Loose Canons

Loose Canons Ep. 22 Kenneth Anger This time, we get tenderly loved by a man called Anger. 00:00-02:00 Puce Moment Plot 02:00-07:50 Liked It (Basil, Ilya), Disliked It (Reuben), Felt Nothing (Patrick) 07:50-10:00 Basil and Ilya feel, uh, something? 10:00-11:30 The dogs of Avantgarde-Cinema 11:30-14:15 Eaux d’Artifice Plot 14:15-19:00 Liked It (Everyone), Disliked It (Aqua-Spermatophobes presumably) 14:15-16:00 Patrick is obsessed with shooting water 16:00-19:00 Bubbly-mouth statues and signifiers of a bygone era 19:00-20:00 Imagery & Cinematography I 20:00-21:00 When it most looked like jizz is when Reuben liked it 21:00-21:15 French is difficile, n’est pas, Ilya? 21:15-23:00 Imagery & Cinematography II: what’s in the shot vs. how it’s shot 23:00-25:20 Scorpio Rising Plot 25:00-28:40 Liked It (Patrick, Reuben), Liked It Less (Basil, Ilya) 28:40-29:50 Ilya calls Anger a hipster 29:50-32:00 Reuben calls Anger a troll 32:00-32:20 Michael Haneke is a toolbag 32:20-35:00 The gayer Anger’s films are, the more Reuben (and all of us) like them 35:00-38:00 The gayness of Nazism and Anger’s ironic appropriating 38:00-39:40 Basil likes Anger’s male fashion paradigm shift 39:40-41:00 Ilya likes Anger’s queer gaze at Brando, Dean, et al 41:00-42:40 Conflating the most and least visible cultures 42:40-45:00 Iconography, awesome visuals and poking each other with boners 45:00-46:00 Invocation Of My Demon Brother Plot 46:00-47:20 Liked It (Reuben), Disliked It (Basil, Ilya) 47:20-48:30 Mick Jagger’s fucking weird soundtrack 48:30-51:30 Reuben liked the imagery 51:30-52:30 Basil doesn’t care about Vietnam 52:30-54:00 Creepy opening shot 54:00-55:00 Straightforwardness vs. mashing all together 55:00-56:00 Kustom Kar Kommandos Plot 56:00-01:00:20 Liked It (Everyone), Disliked It (Bad People, also Wrong People) 57:20-01:00:20 Masculine and Feminine Sex Confection 01:00:20-01:02:40 Reuben felt tenderly loved by this movie 01:02:40-01:04:00 Ilya loved "Dream Lover" 01:04:00-01:05:00 Basil loved the masculinity-as-performance aspect 01:05:00-01:06:00 “Everyone has a respect for the vagina” 01:06:00-01:08:00 A less angry Anger 01:08:00-01:09:00 Pleasant vaginal visuals 01:09:00-01:09:40 Dan Savage is a vagina-hating weirdo 01:09:40-01:10:00 Thanks for listening!

