Crit Club
By Crit Club
Crit ClubApr 12, 2024
Ishtar (1987)
The Crit Club is a brave bunch, no stranger to tackling any movie, whatever its reputation. To prove our courage, this week we’re watching the notorious 1987 box office bomb Ishtar, written and directed by Elaine May. Its plot is a goofy buddy comedy starring Warren Beatty and Dustin Hoffman as aspiring songwriters who somehow find themselves a gig in Morocco. But the film’s legacy is one of reported mismanagement, studio interference, and deep-seated grudges, which led to a reputation as being one of the worst movies ever made. Did we buy into that hype, or was there an oasis to find in the desert of Ishtar? Listen and find out.
And join us next week for a Wizard Pick™, where we’ll watch the 1936 British science fiction film Things to Come.
You can follow the whole of our podcast, aided by this helpful spreadsheet which documents all the scores we gave to the movies we have watched.
And drop us a line! You can email us at critclubpodcast@gmail.com or find us on Instagram or Threads with the handle @critclubpodcast.
Crit Club's theme song and art were made by co-host Peter Allen Clark.
In the Realm of the Senses (1976)
It’s a real date night week here at Crit Club where we’re watching the often-banned, taboo-breaking In the Realm of the Senses from 1976. From Nagisa Ōshima, this fictionalized account of a Japanese true crime incident that happened in the 1930s follows two lovers as they fall down the well of each other’s hedonistic appetites.
That “date night” thing mentioned earlier was sarcasm, and all sorts of trigger warnings should be applied to a viewing and discussion of this cinematic curiosity.
Next week should prove to be a bit more audience, though not box office, friendly. As Peter picks the Elaine May reputable disaster of a film that many believe destroyed her career. We’re watching Ishtar. You should watch it as well and listen along!
You can follow the whole of our podcast, aided by this helpful spreadsheet which documents all the scores we gave to the movies we have watched.
And drop us a line! You can email us at critclubpodcast@gmail.com or find us on Instagram or Threads with the handle @critclubpodcast.
Crit Club's theme song and art were made by co-host Peter Allen Clark.
3:10 to Yuma (1957)
That train whistle blowing you hear is the Crit Club hustling their way to watch 3:10 to Yuma, Delmar Daves’ classic 1957 western based on an Elmore Leonard short story (which you can read here). This compact story puts a modest rancher in an unexpected position with an infamous gang leader, telling a timeless story of morality, humanity, connection, and dread. Did we find the ride comfortable or would we have rather been tied to the tracks? Listen and find out!
And join us next week for a Coire pick, where he has challenged us to watch the oft-banned 1976 erotic art film In the Realm of the Senses by Nagisa Ōshima.
You can follow the whole of our podcast, aided by this helpful spreadsheet which documents all the scores we gave to the movies we have watched.
And drop us a line! You can email us at critclubpodcast@gmail.com or find us on Instagram or Threads with the handle @critclubpodcast.
Crit Club's theme song and art were made by co-host Peter Allen Clark.
Dreadnaught (1981)
The Crit Club spent this week trying to ward away dread with the 1981 Hong Kong martial arts, action, comedy/horror movie Dreadnaught. This physical masterpiece tells the story of two warring schools, a sheepish launderer, and, why not, a murderous, face-painted psychopath. Directed by the legendary Yuen Woo-ping, Dreadnaught is a full on, nonstop, slapstick bonanza. Did we find it as watchable as the film certainly thinks it is? Listen to find out!
And join us next week, where Angela is picking the original 1957 western 3:10 to Yuma. All aboard!
You can follow the whole of our podcast, aided by this helpful spreadsheet which documents all the scores we gave to the movies we have watched.
And drop us a line! You can email us at critclubpodcast@gmail.com or find us on Instagram or Threads with the handle @critclubpodcast.
Crit Club's theme song and art were made by co-host Peter Allen Clark.
The 400 Blows (1959)
Bonjour mes amis! This week, the Crit Club is heading back to France, riding the first swells of that New Wave with François Truffaut’s 1959 The 400 Blows. Routinely lauded as one of the best films ever made, this small, active movie follows the adolescent discomfort of one young Antoine Doinel as he struggles to find a place in the trappings of school, his home, and society at large. Did we find it to be one of the best films? Did we long for a simpler time in the post-war Parisian school system? Were we shocked to find that gravitrons existed back then? Listen and find out!
And join us next week for a Wizard Pick™, where we’ll watch the 1981 Hong Kong action/horror film Dreadnaught!
You can follow the whole of our podcast, aided by this helpful spreadsheet which documents all the scores we gave to the movies we have watched.
And drop us a line! You can email us at critclubpodcast@gmail.com or find us on Instagram or Threads with the handle @critclubpodcast.
Crit Club's theme song and art were made by co-host Peter Allen Clark.
Hearts and Minds (1974)
Crit Club here with our first documentary in a long while, with Hearts and Minds, a devastating depiction of the Vietnam War. Told in a relatively modern way, Hearts and Minds is a wide-ranging film that explores the war through D.C. insider interviews and crushing footage from the invaded country.
Join us next week for a PP (peter pick), where we will watch François Truffaut's 1959 coming of age movie, The 400 Blows.
You can follow the whole of our podcast, aided by this helpful spreadsheet which documents all the scores we gave to the movies we have watched.
And drop us a line! You can email us at critclubpodcast@gmail.com or find us on Instagram or Threads with the handle @critclubpodcast.
