The Take-Up

Joshua and Andrew are joined on a perilous journey by author and critic Katharine Coldiron, when the three of them discuss her pick for the Cinema Speculation program, Deliverance. Did QT get it right saying the first half of John Boorman's 1972 classic is better than the second? First up, the three talk Barbenheimer, Meg 2: The Trench, and Afire. Later, they find out what the cast of Deliverance is Known 4. Finally, they'll round the bend with One More Thing.

Next up, they're breaking out (for real this time)! Andrew picks Don Siegel's 1979 Clint Eastwood vehicle Escape From Alcatraz. Until then, please share, subscribe, and review! Read on at TheTake-Up.com and follow us @thetakeupstl on ⁠Instagram⁠/⁠Twitter⁠/⁠Letterboxd⁠/⁠Facebook⁠.

Special thanks to editor Jessica Pierce, Social Media Manager Kayla McCulloch, and our partners at ⁠Cinema St. Louis⁠. Theme music by AMP.

For the 23rd annual St. Louis Filmmakers Showcase hosted by Take-Up partners Cinema St. Louis, Joshua moderated a panel of esteemed St. Louis film critics called "Film Criticism in Flyover Country". Former guests Elliott Collins and Cliff Froehlich joined colleagues Eileen G'Sell and Diane Carson to bring their diverse experiences as film critics to this master class. The panel was recorded live, so please be aware its quality leaves a bit to be desired.

When most film fans think about film criticism, there are likely a few cultural hubs that spring to mind: New York, Chicago, L.A., Paris, etc. However, like a lot of “flyover country,” St. Louis has a decades-strong film criticism community that’s quietly become even stronger as the pandemic subsides and audiences return to the big-screen. As the Internet overshadows print publications and critics find new mediums to work within, how has this community adapted? Are there challenges unique to “regional” critics? As St. Louis’ filmmakers struggle and thrive, what role do their critic cohorts play? Join some of the key St. Louis film critics to get answers to these questions and the inside scoop on what it’s like to make work out of watching and talking movies.

Please share, subscribe, and review! Read on at TheTake-Up.com and follow us @thetakeupstl on ⁠Instagram⁠/⁠Twitter⁠/⁠Letterboxd⁠/⁠Facebook⁠. Special thanks to editor Jessica Pierce, Social Media Manager Kayla McCulloch, and our partners at ⁠Cinema St. Louis⁠. Theme music by AMP.

Cliff Froehlich, critic for The Riverfront Times and former Executive Director of Cinema St. Louis, joins Joshua and Andrew to chat about Quentin Tarantino's latest work, Cinema Speculation, and Cliff's pick from the film-essay memoir, Rolling Thunder. Before diving into that 1977 revenge-o-matic cult classic, Andrew and Joshua review Mission: Impossible: Dead Reckoning - Part One, The Miracle Club, and Lynch/Oz. Cliff sticks around to school the boys (he's an actual professor, after all!) about Tarantino's book before they send you off with two totally original cinematic recommendations: The Mother and the Whore and John Ford.

Next up, they're breaking out! Andrew picks Don Siegel's 1979 Clint Eastwood vehicle Escape From Alcatraz. Until then, please share, subscribe, and review! Read on at TheTake-Up.com and follow us @thetakeupstl on ⁠Instagram⁠/⁠Twitter⁠/⁠Letterboxd⁠/⁠Facebook⁠.

Special thanks to editor Jessica Pierce, Social Media Manager Kayla McCulloch, and our partners at ⁠Cinema St. Louis⁠. Theme music by AMP.

It's the final pick in our New Black Film Canon program, and Andrew has selected Ousmane Sembène's 1966 classic Black Girl. Before going long on what Joshua calls his favorite film they've covered, they'll review Disney/Pixar's Elemental and two films that they think are among the best of the year: Celine Strong's Past Lives and Wes Anderson's Asteroid City. After talking Ousmane "revolutionary" debut feature, they dig even deeper into this program's genesis, exploring Slate and NPR's list of The New Black Film Canon.

For the rest of the summer, they take up films covered in Quentin Tarantino's book Cinema Speculation. Guest Cliff Froehlich, contributor and former editor for The Riverfront Times and former Executive Director of Cinema St. Louis, is on hand to talk Rolling Thunder. Until then, please share, subscribe, and review! Read on at TheTake-Up.com and follow us @thetakeupstl on ⁠Instagram⁠/⁠Twitter⁠/⁠Letterboxd⁠/⁠Facebook⁠.

Special thanks to editor Jessica Pierce, Social Media Manager Kayla McCulloch, and our partners at ⁠Cinema St. Louis⁠. Theme music by AMP.

It's a big one, folks! Go down the cinematic rabbit holes of Cheryl Dunye's Black queer classic ⁠The Watermelon Woman, Joshua's pick for for ⁠The New Black Film Canon⁠ program. Before that he and Andrew review a bevy of new releases, including: You Hurt My Feelings, The Little Mermaid remake, About My Father, The Eight Mountains, and In the Dusk. After taking up Dunye's film, Joshua and Andrew gush about the end of HBO's Succession before recommending the Critters films (yes, those Critters) and I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson. Whew!

