Podcasts about hitpointpals

A film podcast, talking about… short films? That’s right, because we’re the smartest and best movies podcast on the internet. We wanted to acknowledge and signal boost that there are other types of films besides theatrical features that are worth watching and discussing, that often go overlooked in the mainstream film part of the internet. Here for your listening pleasure are four individual conversations on short films we tracked down and hand selected. Before you listen to the first ever Motion Picture Pals Short Film Bonanza™ you might wish to watch the lineup of short films we viewed for this installment. The shorts we watched: Lazy Susan (YouTube) (5:16) World of Tomorrow (Rent or Buy) (17:27) Real Gone (YouTube) [Content warning: Suicide is a theme] (45:20) The Above (Criterion Channel) (59:26) Send us some short film picks for the next time we do this, and get in on the discussion yourself. Join the podcast Discord for all the good stuff. Additional Viewing (Honorable Mentions) (1:13:00): The Acquaintances of a Lonely John (Criterion Channel) INCIDENT BY A BANK (Vimeo) “Sleeping Dogs” Fight Film (YouTube) Follow us on Twitter: @MotionPicPals Read and subscribe to updates: https://motionpicturepals.substack.com/ Motion Picture Pals is co-hosted by Cam Call, Rebekah Markillie, Joel Aleman, and producer Travis Lien. Motion Picture Pals is part of the @HitpointPals network.

You know it, you love it, it's the classic sci-fi horror mashup Alien, not to be confused with Aliens (1986) like at least one of us was. We learned the word "yonic," a companion word to "phallic," a word we end up using a lot in this discussion. And we discuss who the real monster is - is it the Xenomorph, or is it capitalism, the horrors of which are on full display aboard the Nostromo, and more relevant than ever in 2020? We will be holding a short film festival for our next episode. We are not sure which films we will be watching yet, but we know they will be good films because we are smart. Follow us on Twitter: @MotionPicPals Motion Picture Pals is co-hosted by Cam Call, Rebekah Markillie, Joel Aleman, and producer Travis Lien. Join the podcast Discord to get in on the discussions. Motion Picture Pals is part of the @HitpointPals network.

In the midst of medical, ecological, and international crises, the government's main priority is brutalizing immigrants. We dive into the unfortunate parallels between the famously hopeless world of Children of Men and Real Life™️, dissect some fictional propaganda, and establish the Alfonso Cuarón Cinematic Fart Universe. We also talk about art. We are really smart. You can find our Tweets here: @HitpointPals, and all of our episodes here: HitpointPals.com Motion Picture Pals is co-hosted by Cam Call, Rebekah Markillie, Joel Aleman, and producer Travis Lien. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/motionpicturepals/message

Two horny teenage boys meet a hot woman, invent a magical beach, and take her on a zany road trip while an omniscient narrator does his best to bum you out. We talked through Alfonso Cuarón's exploration of being a horny teenager in Mexico while the world around you is in political turmoil, cops are beating the shit out of people, and the specter of death looms around every corner, but all you really care about is getting laid. Also the perils of translating arise as Joel explains a slur that often shows up in the English subtitles, and we try to determine the intent behind it. You can find our Tweets here: @HitpointPals, and all of our episodes here: HitpointPals.com Motion Picture Pals is co-hosted by Cam Call, Rebekah Markillie, Joel Aleman, and producer Travis Lien. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/motionpicturepals/message

Our first discussion wholly committed to a documentary! We all ordered Chinese takeout and ate it while we watched The Search for General Tso. It was very meta, except Joel didn't actually have any General Tso's Chicken. But that's okay, because culture, food, and language are all about adaptation and resilience, and sometimes you have to make do with Panda Express Orange Chicken when you really wanted General Tso's. Join us on our quest to learn about everyone's favorite Not-Exactly-Chinese-And-Not-Exactly-American comfort food, and also why authenticity is bullshit. You can find our Tweets here: @HitpointPals, and all of our episodes here: HitpointPals.com Motion Picture Pals is co-hosted by Cam Call, Rebekah Markillie, Joel Aleman, and producer Travis Lien. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/motionpicturepals/message

