Episode 98: Lean On Me

Season 5 marches on as the gang steps into the halls of Eastside High for John G. Avildsen's 1989 drama Lean On Me, where Principal Joe Clark takes on failing systems, fraying hope, and a school on the brink with nothing but a bullhorn, a baseball bat, and a stubborn belief in his students. Craig rings the bell with Producer's Notes (9:52), setting the tone for a spirited class session, while Alain sketches out the ups, downs, and hard lines in the Beauclair Synopsis (29:56). Chris takes the lectern in Philosopher's Corner (1:07:24), reflecting on the film's questions about authority, community responsibility, and the complicated ethics of "tough love." Things get heated at the Round Table (1:14:53) as the gang gathers to debate leadership, legacy, and whether Clark's methods are effective or overreaching. As the dust settles, we head into Reviews (2:16:04) and Mailbag (2:30:28) for the final rally of opinions and closing remarks. As always, we explore the philosophical and non-philosophical lessons carried through the story, because when the stakes are high and the halls are loud, everybody needs someone to lean on.

🍻 Featured Beer 🍻 - Beatbox Brown Ale by Polyrhythm Brewing (Edmonton, AB)

Episode 97: Weapons

Just in time for a Halloween Spooktacular, the gang is back for Season 5 of Philosophy in Film, and the reel's already spinning! First up in the tray: Zach Cregger's eerie ensemble horror Weapons (2025), where seventeen schoolchildren vanish at 2:17 a.m., forcing a town to ask: what if the monster isn't outside, but inside the story? In search of answers, Craig sounds the alarm with Producer's Notes (8:31) while Alain opens the Beauclair Synopsis (17:23), laying out the tangled threads of characters, each chasing a truth they're too afraid to face. Chris slips into Philosopher's Corner (42:55), tracing the film's vanishings through a dim reflection of screens and silence, where the real horror may be what we've grown used to losing. At The Round Table (42:40), the gang wrangles the question: Is Weapons a cautionary mirror or a funhouse for our fears? Later, Reviews (1:10:48) and Mailbag (1:24:41) let our audience testify in the court of shared dread. As always, we reflect on the philosophical and non-philosophical fissures the film fractures open, because in a town where the children vanish, silence becomes just another weapon.

🍻 Featured Beer 🍻 - Beldame Old World Pilsner by Strange Fellows Brewing (East Vancouver, BC)

Episode 96: Eddington

This week on Philosophy in Film, the gang rides into the dust and disinformation of Ari Aster's 2025 neo-Western Eddington. Set during the upheaval of 2020, the film pits Joaquin Phoenix's stoic, conspiracy-prone sheriff Joe Cross against Pedro Pascal's pragmatic mayor Ted Garcia in a small New Mexico town splintered by mask mandates, social media warfare, and secrets. Craig sounds the warning in Producer's Notes (9:59), rallying the posse to get ready; Alain draws the map of conflict in the Beauclair Synopsis (20:57), threading the political grievance, personal betrayal, and escalating paranoia. Chris then steps into Philosopher's Corner (41:16), tuning into the film's narrative pulse. At The Round Table (54:36), the gang debates whether Eddington mirrors our fractured moment or indulges in fever dreams, before Reviews (1:28:46) and Mailbag (1:37:54) bring listener dispatches from the divide.

As always, we tackle the philosophical and non-philosophical standoffs within, as every showdown leaves a mark.

🍻 Featured Beer 🍻 - Ameri-cana Pale Ale by Vacay Brew Company (Calgary, AB)