Watch The Film With Us (Cheryl Mok and Lara Bulger)

How do people become fans? In this episode, we talk about how people go from liking something to becoming a megafan. We chat through examples and anecdotes of fandom from sports and music. This topic leads us to a conversation about the six Star Trek series that are simultaneously on TV right now, and how they strengthen the Trekkie community and form lifetime fans of the franchise. 

Let us know what you think and chat with us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/WTF_WithUs

Check out our YouTube channel for extended conversations and outtakes: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1O6GFhumzrq8qNBYZuF_1Q

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What paved the way for sci-fi as we know it now? And, what is the future of the sci-fi genre beyond the 2010’s? In this episode, we chat about the evolving themes and stories within the science fiction genre and how it coincides with our relationship with and understanding of science and technology. As we chat through the evolution of the genre, we start to see how other genres blend into science fiction, causing science-fiction eras to emerge throughout filmmaking history.

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Why do we create stories about aliens? And, what fascinates us about the possibility of finding aliens in space? In this episode, we talk about what drives mankind to look for aliens and whether we believe that we would be able to find aliens in the near future. We also chat about how, in recent years, the portrayal of aliens as a threat seems to have been replaced with AI’s as the main threats of science fiction.

References:

Read more about the Arecibo message on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arecibo_message

Let us know what you think and chat with us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/WTF_WithUs

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How have alien creature designs evolved over time? In this first episode of Arrival, we chat about how our human perspective influences what we imagine aliens to look like. We also chat about the role that aliens have played in the last few decades of cinema and how that affects our design and depiction of aliens. We wrap up the conversation with a look to the future and consider the characteristics of aliens in the next decade of filmmaking.

References:

CNN “How depictions of aliens have evolved”: https://www.cnn.com/style/article/alien-like-no-other/index.html

Business Insider “40th Anniversary of 'Alien' Movie: How Aliens in Film Have Changed”: https://www.businessinsider.com/40th-anniversary-of-alien-movie-aliens-in-film-changes-2019-8?r=US&IR=T

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How would we rank Denis Villeneuve films we have seen? What makes these films so impressive and successful? In this episode, we chat about why we love Denis Villeneuve’s filmmaking and his organic, human way of storytelling. We also chat about how he compares with other directors, his influence on sci-fi and what we think we might see from him in the future.

Let us know what you think and chat with us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/WTF_WithUs

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What fictional languages do you speak? In this episode, we talk about producing fictional languages in film and why we don’t see that many written fictional languages in movies. We also talk about the sound of aliens in films over the year, and how the emergence of fictional alien language parallels our comfort levels of the existence of aliens in our galaxy.

Let us know what you think and chat with us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/WTF_WithUs

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Based on the Rotten Tomatoes synopsis of “Arrival”, we chat about the “thinking person’s sci-fi” and how Arrival falls into that sci-fi “category”. We spend the episode chatting about what  “thinking person’s sci-fi” (and “thinking person” other genres) means to us, and the specific characteristics of that kind of film. 

Arrival on Rotten Tomatoes: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/arrival_2016

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Lara and guests Kyle and Laura chat about the changes of this year’s Oscars ceremony and what they thought of the 2021 film season, including any Academy snubs, their favourite films of the year and predictions. Listen in on all the hot takes and prediction trends for your Oscars party ballots this year!

Let us know what you think and chat with us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/WTF_WithUs

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So… Cheryl finally watched Interstellar! What did she think about the movie, and how does it compare with what she thinks about other Christopher Nolan movies? In this episode, we talk about our impressions of Interstellar and our views on Christopher Nolan and his work. Tune in to hear how we rank Nolan films and how it compares with the aggregate critics score on Rotten Tomatoes!

Let us know what you think and chat with us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/WTF_WithUs

Check out our YouTube channel for extended conversations and outtakes: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1O6GFhumzrq8qNBYZuF_1Q

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How does Nolan’s use of time in Interstellar compare with his other films? In this episode, we talk about why Nolan is so fascinated with time and which of his time concepts we prefer. We also chat about why the impact of aging in Interstellar is so impactful compared with other representations of the passage of time. Our conversation ends with a general discussion about time in the sci-fi genre and how it’s been explored in other films.

