GoodTrash GenreCast

We apologize for the delay, dear listeners but we are back in the saddle again. This episode has been in the can for a month now, and we have next week's show already ready recorded to keep bringing you all the GoodTrash goodness you crave. 

This week Dustin and Dalton are joined in the studio by Alexandra Bohannon as we discuss Michael Mann's Manhunter. We talk all think Lector, with and and without the letter "k" and talk a lot about the aesthetics of this film.

We don't necessarily love it nor do we hate it. Nonetheless we would love to hear your thoughts via social media.

Producer's Note: We when got together a month later, we recorded a show on Sergio Leone's Fistful of Dollars rather than Bullworth. Bullworth is still on the schedule, and we will release it in two weeks.

Dalton and Dustin are back at it again this time we take on The Karate Kid. That's right it's two weeks in a row that we get to talk about martial arts and a whole lot more.

Dustin likes this movie (mostly due to nostalgia) a whole lot more than Dalton but that's not enough for both of us to give a generally positive reaction to this film. So it doesn't look like we will put the movie in a body bag, but will we? From there we get on to our favorite movie mentors in which there are few surprises to long time listeners to the show. The Karate Kid inspires us in ways very similar to what Hollywood film does a lot of and we have lots of game picks.

Once we get down to analysis, we talk about racism at first. We then move to the gender dynamics of the film, and even get to talk a bit about class issues surrounding the film. We engage the question of who is the real protagonist of the film and come to the conclusion that Mr. Miyagi is far more interesting than Daniel. However, that is just a warm up to get us to a favorite topic at GoodTrash where we get to talk about violence. There are some interesting tropes we identify and we even get to talk about the theological pacifist traditions of both the East and West. It is as always a rip-roaring good time!

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We have a great time talking about this early John Woo film in which we see the first John Woo's famous Doves. Before we get to the analysis and figure out what (if anything) they may mean we have to recognize that these birds become a major icon of action cinema. As such, this week's game is our favorite action cinema iconography. There are lots of great images and trope used in action cinema and we have a blast talking about them and are very excited to hear your feedback, dear listener.

Once we get down to business, the conversation is pretty free-wheeling. First we discuss this film as a distinctively Hong Kong film as opposed to action movies from mainland China. We then shift over to a conversation about the female lead Jenny. We decide quickly that she is not so much a lead and more or less a plot device and that leaves both of us decidedly unhappy. That said, we move on to a discussion about the use of physical handicaps in Asian film, especially of the blind or one-handed swordsman variety which leads us to one of our favorite topics: the myth of redemptive violence. Here we become much happier with the film as we find its blend of Catholic and Buddhist iconography to provide an excellent counter-narrative to the myth and a great handle to discuss the globalization of action films. All in all we had a great time and invite you all to join in!

The ground for good discussion on Clueless is laid quickly in our brief review section as our co-hosts find themselves split on the overall quality of the film. Dustin, being from the generation the film was made for, finds he now actively dislikes the film which he quite appreciated at 19. Dalton on the other hand comes to the defense of Clueless as a film he doesn't love, but certainly sees the value of.

The show then moves to gameplay as the hosts discuss their favorite teen romance films. Specific films are obviously covered, but it isn't long before it becomes more general breakdown of what makes a good teen movie. Things then get closed out with a brief sub-game in which Dustin and Dalton discuss their favorite films from the king of 1980's teen movies, John Hughes.

With more time left for games, the hosts get down to business and talk analysis. The major topics are queer representation and to a lesser extent racial representation, class awareness and finally what it means to be a teenager.

That's it for this week listener, but if you think we're done, well as if! Stay tuned next week as the gang is getting ready to discuss a seminal work of international action cinema. See you then!

This week we examine a film loosely based on the novel The Running Man, by Stephen King, writing as Richard Bauchman. Arnold is up to his usually cheekiness, full of efficient distribution of violence and perhaps violent one-liners. It's so 80's-tastic and yet very much a film for contemporary thinking and we would love you all to tune in.

