Movies & Us

Ep. 77 - The Flu (2013)

In this episode of The Strategic Whimsy Experiment, Jen and Sarah review the South Korean film, The Flu. They compare and contrast this with Hollywood films that center on surviving a pandemic and discuss how culture shapes these films. They also wonder how rapidly these stories will continue to be consumed as the CoronaVirus dominates our minds and newsfeeds.
Have you seen The Flu? How do you think movies about pandemics are influencing how people respond to our current reality?
Follow us on Instagram @strategicwhimsyexperiment.
Contact us with any questions or comments at strategicwhimsyexperiment@gmail.com.

Ep. 76 - Contagion (2011)

In this episode of The Strategic Whimsy Experiment, Jen and Sarah review the 2011 film, Contagion. They discuss the movie itself—its choices in color, casting, and writing. Moving past the technical components of the film, they dive into its similarities to the current Coronavirus outbreak. They wonder how movies both shape and reflect our reality.
What did you think of Contagion? What role do you think film plays in our society’s response to current events?
Follow us on Instagram @strategicwhimsyexperiment.
Contact us with any questions or comments at strategicwhimsyexperiment@gmail.com.

Ep. 75 - The Gentlemen (2019)

Jen and Sarah review Guy Ritchie’s latest film, The Gentlemen, in this episode of The Strategic Whimsy Experiment. They discuss its overwhelming style, the fast-paced dialogue, and various plot holes in the story. They also dive into the problematic elements of the film, including its depiction of minorities and wonder why the film hasn’t received more backlash in the “Me Too” era.
What did you think of The Gentlemen? Did the creative choices work for you or did the film leave you wanting more?
Follow us on Instagram @strategicwhimsyexperiment.
Contact us with any questions or comments at strategicwhimsyexperiment@gmail.com.

Ep. 74 - Anomalisa (2015)

Cashing in on her Oscar Wager win, Jen makes Sarah watch Anomalisa. In this episode of The Strategic Whimsy Experiment, they discuss how two people can view the same film so differently. They also ponder this film’s larger themes and what it means to connect in today’s divided and isolating world.
What did you think of Anomalisa? Was the humanness of the characters able to shine through the clay figures?
Follow us on Instagram @strategicwhimsyexperiment.
Contact us with any questions or comments at strategicwhimsyexperiment@gmail.com.

Ep. 73 - Uncut Gems (2019)

In this episode of The Strategic Whimsy Experiment, Jen and Sarah review Uncut Gems. They unpack how the Safdie Brothers were able to create the frenetic nature of the film with the cinematography, score, and editing. They also discuss Adam Sandler’s performance and the macro themes of the film.
What did you think of Uncut Gems? Did the technical feat wow you or did it leave something to be desired?
Follow us on Instagram @strategicwhimsyexperiment.
Contact us with any questions or comments at strategicwhimsyexperiment@gmail.com.

Ep. 72 - 2020 Oscars Reactions

In this episode of The Strategic Whimsy Experiment, Jen and Sarah share their reactions to the 92nd Academy Awards. They celebrate Parasite’s big win and speculate what this film’s success could mean for the future of the film industry. They announce the winner of the first-ever SWE Oscar Wager and reveal the film they will be reviewing in the coming weeks.
What did you think of this year’s Oscar’s? What do you think Parasite’s win means for the future of film?
Contact us with any questions or comments at strategicwhimsyexperiment@gmail.com.

Ep. 71 - 2020 Oscars Predictions

Jen and Sarah take on the Oscars in this episode of The Strategic Whimsy Experiment. In their first ever Oscars wager, they share who they hope will win and who they think will walk away victorious in six categories. They discuss the strength of the nominees and some worthy films that were denied nominations.
What do you think of this year’s Oscar nominees? What films do you wish were nominated but weren’t?
Contact us with any questions or comments at strategicwhimsyexperiment@gmail.com.

Ep. 70 - Little Women (2019)

In this episode of The Strategic Whimsy Experiment, Jen and Sarah review Little Women. They discuss the strong female characters and the actresses that brought them to life and applaud Greta Gerwig for taking on this ambitious project. Zooming out, they talk about what this film set in the 1800s means for us today.
What did you think of Little Women? How did this retelling compare to previous versions?
Contact us with any questions or comments at strategicwhimsyexperiment@gmail.com.

Ep. 69 - Joker (2019)

In this episode of The Strategic Whimsy Experiment, Jen and Sarah review Joker. They speculate on what this film is trying to say and gush over Joaquin Phoenix’s stunning transformation and performance. With 11 Academy Award Nominations, including Best Picture, they also speculate what a sweep of the Oscar’s could mean for future movie-goers when they look back on the year 2019.
What did you think about Joker? What message do you believe this film is trying to convey?
Contact us with any questions or comments at strategicwhimsyexperiment@gmail.com.

Ep. 68 - 1917 (2019)

Jen and Sarah review Sam Mendes’s 1917 in this episode of The Strategic Whimsy Experiment. They discuss the daring cinematography and how the decision to make the film seem like one continuous shot impacted the story as a whole. They also dissect the characters central to the plot and the strategic (or not so strategic) use of star power in this film.
What did you think of 1917? Do you feel that the continuous shot added or detracted from the story?
Contact us with any questions or comments at strategicwhimsyexperiment@gmail.com.