Michael and Us

PREVIEW - #575 - Authentic Brands Group LLC Nov 19, 2024

A rural village braces itself for development from the big city in Ryusuke Hamaguchi's EVIL DOES NOT EXIST (2024), a beautiful movie that rhymed with certain things we've been feeling lately about democracy, capitalism, freedom, and community. PLUS: We parse Toronto Life's list of the 50 most influential Torontonians of 2024, and explore the exciting world of Eric Roberts. PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/116329275

#574 - Winning is Everything, Stupid! Nov 13, 2024

A month before the 2024 U.S. presidential election, CNN aired a hagiographic documentary about one of the masterminds of the last 30 years of American politics. In the aftermath of a disastrous election for Democrats, we watch CARVILLE: WINNING IS EVERYTHING, STUPID! (2024) to learn how the Beltway was thinking about itself before everything came crashing down. PLUS: Get ready for the most riveting conversation about bike lanes in Toronto, Ontario you'll hear all year. Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus

PREVIEW - #573 - The Braddock Chronicles (w/ Tony Buba) Nov 11, 2024

For over 50 years, documentary filmmaker Tony Buba has chronicled the decline - but also the people, places, and everyday poetry - of his hometown of Braddock, Pennsylvania. Recently we watched his best-known film, LIGHTNING OVER BRADDOCK: A RUSTBOWL FANTASY (1988), and fell in love with it. Today, we're pleased to welcome Buba on the show to discuss the full scope of his career, including such films as SWEET SAL (1979), BETTY'S CORNER CAFE (1976), J. ROY: NEW AND USED FURNITURE (1974), and more. PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/115813173 Our episode on LIGHTNING OVER BRADDOCK - https://soundcloud.com/michael-and-us/549-end-of-the-iron-cafe We recommend this comprehensive Blu-Ray collection of Tony Buba's work - https://kinolorber.com/product/lightning-over-braddock-and-collected-shorts-the-films-of-tony-buba-blu-ray Watch SWEET SAL - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aiuT9Zei81c Watch J. ROY: NEW AND USED FURNITURE - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wef3Zqq9qTw&t=208s&ab_channel=AlphaRomero Watch THE BARBER OF NEW KENSINGTON - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MyLyJ2f9278&t=2s&ab_channel=braddockfilms Learn more about Tony Buba - https://braddockfilms.com/

#572 - The Art of the Deal Nov 07, 2024

Oh lord almighty, when will we be rid of this man? Apparently not for another four years at least. We ring in the latest chapter of this neverending "Trump Era" with the new biopic/origin story THE APPRENTICE (2024). Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus "This Time We Have to Hold the Democratic Party Elite Responsible for This Catastrophe" by Jeet Heer - https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/democratic-party-elite-responsible-catastrophe/ "Democrats chose backing a genocide over defeating Trump" by Adam Johnson - https://therealnews.com/democrats-chose-backing-a-genocide-over-defeating-trump

PATREON BONUS - 2004 Election w/ Remember Shuffle Nov 04, 2024

On the day of the United States presidential election, let's look back at The Most Important Election Of Our Lifetimes. That's right, we're talking about 2004. We were happy to join the boys at Remember Shuffle to discuss all things Bush v. Kerry and the only presidential election since 1988 in which a Republican candidate won the popular vote. Now watch this drive! PATREON BONUS - https://www.patreon.com/posts/115413841 Check out Remember Shuffle - https://linktr.ee/remembershuffle

#571 - Benn's Bandwagon Nov 01, 2024

With a dreary United States presidential election covering every surface, we search for some solace in politics from the past. Early in the Thatcher era in 1981, the beloved left-wing Labour MP Tony Benn launched a populist campaign to become his party's deputy leader, and almost won. We watch a documentary from the period, BENN'S BANDWAGON (1981), and ask: Was the conservative wave of the 1980s really inevitable? Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus Watch "Benn's Bandwagon" here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-e4MWekQKZE&t=2s&ab_channel=ModernLonelyTV Our previous Tony Benn episode - https://www.patreon.com/posts/209-tony-benn-47399362

PREVIEW - #570 - Krusty Brand Seal of Approval Oct 30, 2024

We return to one of our perennial favourite topics, THE SIMPSONS, to consider two episodes from very different eras of its run: the legendary Season 4 banger "Kamp Krusty," and the hot-off-the-presses Season 36 ep "The Yellow Lotus." Which one earns our coveted Krusty Brand Seal of Approval? PLUS: We mark the passing of a Canadian broadcasting "pioneer." PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/570-krusty-brand-115031151

#569 - Roadside Picnic Oct 28, 2024

Is Andrei Tarkovsky's STALKER (1979) about the Soviet Russia in which it was made? And if not, then where exactly is "The Zone"? We wade into one of the most forbidding cinematic objects of all time, but realize that the answer is only ever found within. PLUS: Justin Trudeau is historically unpopular - so why hasn't he stepped down? Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus "US Politics Has Reached a Dead End" by Luke Savage - https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/oct/19/trump-campaign-leaked-data-voters-elon-musk "Revealed: Trump ground game in key states flagged as potentially fake" by Hugo Lowell - https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/oct/19/trump-campaign-leaked-data-voters-elon-musk Our episode on Ivan's Childhood - https://www.patreon.com/posts/263-sculpting-in-55465791 Our episode on Solaris - https://www.patreon.com/posts/317-hunters-in-64139407

PREVIEW - #568 - Not Another Superdelegate Movie Oct 28, 2024

We were told my our Superdelegate patron tier that the direct-to-video sequel BRING IT ON: ALL OR NOTHING (2006) was a potent 2006 time capsule. Friends... they were right. PLUS: Al Pacino's finances, the fall of the Soviet Empire, and the sad tale of Victor J. Kemper. PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/568-not-another-114599903

#567 - Requiem for a Joker Oct 21, 2024

Five years after Joker because an era-defining cultural phenomenon, its sequel, JOKER: FOLIE A DEUX (2024), is the biggest flop of the year. We sifted through the wreckage to find a purposely abrasive object, and are split on its effectiveness. Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/c/michaelandus TORONTO - See Luke speak at Progressive Publics: A Symposium Connecting Scholarship & Independent Media, November 8 - https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/progressive-publics-a-symposium-connecting-scholarship-independent-media-tickets-1051089455857 TORONTO - See Will introduce a screening of Fantasy Mission Force - https://www.foxtheatre.ca/movies/important-cinema-club-masterpiece-classics-fantasy-mission-force/

PREVIEW - #566 - When Crime Gets Too Criminal Oct 17, 2024

Is crime a disease? And have we possibly found the cure? We're always up for a right-wing action movie on this podcast, so it was about time we got to the irresistible Sylvester Stallone vehicle COBRA (1986).

#565 - Morbid Symptoms Oct 10, 2024

First, Will reports on visiting that most American of landmarks, Graceland. Then, we take the temperature of the U.S. presidential election in its waning days, and learn some interesting facts about the "Canadian Victims of Communism" memorial. Finally, we discuss I'M FROM HOLLYWOOD (1989), a documentary about one of the greatest pieces of performance art of all time: the Andy Kaufman/Jerry Lawler wrestling feud. Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus ST. CATHARINE'S - See Luke moderate the book launch event for Shifting Gears: Canadian Autoworkers and the Changing Landscape of Labour Politics. Friday, October 11, 7pm, Niagara Artists Centre - https://www.ubcpress.ca/st-catharines-book-launch-for-shifting-gears TORONTO - See Will introduce a rare screening of the Jackie Chan film Fantasy Mission Force. Tuesday, November 5, 7pm, Fox Theatre - https://www.foxtheatre.ca/movies/important-cinema-club-masterpiece-classics-fantasy-mission-force/ "The #Resistance Is Back. Be Afraid." by Katherine Krueger - https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/resistance-kamala-harris-online/ Kaufman and Lawler on Letterman - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FL9PGJslS6A&t=1s&ab_channel=Letterman

#564 - The Bill Gates Problem (w/ Tim Schwab) Oct 07, 2024

The new Netflix documentary WHAT'S NEXT: THE FUTURE WITH BILL GATES (2024) positions the Microsoft founder as "one of the good billionaires." But what are the limits to his brand of philanthropy? And how neutral and objective are these documentaries on the big streaming platforms? Luke welcomes Tim Schwab (author of The Bill Gates Problem: Reckoning with the Myth of the Good Billionaire) to discuss why he declined to participate in the documentary, and what he uncovered about its making. Buy The Bill Gates Problem by Tim Schwab - https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250291431/thebillgatesproblem "Why I refused to participate in the Netflix docu-series on Bill Gates" by Tim Schwab - https://timschwab.substack.com/p/why-i-refused-to-participate-in-the Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus

PREVIEW - #563 - Mulholland Drive, Part 2 Oct 07, 2024

In the exciting conclusion of our discussion of David Lynch's MULHOLLAND DRIVE (2001), Betty becomes Diane and fantasy merges with reality... or perhaps "reality" and "fantasy" are never whole extricable? PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/563-mulholland-2-113260819

#562 - Springtime in the Hague Sep 28, 2024

Movies can transport us to strange and wonderful dreamworld, including a world where a UK Prime Minister faces real risk of arrest from the International Court of Justice. From director Roman Polanski comes the greatest movie ever made about pesky extradition treaties: THE GHOST WRITER (2010). Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week: https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus Guy Maddin retrospective in LA - https://www.americancinematheque.com/series/guy-maddin-an-american-cinematheque-retrospective/

PREVIEW - #561 - Mulholland Drive, Part 1 Sep 25, 2024

Hollywood produces dreams on an industrial scale, but it also feeds our own dreams back to us. And no movie has ever understood Hollywood better than David Lynch's MULHOLLAND DRIVE (2001). In the first of a two-part discussion, we dissect David Lynch's masterpiece. PLUS: The hallmarks of bad conservative, left-wing, and liberal writing, as seen through the lens of one Mr. Jordan Peterson. PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/112719438

#560 - Carpe Diem Sep 20, 2024

First we saw him bring whimsy to the medical sector in Patch Adams... then we saw him make the army wacky in Good Morning Vietnam... now, we reach the conclusion of our "Robin Williams Trilogy" by going back to his mightiest-ever battle against the forces of fuddy-duddiness: DEAD POETS SOCIETY (1989). PLUS: A spectre is haunting Europe... the spectre of centre-left capitulation to the far-right. Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus See Luke moderate the Toronto book launch for Shifting Gears: Canadian Autoworkers and the Changing Landscape of Labour Politics - Friday, September 20 (tonight) at 7pm, Workers Action Centre - https://www.facebook.com/events/1187379669241057

PREVIEW - #559 - Dead and Loving It Sep 16, 2024

What if we appified death? What if we commodified grieving? In David Cronenberg's new film THE SHROUDS (2024), entrepreneurialism comes for the hereafter. PLUS: Reflections on the Trump-Harris debate. PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/559-dead-and-it-112172037

#558 - From Jysk with Love w/ Luke Lebrun Sep 15, 2024

Is it ethical for a journalist to also act as a spy for a foreign government? We consider the far-fetched claims of one of Canada's worst journalists, Adam Zivo. PLUS: In this very special episode, we catch up on some news items of Canadian interest, including the declining polling for Justin Trudeau's liberals, and the rising number of far-right Canadian influencers. Follow us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus "This National Post Columnist Says He Spied for a Foreign Intelligence Agency. Experts Call His Behaviour ‘Unethical’ and ‘Absurd’" by Luke Lebrun - https://pressprogress.ca/this-national-post-columnist-says-he-spied-for-a-foreign-intelligence-agency-experts-call-his-behaviour-unethical-and-absurd/ "I cover the far right for a living. This is why I wasn’t surprised to find Canadians embedded in an alleged Russian propaganda scheme" by Luke Lebrun - https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/i-cover-the-far-right-for-a-living-this-is-why-i-wasnt-surprised-to/article_56042920-6c7c-11ef-aa82-9302cac8f9d3.html "It Turns Out Hillary Clinton, Not Russian Bots, Lost the 2016 Election" by Luke Savage - https://jacobin.com/2023/01/hillary-clinton-russian-bots-2016-presidential-election-trump "In Toronto's Weirdest Cinema, a Portrait of the Artist I'd Never Become" by Adam Zivo - https://quillette.com/2022/01/18/in-torontos-weirdest-cinema-a-portrait-of-the-artist-id-never-become/ Follow Luke Lebrun - https://x.com/_llebrun

PREVIEW - #557 - Demonstrated Social Impact Initiatives Sep 09, 2024

Our Superdelegate patron tier voted for us to discuss GARDEN STATE (2004), a millennial touchstone that may or may not have "aged well." We discuss Manic Pixie Dream Girls, whether or not the Shins are "cringe," and our own lost youths. PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/111698763

#556 - The Void Soys Back Sep 04, 2024

What if a movie about a corporate merger became the most popular movie of the year? Friends, you don't have to imagine it. We discuss DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE (2024) and ponder the question that Vulture asked: "Is Shawn Levy the Future of Populist Filmmaking?" Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus

PREVIEW - #555 - The Love Guru (w/ Russ Finkelstein) Aug 31, 2024

At long last, we tackle the question: What, exactly, is love? Will welcomes his old j-school colleague Russ Finkelstein to discuss his documentary LOOKING FOR LOVE (2018), which offers a hair-raising glimpse into the wild world of "international marriage agencies" that connect heartsick American men with women from the Global South. PLUS: Russ shares stories from deep inside the dark heart of corporate media. PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/111164366

PREVIEW - #554 - Studio Sucky, Part 12: What Kind Of Day Has It Been Aug 31, 2024

We finally reach the GRAND FINALE of our STUDIO 60 ON THE SUNSET STRIP odyssey, arriving at Episode 22, "What Kind of Day Has It Been"... but we're left with more questions than answers. Folks... what ever happened to the Macau Deal??? PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/554-studio-sucky-110898593

#553 - Bottled Time Aug 22, 2024

A Democratic National Convention takes place against a backdrop of protests against American imperial atrocities overseas... that's right, we're travelling back in time to 1968 with Haskell Wexler's MEDIUM COOL (1969). PLUS: So, have you heard about the DNC? Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus "This National Post Columnist Says He Spied for a Foreign Intelligence Agency" by Luke LeBrun - https://pressprogress.ca/this-national-post-columnist-says-he-spied-for-a-foreign-intelligence-agency-experts-call-his-behaviour-unethical-and-absurd/ "Medium Cool: Preserving Disorder" by Thomas Beard - https://www.criterion.com/current/posts/2773-medium-cool-preserving-disorder "The New Yorker Political Scene Scene" podcast with special guest Will - https://rss.com/podcasts/newyorkerpoliticalscenescene/1619477/

PREVIEW - #552 - Battle for the Dinosaur Hour Aug 20, 2024

Whenever we need a pick-me-up, we return to one of our favourite topics: THE DINOSAUR HOUR, John Cleese's baffling chat show for Britain's right-wing GB News network. In the two episodes we watched today, Cleese opines on creativity, then welcomes his good friend Rob Schneider (!) for an agonizing hourlong chat. PLUS: What happens to the Republican Party after Trump? And checking in on Aaron Sorkin. PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/110427266

#551 - Shore Leave Aug 15, 2024

During the 2012 election cycle, Pauly Shore went to Washington to take the temperature on American and Her Problems. His resulting comedy special, PAULY SHORE'S PAULY-TICS (2012), accidentally foreshadows some of the bad vibes of the years to come. PLUS: We chart one Oscar blogger's evolution from #StillWithHer to MAGA. Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus

PREVIEW - #550 - Studio Sucky, Part 12: Two Cathedrals Aug 11, 2024

In the penultimate episode of STUDIO 60 ON THE SUNSET STRIP, "K&R Part 3," Aaron Sorkin wrestles with the memory of Bill Maher being cancelled after 9/11, and asks why a just and merciful god even needs you to pray to Him. Aaron Sorkin is saving some of his best stuff for last! PLUS: Checking in on the God's Not Dead franchise and the comedy career of Chris Cillizza. PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/109920511

#549 - Death of the Iron Age Cafe Aug 09, 2024

Tony Buba chronicled the decline of his hometown of Braddock, Pennsylvania in a series of acclaimed documentaries that elevated him to national notoriety. But in the extraordinary documentary/fiction hybrid LIGHTNING OVER BRADDOCK: A RUST BOWL FANTASY (1988), he asks what it means when his success is tied to so many people's poverty. Tony Buba's films are hard to find on streaming, so why not just get this Blu-Ray? You'll be glad you did - https://kinolorber.com/product/lightning-over-braddock-and-collected-shorts-the-films-of-tony-buba-blu-ray Elon Musk's Elden Ring tweet - https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1528955104463814656

PREVIEW - #548 - Studio Sucky, Part 11 - The Karl Rove Sketch Aug 06, 2024

As STUDIO 60 ON THE SUNSET STRIP continues its slow descent, Aaron Sorkin continues to drift away from TV sketch-comedy and back to what he knows. Episode 20, "K&R Part 2," sees the gang lashing out at journalism while also making a tortured defense of... the White House Press Secretary? PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/548-studio-sucky-109590201

#547 - Albanian Bacon (w/ Daniel Bessner and Derek Davison) Jul 31, 2024

In Barry Levinson and David Mamet's WAG THE DOG (1997), a political spin-doctor teams with a movie producer to fake a war and save an incumbent president. You've heard of manufacturing consent, but to what extent can Hollywood and Washington manufacture reality? We're joined by Daniel Bessner and Derek Davison of the American Prestige podcast to discuss. Check out American Prestige - https://www.americanprestigepod.com/ Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus

PREVIEW - #546 - Studio Sucky, Part 10: Have a Little Faith Jul 30, 2024

Tom's brother is still held hostage in Afghanistan, Jordan is still in the hospital, and Matt & Harriet are still arguing about religion in episode 19 of STUDIO 60 ON THE SUNSET STRIP, "K&R Part 1." But this is all a mere appetizer to us FINALLY getting around to reading Aaron Sorkin's instantly-legendary op-ed about how the Democrats should run Mitt Romney. PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/446-studio-sucky-109103776

#545 - It's Joever (w/ Branko Marcetic) Jul 25, 2024

It's a politics-only episode, because we've got a big subject: it's time to say goodbye to your favorite American president, Joe Biden. We welcome back Branko Marcetic to tally #46's success and failures, and do a vibe-check on the Democratic Party following the ouster of its standard-bearer. PLUS: Branko reports on the Republican National Convention. "Joe Biden Wanted This" by Branko Marcetic - https://jacobin.com/2024/07/biden-2024-dropout-gaza-legacy "How Joe Biden Became a Steadfast Israel Defender" by Branko Marcetic - https://jacobin.com/2024/07/joe-biden-israel-support-history "Never Forget How Many Times the Liberal Establishment Saved Biden’s Arse" by Luke Savage - https://novaramedia.com/2024/07/23/never-forget-how-many-times-the-liberal-establishment-saved-bidens-ass/ "Why Biden finally quit" - https://www.politico.com/news/2024/07/21/why-biden-dropped-out-00170106

PREVIEW - #544 - A History of the Mondo Movie Jul 23, 2024

Banned in 16 countries! So sickening it can only be real! In this special documentary episode Will goes on a journey through the history of the Mondo movie, from MONDO CANE to FACES OF DEATH and beyond. PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/544-history-of-108683201

#543 - Exit Through the Gift Shop Jul 19, 2024

In 2005, the Clinton family's own foundation created a DVD compilation of times when Bill and Hillary brought the funny. We discuss A TIME TO LAUGH: THE CLINTONS' HUMOR (2005), and glean a little bit of insight into how the former First Family view themselves. PLUS: From an assassination attempt of the former U.S. president to a coup attempt on the current one, we've got a lot of news to catch up on. Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus

PREVIEW - #542 - Studio Sucky, Part 9: Miss America Pulitzer Prize Jul 17, 2024

What do you do when you're stuck in that limbo period before your poorly-rated show has been cancelled? For Aaron Sorkin, you work through your feelings in your art. This week we discuss Episode 18 of STUDIO 60 ON THE SUNSET STRIP, "Breaking News." PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/542-studio-sucky-108277667

#541 - The Act of Killing Jul 11, 2024

Social media has been full of smiling genocidiers lately, so it's a good time to revisit THE ACT OF KILLING (2012). Joshua Oppenheimer's experimental documentary about the legacy of the Indonesian mass killings asks: What would it take to prick a mass murderer's conscience? And how does violence linger in the human soul? PLUS: So, have you heard about this guy Joe Biden? Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus "The 'Liberal World Order' Was Built In Blood" by Vincent Bevins - https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/29/opinion/sunday/united-states-cold-war.html

#540 - Power and Illusion Jul 06, 2024

In Akira Kurosawa's KAGEMUSHA (1980), a lowly thief is recruited to impersonate a feudal warlord, and he almost gets away with it. This mighty epic gives us opportunity to ponder the role of illusion in maintaining power, and whether or not a lie will always be exposed. PLUS: Recapping the U.K. election, and hey, have you heard about this Joe Biden character? Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus

UNLOCKED - #539 - Studio Sucky, Part 8: Comedy Will Save Us (w/ Will Menaker) Jul 06, 2024

THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF OUR ONGOING "STUDIO 60 ON THE SUNSET STRIP" SERIES ON PATREON - Join us there for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus It's Studio 60 vs the unions in Episode 17 ("The Disaster Show") of Aaron Sorkin's STUDIO 60 ON THE SUNSET STRIP. We're pleased to welcome Will Menaker (of Chapo Trap House and Movie Mindset fame) to help us make sense of Sorkin's perspective on organized labor. PLUS: So have you heard about Joe Biden? You've heard of Chapo Trap House, but here's there website - https://www.chapotraphouse.com/

#537 - A Steaming Pile of Grey Jun 29, 2024

Government and big tech are in cahoots to reshape America, and the only man who can stop it is Elon Musk. That's more-or-less the thesis of THE TWITTER FILES (2023), a movie that plumbs new depths even in the right-wing movie ecosystem. PLUS: The first Biden/Trump debate and state of the Canadian Liberal Party. Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus "Democrats Need to Try Something Radical: Hire Christopher Nolan" by Matt Robison - https://washingtonmonthly.com/2024/06/22/democrats-need-to-try-something-radical-hire-christopher-nolan/ "Why the Twitter Files Are in Fact a Big Deal" by Branko Marcetic - https://jacobin.com/2022/12/twitter-files-censorship-content-moderation-intelligence-agencies-surveillance See Will introduce "Hollywood Boulevard" at Toronto's Fox Theatre on July 9: https://www.foxtheatre.ca/movies/the-important-cinema-club-masterpiece-classics-hollywood-boulevard/

PREVIEW - #536 - Studio Sucky, Part 6: Alligator J'Accuse Jun 29, 2024

As we drift further and further into STUDIO 60 ON THE SUNSET STRIP, we find a show that is quickly losing touch with its original premise of saving comedy, and transforming into a workplace soap opera with a lot of sexual harassment. We discuss episodes 14 ("The Harriet Dinner Part II") and 15 ("The Friday Night Slaughter"). PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/536-studio-sucky-106899255

#535 - The Search for Sonny Skies Jun 23, 2024

You can go looking for the zeitgeist, but only the zeitgeist can find you. That's what the makers of countless pieces of failed Oscar bait have learned. In this special episode, we run through some of the most legendary failed Oscar bait of the last 25 years and speculate why they didn't catch anything. PLUS: presidential libraries, the Obama Foundation, and an autobiographical novel from an unlikely Hollywood star. Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus See Will introduce "Hollywood Boulevard" at Toronto's Fox Theatre on July 9 - https://www.foxtheatre.ca/movies/the-important-cinema-club-masterpiece-classics-hollywood-boulevard/

PREVIEW - #534 - Studio Sucky, Part 5: The Macau Deal Jun 23, 2024

We know you've waited a whole week since our last episode on STUDIO 60 ON THE SUNSET STRIP, anxiously looking forward to any update on the Macau Deal. Your wish is our command. We discuss Episodes 12 ("Monday") and 13 ("The Harriet Dinner, Part 1") - more than halfway through, folks! PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/534-studio-sucky-106403874

#533 - Cinematic Civics Lesson Jun 16, 2024

When our politicians fail us, can journalism save us? We revisit George Clooney's GOOD NIGHT AND GOOD LUCK (2005), about Edward R. Murrow's battle with Joseph McCarthy, and get a lesson in how the liberal imagination remembers the Red Scare. PLUS: the rise of A.I. in the arts, and the state of the centre-left in Europe. Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus "Liberals, I Do Despise" by Adolph Reed Jr. - https://www.commondreams.org/views/2009/12/09/liberals-i-do-despise "On Smarm" by Tom Scocca - https://www.gawkerarchives.com/on-smarm-1476594977 "Europe Is Warning Us" by Grace Blakeley - https://tribunemag.co.uk/2024/06/europe-is-warning-us

PREVIEW - #532 - Studio Sucky, Part 4: The Falstaff Society Jun 11, 2024

We continue our long journey through the dark heart of Aaron Sorkin's STUDIO 60 ON THE SUNSET STRIP. Jordan gets pregnant, Harriet is inducted into the Falstaff Society, Matt & Danny create the most Epic Christmas TV broadcast ever, and Aaron Sorkin confirms once and for all that Santa isn't real in Episode 10 ("B-12") and Episode 11 ("The Christmas Show"). PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/532-studio-sucky-106000756

#531 - An Oedipal Day in the Neighborhood Jun 09, 2024

During the Trump presidency, #TheResistance had a powerful figurehead, and his name was (the late) Mr. Rogers. We discuss the Tom Hanks-led #nicecore landmark A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD (2019), the strengths and limitations of Fred Rogers as a Trump-era political symbol, and what this movie fails to understand about him. PLUS: What's eating David Frum about the recent Mexican election? Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus "Can You Say... 'Hero'?" by Tom Junod - https://www.neighborhoodarchive.com/publications/press/esquire/index.html "How Liberalism Betrayed the Enlightenment and Lost Its Soul" by Michael Brenes - https://jacobin.com/2024/05/cold-war-liberalism-moyn-review Mr. Rogers at the Emmys - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Upm9LnuCBUM&ab_channel=TheEmmyAwards

PREVIEW - #530 - Reading The Bellboy In Tehran Jun 04, 2024

Growing up in Iran under the shadow of American imperialism, filmmaker Mehrnaz Saeed-Vafa felt an unlikely personal connection with American cinema - specifically, the films of Jerry Lewis. In her documentary JERRY AND ME (2012) she explores Lewis as a symbol of America and a universal archetype for outsiders... but also runs into the limits of Lewis as a person. PLUS: We consider the legacy of Morgan Spurlock. PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/430-reading-in-105570192

#529 - Robert's Rules of Justice May 31, 2024

Our journey through America's second-greatest law-and-order franchise continues with WALKING TALL: THE PAYBACK (2007), a direct-to-video adventure with Kevin Sorbo. We discuss how the rural Dirty Harry was reimagined (or not) for the late Bush era. PLUS: Randall Emmett, Kevin Spacey, the death of cinema, and of course, Donald Trump's guilty verdict. Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus

PREVIEW - #428 - Studio Sucky, Part 3: Cheeses of Nazareth May 28, 2024

The troops fight abroad, and sketch comedians fight on the home front. In our latest dispatch from the universe of Aaron Sorkin's STUDIO 60 ON THE SUNSET STRIP, we ponder the author's tortured relationship with everything from advertising to gender to Woody Allen via "The Nevada Day" Parts 1 & 2 and "The Option Period." PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/528-studio-sucky-105072974

#527 - Trained to Rule the Waves May 25, 2024

In the feature-film adaptation of John le Carré's TINKER, TAILOR, SOLDIER, SPY (2011), Cold War-era Britain doesn't look that much different from behind the Iron Curtain - visually, at least. We discuss the challenges of compressing an intricate novel into a two-hour movie, and try to situate le Carré politically. PLUS: Taking the temperature of the snap British election, and a fond farewell to a B-movie titan.

