Set in the near future, "Civil War" is about a messy conflict in a deeply divided United States. Sound familiar? In this podcast episode, HCC film professors Marie Westhaver and Mike Giuliano agree that the film does not fully realize the political potential of its premise, and yet fully realizes the visceral power of accompanying several photojournalists who take a risky road trip from New York to Washington. Strong performances by Kirsten Dunst and Callee Spaeny make us care about a story that does not always hold up to analysis. Marie and Mike also discuss a very different film, "Wicked Little Letters," about a small English village just after World War I. Its colorful characters are mystified by a series of anonymous letters rife with a lot of naughty words. Viewers may find that the salty language wears thin and also may figure out the central mystery long before the characters do, but it's an enjoyable film in large part because of the engaging performances by the likes of Olivia Colman, Jessie Buckley and Timothy Spall.

In 1938 a British stockbroker, Nicholas Winton, organized the rescue of 669 children from Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia and these children were sent to safety in Great Britain. This true story is the basis for "One Life," which HCC film professors Marie Westhaver and Mike Giuliano discuss in this Podcast episode. Anthony Hopkins is terrific as the elderly Winton in 1987 thinking back on his life; Johnny Flynn plays Winton in 1938. Although the bureaucratic details of the mission admittedly make for less than compelling cinema, the final scenes in the film are emotionally powerful. Marie and Mike also discuss a very different film, the film noir-influenced "Love Lies Bleeding," starring Kristen Stewart and Katy O'Brian as a couple who get into a whole heap of trouble in New Mexico in 1989. Although Marie and Mike are not always in agreement about this film, they agree that "Love Lies Bleeding" is never boring.

It's not often that a sequel is better than the first film, but director Denis Villeneuve's "Dune: Part Two" is better than the first part released in 2021. in this podcast episode, HCC film professors Marie Westhaver and Mike Giuliano discuss a cinematic epic that takes us deeper into the sci fi story and, of course, also visually delivers with more of those ominous sandworms. The human actors are also good, with the familiar faces in the cast including Timothee Chalamet, Zendaya, Javier Bardem, Christopher Walken, Dave Bautista, Oscar Isaac, Rebecca Ferguson, Austin Butler, Josh Brolin and Stellan Skarsgaard. Our critics actually look forward to part three. Marie and Mike also talk about a very different film, "The Taste of Things," in which director Tran Anh Hung and actors Juliette Binoche and Benoit Magimel immerse us in the gastronomic world of 1880s France. It's a lovely film in terms of the characters, themes, cinematography and, yes, cuisine.

HCC film professors Marie Westhaver and Mike Giuliano have a lot to say in this podcast episode, because they're talking about two films that received numerous Academy Award nominations. Cord Jefferson's directorial debut, "American Fiction," strikes an admirable balance between comedy and drama in its story about a Black novelist, Thelonious Ellison (Jeffrey Wright), whose academic novels don't sell nearly as many copies as those of a mass audience-oriented Black novelist, Sintara Golden (Issa Rae). The satirical storyline has serious underpinnings, and that dramatic quality is underscored by Ellison's interaction with family members played by Leslie Uggams, Sterling K. Brown and Tracee Ellis Ross. This is a terrific film. A very different film, director Yorgos Lanthimos' "Poor Things," takes a "Frankenstein"-type premise and soars into wildly surreal territory. Although Mike thinks this film is too long and is often weird for the sake of being weird, he agrees with Marie that it has impressive performances by Emma Stone, Willem Dafoe and the supporting cast, and they also both praise the production design, makeup and costumes. "Poor Things" won't be everybody's favorite, but those who like it are likely to love it.

"The Color Purple" began as an Alice Walker novel, was turned into a dramatic film by Steven Spielberg, then turned into a Broadway musical, and now has been turned into a movie musical by director Blitz Bazawule. That gives HCC film professors Marie Westhaver and Mike Giuliano plenty to talk about in this podcast episode. This crowd-pleasing film also pleases our two critics, even though Mike can't stop himself from expressing a few quibbles. Marie and Mike also discuss "Ferrari," about Italian race car designer Enzo Ferrari preparing for a race in 1957. Although veteran director Michael Mann brings his usual technical finesse to the story, there is an ironically slow pace for a racing movie. Marie and Mike disagree about Adam Driver's performance as Ferrari but agree that Penelope Cruz is terrific as Ferrari's wife.

In "The Holdovers," director Alexander Payne and actor Paul Giamatti work together for the first time since "Sideways" back in 2004. HCC film professors Marie Westhaver and Mike Giuliano agree in this podcast episode that they have great director-actor chemistry in this character study about a New England boarding schoolteacher tasked with watching the several students who are not able to return home for the Christmas break. There are equally fine performances by Dominic Sessa as a student, Da'Vine Joy Randolph as the school cook, and Carrie Preston as a school administrator. This is one of the best films of the year. Less successful is director Ridley Scott's biopic "Napoleon." Although there are impressively staged battlefield sequences, the film is just a chronicle of one thing after another in Napoleon's busy life. Scott unfortunately mixes actual events with entirely fictionalized scenes, and there is almost no historical analysis. Joaquin Phoenix's brooding performance never really lets us inside Napoleon's personality, but at least Vanessa Kirby makes an intriguing impression as the Empress Josephine. So, think of this disappointing spectacle as Ridley Scott's Waterloo.

