Best Hirokazu Podcasts (2024)

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078. Kiyoshi Kurosawa: Tokyo Sonata 59:21

9h ago59:21

59:21

In this episode, we’re laughing and crying to the sweet melodies of Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s 2008 film Tokyo Sonata, and its social commentary on the Japanese nuclear family in the midst of a financial crisis. We explore the film’s construction of a patriarchal nuclear family, discuss Kyoko Koizumi’s unique role as the mother of the family (taking care o…

1
077. Kiyoshi Kurosawa: Pulse 56:57

3d ago56:57

56:57

Unlock the forbidden recording room with Wilson, Ben and Eli as the trio unpack Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s 2001 ghost film Pulse. Eli explains his love for his deep cut pick of a film that breaks its own rules and complicates its horror elements. Wilson zeroes in on his love for Kurosawa’s use of space and production design to bring on a feeling of despair…

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076. Kiyoshi Kurosawa: License to Live 57:53

27d ago57:53

57:53

In the first of our deep cut picks for our Kiyoshi Kurosawa series, Ben introduces the others to Kurosawa’s License to Live (1998) because he really needed to talk to somebody after a stunning ending. Eli digs into the film’s comedic sensibilities, finding similarities with fellow Japanese director Takeshi Kitano, while Wilson finds himself “so sad…

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075. Kiyoshi Kurosawa: Cure 1:15:14

1M ago1:15:14

1:15:14

In this episode, the Deep Cut trio delve into the captivating world of Kiyoshi Kurosawa with his breakout hit, Cure (1997). Tune in to the beginning of a mega series on Kurosawa: director for hire and the master of nightmares. Ben and Wilson find themselves at odds as Ben's annoyance with the film's villain fails to dampen Wilson's thirst for him. …

1
074. Luca Guadagnino: Challengers 1:25:50

2M ago1:25:50

1:25:50

Game. Set. Match. The boys tackle the hottest movie of the season and kick off a Luca Guadagnino series with our review of his latest film CHALLENGERS. This episode (recorded pre BRAT) sees Eli comparing Guadagnino to the iconic Charli XCX, Wilson explaining how all roads that lead to Challengers also lead to his own life, and Ben saying he wants t…

1
Episode 104: Far, Far Away and Close to the Heart 1:09:09

4M ago1:09:09

1:09:09

Recorded in September 2023, Fikri and friend of the show Hafiz fly off into a galaxy far, far away to talk about ‘Andor’. They touch base with the diversity in the story, and analyse how the show’s settings (such as Coruscant) and real-life locations (like London) can say about the classism and gentrification of society as a whole. Fikri is especia…

1
073. 2023 Film and TV in Review 1:37:46

5M ago1:37:46

1:37:46

The Oscars may tell us Hollywood’s popular picks, but what about the… Deep Cut picks? Deep Cut’s 2023 in Review is ready to give the last word on yesteryear’s best in motion pictures. Tune in for debates on the year’s biggest hits and hot takes on the year’s shabbiest flops. It all culminates in Wilson, Ben, and Eli’s top three favorites of the yea…

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072. Hirokazu Kore-eda: Monster 45:27

6M ago45:27

45:27

We go back to our Deep Cut roots with Kore-eda's latest, but don't call us Monster(s) for skipping out on the previously released Broker! Awarded the Queer Palm at Cannes in 2023, Monster is a return to form (and Japan) for Kore-eda, igniting a sprawling conversation about the film and its connections to his larger ouevre. We debate the film's visu…

1
071. Marilou Diaz-Abaya: Moral 1:04:54

7M ago1:04:54

1:04:54

Join us for a Deep Cut episode on the exceptional 1982 film Moral from director Marilou Diaz-Abaya. The trio are blown away by the intricate script work and editing within the film, and they finally help coin the acronym GFWTM (Go Fucking Watch This Movie) for Wilson to use in the future. Eli and Ben discuss how Diaz-Abaya and screenwriter Ricky Le…

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070. Kelly Reichardt: Showing Up 38:59

7M ago38:59

38:59

Join us as we SHOW UP for Kelly Reichardt’s latest work: Showing Up. Reichardt teams up again with regular collaborator Michelle Williams in their portrait of a grumpy artist. Wilson analyzes the performances of Michelle Williams and Hong Chau, Eli appreciates the film’s humor and subtlety, and Ben is fascinated by the film’s focus on the ordinary.…

