Hit Factory

Get access to this entire episode, the entire Denzember catalog, and all of our premium episodes by becoming a Hit Factory Patron for just $5/month.Universally beloved Vulture critic and Hit Factory all-star Roxana Hadadi returns to close out Denzember with a hefty chat about Mira Nair's 1991 romantic drama 'Mississippi Masala', a story of identity, the generational pursuit of belonging, and the possibility of new futures through the radical expression of love without boundaries. We discuss the career of the undersung Nair, from her start as a documentarian through her more recent narrative features like 'The Namesake' and 'The Reluctant Fundamentalist'. Then we discuss the film's wholly singular voice and level of representation; how it refuses simple binaries about a diverse set of cultures, and why extricating a white perspective allows the story to detail difficult realities of non-white experiences. Finally, we discuss the film's impossibly alluring romantic thread between Denzel Washington and first-time performer Sarita Choudhury and the honesty that can be revealed through the pairing of a veteran actor's craft and a non-actor's authenticity. Roxana's Top 5 Denzel Washington Performances:Honorable Mentions: The Pelican Brief, Much Ado About Nothing1. Mississippi Masala2. Malcolm X3. Man on Fire4. The Manchurian Candidate5. Inside ManAaron's Top 5 Denzel Washington Performances:Honorable Mentions: Philadelphia, Crimson Tide1. Malcolm X2. Training Day3. Deja Vu4. Flight5. The Tragedy of MacbethCarlee's Top 5 Denzel Washington Performances:Honorable Mentions: Malcolm X, The Hurricane1. Ricochet2. Crimson Tide3. Training Day4. Flight5. Mississippi MasalaFollow Roxana Hadadi on Twitter....Our Denzember theme song is "FUNK" by OPPO.

New York-based writer Ashley Reese joins us for our a very special Christmas installment of Denzember as we discuss Penny Marshall's 1996 romantic comedy 'The Preachers Wife'. We discuss the film as a metatextual exploration of Denzel Washington's celebrity image as well as part of Whitney's second leg as an international superstar and actress. We also discuss the film's monumental soundtrack, sung by Whitney herself, an album that remains the best selling gospel record of all time. Finally we discuss the flattening effect of family films of the era (especially those produced by Touchstone/Disney) and how they tend to flirt with societal issues while reaffirming the system that causes them. Follow Ashley Reese on TwitterGet access to all forthcoming Denzember episodes as well as our entire back catalog and bonus content by becoming a Hit Factory Patron for just $5/month.....Our Denzember theme song is "FUNK" by OPPO.

Get access to this entire episode, the entire Denzember catalog, and all of our premium episodes by becoming a Hit Factory Patron for just $5/month.Denzember continues with GQ Senior Editor Frazier Tharpe II joining us to discuss Jonathan Demme's 'Philadelphia', one of the first major Hollywood films to take on the AIDS crisis. Far from a simple "issues picture", the movie overcomes many of its retrograde positions and dubious narrative decisions through the combination of Demme's masterful skill behind the camera and two powerhouse lead perfromances from Denzel and Tom Hanks (in a role that would net him his first Oscar win). We track the career of Jonathan Demme, from his time in the Roger Corman stable through his massive hit 'The Silence of the Lambs', and the bold decision to tackle 'Philadelphia' as a project. Then, we discuss the two seismic performances from Hanks and Washington, and how each bring their star-power and career arcs to the roles in vital ways. Finally, we discuss some of the many controversial creative decisions that went into the making of the film, how some might be handled today, and why the film still resonates in spite of these components.Frazier's Top 5 Denzel Washington Performances:1. Malcolm X2. Man on Fire3. Training Day4. Flight5. Out of TimeFollow Frazier Tharpe on Twitter.....Our Denzember theme song is "FUNK" by OPPO.

