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Film Optimists
by Film Optimists
Film Optimists is a joyful podcast about all things film. The hosts, Megan Tierney Flores and Seth Boyd, believe film is a beautiful and vital artistic medium. They are optimistic about film in general and each episode brings this optimism to an in-depth discussion on a particular film subject.
Episodes
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All About My Mother
Last month Spain won the World Cup. As a late celebration of their victory, we're back with a Spanish film. The film is Pedro Almodovar's All About My Mother from 1999. The film follows Manuela, a single mother whose life is upended when her teenage son dies in a car accident. Filled with...
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No Other Choice
For decades some of the greatest and most interesting films have come from South Korea. While they've come up before, its about time we dedicate an episode to one of these films. In this episode we discuss last year's No Other Choice. This is the latest film from Park Chan-wook, one of the…
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Bugonia
In this episode we discuss Bugonia directed by the Greek Director Yorgos Lanthimos. The scfi/dark comedy follows Jesse Plemons as a conspiracy theorist who is convinced that the CEO (played by Emma Stone) of a major company is in fact an Alien. Not just any alien, a a member of an alien race that...
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A Woman Under the Influence
We're turning our focus to American Independent Cinema this episode in covering John Cassavetes, A Woman Under the Influence. The film was written for, and stars, Cassavetes wife Gena Rowlands as a working class housewife who struggles' include mental illness. Rowlands' performance is nothing…
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The Gospel According to Saint Matthew
Happy Spring Everybody! To celebrate the season we have an early Easter episode with The Gospel According to Saint Matthew. Why are a couple of nonbeliever's talking about a religious movie? That can be answered in three words. Pier Paolo Pasolini. The vastly influential, and controversial…
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Top 5 of 2025
Its time for our annual top 5 episode! We'll be discussing the top 5 movies we each saw last year, not necessarily movies that came out last year. We'll also be discussing the Oscar nominees, who want to win and who will most likely win. Let us know some of your favorite watches from last year in...
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King of Comedy
Its been a long time coming, but we're finally doing a Martin Scorsese episode. With a career that spans over 6 decades and includes several masterpieces, we had plenty of options to choose from. We went with one we consider underrated, yet deeply influential. The King of Comedy from 1982. The…
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Weapons
Happy Halloween, Optimists! In light of the holiday, our obligatory horror episode is dedicated to one of the most anticipated releases this year, Zach Cregger's second feature film Weapons. A town is riddled with anxiety and fear when an entire classroom of students willingly run away from their...
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Jurassic Park ft. Adam Melster
We are joined once again by artist and author Adam Melster of ACM Designs to discuss Jurassic Park directed by Steven Spielberg. There is a strong case to be made that Jurassic Park is the perfect blockbuster. It's at times frightening and at times funny. It discusses important and interesting...
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Hundreds of Beavers
We covered blockbusters and Hollywood classics in the last couple of episodes, so it's time for another hidden gem. Gems don't get much more hidden than Hundreds of Beavers. Hundreds of Beavers is an indie film, shot in black and white, with nearly no dialog. Sound serious? It's not. It's a...
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The Truman Show
We're back revisiting the director that started it all for the pod, Peter Weir, and a film that attuned listeners have heard before: The Truman Show. A stylistic favorite for Megan and Seth, the 1998 cult classic stars Jim Carrey in a career-defining dramatic role. We unpack the film’s eerie...
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Master and Commander ft. Jeremy Blandin
We're joined by friend and film buff Jeremy Blandin to discuss the historical war drama, Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World. The film stars Russell Crowe as the captain of a Royal Navy brigade that quickly becomes ensnared in a game of cat and mouse with an enemy vessel during the...
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Star Trek: Nemesis ft. Riley Gerberick
We've talked Star Wars so we are now contractually obligated to talk Star Trek. Who better to join us than our friend and Sci Fi aficionado Riley Gerberick. With 14 films from 5 decades to choose from, Riley selected Star Trek: Nemesis. Riley makes the case that Nemesis is not only an severely...
