Michael and Us

With America suddenly lurching to the right on immigration, we checked to see where one prominent Democrat documentarian stood circa 2011. In CITIZEN USA: A 50 STATE ROAD TRIP (2011), our old friend Alexandra Pelosi travels to all 50 states, flattening all of them into the same paste. PLUS: Andy Warhol, Paul/Tyson, and the real legacy of Obama's 2008 campaign. If you absolutely must watch Citizen USA, you can rent it here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3CYtUBofJk&ab_channel=YouTubeMovies

A rural village braces itself for development from the big city in Ryusuke Hamaguchi's EVIL DOES NOT EXIST (2024), a beautiful movie that rhymed with certain things we've been feeling lately about democracy, capitalism, freedom, and community. PLUS: We parse Toronto Life's list of the 50 most influential Torontonians of 2024, and explore the exciting world of Eric Roberts. PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/116329275

A month before the 2024 U.S. presidential election, CNN aired a hagiographic documentary about one of the masterminds of the last 30 years of American politics. In the aftermath of a disastrous election for Democrats, we watch CARVILLE: WINNING IS EVERYTHING, STUPID! (2024) to learn how the Beltway was thinking about itself before everything came crashing down. PLUS: Get ready for the most riveting conversation about bike lanes in Toronto, Ontario you'll hear all year. Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus

For over 50 years, documentary filmmaker Tony Buba has chronicled the decline - but also the people, places, and everyday poetry - of his hometown of Braddock, Pennsylvania. Recently we watched his best-known film, LIGHTNING OVER BRADDOCK: A RUSTBOWL FANTASY (1988), and fell in love with it. Today, we're pleased to welcome Buba on the show to discuss the full scope of his career, including such films as SWEET SAL (1979), BETTY'S CORNER CAFE (1976), J. ROY: NEW AND USED FURNITURE (1974), and more. PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/115813173 Our episode on LIGHTNING OVER BRADDOCK - https://soundcloud.com/michael-and-us/549-end-of-the-iron-cafe We recommend this comprehensive Blu-Ray collection of Tony Buba's work - https://kinolorber.com/product/lightning-over-braddock-and-collected-shorts-the-films-of-tony-buba-blu-ray Watch SWEET SAL - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aiuT9Zei81c Watch J. ROY: NEW AND USED FURNITURE - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wef3Zqq9qTw&t=208s&ab_channel=AlphaRomero Watch THE BARBER OF NEW KENSINGTON - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MyLyJ2f9278&t=2s&ab_channel=braddockfilms Learn more about Tony Buba - https://braddockfilms.com/

Oh lord almighty, when will we be rid of this man? Apparently not for another four years at least. We ring in the latest chapter of this neverending "Trump Era" with the new biopic/origin story THE APPRENTICE (2024). Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus "This Time We Have to Hold the Democratic Party Elite Responsible for This Catastrophe" by Jeet Heer - https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/democratic-party-elite-responsible-catastrophe/ "Democrats chose backing a genocide over defeating Trump" by Adam Johnson - https://therealnews.com/democrats-chose-backing-a-genocide-over-defeating-trump

On the day of the United States presidential election, let's look back at The Most Important Election Of Our Lifetimes. That's right, we're talking about 2004. We were happy to join the boys at Remember Shuffle to discuss all things Bush v. Kerry and the only presidential election since 1988 in which a Republican candidate won the popular vote. Now watch this drive! PATREON BONUS - https://www.patreon.com/posts/115413841 Check out Remember Shuffle - https://linktr.ee/remembershuffle

With a dreary United States presidential election covering every surface, we search for some solace in politics from the past. Early in the Thatcher era in 1981, the beloved left-wing Labour MP Tony Benn launched a populist campaign to become his party's deputy leader, and almost won. We watch a documentary from the period, BENN'S BANDWAGON (1981), and ask: Was the conservative wave of the 1980s really inevitable? Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus Watch "Benn's Bandwagon" here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-e4MWekQKZE&t=2s&ab_channel=ModernLonelyTV Our previous Tony Benn episode - https://www.patreon.com/posts/209-tony-benn-47399362

