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Contra Zoom Pod
Contra Zoom Pod
Author: Dakota Arsenault
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© Dakota Arsenault
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Contra Zoom is a film based podcast going in depth about varying movie related subjects. Dakota Arsenault and guests go over both academic and the fun aspects of enjoying the film medium. Episodes feature lists, interviews and comparisons. Visit contrazoompod.com for more details!
343 Episodes
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We are back with our fourth annual Oscar Draft. It is very simple, each person selects 5 movies that are nominated at this year’s Oscars and whoever gets the most awards, wins! Joining Dakota is Thomas Stoneham-Judge, Darren Zakus and Todd Pengelly.Stay tuned to the Oscar Wrap Up podcast to see who the winner was!Check out the 2025's Oscar Draft, 2024's Oscar Draft and the 2023 Draft too. Dakota's Team: One Battle After Another, Marty Supreme, Avatar: Fire and Ash, The Alabama Solution and ButterflyTodd's Team: Sinners, F1, The Perfect Neighbor, All The Empty Rooms and The Girl Who Cried PearlsThomas' Team: Sentimental Value, Hamnet, Train Dream, The Singers and KokuhoDarren's Team: Frankenstein, KPop Demon Hunters, The Secret Agent, Weapons and A Friend of DorothyFollow For Reel on Twitter, Instagram and YouTube. Follow Thomas on Twitter and Instagram. Follow Darren Zakus on Twitter and Instagram. Follow Todd on Twitter and Letterboxd.Follow Contra Zoom on Instagram, Threads and Bluesky.Check out more great Contra Zoom content on That Shelf!Listen to Contra Zoom on Anchor, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play, Overcast, Breaker and more!Please rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. For more information, visit contrazoompod.com.Create your podcast today! #madeonzencastr
We finish our yearly journey looking at all the Best Picture nominated films and the odds they have to win each of their awards. On this second episode of 2026, we look at Frankenstein, Marty Supreme, The Secret Agent and Train Dreams. Joining the show is Jeff Bulmer co-host of Classic Movies Live.Listen to episode 323: Sinner's Hamnet of F1 and 324: One Sentimental Bugonia After Another our previous Best Picture episodes.Check out Classic Movies Live episodes on Frankenstein, Marty Supreme and Train Dreams.Follow Contra Zoom on Instagram, Threads and Bluesky.Check out more great Contra Zoom content on That Shelf!Listen to Contra Zoom on Anchor, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play, Overcast, Breaker and more!Please rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. For more information, visit contrazoompod.com.Create your podcast today! #madeonzencastr
We continue our yearly journey looking at all the Best Picture nominated films and the odds they have to win each of their awards. On this second episode of 2026, we look at One Battle After Another, Sentimental Value and Bugonia. Joining the show is Elysia Brenner, host of The Lorehounds podcast.Listen to episode 323: Sinner's Hamnet of F1, our first Best Picture podcast.Check out Elysia's review of Resurrection and round up of the Imagine Fantastic Film Festival.Follow Elysia on Threads and Bluesky. Subscribe to The Lorehounds and CinemaHounds.Follow Contra Zoom on Instagram, Threads and Bluesky.Check out more great Contra Zoom content on That Shelf!Listen to Contra Zoom on Anchor, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play, Overcast, Breaker and more!Please rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. For more information, visit contrazoompod.com.Create your podcast today! #madeonzencastr
We begin our yearly journey looking at all the Best Picture nominated films and the odds they have to win each of their awards. On this first episode of 2026, we look at Sinners, Hamnet and F1. Joining the show is expert Paulo Bautista host of the Oscars Death Race Podcast. Check out Paulo's written review of Cutting Through Rocks, the Oscar nominated documentary.Follow Paulo on Twitter and Letterboxd.Follow Contra Zoom on Instagram, Threads and Bluesky.Check out more great Contra Zoom content on That Shelf!Listen to Contra Zoom on Anchor, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play, Overcast, Breaker and more!Please rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. For more information, visit contrazoompod.com.Create your podcast today! #madeonzencastr
We have a special video episode where Jeff Bulmer takes the reigns to interview Paying For It writer and director Sook-Yin Lee. They talk about adapting Chester Brown's graphic novel, casting actors to play real people in her life and creating fully formed sex worker characters. Read Jeff's review from TIFF 2024.Read Pierre Frigon's review from VIFF 2024. Catch Paying For It in US theatres starting January 30th, 2026. Follow Jeff's podcast Classic Movies Live on Twitter and Instagram. Listen to CML on Spotify. Follow Contra Zoom on Instagram, Threads and Bluesky.Check out more great Contra Zoom content on That Shelf!Listen to Contra Zoom on Anchor, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play, Overcast, Breaker and more!Please rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. For more information, visit contrazoompod.com.Create your podcast today! #madeonzencastr
