One For You Podcast

Welcome to another episode of the One for You Podcast! Christmas is almost upon us, which is of course super exciting. But before the main event, there is this amazing time called advent, where you get to be excited about Christmas for about 3 weeks. In my opinion, that’s also the earliest you should put up Christmas decorations or be assaulted by Christmas songs in stores. Advent is also a time to watch Christmas movies! These days that mostly means Christmas RomComs, a uniquely American genre. My guest Alan Mattli and I have watched a number of these movies, so listen to us be delighted and appalled in equal measure. We also briefly talk about our favourite Christmas movies of the non RomCom variety We watched: HAPPIEST SEASON: More Tragedy than Comedy? (09:08) LOVE HARD: Topical five years ago. (19:55) SINGLE ALL THE WAY: When your family ships you and your BFF hard. (31:16) A CASTLE FOR CHRISTMAS: An American saves the Scottish, who wear a surprising number of kilts. (No, this is not BRAVEHEAR

It’s time for action on the ONE FOR YOU podcast! Alan Mattli joins me to discuss GUNPOWDER MILKSHAKE and its bubble gum noir aesthetic. We wonder about the empty world of the movie and whether Hollywood has learned the wrong lessons from JOHN WICK. In our gem session, we talk about V FOR VENDETTA and whether it is as good as teenage Alan thought. We also discuss whether the movie effectively criticises fascist politics or whether it is too enamoured of its own aesthetic slickness to do so. Join the discussion on social media @oneforyoupod or write an email to oneforyoupod@gmail.com

In this episode, we travel into the future and into space, hunting criminals across the solar system, while looking unbelievably cool. Yes, we are discussing COWBOY BEBOP, the Netflix remake of the beloved anime. Before the Netflix remake was announced, I’d never heard of COWBOY BEBOP. Luckily, I am joined by Astrit Abazi, who, to put it mildly, is a fan of the original. We discuss the first four episodes of the show in great detail, going into spoilers, starting at (8:14). But no worries, we have a spoiler free summary of our thoughts on the show starting at (43:12). Other topics include a number of other anime, HAWKEYE, and Astrit’s promise to watch TED LASSO. Join the discussion on social media @oneforyoupod or write an email to oneforyoupod@gmail.com

It’s another episode in our inadvertent “looking longingly back into the past” series! Mansi Tiwari joins me for a discussion of two films about relationships between mothers and their children. Can they ever truly know and understand each other? PETITE MAMAN, Céline Sciamma’s follow up to PORTRAIT DE LA JEUNE FILLE EN FEU has an unusual solution for this problem, as past and present collide in this wishful movie (5:01). For the gem 20TH CENTURY WOMEN, director Mike Mills let himself be inspired by his own teenage years in the late 1970s. He tells a story about a mother (Annette Bening) trying to raise her son by drafting in two additional quasi-mothers (Greta Gerwig and Elle Fanning) (17:01). We also discuss what we’ve been watching and what we’re looking forward too. (Spoilers, it’s LAST NIGHT IN SOHO.) Join the discussion on social media @oneforyoupod or write an email to oneforyoupod@gmail.com

This episode’s movies are all about nostalgia, which often is a powerful force for storytelling, as Alan Mattli and I discuss. THE FRENCH DISPATCH, Wes Anderson’s newest movie, shows us an ironic take on American intellectual’s visions of France during the first half of the 20th century. The gem, the German movie GOOD BYE LENIN! delves into the thorny issue of nostalgia, when said nostalgia happens to be about living in a socialist dictatorship. We also briefly discuss Ridley Scott’s THE LAST DUEL and are confused by the title situation of the movie formerly known as EDGE OF TOMORROW. Join the discussion on social media @oneforyoupod or write an email to oneforyoupod@gmail.com

The leaves are yellowing and always seems like it’s about to rain; that can mean only one thing: fall is here and with it the Zurich Film Festival. As the film lovers that we are, we could of course not bypass this opportunity. We went to see all the films, or at least a great portion of them, or you know the ones that sounded interesting and were on when we didn’t have anything else on. Now, we’re here to discuss some of the most interesting movies we’ve seen, so you know what to watch in cinemas in a few months or a few years time. As is tradition, I am joined by three guests for this episode: Mansi Tiwari, Astrit Abazi and Alan Mattli. The films we are discussing are: THE MAN WHO SOLD HIS SKIN by Kaouther Ben Hania (4:21) MONA LISA AND THE BLOOD MOON by Ana Lily Amirpour (16:55) RED ROCKET by Sean Baker (25:28) PLEASURE by Ninja Thyberg(33:16) Join the discussion on social media @oneforyoupod or write an email to oneforyoupod@gmail.com

