Queer Cinema Catchup

Fall is almost here, and so is Queer Cinema Catchup's review of Tim Burton's Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (with some thoughts on the original thrown in for good measure, too)!

Hosts Joe and Allison delve into the impact of Tim Burton's work, focusing on Winona Ryder's iconic roles and heartfelt interviews. They discuss the sequel to Beetlejuice, as well as the cultural impact of the original film and Burton's unique style. Their conversation contrasts the Hollywood journeys of Winona Ryder in the 80s and 90s with Jenna Ortega in the late 2010s and early 2020s, examining the agency (or lack thereof) of the

ingénue. Later, they consider Beetlejuice Beetlejuice as a Burton's commentary on the pressure to create bigger and better sequels.

01:28 Beetlejuice Beetlejuice: First Impressions

02:14 Revisiting the Original Beetlejuice

04:23 The Sequel's Plot and Reactions

19:17 Tim Burton's Legacy and Collaborations

48:39 Guessing Game: Counting Tim Burton Films

48:46 Johnny Depp's Burton Roles

50:19 Winona Ryder: A Deep, Affectionate Dive

01:00:35 Winona Ryder and Jenna Ortega: A Bond

01:11:28 Beetlejuice Sequel Development

01:16:23 Catherine O'Hara's Timeless Appeal

01:22:35 Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Beetlejuice: A Threequel?!

01:33:55 Final Thoughts and a Green Cake Melting in the Rain

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Joe and Allison are joined by Tomatometer-approved Rotten Tomatoes critics Nick and Joseph of Fish Jelly Film Reviews in this week's episode of Queer Cinema Catchup. Together, they unpack the 1959 film Suddenly, Last Summer based on the Tennessee Williams play; directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz; written by Gore Vidal, Mankiewicz, and Williams; and starring Elizabeth Taylor, Katharine Hepburn, and Montgomery Clift.

Listen as they discuss the behind-the-scenes queerness of this already queer movie (3:09); the central metaphor of the film and what it says about the implied queer identity of one of its major (albeit dead) characters (7:20); the deeper, darker implications of Elizabeth Taylor's famous white bathing suit (19:41); how the film got around the Hays Code (21:48); whether or not the coded and negative representation of the film is damaging (29:11); the connection between Tennessee Williams' personal history and the plot of the film (34:07); and how Katharine Hepburn's performance inspired Anthony Hopkins (39:50).

Thanks very much to Joseph and Nick for joining us; you can hear more of their reviews on their youtube channel and podcast.

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Allison and Joe return to their inherently queer (because they are queer), movie-making origins (because they made movies together in the backyard once upon a time) by discussing their OG filmmaking muse: M. Night Shyamalan. Hear our thoughts on M Night's latest film Trap, as well as our hot takes on nepotism in the film industry, Shyamalan's long and controversial career, and whether or not Josh Hartnett is a "gay millennial root" or even...attractive?!

https://www.vulture.com/2024/08/was-josh-hartnett-a-millennial-gay-root-an-investigation.html

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In their first video podcast (available on their YouTube channel @QueerCinemaCatchup), Joe and Allison break down the commercial-flop-turned-cult-classic Connie and Carla written by Nia Vardalos of My Big Fat Greek Wedding fame (who stars in the film alongside the Oscar-nominated Toni Colette). Hear all about Allison and Joe's relationship (or lack thereof) to drag (5:09); Vardalos's long and surprising career (11:59); how sexism may have played a role in Allison's preconceptions about said career (26:58); the exploration of homophobia in this progressive-for-the-time film (36:30); the disappointing critical response to the film that persists to this day (42:33); and how a TikTok clip of Harvey Fierstein speaking with Barbara Walters made Joe and Allison feel inspired and grateful for artists like Nia who are brave enough to create stories that push the culture forward (1:00).

https://www.tiktok.com/@_dofd/video/7393327709595766059

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The excellent writer and wonderful friend Hayley Sigmon joins Allison and Joe on this week's Queer Cinema Catchup. Listen as they delve into Luke Gilford's National Anthem. Over the course of the episode, they'll unpack the disconnect between their negative reactions and the critical praise the film has received (9:30; 26:10); the ways in which Luke's own history does and does not make its way into the narrative (22:17); the history of the Gay American Cowboy (35:48); and their invention of a trope to rival the Manic Pixie Dream Girl known as the Shy, Soulful, Tortured Twink (43:55).

https://www.brandeis.edu/writing-program/write-now/2021-2022/miller-hana/index.html

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In this episode of Queer Cinema Catchup, Joe and Allison delve into Oz Perkins' Longlegs. They cover scary and silly Nicolas Cage moments; Neon's marketing trickery; and queer subtext (with some help from Them's Samantha Allen and her excellent analysis of gender, the horror genre, and Longleg's connection to the closeted star of Psycho Anthony Perkins). Check it out and send your thoughts to [email protected].

https://www.them.us/story/longlegs-movie-queerphobic-criticism-oz-perkins

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This week, Allison and Joe are on location in Chicago discussing Ti West's latest film MaXXXine with some lovely and insightful guests. Join them on the shore of Lake Michigan as they break down the plot and follow them back to the mean streets of Hollywood (54:45) to hear some in-depth analysis of the film's queer-coded character and symbolic representations of fame as well as some insight into why they can't choose beautiful Chicago over dirty LA at the end of the day. Please note that MaXXXine is rated R and so is this episode of Queer Cinema Catchup.

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