Your Brain on Film
Your Brain on Film
New School Critics
A podcast that dissects the latest films down to their very core. The idea is to expose something interesting and unique about a movie so we can all form a deeper connection with it. Colossus is a two-man team with a very busy schedule, so we'll release episodes as often as we can. Hope you enjoy!
A Battle for Creative Freedom: Why the Tarantino Backlash Could Be Bad for Hollywood
Quentin Tarantino's latest film, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, is being ripped apart for its false portrayal of Bruce Lee. And that backlash could in fact ruin the movie's Oscar ambitions. Thus, an important question arises: do we care more about facts and information...or do we care more about the artistic, culture-shifting power of storytelling? If you'd like weekly movie recommendations from the Colossus team, join the Colossus Movie Club.
Aug 9, 2019
7 min
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood: Redemption for Sharon Tate
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is Quentin Tarantino's love letter to the film industry. On this episode, I’ll explore the divisive American landscape of the 1960s and how Charles Manson exploited it. I’ll also provide a little history on a major shift in Hollywood, and how Tarantino created a meta-film that romanticizes the power of movies from that storied era. If you'd like weekly movie recommendations from the Colossus team, join the Colossus Movie Club.
Aug 5, 2019
31 min
First Reformed: Some Advice from F. Scott Fitzgerald
The stress of holding contradictory beliefs—also known as cognitive dissonance—is a common struggle everyone experiences. Just...not everyone can cope with it.  First Reformed is the cinematic encapsulation of what can happen when we allow that dissonance to consume us. If you'd like weekly movie recommendations from the Colossus team, join the Colossus Movie Club.
Jul 29, 2019
22 min
BlacKkKlansman: Between the World and Spike Lee
Gone With the Wind and Birth of a Nation are two films that depict the America many white men would like to live in. Spike Lee uses BlacKkKlansman to cinematically survey the decades-long fallout from those racist attitudes, recalling concepts and truths from Ta-Nehisi Coates' book "Between the World and Me" to depict African Americans' ever-present struggle to exist comfortably in their black bodies. If you'd like weekly movie recommendations from the Colossus team, join the Colossus Movie Club.
Jul 22, 2019
19 min
Mid90s: Yeezus Just Rose Again
Filmmakers are often heavily influenced by other artists, including musicians. And that musical influence guides the way they tell stories. I'd like to make a case that there's a deeper story to Mid90s than what appears on the surface—and it largely stems from Jonah Hill's infatuation with Kanye West. If you'd like weekly movie recommendations from the Colossus team, join the Colossus Movie Club.
Jul 15, 2019
26 min
The Favourite: Rabbit Soup for the Soul
The rabbit-filled ending of The Favourite is, indeed, a strange one—but it's also an ending that's easy to track if we think about the movie's true story. Abigail and Sarah’s power struggle not only ruins Queen Anne, but puts the entirety of Great Britain in jeopardy. In effect, this period piece becomes a timeless, cautionary tale about the ugly effects politics can have on everyone. If you'd like weekly movie recommendations from the Colossus team, join the Colossus Movie Club.
Jul 8, 2019
21 min
Crazy Rich Asians: Game Theory 101
At the beginning of Crazy Rich Asians, Rachel is teaching a class on the art of game theory. It's a craft studied by the top athletes, economists, and psychologists in the world—and it can improve the way you approach any situation in life. In this episode, we explore how Rachel uses game theory to win love. If you'd like weekly movie recommendations from the Colossus team, join the Colossus Movie Club.
Jul 1, 2019
22 min
Introducing: Your Brain on Film
This is Your Brain on Film, where we form a deeper connection to our movies. I'm your host, Travis Bean. On July 1, I'll release a short Season 1 pilot run. After that, subsequent seasons will release based on my availability. I'm writing and producing this show all on my own, so there could be several months between seasons. My hope is that everybody can come away from this show with a heightened appreciation for how impactful and beautiful movies can be. So next time you walk out of a theater, you’re not confused or bewildered or completely lost—you’re one with the movie.
Jun 19, 2019
3 min