Her Head in Films

In this episode, I talk about Joachim Trier's 2011 film "Oslo August 31st." It follows Anders, a young man just out of rehab for heroin addiction, as he walks around the city of Oslo, meeting old friends and trying to decide if life is worth living. I think this is a powerful and unforgettable film that reminds us of the beauty of being alive. It's one of my favorite films from the 2010s, and I ur...

(Note: This episode was originally released in 2020. I unpublished it and then republished it in 2024.) In this episode, I talk about RaMell Ross's 2018 documentary, "Hale County This Morning, This Evening." In 2009, RaMell Ross moved to Hale County in Alabama to teach photography and coach basketball. While living there, he started to film the people around him. He recorded over 1300 hours of foo...

In this episode, I'm talking about Julie Dash's 1991 film Daughters of the Dust. This is a dreamlike film that focuses on the Peazant family who live on the sea islands off the coast of the Carolinas. They gather together for one last time on the eve of their departure from the island. It's a stunning cinematic achievement that looks at the bonds of family, the ghosts of history, and the rich live...

In this episode, I talk about George Sluizer's 1988 film "The Vanishing." It's about Rex and Saskia, a Dutch couple who go on vacation in France and have their lives turned upside down when Saskia is abducted. To give away more would be to spoil this masterpiece of suspense. There are spoilers in this episode.  Consider making this podcast sustainable by supporting it on Patreon. Subscribe to the...

In this episode, I talk about Lynne Littman's 1983 film, "Testament." It's about how a mother and her children in a California town survive the aftermath of a nuclear bombing. We don't know who dropped the bombs, what has happened in the rest of the country, and we're not provided any political details. The film is solely about this family and how they confront the gradual and horrifying deteriora...

In this episode, I talk about Olivier Assayas's 2014 film "Clouds of Sils Maria." It's a complex film starring Juliette Binoche as Maria Enders, an actress who shot to stardom in her youth when she acted in a play about an older woman who is seduced by a younger woman. 20 years ago, she played the younger woman but now, in a revival of the play, she is set to play the older woman. This role brings...

In this episode, I talk about John Cassavetes's 1977 film, "Opening Night." It's about an actress named Myrtle Gordon (played by the magnificent Gena Rowlands) who witnesses the death of one of her fans and begins to spiral into a breakdown as she struggles to do a play that forces her to confront her feelings about aging. I talk all about why I love this film and Gena's performance but I also tal...

In this episode, I talk about Charles Laughton's 1955 film "The Night of the Hunter." It's about two young children--John and Pearl--who are pursued by a dangerous man on the hunt for the money their father stole and gave to them. This is a classic film and a masterpiece and one of the most terrifying films I've ever seen. I provide some information about the making of the film and explore how it...

In this episode, I talk about Theo Angelopoulos's 1988 film, "Landscape in the Mist." This film follows a brother and sister--Alexandros and Voula--who leave their home in Greece and go on a journey to find their father in Germany. They've never met him and they long to have a connection with him. Over the course of their journey, they will see both the best and the worst that humanity has to offe...

In this episode, I talk about Jean-Pierre Melville's 1949 film "Le silence de la mer." It's set in France in 1941 at the time of the Second World War. The Germans are occupying France, and a German soldier stays with a niece and her uncle who use their silence as a form of resistance against him. Every night, he comes to them and talks about his life, his interests, his love of France, and many ot...

In this episode, I talk about Jean Vigo's wondrous and magical 1934 film, "L'atalante". On the surface, it's the simple story of Jean and Juliette,  newlyweds who begin their life together on the boat where Jean lives and works. When things get boring and monotonous, Juliette begins dreaming of Paris and, when the boat stops near it, she wanders off to explore the city by herself, leaving Jean beh...

In this episode, I talk about Terrence Malick's 2011 film "The Tree of Life". This is a monumental and important film in my life. It's hard to describe what it's about because it's really about everything--the cosmos, childhood, death, life, nature,  and loss. The film is anchored by its focus on one family in 1950s Texas that is later rocked by unimaginable loss but added to this story is a colla...

In this episode, I talk about Terrence Malick's 1978 film "Days of Heaven." Set in 1916, it follows a man named Bill, his sister Linda and his girlfriend Abby. All three are poor and go to the Texas panhandle to harvest wheat on the farm of a rich and mysterious man who, it turns out, is dying. Bill encourages Abby to start a romantic relationship with the man in hopes of getting some of his wealt...

