The Letterboxd Show

It’s the great quintuple fist-pump high-five joining of the podcast forces for a yuletide cracker of festive delights. Hosts of The Letterboxd Show, Weekend Watchlist and our soon-to-launch Best in Show awards-season pod gather to get seasonally affected by Carol (Brian); Bridget Jones’s Diary (Mia); Eyes Wide Shut (Mitchell); Batman Returns (Slim) and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (Gemma). Three podcasts, five hosts, five Christmas movies, one gloriously chaotic final episode of The Letterboxd Show Four Favorites for 2022. Sponsor: This episode is brought to you by Paramount Pictures’ Babylon. Damien Chazelle’s new film opens in theaters December 23 and stars Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie and Diego Calva. Babylon is on 116,000 Letterboxd watchlists. It’s about early Hollywood decadence and depravity—best seen in theaters to be a part of the conversation. Movie lovers love movies about movies with big movie stars, so see it in theaters December 23. Also: we went to the premiere! Lists & Links: The Letterboxd list of films mentioned in this episode; Letterboxd’s 2022 Gift Guide; Aimee Knight’s Magic in the Air: The Muppet Christmas Carol at 30; Slim’s “Man ass” list. Reviews of Carol by Anna, J, Ryan and Grace; Bridget Jones’s Diary by Phoebe and Clarko; Eyes Wide Shut by Jillian and Demi; Batman Returns by Sam Kirchoff, Adam L and Zherrig; Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer by Kayt. Credits: This episode was recorded in Auckland, Los Angeles, Delaware and Philadelphia, and edited by Slim. Facts by Jack. Booker: Brian Formo. Transcript by Sophie Shin. Art by Samm. Theme: ‘Vampiros Dancoteque’ by Moniker. Thanks and Merry Christmas to Linda Moulton! The Letterboxd Show is a TAPEDECK production. Happy holidays, one and all.

If you follow any of our social channels, you’re about to meet the genius behind the team behind the TikToks. Letterboxd’s head of social, Aaron Yap, joins Gemma and Slim to tell us about childhood memories of Malaysian DVD stores, and his four favorites: The Brainiac; Footprints; Local Hero and Z Channel: A Magnificent Obsession. Plus: Aaron’s early memories of bodily reactions to ’80s horrors, Slim’s first DVD player, what Gemma got Aaron from the Criterion closet, Gemma’s memories of buying blank VHS tapes, the obsolete sound of the DVD snapper, why The Brainiac’s logic flaws don’t matter, fighting over Giallo, the restorative magic of Bill Forsyth’s Local Hero and the joys of movies without conflict, the wall calendar in Z Channel and the wild west of life before film recommendation algorithms, and Slim’s Rob Zombie blind-spot when it comes to the Halloween movies. Sponsor: This episode is brought to you by Searchlight Pictures and their new film, Empire of Light. Now playing in select theaters. Lists & Links: The Letterboxd list of films mentioned in this episode; Aaron’s essay about being a professional film reviewer;  Aaron’s article on Come and See; House of Psychotic Women Rarities Collection Blu-Ray Box Set; Justin Hullinger’s The Almost Complete Psychotronic Encyclopedia of Film; Edgar Wright’s 1,000 favorite movies; MewithYou’s list of Safdie Brothers favorite films; K Abeto’s list of Every film Taika Waititi has ever mentioned. Reviews of: The Brainiac by Amy Vorhees; Footprints by Sylvie J, Matt Winfield, WraithApe; Local Hero by Wes and Gemma; Z Channel by Gemma and SexRaySpex. Credits: This episode was recorded in Auckland and Philadelphia, and edited by Slim. Facts by Jack. Booker: Brian Formo. Transcript by Sophie Shin. Art by Samm. Theme: ‘Vampiros Dancoteque’ by Moniker. The Letterboxd Show is a TAPEDECK production.

