Trash, Art, And The Movies
The podcast that pits arthouse cinema against brainless entertainment—and then declares a victor.

Paul and Heather review two new releases from Criterion: Ken Loach's 1969 slice-of-life working-class falconry drama KES, and Brian De Palma's stylish 1981 conspiracy thriller BLOW OUT. Plus: Paul offers his mini-review of Chantal Akerman's brilliant 1977 feminist endurance test JEANNE DIELMAN, 23 QUAI DU COMMERCE, 1080 BRUXELLES, and both co-hosts commiserate over an unusually uneventful week for new DVD releases.

0:00: Intro/Pacific Northwest movies/JEANNE DIELMAN/KES
21:40: Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels, "Shake a Tail Feather"
22:44: BLOW OUT
41:46: Pino Donaggio, "Sally and Jack"
42:37: Other noteworthy new DVD releases/Outro 

Direct download: Episode_56__Kes_Blow_Out.mp3
Category:TV and Film -- posted at: 12:00am EDT

Paul and Heather attempt to console grieving parents Nicole Kidman and Aaron Eckhart in John Cameron Mitchell's drama RABBIT HOLE, and wear out several pairs of walking shoes with Jim Sturgess, Ed Harris, Colin Farrell, and Saoirse Ronan in THE WAY BACK. Plus: mini-reviews of Alain Resnais' PROVIDENCE and Jean Renoir's GRAND ILLUSION, a tribute to the late director Sidney Lumet, our reactions to the list of films in competition at this summer's Cannes Film Festival... and a birthday surprise for Heather! Plus our usual lists of the week's other most noteworthy new DVDs and Blu-Rays.

0:00: Intro/PROVIDENCE/GRAND ILLUSION/Happy birthday, Heather!/RIP, Sidney Lumet/Cannes 2011 lineup
21:43: Robyn, "Cry When You Get Older"
22:25: RABBIT HOLE
35:41: Bishop Allen, "The Rabbit"
36:47: THE WAY BACK
48:44: Gladys Knight and the Pips, "Walk In My Shoes"
49:52: Other noteworthy new DVDs and Blu-Rays/Outro 

Direct download: Episode_55__Rabbit_Hole_The_Way_Back.mp3
Category:TV and Film -- posted at: 12:00am EDT

Paul and Heather review Claire Denis' elliptical character study WHITE MATERIAL, starring Isabelle Huppert as a woman determined to bring in a coffee harvest even as the unnamed African country she lives in descends into civil war; and Philip Ridley's urban horror-fantasy HEARTLESS, starring Jim Sturgess as a young Londoner who makes a deal with the devil to rid himself of a disfiguring birthmark covering half his face. Also, Paul shares a mini-review of Jonathan Demme's subversive exploitation flick CAGED HEAT, we discuss our favourite prison movies, and offer our thoughts on the film-snob mini-controversy surrounding the upcoming Criterion edition of Lena Dunham's TINY FURNITURE. Also, as usual, we run down our lists of the week's other most noteworthy new DVD and Blu-Ray releases.

0:00: Intro/CAGED HEAT/Prison movies/Has Criterion gone mad?
15:34: The Vapors, "Prisoners"
16:42: WHITE MATERIAL
28:22: Fela Kuti, "African Woman"
29:21: HEARTLESS
42:43: Mandy Moore, "I Could Break Your Heart Any Day of the Week"
43:48: Other notable new DVD releases/Outro 

Direct download: Episode_54__White_Material_Heartless.mp3
Category:TV and Film -- posted at: 12:00am EDT

Paul and Heather review two films about flamboyant, high-living con men: in I LOVE YOU PHILLIP MORRIS, Jim Carrey uses his powers of deception to further his romance with a fellow prison inmate, while in CASINO JACK, lobbyist Jack Abramoff Kevin Spacey uses his Washington connections to line his pockets with millions of dollars' worth of kickbacks. Also: Heather offers her mini-review of Derek Jarman's WITTGENSTEIN, while Paul notes the critical reaction to Todd Haynes' HBO miniseries MILDRED PIERCE, and describes his unsuccessful attempts to give his girlfriend nightmares.

0:00-14:47: Intro/WITTGENSTEIN/Paul's unscarable girlfriend/MILDRED PIERCE
14:47-15:48: The Darlings, "TV"
15:48-29:29: I LOVE YOU PHILLIP MORRIS
29:29-30:39: Nina Simone, "To Love Somebody"
30:39-44:10: CASINO JACK
44:10-45:08: Citay, "Be Careful With That Hat"
45:08-1:04:07: Other noteworthy new DVD releases/Outro 

Direct download: Episode_53__I_Love_You_Phillip_Morris_Casino_Jack.mp3
Category:TV and Film -- posted at: 12:00am EDT