'Licorice Pizza' (2021): Life Plans and Stick Shift Vans

To kick off a new cycle featuring musicians turned actors, Julian, Madeline and Emilio rewatch 'Licorice Pizza', Paul Thomas Anderson's 2021 film and love letter to the San Fernando Valley circa 1973. Populated with memorable turns from Bradley Cooper, Sean Penn, Tom Waits, Skylar Gisondo, Benny Safdie and others, the film is anchored by the performances of newcomers Cooper Hoffman (son of late great PTA favorite Phillip Seymour Hoffman) and Alana Haim, the youngest of three musician sisters that make up the band HAIM. The group discusses their own personal histories with HAIM, as well as the band's many collaborations with PTA, who directed several of their music videos, They then dig into the unusual friendship dynamic between Gary and Alana, discuss several of the reoccurring motifs, praise the film's visual aesthetic, the many great needle drops, and weigh in the film's polarizing final note. And stick around to the end for an Unlikely Shared Universe first!

Would you rather go into business with Gary Valentine or Max Fischer? Let us know here!: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1e3llPyl0toYj7isVJ_YMRfatMQRzAgfGgtYO7xtSPyo/edit

If you enjoy our podcast, please rate and review us on your podcast platform of choice. This really helps us find new listeners and grow!

Follow us on IG and TikTok: @sleeplesscinematicpod

Send us an email at [e-mail]

On Letterboxd? Follow Julian at julian_barthold and Madeline at patronessofcats