The Pacific Northwest Insurance Corporation Moviefilm Podcast

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A Podcast about movies from the fine folks at the Pacific Northwest Insurance Corporation, with Corbin Smith (The Famous Writer) and Dr. Movies, Matt Ellis (A Professor of Movies)

Corbin Smith and Matt Ellis


    • May 16, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • weekly NEW EPISODES
    • 1h 29m AVG DURATION
    • 80 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from The Pacific Northwest Insurance Corporation Moviefilm Podcast

    DIGITAL FRONTIERS: 'Zodiac' (2007, Dir: David Fincher)

    Play Episode Listen Later May 16, 2025 103:40


    We got a live one here, folks! Matt and Corbin talk about 'Zodiac,' David Fincher's digital cinema landmark that also happens to be one of the best movies of the aughts. Topics include: slip sliding into the place where no knowledge can validate you and the terror that remains, Fincher's San Fran past, ILM, a smoking fetus, digital's capacity to enable control freaks in directors chairs and executive's offices alike, and Matt's buckwild thesis on how the Zodiac killer is digital cinema.  Corbin recommends this game. Matt recommends the second section of the second season Andor, which you can watch on Disney+.  Next Week's episode is about 'Before the Devil Knows You're Dead," which you can watch on Prime, if you're into that kind of thing. 

    "The Fan" (1996, Dir: Tony Scott) w/ Nate Fisher

    Play Episode Listen Later May 9, 2025 118:54


    After months in the digital mines, Matt and Corbin come up for air with NATE FISHER, co-writer of the fabulous new American Baseball Picture EEPHUS. We discuss Tony Scott's 1996 Travis-Bickle-As-Sports-Fan classic THE FAN. Topics include: Frederick Weisman, Deniro in a very strange mode, Barry Bonds, and modernist stability slipping into the chaotic morass of the next thing. Our recs this week don't have any relevant links, so I will spare you the description of them here. But, Eephus is currently available on your VOD utility of choice, watch it today. Also make sure to check out Nate's scripted podcast with Will Senett, 'A Closer Look.' We return to Digital Cinema next week with ZODIAC. Finally.   

    Digital Frontiers: "Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith"

    Play Episode Listen Later May 4, 2025 118:02


    It goes without saying that a fake holiday to celebrate a film franchise owned by the Disney Corporation is an atrocity of taste and nonsense of the highest degree. Why does life under the social mediaized form of capitalism subject you to all this simpery, this nonsense, this neverending wave of novelty? Truly we are in hell. But hey we had a Star Wars episode in the tank so screw it, Happy Star Wars Day, May the Fourth Be With You! We are joined by friend of the program Ryder Canepa to talk about Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith! This is a freewheeling episode about how this movie made me and Matt into Men, the emergence of Digital Cinema as we know it, and how a lot of this bad boy is sick with it, if you let it into your heart.  Guess what: our next epsidoe isn't about Zodiac no matter what I say! It's going to be about "The Fan," from 1996. Also watch "Eephus" from earlier this year. We will have a guest. It's a whole thing. 

    Digital Frontiers: "INLAND EMPIRE" (2006, Dir: David Lynch)

    Play Episode Listen Later May 2, 2025 96:55


    Corbin and Matt have spent week dreading the moment when they would have to watch INLAND EMPIRE, David Lynch's extreme digital cinema expirment that he shot with a skateboard camera. But what if... it's actually kind of sick with it?  Corbin recommends The Long Good Friday. Matt recommends Protean Magazine. Our next episode will be about STAR WARS EPISODE THREE: REVENGE OF THE SITH. It was in theaters again! It's not in theaters anymore, boo! 

    DIGITAL FRONTIERS: "Apocalypto" (2005, Dir: Mel Gibson)

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 28, 2025 92:59


    Hey sorry the episode is late, we recorded like three episodes this week and Matt didn't have time to edit. Anyway while we were scrambing to figure out something to watch for weird scheduling reasons, we discovered that Apocalypto was shot on digital and boy oh boy were we lucky for that fact because this is a weird one/wild digital artifact. Topics include: Gibson's unrelenting thrist for a certain kind on screen violence, the weird push and pull between woke method and conservative values in the movie, and the uses of digital video in creating a kind of on screen murkiness as a central unifying aesthetic.  An artcicle about the movie's busted concept of Mayan history can be read here. Our friend Ryder recommends "Seven Myths of the Spanish Conquest" for a pointed corrective on the kind of anthropological thinking that Gibson promotes here: we don't tak about it much because we're a film scolar and a local dummy but Ryder went to fancy history school.  Matt recommends a book that won't be out for a few months. Yeah I don't get it either. Corbin recommends a video game, available on your local video game console of choice. Thursday's episode is about INLAND EMPIRE. Watch it here. 

