This Movie Saved My Life

This Movie Saved My Life

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Which movie saved your life? Join film professor John Trafton and photographer Miles Fortune as they dive deep into the films that changed their lives and shaped the face of art and culture around the world.

John Trafton and Miles Fortune


    • May 26, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • monthly NEW EPISODES
    • 1h 1m AVG DURATION
    • 66 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from This Movie Saved My Life

    Jaws: 50th Anniversary

    Play Episode Listen Later May 26, 2025 61:47


    John and Miles discuss why Jaws, 50 years later, is still a perfect film. 

    Unwatchable II

    Play Episode Listen Later May 14, 2025 74:59


    We're back with another installment of Unwatchable. Listen as the hosts assign each other a film that they think will make the other recoil in horror. 

    Re-release: Unwatchable

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 28, 2025 67:19


    While co-host John recovers from surgery, listen to our classic episode "Unwatchable" from 2021.  We'll be back in May with "Unwatchable: Part 2," where the hosts assign each other films they think the other would struggle to sit through.  

    Miles Watches Unforgiven (A Gene Hackman Tribute)

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 30, 2025 37:09


    In the latest episode, John and Miles pay tribute to the late Gene Hackman by discussing Clint Eastwood's noir-western Unforgiven (1992) and Hackman's noteworthy films. 

    Los Angeles and Film Series: Collateral

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 27, 2025 45:17


    John and Miles are back with a new installment in their recurring Los Angeles and Film series: Collateral (Michael Mann, 2004), starring Jamie Foxx and Tom Cruise. Listen as the two discuss the film and recount their favorite L.A. night driving moments.  

    Hundreds of Beavers

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 13, 2025 47:32


    In our latest episode, John and Miles chat about films they've seen recently, why Spielberg's The Fablemans is too safe, and the hilarious insanity that is Hundreds of Beavers (Mike Cheslik, 2022). 

    David Lynch, L.A. Fires, and why John and Miles won't back down.

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 27, 2025 60:37


    In this episode, John and Miles discuss their thoughts on the passing of director David Lynch, as well as the impact of the L.A. fires and finding courage in the face of troubling times. 

    Nosferatu (and Miles and John's favorite vampire films)

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 31, 2024 51:17


    Listen as John and Miles break down Robert Eggers's long-awaited Nosferatu remake, as well as some of their favorite vampire films of all time. 

    Best of 2024

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 23, 2024 50:28


    Listen as John and Miles discuss their favorite films and television series for 2024. 

    Top 5 of 1999

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 13, 2024 63:09


    John and Miles reflect on films of 1999, 25 years on. What films made their top 5 list?

    Anora

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 20, 2024 74:24


    Listen as John and Miles discuss the aftermath of the election and Sean Baker's new film Anora, the perfect post-election film. 

    Alien

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 31, 2024 55:24


    For our Halloween episode, we dive deep into one of John's favorite films, Ridley Scott's 1979 masterpiece Alien.

    Top 5 directors we wish would do a horror film

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 23, 2024 58:04


    Special guest Shawn Baker from The Horror Vision podcast is back! In this episode, John, Miles, and Shawn share their top 5 directors that they wish would do a horror movie. 

    The Election Episode

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 19, 2024 50:04


    Miles and John sit down to talk politics and the upcoming election by taking the listeners on a personal journey through the films that help us make sense of it all. 

    Megalopolis

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 5, 2024 46:16


    John and Miles discuss Francis Ford Coppola's latest film Megalopolis. Did we enjoy it or did we head for the hills? Listen and find out. Follow up on instagram @thismoviesavedmylife

    Were we wrong?

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 27, 2024 57:26


    We're back! In this episode, John and Miles talk about films that they may have been wrong about after their first viewing. Which films did they grow to like? Which films did they eventually dislike? 

    Food and Film

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 10, 2024 115:47


    We're off for early September, but we'll be back in two weeks with a new episode. In the meantime, enjoy our throwback episode from early 2021 on Food and Film, featuring restauranteur and chef Monica Dimas. 

    The Tarantino Episode

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 21, 2024 83:50


    Took us long enough to do a Tarantino episode. It's here now. Listen as John and Miles discuss their experiences with Tarantino's films, from Reservoir Dogs to Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. 

