Paul and Corey Cross the Streams Fanbase Press

Ranked at 15, John Ford's The Searchers (1956) has been generally touted as the best American western. German journalist Andreas Kilb called The Searchers, "The essence of American Myth in one film," and Paul (but maybe not Corey) agrees - with the caveat that that's not exactly a good thing.

Ford had already made 100 films by this point in his career and worked with star John Wayne in a great number of them. The Searchers marked a maturation of the genre for Ford in which he wanted to tackle the topic of racism through an anti-hero for the ages, Ethan Edwards.

Even within the film and in the context of the time of its relief, there's a feeling of deep ambivalence in how to feel about Ethan Edwards. And in 2024, the feeling has only grown more complicated (or perhaps clearer than ever).

It all leads to an excellent discussion of America, settler colonialism, and racism as the ideology that allowed/s for the creation of them both.

Sara Gómez's first and only feature, De Cierta Manera / One Way or Another (1977), is ranked at 196. Gómez was a revolutionary filmmaker in Cuba who spent her career examining and highlighting the struggles of the Afro-Cuban community, women, and the marginalized as they dealt with continued inequalities after social revolution.

De Cierta Manera combines documentary footage and fictionalized narratives; professional and amateur actors as well as people playing themselves; and facts and argumentation. Agnes Varda, who worked with Gomez, once characterized her work as "didactic films," and Paul and Corey wholeheartedly agree - to the film's credit and limitations.

Because of...the whole America-Cuba thing, De Cierta Manera is not readily available for streaming. You can watch a rough copy here on YouTube.

It's a great discussion of an interesting film. Enjoy!

*At the outset, we advise anyone who feels uncomfortable listening to a frank appraisal of Woody Allen, his alleged crimes, and his work to skip this episode. The purpose of this show is to entertain and inform, and we have complete sympathy for anyone who may find this topic too much to endure. We will see you in two weeks.

Having amassed more than 100 episodes in its run, PACCTS’ sixth season will focus its sights on “the greatest films of all time” (both in the US and internationally), as assembled by the British Film Institute’s 2022 Sight and Sound Poll of industry critics. Corey will be choosing American films from the list, and Paul will be choosing international ones. Our goal is to examine the films that are considered great, and why that may be the case.  

Welp, Corey finally did it. We had to discuss Woody Allen. Annie Hall (1977) ranked at 243. A lot to discuss.

Having amassed more than 100 episodes in its run, PACCTS’ sixth season will focus its sights on “the greatest films of all time” (both in the US and internationally), as assembled by the British Film Institute’s 2022 Sight and Sound Poll of industry critics. Corey will be choosing American films from the list, and Paul will be choosing international ones. 

Our goal is to examine the films that are considered great, and why that may be the case.  

For this episode, Paul jumped right to the head of the class: the number one film on the list, Chantal Akerman's Jeanne Dielman, 23 quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles (1975).

Never are Paul and Corey ones to give spoiler warnings, but due to the experiential nature of how this film communicates with the viewer, they highly recommend that listeners watch it before listening to the episode.

Jeanne Dielman follows three days in the life of a widow who lives with and dotes upon her teenage son. We watch her disciplined schedule of cooking, cleaning, running errands, and engaging in sex work slowly...falter.

Paul and Corey discuss the topics of slow cinema, Chantal Akerman and Delphine Seyrig's lives and politics, feminism, reproductive labor, and why this film may have "dethroned" Citizen Kane from the number one slot on the list.

A great discussion. Enjoy!

Having amassed more than 100 episodes in its run, PACCTS’ sixth season will focus its sights on “the greatest films of all time” (both in the US and internationally), as assembled by the British Film Institute’s 2022 Sight and Sound Poll of industry critics. Corey will be choosing American films from the list, and Paul will be choosing international ones. 

Our goal is to examine the films that are considered great, and why that may be the case.  

Corey went back to an old PACCTS favorite for this week's episode: Billy Wilder. Ranked at number 54, The Apartment (1960) might just be one of the first American dramedies.

The Apartment really is a tricky film. It's a film about office politics, sexual politics, and the process of dehumanization endemic to capitalism, but at the same time, none of that is discussed overtly or didactically. Just really well-rounded characters in tough situations doing the best they can (for the most part).

A lot to discuss, so shut up and deal! (famous last line)

Having amassed more than 100 episodes in its run, PACCTS’ sixth season will focus its sights on “the greatest films of all time” (both in the US and internationally), as assembled by the British Film Institute’s 2022 Sight and Sound Poll of industry critics. Corey will be choosing American films from the list, and Paul will be choosing international ones. 

Our goal is to examine the films that are considered great, and why that may be the case.  

(fanfare) For our hundredth film, Paul chose the film that made Abbas Kiarostami an international star, Where Is the Friend's House? (1987), ranked at number 157.

A simple, yet profound, story of an eight-year-old boy trying to return his friend a notebook, Where Is the Friend's House? can only be described as a perfect film. Paul and Corey discuss Kiarostami and his place within the Iranian New Wave and themes of duty, obedience, and love.

You simply have to watch this film.