The Matineecast

My guest this week brought the goods on what could otherwise have been a rather flat episode, so my thanks to him first-of-all. What’s amusing is that my guest actually created a great deal of work for me by laying down a final act of the show that was as long as the feature review. Hopefully the discussion still sounds good to y’all despite the edits.

So without further ado, listen in as we discuss a film that bothered some critics so much they decided to walk out.

Here’s what’s in store in episode one-hundred-and-six…

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Up for Discussion

1. Introduction

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Enjoy!

As it happened, I was midway through editing this post when the sad news about Philip Seymour Hoffman came down. Like so many of you, I was both shocked and saddened. His career had come so far in such a short time, I believed that we were seeing the beginning of something…never that we would so quickly witness its end. As I thought about Seymour Hoffman and his amazing body of work, my brain soon drifted to the part he plays in my all-time favorite film.

The rather crucial part he plays in my all-time favorite film.

So I thought it fitting that The Matineecast mourn Philip by starting this episode with a beautiful moment of his from that film. They are words to live by, and while they might have originally been Lester Bangs’, or Cameron Crowe’s, they are also – in so many ways – Phil Seymour Hoffman’s.

Here’s what’s in store in episode one-hundred-and-five…

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Up for Discussion

1. Introduction

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

Enjoy!

There are several people I interact with online that I wished lived closer. These are people I wish I could grab a beer with and argue about film, and people who I could call up and say “Hey, let’s go see this movie tonight!”.

My guest on Episode 104 is just such a person.

I don’t just say this because she’s a good sport and super-smart. I say this because the lass has fan-fucking-tastic taste in film, and her taste is infectious.

As has become the tradition around the joint, she drops by to discuss Oscar nominees. And what a discussion it is! Spike Jonze, Leo DiCaprio, Matthew McConaughey, Cate Blanchett, Lupita Nyong’o, Sally Hawkins, and that’s just for starters. There were few surprises in the nomination stage, but it didn’t make for any sort of shortage in discussion.

Speaking of that discussion, once or twice, you’ll hear me mention an Oscar preview post. The post and all its crazy theories can be found here if you’re curious.

So get comfy (this episode is long), but we don’t waste a single second.

Here’s what’s in store in episode one-hundred-and-four…

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Up for Discussion

1. Introduction

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

Enjoy!

Then there are episodes like this one where chemistry is pretty much at its apex.

You see, dear listeners, I’ve known today’s guest for almost thirty-two years. What’s more, he and I have been discussing film of all sorts for over fifteen of those thirty-two years. So beyond knowing each-others tastes and proclivities well, we’ve also developed a rhythm that will probably never be matched on-mic in the future of this show.

I guess what I’m saying is that if my chemistry with my guest makes for the best episodes of this piddling little show, then y’all are in for one of the best episodes you’re ever likely to hear from this feed.

Here’s what’s in store in episode one-hundred-and-three…

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Up for Discussion

1. Introduction

You can subscribe to the Matineecast via iTunes or RSS

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

Enjoy!

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1. Introduction

– Our Top Five of 2013 –

My goal for next year’s year-in-review episode is to get it in under eighty minutes, since for the third year running, this has taken the mark as the longest Matineecast episode ever. It beat the old mark by about five minute, and appropriately enough the old mark was held by the “2011 in review” episode. This one even beat the hundredth episode and that sucker brought together nine voices.

The Matineecast comes built with chapter stops. use them liberally.

For the third year in a row I bring you an episode that is far more collaborative than most, and I want to thank everybody who helped me bring it together. I know I’m a pain in the ass when it comes to requesting contributions, but I believe it makes for something more representative of how I engage with film than if I’d done this whole thing solo. I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again: going to the movies introduced me to so many wonderful people – both around the world and here at home .

As usual, if you’re curious about the songs used as bed music, the track list can be found below in the show notes.

As mentioned within the introduction, if you find the bed music distracting, a music-free version of this episode can be found here.

Here’s what’s in store in episode one-hundred-and-two…

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1. Introduction

– Our Top Five of 2013 –

Tracklisting

Tracklisting

(00:00) “Hold On (We’re Going Home)” by Drake

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

Enjoy!

