Podcast: A Most Violent Citizen Four Theory in Selma, Alabama
Tuesday, November 18, 2014 at 4:05PM 
Hooray!
It's a new festive and festivalish episode of the podcast. Since Oscar fever has begun to spread we refer to it even more than usual as we discuss the AFI premieres, Ava DuVernay's Selma with this podcast's boyfriend cinematographer Bradford Young, John Goodman's scene stealing in The Gambler, Jessica Chastain clawing her way into Supporting Actress, Citizen Four's competition for Documentary gold, and split reactions to The Theory of Everything.
The podcast features Nick Davis, Joe Reid, Katey Rich, special guest Anne Marie Kelly, and your host Nathaniel R
38 minutes
00:01 Premieres: A Most Violent Year, Selma, The Gambler
13:20 Jessica Chastain's fingernails
15:24 Sophia Loren's hips
18:10 Citizen Four
28:17 The Theory of Everything
You can listen at the bottom of the post or download on iTunes. Continue the conversation in the comments!
Reader Comments (13)
Enjoyed this a lot! Wish it was longer. I like Felicity Jones a lot, though. I've liked her performances.
Great podcast, as usual. Also, following Nick's comment, I'd definitely buy bingo cards to complete with all your cinephilic obsessions. Just saying
My windows media player is unable to play the link. Could you format it for streaming?
3rtful: Use VLC. It's way better and downloads in two seconds.
I'm surprised by the somewhat negative reaction to The Theory of Everything. It was a fairly conventional story, sure-- professional successes, personal setbacks, yadda yadda-- but it did surprise me time and again by not going quiiiiite where you thought it would.
(SPOILERS) I really didn't get Joe's point about the slut-shaming toward Jane. She only slept with Jonathan (if I understood things correctly) after Stephen had allowed Jonathan back into the family's life on the camping trip. It was like he knew he was doing her a favor. And almost immediately, he's with Nurse Elaine. I just shrugged it off as a "this family's got a lot going on" kinda thing.
Though the story is a little obvious and I also wasn't a fan of the washed-out cinematography, I thought it was superbly acted (probably my favorite ensemble of the year, actually) and that the direction was smartly done. Loved the odd camera angles, the rewinding-the-clock at the end, etc. Plus, the music!
If you're going to make a standard biopic, at least these little flourishes and the overall quality of the acting helped to keep it interesting for me.
“I hate felicity jones you guys.”
Oh Joe I’m so with you. And loved your exasperated delivery.
Also, yay, glad to hear SELMA delivers and *so* excited for Chastain. Go get that Oscar girl.
Enjoyed the doc talk. Cannot wait for The Overnighters and National Gallery.
I do wonder if Bradford Young or Greig Fraser can break through as the much needed 'youth' infusion in the cinematography category. Their body of work speaks for themselves but I think after Original Score that Cinematography is so slow at regarding new, breakthrough artists.
Oscar Isaac in that photo is doing a lot for me this morning.
And I'll add that next time John Goodman threatens a supporting actor nomination, I want y'all to watch some Roseanne and cultivate a proper level of respect for TV's greatest dad. (But seriously, great podcast, glad the gang's all back. Just knowing this convo is here should make the chore of watching Theory of Everything that much easier.)
Mike in Canada - yes! Goodman was so great on Roseanne! And more than just funny or the straight man to Roseanne. But really, almost everyone was pretty great on that show. God, that was a great show.
To be clear: I think John Goodman deserved every prize going for Roseanne. What a phenomenal building and sustaining of that character. Total agreement. Not uncommonly for actors I get to know on TV, I just don't dig mist of his work in film, especially his increasingly showboaty, increasingly showcased supporting roles.
“Emily Watson in the Toni Collette role. I don't even know why I’m in this movie. You’ve never seen me before. You should go to church—bye.”
That was amazing, Nick :)
rick - AGREED. my favorite line in the podcast.
Nick's priceless line regarding Jessica Lange and John Goodman: "Don't say that. They're not the same." With that hilarious inflection.
Just perfect LOL