Happy Halloween!

The Filmversation crew decided to make a pact with the devil this Halloween. We're hoping to sell our souls to get access to the Criterion Closet. In return, we watch two movies about devil intervention and power acquisition.
William Dieterle brings the old folk tale to life when a poor farmer makes a deal with devil to secure gold and good luck. 1941's The Devil & Daniel Webster, also known as All That Money Can Buy, puts a folky twist on the pursuit of greed and the follies that come with wealth.
Marcel Carné brings The Devil's Envoys to the big screen. A pair of the dark lord's henchmen descend on a castle and create rifts in the romance as the power of love is put to the test.
Both films feature memorable performances by actors playing the devil. The pair examine how different geographies elicit different attributes in the mythological dark lord.

Mike and Nick celebrate spooky season with two classics of silent horror cinema. What better way to kick off the festivities other than travelling back in time? 1926's Faust sees FW Murnau retell the classic tale of making a deal with the devil. 1928's The Man Who Laughs sees Paul Leni channel Conrad Veidt (of The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari fame) to tell the tragic love story of a man disfigured during youth. Both films capitalize on the early stages of the medium. Where sound is absent, the two films more than make up for with their stars' expressive power.

Nick leads Mike to the monumental film that is Andrei Rublev. Tarkovsky uses the 15th-century Russian icon painter to explore theology amidst a world of medieval hardship. Nick dives into the religiosity of the film and the challenges the movie presents for atheists. The pair discuss how some of Tarkovsky's most famous motifs make their first fully realized appearance in this, his second film.

Mike and Nick revisit Bergman's Summer lens through one of the director's first big "hits" : Summer with Monika. The pair explore themes of isolation, youth, and escaping society. Nick comments how he thinks this is the cinematic answer to all romantically ambiguous endings in film. The pair contrast American attitudes at the time toward sex with Sweden's. And finally, Nick is aghast with Mike's defense of Monika.

Mike and Nick revisit one of their favourite directors: Agnès Varda. They spotlight 1985's Vagabond and supplement with a few of her short films. Vada conjures a realism and respect for her subject matter which bolsters her authenticity.

Mike and Nick dive into 1940's Disney animation peak, Fantasia. Mike's held Fantasia in high regard for some time, while this is Nick's first exposure to the animated wonder. Find out how captivating Nick found the 64-year old animated symphony and if it still holds up. The pair decide to examine how it compares to the end of the century went Disney brought back the novel idea for a more modern iteration. Does the latest offering match or surpass the original. Are the pessimists about 2000 right? This is a special episode for Nick as he muses if he's lucky to have waited so long to see these with a more grown up pair of eyes and ears.

Mike and Nick continue their journey through Ingmar Bergman's filmography.

Whether it's through the intricate portrayal of complex women or the stark representation of gender dynamics, Bergman's films invite us intimate invitations into the characters' minds and pasts.

Despite being known as a serious filmmaker, both in tone and narrative, it's not all heavy. Waiting Women leaves room for laughter leading to a light debate whether Bergman's touches of humor qualify his work as comedy.

Mike and Nick talk more Bergman. They try to find that summer feeling with one of Bergman's earlier masterworks. At least that's what some say. The beginnings of some of Bergman's bigger ideas also start to take form here. The pair share their two cents and how this one differs from previous works. Find out Summer Interlude stacks up against Bergman's other works.

The conclusion of Mike and Nick's 2023 top 10 lists. Mike fights for his picks and Nick continues to love films no one else saw. Find out the very very best of 2023 according to FILMVERSATION.

Mike and Nick explore their respective top 10 lists from 2023. Find out which films of 2023 the hosts thought were the very best. Be sure to listen for some serious surprises and films you may not have seen!