Cows in the field

Blobcat Filmindustri

A movie podcast inspired by a Werner Herzog quote, “We have to articulate ourselves, otherwise we would be cows in the field.” Hosted by Justin Khoo (professor of philosophy at MIT) and Laura Khoo (art historian turned fundraiser).

Listen in podnod RSS feed Show website

20 episodes
Updated Friday
Explicit

Episodes20

Newest first

Friday · 1 hr 59 min
170. The Odyssey (w/ Bilge Ebiri)
We discuss Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey with Bilge Ebiri (New York Magazine / Vulture)! We discuss Nolan's sympathetic Odysseus, a man out of time, burdened by guilt and shame, but also a herald of a new age of science and reason. We consider how Nolan made one of the oldest and grandest stories into a deeply personal one, which provides a lens through which we can revisit his entire filmography. We respond to criticisms of the film and explore ways in which it left us wanting more. Join us and rejoice in cinema!! Follow us at cowspod.com and buy t-shirts and more at shop.cowspod.com! Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
July 10 · 1 hr 8 min
169. Billy Elliot (w/ Aaron Meskin)
Put on your dancin' shoes, it's time to discuss Billy Elliot with Aaron Meskin (Philosophy, U. of Georgia)! We discuss dance movies, dancing, how the film melds British working class drama with fantastical, nondiegetic dance numbers, how conformity perpetuates class structures, how the film portrays masculinity and dance, and more! Did you enjoy the episode? Leave us a review on your podcast app of choice! Do you like to boogie? Reach out to us at cowspod@gmail.com! Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
June 27 · 1 hr 12 min
168. Past Lives (w/ Bar Luzon)
Join us and Bar Luzon (Philosophy, MIT) to discuss Celine Song's film PAST LIVES. We talk about immigration, love, irresistible freely chosen love, imagination and narrative in self understanding, counterfactual thinking, and never going home... Check out all our episodes at cowspod.com and buy a cow-branded shirt at shop.cowspod.com! Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
June 12 · 1 hr 36 min
167. Blade Runner (w/ Zed Adams)
The Cows journey to the future, Los Angeles 2019, to run blades with Zed Adams (Philosophy, The New School for Social Research). We discuss eyes, simulation, Hegel, Cavell, Heidegger, rain, tears, pajamas, and who among us is a replicant. Visit cowspod.com for the full schedule and merch! Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
May 22 · 1 hr 50 min
166. 2001: A Space Odyssey (w/ Matthias Michel)
Journey with us and Matthias Michel (Philosophy, MIT) beyond the infinite! We discuss humanity's place in the universe, questions vs. mysteries, technology, space food, space toilets, transcendence, isolation, space, HAL9000, monoliths, chess... and what makes this movie so special. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
May 8 · 1 hr 1 min
165. Ex Machina (w/ Aaron West)
We take a trip down A24 lane to discuss our first AI movie of the miniseries, Alex Garland's EX MACHINA, with Aaron West (of Cinejourneys.com and The A24 New Wave). Auteurs, tech bros, trophy robot wives/slaves, creations leaving the nest, and more! Also, Justin cut out the bit where he ranted about the film's half-assed invocation of Wittgenstein and Frank Jackson, so don't worry: we just talk about the fun parts! Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
April 24 · 1 hr 2 min
164. The Long Goodbye (w/ Tim Smartt)
We are joined by Tim Smartt (Philosophy, University of Notre Dame at Sydney) to discuss Altman, Coury brand cat food, loneliness, transitions, misplaced loyalties, noir... and more! If a friend asks you to drive him to Mexico at 3am, what should you do?! Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
April 10 · 1 hr 1 min
163. Enemy (w/ Robbie Kubala)
Robbie Kubala (Philosophy, UT-Austin) joins to discuss ENEMY! We discuss the fear of entrapment, performativity, spider femininity, 2 v 1, the difficulties of making Associate Professor... and more! Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
March 27 · 1 hr 15 min
162. The Grey (w/ Dave Baker)
We are joined by Dave Baker (Philosophy, U. Michigan) to talk about THE GREY (2012), which is definitely NOT Taken With Wolves! We discuss accepting death, grief, finding meaning in life, theistic and non-theistic readings, dudes bonding over survival scenarios, wolves, Liam Neeson, and more wolves! Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
March 12 · 2 hr 10 min
161. The Blobscars!
It's time to celebrate the films of 2025! No film can win in more than one of the following categories: + Best Supporting Character + Movie Most Likely to Grow on Me + Hidden Gem + Best Music + Best Line / Speech + Best Antagonist + Best Protagonist + Best Story + Best Picture Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
