EPISODE 056: CINEMA MINI SERIES

Featuring: Nosferatu (1922); Nosferatu the Vampyre (1979); Nosferatu (2024)

As a quasi-sequel to the “Vampire Movies” episode, Wind Reel & Print folds in the cinematic traditions of Nosferatu. Beginning with F.W. Murnau’s 1922 version and ending with Robert Eggers’ recent rendition, Ryan and Kevin cover the aesthetic differences between these three films and how this pertains to director style, regionality, and time period of production.

EPISODE 055: LETTERBOXD TOP 250 SHUFFLE

Featuring: Howl’s Moving Castle (2004); Winter Light (1963); The Ascent (1977); Mulholland Dr. (2001)

How do you connect a Japanese animation, a Swedish tragedy film, a Soviet WWII drama, and an American dream picture? Regardless of film form or narrative structure or country of origin, the Letterboxd Top 250 surely guarantees a “good movie” fortified with captivating stories and profound aesthetics that ultimately question what it means to be human. This week’s collection concentrates on concepts of death as a symbol of life cycles and transition, featuring films from Hayao Miyazaki, Ingmar Bergman, Larisa Shepitko, and the late David Lynch.

EPISODE 054: CINEMA MINI SERIES

Featuring: The Human Condition I: No Greater Love (1959); The Human Condition II: Road to Eternity (1959); The Human Condition III: A Soldier’s Prayer (1961)

Despite all the double features, director retrospectives, and genre reviews, Wind Reel & Print has never fully embraced the comforts of a true trilogy. Directed by celebrated WR&P alum Masaki Kobayashi, “The Human Condition” stands as possibly the greatest trilogy ever committed to film and seemed fitting for the pod’s first cinema mini series. While traversing through various settings and multiple ensemble casts, this epic narrative consistently drives home themes of humanism while providing thoughtful social critique and astounding visual imagery. Ryan and Kevin bow down at the altar of Kobayashi’s monumental The Human Condition Trilogy.

EPISODE 052: WEIRD @ WR&P

In an attempt to repair an irreparable movie, Wind Reel & Print tackles the complicated reputation of Jim Carrey’s 1994 film “The Mask”. Despite having higher reviews than Weird @ WR&P favorite “The Cat in the Hat”, both Ryan and Kevin find “The Mask” to be rather lackluster and quite displeasing. Convoluted in its influence and intention, this comic book adaptation fares better in memory than in execution.

EPISODE 051: LESSONS IN FILM GENRE

Featuring: Early Abstractions (1965); Belladonna of Sadness (1973); Fantastic Planet (1973); Mad God (2021)

In the spirit of “getting weird”, WR&P cohosts enter their intergalactic space portal and travel to unique worlds of the experimental and the animated. With guided tours from alien extraordinaires such as Phil Tippett and René Laloux, this adventurous animation exploration remains steeped in blooming psychedelia and rugged world-building. Ryan and Kevin introduce the pod to different representations of animation style by diving straight into the deep end.

EPISODE 050: LESSONS IN FILM HISTORY

Featuring: Gone with the Wind (1939); Wizard of Oz (1939); Citizen Kane (1941); Casablanca (1942)

The Wind Reel & Print locomotive continues into the capital city of Golden Age Hollywood as the pod takes on the Mt. Rushmore of Hollywood filmmaking. With nothing much else to add to the nearly century-long conversation, Ryan and Kevin get candid with their opinions on early age movie magic, folding their own life experiences into the history of Hollywood while capturing the awe that audiences may have experienced upon original release. WR&P punches their ticket for the next stop.

EPISODE 049: LESSONS IN FILM HISTORY

Featuring: It Happened One Night (1934); Trouble in Paradise (1932); Bringing Up Baby (1938); His Girl Friday (1940)

Taking a restful stop at Screwball Station, the Wind Reel & Print locomotive takes another trip into the land of Golden Age Hollywood. With special appearances from the likes of Clark Gable, Katherine Hepburn, and Cary Grant, this whirlwind visit to the early days of cinema brings eclectic adventures, head-scratching hijinks, and lightning-fast dialogue. Ryan and Kevin return with exciting tales.