Think about your most volatile relationship, and then imagine it happening in another country and also that you may never get to return home (and also that there are undercurrents of colonialism and national identity). Wong Kar-wai shows us the passion and chaos present in every relationship, and the simultaneous immensity and insignificance of our emotions on the geopolitical stage. We also consider the meaning of the term Queer Cinema and compare this film to a Motion Picture Pals favorite, Portrait of a Lady on Fire. Waterfall metaphors and fun facts about Cam's past abound in this episode of Motion Picture Pals as we recall that, actually, it was not okay to be gay in 1997. You can find our Tweets here: @HitpointPals, and all of our episodes here: HitpointPals.com Motion Picture Pals is co-hosted by Cam Call, Rebekah Markillie, Joel Aleman, and producer Travis Lien. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/motionpicturepals/message

In the 18th century, rabbits were considered pests and generally despised. In The Favourite, Queen Anne has 17 pet rabbits and two maids, each determined to one-up the other and become the queen's favorite (favourite). The Favourite is a dark comedy and a semi deconstruction of the classic period piece. It favors (favours) whip pans and fisheye lenses and doubles down on anachronisms like 21st century hip-hop dancing in the ballroom. By the end we were left with many questions and thoughts, and a real take you'll hear is that The Favourite is The Green Book of queer cinema. It's also a stealth double feature! On the last bit of the episode, Cam and Travis recommend the documentary American Factory (2019), in which a Chinese company moves into a shuttered GM Plant in Ohio, creating not just hundreds of new jobs, but a clash of cultures. We both thought the documentary did a great job of portraying the comedy that results when two wildly different cultures of work and labor are brought together under a bumbling management. You can find our Tweets here: @HitpointPals, and all of our episodes here: HitpointPals.com Motion Picture Pals is co-hosted by Cam Call, Rebekah Markillie, Joel Aleman, and producer Travis Lien. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/motionpicturepals/message

Remember 2017? Truly, it was a simpler time. Things made sense, you could go outside, ghosts were sheets with eye holes in them, and movies could also be squares. Try not to think too hard about all we've lost, and think instead about David Lowery's wonderful movie, A Ghost Story. We all loved this film and were mostly caught by surprise. It's cute, funny, sad, serious, and downright confusing at times, but altogether worth watching. What's the moral of this story, you may ask? The moral is that time doesn't exist and you should listen to your wife or you'll die in a car crash. Also, casseroles: what are they? A deep dive. You can find our Tweets here: @HitpointPals, and all of our episodes here: HitpointPals.com Motion Picture Pals is co-hosted by Cam Call, Rebekah Markillie, Joel Aleman, and producer Travis Lien. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/motionpicturepals/message

Nordic Noir meets magical realism in Ali Abassi's bleak and atmospheric exploration of Nordic folklore. Border is a wild ride from beginning to end and definitely worth your time if your fragile, delicate psyche can handle a dark film with fairly upsetting themes, a very ambiguous ending at a time when the world may be ending before your very eyes. So if that sounds like you, watch Border! It also has one of the strangest sex scenes any of us have ever seen. You can find our Tweets here: @HitpointPals, and all of our episodes here: HitpointPals.com Motion Picture Pals is co-hosted by Cam Call, Rebekah Markillie, Joel Aleman, and producer Travis Lien. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/motionpicturepals/message

Content Warning: this film deals with depression, bullying, and suicide, and we discuss these topics throughout the episode. Please do what you need to take care of yourself. Somewhere between a coming of age story and a teen romance, Naoko Yamada's A Silent Voice deals with themes as wide-ranging as depression, bullying, and trying to tell a boy that you like him. Join the Motion Picture pals as we discuss the importance of cameras and treating people kindly, and absolutely refuse to refer to the main characters with anything resembling consistency. Discussed: Koe no Katachi but it's just legs Pilgrimage to Ogaki and Yoro for Koe no Katachi This image Joel spotted of very muscular legs You can find our Tweets here: @HitpointPals, and all of our episodes here: HitpointPals.com Motion Picture Pals is co-hosted by Cam Call, Rebekah Markillie, Joel Aleman, and producer Travis Lien. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/motionpicturepals/message

