2016 Favorites With Keith Uhlich (Part 1)

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In times of crisis, sometimes the easy answer is to escape to the cinema. But the movies of 2016 did not necessarily bring escape, whether it was the mortgage crisis in Texas, homophobia in Miami, or misogyny in Montana. But in these cinematic works of art, some relief or euphoria can transform real life into something more bareable (or if you're Rob Zombie, even more screwed up). Keith Uhlich joins the podcast for his 5th time to countdown the favorites of 2016. Discussions range from the nature of experimental cinema, to the nature of historical fact, to what it means to go past idenity and into specificity. Plus, Peter and Keith list their favorites repertory discoveries of the year.

0:00-3:20 Opening 
3:20-22:39 Picks for #10
22:39-39:42 Picks for #9
39:42-1:13:06 Picks for #8
1:13:53-1:16:12 Sponsorship Section
1:17-00-1:36:26 Picks for #7
1:36:26-1:57:00 Picks for #6
1:57:00-2:10:33 Favorite Repertory Picks of 2016
2:10:51-2:12:46 Close / Outtake

2014 Favorites With Keith Uhlich (Part 1)

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Another year, another cinema count down. Despite 2,500 miles between their locations, Peter couldn't resist sitting down Keith Uhlich—now of The AV Club, The L Magazine, and To Be (Cont'd)—to discuss their favorites of the year, so through the power of technology, the virtual balcony is open for this first of two parts. This year's freewheeling discussion takes us from the lore of Macedonia then up cabal cars to the gods of Nepal, the mundane moments of youth to the dystopic futures of simulacra takeover. And yes, even perhaps the realm of television might be crossed, but not without first fueling up on some cocaine from the good doctor. Plus, our favorite repertory picks of the year.

0:00-4:18 Opening Thoughts

4:19-22:34 Picks for #10
22:35-47:47 Picks for #9
47:48-1:04:41 Picks for #8

1:05:28-1:07:02 Mubi Sponsorship - Bluebeard and The Sleeping Beauty

1:08:05-1:24:18 Picks for #7
1:24:19-1:41:39 Picks for #6
1:41:40-1:56:10 Favorite Repertory Picks

1:56:13-1:58:26 Close / Outtakes

Read Keith Uhlich at The AV Club, L Magazine, and To Be Cont'd.
Follow Keith on Twitter.

Episode #51 - Tina Hassannia (You've Got Mail)

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"Movies are always more than just the sum of their parts...no cinephilia should be limited to that kind of experience."

Up beyond the American border, Toronto based critic Tina Hassianna has formed a necessary voice that manages to combine a formal analysis of great works of American and world cinema with one concerned of how they socially operate. That made her a perfect candidate to write the first English language book examining the work of Iranian director Asgahr Farhadi, which has just been released. For her podcast with Peter, Tina talks about her late entry into the world of film, her interest in oddball works like Gus Van Sant's remake of Psycho, and her many thoughts on the cinema of her home country of Iran and what issues are at stake when Western critics analyze these works. Finally, the two turn back to Nora Ephron's You've Got Mail, which Tina and Peter look at as more than just a 90s romantic comedy, but a formally humorous remake that intelligently analyzes how online personas construct truer selves.

0:00-2:20 Opening

3:34-8:49 Establishing Shots - Clint Eastwood's American Sniper

9:135-57:34 Deep Focus - Tina Hassania
58:29-1:00:43 Mubi Sponsorship - You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet!

1:02:09-1:24:04 Double Exposure - You've Got Mail (Nora Ephron)

1:24:08-1:26:07 Close  / Outtakes

Read Tina Hassania's Asgahr Farhadi: Life and Cinema (or read an excerpt). Read Tina on Slant Magazine and Spectrum Culture. 
Listen to her podcast on Iranian Film, Hello Cinema.

You've Got Mail is currently streaming on iTunes and YouTube.