70mm Rejected 1 on 1 & Queer Mount Rushmore Podcasts

Short post! Over the past few weeks, my friends over at the 70mm Rejected Podcast have released a few episodes that I’ve appeared on.

Recorded several weeks ago, I sat down to talk with Dave to talk about my “Four Faves” —

CHUNGKING EXPRESS (1994), Wong Kar-wai’s perfect film exploring melancholy, love, fantasy, and yearning.

JACKIE BROWN (1997), my favorite film from Quentin Tarantino, featuring Pam Grier and an absolutely lovesick Robert Forster.

PAST LIVES (2023), my undisputed favorite film of 2023 and (in my mind) best film of that year (outpacing Gerwig’s BARBIE and Nolan’s OPPENHEIMER, for me). I watched it 4 times in rapid succession in 2023 and adore it more and more each time. It is about love, yearning, trust, vulnerability, and timing.

SPIRITED AWAY (2001), a film that vies for my favorite Miyazaki. I consider Hayo Miyazaki to be, possibly, our greatest living artist. This film’s exploration of memory, compassion, love, and sense of wonder at the unfamiliar is such a comfort watch. I cannot help but tear up when we find Zeniba, as I can’t help but think of my great-grandma.

A few weeks ago, I sat with Pat and Grace to talk about our favorite queer films. We each brought one to discuss, and then our queer friends in the VHS Village nominated some films for the Queer Mount Rushmore.

In the episode, we discuss—

NOWHERE (1997), Gregg Araki’s surreal, rather stupefying, film following James Duval’s “Dark” as he tries to find love and survive bad trips, a crazed biker, and of course aliens.

BOTTOMS (2023), Emma Seligman’s absolute romp following Rachel Sennott and Ayo Edebiri as they start a fight club to pick up cheerleaders in high school. Joke-per-minute rate perhaps not seen since Zucker-Abrams-Zucker’s AIRPLANE? I adore Ayo, but was also taken with Marshawn Lynch (who is reading a magazine called, DIVORCED AND HAPPY).

WEEKEND (2011), the film that I brought to the group. WEEKEND is special to me because, to my memory, it’s the first film I watched featuring gay love and sex. Released in 2011, I feel certain I watched this on Netflix in High School, and being able to see this at that point in my life was important. Is it a pretty vanilla depiction of gay love? Maybe! But I like vanilla very much. It is very sweet, and sad.

PARIS IS BURNING (1990), Jennie Livingston’s documentary exploring drag-ball culture in 80’s New York City. I was unexpectedly shocked by the care, support, validation, and protection that we see so powerfully flaunted. I wouldn’t say I enjoyed this, but it did move me.

Some of my favorite picks from the VHS Village’s Queer Mount Rushmore?

• CABARET (1972) - at Pride this year, I saw someone with a “GULF OF LIZA MINNELLI” shirt. This film is why. 5/5.

• THE BIRDCAGE (1996) - What if I told you that Gene Hackman gets horned up for Nathan Lane? What if I told you this film is completely loving and an amazing depiction of a gay couple? What if I told you their straight son is an absolute insufferable shit? 5/5.

• BOUND (1996) - Gina Gershon as a masc lesbian. What else need be said? Also, almost every single man in this movie is a complete dope. Joey Pants!

It was a great time talking with Grace and Pat! The VHS Village is the little group of friends that has formed around the 70mm Podcast, a podcast for movie fans (just like you). It’s a group of smart, funny, kind, and caring folks that I am always so happy to spend time with watching films, talking about hot F1 drivers, swapping book recommendations and having a little book club, and so much more. I don’t know what I would have done without our watch parties over the last year!

Big thanks to Dave and everyone else that contributes to the 70mm Rejected pod, I had a great time recording these, and I’m looking forward to doing more of them sometime!

Thomas