The Criterion Quest

Tom and Chris take a break from The Collection to take have a chat about the year that was 2019, highlighting some of their favourite new films from the year.

After finding unconventional love in Paris, Tom & Chris find themselves on the streets of New York City where they become entangle in a scheme involving a pickpocket, a prostitute, the police and a gang of treacherous communists out to steal state secrets.

Leaving the priest and small country town behind, Tom & Chris head to Paris where get caught up in the world of BDSM as a thief begins a relationship with a professional dominatrix, falling down the rabbit hole of all that entails.

After their bittersweet encounter in Japan, Tom & Chris head to the French countryside where they meet a young priest who is beset upon by the townsfolk of the village he has taken control of the parish of.

After fleeing the bug infested InterZone, Tom & Chris find themselves back in Japan where they meet up with an elderly bureaucrat who (after finding out some shocking news) begins a search for meaning in his life and any possible legacy or impact.

After leaving Italy and their travelling performer friends, Tom & Chris cross paths with an exterminator (with a penchant for getting high on his own bug powder) who becomes involved in a secret government plot orchestrated by giant bugs in Northern Africa.

Having evaded the police following the daring Paris robbery, Tom & Chris hit the road with an amateur strongman and his newly purchased companion as they make their way through the Italian countryside , learning a thing or two about life along the way.

Link to Scorsese talking about the film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LaHn_AlcODM

Leaving the loneliness of the Japanese countryside, Tom and Chris find themselves crossing paths with a trio of men (two convicts, and one an alcoholic ex-cop) as they plan to execute one of the most daring heist in Paris history.

After a short break, Tom & Chris are back on their quest as they arrive in Tokyo with an ageing couple looking to spend some time visiting with their children. Unfortunately, things don’t go quite as planned as lives and families get in the way.

18 days and some 30 odd films later, Chris sits down with Toby to enthusiastically discuss some their highlights from this year’s Melbourne International Film Festival.

Featuring Special Guest Toby Zarb