Women Directors

328 — D.E.B.S. (2005)

We continue our Pride Month series with the 2005 lesbian spy rom-com, D.E.B.S. This gem of a movie, directed by Angela Robinson, is the story of a super hot super spy and a super hot super villain who meet and fall in love. Underrated in its time, but finding new popularity in recent years, D.E.B.S. is the kind of funny, silly girl movie we wish there were more of. How this didn't launch a whole subgenre is beyond us!

Episode 325: Faces Places (2017)

We close out our Varda series with her penultimate film Faces Places (2017), co-directed by visual artist JR, with whom Varda travels across France, meeting people, taking photographs, and discussing art, image, and the passage of time.
We also decide that Godard is a jerk.
Next week, we're moving into Pride month viewing with some queer classics and even a brand-new film! First up is The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1994)!

324: Jane B par Agnès V

This week, the Dames continue our Varda series with the surreal and unique Jane B par Agnès V. Is it a documentary? Is it an essay film? What is this movie? In another inventive film from Agnès Varda, she sets out to help her friend Jane Birkin experience the film roles she never got to play and her fears about turning 40.

Episode 323: Le Bonheur (1965)

Our Agnès Varda month continues with a discussion of Le Bonheur (Happiness), following the lives of a happy little nuclear family whose happiness gets challenged (or does it?) when the father begins an affair. Deeply feminist and gorgeously filmed, Le Bonheur fools you into thinking its one thing and then becomes another.
We do recommend watching the film before listening to the podcast!
Next week, we'll be chatting some of Varda's documentaries, starting with Jane B. par Agnès V.

322: Cléo from 5 to 7 (1962)

This month we are (finally!) exploring some of the works of the great Agnès Varda, one of the pioneers of the French New Wave.
First up, we're starting with one of her most widely seen: Cléo from 5 to 7. Corinne Marchand stars as the titular Cléo, a young singer waiting for important medical results. Over the course of 90 minutes, Cléo tries to distract herself from the agonizing wait, first among friends, and then on a winding route through Paris.
The film screened at the 1962 Cannes Film Festival, currently ranks at 14 on Sight and Sound's list of greatest films of all time (only two spots behind The Godfather, just sayin'), and is part of the Criterion Collection.

Episode 317: Wayne's World (1992)

We close out our Women's History Month discussion of Penelope Spheeris with THE movie of the 1990s: Wayne's World, starring Mike Myers and Dana Carvey! Hear about the film that introduced a generation to "Bohemian Rhapsody" and maybe sort of formed Lauren's entire psyche.
Next week, we'll be chatting about Moonstruck, so defo prep for that!
Party on!

316 — Suburbia (1983)

We continue our Penelope Spheeris series with her first narrative feature, Suburbia.
Plot summary:
Suburbia is director Penelope Spheeris's study of the Los Angeles punk rock scene in the early 1980s. Evan and his younger brother leave their broken home in an attempt to escape their alcoholic mother. They find family in a group of punks who live as squatters in an abandoned house by the side of the highway.

Episode 315: The Decline of Western Civilization (1981)

We're celebrating Women's History Month by discussing some of the best films of the severely underrated Penelope Spheeris, whose filmography is quite something. First up: Spheeris's first feature, The Decline of Western Civilization, an intense, enjoyable, wholly strange documentary about the LA hardcore punk scene in 1979/1980. Even if you're not a punk fan, this is a must-see.
We'll be on a brief break next week, but will return the week after to discuss Spheeris's Suburbia (1983), a fictionalized take on the punk lifestyle.

Episode 300: The Babadook (2014)

For our 300th episode, we finally discuss Jennifer Kent's brilliant 2014 horror film, The Babadook.

286: Harold, They're Lesbians!

The Dames wrap up Pride Month with a look at three great films about lesbians. First, it's the very sexy Bound (1996) from the Wachowskis. Then we chat about Rafiki, Wanuri Kahiu's 2018 coming-of-age story that was banned in her home country of Kenya. And finally, Rose Glass's newest film, Love Lies Bleeding (2024), starring Kristen Stewart and Katy O'Brian.

Episode 275: Kinuyo Tanaka - The Dame Has Risen

The Dames welcome guest Nannina Gilder to talk about the films of Kinuyo Tanaka, a director who carved out a space for herself in Japan's male-dominated film industry with feminist masterworks such as Love Letter, The Moon Has Risen, and Girls of the Night.

Episode 273: Raunchy Lady Comedies - Damesmaids

This week, the raunchy ladies are talking raunchy ladies doing raunchy lady things, like failing to go to Vegas, starting female fight clubs, and learning about the importance of female friendships. Spoilers abound for Bridesmaids, Joy Ride, and Bottoms, but we're pretty cool about it.  

Episode 272 - Historical Films and Biopics by Women

This week the Dames look at historical films and biopics directed by women. Strangely rare and often underpraised, we sit down to talk about three great examples: Julie Taymor's Frida (2002), Ana DuVernay's Selma (2014), and Regina King's One Night in Miami (2020).

Episode 271: Female-Directed Best Picture Nominees - Past Dames

We get a little excited this week talking about current (and past) Best Picture nominees directed by women. While we're focusing on three films this year (Barbie, Anatomy of a Fall, and Past Lives), we also remind everyone that female directors have been around since the creation of cinema. Come for the trenchant critical commentary, stay for the statistics! 
Some of our past Oscars episodes, with bonus statistics!, can be found here: Oscar and the Dame 
Best Supporting Dame  

Episode 267: Sundance 2024 - Hit Dames

We're back, and we have a special guest! Karen returns from the Sundance Film Festival with Cortland Jacoby of Punch Drunk Critics in tow. Join us for a discussion of the best parts of the festival this year, why Netflix is snapping up all the films, and how Lauren shouldn't be left alone for so long...
You can read all of Karen's Sundance reviews here: https://citizendamepod.com/
And Cortland's here: https://punchdrunkcritics.com/category/reviews/cortland/

Episode 266: Sundance Favorites - Dame Joy

Did you the Sundance Film Festival is celebrating it's 40th anniversary? The festival kicks off this week in Park City, Utah, the Criterion Channel has a selection of festival faves, and we are joining the fun with a chat about a few of our own. This week, the Dames discuss Donna Deitch's Desert Hearts (1985), Mira Nair's Mississippi Masala (1991), and Kelly Reichardt's Old Joy (2006).

Episode 265: Happy Dame Year!

We're back to discuss some of our favorite films (new and old) of 2023, including Barbie, Killers of the Flower Moon, and, uh, Love Birds? 
Happy New Year! We're looking forward to bringing you a lot more fun stuff in 2024!

Episode 252: Middle School Movie Dames

Autumn is in the air and this month is all about school-time movies. This week we're going back to middle school with EIGHTH GRADE (2018), ARE YOU THERE GOD? IT'S ME, MARGARET (2023), and YOU ARE SO NOT INVITED TO MY BAT MITZVAH (2023). Give us a listen and relive the great and dreadful middle school years!

Episode 251: Amy Heckerling - Fast Dames at Ridgemont High

We're back this week to discuss the back-to-school films of Amy Heckerling! Heckerling is responsible for some generation-defining movies: Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Clueless, and Loser. 
Plus: Danny Masterson is going to jail for a long, long time.  

Bonus Episode - Barbie (2023)

The Dames go into a (spoiler-y) discussion of Greta Gerwig's 2023 feminist polemic Barbie! Topics include why we love Allan and The Speech that America Ferrera gives. Everyone can listen now, because Barbie is for everyone!