The Extra Credits
The Extra Credits is hosted by two teachers searching for meaning in your favorite movies and shows. We cover new releases with movie drafts, ranking games, interviews, and more!
Alfonso Cuarón's 'Children of Men' | Patreon #21
We discuss one of the greatest cinematic representations of apocalyptic realism in Alfonso Cuarón’s Children of Men. This anti-war parable is covered in historical imagery and dystopian symbolism; a film subverting cautionary tale tropes with one of the most disturbing call-to-action movies ever made. Cuarón provokes contemporary conversations about late capitalism, refugee crisis’, the global rise of authoritarianism, the loss of spirituality, all to help inform and develop the world of Children of Men that scarily resembles our reality.
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Alex Garland's 'Civil War' Disappoints as an Anti-War Movie
Kelsi and Trey react and deep dive Alex Garland’s Civil War. While a technical feat, Civil War is politically unchallenging and lacks a nuanced confrontation as an anti-war movie. Thankfully, Kirsten Dunst as a hollowed photojournalist on this road trip to D.C. with her dynamic co-stars Wagner Moura, Cailee Spaeny, and Stephen McKinley Henderson keep you invested in an otherwise disappointing showing from one of our great science fiction filmmakers.
Spoiler Deep Dive (45:20)
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Alex Garland's 'Men' | Patreon #20
Kelsi and Trey discuss the divisive and widely misinterpreted Alex Garland's Men. This surrealist folk horror film uses conventions of the genre to explore the perpetual exploitation of women; depicting an absurd-level of imagery and symbolism specific to patriarchal mythology and the horror genre born out of it. Garland's Men, much like Jordan Peele's Get Out, self-examines its storytelling and provokes the audience to question how it historically accepts tropes and cliches that perpetuate and exploit stereotypes.
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Alex Garland's 'Ex Machina' | Patreon #19
Kelsi and Trey discuss the maze of Alex Garland's Ex Machina. We explore how this sci-fi puzzle tests the audience by provoking questions about constructs, consciousness, selective empathy, and who is guilty of exploiting the power of artificial intelligence. We also talk about Oscar Isaac's dance moves, Domhnall Gleeson's weirdo enegy, and Alicia Vikander's subversive performance.
Become a member of The Extra Credits+ on Patreon here
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Send requests, questions, and thoughts to our email: extracreditspod@gmail.com
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Justine Triet's 'Anatomy of a Fall' | Patreon #18
Kelsi and Trey explore the most emotionally compelling and gripping movie of 2023 in Anatomy of a Fall. The film is being interpreted as a courtroom thriller and a whodunit, but its subversive focus is on the societal pressures and expectations of women, mothers, monogamy—a brilliant interrogation of genre and constructs. Triet imposes imagination on the viewer, much like her lead character with autofiction; a twisty metacinematic commentary about pop-psychological thrillers that have used women as narrative tools. 4 hours of conversation on Patreon below!
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The 20 Best Movies of 2023 Ranked (Part 2)
Kelsi and Trey explore the movie landscape of 2023 by ranking our 20 favorite movies! This episode doesn't have any major-spoilers and there are tons of recommendations from the year. Time stamps for part 2 of our ranking are below.
#10 (09:09)
#9 (21:09)
#8 (36:55)
#7 (44:35)
#6 (01:05:00)
#5 (01:14:15)
#4 (01:29:30)
#3 (01:41:37)
#2 (01:59:12)
#1 (02:08:32)
Recap of #20-1 (02:21:11)
Honorable Mentions (02:25:25)
The Holdovers (03:03:05)
American Fiction (03:15:00)
Become a member of The Extra Credits+ on Patreon here
Patreon link: https://patreon.com/TheExtraCredits?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_link...
The 20 Best Movies of 2023 Ranked (Part 1)
Kelsi and Trey explore the movie landscape of 2023 by ranking our 20 favorite movies! This episode doesn't have any major-spoilers and there are tons of recommendations from the year. Time stamps for part 1 of our ranking are below.
#20 (22:00)
#19 (34:40)
#18 (42:00)
#17 (50:27)
#16 (59:45)
#15 (01:04:30)
#14 (01:09:45)
#13 (01:19:47)
#12 (01:32:30)
#11 (01:42:54)
Recap of Part 1 (01:59:50)
Become a member of The Extra Credits+ on Patreon here
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Send requests, questions, and thoughts to our email...
The 2024 Oscars: Christopher Nolan's 'Oppenheimer' and 'I'M JUST KEN'
Kelsi and Trey give their immediate reactions to the 96th Academy Awards! We discuss the highlights of the Oscars, the nuance of Oppenheimer and Poor Things being praised, the complexities of Killers of the Flower Moon and Lily Gladstone being overlooked, the GOAT status of Justine Triet (insert P.I.M.P.), Cord Jefferson taking a shot at the industry, Jonathan Glazer's essential speech about complicity and dissonance, and of course...the power of Ryan Gosling.
Become a member of The Extra Credits+ on Patreon here
Patreon link: https://patreon.com/TheExtraCredits?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_link...
Denis Villeneuve's 'Dune: Part Two' GRANDFATHER DEEP DIVE
Kelsi and Trey discover a throughline of Denis Villeneuve’s ambitious filmography while exploring the radical epic of ‘Dune: Part Two’. This subversive follow up to ‘Part One’ continues its indictment of fundamentalist empires through a grand scale chess game of intergalactic power. Villeneuve’s tonally ambiguous and mysterious adaptation of Frank Herbet’s iconic novel is led by performances from Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Austin Butler, and more!
Adam Nayman Review
David Ehrlich Review
We explore Villeneuve's career and then our spoiler deep dive starts @ (01:00...
Denis Villeneuve's 'Dune: Part Two' Reaction and 'Part One' Deep Dive!
Kelsi and Trey explore the universe of 'Dune' and what makes Denis Villeneuve’s ambitious past decade of blockbuster filmmaking legendary. We discuss what makes 'Dune: Part Two' an epic in scope and scale, but how it might lack the intimacy and political caution of 'Part One'. After our reaction to 'Part Two' we deep dive 'Dune: Part One' for over 3 hours on Patreon! Among thoughts on the movie's multifaceted political commentary on religion, white savior deconstructions, and the semi-successful subversive use of stereotypes, we ask essential questions like: Is Austin Butler into Timothée Chalamet more than Zendaya?
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