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A conversation with Myriam and Michael, a pair of educators and writers, who share their passion for Drácula (1931) with us. Not the one starring Bela Lugosi, but the one that shot on the same sets at night. Myriam's work as a researcher into Latin American literature and history, and her identity as a puertorriqueña (she is a native of San Juan, Puerto Rico) give her special insight into other layers at work within the film, from choices of symbolic imagery, to language and pronunciation, to the nationalities of the actors cast in roles.

This episode was edited by William Dass.

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Ariel sits down with Bahraini filmmaker Amna al Hawaj, a woman on a mission to create change through popular cinema. She has worked on productions as varied as Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen to the Cannes Grand Prix-nominated Dègradé. She shares her industry insights as well as the view from her window on the world. She clearly articulates the best argument we've ever heard for the arts and the power of stories, and their importance now, more than ever. 

This episode was edited by William Dass.

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Ariel and Zoya discuss two legendary women who died a week apart - Dame Diana Rigg and Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, both of whom could be called feminist icons, but neither of whom fully embraced the title when advocating for pay equity or gender equality. Dame Diana tackled gender stereotypes in her roles from Emma Peel in The Avengers to Lady Olenna on Game of Thrones, while the Notorious RBG tackled those same stereotypes in court. Ariel and Zoya discuss these great women and how they have shaped understanding of gender equality in Western culture.

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Ariel sits down with Australian film scholar Alison Taylor, author of Troubled Everyday: Aesthetics and the Everyday in European Art Cinema, to discuss the abstract and immersive experience that is Zulawski's Possession (1981). The discussion ranges from Communist ideology to feminist reflections on the film and Isabelle Adjani's powerhouse of a performance.

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For the 25th episode, a tribute to the BBC's enduring radio show, Just a Minute, and its host, Nicholas Parsons. Ariel is joined by Kieran Cowan to discuss the enduring appeal of the show, and guests Dan, Megan, and Miriam stop by to play a tribute round of the game with Kieran as host. It's an episode of silliness and froth about a game that means so much to so many around the world.

This episode was edited by William Dass.

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Ariel and Monica talk all things AnteBellum, the film dubbed by many critics to be "the worst film of 2020." They discuss what the critics got wrong, what the film has to say about the status quo, and why people should be watching this film, and engaging with it. 

Warning: Spoilers aplenty are ahead!

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Ariel, Kim, Maggie, and Amy gather to discuss the various adaptations of Pride and Prejudice, faithful, fanciful, and modernized. They discuss why the work is so enduring and so endlessly translatable to different contexts, and go in depth into favorite characters and what each adaptation reveals about their psychology.

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Danielle, Irina and Ariel share their origin stories for the final part in our CRIP CAMP series. This series would be incomplete without a sense of the deeply personal experiences that have informed the perspectives shared on disability rights and activism. 

Warning: Explicit language throughout, references to medical trauma and assault, and frank discussion of sexuality.

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Ariel is joined by Kern Wheeling, of Cinema Etc., to discuss Antonio Campos' adaptation of Donald Ray Pollock's The Devil All the Time, a film now available on Netflix, starring Tom Holland and Robert Pattinson. Additionally, they discuss favorite films of 2020 so far, the landscape of moviegoing, and all the feelings.

WARNING: The discussion includes heavy spoilers for both the book and the film.

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In part 2 of the critical conversation series structured around the film Crip Camp, Ariel is joined again by disability activists Danielle Dass and Dr. Irina Greenman to discuss issues affecting the disability community. The conversation begins with a frank discussion of special education.

Warning: Contains explicit language.

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