The Matineecast

Runtime

68 minutes

Show Contents

0:00 Introduction

1:59 Know Your Enemy with Guest – Britany A. Murphy

17:57 The New Slang: DON’T WORRY DARLING

39:11 Spoiler Section

53:53 The Other Side: Britany and Ryan talk further reading after Olivia Wilde’s film

Thoughts from Your Host…

Welcome back! How have you been? How’s the family? Seen anything good?

I wager that coming back from a break with an episode like this might seem like a feisty move – after all, what could my guest and I have to say about this film that hasn’t already been said? Well, plenty, as it turns out, because of everything I’ve seen mentioned about this film over the last few weeks, so little of it has been about the film.

I could understand if you looked at the topic of this episode and thought about moving along from pure oversaturation on the topic…but I’d gently request that you come and join us anyway. This show has seldom been interested in the goings-on surrounding a film, and we aren’t about to start now. Certainly not when there are so many interesting things to talk about in regards to what’s happening on the screen.

That’s what we’ve been trying to do for nearly 300 episodes…and we’re not about to stop trying now.

Again – Welcome back. Time for me to get back to work.

Links mentioned in Episode 292…

The LAST NIGHT IN SOHO dance sequence:

Britany’s Twitter feed can be found here. Comments and feedback are welcome and thank you very much for listening. 

Enjoy!

Late September is always a surreal time for a Toronto filmgoer.

TIFF is such an absolute rush and flurry, and the way it come hot on the heels of summers end seems to throw one into autumn with wicked force. No sooner does it start, than its over – and with that finish, a return to “real life”.

No matter how many times one experiences a festival, they never get used to the pace.

For your humble host this year, it was a different experience than usual since I wasn’t able to commit until the very last minute. Along with this bringing a small-ish slate of eight selection, it also came peppered with breaks in the action to see a few concerts along the way.

All this to say, it was yet another unique TIFF experience … making this three unique TIFF experiences in a row.

To tie this all off, I’m happy to be sitting down on a somewhat noisy balcony and talking to a dear friend about our weeks. It was a tough year to keep up with people, so the catch-up was doubly appreciated.

Before all of the red carpets on King are rolled up, let’s catch up on the 47th TIFF.

Links Mentioned on The 2022 Postcard:

Some of Hillary’s stellar photos from her TIFF 2022 adventure:

Hillary’s THE WHALE review,

Hillary’s WOMEN TALKING review

All of Hillary’s writing at Live for Films

Info on all films – including access to digital and in-person screenings can be found at TIFF’s website.

Hillary’s Twitter feed can be found here. You can subscribe to the Matineecast via iTunes or RSS

Comments and feedback are welcome, and thank you very much for listening.

Enjoy!

Runtime

61 minutes

Show Contents

0:00 Introduction

2:26 Know Your Enemy with Guest – Natalie Davey

18:41 The New Slang: PIG

Thoughts From Your Host

I know full-well that I have become prone to nostalgia when it comes to these words of accompaniment, but I hope you’ll indulge me just once more.

One would be forgiven if one thought that my nostalgia was going to reach deep into the past – after all, my guest on this episode is a woman I first met almost exactly thirty years ago. However, there are enough notes of that in the episode itself – plus even better notes of such grand feelings in her own podcast episode linked below.

My specific nostalgia comes with this season of The Matineecast ending – and thinking about what sorts of life changes were going on as the last season of this show ended. To say that this has been “a year of change” would be putting it mildly. “A year of challenges” would be more apt.

I’m happy to report that every challenge was met. Each one has continued to expand my perspective, teach me important lessons, and ultimately shape me into a better person.

Today’s guest did that – shape me into a better person, I mean. She did it through our intense friendship so many years ago, and she continued to do it whenever I have thought back on the boy I was. I have thought back on how i could have been a better friend (not that I was a bad one), and used it as a way to evolve and grow.

Recently I heard someone say change is inevitable – growth is optional. That’s what I think about when I reflect on so much of what doing this show has brought me: the growing. It’s what I’m most proud of from the last fifteen years, and especially from the last one.

