Genre Exposure: A Film Podcast

In this episode, another listener suggestion sends us kicking and screaming back into the world of Indian cinema. Join us as we dig into the many twists and turns of Vasan Bala's genre blending escapade Monica, O My Darling from 2022. Jason finds his apprehension in the wake of 13B utterly destroyed against the film's charm. Dustin finds an excuse to rant about Keigo Higashino and then puts in som...

In this episode, after spending two films nostalgically looking back to the golden age of slashers Jason has decided to take us back to the heart of that era with his pick. Amid a flood of slasher sequels and imitators, join us as we check out Edward Hunt's Bloody Birthday from 1981. Dustin weighs the effectiveness of the scenes with children committing murder contrasted to the film's lack of gore...

In this episode, we are joined by our first ever special guest: Chris the 4k Outlaw. Together we sit down to gush over our shared love of slasher films and dig in with his selection for this episode: The Final Girls from 2015. Jason weighs the film's PG-13 rating against the surprisingly emotional heart the film has while wondering what could have been. Dustin lays down some research on the enduri...

In this episode, we launch off a new block taking a look at a beloved subgenre for us: Slashers. To keep things interesting we're setting a ban for ourselves from selecting any films that hail from the big name slasher franchises. Join us as we kick things off with Dustin's controversial pick Muck (2015) directed by Steve Wolsh. Is this a loving nostalgic throwback to the golden age of the slasher...

In this episode, we hit up another listener suggestion returning us to the world of Hong Kong Westerns. So join us as we check out The Millionaires' Express directed by the legendary Sammo Hung. Jason lays down some interesting context with notes about the history of those involved in the film's production. Dustin charts out the differences between the many different cuts of the film. But before a...

In this episode, we wrap up our series on somewhat medieval themed Fantasy flicks. There's no other way to go out with a bang than a short trip into the surreal world of Lucio Fulci. So join us as we visit a land beyond time and delve into his one forray into the fantasy genre with 1983's Conquest. Jason tries to orient the film in the pantheon of Fulci's movies and its place among his masterpiece...

In this episode, we continue our medieval styled Fantasy soujourn. Though some technical difficulties prevented him from joining us, Michael has left us with his pick for this block leading us to check out M. J. Bassett's Solomon Kane from 2009. There's a lot to love here, but Jason lays down some fair criticism on where the film perhaps fell short of greatness. Dustin gushes his heart out over th...

In this episode, we launch into our first theme block of the year placing our focus onto Fantasy films. Which, as Jason is keen to add, includes a bit of specific focus on medieval style fantasy. It all kicks off with Jason's pick as we check out the influential Dragonslayer from 1981. Dustin struggles to overcome his bias for Peter MacNicol as Janosz in Ghostbusters II. Jason plants his flag on t...

In this episode, we dive back in for another listener episode to round out our freestyle block with an all time great for Extreme Horror. Join us as we check out Ruggero Deodato's legendary and controversial classic Cannibal Holocaust. Jason chronicles the film's influential legacy and importance. Dustin details his suffering enduring the uncut version of the flick and tries to weigh the animal cr...

In this episode, we continue our series of freestyle picks to start off the new year with Dustin's selection. We check out his favorite feature from Fantasia 2021, Ultrasound directed by Rob Schroeder. Join us as we navigate the strange surreal mindbending corridors of the film's narrative. Dustin goes up to bat for the film decrying it as underseen and underloved. Jason shares his appreciation fo...

In this episode, we tackle our first listener episode of the year. After holding this one in our back pocket for far too long, we finally get a chance to check it out by way of Screambox. So join us as we check out Cristian Ponce's History of the Occult from 2020. Dustin celebrates the film's genre mashup of surreal brainteaser mixed with a political thriller. Jason struggles to define the particu...

In this episode, we kick off the new year with a series of freestyle picks. We still need a bit of time to chart our course without Michael on board and so we've decided to hit some films we have wanted to discuss but have never quite had the chance to place them in any prior topics. First up, Jason takes us back to the 80s for Steve De Jarnatt's apocalyptic Miracle Mile from 1988. Dustin finds hi...

