Ariel sits down with noted horror author Paul Tremblay to discuss his contributions to First Word on Horror, a new 15-part documentary about horror fiction featuring interviews with five major current writers of the genre, now live on Substack. You can subscribe to First Word On Horror at the Etch Studio Substack Page.

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Ariel sits down with horror author Stephen Graham Jones to discuss his participation in the new documentary series, First Word on Horror, directed by Philip Gelatt, and releasing exclusively on Substack.

View trailer here.

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Ariel sits down with Kelsey Egan to discuss her latest film, a brilliant sci-fi thriller called The Fix, set in a dystopian future where breathing is not a given.

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Ariel speaks with Matt O'Neill, one of the directors of the HBO/MAX documentary SURVEILLED, following Ronan Farrow's quest to find out how governments are using spy technology against their own citizens for political gain.

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In this conversation, Ariel speaks with Jayro Bustamante, the director of RITA, now streaming on SHUDDER, and which was just named Guatemala’s entry into the Academy Awards. The film creates fantasia from gritty reality, calling to mind films like Pan’s Labyrinth and The Devil’s Backbone, while also raising awareness about systems of abuse.

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Ariel sits down with Amy Nicholson to discuss her award-winning documentary that chronicles the final days of a working-class summer colony in a scrappy trailer park that just happens to hold the secret to a rich life. The film will release on iTunes and major platforms on September 10th.

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Ariel sits down with filmmaker Joanna Arnow to talk about her feature debut, an off-beat look at love and relationships in the modern world.

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Ariel sits down with filmmaker Kenichi Ugana and cast members from his breakout hit at Fantastic Fest, Visitors, a blood-soaked but heartwarming tale of humans and monsters connecting through music. 

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In this episode, Ariel speaks with Paralympian athlete Nina Gorodetsky, and filmmaker Ravit Markus, about this remarkable film about motherhood, ableism, and badminton.

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This week marks the 11th year of the Easterseals Disability Film Challenge, and Ariel's first year participating as a producer. Ariel speaks with Cashmere Jasmine, the writer, director, and star of Disabled AF, and Benjamin Shearn, the editor. Watch the film before you listen, here --> Disabled AF

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Ariel sits down with director Set Hernandez, to discuss his masterful debut, a feature documentary about Pedro, a blind undocumented immigrant, working to become a social worker.

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Ariel sits down with multi-disciplinary filmmaker Jason Loftus to talk about Eternal Spring, a documentary and interactive immersive experience about the persecution of Chinese practitioners of Falun Gong.

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Ariel sits down with directors Ng Choon Ping and Sam Freeman to talk about their queer neo-noir revenge thriller, FEMME.

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Ariel sits down with filmmaker Radha Mehta, to talk about her Slamdance-winning short, DOSH.

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In this special follow-up episode from A Shot in the Arm, which featured Neil deGrasse Tyson, Ariel speaks with medical professional Karyann Dorn  about the realities of vaccines for the disability community. 

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In today’s episode, Ariel sits down with Notre Dame professor & noted author, Walter Scheirer to talk about his book, A History of Fake Things on the Internet. From ancient history to hacking, the book explores all angles on fakery old & new.

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Ariel sits down with Andrew Cumming, director of the new prehistoric horror, Out of Darkness.

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In this episode, Ariel sits down with filmmaker Pete Ohs, whose dystopian take on the work world, Love and Work, recently premiered at Slamdance. 

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What was your favorite movie of 2023?

In today’s episode, Ariel and Rabia count down their favorite films from last year, and you just might find your next must-see!

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Ariel and Rabia sit down with dynamic filmmaking duo, Toby Poser and John Adams, to talk about their delightful family horror, Where the Devil Roams.

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In this episode, Ariel sits down with editor Hazel Baillie to talk about Silo, the dystopian series starring Rebecca Ferguson from Apple +.

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In a special episode, recorded in March 2023 in Austin, Texas, Ariel is joined by filmmakers Kiah Amara, Addison Heimann, and Pea Woodruff - recorded live onstage at South by Southwest talking about Disability and Horror in the film and television industry. 

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Ariel sits down with filmmaker Lea Glob to talk about her self-reflexive documentary of life and art, Apolonia Apolonia, which has been short-listed for the Oscars.

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In this episode, Ariel sits down with Suzie Davies, the production designer behind (mostly) all of the brilliant details of Emerald Fennell's Saltburn.

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Ariel sits down with Dawn Mikkelson and Keri Pickett, directors of Finding Her Beat, a reclamation of taiko drumming for women and non-binary percussionists. Joining them are Megan Chao-Smith and Jennifer Weir, two of the drummers featured.

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Ariel sits down with Iman Zawahry to talk about her romantic comedy, Americanish, about three Muslim women navigating love and relationships in the modern world.

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Ariel sits down with director Christopher Kahunahana about his surreal and effective film, Waikiki, about the realities of life in Hawaii. WAIKIKI is now available for pre-order on VUDU / Fandango. WAIKIKI will also be available on December 5th on Apple TV, Amazon, Spectrum, Xfinity/Comcast, DirecTV, Verizon Fios,  Microsoft Store, Google Play, YouTube Movies, Hoopla Digital, and Redbox On Demand.

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Ariel sits down with Neil deGrasse Tyson (executive producer) & Scott Hamilton Kennedy (director) to discuss their new brilliant documentary, Shot in the Arm, that explores the "anti-vax" movement both historically and in the angry political present. Shot in the Arm plays in Los Angeles at the Laemmle Cinemas on November 17th, before expanding to other markets across North America.

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Ariel sits down with filmmaker Ryan Levey to talk about his documentary on wrestling with queerness (in all the ways), premiering on FUSE TV in November.

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Ariel sits down with Darlene Naponse to talk about her apocalyptic indigenous romance that premiered at Santa Barbara International Film Festival, STELLAR.

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Ariel sits down with Marcel van Brakel and Mark van Meeuwenoord, the creators of Symbiosis, an interactive XR experience featured at SXSW and the Portland Art Museum. 

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Ariel sits down with Mark Jenkin, the filmmaker behind the unusual Neon horror film, Enys Men, recently added to Hulu.

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Ariel sits down with director Daniel Gonçalves to talk about his new documentary that premiered at OutFest - Acsexybility, about the intersection of sexuality and disability. Filmmaker Camila Franco Ribeiro Gomide assists with translation.

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Ariel sits down with Ellie Foumbi, director of Our Father the Devil, an Independent Spirit Award nominee opening at the Quad Cinema in NYC this Friday.

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Welcome  back! In this first episode of Season 4, Ariel sits down with documentary director Trip Jennings to discuss the truth about wildfire, and the people trying to change our relationship with fire for the better. 

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Ariel sits down with director Jiabao Li, to discuss her exciting new interactive exhibit that premiered at SXSW, Once a Glacier, that explores the wonder and majesty of the sights and sounds of our rapidly disappearing ice shelf.

