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Napoleonic Weakness - 'Napoleon Dynamite' (2004) d. Jared Hess, 'Napoleon' (2023) d. Ridley Scott & 'A Streetcar Named Desire' (1951) d. Elia Kazan
What do we traditionally envision when we think about weakness in a man? Do the most powerful men have weaknesses? Who suffers when men can't control…
2 years, 7 months ago
Eat the Rich - 'Delicatessen' (1991) d. Marc Caro & Jean-Pierre Jeunet, 'The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie' (1972) d. Luis Buñuel & 'Saltburn' (2023) d. Emerald Fennell
What is our natural response to greed and gluttony? Why does affluence frustrate us in the real world? Who is responsible for our constant hunger for…
2 years, 7 months ago
Ends of Eras - 'Falling Down' (1993) d. Joel Schumacher, 'Anatomy of a Fall' (2023) d. Justine Triet & 'The Last Emperor' (1987) d. Bernardo Bertolucci
How quickly can things fall to pieces? How easy is it to dissect a tragedy in its aftermath? Do new eras always improve on the failures of past eras?…
2 years, 8 months ago
Been There, Done That - 'The Worst Person in the World' (2021) d. Joachim Trier, 'Passages' (2023) d. Ira Sachs & 'The Great Beauty' (2013) d. Paolo Sorrentino
Can we ever sympathise with those who abandon others? How does the constant pursuit of novelty bring about suffering? Can we simultaneously cherish a…
2 years, 8 months ago
Romantic - 'Bright Star' (2009) d. Jane Campion, 'Grizzly Man' (2005) d. Werner Herzog & ' Before Midnight' (2013) d. Richard Linklater
Are we capable of seeing beauty in everything? Can romanticising ever be dangerous? What is true love, if not pure and perfect? Following our recent …
2 years, 8 months ago
Heroes of the Past - 'Killers of the Flower Moon' (2023) d. Martin Scorsese, 'Akira' (1988) d. Katsuhiro Otomo & 'The Manchurian Candidate' (1962) d. John Frankenheimer
Why do we often mistake villains for heroes? Can a person's heroism be determined by time? How do we often find our bearings in morally confused scen…
2 years, 8 months ago
Pair Bonding - 'Nebraska' (2013) d. Alexander Payne, 'Thelma & Louise' (1991) d. Ridley Scott & 'Before Sunset' (2004) d. Richard Linklater
How can we bond with someone who shows no interest in doing so? Can attempting to bond with others ever endanger us? Is bonding always a peaceful pro…
2 years, 8 months ago
No Man Is an Island (LFF/Radiothon Special) - 'The Bikeriders' (2023) d. Jeff Nichols, 'Maestro' (2023) d. Bradley Cooper & 'The Killer' (2023) d. David Fincher
What are the temptations and limitations of 'the lone wolf' archetype? Can we ever have too many relationships? What does undesirable human interconn…
2 years, 9 months ago
Discussing Life - 'Naked' (1992) d. Mike Leigh, 'Before Sunrise' (1995) d. Richard Linklater & 'Mindwalk' (1990) d. Bernt Amadeus Capra
Can independent pontification be a zero-sum game? Can we bond over an openness to the unknown? What is the relationship between truth and the stance …
2 years, 9 months ago
Realising the Fantasy - 'La La Land' (2016) d. Damien Chazelle
Season 7 Episode 11
How much do we dream? How are our dreams constrained by reality? Can we value and respect our dreams in light of reality? Capping off this season bef…
2 years, 10 months ago