Critical and Curious

In this episode, we talk about Keanu Reeves' venture into sports comedies between  Matrix  movies, including  The Replacements  (2000) and  Hardball  (2001). Both movies are loosely based on true events, establishing characters that are both dynamic and cliché. We talk about how Keanu talks back to the sports comedy genre, the use of specific songs in both films, and his ever present reluctant her...

In this episode, we celebrate the 20th anniversary of  The Matrix  with an extended analysis of Keanu Reeves' character Neo across all 3 films in the franchise:  The Matrix  (1999),  The Matrix Reloaded  (2003), and  The Matrix Revolutions  (2003). We talk about the Wachowski's masterpiece as a culmination of Keanu Reeves' career to date and the series' legendary status in popular culture.

In this episode, we discuss   A Walk in the Clouds  (1995) and  Feeling Minnesota  (1996). The duality of Romantic Keanu is evident in these two films: one has an abundance of sentiment and the other, an absolute dearth. However, both films feature good guy Keanu saving the damsel in distress, often at his own peril, and the complex emotions from him that we have come to love. Lani Rich ( chipperi...

In this episode, we discuss  Johnny Mnemonic  (1995) and  Devil's Advocate (1997). With these films, Keanu embraces projects in which he is deeply interested, taking pay cuts and criticisms to work with William Gibson, Robert Longo, and Al Pacino. We discuss the nature of free will and dependency, the Bible, and the duality of self in these two films and across all of Keanu's films to date.

In this episode, we discuss  Bram Stoker's Dracula  (1992) ,  Much Ado About Nothing  (1993) , and  Little Buddha  (1994) . In each of these roles, Keanu brings his own interpretation to classic characters, which is met with harsh critique and high praise. We talk about his accents, his brownface, and how these films capitalize (rightly or wrongly) on his blank innocence. NOTE: This episode runs l...

Keanu Reeves capitulated into Hollywood in the early 1990s with Point Break (1991) and Speed (1994). These two roles established him squarely and a thoughtful action hero. We discuss the psychological backstory in Point Break and the lack of in Speed, the evolution of Keanu's Everyman, and the metaphor of Los Angeles on screen.

Keanu Reeves was introduced to the American public consciousness with Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989) and My Own Private Idaho (1991). Both buddy films, Keanu simultaneously demonstrates an acting range and a consistent presence that has defined him for 30 years. We discuss the American Dream, healthy male-male relationships, and Keanu's ability to draw on the audience's underestimation. 

The final film in the series, Fate of the Furious starts in Cuba on Dom and Letty's honeymoon and ends in New York City with the next generation of family. In our final discussion, we talk about the redemption of the Shaw family, Cipher, the first female villain in the series, and the comedic gravitas of Rome and Hobbs. We also discuss possible spinoffs to keep the family going. Watch the Trailer...

We discuss the seventh film in the franchise, the first film post-Justin Lin, the last to feature Paul Walker, and the theme of of shadows and ghosts. Directed by James Wan and on the other narrative side of Tokyo Drift , we also speculate on possible additions to the family. Watch the Trailer for Furious 7 (2015)

In this installment of the conversation we talk about the franchise's transition to absurd, over-the-top, 1980s television, from the opening credits to the oldest soap opera trick in the book: amnesia. We also talk about the representation of villains in the movies and Shaw's analysis of Dom's "code." We also talk about our own codes. Watch the Trailer for Fast & Furious 6 (2013)

The fifth discussion addresses the evolution of the franchise as the family comes together in Rio. We talk about the self-awareness of the franchise as well as the representation of Brazil, fatherhood, and the introduction of Hobbs as Dom's even twin. We also talk about which actors or actresses we would like to see join the franchise. Watch the Trailer for Fast 5 (2011)

In the fourth installment, we discuss the franchise's transition to the revenge film genre, the biblical references in Letty's resurrection as an automobile, and Dom's embodiment of the Lone Ranger as his Charger rears for battle. We also talk about the short film,  Los Bandoleros (2009) , the prequel to Fast & Furious released a few months after the film, and we suggest cities for future Fast and...

In the third conversation, we discuss the visualization of Tokyo, the inescapable concept of a gaijin, and the way class privilege manifests in the series. As the first of four films in the franchise directed by Justin Lin, we talk about the film as a symbol of stories to come. We also answer the question: When have you felt like a gaijin? Watch the Trailer for The Fast and The Furious: Tokyo Drif...

In the second installment, we talk about what John Singleton brings to the franchise, diverse representations of Black masculinity in Rome and Tej, and Brian's trip east from LA to Miami in the 2 Fast 2 Furious Turbo Charged Prelude (2003) . Profs L'Pree and Thompson also answer the question: Who is your Roman Pierce? Watch the Trailer for 2 Fast 2 Furious (2003)

In the first discussion, we explore what makes the Fast and Furious franchise so endearing, including automotive ballet and bromances, the lack of the "damsel in distress," and Racer X , the inspirational 1998 article from VIBE Magazine.  We also answer the question: What was your first car? Watch the Trailer for The Fast and The Furious (2001)