Cup of Tea Critiques Podcast

Do you still find My Cousin Vinny funny? Let’s go back even further. Do you still laugh when watching Beverly Hills Cop? How is it that some comedies are ephemeral, but others can be rewatched decades later and still have you falling on the floor laughing? “Shirley,” it is a combination of elements and not just the jokes or timing. What is the secret sauce to a comedy’s longevity? Join us on the Cup of Tea Critiques Podcast as we take a deep dive into rewatchable comedies. Send us a comment to let us know some rewatchable comedies on your list. For future updates, subscribe to our podcast wherever you listen, and for email updates on all things COTC, subscribe to our website using the link below: https://www.cupofteacritiques.com/subscribe Badasie, Charlene. “The 5 Best Boomer Comedies that are Actually Hilarious.” Just Watch (February 28 2026). https://guides.justwatch.com/us/best-boomer-comedies-still-hold-up. Bowman, Josh. “Ten 80s Comedies That Hold Up (and Five That Don’t).” Good Men Project. (July 2 2012). https://goodmenproject.com/good-feed-blog/ten-things-ive-learnedten-eighties-comedies-that-hold-up-and-five-that-dont/. “18 Classic Comedies that Still Hold Up Today.” The Modest Man. (August 19 2025). https://www.themodestman.com/18-classic-comedies-that-still-hold-up-today/. “The Most Rewatchable Comedy Films.” Ranker Film (October 25 2025). https://www.ranker.com/list/comedy-movies-you-can-watch-over-and-over/ranker-film. Townsend, Kevin, Megan Garber, Sophie Gilber, et al. “The Classic ’90s Sitcom That’s Actually Worth Rewatching.” The Atlantic. https://www.theatlantic.com/podcasts/archive/2022/01/frasier-peak-comfort-television/621331/. Van Horn, Shawn. “Why Is ‘Seinfeld’ So Hard to Watch Now?” Collider (April 1 2023). https://collider.com/seinfeld-aged-badly/. #cupofteareviews, #filmreviews, #indiefilm, #cinephilecommunity, #movielover, #instamovies, #ilovecinema, #instafilm, #ilovemovies, #movienight, #movieworld, #moviefan, #moviefans, #filmfan, #filmfans, #instacinema, #movie, #movies, #film, #films, #filmisnotdead, #favoritemovie, #nowwatching, #moviereview, #teatime, #movietime, #movielovers, #moviefan, #movies, #cupofteacritiques, #comedyfilms, #comedymovie, #comedymoments, #playitagain Send us Fan MailSUBSCRIBEFooterWe hope you enjoyed listening as much as we enjoyed sharing. Join us again for another deep look with a deep brew!Stay in touch on all things COTC by subscribing on our website at cupofteacritiques.com.Follow us on Letterboxd at COTCritiques.Follow us on Facebook and Instagram at CUPOFTEACRITIQUES.For comments and questions, email us at [email protected]. 

The release of Project Hail Mary and near simultaneous launch of Artemis II make this an opportune time to explore space movies. For some of us, the term space movies is a misnomer, since they often encompass movies where the alien activity is earthbound. Think Predator, Independence Day, and The Day the Earth Stood Still. What is your favorite “space” movie and how do you define this subgenre? Join us on the Cup of Tea Critiques Podcast as we talk about the appeal of celestial cinema. Send us a comment to let us know your favorite space movie. For future updates, subscribe to our podcast wherever you listen, and for email updates on all things COTC, subscribe to our website using the link below: https://www.cupofteacritiques.com/subscribe  Brody, David Sky. Why do we love space movies? Space.com (July 22 2016). https://www.space.com/31249-why-do-we-love-space-movies.html. Harris, Ian. “Why are we obsessed with space movies?” The Michigan Daily (September 17 2019). https://www.michigandaily.com/arts/why-are-we-obsessed-space-movies/. Troicka, Marta. “Tech Billionaires Have Sucked the Fun out of Space Movies.” Kill Your Darlings (February 10 2020). https://www.killyourdarlings.com.au/article/tech-billionaires-have-sucked-the-fun-out-of-space-movies/. #cupofteareviews, #filmreviews, #indiefilm, #cinephilecommunity, #movielover, #instamovies, #ilovecinema, #instafilm, #ilovemovies, #movienight, #movieworld, #moviefan, #moviefans, #filmfan, #filmfans, #instacinema, #movie, #movies, #film, #films, #filmisnotdead, #favoritemovie, #nowwatching, #moviereview, #teatime, #movietime, #projecthailmary, #spacemovie, #space, #galacticadventures, #galaxy, #starwars, #pitchblack, #hiddenfigures, #startrek Send us Fan MailSUBSCRIBEFooterWe hope you enjoyed listening as much as we enjoyed sharing. Join us again for another deep look with a deep brew!Stay in touch on all things COTC by subscribing on our website at cupofteacritiques.com.Follow us on Letterboxd at COTCritiques.Follow us on Facebook and Instagram at CUPOFTEACRITIQUES.For comments and questions, email us at [email protected]. 

Some mistakes in movies and television, like the infamous Starbucks cup in the Game of Thrones scene or the fifty-star flags in Oppenheimer (set before Alaska and Hawaii achieved statehood), are just gaffes that make you shake your head or shrug your shoulders. Others, though, enhance the scene. Take Leonardo DiCaprio slicing his hand in Django Unchained. The actor used the painful snafu to lean into the depravity of his character by smearing blood on Django’s wife, played by Kerry Washington (not sure how this landed with her!). Join us on the Cup of Tea Critiques Podcast where we discuss film gaffes and how they not only enhance scenes but make the movies better in their entirety. Send us a comment to let us know some of your favorite movie gaffes. For future updates, subscribe to our podcast wherever you listen, and for email updates on all things COTC, subscribe to our website using the link below: https://www.cupofteacritiques.com/subscribe Aharonoff, Sharon. “Authenticity in Cinema: Why Audiences Crave Realism on the Big Screen.” Medium (January 18 2024). Bell, David. “The Most Hilarious Onscreen Goofs in Movies and TV.” Collider (May 22 2019). https://collider.com/galleries/hilarious-onscreen-goofs-movies-tv/.  Flatau, Seb. “10 Movie Mistakes that Actually Made the Scene Better.” Screenrant (Aug 1 2023). https://screenrant.com/movie-mistakes-scene-better-improvisation/. Marder, Hannah. “People are sharing the most annoyingly obvious movie and TV mistakes they spotted, and honestly, movie magic can only go so far.” Buzzfeed. (May 26 2025). https://www.buzzfeed.com/hannahmarder/super-annoying-movie-and-tv-mistakes. “Movie Mistakes that Were Too Good to Cut.” Looper. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEsrz0nMa5U. Taylor, Michael Edward. “20 Worst Continuity Mistakes in Movie History.” Screenrant  (December 22 2021). https://screenrant.com/worst-continuity-mistakes-movie-history/. #filmreviews, #indiefilm, #cinephilecommunity, #movielover, #instamovies, #ilovecinema, #instafilm, #ilovemovies, #movienight, #movieworld, #moviefan, #moviefans, #filmfan, #filmfans, #instacinema, #movie, #movies, #film, #films, #filmisnotdead, #favoritemovie, #nowwatching, #moviereview, #teatime, #movietime, #gameofthrones, #moviemistakes, #moviemistake, #filmmistakes Send us Fan MailSUBSCRIBEFooterWe hope you enjoyed listening as much as we enjoyed sharing. Join us again for another deep look with a deep brew!Stay in touch on all things COTC by subscribing on our website at cupofteacritiques.com.Follow us on Letterboxd at COTCritiques.Follow us on Facebook and Instagram at CUPOFTEACRITIQUES.For comments and questions, email us at [email protected]. 

 Epic Films. Even the label sounds lofty, doesn’t it? Webster has interesting synonyms for “epic”: majestic, monumental, magnificent, impressive. Collins views it in terms of time and scale: long, extended, classic, grandiose. On this podcast, we talk about epic films and learn that both our ideas about them and our affinity for them vary. Where one of us thinks epic is related to the feelings the story leaves them with, another thinks of the movie in terms of its duration. Where one thinks of an epic film as a battle between good and evil, another says an epic can even be a comedy. (Yes, I think it’s a stretch too.) Join us on the Cup of Tea Critiques Podcast where we discuss epic films and strive to decipher the elements that qualify movies for such a lofty category. What’s your definition of epic? Send us a comment to let us know some of your favorite epic films. For future updates, subscribe to our podcast wherever you listen, and for email updates on all things COTC, subscribe to our website using the link below: https://www.cupofteacritiques.com/subscribe “Films that Define the Word “EPIC.”” The Beverly Reviews. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_KzsZbTycCs. Hepp, Nathan. “The Settings of The Epic Film.” Arcadia (September 25 2022). https://www.byarcadia.org/post/film-genre-101-the-settings-of-the-epic-film. mekebo, yabenek. “What Makes a Movie Epic?” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNiD0zkc40A. “The Epic.” Entertain the Elk. TV Tropes. https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/TheEpic. Wallace, Randall. “What Makes a Film an Epic.” Directors Guild of America (September 2003). https://www.dga.org/craft/dgaq/issues/0309-september-2003/what-makes-a-film-an-epic.  #cupofteareviews, #filmreviews, #indiefilm, #cinephilecommunity, #movielover, #instamovies, #ilovecinema, #instafilm, #ilovemovies, #movienight, #movieworld, #moviefan, #moviefans, #filmfan, #filmfans, #instacinema, #movie, #movies, #film, #films, #filmisnotdead, #favoritemovie, #nowwatching, #moviereview, #teatime, #movietime, #epicfilm, #epicfilms, #ferrisbuellersdayoff, #ferrisbueller, #thematrix, #thetencommandments Send us Fan MailSUBSCRIBEFooterWe hope you enjoyed listening as much as we enjoyed sharing. Join us again for another deep look with a deep brew!Stay in touch on all things COTC by subscribing on our website at cupofteacritiques.com.Follow us on Letterboxd at COTCritiques.Follow us on Facebook and Instagram at CUPOFTEACRITIQUES.For comments and questions, email us at [email protected]. 