In this special bonus episode of Genre Exposure, we usher 2022 to a close with a final look back over the year. First, we reflect a bit on the podcast itself and go over some of the things we learned and struggled with during the year as well as highlight some of our favorite moments and share just a few regrets. After that, we leave the best of 2022 top ten lists to the experts and instead go ove...

In this episode, we close out the year with one final listener episode. Based on a true crime. Pulled from the pages of a Jack Ketchum novel. Join us as we delve into director Gregory M. Wilson's The Girl Next Door from 2007. With the novel in hand, Jason gives some extra insight from the source material, including a short reading. Dustin presents the quick facts of the true crime behind the story...

In this episode, we wrap up our last block of the year on musicals with an explosive finale. Echoing last year, Dustin returns us to the madcap genre blending world of director Sion Sono for an over the top rap battle musical. Join us as we check out Tokyo Tribe from 2014. Jason struggles to leverage the cinematic elements he finds enjoyable against his distaste for rap. Dustin goes full super fan...

In this episode, we continue our time wrapping up the year with some focus on Musicals. Jason's pick leads us to our first go at a Brian De Palma film as we check our Phantom of the Paradise from 1974. Between digging in with all the many and varied music references amid genre spanning songs, we also get a bit into how the film may or may not have been overshadowed by a little movie called the Roc...

In this episode, we kick off a block focused on Musicals to close out the year. Michael marks his formal return with his pick of Hedwig and the Angry Inch from 2001. Jason questions some of the curiously lacking details that didn't make the jump from stage to film. Dustin digs deep into the film's theme of self-acceptance and offers some alternative interpretations. Michael champions just how ahea...

In this special bonus episode of Genre Exposure, Michael returns from his one block hiatus early to get in on the Halloween cheer. This time we're having a casual discussion about our favorite Halloween "comfort" films: the movies that we love to revisit every year around Halloween and that fill us with joy and nostalgia for the season. Before breaking down our lists, we also spend some time highl...

In this episode, we wrap up our Extreme Horror extravaganza for October with a listener episode that's still on topic. Diving back into our list from the start of this block, we decided to go with a modern example of the subgenre and this led us to check out Rob Jabbaz's The Sadness from 2021. Jason seeks for the good in the film and looks at it from a perspective of celebrating gore films. Less i...

In this episode, we continue our Extreme Horror extravaganza with Dustin's regular trip to Japan, circling us back around to the first episode to talk a bit more in depth about the infamous Guinea Pig series. Join us as we check out Hideshi Hino's Mermaid in the Manhole which may be the fourth, fifth or sixth entry in the series depending on who you talk to (and don't worry, we get into all that t...

In this episode, we continue our Extreme Horror odyssey with Jason's pick taking us back to the early 80s to check out a film that trades in overt shock value for disturbing themes and ideas that will linger long after the credits roll. Join us as we check out Angst from 1983. Jason falls in love with the cinematography and champions the film's influential style. Dustin struggles to articulate why...

In this episode, the Halloween season is upon us. While Michael enjoys a slight hiatus, Jason and Dustin delve down into the darkest depths to spend all month talking about Extreme Horror. Just like last year, we're coming at you with one episode a week all month long. It all kicks off with one of the most infamous and controversial horror films of all time: Srđan Spasojević's A Serbian Film from...

In this episode, Jason and Dustin band together to check out another listener episode while Michael goes on temporary hiatus. Join us in wishing him all the best and await his return later before the end of the year. This time, we're looking at Mark O'Brien's powerful art house horror flick The Righteous shot in gorgeously stark black and white. Jason celebrates the classical style of the film. Me...

In this episode, we wrap up our focus on Indian cinema for the time being. After the highs of Tumbad and the lows of 13B, Dustin brings a quirky black comedy crime film hoping to lift his co-hosts spirits and drag the group across the finish line. Join us as we delve into Anurag Basu's Ludo from 2020. Michael has some harsh criticism for the depictions of several members among the central cast. Ja...

In this special bonus episode of Genre Exposure, Jason and Dustin team up to deep dive on the brand new horror film Pink Rabbit. Shot by a two-person crew on a micro-budget, Pink Rabbit is a feminist fantasy horror film that transcends its production value to deliver an enjoyably thought provoking experience. The story follows Martha during her daily work routine when an encounter with the titular...