We return to one of our perennial favourite topics, THE SIMPSONS, to consider two episodes from very different eras of its run: the legendary Season 4 banger "Kamp Krusty," and the hot-off-the-presses Season 36 ep "The Yellow Lotus." Which one earns our coveted Krusty Brand Seal of Approval? PLUS: We mark the passing of a Canadian broadcasting "pioneer." PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/570-krusty-brand-115031151

Is Andrei Tarkovsky's STALKER (1979) about the Soviet Russia in which it was made? And if not, then where exactly is "The Zone"? We wade into one of the most forbidding cinematic objects of all time, but realize that the answer is only ever found within. PLUS: Justin Trudeau is historically unpopular - so why hasn't he stepped down? Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus "US Politics Has Reached a Dead End" by Luke Savage - https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/oct/19/trump-campaign-leaked-data-voters-elon-musk "Revealed: Trump ground game in key states flagged as potentially fake" by Hugo Lowell - https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/oct/19/trump-campaign-leaked-data-voters-elon-musk Our episode on Ivan's Childhood - https://www.patreon.com/posts/263-sculpting-in-55465791 Our episode on Solaris - https://www.patreon.com/posts/317-hunters-in-64139407

We were told my our Superdelegate patron tier that the direct-to-video sequel BRING IT ON: ALL OR NOTHING (2006) was a potent 2006 time capsule. Friends... they were right. PLUS: Al Pacino's finances, the fall of the Soviet Empire, and the sad tale of Victor J. Kemper. PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/568-not-another-114599903

Five years after Joker because an era-defining cultural phenomenon, its sequel, JOKER: FOLIE A DEUX (2024), is the biggest flop of the year. We sifted through the wreckage to find a purposely abrasive object, and are split on its effectiveness. Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/c/michaelandus TORONTO - See Luke speak at Progressive Publics: A Symposium Connecting Scholarship & Independent Media, November 8 - https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/progressive-publics-a-symposium-connecting-scholarship-independent-media-tickets-1051089455857 TORONTO - See Will introduce a screening of Fantasy Mission Force - https://www.foxtheatre.ca/movies/important-cinema-club-masterpiece-classics-fantasy-mission-force/

Is crime a disease? And have we possibly found the cure? We're always up for a right-wing action movie on this podcast, so it was about time we got to the irresistible Sylvester Stallone vehicle COBRA (1986).

First, Will reports on visiting that most American of landmarks, Graceland. Then, we take the temperature of the U.S. presidential election in its waning days, and learn some interesting facts about the "Canadian Victims of Communism" memorial. Finally, we discuss I'M FROM HOLLYWOOD (1989), a documentary about one of the greatest pieces of performance art of all time: the Andy Kaufman/Jerry Lawler wrestling feud. Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus ST. CATHARINE'S - See Luke moderate the book launch event for Shifting Gears: Canadian Autoworkers and the Changing Landscape of Labour Politics. Friday, October 11, 7pm, Niagara Artists Centre - https://www.ubcpress.ca/st-catharines-book-launch-for-shifting-gears TORONTO - See Will introduce a rare screening of the Jackie Chan film Fantasy Mission Force. Tuesday, November 5, 7pm, Fox Theatre - https://www.foxtheatre.ca/movies/important-cinema-club-masterpiece-classics-fantasy-mission-force/ "The #Resistance Is Back. Be Afraid." by Katherine Krueger - https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/resistance-kamala-harris-online/ Kaufman and Lawler on Letterman - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FL9PGJslS6A&t=1s&ab_channel=Letterman

The new Netflix documentary WHAT'S NEXT: THE FUTURE WITH BILL GATES (2024) positions the Microsoft founder as "one of the good billionaires." But what are the limits to his brand of philanthropy? And how neutral and objective are these documentaries on the big streaming platforms? Luke welcomes Tim Schwab (author of The Bill Gates Problem: Reckoning with the Myth of the Good Billionaire) to discuss why he declined to participate in the documentary, and what he uncovered about its making. Buy The Bill Gates Problem by Tim Schwab - https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250291431/thebillgatesproblem "Why I refused to participate in the Netflix docu-series on Bill Gates" by Tim Schwab - https://timschwab.substack.com/p/why-i-refused-to-participate-in-the Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus

In the exciting conclusion of our discussion of David Lynch's MULHOLLAND DRIVE (2001), Betty becomes Diane and fantasy merges with reality... or perhaps "reality" and "fantasy" are never whole extricable? PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/563-mulholland-2-113260819

Movies can transport us to strange and wonderful dreamworld, including a world where a UK Prime Minister faces real risk of arrest from the International Court of Justice. From director Roman Polanski comes the greatest movie ever made about pesky extradition treaties: THE GHOST WRITER (2010). Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week: https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus Guy Maddin retrospective in LA - https://www.americancinematheque.com/series/guy-maddin-an-american-cinematheque-retrospective/

Hollywood produces dreams on an industrial scale, but it also feeds our own dreams back to us. And no movie has ever understood Hollywood better than David Lynch's MULHOLLAND DRIVE (2001). In the first of a two-part discussion, we dissect David Lynch's masterpiece. PLUS: The hallmarks of bad conservative, left-wing, and liberal writing, as seen through the lens of one Mr. Jordan Peterson. PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/112719438

First we saw him bring whimsy to the medical sector in Patch Adams... then we saw him make the army wacky in Good Morning Vietnam... now, we reach the conclusion of our "Robin Williams Trilogy" by going back to his mightiest-ever battle against the forces of fuddy-duddiness: DEAD POETS SOCIETY (1989). PLUS: A spectre is haunting Europe... the spectre of centre-left capitulation to the far-right. Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus See Luke moderate the Toronto book launch for Shifting Gears: Canadian Autoworkers and the Changing Landscape of Labour Politics - Friday, September 20 (tonight) at 7pm, Workers Action Centre - https://www.facebook.com/events/1187379669241057

What if we appified death? What if we commodified grieving? In David Cronenberg's new film THE SHROUDS (2024), entrepreneurialism comes for the hereafter. PLUS: Reflections on the Trump-Harris debate. PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/559-dead-and-it-112172037

Is it ethical for a journalist to also act as a spy for a foreign government? We consider the far-fetched claims of one of Canada's worst journalists, Adam Zivo. PLUS: In this very special episode, we catch up on some news items of Canadian interest, including the declining polling for Justin Trudeau's liberals, and the rising number of far-right Canadian influencers. Follow us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus "This National Post Columnist Says He Spied for a Foreign Intelligence Agency. Experts Call His Behaviour ‘Unethical’ and ‘Absurd’" by Luke Lebrun - https://pressprogress.ca/this-national-post-columnist-says-he-spied-for-a-foreign-intelligence-agency-experts-call-his-behaviour-unethical-and-absurd/ "I cover the far right for a living. This is why I wasn’t surprised to find Canadians embedded in an alleged Russian propaganda scheme" by Luke Lebrun - https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/i-cover-the-far-right-for-a-living-this-is-why-i-wasnt-surprised-to/article_56042920-6c7c-11ef-aa82-9302cac8f9d3.html "It Turns Out Hillary Clinton, Not Russian Bots, Lost the 2016 Election" by Luke Savage - https://jacobin.com/2023/01/hillary-clinton-russian-bots-2016-presidential-election-trump "In Toronto's Weirdest Cinema, a Portrait of the Artist I'd Never Become" by Adam Zivo - https://quillette.com/2022/01/18/in-torontos-weirdest-cinema-a-portrait-of-the-artist-id-never-become/ Follow Luke Lebrun - https://x.com/_llebrun

Our Superdelegate patron tier voted for us to discuss GARDEN STATE (2004), a millennial touchstone that may or may not have "aged well." We discuss Manic Pixie Dream Girls, whether or not the Shins are "cringe," and our own lost youths. PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/111698763

What if a movie about a corporate merger became the most popular movie of the year? Friends, you don't have to imagine it. We discuss DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE (2024) and ponder the question that Vulture asked: "Is Shawn Levy the Future of Populist Filmmaking?" Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus

At long last, we tackle the question: What, exactly, is love? Will welcomes his old j-school colleague Russ Finkelstein to discuss his documentary LOOKING FOR LOVE (2018), which offers a hair-raising glimpse into the wild world of "international marriage agencies" that connect heartsick American men with women from the Global South. PLUS: Russ shares stories from deep inside the dark heart of corporate media. PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/111164366

