Feminist Frequency Radio

On this episode of the Feminist Frequency Radio podcast, we’re watching RoboCop , one of the first American films by Paul Verhoeven, who would go on to direct Total Recall , Basic Instinct , and notably, Starship Troopers. After discovering Anita had never seen the 80s classic, Carolyn and Ebony are revisiting the film and bringing her along for the ride. What kind of movie is RoboCop ? Mid-tier 8...

On this episode of FFR, Entertainment News returns with a crop of pop culture updates and events that are designed to make you bury your head in the nearest pillow and scream. From un-cancelable sexual offenders to the latest string of reboots, remakes, and retreads, we’re here to talk about the things that are keeping our group chats popping and our Twitter feeds unbearable. Time Stamps: 2:27 - T...

Today on the podcast we’re discussing the 1976 horror classic Carrie , directed by Brian de Palma and based on Stephen King’s first published novel. We asked our patrons to select from several films with Bad Mothers, and this is what they chose— a film with enduring cultural significance full of fascinating contradictions between de Palma’s characteristically problematic lens and other narrative a...

On this topical episode of the podcast we’re tackling fame, celebrity culture, and fandom. While celebrity is nothing new, the modern landscape of social media creates both new avenues to fame, as well as new opportunities for fans to access their favorite stars and content creators. Today we’re talking: toxic celebrity, access and entitlement, and the false “democratization” of fame that offers a...

Arrogant tech bros cruelly disregarding privacy and the boundaries of decency in worship of their own genius (and as the world cheers on) has become a modern horror staple (e.g. the film Ex Machina or the series Devs) , but today on the podcast we’re discussing the HBO series MADE FOR LOVE, where the tone for this premise takes a darkly comedic turn as we follow Hazel Green-Gogol (played by Cristi...

Following the success of WandaVision , The Falcon and The Winter Soldier is the MCU’s latest attempt to handle tough topics in a weekly action series, but does it manage to be more than propaganda? Listen in as Anita, Ebony, and Carolyn dive into a heated discussion of how a show framed as opening a new era for Captain America mostly reinforces the status quo. Time Stamps: 6:11 - Main discussion o...

When all your faves are problematic, it may be tempting, or even natural, to tease out progressive politics or disruptive readings within media which on the surface seems to support the status quo. Is that ultra-macho action movie really about found family? Is your favorite root-for-the-bad-guy drama actually a scathing indictment of violence and toxic masculinity? Well, maybe not, but the tendenc...

On this episode of the Feminist Frequency Podcast, Ebony is back in the saddle and leading the charge, hosting our discussion of the new Netflix film Concrete Cowboy , from first-time director Ricky Staub and starring Idris Elba, Lorraine Toussaint, and Stranger Things ’ Caleb McLaughlin. While we can agree that Idris Elba and Method Man in cowboy hats is a good thing, our opinions diverge from th...

Today on the podcast we’re returning from our break (and yet somehow still entering vacation mode) as Anita, Caro, and special guest Charlie Jane Anders take a look at Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo’s colorful comedy Barb & Star Go to Vista Del Mar. Is this movie a timely escape or a bit of a bad trip? Listen in to find out what we found so polarizing. ** This week’s Bonus segment (normally only av...

Today’s very special episode of the Bonus is available to all! Listen in as we talk to Charlie Jane Anders about her illustrious career, her writing process, and her brand new YA sci-fi book, Victories Greater Than Death ! Follow Charlie Jane: Preorder Victories Greater Than Death - bit.ly/VGTDpreorderoffers https://twitter.com/charliejane charliejane.com https://instagram.com/charliejaneanders Fo...

Today on the podcast we’re joined by Special Guest Walter Chaw, film critic for Film Freak Central, to discuss writer/director Lee Isaac Chung’s semi-autobiographical film Minari , which despite being about an American family pursuing a version of the American Dream, controversially won Best Foreign Language Film at the 2021 Golden Globe Awards. Listen in as we discuss how this beautifully authent...

We asked our patrons to pick a time-loop film for us to discuss and they have spoken! FFR is headed back to 1999 to take a look at the propulsive German thriller, Run Lola Run . The film has endured for over 20 years as both an influential movie and cultural reference point, with its unrelenting visual and narrative pace. Join us as we revisit the story of fire-engine-red-headed Lola (played by Fr...

Our spotlight on Black cinema continues today on the podcast with our look at The 40 Year Old Version.  Written, directed and produced by first-time director Radha Blank, this sharp comedy won the 2020 US Dramatic Competition Directing Prize at Sundance. Join us as we discuss this semi-autobiographical tale of a Black creative grappling with asserting an authentic voice in a marketplace governed b...

