Le Film

Killer of Sheep (1978)

The clock reads 4:00AM, and you have awoken 30 minutes before your alarm is set to go off. You reach over to turn it off and catch a glimpse of your lover quietly resting beside you. As you walk down the hall, you hear the gentle snoring of your children who are both dreaming of things you will never know or see. You look outside your window to the neighborhood of Watts, Los Angeles and it looks like it’ll be a few more hours before the sun shows itself to this side of the world. So you take in what remains of the morning before you have to head into work at the local slaughterhouse, while the coffee and cigarettes help little, if at all, to dull the ennui of both yesterday and today.
 
Charles Burnett’s efforts to depict a day in the life of an African-American family living in the Watts area of Los Angeles during the 1970’s has proven to be one of the most authentic depictions of the struggles, hopes, and dreams that one comes face to face with while finding themselves trapped within the confines of poverty. The end result of this film provides a timeless series of vignettes that lends introspection into the mind of someone who must not only balance their family’s needs along with their own, but also fend off the malicious influences that are constantly knocking at one’s door, seeking to exploit and endanger the lives of those who are entrusted to them.
 
As always, thank you to everyone who supports the show. We hope you enjoy the discussion and it’s a great pleasure for us to share a movie like this with all of you.
 
Where to watch:
Unfortunately, this movie is not readily available to stream in the US. If you’re in no way feeling sheepish at all, then uhhh… we’re sure you’ll be able to find a copy of it somewhere.
 
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Send us questions, feedback, and film recommendations at:
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Under the Silver Lake (2018)

Walking down the barren streets of a quiet neighborhood in Los Angeles, a thick veil of mystery hangs in the hot humid air. Billboards with strange yet familiar messages and imagery dot the open skyline as though they were distant cousins of the palm trees that fill in the spaces in between. While business moguls settle in for the night in their multi million dollar homes, a dog killer is on the loose and no one has the slightest inkling who it might be. 
 
Much like the killer at large, there is something else afoot in the streets of Los Angeles. Something much more sinister – what are the odds that everything is connected? After the success of his 2014 thriller, It Follows, David Robert Mitchell returns to the cinematic landscape with 2018’s Under the Silver Lake.
 
The story follows Sam, a directionless 33 year old, who is fascinated with conspiracy theories, cryptic hidden messages in popular culture, and weighed down by his recent breakup. A neighbor who he takes interest in suddenly disappears one day, setting Sam up for a collision course with the countless mysteries that Silver Lake harbors. As always, thank you for listening, and we hope you join in on the discussion.
 
Where to watch:
YouTube (Rent or Buy)
Vudu (Rent or Buy)
Amazon (Rent or Buy)
 
Instagram:
@lefilmpodcast
 
Twitter:
@lefilmpod
 
Send us questions, feedback, and film recommendations at:
lefilmpodcast@gmail.com

The Scent of Green Papaya (1993)

We find ourselves in a small village in Vietnam with singing crickets filling our ears, as a gentle breeze flows in through the window. And although the downpours come and go, many things remain unchanged much like the weeks before. Just like the marching ants and bouncing frogs who fill their wakefulness with daily tasks, so too must you, your neighbors, and all that you will ever know.
 
Tran Anh Hung’s 1993 feature film, The Scent of Green Papaya, is an experience for the senses, one where plot takes a backseat to observe the phantom pangs of nostalgia, melancholy, and unchambered presence, as if rediscovering what it’s like to see, touch, hear, taste, and smell for the very first time.
 
To equate what it is like to view The Scent of Green Papaya is much like finding a brief moment of respite in the day to day dizziness that we tend to find ourselves in, where a certain gap in the clouds catches the attention and reminds oneself that there is an overlooked beauty in nature’s lovely mumblings.
 
As always, thank you for listening, and we hope you join in on the discussion.
 
Where to watch:
Hoopla (Stream in the US with a library card)
Vudu (Rent or Buy)
Amazon (Rent or Buy)
 
Instagram:
@lefilmpodcast
 
Twitter:
@lefilmpod
 
Send us questions, feedback, and film recommendations at:
lefilmpodcast@gmail.com

It’s Such a Beautiful Day (2012)

This week we discuss Don Hertzfeldt’s 2012 animated feature film debut, It’s Such a Beautiful Day. Composed of three different shorts recounting the minute events that outline the life of Bill, a man in his 40’s, who struggles to make sense of the world around him as his body begins to fail. Filled with reveries, absurdities, and bittersweet moments that expose the inner workings of our daily lives, this story reflects on a life not quite lived, and how it is never too late to appreciate the smaller details that tend to get washed over with age and experience. 
 
