Get Out

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 11, 2022 36:47


    Welcome to Open Form, a weekly film podcast hosted by award-winning writer Mychal Denzel Smith. Each week, a different author chooses a movie: a movie they love, a movie they hate, a movie they hate to love. Something nostalgic from their childhood. A brand-new obsession. Something they've been dying to talk about for ages and their friends are constantly annoyed by them bringing it up. * In this episode of Open Form, Mychal talks to Elif Batuman (Either/Or) about the 2017 film Get Out, directed by Jordan Peele and starring Daniel Kaluuya, Allison Williams, Bradley Whitford, Caleb Landry Jones, Stephen Root, and Catherine Keener. Elif Batuman's first novel, The Idiot, was a finalist for a Pulitzer Prize, and was shortlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction in the UK. She is also the author of The Possessed: Adventures with Russian Books and the People Who Read Them, which was a finalist for a National Book Critics Circle Award in criticism. She has been a staff writer at The New Yorker since 2010 and holds a PhD in comparative literature from Stanford University. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Episode 39: Marlowe Granados on Charlie's Angels

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 16, 2022 31:53


    Welcome to Open Form, a weekly film podcast hosted by award-winning writer Mychal Denzel Smith. Each week, a different author chooses a movie: a movie they love, a movie they hate, a movie they hate to love. Something nostalgic from their childhood. A brand-new obsession. Something they've been dying to talk about for ages and their friends are constantly annoyed by them bringing it up. * In this episode of Open Form, Mychal talks to Marlowe Granados (Happy Hour) about the 2000 film Charlie's Angels, directed by McG and starring Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore, and Lucy Liu. Marlowe Granados is a writer and filmmaker. After spending time in London and New York, she now resides in Toronto. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Episode 38: Mira Jacob on Mississippi Masala

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 9, 2022 41:16


    Welcome to Open Form, a weekly film podcast hosted by award-winning writer Mychal Denzel Smith. Each week, a different author chooses a movie: a movie they love, a movie they hate, a movie they hate to love. Something nostalgic from their childhood. A brand-new obsession. Something they've been dying to talk about for ages and their friends are constantly annoyed by them bringing it up. * In this episode of Open Form, Mychal talks to Mira Jacob (Good Talk) about the 1991 film Mississippi Masala, directed by Mira Nair and starring Denzel Washington, Sarita Choudhury, and Roshan Seth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Episode 37: Rachel Yoder on Ferris Bueller's Day Off

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 2, 2022 24:29


    Welcome to Open Form, a weekly film podcast hosted by award-winning writer Mychal Denzel Smith. Each week, a different author chooses a movie: a movie they love, a movie they hate, a movie they hate to love. Something nostalgic from their childhood. A brand-new obsession. Something they've been dying to talk about for ages and their friends are constantly annoyed by them bringing it up. * In this episode of Open Form, Mychal talks to Rachel Yoder (Nightbitch) about the 1986 film Ferris Bueller's Day Off, directed by John Hughes and starring Matthew Broderick, Alan Ruck, and and Mia Sara. Rachel Yoder is a founding editor of draft: the journal of process. She holds M.F.A's from the University of Arizona (fiction) and the University of Iowa (nonfiction), where she was an Iowa Arts Fellow. Her stories and essays have been published in literary journals such as The Kenyon Review and The Missouri Review, as well as national outlets such as The New York Times, The Sun, and Lit Hub. She lives in Iowa City with her husband and son. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Episode 36: Laila Lalami on The Godfather

    Play Episode Listen Later May 26, 2022 34:30


    Welcome to Open Form, a weekly film podcast hosted by award-winning writer Mychal Denzel Smith. Each week, a different author chooses a movie: a movie they love, a movie they hate, a movie they hate to love. Something nostalgic from their childhood. A brand-new obsession. Something they've been dying to talk about for ages and their friends are constantly annoyed by them bringing it up. In this episode of Open Form, Mychal talks to Laila Lalami (Conditional Citizens) about the 1972 film The Godfather, directed by Francis Ford Coppola and starring Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, and Robert Duvall. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Episode 35: Joseph Han on Pearl Harbor

