Michael and Us

Latest Episodes:

#694 - The Kevin Who Refused Feb 28, 2026

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What would happen if the Christian movie industry tried to make its own Everything Everywhere All at Once? Brother, you don't have to imagine! We discuss Angel Studios' THE SHIFT (2023), starring our favourite actor, Neal McDonough. PLUS: We check Keir Starmer's pulse after last week's UK by-election, and assess the looming Warner/Paramount merger. Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus "The Ground Game is Back" by Grace Blakeley - https://substack.com/home/post/p-189343412 "Starmer is Driving Labour to Disaster" by Jon Trickett - https://tribunemag.co.uk/2026/02/starmer-is-driving-labour-to-disaster

#693 - Police State Feb 22, 2026

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In 1968, Frederick Wiseman embedded with the Kansas City Police Department. He emerged with LAW AND ORDER (1969), a sobering portrait of what it meant to "serve and protect" at the dawn of the Nixon era. We mark Frederick Wiseman's passing by discussing one of his quintessential films. PLUS: We check in on our fallen British comrades (ex-)Prince Andrew and Keir Starmer. JOIN US ON PATREON FOR AN EXTRA EPISODE EVERY WEEK - https://www.patreon.com/posts/693-police-state-151400135

PREVIEW - #692 - Son of Sorbo Feb 22, 2026

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Batten down the hatches, because Kevin Sorbo has a son who's even worse than him. We discuss A WAVE OF KINDNESS (2023), a very amateurish vehicle for rising right-wing influencer Braeden Sorbo (and his wretched father) that plumbs new depths even for a Christian movie. PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/692-son-of-sorbo-151037135

#691 - Jesus Didn't Uber Feb 15, 2026

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Energized by Turning Points USA's Kid Rock-led alternative Superbowl Halftime Show, we turn our attention to a slightly more mainstream example of conservative art: Tim Allen's new sitcom SHIFTING GEARS. Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus "The Hilarious Decline of MAGA's Brief Cultural Relevance" by Alex Shephard - https://newrepublic.com/article/206276/trump-super-bowl-kid-rock-decline-maga-cultural-relevance

PREVIEW - #690 - The Egoyan Identity Feb 11, 2026

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Who says a 23-year-old WASP can't be the long-lost son of an Armenian immigrant family? That's the question asked by the protagonist of Atom Egoyan's debut feature NEXT OF KIN (1984), a moving and sometimes troubling film about identity and class in 1980s Canada. PLUS: We survey the wreckage from Jeff Bezos's Washington Post layoffs. PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/690-egoyan-150508725

#689 - Early Late Style Feb 07, 2026

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With Jeffrey Epstein dominating the news, we turn to Clint Eastwood for wisdom and guidance. In ABSOLUTE POWER (1997), cinema's most legendary tough-guy faces his greatest opponents yet: the Clinton Crime Cabal. Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus

PREVIEW - #688 - Medium Talents Feb 02, 2026

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Our Superdelegate patron tier voted for us to discuss GROUNDHOG DAY (1993), which we're pleased to bring you on Groundhog Day. We discuss Bill Murray's much-loved spiritual journey and ask the question: what is happiness? PLUS: You'll never guess which celebrities are endorsing a new right-wing bourbon. PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/149771474

#687 - Homeland Empire Jan 31, 2026

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We finally discuss Paul Thomas Anderson's ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER (2025), which takes place in a dystopian America not too dissimilar from the current one. PLUS: The Conservative movement reclaims an artist we were really happy to be rid of. Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus "Chaos: Behind the Scenes of Amazon's Melania Trump Documentary" by Tessa Stuart - https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/melania-trump-documentary-amazon-behind-the-scenes-1235505208/

PATREON BONUS - Michael Moore Revisited Jan 28, 2026

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We watch the short documentary MICHAEL MOORE MAKES A MOVIE (2018) - a bonus feature on the Criterion release of Bowling for Columbine - and consider how it both challenges and affirms certain of our preconceptions about this podcast's patron saint. PATREON-EXCLUSIVE CONTENT - https://www.patreon.com/posts/149365674

#686 - Values-Based Podcasting Jan 24, 2026

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It's a heavy news week, and we're catching up. As Canadians, we are honour-bound to comment on Mark Carney's acclaimed speech at the World Economic Forum. Is the rules-based international order dead? And what does it mean that our banker-in-chief is the one to bury it? PLUS: A word of solidarity to our friends in Minneapolis. Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus "Interpreting the Carney Doctrine" by Luke Savage - https://www.lukewsavage.com/p/interpreting-the-carney-doctrine "Why I'm supporting Avi Lewis" by Luke Savage - https://www.lukewsavage.com/p/why-im-supporting-avi-lewis "Why Philosophy Matters" by Hilarius Bookbinder - https://hilariusbookbinder.substack.com/p/why-philosophy-matters-b35

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