Philosophy In Film

Chris McTavish, Alain Beauclair and Craig Nickel
  • 4.8 (21)
  • FILM REVIEWS
  • UPDATED BIMONTHLY

A fun and accessible podcast that explores philosophical ideas and themes in popular films. Come join the conversation at "Philosophy in Film"!

  1. Philosophy In Film - 102 - Slap Shot

    FEB 24

    Philosophy In Film - 102 - Slap Shot

    Episode 102: Slap Shot With Special Guest: Megan Craig (Associate Professor of Philosophy and Art, Stony Brook University) The gloves are off this week on Philosophy in Film as the gang faces off with George Roy Hill's bruising classic, Slap Shot! Set in the fading mill town of Charlestown, the film follows player-coach Reggie Dunlop, played by Paul Newman, as he tries to save a failing hockey team by leaning into spectacle, violence, and the sudden popularity of the Hanson Brothers. What begins as a desperate bid for ticket sales spirals into a question about integrity, entertainment, and what happens when winning becomes secondary to drawing blood. At centre ice, Craig drops the puck with Producer's Notes (), while Alain takes out some teeth with the Beauclair Synopsis (). In Philosopher's Corner, Chris digs into the film's storied history and stitches connections to our hometown. The gang heads to the penalty box for the Round Table () to consider the ethics of aggression, masculinity on ice, and the simmering class tensions bubbling beneath the boards. Reviews sound the final buzzer as we tally the hits, the heart, and whether Slap Shot earns its place in the hall. As always, we explore the philosophical and non-philosophical aspects of the film, because when the crowd wants a fight, someone still has to decide what the game is really about. 🍻 Featured Beer 🍻 - Cabin Beer Everyday Lager by Cabin Brewing Company (Calgary, AB)

    2h 2m
  2. Philosophy In Film - 101 - One Battle After Another

    FEB 3

    Philosophy In Film - 101 - One Battle After Another

    Episode 101: One Battle After Another This week on Philosophy in Film, the gang locks in on Paul Thomas Anderson's sprawling, darkly funny, and relentlessly restless epic, One Battle After Another. Inspired by Thomas Pynchon's Vineland, the film follows Bob, a washed-up former revolutionary played by Leonardo DiCaprio, who's forced back into a life he thought he'd escaped when his daughter disappears and an old enemy resurfaces. Craig kicks off the revolution with Producer's Notes (11:36). Alain tackles the Beauclair Synopsis (25:20), charting Bob's return to dangerous terrain where revolution, paranoia, and fatherhood overlap in uneasy ways. From the Philosopher's Corner (49:18), Chris traces how the film wrestles with paternal responsibility and competence. The gang then sits at the Round Table (56:24) where they attempt to reveal the film's galactic roots while relating it to Star Wars. The episode follows a crest and dip in the road as Reviews (1:37:06) and Mailbag (2:02:55) close us out. As always, we explore the philosophical and non-philosophical terrain of the film, because when every battle leaves a mark, the hardest fight is often with what you carry forward. We have a new website! Come visit us and check it out! https://philosophyinfilm.ca/  🍻 Featured Beer 🍻 - Chiquita Mexican Cerveza by Town Square Brewing (Edmonton, AB)

