Film Explorers

PASSION. TRADITION. MIX IT UP. In a typical hard left turn for us out of the action genre, this week we cover Mira Nair's MISSISSIPPI MASALA, a stunningly steamy romance set very near to where a lot of us grew up. We talk about diving into a West African history that we aren't familiar with, Denzel at his most charismatic, and how romance films work best when you're unbelievably attracted to both leads. Josh also walks us through Venom 3, Here, and Anora, Joey checks out Conclave and Trap, Jackson talks comfort television, and Sutherland finishes the Human Condition trilogy. Chapters: 00:00:00 Intro 00:03:16 Sutherland's Thoughts on The Book of Eli 00:05:28 What We Watched 00:38:25 Mississippi Masala 01:17:17 Final Thoughts + Ratings 01:26:27 Outro Email us at filmexplorerspod@gmail.com with any feedback, suggestions, or messages that we can read on the show! Links: ⁠Jackson on Letterboxd⁠ ⁠Joey on Letterboxd⁠ ⁠Josh on Letterboxd⁠ Sutherland on Letterboxd Film Explorers is mixed and edited by Josh :)

SOME WILL KILL TO HAVE IT. HE WILL KILL TO PROTECT IT. As our Denzel Washington marathon continues, we move forward a bit in his career and cover the Hughes Brothers' THE BOOK OF ELI. We talk expressions of religion in modern film, Denzel at debatably his coolest, and finally getting Mank himself on the show. We also talk about being way too busy to watch as many movies as usual, catching up on The Penguin and Agatha All Long, and the weird feeling of returning to the original Film Explorers hosts for a week. Chapters: 00:00:00 Intro 00:03:19 What We Watched 00:24:16 The Book of Eli 01:18:16 Final Thoughts + Ratings 01:25:50 Outro Email us at filmexplorerspod@gmail.com with any feedback, suggestions, or messages that we can read on the show! Links: ⁠Jackson on Letterboxd⁠ ⁠Joey on Letterboxd⁠ ⁠Josh on Letterboxd⁠ Sutherland on Letterboxd Film Explorers is mixed and edited by Josh :)

CREASY'S ART IS DEATH, AND HE IS ABOUT TO PAINT HIS MASTERPIECE. Spooktober is over, and as we approach the release of one of the year's biggest films in Gladiator II, we're knocking out some blindspots in the filmography of one of the titans of the film industry: Denzel Washington. This week we tackle his 2004 film from the great Tony Scott MAN ON FIRE. We talk revenge narratives, 2000s editing styles, strange Walken performances, and Denzel chewing the scenery every chance he gets. We also talk new releases like We Live in Time, Conclave, and Venom: The Last Dance, break down the legacies of 80s racism through Soul Man, and of course, we revisit Moonfall. Chapters: 00:00:00 Intro 00:02:12 What We Watched 00:33:44 Man On Fire 01:21:28 Final Thoughts + Ratings 01:27:29 Outro Email us at filmexplorerspod@gmail.com with any feedback, suggestions, or messages that we can read on the show! Links: ⁠Jackson on Letterboxd⁠ ⁠Joey on Letterboxd⁠ ⁠Josh on Letterboxd⁠ Sutherland on Letterboxd Film Explorers is mixed and edited by Josh :)

FEAR WHAT'S INSIDE. In what will probably become one of our most controversial episodes so far, we finally tackle one of our nemeses (nemesises? nemesi?!) Alex Garland and his 2018 sci-fi horror ANNIHILATION. We talk about not seeing the vision, how digital cinematography can make or break your movie, and why some people just need a new writer. We also talk about Saturday Night, Passing, Evil Does Not Exist, and The Amityville Horror. And we announce November's theme and all of our picks for the month right at the top of the show! Chapters: 00:00:00 Intro 00:02:20 November's Theme + All of our Picks 00:10:20 What We Watched 00:32:28 Annihilation 01:19:58 Final Thoughts + Ratings 01:30:27 Outro Email us at filmexplorerspod@gmail.com with any feedback, suggestions, or messages that we can read on the show! Links: ⁠Jackson on Letterboxd⁠ ⁠Joey on Letterboxd⁠ ⁠Josh on Letterboxd⁠ Sutherland on Letterboxd Film Explorers is mixed and edited by Josh :)

