October 25th, 2020
To mark the closing of Quibi, the poorly-conceived mobile streaming service that lasted six months before collapsing under its own readily apparent flaws, Emily and Ed talk about why it was such a transparently bad idea, how the people involved misunderstood what streaming is, and how people consume media. They also discuss Borat Subsequent Moviefilm and its weird gatecrashing of the Presidential election, AOC streaming on Twitch, and Ben Wheatly adding another unexpected film to his plate.
00:00:00 - 00:23:10 - Intro & News
00:23:11 - 00:23:11 - Emily & Ed discuss the end of Quibi
00:41:38 - 00:41:39 - SRS Recommends & Outro
October 22nd, 2020
This week, inspired by the news that Ben Wheatley has shot a lockdown movie, Emily and Ed discuss movies that take place primarily in one location, which genres are particularly suited to that approach, and what it takes to make a movie set in one place work.
00:00:00 - 00:20:22 - Intro & News
00:20:23 - 00:52:44 - Emily & Ed discuss movies primarily set in one location
00:52:45 - 00:56:39 - SRS Recommends & Outro
October 11th, 2020
This week, Emily and Ed discuss films and TV shows that impact them differently in lockdown because they depict events and experiences that they can't engage in right now, and stir up memories of when they could. They also discuss Cineworld/Regal closing theatres in the UK and the US, and how those decisions connect to the broader failings of their governments to get the Coronavirus under control.
00:00:00 - 00:26:12 - Intro & News
00:26:13 - 00:54:23 - Emily & Ed discuss art that impacts them differently in lockdown
00:54:24 - 00:58:15 - SRS Recommends & Outro
Links
- Rachel Syme's interview with Mandy Patinkin, as recommended by Emily
September 28th, 2020
This week, Emily and Ed discuss dreams in films and television: stories about dreams, memorable dream sequences, and movies that evoke a dreamlike (or nightmarelike) feeling. They also talk about some of the notable Emmy winners, and the possible return of The Knick.
00:00:00 - 00:20:17 - Intro & News
00:20:18 - 00:53:25 - Emily and Ed discuss dreams in movies and TV
00:53:26 - 00:56:55 - SRS Recommends & Outro
Links
Alice Sneddon's Bad News, as recommended by Emily
September 23rd, 2020
This week, jumping off of the story about Amazon's The Boys getting review-bombed for switching to a weekly release schedule for its second season, Emily and Ed discuss the current state of streaming, how the success of The Mandalorian may be making streaming services reconsider the value of the Netflix release model, and the tension that exists between how people have been conditioned to watch streaming shows and what might be best for generating buzz and discussion and, ultimately, subscribers. They also talk about the Creative Emmys, The Sopranos, and Jake Gyllenhaal's "weird" phase.
00:00:00 - 00:35:10 - Intro & News
00:35:11 - 00:57:32 - Emily & Ed discuss the state of streaming
00:57:33 - 01:00:28 - SRS Recommends & Outro
Links
- The Misbehaviour episode of the Seventh Row podcast, as recommended by Emily
September 14th, 2020
There was a ton of news this week. New Oscar eligibility rules? Yes. New Dune trailer? Yes. New Borat movie? Sure, why not. Emily and Ed go over all the news worth knowing this week.
00:00:00 - 00:05:22 - Intro
00:05:23 - 01:03:54 - Emily & Ed run through the week's news
01:03:55 - 01:08:34 - SRS Recommends & Outro
Links
Dan Olsen's In Search of a Flat Earth, as recommended by Emily
The video essays of Patrick H. Willems, as recommended by Ed
Shannon Strucci's adult swim just cancelled the best show on television, as mention by Ed in the discussion about The Venture Bros.
September 10th, 2020
This week, inspired by the release of Tenet and Christopher Nolan's reputation as a director obsessed with time, Emily and Ed discuss movies that make particularly innovative use of time as a concept, as a structural device, or as a theme. They also discuss the release of Mulan, and laugh a lot at the very idea of Jeremy Renner.
