This week, Gavia is joined by guest-host Claire Biddles to discuss Stanley Kubrick’s acclaimed erotic psychodrama Eyes Wide Shut (1999), starring Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman as Bill and Alice Hartford, a married couple in 1990s New York. After Alice reveals that she fantasized about having an affair, Bill embarks on a night of sexual experimentation. Topics include Tom and Nicole's marriage and divergent acting styles, the film's subversion of erotic thriller expectations, its depiction of gender roles in a straight marriage, and its fascinating legacy within Kubrick's career.

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This week, we discuss the influential 1966 Senegalese film "Black Girl," written and directed by Ousmane Sembene. The film follows a Senegalese young woman who works as a nanny for a white French family whose life turns into a nightmare when she accompanies them back to France and is forced to work as a maid. Topics include the film's overt postcolonial politics, its thoughtful deployment of production design and costumes, its reception in the west, and more.

This week, we turn our attention to the original movie adaptation of Erich Maria Remarque's classic WWI novel, "All Quiet on the Western Front," directed by Lewis Milestone and starring Lew Ayres in his first major role. We compare Milestone's groundbreaking, early-sound era (1930)film to the remake currently nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars, analyze the films' political intentions, praise Milestone's innovative filmmaking techniques, discuss the original film's complicated reception, and much more.

It's been a a few months since Todd Field's massively acclaimed film "TÁR" was released in America, but between its Oscar nominations — for Field, Cate Blanchett, Best Picture, and more — all the Lydia Tár memes, and the debates its ending continues to inspire, we figured there was no better time to discuss it than the present. Topics include the film's depiction of and engagement with classical music and the MeToo movement, sublime performances by Blanchett and supporting actor Nina Hoss, the film's wobbly ending and blinkered worldview, and more.

Just as January comes to a close, Team Overinvested brings you our Best Films of 2022. Though we're posting this episode a little later than usual, we're as excited as ever to share our favorite films of last year, and hopefully introduce you all to some titles you haven't heard of or gotten a chance to see yet. This year, our lists range from the big budget — "Top Gun: Maverick" — to the tiny indie — "Saint Omer" — and we've both included a documentary, too. Let us know what you think of our picks and what 2022 movies you loved!

We return to you after an unplanned break due to illness with a delayed episode on "Häxan," Benjamin Christiansen's groundbreaking 1922 docu-drama about the history of the persecution of witches (or "witches") — which also conveniently allowed him to depict sexually transgressive behavior that meant the film couldn't be shown in the United States for decades. Topics discussed include the film's push and pull between analysis and fetishism, its legacy as a cult object, Christiansen's experimental style, and more. We recorded this before Christmas so you'll hear a Christmas-y intro — so it goes! We'll be back soon with our episode on the Best Films of 2022. Thanks for listening.

This week, Morgan and Gavia revisit legal thriller "Michael Clayton," the 2007 Best Picture nominee written and directed by Tony Gilroy and starring George Clooney and Oscar-winner Tilda Swinton. They discuss the film's sharp characterization, its insightful commentary on corporate malfeasance, a career-best performance from George Clooney, and how the themes Gilroy explores here connect to his current work on "Andor."

This week, Gavia and Morgan sing the praises of "Andor," the new Star Wars television show masterminded by Tony Gilroy and starring Diego Luna as future rebel martyr Cassian Andor. Topics include the show's stark tonal and stylistic divergence from other Star Wars shows on Disney+, its complex ideas about empire and rebellion, a superlative cast led by Luna, and much more.

Gavia and Morgan return from a covid-induced hiatus with a dispatch from this year's New York and London film festivals. Gavia reports on some buzzy titles including "Decision to Leave" and "Triangle of Sadness," and Morgan gives a rave to her one festival movie of the year, France's Oscar submission "Saint Omer."