References:

Fortress of Solitude “Understanding Christopher Nolan’s Obsession With Time“: https://www.fortressofsolitude.co.za/understanding-christopher-nolans-obsession-with-time/

Screen Rant “Why Christopher Nolan Is So Obsessed With Time In His Movies”: https://screenrant.com/christopher-nolan-movies-time-stories-obsession-explained/

Let us know what you think and chat with us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/WTF_WithUs

Check out our YouTube channel for extended conversations and outtakes: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1O6GFhumzrq8qNBYZuF_1Q

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Even though the film felt slightly fantastical, Lara explains that a lot of Interstellar is based on real science. We chat about whether realism is important for the sci-fi genre, and space movies in particular. This conversation leads to a chat about other genres, like true crime, and the importance of having the right balance of realism and entertainment.

References:

Den of Geek “Interstellar: Kip Thorne and Jonathan Nolan Talk Science Behind the Movie”: https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/interstellar-kip-thorne-and-jonathan-nolan-talk-science-behind-the-movie/

TIME “What's the Most Realistic Movie About Space? Here's What 8 Movies Got Right—and Wrong”: https://time.com/5627032/most-realistic-space-movies/

SPACE.com “5 most realistic space movies”: https://www.space.com/realistic-space-movies

Let us know what you think and chat with us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/WTF_WithUs

Check out our YouTube channel for extended conversations and outtakes: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1O6GFhumzrq8qNBYZuF_1Q

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How is sacrifice used in storytelling and when is it most successful? In this episode, we talk about the act of sacrifice in real life and how a person’s sacrificial act might impact their loved ones. We also chat about Matt Damon’s role in this film, and how sacrifice that doesn’t result in death may impact the character’s mental state after the sacrificial act.

References:

All The Tropes “Heroic Sacrifice”: https://allthetropes.org/wiki/Heroic_Sacrifice

Let us know what you think and chat with us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/WTF_WithUs

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Do AI romances work on screen? In this episode, we chat about Wall-E and Eve’s romance and how that differs from a human-AI romance. Our conversation also turns to the unique perspective an AI protagonist brings to a story and the unique perspective we experience from various Pixar films.

Let us know what you think and chat with us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/WTF_WithUs

Check out our YouTube channel for extended conversations and outtakes: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1O6GFhumzrq8qNBYZuF_1Q

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Was Wall-E successful as a sci-fi film? And, how does Wall-E work for both the adult and kid audiences? In this episode, we chat about whether animated sci-fi movies work, and whether we think Wall-E has a happy ending. We also chat about how sci-fi tropes and storylines can work for both adults and children.

Let us know what you think and chat with us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/WTF_WithUs

Check out our YouTube channel for extended conversations and outtakes: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1O6GFhumzrq8qNBYZuF_1Q

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Why do most films seem to present us with a hopeless future? In this episode, we chat about why most films seem to paint bleak futures, the demise of Earth or the end of the human race. We also talk about why there is a lack of optimism in sci-fi, documentaries and beyond. Lastly, we chat about utopias and how those stories usually reveal themselves as dystopic societies.

References:

Vlogbrothers “Are You Stuck In The Sad Gap”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbPY2hyU3zk&ab_channel=vlogbrothers

Let us know what you think and chat with us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/WTF_WithUs

Check out our YouTube channel for extended conversations and outtakes: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1O6GFhumzrq8qNBYZuF_1Q

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In this celebratory 100th episode, we look back on the film genres we’ve talked about and discuss films that we didn’t get a chance to chat about. We also talk about potential genres we’ll talk about in the future and shout out two films that we love but that don’t naturally come up in conversation. The start of the episode also includes our final thoughts on Wall-E.

Spiels on Reels: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCb7OrCuVpVFNxaA8DyY__mw

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Who is to blame for what happened in Ex_Machina? In this episode, we start our Ex_Machina conversation with a chat about the power dynamics within the three main characters within the film. We also talk about how the film showcases the themes of power, influence and ego in the tech industry.

Let us know what you think and chat with us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/WTF_WithUs

Check out our YouTube channel for extended conversations and outtakes: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1O6GFhumzrq8qNBYZuF_1Q

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Who do we build technology for? In this episode, we talk about the biases within the tech industry and how the film explores the this topic. We also chat about the gendered technology we interact with (some that we interact with on a daily basis) and how historical biases influence the way technology is built.