Crit Club's theme song and art were made by co-host Peter Allen Clark.
It's All About Love (2003)
The Crit Club is traveling through time into the distant future of 2021 with the help of the 2003 film It’s All About Love by club-fave Thomas Vinterberg. This surreal, sci-fi-esque movie revolves around the disintegrating relationship between Claire Danes and Jaoquin Phoenix amid a world of people dying of broken hearts and gravitational distortions. All wrapped around Polish-ish accents and ice skating. Sound intriguing? Well give a listen and see if we were warmed up by this ice age tale.
Join us next week for a Coire pick, and our first doc in a while! We’ll watch the 1974 Vietnam War documentary Hearts and Minds.
You can follow the whole of our podcast, aided by this helpful spreadsheet which documents all the scores we gave to the movies we have watched.
And drop us a line! You can email us at critclubpodcast@gmail.com or find us on Instagram or Threads with the handle @critclubpodcast.
Crit Club's theme song and art were made by co-host Peter Allen Clark.
Gothic (1986)
This week, the Crit Club is giving in to their inner Goth by watching Ken Russel’s 1986 Romantic-era, maximum freakout, psycho-sexual drama Gothic. This movie follows a super wholesome and fun-looking evening based ever so loosely on true events, where Lord Byron hosts Percy Shelley, Mary Shelley and a few others, encouraging them to dive into the sickly depths of their souls’ darkest fears. Just a chill night in. What did the Crit Club think? Well. you’ll have to listen, dear reader!
And get ready for next week, when Angela will take us to explore another film by Thomas Vinterberg, with 2003’s It’s All About Love.
You can follow the whole of our podcast, aided by this helpful spreadsheet which documents all the scores we gave to the movies we have watched.
And drop us a line! You can email us at critclubpodcast@gmail.com or find us on Instagram or Threads with the handle @critclubpodcast.
Crit Club's theme song and art were made by co-host Peter Allen Clark.
How to Get Ahead in Advertising (1989)
The Crit Club is riding this wave of late stage capitalism right back to 1989 so we can learn how to better ourselves with the help of Bruce Robinson’s black comedy How to Get Ahead in Advertising. This satirical bit of consumer culture backlash examines the lengths to which the pressure of a pitch can get to one specific ad man, and we watch him unravel in a pretty unique way. But what did we think? You’ll have to listen to find out.
We’re going to take a week off to celebrate Coire’s birthday (thanks for being born!), but after that, we’ll be back together for a Wizard Pick™ (cue ripping guitar riff). We’ll hang around in the UK’s 1980s and watch Ken Russell’s 1986 movie Gothic. Join us for that!
You can follow the whole of our podcast, aided by this helpful spreadsheet which documents all the scores we gave to the movies we have watched.
And drop us a line! You can email us at critclubpodcast@gmail.com or find us on Instagram or Threads with the handle @critclubpodcast.
Crit Club's theme song and art were made by co-host Peter Allen Clark.
The Celebration (1998)
Deep in the heart of a brittle northern winter, four friends (the Crit Club) decide to attend a Danish 60th birthday party as we watch 1998’s The Celebration. The first of the famous (infamous?) Dogma95 movies, The Celebration has us descend on a wealthy manor for a patriarch’s special day and leaves us stranded in stark reality to watch the family’s dirty laundry fill the whole space with an unforgettable stench. Come and listen to what we thought of this fascinating movie and its place in larger film history.
And next week, join us for a Peter PIck (no sound effect found). He’s picking the 1989 British black comedy How to Get Ahead in Advertising from Bruce Robinson.
You can follow the whole of our podcast, aided by this helpful spreadsheet which documents all the scores we gave to the movies we have watched.
And drop us a line! You can email us at critclubpodcast@gmail.com or find us on Instagram or Threads with the handle @critclubpodcast.
Crit Club's theme song and art were made by co-host Peter Allen Clark.
The Barefoot Contessa (1954)
Good day to everyone. The Crit Club has the heat turned up so we can kick off our shoes and watch 1954’s Golden Age drama The Barefoot Contessa. This movie examines the spectacular rise and sudden fall of a Spanish dancer as she is absorbed into increasing levels of high society. Did we dance to the this film’s tune or pull our booties right back on? You’ll have to listen to see.
Next week, join us for a Coire pick as we watch the 1998 Dogma 95 movie, The Celebration.
You can follow the whole of our podcast, aided by this helpful spreadsheet which documents all the scores we gave to the movies we have watched.
And drop us a line! You can email us at critclubpodcast@gmail.com or find us on Instagram or Threads with the handle @critclubpodcast.
Crit Club's theme song and art were made by co-host Peter Allen Clark.
The Thief of Bagdad (1940)
Hello listeners and Happy New Year! For 2024, the Crit Club made the joint resolution to ride off on a magic carpet and never look back. To help us in that endeavor, we watched 1940’s epic fantasy adventure The Thief of Bagdad. Plucked from 1,001 Arabian Night, and subsequently used as the inspiration for Disney’s Aladdin, this special effects-heavy spectacle follows a usurped king on a quest to find a lost love. Listen along and see if this was an oasis in the desert of January, or a Technicolor case of sun poisoning.
Next week, it's an Angela pick! Join us to watch the movie (not the cooking show) The Barefoot Contessa from 1954.
You can follow the whole of our podcast, aided by this helpful spreadsheet, which documents all the scores we gave to the movies we have watched.
