Play It Again, Kyla

Listen as host Kyla and special guest Caden discuss the original MCU feature Iron Man! What elements are essential for a good superhero origins story? How does this film stand the test of time? And how is this rewatch impacted by the knowledge of how Iron Man's arc within the MCU ends? Tune in to find out!

Join host Kyla and special guest Josh as they discuss the phenomenon that is Hamilton! How is the experience of watching a recording of the show different from listening to the album? How do things such as choreography, lighting and blocking enhance the experience of watching this show? What is the most genius aspect of Lin-Manuel Miranda's writing? Tune in to find out! 

TikTok that is referenced in episode: https://vm.tiktok.com/JRHg8jK/

Join host Kyla and special guest Brittney as they discuss the cultural phenomenon and hit DCOM High School Musical! Why did this film strike such a chord in an entire generation of viewers? Has the film aged well? And how do we feel about some of the hottest High School Musical hot takes from around the internet? Tune in to find out! 

Listen as host Kyla and special returning guest Sara discuss the coming-of-age film The Perks of Being a Wallflower! What makes a film a solid adaptation of a book? What factors are necessary to produce a good coming-of-age film? And why are we all in love with Logan Lerman? Tune in to hear answers to these questions and many more!

Listen as host Kyla and special guest Hagan discuss Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief. Why was this movie such a disappointment for fans of the book? What sequences of the film work well? Where did the filmmaking process go wrong? And what are our hopes for the upcoming Disney+ TV series? Tune in to find out!

Super important disclaimer: if you have not read the Percy Jackson and/or Heroes of Olympus books you may want to skip from 6:00 to 58:30. The conversation between those timestamps deals exclusively with book-related content.

Secondary disclaimer: I apologize for butchering the pronunciation of Riordan a few times. Like "Brunner" in the movies, I pronounce it different ways at different times for some gods-forsaken reason. I'm sorry Uncle Rick.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, NATALIE PORTMAN! Welcome to the conclusion of our extra special Natalie Portman birth-week extravaganza and our celebration of Natalie Portman's actual birthday! Listen as host Kyla and frequent contributor Denise (AKA Kyla's mom) discuss Natalie Portman's feature-length directorial debut: A Tale of Love and Darkness. What does this film communicate about the notions of compassion, truthfulness and guilt? How do the influences of directors Portman has worked with in the past impact this film? Is there any symmetry between Portman's work as a performer and her work as a director? Tune in to hear answers to these questions and many more!

Link to Vanity Fair article on Portman: https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2018/10/natalie-portman-cover-story

Welcome to the penultimate episode of the extra special Natalie Portman birth-week extravaganza! Listen as host Kyla and special guest Shea discuss Closer. Why is this film called Closer? What does the movie communicate about the notion of truth? What does it communicate about love and intimacy? How do aspects such as the setting, direction and performances enhance Patrick Marber's brilliant screenplay? And what is the worst hairstyle in this movie? Tune in to hear the answers to these (and many other) questions!

Alice's first hairstyle (red): https://weheartit.com/entry/273967138
Alice's second hairstyle (brown bob with side bangs):  https://www.hotflick.net/pictures/004CLO_Natalie_Portman_032.html
Alice's third hairstyle (brown bob with straight across bangs): https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/article/definitive-natalie-portman-movies/closer/
Alice's fourth hairstyle (pink bob): https://www.popsugar.com/entertainment/photo-gallery/23447822/image/23447849/Closer-2004
Alice's fifth hairstyle (blonde wig): https://ew.com/article/2004/11/05/julia-natalie-jude-and-clive-making-closer/
Alice's sixth hairstyle (bouncy, natural curls): https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0376541/mediaviewer/rm2017959681

Alice's awful coat: https://gcottraux.files.wordpress.com/2016/10/natalie-portman-closer.jpg
 

Welcome to yet another installment in our extra special Natalie Portman birth-week extravaganza! Listen as host Kyla and frequent contributor Denise (AKA Kyla's mom) discuss the quintessential mom-and-daughter movie Anywhere But Here! What are the central themes of this film? How does this movie manage to feel so lived-in and real? Is this Susan Sarandon's greatest performance to date? Is it Portman's? Tune in to find out!

Welcome to the fifth installment of our extra special Natalie Portman birth-week extravaganza! Listen as host Kyla and special guest Mychal discuss The Other Boleyn Girl. Is this movie one of the most underrated of the modern cinematic era? What makes Portman's performance here so memorable? What makes the cinematography so phenomenal? Does a film need to he historically accurate in order to be good? And who has the worst faux British accent in this film? Tune in to find out! 

The next installment in our extra special Natalie Portman birth-week extravaganza! Listen as host Kyla and special guest Carrie discuss No Strings Attached. How well does this film hit all of the essential romcom beats? How does it manage to subvert the expectations of its genre? Is Emma Kurtzman (of Camp Weehawken) the most complex female romcom protagonist? Tune in to find out! 

Essential romcom checklist:
1. Ridiculously good-looking leads
2. Plucky, comic relief best friend(s) who steals the show
3. Lead(s) has unconventional relationship with their boss
4. The location/city is central to the story
5. A memorable soundtrack
6. A scene of singing (even though this is not a musical)
7. An older, veteran actor who is not particularly known for their work in the romcom genre appears 
8. A ridiculous degree of suspension of disbelief is required for the premise to work
9. The lead(s) has somewhat of an unusual job
10. Most of the presented social life of the lead(s) revolves around work
11. An obstacle to the relationship occurs as the couple falls deeply in love
12. There is a race against the clock for a romantic reunion
13. A line or action during the emotional climax hearkens back to a previous moment of bonding for the central couple