February 27 · 1 hr 2 min
160. Marty Supreme (w/ Sean Burns)
Pick up your paddles, it's time to PONG! Marty Supreme is a 2025 movie directed by Josh Safdie starring Timothy Chalamet about an upstart New York table tennis savant who'll do anything to succeed at the sport and who just wants someone to treat him as seriously as he takes himself. We're joined by Sean Burns (WBUR, Spliced Personality) to explore the movie's manic energy. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
February 13 · 1 hr 21 min
159. One Battle After Another (w/ Roxana Hadadi)
Roxana Hadadi (Vulture / New York Magazine) joins us to discuss Paul Thomas Anderson's BP lock(?) and everything surrounding the film: its structure, violent / non-violent resistance, broader themes in PTA's films... and much more! Is it time to call in a Greyhawk-10? Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
January 30 · 1 hr 20 min
158. Tenet (REPLAY)
Five years out, and it's time to look back on TENET with a replay of our episode from 2021. In it, we talk about parenthood, emotions, time inversion, free will, buddies, why this can't be done in any other medium, and also why the movie kicks butt! If you haven't given Tenet a second shot, now's the time! Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
January 16 · 1 hr 9 min
157. Body Heat (w/ Alex Kugelman)
Players, chimes, noir conventions, screenwriting tips, running hot, tacit communication, and horny lawyers can only mean one thing -- we're discussing BODY HEAT! Joining us is Alex Kugelman, writer/director of the new hit film DON'T TRIP (streaming now on Tubi). Can you handle the heat??!? Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
January 2 · 1 hr 7 min
156. When Harry Met Sally
To celebrate the life and work of Rob Reiner, we wanted to cover our favorite of his films, which also happens to be a great NEW YEAR'S film! So join us to discuss the mysteries of love, and disagree about how to interpret the interstitial older couple interviews. Here's to 2026! Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
Dec 19, 2025 · 1 hr 9 min
155. The Santa Clause (w/ Emily St. James)
Oh no Scott Calvin (maybe) killed Santa Claus and now through the power of legally binding contracts he has to become the Big Man himself! Will the power of belief triumph over police and psychiatry? Who will be crowned champion of the elves-only cocoa-making competition? Who are those puppets hanging out in Santa's room? All this and more!! Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
Dec 5, 2025 · 55 min
154. Amelie (w/ Brianna Ashby)
Join us and Brianna Ashby (Bright Wall / Dark Room) to discuss 2001's AMELIE! We discuss loneliness, color theory, mediated interactions, breaking through stasis, and whether this is a post-COVID movie made before COVID! Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
Nov 21, 2025 · 1 hr 9 min
153. Grave of the Fireflies (w/ Sam Liao)
We are joined by Sam Liao (Philosophy, University of Puget Sound) to discuss our first animated film on the show: Isao Takahata's Grave of the Fireflies! We discuss childhood, innocence, war, societal collapse, and much more! Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
Nov 7, 2025 · 1 hr 59 min
152. Parasite (w/ Rachel Fraser)
We sit down with Rachel Fraser (MIT, Philosophy) to discuss Bong Joon Ho's Academy Award winning movie PARASITE! What do Freud, Jane Eyre, and Marx have to do with a movie about three families in South Korea? Psychoanalysis, transgression, class consciousness, ideology, ghosts, Hitchcock, and lots more! Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
Oct 25, 2025 · 1 hr 6 min
151. Rec (w/ Pete Turner)
Continuing spooky season, we sit down with Pete Turner (Oxford Brookes University) to discuss found footage horror and the now-classic entry into the genre, REC! We discuss why this isn't "found footage"(!) although it is diegetic camera horror, and how the film uses the limited perspective to shape our identification with its characters. Don't go in the attic!! Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Cows in the field

170. The Odyssey (w/ Bilge Ebiri)

169. Billy Elliot (w/ Aaron Meskin)

168. Past Lives (w/ Bar Luzon)

167. Blade Runner (w/ Zed Adams)

166. 2001: A Space Odyssey (w/ Matthias Michel)

165. Ex Machina (w/ Aaron West)

164. The Long Goodbye (w/ Tim Smartt)

163. Enemy (w/ Robbie Kubala)

162. The Grey (w/ Dave Baker)

161. The Blobscars!

160. Marty Supreme (w/ Sean Burns)

159. One Battle After Another (w/ Roxana Hadadi)

158. Tenet (REPLAY)

157. Body Heat (w/ Alex Kugelman)

156. When Harry Met Sally

155. The Santa Clause (w/ Emily St. James)

154. Amelie (w/ Brianna Ashby)

153. Grave of the Fireflies (w/ Sam Liao)

152. Parasite (w/ Rachel Fraser)

151. Rec (w/ Pete Turner)