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Ariel sits down with documentary filmmaker Bernardo Ruiz to discuss his new film, El Equipo, about the extraordinary team of Argentine students who changed the course of forensic science and international human rights.

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Ariel sits down with director Agniia Galdanova to talk about her incredible documentary, Queendom, which follows Gena, an artist whose work is both art and activism on the streets of Russia.

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Ariel sits down with the head of 20th Digital Studio to discuss how his business model changed after the riots in Charlottesville, Virginia, from how he considers talent to how he works as a process.

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In this dual-language episode, Ariel sits down with writer/directors Lise Akoka and Romane Gueret to talk about their film that explores the ethics of filmmaking from the perspective of kids in a lower-income neighborhood cast to star in a film.

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Ariel sits down with director Sophie Jarvis at SXSW to talk about her feature film that explores the conflict between food safety and industry,  and agriculture and climate. The overwhelming power of nature meets human frailty in this film that both explores and empowers.

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Ariel sits down with director Kaveh Nabatian to discuss his documentary about Haiti and its transformational rituals, Kite Zo A.

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Ariel sits down with Oscar Harding, director of the new documentary, A Life on the Farm, all about the filmmaking hijinks of farmer Charles Carson, and his astonishing treasure trove of oddities.

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Ariel sits down with writer and stand-up comedian Madeleine Stewart to talk about her new comedy documentary about perceptions of disabled people, Inspire Me.

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Ariel sits down with Carmen Vincent to discuss her new film about disability education, Teacher of Patience.

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Ariel sits down with filmmaker Kimi Takesue to discuss her new documentary, Onlookers, premiering at Slamdance Film Festival.

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Ariel and Rabia sit down with actress Sarah Lind to discuss her work in the phenomenal new horror film on Shudder, A Wounded Fawn.

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Ariel sits down with disability advocate and non-profit owner Chanda Hinton, to discuss her work in Colorado, both advocating for medical change for people with disabilities, and working to create a safe medical space for patients with disabilities. For more information about her work, visit https://chandacenter.org.

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Ariel sits down with horror legend Kier-La Janisse to discuss her seminal book, House of Psychotic Women, recently re-released for its 10th Anniversary from FabPress, available here.

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'Tis the season for Christmas scares, and so we have The Leech, a terrifying dose of holiday cheer with a potent message. Ariel sits down with director Eric Pennycoff and cinematographer Rommel Genciana to talk religion, politics, and other dinner table taboos.

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Releasing in theatres today, Andy Mitton's thrilling pandemic horror, The Harbinger, was covered out of Fantasia. We're re-releasing our episode talking about his process and the meaning of the film today. A high recommend from both Ariel and Rabia.

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Ariel and Rabia sit with Martika Escobar, director of the Sundance darling Leonor Will Never Die, discussing Filipino cinema and making a meta masterpiece.

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Ariel sits down with Kim Ji-yong to discuss the decisions made in creating the look of Park Chan-Wook's romantic noir film arriving on MUBI soon, Decision to Leave.

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Ariel sits down with director David Hebrero to discuss his new apocalyptic horror set in small-town Spain, Everyone Will Burn.

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Ariel sits down with director Kyra Gardner and producer Ash T to discuss their new documentary, Living with Chucky, all about the Child's Play franchise and why it both terrifies and educates audiences.

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Ariel sits down with director Daniel Zarvos to talk about his new documentary about Miucha, the remarkable icon of Brazilian music, and her struggles and her journey as a woman in creative spaces.

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Ariel sits down with Hannah Barlow and Kane Senes, creators of the new horror delight Sissy, which recently dropped on Shudder.

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This one goes out to all the teachers who STILL deserve our thanks in the pandemic. Director Neasa Ni Chianáin discusses her new film about a school that is turning around the lives of at-risk kids through the use of philosophy. Young Plato is a film not about the questions that matter, but about why questions matter.

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Ariel sits down with noted horror scholar and talented writer/director Dr. Rebekah McKendry about her new film Glorious, a Lovecraftian horror tale of gods and glory holes.

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Ariel sits down with Adam Christian Clark, director of Diary of a Spy.

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Ariel sits down with Carter Smith to talk about his queer horror film, Swallowed.

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Ariel sits down with director Aik Karapetian to discuss his surreal fantasy Squeal.

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Ariel sits down with writer/director Andy Mitton to talk about his brilliant pandemic horror film, playing at both Fantasia and FrightFest, The Harbinger.

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Ariel sits down with writer/director Anita Rocha da Silveira to talk about her feminist horror fantasy, Medusa.

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Ariel sits down at Fantasia 2022 with filmmaker Véronique Jadin to speak about her new office revenge horror comedy.

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Did you know that Ariel is making another movie? Shining in the Dark can be found at the intersection of disability, grief, and tentacles, check it out here and support today!

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In this episode, Ariel & Rabia have the delight of sitting down with horror scholar Alison Peirse to discuss Mattie Do's Dearest Sister, a horrific treat from Laos, available on Shudder now. 

Subscribe to Alison's fabulous newsletter, The Losers' Club here: https://www.alisonpeirse.com/newsletter

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Ariel and Rabia speak with Addison Heimann, director of Hypochondriac, a phenomenal new film that explores the mind/body connection through trauma and horror, in theatres on July 29th.

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Ariel sits down with Jake Wachtel, writer and director of Karmalink, a science fiction film set in Cambodia that imagines a future where past lives are accessible through technology.

Conceived as a way to interrogate processes of neo-colonialism, and highlighting the alienating effects of technological progress, Karmalink is a mind-bending tale of reincarnation, artificial consciousness, and the search for enlightenment.

Trailer: https://youtu.be/aNzT8NiNy_0

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Ariel and Rabia are joined by critic Andrew Pope of Whitlock and Pope for a chat about their most anticipated films for Fantasia 2022.

Note: The documentary about Jean Rollin referred to in the episode is titled Orchestrator of Storms.

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Ariel and Rabia sit down with Reid Davenport to discuss his new film, I Didn't See You There, which won Best Director at Sundance, Full Frame, and a number of other festivals. The film discusses life from the perspective of a wheelchair, as a filmmaker with cerebral palsy. When a circus tent goes up near his home, he contemplates the history of freak shows and the role they have played in disability representation and exploitation.

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Ariel's statement on the recent decision from the Supreme Court regarding Roe v. Wade.

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Ariel sits down with filmmaker Akuol de Mabior to discuss her new documentary, a personal narrative that tells the story of her mother, the first female vice president of South Sudan, and a reflection on nationality, gender, and identity.

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Ariel has an extensive chat with disabled filmmaker Ashley Eakin, whose short film Single won prizes at SXSW, and whose new film, Forgive Us Our Trespasses, is now available on Netflix.

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Ariel sits down with documentary filmmaker Daresha Kyi to talk about her film Mama Bears, about Christian mothers who choose to embrace and advocate for their LGBTQIA+ kids.

