Contra Zoom Pod

This is the first Oscar Primer podcast for Contra Zoom, 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 Martian and Bridge of Spies.

These are the nominations for The Martian

– Best Picture

– Best Actor for Matt Damon

– Best Adapted Screenplay 

– Best Production Design

– Best Sound Mixing

– Best Sound Editing

– Best Visual Effects

These are the nominations for Bridge of Spies

– Best Picture

– Best Supporting Actor for Mark Rylance 

– Best Original Screenplay

– Best Production Design

– Best Original Score

– Best Sound Mixing

Make sure you check out the first written Oscar Primer where Dakota discusses The Hateful Eight, Inside Out and Joy. These posts will be posted once a week. 

Dakota joined Sean Chin and Andreas Babiolakis to talk about the Oscar nominations among other things on this week’s episode of Capsule.

Andreas and Dakota gave their immediate reactions to the Oscar nominations last week on Contra Zoom. 

Andreas also wrote about the Oscar nominations.

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

Original post date was January 21st, 2016

This week Dakota and Andreas go over the just announced Oscar nominations. 

The guys talk about the films with the most nominations including The Revenant with 12, Mad Max: Fury Road with 10 and The Martian with 7. They also talk about surprises both good and bad and some snubs.

They also go through the big categories and discuss whom the early front-runners of some key categories are:

– Best Picture

– Best Director

– Best Actor

– Best Actress

– Best Supporting Actor

– Best Supporting Actress

– Best Original Screenplay

– Best Adapted Screenplay

Make sure you check out Andreas’ reaction post to the nominations that went up right away after the contenders were announced.

Throughout the Oscar season Dakota will be continuing his great Oscar Primer series going over what chances certain films have to win their awards.

The last week before the Oscar’s there will be the 3rd annual Roundtable Discussion with special guests making their final predictions and having some fun with the ceremony itself.

Music from this episode is the Oscar Nominated Simple Song #3 from Youth. 

Follow Dakota @Dgapa and Andreas @AndreasBabs and follow the show@ContraZoomPod on Twitter.

Original post date was January 15th, 2016

*So I totally realized, that there never was an episode 11 and that makes everything out of whack, so this is actually episode 11. Enjoy!*

On this episode the guys continue their talk about the third edition of their Best Picture Winners revisits. Check out Part 1 from the years are 1948-1957 (the 20th– 29th Oscar winners) here. You can find Edition 1 here and Edition 2 here and Part 2 here. 

10. The Greatest Show on Earth

9. Around the World in 80 Days

8. From Here to Eternity

Tie for 6th place

6. An American in Paris

6. Marty

On this episode they list the top five of the decade.

5. Hamlet

4. All About Eve

3. All The King’s Men

2. On The Waterfront

1. The Bridge on the River Kwai

As usual we award the best performances and film with our own version of the Oscar’s!

Best Picture- Bridge on the River Kwai for both DA and AB

Best Actor- Marlon Brando (On the Waterfront) for both DA and AB

Best Actress- Anne Baxter (All About Eve) for DA

Bette Davis (All About Eve) for AB

Best Supporting Actor- Karl Malden (On The Waterfront) for DA

John Ireland (All The King’s Men) for AB

Best Supporting Actress- Celeste Holm (All About Eve) for DA

Eva Marie Saint (On The Waterfront) for AB

Songs from this episode are from Justin Nozuka. 

Dakota photographed and Andreas reviewed Justin back in July at the Danforth Music Hall when he opened for the legendary Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys. 

You can purchase Justin’s latest album Ulysees on iTunes here.

This episode was originally posted on December 15, 2015

On this episode the guys start talk about the third edition of their Best Picture Winners revisits. The years are 1948-1957 (the 20th– 29th Oscar winners). You can find Edition 1 here and Edition 2 here and Part 2 here. 

Dakota and Andreas talk about the history of HUAC (The House of Un-American Actives) and the Hayes Code both black marks on the history of Hollywood.

Sarah Rix’s favourite films

Make sure you follow Sarah on Twitter!

10. The Greatest Show on Earth

9. Around the World in 80 Days

8. From Here to Eternity

Tie for 6th place

6. An American in Paris

6. Marty

Music this week is from Justin Nozuka a worldly talent from right here in Toronto. 