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Star Wars ft. Allie Felker
Our good friend Allie Felker joins us to discuss one of the most popular movies of all time: Star Wars! The original film was released in 1977, and the world has never been the same ever since. Everyone knows the film was written and directed by George Lucas, but who are some the unsung heroes…
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The Ballad of Buster Scruggs ft. Muir Mulholland
We're joined by special guest Muir Mulholland to discuss The Ballad of Buster Scruggs by two legendary filmmakers, the Coen Brothers. The film is a western anthology featuring 6 vignettes. The film is unlike anything the Coen Brothers have done before, yet it also feels like a culmination of...
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The Prestige (From The Vault!)
A new episode, from the vault! We are graced once again by former guest Jim Briggs to discuss Christopher Nolan's The Prestige. The Prestige is a thriller staring Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale as rival magicians in the Victorian age. What do we mean by "from the vault?"; well, this episode was...
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Top 5 of 2024
It's here folks, our annual Top 5 episode! As per usual we will each count down our top 5 movies we saw in 2024. To qualify movies don't have to come out in 2024, they just had to be seen by us for the first time last year. We'll also discuss honorable mentions and our most anticipated films of...
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Blue Velvet
On January 15, 2025 the world lost David Lynch. Lynch was a filmmaker and artist who's influence cannot be overstated. In honor of his life, we are revisiting one his masterpieces, Blue Velvet. We also discuss his legacy, our loss, and theorize why his films connected with so many on such a deep...
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Fremont
In this episode we discuss Babak Jalali's latest film, Fremont. Though it may not be a town most people are familiar with, Fremont is a place that is near and dear to our hearts for several reasons, chief among them being it's Megan's hometown. The film follows Donya, an Afghan refugee who...
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The Holdovers
Happy Holidays All! The big day has come and gone but we're keeping spirits bright by dwelling on the thing that matters most: Paul Giamatti. That's right, we're talking about the modern holiday classic, The Holdovers. Set in a New England boarding school in 1970, Paul Giamatti stars as a Paul...
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High and Low
We're back to discuss another titan of cinema, and arguably the most influential director of all time: Akira Kurosawa. With a career spanning six decades, his influence can be felt on everything from the works of Ingmar Bergman to A Bug's Life. His films have been remade, directly or indirectly,...
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Alien ft. Adam Melster
We're BACK and are celebrating the 45th anniversary of Ridley Scott's Alien. The film launched the ongoing franchise and is considered among the greatest and most influential films in both the horror and science fiction genres. Alien has an incredible art design, so we've brought in an expert to...
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Saltburn ft. Aaron McCray-Goldsmith
We're joined once again by friend of the podcast Aaron Mccray-Goldsmith, to talk about Saltburn--perhaps the most viral film from 2023 that wasn't about a doll or a bomb. The film is a dark comic thriller that follows Barry Keoghan as he integrates himself into the lives of a wealthy family. The...
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There Will Be Blood
With his latest film currently in production, Paul Thomas Anderson has been on our minds. We took this opportunity to look back one of his masterpieces, There Will Be Blood (2007). Set during the southern California oil boom of the turn of the century, the film has at its core a rivalry between…
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Top Films of 2023
Okay folks, we're a little late to this but, Happy 2024! As usual, we're kicking off the year with our now tradition of listing our 5 favorite films we saw in 2023. These don't have to be films that were released in 2023, just films we saw for the first time in 2023. Hear us countdown our...
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After the Thin Man Ft. Ann Boyd
Happy Holidays, Optimists! We're back with an exciting episode featuring a returning guest, and our first sequel! Special guest Ann Boyd joins us once again for a conversation about our favorite murder solving power couple, Nick and Nora Charles in After the Thin Man. The sequel swaps New York…
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Casablanca
We're back with another gem from old Hollywood, Casablanca! Ingrid Bergman and Humphrey Bogart lead the all star cast in what has become one of the most iconic films ever made. Despite its fame, the film had surprisingly humble beginnings. Hear us discuss the film, it's origin, and how it came to...
