Queen is Dead

We know we're late to the party, but we had to talk about Paul Thomas Anderson's "One Battle After Another" and all of the discourse surrounding it, or at least try to. Dhruv is joined by (much to his dismay) Varun and his "crime-in-partner" Cris in this endeavour as they tackle one wonder after another (sorry, the title is just unendingly pun-able) that the filmmaking presents, as well as some reservations they have with it. They also try (and mostly succeed at) not being too condescending as they discuss the online buzz around the film since its wide release. Listen to the full episode and join in on (or disagree with us over) this lowkey gush-fest! Do hit 'Follow' on Spotify if you haven't already to help the podcast reach more people! Follow our Instagram page: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://instagram.com/queenisdead.filmpodcast.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ QID LINKTREE: https://linktr.ee/queenisdead. TIME CODES Intro & Shenanigans: [00:00:00 - 00:05:25] "One Battle After Another": [00:05:25 - 01:31:42] Discourse (from Hell): [01:31:42 - 02:12:50] Follow us on Instagram at: Dhruv: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/terminalcinema/⁠⁠ Varun: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/varunonfilm/⁠⁠ Cris: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/prdscris/⁠⁠ Follow us on Letterboxd at: Varun: ⁠⁠https://letterboxd.com/varunoakbhakay/⁠⁠ Dhruv: ⁠⁠https://letterboxd.com/aterminalcinema/⁠⁠ Cris: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://letterboxd.com/crislim/⁠⁠

We recorded an episode about our favorite Paul Thomas Anderson films before the theatrical release of his new film, "One Battle After Another," but are only now releasing it post its online release as a "pre-game" discussion to our episode on OBAA. We track his auteurist trajectory — from the bombastic and tightly constructed "Magnolia" to a more loose-limbed work like "Licorice Pizza" — and discuss why the shift towards a seemingly freer form appeals to us more than the early days of his (incredibly) impressive but demonstratively flashy filmmaking. Listen to the full, spoiler-filled episode to hear Sanjeet, Cris, Dhruv, and the ⁠Cinematic Liberties⁠ Podcast Guys -- Arjun & Ashwin -- discuss their favorite PTA films and (correctly) speculate OBAA's box office fate! You can (and should!) follow - ⁠⁠CINEMATIC LIBERTIES PODCAST⁠⁠ Do hit 'Follow' on Spotify if you haven't already to help the podcast reach more people! Follow our Instagram page: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://instagram.com/queenisdead.filmpodcast.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ QID LINKTREE: https://linktr.ee/queenisdead. TIME CODES OBAA Speculation: [00:00 - 03:06] Introduction: [03:06 - 05:49] "Magnolia" (& Early PTA): [05:49 - 30:36] "Punch-Drunk Love" (The Breaking Point): [30:36 - 48:21] "There Will Be Blood": [48:21 - 01:04:52] "The Master": [01:04:52 - 01:17:27] The Thomas Pynchon Connection: [01:17:27 - 01:21:44] "Phantom Thread": [01:21:44 - 01:41:47] "Licorice Pizza" (& Late PTA): [01:41:47 - 02:07:08] Outro & OBAA Speculation (again!): [02:07:08 - 02:13:35] You can also follow us on Letterboxd at - SANJEET: https://letterboxd.com/sanjeet_singh/. CRIS: https://letterboxd.com/crislim/. ARJUN: https://letterboxd.com/arjun_skumar1/. ASHWIN: https://letterboxd.com/ashwindev/. DHRUV: https://letterboxd.com/aterminalcinema/.