We review and discuss Céline Sciamma's gripping "ode to the female [gays]," Portrait of a Lady on Fire because Rebekah saw it three times in theaters in under a week. In our first foray into new releases, we cover portrayals of abortion, woman-to-woman attraction, and what it means for a film to be apatriarchal. Sound design, (lack of a) soundtrack, furtive glances, and the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice also color the discussion. Come for the film analysis, stay for Joel's completely unbelievable stories about his Gender Studies curriculum (and also why science makes you gay). You can find our Tweets here: @HitpointPals, and all of our episodes here: HitpointPals.com Motion Picture Pals is co-hosted by Cam Call, Rebekah Markillie, Joel Aleman, and producer Travis Lien. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/motionpicturepals/message

You probably didn't see Missing Link. We know this because it was a box office bomb, despite critical acclaim and several big name actors, including the biggest of all, Huge Jackman. We found plenty to enjoy in the wonder of Missing Link's hand crafted miniature sets and detailed props, plus an action scene with more shots than any previous stop motion film. We share our different interpretations of queerness in the characters, cast a critical eye on the way East Asian people are depicted, and celebrate the virtue of physical comedy with funny sound effects. Also worth mentioning: tiny jackets. You can find our Tweets here: @HitpointPals, and all of our episodes here: HitpointPals.com Motion Picture Pals is co-hosted by Cam Call, Rebekah Markillie, Joel Aleman, and producer Travis Lien. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/motionpicturepals/message

That one movie that showed up as album art in iTunes that time you pirated a bunch of Sufjan Stevens songs. Content Warning: this film deals with self-harm and suicide. We discuss both topics throughout the episode, especially after the 1h 5m mark. Please do what you need to take care of yourself. The Motion Picture Pals discuss the 2006 ensemble comedy Little Miss Sunshine, personal growth, the objectification of young girls vis a vis child beauty pageants, and why Travis thinks corpse-based physical comedy is just plain lazy. You can find our Tweets here: @HitpointPals, and all of our episodes here: HitpointPals.com Motion Picture Pals is co-hosted by Cam Call, Rebekah Markillie, Joel Aleman, and producer Travis Lien. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/motionpicturepals/message

We give this Spaghetti Western 5 out of 5 spicy meat-a-balls. Join us for the inaugural episode of Motion Picture Pals, our new movie podcast. Cam, Rebekah, Travis, and Joel discuss Sergio Leone’s epic 1968 western full of beautiful landscapes, fun characters, and fascinating interpretations of violence in the American West. Also, Joel forgets the word “harmonica” despite holding one in his hand. You can find our Tweets here: @HitpointPals, and all of our episodes here: HitpointPals.com Motion Picture Pals is co-hosted by Cam Call, Rebekah Markillie, Joel Aleman, and producer Travis Lien. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/motionpicturepals/message

Let the final podcast begin. Thanks to all who tuned into our Star Wars journey. We're on Twitter at @HitpointPals, where we'll let you know when we have a new film to talk about. Until then, may the force be with you. Star Wars Rewatch is co-hosted by William Suitt, Rebekah Markillie, Cam Call, and Travis Lien, who also produces and mixes the show. Visit all of our podcasts at HitpointPals.com --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/motionpicturepals/message

Look, we said a lot of things about this movie. Just so we're upfront. We talked about child soldiers. We talked about arms dealing. At one point a Maz Kanata sex scene was suggested. It's a long podcast episode about a long film. The short version is that we all agreed this was a far better adaptation of Star Wars than The Force Awakens was, just that the movie goes on a bit too long. Ironically we talked for about the length of the film, so if you like that sort of thing you're in luck. At the end of the episode we took some time to do new power rankings, and you should stick around to listen to that because some of them are really strange and will either make you mad or vindicate you. Anyway, thanks for following along with us as we journeyed towards The Rise of Skywalker, we've had a doozy of a time and we're bracing for an even doozier of a time a few weeks from now. Star Wars Rewatch is co-hosted by William Suitt, Rebekah Markillie, Cam Call, and Travis Lien, who also produces and mixes the show. Visit all of our podcasts at HitpointPals.com --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/motionpicturepals/message