Dead or alive, Slim is watching RoboCop. Cinephile: A Card Game creator, author and Letterboxd member Cory Everett joins Mitchell and Slim to tell us all about his new collection of children’s board books, My First Movie, curating his four favorites around them: RoboCop; The Bird with the Crystal Plumage; Pierrot Le Fou and Murder, My Sweet. Plus: Cinephile as a lifeline for social engagement; Cory’s unforgettable encounter with Spike Lee; seeing RoboCop at age five; the 6000 SUX and NUKEM family game; bring in the perverts; movies with that “la la la” score; Tubi ad breaks; is Suspiria considered Giallo?; keeping film culture alive; lovers on the run; nerding out over comics and Batman: The Animated Series; jaw-dropping film techniques of the old days and Cory’s bonkers ratings histogram. Sponsor: You can try MUBI free for 90 days at https://mubi.com/letterboxd. With MUBI, each and every film is hand-selected. It’s like your own personal film festival—streaming anytime, anywhere. Decision to Leave streaming exclusively on MUBI in the UK, US, and other countries starting December 9. Credits: This episode was recorded in Los Angeles, Delaware and Philadelphia, and edited by Slim. Facts by Jack. Booker: Brian Formo. Transcript by Sophie Shin. Art by Samm. Theme: ‘Vampiros Dancoteque’ by Moniker. The Letterboxd Show is a TAPEDECK production. Lists & Links: The Letterboxd list of films mentioned in this episode; Cinephile’s HQ Page; A is for Auteur; Letterboxd vs. The Film Stage at Cinephile Game Night; “Movies with whispery female “la-la” vocal soundtrack cues” by laird; “Top 200 Italian Giallo Films as Rated by the Letterboxd Community” by Paul D; Cinephile’s lists for “My First Giallo Horror”, “’My First Film Noir” and “’My First French New Wave”; “movies where white hetero couples do wild shit” by anna Reviews of: RoboCop by Cory, brando and ScreeningNotes; Murder, My Sweet by Mitchell and Sally Jane Black; Emily the Criminal by Cory

Podcaster, The New York Times columnist and Letterboxd member Jamelle Bouie joins Gemma and Slim to talk about American political thrillers and his four Letterboxd faves: Children of Men; Black Dynamite; The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974) and Touch of Evil. Plus: why is filmmaker David Lowery starstruck by Jamelle, the two faces of Harrison Ford, the days of loafing around watching TBS and TNT, why the world needs more star-driven, character-actor-saturated, mid-budget thrillers, why movies with people in meetings shouting at each other is Jamelle’s sweet spot, baby’s first art film, the many talents of direct-to-video king Michael Jai White, why we need more Blaxploitation spoofs, the intoxication of a dirty city, how it’s too easy to do stuff these days, bring back foot chases, subway-tunnel nightmares, will The Rock ever be in a good movie? And a great holiday double-feature to watch with the family. Lists, Reviews & Links: The Letterboxd list of films mentioned in this episode; WMcGinty’s “First Seen During Covid”, Silent Dawn’s “Effortlessly Cool”, Jamelle’s Unclear and Present Danger Podcast. Reviews of White Sands by Sammypants69, Children of Men by Matthew, Luke Hicks, Black Dynamite by Branson, Sally Jane, and The Taking of Pelham One Two Three by Will Menaker. Credits: This episode was recorded in Charlottesville, Auckland and greater Philadelphia, and edited by Slim. Facts by Jack. Booker: Brian Formo. Transcript by Sophie Shin. Art by Samm. Theme: ‘Vampiros Dancoteque’ by Moniker. The Letterboxd Show is a TAPEDECK production.

Filmmaker and YouTuber Ryan Connolly of Film Riot joins Gemma and Slim to throw some Dutch angles on his four Letterboxd faves, which all happen to be action films of the 1990s: Speed; Die Hard with a Vengeance; The Game and The Matrix. Plus: why Speed has the greatest film score of all time, how did that bus jump that gap, Jeff Daniels and Dennis Hopper cheek-to-cheek, how Keanu reinvented the masculine action hero, how Michael Douglas reinvented it right back, sequels that are better than originals, being able to smell the stink on John McClane through the screen, why ’90s practical action stunts just rule, why The Game is a great holiday movie, why Spielberg is the GOAT at the “moving master”, believing in yourself, the importance of working with nice people, the supremacy of Jefferson Airplane’s ‘White Rabbit’, and why Ryan doesn’t rate anything on Letterboxd (except Jurassic Park). Lists & Links: The Letterboxd list of films mentioned in this episode; Ryan’s “action films from the 1990s” list, reviews of Speed by Terry, The Game by Dfred22 and Ian West Credits: This episode was recorded in Dallas, Auckland and greater Philadelphia, and edited by Slim. Facts by Jack. Booker: Brian Formo. Transcript by Sophie Shin. Art by Samm. Theme: ‘Vampiros Dancoteque’ by Moniker. The Letterboxd Show is a TAPEDECK production.