    DIGITAL FRONTIERS: 'The Long Take'

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 18, 2025 99:24


    Corbin and Ellis talk about the new proliferation of tracking takes at the dawn of digital cinema, focusing in particular on "Children of Men,' Alfonso Cauron's movie about the whole world losing their minds when fertility ends. Also metioned: Timecode, Russian Ark, video games, Gravity, and 1917.  Matt reccomends an album. Corbin reccomends a movie.  Next week's episode is about APOCOLYPTO, which you can watch on Hulu. 

    Digital Frontiers, Episode Seven: "Crank" (2006, Dir: Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor)

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 11, 2025 90:22


    Statham. Handheld cameras. Offensive stuff. Insane continuity. Statham. Violence. Statham. Statham. Statham. Statham. It's Crank, baby.  Matt reccomends this article. Corbin reccomends this article. Next week's episode is about tracking shots, you could watch Children of Men and/or Russian Ark, but you don't have to, I don't think. 

    Digital Frontiers, Episode Seven: "Miami Vice" (2006, Dir Michael Mann) (w/ Eric Marsh)

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 4, 2025 100:34


    ERIC MARSH joins Matt and Corbin to talk about MIAMI VICE, Michael Mann's digital fantasia/globalization fable/index of excruciatingly hot one liners. Topics include: globalization as topic and as aesthetic driver, the insane looking sky, and the unstability of digital filmmaking in an unstable time.  Matt Recommends "Tokyo Vice" on MAX. Corbin recommends "Hell Hath No Fury," an album available on your local music streaming service. Eric recommends the song "Alone," by The Cry. Check out Eric's Podcast, "The Gaunlet," here. Next week's episode is about CRANK. It's not streaming for free anywhere, somehow, but you SHOULD rent it. 

    Digital Frontiers Seven: "STILL LIFE" (2006, Dir: Jia Zhangke) (w/ Tyler Theus)

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 28, 2025 103:56


    Corbin and Matt are joined by TYLER THEUS, a famous academic, to discuss "Still Life," a movie by a friend of the program who I have never said anything bad about, Jia Zhangke. Topics include: slow cinema, fiction/doc hybridization, the movie's relationship to neorealism, critical forms and aesthetic forms, hyper-mediated Mise-en-scène and the Three Gorges Dam. Watch Still Life here. Seriously, watch it, it's great.   Corbin reccomends an album, avaibale on album streaming services or at your local record shop. Tyler reccomends Passing Fancy, an Ozu movie. Matt reccomends Eternity's Pillar, available here. Next week, the boys take it to the limit one more time and discuss Michael Mann's Generational Male Frienship/Global Capitalism Epic MIAMI VICE. Watch it on Apple TV if you can stand to spend four bucks, it's looks GREAT there and kind of bad in other streaming locations. 

    DIGITAL FRONTIERS, EPISODE SIX: "Cars" (2003, Dir: John Lasseter)

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 24, 2025 97:27


    PIXAR TIME BABY! Ellis and Corbin talk about 'Cars,' a movie about a civilization of Cars. Why are the Cars alive? What build the world they live in? How do they reproduce? Then, after they talk about the important stuff, they talk about Pixar, their history and centrality to digital cinema as a practice, the Pixar-to-SFX pipeline, their storytelling technique, and the nostalgia for modernity that lives in this particular movie. Good Episode! Corbin reccomends a new video game, available in your video game e-store of choice. Matt reccomends this. Friday's episode will be about SILL LIFE, a wonderful movie by friend of the program Jia Zhangke, a director I've never said anything bad about. Watch it here. 

    DIGITAL FRONTIERS EPISODE FIVE: What is Digital Cinema?

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 17, 2025 85:30


    Corbin and Matt talk about 'WHAT IS DIGITAL CINEMA,' a 1995 essay by Lev Manovich concerned the difference between filmic cinema of the 20th Century, and the emerging technological and artistic form that we have been talking about the last few weeks. It's a little hard to explain this episode to be honest, but it's good. Read Manovich's essay here. Corbin reccomends a movie currently in theaters. Matt reccomends "Blackberry," a movie.  Next week's episode is about 'Cars,' from 2006. We will have a bonus episode regarding "Me and You and Evereyone We Know" and also maybe "Timecode" sooner rather than later: We watched them for this episode but didn't get to them.  Sorry the episode is late: I was covering a card show all weekend. Matt wanted me to tell you Closing music is by i/o, it's called wasted my time. It's only available on Youtube. 