    Play Episode Listen Later May 19, 2022 36:56


    Welcome to Open Form, a weekly film podcast hosted by award-winning writer Mychal Denzel Smith. Each week, a different author chooses a movie: a movie they love, a movie they hate, a movie they hate to love. Something nostalgic from their childhood. A brand-new obsession. Something they've been dying to talk about for ages and their friends are constantly annoyed by them bringing it up. * In this episode of Open Form, Mychal talks to Joseph Han (Nuclear Family) about the 2001 film Pearl Harbor, directed by Michael Bay and starring Ben Affleck, Kate Beckinsale, Josh Hartnett, Cuba Gooding Jr., Tom Sizemore, Jon Voight, and Alec Baldwin. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Episode 34: Chelsea Bieker on Sleeping With the Enemy

    Play Episode Listen Later May 12, 2022 39:40


    Welcome to Open Form, a weekly film podcast hosted by award-winning writer Mychal Denzel Smith. Each week, a different author chooses a movie: a movie they love, a movie they hate, a movie they hate to love. Something nostalgic from their childhood. A brand-new obsession. Something they've been dying to talk about for ages and their friends are constantly annoyed by them bringing it up. * In this episode of Open Form, Mychal talks to Chelsea Bieker (Heartbroke) about the 1991 film Sleeping With the Enemy, directed by Joseph Ruben and starring Julia Roberts, Patrick Bergin and Kevin Anderson. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Episode 33: Leslie Jamison on Midsommar

    Play Episode Listen Later May 5, 2022 44:13


    Welcome to Open Form, a weekly film podcast hosted by award-winning writer Mychal Denzel Smith. Each week, a different author chooses a movie: a movie they love, a movie they hate, a movie they hate to love. Something nostalgic from their childhood. A brand-new obsession. Something they've been dying to talk about for ages and their friends are constantly annoyed by them bringing it up. In this episode of Open Form, Mychal talks to Leslie Jamison (Make It Scream, Make It Burn) about the 2019 film Midsommar, directed by Ari Aster and starring Florence Pugh, Jack Reynor, Vilhelm Blomgren, and William Jackson Harper. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Episode 32: Adam Haslett on Withnail and I

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 28, 2022 20:32


    Welcome to Open Form, a weekly film podcast hosted by award-winning writer Mychal Denzel Smith. Each week, a different author chooses a movie: a movie they love, a movie they hate, a movie they hate to love. Something nostalgic from their childhood. A brand-new obsession. Something they've been dying to talk about for ages and their friends are constantly annoyed by them bringing it up. On this week's episode, Mychal talks with Adam Haslett about the 1987 film Withnail and I, directed by Bruce Robinson and starring Richard E. Grant and Paul McGann. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Episode 31: Randa Jarrar on The Time That Remains

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 21, 2022 25:55


    Welcome to Open Form, a weekly film podcast hosted by award-winning writer Mychal Denzel Smith. Each week, a different author chooses a movie: a movie they love, a movie they hate, a movie they hate to love. Something nostalgic from their childhood. A brand-new obsession. Something they've been dying to talk about for ages and their friends are constantly annoyed by them bringing it up. In this episode, Mychal talks to Randa Jarrar (Love Is an Ex-Country) about the 2009 film The Time That Remains, directed by Elia Suleiman and starring Menashe Noy, Elia Suleiman, and Baher Agbariya. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Episode 30: Melissa Lozada-Oliva on Wolf Girl

