Film Colossus

This week, we continue on the Paul Verhoeven train with RoboCop . We run through what makes this satirical masterpiece so great, from its dynamite cast to its incredible special effects to its multifaceted social commentary. Check out  our website  for more great movie deconstructions. If you'd like to support the show and hear episodes ad-free, then  join our Patreon ! Music b...

This week, we discuss what was once considered the worst movie ever made: Showgirls . Of course, the film has had a cultural resurgence and earned cult status—and we couldn’t be more thrilled. We dig into what makes this misunderstood classic so great. Check out our website for more great movie deconstructions. If you'd like to support the show and hear episodes ad-free, then  join our P...

This week, we dig into Ari Aster’s cult film: Midsommar . This episode involves a long-winded discussion of the horror genre and how Aster’s modern techniques both embrace and diverge from the norm. Be warned: one of us really did not like this movie. If you'd like more insight into the deeper meaning of  Scream , then check out  Chris's explanation . If you'd like to support the show an...

This week, we discuss the greatest meta horror movie ever made: Scream . We dissect just how deep the film’s meta commentary goes and what its message has to say about the genre, about media, about our individual growth as human beings. If you'd like more insight into the deeper meaning of  Scream , then check out  Travis's explanation . If you'd like to support the show and hear episode...

This week, we’re talking about that movie with the twist: Fight Club . It’s Chris’s favorite movie ever, so this is a special episode. We discuss the depth of the movie’s commentary and how the meta narrative helps the message thrive in a timeless way. If you'd like more insight into the deeper meaning of Fight Club , then check out Chris's explanation . If you'd like to support the show and hear...

This week, we take a journey into the dystopian abyss of Blade Runner 2049 . Contrary to popular opinion, we aren’t crazy about Denis Villeneuve’s sci-fi sequel, with Chris disappointed in the story and Travis frustrated about the visuals. We dig into the movie’s deeper story and ultimately what’s holding it back. If you'd like more insight into the deeper meaning of  Blade Runner 2049 , then...

This week, we’re talking about the classic sci-fi meditation on living life to the fullest: Blade Runner . We discuss the film’s deeper philosophical intentions and all the reasons why it’s one of Chris’s top five movies—ever. If you'd like more insight into Blade Runner , then check out Chris' definitive explanation of the film . If you'd like to support the show and hear episodes ad-free, ...

This week, we’re talking about the cult classic that still feels relevant 20 years after its release: Donnie Darko . We discuss how our interpretations of its cryptic story have changed over the years and debate the original cut vs. the director’s cut. If you'd like to support the show and hear episodes ad-free,  then join our Patreon ! Also,  visit our website  for fantastic movie...

This week, we discuss Charlotte Wells’s beloved coming-of-age story: Aftersun . We dig into how the film masterfully handles such delicate subject matter and uses meta techniques to showcase the power of memory and reflection. If you'd like to support the show and hear episodes ad-free,  then join our Patreon ! Also,  visit our website  for fantastic movie breakdowns! Music by ...

This week, we’re talking about a coming-of-age film that’s destined to become a classic: Bottoms . We discuss the history of high school movies and why this absurd take on growing up and finding your voice stands out. If you'd like to support the show and hear episodes ad-free,  then join our Patreon ! Also,  visit our website  for fantastic movie breakdowns! Music by  Ross Bug...

This week, we gush over Celine Song’s debut film, Past Lives . We discuss her atmospheric approach to a story about diverging paths and how she captures that inescapable desire to romanticize what could have been. Letting go of that feeling isn’t easy, but necessary for realizing our best selves. Get ready for some existential reflection! If you'd like to support the show and hear episodes ad-free...

On today’s episode, we’ll be discussing Damien Chazelle’s Hollywood epic, Babylon . We go deep in this one as we analyze this love letter to movies and how cinema has evolved over time. Just as a preview: one of us likes the movie, while the other…well, there’s no nice way to put this: absolutely loathes it. Try to guess who’s who! If you'd like to support the show and hear episodes ad-free, ...

On today’s episode, we discuss Damien Chazelle’s adored musical, La La Land . If you love this movie, then be prepared, because neither Chris nor Travis particularly care for it. They discuss all the elements of what they perceive to be a very flawed movie with an unrealized ending. If you'd like to support the show and hear episodes ad-free,  then join our Patreon ! Also,  visit our web...

