Film Optimists

We're back with another gem from old Hollywood, Casablanca ! Ingrid Bergman and Humphrey Bogart lead the all star cast in what has become one of the most iconic films ever made. Despite its fame, the film had surprisingly humble beginnings. Hear us discuss the film, it's origin, and how it came to be considered by many to be the greatest film of all time.

Trenton Cressy returns to the pod to talk Being John Malkovich . The film follows John Cusack as a puppeteer who finds a portal into the mind of John Malkovich. The odd film launched the careers of both Charlie Kaufman and Spike Jonze, both of whom were nominated for Best Screenplay and Best Director retrospectively. This film is strange, funny, haunting, and certainly not for everyone. That's...

Spooky season is still going strong and so are we! We're back with another chilling tale, The Stepford Wives from 1975. The film follows Katharine Ross as Joanna, a woman who recently relocated to the suburb of Stepford from New York City. It's not long before Joanna notices that things aren't quite as idyllic as they seem in Stepford, and that danger may be lurking. The film is filled...

Horror season is officially here and we're kicking it off with Dario Argento's classic Giallo film, Suspiria (1977). Joining us this episode is friend and world cinema aficionado, Claudio Alberto Cortes. The film follows Suzy, a new student at a prestigious ballet school who encounters a series of bizarre murders of possibly supernatural origins. Hear us discuss the film and its 2018 remak...

It was only a matter of time before we discussed the most optimistic movie of all, The Muppet Movie ! Joining us this episode is author and activist, Jamie Metzgar. The first film in the franchise tells the "true story" of how Kermit, Miss Piggy, and the rest of the gang came together. In addition to the film we talk to Jamie about her books on grief, Salt & Ash & Honey & Mag...

Folks, we're more than halfway through the year already, but some of 2023's most anticipated films are still to come. Rather than focus on a specific film like our usual episodes, we've decided to discuss the films yet to be released we're most looking forward to this year. Listen to hear us each countdown our top 3, and write in with your own picks.

We're back with another film from Werner Herzog's extensive filmography. This time we're tackling one of Herzog's feature films, The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser (1974). The film revolves on the strange true story of Kaspar Hauser, a man who was said to have been raised in isolation and captivity who's captor unexpectedly releases him in his early adulthood into a nearby Bavarian ci...

Folks, you're not gonna want to miss this one. Writer, actor, comedian, and podcasting legend Jordan Morris is on the show! Jordan joins us for a discussion of the 1995 film, Devil in a Blue Dress , as well as to discuss their recent contributions to the Archie Comics Horror Anthology series. Devil in a Blue Dress is a neo-noir mystery staring Denzel Washington. Set in late 1940's Los Ange...

In this episode we discuss another titan of film, Werner Herzog. Herzog's career spans six decades, features nearly 70 films, and is still going strong. He has inspired multiple generations of filmmakers from around the world and was called "the most important film director alive" by François Truffaut. The Bavarian director has achieved great acclaim in directing both feature films a...

We're reunited with our esteemed, now third time guest on the podcast, Riley Gerberick, to discuss Boot's Riley's debut film Sorry to Bother You . Set in Oakland, the film follows Cassius' journey climbing the corporate ladder of his call center job, using his "white voice" to gain the coveted position as a Power Caller. We discuss Boot's overt critique on capitalism...

We’re going back in time and across the Atlantic this episode to talk about a film from one of the most important movements in film history, the French New Wave. The film is Agnes Varda’s Cleo from 5 to 7 from 1962. The film follows Cleo, an emerging popstar, who is awaiting medical test results that will confirm whether or not she has cancer. Cleo explores Paris while contemplating issues of exis...

We’re back to discuss one of the most influential films of the last 30 years, Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction . Joining us for the discussion are special guests and Tarantino aficionados Michael Grygo and Garret Dwello. The film follows several characters across the criminal underworld of LA told in a non chronological order. This was the first Tarantino film to feature frequent future collaborat...

In this episode we discuss Takia Waititi’s Jojo Rabbit . Set in Germany during the final days of WW2, this dark comedy follows a young boy in the Hitler Youth who is forced to question his beliefs upon discovery that his mother is hiding a jewish woman from the Nazis in their home. The film manages to remain funny, while still addressing the horrors of genocide, war, and the spread of hatred. List...