00:00:00 - 00:36:07 - Intro & News
00:36:08 - 01:20:24 - Emily & Ed discuss Time
01:20:25 - 01:24:56 - SRS Recommends & Outro
August 31st, 2020
Inspired by the New York Times article "How the Criterion Collection Crops Out African-American Directors", Emily and Ed discuss the ways in which the Criterion Collection shapes the canon of great films while omitting the work of African-American filmmakers. They also talk about the death of Chadwick Boseman, who passed away last week at the age of 43.
00:00:00 - 00:32:16 - Intro & News
00:32:17 - 00:57:42 - Emily & Ed discuss the Criterion Collection
00:57:43 - 01:02:46 - SRS Recommends & Outro
August 27th, 2020
Following the cancellation of Netflix's Patriot Act, Emily and Ed discuss the current state of late night television and how one of Amercia's oldest TV formats has adapted to the new realities of Coronavirus. At least, they get to that eventually, after detours through Batman news, the Cuties marketing controversy, and Netflix's short-sighted approach to commissioning and cancelling shows more generally.
00:00:00 - 00:49:45 - Intro & News
00:49:46 - 01:11:16 - Emily & Ed discuss the state of late night television
01:11:17 - 01:16:26 - SRS Recommends & Outro
August 16th, 2020
Inspired by Ed's quarantine playthrough of Persona 5, this week's episode is all about depictions of school in film, television and videogames. There's also talk about W.A.P., the continued upheaval in film distribution as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic, and the death of Linda Manz.
00:00:00 - 00:26:21 - Intro & News
00:26:22 - 00:56:21 - Emily & Ed discuss depiction of school in art
00:56:22 - 01:02:13 - SRS Recommends & Outro
Links
- Jacob Geller's YouTube channel, as recommended by Ed, and specifically The Intimacy of Everyday Objects and Who's Afraid of Modern Art
August 2nd, 2020
It's Ed's birthday this week, so he gets to pick any topic to talk about. This year, he chose the Uncharted series of video games, which he played through during lockdown and has a lot of thoughts about. He and Emily also talk about the announcement of Defector, the new site from a group of former Deadspin writers; the BAFTA television awards and their virtual ceremony; the Emmy nominations; and that time Batman fought the Predator.
00:00:00 - 00:29:37 - Intro & News
00:29:38 - 00:58:49 - Emily & Ed discuss the Uncharted games
00:58:50 - 01:02:49 - SRS Recommends & Outro
Links
- Emily's comedessay Poser can be found on YouTube here
- You can check out Fringe of Colour at their website
- Susana Polo's article about Batman vs. Predator can be found on Polygon
July 30th, 2020
The biggest question facing the film industry right now is when exactly moviegoing will return to normal, if it ever will at all. Emily and Ed try to figure out an answer to that question, and discuss the things that are preventing the big Hollywood films from going straight to VOD, as well as the death of Olivia de Havilland.
00:00:00 - 00:22:30 - News & Intro
00:22:31 - 00:52:20 - Emily & Ed discuss when cinemas might reopen again
00:52:21 - 00:58:35 - SRS Recommends & Outro
July 19th, 2020
We're (supposedly only) six months into 2020, so Emily and Ed take the opportunity to take stock of the film, TV and other media from the year that they have enjoyed. They also talk about spending time in "the hell zone," E. Alex Jung's profiles of Michaela Coel and Thandie Newton, and the death of Naya Rivera.
00:00:00 - 00:29:04 - Intro & News
00:29:05 - 01:11:52 - Emily & Ed talk about their cultural highlights of the year so far
01:11:53 - 01:12:30 - Outro
July 7th, 2020
This week, Emily and Ed discuss the career of Olivia de Havilland, the iconic actress of classic Hollywood who was also the plaintiff in a lawsuit that fundamentally altered the relationship between actors and studios, and who turned 104 years old this week. They also pay tribute to Carl Reiner, discuss whether or not a Fallout series could be any good, Hamilton being on Disney+, and, sigh, Kanye possibly running for President.