PREVIEW - #526 - Studio Sucky, Part 2 May 21, 2024

It's a jumbo-sized helping of Aaron Sorkin as we continue our descent into madness/journey through STUDIO 60 ON THE SUNSET STRIP. In this instalment, we consider Sorkin's views on race, the Greatest Generation, and Abbott & Costello. PLUS: We probe further into the dark heart of Jerry Seinfeld. PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/526-studio-sucky-104631151

#525 - Freedom and Freedonia May 18, 2024

Maybe it's a fool's errand to look for politics in the Marx Brothers' DUCK SOUP (1933), but nevertheless, many have tried. We discuss the philosophy of the Brothers' tomfoolery, and the way that movies and literature imagine countries like Freedonia. Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus

#524 - Studio Sucky, Part 1 May 13, 2024

After inhabiting the White House but before examining the Newsroom, Aaron Sorkin created a show that sought nothing less than to fix the most important American institution of them all: Saturday Night Live. We launch what will eventually become a multi-episode discussion of STUDIO 60 ON THE SUNSET STRIP (2006-7). Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus

PREVIEW - #523 - From the Freezer to the Plate May 10, 2024

You've seen Air, you've seen Blackberry, and are you ready for the Corporate I.P. genre to reach its baroque period? We discuss Jerry Seinfeld's UNFROSTED (2024), a comedy about the invention of the pop-tart, and attempt an ideological reading of a comedian who has stubbornly resisted ideology. PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/523-from-freezer-103971720

PREVIEW - #522 - The Everything Company (w/ David Moscrop and Mitchell Thompson) May 07, 2024

A new campaign to boycott Canada's biggest grocery chain raises a plethora of issues about how monopolies work in Canada, and what role governments and consumers should play in combatting them. On this special episode, Luke welcomes writers David Moscrop and Mitchell Thompson to discuss the Loblaws boycott and Canada's grocery-store oligarchs, the Weston Family. PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/103770757

#521 - The Nazarene Troublemaker May 02, 2024

In the election year of 2004, an ultraviolent subtitled right-wing Christian movie became a genuine cultural phenomenon and political lightning-rod. We finally discuss THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST (2004) and theology according to Mel Gibson. PLUS: the White House Correspondents Dinner, the Columbia encampment, and the one optimistic takeaway of a discouraging week. Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus "This Is How Power Protects Itself" by Jack Mirkinson - https://www.thenation.com/article/activism/columbia-ccny-cuny-protest-nypd-police-brutality/ "Mel Gibson's Martyrdom Complex" by Frank Rich - https://www.nytimes.com/2003/08/03/movies/mel-gibson-s-martyrdom-complex.html "The Gospel According to Mel" by Christopher Hitchens - https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2004/03/hitchens-201102 The Mel Gibson/Diane Sawyer interview - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Ecnfe530IE

PREVIEW - #520 - Pastor Dave Goes to Washington (w/ Alex Shephard) Apr 29, 2024

We had to do it. We heard that GOD'S NOT DEAD: WE THE PEOPLE (2021), the fourth entry in the Evangelical film franchise, goes all-in on the culture wars of the Trump years. We welcome back our official God's Not Dead correspondent Alex Shephard to discuss the wackiest entry yet. PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/103293856

#519 - Triangle of Badness Apr 26, 2024

If all of our current class hierarchies were eliminated, what would replace them? This question is at the core of TRIANGLE OF SADNESS (2022), the art-house hit that show the limits of being an "equal-opportunity offender." PLUS: campus protests, keffiyeh bans, and the state of the publishing industry. Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus "No One Buys Books" by Elle Griffin - https://www.elysian.press/p/no-one-buys-books "The Delusional Triangle of Sadness" by Armond White - https://www.nationalreview.com/2022/10/the-delusional-triangle-of-sadness/ "Triangle of Sadness" review by Richard Brody - https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-front-row/triangle-of-sadness-reviewed-were-on-a-yacht-and-were-puking "Triangle of Sadness" review by Gabe Klinger - https://letterboxd.com/gabeklinger/film/triangle-of-sadness/

#518 - The Devil, Probably Apr 23, 2024

Less than a decade after the revolutionary potential of the May 1968 protests, Robert Bresson's THE DEVIL, PROBABLY (1977) follows a disaffected youth in a world full of evil who asks: Is life worth living? It's a hard question, but we do our best to answer it. Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus

PREVIEW - #517 - The Civil War Episode Apr 18, 2024

Aiming straight for the zeitgeist, CIVIL WAR (2024) is a disaster movie for the post-January 6th America. But in deliberately removing any politics or ideology from his vision of a country at war with itself, Alex Garland has made a movie that is rigorously, even militantly unwilling to say anything. PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/517-civil-war-102614736

#516 - Embrace the Fire (w/ Alex Shephard) Apr 15, 2024

By the third entry of the God's Not Dead franchise, its creative team had clearly started listening to their critics. The result was a kinder, gentler right-wing Evangelical Christian drama that sought to heal divides... and failed at the box office. We welcome back New Republic writer and our resident God's Not Dead correspondent Alex Shephard to discuss GOD'S NOT DEAD: A LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS (2018). JOIN US ON PATREON FOR AN EXTRA EPISODE EVERY WEEK - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus

UNLOCKED - #492 - The Eddie Anderson Story Apr 13, 2024

When he emerged on radio, he was celebrated as a pioneering black star in a white entertainment landscape. By the time of the Civil Rights Movement, he was regarded by many a symbol of black subservience. In this solo documentary episode Cohost Will considers the career and thorny legacy of Eddie Anderson, the actor and comedian who played "Rochester" on The Jack Benny Show. "Jack Benny and the Golden Age of American Radio Comedy" by Katherine H. Fuller-Seeley - https://www.ucpress.edu/book/9780520295056/jack-benny-and-the-golden-age-of-american-radio-comedy This episode first appeared on the Michael & Us Patreon. For an extra episode every week, join us at https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus

PREVIEW - #515 - Escape from the Dinosaur Hour Apr 13, 2024

With the world in flames, it was time to have a little fun. We return to one of our all-time favourite discoveries, checking in on John Cleese's mind-bogglingly awful GB News chat show THE DINOSAUR HOUR to see how or if it has evolved since its debut. PLUS: What exactly do conservatives mean by "Marxism"? And Will uncovers a right-wing Evangelical book from the 1950s that exposes the dark heart of Hollywood. PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/515-escape-from-102297790

#514 - Sit Down, Sit Down Apr 08, 2024

For seven weeks in 1936 and 1937, workers at the General Motors plant in Flint Michigan held a risky sit-down strike. A true David vs. Goliath story, their strike won recognition for the United Auto Workers and changed labour in the United States forever. With a newer UAW strike fresh in the memory, we discuss the BBC documentary THE GREAT SIT-DOWN (1976). JOIN US ON PATREON FOR AN EXTRA EPISODE EVERY WEEK - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus Watch "The Great Sit-Down" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2Py_vNt4fc&ab_channel=NickSmith See will introduce Gamera: Super Monster at the Fox Theatre in Toronto on April 16 - https://www.foxtheatre.ca/movies/important-cinema-club-gamera-super-monster/ "Joe Lieberman? Really?" by Branko Marcetic - https://jacobin.com/2018/07/joe-lieberman-democratic-party-conservative-left "Sam Bankman-Fried will grow old in jail. But don’t forget those who basked in his orbit" by Aditya Chakrabortty - https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/mar/28/sam-bankman-fried-jail-ftx-money

PREVIEW - #513 - The Parallax View Apr 08, 2024

Imagine a world where shadowy forces completely disconnected from democracy control everything. Friends, you don't have to imagine, because this world is the setting for the quintessential '70s paranoia thriller, THE PARALLAX VIEW (1974). PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/513-parallax-101743154

PREVIEW - #512 - Walking Tall Speed Run Apr 05, 2024

We follow up our recent episode on a 1973 law-and-order semi-classic by examining its Bush-era remake. We found a gentrified and sandpapered WALKING TALL (2004), with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson" in a role "inspired by a true story" "suggested by events in the life of Buford Pusser." PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/512-walking-tall-101441962

#511 - All the President's Hot Dogs Mar 27, 2024

In 1939, King George VI visited President Roosevelt to gain his support in the coming war. Some years later, it happened. As the Bill Murray vehicle HYDE PARK ON HUDSON (2012) unconvincingly argues, the Special Relationship was sealed over a hot dog. We dig up a forgotten piece of failed Oscar bait just to bury it all over again. BONUS Hyde Park on Hudson talk on our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/posts/101187856 "The National Review Wants You to Work Till You Drop" by Luke Savage - https://jacobin.com/2024/03/national-review-32-hour-workweek-sanders

PREVIEW - #510 - 2017-core Mar 26, 2024

Our Superdelgate patron tier has tasked us with discussed the sitcom THE GOOD PLACE, and it leads us down a dark and scary path of remembering culture and politics in the early Trump era. PLUS: Checking in with Garfield Eats, and Luke sounds off on Masters of the Air. PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/510-2017-core-100993255

#509 - Kung Fu Bicycles Mar 23, 2024

For decades, a cottage industry flourished in the subterranean depths of the American music industry: send a company your poem, and for a fee, they'll turn it into a song. Maybe the song will even be your entryway into the industry and the Billboard charts! But most assuredly it will not be. Was this industry exploitative? Did it produce art? What even is "art" anyway? We tackle all these questions and more as we discuss the documentary OFF THE CHARTS: THE SONG-POEM STORY (2003). Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/posts/100937391

PREVIEW - #508 - Spice World Mar 17, 2024

An anti-imperial saga dreamed up by a Nixon-supporting conservative... a White Saviour narrative adapted to a time skeptical of White Saviours... folks, you could say that DUNE: PART TWO (2024) and its source material are a land of contradictions. PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/508-spice-world-100540196

#507 - Fresh Prince of Persia Mar 14, 2024

In 1991, over 100 of the the most famous singers, movie stars, an athletes in America got together to record a song for the troops in the first Gulf War. We take a visit to the consent-manufacturing factory and discuss the "apolitical" James Woods-hosted TV special VOICES THAT CARE: STAND TALL, STAND PROUD (1991). Watch the special here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJ1S_UNaWps&ab_channel=LeapingTrout Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus

PREVIEW - #506 - Merchant Prince Mar 14, 2024

Remember. Every day here, you're selling. Every thing you do, every interaction you have, every breath you take needs to be in the service of selling. But it shouldn't look like that. We're not that kind of store. Our customers don't appreciate being sold to. You should feel proud to work here. We discuss THE STORE (1983), by the god of cinéma vérité, Frederick Wiseman. PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/506-merchant-100124429

#505 - The Party's Over Mar 08, 2024

Against the backdrop of the incredibly boring 2000 election, the late, great Philip Seymour Hoffman went on a cross-country journey to see if George W. Bush or Al Gore represented America. The result was THE PARTY'S OVER (2001), aka THE LAST PARTY 2000 - that's right, it's an official sequel to the Robert Downey Jr-hosted documentary. We found many resonances between this fossil from the turn of the millennium and our current moment. PLUS: The Democratic Party primary, the fascist Italian Prime Minister in Canada, and a fond farewell to David Bordwell. David Bordwell and Kristin Thompson's official website - https://www.davidbordwell.net/

PREVIEW - #504 - Requiem for a Monoculture Mar 06, 2024

In 1985, Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie brought some of their most famous peers under the same roof to record "We Are the World." To some, the result was the epitome of tacky celebrity philanthropy culture. But for the makers of the new documentary THE GREATEST NIGHT IN POP (2024), it was exactly what that title says. PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/504-requiem-for-99670227

#503 - Suggested by Certain Events Feb 28, 2024

What Dirty Harry Callahan did for the big city, Buford Pusser did for the rural south. We discuss the Silent Majority semi-classic WALKING TALL (1973), a Nixon-era Red State phenomenon that asks: who needs due process when you can carry a big stick? Good scenes from FRAMED (1975) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xI8behel7BE&t=45s&ab_channel=BananasAboutMovies Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/posts/503-suggested-by-99355800

PREVIEW - #502 - A Rainy Day in Insectopia Feb 28, 2024

We've made a bit of a hobby of mining children's movies from the 1990s for ideology, so our Superdelegate patron tier sent us a challenge: discuss ANTZ (1998) and its vision of an anthill as an alienated '90s workspace. We happily obliged. PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/502-rainy-day-in-99216863

#501 - An Irreverent Tendency Feb 23, 2024

In 1987, America was ready to look back on the Vietnam War... with laughter. We discuss GOOD MORNING VIETNAM (1987) and why it is one of the quintessential "boomer liberal" texts. PLUS: We check in on the state of Canadian politics (it's not good, folks). Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus

PREVIEW - #500 - The 500th Episode Feb 20, 2024

We mark an auspicious anniversary in frankly self-indulgent fashion, by revisiting one of our mutual favorite movies: Martin Scorsese's THE KING OF COMEDY (1982). We ask: does the future belong to Rupert Pupkin? And if so, how? PLUS: See, it started as a Michael Moore podcast... PATREON-EXLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/500-500th-98738387

#499 - Terminally Unfunny Feb 15, 2024

The American healthcare system is broken, but why? According to Robin Williams in PATCH ADAMS (1998), it's because the medical profession has lost touch with the healing power of laughter. We discuss one of the most cloying movies of all time. Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus

#498 - Eat the Rich Feb 12, 2024

We discuss THE MENU (2022) and its place in the context of the current wave of "eat the rich" cinema. PLUS: we discuss Walter Isaacson's new hagiography of Elon Musk, and Joe Biden's wildly successful "I'm fit for office" press conference. Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus

PREVIEW - #497 - Oxbridge Blues Feb 08, 2024

It begins as an "eat the rich" movie, but turns into something very different. We discuss the movie that is burning up TikTok, SALTBURN (2023), and its odd take on class mobility. PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/497-oxbridge-98117512

PREVIEW - #496 - An Autumn Afternoon Feb 07, 2024

We're in a contemplative mood on this episode, and there's no filmmaker better suited for such a mood than Yasujirō Ozu. We discuss his final film, AN AUTUMN AFTERNOON (1962), and how Ozu's seemingly narrow thematic and stylistic palette encompasses so much of the human condition. PATREON-EXLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/496-autumn-97874507

#495 - Adaptation Feb 04, 2024

Are commercial considerations always doomed to taint art? And are commercial considerations really a taint? We discuss Spike Jonze and Charlie Kaufman's meta-movie ADAPTATION (2002) and the artist/hack dichotomy. PLUS: We mark the passing of the world's most famous minimalist sculptor and murder suspect. Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus

PREVIEW - #494 - Joke Save America Feb 04, 2024

Can "anti-woke comedy" save America? That's what a conservative scribe for the Washington Times theorizes. We give the idea due consideration, and find some of the essential contradictions in conservative comedy. PLUS: Luke visits London, and tries to find the real London. PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/494-joke-save-97392407

#493 - The Inevitable Barbie Episode Jan 26, 2024

The world can't stop discoursing about it. Hillary Clinton herself has championed it. And our Superdelegate patrons specifically requested it. It time for us to turn our attention to the most discussed movie of the past year. We talk about BARBIE (2023). PLUS: We bid a fond farewell to Ron DeSanctimonious. "Seeking Social Democracy," the book Luke coauthored with Ed Broadbent, is available here: https://ecwpress.com/products/seeking-social-democracy-ed-broadbent Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus

PREVIEW - #492 - The Eddie Anderson Story Jan 21, 2024

When he emerged on radio, he was celebrated as a pioneering black star in a white entertainment landscape. By the time of the Civil Rights Movement, he was regarded by many a symbol of black subservience. In this solo documentary episode Cohost Will considers the career and thorny legacy of Eddie Anderson, the actor and comedian who played "Rochester" on The Jack Benny Show. PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/96931714

#491 - Stone Dead (w/ Jack Frayne-Reid) Jan 19, 2024

Cohost Will asks your kind indulgence as he invites Jack Frayne-Reid (from the Reel Politik podcast) to has over one of his personal obsessions: the blockbuster 2014 Monty Python reunion show. They discuss MONTY PYTHON LIVE (MOSTLY) and how comedy can change and wilt under different social and political contexts. Check out Reel Politik - https://soundcloud.com/reelpolitikpodcast Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus

PREVIEW - #490 - Grindset Wonka Jan 17, 2024

The thing about mass culture is, it channels the ambient wisdom of its day. So we applied this theory to the new Willy Wonka reboot WONKA (2023) and looked to see what it said about our times. Friends... we were not disappointed. PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/490-grindset-96483445

#489 - Meet Me in Helsinki Jan 10, 2024

Your coworkers are spying on you. Your boss won't let you keep the expired food. The coffeeshop is charging you an arm and a leg to rent a laptop. In Aki Kaurismäki's funny and wonderful FALLEN LEAVES (2023), can a budding romance survive the everyday indignities of life under capitalism? PLUS: What would a British West Wing look like? Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus TORONTO: See Will introduce The Dragon Lives Again (1977) at the Fox Theatre on February 23 - https://www.foxtheatre.ca/movies/the-important-cinema-club-masterpiece-classics-the-dragon-lives-again/

PREVIEW - #488 - The Fourth Annual Michael & Us Year-in-Review Extravaganza Jan 07, 2024

From THE FLASH to SOUND OF FREEDOM and many more along the way, we look back at some of the movies that defined the podcast in 2023, and hand out the coveted Michael & Us Awards. What won Best Movie? Worst Movie? Dumbest Idea for the Podcast? Biggest Disappointment? PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/488-fourth-us-in-96020283

#487 - We Invented Chill! Jan 01, 2024

We ring in the new year by raiding the fridge for some holiday leftovers. It's become an annual tradition on this podcast to try to extract ideology from Tim Allen's "Santa Clause" franchise. With THE SANTA CLAUSE 3: THE ESCAPE CLAUSE (2006), we hit the motherlode. Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus

PREVIEW - #486 - Dream Story Dec 25, 2023

To celebrate Christmas (and at the behest of our Superdelegate patrons), we took a flight on Victor Ziegler's Lolita Express to a big mansion in Long Island, where we watched Stanley Kubrick's EYES WIDE SHUT (1999). We had a great time revisiting a movie that only gets richer and stranger with every viewing. PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/95244713

#485 - Gun Kata Dec 21, 2023

If society outlawed emotions, could we stop all war and conflict? This is the very, very stupid question at the heart of EQUILIBRIUM (2002), the dystopian extravaganza that introduced the world to the art of "gun kata." Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus Get Will's new project "The Journal of Stoogeological Studies: An Unauthorized Three Stooges Fanzine" US: https://amazon.com/dp/B0CPM5JBPB Canada: https://amazon.ca/dp/B0CPM5JBPB UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0CPM5JBPB

PREVIEW - #484 - Farewell Andy Borowitz Dec 21, 2023

For years, one political satirist has dared to push the limits of comedy with such groundbreaking fake-news headlines as “Matt Gaetz accuses Kevin McCarthy of behaving like an adult” and “Trump accuses media of not listening to the voices he hears in his head." But could that be set to change? With news that The New Yorker has laid off its resident liberal jokesmith, we consider the comedy and philosophy of Andy Borowitz. PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/484-farewell-94853418

#483 - A Whiff of Grapeshot Dec 17, 2023

The French Revolution and the reign of Napoleon Bonaparte have inspired a lot of takes... so, of course, you can depend on Ridley Scott to find the least imaginative one. We discuss his lugubrious NAPOLEON (2023). PLUS: An update on Canadian politics, and some thoughts on the man who may be Prime Minsiter, Pierre Poilievre. Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus

PREVIEW - #482 - A Smorgasbord of Violence Dec 10, 2023

Is Popeye the Sailor a deep Jungian archetype? Did Sweethaven's tax-and-spend government lead the way for Reaganism? Is mankind divided between Blutos and Wimpys? These and other pressing political questions will not be answered in our discussion of Robert Altman's POPEYE (1980). PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/482-smorgasbord-94440388

#481 - Ratings War Dec 07, 2023

In the lead-up to the 2003 Iraq War, HBO made a movie about the lead-up to the first Gulf War, from the perspective of its most important factor: CNN. In LIVE FROM BAGHDAD (2002), Michael Keaton and his team of CNN reporters are Davids against the Goliaths that are establishment media... and the Iraqi security state. We discuss a mind-bogglingly awful piece of American propaganda from the Bush era. Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus Richard Seymour on CNN and Iraq - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELrGcK6XInE&ab_channel=TeleSUREnglish Luke's interview with Tantoo Cardinal - https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/movies/youve-got-to-crash-a-door-and-fail-and-get-back-up-canadas-most-recognizable/article_729f94ea-8ec2-11ee-843c-733c6d38c787.html Luke's review of Werner Herzog's memoir - https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/movies/werner-herzogs-new-memoir-is-as-complicated-and-fascinating-as-the-filmmaker-himself/article_92daad66-8ed7-11ee-9628-9345052d7cc2.html Will's new zine, "The Journal of Stoogeological Studies" - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CPM5JBPB

PREVIEW - #480 - Writers' Room Dec 04, 2023

The boys begin by hashing out plans for the possibly-will-never-exist-but-also-possibly-will-exist-one-day "Michael & Us: The Book." Then, they move on to Christopher Nolan's OPPENHEIMER (2023), and try to identify the ideological outer-limits of a liberal political blockbuster circa 2023. PATREON EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/94066645

#479 - A Prurient Interest Dec 02, 2023

Ed Harris is a senator with presidential ambitions. Diane Keaton is the love of his life, but uncomfortable in politics. And with the White House in his grasp, his campaign is about to be rattled by a very, very stupid revelation from her past. We discuss Michael Lindsay-Hogg's RUNNING MATES (1992), a movie that emerged straight from the primordial ooze of the 1992 election cycle. Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus

#478 - Killers of the Flower Moon Nov 27, 2023

The old saying goes that "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing," but it helps if the men are very, very stupid. We discuss Martin Scorsese's KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON, in which the architect of a Native American genocide finds an easy pawn in one of the lowest-IQ protagonists in movie history. Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus

PREVIEW - #477 - Guys Being Dudes Nov 26, 2023

By popular demand, we discuss one of the most beloved movies of the '90s (and a movie Luke had never seen!): Michael Mann's HEAT. Does the line between "cop" and "criminal" start to blur? You'll have to listen to find out. PLUS: The boys come to blows over Ridley Scott (sort of). PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/93531453

PREVIEW - #476 - Of Mice and Men Nov 20, 2023

Everything is terrible, so we watched MOUSE HUNT (1997). PLUS: Can AIPAC knock out "the Squad" from Congress? Why is IDF propaganda so bad?? And how do Democratic insiders see their path to re-election??? PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/476-of-mice-and-93079709

#475 - I Just Don't Think About It Nov 15, 2023

We've talked a lot on this podcast about "the end of history" and "lost futures," but how about a world with literally no future? We discuss CHILDREN OF MEN (2006). PLUS: Society is becoming more politicized. What does this mean? WINDSOR: Luke will be in Windsor to promote his new book Seeking Social Democracy. See him Sunday, November 19 at 5pm at Biblioasis Bookshop: https://biblioasisbookshop.com/events Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus

PREVIEW - #474 - Fluid Karma Nov 10, 2023

Reviled upon its first release, Richard Kelly's dystopian sci-fi satire SOUTHLAND TALES (2006) has earned a cult following that sees in it a prophetic vision. We wade through the soup of its sounds and images and debate what, if anything, this collection of late-Bush-era sounds and images is saying. This one has been a long time coming, folks! PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/474-fluid-karma-92647940

#473 - The Dinosaur Hour Nov 08, 2023

What if Britain's notorious right-wing GB News channel gave fading comedy hero and current "anti-woke" nuisance John Cleese a weekly show to do whatever he wants? Folks... the results may surprise you. We discuss the first few episodes THE DINOSAUR HOUR, the Monty Python legend's baffling new show. PLUS: Checking in on the Doug Burgum and Chris Christie campaign juggernauts. Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus

PREVIEW - Confessions of a McKinsey Consultant (w/ Garrison Lovely) Nov 06, 2023

Luke speaks to former McKinsey consultant turned whistleblower Garrison Lovely about his September cover story in The Nation magazine, the secretive but hugely influential business of elite management consulting, and what he saw inside the world's most prestigious — and notorious — management consulting firm. PATREON-EXCLUSIVE BONUS - https://www.patreon.com/posts/bonus-of-w-91914451

PREVIEW - #472 - Wine Time Fridays Nov 06, 2023

While the rest of us were locked indoors, Boris Johnson and his staff were enjoying lockdown-era parties. The ensuing scandal helped topple his premiership. We discuss the new TV movie PARTYGATE (2023), and reflect on how the former British Prime Minister failed to "democratize the hedonism." PLUS: We find a choice bit of forgotten Alexandra Pelosi content from the archives. PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/92102138

#471 - Nosferatu, the Wrath of Pod Oct 31, 2023

It's Halloween, so we offer a fond nod of the hat to our old old friend Count Dracula by discussing NOSFERATU, PHANTOM DER NACHT (1979) - and because we've both just read Werner Herzog's new autobiography, we discuss how its depiction of science vs. the unknown fits squarely into the larger Herzog project. PLUS: More reflections on the crisis in Gaza. VANCOUVER: See Luke and Ed Broadbent in conversation at the Central Library on November 1 - https://vpl.bibliocommons.com/events/650b36ea2d0219cf8b5cf95f

PREVIEW - #470 - The Height of the Flames (w/ Ettingermentum) Oct 27, 2023

In this special interview episode, Luke talks to Ettingermentum about the defining figure of modern Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. They discuss how Netanyahu's long political career has fundamentally reshaped Israeli society, and how the October 7 attack has changed his legacy. PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - GET IT HERE: https://www.patreon.com/posts/470-height-of-w-91780490

PREVIEW - #469 - Patriots by Choice Oct 22, 2023

Would you believe that our old friend Alexandra Pelosi has released her second film about January 6th in less than a year? In THE INSURRECTIONIST NEXT DOOR (2023), our favorite scion tries to find "common ground" with some of the rioters who breached the Capitol... and ends up making the same movie she always makes. We will never quit you, Alexandra Pelosi. PLUS: Who is to blame for Canada's cost-of-living crisis? PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - GET IT HERE: https://www.patreon.com/posts/469-patriots-by-91428493

#468 - Citizen of the World Oct 19, 2023

With the crisis in Gaza on our minds, we spend a little time with one of the most acclaimed Palestinian filmmakers, Elia Suleiman, and his lovely film IT MUST BE HEAVEN (2019). * "We Cannot Cross Until We Carry Each Other" by Arielle Angel - https://jewishcurrents.org/we-cannot-cross-until-we-carry-each-other * Order Luke's new book "Seeking Social Democracy: Seven Decades in the Fight for Equality," coauthored with Ed Broadbent - ecwpress.com/products/seeking-s…cracy-ed-broadbent TORONTO: See Luke and Ed Broadbent in conversation at the Toronto Reference Library on October 22 - www.eventbrite.ca/e/seeking-social…ets-713793665067 VANCOUVER: See Luke and Ed at the Central Library on November 1 - vpl.bibliocommons.com/events/650b36e…0219cf8b5cf95f Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus

PREVIEW - #467 - Underwater Impressions Oct 08, 2023

PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/467-underwater-90598569 What happens when the most famous Nazi filmmaker makes a nature documentary at the ripe age of 100? We watch Leni Riefenstahl's UNDERWATER IMPRESSIONS (2002), and see if we can find any traces of fascism in the swan song of Hitler's favorite filmmaker. PLUS: Is the internet getting worse?

#466 - I Heart New Wave Oct 06, 2023

In DEATH WISH 4: THE CRACKDOWN (1987), Charles Bronson wages a one-man war against the Los Angeles drug trade, despite being as old-looking as anyone has ever looked. We discuss how the ridiculous fourth entry in the iconic action franchise takes its reactionary politics a step beyond "law and order." PLUS: We discuss two milestones in cinematic surrealism (1989's THINGS and 1994's TWIN PEAKS: FIRE WALK WITH ME) and bid farewell to former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. Preorder Luke's new book "Seeking Social Democracy: Seven Decades in the Fight for Equality," coauthored with Ed Broadbent - ecwpress.com/products/seeking-s…cracy-ed-broadbent OTTAWA: See Luke and Ed at the Ottawa Writers Festival on October 10 - https://writersfestival.org/events/fall-2023-in-person-events/seeking-social-democracy TORONTO: See Luke and Ed Broadbent in conversation at the Toronto Reference Library on October 22 - www.eventbrite.ca/e/seeking-social…ets-713793665067 VANCOUVER: See Luke and Ed at the Central Library on November 1 - vpl.bibliocommons.com/events/650b36e…0219cf8b5cf95f See Will moderate a Q&A following the Toronto premiere of Nate Wilson's THE ALL GOLDEN at the Revue Cinema on November 2 - https://revuecinema.ca/films/the-all-golden-toronto-theatrical-premiere/

PREVIEW - #465 - A No Movie Episode Sep 29, 2023

PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/465-no-movie-90050486 We catch up on the news, with due consideration given to: ✓ The latest Republican presidential primary debate ✓ Rolling Stone's list of "The 50 Worst Decision in Movie History" ✓ Canadian parliament salutes a member of the Waffen-SS

#464 - Wheatfield with Crows Sep 27, 2023

Late in his career, Akira Kurosawa plumbed his subconscious and came up with DREAMS (1990), one of his most underrated films. We discuss the ways that this film captures the mood and style of a dream, and its unifying theme of humankind's relationship with nature. PLUS: We attempt to define the ambient politics (and anti-politics) of the post-Trump years. "Martin Scorsese: 'I Have To Find Out Who The Hell I Am'" by Zach Baron - https://www.gq.com/story/martin-scorsese-profile Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - www.patreon.com/michaelandus Preorder Luke's new book "Seeking Social Democracy: Seven Decades in the Fight for Equality," coauthored with Ed Broadbent - ecwpress.com/products/seeking-s…cracy-ed-broadbent TORONTO: See Luke and Ed Broadbent in conversation at the Toronto Reference Library on October 22 - www.eventbrite.ca/e/seeking-social…ets-713793665067 VANCOUVER: See Luke and Ed at the Central Library on November 1 - vpl.bibliocommons.com/events/650b36e…0219cf8b5cf95f See Will introduce THINGS (1989) at the Fox Theatre on October 3 - www.foxtheatre.ca/movies/the-impor…classics-things/

#463 - Jewellbilly Elegy Sep 24, 2023

In 2019, Clint Eastwood's RICHARD JEWELL took aim at two institutions — the FBI and the media — that were supposed to save America from Trumpism. We discuss one of the veteran auteur's most beautiful films, which is also one of his most loaded and ambiguous political hot-potatoes. PLUS: David Brooks' expensive meal, Doug Ford's about-face, and Jean-Luc Godard's film criticism. "David Brooks and the $78 airport meal the internet is talking about" by Timothy Bella - https://www.washingtonpost.com/food/2023/09/22/david-brooks-newark-airport-meal/ See Will introduce THINGS (1989) at the Fox Theatre on October 3 - https://www.foxtheatre.ca/movies/the-important-cinema-club-masterpiece-classics-things/ Preorder Luke's new book "Seeking Social Democracy: Seven Decades in the Fight for Equality," coauthored with Ed Broadbent - ecwpress.com/products/seeking-s…cracy-ed-broadbent TORONTO: See Luke and Ed Broadbent in conversation at the Toronto Reference Library on October 22 - www.eventbrite.ca/e/seeking-social…ets-713793665067 VANCOUVER: See Luke and Ed at the Central Library on November 1 - https://vpl.bibliocommons.com/events/650b36ea2d0219cf8b5cf95f Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus

PREVIEW - #462 - The Most Famous Facts Ever Sep 21, 2023

PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/462-most-famous-89633259 In 2009, a wildly popular movie told the allegedly true story of a poor black football player who was uplifted by a rich white family. Nowadays, the movie's real-life subject says that the reality of the situation was very different. We discuss THE BLIND SIDE (2009), the most racist Hollywood blockbuster this side of D.W. Griffith. PLUS: Tim Ballard, the subject of Sound of Freedom, is at it again!

PREVIEW - #461 - Set of Assets Sep 17, 2023

PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/461-set-of-89409879 We Need to Talk About the Death (or Rebirth?) of Cinema. On this special episode, we gather to discuss David Zaslav, Harmony Korine, Richard Linklater, and other visions of cinema's future (or lack thereof).

#460 - The Stranger Song Sep 15, 2023

In Robert Altman's MCCABE & MRS MILLER (1971), a couple of entrepreneurs find themselves crushed by monopoly capitalism. Of course, this could only happen in a small Old West mining town. We discuss the power and beauty of one of the greatest films of all time. PLUS: A primer on the Ontario greenbelt scandal, and why are Joe Biden's poll numbers so bad? Preorder Luke's new book "Seeking Social Democracy: Seven Decades in the Fight for Equality," coauthored with Ed Broadbent - https://ecwpress.com/products/seeking-social-democracy-ed-broadbent See Luke and Ed Broadbent in conversation at the Toronto Reference Library on October 22 - https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/seeking-social-democracy-a-conversation-with-ed-broadbent-tickets-713793665067 Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus

PREVIEW - #459 - Jerry's Kids Sep 09, 2023

PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/459-jerrys-kids-89032472 From 1966 to 2010, THE JERRY LEWIS MDA LABOR DAY TELETHON raised billions for muscular dystrophy causes. It also lived long enough to become a relic of a long-gone monoculture, and incited the wrath of disability advocates. We discuss a bona fide American cultural phenomenon from a very, very different time.

#458 - Airport Paperback Sep 06, 2023

Widely described as "Hollywood's response to the Lewinsky scandal," THE CONTENDER (2000) imagines a Vice Presidential confirmation process derailed by sexism and moral prudishness. We excavate some Oscar bait from the very tail end of the Clinton Era and find... yes, another Politics Movie™. Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus

PREVIEW - #457 - Free Drama Movie Sep 02, 2023

PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/457-free-drama-88663195 What happens when a former Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives makes a feature film? We discuss Robert J. Mrazek's THE CONGRESSMAN (2016), starring Treat Williams as an incumbent House member tackling the twin crises of influence-peddling and... overfishing.