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Ariel sits down with Deborah Shaffer and Stewart Bird, the directors of the documentary The Wobblies, a project begun in 1976 exploring the history of the Industrial Workers of the World or IWW, a union that advocated for fair labor practices.

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Ariel speaks with K.D. Dávila and Carey Williams, the writer and director of the new film Emergency, an urgent story about three friends embarking on an epic night of Spring Break parties whose night is derailed by an emergency situation.  A story of the chaos of youth, and the reality of being Black or Latino in America. In release in theatres on May 20th, and coming to Amazon Prime on May 27th. 

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Ariel speaks with horror and documentary filmmaker Nils Gaup about his new film discussing aesthetics, greed, and the corruption of the art world, Images of a Nordic Drama, about the fight to recognize the achievements of Aksel Waldemar Johannessen, a prolific and powerful Norwegian contemporary of Edvard Munch.

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Ariel speaks with Jordanian filmmaker Hanadi Elyan about her film, Salma's Home, a multi-generational family story of three women and the secrets they hold dear, a perfect film for celebrating Eid!

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The conclusion to Ariel and Rabia's conversation about accessibility in the film and television industry, with guests Dominique Nieves and Adam Stovall.

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Ariel and Rabia have an in-depth conversation about accessibility in the film and television industry with filmmakers Dominique Nieves and Adam Stovall in this episode, recorded with a live audience on the Podcast stage at SXSW 2022. Part 1 of 2.

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In this episode, recorded in 2021 with the filmmaker Brad Michael Elmore, Ariel discusses the issue of LGBTQIA+ representation in horror, specifically in his lesbian vampire horror comedy, Bit.

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Ariel speaks with writer/director Augusto Sandino about his lyrically gorgeous film set in an unseen region of the Andes, A VANISHING FOG, in a conversation that ranges from linguistics to colonialism to environmentalism.

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Ariel sits down with the team from the documentary Split at the Root, about the separation of families at the US-Mexico border.  She speaks with producer Maria Grasso, executive producer Marti Noxon and subject Julie Schwietert-Collazo of Immigrant Families Together about the importance of this documentary in this political moment.

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An interview recorded fresh off of Sitges, Ariel sits down with director Alexandra Pechman to discuss her horror short film about legacy and performance, THUMB. 

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Ariel sits down with David Zucker, director of Your Friend Memphis, a new documentary that debuted at SXSW, about the life and loves of Memphis DiAngelis, an aspiring filmmaker with cerebral palsy. 

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Ariel sits down with director Iliana Sosa to discuss her personal narrative documentary, What We Leave Behind, a moving portrait of her grandfather, Julian, and his legacy.

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Ariel sits down with comic book creator and animator Paul Bolger, who created a graphic novel about the indigenous hero of Ireland, Cuchulain. From language and culture to story process, he goes in depth about what it took to produce the incredible work that is HOUND.

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Ariel speaks with autistic director Steven Fraser about his new short film, Prosopagnosia (the technical term for faceblindness). This stunning animated documentary was nominated for major awards and is currently playing at the prestigious Clermont-Ferrand.

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It's International Women's Day, so it's time to watch some great female directors! Ariel sits down to talk with director Maya Cozier about her debut film, a coming of age story set in the midst of Trinidad's dance teams. Now available on Amazon Prime.

We have exciting news! We've been listed in the top 40 social justice podcasts by Feedspot (we're #12!). We also will be speaking at SXSW soon on the topic of accessibility in the entertainment industry, so stay tuned for tons more content from hither and yon!

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Ariel sits down with writer/director Gia Elliot to discuss her new horror film, out on VOD this week. The film  is many things, but as a horror take on sexual assault and trauma, this is a conversation worth having on every level. Warning: content matter may be difficult for some listeners.

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A continuation of Ariel's conversation with filmmaker Mattie Do. This time, they talk all about her status as the first female AND first horror director of Lao, as well as having a deep dive into Asian cinema.

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Ariel and Rabia present their somewhat belated but extremely thorough discussion of the best horror we saw in 2021, between the Fantasia Film Festival and particularly Fantastic Fest. Please note: most of these titles will be released in 2022 officially.

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Ariel sits down with Iuli Gerbase, director of the powerful and prescient sci-fi masterpiece, The Pink Cloud, in select theatres now. 

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Ariel sits down with Lao director Mattie Do to discuss her new film, The Long Walk, coming this weekend to select cities from Yellow Veil Pictures. Part of a much longer conversation that will be broadcast in two weeks.

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Ariel sits down at IFFR with Rotterdam's chosen Spotlight Director, Amanda Kramer, to talk about her films Please Baby Please and Give Me Pity (both featured at IFFR this year), and her interest in filmmaking that marries anxiety and art.

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Ariel sits down this week with Rachel Lang, soldier turned filmmaker who premiered her film Mon Legionnaire or Our Men at the International Film Festival of Rotterdam this week, about the lives of legionnaires and their wives and loved ones.

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Rabia and Ariel speak with a family of filmmakers, Toby Poser, Zelda Adams, and John Adams, who variously starred, created, directed, composed visual effects, and wrote the film Hellbender, a mother-daughter psychodrama of witchy proportions, now playing at the Final Girls Berlin Film Festival and available on Shudder this month.

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Ariel speaks with husband and wife team, Kevin Pontuti and Alexandra Loreth, about their period gothic horror film, The Yellow Wallpaper,  based on the novella by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, which explores themes of feminism and mental health.

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Ariel and Rabia speak with Junta Yamaguchi, the director of the incredible one-take sci-fi feature, Beyond the Infinite Two Minutes, one of their favorite films from Fantasia, Fantastic Fest, and others, which just made its VOD premiere yesterday, with Indiecan Entertainment.

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Documentarian Will Battersby and his subject, Diane Shader Smith, discuss the life and words of Mallory Smith, a cystic fibrosis patient who lived longer than anyone expected, but kept a secret diary that chronicled her illness and the toll it took on her mental health. The conversation ranges from patient advocacy to mental health awareness to the best ways to effect change in the medical community.

SALT IN MY SOUL will be released theatrically in New York (Cinema Village) and Los Angeles (Laemmle Royal) on January 21 followed by the VOD Release in the US, Canada, and UK & Ireland and key territories worldwide on January 25.

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In this episode, Ariel speaks with the people directly responsible for the brilliant comic timing of Ted Lasso - the editors, A.J. Catoline and Melissa McCoy.

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Ariel sits down for another interview with a documentary filmmaker and their subject, this time with filmmaker Nefise Özkal Lorentzen, and Seyran Ates, the Nobel Peace prize-nominated subject of her documentary,  Seyran Ates: Sex, Revolution, and Islam.

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According to Unesco, a human language disappears every two weeks. Within a century,  50 to 90 percent of all languages will be gone. Does it matter?  Spoiler alert: Yes. Ariel interviews both documentary filmmaker Sandrine Loncke and her subject, Florian Lionnet. They discuss how language encodes culture and worldviews, and the threat to our humanity when languages are lost.