Chapo Trap House and Movie Mindset's very own Will Menaker stops by to help celebrate Denzember and discuss Carl Franklin's 'Devil in a Blue Dress', based on the inaugural Easy Rawlins mystery novel of the same name by author Walter Mosley. It's a stylish period noir made by a filmmaker and team seemingly uninterested in reproducing the aesthetic trappings of classic film noir, instead opting for a rich and colorful evocation of parts of 1940s Los Angeles rarely seen in the movies. We discuss the career of Carl Franklin, as well as this film's thematic links to his 1992 neo-noir masterpiece One False Move. Then, we discuss the movie's thoughtful subversions of classic film noir, exploring the conditionality of freedom and access to the American Dream for Black Americans in postwar era South Central Los Angeles. Elsewhere, we continue our discussion on Denzel as actor and offer praise to his performance in addition to the movie's supporting performances from a scene-stealing Don Cheadle and the stunning, underrated Jennifer Beals.Will's Top 5 Denzel Reaction GIFS:1. Fallen2. Flight3. Denzel Door Slam4. Training Day5. Denzel Awards FaceWill's Top 5 Denzel Washington Performances (Spike & Tony-Inclusive)1. Man of Fire2. Malcolm X3. Unstoppable4. He Got Game5. Glory Will's Top 5 Non-Spike & Tony Denzel Washington Performances (Unranked):1. Glory2. Devil in a Blue Dress 3. Ricochet 4. Philadelphia5. The Tragedy of Macbeth Follow Will Menaker on Twitter.Listen to & support Chapo Trap House on Patreon. Get access to all forthcoming Denzember episodes as well as our entire back catalog and bonus content by becoming a Hit Factory Patron for just $5/month.....Our Denzember theme song is "FUNK" by OPPO.

Writer, editor and podcaster Edward Ongweso Jr. returns to the show to kick off Denzember, a monthlong celebration of our greatest living actor, with a conversation about Spike Lee's seminal 1992 biopic 'Malcolm X'. It stands as one of Lee's most triumphant achievements and one of Denzel Washington's very best performances as one of the most significant figures of 20th century America. We discuss the film's troubled gestation period, taking nearly 30 years to get to the big screen then courting controversy throughout its production. We also discuss the film's portrait of Malcolm X and offer our readings of Spike's ultimate intention - presenting a fractured portrait that embraces the many sides of the man and the many ideologies and sects that claim him. Finally, we talk about the film's noteworthy detractors, including social critic and theorist bell hooks, who makes a compelling case that the film ultimately fails to bring a meaningful portrait of Malcolm to the big screen.Read bell hooks's review of Spike Lee's 'Malcolm X' at Artforum.Edward's Top 5 Denzel Performances:1. Malcolm X (1992)2. Fences (2016)3. Training Day (2001)4. The Tragedy of Macbeth (2021)5. Philadelphia (1993)/The Hurricane (1999)Follow Edward Ongweso Jr. on Twitter. Listen & Subscribe to This Machine Kills.Read Edward's Substack The Tech Bubble.Get access to all forthcoming Denzember episodes as well as our entire back catalog and bonus content by becoming a Hit Factory Patron for just $5/month.....Our Denzember theme song is "FUNK" by OPPO.

An introduction to our monthlong celebration of our greatest living actor, Denzel Washington.Get access to all forthcoming Denzember episodes as well as our entire back catalog and bonus content by becoming a Hit Factory Patron for just $5/month.....Our Denzember theme song is "FUNK" by OPPO.