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Reanalysis: Being John Malkovich
Trenton Cressy returns to the pod to talk Being John Malkovich. The film follows John Cusack as a puppeteer who finds a portal into the mind of John Malkovich. The odd film launched the careers of both Charlie Kaufman and Spike Jonze, both of whom were nominated for Best Screenplay and Best...
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The Stepford Wives
Spooky season is still going strong and so are we! We're back with another chilling tale, The Stepford Wives from 1975. The film follows Katharine Ross as Joanna, a woman who recently relocated to the suburb of Stepford from New York City. It's not long before Joanna notices that things aren't...
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Suspiria ft. Claudio Alberto Cortes
Horror season is officially here and we're kicking it off with Dario Argento's classic Giallo film, Suspiria (1977). Joining us this episode is friend and world cinema aficionado, Claudio Alberto Cortes. The film follows Suzy, a new student at a prestigious ballet school who encounters a series…
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The Muppet Movie ft. Jaime Metzgar
It was only a matter of time before we discussed the most optimistic movie of all, The Muppet Movie! Joining us this episode is author and activist, Jamie Metzgar. The first film in the franchise tells the "true story" of how Kermit, Miss Piggy, and the rest of the gang came together. In addition...
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State of the Movies Address
Folks, we're more than halfway through the year already, but some of 2023's most anticipated films are still to come. Rather than focus on a specific film like our usual episodes, we've decided to discuss the films yet to be released we're most looking forward to this year. Listen to hear us each...
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The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser
We're back with another film from Werner Herzog's extensive filmography. This time we're tackling one of Herzog's feature films, The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser (1974). The film revolves on the strange true story of Kaspar Hauser, a man who was said to have been raised in isolation and captivity…
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Devil in a Blue Dress ft. Jordan Morris
Folks, you're not gonna want to miss this one. Writer, actor, comedian, and podcasting legend Jordan Morris is on the show! Jordan joins us for a discussion of the 1995 film, Devil in a Blue Dress, as well as to discuss their recent contributions to the Archie Comics Horror Anthology series.…
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Into the Inferno
In this episode we discuss another titan of film, Werner Herzog. Herzog's career spans six decades, features nearly 70 films, and is still going strong. He has inspired multiple generations of filmmakers from around the world and was called "the most important film director alive" by François...
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Sorry to Bother You (Ft. Riley Gerberick)
We're reunited with our esteemed, now third time guest on the podcast, Riley Gerberick, to discuss Boot's Riley's debut film Sorry to Bother You. Set in Oakland, the film follows Cassius' journey climbing the corporate ladder of his call center job, using his "white voice" to gain the coveted...
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Cleo From 5 to 7
We’re going back in time and across the Atlantic this episode to talk about a film from one of the most important movements in film history, the French New Wave. The film is Agnes Varda’s Cleo from 5 to 7 from 1962. The film follows Cleo, an emerging popstar, who is awaiting medical test results...
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Pulp Fiction (Ft. Garret Dwello and Michael Grygo)
We’re back to discuss one of the most influential films of the last 30 years, Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction. Joining us for the discussion are special guests and Tarantino aficionados Michael Grygo and Garret Dwello. The film follows several characters across the criminal underworld of LA told...
