For this episode we watched: Arrival! Covered topics include: language, self-determination vs. fate, and the process of grief.
In which Dora and Emily chat about an unusual science-fiction film. Dora discusses seeing life as linear vs. a collection of moments and Emily advocates for living a life you can be proud of.
Thanks for listening! As always, we can be found on Twitter! Come say hi!
Emily: @emilyaward94
Dora: @thedorabot
For this episode we watched: Inside Llewyn Davis! Covered topics include: folk music, depression, and the American Dream.
In which Dora and Emily finally discuss a film by the Coen brothers. Dora wonders about the definition of failure and Emily advocates for a healthy dose of pessimism in life.
Thanks for listening! As always, we can be found on Twitter! Come say hi!
Emily: @emilyaward94
Dora: @thedorabot
For this episode we watched: Thelma & Louise! Covered topics include: feminism and the depiction of women in film.
In which Dora and Emily talk about a classic feminist film! Dora advocates for watching films that are about experiences outside of your own and Emily reminds us to distinguish between what society tells us to do versus what we actually want to do.
Thanks for listening! As always, we can be found on Twitter! Come say hi!
Emily: @emilyaward94
Dora: @thedorabot
For this episode we watched: But I’m a Cheerleader! Covered topics include: LGBT themes in film, gender stereotypes, and the effectiveness of satire in film.
In which Emily, Dora, and special guest Kai take a look at a LGBT film classic. Emily stresses the importance of authenticity and being your true self, Dora reminds everyone that they’re not alone in their experiences, and Kai talks about the strength of the LGBT community in helping you to figure out who you are.
Thanks for listening! As always, we can be found on Twitter! Come say hi!
You can also check out Kai’s blog on their transition at www.transmasculinetransposition.com!
Emily: @emilyaward94
Dora: @thedorabot
We’ve probably all been in a situation where we have projected a gigantic amount of meaning on a stranger who doesn’t have the slightest idea who the hell we are. Maybe it’s the way their hair curls around their ear. Or the fact that their laugh fills a whole room. Clearly they were perfect. We take a moment later to get upset with ourselves… why didn’t we just say hello?
Swiss Army Man dwells on this part of ourselves, the part that wants to act on impulse, emotion, and delusion. (SPOILER ALERT) Farting and talking to that strange girl on the bus is our “authentic self” according to Swiss Army Man. But I’m not sure Manny (Daniel Radcliffe) got the memo; when you fart you are stinking up the noses of the people around you, and that girl on the bus has her nose in her book and would really rather just go home in peace. I’m not saying we should never allow ourselves a little room to fart in public and ask somebody out, just that sometimes acting on these gut feelings is inconsiderate to others. And unless you genuinely want to be inconsiderate to others, is that authentic at all?
My advice to corpse-like Manny is to take a moment for true self-exploration. True authenticity shouldn’t necessarily be about acting on our urges but trying to understand why we have them. Hank (Paul Dano) spends his whole life holding himself back and wishing he worked up the nerve to talk to Sarah (Mary Elizabeth Winstead). I feel like I would have to sit him down; “why are you so into this girl that you know next to nothing about?” If he’s being honest, it probably has something to do with the fact that she’s easy to project an ideal person onto. He thinks she can solve his emptiness. But in reality she probably picks her nose, has severe daddy issues, and will sometimes come home drunk and puke in your bed. That’s what being human is, and at the end of the day she is only that.
Romanticism in film plays this up all the time. Men are encouraged to look for the answers in a woman and women are encouraged to be the answer for a man.
Consider this: When Andrew gets Claire at the end of The Breakfast Club they leave out what happens next; his anger issues and her affluenza. The only reason Titanic is so romantic is because Leo died before he really had to deal with Rose’s emotional baggage. Harry and Sally were really probably better as friends.
When we consistently turn to films such as Swiss Army Man as examples of love and what that means we are allowing ourselves to believe in the impossible, and that’s going to leave us disappointed.
What are your thoughts?
For this episode we watched: Fantasia! Covered topics include: abstractionism in animation, optimism in Disney films, and the role of children’s movies.
In which Emily, Dora, and special guest Deina take a look at a classic Disney film. Deina mentions the importance imagination plays in how we appreciate life, Dora recommends looking to unusual places to find inspiration, and Emily reminds us to always take the intermission in our own lives.
Thanks for listening! As always, we can be found on Twitter! Come say hi!
Emily: @emilyaward94
Dora: @thedorabot
Deina: @xmmii (on Instagram)
For this episode we watched: 500 Days of Summer! Covered topics include: expectation vs. reality in relationships, the genre of romantic comedies or romance in general, and how to treat people right in relationships.
In which Emily and Dora do a lot of relationship talk! But in a good way. Emily advises against the idea that another person will “complete” us, and Dora wonders about where we find our sources of happiness in our lives.
The philosopher we mention is Alain de Botton. His stuff is very interesting so go check it out!
Thanks for listening! As always, we can be found on Twitter! Come say hi!
Emily: @emilyaward94
Dora: @thedorabot
For this episode we watched: The Wind Rises! Covered topics include: implications of art being used for politics, Hayao Miyazaki’s directorial style, living in the present, and the beauty of art and creation.
In which Emily, Dora, and special guest Imani finally tackled a Studio Ghibli film! Emily still believes you should live in the moment, Dora likes finding joy in the small things in life, and Imani is the anime protagonist telling you to be the magical girl you want to see in the world.
Thanks for listening! As always, we can be found on Twitter! Come say hi!
Emily: @emilyaward94
Dora: @thedorabot
Also, check out Imani’s amazing art on Instagram @starberriicake!
For this episode we watched: Thirst! Covered topics include: religious guilt, morality in vampire stories, old vs. new vampires, and South Korean cinema.
In which Emily and Dora explore a South Korean horror film! Here be vampires, folks! Emily advocates for authenticity and being genuine to oneself, and Dora thinks you can try to help people but you can’t force people to help themselves.
Thanks for listening! As always, we can be found on Twitter! Come say hi!
Emily: @emilyaward94
Dora: @thedorabot
For this episode we watched: Inception! Covered topics include: issues of free speech and censorship, violence in media, and the relationship between shame and grief.
In which Emily and Dora should really consider changing the tagline of this show to “a podcast sometimes about movies, mostly about our own angst.” Emily ruminates on the social responsibility of art and the thoughtfulness of artists, and Dora thinks shame creates the illusion that we can change the past.
(Sorry for the less-than-stellar audio quality in this episode!)
Thanks for listening! As always, we can be found on Twitter! Come say hi!
Emily: @emilyaward94
Dora: @thedorabot
For this episode we watched: La La Land! Covered topics include: the illusion of nostalgia, the misleading “golden age” of Hollywood, and the narrative structure of stories.
In which Emily and Dora take a critical stab at the glorification of old Hollywood. Emily warns against the lure of nostalgia and questions what we mean by “classic” film, and Dora tries to not go on a rant about story expectations/promises, but fails.
Thanks for listening! As always, we can be found on Twitter! Come say hi!
Emily: @emilyaward94
Dora: @thedorabot
For this episode we watched: Scott Pilgrim vs. the World! Covered topics include: healthy relationships, diversity in film, and how to both love and be critical of a piece of media.
In which Emily, Dora, and special guest Lauren take a retrospective look at a movie they enjoyed as teenagers. Emily goes in deep, Dora just really likes Metric, and Lauren has some choice words for Gideon Graves.
Thanks for listening! As always, we can be found on Twitter! Come say hi!
Emily: @emilyaward94
Dora: @thedorabot
Ponders Over Popcorn 