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 14, 2022 28:27


    Welcome to Open Form, a new weekly film podcast hosted by award-winning writer Mychal Denzel Smith. Each week, a different author chooses a movie: a movie they love, a movie they hate, a movie they hate to love. Something nostalgic from their childhood. A brand-new obsession. Something they've been dying to talk about for ages and their friends are constantly annoyed by them bringing it up. In this episode, Mychal talks to Melissa Lozada-Oliva (Dreaming of You: A Novel in Verse) about the 2001 film Wolf Girl, directed by Thom Fitzgerald and starring Tim Curry, Victoria Sanchez, Grace Jones, and Lesley Ann Warren. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Episode 29: Danya Kukafka on Spider-Man

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 7, 2022 38:06


    Welcome to Open Form, a new weekly film podcast hosted by award-winning writer Mychal Denzel Smith. Each week, a different author chooses a movie: a movie they love, a movie they hate, a movie they hate to love. Something nostalgic from their childhood. A brand-new obsession. Something they've been dying to talk about for ages and their friends are constantly annoyed by them bringing it up. In this episode, Mychal talks to Danya Kukafka (Notes on an Execution and Girl in Snow) about the 2002 film Spider-Man, directed by Sam Raimi and starring Tobey Maguire, Willem Dafoe, Kirsten Dunst, James Franco, Cliff Robertson, and Rosemary Harris. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Episode 28: Farah Jasmine Griffin on If Beale Street Could Talk

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 31, 2022 23:13


    Welcome to Open Form, a new weekly film podcast hosted by award-winning writer Mychal Denzel Smith. Each week, a different author chooses a movie: a movie they love, a movie they hate, a movie they hate to love. Something nostalgic from their childhood. A brand-new obsession. Something they've been dying to talk about for ages and their friends are constantly annoyed by them bringing it up. In this episode, Mychal talks to Farah Jasmine Griffin (Read Until You Understand) about the 2018 film If Beale Street Could Talk, directed by Barry Jenkins, adapted from the novel by James Baldwin, and starring Regina King, KiKi Layne, Stephan James, and Colman Domingo. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Episode 27: Kristen Arnett on Romy and Michele's High School Reunion

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 24, 2022 26:22


    Welcome to Open Form, a new weekly film podcast hosted by award-winning writer Mychal Denzel Smith. Each week, a different author chooses a movie: a movie they love, a movie they hate, a movie they hate to love. Something nostalgic from their childhood. A brand-new obsession. Something they've been dying to talk about for ages and their friends are constantly annoyed by them bringing it up. In this episode, Mychal talks to Kristen Arnett (With Teeth) about the 1997 film Romy and Michele's High School Reunion, directed by David Mirkin and starring Mira Sorvino, Lisa Kudrow, and Janeane Garofalo. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Episode 26: Marie-Helene Bertino on Moonstruck

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 17, 2022 52:35


    Welcome to Open Form, a new weekly film podcast hosted by award-winning writer Mychal Denzel Smith. Each week, a different author chooses a movie: a movie they love, a movie they hate, a movie they hate to love. Something nostalgic from their childhood. A brand-new obsession. Something they've been dying to talk about for ages and their friends are constantly annoyed by them bringing it up. In this episode, Mychal talks to Marie-Helene Bertino (Parakeet) about the 1987 film Moonstruck, directed by Norman Jewison and starring Cher and Nicolas Cage. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Episode 25: Ashley C. Ford on The Joy Luck Club

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 10, 2022 35:27


    Welcome to Open Form, a new weekly film podcast hosted by award-winning writer Mychal Denzel Smith. Each week, a different author chooses a movie: a movie they love, a movie they hate, a movie they hate to love. Something nostalgic from their childhood. A brand-new obsession. Something they've been dying to talk about for ages and their friends are constantly annoyed by them bringing it up. In this episode, Mychal talks to Ashley C. Ford (Somebody's Daughter) about the 1993 film The Joy Luck Club, starring Tsai Chin, Kieu Chinh, Lisa Lu, France Nuyen, Rosalind Chao, Lauren Tom, Tamlyn Tomita, and Ming-Na Wen, and directed by Wayne Wang. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Episode 24: Min Jin Lee on Cinema Paradiso