As HCC film professors Marie Westhaver and Mike Giuliano talk about Martin Scorsese's "Killers of the Flower Moon" in this podcast episode, they assure you they won't go on quite as long as the film's 3-hour, 26-minute running time. Although Marie thinks the film is too long and Mike is fine with the running time, they mostly agree that it is a compelling drama derived from David Grann's nonfiction book about a series of suspicious deaths on an Indian reservation in Oklahoma in the 1920s. Robert De Niro and Leonardo DiCaprio give reliably strong performances, and Lily Gladstone deserves an Academy Award nomination as Best Actress for her remarkable performance as one of the Indian women. Marie and Mike also discuss "Anatomy of a Fall," an intriguing whodunit set in the French Alps. They try their best to avoid any spoilers while talking about it.

An actual case involving Game Stop stock selling in 2021 is the basis for "Dumb Money," in which the good guy small investors go up against the bad guy hedge funds. In this podcast episode, HCC film professors Marie Westhaver and Mike Giuliano mention how movies such as "The Social Network," "The Big Short" and "Dumb Money" deal with characters looking at their devices as they make financial transactions. Although Marie and Mike agree that actors including Paul Dano and Anthony Ramos engage viewer interest, the film does not do much in terms of character development. Marie and Mike also talk about "The Creator," a sci fi epic in which humans and A.I. life forms meet on the geopolitical battlefield. Our critics admire the film's production design and are intrigued by its ideas about A.I., but fault it for delivering a thematically unconvincing narrative. Just the same, they acknowledge that John David Washington is fine in the lead role and that the wavering narrative has enough action sequences and comic punch lines to keep you watching.

Based on a true story about a PlayStation gamer who went on to become an actual race car driver, "Gran Turismo" will satisfy gamers and race car fans alike. Admittedly, HCC film professors Marie Westhaver and Mike Giuliano do not fit into either demographic category. in this podcast episode, they acknowledge what will appeal to the fan base while also noting that the film is too long and, ironically, does not have a fast enough pace. Marie and Mike also discuss "The Equalizer 3," which stars Denzel Washington and equally striking Italian scenery. That may not be enough, alas, to overcome a vigilante-oriented story that predictably and violently lets you know the bad guys don't stand a chance.

Although "Jules" is a sentimental movie about an alien that may remind you of "E.T.," it differs in that the human protagonists are senior citizens rather than kids. In this podcast episode, HCC film professors Marie Westhaver and Mike Giuliano admire that geriatric twist to the standard storyline, and they also like Ben Kingsley's performance. Marie and Mike do voice a few quibbles about this gentle film, but, hey, they're critics. In any event, these carping commentators are much more critical of "Golda," starring Helen Mirren as Israeli leader Golda Meir. Despite a lot of prosthetic assistance, the casting does not quite work here; and what should be dramatic moments seem muted in scenes that are literally obscured by all of the cigarette smoke.

Oppenheimer" is writer-director Christopher Nolan's ambitious biopic about atomic scientist J. Robert Oppenheimer, who is portrayed with suitable intensity by Cillian Murphy. In this podcast episode, HCC film professors Marie Westhaver and Mike Giuliano agree that this is an impressive film tackling difficult scientific and political subject matter, although Mike has quibbles about what he considers an overly busy editing strategy. Look for "Oppenheimer" to receive multiple Academy Award nominations. Speaking of which, "Barbie" could hardly be a more different cinematic experience, but it has garnered favorable reviews along with enormous box office success. Writer and co-director Greta Gerwig oversees an entertaining comedy that has great production design, costumes, acting and cultural commentary. Marie and Mike really enjoyed it. Think pink!

Tom Cruise is a 61-year-old action hero who still delivers the goods in "Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part One." HCC film professors Marie Westhaver and Mike Giuliano acknowledge as much in this podcast episode, but they also wonder about the movie's 163-minute running time - and this is just Part One! Individual sequences are exciting, but maybe it's too much of a good thing. Marie and Mike also discuss "Joy Ride," a raunchy comedy about mismatched friends. Although Marie liked it more than Mike did, they both admire it as a showcase for Asian American actors whose characters have a great time on that joy ride.