And drop us a line! You can email us at critclubpodcast@gmail.com or find us on Instagram or Threads with the handle @critclubpodcast.
Crit Club's theme song and art were made by co-host Peter Allen Clark.
Johnny Guitar (1954)
Howdy partners, this week the Crit Club was roped into watching the incredibly named, 1954 Joan Crawford western Johnny Guitar. It’s a psychosexual drama of bitter rivalries, NIMBY politics, and someone named the Dancin’ Kid. Come give a listen and find out whether we rode off into the sunset with this one or left it tied to the railroad tracks.
For next week, it’s a WIZARD PICK™, and we’ll be watching the 1940 historical fantasy film The Thief of Bagdad. Watch along with us!
You can follow the whole of our podcast, aided by this helpful spreadsheet which documents all the scores we gave to the movies we have watched.
And drop us a line! You can email us at critclubpodcast@gmail.com or find us on Instagram or Threads with the handle @critclubpodcast.
Crit Club's theme song and art were made by co-host Peter Allen Clark.
Inland Empire (2006)
If you think Crit Club is above challenging themselves with a three-hour, near-incomprehensible dreamscape, then our watching of David Lynch’s 2006 epic Inland Empire should prove you wrong. From a Polish barbeque attended by circus performers to a nightmare sitcom starring anthropomoric rabbits, we sat through it and then tried to piece it together. Come listen to how good of a job we did!
And come listen next week where we’ll switch things up dramatically, with Joan Crawford’s 1954 tour de force western, the incredibly named Johnny Guitar.
You can follow the whole of our podcast, aided by this helpful spreadsheet which documents all the scores we gave to the movies we have watched.
And drop us a line! You can always email us at critclubpodcast@gmail.com or find us on Instagram or Threads with the handle @critclubpodcast.
Crit Club's theme song and art were made by co-host Peter Allen Clark.
Tricia's Wedding (1971)
Tis the season! The WEDDING season, that is. This week your Crit Club pals are hitchin' a ride to watch Tricia get hitched in 1971’s surrealist satire short film Tricia’s wedding lovingly staged by a coterie of irreverent drag performers. Come listen and see whether we renewed our vows to this classic piece of queer performance art, or if we stood it up at the altar.
Join us next week for a Coire pick, where we’ll watch David Lynch’s last (and long) movie, 2006’s Inland Empire.
You can follow the whole of our podcast, aided by this helpful spreadsheet which documents the all the scores we gave to the movies we have watched.
And drop us a line! You can always email us at critclubpodcast@gmail.com or find us on Instagram or Threads with the handle @critclubpodcast.
Crit Club's theme song and art were made by co-host Peter Allen Clark.
The Addiction (1995)
October might be done with us, but we’re not done with October. This week, the Crit Club is clinging on to the last vestiges of spookiness with Abel Ferrara’s 1995 vampire horror film The Addiction. This heavy film, which uses everyone’s favorite Twilight characters as a metaphor for drug addiction, insists that it has a lot to say about free will, human cruelty, and redemption. Were we drawn into its worldview, or did we kick this film cold turkey. Listen to find out.
You can follow the whole of our podcast, aided by this helpful spreadsheet which documents the all the scores we gave to the movies we have watched.
Next week we'll be watching the 1971 short film Tricia's Wedding.
And drop us a line! You can always email us at critclubpodcast@gmail.com or find us on Instagram or Threads with the handle @critclubpodcast.
Crit Club's theme song and art were made by co-host Peter Allen Clark.
Hour of the Wolf (1968)
During this spooky month, the Crit Club decided to take yet another trip to an isolated location, specifically a desolate island in the north of Sweden for a chill bit of insomnia with Ingmar Bergman’s 1968 horror thriller Hour of the Wolf. This surrealist nightmare about art, existence, codependency, and self-perception follows a quiet, expecting couple making a home away from others, until the husband’s claustrophobic fears call down his internal demons to wreck the lives of them both. Come have a listen and see if the Crit Club thought it was worth staying awake until the Hour of the Wolf.
Catch the last dregs of our October watchings with next week’s Wizard Pick™ where we’ll check out Abel Ferrara’s 1995 vampire horror film The Addiction. Watch along with us!
You can follow the whole of our podcast, aided by this helpful spreadsheet which documents the all the scores we gave to the movies we have watched.
And drop us a line! You can always email us at critclubpodcast@gmail.com or find us on Instagram or Threads with the handle @critclubpodcast.
Crit Club's theme song and art were made by co-host Peter Allen Clark.
The 51st Episode Extravaganza
They said it couldn’t be done. They swore up and down there was no way four nerds could record 50 podcast episodes about the Criterion Channel streaming service. Well, after three years and one pandemic, Crit Club is here with a 51st Episode Extravaganza to prove them all wrong.
Come listen to Angela, Coire, Peter, and Wizard Chris talk through the highs, the lows, and the lasting impressions of our first 50 episodes. You can follow along with this helpful spreadsheet that documents the all the scores we gave to all the movies we watched: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1j9G2235MBN7wI3n7_LuVI4UMA111gHStoN3szetlO-s/edit#gid=0
We’re not resting too comfortably on our laurels. We’ll be back next week to talk about Ingmar Bergman’s 1968 thriller Hour of the Wolf. Watch along with us!
And drop us a line! You can always email us at critclubpodcast@gmail.com or find us on Instagram or Threads with the handle @critclubpodcast.
