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LENS ME YOUR EARS

LENS ME YOUR EARS

By LENS ME YOUR EARS

Hosts and film critics Stephen Cooke and Cartsen Knox go and see a movie together, which then leads to a conversation about other classic and not-so classic related films.
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'1917' and other films about the First World War

LENS ME YOUR EARSJan 28, 2020

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59:46
The End

The End

This marks the final episode of Lens Me Your Ears, as co-hosts Carsten Knox and Stephen Cooke look back over 172 episodes of watching and discussing films from all genres, decades and communities around the globe, as well as talking about their cinematic summers, from Barbenheimer to the Capitolfest classic film event in Rome, N.Y. It's been a wonderful run and we thank all the listeners who stuck with us until the final reel, thanks for all your support!


Stephen’s twitter: @NS_scooke

Carsten’s twitter: @FlawInTheIris

Aug 22, 202355:13
Alan Arkin Remembered

Alan Arkin Remembered

On this very special tribute episode, Carsten & Stephen discuss the incredible contributions of beloved actor (and occasional director, musician and part-time Nova Scotian) Alan Arkin, from his earliest days onscreen in The Russians Are Coming, The Russians Are Coming, Wait Until Dark and Catch-22, his '70s heyday in Little Murders and Freebie & the Bean and late career hits like Grosse Pointe Blank, Little Miss Sunshine and Argo.


Stephen’s twitter: @NS_scooke

Carsten’s twitter: @FlawInTheIris

Jul 25, 202354:06
Indy's Last Lap

Indy's Last Lap

In the latest episode of Lens Me Your Ears, Carsten & Stephen embark on one last adventure with Indiana Jones as the iconic archeologist so wonderfully portrayed by Harrison Ford undertakes the quest for the Dial of Destiny, an ancient doohickey that legend says can bend the laws of time itself! Then we turn back time to look at films that inspired Indiana Jones, directly or indirectly (the Tintin saga, and the "Tintin-inspired" romp That Man From Rio with the late, great Jean-Paul Belmondo), and took their inspiration from him, like the Romancing the Stone/Jewel of the Nile diptych with Kathleen Turner, Michael Douglas & Danny Devito, and the recent Romancing the Stone homage, The Lost City with Sandra Bullock, Channing Tatum and strategic guest star Brad Pitt.



Stephen’s twitter: @NS_scooke

Carsten’s twitter: @FlawInTheIris

Jul 10, 202354:49
Seven By Seven

Seven By Seven

On this episode of Lens Me Your Ears, as Stephen and Carsten look at the filmographies of some of their favourite directors and find some significant gaps they've been wanting to fill. Titles covered include: Murder! by Alfred Hitchcock, Who's That Knocking At My Door by Martin Scorsese, Hour of the Wolf by Ingmar Bergman, Un Flic by Jean-Pierre Melville, Spy Game by Tony Scott, Inside Man by Spike Lee, and Certain Women by Kelly Reichardt.


Stephen’s twitter: @NS_scooke

Carsten’s twitter: @FlawInTheIris

Jun 26, 202355:19
Charlotte Sometimes - Films of Charlotte Rampling

Charlotte Sometimes - Films of Charlotte Rampling

On this episode, Stephen and Carsten take a look at the films of U.K.-born international film icon Charlotte Rampling, who's grown from Swinging London sensation to a Grand Dame of Cinema who always brings something deeply personal and psychologically stirring to the screen, whether it's a haunting portrait of a Holocaust survivor in Liliani Cavani'sThe Night Porter or a portrayal of a retired, housebound war correspondent seeking solace in a jug of martinis in her recent film Juniper.


Stephen’s twitter: @NS_scooke

Carsten’s twitter: @FlawInTheIris

Jun 12, 202355:37
The Guy's the Limit: The Films of Guy Ritchie

The Guy's the Limit: The Films of Guy Ritchie

Stephen and Carsten take a look at the latest offerings from UK gangster film expert Guy Ritchie, who has two recent caper titles to his credit: Operation Fortune - Ruse de Guerre and the armoured truck heist movie Wrath of Man. Plus, we take a look at some other corners of his filmography, from his big screen collaboration with ex-wife Madonna, Swept Away, to his Disney adaptation of Aladdin, plus an attempt at a psychological inner crime war in Revolver and his take on ancient British legends with King Arthur: Legend of the Sword. There's even a little Sherlock Homes talk, and our hopes for his upcoming Afghanistan-set rescue story The Covenant.




