Movies & Us

Ep. 136 - The United States vs. Billie Holiday (2021)

Jen and Sarah review The United States vs. Billie Holiday in this episode of The Strategic Whimsy Experiment. They applaud Andra Day’s Oscar-nominated performance and unpack some of the film’s larger themes. They also discuss what creative choices worked and didn’t work for them in this unusual biopic.
What did you think of The United States vs. Billie Holiday? How does this measure up with other biopics?
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Contact us with any questions or comments at strategicwhimsyexperiment@gmail.com.

Ep. 135 - Pinocchio (2019)

In this episode of The Strategic Whimsy Experiment, Jen and Sarah review Pinocchio. They praise the impressive makeup and prosthetics that were applied to create the film’s unusual characters. They also offer some suggestions to make the story more meaningful and ponder why there are so many adaptions of this particular story.
What did you think of Pinocchio? Are you looking forward to any of the upcoming adaptations?
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Contact us with any questions or comments at strategicwhimsyexperiment@gmail.com.

Ep. 134 - Emma. (2020)

Jen and Sarah review the Oscar-nominated film Emma., in this episode of The Strategic Whimsy Experiment. They discuss its stylized nature and how it stands apart from other period pieces. They also speculate about the punctuation at the end of the title—could there be some hidden meaning there?
What did you think of Emma.? How does this measure against other Austen adaptations?
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Contact us with any questions or comments at strategicwhimsyexperiment@gmail.com.

Ep. 133 - Minari (2020) with featured guest: Madelyn Ong

In this episode of The Strategic Whimsy Experiment, Jen and Sarah are joined by a special guest, Maddie, to review the Oscar-nominated film Minari. They discuss the performances, characters, and creative choices that worked and didn’t work in the film. They also reflect on the importance of representation in Hollywood so more diverse films about the Asian American experience can be created.
What did you think of Minari? Were you wowed by it or left wanting more?
Follow us on Instagram @strategicwhimsyexperiment and on Twitter @strategicwhimsy.
Contact us with any questions or comments at strategicwhimsyexperiment@gmail.com.

Ep. 132 - Another Round (2020)

Jen and Sarah review the Oscar-nominated film, Another Round, in this episode of The Strategic Whimsy Experiment. They discuss its life-affirming, whimsical, and comedic handling of a dark subject. They also unpack the tragic events surrounding this film and how personal tragedy may have influenced the final product.
What did you think of Another Round? How did you interpret the film’s whimsical ending?
Follow us on Instagram @strategicwhimsyexperiment and on Twitter @strategicwhimsy.
Contact us with any questions or comments at strategicwhimsyexperiment@gmail.com.

Ep. 131 - Raya and the Last Dragon (2021) with featured guest: Erin Pudenz

Jen and Sarah are joined by special guest, Erin, to review Disney’s latest film, Raya and the Last Dragon. They discuss the ways this film is relevant to where we find ourselves as a society. They also dive into ways that Raya and the Last Dragon breaks out of traditional story structures to bring something new and exciting to the screen.
What did you think of Raya and the Last Dragon? How did it measure up to your expectations?
Follow us on Instagram @strategicwhimsyexperiment and on Twitter @strategicwhimsy.
Contact us with any questions or comments at strategicwhimsyexperiment@gmail.com.

Ep. 130 - Pieces of a Woman (2020)

In this episode of The Strategic Whimsy Experiment, Jen and Sarah review Pieces of a Woman. They praise the film for its authentic writing and the way it handles a difficult topic. They also share how it subverts expectations at nearly every turn and how this film deserves more award nominations than its received.
What did you think of Pieces of a Woman? How did it live up to or subvert your expectations?
Follow us on Instagram @strategicwhimsyexperiment and on Twitter @strategicwhimsy.
Contact us with any questions or comments at strategicwhimsyexperiment@gmail.com.

Ep. 129 - Cherry (2021)

Jen and Sarah review Cherry in this episode of The Strategic Whimsy Experiment. They break down the inconsistent style, the narrator’s strong voice, and how the film doesn’t really know what it is. Finally, they discuss ways it could have been improved to make the story more meaningful for the viewers.
What did you think of Cherry? Was there anything in this film that worked for you?
Follow us on Instagram @strategicwhimsyexperiment and on Twitter @strategicwhimsy.
Contact us with any questions or comments at strategicwhimsyexperiment@gmail.com.

Ep. 128 - Nomadland (2021) with featured guest: Kevin Nye

Jen and Sarah are joined by special guest, Kevin, to review Nomadland on this episode of The Strategic Whimsy Experiment. They discuss the humanness of this intimate film and how it intentionally breaks stereotypes about the unhoused population. They also look ahead to the film’s Oscar chances and writer and director Chloé Zhao’s upcoming films.
What did you think of Nomadland? What do you think about its Oscar chances this year?
Follow us on Instagram @strategicwhimsyexperiment and on Twitter @strategicwhimsy.
Contact us with any questions or comments at strategicwhimsyexperiment@gmail.com.
Connect more with Kevin on Twitter at @theophanyfilms and @kevinmnye1.

Ep. 127 - Black Swan (2010) with featured guest: B. Ladae

Jen and Sarah are joined by B. Ladae of the But Ma That’s My Favorite Movie podcast to review Black Swan. In this episode of The Strategic Whimsy Experiment, they discuss their expectations and different interpretations of the film. They also dive into what elements made Black Swan so successful and ponder the film’s real-world implications.
What did you think of Black Swan? Did it live up to your expectations?
Follow us on Instagram @strategicwhimsyexperiment and on Twitter @strategicwhimsy.
Contact us with any questions or comments at strategicwhimsyexperiment@gmail.com.
Connect more with B. Ladae and the But Ma That’s My Favorite Movie podcast at www.butmathatsmyfavoritemovie.com.