Parks & Recreation: April Ludgate, The Secretly Optimistic Cynic

The Electric State, Netflix’s astoundingly expensive new movie starring Millie Bobby Brown and Chris Pratt, managed to take a very interesting concept and… ruin it. Though it technically has all of the parts that should, at the very least, make for a watchable big budget flick – star power, good visual effects, etc. – nothing about this movie seems to work. And in that, it’s ended up becoming the exact thing it was meant to skewer. So, what all went wrong with The Electric State? Why did The Electric State get such bad reviews? (And what’s up with that ending??) Let’s take a closer look… Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

24 Mars 12min

Go to http://factormeals.com/factorpodcast and use code FACTORPODCAST to get 50% off your first box and free shipping. Of all of the characters on Community, Britta Perry had the weirdest – and in many people’s eyes worst – arcs on the show. Starting out as the tough as nails idealist, over the show’s run she turned into someone that at times felt almost unrecognizable… But if we take a closer look at Britta’s story, we see that she isn’t the worst – and her journey actually makes a surprising amount of sense! So, why was Britta… the way that she was? And what made us love her anyway? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

11 Mars 14min

Go to http://hellofresh.com/hellofreshpodcast to get up to 10 free meals and a free high protein item for life! While awards season always has its fair share of ups and downs, some have begun noticing that a very particular trend seems to be happening with recent Best Actress Oscar winners – namely Mikey Madison for Anora and Emma Stone for Poor Things. But… it’s actually not a new trend at all – but instead seems to be a resurgence of an old school problem. So, is it actually a signifier of a problematic shift backwards, or just a bit of coincidence? Let’s take a closer look at these roles, the larger context, and what it all really means! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

4 Mars 13min

Go to http://zocdoc.com/thetake to find and instantly book a top-rated doctor today! Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy is the brand new installment in the story of the beloved heroine. While everyone was initially excited to hear that there would be a fourth movie in the series, its release has seemingly not had the mega-romcom sparkle we might have imagined. So, what’s really going on with the film? Why is there an age gap romance? Why is it so sad?! (And… why did the studio fumble what should have been a big hit?)  Let’s unpack all of that, plus analyze the actually important message the movie and series as a whole is trying to send, and what the ending really means! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

18 Feb 14min

Go to http://factormeals.com/thetake50off and use code thetake50off to get 50% off your first box plus free shipping! We’re so often told to be nice, to try to meet everyone with kindness even when they aren’t kind to us. But sometimes… being a hater is the right answer. Superstar Kendrick Lamar has been running a masterclass on the power of strategic hate, culminating in his showstopping performance headlining this year’s Superbowl Halftime. And his success, and the collective enjoyment of it, is a sign of a larger shift of people no longer being willing to play nice with people who wish to do harm to us and our communities. So let’s take a closer look at what we can learn from Kenrick and other world class strategic haters. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

11 Feb 11min

Go to http://hellofresh.com/thetake10fm to get up to 10 free meals and a free high protein item for life! Awards darling Emilia Pérez has been getting a lot of attention since it made a splash at Cannes – but in addition to all of the accolades (including 13 Oscar nominations,) the film has been mired in controversy its entire run. Surprisingly, it hasn’t just been the type of backlash everyone might have expected (though there has, unfortunately, been some of that as well.) So, what really has so many people who should be the target audience upset with the film? Let’s unpack all of that, and how it’s part of a much bigger problem in Hollywood… Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

5 Feb 14min

Anora analysis and ending explained, unpacking the controversy around the film, & shining light on the truth about "Cinderella Stories" Anora, Sean Baker’s new film starring Mikey Madison, has been getting heaps of praise since it won the Palme d’Or at Cannes. It takes a new look at a very old profession via a careening few days in the life of a vibrant young woman, and attempts to confront some very harsh realities about her and all of our lives. But some have questioned if it really manages to subvert those old cliches… So let’s take a deeper look at the film to figure out what it all really means. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

20 Jan 11min

Stop leaving yourself vulnerable to data breaches. Go to my sponsor https://aura.com/thetake to get a 14-day free trial and see if any of your data has been exposed My partner Aura just launched their new "Are you smarter than a scammer?" quiz. Take the quiz and see if you’re as savvy as you think: https://bit.ly/aurasts The looming possibility of a TikTok Ban in the US has been causing chaos online – but the problem is actually a lot deeper than just the loss of a random social media app. It’s easy to brush off the TikTok ban since, to many, it’s just seen as a goofy app for annoying youths, but it’s actually part of a long history of using popular media – and our access to it – as a means of control. Looking at the ban within the larger context of history can provide us with a better framework with which to engage with it, and possibly even some hope for the future… Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

18 Jan 11min