Join us as we discuss the quiet, the hypnotic, the enigmatic Drive. Nicolas Winding Refn’s breakout film is seemingly simple yet says so much about loneliness, about Hollywood, about the human condition. Join us as we discuss our extensive history with Drive and examine the most profound aspects of the film. If you'd like to support the show and hear episodes ad-free,  then join our Patreon !...

On today’s episode, we’re talking about Vanilla Sky—a movie one of us really connected with. Our conversation covers all possible ground about this perplexing movie, from its broader philosophical insights to its wacky aesthetic to interesting behind-the-scenes stories. If you’re a fan of this movie, then get ready for an enlightening discussion. If you'd like to support the show and hear episodes...

On today’s episode, we discuss the deeper meaning of the behemoth known as Oppenheimer. As two people who aren’t huge fans of Christopher Nolan, our discussion involves our fraught history with his films and what we believe holds Oppenheimer back. If you'd like to support the show and hear episodes ad-free,  then join our Patreon ! Also,  visit our website  for fantastic movie break...

Today we’re talking all things Barbie—what we liked and what we didn’t like about Greta Gerwig’s biting satire of our world’s superfluous yet incredibly damaging gender roles. Get ready, because our conversation travels about as many trails as this movie goes down. If you'd like to support the show and hear episodes ad-free, then join our Patreon ! Also, visit our website for fantastic movie break...

On today’s episode, we break down Phil Tippet’s stop-motion masterpiece Mad God. We discuss the film’s broader philosophical commentary, as well as address several of the movie’s more confusing elements. If you love this movie, then get ready for an illuminating conversation from two fellow fans. If you'd like to support the show and hear episodes ad-free, then join our Patreon ! Also, visit our w...

This is it! On today's episode, Chris and Travis conclude their Fast & Furious marathon by discussing Hobbs & Shaw, F9, and Fast X. While they disagree on many, many things, they find some common ground and thankfully shake hands at the end. Family is more important than being right! Although Travis still thinks he's right. And so does Chris. If you'd like to support the show and hear epis...

If you thought the last episode was contentious, then strap in for Part 3. Today, Chris and Travis debate about Furious 7 and The Fate of the Furious—two movies that Travis loves, that Chris hates. Expect arguing, name-calling, and general passive aggressiveness. If you'd like to support the show and hear episodes ad-free, then join our Patreon! Also, visit our website for fantastic movie breakdow...

The first part of the Fast and Furious Marathon went pretty smoothly. But Part 2...well, the conversation intensifies. It gets furious, if you will. In this episode, Chris and Travis discuss the best and worst parts of the fourth, fifth, and sixth entries into the Fast and Furious series. And the episode ends with one heck of an argument. If you'd like to support the show and hear episodes ad-free...

In honor of Fast X, Chris and Travis are taking on the entire Fast and Furious franchise. Travis has been a fan for years, while Chris is a newcomer. They have wildly different opinions about several of the movies, and they're going to cover all possible ground in this four-part series. Part 1 finds them discussing the first three movies in the franchise. If you'd like to support the show and hear...

There are good movies. There are great movies. Then there's pure transcendence—and that's Chungking Express. For the first time in Film Colossus history, Chris and Travis agree on a movie being a bona fide classic. They discuss Wong Kar-wai's 1994 heartwarming and heartbreaking ode to the complexity of love and the challenge of discovering yourself in a chaotic world. If you'd like to support the...

Back in 2013, Jonathan Glazer dropped one of the quietest and most enigmatic sci-fi movies in quite some time: Under the Skin. And to this day, his film has continued to astound...and confound. Luckily, Chris and Travis are here to explain it all. In this episode, they break down what's going on in this movie and how well it's stood up ten years later. If you'd like to support the show and hear ep...

South Korea has churned out so many cinematic hits in the past decade, and one of those highlights has been the relentlessly grim and terrifying The Wailing. Chris, who wrote the best explanation of this confusing film on the Internet, and Travis sit down to discuss the film's puzzle-like plot and the deeper themes being explored. If you'd like to support the show and hear episodes ad-free, then j...