Pairings is a conversation series about stories—on the page, on the screen, and in our heads. Moving between literature and pop culture, Amile & Phoebe explore how society, technology and online culture is shaping everyday life.
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Amile & Phoebe take it to the movies with none other than Kristoffer Borgli’s The Drama. It’s a film that asks a deceptively simple question: what’s the worst thing you’ve ever done?
When Emma, played by Zendaya, reveals her answer, the confession completely changes the way her friends and fiancé (played by Robert Pattinson) see her. We discover the moral outrage that follows and unpack the uncomfortable gap between what we think and actually do. It will leave you wondering whether a person’s worst thought can ever be worse than someone else’s worst action. Does intention matter if you never followed through?
This episode pairs well with:
The Drama dir. by (2026)
Minority Report dir. by Steven Spielberg (2002)
After The Hunt dir. by Luca Guadagnino (2025)
Big Little Lies by Lianne Moriarty
The group chat becoming a court of public opinion.
Deciding on which Cabernet Sauvignon goes with the wedding breakfast.
Shall we do more movies? Happy listening!
A&P
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
21 Sept 2026
030: Keep Calm and Carry On
Amile & Phoebe use Paul Lynch's Booker winning novel, Prophet Song, to discuss the creep of fascism and surveillance in today's culture.
They reflect on Tony Benn’s famous speech about refugee mothers from war-torn lands and explore the psychology of living under constant threat. They move from moments in the novel, including when Eilish forcibly cuts her daughters hair, to real life scenarios.
Why it easier to recognise fascism when it happens somewhere else? What happens when we stop seeing refugees as political subjects?
This episode pairs well with:
Prophet Song by Paul Lynch
Julia by Sandra Newman
End Times Fascism by Naomi Klein & Astra Taylor
Sarafina! (Story by Mbongeni Ngem) dir. by Darrell Roodt (1992)
The Long Walk (Book by Stephen King) dir by F. Lawrence (2025)
Watching those British Army recruitment adverts.
Following Miss Rachel for her commentary on pop culture.
A Jameson, neat.
Happy listening!
A&P
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14 Sept 2026
029: A Shield of Respectability
This week, Amile & Phoebe venture further back in time with James Baldwin’s 1956 masterpiece, Giovanni’s Room. As they discuss the social climate that forced Baldwin & his characters into literal and figurative exile, they consider the extraordinary subversiveness of writing so openly about gay desire in the 1950s.
But the conversation quickly becomes about more than sexuality. They unpack masculinity, respectability & the uncomfortable ways in which lovers can become collateral damage for those who are afraid to be known.
From the claustrophobic sanctuary of Giovanni’s room to the tragedy of choosing belonging over honesty, they reflect on the familiar patterns of emotional detachment that run throughout the novel.
This episode pairs well with:
Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin
Looking for Lorraine by Imani Perry
Brokeback Mountain (2005), dir. Ang Lee
Passages (2023), dir. Ira Sachs
Pulling an all-nighter to watch the sun rise over the Seine.
Wondering why the socially acceptable option feels unfulfilling.
A French 75, of course.
Happy listening,
A&P
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
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