In the 1980s, there were only 63 Black films by, for, or about Black Americans. But in the 1990s, that number quadrupled, with 220 Black films making their way to cinema screens nationwide. What sparked this “Black New Wave?” Who blazed this path for contemporaries like Ava DuVernay, Kasi Lemmons and Jordan Peele? And how did these films transform American culture as a whole? Presenting The Class of 1989, a new limited-run series from pop culture critics Len Webb and Vincent Williams, hosts ...
…
continue reading
MP3•Episode home
Manage episode 512745312 series 1927678
Content provided by Phillip Iscove and Rebel Talk Network. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by Phillip Iscove and Rebel Talk Network or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://staging.podcastplayer.com/legal.
Phil and Emily kick off a brand-new miniseries exploring the films and television of legendary director Mike Nichols in the 2000s. First up: the notorious 2000 sci-fi romantic comedy “What Planet Are You From?”, starring Gary Shandling, Annette Bening, and John Goodman.
Joined by critic and returning guest Emma Stefansky, the trio dive deep into this infamous box-office bomb unpacking its chaotic tone, lack of internal logic, and bizarre premise about an alien sent to Earth to impregnate a woman. They discuss how the film reflects a turning point for Nichols, why it derailed Gary Shandling’s movie career, and what it reveals about Hollywood’s early-2000s obsession with “blank check” comedies.
From alien sex jokes to comedy-career implosions, this episode is a hilarious, insightful breakdown of one of the strangest films of the decade and the perfect start to our Mike Nichols retrospective.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
549 episodes