Author and filmmaker Kier-La Janisse joins Slim and Mitchell to discuss the tenth-anniversary expanded edition of her book House of Psychotic Women: An Autobiographical Topography Of Female Neurosis In Horror And Exploitation Films, as well as taking a dive through her four favorite films: Over the Edge; Melody; Cockfighter and The Last Wave. Plus: Kier-La’s trick to seeming so productive; Matt Dillon’s iconic outfits; knife fights in the woods; twelve year olds on acid; parents just don’t understand; Jack Wild’s preternaturally youthful looks; the dulcet sounds of the Bee Gees; the masterpiece that is Little Darlings; Kier-La’s work with Severin Films restoring underground classics; taking vows of silence; the amount of cockfighting in Cockfighter; our shared adoration for physical media; cosmic horror; the absolute legend Peter Weir; and Kier-La’s super-top-secret Letterboxd account (no we won’t share it, don’t ask). Sponsor: You can try MUBI free for 90 days at www.mubi.com/letterboxd. With MUBI, each and every film is hand-selected. It’s like your own personal film festival—streaming anytime, anywhere. Find out more about Notebook at mubi.com/magazine. Lists & Links: The Letterboxd list of films mentioned in this episode; MUBI – Notebook; Kier-La’s Magic Hour conversation with Ben Wheatley; “House of Psychotic Women: An Autobiographical Topography Of Female Neurosis In Horror And Exploitation Films”; House of Psychotic Women: Rarities Collection boxset from Severin Films; “Warped and Faded: Weird Wednesday and the Birth of the American Genre Film Archive”; “Bleak and Gritty Teen Films” by Vanina Reviews of: Over the Edge by MandrakeGray and JRK; Cockfighter by Adam Robertson Credits: This episode was recorded in Philadelphia, Delaware and British Columbia, and edited by Slim. Facts by Jack. Booker: Brian Formo. Transcript by Sophie Shin. Art by Samm. Theme: ‘Vampiros Dancoteque’ by Moniker. The Letterboxd Show is a TAPEDECK production.

“I am fed up to the teeth with all these old, dead legends.” Writer and classical music fan Fran Hoepfner joins Gemma and Mia to talk us through her four favorite films on Letterboxd: Miloš Forman’s Amadeus; Merchant-Ivory’s A Room With a View; Mike Leigh’s Topsy-Turvy and Kelly Reichardt’s Certain Women. Plus: why we can’t stop talking about TÁR (and what Fran would love to hear Lydia conduct next); the political and economic realities of creating art; why the world needs more pink; what cinephilia owes to The Simpsons; Daniel Day-Lewis’s finest underdog; our love for Simon Callow; Helena Bonham-Carter on all the kissing in A Room With a View; being unapologetic period-film fans; our favorite Mike Leigh players; the community of theater; when will we enter the Lily Gladstone rom-com-lead era?; the joys of Magic Mike XXL; and a brief meeting of the Jude Law thirst society. Lists & Links: The Letterboxd list of films mentioned in this episode; “obsession for perfection” by Mal, “The obsessed artist” by Laikha, “*jo march voice* women…” by BRAT, “gays who drive” by Kyle. Fran Magazine; Fran’s TÁR review on Gawker; Bright Wall/Dark Room Podcast’s Amadeus episode; Criterion interview with Helena Bonham-Carter; Law School Podcast Reviews: The Shape of Water by Fran; Topsy-Turvy by Ashton and Ben; Certain Women by Trevor and Kat. Credits: This episode was recorded in Los Angeles, Auckland and Brooklyn, and edited by Slim. Facts by Jack. Booker: Brian Formo. Transcript by Sophie Shin. Art by Samm. Theme: ‘Vampiros Dancoteque’ by Moniker. The Letterboxd Show is a TAPEDECK production.

“The spirit is filled by cinema; our dreams rendered tangible.” Filmmaker and inspirational-quote master James Gray joins Gemma and Slim to talk about the 1980s New York childhood that underpins his new drama, Armageddon Time, and four films that strongly relate to it—Francois Truffaut’s The 400 Blows; Jean Vigo’s Zero for Conduct; John Cassavetes’ A Woman Under the Influence and Federico Fellini’s Amarcord. Plus: this “salesman for old cinema” on why students should be forced to watch obscure films; the trauma of the classroom; how teachers can change lives; James’s morning ritual for waking his teenagers; American power structures; why cinema is not compatible with angry tweeters; magic sauce; Anthony Hopkins; Times Square in the ’80s; making waves and fitting in. Lists & Links: The Letterboxd list of films mentioned in this episode; Marsh Boy’s list of “films that are even more damaging to think of than to actually see”; Ella Kemp’s feature with Aftersun’s Paul Mescal and Frankie Corio Reviews of Two Lovers by Evan and Nathan; Ad Astra by Levi; We Own the Night by Ed, Paddy and Francesco; Armageddon Time by Tony and Oliver; Killer of Sheep by Graham. Credits: This episode was recorded in Los Angeles, Auckland and Pennsylvania, and edited by Slim. Facts by Jack. Booker: Brian Formo. Transcript by Sophie Shin. Art by Samm. Theme: ‘Vampiros Dancoteque’ by Moniker. The Letterboxd Show is a TAPEDECK production.