Stephen’s twitter:@NS_scooke

Carsten’s twitter: @FlawInTheIris

May 15, 202355:17
Erotic Thrills

Erotic Thrills

Carsten & Stephen take a look at some offerings from the Criterion Channel's new programme of Erotic Thrillers, like Paul Schrader's The Comfort of Strangers with Christopher Walken, Helen Mirren, Rupert Everett and Natasha Richardson, Dream Lover with James Spader & Madchen Amick and Criminal Passion starring Joan Severence, plus two versions of a classic Patricia Highsmith story, Deep Water, from early '80s France and 2022 US of A, the latter starring Ben Affleck and Ana de Armas, about a jealous love that knows no bounds. We also take a look at a 1970s classic from director Brian de Palma and screenwriter Schrader, Obsession, whose biggest star might be the Bernard Herrmann score.




Stephen’s twitter: @NS_scooke

Carsten’s twitter: @FlawInTheIris

Apr 18, 202353:01
John Wick-ed Good

John Wick-ed Good

This week, Carsten & Stephen take a look at the highly anticipated Chapter 4 in the ongoing saga of master of mayhem John Wick and his ongoing quest to clear his name with the mysterious High Table, and take out an ocean of goons in the process. Along with the new Keanu Reeves action bonanza, we take a look at a couple of earlier Keanu titles with themes that resonate in the John Wick series - Johnny Mnemonic and 47 Ronin - plus some films that are clear influences on the Chad Stahelski Wickiverse, like Melville's Le Samourai, The Tale of Zatoichi, Bullitt, In the Line of Duty IV (featuring John Wick 4's Donnie Yen) and The Man From Nowhere.




Stephen’s twitter:@NS_scooke

Carsten’s twitter: @FlawInTheIris

Apr 04, 202355:21
Netflix Notables

Netflix Notables

On the latest Lens Me Your Ears, we have a look at some intriguing feature titles on that monolith of streaming shows, Netflix: We Have a Ghost, The Wonder, Windfall, Spiderhead, Earthquake Bird and Emily the Criminal.


Stephen’s twitter:@NS_scooke

Carsten’s twitter: @FlawInTheIris


Mar 20, 202355:47
Oscar Bout

Oscar Bout

Carsten and Stephen pick some favourite actors from the leading and supporting categories in advance of the upcoming Academy Awards, which take place on Sunday, March 12. They discuss Colin Farrell (best actor, The Banshees of Inisherin) and his 2009 mermaid tale Ondine, Kerry Condon (best supporting actress, The Banshees of Inisherin) and her turn in Margot Robbie's dustbowl crime drama Dreamland, leading actor nominee Paul Mescal (Aftersun) and his early appearance in the Maggie Gyllenhaal drama The Lost Daughter, The Whale's supporting actress nominee Hong Chau who took the lead in Andrew Ahn's delightful mother/son story Driveways, supporting actor nominee Brian Tyree Henry (Causeway) and his lead in the Brooklyn-based comedy The Outside Story and To Leslie star Andrea Riseborough's appearance in the 2012 IRA-themed drama Shadow Dancer.


Stephen’s twitter:@NS_scooke

Carsten’s twitter: @FlawInTheIris

Mar 06, 202355:01
Crime On Parade

Crime On Parade

This week, Carsten & Stephen take a look at the new hardboiled gumshoe feature Marlowe, directed by Irish filmmaker Neil Jordan and starring grizzled action vet Liam Neeson in the title role of Raymond Chandler's private eye, Phillip Marlowe, solving a new case taken from the recent novel The Black-Eyed Blonde by John Banville (Albert Nobbs). In addition, we examine the case for 1968's Marlowe, starring James Garner with a memorable appearance by Bruce Lee, Wim Wenders' Hammett, the 1972 thriller The Outfit starring Robert Duvall, and some overseas crime stories from Louis Malle (Elevator to the Gallows) and Akira Kurosawa (High & Low).


Stephen’s twitter:@NS_scooke

Carsten’s twitter: @FlawInTheIris

Feb 21, 202356:19
Remakes: The Sequel

Remakes: The Sequel

On the latest edition of Lens Me Your Ears, as we look at recent remakes, or "reimaginings" with a cross-cultural context. There's a brand new film Living from the U.K. starring an Oscar-nominated Bill Nighy that just happens to be inspired by the Akira Kurosawa classic Ikiru, about a dying civil servant's desire to leave behind something of value, which also led us to the new German-language reexamination of All Quiet on the Western Front, the Erich Maria Remarque novel that was turned into a best picture-winning U.S.-made film in 1930. We also take a gander at A Man Called Otto with Tom Hanks, a U.S. version of the Swedish dark comedy A Man Called Ove, duelling vampires Let the Right One In/Let Me In and 2022's two wildly different (in approach and quality) adaptations of Pinocchio from Guillermo Del Toro and Robert Zemeckis, based on the Collodi children's story and a 1940 Walt Disney classic animated feature.


