The Film Talk

After a 10 year break they've returned! The Ongoing Conversation about Movies and their Meaning with film critics Jett Loe and Gareth Higgins continues to explore what films are really telling us about our lives and world, what we can learn about life through the eyes of others, and how movies can help us get through hard times - and affirm us in the better ones.

MARTY SUPREME / EEPHUS 01/20/2026

MARTY SUPREME / EEPHUS Is the film exhilarating yet empty? And are we taking about MARTY SUPREME or EEPHUS Dear Listener? Let’s find out together. To contact Jett and Gareth go to: /episode/index/show/56f07ac6-f17b-4d91-9d90-27086d5d9159/id/39802590

Our Top 10 Films of 2025 01/01/2026

Our Top 10 Films of 2025 It's the end of the year folks, so time for lists! Here's Jett and Gareth's Top 10 films of 2025. Gareth: BLUE MOON, A LITTLE PRAYER, KÖLN 75, THE HISTORY OF SOUND, SENTIMENTAL VALUE, SINNERS, SORRY BABY, IT WAS JUST AN ACCIDENT, KISS OF THE SPIDERWOMAN and TRAIN DREAMS. Jett: AVATAR: FIRE AND ASH, PLURIBUS, THE PHOENICIAN SCHEME, RIEFENSTAHL, 28 YEARS LATER, SORRY BABY, BUGONIA, TRAIN DREAMS, SINNERS and ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER. To contact Jett and Gareth go to: /episode/index/show/56f07ac6-f17b-4d91-9d90-27086d5d9159/id/39580670

Avatar: Fire and Ash 12/22/2025

Avatar: Fire and Ash It's The Film Talk's most divisive picture of the year Dear Listener. Higgins and Loe: one saw in IMAX 3D and one didn’t. Will they ever be able to reconcile their opinions, thoughts and feelings? Let's listen in and find out. To contact Jett and Gareth go to: /episode/index/show/56f07ac6-f17b-4d91-9d90-27086d5d9159/id/39510070

Rob Reiner / Train Dreams / Sorry, Baby 12/16/2025

Rob Reiner / Train Dreams / Sorry, Baby His movies radiated kindness and empathy no matter the subject matter Dear Listener. We talk about the late Rob Reiner in this episode as well as discussing two of the most beautiful, insightful and sad films of the year, Train Dreams and Sorry, Baby. To contact Jett and Gareth go to: /episode/index/show/56f07ac6-f17b-4d91-9d90-27086d5d9159/id/39433860

Frankenstein 11/11/2025

Frankenstein What makes this version of Frankenstein, (there’s been at least 400 others), necessary Dear Listener? Other than the director’s obsessive need to get it to the screen - and is that enough? To contact Jett and Gareth go to: /episode/index/show/56f07ac6-f17b-4d91-9d90-27086d5d9159/id/39000345

Bugonia 11/07/2025

Bugonia Bugonia is at the pinnacle of its genre Jett Loe believes, but to say what that genre is would be to spoil a stunning aspect of the picture. With that in mind Jett asks that you listen to this short episode only after watching the film. To contact Jett and Gareth go to: /episode/index/show/56f07ac6-f17b-4d91-9d90-27086d5d9159/id/38956650

A House of Dynamite 10/31/2025

A House of Dynamite A House of Dynamite is a movie designed to generate dread, but do we need something else right now, a picture that points to solutions instead? This question is asked in today's episode as Gareth Higgins and Jett Loe discuss the current political situation in the U.S., A House of Dynamite as a lament and wonder what to do if a train is heading towards us at full speed. Spoilers for Contagion, The Day After, Fail Safe, Dr. Strangelove, Source Code and Conclave. To contact Jett and Gareth go to: Or leave a voicemail message at: /episode/index/show/56f07ac6-f17b-4d91-9d90-27086d5d9159/id/38868820

Tron: Ares / Diane Keaton 10/24/2025

Tron: Ares / Diane Keaton Be yourself, that’s what Diane Keaton did folks. In this episode the work of Keaton is discussed, and there’s also some rumination on the previously unknown THE CAT FROM OUTER SPACE / TRON connection. We hope you enjoy this episode as much as we enjoyed making it. To contact Jett and Gareth go to: Or leave a voicemail message at: /episode/index/show/56f07ac6-f17b-4d91-9d90-27086d5d9159/id/38764230