When pitchers and catchers report for spring training, our antennas are raised in anticipation of the upcoming baseball season. A recent article published in the Philly Front Office hints that some of us prime ourselves for Opening Day by watching 5–10 of our favorite baseball movies like Field of Dreams, Major League, Little Big League, and Trouble with the Curve. Arguably, more than any other subgenre about sport, baseball movies stir feelings of romanticism and nostalgia, taking former players back to their heydays when they played catch with a parent, competed on freshly cut fields, got their first hit, and caught their first fly ball. Those for whom baseball defined their youth, the succession of baseball movie releases speak to their own personal journeys. The movies, interestingly, help them track where they were in their baseball development and personal maturation at the time of the film’s release. Join us on the Cup of Tea Critiques Podcast where we discuss baseball movies and their significance across cultures and in defining personal journeys. Send us a comment to let us know some of your favorite baseball movies. For future updates, subscribe to our podcast wherever you listen, and for email updates on all things COTC, subscribe to our website using the link below: https://www.cupofteacritiques.com/subscribe “Baseball Movies: A Home Run in Popular Culture.” Born to Watch: A Movie Podcast (June 6 2024). https://www.borntowatch.com.au/blog/baseball-movies-a-home-run-in-pop-culture/. Coooper, Will. “The mythmaking of iconic baseball movies.” The Michigan Daily (April 2 2025). https://www.michigandaily.com/arts/the-mythmaking-of-iconic-baseball-movies/. Haddon, Cole. “When the Baseball Film Helped Make America (Kind of) Great.” (October 5 2024). https://colehaddon.substack.com/p/when-the-baseball-film-helped-make.  Kruspe, Adam. “Baseball on Film.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ItYScNYRA5w. “Why the Best Sports Movies are About Baseball.” Entertain the Elk. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfqyWJs69rs.  #filmreviews, #indiefilm, #cinephilecommunity, #movielover, #instamovies, #ilovecinema, #instafilm, #ilovemovies, #movienight, #movieworld, #moviefan, #moviefans, #filmfan, #filmfans, #instacinema, #movie, #movies, #film, #films, #filmisnotdead, #favoritemovie, #nowwatching, #moviereview, #teatime, #movietime, #baseball, #sportsmovies, #sSend us Fan MailSUBSCRIBEFooterWe hope you enjoyed listening as much as we enjoyed sharing. Join us again for another deep look with a deep brew!Stay in touch on all things COTC by subscribing on our website at cupofteacritiques.com.Follow us on Letterboxd at COTCritiques.Follow us on Facebook and Instagram at CUPOFTEACRITIQUES.For comments and questions, email us at [email protected]. 

Surprisingly, The Rip, a box office-worthy movie starring Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, opened on Netflix in January. Though we are glad about the choice to release a potential box office hit on streaming, the reasons behind it are conversations for another day. In the film, Damon and Affleck lead a small team of cops who stumble upon millions of dollars in cash when they investigate a tip about a home outside of their jurisdiction. The money stirs temptation and distrust among the teammates. Add to this the curious events that begin occurring in the surrounding neighborhood, The Rip makes for a stimulating and immersive story. It got us thinking about the appeal of crooked cop movies. What is it about them that keeps us engaged and running to the theaters (or our streaming channels) for more? Join us on the Cup of Tea Critiques Podcast as we discuss the allure of crooked cop movies. Send us a comment to let us know some of your favorite crooked cop movies. For future updates, subscribe to our podcast wherever you listen, and for email updates on all things COTC, subscribe to our website using the link below: https://www.cupofteacritiques.com/subscribe  Boyer, Daniel. “10 Best Crooked Cops in Movies, According to Reddit.” Collider (July 10 2023). https://collider.com/best-crooked-cops-movies-reddit/. Coyle, Jake. “Movie Review: In ‘The Rip,’ cops both good and dirty find millions in cash.” AP News (January 15 2026). https://apnews.com/article/rip-review-matt-damon-ben-affleck-b23f62bc18025321a102626ad263888b/. Harrison, Alex. “The True Story Behind Ben Affleck & Matt Damon's The Rip Movie.” Screen Rant (January 1 2026). https://screenrant.com/the-rip-movie-true-story-comparison/. Primas, Hope. “What is Copaganda?” Screencraft (April 22 2025). https://blackmediaiq.substack.com/p/what-is-copaganda/.  #cupofteareviews, #filmreviews, #indiefilm, #cinephilecommunity, #movielover, #instamovies, #ilovecinema, #instafilm, #ilovemovies, #movienight, #movieworld, #moviefan, #moviefans, #filmfan, #filmfans, #instacinema, #movie, #movies, #film, #films, #filmisnotdead, #favoritemovie, #nowwatching, #moviereview, #cupofteacritiques, #teatime, #movietime, #therip, #crookedcops, #negotiator, #samuelljackson, #trainingday, #police, #badcops, #denzelwashington, #mattdamon, #benaffleck Send us Fan MailSUBSCRIBEFooterWe hope you enjoyed listening as much as we enjoyed sharing. Join us again for another deep look with a deep brew!Stay in touch on all things COTC by subscribing on our website at cupofteacritiques.com.Follow us on Letterboxd at COTCritiques.Follow us on Facebook and Instagram at CUPOFTEACRITIQUES.For comments and questions, email us at [email protected]. 

How many times did you go to the theater in January to see a movie? If you responded with a number greater than zero, this would be surprising. Why? January has long been considered “dump month” for movies, since studios typically use this time to schedule theatrical releases that are not expected to perform well at the box office. In January, many people are coming off the winter holiday break, getting back into their routines, and working to rebuild their savings after the season of high spending. As such, movie-going is low on their list of priorities (if it is on their list at all). So, the studios figure: why release a promising film in a month when theater seats are close to empty? It seems like a sound business strategy. But can it also be true that cinephiles don’t go to the theaters in January because of the lackluster releases, thereby creating a self-fulfilling prophecy? Join us on the Cup of Tea Critiques Podcast to figure out where you fall on January dump month.Send us a comment to let us know what side of the January dump month debate you fall on. For future updates, subscribe to our podcast wherever you listen, and for email updates on all things COTC, subscribe to our website using the link below:https://www.cupofteacritiques.com/subscribeFink, Richard. “Why January Is Considered a Dump Month for Movies, and Is That Still True?” Movieweb (January 10 2023). https://movieweb.com/january-movies-dump-month/Laman, Lisa. “How January Became a Dump Month for Cinema - and Why That's Changing.” Collider (January 20 2022). https://collider.com/january-dump-month-changing/.Roberts, Gage. Why January is such a lackluster time for movies?” The Voyager (January 29 2024). https://uwfvoyager.com/4069/features/why-january-is-such-a-lackluster-time-for-movies/. “Why is January usually a dead month for new releases?” Reddit. https://www.reddit.com/r/boxoffice/comments/18zl5l0/why_is_january_usually_a_dead_month_for_new/. #cupofteareviews, #filmreviews, #indiefilm, #cinephilecommunity, #movielover, #instamovies, #ilovecinema, #instafilm, #ilovemovies, #movienight, #movieworld, #moviefan, #moviefans, #filmfan, #filmfans, #instacinema, #movie, #movies, #film, #films, #filmisnotdead, #favoritemovie, #nowwatching, #moviereview, #teatime, #movietime, #january, #january2026, #january2025, #january2024 Send us Fan MailSUBSCRIBEFooterWe hope you enjoyed listening as much as we enjoyed sharing. Join us again for another deep look with a deep brew!Stay in touch on all things COTC by subscribing on our website at cupofteacritiques.com.Follow us on Letterboxd at COTCritiques.Follow us on Facebook and Instagram at CUPOFTEACRITIQUES.For comments and questions, email us at [email protected]. 

How do you remember studying history during Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Black History Month? Let me guess, memorizing names and facts. Boring! They can have value, though; so, let me add one more. Did you know that Black History Month began as a one-week nod to Frederick Douglass’s and Abraham Lincoln’s birthdays? In this episode, rather than regurgitating facts, we consider how Martin Luther King Jr.’s assertion that everyone has the right to live with dignity is weaved into contemporary cinema. We also share our own dreams for future stories that normalize the humanity of Black people and continue to push Black representations forward.Send us a comment to let us know how you are planning to celebrate Black history this year. For future updates, subscribe to our podcast wherever you listen, and for email updates on all things COTC, subscribe to our website using the link below:https://www.cupofteacritiques.com/subscribe Black Film Wire. https://www.blackfilmwire.com/.“Black Movie Hall of Fame set to open in 2026 at Boone Theater in Kansas City.” FOX4 News Kansas City. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kEkQZZyGTxQ.Havens, Rhys. “25 Inspirational Martin Luther King, Jr. Quotes.” Unexpected (November 20 2024). https://unexpectedvirtualtours.com/resources/mlk-inspirational-quotes/.Jean-Gilles, Vladimir. “Black Movie Hall of Fame to be Inaugurated in Kansas City in 2026.” Shifter (October 21 2025). https://shiftermagazine.com/film-and-tv/black-movie-hall-of-fame. #cupofteareviews, #filmreviews, #indiefilm, #cinephilecommunity, #movielover, #instamovies, #ilovecinema, #instafilm, #ilovemovies, #movienight, #movieworld, #moviefan, #moviefans, #filmfan, #filmfans, #instacinema, #movie, #movies, #film, #films, #filmisnotdead, #favoritemovie, #nowwatching, #moviereview, #teatime, #movietime, #mlk, #martinlutherkingjrday, #martinlutherking, #martinlutherkingquotes, #blackhistory, #blackhistorymonth, #blackhistorymatters, #blackpanther, #selma, #boomerang, #superbad Send us Fan MailSUBSCRIBEFooterWe hope you enjoyed listening as much as we enjoyed sharing. Join us again for another deep look with a deep brew!Stay in touch on all things COTC by subscribing on our website at cupofteacritiques.com.Follow us on Letterboxd at COTCritiques.Follow us on Facebook and Instagram at CUPOFTEACRITIQUES.For comments and questions, email us at [email protected]. 

Have you seen a really good streaming movie on Netflix, Apple TV+, or Hulu? I mean a film that was so good, you felt it should have received theatrical release and major award considerations. There are several reasons why this probably didn’t happen, and we talk about some of them on the podcast. But the impetus for “Streamers vs Box Office” is to drill down on a prominent film director’s comments asserting that streaming films should not be considered for major award nominations. During the show, we not only disagree with one another on this, but our feelings on the subject are quite strong. If you don’t mind us being a little testy, join us on podcast. Maybe our debate will help you think through your own stance on this issue.Send us a comment to let us know if you think streaming movies should be eligible for Oscar nods. For future updates, subscribe to our podcast wherever you listen, and for email updates on all things COTC, subscribe to our website using the link below:https://www.cupofteacritiques.com/subscribeFerme, Antonio. “Joel Edgerton Says James Cameron Shouldn’t ‘Be Squabbling’ Over ‘What Has a Right to Be Seen’ After Arguing Netflix Films Don’t Belong at the Oscars.” Variety (December 3 2025). https://variety.com/2025/film/news/joel-edgerton-james-cameron-netflix-oscars-1236597593/.Rizzo, Lillian and Sara Salinas. “Netflix to buy Warner Bros. film and streaming assets in $72 billion deal” CNBC (December 5 2025). https://www.cnbc.com/2025/12/05/neflix-warner-bros-discovery-deal.html.“The Town with Matthew Belloni.” The Ringer (November 24 2025). https://www.theringer.com/podcasts/the-town-with-matthew-belloni/2025/11/24/part-2-james-cameron-on-avatar-4-and-5-movie-biz-fears-3d-netflix-and-aliens.#cupofteareviews, #filmreviews, #indiefilm, #cinephilecommunity, #movielover, #instamovies, #ilovecinema, #instafilm, #ilovemovies, #movienight, #movieworld, #moviefan, #moviefans, #filmfan, #filmfans, #instacinema, #movie, #movies, #film, #films, #filmisnotdead, #favoritemovie, #nowwatching, #moviereview, #teatime, #movietime, #avatar, #netflix Send us Fan MailSUBSCRIBEFooterWe hope you enjoyed listening as much as we enjoyed sharing. Join us again for another deep look with a deep brew!Stay in touch on all things COTC by subscribing on our website at cupofteacritiques.com.Follow us on Letterboxd at COTCritiques.Follow us on Facebook and Instagram at CUPOFTEACRITIQUES.For comments and questions, email us at [email protected]. 

