The Criterion Quest

After escaping the war and “comfort house”, Lee & Chris gather a small crew and hit the high seas joining documentary filmmaker Steve Zissou as he embarks on an overnight drunk and sets out to find the shark that ate my friend and destroy it. Anyone who wants to tag along is more than welcome… Featuring Special Guest Eric Coleman and Claire Swan. Support us on Patreon where you’ll find bonus episo...

After the somewhat traumatic experiences with the donkey Balthazar, Lee & Chris take some much needed rest & relaxation in wartime and post-wartime Japan, spending a couple of hours with a variety of “comfort women” and the various men they interact with. Support us on Patreon where you’ll find bonus episodes, monthly commentary tracks and all sorts of fun stuff: patreon.com/TheCriterionQuest We’r...

After their tough romantic rejection on the snowy bridge, Lee & Chris hightail it to the French countryside where they cross paths with a donkey named Balthazar who seems to take on the trials and tribulations of mankind as his wanders from owner to owner in his weary lifetime. Support us on Patreon where you’ll find bonus episodes, monthly commentary tracks and all sorts of fun stuff: patreon.com...

After a little break and an extensive look back at the previous year, Lee & Chris find themselves once again in a small Italian village where they cross paths with a lonely man who is smitten by a young woman waiting patiently on a bridge for her lover to return. Support us on Patreon where you’ll find bonus episodes, monthly commentary tracks and all sorts of fun stuff: patreon.com/TheCriterionQu...

We’re back with Part 2, jumping straight back into our deep dive looking back at some of our favourite, and not so favourite, films of the past year. Joined again by special guest Toby, Lee & Chris continue their sit down starting with some of their least memorable cinematic experiences of the year before heavily disagreeing on some controversial gems. Warning, this episode is chock full of spoile...

We’re back! It’s a new year and what better way to kick the podcast off again after a short break than to take a massive look and deep dive into the year that was 2021. Joined by special guest Toby, Lee & Chris sit down and discuss a multitude of films they watched during the year. Keep an eye out for Part 2, coming in the next few days. Warning, this episode is chock full of spoilers! Please see...

As the year is quickly drawing to the close, things in Lee & Chris’s work lives are heating up…We thought we’d take a minute to step away from the Collection, have a small chat about some of the films we’ve seen recently and let you all know we’re slowing things down a bit and taking a small break for a few weeks (but don’t worry, we’ll be back in mid-to-late December with our next episode!) Suppo...

After breaking for school holidays and leaving their old teacher behind, Lee & Chris head to a small Japanese seaside community where the bump into two brothers who, while at a crossroad in their lives, are entwined in a love triangle with a married woman. Support us on Patreon where you’ll find bonus episodes, monthly commentary tracks and all sorts of fun stuff: patreon.com/TheCriterionQuest We’...

After their enlightening experience with the Franciscan monks, Lee & Chris decide to further their education by enrolling in a prestigious English boarding school where they encounter an ailing teacher reflecting back on his career during his final days of teaching. Support us on Patreon where you’ll find bonus episodes, monthly commentary tracks and all sorts of fun stuff: patreon.com/TheCriterio...

Things are almost back to normal for us here in Melbourne, and within the week we’re able to be in person together to record. So for the sake of our sanity (and hopefully the quality of recordings), Lee and Chris decided to postpone the next episode by a week or two. But fear not, instead of leaving you with something new to listen to, we decided to instead tease you with a glimpse of what is happ...

After their bizarre encounter with the conductor, Lee & Chris head to the Italian countryside where they join an order of monks as they go about their lives. Unfortunately the experience is more may dull than enlightening. Support us on Patreon where you’ll find bonus episodes, monthly commentary tracks and all sorts of fun stuff: patreon.com/TheCriterionQuest Lee’s running a kick-ass Instagram fo...

After their playful trip to the afterlife, Lee & Chris decide to get a little culture by heading to the symphony. Things don’t go quite as planned though, as the conductor finds himself suspecting his wife of having an affair and fantasises on different ways he could deal with the situation. Support us on Patreon where you’ll find bonus episodes, monthly commentary tracks and all sorts of fun stuf...

