Jason and the Movienauts

Eric and Jason continue their look at the films of Masahiro Shinoda, this time looking at two films, Samurai Spy and Assassination , which promise on the surface to be standard samurai films. Instead, Shinoda subverts expectations and delivers two films which veer far away from what we expect, and present smart, deeper looks at the nature of the spy art in Japan. Along the way, Shinoda and his tea...

Eric and Dom are back for the latest deep dive into Kurosawa films, this time looking at two films which might not seem like they have a lot in common but which in fact resonate deeply with each other. I Live in Fear , Kurosawa's follow-up to Severn Samurai , is perahaps the most downbeat movie of his career, a real tragedy about a deeply flawed man whose life spirals out of control when he be...

In the wake of Robert Downey Jr.'s beautiful film about his dad, Sr. , Chris and Jason thought it was time to look at some of Robert Downey Sr.'s movies, especially his two most famous films, Greaser's Palace and Putney Swope . Chris and Jason disagree on both films, which we think makes a great listen. Hope you enjoy, and then give us feedback on what you think!

Paul, Shawn and Jason move to two of David Cronenberg's later works, both of which show the great director's wandering eye for compelling stories and his passion for taking on all the rules of cinema, as they talk Cosmopolis and A Dangerous Method .  A Dangerous Method is the story of the friendship of Freud and Jung, its ups and downs and how that friendship changed the world in some most in...

All movie podcasts are obligated to discuss TÁR in 2023, but we aren't obligated to discuss the movie in the same way. Keith joins Jason for a discussion of the themes in TÁR as contrasted with the themes of Richard Rush's 1980 film The Stunt Man . Join the guys as they discuss megalomania, truth, and how much Jason and Keith both like Barbara Hershey. It's an hour of great listening which we thin...

Masahiro Shinoda is one of the finest directors of Japan's Nouvelle Vague period, but his work is often overlooked when discussing the great filmmakers of the 1960s and '70s. Eric is a big fan of Shinoda, so he persuaded Jason to begin a look into the great man's films, starting with Pale Flower and With Beauty and Sorrow . And what a beginning it is! These two films are powerhouses, smart genre w...

In the never-ending quest to cover movies nobody else discusses (and to drive down our number of downloads), Eric and Jason continue their look at the films of Robert Altman with looks at two of his hardest-to-find films, HealtH and A Wedding . Coming at the end of Altman's magical '70s, and containing his famous massive casts and deep improvisation, the guys discuss whether these films are actual...

Dom, Eric and Jason continue their look at the films of the brilliant Akira Kurosawa with a look at probably his most studied film, Rashomon , and perhaps his most underrated film, The Hidden Fortress. Though Fortress is often called "merely" an adventure film, the guys discuss its surprising depth and the deep and often dark insights into the human condition which are masked inside its jolly exte...

Shaun and Paul are back again for the latest discussion of David Cronenberg films, this time celebrating the sublime depths of A History of Violence and Eastern Promises . Both movies read like standard action thrillers on the surface, but some quick digging revels how these films display the dark violence that lurks just below the surface of everyday life. Both films also feature the astonishing...

Keith joins Jason and they have an awesome, spirited conversation as always, this time discussing three dead-on classics about the Old West by the movie master, Ride the High Country , The Ballad of Cable Hogue and Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid . The guys agree: all three films are great, deeply flawed and fascining as hell as depictions of Peckinpah's inner life, the decine of the Old West, and t...

Eric and Jason dig back into the work of their favorite director, Robert Altman. This time they pair up two of Altman's most heroic antiheroes, Popeye and Buffalo Bill and the Indians . What do these 70s films have in common with each other? How do they celebrate or critique America's bicentennial? And are they good movies in their own right? Join us for a thoughtful and fun discussion of those an...

Jason is a huge fan of the film Local Hero , so he suggested to Chris that their next watch should be two Bill Forsyth films: the aforementioned classic along with Gregory's Girl . Chris gave them a watch, didn't quite like them as much as Jason did, and that triggered this wonderful, fun conversation we think you will enjoy.