    The Bear Season 3

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 31, 2024 52:23


    Listen as John and Miles discuss the latest season of the Hulu series The Bear, as well as 70 mm film festivals, 90s music, and why Olivia Coleman would be fun to party with. 

    Maxxxine

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 17, 2024 48:55


    Listen as John and Miles discuss Ti West's latest film Maxxxine. 

    1994: A Year in Cinema (Part 3 with guest Sam Coale)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 26, 2024 79:19


    In our third and final episode of our 1994 retrospective, John and Miles are joined by filmmaker and podcaster Sam Coale (Back to the Frame Rate podcast and Walks of World) to discuss the action thriller Speed, starring Keanu Reeves, Sandra Bullock, and Dennis Hopper. 

    1994: A Year in Cinema (Part Two with special guest Shawn C. Baker)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 14, 2024 90:17


    We are joined once again with special guest Shawn C. Baker from The Horror Vision podcast to continue our exploration of films from 1994. Listen as we talk about John Carpenter's In the Mouth of Madness, Charles Burnett's The Glass Shield, Kevin Smith's Clerks, and Danny Boyle's Shallow Grave. 

    1994: A Year in Cinema (Part One)

    Play Episode Listen Later May 21, 2024 101:12


    The first part of our 1994 retrospective. Listen as John and Miles deep dive into Peter Jackson's "Heavenly Creatures," Tim Burton's "Ed Wood," Atom Egoyan's "Exotica," and Frank  Darabont's The Shawshank Redemption. 

    Exploitation films (or, how trash can save cinema)

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 18, 2024 75:54


    In our latest episode, John and Miles talk about exploitation films of the 60s and 70s , and how these films have much to teach us about possible solutions to Hollywood's present-day crisis. 

    Miles watches The Godfather for the first time

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 26, 2024 70:56


    We're back. John became a Dad. Miles became a Godfather. So they decided to continue with the family theme and discuss Francis Ford Coppola's landmark film. 

    Family films: The Master and Shoplifters

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 21, 2024 66:59


    Miles and John chat about family films, focusing on Paul Thomas Anderson's The Master and Kore-eda's Shoplifters. We also chat about True Detective: Night Country, Fallen Leaves, and The Holdovers. 

    Seattle University Filmmakers Club

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 22, 2024 43:48


    John returns to Seattle University for a live audience recording of This Movie Saved My Life with the Seattle University Filmmakers Club. Miles joins virtually from a snowbound Bellingham, and with their audience they talk about some of their favorite filmgoing experiences and university screenings. 

    Maestro and Classical Music Films (with guest Armen Yampolsky)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 15, 2024 53:37


    John and Miles are joined by special guest musician Armen Yampolsky for a discussion on Maestro (Bradley Cooper, 2023), the real Leonard Bernstein, classical music in film, and biographical films. 

    Top 5 of 2023

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 10, 2024 69:16


    John and Miles give their top 5 for 2023, plus honorable mentions. 

    Happy Holidays, Huckleberry: 30th Anniversary of Tombstone

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 22, 2023 57:56


    For our holiday episode, Miles and John discuss their favorite Christmas films and the 30th anniversary of the release of Tombstone. 

    Miles watches the Big Lebowski for the first time

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 12, 2023 49:41


    Miles watches The Big Lebowski for the first time. For our next installment of our L.A. on Film series, John and Miles talk about the Coen Brother's L.A. noir comedy, which celebrates its 25 year anniversary this year. 

    The Killer vs Le Samourai

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 17, 2023 50:31


    John and Miles discuss David Fincher's latest film The Killer alongside Jean-Pierre Melville's neo-noir masterpiece Le Samourai (1967)

    Halloween episode: Lamb and The Lighthouse

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 31, 2023 87:19


    We're back with our special guest, singer and songwriter Courtney Fortune, for another conversation about all things spooky and macabre. In this episode, we talk about Lamb (2021) and The Lighthouse (2019). 

    90's Horror (with Shawn C. Baker)

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 15, 2023 67:13


    We're joined by podcaster and writer Shawn C. Baker from The Horror Vision podcast to talk about Fallen (1998) and 90s horror films. 

    Barbenheimer, farewell to Jane Birkin, and WGA/SAG strike.

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 16, 2023 85:06


    John and Miles discuss Barbenheimer, other recent films they've seen, SAG/WGA strike, and a farewell to Jane Birkin, Angus McCloud, and Paul Reubens. 