While the early thought was that we’d dedicate this episode to the new Hobbit film, I decided instead to go back a bit and discuss a film closer to my wheelhouse. For starters, it seems as thought Alexander Payne’s newest film is slowly trickling out to more and more markets. For seconds, I’m come to the stark conclusion that the Middle Earth films just aren’t my bag, and it won’t entertain anybody to hear me grumble about them for twenty minutes each.

So we begin “the next hundred” with a family affair that comes from a place of positivity. Let’s see how long that holds up!

Here’s what’s in store in episode one-hundred-and-one…

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1. Introduction

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

Enjoy!

So here we are.

Almost exactly four years after I began it, my show hits the century mark. I’m deeply humbled that people keep tuning in to hear what I have to say, and I’m really lucky to have met so many interesting film lovers to break bread with. Matter of fact, if there’s a downside to my format, it’s that I know too many interesting film lovers and can’t seem to get them back for return appearances fast enough. But it is what it is, and today it is for its hundredth time.

So what to do to celebrate such an occasion? While we could have reviewed a new release, I didn’t really feel that FROZEN, CATCHING FIRE, or (lord help us) OLDBOY was befitting the century show. So instead, as I have been known to do, I put the onus on my guests. I brought as many of them together as I could and got them to tell stories about their love of film. Specifically, about their love of going to film. While it’s wonderful that we live in an age of watching on-demand titles on laptops and mobile phones, I feel as though what spurs our love for the art form most is the people we share it with. As you’ll hear through these eight guests I have gathered, the memories of the people they shared the films with linger long after the credits have rolled.

I wrapped up this show in a bit of a hurry, so permit me two quick details about its recording.

First of all, despite the best laid plans, my show was plagued with technical issues. In trying to properly capture audio from six guests at once, I overreached a bit and couldn’t pull off the audio set-up as planned. So when you hear us mentioning technical difficulties, it’s because we had to repeat the recording of the first thirty minutes. What’s more, if the opening sounds a bit rough, it’s because my introduction of the guests and Bob’s chapter were captured via iPhone. Once Danielle starts speaking, things get cleaner. Apologies if those twenty minutes sit badly with anyone, but the audio is still pretty decent.

Second, and more importantly, I don’t feel like I properly thanked my guests. The Mamo boys went out of their way on a weeknight to sit down with me, and considering how busy they both are, I do appreciate them finding a few minutes to do me a favour and take part in this mad experiment. As for the other six guests, I’m really lucky to have such enthusiastic friends. As I reached out to them to come by my place on this Sunday afternoon in November, they all responded to my invitation with much excitement and accommodation. It’s not easy to get six people swimming in the same direction, but with friends like these, it suddenly seems so easy. Danielle, Kate, Lindsay, Bob, Kurt, and James – I owe all of you big time.

The eight people you hear on this show are but a few of the wonderful people my love of film has brought into my orbit. I’m a lucky person to call them my friends.

But enough gilding the lily – the hundredth awaits. It’s the longest show I’ve ever recorded, and every guest gets their own chapter stop…so don’t be afraid to pause, skip, and shuffle around.

So if this is the first time you’ve tuned in, or the hundredth, thank you so much for supporting what I do.

Here’s what’s in store in episode one hundred…

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Up for Discussion

1. INTRODUCTION

You can subscribe to the Matineecast via iTunes or RSS

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

Enjoy!

And lordy did listeners ever come through!

When I started writing – and likewise when I started recording – it was in the hopes that I could find out about the good stuff. So perhaps it’s apropos that on the even of the hundredth episode, I get a bright shining reminder why I started doing this in the first place.

It’s enough to make me think about letting y’all pick the feature film more often!

Here’s what’s in store in episode ninety-nine…

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Up for Discussion

1. Introduction

You can subscribe to the Matineecast via iTunes or RSS

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

Enjoy!

While I’m apologizing for things, let me also apologize for the state of the audio of this episode. Seems as though the night we recorded tis, Skype decided to drop out for a second every ten minutes or so. The result might sound like your MP3 is skipping. Fortunately for your device – and unfortunately for my show – it’s the track. To me the thrust of the conversation isn’t affected, so hopefully my apology is sufficient.

Besides, at least three of the next four shows are live and won’t have such problems.

Be gentle with my guest…it was her first time.

Here’s what’s in store in episode ninety-eight…

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Up for Discussion

1. Introduction

You can subscribe to the Matineecast via iTunes or RSS

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

Enjoy!