PODCAST · tv
Cows in the field
by Blobcat Filmindustri
A movie podcast inspired by a Werner Herzog quote, “We have to articulate ourselves, otherwise we would be cows in the field.” Hosted by Justin Khoo (professor of philosophy at MIT) and Laura Khoo (art historian turned fundraiser).
Episodes
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175. Alien (w/ Sarah Welch-Larson)
We sit down with Sarah Welch-Larson, author of Becoming Alien, and frequent contributor to Bright Wall / Dark Room, to discuss Ridley Scott's ALIEN. Evil, alienation, violations, organic mechanization, corporate dehumanization... and also, aliens, yes... aliens! Advertising Inquiries:...
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174. Cape Fear (w/ Roxana Hadadi)
We journey up river with Roxana Hadadi (New York Magazine and Vulture) to explore Martin Scorsese's 1991 film, CAPE FEAR! We explore how the film portrays the crumbling of American middle class institutions -- family, religion, law -- from the inside, the experiences of adolescent and middle aged...
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173. The Shawshank Redemption (w/ Emily St. James)
We are joined by many time guest Emily St. James (Yellowjackets) to discuss Frank Darabont's modern Capra film about hope, defiance, cosmic injustice, Stephen King, prison, freedom, and more! Is it crazy to like Forrest Gump more than this film? Look, you probably think that's crazy, but don't…
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172. Uncut Gems (w/ Andrew Overbye)
We are talking Safdies with Andrew Overbye (The Authorized Novelizations Podcast)! We discuss risking it all to have it all, capitalism, addiction highs and lows, five-way parlays, striving, the Sandman, and much more! In the gem, one can see the universe! Advertising Inquiries:...
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171. Looper (w/ Tushar Menon)
We sit down with MIT philosopher Tushar Menon to discuss Looper. Does its time travel make sense? What questions does it raise about identity, regret, parenting, and cycles of violence? Would your younger self hate you now? Tune in to find out! Visit cowspod.com for all our episodes and merch and...
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170. The Odyssey (w/ Bilge Ebiri)
We discuss Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey with Bilge Ebiri (New York Magazine / Vulture)! We discuss Nolan's sympathetic Odysseus, a man out of time, burdened by guilt and shame, but also a herald of a new age of science and reason. We consider how Nolan made one of the oldest and grandest…
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169. Billy Elliot (w/ Aaron Meskin)
Put on your dancin' shoes, it's time to discuss Billy Elliot with Aaron Meskin (Philosophy, U. of Georgia)! We discuss dance movies, dancing, how the film melds British working class drama with fantastical, nondiegetic dance numbers, how conformity perpetuates class structures, how the film...
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168. Past Lives (w/ Bar Luzon)
Join us and Bar Luzon (Philosophy, MIT) to discuss Celine Song's film PAST LIVES. We talk about immigration, love, irresistible freely chosen love, imagination and narrative in self understanding, counterfactual thinking, and never going home... Check out all our episodes at cowspod.com and buy a...
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167. Blade Runner (w/ Zed Adams)
The Cows journey to the future, Los Angeles 2019, to run blades with Zed Adams (Philosophy, The New School for Social Research). We discuss eyes, simulation, Hegel, Cavell, Heidegger, rain, tears, pajamas, and who among us is a replicant. Visit cowspod.com for the full schedule and merch!...
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166. 2001: A Space Odyssey (w/ Matthias Michel)
Journey with us and Matthias Michel (Philosophy, MIT) beyond the infinite! We discuss humanity's place in the universe, questions vs. mysteries, technology, space food, space toilets, transcendence, isolation, space, HAL9000, monoliths, chess... and what makes this movie so special. Advertising...
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165. Ex Machina (w/ Aaron West)
We take a trip down A24 lane to discuss our first AI movie of the miniseries, Alex Garland's EX MACHINA, with Aaron West (of Cinejourneys.com and The A24 New Wave). Auteurs, tech bros, trophy robot wives/slaves, creations leaving the nest, and more! Also, Justin cut out the bit where he ranted...
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164. The Long Goodbye (w/ Tim Smartt)
We are joined by Tim Smartt (Philosophy, University of Notre Dame at Sydney) to discuss Altman, Coury brand cat food, loneliness, transitions, misplaced loyalties, noir... and more! If a friend asks you to drive him to Mexico at 3am, what should you do?! Advertising Inquiries:...
