The Cinematic Odyssey

On the thirty-fourth episode of the Cinematic Odyssey, Tristen and Max venture into Alfonso Cuarón‘s alternate future in one of Tristen‘s top films of all time: Children of Men. They discuss the biblical and religious meanings of the images and themes used, how the cinematography of the film makes it special, and even the shades of morality and how moral a police state can be. No arguments ensue but this is a film for the ages and both Tristen and Max say it’s well worth your time. 

On the thirty-third episode of the Cinematic Odyssey, Tristen and Max discuss where they’ve been the past month and where their travels have taken them. Neither, however, have been to Iran which is where Taste of Cherry is set. Max discusses what he missed from the film and Tristen attempts to instill meaning in the captivating philosophical drama. They discuss the virtues of life and living and also the moral weight of the given circumstances of the film. The film may move slow, but it opens an existential can of worms, allowing us to ponder what life is worth living. 

On the thirty-second episode of the Cinematic Odyssey, Tristen and Max dive into the six-part documentary series from Jon Bois and Alex Rubenstein on the history of baseball's Seattle Mariners. They both touch on their experience growing up with baseball and how the Seattle Mariners have never lived in the forefront of either of their pasts. Tristen discusses the importance of Seattle's geography as well as the themes of home, humility, and loyalty while Max delves into olde poetry to connect love of life to the identity of the Seattle Mariners, devoid of any major accomplishments. Tristen and Max both say that they never thought a team from obscurity could make them cry. It happens here. 

On the thirty-first episode of the Cinematic Odyssey, Tristen and Max dive into one of the best international films of recent memory with Ryusuke Hamaguchi and Japan's Drive My Car. The two spend a lot of time poring over the deeply layered script and the double and triple meanings behind every word spoken, Max gives a rundown on Uncle Vanya and Russian theatre, and Tristen defends the inaction of the main character. While it may be a slow drama, it remains absolutely captivating and spellbinding, drawing audiences in deep and not letting go. The emotional punches are many and Tristen and Max try to break down how symbolic the text actually is. This film is highly recommended by both Tristen and Max. 

On the thirtieth episode of the Cinematic Odyssey, Tristen and Max dive into Michael Mann's feature film debut Thief, written and directed (and executive produced) by Mann himself, starring James Caan. Max ventures into the moral ambiguity of the film and how the viewer can make a list of which bad deeds are worse than others, and Tristen discusses the captivating camerawork and seamless shots that create the robbery scenes and what it says about the work of a thief. Mixed feelings are exchanged between the two hosts, but it concludes with a very solid agreement that this film is the best that it can be, doing its best to root for the little guy to escape the crushing thumb of organized crime. 

On the twenty-ninth episode of the Cinematic Odyssey, Tristen and Max dive into Mikhail Kalatozov's nearly lost work Soy Cuba-- or I Am Cuba. Tristen and Max discuss the historical timeline in Cuba and why the film was made under the Castro regime, how the camera acts just as important as any of the others that we see on screen, and the delicate balance between national pride and nationalism. The beautiful poetry that ties each vignette of the film together lets both Tristen and Max reset and identify the feelings of another nation, one so close, and yet, so strange to our lives. 

On the twenty-eighth episode of the Cinematic Odyssey, Tristen and Max venture into the thriller realm with David Fincher and Gillian Flynn's captivating and engrossing Gone Girl. Both remain shocked at the amount of twists and turns, wondering how there possibly can be another layer added to the intensely twisted story. Max gets philosophical and poses questions about manipulation and who is the real victim of the story, while Tristen explores which character might be the worst in the film. All in all, just like the movie, we hope you can't turn away. 

On the twenty-seventh episode of the Cinematic Odyssey, Tristen and Max finally adventure beyond Earth's atmosphere for their first film of the great Stanley Kubrick. Tristen enjoys his rewatch and delivers his rendition of meaning to the cryptic and open-ended film, while Max remains surprised at the rating and amount of classical music all while being stunned by the breathtaking visual effects. Both Tristen and Max have similar views on the meaning of the piece, though one skews more optimistic than the other: you'll have to listen and watch to find out who's who!

On the 26th episode of The Cinematic Odyssey, Tristen and Max venture into Yorgos Lanthimos's 2015 darkly comic fable, The Lobster, and discuss, of all things, love. Both attempt to surmise meaning from the ambiguous ending and careful character development of Colin Farrell's lead role, and reflect on the archetypes of characters rather than using names. The highlight of the episode includes a Eureka! moment from Tristen for a change, breaking through to understand the true meaning of why this is a romantic comedy and how we can love in our lives. 

On the 25th episode of The Cinematic Odyssey Max and Tristen talk about the well beloved film Fallen Angels from Hong Kong second wave filmmaker Wong Kar-wai. Fallen Angels was a film born out of secondary ideas from Kar-wai's previous film Chungking Express. While Fallen Angels shares the same visual identity as the last, this film explores isolation, love, and melancholy in dark, gritty, neon-lit alleyways, streets, and apartments. We talk in detail about Wong's distinct and instantly recognizable visual aesthetic and how he incorporates visual motifs to enhance a theme, tone, or mood. Wong Kar-wai is a master of the art form and Fallen Angels is one of his finest pictures in his legendary filmography.