Stephen’s twitter:@NS_scooke

Carsten’s twitter: @FlawInTheIris

Feb 06, 202355:10
Deakins' Blues (and Greens and Reds)

Deakins' Blues (and Greens and Reds)

For the latest edition of Lens Me Your Ears, we have a look at master cinematographer Roger Deakins, famous for his work with the Coen Brothers, who we swear we will get to in a future episode. Right now, his latest collaboration with director Sam Mendes, Empire of Light is gracing cinema screens, and this week Carsten & Stephen take a look at his career going back to his feature debut with Justine: Or the Misfortunes of Virtue starring royal scandal participant Koo Stark, and through work with directors like Martin Scorsese (Kundun), John Sayles (Passion Fish) and the aforementioned Mendes (Revolutionary Road), plus the Kinks' Ray Davies' experimental longform music video Return to Waterloo.


Stephen’s twitter:@NS_scooke

Carsten’s twitter: @FlawInTheIris

Jan 23, 202354:27
Sight & Sound List 2022

Sight & Sound List 2022

This week Carsten & Stephen scroll through the new Sight & Sound list of the top 100 films of all time, which stirred up the cineaste stew by unseating champions like Vertigo and Citizen Kane with Chantal Akerman's study in domestic intensity, Jeanne Dielman, 23 Quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles. This show takes a look at the two Akerman titles that appear on the list, including her documentary News From Home, plus titles that have as yet escaped their gaze like Claire Denis's Beau Travail; Roberto Rossellini's Journey to Italy; a landmark of African cinema, Touki Bouki; and a return to the realm of Iranian cinema with Abbas Kiarostami's Close-Up.


Stephen’s twitter:@NS_scooke

Carsten’s twitter: @FlawInTheIris

Jan 03, 202355:24
Angela Lansbury & Robbie Coltrane

Angela Lansbury & Robbie Coltrane

Carsten & Stephen back at the careers of two recently departed stars who hail from Ol' Blighty, screen/stage/TV legend Angela Lansbury and the great comedic character actor Robbie Coltrane. For the Murder She Wrote star, we go back to her debut in the classic thriller Gaslight in 1944, and look at films from throughout her career like The Picture of Dorian Gray, Bedknobs & Broomsticks and the underappreciated black comedy Something for Everyone, plus her final appearance, in the latest Knives Out mystery Glass Onion. For Robbie Coltrane, we check out a couple of his rare starring roles, in the Canadian-shot Yves Simoneau comedy Perfectly Normal (co-written by Paul "Whale Music" Quarrington) and the UK farce Nuns on the Run with Monty Python's Eric Idle, directed by My Cousin Vinny's Jonathan Lynn

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Stephen’s twitter:@NS_scooke

Carsten’s twitter: @FlawInTheIris

Dec 12, 202255:32
Get Carter ... Burwell

Get Carter ... Burwell

This week, Carsten & Stephen take a look at the films of Carter Burwell, the New York-based film composer best known for his long-running collaboration with the Coen Brothers, but who has worked with many other filmmakers over the years, which is the work this episode will focus on. Don't worry, we'll be doing a Coen Brothers show one of these days, that's pretty much a given.


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Stephen’s twitter:@NS_scooke

Carsten’s twitter: @FlawInTheIris

Nov 29, 202255:19
RomComBombardment - Romcoms both well-known and overlooked!

RomComBombardment - Romcoms both well-known and overlooked!

Carsten & Stephen get out their handkerchiefs for a romantic comedy cornucopia inspired by the recent releases Ticket to Paradise and Bros, and a look back at some romcoms well-known (Love Actually, Libeled Lady) and overlooked (Imagine Me and You, But I'm a Cheerleader, The Incredible Jessica James) for the ultimate cinematic meet-cute


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Stephen’s twitter:@NS_scooke

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Oct 31, 202255:54
Scary Stuff! 'Barbarian' plus '80s Horror gems offered by Criterion Channel!

Scary Stuff! 'Barbarian' plus '80s Horror gems offered by Criterion Channel!

In this episode, Carsten & Stephen discuss Barbarian, plus a sampling of the '80s Horror gems being offered by Criterion Channel, just in time for Halloween. Down Under thrills from the Aussie giallo Next of Kin, Euro-chills from the Dutch classic The Vanishing, high concept spills by the remake of The Blob, and much, much more, plus a tribute to the late Jeff Barnaby, the skilled Mi'kmaq horror maestro whose Blood Quantum and Rhymes for Young Ghouls are powerful features that are also perfect to watch at this time of year.


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Stephen’s twitter:@NS_scooke

Carsten’s twitter: @FlawInTheIris

Oct 17, 202256:49
Tilda End of Time - The career of Tilda Swinton

Tilda End of Time - The career of Tilda Swinton

This week, Carsten & Stephen take a look at the long and rewarding career of the seemingly ageless Tilda Swinton, from her early days as a collaborator with avant grade enfant terrible Derek Jarman to work in major big budget films like her Oscar-winning turn in Michael Clayton with George Clooney, and this year's literary fantasy Three Thousand Years of Longing, directed by George "Mad Max" Miller.