Irma Vep (1996)
Predictably, the Crit Club couldn’t stay away from France for long. This week, we joined a sloppy movie production for 1996’s Irma Vep from Olivier Assayas. This sly, meta commentary on the state of French films at the time stars Maggie Cheung playing a version of herself as she plays the titular Irma Vep in a haggard director’s lackadaisical attempt to reboot the silent classic Les Vampires. It’s a bit playful, a bit navel-gazy, and a lotta French. Did Irma Vep steal our hearts in the same fashion as those international jewel thieves from Les Vampires, or did it make us want to wrap the whole shoot? Listen to find out!
And since this was our 50th episode(!), next week we’re looking back at all the movies we’ve watched so far in a big 51st episode celebration show! Come join us for some good ol' nostalgia over the last three years, and a spreadsheet or two.
If you want to get ready for the next movie we watch, Peter’s on his spooky season kick and has picked Ingmar Bergman’s 1968 horror thriller Hour of the Wolf.
And drop us a line! You can email us at critclubpodcast@gmail.com or find us on Instagram or Threads with the handle @critclubpodcast.
The Blue Caftan (2022)
Oh this? Why yes, the Crit Club is wearing a new immaculately tasteful and exquisitely handcrafted new movie, specifically 2022’s The Blue Caftan from writer/director Maryam Touzani. A quiet family drama of a husband and wife managing a tailor shop in Morocco, The Blue Caftan has volumes to say (albeit in hushed tones) about love, family, identity, and devotion. Did your Crit Club faves learn from the lessons imparted, or did we just take the caftan and leave? You’ll have to listen to find out.
Join us next week for a Coire pick where we’ll watch 1996’s Irma Vep.
And drop us a line! You can email us at critclubpodcast@gmail.com or find us on Instagram or Threads with the handle @critclubpodcast.
The Wages of Fear (1953)
Your Crit Club pals are taking an extremely dangerous and existential road trip this week as we hitch a ride with 1953’s The Wages of Fear. This intense thriller from Henri-Georges Couzot tells the story of a collection of downtrodden drifters from around the world, stuck in a South American oil company town. A chance for escape comes when four of these rascals get hired to drive tons of highly volatile nitroglycerine 300 miles across mountain roads. Did your beloved Crit Club survive the trek, or did the movie make them wish they were blown to smithereens? Listen and find out!
And drop us a line! You can email us at critclubpodcast@gmail.com or find us on Instagram or Threads with the handle @critclubpodcast.
The Shout (1978)
If you feel that brisk air blowing in, that’s just the Crit Club taking an early fall trip to the British seaside to watch the 1978 psychological thriller The Shout. When a mysterious man chooses to insert himself into the marriage of a bored rural couple with metaphysical vagaries and black magic, who knows what might happen. Or what the Crit Club thinks about it. Well, you can know, by listening to this podcast!
Join us next week for a Wizard Pick™ (cue screaming guitar lick), where we’ll watch 1953’s The Wages of Fear.
And drop us a line! You can email us at critclubpodcast@gmail.com or find us on Instagram or Threads with the handle @critclubpodcast.
Deep Cover (1992)
You may not recognize your Crit Club pals this week as we go undercover to take down the drug kingpins of LA and watch 1992's Deep Cover, directed by Bill Duke, starring Laurence née Larry Fishburne and Jeff Goldblum. Come listen and see if living a life of crime appealed to us, or sent us fleeing back towards society's rule of law.
Join us next week for a Peter pick, where we're checking out the 1978 thriller The Shout.
And drop us a line! You can email us at critclubpodcast@gmail.com or find us on Instagram or Threads with the handle @critclubpodcast.
Jane B. by Agnès V. (1988)
This week, the Crit Club (Club de Critique, en francais, I would assume) becomes a fly on the wall as we watch 1988’s Jane B. by Agnès V., in which legendary filmmaker Agnès Varda sets out to tell the life story of legendary pop icon Jane Birkin. What follows is an utter dreamscape of collaborative egos swirling around themselves in attempts at clarity, playfulness, and poignancy. Come listen to see if we were swept away in those dust devils.
Join us next week for a Coire pick, where we’ll watch the 1992 crime thriller Deep Cover.
And drop us a line! You can email us at critclubpodcast@gmail.com or find us on Instagram or Threads with the handle @critclubpodcast.
Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence (1983)
This week, the Crit Clubbers were whisked away in time and place, like four Major Toms exploring a WWII prisoner of war camp in the Pacific Theater. We watched 1983’s Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence, a Nagisa Oshima movie about British POWs at the hands of Japanese captors on Java. Oh and it stars David Bowie. That’s why I said that Major Tom thing. It’s a unique movie that led us down a winding conversational path, talking about male bonding, colonial storytelling, war being hell, and David Bowie. Who is in this movie. Come listen and see what we thought.
Next week, where we’ll fulfill our bargain with the Agnes Varda estate, having reviewed three of her films. We’ll watch her 1988 documentary Jane B. by Agnes V, and we’d love to have you join us.
And drop us a line! You can email us at critclubpodcast@gmail.com or find us on Instagram or Threads with the handle @critclubpodcast.