We often think about our identities as multilayered (Black, White, Italian, Mexican, man, woman), but rarely do we think of them as intersectional, or even that others might view them as clashing or contradictory. Imagine, for instance, that you were both Palestinian and Israeli. Michael Moshe Dahan’s film, Yes Repeat No, is based on the experiences of a person who didn’t just imagine this, but who lived it. Join us on the Cup of Tea Critiques Podcast as we talk to Michael about his motivations for and the challenges he encountered with pulling together Yes Repeat No, which is now available on Prime Video.Send us a comment letting us know your thoughts on the movie or how you think you would handle such a politicized identity. For future updates, subscribe to our podcast wherever you listen, and for email updates on all things COTC, subscribe to our website using the link below:https://www.cupofteacritiques.com/subscribe#cupofteareviews, #filmreviews, #indiefilm, #cinephilecommunity, #movielover, #instamovies, #ilovecinema, #instafilm, #ilovemovies, #movienight, #movieworld, #moviefan, #moviefans, #filmfan, #filmfans, #instacinema, #movie, #movies, #film, #films, #filmisnotdead, #favoritemovie, #nowwatching, #moviereview, #teatime, #movietime, #moviewatching, #moviequote, #moviequotes, #prime, #primevideo Send us Fan MailSUBSCRIBEFooterWe hope you enjoyed listening as much as we enjoyed sharing. Join us again for another deep look with a deep brew!Stay in touch on all things COTC by subscribing on our website at cupofteacritiques.com.Follow us on Letterboxd at COTCritiques.Follow us on Facebook and Instagram at CUPOFTEACRITIQUES.For comments and questions, email us at [email protected]. 

It’s that time of year again where we gather the family together and pull out the holiday movies. What are some of your favorites to watch? Home Alone? Jack Frost? Maybe A Charlie Brown Christmas is an absolute must for you. Film professors say we watch Christmas movies because we need to feel close to loved ones this time of year. The romance, predictable stories, and even the bright costumes worn by the characters in most of these movies induce a sense of lightness. But what about movies that only have Christmas as a backdrop (i.e, Die Hard, Enemy of the State)? Do they fit the bill for a Christmas movie? Join us on the Cup of Tea Critiques Podcast as we discuss Christmas movies and consider what makes a movie fit this subgenre.Send us a comment to let us know some of your favorite Christmas movies. For future updates, subscribe to our podcast wherever you listen, and for email updates on all things COTC, subscribe to our website using the link below:https://www.cupofteacritiques.com/subscribeHartman, Steven. “The Psychology Behind Our Obsession with Christmas Movies.” Screencraft (December 20 2023). https://screencraft.org/blog/the-psychology-behind-our-obsession-with-christmas-movies/.Moniuszko, Sara. “A psychologist explains why your brain loves cheesy holiday movies.” CBS News (December 20 2023). https://www.cbsnews.com/news/holiday-movies-psychologist-explains/.Wray, Jeff. “Ask the experts: Why are we drawn to holiday movies?” MSU Today (December 7 2023). https://msutoday.msu.edu/news/2023/12/ask-the-expert-why-are-we-drawn-to-holiday-movies.#cupofteareviews, #filmreviews, #indiefilm, #cinephilecommunity, #movielover, #instamovies, #ilovecinema, #instafilm, #ilovemovies, #movienight, #movieworld, #moviefan, #moviefans, #filmfan, #filmfans, #instacinema, #movie, #movies, #film, #films, #filmisnotdead, #favoritemovie, #nowwatching, #moviereview, #teatime, #movietime, #christmasmovies, #christmasmovie, #christmas, #diehard, #enemyofthestate, #homealone, #charliebrownchristmas Send us Fan MailSUBSCRIBEFooterWe hope you enjoyed listening as much as we enjoyed sharing. Join us again for another deep look with a deep brew!Stay in touch on all things COTC by subscribing on our website at cupofteacritiques.com.Follow us on Letterboxd at COTCritiques.Follow us on Facebook and Instagram at CUPOFTEACRITIQUES.For comments and questions, email us at [email protected]. 

What are some of the funniest movie lines that come to mind for you? Now think of one or two of your favorites that were more serious than funny. There are a host of reasons cinema quotes stay with us for years and sometimes decades after we have seen the movie in theaters. Often, the quotes are sources of humor for us. Other times, they carry a sense of nostalgia or provide a link for forging relationships with new people. Join us on the Cup of Tea Critiques Podcast as we discuss movie quotes and the varied functions they have beyond just serving as sources of entertainment.Send us a comment letting us know your favorite movie quote. For future updates, subscribe to our podcast wherever you listen, and for email updates on all things COTC, subscribe to our website using the link below:https://www.cupofteacritiques.com/subscribeDavid. “Popular Movie Quotes Used in Daily Conversation [Updated].” Engoo (March 2 2025). https://engoo.com/blog/travel-fun/popular-movie-quotes-used-in-daily-conversation/.“Movie Quotes — how they influence our lives.” Medium (July 3 2023). https://medium.com/@mwamorton51/movie-quotes-how-they-influence-our-lives-98d7dd2e0ff8.“The 20 Most Misquoted Movie Lines of All Time.” wescreenplay. (January 7 2025). https://www.wescreenplay.com/blog/top-20-misquoted-movie-lines/.Walker, Penny. “That's so fetch: Why we love to use movie quotes to communicate.” ASU News (October 2 2018). https://news.asu.edu/20181002-creativity-asu-professor-why-we-use-movie-quotes-communicate.  #cupofteareviews, #filmreviews, #indiefilm, #cinephilecommunity, #movielover, #instamovies, #ilovecinema, #instafilm, #ilovemovies, #movienight, #movieworld, #moviefan, #moviefans, #filmfan, #filmfans, #instacinema, #movie, #movies, #film, #films, #filmisnotdead, #favoritemovie, #nowwatching, #moviereview, #teatime, #movietime, #moviewatching, #moviequote, #moviequotes, #forrestgump, #badboys, #casino, #afewgoodmen, #meangirls, #boomerang, #nostalgia, #beverlyhillscop, #nostalgicSend us Fan MailSUBSCRIBEFooterWe hope you enjoyed listening as much as we enjoyed sharing. Join us again for another deep look with a deep brew!Stay in touch on all things COTC by subscribing on our website at cupofteacritiques.com.Follow us on Letterboxd at COTCritiques.Follow us on Facebook and Instagram at CUPOFTEACRITIQUES.For comments and questions, email us at [email protected]. 

Seen a movie on a rooftop? In a park? How about a cemetery? Yes, it is a thing. But hey, they say don’t knock anything until you try it. How we watch movies in theaters has changed over just the last fifty years or so. We have gone from drive-in theaters and walk-in auditorium style venues to advanced ticket purchasing and immersive experiences with 4DX technology and Cosm shared reality. These dramatic changes have undoubtedly enhanced our movie-watching experiences, making them more engaging than we ever could have imagined. Join us on the Cup of Tea Critiques Podcast as we discuss the different theater experiences and which are best for what genres of movies.Send us a comment letting us know which experience you like best and for what types of films? For future updates, subscribe to our podcast wherever you listen, and for email updates on all things COTC, subscribe to our website using the link below:https://www.cupofteacritiques.com/subscribe“4DX Cinemas Next Generation - Motion Seats, Wind, Fog, Lighting, Bubbles, Water & Scents.” Wonder World. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FN03zZRHSHA.Hellerman, Jason. “What Is IMAX?: Three Examples of the Concert Film.” No Film School (March 19 2024). https://nofilmschool.com/what-is-imax.“IMAX vs Standard Screen: Is the IMAX Experience Truly Worth the Extra Cost?.” HiFi Audios. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7bZ_4cpmfQU.“James Cameron’s Theory of 3D Cinema.” Adam Savage’s Tested. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hoNpFAUo0jo.Martens, Todd. “L.A.’s Sphere-like venue Cosm turns ‘The Matrix’ into an immersive experience.” Los Angeles Times (June 3 2025). https://www.latimes.com/travel/story/2025-06-03/cosm-inglewood-the-matrix.Whitten, Sarah. “Shaking seats and piped-in fog: How 4DX is carving out a niche moviegoing market.” CNBC (May 27 2024). https://www.cnbc.com/2024/05/27/4dx-movie-experience.html.#cupofteareviews, #filmreviews, #indiefilm, #cinephilecommunity, #movielover, #instamovies, #ilovecinema, #instafilm, #ilovemovies, #movienight, #movieworld, #moviefan, #moviefans, #filmfan, #filmfans, #instacinema, #movie, #movies, #film, #films, #filmisnotdead, #favoritemovie, #nowwatching, #moviereview, #teatime, #movietime, #moviewatching, #movieexperience, #immersiveexperience, #immersive, #imax, #imaxexperience, #imax3d, #imaxexplained, #3d, #4dx Send us Fan MailSUBSCRIBEFooterWe hope you enjoyed listening as much as we enjoyed sharing. Join us again for another deep look with a deep brew!Stay in touch on all things COTC by subscribing on our website at cupofteacritiques.com.Follow us on Letterboxd at COTCritiques.Follow us on Facebook and Instagram at CUPOFTEACRITIQUES.For comments and questions, email us at [email protected]. 

Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé and Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour were undoubtedly huge successes, and the decision to transform them into concert films was genius. For about forty years, live concerts by superstar artists have been plagued with exorbitant ticket prices. Concert films just might be a solution to this misery, since the cinematized productions remove the ticketing barriers for fans who dream of seeing their favorite artists. Join us on the Cup of Tea Critiques Podcast as we discuss the growth of concert films.Send us a comment to let us know which music artist you would like to see in a concert film!For future updates, subscribe to our podcast wherever you listen, and for email updates on all things COTC, subscribe to our website using the link below:https://www.cupofteacritiques.com/subscribeDonahue, Tori. “Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, and the Soaring Popularity of Concert Films.” (November 28 2023). https://www.berklee.edu/berklee-now/news/beyonce-taylor-swift-soaring-popularity-concert-films.Huffman, Levi. “Are You Making A Movie?: Three Examples of the Concert Film.” (July 9 2016). https://thebigwblog.wordpress.com/2016/07/09/are-you-making-a-movie-three-examples-of-the-concert-film/.“The Magic of Music & Movies: Why Film Concerts Are a Must-See Experience.” Alabama Symphony Orchestra. https://alabamasymphony.org/blogs/the-magic-of-music-movies/.“The Rise of Concert Films: How and why concert movies took center stage in 2023.” Leveling Up (March 21 2024). https://alderbrook.substack.com/p/the-rise-of-concert-films.Zaleski, Annie. “Why 2023 becoming the year of the concert film is good news for everyone.” Salon (December 26 2023). https://www.salon.com/2023/12/26/concert-films-year-good/.  #cupofteareviews, #filmreviews, #indiefilm, #cinephilecommunity, #movielover, #instamovies, #ilovecinema, #instafilm, #ilovemovies, #movienight, #movieworld, #moviefan, #moviefans, #filmfan, #filmfans, #instacinema, #movie, #movies, #film, #films, #filmisnotdead, #favoritemovie, #nowwatching, #moviereview, #teatime, #movietime, #beyoncé, #beyonce, #beyoncetour, #beyonceconcert, #renaissance, #concertfilm, #erastour, #erastourtaylorswift, #erastourfilm, #erastourmovie Send us Fan MailSUBSCRIBEFooterWe hope you enjoyed listening as much as we enjoyed sharing. Join us again for another deep look with a deep brew!Stay in touch on all things COTC by subscribing on our website at cupofteacritiques.com.Follow us on Letterboxd at COTCritiques.Follow us on Facebook and Instagram at CUPOFTEACRITIQUES.For comments and questions, email us at [email protected]. 