Trivia note: Tilda Swinton's Oscar was presented to her by acting legend, part-time Nova Scotian and Village Sound visitor Alan Arkin!


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Stephen’s twitter:@NS_scooke 

Carsten’s twitter: @FlawInTheIris

Oct 04, 202255:44
Film Fest Season: TIFF & AIFF

Film Fest Season: TIFF & AIFF

On this epsiode, Carsten and Stephen discuss their recent experiences at the Toronto International Film Festival and FIN Atlantic International Film Festival, with titles from as far away as India and Korea and local features made just around the corner.


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Stephen’s twitter:@NS_scooke
Carsten’s twitter: @FlawInTheIris

Sep 20, 202255:17
Just Deserts - movies set in desolate deserts

Just Deserts - movies set in desolate deserts

This week, Carsten & Stephen take a look at some sweat-soaked movies set in desolate deserts, starting with the recent John Michael McDonagh (Calvary, The Guard) film The Forgiven with Ralph Fiennes and Jessica Chastain as a jaded aristocratic couple whose lives are thrown into turmoil when a tragic accident on the way to a decadent desert mansion housewarming party becomes a catalyst for change in more ways than one, and the Iranian family odyssey Hit the Road, the directorial debut by Panah Panahi, son of firebrand filmmaker Jafar Panahi. Along the way we revisit The English Patient, Ice Cold in Alex, The Passenger and not one but two Flight of the Phoenixes. Phoenixi? Anyway, there's one with James Stewart and another one with Dennis Quaid.


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Stephen’s twitter:@NS_scooke
Carsten’s twitter: @FlawInTheIris

Sep 06, 202255:20
NOPE vs 1972

NOPE vs 1972

This week, Carsten & Stephen take a look at Jordan Peele's new genre-busting spectacular NOPE, which has a whole lot to say about popular entertainment, showbiz exploitation and racism, and the hidden history of Hollywood that needs to be acknowledged, all within the framework of an alien attack movie. Through NOPE we open a window into the summer of 1972, and some of the films that were playing in local theatres 50 years ago, including Buck & the Preacher, Skyjacked, What's Up Doc, Fiddler on the Roof, Pocket Money and The Possession of Joel Delaney. It was a summer before blockbusters, when it seemed like there were no rules about what could make it to the silver screen.

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Stephen’s twitter:@NS_scooke
Carsten’s twitter: @FlawInTheIris

Aug 22, 202256:17
We Have Ways of Making You Listen: WWII Thrillers

We Have Ways of Making You Listen: WWII Thrillers

Wow, the big 150! For LMYE 150, Carsten & Stephen delve into the world of intrigue behind the battlefields of the Second World War, starting with the new feature Operation Mincemeat, about a real operation meant to fool the Germans about British invasion plans, and the heavily fictionalized thriller Enigma, about the capture and decryption of the mysterious Enigma coding machine at Bletchley Park. Then we look at thrillers made during the war itself, Contraband and Went the Day Well? and ’70s dramas The Eagle Has Landed and Hanover Street, which stars Harrison Ford as a dashing, wisecracking pilot. I think he can pull that off.


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Stephen’s twitter:@NS_scooke
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Aug 08, 202256:09
Elvis Is Everywhere!

Elvis Is Everywhere!

On the latest episode of Lens Me Your Ears, as Carsten & Stephen take a look at the new Baz Luhrmann biopic of Elvis, from the King of Rock & Roll's early (and heavily mythologized) roots in the rural south to his early fame as a symbol of teen rebellion, a decade of Hollywood hackery and triumphant return to the concert stage before an untimely death at the age of 42. There's a lot of Elvis on film to take in, so the show also checks out John Carpenter's made-for-TV Elvis movie starring Kurt Russell, divergent takes on the Elvis mystique in David Lynch's Wild At Heart and Don Coscarelli's Bubba Ho-Tep, and two songs with Presley himself, King Creole and Viva Las Vegas.


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Stephen's twitter:@NS_scooke

Carsten's twitter: @FlawInTheIris

Jul 11, 202254:55
Summer Cinema

Summer Cinema

This week, Carsten and Stephen greet the start of the summer with a platter of projects that look at the lazy, hazy, crazy days of the sunniest season through a variety of lenses, from the animated antics of The Bob's Burgers Movie and the Disney+ gay romcom Fire Island to Frank Perry's fable of suburbia and middle age decline, The Swimmer, Mike Leigh's family dramedy Life Is Sweet, and the pithy young adult romances (500) Days of Summer and Adventureland.