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Ariel has a chat with Emily Bennett and Justin Brooks, the directors and star of the new horror movie, Alone With You, that played recently at Fantastic Fest.

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In a new weekend series exploring horror titles, Ariel sits down with filmmaker Aaron Bartuska to discuss his new horror film, For Roger, in the first installment of Sunday Bloody Sunday.

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Ariel sits down with Melissa Haizlip to discuss her new documentary exploring the first nationally broadcast all-Black variety show on public television, Ellis Haizlip's SOUL!

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Ariel sits down with Ashley O'Shay, director of the new documentary, Unapologetic, about two Black women advocating for justice in Chicago on behalf of countless Black victims of police violence.

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This one goes out to all the teachers who deserve our thanks in the pandemic. Director Neasa Ni Chianáin discusses her new film about a school that is turning around the lives of at-risk kids through the use of philosophy. Young Plato is a film not about the questions that matter, but about why questions matter.

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Ariel and Rabia discuss the current state of environmental policy around climate change with Tom Bowman, author of Empowering Climate Action.

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Ariel sits down with director Dash Shaw to discuss his Sundance-winning adult animated fantasy of mythical creatures, Cryptozoo. 

The film will be screening at the Alamo Drafthouse Winchester on Saturday, November 13th at 4pm, with a Q&A led by Ariel.

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Ariel and Rabia sit down with director Philippe McKie to discuss his film Dreams on Fire, an exploration of one woman's journey through the Tokyo underground dance scene.

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Ariel speaks with writer and director Kelsey Egan about her new film, Glasshouse, set in a dystopian matriarchal landscape, about memory, history, and culture.

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Ariel speaks with Donald Mowat, the BAFTA-nominated hair and make-up designer behind films as varied as Skyfall, Cowboys & Aliens, and Blade Runner 2049. Now he tackles the world of Dune, and shares his insights into the process.

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Ariel and Rabia speak with Jesse Blanchard, director of Frank & Zed, a gory puppet horror masterpiece that premiered at Fantasia this year.

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Ariel and Rabia have a wide-ranging conversation with South African filmmaker Travis Taute about his new thriller, Indemnity.

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Ariel and Rabia discuss the relationship between trauma, fantasy, and the horror genre in this conversation with Perry Blackshear, director of When I Consume You.

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Ariel and Rabia sit down with Canadian director Rob Jabbaz to discuss his new award-winning and deliciously gory horror film, The Sadness.

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Rabia catches up with MASUMI, the singer/songwriter and star of the action hit of Fantasia, Yakuza Princess.

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Ariel and Rabia sit down with director Rasmus Merivoo to discuss the premiere of his new film Kratt, a horror comedy that's genuinely for the whole family. 

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Ariel sits down with Richard Bates Jr. to discuss his new coven comedy, King Knight, newly premiered at Fantasia 2021. 

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Rawn James, the author of the new book The Truman Court: Law and the Limits of Loyalty, sits down with Rabia to discuss the Supreme Court's place in history and politics.

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Ariel talks with filmmakers Dusty Mancinelli and Madeleine Sims-Fewer about their film, Violation, now available on Shudder. The conversation dives directly into hard topics, including rape revenge, trauma, and artistic responsibility. Listeners may be triggered by this conversation's topics, including sexual violence and trauma.

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This weekend at San Diego Comic Con, the best and the brightest in the comic book industry will gather together for the Eisner Awards, a celebration of some of the most influential books of the year. Among the nominees are creators Damian Duffy and John Jennings, who came by to talk about the importance of Octavia Butler's Parable of the Sower, the joys of adapting it, and what the Parables mean in this moment.

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Tomorrow is the 10th anniversary of the terrorist attack on Utøya Island in Norway. Director Aslaug Holm speaks about her documentary, Generation Utøya, which follows the lives of four women who survived the attack.

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Rabia has a conversation with director Sato Amane about his latest film, which premiered at Rotterdam in June. And about the re-introduction of ‘Pink Eiga’ type films onto the Film Festival scene. 

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Rabia sits down with directors Neil Pagedar and Pooja Shetty, to discuss OK Computer, their newly premiered Hindi sci-fi comedy set 10 years into the future.

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Ariel and Rabia speak with Don Palathara about his new film that premiered at the International Film Festival of Rotterdam, Everything is Cinema, an important narrative filmed as if it were a documentary of a difficult relationship in the midst of the pandemic.

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For our 100th episode, it's a celebration of the Ride the Omnibus family! Ariel and Rabia have a wide-ranging conversation about the many lives of Harley Quinn across comics, television and film, with special guests Billy and Danielle Dass, our amazing production team for the show!

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Ariel sits down with Kwame Webb from the Board of Trustees of the Baltimore Museum of Art to discuss the vitality of the BMA as a cultural institution, and what changes it has gone through in the pandemic. They discuss what the BMA means to the community that surrounds it, and the recent bequest from John Waters.

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Ariel sits down with director Daniel Edelstyn to discuss his documentary, The Bank Job, a collaboration between himself and Hilary Powell to expose the trade of debt and other dark secrets of capitalism. 

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Ariel and Rabia sit down with filmmaker Adam Stovall, director of A Ghost Waits, to discuss the topic of mental health and horror. 

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Ariel has several important announcements to make in this episode, a conversation with the Cultured Curator, Rabia Sitabi.

Please consider donating a dollar or sharing the following link on social media to spread the word about our new project, Our First Priority.
---> bit.ly/KS-OFP

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Ariel speaks with writer and actor Alexander Chard about his process while performing and collaborating on the film The Blackout, currently available on Amazon Prime. 

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Ariel speaks with Susanna Nobre about her film Jack's Ride, about cab driver Joaquim as he navigates the retirement system in Portugal and reminisces on his life. It's a touching documentarian reflection on what it really means to respect one's elders.

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Ariel sits down with David and Sasa Vajda to discuss their new film, Jesus Egon Christ, about the relationships between religion and addiction and mental health.  

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Ariel sits down with director Milica Tomovic to discuss her new ensemble drama Kelti, that premiered at the 2021 Berlinale. 

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Ariel sits down with director Louda Ben Salah to discuss his romantic charmer of a film, The World After Us, that premiered at the Berlinale this year.

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Ariel speaks with director Samaher Alqadi about her film, As I Want, an exploration of the push for human rights - women's rights, and female identity under Egypt's increasingly repressive regime. 

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Ariel and Danielle discuss the myriad ways that film festivals and other events can do better by their audience, creating an intentional that accommodates the needs of disabled guests and filmmakers.

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Ariel speaks with Shengzhe Zhu about her film A River Runs, Turns, Erases, Replaces, a landscape documentary of Wuhan, China in the early days of the 2020 pandemic.

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Laura Plancarte, documentary filmmaker, stops by to discuss her film Non Western, a chronicle of one couple's intercultural anxieties as they head to the altar.

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Ariel sits down with fellow journalist and critic Andrew Pope of Whitlock & Pope to discuss all things South by Southwest, from shorts to features, documentaries to animated films, genre to drama, and everything in between.