The Comfort of Strangers (1990)
Hello Crit Clubbers! This week we’re watching 1990’s The Comfort of Strangers, directed by Paul Schrader, with a screenplay from Harold Pinter adapted from a book by Ian McEwan. It follows bored couple in a stagnant relationship trying to reignite the spark with a very laid back vacation to Venice. They stumble up a stolid Christopher Walken, who gives them a tour of the dark passageways of the soul. Listen in to see whether this story lifted us up, or caused us to drown in those Venetian canals.
And come back next week, where we just barely miss celebrating xmas in July. We'll watch 1983's Merry Christmas, Mister Lawrence.
Chan Is Missing (1982)
Hello! Crit Club is back to take a look at 1982's Chan Is Missing. It's an ambitious amalgamation of a movie that's both a detective story about two men looking for a disappeared business partner, and a exploration/celebration of the many Asian-American communities in San Francisco's Chinatown. Listen in and hear what we thought of this groundbreaking movie and its place in film history.
And don't forget to listen in next week, where we'll discuss Paul Schrader's 1990 erotic thriller The Comfort of Strangers!
**Production note**
Our dear co-host Wizard Chris had some audio troubles during this recording. We did our best to smooth them out into a hopefully listenable state. Thanks for your understanding!
Living on Tokyo Time (1987)
Aaaaand we're back! This time talking about Steven Okazaki's 1987's drama Living on Tokyo Time about a young Japanese woman trying to figure her life out in the U.S. and a disaffected Japanese-American young man doing the same. The two fall into an impromptu marriage exposing the buried desires within them both. Listen to this post-hiatus episode to see what we thought about it.
Join us next week when we'll be talking about Wayne Wang's 1982 film Chan Is Missing!
Space Is the Place (1974)
The Crit Club doesn’t want to live on this planet anymore, so we’re reading the vibrations of the 1974 experimental jazz movie Space Is the Place. Following the music, the philosophy and the interstellar aspirations of Sun Ra, Space Is the Place unfolds a cosmic story about Black identity. Sun Ra plays a prophet of Black excellence and a shepherd to usher Black people into the heavens and away from systemic racism and institutional exclusion of white power structures. It’s a truly unique ride.
Other things we discussed:
- Welcome II the Terrordome
- Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song
- Wave Twisters
- When I Get Home
- Lemonade
- Licorice Pizza
- Don’t Look Up
- Yellowjackets
- Breaking Bad
Join us next week, when we continue this exploration of the stars with the 1972 Andrei Tarkovsky classic Solaris. Watch along and join the discussion.
And drop us a line! You can email us at critclubcast@gmail.com or find us on Twitter with the handle @critclubcast.
Sunday Bloody Sunday (1971)
We’re back from holiday break in time to bring you a nice British romantic drama, aggressively titled Sunday Bloody Sunday. Sorry, The Edge fans, you won’t find any U2 here. Rather, it’s a contemplative, wry story about finding what we need from each other and from love. So basically, any U2 song. That’s a joke. U2 is bad. But what do the rest of the Crit Club think about U2, or this movie? Listen and find out.
Other things we discussed:
- Jubilee
- Desert Hearts
- Multiple Maniacs
- Better Watch Out
- Lord of the Rings
- The Artful Escape
- The Witcher
- Shang-Chi
And join us next week for a WIZARD PICK (rippin’ guitar solo). Our Great Northern friend has picked a hallucinogenic jazz opus for us, in hopes of opening the closed doors of our limited perception: 1974’s Space Is the Place. Watch along and rise to a higher vibration with us!
And drop us a line! You can email us at critclubcast@gmail.com or find us on Twitter with the handle @critclubcast.
Farewell, My Lovely (1975)
That's not a rusty saxophone playing echoing through a dirty LA alleyway you hear, that's the Crit Club investigating the 1975 Dick Richards mystery movie Farewell, My Lovely. Based on the excellent Raymond Chandler book of the same name, Farewell, My Lovely follows rumpled private dick Phillip Marlowe who's found himself in league with the enormous Moose Mallow, a lost jade necklace and an awkward friendship with a newsie. Will we find enough evidence to love this film, or will the trail go cold? Ya gotta listen to find out!
Other things we talked about:
- The Big Lebowski
- Devil in a Blue Dress
- Brick
- Who Framed Roger Rabbit
- Fargo
- Chinatown
- Psychonauts 2
- Roma
- The Great
- Hotel Deluna
- Star Wars Visions
- Scrooged
- The Power of the Dog
-OLD (The movie about a beach that makes you old.)
Join us next week where we'll discuss the 1971 relationship drama Sunday Bloody Sunday.
And drop us a line! You can email us at critclubcast@gmail.com or find us on Twitter with the handle @critclubcast.
Daisies (1966)
Your beloved Crit Club rises from the dregs of the previous week's watch with 1966's Daisies. This Czechoslovakian funhouse mirror of a movie from director Věra Chytilová is filled to the brim with bohemian delight and nihilistic exhibitionism. Plot-wise, you might say it follows two women named Marie as they scrape together an existence in their Soviet paradise, but Daisies is not at all worried about plot. Did we find this deconstructed collage of surrealist reality compelling enough to join into the feast, or did this film's waste of food turn our stomach? You'll have to listen to find out, you nosy person.
Other things we discussed:
- Jubilee
- The Lure
- Playtime
- Holy Mountain
- Mulholland Drive
- Multiple Maniacs
- Violet Evergarden
- Metroid Dread
- Black Lady Sketch Show
- Midnight Mass
- The Last Blockbuster
- Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street
- Old (that movie about the beach that makes you old)
Join us next week where we'll watch Dick Richards' 1975 Farewell, My Lovely, a neo-noir murder mystery that's an adaptation of the 1940 Raymond Chandler book. I finally get to talk about Raymond Chandler.