HOW DO YOU KILL SOMETHING THAT CAN'T POSSIBLY BE ALIVE? After some more adventurous choices the last few weeks, Josh brings us back to basics with some more Stephen King and a second John Carpenter in 1983's CHRISTINE. We talk about what it means to gender your vehicles, having the worst most awful protagonist imaginable, and how Christine shapes up among the rest of Carpenter's films. We also spend some time on The Apprentice (use those chapters, folks), talk some other horror films we've been watching, and break down our recent television watching at the top of the episode. Chapters: 00:00:00 Intro 00:02:19 What We Watched 00:19:06 The Apprentice Talk 00:32:28 What We Watched (continued) 00:40:16 Sutherland's Pick for Next Week 00:44:58 Christine 01:22:09 Final Thoughts + Ratings 01:32:12 Outro Email us at filmexplorerspod@gmail.com with any feedback, suggestions, or messages that we can read on the show! Links: ⁠Jackson on Letterboxd⁠ ⁠Joey on Letterboxd⁠ ⁠Josh on Letterboxd⁠ Sutherland on Letterboxd Film Explorers is mixed and edited by Josh :)

DO YOU WANT TO MEET A GHOST? It's just getting scarier, babes. We're diving straight into J-Horror with Kiyoshi Kurosawa's PULSE, an absolutely terrifying film about all those little ghosts that are hiding right behind the screen you're currently reading this on. We talk about the rise of Internet technology, our childhoods finding random horror shorts on little corners of the web, and how reversing footage of someone walking backward is actually the single most horrifying thing we've ever seen. We also talk Joker 2 at the top, Joey follows in Josh's footsteps with some M. Night Shyamalan, and Sutherland watches some capital C Classics. References: The Mandela Catalogue Chapters: 00:00:00 Intro 00:02:28 Joker: Folie à Deux Talk 00:11:05 What We Watched 00:32:28 Josh's Pick for Next Week 00:37:29 Pulse 01:26:56 Final Thoughts + Ratings 01:38:45 Emails from Our Friends <3 01:44:51 Outro Email us at filmexplorerspod@gmail.com with any feedback, suggestions, or messages that we can read on the show! Links: ⁠Jackson on Letterboxd⁠ ⁠Joey on Letterboxd⁠ ⁠Josh on Letterboxd⁠ Sutherland on Letterboxd Film Explorers is mixed and edited by Josh :)

“WE DON'T WANT TO GIVE ANYBODY SLEEPLESS NIGHTS." Spooktober Vol. 2 is upon us, and as part of our favorite season of the year, we're tackling 1992's GHOSTWATCH, a film that's truly unlike anything we've ever covered. We talk tricking your audience, ghosts lurking in the background, scarring childhood memories, and one of the most insane production stories we've ever heard. Also plenty of Megalopolis talk at the top of the show, Joey finally finishes the Hobbit movies, Jackson checks out The Wild Robot, and Sutherland rolls through his Criterion Challenge. Chapters: 00:00:00 Intro 00:02:18 Megalopolis Talk 00:10:03 What We Watched + Some Random Tangents 00:39:50 Joey's Pick for Next Week 00:43:31 Ghostwatch 01:19:22 Final Thoughts + Ratings 01:26:16 Outro Email us at filmexplorerspod@gmail.com with any feedback, suggestions, or messages that we can read on the show! Links: ⁠Jackson on Letterboxd⁠ ⁠Joey on Letterboxd⁠ ⁠Josh on Letterboxd⁠ Sutherland on Letterboxd Film Explorers is mixed and edited by Josh :)

MEMORY BURNS. Quick little disclaimer: we do talk about topics relating to depression and suicide this episode. If any of that content is particularly sensitive to you, feel free to skip around with the chapters. Wrapping up our month of all female directors with Charlotte Wells' AFTERSUN, a movie that seeps so deeply into your subconscious that you don't even realize you're as sad as you are until the tears start flowing. We talk about Polaroids as memories, obscuring your characters through screens and reflections, and using songs we've listened to our whole lives to absolutely wreck us. Also some talk about Challengers and The Substance at the top of the show, whatever Ryan Murphy's been up to, and of course, the devil elevator movie. Chapters: 00:00:00 Intro 00:04:50 What We Watched 00:30:32 Next Month's Theme + Jackson's Pick 00:36:14 Aftersun 01:24:10 Final Thoughts + Ratings 01:32:39 Outro Email us at filmexplorerspod@gmail.com with any feedback, suggestions, or messages that we can read on the show! Links: ⁠Jackson on Letterboxd⁠ ⁠Joey on Letterboxd⁠ ⁠Josh on Letterboxd⁠ Sutherland on Letterboxd Film Explorers is mixed and edited by Josh :)