Loose Canons Ep. 23 The Loose Canon Part 1 This time we throw our hats in the ring with a list of some of our favorite films. Now you have even more to complain about! 00:00:00-00:00:29 disclaimer and theme song00:00:29-00:01:57 introductions00:01:58-00:05:32 fun facts about the canon!SPOILERS 00:05:33-00:08:54 His Girl Friday (presented by Basil), Cary Grant is a jerk, women can only choose either the job they love or the man they love00:08:55-00:10:50 Patrick’s favorite part, Reuben’s favorite scene (The Apartment spoilers?), Ilya’s thoughts, not a RomCom?00:10:51-00:14:28 By the Bluest of Seas (presented by Ilya), no one has heard of this movie, Loose Canons is so typically American, the plot doesn’t matter as much as the feeling it creates00:14:29-00:17:32 Reuben’s idea for our canon, Basil was just being snarky, Ilya loves America, Basil describes a shot he likes, Ilya talks about the spell that Russian directors can cast on him, Reuben talks about his dad’s definition of “greatness,” Basil hated fishing with his dad but liked Hemingway00:17:33-00:21:18 Princess Mononoke (presented by Patrick), Hayao Miyazaki’s take on war, everyone is a jerk, Ashitaka is an impartial observer and the audience’s entry point into this world00:21:10-00:25:08 Reuben’s got jokes, Both sides think of themselves as “good” for helping their own marginalized people but not the other side at all, Billy Bob Thornton makes Ilya feel weird, Reuben’s got more jokes (too complex), Take that Cameron Crowe!00:25:09-00:28:39 Los Angeles Plays Itself (presented by Basil), why this narrator?, using movies to comment on movies, what Basil usually doesn’t like about documentaries, the fictional aspects of documentary and the documentary aspects of narrative film00:28:40-00:31:33 We forgot to say release years, Reuben compares Los Angeles Plays Itself to San Soleil, Moves from the very minor complaints to the more serious and meaningful complaints about how Los Angeles is presented00:31:34-00:32:05 Quick recap of release years and directorsSPOILERS 00:32:06-00:35:31 Ugetsu (presented by Basil), commentary on samurai culture through the stories of two men who don’t really have anything but an empty fantasy, male vanity at the expense of society and especially their wives, critique of the gender imbalance in societySPOILERS 00:35:32-00:42:53 High and Low (presented by Reuben), not a lesser work of Kurosawa, how High and Low combines many of Kurosawa’s themes and techniques into one film, the weird beliefs of the police, really unique structure, police as personal vengeance, nonsensical actions become sensical when you’re poor, Gondo denied heroism00:42:54-00:47:57 Tangled (presented by Basil), who cares about these directors, Disney responding to its own history, styling is a step forward (isn’t indulging lascivious dads), narrative is Rapunzel’s and love story is ancillary, Flynn’s arc is learning to step out of the way, best wordless performance maybe ever, doghorse00:47:58-00:53:29 The Iron Giant (presented by Ilya), Ilya hasn’t seen it a long time but left a deep mark, one of his more emotional experiences in a movie, strange to watch as a Russian an American perspective on the Cold War, not enough people got to see this, celeb stunt casting gives surprising performances00:53:30-00:54:10 What Vin Diesel brings to the table, Reuben’s future careerSPOILERS 00:54:11-00:58:21 The Science of Sleep (presented by Reuben), Gondry undercuts everything you expect for him here, romantic love is a form of vanity of finding someone to “complete you,” invading a woman’s privacy multiple times is not romantic, yet still manages to achieve sympathy for Stephane, patriarchy creates two victims, false happy ending00:58:22-00:59:30 Patrick says thanks for addressing my question!, man pursuing a woman not about their relationship but about what it would mean to the man to “get” her00:59:31-01:02:29 Doppelganger (presented by Reuben), this film necessitates the context of the di

Loose Canons Ep. 21 Ossessione This time we get obsessed with money and eel innuendo.  00:00-01:50 Brief Plot Recap: Basil 01:50-08:05 Liked It (Ilya, Basil), Disliked It (Reuben, Patrick) 08:05-10:45 Ilya liked the sad, sad soup-eating scene 10:45-12:00 The movie goes in some weird, unexpected directions 12:00-12:35 Especially compared to Double Indemnity 12:35-13:00 Reuben doesn’t like these stories 13:00-14:05 Patrick thinks it’s hard to show people being loving 14:05-15:30 Basil doesn’t think she was in it for the loving 15:45-18:00 Giuseppe as a repulsive and well-meaning guy 18:00-18:45 Repulsive repulsion 18:45-19:30 Basil thinks Gino and Giovanna are equally narcissistic 19:30-20:20 Giovanna’s obsession with money 20:20-21:25 Ilya thinks Gino and Spagnolo are the real love story 21:25-22:10 Basil thinks Giovanna’s a metaphor for Mussolini and Gino’s not much better 22:10-22:20 Patrick thinks the characters are cynical 22:20-23:20 Patrick and Reuben bring back the Warped Ones 23:20-24:50 Patrick is done speaking forever, then continues speaking 24:40-27:00 In Ossessione, Women who want things are bad 27:00-27:50 Spagnolo’s non-cynical economic philosophy 27:50-28:05 Forrest Gump! (?) 28:05-29:10 Basil thinks Visconti uses the prostitute characters to make a statement 29:10-31:30 BTW this movie was made during World War II 31:30-32:20 Leni Riefenstahl loved her some fascism 32:20-33:30 Ossessione has no connection with or reference to WWII 33:10-34:10 Mixed Mussolini Metaphors! 34:10-35:10 Mussolini Misdirection! 35:10-36:30 Spagnolo reminds Patrick of his Dad’s attitude towards money 36:30-37:25 The moment when Spagnolo chastises Gino for being a closet case 37:25-38:50 Visconti is most enjoyable within a political context (so is his name) 38:50-39:50 Same with Jafar Panahi 39:50-40:45 On that note, Ilya thinks This Is Not A Film is a satire of Home Alone 40:45-41:20 And with that, the podcast starts breakdancing! 41:20-42:10 Reuben remembers another super-sad Visconti movie 42:10-43:20 Ilya remembers a super-boring Visconti movie 43:20-44:20 Ossessione is The Decessor of Neo-Realism 44:20-45:40 Billy Wilder stole this movie cause he knew he’d get away with it 45:40-47:30 Basil remembers the super uncomfortable slapping scene 47:30-48:00 This movie is beautifully shot 48:00-48:30 And has no interest in plot 48:30-49:40 Shots! Shots! All those beautiful shots! 49:40-50:20 Thanks for listening everybody!

