The Next Picture Show

Kristoffer Borgli’s The Drama uses the revelation of one character’s dark secret as a provocative “twist,” but also as the basis for an exploration of whether a romantic relationship can survive such dramatic upheaval, a premise that calls to mind 2005’s A History of Violence. The central couple of David Cronenberg’s thriller, played by Viggo Mortensen and Maria Bello, is much further along in their marriage than the altar-bound pair in The Drama, which lends fascinating nuance to their attempts to reckon with the husband’s violent past — particularly for a bunch of podcasters who are decades into their own long-term relationships. So this week we do our own reckoning with the film’s ideas about how violence can shape a person and redefine a marriage, and what makes A History of Violence stand out among both action thrillers and Cronenberg films. Then in Feedback, we welcome some constructive criticism regarding Project Hail Mary as well as our choice of film to pair it with. 

Please share your thoughts about A History of Violence, The Drama, or anything else in the world of film, by sending an email or voice memo to [email protected], or leaving a short voicemail at (773) 234-9730.

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Phil Lord and Christopher Miller’s Project Hail Mary is an exceptionally audience-friendly adaptation of Andy Weir’s novel of the same name, offsetting the story’s doomsday scenario with lots of jokes, a charismatic lead, and most especially the buddy dynamic between Ryan Gosling’s human protagonist and an alien engineer named Rocky. The film’s light touch has made it a hit, but it also left some of your Next Picture Show hosts wanting more, as we break down in our discussion of the new film before turning to Connections and a companion film that’s as prickly as Project Hail Mary is cuddly: Douglas Trumbull’s 1972 directorial feature debut, Silent Running. Sure, both films explore the idea of a lonely man finding human connection in a non-human companion, the threat of worldwide ecological collapse, and the question of what we owe the Earth and what causes are worth dying for, but each takes a very different approach, to very different effect... as do the several other films we considered pairing with PHM, which we collectively recommend in Your Next Picture Show.

Please share your thoughts about Silent Running, Project Hail Mary, or anything else in the world of film, by sending an email or voice memo to [email protected], or leaving a short voicemail at (773) 234-9730.

Next Pairing: Kristoffer Borgli’s The Drama and David Cronenberg’s A History of Violence

This episode is presented by⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Regal Unlimited⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, the all-you-can-watch movie subscription pass that pays for itself in just two visits. Use code NEXTPIC26 for 15% off.
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Already the biggest blockbuster of the year so far, Project Hail Mary has proven itself about as audience-friendly as a story about looming worldwide ecological collapse can be. That makes it an interesting point of contrast with 1972’s Silent Running, which approaches many of the same basic narrative beats — a man in space on a solo mission that threatens his sanity, who finds his most human connection in a non-human companion — with a melancholic tone and deeply unpleasant protagonist. So this week we’re looking back at one of just two movies made by pioneering special-effects artist Douglas Trumbull to consider how Silent Running functions today as both an environmental parable and a counterculture story about fighting The Man, how it tests our sympathies for its supposed hero, and whether that supposed hero knows anything about growing plants, in space or otherwise. Then in Feedback, a listener prompt inspires us to revisit some of our most memorable interruptions to the theatrical experience. 

Please share your thoughts about Silent Running, Project Hail Mary, or anything else in the world of film, by sending an email or voice memo to [email protected], or leaving a short voicemail at (773) 234-9730.

This episode is presented by⁠ ⁠⁠Regal Unlimited⁠⁠⁠⁠, the all-you-can-watch movie subscription pass that pays for itself in just two visits. Use code NEXTPIC26 for 15% off.
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The Bride! is already a certified box-office flop, but does Maggie Gyllenhaal’s ambitious but deeply flawed sophomore feature as a writer-director have potential for a second life as a cult film? We consider that possibility as we run through the highs and lows, both intentional and unintentional, of a movie that, if nothing else, offers a lot to talk about. It also offers the opportunity to revisit an unambiguous classic via Gyllenhaal’s stated inspiration point of 1967’s Bonnie and Clyde, which we bring back in for Connections to consider how The Bride! stacks up, in both conception and execution, in its ideas about lovers on the lam, outlaw media sensations, and empowered women empowering women. Then for Your Next Picture Show, we offer a recommendation for another film about coupled-up criminals that predates Bonnie and Clyde, the 1950 noir Gun Crazy. 

Please share your thoughts about Bonnie and Clyde, The Bride!, or anything else in the world of film, by sending an email or voice memo to [email protected], or leaving a short voicemail at (773) 234-9730.

Next pairing: Phil Lord & Chris Miller's Project Hail Mary and Douglas Trumbull's Silent Running.

This episode is presented by⁠ ⁠Regal Unlimited⁠⁠⁠, the all-you-can-watch movie subscription pass that pays for itself in just two visits. Use code NEXTPIC26 for 15% off.
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The obvious point of comparison for The Bride! is apparent in the title, but Maggie Gyllenhaal’s new revivification of The Bride of Frankenstein finds its animating spirit in a different film, with her protagonist couple spending a good portion of the movie on the run from the law in the 1930s in scenes that openly evoke Bonnie and Clyde. Whether The Bride! manages to rise anywhere close to the level of its inspiration is a question for next week’s episode; this week, we’re revisiting Arthur Penn’s "lovers on the lam" classic to consider why it hit the way it did in 1967 and what remains striking about it to this day. Then in Feedback, we tackle a couple of listener questions concerning our recent discussions of Send Help and Wuthering Heights.

Please share your thoughts about Bonnie and Clyde, The Bride!, or anything else in the world of film, by sending an email or voice memo to [email protected], or leaving a short voicemail at (773) 234-9730.

This episode is presented by⁠ ⁠Regal Unlimited⁠⁠⁠, the all-you-can-watch movie subscription pass that pays for itself in just two visits. Use code NEXTPIC26 for 15% off.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices