GoodTrash GenreCast

This week we examine a film loosely based on the novel The Running Man, by Stephen King, writing as Richard Bauchman. Arnold is up to his usually cheekiness, full of efficient distribution of violence and perhaps violent one-liners. It's so 80's-tastic and yet very much a film for contemporary thinking and we would love you all to tune in.

We begin this week as always talking about our opinion of the film and generally find this to be pretty disposable (spoiler alert). However, despite its overall schlockiness, we find this film to to be ripe for analysis.

The show warms up with this week's game, our favorite manhunt films. Be sure and listen closely here dear listener, because though we mention several films that have been mentioned and even the subject of previous episodes, there are some gems in here to add to your GoodTrash syllabus.

Once we get down to analysis, we begin with a conversation about the prescience of a film made in 1987 that depicts a future 2017. This leads to a conversation about the cycles of anti-fascist cinema of the 80's, the early 2000's and today. We then move to a discussion of the misogyny of this film and it's relationship to rape culture and the difficulty of filming confrontations between men and women. Finally, our conversation moves to a discussion of the surveillance state, reality TV, and the difficulty of disappearing in the 21st century.

Get into it!

After a brief break, Dalton and Dustin return to break open Kathryn Bigelow’s 90’s action movie classic, Point Break. Classic, you question? Yes, classic we say. It’s a film that pits two of the decades most beloved heartthrobs against each other and has surfing and skydiving. What more could you want?

The conversation gets off to a quick start as Dustin and Dalton argue the merits of the film and it’s direction. The episode then moves into the game—a tribute to the recently departed Bill Paxton. As always though the real business of this show is analysis, and that’s exactly where the conversation moves after the game.

This week we start something a little different. As our typical roundtable of talkers has become something more akin to a duo, we have decided to make things a bit more conversational. Dalton kicks it off by engaging with the obvious gay subtext of Point Break and other films of the era. Dustin then brings in an eco-critical analysis of the film’s juxtaposition of nature and civilization. Dalton and Dustin discuss the spiritual and anti-spiritual relationships the characters have with the ocean and society.

This brings us to one of our favorite discussions: violence in cinema. However, the nuance this week is the way in which the film connects violence to nature. We end our discussion by examining how this relationship is realized formally in both shots and color used by Bigelow to contrast the beach with the city.

Surfs up!

On a landmark episode of your favorite film analysis podcasts, Arthur and Caleb say good bay the only way they know how; debauchery. That's right, on this week's GoodTrash GenreCast we're taking a look at Scorsese's The Wolf of Wall Street. It's three hours of coke, prostitues and innovative dart games. But, is it one of Scorsese's best? Or, is it guilty of unnecessary excess?

Before we find out the answer, we play our game. This week, your hosts rapidly examine Careers that Films Talked Them Out Of. It's fast and it's hot, so keep up. We then move into our round table analysis.

Dustin gets things going by bringing up David Bordwell, and examining The Wolf of Wall Street as a melodrama. He presents a strong formalist argument before proceeding with the round table discussion. He brings up the film's critique of capitalism, and Arthur, Caleb, Alex and Dustin all weigh in on the film and its messaging.

That's it for this week. So, get your coat, we're about to head to Benihana's. You're more than welcome to join us...

00:38 - Welcome and Introductions

Once upon a time, your favorite movie analysis podcast sat down to talk about a story that has it all, The Princess Bride. On the show this week, we throw a cult classic on the table to see what it is all about. Does Rob Reiner's tale of stories and pirates sweep us off our feet? Or, is it simply, Inconceivable?!

The game for this week is a discussion of our favorites "Stories within Stories". We also have a special announcement in regards to some changes taking place with the show. After all of this nonsense, we get down to our film analysis.

The analysis begins this week with Arthur as he looks at the portrayal of the hero's journey in The Princess Bride. He briefly looks at the history of medieval tales and their connection with the monomyth. He finishes by discussing how we each embark on a hero's journey when we go to the movies. Dalton takes over next. He discusses the art of sharing stories. He brings up the connection that can be made by sharing the stories you love with the people you love.

Alex takes a feminist approach to briefly discuss Buttercup's role in the film, or lack thereof actually. Dustin brings the segment to a close and talks cultural hegemony. He brings up They Live as a counterpoint to help drive his narrative. He argues the ways in which The Princess Bride conveys conservative ideologies and reaffirms the larger cultural ideology of the time.

