May 15, 2017

EP. 102 — The Fellowship of the Ring vs. The Return of the King (w/ Joanna Robinson & David Chen)

Joanna Robinson (Vanity Fair) and David Chen (/Film) join Amy this week to pit the bookends of The Lord of the Rings trilogy against one another in the ultimate battle for Middle-Earth canonization. They discuss and debate the relative technological strides each film achieved, the narrative significance of central character arcs, and Peter Jackson’s masterful (and sometimes questionable) retooling of key scenes from the books. Is FOTR or ROTK the one film to rule The Canon? Head to the Earwolf forums to cast your vote now!

Recent Episodes

August 12, 2018

Amy announces the winner of the final Canon call-in showdown, before presenting an episode of Unspooled, all about 1998’s Titanic. Don’t forget to subscribe to Unspooled on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher or wherever you get your podcasts!

July 15, 2018

We asked, and you nominated! For the final episode of the season, Amy and Engineer Sam take listener calls to hear arguments as to which of these films should enter The Canon: David Fincher’s 2007 thriller “Zodiac;” the first film in the Cornetto trilogy, 2004’s “Shaun of the Dead;” or the 1999 Paul Thomas Anderson drama “Magnolia.” Which film will round out this edition of The Canon? Head over to the Earwolf forums now to cast your vote!

July 2, 2018

Vox film critic Alissa Wilkinson joins Amy this week to discuss the 1975 documentary “Grey Gardens.” They break down the film’s more difficult moments, examining the relationship between Big Edie and Little Edie as well as the undercurrent of latent sadness. Plus, they consider the direction and vision of Albert and David Maysles, themes of capitalism and decay, and how “Grey Gardens” encapsulates the central question of documentary. Should “Grey Gardens” enter The Canon? Cast your vote on the Earwolf forums now!