The Generation Splice

Latest Episodes:

Ep 56 - Lady Bird Mar 20, 2022

Show notes

This week Raphael is all moody teen which is a perfect fit for the movie we’re discussing – LADY BIRD. First Raquel wonders why modern movies use pop music over orchestral music and learns about licensing. When it comes to the film everyone loves the realism and authenticity. Raphael loves that it lets a teenage girl act out this way on camera. Raquel considers it an instant classic. She loves the subtlety of the mother, even if she thinks she might have Borderline Personality Disorder. Rapahel thinks the character is about as subtle as a kick to the shins. He also thinks that this is the final draft version of PRETTY IN PINK because boy, oh, boy, are there a lot of similarities between the two movies. Raquel loves the film, Raphael likes it. But both think it depicts teenagedom perfectly.

The Generation Splice is film podcast where retired psychologist Dr. Raquel Martinez, a Baby Boomer through & through, & her son Raphael Jose Martinez, a cranky millennial punk rocker/film writer, discuss various films through the lens of their generation & personal experiences. Every week one host picks a movie to dissect & see if they can splice together the generation gap via their love of film.

Feel free to write to us! Give us some film suggestions at thegenerationsplice@gmail.com or @gensplicepod on Twitter.

Raphael is on Twitter at @citycelluloid. You can find his film writing at cinefile.info and film-cred.com

Ep 55 - Bringing Out the Dead Feb 27, 2022

Show notes

This week we hit one of the minor, though one of the best, Scorsese films BRINGING OUT THE DEAD. But before that Raquel is confused about the Peacock streaming service and needs some answers about that and the new J. Lo movie. But is BRINGING OUT THE DEAD one of Scorsese’s most Catholic films, or is more “spiritual?” Afterall, is was directed by a Catholic but written by a Calvinist. Raquel feels bad laughing at the dark humor while Raphael thinks its a laugh riot. Is this film the flipside to TAXI DRIVER? Is Nic Cage a saintly? Is he a representation of Christ on Earth? Is he a man fallen from grace? This is one of the most philosophical, and by far most theological, episodes yet, about a movie that Raquel simply calls, “beautiful.”

Feel free to write to us! Give us some film suggestions at thegenerationsplice@gmail.com or @gensplicepod on Twitter.

Raphael is on Twitter at @citycelluloid. You can find his film writing at cinefile.info and film-cred.com

Ep 54 - District 9 Feb 20, 2022

Show notes

Raquel throws some sci-fi into the mix with DISTRICT 9. First a little Oscar talk and Raphael getting well actually-ed by mom, and totally deserving it. This one of Raquel’s favorite sci-fi films while Raphael is left ujnimpressed after his first viewing. Is metaphor of extraterrestrial alien as refugee/national alien clever or too obvious? Can a movie about space aliens be based on true events? The generation gap appears as Raphael sees this as a very post-9/11 movie while Raquel thinks of it as being very Vietnam War-esque. But the gap is spliced together when everyone agrees that the White Savior trope and the representation of Nigerians – ironically racist af in an anti-racism movie – was totally bonkers terrible. But for real. What the hell was that about?? There’s a lot going on with this one!

Feel free to write to us! Give us some film suggestions at thegenerationsplice@gmail.com or @gensplicepod on Twitter.

Raphael is on Twitter at @citycelluloid. You can find his film writing at cinefile.info and film-cred.com

Ep 53 - Donnie Darko Feb 13, 2022

Show notes

This week we turn Raquel goth with DONNIE DARKO. First though we talk about updates to movies we previously covered. But it looks like Raquel has a new Halloween movie to add to her favorites list. She loves Jake Gyllenhall’s humane portrayal of a teen with mental health issues, especially from perspective of a former professional child psychologist. She also sees the portrayal of high school life incredibly realistic from an educator’s standpoint – possibly the best ever in a teen movie. Though the ugly school uniforms give her flashbacks to Catholic school. Raphael has Catholic school visions as well to the point that he sees Donnie as a Christ figure. Mom says pump the breaks. This is movie of moral dilemmas, twists of fate, and is a teen movie that, despite being weird sci-fi, actually tackles real teen issues in an honest and thoughtful way. Patrick Swayze is a powerhouse in his completely cast against type role. Sadly this film has current relevance with the rash of school book bans and curriculum control and Raphael confuses the ban of Maus in Kentucky with Indiana’s push to pass HB 1134 which would ban teachers from touching certain topics of race in the classroom. But same difference, really. Listen to Raquel really identify with this film on a structural level and dig on the soundtrack. A kid turns their mom goth! A great episode!

Feel free to write to us! Give us some film suggestions at thegenerationsplice@gmail.com or @gensplicepod on Twitter.

Raphael is on Twitter at @citycelluloid. You can find his film writing at cinefile.info and film-cred.com

Ep 52 - The Producers w/ Harmony Colangelo Feb 06, 2022

Show notes

Part 2 of The Wives Colangelo! This week were joined by Harmony Colangelo to talk about THE PRODUCERS (2005) – but of course the conversation covers the original 1968 film as well. Nathan Lane is Americas favorite Theatre Gay! Raphael isnt sure how well the film musical adapted the stage musical – which he admits to never have seeing. Hmm. So why did people in general dislike the film musical so much? Oh wait, probably homophobia. Is Will Ferrell is kinda the perfect film Nazi?? The Family Martinez seems to like the ‘68 version more, while Harmony leans ‘05. One’s about the idea of Broadway while the other is, well, actually Broadway. Would the fear of FOMO get you to buy a ticket to see “Springtime For Hitler?” The “depiction as endorsement” discourse gets a multigenerational take here. And we cast a far too handsome third version of the film!