Did you enjoy A Complete Unknown, Fade to Black, and Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere? These and similar productions have enjoyed theatrical releases over the last several years. What do you suppose is motivating the industry to produce biopics of music artists, and what does their continual release suggest about our appetites for cinema on the lives of our favorite musicians. Join us on this week’s Cup of Tea Critiques Podcast as we discuss the recent phenomenon of movie biopics of music artists.  Send us a comment to let us know which music artist you would like to see presented in a biopic? For future updates, subscribe to our podcast wherever you listen, and for email updates on all things COTC, subscribe to our website using the link below:https://www.cupofteacritiques.com/subscribe#cupofteareviews, #filmreviews, #indiefilm, #cinephilecommunity, #movielover, #instamovies, #ilovecinema, #instafilm, #ilovemovies, #movienight, #movieworld, #moviefan, #moviefans, #filmfan, #filmfans, #instacinema, #movie, #movies, #film, #films, #filmisnotdead, #favoritemovie, #nowwatching, #moviereview, #teatime, #movietime, #biopics, #biopic, #springsteen, #delivermefromnowhere, #bobdylan, #fadetoblack, #backtoblack Send us Fan MailSUBSCRIBEFooterWe hope you enjoyed listening as much as we enjoyed sharing. Join us again for another deep look with a deep brew!Stay in touch on all things COTC by subscribing on our website at cupofteacritiques.com.Follow us on Letterboxd at COTCritiques.Follow us on Facebook and Instagram at CUPOFTEACRITIQUES.For comments and questions, email us at [email protected]. 

Remember the old Godzilla and Gamera movies from the 1970s, where the dialogue you heard was perpetually out of sync with the character’s lips on screen? Or have you watched a French film with English subtitles and the characters appear to say more than the captions suggest? If you said yes to either of these, then you probably appreciate how much your viewing experiences have been enhanced with improved dubbing and subtitling over the last few decades. Join us on the Cup of Tea Critiques Podcast, where we delve into the intricacies of dubbing and subtitling, consider how far the technologies have come, and address ways related innovations have expanded movie-going to groups previously left out of the theater experience.  Send us a comment to let us know if you prefer dubbing or subtitles and why.  For future updates, subscribe to our podcast wherever you listen, and for email updates on all things COTC, subscribe to our website using the link below:https://www.cupofteacritiques.com/subscribe ReferencesAcadestudio, Purvi. “Dubbing Solutions for Multilingual Films: Navigating the Complexity of Diverse Languages.” Writers. https://vocal.media/writers/dubbing-solutions-for-multilingual-films-navigating-the-complexity-of-diverse-languages.“Dubbing Movies.” The Why Factor. (November 13 2017). https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dubbing-movies/id561904920?i=1000394744150.“How AI will transform dubbing in Hollywood w/ Scott Mann.” The TED AI Show. (September 30 2024). https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-ai-will-transform-dubbing-in-hollywood-w-scott-mann/id1741574582?i=1000671352075.Hunsaker, Devin. “Subtitling and Dubbing Through the Ages.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p23Lb9L-wVk.Leermakers, Niek. “The Growing Role of Subtitling and Captioning in Multilingual Media.” HappyScribe. (December 11 2023). https://www.happyscribe.com/blog/the-growing-role-of-subtitling-and-captioning-in-multilingual-media.“Sound Cinema: Experiencing film through audio description.” Twenty Thousand Hertz. (September 15 2021). https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sound-cinema-experiencing-film-through-audio-description/id1171270672?i=1000535399707.Send us Fan MailSUBSCRIBEFooterWe hope you enjoyed listening as much as we enjoyed sharing. Join us again for another deep look with a deep brew!Stay in touch on all things COTC by subscribing on our website at cupofteacritiques.com.Follow us on Letterboxd at COTCritiques.Follow us on Facebook and Instagram at CUPOFTEACRITIQUES.For comments and questions, email us at [email protected]. 

Are you a fan of horror? Some people watch movies in the genre year-round, others only during holidays like Halloween. Some people avoid the genre altogether. After all, the movies are often dark, ghoulish, and intensely violent in surreal ways. In other words, horror movies are designed to scare us. But why would we want to subject ourselves to feeling scared? We found some research to answer this question. Join us on the Cup of Tea Critiques Podcast as we peel back the layers on why we like to be scared. Send us a comment to let us know why horror appeals to you. For future updates, subscribe to our podcast wherever you listen, and for email updates on all things COTC, subscribe to our website using the link below:https://www.cupofteacritiques.com/subscribe ReferencesParris, Daniel. “Why Do People Like Horror Films? A Statistical Analysis.” Stats Significant. (May 15 2024). https://www.statsignificant.com/p/why-do-people-like-horror-films-a. Yang, Haiyang. “Why do we enjoy horror? Science explains.” Johns Hopkins University. (October 19 2023). https://carey.jhu.edu/articles/research/why-we-enjoy-horror-science-explains.Yang, Haiyang and Kuangjie Jang. “The Psychology Behind Why We Love (or Hate) Horror.” Harvard Business Review. (October 26 2021). https://hbr.org/2021/10/the-psychology-behind-why-we-love-or-hate-horror.Send us Fan MailSUBSCRIBEFooterWe hope you enjoyed listening as much as we enjoyed sharing. Join us again for another deep look with a deep brew!Stay in touch on all things COTC by subscribing on our website at cupofteacritiques.com.Follow us on Letterboxd at COTCritiques.Follow us on Facebook and Instagram at CUPOFTEACRITIQUES.For comments and questions, email us at [email protected]. 

It is fun being in your comfort zone as an actor, you know, when you’re getting roles in your established specialty (i.e. comedy, rom‑com, action). But what if you wanted to break the mold, try something in a different genre or as a different type of character? What are the risks and benefits of making such a bold career move? Join us on the Cup of Tea Critiques Podcast as we discuss the pros and cons of being typecast. Send us a comment to let us know which actor or actress you would like to see try something a little different. For future updates, subscribe to our podcast wherever you listen, and for email updates on all things COTC, subscribe to our website using the link below:https://www.cupofteacritiques.com/subscribe References“How Adam Sandler and Bryan Cranston Reinvented Themselves I How it Hits.” Mashable. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-F90J3Heas.“How Do I Stop Being Typecast?.” Acting Magazine. https://actingmagazine.com/2025/03/how-do-i-stop-being-typecast/.Rapp, Ilana. “Typecasting: A Comprehensive Guide for Actors.” Casting Networks. (May 6 2024). https://www.castingnetworks.com/news/typecasting-a-comprehensive-guide-for-actors/. Rapp, Ilana. “Breaking Stereotypes: Challenging Typecasting and Expanding Range as an Actor.” New York Castings. https://www.nycastings.com/breaking-stereotypes-challenging-typecasting-and-expanding-range-as-an-actor/#:~:text=Seek%20Collaborative%20Partnerships:%20Actors%20should%20actively%20pursue,diversity%20and%20challenge%20stereotypes%20in%20their%20projects.“When Typecast Actors Break the Mold.” Korean Movie Guy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2LWdzxpLVk.“When Typecast Actors Break the Mold...Again.” Korean Movie Guy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-UbSryq2Y5k Send us Fan MailSUBSCRIBEFooterWe hope you enjoyed listening as much as we enjoyed sharing. Join us again for another deep look with a deep brew!Stay in touch on all things COTC by subscribing on our website at cupofteacritiques.com.Follow us on Letterboxd at COTCritiques.Follow us on Facebook and Instagram at CUPOFTEACRITIQUES.For comments and questions, email us at [email protected]. 

Despite spanning only five years in the mid‑1970s, the blaxploitation era of filmmaking left an indelible mark on the film industry and in the hearts and minds of many in the Black community. While some insist the movies contributed to what were already entrenched negative views of Black people, others feel they presented some of the freshest, coolest characters onscreen, accompanied by soulful soundtracks from artists like Curtis Mayfield and Isaac Hayes. Despite being fifty years removed from the era, present‑day filmmakers borrow elements from these movies, proving that the films, despite their flaws, had great value then— and still do today. Join us on the Cup of Tea Critiques Podcast as we discuss the complex sentiments surrounding blaxploitation era films.  Send us a comment to let us know your favorite film from the blaxploitation era and why it appeals to you. For future updates, subscribe to our podcast wherever you listen, and for email updates on all things COTC, subscribe to our website using the link below:https://www.cupofteacritiques.com/subscribe References“Blaxploitation Breakdown.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTWQCKxT324.“The History of Blaxploitation.” Film is Just Moving Pictures.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryWxUZD-Rxs&pp=ygUcYmxheHBsb2l0YXRpb24gZmlsbXMgaGlzdG9yeQ%3D%3D.“How Blaxploitation Films Saved Hollywood.” Flag Bearer. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LsLPg2lxXSQ.Kench, Sam. “What is Blaxploitation—An American Film Movement Explained.” Studiobinder (May 25 2025). https://www.studiobinder.com/blog/what-is-blaxploitation-definition/.Miller, Alyssa. “What is Blaxploitation? Understanding the American Film Movement.” The Script Lab. (February 14 2024). https://thescriptlab.com/blogs/40717-what-is-blaxploitation-understanding-the-american-film-movement/.Shaahid, Keyshawn. “The Rise of Blaxploitation: Why it Changed Cinema Forever.” Medium. (July 11 2023). https://medium.com/@keyshawnshaahid/the-rise-of-blaxploitation-why-it-changed-cinema-forever-e111094ee247.Send us Fan MailSUBSCRIBEFooterWe hope you enjoyed listening as much as we enjoyed sharing. Join us again for another deep look with a deep brew!Stay in touch on all things COTC by subscribing on our website at cupofteacritiques.com.Follow us on Letterboxd at COTCritiques.Follow us on Facebook and Instagram at CUPOFTEACRITIQUES.For comments and questions, email us at [email protected]. 

Darth Vader. Thanos. Lucy van Pelt! What are the qualifications for a villain in your story? Does it even need to be human? Maybe your villain is something more abstract. What villains are your cups of tea? Write us a review and share some of your faves! SUBSCRIBE (https://www.cupofteacritiques.com/subscribe)Drop us a line and tell us your favorite movie villain and why. For future updates, subscribe to our podcast wherever you listen, and for email updates on all things COTC, subscribe to our website using the link below:https://www.cupofteacritiques.com/subscribe Send us Fan MailSUBSCRIBEFooterWe hope you enjoyed listening as much as we enjoyed sharing. Join us again for another deep look with a deep brew!Stay in touch on all things COTC by subscribing on our website at cupofteacritiques.com.Follow us on Letterboxd at COTCritiques.Follow us on Facebook and Instagram at CUPOFTEACRITIQUES.For comments and questions, email us at [email protected]. 

