Contra Zoom

Despite it being March, it is finally here! The top ten films of 2018 Contra Zoom mega episode! This episode has everything including a great co-host in Stephanie, four terrific guest spots and more films mentioned than you could imagine.

On this episode, four friends of the show were asked to send in a voice mail of what their favourite film from 2018 was.

It is humanly impossible to see every film in a given year and below is the list that Dakota and Stephanie weren’t able to catch up with that they thought might have had potential to crack their top ten… if they saw them.

The duo also listed their honourable mentions; films that they really loved but just didn’t quite make the final list.

Here are the final ten films that made Stephanie’s list:

1. Capernaum

2. Minding the Gap

3. BlacKkKlansman

4. Shoplifters

5. Can You Ever Forgive Me?

6. Vice

7. The Favourite

8. Eighth Grade

9. Isle of Dogs

10. Outlaw King

Here are the final ten films that made Dakota’s list:

1. Roma

2. Capernaum

3. Cold War

4. The Death of Stalin

5. First Reformed

6. Spider-Man: Into the Spider Verse

7. BlacKkKlansmn

8. Minding the Gap

9. Old Man & the Gun

10. Sorry To Bother You

If you want to see a full ranking of every movie Dakota saw last year, check out his Letterboxd list and give him a follow. 

Something new I’ll be asking people to do is to rate and review Contra Zoom on Podchaser, a site that aims to be the IMDb of podcasts. Please rate 5 stars and if possible leave a short review to help grow this show.

Also if you have never given the show a rating on iTunes, that also helps tremendously. Every bit of exposure helps grow the show.

Follow the show @ContraZoomPod and Dakota @Dgapa on Twitter.

The post 78: Top Films of 2018 appeared first on LIVE IN LIMBO.

I know, it is more than a full week since the 91st Oscar’s aired, in which Green Book somehow won Best Picture over the far more deserving Roma, but Dakota and Sammy talk about the winners, the losers and how the show went. 

Also joining the episode was Stephanie Prior and Scott Murdoch, who recorded their immediate reactions to the ceremony. It was a lot of fun having them both on, and with Scott’s past as a sound engineer, this won’t be the last time you hear from him on Contra Zoom!

Dakota decided to throw out all five Best Actor nominees, and instead create his own list.

While I watched it after I recorded, I would also throw Robert Redford from The Old Man & the Gun in the mix too.

Rolling Stone named the Best, Worst and WTF Moments from the Oscars. 

Vogue listed the 15 best-dressed attendees at this year’s Oscars. 

If you missed it you can see that Dakota predicted 16 correct categories on the last episode, while Sammy only got 8 right. You can revisit that episode HERE. 

Something new I’ll be asking people to do is to rate and review Contra Zoom on Podchaser, a site that aims to be the IMDb of podcasts. Please rate 5 stars and if possible leave a short review to help grow this show.

Also if you have never given the show a rating on iTunes, that also helps tremendously. Every bit of exposure helps grow the show.

Follow the show @ContraZoomPod and Dakota @Dgapa on Twitter.

The post 77: 2019 Post Oscars Analysis podcast appeared first on LIVE IN LIMBO.

To help aid with your Oscar ballot’s below is both Sammy’s picks and mine (Dakota). The order is based on how we announced them on the podcast. During the episode we also break down whom we want to win and who was snubbed (if any). 

In case you missed it make sure you listen to my breakdowns of all the Best Picture contenders. Episode 73 (Vice, BlacKkKlansman and Green Book), Episode 74 (A Star is Born, Black Panther and Bohemian Rhapsody) and Episode 75 (The Favourite and Roma).

As mentioned during the podcast, the Academy has reversed its decision to award four categories during commercial breaks as detailed in The National Post. 

If you haven’t seen this infamous sequence of Rob Lowe and Snow White having a duet during the last host-less Oscars, make sure you watch this.

For a trip down memory lane, look at the history of the types of films that were nominated and won for the Best Makeup and Hairstyling award.

Something new I’ll be asking people to do is to rate and review Contra Zoom on Podchaser, a site that aims to be the IMDb of podcasts. Please rate 5 stars and if possible leave a short review to help grow this show.

Also if you have never given the show a rating on iTunes, that also helps tremendously. Every bit of exposure helps grow the show.

Follow the show @ContraZoomPod and Dakota @Dgapa on Twitter.

The post 76: 2019 Oscar Predictions appeared first on LIVE IN LIMBO.

This is the last Oscar Primer podcast for Contra Zoom of the year, continuing the series of Oscar Primer’s Dakota does every year, normally just as written articles. He is flying solo this episode as he talks about The Favourite and Roma.

I categorize all nominations as either Frontrunner’s (FR) meaning they most likely to be the winners, Dark Horse (DH) candidates could pull off an upset if momentum swings their way, and Just Happy (JH) to be nominated as they stand no real chance this year. There can be multiples front-runners to each category.

