PODCAST · arts
Breaking the 180
by Breaking the 180
In a time of dominant costumed franchises and postmodern experiments with lots of flash and little substance, renegade critics Alci Rengifo and Sebastian Carrasco break the 180 of the current cinema landscape. They assess the latest releases and revive forgotten yet great titles from decades past, reaping what they sow in the process. No topic is off limit, no franchise is safe. Let weary travelers rest a spell for some engaging conversations and basking in a shared love for the defining medium of our time.
Episodes
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Breaking the Convo [Episode 4]: Václav Marhoul (Director/Producer) | The Painted Bird
In a very exciting episode, celebrating the IFC Films Blu-Ray release of The Painted Bird, we chat with Czech director and producer Václav Marhoul on his 2019 masterpiece-- the process of creating art, making room for "bad art", working with child actors and so much more! Breaking the 180 |...
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Do We Recommend? [Episode 21]: "Dreams" & "Late Shift"
In our first DWR? for 2026, and twenty-first overall episode in this series, we take a peak at two formalist, international films helmed by writer-directors form Mexico and Switzerland. Do these modern filmmakers have something to say, or do they simply join the ever growing list of post-modern...
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Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man | A Poisoned Tree or Red Right Hand?
After 13 years, we are here to witness Thomas Shelby's final chapter. In the spirit of legendary films based on popular series like "X-Files" (X-Files Fight the Future) or "Breaking Bad" (El Camino), how does this film stand as a continuation of the cult series? More importantly, can it stand on...
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Breaking it Solo [Episode 1]: Peaky Blinders (Series)
In a new sub-series for the podcast, Sebastian shares some more formal thoughts on the BBC Produced series about the historical Peaky Blinders! Breaking the 180 | Linktree: https://linktr.ee/breaking180 Purest Mushrooms Affiliate Link Use CODE Breaking180 at checkout for a 10% discount on all...
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2026 Winter Wrap-Up | Limonov, The Ballad / Epic: Elvis in Concert / Crime 101 / Arco
As we enter Spring, we wrap-up those fascinating films which kicked off 2026 with a bang! Breaking the 180 | Linktree: https://linktr.ee/breaking180 Purest Mushrooms Affiliate Link Use CODE Breaking180 at checkout for a 10% discount on all individual pack orders. Produced by: Self-Exiled...
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The BEST Films of 2025 | An Ode to Collective Memory
In our first big episode for 2026, we take a look at those very special works of celluloid which defined the past year. It's time for some bio-digital jazz, man! Breaking the 180 | Linktree: https://linktr.ee/breaking180 Purest Mushrooms Affiliate Link Use CODE Breaking180 at checkout for a 10%...
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Breaking the Convo [Episode 3]: Daniele Bolelli |"Mongol: The Rise of Genghis Khan"
In this special episode we sit down with the Drunken Taoist himself, Daniele Bolelli, host of the rip-roaring podcast History on Fire. Our subject is the 2007 epic “Mongol” and Genghis Khan but the conquerors’ road takes us into many other subject matters. Purest Mushrooms Affiliate Link Use CODE...
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Breaking the Tribute [Episode 2]: David Lynch
The passing of David Lynch not only marked the loss of one of the great modern directors, but a stark reckoning with the cultural rut we find ourselves in. In this special tribute episode, we discuss Lynch's lasting influence, his vision of life and America through surreal and personal…
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HALLOWEEN SPECIAL (VOLUME III) "X-Files Fight the Future": The Legacy of Chris Carter, A Postmodern Prometheus
This year we celebrate the spooky season with a look back at “The X-Files: Fight the Future,” the groundbreaking 1998 movie that expanded the iconic ‘90s TV show. We also look at the wider themes and spooks of the show, which were always overseen by its creator, Chris Carter. Carter’s influence…
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Do We Recommend? Episode 20: "Megalopolis"
In our latest movie recap, we break down legendary filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola's latest epic, "Megalopolis". We discuss the merits of this octogenarian's empiric ambitions, while also parsing out what in the Sam Hill he was trying to say in the process. This Roman inspired film is nothing…
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Do We Recommend? Episode 19: "Close Your Eyes/Cerrar Los Ojos"
Where in the world has Victor Erice been for 30 years? Well that's a question only Erica can answer, but what we can tell you where he is in 2024, releasing a new feature film, "Close Your Eyes". In our new episode, we talk about who this Spanish auteur is, the material he explores in his three...
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Summer 2024 Movie Recap | Animation Domination
In a summer with record high temperatures, we've also seen a record high stinkers for the summer popcorn experience. However, once we step into the rich palettes of the animated landscape, the conservation takes on another shape entirely. In our 3rd annual Summer Recap, we look at three…
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Breaking the Convo Episode 2: "The Creator" | AI Propaganda or Utopian Promise?
