Cinema In Context

George Miller sequels. Special guest Sophie Ricketts joins Jeremy Downing and William Chen to discuss Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (2024) and Babe: Pig in the City (1998). We begin by discussing our reactions to Babe: Pig in the City, by first considering its predecessor Babe (1995) and then reminiscing the circumstances in which we watched its 1998 sequel. We talk about the darkness in Babe: Pig in the City and whether this film is appropriate for children. We then move on to a discussion about Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (2024) and immediately discuss it in comparison to Mad Max: Fury Road (2015). We finish by discussing why we think Furiosa is bombing at the box office and our final thoughts on Babe 2, with some last-minute comparisons to Poor Things (2023), La cité des enfants perdus | The City of Lost Children (1995) and Batman Returns (1992).

War-torn "road trips". Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss Civil War (2024) and Apocalypse Now (1979). We begin by discussing the different versions of Apocalypse Now and our reaction to the different elements in each film. We shift to talk about Civil War and how the film evokes a visceral response and gets the audience thinking. We talk about the connection to Heart of Darkness, the work of Marlon Brando and the ideas present in Apocalypse Now. We commend the work of Kirsten Dunst and Jessie Plemmons in Civil War and their wider careers. We discuss the music in both films, individually and the similarities between the two. We commend the work of Martin Sheen, Robert DuVall and Dennis Hopper in Apocalypse Now. We finish with a conversation about the politics of both films, what they are trying to achieve and how it has been received by the public.

Space Opera Sequels. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen begin by discussing our reactions to Dune: Part Two, how it compares our perspectives of Part One and how the films connect to the source text. We talk about our opinions and connections to The Empire Strikes Back (aka Star Wars Episode V), and our experiences watching it growing up. We praise the performances in the films, especially Carrie Fisher, Harrison Ford and Mark Hamill in The Empire Strikes Back, and Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Javier Bardem, Rebecca Ferguson and Florence Pugh. We discuss the prowess of George Lucas, Irvin Kershner, Denis Villeneuve, Hans Zimmer and John Williams.

Unpacking the Academy Awards. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss the 96th Academy Awards ceremony. We begin by talking about the presentation of the ceremony itself. Our conversation moves to the Best Picture category and we consider Oppenheimer, Zone of Interest, American Fiction and The Holdovers. We discuss the Sound category and the skill of how The Zone of Interest was put together. We move into a conversation about Poor Things, including the performance of Emma Stone, the design elements in the film and the politics of the script. We talk through a range of smaller categories and touch on Maestro, Godzilla Minus One, The Creator, and the performances of Lily Gladstone, Carey Mulligan and Sandra Hüller. We talk about the Screenplay categories, the performances of "I'm Just Ken" and "What Was I Made For", reminisce about previous ceremonies and winners, and finish by discussing the animated and documentary categories.

Scandalous love affairs. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and Doug Dillaman discuss May December (2023) and Notes on a Scandal (2006). We begin by hearing each person's reaction to watching or rewatching Notes on a Scandal. We touch on the real case that both films are based on, focused on the relationship between Matu Kay Letouneau and Vili Fualaau. We talk about the performances of Dame Judi Dench, Cate Blanchett, Bill Nighy, Juno Temple, Natalie Portman, Julianne Moore, Charles Melton and Corey Michael Smith. We discuss our reactions, criticisms and praise for Todd Haynes' May December. We begin to explore the ways both stories deal with a fraught subject and whose perspective we focus on. Sarah and Jeremy present their own perspectives from teaching and how they navigate creating and maintaining safe spaces for teenagers. We finish by considering how this story might be told again in the future and whose perspectives need to be highlighted.

Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss the films they watched over the December-January holiday period. We talk about Bluey (2018-Present), Wonka (2023), Ferrari (2023), Killers of the Flower Moon (2023), Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (2023), Rebel Moon: Part One - A Child of Fire (2023), The Holdovers (2023), American Fiction (2023), All of Us Strangers (2023) and Poor Things (2023).

Conductor composer biopics. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss Maestro (2023) and Amadeus (1984). We begin by discussing the life and work of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and its connection to the film. We talk about the film itself and how it tells the story of Mozart, as well as fabricating its own cinematic narrative. We praise Maestro and its feats of cinema, especially the performances of Carey Mulligan and Bradley Cooper.