Was Heretic  more of a thriller than a horror movie? What's the difference? Check out our article on the Cup of Tea Critiques Crumpets page, and join us on the Cup of Tea Critiques Podcast for a lively discussion on the distinctions and similarities between horrors and thrillers. Send us a comment to let us know which is your cup of tea: horror or thriller?  For future updates, subscribe to our podcast wherever you listen, and for email updates on all things COTC, subscribe to our website using the link below:https://www.cupofteacritiques.com/subscribeSend us Fan MailSUBSCRIBEFooterWe hope you enjoyed listening as much as we enjoyed sharing. Join us again for another deep look with a deep brew!Stay in touch on all things COTC by subscribing on our website at cupofteacritiques.com.Follow us on Letterboxd at COTCritiques.Follow us on Facebook and Instagram at CUPOFTEACRITIQUES.For comments and questions, email us at [email protected]. 

One of many challenges an actor can embrace is playing multiple roles in the same production. But what goes into the preparation and execution? What elements raise or lower the degree of difficulty? Join us on the Cup of Tea Critiques Podcast as we discuss both recent and long-ago examples of actors playing twins, clones and doppelgangers in film and television. We highlight some of the methods they utilize as well as some of the technical tricks that directors and production teams implement to pull off the illusion of two different people. Lastly, we pick some actors we would love to see cast in a dual-role performance.Send us a comment to let us know your favorite film where an actor plays two roles or an actor you’d love to see take on the challenge. For future updates, subscribe to our podcast wherever you listen, and for email updates on all things COTC, subscribe to our website using the link below:https://www.cupofteacritiques.com/subscribe ReferencesBackstage Staff. “Dual Roles: 5 Things to Know About Playing Multiple Characters in the Same Project.” Backstage (June 5 2025). https://www.backstage.com/magazine/article/dual-role-47919/.Deadrick, Acacia. “20 Actors Who Took On Multiple Roles in One Film.” Yardbarker (August 25 2025). https://www.yardbarker.com/entertainment/articles/20_actors_who_played_multiple_roles_in_the_same_movie/s1__41554917#slide_11.“Actors Who Secretly Played Multiple Characters In The Same Movie.” Collider Behind the Scene.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tvga13xfZHo&t=1s.“Sinners | Michael Becoming the Smokestack Twins | Behind the Scenes | Warner Bros. Entertainment.” Warner Bros. Entertainment. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s72cBC-v6UE. Send us Fan MailSUBSCRIBEFooterWe hope you enjoyed listening as much as we enjoyed sharing. Join us again for another deep look with a deep brew!Stay in touch on all things COTC by subscribing on our website at cupofteacritiques.com.Follow us on Letterboxd at COTCritiques.Follow us on Facebook and Instagram at CUPOFTEACRITIQUES.For comments and questions, email us at [email protected]. 

Have you ever considered how much research is needed to ensure the style and fit of a character’s outfit matches the period of the film? What about something as benign as the badge on a police officer’s uniform, the walker a character uses, or just a clock on a living room wall? Now imagine watching a film from the Capone era where a microwave inadvertently appears in a kitchen scene. Talk about an anachronism! Join us on the Cup of Tea Critiques Podcast as we dive into costumes and props used in film, and gain a deep appreciation for the professionals that make sure we have a seamless cinematic experience.Send us a comment to let us know your favorite costume or prop. For future updates, subscribe to our podcast wherever you listen, and for email updates on all things COTC, subscribe to our website using the link below:https://www.cupofteacritiques.com/subscribe ReferencesDeGuzman, Kyle. “What is a Costume Designer — Job Description, Duties & Salary.” Studiobinder (August 14 2022). https://www.studiobinder.com/blog/what-is-a-costume-designer-job-description/.DeGuzman, Kyle. “What is a Prop Master — Job Description and Responsibilities.” Studio Binder (September 18 2022). https://www.studiobinder.com/blog/what-is-a-prop-master-job-description/.Devarazz. “The Role of Costume Design in Film.” Medium (August 5 2023).Taborska, Anna. “Horror Essentials: Key Elements and Their Cinematic Uses.” Raindance (September 10 2024). https://raindance.org/unveiling-the-essentials-of-horror-key-elements-and-their-cinematic-uses/.Walmsly, Nathan. “Mise-En-Scene: Props and costumes in horror movies.” (February 28 2020). https://nathanwalmsleyfmp.wordpress.com/2020/02/28/mise-en-scene-props-and-costumes-in-horror-movies/.“Why are These Movie Props Oversized?.” Adam Savage’s Tested. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qwi-IuoThk.“Why Props Matter?” Raging Cinema. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4XDvZKntpA.Wilks, Alex. “Which Horror Props are Used Most Often During Filming?” Nightmare Toys (October 13 2023). https://www.nightmaretoys.com/blogs/news/which-horror-props-are-used-most-often-during-filming/. Send us Fan MailSUBSCRIBEFooterWe hope you enjoyed listening as much as we enjoyed sharing. Join us again for another deep look with a deep brew!Stay in touch on all things COTC by subscribing on our website at cupofteacritiques.com.Follow us on Letterboxd at COTCritiques.Follow us on Facebook and Instagram at CUPOFTEACRITIQUES.For comments and questions, email us at [email protected]. 

There is no doubt that studios produce movies like Rocky, Creed, Cinderella Man, and Ali primarily for entertainment. What boxing movies like these typically have in common, though, is a hyperfocus on flawed characters—individuals struggling with emotional, familial, or social challenges that are visually battled if not pummeled in the boxing ring. Join us on the Cup of Tea Critiques Podcast as we dive into the distinctiveness of boxing movies and the enduring appeal of this subgenre.Send us a comment to let us know your favorite boxing movie. For future updates, subscribe to our podcast wherever you listen, and for email updates on all things COTC, subscribe to our website using the link below:https://www.cupofteacritiques.com/subscribe ReferencesDadlani, Kunal. “The beauty of boxing.” The Varsity (March 19 2023). https://thevarsity.ca/2023/03/19/the-beauty-of-boxing/.Greally, Josh. “The Eternal Appeal of the Boxing Movie.” Big Picture Film Club (June 10 2023). https://bigpicturefilmclub.com/the-eternal-appeal-of-the-boxing-movie/.Newland, Christina. “Cinema Pugilistica: A Century of Boxing on Film” The Criterion Collection (July 22 2022). https://www.criterion.com/current/posts/7878-cinema-pugilistica-a-century-of-boxing-on-film?srsltid=AfmBOopJTvnmcz6K7nQ1YPUQQXdGCnWxMvFIoMhc1vB4KRynHcZ4ZaqJ.Symchuk, Adam, and Johnny Hoffman. “The 15 Best Movies About Boxing, Ranked.” Media Beat (January 7 2024). https://movieweb.com/movies-about-boxing/.“10 Heart-Pounding Boxing Movies That'll Leave You Inspired.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2aaRcwSxkk.Send us Fan MailSUBSCRIBEFooterWe hope you enjoyed listening as much as we enjoyed sharing. Join us again for another deep look with a deep brew!Stay in touch on all things COTC by subscribing on our website at cupofteacritiques.com.Follow us on Letterboxd at COTCritiques.Follow us on Facebook and Instagram at CUPOFTEACRITIQUES.For comments and questions, email us at [email protected]. 

Remember when you watched cartoons as a kid? These times are likely some of your fondest childhood memories; you still recite some of the lines even today. A fair number of shows were centered around animals, and then later with people.  Think Looney Tunes, Tiny Toons, Garfield, Heathcliff, Doug, Hey Arnold!, and Charlie Brown. Animals or people, these were engaging, colorful, and hilarious presentations. But the cartoons in recent decades are heavier than the ones that made us fall on the floor laughing. It's as if the days of mindlessly enjoying light and funny animated television stories have gone by the wayside. Join us on the Cup of Tea Critiques Podcast as we dive into the changing cartoon landscape and consider just how heavy cartoons have become and why.Send us a comment to let us know your favorite childhood cartoons. For future updates, subscribe to our podcast wherever you listen, and for email updates on all things COTC, subscribe to our website using the link below:https://www.cupofteacritiques.com/subscribe ReferencesTommyNFG. (2025). “Why Old Cartoons are Getting Revived.” [Film]. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=og8knfIgvwYWoodcock, Emily. “The Evolution of Animation: From Classic Cartoons to Modern CGI..” Squideo. https://www.squideo.com/the-evolution-of-animation-from-classic-cartoons-to-modern-cgi.Wu, Richard. “The Evolution of Animation as a Medium.” Media Beat. Indiana University. (2024 March 12). https://blogs.libraries.indiana.edu/mediabeat/2024/03/12/the-evolution-of-animation-as-a-medium/#:~:text=Hand%2Ddrawn%20animation%20had%20been,flexibility%20in%20creating%20animated%20worlds. Send us Fan MailSUBSCRIBEFooterWe hope you enjoyed listening as much as we enjoyed sharing. Join us again for another deep look with a deep brew!Stay in touch on all things COTC by subscribing on our website at cupofteacritiques.com.Follow us on Letterboxd at COTCritiques.Follow us on Facebook and Instagram at CUPOFTEACRITIQUES.For comments and questions, email us at [email protected]. 

We are familiar with the usual teasers, posters, and trailers that are par for the course in movie promotions. But what about the ad campaigns that go beyond these and show thinking way outside the box, like the one for Smile that sat people in the front row at baseball games showing a creepy smile for nine innings? Or the one for It where advertisers tied red balloons to sewer grates in various cities? Join us on the Cup of Tea Critiques Podcast as we dive into these creative movie marketing campaigns and consider just how much they grab our attention and send us rushing to the theaters.Send us a comment to let us know about some unusual movie marketing campaigns you have encountered! For future updates, subscribe to our podcast wherever you listen, and for email updates on all things COTC, subscribe to our website using the link below:https://www.cupofteacritiques.com/subscribe ReferencesBosch, Adrienne. “Film Marketing: The Ultimate Guide for Film Makers in 2025 [+ Strategies].” Peer to Peer Marketing. (2024 December 27). https://peertopeermarketing.co/film-marketing/.“Carrie Movie – Experiential Marking.” Maad Gurus. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGLuZ7uqVWo.“How Hitchcock Got People to See Psycho.” Oscars. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjRzj_Ufiew.“Independence Day (1996) | All TV News Broadcasts [Direct Footage].” The Video Editing Guy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztZiPHvcyTw&t=343s.Lewis, Linton. “24 Clever Movie Marketing Campaigns That Went Viral.” Sixth City Marketing, July 30, 2025. https://www.sixthcitymarketing.com/2025/07/30/movie-marketing-campaigns/.Park, Jong Sung. “Why So Serious 42 Entertainment Viral Campaign Comic Con 2008.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9MbtRIXLRw.“The Smile Viral Marketing Campaign.” Good Ads Matter. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4taJRG5d9E. Send us Fan MailSUBSCRIBEFooterWe hope you enjoyed listening as much as we enjoyed sharing. Join us again for another deep look with a deep brew!Stay in touch on all things COTC by subscribing on our website at cupofteacritiques.com.Follow us on Letterboxd at COTCritiques.Follow us on Facebook and Instagram at CUPOFTEACRITIQUES.For comments and questions, email us at [email protected]. 