And drop us a line! You can email us at critclubcast@gmail.com or find us on Twitter with the handle @critclubcast.
Belladonna of Sadness (1973)
Well, well, well, it seems like the Crit Club took their recent fascination with adult animation just a bit too far this week as we try to shake off the patina of slime that 1973's Belladonna of Sadness dipped us in. While we expected to watch an animated, mature-themed romp, fate had other, crueler plans. We're not even going to hide our attempt to tease you into listening for our opinions: this was a wretched movie and we talked about its wretchedness.
Other things (that were much nicer) that we discussed:
- Tokyo Godfathers
- The Witch
- Perfect Blue
- Paprika
- Amelie
- Point Break
- Mulholland Drive
- John of God
- Midnight Mass
- The Righteous Gemstones
- Titane
Join us next week while we shake off this trash and watch the avant garde 1966 Czechoslovakian surrealists adventure Daisies. I promise we will roll higher on this one.
And drop us a line! You can email us at critclubcast@gmail.com or find us on Twitter with the handle @critclubcast.
Summer Hours (2008)
We're celebrating (U.S.) Thanksgiving the right way: with quiet, sad, potentially boring family time. This week, the Crit Club watched Olivier Assayas' 2008 film Summer Hours, a contemplative movie about siblings dealing with the loss of their mother. With different priorities and different expectations of life, two brothers and a sister reckon with what will become of their family's legacy and what they will leave for their children. Will we find this film layered and complex like a well constructed Thanksgiving stuffing? Or will this movie set us up to snooze like an overdone turkey? Wouldn't you like to know!
Other things we talked about:
- Still Walking
- Personal Shopper
- Bram Stoker
- The Sparks Brothers
- Last Night in Soho
- Tombstone
- Love on the Spectrum
- Censor
- OLD (the movie about the beach that makes you old)
Next week, we'll be watching the 1973 animated movie Belladonna of Sadness. You can join us in watching it if you'd like, but you might want to skip this one and just listen to our episode instead...
And drop us a line! You can email us at critclubcast@gmail.com or find us on Twitter with the handle @critclubcast.
Watership Down (1978)
As the sun slips away earlier and earlier, it's only natural for the Crit Club to spend this time imagining what it would be like to bound through sunny British meadows like rabbits. In aid of this, we watched the 1978 animated classic Watership Down, based on the 1972 Richard Adams novel of the same name. The surprisingly serious movie takes viewers on an adventure with a renegade group of rabbit wanderers as they look for a new home and safety. Will we find solace and comfort in the raw watercolors of independently funded animation, or will we side with those dastardly humans and their lack of concern for all things in nature? Come find out!
Other things we talked about:
- The Green Knight
- Jubilee
- Heavy Metal
- The Hobbit
- Firewatch
- Disco Elysium
- Kirsten Dirksten
- Fair Companies
- Only Lovers Left Alive
- OLD (the movie about a beach that makes you old)
Join us next week when we watch Olivier Assayas' 2008 contemplative family drama Summer Hours.
And drop us a line! You can email us at critclubcast@gmail.com or find us on Twitter with the handle @critclubcast.
Playtime (1967)
And Crit Club is back! We've returned from our extended summer vacation to rejoin the world of cinema, starting with Jacques Tati's 1967 spectacle of a film Playtime. Focusing on how the modern world buzzes and shines with its steel and glass, this very creative movie plays with how people clumsily bumble through it. Will the Crit Club be won over by its futuristic vision of modernity, or will nostalgia hold us back? Give a listen and find out!
Other things we talked about:
- Star Trek: Voyager
- She
- Pig
- Roadside Picnic
- Abroad in Japan
- Australia the cookbook
- Inside
- Eighth Grade
Join us next week, where we'll discuss the 1978 animated classic Watership Down.
And drop us a line! You can email us at critclubcast@gmail.com or find us on Twitter with the handle @critclubcast.
Equinox (1970)
Welcome to another Wizard Pick™! On this week’s Crit Club, our dear co-host Wizard Chris takes us on something of an… uneven journey with the 1970 “horror” film Equinox. Eleven years before Evil Dead, Equinox follows four friends who venture into mysterious woods to discover an ominous book and an eternal evil. They are plagued by oddly designed claymation monsters and a park ranger named Asmodeus. Sigh. Who knows if it’s a movie worth watching, but it’s an episode worth listening to!
Other things we talked about:
Evil Dead
Multiple Maniacs
Jason and the Argonauts
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sleep
Voyager
Amphibia
And drop us a line! You can email us at critclubcast@gmail.com or find us on Twitter with the handle @critclubcast.
Grace Jones: Bloodlight and Bami (2017)
No longer content with sitting in one country, this week the Crit Club joined icon Grace Jones in a trip around the world. We watched Sophie Fiennes’ Grace Jones: Bloodlight and Bami, which chronicles Jones recording her 2008 album Hurricane, its subsequent world tour and her visit to her family in Jamaica. Come listen to us discuss divas stripped down, musical documentaries, the benefits of confidence and the persistent force of Grace Jones.
