Episodes
Saturday May 15, 2021
Sordid Cinema Podcast #579: Black Coal, Thin Ice
Saturday May 15, 2021
Saturday May 15, 2021
Black Coal, Thin Ice Review
For our first non-English feature in a minute, we take a trip to Heilongjiang Province to dissect Black Coal, Thin Ice, Diao Yinan’s grim 2014 neo-noir. (Its successor, the more widely-seen The Wild Goose Lake, may, or may not be the subject of a future Sordid episode.) We get a little lost in the film’s dense and troubling plot, neon cityscapes, and many acts of cruelty and malice. But hey, at least there are fireworks!
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Saturday Apr 17, 2021
Sordid Cinema Podcast Rewind: The Guest is a Stylish and Entertaining Thriller
Saturday Apr 17, 2021
Saturday Apr 17, 2021
The Guest Review
Way back in 2014, we sat down to discuss The Guest, a pretty crafty genre pastiche written by Simon Barrett and directed by Adam Wingard of You’re Next fame. The film follows a soldier who introduces himself to the Peterson family, claiming to be a friend of their son who died in action. After the young man is welcomed into their home, a series of accidental deaths seem to be connected to his presence leaving everyone questioning who he really is. Joining us for this review was Sound On Sight’s then managing editor, Deepayan Sengupta.
Monday Mar 29, 2021
Sordid Cinema Podcast #574: 'The Silent Partner' is a Hidden Gem
Monday Mar 29, 2021
Monday Mar 29, 2021
Modern thrillers getting you down? Head back to the late 1970s and indulge in Daryl Duke’s The Silent Partner, a nasty, funny neo-noir driven by Elliott Gould and Christopher Plummer’s deadly game of cat and mouse. Loaded with gags, twists, and tons of real Toronto landmarks, the film was a critical and commercial hit at the time, but has since evolved into a cult item beloved by critics and connoisseurs of edgy Canadiana. Ricky, Simon, and Patrick offer their perspectives on the twisted characters and ponder how 21st-century audiences might take to this brutal-but-hilarious caper.
Saturday Mar 06, 2021
Sordid Cinema Podcast Rewind: Richard Kelly Special
Saturday Mar 06, 2021
Saturday Mar 06, 2021
Donnie Darko, Southland Tales, and The Box Review
In episode 167 of the Sordid Cinema Podcast (then called Sound On Sight), we discussed not one, not two, but three Richard Kelly films.
At the time, writer-director Richard Kelly wasn’t around too long, but his three features had all been the subject of intense debate: Is Donnie Darko the great sci-fi fable of the 2000s or a teen angst pretension pit? Is Southland Tales, as the Village Voice’s J. Hoberman contends, a “visionary” film, or creative control gone horribly wrong? And is The Box an incomprehensible sci-fi mishmash or a return to form? Al Kratina, Mariko McDonald, and Simon Howell attempt to answer all these questions without falling into any aquatic time portals.
Tuesday Mar 02, 2021
Tuesday Mar 02, 2021
The Empty Man Review
Have you heard the call of The Empty Man? Writer-director David Prior’s weird and wild movie has snuck its way into the hearts and minds of a select few in the months since it was (barely) released. Now, Ricky, Simon, and Patrick face a dilemma: how the hell do you describe a movie seemingly designed to simulate losing your mind? Note: We strongly recommend renting The Empty Man before listening! This movie is best served cold.
Friday Jan 22, 2021
Friday Jan 22, 2021
Inherent Vice Review
The Sordid Cinema podcast has been around since 2007 and as you can imagine, the show has gone through some major changes over the years including the name. It was originally called Sound On Sight but on January 21, 2015, original hosts Simon Howell and Ricky D sat down to record what was supposed to be the final episode as a team before Simon quit and Ricky decided to rename it. And to send it off in style, they invited Kate Rennebohm and Adam Nayman to discuss one of the best films of 2014, Paul Thomas Anderson’s Inherent Vice.
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Thursday Jan 21, 2021
Sordid Cinema Podcast Rewind: David Cronenberg’s Videodrome and The Fly
Thursday Jan 21, 2021
Thursday Jan 21, 2021
David Cronenberg Special
On episode 252 of the Sordid Cinema podcast (then named Sound on Sight), we invited Sean Dwyer and Jay Cheel from the Film Junk Podcast to discuss David Cronenberg’s visually audacious, revolutionary, and utterly strange sci-fi thriller, Videodrome— as well as The Fly, possibly his most triumphant and accessible film to date. Enjoy!
Tuesday Jan 19, 2021
Sordid Cinema Podcast Rewind: Cronenberg’s Antiviral
Tuesday Jan 19, 2021
Tuesday Jan 19, 2021
In our sixth Cronenberg-themed show (recorded in 2012), we expanded our scope to include David Cronenberg’s very own spawn, Brandon, whose debut feature Antiviral had just gone wide in Canada. Ricky, Edgar, and Simon tackled the flick, to see how it stacks up against one of daddy’s earlier efforts, 1981’a sci-fi actioner Scanners.
Sunday Nov 15, 2020
Sordid Cinema Podcast #560: Unbreakable
Sunday Nov 15, 2020
Sunday Nov 15, 2020
Hot off the heels of The Sixth Sense, writer-director M. Night Shyamalan decided to follow up his smash psychological horror hit with something fans weren’t quite expecting: a grounded look at the comic book superhero myth. This week The Sordid Cinema Podcast takes a look at that low-key masterpiece, Unbreakable. Rick and Patrick are joined by superfan Aisha Newton (her cat is named Elijah, after Samuel L. Jackson’s diabolical villain) to discuss what makes this film so special these many years later, especially in the context of the flood of Marvel and DC blockbusters that have released since. Those who have yet to see this 2000 film will definitely see a different approach than what they may be used to. So how does Shyamalan’s patient, precise style hold up today? Is there an audience for this type of superhero film going forward? And just what exactly is Rick’s ‘kitchen theory’? For all this and more, have a listen!
Monday Oct 26, 2020
Sordid Cinema Podcast #558: ‘Frailty’ Remains a Solid Horror Mystery
Monday Oct 26, 2020
Monday Oct 26, 2020
Frailty Podcast Review
The late Bill Paxton’s 2001 directorial debut Frailty may have passed by unnoticed at the box office, but over time this low-budget, atmospheric horror film has maintained a steady appreciation. This week Rick and Patrick are joined by Montreal-based film writer and professor Matthew Hays to break down just what makes this underseen gem so good, as well as dive into its themes of religious piety and family dynamics. The story of a man who believes he has been chosen by God to destroy demons living as humans on earth delves into dark places, as this good-natured mechanic also turns his mission into a family affair – even as one of his sons thinks his father may be going insane.
From strong performances to an interesting script with an unreliable narrator, Frailty consistently engages the audience and is sure to surprise them as well with its many (too many?) twists. Join us as we sort out all the plot details and ponder the mysteries. How well does Frailty handle the supernatural elements? Would the film have worked even better with more ambiguity, or is the clarity of vision one of its strengths? For all this and more, have a listen!