Let’s say you’re not a vegan and there is suddenly no meat available because the animals were stricken by a virus and died. We recently saw a screening of director R.T. Thorne’s 40 Acres that presents such a scenario and gives us a glimpse of what could happen when we don’t have something we have taken for granted. This got us thinking about how other films have imagined post‑apocalyptic existence and how some of the stories (perhaps many of them) seem quite conceivable. Join us on this week’s episode of the Cup of Tea Critiques Podcast as we dive into 40 Acres and other imaginings of post‑apocalyptic life.Duck your head out of the storm shelter and leave us a comment with a list of doomsday films that you found compelling!.For future updates, subscribe to our podcast wherever you listen, and for email updates on all things COTC, subscribe to our website using the link below:https://www.cupofteacritiques.com/subscribe Send us Fan MailSUBSCRIBEFooterWe hope you enjoyed listening as much as we enjoyed sharing. Join us again for another deep look with a deep brew!Stay in touch on all things COTC by subscribing on our website at cupofteacritiques.com.Follow us on Letterboxd at COTCritiques.Follow us on Facebook and Instagram at CUPOFTEACRITIQUES.For comments and questions, email us at [email protected]. 

Have you ever felt invested in a movie’s characters and had a pretty good idea of the plot’s trajectory less than halfway through the story? How did you feel when things shifted? A main character who had won your heart got whacked; the story suddenly grew darker, leaving you disoriented; or the character you thought you knew well revealed their identity as someone entirely different. Join us on the Cup of Tea Critiques Podcast as we dive into plot twists and discuss why some work well, some fail miserably, and still others can be quite problematic.Send us a comment to let us know your favorite plot twists. For future updates, subscribe to our podcast wherever you listen, and for email updates on all things COTC, subscribe to our website using the link below:https://www.cupofteacritiques.com/subscribe ReferencesDeshler, Kira. “15 Best Movie Plot Twists of All Time.” Slash Film. (2025 March 21). https://www.slashfilm.com/1808751/best-movie-plot-twists-ranked/.Feccomandi, Andrea. (2025). “What is a Plot Twist | Use and Examples in Narrative.” Bibisco. https://bibisco.com/blog/what-is-a-plot-twist-use-and-examples-narrative/#:~:text=It%20is%20a%20surprising%20turn,they%20knew%20about%20the%20story.Hurst, J. A. “Screenwriter's Secret to Mindblowing Plot Twists.” Screenright with J. A. Hurst. [Film]. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYFDR45I9HQ&t=507s.Looper. “The Greatest Plot Twists In Movie History.” [Film]. (May 2025). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RkIPxOHSvE&t=987s.The Second Story. “How To Write A Smart Plot Twist.” [Film]. (May 2025). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8qvK-kGkxo&t=245s.Writer Brandon McNulty. “Bad Plot Twists vs Good Plot Twists (Writing Advice).” [Film]. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LvIiO32hPQQ&t=111s.Writing for Screens. “Plot Twists.” [Film]. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1OHRxseN5A&t=533s. Send us Fan MailSUBSCRIBEFooterWe hope you enjoyed listening as much as we enjoyed sharing. Join us again for another deep look with a deep brew!Stay in touch on all things COTC by subscribing on our website at cupofteacritiques.com.Follow us on Letterboxd at COTCritiques.Follow us on Facebook and Instagram at CUPOFTEACRITIQUES.For comments and questions, email us at [email protected]. 

Remember when you watched cartoons as a kid? These times are likely some of your fondest childhood memories; you still recite some of the lines even today. A fair number of shows were centered around animals, and then later with people.  Think Looney Tunes, Tiny Toons, Garfield, Heathcliff, Doug, Hey Arnold!, and Charlie Brown. Animals or people, these were engaging, colorful, and hilarious presentations. But the cartoons in recent decades are heavier than the ones that made us fall on the floor laughing. It's as if the days of mindlessly enjoying light and funny animated television stories have gone by the wayside. Join us on the Cup of Tea Critiques Podcast as we dive into the changing cartoon landscape and consider just how heavy cartoons have become and why.Send us a comment to let us know your favorite childhood cartoons. For future updates, subscribe to our podcast wherever you listen, and for email updates on all things COTC, subscribe to our website using the link below:https://www.cupofteacritiques.com/subscribe ReferencesTommyNFG. (2025). “Why Old Cartoons are Getting Revived.” [Film]. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=og8knfIgvwYWoodcock, Emily. “The Evolution of Animation: From Classic Cartoons to Modern CGI..” Squideo. https://www.squideo.com/the-evolution-of-animation-from-classic-cartoons-to-modern-cgi.Wu, Richard. “The Evolution of Animation as a Medium.” Media Beat. Indiana University. (2024 March 12). https://blogs.libraries.indiana.edu/mediabeat/2024/03/12/the-evolution-of-animation-as-a-medium/#:~:text=Hand%2Ddrawn%20animation%20had%20been,flexibility%20in%20creating%20animated%20worlds. Send us Fan MailSUBSCRIBEFooterWe hope you enjoyed listening as much as we enjoyed sharing. Join us again for another deep look with a deep brew!Stay in touch on all things COTC by subscribing on our website at cupofteacritiques.com.Follow us on Letterboxd at COTCritiques.Follow us on Facebook and Instagram at CUPOFTEACRITIQUES.For comments and questions, email us at [email protected]. 

The emergence of high-speed internet has led to shrinking DVD and CD sales over the last fifteen years or so. As seen in what we still refer to as our monthly “cable bill,” technological advances have expanded the options for watching movies and television shows and listening to our favorite music. But while the ease and convenience of streaming channels and digitized media add a level of convenience, they quietly and painlessly chip away at values we once held dear. Join us on the Cup of Tea Critiques Podcast as we dive into the decline in physical media and its social impacts.Send us a comment to let us know about your own physical media library—and if you’re still hanging on to those VHS cassettes! For future updates, subscribe to our podcast wherever you listen, and for email updates on all things COTC, subscribe to our website using the link below:https://www.cupofteacritiques.com/subscribe ReferencesBohlmann, Garrett. “Is physical media in both a state of decline and renaissance at the same time?” Houston Public Media. (2024 November 14). https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/shows/houston-matters/2024/11/14/506088/is-physical-media-in-both-a-state-of-decline-and-renaissance-at-the-same-time/Conroy, J. Oliver. “The film fans who refuse to surrender to streaming: ‘One day you’ll barter bread for our DVDs’.” (2024 March 27). https://www.theguardian.com/film/2024/mar/27/the-film-fans-who-refuse-to-surrender-to-streaming-one-day-youll-barter-bread-for-our-dvds#:~:text=Movies-,The%20film%20fans%20who%20refuse%20to%20surrender%20to%20streaming%3A%20'One,save%20a%20seemingly%20dying%20format%3FNomad over Normal. (2025). “Why Physical Media is Making a Necessary Comeback.” [Film]. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igSN1H_tCpg.Zannat, Zaziratul. “The slow fade of CDs and DVDs: A reflection on the loss of physical media.” The Business Standard. (2025 March 14). Send us Fan MailSUBSCRIBEFooterWe hope you enjoyed listening as much as we enjoyed sharing. Join us again for another deep look with a deep brew!Stay in touch on all things COTC by subscribing on our website at cupofteacritiques.com.Follow us on Letterboxd at COTCritiques.Follow us on Facebook and Instagram at CUPOFTEACRITIQUES.For comments and questions, email us at [email protected]. 

For decades, aspiring filmmakers have used short films as tools for learning their craft. Constrained by tiny budgets, small casts, and limited options for shooting locations, they produce complete stories ranging from five to thirty minutes in length. Visually, the films present like rough cuts. But artistically, they reveal the tendencies of these future auteurs. You might have heard of a few of them: George Lucas, Tim Burton, Quentin Tarantino, Jean‑Luc Goddard. In this episode, we explore the short films of famous directors, so you can appreciate the humble beginnings of these filmmaking giants.Have you made a short film? Leave us a comment telling us about it! For future updates, subscribe to our podcast wherever you listen, and for email updates on all things COTC, subscribe to our website using the link below:https://www.cupofteacritiques.com/subscribe ReferencesChaisson, Chris. “Why and How Short Films are Made.” Cup of Tea Critiques, 2022. https://www.cupofteacritiques.com/crumpets/why-and-how-short-films-are-made.O’Donnell, Rory. “Starting Small: The Early Short Films of Great Directors.” ELFS Japan, 2019. https://elfsjapan.com/blog/starting-small-the-early-short-films-of-great-directors/.Stefansky, Emma. “10 Great Short Films by Famous Directors.” Screen Crush, 2023. https://screencrush.com/short-films-by-famous-directors/.“When 15 Famous Directors Made Films with Almost No Money,” n.d. [Film] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhno3dI4W6w. Send us Fan MailSUBSCRIBEFooterWe hope you enjoyed listening as much as we enjoyed sharing. Join us again for another deep look with a deep brew!Stay in touch on all things COTC by subscribing on our website at cupofteacritiques.com.Follow us on Letterboxd at COTCritiques.Follow us on Facebook and Instagram at CUPOFTEACRITIQUES.For comments and questions, email us at [email protected]. 

You may remember movies like The Mummy, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Raiders of the Lost Ark. These family‑friendly films incited a sense of adventure and stirred the imagination. So, what happened to them? They seem to have disappeared from the movie landscape over the last generation or so. In this episode of the podcast, we take a deep dive into adventure films and explore the demise of this exciting subgenre on the big screen.Be sure to leave us a comment about your latest adventure!For future updates, subscribe to our podcast wherever you listen, and for email updates on all things COTC, subscribe to our website using the link below:https://www.cupofteacritiques.com/subscribe ReferencesMillington, Ceridwen. The Death of the Adventure Movie. Flipscreened. (2022 June 27). https://flipscreened.com/2022/06/27/the-death-of-the-adventure-movie/Molumby, Deirdre. Whatever happened to the action‑adventure movie? entertainment.ie. https://entertainment.ie/movies/movie-news/whatever-happened-to-the-action-adventure-movie-490312/#:~:text=Action%20adventure%20movies%20have%20in,by%20a%20feeling%20of%20freshness.The Problem with Adventure Movies Today [Film]. (2022). Like Stories of Old. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2MtMdAmoZK4. Send us Fan MailSUBSCRIBEFooterWe hope you enjoyed listening as much as we enjoyed sharing. Join us again for another deep look with a deep brew!Stay in touch on all things COTC by subscribing on our website at cupofteacritiques.com.Follow us on Letterboxd at COTCritiques.Follow us on Facebook and Instagram at CUPOFTEACRITIQUES.For comments and questions, email us at [email protected]. 