We begin this week as always talking about our opinion of the film and generally find this to be pretty disposable (spoiler alert). However, despite its overall schlockiness, we find this film to to be ripe for analysis.

The show warms up with this week's game, our favorite manhunt films. Be sure and listen closely here dear listener, because though we mention several films that have been mentioned and even the subject of previous episodes, there are some gems in here to add to your GoodTrash syllabus.

Once we get down to analysis, we begin with a conversation about the prescience of a film made in 1987 that depicts a future 2017. This leads to a conversation about the cycles of anti-fascist cinema of the 80's, the early 2000's and today. We then move to a discussion of the misogyny of this film and it's relationship to rape culture and the difficulty of filming confrontations between men and women. Finally, our conversation moves to a discussion of the surveillance state, reality TV, and the difficulty of disappearing in the 21st century.

Get into it!

 

After a brief break, Dalton and Dustin return to break open Kathryn Bigelow’s 90’s action movie classic, Point Break. Classic, you question? Yes, classic we say. It’s a film that pits two of the decades most beloved heartthrobs against each other and has surfing and skydiving. What more could you want?

The conversation gets off to a quick start as Dustin and Dalton argue the merits of the film and it’s direction. The episode then moves into the game—a tribute to the recently departed Bill Paxton. As always though the real business of this show is analysis, and that’s exactly where the conversation moves after the game.

This week we start something a little different. As our typical roundtable of talkers has become something more akin to a duo, we have decided to make things a bit more conversational. Dalton kicks it off by engaging with the obvious gay subtext of Point Break and other films of the era. Dustin then brings in an eco-critical analysis of the film’s juxtaposition of nature and civilization. Dalton and Dustin discuss the spiritual and anti-spiritual relationships the characters have with the ocean and society.

This brings us to one of our favorite discussions: violence in cinema. However, the nuance this week is the way in which the film connects violence to nature. We end our discussion by examining how this relationship is realized formally in both shots and color used by Bigelow to contrast the beach with the city.

Surfs up!

On a landmark episode of your favorite film analysis podcasts, Arthur and Caleb say good bay the only way they know how; debauchery. That's right, on this week's GoodTrash GenreCast we're taking a look at Scorsese's The Wolf of Wall Street. It's three hours of coke, prostitues and innovative dart games. But, is it one of Scorsese's best? Or, is it guilty of unnecessary excess?

Before we find out the answer, we play our game. This week, your hosts rapidly examine Careers that Films Talked Them Out Of. It's fast and it's hot, so keep up. We then move into our round table analysis.

Dustin gets things going by bringing up David Bordwell, and examining The Wolf of Wall Street as a melodrama. He presents a strong formalist argument before proceeding with the round table discussion. He brings up the film's critique of capitalism, and Arthur, Caleb, Alex and Dustin all weigh in on the film and its messaging.

That's it for this week. So, get your coat, we're about to head to Benihana's. You're more than welcome to join us...

The Wolf of Wall Street Timestamps

00:38 - Welcome and Introductions
03:36 - Synopsis and Reviews
17:46 - Social Media
18:35 - The Game - Careers Films Talked You Out Of
23:17 - Analysis35:22 - Shelf or Trash/Else or Instead
42:25 - Wrap Up

Once upon a time, your favorite movie analysis podcast sat down to talk about a story that has it all, The Princess Bride. On the show this week, we throw a cult classic on the table to see what it is all about. Does Rob Reiner's tale of stories and pirates sweep us off our feet? Or, is it simply, Inconceivable?!

The game for this week is a discussion of our favorites "Stories within Stories". We also have a special announcement in regards to some changes taking place with the show. After all of this nonsense, we get down to our film analysis.

The analysis begins this week with Arthur as he looks at the portrayal of the hero's journey in The Princess Bride. He briefly looks at the history of medieval tales and their connection with the monomyth. He finishes by discussing how we each embark on a hero's journey when we go to the movies. Dalton takes over next. He discusses the art of sharing stories. He brings up the connection that can be made by sharing the stories you love with the people you love.

