The Film Theorists

Episode #8: Best of 2022 and Most Anticipated of 2023

What films wowed us and what disappointed us in 2022? What's coming for 2023? Chloe and Steve talk about what we've been watching lately and why all horror fans should get the Shudder app. What was each of our Top 5 films of the year? One of us has a horror film as their favorite film of the year and the other doesn't even have a horror film in their top 3. What are your favorites of '22 and most anticipated films of '23? Tune in to find out ours.

Episode #7 Back to Horror: Men, Crimes of the Future, Bodies Bodies Bodies, Nope, Orphan: First Kill, and Stranger Things

Chloe and Steve just can't help it! We had two comedy episodes last time but now we're back to our first love: horror! Alex Garland's provocative third film, Men, and David Cronenberg's return to body horror, Crimes of the Future, are discussed in detail. Yup, we both agree on the success (or failure) of Jordan Peele's Nope. We also agree on William Brent Bell's attempt at a prequel to 2009's Orphan. And did Bodies Bodies Bodies, which was lit in a lot of scenes by cell phone camera light, work?  Steve laments about amateur film critic crutches like "pacing", "gorgeous cinematography", and "likeable" or "relatable" characters and unfilmic podcasts that discuss a particular film in detail for an hour and never once mention the name of the director. Chloe gushes about Stranger Things!  Bitchin' !! 00:00-20:00 : Intro 20:00-34:00 : Men 34:00-48:00 : Crimes of the future 48:00-1:11:00 : Bodies Bodies Bodies 1:11:00-1:20:00 : Nope 1:20:00-1:39:00 : Orphan: First Kill 1:39:00-2:13:00 : Stranger Things 2:13:00-2:21:56 : Outro

Episode #6 Comedy Part 2 - Funny Ha Ha or Funny Strange

Doing a podcast is no different than riding a bicycle. It's just a lot harder to put baseball cards in the spokes.   In Part 2, Chloe and Steve continue our Comedy categories discussion and go in-depth on Airplane!, the 1980 zany, surrealist spoof comedy film written and directed by brothers David and Jerry Zucker and their childhood friend Jim Abrahams.  Can racial humor be funny and not racist?  One of us calls this the greatest comedy of all time, and the other says they only laughed once.  Passengers certain to die! Airline negligent! There's a sale at Penney's!

Episode #5 Comedy Part 1 - Chloe and Steve versus The World

Surely you can't be serious! Our multi-part examination of Comedy. What makes Chloe and Steve laugh? We catch you up on what we've been up to, including an Oscar discussion and why Will Smith is starring in the next Jackass film.  What is comedy? Comedy sub-genres, types of comedy, and categories of comedy films are analyzed. Also our Top 6 (why six? Why not?) favorite "comedies" loosely defined of all time. In Part 1, we do some comedy genre discussion and go in-depth on Edgar Wright's underappreciated2010 adaptation of the Bryan Lee O'Malley graphic novel Scott Pilgrim Vs The World, the comedy subgenre traversing romantic comic super hero fantasy satire. And stop calling me Shirley!

Episode #4: Feminism Meets Horror Part 2 - Squid Game, Fear Street, Halloween Kills, A Quiet Place Part 2, Raw/Titane

Our scary Horror sequel! Chloe and Steve discuss the Korean Netflix series Squid Game, A Quiet Place Part 2, and Halloween Kills. Also, we offer film analysis, talk feminist theory, and discuss gender representation in Leigh Janiak's Netflix film series Fear Street Parts 1, 2, and 3 and French auteur Julie Ducournau's two bizarre body horror films, 2016's Raw and 2021's Titane, the latter which won the Palme D'Or at this year's Cannes Film Festival. What is the Bechdel Test? Who is Alison Bechdel and why is she so important to how we portray women in film? What's up with Geena Davis and why does she have an Institute named after her?  Be afraid. Be very afraid. You have been warned! 00:00 intro 19:45 feminist film  37:15 squid game 01:15:45 raw/titane/julie ducournau  01:42:57 halloween movie series  01:51:37 fear street films  02:23:26 a quiet place part 2 02:56:48 outro