In our latest LIVE conversation, we sat down with "Dr. Richard Tahvildaran-Jesswein, SMC Public Policy Institute co-director and Dr. Amber Katherine, SMC philosophy professor", to discuss how The Creator draws visual parallels to Vietnam era images, and how late stage capitalism may lead to...
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Do We Recommend? Episode 18: "X-Men '97"
For Pride Month we are delving into one of pop cultures most famous allegories for under represented and marginalized groups: X-MEN. Animation once again holds its head high for a new golden age in the colorful medium. In this very special episode, we speak the merits of Beau DeMayo's leadership…
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Do We Recommend? Episode 17: "FURIOSA : A Mad Max Saga"
We enter the mind, and Australian wasteland of George Miller, the visionary director who can make penguins dance, pigs talk in the city, and bring vehicular chaos to the post apocalypse. In our case, we check out Miller's direct prequel to "Mad Max: Fury Road", which focuses on the praetorian...
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Do We Recommend? Episode 16: "Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes"
Today, we launch ourselves into an ape-ocalypse 300 years in the future...or rather a Kingdom in the making. We chat about the new entry in the "Planet of the Apes" franchise revamp; made famous by the Caesar Cycle consisting of "Rise", "Dawn", and "War". Is this a worthy continuation of a much...
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Chronicles of Mann (Volume 5): The Digital Underground Revolution [2004-2024]
In our grand finale, we explore Michael Mann's late stage filmography, where his obsession with capturing the underbelly of American society using innovative digital technology sent shockwaves through the film industry. We explore Mann's rocky 2000s, a return to prestige TV, and how "Ferrari"…
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"Civil War"... Is A Film That Gives Us Meaning?
In our latest discussion, we look into the divisive "Civil War", the latest feature hailing from British writer-director Alex Garland, who has made a reputation for innovative, impactful, yet deeply meaningful films. We look into his four film tenure, as well as the impact of war photography…
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Do We Recommend? Episode 15: "The Wages of Fear" 2024 [Netflix]
In our latest "Recommend" episode, we chat about *checks notes*, a new Wages of Fear adaptation?? I bet nobody saw this on their 2024 bingo card. We most certainly have thoughts, so come on by for our spirited discussion, where we also share our love for the Clouzot masterpiece, and the two...
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Do We Recommend? Episode 14: "Spaceman"
In this episode, we look at the cosmic meditation of Johan Renck's "SPACEMAN", a new Netflix film about finding internal/external forgiveness and reconciliation. Find out MORE in this new episode! Purest Mushrooms Affiliate Link: https://purestmushrooms.com?sca_ref=5610321.FyyTwfJ9Kl - Use CODE...
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Do We Recommend? Episode 13: 2024 ALTERNATIVE OSCARS
In, this very special episode of Do We Recommend? we take a page from film channels like "In/Frame/Out", and enter a parallel universe where we are the masterminds behind the Academy Awards. We certainly don't want to spoil the fun, so sit back, relax, and join us for our first ever ALTERNATIVE...
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Do We Recommend? Episode 12: "Dune Part 2"
In our latest Do We Recommend? we peer into 2024's first REAL blockbuster: Denis Villeneuve's "DUNE PART 2". We discuss the brief history of "Dune" adaptations, Denis' filmography and their impact on the blockbuster experience, as well as his shortcomings as a filmmaker, which ultimately holds...
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"Mr. and Mrs. Smith" (Amazon Original Series 2024)... A Honeymoon for Prestige TV, or Grounds for A Divorce?
In our first major podcast episode for 2024, Alci and Sebastian put on their marriage counselor caps, while they discuss this Amazon Original Series, from producers and leads Donald Glover (Childish Gambino) & Maya Erskine. How does this remake fare against the 2005 romp starring Brad Pitt and...
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Chronicles of Mann (Volume 4.5/5.5): "FERRARI" [2023]...Crossing the Finish Line with Style or Just a False Start?
In this special intermission of our Chronicles of Mann, we review the great director’s long-awaited return in eight years to the big screen: Ferrari. But oh how the mighty stumble. Was the passion project a case of too much desire with not enough resources? Or did the obsession with the icon…
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Do We Recommend? Episode 11: "The Boy and The Heron"
In our latest DWR, we assess and contemplate the latest from animation master, Hayao Miyazaki. We discuss how Miyazaki rises above his studio contemporaries, the power of a proper children's fable, and how to convey powerful abstract ideas with sincerity and power. Special Thanks: Santa Monica...
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Do We Recommend? Episode 10: "Freud's Last Session"
In our latest Do We Recommend we sit on the couch with one of the season's most pleasant surprises, "Freud's Last Session," starring Anthony Hopkins as Sigmund Freud and Matthew Goode as C.S. Lewis. It's a crackling, piercing meditation on rationalism, faith and unspoken truths. Plus, we share a...