We're [now] 4 months late to the BEST OF (SO FAR) party because, well, just. The format we've been using for the past two years is as follows: rather than simply listing our favorite films of the year, we categorize them in the same way [insert any Award show name] categorizes them. Part 2, which was meant to be an hour long but also ended up being over 2 hours, will include discussions on our choices for "Best Director," "Best Film," "WTF (Affectionate) Film of the Year," and "Best Screenplay." Do listen and let us know -- amicably, of course -- how much you (dis)agree with us! TIME CODES Introduction - [00:00:00 - 00:07:48] Best Screenplay - [00:07:48 - 00:49:00] Best Director - [00:49:00 - 01:39:05] WTF (Affectionate) Film of the Year - [01:39:05 - 02:30:17] Best Film - [02:30:17 - 02:47:25] Outro - [02:47:25 - 02:51:56] Follow our Instagram page: https://instagram.com/queenisdead.filmpodcast. QID LINKTREE: ⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/queenisdead⁠⁠⁠. Follow us on Instagram at: Adithiyan:⁠⁠ https://www.instagram.com/curioseradithiyan/.⁠⁠ Amartya:⁠⁠ https://www.instagram.com/amartya25/.⁠⁠ Dhruv: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/terminalcinema/⁠⁠⁠⁠ Aryan: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/aryantalksfilm/⁠⁠⁠⁠ Cris: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/prdscris/⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow us on Letterboxd at: Adithiyan: ⁠⁠https://letterboxd.com/curioseradi/⁠⁠. Amartya: ⁠⁠https://letterboxd.com/amartya/⁠⁠. Dhruv: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://letterboxd.com/aterminalcinema/⁠⁠⁠⁠ Aryan: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://letterboxd.com/aryantalksfilms/⁠⁠⁠⁠ Cris: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://letterboxd.com/crislim/⁠⁠⁠ All Audio Excerpts may not have been used under the “Fair Use Provisions” of the Indian Copyright Act because Cris loves "Badass Ravi Kumar" that much.

Hello Hello Hello! Bond fan(atics) - Varun, Amartya and Sanjeet get together to discuss Timothy Dalton's interpretation of James Bond in The Living Daylights (1987) and Licence to Kill (1989). Timothy Dalton has often been noted for bringing a darker, more serious, and gritty portrayal of the character that emphasized the realism from Ian Fleming's novels; a departure from the more lighthearted style of Roger Moore. They also discuss their hopes and expectations for Denis Villeneuve's upcoming Bond film set to release in a few years and speculate the future of the franchise. TIME CODES Introduction - [00:00:00 - 00:10:00] Timothy Dalton as Bond - [00:10:01 - 00:25:00] "The Living Daylights" - [00:25:01 - 01:06:22] "Licence to Kill" - [01:06:23 - 01:37:00] "Future of James Bond" - [01:37:01 - 02:05:06] Outro - [02:05:07 - 02:14:53] Follow our Instagram page: https://instagram.com/queenisdead.filmpodcast. QID LINKTREE: https://linktr.ee/queenisdead All Audio Excerpts have been used under the “Fair Use Provisions” of the Indian Copyright Act.

Dhruv and Cris meet Devarsi again outside the industrial hellscape of "Eraserhead" -- this time travelling alongside two new (hopefully recurring!) podcast guests, Rushnan and Vani -- on Lynch's "Lost Highway" to psychosexual hell. Listen to the full episode to hear us not only discuss Lynch's film in detail but also explore the myriad of seemingly oppositional ways -- from deeply subjective to almost clinically objective -- the film appeals to us. Major spoilers, of course, for "Lost Highway." TIME CODES Introduction : [00:00 - 09:42] "Lost Highway": [09:42 - 01:18:20] Outro: [01:18:20 - 01:19:27] TEXT REFERENCED REPEATEDLY HERE "Room to Dream" (David Lynch & Kristine McKenna). "Premonitions Following an Evil Deed" (David Lynch, 1995). "The Eye of the Duck" (Mark Cousins' David Lynch Interview). Do hit 'Follow' on Spotify if you haven't already to help the podcast reach more people! Follow our Instagram page: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://instagram.com/queenisdead.filmpodcast.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ You can watch Rushnan's 17-minute experimental short film, "The Angel of Forms" (2023) on Vimeo for free. You can also follow us on Instagram at: VANI: https://www.instagram.com/uwu_vani/. DEVARSI: https://www.instagram.com/devarsighosh/. RUSHNAN: https://www.instagram.com/rushnanjaleel/. CRIS: https://www.instagram.com/prdscris/. DHRUV: https://www.instagram.com/terminalcinema/. You can also follow us on Letterboxd at - DEVARSI: https://letterboxd.com/d2dag/. CRIS: https://letterboxd.com/crislim/. DHRUV: https://letterboxd.com/aterminalcinema/.

