Michael and Us

Latest Episodes:

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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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