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Stephen's twitter:@NS_scooke

Carsten's twitter: @FlawInTheIris

Jun 27, 202254:35
S'MARVELous - what's been happening in the Marvel Cinematic (and Streaming) Universe

S'MARVELous - what's been happening in the Marvel Cinematic (and Streaming) Universe

Carsten is back and we have a new episode for this week: a roundup of what's been happening in the Marvel Cinematic (and Streaming) Universe. From Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness (plus a sidebar on Everything Everywhere All at Once) to Eternals and the Sony corner of the MCU with two Venoms and a Morbius, plus a splash of Spider-Man, Moon Knight and Ms.Marvel.


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Stephen's twitter:@NS_scooke

Carsten's twitter: @FlawInTheIris

Jun 13, 202254:17
Viking of Pain - Viking adventure films & dramas

Viking of Pain - Viking adventure films & dramas

In this episode, Carsten & Stephen have a look at a selection of adventure films and dramas inspired by the sagas of those bold raiders from the north, the Vikings, currently represented in theatres by The Lighthouse director Robert Eggers' highly anticipated big screen saga The Northman. Stephen & Carsten put out their oars and row their way through Viking films past and present, from Hollywood adventures like Prince Valiant (based on Halifax artist Hal Foster's classic comic strip) and The Vikings with Kurt Douglas to modern-day adaptations like Beowulf & Grendel and The Last King.


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Stephen's twitter:@NS_scooke

Carsten's twitter: @FlawInTheIris

May 16, 202258:23
Masters of Disasters - Roland Emmerich's Moonfall and the history of the disaster movie

Masters of Disasters - Roland Emmerich's Moonfall and the history of the disaster movie

This week, Carsten & Stephen take a look at the latest from apocalyptic auteur Roland Emmerich, Moonfall, as well as a journey through the history of the disaster movie, from its historical and sci-fi roots in films like When Worlds Collide, through its heyday in the 1970s with star-studded spectaculars like Airport and The Towering Inferno, to our current era of computerized special effects where anything can happen, whether it should or not.


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Stephen's twitter:@NS_scooke

Carsten's twitter: @FlawInTheIris

May 02, 202256:18
See Linklater, Alligator

See Linklater, Alligator

On the latest edition of Lens Me Your Ears, we take a look at the work of Austin-based indie filmmaking legend Richard Linklater, inspired by the recent release of his new digitally rotoscoped feature Apollo 10 1/2: A Space Age Childhood, which just dropped on Netflix. Carsten & Stephen take a look at some under-appreciated gems in his filmography, including his professional debut Slacker, the charming true-life story of Bernie and his first venture into animating over live action, Waking Life.


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Stephen's twitter:@NS_scooke

Carsten's twitter: @FlawInTheIris

Apr 19, 202255:56
Toronto Plays Itself

Toronto Plays Itself

On the latest edition of Lens Me Your Ears, we have a look at films set in Toronto, Canada's largest city and for some, The Centre of the Universe :). Ah, but we kid the T-Dot. With the new Disney/Pixar film Turning Red examining the life of a teenage girl and her Chinese-Canadian family, and an ancestral legacy that sees her turn into a giant red panda when she hits puberty, we thought we'd take a look at other films where "the city is a character" from 1979's The Silent Partner through Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World, with films by Atom Egoyan, Sarah Polley and Bruce McDonald along the way.

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Stephen's twitter:@NS_scooke

Carsten's twitter: @FlawInTheIris

Apr 04, 202256:24
David Koepp On Koepping On

David Koepp On Koepping On

On this week's show, we look at the career of successful Hollywood screenwriter David Koepp! Koepp came to prominence in the early 1990s with his work on Steven Spielberg's Jurassic Park and Brian DePalma's Carlito's Way, and most recently has finally collaborated for the first time with longtime friend Steven Soderbergh on the techno thriller Kimi, starring Zoe Kravitz in a stand-out performance. Carsten & Stephen take a look at Koepp's career, from the impressive debut thriller screenplay debut Apartment Zero up through his directorial efforts like Stir of Echoes, Premium Rush and 2020's You Should Have Left. A skilled screenwriter with deft handling of character and story (most of the time, he also made Mortdecai with Johnny Depp), Koepp's name is usually a trustworthy mark for quality entertainment on the films he works on.


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Stephen's twitter:@NS_scooke

Carsten's twitter: @FlawInTheIris

Mar 22, 202254:58
Carry On Campion - The Career of Jane Campion

Carry On Campion - The Career of Jane Campion

Carsten & Stephen take a look at the lengthy and impressive career of New Zealand-born director Jane Campion, in the wake of her tale of toxic masculinity on the open range, The Power of the Dog, emerging as a top contender at this year's Academy Awards. Her first feature film in more than a decade, the film comes after her loving look at the romance between doomed poet John Keats and the spirited Fanny Brawne in Bright Star, her lush adaptation of Henry James' The Portrait of a Lady, her Oscar-winning tale of obsessive love in the New Zealand wilderness, The Piano and much more.