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069. Todd Haynes: May December 43:53

7M ago43:53

43:53

May you join us this December for a Deep Cutversation on May Deepcutber? Wait, this is confusing... what's NOT confusing is the moral clarity of American director Todd Haynes' latest pressure-cooker drama about the evils of our time. While Eli sees horror lurking beneath the pleasant cinematography of Christopher Blauvelt, Ben ponders the omission …

1
068. Frederick Wiseman: Menus-Plaisirs - Les Troisgros 58:43

9M ago58:43

58:43

Bon appetit! The DC Trio are in for a treat this week as we savor Frederick Wiseman’s latest documentary, MENUS PLAISIRS - LES TROIGROS, a scrumptious looking film about three French restaurants, and the family that runs it. From the bustling kitchen to the tense moments shared between members of the Troigros dynasty, the trio immerses themselves i…

1
067. Marilou Diaz-Abaya: José Rizal 58:42

9M ago58:42

58:42

The DC Trio takes a plunge into a new director and dives into the works of Marilou Diaz-Abaya, one of the leading figures of the second golden age of Filipino cinema. In the first episode, Wilson shares his love for a national cinema that is deeply tied to his roots. What better way to be introduced to Pinoy cinema than through a biopic of one of t…

1
066. Mani Ratnam: Ponniyin Selvan: Part II (featuring Thanmye Lagudu) 1:06:48

1y ago1:06:48

1:06:48

With special guest and friend Thanmye Lagudu we come together to crown a new king. Mani Ratnam completes his magnum opus with Ponniyin Selvan: Part II and we're back in the theatre again for more palace intrigue, romantic entanglements, and some of that signature Ratnam flair. Can Ratnam one-up himself with part two? We discuss PS2's visual glow-up…

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065. Egoist @ HKIFF2023: Interview with Director Daishi Matsunaga 25:15

1y ago25:15

25:15

As part of his coverage for HKIFF 2023, Wilson interviews Japanese director Daishi Matsunaga, a day after the Hong Kong premiere of his new film, Egoist. Director Matsunaga talks about the film's moving story, the specific visual language he uses, his thoughts on iPhone footage, and so much more. A massive thank you to dear friend of the pod Fumiko…

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Episode 103: How the Brothers Ali Dunk on Films (with Care) 46:56

1y ago46:56

46:56

Fikri check in with friend of the show Iki Ali on his latest venture, the Brothers Ali YouTube channel. Launched earlier this year as a film review outlet with his brother, Sy Ali, they discuss its seeds of origin, and the scope and approach employed in their film discussion. They also consider how Iki’s film reviewing career (starting in 2010) has…

1
064. HKIFF 2023 Dispatch 1:02:38

1y ago1:02:38

1:02:38

As Cannes wraps up in the South of France, we bring you a dispatch from another festival halfway across the world. An exhausted Wilson joined Ben and Eli in the middle of his festival marathon to dish about the movies he saw at this year’s Hong Kong International Film Festival, and talk about the experience of officially covering a festival for the…

1
063. S. S. Rajamouli: RRR 1:07:43

1+ y ago1:07:43

1:07:43

Rise. Roar. Revolt. Review. Here it is. Our long awaited Deep Cut Upkeep episode on the S.S. Rajamouli worldwide phenom RRR, and it’s a doozy. Hear the Deep Cut Trio talk about why Rajamouli’s brand of action filmmaking has entranced audiences, and why Ben and Wilson have this film at the top of their 2022 year end lists, while Eli explains why he …

1
062. 2022 Film and TV in Review 2:25:48

1+ y ago2:25:48

2:25:48

Another year has wrapped production, and the production assistants are here to clean up! Just in time for the 2023 Oscars, Ben, Wilson, and Eli mop up the mess left by superheroes and conductors, stop motion shells and Na’vi, interdimensional travelers and cannibals, mourners and partiers. By breaking down the year’s big trends–– directors fictiona…

1
Episode 102: Selected Indonesian Films in 2022 (part 2) 59:51

1+ y ago59:51

59:51

Fikri, Nadia and Tiara conclude their discussion on selected 2022 Indonesian films. Inspired by an article in The Jakarta Post, they run through the rigmarole of films they have seen (or not) in ‘Nana’, ‘Like & Share’, ‘The Big 4’ and ‘Ngeri-Ngeri Sedap’. They discuss the communist purge in the 1960s, contexts of female conditioning, the representa…

