Movies & Us

In this episode of The Strategic Whimsy Experiment, Jen and Sarah review Mad Max 2: Road Warrior. They comment on the strange creative choices—from the clothing and hair to character names—and the film’s lack of an emotional arc. They also discuss how this film portrays women and wonder what to expect in the third film in the franchise. What did you think of Mad Max 2? Would you label it a Western...

Jen and Sarah review the 1979 film, Mad Max, in this episode of The Strategic Whimsy Experiment. They discuss its rise from low-budget thriller to international sensation, opening up Australian cinema to a greater audience. They also examine the depth of various characters and the film’s portrayal of women. They even offer some personal theories about the movie’s plot and abrupt conclusion. What d...

Jen and Sarah are joined by special guest, Erin, to review Disney’s Cruella. They ask and attempt to answer some of their most pressing questions, including: who is this film for? and was Cruella born with her iconic black and white hair? They also share what worked well in the film and what didn’t make much sense. What did you think of Cruella? What questions did the film leave you asking? Follow...

In this episode of The Strategic Whimsy Experiment, Jen and Sarah review The Woman in the Window. They discuss the film’s interesting premise, the compelling cinematography, and the poor character development. They also brainstorm ways this film could be rewritten to handle the story more responsibly. What did you think of The Woman in the Window? Follow us on Instagram @strategicwhimsyexperiment...

Jen and Sarah review The Godfather in this episode of The Strategic Whimsy Experiment. They discuss the film’s excellent writing, directing, cinematography, and iconic characters. They also examine the ways this film became a renowned classic. What did you think of The Godfather? What do you think made this film so iconic? Follow us on Instagram @strategicwhimsyexperiment and on Twitter @strategic...

Jen and Sarah review Tenet in this episode of The Strategic Whimsy Experiment. They discuss the film’s plot structure, character development, and confusing world-building. They also note the importance of practical special effects in creating some of the film’s most exciting set pieces. What did you think of Tenet? How do you think this compares with other Christopher Nolan films? Follow us on Ins...

Jen and Sarah review Netflix’s Concrete Cowboy in this episode of The Strategic Whimsy Experiment. Though the film has a lot of heart, they also discuss its shortcomings in the plot, characters, and cinematography. They also applaud the film’s intentionality in bringing awareness to a group of people that many have been unaware of. What did you think of Concrete Cowboy? Were you aware of urban Bla...

The results are in! In this episode of The Strategic Whimsy Experiment, Jen and Sarah discuss the results of this years Oscars and reveal the winner of the second annual SWE Oscar Wager. What did you think of this year’s Oscars? Follow us on Instagram @strategicwhimsyexperiment and on Twitter @strategicwhimsy . Contact us with any questions or comments at strategicwhimsyexperiment@gmail.com .

It’s the second annual Oscar Wager! In this episode of The Strategic Whimsy Experiment, Jen and Sarah reveal their predictions and personal picks for this year’s Academy Awards. What did you think of this year’s Oscar nominees? And who do you think is going to take home the ultimate prize? Follow us on Instagram @strategicwhimsyexperiment and on Twitter @strategicwhimsy . Contact us with any quest...

Jen and Sarah review Netflix’s The White Tiger in this episode of The Strategic Whimsy Experiment. They discuss the film’s characters, unique voice, and complex morality. They also unpack what worked and what didn’t work for them and compare it to other recent social commentary films. What did you think of The White Tiger? Did the film work for you? Follow us on Instagram @strategicwhimsyexperimen...

In this episode of The Strategic Whimsy Experiment, Jen and Sarah review the Oscar-nominated film, The Father. They discuss the impressive performances and the truthfulness felt in this story. They also share some theories about this film that is sure to reward multiple viewings. What did you think of The Father? Did the film’s unique way of exploring the subject matter work for you? Follow us on...

Jen and Sarah review Sound of Metal in this episode of The Strategic Whimsy Experiment. They dissect how this Oscar-nominated film brilliantly subverts expectations and goes the extra mile to immerse the audience in the story. They also discuss the honesty of the performances and marvel at how this film handles difficult topics with immense care. What did you think of Sound of Metal? How did it su...