Y: THE LAST MAN is the long-awaited TV adaptation of the graphic novel by the same name. It tells the story of a world, where a plague suddenly and violently kills all mammals with a Y-chromosome, apart from Yorick (Ben Schnetzer) and his monkey Ampersand. As Yorick tries to figure out, why he of all people survived, his mother (Diane Lane) takes on the presidency, while his sister Hero (Olivia Thirlby) is trying to make her way out of a dying New York. Mansi Tiwari joins me to review the first three episodes of the show, which, in Switzerland, is available on Disney+. We wonder whether the show manages to adequately display the horror of the situation and what those familiar with the graphic novel might get out of this adaptation. If you want to avoid spoilers, listen to us setting up the show until (10:31) and then jump to (38:07), when we give a spoiler-free summary of our thoughts on the show. Naturally, there’s some more talk about my THE X-FILES obsession. And because we’ve both seen DUNE, we tak

There’s absolutely no drunken podcasting in this episode! And you might be thinking to yourself, that’s a very specific denial and you would be right. Because this episode, we talk about DRUNKEN MASTER II! And one lesson we’ve learned from that film is that heavy drinking leads to great prowess. But we are definitively not doing that. (Or are we?) We’ve paired this full vintage with a fresh cocktail, SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS! As you’ll know from last episode, both Astrit Abazi and I were looking forward to this movie, so naturally, we went to see it and are now ready to talk about it in even more length than last time. There’s also some insight into my continued obsession with THE X-FILES and a lot of excitement about DUNE. Join the discussion on social media @oneforyoupod or write an email to oneforyoupod@gmail.com

The One for You Podcast dives into the world of so-called prestige TV with an in-depth discussion of NINE PERFECT STRANGERS, a show about, well nine strangers, their weird so-called therapist, and some really nice smoothies. The show is set at a very exclusive wellness resort in California. Many people want to visit, but self-help guru Masha (Nicole Kidman) only allows a select few to into her resort, making sure the guests’ problems bounce off each other perfectly. But this time around, it seems as though things might be slipping out of Masha’s control as the groups is more volatile than expected. On top of that, she’s also receiving threats from a mysterious source. Based on a book with the same name by Liane Moriarty, NINE PERFECT STRANGERS is streaming on Amazon Prime. Astrit Abazi and I talk about the four available episodes in great spoilerific detail. If you want to avoid spoilers, listen to us setting up the show until (12:43) and then jump to (46:49), when we give a spoiler-free summary of our

Welcome to a very special episode of the One for You Podcast! For the very first time we are dedicating an entire episode to the Locarno Film Festival, which just finished its 74th edition! For this episode, I am joined not by one, not by two, but by three guests! Mansi Tiwari, Alan Mattli, and making his long-awaited return to the podcast, my co-founder, my original partner in crime Andri Erdin! We talk about the winner of the Pardo d’Oro VENGEANCE IS MINE, ALL OTHERS PAY CASH, the films on the Piazza Grande, as well as some of our favourite competition films, especially the short films. And of course, this would not be complete without the films we love to hate, such as THE CASE OF THE VANISHING GODS, which was baffling and yet we cannot stop talking about it. Tears might be involved. Join the discussion on social media @oneforyoupod or write an email to oneforyoupod@gmail.com For more of Alan Mattli’s reviews go to his blog facingthebittertruth.com

The One for You Podcast returns from the summer break! Naturally, we watched a ton of movies during that time, but we’ll focus on two for this episode. First, IN THE HEIGHTS, the adaptation of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s pre-HAMILTON Broadway musical (06:00). The movie tells the stories of various people struggling and dreaming in the Heights, the New York neighbourhood groaning under the pressures of gentrification. Astrit Abazi and I discuss whether the movie works as an adaptation, which our favourite songs are, and also talk about the colourism controversy the film as sparked. Second, THE BOOK OF LIFE (27:12), an animated story from 2014, produced by Guillermo del Toro, tells the story of a trio of friends whose lives become the playthings for the mythical entities La Muerte (Kate del Castillo) and Xibalba (Ron Perlman). We struggle with the terribly old-fashioned story set-up, which sees two men competing for the love of a woman, have diverging opinions on the animation style, but agree on our assessment of

This episode is dedicated to two films by the Oscar winning director Chloé Zhao. We start off with NOMADLAND ( 4:00 ), in which Fran (Frances McDormand) is forced to go on the road and drive across the United States, following the availability of temporary jobs. The gem is Zaho’s second movie THE RIDER ( 24:44 ) about a young cowboy named Brady, who is trying to find his feet again after a devastating rodeo accident. Brady Jandreau plays a fictionalised version of himself. Alan Mattli joins me to talk about the allure and the pitfalls of the American Dream and the refiguring of this most American figure of all, the cowboy. We also discuss whether the mixing of professional actors and amateurs can work or, whether instead of generating authenticity, it leads to fakeness. Join the discussion on social media @oneforyoupod or write an email to oneforyoupod@gmail.com

