Estradiol Illusions

Wandavision

Come take a ride with us to Westview! Alexandra August returns to the show for a delightful discussion all about Wandavision, which kicked off Phase 4 of the MCU. We talk about what worked, what didn't work, how amazing Kathryn Hahn is, and all the fan theories that didn't quite pan out. Maybe Mephisto didn't want to step inside New Jersey? Who could blame him! 
 
You can follow Alexandra at @alxaugust
Ian's review of the series: https://ianthomasmalone.com/2021/01/wandavision-isnt-designed-to-meet-expectations/
Series poster courtesy of Disney.

Star Trek: The Next Generation - "Skin of Evil"

Grab your phaser and your away team, because we're heading to Vagra II. "Skin of Evil" lives on in Trek infamy for the senseless death of Tasha Var. Armus is one of science fiction's earliest incels, taking the spotlight away from a female character in order to harass the rest of the crew with his endless whining. Natty Strange, co-author of the iconic web comic Pokey the Penguin, returns to the show to discuss this mess of an episode.
As Data put it, Armus has "no redeeming qualities." That's probably true, except with that annoying pile of goop, we probably wouldn't be talking about this episode. Tasha deserved better. We all deserve better.
 
You can follow Nat on Twitter @nuns_on_film. Be sure to check out her new Star Trek blog, deepspacenat.com.
You can follow Pokey the Penguin's latest adventures by checking out Pokey's website https://www.yellow5.com/pokey/ & @pokeythepenguin
Photo courtesy of Paramount. 

Adrienne Wilkinson

We delighted to welcome Adrienne Wilkinson to the show for a wide-ranging interview including her new film Dreamcatcher. Fans of Estradiol Illusions may know Adrienne best for her roles as Eve on Xena: Warrior Princess, Daughter in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Maris Brood in Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, and as Captain Lexxa Singh in Star Trek: Renegades. Adrienne shares many fascinating insights from her career throughout so many iconic franchises.
 
Dreamcatcher is available March 5th, on demand and digital, on Amazon, Apple, Redbox, and other major VOD services.
 
 
 
Ian’s review of the film: https://ianthomasmalone.com/2021/03/dreamcatcher-subverts-slasher-norms-in-an-intriguing-horror-narrative/
 
Headshot courtesy of Adrienne Wilkinson. Photo by Damu Malik.
 
Poster and stills courtesy of Samuel Goldwyn Films.

Potato Head Discourse

American civilization collapses as cancel culture claims its next victim, the valiant Mr. Potato Head. Except he isn’t going anywhere. Hasbro dropped the “Mr.” from its broader Potato Head branding. Mrs. Potato Head can serve at the altar of capitalism without the oppressive patriarchy creeping over her shoulder.
Ian breaks down all the Potato Head nonsense and what this whole saga is really about. LGBTQ families deserve to see themselves reflected in the corporate consumerist culture that rules over our society.
Potato head logo courtesy of Hasbro. 

Douglas Goldstein, creator of Devil May Care

We are delighted to welcome Douglas Goldstein, creator of Devil May Care and head writer of Robot Chicken. Devil May Care is a new animated series starring Alan Tudyk & Asif Ali that offers a fresh perspective on hell. Douglas talks about his experiences crafting both shows, their differing styles of humor, and the challenges of packing humor and narrative into an eleven-minute runtime.
Devil May Care airs at 12:00 am Saturday night as part of SYFY's TZGZ block. You can watch the first three episodes on NBC.com here: https://www.nbc.com/devil-may-care
Ian's review of the series: https://ianthomasmalone.com/2021/02/devil-may-care-finds-humor-and-heart-in-the-depths-of-hell/
 
 
 
All photos courtesy of SYFY 

Young Hearts

Today we are joined by Sarah and Zachary Ray Sherman, directors of the film Young Hearts. One of Ian's favorites from Slamdance 2020, the film follows two teens developing their first romantic relationship, learning the messy nature of love in a high school setting. Sarah and Zachary talk about their experiences making the film and its unique place amidst high school narratives.
Ian's review of the film (originally titled Thunderbolt in Mine Eye): https://ianthomasmalone.com/2020/01/slamdance-review-thunderbolt-in-mine-eye/
Young Hearts is now available to rent via VOD from all major services including Amazon, Google, and Apple. 
Film poster courtesy of Blue Fox Entertainment

Slamdance Series: Workhorse Queen

Slamdance 2021 coverage continues! We are thrilled to welcome Angela Washko and Mrs. Kasha Davis, director and star of the new documentary Workhorse Queen. The film follows Mrs. Kasha Davis' journey from small-town drag queen all the way to Ru Paul's Drag Race, where she competed in season seven. Angela & Mrs. Kasha Davis (Ed Popil) talk about the evolution of drag, their experiences making the film, and what mainstream visibility means for the LGBTQ community. 
 
Ian's review of the film: https://ianthomasmalone.com/2021/02/slamdance-series-workhorse-queen/
 
Slamdance tickets are on sale now for $10, which you can purchase here: https://slamdance.com/festival-passes/
Poster and still courtesy of Situated Productions
 
 

Slamdance Series: The Little Broomstick Rider

Our Slamdance 2021 coverage continues with a delightful entry in the Episodes section. The Little Broomstick Rider is a loose adaptation of Ludwig Bechstein's The Little Pitchfork Rider, the series follows 9 year old Linhard, accused of witchcraft in 17th century Bavaria.
Director Matteo Bernardini shares some insights into his creative process. Made entirely using paper, pens, scissors, and glue, The Little Broomstick Rider is a crowning achievement of quarantine-inspired filmmaking. 
Slamdance tickets are on sale now for $10, which you can purchase here: https://slamdance.com/festival-passes/
 
 
Poster and still courtesy of Matteo Bernardini

Slamdance Series: Chef Giants

Our Slamdance 2021 coverage kicks off! Delighted to welcome Ethan Dirks and Troy DeWinne to talk about their indie fantasy animation Chef Giants, which is premiering as part of the episodes block on February 12th. Chef Giants is the proof-of-concept for their full series Gobble, a delightfully strange musical odyssey that follows two goblins who want to be pop stars.
 