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 3, 2022 42:27


    Welcome to Open Form, a new weekly film podcast hosted by award-winning writer Mychal Denzel Smith. Each week, a different author chooses a movie: a movie they love, a movie they hate, a movie they hate to love. Something nostalgic from their childhood. A brand-new obsession. Something they've been dying to talk about for ages and their friends are constantly annoyed by them bringing it up. In this episode, Mychal talks to Min Jin Lee about the 1988 award-winning, coming-of-age classic Cinema Paradiso, directed by Giuseppe Tornatore. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Episode 23: Ilana Masad on Arrival

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 21, 2021 31:57


    Welcome to Open Form, a new weekly film podcast hosted by award-winning writer Mychal Denzel Smith. Each week, a different author chooses a movie: a movie they love, a movie they hate, a movie they hate to love. Something nostalgic from their childhood. A brand-new obsession. Something they've been dying to talk about for ages and their friends are constantly annoyed by them bringing it up. In this episode, Mychal talks to Ilana Masad about the 2016 film Arrival, directed by Denis Villeneuve and adapted by Eric Heisserer from the short story "Story of Your Life" by Ted Chiang, starring Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner, Forest Whitaker, Michael Stuhlbarg, and Tzi Ma. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Episode 22: José Vadi on The Fugitive

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 14, 2021 39:41


    Welcome to Open Form, a new weekly film podcast hosted by award-winning writer Mychal Denzel Smith. Each week, a different author chooses a movie: a movie they love, a movie they hate, a movie they hate to love. Something nostalgic from their childhood. A brand-new obsession. Something they've been dying to talk about for ages and their friends are constantly annoyed by them bringing it up. In this episode, Mychal talks to José Vadi about the 1993 film The Fugitive, directed by Andrew Davis and starring Harrison Ford and Tommy Lee Jones. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Episode 21: Téa Obreht on Rebecca

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 7, 2021 35:57


    Welcome to Open Form, a new weekly film podcast hosted by award-winning writer Mychal Denzel Smith. Each week, a different author chooses a movie: a movie they love, a movie they hate, a movie they hate to love. Something nostalgic from their childhood. A brand-new obsession. Something they've been dying to talk about for ages and their friends are constantly annoyed by them bringing it up. In this episode, Mychal talks to Téa Obreht about the 1940 film Rebecca, directed by Alfred Hitchcock and starring Laurence Olivier and Joan Fontaine.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Episode 20: Melissa Febos on Labyrinth

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 30, 2021 32:31


    Welcome to Open Form, a new weekly film podcast hosted by award-winning writer Mychal Denzel Smith. Each week, a different author chooses a movie: a movie they love, a movie they hate, a movie they hate to love. Something nostalgic from their childhood. A brand-new obsession. Something they've been dying to talk about for ages and their friends are constantly annoyed by them bringing it up. In this episode, Mychal talks to Melissa Febos about the 1986 film Labyrinth, directed by Jim Henson and starring Jennifer Connelly and David Bowie. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Episode 19: Zaina Arafat on Sliding Doors

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 23, 2021 33:31


    Welcome to Open Form, a new weekly film podcast hosted by award-winning writer Mychal Denzel Smith. Each week, a different author chooses a movie: a movie they love, a movie they hate, a movie they hate to love. Something nostalgic from their childhood. A brand-new obsession. Something they've been dying to talk about for ages and their friends are constantly annoyed by them bringing it up. In this episode, Mychal talks to Zaina Arafat about the 1998 film Sliding Doors, directed by Peter Howitt and starring Gwyneth Paltrow, John Hannah, John Lynch, and Jeanne Tripplehorn Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Episode 18: Carmen Maria Machado on Jennifer's Body