Let’s say you’re not a vegan and there is suddenly no meat available because the animals were stricken by a virus and died. We recently saw a screening of director R.T. Thorne’s 40 Acres that presents such a scenario and gives us a glimpse of what could happen when we don’t have something we have taken for granted. This got us thinking about how other films have imagined post‑apocalyptic existence and how some of the stories (perhaps many of them) seem quite conceivable. Join us on this week’s episode of the Cup of Tea Critiques Podcast as we dive into 40 Acres and other imaginings of post‑apocalyptic life.Duck your head out of the storm shelter and leave us a comment with a list of post‑apocalyptic films that you found compelling!.For future updates, subscribe to our podcast wherever you listen, and for email updates on all things COTC, subscribe to our website using the link below:https://www.cupofteacritiques.com/subscribeSend us Fan MailSUBSCRIBEFooterWe hope you enjoyed listening as much as we enjoyed sharing. Join us again for another deep look with a deep brew!Stay in touch on all things COTC by subscribing on our website at cupofteacritiques.com.Follow us on Letterboxd at COTCritiques.Follow us on Facebook and Instagram at CUPOFTEACRITIQUES.For comments and questions, email us at [email protected]. 

Did it make you afraid to go into the water? Maybe you remember the frenzy around the blockbuster movie, Jaws. This month is the 50th anniversary of its release, and we are celebrating with personal remembrances and our thoughts on Jaws’ contribution to both movie and mainstream culture. Grab and brew and join us. Don’t worry; you won’t have to go into the water!Leave us a comment with the title of your favorite shark movie.For future updates, subscribe to our podcast wherever you listen. For email updates on all things Cup of Tea Critiques, subscribe to our website using the link below:https://www.cupofteacritiques.com/subscribe ReferencesGallagher, Charlotte. “Something in the Water.” British Broadcasting Company. (27 July 2024). https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ckmmgxvp7dgo.Geraets, Nell. “Since Jaws, we’ve been obsessed with shark movies. What makes them so compelling?” The Sydney Morning Herald. (2023 August 3). https://www.smh.com.au/culture/movies/since-jaws-we-ve-been-obsessed-with-shark-movies-what-makes-them-so-compelling-20230721-p5dq6u.html. Send us Fan MailSUBSCRIBEFooterWe hope you enjoyed listening as much as we enjoyed sharing. Join us again for another deep look with a deep brew!Stay in touch on all things COTC by subscribing on our website at cupofteacritiques.com.Follow us on Letterboxd at COTCritiques.Follow us on Facebook and Instagram at CUPOFTEACRITIQUES.For comments and questions, email us at [email protected]. 

Ever hear of “hate-watching?” It is the tendency to watch movies and television shows that do not appeal to you. Some go beyond lacking appeal to making you cringe every time you see them. Indeed, occasionally you watch the shows just for the sake of mocking them. Psychologists say that this strong negativism makes us happy and even strengthens bonds among friends and community. In this week’s episode of the Cup of Tea Critiques Podcast, we take a deep dive into “hate-watching” and passionately discuss the shows we have a strong disdain for but watch anyway!Leave us a comment with a list of the shows that you hate-watch.For future updates, subscribe to our podcast wherever you listen, and for email updates on all things COTC, subscribe to our website using the link below:https://www.cupofteacritiques.com/subscribe ReferencesMark Travers. A Psychologist Explains Why We ‘Hate-Watch’ Cringe TV. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/traversmark/2023/09/22/a-psychologist-explains-why-we-hate-watch-cringe-tv/ Send us Fan MailSUBSCRIBEFooterWe hope you enjoyed listening as much as we enjoyed sharing. Join us again for another deep look with a deep brew!Stay in touch on all things COTC by subscribing on our website at cupofteacritiques.com.Follow us on Letterboxd at COTCritiques.Follow us on Facebook and Instagram at CUPOFTEACRITIQUES.For comments and questions, email us at [email protected]. 

Have you seen the new John Wick movie, From the World of John Wick: Ballerina? Ana de Armas plays the lead and she is a badass in the film! It got us thinking how rare it is to see women presented as the lead in action movies. While they are prevalent in ensemble casts of action productions like Fantastic Four, X-Men, Game of Thrones, and name any Avengers feature you like, women are rarely featured as the focal point in these releases. Also, where we brand productions as “the next Tom Cruise movie,” the new Vin Diesel flick,” or even “Guy Ritchie’s upcoming release,” we rarely brand features led and directed by women. Join us on the podcast as we discuss the social dynamics and industry factors that contribute to these phenomena. Did we miss anyone? Leave us a comment with your own favorite action stars!For future updates, subscribe to our podcast wherever you listen, and for email updates on all things COTC, subscribe to our website using the link below:https://www.cupofteacritiques.com/subscribe ReferencesSarah Cassway, Alexa Solomon, and Caroline Walton. Gender Representation in the Film Industry. George Washington University School of Engineering and Applied Science. https://eda.seas.gwu.edu/showcase/2020-Spring/gender_representation_in_film.html.Send us Fan MailSUBSCRIBEFooterWe hope you enjoyed listening as much as we enjoyed sharing. Join us again for another deep look with a deep brew!Stay in touch on all things COTC by subscribing on our website at cupofteacritiques.com.Follow us on Letterboxd at COTCritiques.Follow us on Facebook and Instagram at CUPOFTEACRITIQUES.For comments and questions, email us at [email protected]. 

Consider for a moment your go-to movies or television shows. You know, the ones you stream decades (or perhaps just a year or two) after their release and they still make you laugh, make you cry, or just stir something inside you. Would you consider these works to be “classics” and, if so, why? The answers often spur intense debate because the subject is personal. In this episode, we discuss what makes a classic and expound on it with plenty of cinema that exemplifies it. So, what are your criteria for a film industry classic? Send us a note to let us know!For future updates, subscribe to our podcast wherever you listen, and for email updates on all things COTC, subscribe to our website using the link below:https://www.cupofteacritiques.com/subscribe ReferencesDavid Rubin and Jacqueline Stewart. Academy Conversations 2020: What Makes a Movie a Classic. Turner Classic Movies. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGLXg8u7RFcHare, Breeana. (2019 July 5). What Makes a Movie a Classic? CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2019/07/05/entertainment/movies-what-makes-a-classic Send us Fan MailSUBSCRIBEFooterWe hope you enjoyed listening as much as we enjoyed sharing. Join us again for another deep look with a deep brew!Stay in touch on all things COTC by subscribing on our website at cupofteacritiques.com.Follow us on Letterboxd at COTCritiques.Follow us on Facebook and Instagram at CUPOFTEACRITIQUES.For comments and questions, email us at [email protected]. 

Last fall, COTC reviewed the Peacock series, Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist, starring Kevin Hart, Taraji P. Henson, Terrence Howard, Samuel L. Jackson, and Don Cheadle. The series is based on a true story about a robbery that occurred at a party after the Muhammad Ali‑Jerry Quarry fight in Atlanta in 1970. Big afros, platform shoes, and even plaid suits abound in this story. Seeing the eight‑part series took Terry and I back to our days as children, and Brandon and Chris began to reminisce on films that reminded them of their own childhoods. In this episode, we discuss nostalgia and throwback films. How do these productions make us feel and how do filmmakers pull it off? Throwback films are meant to spur feelings of nostalgia in us. Which films do this for you and how so?  For future updates, subscribe to our podcast wherever you listen, and for email updates on all things COTC, subscribe to our website using the link below:https://www.cupofteacritiques.com/subscribe ReferencesNostalgia. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/nostalgia#:~:text=Nostalgia%20is%20a%20longing%20and,a%20coherent%20sense%20of%20identity.The Psychology of Nostalgia. University of Florida. (8 January 2025). https://online.aging.ufl.edu/2025/01/08/the-psychology-of-nostalgia/Send us Fan MailSUBSCRIBEFooterWe hope you enjoyed listening as much as we enjoyed sharing. Join us again for another deep look with a deep brew!Stay in touch on all things COTC by subscribing on our website at cupofteacritiques.com.Follow us on Letterboxd at COTCritiques.Follow us on Facebook and Instagram at CUPOFTEACRITIQUES.For comments and questions, email us at [email protected]. 

Remember movies like Little Big League, Any Given Sunday, Mighty Ducks, Major League, and Sandlot? From the 1990s to the early 2000s, the film industry released about four sports movies like these every year. But in recent years, we’re lucky to see two such films in theaters. What happened? Why have sports movies all but disappeared from the big screen? Join us as we discuss several contributing factors.For future updates, subscribe to our podcast wherever you listen, and for email updates on all things COTC, subscribe to our website using the link below:https://www.cupofteacritiques.com/subscribe ReferencesHow is the success of films and TV shows measured? IMDBPro. https://pro.imdb.com/content/article/entertainment-industry-resources/featured-articles/how-is-the-success-of-films-and-tv-shows-measured/GLFTC8ZLBBUSNTM3 Smith, Chris. Whatever happened to the sports movie? Sports Business Journal. (2024 June 6). https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/2024/06/24/whatever-happened-to-the-sports-movie/#:~:text=Adjusting%20for%20inflation%2C%20no%20sports,in%20the%20prior%2014%20years Send us Fan MailSUBSCRIBEFooterWe hope you enjoyed listening as much as we enjoyed sharing. Join us again for another deep look with a deep brew!Stay in touch on all things COTC by subscribing on our website at cupofteacritiques.com.Follow us on Letterboxd at COTCritiques.Follow us on Facebook and Instagram at CUPOFTEACRITIQUES.For comments and questions, email us at [email protected]. 

Ryan Coogler’s recent hit movie, Sinners, starring Michael B. Jordan, has sparked a lot of buzz. What is the appeal of vampires and what adds credibility to a vampire production? In this episode, we dive into the mystique of this century-long cinematic spectacle. After sharing our thoughts on the new blockbuster, we discuss the classic vampire movies, like Dracula and Nosferatu, as well as the contemporary hit shows, such as Buffy and The Vampire Diaries.Send us a note to let us know your favorite vampire production. Also, if there’s a topic you would like us to cover, text us your idea.For future updates, Subscribe/Follow our podcast wherever you listen, and for email updates on all things COTC, subscribe to our website using the link below:https://www.cupofteacritiques.com/subscribe Send us Fan MailSUBSCRIBEFooterWe hope you enjoyed listening as much as we enjoyed sharing. Join us again for another deep look with a deep brew!Stay in touch on all things COTC by subscribing on our website at cupofteacritiques.com.Follow us on Letterboxd at COTCritiques.Follow us on Facebook and Instagram at CUPOFTEACRITIQUES.For comments and questions, email us at [email protected]. 

In this episode, we delve into cinema on difficult topics and social issues. Be aware that samples of these works and some aspects of our discussion may be triggering for some listeners. Many movies and TV series mirror real‑life circumstances and experiences. When handled deftly, the works often resonate with us or at minimum inform our perspectives about aspects of life or life encounters that are unfamiliar to us. We hope you find our talk on these issues affirming, comforting, and informative. Below, we have compiled a list of hotlines obtained from endcan.org and psychiatry.org should you be in need of support. National Sexual Assault Hotline (RAINN) - 1-800-656-HOPE (1-800-656-4673)Teen Dating Violence & Abuse (Love is Respect hotline) - 1-866-331-9474National Suicide Hotline - 1-800-SUICIDE (1-800-784-2433)National Alliance on Mental Illness - 1-800-950-NAMI (1-800-950-6264)Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) - 1-800-662-HELP (1-800-662-4357)National Suicide Prevention Lifeline – Call 800-273-8255 or Chat with Lifeline.Crisis Textline – Text TALK to 741741.Veterans Crisis Line - Call 800-273-8255 or text 838255. Is there a topic you would like us to cover? Text us your idea.For future updates, Subscribe/Follow our podcast wherever you listen, and for email updates on all things COTC, subscribe to our website using the link below:https://www.cupofteacritiques.com/subscribeSend us Fan MailSUBSCRIBEFooterWe hope you enjoyed listening as much as we enjoyed sharing. Join us again for another deep look with a deep brew!Stay in touch on all things COTC by subscribing on our website at cupofteacritiques.com.Follow us on Letterboxd at COTCritiques.Follow us on Facebook and Instagram at CUPOFTEACRITIQUES.For comments and questions, email us at [email protected]. 