References:

World Economic Forum “ This is why AI has a gender problem”: https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2019/06/this-is-why-ai-has-a-gender-problem/

Screen Rant “Ex Machina's Alternate Ending Explained”: https://screenrant.com/ex-machina-movie-alternate-ending-explained/

Paste Magazine “A Moral Question: Gender and (Re)production in A.I. Artificial Intelligence 20 Years Later”: https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/ai-artificial-intelligence-gender-reproduction/

Let us know what you think and chat with us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/WTF_WithUs

Check out our YouTube channel for extended conversations and outtakes: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1O6GFhumzrq8qNBYZuF_1Q

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Is Ava culpable for the crimes she’s done at the end of the film? In this episode, we start by chatting about how the film influences how the audiences feel about the characters through the male gaze. Our conversation then turns to whether Ava should be considered a bad character if her actions were pre-determined by the coding that Nathan created for her.

Let us know what you think and chat with us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/WTF_WithUs

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We couldn’t talk AI without chatting about Westworld - just in time, right before the season 4 premiere this weekend! In this episode, we share our thoughts on the show upon this re-watch compared to when the show first aired. We also compare Westworld and Ex_Machina, the movie we’re watching this month, and discuss the similarities between both stories.

Let us know what you think and chat with us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/WTF_WithUs

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As our understanding of technology shifts and evolves, what sci-fi movies stand the test of time? In this episode, we chat about why despite changes in science and technology older sci-fi can still remain beloved and timeless. We also chat what science or technology will be featured most in the next wave of sci-fi films.

Let us know what you think and chat with us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/WTF_WithUs

Check out our YouTube channel for extended conversations and outtakes: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1O6GFhumzrq8qNBYZuF_1Q

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Welcome to Jordan Peele month! In the weeks leading up to “Nope”, we will be chatting about all things Jordan Peele. Our month starts with “Get Out” and a comparison between comedy and horror. We chat about why the storytelling techniques in comedy are so transferable to storytelling in the horror genre.

Reference:

Sidenote by AsapSCIENCE “Humour: what makes something funny?”: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/sidenote-by-asapscience/id1383086982?i=1000501832321

Let us know what you think and chat with us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/WTF_WithUs

Check out our YouTube channel for extended conversations and outtakes: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1O6GFhumzrq8qNBYZuF_1Q

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Why are we so much more excited about the horror genre these days? From “Get Out” to “Hereditary” and “A Quiet Place”, we chat about the new wave, “elevated horror” (not coined by us) and how it’s changed the horror genre. We also tie it in back to our last episode’s discussion about comedy and horror, and how although less “scary” aesthetically speaking (and therefore perhaps more accessible), these movies might not be as accessible to as wide of an audience as we might think.

References:

BBC “How Jordan Peele redefined Horror films forever | Inside Cinema - BBC”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UnL8lX52gPo

Reporter “MODERN HORROR: HOW A GENRE GETS ELEVATED”: https://reporter.rit.edu/culture/modern-horror-how-genre-gets-elevated

Let us know what you think and chat with us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/WTF_WithUs

Check out our YouTube channel for extended conversations and outtakes: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1O6GFhumzrq8qNBYZuF_1Q

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PSA: “Nope” is coming out tomorrow! In this last countdown episode, we compare “Get Out” and “Us”, and we discuss predictions for “Nope”, which is coming out this weekend! We also note how Jordan Peele might be the Christopher Nolan of the horror genre, and how his name has become the pull for his latest movie.

Reference: 

Screen Rant “5 Things Us Did Better Than Get Out (And 5 Things Get Out Did Better)”: https://screenrant.com/jordan-peele-get-out-better-movie-us/

Let us know what you think and chat with us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/WTF_WithUs

Check out our YouTube channel for extended conversations and outtakes: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1O6GFhumzrq8qNBYZuF_1Q

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What was horror like before the new wave of horror movies we currently see now? In this episode, we chat about how the genre has changed, and we compare the characteristics of previous and contemporary horror movies. We also chat about how filmmakers like Jordan Peele have transcended the horror genre.

Let us know what you think and chat with us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/WTF_WithUs

Check out our YouTube channel for extended conversations and outtakes: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1O6GFhumzrq8qNBYZuF_1Q

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Is Parasite a scary film? In this episode, we chat about how Bong Joon-Ho’s Parasite is so terrifying, despite having no major jump-scares or traditional horror characteristics. After Jordan Peele month, we also compare Parasite with Get Out and discuss the similarities and differences of both films.

