Afterthoughts

On this episode of Recommend or Refute, Dixon brings Made in England: The Films of Powell and Pressburger, a documentary that --despite his opinions of England-- has impressed him with its historic insights and its Scorsese affiliation. As far as you know, John brings the first horror movie "made for home video audiences" (as far as we know) with Blood Cult (1985). Ryan pushes us home as he talks about his family viewing of Little Miss Sunshine (2006). Get in the van, y'all, we're going off-roading for some of this episode, but by the end we'll be in California.

You may remember that there was a recent assassination attempt on a former president. Or you may have forgotten already thanks to the terrifying pace of the modern news cycle. Either way, Dixon decided to pull us down into the mystery wrapped in a riddle inside an enigma that is Oliver Stone's 1991 thriller JFK.

On this episode of Recommend or Refute, John is Comin' At Ya (1985) with a 3D movie that is so pumped full of visual dimensions it might've forgotten about its character dimensions, Ryan catches us up on a new fantasy anime that reflects on an unconventional hero's journey with Frieren: Beyond Journey's End (2024), and Dixon continues the Lily Gladstone appreciation with Apple TV+'s latest film Fancy Dance (2024).

Join Ryan, John, and Dixon as we attempt to piece together the multi-verse plot lines of this animated acid western.

From classics to cultural to pop cultural, this Recommend or Refute rounds the bases to deliver discussions from the Australian outback's Mad Max 2 (1981), Osmane Sembène's snapshot of a post-colonial Senegal with Mandabi (1968), and the Canadian insanity invading the United States in Tom Greene's Freddy Got Fingered (2001). There's definitely something here for everyone, and if there isn't perhaps you should send us a rec or ref on our discord. See https://theafterpod.transistor.fm/ for more details

We're riding the musical bandwagon now, following our recent episode on Encanto the Afterthoughts crew steps into a much more adult themed musical in the form of John Cameron Mitchell's intimate comedy musical Hedwig and The Angry Inch (2001). Much like Hedwig herself, this film discussion goes on a tour with several unexpected stops. Join Dixon, Ryan, and John as they reflect on Hedwig's approach to the musical and filmmaking, the culture it was released into, and its cultural significance now.

On this very family-friendly episode of Afterthoughts, Ryan's daughter Ella joins the usual crew to share her disdain for Encanto (2021). Will the entire table be down on Disney or is there a faint flicker of favoritism burning in this discussion? It would take a miracle to sway Dixon's feelings on Lin Manuel Miranda, but this might be the episode to do it. Tune in for a swear-free exercise in personal restraint as we pull the door open to reveal what power the casita has given us.

Welcome to the latest episode of Recommend or Refute! Join us as John unpacks Abel Ferrara's Dangerous Game (1993) starring Harvey Keitel and Madonna, Dixon breaks down the trippy John Frankenheimer sci-fi classic Seconds (1966) starring Rock Hudson, and Ryan talks through the new Pixar movie Inside Out 2 (2024).

Meet us on Main Street when the sun reaches its highest point to discuss the controversial 1952 western High Noon, starring Gary Cooper and Grace Kelly. Hated by John Wayne, revered by US presidents, and acclaimed as one of the greatest American westerns of all time, does High Noon resonate with the Afterthoughts crew? It's a bit of a mixed bag.

On this two-person episode of Afterthoughts, John and Dixon record an extended discussion of Kinds of Kindness (2024). Originally it was planned to be a Recommend or Refute entry, but with the amount of thoughts we had after seeing the film merited something more. Love it or hate it, join John and Dixon for a recap and discussion on the latest film from writer/director Yorgos Lanthimos. 

If you have Afterthoughts of your own, send them our way. You can find all the ways to reach us at theafterpod.transistor.fm