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Chronicles of Mann (Volume 4): "HEAT" Obsession Reaches Its Peak Temperature [1995]
In this milestone episode of the “Chronicles of Mann”, we take a ride into the world and influence of Michael Mann’s crowning achievement, 1995’s “Heat”. A perfect panorama of Mann’s deepest obsessions as an artist, it remains his dominant work and the most influential film he ever directed. We...
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Do We Recommend? Episode 9: "May December" & "Anselm"
In our latest Do We Recommend we take a look at two unique and profound new films. Todd Haynes’s “May December” pairs Natalie Portman and Julianne Moore in a piercing take on the unnerving human truths behind a famous scandal; German maestro Wim Wenders’s new 3D documentary “Anselm” poetically...
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Do We Recommend? Episode 8: "Killers of the Flower Moon" & "The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial"
In our latest Do We Recommend, we take a look at two important late works from two genuine American masters. "Killers of the Flower Moon" is Martin Scorsese's epic drama about the 1921 Osage murders in Oklahoma, told with a searing human angle. "The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial" is the last film by...
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HALLOWEEN SPECIAL (Volume II) The 90s Triple Entente: Gothic Experiments from Coppola, Branagh, and Nichols
In the 1990s three classic monsters were given strange but memorable resurrections. For our Halloween 2023 special, we look back at Francis Ford Coppola’s “Bram Stoker’s Dracula”, Kenneth Branagh’s “Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein” and Mike Nichols’s “Wolf”. Join us for a wildly fun and insightful…
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Do We Recommend? Episode 7: "El Conde" & "Rebel"
Today we travel to Chile, Belgium, and Syria, to discuss two interesting films tackling some of the most important events from the 20th and 21st century. Join us on this adventure as we chat about Pablo Larraín's "El Conde", a vampiric reinterpretation of Fascist dictator Agosto Pinochet, as well...
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Breaking the Convo Episode 1: Bishal Dutta/It Lives Inside
In the premiere episode of Breaking the Convo, we present the recent Q&A we hosted with newcomer director Bishal Dutta, at a screening of his feature debut, "It Lives Inside," a horror thriller with an Indian-American perspective. The discussion took place at Dutta's alma mater, Santa Monica...
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Do We Recommend? Episode 6: "RMN"
In this episode of "Do We Recommend?", we look at a fascinating Romanian film from Christian Mungiu, (4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days), in which we dive into the aftershocks of the Soviet Union and and impending 21st century juggernaut: The European Union. We explore the disconnect between rural &...
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Chronicles of Mann (Volume 3): Mann's Americana [1992-2001]
In this special, extra-packed episode, we look at how Michael Mann's output in the 1990s and early 2000s cast a unique lens on American history. "The Last of the Mohicans" brings to life colonial America with poetic grit, "The Insider" tells a story of journalism and corporate censorship that has...
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Breaking the Tribute Episode 1: William Friedkin "Hurricane Billy"
In this special tribute we look back at the life, groundbreaking cinematic legacy and infectiously blunt character of the great William Friedkin, who has left us. The Exorcist, The French Connection, Sorcerer, Killer Joe...and that's just the start of his amazing catalogue. Dive into the Friedkin...
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Barbenheimer & Black Rain (Shōhei Imamura)...The New American Prometheus?
We dive right into the movie phenomenon of the year: The twin release of Greta Gerwig's "Barbie" and Christopher Nolan's "Oppenheimer." Need we say more? We look at the pros, cons and cultural impact of both films, and what they may be telling us about the future of movies. Along the way, we also...
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Do We Recommend? Episode 5: "They Cloned Tyrone"
In our latest edition of Do We Recommend we look at a unique gem streaming right now on Netflix. They Cloned Tyrone is an excellent revival of the Blaxploitation genre while being a biting comedy about gentrification, race relations and the Black American experience. You laugh and ponder at the...
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Do We Recommend? Episode 4: "Mission: Impossible- Dead Reckoning Part 1"
In this edition of "Do We Recommend" we most certainly recommend "Mission: Impossible- Dead Reckoning Part 1," the latest, impressive installment in the 27-year-old franchise. Somehow, Tom Cruise and team have delivered another adventure that quickens the pulse with class, style and astounding...
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Summer 2023 Movie Recap | "Across The Spider-Verse" or Will Animation Color the Way Forward for Peak Cinema?
We're back! In our first episode for 2023 we jump right into discussing the astounding achievement of "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse," animation as a key cinema art form, "Suzume," a few recommendations from Cannes and why superhero franchises are starting to grow mold. We also update you…
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Chronicles of Mann (Volume 2): Of Miles and Manhunter [1979-1986]
In episode 2 of the Chronicles of Mann, we start at the beginning of the director’s prolific career where films about men living on the edge, murderous psyches and life behind bars set the tones and themes that will frame much of his grand career. Special Thanks: Santa Monica College Center for...
