One Week Only - Podcast

Episode 44 of One Week Only! Our first Episode of 2017! This week's key film is is "Videofilia (and other Viral Syndromes)," a dark psychedelic drama about a group of web-obsessed teenagers pulled into world of online pornography and conspiracy theories. Directed by Juan Daniel F. Molero and starring Muki Sabogal, it's a strange, unorthodox film about the dark corner's of the internet. Despite that, it was Peru's official Foreign Language Film submission to the Oscars. It previously opened in New York, and is now playing in Los Angeles.

January is a slow month for film releases, but we'll stay on the look for all things indie film. This week, we also review the Belgium crime drama "The Ardennes" directed by Robin Pront, and the 1993 Studio Ghibli film "Ocean Waves," directed by Tomomi Mochizuki, which is getting its long-awaited US release thanks to GKIDS.

The Golden Globes are this Sunday! We take a look at the nominations and make our predictions. We'll be rooting for Isabelle Huppert and Colin Farrell, despite their competition!

Hosted by Carlos Aguilar & Conor Holt. Music by Kevin MacLeod at www.incompetech.com

Episode 43 of One Week Only! Our final episode of 2016! On this episode, we count down our Top 10 favorite films of the year. We’ve reviewed dozens and dozens of films this year, and it was extremely hard for each of us to choose only 10 favorite films. Here they are!

Carlos’s Top 10: The Red Turtle, The Salesman, The Lobster, American Honey, My Life as a Zucchini, La La Land, From Afar, Aquarius, The Fits, Swiss Army Man

Conor’s Top 10: The Red Turtle, The Lobster, The Fits, The Witch, My Life as a Zucchini, Swiss Army Man, The Salesman, Cameraperson, Chevalier, Kubo & The Two Strings

What were your favorite films of the 2016? Let us know! Find us on Facebook & Twitter, and email us at [email protected]

Hosted by Carlos Aguilar & Conor Holt. Music by Kevin MacLeod at www.incompetech.com

Episode 42 of One Week Only! We're covering a lot of films that will coming out over the next two weeks! Our key film is "Paterson," a quiet character drama with a quirky sense of humor, about a small-town bus driver who writes poetry, and his artistic wife who loves to paint, cook cupcakes & become a country music star. Starring Adam Driver and Golshifteh Farahani, this is the new film by Jim Jarmusch, and it continues his interest in small stories with unique characters, and finding the beauty in every day life. It comes to theaters on December 28th, just before the end of the year.

New updates in Awards Season! The Golden Globes nominations have been announced, and we look at some of our favorites, including "Elle" & "Neruda" for Foreign Language Film, and "My Life as a Zucchini" for Animated Film!

We also review the historical anti-biopic "Neruda" about Chilean poet Pablo Neruda, directed by Pablo Larraín & starring Gael García Bernal; the new Pedro Almodóvar film "Julieta" based on the short stories of Alice Munro; Palme d'Or-winning social drama "I, Daniel Blake" directed by Ken Loach; critically-acclaimed German comedy "Toni Erdmann" directed by Maren Ade; and 1970's character drama "20th Century Women" directed by Mike Mills & starring Annette Bening.

Hosted by Carlos Aguilar & Conor Holt. Music by Kevin MacLeod at www.incompetech.com

Episode 41 of One Week Only! This week our key film is the powerful and poetic documentary "I Am Not Your Negro," which is based on the writings of James Baldwin about the Civil Rights Era, and reflects on how we are still grappling with race in America in 2016. Directed by Raoul Peck, this is a striking look at how little has changed since the 1960s and how little white Americans know or care about the black experience. The film is getting a one-week qualifying run in New York and Los Angeles, and will come to theaters nationwide in February, from Magnolia Pictures.

As Awards Season continues, this week we look at the 15-film shortlist for the Best Documentary Oscar, including "I Am Not Your Negro," and the Los Angeles Film Critics Association's Award Winners, including "your name" for Best Animated Film and "The Lobster" for Best Screenplay.

