The Take-Up Podcast

The Lens is retiring from the Nancy/Nora mini-series with Kayla's pick, Meyers' " The Intern, " starring Anne Hathaway and Robert De Niro. Andrew, Kayla, and Joshua break down everything about the writer-director's workplace "rom-com," complete with re-casting speculations, personal sleeping attire, and the ethos of girlbossing. Now Showing has Andrew and Joshua gushing over " Decision to Leave "...

For the latest episode in the Nancy/Nora series, the Lens crew welcomes Bree Maniscalco, Executive Director of Cinema St. Louis , and her pick " Julie & Julia ." Just like Ephron's final film, this episode has not one but two protagonists as they welcome Shannon Weber, Digital Editor of " Feast Magazine ," to discuss Julie, Julia, "Julie & Julia ," and their impact on food culture. Bon app...

Oh, no, we've fallen in " The Parent Trap " and we can't get up. Join the Lens crew for the next episode in the Nancy/Nora series: Nancy Meyers' directorial debut starring Lindsay Lohan (times two... maybe four?). Before that, " Blonde ," " Pearl ," " Speak No Evil ," " Saloum ," and " The Woman King " are Now Showing. After talking about Meyers' Disney remake, they'll play Dead Ringers and figure...

The Lens is back from vacation with a mean case of " Heartburn ." The critics focus on Nora Ephron's 1986 autobiographical divorce story starring Meryl Streep and Jack Nicholson. It's the first episode of their Nancy/Nora series, zooming in on the films and careers of writer-directors Meyers and Ephron.  First up in Now Showing, they'll cover " Three Thousand Years of Longing ," " The Good Boss ,"...

Past and future (we hope!) guest and Film Studies Lecturer at Webster University Cait Lore presents Rainer Werner Fassbinder's 1972 queer classic " The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant ." First, the latest episode in the Golden Anniversaries mini-series starts with Andrew and Josh talking about a few films that are Now Showing: " Orphan: First Kill ," "Beast," and "A Love Song."  The Lens returns fr...

Former Salon film critic and "Opening Wednesday at a Theater or Drive-In Near You: The Shadow Cinema of the American '70s" author Charles Taylor discusses " Lady Sings the Blues " in the latest Golden Anniversaries episode. A Billie Holliday biopic starring an Oscar-nominated Diana Ross? Ticket for one, please and thank you. The Lens returns from summer vacation beginning in September with the Nan...

A bad miracle this accidental double-feature is not! Sidney Poitier's 1972 film " Buck and the Preacher " is presented by Gerald Early, Ph. D., professor of English and of African and African-American Studies, Merle Kling Professor of Modern Letters, and editor of The Common Reader at Washington University. But first, Andrew and Joshua go long (oops!) on Jordan Peele's new film "Nope," a spiritual...

Dr. Diane Carson, KDHX film critic and professor emerita in film at St. Louis Community College, joins Cinema St. Louis' Cliff Froehlich to discuss Peter Bogdanovich's screwball classic " What's Up, Doc ?" from 1972. Before the first discussion in this Golden Anniversaries series, Joshua and Andrew highlight some films that are Now Showing: " Mad God ," " Watcher ," "Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris," "...

A doozy of an episode for a doozy of a film: Pete Timmermann, Director of the Webster University Film Series , joins The Lens to talk the Björk-starring and -soundtracked 2000 Palme d'Or winner " Dancer in the Dark ." Before getting into his pick for the final episode in the Cannes Winners series, they all talk " Hit the Road " as well as the upcoming programs at the Film Series (and their recentl...

The Lens is running up that hill to make some deals with God with Andrew's Cannes Winner pick " The Mission ." Before wading in the mud with Robert De Niro and Jeremy Irons in Roland Joffé's 1986 Palme d'Or winner, they'll review some films that are Now Showing: "Jurassic World Dominion," "Neptune Frost," and " Cha Cha Real Smooth ." For this episode's game, Joshua quizzes Andrew and Kayla about t...

For the second Cannes Winners episode, Joshua breaks all the rules and picks Carlos Saura's psychological thriller " Peppermint Frappé ," a non-winner selection from the 1968 Cannes Film Festival. Victor Putinier , PhD candidate in Francophone and Cinema and Media Studies at Washington University, gives the crew a history lesson on why there was no winner at all in 1968. Before all that, " Hatchin...