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Stephen's twitter:@NS_scooke

Carsten's twitter: @FlawInTheIris

Mar 07, 202255:58
Paul Verhoeven Only Knows

Paul Verhoeven Only Knows

On the latest episode of LMYE, Carsten & Stephen take a look at the ouvre of cinematic enfant-terrible Paul Verhoeven, whose latest controversial release 'Benedetta' takes a look at the life of a nun who defied the power of the Catholic church in Renaissance Italy. From his earliest work as a Dutch filmmaker (Soldier of Orange, The 4th Man) to his Hollywood hits (Robocop, Total Recall) and yes, even Showgirls, Verhoeven has delighted in pushing viewers' buttons and the boundaries of taste.


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Stephen's twitter:@NS_scooke

Carsten's twitter: @FlawInTheIris

Feb 22, 202256:29
Iran So Far Away - Noteworthy films from Iranian & Iranian-American filmmakers

Iran So Far Away - Noteworthy films from Iranian & Iranian-American filmmakers

With the recent release of Asghar Farhadi's latest film A Hero on Amazon Prime, pegged as a strong contender for this year's Best International Film at the Academy Awards, Carsten & Stephen take a look at a range of noteworthy films from Iranian and Iranian-American filmmakers, including the work of Farhadi, Jafar Panahi (Taxi, The White Balloon), Abbas Kiarostami (Taste of Cherry, Like Someone In Love), Ana Lily Amirpour (A Girl Walks Home at Night) and Sara Zandieh (A Simple Wedding). It's a rewarding journey through an impressive national cinema full of humanity and humour, with many treasures to discover.


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Stephen's twitter:@NS_scooke 

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Feb 07, 202256:16
To Sidney With Love, a look at the films of the late Sidney Poitier

To Sidney With Love, a look at the films of the late Sidney Poitier

On today's episode, Stephen & Carsten take a look back at the films of the late Sidney Poitier, who led the way in changing Hollywood's approach to Black representation in films, and portrayed a series of memorable characters defined by their strength, their integrity and their defiance through the 1950s and '60s and beyond. Carsten and Stephen look at some of Poitier's best-known films, and others worth rediscovering, from acknowledged classics like The Defiant Ones and Guess Who's Coming to Dinner? to gripping thrillers like The Bedford Incident and The Wilby Conspiracy, as well as Poitier's turns in the director's chair in Buck & the Preacher and A Warm December.

Follow us on twitter: @Lensmeyourears and like us on Facebook! Stephen's twitter:@NS_scooke Carsten's twitter: @FlawInTheIris


Jan 24, 202256:47
Dark Carnivals - A look at the collision between sideshow and high society

Dark Carnivals - A look at the collision between sideshow and high society

This week, Carsten and Stephen take a look at Guillermo del Toro's new blend of horror and film noir in his reimagining of the collision between the side show and high society, Nightmare Alley, inspired by the 1947 film starring Tyrone Power and the original novel by William Lindsay Gresham. The show also takes a look at the original film and other cinematic trips to the carnival and travelling performers like Tod Browning's Freaks and the sound remake of Browning's The Unholy Three; 1980's Carny with Jodie Foster, Gary Busey and Robbie Robertson; Disney's Something Wicked This Way Comes and a couple of overseas classics, Fellini's La Strada and Bergman's The Magician.

So step right up, and if there's any trouble, just call out "Hey Rube!"


Follow us on twitter: @Lensmeyourears and like us on Facebook! Stephen's twitter:@NS_scooke Carsten's twitter: @FlawInTheIris

Jan 10, 202255:58
A Little Song, A Little Dance - The return of the movie musical

A Little Song, A Little Dance - The return of the movie musical

This week, Carsten & Stephen take a look at the return of the movie musical, with three new productions on the big and small screens starting with Steven Spielberg's highly anticipated remake of the Broadway and Hollywood classic West Side Story, plus modern musical maestro Lin-Manuel Miranda makes his directorial debut with his adaptation of Jonathan "Rent" Larson's tick, tick...BOOM! and sees his pre-Hamilton success In the Heights make it to the big screen earlier this year. There's also a look at the original West Side Story, the 2005 adaptation of Larson's Rent and the work of the late Stephen Sondheim, who collaborated with Leonard Bernstein on West Side Story and was a huge influence on the musicals that followed.


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Stephen's twitter:@NS_scooke

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Dec 13, 202156:21
Noir-vember 2021 - A look at some of the best in hard-boiled cinema

Noir-vember 2021 - A look at some of the best in hard-boiled cinema

This week, Carsten & Stephen follow the Noir-vember tradition of delving into hard-boiled cinema with some of the best known and under-appreciated titles in the genre, with heavy hitters like Double Indemnity, Laura and Out of the Past, alongside terrific thrillers like Phantom Lady, The Asphalt Jungle, No Way Out and Niagara.