One Battle After Another 10/01/2025

One Battle After Another It's one of the all time greats folks, at least that's what Jett believes. As for Gareth? Even though he found the viewing of ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER unpleasant, he just might agree. To contact Jett and Gareth go to: Or leave a voicemail message at: To see on Threads what Jett is getting up to: /episode/index/show/56f07ac6-f17b-4d91-9d90-27086d5d9159/id/38430760

Weapons / Terence Stamp 08/27/2025

Weapons / Terence Stamp As Gareth says in this show, WEAPONS is “a lament that absolutely earns its right to call itself a true story”. It’s the film of our age friends; we hope you enjoy this episode and our slight tribute to the wonderful actor Terence Stamp who's just passed. To contact Jett and Gareth go to: Or leave a voicemail message at: To see on Threads what Jett is getting up to: /episode/index/show/56f07ac6-f17b-4d91-9d90-27086d5d9159/id/37973265

Superman 07/16/2025

Superman Gareth and Jett disagree on one fundamental aspect of this picture Dear Listener, but other than that one thing, (a particular actor’s performance), they both agree SUPERMAN is a beautiful, and very necessary, work, that shows the importance of empathy and kindness in what is often a very cruel world. To contact Jett and Gareth go to: Or leave a voicemail message at: To see on Threads what Jett is getting up to: /episode/index/show/56f07ac6-f17b-4d91-9d90-27086d5d9159/id/37432485

28 Years Later 07/08/2025

28 Years Later As Gareth Higgins says in this episode, “28 Years Later made me care about the people around me, it helped me care about strangers too.” He’s not wrong folks, this is a exquisitely beautiful film that conjures up the spirit of the films of Boorman, Powell & Pressburger, Leigh and Ramsey and we loved talking about it. To contact Jett and Gareth go to: Or leave a voicemail message at: To see on Threads what Jett is getting up to: /episode/index/show/56f07ac6-f17b-4d91-9d90-27086d5d9159/id/37338760

The Phoenician Scheme / Harris Yulin 06/20/2025

The Phoenician Scheme / Harris Yulin Has Jett Loe finally come around to loving Wes Anderson films? It’s quite possible Dear Listener. Tune in to Episode 301 to find out why Loe and Gareth Higgins both adore Anderson’s new film, The Phoenician Scheme, and also why they adore the work of the phenomenal character actor Harris Yulin who has just passed away. To contact Jett and Gareth go to: Or leave a voicemail message at: /episode/index/show/56f07ac6-f17b-4d91-9d90-27086d5d9159/id/37092410

Mountainhead and Friendship 06/17/2025

Mountainhead and Friendship Can men truly ever be friends? This is the question Jett Loe asks of his co-host, (and possible friend), Gareth Higgins on this, the 300th episode of The Film Talk. In this ep male friendship is discussed in the context of the new, excoriating satire from the makers of Succession, Mountainhead, and the hilarious Tim Robinson star-vehicle Friendship. Along the way Loe and Higgins reference poet Ralph Waldo Emerson, artist Joseph Beuys, the films Robocop and Starship Troopers and much more. Enjoy. To contact Jett and Gareth go to: Or leave a voicemail message at: /episode/index/show/56f07ac6-f17b-4d91-9d90-27086d5d9159/id/37047060

Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning 05/23/2025

Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning In the surprise of the year Loe and Higgins find the new Mission: Impossible picture fantastic. It's Lawrence of Arabia meets The Abyss with a side-helping of Sidney Lumet's Fail Safe and they can't wait to see it again. In this episode they discuss the meanings of the movie and also make time to mull over the qualities of all of the other Mission: Impossible pictures. Enjoy. To contact Jett and Gareth go to: Or leave a voicemail message at: /episode/index/show/56f07ac6-f17b-4d91-9d90-27086d5d9159/id/36694045

Jean de Florette / Manon des Sources 05/20/2025

Jean de Florette / Manon des Sources SPOILER ALERT: your neighbors are terrible. We bring this up Dear Listener because, with the infinite amount of “content” out there, it can be hard to decide what to watch, but Gareth has a suggestion: Jean de Florette and Manon des Sources, with their examination of crime, hope and atonement are just the thing for this week. A real spoiler alert: please watch these two films before listening to the show. Yours in Cinema, Jett and Gareth. To contact Jett and Gareth go to: Or leave a voicemail message at: /episode/index/show/56f07ac6-f17b-4d91-9d90-27086d5d9159/id/36644345