In a hard shift into what has to be our deepest dive into arthouse cinema and the avant-garde art scene, we go back to 1976 for Chantal Akerman's NEWS FROM HOME, a film that left us legitimately speechless. We talk about how personal the film is to all of us, how painful it is, and how optimistic we can truly be about it all. Chapters: 00:00:00 Intro 00:03:26 What We Watched 00:10:17 Surprise Guest Appearance 00:12:28 What We Watched Vol. 2 00:40:13 Sutherland's Pick for Next Week 00:43:38 News from Home 01:28:09 Final Thoughts + Ratings 01:42:22 Outro Email us at filmexplorerspod@gmail.com with any feedback, suggestions, or messages that we can read on the show! Links: ⁠Jackson on Letterboxd⁠ ⁠Joey on Letterboxd⁠ ⁠Josh on Letterboxd⁠ Sutherland on Letterboxd Film Explorers is mixed and edited by Josh :)

REVENGE NEVER LOOKED SO PROMISING. Disclaimer: we talk about some really difficult content this week, since Promising Young Woman is a film about sexual assault. We always include chapters in our episodes so you can skip around, but if you feel in any way uncomfortable with that material, feel free to skip our discussion of the film. Love you all <3 This week, Joey brings us to the explosive world of Emerald Fennell with her directorial debut and Oscars darling PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN. We talk about how weird this film feels even just four years from its release, our really complicated takes on the ending and what it's really trying to say, and how successful Fennell's takedown of this system really is. Also Beetlejuice Beetlejuice talk at the top of the show and Joey starts the Terrance Malick journey with a brand new favorite. 00:00:00 Intro + Disclaimer 00:04:29 What We Watched 00:41:23 Promising Young Woman 01:26:38 Final Thoughts + Ratings 01:35:38 Josh's Pick for Next Week Email us at filmexplorerspod@gmail.com with any feedback, suggestions, or messages that we can read on the show! Links: ⁠Jackson on Letterboxd⁠ ⁠Joey on Letterboxd⁠ ⁠Josh on Letterboxd⁠ Sutherland on Letterboxd Film Explorers is mixed and edited by Josh :)

LITTLE ENGINES CAN DO BIG THINGS... In a really interesting double feature with last week's episode, we take a trip to Jackson's childhood with his pick for a September filled with only female directors, THOMAS AND THE MAGIC RAILROAD directed by Britt Alcroft. Alec Baldwin snorting something that can't not be an allegory for some kind of drug, Peter Fonda hiding in a cave and giving absolutely nothing, trains that don't have the ability to move their mouths when they speak. We've got everything this week. Also Sutherland's thoughts on Reagan (a.k.a. movie of the year), Josh hops into some journeys, Joey defends Peter Jackson's Hobbit movies, and Jackson wraps up the new Apes trilogy. Chapters: 00:00:00 Intro 00:05:46 What We Watched 00:33:59 Thomas and the Magic Railroad 01:12:39 Final Thoughts + Ratings 01:28:38 Emails from Our Friends <3 01:33:17 Joey's Pick for Next Week Email us at filmexplorerspod@gmail.com with any feedback, suggestions, or messages that we can read on the show! Links: ⁠Jackson on Letterboxd⁠ ⁠Joey on Letterboxd⁠ ⁠Josh on Letterboxd⁠ Sutherland on Letterboxd Film Explorers is mixed and edited by Josh :)

ENCHANTED DANCING IN A MAGICAL WORLD! In one of our longest and silliest episodes to date, we take the plunge into the magical world of BARBIE IN THE 12 DANCING PRINCESSES, guided by our good friend and Barbie historian Carson! She lectures us on the history of the Mattel straight-to-DVD Barbie films, the unsung lore, and why these movies mean so much to her. Of course, we respond by focusing way too hard on Brutus the monkey, going on a tangent about the Brothers Grimm, and doing visual gags that don't necessarily play well on a podcast but we left them in because they make us look stupid. Go check out Carson's podcast, Speak-Easy: A Conversation Archive! References: DESMOND // Try Not To Laugh Challenge // HARD! Chapters: 00:00:00 Intro 00:03:24 Carson's Four Favs 00:32:06 Barbie in the 12 Dancing Princesses 01:25:59 Final Thoughts + Ratings 01:50:38 Next Month + Jackson's Pick Email us at filmexplorerspod@gmail.com with any feedback, suggestions, or messages that we can read on the show! Links: ⁠Jackson on Letterboxd⁠ ⁠Joey on Letterboxd⁠ ⁠Josh on Letterboxd⁠ Sutherland on Letterboxd Film Explorers is mixed and edited by Josh :)

