015 - A.O. Scott's Critical Cri de Coeur

Loann and Art discuss A.O. Scott's new book that wrestles with the critic's place in today's cultural landscape.

Featured discussion topics:

• Better Living Through Criticism by A. O. Scott
• An extract of Scott's book in The Guardian
• Daredevil
• Deadpool
• Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehesi Coates
• The Bazarre of Bad Dreams by Stephen King
• Son of Saul

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014 - Of Ant Men and Missions Impossible

Loann and Art discuss two recent summer movies and then enter a discussion of the current trend towards movie remakes, reboots and sequels.

Featured discussion:

• Ant Man

• Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation

• True Detective

• Sens8

Other things discussed:

• George R.R. Martin's feelings on Marvel Villians
• The Trinity Syndrome
• Daredevil
• Cedar Rapids 
• Going Clear (The Scientology Documentary)
• The Hunt
• Hannibal

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013 - Summer Movies 2015 Halftime Report

It's the halfway point of the summer movie season and Loann and Art have seen some of the big movies that have been released so far.

Summer movies discussed this episode:

• Avengers: Age of Ultron
• Jurassic World
• Mad Max: Fury Road
• Minions
• Love and Mercy

Other things discussed:

• A Million Ways to Die in the West
• Ted & Ted 2
• Seth Mcfarlane sings Cyndi Lauper's hits as Stewie and Peter Griffin.
• It Follows
• Supercut video of cell phones not working in movies

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012 - Charlie Hebdo and Satire

This week Loann and Art talk about the aftermath of the attack on the satirical French publication Charlie Hebdo, and the discussion ranges into the types of satire and how it is received by those in power and those out of power. 

 

Also, we talk about what we've consuming culturally. 

Loann has finished David Mitchell's new novel The Bone Clocks and Art was really taken with the movie Frank, starring Michael Fassbender in a mask for the entire movie.

 

 

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011 - Robin Williams and Where Are the Movies For Adults?

Robin Williams will be missed. A big career and an even bigger personality. Loann and Art talk about their memories of his performances and his impact on the culture. And, are movie theaters even a place for adults seeking serious drama?

Reading List:

What Happened to Original Movies Aimed at Adults? by Richard Brody

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010 - Translation Troubles and Female Movie Hero Woes

Art and Loann talk about the fate of foreign books in translation when it comes to the English speaking book markets.  And, modern female movie characters often blaze onto the screen with brains and skills, but then recede so the the male characters can take center stage.  Is this becoming a problem?

Reading list:

Can Books Cross Borders?  By Tim Parks 

We're losing all our Strong Female Characters to Trinity Syndrome  By Tasha Robinson


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009 - Tom Cruise & Dragons Underperform and 70's Political Paranoia Today

How to Train Your Dragon 2 and Edge of Tomorrow are getting great reviews, (and Loann and Art have each seen one of them.) However, they are not meeting box office projections, so what does that mean for the studios and the stars.  And, 70's movies like The Conversation made audiences feel creeped out about the surveillance state, but where are those stories being told today?





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