Estradiol Illusions

Grab your lavender and your little birds, we’re going to Westeros. Join Ian for a solo episode all about Lord Varys. As someone who knows what it’s like to lose their balls, Ian feels a kindred connection to the Spider. For his talent, George R.R. Martin often portrays Varys in an exceedingly cartoonish fashion that plays into homophobic stereotypes. Join for a close reading of many of Varys’ key...

Come take a ride with us to Westview! Alexandra August returns to the show for a delightful discussion all about Wandavision, which kicked off Phase 4 of the MCU. We talk about what worked, what didn't work, how amazing Kathryn Hahn is, and all the fan theories that didn't quite pan out. Maybe Mephisto didn't want to step inside New Jersey? Who could blame him!    You can follow Alexandra at  @alx...

Grab your phaser and your away team, because we're heading to Vagra II. "Skin of Evil" lives on in Trek infamy for the senseless death of Tasha Var. Armus is one of science fiction's earliest incels, taking the spotlight away from a female character in order to harass the rest of the crew with his endless whining. Natty Strange, co-author of the iconic web comic Pokey the Penguin, returns to the s...

We delighted to welcome Adrienne Wilkinson to the show for a wide-ranging interview including her new film Dreamcatcher. Fans of Estradiol Illusions may know Adrienne best for her roles as Eve on Xena: Warrior Princess, Daughter in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Maris Brood in Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, and as Captain Lexxa Singh in Star Trek: Renegades. Adrienne shares many fascinating insights...

American civilization collapses as cancel culture claims its next victim, the valiant Mr. Potato Head. Except he isn’t going anywhere. Hasbro dropped the “Mr.” from its broader Potato Head branding. Mrs. Potato Head can serve at the altar of capitalism without the oppressive patriarchy creeping over her shoulder. Ian breaks down all the Potato Head nonsense and what this whole saga is really about...

We are delighted to welcome Douglas Goldstein, creator of Devil May Care and head writer of Robot Chicken. Devil May Care is a new animated series starring Alan Tudyk & Asif Ali that offers a fresh perspective on hell. Douglas talks about his experiences crafting both shows, their differing styles of humor, and the challenges of packing humor and narrative into an eleven-minute runtime. Devil May...

Today we are joined by Sarah and Zachary Ray Sherman, directors of the film Young Hearts. One of Ian's favorites from Slamdance 2020, the film follows two teens developing their first romantic relationship, learning the messy nature of love in a high school setting. Sarah and Zachary talk about their experiences making the film and its unique place amidst high school narratives. Ian's review of th...

Slamdance 2021 coverage continues! We are thrilled to welcome Angela Washko and Mrs. Kasha Davis, director and star of the new documentary Workhorse Queen. The film follows Mrs. Kasha Davis' journey from small-town drag queen all the way to Ru Paul's Drag Race, where she competed in season seven. Angela & Mrs. Kasha Davis (Ed Popil) talk about the evolution of drag, their experiences making the fi...

Our Slamdance 2021 coverage continues with a delightful entry in the Episodes section. The Little Broomstick Rider is a loose adaptation of Ludwig Bechstein's The Little Pitchfork Rider, the series follows 9 year old Linhard, accused of witchcraft in 17th century Bavaria. Director Matteo Bernardini shares some insights into his creative process. Made entirely using paper, pens, scissors, and glue,...

Our Slamdance 2021 coverage kicks off! Delighted to welcome Ethan Dirks and Troy DeWinne to talk about their indie fantasy animation Chef Giants, which is premiering as part of the episodes block on February 12th. Chef Giants is the proof-of-concept for their full series Gobble, a delightfully strange musical odyssey that follows two goblins who want to be pop stars.   Troy and Ethan also illustra...

Today we welcome Constantine Venetopoulos to the show to talk about his new short documentary, Draw With Me. The film follows the coming out journey of nonbinary teen Brendon Scholl, with appearances by Brendon's aunt Jennifer Lopez and President Joe Biden. Draw With Me was featured at the first ever panel on transgender health at the United Nations and is an Official Oscar Entry for the Documenta...

We are absolutely thrilled to welcome Alejandro Mejía, cinematographer for Son of Monarchs, to the show. While the cinematography is always vital to the success of a film, Alejandro carried additional obligations to convey protagonist Mendel's passions to the audience, something the film does quite well. Alejandro shares some insights into his creative process and what it was likely to film in the...