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Ariel sits down with Oscar winner Phillip Bladh to discuss the sound achievements of one of the year’s finest films, Sound of Metal.

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Ariel talks with stop-motion animator Bara Anna Stejskalova about her deliciously macabre tale of love and decay, Love is Just a Death Away.

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Ariel talks with Lee Haven Jones and Roger Williams, creators of The Feast, a new Welsh-language horror film that had its premiere at SXSW 2021. It's a story rooted in lore and legend, with a deeply embedded message about what we owe to the land from which we come.

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Nicholas Bruckman and Amanda Roddy stop by to talk about their film, Not Going Quietly, centered on the life of Ady Barkan, a prominent disability advocate working for healthcare reform across America.

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Ariel sits down with Mickey Keating, director of Off Season, which saw its premiere at SXSW this year. The film is a  Lovecraftian take on a Florida beach town that shuts down for the season, and the conversation ranges from everything from cult film to Ingmar Bergman to parental relationships.

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Ariel sits down with director Nick Gillespie to discuss his new horror-comedy Paul Dood's Deadly Lunch Break, a hilarious and gory film that also serves as a commentary on accessibility, internet celebrity, and what it means to be an outsider.

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Ariel sits down with the creators, writers, and directors of 4 Feet High, Maria Belen Poncio, Rosario Perazolo Masjoan. The story of Juana, a wheelchair-using senior in highschool, who explores her sexuality and protests for her right to a better education.

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Ariel sits down with director Elle Callahan to discuss the premiere of her new film, Witch Hunt, that imagines a world where witchcraft is controlled by the federal government. The film and the conversation focus on the messaging of misogyny and the treatment of marginalized groups in this supernatural horror film.

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Ariel sits down with documentary filmmaker Garrett Zevgetis and healer-activist Vivian Anderson, founder of Every Black Girl, to discuss the premiere of Spring Valley at SXSW.  The film is an exploration of the full context of one viral video, demonstrating the way that one small clip can generate a flurry of media activity without any acknowledgement of the larger patchwork of history and trauma behind it.

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Ariel and director Wes Hurley sit down to discuss his new autobiographical film, Potato Dreams of America, a film that recreates the harsh realities of life in post-USSR Russia, and the way the immigrant narrative plays out in American schools, with teachers who value diversity over individuality. A conversation and a film about the exploration and the claiming of identity as your own.

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This timely film set in Korea explores a young woman’s identity and sense of self within her family relationships. Korean-American director Hannah Bang comes by to talk about the female gaze, justifiable anxieties, and the claustrophobia within familial relationships.

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Ariel sits down with Director Alex Noyer to discuss his new film, Sound of Violence, that just premiered at SXSW. They discuss disability representation, and the ultimately destructive nature of creativity.

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Ariel sits down with director Mari Walker and actresses Pooya Mohseni and Lynn Chen to discuss their film, See You Then, a drama about a pair of women catching up over drinks. The film is real, and raw, as an exploration of what it means to affirm your gender, and what it truly means to be a woman.

 

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In this episode, Ariel sits down with Alba Sotorra Clua to discuss her powerful documentary, The Return: Life After ISIS. Revenge, justice, and forgiveness are the topics of the day, as the formerly enslaved women of ISIS apply to return home countries, and the world considers their fate, and that of their children.

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Ariel sits down with Paola Calvo and Patrick Jasim to discuss their film, Luchadoras, premiering at SXSW this week. Their film focuses on female fighters in Ciudad Juarez, the women who fight in the lucha libre arena. They discuss the empowering image of the luchadora as a masked superhero in the ring in a place where violence against women and femicide is a very real threat.

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The beginning of a new series, celebrating creepy content on Sunday nights. Join us for these interviews that are co-productions of Ride the Omnibus and Ghouls Magazine. 

In this inaugural episode, Ariel talks with Theo Rhys and Joss Holden-Rhea about their new horror musical, premiering at SXSW this week. The film centers on a taxidermist looking for a human specimen, and the man, afraid enough of aging to volunteer. The film will be available to stream online beginning on March 25th. 

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Director Julian Radlmeier stops by to discuss Bloodsuckers, his comedic take on Marx's Das Kapital, but filtered through Soviet cinema and set in the 1920's with vampires. It's a unique kind of film that directly confronts the evils of capitalism, the trappings of class, and the propaganda that sustains it all.

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Director Petna Ndaliko Katondolo and producer Cherie Ndaliko stop by to talk about their film Kapita, an exploration of colonial forces at work in the world, not just in the Democratic Republic of Congo. This wonderful conversation talks about what has been made invisible by boundaries, names, and images. They discuss their restorative process as they make visible what is hidden in plain sight. Through film work, indigenous farming practices, and teaching, they work to help people tell their stories and connect to the land. 

You can find more information about their work at the following websites:
www.yoleinstitute.org
www.alkebu.org 

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Director Ryusuke Hamaguchi stops by to discuss his Silver Bear-winning film, Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy, in another bilingual conversation, this time in Japanese. He discusses the power dynamics within relationships, his preference for female characters as protagonists, and the way moving vehicles drive people closer to the truth.

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World Languages Month continues with another bilingual episode, this time in Spanish. Writer Kevin Garcia and artist Emmanuel Valtierra stop by to discuss their graphic novel, TEOATL, a pre-colonial Aztec adventure, now available for digital download through Kickstarter. They discuss why the world needs indigenous storytelling that isn't told through the lens of the Spanish conquistadors, and the importance of Aztec heroes, gods and history  in helping people to understand their own heritage and identity.

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Ariel sits down with Venice Atienza to discuss her film Last Days at Sea, a documentary portrait of Reyboy, a young boy living in the beautiful village of Kerihatag in the Philippines. She discusses her decision to step out from behind the camera to engage in a more collaborative and open process as a filmmaker, and to engage personally with her subject.  She talks about her desire to show how climate change and pollution affect the daily routines of the villagers,  and articulates the immeasurable benefit added by having a multi-national and multi-lingual team.

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Ariel reports from Nevermore Film Festival, this time with Korean director Naeri Do in a bilingual episode with simultaneous translation from SaeHee Chun. This conversation, much like the film, is one wild ride. Hear more about why humans shouldn't be considered the center of everything as we discuss the complexities of crossing boundaries in time, space, disability, and gender. From trans-humanism to cyber-feminism, this is a whole new kind of science fiction.

Connect with the world of TRANS here: https://www.instagram.com/donaele2/

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Ariel continues reporting from Nevermore Film Festival in North Carolina with this conversation with Robert Woods, about his directorial debut, An Ideal Host. They discuss his rather unique approach to writing a movie, why an alien invasion is the perfect metaphor for modern life, and his personal approach to inclusive film-making.

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Another day, another festival! Coming from Nevermore Film Festival in North Carolina, Ariel talks with director Adam Stovall about his new horror comedy A Ghost Waits, now available on the new Arrow streaming service. The conversation starts in technique, veers into capitalism and gets real about how this comedy deals with ideas of depression and suicide. 

