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PODCAST

Film Optimists

Film Optimists is a joyful podcast about all things film. The hosts, Megan Tierney Flores and Seth Boyd, believe film is a beautiful and vital artistic medium. They are optimistic about film in general and each episode brings this optimism to an in-depth discussion on a particular film subject.

tv & film

All Episodes

00:48:42

Hereditary

Film Optimists ·

2022/10/09

It’s finally here: spooky season! To usher in the hallowed era Megan and Seth discuss one of their favorite horror films, Ari Aster’s Hereditary. The film follows a family enduring increasingly strange and terrifying events following the death of their grandmother. Toni Collette delivers a powerhouse performance leading the cast of this grim tale through the horrors of family.

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00:45:19

The Tragedy of MacBeth ft. Alejandra and Kimiya

Film Optimists ·

2022/09/22

In a Film Optimists first, we are joined by not one but two amazing guests! Alejandra Rivas and Kimiya Shokri are both actors, writers, directors, and teachers. We are thrilled to have these brilliant and talented guests on the show to discuss last year’s The Tragedy of MacBeth. This bold, stylistic adaptation of Shakespear’s classic tale stars Denzel Washington and Frances McDormand and is the solo directing debut of Joel Coen. What do we expect in a Shakespear adaptation (or of the playwright

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00:44:31

Mulholland Drive

Film Optimists ·

2022/09/01

It's been a long time coming, but we finally take on one of the strangest and most influential filmmakers of all time, David Lynch. Megan and Seth discuss Lynch’s surreal and haunting masterpiece, Mulholland Drive. The film, its interpretations, and its troubled production are discussed as well as the man himself.

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01:03:53

Nope ft. Ann Boyd

Film Optimists ·

2022/08/11

Folks, we’re knocking off a couple more important firsts with this episode. This is one of the first films that we have to put an explicit *spoiler alert* at the top of the episode, since at the time this episode airs it will still be in theaters! Seth, Megan, and our most esteemed guest yet: Seth’s lovely wife, Ann, join together to discuss Jordan Peele’s highly anticipated third feature film, Nope. The trio talk about what they loved, what was missed, and the impact Peele’s had as a director in

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01:18:15

Mad Max: Fury Road ft. Riley Gerberick

Film Optimists ·

2022/07/21

Riley (writer, friend, and sci fi aficionado) is back to join us for conversation about what is quite possibly the greatest action movie of all time, Mad Max: Fury Road! But Fury Road is much more than a great action movie: it's a movie filled with sharp political commentary on various subjects and a masterclass in visual storytelling. All of this in a movie that’s the fourth in a series, and the first sequel in the franchise after 30 years. Hear us talk about all this and more! [Podcast mentioned:

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00:37:34

Hitchhiker

Film Optimists ·

2022/07/07

This episode marks a couple of firsts on the podcast as we talk about Ida Lupino’s film noir, Hitchhiker (1953). This is our first film we’ve talked about that is directed by a woman, and this film in particular is considered the first film noir film directed by a woman. We’re excited to discuss the film’s merits on its own, but also what it has done for women in film overall and our opinions on this matter. You can join the conversation by emailing us at filmoptimists@gmail.com or DM us on twitter

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01:09:21

Dune ft. Aaron McCray-Goldsmith

Film Optimists ·

2022/06/23

We’re joined by friend and educator Aaron McCray-Goldsmith to discuss Dune (2021). Adapted from the classic Frank Herbet novel of the same name, Dune follows Paul Atreides (played by Timothee Chalamet) as he is thrust into a battle over the planet Arrakis. The 2021 version is the latest of three film adaptations and many more attempted adaptations. Did this latest version finally give fans of the series the long awaited adaptation they deserve? Listen to find out! Aaron, our guest, is a high school

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00:58:36

Ferris Bueller's Day Off

Film Optimists ·

2022/06/09

Secrets are unveiled and theories are discussed as we dive back into the 80’s with this teenage classic from John Hughes. The film follows the titular character (played by Matthew Broderick) as he makes the most of his last chance to ditch school with his girlfriend and best friend. It also just so happens to be one of Megan’s favorite movies. Got questions or comments for us? You can email them to filmoptimists@gmail.com or DM us on twitter @filmoptimists. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter for

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01:02:27

Reanalysis: Drive ft. Trenton Cressy

Film Optimists ·

2022/05/19

Folks, this one’s a bit different. A listener and friend of the hosts suggested we do an episode on Drive. Despite its critical acclaim, neither of us liked the film when we first saw it over a decade ago. Was our initial analysis accurate, or flawed? To explore this we’re joined by Trenton Cressey who suggested Drive in the first place. Trenton makes his case for the film’s merits and we share our thoughts after a rewatch. Got questions or comments for us? You can email them to

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00:51:10

Hitchcock's "Rope"

Film Optimists ·

2022/05/05

With a career spanning six decades and over fifty feature length films, where does one start the discussion of Alfred Hitchcock and his amazing contributions to cinema? For us the answer was simple: the gay one. Released in 1948, Rope was groundbreaking not just for its depiction of homosexual characters but for it’s technical achivements. The entire movie takes place in real time and is composed of only ten, very long, shots. Click here for the video discussing Hitchcock's bomb theory.

