A Very Good Year

 “Empire” magazine editor Nick de Semlyen’s most recent book, “The Last Action Heroes,” is a delightful history of ‘80s and ‘90s action cinema, so he joins us to discuss 1993, from the blistering action of “Demolition Man” to the action satire of “Hot Shots! Part Deux” to the pointed inaction of “The Remains of the Day.” 

Author, filmmaker, and “Gaslit Nation” host Andrea Chalupa joins us to discuss 1984—an appropriate year for an Orwell scholar—in advance of the release of her new graphic novel “In the Shadow of Stalin.” Listen in as she gives much love to “Amadeus,” “Once Upon a Time in America,” and, of course, “1984.” 

Film historian, podcaster, and Cine Journeys co-founder Jill Blake joins us to walk through the post-war euphoria and darkness of 1945, including “I Know Where I’m Going,” “Brief Encounter,” and “Leave Her to Heaven.”

Independent filmmaker Zach Clark joins us in advance of the release of his new film “The Becomers” for a look at some of the most delightfully insane movies of 1972, including the stylized mayhem of “Female Prisoner #701: Scorpion,” the melodrama of “The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant,” and the total decadence of “Pink Flamingos.” 

Film critic and podcaster Josh Lewis explores the “sleaze canon” on his “Sleazoids” podcast, and he joins us to discuss the very sleazy year of 1981, from the gore of “The Beyond” to the paranoia of “Blow Out” to the surprising depth of “MS. 45.”

Film critic and podcaster Stephanie Crawford usually dabbles in horror and exploitation cinema, but she is also obsessed with screwball comedy — so she joins us to discuss 1940, a banner year for the subgenre, thanks to “His Girl Friday,” “The Philadelphia Story,” and “Christmas in July.” 

Film critic and author Chris Nashawaty’s latest book is “The Future Was Now: Madmen, Mavericks, and the Epic Sci-Fi Summer of 1982,” so you’ll never guess what year he joins us to talk about! Hear us wax rhapsodic about the thrills of “Blade Runner,” the chills of “The Thing,” the Catholic guilt of “The Verdict,” and much more. 

Film critic and O.G. AV Club member Noel Murray does not usually suffer from recency bias, but he thought it would be fun to glance back just five years to 2019, which gave us the hang-out pleasures of “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” the stinging commentary of “Parasite,” and the shocks and thrills of “Us.”

This week, we’re joined by the other co-author of the must-read new book “Corpses, Fools and Monsters: The History and Future of Transness in Cinema”; film critic Caden Mark Gardner discusses the cinema of 1995, including such now-classics as “Safe,” “Heat,” and “Devil in a Blue Dress.”