ONCE HE FOUGHT FOR A DREAM. NOW HE'S FIGHTING FOR LOVE! A huge conclusion to our sequel month run with one of Sutherland's favorite movies of all time, ROCKY II! If you thought Blade Runner was heated...it still is but this one is also incredibly contentious! We talk how to construct a good sports movie. Are they ever really about the sport? And we break down Josh's infamous claim about this "frankly miserable" franchise. Also some big new releases at the top of the episode and a guest appearance announced for next week! References: Watching Rocky II with Muhammad Ali - Roger Ebert Chapters: 00:00:00 Alien: Romulus and Sing Sing Talk 00:16:42 What Else We Watched 00:34:05 Rocky II 01:23:31 Final Thoughts + Ratings 01:32:07 Next Week's Episode Email us at filmexplorerspod@gmail.com with any feedback, suggestions, or messages that we can read on the show! Links: ⁠Jackson on Letterboxd⁠ ⁠Joey on Letterboxd⁠ ⁠Josh on Letterboxd⁠ Sutherland on Letterboxd Film Explorers is mixed and edited by Josh :)

CAPTAIN JACK IS BACK! After three weeks off from recording, we're so unbelievably back talking about one of the most iconic films to our generation, PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MAN'S CHEST. We talk about theme park rides being adapted into film, grungy gross visual effects that have never been surpassed to date, and why need a billion more pirate movies. We also spend a while talking through everything we watched in the last few weeks, including lots of M. Night Shyamalan, some Apes retrospectives, and Josh and Sutherland having some life-changing theatrical experiences. Chapters: 00:00:00 Catching Up 00:06:27 What We Watched 00:40:15 Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest 01:21:37 Final Thoughts + Ratings 01:29:24 Sutherland's Pick + Outro Email us at filmexplorerspod@gmail.com with any feedback, suggestions, or messages that we can read on the show! Links: ⁠Jackson on Letterboxd⁠ ⁠Joey on Letterboxd⁠ ⁠Josh on Letterboxd⁠ Sutherland on Letterboxd Film Explorers is mixed and edited by Josh :)

THE KEY TO THE FUTURE IS FINALLY UNEARTHED. You know the movie, I don't have to intro it for you. BLADE RUNNER 2049 is one of the most beloved movies of the 2010s, an instantly iconic film of the science fiction genre. We talk through Roger Deakins being at the top of his game, Ryan Gosling hitting that thousand-yard stare, and we answer the question you're asking: is Denis Villeneuve the best director working today? (Answers may vary from host to host). Chapters: 00:00:00 Intro 00:04:09 What We Watched 00:17:13 Josh's Pick 00:21:10 Blade Runner 2049 01:10:18 Final Thoughts + Ratings 01:24:29 Outro Email us at filmexplorerspod@gmail.com with any feedback, suggestions, or messages that we can read on the show! Links: ⁠Jackson on Letterboxd⁠ ⁠Joey on Letterboxd⁠ ⁠Josh on Letterboxd⁠ Sutherland on Letterboxd Film Explorers is mixed and edited by Josh :)

JUSTICE IS COMING. Unfortunately, we have once again been reached. In this very special throwback episode of Film Explorers, we return to the genesis of the show with one of the longest running bits in our short history, JACK REACHER: NEVER GO BACK. We talk studio cash-grabs, Tom Cruise clenching his jaw in every single close-up, and actively forgetting movies as you watch them. We also debate the merits of Twisters, Josh talks through their birthday filled with watching five-star films, and Sutherland checks out some Yasujiro Ozu. Chapters: 00:00:00 Intro 00:02:28 Twisters (no spoilers) 00:21:53 What We Watched 00:34:44 Elden Ring and EA College Football 00:36:56 Jack Reacher: Never Go Back 01:10:18 Final Thoughts + Ratings 01:19:52 Joey's Pick + Outro Email us at filmexplorerspod@gmail.com with any feedback, suggestions, or messages that we can read on the show! Links: ⁠Jackson on Letterboxd⁠ ⁠Joey on Letterboxd⁠ ⁠Josh on Letterboxd⁠ Sutherland on Letterboxd Film Explorers is mixed and edited by Josh :)

