Criterion Deep Dives

Chelsea Glosser commandeers the mic as guest host to revisit FRANCES HA with Tori Scozzaro and Ali Dickson. 

Inspired by the hype surrounding the 2021 box office smash hit Godzilla vs. Kong, Mike Poggi returns to discuss a movie we swore we'd pod about: Destroy All Monsters (1968). 

In celebration of the new 4K restoration box set, out today from the Criterion Collection, Dalton and Mike do a full-blown career retrospective on the Hong Kong director Wong Kar Wai. We talk about the man himself, his background growing up in Hong Kong, and the themes that pop up again and again in his films. (1:11) Then we go film by film and dig in to what stuck with us most about each. (44:54) Finally, we each rank these films top to bottom, as well as give our personal power rankings for the troupe of actors who make up the WKW experience. (1:47:33)

You can watch the video version of this episode here:

YouTube - The Films of Wong Kar Wai with Dalton Lee

Previous guests Robby and Logan stop by to, yup, you guessed it, talk about some movies. We start by talking about some current Oscar contenders, including Minari and Nomadland, as well as the pros and cons of virtual screening rooms. (1:04) Then they discuss Park Chan-Wook's South Korean military drama Joint Security Area. (23:13)

You can watch the webcast version of this episode here:

YouTube - Joint Security Area with Robby and Logan

Tyler Lee comes on the pod to discuss his op-ed concerning the Netflix film Hillbilly Elegy, and what he sees as a poor and misguided attempt to represent his native West Virginia and Appalachia as a whole. (0:36) Then we turn to a different film about the region, Harlan County, USA, to talk about how it continues to resonate today as both a political statement and a model for radical documentary filmmaking. (24:47)

You can read Tyler's article here:

Netflix's 'Hillbilly Elegy' turns my community's human anguish into Oscar bait - NBC News Think

Mike and Steve turn back the clock to 2018 for Alfonso Cuarón's astonishing and emotional portrait of Mexico City in the early 70s, ROMA. We discuss the director's autobiographical attachment to the film, unique filmmaking methods that make it so memorable, and the film's take on the burden of single parenthood and the true nature of family.

Mike and Tori discuss the directorial debut from the legendary Barbra Streisand - YENTL! 

It's a Criterion Christmas! Rod returns to discuss his recent, first-time viewing of the Christmas juggernaut “It’s A Wonderful Life” (1:56) and Mike describes his existential crisis watching this film as a middle schooler. (24:16) Then the two attempt to deck the halls by counting down their top 5 Christmas films! (39:11)

With the arrival of MANK this week on Netflix, we took the opportunity to revisit its source material and the film that is often hailed as the greatest of all time: CITIZEN KANE. Hear why Kane is the Bill Russell of cinema, ‘Mank’ builds on and expand’s Kane’s legacy, and why Nick thinks certain genres are and are not bound to exceed on streaming in 2020.

Pat White brings his knowledge of Italian culture, cuisine and film to this look back at one of the crown jewels of international cinema, BICYCLE THIEVES.