Operation Kino Podcast #25: The Quarter Quell

This week on Operation Kino, we're doing things a little differently. It's been 25 episodes since we first started keeping official count, and we decided to take this little anniversary as an opportunity to change up our format and tell you not just what we think of this week's crop of new releases, but how we think about movies in general. All four of us came prepared with one movie that we don't just love, but that we think explains something about the way we look at movies. We're calling this format the "Quarter Quell," which will sound familiar if you've read The Hunger Games-- don't worry, our version is far less violent. David starts things off with Paul Schrader's Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters, which he fits in with the idea of film presenting "ecstatic truth"; Patches adores Groundhog Day not just because it's funny and well-made, but because it's a movie he can show anyone; Da7e watches Fight Club as an example of how characters can develop even in a really non-traditional narrative; and Katey closes things out with The Apartment as a way to get a glimpse into a far-away time, and also just a damn well-written movie.

But even with the new format, some things stay the same--we start things off with a summer-ending lightning round, and end, as always, with your lightning round answers for dessert.

Don't forget that on Monday, September 5, we'll be doing a LIVE SHOW as part of the New York Hell's Kitchen Film Festival. We don't have all the details just yet, but the show will be around 7 or 8 p.m. at The Producer's Club, located at 358 West 44th Street. Stay tuned for more details and come out and see us!

Take a listen below and find all your downloading options; for more from all of us, you can follow the show (@opkino), Da7e (@da7e), David (@davidehrlich or @CriterionCorner), Patches (@misterpatches) and me (@kateyrich) on Twitter.

And one more thing-- if you've been listening to the show and enjoying it, please write a review of it on iTunes! We'd greatly appreciate it.

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00:00-01:08 Lightning Round

01:24-4:46 Introductions and explanation of the Quarter Quell

5:17-18:10 David's pick: Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters

18:44-30:06 Patches's pick: Groundhog Day

30:40-42:51 Da7e's pick: Fight Club

43:18-55:06 Katey's pick: The Apartment

55:06-1:00:00 Dessert

Katey Rich

Staff Writer at CinemaBlend