Genre-related questions link the two films discussed by HCC film professors Marie Westhaver and Mike Giuliano in this podcast episode. Writer-director Ari Aster, best known for the 2019 horror hit Midsommar, blends multiple genres in Eddington, where Joaquin Phoenix portrays a small-town New Mexico sheriff during May 2020. This contemporary Western, pandemic-era story, and political satire explores dark comedy, suspense, and dramatic storytelling—all in a 148-minute cinematic experience.
Writer-director Mike Flanagan’s The Life of Chuck, adapted from a Stephen King novella, stars Tom Hiddleston as a 39-year-old accountant facing a brain tumor. Told in three acts in reverse chronological order, with Nick Offerman as narrator, the film challenges conventional storytelling techniques while exploring drama, emotional storytelling, and psychological themes.
Professors Marie Westhaver and Mike Giuliano offer higher education perspectives on film analysis, genre conventions, and narrative structure. Although they share some reservations about both films, they agree these are unconventional, compelling, and often very funny films worth discussing.
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