The Favourite has 10 nominations:

*Editor’s note, The Favourite is not nominated for Best Sound Editing and Best Sound Mixing

The Favourite looks to snag about 4-5 wins for sure and could be in the running for 1 or 2 others.

Roma has 10 nominations:

If you missed last week’s episode breaking down the odds for A Star is Born, Black Panther and Bohemian Rhapsody, listen to the show HERE.

Something new I’ll be asking people to do is to rate and review Contra Zoom on Podchaser, a site that aims to be the IMDb of podcasts. Please rate 5 stars and if possible leave a short review to help grow this show.

Also if you have never given the show a rating on iTunes, that also helps tremendously. Every bit of exposure helps grow the show.

Follow the show @ContraZoomPod and Dakota @Dgapa on Twitter.

The post 75: Roma’s Favourite appeared first on LIVE IN LIMBO.

This is the second Oscar Primer podcast for Contra Zoom of the year, continuing the series of Oscar Primer’s Dakota does every year, normally just as written articles. He is flying solo this episode as he talks about A Star is Born, Black Panther and Bohemian Rhapsody.

I categorize all nominations as either Frontrunner’s (FR) meaning they most likely to be the winners, Dark Horse (DH) candidates could pull off an upset if momentum swings their way, and Just Happy (JH) to be nominated as they stand no real chance this year. There can be multiples front-runners to each category.

A Star is Born has 8 nominations:

A Star is Born will for sure win one award with 1-2 others potentially going its way.

What is the difference between Sound Mixing and Sound Editing?

Black Panther has 6 nominations:

Black Panther looks to pick up 3 technical with 2 more if they sweep the Sound categories.

Variety’s breakdown of Black Panther costumes featuring designer Ruth Carter.

Bohemian Rhapsody has 5 nominations:

Bohemian Rhapsody most likely will walk away empty handed, but there is a slim chance it could win 1-3 awards.

If you missed last week’s episode breaking down the odds for Vice, BlacKkKlansman and Green Book, listen to the show HERE.

Something new I’ll be asking people to do is to rate and review Contra Zoom on Podchaser, a site that aims to be the IMDb of podcasts. Please rate 5 stars and if possible leave a short review to help grow this show.

Also if you have never given the show a rating on iTunes, that also helps tremendously. Every bit of exposure helps grow the show.

Follow the show @ContraZoomPod and Dakota @Dgapa on Twitter.

The post 74: A Star is Bohemian Panther appeared first on LIVE IN LIMBO.

This is the first Oscar Primer podcast for Contra Zoom of the year, continuing the series of Oscar Primer’s Dakota does every year, normally just as written articles. He is flying solo this episode as he talks about Vice, BlacKkKlansman and Green Book.

I categorize all nominations as either Frontrunner’s (FR) meaning they most likely to be the winners, Dark Horse (DH) candidates could pull off an upset if momentum swings their way, and Just Happy (JH) to be nominated as they stand no real chance this year. There can be multiples front-runners to each category. 

Vice has eight nominations:

Best Picture (JH)

Best Actor – Christian Bale (FR)

Best Supporting Actress – Amy Adams (FR)

Best Supporting Actor – Sam Rockwell (JH)

Best Director – Adam McKay (JH)

Best Original Screenplay (JH)

Best Film Editing (DH)

Best Makeup and Hairstyling (FR)

Vice looks to walk away with anywhere from 1 maybe 2 awards with a couple others being long shots.

BlacKkKlansman has six nominations:

Best Picture (DH)

Best Supporting Actor – Adam Driver (DH)

Best Director – Spike Lee (DH)

Best Adapted Screenplay (FR)

Best Film Editing (FR)

BlacKkKlansman looks to walk away with anywhere from 1-2 awards with the additional 3 being contenders if Roma doesn’t sweep.

Green Book has five nominations:

Best Picture (DH)

Best Actor – Viggo Mortensen (JH)

Best Supporting Actor – Mahershala Ali (FR)

Best Original Screenplay (DH)

Best Film Editing (JH)

Green Book looks to walk away with 1 award with a strong possibility of 1 or 2 others if the tide goes its way.

If you missed Contra Zoom’s Oscar reactions podcast, make sure you give it a listen to HERE. 

Something new I’ll be asking people to do is to rate and review Contra Zoom on Podchaser, a site that aims to be the IMDb of podcasts. Please rate 5 stars and if possible leave a short review to help grow this show.

Also if you have never given the show a rating on iTunes, that also helps tremendously. Every bit of exposure helps grow the show.

Follow the show @ContraZoomPod and Dakota @Dgapa on Twitter.

The post 73: Green and Black Vice appeared first on LIVE IN LIMBO.

