Four Favorites with K. Austin Collins: crosswords, vampires, Elaine May and Bill Paxton

By the end of this episode, we promise you’ll be better at cracking those crosswords. Slim and Mitchell are joined by K. Austin Collins, film critic for Rolling Stone (heard of it?) and former writer for hotshot places like Vanity Fair, Slate, The Ringer and Reverse Shot. In his spare time, Kameron also moonlights as a crossword creator for The New Yorker and The New York Times. No big deal. Once we’re finished grilling him for his tips to make us smarter, we discuss Kameron’s four favorite films (for now): John’s Carpenter’s Vampires; Mikey and Nicky; Atlantics and The Naked Kiss.

Plus: the impossibility of picking your favorite film (theme of the show, woops); letting go of crossword anxiety; putting your taste to the test; Kameron (maybe) sells Slim on Vampires; Slim regrets lapsing his Catholicism; women making the best movies about male friendship; these are not Kameron’s legally binding four favorites; not being prepared for The Naked Kiss; men are trash; Samuel Fuller is fucked up; beating your pimp’s ass; being a “Superstation ass kid”; the truth of Power Rangers and we’re starting the Bill Paxton fan club.

Lists and links: The Letterboxd list of films mentioned; Kameron’s crossword puzzles at The New Yorker; Mia Vicino’s Four Faves episode; Mitchell’s Mikey and Nicky essay for Paste Magazine; Wet Streets on Film by John Frankensteiner; movies that are actually gay rom-coms but are advertised as men being Cool by alva; soft horror by Liam; “nothing happens” yeah but the vibes by holli; Samuel Fuller’s Letterboxd page; abusers die, suffer, or rot in prison by Madison; List of Movies From My Childhood by K. Austin Collins; A24’s crossword book

Reviews of Vampires by DallasFrance, Mikey and Nicky by KYK, Atlantics by Sarah and demi adejuyigbe, The Naked Kiss by Cole and Chris, My Brother’s Wedding by K. Austin Collins

Credits: This episode was recorded in Los Angeles, Delaware and New York, and edited by Slim. Facts by Jack. Booker: Brian Formo. Transcript by Sophie Shin. Art by Samm. Theme: ‘Vampiros Dancoteque’ by Moniker.