00:00:00 - 00:33:49 - Intro & News
00:33:50 - 00:55:55 - Emily & Ed discuss the career and impact of Olivia de Havilland
00:55:56 - 01:00:17 - SRS Recommends & Outro
Links
"This Profile of Charlie Kaufman Has Changed" by Jon Mooallem
Trailer for Family Romance, LLC
June 28th, 2020
Inspired by the...somewhat hyperbolic cinematic comparisons that The Last of Us Part II has received recently, Emily and Ed discuss the relationship between film and video games, as two relatively young forms that are constantly drawing from each other, and are often pitted against each other by critics and fans. They also pay tribute to Joel Schumacher.
00:00:00 - 00:44:15 - Intro & News
00:44:16 - 01:08:58 - Emily & Ed discuss the relationship between film and video games
01:08:59 - 01:12:33 - SRS Recommends & Outro
Links
- Nicholas Carter's Medium post about his horrifying experiences working for Cards Against Humanity
- Jim Sterling's video about The Last of Us Part II being compared to Schindler's List
- The cute video of a Goat that Emily recommends
June 21st, 2020
Cinema chains in the UK and the US are planning to start opening up again next month, even though Coronavirus cases still remain high in both countries, and in some areas are spiking to dangerous new highs. Emily and Ed go over the economic and moral quandary that theatres find themselves in, particulary AMC and its (quickly reversed) decision to not force customers to wear face masks because they didn't want to get caught in a "political controversy." They also talk about the Watchmen TV series and how it became even more resonant mere months after it finished airing, the unexpected new Daria spinoff Jodie, and the passing of Ian Holm.
00:00:00 - 00:15:39 - Intro
00:15:40 - 00:42:41 - News
00:42:42 - 00:59:45 - Emily & Ed discuss the reopening of movie theatres
00:59:46 - 01:04:54 - SRS Recommends & Outro
Links
City Guys' album of Final Fantasy VII covers can be found here and is pay what you like
Effie Brown's article in the Hollywood Reporter is here
The Office Hours episode with Limmy can be watched on YouTube (Limmy section starts at 1:02:30)
You can sign up for Seth Simons' newsletter Humorism here
June 17th, 2020
This week, inspired by Mark Cousins' Women Make Film, Emily and Ed talk about the idea of a film canon, the ways in which it can act as a guide for budding film fan and filmmakers, as well as how it can be restrictive in terms of which films are considered great, and what values that imparts. They also talk about Gone With the Wind being taken off HBOMax and have a good laugh about statues.
00:00:00 - 00:27:14 - Intro & News
00:27:15 - 00:58:00 - Emily & Ed discuss the canon
00:58:01 - 01:04:36 - SRS Recommends & Outro
June 8th, 2020
This week, Emily and Ed discuss the ways in which corporations have responded to the protests in response to the killing of George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter movement more generally, and whether there's any meaning or value in a tech giant like Amazon pledging support without taking meaningful action to fix their own problems.
00:00:00 - 00:28:57 - Intro & News
00:28:58 - 00:57:55 - Emily & Ed discuss The Brands
00:57:56 - 01:02:23 - SRS Recommends & Outro
Here is the video by Zoe Amira "how to financially help BLM with NO MONEY/leaving your house", as recommended by Emily
June 3rd, 2020
This week, Emily and Ed discuss the "chunky zip file" of an era that we're all living through, the news that Martin Scorsese's next film will be funded by Apple, and some of their favourite books about films and filmmaking.
00:00:00 - 00:32:56 - Intro & News
00:32:57 - 00:56:37 - Emily & Ed discuss books about films
00:56:38 - 01:00:59 - SRS Recommends & Outro
Here is the Lucy Lawless-as-Stevie Nicks SNL Sketch, as recommended by Emily
Here is Jenny Nicholson's video about watching all the Land Before Time films, as recommended by Ed
May 27th, 2020
Inspired by the BBC/Hulu series Normal People, this episode finds Emily and Ed thinking about some of their favourite coming of age stories, and the ways in which stories in different genres and from different cultures tackle the often painful transition from childhood to adulthood. They also talk about Ed's top ten films of all time, the return of Tuca and Bertie, and the (eventual) existence of the Snyder Cut.
00:00:00 - 00:27:05 - Intro & News
00:27:06 - 01:04:24 - Emily & Ed discuss Coming of Age stories
01:04:25 - 01:07:58 - SRS Recommends & Outro