    DIGITAL FRONTIERS EPISODE FOUR: "Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams" (2002, Dir: Robert Rodriguez)

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 6, 2025 96:38


    Huh? Why? Good question: it's because of Rodriguez's approach to economical filmmaking, which would come to whoopsiedoodle dominate everything uh oh! We get into it, as well as one or two other topics. Banderas is actually Spanish, not Mexican (I looked) but I don't think this invalidates my broader point.  Corbin Reccomends the Mars Trilogy. Matt reccomends 'Hail Satan?" a documentary about jerks.  Next week's episode is about a few movies trying new things in digital around the early/mid-aughts, including: Me and You and Everyone we Know, Once, and Timecode. 

    DIGITAL FRONTIERS, EPISODE 3: '28 Days Later" (2002, Dir: Danny Boyle)

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 28, 2025 96:48


    28 Days Later is a "Zombie" movie made with a TV Camera that you watch on a big screen. It's really great! We talk about the practical and impractical applications of digital technology, materiality and zombie movies, the movie's depiction of fascism and soildering, then and now, and also what a spectacular bummer this thing is.  Read a great essay about filmic materiality and the zombie movie here. Research also pulled up this extemely weird but kind of nifty essay about how 28 Days Later is kind of about the new apocolyptic bent that food writing took in the early aughts.  A very good interview with cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle can be read here.  Matt reccomends 'Cinema's First Nasty Women,' an anthology fron Kino Lorber, available now. Corbin reccomends Dinner in America. He also likes that new Pixar show on Disney+ but your milage might vary. Next Week's episode is about either Spy Kids 2 or 3, we havent quite decided yet. If anyone had a strong opinion about which is the superior one, tell us I guess. 

    DIGITAL FRONTIERS, EPISODE TWO: 'Star Wars, Episode Two: Attack of the Clones' (2002, Dir: George Lucas

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 20, 2025 123:09


    Bro we're so back. We've never been more back. Because two white guys got in a room and talked about STAR WARS EPISODE TWO: ATTACK OF THE CLONES, which is, in addition to being one of the most reviled movies (By total weight, not percentage of hatred per person) of all time, the first major motion picture ever shot on digital cameras. We sorta think it's neat? Topics include anything but the plot, which, you know, it not important. The cameras they made, the difficult dransition to HDR Sensors, Lucas's monumental individual role in pushing movie technology forward, the way that his decision to use digital on this movie took him a step behind his contemparies and how, in its way, it proposes an alternate path of digital cinema that was not taken.  Read 'Digital Cinema, a False Revolution," a half precient, half non precient about where digial production would take us right here at JSTOR. Check out a fascinating contempary interview Lucas did with American Cinematographer right here at a 2002 lookin' webpage. Nifty sort-of doc about the making of the movie here.  Matt reccomends Hundred of Beavers, which you can watch here. Corbin reccomends Paddington in Peru, currently in theaters in glorious 4k, and an episode of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. We forgot to tell you what next week's episode is about: it's 28 Days Later, a movie shot on an honest to god Sony DCR-VX1000. Not really streaming on a service, but you can rent movies, right? 

    DIGITAL FRONTIERS, EPISODE ONE: "The Celebration" (1998, Dir: Thomas Vinterberg)

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 12, 2025 100:54


    HEY EVERYONE! Corbin and Matt are starting a new series! It's called Digital Frontiers: Digital Cinema From 1998-2011, and it's about the movies' transition to digital as a primary medium, as seen in the movies that took the first steps forward. We are excited for you to join us on this journey, seeking answers to the eternal present question: "hey, why do movies look like that now?"  Our first episode is about "Festen," ('The Celebration,' in English), The first certified Dogme 95 movie and an absolute banger. Topics include: the weird little camera they made it with and the heights of emotional intensity it archives, the family as a model for society, the usefulness of digital artifacts in creating an aesthetic, and skateboarding videos.  Matt recommends some reading on digital cinema here. Corbin recommends Monster Hunter. Also of note for this episode, C. Claire Thompson's monograph on "Festen," available on University of Washington Prss (or a library of some sort, it's pretty expensive)! Next week's episode is about "Star Wars, Episode II: Attack of the Clones." There is a chance you've seen it but if not it's on Disney+.   

    THE BRUTALIST (2024, Dir: Brady Corbett) (w/ Ryder Canepa)

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 1, 2025 86:52


    Matt and Ryder love The Brutalist! Corbin thinks it's fine. We talk about it! Topics: codings in the text, the question of a broad anti-oppression reading vs. a zionist one, and the life of an artist, which sucks ass.  Corbin reccomends TWO MOVIES currently in theaters. Ryder reccomends "Different Trains" by Steve Reich. Matt reccomends "Blueprinting" by the Aizuri Quartet. Next week's episode will be the beginning of a new series, DIGITAL FRONTIERS, a history of the early days of Digital Cinema. Our subject will be "The Celebration" by Thomas Vintenberg. Watch it here. 

