Hit Factory

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On our first episode of the new year, Owen Morawitz returns to discuss the 1994 action-thriller 'No Escape', a film set on the maximum security island prison of Absolom in the dystopian future of 2022. We discuss a few standout performances from the top-tier cast (including a rarely seen action hero version of Ray Liotta & best in show Stuart Wilson as the villainous Marek), how the film reflects contemporary liberalism's contradictory sympathies toward America's carceral system, and the novelty of watching an action movie with a little bit too much on its mind.Follow Owen Morawitz on TwitterSubscribe to Owen's Newsletter The Pitch of DiscontentConsider becoming a Hit Factory Patron to get access to all of our premium episodes and bonus content for just $5/month.....Our theme song is "Mirror" by Chris Fish.

Get access to this entire episode as well as all of our premium episodes and bonus content by becoming a Hit Factory Patron for just $5/month.

Aaron Thorpe, a writer and podcaster, joins the hosts to discuss 'The Matrix Resurrections'. They explore director Lana Wachowski's commentary on commodification, the insidious system of control, and the film's challenge to neoliberal blockbusters. They analyze fight choreography, discuss challenging nostalgia and formula, explore fandom and canon, critique the binary nature, and applaud the director's creative approach. They wrap up with gratitude towards Aaron's influential article and discuss supporting the Pasadena tenants union.

Writer and lifelong pro wrestling fan Zach Vasquez returns to discuss the 1996 Hulk Hogan holiday dud 'Santa with Muscles', executive produced by The Wolf of Wall Street himself, Jordan Belfort. Along with the film, we discuss the fractious history of the WWE, modern challengers to the promotion's hegemonic superiority, and the life and crimes of the man behind Hulkamania, Terry Eugene Bollea.Follow Zach Vasquez on Twitter.....Our theme song is "Mirror" by Chris Fish

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Kurt & Chris from Parents Just Don't Understand return to discuss the lean, mean and underseen 1997 thriller 'Breakdown' starring Kurt Russell, Kathleen Quinlan, and indelible character actor J.T. Walsh. We discuss the simple pleasures of discovering a great movie while watching cable TV, the film's economical mastery of multiple subgenres, and the 90s resurgence of hicksploitation cinema as managerial class gratification. Follow Kurt and Chris on Twitter. Follow Parents Just Don't Understand on Twitter. Follow Blood Knife Magazine on twitter and support the show on Patreon. For the month of December, we will be donating all of our Patreon funds to the donorbox project to Protect Pasadena Tenants. The more cities we win rent control in, the easier it is to combat bad-faith arguments about the chaos it will supposedly cause. This is an important campaign to win rent control in Pasadena for renters and housing activists everywhere, particularly as rents are being raised going into the holidays. Consider becoming a Hit Factory Patron to support the cause and get access to exclusive bi-weekly episodes and bonus content. ...Our theme song is "Mirror" by Chris Fish

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We're joined by film writer and filmmaker Jonah Koslofsky to go long on the 1997 neo-noir mindbender Lost Highway, a turning point in the career of David Lynch which would lay the stylistic groundwork that would come to define his output through the next 20+ years. We discuss the filmmaker's singular (and unexpectedly humanist) aesthetic, the futile endeavor of talking about David Lynch literally, and how the director's ideological influences propagate art that antagonizes the thresholds of the neoliberal imaginary.Follow Jonah Koslofsky on TwitterRead Jonah's Philip Seymour Hoffman column 'P.S.H. I Love You' at The SpoolRead Nick Pinkerton's 'Lost Highway' piece "Switchback" on Substack (Subscriber read only)....Our theme song is "Mirror" by Chris Fish. 

Get access to this entire episode as well as all of our premium episodes and bonus content by becoming a Hit Factory Patron for just $5/month.