The good, the average and the weird. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss their film and television highlights of the year, including each of their best film of the year, their biggest surprise, their biggest disappointment, their wildcard film or television season of the year and their best television show of 2023. Here are the films and television shows we discussed: • Films of the year: Anatomy of a Fall (Sarah); Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (William, with runner-ups Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse and Nimona); Theater Camp (Jeremy, with runner-ups Triangle of Sadness and Barbie) • Biggest surprise of the year: Napoleon (Jeremy, with a special shout-out to Scream VI); Living (Sarah); Once Upon a Studio (Wiliam) • Biggest disappointment of the year: Astroid City (Wiliam, including parts of The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar); The Creator (Sarah, with a mention of Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody); Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Ve

Ridley Scott historical epics starring Joaquin Phoenix. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss Napoleon (2023) and Gladiator (2000). We begin by discussing Gladiator and our initial and most recent reactions. We talk about the strength of the performances, particularly Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, Connie Nielsen, Oliver Reed and Richard Harris. We discuss the connections to Game of Thrones and how Ridley Scott established an aesthetic that HBO has been replicating for decades. Our conversation moves to Napoleon and begin by talking about Vanessa Kirby's performance as Josephine. We discuss Ridley Scott's prowess as a filmmaker and how he films scenes with multiple cameras. We talk about the historical accuracy of Napoleon and how much this affects our engagement with the film. If you enjoy our podcast then consider joining our Patreon. Listen to extended episodes, access additional minisode content and have an opportunity to join us for one-on-one discussions about your favourite films. You

Dystopian prejudiced world, where a male protagonist escorts a young woman across war-torn lands. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss The Creator (2023) and Children of Men (2006). We begin by discussing The Creator and exploring its strengths and faults, especially how great the film looks and how it was achieved with a small budget. We talk at length about the elements of The Creator that left us wanting more. Our conversation then pivots to Children of Men and explores the razor-sharp intention of the film and how it succeeds in what it is trying to achieve. We celebrate multiple moments from the film, especially the cinematography of the film and the impressive long takes. If you enjoy our podcast then consider joining our Patreon. Listen to an extended version of this episode, access additional minisode content and have an opportunity to join us for one-on-one discussions about your favourite films. You can find us on Patreon at: patreon.com/CinemaInContext

Amateur theatre mockumentaries. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss Theater Camp (2023) and Waiting for Guffman (1996). We begin by hearing William's fresh take on Waiting For Guffman (we had just watched the film together before our recording). We collectively praise Waiting for Guffman and trace its influence upon comedy for the following 25-plus years. We shift our conversation to Theater Camp and praise its composition, characters and comedy. We consider the connections in our own lives to both films, specifically amateur theatre experiences. If you enjoy our podcast then consider joining our Patreon. Listen to an extended version of this episode, access additional minisode content and have an opportunity to join us for one-on-one discussions about your favourite films. You can find us on Patreon at: patreon.com/CinemaInContext

Barbie and Oppenheimer. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss Barbie (2023) and Oppenheimer (2023). We begin by discussing the Barbenheimer phenomenon and the influences that contributed to making this cinema event happen. We talk about the musical qualities of Barbie, as well as the cinema homages. We move to discuss the representation of politics and characters in Oppenheimer. We critique elements of Barbie, including the ending, the world-building and its intended audience. We discuss the details of Oppenheimer and consider its storytelling position, its technical choices and whether the film lands. We excitedly discuss all the actors in Oppenheimer and then the various Barbie products. If you enjoy our podcast then consider joining our Patreon. Listen to an extended version of this episode, access additional minisode content and have an opportunity to join us for one-on-one discussions about your favourite films. You can find us on Patreon at: patreon.com/CinemaInContext

Movies that made William. Jeremy and William discuss the most significant films in William's life in our series of Movies That Made Us. He talks about Who Am I (1998), The Iron Giant (1999), Les Triplettes de Belleville | The Triplets of Belleville (2003), Fantasia (1940), and Back to the Future (1985). If you enjoy our podcast then consider joining our Patreon. Listen to an extended version of this episode, access additional minisode content and have an opportunity to join us for one-on-one discussions about your favourite films. You can find us on Patreon at: patreon.com/CinemaInContext

Michael Keaton Batman films. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss The Flash (2023) and Batman Returns (1992). We begin by discussing the Tim Burton films in the late 80s and early 90s, including Batman (1989), Edward Scissorhands (1990), Batman Returns (1992), The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) and Ed Wood (1994). We talk about the ideas and influences in Batman Returns, including German Expressionism and the imagery around The Penguin, Catwoman, Max Shreck and Batman in the film. We then move our conversation to The Flash and how its troubled history kept it from being released for a number of years... perhaps too late? We talk about the range of references and performances in the film, including its homage to a number of films that were never made. We discuss the "multiverse" and how The Flash explores familiar territory, as well as other films that take place in their versions of multiple dimension storytelling. We move our conversation to the controversies of Ezra Miller and how such con