All aboard the love train in the first Cannes Film Festival Winners episode: It's Kayla's pick of " Brief Encounter ." First up, "Happening," "Sheryl," and "Downton Abbey: A New Era" are Now Showing. After focusing on David Lean's classic romance, the crew look forward to the 2022 Cannes Film Festival with their most anticipated titles. Finally, Andrew on Ida Lupino , Kayla on " It's Complicated ,...

For the final episode of the Queer '90s miniseries, Joshua picks Gus Van Sant's shot-for-shot " Psycho " remake. First, in Now Showing, the Lens critics talk QFest St. Louis ' showing of " Anaïs in Love ," " Playground ," Webster U. Film Series ' showing of "Father," and "The Duke." After taking the Hitchcock and making it gay(-er), they're going to play a game about how other films riffed on The...

This past weekend, the Webster University Film Series hosted the Harvey Milk Film Festival, which featured "The Times of Harvey Milk" and "Milk" in celebration of Opera Theatre St. Louis' upcoming " Harvey Milk " opera remount. Joshua was joined by James Robinson, Artistic Director of OTSL, and Ken Page, legendary stage and screen star and St. Louis native, to discuss Milk's legacy, both within th...

Film studies instructor and Lens contributor Cait Lore stops by to get "Happy Together," her pick for the Queer '90s miniseries. Before diving into Wong Kar-wai's road trip romance, the Lens gang get into what's Now Showing: "The Northman," "Mothering Sunday," and the Harvey Milk Film Festival. Cait joins them to discuss alternates for Queer '90s picks, before Joshua, Andrew, and Kayla have One Mo...

Joshua is joined by his fellow QFest St. Louis programmer Cait Lore to discuss the 15th edition of the celebration of queer film and art. Tickets are now available @ CinemaStLouis.org ! They rundown the entire festival line-up (and then some), including special events like our co-presentations of Tsai Ming-liang restorations at Webster University Film Series , Opera Theatre St. Louis' Harvey Milk...

This episode the Lens crew focus on Lana and Lilly Wachowski's 1996 debut "Bound," Kayla's pick in the Queer '90s miniseries. First, "Everything Everywhere All At Once," "The Bubble," "Apollo 10 1/2," "Rock Bottom Riser," "You Are Not My Mother," and "Memoria" are Now Showing. After The Lens, Joshua tries to stump Kayla and Andrew with a new edition of Did You Know? all about the Wachowskis' films...

The Lens crew take the road to nowhere with Gregg Araki's 1992 breakout The Living End , Andrew's pick for their new Queer '90s series. First, they'll discuss new releases Fresh , Master , Deep Water, and Windfall , as well as the African Film Festival at Washington University. After focusing on Araki's "irresponsible film," they'll find out what a few of his stars are Known For in this episode's...

Kayla, Andrew and Joshua spoil Drive My Car director Ryusuke Hamaguchi's other 2021 film, Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy, in the last of their Films of 2021 series. First, Joshua and Andrew talk about the 2022 True/False Film Festival: docs that may be Oscar-bound and some that don't even have distributors yet. After focusing on Hamaguchi, all three critics make their picks in If We Picked the Oscar...

The Man in Room 6 filmmakers Trevor Juenger and Carrie Juenger join the Lens crew to discuss and spoil Dasha Nekrasova's provocative The Scary of Sixty-First for their third episode in the Films of 2021 series. You can catch both at the Webster University Film Series soon! First up, the critics discuss the various phone screens on display throughout new films Marry Me, I Want You Back, Texas Chain...

Joshua forces Kayla and Andrew into talking Oscar nominations during a late night bonus record. Enjoy a rambly hour about the 2022 Academy Award nominees and then some… What's your Wes Anderson aura? They'll return with the next proper episode on 2/22 when they talk The Scary of Sixty-First with The Man in Room 6 filmmakers Carrie Juenger and Trevor Juenger. Please share, subscribe, and review!  P...

Join The Lens critics for a spoiler-rich discussion of the doc Cusp, Kayla’s pick for an underseen film of 2021. Catch it on Showtime before you listen! First up, they discuss the two Webster Film Series programs highlighting Rock & Doris and Don Cheadle, the theatrical expansion of Drive My Car, and Sundance ‘22. This episode’s game finds Kayla and Andrew battling over who knows more about th...

Cinema St. Louis' The Lens critics discuss Rose Glass' Saint Maud for their first in the Films of 2021 miniseries and first podcast ever. Stream it on Hulu or Paramount+ before listening to the spoiler-filled discussion. First, they cover new releases Parallel Mothers, The House, Beyond the Infinite Two Minutes, A Hero, and Sundance selection After Yang. They finish up with 2021 Superlatives, duri...