Watch With Jen™

The founder and editor-in-chief of the prestigious online film journal Bright Wall/Dark Room, Chad Perman first started the site on Tumblr in his living room in 2009 after years spent wondering if there was a way to talk differently - more emotionally, more humanly - about movies.Almost four years (and 220,000 followers) later, he decided to expand things and launched a magazine/journal version of BW/DR in June 2013 with a small staff of friends and collaborators devoted to looking at movies in unique ways. Together, they've put out a new issue every single month for the past 7 years and worked to create a vibrant and inclusive community of writers, readers, and supporters.Having earned a B.A. in English and Cinema Studies from the University of Washington, Chad received a Master's Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from PLU. Additionally, a practicing mental health therapist, Chad has worked in the field for over 15 years. Currently in private practice and working with both individuals and couples, he specializes in treating writers, artists, and other creatives.In this rich, fascinating episode, I was honored to talk to the friendly, contemplative Chad Perman about not only the start of BW/DR (and the talented collaborators that helped him get it up and running) but also his own background with and relationship to film.Featuring multiple shout-outs to colleagues and friends (especially past guests Brianna Ashby and Travis Woods) as well as a celebration of late '80s fare, this hour-long discussion touches on everything from Scarecrow Video to Chad's advice for creatives working in a pandemic. Available to listen to in this post, you can also find Watch With Jen wherever you get your podcasts, including Spotify, Apple, Google, and Stitcher.Originally Posted on Patreon (10/12/20) here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/42674486Theme Music: Solo Acoustic Guitar by Jason Shaw, Free Music Archive

This week's films explore the joy of puzzles, Elijah Wood with throwing stars, the British invasion, a Dickensian fairy tale, & marriage at first sight.Theme Music: The Guitarist by Jahzzar, Free Music Archive

This episode's 5 streaming recommendations bring you a moving family drama, a Hitchcockian thriller, an acclaimed concert film, the statistics side of baseball, and a '90s comedic mystery that's a throwback to classic noir.Originally Posted on Patreon (on 8/7/20) here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/40222139Theme Music: The Guitarist by Jahzzar, Free Music Archive

This week's 5 film recommendations deliver a revisionist western, a Thomas Hardy romance, a twisty French thriller, a dystopian romcom, & a hitman's high school reunion.Originally Posted on Patreon (7/24/20) here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/39680144Theme Music: The Guitarist by Jahzzar, Free Music Archive

This week's 5 streaming recommendations include Jen's favorite films from Whit Stillman & Lynn Shelton, a French psychological thriller, plus a little Robert Altman in the '70s, & Alan Rickman starring in a period movie set in the '70s.Originally Posted on Patreon on 7/9/20 here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/39159624Theme Music: The Guitarist by Jahzzar, Free Music Archive

Let's get lost. Specifically, let's get the hell out of 2020. While we're waiting for the technology that lets us do just that, we can live vicariously through a great group of time travel movies in this special topics episode, inspired by Jacob Rivera, a $10 patron on "The Right Stuff" tier who sent Jen 5 excellent ideas that led her to create this week's installment.Touching on several movies - including a few that might not be perfect but are well worth the watch - Jen gives you a brief overview of each title but doesn't spend too much time on them since this genre is Spoiler City & she'd hate to hinder your enjoyment of any of the films. With that in mind, buckle up, & let's take off. Next stop: anywhere but here!Originally Posted on Patreon (6/26/20) here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/38659753Theme Music: The Guitarist by Jahzzar, Free Music Archive

It's heating up out there and the same can be said of this week's five streaming recommendations. This week Jen's serving up a tense road thriller, a Hollywood comedy, a movie that will make you crave Italian food, a laidback Santa Fe set romcom, and Spike Lee's best popcorn picture.Hindered by deadlines and bad allergies, this is a shorter than usual episode of Watch With Jen, but these movies deserve a closer (and/or second) look so we hope you'll enjoy it all the same. Additionally, Jen's announcing a few new changes to the podcast schedule, which are explained in this episode. Namely? With five films to tide you over, she's planning on releasing these shows every other week, keep sprinkling in the super popular conversational episodes of Watch With Jen & Friends, and then every so often, deliver some shorter theme and surprise episodes to keep you entertained.Originally Posted on Patreon (6/12/20) at https://www.patreon.com/posts/38178025Theme Music: The Guitarist by Jahzzar, Free Music Archive

Returning once again with 5 outstanding recommendations of great movies that you can stream right now.Originally Posted on Patreon (6/5/20) here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/37936381Theme Music: The Guitarist by Jahzzar, Free Music Archive

Though they've started opening bigger tentpole movies earlier and earlier with each passing year, Memorial Day weekend has traditionally been the time when the summer movie season really gets underway as top titles begin raking in huge box office returns. Of course, 2020 is the exception to that rule so for this week's Watch With Jen film recommendations bring that feeling of summer back with a handful of movies that will mentally transport you back to the theater . . . at least for a little while.Selecting an '80s female driven comedy, a film that's set in the heat of summer, and a big action movie that seems like precisely the kind of sophisticated cinematic escape we could use right now, this week's titles might be more familiar and accessible than some of the ones you've encountered in the past but host Jen Johans wanted to bring a little retro summer movie season fun back to you.Originally Posted on Patreon (5/29/20) here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/37665684Theme Music: The Guitarist by Jahzzar, Free Music Archive

Jen Johans recommends 5 great films for you to stream this week.Topics discussed: What Jack Kerouac and Nick Hornby characters have in common; rock star professors; Ethan Hawke as philosophizing preacher or shaggy dog; three Frenchmen who really know how to scare; the female battle with politeness; empowering women in horror; the power of female sexual fantasies; women without men and how that dynamic changes both genders; sex, drugs, and Martin Scorsese directed rock 'n roll; the whole Robbie Robertson controversy; Jen drops the F-bomb twice while quoting Levon Helm; Van Morrison as a high kicking, velvet wearing, scatting god; Anne Tyler novels; William Hurt & Kathleen Turner after Body Heat; how in an ensemble film like The Big Chill, of course Jen's falling for the messed up impotent guy; Lawrence Kasdan's underrated movies; the quarantine impact on The Sower and The Accidental Tourist; and quirky characters.Originally Posted on Patreon here with links: https://bit.ly/3cueTnKTheme Music: The Guitarist by Jahzzar, Free Music Archive