Why This Film?
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Podcast Overview
<p> 🎬 Exploring the Criterion Collection, one spine at a time.</p><p><br></p><p>In each episode, I sit down with film historians, critics, filmmakers, and scholars for in-depth conversations about a single film from the Criterion Collection.</p><p><br></p><p>I'm Ron, and I guide these expert-driven discussions examining the artistry, cultural significance, and historical context of classic and contemporary cinema. From French New Wave masterpieces to American westerns, from experimental shorts to beloved classics, we unpack what makes these films essential viewing.</p><p><br></p><p>Whether you're a longtime Criterion collector, a film student, or simply curious about cinema history, Why This Film? offers thoughtful analysis and engaging conversations about the movies that shaped filmmaking.</p><p><br></p><p>New episodes release 1-2 times monthly. Subscribe to join me for deep dives into the Criterion Collection.</p><p><br></p>
Language
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Publishing Since
10/6/2025
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Recent Episodes
June 30, 2026
Birth (2004, Jonathan Glazer) with Carlos Aguilar - Criterion Collection Spine #1298
"It captures an uncanny feeling that relates to grief, that there's something after, the hope we could get more time with someone we love." In this episode of Why This Film?, Film critic Carlos Aguilar joins me to explore Birth, Jonathan Glazer's 2004 psychological thriller and Criterion Collection Spine #1298. Birth follows Anna, a widow living a comfortable Manhattan life who has finally agreed to remarry, ten years after the sudden death of her husband Sean. Then a 10-year-old boy appears ...
June 5, 2026
La cérémonie (1995, Claude Chabrol) with Girish Shambu - Criterion Spine #1199
"It's an incredibly rich film." In this episode of Why This Film?, I'm joined by film critic and scholar Girish Shambu to explore La cérémonie, Claude Chabrol's 1995 masterpiece and Criterion Collection Spine #1199. La cérémonie follows Sophie, a withdrawn live-in maid hired by the welcoming Lelièvre family at their country estate. The family is pleasant. The job is fine. And then Sophie meets Jeanne, the local postmistress. Jeanne is sharp, reckless, and already on bad terms with Sophie's ne...
June 1, 2026
Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio (2022, Guillermo del Toro & Mark Gustafson) with Caleb Tyson - Criterion Collection Spine #1201
"It's a perfectly imperfect film." In this episode of Why This Film?, I'm joined by film editor Caleb Tyson to explore Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio (2022), the Academy Award-winning stop-motion feature and Criterion Collection entry that reimagines one of the world's oldest stories through an entirely new lens. Set in Mussolini's fascist Italy, del Toro's Pinocchio follows a grieving woodcarver named Geppetto who, lost in sorrow after losing his son Carlo, carves a puppet from a pine tree g...
13 total episodes available
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Frequently asked questions
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- What is Why This Film??
<p> 🎬 Exploring the Criterion Collection, one spine at a time.</p><p><br></p><p>In each episode, I sit down with film historians, critics, filmmakers, and scholars for in-depth conversations about a single film from the Criterion Collection.</p><p><br></p><p>I'm Ron, and I guide these expert-driven discussions examining the artistry, cultural significance, and historical context of classic and contemporary cinema. From French New Wave masterpieces to American westerns, from experimental shorts to beloved classics, we unpack what makes these films essential viewing.</p><p><br></p><p>Whether you're a longtime Criterion collector, a film student, or simply curious about cinema history, Why This Film? offers thoughtful analysis and engaging conversations about the movies that shaped filmmaking.</p><p><br></p><p>New episodes release 1-2 times monthly. Subscribe to join me for deep dives into the Criterion Collection.</p><p><br></p> - How often does this podcast release new episodes?
This podcast updates daily.
- Where can I listen to this podcast?
This podcast is available on 4 platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. You can also use the RSS feed directly.
- Does this podcast accept guests?
Yes, this podcast regularly features guests.
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