PROTECTING THE EARTH FROM THE SCUM OF THE UNIVERSE. This week, we're rounding out our blockbuster slate for the month of July with another classic '90s Will Smith joint MEN IN BLACK! We talk about Josh staying winning with these picks (don't worry, that doesn't last long), Vincent D'onofrio being one of the great unsung actors of all time, every alien in this movie just being that one weird guy you saw on the street in New York last time you were there, and why we don't get massive pieces of monoculture like this anymore. August's theme at the top of the show, some Despicable Me 4 talk, and some Ridley Scott praise to bring things full circle! Email us at filmexplorerspod@gmail.com with any feedback, suggestions, or messages that we can read on the show! Chapters: 00:00:00 What We Watched 00:20:48 August's Theme + Jackson's Pick 00:30:30 Men in Black 01:02:50 Final Thoughts + Ratings 01:08:35 Outro Links: ⁠Jackson on Letterboxd⁠ ⁠Joey on Letterboxd⁠ ⁠Josh on Letterboxd⁠ Sutherland on Letterboxd Film Explorers is mixed and edited by Josh :)

A SIMPLE WESTERN ABOUT THE ORIGIN OF THE AMERICAN DREAM. In a very special bonus episode for Josh's birthday, they chose one of their all-time favorite films to get the feature presentation treatment on the show with Kelly Reichardt's FIRST COW! We talk through the beauty in Reichardt's photography of nature, breaking the way we talk about love out of the confines of the English language, what it means to show male friendship through a feminine lens, and Minecraft cow sound effects. Email us at filmexplorerspod@gmail.com with any feedback, suggestions, or messages that we can read on the show! Links: ⁠Jackson on Letterboxd⁠ ⁠Joey on Letterboxd⁠ ⁠Josh on Letterboxd⁠ Sutherland on Letterboxd Film Explorers is mixed and edited by Josh :)

HE IS AFRAID. HE IS ALONE. HE IS THREE MILLION LIGHT YEARS FROM HOME. In a month where we're covering some of the biggest blockbusters of all time, we had to go to the father of them all: the man, the myth, the legend Steven Spielberg and his seminal '80s classic E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL. We talk aliens drinking Coors Banquets, aliens eating Pez, aliens making friggin bikes fly in the air! We settle the score on if Reese's Pieces are really that good, if John Williams is the greatest composer of all time, and if Josh can make it through this episode without crying (no!). We also break down our thoughts on Longlegs, talk about some Game of Thrones, and Josh and Joey returns to the filmography of one Ridley Scott. Email us at filmexplorerspod@gmail.com with any feedback, suggestions, or messages that we can read on the show! References: E.T. Adventure Ride POV at Universal Studios Orlando Chapters: 00:00:00 Intro 00:02:28 What We Watched 00:31:09 E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial 01:03:09 Final Thoughts + Ratings 01:28:02 Outro Links: ⁠Jackson on Letterboxd⁠ ⁠Joey on Letterboxd⁠ ⁠Josh on Letterboxd⁠ Sutherland on Letterboxd Film Explorers is mixed and edited by Josh :)

If you've been craving more random bonus conversations, do we have something perfect for you. Here's nearly two hours of Josh and Sutherland having a stupid laid-back conversation about a bunch of movies they haven't seen yet! Seriously though, Oscar predictions at this point in the year (and always) are just for fun, so we're just goofing. But we talk about so much stuff, from Dune 2 to Joker 2 to Gladiator 2 and some indies like Anora, A Real Pain, and The Seed of the Sacred Fig. Email us at filmexplorerspod@gmail.com with any feedback, suggestions, messages, or your own Oscar predictions that we can read on the show! 00:00:00 Disclaimer 00:04:26 Best Picture 00:57:54 Best Director 01:10:26 Best Lead Actress 01:10:22 Best Lead Actor 01:29:44 Best Supporting Actress 01:35:28 Best Supporting Actor Links: Josh on Letterboxd Sutherland on Letterboxd Film Explorers is mixed and edited by Josh :)