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 16, 2021 40:50


    In this episode, Mychal talks to Carmen Maria Machado about the 2009 film Jennifer's Body, written by Diablo Cody and directed by Karyn Kusama, and starring Megan Box, Adam Brody, and Amanda Seyfried. Carmen Maria Machado is the author of the bestselling memoir In the Dream House and the award-winning short story collection Her Body and Other Parties. She has been a finalist for the National Book Award and the winner of the Bard Fiction Prize, the Lambda Literary Award for Lesbian Fiction, the Lambda Literary Award for LGBTQ Nonfiction, the Brooklyn Public Library Literature Prize, the Shirley Jackson Award, and the National Book Critics Circle's John Leonard Prize. In 2018, the New York Times listed Her Body and Other Parties as a member of "The New Vanguard," one of "15 remarkable books by women that are shaping the way we read and write fiction in the 21st century." Her essays, fiction, and criticism have appeared in the New Yorker, the New York Times, Granta, Vogue, This American Life, Harper's Bazaar, Tin House, McSweeney's Quarterly Concern, The Believer, Guernica, Best American Science Fiction & Fantasy, Best American Nonrequired Reading, and elsewhere. She holds an MFA from the Iowa Writers' Workshop and has been awarded fellowships and residencies from the Guggenheim Foundation, Yaddo, Hedgebrook, and the Millay Colony for the Arts. She lives in Philadelphia and is the Abrams Artist-in-Residence at the University of Pennsylvania. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Episode 17: Morgan Parker on The Faculty

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 9, 2021 44:36


    Welcome to Open Form, a new weekly film podcast hosted by award-winning writer Mychal Denzel Smith. Each week, a different author chooses a movie: a movie they love, a movie they hate, a movie they hate to love. Something nostalgic from their childhood. A brand-new obsession. Something they've been dying to talk about for ages and their friends are constantly annoyed by them bringing it up. In this episode, Mychal talks to Morgan Parker about the 1998 film The Faculty, directed by Robert Rodriguez and written by Kevin Williamson. It stars Jordana Brewster, Clea DuVall, Laura Harris, Josh Hartnett, Shawn Hatosy, Famke Janssen, Piper Laurie, Bebe Neuwirth, Robert Patrick, Usher Raymond, Jon Stewart, and Elijah Wood. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Episode 16: Esmé Weijun Wang on Closer

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 2, 2021 50:44


    Welcome to Open Form, a new weekly film podcast hosted by award-winning writer Mychal Denzel Smith. Each week, a different author chooses a movie: a movie they love, a movie they hate, a movie they hate to love. Something nostalgic from their childhood. A brand-new obsession. Something they've been dying to talk about for ages and their friends are constantly annoyed by them bringing it up. In this episode, Mychal talks to Esmé Weijun Wang about the 2004 film Closer, directed by Mike Nichols and starring Clive Owen, Natalie Portman, Julia Roberts, and Jude Law. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Episode 15: Hanif Abdurraqib on Brown Sugar

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 26, 2021 49:04


    Welcome to Open Form, a new weekly film podcast hosted by award-winning writer Mychal Denzel Smith. Each week, a different author chooses a movie: a movie they love, a movie they hate, a movie they hate to love. Something nostalgic from their childhood. A brand-new obsession. Something they've been dying to talk about for ages and their friends are constantly annoyed by them bringing it up. In this episode, Mychal talks to Hanif Abdurraqib about the 2002 film Brown Sugar, directed by RickFamuyiwa and starring Taye Diggs and Sanaa Lathan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Episode 14: Kaitlyn Greenidge on Cane River

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 19, 2021 29:44


    Welcome to Open Form, a new weekly film podcast hosted by award-winning writer Mychal Denzel Smith. Each week, a different author chooses a movie: a movie they love, a movie they hate, a movie they hate to love. Something nostalgic from their childhood. A brand-new obsession. Something they've been dying to talk about for ages and their friends are constantly annoyed by them bringing it up. In this episode, Mychal talks to Kaitlyn Greenidge about the 1982 film Cane River, directed by Horace Jenkins. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Episode 13: Alexandra Kleeman on Like Someone in Love