Alex takes a feminist approach to briefly discuss Buttercup's role in the film, or lack thereof actually. Dustin brings the segment to a close and talks cultural hegemony. He brings up They Live as a counterpoint to help drive his narrative. He argues the ways in which The Princess Bride conveys conservative ideologies and reaffirms the larger cultural ideology of the time.

So come Dear Listener, we'll tell you a tale, of a boy and girl and their love story... And an analysis of that love story.

The Princess Bride Timestamps

00:38 - Welcome and Introductions
03:16 - Synopsis and Reviews
15:16 - Social Media and SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT
18:09 - The Game - Stories within Stories
30:59 - Analysis
49:43 - Shelf or Trash/Else or Instead
53:11 - Wrap Up

Welcome back to your favorite movie analysis podcast, the GoodTrash GenreCast. On this week's episode, the whole gang gathers around the table to talk about Dustin's February host pick, the 2014 French coming of age drama, Girlhood or Bande de Filles. Is this drama a beautiful tale of growing up? Or does it crumble under the pressure?

We kick things off with the weekly game by talking about our Favorite Coming of Age Stories. Arthur decides to play a different game and talks about his favorite Coming of Age protagonists. It's okay, he does what he wants anyway. Following the gameplay, which is filled with bad Boston accents, the team get down to their film analysis business.

Analysis kicks off with Dalton discussing hanging out and social groups. He looks at the way life functions within groups of friends, and how these societal groups help us cope with life. Alex goes down a similar path to talk about groups of girls and friendships. She talks about feminism and gender roles and how Girlhood plays with all of that.

Caleb gives a rundown of the coming of age genre. He discusses the history of the genre and compares and contrasts the narratives as when told through the eyes of males and females. Dustin wraps things up by discussing the socio and political factors that Girlhood pushes up against. He brings up the idea of "banlieue films", which are films that focus on French suburban life.

And that's a show this week, folks. We've got to head out for the week, we've got a party to get to, but we'll see you next week when we take on a genre classic.

Girlhood Timestamps

00:38 - Welcome and Introductions
02:36 - Synopsis and Reviews
15:00 - Social Media
16:37 - The Game - Favorite Coming of Age Stories
30:49 - Analysis
51:15 - Shelf or Trash/Else or Instead
57:05 - Wrap Up

Welcome back where the analysis is fresh and trash is good. Your favorite movie analysis podcast is back to talk F Gary Gray's hostage thriller The Negotiator. Is it a bucket of fun or a bucket of poo? You'll have to tune in to find out our thoughts on this 1998 action flick. But first, we have to play a game.

This week, we talk about our favorite "Wrong Men". Arthur thought he had written and closed the book on the subject, but Alex comes in at the last second with arguably one of the better "Wrong Man" characters.

As the analysis gets underway, Arthur presents a formalist/genre reading of The Negotiator. He examines how F Gary Gray utilizes the editing, camera and production design to infuse a sense of urgency into a substandard procedural story. Dalton is next. He presents a look at beurocracy and the thin line that is constantly walked by those in the criminal justice system. He connects these dots to beurocracy on a more general scale.

Alex piggybacks off of Dalton's reading in presenting her ideas. She reiterates the strength of Dalton's points, before aligning these points with current political affairs. Alex brings up how America's distrust in government has grown. She is brimming with ideas from her recent OK Policy Summit. Dustin takes things home by discussing the myth of redemptive violence. He examines how violence in this form is used to control people. Dustin then compares the approach of both Spacy and Jackson's characters in the film.

Well that's it for this week, Dear Listener. Now, if you're ready, go ahead and hit play. And remember, you never tell the hostage taker, "No."

The Negotiator Timestamps

00:38 - Welcome and Introductions
05:27 - Synopsis and Reviews15:19 - The Game - Favorite Wrong Men
22:44 - Social Media
24:01 - Analysis
50:01 - Shelf or Trash/Else or Instead
57:35 - Wrap Up