Happy New Year from In Contrast!

We are ringing in 2026 with a very special episode. In celebration of what would have been her 250th birthday, we discuss Jane Austen's timeless novel Pride and Prejudice.

For the first time on the show, Alan & Nisha are joined by a very special guest, Jayanti Addleman! Jayanti is a career librarian and a champion of literacy and reading access. She is also the biggest Austen fan we know. Who better to help discuss this classic romance novel?

First published anonymously in 1813, Pride and Prejudice is a biting satire of Regency-era society, the game of romance and marriage, and the roles of men and women in this world.

This story has been adapted numerous times over the years, including a plethora of miniseries. For this discussion, we focus on three of the most well-known adaptations:

• The 1940 film adaptation, starring Greer Garson and Laurence Olivier.
• The 2005 film adaptation, starring Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfayden.
• The 1995 BBC miniseries, starring Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth.

Which of these adaptations captures the humor and wit of Austen's writing? Join us as we discuss and celebrate one of the all-time great authors.

Happy holidays from In Contrast!

In episode 20, Alan & Nisha look for some Christmas cheer with The Polar Express.

Originally a 1985 children's picture book by Chris Van Allsburg, it was adapted into a 2004 feature-length film directed by Robert Zemeckis and starring Tom Hanks.

Some viewers found a modern Christmas classic, while others found its unique animation style...challenging.

Grab your hot chocolate and join us aboard The Polar Express!

In episode 19, Alan & Nisha tackle a MONSTER of an episode (we're so sorry) -- Frankenstein!

Among the most influential novels of all time, Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley's 1818 novel Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus has informed not just the gothic and horror genres but echoes throughout all of pop culture history. With over 400 films and numerous TV Shows adapting, lampooning, or otherwise referencing Frankenstein and/or his Monster, it is one of the most adapted works of all time.

We explore how James Whale's 1931 Universal monster classic has taken on a life of its own separate from its source novel, beginning an ever-referential universe of films across nearly a century. Its sequel, 1935's The Bride of Frankenstein, expanded these possibilities even farther.

Often cited as the most accurate major adaptation, Kenneth Branagh's 1994 film Mary Shelley's Frankenstein takes big swings and manages to connect a lot of them, but is it enough to stand tall among its peers?

Finally, this conversation comes just one week after the release of Guillermo del Toro's new Frankenstein adaptation, starring Oscar Isaac, Jacob Elordi, Mia Goth, & Christoph Waltz. On paper, this film feels like a culmination of the story's rich history and evolution, made by a director so deeply inspired by this character. Is it able to accomplish its lofty goals and live up to its inevitably high expectations?

From the classics, to B-movies, to sex comedies, to bad sci-fi, we cover it all in this episode.

Join us as we delve into one of the all-time greats and find out... is the book really better than the movie?

In episode 18, Alan and Nisha ring in spooky season with one of the classics... The Exorcist.

The 1973 film, based on a 1971 novel by William Peter Blatty, has become the stuff of legends. Directed by the great William Friedkin with a screenplay adapted by Blatty himself, the film helped bring horror to the mainstream and revolutionized the genre for years to come.

When it released, it quickly became a cultural phenomenon. Theaters experienced long lines that often turned to half-empty auditoriums by the end of showtimes. Audiences had arguably never before experienced the daring levels of grotesque special effects and heavy subject matter in a mainstream film. Coupled with strange occurrences on and around set leading many to believe the film was cursed, it looms large as a major cultural touchstone.

How does such a shocking piece of media hold up over 5 decades later? How did the film approach adaptation with the book's author at the helm? Could the film really be cursed?

Join us as we discuss this and much more on In Contrast!

In episode 17, join Alan & Nisha as they discuss The Wild Robot, first a book published by Peter Brown in 2016. The rights for a film adaptation were bought almost immediately by Dreamworks Animation, and the film was released in 2024 to critical acclaim.

Brown's novel explores some familiar themes, but does so in creative ways that do not shy away from the realities of nature. How does an even more visual medium manage to remain kid-friendly while maintaining these heavier concepts?

Join us as we discuss this and much more!

NOTE: We had some audio issues while recording this episode. While most of it seems to have been fixed in post, we do apologize to you and your ears if there are any issues!

In episode 16 of In Contrast, Alan & Nisha do the one single thing you're not supposed to do.. talk about Fight Club.

Fight Club was the debut novel of author Chuck Palahniuk, originally published in 1996 and adapted to film by David Fincher in 1999. Both the book and film have remained a solid piece of the cultural zeitgeist ever since.

Why has this story remained so popular since its release? What about it draws so many people to its orbit? How does each medium communicate its at times complicated message, and how do audiences receive it?

Join us as we tackle one of the most famous (or maybe infamous) explorations of masculinity and societal ennui at the eve of the 21st century.

In episode 15, Alan & Nisha have their first foray into the timeless mysteries of Agatha Christie with 1934's Murder on the Orient Express. Among Christie's most well-known novels, this story finds longstanding detective Hercule Poirot wrapped up in a bizarre murder mystery aboard a stranded train.

This and other Christie stories have been adapted in numerous forms over the years, but we stick with the major film adaptations for this discussion. First, the 1974 film directed by Sidney Lumet, as well as the 2017 film directed by and starring Kenneth Branaugh.

These films both get an excellent chance to make use of an ensemble cast to give life to its characters, but how do they fare? Are they able to properly capture the brilliance and odd tendencies of Poirot? How does the mystery and its ultimate reveal translate to screen?

Join us to find out!

In Episode 14, Alan & Nisha discuss the much-acclaimed psychological thriller Shutter Island ! They talk about the 2003 novel by Dennis Lehane, and the 2010 film adaptation directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Leonardo DiCaprio.

At the time of publishing this book, Lehane was already well-known for his crime mysteries, but how did he inject a new psychological twist into his typical work. The story relies on misdirection and confusion, so how did Scorsese manage to capture this on screen?

Join us as we discuss this and much more!