August and September were the lucky months for some Indian cinephiles who crave an alternate form of cinema (i.e., indie) to the mainstream one they have to endure for the rest of the time in cinemas. In this episode, Sanjeet, Amartya, Cris & Dhruv (in a not-so-special appearance) catch up to 4 of these films that released in limited cinemas between these two months. Since Neeraj Ghaywan's "Homebound" is the most high-profile of these releases (it is India's submission to the Academy Awards for Best International Feature), we spend the most time (occasionally delving into spoilers) debating the value (or lack thereof) of its indie-ness. The rest of the episode involves Sanjeet promoting Raam Reddy's indescribably beautiful "Jugnuma," Amartya and Cris trying -- unsuccessfully -- to convince Sanjeet to watch the theoretically sound but undeveloped "Humans in the Loop," and all three of them lavishing a lot of praise on Rohan Parashuram Kanawade's tender "Sabar Bonda." Note: We apologize for the audio leak issues that occurred during the first part of the episode. We only noticed this after the "Homebound" discussion was over, so the second half sounds cleaner than the first. Though we like to think that Dhruv's dislike of "Homebound" is what will make people fast-forward through this part of the episode, and not the audio quality. TIME CODES Introduction - [00:00:00 - 00:02:28] "Homebound" - [00:02:28 - 01:08:22] "Sabar Bonda" - [01:08:22 - 01:38:18] "Humans in the Loop" - [01:38:18 - 01:54:06] "Jugnuma" - [01:54:06 - 02:05:03] Indie Distribution & Exhibition - [02:05:03 - 02:19:08] Follow our Instagram page: https://instagram.com/queenisdead.filmpodcast. QID LINKTREE: ⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/queenisdead⁠⁠⁠. Follow us on Instagram at: Sanjeet: https://www.instagram.com/pixel_baba/ Amartya:⁠⁠ https://www.instagram.com/amartya25/.⁠⁠ Dhruv: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/terminalcinema/⁠⁠⁠⁠ Cris: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/prdscris/⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow us on Letterboxd at: Sanjeet: https://letterboxd.com/Sanjeet_Singh/ Amartya: ⁠⁠https://letterboxd.com/amartya/⁠⁠. Dhruv: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://letterboxd.com/aterminalcinema/⁠⁠⁠⁠ Cris: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://letterboxd.com/crislim/⁠⁠⁠ All Audio Excerpts have been used under the “Fair Use Provisions” of the Indian Copyright Act.

We're 3 months late to the BEST OF (SO FAR) party because, well, just. The format we've been using for the past two years is as follows: rather than simply listing our favorite films of the year, we categorize them in the same way [insert any Award show name] categorizes them. Because we like to ramble a lot, Part 1 of the Best of 2025 (So Far) focuses on our in-depth discussions of film technique ("Best Editing," "Best Cinematography," etc), performance ("Best Lead Performance," "Best Supporting Performance"), and "Best Scene." Part 2, which was meant to be an hour long but also ended up being over 2 hours, will include discussions on our choices for "Best Director," "Best Film," "WTF (Affectionate) Film of the Year," and "Best Screenplay." Do listen and let us know -- amicably, of course -- how much you (dis)agree with us! TIME CODES Introduction - [00:00:00 - 00:03:42] Best Editing - [00:03:42 - 00:41:37] Best Cinematography - [00:41:37 - 01:26:56] Best Song/Music - [01:26:56 - 02:16:26] Best Scene - [02:16:26 - 02:38:20] Best Supporting Performance - [02:38:20 - 02:56:08] Best Supporting Performance - [02:56:08 - 03:19:08] Impromptu Outro - [03:19:08 - 03:22:31] Follow our Instagram page: https://instagram.com/queenisdead.filmpodcast. QID LINKTREE: ⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/queenisdead⁠⁠. Follow us on Instagram at: Adithiyan:⁠ https://www.instagram.com/curioseradithiyan/.⁠ Amartya:⁠ https://www.instagram.com/amartya25/.⁠ Dhruv: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/terminalcinema/⁠⁠⁠ Aryan: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/aryantalksfilm/⁠⁠⁠ Cris: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/prdscris/⁠⁠⁠ Follow us on Letterboxd at: Adithiyan: ⁠https://letterboxd.com/curioseradi/⁠. Amartya: ⁠https://letterboxd.com/amartya/⁠. Dhruv: ⁠⁠⁠https://letterboxd.com/aterminalcinema/⁠⁠⁠ Aryan: ⁠⁠⁠https://letterboxd.com/aryantalksfilms/⁠⁠⁠ Cris: ⁠⁠⁠https://letterboxd.com/crislim/⁠⁠ All Audio Excerpts may not have been used under the “Fair Use Provisions” of the Indian Copyright Act because Cris loves "Badass Ravi Kumar" that much.