1
061. Miranda July: The Future 51:02

1+ y ago51:02

51:02

We conclude our series on Miranda July's filmography with her divisive sophomore feature, The Future. Tune in for a feisty episode where Ben tries desperately to defend his deep cut choice while Eli and Wilson have their limits tested by July's storytelling tendencies. See the future in our free Patreon, discord server, and all our links @ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠…

1
060. Miranda July: Me and You and Everyone We Know 59:29

1+ y ago59:29

59:29

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1
059. Miranda July: Kajillionaire 1:13:10

1+ y ago1:13:10

1:13:10

Deep Cut returns to regularly scheduled programming with the decidedly irregular films of American independent director/writer/actor/multi-hyphenate Miranda July. You might even call them quirky. We begin our series by learning about her long list of artistic endeavours and discuss the connotations of "quirk" in the context of July's films before d…

1
Episode 101: Selected Indonesian Films in 2022 (part 1) 1:04:31

1+ y ago1:04:31

1:04:31

We kick off the next century of episodes by looking at selected Indonesian films from 2022. Friend of the show Nadia returns along with a debuting Tiara, and their passion for Indonesian cinema will guide Fikri through this discussion inspired by an article in The Jakarta Post. The first of two parts considers the films they have seen (or not!) in …

1
058. Sundance 2023 Dispatch (featuring Russell Goldman) 31:15

1+ y ago31:15

31:15

Wilson, Ben, and Eli are once again joined by director and friend of the podcast Russell Goldman to talk about his experience and the best movies he saw at this year’s Sundance Film Festival! We get a chance to preview this year in independent American and international cinema, talk about the state of Sundance in its first in person year, and dig i…

1
Episode 100: The Centurion Episode 1:12:28

1+ y ago1:12:28

1:12:28

Finally, our 100th episode! Ezzah, Fikri and Muz got together (separately) to discuss their recent film experiences in Europe and Asia respectively. In the first part, Muz details the distinctions between the different parts of Italy and how it affects stories found in the likes of ‘Gomorrah’ and ‘Cinema Paradiso’. Later on, Fikri checks in on Ezza…

1
Episode 99: On the Malayan Film Unit (part 2) 39:12

1+ y ago39:12

39:12

This episode is the final part of Fikri and Hassan Muthalib’s discussion of the Malayan Film Unit. They look at some key films like ‘The Red Book’ and ‘Abu Nawas’; given Fikri’s research interests, they also delve into the likes of ‘Letters from Home’ and ‘Rohani Steps Out’, highlighting how women are instructed to ‘behave’ in certain contexts. In …

1
Episode 98: On the Malayan Film Unit (part 1) 56:14

1+ y ago56:14

56:14

In part one of a two-parter, Fikri invites friend of the show, film historian Hassan Muthalib, to discuss the Malayan Film Unit. Created by the British colonial administration, they talk about the start of Hassan’s film career and how he came to be involved with the department. They also get into its efficacy in combatting communism in the country,…

1
057. Interview with Frederick Wiseman 45:45

1+ y ago45:45

45:45

Listen up Wiseman-heads, oh do we have a treat for you! The Deep Cut trio are joined by the man himself, Frederick Wiseman, to talk about his new film A Couple (2022) and his expansive documentary filmography. The discussion topics include Nathalie Boutefeu’s arresting performance as Sophia Tolstoy, the secret meaning behind filming in a garden, an…

1
Episode 97: Let’s Talk about Whispers of Silence 1:00:00

1+ y ago1:00:00

1:00:00

Fikri welcomes Emily to the show to talk about ‘Whispers of Silence’ and some aspects of Burmese cinema. In the first half, they focus on the short film by Zaw Bo Bo Hein and Mg Bhone, a film released in 2018. They consider the text in its social, political and religious contexts. Subsequently, Emily expands on filmmaking in Myanmar and the experie…

1
Episode 96: On Ang Lee and Hirokazu Koreeda (part 2) 50:42

1+ y ago50:42

50:42

Fikri and Thim Kian conclude their discourse on thoughts inspired by a discussion between Ang Lee and Hirokazu Koreeda. Thim Kian reflects on his personal meetings with Koreeda and Ang Lee, when he took part in film academies led by the both filmmakers. They also discuss how both have affected Thim Kian’s own filmmaking efforts, especially in areas…