Let us know what you think and chat with us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/WTF_WithUs

Check out our YouTube channel for extended conversations and outtakes: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1O6GFhumzrq8qNBYZuF_1Q

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What do you think of Bong Joon-Ho and his filmmaking? In this episode, we chat about our thoughts on Bong Joon-Ho and compare him to other filmmakers we have discussed in the past. Listen in on our conversation about what we think about his films, what we think about his style and our theories on why 2020 was his moment in Hollywood.

Let us know what you think and chat with us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/WTF_WithUs

Check out our YouTube channel for extended conversations and outtakes: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1O6GFhumzrq8qNBYZuF_1Q

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In this episode, we chat about the rise of Korean culture in Western culture, including increased interest in k-beauty, Korean food,  and idol culture. We end the episode with a quick chat about the overall increase in Asian American perspectives in film and TV, and whether that was in parallel to or fueled by this new wave of Korean culture.

References:

USA Today “This is America: ‘Squid Game,’ K-beauty and BTS - What’s so special about Korean pop culture?”: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2021/10/21/squid-game-bts-k-beauty-why-korean-pop-culture-making-waves/8437852002/

TIFF Summer of Seoul: https://tiff.net/tiff-celebrates-the-best-of-new-korean-cinema-this-summer

Let us know what you think and chat with us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/WTF_WithUs

Check out our YouTube channel for extended conversations and outtakes: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1O6GFhumzrq8qNBYZuF_1Q

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…Parasite! In this episode, we chat about the reception of Parasite and how its Best Picture win has impacted the industry in the last couple years. We also chat briefly about Roma, how it might have paved the way for Parasite, but why it ultimately didn’t win.

Let us know what you think and chat with us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/WTF_WithUs

Check out our YouTube channel for extended conversations and outtakes: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1O6GFhumzrq8qNBYZuF_1Q

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What made Scream so successful? This week, we chat about one of the most important horror movies of all time, Scream, one of the highest-grossing horror films of all time. We talk first impressions of the film (by Cheryl) and chat about how it still remains relevant and creepy over 20 years later.

Let us know what you think and chat with us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/WTF_WithUs

Check out our YouTube channel for extended conversations and outtakes: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1O6GFhumzrq8qNBYZuF_1Q

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Would you survive a horror movie? In this episode, we chat about horror movie tropes, and how Scream uses our understanding of horror movies to toy with our expectations. Want to know our our hot tips on how to survive a horror movie? Listen in on our conversation to find out!

Let us know what you think and chat with us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/WTF_WithUs

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What is the “final girl” phenomenon? In this episode, we chat about this horror movie trope, why it exists and how it works within horror-specific storylines. We also chat about how it was a symbol of female empowerment in the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s, and whether the “final girl” has become outdated now in 2022.

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What’s scary about a slasher movie compared to supernatural, social or psychological horror? In this episode, we compare horror movie types and discuss potentially why slasher movies are more satisfying to watch. In our comparison, we also talk about the amount of “buying in” we have to do with each type of horror movie, and why that matters.

Let us know what you think and chat with us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/WTF_WithUs

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To finish off September, we watched the first couple episodes of Ryan Murphy’s “Scream Queens”. We chat first impressions (for Cheryl) and how it compares to Scream, which partly inspired the series. In the episode, we also chat about whether horror works for tv shows, and whether audiences can or want to remain scared for several weeks of a show’s run.

Let us know what you think and chat with us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/WTF_WithUs

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Would The Purge work in real life? This month, we end our horror season with the contemporary franchise The Purge. In this episode, we chat about our thoughts on the first movie, whether we enjoyed it and why it has become such a big franchise in the genre.

Let us know what you think and chat with us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/WTF_WithUs

Theme Music Credit: Ultra Lights by Stefan Kartenberg (c) copyright 2020 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial  (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/JeffSpeed68/61225 Ft: Javolenus

Some of the most iconic moments in horror include a villain with a mask on. Why are masks scary? In this episode, we chat about which ones are the scariest and why not seeing a face is creepy. We also get into a side tangent about dressing up for Halloween and which costume we think will be popular this year.