    'Don't Look Back' (1967, Dir: D.A. Pennebaker, With Ryder Canepa)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 24, 2025 116:29


    Last year, Timothee Chalamet played the role of Bob Dylan in a major motion picture. It was all a little pointless, though, seeing as Robert Zimmerman has been playing the role of Bob Dylan in the movies for 60 years now. This week, we watched America's Onery Boy in 'Don't Look Back," D.A. Pennebaker's Cinéma vérité classic about Dylan's 1965 tour of England, where our hero spins Donnovan around, gets in fights with journalists, and meets the high sherrif's wife, and talked about it with Corbin's fellow Dylan sicko Ryder Canepa.  Corbin reccomends Skyrim, which you probably already own. Matt reccomends an appliance. Ryder reccomends 'The Creature' and 'Zeiram,' two weird little movies. Corbin also reccomends this essay by Patricia Lockwood.  For reasons too tedious to get into here, next week's episode is NOT about Unrest. It will, instead, be about The Brutalist, which is currently in theaters. Ryder will be joining us again for the episode, which is pretty funny. 

    MULHOLLAND DR. (2001, Dir: David Lynch)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 22, 2025 92:18


    This week, David Lynch, a titan of the form and one of the great American artists of the post-war era, passed away at the age of 78. In tribute, Corbin and Matt talked about 'Mulholland Dr.,' his 2001 masterpiece. Watch it here.  Check out a really neat essay about the movie's multifuntional narrative here. Matt reccomends The Brutalist, currently in theaters. Corbin reccomends UFO 50, snag it here. Our next episode will PROBABLY be about "Don't Look Back," finally, but it could end up being about The Brutalist. We'll find out together. 

    UNREST (2022, Dir: Cyril Schäublin)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 17, 2025 98:01


    A few months back, Corbin and Ellis watched a movie about anarchist swiss watchmakers. Then they talked about it. Whatever else happened, Corbin cannot presently recall.  Next week's episode will PROBABLY be about 'Don't Look Back,' but David Lynch's death (RIP) might complicate that plan. Whatever the case it will exist. 

    SONGS FROM THE SECOND FLOOR (2000, Dir: Roy Andersson)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 11, 2025 80:29


    Hey I know we promised you Bob Dylan Sicko Stuff  but the episode has some tech problems we gotta work out so first Ellis and Corbin are talking about 'Songs from the Second Floor," a Swedish Kids in the Hall Movie. It's been. while since we watched it so I can't remember what happens in it. Watch it here. Next week's episode will be about either 'Unrest' or 'Don't Look Back,' depending on like six things. Sorry for the break, It was New Year's. 

    MIRACLE ON 34th STREET (1994, Dir: Les Mayfield)

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 24, 2024 78:57


    How did consumer culture change in the 50 years following "A Miracle on 34th Street? (1947)?" Big news, they made ANOTHER ONE and it TELLS YPOU EVERYTHING YOU KNOW! Topics include: Dylan McDermott: too hot to not get a shot, too untalanted to make much of it, the weird loss of the original's cynicysim, Wal-Mart, and the question of what the NEXT remake of this movie will look like.  Next week's episode is about "DON'T LOOK BACK." Watch it here.     

    MIRACLE ON 34th STREET (1947, Dir: George Seaton)

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 20, 2024 75:42


    Corbin and Matt talk about 'MIRACLE ON 34th STREET, a Sentimental Christmas Classic about Department Stores and the supremac y of the suburban lifestyle. We recorded it a few weeks ago so Corbin forgot specific topics but he suspects they talk about the emergence of consumer culture in America, the eternal American Christmas Disconnection, and the movie's oddly cynical edge.  Watch the movie here. Check out Land of Desire, a book about the history of the department store, here.  Corbin reccomends "THE JOY OF CHRISTMAS," a Bob Dylan album. Matt reccomends his own website. Next week's episode is about "Miracle on 34th Street," but the 1997 version. Watch it here.

