A Filmversation with Mike and Nick

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The pair of hosts head back to younger years and visit a staple of vintage nerdom: Ralph Bakshi. Bakshi was an iconic animator in his own right who worked alongside a fellow great like Frank Frazetta. His work was heavily stylized and was a favourite of Nick's in his youth. See how Mike, with sober eyes, views these works and if Nick's loving opinions still remain true today. What impact does Bakshi's Lord of the Rings have on the world with the existence of Peter Jackson's well-known masterpieces. Is there room for two interpretations?<...

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Mike and Nick hunt aliens! The pair visit one of their modern favourite's most recent outputs to see if the magical weirdness still shines bright. Mike helps interpret the film's alien language for Nick as the pair explore various themes of corporate alienness and interesting empathy.

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Mike and Nick continue their journey through Bergman's work and finally land on his most lauded comedy. After Bergman suffered several box office failures, he risked it all on a more lighthearted (well, relatively speaking) endeavor to save his career. The immediate response and continued legacy seem to suggest this is the film which would save him and put him on the map. Using his theatre background to orchestrate a complex web of romantic farces and reconciliations, Bergman evokes wit, dialogue, and timing to play out a tale of couples gone wrong and couples...

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Nick makes a Pascalian wager to show Mike his first Éric Rohmer movie he hopes might be... Christmas-y!

Enjoy all the festive talk about intellectualism, Marxism, sexual politics, and 60's France! Nick thought Rohmer might be a future favourite of Mike's. Find out if he's right.

Happy holidays from your favourite amateur film snobs.

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Mike takes the pair to Hong Kong to dodge bullets, shoot guns, watch explosions, and move their bodies in every which way. The hosts observe the different characterizations of Hong Kong between decades as well as tonal contrasts. Both Jackie Chan and John Woo get their spotlight before their Hollywood careers. Find out if Nick's on board with the wackiness and physical comedy in Police Story or if the infinite ammo in Hard Boiled suspends his disbelief long enough to let him enjoy the ride.

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Mike takes the pair to Hong Kong to dodge bullets, shoot guns, watch explosions, and move their bodies in every which way. The hosts observe the different characterizations of Hong Kong between decades as well as tonal contrasts. Both Jackie Chan and John Woo get their spotlight before their Hollywood careers. Find out if Nick's on board with the wackiness and physical comedy in Police Story or if the infinite ammo in Hard Boiled suspends his disbelief long enough to let him enjoy the ride.

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Mike and Nick return to their journey through Bergman's filmography. This time they explore the medial film in Bergman's "comedic" trilogy. One of the lesser regarded films upon its release, the pair wonder if the criticism at the time was warranted or if Mike's favourite magazine, Cahiers du Cinéma, was right to include this (along with two others, to Nick's chagrin) on their 1958 list. Is this a secret triumph for Bergman or is it another failed attempt at humour from one cinema's most dour minds?

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Mike and Nick dive into the kaleidoscopic prism of deep colour, fantastic soundtracks, and brutal murder at the hands of one of horror's most famous maestros: Dario Argento. Having only seen the remake, Mike compares the original Suspiria and how his feelings differ between the two. Both hosts try to make heads from tails in the narrative of Inferno and ponder if it's better to just try to "relax" into the vibes. 

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Mike and Nick kick off their seasonal Halloween episode pair with a tribute to one of their favourite American filmmakers: John Carpenter. It never hurts to revisit the undeniable classic that is The Thing. But this time, Nick introduces Mike to one of his cult favourites: Prince of Darkness. Does Mike agree with Nick this deserves a second look? Find out what makes John Carpenter films so effective.

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Happy Halloween! Mike and Nick have been frozen beneath haunted glacial ice. They've returned having watched two films from one of America's greatest directors: John Carpenter. The pair discuss the well beloved classic that is The Thing. Nick also busts out his cult favourite, Prince of Darkness. Find out if Mike is as into crazy satanic university antics as Nick is. What makes Carpenter films so effective? Find out here!

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Nick has been wanting to show Mike Jean Cocteau for a long while, thinking he may be one of Mike's "guys." The pair discuss the poet's most famous films, how interesting Cocteau was, and the wonder behind the visuals. Find out if these lived up to the hype for Mike as well what Nick likes so much about these, to Mike's surprise.

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Mike and Nick continue their journey through Bergman's major and minor works. Hot off the tails of Sawdust and Tinsel, the director makes a pivot into more lighthearted humour, offering, in his words, a comedy for adults. The hosts debate if the humour works; which host falls where may... not surprise you. Mike gets to the bottom of the lesson in love and Nick commiserates with Bergman in his likely fashion. You know, the usual Bergman fare.

