Episodes
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Note: We will be taking a one month break from the show to focus on some work and personal events we have coming up -- thank you for your continue support! See you soon! <3
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"Yes, she's emotionally disturbed. She's unbalanced!"
For our final week on the incomparable Joan Crawford, we will be talking about one of our favourite films: the 1962 psychological thriller, What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?
Two aging sisters, former child star Baby Jane Hudson (Bette Davis) and her wheelchair-bound sister Blanche (Joan Crawford), live together in a decaying mansion filled with resentment, secrets, dead animals, and DRAG.
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"A man can lie, steal... and even kill. But as long as he hangs on to his pride, he's still a man. All a woman has to do is slip - once. And she's a "tramp!" Must be a great comfort to you to be a man."
For our third week on Joan Crawford, we are looking at the 1954 gritty Western, Johnny Guitar, where love, power, and revenge collide. Directed by Nicholas Ray, the film follows the mysterious gunslinger Johnny Guitar (Sterling Hayden) entangled in a tense love triangle with the fearless saloon owner Vienna (Joan Crawford) and the menacing, and kind of camp, Emma Small (Mercedes McCambridge).
Next Week's Film: What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962)
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"Oh, I loved her so much. Oh, please God, don't ever let anything happen to Veda."
For our second week discussing the legend Joan Crawford, we are chatting about her Oscar-winning performance in the 1945 film, Mildred Pierce.
Based on a novel by James M. Cain, Mildred Pierce follows the titular character, played by Joan, as she tries to build a life for herself and her daughters away from her toxic ex husband. What emerges is possibly the most demonic, evil movie villain of all time: Veda Pierce.
We discuss our thoughts about the film, Veda, and Joan's performance, as well as what 1945 feminist takes don't quite live up to a modern perspective.
Next Week's Film: Johnny Guitar (1954)
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"That's all quite propper. But supposing I saw you and yelled 'Hi baby. Remember Manchester.'"
Our next Filmme Fatale is the incomparable Hollywood golden girl, Joan Crawford. This week, we are discussing the 1932 film Grand Hotel. Ahead of its time in cinematography and plot, this movie follows a group of dynamic and flat characters as they intersect living within a hotel in Berlin. There's camp, drama, glamour, and mystery!
Neither of us are buffs of old Hollywood, so it will be a fun month diving into movies we have never experienced before with Ms. Crawford.
Next Week's Film: Mildred Pierce (1945)
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"We need to be quiet for awhile. Storm... it's powerful, so we need to be quiet for awhile."
For our final week on the 96th Academy Awards Best Actress nominees, we are talking about the breakout star of the group: Lily Gladstone in Martin Scorsese's Killers of the Flower Moon (2023). The film is described as an American American epic, wester crime drama and centres around the Osage Nation–at one point, the richest community per capita on earth. That is, until white people got involved and Osage members began mysteriously being killed.
Lily Gladstone plays Mollie, a strong Osage woman whose family's fortune becomes the target of Robert De Niro's William King Hale, the deputy sheriff, and his naive nephew, Ernest Burkhart, played by Leonardo DiCaprio. Gladstone presents one of the more understated and intentional performances of this year's Oscar nominees; however, her performance is as powerful in what is unsaid as in what is said.
Listen to the end to hear our final predictions and rankings for who will snatch the trophy, and tune into the Oscars this Sunday to see how wrong we probably are!
Next Week's Film: Grand Hotel (1932)
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"If the summer doesn't sing in you, then nothing sings in you. And if nothing sings in you, then you can't make music."
For our fourth week focusing on Best Actress nominees at the 96th Academy Awards, we are discussing Carey Mulligan in Bradley Cooper's 2023 biopic, Maestro. This film focuses on the marriage between Leonard Bernstein, the first great American composer and a closeted bisexual man, and his wife Felicia Montealegre, a successful actress -- played by Bradley and Carey.