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Stephen's twitter:@NS_scooke

Carsten's twitter: @FlawInTheIris

Nov 29, 202155:53
Soho, So Good- A look at Edgar Wright's new thriller 'Last Night In Soho'

Soho, So Good- A look at Edgar Wright's new thriller 'Last Night In Soho'

In this episode, Carsten & Stephen take a look at U.K. director Edgar Wright's new thriller 'Last Night in Soho'. Stepping out of his comedy comfort zone, Wright tells a gripping and lurid tale of a young fashion student's trip through time and into terror when she comes to London and becomes embroiled in the city's nightlife and a fantasy vision of the swinging '60s that goes horribly awry. The show looks at some of the many films that influenced the storytelling of Wright and writing partner Krysty Wilson-Cairns, from depictions of the time in Beat Girl and The Pleasure Girls to '60s psychological thrillers like Repulsion, Blood and Black Lace and The Collector.


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Stephen's twitter:@NS_scooke

Carsten's twitter: @FlawInTheIris

Nov 15, 202158:36
Been There, Dune That

Been There, Dune That

In this episode of Lens Me Your Ears, Carsten & Stephen discuss the long-awaited sci-fi epic DUNE, directed by Canada's own Denis Villeneuve, the first half of his visionary interpretation of the epic Frank Herbert novel.

Along with Dune, Carsten and Stephen also took a look back at David Lynch's own mixed bag of spice with his 1984 version, and the documentary Jodorowsky's Dune about the first failed attempt to bring Dune to the screen by psychedelic surrealist Alejandro Jordorowsky in the early 1970s. Sticking to the big screen sci-fi adaptation theme, the show also reexamines Starship Troopers, John Carter, Mortal Engines, Howl's Moving Castle and Paprika.


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Stephen's twitter:@NS_scooke

Carsten's twitter: @FlawInTheIris

Nov 01, 202158:25
No Time to Digress - A look at the 25th official James Bond film 'No Time To Die'

No Time to Digress - A look at the 25th official James Bond film 'No Time To Die'

This week, avowed 007-philes Carsten & Stephen take a look at the long-awaited 25th official James Bond film No Time to Die, which is also Daniel Craig's (Madeleine) swan song as the unstoppable MI6 secret agent with a license to kill. There are spoilers galore in this examination of the film and discussion of where the 007 franchise could be headed with thoughts about who could step into the shoes of Craig (and Brosnan, and Dalton, and Moore, and Lazenby, and Connery) and who could put a fresh spin on the never-ending spy story from the director's chair.


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Stephen's twitter:@NS_scooke 

Carsten's twitter: @FlawInTheIris

Oct 18, 202158:52
Shang-Chi and His Legendary Co-Stars

Shang-Chi and His Legendary Co-Stars

On this week's episode, Carsten and Stephen take a look at the latest Marvel Studios offering 'Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings' starring Simu Liu and Awkwafina, and the MCU’s dive into its martial arts comics legacy, plus a look at the film careers of its two incredible co-stars from the world of Hong Kong cinema, Michelle Yeoh and Tony Leung, with a handful of titles from their impressive careers, including a previous co-starring wuxia epic Butterfly & Sword, plus Yes, Madam!, Stunt Woman, Wong Kar-Wai’s Happy Together and the Infernal Affairs saga, which was later remade by Martin Scorsese as The Departed.


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Stephen's twitter:@NS_scooke

Carsten's twitter: @FlawInTheIris

Oct 04, 202159:39
Diving into FIN 2021 Atlantic International Film Festival

Diving into FIN 2021 Atlantic International Film Festival

This week, Carsten & Stephen take a look at some of the latest Atlantic Canadian film offerings from the 2021 edition of FIN Atlantic International Film Festival running to Sept. 23rd, including Bretten Hannam's amazing Two-Spirit odyssey Wildhood, Shelley Thompson's debut feature Dawn, Her Dad & the Tractor, Juanita Peters' thriller about reconciliation and revenge, 8:37 Rebirth and the dramatic retelling of the Hadhad family story in Peace By Chocolate.


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Stephen's twitter:@NS_scooke

Carsten's twitter: @FlawInTheIris

Sep 20, 202153:33
Marion Bright - The Career of Cotillard

Marion Bright - The Career of Cotillard

This week, Carsten & Stephen take a look at some of the overlooked highlights of the career of French star Marion Cotillard following her latest risk-taking role as an opera singer in the Leos Carax/Sparks collaboration Annette. Carsten & Stephen delve into a series of films stretching over two decades, from the Hitchockian thriller A Woman in Danger to the glowing period piece The Immigrant to her compelling turn as Lady Macbeth and a moving snapshot of the human condition caught up in the wheels of capitalism: Two Days, One Night.