#456 - Collect 'Em All (w/ Jesse Brenneman) Sep 01, 2023

In the middle of the 20th century, some of America's biggest companies made a habit of staging Broadway-quality musicals simply to hype up their employees. The documentary BATHTUBS OVER BROADWAY (2018) chronicles the obsession that David Letterman's writer Steve Young developed with the arcane genre of the "industrial musical." Will is joined by special guest host Jesse Brenneman to discuss the film, and to hash over their experiences collecting really, really, really niche interests. Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus Follow Jesse - https://linktr.ee/jkbrenneman Check out "Tech Talk" - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/tech-talk/id1498677455

PREVIEW - #455 - Avatars of the Astral Worlds Aug 26, 2023

PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/455-avatars-of-88293850 Last week's Republican presidential debate, competing Tucker Carlson/Donald Trump interview, and concurrent Trump mugshot drop had us hankering to find the worst Donald Trump documentary we could find. And boy, did we find it. We dived back into the Tubi mines and dredged up TRUMP: THE FIRST TERM (2020).

#454 - The Liberal Imagination Aug 23, 2023

Released in the middle of the Obama era, George Clooney's THE IDES OF MARCH (2011) has a lot to tell us about a time when the horizons of possibility were contracting. That's right, folks - it's time to have fun with a good, old-fashioned Politics Movie™. Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus

#453 - Arrested Development Aug 21, 2023

We've been talking about a lot of soulless, big-budget IP movies that represent a rot in our culture... so how about a how about a hand-crafted, achingly personal movie that exists as a wart on the back of that rot? We discuss Kevin Smith's CLERKS III (2022), a harrowing vision of Gen X culture trapped in amber. Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus "Awkward Americans see themselves in Ron DeSantis" by Ben Terris - https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2023/08/17/ron-desantis-awkward/ "Talk is Cheap" by Nick Pinkerton - https://nickpinkerton.substack.com/p/talk-is-cheap

PREVIEW - #452 - Hidden Strikes Aug 17, 2023

PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/87861707 With no end in sight to the SAG and WAG strikes, we looked at episodes of four beloved TV shows that deal with labor disputes: The Simpsons, South Park, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and Babylon 5. PLUS: Fiery hot takes on the new movies by two of our fave filmmakers, Wes Anderson and Jackie Chan.

#451 - Long Live the New Flesh Aug 12, 2023

After years of hearing from censors that violent media images cause harm, David Cronenberg made a movie... in which violent media images cause harm. We discuss VIDEODROME (1983) - its media satire, its sexual/gender politics, and its vision of how technology influences reality. PLUS: the Prime Minister enters the Barbieheimer discourse, and further thoughts on Sound of Freedom. See Will introduce Glen or Glenda?at the Fox Theatre on August 15 - https://www.foxtheatre.ca/movies/the-important-cinema-club-masterpiece-classics-glen-or-glenda/ Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week -https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus

PREVIEW - #450 - Echo of Forgotten Laughter Aug 09, 2023

PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/450-echo-of-87439056 Luke has been a Trekkie (or perhaps he's a Trekker - sound off in the comments!) for all his life. Will has spent very little time with Star Trek. Now, the boys confront STAR TREK: THE MOTION PICTURE (1979) to see if its middling reputation is correct. The answer may or may not surprise you.

PREVIEW - #449 - Popcorn Potpourri Aug 04, 2023

PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/449-popcorn-87204143 In this nice-n-chill ep, the boys invite you to pull up a chair and sit beside them as they hash over a variety of topics of mutual interest. Will pays tribute to the late, great Paul “Pee-wee Herman” Reubens, and the lads discuss such films as Dave, Memento, The Dark Knight, Oppenheimer, Die Another Day, Match Point, and more.

#448 - The Sound of Freedom Episode Aug 02, 2023

Unfortunately, there was no avoiding it. We finally went to see the right-wing human-trafficking blockbuster SOUND OF FREEDOM (2023) and had one of our more unpleasant viewing experiences. We discuss the film's astroturfed box office, as well as the reasons for its very real cultural resonance. "Tim Ballard Has ‘Stepped Away’ From Operation Underground Railroad, Org Says" by Anna Merlan - https://www.vice.com/en/article/k7z74x/tim-ballard-sound-of-freedom-operation-underground-railroad-stepped-away Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus

PREVIEW - #447 - Your Obedient Servant Jul 28, 2023

PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/86802421 In a special solo documentary episode, Will looks at the 1946 radio broadcasts in which Orson Welles advocated for justice in the case of Isaac Woodard Jr., a black war veteran who was beaten and blinded by a police officer in the American south. Listen to the full Orson Welles Commentaries broadcasts here - https://orsonwelles.indiana.edu/collections/show/9

#446 - Le petite mort (w/ Adam Nayman) Jul 25, 2023

So, why do they call it "the little death"? Will is joined by film critic Adam Nayman to discuss Claire Denis's transgressive masterpiece TROUBLE EVERY DAY (2001) and how it scandalized film culture circa 2001. PLUS: What is it like to teach the history of satire at a university? Adam Nayman on Twitter - https://twitter.com/brofromanother Adam's books - https://www.abramsbooks.com/contributor/adam-nayman_19289396/

PREVIEW - #445 - Hollywood Crackup Jul 21, 2023

PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/445-hollywood-86422479 With the winds of change (and a couple of major strikes) hitting the movie industry, we look back on a document from an earlier time when the tectonic plates shifted in Hollywood. Shot throughout the 1970s, Orson Welles' posthumously completed THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WIND (2018) looked at the New Hollywood from the jaundiced perspective of an industry veteran. PLUS: Fiery hot takes on Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Vivek Ramaswamy

#444 - He's Surely Alive (w/ Alex Shephard) Jul 19, 2023

Reports of God's death remain greatly exaggerated in GOD'S NOT DEAD 2 (2016), in which Evangelical Christianity is put literally on trial. We welcome back Alex Shephard (staff writer for The New Republic and expert in the blockbuster Christian film franchise), and discuss how this instalment's relentless focus on Facts and Logic situates it in a recent but very different era of the culture war. PLUS: Ron DeSantis continues to have no juice. "Ron DeSantis Has a Ron DeSantis Problem" by Alex Shephard - https://newrepublic.com/article/174327/ron-desantis-ron-desantis-problem Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus

PREVIEW - #443 - Comfortably Dumb Jul 15, 2023

PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/443-comfortably-86096994 Many have called NOSTALGIA CRITIC: THE WALL (2019) the worst movie review of all time. But upon viewing this infamous YouTube video, we're forced to ponder: is it even worse than that? We cap our recent run of Pink Floyd content by revisiting one of the lowest moments in the history of the internet.

PREVIEW - BONUS: A Podcastful of Secrets (w/ Nick Mason) Jul 15, 2023

PATREON EXCLUSIVE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/bonus-podcastful-86089621 In a very special interview, Luke talks to Pink Floyd's drummer Nick Mason about reviving the band's early music, their legendary 1975 Hamilton show, and why they're experiencing a renaissance.

#442 - The Futility Thesis Jul 13, 2023

At the behest of our Superdelegate patron tier, we have returned to a TV show that is one of the prime relics of mid-2000s libertarian culture. We watch episodes of PENN & TELLER: BULLSHIT! on topics as disparate from handicapped parking to reparations, but find that for the libertarian funnymen, it all comes back to property rights. PLUS: thoughts on the QAnon human-trafficking thriller that's rocking the box office, and a shocking allegation that Napoleon Bonaparte was a bad guy. Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus Our first episode on PENN & TELLER: BULLSHIT! - https://www.patreon.com/posts/68-penn-teller-21372520 Our episode on TIM'S VERMEER - https://www.patreon.com/posts/367-penn-and-72436837

PREVIEW - #441 - The Flaming Cow (w/ Ron Geesin) Jul 08, 2023

PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/441-flaming-cow-85777013 In a solo documentary episode, Luke offers a brief history of Pink Floyd and its landmark 1970 suite Atom Heart Mother. He then sits down with the piece's co-writer Ron Geesin to discuss its composition, his unique career, his collaborations with Pink Floyd and Roger Waters, a chance encounter with Syd Barrett, and the unfairly-maligned institution of the adjustable spanner.

#440 - Deaths of Cinema Jul 06, 2023

Quentin Tarantino's ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD (2019) hit the zeitgeist by consciously going against the 2019-era cultural grain. Tarantino looks back on the winds of change that greeted the movie business in the late 1960s and lands firmly - but not uncomplicatedly - on the side of the old guard. PLUS: Bluesky vs Twitter, wrapping up the Toronto mayoral election, and checking in on a man by the name of Lights Camera Jackson. Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus

PREVIEW - #439 - Rambo: Fourth Blood Jun 28, 2023

PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/439-rambo-fourth-85222850 John Rambo enters Myanmar - and affirms his belief that man is fundamentally barbaric - in the fourth and bleakest entry in the series, titled simply RAMBO (2008). We find in this ugly film the purest articulation of writer/director/star Sylvester Stallone's conservative politics. PLUS: Arnold Schwarzenegger's Netflix series, and the unexpected cinephilia of Toronto's most visible far-right mayoral candidate.

#438 - In Soviet Russia, Game Plays You Jun 27, 2023

Did Tetris bring down the USSR? That's the implication of TETRIS (2023), a highly fictionalized account of the beloved video game's journey from the Soviet Union to your phone. We examine what anti-Communist kitsch looks like in the year 2023. PLUS: Russian coups, disappearing subs, and further thoughts on the movie on everyone's lips, The Flash. Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus

PREVIEW - #437 - The Flash Is Dead, Long Live The Flash! Jun 21, 2023

PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/437-flash-is-84903674 We went to see the cursed blockbuster THE FLASH (2023) and discovered not merely a bad movie, but also a movie that encapsulates nearly everything bad about movies in the year 2023. Strap in, folks.

#436 - Let's See What's On Netflix... Jun 20, 2023

Our sacred quest to tackle every political comedy inevitably reaches the Will Ferrell/Zack Galifianakis vehicle THE CAMPAIGN (2012). We discuss what a middle-of-the-road comedy from smack dab in the middle of the Obama era captures of its time and ambience. PLUS: Checking in on some of the wackier characters in the Toronto mayoral race.

PREVIEW - #435 - The Ford Doctrine Jun 13, 2023

PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/435-ford-84518277 It's Die Hard on an airplane and the President of the United States is John McClane. In AIR FORCE ONE (1997), Harrison Ford plays a president so great that he can beat the terrorists with his own hands. PLUS: We discuss breadlines and blockbusters.

#434 - If Movies Tire You, What Will Podcasts Do? Jun 12, 2023

Hell is real, and it's really bad, and it's really important that you repent. That's the thesis of THE BURNING HELL (1974), a crackpot Evangelical oddity from the deep south, brought to you by the dynamic duo of director Ron Ormond and preacher/star Estus W. Pirkle. We discuss what this bizarre handmade movie tells us about American religious conservatism. PLUS: enter Mike Pence and Chris Christie; exit Vanderpump Rules Season 10. From deep in the Michael & Us archives, an episode on an earlier Ormond/Pirkle film, IF FOOTMEN TIRE YOU, WHAT WILL HORSES DO? - https://soundcloud.com/michael-and-us/61-if-footmen-tire-you-what-will-horses-do Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week -https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus

PREVIEW - #433 - Golden Turkeys Jun 07, 2023

PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/84221377 With ED WOOD (1994), one of the most commercially successful American filmmakers paid tribute to one of the least. We discuss how the film establishes an aesthetic and spiritual common-ground between Tim Burton and Edward D. Wood, Jr. PLUS: Who will be the standard-bearer of American conservatism until he dies? I think we all know the answer...

#432 - America Would Never Jun 06, 2023

A ragtag gang of Beltway misfits discover how to start a proxy war in CHARLIE WILSON'S WAR (2007), a lighthearted look at American intervention from the combined forces of Tom Hanks, Mike Nichols, and Aaron Sorkin. We discuss how this celebration of the Reagan Doctrine from the very heart of "liberal Hollywood" offers a, shall we say, sanitized version of the end of the Cold War. PLUS: We discuss matters Pablo-matic and not. Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus Preorder "Seeking Social Democracy: Seven Decades in the Fight for Equality," the new Ed Broadbent memoir coauthored by our own Luke Savage - https://ecwpress.com/products/seeking-social-democracy-ed-broadbent "Fake News" by our own Luke Savage - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crSeqJafFt8&ab_channel=JusticeDemocrats "With Hannah Gadsby’s ‘It’s Pablo-matic,’ the Joke’s on the Brooklyn Museum" by Jason Farago - https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/01/arts/design/hannah-gadsby-brooklyn-museum-picasso.html "The True Mystery in James Comey’s Crime Novel" by Jacob Bacharach - https://newrepublic.com/article/172553/true-mystery-james-comeys-crime-novel-central-park-west-review

PREVIEW - #431 - Gravespotting May 31, 2023

PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/431-83814916 In a post-Thatcherite Scotland, Danny Boyle's thriller SHALLOW GRAVE (1994) shows a world in which the bonds of community have been eroded... and does it in a way that its, y'know, entertaining. PLUS: We take the temperature on the Toronto municipal election, in which a 12-year conservative hegemony might finally face a challenge.

#430 - Motern and Us May 29, 2023

For over two decades, a pair of New England-based independent filmmakers have created a cinematic universe out with their friends, family, and as little money as possible. Cohost Will finally brings his well-documented obsession with Matt Farley and Charlie Roxburgh to the Michael & Us podcast with a discussion of their recent MAGIC SPOT (2022), and what it says about the democratic potential of cinema. PLUS: What is it with British celebrities and politics? We discuss three well-known U.K. citizens. Watch MAGIC SPOT - https://vimeo.com/ondemand/magicspot Watch LOCAL LEGENDS - https://vimeo.com/ondemand/locallegends "Motern on Motern: Conversations with Matt Farley and Charles Roxburgh" by Will Sloan and Justin Decloux - https://www.amazon.com/Motern-Conversations-Farley-Charles-Roxburgh/dp/B08KHRR4WR/ "The liberal complacency of Martin Amis" by Terry Eagleton - https://unherd.com/2023/05/the-liberal-complacency-of-martin-amis/ Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus

PREVIEW - #429 - Persona Pod Grata May 29, 2023

PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/429-persona-pod-83516730 Movies as good as Corona Zombies don't come along every day, so sometimes we have to make due with Ingmar Bergman's PERSONA (1966). We discuss what Alma and Elisabet tell us about the human condition - together and apart.

#428 - iPhone, Therefore I Am May 24, 2023

As Canadians, we simply couldn't pass up a movie about our greatest national export. Matt Johnson's BLACKBERRY (2023) puts a darkly comic spin on the rise and fall of "the phone you had before your iPhone." We discuss the ways that this very funny film is both similar to and crucially different from such recent boardroom dramas as AIR. PLUS: the return of Pete Buttigieg, and a weekend with the world's most prolific songwriter. If you watch only one movie on Will's recommendation in your life, make it LOCAL LEGENDS - https://vimeo.com/ondemand/locallegends "BlackBerryIs a Movie That Portrays Tech Dreams Honestly—Finally" by John Semley - https://www.wired.com/story/blackberry-movie-review/ Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus

PREVIEW - #427 - Night of the Streaming Dead May 18, 2023

PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/83192875 Rushed out within a month of lockdown, CORONA ZOMBIES (2020) was the first feature-length (well, 60-minute) movie about the COVID pandemic. And it shows. We discuss what it tells us about modern-day exploitation movies, and our thoughts inevitably drift to A.I. in entertainment.

#426 - By Grapthar's Hammer May 16, 2023

We begin with a rundown of recent events, from the Coronation to the CNN Trump town hall to the Liberal Party of Canada's recent convention, before discussing this month's Superdelegate pick: the beloved comedy GALAXY QUEST (1999). We situate the film's satire in the context of 1999-era fan culture, and hash over our own respective histories with the Star Trek franchise. PLUS: a dive into a young Tucker Carlson's journalism. Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus

#425 - A Populist Dracula May 08, 2023

"A soy-banter Nicolas Cage Dracula movie" was too enticing a pitch to pass up, so we hit up our local multiplex to see RENFIELD (2023). PLUS: Do conservatives need "a populist Dracula"? At least one right-wing outlet thinks so! Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus

#424 - Know Thyself (w/ Alex Shephard) May 02, 2023

A Christian boy goes up against his sinister atheist philosophy teacher (played by Kevin Sorbo!) in GOD'S NOT DEAD (2014), one of the biggest Evangelical blockbusters of all time. Luke and guest host Alex Shephard discuss the film's tone-deaf depiction of academia and its particular streak of right-wing sadism. PLUS: What's next for Tucker Carlson? And is there any life at all in the ol' Ron DeSantis? Watch the whole damn movie for free on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Ek2LEoSut0&ab_channel=Se%C3%B1iorFroggy "Tucker Carlson Has Already Lost His War With Fox News" by Alex Shephard - https://newrepublic.com/article/172274/tucker-carlson-twitter-video-lost-war-fox-news Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus

PREVIEW - #423 - The Silence of Pod Apr 26, 2023

PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/423-silence-of-82062473 Your hosts agree that Martin Scorsese's SILENCE (2016) is one of his great films, but also find room for discussion on how their differing backgrounds with religion affect their perspectives on the spiritual side of Scorsese. PLUS: Elon Musk's Twitter: is there a plan? (Hint: no)

#422- The Great Moving Right Show Apr 25, 2023

A young man caught between his socialist father and Thatcherite uncle falls in love with a young National Front street punk while building a laundromat. We watched MY BEAUTIFUL LAUNDRETTE (1985) and discuss the context that birthed it. PLUS: Fiery hot takes on Bruceploitation and Ron DeSanctimonious. Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus

PREVIEW - #421 - Super Ideology Bros. Apr 18, 2023

PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/421-super-bros-81712064 Look, we're lifelong Mario-heads, so we were curious to see the most popular movie in the world right now. We discuss some of the funnier culture-war takes that have greeted THE SUPER MARIO BROS. MOVIE (2023) during its right to the top of the box office, and perhaps even generate a few more of our own.

#420 - Ten Days That Shook the World Apr 17, 2023

How did Warren Beatty convince a Hollywood studio to make a movie about American communists in 1981? We discuss REDS (1981), his epic biopic of writers John Reed and Louise Bryant, as well as Reed's landmark book about the Russian Revolution, Ten Days That Shook the World. PLUS: Fiery hot takes on billionaire Hitler collector Harlan Crowe. "The Paid Pundits Defending Clarence Thomas And His Billionaire Benefactor" by Andrew Perez - https://www.levernews.com/the-paid-pundits-defending-clarence-thomas-and-his-billionaire-benefactor/ Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus

PREVIEW - Bonus: Déjà Q (w/ Will Sommer) Apr 13, 2023

PATREON-EXCLUSIVE BONUS - https://www.patreon.com/posts/bonus-deja-q-w-81469561 Luke talks to Will Sommer, author of the new book Trust the Plan: The Rise of QAnon and the Conspiracy That Unhinged America, about where QAnon came from, why it isn’t going away anytime soon, and how material deprivation helps drive conspiracy theories. Buy Trust the Plan: https://www.harpercollins.com/products/trust-the-plan-will-sommer?variant=40493482541090

PREVIEW - #419 - Naboo Problem Solvers' Caucus Apr 12, 2023

PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/81425372 Underground filmmaker Damon Packard took the behind-the-scenes footage from the making of the Star Wars prequels - and a lot of other stuff, too - and turned it into a hilarious (and very copyright-infringing) film called UNTITLED STAR WARS MOCKUMENTARY (2003). In the process, he reclaimed one of the biggest entertainment franchises for the audience. PLUS: Our old friend Joe Lieberman is at it again.

#418 - Of Shoes and Men Apr 09, 2023

Ben Affleck's AIR (2023) chronicles the wheeling and dealing that led to Michael Jordan signing with Nike, and this unabashed celebration of the world's most famous shoe brand positions the Air Jordan as a victory for trickle-down economics. We discuss the movie that asks the question: "What if you made The Social Network about people who were frickin epic??"

PREVIEW - #417 - Gross: Point Blank Apr 04, 2023

PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/81011839 The great Canadian filmmaker Guy Maddin was hired to direct a documentary about the populist Canadian filmmaker Paul Gross as he makes an Afghanistan War epic. The result was BRING ME THE HEAD OF TIM HORTON (2015) - one serious artist's piss-take about a decidedly less serious artist, which also manages to make some serious points. PLUS: Jeremy Corbyn's expulsion from Labour, reconnecting with Bernie Sanders, and the hosts hash over one of their biggest disagreements yet.

#416 - One Insular Tahiti Apr 02, 2023

With Trump's indictment in the news, we thought it might be a good time to watch the movie that has been more influential on QAnon than any other: Ridley Scott's little-loved seafaring adventure WHITE SQUALL (1996). We parse this half-forgotten film to figure out why, exactly, the QAnon people love it so much. "Where we go one, we go all!" Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus

PREVIEW - #415 - Made in Canada Mar 30, 2023

PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/80753271 Guy Maddin's Depression-era cinematic fantasia THE SADDEST MUSIC IN THE WORLD (2003) is not only a great film, but also a great piece of Canadian culture. We grapple with the truths about the True North that only an artist of Maddin's calibre manages to articulate. PLUS: A.O. Scott is leaving his job - but why?

#414 - Artificial Intelligence Mar 27, 2023

We mark the 20th anniversary of the Iraq War by revisiting some of the classic clips from our cowed and deferential news media circa 2003. PLUS: What is artificial intelligence and what does it mean for the future? Pulitzer-winning columnist Thomas Friedman doesn't know, but that didn't stop him from writing about it.

PREVIEW - #413 - Logistics Matches Dialectics Mar 23, 2023

PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/80445971 For years, the conservative film critic Armond White has been the scourge of Rotten Tomatoes readers with his contrarian taste and awkward prose. We compare some of his recent writings for the National Review to some of his '90s-era criticism to find out what has happened to his prose. PLUS: We discuss the culture criticism of another National Review correspondent, Dan "The Baseball Crank" McLaughlin.

#412 - London and World Assurance Mar 20, 2023

For nearly 20 years, one libertarian businessman with a wildly dangerous theme park held the state of New Jersey under his thumb. We discuss the documentary CLASS ACTION PARK (2020) and its uneasy mix of nostalgia and condemnation for Action Park. Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus

#411 - I Don't Like Sand Mar 14, 2023

A man spends a night in an isolated woman's desert shack, and loses his identity in the process, in WOMAN IN THE DUNES (1964), Hiroshi Teshigahara and Kōbō Abe's resonant parable about... what, exactly? Your hosts are not entirely sure, but forge ahead anyway with this seminal work of postwar Japanese cinema. Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week: https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus

PREVIEW - #410 - Vanderpump Rules the Oscars Mar 12, 2023

PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/79902001 First: a passionate Will gives a bewildered Luke a thorough breakdown of the VANDERPUMP RULES scandal that has torn a nation asunder, and what it all means. Then: on the eve of the 95th Academy Awards, the hosts remember some of the great Oscar moments of days past, and fire off fiery hot takes about this years nominees.

PREVIEW - #409 - The Magic of the Movies Mar 08, 2023

PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/79746684 We begin with Will setting the record straight on perhaps the most important topic the podcast has ever covered before moving on to a discussion about two showbiz movies of wildly differing quality that both deal in excess: BABYLON (2022) and SHOWGIRLS (1995).

#408 - My Orwell Left or Right Mar 06, 2023

George Orwell's popularity is at a new high in the post-Trump era, and he's been claimed by both the left and right. We discuss NINETEEN EIGHTY-FOUR (1984, Michael Radford's feature-film adaptation of Orwell's most famous novel, and try to rescue a self-described socialist from the Dave Rubins of the world. Listen to us discuss Orwell's writing in episode #190 - https://www.patreon.com/posts/190-lion-and-44728064

PREVIEW - #407 - Trust the Fungus Mar 01, 2023

PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/79406807 We discuss a movie that has, for some unknowable reason, been much-requested by our loyal listeners. Will has seen it many times. Luke had never seen it before. It hails from a very different era of blockbuster filmmaking. Folks... it's SUPER MARIO BROS. (1993).

#406 - I Am Mohsen Makhmalbaf Feb 27, 2023

Abbas Kiarostami's masterpiece CLOSE-UP (1990) used the true story of a poor man who impersonated a famous filmmaker to meditate on class, identity, and the cinematic apparatus. PLUS: the slow erosion of universal healthcare, and checking in on Fox News post-Trump.

#405 - Empire Records: A Michael & Us Symposium (w/ Meagan Day and Branko Marcetic) Feb 22, 2023

Some topics are too vast, too vital for us to cover on our own. Today, we address one such topic. We invited Jacobin Magazine's Meagan Day and Branko Marcetic for a roundtable discussion of EMPIRE RECORDS (1995). We proffer some theories about why this attempt to hit the Gen X zeitgeist actually resonated more strongly with millennials, and how its depiction of alt-culture proved life-changing for at least one of the panelists. Our previous symposium on "You've Got Mail" - https://soundcloud.com/michael-and-us/176-youve-got-mail-a-michael-us-symposium-w-meagan-day-and-branko-marcetic Meagan at the Oxford Union - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEnqmgVaOjc&ab_channel=OxfordUnion

PREVIEW - #404 - The Boy in the Bubble Feb 20, 2023

PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/404-boy-in-78936344 We look back on the prototypical modern viral media phenomenon: the "Balloon Boy" hoax of 2009. After bingeing about 90 minutes' worth of MSNBC coverage, we discuss how the Balloon Boy both presaged and diverged from the sorts of flash-in-the-pan viral sensations that would dominate the next 14 years. PLUS: fiery hot takes on the sudden resignation of Toronto Mayor John Tory.

#403 - Fully Automated Luxury Centrism Feb 15, 2023

The amateur documentary MY YANG GANG DIARY (2021) gives us opportunity to look back on the presidential candidacy of Andrew Yang. We discuss how the "Not left, not right, but forward" candidate offered a vision of radical centrism. "What Happened to Andrew Yang?" by Akela Lacy - https://theintercept.com/2021/08/15/andrew-yang-new-york-mayor/

PREVIEW - #402 - The State of Disunion Feb 12, 2023

PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/78564941 On February 7, Joe Biden delivered his State of the Union to a new congress. A little bit was different, and plenty was the same. We discuss Biden post-midterms, the inept Republican response, and do a little spitballing about the future. PLUS: a cancelled movie star who might stay cancelled, and a surprising return to the Beatty Tracyverse.

#401 - Heaven and Earth Feb 08, 2023

Terrence Malick perfected his now-signature style with his rapturously beautiful second film, DAYS OF HEAVEN (1978). We discuss the film's depiction of hardscrabble American life in the early 20th century, and Malick's holistic view of humanity and nature. PLUS: an alarming update on the state of Canadian media, and the U.S. Congress condemnation of socialism. "On Earth as It Is in Heaven" by Adrian Martin - https://www.criterion.com/current/posts/555-days-of-heaven-on-earth-as-it-is-in-heaven Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus

PREVIEW - #400 - Amityville Michael & Us - A 400th Episode Spectacular Feb 07, 2023

PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/400-amityville-78332944 We've reached episode #400, and we're celebrating this auspicious anniversary by revisiting some of our favorite topics. First, we create the definitive canon of the most important movies we've discussed on the show. Then, we stare into the heart of darkness by watching Shawn C. "Coolduder" Phillips' directorial effort AMITYVILLE KAREN (2022), a no-budget horror film that attempts to cash in on the "Karen" phenomenon.

#399 - Own Your Bad Feb 01, 2023

A key moment in the evolution of the modern blockbuster, JURASSIC WORLD (2015) is a cynical reboot about cynical reboots. We discuss what this enormously popular movie says about the world that spawned it, as well as its very peculiar sexist streak you may have noticed. PLUS: Why is Canada's conservative movement so Americanized?

PREVIEW - #398 - The Cheese Stares Back Feb 01, 2023

PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/398-cheese-back-77885785 First, Luke breaks down exactly what's going on in the peculiar saga of noted compulsive-liar congressman George Santos. Next, Will offers an appreciation of the late New York underground filmmaker Nick Zedd and his "campy ACAB" classic POLICE STATE (1987). Finally, we all come together to share a laugh about a Guardian columnist who's having serious problems with a slice of cheese.

PREVIEW - #397 - The View from Dover Beach Jan 25, 2023

PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/397-view-from-77710234 After Mondo Cane it was time to watch a good movie, so we dipped back into the oeuvre of Werner Herzog. Popularly known as "the one where he hypnotized the entire cast," HEART OF GLASS (1976) and its apocalyptic vision offer some unique insights into the German maverick's view of civilization.

#396 - Mondo Argumento Jan 22, 2023

A misanthropic catalog of shocking images from around the world, the bizarre, unpleasant, baldly racist, and extremely influential MONDO CANE (1962) was a pioneering "shockumentary." We revisit this strange and ugly artefact to discuss why it was taken so seriously in its day. Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus

PREVIEW - #395 - All the President's Films Jan 18, 2023

PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/395-all-films-77414105 According to official White House documents, Bill Clinton watched over 150 movies in the White House Screening Room during his presidency. In this very special episode, we discuss the films the 42nd president watched.

#394 - The View from Nowhere Jan 16, 2023

Upon its release, Steven Soderbergh's TRAFFIC (2000) offered something novel: a cinematic tapestry that criticized America's War on Drugs. More than 20 years later, we consider its strengths, as well as the impact that time has diminished. PLUS: Let's read a little from Prince Harry autobiography, shall we? Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus

PREVIEW - #393 - Gabbo is Coming Jan 10, 2023

PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/393-gabbo-is-77029119 What if they made a blockbuster but the block doesn't bust? We sift through the wreckage of Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson's ill-fated bid for a hostile takeover of the DC cinematic universe, BLACK ADAM (2022).

#392 - Rising Expectations Jan 08, 2023

Filmed in the aftermath of the 1970 "October Crisis" that brought martial law to Canada, Gilles Groulx's radical documentary 24 HOURS OR MORE (1973) takes a disapproving look at life in Quebec under capitalism during a moment when the postwar economic boom was receding. It's the kind of movie that isn't made anymore: a movie that questions the very premises on which society is built. Watch the movie for free: https://www.nfb.ca/film/24_hours_or_more/ Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week: https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus

#391 - The Third Annual Michael & Us Year-in-Review Extravaganza Jan 03, 2023

As we enter 2023, it's time for our annual look back on the movies that defined our podcast over the past 12 months. In our third Year-in-Review Extravaganza, we're handing out awards for Best Movie, Worst Movie, Best End-of-History Movie, Thing We Liked Growing Up That Holds Up Relatively Well, Best Tubi Movie, and more. Will Alexandra Pelosi win an award? Will Dinesh D'Souza go home empty-handed? What about Trump vs. the Illuminati? Tune in to find out! Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus

PREVIEW - #390 - The Santa Clause 2, or The Cultural Logic of Late Capitalism Jan 01, 2023

PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/76653894 If you'll indulge us, we'd like to keep the holiday spirit going a little longer by doing a deep ideological reading of one of the most important films ever made. Several years ago on this podcast, Cohost Luke was startled and delighted to discover that 1994's The Santa Clause was loaded with deep ideology . Today, we look at its long-delayed sequel, THE SANTA CLAUSE 2 (2002), to find what it tells us about our world in the Bush era.

PREVIEW - #389 - Don't Go Into the Light Dec 21, 2022

PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/76177655 With the yuletide season upon us, our Superdelegate patron tier has voted for us to discuss the Bill Murray holiday semi-classic SCROOGED (1988). So we boiled up some hot chocolate and did our best to apply an ideological reading to this story of an '80s TV executive's path to Christmastime redemption. PLUS: Fiery hot takes on Avatar: The Way of Water, and an answer to the question on everyone's lips: what, exactly, is Elon Musk's "plan"?