Continuing our month-long series of episodes focusing on work by Black creators, on today’s podcast we’re taking a look at Judas and the Black Messiah . Directed by Shaka King, the Sundance 2021 premiering film has earned both critical acclaim and scrutiny.  Can a Hollywood movie adequately tell a story about political radicals? Does Judas and the Black Messiah do justice to Fred Hampton? Listen i...

Today on the podcast, we’re discussing Julie Dash’s lush and lyrical 1991 film Daughters of the Dust . Focusing on a multi-generational group of Gullah women on the eve of a life-altering move, this sweeping work was the first film directed by a Black woman to get a general theatrical release in the United States. 30 years later, the haunting and expressive film retains its striking impact. Time S...

Kicking off our month of episodes focusing on films by Black creators, today Anita is back with Ebony and Carolyn to discuss Dee Rees’ 2011 directorial debut, Pariah. The film was a low-budget independent release which announced Rees as a formidable talent six years before Mudbound would earn her an Academy Award nomination in 2017. Join us as we discuss this achingly authentic look at the life of...

CW: discussion of sexual assault and violence   While Anita remains in parts unknown, Ebony and host Carolyn are joined by special guest Kat Spada to discuss Emerald Fennell’s revenge thriller, Promising Young Woman , a film both darkly comedic and astutely descriptive of rape culture. Join us as we discuss what make Cassandra Thomas’ quest to punish the “Nice Guys” so provocative. Time Stamps: 5:...

On this week’s podcast, we’re taking a look at Christopher Nolan’s aggressively high-concept film, Tenet , the disorienting twists, turns, and logic loops of which demand a lot of its audience. Is it worth the effort it takes to truly engage with the film? Listen in as Caro and Ebony discuss. Time Stamps: 6:52 - Main discussion on Tenet 50:05 - What’s your Freq Out? Caro on the ASMRtist, Phoenicia...

CW: for discussions of suicide Today on the podcast, Ebony is taking a turn hosting, leading a discussion with Caro and Anita on the new Hulu series This Way Up . This Irish series about a woman on the edge has drawn early comparisons to Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s Flea Bag, but it offers it’s own unique perspective on a life in crisis. Join us as we take a look at what this show gets right and wrong a...

Welcome to the first Feminist Frequency Radio podcast of 2021 where Anita, Ebony and Carolyn are lassoing the truth out of the confounding mess of a movie that is Wonder Woman 1984. We thought if nothing else we could coast through the two-and-a-half-hour run time on 80s nostalgia and Pedro Pascal’s charm, but there’s a lot more wrong with this movie than the aesthetics. Time Stamps: 8:12 - Main d...

Today on the podcast Anita and Carolyn are hitting the road (figuratively, if not literally) to discuss NOMADLAND, the critically acclaimed film written, directed, AND edited by next year’s Eternals director Chloe Zhao. The film is gorgeous, as through main character Fern (played by Frances McDormand) it paints a picture of nomadic survival in the real life culture of American workers without root...

Anita and Ebony are joined by special and surprise guest Dave Proctor to discuss Happiest Season, Hulu’s new queer Christmas romcom from actor/writer/director Clea DuVall . Starring Kristen Stewart, Aubrey Plaza, Mackenzie Davis, Mary Steenburgen, Victor Garber, Dan Levy, Alison Brie, and Mary Holland (who also co-wrote), the film pulls out all the Christmas Movie tropes we’re used to seeing on Ha...

For this week’s podcast we checked out the 14th Annual LA Skins Fest, a festival of Native American films which was held virtually this year. The festival was a great opportunity to explore films by and about indigenous people whose stories too rarely get told in mainstream media. On this episode we’ll be discussing several works which stood out to us, from documentaries, to dramas about contempor...

Welcome to the third installment of Feminist Frequency’s entertainment news round up; a semi-regular series where we share our thoughts on all the media and pop culture news that crawled from the depths of 2020 to illuminate our screens (and mostly dampen our spirits). In this episode we’re: (still) looking forward to the release of Cyberpunk 2077; being disappointed by prominent voices who should...

In Alice Winocour’s new film Proxima , astronaut Sarah (played by Eva Green) faces challenges her male colleagues do not while making preparations to depart for a year aboard the ISS.  As Sarah tries to balance the personal and professional, her daughter Stella goes on an emotional journey of her own, struggling with the consequences of her mother’s work. Join us as we discuss how the film present...