Amartya and Dhruv had been desperately waiting for Spike Lee's latest film to release, only because they wanted an excuse to go back and revisit Akira Kurosawa's incredibly influential 1963 classic, "High and Low." This episode -- promoted as an extended deep dive into Spike Lee's exasperatingly absurd (mostly in an amusingly bad way) "Highest 2 Lowest" -- is, in actuality, very much an excuse for both Amartya and Dhruv to also wax lyrical about Kurosawa's original. Listen to the full episode to hear their full spoilerific thoughts on both Kurosawa's original version and Lee's interpretation of it -- and why the 2 (memorable) highs of the latter don't outmatch its (2) many lows. TIME CODES Highs & Lows of Film Criticism: [00:00 - 11:09] For the Impatient Ones: [11:09 - 14:43] Akira Kurosawa's "High and Low": [14:43 - 56:49] Spike Lee's "Highest 2 Lowest": [56:49 - 01:39:11] Outro: [01:39:11 - 01:44:36] Do hit 'Follow' on Spotify and rate us if you haven't already to help the podcast reach more people! Follow our Instagram page: https://instagram.com/queenisdead.filmpodcast You can also follow us on Instagram at: Amartya: https://www.instagram.com/amartya25/ Dhruv: https://www.instagram.com/terminalcinema/ On Letterboxd at: Dhruv: https://letterboxd.com/aterminalcinema/ Amartya: https://letterboxd.com/amartya/

Long gone are the days when Dhruv and Sanjeet talked about QID not being a platform for ranting about films we hate. What was supposed to merely be a (fun) category addition to our Best of 2025 (So Far) List took about an hour of discussion, which made our already super-sized episode even more (probably unbearably) long. So Cris -- who proudly claims this to be "his episode -- has dutifully edited this section of our otherwise 4-hour-long discussion into a one-hour episode of its own. Listen to the full episode to hear Amartya, Cris, Dhruv, Aryan & Adithiyan ranting :) TIME CODES Introduction - [00:00 - 05:30] Cris ("Badass RK" & "Param Sundari") - [05:30 - 19:30] Dhruv ("Nadaaniyan") - [19:30 - 27:40] Aryan ("Bhool Chuk Maaf") - [27:40 - 34:50] Adithiyan ("Thug Life") - [34:50 - 46:15] Amartya ("Star Trek: Section 31") - [46:15 - 59:20] Follow our Instagram page: https://instagram.com/queenisdead.filmpodcast. QID LINKTREE: ⁠https://linktr.ee/queenisdead⁠. Follow us on Instagram at: Adithiyan: https://www.instagram.com/curioseradithiyan/. Amartya: https://www.instagram.com/amartya25/. Dhruv: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/terminalcinema/⁠⁠ Aryan: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/aryantalksfilm/⁠⁠ Cris: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/prdscris/⁠⁠ Follow us on Letterboxd at: Adithiyan: https://letterboxd.com/curioseradi/. Amartya: https://letterboxd.com/amartya/. Dhruv: ⁠⁠https://letterboxd.com/aterminalcinema/⁠⁠ Aryan: ⁠⁠https://letterboxd.com/aryantalksfilms/⁠⁠ Cris: ⁠⁠https://letterboxd.com/crislim/⁠ All Audio Excerpts are used under the “Fair Use Provisions” of the Indian Copyright Act.

In this very special episode, Dhruv welcomes back Prakhar Patidar (previously appeared on the "All We Imagine as Light" ep!) to discuss the Taiwanese New Wave of the 80s, 90s, and early 2000s because, well, they both love its particularly sad, introspective, and -- yes, that dreaded word -- SLOW -- depiction of loneliness that engulfs every fabric of one's being as they stumble around a city so intent on looking upwards (to urbanization and Americanization) that it ends up looking down upon those who don't want to be swept up by all of it. Please listen to the full episode to hear us talk -- in full spoilers -- about Edward Yang's "Taipei Story," Tsai Ming-liang's "Vive L'Amour," & Hou Hsiao-hsien's "Millennium Mambo" -- and how the depiction of contemporary Taipei -- and people's alienation within it -- changes (or not) from the 80s to the 2000s. Or, you can listen to it for Prakhar's forceful manifesto about the need & value of Slow Cinema (Viewing) in the Current Media (Viewing) Landscape. TIMECODES Apologizing for our Pronunciations - [00:00 – 07:20] The Origins of the Taiwanese New Wave - [07:20 – 31:05] Summarizing TNW [for the Impatient Ones] - [31:05 – 42:23] "Taipei Story" (1985) - [42:23 – 01:10:45] “Vive L'Amour” (1994) - [01:10:45 – 01:35:56] “Millennium Mambo” (2001) - [01:35:56 – 01:52:22] Outro (Planning a Lynne Ramsay Ep!) - [01:52:22 – 01:58:17] Do hit 'Follow' on Spotify if you haven't already to help the podcast reach more people! Follow our Instagram page: ⁠https://instagram.com/queenisdead.filmpodcast⁠ ARTICLES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE   1. “Man, Muse & Their Movies: Tsai Ming-liang & Lee Kang-sheng in the 90s” (Prakhar Patidar).   2. “What Do You Mean America is Not the Answer?: Asian Modernity & the American Dream in Edward Yang's Taipei Story” (Prakhar Patidar).   3. “A Guide to the Masterworks of New Taiwanese Wave” (James Balmont).   4. “Taiwanese New Waves in New York” (David Hudson). PODCASTS/VIDEOS MENTIONED IN THE EPISODE 1. Prakhar's Tsai Ming-liang Article Research Playlist 2. Slow Cinema 101⁠⁠ Follow us on Instagram at: Prakhar: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/she_isatthemovies⁠⁠. Dhruv: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/terminalcinema/⁠ Audio Excerpts are taken from the promotional material for Taipei Story, and select scenes from Vive L'Amour & Millennium Mambo -- all of which are discussed and referenced in this episode.