#388 - House of Pelosi Dec 19, 2022

The 20-year filmmaking career of Alexandra Pelosi has been building up to this moment: a hagiographic documentary portrait of her mother, the outgoing U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. We watched PELOSI IN THE HOUSE (2022). Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus "Nancy Pelosi’s Daughter Makes Awful Documentaries Fawning Over the Establishment" by Will Sloan - https://jacobin.com/2022/12/nancy-alexandra-pelosi-documentary-filmmaking-establishment "Nancy Pelosi Delivered Little for the Left, but We Might Miss Her Anyway" by Branko Marcetic - https://jacobin.com/2022/11/nancy-pelosi-house-speaker-democratic-party-center "The Obamanauts" by Corey Robin - https://www.dissentmagazine.org/article/the-obamanauts

PREVIEW - #387 - Capitalist Hauntology Dec 14, 2022

PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/75918320 In this episode, we discuss a variety of decaying institutions and lost futures. We hash over some thoughts on what the HARRY & MEGHAN Netflix show says about the decline of the monarchy, and then dissect the Christmas episode of the 1980s RAMBO: THE FORCE OF FREEDOM cartoon show reimagines Santa Claus as a reformed Josef Mengele type. PLUS: thoughts on a new Blockbuster Video pop-up, and the upcoming movie that will unite a divided America.

#386 - Musicians for Free-Range Chickens Dec 13, 2022

In 1991, actor/martial artist/philosopher/current Russian special envoy to the U.S. Steven Seagal hosted Saturday Night Live for the first and only time. The result has gone down in history as one of the worst episodes of all time. We look back on this infamous show and find a nearly indecipherable time-capsule of the comedy and culture of the early 1990s. PLUS: Luke explores the relationship between celebrities and the NFT industry.

PREVIEW - #385 - Canon Fodder Dec 07, 2022

PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/75607790 With the decennial Sight & Sound "Greatest Films of All Time" poll dominating Film Twitter, we discuss Jean-Luc Godard and Anne-Marie Miéville's eccentric rumination on film history, 2 x 50 YEARS OF FRENCH CINEMA (1995). Commissioned as a documentary on the history of French cinema, the result is a cheeky dismantling of the commission itself, as well as an earnest lament to "the death of cinema." PLUS: We check in on the Kanye West meltdown tour, and its implications.

#384 - Dust Bowl Ballads Dec 06, 2022

The quintessential American folk troubadour and a beloved national icon, Woody Guthrie was also a committed lefty for whom art and politics were intertwined. We discuss his life and legacy via Hal Ashby's biopic BOUND FOR GLORY (1976), which takes a broad look at Guthrie and during the Great Depression. PLUS: How Joe Biden crushed a railroad workers' strike. Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus

PREVIEW - #383 - Through a Glass Dumbly Nov 29, 2022

PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/75275385 After fleeing the Swedish tax authorities, Ingmar Bergman briefly set up shop in Germany to make what is widely considered his worst film. We look at his Berlin-set, David Carradine-starring rise-of-fascism drama THE SERPENT'S EGG (1977) to find out if it's really as bad as all that. PLUS: What does David Brooks' taste in music tell us about him?

#382 - God and Country Nov 28, 2022

Released shortly before the attack on Pearl Harbor, Howard Hawks' SERGEANT YORK (1941) was an attempt to rouse popular support for America entering the Second World War. We excavate one of the biggest box office hits of its day and find a movie in which God and Country are pitted together, and Country wins. PLUS: we hash over some of the drastic and unhappy changes that have happened to our local government in Toronto, Canada. Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus

PREVIEW - #381 - A Fine Horse in the Snow Nov 22, 2022

PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/381-fine-horse-74986287 The dystopia is already here in Boots Riley's SORRY TO BOTHER YOU (2018). This anti-capitalist comedy follows a telemarketer who is nearly seduced by a superstar billionaire. We discuss how the film identifies revolution as both necessary and nearly impossible. PLUS: musings on the end of Twitter and Chicago-based columnist John Kass.

#380 - Occupy Mooseport Nov 21, 2022

We've gazed into the abyss many times before but the Ray Romano/Gene Hackman comedy WELCOME TO MOOSEPORT (2004) - in which a former U.S. president runs for mayor against a small-town handyman - comes close to breaking us. PLUS: We recap the U.S. midterms, and ask: Is Ron DeSantis a serious threat to Donald Trump? (Short answer: no) Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week -

#379 - The Silent Majority Nov 07, 2022

We finally felt lucky enough to discuss the grandaddy of right-wing law-and-order movies, DIRTY HARRY (1971). One thing is for certain: this is one cop who takes no guff from no one. PLUS: fiery hot takes on the U.S. midterms, the labour strike that is rocking Canada, and the future of entertainment. Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus

#378 - Decision Points Nov 01, 2022

Adam McKay's VICE (2018) sought to give Dick Cheney the full reckoning for his crimes through art that he will never receive in life. Is the film necessary cinematic intervention in the ongoing Cheney reclamation project, or a condescending failure? Your hosts disagree sharply on this cinematic polemic. PLUS: fiery hot takes on Elon Musk's Twitter takeover. "'Damn right,' I said" by Eliot Weinberger - https://www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v33/n01/eliot-weinberger/damn-right-i-said Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus

PREVIEW - #377 - Come On, Man Oct 31, 2022

PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/74048274 The terrible right-wing documentary RIDING THE DRAGON: THE BIDENS' CHINESE SECRETS (2022) attempts to argue that Joe Biden has used his diplomatic relationship with China to enrich his family. It's a theory that strikes us as basically true, but delivered with right-wing blinders. PLUS: on the political efficacy of throwing soup at paintings, and an update on the U.S. midterms.

PREVIEW - Brazil Election Special w/ Vincent Bevins Oct 30, 2022

PATREON BONUS - https://www.patreon.com/posts/bonus-brazil-w-73950546 Brazil’s extreme-right president Jair Bolsonaro might go down to defeat in the second round of presidential voting. But, win or lose, the political coalition he’s assembled may endure after October 30. In this interview, Luke talks to Vincent Bevins — who lived in Brazil from 2010 to 2016 and worked as a correspondent, wrote The Jakarta Method (2020), and moved back to São Paulo last year to work on his second book — about the issues at play.

#376 - Head, Hand, Heart Oct 26, 2022

In a distant future, a privileged ruling class lives in a city fuelled by an invisible army of workers who toil in barbaric conditions. Yes, this is the far-fetched scenario of one of the most iconic science-fiction films of all time, Fritz Lang's METROPOLIS (1927). We finally discuss the most famous of all Weimer-era movies, and debate whether or not the mediator between the head and the hand really is the heart. WATCH METROPOLIS IN FULL HERE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BBnMCAIuQg&ab_channel=SupremeOverlord LINK TO EPISODE #149: FROM CALIGARI TO HITLER (NOW UNLOCKED): https://www.patreon.com/posts/149-from-to-36101522

PREVIEW - #375 - Truss the Plan Oct 25, 2022

PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/73759807 We discuss the chaotic state of British politics and the sudden end of the 44-day Liz Truss era; Alexandra Pelosi's surprise role in the January 6 hearings; and the very cheap pro-Donald Trump documentary TRUMPOCALYPSE NOW! (2017), another winner from Trump vs. the Illuminati director B.C. Fourteen.

#374 - The Gondola Song Oct 18, 2022

We discuss death, bureaucracy, and postwar Japan in Akira Kurosawa's masterpiece IKURU (1952). PLUS: Everything you always wanted to know about Toronto's political culture (and upcoming municipal election) but were afraid to ask!

PREVIEW - #373 - You Think THAT'S Bad? Oct 17, 2022

PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/73406324 In this breezy and chill episode, your hosts compare notes on the craft of writing before getting into the most important topic of our times: a direct-to-streaming oddity called TRUMP VS. THE ILLUMINATI (2020). Cohost Will bravely watched this mysterious 69-minute movie on Tubi and is here to tell the tale.

PREVIEW - #372 - It's Up To You Oct 11, 2022

PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/73169180 In one of the most popular documentaries of the Michael Moore era, Morgan Spurlock ate nothing but McDonald's for 30 days. We revisit SUPER SIZE ME (2004) and found - you guessed it! - a relic from a distinctly 2004 era of American liberalism.

#371 - Learn to Code Oct 10, 2022

In 2015, three American armed forces vets foiled an attack on a train to Paris. Three years later, Clint Eastwood enlisted the boys to re-enact their experience in a major motion picture. The result, THE 15:17 TO PARIS (2018), is a genuinely strange docu-fiction experiment that, yes, has a lot to say about America. Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week and more bonus content - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus

PREVIEW - #370 - The World of Yesterday Oct 05, 2022

PATREON EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/370-world-of-72907776 At long last, we have an extended discussion of a film by Wes Anderson. We discuss Anderson's political vision (or lack thereof) via one of his best films, THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL (2013), and ask the question: What is Anderson nostalgic for?

#369 - I'm Not Mad Oct 03, 2022

The new documentary series UNPRECEDENTED (2022) seeks to offer an unfiltered look at the Trump family in the weeks before the 2020 election and the January 6 riot. We discuss how its thickets of editorial commentary obscure a potentially compelling look into America's former first family, and then have a laugh reading from Trump Jr's debut book "Triggered." Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus

PREVIEW - #368 - We Can Remember It For You Wholesale Sep 26, 2022

PATREON EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/368-we-can-it-72470448 Our latest Superdelegate winner is Paul Verhoeven's demented blockbuster TOTAL RECALL (1990). We "get our asses to Mars" and discuss the film's future dystopia while also occasionally slipping into involuntary Arnold impressions.

#367 - Penn and Paintbrush Sep 25, 2022

Libertarian magicians Penn & Teller turn their gaze to the art world in TIM'S VERMEER (2013), a documentary that attempts to prove that, with just the right set of tools and a lot of money, one wealthy entrepreneur can paint a Vermeer. We discuss the bleak, empty void that is Penn & Teller's view of art. See Luke at the Toronto International Festival of Authors on September 27 - https://festivalofauthors.ca/event/critical-conversation-new-working-class/ Check out Luke's book "The Dead Center" - https://www.orbooks.com/catalog/the-dead-center/

#366 - Coronation Training Montage Sep 19, 2022

We mark Queen Elizabeth's passing by looking at towering work of royalist kitsch, THE KING'S SPEECH (2010). We discuss how this Oscar-winner humanizes the monarchy in order to uphold it. See Luke speak at the Toronto International Festival of Authors on September 27 - https://festivalofauthors.ca/event/critical-conversation-new-working-class/ Hear Will on Canadaland - https://www.canadaland.com/podcast/815-our-royals-our-elves/ Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus

PREVIEW - #365 - Journeys With John Sep 18, 2022

PATREON EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/365-journeys-72120783 Luke finally returns to the podcast, and have we got a doozy of a movie for him. We return to the oeuvre of political scion Alexandra Pelosi and discuss DIARY OF A POLITICAL TOURIST (2004), a freewheeling account of the 2004 Democratic Party primary. It's both the worst and the best Alexandra Pelosi documentary we've watched yet... as well as the most elusive movie we've ever tried to find. This episode was made possible by Kyle Bridgett, who found a very rare movie. Check out his website: https://kylebridgett.com/ Kyle Bridgett's YouTube channel, Canonically Crumb: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0gm3vZynb5E&list=PLkZYyAJDZgAymetXARt7X8jmnzKM5U_nU&index=5&ab_channel=LittleCozyNostril

PREVIEW - #364 - The Obligatory My Son Hunter Episode (w/ Chris Berube) Sep 11, 2022

PATREON EXCLUSIVE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/71837828 At last - conservatives have made a movie about the Hunter Biden laptop scandal. Director Robert David (yes, the villain from Goonies) and Breitbart Media present MY SON HUNTER (2022), a feature film that alleges to expose the Bidens as an international crime family. Longtime friend of the show Chris Berube stops by to discuss why the biggest scandal is how damn boring this movie is.

#363 - Pull the Strings! (w/ Valerie Faye) Sep 08, 2022

Popularly known as "one of the worst movies ever made," Ed Wood's GLEN OR GLENDA? (1953) was a pioneering attempt at progressive cinematic treatment of trans issues. It's also a film at war with itself. We're joined by special guest Valerie Faye to discuss why this extraordinary film is cinema's greatest depiction of "closet mindset." Join Michael & Us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus Check out Valerie's podcast The Odd Pod - https://anchor.fm/theoddpodd/episodes/ODD-PODD-CLASSIC---Missing-feat--Chris--Kurt-e1lt39g On Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/oddpodd Valerie on Twitter - https://twitter.com/StealingValerie Watch Glen or Glenda? - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVR1JmmvGiA&ab_channel=BloodyVengeance

PREVIEW - #362 - Hands Across America (w/ John Semley) Sep 03, 2022

PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/71449739 In the mid-'90s, a car dealership in Texas offered contestants a chance to win a free truck if they could perform one feat of physical and mental agility: keep one hand on the truck for longer than anyone else. The documentary HANDS ON A HARDBODY (1997) captures the contest in all its agony. We're joined by John Semley to discuss what - if anything - this highly evocative document has to say about America.

#361 - In Old Brazil (w/ Violet Lucca) Sep 01, 2022

One of the key films of Brazil's Cinema Novo movement, Glauber Rocha's masterpiece TERRA EM TRANSE aka ENTRANCED EARTH (1967) envisions a fictional Latin American country where the left- and right-wing parties both feed from the same trough, and asks what role art can play in revolution, if any. Friend-of-the- show Violet Lucca returns to place the film within the context of Brazil after the 1964 coup that led to decades of military dictatorship. "Revolutionary Lessons" by Robert Stamm - https://www.ejumpcut.org/archive/onlinessays/JC10-11folder/TerraTranseStam.html Check out Violet on The Harper's Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-harpers-podcast/id1405872370

PREVIEW - #360 - A Hitch in Time Aug 26, 2022

PATREON EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/360-hitch-in-71080314 A new book collection, A HITCH IN TIME, brings together a wide range of writings by Christopher Hitchens from before his 9/11-era neocon conversion. Returning once again to one of our favourite subjects, we discuss how the essays show Hitchens at his best, while also foreshadowing the negative qualities that would come to overwhelm his work. Luke also discussed the book on this week's episode of The Harper's Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/christopher-hitchens/id1405872370?i=1000577130158

#359 - Alex's War Aug 25, 2022

The new documentary ALEX'S WAR (2022) seeks to "look past the caricature" of the Infowars gadfly Alex Jones. Your hosts find themselves disagreeing on the usefulness of this nonjudgmental profile of the notorious conspiracy theorist. Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week: https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus

PREVIEW - #358 - The Arc of Progress Aug 18, 2022

PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/posts/358-arc-of-70689387 A wonk who believed in incremental reform and parliamentary process, the Canadian NDP politician Stanley Knowles was a genuine socialist who earnestly embodies many of the qualities that we distrust in liberals. We watched STANLEY KNOWLES: IN WORD AND DEED (1987), and Luke discusses why he finds Knowles an inspirational figure in these troubled times.

#357 - A Vast and Ecumenical Holding Company Aug 17, 2022

Our Superdelegate patron tier was mad as hell that we hadn't yet discussed Sidney Lumet and Paddy Chayefsky's NETWORK (1976) and wasn't going to take it anymore. We watched an American classic and discovered that Howard Beale's famous speech isn't even the most important speech in the movie. Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus

PREVIEW - #356 - The Evil of Banality Aug 09, 2022

PATREON EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/70295935 We do our customary check-in on the Wetmovie1 gang, move on to the Canadian pundit class's response to the rise of Pierre Poilievre, before finally addressing the big question: what role to Tom Cruise and Jay Leno play in a post-9/11 world? Luckily, the great men have a few ideas of their own in two vintage speeches.

#355 - Omni Consumer Products Aug 08, 2022

Many movies in the 1980s depicted American urban landscapes as lawless hellholes, but Paul Verhoeven's ROBOCOP (1987) was unique for locating the source of the problem in the corporate world. The Superdelegate patron tier has voted for us to watch one of the most beloved screen satires of all time, and we were happy to oblige. See cohost Will introduce a screening of Don't Let the Riverbeast Get You (2013) at Toronto's Fox Theatre on August 23 - https://www.foxtheatre.ca/movies/dont-let-the-riverbeast-get-you-10th-anniversary/ Order cohost Luke's book The Dead Center - https://www.orbooks.com/catalog/the-dead-center/ Join Michael & Us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus

PREVIEW - #354 - Division of Playbour (w/ Alex Ross) Aug 05, 2022

PATREON EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/70079242 COUNTER-STRIKE became a video game phenomenon. It also served as a laboratory for the exploitation of video game labor and the commodification trends that dominate the games industry and the broader internet today. On this episode, Luke is joined by beloved guest Alex Ross for a wide-ranging discussion of labour and the gaming industry. "How Counter-Strike Helped Shape the Future of Digital Capitalism" by Alex Ross - https://jacobin.com/2022/07/counter-strike-valve-live-service-mods-exploitation

#353 - A Tornado, an Earthquake, or a Godzilla (w/ Justin Decloux) Aug 02, 2022

In 1984, Godzilla rose from Tokyo Bay for the first time in nine years for THE RETURN OF GODZILLA. In 1985, an American distributor dramatically recut the movie into GODZILLA 1985. We're joined at long last by Important Cinema Club cohost Justin Decloux to discuss the many structural and ideological changes that were imposed upon Godzilla's big comeback. Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus

PREVIEW - #352 - Return of the Michael and Us Mailbag, Part 2 Jul 27, 2022

PATREON EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/352-return-of-us-69623420 In the thrilling conclusion to our two-part mailbag episode, the listeners pummel us with a dizzying array of questions, leading us to discussions on subjects ranging from the current "multiverse" trend to whether or not podcasts count as activism (spoiler: they don't).

#351 - Fear and Loathing in San Francisco Jul 25, 2022

Alexandra Pelosi strikes again! In her documentary SAN FRANCISCO 2.0 (2015), the political scion turns her attention to her home city, gazing with awe upon the tech industry's sudden takeover while registering some tepid notes of ambivalence about the gentrification that has priced many longtime residents out. We discuss why, despite being Nancy Pelosi's daughter who regularly makes films for HBO, nobody seems to know about Alexandra Pelosi. Check out the Michael & Us Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/posts/69528022

PREVIEW - #350 - Return of the Michael and Us Mailbag, Part 1 Jul 20, 2022

PATREON EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/69344608 You had questions, we have answers. The hosts expound on a wide range of topics - everything from Stephen Harper to A24 to pornography to baked potatoes - in this, the first of a two-part mailbag episode.

#349 - The Donkey Revolution Jul 18, 2022

Many people threatened to move to Canada when George W. Bush was re-elected in 2004, but the dramedy BLUE STATE (2007) imagines a character who actually did it. Many references to 2004-era liberal ephemera ensue, and the hosts of the Michael & Us podcast are sharply divided on this milquetoast indie starring Breckin Meyer and Anna Paquin.

PREVIEW - #348 - From 2010 to Eternity Jul 13, 2022

PATREON EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/69021053 As a culture and politics podcast, we take seriously our responsibility to cover culture and politics. On this episode, we synthesize these two worlds powerfully, with discussion of... ✓ The Biden administration: what's going wrong? ✓ Kevin Smith and Clerks III ✓ Politico offers a new savior for the Democratic Party (hint: it's Jon Stewart)

#347 - Always Be Closing Jul 11, 2022

Before he was an archconservative, David Mamet wrote a great play and movie about a group of salesmen grinding in a system where morality does not exist. Our Superdelegate patron tier has voted for us to discuss GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS (1992). Fuck you - THAT'S our name. PLUS: We say goodbye to Boris.

PREVIEW - #346 - The Bad Take Oympics Jul 04, 2022

PATREON EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/346-bad-take-68662564 In these difficult times, the bad takes are flying fast and furious. To deal with the problem, we've staged a Bad Takes Olympics, where we discuss recent earth-shattering ideas from such heavyweights as Rob Reiner, Paul Mason, and Hans Zimmer. PLUS: the boys reminisce about a lost Toronto.

#345 - At Long Last, the Forrest Gump Episode Jul 02, 2022

It's an extremely discouraging political moment for our neighbors in the United States, so we decided the time was right to finally examine one of the quintessential cinematic articulations of American exceptionalism, FORREST GUMP (1994). Is life, in fact, like a box of chocolates? We investigate. "The Man Who Loved Presidents: On John Meacham" by Thomas Frank - https://harpers.org/archive/2021/07/jon-meacham-thomas-frank-soul-of-america/ "Tom Hanks Explains It All" by David Marchese - https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2022/06/13/magazine/tom-hanks-interview.html

#344 - Socialism with Disneyan Characteristics Jun 28, 2022

The Buzz Lightyear origin movie LIGHTYEAR (2022) has become a cultural lightning-rod in the right-wing moral panic over "grooming." We discuss this controversy (which is ridiculous, by the way), and then discuss the movie, in which we can learn a little bit about how the Disney Company views itself. Support the National Network of Abortion Funds - https://abortionfunds.org/ Abortion Funds in Every State - https://donations4abortion.com/ The Repro Legal Defense Fund - https://reprolegaldefensefund.org/

PREVIEW - #343 - Golden Age Jun 25, 2022

PATREON EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/68234387 In 1930, Luis Buñuel and Salvador Dalí set out to make a barbed attack on bourgeois society and its institutions. The result, L'AGE D'OR (1930), nearly got its financiers excommunicated from the Catholic Church. We discuss a classic of surrealist cinema. PLUS: We discuss the U.S. Supreme Court's repeal of Roe v. Wade. Donate to abortion funds in every state: https://donations4abortion.com/

PREVIEW - #342 - Black Friday Jun 21, 2022

PATREON EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/342-black-friday-68045387 In 1970, the October Crisis in Quebec led to the first government-mandated suspension of civil liberties in Canada during peacetime. The documentary ACTION: THE OCTOBER CRISIS OF 1970 (1974) gives us opportunity discuss the conditions of French/English Canadian tensions that led to the kidnapping of two politicians by a militant Quebec separatist group, and the long shadow that this brief period of martial law has cast on Canada. PLUS: Yet again, we discuss that menace to society, Tom Hanks.

#341 - Metaverse of Madness Jun 19, 2022

Long before the "metaverse" loomed over us, David Cronenberg's EXISTENZ (1999) imagined a completely immersive virtual environment that is even less cozy than our own. We discuss the film's porous boundary between reality and unreality, and explain why Cronenberg is one of the few Canadian filmmakers who really "gets" Canada. PLUS: Looking back at a moral panic over right-wing art from the early '90s.

PREVIEW - #340 - Don't Worry, Be Happy Jun 12, 2022

PATREON EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/67682775 With the beloved Canadian comedy troupe The Kids in the Hall currently in the midst of a comeback, we took a look at their sole feature-film spin-off. KIDS IN THE HALL: BRAIN CANDY (1996) is a satire of big-business and '90s wellness culture that, seen today, shows how wellness culture has evolved. PLUS: Jimmy Savile, Joe Biden, and the new elite style of tweeness.

#339 - Pieces of Flair Jun 08, 2022

Our Superdelegate patron tier has voted for us to discuss Mike Judge's workplace satire OFFICE SPACE (1999), and it leads us down a long rabbit hole of remembering bad work experiences. PLUS: We take a fond look back on the all-time classic Man of the Year (2006)

PREVIEW - #338 - Imaginary Friends Jun 06, 2022

PATREON EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/67404387 We recap the recent provincial election in our home of Ontario, Canada (long story short: more bad news), discuss movie-of-the-moment TOP GUN: MAVERICK (2022), and pay our respects to Chuck Schumer's imaginary friends.

#337 - Trust the Plan Jun 01, 2022

What is a quickly-made, low-effort documentary like ONE NATION UNDER TRUMP (2016) good for? Not a lot. But one thing that this ridiculous pro-Trump hagiography provided us with was a chance to marinate for long, unbroken stretches of time in the 45th president's rhetorical style. We made some unexpected discoveries about how his distinctive way of speaking led him to the presidency.

PREVIEW - #336 - Out of England May 28, 2022

PATREON EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/66990683 The new Netflix special RICKY GERVAIS: SUPERNATURE (2022) affirms what we already knew: that the formerly very funny Ricky Gervais is funny no more. Where did his trajectory go wrong? We come up with some theories.

PREVIEW - #335 - Songs of Emptiness May 25, 2022

PATREON EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/335-songs-of-66874909 U2 (and specifically Bono) are the uncontested world leaders in "fusion philanthropy," and the hagiographic documentary U2: A ROCK CRUSADE (2009) celebrates this legacy uncritically. So it falls upon us, as usual, to provide the criticism. PLUS: our institutions are failing us, and the institution of comedy is no exception.

#334 - Just Asking Questions May 20, 2022

Dinesh D'Souza believes he has uncovered shocking proof that the Democratic Party stole the 2020 election in 2000 MULES (2022), a documentary so shoddy that even right-wing media is hesitant to publicize it. We follow the trail of Dinesh's conspiracy theory to its inevitable endpoint: a contempt for democracy itself. PLUS: we discuss the billionaire whose name is on everyone's lips, Elon Musk.

PREVIEW - #333 - Weekend Warriors May 16, 2022

PATREON EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/66509310 In DELTA FARCE (2007), "blue collar" comedian Larry the Cable Guy goes to fight in Iraq, but winds up in Mexico. That's right, folks - it's another document from the Bush era. We discuss conservative comedy and touch on the legendary Larry/David Cross feud that tore a nation asunder. PLUS: Luke reveals a traumatic memory involving the Ninja Turtles.

#332 - The Futility Consensus May 13, 2022

The documentary WHITE NOISE (2020) follows three very prominent members of the alt-right (you'll be familiar with all of them, folks) as their fortunes rise and fall during the Trump era. We discuss the ethics of interviewing/"platforming" ideological enemies, the differing aesthetic styles of various alt-right personalities, and what happens to political "scenes" during periods of eclipse. PLUS: Luke takes stock of the Canadian Conservative leadership race, and Liam Neeson makes a movie about the U.S./Mexico border.

PREVIEW - #331 - Minority Report May 10, 2022

PATREON EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/66228452 Our Superdelegate patron tier has voted for us to discuss the hagiographic documentary RBG (2018), a shamelessly hagiographic documentary about the liberal Supreme Court justice who we all hope manages to live to the end of Trump's presidency. We discuss two things that are bad: political personality cults, and the United States Supreme Court.

#330 - The Show About Nothing May 07, 2022

THE TRUMAN SHOW (1998) is widely remembered as a prescient film that anticipates the rise of social media and reality TV. But how accurate was its forecast, really? And what, exactly, was it saying? And hey - did the audience watch Truman go to the bathroom? We investigate. "The Audience is Us" by Jonathan Rosenbaum - https://jonathanrosenbaum.net/2021/07/the-audience-is-us/

#329 - Pleasant Valley Sunday May 04, 2022

The Monkees were a prefabricated pop band who didn't play their own instruments and didn't get much respect. But in 1968, they teamed with director Bob Rafelson and a young writer named Jack Nicholson to take charge of their image with HEAD (1968), a corrosive satire that asks: what do the Monkees have in common with the Vietnam War? Donate to an abortion fund: https://www.thecut.com/article/donate-abortion-fund-roe-v-wade-how-to-help.html

PREVIEW - #328 - Terminally Online May 02, 2022

PATREOON EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/328-terminally-65881035 Three of Louis Theroux's most recent documentaries (SHOOTING JOE EXOTIC, PORN'S ME TOO, EXTREME AND ONLINE) give us ample opportunity to discuss some of the key issues of our time: the online right, the changing world of porn, and our old friend the Tiger King. PLUS: Did you know that Netflix had its own news website???

#327 - The Fatal Shore Apr 27, 2022

Australian land and British institutions mix uncomfortably in Peter Weir's PICNIC AT HANGING ROCK (1975). We speculate from our Canadian vantage points why this story has become one of the iconic documents of Australia's national identity. PLUS: the boys cannot stop talking about Bob Dylan! "Picnic at Hanging Rock: What We See and What We Seem" by Megan Abbott - https://www.criterion.com/current/posts/3202-picnic-at-hanging-rock-what-we-see-and-what-we-seem

PREVIEW - #326 - Who Scolds the Scolds? Apr 24, 2022

PATREON EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/65549860 In the new comedy special BILL MAHER: #ADULTING (2022), the Real Time host offers his usual state-of-the-union address on society's ills, but focuses mainly on cancel culture. Folks, this ranks as one of the most unpleasant things we've watched for the podcast, so please enjoy. PLUS: checking the temperature on Bernie 2024, and sordid thoughts on the Johnny Depp trial.

PREVIEW - #325 - High and Low Apr 19, 2022

PATREON EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/65315324 Akira Kurosawa's HIGH AND LOW (1963) begins as a kidnapping thriller, turns into a police procedural, and evolves into a survey of Japan circa 1963 from high to low. We discuss one of the greatest director's greatest films. PLUS: We answer the question that has been tearing Twitter apart: is David Lynch a conservative filmmaker???

#324 - What's Left? Apr 18, 2022

The 1969 documentary WHAT'S LEFT? captures the Canadian left (and more specifically, Canada's New Democratic Party) being pulled in two directions: by an emerging, student-led generation of radical activists, and an older political class that has either grown pragmatic or complacent depending on who you ask. We discuss the history of the Canadian left, and what has both changed and remained the same in the 50+ years since the film. PLUS: We catch an acute case of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them fever!!! Watch the documentary What's Left?- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRzNoaEw3xM&ab_channel=tcn1915

PREVIEW - #323 - The Analog Strikes Back Apr 12, 2022

PATREON EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/65062325 Will, a longtime Star Wars skeptic, revisits THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK (1980) in a version that recaptures what it looked like in 1980. Luke, a longtime Star Wars fan, joins him for a discussion on the role that context, texture, and technology play in making a beloved movie beloved. PLUS: a reading from the Al Goldstein archives!

#322 - The Tao of Jack Ryan Apr 10, 2022

A state-of-the-art Russian submarine has gone rogue. Is it about to launch an unprovoked nuclear attack on the United States? We finally delve into the world of right-wing legend Tom Clancy and his signature character Jack Ryan with the blockbuster film adaptation of THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER (1990). PLUS: Winston Churchill predicts the future!

#321 - Akira, the Wrath of God Apr 06, 2022

The Superdelegate patron tier has voted for us to discuss AKIRA (1988), the groundbreaking anime classic. We hash over the film's vision of a future-dystopia, finding elements both unique to 1988 and applicable to all times. PLUS: the new Amazon union in Staten Island, and checking the pulse of right-wing politics on Canada.

PREVIEW - #320 - Luigi's Playboy Mansion Apr 04, 2022

PATREON EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/64687009 Being a geriatric man who has joyless, bureaucratized sex with an army of women who hate you: is this the American dream? For Hugh Hefner, it apparently was. We discuss the new documentary series SECRETS OF PLAYBOY, the Playboy phenomenon more generally, and the ugliness behind Hefner's tackiness. PLUS: Nintendo 64 memories, and an inevitable discussion of the Will Smith thing.

