The Film Hobbyist

<p>Join your host Lydia in her garret room and enjoy a cozy collection of essays about movies and ideas.</p><p>Movies have been Lydia’s hobby since she began pouring over the film pullout section of the Friday paper as a 10-year-old. She’s kept up with weekly releases and reviews ever since, building up an encyclopedic knowledge of film trivia and a reputation for reliable recommendations to friends and family. With a background in creative writing and experience in performing, Lydia is delighted to share her passion for film.</p>

My Mom Jayne: An Exercise in Humanization

In the midst of bone-chilling weather, come sit under a granny square blanket, clutching a warm mug of tea as Lydia talks about the documentary My Mom Jayne, the things that stole Jayne Mansfield's humanity, and how director Mariska Hargitay restores it.Attributions:Opening music: Struggling performed by the Johnny Dodds Trio, obtained from the Open Music Archive, licensed under the Public Domain.Closing music: Beautiful Cinematic Piano Music by Denis-Pavlov-Music used with permission under the Pixabay License.Soundscape: Various clips used with permission under the Pixabay License. Mourning dove sound clip by Spanac used with permission from the Free Sounds Library under the Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license.

12-04
24:06

Office Space: A Generational Perspective

Escape the daily grind of the workweek by joining Lydia in her attic room to discuss Mike Judge's 1999 film Office Space through a generation lens. As silly as generational cohorts are, they do offer some insight into changing attitudes toward work and provide some ironies in what remains the same.Attributions:Opening music: Struggling performed by the Johnny Dodds Trio, obtained from the Open Music Archive, licensed under the Public Domain.Closing music: Beautiful Cinematic Piano Music by Denis-Pavlov-Music used with permission under the Pixabay License.Soundscape: Various clips used with permission under the Pixabay License. Mourning dove sound clip by Spanac used with permission from the Free Sounds Library under the Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license.

11-13
23:36

Superman (2025): Moral Cognitive Dissonance

On this chilly fall day, come visit Lydia in her attic room to talk movies with a guest about James Gunn's Superman, a movie they both really like, and the flaw that they cannot unsee.Attributions:Opening music: Struggling performed by the Johnny Dodds Trio, obtained from the Open Music Archive, licensed under the Public Domain.Closing music: Beautiful Cinematic Piano Music by Denis-Pavlov-Music used with permission under the Pixabay License.Soundscape: Various clips used with permission under the Pixabay License. Mourning dove sound clip by Spanac used with permission from the Free Sounds Library under the Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license.

10-23
19:37

Sunset Boulevard: A Gothic Film Noir

It's Spooky Season! As the leaves drizzle down in Lydia's backyard, come discover the origins of Film Noir and its relationship to Gothic storytelling, all through the lens of Billy Wilder's 1950 masterpiece.Attributions:Opening music: Struggling performed by the Johnny Dodds Trio, obtained from the Open Music Archive, licensed under the Public Domain.Closing music: Beautiful Cinematic Piano Music by Denis-Pavlov-Music used with permission under the Pixabay License.Soundscape: Various clips used with permission under the Pixabay License. Mourning dove sound clip by Spanac used with permission from the Free Sounds Library under the Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license.

10-02
25:45

The Last of the Mohicans (1992): Building a Better Romance

Come join Lydia for a conversation about a nineteenth century novel and two of its film adaptations, particularly the differences between the protagonists and their romances, and why Michael Mann's Cora Munro rules.Attributions:Opening music: Struggling performed by the Johnny Dodds Trio, obtained from the Open Music Archive, licensed under the Public Domain.Closing music: Beautiful Cinematic Piano Music by Denis-Pavlov-Music used with permission under the Pixabay License.Soundscape: Various clips used with permission under the Pixabay License. Mourning dove sound clip by Spanac used with permission from the Free Sounds Library under the Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license.

09-11
31:14

Uptown Girls: A Fairytale

Come visit Lydia's attic room to gaze at her new bookshelf while she analyzes the many ways the poorly reviewed early 2000s comedy Uptown Girls is actually an intentionally crafted modern fairytale.Attributions:Opening music: Struggling performed by the Johnny Dodds Trio, obtained from the Open Music Archive, licensed under the Public Domain.Closing music: Beautiful Cinematic Piano Music by Denis-Pavlov-Music used with permission under the Pixabay License.Soundscape: Various clips used with permission under the Pixabay License. Mourning dove sound clip by Spanac used with permission from the Free Sounds Library under the Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license.

08-21
27:33

Andor: Every Person Necessary

Sit in front of a box fan on a hot day while Lydia explains the existence of the show Andor and what it has to say about the unseen contributions of nameless people.Attributions:Opening music: Struggling performed by the Johnny Dodds Trio, obtained from the Open Music Archive, licensed under the Public Domain.Closing music: Beautiful Cinematic Piano Music by Denis-Pavlov-Music used with permission under the Pixabay License.Soundscape: Various clips used with permission under the Pixabay License. Mourning dove sound clip by Spanac used with permission from the Free Sounds Library under the Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license.