    "VOLCANO" (1997, Dir: Mick Jackson) w/ CAM CROWELL

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 13, 2024 75:21


    Matt and Corbin are joing by CAM CROWELL (Inaction) to talk about VOLCANO, a Los Angeles Disaster Movie. Topics include: Anne Heche, sweet as pie, Mike Davis, man's craving to see LA Doomed, the percise geography at work in this bad boy, and, of course, Don Cheadle. Watch Volcano here. Read "The Literary Destruction of Los Angeles" by Mike Davis here. Matt reccomends the director's cut of Ridley Scott's Napolean. Cam reccomends Christmas Evil. Corbin reccomends Corbin reccomends "The Duelists."  Next week's episode is about "Miracle on 34th Street," the 1947 version. (I do not know why I said it was Unrest, which will come out around the beginning of ng of next year). You can find it everywhere.

    RAP WORLD (2024, Dir: Connor O'Malley, Danny Scharar)

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 6, 2024 90:51


    Ellis and Smith talk about 'RAP WORLD,' Connor O'Malley's lo-fi fantasia about America after the 2008 Crash and also three dunces trying and failing to make a rap song. Topics: handmade culture's pre-social lack of gloss, melllenial trash culture, just how terribly sad the project is, O'Malley's early appearences in Corbin's consiousness and the dog he is watching.  Matt reccomends a mexican resturaunt. Corbin reccomends Bob's Burgers. Next week's episode is about "VOLCANO," a movie about a Volcano. Watch it here. 

    NOIRVEMBER: THIEF (1981, Dir: Michael Mann) w/ JOHN WILMES

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 2, 2024 95:43


    Wilmes Joins us to talk about THIEF, Michael Mann's totallyt realized debut. Topics: reversenoir, Nietzsche and capitalism, and sone other stuff. Matt reccomends coffee. Corbin reccomends Hobswan. John reccomends Saul Bellow. Next week's episode is about RAPWORLD. Watch it here. 

    NOIRVEMBER: "Le jour se lève/Daybreak" (1939, DIR: Jacques Prévert)

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 26, 2024 71:39


    Noirvember goes to FRANCE, where Corbin and Matt talk about 'Le jour se lève,' known as Daybreak in America, a sorta-noir/sorta-crime movie/sort of allegory for the annhilation of Europe as Hitler prepared to invade everyone. Does it resonate in the present political climate? Unfortunately, yes! Corbin reccomends Elliott Smith and Quasi on the Live Music Archive. Matt reccomends this song, I think? hard to say.  Our next episode is about THIEF. Special guest! Rent it or watch it on MGM+, I guess. 

    NOIRVEMBER: 'Stray Dog" (1949, Dir: Akira Kurosawa)

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 16, 2024 88:02


    Listen to Corbin and, lesser degree, Matt, get all swoony over STRAY DOG, a police procedural by THE MASTER Akira Kurosawa. Topics include: soup, noir-and-not-noir elements at work, Kurosawa's enduring influence, and the heroic impulse vs. the rational impulse.  Corbin reccomends a movie currently in theaters. Matt reccomends "Tokyo Vice" on HBOMAX.  Next week's episode is about Le Jour Se Leve/Daybreak, which you will have to rent.  Matt: "Song at end: Himiko Kikuchi- Don't Be Stupid. Famous Japanese Jazz album apparently"  

    NOIRVEMBER: "KISS ME DEADLY" (1955, Dir: Robert Aldrich)

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 8, 2024 79:33


    Matt and Corbin talk about "Kiss Me Deadly," a film noir about a Nietzschean superman lost in an existential world... right up until the point when it turns out he's actually in a science fiction disasterpiece.  Our analysis of the election: wrong. Sorry! Corbin reccomends "BALATRO," a video game. Matt reccomends e-readers.  Next week's NOIRVEMBER selection is "STRAY DOG," which you can watch here. 

    "Let's Scare Jessica to Death" (1971, Dir: John Hancock)

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 31, 2024 83:30


    Corbin and Ellis are joined by MATEA, Portland's Elvira (Letterboxd here, subscribe today!), for a conversaion about the early indie horror touchstone "Let Scare Jessica to Death." Topics include: the shifting uses of mental health care as a literary device, the bitter end of the sixties playing out on screen, the thin line between madness and a vampire invading your mind, and the movie's wild sound design.  Corbin reccomends a movie. Matt reccomends another movie. Matea reccomends yet another movie.  Next week's episode, which i neglected to mention, will be the first in a series of NOIRVEMBER selections: Kiss Me Deadly! Watch it here. 

