Episode 298 – 2022 in Review

Runtime 120 minutes Up for Discussion 1. Introduction with Hillary Butler and Bob Turnbull 2, THE FIVES (3:24) 3. THE FOURS (17:55) 4. THE THREES (34:58) 5. THE TWOS (45:32) 6. THE ONES (1:04:02) 7. “JURY PRIZES” (1:29:45) Thoughts from your host… First things first – the quite clever and always engaging Jolie Featherstone was supposed to join us for this episode, but fell ill at the last minute. We missed her this year, but can happily report that she’s feeling better a few days on. This time last year, I said the following: My hope remains that ’22 allows me a chance to start doing more episodes in person. That I will feel safe enough to go back to the cinema. That by the time next December rolls around, four of us will gather at one table once again. Check, check, and most of a check. How often does that happen?? It can be hard to see the blessings from the curses sometimes, can’t it? We get bogged down in how hard life is getting, or how bad the news is that we lose track of the simple joys fate can offer us. Don’t get me wrong – everyone’s burdens come with their own weight, i don’t want to sit here and try to whistle them away. I only wish to say that sometimes we need to recognize that with the bitter can come an awful lot of sweet, and that to dismiss it is to disrespect it. This year was good one for film, if not a great one. There might have been fewer masterpieces, but wow were there ever some bangers. It was a year where I was introduced to the visions of Charlotte Wells, Colm Bairead, Alice Diop, Sophie Hyde, and Ninja Thyberg. It was a year where storytellers like The Daniels, Josephine Decker, and Kogonada doubled-down. It was a year I got re-acquainted with Todd Field and Sarah Polley – and the year I learned that Steven Spielberg still has things left to say. It was a year where the discourse at times felt intolerable, and yet a year where I was still ushered towards some absolute gems by trusted voices.. I got a lot of what I hoped for these last twelve months, and at the risk of sounding like a starry-eyed optimist, I am grateful for all of it. While the year has been wonderful, the last several weeks have not – and it’s these moments of difficulty that memories of joy are built to guide us through. So here’s to 2022 – all of its highs and even its lows. I’d make hopes for next year, but I wouldn’t want to push my luck. If anything I will say that I hope the year ahead brings me back into the shared space of more friends like Hillary, Jolie, and Bob. If you’re reading this and you think I mean you, I probably do – here’s to catching up in ’23! Links from The Show: Pop Culture Detective’s visual essay on Waymond in “Everything Everywhere All at Once”: Hillary’s review of Brainwashed In addition, four of the thirteen films discussed at-length today had Matineecasts of their own – but to link them specifically would give the game away. So if you’d like to look at what you might have missed later, take a listen to the following shows: Episode 279 Episode 293 Episode 294 Episode 296 Hillary’s Twitter feed can be found here. Bob’s Twitter feed can be found here.You can subscribe to the Matineecast via iTunes or RSS Comments and feedback are welcome, and thank-you very much for listening and all the best for the new year! Enjoy!