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Jojo Rabbit
In this episode we discuss Takia Waititi’s Jojo Rabbit. Set in Germany during the final days of WW2, this dark comedy follows a young boy in the Hitler Youth who is forced to question his beliefs upon discovery that his mother is hiding a jewish woman from the Nazis in their home. The film…
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Lady Bird
We’re back to discuss Greta Gerwig’s directorial debut, Lady Bird. Lady Bird is a personal, heartfelt coming of age comedy set in Gerwig’s hometown of Sacramento, California. Saoirse Ronan and Laurie Metcalf lead an excellent cast that also features Timothée Chalamet and Beanie Feldstein. Listen…
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Memento
Christopher Nolan is a name that’s come up a few times on the podcast but we haven’t dedicated an episode to focus on one of his movies before. Until now. With his latest film Oppenheimer set to come out later this year, we thought it was a good time to revisit his breakthrough film Memento…
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Our Top Watched Films in 2022
Happy 2023 Optimists! For our first episode of the year, we reflect back on our favorite movies we saw in 2022. Just like our episode from last year, these are our favorite movies seen in 2022, not necessarily released in 2022. As we count down our top 5 watches from 2022, let us know what made...
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The Thin Man ft. Ann Boyd
Happy Holidays, Optimists! The illustrious Ann Boyd joins us once again to discuss another alternative Christmas film selection, The Thin Man (1934). The Thin Man is a fast-paced mystery/comedy/romance featuring perhaps the ultimate power couple, Nick and Nora Charles played by William Powell and...
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Tampopo
It’s almost here folks–Thanksgiving! A time to focus on family and, more importantly, food. We celebrate the occasion with one of our favorite food movies, Tampopo. Directed by Juzo Itami, the 1985 film follows a pair of truckers who help a widow turn her struggling ramen shop into the best ramen...
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Autumn Sonata
In this episode we discuss another legend of cinema, Swedish filmmaker Ingmar Bergman and his film Autumn Sonata. The film follows a reunion between a celebrated concert pianist and her daughter who haven’t seen each other in seven years. The film’s minimal cast is led by Ingrid Bergman (no...
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The Thing ft. Jim Briggs
We continue our month of horror with an 80’s horror classic, John Carpenter's The Thing! We’re joined by special guest and friend of the podcast Jim Briggs. In the film, a crew of scientists in Antarctica are stalked by an alien that can take the form of any living creature. Hear us discuss the...
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Hereditary
It’s finally here: spooky season! To usher in the hallowed era Megan and Seth discuss one of their favorite horror films, Ari Aster’s Hereditary. The film follows a family enduring increasingly strange and terrifying events following the death of their grandmother. Toni Collette delivers a...
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The Tragedy of MacBeth ft. Alejandra and Kimiya
In a Film Optimists first, we are joined by not one but two amazing guests! Alejandra Rivas and Kimiya Shokri are both actors, writers, directors, and teachers. We are thrilled to have these brilliant and talented guests on the show to discuss last year’s The Tragedy of MacBeth. This bold,...
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Mulholland Drive
It's been a long time coming, but we finally take on one of the strangest and most influential filmmakers of all time, David Lynch. Megan and Seth discuss Lynch’s surreal and haunting masterpiece, Mulholland Drive. The film, its interpretations, and its troubled production are discussed as well…
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Nope ft. Ann Boyd
Folks, we’re knocking off a couple more important firsts with this episode. This is one of the first films that we have to put an explicit *spoiler alert* at the top of the episode, since at the time this episode airs it will still be in theaters! Seth, Megan, and our most esteemed guest yet:...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Film Optimists is a joyful podcast about all things film. The hosts, Megan Tierney Flores and Seth Boyd, believe film is a beautiful and vital artistic medium. They are optimistic about film in general and each episode brings this optimism to an in-depth discussion on a particular film subject.
HOSTED BY
Film Optimists
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Film Optimists have?
Film Optimists currently has 66 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Film Optimists about?
Film Optimists is a joyful podcast about all things film. The hosts, Megan Tierney Flores and Seth Boyd, believe film is a beautiful and vital artistic medium. They are optimistic about film in general and each episode brings this optimism to an in-depth discussion on a particular film subject.
How often does Film Optimists release new episodes?
Film Optimists has 66 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Film Optimists?
You can listen to Film Optimists on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Film Optimists?
Film Optimists is created and hosted by Film Optimists.
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