    "The Apprentice" (2024, DIR: Ali Abbasi)

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 25, 2024 91:42


    Corbin and Matt talk about "The Apprentice," a movie that persues an impossible goal and comes out Interesting. Topics: Sebastian Stan, who is incredible, where orbin was when Trump won, Fred Trump, and how "Humanization" is actually like, the only honest way of telling this story.  Corbin reccomends "Persona 5," he guesses. Available wherever you buy games. Matt reccomends "It Happened One Night," watch it here. Next week: "Let's Scare Jessica to Death." Watch here. After that: NOIRVEMBER

    "The Breaking Ice" (2023, Dir: Anthony Chen)

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 18, 2024 88:41


    Ellis and Da Corb talk about "The Breaking Ice," a lil' character drama about three people in a chilly city on China's border with North Korea. Topics: America in the 50's and China in the now's, capital's universal qualities, China's particular qualities, and a depressing story that happens in a Safeway. Watch the movie here.  Ellis's reccomendation can be heard here. He totally reccomended it last week, despite what he claims. Check out some of Mike Watson's music here. Our outro music this week is "Violet Gibson" by Lisa O'Neill. 

    MEGALOPOLIS (2024, Dir: Francis For Coppola) with CORY ATAD

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 10, 2024 98:13


    Cory Atad (The Baffler) Joins Dr. Movies and The Corb to talk about "MEGALOPOLIS," a movie about Francis Ford Coppola getting extremely baked and creating a drastically less efficent method of public transit.  Corbin writing this right now just wants to say: my opinion on this movie has curdled into something meaner and less forgiving after recording this episode. I have come to think of it as a monument to one man's narcissim, a canker sore on the art of cinema, a pile of garbage for precisely no one. I will concede that it is not boring, though, and John Voight does say "Gargatua is here!" Also, this week, Musk announced the Robotaxi thing. The cars have two seats in them, just like the crummy cars in this movie.  Corbin reccomends Diamond Jubilee, an album by Cindy Lee you can acquire here. Matt reccomends the new Blood Incantation record. Cory reccomends High Potential, a new TV show.  Next week's episode is about "The Breaking Ice," which you can see here. Matt said this: "Can you note the song at the end? It's Cult of Luna on a Metropolis themed record called "Vertikal." 

    Fredric Jameson's thoughts on "VIDEODROME" (Dir: David Cronenberg, 1983)

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 4, 2024 93:16


    Matt and Corbs talk about the recently departed Frederic Jameson and his thoughts on VIDEODROME, David Cronenberg's 1983 masterpiece about the terrifying merger of man and machine occuring en masse in front of your very eyes and also the pleasures and perils of having a gigantic hole in your abdomen that someone can stick living videotapes inside, compelling you to murder people on behalf of a shadowy right wing technoconspiracy.  Read 'Totality as Conspiracy' here. Matt told me to link this piece about Jameson by Jeet Heer. If it's bad, I didn't read it, blame Matt. Matt reccomends I Love Lucy and The Outer Limits on PlutoTV. Corbin reccomends "Charlie Hustle" by Keith O'Brien. He wrote about the book a while back here. Next week's episode is about Megalopolis, which is maybe the self absorbed movie of all time, currently in theaters. 

    "The Young Master" (1980, Dir: Jackie Chan)

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 28, 2024 92:15


    Jackie Chan. Early eighties. Fred Astaire. Buster Keaton. Buddy if you need convincing to watch The Young Master please, get your fun switches cleaned.  Check out a good essay about Jackie here. Corbin reccomends a sandwhich. Next week's episode is about VIDEODROME. Then: MEGAOLOPOPPOIS! 

    "Christ Stopped at Eboli" (1979, Dir: Francesco Rosi)

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 23, 2024 88:09


    Big Matt and Lil' Corbs talk about 'CHRIST STOPPED AT EBOLI,' a movie about a dissident who get sent to the world's cruddiest village by Benito Mussolini. He learns lessons. Topics include: Pringles, anarchism, its similarities and differences to "The Tree of Wooden Clogs," another movie about pesants, and which came first: Christianity or History?  Matt reccomends Roger Waters' new Dark Side of the Moon remake. Corbin reccomends a video game. Next week's episode is about "The Young Master," available at Criterion. RIP Fredric Jameson.   

    "Do Not Expect Too Much From the End of the World) (2023, Dir: Radu Jude)

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 14, 2024 90:01


    Ellis and the Corbot talk about "DO NOT EXPECT TOO MUCH FROM THE END OF THE WORLD," Radu Jude's recent bang bang exploration of the feeling of being alive under late capitalism. Subjects include: terrible Romanian techno, exploitated people observing other exploited people for the purpose of exploitation, and international business's wholesale domination of our lives. Corbin reccomends concerts by Ted Leo, Matt reccomends ASASSINS CREED. Next week's episode is about "Christ Stopped At Eboli," which you can watch here. 

