The documentary WHITE NOISE (2020) follows three very prominent members of the alt-right (you'll be familiar with all of them, folks) as their fortunes rise and fall during the Trump era. We discuss the ethics of interviewing/"platforming" ideological enemies, the differing aesthetic styles of various alt-right personalities, and what happens to political "scenes" during periods of eclipse. PLUS: Luke takes stock of the Canadian Conservative leadership race, and Liam Neeson makes a movie about the U.S./Mexico border.

Michael and Us

#332 - The Futility Consensus

Dinesh D'Souza believes he has uncovered shocking proof that the Democratic Party stole the 2020 election in 2000 MULES (2022), a documentary so shoddy that even right-wing media is hesitant to publicize it. We follow the trail of Dinesh's conspiracy theory to its inevitable endpoint: a contempt for democracy itself. PLUS: we discuss the billionaire whose name is on everyone's lips, Elon Musk.

#334 - Just Asking Questions

What is a quickly-made, low-effort documentary like ONE NATION UNDER TRUMP (2016) good for? Not a lot. But one thing that this ridiculous pro-Trump hagiography provided us with was a chance to marinate for long, unbroken stretches of time in the 45th president's rhetorical style. We made some unexpected discoveries about how his distinctive way of speaking led him to the presidency.

#337 - Trust the Plan

Many people threatened to move to Canada when George W. Bush was re-elected in 2004, but the dramedy BLUE STATE (2007) imagines a character who actually did it. Many references to 2004-era liberal ephemera ensue, and the hosts of the Michael & Us podcast are sharply divided on this milquetoast indie starring Breckin Meyer and Anna Paquin.

#349 - The Donkey Revolution

Alexandra Pelosi strikes again! In her documentary SAN FRANCISCO 2.0 (2015), the political scion turns her attention to her home city, gazing with awe upon the tech industry's sudden takeover while registering some tepid notes of ambivalence about the gentrification that has priced many longtime residents out. We discuss why, despite being Nancy Pelosi's daughter who regularly makes films for HBO, nobody seems to know about Alexandra Pelosi.

Check out the Michael & Us Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/posts/69528022

#351 - Fear and Loathing in San Francisco

Libertarian magicians Penn & Teller turn their gaze to the art world in TIM'S VERMEER (2013), a documentary that attempts to prove that, with just the right set of tools and a lot of money, one wealthy entrepreneur can paint a Vermeer. We discuss the bleak, empty void that is Penn & Teller's view of art.

See Luke at the Toronto International Festival of Authors on September 27 - https://festivalofauthors.ca/event/critical-conversation-new-working-class/
Check out Luke's book "The Dead Center" - https://www.orbooks.com/catalog/the-dead-center/

#367 - Penn and Paintbrush

Adam McKay's VICE (2018) sought to give Dick Cheney the full reckoning for his crimes through art that he will never receive in life. Is the film necessary cinematic intervention in the ongoing Cheney reclamation project, or a condescending failure? Your hosts disagree sharply on this cinematic polemic. PLUS: fiery hot takes on Elon Musk's Twitter takeover.

"'Damn right,' I said" by Eliot Weinberger - https://www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v33/n01/eliot-weinberger/damn-right-i-said

Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus

#378 - Decision Points

As we enter 2023, it's time for our annual look back on the movies that defined our podcast over the past 12 months. In our third Year-in-Review Extravaganza, we're handing out awards for Best Movie, Worst Movie, Best End-of-History Movie, Thing We Liked Growing Up That Holds Up Relatively Well, Best Tubi Movie, and more. Will Alexandra Pelosi win an award? Will Dinesh D'Souza go home empty-handed? What about Trump vs. the Illuminati? Tune in to find out!

Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus

#391 - The Third Annual Michael & Us Year-in-Review Extravaganza

Filmed in the aftermath of the 1970 "October Crisis" that brought martial law to Canada, Gilles Groulx's radical documentary 24 HOURS OR MORE (1973) takes a disapproving look at life in Quebec under capitalism during a moment when the postwar economic boom was receding. It's the kind of movie that isn't made anymore: a movie that questions the very premises on which society is built.

Watch the movie for free: https://www.nfb.ca/film/24_hours_or_more/

Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week: https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus

#392 - Rising Expectations

Upon its release, Steven Soderbergh's TRAFFIC (2000) offered something novel: a cinematic tapestry that criticized America's War on Drugs. More than 20 years later, we consider its strengths, as well as the impact that time has diminished. PLUS: Let's read a little from Prince Harry autobiography, shall we?

Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus

#394 - The View from Nowhere

The amateur documentary MY YANG GANG DIARY (2021) gives us opportunity to look back on the presidential candidacy of Andrew Yang. We discuss how the "Not left, not right, but forward" candidate offered a vision of radical centrism.

"What Happened to Andrew Yang?" by Akela Lacy - https://theintercept.com/2021/08/15/andrew-yang-new-york-mayor/

#403 - Fully Automated Luxury Centrism

A podcast about political cinema and our crumbling world. Hosted by Will Sloan and Luke Savage.

Exclusive subscriber-only episodes: https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus/overview

#332 - The Futility Consensus

Michael and Us

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