1
056. Frederick Wiseman: A Couple 52:14

1+ y ago52:14

52:14

Can you say "Deep Cut Upkeep A Couple" ten times fast?? Legendary, prolific American documentarian Frederick Wiseman has returned with one of only 3 fiction films in his 55 year career. A Couple finds Nathalie Boutefeu performing monologues from the letters of Sophia Tolstoy in the beautiful Brittany coast. The DC Three admit defeat to the literary…

1
Footage Not Found: I'll See You At The Movies, Goodnight! 16:56

1+ y ago16:56

16:56

Aja says goodbye to the IU Cinema podcast. Footage Not Found is a co-production of the Indiana University Cinema and WFIU Studios. Our theme song is “Only Ones” from the band Busman's Holiday off of their recently released album Good Songs. You can currently stream Good Songs on Bandcamp and you can find out more about the band on busmansholidayban…

1
055. Deep Cut 2022 Summer Movie Roundup 1:39:21

1+ y ago1:39:21

1:39:21

In a long-awaited bonus set of episodes, Ben, Wilson, and Eli go over their 2022 movie-watching summers, where each of our co-hosts maintained an audio diary of all the films we saw over the summer. Come along on our summer movie adventure, as we cover watching highlights from Kiyoshi Kurosawa, to Jurassic World Dominion. List of films (and TV) dis…

1
054. Eli's Summer 2022 Film Diary 40:59

1+ y ago40:59

40:59

Welcome to Eli's summer film watching audio diary! Over the summer of 2022 each of us recorded little audio snippets reviewing every film that we watched, and these are Eli's! You can listen to our combined discussion of our summer movie watching in our roundup episode. We recommend you start there! Wanna tell us about the films you're watching? Co…

1
053. Ben's Summer 2022 Film Diary 1:25:44

1+ y ago1:25:44

1:25:44

Welcome to Ben's summer film watching audio diary! Over the summer of 2022 each of us recorded little audio snippets reviewing every film that we watched, and these are Ben's! You can listen to our combined discussion of our summer movie watching in our roundup episode. We recommend you start there! Wanna tell us about the films you're watching? Co…

1
052. Wilson's Summer 2022 Film Diary 55:12

1+ y ago55:12

55:12

Welcome to Wilson's summer film watching audio diary! Over the summer of 2022 each of us recorded little audio snippets reviewing every film that we watched, and these are Wilson's! You can listen to our combined discussion of our summer movie watching in our roundup episode. We recommend you start there! Wanna tell us about the films you're watchi…

1
Episode 95: On Ang Lee and Hirokazu Koreeda (part 1) 52:29

1+ y ago52:29

52:29

Recorded in 2021, Fikri and Thim Kian sit down for a chat about a discussion between Ang Lee and Hirokazu Koreeda. Held at the 2020 Berlin International Film Festival, it was one of their contributions to the We Are One: A Global Film Festival. Connecting it to their contexts, Fikri and Thim Kian consider the influence of Taiwanese and Japanese fil…

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051. Mani Ratnam: Ponniyin Selvan: Part I (featuring Thanmye Lagudu) 1:16:07

2y ago1:16:07

1:16:07

After a brief summer hiatus, the gang (and special guest Thanmye Lagudu) are back to discuss India’s biggest box office draw of the season, and the first part of Mani Ratnam’s magnum opus: Ponniyin Selvan: I. Our first Mani Ratnam Deep Cut Upkeep episode gets heated, and battle lines are drawn between hosts. Is this movie Ratnam’s bold execution of…

1
Footage Not Found: The World of Hirokazu Kore-eda (with Jon Vickers) 46:40

2y ago46:40

46:40

This week's Footage Not Found features a long-awaited guest: founding Indiana University Cinema director Jon Vickers joins Aja to discuss the films and themes of Hirokazu Kore-eda with special focus paid to his first narrative film, Maborosi, and his most recent film, Broker. They also discuss Jon’s origins as a film programmer and exhibition entre…

