Cinema D‘Amore
A podcast consisting of casual conversations amongst cinephiles. We choose a multi-week theme, and then members of our podcast select films within that theme to discuss.
Episodes
Chuck and Justin take on Alex Garland’s Annihilation, a film that’s as haunting as it is hard to pin down. They dig into how it compares to Jeff VanderMeer’s novel, what Garland nailed, and where it falls short. From the nightmare bear to the lighthouse and those uncanny doppelgängers, they break down the movie’s wild mix of beauty, horror, and existential dread, and ask whether it ever truly captures the book’s strange, Lovecrafti...
Justin and Chuck dive into The Substance, examining Demi Moore’s career-reviving turn and Margaret Qualley’s striking counterpart. They unpack the film’s grotesque, synth-scored body horror and how it skewers fame, the male gaze, and the relentless cost of youth.
The hosts celebrate the inventive practical effects, and the chaotic final act while critiquing the two-and-a-half-hour runtime and surface-lev...
Cinema D’Amore ventures into the shadows of Alien: Romulus, where survival is forged from coal dust and blood. Chuck and Justin unravel the film’s desperate human drama, its unsettling bond between flesh and machine, and the relentless swarm of xenomorph terror. From facehugger nightmares to jaw-dropping practical effects, they trace how the movie both honors the franchise’s legacy and mutates it into something startl...
Justin and Chuck dive into Sean Baker’s Anora, tracing its journey from fairytale romance to dark, slapstick chaos. Along the way, they explore the wild Vegas marriage plot, the tonal whiplash between comedy and despair, and Baker’s distinctive filmmaking style. The conversation highlights Annie and Vanya’s tragicomic turns, as well as Igor’s unsettling loyalty. It all builds to a bittersweet finale that pulls the com...
Chuck and Justin explore Nagisa Oshima’s Empire of Passion, a late-19th-century Japanese drama where a married woman and her lover murder her husband and hide his body in a village well. When the villagers begin seeing the husband’s ghost, suspicion spreads, exposing erotic obsession, guilt, and complicity. Oshima crafts a haunting, atmospheric ghost story. In this episode, we also connect it to Decision to Leave, exa...
Join hosts Justin Morgan and Chuck Phillips as they dive into the alluring depths of Park Chan-wook’s Decision to Leave. This South Korean mystery masterfully weaves themes of obsession, longing, and moral ambiguity into a slow-burn tale of love and betrayal. In this episode, the hosts unpack the film’s Hitchcockian echoes, its hypnotic visual style, and the poetic ambiguity of its unforgettable ending. From character motivations t...
Welcome back to Cinema D'Amore, hosted by Chuck and Justin. In this episode, the duo dives into the high-octane world of The City of Violence, a South Korean action film brimming with bizarre gangs—from hockey players to yo-yo enthusiasts. Drawing unexpected parallels to the surreal and psychological Beau Is Afraid, they unpack how the film layers chaos over an initially straightforward narrative, creating a dynamic and unpredictab...
In this episode of Cinema D’Amore, hosts Justin and Chuck dive deep into the strange, sprawling universe of Beau Is Afraid, the latest mind-bender from Ari Aster (until Eddington's release). They draw unexpected parallels between this surreal journey and Apostle, uncovering a surprising thread that links the two films.
Follow Beau Wassermann—played with haunted brilliance by Joaquin Phoenix—on a darkly comic odyssey shaped by anxie...
In this episode of Cinema D'Amore, hosts Chuck and Justin dive into the eerie world of Apostle, exploring its unsettling atmosphere and supernatural themes. Building on their previous discussion of The Ritual, they uncover surprising connections between the two films, highlighting director Gareth Evans' distinct shift from his action-packed Raid series to a more haunting and visually arresting narrative.
The duo breaks down Apostle...
In this episode of Cinema D’Amore, hosts Justin Morgan and Charles Phillips venture into the haunting wilderness of The Ritual (2017), currently streaming on Netflix. As part of their ongoing series on thematic connections, they draw eerie parallels to last week’s feature, The Descent, examining both films’ focus on grief, male camaraderie, and lurking supernatural threats.
The conversation explores Rafe...
Dive deep into the chilling world of Neil Marshall's 2005 horror classic, "The Descent." This week's episode explores the intricate connections between "The Descent" and "Ex Machina," examining themes of isolation, betrayal, and ambiguous endings. Discover how Neil Marshall crafts a claustrophobic nightmare that keeps audiences on the edge of their seats. Join us as we discuss the film's memorable moments, directorial insights, and...
We celebrate our 400th episode by connecting the film Grand Prix to this week’s discussion of Unforgiven (Clint Eastwood, 1992).
Hosted by Charles Phillips. Co-hosted by Justin Morgan. Mixing by Scratchin’ Menace with Music by Daniel Birch and Ben Pegley.
Justin and his guests Grant and Tim share their predictions for the 97th Academy Awards.
Hosted by Justin Morgan with Guests Grant Mayotte and Tim Tobias. Music and Mixing by Scratchin’ Menace.
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Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and a dozen other popular platforms. Please subscribe, rate, and review u...
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