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163. Enemy (w/ Robbie Kubala)
Robbie Kubala (Philosophy, UT-Austin) joins to discuss ENEMY! We discuss the fear of entrapment, performativity, spider femininity, 2 v 1, the difficulties of making Associate Professor... and more! Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
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162. The Grey (w/ Dave Baker)
We are joined by Dave Baker (Philosophy, U. Michigan) to talk about THE GREY (2012), which is definitely NOT Taken With Wolves! We discuss accepting death, grief, finding meaning in life, theistic and non-theistic readings, dudes bonding over survival scenarios, wolves, Liam Neeson, and more...
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161. The Blobscars!
It's time to celebrate the films of 2025! No film can win in more than one of the following categories: + Best Supporting Character + Movie Most Likely to Grow on Me + Hidden Gem + Best Music + Best Line / Speech + Best Antagonist + Best Protagonist + Best Story + Best Picture Advertising...
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160. Marty Supreme (w/ Sean Burns)
Pick up your paddles, it's time to PONG! Marty Supreme is a 2025 movie directed by Josh Safdie starring Timothy Chalamet about an upstart New York table tennis savant who'll do anything to succeed at the sport and who just wants someone to treat him as seriously as he takes himself. We're joined…
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159. One Battle After Another (w/ Roxana Hadadi)
Roxana Hadadi (Vulture / New York Magazine) joins us to discuss Paul Thomas Anderson's BP lock(?) and everything surrounding the film: its structure, violent / non-violent resistance, broader themes in PTA's films... and much more! Is it time to call in a Greyhawk-10? Advertising Inquiries:...
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158. Tenet (REPLAY)
Five years out, and it's time to look back on TENET with a replay of our episode from 2021. In it, we talk about parenthood, emotions, time inversion, free will, buddies, why this can't be done in any other medium, and also why the movie kicks butt! If you haven't given Tenet a second shot, now's...
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157. Body Heat (w/ Alex Kugelman)
Players, chimes, noir conventions, screenwriting tips, running hot, tacit communication, and horny lawyers can only mean one thing -- we're discussing BODY HEAT! Joining us is Alex Kugelman, writer/director of the new hit film DON'T TRIP (streaming now on Tubi). Can you handle the heat??!?...
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156. When Harry Met Sally
To celebrate the life and work of Rob Reiner, we wanted to cover our favorite of his films, which also happens to be a great NEW YEAR'S film! So join us to discuss the mysteries of love, and disagree about how to interpret the interstitial older couple interviews. Here's to 2026! Advertising...
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155. The Santa Clause (w/ Emily St. James)
Oh no Scott Calvin (maybe) killed Santa Claus and now through the power of legally binding contracts he has to become the Big Man himself! Will the power of belief triumph over police and psychiatry? Who will be crowned champion of the elves-only cocoa-making competition? Who are those puppets...
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154. Amelie (w/ Brianna Ashby)
Join us and Brianna Ashby (Bright Wall / Dark Room) to discuss 2001's AMELIE! We discuss loneliness, color theory, mediated interactions, breaking through stasis, and whether this is a post-COVID movie made before COVID! Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
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153. Grave of the Fireflies (w/ Sam Liao)
We are joined by Sam Liao (Philosophy, University of Puget Sound) to discuss our first animated film on the show: Isao Takahata's Grave of the Fireflies! We discuss childhood, innocence, war, societal collapse, and much more! Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
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152. Parasite (w/ Rachel Fraser)
We sit down with Rachel Fraser (MIT, Philosophy) to discuss Bong Joon Ho's Academy Award winning movie PARASITE! What do Freud, Jane Eyre, and Marx have to do with a movie about three families in South Korea? Psychoanalysis, transgression, class consciousness, ideology, ghosts, Hitchcock, and…
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151. Rec (w/ Pete Turner)
Continuing spooky season, we sit down with Pete Turner (Oxford Brookes University) to discuss found footage horror and the now-classic entry into the genre, REC! We discuss why this isn't "found footage"(!) although it is diegetic camera horror, and how the film uses the limited perspective to...