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Stephen's twitter:@NS_scooke

Carsten's twitter: @FlawInTheIris

Sep 07, 202157:31
Recent & lesser-known music documentaries

Recent & lesser-known music documentaries

This week, Carsten & Stephen go behind the music with a series of recent and lesser-known music documentaries, from the you-are-there narratives of Woodstock '99: Peace, Love & Rage and Questlove's Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) to the detailed biographies Edgar Wright's The Sparks Brothers, Suzy Q's look at the career of Suzy Quatro and Tina's exploration of the life of soul survivor Tina Turner. Plus, Dust Radio -- the story of roots music maverick Chris Whitley, Joe Strummer: The Future Is Unwritten and the Spandau Ballet doc you never knew you needed to see, Soul Boys of the Western World.


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Stephen's twitter:@NS_scooke

Carsten's twitter: @FlawInTheIris

Aug 23, 202157:49
No Sudden Moves in Neo-Noir

No Sudden Moves in Neo-Noir

Inspired by Steven Soderbergh's latest outing, the post-modern retro caper film No Sudden Move, with a killer cast. Carsten & Stephen delve into the history of neo-noir films, recalling the classic post-war movement chronicling doomed heroes, femme fatales and dark shadows with fresh spins on a familiar form. Thanks to Criterion Channel, some of the best examples are all in one place, with titles like Night Moves, Cutter's Way, Across 110th Street, The Last Seduction and more.


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Stephen's twitter:@NS_scooke

Carsten's twitter: @FlawInTheIris

Aug 09, 202158:60
Black Widow Bam-a-Lam!

Black Widow Bam-a-Lam!

This week we take in the return to the big screen of the Marvel Cinematic Universe with Black Widow, and the last (maybe?) hurrah for super-agent and erstwhile Avenger Natasha Romanoff, played by Scarlett Johansson. While the film takes us behind-the-scenes of Black Widow's family life, or rather, "family" life, prior to its cataclysmic finale, Stephen and Carsten go behind-the-camera to look at the work of director Cate Shortland, cinematographer Gabriel Beristain (no relation to the Bears), writer Ned Benson and more!

Check out CKDU every Tuesday afternoon at 5pm AST for a new episode of the show!

Follow us on twitter: @Lensmeyourears and like us on Facebook!

Stephen's twitter:@NS_scooke

Carsten's twitter: @FlawInTheIris

Jul 12, 202158:41
LGBTQ+ Me Your Ears - A look at Queer Cinema

LGBTQ+ Me Your Ears - A look at Queer Cinema

On this episode of LMYE, we take a look at recent and important entries in the realm of Queer cinema, ranging from the landmark documentary The Celluloid Closet currently streaming on The Criterion Channel to Canadian director Bruce LaBruce's new feature Saint-Narcisse and the overlooked My Days of Mercy starring Elliot Page to new films featuring trans actors like Cowboys and Together, Together.

Check out CKDU every Tuesday afternoon at 5pm AST for a new episode of the show!

Follow us on twitter: @Lensmeyourears and like us on Facebook!

Stephen's twitter:@NS_scooke

Carsten's twitter: @FlawInTheIris

Jun 29, 202157:43
Mickey Rourke-O-Rama

Mickey Rourke-O-Rama

Inspired by the recent release of the North Ontario-shot thriller Girl, starring Bella Thorne and Mickey Rourke as an axe-wielding young woman and the foreboding sheriff investigating her father's gruesome demise, Carsten & Stephen opted to take a look back and the wild & wooly filmography of Rourke, who has had his share of letdowns and comebacks over a long and often intriguing career.


Check out CKDU every Tuesday afternoon at 5pm AST for a new episode of the show!

Follow us on twitter: @Lensmeyourears and like us on Facebook!

Stephen's twitter:@NS_scooke

Carsten's twitter: @FlawInTheIris

Jun 14, 202157:23
Danish Delights - Showcasing Denmark's rich film culture

Danish Delights - Showcasing Denmark's rich film culture

On this episode of LMYE, Carsten & Stephen have a look at Danish thriller 'Riders of Justice' and the most recent winner of the best foreign language film at the Academy Awards, Denmark's 'Another Round', both starring the omnipresent Mads Mikkelson. From there, the show goes through some classic and recent examples of Danish filmmaking, from Vampyr to A Royal Affair to The Charmer, to showcase the country's rich film culture and ability to present unique character studies as well as rich ensemble dramas and comedies.


Check out CKDU every Tuesday afternoon at 5pm AST for a new episode of the show!

Follow us on twitter: @Lensmeyourears and like us on Facebook!

Stephen's twitter:@NS_scooke

Carsten's twitter: @FlawInTheIris

May 31, 202158:38