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PODCAST

Cows in the field

Blobcat Filmindustri

A movie podcast inspired by a Werner Herzog quote, “We have to articulate ourselves, otherwise we would be cows in the field.” Hosted by Justin Khoo (professor of philosophy at MIT) and Laura Khoo (art historian turned fundraiser).

tv & film film interviews

All Episodes

02:04:11

40. Ali (w/ Blake Howard)

Cows in the field ·

2021/07/02

We get into the ring with Blake Howard (One Heat Minute Productions) to discuss Michael Mann's incredible biopic of Muhammad Ali. Despite being a major box office failure, we make the case for revisiting this stunning and complex portrayal of the greatest boxer as he transitions from brash fighter to heroic inspiration for a social movement. We explore how Michael Mann and his astounding cast and crew (including a career-defining performance by Will Smith) manage to simultaneously humanize and

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01:19:57

39. Tampopo (w/ Nick Riggle)

Cows in the field ·

2021/06/18

Join us for a noodle-filled extravaganza as we dig into Tampopo with Nick Riggle (Philosophy, University of San Diego). We explore the interrelations between film and cuisine, and why ramen makes an ideal subject for a food film combining elements of both high art and (so-called) low art. Our love of Guy Fieri comes up more than once as we wonder about the role of the film's many zany side vignettes and how they are used to celebrate pure aesthetic values, while Nick unpacks what it is to be awesome

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01:10:59

38. Inception (w/ Tom Shone)

Cows in the field ·

2021/06/04

The cows are joined by author and film critic Tom Shone (The Nolan Variations) to discuss Christopher Nolan's epic dream-heist blockbuster, Inception. We discuss Nolan's obsessions with knowledge and self-deception and his ambivalent obsession with fantasy and escapism. We explore the film's central premise -- that the cinematic experience is akin to a shared dream -- and how Nolan weaves the premise into the core of Inception through repetition and intentional plot holes. And we finally

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01:44:50

37. Amadeus (w/ Edward Lewis)

Cows in the field ·

2021/05/21

The cows are joined by friend Edward Lewis to revisit one of the greatest films of all time, the shortest three hour movie, Milos Foreman's Amadeus. We witness genius through Salieri's eyes, marvel at his ability to appreciate and translate the beauty of Mozart's music to the uninitiated, and resign ourselves to our own mediocrities. We also discuss the relationship between historical accuracy and authenticity, and how it achieves ecstatic truth through fabrication. And we ponder the renewing

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01:54:56

36. Mission Impossible (w/ Adam Kane)

Cows in the field ·

2021/05/07

The cows are joined by friend Adam Kane to talk about Tom Cruise's first outing as Ethan Hunt. We discuss what makes spy movies so appealing and fun, and situate the movie in the broader cultural context of the post-Cold War nineties. We explore the weird and wonderful career of Tom Cruise and how he managed to harness Brian DePalma's stylistic flourishes to create one of the tightest, most stressful, spy/heist movies ever.

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01:19:25

35. Midsommar (w/ Emily VanDerWerff)

Cows in the field ·

2021/04/23

Emily VanDerWerff (Vox) joins us to discuss Ari Aster's folk horror masterpiece, Midsommar. We discuss how the film subverts folk horror genre tropes to craft a compelling story about the loss of a relationship, self-discovery, and adoption into a new family. Emily articulates a trans reading of the film, and we discuss how it grapples with the challenge of accommodating our desires for individual autonomy alongside our impulse to find acceptance within a community. Bear suits and Taylor Swift also

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01:53:34

34. True Lies (w/ Van Lathan)

Cows in the field ·

2021/04/16

The cows revisit True Lies with Van Lathan (The Ringer), discussing how James Cameron inverts the hero’s journey to tell a story about a spy struggling to connect emotionally with his wife and kids while saving the day and causing a lot of mayhem and destruction in the process. Is it the best action comedy of all time? Is it Arnold’s best performance? How does its portrayal of terrorism and American militaristic impunity play today? Tune in to find out! Follow Van on social media: @VanLathan Send

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01:28:38

33. Bonus Episode: Another Round (w/ Paul Keelan)

Cows in the field ·

2021/04/09

We crack open a few cold ones (figuratively) with Paul Keelan (Cinematic Underdogs) to unpack and disagree about the Oscar-nominated Another Round. How does the film experiment with existentialism, and how does it explore our complicated relationship with alcohol? Is it worthy of being recognized as among the best films of the year, or is it just Old School dressed up with Kierkegaard quotes? We also react to its portrayal of gendered divisions of labor and explore the film's attitude towards its

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01:54:11

32. The Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans w/...

Cows in the field ·

2021/03/26

We head down to the Big Easy with Nicolas Cage scholar Keith Phipps (author of The Age of Cage: Four Decades of Hollywood Through One Singular Career) to discuss Werner Herzog's hallucinatory tale of a bad cop trying to do the right thing, of addiction in the swamp, of nature's ever-encroaching wildness into our staid lives. We dive deep into Cage and Herzog both, exploring why they make a perfect pair and how their take on Bad Lieutenant differs so radically from Abel Ferrara's original. We

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01:36:02

31. The Brood (w/ Jed Shepherd)

Cows in the field ·

2021/03/12

Do you suffer from intergenerational trauma that is manifesting itself in physical malformations on your body and raising red flags for your significant others? Then join us and Jed Shepherd (writer/executive producer of Host) to discuss David Cronenberg's self-described "more realistic Kramer vs. Kramer," a film about a couple working through some issues while plagued by demonic children in matching snowsuits. If you haven't seen the movie, listen to the first 13 minutes for our spoiler free pitch