All aboard the express train! First stop NEMESIS (3:52), a Swiss documentary about the demolition of an old train station in Zurich, in order to replace it with a new police and prison complex. Mansi Tiwari and I discuss the impact of the images of destruction, tempered by their playfulness. We also question the intermingling of statements by the director with the testimonials of soon-to-be deportees and whether this gives or takes away a voice from those who too often do not have one. Next stop BRIEF ENCOUNTER (18:10), the David Lean classic from 1945 about an affair that begins with a chance encounter in a train station. We discuss how the rhythms of the train schedule make and break the affair, the bonding power of laughter that so easily slips into cruelty and whether our heroine is judged for the affair or not. Join the conversation on social media @oneforyoupod or via email oneforyoupod@gmail.com

“What are you doing?” Rarely has there been a scarier question. At least for the men in PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN, who do not react well to their date suddenly becoming a lot less helpless than anticipated. The Academy Award winning movie discusses questions about consent and the societal enabling of bad behaviour by so called nice guys in an unusual way. In THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO, hacker Lisbeth Salander deals with those who have wronged her in a different but equally unique way. Astrit Abazi and I discuss whether David Fincher’s movie succeeds as a comment on the dark secrets of Swedish society, where it is hobbled by its status as an adaptation and why the accents are so weird. Join the conversation on social media @oneforyoupod or via email oneforyoupod@gmail.com

It’s time for a roaring rampage of revenge as Alan Mattli and I discuss Quentin Tarantino’s KILL BILL VOL. 1 & 2. Is there anything beyond the shiny surface of movie quotes? Or is it enough to simply be cool? We also ask ourselves, whether having a woman revenge herself on a guy who cannot take no for an answer is enough to hail the movie as feminist or whether the situation is more complicated than that. A similarly thorny question arises when that white woman is the undisputed master of martial arts she has learned from East Asian masters. And that brings us to the most important discussion of all: what happens if you never take five steps after having been hit with the Five Point Palm Exploding Heart Technique? Let us know your thoughts on the Kill Bill movies. We’re on Twitter and Instagram @oneforyoupod, or write us an email: oneforyoupod@gmail.com.

Welcome to a high-octane ride! This episode I discuss the Mad Max movies with my guest Alan Mattli. What better starting point than the sensational FURY ROAD that set cinema screens on fire in 2015 with its epic imagery and the refusal to slow down for a moment. Yet, arguably, the emotional highpoint of the movie is the moment the main character reveals his name. We discuss how director George Miller manages these seeming contradictions with great elegance before looking at how we got here. That means going back to the very beginning of Miller’s career and MAD MAX, very much a product of its budget and its time. Next up is MAD MAX 2 (aka THE ROAD WARRIOR), which in hindsight functions as a training run for FURY ROAD yet manages to stand on its own 40 years later. Finally, we turn to BEYOND THUNDERDOME, often considered the least admirable entry in the series, though Alan and I would disagree with that. Let us know your thoughts on the Mad Max movies. We’re on Twitter and Instagram @oneforyoupod, or write

Yo Ho, Yo Ho, a pirate's life for the pod! In this episode we travel through space and time to land in the Caribbean during the golden Age of piracy, as Astrit Abazi and I discuss the original Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy. That includes THE CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL, DEAD MAN’S CHEST and AT WORLD’S END. As the first movie is one of my favourites, we spend quite a bit of time discussing what makes it so awesome, from the slapstick comedy, to great character introductions and a fantastic score. We also try to untangle the plot of the sequels, which sounds a lot like ‘and then, and then but also, and then.’ As we discuss whether all of that amounts to something entertaining, we talk about the correct way to pronounce ‘kraken’, why the women in the movies can’t talk to each other and whether Hector is truly a great name for a pirate.

Right now, every day feels the same – almost like we’re stuck reliving the same day over and over again. So, what better time to discuss our favourite instances of the time loop genre. Mansi Tiwari joins me to talk about PALM SPRINGS and we have very differing opinions on the mixing of the rom-com and time loop genres. Is it just lazy writing? Or does the movie have something more profound to say with some laughs sprinkled on top? When it comes to the TV show RUSSIAN DOLL, we both turn into detectives trying to solve the enigma at the heart of the show. Does it come down to religion, video games or psychiatry? Either way, we know for sure we love Natasha Lyonne.

Holy Mackarel, Batman! It's an episode all about Batman! In the longest episode to date, Alan Mattli and I discuss four movies about the caped crusader in spoilerific detail. Join us as we feast our eyes on the gothic extravaganza of BATMAN and are fascinated by the villains and antagonists of BATMAN RETURNS. These are the initial building blocks of the franchise, from the weird mind of Tim Burton. Onwards we go then to the technicolour vision of BATMAN FOREVER, as Joel Schumacher takes over, before ending with a movie that is commonly called the worst superhero movie ever made: BATMAN & ROBIN. To join the discussion, you can find on Twitter and Instagram @oneforyoupod or contact us via email: oneforyoupod@gmail.com.

The One For You Podcast goes where it has never gone before: TV! It's all about WANDAVISION on this episode, as Astrit Abazi and I dive into the first seven episodes and discuss them in spoilerific detail. Is the central mystery compelling? Do we buy into Wanda and Vision's relationship? And is there such a thing as too much MCU?