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Do We Recommend? Episode 3: "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever"
***SPOILER FREE*** In our latest short form discussion, BT180 tackles one of the year's biggest releases, at least until the next film featuring an underwater kingdom comes out. Does Ryan Coogler's new project rest comfortably in the MCU pantheon, especially as a successor to the billion dollar…
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HALLOWEEN SPECIAL (Volume I)...Tales from the International Crypt: Overlooked Horror from Iran, Guatemala, and South Sudan
In this special Halloween episode we look at some haunted, unsettling and criminally underappreciated horror films from three different countries—Under the Shadows (Iran) La Llorona (Guatemala), His House (South Sudan)—all linked by the ghosts of history, intimate storytelling and genuine scares....
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Chronicles of Mann (Volume 1): An OVERVIEW From "Jericho Mile" to "Ferrari"
Welcome to the premiere of BT180's five part series analyzing the art, legacy and life of director Michael Mann in the wake of the release of his first novel, "Heat 2", and the production of his triumphant return to the silver screen with "Ferrari". In our first episode, we will explore who Mann...
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Do We Recommend? Episode 2: “Men"
In this episode of Do We Recommend, we throw down in a debate about Alex Garland’s “Men,” the unique director’s surreal take on toxic masculinity-from a female perspective-that premiered earlier this year to both acclaim and criticism. Is it one of the year’s best films or a cryptic splatter of...
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GATTACA…The Genetic Template for a Science-Fiction Sensation?
In 1997 acclaimed screenwriter Andrew Niccol made his directorial debut with "Gattaca," an elegant vision of a future where humans control their genetic makeup. A dystopian harbinger of the way we live now, it's been relegated to the zone of forgotten masterpieces only a few die hard film buffs...
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Do We Recommend? Episode 1: "The Sandman" (Netflix Original Series)
In the first episode of our "compact review" short discussions, we take a look at Netflix's "The Sandman," the long-awaited adaptation of Neil Gaiman's classic graphic novel. Is it a worthy adaptation? Surreal pop brilliance or sleepy trash? And most importantly, do we recommend it? Special…
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Summer 2022 Movie Preview...Will There Be A Drought of Originality?
BT180 presents their summer movie preview episode! Alci and Sebastian chat about a trio of films which sets the tone for the industry during the next couple of months. Hot takes are served piping hot, but as the crew has stated before, they reap what they sow. **As of the release of the episode…
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Watchmen Part II (2009 Movie & HBO Miniseries)... Tomorrow is a Ticking Doomsday Clock.
In BT180's FIFTH episode, Alci and Sebastian conclude their two part saga-retrospective on "Watchmen"; yes, they finally talk about the HBO miniseries. In this second part, the renegades delve into the socio-political references and real world connections for the seminal graphic novel, book, and...
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The Northman....A Worthy Ride to Valhöll?
In BT180's fourth episode, Alci and Sebastian dissect Robert Eggers's viking epic, supposedly the most historically accurate one ever made. Does this film solely coast on this gimmick, or does this Eggers and Sjons' "edda" reveal more secrets than meets the eye. Crack open some mead, offer a...
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Watchmen (2009)...Prophetic Masterpiece or Cartoon Schlock?
In this episode of BT180, Alci and Sebastian revisit Zack Snyder’s 2009 adaptation of the classic Alan Moore graphic novel and argue whether it has only grown in importance, relevance and brilliance, or if it is simply another schlock theme park ride. Special Thanks To: Santa Monica College…
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
In a time of dominant costumed franchises and postmodern experiments with lots of flash and little substance, renegade critics Alci Rengifo and Sebastian Carrasco break the 180 of the current cinema landscape. They assess the latest releases and revive forgotten yet great titles from decades past, reaping what they sow in the process. No topic is off limit, no franchise is safe. Let weary travelers rest a spell for some engaging conversations and basking in a shared love for the defining medium of our time.
HOSTED BY
Breaking the 180
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How many episodes does Breaking the 180 have?
Breaking the 180 currently has 50 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Breaking the 180 about?
In a time of dominant costumed franchises and postmodern experiments with lots of flash and little substance, renegade critics Alci Rengifo and Sebastian Carrasco break the 180 of the current cinema landscape. They assess the latest releases and revive forgotten yet great titles from decades past,...
How often does Breaking the 180 release new episodes?
Breaking the 180 has 50 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Breaking the 180?
You can listen to Breaking the 180 on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Breaking the 180?
Breaking the 180 is created and hosted by Breaking the 180.
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