We also review the coming of age comedy "SLASH" about erotic fan fiction, directed by Clay Liford; the hilarious existential comedy "The Brand New Testament" directed by Jaco Van Dormael; and Danish WWII Drama "Land of Mine" directed by Martin Zandvleit.

Hosted by Carlos Aguilar & Conor Holt. Music by Kevin MacLeod at www.incompetech.com

Episode 40 of One Week Only! This week’s key film is “The Eyes of my Mother,” an incredibly creepy horror film about a young girl who develops a dark obsession with eyes after the tragic death of her optometrist mother. Directed by Nicolas Pesce, and featuring beautiful black & white cinematography, this is a striking directorial debut that terrifies without every being explicit or grotesque. Now playing in Los Angeles & New York, from Magnet Releasing.

Awards season is in full swing! We take a closer look at the Film Independent Spirit Award nominations, and highlight some of our favorites, from the astonishing recognition for “Chronic” and “The Childhood of a Leader” to some well-deserved Best Director nominations for female directors Andrea Arnold and Kelly Reichardt.

We also review the documentary “Mifune: The Last Samurai” about the legendary Japanese actor, directed by Steven Okazaki; the anime comedy “your name” about two teenagers who find themselves switching bodies, directed by Makota Shinkai; the French drama “Things to Come” about a philosophy professor going through a midlife crisis, starring Isabelle Huppert and directed by Mia Hansen-Løve; and the animated satire “Nerdland” about two hapless friends trying to get famous in Hollywood, directed by Chris Prynoski.

Hosted by Carlos Aguilar & Conor Holt. Music by Kevin MacLeod at www.incompetech.com

Episode 39 of One Week Only! This week's key film is "The Love Witch," an incredibly detailed & stylistically perfect homage to 1970's horror melodramas, with a modern feminist re-imagining. Directed by Anna Biller & starring a fantastic Samantha Robinson, this hilarious & clever film about a lonely love witch looking for a man is an impressive piece of reinvention, that works both as a nostalgic throwback and a striking new voice. Now playing in select theatres, from Oscilloscope Laboratories.

Our interview this week is with Jane Ackermann, the lead actress in the film "Neptune," about a young girl growing up on a small island of fishermen, who becomes obsessed with the disappearance of a classmate. We talk with Ackermann about researching her role by working on a lobster boat, and filming the movie over the course of three years. "Neptune," directed by Derek Kimball, is playing this month at the Arclight Hollywood & Chicago, as part of the Slamdance Cinema Series.

We also review the stunning animated film "The Red Turtle," directed by Michael Dudok de Wit; South LA comedy "Hunter Gatherer," starring Andre Royo & directed by Joshua Locy; tragic drama "Manchester by the Sea," directed by Kenneth Lonergan; philosophical documentary "Notes on Blindness," directed by Pete Middleton & James Spinney; and Argentinian LGBT drama "Esteros," directed by Papu Curotto.

Hosted by Carlos Aguilar & Conor Holt. Music by Kevin MacLeod at www.incompetech.com

Episode 38 of One Week Only! This week's key film is "The Monster," a horror film about a mother & daughter whose car breaks down in the middle of the woods, and are attacked by a mysterious monster. Directed by Bryan Bertino (The Strangers) and starring Zoe Kazan in a powerful lead performance, this is a lean, efficient horror film with fantastic filmmaking & acting. Now Playing in New York & Los Angeles, as well as on DirecTV, from A24.

Our interview this week is with directors Neil Rough & Michael Fuller for their documentary "Myrtle Beach" about several unique characters living on the fringes of this touristy beach resort in South Carolina. We talk with Rough & Fuller about finding this community, capturing the look & feel of the town, and how letting the people just talk with no questions let them open up to the camera. The film is playing this month at the Arclight Hollywood & Chicago as part of the Slamdance Cinema Club.

We also review the romantic drama "Dreamland" about a struggling pianist who falls into an affair with a rich older woman, directed by Robert Schwartzman; the morally complex thriller "Elle" starring Isabelle Huppert as a successful businesswoman being targeted by a rapist, directed by Paul Verhouven; and the documentary "National Bird" about former US Military Drone pilots who are speaking out against the program & its actions, directed by Sonia Kennebeck.