References & Further Reading:

Den of Geek “Top 21 Scariest Horror Movie Masks”: https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/top-21-scariest-horror-movie-masks/#:~:text=Sometimes%20they%20serve%20to%20hide,frightening%20in%20its%20own%20right

Literary Hub “The Terror Behind the Mask”: https://lithub.com/the-terror-behind-the-mask/

The New York Times “Horror Masks Are Never Just About the Monster”: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/23/movies/halloween-horror-masks.html

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Why is anarchy scary? We wrap up The Purge by talking about the anarchy and chaos in horror movies - and why we might feel scared of it. In the episode, we also chat about dystopian movie worlds, and why we might not have believed in this version of America in The Purge, despite it being more realistic than other dystopic films.

References & Further Reading:

Complex “A Sociologist Discusses the Possibility of “The Purge” Happening in Real Life”: https://www.complex.com/pop-culture/2014/07/sociologist-the-purge-real-life-possibility-interview

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After watching some big movies at TIFF and the London Film Festival, we chat about our top 5 films from our respective festivals, digging into what the films are about and why they made our top 5.

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We’re kicking off an 8 week special series about all four movies of The Hunger Games franchise! This week, we chat about teen dystopias - the tropes that exist in the genre and dive slightly into what makes The Hunger Games special compared to the other franchises in the genre.

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This week, we chat about society within The Hunger Games, and the parallels some parts of it have with real life. We also chat about Katniss and how the story is written so that she is someone we’d root for. But most importantly, are we Team Gale or Team Peeta?

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Why is hope important in dystopic films, and what draws us to characters that instill hope in us? In this episode, we talk about the ending of The Hunger Games and how the survival of Katniss and Peeta carry through as beacons of hope into Catching Fire and the rest of the seres. We chat about the importance of hope in films overall and how hopeful endings may differ for films targeted at different audiences.

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Why is Catching Fire the most well received of The Hunger Games series? What do we think about the film and where do we stand on the success of the film? In this episode, we chat about our thoughts on Catching Fire overall and how it compares with the other films in the series. We also chat about book to movie adaptations and how adaption decisions are made in the production process.

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Are you Team Peeta or Team Gale? This episode, we chat about love triangles in general and the love triangle that exists in The Hunger Games series. We also discuss why we think the trope exists in teen dystopia, specifically within stories aimed at female teen audiences.

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What do we think about Mockingjay being split into part 1 and 2? In this episode, we chat about how corporate money making might not be the worst thing. We also bring in other examples of two part releases in other movie franchises and TV series - to chat more about the two parter release schedule.

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Who would you rather, Snow or Coin? This episode we chat about the demise of Snow and Coin and dystopian story endings. Our conversation leads us to a conversation about the movie’s epilogue, comparing it to the Harry Potter epilogue and why Mockingjay’s epilogue works so well.

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What is the next big teen franchise? And, will teen dystopia make a comeback? This episode, we chat about how much timing matters for teen series to become popular. And, we postulate whether Divergent was always going to fail as the follow up series after The Hunger Games. Lastly, we touch upon the upcoming prequel and how we feel about it.

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What were our favourite films of 2022? How did we feel about this year of filmmaking? Keep listening until the end to find out what our most look forward to films are next year!

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How have the main actors in the franchise fared post-Twilight? In this lighter (juicier) episode, we talk about the romance between Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart, their careers since they wrapped the Twilight series, and why Taylor Lautner hasn’t made it big in comparison.

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Do narrated films work or do they come across as cheesy? This episode, we chat about first person storytelling in Twilight and more broadly, talk about whether it works in film compared to books. Our conversation leads us also to talk more broadly about the use of exposition in films, specifically in Nolan films.

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We are starting 2023 off with a bang, Twilight-style! And you can’t talk about Twilight without talking about its fans. In this episode, we chat about the term “fangirl”, whether it’s still used now, and more generally, comparing “the fangirl” to other types of fans.

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Now, when we re-watch or think back to Twilight, a lot of us cringe at teenage us and our obsession with the series. But, how did it become so popular? In this episode, we chat about how book series become popular and in particular why timing mattered for the rise of Twilight.

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In this ep, we chat about the entertainment value of teen movies, and how all the characters are playing a part of the parody of high school. The conversation also includes whether realism matters and why these movies are so satisfying, especially for the teen audience who are all trying to grow up in the real world.

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Why are all the female teens in this genre so boy-obsessed? In this episode, we chat about whether teen movies influence real life or whether teen movies are inspired by what teen girls really want. That being said, if it is truly representative of real life, why would teenagers want to be a relationship? How does coming of age factor into our need for a relationship?

