Emilio, Madeline, and Julian continue their High School Movies cycle with a "Mise-Unseen" entry on Alan Parker's 1980 classic, "Fame." Coincidentally a film that none of the trio had seen previously, they look in depth at its ensemble-based depiction of a full four years at New York City's High School of the Performing Arts. Amidst their many talking points, Julian brings a unique perspective to the film as the native New Yorker of the group, while Emilio spins a discussion from the film's "Rocky Horror Picture Show" sequence, and Madeline grades the vowels of every choir singer we see on screen. All three also continue relating their own high school experiences to those shown in the film, and revel in the details of its iconic "Hot Lunch Jam" and street-dancing sequences. They hope it'll be the best experience possible, but whatever you think, one thing's for sure: they just wanna dance!

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Alright, Alright, Alright!  This week Julian, Madeline and Emilio kick off their newest cycle of High School movies by revisiting a 90s favorite about the 70s, Richard Linklater's 'Dazed and Confused'.   The trio looks back on their own time in high school, and discuss what this movie gets right about this time in life.  What signature Linklater touches are present in this movie?  Which of the film's impressive ensemble performances stand out, and which ones leave something to be desired?  What's the deal with all the hazing?  Is Milla Jovovich really playing that guitar?  Which of the several great needle drops is most satisfying?  And which of these characters do each of the co-hosts relate to the most?   

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Bonus episode! Emilio, Madeline and Julian are joined by esteemed NYC musician and bandleader Matt Friedman to discuss one of his favorite films, M. Night Shyamalan's 'Unbreakable'.  The quartet dig into the many fun aspects of this film - the great camera work and the influence comic book imagery has throughout, its status as a revisionist superhero movie, the abundant color symbolism, how its twist ending is still so effective (in spite of being there the whole time in retrospect), and much more.  The group end with a highlight round of Unlikely Shared Universe, that features leaps in time, actual leaps, and a particular brand of nautical nonsense.     

Spoiler alerts for this film, as well as M. Night's related films 'Glass' and, to a lesser extent, 'Split'.

Be sure to check out Matt and his fantastic band Stiletto on IG:
@stilettobandnyc

and at the band's website:
www.stilettobandnyc.com

If you haven't yet, please consider writing us a positive review on the podcast platform of your choice. It really helps us find new listeners, and you'll be doing a nice thing too :)

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To wrap up their cycle on "Unique Best Picture Winners," Julian, Emilio, and Madeline take a deep dive into the life and work of the great actor John Cazale. Best known as Fredo Corleone in "The Godfather" Parts I and II, Cazale appeared in only five feature films in the 1970s before his untimely passing. However, all five of those films became iconic, both in and beyond his lifetime, and made Cazale a mainstay of the Best Picture Oscar category in the process. On top of the first two "Godfather" films, Cazale also starred in Francis Ford Coppola's "The Conversation" (1974), Sidney Lumet's "Dog Day Afternoon" (1975), and made his final appearance in Michael Cimino's "The Deer Hunter" (1978). The trio touch on all five films, focusing in depth on three of them, to appreciate the immense quality of Cazale's acting in the limited quantity of his career, and make external connections and speculations of what Cazale may have gone on to do had he lived longer.      

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For our Unique Best Picture Winner "Two-Shot" episode, Madeline and Julian finally see (and Emilio rewatches) two of the more upsetting upset winners of the Academy Award's last twenty years, Paul Haggis' passion project 'Crash' and Peter Farrelly's mismatched-buddy-road-trip picture 'Green Book'.   They reflect on what social conditions existed that might have led to their ascension to Best Picture consideration, as well as what was internal (and in some cases endemic) within the Academy that put these films  over the top.  The trio is firmly in agreement that the racial themes of 'Crash', while important to consider, are handled so poorly and lazily rendered on screen.  With very few exceptions, the redeeming qualities of 'Crash' are practically non-existent.   And while Emilio agrees with the others that 'Green Book' is not Best Picture worthy, he makes a case for why this movie is a little better than its current reputation would have you think it is. 