Dakota and Jeff talk about the just announced 98th Academy Award nominations. We discuss Sinners setting a new record with 16 nods, wonder if One Battle After Another is still the front runner, the strong Best International Film category and much more. We also name our favourite nominations and biggest snubs.Check out Mark Morgan's Diane Warren: Relentless review.Follow Jeff's podcast Classic Movies Live on Twitter and Instagram. Listen to CML on Spotify. Follow Contra Zoom on Instagram, Threads and Bluesky.Check out more great Contra Zoom content on That Shelf!Listen to Contra Zoom on Anchor, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play, Overcast, Breaker and more!Please rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. For more information, visit contrazoompod.com.Create your podcast today! #madeonzencastr
We continue our series going through the entire catalog of A24's films. On this episode Dakota is looking at 2015's Green Room directed by Jeremy Saulnier and starring Anton Yelchin and Alia Shawkat as members of a punk band who get trapped in a neo-nazi club after witnessing a murder. Joining the show is actor Riley Orr who can be seen on season 2 of Watson and the upcoming Amazon show Off Campus. Our double bill pairings include Rebel Ridge (Dakota's pick) and Frank (Riley's pick). See our complete A24 Double Bill Pairings on Letterboxd.Follow Riley on Instagram.Follow Contra Zoom on Instagram, Threads and Bluesky.Check out more great Contra Zoom content on That Shelf!Listen to Contra Zoom on Anchor, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play, Overcast, Breaker and more!Please rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. For more information, visit contrazoompod.com.Create your podcast today! #madeonzencastr
2025 was the year that HuntR/X and The Saja Boys took over the world. The phenomenon that was the film KPop Demon Hunters premiered on Netflix and was a massive hit. We talk about this movie, along with it's Oscar chances and the state of animation currently. Follow Jeff's podcast Classic Movies Live on Twitter and Instagram. Listen to CML on Spotify. Follow Contra Zoom on Instagram, Threads and Bluesky.Check out more great Contra Zoom content on That Shelf!Listen to Contra Zoom on Anchor, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play, Overcast, Breaker and more!Please rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. For more information, visit contrazoompod.com.Create your podcast today! #madeonzencastr
We continue our series going through the entire catalog of A24's films. On this episode Dakota and Matthew are looking at 2015's Room directed by Lenny Abrahamson and starring Brie Larson and Jacob Tremblay as a woman and her son who escape their kidnapping and try to adjust to the real world. Joining the show is Alex Southey. Our double bill pairings include Kramer vs. Kramer (Dakota's pick), Prisoners (Matthew's pick) and The Lovely Bones (Alex's pick). See our complete A24 Double Bill Pairings on Letterboxd.Follow Alex Southey on Instagram and Letterboxd. Check out his podcasts Your Worst Song... and The Human Interest Hour...For more of Matthew's work check out his personal portfolio. Follow him on Bluesky and Threads.Follow Contra Zoom on Instagram, Threads and Bluesky.Check out more great Contra Zoom content on That Shelf!Listen to Contra Zoom on Anchor, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play, Overcast, Breaker and more!Please rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. For more information, visit contrazoompod.com.Create your podcast today! #madeonzencastr
Frequent CZP guest Paulo Bautista, host of the Oscars Death Race Podcast, had the pleasure of attending the 63rd edition of the New York Film Festival. He reports back with audio diaries on films he saw.Paulo reviews Scarlet, Sound of Falling, Resurrection (with guest appearance from Kyle Flynn), Sentimental Value, No Other Choice and Magellan.Follow Paulo on Twitter and Letterboxd.Check out Kyle Flynn's work at From The Fourth Row and The Awards Addicts.Follow Contra Zoom on Instagram, Threads and Bluesky.Check out more great Contra Zoom content on That Shelf!Listen to Contra Zoom on Anchor, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play, Overcast, Breaker and more!Please rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. For more information, visit contrazoompod.com.Create your podcast today! #madeonzencastr
With the latest version of the classic Mary Shelly story Frankenstein coming out from director Guillermo del Toro, we look back at the history of this monster movie. Pairing the latest version with 1931's Frankenstein directed by James Whale and 1974's Young Frankenstein directed by Mel Brooks. Dakota, Jeff and Matthew discuss adapting the book to screen and how the versions work telling the same story in different manners.Check out this Letterboxd list of different Frankenstein adaptations.Follow Jeff's podcast Classic Movies Live on Twitter and Instagram. Listen to CML on Spotify. For more of Matthew's work check out his personal portfolio. Follow him on Bluesky and Threads.Follow Contra Zoom on Instagram, Threads and Bluesky.Check out more great Contra Zoom content on That Shelf!Listen to Contra Zoom on Anchor, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play, Overcast, Breaker and more!Please rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. For more information, visit contrazoompod.com.Create your podcast today! #madeonzencastr
