The Next Picture Show

Genevieve Koski, Keith Phipps, Tasha Robinson & Scott Tobias

Looking at cinema's present via its past. From the former editorial team of The Dissolve, The Next Picture Show examines how classic films inspire and inform modern movies. Episodes take a deep dive into a classic film and its legacy, then compare and contrast that film with a modern successor. Hosted and produced by Genevieve Koski, Keith Phipps, Tasha Robinson, and Scott Tobias.

  1. 2D AGO

    Past Imperfect, Pt. 1 — A History of Violence

    Kristoffer Borgli’s The Drama uses the revelation of one character’s dark secret as a provocative “twist,” but also as the basis for an exploration of whether a romantic relationship can survive such dramatic upheaval, a premise that calls to mind 2005’s A History of Violence. The central couple of David Cronenberg’s thriller, played by Viggo Mortensen and Maria Bello, is much further along in their marriage than the altar-bound pair in The Drama, which lends fascinating nuance to their attempts to reckon with the husband’s violent past — particularly for a bunch of podcasters who are decades into their own long-term relationships. So this week we do our own reckoning with the film’s ideas about how violence can shape a person and redefine a marriage, and what makes A History of Violence stand out among both action thrillers and Cronenberg films. Then in Feedback, we welcome some constructive criticism regarding Project Hail Mary as well as our choice of film to pair it with.  Please share your thoughts about A History of Violence, The Drama, or anything else in the world of film, by sending an email or voice memo to comments@nextpictureshow.net, or leaving a short voicemail at (773) 234-9730. This episode is presented by⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Regal Unlimited⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, the all-you-can-watch movie subscription pass that pays for itself in just two visits. Use code NEXTPIC26 for 15% off. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1h 11m
  2. APR 7

    In a Lonely Space, Pt. 2 — Project Hail Mary

    Phil Lord and Christopher Miller’s Project Hail Mary is an exceptionally audience-friendly adaptation of Andy Weir’s novel of the same name, offsetting the story’s doomsday scenario with lots of jokes, a charismatic lead, and most especially the buddy dynamic between Ryan Gosling’s human protagonist and an alien engineer named Rocky. The film’s light touch has made it a hit, but it also left some of your Next Picture Show hosts wanting more, as we break down in our discussion of the new film before turning to Connections and a companion film that’s as prickly as Project Hail Mary is cuddly: Douglas Trumbull’s 1972 directorial feature debut, Silent Running. Sure, both films explore the idea of a lonely man finding human connection in a non-human companion, the threat of worldwide ecological collapse, and the question of what we owe the Earth and what causes are worth dying for, but each takes a very different approach, to very different effect... as do the several other films we considered pairing with PHM, which we collectively recommend in Your Next Picture Show. Please share your thoughts about Silent Running, Project Hail Mary, or anything else in the world of film, by sending an email or voice memo to comments@nextpictureshow.net, or leaving a short voicemail at (773) 234-9730. Next Pairing: Kristoffer Borgli’s The Drama and David Cronenberg’s A History of Violence This episode is presented by⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Regal Unlimited⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, the all-you-can-watch movie subscription pass that pays for itself in just two visits. Use code NEXTPIC26 for 15% off. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1h 25m
  3. MAR 31

    In a Lonely Space, Pt. 1 — Silent Running

    Already the biggest blockbuster of the year so far, Project Hail Mary has proven itself about as audience-friendly as a story about looming worldwide ecological collapse can be. That makes it an interesting point of contrast with 1972’s Silent Running, which approaches many of the same basic narrative beats — a man in space on a solo mission that threatens his sanity, who finds his most human connection in a non-human companion — with a melancholic tone and deeply unpleasant protagonist. So this week we’re looking back at one of just two movies made by pioneering special-effects artist Douglas Trumbull to consider how Silent Running functions today as both an environmental parable and a counterculture story about fighting The Man, how it tests our sympathies for its supposed hero, and whether that supposed hero knows anything about growing plants, in space or otherwise. Then in Feedback, a listener prompt inspires us to revisit some of our most memorable interruptions to the theatrical experience.  Please share your thoughts about Silent Running, Project Hail Mary, or anything else in the world of film, by sending an email or voice memo to comments@nextpictureshow.net, or leaving a short voicemail at (773) 234-9730. This episode is presented by⁠ ⁠⁠Regal Unlimited⁠⁠⁠⁠, the all-you-can-watch movie subscription pass that pays for itself in just two visits. Use code NEXTPIC26 for 15% off. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1h 16m
4.6
out of 5
790 Ratings

About

Looking at cinema's present via its past. From the former editorial team of The Dissolve, The Next Picture Show examines how classic films inspire and inform modern movies. Episodes take a deep dive into a classic film and its legacy, then compare and contrast that film with a modern successor. Hosted and produced by Genevieve Koski, Keith Phipps, Tasha Robinson, and Scott Tobias.

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