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PREVIEW - #595 - On High in Blue Tomorrows Part 2 Feb 03, 2025

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David Lynch's most frightening and abrasive movie leads to his most hopeful conclusion. It's part two of our discussion of INLAND EMPIRE (2006). PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/595-on-high-in-2-121440636

#594 - Guilty Pleasures (Newsroom Part 4) Feb 01, 2025

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Our journey through Aaron Sorkin's THE NEWSROOM arrives at Episode 4 ("I'll Try to Fix You"), in which the power of a conscientiously-run newsroom helps save Gabby Giffords' life, and Will McAvoy takes a courageous stand against gossip in all its forms. The news is overwhelmingly bad right now, so we frankly had a nice time retreating to 2012. Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus

#593 - On High in Blue Tomorrows (Part 1) Jan 29, 2025

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We pay tribute to the late, great David Lynch with a two-part discussion of his strangest, most abrasive, and arguably most innovative feature. We discuss how INLAND EMPIRE (2006) confounded expectations with its low-budget production, free-associative style, and startling use of digital video, and begin to unpacked its multilayered story. Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus

PREVIEW - #592 - West's Side Story Jan 25, 2025

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We recap the first week-or-so of Trump Era 2.0, and then, because we can all use a larf right now, discuss LOOKWELL (1991), the legendary unsold sitcom pilot starring Adam West and written by Conan O'Brian and Robert Smigel. PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/120760912

PREVIEW - #591 - Facts are the Center (Newsroom Part 3) Jan 24, 2025

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In episode three of THE NEWSROOM, "The 112th Congress," Will McAvoy finally runs afoul of the people who really run the network. We discuss what Aaron Sorkin gets right about news media and the people who own it, in addition to all the things he gets wrong. PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/591-facts-are-3-120499773

#590 - Nasty Hero Jan 18, 2025

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With the reigning governments in both Canada and the United States spurting their last few dribbles, we're in a bit of a political limbo period... so what better time to watch a bad direct-to-video '80s action movie? We discuss something called NASTY HERO (1987). PLUS: Obama and Trump, the Canadian Liberal Party leadership race, Armond White, and a few words on the passing of David Lynch. Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus Yes, you can watch NASTY HERO on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_Ry-QtlOEU&t=2113s&ab_channel=HiroyukiTerada%2FDayOffChannel "The Revolution Will Not Be Curated" by Thomas Frank - https://thebaffler.com/salvos/revolution-not-curated-frank

PREVIEW - #589 - The X Factor (Newsroom Part 2) Jan 14, 2025

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In the second episode of THE NEWSROOM, MacKenzie lays out her theory of what a quality news broadcast should look like, and Will McAvoy presides over one of the worst broadcasts of his career. It's one of the Sorkinest Sorkin shows we've ever seen - it's "News Night 2.0" PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/589-x-factor-2-120060633

#588 - Lubrication Theory Simulations Jan 09, 2025

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The White House has been destroyed by an earthquake, President Sean Young is trapped under the rubble, and House Speaker Eric Roberts wants to take over America in DC DOWN (2023), a low-budget disaster movie from the most trusted names in entertainment, Tubi and The Asylum. We treated ourselves to a good old-fashioned "good movie movie." PLUS: How seriously should we be taking Trump's threat to annex Canada? Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus TORONTO: See Will introduce a screening of Jess Franco's Bloody Moon on January 14, 7pm at the Fox Theatre. Tickets - https://www.foxtheatre.ca/movies/the-important-cinema-club-masterpiece-classics-bloody-moon/ "The failure of Trudeauism" by Luke Savage - https://www.newstatesman.com/author/luke-savage

PREVIEW - #587 - Action Will Be Taken Jan 07, 2025

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When the possibility of positive political change seems so distant, and the stakes are so high, at one point is radical action advisable? This was a question posed by the Earth Liberation Front, the environmental group that became synonymous with "eco-terrorism." We watch the Academy Award-nominated documentary IF A TREE FALLS: THE STORY OF THE EARTH LIBERATION FRONT (2011), which charts the group's rise and fall. PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/587-action-will-119515764

UNLOCKED - #586 - A Newsroom with a View Jan 06, 2025

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On our Patreon, we will be discussing the full run of Aaron Sorkin's THE NEWSROOM. This is the first episode. Join us on Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus

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