The 44th edition of the Vancouver International Film Festival just concluded and we are here to talk about some of our favourite films that played! Joining Dakota and Matthew is Darren Zakus from Movie Scene Canada. The guys talk about Deathstalker and A Welcome Distraction (Dakota's picks), Wrong Husband and Blue Heron (Matthew's picks) and Blue Moon and Is This Thing On? (Darren's picks). Read Dakota's reviews of Blue Moon and A Welcome Distraction.Read Matthew's reviews of Wrong Husband and Blue Heron.Read Darren's review of Blue Moon.Read Jeff Bulmer's review of Wrong Husband and listen to his interview with Zacharias Kunuk.For more of Matthew's work check out his personal portfolio. Follow him on Bluesky and Threads.Follow Darren Zakus on Twitter and Instagram. Follow Contra Zoom on Instagram, Threads and Bluesky.Check out more great Contra Zoom content on That Shelf!Listen to Contra Zoom on Anchor, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play, Overcast, Breaker and more!Please rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. For more information, visit contrazoompod.com.Create your podcast today! #madeonzencastr
Even though the Toronto International Film Festival is over, we have a very special interview for listeners. Zacharias Kunuk, best known for his 2001 film Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner, sat down with Jeff Bulmer to discuss his latest film Wrong Husband (Uiksaringitara). Check out Jeff's review of Wrong Husband (Uiksaringitara). If you haven't listened to our TIFF wrap up podcast, check out episode 313. Follow Jeff's podcast Classic Movies Live on Twitter and Instagram and listen to his episode recapping TIFF.Follow Contra Zoom on Instagram, Threads and Bluesky.Check out more great Contra Zoom content on That Shelf!Listen to Contra Zoom on Anchor, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play, Overcast, Breaker and more!
With the conclusion of the 50th edition of TIFF (TIFFTY), we look back at some of the films we saw, discuss the winners of the People's Choice Awards and name our own top 3 films. Joining Dakota and Jeff is Thomas Stoneham-Judge the owner of For Reel and Darren Zakus the lead critic at Movie Scene Canada.Movies discussed include The Christophers and Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery (Dakota), Dead Man's Wire and The Ugly (Jeff), Hedda and Tuner (Thomas), Carolina Caroline and Obsession (Darren). Read about Chloe Zhao making history being the first two time PCA winner. Read Dakota's reviews of Rental Family, The Smashing Machine and Nouvelle Vague.Read Jeff's reviews of The Testament of Ann Lee, Sacrifice and Dry Leaf.Read Darren's reviews of John Candy: I Like Me, Modern Whore and Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery. Read Thomas' 6 Must See Hidden Gems From TIFF.Follow Darren Zakus on Twitter and Instagram. Follow For Reel on Twitter, Instagram and YouTube. Follow Thomas on Twitter and Instagram. Follow Jeff's podcast Classic Movies Live on Twitter and Instagram.Check out Dakota's Letterboxd list of films watched.Follow Contra Zoom on Instagram, Threads and Bluesky.Check out more great Contra Zoom content on That Shelf!Listen to Contra Zoom on Anchor, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play, Overcast, Breaker and more!
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Toronto International Film Festival. Dakota and Jeff each pick 3 under the radar choices of movies you should have on your radar. Dakota's choices are Roofman, Steal Away and Modern Whore. Jeff's choices are Eagles of the Republic, Dust Bunny and Kokuho. Check out Jeff's festival preview over on Classic Movies Live with fellow CZP contributor Pedro Lima.Check out another festival preview Dakota does over on the All My Friends Are Movie Fans show. Stay tuned for tons of great TIFF coverage including reviews and a wrap up podcast.Follow Contra Zoom on Instagram, Threads and Bluesky.Check out more great Contra Zoom content on That Shelf!Listen to Contra Zoom on Anchor, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play, Overcast, Breaker and more!
In August of 1950, Akria Kurosawa released his seminal film, Rashomon where a trial of a crime is unfolded through four different perspectives showing us how flimsy "the truth" can be. On it's 75th anniversary we review the film and discuss its ongoing legacy. Martyn Strange from the Filmsplaining podcast joins Dakota and Jeff.Listen to previous movie milestone episodes like those covering Seven Samurai, The Red Shoes, Halloween and more.Check out some of Jeff's Fantasia reviews including $POSITIONS, All You Need Is Kill and Juliet and the King. Also listen to his Classic Movies Live episode covering Eddington and The Smurfs, the festivals opening night films. Check out Dakota's reviews of Every Heavy Thing and Lurker from the festival. Follow Martyn on YouTube, Instagram and Threads. Check out Dakota's appearance on episode 304: Scott Pilgrim vs. the World & Takes Off of Filmsplaining.Follow Contra Zoom on Instagram, Threads and Bluesky.Check out more great Contra Zoom content on That Shelf!Listen to Contra Zoom on Anchor, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play, Overcast, Breaker and more!