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00:34:35

Interview with Tal Skloot, Director of 4 Wheel Bob

Film Optimists ·

2022/04/21

We were honored to have award winning filmmaker Tal Skloot on the show to discuss his documentary 4 Wheel Bob. The film chronicles adventurer Bob Coombers as he attempts to be the first person in a wheelchair to cross 11,845-foot Kearsarge Pass in Sierra Nevada. This astounding film is currently available to watch for free on YouTube. Got questions or comments for us? You can email them to filmoptimists@gmail.com or DM us on twitter @filmoptimists. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter for more

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00:57:38

Moonstruck ft. Allie Felker

Film Optimists ·

2022/04/07

This episode we are thrilled to have Allie Felker on the podcast! Allie Felker is an activist and podcaster who joins us to talk about the 1987 classic, Moonstruck starring Cher and Nicholas Cage. Be sure to check out the links below for Allie’s podcast The Mourning Dove as well as to follow her work with Push for Empowered Pregnancy. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-mourning-dove/id1562508342 https://www.pushpregnancy.org/ Got questions or comments for us? You can email them to

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00:59:12

The Lighthouse

Film Optimists ·

2022/03/24

In this episode, Megan and Seth do a deep dive into the sea-faring tale of The Lighthouse, an A24 classic directed by Robert Eggers. The pair discuss what the film did for them, their opinions on studio A24 in general, and what they’re looking forward to from the studio moving forward. Got questions or comments for us? You can email them to filmoptimists@gmail.com or DM us on twitter @filmoptimists. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter for more content.

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00:53:55

Our Top Watched Films in 2021

Film Optimists ·

2022/03/11

With the Oscars coming up we’ve been reflecting on our favorite movies we saw last year. In doing so we realized some of the films that left the biggest impact on us weren’t new releases. So, in keeping up with our tradition of celebrating film as a whole rather than only focusing on newer films, we will be listing our favorite films we saw last year regardless of when they came out. What made it to your Top 5 in 2021? Drop us a line at filmoptimists@gmail.com or @filmoptimists on IG and

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00:55:00

Pig

Film Optimists ·

2022/02/24

In this episode Megan and Seth turn their gaze towards modern cinema and discuss 2021’s Pig starring Nicholas Cage. Cage is excellent and reserved in this somber examination of grief set against the backdrop of Portland’s high culinary world and its seedy underbelly.

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00:48:33

Stalker ft. Riley Gerberick – Part 2

Film Optimists ·

2022/01/28

In this second part of Megan and Seth’s conversation with Riley on Tarkovsky’s Stalker (1979), the gang discuss ending theories of the film, whether or not it can even be labeled as “Sci-Fi” in the first place, and they all answer the question: would you go into the Room? We certainly had a blast talking with Riley, who is an absolute podcast natural. We look forward to working with him again on a future episode. In the meantime, you can check out Riley’s written work on his website,

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00:53:50

Stalker ft. Riley Gerberick – Part 1

Film Optimists ·

2022/01/20

New year, new voice! That’s right, Optimists; on this episode Megan and Seth welcome their first guest! Friend and writer Riley Gerberick is here to join our discussion about Andrei Tarkovsky’s 1979 Soviet Sci Fi film Stalker. The film follows a guide leading two men through a dangerous zone to a room (of possible alien nature) that will supposedly grant them their deepest desire. Despite the simple plot the film raises several complicated philosophical questions. There’s a lot to talk about with

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00:47:27

Tokyo Godfathers

Film Optimists ·

2021/12/28

Happy Holidays, Optimists! This episode Megan and Seth are back to discussing world cinema with an alternative holiday classic, Tokyo Godfathers. The film follows a ragtag trio of homeless people who find an abandoned baby on Christmas Eve. The film was directed by the late anime legend Satoshi Kon.

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00:47:51

Everyone is Beautiful and No One is H*rny

Film Optimists ·

2021/12/02

In this episode, Megan and Seth discuss a piece of film criticism. The essay “Everyone is Beautiful and No One is Horny”, by Raquel S. Benedict addresses depictions of bodies and sexuality in film, particularly how this has changed with the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).

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00:48:27

Picnic at Hanging Rock

Film Optimists ·

2021/11/14

In this episode Megan and Seth discuss classic Australian mystery film, Picnic at Hanging Rock. The film revolves around a sudden disappearance of multiple people in rural Australia. The film was instrumental in bringing greater worldwide attention to Australian cinema, and to the hosts’ own film repertoire.

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60 results

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