“No derivative shit.” Spooky season concludes with Waxwork Records co-founder Kevin Bergeron, who talks to Gemma and Slim about his four favorite films—Black Christmas; Hausu; Tetsuo: The Iron Man and The Exorcist—and the craft and care that goes into Waxwork’s vinyl reissues of great horror soundtracks. Watch Hausu before 30 November 2022, tag your review with “waxwork”, and you’re in the draw to win a copy of the brand new soundtrack to the 1977 horror-fantasy classic (est. $35 value). Plus: never use a ouija board in your own home, the original hot priest, the feminist horror of Black Christmas, psychiatry versus spirituality in 1970s America, the curse of being a single mom, finding your tribe, stealing White Zombie cassettes, hanging out with Glenn Danzig, building a record plant and shooting your shot, the genius of horror-soundtrack composers, and William Friedkin is a boss. Lists & Links: The Letterboxd list of films mentioned in this episode; Milo’s “movies that have the craziest last 15 or 20 minutes”, Mosquitodragon’s “Elevated Horror” is nothing new”, Andre de Nervaux’s “You’re not the same person once the film has finished”. Waxwork Records. Reviews of Tetsuo: The Iron Man by Hoyden42, Alee55, Black Christmas by Alex, Mag, The Exorcist by Lucy, Matt Brown, Hausu by Ayo Edebiri. Credits: This episode was recorded in New Orleans, Auckland and Pennsylvania, and edited by Slim. Facts by Jack. Booker: Brian Formo. Transcript by Sophie Shin. Art by Samm. Theme: ‘Vampiros Dancoteque’ by Moniker. The Letterboxd Show is a TAPEDECK production.

“It’s so fun to be bad.” Spooky season continues with filmmaker Ana Lily Amirpour, who talks to Gemma and Slim about her four favorite films—American Psycho; Death Becomes Her; Gremlins; The NeverEnding Story—and the makings of her latest feature Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon and her episode of Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities. Plus: how Ana Lily got Keanu Reeves to sport a ’stache (and why he paid for his own wig in The Bad Batch), the saddest scene in all of cinema history, the deep and psychedelic qualities of Everything Everywhere All at Once, crushing on Atreyu, how to care for your psychic health when you are a filmmaker, how Mary Harron nailed her American Psycho adaptation, the story behind the gorgeous poster for A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night, Gemma’s love for Kate Micucci, Slim’s love for Kate Hudson, Ana Lily’s love for hard lighting, why we’ve been watching movies all wrong, the intelligence of comedians, making sure there are snacks in the story, walking red carpets with your dog, the genius of Robert Zemeckis, peak Rossellini, and is Gizmo a symbol of consumerism or cinephile pin-up? #hopefordweebs Lists & Links: The Letterboxd list of films mentioned in this episode. Rachel’s “Movies I wanna show my kids”. Yazz’s “When you’re feeling a little lost”. Josiah’s “The filmbro watchlist” (aka the gaslighter’s bible). Etsy’s “red flag for men, white flag for women”. Cult Girls - Jack’s interview with Guinevere Turner Reviews: The NeverEnding Story by Danny, Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon by Jon Williams, Gremlins by Willow McLay. Credits: This episode was recorded in Los Angeles, Auckland and Pennsylvania, and edited by Slim. Facts by Jack. Booker: Brian Formo. Transcript by Sophie Shin. Art by Samm. Theme: ‘Vampiros Dancoteque’ by Moniker. The Letterboxd Show is a TAPEDECK production.