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Nick descends upon Mike's hometown to celebrate his favourite time of year: Bleak Week! A festival started in Los Angeles, now expanded to other states, brought Nick across state lines to attend the festival in Portland Oregon at the Hollywood Theatre. Along with colleague of the show, Jackie, the group discusses their different bleak week exposures with heavy emphasis on the shared experience of Pier Paolo Pasolini's infamous Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom. The questions extend broader asking what the definition of bleakness is and what that means to you. To no one's s...

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Kinuyo Tanaka is likely best know for her tremendous acting career performing in great works of directors like Kenji Mizoguchi. But she also had a shorter directing career. Filmversation hopes to shine a light on this lesser known director, as the second Japanese female director in history and the first Japanese female to helm director of a movie solo. The Moon Rises reminds both, but Mike especially, of co-writer and show-favourite, Yasujiro Ozu. Forever a Woman stands out as the more personal of the two with a strong female protagonist dealing with progressive issues...

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The Bergman retrospective continues with one of the director's first widely-recognized works. What is it about the circus setting that is so unsettling? Nick argues this is Bergman's first masterclass example of the close-up.

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Go back in time with Filmversation. A time of innocence and beginnings. A time of earnestness and naivete. Go back to your youth.

Mike discusses his early memories of saving the rainforest and Nick is flabbergasted by Tim Curry's unhinged performance. Nick waxes poetic about The Land Before Time and Mike tells Nick about the savage butchery the film suffered behind the scenes.

In a time of increasing turmoil, it's nice to go back to the films of our youth.

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2024 was quite the year. Some people, like Nick, think this was the best year in film in almost a decade. Mike snubs and surprises Nick with some of his picks while Nick continues to make Mike watch movies no one has heard of. The pair detail their top five of the year with the some added honourable mentions. The moment you've been waiting for, the presiding experts in film finally tell you which movies were actually the best of 2024.

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Mike and Nick are joined by good friend, Jackie. The three dive into Robert Eggers' newest iteration of Nosferatu. They examine one of its predecessors and direct influences, Ingmar Bergman's Cries and Whispers. With Jackie's help, the gang dives into the nuance and experience of the films' colours, shadows, and psychosexuality. Find out why Mike thinks these are the same movie and which Ozu movie Cries and Whispers reminds Nick of.

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Happy Halloween!

The Filmversation crew decided to make a pact with the devil this Halloween. We're hoping to sell our souls to get access to the Criterion Closet. In return, we watch two movies about devil intervention and power acquisition.
William Dieterle brings the old folk tale to life when a poor farmer makes a deal with devil to secure gold and good luck. 1941's The Devil & Daniel Webster, also known as All That Money Can Buy, puts a folky twist on the pursuit of greed and the follies that come...

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Mike and Nick celebrate spooky season with two classics of silent horror cinema. What better way to kick off the festivities other than travelling back in time? 1926's Faust sees FW Murnau retell the classic tale of making a deal with the devil. 1928's The Man Who Laughs sees Paul Leni channel Conrad Veidt (of The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari fame) to tell the tragic love story of a man disfigured during youth. Both films capitalize on the early stages of the medium. Where sound is absent, the two films more than make up...

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Nick leads Mike to the monumental film that is Andrei Rublev. Tarkovsky uses the 15th-century Russian icon painter to explore theology amidst a world of medieval hardship. Nick dives into the religiosity of the film and the challenges the movie presents for atheists. The pair discuss how some of Tarkovsky's most famous motifs make their first fully realized appearance in this, his second film.

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Mike and Nick revisit Bergman's Summer lens through one of the director's first big "hits" : Summer with Monika. The pair explore themes of isolation, youth, and escaping society. Nick comments how he thinks this is the cinematic answer to all romantically ambiguous endings in film. The pair contrast American attitudes at the time toward sex with Sweden's. And finally, Nick is aghast with Mike's defense of Monika.

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Mike and Nick revisit one of their favourite directors: Agnès Varda. They spotlight 1985's Vagabond and supplement with a few of her short films. Varda conjures a realism and respect for her subject matter which bolsters her authenticity.

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Mike and Nick dive into 1940's Disney animation peak, Fantasia. Mike's held Fantasia in high regard for some time, while this is Nick's first exposure to the animated wonder. Find out how captivating Nick found the 64-year old animated symphony and if it still holds up. The pair decide to examine how it compares to the end of the century went Disney brought back the novel idea for a more modern iteration. Does the latest offering match or surpass the original. Are the pessimists about 2000 right? This is a special episode for Nick as...