As always, thank you for listening and we hope you enjoy the discussion. For now, close your eyes and disappear with us to another time and place. Within this darkness, there appears a ball of light and sound that is not quite yet known to you. Open your eyes to see the sun as it hangs on the corner of your horizon, while your ears fill with the familiar swells and crashes of the ocean that lies before you. Digging both fists into the damp sand, you uncurl them before your young and impressionable eyes to reveal the compacted likeness of your tiny grip. Upon closer inspection, you see what appears to be billions and billions of individual grains that have all come together during this brief moment in time to do the bidding of your own will.
 
You don’t know how to feel about this random string of thought, and as the next wave inches toward your feet, your arms bend back and toss the clumps far out into the ocean; never to know what becomes of the tiny grains ever again. “How strange it is to be alive,” you think to yourself, but not exactly in those words. In the backseat of a car, you think about all the great things you will do in life. You close your eyes, while the gentle rockings soon put you to sleep, and soon enough, your breathing resembles that of the rhythmic passing of traffic in the night.
 
A radiant light paints the inside of your eyelids a lush and vibrant red. Rubbing the sleep from your eyes, you squint and see a ray of sunlight that has moved just beyond the blinds that were obstructing it. You look around the room and see that you are no longer in the backseat of your parents’ car, but rather an unfamiliar room, on a bed that does not belong to you. Flowers adorn the table beside you, yet you do not know where they came from or who placed them there. You’re having trouble forming words now, and it’s quite difficult to remember everything that came before and after this gentle vision of yours.
 
Did you live the life you always wanted or were you ushered into something else entirely? At this point, it does not matter now. The sun feels quite nice on your face, and while watching tiny specks of dust float above overhead, you close your eyes and drift away to another point in time; completely forgetting this moment ever happened. The light is gone now, and you can’t tell if you’re alive or if you’re dead. Your heart is filled with fear, and unable to bear the suspense any longer, you open your eyes; and it suddenly feels as if your soul has been elevated to another plane, because the sky is bursting with billions upon billions of bright and vibrant stars, and how lovely they all look compacted together in the misty rounds of your twinkling eyes.
 
Where to watch:
Available to rent on Vimeo.
 
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@lefilmpodcast
 
Twitter:
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Send us your questions, feedback, and film recommendations at:
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Love & Pop (1998) Ft. Ashley Briglia

As the sun rises just beyond the skyline of a bustling Japanese metropolis, we find ourselves floating in what seems to be an endless expanse of water. Slight tremors cause our body to gently toss to-and-fro as a brilliant, amber light beams down upon us. Is this life or is this death, or perhaps something in-between?
 
Awaking to the sound of stillness in the air, our hands unfurl the covers and see that the date on the calendar reads: July 17th, 1997. Summer is in full-swing and in this quiet, blue moment of repose, we feel the world can wait just a few moments longer before joining in to see where the sunlight takes us.
 
So begins Hideaki Anno’s 1998 live-action film debut, Love & Pop. The story centers around four Japanese high school girls who partake in a form of compensated dating, otherwise known as enjo kōsai, where older men seek out young women to join them on casual dates or for soliciting prostitution. Shot almost entirely on early, hand-held digital cameras, this film excels in its liberation of standard filmmaking conventions by exploring an unusual day in the life of Hiromi, our protagonist in this story. 
 
By highlighting the dizzying oddities found throughout the day, Hiromi and her friends struggle to make sense of their hopes, dreams, insecurities, and general malaise toward coming of age in a world that can be so merciless one moment, yet tenderly forgiving the next. Thank you to our special guest and friend of the show, Ashley, for joining us on this episode. As always, thank you for listening and we hope you enjoy the discussion.
 
Where to watch:
Unfortunately, this movie isn’t available to stream through normal means at the time of posting.
 
Instagram:
@lefilmpodcast
 
Twitter:
@lefilmpod
 
Send us your questions, feedback, and film recommendations at:
lefilmpodcast@gmail.com

The Return (After Dark) Ft. Ashley Briglia

In response to our recent hiatus, we decided to release this episode as a form of bonus content for all of our listeners. When we recorded it, it was after a late night session where we were joined by our friend, Ashley, for an upcoming episode where we discuss Hideaki Anno's 1998 live action debut, Love & Pop.
 
Although we don't have a movie to discuss in this episode, we introduce a new segment called, "First & Last", respond to our very first email sent in by a kind listener, discuss what we've all been watching, and reflect on the state of our podcast while also looking ahead to the future. 
 
Thank you to Ashley for being on the show, and we can't wait to introduce you all to new guests as well as catch up with familiar ones in the episodes to come. As always, thank you all for listening and we'll be back with a new episode later this week.
 