#319 - The Void Stares Back Mar 29, 2022

Jack Lemmon and James Garner star as two one-term presidents - one Democratic, one Republican - who go on a wacky adventure in the Grumpy Old Men rip-off MY FELLOW AMERICANS (1996). We stare into the deep void of this thuddingly unfunny political comedy and once again extract ideology. PLUS: alarming developments in the world of Russian Ultranationalism.

PREVIEW - #318 - Toronto Rocks Mar 27, 2022

PATREON EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/64335664 On this very special episode, we focus on the cultural hotspots of our home city of Toronto. We discuss beloved music venue the El Mocambo, eccentric alternative-film exhibitor R*g H*rtt, and gone-but-not-forgotten novelty restaurant Garfield Eats.

#317 - Hunters in the Snow Mar 22, 2022

The great Homer Simpson once said, "What is mind? No matter. What is matter? Never mind." In that spirit, we watched Andrei Tarkovsky's masterpiece SOLARIS (1972), which imagines outer space as a manifestation of our inner life. PLUS: checking in on that most important issue of our time, the Oscars.

PREVIEW - #316 - Disney's Xanadu Mar 19, 2022

PATREON EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/64007681 In the final months of his life, Walt Disney devoted much of his energy to designing a new kind of American city that he hoped would be a model for the future. Though E.P.C.O.T. ("Experimental Prototype City of Tomorrow") would never be fully realized, Disney's plan for a monopolistic controlled community remains a stunning vision of a world where capitalism outlasts democracy. We watched Disney's 1966 pitch film for his insane project. PLUS: how Martin Scorsese nearly cost Disney a relationship with China.

PREVIEW - #315 - Ninja Domination 4 Mar 15, 2022

PATREON EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/63812658 Not unlike a Godfrey Ho ninja movie, this episode is a smorgasbord of disparate topics, including ✓ The 2022 Conservative Party of Canada leadership election ✓ Snowpiercer (2013) ✓ Steven Seagal ✓ More thoughts on Speechless (1994) ✓ Harvey Weinstein ✓ Yes... Godfrey Ho ninja movies

#314 - Contract With America Mar 14, 2022

She's a Democrat. He's a Republican. They're speechwriters on warring campaigns... but can they fall in love??? That's the premise of the Michael Keaton/Geena Davis romcom SPEECHLESS (1994), which drew inspiration from the real-life romance between Clinton strategist James Carville and Bush advisor Mary Matalin. We discuss a movie that could only have been made in the '90s. "John Cleese Had Thoughts on Slavery at SXSW and It Was Super Cringey" by James Hibberd - https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/john-cleese-sxsw-panel-1235109668/ "Bedfellows Make Strange Politics" by Gore Vidal - https://www.nytimes.com/1994/09/18/books/bedfellows-make-strange-politics.html

PREVIEW - #313 - The Future Is No Longer What It Was Mar 08, 2022

PATREON EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/63521141 The Superdelegate Patreon tier has selected HIGH FIDELITY (2000), and this beloved film gives us ample opportunity to discuss such loaded topics as memory, physical media, niche culture, ageing, and hauntology. PLUS: we check in on Ukraine, and Luke reveals a movie-star pen-pal.

#312 - Sympathy for the Riddler Mar 07, 2022

Some Batman movies have been called fascist, but THE BATMAN (2022) breaks new ground for the franchise by being lib. We wouldn't be a left-wing culture podcast if we didn't occasionally pick a new Batman movie from the lowest branch on the tree, so come join us as we chart the latest developments in the Caped Crusader's political evolution.

PREVIEW - #311 - A Conspicuous Dearth of Beauty Feb 27, 2022

PATREON EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/63136108 We perform another deep-dive into our most beloved subject, the Wetmovie1 YouTube Universe, before transitioning to a matter of even greater importance: the crisis in Ukraine. PLUS: Joan Didion - yea or nay?

#310 - Schlock Rock Feb 27, 2022

Eldon Hoke - better known to the world as "El Duce" - was one of the most notorious of the so-called "shock rockers" who frightened moralists during the George H.W. Bush years. His purposely rock-bottom art is explored in THE EL DUCE TAPES (2019), a culture war documentary in which the culture war is fought between different styles of reactionaries. PLUS: thoughts on draconian new Republican policies in Florida and Texas.

PREVIEW - #309 - Everything is Communism Feb 27, 2022

PATREON EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/309-everything-62861504 ✓ Luke's immersion into right-wing Trucker Convoy streams ✓ Howard Stern ✓ Roman Polanski ✓ Inventing Anna ✓ Jordan B. Peterson: songwriter

#308 - I Only Read It For The Articles Feb 19, 2022

In another Superdelegate-selected episode, we discuss THE PEOPLE VS. LARRY FLYNT (1996), the hagiographic biopic of the Hustler Magazine publisher and First Amendment warrior. We discuss Flynt's politics, and the implications of his brand of civil libertarianism. PLUS: would you like to live in a town run by Disney? "Announcing Storyliving by Disney" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CVucnt46ww

PREVIEW - #307 - Jackasses Feb 13, 2022

PATREON EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/62510551 FIRST: we take a stroll down memory lane by remembering choice cuts from James Franco's brief and ignominious career as a Vice Magazine columnist. THEN: cohost Will reports on the new film JACKASS FOREVER and the boys discuss why the franchise has outlasted every culture war. PLUS: a further dive into the film criticism of Ed Koch.

#306 - Rorschach Tests Feb 11, 2022

What happens when the UK's Minister for International Development accidentally calls an inevitable war "unforeseeable"? We discuss Armando Iannucci's beloved political satire IN THE LOOP (2009) and what it says about the culture of spin in U.K. politics. PLUS: further developments in the Canadian trucker protest, and thoughts on that most important institution of all: the Oscars. Mayor Ed Koch's movie review show - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCl1C-jPg7L4nsHg6EVgAXvQ

PREVIEW - #305 - Alrighty Then Feb 07, 2022

PATREON EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/62221412 We discuss a range of important topics, including: ✓ The Trucker Convoy protest in Toronto ✓ Deep ideological readings of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Ace Ventura: Pet Detective ✓ Turning Point: 9/11 and the War on Terror (2021) ✓ A host's unlikely appearance in a crossword puzzle!

#304 - Cries and Whispers Feb 04, 2022

We discuss one of the least sentimental films about death and family, Ingmar Bergman's CRIES AND WHISPERS (1972), and provide a possible political reading of Sweden's most famous auteur.

PREVIEW - #303 - The Werner Herzog Forum Jan 24, 2022

PATREON EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/61596359 We begin by checking in on Canada's most tiresome public intellectual, Jordan Peterson, and analyzing one of the right's biggest enemies, "woke capitalism." Then, we turn our attention to a subject of longstanding mutual interest: the great German director Werner Herzog. Focusing on MY BEST FIEND (1999) and FIREBALL: VISITORS FROM DARKER WORLDS (2020), but extending far and wide, we discuss what we find great (and, occasionally, not-great) about the mighty auteur's work.

#302 - Guy's Winnipeg Jan 23, 2022

The great Canadian filmmaker Guy Maddin was assigned to make a documentary about his hometown of Winnipeg, Manitoba. He made MY WINNIPEG (2007), a hilarious, surreal dreamscape that combines autobiography, history, and fiction into a free-flowing meditation on a city and a home. We discuss the film's treatment of truth, memory, and the Canadian identity. PLUS: Luke discusses the glamorous life of being a published book author. Preorder Luke's book The Dead Center- https://www.orbooks.com/catalog/the-dead-center/ "Manitoba History - February 19, 1942: If Day" by Michael Newman - http://www.mhs.mb.ca/docs/mb_history/13/ifday.shtml Guy Maddin's "The Heart of the World" - The great Canadian filmmaker Guy Maddin was assigned to make a documentary about his hometown of Winnipeg, Manitoba. He made MY WINNIPEG (2007), a hilarious, surreal dreamscape that combines autobiography, history, and fiction into a free-flowing meditation on a city and a home. We discuss the film's treatment of truth, memory, and the Canadian identity. PLUS: Luke discusses the glamorous life of being a published book author. Preorder Luke's book The Dead Center- https://www.orbooks.com/catalog/the-dead-center/ "Manitoba History - February 19, 1942: If Day" by Michael Newman - http://www.mhs.mb.ca/docs/mb_history/13/ifday.shtml Guy Maddin's "The Heart of the World" - https://vimeo.com/115997353

PREVIEW - 301 - The Desert of the Real Jan 17, 2022

PATREON EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/61295780 In a cinematic landscape glutted with reboots and cinematic universes, Lana Wachowski's THE MATRIX RESURRECTIONS (2021) is unique: an unnecessary sequel that knows it, and feels ambivalent. We discuss this divisive film's self-reflexive streak, and the many ways it tweaks the metaphors that became so iconic in 1999.

#300 - The 300th Episode Spectacular Jan 11, 2022

To mark a very special milestone, we decided to reach back to early in the podcast's history and revisit MICHAEL MOORE HATES AMERICA (2004). Mimicking Moore's own filmmaking style, this amateurish documentary sees a conservative man go on a cross-country journey to land and interview with Michael himself. We discuss why this piece of right-wing kitsch has remained so firmly lodged in our minds, and why it is such a product of its time.

PREVIEW - #299 - Without Hope or Agenda Jan 08, 2022

PATREON EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/60909753 Our Superdelegate patron tier has voted for us to discuss LOVE ACTUALLY (2003), and so we dutifully tackled the most pressing question of our age: is this all-star romcom a delightful holiday classic... or the dangerous, reactionary film that so many clickbait articles would have us believe it is??? PLUS: we discuss Don't Look Up and the deaths of Peter Bogdanovich and Sidney Poitier.

PREVIEW - #298 - The Second Annual Michael & Us Year-in-Review Extravaganza Jan 02, 2022

PATREON EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/60648863 As we enter a new year, we're taking some time to look back on 2021 and reflect on some of the movies that defined our podcast over the past 12 months. In our second-annual Year-in-Review Extravaganza, we're handing out awards for Best Movie, Worst Movie, Best End-of-History Movie, Thing We Liked Growing Up That Holds Up Relatively Well, and more. PLUS: fiery hot takes on The Matrix Resurrections!

#297 - Democratic Losership Council Jan 01, 2022

In 1985, a group of plucky renegades banded together to take on the political culture in the Democratic Party - demolishing Jesse Jackson's "Rainbow Coalition" to create a coalition that could win elections. That's the thesis of CRASHING THE PARTY (2016), a hagiographic documentary that chronicles the rise of the centrist Democratic Leadership Council and its star candidate, Bill Clinton. We discuss how funny it is that the documentary came out in mid-2016, just when it appeared that the Clintonite project was almost complete. "In Anthony Banua-Simon’s Cane Fire, Hawaiians Are No Longer the Extras" by Alex Press - https://jacobinmag.com/2020/11/anthony-banua-simons-cane-fire-hawaii-documentary "Atari Democrats" by Lily Geismer - https://www.jacobinmag.com/2016/02/geismer-democratic-party-atari-tech-silicon-valley-mondale "The Obamanauts" by Corey Robin - https://www.dissentmagazine.org/article/the-obamanauts

PREVIEW - #296 - These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things Dec 27, 2021

PATREON EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/60369298 Drunk on the spirit of the holidays, the boys kick back their heels and have a low-key hangout where they discuss some of their very favorite things. Subjects range from Tolstoy's War and Peace to Tim Heidecker and Gregg Turkington's On Cinema at the Cinema to Terrence Malick's Days of Heaven to Monty Python and more.

Patreon Bonus Preview: The Terrifying Future of the American Right (w/ Matt Sitman & Sam Adler-Bell) Dec 22, 2021

PATREON BONUS - https://www.patreon.com/posts/60215138 What exactly is “national conservatism” and to what extent does it represent a break from the post-Reaganite consensus as we’ve known it? Luke talked to Matthew Sitman and Sam Adler-Bell (cohosts of the Know Your Enemy podcast) about the recent National Conservative Conference (NatCon), the so-called national conservatives, and where the Right may be headed in the coming years.

PREVIEW - #295 - Number One Customer Dec 21, 2021

PATREON EXCLUSIVE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/60156412 For our annual holiday episode, we return to our obsession with '90s fatherhood-in-crisis movies by watching the Arnold Schwarzenegger classic JINGLE ALL THE WAY (1996). Folks, you know it, you love it. "I am not a pervert! I am just looking for Turbo Man doll!" PLUS: we have a fun time roasting one of Canada's most annoying writers.

#294 - Everything is Awesome Dec 19, 2021

For months we've been immersing ourselves in such Intellectual Property soups as Ready Player One, Space Jam: A New Legacy, and The Simpsons in Plusaversary, so we felt it was time to examine the animated hit that helped birth this new phenomenon: THE LEGO MOVIE (2014). PLUS: the return of COVID, a bad week for the Democrats, and the actual, honest-to-goodness phenomenon of official Rifkin's Festival NFTs. "What’s behind global covid inequalities? Corporate greed" by Luke Savage - https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/12/13/covid-vaccine-corporatism-inequality/ "Beyond NFT: DAMOVE company is building the future of movies & entertainment" - https://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/beyond-nft-damove-company-is-building-the-future-of-movies-entertainment#ixzz7FW3eISjz Learn more about Rifkin's Festival NFTs - https://twitter.com/RifkinsfestNft

PREVIEW - #293 - Let the Tuning Commence Dec 13, 2021

PATREON EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/59880390 In 1999, The Matrix became a zeitgeist-catching, generation-defining phenomenon. A year earlier, DARK CITY (1998) traversed similar thematic terrain but failed to meet the same success. In this Superdelegate-selected episode, we discuss the similarities and key differences between the two films, and situation Dark City in its cultural moment.

#292 - The Kanehsatake Resistance Dec 12, 2021

For 78 days in 1990, a group of Mohawk protestors withstood a siege from the Canadian armed forces. The root of the conflict? A town in Quebec sought to take over their land to expand a golf course. The Oka Crisis is the subject of Alanis Obomsawin's acclaimed documentary KANEHSATAKE: 270 YEARS OF RESISTANCE (1993), which offers us an opportunity to consider how Canada treats its First Nations. Watch the film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7yP3srFvhKs

PREVIEW - #291 - The Simpsons: A New Legacy Dec 06, 2021

= PATREON EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/59599572 Everyone has their price. Anything that has ever meant anything to you will be corrupted. No artwork you love really belongs to you. This is the dark message of the new Disney+ short film THE SIMPSONS IN PLUSAVERSARY (2021). PLUS: we talk about a range of TV and film, including Parks & Recreation, 2012, and the cinema of Fred Halstead.

#290 - Promiscuous Dope Fiends Dec 05, 2021

With the Beatles once again in the zeitgeist, we decided to revisit the jukebox musical ACROSS THE UNIVERSE (2007), which positioned the lads' music as a backdrop to the social upheavals of the 1960s. Does it completely misunderstand both the music and the milieu? (Spoiler: yes)

PREVIEW - #289 - For Pete's Sake (w/ Josh Olson and Dave Anthony) Nov 30, 2021

PATREON EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/289-for-petes-w-59307399 In a jumbo-sized crossover with The West Wing Thing podcast, Luke discusses Amazon's new Pete Buttigieg documentary MAYOR PETE (2021) with Josh Olson and Dave Anthony. Relive the magic and fun of those early primaries with Pete, Chasten, Lis Smith, and the whole gang! And fall in love with the sitting United States secretary of transportation all over again! (NOTE: cohost Will is off this episode because, sadly, he has fallen down a well. Rescue teams are at the scene, and we all pray for his speedy recovery) Check out The West Wing Thing- https://westwingthing.libsyn.com/

#288 - Team Avengers: World Police Nov 27, 2021

Before there was Elon Musk, there was Tony Stark. We travelled back to 2008 to look at IRON MAN, the first entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and were excited to find that it serves its ideology on a big platter and with minimal ornamentation. A video on the filming of Iron Man 2 at Edwards Air Force Base - https://vimeo.com/191818335?embedded=true&source=video_title&owner=4293012

PREVIEW - #287 - Malcolm McDowell, Do Better Nov 22, 2021

PATREON EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/287-malcolm-do-59024249 Sometimes it's fun to reach for the low-hanging fruit. On this episode, we tackle the right-wing anti-Bernie Sanders comedy FREE LUNCH EXPRESS (2021) - co-starring Kevin Sorbo, Eric Roberts, and (*deep, heavy sigh*) Malcolm McDowell - and actually learn a few things about how the right views the left.

#286 - The Outsider Nov 20, 2021

With its story of an idealistic political outsider who arrives in Washington to shake things up, Frank Capra's MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON (1939) helped codify what is perhaps the quintessential archetype of American politics. But... what does the movie actually say? To find out, we sat down and actually watched it. This one has been a long time coming, folks!

PREVIEW - #285 - The Michael & Us Film Festival Nov 15, 2021

PATREON EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/58734680 In this very special episode, the boys have a riff session about a range of movies of wildly varying quality, from the McDonald's biopic THE FOUNDER (2016) to Edgar Wright's quasi-quasi-feminist horror film LAST NIGHT IN SOHO (2021) to BERGMAN ISLAND (2021) to the hilarious Christian oddity BILL WALLACE OF CHINA (1967)

#284 - The Gnome in the Garden Part II: The Dialectic of Cool Britannia Nov 14, 2021

THE QUEEN (2006) brings together a mismatched-buddy duo — one a symbol of stiff-upper-lipped British tradition (Liz Windsor), the other a radical left-wing politician (uh... Tony Blair?) — who both slowly realize that they might be able to learn from each other. We discuss why this is the ultimate film of the New Labour era.

PREVIEW - Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Pyramid Schemes w/ Robert FitzPatrick Nov 12, 2021

PATREON EXCLUSIVE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/58634648 Multilevel marketing is a scam. But thanks to protection by political elites and well-funded industry propaganda, it keeps growing. Cracking down on it would be as simple as enforcing the laws against fraud — if only the political will could be found. Luke talks to MLM expert Robert FitzPatrick for a wide-ranging conversation about the history, scale, and structure of MLMs, and why there’s no such thing as a legitimate MLM.

UNLOCKED: The Problem Is Neoliberalism w/George Monbiot Nov 08, 2021

A month or so on, we're releasing this one from behind its Patreon paywall. If you want to hear more interviews like this, and get an extra episode each week, sign up at Patreon.com/MichaelandUs. In this interview, recorded in September, Luke talks to Guardian columnist and activist George Monbiot about the extreme right’s appropriation of countercultural idioms and revolutionary language in the age of QAnon and COVID; the corrosion of community in the neoliberal era; and the desperate need for a new narrative of solidarity and common good in an age of resurgent fascism and ecological collapse. "It’s shocking to see so many leftwingers lured to the far right by conspiracy theories" by George Monbiot - www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2…i-vaxxers-power

#283 - Nuance Mongering Nov 07, 2021

FALLING DOWN (1993) features Michael Douglas as an ordinary man who's mad as hell, turning into a Travis Bickle for the Rush Limbaugh era. It's Hollywood's attempt to make a serious statement about a post-Cold War malaise, and folks, it's a very, very bad movie. PLUS: we share memories of Canada''s greatest bad filmmaker.

PREVIEW - #282 - Meltdown (w/ Alex Gibney and David Sirota) Nov 04, 2021

PATREON EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/58314876 In this very special episode, Luke talks to Academy Award-winning filmmaker Alex Gibney (Taxi to the Dark Side, Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room, and many others) and investigate journalist David Sirota to discuss their new podcast series Meltdown. The series looks back on the 2008 financial crisis and mounts the case that the institutional response from Democrats still haunt politics today, and represents a skeleton key to understanding the current moment. NOTE: this conversation was recorded before this week's US elections, but has much to say about the results.

PREVIEW - #281 - Life Finds a Way Nov 01, 2021

PATREON EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/58157534 To tweak a phrase from Jeff Goldblum, so much time was spent asking IF the Superdelegate Patreon tier can vote for us to discuss Steven Spielberg's JURASSIC PARK (1993) and not whether they SHOULD. Just kidding, folks - we had a fun time revisiting this certified Popcorn Classic and discussing the ideological evolution from Spielberg's original to the 2015 reboot Jurassic World. PLUS: fiery hot takes on the new films The French Dispatch and Halloween Kills.

#280 - Lost Futures Oct 29, 2021

We travel to postwar Vienna to visit THE THIRD MAN (1949) and discuss how this classic film's style perfectly articulates a bleak and despairing state of being. PLUS: thoughts on the dark 'n' gritty new Buzz Lightyear origin movie, AND we finally answer whether politics is upstream or downstream from culture.

PREVIEW - #279 - Bad Pod Friends (w/ Branko Marcetic) Oct 25, 2021

PATREON EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/57836336 We're joined by our old pal Branko Marcetic to discuss the viral sensation that is the New York Times' "B*d *rt Fr*end" article. Why is it popular right now? Is either "friend" in the right or wrong? And is capitalism really the worst friend of them all? PLUS: we discuss the "debate" around the watered-down reconciliation bill.

#278 - Don't Bogart That Film Oct 23, 2021

EASY RIDER (1969) has been encrusted in so many layers of Boomer nostalgia that we were wondering: is there anything still there? So we sat down and watched one of the most iconic films of the 1960s, and... the answer may surprise you! PLUS: more memories of student journalism.

PREVIEW - #277 - James Bond Will Return Oct 18, 2021

PATREON EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/57533296 In some ways, no movie franchise is as responsive to trends and fads as the James Bond series. And in other ways, no franchise is more stubbornly resistant to change. We discuss how the latest entry, NO TIME TO DIE (2021), positions itself in the zeitgeist. PLUS: the Dave Chappelle discourse.

#276 - The Slow Cancellation of the Future Oct 17, 2021

At long last, we are finally tackling something related to The Sopranos. We discuss the many things wrong (and some things right) with the big-screen prequel THE MANY SAINTS OF NEWARK (2021); the spirit of American decline that The Sopranos captures at its best; and what the recent surge in prequels and reboots tells us about this world we live in.

PREVIEW - #275 - The Bad Article Extravaganza Oct 11, 2021

PATREON EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/57270569 The great thing about bad articles is: they don't stop makin' 'em. In this chill and jolly episode, we toss around some of our most beloved bad pieces of bad writing, including articles by such living legends as Jeffrey Wells, Jonathan Chait, and Jerry Seinfeld. PLUS: we discuss Toronto's most eccentric film exhibitor.

#274 - Hollywood Dreamscape Oct 08, 2021

We have discussed many bad films on this podcast, but now we finally turn our attention to The Worst Movie Ever Made™. We analyze how Ed Wood's PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE (1957) turns the movie industry's flotsam and detritus into a Hollywood dreamscape. PLUS: The Sopranos, Necromania, and Justin Trudeau's recent vacation.

PREVIEW - The Political Economy of Beautiful Boaters w/ Patrick Wyman Oct 08, 2021

PATREON BONUS - https://www.patreon.com/posts/bonus-political-57123129 For many, the phrase "ruling class" symbolizes jet-setting metropolitans. Historian Patrick Wyman argues that an entirely different and more banal group wield a level of power and cultural influence that is out of proportion with their identity. "American Gentry" by Patrick Wyman - https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2021/09/trump-american-gentry-wyman-elites/620151/

PREVIEW - #273 - Kayfabe Oct 04, 2021

PATREON EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/56985194 The Superdelegate patron tier has selected BEYOND THE MAT (1999), a warts-and-all documentary about the lives of professional wrestlers like Jake "The Snake" Roberts and Mick "Mankind" Foley. We discuss what "the movie that Vince McMahon doesn't want you to see" has to say about the art and business of pro wrestling, and what pro wrestling can teach us about politics. PLUS: the Anti-Woke Film Festival and Keir Starmer.

#272 - Radioactive Dreams Oct 03, 2021

Nine years after the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, cinema's most enduring symbol of the perils of nuclear proliferation first crawled out of Tokyo Bay. We discuss how the original GODZILLA (1954) channeled the mood of its time. PLUS: how the media talks about the congressional wrangling over the reconciliation bill.

PREVIEW - The Problem is Neoliberalism w/ George Monbiot Sep 30, 2021

PATREON BONUS - https://www.patreon.com/posts/bonus-problem-is-56805720?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copy_to_clipboard&utm_campaign=postshare With the scale of our current social and political crises, it’s unsurprising to see a proliferation of conspiracy theories across unusually broad swathes of society. Luke talks to Guardian columnist and activist George Monbiot about the extreme right’s appropriation of countercultural idioms and revolutionary language in the age of QAnon and COVID; the corrosion of community in the neoliberal era; and the desperate need for a new narrative of solidarity and common good in an age of resurgent fascism and ecological collapse. "It’s shocking to see so many leftwingers lured to the far right by conspiracy theories" by George Monbiot - https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/sep/22/leftwingers-far-right-conspiracy-theories-anti-vaxxers-power

PREVIEW - #271 - Napalm and Silly Putty Sep 27, 2021

PATREON EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/56663705 When we were teenagers, George Carlin offered a gateway to more radical ways of thinking about politics and the world around us. But does his sledgehammer brand of satire hold up for us now? We re-immersed ourselves in Carlin to find out. PLUS: we discuss Andrew Yang's new political party, and dredge up our old disagreement about Andy Warhol.

#270 - 2006 Forever! Sep 25, 2021

The mockumentary DEATH OF A PRESIDENT (2006) imagined what would happen if then-president George W. Bush was assassinated. Though briefly very controversial, this justly-forgotten film is a perfect encapsulation of just how conservative a liberal movie could be in the years following 9/11. PLUS: we analyze the recent Canadian federal election.

PREVIEW - #269 - Writer's Block Sep 20, 2021

PATREON EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/56380720 In 1980, the legendary journalist Gay Talese first learned of a peeping-tom who bought a motel to spy on his guests. In 2016, he finally got this man to speak on the record in a New Yorker cover story... but further reportage revealed that the peeping-tom was a less-than-reliable narrator. This scandal is the subject of the Netflix documentary VOYEUR (2017), which had us asking: even if the story is true, is it actually interesting? PLUS: final thoughts on the Canadian election, and looking back at George Carlin.

#268 - The Carlson Doctrine (w/ Alex Shephard) Sep 19, 2021

Tucker Carlson reigns as the most-watched personality on cable news. How did he get that way? How important is he really? And what does he actually believe? To answer these questions, he enlist the help of Tucker scholar and returning guest Alex Shephard, who guides us through Carlson's trajectory from a Tom Wolfe-ish magazine scribe to a Jon Stewart punching-bag to the living embodiment of the GOP's hard-right turn. "How Tucker Carlson Lost It" by Alex Shephard - https://newrepublic.com/article/163567/tucker-carlson-profile-lost-mind

PREVIEW - #267 - The Rush Hour of Our Discontent Sep 13, 2021

PATREON EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/56092187 The fastest fists of the east enter a junior partnership with the biggest mouth of the west in RUSH HOUR (1998), a film that represents the United States' view of its relationship with China during a moment of unquestioned U.S. hegemony. We discuss this Jackie Chan/Chris Tucker semi-classic, which every millennial has seen at least several times. PLUS: one of the hosts revisited Gran Torino (2008) and has some thoughts on it.

#266 - Ghosts Sep 10, 2021

In Apichatpong Weerasethakul's UNCLE BOONMEE WHO CAN RECALL HIS PAST LIVES (2010), the boundaries between life and death, past and present, ghost and human, and human and animal fade away. We discuss some possible philosophical and political readings of this cryptic masterpiece. PLUS: the 20th anniversary of 9/11 and the media is covering the Canadian election. "Why Justin Trudeau’s snap election is backfiring" by Luke Savage - https://www.newstatesman.com/world/north-america/2021/09/why-justin-trudeau-s-snap-election-backfiring

PREVIEW - DuffyGate Revisited w/ Luke LeBrun Sep 06, 2021

PATREON BONUS - https://www.patreon.com/posts/duffygate-w-luke-55808939 With Will on a temporary hiatus, Michael and Us is pleased to welcome Luke LeBrun, editor of my journalistic alma mater PressProgress, for a chill discussion of media coverage in Canada's ongoing federal election. With that behind us, Luke and I turn to a decidedly low-stakes political scandal from the already forgotten Harper era (colloquially known as DuffyGate), recount some old war stories from our days covering Canada's many right wing think tanks, and talk about one our country's most ignoble institutions: the Senate. Watch CBC's The Rise and Fall of Mike Duffy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tK2CD7P6yrM Follow Luke on Twitter: https://twitter.com/_llebrun https://pressprogress.ca/

PREVIEW - Richard Seymour on Afghanistan and the British Establishment Sep 01, 2021

PATREON BONUS - https://www.patreon.com/posts/55643199 Just as the American media has turned on Joe Biden following the announcement of withdrawal from Afghanistan, the British media has given a rapturous reception to Tony Blair as he's waded back into the discourse. Luke talks to writer and author Richard Seymour about the British establishment’s crack-up over Afghanistan, its inability to quit Blair, the storied history of liberal justifications for war and empire, and other issues raised in his recent essay “Disaster Liberalism.”

PREVIEW - #264 - All That's Solid... Aug 30, 2021

PATREON EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/55508789 Our Superdelegate patrons have selected Paul Thomas Anderson's much-loved parable about American capitalism, THERE WILL BE BLOOD (2007), and we drank it up. PLUS: the state of the Canadian election, and memories of eccentric characters from our university days.

#263 - Sculpting in Time Aug 29, 2021

Andrei Tarkovsky's debut film IVAN'S CHILDHOOD (1962) sends us into a discussion about poetic cinema, memory, Russia, and what it means to be a national filmmaker. PLUS: Spike Lee's flirtation with 9/11 truth, and check-ins with two reactionary celebrities.

PREVIEW - #262 - Al Gore Lives On My Street Aug 23, 2021

PATREON EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/55227370 Al Gore changed the way millions of people think about the climate crisis, but a full 15 years after the intended wake-up call of AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH (2006), the crisis is worse than ever. We look back at the documentary and analyze why Gore's brand of neoliberal environmentalism hasn't worked. PLUS: the Canadian election, The Sopranos, and tales of small-town political corruption.

#261 - Money Never Tweets Aug 20, 2021

In 1987, Oliver Stone introduced the world to a man who was not your daddy's capitalist: Gordon Gekko. We revisit WALL STREET to consider the strengths and limitations of its distinctly New Deal Liberal perspective on American capitalism; to marinate in the particular left-liberal Boomer perspective of Stone; and determine once and for all if greed is, in fact, good.

PREVIEW - #260 - Reality Bites Aug 16, 2021

PATREON EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/54951772 You've probably seen the show. But you probably haven't seen the movie. We put ourselves through Jerry Springer's one and only feature film vehicle, RINGMASTER (1998), and have emerged with a clearer sense of what the king of trash TV thought he was doing. PLUS: we've both been watching reality TV lately, and are more than eager to share our findings!

