The world of pop music is often explored in film through a satirical lens. Gina Prince-Bythewood’s Beyond the Lights is one of those rare films that takes an honest look at the complexities of the industry. Centered around a romance between a pop star and a police officer, the film boldly examines topics such as race, depression, and the objectification of women in the media. We also take a moment to discuss our short film picks of the week: Elizabeth St. Philip’s The Colour of Beauty and the Michael K. Williams starring Am I Typecast?

If you like what you hear, or want to offer some constructive criticism, please take a moment to rate our show on iTunes! If you have a comment on this episode, or want to suggest a film for us to discuss, feel free to contact us via twitter (@ChangingReelsAC), follow us on Facebook and reach out to us by email (Changing.Reels.AC@gmail.com). You can also hear our show on SoundCloud or Stitcher!

Show Notes:

Cohost of Changing Reels, Courtney Small from Cinema Axis, consumes everything cinema from big budget spectacles to small foreign fare. He has contributed pieces to various publications and has been a guest on several film related podcasts. Courtney is also a member of the Online Film Critics Society as well as the Canadian Association of Online Film Critics.

Cohost and Editor of Changing Reels, Andrew Hathaway from Can’t Stop the Movies, is more of a hermit than his charming cohost. He spends what may be seen as an unhealthy amount of time analyzing cinematic fare as light as Magic Mike XXL and as enigmatic as The Midnight Swim. When he’s not taking a deep dive into cinema he’s contributed to books like Thoughts on The Thin Man. The partnership between Andrew and Courtney started through their podcast series on the movies of Denis Villeneuve and blossomed into Changing Reels.

The art for Changing Reels comes commissioned from Seth Gorden, Andrew’s frequent collaborator on Why Video Games and one of the creative minds behind Earnest and Purcell.