    "The Rocketeer" (1991, Dir: Joe Johnston)

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 6, 2024 94:20


    Ellis and Corbin talk about "The Rocketeer," a Walt Disney Live Action Classic™ about a guy who acquires a Rocketpack and becomes... not like, a superhero but like... a guy with a jetpack and good intentions?  Topics include: Fredric Jameson, the nexus of technological emergence in turn of the century California, and the deep and profound tragedy at the center of this movie: lazy casting.  Corbin reccomends "Red Mars," a book available at your local library. Ellis reccomends "Promethus" and "Alien: Covenent." Next week's episode is about "Do Not Expect too Much from the End of the World," which you can watch on mubi if you're that degree of art-film-sicko. 

    "Los Angeles Plays Itself" (2003, Dir: Thom Anderson)

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 31, 2024 79:47


    Ellis and Corbs talk about "Los Angeles Plays Itself," Thom Anderson's lengthy video essay about Movie City's place in the Movies, and the Movies place in Movie City. Topics include: Modernist Architecture: is it evil? The germ of the other American cinema we see in the end of this movie, and filming driving in Los Angeles and in Portland.  Corbin's reccomendation is an album, you can find it on a streaming service. Matt's is a video game he only kind of enjoyed.  Watch the movie here. Next week's episode is about "The Rocketeer," which you can watch over on Disney+. 

    "Cruel Intentions" (1999, Dir: Roger Kumble)

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 22, 2024 91:07


    Corbin, Matt, and SPECIAL GUEST MATEA (Check out her ROBUST Letterboxd here) talk about CRUEL INTENTIONS, a truly wild erotic thriller/black comedy from the precise moment when the Americans were most sick and tired of their own bullshit. Topics include a lengthy diatribe about Clinton and Bush, the gauzy-TV look of the movie, and the movie's depiction of Step-sisters as well as the culture's. Check out a cool intertextual essay about the movie here.  Matt reccomends the podcast "Fall of Civilizations." Corbin reccomends Pauline Kael aggregregator accounts. Matea reccomends a book by the 40 Laws of Power guy, but she swears you shouldn't take advice from it.  When I said Hunter Thompson is hard to read, I didn't mean as literature, just that it's kind of tedious. Next week's episode is about "LOS ANGELES PLAYS ITSELF" which you can watch here. 

    'All That Heaven Allows' (1955, Dir: Douglas Sirk)

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 15, 2024 89:01


    Big Corbs and the El Train talk about "All That Heaven Allows," Douglas Sirk's MASTERFUL melodrama about conformity, love, and how your daughter likes Freud too much. Topics: Digital Restoration: Not Actually That Bad, justice for the daughter, television, and the relationship between beaknikism and nostalgia.  Good essay about the movie here. Matt's reccomendation is in theaters. Corbin's is Tetris, I guess? Next week's episode is about CRUEL INTENTIONS, which you can watch on FreeVee with ads, which is, in truth, the best way to watch it. 

    'North by Northwest' (1959, Dir: Alfred Hitchcock)

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 7, 2024 89:48


    Corbin and Ellis talk about NORTH BY NORTHWEST, a movie about Cary Grant, world class charmer, getting chased around America by a faint idea about the Cold War. Topics: Grant, who is charming and handsome, the movie as a of proto-action thriller and how it succeeds and doesn't in that capacity, and style Hitch vs. Neurosis Hitch.  Matt's reccomendation may or may not be in theaters. Corbin reccomends the Portland Pickles Baseball Club in Portland's beautiful Lents Neightborhood.  Our next episode is about Douglas Sirk's "All that Heaven Allows." It's not streming anywhere for free at the moment but I'm sure you can shell out a few bucks on iTunes or your local DVD rentery to check it out. 

    'The Rules of the Game' (1939, Dir: Jean Renoir)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 27, 2024 84:41


    Ellis and Corbin talk about "THE RULES OF THE GAME," and are kind of bowled over by how much there is in it. Topics include: farce in collapse, the movie's technical achivements, and how it functions as a frustrated, bordering on nihlistic flipside to Renoir's other prewar masterpiece.  Corbin reccomends "Link's Awakening," available on your Nintendo Switch or your Nintendo Game Boy. Matt reccomends a bar in Portland. Next week's episode is NOT about 'All that Jazz,' because it was hard to find on the internet and Matt got annoyed while watching it. Instead we talked about Alfie Hitchie's "NORTH BY NORTHWEST," which you can watch on Tubi. 

    'The Roaring Twenties' (1938, Dir: Raoul Walsh)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 20, 2024 81:25


    Matt and Corbin talk about THE ROARING TWENTIES, a remarkably sedate gangster picture featuring the talents of JAMES CAGNEY, America's mean lad. Topics include: a weirdly progressive view on the twenties, Bogey, and Matt's band. Matt reccomends this song.  Corbin reccomends the act of zoning out in front of Mario Kart. Next week's episode is about "The Rules of the Game," a very famous movie. Watch it on Criterion or Kanopy. 