#259 - Oliver's Twist (w/ Anders Lee) Aug 13, 2021

In 1994, the most vilified member of the Reagan administration tried to stage a political comeback, and it almost worked. The documentary A PERFECT CANDIDATE (1996) follows Oliver North's attempt to unseat Democrat Chuck Robb as a Virginia senator, and captures the political currents in both Virginia and the United States as a whole. Pod Damn America and Redacted Tonight's Anders Lee fills in for Luke to discuss. Follow Anders Lee on Twitter - https://twitter.com/andersleehere Follow Pod Damn America - https://twitter.com/andersleehere

PREVIEW - #258 - What The Bleep Is This Shit!? Aug 08, 2021

PATREON EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/54650386 It was Homer Simpson who said, "What is mind? No matter. What is matter? Never mind." This aphorism is much more useful than anything in WHAT THE BLEEP DO WE KNOW!? (2004), the pseudo-science docu-fiction movie that blew a lot of minds during the Bush era. We analyze the film's brand of hokum, which exists somewhere between The Secret and Scientology. The Superdelegate patron class forced us to watch this one, gang!

#257 - Rank Punditry Aug 06, 2021

With an election looming in Canada, we decided to look back on a time when Justin Trudeau's father received his punishment at the hands of the Canadian media. The National Film Board of Canada documentary HISTORY ON THE RUN: THE MEDIA AND THE '79 ELECTION (1979) chronicles the unusual media landscape that led to a nine-month interruption in Pierre Trudeau's long tenure as Prime Minister. We discuss how media shapes and responds to election narratives, how things have changed since 1979, and the unusual Trudeau/Joe Clark/Ed Broadbent election. PLUS: rank punditry about Justin Trudeau's chances.

PREVEW - #256 - Remembering Things Our Own Way (w/ Alex Ross) Jul 29, 2021

PATREON EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/256-remembering-54272869 Bill Pullman, Balthazar Getty, Robert Blake... what if we told you that these three men are all the same? That's the situation in David Lynch's LOST HIGHWAY (1997), if not real life. Perennial guest Alex Ross helps us deconstruct a prickly film, and provides a political reading that will have your galaxy brain expanding. PLUS: Luke tells about his most famous reply-guy yet!

PREVIEW - #255 - Simple Twist of Fate Jul 26, 2021

PATREON EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/54116739 Revisiting the Coen Brothers' masterpiece INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS (2013) gives us ample opportunity to discuss the history, meaning, and politics of New York's brief but legendary folk music scene, and to try to articulate the Brothers' dark philosophy. PLUS: thoughts on the two greatest songwriters of our time: Bob Dylan and Matt Farley.

#254 - Bugs Bunny is Dead, Long Live Bugs Bunny! Jul 22, 2021

You may love Bugs Bunny, but you will never own him. That's the thesis of SPACE JAM: A NEW LEGACY (2021), which sends Bugs and LeBron James through a tour of WarnerMedia's intellectual property while never letting you forget that its WarnerMedia's intellectual property. "Th- th- th- th- that's bad, folks!" PLUS: Vanity Fair in the '20s, Jeff Bezos in space, and some alarming new trends in movie marketing. "Space Jam: A New Legacy Is a Peek Into the Bleak, Cynical Future of Film" by Alex Shephard - https://newrepublic.com/article/163008/space-jam-new-legacy-peek-bleak-cynical-future-film

PREVIEW - #253 - Grizzly Woman Jul 19, 2021

PATREON EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/53847856 The former Governor of Alaska can see Nick Broomfield from her house in SARAH PALIN: YOU BETCHA! (2011), the British muckraker's irreverent documentary about Sarah Palin. Broomfield reconstructs the life and turbulent political times of the onetime Tea Party standard-bearer, and your hosts find themselves with a split verdict on his success. PLUS: we discuss two of the most important artworks mankind has ever produced: Space Jam 2 and Moby Dick.

#252 - The Doomsday Gap Jul 16, 2021

At last, we have decided to stop worrying and love the bomb. We discuss Stanley Kubrick's immortal DR. STRANGELOVE (1964) and how its depiction of small, pitiable men against a vast backdrop brought the Kubrick project into sharp focus. PLUS: why the billionaire space race encapsulates what's wrong with this damnable world of ours.

PREVIEW - #251 - Accredited Media Only Jul 12, 2021

PATREON EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/53583912 Gadfly documentarian Nick Broomfield claims he wanted to make a movie about the "real" Margaret Thatcher, but TRACKING DOWN MAGGIE (1994) - which documents his failed quest to land an interview with the former Prime Minister - ended up being about the limits of the strange, cloistered world of the global elite, and the limits of "access journalism." PLUS: We discuss the media reception to Richard Branson's journey into space.

#250 - Conquest of the Useless Jul 09, 2021

The classic documentary BURDEN OF DREAMS (1982) captures director Werner Herzog as he's mounting the most ambitious feat of his career: attempting to haul a literal steamship over a literal mountain for his film Fitzcarraldo. We discuss how this legendary saga of directorial megalomania in a world where directorial megalomania has gone out of fashion. PLUS: the complicated reasons why there are no nice things in American politics.

PREVIEW - #249 - The Reunion Episode Jul 05, 2021

PATREON EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/53342923 Your hosts met in person to record for the first time since March 2020, and the result is their wackiest, most stream-of-consciousness episode in years! The boys crack open a few cold ones and discuss AMERICANS (2012), a short "public service" film by Sean Penn and Kid Rock that clumsily sought to build a bridge between Red and Blue America. But this is mostly an opportunity for your very inebriated hosts to shoot the breeze over such diverse topics as Wetmovie1, working in public access television, and forgotten Canadian TV shows from the '90s. So pull up a chair and share a toast!

#248 - Enemy at the Gaetz Jul 03, 2021

The HBO documentary THE SWAMP (2020) follows three "maverick" Republican congressmen who seek to fulfil Donald Trump's promise to "drain the swamp," even if that means alienating their party leaders. But what you really need to know about this documentary is that the main one is Matt Gaetz, and he is a huge doofus. PLUS: thoughts on Canada Day, Alex Gibney's Agents of Chaos, and a look back at the media coverage of the War in Iraq.

PREVIEW - #247 - Bring Me the Head of Alexander Hamilton Jun 28, 2021

PATREON EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/53013461 We did everything we could to avoid watching Lin-Manuel Miranda's HAMILTON, but our Superdelegate patron tier finally made us confront the inevitable. We watched the 2020 Disney+ filmed recording of the biggest Broadway hit of the past decade. We found that it was - as advertised - the ultimate artistic expression of a certain kind of Obama-era liberal politics. PLUS: we gab about 1940s roadshow exploitation movies, Chet Hanks, and the state of the Biden presidency.

#246 - PhD in Freakonomics Jun 25, 2021

We're still not entirely sure what the mega-bestselling 2005 book "Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything" was about, but it seems to have had something to do with arguing that economics is all about incentives. The 2010 anthology film adaptation FREAKONOMICS explores this thin thesis across segments directed by such documentary legends as Eugene Jarecki, Alex Gibney, and (ugh) Morgan Spurlock... but its "counterintuitive" take on capitalism ends up reinforcing some ugly ideas. PLUS: the wacky institution that is the Canadian Senate, and the long right-wing preoccupation with postmodernism. "How postmodernism became the universal scapegoat of the era" by Richard Seymour - https://www.newstatesman.com/international/2021/06/how-postmodernism-became-universal-scapegoat-era

PREVIEW - #245 - No War But The Culture War Jun 21, 2021

PATREON EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/52738757 The acclaimed documentary CRUMB (1994) tells the story of Robert Crumb, the legendary underground cartoonist who has channeled his pain and unleashed his darkest thoughts into some of the funniest and most offensive comics ever made. We discuss how this film captures a longtime culture war lightning-rod during a very different moment in the culture war, and try to articulate usefulness of transgressive art. PLUS: culture wars of many stripes, from the uneasy relationship between Silicon Valley and pornography to Luke's reflections on writing about liberalism for The Atlantic.

#244 - Late Capitalist Slam Poetry Jun 17, 2021

He once served under Gerald Ford and rose to become Bill Clinton's labor secretary, but the economist Robert Reich has more recently been been a two-time supporter of Bernie Sanders' primary runs. But in the documentary INEQUALITY FOR ALL (2013), Reich claims he's not a socialist, and wants to tackle income inequality to save capitalism. We discuss the virtues and limitations of Reich's brand of left-liberalism, and the documentary as a time capsule of the post-Occupy, pre-Trump moment. PLUS: Vanderpump Rules, the increased durability of dynastic wealth, and memories of a nearly-forgotten failed Toronto-based media venture. "Amy Schumer, and a long winter nap" by the Toronto Standard - https://www.torontostandard.com/the-sprawl/amy-schumer-and-a-long-winter-nap/

PREVIEW - #243 - The More Things Change Jun 13, 2021

PATREON EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/243-more-things-52451160 In 1961, a famous Hollywood actor named Ronald Reagan recorded an LP warning his fellow citizens about the dangers of "socialized medicine." On this episode, we dig up RONALD REAGAN SPEAKS OUT AGAINST SOCIALIZED MEDICINE (1961) to examine how the pillars of Reagan's talking-points remain more or less unchanged 60 years later - and have even been adopted by Democrats. PLUS: Canada's kooky constitution, and the "The Great Derangement" of the late Bush era.

#242 - The Dirty Trickster Jun 10, 2021

The archetype of the shadowy, Machiavellian political strategist is potent in the popular imagination, and no strategist has leaned into this potency harder than Roger Stone. We look back at one of Trumpworld's wackier characters by watching the Netflix documentary GET ME ROGER STONE (2017) and discuss how he is both a more and less significant figure than he seems. PLUS: Roger Stone's fashion blog!

PREVIEW - #241 - The One Where History Is Over Jun 06, 2021

PATREON EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/52173881 Ross, Rachel, Chandler, Phoebe, Joey, Monica... even 17 years after their show ended, these characters remain as dear as real-life friends for millions of viewers. But why has a show that's so stubbornly of the '90s endured? On the occasion of the megabucks FRIENDS: THE REUNION (2021) special, a longtime Friends hater (Will) and a Friends fan-turned-quasi-apostate (Luke) attempt to provide an answer. PLUS: examining Boris Johnson's side-hustle as an author/historian!

#240 - Hope and Despair Jun 02, 2021

Paul Schrader's FIRST REFORMED (2017) looks at a world that might be beyond saving, and asks: "How can we go on living?" We discuss how this great film about religion, capitalism, and the environment is a rare Movie Of The Moment that actually is one. PLUS: the legacy of Canada's residential schools.

#238 - Bernie versus the Space Barons May 28, 2021

Why has an oligarch like Elon Musk attracted so many admirers? To answer that question, we looked at the short puff-piece documentary THE RISE OF SPACEX: ELON MUSK'S ENGINEERING MASTERPIECE (2020), which presents the story of his outer-space initiatives the way he would like them to be seen. We examine the very real political implications of his "apolitical" tech-guru brand. PLUS: an odd new footnote to Canadian WWII history, the Amazon/MGM deal, and the surprising career trajectory of Tucker Max. "The Rise of SpaceX: Elon Musk's Engineering Masterpiece" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_T4QayqtI4&ab_channel=ritm1

PREVIEW - The Assault on Voting Rights / Trash Cinema May 25, 2021

PATREON BONUS - https://www.patreon.com/posts/51686456 The boys have a chat about some of their current writing projects. Luke talks about a new wave of Republican legislation that represents an assault on American democracy, and why the Democrats are likely not up for the challenge. Then Will talks about a filmmaker who he passionately loves: the gutter auteur Andy Milligan. "If Democracy Is Dying, Why Are Democrats So Complacent?" by Luke Savage - https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2021/05/democrats-voting-rights-filibuster/618964/

PREVIEW #237 - Bill's Brain (w/ Cory Doctorow) May 24, 2021

PATREON EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/237-bills-brain-51613897 Microsoft founder/self-appointed global health czar/Epstein buddy Bill Gates is receiving his worst press in 20 years. To celebrate, we looked back all the way to 2019 at the documentary series INSIDE BILL'S BRAIN: DECODING BILL GATES - a hagiographic look at his selfless charity work and harmonious marriage. PLUS: Luke talks with novelist Cory Doctorow, a longtime critic of restrictive intellectual property laws, about Gates’s dogged commitment to monopolism.

#236 - The People vs Mr. Burns May 21, 2021

THE SIMPSONS taught a generation to be skeptical of authority. And then, at some point, it stopped. We revisit one of the greatest television show with two of its greatest episodes - "Marge vs. the Monorail" and "Sideshow Bob Roberts" - before venturing into the Season 26 episode "The Musk Who Fell to Earth" with guest star (...sigh...) Elon Musk. PLUS: Netflix's Dirty Money, the shifting discourse on Israel-Palestine, and an airtight theory about what Kramer would be doing today.

PREVIEW - #235 - Fuck It... We Listened To The Obama/Springsteen Podcast (w/ Reel Politik) May 17, 2021

PATREON EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/235-fuck-it-we-w-51343674 On this very special crossover episode, we're hanging out with our good pals from across the pond - Jack and Geraint from the great Reel Politik podcast - to share a few cheap laughs over a target that's just asking for it. Yes, we discuss "Renegades: Born in the USA," the new Spotify-exclusive podcast from Barack Obama and the boss himself, Bruce Springsteen. We discuss how the show represents much that is unfortunate about Obama's post-presidency, and how exactly it fits into Bruce Springsteen's long and glorious career as a celebrity avatar of the working class. (Don't worry, we're not going to be too hard on Bruce.) Check out Reel Politik - https://soundcloud.com/reelpolitikpodcast

#234 - Cleggmania Revisited May 13, 2021

In the wake of the Labour Party's disastrous performance in the 2021 U.K. local elections, we're taking a look back at a key moment in recent British history. The made-for-TV movie COALITION (2015) documents the wheelings and dealings that led to Nick Clegg's Liberal-Democrats joining forces with David Cameron's Conservatives after. the 2010 election left no party with a parliamentary majority. We share some larfs over a perfectly mediocre movie, and. discuss the true meaning of "Cleggmania" and its aftermath. PLUS: Why can't Keir Starmer sell centrism like Tony Blair could? And reflections on Toronto's alt-media landscape, from NOW Magazine to Eye Weekly to The Grid. "The Grid R.I.P." - http://radiofreecanuckistan.blogspot.com/2014/07/the-grid-rip.html "Keir Starmer’s Televised Meltdown Was Decades in the Making" by Luke Savage - https://www.jacobinmag.com/2021/05/keir-starmer-bbc-meltdown-labour-election-hartlepool

PREVIEW - #233 - Finally... The Fight Club Episode May 10, 2021

PATREON EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/51068447 How has it taken this long? We finally discuss David Fincher's FIGHT CLUB (1999) and its vision of consumerism, masculinity, and late '90s America. And of course we go over how the past 21 years have amplified/distorted/weakened/possibly even strengthened the experience of watching this dorm-room staple. PLUS: thoughts on Labour's disastrous performance in the 2021 U.K. local elections, and horrible tales what REALLY happened to the Three Stooges.

#232 - Bringing It All Back Home May 07, 2021

The year is 1965. Bob Dylan, tired of being "the voice of a generation," is on the verge of going electric... but he still has a tour of England to do. In D.A. Pennebaker's iconic documentary DONT LOOK BACK (1967), Dylan spars with journalists who question his prophet status while also trudging through protest songs that no longer mean much to him. We discuss how this film captures Dylan at a turning point. PLUS: Clint Eastwood's Richard Jewell, consuming culture in the Biden era, and reflections on Biden's first 100 days. "Joe Biden Is Not a Radical" by Luke Savage - https://www.jacobinmag.com/2021/05/joe-biden-radical-policy-liberalism-first-100-days

PREVIEW - #231 - The Moral Minority May 03, 2021

PATREON EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/50787521 It's time for another selection from our Superdelegate patron tier, and boy, they picked a doozy. On this episode, we shack up with the Bundys and dive into MARRIED... WITH CHILDREN (1987-1997), the raunchy family sitcom that became a flashpoint in the culture war. We discuss the show's bleak worldview, try to make sense of several of the most famous episodes, and discuss how conservative moral-panics like the one that greeted this show have changed in the decades since.

#230 - A Tasteful Thickness Apr 30, 2021

We finally tackle the ultimate movie about '80s Wall Street excess, AMERICAN PSYCHO (2000), which refracts Bret Easton Ellis through the prisms of Mary Harron and Christian Bale. We discuss its central performance, its many ambiguities, and why it is a quintessentially late-'90s statement on the '80s. PLUS: how capitalism is prolonging the pandemic, and why the drug companies are not your friends.

PREVIEW - Interview: Cullen Hoback, director of Q: Into the Storm Apr 26, 2021

PATREON EXCLUSIVE: https://www.patreon.com/posts/50510542 With his HBO documentary series Q: Into the Storm, filmmaker Cullen Hoback manages to demystify QAnon, exposing the mechanisms that underpin the right-wing conspiracy theory — above all, how it gives its followers a way of making sense of the spectacular failure of so many powerful institutions. Luke talks to Hoback about Q and the series.

PREVIEW - #229 - When Dougs Cry Apr 25, 2021

PATREON EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/50457119 It was one of the worst-received comedies of all time. Twenty years later, its cult following cannot be denied. On this episode, Will makes a passionate case for how the passage of time has been kind to Tom Green and FREDDY GOT FINGERED's destructive project, while Luke works through his complicated feelings. PLUS: a plethora of topics, from Doug Ford vs. Alex Jones to the White House Press Corps under Biden to an aggrieved right-wing columnist who feels wokeness has destroyed Disney World.

Interview - Attorney Steven Donziger, a Literal Prisoner of the Chevron Corporation Apr 23, 2021

When human rights lawyer Steven Donziger won a multibillion-dollar lawsuit against the oil giant Chevron, the company retaliated by setting out to destroy Donziger’s life. Now in his twentieth month of house arrest on the orders of a Chevron-linked judge, his Kafkaesque story is a window into the corrupt and corporate-captured US legal system. Visit the #FreeDonziger website - https://www.freedonziger.org/ Donate to the Steven Donziger Legal Defense Fund - https://www.donzigerdefense.com/

#228 - Frontier Justice Apr 22, 2021

We travel back to Nixon's America with 1974's DEATH WISH, the franchise-spawning Silent Majority hit in which Charles Bronson transforms from a bleeding-heart liberal to a gun-wielding avenging angel. We discuss how the film's reactionary politics and apocalyptic vision of an American city are still being replicated in conservative media today. PLUS: The Last Blockbuster, new advancements in product-placement technology, and an unlikely new kingpin in the NFT landscape.

PREVIEW - #227 - Abolish Silicon Valley (w/ Wendy Liu) Apr 19, 2021

Patreon Episode - https://www.patreon.com/posts/50195779 Under the eccentric management of CEO Adam Neumann, the baffling real estate/tech company WeWork became a multibillion-dollar Wall Street giant without ever turning a profit. The new Hulu documentary WEWORK, OR: THE THE MAKING AND BREAKING OF A $47 BILLION UNICORN (2021) explores how it all came crashing down... but we're joined by startup veteran turned leftist writer Wendy Liu (author of Abolish Silicon Valley: How to Liberate Technology from Capitalism) to discuss how its prescription falls short. Check out Abolish Silicon Valley: How to Liberate Technology from Capitalism by Wendy Liu - https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/622177/abolish-silicon-valley-by-wendy-liu/

#226 - The Gospel According to Pasolini Apr 16, 2021

A gay communist atheist directing the most reverential film ever made about Jesus Christ? It happened! Pier Paolo Pasolini's THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW (1964) uses neorealist aesthetics to emphasize the material side of Jesus's life over the divine, and foregrounds His politics over his miracles. PLUS: the pleasures and perils of being extremely online during a pandemic, and what conservatives say about democracy behind closed doors. "A Cinema of Poetry" by Patrick Rumble - https://www.artforum.com/film/patrick-rumble-on-pier-paolo-pasolini-38175 "Behind Closed Doors, Republican Plutocrats Conspiring Against Democracy Let the Mask Slip" by Luke Savage - https://www.jacobinmag.com/2021/04/voting-rights-hr1-bill-republicans-antidemocratic "Inside the Koch-Backed Effort to Block the Largest Election-Reform Bill in Half a Century" by Jane Mayer - https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/inside-the-koch-backed-effort-to-block-the-largest-election-reform-bill-in-half-a-century Check out our Patreon for exclusive bonus episodes - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus

PREVIEW - #225 - The Michael Moore / Aaron Sorkin Spectacular! (w/ Dave Anthony and Josh Olson) Apr 10, 2021

Get it - https://www.patreon.com/posts/49872356 Yes folks, we're returning once again to our roots. In a special crossover episode with The West Wing Thing podcast, we join forces with Dave Anthony and Josh Olson dissect Aaron Sorkin's recent appearance on Michael Moore's podcast "Rumble." Does the encounter bring out the best or the worst in both men? PLUS: we discuss the pleasures and perils of "Rumble with Michael Moore" itself. Check out The West Wing Thing - https://westwingthing.libsyn.com/

#224 - Q Vadis? Apr 09, 2021

Filmed over three years, the new HBO docuseries Q: INTO THE STORM (2021) seeks to find an answer to the question that plagued the Trump years: who is Q, the mysterious leader of the "QAnon" movement? The documentary offers a provisional answer... but of course, there is no one simple explanation for how QAnon came to dominate the past few years. We discuss the backwash of the Trump era, PLUS: a report on Fox News' new late-night talk show "Gutfeld!" "Howard Dean pushes Biden to oppose generic COVID-19 vaccines for developing countries" by Lee Fang - https://theintercept.com/2021/04/08/howard-dean-biden-covid-vaccines/ "Is Gutfeld! the Worst Show on Television?" by Alex Shephard - https://newrepublic.com/article/161985/gutfeld-worst-show-television Check out our Patreon for exclusive bonus episodes: https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus

PREVIEW - #223 - Whose Cube Is It Anyway? Apr 04, 2021

Patreon Episode - https://www.patreon.com/posts/49602781 The latest Superdelegate selection is the Canadian cult classic CUBE (1997), in which a handful of people need to find their way out a mysterious, deadly structure comprised of many identical cubes. The structure is, of course, a metaphor for our society, but what, exactly, is its ideology? We offer a theory. PLUS: the return of Godzilla, Luke's days as a child actor, and why the Biden years will be The Era of the Mods.

#222- Guillotine in Piccadilly Apr 02, 2021

With the British monarchy at its lowest ebb of popularity since the week after Diana's death, we consider these two moments within the context of the wretched institution's ignoble history. We watch Christopher Hitchens' documentary DIANA: THE MOURNING AFTER (1998) - a controversial dissenting take on the Diana myth - and also discuss Netflix's THE CROWN and the Harry/Meghan phenomenon. In the process, we speculate how the existential threat facing this frankly worthless institution might lead to an unholy reinvention. PLUS: a rueful look back at James Berardinelli, the most popular web-based critic of the '90s. "The British Monarchy Will Not Survive Late Capitalism — And Harry and Meghan Are Proof" by Luke Savage - https://www.jacobinmag.com/2021/03/british-monarchy-neoliberal-age-prince-harry-meghan-markle

PREVIEW - #221 - Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Dubya (w/ Jack Frayne-Reid) Mar 28, 2021

PATREON EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/49309128 In 2006, Neil Young reunited with Crosby, Stills, and Nash to embark on a tour that he hoped would raise consciousness against the Iraq War, swing the midterms for the Democrats, and establish a link between the protest music of the '60s and the George W. Bush era. Jack Frayne-Reid (cohost of the Reel Politik podcast) fills in for Luke to discuss Neil Young's documentary CSNY/DEJA VU (2008), and the mild pleasures and serious limitations of Young's Iraq War-themed music. PLUS: the strange story of former Labour MP Mike Gapes.

#220 - Print the Legend (w/ Aisling McCrea) Mar 26, 2021

The forces of liberal democracy (Jimmy Stewart) and rugged frontier self-reliance (John Wayne) come head-to-head in John Ford's masterpiece THE MAN WHO SHOT LIBERTY VALANCE (1962) - an elegiac look at a Wild West becoming tamed by progress. Aisling McCrea (contributing editor and podmaster general at Current Affairs magazine) fills in for Luke to discuss who shot Lee Marvin's chaotic outlaw, and what it means. The answers may surprise you! PLUS: the death of "mythos" in cultural criticism, and the history of "the Dilbert guy." Check out the Current Affairs podcast - https://www.currentaffairs.org/podcast "Satanic Panics and the Death of Mythos" by Aisling McCrea - https://www.currentaffairs.org/2021/02/satanic-panics-and-the-death-of-mythos "The Adams Principle" by Aisling McCrea - https://www.currentaffairs.org/2020/10/the-adams-principle "Dilbert: A Reckoning" by Miles Wray - https://www.theawl.com/2017/12/dilbert-a-reckoning/

PREVIEW - #219 - Not So Awesome (w/ Alex Ross) Mar 21, 2021

PATREON EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/49010494 Several months ago, we watched KICKASSIA, the first of several horrific movies directed by internet comedian Doug "The Nostalgia Critic" Walker as part of his "Channel Awesome" empire. The experience nearly drove us mad. This week, our old friend Alex Ross subs in for Luke and heroically wades through SUBURBAN KNIGHTS (2012), the 130-minute (!!!!!) sequel. Nearly everyone involved with this movie has since disowned it, and we discuss how this mind-melting movie has become a fascinating time capsule of a long-gone internet subculture AND of a plainly toxic workplace. PLUS: Homer Simpson is a millennial now???

#218 - Canadian Cringe Mar 18, 2021

In 2020, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau faced one of his biggest scandals yet when a charitable organization to which his family had longstanding (and lucrative) ties was given a plum contract to build a high-profile volunteer program for Canadian youth. The ensuing conflict of interest scandal brought down WE Charity (formerly Free the Children), the brainchild of Canuck philanthropy wunderkinds Craig & Mark Kielburger. We watched THE PRICE WE PAID (2021), fine new investigative documentary by the CBC's The Fifth Estate series, which broke down the WE Scandal and the shady practices of the disgraced charity. We discuss how WE Charity is a perfect symbol for the deep rot in the soul of corporate philanthropy. PLUS: the Alberta government's war with Netflix; Celebrity Apprentice memories; and an introduction to the world's best/worst Oscar blogger. Watch "The Price WE Paid" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FC_wos7MwHo&ab_channel=TheFifthEstate "Jason Kenney’s Energy War Room Launches Campaign to Stop Netflix Children’s Cartoon About ‘Bigfoot’" by PressProgress - https://pressprogress.ca/jason-kenneys-energy-war-room-launches-campaign-to-stop-netflix-childrens-cartoon-about-bigfoot/ Jeffrey Wells's "Hollywood Elsewhere" blog - https://hollywood-elsewhere.com/

PREVIEW - #217 - Fist of Fury Mar 15, 2021

PATREON EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/48762874 In FIST OF FURY (1972), Bruce Lee stands up for his Chinese countrymen against their Japanese colonial oppressors, and became a hero of the dispossessed and marginalized everywhere. We discuss the most overtly nationalist film of the action legend's short career, and also consider Lee's unique position as the first global Asian superstar. PLUS: How long can Andrew Cuomo keep this crazy boat afloat?

#216 - Both Sides Now (w/ Alex Shephard) Mar 12, 2021

America is divided, capitalism is to blame, and the only solution is... more capitalism. That's the thesis of STARS AND STRIFE (2020), another centrist documentary from the last election in which the architects of oligarchy and globalization, and big money in politics call for... an end to those things. Niall Ferguson, Rahm Emanuel, Amy Chua, Alan Greenspan, and Francis Fukuyama are just a few of the titans who deliver wildly contradictory prescriptions to America's ills in this truly dreadful documentary. We're joined by New Republic staff writer Alex Shephard to discuss. PLUS: the ongoing grift of David Brooks. "David Brooks and the Endless Grift of the Conservative Commentariat" by Alex Shephard - https://newrepublic.com/article/161621/david-brooks-endless-grift-conservative-commentariat

PREVIEW - Interview: The State of the Labour Party w/ Labour MP Jon Trickett Mar 11, 2021

PATREON EXCLUSIVE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/48621488 Much has changed in the Labour Party since the devastating electoral defeat it experienced in December 2019. A year into Keir Starmer's leadership, Luke talks to Labour MP Jon Trickett about the legacy of the election, Starmer's triangulation on the corporation tax, and the need for the Labour Party to advance a bold, activist agenda in the pandemic era.

PREVIEW - #215 - Century 21 Calling Mar 07, 2021

PATREON EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/48447924 Let's travel to yesterday's tomorrow... today! We discuss a range of 20th century kitsch that envisions the capitalist utopia of the 21st century, including Jean-Marc Côté's "En L’An 2000" artworks, as well as two short films that Mystery Science Theater 3000 fans will know well: the General Motors propaganda film DESIGN FOR DREAMING (1956) and the Seattle World's Fair adventure CENTURY 21 CALLING (1962). All these artefacts imagine a world in which technology has freed us from work... but social relations remain unchanged. PLUS: the defeat of a higher minimum wage, and the looming spectre of Space Jam 2.

#214 - Tracy Flick for President Mar 03, 2021

We finally watch one of our most requested movies: the political parable ELECTION (1999), which presents a vision of American politics circa 1999 as represented by three student candidates and one faculty power-broken in a high school election. PLUS: Neera Tanden, the Golden Globes, and what happens to culture when the zeitgeist is taken away? Subscribe to our Patreon for exclusive episodes: https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus

#213 - The Wreck of the Straight Talk Express Feb 25, 2021

We plunge once again into the filmography of Alexandra Pelosi, who in addition to being Nancy's daughter is a prolific maker of not-very-good political documentaries. In RIGHT AMERICA, FEELING WRONGED (2009), she follows the John McCain campaign in its final, desperate weeks, interviewing dozens of ill-mannered Republicans who feel left out of the Obama wave. The result is her bleakest and angriest film - though still not exactly what one might call "good." PLUS: Pete Buttigieg's memoir, revisionist celebrity documentaries, and is there a Republican Party exodus? Tune into the first Michael and Us livestream. On Friday, February 27 at 6pm, Michael and Us Nation will watch 1995's BATMAN FOREVER together, as a family. Details at https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus

PREVIEW - #212 - The Conformist Feb 22, 2021

PATREON EXCLUSIVE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/47869131 For this month's Superdelegate pick, we watched Bernardo Bertolucci's masterpiece The Conformist (1970), about a secret police officer in fascist Italy assigned to assassinate a left-wing intellectual who was once his university professor. We discuss what it means to be a fascist, and the lure of seeking normalcy even within an evil system. PLUS: 50 Shades of Grey, old movies, and what, exactly, is "the canon"?

PREVIEW - Interview: Clearing The Smoke Around Joe Biden's Climate Policy w/ Kate Aronoff Feb 22, 2021

PATREON EXCLUSIVE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/interview-smoke-47833534 Joe Biden issued an executive order recommitting the United States to the Paris climate agreement and rescinding the construction permit for the Keystone XL Pipeline, moves that have been heralded throughout the media as the beginning of a new era for climate policy in the United States. But what are the real prospects for the transformative policies actually needed to combat climate change in the years ahead? What will Biden’s much-touted green jobs initiative do in practice? And how has the fossil fuel industry responded to Biden’s early moves? Luke talks to the New Republic’s Katie Aronoff (coauthor of A Planet to Win: Why We Need a Green New Deal, coeditor of We Own the Future: Democratic Socialism — American Style, and author of the forthcoming Overheated: How Capitalism Broke the Planet — and How We Fight Back) about climate policy under Biden.

