Retrospective: Tsai Ming-liang: The Art of Isolation

Tsai Ming-liang makes movies that so perfectly speak to our modern day communal, lived experiences; yet the three films I’m going to be talking about were made in times ranging from the early 90s to early 2000s.  This just speaks to the power of his work, since it can still be so relevant to our lives, yet it was made before I was even born.  Tsai Ming-liang is a Malaysian-Taiwanese filmmaker who is considered one of the best “second new wave” directors in Taiwanese cinema.  He has made many films but the three I’m covering are The Hole, Goodby Dragon Inn, and Rebels of the Neon God.  I immediately became infatuated with his work from the latter of the films mentioned above and couldn’t stop watching his work after that.  Thematically all three of these films really tie together and provide a beautiful look into the world we live in by encouraging the audience to take time to analyze the world around them in order to better live within it. 

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Retrospective: ‘Adventureland’ is an Underrated Comedy Recalling the Horrors of Post-College Anxiety

It is a truth of being 20-something that if you have a crappy summer job, the best way to take your mind off of it is to befriend the other 20-somethings who hate it there just as much as you do. You are trapped there together, 8 to 10 hours a day for three months, right? So what else is there to do? Even in a film set in 1990, like 2009’s Adventureland, this is all too relatable if you’ve had a summer job. Continue reading “Retrospective: ‘Adventureland’ is an Underrated Comedy Recalling the Horrors of Post-College Anxiety” →

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UW Film Club Podcast #68 – The Star Wars Saga

With The Rise of Skywalker, the last chapter in the Skywalker saga is now a couple months beyond the horizon, so we’ve decided to tackle the formidable task of covering the entire Star Wars cinematic output! For the sake of this podcast, we’ve decided to cover episodes 1-9, Rogue One, and Solo: A Star Wars Story, while talking about the series’ impact on pop culture and on our lives. While we don’t talk much about extraneous Star Wars material, there’s still ample content to chew on in the 68th episode of the UW Film Club Podcast. Feel the force in this spoiler-filled retrospective of the entire Star Wars cinematic saga! Listen now!

On this episode: Jim Saunders, Levi Bond, and Ajay Rawat

You can find us on Facebook at /UWFilmClub, and on Twitter and Instagram @FilmClubUW. Make sure to rate, comment, and subscribe to our podcast on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, Spotify, and Google Play, and tune in every Monday for a new episode of the UW Film Club Podcast!

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UW Film Club Podcast #51 – Ali

“Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee,
his hands can’t hit what his eyes can’t see.”

Autumn 2019 quarter has FINALLY begun, and on top of new classes comes a multitude of new movies out in theaters. Amongst these new releases is the new Will Smith-led action film, Gemini Man, from legendary director Ang Lee. In celebration of Will Smith’s diverse and fascinating acting career, we’ve decided to cover his dramatic turning point: the Michael Mann directed Ali! Portraying a figure like Muhammad Ali is certainly no easy feat, and Smith’s ability to command the screen with gravitas is a reminder of his range and raw talent. In this podcast, we give a retrospective on his career as a whole, and how his role as Ali propelled him to where he is now. Jump into the ring and listen to the 51st episode of the UW Film Club Podcast now!

On this episode: Jim Saunders and Cynthia Li.

You can find us on Facebook at /UWFilmClub, and on Twitter and Instagram @FilmClubUW. Make sure to rate, comment, and subscribe to our podcast on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, Spotify, and Google Play, and tune in every Monday for a new episode of the UW Film Club Podcast