Our Sundance coverage rolls along with a film from with World Cinema Dramatic Competiton. Hive is the story of Fahrije, who is struggling to provide for her family after her husband's disappearance in the war in Kosovo. We are delighted to welcome director Blerta Basholli to discuss her work, based on a true story. Hive is a powerful narrative of perseverance in the wake of incredible hardship. Po...

Continuing our Sundance coverage with a film from the New Frontiers program. Weirdo Night is a cinematic presentation of the iconic LA comedy show of the same name. We are delighted to welcome director Mariah Garnett and star Jibz Cameron, also known as Dynasty Handbag, to talk about their work. Weirdo Night is available throughout the festival to Explorer pass holders. Mariah and Jibz will be hos...

As our Sundance coverage rolls along, we are excited to welcome Alisi Telegnut to the show to talk about her short film The Fourfold. Alisi talks about her technique that combines under camera filming with stop-motion animation, all in breathtaking detail. This is one short you won't want to miss! You can learn more about Alisi on her website http://cargocollective.com/AlisiTelengut/ Alisi's Insta...

Our Sundance coverage continues with another film from the Shorts Program. GNT is a hilarious film all about thrush, aka yeast infections! Filmmakers Sara Hirner and Rosemary Vasquez-Brown chat with Ian all the way from Australia about their process making the short. The color palette and writing is top-notch. Ian highly recommends checking out the film!   Poster image of GNT by Sara Hirner and Ro...

We are delighted to kick off our Sundance coverage with Hazel McKibbin and Angela Wong Carbone, director and star of the film Doublespeak from the Shorts Program. Doublespeak follows Emma (Carbone) as she deals with the aftermath of a sexual discrimination case in her workplace. The film, which premiered today at Sundance, is available on Vimeo for everyone to watch (highly recommended before list...

We are so excited to welcome trans icon Zackary Drucker to the show to talk about her fascinating new HBO documentary series The Lady the Dale. The series dives into the complicated life of G. Elizabeth Carmichael, a trans woman whose Twentieth Century Motor Car Corporation created the three wheel car known as the Dale. Zackary & Ian discuss Liz's life and legacy and the ways the world responded t...

We are delighted to welcome Nomi Ruiz, star & producer of the new film Haymaker. Nomi talks about her experiences making the film, incorporating her music background as a singer into the narrative, and the importance of authentic transgender storytelling both behind the scenes and on screen.    Haymaker is in theaters, VOD, and Digital on January 29th.    Ian's review of the film: https://ianthoma...

We are delighted to welcome Inga T. Winkler & A.J. Lowik to the show to talk about their work in the field of menstruation education. Inga is lecturer at Columbia University’s Institute for the Study of Human Rights and the Director of its Working Group on Menstrual Health & Gender Justice. A.J. is a non-binary trans PhD candidate and researcher at the University of British Columbia with a focus o...

Disneyland has cancelled the Annual Passholder Program, leading to many disappointed superfans clinging to their AP popcorn buckets and Halloween AP magnets for relief. Ian is pretty sad. She also thinks that the media is being ridiculous in criticizing APs for being Karens, hogging the park, and being too obsessed among other things. Ian offers some analysis on the current situation and why she t...

Grab your gold-dust and your conductor's whistle, because we're going to Shining Time Station to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Thomas and the Magic Railroad. The Shout! Factory blu-ray set contains a number of wonderful bonus features, including numerous deleted scenes from the storylines that didn't make it into the film. Ian & Tara talk about the legacy of the film and its place within Thoma...

Join host Ian Thomas Malone as she breaks down The Mandalorian's excellent second season. The Baby Yoda Show covered a lot of ground this year, finally bestowing a proper moniker on the little fella. As Grogu heads for the Jedi Temple, Ian talks about what worked and what didn't for season two. Ian's written review: https://ianthomasmalone.com/2021/01/the-mandalorian-season-2-review/

What an episode! Join Ian for a recap of what she referred to as a the best chapter of Star Wars since The Empire Strikes Back. Such a beautiful tribute to everything fans love about this franchise. If only R5-D4 had come along for the adventure from Tatooine. Ian's written review: https://ianthomasmalone.com/2020/12/the-mandalorian-season-2-review-chapter-16/ Programming note: we will return afte...

We are doing a deep dive into LGBTQ TV lore by exploring one of the all-time greats in the medium, St Elsewhere, which aired a transgender storyline all the way back in 1983. We are joined by Jessica Halem, former director of LGBTQ Outreach & Engagement for Harvard Medical School and tireless advocate for inclusivity in medicine, to help understand evolution of the medical community toward gay & t...