Other things we discussed:
- Don’t Look Back
- Bandsplain
- Shadow and Bone
- For All Mankind
- Major League Baseball
And join us next week for a WIZARD PICK (rippin’ guitar solo). Chris, as Chris does, chose Jack Woods’ 1970 monster movie Equinox. Find it on the Criterion Channel, or wherever you get your 1970s supernatural horror movies, and watch along!
And drop us a line! You can email us at critclubcast@gmail.com or find us on Twitter with the handle @critclubcast.
A New Leaf (1971)
This week we stayed in the '70s, but moved onto comedy with Elaine May's directorial debut, A New Leaf. This riches to rags film stars a young(er) Walter Matthau scheming to wed the bookish and oblivious Henrietta, played by May, in order to reclaim his wealth. The Crit Club was somewhat divided on this airy screwball comedy of sorts, so come hear who settled nicely into this comedy and who wanted to LEAF it behind. (sorrysorrysorry)
Other things we mentioned:
- Mikey and Nicky
- Ishtar
- Real Life
- Fear, Anxiety and Depression
- Diablo III
- The Devil's Candy
- The Loved Ones
- For All Mankind
Join us next week when we watch the 2017 documentary Grace Jones: Bloodlight and Bami in hopes of spending more time with the legendary Grace Jones. Watch along with us!
And drop us a line! You can email us at critclubcast@gmail.com or find us on Twitter with the handle @critclubcast.
A Woman Under the Influence (1974)
It was getting seriously embarrassing that the Crit Club has been around this long and still did not have a take on Cassavetes. Coire decided to right that wrong this week and picked John Cassaveses’ 1974 film A Woman Under the Influence, a true to life domestic story about mental illness, flailing attempts at emotional intelligence and traumatizing beach days. It led to a great and intense discussion, but we don’t want to give our thoughts away just yet. Come listen!
Other things we discussed:
- Robocop :(
- Mikey and Nickey
- Humpday
- Easy
- I’m Thinking of Ending Things
- Forged by Fire
- Nighty Night
- Garth Marenghi's Darkplace
Next week, it’s Peter’s pick and we’re staying in the ‘70s to explore Elaine May’s directorial debut. We’re watching her 1971 dark comedy, A New Leaf. We’d love for you to join us.
And drop us a line! You can email us at critclubcast@gmail.com or find us on Twitter with the handle @critclubcast.
The Twentieth Century (2020)
Apparently not through with winter, the Crit Club has fled to the Great White North, home of Wizard Chris himself, to learn about Canadian history from Matthew Rankin's deeply weird film The Twentieth Century. Telling the story of former Canadian Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King, who was apparently something of a weirdo himself, this surrealist acid trip lovingly chides the chilly country with humor, fetishes, and disappointment. Did we gain a greater appreciation of the world's second largest country, or did we have a bad trip? Come find out!
Other things we mentioned:
- El Topo
- Dogville
- My Winnipeg
- Holy Motors
- First Contact
- Your Pretty Face Is Going to Hell
- State & Main
Next week, it's Coire's pick and we hope to finally have a take on Cassavetes, by watching John Cassavetes 1974 film A Woman Under the Influence. Will we think he's a genius, misogynist, messiah, alcoholic, or all of the above? Wait and see!
And drop us a line! You can email us at critclubcast@gmail.com or find us on Twitter with the handle @critclubcast.
Let the Sunshine In (2017)
As we emerge slowly from the dark doldrums of a cursed winter, the Crit Club is more than eager to take French director Clair Denis up on her offer to Let the Sunshine In. Starring the ever-wonderful Juliette Binoche, and told through a fragmented bits of a broken life, this movie follows a middle age painter in Paris desperately trying to find a connection or maybe herself. Will the Crit Club enjoy the journey or will we crawl back into our hole and wish for six more weeks of winter? Come listen!
Other things we mentioned:
- Gummo
- Cleo From 5 to 7
- The Wire
- Dune
- Treme
- Trixie Mattel
- Le Bureau Des Legendes
Join us next week when mush our way to the Great White North for a surrealist, and enormously silly, history lesson with Matthew Rankin's 2019 film The Twentieth Century.
And drop us a line! You can email us at critclubcast@gmail.com or find us on Twitter with the handle @critclubcast.
Police Story (1985)
After weeks of wrestling with some pretty weighty films, the Crit Club was glad to lighten things up a bit with Police Story, Jackie Chan's cartoonish 80s action flick that propelled him onto the international stage. While the stunts are stunning, the tonal shifts are jarring. Come see if we thought this movie stuck the landing or missed its mark.
Other things we discussed:
- Commando
- Die Hard
- Predator
- Schitt's Creek
- Letterkenny
- Dune
- Zack Snyder's Justice League
Join us next week, where we'll return to France (as is our wont) to sink into the middle-aged dating scene, as shown by Claire Denis' 2017 film Let the Sunshine In.
And drop us a line! You can email us at critclubcast@gmail.com or find us on Twitter with the handle @critclubcast.
Pixote (1981)
This week the Crit Club watched Héctor Babenco's 1981 drama Pixote, about a group of children who fall through the wide cracks in an extremely broken system. It is decidedly not an easy watch, but it left us with a lot to chew on as we discussed both sheer systemic injustices and the filmmaking ethics of putting young actors in potentially harmful situations. Buckle up for a great discussion about how we wrestle with troubling art. Come listen!
Other things we discussed:
- Full Metal Jacket
- Welcome II the Thunderdome
- Black Moon
- Bob's Burgers
- Johnny Mnemonic
- Blade Runner
- Gravity Falls
Next week, we're desperately hoping to find lighter fare with Jackie Chan's 1985 Police Story, an action crime story, written and directed by Chan, that launched him to international stardom. Join us for that!
