Her Head in Films

In this episode, I talk about Rainer Werner Fassbinder’s 1972 film, "The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant." The film tells the story of Petra, a successful fashion designer in a complicated and obsessive relationship with a younger woman named Karin. Set almost entirely in Petra’s apartment, the film unravels the entanglements of power, desire, and emotional dependency.

This episode is one of my most personal. I reflect on the ways th...

In this episode, I talk about Hayao Miyazaki’s 1989 film, 'Kiki’s Delivery Service.' It’s about a 13-year-old witch who must spend a year away from home, learning to live independently and share her gifts. As Kiki opens a delivery service and begins to grow weary and uncertain, she meets women who offer her refuge, wisdom, and friendship. I talk about how this film explores what it means to lose your magic and to slowly find it aga...

In this episode, I talk about Hayao Miyazaki’s 1988 film, "My Neighbor Totoro." It’s about two young girls who discover magical forest spirits after moving to a rural home with their father to be closer to their hospitalized mother. I recorded this episode in the wake of my own mother’s death, and I speak about how grief has shaped my experience of the film. I talk about watching the entire Studio Ghibli catalog and reflect on chil...

In this episode, I talk about Ingmar Bergman’s 1972 film, "Cries and Whispers," a haunting and intimate portrait of a woman dying and the people around her. I begin by sharing about my own mother’s death, how I was with her to the very end, and how this film has taken on a deeper resonance for me now.

Though the episode was recorded before her cancer diagnosis and passing, I was already in the role of caregiver. I reflect on how "Cr...

In this episode, I talk about Frédéric Back's 1987 Academy Award-winning animated short film, "The Man Who Planted Trees." Adapted from a book by Jean Giono, it tells the story of a French shepherd who plants trees for decades and revitalizes an entire region. It's a film about how to live, how to care for the earth, and how to make the world a better place through small but meaningful acts. 

This has become one of my favorite films...

In this episode, I talk about Delbert Mann's precious 1955 film, "Marty." It tells the story of Marty, a 34-year-old butcher who has struggled all his life to find love. One night, he meets Clara, a woman who can relate to his loneliness. This is a film about the pain of invisibility and the power of connection. It's about what it means to finally feel seen after a lifetime of rejection.

This is a deeply personal episode for me, but...

In this episode, I talk about Franco Piavoli's luminous 1996 documentary, "Voices Through Time." It captures the daily life of the inhabitants of a small Italian village. From children playing in the woods to lovers kissing in the grass to couples rapturously dancing, Piavoli shows us the human condition in all its richness and beauty. 

My episode is a tribute to this life-affirming work of art, and it is a manifesto on what it mean...

In this episode, I talk about Robert Eggers's 2015 film, "The Witch." It looks at a New England Puritan family in the 1600s that is exiled from their community. They go to live in a remote area, and terrifying things begin to happen. The eldest daughter is blamed for these events and accused of being a witch. I talk about witch hunts, the feminist aspects of the film, my very personal reaction to the ending, and much more. There ar...

In this episode, I talk about the 1945 film "Humoresque." Joan Crawford plays a socialite tormented by her love for a younger man--played by John Garfield--who is a passionate violinist trying to break into the music world. Her money and connections help him find success, but her hard-drinking and intense desire lead to her own self-destruction. I adore this film. I talk about the music in it, how it looks at desire, and much more....

In this episode, I talk about Michael Curtiz's 1945 film "Mildred Pierce." Joan Crawford won an Oscar for her performance as the title character, a mother who, in the wake of the end of her marriage, starts her own restaurant business and tries to give a better life to her two daughters--Veda and Kay. But her eldest daughter Veda has an insatiable and destructive desire for material possessions and Mildred will stop at nothing to g...

In this episode, I talk about Mike Newell's 1991 film, "Enchanted April." It's about four women in 1920s Britain who rent a castle in the Italian countryside. Their vacation in Italy will forever transform their lives. The much-needed break from ordinary life leads to spiritual rejuvenation, a deep connection to nature, and a powerful bond with each other. There are spoilers in this episode. 

Consider making this podcast sustainable...

In this episode, I talk about Audrey Wells's 2003 film, "Under the Tuscan Sun." I've loved this film since I was a teenager. It stars Diane Lane as a woman who goes through a devastating divorce and goes to Italy and renovates a house. In the process of this home renovation, she reconnects with life and experiences emotional renewal. For me, this film is really about a woman who survives heartbreak and creates a new life for hersel...

In this episode, I talk about Michael Haneke's controversial and thought-provoking 1997 film, "Funny Games." It's a thriller that breaks all the rules and raises questions about the representation of violence in mass media. A family is terrorized in their vacation home by two young men who take enjoyment in brutality and degradation. Haneke uses surprising and unexpected techniques to confront the audience of his film and to make u...

In this episode, I talk about Michael Haneke's 2012 film, "Amour." It's about Georges and Anne, an elderly Parisian couple who have their lives turned upside down after Anne suffers a stroke. This is a deeply devastating film that resonated with me. For over a year now, my mom has been struggling with her health and I've become a caregiver for her. I talk about the difficult experience of caring for someone and watching them suffer...

In this episode, I'm talking about Jane Campion's 2009 film, "Bright Star." It's about the brief but beautiful love story between the poet John Keats and a young woman named Fanny Brawne. John Keats is considered one of the greatest poets who ever lived but he died young, before he and Fanny could create a life together. Their romance was marked by distance and the ever-present shadow of death but his passionate letters to her--whi...

In this episode, I talk about Jane Campion's 2003 film, "In the Cut." Meg Ryan plays, Frannie, an English teacher who becomes embroiled in a murder investigation after parts of a woman's body are found in her garden. She may have even seen the murder victim shortly before the crime. After the lead detective on the case interviews her, the two of them become involved in a dark, torturous relationship. "In the Cut" is a deeply erotic...

In this episode, I talk about Wim Wenders's 1988 film, "Wings of Desire." It's about an angel who falls in love with a trapeze artist and is willing to give up eternity and become human in order to be with her. I think this is such a powerful and poetic film about love, connection, and what it means to be human. It's a life-affirming film that always reminds me of the beauty of being alive. There are spoilers in this episode.

Consid...

In this episode, I talk about Joachim Trier's 2011 film "Oslo August 31st." It follows Anders, a young man just out of rehab for heroin addiction, as he walks around the city of Oslo, meeting old friends and trying to decide if life is worth living. I think this is a powerful and unforgettable film that reminds us of the beauty of being alive. It's one of my favorite films from the 2010s, and I urge you to watch it if you haven't s...

(Note: This episode was originally released in 2020. I unpublished it and then republished it in 2024.) In this episode, I talk about RaMell Ross's 2018 documentary, "Hale County This Morning, This Evening." In 2009, RaMell Ross moved to Hale County in Alabama to teach photography and coach basketball. While living there, he started to film the people around him. He recorded over 1300 hours of footage. From that material, he culled...