We're in unanimous agreement: The Force Awakens was a great event film. We all have fond memories of going to see the first Star Wars film in a decade, and having a blast. Upon revisiting the film at home in our living rooms, something was different though. Without the presence of an engaged audience to watch with us, the emphasis on nostalgia-driven "please clap" moments fell flat. Other big story questions prevented us from feeling immersed in Star Wars. Why don't people remember the jedi? Why do people think Han Solo and Luke Skywalker are myths? And what's the balance of power in the universe? As Rebekah puts it, sometimes it just doesn't feel like a Star Wars film. That's where we begin our discussion on the first Star Wars film under Disney ownership, and examine how corporate interests shape a film that had unlimited potential, but ends up feeling constrained to pretty generic boxes. Star Wars Rewatch is co-hosted by William Suitt, Rebekah Markillie, Cam Call, and Travis Lien, who also produces and mixes the show. Visit all of our podcasts at HitpointPals.com --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/motionpicturepals/message

As we come to the conclusion of the original trilogy, our conversation turns to the force and the evolution of its mythos. With the prequels behind us, we remember the unfortunate way Episodes I - III dig into the mechanics of the force, and discuss what it means to turn to the dark side or remain true to the light. We also look at the way Star Wars plays it safe in terms of story, as well as depictions of violence. How badly did George's desire to sell toys compromise his original vision? Or was selling merchandise his original vision all along? And on the forest moon of Endor, strong colonialism vibes as the violent invaders recruit a native population into fighting their war for them. And did the Rebel Alliance have sexy Bothan pin up girls on their spacecraft? Into the sarlacc pit we go! Discussed: Jabba is the 1%, Bothan pin-up Girls, gaming chairs, hijinks, bad boys, and merchandise. Harmy's Despecialized Introductory Guide Star Wars Rewatch is co-hosted by William Suitt, Rebekah Markillie, Cam Call, and Travis Lien, who also produces and mixes the show. Visit all of our podcasts at HitpointPals.com --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/motionpicturepals/message

Darth Vader is considerably less horny and angry than his teenage self by the time we get to The Empire Strikes Back (1980), and that's probably because his dick and balls were burnt off on Mustafar. Episode V continues to expand the world of Star Wars by giving us a peek under Vader's helmet at his scarred, pale flesh. Empire feels like the most outright fantastical of the films, with journeys to different forgotten realms, a wise instructor attuned with the universe, and a mystical cave with a dark secret. We discuss the effectiveness of Luke's many failures in this middle act, and the great cliffhanger the film ends on. Has there ever been a plot twist that rivals the Vader identity reveal? And what are those goblins doing on Cloud City? Did the Millennium Falcon fly up a space worm's anus, as Cam suggests? Harmy's Despecialized Introductory Guide Star Wars Rewatch is co-hosted by William Suitt, Rebekah Markillie, Cam Call, and Travis Lien, who also produces and mixes the show. For weekly video game chats, tune in to our regular podcast Hitpoint Pals on your favorite podcasting service. HitpointPals.com/star-wars-rewatch --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/motionpicturepals/message

There was a particular magic to 1977's Star Wars that propelled it to legendary pop culture status. It introduced a rustic spacefaring galaxy of heroes and villains, handcrafted through the innovation of visual effects artists, sound designers, and costume designers, all with limited resources. The craftsmanship that went into creating this fantastical world was so universally beloved that Star Wars won technical awards across the board, and the Library of Congress selected the film in its first year of establishing the National Film Registry, a limited archive of films deemed culturally and historically significant. But the National Film Registry has never received Star Wars. George Lucas refused to submit the original film, instead offering his "Special Edition," an altered version of the film with new edits, visual effects, coloring, sound design, sound mixing - in other words, a completely different film. Enter a dedicated group of fans, centered around a man known as Harmy. Together they use a combination of original theatrical prints, the special edition Blu Rays, and modern visual effects technology to restore and "despecialize" the films back to their original form. This is the version of A New Hope we watched for Episode 4 of Star Wars Rewatch, where our conversation on the cultural significance of Harmy's Despecialized runs from the beginning of the podcast to 36:50. From there we return to form and discuss the plot, character archetypes, politics, droid rights, and weird Lucasisms you've come to expect from this podcast. Official Harmy's Despecialized Introductory Guide Harmy's Star Wars: Despecialized Edition - History & Sources Documentary (extended version) Star Wars SC 38 Reimagined (FXitinPost YouTube) Star Wars Rewatch is co-hosted by William Suitt, Rebekah Markillie, Cam Call, and Travis Lien, who also produces and mixes the show. For weekly video game chats, tune in to our regular podcast Hitpoint Pals on your favorite podcasting service. HitpointPals.com/star-wars-rewatch --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/motionpicturepals/message