For the final film in our New Black Film Canon program, Andrew's chosen Ousmane Sembène's 1966 classic Black Girl. Until then, please share, subscribe, and review! Read on at TheTake-Up.com and follow us @thetakeupstl on ⁠Instagram⁠/⁠Twitter⁠/⁠Letterboxd⁠/⁠Facebook⁠.

Special thanks to editor Jessica Pierce, Social Media Manager Kayla McCulloch, and our partners at ⁠Cinema St. Louis⁠. Theme music by AMP.

Elliott Collins of Movie Files on YouTube is here for Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, his pick for the first episode in The New Black Film Canon program. First, Joshua and Andrew discuss new releases Book Club 2: The Next Chapter, De Humani Corporis Fabrica, and The Starling Girl. After talking about the "instant classic" animated Spider-Man feature, they'll all Match the Multi-Verse. Finally, there's One More Thing anticipating Dune, mourning Barry and Succession, stalking Apichatpong Weerasethakul, and playing Star Wars.

Next time Joshua picks Cheryl Dunye's The Watermelon Woman for The New Black Film Canon program. Please share, subscribe, and review! Read on at TheTake-Up.com and follow us @thetakeupstl on ⁠Instagram⁠/⁠Twitter⁠/⁠Letterboxd⁠/⁠Facebook⁠.

Special thanks to editor Jessica Pierce, Social Media Manager Kayla McCulloch, and our partners at ⁠Cinema St. Louis⁠. Theme music by AMP.

Artistic Director of Cinema St. Louis Chris Clark joins Joshua to break down everything QFest St. Louis 2023, running May 4-10 at Cinema St. Louis' new home at the historic Hi-Pointe Theatre. The 16th edition of St. Louis' LGBTQIA+ festival features award-winning films, stars, local filmmakers, a newly restored punk classic, and much more! Tickets and information are available at cinemastlouis.org.

Andrew returns on the next episode, the first of the New Black Film Canon program. Also in tow is special guest Elliott Collins of the Movie Files YouTube series with his pick from the canon. Please share, subscribe, and review! Follow us @thetakeupstl on ⁠Instagram⁠/⁠Twitter⁠/⁠Letterboxd⁠/⁠Facebook⁠.

Special thanks to editor Jessica Pierce, Social Media Manager Kayla McCulloch, and our partners at ⁠Cinema St. Louis⁠. Theme music by AMP.

Before they take up their new program, ⁠The New Black Film Canon⁠, Joshua and Andrew break down several of April's newest releases in a special bonus episode. They agree that Nic Cage-starring Renfield sucks, but have a slate of their own new reviews, including Ari Aster's Beau is Afraid, the Dardennes' Tori and Lokita, docs-fiction The Plains, Nike backstory Air, and Suzume, from the director of Your Name.

Please share, subscribe, and review! Follow us @thetakeupstl on Instagram/Twitter/Letterboxd/Facebook.

Special thanks to Editor Jessica Pierce, Social Media Manager Kayla McCulloch, and partners Cinema St. Louis. Theme music by AMP.

Dr. Ana Quiring joins Joshua and Andrew once more for the Sister Kristen program and Joshua's pick, the Stewart-starring Charlie's Angels reboot directed by Elizabeth Banks. It's a movie you definitely remember happened! They talk feminism, old and new, and neat haircuts, with plenty of tangents along the way.

First, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves is Now Showing, as well as Hulu's Rye Lane and Webster University Film Series' Earth Day double of Matter Out of Space and Geographies of Solitude. Ana sticks around for our Angels-centric trivia game, and Joshua and Andrew round out with recommending streaming options and a book.

We wave goodbye to Sister Kristen and hello to The New Black Film Canon, our upcoming program based on NPR and Slate's recent survey of the best films by Black filmmakers. Please share, subscribe, and review! Follow us @thetakeupstl on Instagram/Twitter/Letterboxd/Facebook.

Special thanks to Editor Jessica Pierce, Social Media Manager Kayla McCulloch, and partners Cinema St. Louis. Theme music by AMP.

The long-awaited second part of the Certain Women episode is here! First, they're screaming bloody murder about Boston Strangler, Scream VI, and John Wick: Chapter 4. Then they cool it way, way down with our Top 3 Kelly Reichardt film performances. Will Sister Kristen Stewart, object of affection for certain people, appear on either Josh or Andrew's lists? How many times will Michelle Williams appear? After answering those questions, they've got One More Thing with too rarely talked-about things: Turner Classic Movies and Succession.

Up next is the final entry in this program with Dr. Ana Quiring returning to discuss the forgotten Stewart vehicle, Elizabeth Banks' Charlie's Angels reboot. Please share, subscribe, and review! Follow us @thetakeupstl on Instagram/Twitter/Letterboxd/Facebook.

Special thanks to Editor Jessica Pierce, Social Media Manager Kayla McCulloch, and partners Cinema St. Louis. Theme music by AMP.