This week, we discuss our feelings on the film -- we consider ourselves professionals on biopics at this points -- as well as Carey's knockout performance and what we felt was maybe lacking in the development of Bernstein's character. We also introduce a new segment in which we evoke some Letterboxd reviews in order to provoke our discussion.
Join us as we discuss one of our favourite performances of this Oscars season!
Next Week's Film: Killers of the Flower Moon (2023)
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"Just because we are on a one way street hurtling to death doesn't mean we have to succumb to mediocrity."
For our third week discussing the Best Actress nominees for the 96th Academy Awards, we are discussing yet another biopic! The Oscars love them and we love to hate them. Nyad (2023) is an American biographical film surrounding Diana Nyad's multiple attempts to swim from Cuba to Florida in her 60's. The Filmme Fatale of this movie is Annette Bening, with a hefty Jodie Foster shoutout, who portrays the complex, mostly unlikeable, and perhaps unreliable Nyad.
This movie was a ride, and not a fun one. We discuss how this film contributes to the genre of the biopic, as well as how we feel Annette and Jodie's wonderful acting was not possibly enough to save this sinking ship of disastrous creative choices. I don't want to speak too soon, but this is most likely our least favourite film of Oscars season. Your mom would probably love it, though!
Next Week's Film: Maestro (2023)
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"Somebody said, of course money doesn't make you happy, but it's still better to cry in a car than in a subway."For our second week discussing Best Actress nominees from the 96th Academy Awards, we are discussing Sandra Hüller's grounded and pensive performance in Justine Triet's 2023 courtroom drama, Anatomy of a Fall. In this film, Sandra portrays a German writer living in the French Alps with her husband and visually impaired son; when her husband mysteriously falls to his death, confusing and conflicting clues point to a variety of possibilities -- including Sandra's involvement. Listen along as we discuss why we found this film so compelling and whether we think Sandra is guilty or innocent. And follow along this month as we discuss more nominees from Oscars 2024!
**Production note: Chase will sit further away from the mic next week lmao...**Next Week's Film: Nyad (2023)Connect W/ Us:instagram.com/[email protected]
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"I have adventured... and found nothing but sugar and violence."
For our final week on Emma Stone and our first week on Oscars 2024, we are discussing her highly anticipated and praised role in Yorgos Lanthimos' sci-fi-comedy film Poor Things. In this film, Emma plays a woman who had her unborn child's brain implanted into her head; subsequently, she must learn to navigate the world with the mind of an infant and the body of a grown woman.
Set to the backdrop of both a futuristic and nostalgic, chaotic world, Poor Things defies genre boundaries and explores themes of disillusionment, discovery, and autonomy. We chat about how much we disagree over the genre of this film, and how we feel about Emma's performance going into the Oscar's 2024 race. We also discuss the chaotic discourse online about the infamous Margot Robbie and Greta Gerwig snubs... we have opinions, girl.
This film also marks our first episode exploring all of the Best Actress nominees from the 96th Academy Awards. Stick around while we discuss our picks for Best Actress as we approach the big night on March 10th!
Next Week's Film: Anatomy of a Fall (2023)
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"As it turns out, I'm capable of much unpleasantness."
For our third week on Filmme Fatale Emma Stone, we are discussing the historical dark comedy-drama, The Favourite (2018). Emma Stone plays Abigail, a woman trying to climb out of poverty in 18th-century England. To do this, she competes with Sarah, played by Rachel Weisz, for the favour of Queen Anne, played by Olivia Colman.
This film is an absolute banger that explores themes of love, power, control, and manipulation, but is somehow still absolutely hilarious. With one of the best ensembles of women to ever grace the screen, there is not a moment in this film where you are not either crying or laughing. Listen to us rant and rave over why this movie has become one of our all time favourites (no pun intended).
Next Week's Film: Poor Things (2023)
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"I'm letting life hit me until it gets tired. Then I'll hit back. It's a classic rope-a-dope."