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How realistic are teen movies? In this episode, we talk about the idea of social capital in high school and how they affect the popularity of teen cliques. We also chat about whether cliques as portrayed in teen movies are real - do dumb jocks really exist?

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Are teen protgaonists really that relatable? Welcome to The Duff! We love this movie, not only because the script is hilarious but also because the main character Bea is one of the most relatable protagonists in teen films. This prompts us to chat about how most protagonists are aspirational rather than relatable.

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Back again by popular demand! Lara and guests Laura and Kyle chat about the 2023 Oscars, including any Academy snubs, their favourite films of the 2022 season and predictions. Listen in on all the hot takes and prediction trends for your Oscars party ballots this year!

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We are BIG fans of the vlogbrothers here at WTF with us! And, we couldn’t finish up our teen movie season without chatting about The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. In this episode, we chat about how The Fault in Our Stars is not your typical teen movie, but also why we think it became so popular with our generation of teens.

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We couldn’t resist spending a full episode talking about John Green and his brother Hank Green, who together form the vlogbrothers. In this episode, we chat about why we love the vlogbrothers and the community of Nerdfighters.

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There are lots of YA book adaptations that feature main protagonists who are book people. In this episode, we chat about whether that truly represents the lives of real teens and when the over-intellectual “book people” stereotype doesn’t work as a character. 

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Why are sad movies so satisfying? Do people seek sad movies? In this episode, we talk about the ending of The Fault in Our Stars and how it’s sad yet still satisfying. Our conversation of sad movies leads us to talking about sad movie experiences.

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Cheryl finally watched The Breakfast Club - so let’s talk about it! We chat about how this film started the teen movie genre and how it introduced the teen movie character tropes, even including a makeover! We also chat about whether it was the OG teen movie for us.

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Are you a diehard John Hughes fan? We chat about why John Hughes movies still matter, and why The Breakfast Club became so popular in the 80s. Our conversation also includes how John Hughes takes the teenager’s perspective seriously and how the topic of the parent-teenager relationship will always be relatable.

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Do the “classic films” always land decades later? In this episode, we chat about watching old films and why we might have a bias towards watching newer films. We also talk about the genres that seem to work better over time, and discuss our favourite “old” films.

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How did we find out about The Breakfast Club? Easy A? Pitch Perfect? We talk about how The Breakfast Club is not only a “popular” movie, but also how it is engrained in our pop culture. Our conversation leads to a wider conversation about how life imitates art and vice versa within the teen movie genre.

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Moving to the 90’s, we’re ending our teen movie run with Clueless, which we’ve been really looking forward to rewatching! In this episode, we chat about what makes Clueless so fun to watch and how it still feels super relevant to young women now. 

Reference:
Big Think: “The friendship recession | Richard Reeves” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VpOan0hqdNA&ab_channel=BigThink

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Clueless isn’t a completely faithful adaptation - but is that a bad thing? In this episode, we chat about what makes a film a loose or interpretive adaptation and why we want more of them! We also give examples of stories that are constantly being loosely adapted and why those stories inspire so many scripts and stories.

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Who did it best? Which version of Emma do we like more? Listen in on our conversation about the 2020 version of Emma and how it compares with Clueless. We also talk about the ways Cher and Emma are similar and yet different, particularly the differences in portrayal of popularity from the two eras.

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Period pieces are usually done by a British cast and crew - which leads us to a conversation about the British Film Industry and how the talent pool really isn’t that big. We also chat about two distinct styles of British content: period and gritty, industrial styles - and why those styles may have emerged.

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Before Edward Cullen, there was Darcy… This episode we chat about iconic Mr. Darcy and how he has become larger than life in mainstream culture. We also compare the Darcy’s (Colin Firth vs Matthew MacFadyen), which portrayal we prefer and potentially why they are so different. We end our conversation talking about why Darcy has so many fangirls and also sneak in a little bit of Twilight in our conversation.

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We couldn’t stroll on past Jane Austen without talking about Pride & Prejudice! And what better way to introduce Pride & Prejudice than talking about Jane Austen herself? This episode, we chat about the themes in her books and which book we think will be adapted next.

