Checkout Cinema

Happy October! It's the season of scary movies and your favorite librarian podcasters are discussing EXORCIST II: THE HERETIC (1977), John Boorman's widely maligned sequel to William Friedkin's THE EXORCIST (1973). Amelia and Janine are reviewing this movie in preparation for Knoxville Horror Film Fest, where they will be showing the 2025 documentary BOORMAN AND THE DEVIL about the production of t...

Checkout Cinema listener Lydia recommended that Amelia and Janine discuss IN A LONELY PLACE (1950), a film noir starring the iconic Humphrey Bogart. Luckily, Amelia already had many opinions about this movie ready to go, and gave Janine a little bit of time to catch up by watching the film and sharing her thoughts on this week's episode. Nicholas Ray's 1950 film noir IN A LONELY PLACE stars Humphr...

This week, Amelia and Janine discuss iconic filmmaker Gregg Araki's I WANT YOUR SEX (2026), an erotic thriller-comedy starring Cooper Hoffman and Olivia Wilde. While they unpack the story, the central question becomes clear: is this film a critique on generational differences relating to sex and sexuality, or is it a complicated character study? We'd love to know what you think! Thanks to Darrell...

Amelia and Janine are joined by giveaway winner Joey to discuss his favorite film: AMÉLIE (2001), a French romantic comedy following whimsical waitress Amelie Pouline as she tries to help people with their life and love problems. She keeps all of her plots a secret, instead hoping people will believe everything that happens is by fate rather than her own interference. It's always a delight to watc...

Amelia and Janine watched John Early's directorial debut MADDIE'S SECRET (2025), a satirical comedy drama centering on Maddie Ralph, a foodie content creator whose recent success has brought her past struggles with food back to the forefront. While it was a first watch for Janine, Amelia had the chance to see the movie during TIFF last year and even got to interview the cast. Read her full review...

THE VIRGIN SUICIDES (1999, dir. Sofia Coppola) centers on the Lisbon sisters, five sisters in 1970s suburbia who all die by suicide. Framed by the recollection of the teenage boys who were fascinated by them, this beautiful and striking dreamscape of a film tries to lay bare the complicated minds of teenage girls. Darrell joins Janine and Amelia to discuss this movie, the three of them examining t...

Thanks for listening to Checkout Cinema, a podcast where two librarians check out movies and review them! Today's episode is a meta episode of sorts where we discuss some upcoming guest episodes, projects, and some films we recently watched locally in Knoxville. Thanks to Darrell Winfree for editing this episode. Support your local library -- and projectionist! 00:00 Intro / "Season Preview" 01:30...

Here we go again! Another episode from your two favorite film-loving librarians, Amelia and Janine! We're back to musicals as we discuss MAMMA MIA! (2008), a jukebox musical of ABBA songs starring Meryl Streep, Amanda Seyfried, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, and Stellan Skarsgård. Thanks to Darrell Winfree for editing this episode. Support your local library!

Happy birthday Clint Eastwood! On this episode of Checkout Cinema, we checked out a copy of PLAY MISTY FOR ME (1971), a psychological drama about obsessive listener Evelyn Draper (Jessica Walter) and the target of her limerance, radio DJ Dave Garver (Clint Eastwood). We also briefly discuss UNFORGIVEN (1991) and other Eastwood films we've watched. You won't want to miss this one! Thanks to Darrell...

Thanks for listening to Checkout Cinema, a podcast where two librarians check out movies! In this episode, we discuss "WUTHERING HEIGHTS" (2026), Emerald Fennell's reinterpretation of the Emily Brontë novel starring Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi. While some celebrated this film for its heightened sexual tension between the leads, we found the exploration of this psychosexual relationship to fall...

It's Oscars season baby! 2025 had some great films, and it's time to pick the best of the best (well, from the local perspective). Amelia and Janine discuss the Oscars and the nomination process before diving into the most anticipated category: Best Picture. There are ten films nominated, so there's a lot of ground to cover! Janine and Amelia didn't watch all of the films on the li...

Thanks for listening to Checkout Cinema, a podcast where two librarians check out movies! This week we're discussing our first foreign films: Pedro Almodóvar's WOMEN ON THE VERGE OF A NERVOUS BREAKDOWN (1988) starring Carmen Maura, Antonio Banderas, and Julieta Serrano. This absurdist dark comedy follows actress Peppa (Maura), a woman determined to understand why her lover Ivan (Fernando G...

Thanks for listening to Checkout Cinema, a podcast where two librarians check out movies! This episode, we watched WHEN HARRY MET SALLY... (1989), directed by Robert Reiner and starring Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan as the titular characters. Arguably the blueprint for all romantic comedies, WHEN HARRY MET SALLY explores the time old question: can men and women be friends? The always-opinionated Harr...