    2h 3m
  3. Philosophy In Film - 100 - Miracle on 34th Street

    12/20/2025

    Philosophy In Film - 100 - Miracle on 34th Street

    Episode 100: Miracle on 34th Street Ho ho ho! For our 100th episode, the gang celebrates Philosophy in Film's centenary by stepping into the warm glow of a holiday classic with the original Miracle on 34th Street (1947). This timeless courtroom tale explores whether faith, goodwill, and a touch of magic still have a place in a modern, skeptical world. Craig lights the tree with Producer's Notes (11:49), spreading seasonal cheer with stories of reflection and festive mischief. Alain unwraps the story with the Beauclair Synopsis (20:47), laying out the film's gentle clash between legal rationality and childlike wonder as Kris Kringle finds himself on trial for being Santa Claus. Chris then settles into Philosopher's Corner (47:40), reflecting on the divinity of Santa and gods, and how choosing to believe in simple goodness can quietly generate hope without demanding miracles. The gang gathers at the Round Table (59:11) to share memories, arguments, and warm takes on belief and cynicism, before Reviews (1:37:08) and the Mailbag (1:43:12) shed light on our listeners' most hard-hitting questions. As always, we explore the philosophical and non-philosophical heart of the film, reminding ourselves that sometimes the most radical act is simply believing in good. ‼️December 21 @ Metro Cinema‼️ 🌲This Sunday, Philosophy In Film will be at the Metro Cinema for another classic showing! Cozy up with us as we revisit the holiday classic and this week's focus film: Miracle on 34th Street🎄🎄 Details: https://metrocinema.org/event/miracle-on-34th-street-1947/  🍻 Featured Beer 🍻 - Unplugged Oatmeal Stout by Yukon Brewing (Whitehorse, YT)

    1h 54m
  4. Philosophy In Film - 099 - A House of Dynamite

    12/09/2025

    Philosophy In Film - 099 - A House of Dynamite

    Episode 99: A House of Dynamite This week, the gang steps into the explosive tension of A House of Dynamite, a modern pressure-cooker thriller where family secrets, fraying loyalties, and a single terrible night threaten to blow everything apart. Craig sounds the alarm and readies for attack with Producer's Notes (9:16), while Alain scorches a few eyebrows with the Beauclair Synopsis (18:44), laying out the film's tightly coiled timeline and the slow, heavy crack of inevitability beneath it. Chris then tiptoes into Philosopher's Corner (32:13), following the movie's dual phenomenology as inner lives and outside impressions slowly misalign. The gang holds their breath as the Round Table (43:13) ignites debates whether A House of Dynamite is commentary, catharsis, or just a really well-timed spark. Before annihilation, Reviews (1:23:30) and the Mailbag (1:35:16) blow the doors open for closing thoughts. As always, join us as we sift through the philosophical and non-philosophical aspects of the debris left smoldering in the film's wake. 🌲Our next Philosophy In Film Metro Cinema showing will be on December 21! Join us as we cozy up with the holiday classic: Miracle on 34th Street!🎄🎄 🍻 Featured Beer 🍻 - Fire Bloom Honey Lager by Best of Kin Brewing (Calgary, AB)

    1h 43m
  5. Philosophy In Film - 098 - Lean On Me

    11/15/2025

    Philosophy In Film - 098 - Lean On Me

    Episode 98: Lean On Me Season 5 marches on as the gang steps into the halls of Eastside High for John G. Avildsen's 1989 drama Lean On Me, where Principal Joe Clark takes on failing systems, fraying hope, and a school on the brink with nothing but a bullhorn, a baseball bat, and a stubborn belief in his students. Craig rings the bell with Producer's Notes (9:52), setting the tone for a spirited class session, while Alain sketches out the ups, downs, and hard lines in the Beauclair Synopsis (29:56). Chris takes the lectern in Philosopher's Corner (1:07:24), reflecting on the film's questions about authority, community responsibility, and the complicated ethics of "tough love." Things get heated at the Round Table (1:14:53) as the gang gathers to debate leadership, legacy, and whether Clark's methods are effective or overreaching. As the dust settles, we head into Reviews (2:16:04) and Mailbag (2:30:28) for the final rally of opinions and closing remarks. As always, we explore the philosophical and non-philosophical lessons carried through the story, because when the stakes are high and the halls are loud, everybody needs someone to lean on. 🍻 Featured Beer 🍻 - Beatbox Brown Ale by Polyrhythm Brewing (Edmonton, AB)