In this episode of The Strategic Whimsy Experiment, Jen and Sarah review News of the World. They discuss the film’s cinematography and excellent casting choices. They also praise Tom Hanks and examine the niche he’s carved out for himself in the “dad movie” genre. What did you think of News of the World? Can you imagine another actor in the role of Captain Kidd? Follow us on Instagram @strategicwh...

Jen and Sarah review The United States vs. Billie Holiday in this episode of The Strategic Whimsy Experiment. They applaud Andra Day’s Oscar-nominated performance and unpack some of the film’s larger themes. They also discuss what creative choices worked and didn’t work for them in this unusual biopic. What did you think of The United States vs. Billie Holiday? How does this measure up with other...

In this episode of The Strategic Whimsy Experiment, Jen and Sarah review Pinocchio. They praise the impressive makeup and prosthetics that were applied to create the film’s unusual characters. They also offer some suggestions to make the story more meaningful and ponder why there are so many adaptions of this particular story. What did you think of Pinocchio? Are you looking forward to any of the...

Jen and Sarah review the Oscar-nominated film Emma., in this episode of The Strategic Whimsy Experiment. They discuss its stylized nature and how it stands apart from other period pieces. They also speculate about the punctuation at the end of the title—could there be some hidden meaning there? What did you think of Emma.? How does this measure against other Austen adaptations? Follow us on Instag...

In this episode of The Strategic Whimsy Experiment, Jen and Sarah are joined by a special guest, Maddie, to review the Oscar-nominated film Minari. They discuss the performances, characters, and creative choices that worked and didn’t work in the film. They also reflect on the importance of representation in Hollywood so more diverse films about the Asian American experience can be created. What d...

Jen and Sarah review the Oscar-nominated film, Another Round, in this episode of The Strategic Whimsy Experiment. They discuss its life-affirming, whimsical, and comedic handling of a dark subject. They also unpack the tragic events surrounding this film and how personal tragedy may have influenced the final product. What did you think of Another Round? How did you interpret the film’s whimsical e...

Jen and Sarah are joined by special guest, Erin, to review Disney’s latest film, Raya and the Last Dragon. They discuss the ways this film is relevant to where we find ourselves as a society. They also dive into ways that Raya and the Last Dragon breaks out of traditional story structures to bring something new and exciting to the screen. What did you think of Raya and the Last Dragon? How did it...

In this episode of The Strategic Whimsy Experiment, Jen and Sarah review Pieces of a Woman. They praise the film for its authentic writing and the way it handles a difficult topic. They also share how it subverts expectations at nearly every turn and how this film deserves more award nominations than its received. What did you think of Pieces of a Woman? How did it live up to or subvert your expec...

Jen and Sarah review Cherry in this episode of The Strategic Whimsy Experiment. They break down the inconsistent style, the narrator’s strong voice, and how the film doesn’t really know what it is. Finally, they discuss ways it could have been improved to make the story more meaningful for the viewers. What did you think of Cherry? Was there anything in this film that worked for you? Follow us on...

Jen and Sarah are joined by special guest, Kevin, to review Nomadland on this episode of The Strategic Whimsy Experiment. They discuss the humanness of this intimate film and how it intentionally breaks stereotypes about the unhoused population. They also look ahead to the film’s Oscar chances and writer and director Chloé Zhao’s upcoming films. What did you think of Nomadland? What do you think a...

Jen and Sarah are joined by B. Ladae of the But Ma That’s My Favorite Movie podcast to review Black Swan. In this episode of The Strategic Whimsy Experiment, they discuss their expectations and different interpretations of the film. They also dive into what elements made Black Swan so successful and ponder the film’s real-world implications. What did you think of Black Swan? Did it live up to your...

In this episode of The Strategic Whimsy Experiment, Jen and Sarah review Promising Young Woman. They discuss the film’s incredible style, strong message, and powerful performances. They also wonder how this film, which is about way more than revenge, could expand upon the revenge genre and pave the way for future films to come. What did you think about Promising Young Woman? Did the ending work fo...

In this episode of The Strategic Whimsy Experiment, Jen and Sarah are joined by special guest, Carisha, to review Judas and the Black Messiah. They discuss Fred Hampton’s story, including what the movie got right and got wrong, and how film can be used to educate people about historical figures they may have never heard of. They also examine the nuanced characters and how they remind us of the com...