We’re back to discuss Greta Gerwig’s directorial debut, Lady Bird . Lady Bird is a personal, heartfelt coming of age comedy set in Gerwig’s hometown of Sacramento, California. Saoirse Ronan and Laurie Metcalf lead an excellent cast that also features Timothée Chalamet and Beanie Feldstein. Listen to our discussion of how the film’s depictions of class, religion, sexuality, and family dynamics feel...

Christopher Nolan is a name that’s come up a few times on the podcast but we haven’t dedicated an episode to focus on one of his movies before. Until now. With his latest film Oppenheimer set to come out later this year, we thought it was a good time to revisit his breakthrough film Memento (2000). Memento is a neo-noir that follows Guy Pearce as Leonard Shelby, a man with short term memory loss t...

Happy 2023 Optimists! For our first episode of the year, we reflect back on our favorite movies we saw in 2022. Just like our episode from last year, these are our favorite movies seen in 2022, not necessarily released in 2022. As we count down our top 5 watches from 2022, let us know what made your list!

Happy Holidays, Optimists! The illustrious Ann Boyd joins us once again to discuss another alternative Christmas film selection, The Thin Man (1934). The Thin Man is a fast-paced mystery/comedy/romance featuring perhaps the ultimate power couple, Nick and Nora Charles played by William Powell and Mryna Loy. The film follows Nick, a retired detective, and his wealthy heiress wife Nora who encourage...

It’s almost here folks–Thanksgiving! A time to focus on family and, more importantly, food. We celebrate the occasion with one of our favorite food movies, Tampopo .  Directed by Juzo Itami, the 1985 film follows a pair of truckers who help a widow turn her struggling ramen shop into the best ramen shop in town. Exploring food culture both high and low, this unconventional comedy is a hidden...

In this episode we discuss another legend of cinema, Swedish filmmaker Ingmar Bergman and his film Autumn Sonata . The film follows a reunion between a celebrated concert pianist and her daughter who haven’t seen each other in seven years. The film’s minimal cast is led by Ingrid Bergman (no relation to Ingmar) and Lil Ullmann who both deliver outstanding performances.

We continue our month of horror with an 80’s horror classic, John Carpenter's The Thing !  We’re joined by special guest and friend of the podcast Jim Briggs. In the film, a crew of scientists in Antarctica are stalked by an alien that can take the form of any living creature. Hear us discuss the film, theories about the ending, and the surprising comfort of existential dread.

It’s finally here: spooky season! To usher in the hallowed era Megan and Seth discuss one of their favorite horror films, Ari Aster’s Hereditary . The film follows a family enduring increasingly strange and terrifying events following the death of their grandmother. Toni Collette delivers a powerhouse performance leading the cast of this grim tale through the horrors of family.

In a Film Optimists first, we are joined by not one but two amazing guests! Alejandra Rivas and Kimiya Shokri are both actors, writers, directors, and teachers. We are thrilled to have these brilliant and talented guests on the show to discuss last year’s The Tragedy of MacBeth . This bold, stylistic adaptation of Shakespear’s classic tale stars Denzel Washington and Frances McDormand and is the s...

It's been a long time coming, but we finally take on one of the strangest and most influential filmmakers of all time, David Lynch. Megan and Seth discuss Lynch’s surreal and haunting masterpiece, Mulholland Drive . The film, its interpretations, and its troubled production are discussed as well as the man himself.

Folks, we’re knocking off a couple more important firsts with this episode. This is one of the first films that we have to put an explicit *spoiler alert* at the top of the episode, since at the time this episode airs it will still be in theaters! Seth, Megan, and our most esteemed guest yet: Seth’s lovely wife, Ann, join together to discuss Jordan Peele’s highly anticipated third feature film, No...

Riley (writer, friend, and sci fi aficionado) is back to join us for conversation about what is quite possibly the greatest action movie of all time, Mad Max: Fury Road ! But Fury Road is much more than a great action movie: it's a movie filled with sharp political commentary on various subjects and a masterclass in visual storytelling. All of this in a movie that’s the fourth in a series, and the...