Movies 101

No art form is more personal than comedy. Just ask the standup comic Chris Rock. This week, Dan Webster, Mary Pat Treuthart and Nathan Weinbender discuss a couple of comedy studies, both now streaming online. One is the HBO Max two-part documentary “George Carlin’s American Dream,” the other Hulu’s narrative romantic comedy “Fire Island.”

Blockbusters come in all shapes and sizes, from action-packed frenzy to upper-crust fantasy. On this week’s show, Dan Webster, Nathan Weinbender and Mary Pat Treuthart discuss two films, each a prime example of frenzy and/or fantasy. First up is “Top Gun: Maverick” followed by “Downton Abbey: A New Era.”

Though overly simplistic, our modern view of stage plays is symbolized by the pair of classic memes, one signifying tragedy, the other comedy. This week, Dan Webster, Nathan Weinbender and Mary Pat Treuthart discuss two movies that, at least at first glance, fall fairly easily into one or the other categories. First up is a curious blend of the serious and the horrific titled succinctly “Men.” Following that will be the mostly lighthearted retelling of a serious event titled “The Duke.”

For the most part, 20th-century cinema belonged to men. The 21st century? So far, not nearly as much. On this week’s show, two films, both hailing from France, that represent a new generation of women filmmakers.

On this week’s show, Dan Webster, Nathan Weinbender and Mary Pat Treuthart will reflect on a few films that deserve to be remembered.

While Hollywood keeps churning out its theatrical blockbusters, some movie fans remain interested in seeing smaller, independently made films, many of which are available through one streaming service or another.

Expectations are the enemy of artistic criticism. Why? Because they tend to get in the way of honest appraisal. This week Dan Webster, Nathan Weinbender and Mary Pat Treuthart discuss two films that carry with them an almost obligatory sense of expectation. First up is the Nicolas Cage vehicle “The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent” followed by the Viking saga “The Northman.”

Post-pandemic life is returning to something close to normal. This week, Dan Webster, Nathan Weinbender and Mary Pat Treuthart discuss their respective experiences navigating the most recent Seattle International Film Festival, and offer their view of the film “The Outfit."

Post-pandemic life is returning to something close to normal. This week, Dan Webster, Nathan Weinbender and Mary Pat Treuthart discuss their respective experiences navigating the most recent Seattle International Film Festival, and offer their view of the film “The Outfit."

We’re still a couple of months from the official start of summer, but that doesn’t mean that summer-type movies aren’t already upon us. This week, the Michelle Yeoh vehicle “Everything Everywhere All at Once” followed by the Agatha Christie adaptation “Death on the Nile.”