This week, spooky season continues so we picked up The Black Phone and called in a sinister filmmaker known for raising hell. Writer and director Scott Derrickson talks to Gemma and Slim about growing up at the drive-in, and how his four favorite films (Poltergeist; Suspiria; Carrie and I Saw the Devil) have influenced his filmmaking career. Plus: that Sinister jump-scare, being too scared to go on ghost hunts, learning about horror films from episodes of Community and The Simpsons, how Poltergeist is Spielberg’s raciest story, why the first act of Suspiria is the best cinema ever made, why the last act of Carrie is the best cinema ever made, the Letterboxd community’s thirst for Ethan Hawke as a serial killer, America’s problem with revenge (and Korea’s answer to it). The Letterboxd list of films mentioned in this episode. Forbes’ article “What Is The Scariest Movie Ever?”. Reviews of Poltergeist by Willow Maclay; Suspiria by Proftonks; The Black Phone by jude!, ZaraGwen, abbie and alex; Carrie by Noah and Lil Jake; I Saw the Devil by Supreme Lemon and james Credits: This episode was recorded in Los Angeles and Pennsylvania, and edited by Slim. Facts by Jack. Booker: Brian Formo. Transcript by Sophie Shin. Art by Samm. Theme: ‘Vampiros Dancoteque’ by Moniker. The Letterboxd Show is a TAPEDECK production.

It is spooky season and our first Hallowe’en month guest is X and Pearl writer-director and cinema devotee Ti West, who joins hosts Gemma and Slim to talk about four films that influenced his moviemaking career: Bad Taste, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Two-Lane Blacktop, and The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. We also attempt to squeeze Ti for details on MaXXXine, and he tells us some Pearl tales, including how that final shot came about. Plus: being a Hollywood outsider; the movies that give us permission to be filmmakers; our demands for a Pearl-trilogy theme park; Ti’s defence of Spielberg’s West Side Story; rubbing shoulders with Peter Jackson; the best moment in cinema ever (involving Indiana Jones); the greatest tagline in cinema ever; why Gemma is obsessed with maggots; and what made Slim cry this week. Credits: This episode was recorded in Auckland, Los Angeles and Pennsylvania, and edited by Slim. Facts by Jack. Booker: Brian Formo. Transcript by Sophie Shin. Art by Samm. Theme: ‘Vampiros Dancoteque’ by Moniker. The Letterboxd list of films mentioned; Andrea’s movies that got us into movies list; Wesley’s The Basics of Cinema Starter Pack; Gemma’s Maggots in Movies list and Holli’s “nothing happens” yeah but the vibes. Reviews of Raiders of the Lost Ark by Naughty aka Juli Norwood, Ciara, Josh Larsen; Janica’s Two-Lane Blacktop review. Cinemonster’s Hoop-tober challenge.

Get your 60th New York Film Festival watchlists ready! Gemma and Mitchell are joined by Film at Lincoln Center’s (and NYFF) assistant director of marketing Jordan Raup, who is also the co-founder and editor-in-chief of The Film Stage. We get you all ready with everything you need to know for this year’s NYFF, but most importantly Jordan takes us on the ride through his four favorite films: Canyon Passage, The Tree of Life, The Heartbreak Kid (the good one) and Blow Out. Lists and links: The Letterboxd list of films mentioned; Film at Lincoln Center’s Letterboxd HQ page; the full NYFF60 lineup; Gorgeous Technicolor Masterworks That Prominently Feature a Redhead by Alyssa Heflin; The Tree of Life trailer; movies where jessica chastain gets fed up with the useless men around her so she decides to save the world herself by Wes; Jordan’s interview with Gus Lanzetta on his AI-upscale of Heartbreak Kid; Help! I Got Too Horny and Now Everything’s Bad by Tommy; Jordan’s Blow Out essay for The Film Stage; Sub 2K by Jordan Raup Reviews of Canyon Passage by Ziglet_mir, The Tree of Life by Daniel, Plaid Flannel and Muriel, The Heartbreak Kid by Ella Kemp, Brianna, sydney and Melissa Tamminga, Blow Out by Brian Tallerico, Evan Eaton and comrade_yui, Top Gun: Maverick by Jordan Raup Credits: This episode was recorded in Los Angeles, Delaware and New York, and edited by Slim. Facts by Jack. Booker: Brian Formo. Transcript by Sophie Shin. Art by Samm. Theme: ‘Vampiros Dancoteque’ by Moniker.

