More Than One Lesson

“Beauty isn’t everything. It’s the only thing.”

So says a particularly incisive fashion designer in Nicolas Winding Refn’s The Neon Demon. The quote is a bit on the nose, but certainly seems to be the mantra of Refn himself. His films have always been visually striking, even when treading familiar narrative ground. Refn’s ability to marry sound and image, crafting an overall tone that is both jarring and haunting, distinguishes him as one of the most unique directors working today. And while I haven’t always responded to the stories Refn has chosen to tell – and felt them to be somewhat incongruous with the style with which he tells them – The Neon Demon seems like the film he was born to make. Finally, the vapid shallow beauty inherent in Refn’s preferred filmmaking choices matches that of the characters we’re watching. The film is ultimately gorgeous, meditative, and extremely trashy, making it one of the most interesting cinematic experiences of the year.

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Tyler and Josh discuss George Cukor’s My Fair Lady, the winner of Best Picture for 1964.

In this episode, Tyler and Robert discuss the Coen Brothers’ Inside Llewyn Davis and Brad Silberling’s Moonlight Mile.

EPISODE BREAKDOWN
00:00:44- Intro, The MTOL Top 50 Movies
00:03:50- Finding Dory review, Thank God for Scary Movies, VidAngel
00:07:21- Orlando
00:20:30- Inside Llewyn Davis
01:09:10- Moonlight Mile
01:41:27- Tragedy, loss, helping, and Tyler has a breakdown

Two specific films in Pixar’s canon seemed least likely to warrant a sequel. One was Up, the other was Finding Nemo. Both had complete stories with what felt like closed loops that would only lend themselves to sequels with the most forceful of contrivances. Not that the rest of Pixar’s stories weren’t complete, they just existed in worlds which begged to tell more stories, unlike the definitive closure at the end of Finding Nemo.

So when Finding Dory was announced, I rolled my eyes. It already felt forced. It felt like they were seeking to capitalize on the appeal of a breakout character to market new toys. It felt, even from the title, repetitive and redundant. But when the credits rolled and the lights came up, those feelings couldn’t have been more forgotten.

[…]

It was a day filled with stress and anxiety. Bills needed to be paid with less than enough money. Deadlines had passed without completed work. Conversations had ranged from tense and sensitive to outright heated arguments. I felt incompetent and ineffective in every endeavor I put my hand to, whether personal or professional. I couldn’t turn around without offending someone, being misunderstood, or letting somebody down.

I probably should have taken a walk. You know, fresh air and all that. I’m a Christian, so I probably should have prayed harder about things. Maybe read my bible or listened to a Hillsong CD. But I already felt so embarrassed and even a little ashamed that the thought of trying harder to do the thing I’m supposed to do felt like setting myself up for one more failure. So I did the thing I knew would demand almost nothing from me.

I watched a scary movie.

[…]

In this episode, Tyler, Josh, and Reed discuss the pros and cons of the streaming service VidAngel.

We at More Than One Lesson are curious what our listeners consider to be the best movies of all time. So, we’re finally asking for submissions, from which we’ll compile a list of the 50 best films ever made. Here’s what to do:

• Make your ten selections. They must be feature length, but can be from any country and any era.

• Put your selections in order, with #1 being your top pick.

• E-mail your list to tyler@morethanonelesson.com.

We’ll take submissions thru June 25th, so be sure to get them in as soon as you can.
Thanks!

Tyler and Josh discuss Robert Wise’s The Sound of Music, Best Picture of 1965.

In this episode, Tyler and Josh discuss Yorgos Lanthimos’ The Lobster and Terry Gilliam’s Brazil.

EPISODE BREAKDOWN
00:00:44- Intro, Podcast Awards, X-Men: Apocalypse, The Andrew Klavan Show
00:06:00- The Lobster
00:43:00- Brazil
00:56:15- Discussion of theme, Josh’s Lobster review
01:15:07- Episode wrap-up

In this episode, Tyler and Reed discuss Neill Blomkamp’s Chappie and Disney’s Pinocchio.

EPISODE BREAKDOWN
00:00:44- Intro, Flipped, The Lobster
00:01:55- Chappie
01:03:20- Pinocchio
01:50:00- Episode wrap-up