Hosted by Carlos Aguilar & Conor Holt. Music by Kevin MacLeod at www.incompetech.com

Episode 37 of One Week Only! This week's key film is "By Sidney Lumet," a documentary about the life and career of master filmmaker Sidney Lumet. Featuring an in-depth interview with the director before his passing in 2011, the film covers his childhood acting career, his philosophy on acting and directorial vision, and behind the scenes of his classic films Network, 12 Angry Men and many more. The film is now playing in New York and Los Angeles from Augusta Films and PBS American Masters.

Next week, the AFI Film Fest starts in LA, and runs from November 10th to 17th. We want to recommend some of the smaller, genre, off-the-radar films to check out: The Lure, Nocturama, My Entire High School Sinking Into The Sea, Prevenge, The Untamed, & The Eyes of My Mother.

We also review the documentary "Peter and the Farm" about a rugged individualist living alone on his organic farm, directed by Tony Stone; awkward comedy "Rainbow Time" about two brothers fighting over a new girlfriend, directed by Linas Phillips; and family comedy "The Pickle Recipe" about a cash-strapped Bar Mitzvah entertainer who tries to steal his grandmother's renowned pickle recipe.

Hosted by Carlos Aguilar & Conor Holt. Music by Kevin MacLeod at www.incompetech.com

Episode 36 of One Week Only! Happy (almost) Halloween! Out key film this week is "Little Sister," a dark comedy/family drama about a young nun-in-training who travels home to visit her troubled family when her brother returns from the Army. Directed by Zach Clark and starring Addison Timlin & Ally Sheedy, it's a wonderfully unique and kooky film that takes a familiar story & breathes new life into it with style & compelling characters & a specific period setting of October 2008. Now Playing in LA & available on VOD.

To get you in the Halloween spirit, we recommend some of the best indie horror films of the year that are now available on VOD & Netflix: "Darling" by Mickey Keating; "The Blackout Experiements" by Rich Fox; "Therapy for a Vampire" by David Rühm; "Under The Shadow" by Babak Anvari; and "The Invitation" by Karyn Kusama.

We also review the documentary "Fire at Sea" about the European refugee crisis, directed by Gianfranco Rosi; haunted house horror film "The Unspoken," directed by Sheldon Wilson; and restored 1985 Japanese ramen comedy "Tampopo," directed by Juzo Itami.

Hosted by Carlos Aguilar & Conor Holt. Music by Kevin MacLeod at www.imcompetech.com

Episode 35 of One Week Only! This week, our key film is "A Stray," about a young Somali immigrant in Minneapolis, MN, struggling to find work & reconnect with his family, but ends up befriending a stray dog, even though it goes against his Muslim faith. Directed by Musa Syeed, and starring Barkhad Abdirahman (Captain Phillips), this is an intimate, nuanced look at an immigrant community, with a vibrant sense of place & culture, and a winning duo of a wayward young man & an adorable dog. It is now playing at the Film Society at the St. Anthony Main theatre in Minneapolis, and opens today at the NY Media Center in New York as part of IFP Screen Forward.

Out interview this week is with directors JJ Garvine & Tai Parquet for their documentary "Film Hawk," a look at the life & career of respected Indie film consultant/producer Robert Hawk. A key figure in the independent film scene for over four decades, Hawk has been a tireless supporter of aspiring artists, including a young Kevin Smith, and the filmmakers talk about what it was like make a film about someone so knowledgeable & renowned in filmmaking. The film premiered at Sundance, and has upcoming screenings at the Orlando Film Festival & DOC NYC.

We also review "Christine" starring an incredible Rebecca Hall as the tragic reporter, directed by Antonio Campos; the 18th "Animation Show of Shows" featuring 16 animated short films from around the world, from Acme Filmworks; the documentary "We Are X" about the incredible Japanese heavy metal band X Japan, directed by Stephen Kijak; and the luscious period thriller "The Handmaiden" from master filmmaker Park Chan-wook.

Hosted by Carlos Aguilar & Conor Holt. Music by Kevin MacLeod at www.incompetech.com