So come Dear Listener, we'll tell you a tale, of a boy and girl and their love story... And an analysis of that love story.

00:38 - Welcome and Introductions

Welcome back to your favorite movie analysis podcast, the GoodTrash GenreCast. On this week's episode, the whole gang gathers around the table to talk about Dustin's February host pick, the 2014 French coming of age drama, Girlhood or Bande de Filles. Is this drama a beautiful tale of growing up? Or does it crumble under the pressure?

We kick things off with the weekly game by talking about our Favorite Coming of Age Stories. Arthur decides to play a different game and talks about his favorite Coming of Age protagonists. It's okay, he does what he wants anyway. Following the gameplay, which is filled with bad Boston accents, the team get down to their film analysis business.

Analysis kicks off with Dalton discussing hanging out and social groups. He looks at the way life functions within groups of friends, and how these societal groups help us cope with life. Alex goes down a similar path to talk about groups of girls and friendships. She talks about feminism and gender roles and how Girlhood plays with all of that.

Caleb gives a rundown of the coming of age genre. He discusses the history of the genre and compares and contrasts the narratives as when told through the eyes of males and females. Dustin wraps things up by discussing the socio and political factors that Girlhood pushes up against. He brings up the idea of "banlieue films", which are films that focus on French suburban life.

And that's a show this week, folks. We've got to head out for the week, we've got a party to get to, but we'll see you next week when we take on a genre classic.

00:38 - Welcome and Introductions

Welcome back where the analysis is fresh and trash is good. Your favorite movie analysis podcast is back to talk F Gary Gray's hostage thriller The Negotiator. Is it a bucket of fun or a bucket of poo? You'll have to tune in to find out our thoughts on this 1998 action flick. But first, we have to play a game.

This week, we talk about our favorite "Wrong Men". Arthur thought he had written and closed the book on the subject, but Alex comes in at the last second with arguably one of the better "Wrong Man" characters.

As the analysis gets underway, Arthur presents a formalist/genre reading of The Negotiator. He examines how F Gary Gray utilizes the editing, camera and production design to infuse a sense of urgency into a substandard procedural story. Dalton is next. He presents a look at beurocracy and the thin line that is constantly walked by those in the criminal justice system. He connects these dots to beurocracy on a more general scale.

Alex piggybacks off of Dalton's reading in presenting her ideas. She reiterates the strength of Dalton's points, before aligning these points with current political affairs. Alex brings up how America's distrust in government has grown. She is brimming with ideas from her recent OK Policy Summit. Dustin takes things home by discussing the myth of redemptive violence. He examines how violence in this form is used to control people. Dustin then compares the approach of both Spacy and Jackson's characters in the film.

Well that's it for this week, Dear Listener. Now, if you're ready, go ahead and hit play. And remember, you never tell the hostage taker, "No."

00:38 - Welcome and Introductions

Hello and welcome back to your favorite film analysis podcast! That's right, GTGC returns with the final installment of 2017's Anti-Trash marathon with a look at Zero Dark Thirty. We decided that a former Academy Award nominated film would be a good way to wrap up our marathon. Caleb, Dalton and Dustin gather around to disect Kathryn Bigelow's dynamic look at 9/11 and the hunt for Bin Laden. 

As the show gets underway, the team offers their quick reviews of the movie before moving into the weekly game. Using The Hurt Locker, Zero Dark Thirty and her upcoming film as a jumping off point, the gents decide to talk about potential films Bigelow could direct. So, they name off "Movies Based Off of Real Events" that they would like Bigelow to direct. 

As we get down to our regularly scheduled film analysis business, the gents enter a round table discussion. Each host had a commentary to present, but each had thoughts on the other comments. So, round table it is. Dalton kicks the discussion off by examining the feminist ideals of the film. He mentions that the film doesn't back away from Chastain's femininity while presenting a strong female character. He points to some formalist techniques that support his ideals. 

Caleb wants to look at the film from the Post-9/11 angle. He argues that it is important to understand that this film is more about the aftereffects of 9/11 and not just the hunt for Bin Laden. He examines the ideas of vengeance and revenge and what type of relief that truly brings, if any. Dustin opens the floor to a discussion on the film's stance on torture. The gents examine whether the film is pro- or anti- torture and how well those stances are portrayed.