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Madeline, Julian, and Emilio continue their cycle on Unique Best Picture Winners with a "Suggestion Box" episode on the 1969 classic "Midnight Cowboy," the first and only X-Rated film to win the top Oscar. As the oldest film the trio have covered to this point, they each think it holds up spectacularly in numerous ways, such as its frenetic dual portrayals of youthful desire and repressed trauma, its iconic needle drops with Harry Nilsson's "Everybody's Talkin'," and Dustin Hoffman's inimitable overbite. Aided by myriad anecdotes along the way on the film's production and release, director John Schlesinger's greater filmography, and, as it just so happens, Emilio's freshman year at NYU, the trio follow in the footsteps of Joe Buck and Rico "Ratso" Rizzo (luckily without being forced to yell "I'm walkin' here!") and go where the filmic sun keeps shining through the pouring rain.

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While they cycle through Unique Best Picture Winners, Julian, Madeline and Emilio take a moment to reflect on the most recent Best Picture Winner (and recipient of six other Oscars), Christopher Nolan's 2023 mega-hit 'Oppenheimer'.  After some thoughts on this last Sunday's Academy Awards, they dive into the movie.  Would it qualify as a unique Best Picture winner?  What is it about this movie that feels timeless and timely?  They cover the cagey nature of Nolan as interview subject, the film's exceptional writing, the surprising amount of children actors from Nickelodeon series to stay off the cutting room floor, and praise the performances and careers of Benny Safdie and David Krumholtz, amongst others!

If you enjoy our podcast, please consider writing us a positive review on your podcast platform of choice.  It really helps us be shared and enjoyed by others!

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Send us an email at [email protected]!
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For this cycle's "Mise-Unseen" entry, Madeline, Emilio and Julian finally pony up for Apple TV Plus subscriptions and see 'CODA', Sian Heder's 2021 Best Picture winning film.  Like the Joni Mitchell classic at the heart of this film, the trio can't help but see both triumphantly good and puzzlingly frustrating aspects to 'CODA'.  For all the powerful and winning scenes with the Rossi family (that scene on the pickup truck!), there are clunky and shallow ones with most every other peripheral character.  For all the great ways this film centers and empowers its deaf actors and main characters, it also short changes the viewer with an overly predictable narrative.  And this group of musicians can't help but weigh in on the music plot line.  From up and down, and still somehow, there is genuine appreciation for this film, but not without some nits to pick.    

For those who are deaf or hearing impaired, a full written transcript for this episode can be found on this episode's Buzzsprout link!
https://www.buzzsprout.com/2269866/14621363

And If you enjoy our podcast, please consider writing us a positive review on your podcast platform of choice.  It really helps us be shared and enjoyed by others!

Follow us on IG and Tik Tok! @sleeplesscinematicpod
Send us an email at [email protected]!
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To coincide with Oscars season, Julian, Emilio, and Madeline begin a new episode cycle  on Unique Best Picture Winners with a "View-nanimous" on 1991's The Silence of the Lambs. Hear them discuss the myriad qualities that distinguish this movie, such as its aesthetic innovations, presciently macabre subject matter, and advancements in filmic portrayals of feminism, all while trying to pin down its place in a distinct cross-section of genre and critical esteem. And keep your ears open for some favorite moments of acting and camera subtlety, a certain co-host's Hannibal Lecter impression, and a nod to a music/movie ending crossover that knows no limits... 

With the 96th Academy Awards a little less than a month away, Julian, Madeline and Emilio share their first impressions and some opinions about 'May December', a movie that didn't get the Oscars love most thought it would receive upon its release.  They note that the ambiguous interpretations of motivation and behavior favorably reminds them of Haynes' (previously discussed on this podcast) film 'Safe'.  They also comment on the film's interrogation of viewer desires, and how that theme situates it amongst several other films released in 2023.  Then, Julian and Madeline have a back and forth about the Best Picture race,  and share personal anecdotes about some of their favorite films nominated this year.