Movies & Us

In this very special 100th episode of The Strategic Whimsy Experiment, Jen and Sarah celebrate! They share their favorite moments and episodes from the last year, along with the meaning behind the name and why they started the podcast. Then, they review Birdman, a film that goes back to the origins of SWE. They discuss the film’s overwhelming intentionality, the three-dimensional characters, and some of its main themes.
Do you have a favorite moment of The Strategic Whimsy Experiment? Share it with us!
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Martinis, women, spies… oh my! In this episode of The Strategic Whimsy Experiment, Jen and Sarah review GoldenEye. They discuss the various women in the film and how the inclusion of female voices has changed the industry. They also wonder what exactly makes a Bond film a Bond film and comment on the importance of viewing a film through the lens of when it was made.
What did you think of GoldenEye? How do you think its reception in 1995 differs from how we view it today?
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Jen and Sarah are joined by a special guest, Omar, to revisit their conversation about the 2018 film, Capernaum. In the aftermath of the explosion in Beirut in early August, Nadine Labaki’s film is even more hauntingly relevant. In this episode of The Strategic Whimsy Experiment, they discuss the current state of events on the streets in Lebanon and what can be done to help in the aftermath of this terrible crisis.
Ways to support:
Lebanese Red Cross: http://www.redcross.org.lb/
Impact Lebanon: https://www.impactlebanon.org/
Baytna Baytak: https://www.baytnabaytak.com/home
Follow us on Instagram @strategicwhimsyexperiment and on Twitter @strategicwhimsy.
Contact us with any questions or comments at strategicwhimsyexperiment@gmail.com.

Jen and Sarah review Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench in this episode of The Strategic Whimsy Experiment. This senior thesis turned feature-length film shows Damien Chazelle’s creativity as he experimented with various techniques and themes. They discuss how this is a pretty terrible film when viewed on its own, but takes on much more meaning when viewed in the context of his later work.
What did you think of Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench? Do you think this gives more meaning to Chazelle’s later films?
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Contact us with any questions or comments at strategicwhimsyexperiment@gmail.com.

Joined by Jen’s mom, Lisa, Jen and Sarah review the 2018 film, Searching, in this episode of The Strategic Whimsy Experiment. They discuss the film’s use of screens to create empathy and set the stage for a compelling mystery. They wonder how our reliance upon technology and social media will grow in the coming years and how many more films will be created using this screen life model.
What did you think of Searching? Do you hope to see more films like this one?
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Contact us with any questions or comments at strategicwhimsyexperiment@gmail.com.

In this episode of The Strategic Whimsy Experiment, Jen and Sarah are joined by special guest, Carrie, to review the 2020 documentary Becoming. Going beyond the film itself, they discuss the former First Lady’s message of story, honor, and legacy. They share how this intimate look into Michelle Obama’s life is recommended viewing during this difficult season.
What did you think of Becoming? How do you think we can share hope with others in this hopeless season?
To learn more about Carrie’s work with the Young Influencers Foundation, follow them on Instagram and Facebook @young.influencers.foundation
Follow us on Instagram @strategicwhimsyexperiment.
Contact us with any questions or comments at strategicwhimsyexperiment@gmail.com.

In this episode of The Strategic Whimsy Experiment, Jen and Sarah review Nadine Labaki’s Capernaum. Joined by special guest, Omar, they discuss the heart-breaking stories the film follows and how these experiences are not unique to the streets of Lebanon. They also comment on how the events of today shape what we take away from a film. And, like the filmmaker, they find hope in the fact that we can do more than raise awareness with our actions.
What did you think of Capernaum? How has your view of the film changed in light of current events?
As mentioned in the outro, if you would like to support Omar’s work bringing much-needed food and clothing to his communities in Syria, his Venmo is @Omar-Alhajibrahim.
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Contact us with any questions or comments at strategicwhimsyexperiment@gmail.com.

In this episode of The Strategic Whimsy Experiment, Jen and Sarah review The Old Guard. They discuss how this film differentiates itself from others with a similar premise. They also examine the characters, their motivations, and what makes them unique in the action movie genre.
What did you think about The Old Guard? How does this measure up against other action films?
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Contact us with any questions or comments at strategicwhimsyexperiment@gmail.com.

Jen and Sarah review Hamilton in this episode of The Strategic Whimsy Experiment. They dive into what streaming this world-wide sensation could mean for the future of the theater. They praise the film production and performances and dissect the larger themes of the story, some of which are incredibly relevant today.
What did you think of Hamilton? Was this the summer movie treat you’ve been waiting for?
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Contact us with any questions or comments at strategicwhimsyexperiment@gmail.com.

In this episode of The Strategic Whimsy Experiment, Jen and Sarah are joined by special guest, LT to review Just Mercy. They examine how this film differs from many in the “based on a true story” genre and how relevant its message is to our current moment. Going beyond the film itself, they discuss the importance of seeing those who are different than us and the empathy that can be born when we dare to listen to someone else’s story.
What did you think of Just Mercy? Has this film encouraged you to have conversations about racial justice with those in your life?
Follow us on Instagram @strategicwhimsyexperiment.
Contact us with any questions or comments at strategicwhimsyexperiment@gmail.com.
Connect with LT at leteshawheeler.com and follow her on Instagram @leteshawheeler.