And that's a wrap for this week, Dear Listener. Next week, we move out of Anti-Trash and back to the good trash. The randomizer has selected a fun one for us. But, if anything goes wrong, know that we're innocent. 

00:38 -Welcome and Introductions

Your favorite film analysis podcast is back again as the Anti-Trash Marathon rolls on. This week, Alex has a host pick and she chose the Iranian-American vampire film, A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night. Aside from Dustin, nobody else at the table had seen the film, which is always fun.

Before we throw A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night on the film analysis table, we have to play our game. On this week's episode, we talk about "Movie Monsters We Want to Fall in Love With". It is a convoluted title for a convoluted game, but it is a lot of fun.

As analysis gets underway, Dalton kicks things off by looking at relationships. He talks about how when people are involved in interpersonal relationships, the people involved take on each other's baggage. He also speaks to the cat in the film as a symbol of this baggage that is shared.

Alex zigs instead of zags and presents an environmental reading of the movie. She points out some of the political imagery of the film and how it reinforces the environmental themes at play. Dustin wraps things up to talk about the film watching experience and spectatorship. He discusses the intertextual references of the film and how that impacts the viewer's experience. He argues that depending on how much film the viewer has seen they will have a different experience.

That's it for this week's show. The sun is coming up and we need to get back inside, hit play and come in... If you'd like.

00:38 - Welcome and Introductions

Editor's Note: Due to a technical issue, this is our first episode back. We recorded this episode as the second entry in the Anti-Trash Marathon, the first was to drop last week but the file messed up and we were unable to get that episode posted. It'll forever join a handful of other films as one of the few lost GoodTrash episodes.

Welcome back dear listener! The Anti-Trash marathon continues this week on your favorite film analysis podcast, the GoodTrash GenreCast. This week, we take on Luis Bunuel's surrealist dinner party classic, The Exterminating Angel (1962). Dustin presents a quick rundown of Bunuel's career and what shaped this influential classic. Is it worth the wait time? Or should you cut out early? Find out as we apply our style of film criticism to The Exterminating Angel.

This week's game provides a lot of laughs as we talk about 3 Movie Characters We Wouldn't Want to be Stuck with at a Dinner Party. We then move into the film analysis section to breakdown The Extermintating Angel. Dalton kicks things off by talking about Sartes' idea that "hell is other people". He examines the sociological factors of being stuck with other people and how those underlying tensions are cranked to 11 by Bunuel. 

Caleb presents his film analysis next by talking about the facade of appearances and the bourgeoisie. He talks about the economic history of the country. He argues that the context of putting it in Spain meant highlighting a country that didn't feel much of the same impact of World War II as other countries. Dustin piggybacks off the conversation before him and looks at the film's critique of fascism. He gives some more historical context of what was happening in Spain. Dustin argues that the bourgeoisie hold up the facade of capitalism. 

That's it for this week. Now, we've got to get ready for our upcoming dinner. The table is set, will you hang around?

00:38 - Welcome and Introductions

The red carpet is out and the GTGC crew is dressed to the nines. This week, we wrap up 2016 with a retrospective as we look back at the best and worst moments of the GoodTrash GenreCast. In our 4th annual Shelvies Award Ceremony, all five hosts get around the table. Arthur, Dalton, Alex, Caleb and Dustin sit down to speak about the best movies they watched for GTGC in 2016. They also talk about the movies they wish could be erased from their brain. 

Every year, the GoodTrash GenreCast gathers around to hand out a number of awards; Best Worst Movie, Favorite Discovery, Once More with Feeling, and more. They also determine the movie that deserves to sit on the platinum shelf. A movie that is worthy purchasing and must be seen and must be part of your personal conversations.

This year, there are several shocking awards. Dalton finally shows character growth as he does the unthinkable and shocks everyone with his Platinum Shelf winner. Caleb continues to try and defend Transformers in the face of adversity. Alex literaly partakes of candy on air. Arthur destroys a film that was a pop culture phenomenon. And Dustin tries to keep the whole thing on the rails. 

We thank all of our dear listeners for tuning in over the last 12 months. We hope you've had as much fun on this journey as we've had. Next year, we have some special things in mind to try and stretch ourselves even farther while trying to grow and increase the conversation about film and those who make it. We will return in January 2017 with our 5th annual Anti-Trash marathon. 

So, until then have a wonderful holiday season and a great New Year!