Heartache & Havoc: Unpacking Love Lies Bleeding and Monkey Man

The Heartfelt Journey of Will & Harper

Send a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1743600/open_sms] In our season finale episode, we're talking about the absurdity of all the baby oil found in Diddy's home [https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/crime/sean-diddy-combs-baby-oil-lawyer-b2619493.html] to the contentious Twitter ban of journalist Ken Klippenstein [https://www.kenklippenstein.com/p/twitter-banned-me] for releasing the JD Vance dossier. This week, we dive into the touching Netflix documentary, Will and Harper [https://youtu.be/PRZ1ELeGepo?si=QV0nVs50YZ_O3q7t]. In the 2 hour film, we follow the heartwarming journey of Will Ferrell and Harper Steele, who bravely came out as transgender during the pandemic. It's an emotional  road trip filled with personal growth, honest discussion, and memories that shape their bond. We’ll talk about our feelings about watching the documentary and why you need to get your parents to watch it. This is our final episode of season four (or is it?) as we take a break to move. We'll be back in 2025 (unless we decide to drop a mini-episode once we settle into our new place). Support the show [https://ko-fi.com/highlowbrowpod]

TIFF Festival Highlights Part 2: The Substance & Dead Mail

Send a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1743600/open_sms] Join us this week as we fangirl over Thailand’s baby hippo sensation, Moo Deng [https://www.reddit.com/r/popculturechat/comments/1fkymiv/moo_deng_celebrity_baby_pygmy_hippo_has_thailand/], and quote TS Madison’s iconic "Not the bore worms [https://youtu.be/0cVMw5svo6c?si=_kCNqzbpH51agag0]" line far too many times (but who’s counting?). In this second round of our Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF [https://www.tiff.net/]) reviews, we dive into Dead Mail [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt26474783/], a retro 80s thriller with synth beats and unexpected twists that had us glued to the screen. If you love a good mix of horror, nostalgia, and some social commentary, this one’s for you. Plus, we dissect The Substance [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt17526714/?ref_=ext_shr_lnk], a satirical body horror flick starring Demi Moore that tackles women’s anxieties around aging with jaw-dropping visuals, intense thematic layers, and lots of blood.  Next week (September 29th) will be our final episode of season four. We're moving and need to get our studio back up and running. We should be back up in the new year for season five. Support the show [https://ko-fi.com/highlowbrowpod]

TIFF Festival Highlights Part 1: The Last Showgirl & Piece by Piece

Send a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1743600/open_sms] In this week's episode, we discuss some of the most outlandish comments from the latest U.S. presidential debate that have taken the internet by storm. We explore the severe implications of Trump's statements, and Amanda chats about her latest binge-watch, "The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives [https://www.disneyplus.com/en-ca/series/the-secret-lives-of-mormon-wives/kVP9xvwY1Rvz]," a show that has her (and everyone) asking: "What's going to happen to #MomTok?!?". However, we're focusing this episode on our experiences at the Toronto International Film Festival, [https://www.tiff.net/] where the magic of cinema and the buzz of red carpets filled our days. In part one of this two-part series, we review the first two films we had the pleasure of seeing. First, we discuss Gia Coppola’s captivating The Last Showgirl [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt31193791/], a powerful story that explores the glittering highs and hidden struggles of a once-celebrated starlet, Shelley, played by the incredible Pamela Anderson. Then, we take on the whimsical and innovative Piece by Piece [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt31064841/], Morgan Neville’s biopic of Pharrell Williams, crafted entirely in Lego. From groundbreaking visuals to unexpected storytelling, these films kicked off our TIFF adventure with a bang! Don't forget to tune in next week for more of our TIFF adventures. We'll be reviewing Dead Mail and The Substance. Thanks again for tuning in! Support the show [https://ko-fi.com/highlowbrowpod]

Heartache & Havoc: Unpacking Love Lies Bleeding and Monkey Man

Send a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1743600/open_sms] We kick off this week's episode by chatting about Anthony Kiedis's omission in his memoir Scar Tissue of an eyebrow-raising relationship with a 14-year-old [https://www.reddit.com/r/popculturechat/comments/1aqjw1y/in_his_2004_autobiography_scar_tissueanthony/] (wait, what??) and how Logan (aka the cucumber guy on TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@logagm?lang=en]) has taken over our entire feed. But this week, we're watching some of the new films to hit Amazon Prime, including "Love Lies Bleeding [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt19637052/]" and "Monkey Man [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9214772/]". While our opinions of Love Lies Bleeding are mixed (and apparently we're not alone in these feelings), we see how the film offers a unique appeal for fans of strong female leads and complex narratives. Dev Patel's Monkey Man is giving us big John Wick vibes, with a trans sub-plot. With its blend of revenge, transformation, and heartfelt subplots, we couldn't help but love it. Tune in and don't forget to tune in next week where we'll have a special episode dedicated entirely to the Toronto International Film Festival. Support the show [https://ko-fi.com/highlowbrowpod]

Our Review of Found Footage Horror Film: Milk & Serial

Send a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1743600/open_sms] We're back after a two-week hiatus (we went on vacation—sorry, not sorry!) and reviewing this incredible found-footage horror film by Curry Barker, Milk & Serial [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt22075376/]. This movie has already racked up over 400,000 views on YouTube (where it's being streamed for free [https://youtu.be/pbzGQ1lszv4?si=E-uK9oclwEe115zi]) and has garnered rave reviews from Reddit and TikTok alike. The film (which was shot for $800) follows a group of YouTube pranksters and a surprise birthday prank goes terribly wrong. We give our thoughts on why we think you need to watch this, how it's better than Longlegs (by a mile) and our prediction on how Barker will have a deal with Blumhouse in the next year. Stay tuned for our next episode and keep it gapey!    Support the show [https://ko-fi.com/highlowbrowpod]