Philosophy In Film

Episode 106: Dogville This week on Philosophy in Film, the gang steps onto the chalk-lined streets of Lars von Trier's provocative 2003 drama, Dogville . When the mysterious Grace arrives seeking refuge from a pair of gangsters, the isolated mountain town reluctantly offers her shelter. But as hospitality gives way to exploitation, kindness slowly curdles into cruelty, revealing just how thin the...

Episode 105 - Back to the Future Great Scott ! This week on Philosophy in Film , the gang travels back in time to 1985 with Robert Zemeckis' beloved sci-fi adventure classic, Back to the Future . When Marty McFly is accidentally sent back to 1955 in a time machine built by the eccentric Doc Brown, he quickly discovers that history is far easier to disrupt than repair. Craig kicks things off, gener...

Episode 104: Glory Daze This week on Philosophy in Film , the gang cracks open a time capsule with Glory Daze , the scrappy 1995 Gen-X comedy filled with graduation panic, beer-soaked nostalgia, and an early Ben Affleck appearance before the Hollywood spotlight hit. Set over one chaotic night before graduation, the film follows a group of college friends desperately clinging to youth before adulth...

Episode 103: Stand by Me This week on Philosophy in Film , the gang sets out down the tracks with Rob Reiner's beloved coming-of-age classic, Stand by Me . Based on Stephen King's novella The Body , the film follows four boys as they leave in search of a missing body. What begins as childhood curiosity slowly unfolds into a meditation on friendship, memory, and the quiet moment when innocence give...

Episode 102: Slap Shot With Special Guest: Megan Craig (Associate Professor of Philosophy and Art, Stony Brook University) The gloves are off this week on Philosophy in Film as the gang faces off with George Roy Hill's bruising classic, Slap Shot!  Set in the fading mill town of Charlestown, the film follows player-coach Reggie Dunlop, played by Paul Newman, as he tries to save a failing hockey te...

Episode 101: One Battle After Another This week on Philosophy in Film, the gang locks in on Paul Thomas Anderson's sprawling, darkly funny, and relentlessly restless epic, One Battle After Another . Inspired by Thomas Pynchon's Vineland, the film follows Bob, a washed-up former revolutionary played by Leonardo DiCaprio, who's forced back into a life he thought he'd escaped when his daughter disapp...

Episode 100: Miracle on 34th Street Ho ho ho! For our 100th episode, the gang celebrates Philosophy in Film's centenary by stepping into the warm glow of a holiday classic with the original Miracle on 34th Street (1947). This timeless courtroom tale explores whether faith, goodwill, and a touch of magic still have a place in a modern, skeptical world. Craig lights the tree with Producer's Notes (1...

Episode 99: A House of Dynamite This week, the gang steps into the explosive tension of A House of Dynamite , a modern pressure-cooker thriller where family secrets, fraying loyalties, and a single terrible night threaten to blow everything apart. Craig sounds the alarm and readies for attack with Producer's Notes (9:16), while Alain scorches a few eyebrows with the Beauclair Synopsis (18:44), lay...

Episode 98: Lean On Me Season 5 marches on as the gang steps into the halls of Eastside High for John G. Avildsen's 1989 drama Lean On Me , where Principal Joe Clark takes on failing systems, fraying hope, and a school on the brink with nothing but a bullhorn, a baseball bat, and a stubborn belief in his students. Craig rings the bell with Producer's Notes (9:52), setting the tone for a spirited c...

Episode 97: Weapons Just in time for a Halloween Spooktacular, the gang is back for Season 5 of Philosophy in Film , and the reel's already spinning! First up in the tray: Zach Cregger's eerie ensemble horror Weapons (2025), where seventeen schoolchildren vanish at 2:17 a.m., forcing a town to ask: what if the monster isn't outside, but inside the story? In search of answers, Craig sounds the alar...

Episode 96: Eddington This week on Philosophy in Film , the gang rides into the dust and disinformation of Ari Aster's 2025 neo-Western Eddington . Set during the upheaval of 2020, the film pits Joaquin Phoenix's stoic, conspiracy-prone sheriff Joe Cross against Pedro Pascal's pragmatic mayor Ted Garcia in a small New Mexico town splintered by mask mandates, social media warfare, and secrets. Crai...

Episode 95: Sinners This week on Philosophy in Film , the gang steps into the blood-soaked confessional of Ryan Coogler's 2025 thriller, Sinners . Nestled in the indie-crime-vampire-redemption-gangster genre, the film follows Eli Morgan, a disgraced pastor-turned-defense attorney, as he's pulled into the moral murk of faith, failure, and a client who might not be entirely human. Craig hacks away a...