It's another Ari Aster movie discussion -- something we didn't think we would do after our "Beau Is Afraid" experience. BUT -- "Eddington" is something different for Aster, even though it does (justifiably for some, not for others) devolve into something of a "Beau Is Afraid"-style paranoid nightmare. It's his brand of absurdly cruel personal neurosis funneled through the cruelly absurd America of the 2020s, giving this film's hellish descent into meaninglessness (more for some, less for others) potency than his other films. Listen to the full, spoiler-filled episode to hear Amartya, Cris, Dhruv, and the Cinematic Liberties Podcast Guys -- Arjun & Ashwin -- discuss the merits and demerits of Aster's latest! You can (and should!) follow - ⁠CINEMATIC LIBERTIES PODCAST⁠ Do hit 'Follow' on Spotify if you haven't already to help the podcast reach more people! Follow our Instagram page: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://instagram.com/queenisdead.filmpodcast.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ TIME CODES  Introduction ("War 2 Trauma") : [00:00 - 02:39] "Eddington" (Spoiler-Free): [02:39 - 39:25] "Eddington" (Spoiler-Filled): [39:25 - 1:13:25] "Eddington" & The Western Genre: [1:13:25 - 1:49:50] Outro ("Hindsight is 2020"): [1:49:50 - 02:01:51] REVIEWS REFERENCED 1. ⁠⁠ Eddington is a Lethally Self-Satisfied COVID Satire [Justin Chang, New Yorker] 2. ⁠⁠ Eddington Captures the Chaos of the COVID Era -- and Modern Existence [Adam Nayman, The Ringer] You can also follow us on Letterboxd at - AMARTYA: https://letterboxd.com/amartya/. CRIS: https://letterboxd.com/crislim/. ARJUN: https://letterboxd.com/arjun_skumar1/. ASHWIN: https://letterboxd.com/ashwindev/. DHRUV: https://letterboxd.com/aterminalcinema/.

Hello, Hello, Hello! In this new episode, Amartya, Sanjeet, and Cris discuss the new Lokesh Kanagaraj directorial starring Super Star Rajinikanth. They talk about the discourse surrounding the film and ask - is the hype around the film to blame for the film's failure, or is it more to do with generic writing? Listen to them also briefly discuss (read: eviscerate) the new YRF Spyverse addition, War 2. As usual, major spoilers for both the films! Timecodes Coolie hype?: 0:00-3:44 Intro: 3:45-6:44 Impact of Vikram (2022): 6:45-9:18 Coolie Review: 9:19-35:00 Rajinikanth=Star Wars Franchise?: 35:01-39:20 Back to review: 39:21-1:02:30 Ze demolition of War 2: 1:02:31-1:27:30 Outro: 1:27:31-1:30:46 Do hit 'Follow' on Spotify if you haven't already to help the podcast reach more people! Follow our Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/queenisdead.filmpodcast Follow us on Instagram at: Sanjeet: https://www.instagram.com/pixel_baba/ Amartya: https://www.instagram.com/amartya25/ Cris: https://www.instagram.com/prdscris/ Follow us on Letterboxd at: Sanjeet: https://letterboxd.com/Sanjeet_Singh/ Amartya: https://letterboxd.com/amartya/ Cris: https://letterboxd.com/prdscris/