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150. Red Rooms (w/ Emily St. James)
Join us and Emily St. James to surf the dark web and hopefully not stumble upon any RED ROOMS. We discuss image management in the era of hyper-connectivity, Arthurian legends, Tennyson poems and 19th Century Chinese pirates, and of course, serial killers. Is this a comfort watch or a perfect…
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149. Star Trek: The Motion Picture (w/ Max Evry)
We are joined by Max Evry (author of A Masterpiece in Disarray: David Lynch's Dune) to discuss another sci-fi epic of the same generation, this one starring Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock! Exploration, practical effects, V'GER!, mystery, AI, leaping beyond logic!! Star Trek: The Motion Picture…
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148. Flatliners (w/ Andrew Overbye and Hannah Blechman)
We're joined by Andrew Overbye and Hannah Blechman from the Authorized Novelizations Podcast to explore near-death experiences, spirituality, brat packs, and more during our discussion of Joel Schumacher's 1990 film FLATLINERS! Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
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147. Warfare (w/ Jim Penola)
Alex Garland's second film in two years traces the true story of co-director Ray Mendoza's experiences in Iraq. We discuss the film with Jim Penola (An Invitation Productions), considering what drove Garland to the project, heroic sacrifice, decontextualizing violence, and the film's commitment…
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146. In the Mouth of Madness (w/ Carly Severn)
We do, in fact, read Sutter Cane! Carly Severn (KQED San Francisco) returns to explore the world of mass market paperbacks that portend the return of the Old Ones and the end of humanity in John Carpenter's homage to Lovecraft. Is it Mommy's Day? Sadly, yes, it is. Advertising Inquiries:...
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145. Re-Animator (w/ Scout Tafoya)
Life, death, and rebirth are on the exam table as we pull up the chart on Stuart Gordon's RE-ANIMATOR (1985). Scout Tafoya (Ignite Films) returns to explore the film, its impact and legacy, men's desire to procreate without women, practical effects, consent, horror, and of course, H.P. Lovecraft!...
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144. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (w/ Abe Mathew)
The spy life. Espionage. Trust. Betrayal. Boring office parties. It's the anti-James-Bond. Abe Mathew (Philosophy, Notre Dame) joins us to discuss Le Carre and the 2011 film adaptation of his most famous novel. Trust no one! Cowspod.com! Buy a T-Shirt at our NEW merch site! Advertising Inquiries:...
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143. Heat (w/ Zed Adams)
Come on over to our dead-tech, postmodernistic, bullsh*t, house and watch HEAT with us and Zed Adams (Philosophy, The New School)! Time, light, passing, entrapment, stylized realism, stoicism, individualism, institutionalism, and why people be thieving. Cowspod.com! Buy a T-Shirt at our NEW merch...
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142. Enough Said (w/ Jason Bailey)
We are joined by Jason Bailey, author of Gandolfini: Jim, Tony, and the Life of a Legend, to discuss one of his final films, ENOUGH SAID. We talk about midlife romances, self-destructive tendencies, shaggy stories, and a lot about Mr. Gandolfini's honest and vulnerable performance. Check it out!...
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141. Cobra (w/ Philip Gawthorne)
We sit down with Phil Gawthorne (Die Hard on a Blank) to discuss our second Stallone flick, Cobra. We discuss how the film's absurdities make it endearing, the catharsis of comeuppance, aesthetic vibes, robot fashion, metanarrative love. Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts! Find us on Blue Sky!…
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140. Talk to Her (w/ Jim Miller)
We sit down with Jim Miller (The New School) to discuss Pedro Almodovar's challenging film TALK TO HER. We consider the juxtaposition of beauty and horror, the duality of subjects and objects, the blurry lines around the moral, ballet, and friendship. Check out Jim's book on Almodovar! Reach out…
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139. Whiplash (w/ Brad Skow)
We are joined by Brad Skow (Philosophy, MIT) to discuss Damien Chazelle's WHIPLASH! Abuse, striving, greatness, parenting, color, the ending(!), and, of course, jazz. Read Brad's substack! Follow us on Blue Sky! Buy a cows shirt on Threadless! Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
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138. 20th Century Women (w/ Chad Perman)
We sit down with Chad Perman (Bright Wall / Dark Room) to discuss Mike Mills' autobiographical love letter to his mom. We discuss how becoming a parent helps you become closer to your own parents, finding ourselves alienated from our own children, empaths, narratives as a source of therapy, and...
