The Bitter Kitten Movie Club: ZOLA (2020)

For this week's BKMC, Tom and Lorenzo unpack the themes, designs, and origins of director Janicza Bravo's ZOLA, probably the only major film based entirely on a viral social media thread. 

T Lo explain the origins and goals of the annual Met Gala and unpack why they're ignoring any calls to boycott it because of the Bezos connection. Then it's a deep, non-spoiler dive into "The Devil Wears Prada 2" and how it turned out better than anyone had a right to expect.

For this week's BKMC, T Lo unpack the themes, motifs, and behind-the-scenes stories of director Christopher Nolan's brilliant neo-noir, "Memento."

T Lo look at the recent tour of Australia by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, pointing out how their faux-royal life is likely to evaporate if they keep monetizing it. PLUS: Non-spoiler reviews of "Hacks," "Beef," and "Margo's Got Money Troubles". 

T Lo take a deep dive into director Richard Linklater's slavish love letter to the French New Wave, "Nouvelle Vague," about the making of Jean-Luc Godard's "Breathless" in 1959. After unpacking the homages and references, as well as the importance of Godard's boundary-shattering work, they settle on a single question: Is it even possible to pay homage to an act of reckless artistry by meticulously recreating it? 

T Lo dive into 2017's "The Greatest Showman," starring Hugh Jackman, unpacking its themes and failures, comparing it to other musicals of the stage and screen, and analyzing the creative choices of its composers, director, and costume designer in order to tell a total fantasy story about a much more complicated figure.

T Lo take a moment to talk about the Artemis II mission and why everyone's fallen in love with the crew before unpacking recent pop culture drama surrounding the premise of the Zendaya/Robert Pattinson film "The Drama" and Chloe Fineman from "Saturday Night Live," who told a story she should have kept to herself. PLUS: Lorenzo reviews Raye's "This Music May Contain Hope."

In the inaugural episode of the BKMC, Tom and Lorenzo check in on Sofia Coppola's 2006 ode to bored, disaffected privileged girls everywhere, "Marie Antoinette," starring Kirsten Dunst. As a supplement to an essay on the film, they unpack the aesthetic, the shooting details, the history, and the response to this highly influential film.

T Lo dive into the celebrity and pop culture stories of the week, from the news surrounding Harry & Meghan's latest projects, to why you can't watch the upcoming Harry Potter series if you care about trans people -- or just people generally, to Kim Novak's surprising comments about Sydney Sweeney, to the horrifying AI "update" of a bona fide Hollywood masterpiece.

T Lo give the final word on the 2026 Oscars, from the snubs and surprises, to the minor scandals and mishaps. They give their thoughts on the winners, the losers, the films, the gowns, and the after-parties, all in one podcast for your convenience.