#211 - Post-Partisan Struggle Session Feb 18, 2021

Just when we thought we'd found the bottom of the barrel, we scrape a little bit further. From executive producers Van Jones and Meghan McCain, THE REUNITED STATES (2021) seeks to open a new chapter on the American story by highlighting people trying to bridge the left and right. But does a political "movement" that believes in nothing more than "listening to each other" actually do anything to address the issues allegedly dividing us? (Hint: no).

PREVIEW - #210 - The Pope of Trash Feb 14, 2021

PATREON EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/47524164 John Waters' transgressive masterpiece FEMALE TROUBLE (1974) envisions a moral and aesthetic universe in which everything ugly is beautiful and vice versa. We discuss the film's radically queer vision, and the way it dissolves the barrier between high and low culture. We also discuss the seismic impact that John Waters had on one of the cohosts as a young man (hint: it's Will), and how an iconoclast becomes an elder statesman. PLUS: Trump's (non-)impeachment, Woody Allen's new movie, and why it can be more productive to criticize liberals than conservatives.

#209 - Tony Benn: Against the Tide Feb 11, 2021

For decades the most visible socialist in Britain, the late Labour Party MP Tony Benn is the rare instance of a left-wing politician who became even more radical as his political career progressed. The 1990 documentary TONY BENN: AGAINST THE TIDE, 1973-6 looks back at four years where radical change seemed possible and Benn was at the height of his power within Labour. We discuss his thwarted political vision, and how his politics remained consistent through the dark winters of Thatcher and Blair. PLUS: American media under Biden, and the death of Larry Flynt. Watch the documentary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4h9qv1HQ4w8&ab_channel=ModernLonelyTV "Tony Benn Spent His Life Fighting for Democracy and Socialism" by Leo Panitch and Colin Leys - https://www.jacobinmag.com/2020/04/tony-benn-birthday-labour-party-uk-new-left

PREVIEW - Interview: How the Right Won the Economics War w/ Marshall Steinbaum Feb 09, 2021

PATREON BONUS - https://www.patreon.com/posts/47344547 Sometime after the Second World War, neoliberal economics became the default economic theory. How did this happen? And is there any hope for a return to New Deal economics? Our own Luke Savage talks to Marshall Steinbaum (writer and assistant professor of economics at the University of Utah) about how the neoclassical right’s astonishingly successful intellectual revolution came about, its core beliefs, and the profoundly antidemocratic animus it owes to the liberalism of the nineteenth century.

PREVIEW - #208 - A Good Man Out for Justice Above the Law: Special Ops Feb 06, 2021

PATREON EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/47190155 At the height of his fame, Steven Seagal directed and starred in his passion project: ON DEADLY GROUND (1994), a big-budget action movie about saving the environment and bringing down Big Oil. This legendary disaster is the ultimate Seagal film. Come join us as we have some fun hitting the low-hanging piñata that is the Mojo Priest. PLUS: the ominous Proposition 22 - where it came from, and what it represents.

#207 - A Fistful of Quarters Feb 04, 2021

The story of two men competing for the world Donkey Kong championship becomes a metaphor for so much in society, from celebrity culture to institutional power. We revisit THE KING OF KONG: A FISTFUL OF QUARTERS (2007) and celebrate two universal archetypes: Steve Wiebe and Billy Mitchell. PLUS: fiery hot takes on the Golden Globes, the Democrats' impending midterm strategy, and the lingering discourse on the Bernie mittens meme. "PIXEL BURN - A King, Konquered: The Fall of Billy Mitchell" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNLqrOqUtEM&ab_channel=Bitscreed

PREVIEW - Exit Through the Gamestonk w/ Edward Ongweso Jr Feb 04, 2021

PATREON EXCLUSIVE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/interview-exit-w-47079354 We all got a kick out of watching the Redditors beat the hedge funds. But can finance be democratized within the framework of capitalism? That answer may not surprise you! Luke talks to Edward Ongweso Jr., a labor and technology reporter at Motherboard and cohost of the This Machine Kills podcast, about the Robinhood trading app and the implications of l'affaire Gamestop.

PREVIEW - #206 - "What's the Deal with Poor People???" Jan 31, 2021

PATREON EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/46893915 The Superdelegates have voted and forced us to watch Jerry Seinfeld's Netflix show COMEDIANS IN CARS GETTING COFFEE. Jerry and a range of ultra-rich showbiz pals (from Ricky Gervais to Bill Maher to Ellen Degeneres to... uh, Barack Obama) go for a spin, roast a brew, and engage in lighthearted chatter that will have you asking if America's most beloved sitcom star might actually be a sociopath. PLUS: thoughts on QAnon, "the Year of the Mod," and the sad return of America's most venerable media brand.

PREVIEW - Interview: Will Sommer on QAnon after Trump Jan 29, 2021

PATREON BONUS - https://www.patreon.com/posts/46829970 What is QAnon? Where did it come from? And where does it go now that "the Storm" didn't happen? Luke talks to Daily Beast reporter and QAnon expert Will Sommer about this most ridiculous of Trump-era phenomena.

#205 - Dustbin of History Jan 28, 2021

Between the collapse of the Soviet Union and the War on Terror, James Bond went on a mission to find... relevance. We watched GOLDENEYE (1995), the first end-of-history Bond film, to find how 007 fit into the New World Order. PLUS: reflections on the inauguration, Canada's wacky system of governance, and the passing of Larry King.

PREVIEW - #204 - A Cutthroat War of Memes: Arthur Chu, a People's History (w/ Alex Ross) Jan 24, 2021

PATREON EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/46613211 In 2014, Arthur Chu launched a winning streak on Jeopardy that made him one of the show's most famous (and hated) contestants. He then worked to parlay his newfound celebrity into a career as a writer/speaker on politics and nerd culture. There's a very good chance you are blocked by him on Twitter. We were joined our old pal Alex Ross to watch the surprisingly depressing documentary WHO IS ARTHUR CHU? (2017), discover where it all went wrong for Arthur, and diagnose a root problem in liberal online discourse. PLUS: thoughts on Joe Biden's inauguration and Bernie Sanders' coat/mittens.

#203 - Everything's Just Great Jan 19, 2021

After the upheaval of 1968, Jean-Luc Godard said goodbye to commercial cinema to create a new kind of radical Marxist filmmaking. With TOUT VA BIEN (1972), Godard and his filmmaking partner Jean-Pierre Gorin tried to meet the audience halfway. Taking place in a moment when the student protests, the French New Wave, and even Godard's own militant phase were receding from view, this fascinating Brechtian exercise starring Jane Fonda and Yves Montand may or may not have room for optimism. PLUS: bold predictions about the incoming Biden administration, and the politics of another cinematic legend: James Bond. Check out our Patreon for exclusive bonus episodes: https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus

PREVIEW - #202 - Why We Love Canada's Worst Reporter Jan 17, 2021

PATREON EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/46305967 When Toronto mayor Rob Ford was at his lowest ebb, one reporter remained his loyal stenographer. When a BBQ restaurant owner was arrested for disobeying COVID regulations, one reporter called him a freedom fighter. When Billy Ray Cyrus was conquering the charts, one reporter stood up for him against imagined enemies. The City of Toronto has lived with buffoonish reporter Joe Warmington, and now you will too. PLUS: memories of the Rob Ford years, Ben Shapiro in Politico, and why season two of The Wire is good, actually.

#201 - Pretend It's an Insight Jan 13, 2021

Martin Scorsese's new Netflix documentary PRETEND IT'S A CITY (2021) is nothing more or less than a series of jokes and riffs by former writer and current professional curmudgeon Fran Lebowitz. We take a dive into this New York institution and discover what happens when a legendary wit is sorely lacking a worldview. PLUS: new lockdown restrictions, what happens to politics and the media post-Trump, and Marvel vs. 1950s America. "Pretend It's an Insight" by Will Sloan - https://willsloanesq.wordpress.com/2021/01/10/pretend-its-an-insight/

PREVIEW - #200 - Roger & Me Revisited: The 200th Episode Spectacular Jan 09, 2021

PATREON EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/46004627 For our 200th episode, we're once again returning to our roots. We took another look at Michael Moore's first and best film, ROGER & ME (1989), and found an unsparing depiction of American capitalism that has only grown better with age. PLUS: big-tech censorship, Trump's deplatforming, and Tim Allen discovers Plato.

#199 - Snobs and Deplorables Jan 08, 2021

In the aftermath of the siege on the Capitol, we looked at a movie that depicts America as at war with itself. The 2020 action-satire THE HUNT is an "equal-opportunity offender" in which Liberal Elites hunt MAGA Chuds for sport - and like most "equal-opportunity offenders," it misses all the real targets. PLUS: thoughts on the Georgia runoff elections.

PREVIEW - #198 - The Luck of Barry Lyndon Jan 04, 2021

PATREON EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/45808512 It's the first episode chosen by our SuperDelegate Patreon tier, and they mercifully chose a good movie: Stanley Kubrick's BARRY LYNDON (1975). We discuss the stark materialist philosophy of Kubrick's vision of a small man against the backdrop of history. PLUS: the libertarian take on human rights, staying sane in winter quarantine, and - you guessed it - Frank Stallone.

#197 - Winter Light Dec 31, 2020

A lot of us are feeling cold, isolated, and depressed right now, so what better time to revisit Ingmar Bergman's WINTER LIGHT (1963)? We discuss crises of various kinds of faith, and the personal and political implications of the silence of God. PLUS: Why won't the pundit class (and specifically Paul Krugman) get behind a $2000 stimulus?

PREVIEW - #196 - The First Annual Michael & Us Year-in-Review Extravaganza Dec 28, 2020

PATREON EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/45507789 If there's one thing we can all agree on, it's that 2020 has been a great year. To mark the end of another year of podcasting, we looked back on the movies we discussed since January, highlighting some of the key titles that captured the mood. We also hold the first-ever Michael & Us Academy Awards, handing out coveted trophies in categories ranging from Worst Movie to Best End-of-History Movie. What won? What lost? Only one way to find out.

#195 - Joy to the New World Order Dec 23, 2020

For our annual holiday episode, we finally did the inevitable: a deep-dive into the ideology of Disney/Tim Allen joint THE SANTA CLAUSE (1994). We got a little drunk with holiday cheer on this one, folks.

PREVIEW - #194 - Last Tango in Trumpland Dec 20, 2020

PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/45231887 To see out the Trump era, we looked back on an early piece of #Resistance kitsch: the feature-length (well, 50-minute) Funny or Die production DONALD TRUMP'S THE ART OF THE DEAL: THE MOVIE (2016), starring Johnny Depp. We examine how this all-star comedy really should have prepared us for how unprepared the culture industry would be to deal with #45. PLUS: Barack Obama's top movies of 2020, thoughts on The Art of the Deal (the book), and reflections on passages by Leo Tolstoy, Christopher Hitchens, and Adolph Reed Jr.

#193 - Full Spectrum Dominance Dec 17, 2020

The '90s brought a wave of movies about divorced or absentee fathers/husbands, and none had more explosions than James Cameron's TRUE LIES (1994). We revisited this action classic to decipher how the Arnold Schwarzenegger/Jamie Lee Curtis marriage is a metaphor for America at the "End of History." PLUS: Pete Buttigig at McKinsey, Wong Kar-wai's "restorations," and Tom Cruise yelling about COVID.

PREVIEW - #192 - Why We Love the World's Worst Film Critic Dec 13, 2020

PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/44978933 In one of our wildest and wooliest episodes yet, we introduce the Michael & Us community to one of our longest-standing obsessions: Pittsburgh-based right-wing movie critic Fiore Mastracci. Join us as we relish the inimitable prose of the man who no less than the Guardian newspaper called "the world's worst movie critic." PLUS: rambling, free-flowing shit-shooting about everything from Obama's memoir to British comedy to Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.

#191 - The Ministry of 1984 ½ Dec 11, 2020

Terry Gilliam sought to update George Orwell for the 1980s with his career-defining film BRAZIL (1985), but his future dystopia isn't animated by an ideology like Oceania's. We attempt to untangle the satire of a movie where bureaucracy itself is the problem. PLUS: we hash out our thoughts on Netflix's The Crown and the travails of Johnny Depp.

PREVIEW - #190 - The Lion and the Unicorn Dec 06, 2020

PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/44728064 From self-described Democratic Socialist to current-day darling of the online right, George Orwell's reputation is in flux. We look at Orwell through three of his most famous essays, situating him within the socialist tradition while also identifying/contextualizing his reactionary streak.

#189 - JOHN RAMBO INNOCENT!!! (w/ Micah Uetricht) Dec 01, 2020

Before he became a conservative warrior, John Rambo was just a mixed-up vet. We're joined by Jacobin deputy editor Micah Uetricht to parse the ambiguous politics of FIRST BLOOD (1982), where Sylvester Stallone is just as frazzled by right-wing cops as he is by left-wing protestors. We also situate the film among other Vietnam War movies, and compare the Vietnam canon to Iraq War cinema. PLUS: Luke has been reading Obama's autobiography and has some thoughts. Check out Micah's podcast The Vast Majority - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-vast-majority/id1462787412 Check out Bigger Than Bernie: How We Go from the Sanders Campaign to Democratic Socialism, by Micah and Meagan Day - https://www.versobooks.com/books/3167-bigger-than-bernie

PREVIEW - #188 - Champagne and Hot Wings Nov 28, 2020

PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/44409791 We return to the legendary and problematic writer, quipster, and socialist-turned-warmonger Christopher Hitchens. We discuss notable essays from his not-particularly-good late-period essay collection ARGUABLY, including his purplish prose on Harry Potter, Gore Vidal, and pesky waiters at restaurants. We also analyze why we remains a figure of fascination for us, despite everything. PLUS: random attacks on writers we don't especially like. Our first Hitchens episode: https://www.patreon.com/posts/124-fahrenhitch-30842827

#187 - RudyLeaks Nov 24, 2020

Before he was the President's attorney, he was America's Mayor. Made not long after 9/11 briefly turned Giuliani into one of the most beloved men in America, RUDY: THE RUDY GIULIANI STORY (2003) still can't hide the stone cold fact that its subject (played by James Woods!) is a complete piece of shit. We discuss Giuliani's long and sordid career, up to and including his recent hijinx. PLUS: learning to love the Snyder Cut, remembering Obama's 2009 message to David Brooks, and the loss of a beloved Toronto landmark.

PREVIEW - #186 - New Skin for the Old Ceremony Nov 19, 2020

PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/44083560 Everybody knows that the dice are loaded and that the good guys lost, but also that like the tidal flood beneath the lunar sway - imperial, mysterious in amorous array - democracy is coming to the USA. We explore these contradictions and others as we do a deep dive into Leonard Cohen. We discuss the classic Canadian documentary LADIES AND GENTLEMEN... MR. LEONARD COHEN (1965) and his legendary performance at the Isle of Wight Festival 1970. PLUS: thoughts on pandemic politics as the lockdown looms again in North America.

#185 - Red and Blue Nov 15, 2020

We travel to Lumberton to plumb the dark depths of David Lynch's BLUE VELVET (1986), in which good and evil are forces that are intertwined - and not a strict dichotomy. We discuss how critics then and now have received the film's provocations, and our own relationships to Lynch's work. PLUS: red states vs blue states, Joe Biden's cabinet, and Tim Allen's discovery of Marxism.

PREVIEW - #184 - Raising Kael (w/ Violet Lucca) Nov 12, 2020

PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/43832093 For decades, Pauline Kael reigned as the most feared and respected film critic in America, and even today carries a greater literary reputation than any of her peers. The not-very-good documentary WHAT SHE SAID: THE ART OF PAULINE KAEL (2018) tries to make a case for the New Yorker critic as an iconoclastic thinker... but inadvertently reveals her many limitations. We're joined by our old friend Violet Lucca (host of The Harper's Podcast) to discuss her much-imitated prose style, her ideas about art and trash, and the limits of a shoot-from-the-hip critical methodology. PLUS: post-election malaise, and the return of the XFL.

#183 - Back to Brunch Nov 07, 2020

With Biden's victory all but confirmed, we discuss the aftermath of the U.S. presidential election: the narratives being spun to explain the results, Trump's response, why four years of Biden/McConnell will almost certainly be bad, and why there still may be cause of optimism. Then we discuss a movie for times like this: Charlie Chaplin's career-destroying anti-capitalist black MONSIEUR VERDOUX (1947), a film that told America, "Things are bad, and have always been bad."

PREVIEW - Democracy's Finest Hour: An Election Reaction Episode w/ Branko Marcetic (Patreon Bonus) Nov 04, 2020

PATREON BONUS - https://www.patreon.com/posts/43547482 As Trump and Biden duke it out for the last few votes, we're joined by Branko Marcetic to discuss another fantastic showing by the Democratic Party. What went wrong? What does the future hold? What are the reasons for optimism, if any? We recorded this one fast and loose over Zoom, so pardon any audio imperfections.

#182 - There Goes the Neighborhood Oct 31, 2020

In this spooky Halloween episode, we consider the politics of horror by looking at the ultimate slasher film, John Carpenter's classic HALLOWEEN (1978). We discuss the way that the horror genre has traditionally served as an outlet for society's fears and traumas, and how this suburban horror story in particular articulated a certain post-'60s, pre-Reagan reactionary current in America. Don't worry, we like this movie, we promise we won't ruin it for you. PLUS: eve-of-the-election punditry and childhood Halloween memories.

PREVIEW - #181 - West Wingin' It (w/ Briahna Joy Gray and Nathan J. Robinson) Oct 27, 2020

PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/43221887 Just when Luke thought he was out, they pull him back in. In another crossover event with the Current Affairs podcast, our resident West Wing expert chats with Briahna Joy Gray (National Press Secretary for the Bernie Sanders 2020 presidential campaign, and co-host of the Bad Faith podcast) and Nathan J. Robinson (Editor-in-Chief of Current Affairs magazine) about the high-profile 2020 West Wing reunion special. How have Aaron Sorkin's politics adapted to the new reality? Folks, take a wild guess.

PREVIEW - Borat Subsequent Moviefilm (Patreon Bonus) Oct 27, 2020

PATREON BONUS - https://www.patreon.com/posts/43213235 We had to do it. We discuss the new Borat movie, the difference between "good" and "bad" liberal comedy, and the difference between liberal and left comedy. "Notes on Borat Subsequent Moviefilm" by Will Sloan - https://willsloanesq.wordpress.com/2020/10/25/notes-on-borat-subsequent-moviefilm/ Our episode on the original Borat - https://soundcloud.com/michael-and-us/episode-30-borat

#180 - The Informer Oct 26, 2020

After he named names for HUAC, Elia Kazan made a movie about an informer. We watched ON THE WATERFRONT (1954), one of the great American films by the most famous American rat, and discuss its personal meaning for Kazan, and the historical context behind its powerful depiction of working-class New York. PLUS: a free-flowing discussion of celebrity and politics. "Revisiting On the Waterfront" by Kathy M. Newman - https://www.jacobinmag.com/2014/07/revisiting-on-the-waterfront/

PREVIEW - #179 - A Man Walks Into a Talent Agent's Office... Oct 21, 2020

PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/42981654 Since ancient times, a sacred caste of people known as "comedians" have told a secret joke - so powerful, so dangerous, that mere mortals like ourselves could never grasp it. The documentary THE ARISTOCRATS (2005) busts open the vault to reveal... not much at all. We analyze what this unbearably-smug and insidery documentary tells us about comedy. PLUS: fiery hot takes on Jeffrey Toobin and John Carpenter.

#178 - The Lame Show with David Letterman Oct 17, 2020

A former prickly TV personality tries to become a better man... a former president tries to refine his brand... on the pilot episode of the stupefyingly dull Netflix talk show MY NEXT GUEST NEEDS NO INTRODUCTION... WITH DAVID LETTERMAN (2018), the onetime innovator of late night is joined by Barack Obama for a gruelling conversation. PLUS: batten down the hatches for Ron Howard's "Hillbilly Elegy."

PREVIEW - #177 - The Lie That Tells The Truth Oct 14, 2020

PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/42744256 What is real? What is fake? What is art? Is there such thing as expertise, and who should be the arbiter? Is there such thing as objective reality? When is a lie more true than the truth? Orson Welles's groundbreaking essay film F FOR FAKE (1973) doesn't provide answers to these questions, so we do our best to fill in the gaps. PLUS: we brainstorm ideas for the inevitable Austin Powers 4.

#176 - You've Got Mail: A Michael & Us Symposium (w/ Meagan Day and Branko Marcetic) Oct 11, 2020

Some topics are too vast, too vital for us to cover on our own. Today, we address one such topic. We invited Jacobin Magazine's Meagan Day and Branko Marcetic for a roundtable discussion of Nora Ephron's YOU'VE GOT MAIL (1998), starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan. We discover that this parable for gentrification may be the key to all of politics and culture in the 1990s. PLUS: thoughts on the Harris-Pence VP debate and the famous fly. "Want to Know What a Return to 'Normal' Will Look Like? Stare Into Mike Pence's Dead Eyes" by Branko Marcetic - https://www.jacobinmag.com/2020/10/mike-pence-vp-vice-presidential-debate-trump

PREVIEW - #175 - Ssssssomebody Stop Him! Oct 07, 2020

PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/42484228 What happens to a man when he becomes the biggest star in the world overnight? The hair-raising documentary JIM & ANDY: THE GREAT BEYOND (2017) sees Jim Carrey reflecting on the experience of playing Andy Kaufman in Man on the Moon (1999), during which he claimed to fully inhabit the identity of the long-dead comedian. The film offers an unsparing depiction of what fame does to the human brain. PLUS: we look back at our childhood love of Carrey, and discuss Carrey as Ace Ventura AND Joe Biden.

#174 - Rule of Thumb, Part II Oct 03, 2020

What does it mean to be "America's Critic"? What does it take to be the most powerful critic the world has ever known? Several months back we discussed "Siskel & Ebert," but now we turn our attention specifically to Roger Ebert, the Pulitzer-winner who may forever be America's best-known film critic. We watch the Ebert documentary LIFE ITSELF (2014), and ponder the movie's questionable assertion that "He did not get caught up in certain ideologies of what cinema should be." PLUS: why are liberals sending thoughts and prayers to the president? NOTE: As a special experiment for the month of October 2020, we will be posting two episodes per week - one free, one Patreon-exclusive. Like the show and want more? Go to https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus. Episode #152 ("Rule of Thumb" Part 1) - https://soundcloud.com/michael-and-us/152-rule-of-thumb "Roger Ebert's Zero-Star Movies" by Will Sloan - https://hazlitt.net/feature/roger-eberts-zero-star-movies

PREVIEW - #173 - Cold Warrior Oct 01, 2020

PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/42221857 By popular demand, we tackle the Russophobic kitsch of INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL (2008), examining how the franchise's uncritical perspective on old-fashioned entertainment leads to an uncritical acceptance of its values. PLUS: fiery hot takes on Trump's tax returns and the first Biden/Trump presidential debate.

#172 - Eternal Recurrence Sep 25, 2020

The theory that times of strife produce great art is put to the test with Jay Roach's pandemic movie COASTAL ELITES (2020), and fails resoundingly. Bette Midler, Issa Rae, Dan Levy, and others deliver monologues excoriating the Cheeto-in-Chief while making clear that the title "Coastal Elites" is only barely ironic. PLUS: the death of RBG, the collapse of LaserQuest, and the unlikely return of Screw Magazine.

PREVIEW - #171 - OK, This Is Epic (w/ Alex Ross) Sep 18, 2020

PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/41754206 Hellooooo we're the nostalgia critics and we remembered KICKASSIA (2010) so you don't have to. A decade ago, the head honchos of an online content mill called Channel Awesome brought all their contributors together for a feature-length movie... but only later was it revealed that the production was plagued by mismanagement and abuse. We drove ourselves mad watching a "movie" comprised entirely of inside jokes from videos that were online 10 years ago. PLUS: we consider Pepe the Frog.

#170 - Giuliani's Lonely Hearts Club Band Sep 12, 2020

In the weeks after 9/11, Sir Paul McCartney gathered together his rock'n'roll friends for an all-star salute to the first responders. A behind-the-scenes look at the event, Albert Maysles' THE LOVE WE MAKE (2011) is a hair-raising depiction of what it's like to be the most famous man in the world, and a time capsule of America right after the towers fell. It's also a real-life Ricky Gervais show. PLUS: James Bond, Bill Clinton, and the state of the election.

PREVIEW - #169 - Deconstructing Woody Sep 06, 2020

PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/41305114 Since the beginning, one of the functions of the podcast has been to reevaluate people, ideas, and cultural phenomena that were important to us when we were younger. And so, we finally get to Woody Allen. We discuss how the allegations against him have impacted how we view his work, and explore the implications of his "whatever works" philosophy. We also watch one of his best and darkest films, CRIMES AND MISDEMEANORS (1989), and debate its vision of morality in a godless universe. PLUS: Ed Markey defeats Joe Kennedy, and one of our hosts pines for the Jerry Lewis Telethon.

#168 - The Centrist Manifesto Aug 29, 2020

Filmmaker and Twitter personality Rob Reiner looked back at the Kennedy/Johnson era through the lens of the Obama era in LBJ (2016), the story of how an idealist's vision can only be achieved by a pragmatism... and how the pragmatist's centrism may or may not have actually camouflaged an idealist the whole time. A piece of Boomer-porn, this movie is unmistakably the vision of a Joe Biden primary voter. PLUS: fiery hot thoughts on the Canadian Conservative Party leadership race, the Ed Markey/Joe Kennedy III battle, and the controversial release of TENET.

PREVIEW - #167 - Whatever Gets You Thru The Night Aug 23, 2020

PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/40757532 In 2008, a great statesman named John McCain was led astray in his presidential bid by an ill-considered VP pick and a shifting zeitgeist that saw a shift away from his brand of gentlemanly politics. At least, that's the premise of Jay Roach's HBO movie GAME CHANGE (2012), based on the Mark Halperin book. We discuss why the film depends a little too heavily on the received wisdom of McCain, and how its vision of politics feels uniquely outmoded in the year 2020. PLUS: fiery hot takes on the 2020 Democratic National Convention.

#166 - Modern Times Aug 14, 2020

We revisited Charlie Chaplin's Sadly Still Relevant® classic MODERN TIMES (1936) to ask: what are the politics of the Little Tramp... and what are the politics of his famous author? We discuss how Chaplin depicted work, class, and poverty, and the many ways that people have interpreted him. PLUS: Joe Biden as FDR (or not), and thee unholy return of Blockbuster Video.

UNLOCKED - Movies as Politics w/ Jonathan Rosenbaum Aug 14, 2020

No less than Jean-Luc Godard called Jonathan Rosenbaum the best living American film critic, and for decades his hugely influential writing has been political, internationally conscious, skeptical of received wisdom, and enormously curious about forms of cinema beyond mainstream. Our own Will Sloan talks to Rosenbaum to discuss his career, his politics, and how the cinematic landscape has changed since the ‘90s. A Rosenbaum Reading List: List-o-Mania - https://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/list-o-mania/Content?oid=896619 Stupidity as Redemption (Forest Gump) - https://www.jonathanrosenbaum.net/2019/03/stupidity-as-redemption/ Cutting Heroes Down to Size (Small Soldiers and Saving Private Ryan) - https://www.jonathanrosenbaum.net/2018/12/cutting-heroes-down-to-size/ In Dreams Begin Responsibilities (Eyes Wide Shut) - https://www.jonathanrosenbaum.net/2020/02/in-dreams-begin-responsibilities/ The World According to Harvey and Bob - https://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/the-world-according-to-harvey-and-bob/Content?oid=887735 Declaration of Independents: Hardly Working - https://www.jonathanrosenbaum.net/2020/05/hardly-working-2/ Good Morning: Structures and Strictures in Suburbia - https://www.criterion.com/current/posts/4543-good-morning-structures-and-strictures-in-suburbia His 20th Century (Godard's Histoire[s] du Cinema) - https://www.jonathanrosenbaum.net/2018/07/his-20th-century/

PREVIEW - #165 - It's a Big Turtle Club And You Ain't In It Aug 08, 2020

PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE: https://www.patreon.com/posts/165-its-small-in-40236676 This week we satisfied our inexplicable but long-held desire to revisit the legendary Dana Carvey career-killer THE MASTER OF DISGUISE (2002), which led us down the rabbit hole of revisiting Carvey's era-defining impersonation of George H.W. Bush on SNL. We discuss comedy and ideology, and reflect on what makes someone turtley enough for both the Lincoln Bedroom and the Turtle Club. PLUS: fiery hto takes on the Ellen Degeneres scandal and the primary victories of Rashida Tlaib and Cori Bush.

#164 - Mo Money Mo Problems Aug 02, 2020

Everyone agrees that money in politics is a problem, but in MEET THE DONORS: DOES MONEY TALK? (2016), filmmaker Alexandra (daughter of Nancy) Pelosi asks: is it really? She interviews some of the biggest political donors in America to find out why they donate and what they expect for their donations, and finds out... not a whole lot. Politics - what a concept! PLUS: we discuss the state of the left in electoral politics, and definitively identify the worst Twitter feed in the world.

PREVIEW - #163 - Late Summer Jul 26, 2020

PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/39738674 Two things that Yasujiro Ozu teaches us: that change is ineluctable, and also deeply tragic. We look at the Japanese master's 1959 film GOOD MORNING and discuss modernity vs. tradition, why not all "progress" is progress, and Ozu's boundless capacity for empathy. PLUS: we check in with our old pal Michael Moore

UNLOCKED - #98 - The Intellectual Dork Web (w/ Michael Brooks) Jul 21, 2020

We're unlocking our April 19, 2019 Patreon episode with the late, great Michael Brooks in which we discussed the "Intellectual Dark Web" and one of its stupidest practitioners, Dave Rubin. Check out "Against the Web: A Cosmopolitan Answer to the New Right" by Michael Brooks - https://www.johnhuntpublishing.com/zer0-books/our-books/against-web

#162 - Freelance of Horror (w/ Henry Gilbert and Bob Mackey) Jul 19, 2020

We delve into the wild world of video game journalism with the help of two veterans of the industry, Bob Mackey and Henry Gilbert (of TALKING SIMPSONS podcast fame). We discuss bad labor conditions, heavy corporate influence, why GamerGate hit games journalism so hard, and why so few game journalists make it past age 35. Guess what: there are some parallels between games journalism and political and cultural journalism. Check out Talking Simpsons on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/talkingsimpsons And on their free feed: https://talkingsimpsons.libsyn.com/ Also, check out What a Cartoon: https://whatacartoonfeed.libsyn.com/

PREVIEW - #161 - No Times But New Times Jul 12, 2020

PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/39239654 Orson Welles' THE MAGNIFICENT AMBERSONS (1942) tells the tragic story of an old-money family crushed by the wheel of progress, and has a complicated relationship with both old-money and progress. At least until the studio-imposed happy ending. We discuss a mangled masterpiece, and consider Orson Welles as an ideological challenge to Hollywood. PLUS: bad freelance writing experiences, and the "Cancel Culture" debate.

PREVIEW - So It's Come to This: An Irresistible Episode (w/ Nathan J. Robinson and Aisling McCrea) Jul 08, 2020

PATREON BONUS - https://www.patreon.com/posts/39117214 As a special Patreon bonus, here is the inevitable episode on Jon Stewart's widely beloved and acclaimed IRRESISTIBLE - a powerful team-up between Michael & Us and Current Affairs Magazine. Travel back with us to 2004, won't you?