Sinners 05/01/2025

Sinners Friends, lovers and sinners all, we ask you to see this magnificent, multifaceted masterwork. Gareth and Jett are talking about Sinners in this episode and they couldn’t be happier to discuss what this movie means for cinema going forward. To contact Jett and Gareth go to: Or leave a voicemail message at: To see on Threads what Jett is getting up to: /episode/index/show/56f07ac6-f17b-4d91-9d90-27086d5d9159/id/36379590

Black Bag 04/03/2025

Black Bag In the wake of the grotesque, terrible, and horrifyingly comical current political situation in the United States Jett and Gareth declare Steven Soderbergh’s new film Black Bag to be the absolute current must watch. To contact Jett and Gareth go to: Or leave a voicemail message at: To see on Threads what Jett is getting up to: /episode/index/show/56f07ac6-f17b-4d91-9d90-27086d5d9159/id/35983530

Gene Hackman, the Oscars and the Current Emergency 03/20/2025

Gene Hackman, the Oscars and the Current Emergency In an episode that frankly goes off the rails multiple times, we discuss our favorite Gene Hackman movies while reflecting on what made him such an extraordinary actor, dissect what wasn’t said at the 2025 Academy Awards and ask what our responsibilities are in the response to the unfolding national emergency in the United States. To contact Jett and Gareth go to: Or leave a voicemail message at: To see on Threads what Jett is getting up to: /episode/index/show/56f07ac6-f17b-4d91-9d90-27086d5d9159/id/35800410

Academy Awards Best Picture Nominations, Part Two 02/28/2025

Academy Awards Best Picture Nominations, Part Two Emilia Pérez, I'm Still Here, Nickel Boys, The Substance and Wicked - these are the films we're discussing today Dear Listener. As always Gareth Higgins and Jett Loe agree to disagree, especially about Gareth's shocking pick for best film out of the nominees. Enjoy. To contact Jett and Gareth go to: Or leave a voicemail message at: To see on Threads what Jett is getting up to: /episode/index/show/56f07ac6-f17b-4d91-9d90-27086d5d9159/id/35486085

Academy Awards Best Picture Nominations, Part One 02/16/2025

Academy Awards Best Picture Nominations, Part One Anora, The Brutalist, A Complete Unknown, Conclave and Dune: Part 2 - these are the films we're discussing today Dear Listener. Of one of these Gareth Higgins says, "It's about 80 percent as good as The Godfather". Listen in and find out what he's talking about, if you can stand our rendition of The Brutalist score. To contact Jett and Gareth go to: Or leave a voicemail message at: To see on Threads what Jett is getting up to: /episode/index/show/56f07ac6-f17b-4d91-9d90-27086d5d9159/id/35303475

The Brutalist 02/02/2025

The Brutalist The Brutalist is magnificent, it’s bleak and beautiful at exactly the same time, go see it. At least that’s what Jett thinks. Gareth agrees...but maybe not quite so much? To contact Jett and Gareth go to: Or leave a voicemail message at: To see on Threads what Jett is getting up to: /episode/index/show/56f07ac6-f17b-4d91-9d90-27086d5d9159/id/35118240

David Lynch Remembered 01/24/2025

David Lynch Remembered David Lynch has passed away. What strange words to be typing. We, like many others one suspects, expected him to be around always, and maybe he is…he’s before and after, or perhaps there’s no actual now. To contact Jett and Gareth go to: Or leave a voicemail message at: To see on Threads what Jett is getting up to: /episode/index/show/56f07ac6-f17b-4d91-9d90-27086d5d9159/id/34995205

The Films of 2024 01/01/2025

The Films of 2024 Here it is Friends, our Films of 2024 episode - hope you enjoy. Discussed on the show: Haven’t Seen But Need to See: La Chimera Seed of the Sacred Fig Good Enough to Talk About: Trap Cabrini It Ends with Us Babygirl Many Folks Haven't Heard About: It’s Only Life After All A Real Pain The Wise Guy Christmas Eve in Miller’s point Made in England: The Films of Powell & Pressburger Between the Temples Emilia Perez My Old Ass I Saw The TV Glow Kneecap The Apprentice Memoir of a Snail Sheer Joy: Wallace and Gromit Underrated: Furiosa Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes Juror #2 Bubbling Under: Dune Part Two Civil War Inside Out 2 The Bikeriders Anora The Brutalist Gotta See It Again: A Complete Unknown List of Its Own: Megalopolis Not the Best Film of the Year: Reagan Top Twelve Films of the Year: 12: His Three Daughters 11: Small Things Like These 10: Wicked 9: Rebel Ridge 8: Conclave 7: Evil does not exist 6: Sing Sing 5: Robot Dreams 4: Nickel Boys 3: Challengers 2: All We Imagine as Light 1: Joker Folie à Deux To contact Jett and Gareth go to: Or leave a voicemail message at: To see on Threads what Jett is getting up to: /episode/index/show/56f07ac6-f17b-4d91-9d90-27086d5d9159/id/34682795