Cross-political pop culture thrillers. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss Tetris (2023) and Argo (2012). We begin by discussing Tetris: the game, the book and the film. We explore the wider world of video gaming and the development of technology. We shift to Argo and our initial reactions and our rewatching reactions. We discuss the 2013 Academy Award ceremony and Argo winning Best Picture. We talk about other connected texts, like Air (2023), Yellowjackets (2021-), Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018) and Good Will Hunting (1997). If you enjoy our podcast then consider joining our Patreon. Listen to an extended version of this episode, access additional minisode content and have an opportunity to join us for one-on-one discussions about your favourite films. You can find us on Patreon at: patreon.com/CinemaInContext

Super Mario Bros. films. Jeremy Downing and William Chen are joined by friend to the podcast Billy Revell-Siō to discuss the recent The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023) and the 30-year old Super Mario Bros. (1993). We begin by discussing our bafflement by the 1993 film... what did we watch?! We discuss the mythology of the Mario games and wider Nintendo game lore. We talk about the success of adaptation in both films. We discuss the female characters and writing in both movies. We finish by discussing the music in both films and their place in pop culture. If you enjoy our podcast then consider joining our Patreon. Listen to an extended version of this episode, access additional minisode content and have an opportunity to join us for one-on-one discussions about your favourite films. You can find us on Patreon at: patreon.com/CinemaInContext

Triangle named films at sea. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss Triangle of Sadness (2022) and Triangle (2009). We begin by discussing Triangle and how the successful the fils works on building the narrative on a small budget. We talk through the time loop logic in Triangle and how the central character is represented throughout. We discuss our reactions to Triangle of Sadness, especially the scatological sequence in the film. We talk about the ethics and experiences of being on a cruise ship. We discuss the various acts and how each contribute to the overall effect of the film. We return to Triangle and discuss the torture of the main character, continue to unpack the time loop and compare to a range of other films. If you enjoy our podcast then consider joining our Patreon. Listen to an extended version of this episode, access additional minisode content and have an opportunity to join us for one-on-one discussions about your favourite films. You can find us on Patreon at: patron.com/Cinem

Gerard Johnstone horror comedies. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss M3GAN (2023) and Housebound (2014). We begin by discussing the strengths of Housebound, especially how it references to many other horror classics. We talk through the horror tropes throughout the film and how successfully these moments intersect with the character moments. We move the conversation over to M3GAN, starting with key cast connections, discussing Gerard Johnstone's work, and the pros and cons of the script, gore and design of the film. We discuss the use of Auckland, New Zealand as a filming location for M3GAN and the recognisability of the locations in the film. We consider the reality of New Zealand filmmaking, filmmakers and the state of the industry. If you enjoy our podcast then consider joining our Patreon. Listen to an extended version of this episode, access additional minisode content and have an opportunity to join us for one-on-one discussions about your favourite films. You can find us on Patreon a

James Cameron two billion dollar epics. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss Avatar: The Way of Water (2022) and Titanic (1997). We begin by discussing the themes of James Cameron films and how he captures big emotions in his films, and how these intersects with the representation of indigenous peoples. We discuss the performance capture of Avatar 2 and Cameron's focus on the work of the actors. We move to compare Avatar: The Way of Water with Titanic and consider the overarching connecting themes. We praise Titanic and its various story beats, characters, performance and how Cameron walks the line of a romantic period drama and disaster horror film. We explore the special effects and visual effects of Titanic, and marvel at the work from 25 years ago, and weave in considerations of the ground-breaking effect work of Avatar: The Way of Water.

Highs and lows of the year. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss their film and television highlights of 2022, including best film of the year (and runner-ups for best film of the year), biggest surprise of the year, worst film of the year, best time we had at the cinema and the best season of television of the year (and runner-ups for best season of television this year). Here are the films we discussed: • Runner-ups for best film of the year: Athena, Elvis, and Good Luck to you, Leo Grande (Sarah); Marcel the Shell with Shoes On, The Bad Guys, The House, Barbarian, Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Turning Red, Top Gun: Maverick, Decision to Leave, and Everything Everywhere All At Once (William); Turning Red, Thirteen Lives, Trainwreck: Woodstock '99, and anticipating Avatar: The Way of Water to be a runner-up or even film of the year (Jeremy). • Best film of the year: Ennio (Sarah); Athena (William); and Everything Everywhere All At Once (Jeremy). • Biggest surprise of the year: Chip 'n Dale: Rescue