After leaving the surreal French countryside behind, Lee & Chris find themselves in the afterlife of all places, where they encounter a recently deceased man who recounts his life to the devil with the understanding he’s securing his places in eternal damnation… or is he? Support us on Patreon where you’ll find bonus episodes, monthly commentary tracks and all sorts of fun stuff: patreon.com/TheCr...

After a briefer breaker for the film festival than intended, Chris & Lee join forces once again. This time the pair find themselves wandering all over the French countryside, running into some quirky and odd individuals who have a unique view on morals and society. Support us on Patreon where you’ll find bonus episodes, monthly commentary tracks and all sorts of fun stuff: patreon.com/TheCriterion...

Taking a break from the Quest, as is custom for the month of August, Chris gives a little update on what’s happening with both the podcast schedule and the extremely unfortunately cancellation of the Melbourne International Film Festival’s in cinema sessions, while giving some brief recommendations on some excellent films available on the online program and at the same time proving he’s great and...

After their somewhat uneasy visit with Mr Welles, Lee & Chris are joined by Lee’s husband Josh, as the trio head to the inner city streets of Chicago in the the early 90s to follow the paths of two young men with dreams of making it all the way to the NBA. Featuring Special Guest Josh Beattie.

After escaping from the treacherous jungles of Peru, Chris reunites with Lee as the pair spend some time with one of cinemas great masters as he weaves some interesting tales and theories on trickery and deception.

Heading deep in the Amazon jungle, Chris is joined by friend Toby as the pair join a madman filmmaker on his quest to complete his masterpiece… possibly at the cost of his own sanity. Featuring Guest Host Toby Zarb. Support us on Patreon where you’ll find bonus episodes, monthly commentary tracks and all sorts of fun stuff: patreon.com/TheCriterionQuestLee’s running a kick-ass Instagram for the sh...

While Lee takes some much needed post-war R & R, Chris is joined by his loving wife Claire as they examine the marriage of an upper-class man who will do what ever it will take to make his life leave him… even with deadly consequences. Featuring Guest Host Claire Swan. Support us on Patreon where you’ll find bonus episodes, monthly commentary tracks and all sorts of fun stuff: patreon.com/TheCrite...

After abandoning the toxic relationships in Paris, Lee & Chris embark on an epic journey through war torn Poland, first encountering a boy wanting to make a stand, followed by a platoon doing what they can to survive before finally meeting a young man at a critical crossroad as the war draws to an end.

After leaving the massacre of samurai’s behind them, Lee & Chris head to Paris to meet up with two young men, Jules and Jim, as they form a strong, lifelong friendship that becomes complicated when they meet the young, free-spirited Catherine.

After fleeing the bullying and torture of the Austrian boarding school, Lee & Chris find themselves wandering the countryside of Japan where they encounter a lone samurai, who kills brutally, ruthlessly and without remorse. Support us on Patreon where you’ll find bonus episodes, monthly commentary tracks and all sorts of fun stuff: patreon.com/TheCriterionQuestLee’s running a kick-ass Instagram fo...

Having left the Italian stock exchange and doomed romanced behind, Lee & Chris spend a semester in an Austrian boarding school where they meet Törless, a young man who observes the sadistic torture of a fellow student at the hand of his friends, putting him into an existential spiral over humanity. Support us on Patreon where you’ll find bonus episodes, monthly commentary tracks and all sorts of f...

After their cross-country road trip adventure, Lee & Chris find themselves back on the streets of Rome, where they encounter a newly single young woman and an eager young man who’s relationship may, or may not, serve as a larger examination on society… we’re not too sure. Support us on Patreon where you’ll find bonus episodes, commentary tracks and all sorts of fun stuff: patreon.com/TheCriterionQ...

Having made safe passage from India, Lee & Chris find themselves drifting across the American mid-west with two best friends who happen to be to sex workers, one a narcoleptic and the other the runaway son of the mayor of Portland. Together they explore life, sex, relationships and everything in between. Support us on Patreon for bonus episodes, commentary tracks and all sorts of fun stuff: patreo...