1
Footage Not Found: Blaxploitalian - 100 Years Of Blackness In Italian Cinema (with Fred Kuwornu) 26:19

2y ago26:19

26:19

This week's Footage Not Found features filmmaker Fred Kuwornu, the director behind the documentary film Blaxploitalian, which explores the little-known world of Italian-born and American Black performers and their roles in the Italian film industry. Fred also talks about his work with Spike Lee on the film The Miracle at Santa Anna and his role in …

1
Footage Not Found: Friday Night Frights 10:09

2y ago10:09

10:09

By the pricking of our thumbs, the return of an IU Cinema series this way comes. For this week's episode of Footage Not Found, we set the tone for the changing of the seasons, as the leaves begin to dry and days begin to dwindle, by highlighting IU Cinema’s long-dormant series Friday Night Frights. What makes a horror movie feel so different on a F…

1
Footage Not Found - All The Presidents Men and Watergate (with Gerry Lanosga) 27:04

2y ago27:04

27:04

For this week’s episode of Footage Not Found, we are joined by Indiana University Associate Professor Gerry Lanosga. Gerry details his life in journalism and, since 2022 is its 50th anniversary, gets into a discussion of the Watergate scandal as well as contextualizes the profession of investigative journalism through media portrayals, most notably…

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Footage Not Found: Women on Top - Legacies of Women in Global Cinema 7:13

2y ago7:13

7:13

Indiana University Cinema’s new regular series “Women on Top” seeks to showcase a couple of things. It wants to show the audience that despite the large steps being made to amplify women's voices in the film industry, it has been primarily doing that through the role of the director when so many important and overlooked roles in the film industry h…

1
Footage Not Found: New Americas Cinema (with Alicia Kozma and Brittany Friesner) 32:40

2y ago32:40

32:40

Welcome to the first episode of Footage Not Found (formerly A Place for Film), a podcast dedicated to filling in and contextualizing your cinematic gaps. For our inaugural episode, Indiana University Cinema’s Managing Director Brittany Friesner and Director Alicia Kozma sit down to discuss a new film series at the IU Cinema called New Americas Cine…

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050. S. S. Rajamouli: Eega (featuring Thanmye Lagudu) 1:14:58

2y ago1:14:58

1:14:58

How does the king of beeg cinema go small? Trick question, he don’t! Small in scope but still big on imagination, we’re (mostly) abuzz with praise for Wilson’s Deep Cut pick for Rajamouli, 2012’s Eega. Eli praises the positively fly performance of Sudeep, a villain you love to hate, Thanmye highlights Rajamouli’s overlooked talents as a director of…

1
049. S. S. Rajamouli: Baahubali: The Beginning & Baahubali: The Conclusion (featuring Thanmye Lagudu) 1:34:47

2y ago1:34:47

1:34:47

Long live Deep Cut! The DC Trio welcomes back distinguished guest and friend Thanmye Lagudu to launch a discussion on the legendary Masala blockbuster director S. S. Rajamouli (of this year’s international hit, RRR). There’s no better a popular pick than the renowned historical fantasy duology, Baahubali: The Beginning and Baahubali: The Conclusion…

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048. Abderrahmane Sissako: Waiting for Happiness & Life on Earth 55:49

2y ago55:49

55:49

Deep Cut rounds out its study of Malian/Mauritanian master director Abderrahmane Sissako with his first two fiction features: Life on Earth (1998) and Waiting for Happiness (2002). The documentary-fiction hybrids provide an illuminating keystone in understanding Sissako’s later, more complex works. Wilson prefers the deep well of sadness in Waiting…

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047. Abderrahmane Sissako: Bamako 42:02

2y ago42:02

42:02

Abderrahmane Sissako sets his late father’s backyard as a courtroom for the injustices of economic neocolonialism in his 2006 drama Bamako, our second of three forays into the work of the Malian/Mauritanian master director. In a work that inextricably binds the political and the personal, Wilson notes how Sissako creates a sense of place that makes…

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046. Abderrahmane Sissako: Timbuktu 52:46

2y ago52:46

52:46

Deep Cut begins a special three-episode run on Malian/Mauritanian director Abderrahmane Sissako with his poetic, vibrant tragedy Timbuktu (2014). Wilson contextualizes Sissako’s most well-known work within Sissako’s varied and inventive filmography, Ben considers the humanizing characterization of the film’s jihadist characters, and Eli breaks down…

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