And drop us a line! You can email us at critclubcast@gmail.com or find us on Twitter with the handle @critclubcast.
Jubilee (1978)
Punk isn't dead to the Crit Club this week as we warp back to experience the intense angst of 1970s Britain with Derek Jarman's Jubilee. This fever dream roughly posits what Queen Elizabeth I would think of Queen Elizabeth II's reign, only to find the Commonwealth has become a lawless, nihilistic dystopia. Is there no future for this movie or will god save our opinion of it? You should listen and find out.
Other things we discussed:
- The Young Ones
- Multiple Maniacs
- Welcome II the Terrordome
- Binding of Isaac
- Saga
- WandaVision
- Bobs Burgers
Join us next week for an onslaught of complicated emotions around Héctor Babenco's 1980 film Pixote, which unabashedly explores the plight of Brazilian kids who fall through the large cracks of an extremely broken system.
And drop us a line! You can email us at critclubcast@gmail.com or find us on Twitter with the handle @critclubcast.
Everlasting Moments (2008)
Journey back to the turn of the 20th century with Crit Club this week as we sit quietly with Jan Troell's delicate 2008 film Everlasting Moments, a movie about a woman caught in the oppressive conventions of rugged Scandinavian society while exploring her pull towards creative expression. As Maria's attraction to photography blossoms, will her stalwart perseverance through multiple hardships bring her story into focus for us? Or will we find the film a bit blurry? Listen and find out!
Other things we discussed:
- Desert Hearts
- The Nightingale
- Captain America
- Into the Spiderverse
- Saga
- The Danish Girl
- Korean Pork Belly Rhapsody
Join us next week when we'll be flung into the anarchic wastelands of 1970s England for the nihilistic punk semi-dystopian film Jubilee.
And drop us a line! You can email us at critclubcast@gmail.com or find us on Twitter with the handle @critclubcast.
The Quiet Family (1998)
Tired of being shut in, the Crit Club has taken a virtual trip to the mountains of South Korea, but this idyllic hunting lodge we found has a pretty sinister aura. This week, we try to keep up with Kim Jee-woon's 1998 black comedy The Quiet Family, in which a new family business turns into an escalating series of unfortunate events. Give this episode a listen and see if we're won over by this madcap burst of late '90s dark energy, or if we're ready to check out as soon as possible.
Other things we discussed:
- Shaun of the Dead
- Evil Dead
- Seven Stages to Achieve Eternal Bliss
- The Trixie and Katya Show
- Crime Scene
Join us next week while take a quiet turn into Jan Troell's 2008 drama Everlasting Moments.
And drop us a line! You can email us at critclubcast@gmail.com or find us on Twitter with the handle @critclubcast.
Life During Wartime (2009)
This week, the Crit Club revisits the late aughts, and all its existential malaise, with the help of Todd Solondz's 2009 film Life During Wartime. It zooms back into the lives of the Jordan sisters, who were introduced in Solondz's 1998 film Happiness, and catches them at another pivotal point in their lives as they reunited in sun-bleached Florida against a backdrop of a languishing Iraq war. We had plenty to discuss on the themes, the humor and the surreal aura of this film, so come hang out with us!
Other things we discussed:
- Happiness
- She Dies Tomorrow
- Valheim
- Bridgerton
- Gilmore Girls
- The Wire
- Star Wars: Fallen Order
Join us next week, when we prolong our cabin fever with a trip to an isolated South Korean lodge with Kim Jee-woon's 1998 debut, The Quiet Family.
And drop us a line! You can email us at critclubcast@gmail.com or find us on Twitter with the handle @critclubcast.
Yeelen (1987)
This week, Crit Club heads out on a journey in Mali with Souleymane Cissé's film Yeelen. This movie explores an ancient legend of the Bambara people as the young Nianankoro strikes out on his own to confront his father. It's a classic Wizard Chris pick and leads us into a great conversation about myths, filmmaking and the hero's journey.
Other things we talked about:
- Patherfinder
- Moonlight
- The Next Picture Show
- The Alienist
- Framing Britney Spears
- RuPaul's Drag Race
- Superstore
Join us next week when we'll explore Todd Solondz's 2009 film Life During Wartime. It's a classic Coire pick and we'll have plenty to discuss while living in Florida, floundering in the interminable Iraq War.
And drop us a line! You can email us at critclubcast@gmail.com or find us on Twitter with the handle @critclubcast.
Sanjuro (1962)
While the Crit Club bunch might look disheveled and slow, all it takes is a movie like Akira Kurosawa's Sanjuro to show everyone just how lightning quick we can be to love a film. We're no sleepy bear of a podcast, we just want you to think that while we stealthily slice our way through this legendary samurai story. Join us while we have a wonderful time discussing this 1962 sequel to Kurosawa's classic Yojimbo, and don't underestimate how quick our wits and how high our praise can go.
Other things we discussed:
- Yojimbo
- Rashomon
- Kagemusha
- Tacoma
- Prisoners
- WandaVision
- The Dig
- The Queen's Gambit
Join us next week while we transport back to the Mali Empire in the 13th century to view Souleymane Cissé's 1987 film Yeelen.
And drop us a line! You can email us at critclubcast@gmail.com or find us on Twitter with the handle @critclubcast.