    'ANOTHER ROUND' (2020, Dir: Thomas Vinterberg)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 12, 2024 89:41


    Ellis and Smith discuss 'Another Round,' Danish director Thomas Vinterberg's tribute to the wonder and dangers of both booze and male friendship. We discuss the little liberation of .05, the modern condition vs the human condition, and MADS. Ellis reccomends 'The Roaring Twenties,' which talk about on next week's episode. Watch it here. Corbin reccomends 'Doppelganger,' a book by Naomi Klein, available at your local library. 

    'LOST HORIZON' (1937, Dir: Frank Capra)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 5, 2024 96:27


    Corbin and Matt talk about LOST HORIZON, Frank Capra's fantasy movie about how the road to utopia runs through the elimination of soceity. Corbin gets a little irritated. Corbin's reccomendation here. Matt reccomends Tubi.  Next week's episode is about 'Another Round,' which you can watch here.   

    'GOOD MORNING' (1959, Dir: Yasujirō Ozu)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 28, 2024 78:24


    Ellis and Corbin talk about "GOOD MORNING," Ozu's little fable about two brave little boys and their quest to acquire the most forbidden of all fruits... a television. It's also about adults running their mouths.  Matt and Corbin both reccomended books. Corbin also reccomends "Hit Man," the new Richard Linklatter movie, which you can watch on Netflix (Ugh). Next week's episode is about Frank Capra's 'Lost Horizon,' which you can watch on the Internet Archive. Ellis send my this with the file: 'Song at the end, if you want to put it into notes, is "Go Mad and Mark" off of Envy's A Dead Sinking Story. I think you should put it in the notes its one of my favorite albums of all time and I will admit I put it on this episode because they are from Japan lmao.'

    'Shane" (1953, Dir: George Stevens)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 20, 2024 81:06


    Folks it's time to say "Symptomatic," because we're watching SHANE! Topics include: why is this movie basically Heaven's Gate, the weird glimpse of Hollywood's narrative future it provides, and just how guilt a violent person needs to feel to experience some degree of redemtpion in the eyes of the audience. Warning: Corbin sounds a little weird  Watch Corbin's reccomendation here. Matt reccomended shirts. Next episode is about "GOOD MORNING," which you can watch here. 

    'Werckmeister Harmonies' (2000, Dir: Bela Tarr)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 15, 2024 82:14


    Hey! Me and Matt had a little scheduling SNAFU this week so we are releasing and episode we recorded a while back, just in case we got off schedule. It's about "Werckmeister Harmonies," a movie by Bela Tarr, Mr. Turin Horse Himself.  Watch Corbin's reccomendation here, if you dare. Matt's can be listened to here.  Next week's episode has been AUDIBLED. We are doing "SHANE," the western classic by George Stevens. It's on Paramount Plus and Pluto. 

    "A Touch of Zen" (1971, Dir: King Hu)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 10, 2024 95:32


    This movie whips so hard. Listen to me and Matt try to say something aside from "this whips." Watch it here. Check out Matt's reccomendation here. Corbin's reccomendation is currently in theaters. Next week's episode is about "Mephisto," which you can watch here.   

    Jesus Month: "The Last Temptation of Christ" (1988, Dir: Martin Scorsese)

    Play Episode Listen Later May 30, 2024 97:04


    Corbin and Matt, two male American movie enthusiasts, watched a Martin Scorsese movie, so you KNOW they're juiced. Topics include: what in the movie ACTAULLY a little blasphemous, the ongoing translations of Judas in these movies, David Bowie's Stoic Pilate, and Peter Gabriel. Corbin's reccomendation can be acquired here. Matt's is here. Next week's episode is about TOUCH OF ZEN, which can be seen here. 

    Jesus Month: "The Gospel According to Saint Matthew" (1964, Dir: Pier Paolo Pasolini)

    Play Episode Listen Later May 26, 2024 92:19


    Corbin and Matt talk about THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO SAINT MATTHEW, Marxist Neorealist Pier Paolo Pasolini's pretty straight on take on the book of Matthew. Topics: Where's Mary Magdeline?, a political Jesus, yet another disappointing crucifixion, and the temptation to find some sense in Judas. Check out a good essay on the move here. Corbin's reccomendation can be seen on Mubi, if you're that kind of sicko. He also reccomends a movie that is presently in theaters. Acquire Matt's reccomendation here.  Next week: THE LAST TEMPTATION OF CHRIST! Watch it here! 

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