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01:34:24

30. Clueless (w/ Andrea Rosen)

Cows in the field ·

2021/02/26

The cows take the 405 to Sherman Oaks with friend Andrea Rosen (Fleming Museum of Art) in this revisit of Amy Heckerling's totally wicked rom-com about modern girl friendships. We discuss the nature of Chers and Karens, how power relations structure what counts as knowledge, and who does and does not count as "clueless." We revisit our past selves in high school, reflect on the linguistics of Valley Girl speak, and laugh about which characters we were and who of them is most smooch-able. Dance along

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01:43:49

29. The Master (w/ Dan Harris)

Cows in the field ·

2021/02/12

The cows are joined this week by Dan Harris (Philosophy, Hunter College) on their journey through past lives to uncover and exorcise a few trillion-year-old traumas. We consider how Paul Thomas Anderson depicts a divided soul across three individuals struggling to find order and humanity in a chaotic, animalistic, world, and explore how trauma and masculinity intertwine to forge vulnerabilities, and even love, between two men whose life trajectories seem pointed in opposite directions. We can't pick

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01:50:14

28. Groundhog Day (w/ Kieran Setiya)

Cows in the field ·

2021/01/29

We are joined by Kieran Setiya (Philosophy, MIT) to discuss what makes life worth living, what's lost in an infinite time loop, and to what extent flourishing within such a loop is possible. Along the way, we explore grief, the midlife crisis, atelic actions, the Buddhist concept of Saṃsāra, Kierkegaard, female agency in a world dominated by the male perspective, and the metaphysics of time loops and time travel. Supervenience violations and imaginative resistance are considered, as is Bill Murray's

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01:20:17

27. Tenet

Cows in the field ·

2021/01/22

The cows reverse entropy to discuss Christopher Nolan's bewilderingly dense sci-fi masterpiece in this surprise bonus episode. Part one is a spoiler-free pitch for the movie, while part two explores themes and philosophical issues. Justin argues that the movie is a thematic trilogy with Inception and Interstellar about the evolving nature of parenthood, while Laura makes the case that Kat (Elizabeth Debicki) is the emotional core of the movie. Also covered are: what it is like to interact with

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02:20:49

26. The Conversation (w/ Robert Pierce)

Cows in the field ·

2021/01/15

The cows are visited by longtime San Francisco resident and old friend Robert Pierce to discuss Francis Ford Coppola's 70s paranoia thriller. Situated in the tumultuous transition period of the mid-1970s, the movie captures the cynicism of a generation slowly being engulfed by the temptations of urban renewal and fears of privacy violations. We consider how Coppola and Hackman craft a compelling character study out of a protagonist riddled with contradictions by injecting elements of their own lives

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01:20:05

25. Excalibur (w/ Bilge Ebiri)

Cows in the field ·

2021/01/01

The cows revisit the Arthurian legend with Bilge Ebiri (New York Magazine and Vulture). We discuss how the film weaves together opera and Jungian archetypes while exploring humanity's complex and often violent relationship with nature, the challenges of self-governance, the allure of a benevolent dictator, and the tragedy befalling the virtuous leader who desires not to lead. Thematic links to the rest of Boorman's filmography are considered, as well as how Excalibur compares with other portrayals

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01:27:15

24. Happy Gilmore (w/ Tim Gilman)

Cows in the field ·

2020/12/18

The cows hit the links with Tim Gilman (WMBR 88.1 FM Boston) to finish off 1996 with a comedy that just might be a bit deeper than it lets on. Why is Happy so angry? Could it be in reaction to the contempt shown by the moneyed elite to the working class, a response that reflects the current rise in popularity of populist demagogues across the world? Or might it be a reflection of his inner turmoil at being terrible at what he loves most? Along the way, we discuss our obligations to care for our

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00:42:58

23. Bonus Episode: On the Rocks (2020)

Cows in the field ·

2020/12/12

The cows watched Sofia Coppola's latest and came to very different conclusions, which necessitated an emergency episode to sort it all out. Join us for a maybe autobiographical discussion of the complexities of modern parenting, gendered divisions of cognitive labor, and not losing yourself when asked to shoulder the emotional labor of your friends and family.

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01:22:30

22. Fargo (w/ Molly Perkins)

Cows in the field ·

2020/12/04

The cows freeze in Minnesota with friend Molly Perkins in this revisit to the Coen Brothers' 1996 folktale noir. Themes of faith, deception, encountering the inexplicable, Scandinavian roots, and ecstatic truth are all discussed, along with highlights of favorite supporting cast members and a head-to-head comparison of psycho killers Gaear Grimsrud (Peter Stormare) and Anton Chigurh (Javier Bardem).

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01:24:35

21. Space Jam / Kazaam (w/ Vishal Dave)

Cows in the field ·

2020/11/20

Join the two cows on their journey into the world of fantasy basketball-star-crossover vehicles, featuring guest Vishal Dave! It's 1996 and Michael Jordan is fresh back from retirement, ready to take on the Monstars and save the NBA from a bunch of talentless hacks. Is there a tragic emptiness at the core of Space Jam, marked by Jordan's self-destructive quest for dominance? And how does it compare to what might be its polar opposite -- Kazaam, a rapping genie movie about a child who comes to accept

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160 results

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