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 12, 2021 30:38


    Welcome to Open Form, a new weekly film podcast hosted by award-winning writer Mychal Denzel Smith. Each week, a different author chooses a movie: a movie they love, a movie they hate, a movie they hate to love. Something nostalgic from their childhood. A brand-new obsession. Something they've been dying to talk about for ages and their friends are constantly annoyed by them bringing it up. In this episode, Mychal talks to Alexandra Kleeman about the 2012 film Like Someone in Love, directed by Abbas Kiarostami. This episode's sponsor: Kings Distillery. Kings County Distillery is New York City's premier craft distillery and among the most acclaimed small distilleries in the United States. Focused exclusively on whiskeys, Kings County has made a name for its Bourbon, Peated Bourbon, Empire Rye and other creative whiskeys. Kings County can be found across the US. Go to KingsCountyDistillery.com to find out where.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Episode 12: Celeste Ng on The Muppet Movie

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 5, 2021 33:30


    Welcome to Open Form, a new weekly film podcast hosted by award-winning writer Mychal Denzel Smith. Each week, a different author chooses a movie: a movie they love, a movie they hate, a movie they hate to love. Something nostalgic from their childhood. A brand-new obsession. Something they've been dying to talk about for ages and their friends are constantly annoyed by them bringing it up. In this episode, Mychal talks to Celeste Ng about the 1979 film The Muppet Movie, directed by James Frawley. This episode's sponsor: Kings Distillery. Kings County Distillery is New York City's premier craft distillery and among the most acclaimed small distilleries in the United States. Focused exclusively on whiskeys, Kings County has made a name for its Bourbon, Peated Bourbon, Empire Rye and other creative whiskeys. Kings County can be found across the US. Go to KingsCountyDistillery.com to find out where.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Episode 11: Eula Biss on Purple Rain

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 1, 2021 36:45


    Welcome to Open Form, a new weekly film podcast hosted by award-winning writer Mychal Denzel Smith. Each week, a different author chooses a movie: a movie they love, a movie they hate, a movie they hate to love. Something nostalgic from their childhood. A brand-new obsession. Something they've been dying to talk about for ages and their friends are constantly annoyed by them bringing it up. In this episode, Mychal talks to Eula Biss about the 1984 film Purple Rain, starring Prince, Apollonia Kotero, and Morris Day, and directed by Albert Magnoli. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Episode 10: Jason Diamond on Beetlejuice

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 24, 2021 26:16


    On this episode, Mychal talks to Jason Diamond about the 1988 film Beetlejuice, starring Michael Keaton, Geena Davis, Alec Baldwin, Catherine O'Hara, Jeffrey Jones, and Winona Ryder, and directed by Tim Burton. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Episode 9: Jordan Kisner on The Rider

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 17, 2021 37:28


    On this episode, Mychal talks to Jordan Kisner about the 2017 film The Rider, directed by Chloé Zhao. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Episode 8: Kali Fajardo-Anstine on Sunshine Cleaning

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 10, 2021 33:34


    Welcome to Open Form, a new weekly film podcast hosted by award-winning writer Mychal Denzel Smith. Each week, a different author chooses a movie: a movie they love, a movie they hate, a movie they hate to love. Something nostalgic from their childhood. A brand-new obsession. Something they've been dying to talk about for ages and their friends are constantly annoyed by them bringing it up. On this week's episode, Mychal talks to Kali Fajardo-Anstine about the 2008 film Sunshine Cleaning , starring Amy Adams and Emily Blunt and directed by Christine Jeffs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Episode 7: Kiese Laymon on Rocky III

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 3, 2021 31:35


    Welcome to Open Form, a new weekly film podcast hosted by award-winning writer Mychal Denzel Smith. Each week, a different author chooses a movie: a movie they love, a movie they hate, a movie they hate to love. Something nostalgic from their childhood. A brand-new obsession. Something they've been dying to talk about for ages and their friends are constantly annoyed by them bringing it up. On this week's episode, Mychal talks to Kiese Laymon about the 1982 film Rocky III, starring Sylvester Stallone and Mr. T and directed by Sylvester Stallone. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Episode 6: Hermione Hoby on Daisies