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Ariel sits down with Juja Dobrachkous to talk about her new film, Bebia, á mon seul désir, an evocative and haunting story of a young girl’s rite of passage after the death of her grandmother. They talk everything from Greek mythology, to the intricate textures portrayed in the film, to the secret sense that is key to her artistic vision.

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Ariel and Rob have a chat about one of the major awards contenders this year, Emerald Fennell's enormous hit, Promising Young Woman. They explicitly discuss the critical reception of the film, the realities of rape culture in the modern world, and gender politics as discussed in the film and in the media narrative around it. #notallmen or #yesallmen?

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Brazilian director Renata Pinheiro and her co-writer and producer Sergio Oliveira discuss their new film King Car, about a transhumanist future where man and machine can become one, where the relationship between cars and humans becomes entirely symbiotic. They discuss how their film emerged from discussion of a real law that was passed in Brazil, and how the script evolved to respond to fascism, to embody romantic ideals, and create a picture of a future that is, in many ways, already here.

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We continue our coverage from Rotterdam with this conversation with Itonje Søimer Guttormsen, director of Gritt, a film  about a performance artist in pursuit of a dream. The film is an intense psychological portrait, but also an exploration of the reality of the artist, situated in the thin lines between status and livelihood, altruism and manipulation, brilliance and self-delusion.

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More from the International Film Festival of Rotterdam! Director Dea Kulumbegashvili discusses her new multi-award-winning film, Beginning, available on the streaming service MUBI, who have picked up the film for distribution. She talks technique, from creating the intuitive timing and specific sonic landscapes of the film, as well as maintaining the camera's emotional connection to her characters' inner lives. 

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A Valentine for you! This extended conversation with noted comic book letterer Aditya Bidikar was conducted as an interview for the website Comics Bookcase.  The conversation covers much about his philosophy on the work of lettering and ways of collaborating, but this extended conversation covers everything from how humans create meaning, to connection in the pandemic, to a love of literature and languages.

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Four intrepid film friends, Ariel, Katelyn, Chris, and Lisa talk about their takeaways from the 2021 edition of the Sundance Film Festival. They discuss their favorite discoveries, moments of brilliance, moments of weird, and evaluate the first ever virtual version of the Park City spectacle.

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More from the International Film Festival of Rotterdam! Ane Hjørt Guttu stops by to discuss her remarkable prize-winning documentary film, Manifesto, that reveals how the strings of bureaucracy have damaged one art school in Oslo. The film depicts the double life professors must live under the watchful eye of monitors and security guards, and the problems of a demoralized body of students and staff.   

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Ariel sits down with Serbian director, Marta Popivoda, to talk about her documentary Landscapes of Resistance, which just had its world premiere at the International Film Festival of Rotterdam. The film has two storytellers - Sonja Vujanovic, and the spaces she has inhabited. Sonja fought against fascism with the partisan movement in Yugoslavia, and battled her way to survival through many landscapes, including Auschwitz. Popivoda talks about how she made this beautiful historical record of a film, and how the fight must continue.

Works referenced:
Unwomanly Face of War by Svetlana Alexievich

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Sammy Gensaw joins the show to discuss the recent documentaries that he has been a part of, Gather (2020) and Guardians of the River (2021). He talks about his identity, from his Yurok ancestry to his feeling of kinship with indigenous communities around the world, but most importantly, his identity as an American.

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Monica and Andrea join in a conversation about the emotional roller coaster Americans have lived through this January, and what the competing narratives communicate to us, through the media and pop culture, about the Capitol attack and the Inauguration. What is an America, anyway?

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London-based film critic Zoë Rose Smith sits down to discuss controversial filmmaker Lars von Trier's highly controversial film, AntiChrist. The conversation evaluates the aesthetics of the film and performances, the role of misogyny in the film and its reception, the graphic body horror, but most importantly, the lengths we go to in grief to feel something.

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The multi-talented creators Weshoyot Alvitre (author and illustrator) and Chag Lowry (author and documentarian) discuss their newly published comic book, My Sisters, about the significance of indigenous basket-weaving traditions in California. They  share their reflections on the comic book industry and how they share their own native identities in their work.

Link to purchase My Sisters and access free curriculum materials:  https://bluelakerancheria-nsn.gov/pathmakers/chaglowry/

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On November 8th, 2020, we lost beloved TV personality and game show host, Alex Trebek, who hosted 37 seasons of Jeopardy! My guest Emily, a former champion from Jeopardy! shares her fond memories of her time on the show, and what the show and Alex Trebek have meant to her long-term.

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Ariel reunites with a group of film friends - Zoya Fansler, Barbara Sadhana and Andy Gyurisin, the creative manager and film programmer at the Alamo Drafthouse Winchester who crafts communities dedicated to film. Together they discuss how their viewing habits have changed in 2020, and the films that defined 2020 for them.

All films discussed on the podcast can be found in this list on the podcast Letterboxd account: https://boxd.it/aQKMK

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Ariel reflects on the nature of alternate realities and narratives promoted to justify political violence across American history. She discusses what the Netflix documentary The Social Dilemma has to tell us about this particular moment in our country's history, and how we got here. Included is a re-broadcast of the interview conducted in October 2020 with Jeff Orlowski, the director of The Social Dilemma, and Larissa Rhodes, producer.

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To ring in 2021 right, Kieran hosts a rousing game (and loving tribute to) QI. Also known as Quite Interesting, this British panel show tests the knowledge of guests on esoterica, with a dose of silliness thrown in for good measure. Join the party as Ariel, Megan, Dan, and Ellen prove their ignorance once and for all with some punny, trivial, goofy fun.

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As we say farewell to 2020, Ariel sits down with three fellow members of the Comics Bookcase crew, Zack Q, Harry, & Jacob. Together they evaluate the best graphic novels and comics of the many they read and reviewed this year. ComicsBookcase.com is a website that features analysis, reviews, creator interviews and in-depth discussion of any and every aspect of the comic creation process.

You can find the list of recommended reading from the full staff of Comics Bookcase here:
https://www.comicsbookcase.com/reading-lists-archive/best-comics-2020-comics-bookcase-staff

You can find Ariel's writing about some of her favorites of the year here:
https://www.comicsbookcase.com/reading-lists-archive/ariel-baska-2020-comics

Thank you to our editor William Dass (@wbdass) and to Daniel Kelly for designing our logo.

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In this episode, Monica Belton, a social worker specializing in racial trauma and healing, and Andrea Weiskopf, a teacher researching modern textbook treatments of the concept of slavery,  join us to discuss the words that moved us most toward action in our anti-racist efforts this year. As a multi-racial group of educators, we talk about our approaches to the difficult conversations of this year, and what books we would recommend for different legs of the anti-racist journey. 