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.Creator of the "eventually, forever" newsletter and film twitter heavy Adam Sullivan joins us to discuss the brilliant Hayao Miyazaki and his 1992 film 'Porco Rosso'. Initially conceived as a short film exclusively for in-flight guests of Japan Airlines, the film eventually grew in ambition and scope and now stands as one of Miyazaki's most underrated, visually transcendent masterpieces. We discuss the film's many classic Hollywood touchpoints, including the films of Howard Hawks, Victor Fleming, and John Ford and how these influences create a sense of fantasy more grounded that other Miyazaki works. Then, we discuss the film's setting amidst the rising tide of fascism in the Adriatic and its connection to the moving character portrait at its core. Finally, we discuss how 'Porco Rosso' (perhaps more than any other film) suggests some of the director's late period affinities in works like 'The Wind Rises'.Plus: We talk Miyazaki's latest work 'The Boy & The Heron', which we have all had the chance to see ahead of its wide release in the US Friday, 12/8/23. Follow Adam Sullivan on Twitter.Read and subscribe to Adam's newsletter "eventually, forever".....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.We contracted the services of Jake Serwin, co-host of America's premier Clint Eastwood podcast Pod Casty For Me, to take on a pair of films about a professional assassin having a crisis of conscience after botching his most recent job.First up, we talk The Replacement Killers, Antoine Fuqua's first feature and Hong Kong superstar Chow Yun-fat's Hollywood debut, pairing him with recent Oscar winner Mira Sorvino for an extremely American riff on Hong Kong's Heroic Bloodshed genre, popularized by Chow and The Replacement Killers' executive producer John Woo. Then we wade in to David Fincher's latest film for Netflix, 'The Killer'. It's a sharp, potent thriller hybrid that spits copious venom at our hyperconnected modern existence, hustle culture, and the gig economy while also functioning as a kaleidoscopic reflection on Fincher's entire career and ethos as a filmmaker. Listen and subscribe to Pod Casty For Me.Follow Pod Casty For Me on Twitter.....Our theme song is "Mirror" by Chris Fish 

Journalist and writer Séamus Malekafzali returns to the program for a lengthy conversation about Martin Scorsese's 1995 crime epic 'Casino'. Initially viewed by critics and audiences as a retread of Scorsese's masterful crime saga 'Goodfellas', the film has since been reevaluated as a masterpiece in its own right - one enriched by the director's late period films and preoccupations.We discuss the film's dizzying construction, effectively evoking the glitz and glam of the Vegas strip through extended montages and voiceover (an effect masterfully rendered by Scorsese's deft hands as a director, a firecracker script with co-writer Nicholas Pileggi, and the brilliant editing of longtime Scorsese collaborator Thelma Schoonmaker). Then, we examine the brilliant, career-defining performance of Sharon Stone as Ginger McKenna. It's a role that deserves every possible accolade, and strikes a note that no one but Stone could conceivably achieve. Finally, we discuss the film as capitalist allegory, and how Scorsese thoughtfully weaves commentary on the corporate centralization of the American economy and its steady collapsing of the middle class.We also offer some thoughts on Scorsese's latest, 'Killers of the Flower Moon', and the evolution of the director's views on capitalism, corruption, and consequence.  Follow Séamus on Twitter.Read Séamus's Substack on Middle East politics.Read & Listen to Burnt Nitrate, Séamus's explorations of lesser-known and lesser-discussed films.Get access to all of our premium episodes and bonus content by becoming a Hit Factory Patron for just $5/month.....Our theme song is "Mirror" by Chris Fish. 

Chicago-based academic and horror obsessive Peter Raleigh joins to discuss reliable journeyman director Peter Hyams and his 1997 creature feature, 'The Relic'. Maligned critically and a failure at the box office upon its initial release, the film has endured as an example of the tactile, sturdy genre work of the 90s with capable hands on both sides of the camera, including brilliant creature designs from legendary special effects guru Stan Winston. We discuss the film's impressive balancing act, managing to glide over a host ludicrous genre tropes and plot holes with ease while maintining a keen pacing and immersion. Then, we praise the excellent directorial work of Hyams, who serves here as his own cinematographer and generates a mesmerizing, impressionistic array of horror imagery in stark, dimly lit spaces galore. Finally, we discuss the delights of the monster movie, its flattening of distinctions among people that make for compelling survival thrills, and why the sensibilities of the decade were uniquely attuned to the subgenre. Watch the 35mm trailer for The Relic. Follow Peter Raleigh on TwitterGet access to all of our premium episodes and bonus content by becoming a Hit Factory Patron for just $5/month.....Our theme song is "Mirror" by Chris Fish.