Movie Mindset Bonus - Interview With Director Ari Aster
Will & Hesse sit down with Ari Aster, director of Hereditary, Midsommar, Beau is Afraid, and the upcoming Eddington. They rap on evil movies, mixing stupid slapstick humor with pain & discomfort, creating a contemporary western out of the recent past, some of Ari’s favorite films & filmmakers, and of course…the all-consuming sense of impending doom & lurking doubt that surrounds us.
Check out Eddington, in theaters this summer on July 18th.
Comments (105)
Eddington rocked so hard, coming back to listen to the spoiler parts of this interview now
My interpretation was that the Antifa supersoldiers weren't just white supremacists doing a false flag, but that they were somehow hired by the data company to assassinate the would-be mayor who was now vocally opposed to it's construction. I think that interpretation makes the ending scene make a lot more sense. But one of the highlights of the film is how it reflects real life-- you can ask yourself who benefits from these cases of horrific violence and have a good theory of what happened. But you can never fully be sure. There is no closure or resolution, there's just *the next thing.*
all love but lol at 30 mins Will misinterpreting the jet scene as “antifa supersoldiers” and Ari pushes back about that interpretation of the scene because if you pay attention to that shot you overhear a white supremicist tv show playing that uses the nword with a hard R. The guy doing the pushups is doing it military style and is styled like a special ops militant. The movie (as Ari hints now here) makes it clear these are white supremicist terrorists conducting a false flag operation to make it look like Antifa
Just saw Eddington, two thumbs up! When I first saw the trailers for it I thought I would hate it, so if anyone else was in that boat I'd recommend giving the movie a chance
Just saw EDDINGTON. Holy smokes go see it in a theater.
Why did Hesse press him for specific details about a movie that did not come out yet at the time?
Just saw Eddington yesterday and the Rorschach test is so accurate, everyone in the theater had a different bit that made them actual crack up out loud. No two groups ever laughed at the same bits though lol
Halfway through Eddington (Tragically I cannot remember exactly when) an older woman in my theater said "You people are stupid!" and "Wake up!" before she walked out
that’s so hype going to see it again tonight in hopes this happens
Please let him talk he keeps starting to say something and you cut him off to talk more about what you think of his movies 😭
Phoenix is doing his best Tim Heidecker impression in this (complementary) Kathy Bates should’ve been in this but 9.5/10 grinning the whole time
I had to see Eddington on the day it came out so I could finish listening to this interview. So hyped.
Just paused when Will said spoilers. I’ll finish this tonight lol
at 21 minutes he delivers a perfect Christman monologue 10/10
"There's movies then there's reality" Will, that is the fucking least Movie Mindset thing one could say
It was so evil for Will to throw Hesse under the bus w her “how does it feel like to make a movie that, if succeeds, ensures that no one will ever have sex eith you again” bit to Ari Aster
Explain?
How tf did they get Ari Aster???
As someone who worked in local politics in 20-21 and had my brain thoroughly destroyed by it I cannot wait for this movie.
Ari Aster is a Warren commission guy? Huh…
Really good discussion
absolutely delighted by this interview. cannot overstate how much i love evil movies. every october i try to watch 31 evil movies. aster is one of the only contemporary directors that is nasty enough for me
Will’s pronunciation of Gaspar Noe warms my heart. But I personally read his movies as having a rather conservative message, rather than a nihilistic one, at their heart. For me, Yorgos Lanthimos depicts a much more evil universe (as far as sadistic continental directors). Loved this episode!
Yorgos Lanthimos directed The Continental?
❤️❤️❤️
Beau Is Afraid was my favourite film of 23, and one of my favourites of the last 10 years. Every one of Ari Aster's films hit me deeply. Hereditary was revelatory, but I have only managed to watch it through once, I find revisiting it traumatic. Midsommar I've seen over a dozen times, and will continue to rewatch, it's a perfect film for me, oddly serene, deeply dark, layered. Beau, I've only seen once, as no one will rewatch it with me. My gf found Beau an excruciating watch, whereas I found it both funny, and weirdly calming. I have pretty sever diagnoses related to anxiety, depression, and panic disorders. I felt very seen, and it really did feel like an exploration of the absurdities of an anxiety disorder. It was as if my intrusive thoughts were instantly realised, which I assumed was the intent behind the direction.
lmao, i didn't know what aster meant by penis monster till i saw the movie, but i thought it was a vagina with teeth. nah, it's very literal hahah
I finally watched Beau is Afraid recently and it’s really stuck with me. I can’t really say it’s enjoyable to watch exactly but I really love that it exists
What a fucking treat! Movie Mindset gone done it again folks!
Will warns about an Eddington spoiler at 29:25. When is that part over?
30:50
Insanely cool interview
Ari facking Aster! So cool!! What a treat for us Mindset Gooners ❤️❤️❤️ I listened to this otw home from vacation, while my kids napped. At the end I woke my girls up when Ari said he’s a long time listener.. I started hooting “ONE OF US, ONE OF US” and slapping the steering wheel
Surprised he didn’t mention Visitor Q in the evil movies discussion.
Oh shit, since Adam Curtis this is thr best movie / media related Chapo get. Well done Chris, you don't get the credit you deserve! Also, Kill List by Ben Wheatley feels like a deeply evil film. I love it.