This episode was edited by William Dass @wbdass

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Ariel is joined by Joyce, Linda, and Clyde, three avid readers, to discuss the books that carried them through this difficult year. Which books surprised them the most? Which books prompted the best or most difficult conversations? Listen and share in their passion for the written word. 

This episode was edited by William Dass

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Ariel sits down with Ron and Andrew to discuss the games that have gotten us through this strange year in the life of our world. From RPGs to interactive family games, we've got recommendations that come from our own desert islands, adrift in the ocean of 2020.

This episode was edited by William Dass.

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Ariel talks to Lisa and Brad Gullickson of the Comic Book Couples Counseling Podcast about Darwyn Cooke's graphic novel adaptations of the Parker novels by Donald Westlake writing under the pseudonym Richard Stark.

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Ariel and Kieran discuss the film from 1950 that should really be titled, 2020: The Movie. A generally overlooked noir in its time, Panic in the Streets stars Richard Widmark, Jack Palance, Zero Mostel, and Barbara Bel Geddes. With connections from the Ottoman-Turk Empire, to the Hollywood Blacklist, to the pandemic, we're taking you everywhere Philip Marlowe would never dare to tread.

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Ariel talks with Los Angeles-based professional chef and independent farm enthusiast, Katy Watson, about Jonathan Safran Foer's book, Eating Animals,  and the documentary of the same name from 2017, directed by Christopher Quinn. How much does the treatment of animals affect your health? How far, exactly, do you need to go to make sure that your food doesn't come with a secret price tag in hospital bills? And what does all this have to do with the factory farming industrial complex and the USDA? Find out on today's episode!

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Ariel and UK-based film critic Zoë Rose Smith discuss all things Possessor (2020), the newly released horror film from Brandon Cronenberg, starring Andrea Riseborough and Christopher Abbott. The conversation about this technonoir ranges from commentary on social media personas to data mining to drone pilots to body dysmorphia to that sneaking suspicion that you're really the only human in a world of automatons.

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Ariel sits down with playwright David S. Kessler to discuss the importance of the trailblazing actor, writer, director, and producer, Ida Lupino. David shares insights into her life from writing and researching his play Gwen and Ida: the Object Is of No Importance. Working as one of the few female directors in film and television at the time, her unique voice shone through especially in the projects she chose. They discuss how her encounters with disability and adversity informed her process as a filmmaker, and her unique intelligence, always visible in the roles she chose to play herself.

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Ariel discusses the genre of giallo with fellow film fanatics Sean and Dan. Giallo means "yellow" in Italian but as a film genre, is a descendant of noir. They discuss why the Italian offshoot of expressionism became so visually fantastic and explosive with color (specifically that particular shade of red from Max Factor nail polish), and the psychologically complex nature of these films. 

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In a follow-up to episode #25, Ariel, Dan, Megan, and Miriam return to play Just a Minute, while Kieran returns to his duties as chairman in the magical game invented by Ian Messiter, and brought by the BBC World Service countries around the world. The game requires each player to speak for 60 seconds without hesitation, repetition, or deviation.

Recorded leading up to Election Day in the USA, when the American players desperately needed a laugh.

This episode is edited by William Dass.

No infringement is intended, and no affiliation with the BBC is intended or implied.
 

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Ariel has a chat with Kristina and Rob of Rob Paints the Movies, all about Lovecraft Country. They pick up their conversation where it left off in episode 19, discussing predictions made then about the season, theories about where Season 2 may be headed, the power of history, and how trauma binds families and communities together.

Warning: Does contain spoilers and some explicit language.

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Ariel has a horrorifically lovely conversation with Alexandra Heller-Nicholas, Zoë Rose Smith, and Alison Taylor, three female film scholars and critics from Australia and the UK. They discuss why extreme horror holds so much power, the problematic nature of censorship and classification, film criticism, and media narratives across the Australia, the UK, and the US.

Warning: This episode includes explicit content, including descriptions of violence and sexual assault.

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A discussion of the acclaimed Netflix documentary The Social Dilemma  with its creators, director Jeff Orlowski and producer Larissa Rhodes. Their documentary addresses the toxicity of social media platforms, and how they are changing information ecosystems around the world. They stop by to discuss how they were able to refine their ideas and address the many effects of social media platforms in such a clear, concise, and compelling way. 

This episode was edited by William Dass.

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Ariel sits down with Dr. Ceres Artico to discuss mental health concerns in the pandemic, and how through self-care and careful consumption of media, people can improve upon their individual quality of life.

This episode was edited by William Dass.

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For this episode, Ariel joins forces with Mick Manhattan of theSceneSnobs.com to host a panel on the problematic, with Allyson Holland, Shannon Hollander, Katy Watson, and Kris PHZ-SICKS Williams. These six voices in podcasting and the film industry come together to talk about the representation of women, BIPOC individuals, people with disabilities, members of queer and trans communities, and other groups within horror. What is it about the film industry that marginalizes these large groups of people both in front of and behind the camera? Why do we still love the films we love, and how do we justify these favorites to ourselves? 

This episode was edited by William Dass.

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A conversation with Myriam and Michael, a pair of educators and writers, who share their passion for Drácula (1931) with us. Not the one starring Bela Lugosi, but the one that shot on the same sets at night. Myriam's work as a researcher into Latin American literature and history, and her identity as a puertorriqueña (she is a native of San Juan, Puerto Rico) give her special insight into other layers at work within the film, from choices of symbolic imagery, to language and pronunciation, to the nationalities of the actors cast in roles.

This episode was edited by William Dass.

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Ariel sits down with Bahraini filmmaker Amna al Hawaj, a woman on a mission to create change through popular cinema. She has worked on productions as varied as Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen to the Cannes Grand Prix-nominated Dègradé. She shares her industry insights as well as the view from her window on the world. She clearly articulates the best argument we've ever heard for the arts and the power of stories, and their importance now, more than ever. 

This episode was edited by William Dass.

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Ariel and Zoya discuss two legendary women who died a week apart - Dame Diana Rigg and Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, both of whom could be called feminist icons, but neither of whom fully embraced the title when advocating for pay equity or gender equality. Dame Diana tackled gender stereotypes in her roles from Emma Peel in The Avengers to Lady Olenna on Game of Thrones, while the Notorious RBG tackled those same stereotypes in court. Ariel and Zoya discuss these great women and how they have shaped understanding of gender equality in Western culture.

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Ariel sits down with Australian film scholar Alison Taylor, author of Troubled Everyday: Aesthetics and the Everyday in European Art Cinema, to discuss the abstract and immersive experience that is Zulawski's Possession (1981). The discussion ranges from Communist ideology to feminist reflections on the film and Isabelle Adjani's powerhouse of a performance.

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For the 25th episode, a tribute to the BBC's enduring radio show, Just a Minute, and its host, Nicholas Parsons. Ariel is joined by Kieran Cowan to discuss the enduring appeal of the show, and guests Dan, Megan, and Miriam stop by to play a tribute round of the game with Kieran as host. It's an episode of silliness and froth about a game that means so much to so many around the world.