This week, we're taking a look at the surprise smash hit romance musical, La La Land (2016). Emma Stone plays Mia, an aspiring actress, opposite Ryan Gosling as Sebastian, a jazz pianist on a mission to save the "dying" genre. Described by some as an ode to Old Hollywood and Los Angeles, the film explores the complexities of love, ambition, and the sacrifices one must make in the pursuit of their artistic passions -- but does it do so effectively or realistically?
Join us as we discuss our qualms over the believability of the plot, as well as how we feel Emma Stone sang (kind of) and danced (kind of) her way to an Oscar for Best Actress. We also talk about the genre of musical itself, the idea of escapism in film, and whether we feel La La Land captures the Old Hollywood essence.
We have some hot takes in this one, so buckle up!
Next Week's Film: The Favourite (2018)
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"If Google Earth were a guy, he couldn't find me if I was dressed up as a 10-story building."
We are back baby!! Happy 2024, the year that we vow to be far more consistent with this little baby podcast of ours.
To kick things off, we're talking about Emma Stone's breakout lead role in the 2010 teen romantic comedy film, Easy A. Easy A follows Olive Penderghast, who fabricates a false reputation for promiscuity to help her socially challenged classmates. Eventually, Olive has to deal with the various consequences of these fictional flings.
One of my (Chase's) favourite films growing up, we discuss the genre of high school/teen comedies in general and how Easy A builds upon 80's teen films and may (or may not) inspire modern versions. It is a great film to get us back in the groove and we cannot wait to continue discussing Emma Stone for the next month, culminating in her latest project: Poor Things (2023).
Next Week's Film: La La Land (2016)
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Finally! It is the long-awaited finale of our month-long exploration of Scream Queens throughout cinematic history. To end off, we are watching the campy, technicolor, horror (comedy?) Pearl (2022) starring the modern day Scream Queen: Mia Goth.
In a few short years, Mia Goth has cemented herself as the modern Horror It Girl; starring in films such as Suspiria (2018), X (2022), and Infinity Pool (2023), horror fans around the world have fallen in love with Mia Goth's expressive take on the Scream Queen / Final Girl cinematic archetypes.
Listen as we discuss what we found compelling or challenging about Mia's performance as ambitious, yearnful, and deadly Pearl. Listen at the end of the episode for our conclusion on our Scream Queen month; we end off with a ranking of all four of our Filmme Fatales best on-screen screams.
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For Halloween, we're dedicating a month of episodes to Scream Queens! This week, our Scream Queen is taking a Sci-Fi twist with Sigourney Weaver in Alien (1979).
Trapped on a spaceship with a strange and violent grower (not a shower) Alien, Sigourney Weaver and her team of astronaut scientists must fight to survive. Spoiler alert: they do terribly! Except for our girl Sigourney, who is one of the first Final Girls we've seen actually be a badass.
Listen as we discuss our thoughts on the Alien franchise, Xenomorphs in general, and Sigourney's dedicated performance as Ellen Ripley. Is Ripley the modern lesbian blueprint? Listen to find out...
Next Week's Scream Queen & Film: Mia Goth in Pearl (2022)
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For Halloween, we're dedicating a month of episodes to Scream Queens! This week, we're continuing on with Jamie Lee Curtis, who just so happens to be the daughter of last week's Filmme Fatale, Janet Leigh.
How apt then that we're also discussing the titular film, Halloween (1978). In Jamie Lee Curtis' movie debut, she plays Laurie Strode, a high school senior who is stalked and attacked by the mysterious, murderous, mute figure Michael Myers (not to be confused with Shrek).
Halloween would go on to become the indie slasher film that could, making 70 million dollars on a 300k budget and becoming one of the most popular and commercialized horror franchises in the history of cinema. So what makes this first movie so impactful? And what makes Jamie Lee Curtis a great Scream Queen? Listen to find out...