#160 - All the President's Posts Jul 04, 2020

Less than a year after Trump's inauguration, Steven Spielberg rushed out an urgent message: "Journalism will save us!" We finally get around to watching THE POST (2017), discussing the limits of Spielberg's particular worldview. PLUS: movies and video games under COVID, and memories of the video games based on movies we played in our youth.

PREVIEW - #159 - A Person Like Other People Jun 27, 2020

PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/38666142 Listen you screwheads, here is a podcast who would not take it anymore. We revisited Martin Scorsese's TAXI DRIVER (perhaps you've heard of it?), the original Incel™ movie; discussed its perspective on gender, politics, and alienation; and considered how it plays in the a world where Travis Bickle is all around us.

#158 - Dinesh D'Souza: A People's History Jun 20, 2020

We venture back into the oeuvre of conservative firebrand Dinesh D'Souza and watch AMERICA: IMAGINE THE WORLD WITHOUT HER (2014). Seeking to offer a counter-narrative to Howard Zinn's counter-narrative, D'Souza dusts off his trademark thesis that, actually, America is NOT racist - although if it is, it's the Democrats who are REALLY racist. This was a rough one, folks. We suffer for you, the listener.

PREVIEW - #157 - Never Punch Out Jun 14, 2020

PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/38213135 By popular demand, we travel to Scranton, Pennsylvania to visit the denizens of Dunder Mifflin. We watched two episodes of THE OFFICE (U.S.) on the theme of Enforced Workplace Fun - "The Dundies" and "Company Picnic" - and discussed the show's evolution, and how its jaundiced take on the workplace both converges and diverges from its British source material. PLUS: how Coronavirus is paving the way from a work-from-home dystopia, and the (possible) death of NOW Magazine.

#156 - Send In The Troops Jun 06, 2020

While leaders from across the political spectrum continue to warn about "outside agitators," we watched INVASION U.S.A. (1952), a semi-legendary scare film about a hypothetical Communist invasion of the United States. PLUS: thoughts on the protests, the discourse, and Justin Trudeau's 21-second pause.

PREVIEW - #155 - Outside Agitators May 31, 2020

PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE: https://www.patreon.com/posts/37719007 First, we discuss the protests in the United States, their bipartisan causes, and the ways that Blue Checkmark discourse seeks to delegitimize them. Then we discuss a quintessential Michael & Us movie, bringing together many of the themes and motifs that have defined this podcast: CAN MR. SMITH GET TO WASHINGTON ANYMORE? (2006), about the "insurgent" congressional candidacy of future-convicted-felon Jeff Smith against a machine-backed dynastic candidate in Missouri. Few films have better illustrated the limits of the American political imagination circa 2004 than this. PLUS: personal tales of the purest, most intense kind of politics there is : local politics.

#154 - Official History May 23, 2020

Oscar Micheaux was the first African American to direct a feature-length film, and no other filmmaker of his age tackled the issues facing black America so directly and painfully. We watched his masterpiece WITHIN OUR GATES (1920) and discussed Micheaux's complicated career and the "race films" of the early 20th century. PLUS: Gone with the Wind! Glossy Time-Life magazines! Luke discusses debating capitalism v. socialism! Will works out his feelings towards Toronto's Garfield-themed restaurant!

PREVIEW - #153 - The Gnome in the Garden, Part 1 - The Special Relationship May 18, 2020

PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/37268002 THE SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP (2010) charts the complicated dynamic between political allies/personal rivals Bill Clinton (Dennis Quaid) and Tony Blair (Michael Sheen). This light docudrama gives us opportunity to consider the nature of Britain and the U.S.'s "Special Relationship," the political moment that sparked Blairism and Clintonism, and to what extent the personal relationships of world leaders matter. PLUS: Jean-Luc Godard and the Ontario French school curriculum.

#152 - Rule of Thumb May 08, 2020

For over two decades, Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert were America's most influential movie critics. Their show SISKEL & EBERT was partly consumer-report movie criticism, and partly a sitcom about two extremely-similar men who didn't particularly like each other. Revisiting the "Thumbs Up!"/"Thumbs Down!" titans gives Will and Luke opportunity to ponder questions about criticism, the canon, and how Siskel and Ebert represented "normalcy." PLUS: spirited discussion of Jerry Seinfeld and Bruce Lee.

PREVIEW - #151 - Rant in B Minor May 02, 2020

PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/151-rant-in-b-36641960 It's finally here - the Bill Hicks episode. To many a young man, this swaggering, tell-it-like-it-is comedian was a revelation. But how well does his work hold up in a landscape he has so enormously influenced? We watched his 1992 special REVELATIONS to find out. Spoiler: our hosts have decidedly mixed feelings. PLUS: political comedy, Lenny Bruce, and Bill Hicks' bizarre Toronto connection.

#150 - The Testament of Dr. Gonzo Apr 25, 2020

For episode #150, we're looking back at another of our formative heroes, the godfather of gonzo journalism, Hunter S. Thompson. We reflect on his era-defining book FEAR AND LOATHING IN LAS VEGAS through the lens of Terry Gilliam's 1998 film adaptation. One of these things holds up, and another does not (can you guess which?). Along the way, we discuss gonzo journalism, the 1960s, and the strengths and limitations of both Thompson and Gilliam.

PREVIEW - #149 - From Caligari to Hitler Apr 17, 2020

PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE: https://www.patreon.com/posts/149-from-to-36101522 We travel back to Weimer Germany to celebrate a time of great and flourishing culture, and also to look for the emergence of the horrors soon to come. We watched the silent classic THE CABINET OF DR. CALIGARI (1920) to discuss how its tortured production history led to a self-contradicting film about authority that Captured The Zeitgeist™.

UNLOCKED - Indecision 2020 (w/ Carl Beijer) Apr 16, 2020

** We've unlocked a little Patreon content for you, folks. There's more where that came from at https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus ** To mark the end of Bernie Sanders' 2020 presidential campaign, Luke talks to writer Carl Beijer about what went right, what went wrong, and why socialism isn't just a passing identity. Plus: What was Elizabeth Warren's impact? And can Joe Biden actually win? (Uh... well, anything can theoretically happen, right?) "Voters Won't Risk Their Lives for Joe Biden" by Carl Beijer - https://jacobinmag.com/2020/04/2020-democratic-party-presidential-election-coronavirus-biden "Bernie Lost. But His Legacy Will Only Grow" by Luke Savage - https://www.jacobinmag.com/2020/04/bernie-2020-campaign-democratic-establishment

#148 - Keepin' it 1960 Apr 11, 2020

With the 2020 Democratic Primary fading away, we look back at an earlier primary and watch Robert Drew's iconic cinema-verite documentary PRIMARY (1960). We discuss "objective" journalism, the Kennedy myth, how presidential campaigns have changed, and why Hubert Humphrey is actually the hero of the film. PLUS: inevitably, some thoughts on the 2020 primary.

#146 - No More Room in Hell Mar 29, 2020

We're in the midst of a pandemic. We're trapped indoors. We're desperately avoiding contact with the hordes that might infect us. Folks... it's time to watch George A. Romero's DAWN OF THE DEAD (1978). "The Idle Proletariat: Dawn of the Dead, Consumer Ideology, and the Loss of Productive Labor," by Kyle William Bishop - http://www.thecyberhood.net/documents/papers/zombies_10.pdf

PREVIEW - Current Affairs/Michael and Us Crossover: Louis Theroux & the Westboro Baptist Church Mar 18, 2020

Get the full episode: https://www.patreon.com/posts/current-affairs-35011872 Luke & Will team up with Nathan J. Robinson and Aisling McCrea for a special crossover of the Michael and Us and Current Affairs podcasts. Together, they ruminate on Louis Theroux's three-part documentary series The Most Hated Family in America, which followed the extremist Westboro Baptist Church from 2007 to 2019, and which unwittingly created a time capsule that offers insight into the liberal viewpoint on religion and dogma in the 2000s.

#145 - I Like To Watch (The World Burn) Mar 13, 2020

Coronavirus. Donald Trump. Joe Biden. Luke recovering from a cold. Yes, there's a lot ailing the world right now. So, this week we treated ourselves to a GOOD movie: Hal Ashby's BEING THERE (1979), starring Peter Sellers as a simple gardener who is mistaken for a political prophet. PLUS: we gauge the state of the Democratic Primary, and Luke goes on an epic rant about the Jumanji franchise.

#143 - Worst Blood Feb 28, 2020

John Rambo is back, and he wants to build that wall! We watched Sylvester Stallone in the extremely Trump-era action movie RAMBO: LAST BLOOD (2019), in which the Vietnam vet wages a whole different kind of war at the U.S./Mexican border. PLUS: the agonies and ecstasies of canvassing, and the peculiar relationship between Film Twitter and Elizabeth Warren.

#141 - Mr. Simpson Goes to Alaska (w/ Henry Gilbert and Bob Mackey) Feb 14, 2020

An environmental catastrophe has hit Springfield! This week we're joined by Henry Gilbert and Bob Mackey of the TALKING SIMPSONS podcast to discuss the Simpson family's sole foray into cinema, THE SIMPSONS MOVIE (2007). We discuss the vaguely anti-authoritarian politics of the long-running show; the distinctly mid-2000s politics of the movie; and the way The Simpsons' unique perspective was eventually flattened. Talking Simpsons free feed: https://talkingsimpsons.libsyn.com/ Talking Simpsons Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/talkingsimpsons Follow our guests @bobservo @hEnereyG

#139 - This Isn't Dallas Feb 01, 2020

Set against the backdrop of the country music industry and a soft-populist presidential campaign, Robert Altman's masterpiece NASHVILLE (1975) seeks to encompass all of America. Luke and Will discuss what this behemoth of a movie has to say about fame, politics, and relationship between the coasts and the "Heartland." PLUS: discussion of the three most important progressive firebrands of our era, Pete Buttigieg, Alan Dershowitz, and Film Twitter personality Bob "The Moviebob" Chipman.

#137 - Oh Boy, Another Politics Movie... Jan 17, 2020

Yes folks, it's another "Politics - what a concept!" movie, so strap in. When did America's news media lose its way? According to Jason Reitman's THE FRONT RUNNER (2018), it happened when Gary Hart exited the 1988 Democrat primary over a "personal indiscretion." Luke and Will explore why this movie was uniquely suited to land like a thud in a post-Trump, post-MeToo world. PLUS: Luke and Will reflect on the Golden Age of Toronto Twitter (circa the Rob Ford era), and Luke reports on Matt Taibbi's new book "Hate Inc."

#135 - The Y20K New Year Spectacular Jan 02, 2020

It was the best of decades, it was the worst of decades. Mostly the worst. We say goodbye to 2019 by discussing the year's most acclaimed film, Bong Joon Ho's PARASITE, asking: Why has such a rabidly anti-capitalist thriller been approved by Barack Obama, Elon Musk, and The Economist? PLUS: We reflect on what the 2010s meant to film and politics.

#133 - The Moral Majority Dec 20, 2019

It's the annual Michael & Us Christmas Spectacular, and have we got a holiday turkey for you! A Vietnam vet tackles his deadliest battle yet - the War on Christmas - in the hilarious right-wing drama LAST OUNCE OF COURAGE (2012). Watch a disgruntled Christian reclaim Christmas and fight the ACLU in this, the first film we've ever watched that is officially Chuck Norris Approved®. PLUS: we measure the state of the #NeverTrump movement. "What's Left of Liberalism" by Sam Adler-Bell - https://theoutline.com/post/7687/what-is-left-of-liberalism-ahmari-french WATCH "Last Ounce of Courage" on YouTube! - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2biJXs37mY

#131 - The Worst Wing Dec 06, 2019

You know it. You love. You hate it. You love to hate it, and vice versa. It's THE WEST WING, the show that helped set the limits of the liberal imagination for a generation. Luke works through his long and complicated relationship to Aaron Sorkin's world by subjecting Will to three seminal Season 4 episodes: "Debate Camp," "Game On," and "Election Night." PLUS: Will considers the life and legacy of the late film critic John Simon, and Luke tells horrifying tales of seeing David Brooks at a recent instalment of the Munk Debate. "The Obamanauts" by Corey Robin - https://www.dissentmagazine.org/article/the-obamanauts "How Liberals Fell in Love with The West Wing" by Luke Savage - https://www.currentaffairs.org/2017/04/how-liberals-fell-in-love-with-the-west-wing "On John Simon" by Christopher Bonanos - https://www.vulture.com/2019/11/obituary-critic-john-simon-1925-2019.html

#129 - The Will Sloan Innocence Project Nov 23, 2019

Luke visits his friend and cohost Will in Twitter Jail, where he has been consigned after tweeting a death threat against a Disney character. They take aim at the Disney Company and watch SAVING MR. BANKS (2013), the touching and inspiring story of how wealthy oligarch Walt Disney wrestled humble author P.L. Travers' intellectual property away from her when she was financially desperate. The boys also discuss their distaste for Tom Hanks and the Fraser Institute's interpretation of MARY POPPINS as communist propaganda.

#127 - Satellite of Love Nov 09, 2019

On this episode, Luke and Will explore one of their shared passions - a show that blew their young minds with the revelation that art could be appropriated; that the institution of a "movie" did not automatically deserve respect; and that opened up whole worlds of strange and offbeat cinema. We watch MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER 3000: THE MOVIE (1996) and discuss the politics of "bad," the Cold War ideas of THIS ISLAND EARTH, and the changing way that concepts like MST3K are distributed. PLUS: fiery hot takes on the NOW Magazine Reader's Choice Awards!

#125 - The Ministry of Nostalgia Oct 25, 2019

Luke's recent trip to the U.K. has us pondering British politics. We watch the 2011 BBC documentary HEATH VS WILSON: THE 10 YEAR DUEL, which contrasts two British Prime Ministers: Labour's Harold Wilson and the Tories' Edward Heath, and consider a time when the working class could bring a Tory government to its knees. PLUS: we hash over the Canadian federal election, the Disney Company, the Kinks, Monty Python, and Judge Judy's big 2020 endorsement. Check out Luke on Novara Media: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dyqipW_ekgg And on the TRASHFUTURE podcast: https://trashfuturepodcast.podbean.com/e/jagmeet-me-in-temecula-feat-luke-savage/

#123 - King for a Night Oct 09, 2019

As the Joker discourse rages on, we pay a visit to the original Joker, Rupert Pupkin. We look at Martin Scorsese's dark media satire THE KING OF COMEDY (1982) and consider what it tells us about fame, class, and thwarted ambitions. "Hollywood from Vietnam to Reagan" by Robin Wood - https://cup.columbia.edu/book/hollywood-from-vietnam-to-reaganand-beyond/9780231129664

#121 - Handbags and Gladrags Sep 28, 2019

We spend most of our waking hours at work... and we're also expected to like it. But what if you have to work a soul-crushing job at a mid-sized paper merchant in Slough, Great Britain under the management of David Brent? Will and Luke consider the compromises and humiliations that come with working for a living by watching one of their very favourite pieces of pop culture: Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant's THE OFFICE. Plus: hair-raising tales from jobs past, and another discussion about the clown prince of crime. "Why Do I Need to Love a Company to Work There?" by Abi Wilkinson - https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/shopping-and-consumer-news/12129461/Why-do-I-need-to-love-a-company-to-work-there.html Follow the podcast on Twitter: @MichaelandUs

#119 - The Klobuchar Supremacy (Instant Democratic Party Debate Reaction!) Sep 13, 2019

The top 10 Democratic Party 2020 contenders met in Texas on September 12, 2019... and mere hours later, we have our fiery hot response! Biden, Bernie, Beto, Booker, Warren, Klobuchar, and several others we're already fogetting... Who won??? Who lost??? Who's surging??? Who had the best zinger??? These are the questions we don't answer, but we DO hash out some thoughts about other things.

#117 - Psychedelic Warlord Revisited (w/ Chris Berube) Aug 30, 2019

What can we learn from Beto O'Rourke's trajectory from 2018 rising-star to 2019 flameout? We're joined by our old friend Chris Berube to revisit O'Rourke's brief period as a liberal cause celebre through the HBO/Crooked Media documentary RUNNING WITH BETO. Chris tells us about his experiences following Beto on the campaign trail for the popular podcast "Underdog." PLUS: the state of the Dem primary, and the latest evil machinations of the Disney company.

#115 - Kane in the Membrane Aug 16, 2019

80 years before Jeff Bezos owned the Washington Post, a wealthy heir named Charles Foster Kane picked up a struggling New York newspaper. We watched Orson Welles' CITIZEN KANE (perhaps you've heard of it?) to see what it could tell us about oligarchy and the media. PLUS: Joe Biden's "gaffes," Bernie Sanders v. the Washington Post, a rightward turn in Canadian media, and the clown prince of crime. "You Must Be This Conservative To Ride: The Inside Story of Postmedia’s Right Turn" by Sean Craig - https://www.canadalandshow.com/the-conservative-transformation-of-postmedia/ "Why Joe Biden's Campaign is Struggling" by Philip Elliott - https://time.com/5634771/joe-biden-problems/ "Orson Welles as Ideological Challenge" by Jonathan Rosenbaum Part 1: http://www.jonathanrosenbaum.net/2018/02/orson-welles-as-ideological-challenge/ Part 2: http://www.jonathanrosenbaum.net/2018/02/orson-welles-as-ideological-challenge-part-2/ See Luke discuss Canadian philosopher George Grant at House of Anasi Bookstore on August 21, 7pm - https://www.eventbrite.com/e/great-books-toronto-reading-george-grant-with-house-of-anansi-press-tickets-68004933587

#113 - Fear and Loathing on the Sham-paign Trail Aug 02, 2019

The rubes and the hicks think that the politicians are squeaky-clean. But insiders like you and me? We understand that politics is a game... and the winner is whoever plays it best. That's the thesis of RACE FOR THE WHITE HOUSE (2016), a CNN docutainment series about the wheeling-and-dealings of presidential campaigns. We recall such titanic bouts as Kennedy v. Nixon, Bush v. Dukakis, and Clinton v. Bush, and ask, as we so often do: "Okay, but what were these campaigns ABOUT?" PLUS: the Democratic Party debates, the summer movies, and Luke's online brush with the First Family. "Joe Biden Was a Trainwreck in Last Night's Debate" by Luke Savage - https://www.jacobinmag.com/2019/08/joe-biden-democratic-debate "The Human Factor" by Will Sloan - https://willsloanesq.wordpress.com/2019/07/27/the-human-factor/

#111 - Our Shared Values Jul 19, 2019

Two years before 9/11, and nine years before the financial collapse, AMERICAN BEAUTY gazed upon the End of History and said: "...is that all there is?" And then it also asked, "Isn't that wife a real shrew, huh??" We revisit this painfully dated Best Picture winner and discover beauty all around us. PLUS: "The Squad" vs the Dem establishment, and the decline of Netroots Nation. "Nancy Pelosi Has Lost Control" by Zach Carter - https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/entry/nancy-pelosi-has-lost-control_n_5d2cb605e4b032ea741220ad "How the Democratic Netroots Died" by Bill Scher - https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2019/07/17/democratic-netroots-markos-moulitsas-227363

#109 - Politics - What a Concept! Jul 03, 2019

Did you know that Nancy Pelosi's daughter Alexandra is a documentary filmmaker? During the 2000 election, she hopped on George W. Bush's campaign bus and chronicled life as a politics reporter... and inadvertently revealed why so much politics journalism is abject trash. This week, we watched JOURNEYS WITH GEORGE (2002) and felt a lot of fear and loathing on this campaign trail. PLUS: the Democratic Party debates, David Foster Wallace, and Stanley Kubrick.

#107 - Real Franksters Jun 21, 2019

Singer. Filmmaker. Talk show host. Energy drink mogul. His name is Frank D'Angelo, and his new movie is the mind-melting cops-and-criminals saga MAKING A DEAL WITH THE DEVIL (2019). Direct from the world premiere, Will & Luke report on the newest offering from one of Canada's most distinctive public figures.

#105 - Red Jez Redemption Jun 07, 2019

Before Brexit, before the "chicken coup," and before Labour's surprising showing in the 2017 British election, newly-minted Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn gave Vice Media unusual access for their short documentary "Jeremy Corbyn: The Outsider." This 2016 time-capsule gives us opportunity to consider where the left-wing leader came from, how he got there, how he's still here, and where he might be going. PLUS: we riff on some listener mail, and discuss Toronto's hottest new gentrifier! "Jeremy Corbyn: The Outsider" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94ptAcbfKP0

#103 - Shock of the New May 24, 2019

In the early 20th century, artists tried to grapple with the trauma of World War I, while regimes in the Soviet Union and Germany sought to use art as a tool of power. Legendary art critic Robert Hughes surveyed dadaism, expressionism, futurism, and the Russian avant-garde in his 1980 BBC documentary series SHOCK OF THE NEW. We ask the age-old question, "Can art inspire social/political change?"... and also ask: "Should it even try?" PLUS: the hosts grapple with the divide between high and low culture, and Luke shares his love of Star Trek.

#101 - The Shopping Mall at the End of History May 10, 2019

In the middle of the Obama era, Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim made a comedy about how our world is a dystopia. America was not ready for TIM AND ERIC'S BILLION DOLLAR MOVIE (2012), but seven years later, it's starting to look like one of the key films of the decade. We discuss shopping-mall culture, irony, and horrifying tales from working in a call centre. "Decker" by Nick Pinkerton - https://www.filmcomment.com/blog/bombast-decker/ "Vic Berger Presents Jim Bakker's Buckets" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOH37W0jPpA

#99 - Ken Bone: A People's History Apr 26, 2019

The year is 2008. The U.S. presidential election is tied. And the tiebreaking vote comes down to one less-than-average man. That's the ridiculous premise of Kevin Costner's nonpartisan political satire SWING VOTE (2008). PLUS: Mayor Pete, celebs v. bloggers, and the place of the hoi polloi in politics. It's our Unwashed Masses Spectacular!

#97 - Pumping Irony Apr 15, 2019

Before he was a two-term governor, he was a seven-time Mr. Olympia. We consider Arnold Schwarzenegger through the star-making 1977 documentary PUMPING IRON and discover just how ruthless a self-made man can be. We also explore the wild world of YouTube fitness culture. PLUS: Ilhan Omar and Paul Krugman.

#95 - All the President's Tweets Mar 29, 2019

With the Mueller investigation over, we look back at the one time a president was brought down by dogged investigation into a conspiracy with ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN (1976). PLUS: journalism, Bob Woodward, and the Canadian liberal #Resistance. "The Deferential Spirit" by Joan Didion - https://www.nybooks.com/articles/1996/09/19/the-deferential-spirit/ "The Real Working Class is Invisible to the Media" by Luke Savage - https://jacobinmag.com/2019/03/no-longer-newsworthy-review-working-class-media

#93 - Team America Mar 15, 2019

On the one hand, you've got the destructive excesses of American foreign policy. On the other, you've got... a bunch of slightly-annoying Hollywood libs. Trey Parker and Matt Stone's TEAM AMERICA: WORLD POLICE (2004)took on both targets -- and like most "equal opportunity offenders," it's built on false equivalences. PLUS: we discuss Beto O'Rourke's shiny new candidacy and the dilettanteish creative pursuits of the idle rich.

#91 - School's Out for Summer (Richard Linklater's Slacker / Dazed and Confused) Feb 27, 2019

We're going back to The End Of History™, and no filmmaker articulated the ambient despair of the '90s quite like Richard Linklater. We look back at his beloved films SLACKER (1991) and DAZED AND CONFUSED (1993) and parse their politics. PLUS: nostalgia, the suburbs, Resistance Twitter, and fiery hot takes on the Oscars.

#89 - Citizen Bain (Mitt) Feb 14, 2019

Corporations are people, my friend... and so is Governor Mitt Romney. That's the thesis of MITT (2014), a fawning documentary about the Bain Capital founder's two presidential bids. By revealing nothing, this all-access portrait reveals more than it thinks. PLUS: we check in on the original 6ix Dad, and measure the temperature of some 2020 hopefuls.

#87 - "Congratulations Canada On Your National Igloo!" (Rick Mercer's Talking to Americans) Jan 31, 2019

In the early 2000s, Rick Mercer -- Canada's own Jon Stewart -- travelled to the United States to ask them about Canada. The resulting comedy special, "Talking to Americans," because a bona fide national phenomenon. We look back at this cultural relic, and Mercer's long-running weekly show "The Mercer Report," to find out what they teach us about our home and native land. Bundle up, folks -- it's our most Canadian episode yet! ANNOUNCEMENT: the MICHAEL AND US podcast is doing a FAN EPISODE. Do YOU have burning questions for Luke and Will? Send your questions to michaelanduspodcast@gmail.com by Tuesday, February 5. Questions will be read on a Patreon-exclusive episode of this podcast: https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus

#85 - Best of Enemies Jan 17, 2019

In 1968, right-wing William F. Buckley and left-wing Gore Vidal feuded for 10 nights on TV. The 2015 documentary BEST OF ENEMIES suggests these broadcasts led to a coarsening of the culture. The Michael & Us boys interrogate the thesis. PLUS: analyzing the right-wing perspective of the left-wing intellectual tradition; Luke's feud with Peter Hitchens; and tales from the Columbia Journalism School.

#83 - Primary Colors Jan 04, 2019

John Travolta stars as a barely-fictionalized Bill Clinton in Mike Nichols' 1998 sorta-satire about how politics crushes idealism. We excavate this once-praised relic from the End of History, and are left with the question: what, exactly, was "idealism" in the Clinton era? "Bridges to Nowhere" by Nathaniel Friedman - https://thebaffler.com/salvos/bridges-to-nowhere-friedman

#81 - Kirk Cameron's Saving Christmas Dec 23, 2018

Do you think the holidays have drifted too far from Jesus? Conservative superstar Kirk Cameron is here to reassure you that, actually, God is fine with consumerism. For our holiday spectacular, we examine the 2014 essay film KIRK CAMERON'S SAVING CHRISTMAS. New Patreon episode coming this week. "Liberalism in Theory and Practice," by Luke Savage - jacobinmag.com/2018/12/liberalism-theory-practice-obama-trudeau

#80 - Jesus Camp Dec 12, 2018

Evangelical Christianity was the great boogeyman of the George W. Bush era. We revisit the film that helped define it in the liberal imagination, JESUS CAMP (2006), and consider what became of Evangelicals in the Trump era. PLUS: a call for unity against our greatest enemy, Tom Hanks.

#78 - Left of the Dial Nov 30, 2018

In 2004, a group of liberal comedians and commentators came together to break the conservative monopoly on talk radio. The result was the ill-fated Air America. We watched the candid 2005 HBO documentary LEFT OF THE DIAL to analyze what went wrong. PLUS: Luke reflects on the passing of Harry Leslie Smith. Thank you to listener Will Chapman for the suggestion. Also, apologies that one of the hosts keeps mistaking Randhi Rhodes' name as "Randhi Reid." It was a late night, folks. "Harry Leslie Smith (1923 - 2018)" by Luke Savage - https://jacobinmag.com/2018/11/harry-leslie-smith-nhs-labour-obituary

BONUS - Clint Eastwood's Chair Speech Nov 21, 2018

"But OK. You want to make my day, huh...?" At the 2012 Republican National Convention, America's most durable movie star confronted an invisible Barack Obama. We revisit the speech that made history. This is some hot bonus content to make up for the fact we didn't post anything last week. NOTE FOR SUBSCRIBERS: A new full-length premium episode is coming this week.

#75 - Donnie Darko Oct 31, 2018

In our Halloween spooktacular, we look back at the Reagan/Bush era via the Bush/Cheney era via DONNIE DARKO (2001).

#73 - The Tommy Wiseau Spectacular Oct 20, 2018

Everything is political, folks -- even the writer/director/star of THE ROOM (2003). Luke and Will re-examine one of their shared passions by watching THE NEIGHBORS -- Mr. Wiseau's little-loved follow-up to his generation-defining "so-bad-it's-good" hit -- and consider the politics of cult cinema and vanity projects. PLUS: "cannabis" mania sweeps Canada! "The Streaming Void" by Judy Berman - https://thebaffler.com/salvos/the-streaming-void-berman PATREON EXCLUSIVE: Will interviews Tommy Wiseau (2011) - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus

#71 - The Unknown Known Oct 04, 2018

In his 2013 documentary THE UNKNOWN KNOWN, legendary filmmaker Errol Morris tried to do to Donald Rumsfeld what he did to Robert McNamara in THE FOG OF WAR. Unfortunately, there's no penetrating this empty shell.

#69 - Fahrenheit 11/9 Sep 23, 2018

The podcast returns to its roots. We saw the new Michael Moore movie.

#67 - Going Upriver: The Long War of John Kerry Sep 07, 2018

Released shortly before the 2004 election, GOING UPRIVER: THE LONG WAR OF JOHN KERRY was both a rebuttal to the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, and an attempt to position the Democratic Party nominee as a symbol of the Boomer generation. It had, shall we say, a short shelf life. PLUS: we offer fiery hot takes about Canada's most sinister institution, the Munk Debates.

#65 - Jean-Luc Godard's La Chinoise + British Sounds Aug 23, 2018

Mere months before the events of May 1968, French New Wave figurehead Jean-Luc Godard captured the lighter side of left-wing student revolutionaries with his classic LA CHINOISE (1967). A few years later, he tried to create a new kind of radical leftist cinema with BRITISH SOUNDS (1970). Will and Luke compare these two landmarks in a great artist's political awakening; grapple with the ultimate failure of his political project; and consider the cultural contexts from which they emerged. PLUS: the hosts share harrowing stories of living in the crumbling city of Toronto!

#63 - Dinesh D'Souza's Hillary's America Aug 08, 2018

With Dinesh D'Souza-mania once again sweeping the nation, Will and Luke look back at the newly-pardoned conservative firebrand's 2016 effort HILLARY'S AMERICA: THE SECRET HISTORY OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY.

#61 - If Footmen Tire You, What Will Horses Do? Jul 26, 2018

Television, dancing, drive-in movies... it all leads to sex, and sex leads to the Communist takeover. Director Ron Ormond (a prolific exploitation filmmaker turned Born Again Christian) teamed up with fire-and-brimstone southern preacher Estus Pirkle to create IF FOOTMEN TIRE YOU, WHAT WILL HORSES DO? (1971), an unforgettable Christian anti-Communist propaganda film. We explore how it anticipates the current right-wing panic over "postmodern neomarxism."

#59 - Bill Maher: Live from Oklahoma Jul 13, 2018

We watched the new HBO special BILL MAHER: LIVE FROM OKLAHOMA (2018) and discussed how Maher represents the worst tendencies of both comedy AND punditry.

#57 - Howard Dean: Lessons from an American Primary Jun 24, 2018

A little-known amateur documentary about the 2004 Democratic Party primaries becomes an excuse for us to meditate on the Howard Dean phenomenon. We watched Heath Eiden's LESSONS FROM AN AMERICAN PRIMARY (also known as DEAN AND ME: ROADSHOW OF AN AMERICAN PRIMARY). See the film here: https://vimeo.com/145356474

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