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Philosophy In Film

Philosophy In Film

Chris McTavish, Alain Beauclair and Craig Nickel 108 episodes Oct 1, 2026

A fun and accessible podcast that explores philosophical ideas and themes found in popular films. The hosts discuss how movies can raise questions about ethics, identity, reality, and other philosophical topics. Each episode invites listeners into a conversation about philosophy through the lens of film.

Episodes

Philosophy In Film - 108 - Ex Machina
Philosophy In Film - 108 - Ex Machina Oct 1, 2026 01:44:14 This week on Philosophy in Film, the gang enters the glass-walled world of Alex Garland's 2014 sci-fi thriller, Ex Machina. When programmer Caleb is invited to the secluded estate of enigmatic tech mogul Nathan, he finds himself enlisted to evaluate Ava, an advanced artificial intelligence whose apparent consciousness raises questions that become increasingly difficult to contain. Before long, the
Philosophy In Film - 107 - The Odyssey
Philosophy In Film - 107 - The Odyssey Aug 4, 2026 02:09:58 Episode 107: The Odyssey This week on Philosophy in Film, the gang sets sail with Christopher Nolan's ambitious retelling of The Odyssey, breathing new life into Homer's timeless epic of monsters, memory, and the long road home. After the fall of Troy, the cunning Odysseus embarks on a perilous journey across unfamiliar seas, where every island, temptation, and trial tests not only his resolve, bu
Philosophy In Film - 106 - Dogville
Philosophy In Film - 106 - Dogville Jun 30, 2026 02:18:54 Episode 106: Dogville This week on Philosophy in Film, the gang steps onto the chalk-lined streets of Lars von Trier's provocative 2003 drama, Dogville. When the mysterious Grace arrives seeking refuge from a pair of gangsters, the isolated mountain town reluctantly offers her shelter. But as hospitality gives way to exploitation, kindness slowly curdles into cruelty, revealing just how thin the l
Philosophy In Film - 105 - Back to the Future
Philosophy In Film - 105 - Back to the Future Jun 2, 2026 01:40:02 Episode 105 - Back to the Future Great Scott! This week on Philosophy in Film, the gang travels back in time to 1985 with Robert Zemeckis' beloved sci-fi adventure classic, Back to the Future. When Marty McFly is accidentally sent back to 1955 in a time machine built by the eccentric Doc Brown, he quickly discovers that history is far easier to disrupt than repair. Craig kicks things off, generati
Philosophy In Film - 104 - Glory Daze
Philosophy In Film - 104 - Glory Daze May 12, 2026 02:08:32 Episode 104: Glory Daze This week on Philosophy in Film, the gang cracks open a time capsule with Glory Daze, the scrappy 1995 Gen-X comedy filled with graduation panic, beer-soaked nostalgia, and an early Ben Affleck appearance before the Hollywood spotlight hit. Set over one chaotic night before graduation, the film follows a group of college friends desperately clinging to youth before adulthoo
Philosophy In Film - 103 - Stand by Me
Philosophy In Film - 103 - Stand by Me Mar 24, 2026 01:45:11 Episode 103: Stand by Me This week on Philosophy in Film, the gang sets out down the tracks with Rob Reiner's beloved coming-of-age classic, Stand by Me. Based on Stephen King's novella The Body, the film follows four boys as they leave in search of a missing body. What begins as childhood curiosity slowly unfolds into a meditation on friendship, memory, and the quiet moment when innocence gives w
Philosophy In Film - 102 - Slap Shot
Philosophy In Film - 102 - Slap Shot Feb 24, 2026 02:01:32 Episode 102: Slap Shot With Special Guest: Megan Craig (Associate Professor of Philosophy and Art, Stony Brook University) The gloves are off this week on Philosophy in Film as the gang faces off with George Roy Hill's bruising classic, Slap Shot! Set in the fading mill town of Charlestown, the film follows player-coach Reggie Dunlop, played by Paul Newman, as he tries to save a failing hockey tea
Philosophy In Film - 101 - One Battle After Another
Philosophy In Film - 101 - One Battle After Another Feb 3, 2026 02:02:56 Episode 101: One Battle After Another This week on Philosophy in Film, the gang locks in on Paul Thomas Anderson's sprawling, darkly funny, and relentlessly restless epic, One Battle After Another. Inspired by Thomas Pynchon's Vineland, the film follows Bob, a washed-up former revolutionary played by Leonardo DiCaprio, who's forced back into a life he thought he'd escaped when his daughter disappe
Philosophy In Film - 100 - Miracle on 34th Street
Philosophy In Film - 100 - Miracle on 34th Street Dec 20, 2025 01:53:56 Episode 100: Miracle on 34th Street Ho ho ho! For our 100th episode, the gang celebrates Philosophy in Film's centenary by stepping into the warm glow of a holiday classic with the original Miracle on 34th Street (1947). This timeless courtroom tale explores whether faith, goodwill, and a touch of magic still have a place in a modern, skeptical world. Craig lights the tree with Producer's Notes (1
Philosophy In Film - 099 - A House of Dynamite
Philosophy In Film - 099 - A House of Dynamite Dec 9, 2025 01:42:41 Episode 99: A House of Dynamite This week, the gang steps into the explosive tension of A House of Dynamite, a modern pressure-cooker thriller where family secrets, fraying loyalties, and a single terrible night threaten to blow everything apart. Craig sounds the alarm and readies for attack with Producer's Notes (9:16), while Alain scorches a few eyebrows with the Beauclair Synopsis (18:44), layi
Philosophy In Film - 098 - Lean On Me
Philosophy In Film - 098 - Lean On Me Nov 15, 2025 02:37:03 Episode 98: Lean On Me Season 5 marches on as the gang steps into the halls of Eastside High for John G. Avildsen's 1989 drama Lean On Me, where Principal Joe Clark takes on failing systems, fraying hope, and a school on the brink with nothing but a bullhorn, a baseball bat, and a stubborn belief in his students. Craig rings the bell with Producer's Notes (9:52), setting the tone for a spirited cl
Philosophy In Film - 097 - Weapons
Philosophy In Film - 097 - Weapons Oct 26, 2025 01:33:49 Episode 97: Weapons Just in time for a Halloween Spooktacular, the gang is back for Season 5 of Philosophy in Film, and the reel's already spinning! First up in the tray: Zach Cregger's eerie ensemble horror Weapons (2025), where seventeen schoolchildren vanish at 2:17 a.m., forcing a town to ask: what if the monster isn't outside, but inside the story? In search of answers, Craig sounds the alarm

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