07-31
23:47

Robin Hood (1973): Adapting a Folk Hero

Come flee the July heat by entering Lydia's memories of a chilly British day as she makes her argument for why the very cheaply made, deeply flawed Disney adaptation of Robin Hood might actually be the most accurate depiction of the traditional version of the character. Attributions:Opening music: Struggling performed by the Johnny Dodds Trio, obtained from the Open Music Archive, licensed under the Public Domain.Closing music: Beautiful Cinematic Piano Music by Denis-Pavlov-Music used with permission under the Pixabay License.Soundscape: Various clips used with permission under the Pixabay License. Mourning dove sound clip by Spanac used with permission from the Free Sounds Library under the Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license.

07-10
24:15

You Can't Take it with You: A Love Letter from a Lily

Today, Lydia shares her journey as a writer and craftsperson and how she is inspired and encouraged by 1938's Best Picture winner.Attributions:Opening music: Struggling performed by the Johnny Dodds Trio, obtained from the Open Music Archive, licensed under the Public Domain.Closing music: Beautiful Cinematic Piano Music by Denis-Pavlov-Music used with permission under the Pixabay License.Soundscape: Various clips used with permission under the Pixabay License. Mourning dove sound clip by Spanac used with permission from the Free Sounds Library under the Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license.

06-19
24:08

Rebel Ridge: An Action Movie About De-escalation

Curl up on a forest green futon for a conversation about what Lydia finds her coziest genre (action movies) and how this Netflix action flick both fulfills audience expectations and challenges the foundations of the genre.Attributions:Opening music: Struggling performed by the Johnny Dodds Trio, obtained from the Open Music Archive, licensed under the Public Domain.Closing music: Beautiful Cinematic Piano Music by Denis-Pavlov-Music used with permission under the Pixabay License.Soundscape: Various clips used with permission under the Pixabay License. Mourning dove sound clip by Spanac used with permission from the Free Sounds Library under the Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license.

05-29
20:57

Breakfast at Tiffany's: The Limits of Escapism

Grab a cup of coffee and sit with Lydia as she discusses a truly iconic movie poster film, one that she finds to be both a valuable character study and a movie she doesn't particularly like.Attributions:Opening music: Struggling performed by the Johnny Dodds Trio, obtained from the Open Music Archive, licensed under the Public Domain.Closing music: Beautiful Cinematic Piano Music by Denis-Pavlov-Music used with permission under the Pixabay License.Soundscape: Various clips used with permission under the Pixabay License. Mourning dove sound clip by Spanac used with permission from the Free Sounds Library under the Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license.

05-08
26:18

Winter's Bone (2010): The Specificity of Place

You probably haven't seen this movie. That's ok. Come visit Lydia anyway as she talks about her experience with a particular place and culture, and how it is rarely portrayed truthfully and authentically in film and television.Attributions:Opening music: Struggling performed by the Johnny Dodds Trio, obtained from the Open Music Archive, licensed under the Public Domain.Closing music: Beautiful Cinematic Piano Music by Denis-Pavlov-Music used with permission under the Pixabay License.Soundscape: Various clips used with permission under the Pixabay License. Mourning dove sound clip by Spanac used with permission from the Free Sounds Library under the Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license. Rain background by SoundsForYou.

04-17
24:50

Wicked Part 1: An Argument for the Public Domain

On this chilly, Spring day, join Lydia in a nook of her attic room to discuss Wicked: Part 1, The Wizard of Oz, and their relationship to the collective inheritance of story and art called the public domain.Attributions:Opening music: Struggling performed by the Johnny Dodds Trio, obtained from the Open Music Archive, licensed under the Public Domain.Closing music: Beautiful Cinematic Piano Music by Denis-Pavlov-Music used with permission under the Pixabay License.Soundscape: Various clips used with permission under the Pixabay License. Mourning dove sound clip by Spanac used with permission from the Free Sounds Library under the Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license.

03-27
24:07

Raiders of the Lost Ark: An Introduction

Lydia welcomes you to her attic room to talk about her love for Raiders of the Lost Ark. Come curl up under a granny square blanket and discuss the sublime, the painful origins of the adventure genre, and the excellence of Marion Ravenwood.Attributions:Opening music: Struggling performed by the Johnny Dodds Trio, obtained from the Open Music Archive, licensed under the Public Domain.Closing music: Beautiful Cinematic Piano Music by Denis-Pavlov-Music used with permission under the Pixabay License.Soundscape: Various clips used with permission under the Pixabay License. Mourning dove sound clip by Spanac used with permission from the Free Sounds Library under the Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license.

03-05
21:07

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