Episode 133: Grease (1978)

Grease is (apparently) the word. In this episode of Black Girl Film Club, we travel back to the 50s via 70s nostalgia in Grease (1978), directed by Randal Keiser and starring John Travolta, Olivia Newton John, and Stockard Channing. In this episode, Britney goes full theater kid (even though she swears she's not into musicals) as we explore Grease's early days as grittier stage musical, greaser culture, and nostalgia poison. Press play now, beauty school dropouts! Our recommendations: Cry-Baby (1990), Hairspray (2007) Support the show with a Ko-fi! ko-fi.com/blackgirlfilmclub Check out the rest of our socials at linktr.ee/blackgirlfilmclub

ACME Sucks! But you already knew that. In this edition of the Rough Cut we watched Coyote vs Acme, a real-life David and Goliath story. Famed toon Wile E. Coyote finally sues Acme over their faulty product and unwittingly blows the lid off a major conspiracy within the corporate giant. Coyote vs Acme is directed by Dave Green and stars Will Forte, Lana Candor, John Cena, and Eric Bauza. This episode has it all: Friendship! Trying your best! Consumer protections! Our recommendations: Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988), Daffy Duck's Quackbusters (1988), Jellystone (2021-2025), The Day the Earth Blew Up (2024). Support the show with a Ko-fi! ko-fi.com/blackgirlfilmclub Check out the rest of our socials at linktr.ee/blackgirlfilmclub

We're back from self-imposed summer exile to finally review a movie that everyone should see, Is God Is (2026) written and directed by Aleshea Harris. Adapted from Harris' stage play of the same name, Is God Is follows twins Racine and Anaia on a revenge mission from God to kill the father that burned them and left them for dead. Is God is is streaming now on Amazon Prime (but you should also buy the dvd!!). Our recommendations: The Color Purple, Deathproof, Kill Bill, Lady Snowblood, Eye for an Eye Shout out to Davalyn for joining this episode! You can follow more of her writing at Professor Horror: https://professorhorror.com/Deep-Cuts/Frights-Camera-Action-Tales-from-the-Crypt-Season-6-When-Even-the-Crypt-Keeper-Cant-Save-the-Show/ Support the show with a Ko-fi! ko-fi.com/blackgirlfilmclub Check out the rest of our socials at linktr.ee/blackgirlfilmclub

Hope you've been having a happy Pride month listeners! In this episode we welcomed Amanda and Erin from the podcast This Feels Bi to talk about Hedda (2025) dir. Nia DaCosta. In this episode, we talk to Amanda and Erin about queer coded movies, sexuality as gossip, Hedda and stereotypical bi representation, and the power dynamics within relationships. 🗣️ We love you Nia DaCosta!! Come on the show!! ‬ Our recommendations: Shiva Baby (2020), Heavenly Creatures (1994), Booksmart (2019), The Chronology of Water (2025), Jennifer's Body (2009), Fleabag (2021-2023). Don't forget to listen to us on This Feels Bi's episode on Shiva Baby! https://open.spotify.com/episode/3W4ygYwdknHX97P7gxqxyi?si=_CqNGZr5SvuCCz7YjWYeRQ For more on This Feels Bi, follow them on IG: This Feels Bi - https://www.instagram.com/thisfeelsbi/ Amanda - https://www.instagram.com/amandamkohr/ Erin - https://www.instagram.com/erin_deason/ Support the show with a Ko-fi! ko-fi.com/blackgirlfilmclub Check out the rest of our socials at linktr.ee/blackgirlfilmclub

We welcomed author and journalist Thomas Golianopoulos to the studio to talk Singleton's sophomore effort, Poetic Justice (1993) and Golianopoulos' biographical work, The Life of Singleton: From Boyz in the Hood to Snowfall. After exploding on to the scene with his directorial debut, Boyz in the Hood (1991`), John Singleton approached his second film with new perspective on a familiar setting — South Central LA through the eyes of Justice, a young salon worker grieving the death of her boyfriend. In this episode we discuss how Thomas researched the Singleton's professional and personal life, his inspiration and process, the tension on set between Janet and Tupac, and how the world reacted to this Poetic Justice as the next step in Singleton's career. Our recommendations: Baby Boy (2001), Rye Lane (2023) Buy The Life of Singleton here: https://www.amazon.com/Life-Singleton-Boyz-Hood-Snowfall/dp/1368095941 For more on Thomas and his work, follow him on IG @golianopoulos or visit: https://golianopoulos.com/ Support the show with a Ko-fi! ko-fi.com/blackgirlfilmclub Check out the rest of our socials at linktr.ee/blackgirlfilmclub