Dhruv and Cris follow Laura Dern's Sandy (from "Blue Velvet") out of her cheerfully dreamy Lumberton suburbia into the -- at first, hellishly garish, then, coldly desolate wilderness -- of the American West, trying to make sense of how Sandy (now called Lula) tries to keep her passionate romance with Sailor (played by Nicolas Cage) alive as the reality around her threatens to burn down (another one of her) dreams. Listen to the full episode to hear Dhruv only being able to make sense of the part where the dream (and the film's combustible melodrama) is extinguished; Cris, on the other hand, argues that the film's most memorable bits are its most unabashedly fantastical and melodramatic. Major spoilers, of course, for "Wild At Heart." TIME CODES Introduction : [00:00 - 02:41] "Twin Peaks" Announcement: [02:41 - 03:32] Wild At Cannes (Contexualizing the Film): [03:32 - 16:50] "Wild At Heart": [16:50 - 01:10:48] Outro: [01:10:48 - 01:18:30] TEXT REFERENCED REPEATEDLY "Room to Dream" (David Lynch & Kristine McKenna). Do hit 'Follow' on Spotify if you haven't already to help the podcast reach more people! Follow our Instagram page: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://instagram.com/queenisdead.filmpodcast.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ You can follow us on Instagram at: CRIS: https://www.instagram.com/prdscris/. DHRUV: https://www.instagram.com/terminalcinema/. You can also follow us on Letterboxd at - CRIS: https://letterboxd.com/prdscris/. DHRUV: https://letterboxd.com/aterminalcinema/.

Hello, Hello, Hello In the latest episode of QID, Dhruv invites the creator, Arjun Sivakumar, and regular guest-cum-host of the "Cinematic Liberties Podcast", Ashwin Dev, to discuss one of the great filmic oddities of this year -- Danny Boyle's "28 Years Later" (now available to rent/buy on digital platforms). Before talking about the film, the three of them talk about the "whack" legacy of the franchise itself -- first discussing, at length, the historical significance of "28 Days Later," then, briefly, discussing the somewhat unfairly maligned status of its sequel, "28 Weeks Later" (Boyle and Garland only returned as executive producers for that). Finally, the discussion about "28 Years Later" itself prompts all sorts of responses from us -- confusion, amazement, contemplation, you name it. Which -- regardless of the film's narrative flaws and tonal inconsistencies -- is what we cherish most about it. Listen to the full episode to hear all this in a spoiler-filled discussion on the entirety of the "28 [insert timeline] Later..." franchise. You can (and should!) follow - CINEMATIC LIBERTIES PODCAST Do hit 'Follow' on Spotify if you haven't already to help the podcast reach more people! Follow our Instagram page: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://instagram.com/queenisdead.filmpodcast.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ TIME CODES  Introduction (inc. "Past Lives" Slander) : [00:00 - 06:36] The Legacy of "28 Days Later": [06:36 - 43:23] The Non-Legacy of "28 Weeks Later": [43:23 - 1:02:19] "28 Years Later": [1:02:19 - 1:52:52] Outro (inc. PTA episode in the pipeline): [1:52:52 - 01:55:24] ARTICLES REFERENCED 1. Danny Boyle Goes Big with the Horror Sequel [IGN] 2. Danny Boyle Says Shooting on iPhones Let Him Capture ‘Startling’ Violence in 28 Years Later. [WIRED] You can also follow us on Letterboxd at - ARJUN: https://letterboxd.com/arjun_skumar1/. ASHWIN: https://letterboxd.com/ashwindev/. DHRUV: https://letterboxd.com/aterminalcinema/.

It's a Bird, It's a Plane, no, It's (a new) QID Episode! Hello, Hello, Hello! In this new episode, Amartya & Sanjeet discuss James Gunn’s ‘Superman’, currently in theatres. They dissect the sunny new interpretation of the superhero as compared to Snyder’s grittier take, and discuss what the DCU may have in store for the future. Do hit 'Follow' on Spotify if you haven't already to help the podcast reach more people! Follow our Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/queenisdead.filmpodcast Follow us on Instagram at: Sanjeet: https://www.instagram.com/pixel_baba/ Amartya: https://www.instagram.com/amartya25/ Follow us on Letterboxd at: Sanjeet: https://letterboxd.com/Sanjeet_Singh/ Amartya: https://letterboxd.com/amartya/