War! What is it good for? If you're an evil space wizard who also happens to be chancellor of the Galactic Republic, it's a great front for your rise as a fascist dictator and the transformation of your government into a tyrannical empire with absolute authority, backed by the people who have extended their political sympathy and given into fear after you dubbed a group of warrior monks rebels who made an attempt on your life. Yeah, the Jedi really messed up, and Palpatine got away with it all scot-free. Classic. Meanwhile, Padmé really gets the short end of the stick in this film, reduced to a childbearing vessel who constantly refers to her pregnancy as "wonderful" as Anakin calls the news "the happiest day of my life." What are you doing, George? What do you mean, she just lost the will to live? The regressive objectification of the only woman in the film and the uncritical portrayal of her abusive relationship with creepy Anakin really puts a damper on this movie, and makes us pretty glad it was the last Star Wars film Lucas directed. Sith Happens TV Spot (YouTube) Star Wars Rewatch is co-hosted by William Suitt, Rebekah Markillie, Cam Call, and Travis Lien, who also produces and mixes the show. For weekly video game chats, tune in to our regular podcast Hitpoint Pals on your favorite podcasting service. HitpointPals.com/star-wars-rewatch --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/motionpicturepals/message

Corruption in the government. A secret clone army. A galaxy on the brink of civil war. And the transformation of the peacekeeping Jedi into warmongers. Sounds like a recipe for a great Star Wars film, right? Well, there are a few reasons why Attack of the Clones isn't regarded very highly among critics or fans alike. Like Lucas's portrayal of a one-sided, rebuffed romance magically blossoming to life in the end, for starters. But a strong anti-war sentiment, interesting genre intersections, and new achievements in digital cinema mean there's plenty to discuss about the themes and context of Episode II on this month's episode of Star Wars Rewatch. Star Wars Rewatch is co-hosted by William Suitt, Rebekah Markillie, Cam Call, and Travis Lien, who also produces and mixes the show. For weekly video game chats, tune in to our regular podcast Hitpoint Pals on your favorite podcasting service. HitpointPals.com/star-wars-rewatch --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/motionpicturepals/message

Welcome to Star Wars Rewatch, where the Hitpoint Pals crew are meeting once a month to revisit the Star Wars films and re-contextualize them against the current pop culture climate. This month we're kicking things off with The Phantom Menace, the first film in the prequel trilogy and a follow up to 1983’s Return of the Jedi. The Phantom Menace premiered to a lukewarm reception, failing to live up to the expectations fans accrued over a 16 year period of no Star Wars, while at the same time making great technical strides with groundbreaking visual effects, and its financial success set the stage for an entire slew of franchise revivals, from Terminator to Batman. On the inaugural episode of Star Wars Rewatch we discuss the dramatic tonal shift from fantasy adventure to intergalactic political drama. A confounding opening crawl about federations and blockades raises the question: who is the audience for this movie, which intersects senate hearings with the antics of Jar Jar Binks? The nostalgia is strong in this millennials-hosted discussion. The four of us take time to reminisce on our childhood Star Wars memories, while at the same time try to rationalize Lucas's choices, and most importantly ask, is that Baby Greedo? Star Wars Rewatch is co-hosted by William Suitt, Rebekah Markillie, Cam Call, and Travis Lien, who also produces and mixes the show. For weekly video game chats, tune in to our regular podcast Hitpoint Pals on your favorite podcasting service. HitpointPals.com/star-wars-rewatch --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/motionpicturepals/message

We try to process the leaked Sonic the Hedgehog design. What's up with his eyes? Why do we not deserve good things? Xbox teases a Tuesday announcement regarding the Master Chief Collection and we hope it's a PC release. Travis revisits the mobile game series Infinity Blade, which was removed from the app store by Epic. And Tori gives us a rundown of the Netflix series Umbrella Academy, with no spoilers! Keep up with the Podcast! We're on Twitter at @HitpointPals. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/hpp/message