Eric, Dominic and Jason delve into their earliest Kurosawa films so far with two intruging medical dramas, Drunken Angel and A Quiet Duel . The films are an interesting contrast to each other in the ways they explore the medical trade, post-WWII Japan, inner and outer corruption and the way ambitions play into characters' lives. They also represent a restive and brilliant artist beginning to find...

We're now at the turn of the millennium with David Cronenberg, and also watching films which really build on Cronenberg's personal pivot from physical horrors to emotional horrors. eXistenZ , despite its odd and slightly dated title and graphics, is an intriguing look at true reality and created reality - and the fine lines between. And Spider is a deeply moving internal dialogue about mental illn...

Eric and Jason are both huge fans of the films of Robert Altman, so they decided this was the right time to start a new series looking at some of Altman's most notable films. This week they start with the sublime McCabe and Mrs. Miller and the intriguingly flawed Thieves Like Us. Plus the guys talk about why they like Altman so much, and break down their top 5 Altman films. It's a great listen, we...

George Clooney stars in Michael Clayton and Three Kings , and Jason and Keith break down why his performances in these films are such star-making roles while also considering the complicated political politics of Three Kings and the complicated corporate politics of Michael Clayton . Also: why we like Mark Wallberg and why Tilda Swinton is one of the greatest living actors.

Chris joins Jason again to look at two movies by a director they love, as the guys discuss "The Master" and "Licorice Pizza." Both are challenging, often unusual films which have real power. Jason and Chris dig deep into the thematic power and resonances in "The Master", finding some real power in its real-life echoes. But Jason and Chris disagree about "Licorice Pizza", the nature of its plot and...

Paul and Shawn are back again for the latest look at David Cronenberg films. This time they dig into his most morally complex films yet, M. Butterfly and Crash . Both films have a lot to say about gender, sexuality, fear, and the embrace of the unknown. Cronenberg tackles those ideas from radically different directions in these two films, which helps give this conversation a real spice and energy....

Paul is back to talk with Jason about the new Hellraiser , why it's both better and worse than the original Hellraiser , and why Hellbound: Hellraiser II is one of the best horror sequels! If you enjoyed, please rate, review and subscribe to this podcast!

Eric and Jason wrap up their exploration of the films of Iwao Takahata with a look at his last, and possibly greatest film, The Tale of Princess Kaguya. This is an amazing, transcendent movie, and Jason and Eric enjoy digging into its greatness. It seemed appropriate to pair this film with Miyazaki's final film, The Wind Rises , and to catch the documentary The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness which...

Eric and Dom are back to talk Kurosawa films with Jason. They dig into the excellent medical drama Red Beard , which is as much about humanity as it does about medicine, and Kagemusha , a film with beautiful cinematography but which kind of baffles our guys, with its obscure plot and confusing details.

Paul and Shawn are back for Cronenberg-cast, and this time the guys look at two Cronenberg films, Dead Ringers and Naked Lunch ,  which are level-ups but also more surreal than he delivered before. As always seems to happen when they get together, Jason, Shawn and Paul find a lot to discuss in these most amazing and complicated films.

Eric and Jason have now come to the part in their Takahata reviews where they have to wrestle with the whole question of how to think about magical raccoons and their even more magical testicles, as they discuss Pom Poko . There's a lot to say about the film, with its commitment to ecological themes, its oddly despairing tone and its suitability next to Takahata's other films, but wow, those testi...

Jason is a huge fan of Charlie Kaufman movies, so when Chris suggested they should discuss I'm Thinking of Ending Things , Jason was excited. Excited, that is, until he actually watched the film and was completely baffled and annoyed. Chris talks Jason off that metaphorical ledge, then the two get into a conversation about Kaufman's other films, especially Confessions of a Dangerous Mind , which i...

Grave of the Fireflies and Only Yesterday are probably two of Isao Takahata's best known and most acclaimed films. Eric and Jason dig deep into the films and don't just talk about how effectively they work, but also into why they seem to work so well. We think it's a fascinating 75 minute discussion and hope you agree.