Hello, Hello, Hello, In this episode, "Past Lives" skeptics Cris (taking Dhruv's place) and Aryan invite "Past Lives" lover-for-life Tuhin Das (@tuhin221b on Twitter) to discuss and check the math(s), as it were, on director Celine Song's latest theatrical release, "Materialists." Listen to the full episode to hear where they agree—and largely disagree—on the effectiveness of Songs's writing and filmmaking choices as she navigates the complexities of modern love and marriage and the (Hollywood) economics behind it all. Spoilers, of course, for "Materialists" (and some for "Past Lives"). TIMECODES Intro - [00:00:00 - 00:05:48] Initial Thoughts + Discourse - [00:05:48 - 00:24:20] Debating the Value of "Materialists" - [00:24:20 - 00:53:30] The (Hollywood) Economy - [00:53:30 - 01:25:50] "Past Lives" + Song vs Kuritzkes - [01:25:40 - 01:38:31] Do hit 'Follow' on Spotify if you haven't already to help the podcast reach more people! Follow our Instagram page: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://instagram.com/queenisdead.filmpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow us on Instagram at: Aryan: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/aryantalksfilm/⁠⁠ Cris: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/prdscris/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow us on Letterboxd at: Aryan: ⁠⁠⁠https://letterboxd.com/aryantalksfilms/⁠⁠ Cris: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://letterboxd.com/crislim/⁠⁠

After stumbling through the industrial hellscapes of Pennsylvania and Victorian-era England, Dhruv, Cris, and Arijit find themselves -- somewhat miraculously -- in the town of Lynchian Lumberton. Here, there is no darkness - it's colorful and cheery in the way that only the most gorgeous of Technicolor dreams can be. Is it an illusion, genuine, or both? Listen to the full episode to hear them try to make sense of Lynch's "Blue Velvet" -- which, they're glad to admit, left them bedazzled (on their rewatches) in the best possible sense. Major spoilers, of course, for "Blue Velvet." (Apologies for finding a way to insert "Housefull 5A and 5B" into the intro of this discussion!) TIME CODES  Intro (& "Housefull 5A and B") : [00:00 - 05:16] The Elusive Mystery of Lynch's Films: [05:16 - 25:37] "Blue Velvet": [25:37 - 1:07:00] "The Freudian Beers" in Blue Velvet: [01:07:00 - 01:39:26] Outro (a.k.a Bullshit): [01:39:26 - 01:47:52] TEXT REFERENCED REPEATEDLY 1. "Room to Dream" (David Lynch & Kristine McKenna). 2. ⁠"Through a Bottle Darkly: Blue Velvet's Freudian Beers" (Michael Zunenshine).⁠ Do hit 'Follow' on Spotify if you haven't already to help the podcast reach more people! Follow our Instagram page: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://instagram.com/queenisdead.filmpodcast.⁠⁠⁠⁠ You can follow us on Instagram at: ARIJIT: https://www.instagram.com/_tentinquarantino_/. CRIS: https://www.instagram.com/prdscris/. DHRUV: https://www.instagram.com/terminalcinema/. You can also follow us on Letterboxd at - ARIJIT: https://letterboxd.com/nostradamus/. CRIS: https://letterboxd.com/prdscris/. DHRUV: https://letterboxd.com/aterminalcinema/.

Hello, Hello, Hello, This is -- arguably -- the only sane discussion we have had on the "MI" franchise, courtesy -- the presence of Adithiyan and the special appearance of Mr. (Raj) Aryan -- but most of all the absence of "MI: I, 2 & III" moderator, Varun Bhakay. Dhruv, Cris & a surprisingly sober, sensible (and somewhat salty) Hemant are also there -- dueling it out about why, for some of them, "Dead Reckoning" works much more than "Final Reckoning" and why -- according to Hemant -- we all are wrong about "Rogue Nation." Spoilers, of course, for all the MIs. And a lot of shade (and some praise) thrown at "MI5" and "MI8." TIMECODES Introduction - [00:00 – 05:05] MI1 to MI6 Recap - [05:05 – 34:58] Counter-Programming (MI's Legacy) - [34:58 – 51:57] "MI7: Dead Reckoning" - [51:57 – 01:38:23] "MI8: The Final Reckoning" - [01:38:23 – 02:31:51] Outro - [02:31:51 - 02:37:03] Congratulations to Jafar Panahi! - [02:37:03 - 02:39:40] Do hit 'Follow' on Spotify if you haven't already to help the podcast reach more people! Follow our Instagram page: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://instagram.com/queenisdead.filmpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠ READINGS ON THE "MI" FRANCHISE (suggested by Adithiyan) 1. "On Mission Impossible and Unaccountable Government" - https://lareviewofbooks.org/article/on-mission-impossible-and-unaccountable-government/. 2. "The Delightfully Nonsensical Politics of the MI Series" - https://oscarkimbauman.substack.com/p/the-delightfully-nonsensical-politics?utm_medium=web. Follow him on IG to explore his "MI" Retrospective: https://www.instagram.com/curioseradithiyan/. Follow us on Instagram at: Adithiyan: https://www.instagram.com/curioseradithiyan/ Aryan: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/aryantalksfilm/⁠ Hemant: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/hemantganti/⁠ Dhruv: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/terminalcinema/⁠⁠⁠ Cris: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/prdscris/⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow us on Letterboxd at: Adithiyan: https://letterboxd.com/curioseradi/ Aryan: ⁠⁠https://letterboxd.com/aryantalksfilms/⁠ Hemant: ⁠⁠https://letterboxd.com/ganti117/⁠ Dhruv: ⁠⁠⁠https://letterboxd.com/aterminalcinema/⁠⁠⁠ Cris: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://letterboxd.com/crislim/⁠⁠