We finally reach the GRAND FINALE of our STUDIO 60 ON THE SUNSET STRIP odyssey, arriving at Episode 22, "What Kind of Day Has It Been"... but we're left with more questions than answers. Folks... what ever happened to the Macau Deal??? PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/554-studio-sucky-110898593

A Democratic National Convention takes place against a backdrop of protests against American imperial atrocities overseas... that's right, we're travelling back in time to 1968 with Haskell Wexler's MEDIUM COOL (1969). PLUS: So, have you heard about the DNC? Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus "This National Post Columnist Says He Spied for a Foreign Intelligence Agency" by Luke LeBrun - https://pressprogress.ca/this-national-post-columnist-says-he-spied-for-a-foreign-intelligence-agency-experts-call-his-behaviour-unethical-and-absurd/ "Medium Cool: Preserving Disorder" by Thomas Beard - https://www.criterion.com/current/posts/2773-medium-cool-preserving-disorder "The New Yorker Political Scene Scene" podcast with special guest Will - https://rss.com/podcasts/newyorkerpoliticalscenescene/1619477/

Whenever we need a pick-me-up, we return to one of our favourite topics: THE DINOSAUR HOUR, John Cleese's baffling chat show for Britain's right-wing GB News network. In the two episodes we watched today, Cleese opines on creativity, then welcomes his good friend Rob Schneider (!) for an agonizing hourlong chat. PLUS: What happens to the Republican Party after Trump? And checking in on Aaron Sorkin. PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/110427266

During the 2012 election cycle, Pauly Shore went to Washington to take the temperature on American and Her Problems. His resulting comedy special, PAULY SHORE'S PAULY-TICS (2012), accidentally foreshadows some of the bad vibes of the years to come. PLUS: We chart one Oscar blogger's evolution from #StillWithHer to MAGA. Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus

In the penultimate episode of STUDIO 60 ON THE SUNSET STRIP, "K&R Part 3," Aaron Sorkin wrestles with the memory of Bill Maher being cancelled after 9/11, and asks why a just and merciful god even needs you to pray to Him. Aaron Sorkin is saving some of his best stuff for last! PLUS: Checking in on the God's Not Dead franchise and the comedy career of Chris Cillizza. PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/109920511

Tony Buba chronicled the decline of his hometown of Braddock, Pennsylvania in a series of acclaimed documentaries that elevated him to national notoriety. But in the extraordinary documentary/fiction hybrid LIGHTNING OVER BRADDOCK: A RUST BOWL FANTASY (1988), he asks what it means when his success is tied to so many people's poverty. Tony Buba's films are hard to find on streaming, so why not just get this Blu-Ray? You'll be glad you did - https://kinolorber.com/product/lightning-over-braddock-and-collected-shorts-the-films-of-tony-buba-blu-ray Elon Musk's Elden Ring tweet - https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1528955104463814656

As STUDIO 60 ON THE SUNSET STRIP continues its slow descent, Aaron Sorkin continues to drift away from TV sketch-comedy and back to what he knows. Episode 20, "K&R Part 2," sees the gang lashing out at journalism while also making a tortured defense of... the White House Press Secretary? PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/548-studio-sucky-109590201

In Barry Levinson and David Mamet's WAG THE DOG (1997), a political spin-doctor teams with a movie producer to fake a war and save an incumbent president. You've heard of manufacturing consent, but to what extent can Hollywood and Washington manufacture reality? We're joined by Daniel Bessner and Derek Davison of the American Prestige podcast to discuss. Check out American Prestige - https://www.americanprestigepod.com/ Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus

Tom's brother is still held hostage in Afghanistan, Jordan is still in the hospital, and Matt & Harriet are still arguing about religion in episode 19 of STUDIO 60 ON THE SUNSET STRIP, "K&R Part 1." But this is all a mere appetizer to us FINALLY getting around to reading Aaron Sorkin's instantly-legendary op-ed about how the Democrats should run Mitt Romney. PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/446-studio-sucky-109103776