Ep 51 - Arsenic and Old Lace Jan 16, 2022

Show notes

Our holiday break is over & we’re back with a pre-Christmas episode about ARSENIC AND OLD LACE! Raquel talks about seeing John Waters live for her birthday! Raphael digs on ARSENIC because it’s about serial killers on Halloween. Raquel loves how fun this film is in general. This is one of the best Frank Capra movies even though it doesn’t fall into his standard Americana moralizing. As a film remake of a stage play it really works. Cary Grant is such the hilarious hunk. This movie also fits in the sweet spot of Hollywood between WW2 and before the HUAC hearings; a few years later it probably wouldnt have been made considering who made it. Somehow we manage a talk about policing issues & the last time Raquel met an officer that seemed to care about the community. A perfect “old movie” to show to someone who doesnt like “old movies” or is trying to get into them.

Feel free to write to us! Give us some film suggestions at thegenerationsplice@gmail.com or @gensplicepod on Twitter.

Raphael is on Twitter at @citycelluloid. You can find his film writing at cinefile.info and film-cred.com

Ep 50 - Pumpkin w/ BJ Colangelo Dec 05, 2021

Show notes

Its our 50th episode! And to celebrate we have guest B.J. Colango on to talk about the problematic fav, PUMPKIN. Raquel would have walked out in the first 15 minutes if she saw this in the theatre. B.J. loves how this movie is taking a huge swing at difficult topics. Raphael loves the John Waters-esque satire of 50s/60s Hollywood studio melodramas. This is two neurodivergent film critics & a former professional child psychologist picking apart a movie that is unquestionably offensive in its language & treatment of differently abled people but is also definitely trying to punch upward. Unchecked liberal racism, classism, ablesim, & bigotry is splayed all across the screen. Why does PUMPKIN’s love story make people uncomfortable? Yet at the same time its genuinely, but darkly, hilarious. Is there such a thing as an ethical edgelord movie? Listen & judge for yourself!

Feel free to write to us! Give us some film suggestions at thegenerationsplice@gmail.com or @gensplicepod on Twitter.

Raphael is on Twitter at @citycelluloid. You can find his film writing at cinefile.info and film-cred.com

Ep 49 - Forrest Gump Nov 28, 2021

Show notes

Our biggest episode yet, and the one this entire podcast was built to cover. This week we talk FORREST GUMP. This is the Baby Boomer wiki entry as a film. Raphael considers it a dangerously conservative movie, and Raquel actually doesnt fully disagree. Theres talk about CCR being in every Vietnam War movie, comparisons to the proto-fascist films of Germany or Francoist films. Is Lt. Dan a fascist trope of a character? Raquel tells a personal anecdote about George Wallace and weighs in professionally about the depiction of Gump as a person with mental issues. FORREST GUMP is an American fairytale, and is that problematic? Does this film want us to respect Gump, or laugh at him? Did Jenny ever love Gump? Or did she just pity him? Either way, she sure was the Boomer punching bag in this film. And we try to come up with the plot points of millennial FORREST GUMP!

Feel free to write to us! Give us some film suggestions at thegenerationsplice@gmail.com or @gensplicepod on Twitter.

Raphael is on Twitter at @citycelluloid. You can find his film writing at cinefile.info and film-cred.com

Ep 48 - Last Night In Soho Nov 21, 2021

Show notes

Raquel decided to brave the night all alone, so this week we cover LAST NIGHT IN SOHO. Raphael loves it’s impressionistic giallo vibes – that this is Charlotte Sometimes but as a mod giallo. Raquel is confused by the last act, but loves the 60s music and fashion & is incredibly impressed by the production design. Raphael draws comparisons to both HARDCORE and LOOKING FOR MR. GOODBAR. So what is this movie actually about? Is it a warning about looking at the past uncritically? Is it a scare film about bad men? Both? Neither? We also continue to chip away Raquel’s reluctance to admitting she likes horror.

Feel free to write to us! Give us some film suggestions at thegenerationsplice@gmail.com or @gensplicepod on Twitter.

Raphael is on Twitter at @citycelluloid. You can find his film writing at cinefile.info and film-cred.com

Ep 47 - Who Framed Roger Rabbit? Nov 14, 2021

Show notes

This week we talk about the greatest film about corrupt mid-20th century L.A. municipal politics & public utilities, WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT? This is Raquel’s 1st watch since taking Raphael to see in the theatre when he was 6. Raquel gets nostalgic for the cartoons of her youth. The use of cartoons as stand-ins for minorities is absolutely clever. Unsurprisingly, Raquel finds Roger incredibly annoying but love Jessica’s composite of classic Hollywood glamor girls. This films manages to entertain both kids & adults in a way that no other “kids movie” has ever done before, or since. Is this too risque for kids now? Have the cultural shifts in parenting lead to a deeper infantilization of children, & even adolescents? Raquel reminds us that the Warner Bros/Disney beef of gritty, adult DCEU vs funny, family oriented MCU extends all the way back to violent Looney Tunes vs soft Disney cartoons 70 years ago. Why doesnt WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT? get the credit it deserves for basically single-handedly saving Disney?

Feel free to write to us! Give us some film suggestions at thegenerationsplice@gmail.com or @gensplicepod on Twitter.

Raphael is on Twitter at @citycelluloid. You can find his film writing at cinefile.info and film-cred.com

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