Cinema Therapy

Life can be hard. In a world of people telling you “no" - self doubt, economic, systemic, societal challenges, outside criticism - how do we even begin to nurture our dreams of being more than what the world is tells us we are? How do we continue to foster and master a lifestyle that supports the voice inside that tells us “we have something special to offer"? Musician singer/songwriter/ARTIST Jasmine Jordan (@therealjasminej) and founder of “The Smile Movement” (@dontgiveuponyou) join Karen and Nicole for an honest, supportive discussion exploring the many forms following our dreams can take.

This week, Cinema Therapy is celebrating black romance! Inspired by great cinematic classics such as Love and Basketball to Moonlight, we consider many of the joys and challenges faced by a young black couple in love. Listen as we ponder the power of black love! Film/Television discussed this week:Love and Basketball (2000)Moonlight (2016)This is Us (2016-)If Beale Street Could Talk (2018)

Welcome to Part 2 of Cinema Therapy's High School Reunion! This week we considered the themes explored in Euphoria and Sex Education. Carl Alvarez, one of our closest high school friends, joined us as we asked ourselves whether we were squares, if our sex education classes were sufficient, and discussed how we can best prepare the next generation as they enter adulthood. Please listen, rate, and subscribe wherever you tune into podcasts! Follow Cinema Therapy on Instagram @cinematherapyshow and on Facebook @cinematherapyshow

Welcome to our intimate High School Reunion! We didn't make it to our class's reunion in 2017, so we decided to make one of our own. Our guest, Carl Alvarez, joined us as we examined our high school experience with new perspective. We consider the themes explored in Glee and Booksmart and ask - What were our high school reputations? What labels stuck with us over the years? Did we have a satisfying high school experience because we were involved in performing arts? We had so much to say on this topic we decided to split it into TWO episodes! Tune in next week for Part 2!

Nicole’s Birthday is next week and she’s turning THIRTY! We’re celebrating this milestone by discussing film/tv that explores the 30s experience. Whether you’re 35 and thriving or approaching your 30s with dread, we consider all we can learn from characters who are trying to make the most of their 30s. Candice Dormon, host of the Breezy Moms Podcast and Nicole’s sister-in-law, joins us to discuss Insecure, Friends, and 13 Going on 30.

It’s May! It also happens to be Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month! Do you know how when you were you were young and you said you liked that one song from that 90s boy band ONE TIME but then no one will let you live that down and they think that’s the only kind of music you like? Nothing more? Well... that’s what it be like sometimes for Karen and her Asian identity. Karen and Nicole are celebrating some of film and television’s works from the creators, writers, actors, and filmmakers of Asian/Pacific Islander descent and those that speak on their experiences. With pathfinders like “Crazy Rich Asians”, “Master is None”, “Fresh off the Boat” and “Shoplifters” to discuss, guests Kristina Bustos ( writer, performer) and Lee Hubilla (writer, director, actor, and producer of “Those Who Wander” of Asian American Film Lab’s 72 hr shoot out) join us to discuss the importance of representation, diversity, and the need for more.

Are you ready for the Endgame? In this week’s episode, Nicole and Karen celebrate the Avengers franchise. These Marvel characters have been part of our lives since the Iron Man film was released in 2008, so we explore the ramifications of long term fandom and the logistics of a 3-hour movie adventure. Adrian @adrianfromthebx joins us to talk about our favorite Marvel characters, our one true Marvel romantic pairing, and more on why these films are so damn captivating!

It may be Spring outside but it’s Winter at Cinema Therapy!! Nicole and Karen are having a party in order to welcome the return of “Game of Thrones” and it’s final season! Joined by special guests Gianna Wright and Kayla Tyree (and commentary from Jade and Adrian at the radio station) with a spin the bottle game (no kissing sorry), “Cinema Therapy” looks back at the beloved series and discusses predictions for what the final season may bring, favorite characters, most difficult to stomach, goriest scenes, who may take the iron throne, and more.

Who would of thought the same comedic talent who gave life to sketches like “Terries” and “Obama/Luther” would create some of the most thought provoking horror films in recent memory? Karen and Nicole survey Jordan Peele’s career, from Second City to Us to find clues of the horror genius within. David Dormon, Nicole’s husband and Jordan Peele Superman, joins us for the discussion

Karen and Nicole are closing out women’s history month with an episode on Women Power! Astrologer, witch, actor, writer, creator Cassandra Cushman @thefreakywitch stops by to share goddess vibes with empowering words and affirmations. This episode discusses the women and themes found in “Shrill”, “Pose”, “Captain Marvel”, and “Mad Men”.