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Do you believe in love at first sight? In this episode, we compare Elizabeth and Jane’s relationships, discussing how quickly Jane seems to fall “in love” with Mr. Bingley. We talk about how unsatisfying it is when there’s no chase, but also how it feels so much harder to find love in the modern world.

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We chat through the different types of marital relationships found in the film, exploring how Jane Austen presents the marriages in the story. Our chat also touches on the financial side of marriage, whether the marriage types still exist in our modern society and marriage as an institution.

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Bye bye Austen, we’ll miss you, but before we say our final farewell, and welcome in the Brontë sisters, we thought we’d do a quick comparison or showdown of these amazing female British writers. In this episode, we talk about thematic and tonal differences as well as similarities across Austen and Brontë stories. 

Reference:

The Guardian, “Jane Austen v Emily Brontë: who's the queen of English literature?” https://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/feb/28/jane-austen-v-emily-bronte-queen-english-literature

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When you watch “Jane Eyre” it feels completely different to watching an Austen adaptation. In this episode, we explore why that might be and how setting plays a role in the film, particularly comparing and contrasting with other similar films.

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This episode, we chat about how strangely similar Jane Eyre is to (surprisingly) The Sound of Music, leading us to a chat about governesses and the subtle commentary on class within Jane Eyre. We also talk about how Jane’s role as a governess made her a match for Mr. Rochester, tying it in with the “falling for your boss” trope.

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Lara introduces her quest to find more movies where governesses fall for their boss, before we chat about the character of Mr. Rochester and marriage (again) in Jane Eyre. More specifically, we chat about the plot twist in the film and how we feel about the ending of the story.

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What did we think of Oppenheimer? This episode, we chat about the latest Nolan release, our expectations going in and how it compares to his other films. Tune in to see if any of us did Barbenheimer!

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Moving from Charlotte Bronte to Emily Bronte - except instead of watching Wuthering Heights, we decided to watch the 2022 film, Emily - an interpretative film about Emily’s life and the influences of Wuthering Heights. In this episode, we chat about our thoughts on the film and how it compares to all the other period pieces we’ve watched lately.

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How accurate was “Emily”? As it turns out, not very! We chat about all the inconsistencies and how the film is maybe “fake news”? Our conversation also shifts to why the fictionalised aspects of Emily didn’t work, and when this technique does work in other films.

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Were Charlotte, Emily and Anne nepo-siblings? We couldn’t resist loosely tying in a conversation about nepo-babies into this film, because some sources have said that Charlotte Bronte might have helped with Emily Bronte’s success. And also it’s always fun to talk about nepo-babies!

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From Emily to Oppenheimer, we’re seeing a trend in biopics lately, where it’s less about events or products or objects, but more so about the person behind the craft or science. What makes this take on biopics work and why are we so fascinated by these people?

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Within “Shakespeare in Love”, we can find many romantic and character tropes in the film - leading us to have a wider conversation about tropes and how it affects our experience watching a film.

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Shakespeare continues to be studied in schools and performed on stages around the world. Why is that? In this episode, we chat about the impact of Shakespeare on our education and society - and how it influences our culture over time.

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Shakespeare in Love is one of the older films we’ve watched recently, and of the period pieces it’s the oldest one. How does it compare with the other period adaptations we’ve watched? And, what does it say about changing audience tastes over time?

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Taking a step back in time, we’re watching Shakespeare in Love this month! In this episode, we chat about the similarities and differences between Shakespeare in Love and Emily, particularly about the interpretations of both writers’ lives.

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Having just gotten back from TIFF, we chat about our thoughts on this year’s festival, including the lineup and how it felt without actors attending the festival. Stay tuned to also find out our top 5 films of TIFF!

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Our last film of our book adaptation theme is “10 Things I Hate About You”. We chat about the story structure of the script and the Shakespearean nature of “problems within problems” - particularly in his comedies. Along the way, we couldn’t resist talking about Nolan and action films - and we snuck in two other TIFF films we watched at the end.

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What better way to first meet a character than for them to enter into a scene with “Bad Reputation” blasting in their car? That’s how we first meet Kat in “10 Things I Hate About You”. This episode, we talk about rebels and the act of rebellion over the years both on screen and off.

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Theme Music Credit: Ultra Lights by Stefan Kartenberg (c) copyright 2020 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial  (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/JeffSpeed68/61225 Ft: Javolenus

Before Anna and Elsa, there was Biana and Kat, because at the heart of “10 Things I Hate About You” is a story about sisterhood. We talk about sisterhood stories and the different forms of sisterhood in film, tv and our media - and why that’s important.