Troy and Ethan also illustrated all 145 Slamdance filmmakers for an animated virtual party, which you can check out here: https://chefgiants.com/party
 
Troy & Ethan talk about their creative process, the marginalization of goblins in popular culture,   and the importance of giving virtual festivals a sense of connective tissue. Ian really appreciates the way that Chef Giants helps emphasize the vital role of community in the filmmaking experience.
Slamdance tickets are on sale now for $10, which you can purchase here: https://slamdance.com/festival-passes/
You can follow Ethan on Instagram, @ethan_dirks, and Troy, @dewinnethepooh
Images courtesy of Ethan Dirks and Troy DeWinne.

Constantine Venetopoulos, director of Draw With Me

Today we welcome Constantine Venetopoulos to the show to talk about his new short documentary, Draw With Me. The film follows the coming out journey of nonbinary teen Brendon Scholl, with appearances by Brendon's aunt Jennifer Lopez and President Joe Biden. Draw With Me was featured at the first ever panel on transgender health at the United Nations and is an Official Oscar Entry for the Documentary Short category.
Draw With Me is an excellent resource especially for parents looking for resources to support their trans children. Constantine & Ian discuss the complicated family dynamics that can surface after coming out and the contrasts between America's growing acceptance of LGBTQ people against the backdrop of the Trump administration.
You can view the trailer for Draw With Me here: https://vimeo.com/450714908
 
 
 
Film poster courtesy of Ithaka Films. Headshot courtesy of Constantine Venetopoulos
 
 

Sundance Series: Son of Monarchs

We are absolutely thrilled to welcome Alejandro Mejía, cinematographer for Son of Monarchs, to the show. While the cinematography is always vital to the success of a film, Alejandro carried additional obligations to convey protagonist Mendel's passions to the audience, something the film does quite well. Alejandro shares some insights into his creative process and what it was likely to film in the butterfly forests of Mexico, beautiful scenery typically only depicted in documentaries.
Ian's review of the film: https://ianthomasmalone.com/2021/01/sundance-review-son-of-monarchs/
 
Photo caption: Kaarlo Isaacs appears in Son of Monarchs by Alexis Gambis, an official selection of the NEXT section at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance Institute.

Sundance Series: Hive

Our Sundance coverage rolls along with a film from with World Cinema Dramatic Competiton. Hive is the story of Fahrije, who is struggling to provide for her family after her husband's disappearance in the war in Kosovo. We are delighted to welcome director Blerta Basholli to discuss her work, based on a true story. Hive is a powerful narrative of perseverance in the wake of incredible hardship.
Poster image of Hive by Blerta Basholli, an official selection of the World Cinema Dramatic Competition at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance Institute.
 

Sundance Series: Weirdo Night

Continuing our Sundance coverage with a film from the New Frontiers program. Weirdo Night is a cinematic presentation of the iconic LA comedy show of the same name. We are delighted to welcome director Mariah Garnett and star Jibz Cameron, also known as Dynasty Handbag, to talk about their work.
Weirdo Night is available throughout the festival to Explorer pass holders. Mariah and Jibz will be hosting a virtual party at 8:00 pm PST on January 31st. Please follow @dynastyhandbag on Twitter for more information.
Poster image of Weirdo Night by Jibz Cameron and Mariah Garnett, an official selection of the New Frontier program at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance Institute.

Sundance Series: The Fourfold

As our Sundance coverage rolls along, we are excited to welcome Alisi Telegnut to the show to talk about her short film The Fourfold. Alisi talks about her technique that combines under camera filming with stop-motion animation, all in breathtaking detail. This is one short you won't want to miss!
You can learn more about Alisi on her website http://cargocollective.com/AlisiTelengut/
Alisi's Instagram also features some fascinating behind-the-scenes photos of her process @alisitelegnut
 
Poster image of The Fourfold by Alisi Telengut, an official selection of the Shorts Program at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance Institute.

Sundance Series: GNT

Our Sundance coverage continues with another film from the Shorts Program. GNT is a hilarious film all about thrush, aka yeast infections! Filmmakers Sara Hirner and Rosemary Vasquez-Brown chat with Ian all the way from Australia about their process making the short. The color palette and writing is top-notch. Ian highly recommends checking out the film!
 
Poster image of GNT by Sara Hirner and Rosemary Vasquez-Brown, an official selection of the Shorts Program at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance Institute.

Sundance Series: Doublespeak

We are delighted to kick off our Sundance coverage with Hazel McKibbin and Angela Wong Carbone, director and star of the film Doublespeak from the Shorts Program. Doublespeak follows Emma (Carbone) as she deals with the aftermath of a sexual discrimination case in her workplace.
The film, which premiered today at Sundance, is available on Vimeo for everyone to watch (highly recommended before listening to this episode): https://vimeo.com/439062018
You can learn more about Hazel and the film on her website: https://hazelmckibbin.com/  and on Instagram @hazelmckibbin
You can learn more about Angela on her website: Angelawongcarbone.com and on Instagram @labellacarbone 
Poster image of Doublespeak by Hazel McKibbin, an official selection of the Shorts Program at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance Institute.