    Play Episode Listen Later May 27, 2021 28:41


    On this week's episode, Mychal talks to Hermione Hoby about the 1966 film Daisies, starring Ivana Karbanová and Jitka Cerhová and directed by Vera Chytilová. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Episode 5: R.O. Kwon on Minari

    Play Episode Listen Later May 20, 2021 37:47


    Welcome to Open Form, a new weekly film podcast hosted by award-winning writer Mychal Denzel Smith. Each week, a different author chooses a movie: a movie they love, a movie they hate, a movie they hate to love. Something nostalgic from their childhood. A brand-new obsession. Something they've been dying to talk about for ages and their friends are constantly annoyed by them bringing it up. On this week's episode, Mychal talks to R.O. Kwon about the 2020 film Minari, directed by Lee Isaac Chung and starring Steven Yeun, Yuh-Jung Youn, Yeri Han, Alan S. Kim, and Noel Cho. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Episode 4: Nate Marshall on The Five Heartbeats

    Play Episode Listen Later May 13, 2021 40:31


    Welcome to Open Form, a new weekly film podcast hosted by award-winning writer Mychal Denzel Smith. Each week, a different author chooses a movie: a movie they love, a movie they hate, a movie they hate to love. Something nostalgic from their childhood. A brand-new obsession. Something they've been dying to talk about for ages and their friends are constantly annoyed by them bringing it up. On this week's episode, Mychal talks to Nate Marshall about the 1991 film The Five Heartbeats, starring Robert Townsend, Michael Wright, Leon, Herry Lennix, and Tico Wells, and directed by Robert Townsend. Nate Marshall is an award-winning author, editor, poet, playwright, performer, educator, speaker, and rapper. His book, Wild Hundreds, was honored with the Black Caucus of the American Library Association's award for Poetry Book of the Year and The Great Lakes College Association's New Writer Award. He is also an editor of The BreakBeat Poets: New American Poetry in the Age of Hip-Hop and he also co-curates The BreakBeat Poets series for Haymarket Books. Marshall co-wrote the play No Blue Memories: The Life of Gwendolyn Brooks with Eve Ewing, produced by Manual Cinema and commissioned by the Poetry Foundation. He also wrote the audio drama Bruh Rabbit & The Fantastic Telling of Remington Ellis, Esq., which was produced by Make-Believe Association. His last rap album, Grown came out in 2015 with his group Daily Lyrical Product. His most recent book, FINNA, came out in 2020 from One World/Random House. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Episode 3: Nadia Owusu on Hunt for the Wilderpeople

    Play Episode Listen Later May 6, 2021 27:40


    Welcome to Open Form, a new weekly film podcast hosted by award-winning writer Mychal Denzel Smith. Each week, a different author chooses a movie: a movie they love, a movie they hate, a movie they hate to love. Something nostalgic from their childhood. A brand-new obsession. Something they've been dying to talk about for ages and their friends are constantly annoyed by them bringing it up. On this week's episode, Mychal talks to Nadia Owusu about the 2016 film Hunt for the Wilderpeople, starring Sam Neill and Julian Dennison, and directed by Taika Waititi. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Episode 2: Tracy O'Neill on Ball of Fire

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 29, 2021 33:41


    Welcome to Open Form, a new weekly film podcast hosted by award-winning writer Mychal Denzel Smith. Each week, a different author chooses a movie: a movie they love, a movie they hate, a movie they hate to love. Something nostalgic from their childhood. A brand-new obsession. Something they've been dying to talk about for ages and their friends are constantly annoyed by them bringing it up. On this week's episode, Mychal talks to Tracy O'Neill about the 1941 film Ball of Fire, starring Barbara Stanwyck and Gary Cooper, and directed by Howard Hawks. This week's sponsor: This week is presented by WW Norton, publisher of The Twelve Lives of Alfred Hitchcock. Available wherever books are sold. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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