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137. Demolition Man (w/ Liam Billingham)
It's our first Sly film, so we sit down with Liam Billingham (Die Hard on a Blank) to discuss future politics, the film's political litmus test, its satire of a conservative's fever dream of liberal tyranny, masculinity, and more! Follow us on Blue Sky! Buy a cows shirt on Threadless! Advertising...
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136. Risky Business (w/ Jay Elliott)
We talk with Jay Elliott (Philosophy, Bard College) about RISKY BUSINESS! White boys off the lake, Tom Cruise, sexual anxiety, capitalism, authenticity, Hitchcock, and more! Find us on Blue Sky! Buy a cows t-shirt! Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
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135. Mikey and Nicky (w/ Dan Wack)
We sit down with Dan Wack (Philosophy, Knox College) to discuss Elaine May's Mikey and Nicky! We talk gangsters, friendship, honesty, barriers, hangout films, misogyny, character studies, and much more! Follow us on Blue Sky! Buy a cows shirt on Threadless! Advertising Inquiries:...
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134. The Blobscars (w/ Jon Gabrus)
Jon Gabrus joins us to award our favorite movies of 2024! Who will take home the coveted Blobscar? Tune in to find out! Follow us on Blue Sky! Buy a cows shirt on Threadless! Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
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133. Nickel Boys (w/ Bilge Ebiri)
We welcome back Bilge Ebiri (Vulture / New York Magazine) to discuss RaMell Ross's 2024 film, Nickel Boys! We talk about the film's formal stylistic innovations, its focus on interstitial moments, its exploration of different responses to injustice, how it invites us to integrate our own memories...
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132. Nosferatu - 2024 (w/ Phil Iscove)
We sit down with Phil Iscove (of Podcast Like It's...) to discuss Robert Eggers' Nosferatu! We discuss how the film is Ellen's story, compare it with the many other versions, sexual liberation and sexual angst, scientific progress and the patriarchy, the beauty in decay, and the film's dark sense...
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Happy Gilmore (Reprise) w/ Tim Gilman
Gilmore as populist disruptor, Grandma's tax situation, hockey vs. golf, anger, Chubbs, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and of course Shooter McGavin! We're @cowspod.com on Blue Sky! Find us on the web at cowspod.com SUBSCRIBE! Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
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131. Grinch x3 (w/ Emily St. James)
Merry Christmas to all, including THE GRINCH! We sit down with Emily St. James to discuss all three Grinch movies (How the Grinch Stole Christmas '66 + '00, and The Grinch '18). We inquire about what the Grinch story is all about, whether we really needed a Grinch backstory, what part of speech...
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130. Home Alone (w/ Dan Harris)
Join us and Dan Harris (Philosophy, CUNY) to discuss HOME ALONE! We consider the film's permission structure for excusing parental negligence, humoring breaking and entering, the film's ideological implications about the nuclear family, and what Kevin really thinks he did to his parents....
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129. Gaslight (w/ Joseph McBride)
We sit down with film historian Joseph McBride to discuss George Cukor's 1944 film, Gaslight. We discuss Cukor's reputation among the great studio directors, his skill working with actors, the social and political dimensions of the film, including what makes diagnosing and resisting gaslighting…
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128. Drive (w/ Roxana Hadadi)
Cars, men, masculinity, westerns, scorpions, frogs, wanderers, conservative values, violence, very hot people, and more... it's Nicholas Winding Refn's DRIVE with Roxana Hadadi! Follow us on Twitter and Bluesky and Instagram! Buy a cows shirt on Threadless! Advertising Inquiries:...
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127. Song to Song (w/ Matt Strohl)
Join us and Matt Strohl (Philosophy, Montana) to live from Song to Song and discuss Terence Malick, genuine freedom, the challenges of dealing with aesthetic dismissal, the value of "difficult" art, family, situated abstractionism, art and commerce, temptation, regret, second chances, and much...
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Cows in the field have?
Cows in the field currently has 177 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Cows in the field about?
A movie podcast inspired by a Werner Herzog quote, “We have to articulate ourselves, otherwise we would be cows in the field.” Hosted by Justin Khoo (professor of philosophy at MIT) and Laura Khoo (art historian turned fundraiser).
How often does Cows in the field release new episodes?
Cows in the field publishes regularly with 177 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to Cows in the field?
You can listen to Cows in the field 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 Cows in the field?
Cows in the field is created and hosted by Blobcat Filmindustri.
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