Hello, Hello, Hello, Dhruv returns -- more out of necessity than choice -- to try and bring some semblance back to the "MI" ep discussions. He succeeds -- for about 40 minutes. Enter Amartya. Cue Varun losing his marbles (again). Cue Cris losing his marbles when trying to edit whatever happened after an in-depth discussion on the greatness of "Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol." Spoilers, of course, for all the MIs. And a lot, a LOT of shade thrown at "MI3" and the people responsible for making it. TIMECODES Nonsense (+ Introduction) - [00:00 – 07:32] "Mission Impossible IV" (+ Nonsense) - [07:32 – 35:48] Nonsense (+ "Mission Impossible V") - [35:48 – 01:01:22] Nonsense (+ "Mission Impossible VI") - [01:01:22 – 01:41:26] Varun & Amartya on MI 7 & 8 - [01:41:26 – 01:57:32] Nonsense (+ Outro) - [01:57:32 - 02:01:11] Do hit 'Follow' on Spotify if you haven't already to help the podcast reach more people! Follow our Instagram page: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://instagram.com/queenisdead.filmpodcast⁠⁠⁠ Follow us on Instagram at: Dhruv: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/terminalcinema/⁠⁠ Varun: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/varunonfilm/⁠⁠ Amartya: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/amartya25/⁠⁠⁠⁠ Cris: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/prdscris/⁠⁠⁠ Follow us on Letterboxd at: Varun: ⁠⁠https://letterboxd.com/varunoakbhakay/⁠⁠ Dhruv: ⁠⁠https://letterboxd.com/aterminalcinema/⁠⁠ Amartya: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://letterboxd.com/amartya/⁠⁠⁠⁠ Cris: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://letterboxd.com/crislim/⁠⁠

Hello, Hello, Hello, A more than usually embittered Varun Bhakay "moderates" this episode in which everything from his recent inability to acquire a visa to visit Paris, his unconditional "love" for Canadians & Americans, and his even more obsessive love for absent host Dhruv Krishna Goyal are discussed as fellow vampire Hemant Ganti participates, sane Amartya Acharya exasperates, and insane Cris both participates and exasperates. Mission Impossible I, 2 & III are also discussed. Briefly. Spoilers included, of course. TIMECODES Nonsense (+ Introduction) - [00:00 – 16:56] Nonsense (+ "Mission Impossible") - [16:56 – 58:46] Nonsense (+ "Mission Impossible II") - [58:46 – 01:17:09] Nonsense (+ "Mission Impossible III") - [01:17:09 – 01:42:15] Nonsense (+ Outro) - [01:42:15 – 01:44:42] Do hit 'Follow' on Spotify if you haven't already to help the podcast reach more people! Follow our Instagram page: ⁠⁠⁠https://instagram.com/queenisdead.filmpodcast⁠⁠ Follow us on Instagram at: Hemant: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/hemantganti/⁠ Varun: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/varunonfilm/⁠ Amartya: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/amartya25/⁠⁠⁠ Cris: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/prdscris/⁠⁠ Follow us on Letterboxd at: Varun: ⁠https://letterboxd.com/varunoakbhakay/⁠ Hemant: ⁠https://letterboxd.com/ganti117/⁠ Amartya: ⁠⁠⁠https://letterboxd.com/amartya/⁠⁠⁠ Cris: ⁠⁠⁠https://letterboxd.com/crislim/⁠⁠