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Theme Music Credit: Ultra Lights by Stefan Kartenberg (c) copyright 2020 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial  (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/JeffSpeed68/61225 Ft: Javolenus

In our final episode of book adaptations, we talk about one unifying feature of all of the stories we’ve watched the last few months: strong female leads. From our personal favourites to discussing the similarities and differences between them all, listen in on our conversation about feminist characters over the years and our wrap up of book adaptations.

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Theme Music Credit: Ultra Lights by Stefan Kartenberg (c) copyright 2020 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial  (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/JeffSpeed68/61225 Ft: Javolenus

Welcome to our Western season - and what a departure from the last few films we’ve been watching on the pod! We chat about whether the western genre is a more masculine drama and discuss our initial thoughts on No Country For Old Men.

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Theme Music Credit: Ultra Lights by Stefan Kartenberg (c) copyright 2020 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial  (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/JeffSpeed68/61225 Ft: Javolenus

Coen or Safdie? In this episode, we chat about all things Coen brothers - from their filmmaking style to their background and interest in westerns. Our conversation also leads us to a wider conversation about artistic partnerships and relationships.

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Theme Music Credit: Ultra Lights by Stefan Kartenberg (c) copyright 2020 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial  (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/JeffSpeed68/61225 Ft: Javolenus

We couldn’t talk about “No Country For Old Men” without dedicating an entire episode talking Anton Chigurh and Javier Bardem’s phenomenal, bone-chilling performance of a psychopath. In this episode, we also chat about other psychopaths in film, and how the introduction (or lack of back story) of Anton Chigurh influenced our experience of the film.

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Theme Music Credit: Ultra Lights by Stefan Kartenberg (c) copyright 2020 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial  (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/JeffSpeed68/61225 Ft: Javolenus

We had to talk about the ending - was it satisfying or surprising? Our conversation also leads us back to adaptations and the types of narrative adjustments that are made for more mainstream content (ex. Harry Potter). 

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Theme Music Credit: Ultra Lights by Stefan Kartenberg (c) copyright 2020 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial  (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/JeffSpeed68/61225 Ft: Javolenus

One of our oldest and most challenging films we’ve watched on the podcast: Sergio Leone’s “The Good, The Bad and The Ugly”. This episode, we chat about our impressions of the film and chat about the sub-genre, Spaghetti Westerns.

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Theme Music Credit: Ultra Lights by Stefan Kartenberg (c) copyright 2020 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial  (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/JeffSpeed68/61225 Ft: Javolenus

Clint Eastwood is one of the most iconic Western actor - but why? What do we look for in the Western protagonist? In this episode, we chat about the qualities and look of a Western protagonist and why certain actors seem better matched to portray these characters.

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Theme Music Credit: Ultra Lights by Stefan Kartenberg (c) copyright 2020 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial  (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/JeffSpeed68/61225 Ft: Javolenus

Why is there so much killing in Westerns? We chat about the characters’ lack of morals and lawlessness in Westerns - why it exists and how it makes the film feel more masculine in nature.

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Theme Music Credit: Ultra Lights by Stefan Kartenberg (c) copyright 2020 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial  (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/JeffSpeed68/61225 Ft: Javolenus

Our chat about the culmination of the film and its iconic shootout scene leads us to talk about the loose alliances of the three main characters in the film, and whether “The Good” (i.e. Blondie) was actually good? 

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Theme Music Credit: Ultra Lights by Stefan Kartenberg (c) copyright 2020 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial  (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/JeffSpeed68/61225 Ft: Javolenus

Another year, another top 5! Listen in to our top picks this year and what films we’re looking forward to next year.

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Theme Music Credit: Ultra Lights by Stefan Kartenberg (c) copyright 2020 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial  (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/JeffSpeed68/61225 Ft: Javolenus

We’re starting 2024 by challenging ourselves to watch a film by a director that we don’t usually watch - Quentin Tarantino! What do we think of him and did we like Django Unchained?

Let us know what you think and chat with us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/WTF_WithUs

Theme Music Credit: Ultra Lights by Stefan Kartenberg (c) copyright 2020 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial  (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/JeffSpeed68/61225 Ft: Javolenus