Out in the rambunctious world of lady-heist film podcasts, Fear and Loathing in Cinema sets itself apart with its irreverent blend of pop culture critique, nostalgic deep-dives, and a razor-sharp, at times almost uncomfortably candid, dissection of cinematic relics that were once scorned but now, with the benefit of time, seem worthy of a second look.
Hosted by a group of unpredictable yet undeniably insightful voices; Bryan Kluger, a media director with a sharp sense of irony of offensive things; Dan Moran, a lawyer who brings an often absurd legal perspective of the film industry and Kevin Costner; Preston Barta, a film critic with a taste for the heart-warmingly obscure branch of cinema; and Chelsea Nicole, a culture critic who digs into the nuances of social dynamics and horror; Fear and Loathing in Cinema Podcast thrives in that rare space between sincere analysis and gut-busting humor.
On Episode No. 144 of Fear and Loathing in Cinema, the three of us reunite like a ragtag crew of slightly overcaffeinated jewel thieves to conduct a meticulously unplanned heist of your ear holes. Our target? The 2018 film Ocean’s 8, that all-women-led sequel/spin-off/reheated-leftovers entrée of the Ocean’s Trilogy.
Notably absent is Preston Barta, the only person capable of grounding Bryan’s flights of interpretive fancy. Which means, spoiler alert, the episode quickly careens off the velvet-lined rails. With Bryan, Dan, and Chelsea all trying to make sense of Ocean’s 8, the conversation becomes less “roundtable discussion” and more “three gremlins analyzing a diamond under a disco ball.”
Naturally, we ask the big questions. Questions like, Why does this movie exist? It is, after all, the same film as the original trilogy, except this time the casinos are swapped for couture, the stakes for sequins, and the testosterone for the kind of polite-yet-deadly cattiness typically reserved for fashion interns and rival siblings.
Then there’s the narrative architecture. Why, in the name of Soderbergh’s ghost-of-franchise-past, are the twists placed squarely in the middle of the film, like a soufflé that collapses before dessert? And of course, the true existential quandary, Why was James Corden cast? Chelsea, ever the noble defender of British men with soft voices, makes her case. The filmmaking gods, tragically, do not.
We cackle through the dialogue. We marvel at the lack of chemistry, whether it be romantic, platonic, or even chemical in a lab sense. And, dear listener, the episode reaches its operatic crescendo when Bryan becomes convinced that Anne Hathaway’s character, Daphne Kluger, was named after him. Yes, him. Scholars may one day debate whether this is delusion, destiny, or divine intervention, but for now we simply acknowledge it as one of the great moments, not just in cinema, but in the whole sweeping saga of human life.
So before you finish planning your annual TJ Maxx heist (which, frankly, has never netted anyone more than a slightly dented candle and a purse with a missing strap), take a breather. Slip on your imaginary Met Gala gown, pour a drink you pretend is comped, and listen to Episode 144 wherever podcasts are streamed, stolen, or otherwise smuggled into your day.
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Thank you for listening.
WRITTEN BY: BRYAN KLUGER
BRYAN KLUGER, A SEASONED VOICE IN THE REALM OF ENTERTAINMENT CRITICISM, HAS CONTRIBUTED TO A WIDE ARRAY OF PUBLICATIONS INCLUDING ARTS+CULTURE MAGAZINE, HIGH DEF DIGEST, BOOMSTICK COMICS, AND HOUSING WIRE MAGAZINE, AMONG OTHERS.
HIS INSIGHTS ARE ALSO CAPTURED THROUGH HIS PODCASTS; MY BLOODY PODCAST AND FEAR AND LOATHING IN CINEMA PODCAST; WHICH LISTENERS CAN ENJOY ACROSS A VARIETY OF PLATFORMS.
IN ADDITION TO HIS WRITTEN WORK, KLUGER BRINGS HIS EXPERTISE TO THE AIRWAVES, HOSTING TWO LIVE RADIO SHOWS EACH WEEK: SOUNDTRAXXX RADIO ON WEDNESDAYS AND THE ENTERTAINMENT ANSWER ON SUNDAYS. HIS MULTIFACETED APPROACH TO MEDIA AND CULTURE OFFERS A UNIQUE, IMMERSIVE PERSPECTIVE FOR THOSE WHO SEEK BOTH DEPTH AND ENTERTAINMENT.
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