By the end of this episode, we promise you’ll be better at cracking those crosswords. Slim and Mitchell are joined by K. Austin Collins, film critic for Rolling Stone (heard of it?) and former writer for hotshot places like Vanity Fair, Slate, The Ringer and Reverse Shot. In his spare time, Kameron also moonlights as a crossword creator for The New Yorker and The New York Times. No big deal. Once we’re finished grilling him for his tips to make us smarter, we discuss Kameron’s four favorite films (for now): John’s Carpenter’s Vampires; Mikey and Nicky; Atlantics and The Naked Kiss. Plus: the impossibility of picking your favorite film (theme of the show, woops); letting go of crossword anxiety; putting your taste to the test; Kameron (maybe) sells Slim on Vampires; Slim regrets lapsing his Catholicism; women making the best movies about male friendship; these are not Kameron’s legally binding four favorites; not being prepared for The Naked Kiss; men are trash; Samuel Fuller is fucked up; beating your pimp’s ass; being a “Superstation ass kid”; the truth of Power Rangers and we’re starting the Bill Paxton fan club. Lists and links: The Letterboxd list of films mentioned; Kameron’s crossword puzzles at The New Yorker; Mia Vicino’s Four Faves episode; Mitchell’s Mikey and Nicky essay for Paste Magazine; Wet Streets on Film by John Frankensteiner; movies that are actually gay rom-coms but are advertised as men being Cool by alva; soft horror by Liam; “nothing happens” yeah but the vibes by holli; Samuel Fuller’s Letterboxd page; abusers die, suffer, or rot in prison by Madison; List of Movies From My Childhood by K. Austin Collins; A24’s crossword book Reviews of Vampires by DallasFrance, Mikey and Nicky by KYK, Atlantics by Sarah and demi adejuyigbe, The Naked Kiss by Cole and Chris, My Brother’s Wedding by K. Austin Collins Credits: This episode was recorded in Los Angeles, Delaware and New York, and edited by Slim. Facts by Jack. Booker: Brian Formo. Transcript by Sophie Shin. Art by Samm. Theme: ‘Vampiros Dancoteque’ by Moniker.

We’re all Golden Eagles here. Gemma is away on festival assignment, so filling in for her we’ve got Letterboxd senior editor and Weekend Watchlist co-host Mitchell Beaupre! Slim and Mitchell are joined by Julian Higgins, director and co-writer of God’s Country—his neo-Western debut feature which premiered at this year’s Sundance Film Festival and is hitting theaters September 16 from IFC Films. We also dive deep into Julian’s four favorite films: Rashomon; Chimes at Midnight; The Return and Foxcatcher. Plus: Julian growing up with college professor cinephile parents; why he’s never seen a single Star Wars movie (hint: those two things are related); why is everyone in Rashomon sweating so much?; Toshiro Mifune is the last 30 seconds of a bag of Skittles; Slim (still) isn’t a Shakespeare person; the relentless pursuit of making a juicy period epic; going “full-on Orson Welles”; Thandiwe Newton having bigger balls than Slim; “We all gotta play by the same rules if this is gonna work”; Julian being afraid of reading reviews from writers he loves; Mitchell watching Foxcatcher in the heart of du Pont country; rich people can get away with anything; ornithologist, philatelist, philanthropist; nostalgia for HD DVD and how they made Slim’s dad cry, and Julian’s childhood hero Basil Rathbone. Credits: This episode was recorded in Los Angeles, Delaware and Pennsylvania, and edited by Slim. Facts by Jack. Booker: Brian Formo. Transcript by Sophie Shin. Art by Samm. Theme: ‘Vampiros Dancoteque’ by Moniker. Lists and links: The Letterboxd list of films mentioned; The Emperor and the Wolf: The Lives and Films of Akira Kurosawa and Toshiro Mifune by Stuart Goldbraith IV; The Criterion Collection’s HQ page; Julian’s Instagram, Winter Light by James Lee Burke; New Novel, New Wave, New Politics: Fiction and the Representation of History in Postwar France by Lynn A. Higgins—Julian’s mother Reviews of Rashomon by Esther Rosenfield and DallasFrance, Chimes at Midnight by Alyssa Heflin, God’s Country by Brian Tallerico, The Return by Marcissus