Episode 94: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King Our long journey through Middle-earth reaches its end as the gang takes on the towering finale of Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy: The Return of the King . Craig lights the beacons with Producer's Notes (8:03), rallying the realm for the final leg of our quest. Alain draws his sword for the Beauclair Synopsis (20:22), charting the...

The battle for Middle-earth rages on as Philosophy in Film journeys into The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. This episode delves into the shifting alliances, moral dilemmas, and heroic struggles that define the second chapter of Peter Jackson's legendary trilogy. Craig sounds the Horn of Helm's Deep with Producer's Notes (9:02), while Alain embarks on a perilous march through Synopsis Pass (19:...

The gang at Philosophy in Film embarks on a wild ride with Sean Baker's Palme d'Or-winning dark comedy, Anora . This episode explores the intricate narrative of Anora Mikheeva, a Brooklyn-based sex worker portrayed by Mikey Madison, whose impulsive marriage to Vanya Zakharov, the son of a Russian oligarch, leads to unforeseen challenges when his family intervenes. Craig reveals his impulsivity as...

Embark on an epic journey with the gang as we delve into Peter Jackson's cinematic masterpiece, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring . With the fate of Middle-earth resting on a perilous quest, the crew unites to explore the deep lore, unforgettable characters, and weighty themes that set this legendary saga in motion. Taking his farthest step outside the Shire, Craig sets us on the p...

This week on Philosophy in Film, we light up the holiday season with the 1990 holiday classic, Home Alone ! Directed by Chris Columbus and written by John Hughes, this iconic family comedy follows Kevin McCallister, a pint-sized troublemaker accidentally left behind when his family heads to Paris for Christmas. As Kevin defends his home from two bumbling burglars, Harry and Marv, he discovers not...

Episode 88: Alien: Romulus Shaking up the release schedule with Episode 88 of Philosophy in Film, the gang boards the hauntingly dark Alien: Romulus, the latest installment in the storied sci-fi horror franchise. Returning to the series' roots, this new chapter explores themes of survival, creation, and the horrifying unknown. Craig starts the countdown with Producer's Notes (6:54), setting the st...

Episode 89: Pump Up The Volume   This week on Philosophy in Film, the gang cranks up the dial with the 1990 cult classic Pump Up The Volume. Starring Christian Slater as the enigmatic pirate radio DJ Hard Harry, this film delves into themes of rebellion, teenage angst, and the power of uncensored self-expression. From the airwaves of suburban Arizona to the philosophical crossroads of free speech...

Episode 87: The Cabin in the Woods   In Episode 87, the Philosophy in Film Podcast descends into the horror-comedy labyrinth of The Cabin in the Woods (2012), where slasher tropes and cosmic horror are delightfully turned inside out. Craig breaks out his sales tactics in Producer's Notes (8:34), setting the stage for Alain to deliver a chilling Beauclair Synopsis (21:08), diving into the intricate...

In our 86th episode, the gang is joined by Dr. Steven Brence as we travel back to the smoky cafes and shadowy alleyways of wartime Morocco with the cinematic classic " Casablanca ." This beloved film follows the story of Rick Blaine, an American expatriate who must choose between his love for Ilsa Lund and helping her husband, Victor Laszlo, escape the clutches of the Nazis. The episode begins wit...

For the 85th episode of the Philosophy in Film Podcast, the gang ventures deep into the sands of Arrakis with Denis Villeneuve's highly anticipated "Dune: Part 2." This sci-fi epic continues the journey of Paul Atreides as he unites with Chani and the Fremen to fight against the oppressive forces threatening their world. As the spice must flow, so must our philosophical musings! Craig navigates th...

Episode 84: Anatomy of a Fall For the 84th episode of Philosophy in Film Podcast, the gang lays down the gavel on Justine Triet's 2023 Palme d'Or-winning film, "Anatomy of a Fall." This gripping legal drama follows a writer accused of her husband's murder as she navigates the complexities of truth and perception. Join us as we interrogate the evidence and cross-examine the narrative with segments...

Episode 83: Fight Club   This week on Philosophy in Film, the gang grapples with the anarchic world of David Fincher's Fight Club . Starring Edward Norton, Brad Pitt, and Helena Bonham Carter, this cult classic delves into themes of consumerism, identity, and rebellion as it follows an insomniac office worker and a devil-may-care soap maker as they form an underground fight club that evolves into...

Wake up. This week, the gang ventures down the rabbit hole of 2001's cult classic sci-fi thriller, Donnie Darko. Set in 1988, this film explores the interconnected relationships between characters while searching for the underlying truths that bind everything together, for better or for worse. Craig guides the way first with the hare-raising Producer's Notes (6:23), then Alain chooses to sit next...