Flixwise Podcast

On today's show, we have another musical entry for the Flixwise Favorites List. This time UW-Madison Media and Cultural Studies graduate student, Austin Morris, is pitching Steve Antin's 2010 cultural artifact, Burlesque for inclusion in our little pantheon. In order for Burlesque to make the cut, Austin must convince host, Lady P, and our guest panelist Assistant Professor and Reverse Shot film critic, Matt Connolly, that this cinematic oddity is one of the greatest films of all time.

All three panelists agree that Burlesque features some questionable aesthetic and narrative choices, however, they all agree that the film's flaws only deepen their appreciation. While the film's weakness are multitude it does have a number of superlative elements - the primary one being that it provides a sufficiently shiny platform for one of the world's most indelible pop icons to sing and vamp for two hours. Much as we love Xtina, we are of course referring to the Cher, who swoops in and claims our affections like they're Hollywood Hills "air rights."

Obviously, a sizable portion of the episode is devoted to Cher-ing thoughts on the Mamma Mia 2 star, but the panel does eventually take time to highlight some of the other standout performances, including Stanley Tucci's turn as Sean, and the dog-whistling presence of Alan Rickman. Plus, they delve into various queer readings of the text, which includes comparisons to other notorious backstage dramas, All About Eve and Showgirls, and talk about whether Burlesque's value as camp classic should translate to greater recognition in mainstream canons.

Martin is joined by Alistair Pitts of the Russophiles Unite! Movie Podcast to talk about the classic (or possibly cult classic) Withnail and I. They talk about the comedy that isn't immediately apparent that it's a comedy, its depiction of the 1960s, alcoholism, and tiptoe through the character Uncle Monty. Also Martin picks on Johhny Depp, but can't pronounce "Withnail".

Martin is joined by Scorsese aficionado Robert Cotto to discuss Martin Scorsese's Religious Trilogy (The Last Temptation of Christ, Kundun, and Silence). Together they examine the themes of the trilogy, praise the many performances throughout, talk about the varied responses to each film upon their release, and manage to give their personal feelings toward each film as well.

Martin is joined by Leanne Kubicz to discuss Jackass: The Movie, Jackass Number Two, Jackass 3D, and everything that can be squeezed in between. They talk about which jokes hold up and which skits couldn't be done today. They take a look at the members of the Jackass crew, and discuss bad taste and the virtues of outsiderdom.

We at Flixwise believe that it is important that we concern ourselves with whether a film's reputation is earned or simply accepted as common wisdom. That it is important to care enough about the art of filmmaking to pause and reflect on even the most common or woeful of motion pictures. And really, what's more woeful than being given the boot from "The Happiest Place on Earth?" With that in mind, we ever so humbly present a Flixwise Favorites face-off featuring two films that have long been relegated to the Disney Corporation deep-freeze. On today's show, the all-but-forgotten 1988 Disney Animated Film, Oliver and Company (Scribner), squares off against the film that rang the death knell for the Disney Renaissance, The Hunchback of Notre Dame (Trousdale and Wise, 1996), to determine which movie is the most deserving of a spot on the Flixwise Favorites list.

To weigh on which film is the more worthy selection, Lady P is joined by two of her fellow UW-Madison graduate students. Taking the Oliver side is Matt St. John who contends that Dodger (voiced by Billy Joel) remains one of the coolest, most aspirational, figures in the Disney pantheon. Then, on the Hunchback side is Disney scholar, and fellow podcaster, Tim Brayton, who steps the listeners through the historical significance of both films but remains squarely on the side of Hunchback as the true masterpiece. Listen up to hear Lady P's verdict as to which picture deserves "some more" love.

Martin is joined by Matthias van der Roest to discuss Mathieu Kassovitz' 1995 breakout film, La Haine. They talk about the film's look, soundtrack, and influences. They discuss the housing projects depicted in the film, the hip-hop soundtrack, and the continues relevance of its story. They cover the film's sound and visual style, and talk about the not-so-French films that influenced it.

Lady P is joined by film historian and Orson Welles scholar, Professor Joseph McBride, as well as fellow UW-Madison graduate student and Welles enthusiast, Erica Moulton, to discuss one of Orson's most popular non-directorial efforts. Today's Sight and Sound entry is the 73rd movie on the International Critics Poll, Carol Reed's The Third Man (1949). A film in which Orson utilizes his immense onscreen charisma to charm audiences across the globe into sympathizing with a heartless criminal.  

Despite only appearing in the film for a small fraction of the runtime, the specter of Welles permeates the entire story. The panel talks about what makes Welles' Harry Lime character such an enduring figure in Film Noir history and how the film's structure reinforces Welles' mystique. They also discuss the ways in which The Third Man plays with and subverts conventional Noir tropes and how it directly addresses the political landscape of the era. 

Lastly, they make a small detour to speculate about possible dates for the forthcoming release of Welles' previously unfinished film, The Other Side of the Wind and they chat about McBride's soon to be published book on the work of director Ernst Lubitsch.   

Martin is joined by Spencer Seams of the High and Low podcast to discuss Chadian filmmaker Mahamat Saleh Haroun's story of revenge and compassion, Daratt. They discuss the film's characters, themes, politics, and Martin manages to shoehorn Star Wars into the conversation. They examine the film's striking colour palette, its subtle soundscape, and the role of bread.

Martin and resident artist Emma Guerard have a discussion about the film work of designer Eiko Ishioka. The discuss her production designs for the literary sequences in Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters, as well as her costume designs for Dracula, The Cell, and The Fall. They try to pin down her unique aesthetic, and look at how sets and costumes can do their part to tell a story on film. They manage to touch on some of her work outside of film as well, including her work in advertising, the Beijing Olympics, and Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark.

Martin is joined by special guest Zachary Curl for a fast-paced conversation about Katsuhiro Otomo's animated masterpiece, Akira. They talk about the film's cyclical themes and its motorcycles, then get personal about perfection, imperfection, and inspiration. They discuss how Akira fits into the contexts of animated films, Japanese history, and life in general (everything from Sonic Youth to Katsushika Hokusai). Martin and Zachary also get into the follies of Hollywood remakes, with the threat of a live action adaptation of Akira dangling over all our heads.