Next Week's Scream Queen & Film: Sigourney Weaver in Alien (1979)
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Welcome to a new month of Filmme Fatales podcast! This month, we are mixing it up in honour of spooky season with a bit of a different format. Instead of focusing on one actress for the entire month, we're looking at 4 iconic Scream Queens!
To begin, we're looking at one of the most iconic, influential, and imitated films of all time: Alfred Hitchcock's 1960 OG slasher film Psycho. Specifically, we're looking at one of the original Scream Queens: Janet Leigh.
Nominated for her portrayal of Marion Crane, Janet Leigh is only in Psycho for 20 minutes; however, she leaves quite the impact in one of the most famous scenes of all time (it may or may not involve a shower.)
We discuss what makes Janet's performance so influential, how the film impacted us, and some of the conversations surrounding the film's portrayal of gender binaries and transgender identities (intentionally or otherwise).
Next Week's Scream Queen & Film: Jamie Lee Curtis in Halloween (1978)
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For our final episode on Michelle Yeoh's impressive career, we dive into her Oscar winning role in the genre-defying, Oscar-sweeping, hot-dog-fingering, 2022 epic multiverse film, Everything Everywhere All at Once. With a stellar cast and crew, this movie explores themes of intergenerational trauma, mental health, nihilism, and more through one of the most unique lenses in cinematic herstory. Marvel could never...
In this episode, we dive into these themes and how they impacted us on our first, second, even fiftieth viewing. We also recap our Michelle films and how we understand and appreciate her as an iconic Filmme Fatale.
Next month, we're switching it up and focusing on 4 iconic Scream Queens for the month of October. Come along with us -- happy spooky season!!
**Chase here: my microphone was doing some whacky stuff during this episode, I know... sorry!!
Next Week's Scream Queen & Film: Janet Leigh - Psycho (1960)
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For our third instalment discussing Michelle Yeoh's filmography, we're diving into the 2018 romantic comedy credited with blasting the doors open in Hollywood for Asian representation... okay Jan.
Crazy Rich Asians is a romantic comedy film with an entirely Asian cast that is often applauded for the representation it provides... but who exactly is the film representing? We get into the complexities of this buzz word, the potential pandering of the film to Western audiences, and Michelle's incredible, composed, and cutting performance as Eleanor Sung-Young.
To be candid, this is our favourite episode yet--we felt the conversation was generative, fun, and still critically reflective on what Crazy Rich Asians does well and where it falls short. We hope you love it, too!!
Next Week's Film: Everything Everywhere All At Once (2022)
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For their second Michelle Yeoh film, Jeff and Chase are diving into yet another biopic–this time, the complicated and harrowing story of Myanmar's former leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, in Luc Besson's The Lady (2011).
Michelle plays the political figure during her initial return to Burma as she becomes the leader of the National League of Democracy, fighting to bring democracy to a country under violent and strict military rule. Suu Kyi has a very complicated historical and modern story, currently serving a 27 year prison sentence as Myanmar has fallen back into military rule–now over 20 years since the story portrayed in The Lady.
Jeff and Chase get into all of this complicated history, as well as how they feel Yeoh embodies and portrays this complex and nuanced figure.
Next Week's Film: Crazy Rich Asians (2018)
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After a short hiatus, Jeff & Chase are back back back again with one of the most prominent and relevant Filmme Fatales in the world right now -- Michelle Yeoh!
Before her meteoric rise to mainstream, Hollywood fame following her Academy Award winning performance as Evelyn Wang (Everything Everywhere All At Once), Michelle was already a well known Hong Kong martial arts actress with multiple cross-over internationally acclaimed films. This month, Jeff & Chase are exploring some of her most famous and perhaps most underrated career performances.
To begin, they are watching the 2000 Ang Lee directed, Mandarin-language martial arts film, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. The insane success of this film broke barriers and crossed borders to create one of the most commercially and critically successful action movies in history. Listen now to hear them discuss Michelle's focused, quiet, and intentional performance -- stunt queen!!
Next Week's Film: The Lady (2011)
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