In this episode, I talk about the 1942 classic, "Casablanca," directed by Michael Curtiz. Often cited as one of the greatest films ever made, Casablanca is set in 1941 during the Second World War and centers around three people: Rick Blaine, Ilsa Lund, and Victor Laszlo. Ilsa is married to Victor but had an affair with Rick after she believed Victor had been killed in a Nazi concentration camp for...

In this episode, I talk about Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen's 1952 musical, "Singin' in the Rain." Often voted the greatest musical ever made, this effervescent and hilarious film looks at Hollywood's difficult transition from silent pictures to the talkies. Central to this episode is my focus on a film appreciation class I took in high school in 2004. It changed my life forever. One of the films I...

In this episode, I talk about Ang Lee's 2005 film, "Brokeback Mountain." It's a grand love story about two cowboys--Ennis and Jack--who fall in love in 1960s Wyoming. Their romance spans decades but, because of homophobia, they're never able to fully be together. I consider this a modern classic and one of the greatest love stories of all time. I talk about how the film was made, why it moves me s...

In this episode, I talk about Catherine Corsini's glorious 2015 film "Summertime" (aka "La Belle Saison"). Two women--Carole and Delphine--fall in love against the backdrop of the burgeoning women's movement in 1970s France. I discuss French feminism, the way Corsini represents lesbian love and desire, and much more. Consider making this podcast sustainable by supporting it on Patreon. Subscribe t...

In this episode, I talk about Bong Joon-ho's 2003 film "Memories of Murder." It's based on the real-life Hwaseong serial murders that happened in a rural area of South Korea in the 1980s and early 1990s. At the time the film was released, the case was unsolved. However, shortly before recording my episode, major news broke that a suspect had been identified through DNA. I go into this new developm...

In this episode, I talk about Roberto Rossellini's groundbreaking 1954 film, "Journey To Italy." It stars Ingrid Bergman and George Sanders as Katherine and Alex Joyce, a couple whose relationship starts disintegrating during a vacation in Italy. Katherine is haunted by a man she knew before her marriage to Alex and who was stationed in Italy during World War II. As the distance grows be...

In this episode, I talk about Vittorio De Sica's classic 1952 Italian Neorealist film, "Umberto D." It's about an elderly man trying to evade eviction against the backdrop of post-World War II Italy. As his life becomes more precarious and desperate, he clings to his only companion, his dog Flike, and struggles to survive. I talk about Italian Neorealism, why this film moves me so much,...

In this episode, I talk about Kelly Reichardt's 2008 film, "Wendy and Lucy." It stars Michelle Williams as Wendy Carroll, a young woman stopping in Oregon on her way to Alaska when her car dies and she ends up losing her dog, Lucy. Much of the film revolves around her desperate search for Lucy and her interactions with various people who either show a bit of kindness or cruelty. Released...

In this episode, I explore the Dardenne brothers' 2014 film, "Two Days, One Night." Marion Cotillard stars as Sandra, a factory worker who tries to return to her job after a bout of depression only to find that her coworkers have voted to receive a bonus and eliminate her position. Over the course of a weekend, she visits each coworker and tries to convince them to support her in a secon...

In this episode, I explore Krzysztof Kieslowski's 1993 film, "Three Colors: Blue." Juliette Binoche plays a woman who loses her husband and daughter in a tragic car accident. Overwhelmed by grief, she tries to cut herself off from human connection and sever ties with the past and her memories. I provide behind-the-scenes information about the making-of the film and discuss key scenes and...

In this episode, I talk about Pablo Larrain's 2016 film, "Jackie." It looks at Jackie Kennedy's grief in the days after the assassination of her husband, President John F. Kennedy, in 1963. I explore how the film represents grief and trauma, delve into the real struggles Jackie faced after losing her husband, give information about the making of the film and Natalie Portman's performance...

On this episode, I talk about Agnès Varda's 2000 documentary, "The Gleaners and I." It looks at people who glean in modern society, whether in the fields, at orchards, or after the markets have closed in Paris. With her camera, Varda inserts herself into the film, reflecting on ageing and how she gleans images. I talk about Varda's presence in the film, how she critiques the wastefulness...