    2h 37m
  6. Philosophy In Film - 097 - Weapons

    10/26/2025

    Philosophy In Film - 097 - Weapons

    Episode 97: Weapons Just in time for a Halloween Spooktacular, the gang is back for Season 5 of Philosophy in Film, and the reel's already spinning! First up in the tray: Zach Cregger's eerie ensemble horror Weapons (2025), where seventeen schoolchildren vanish at 2:17 a.m., forcing a town to ask: what if the monster isn't outside, but inside the story? In search of answers, Craig sounds the alarm with Producer's Notes (8:31) while Alain opens the Beauclair Synopsis (17:23), laying out the tangled threads of characters, each chasing a truth they're too afraid to face. Chris slips into Philosopher's Corner (42:55), tracing the film's vanishings through a dim reflection of screens and silence, where the real horror may be what we've grown used to losing. At The Round Table (42:40), the gang wrangles the question: Is Weapons a cautionary mirror or a funhouse for our fears? Later, Reviews (1:10:48) and Mailbag (1:24:41) let our audience testify in the court of shared dread. As always, we reflect on the philosophical and non-philosophical fissures the film fractures open, because in a town where the children vanish, silence becomes just another weapon. 🍻 Featured Beer 🍻 - Beldame Old World Pilsner by Strange Fellows Brewing (East Vancouver, BC)

    1h 34m
  7. Philosophy In Film - 096 - Eddington

    10/08/2025

    Philosophy In Film - 096 - Eddington

    Episode 96: Eddington This week on Philosophy in Film, the gang rides into the dust and disinformation of Ari Aster's 2025 neo-Western Eddington. Set during the upheaval of 2020, the film pits Joaquin Phoenix's stoic, conspiracy-prone sheriff Joe Cross against Pedro Pascal's pragmatic mayor Ted Garcia in a small New Mexico town splintered by mask mandates, social media warfare, and secrets. Craig sounds the warning in Producer's Notes (9:59), rallying the posse to get ready; Alain draws the map of conflict in the Beauclair Synopsis (20:57), threading the political grievance, personal betrayal, and escalating paranoia. Chris then steps into Philosopher's Corner (41:16), tuning into the film's narrative pulse. At The Round Table (54:36), the gang debates whether Eddington mirrors our fractured moment or indulges in fever dreams, before Reviews (1:28:46) and Mailbag (1:37:54) bring listener dispatches from the divide. As always, we tackle the philosophical and non-philosophical standoffs within, as every showdown leaves a mark. 🍻 Featured Beer 🍻 - Ameri-cana Pale Ale by Vacay Brew Company (Calgary, AB)

    1h 47m
  8. Philosophy In Film - 095 - Sinners

    07/08/2025

    Philosophy In Film - 095 - Sinners

    Episode 95: Sinners This week on Philosophy in Film, the gang steps into the blood-soaked confessional of Ryan Coogler's 2025 thriller, Sinners. Nestled in the indie-crime-vampire-redemption-gangster genre, the film follows Eli Morgan, a disgraced pastor-turned-defense attorney, as he's pulled into the moral murk of faith, failure, and a client who might not be entirely human. Craig hacks away at Producer's Notes (9:37) with only slight collateral damage, while Alain cracks open the Book of Beauclair (21:04) to lay out Eli's twilight descent. Chris then lights a candle for Philosopher's Corner (47:20), tuning into the film's musical language, where brooding jazz and sacred overtones echo themes of guilt, redemption, and longing. At the Round Table (53:10), the gang debates whether Sinners bites into something meaningful or just bares its fangs, before Reviews (1:43:22) and Mailbag (1:55:35) offer closing testimony from the congregation. As always, we reflect on the philosophical and non-philosophical burdens carried through the film's long dark night, because even the damned listen close. 🍻 Featured Beer 🍻 - Irish Red Ale by Sea Change Brewing (Edmonton, AB)

    2h 2m
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4.8
out of 5
21 Ratings

About

A fun and accessible podcast that explores philosophical ideas and themes in popular films. Come join the conversation at "Philosophy in Film"!

Information

  • Creator
    Chris McTavish, Alain Beauclair and Craig Nickel
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2026
  • Episodes
    100
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2019 Philosophy In Film
  • Show Website
    Philosophy In Film

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