We continue our series going through the entire catalog of A24's films. On this episode Dakota and Matthew are looking at 2016's Oasis: Supersonic directed Mat Whitecross. The documentary follows the creation and rise of the Britpop band culminating in their Knebworth Festival headlining performance in front of 250,000 people in 1996. Joining the show is Alex Watson. Our double bill pairings include Better Man (Dakota's pick), Pulp: A Film About Life, Death and Supermarkets (Matthew's pick) and Dig! (Alex’s pick). See our complete A24 Double Bill Pairings on Letterboxd.Read Dakota's review Rockfield: The Studio on the Farm as mentioned on the show.Follow Alex Watson on Twitter and Letterboxd. Buy Alex's book The Pieces We Carry on Amazon!For more of Matthew's work check out his personal portfolio. Follow him on Bluesky and Threads.Follow Contra Zoom on Instagram, Threads and Bluesky.Check out more great Contra Zoom content on That Shelf!Listen to Contra Zoom on Anchor, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play, Overcast, Breaker and more!Please rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. For more information, visit contrazoompod.com.Create your podcast today! #madeonzencastr
Every year to celebrate Dakota's birthday, he picks a topic and names his favourite films by that category. This year he picked the 10 most popular filming locations in North America, including NYC, Las Vegas, Chicago and more and named the best film by these cities. Joining Dakota is Bil Antoniou, host of the Bad Gay Movies and Riviera Rats podcasts. Here are their picks, with Dakota's first and Bil's second.NYC - Midnight Cowboy, Hannah and Her SistersChicago - The Blues Brothers, Return To MeLA - Singin' in the Rain, Who Framed Roger RabbitBoston - The Town, The BostoniansSan Fransisco - Bullitt, VertigoDC - All The President's Men, Born YesterdayLas Vegas - The Hangover, Diamonds Are ForverPhiladelphia - Creed, Blow OutToronto - Enemy, Dead RingersMontreal - Red Rooms, Jesus of MontrealFollow Bil on Twitter, Instagram and YouTube. Check out Bad Gay Movies and Riviera Rats on Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.Follow Contra Zoom on Instagram, Threads and Bluesky.Check out more great Contra Zoom content on That Shelf!Listen to Contra Zoom on Anchor, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play, Overcast, Breaker and more!Please rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. For more information, visit contrazoompod.com.Create your podcast today! #madeonzencastr
The 2025 Canadian Screen Awards were handed out from May 30-June 1st and the television portion was hosted by Lisa Gilroy. Universal Language and The Apprentice were the big winners. We look at ten categories and discuss the winners and Dakota, Matthew and Jeff pick our own favourites.Check out our collection of CSA nominated film reviews that cover 22 different movies.Check out Jeff Bulmer’s Letterboxd list and Matthew Simpson put together where to watch all of the nominees.For more of Matthew's work check out his personal portfolio. Follow him on Bluesky and Threads.Follow Jeff's podcast Classic Movies Live on Twitter and Instagram.Follow Contra Zoom on Instagram, Threads and Bluesky.Check out more great Contra Zoom content on That Shelf!Listen to Contra Zoom on Anchor, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play, Overcast, Breaker and more!Please rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. For more information, visit contrazoompod.com.Create your podcast today! #madeonzencastr
Your mission, should you choose to accept it is to listen to Dakota and Matthew rank the Mission: Impossible films to celebrate the release of the 8th entry (and possibly last film in the series?) , The Final Reckoning. Joining the show is former co-host Rachel Ho the film editor at Exclaim! Our Rankings8. Final Reckoning (time stamp for spoilers 9:30 for general discussion and 19:30 for big spoilers)7. M:I-II6. Dead Reckoning (spoiler warning for Final Reckoning at 38:35)5. Mission: Impossible4. Rogue Nation3. Ghost Protocol2. M:I-III1. FalloutBack in 2023 Rachel ranked the top 5 Mission: Impossible stunts.Follow Rachel on Instagram, bookmark The Asian Cut and check out her website for more great reviews.For more of Matthew's work check out his personal portfolio. Follow him on Bluesky and Threads.Follow Contra Zoom on Instagram, Threads and Bluesky.Check out more great Contra Zoom content on That Shelf!Listen to Contra Zoom on Anchor, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play, Overcast, Breaker and more!Please rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. For more information, visit contrazoompod.com.Create your podcast today! #madeonzencastr
























man, you gotta fix the audio!