Episode 75 – The Congress (2013)

Episode 75 – The Congress (2013)

Bill and Ted discuss Ari Folman’s film 2013 “The Congress” inspired by Stanislaw Lem’s 1971 overpopulation dystopian think piece “The Futurological Congress.” Delving into questions of personal sovereignty and self-ownership in an increasingly digital age mired in obsession, nostalgia and triviality the actress Robin Write, here playing a version of herself, contacts away her likeness in hopes of saving her son from the progressive decline of Usher syndrome. Afterwards Write faces the question of what it ontologically means to be a person when you no longer have control over how you appear in the public eye. With the advent of LLMs, deepfakes, algorithmic marketing and data collection “The Congress” provides ample opportunity to take stock of where we thought we were going, where we’ve arrived and where we might all be going next.    If you enjoyed this film, you may also like these Ted’s Picks: Waking Life [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0243017/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_8_nm_0_in_0_q_Waking] (2001), S1m0ne [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0258153/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_1_tt_7_nm_1_in_0_q_S1] (2002), Waltz with Bashir [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1185616/?ref_=tt_mlt_t_2] (2008)

Episode 74 – They Live (1988)

Bill and Ted discuss John Carpenter’s 1988 adaption of Ray Nelson’s 1963 cosmic horror short story “Eight O’Clock in the Morning.” Largely inspired by Bill Wray’s comic book version of Nelson’s story in Alien Encounters #6 (from April 1986) Carpenter’s “They Live” provides a clever political satire wrapped in a campy Sci-Fi B-Movie wrapper where a down on his luck everyday blue-collar man (Rowdy Rody Piper) drifts into L.A. seeking work only to discover the truth of his problems are beyond his imagination. With the help of a fellow construction worker and friend, Frank (Keith David), they join a resistance movement to fight against the shadowy alien forces living unseen hidden away just outside natural human perception. Carpenter delves into the populist angst of those who believe in the promise of the America dream and yet find themselves taken advantage of by predatory media, politics and economic systems outside their control. If you enjoyed this film, you may also like these Ted’s Picks: Videodrome [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086541/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_7_nm_1_in_0_q_videodr] (1983), The Hidden [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093185/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_8_nm_0_in_0_q_The%2520Hidden] (1987), The Matrix [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0133093/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_7_nm_1_in_0_q_The%2520MAtrix] (1999)

Episode 73 – Barry Lyndon (1975)

Bill and Ted discuss Stanley Kubrick’s 1975 adaption of William Makepeace Thackeray’s satirical 1844 novel “The Luck of Barry Lyndon,” about the challenges and hazards of attempting to climb the social ladder of late 18th century Europe. Set between the 1750’s through to the end of the 1780’s the plot — which includes the 7 years war  — follows the rise and fall of Redmond Barry (Ryan O’Neal) a young Irish man born into gentry within a once noble but ruined family. Lush and visually stunning Kubrick’s “Barry Lyndon” provides a demanding yet rewarding film experience which both defied expectations while presenting audiences with an immersive period drama with all the refinement of the paintings, music, fashion and architecture of the time.   If you enjoyed this film, you may also like these Ted’s Picks: The Duellists [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0075968/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_8_tt_8_nm_0_in_0_q_the%2520duel] (1977), Amadeus [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086879/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_3_nm_5_in_0_q_amad] (1984), The Madness of King George [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0110428/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_1_nm_7_in_0_q_the%2520madness%2520of%2520king] (1994)

Episode 72 – The Last of the Mohicans (1992)

[https://www.billandtedmovies.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Last_of_the_Mohicans_STILL_85043f9236-1-1024x536.jpeg] Bill and Ted discuss Michael Mann’s 1992 adaption of James Fenimore Cooper’s 1826 novel “The Last of the Mohicans: A Narrative of 1757.” Set in colonial New England during the French and Indian War the frontiersman Hawkeye (Daniel Day-Lewis) the adopted son of the Mohican Chingachgook (Russell Means) and his natural son Uncas (Eric Schweig) become the protectors of British Col. Edmund Munro’s (Maurice Roëves) daughters Cora (Madeleine Stowe) and Alice (Jodhi May) along with Maj. Duncan Heyward (Steven Waddington) as they endeavor to keep one step ahead of French double agent and spy Magua (Wes Studi) a dispossessed Heron bent on vengeance against Munro and the British. Mann provides a detailed historical drama and tragic frontier romance with a hypnotic soundtrack mixing synthesizers and Celtic folk music. If you enjoyed this film, you may also like these Ted’s Picks: Dances with Wolves [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099348/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_8_nm_0_in_0_q_Dances] (1990), Black Robe [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0101465/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_4_nm_4_in_0_q_black%2520robe] (1991), Geronimo: An American Legend [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0107004/releaseinfo/?ref_=tt_ov_rdat] (1993)

Episode 71 – Grizzly Man (2005)

Bill and Ted discuss Werner Herzog’s 2005 documentary “Grizzly Man” largely assembled from footage shot by troubled aspiring actor Timothy Treadwell for an unrealized TV Nature programme interspersed with interviews featuring people connected to the man and/or to the tragic death of Treadwell and his girlfriend at the time. Asking questions about the nature of nature and man’s relationship to it the film is deadly serious, uncomfortable and unnerving with surprising moments of pitch black dark humour. Herzog presents a puzzling and unexpected documentary experience which stays with the viewer long after the credits roll. If you enjoyed this film, you may also like these Ted’s Picks: Project Grizzly [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0117395/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_5_tt_8_nm_0_in_0_q_Project%2520Gr] (1996), The Edge [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119051/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_8_nm_0_in_0_q_The%2520Edge%2520(1997)] (1997), The Revenant [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1663202/?ref_=fn_all_ttl_1] (2015)