Contra Zoom Pod

On this episode artists Sébastien Heins, Tony Ofori and Jerome Jarvis join the show to discuss the new Spike Lee joint, Da 5 Bloods that was released on Netflix on Friday June 12th. In the second half of the show artist Mouna Traoré joins the group as they have a roundtable discussion to talk about some of their favourite black films. 

List of Notable Black Films

Join Contra Zoom Pod in donating to the following groups: The Black Legal Action Centre, Obsidian Theatre and B Inc/B CURRENT. 

Timestamps:

Da 5 Bloods Review 1:00-22:00

Spoilers of Da 5 Bloods 22:00-27:00

Celebrating Black Cinema 27:00-1:12:00

Follow Sébastien Heins, Tony Ofori, Jerome Jarvis and Mouna Traoré.

For more movie suggestions check out Letterboxd's Official Top 100 Narrative Feature Films by Black Directors and Slate's The Black Film Canon.

Listen to Contra Zoom on Anchor, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play, Overcast, RadioPublic, Breaker, Podcast Addict and more!

Please rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen.

Thank you Eric and Kevin Smale for creating the awesome theme music and Stephanie Prior for designing the logo.

Follow the show on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook or send an email to [email protected].

Contra Zoom is proudly presented by Aesthetic Magazine.

On this episode we review a selection of films that were selected to air during the 2020 Hot Docs, the premiere Canadian documentary festival based out of Toronto. Unfortunately due to COVID-19, they had to pivot and offered screenings of their films to people at home, thus birthing Hot Docs at Home. 

Nathan Sizemore and Katey Cottrill from the horror movie podcast I Hope You Suffer join the show to discuss Leap of Faith: William Friedkin on The Exorcist. Later on music fan Alex Burke comes on to discuss two music documentaries, Keyboard Fantasies: The Beverly Glenn-Copeland Story and Dark City Beneath the Beat. Lastly Dakota does a solo review of In Your Eyes, I See My Country. 

While Hot Docs Festival Online ran from May 28 to June 6, over 120 films are still available to stream until June 24.

Timestamps

I Hope You Suffer on Leap of Faith: William Friedkin on The Exorcist 3:00-37:00

Alex Burke on Keyboard Fantasies: The Beverly Glenn-Copeland Story and Dark City Beneath the Beat 37:00-55:00

Dakota on In Your Eyes, I See My Country 55:00-1:04:00

Visit HotDocs.ca for more info on all films and screenings. Thank you to the festival for the screener links.

Follow I Hope You Suffer on Twitter and Instagram. 

Listen to Contra Zoom on Anchor, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play, Overcast, RadioPublic, Breaker, Podcast Addict and more!

Please rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen.

Thank you Eric and Kevin Smale for creating the awesome theme music and Stephanie Prior for designing the logo.

Follow the show on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook or send an email to [email protected].

Contra Zoom is proudly presented by Aesthetic Magazine.

On Part 2 of our A24 features, Royce Benson joins the show to help rank the top ten films A24 has distributed. If you missed Part 1 (A History of A24 Films), which covered the history of the company make sure you listen first. We also reveal the results of our A24 survey we posted on Reddit.

Follow Royce on Letterboxd. 

Dakota's full A24 rankings and Royce's full rankings.

Top 10 Films (Dakota's picks come first, then Royce's)

10. 20th Century Women / Locke

9. Enemy / Midsommar

8. The Lobster / Good Time

7. Lady Bird / Eighth Grade

6. Green Room / The Lighthouse

5. A Ghost Story / The Killing of a Sacred Deer

4. Ex Machina / Hereditary

3. Moonlight / Under the Skin

2. Uncut Gems / First Reformed

1. The Last Black Man in San Fransisco / The Witch

Timestamps

Survey Results 1:30-15:00

Bottom five slots 16:00-50:00

Top five slots 50:00-1:26:00

Listen to Contra Zoom on Anchor, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play, Overcast, RadioPublic, Breaker, Podcast Addict and more!

Please rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen.

Thank you Eric and Kevin Smale for creating the awesome theme music and Stephanie Prior for designing the logo.

Follow the show on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook or send an email to [email protected].

Contra Zoom is proudly presented by Aesthetic Magazine.

A24 Films was founded in 2013 has been the home to some of the best cinema this decade. They have won countless awards including Best Picture for Moonlight and had critical and commercial hits with the likes of Lady Bird, Uncut Gems, Ex Machina, Midsommar, The Witch, Greenroom and The Lobster. We trace the companies origins, their early years, breakthroughs and ups and downs. This is a two part event, so stay tuned to the next episode were we rank A24's best releases.

Listen to Contra Zoom on Anchor, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play, Overcast, RadioPublic, Breaker, Podcast Addict and more!

Please rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen.

Thank you Eric and Kevin Smale for creating the awesome theme music and Stephanie Prior for designing the logo.

Follow the show on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook or send an email to [email protected].

Contra Zoom is proudly presented by Aesthetic Magazine.