Movies are sex! Toronto movie critic and filmmaker Chandler Levack joins hosts Gemma and Slim ahead of the world premiere of I Like Movies—her debut indie dramedy about a narcissistic teenage cinephile that had Slim weeping-laughing and Gemma hoping it’ll win the TIFF People’s Choice Award—to talk about four films she loves: Almost Famous; Fat Girl; The Apartment and Crime Wave. Plus: Chandler and Slim reminisce about their glittering careers in the video store industry; everything Cameron Crowe means to us; Catherine Breillat and her brutal realism; the joys of making a film about an insufferable cinephile; how to nail an audition (hint: wear a t-shirt for The Lighthouse); we’re all in love with Shirley MacLaine; why Gemma wants to live in old movies; John Paizs’ absurdist brilliance and his lasting legacy—that you can make anything you want!; Funny Pages’ sweaty basement apartment; is this the greatest year for cinema made just for Slim? Possibly yes. Did Steven Spielberg make The Fabelmans in homage to I Like Movies? Maybe. See both films at TIFF (8—18 September) to find out! Credits: This episode was recorded in Auckland, Toronto and Pennsylvania, and edited by Slim. Facts by Jack. Booker: Brian Formo. Transcript by Sophie Shin. Art by Samm. Theme: ‘Vampiros Dancoteque’ by Moniker. Lists and links: The Letterboxd list of films mentioned; Fat Girls on Film by Kate Hagen; Conversations with Wilder by Cameron Crowe; Jack Facts’ interview with Owen Kline; ‘Stillwater Runs Deep’—William Miller’s $1000 essay for Rolling Stone; When you’re feeling a little lost by yazz!; Coming-of-age movies by andrea; Films that took an already amazing and well-known song by starboy; Movies that are like I Like Movies by Chandler Levack; Male Protagonists that I Could Easily Beat Up in a Fight by Claira Curtis; Manic Pixie Dream Girl by Melissa; Punk by Sally Jane Black; Weirdo Watchlist by Tyler; Chandler’s Movies I can’t wait to see at TIFF. 

Get out the knitwear, it’s When Harry Met Sally… season. Movie-poster designer and Londoner Jay Bennett joins hosts Gemma and Slim to discuss his four Letterboxd favorites: Saw; The Lighthouse; Face/Off and Rob Reiner and Nora Ephron’s iconic rom-com. Plus: Jay’s very specific Letterboxd lists, why he holds right back on five-star ratings, why Danny Glover is a terrible detective in Saw, the power of negative space on a film poster, the scourge of floating heads, getting DMs from A24, was 2019 the greatest year in cinema ever?, The Lighthouse as a lockdown favorite, how bad posters happen, how Jay designed The Cow’s key art, John Woo and his doves, why Joan Allen is the real MVP of Face/Off, the Letterboxd members who defend Billy Crystal as Harry, justice for Hannah Montana: The Musical, and Clippy from Microsoft makes a brief appearance. Lists and links: The Letterboxd list of films mentioned; Jay’s lists: Tom Hardy invents an accent, Mac and Cheese, Cannes you believe it, Who let Matt Damon into the studio, Saw ranked based on how morally right the jigsaw killer is, My parents reviewing films, Film Posters Don’t Feel So Good; IndieWire’s 25 Best Movie Performances of the ’90s Reviews of Saw by Amaya, The Lighthouse by Esther Rosenfield, When Harry Met Sally… by Amanda, Sophie and Olivia Credits: This episode was recorded in Auckland, London and Pennsylvania, and edited by Slim. Facts by Jack. Booker: Brian Formo. Transcript by Sophie Shin. Theme: ‘Vampiros Dancoteque’ by Moniker.

Bonghive, rise! We have cinema disease and Karen Han has the cure. The cultural critic, scriptwriter and Bong Joon-ho expert joins hosts Slim and Gemma to talk about her four Letterboxd faves: Phantom of the Paradise; Take Shelter; Ping Pong and The Host. Karen’s new book, Bong Joon-ho: Dissident Cinema, is out in November from Abrams Books and Little White Lies. You can upgrade to Pro/Patron at 20% off the normal price using this special URL: https://letterboxd.com/pro/redeem/paradise/. Upgrade to Pro/Patron to get rid of ads, customize your streaming services, view detailed movie-watching stats computed from your account history, and much more. That URL automatically adds our special discount code “Paradise” to get 20% off an upgrade. You can alternatively add that word manually into the Enter Code section on the bottom left of our Pro page if you want, no big deal. Also: Karen recalls the dawn of the #Bonghive, we discuss the sexual energy of songwriter Paul Williams, why rock operas should come back, the Meatloaf of it all, why one of Slim’s favorite pastimes is reading Letterboxd reviews aloud, living in the mystery, Jeff Nichols’ superlative relationship skills, Gemma’s rage at ambiguous sci-fi endings, cooking manga, and Michael Shannon, step on us, please. Use the code ‘PARADISE’ for an exclusive 20% discount on Pro and Patron memberships in the week of this episode’s release. Credits: This episode was recorded in Auckland, Los Angeles and Pennsylvania, and edited by Slim. Facts by Jack. Booker: Brian Formo. Transcript by Sophie Shin. Theme: ‘Vampiros Dancoteque’ by Moniker. Lists and links: The Letterboxd list of films mentioned; Anxiety-Inducing Cinema list by Jack; Simon Ramshaw’s They aren’t films; they’re experiences list; Essential Depressioncore list by Obsolete; Kermit chats to Paul Williams, Karen’s first #Bonghive tweet. Reviews of Nope by Karen Han; Phantom of the Paradise by COBRARocky and feat. dante from the dmc series; Take Shelter by Lauren and Lucy; Ping Pong by Dan P and Ali; The Host by Hollie and Oppie.