A Complete Unknown 12/31/2024

A Complete Unknown Can we ever really know anyone else Dear Listeners? And why does the wonderful new Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown seem to take place in the same universe as Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny? This, and many other questions are asked, and partially answered, in this episode as Loe and Higgins wax semi-ecstatic over director James Mangold’s latest picture. We hope you enjoy. To contact Jett and Gareth go to: Or leave a voicemail message at: To see on Threads what Jett is getting up to: /episode/index/show/56f07ac6-f17b-4d91-9d90-27086d5d9159/id/34665045

Wicked 12/01/2024

Wicked Wait, are you telling us the new musical smash Wicked contains seeds of transcendence that can help folks live a better life? Also, why does the film look so awful? In this, (as over-stuffed as Wicked), episode, critics Jett Loe and Gareth Higgins get into the magnificent and terribleness of this new film, address Star Wars epic Attack of the Clones, yearn for the colors of 1938’s Adventures of Robin Hood and delve deep into the ways we live our life and the Jungian tension of opposites. We hope you enjoy, and don't forget to look for us in the western sky. To contact Jett and Gareth go to: Or leave a voicemail message at: To see on Threads what Jett is getting up to: /episode/index/show/56f07ac6-f17b-4d91-9d90-27086d5d9159/id/34218610

Post Election - What to Watch 11/21/2024

Post Election - What to Watch Do you want to become part of someone else's happiness? In the wake of a potentially tumultuous U.S. Presidential Election Higgins and Loe address this as they recommend a bevy of films to help you go forward with purpose, and maybe a little joy Dear Listener. They highlight Hirokazu Koreeda’s brilliant film After Life, arguably Tim Burton’s best picture, Ed Wood, the prescient Paul Verhoeven movie Starship Troopers and more. Enjoy. To contact Jett and Gareth go to: Or leave a voicemail message at: To see on Threads what Jett is getting up to: /episode/index/show/56f07ac6-f17b-4d91-9d90-27086d5d9159/id/34099171

Conclave and Teri Garr 11/09/2024

Conclave and Teri Garr We recorded this episode on Monday, November 5th, right before the U.S. Presidential Election Dear Listeners, yet, rather than seeming dated, it feels more timely than ever as we navigate choppy waters ahead. In this episode Jett and Gareth both revel in Conclave, a high-end, well-produced slice of the best cheese one can enjoy, that, interestingly, shows a potential way forward towards a more just and compassionate world, and reminisce about the wonderful performances of the late, (though still with us), Teri Garr. Along the way something near-miraculous happens to Jett at a screening. Enjoy. To contact Jett and Gareth go to: Or leave a voicemail message at: To see on Threads what Jett is getting up to: /episode/index/show/56f07ac6-f17b-4d91-9d90-27086d5d9159/id/33860547

Joker: Folie à Deux 10/16/2024

Joker: Folie à Deux Why don’t film critics address the meaning of the movies they watch Dear Listener? We say enough with the horse race and the box office numbers. To that end, on this episode, Jett and Gareth get into what the new Joker film actually seems to be saying about human nature and the brokenness within it. Along the way Terrance Malick’s The Thin Red Line is referenced, Sidney Lumet’s magnificent The Verdict is invoked, a TikTok creator is recommended, science fiction classic Forbidden Planet is manifested and we realize we must all “first accept, then luxuriate”. Enjoy. To contact Jett and Gareth go to: Or leave a voicemail message at: To see on Threads what Jett is getting up to: /episode/index/show/56f07ac6-f17b-4d91-9d90-27086d5d9159/id/33491517

Megalopolis One Point Five 10/08/2024

Megalopolis One Point Five On a fundamental level Megalopolis wants to start a conversation about the nature of creativity, about the difference between creation and destruction. At least that’s what many humans think, but what do the machines think, if they think at all? To explore this, Jett and Gareth turn over their carbon-based selves to the silicon avatars of the now. Enjoy. To contact Jett and Gareth go to: Or leave a voicemail message at: To see on Threads what Jett is getting up to: /episode/index/show/56f07ac6-f17b-4d91-9d90-27086d5d9159/id/33379442

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