In this episode, Bruce Franks Jr. a twice elected representative for the Missouri Legislature, an activist who works with the Community Justice Action Fund, a successful battle rapper and the star of the Oscar nominated documentary short film St. Louis Superman joins Dakota. They talk about his inspirations for activism, why he allowed a film crew to document his story, learning about being nominated for an Oscar and rubbing shoulders with the likes of Mark Ruffalo.

St. Louis Superman airs on MTV, MTV2 and VH1 on Monday, May 18 at 9PM ET/PT via simulcast.

Follow Bruce Franks Jr. on Twitter and Instagram. 

Listen to Contra Zoom on Anchor, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play, Overcast, RadioPublic, Breaker, Podcast Addict and more!

Please rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen.

Thank you Eric and Kevin Smale for creating the awesome theme music and Stephanie Prior for designing the logo.

Follow the show on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook or send an email to [email protected].

Contra Zoom is proudly presented by Aesthetic Magazine.

Continuing the long running series chronicling every Best Picture winner and ranking them decade by decade, Dakota is joined by Stephanie Prior to break down the winners from 1998-2007. On this episode they countdown numbers 5-1 to finish off the decade. If you missed Part 1, click HERE to listen. 

Timestamps

0:00-2:00 Recap

2:00-11:00 Shakespeare in Love

11:00-20:00 Gladiator

20:00-29:00 The Departed

29:00-37:00 No Country For Old Men

37:00-44:00 Chicago

Listen to Contra Zoom on Anchor, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play, Overcast, RadioPublic, Breaker, Podcast Addict and more!

Thank you Eric and Kevin Smale for creating the awesome theme music and Stephanie Prior for designing the logo.

Follow the show on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook or send an email to [email protected].

Contra Zoom is proudly presented by Aesthetic Magazine.

Continuing the long running series chronicling every Best Picture winner and ranking them decade by decade, Dakota is joined by Stephanie Prior to break down the winners from 1998-2007. On this episode they countdown numbers 10-6 with part 2 coming out in two weeks to finish off the decade.

Timestamps

10. Crash 2:00-9:00

9. Million Dollar Baby 9:00-17:00

8. A Beautiful Mind 17:00-24:00

7. Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King 24:00-35:00

6. American Beauty 35:00-44:00

Listen to Contra Zoom on Anchor, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play, Overcast, RadioPublic, Breaker, Podcast Addict and more!

Thank you Eric and Kevin Smale for creating the awesome theme music and Stephanie Prior for designing the logo.

Follow the show on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook or send an email to [email protected].

Contra Zoom is proudly presented by Aesthetic Magazine.

Make/Remake examines how two films that share the same story. It isn't about what film was better or worse, but how they are similar and different while following the same arcs. In this episode we look at James Whale's 1933 film The Invisible Man and Leigh Whannell's 2020 remake The Invisible Man. Both films tell the story of a man who discovers how to make himself invisible through science and the disastrous, and deadly consequences it has on other people. Joining Dakota this episode is Calum McNab who hosts Scaretroducing, a horror anthology themed podcast. 

Time Stamps

Similarities 1:00-22:00

Differences 22:00-38:00  

Follow Scaretroducing on Instagram and listen on Spotify. 

Listen to Contra Zoom on Anchor, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play, Overcast, RadioPublic, Breaker, Podcast Addict and more!

Thank you Eric and Kevin Smale for creating the awesome theme music and Stephanie Prior for designing the logo.

Follow the show on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook or send an email to [email protected].

Contra Zoom is proudly presented by Aesthetic Magazine.

On the last episode we covered the most anticipated films of 2020, not even two weeks later but everything scheduled before the summer either has been pushed back or announced it will be released directly to own or stream, bypassing cinemas entirely. COVID-19 has wrecked havoc on the world, and unfortunately the movie industry is no different. Sammy Feilchenfeld joins as talk about movies that have delayed releases, films that are halting production and what this all means for blockbusters this summer and awards season in the fall.

Listen to Contra Zoom on Anchor, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play, Overcast, RadioPublic, Breaker, Podcast Addict and more!

Thank you Eric and Kevin Smale for creating the awesome theme music and Stephanie Prior for designing the logo.

Follow the show on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook or send an email to [email protected].

Contra Zoom is proudly presented by Aesthetic Magazine.

We finally close the chapter on season 5 and of 2019, as we movie on to talk about the most anticipated films coming out this year. Due to the coronavirus, some film releases have already been pushed back, while others are very likely to be moved as well. So please understand that this episode might eventually become just a films I'm looking forward too, but might not be out anytime soon. 

Listen to Contra Zoom on Anchor, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play, Overcast, RadioPublic, Breaker, Podcast Addict and more!

Thank you Eric and Kevin Smale for creating the awesome theme music and Stephanie Prior for designing the logo.

Follow the show on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook or send an email to [email protected].

Contra Zoom is proudly presented by Aesthetic Magazine.