Flixwise Podcast

Martin Kessler is joined by Emma Guerard to discuss a pair of films, Pandora's Box and Diary of a Lost Girl, both starring Louise Brooks and directed by G.W. Pabst. They consider Louise Brooks' acting style, her status as an icon, and how her collaboration with Pabst fit into her career. They compare the films to one another, and look at them in context of coming at the very end of the silent period. Also Martin finds out that there are Flixwise t-shirts.

Dave Eves returns to join Martin in discussing Sergio Leone's epic spaghetti western, Once Upon a Time in the West. They talk about the films casting of Henry 'Good Guy' Fonda as the film's villain, its international shooting locations, the myths of the old west, the nuance of gunshot sound effects, and what a 'special guest star' credit is doing in a feature film. Then they showdown to figure out if it's worthy of its 78th spot on The Sight & Sound List.

Martin Kessler is joined by returning guests Chris Funderberg and John Cribbs of thepinksmoke.com to discuss Rainer Werner Fassbinder's fifteen and a half hour long adaptation of Alfred Döblin's novel, Berlin Alexanderplatz. They look at its complex narrative, moral themes, and historical context. They make comparisons to the novel, the 1931 film adaptation, the rest of Fassbinder's filmography and other 'long movies'. They discuss it's visual and audio style, and try to figure out if Franz Biberkopf is a better person by the end (perhaps if only because there is physically less of him).

Lady P is joined by Patrick McGilligan, author of Robert Altman Jumping Off the Cliff, who has returned to the podcast to discuss the musically and politically charged film Nashville. However with Nashville being the only Robert Altman film on the list, they can't resist diving into the rest of Altman's long, eclectic, and magnificent career. Pat talks about his relationship with Altman's films, and what Altman was like in person. They look at Altman's visual style, his unique soundscapes, and even some of the costume in his films. They consider if Nashville is worthy of its 73rd spot on the Sight and Sound list, and ponder why there aren't other Altman films talking over it on the list as well.

Martin Kessler is joined by Jacob Rivera for a look at the films of director David Fincher in the 1990s; Alien 3, Se7en, The Game, and Fight Club. They see how well each film holds up, and examine their thematic landscapes. They discuss Fincher's shifting style, his approach to visual effects, his sense of humour, how he establishes a tone, and whether or not he might be considered an auteur. They reflect on spoiler warnings, DVD special features, Switzerland in the 23rd century and do their best Brad Pitt impressions.

On today's show, we're sinking into the sweet embrace of existential despair. Host Lady P is joined by co-producer Martin Kessler, Battleship Pretension writer and Flixwise regular Scott Nye, and new friend of the show Lilly Holman, to evaluate Michelangelo Antonioni's 1962 classic L'Eclisse. They step through some of the films forays into genre cinema - including it's sci-fi, dystopian elements. Plus, they draw comparisons between the previous two films in Antonioni's Eros Trilogy and discuss how this film plays as an extension of the other two, both in terms of cinematography and pacing, and also its thematic material. They reflect on its anti-narrative ending, and consider if it’s worthy of its 73rd spot on the Sight and Sound List.

For the second topic, the gang continues on their existentialist kick, with an exploration of how Antonioni's brand of upper-class urban malaise has been taken up by contemporary filmmakers. They discuss ways in which newer films attempt to render the current psychological turmoil of living. Then they offer up a handful of examples of their favorite modern cinematic cries of despair

On today's show, NYC film critics, Caroline Golum and Matt Prigge, of Blue Velvet fame make their glorious return to Flixwise. In their previous appearance they discussed David Lynch's 1986 neo-noir, and so we thought it would be appropriate to stick with the freshman dorm-room milieu and talk about the other 69th film on the Sight and Sound Critics' poll, Ridley Scott's Blade Runner (1982). They join host, Lady P (as well as Lady P's new school chum and fellow adventurer in grad school, Lilly Holman) in pondering the various philosophical elements of Scott's cinematic universe, and admiring the seamless fusion of several disparate genre film styles into the production design.

From there, the panel starts making baseless predictions about the quality of the forthcoming Blade Runner sequel: Blade Runner 2049, which then leads to a discussion about the greatest sequels of all time. Lilly makes a stand for the Toy Story franchise as being the greatest of all time due to it's narrative coherence. Whereas Matt and Caroline mount a case for why "renegade sequels" aka sequels where the filmmakers make drastic divergences from the style or themes of the original work are the ones most worth watching.

Martin Kessler is joined by Chris Funderberg and John Cribbs of thepinksmoke.com to discuss the films of two-time Palme d'Or award-wining director Shohei Imamura. They talk about his dark subject matter, his bleak point of view, the phases of his career, and his wild sense of humour. They discuss how Imamura has been handled by critics, compare him to New German Cinema, Luis Buñuel, and discuss why comparing him to other Japanese filmmakers may be a misleading.

Martin Kessler is joined by Jon Laubinger and Jason Beamish to discuss Chris Marker’s Sans Soleil. A film that seems to defy classification, they consider whether it’s a documentary, travelogue, essay, poem, or survival guid for the 21st century. They examine its varied images, and look for meaning in its unexpected juxtapositions and distortions of reality, and consider it it’s worthy of its 69th place on the Sight & Sound List (or maybe a Nobel prize).

Join Martin Kessler and Dave Eaves as they travel through time (forward, at regular speed) and try to figure out what Lo-Fi science fiction is exactly. They discuss examples new and old, of films that take an unconventional approach to all manner of sci-fi subjects. They discuss the themes, subtle production design, and walking the tightrope of pretentious in films that may not be obviously sci-fi. Then they let their humanity show, and can’t resist comparing them to sci-fi films on the opposite end of the spectrum, bemoaning Alien: Covenant and ruining Star Wars forever.

Follow Dave Eves into The Zone (or on Twitter) at @CinemaVsDave