Have you ever wanted to remove your name from something that turned out badly? Maybe it was a group project, a paper you wrote, or a decision with an undesirable outcome. A little-known pseudonym adopted by the Directors Guild of America has allowed its members to do just that when their films don’t turn out as planned. In this episode, we dive deep into the Alan Smithee moniker, exploring its history and debating its merits. The question at the core of Alan Smithee is ‘should we really disown our mistakes?’ What is your Alan Smithee moment? Text to let us know, so we can give you a shout‑out on the show.For future updates, subscribe to our podcast wherever you listen, and for email updates on all things COTC, subscribe to our website using the link below:https://www.cupofteacritiques.com/subscribe ReferencesAmber, Katelyn (Host). (2024 April 28). Directed by Alan Smithee: Death to Smithee (Season 5, Episode 16), [Audio podcast episode]. In The Tinsel Factory: A Film History Podcast. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/directed-by-alan-smithee-death-to-smithee/id1518589138?i=1000653803759Dubi, S. (2022 August 22). One of Hollywood’s Most Prolific Directors Doesn’t Actually Exist. Vice. https://www.vice.com/en/article/one-of-hollywoods-most-prolific-directors-doesnt-actually-exist/Siskel and Ebert - An Alan Smithee Film : Burn Hollywood Burn review (1998). (1998 February 28). (Season 12, Episode 26). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzm5svmI0zcWallace, A. (2000 January 15). Name of Director Smithee Isn’t What It Used to Be. The Los Angeles Times. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2000-jan-15-ca-54271-story.htmlSend us Fan MailSUBSCRIBEFooterWe hope you enjoyed listening as much as we enjoyed sharing. Join us again for another deep look with a deep brew!Stay in touch on all things COTC by subscribing on our website at cupofteacritiques.com.Follow us on Letterboxd at COTCritiques.Follow us on Facebook and Instagram at CUPOFTEACRITIQUES.For comments and questions, email us at [email protected]. 

Music can certainly exist outside of movies, but do you think movies can thrive without music? Have you ever thought about the crucial role that music plays in film? Or is music so integrated into film today that it is tough to think about the latter without the former? In this show, we take a deep dive into the undeniable value of music in film, beginning with early movie industry strategies to blend the two art forms to the contemporary and varied methods of scoring films. After listening, think of your favorite films without the music. Do you enjoy them more or less? Text to let us know, so we can give a shout‑out on the show.For future updates, subscribe to our podcast wherever you listen, and for email updates on all things COTC, subscribe to our website using the link below:https://www.cupofteacritiques.com/subscribe  ReferencesBrand, Neil (Presenter). (2013). Sound of Cinema [Film]. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUoL6Jtj4Lo.Chaisson, Chris. (2023). “A Conversation with Film Composer Greg Sgammato.” Cup of Tea Critiques. https://www.cupofteacritiques.com/team/greg-sgammato.Chaisson, Reba. “What’s that Sound?” Cup of Tea Critiques. https://www.cupofteacritiques.com/crumpets/what's-that-sound%3F.Schrader, Matt (Director). (2016).  Score [Film]. Prime Video. https://www.score-movie.com/.Soundfly. (2023). A Brief History of Film Scoring [Film]. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8lSM0jmhq4w.Thomas, Pete. Taming the Saxophone. https://tamingthesaxophone.com/about/credits.Waletzky, Joshua (Director). (1992). Music for the Movies: Bernard Herrmann [Film]. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36Bej6w8yXQ. Send us Fan MailSUBSCRIBEFooterWe hope you enjoyed listening as much as we enjoyed sharing. Join us again for another deep look with a deep brew!Stay in touch on all things COTC by subscribing on our website at cupofteacritiques.com.Follow us on Letterboxd at COTCritiques.Follow us on Facebook and Instagram at CUPOFTEACRITIQUES.For comments and questions, email us at [email protected]. 

Do you consider the rating of a film before deciding if you will go to the theater to see it? While they may be useful now, those seemingly benign letters that make up the ratings carry a lot of historical weight. For much of the 20th century, they were used as a means of defining morality for the movie-going public while suppressing freedom of speech and expression for filmmakers. Based on the Cup of Tea Critiques article, “A Clash of Knuckles,” which can be found in the Crumpets section on cupofteacritiques.com, this podcast continues our discussion of the Motion Picture Association’s (MPA) movie ratings system, its tension with filmmakers, and its efforts to suppress the hearty cinematic appetites of then movie-goers. How important is the movie rating to your decision-making process? Leave us a review and share your thoughts!A Clash of Knuckles: Movies and the System of Rating ThemFor future updates, subscribe to our podcast wherever you listen, and for email updates on all things COTC, subscribe to our website using the link below:https://www.cupofteacritiques.com/subscribeSend us Fan MailSUBSCRIBEFooterWe hope you enjoyed listening as much as we enjoyed sharing. Join us again for another deep look with a deep brew!Stay in touch on all things COTC by subscribing on our website at cupofteacritiques.com.Follow us on Letterboxd at COTCritiques.Follow us on Facebook and Instagram at CUPOFTEACRITIQUES.For comments and questions, email us at [email protected]. 

Do you consider the rating of a film before deciding if you will go to the theater to see it? While they may be useful now, those seemingly benign letters that make up the ratings carry a lot of historical weight. For much of the 20th century, they were used as a means of defining morality for the movie-going public while suppressing freedom of speech and expression for filmmakers. Based on the Cup of Tea Critiques article, “A Clash of Knuckles,” which can be found in the Crumpets section on cupofteacritiques.com, this podcast covers the history of the Motion Picture Association’s (MPA) movie ratings system, its tension with filmmakers, and its efforts to suppress the hearty cinematic appetites of then movie-goers. How important is the movie rating to your decision-making process? Leave us a review and share your thoughts!A Clash of Knuckles: Movies and the System of Rating ThemFor future updates, subscribe to our podcast wherever you listen, and for email updates on all things COTC, subscribe to our website using the link below:https://www.cupofteacritiques.com/subscribeSend us Fan MailSUBSCRIBEFooterWe hope you enjoyed listening as much as we enjoyed sharing. Join us again for another deep look with a deep brew!Stay in touch on all things COTC by subscribing on our website at cupofteacritiques.com.Follow us on Letterboxd at COTCritiques.Follow us on Facebook and Instagram at CUPOFTEACRITIQUES.For comments and questions, email us at [email protected]. 

In 2023, filmmaker Rhys Frake-Waterfield set off a frenzy when he released his film, Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey, which presents the iconic cuddly bear as something more repulsive than inviting. His transformation of Pooh was enabled by the character’s recent release into the public domain archives. Public domain is a category of creative works that are unprotected by intellectual property law. In some cases, the work was never protected, and in others, the term of protection for said work has expired. In this episode, COTC explores public domain, viewed by some as a treasure trove and others as an opportunity to exploit historically iconic characters and shows. Which camp do you think you fall in? Leave us a review and share your thoughts! For future updates, subscribe to our podcast wherever you listen and subscribe to COTC:https://www.cupofteacritiques.com/subscribeLinksWinnie the Pooh and the Public Domain How to Obtain Copyright PermissionSend us Fan MailSUBSCRIBEFooterWe hope you enjoyed listening as much as we enjoyed sharing. Join us again for another deep look with a deep brew!Stay in touch on all things COTC by subscribing on our website at cupofteacritiques.com.Follow us on Letterboxd at COTCritiques.Follow us on Facebook and Instagram at CUPOFTEACRITIQUES.For comments and questions, email us at [email protected]. 

Can you distinguish between a sequel and a serial? In this episode of the Cup of Tea Critiques Podcast, we define and explore the two concepts, with examples of familiar films from past and present. We also delve into the question of whether our expectations for a sequel/serial influence our positive or negative evaluation of it. What are some of your favorite sequels and multi-part franchises? Which ones disappointed you?  Leave us a review and share your thoughts! Send us Fan MailSUBSCRIBEFooterWe hope you enjoyed listening as much as we enjoyed sharing. Join us again for another deep look with a deep brew!Stay in touch on all things COTC by subscribing on our website at cupofteacritiques.com.Follow us on Letterboxd at COTCritiques.Follow us on Facebook and Instagram at CUPOFTEACRITIQUES.For comments and questions, email us at [email protected]. 

After watching a film, consider for a moment how it looked and just as important, how it made you feel. If you stay past the movie’s credits, you get an indication of just how the filmmakers were able to achieve these effects, because they provide details about the cameras that were used during the shoots. After listening to the podcast, think about which film gauge has produced the most movies that are your cup of tea: 8, 16, 35, 70? Write us a review and share your preference!Referencehttps://www.rollingstone.com/tv-movies/tv-movie-news/how-digital-conversion-is-killing-independent-movie-theaters-89265/Send us Fan MailSUBSCRIBEFooterWe hope you enjoyed listening as much as we enjoyed sharing. Join us again for another deep look with a deep brew!Stay in touch on all things COTC by subscribing on our website at cupofteacritiques.com.Follow us on Letterboxd at COTCritiques.Follow us on Facebook and Instagram at CUPOFTEACRITIQUES.For comments and questions, email us at [email protected]. 

Many talented filmmakers lack the resources to produce expansive projects that can gain the attention of influential representatives or studios. So, what’s the best use of the underdog’s modest means? Many go the route of what’s known as a “short film.” Check out our article on this topic on the Cup of Tea Critiques Crumpets page. What short film is your cup of tea?  Write us a review and share some of your favorites!Send us Fan MailSUBSCRIBEFooterWe hope you enjoyed listening as much as we enjoyed sharing. Join us again for another deep look with a deep brew!Stay in touch on all things COTC by subscribing on our website at cupofteacritiques.com.Follow us on Letterboxd at COTCritiques.Follow us on Facebook and Instagram at CUPOFTEACRITIQUES.For comments and questions, email us at [email protected]. 

Darth Vader. Thanos. Lucy van Pelt! What are the qualifications for a villain in your story? Does it even need to be human? Maybe your villain is something more abstract. What villains are your cups of tea? Write us a review and share some of your faves!Send us Fan MailSUBSCRIBEFooterWe hope you enjoyed listening as much as we enjoyed sharing. Join us again for another deep look with a deep brew!Stay in touch on all things COTC by subscribing on our website at cupofteacritiques.com.Follow us on Letterboxd at COTCritiques.Follow us on Facebook and Instagram at CUPOFTEACRITIQUES.For comments and questions, email us at [email protected].