Instagram:
@lefilmpodcast
 
Twitter:
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Send us your film recommendations, questions or feedback:
lefilmpodcast@gmail.com

The Square (2017)

For our 20th episode, we discuss Ruben Östlund’s 2017 feature film, The Square.
 
“The Square is a sanctuary of trust and caring. Within it we all share equal rights and obligations. “
 
In an attempt to generate excitement around a new art exhibit, Christian, a chief curator for a renowned museum in Stockholm, attempts to revamp local interest and secure future funding for the museum, while navigating his own crises in the face of relentless opposition.
 
Both satirical and absurd, The Square excels in its chaotic portrayal of modern living along with its criticisms of high art, wealth inequality, intellectualism, and nationalism. Join in on the discussion, and as always thank you for listening.
 
Where to watch:
Hulu US (Stream)
VUDU (Rent or Buy)
Amazon (Rent or Buy)
 
Instagram:
@lefilmpodcast
 
Twitter:
@lefilmpod
 
Send us your film recommendations:
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Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice Ultimate Edition (2016) Ft. Donald Glass

Join us this week where we discuss Zack Snyder’s 2016 feature film, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (Ultimate Edition).
 
In the midst of political and existential upheaval following the events of 2013’s Man of Steel, Superman is at odds with his newfound role as Earth’s savior, while across the way from Metropolis, Gotham City’s own vigilante, Batman, takes matters into his own hands to determine if this god-like being is the key to humanity’s perseverance or its extinction.
 
This is a divisive movie in terms of the context surrounding its original release and its role in developing DC’s buildup to its cinematic universe. The Ultimate Edition adds over 30 minutes of footage to the theatrical cut to expand upon story lines, character screen time, and content that was deemed too graphic or inappropriate for its original PG-13 rating (now R rating).
 
We are joined by a friend of the podcast, Donald, and hope you enjoy this discussion. As always, thanks for listening.
 
Where to watch:
VUDU (Rent or Buy)
YouTube (Rent or Buy)
Amazon (Rent or Buy)
 
Instagram:
@lefilmpodcast
 
Twitter:
@lefilmpod
 
Send us your film recommendations:
lefilmpodcast@gmail.com

A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night (2014)

Join us this week where we discuss Ana Lily Amirpour’s 2014 feature film debut, A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night.
 
Night falls over the desolate, crime-laden streets of Bad City, and should you be one of the unfortunate few to roam the lonely roads at such an untimely hour, you better hope that the footsteps trailing from behind are entirely in your head.
 
The story follows the townspeople of an Iranian ghost-town as they struggle to fill their lives with meaning in their day-to-day ennui, all while a lone vampire preys upon unsuspecting stragglers. Meanwhile, no one, not even the self-proclaimed vigilante, is free from the crushing loneliness that permeates throughout the city.
 
With influences ranging from German Expressionism, Spaghetti Westerns, Psychedelia, Suburban Punk, and Gothic Romanticism, this film emerges with a wholly original depiction of vampirism and loneliness in contemporary society. Shot with stark, visually arresting black and white cinematography, and a killer soundtrack to boot, this film excels in capturing the moments that linger; the ones that provide a glimpse into the deepest recesses of the heart.
 
Where to watch:
MUBI (Stream)
VUDU (Rent or Buy)
YouTube (Rent or Buy)
Amazon (Rent or Buy)
 
Instagram:
@lefilmpodcast
 
Twitter:
@lefilmpod
 
Send us your film recommendations:
lefilmpodcast@gmail.com

Where We Belong (2019)

Join us this week where we discuss Kongdej Jaturanrasmee’s 2019 Thai drama, Where We Belong.
 
Sue, a student living in the eastern province of Chanthaburi in Thailand, is spending her final week making preparations for her departure to study abroad in Finland. This proves to be quite the undertaking for Sue, as she has never traveled outside of her hometown and is leaving against her estranged father’s wishes.
 
A beautiful, languid tapestry that weaves cultural aspects of Thailand along with contemporary issues surrounding identity, connection, and decisiveness in the age of disillusionment. Where We Belong thrives in its unique portrayal of Sue’s hometown, creating a melancholic microcosm where each character’s actions and words can be felt long after they have left the screen.
 
The concept of “home” in the film is framed as a place in which you have lived for most of your life or a place in which you seek to belong, and by the end of it, we are left with a unique perspective on the imbalance of self actualization and conformity in the collective. As always, thank you for listening, and we hope you enjoy the episode.
 
Where to watch:
This movie is currently unavailable to stream on normal platforms.
 
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Send us your film recommendations:
lefilmpodcast@gmail.com