For this episode, Nate and Ryan picked from the slate of Best Picture nominees and decided to re-watch Past Lives, their favorite movie from 2023, and a stunning directorial debut from playwright Celine Song. While it’s not a front-runner for any Oscars, Past Lives has been widely recognized as something special, which is saying something, given how strong the field was this last year. It’s unexpected Golden Globe nominations put Past Lives on many people’s radar, and a slew of nominations (and a few wins) followed. Listen in as we talk about what makes this movie so special and why it deserves all the love it gets.
What are your thoughts about Past Lives? Let us know!
Links
Celine Song interview on the Scene 2 Seen Podcast
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For our Gap Year T. Hanksgiving, Nate and Ryan watch The ‘Burbs, the 1989 Tom Hanks cult classic directed by Joe Dante. Featuring a stacked cast, including Carrie Fisher, Bruce Dern, and Corey Feldman, in addition to the man himself, The ‘Burbs is a horror/comedy that kind of befuddled audiences and critics in the late ’80s, but has developed a growing reputation as a prescient criticism of the corrosive power of a humdrum suburban existence. The ‘Burbs showcases the burgeoning realist side of Hanks, but gives plenty of opportunity for over-the-top crazy Hanks to shine through.
Nate and Ryan watch Bringing out the Dead, a Gap Year movie by one of their favorite directors, Martin Scorsese. Released in 1999, Bringing out the Dead was largely ignored by audiences and remains one of Scorsese’s forgotten works. Listen in as Nate and Ryan dig into the merits of this underappreciated gem. If you haven’t seen Bringing out the Dead, check it out and discover one of Scorsese’s most complicated (and chaotic) examinations of the intersection of humanity and divinity.
