Adventures In Black Cinema With Desmond Thorne

Latest Episodes:

Adventures in Octavia & One-Liners (Ma) w/ Shay Filmore Mar 09, 2021

Show notes

Our first guest is back! Film programmer Shay Filmore is back to discuss the problematic and iconic fun thriller, Ma! Desmond and Shay talk about the issues with the film, the ways it could have actually been great, and of course Octavia Spencer’s committed performance as Sue Ann. Also, of course, there’s another round of Who’s Invited!!

Adventures in Windows & the White Gaze (Malcolm & Marie) Mar 02, 2021

Show notes

The White gaze is back with a vengeance in this week’s film, MALCOLM & MARIE! Desmond talks about Zendaya’s great performance in the film along with some other aspects that he did not enjoy as much, including the gaze that is ever present in the script. Also, Desmond puts you on to another Netflix film that shines bright and welcomes a new talent on to the scene!

Adventures in Icons & Imperfections (One Night in Miami…) Feb 23, 2021

Show notes

This week, Desmond gets into Regina King’s directorial debut, ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI. Desmond talks about these iconic performances of iconic figures in our history, while also discussing some of the things that make them complicated in the film as well as in real life. Also, Desmond gets into the buzz about Black films from this year’s Sundance Film Festival!

Adventures in Creatives & the Critical Lens (Soul) w/ Jourdain Searles Feb 22, 2021

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This week, Desmond is joined by film critic Jourdain Searles to talk about Pixar’s SOUL (a film Desmond mostly liked, and Jourdain mostly didn’t!). They talk about the history of Black representation in film animation and how SOUL fits into that conversation, what could have made the film better, and they recast the role of 22!

Adventures in Raving & Ripple Effects (House Party) Feb 22, 2021

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Are y’all ready to party? This week, Desmond digs into the classic 90’s comedy HOUSE PARTY! He talks about the brilliance of the film, how much he misses house parties IRL, as well as some of the film’s more problematic aspects. Also, Desmond dishes about an amazing actor that he didn’t know was gay until very recently!!

Adventures in Valentines & Vacations (How Stella Got Her Groove Back) Feb 02, 2021

Show notes

Welcome back y’all!! Season two of the show starts off with the classic romantic film, HOW STELLA GOT HER GROOVE BACK. Desmond talks about relating to Stella’s single life, her issues with letting loose, and how much he misses going on vacation! Also, this week’s Trust & Believe highlights Steve McQueen’s five film masterpiece, SMALL AXE.

Cultivating a Black Film Family w/ Elegance Bratton & Chester Algernal Jan 26, 2021

Show notes

In this special bonus mini-episode, Desmond talks to filmmakers Elegance Bratton & Chester Algernal (from our "Paris is Burning" episode) about the incredible group of Queer, Black, award-winning filmmakers that they have created and nurtured over the years. Elegance and Chester discuss how they started this Black film family, and the systems in Hollywood that they want to challenge together with their work.

Adventures in Angels & Advent (The Preacher's Wife) Dec 22, 2020

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Happy Holidays, y’all! In our last episode of 2020, Desmond pays respect to the seminal Christmas film THE PREACHER’S WIFE. Desmond gets into Advent, one of his favorite times of the year, the accuracy of the Black church in this film as portrayed by director Penny Marshall, and the wonderful people involved in this movie that we have lost in the past few years. Also, Desmond talks about how GAY Christmas truly is!!

Adventures in Creepin' & Commodification (Get Out) Dec 15, 2020

Show notes

Just in time for the Holidays, Desmond dives deep into the ‘meet the parents horror film’, GET OUT! Though this film initially was thought of as a horror film about interracial relationships, Desmond talks about how it touches on so much more, including aspects of how Blackness is commodified in the United States. Also, this week’s TRUST & BELIEVE is a new Netflix horror film, and the YOU BETTA ACT award this week is what Desmond considers to be a classic performance.

Adventures in Jokes & Jailtime (Life) w/ Sheldon D. Brown Dec 08, 2020

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In this hilarious episode, Desmond and his guest, actor/writer Sheldon D. Brown, discuss the 90’s classic comedy match-up, LIFE starring Eddie Murphy and Martin Lawrence. They dig into the memorable lines and moments, Bernie Mac, the Queer representation in the film, and how they feel about the unity between Black men in our current times. Also, where there’s a guest, there’s another round of WHO’S INVITED!!