Loose Canons Ep. 20 Blonde VenusTimeline Blonde Venus:00:00-04:48 Ilya covers the whole plot (and his microphone sounds better!) 04:48-11:20 Liked It (Ilya, Reuben), Disliked It (Basil, Patrick) 11:20-12:20 Podcast Statistics! 12:20-13:40 Patrick liked the visuals 13:40-14:30 This movie has no middles 14:30-16:00 People keep telling Marlene Dietrich what to do 16:00-18:00 What’s good for the kid could be bad for the parents 18:00-19:30 The Infamous HOT VOODOO! 19:30-20:24 Hot Voodoo – Ilya unscrews Robin Thicke 20:24-21:50 Hot Voodoo – “Savages,” "Angels" and Racialized Stereotypes 21:50-23:20 Hot Voodoo – Von Sternberg’s Foible for Exoticism 23:50-24:30 Hot Voodoo – Reuben would've cut you out 24:30-28:20 Outsider Alliances 28:20-31:30 Patrick feels the movie short-changes emotional connections 31:30-32:10 Hello, that flop house scene is so good! 32:00-34:20 Basil feels this movie’s a Broadway Revue of Marlene and not really progressive 34:20-36:00 We all agree this movie looks amazing 36:00-37:45 No never means no in this movie 37:45-41:30 Marlene figures out the system (men) and climbs the ladder (of men) 41:30-42:35 The Ending – The son’s just gonna be another man 42:35-44:30 Reuben compares the use of repetition here and in other movies 44:30-45:50 The Ending – That’s what you and your voice are good for, Marlene 45:50-47:20 White directors should help undo racism the other way 47:20-49:00 This might be a shitty movie that Marlene makes great 49:00-50:00 Ilya loves Marlene’s vacation stare 50:00-51:00 Patrick loves Marlene’s singing (and sings!) 51:00-51:50 This ended up being much more interesting than Basil was expecting! 51:50-52:45 Nobody liked Olympus Has Fallen (except the first 5 minutes) 52:30-52:45 Thanks for listening, everybody!