We welcomed Jada Trabue in the studio to talk about her production company, Vi5ionary Pictures, and the inspiration behind her movie pick, Losing Ground (1982) dir. Kathleen Collins! Losing Ground was only the second feature film directed by a Black woman since 1922's A Woman's Error dir. Tressie Souders — in the film, uptight philosophy professor Sara clashes with her artist husband Victor when he decides to move them upstate in order to paint a very specific subject. Losing Ground stars Seret Scott, Bill Gunn, and Duane Jones. Our recommendation: Drylongso (1998) Find Jada and Vi5isonary Pictures here: https://vi5ionarypictures.com/ Watch Don't Wake the Baby: https://vi5ionarypictures.com/dontwakethebaby Support her next film Bloodshed: https://vi5ionarypictures.com/bloodshed Support the show with a Ko-fi! ko-fi.com/blackgirlfilmclub Check out the rest of our socials at linktr.ee/blackgirlfilmclub

If I let you go, do you think that you can fly? It's time for another movie on kids with extraordinarily bad vibes, this time 90s style in The Good Son (1993). The Good Son stars Macaulay Culkin and Elijah Wood as Henry and Mark, two cousins who reunite after a tragedy and become friendly before Henry starts exhibiting dangerous and violent behavior. In this episode: Britney tells us once again about Murder by Numbers (2002); Kit Culkin's overbearing behavior pre-filming; motherhood as a horror concept; stray Oscars 2026 thoughts. Our recommendations: The Nanny (1965), Party Monster (2002), Grand Piano (2013) Support the show with a Ko-fi! ko-fi.com/blackgirlfilmclub Check out the rest of our socials at linktr.ee/blackgirlfilmclub

Have you considered that the kid has bad vibes?? This week, we're putting on our intellectual hats and talking parenting, the theory of nature vs nurture, and 1950s anxieties in The Bad Seed (1956) dir. Mervyn LeRoy and starring Nancy Kelly, Patty McCormack, and Evelyn Varden. Based on the 1954 novel, The Bad Seed follows 8 year old Rhoda who is suspected of murder after a classmate goes missing at a school picnic. Our recommendations: Luce (2019), Spellbound (1945), We Need to Talk About Kevin (2011) Support the show with a Ko-fi! ko-fi.com/blackgirlfilmclub Check out the rest of our socials at linktr.ee/blackgirlfilmclub

We continue our celebration of Black women directors with Kasi Lemmons' feature debut, Eve's Bayou (1997), a story that examines truth and memory against the backdrop of an all Black bayou town in the early 1960s. In this episode, we talk through Kasi's inspirations for the story and intergenerational trauma and other hallmarks of the Southern Gothic genre. Our recommendations: Cuties (2020) Support the show with a Ko-fi! ko-fi.com/blackgirlfilmclub Check out the rest of our socials at linktr.ee/blackgirlfilmclub

Happy Black History Month and happy anniversary to us! 🖤🖤🖤 This month we're giving a spotlight to Black female directors, starting with Rungano Nyoni's On Becoming A Guinea Fowl (2025), a film that explores family secrets and complicit silence against the backdrop of a funeral. In this episode, we talk grief as a performance, women who protect bad men, and the shared experiences of family gatherings across the diaspora. Rungano Nyoni: “Trauma is minding your business and then there’s a body lying next to you” | A Rabbit's Foot: https://a-rabbitsfoot.com/editorial/confessions/rungano-nyoni-interview/ More Than Rage: Rungano Nyoni and Susan Chardy on “On Becoming a Guinea Fowl” | Roger Ebert: https://www.rogerebert.com/interviews/rungano-nyoni-susan-chardy-on-becoming-a-guinea-fowl-interview Our recommendations: Monsoon Wedding (2001) Support the show with a Ko-fi! ko-fi.com/blackgirlfilmclub Check out the rest of our socials at linktr.ee/blackgirlfilmclub