Wes Anderson makes visually striking, whimsical movies with large ensemble casts, and in that respect "Asteroid City" is very much a Wes Anderson movie. HCC film professors Marie Westhaver and Mike Giuliano have a friendly jousting match in this podcast episode, because she likes Anderson's movies more than Mike does. Set in 1955, "Asteroid City" takes place in a Southwestern town in which a TV drama is being filmed. It is sort of about that TV taping, and also sort of about atomic bombs, a Hollywood bombshell played by Scarlett Johansson, outer space aliens and who knows what all else. Mike agrees that it's great eye candy but otherwise finds it hollow and lacking narrative momentum. Even though she loves Wes Anderson's movies, even Marie has some quibbles about his latest. Marie and Mike also discuss the raunchy comedy "No Hard Feelings," in which Jennifer Lawrence plays a financially struggling, working-class woman who is hired by helicopter parents to "date" their innocent 19-year-old son (Andrew Barth Feldman) before he goes off to college. This highly uneven movie glosses over the ethical considerations of its prostitution premise, but the lead actors are solid and there are a few insightful and funny scenes.

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny" is the fifth and presumably final installment in an adventure series that began way back in 1981. In this podcast episode, HCC film professors Marie Westhaver and Mike Giuliano talk about the history of that series and what it's like to now have Harrison Ford as an 80-year-old Indy Jones; and yes, they also talk about the computer-generated de-aging that shows him as a much younger man in the film's prologue. They agree that this movie works as a cinematic theme park ride. Marie and Mike also discuss a very different film, "Past Lives," about childhood friends in Korea who grow apart and then reunite after 24 years. Marie and Mike both really admire how well this film comments on the nature of friendship and the what-if aspects of relationships.

Disney's 1989 animated film "The Little Mermaid" was an instant classic and so it is not surprising that the studio has now released a live-action remake of it. In this podcast episode, HCC film professors Marie Westhaver and Mike Giuliano share their mixed response to it. For one thing, so much of it is computer-generated that there is more animation than genuine live action here. Also, while they like the performance by Halle Bailey as the mermaid Ariel, they have various reservations about the storyline. Marie and Mike also talk about the animated "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse," about which they have, yet again, a mixed response. They like the relatable quality in the film's 15-year-old protagonist, but think the plot is overly busy.

The "Fast and the Furious" franchise has been around for 22 years, and so you could say that the latest installment, "Fast X," is just spinning wheels. In this podcast episode, HCC film professors Marie Westhaver and Mike Giuliano agree that fans of the series will enjoy yet more physics-defying car chases by Vin Diesel and company. However, Marie and Mike both think the film's constant thematic references to the importance of family are a bit much. As Mike puts it, Vin Diesel is best when he sticks to the driving. Also discussed is "Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 3," which Marie enjoyed more than Mike did. They do agree, though, that the various critters are well-voiced by the likes of Bradley Cooper, Chris Pratt and, yes, Vin Diesel.

The beloved writer Judy Blume's 1970 novel "Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret" is given a very satisfying adaptation in which the story about a girl entering her teen years is handled with comic ease. In this podcast episode, HCC film professors Marie Westhaver and Mike Giuliano agree that Abby Ryder Fortson as young Margaret, Rachel McAdams as her mother and Kathy Bates as her grandmother are all delightful, and the 1970s detail really captures that era. This film is a real winner. Marie and Mike also talk about "Chevalier," in which a polymath Black composer (Kelvin Harrison Jr.) is making a name for himself in 18th century Paris. Although they admire how the film makes this real historical figure better known to modern audiences, Marie and Mike think that the film takes an overly conventional approach to what must have been an extraordinary life.

Sometimes a movie is just too long, and goodness knows that is the case with "Beau Is Afraid." In this podcast episode, HCC film professors Marie Westhaver and Mike Giuliano agree that they liked director Ari Aster's previous film "Midsommer," and they also like the premise in his new film about Joaquin Phoenix as an anxiety-ridden man who takes a journey from his city apartment to reconnect with his mother out in the countryside. However, "Beau Is Afraid" has a running time of 179 minutes. Although individual scenes work as surreal comedy, it's ultimately all too much. Marie and Mike also discuss "Guy Ritchie's The Covenant," in which a director known for making violent films with a comic edge turns his action-oriented skill set to the more serious purpose of a drama about the connection between a U.S. army veteran (Jake Gyllenhaal) and his Afghan interpreter (Dar Salim). The script has some overly obvious speeches, but the story itself works really well.

A tennis shoe associated with NBA great Michael Jordan is the subject of "Air," which is all about the invention and marketing of that shoe in 1984. HCC film professors Marie Westhaver and Mike Giuliano trade observations about footwear as they discuss this enjoyable movie, which features Matt Damon, Ben Affleck (who also directed), Viola Davis and Chris Tucker.  Marie and Mike also talk about the Toni Collette-starring mob comedy "Mafia Mamma." Avoid this terrible movie.

It helps if you have a background as a gamer in watching "Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves," but HCC film professors Marie Westhaver and Mike Giuliano basically found it visually diverting enough to hold their attention. In this podcast episode, they observe that it is fun watching dragons, wizards, druids, sorcerers and other things they don't encounter in their daily lives, and it's also enjoyable to watch actors including Chris Pine and Hugh Grant. Marie and Mike also discuss a very different movie, "A Good Person," whose story about the drug-addicted survivor of a disastrous car accident is convincingly depicted and for that very reason often difficult to watch. Strong performances by Florence Pugh and Morgan Freeman anchor this redemption-oriented drama.