Seeing it for the first time just last week, the first film "Beau is Afraid" reminded me of was "Nixon," right down to the mommy issues.
Great interview! This podcast actually lead me to revisit Aster's films because of the Beau Is Afraid discussion a couple of years back, I'd always bounced off them until then because it hadn't clicked with me that Ari's got jokes and the stuff I thought was silly was MEANT to be silly rather than a flaw. Hearing you guys talk about Beau was a bit of an awakening, now I'm an Aster-stan.
It's crazy to think that one of the bad takes I've seen in the movie mindset comments, and thus automatically written off as the opinion of someone who's as big of an idiot loser as I am might've actually come from a very successful Hollywood director
Ari Aster is so great. Thanks for doing this interview.
When is the Neil Breen episode / interview?
Excellent. Probably my favorite director interview from MM.
For a director capable of conjuring such evil, Ari is surprisingly affable. It's a phenomenon I like to call the Lynch Incongruity.
Really enjoyed this talk.
One of my favorite directors ever. My husband and I watch hereditary every Halloween since it came out and still pick up new things and have discussions. Ghost stories podcast did a review of midsommar last year and the Swedish guests picked up on some crazy shit that blew my mind. I have no idea if this was Ari’s intention but he makes films that make people think and it’s always rewarding on the 2nd or 3rd viewing. Signs of a great writer/director.
https://www.patreon.com/posts/115443503?utm_campaign=postshare_fan Here’s the ep if people want to listen.
Legendary interview
A LEAN NIGHT
Still being able to get it, after making a film like Beau is Afraid, is off the charts rizz
You guys are spoiling us latelyyyyyyy omg ❤️❤️❤️
Stop spoiling Eddington!!!
They didn’t like the Substance because it was evil, yet love his movies for the same thing. Interesting
iirc I said I liked the substance because it was evil enough for me to ignore the fact it clearly took place in the video game GTA: Vice City lol
Wow this guy rocks
You gotta get PTA for One Battle After Another.
Wait you guys are goated
Parker posey dying in BIA was so funny
Ari is a stone cold weirdo and I love it
No fucking way. The goat!
Wow Ari is such a sweetie. amazing interview
i watched beau is afraid with my mother #BeastMode
What'd you talk about after
Haha aster and menaker frantically assuring us they believe masks and vaccines are good
This is the only good interview I've ever heard with Ari. Only those with Movie Mindset truly understand his greatness.
These three people are crazy
What?!
Characteristically evil of Ari to semi-spoil his own movie before it’s even released
very sad that when twitter conspiracies were mentioned, hesse didn't bring up "every celebrity is trans" it's all of them and it can be no other way
Please have Ari on as a guest for Ghoulvie Screamset this year, this was a fantastic interview
Oh fuck ya
Not related to the episode but you two Chuckle-Butts should really do a small town double feature of Cohen Bro's Raising Arizona and David Byrnes True Stories
At least once a week my 1 year old will do something innocuous and I’ll turn to my wife and say “He’s gonna be a little outlaw. He’s got that twinkle in his eye.” And my wife will have idea wtf I’m talking about.
what a get 👏
Whoa cool
LFG
I just want to remind you all that asters best work is about having gay sex with your dad- honorary ctown boy
The most cogent film criticism I've ever heard was when Stavvy described the Strange Thing about the Johnson's as "a series of Ls"
Oh my god oh my god oh my god
Insane
Ari dropping "roarshark" test is an insane easter egg for all the Felix heads
Holy shit what a score
I SO HOPE you have seen Ripping Yarns. Ari said it and thats all I thought until I typed this.(and paid AU$9) (the UK Michael Pallin and crew Boys Own book insane series of the same name.)
Oh damn ok will you got game
Hereditary gave me an existential feeling of dread so much so that I never want to watch it again. 10/10 thank you Mr. Aster.
Bro sounds like Nate Ruess
I appreciate Hesse's love of the hollow moon megastructure. Reminds me how much I love moonfall, the movie where the moon is actively hostile to people and sneaks up on the main characters several times.
what the hell
A lot of the reactions to Eddington make sense after listening to this interview.
Hell yeah
Fuk you. I'm never watching 'Hereditary' again. great movie though
One of the few films where I was having a terrible time and I loved it
Unbelievable get Jesus christ. Movie mindset really in a class of its own when it comes to elite tier movie podcasts. And that respect pouring off from the boi Ari for both chapo and MMS is so indicative of that.
Awesome!
The episode opened with Chris's voice and I thought some more libs were gonna get flamed lmao
I watched Midsommar just after my girlfriend at the time dumped me. With said girlfriend's cousin. I wanted to die. 12/10 viewing experience highly recommend
NO WAY
Hereditary took years off my life, 5 stars
holy shit
oh hell yeah!
Saw the notification and clicked immediately. Watched hereditary completely alone at the movies at like 11am in the morning because I couldn’t be fucked going to class. Had literally no idea what to expect and left the theatre a changed person lmao
Please do an episode with an Ari Aster and Ignmar Bergman movie
okay, that's genuinely an insane get, what the hell
Considering one of their reviews of his movies (Chapo not mm) literally started with ari is evil fuck you fuck you. It's kind of hilarious
We are so back
Wild. Good get!
Finishing this after I see “Eddington” lol