    The Bear Season 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 14, 2023 50:31


    John and Miles talk about Indiana Jones, why Wes Anderson films are just ok, the WGA strike, and season 2 of The Bear. 

    Drive

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 8, 2023 52:26


    In their new installment of "Los Angeles and Film," John and Miles talk about Nicolas Winding Refn's Neo-noir masterpiece Drive. 

    John and Miles Pull ANOTHER All-Nighrer

    Play Episode Listen Later May 14, 2023 20:29


    John and Miles do another all-night episode. Listen as they dive in to 4 surprise films. 

    The Last of Us

    Play Episode Listen Later May 2, 2023 67:34


    John and Miles discuss the new HBO drama series The Last of Us. Listen as we talk about Mortal Kombat, panoramic spectacle, the show's scariest moment, and the best performances. We also have some questions for listeners who have played the video game. 

    Why we love 90s films

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 28, 2023 51:41


    Listen as John and Miles discuss what is great and not-so-great about films from the 1990s, focusing on The Fugitive (Andrew Davis, 1993) and Fallen Angels (Wong Kar Wai, 1995).

    Cocaine Bear

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 1, 2023 45:09


    John and Miles talk about Cocaine Bear. Enough said. 

    Sympathetic Villains and Sundance Film Festival

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 27, 2023 60:11


    John and Miles discuss recent film releases, the Sundance Film Festival, and what makes a sympathetic villain. 

    Merry Christmas, Mr. Fortune

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 16, 2022 57:54


    In this end of the year episode, John and Miles discuss the magic of David Bowie: "Moonage Daydream" (Brett Morgan, 2022) and "Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence" (Nagisa Oshima, 1983)

    RRR and Pearl

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 22, 2022 52:35


    John and Miles gush over Pearl (Ti West, 2022) and RRR (SS Rajamouli, 2022), and give a lukewarm reaction to White Lotus. 

    Why are horror movies comforting?

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 28, 2022 69:24


    Happy Halloween from This Movie Saved My Life podcast! Listen as John and Miles are joined by Mile's sister: singer and songwriter Courtney Fortune. In this episode, the three of them discuss why they love horror films, as well as conversations about Possession (1981), Phenomena (1985), The Host (2006/2020), and All the Boys Love Mandy Lane (2006). Additionally, John and Miles would like to draw their listener's attention to Cinematehran.nyc on social media, a world cinema organization showcasing important films from Iran. This Movie Saves My Life podcast stands in firm solidarity with the protests taking place in Iran. The world is watching. 

    Prey (2022) and The Revenant (2015)

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 30, 2022 48:41


    Miles and John talk about Prey (2022) and The Revenant (2015): two masterful films about the dark side of America's colonial legacy, indigenous history, and environmental destruction. We also discuss recent films such as Pearl, Moonage Daydream, and The Good Boss. 

    Hulu's "The Bear" and Jordan Peele's "Nope"

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 20, 2022 55:52


    Miles and John talk about the Hulu series The Bear, Jordan Peele's Nope, road trips through New England, Stephen King's scariest (audible.com) novel, and Emily the Criminal. 

    The Films of Sean Baker

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 22, 2022 60:02


    John and Miles explore the films of Sean Baker: Starlet (2012), Tangerine (2015), The Florida Project (2017), and Red Rocket (2021), as well as Fellini's 8 1/2 and Top Gun: Maverick. 

    Climax vs Euphoria (and Danny Boyle's Pistol)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 27, 2022 58:15


    John and Miles are back to talk about how Gaspar Noe's Climax and HBO's Euphoria is the ultimate double feature pairing. They also discuss the A24 aesthetic and Danny Boyle's Hulu drama Pistol. 

    Heat (Michael Mann, 1995)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 7, 2022 53:15


    In our second installment of Los Angeles and Film, Miles and I discuss Michael Mann's epic L.A. crime drama Heat. Listen as we discuss L.A. geography and rank Pacino films based on the amount of yelling. 

    Special guest Tova Gannana

    Play Episode Listen Later May 9, 2022 67:35


    Miles and I travel to the Bainbridge Island Art Museum, where we are joined by special guest: writer and film programmer Tova Gannana. Listen as we discuss how to teach history with film, Marilyn Monroe, Will Smith, 50s melodrama, and much more! 

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