This episode was edited by William Dass.

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Ariel and Monica talk all things AnteBellum, the film dubbed by many critics to be "the worst film of 2020." They discuss what the critics got wrong, what the film has to say about the status quo, and why people should be watching this film, and engaging with it. 

Warning: Spoilers aplenty are ahead!

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Ariel, Kim, Maggie, and Amy gather to discuss the various adaptations of Pride and Prejudice, faithful, fanciful, and modernized. They discuss why the work is so enduring and so endlessly translatable to different contexts, and go in depth into favorite characters and what each adaptation reveals about their psychology.

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Danielle, Irina and Ariel share their origin stories for the final part in our CRIP CAMP series. This series would be incomplete without a sense of the deeply personal experiences that have informed the perspectives shared on disability rights and activism. 

Warning: Explicit language throughout, references to medical trauma and assault, and frank discussion of sexuality.

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Ariel is joined by Kern Wheeling, of Cinema Etc., to discuss Antonio Campos' adaptation of Donald Ray Pollock's The Devil All the Time, a film now available on Netflix, starring Tom Holland and Robert Pattinson. Additionally, they discuss favorite films of 2020 so far, the landscape of moviegoing, and all the feelings.

WARNING: The discussion includes heavy spoilers for both the book and the film.

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In part 2 of the critical conversation series structured around the film Crip Camp, Ariel is joined again by disability activists Danielle Dass and Dr. Irina Greenman to discuss issues affecting the disability community. The conversation begins with a frank discussion of special education.

Warning: Contains explicit language.

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Ariel, Kristina, and Rob dish over a shared passion for the HBO horror-drama Lovecraft Country, and its accompanying podcast. We discuss the impact of the show's writing on our understanding of black culture, and how it challenges assumptions in meaningful ways. We talk though the monsters, the performances, and our crazy theories for what happens next.

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Ariel is joined by disability activists Danielle and Irina to discuss the Netflix documentary Crip Camp, and the way it portrays the stories of people with disabilities, questions of disability rights, and disability activism. This episode is part of an ongoing series of critical conversations with disability advocates responding to themes presented in the film.

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Writer/Director Jai Jamison is currently one of the writers on the new CW series, Superman and Lois, but is also responsible for the profound and affecting short film Slave Cry, set in Richmond, VA against the backdrop of the Confederate Monuments. The conversation ranges from a deep love of Richmond, to Black representation in the arts, to the messaging of the monuments, and their place in our world now.

This episode was edited by William Dass.

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Ariel, Alex, and Brian discuss N.K. Jemisin's The City We Became, a book that features characters embodying each of the boroughs of the city of New York. We discuss the characterization of New York City, and what the book has to say about diversity and inclusion, while also getting into the nuts and bolts of the good/bad binary of racism.

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Ariel, Alex, and Dan discuss the horror-action superhero flick Blade in all its glory, from Wesley Snipes' amazing stunts, some of the backstory behind production, to the movie's influence on vampire lore in TV and film.

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Ariel sits down with Zack Quaintance, the brains behind the popular comics review site, Comics Bookcase, as well as an up and coming writer in the comic book world. They discuss his upcoming original graphic novel Next Door, neighborly behavior in the midst of the pandemic, and plans for future projects as both a writer and contributor to comic book analysis and discussion on his website.

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Ariel, Alex, and Rashida sit down to talk about the book Kindred, a 20th century slave narrative about a woman who is transported back in time to the slave plantation of her ancestors. They discuss the book and the author, the MacArthur Fellow and science fiction legend, Octavia Butler, and the importance of the hard work of confronting history.

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Ariel talks with science nerds Ellen and Maria about Amazon's science fiction series, Tales from the Loop, a ten-episode series, set in a retrofuturistic landscape. Our trio talks about the unique design of the show, the perfection of the circle/sphere, conspiracy theories, and how it all really ties back to Minecraft. 

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Ariel, Kim, and Heather talk about the new film Miss Juneteenth (on virtual streaming now), a directorial debut from Channing Godfrey Peoples celebrating the relationship between mothers and daughters, the attempt to live out deferred dreams through the next generation, and the power of having something that is your own. Our discussion ranges from the marginalization of and within the Black community, to the secret culture of debutante balls, to the cyclical nature of toxic relationships.

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Ariel, Megan, and Dan break down their shared love for Sondheim's A Little Night Music (1973). They examine the classic show lyrically, musically, dramatically, and thematically, while comparing it to the source material, Ingmar Bergman's film, Smiles of a Summer Night (1955).

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Ariel sits down with cinematographer Kuni Ohi to talk about his work in the film industry, both in times of strong creative collaboration and now, in the time of COVID. As one of few filmmakers currently working, he shares his experiences from the field, in-depth discussion of the creative process, and his hopes for the future, discussing the movement to include more people of color at higher levels in the film industry. Discussed (and recommended) projects include: American Bodies; Slave Cry; Something, Anything.

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A continued look at the music of MC PHZ-SICKS, and a conversation about his love of wrestling, Black trauma, and the media's role in the protests and violence against Black bodies. Features the songs Brim Low, DX/NWO, and Riot in My Memory.

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Our first segment in a new series, Movers and Shakers, where we interview creators who make a difference in the world about their work. We talk with MC PHZ-SICKS about his music and the progression of his work in the hip-hop genre. This conversation ranges from the influences that have shaped him, to his quest to tackle misogyny in his work, to the processing of black trauma. 

Warning: Contains explicit language.
All musical content is owned by PHZ-SICKS.

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Ariel, Bryan, and Kris close out Horror Week by chatting about Jordan Peele's masterwork of horror, Us, both in its original crafting and through the lens of this moment. Warning: Explicit language and spoilers for the film are included in this episode.

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Ariel, Kim, and Dan dish about Tales from the Hood, discussing the relevance of the film to the current conversation about police brutality, issues with the ways Black people are portrayed in the media, and the use of coded racist language in politics. WARNING: Contains explicit language and spoilers for the film.

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Welcome to Horror Week! Ariel, Sean, and Alex discuss Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror and bring you an overview of the horror tropes, while discussing the power of representation, and the movies and roles that have mattered most to us.Please note: This conversation does contain spoilers for many horror films, but we feel these are essential to the conversation.

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Ariel, Ellen, and Sherry sit down to discuss Raoul Peck's I Am Not Your Negro and the words and works of James Baldwin, and how they relate to this moment in American history. Through this documentary and essential quotes, three different generations of educators discuss the importance of Baldwin's work and the imperative to steep oneself in history. Our conversation takes many turns, from the invention of race to the bootstrap myth to the future of our nation, looking within and looking ahead.

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Ariel discusses Hypatia of Alexandria with our science nerds, Ellen and Maria, through the lens of Agora, a 2009 biopic starring Rachel Weisz as Hypatia. We talk perspective, scientific experimentation, ancient history, as well as conflicts between religion and science, and the importance of the simple act of questioning.

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