I hope to keep growing, keep learning, keep facing the challenges head-on.

As I head off into break, let me thank you all for coming with me through one incredible year, and invite you back for at least a few more.

Links Mentioned in Episode 291…

The Reframeables Substack

Matineecast 288 where we discussed THE UNBEARABLE WEIGHT OF MASSIVE TALENT

Matineecast 282 where we discussed EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE

Reframeables episode 47 where Natalie and Rebecca discuss nostalgia

Natalie’s writing at Chatelaine where she discussed how watching cartoons saved her sanity during the pandemic.

Reframeables episode 38 where Natalie and Rebecca discuss grief.

con·cat·e·na·tion/kənˌkatnˈāSH(ə)n

noun

1. a series of interconnected things or events.”a singular concatenation of events unlikely to recur”

Natalie’s Reframeables Twitter feed can be found here. Comments and feedback are welcome and thank you very much for listening. 

Enjoy!

Runtime

80 minutes

Show Contents

0:00 Introduction

2:26 Know Your Enemy with Guest – Keisha Howerth

19:18 The New Slang: NOPE

Thoughts From Your Host…

First things first – Keisha HOWERTH. I botched Keisha’s last name in the intro, and am profoundly embarrassed, but wanted to do right by here here and now. This episode was actually surprisingly hard to plan, so I am deeply thankful that Keisha was able to be so generous with her time…and feel like a right idiot for making such an error.

I’ll have a lot more thoughts to write about next episode where I’ll be preparing for the end of another season, marking another year of hosting this space, and bringing by someone I’m very excited for everyone to meet.

For now, I just hope everyone is doing alright – that you are watching good things and doing good things. I’ve been able to start seeing some of you, and I miss so many more of you…so please enjoy a shorter episode this week, and do me a favour: Do something nice for someone else today.

Links mentioned in Episode 290…

Billy Wilder’s tombstone:

Director Fernando Trueba thanking Billy Wilder as he accepts the 1993 Oscar for Best International Film:

The original radio broadcast of Mercury Players’ “War of The Worlds”:

Keisha’s Twitter feed can be found here. Comments and feedback are welcome and thank you very much for listening. 

Enjoy!

Runtime

80 minutes

Show Contents

0:00 Introduction

3:22 Know Your Enemy with Guest – Courtney Small

27:21 The New Slang: CHA CHA REAL SMOOTH

1:04:46 The Other Side: Courtney and Ryan talk further reading after Cooper Raiff’s film

Thoughts From Your Host…

Off the top of today’s show, I make mention about plans changing and all of us having to roll with those changes. If you have a calendar, you can probably tell that one of those changes was this episode showing up a week later than usual.

There’s a few reasons why we skipped a week – some frivolous, some important – but when the dust settled, having that extra week turned out to be a wise choice. I was able to throw myself fully into an important event that required a little prep and a lot of presence. The former caught me off-guard; the latter was happily provided.

When i put it all together, it seems emblematic of where we are – a place where plans can change, where deadlines will sometimes move, but where life can feel exponentially rewarding when we can be fully present.

So here we are – a good friend, a so-so movie, a great conversation, and the beginning of three episodes to finish out the season.

Thanks for waiting, and thanks for coming back.

Links mentioned in Episode 289…

Matineecast 260 where Andrew Robinson mentions at the end of “Know Your Enemy” that the artist he would bring back from the dead would be Satoshi Kon

The MATRIX RELOADED Freeway Chase scene:

Hooper X’s monologue from CHASING AMY:

Matineecast 277 where we reviewed THE LOST DAUGHTER, co-starring Dakota Johnson

Matineecast 202 where we reviewed HEARTS BEAT LOUD

Courtney’s Twitter feed can be found here. Comments and feedback are welcome and thank you very much for listening. 

Enjoy!