Loose Canons Ep. 19 The Warped Ones This time our youthful minds get warped by the sun and we gain the power of indiscriminately acting like apes. Timeline: Warped Ones00:00-00:50 We are Podcasting Sisyphus 00:50-01:25 Reuben can’t pronounce the director’s name 01:25-03:00 Meet our (varyingly nasal) voices! 03:00-09:00 Liked It (Patrick, Basil), Disliked It (Reuben, Ilya) 09:00-09:40 Reuben wants to murder Akira 09:40-12:30 Patrick is wrapped up in Akira’s awfulness 12:30-14:00 This movie does have one (magical) black character 14:00-14:45 Fights are for people who can’t appreciate jazz 14:45-17:00 Warped Ones & PT Anderson 17:00-18:10 Warped Ones & Japanese Cinema History 18:10-19:40 Reuben’s Sun-Crazed Kryptonians Theory 19:40-23:20 Reckoning with historic trauma through accusatory, fucked-up characters 23:20-24:50 Nobody has written anything about this movie (jk) 24:50-25:45 Donald Richie – The One Man Wrecking Crew of Japanese Film Criticism 25:45-29:15 Basil – our Donald Richie 29:15-31:45 Every country on earth has a New Wave ‘cept the U! S! A! 31:45-34:05 This movie has really dumb opinions on modern art 34:05-37:40 Akira is crazy vs. Akira is boring 37:40-40:20 Doing whatever you want without consequence? Not that wild! 40:20-42:50 “Rebuilding is pointless and everything is the worst” – Japan 42:50-43:50 Akira did just get out of prison, for what it’s worth 43:50-44:30 Patrick feels bad for the happy couple 44:30-46:20 Wait, what happy couple? 46:20-48:00 The Kryptonians may just want the same things everyone else wants 48:00-50:00 That really doesn’t work out well for them, though 50:00-52:30 “We really need to talk about the past but we just won’t” - Japan 52:30-54:10 Erasing the past in A Town of Love and Hope 54:10-55:10 Most (movies about) young people are boring 55:10-58:30 Assuming audience awareness and the movie’s setting vacuum 58:30-01:00:30 Patrick was with the movie all the way 01:00:30-01:03:00 Ilya liked the phrenology scene and what it says about acting 01:03:00-01:06:00 Making fun of character psychology 01:06:00-01:07:15 Mona Lisa needs a mustache 01:07:15-01:09:45 Reuben thinks Kids had better things to say on similar subjects 01:09:45-01:10:50 Basil wasn’t bored cause the movie moves quickly 01:10:50-01:11:20 Nobody’s really a good person in this movie 01:11:30-01:12:15 Except for Gill, the magical black guy 01:12:15-01:13:50 Akira’s (and everyone’s) dream: swim off into the sunset with a black person 01:13:50-01:15:00 RIP Pimp C 01:15:00-01:17:40 This podcast is as long as the movie! 01:17:40-01:18:57 Thanks for listening, everyone (Michael)!

Loose Canons Ep. 18 One False Move The podcast is about to make a singular misstep when we discuss two unattractive Bills in Carl Franklin's "taut" thriller with all the early 90s hairstyles you can handle. Episode Timeline: Loose Canons Public Podcast Service Announcement 00:00-00:18 Liked it & Disliked it 01:40-07:00 Patrick wants to talk about the ending 07:00-09:58 Reuben’s Very Big Reading of what the ending might mean in a Very Large Context 09:58-11:55 Shot in the head just like in that other movie 11:55-13:45 Bill Paxton is not White America 13:45-15:34 Patrick says “class” a lot 15:34-16:10 Basil makes good points 16:10-16:50 Nobody is innocent 16:50-17:50 Ilya has a theory about that other cop getting shot 17:50-19:05 Patrick and Reuben debate survival 19:05-22:10 Sociopaths with glasses (featuring a Wire reference!) 22:10-23:50 Let’s talk about that batshit opening scene 23:50-25:45 And how nothing really happens after that 25:45-29:55 Basil hates how this movie was scripted 29:55-31:35 Unattractive Bills 31:35-33:00 Awkward Racial Hollywood Stereotype Talk (Ilya’s fault) 33:00-36:25 That convenience store scene is pretty awesome 36:25-37:40 Who feels bad about cops getting shot? Not us! 37:40-38:25 Basil reads Bill Paxton right 38:25-39:00 Reuben and the rest of us read Bill Paxton wrong 39:00-41:44 One False Move? More like Every False Move! 41:44-43:15 Reuben feels frustrated by this movie’s crappy police work 43:15-44:22 Siskel & Ebert are not robots! 44:22-45:22 What is that noise? Who is making that noise? 45:22-46:01 Ilya and Reuben hate “taut” thrillers 46:01-46:50 Carl Franklin never really made it 46:50-49:20 Neither did Ernest Dickerson 49:20-49:50 Surviving the Game is a fun movie, or so Russia thinks 49:50-51:15 Rutger Hauer’s acting portfolio 51:15-52:30 Back to the movie and back to that batshit opening scene 52:30-55:15 Billy Bob writes about black people at dance parties 55:15-56:40 Thanks for listening, everybody! 56:40-57:28 Outtakes!!! 57:28-58:06

Loose Canons Ep. 17 Shivers In this episode, we reap the spoils of our sex.

Loose Canons Ep. 16 Little Caesar Reuben, Patrick, Basil and Ilya take on the hard hitting pizza documentary Little Caesar from 1931.

Loose Canons Ep. 15 Wendy and Lucy Reuben, Patrick, Basil and Ilya discuss the extreme condition that is society and we get super sad in the workplace.

Loose Canons Ep. 12 Tokyo Story