Michael and Us

Luke Savage and Will Sloan, Jacobin

4.5 (574)
TV & FILM
UPDATED WEEKLY

A podcast about culture, politics, and our crumbling world. Hosted by Luke Savage and Will Sloan. Exclusive subscriber-only episodes: https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus/overview

3 DAYS AGO

PREVIEW - #575 - Authentic Brands Group LLC

A rural village braces itself for development from the big city in Ryusuke Hamaguchi's EVIL DOES NOT EXIST (2024), a beautiful movie that rhymed with certain things we've been feeling lately about democracy, capitalism, freedom, and community. PLUS: We parse Toronto Life's list of the 50 most influential Torontonians of 2024, and explore the exciting world of Eric Roberts. PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/116329275

3 min
NOV 13

#574 - Winning is Everything, Stupid!

A month before the 2024 U.S. presidential election, CNN aired a hagiographic documentary about one of the masterminds of the last 30 years of American politics. In the aftermath of a disastrous election for Democrats, we watch CARVILLE: WINNING IS EVERYTHING, STUPID! (2024) to learn how the Beltway was thinking about itself before everything came crashing down. PLUS: Get ready for the most riveting conversation about bike lanes in Toronto, Ontario you'll hear all year. Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus

1 hr
NOV 11

PREVIEW - #573 - The Braddock Chronicles (w/ Tony Buba)

For over 50 years, documentary filmmaker Tony Buba has chronicled the decline - but also the people, places, and everyday poetry - of his hometown of Braddock, Pennsylvania. Recently we watched his best-known film, LIGHTNING OVER BRADDOCK: A RUSTBOWL FANTASY (1988), and fell in love with it. Today, we're pleased to welcome Buba on the show to discuss the full scope of his career, including such films as SWEET SAL (1979), BETTY'S CORNER CAFE (1976), J. ROY: NEW AND USED FURNITURE (1974), and more. PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/115813173 Our episode on LIGHTNING OVER BRADDOCK - https://soundcloud.com/michael-and-us/549-end-of-the-iron-cafe We recommend this comprehensive Blu-Ray collection of Tony Buba's work - https://kinolorber.com/product/lightning-over-braddock-and-collected-shorts-the-films-of-tony-buba-blu-ray Watch SWEET SAL - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aiuT9Zei81c Watch J. ROY: NEW AND USED FURNITURE - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wef3Zqq9qTw&t=208s&ab_channel=AlphaRomero Watch THE BARBER OF NEW KENSINGTON - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MyLyJ2f9278&t=2s&ab_channel=braddockfilms Learn more about Tony Buba - https://braddockfilms.com/

7 min
NOV 7

#572 - The Art of the Deal

Oh lord almighty, when will we be rid of this man? Apparently not for another four years at least. We ring in the latest chapter of this neverending "Trump Era" with the new biopic/origin story THE APPRENTICE (2024). Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus "This Time We Have to Hold the Democratic Party Elite Responsible for This Catastrophe" by Jeet Heer - https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/democratic-party-elite-responsible-catastrophe/ "Democrats chose backing a genocide over defeating Trump" by Adam Johnson - https://therealnews.com/democrats-chose-backing-a-genocide-over-defeating-trump

49 min
NOV 4

PATREON BONUS - 2004 Election w/ Remember Shuffle

On the day of the United States presidential election, let's look back at The Most Important Election Of Our Lifetimes. That's right, we're talking about 2004. We were happy to join the boys at Remember Shuffle to discuss all things Bush v. Kerry and the only presidential election since 1988 in which a Republican candidate won the popular vote. Now watch this drive! PATREON BONUS - https://www.patreon.com/posts/115413841 Check out Remember Shuffle - https://linktr.ee/remembershuffle

7 min
NOV 1

#571 - Benn's Bandwagon

With a dreary United States presidential election covering every surface, we search for some solace in politics from the past. Early in the Thatcher era in 1981, the beloved left-wing Labour MP Tony Benn launched a populist campaign to become his party's deputy leader, and almost won. We watch a documentary from the period, BENN'S BANDWAGON (1981), and ask: Was the conservative wave of the 1980s really inevitable? Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus Watch "Benn's Bandwagon" here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-e4MWekQKZE&t=2s&ab_channel=ModernLonelyTV Our previous Tony Benn episode - https://www.patreon.com/posts/209-tony-benn-47399362

52 min
OCT 30

PREVIEW - #570 - Krusty Brand Seal of Approval

We return to one of our perennial favourite topics, THE SIMPSONS, to consider two episodes from very different eras of its run: the legendary Season 4 banger "Kamp Krusty," and the hot-off-the-presses Season 36 ep "The Yellow Lotus." Which one earns our coveted Krusty Brand Seal of Approval? PLUS: We mark the passing of a Canadian broadcasting "pioneer." PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/570-krusty-brand-115031151

4 min
OCT 28

#569 - Roadside Picnic

Is Andrei Tarkovsky's STALKER (1979) about the Soviet Russia in which it was made? And if not, then where exactly is "The Zone"? We wade into one of the most forbidding cinematic objects of all time, but realize that the answer is only ever found within. PLUS: Justin Trudeau is historically unpopular - so why hasn't he stepped down? Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus "US Politics Has Reached a Dead End" by Luke Savage - https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/oct/19/trump-campaign-leaked-data-voters-elon-musk "Revealed: Trump ground game in key states flagged as potentially fake" by Hugo Lowell - https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/oct/19/trump-campaign-leaked-data-voters-elon-musk Our episode on Ivan's Childhood - https://www.patreon.com/posts/263-sculpting-in-55465791 Our episode on Solaris - https://www.patreon.com/posts/317-hunters-in-64139407

1h 31m

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4.5

out of 5

574 Ratings

Love it

Aug 10

El Phantsmo

Very smart, satisfyingly verbose, and with perspectives rooted in the right side of history 🍉
Biden stepping down

Jul 25

Blue Huron

What do you want, Trump? He is the most disgusting human being on this planet, so I’m not sure what you want at this point with this podcast. Love the show, but have to disagree this time about what you’re saying in this podcast. It’s easy to be negative with no solutions.
Michael, Can You Hear Me?

Jul 22

Chris_S01

The best film podcast, despite (because?) they actually talk a lot more about Jerry Lewis than Michael Moore. And recently, Aaron Sorkin. Canada’s best boys. Be sure to check out the legendary Star Wars IX review.
An Excellent Resource

Jul 18

NameForReviews001

For one to understand the neo-liberal mind, one must understand that it is defined both by their ideology, and the total vacuum of ideology created by its ubiquity. Michael and Us illuminates both these. A podcast exposing the terrifying grimaces of the ghouls of capital and their foot soldiers in the culture war- posters- as well as the great propagandists- Hollywood producers churning out pre-satiric political comedies. But the shadows they shine this podcast pokes- the forgotten C tier cinema of capital- and the cobwebs of lies that captures the good ol’ North American multiplex frequenter- that’s where we learn the most. For there is a tao of liberalism, and there is a void, and the void is a thing in of itself. Here’s hoping Michael Moore finally goes on, and they can get him to watch an anti-thesis.

A podcast about culture, politics, and our crumbling world. Hosted by Luke Savage and Will Sloan. Exclusive subscriber-only episodes: https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus/overview