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Mike and Nick continue their journey through Ingmar Bergman's filmography.

Whether it's through the intricate portrayal of complex women or the stark representation of gender dynamics, Bergman's films invite us intimate invitations into the characters' minds and pasts.

Despite being known as a serious filmmaker, both in tone and narrative, it's not all heavy. Waiting Women leaves room for laughter leading to a light debate whether Bergman's touches of humor qualify his work as comedy.

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Mike and Nick talk more Bergman. They try to find that summer feeling with one of Bergman's earlier masterworks. At least that's what some say. The beginnings of some of Bergman's bigger ideas also start to take form here. The pair share their two cents and how this one differs from previous works. Find out Summer Interlude stacks up against Bergman's other works.

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The conclusion of Mike and Nick's 2023 top 10 lists. Mike fights for his picks and Nick continues to love films no one else saw. Find out the very very best of 2023 according to FILMVERSATION.

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Mike and Nick explore their respective top 10 lists from 2023. Find out which films of 2023 the hosts thought were the very best. Be sure to listen for some serious surprises and films you may not have seen!

Mike and Nick explore their respective top 10 lists from 2023. Find out which films of 2023 the hosts thought were the very best. Be sure to listen for some serious surprises and films you may not have seen!

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Mike and Nick review Kelly Reichardt's last two films: First Cow and Showing Up.
Kelly Reichardt is a major cinematic voice in today's film landscape. She creates nuanced work with texture and insight. Nick fawns over the Capitalist critiques of First Cow and Mike praises Showing Up. Listen to find out how Reichardt's talents consistently show up in her films while offering something very unique in each one.

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Happy Valentine's Day! Mike and Nick shoot their Cupid's arrow at each other with two top romance films. Mike aims at Nick with seductive music and vibrant colours in Wong Kar-wai's In the Mood for Love (2000). Nick takes an alternative approach by depressing Mike into loving him with Michael Haneke's Amour (2012). Enjoy the compare and contrast exercise around two of the most romantic, but starkly different, films of all time.

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Mike and Nick continue their journey through Bergman's filmography. Bergman enters the 50's with his story following a couple who met in the orchestra and navigate all the drama that ensues in their lives. Nick calls this film Bergman's "great foreshadowing." Find out why in this episode.

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Mike and Nick complete The Apu Trilogy with Apur Sansar from 1959. The two hosts have become enamoured with Satyajit Ray's breathtaking human drama and await to find out the conclusion of our beloved Apu. How does the evolution of characters progress and how do the changes in settings affect their journeys? How does Ray deploy his expressionism and symbology to produce palpable scenes?

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Happy Halloween!
Our good friend Jackie joins Mike and Nick to look at one of the most legendary horror films: The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari.
It's a new watch for Mikeand Jackie and a beloved classic for Nick. Find out if the gang thinks the strange geometry of German Expressionism is as jaw droppingly fascinating as Nick.

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Happy Halloween! Mike and Nick get spooky for the season and watch the J-Horror that kicked off a slew of other horror films across the globe. What does director Hideo Nakata do to make a video tape so spooky? Does it still hold up and worth its legacy's name? Find out on this episode.

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Mike and Nick check in on Apu in the second entry of Satyajit Ray's The Apu Trilogy, Aparajito (1956). We move from the naturalistic world of a Bengal village to the city. Apu's wonder and curiosity grows and leads him down new paths and toward new adventures. How does the second entry of The Apu Trilogy compare to the second? How does Ray present the new world to a growing boy?

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Mike and Nick continue their journey through Bergman's filmography. Still in the early stages of his career, the duo examine how Bergman's work is evolving and perfecting. Is this closer to the Bergman we know today?

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Mike and Nick celebrate their third season with a beloved and prestigious trilogy: Satyajit Ray's The Apu Trilogy. The first entry, Pather Panchali (1955) introduces Apu, the titular character as he makes his way through the beautiful poetry of real life's ups and downs. How does Ray introduce and maintain the identities of each character? How does Ray use the environment to build a palpable experience? These questions and more are discussed.

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Mike and Nick continue their jounrey through Ingmar Bergman's filmography. How is Bergman's craft and technique evolving? Or staying the same?

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Mike and Nick take a look at Brian De Palma's Mission Impossible (1996) and compare it to the series' most recent iteration, Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One (2023). The hosts follow the trajectory of the series as its branding has changed and grown. Does it matter who does the stunts? What does it mean to have a movie be an event?