Runtime

80 minutes

Show Contents

0:00 Introduction

3:26 Know Your Enemy with Guest – DOUGLAS ROBINSON

21:32 The New Slang: THE UNBEARABLE WEIGHT OF MASSIVE TALENT

1:00:00The Other Side: Douglas and Ryan talk further reading after Tom Gormican’s film

Thoughts from your host…

Made mention of this off the top of the show, but it bears repeating – I’m looking for guests.

A lot of the usuals from the last year or two are dear friends and wonderful people. They have helped keep the line moving, brought such wonderfully thoughtful insights to the show, and been so generous with their time.

I often have this nagging feeling that I am missing people though – people I haven’t brought back soon enough, or people I never knew were interested in the first place. I’d love to get in touch (or get back in touch) and mull over ideas for future shows.

So drop a dime, as the kids say…and we’ll find a show to do together.

Links mentioned in Episode 288…

The “Golden Years” dance sequence from A KNIGHT’S TALE:

The Unnamed Movie Podcast Episode 54 where Douglas and the lads discuss THE IMAGINARIUM OF DOCTOR PARNASSUS

Douglas’ Twitter feed can be found here. Comments and feedback are welcome and thank you very much for listening. 

Enjoy!

Runtime

69 minutes

Show Contents

0:00 Introduction

3:15 Know Your Enemy with Guest – HEIDY MORALES

16:36 The New Slang: CRIMES OF THE FUTURE

50:57 The Other Side: Heidy and Ryan talk further reading after David Cronenberg’s film

Thoughts from your host…

I do hope you’ll pardon me if I keep my thoughts brief for once. It’s been a bit of a busy week around these parts, and the week ahead promises to be more of the same.

This makes four episodes in six where the film being discussed was watched in-cinema. There’s a line about eggs, hatching, and counting…but I want to bask in the hopeful glow a little longer.

Hope y’all are having a great start to your summer – here’s a great conversation about a very weird and dark film to start your week.

Links mentioned in Episode 287…

Trailer for Xun Sero’s MAMÁ – and Heidy’s review of the film

Trailer for THE VILLAGE HOUSE:

“The man with all the ears” in CRIMES OF THE FUTURE:

Trailer for PLEASURE directed by Ninja Thyberg

Matineecast 269 where Corey Atad and I discuss TITANE

Indiewire’s article detailing Viggo Mortensen’s comments on the relationship between TITANE and CRASH

Matineecast 277 where Ariel Fisher discusses the virtues of David Cronenberg’s THE FLY as a remake that elevates above its source material (Timestamp 17:11)

Toronto’s Blood In The Snow genre film festival, where Heidy is a programmer

Heidy’s Twitter feed can be found here. Comments and feedback are welcome and thank you very much for listening. 

Enjoy!

Runtime

70 minutes

Show Contents

0:00 Introduction with this episode’s guest, Kurt Halfyard

5:57 The New Slang: VERTIGO

1:02:13 The Other Side: Kurt and Ryan talk further reading after Hitchcock’s film

Thoughts from your host…

It’s not very often that I record on Sunday and publish on Monday, but this week, that’s exactly what we did. As a result, the bounce and joy, and dare I say even mild hoarseness in my voice is a result of a week’s vacation spent enjoying life.

It was beautiful – the sort of thing I alluded to in the last episode’s show notes when I talked about “the before times”. There were galleries, there was gardening, there was family, there were friends. Some virtual, some physical. All responsibly, all to the fullest.

This birthday marks the end of one incredible year at the new job, and almost a whole year in this neighbourhood. Along with wanting to fully celebrate turning one year older, I also wanted to mark the occasion of the year gone by. And while I will now be keeping a much lower profile in the weeks ahead, I am very very glad I did.

It brought me to this episode. It brought about a weary throat from talking to so many people I care about this week, and a mildly weary body from getting a lot more steps in. There was so much going on, in-fact, that Kurt and I had to delay recording until yesterday!

But here we are – ready to go back nearly 65 years and talk a bout a film once panned and now hailed. There are tangents, there are laughs, there are memories, and there is much to discuss!

If there is a better way to end one’s birthday week, I don’t know it!

Links mentioned in Episode 286:

“In Between Days” Episode 7 – a Matineecast offshoot where Andrew James and I discussed the 2012 Sight & Sound poll.

Matineecast 48, where Kurt dropped by to review THE DESCENDANTS, and we had just come from a 70mm screening of VERTIGO at The Lightbox (VERTIGO chatter begins at the 3:38 mark)

Matineecast 224 where Andrew Robinson and I discuss RAGING BULL as my birthday selection for that year.

Matineecast 267 where Kurt and I discussed THE GREEN KNIGHT

Guy Maddin’s VERTIGO tribute, THE GREEN FOG.

Kurt’s primary Instagram account, and his One Man Tobago Army account

Comments and feedback are welcome and thank you very much for listening. 

Enjoy!

Runtime

68 minutes

Show Contents

0:00 Introduction with guest Jolie Featherstone

3:44 The New Slang: MEN

49:07 Spoiler Section

Thoughts from your host…

If you tilt your head and squint, it almost looks like “normal times”. There’s a film seen in a cinema, there’s company coming along for the trip…had we been able to snack without our masks it might have felt exactly like “before”.

It’s still not though – and we’re still further away than everyone really wants to believe. Today’s guest gets that, and for my money you can hear it in the perspective she brings to this discussion. She comes hardwired with empathy and looking at the world through the eyes of others. She’s one of the best people out there for understanding that it’s not all about her – even during times when things are very much about her.

Like so many others, I too would like to go back to “the before times”. I’d like to go in groups to the movies that offer the most excitement or look like they will court discussion. I would like to wander back along the downtown streets and sit down with a guest to capture a show that gets shared with you lovely folks in short order.

Guests like Jolie – friends, people I care about and who care about me – teach me that consideration, patience, perspective can illuminate not only more within the culture we consume, but also in the communities we call home. They push us to pick each other up, and think about life through eyes that are not our own. What’s more, the film that we discuss today (differing opinions that we have) is an attempt by an artist to tell a story that isn’t their reality.

It’s still not “before”…but it’s getting closer and closer. I have to wonder if more of us were like today’s guest, and even today’s director…we might be a lot closer to “before”

Links mentioned in Episode 285:

Jolie’s writings at Wylie Writes

Matineecast 235 where Jolie and Ryan discuss MARRIAGE STORY immediately after a screening at TIFF Bell Lightbox

Jolie’s Twitter feed can be found here. Comments and feedback are welcome and thank you very much for listening. 

Enjoy!

Runtime

86 minutes

Show Contents

0:00 Introduction

2:01 Know Your Enemy with Guest – Andrew Robinson

21239 The New Slang: AFTER YANG

1:02:12The Other Side: Andrew and Ryan talk further reading after Kogonada’s film

Thoughts from your host…

We went for a smaller film this week – something calm, quiet, and philosophic, I know that a lot of the people who listen to this show may not have seen this film, or even heard of it.

That’s the sort of thing I look to change by publishing shows like this in the wake of larger offerings.

It’s nothing against the larger offerings – I enjoy ’em and I pay to see them. It’s just that the world at-large will know about those larger offerings no matter if I do a show on them or not (not to mention, form an opinion on larger trends they are part of).

By building shows like this though, my hope is that even one more person will become aware of a piece of art, and maybe even curious about it. I don’t want to get into a conversation about whether or not it is “better”, since I find such conversations often come with agenda and without real purpose.

I only wish to say “this is something I spent time with, and I found it affecting”.

There are a lot of reasons why a person might not feel this is a film for them – and there’s nothing wrong with such feelings. Film means different things to different people, and I believe there is value in all.

Speaking for myself though, just a week or so after I wandered out my front door in search of something beautiful and temporary – I can only say that with every passing year, I become more and more aware of how finite our time really is.

If I am offered some of your precious time, I want to use it wisely…and talk to you about something I believed was a worthy use of my own time.

That’s it, that’s all.

Andrew’s Twitter feed can be found here. Comments and feedback are welcome and thank you very much for listening. 

Enjoy!