It's a politics-only episode, because we've got a big subject: it's time to say goodbye to your favorite American president, Joe Biden. We welcome back Branko Marcetic to tally #46's success and failures, and do a vibe-check on the Democratic Party following the ouster of its standard-bearer. PLUS: Branko reports on the Republican National Convention. "Joe Biden Wanted This" by Branko Marcetic - https://jacobin.com/2024/07/biden-2024-dropout-gaza-legacy "How Joe Biden Became a Steadfast Israel Defender" by Branko Marcetic - https://jacobin.com/2024/07/joe-biden-israel-support-history "Never Forget How Many Times the Liberal Establishment Saved Biden’s Arse" by Luke Savage - https://novaramedia.com/2024/07/23/never-forget-how-many-times-the-liberal-establishment-saved-bidens-ass/ "Why Biden finally quit" - https://www.politico.com/news/2024/07/21/why-biden-dropped-out-00170106

Banned in 16 countries! So sickening it can only be real! In this special documentary episode Will goes on a journey through the history of the Mondo movie, from MONDO CANE to FACES OF DEATH and beyond. PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/544-history-of-108683201

In 2005, the Clinton family's own foundation created a DVD compilation of times when Bill and Hillary brought the funny. We discuss A TIME TO LAUGH: THE CLINTONS' HUMOR (2005), and glean a little bit of insight into how the former First Family view themselves. PLUS: From an assassination attempt of the former U.S. president to a coup attempt on the current one, we've got a lot of news to catch up on. Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus

What do you do when you're stuck in that limbo period before your poorly-rated show has been cancelled? For Aaron Sorkin, you work through your feelings in your art. This week we discuss Episode 18 of STUDIO 60 ON THE SUNSET STRIP, "Breaking News." PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/542-studio-sucky-108277667

Social media has been full of smiling genocidiers lately, so it's a good time to revisit THE ACT OF KILLING (2012). Joshua Oppenheimer's experimental documentary about the legacy of the Indonesian mass killings asks: What would it take to prick a mass murderer's conscience? And how does violence linger in the human soul? PLUS: So, have you heard about this guy Joe Biden? Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus "The 'Liberal World Order' Was Built In Blood" by Vincent Bevins - https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/29/opinion/sunday/united-states-cold-war.html

In Akira Kurosawa's KAGEMUSHA (1980), a lowly thief is recruited to impersonate a feudal warlord, and he almost gets away with it. This mighty epic gives us opportunity to ponder the role of illusion in maintaining power, and whether or not a lie will always be exposed. PLUS: Recapping the U.K. election, and hey, have you heard about this Joe Biden character? Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus

THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF OUR ONGOING "STUDIO 60 ON THE SUNSET STRIP" SERIES ON PATREON - Join us there for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus It's Studio 60 vs the unions in Episode 17 ("The Disaster Show") of Aaron Sorkin's STUDIO 60 ON THE SUNSET STRIP. We're pleased to welcome Will Menaker (of Chapo Trap House and Movie Mindset fame) to help us make sense of Sorkin's perspective on organized labor. PLUS: So have you heard about Joe Biden? You've heard of Chapo Trap House, but here's there website - https://www.chapotraphouse.com/

Government and big tech are in cahoots to reshape America, and the only man who can stop it is Elon Musk. That's more-or-less the thesis of THE TWITTER FILES (2023), a movie that plumbs new depths even in the right-wing movie ecosystem. PLUS: The first Biden/Trump debate and state of the Canadian Liberal Party. Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus "Democrats Need to Try Something Radical: Hire Christopher Nolan" by Matt Robison - https://washingtonmonthly.com/2024/06/22/democrats-need-to-try-something-radical-hire-christopher-nolan/ "Why the Twitter Files Are in Fact a Big Deal" by Branko Marcetic - https://jacobin.com/2022/12/twitter-files-censorship-content-moderation-intelligence-agencies-surveillance See Will introduce "Hollywood Boulevard" at Toronto's Fox Theatre on July 9: https://www.foxtheatre.ca/movies/the-important-cinema-club-masterpiece-classics-hollywood-boulevard/

As we drift further and further into STUDIO 60 ON THE SUNSET STRIP, we find a show that is quickly losing touch with its original premise of saving comedy, and transforming into a workplace soap opera with a lot of sexual harassment. We discuss episodes 14 ("The Harriet Dinner Part II") and 15 ("The Friday Night Slaughter"). PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/536-studio-sucky-106899255