We’re back from hiatus and ready to talk about one of Netflix’s newest series, The Umbrella Academy! We were inspired by the plight of the Hargreeves children and it reminded us of our experiences as so-called gifted children. Are there disadvantages to labeling kids as “special” at a young age? What does X-Men get right? Will we ever get our Hogwarts acceptance letter? Listen in for all this and more!

It’s time for our favorite awards show! Yes friends, it’s Oscar Sunday and we’re not ashamed to admit we’re here for all of it. Karen and Nicole can be the Oscar hosts of your Hart, I mean heart. Meseret, Nicole’s law school friend, is making big moves in DC but he’s always makes time to watch as many Oscar-nominated films as possible! Will Spike Lee finally get his Oscar in gold sneakers? Which Best Actress nominee will be honored in this incredibly talented field? Will Green Book hold back racial progress? Listen for these speculations and more!

In the midst of all the Valentine’s/Galentine’s Day celebrating, Karen and Nicole celebrate a very special kind of love- PLATONIC LOVE! Nicole celebrated her first Valentine’s as a married woman this year by going to luxury movie theatre IPIC, and Karen, still single, went to Hooters, threw digital darts at a picture of her ex on her phone for free wings, and hosted and performed at an open mic. In celebrating platonic love our two hosts talk about some of their favorite friendship movies, such as, “Toy Story”- (Andy did Woody wrong, he wrote his name on his shoe!), and “Set it Off” (Queen Latifah broke our hearts). What kind of friend are you? Do environment and situations create the friendships we have in our lives and the boundaries we live with? Special Guest and dear friend of Karen, filmmaker and performer Tonilyn Sideco joins for today’s episode, and talks about their own short film, “Ube Raindrops”.

You know that feeling when you start a really amazing show and want nothing more than to share it with your friends? Then you must also know the soul-sinking feeling when your friends’ eyes narrow and respond with a curt “no thanks, weirdo.” We’ve been there. What about a little tit for tat to resolve the tv show stalemate? This week Nicole’s law school friend, Udoka, joins us to talk tv even though he doesn’t own one! Udoka watches HBO’s Big Little Lies, Nicole watches Twin Peaks (SPOILER ALERT - no thanks, weirdo) and Karen watches NBC’s This Is Us. Listen in to all that we discover after watching a show we would otherwise NEVER watch.

This week Nicole and Karen give praise to their favorite Femme Fatales. The cunning, maneating archetype has been gracing us in some of the most compelling movies and tv shows such as “Gone Girl”, “Basic Instinct”, “Kill Bill” and the most recent “Killing Eve”. THIS IS NOT CONDONING MURDER! There’s just something so compelling about a woman who has snapped. Special Guest Tiye Kinlow visits from DC to drop some thoughts and vibes on the exploration of the minds of these women, and why other women especially are so into it!

Karen and Nicole love a good Jane Austen adaptation! Quite frankly, we were very eager to revisit some Pride and Prejudice after the dark, twisty drama in The Favourite. Sometimes you have to wash out some whisky with tea, amirite? Join us as we consider what we love about the elegant dialogue in Sense and Sensibility, why Nicole relates to Lydia Bennett, debate on the best version of Darcy, and the discuss the advantages of playing hard to get.

Cinephiles Club, a movie enthusiasts club in New York City, is joining us for our 2019 Review of Movies! Tatiana Reign, a member of Cinephiles Club, gives her input on the most memorable films of the past year. Join us as we discuss whether Lady Gaga’s Shallow is unfinished, listen to Nicole as she has to shield Black Panther from Karen’s criticism, and delight in our shaming Lin-Manuel Miranda for his ridiculously animated character in Mary Poppins.

Part 2 of Cinema Therapy holiday special 2018! Karen hates feeling alone during the holidays in the City, and feeling very Kevin McCasllister a la HOME ALONE 2: LOST IN NEW YORK. Nicole’s first Christmas in New York City-going to Dyker Heights with Karen. Learning to build and foster our own holiday traditions as adults. Discussing seasonal depression during the holiday season. This episode features guest Erin Johnson, a renowned Head Elf of about 5 years at Santaland in Bloomingdales, whom Karen has been and elf with for 3. Together they also discuss David Sedaris’ “The Santaland Diaries” and all the staples that mark holidays in the City.

The first of two Cinema Therapy holiday specials! December is rough on Karen, but what better way love yourself than to indulge in your favorite romantic comedy. Two of Nicole’s best friends, Eirene and Joy, join us this week to talk about “the GREATEST film in history,” LOVE ACTUALLY! We all love Love Actually but we also know there’s some problematic relationships featured. Will Karen (Emma Thompson) wake up out of her relationship coma? Will Keira Knightly (Juliet), Peter (Chiwetel Ejiofor) and Mark (Andrew Lincoln) become a throuple? Are Billy Mack (Bill Nighy) and Joe (Gregor Fisher) in (platonic) love? We’ll explore all this and more!