Songs featured on this episode are:

Dakota photographed and Andreas reviewed Justin back in July at the Danforth Music Hall when he opened for the legendary Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys. 

You can purchase Justin’s latest album Ulysees on iTunes here.

Follow Dakota @Dgapa and Andreas @AndreasBabs and follow the show @ContraZoomPod on Twitter.

This episode was originally posted on November 26, 2015

TIFF is in its 40th year.

Andreas and Dakota (mostly Andreas though) covered a bunch of TIFF films including Love, Stonewall, Lolo, Room and more. Check out their capsule reviews HERE. 

Follow Dakota @Dgapa and Andreas @AndreasBabs and follow the show @ContraZoomPod on Twitter.

This episode originally was posted on October 25, 2015

Your hosts Dakota Arsenault and Andreas Babiolakis were lucky to enough to see a screening of Rebecca hosted by the legendary film director Guillermo del Toro while he was in town to host a lecture series based on Gothic Horror films. 

This episode originally came out on October 15, 2015

Continuing on from our Best Picture Winner decade-by-decade breakdown from last week’s part 1 Dakota Arsenault and Andreas Babiolakis count down the top five films of 1938-1947. 

– Dakota recommends that you read the bio and trivia on actor John Garfield

Here is a link to our bottom five in this decade’s Best Picture Winner’s

Dakota’s ratings come first followed by Andreas’

5. Gentleman’s Agreement 7.5/10 8/10

4. You Can’t Take It With You 8.3/10 8/10

3. The Lost Weekend 8.7/10 9/10

2. Rebecca 8.5/10 10/10

1. Casablanca 9/10 10/10

Best Picture- Casablanca for both Dakota and Andreas 

Best Actor- Ray Milland (The Lost Weekend) for both Dakota and Andreas 

Best Actress- Greer Garson (Mrs. Miniver) for both Dakota and Andreas 

Best Supporting Actor- Lionel Barrymore (You Can’t Take It With You) is Dakota’s pick

John Garfield (Gentleman’s Agreement) is Andreas’ pick

Best Supporting Actress- Teresa Wright (Mrs. Miniver and The Best Year’s Of Our Lives) is Dakota’s pick

Judith Anderson (Rebecca) is Andreas’ pick

Songs from this episode are from The OBGM’s

– Pill

– House

Make sure you check the band out at the year’s Riot Festival http://riotfest.org/toronto/ on Saturday September 19th and buy a digital copy of their newest album, which is self titled from their Bandcamp.

Follow us on twitter @contrazoompod along with the host’s Dakota @dgapa and Andreas @andreasbabs.

This week we started a new feature where Live in Limbo’s mastermind Sean Chin joined us to talk about his three favourite movies.

– Shawshank Redemption

– 2001: A Space Odyssey

– A.I. Artificial Intelligence

The bottom five of our countdown is the following. Dakota’s ratings come first followed by Andreas’

10. How Green Was My Valley 2.5/10 5/10

9. Going My Way 4/10 6/10

8. Mrs. Miniver 7/10 7/10

7. Gone With the Wind 7.3/10 7/10

6. The Best Year’s of Our Lives 8/10 7/10

Next week we reveal our top 5 of the decade! 

Songs from this episode are from The OBGM’s

– “Torpedo”

– “Ijuswannaluvuallthetime”

Make sure you check the band out at the year’s Riot Fest on Saturday September 19th and buy a digital copy of their newest album, which is self titled from their Bandcamp page.  

Follow us on twitter @contrazoompod along with the host’s Dakota @dgapa and Andreas @andreasbabs

Original post date August 26, 2015

For this week’s episode Dakota and Andreas discuss the finale for Mad Men and what the series as a whole meant to them and the landscape of television. The landmark show just finished its seven-season run back in May and the guys have had some time to digest what happens. They talk about their favourite characters and some of the best moments on the show. As always we would love to hear your thoughts on the show by tweeting at us @contrazoompod! 

Music this week is from Catl. a Toronto dance rock band. You can buy their music both digitally and on records directly from their site.

Original post date July 8, 2015

In this episode Dakota and Andreas review the new Marvel movie Avengers: Age of Ultron and then rank all 11 Marvel Cinematic Universe films from worst to best. The discussions touch upon casting, scripts, direction, themes and execution. 

Here is the list of films ranked in order of when they came out (you will have to listen to the show to find out where they placed!)

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Original post date June 10, 2015