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PODCAST

The Long Take Review

Jen Sopchockchai Bankard

Four college professors talk film — providing insight, not assigning homework. thelongtake.substack.com

tv & film film reviews

All Episodes

106:19

Pre-Holiday Oscar Predictions

The Long Take Review ·

2023/12/22

While everyone else bakes their gingerbread, spins their dreidels, and cozies up next to their fires, we’re debating which films and artists have gained and — in some cases — lost momentum in the Oscar race. Critics’ groups have begun handing out awards, and, most notably, the newly reconstituted Golden Globe Awards have announced their nominations. A lot is still in flux, but some clear frontrunners have emerged. Will Barbie and Oppenheimer continue to control the 2023 movie narrative? Which new

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117:34

The Boy and the Heron Review

The Long Take Review ·

2023/12/19

Legendary director Hayao Miyzaki was set to retire after The Wind Rises in 2013. He later decided that he had at least one more film in him: The Boy and the Heron, which is playing in theaters now. At a later date, it will presumably stream on Max, where most other Studio Ghibli films reside. Is this Miyazaki’s last film, for real this time? There are already rumors from studio executives that he may already have an idea for yet another film. How might that uncertainty influence how we view The Boy

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133:14

May December/Nyad/The Killer Review

The Long Take Review ·

2023/12/11

We love going to the movies, but that doesn’t stop us from cozying up at home with Netflix too. In this episode of The Long Take Review, we discuss three films currently available on Netflix: Todd Haynes’ May December, David Fincher’s The Killer, and Nyad, the first narrative feature directed by Oscar-winning documentary filmmakers Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin.To many critics’ surprise, May December has been warmly received by wider audiences and, less surprisingly, creating a stir on the

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106:17

Napoleon Review

The Long Take Review ·

2023/12/04

Ridley Scott, the director who brought us game-changing blockbusters like Alien, Bladerunner, and Gladiator, takes on one of history’s most notorious figures in his new film, Napoleon. The 2-hour and 38-minute historical epic follows not only his military career but his relationship with his wife and empress, Josephine. The film stars Academy Award winner Joaquin Phoenix (Joker, The Master) as Napoleon and Academy Award nominee Vanessa Kirby (Mission: Impossible — Fallout, The Crown) as Josephine

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103:11

Priscilla Review

The Long Take Review ·

2023/11/29

A little more than a year after the release of Elvis, Baz Luhrmann’s bombastic and glitzy biopic, Sofia Coppola’s Priscilla provides an alternative view by adapting Priscilla Presley’s memoir, Elvis and Me. In stark contrast to Elvis, Priscilla is a quiet, sobering look at the relationship between Elvis and Priscilla Presley, who was 14 when they met. Coppola’s film stars Cailee Spaeny as Priscilla and Jacob Elordi as Elvis, and is playing in theaters now. Since its distributor, A24, doesn’t have an

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96:36

A Long Take Thanksgiving

The Long Take Review ·

2023/11/20

Whether you’re hosting or traveling for Thanksgiving, watching movies can be a great way to spend time with your loved ones. To help guide you through that tryptophan-assisted down time, P.T., Greg, and I put together a series of recommendations in four different categories: 1.) movies playing in theaters, 2.) family films to stream at home, 3.) films for grownups to stream at home, and 4.) movies just coming out in theaters that we’re excited to see. You can listen to The Long Take Review on

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121:10

The Marvels Review

The Long Take Review ·

2023/11/15

With new “state of the MCU” articles coming out every day, The Marvels enters a precarious discursive climate. And, unfortunately, Nia DaCosta’s superhero team-up space comedy now has the distinction of the lowest grossing opening weekend of any Marvel movie. How much does that reflect the quality of the film, though? On this episode of The Long Take Review, Greg and I explain why we still had a great time with The Marvels, despite its flaws. We then try to diagnose the MCU’s much-discussed

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144:24

The Holdovers Review

The Long Take Review ·

2023/11/08

Alexander Payne — the director behind Sideways, The Descendants, Election, Nebraska, and About Schmidt — has a new film out in theaters: The Holdovers. The title refers to a group of boarding school students stuck on campus for the holidays, along with their begrudging chaperone, a hard-nosed history teacher, played by Paul Giamatti. Hilarious and heartfelt shenanigans ensue. Comedian Da’vine Joy Randolph and new discovery Dominic Sessa accompany Giamatti in a trio of smart, funny, and authentic

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114:27

Anatomy of a Fall Review

The Long Take Review ·

2023/10/30

Did she do it? Justine Triet’s Anatomy of a Fall pushes the boundaries of what a movie about a murder can do. This fresh take, executed with precision storytelling, won the biggest prize at the Cannes Film Festival this past May, launching it into the Oscars conversation. It is now out in theaters and will likely stream on Hulu after its theatrical run. In this episode of The Long Take Review, P.T., Antonio, and I work through what we saw in the film, unpack its themes, and draw connections to the

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133:33

Killers of the Flower Moon Review

The Long Take Review ·

2023/10/25

Legendary director and champion of cinema Martin Scorsese adapted David Grann’s 2017 non-fiction book Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI, with some significant shifts that have sparked debate amongst a variety of film critics. The film stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Lily Gladstone, and Robert De Niro, who all give indelible performances. It is currently playing in theaters and will stream on Apple TV+ later this year. In this episode of The Long Take Review, P.T., Greg,