With the release of the Oscar nominations for the 91st Academy Awards Dakota Arsenault and Sammy Feilchenfeld discuss their first reactions to the crop of films. They also get into the debate about the merit of Black Panther being a Best Picture nominee along with surprise nominations and snubs. 

The Hollywood Reporter looks at the favourites of each category. 

Variety lists the biggest surprises and snubs. 

There will be more podcasts along the way covering the Best Picture contenders and they chances they have to win. 

Something new I’ll be asking people to do is to rate and review Contra Zoom on Podchaser, a site that aims to be the IMDb of podcasts. Please rate 5 stars and if possible leave a short review to help grow this show.

Also if you have never given the show a rating on iTunes, that also helps tremendously. Every bit of exposure helps grow the show.

Follow the show @ContraZoomPod and Dakota @Dgapa on Twitter.

The post 72: Reactions to Oscar Nominations 2019 appeared first on LIVE IN LIMBO.

Mehek Seyid joins us again to talk about the films she saw at TIFF 2018 and gave some great insight into what the landscape for the rest of this year will look like. A few weeks ago Mehek and I previewed the fest by talking about the big name films that were coming to Toronto. You can catch up on the episode HERE.

This is a list of what Mehek saw: Assassination Nation, Boy Erased, Can You Ever Forgive Me, Destroyer, Driven, Emu Runner, EXT. Night, Fig Tree, Gloria Bell, Green Book, Greta, Her Smell, Hotel Mumbai, If Beale Street Could Talk, Jeremiah Terminator LeRoy, Jessica Forever, Maya, Mid90s, Museo, Rafiki, Roma, Skin, Teen Spirit, The Wedding Guest, The Weekend, Viper Club and Widows.

The People’s Choice Award was given to Green Book and the runner-ups were If Beale Street Could Talk and Roma. 

Music from this week’s episode comes from Neon Beings and his EP Fudge You. Make sure you listen to his music and purchase it from whatever service you use. Spotify/Apple Music/Google Play/Bandcamp/Soundcloud/YouTube 

Something new I’ll be asking people to do is to rate and review Contra Zoom on Podchaser, a site that aims to be the IMDb of podcasts. Please rate 5 stars and if possible leave a short review to help grow this show.

Also if you have never given the show a rating on iTunes, that also helps tremendously. Every bit of exposure helps grow the show.

Follow the show @ContraZoomPod, Mehek @whatthemehek and Dakota @Dgapa on Twitter.

The post 71: TIFF 2018 Wrap Up appeared first on LIVE IN LIMBO.

In this edition of Make/Remake Dakota and Stephanie look at a unique pair of films… the exact same film cut two ways. In 1953 Italian Neorealist director Vittorio de Dica paired with David O. Selznick to make an American film his way. He cast American actors Montgomery Clift and Jennifer Jones and plopped them in Rome to tell the story of an American wife having an affair while in Europe and deciding she wants to go back home to her family.

Despite wanting to produce a Neorealist film, Selznick eventually became bored with the concept and cut out all the moments that make a trademark de Sica film so memorable. The result was two different version of the same film. Terminal Station, the original cut is 90 minutes long and is more nuanced compared to Indiscretion of an American Wife, which clocks in at only 60 minutes.

The topic for this episode was inspired by filmmaker Kogonada’s video essay “What is Neorealism?” showing the major differences between the two films and a bit of history of the project.

You can watch both versions of the film in full on Youtube.

Terminal Station – the full ninety-minute version

Indiscretion of an American Wife – abridged sixty-minute version

Something new I’ll be asking people to do is to rate and review Contra Zoom on Podchaser, a site that aims to be the IMDb of podcasts. Please rate 5 stars and if possible leave a short review to help grow this show.

Follow the show @ContraZoomPod and Dakota @Dgapa on Twitter.

The post 70: Make/Remake Terminal Station and Indiscretion of an American Wife appeared first on LIVE IN LIMBO.

According to the Toronto Star’s preview this year’s Toronto International Film Festival features 21 world premieres, seven international premieres, eight North American premieres and 11 Canadian premieres, including 13 features directed by women. It all kicks off with Netflix’s own Outlaw King starring Chris Pine that is sure to make waves across the industry. Mehek Seyid joins us this week to go over the most anticipated TIFF films and what ones she plans on seeing in advance of this year’s awards season.

Here is a list of films discussed on this week’s episode were trailers can be found on their IMDb page.

Mehek’s 3 Must See Films

Something new I’ll be asking people to do is to rate and review Contra Zoom on Podchaser, a site that aims to be the IMDb of podcasts. Please rate 5 stars and if possible leave a short review to help grow this show.

Also if you have never given the show a rating on iTunes, that also helps tremendously. Every bit of exposure helps grow the show.

Follow the show @ContraZoomPod, Mehek @whatthemehek and Dakota @Dgapa on Twitter.

The post 69: TIFF 2018 Preview appeared first on LIVE IN LIMBO.