Never tumble-dry a bra! Film professor, director, Colors of the Dark podcaster and absurdist horror-comedy fan Rebekah McKendry joins hosts Slim and Gemma to gleefully dig into her four Letterboxd favs: Hedwig and the Angry Inch; The ’Burbs; Suspiria and Survive Style 5+. Plus: the download on Glorious, her new “classy glory-hole movie” for Shudder, starring Ryan Kwanten and JK Simmons. Also: soap-opera amnesia, rewatching Old, the perfect horror rating, terrible neighbors, why Letterboxd’s Suspiria reviews are the best reviews, our thirst for Jessica Harper, important choreography chat, how to make a $50K movie, how to get JK Simmons in your film, how to get your glory hole the right size, why Rebekah always shows Hedwig to all her film students, and why you haven’t truly lived until you have seen Survive Style 5+. Lists and links: The Letterboxd list of films mentioned; Rebekah and David Ian McKendry’s 25 favorite absurdist cult and horror films; Maggots in Movies by Gemma; Luiz Brayner’s films about lgbt people but where the main plot isn’t about them being lgbt; Jim Cummings Four Faves Episode; Patti Bellatoni’s book “If it’s purple, someone’s gonna die”; watch Survive Style 5+ on YouTube; Shudder’s Letterboxd HQ. Reviews: The ’Burbs by theriverjordan; Suspiria by iana; andrea; #1 gizmo fan; christie; Hedwig and the Angry Inch by Liz Purchell; Survive Style 5+ by Foggy; No.1 Spy Kids Fan Credits: This episode was recorded in Auckland, Los Angeles and Pennsylvania, and edited by Slim. Facts by Jack. Booker: Brian Formo. Transcript by Sophie Shin. Theme: ‘Vampiros Dancoteque’ by Moniker.

Beware the ectoplasmic residue! Comedian, actor, podcaster and Letterboxd member Paul Scheer joins hosts Slim and Gemma to celebrate American men of the 1980s via his four Letterboxd favorites: Beverly Hills Cop; Ghostbusters; Back to the Future and Planes Trains and Automobiles. You can upgrade to Pro/Patron at 20% off the normal price using this special URL: https://letterboxd.com/pro/redeem/mcfly/. Upgrade to Pro/Patron to get rid of ads, customize your streaming services, view a customized stats page just for your own account, and much more. That URL automatically adds our special discount code “mcfly” to get 20% off upgrading. You can also add that word manually into the Enter Code section on the bottom left of our Pro page if you want, no big deal. Plus: the curious psychology of choosing your four Letterboxd faves; what Paul has learned about movies from hosting the How Did This Get Made and Unspooled podcasts; Slim’s dream of owning Marty McFly’s truck; Gemma’s love for BH Cop’s Jenny; why Back to the Future II stacks up; our appreciation for Bronson Pinchot; what Ghostbusters can teach us about running a small business; Paul upgrades to Patron level live on the show (without even using our limited-time discount offer—see details above); and why won’t our damn kids love The Muppets as much as we do? Lists and links: The Letterboxd list of films mentioned; Todd’s Coffee & Donuts: A Beginner’s Guide To Buddy Cop Movies list; WraithApe’s Killer Synth Scores, TheRiverJordan’s Sweaty Dudes Cinema, LinusMxx’s SPOILER ALERT, BITCH!, Paul Scheer’s The Best 3rd Ones, Coffee’s i’m 16 and this is the greatest movie ever made list, and Andre de Nervaux’s Posters where actors are covering up their unfortunate boners; Gemma’s interview with Dean Fleischer-Camp Reviews: Beverly Hills Cop by theriverjordan, Ghostbusters by Patrick Willems and Matt Singer, RRR by Paul Scheer. Credits: This episode was recorded in Auckland, Los Angeles and Pennsylvania, and edited by Slim. Facts by Jack. Booker: Brian Formo. Transcript by Sophie Shin. Theme: ‘Vampiros Dancoteque’ by Moniker.