Thanks for listening to Checkout Cinema, a podcast where two librarians check out movies! This week, we were joined by our editor and producer Darrell Winfree to discuss TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD (1962), which we all saw on 16mm. Directed by Robert Mulligan, TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD stars Gregory Peck in his most celebrated role: Atticus Finch, an attorney in the Jim Crow South. Based on the book by Harp...

Thanks for listening to Checkout Cinema, a podcast where two librarians check out movies! This week, we were joined by our editor and producer Darrell Winfree to discuss ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER (2025). Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER released to nearly universal critical acclaim. The film, based on Thomas Pynchon's book Vineland, follows a former revolutionary named Bob...

Thanks for listening to Checkout Cinema, a podcast where two librarians check out movies! This week, we're watching a film that sits on the border of the sound and silent eras: LONESOME (1928). Originally intended to be a silent film, LONESOME had the misfortune (or luck?) to come out right after THE JAZZ SINGER (1927) wowed picture patrons with sync sound musical scenes. In order to keep up with...

Thanks for listening to Checkout Cinema, a podcast where two librarians check out movies! This week, it's a very special episode where Amelia invited Janine to review her favorite film of all time: SINGIN' IN THE RAIN (1952). Starring legends Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds, and Donald O'Connor, this classic musical has captivated audiences for over 70 years. Join us as we discuss what makes this movi...

Thanks for listening to Checkout Cinema, a podcast where two librarians check out movies! This week, it's our second bonus episode, where we stretch our movie legs to talk about some recent watches. Janine watched quite a few films stretching across genres, including SUPERMAN (2025), THE PEOPLE'S JOKER (2022), THELMA AND LOUISE (1991), and JACKIE BROWN (1997). She also discussed watching OPPENHEIM...

Thanks for listening to Checkout Cinema, a podcast where two librarians check out movies! Hosts Amelia and Janine both watched ROMAN HOLIDAY (1953), a classic romantic comedy directed by William Wyler and starring the talented and beautiful actors Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck. Like what you hear? Follow us @Checkout_Cinema on Instagram for more content. Want to argue with us about movies? Follo...

Thanks for listening to Checkout Cinema, a podcast where two librarians check out movies! Hosts Amelia and Janine discuss some recently watched films, including RAISING ARIZONA (1987), THE CONVERSATION (1974), I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER (1997), and CANDYMAN (1992). Amelia partnered with Martyn Strange of Filmsplaining (@filmsplainingpod on IG) for a screening and discussion of RAISING ARIZONA...

Thanks for listening to Checkout Cinema, a podcast where two librarians check out movies! Hosts Amelia and Janine both watched NIGHT MOVES (1975), a noir thriller where Gene Hackman stars as Harry, a private investigator searching for a missing teenage girl. Like what you hear? Follow us @Checkout_Cinema on Instagram for more content. Want to argue with us about movies? Follow us on Letterboxd: Am...

Thanks for listening to Checkout Cinema, a podcast where we check out movies from the library! Hosts Amelia and Janine checked out a DVD of CATS DON'T DANCE (1997), an animated film directed by Mark Dindal about animals trying to make it in Hollywood. Like what you hear? Follow us @Checkout_Cinema on Instagram for more content. Want to argue with us about movies? Follow us on Letterboxd: Amy Grind...

Thanks for listening to Checkout Cinema, a podcast where we check out movies from the library! Hosts Amelia and Janine checked out a Blu-ray of CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG (1968), a family-friendly musical starring Dick Van Dyke. Like what you hear? Follow us @Checkout_Cinema on Instagram for more content. Want to argue with us about movies? Follow us on Letterboxd: Amy Grindhouse and honeyedlife. Tha...

Thanks for listening to Checkout Cinema, a podcast where we check out movies from the library! Hosts Amelia and Janine checked out a Blu-ray of FOOTLIGHT PARADE (1933), a pre-code musical starring James Cagney and Joan Blondell, directed by musical legend Busby Berkeley. Like what you hear? Follow us @Checkout_Cinema on Instagram for more content. Want to argue with us about movies? Follow us on L...

Thanks for listening to Checkout Cinema, a podcast where we check out movies from the library! Hosts Amelia and Janine checked out THE DAY OF THE LOCUST (1975), directed by John Schlesinger and starring Donald Sutherland and Karen Black. The film is based on the book of the same title by Nathanael West. Like what you hear? Follow us @Checkout_Cinema on Instagram for more content. Want to argue wit...