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137:21

Wes Anderson's Netflix Shorts Review

The Long Take Review ·

2023/10/17

Wes Anderson, the director behind The Grand Budapest Hotel and, more recently, Asteroid City, adapted four short stories by Roald Dahl for Netflix: “The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar,” “The Swan,” “The Rat Catcher,” and “Poison.” These films feature a troupe of famous faces, including Benedict Cumberbatch, Sir Ben Kingsley, Ralph Fiennes, Dev Patel, Rupert Friend, and Richard Ayoade. In this episode, Greg, P.T., and I unpack their meaning, consider them in the context of both Wes Anderson’s

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128:39

Ahsoka Season 1 Review

The Long Take Review ·

2023/10/10

P.T., Greg, and I love Star Wars as much as we love movies, so we’re dipping a toe into television waters with a review of the first season of Ahsoka, the new Star Wars series that recently concluded on Disney+. We discuss the extent to which Star Wars animation is a prerequisite, how the series moves forward in light of the tragic loss of actor Ray Stevenson, what this series tells us about the future of Star Wars, and much more. You can listen to The Long Take Review on Substack, Spotify, Apple,

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115:52

The Creator Review

The Long Take Review ·

2023/10/02

This week, Gareth Edwards, the director behind Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, debuted his original science fiction epic, The Creator. P.T., Greg, and I break down what makes the film worth seeing — even dazzling in some respects — while also acknowledging the flaws in the story. The wide-ranging conversation includes AI, the Vietnam War, and a slew of other science fiction films. You can listen to The Long Take Review on Substack, Spotify, Apple, or wherever you get your podcasts.Movie News Check-In:

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132:28

Hot Takes Summer 2023

The Long Take Review ·

2023/09/26

Before we become engrossed in all the Oscar bait that awaits this fall, Greg, P.T. and I thought it would be fun to give a series of “awards” to movies we watched over the summer. Greg finds every opportunity to talk about Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, P.T. tries to backdoor reviews of Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves and TMNT:Mutant Mayhem, and Jen just wants to give Rocket Raccoon a hug. This one has a lot of laughs, so come join us in celebrating a great summer at the movies

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135:54

Premature Oscar Predictions: Part Two

The Long Take Review ·

2023/09/18

P.T. and I are back to finish up our “way too early” Oscar predictions. Since we last recorded, a lot has happened — reviews from some of the fall film festivals have come in and a few Oscar hopefuls have been pushed to next year. Which films have emerged as early frontrunners? Which might be too weird to appeal to Oscar voters? Which have a better chance during the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes (which we support)? And how are our picks from the 2023 movie hype draft doing? We’ve gotten really good at

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132:53

Premature Oscar Predictions: Part One

The Long Take Review ·

2023/08/30

Is it still too early to make Oscar predictions? Yes. Will that stop P.T. and me from making them? Not a chance. After a rundown of what’s slated for all the major film festivals this year and a discussion of their role in the Oscar race, we speculate about nominations in 8 categories: animated feature, international feature, documentary feature, original score, original song, production design, makeup and hairstyling, and visual effects. We also get a little help from Greg , who breaks some bad

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94:08

Theater Camp Review

The Long Take Review ·

2023/08/02

Theater Camp, a loving send-up of “theater kid” culture, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival to high praise from critics. Months later, Searchlight Picture’s sincere comedy starring Molly Gordon (The Bear) and Ben Platt (Pitch Perfect) quietly released in theaters, overshadowed by Barbenheimer fever. That’s why P.T., Antonio, and I wanted to give this heavily improvised indie film a starring role in this episode. We discuss our own personal connections to theater, debate whether or not this film

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128:54

The Barbenheimer Experience

The Long Take Review ·

2023/07/27

The simultaneous release of Greta Gerwig’s Barbie and Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, now known as “Barbenheimer,” has quickly become the movie event of the year, sweeping pop culture and breaking all kinds of box office records. We share our takes on each film, put them in conversation with one another, and posit their cultural, political, and film industry significance. Rather than reviewing the two films in succession, we’re embracing the very idea of Barbeheimer with one big conversation about

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154:30

Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One Review

The Long Take Review ·

2023/07/18

The new Mission: Impossible movie is exclusively in theaters, and Tom Cruise wouldn’t want it any other way. After shining a light on the actor’s strike that began this week and discussing some of the contentious issues in the context of Dead Reckoning Part One, P.T., Greg, and I unpack (and clarify) the dense spy thriller plot, rejoice over our favorite action set pieces, and compare our notes on characters old and new. We’ll be your parachute as you float down from a blockbuster high. Movie News

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157:34

Mission: Impossible - Retrospective Part One (of One)

The Long Take Review ·

2023/07/11

In anticipation of the new Mission: Impossible film, which skydives into theaters this week, P.T. McNiff, who’s been a fan from the beginning, and I, who only just watched five out of six films for the first time, examine the franchise to date. We provide context about Tom Cruise, the origins or the making of the films, the different directors who have chosen to accept these missions, the spy thriller genre, and M:I’s place in action blockbuster filmmaking. After that extensive primer, we share our

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136 results

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