You can go looking for the zeitgeist, but only the zeitgeist can find you. That's what the makers of countless pieces of failed Oscar bait have learned. In this special episode, we run through some of the most legendary failed Oscar bait of the last 25 years and speculate why they didn't catch anything. PLUS: presidential libraries, the Obama Foundation, and an autobiographical novel from an unlikely Hollywood star. Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus See Will introduce "Hollywood Boulevard" at Toronto's Fox Theatre on July 9 - https://www.foxtheatre.ca/movies/the-important-cinema-club-masterpiece-classics-hollywood-boulevard/

We know you've waited a whole week since our last episode on STUDIO 60 ON THE SUNSET STRIP, anxiously looking forward to any update on the Macau Deal. Your wish is our command. We discuss Episodes 12 ("Monday") and 13 ("The Harriet Dinner, Part 1") - more than halfway through, folks! PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/534-studio-sucky-106403874

When our politicians fail us, can journalism save us? We revisit George Clooney's GOOD NIGHT AND GOOD LUCK (2005), about Edward R. Murrow's battle with Joseph McCarthy, and get a lesson in how the liberal imagination remembers the Red Scare. PLUS: the rise of A.I. in the arts, and the state of the centre-left in Europe. Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus "Liberals, I Do Despise" by Adolph Reed Jr. - https://www.commondreams.org/views/2009/12/09/liberals-i-do-despise "On Smarm" by Tom Scocca - https://www.gawkerarchives.com/on-smarm-1476594977 "Europe Is Warning Us" by Grace Blakeley - https://tribunemag.co.uk/2024/06/europe-is-warning-us

We continue our long journey through the dark heart of Aaron Sorkin's STUDIO 60 ON THE SUNSET STRIP. Jordan gets pregnant, Harriet is inducted into the Falstaff Society, Matt & Danny create the most Epic Christmas TV broadcast ever, and Aaron Sorkin confirms once and for all that Santa isn't real in Episode 10 ("B-12") and Episode 11 ("The Christmas Show"). PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/532-studio-sucky-106000756

During the Trump presidency, #TheResistance had a powerful figurehead, and his name was (the late) Mr. Rogers. We discuss the Tom Hanks-led #nicecore landmark A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD (2019), the strengths and limitations of Fred Rogers as a Trump-era political symbol, and what this movie fails to understand about him. PLUS: What's eating David Frum about the recent Mexican election? Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus "Can You Say... 'Hero'?" by Tom Junod - https://www.neighborhoodarchive.com/publications/press/esquire/index.html "How Liberalism Betrayed the Enlightenment and Lost Its Soul" by Michael Brenes - https://jacobin.com/2024/05/cold-war-liberalism-moyn-review Mr. Rogers at the Emmys - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Upm9LnuCBUM&ab_channel=TheEmmyAwards

Growing up in Iran under the shadow of American imperialism, filmmaker Mehrnaz Saeed-Vafa felt an unlikely personal connection with American cinema - specifically, the films of Jerry Lewis. In her documentary JERRY AND ME (2012) she explores Lewis as a symbol of America and a universal archetype for outsiders... but also runs into the limits of Lewis as a person. PLUS: We consider the legacy of Morgan Spurlock. PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/430-reading-in-105570192

Our journey through America's second-greatest law-and-order franchise continues with WALKING TALL: THE PAYBACK (2007), a direct-to-video adventure with Kevin Sorbo. We discuss how the rural Dirty Harry was reimagined (or not) for the late Bush era. PLUS: Randall Emmett, Kevin Spacey, the death of cinema, and of course, Donald Trump's guilty verdict. Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus

The troops fight abroad, and sketch comedians fight on the home front. In our latest dispatch from the universe of Aaron Sorkin's STUDIO 60 ON THE SUNSET STRIP, we ponder the author's tortured relationship with everything from advertising to gender to Woody Allen via "The Nevada Day" Parts 1 & 2 and "The Option Period." PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/528-studio-sucky-105072974

In the feature-film adaptation of John le Carré's TINKER, TAILOR, SOLDIER, SPY (2011), Cold War-era Britain doesn't look that much different from behind the Iron Curtain - visually, at least. We discuss the challenges of compressing an intricate novel into a two-hour movie, and try to situate le Carré politically. PLUS: Taking the temperature of the snap British election, and a fond farewell to a B-movie titan.