Hand Me the Mike #02: Take Shelter with Isaac Feldberg
There is a storm coming...

In the first full episode of Hand Me the Mike, host Daniella Mazzio is joined by critic Isaac Feldberg to discuss the 2011 Jeff Nichols film Take Shelter. Listen as we discuss why Michael Shannon is "the meltdown maestro," how Take Shelter predicts the social anxieties dominating our lives today, and what makes the movie secretly a love story. Plus: A discussion of Boardwalk Empire, including the first installment of the segment "Under the Boardwalk," featuring producer Joe Engleman.
Listen directly through Pinecast, or subscribe below via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocketcasts, and more:
Isaac Feldberg is a Chicago-based entertainment journalist, critic, and Michael Shannon super-fan with bylines in RogerEbert.com, Letterboxd, Filmmaker Magazine, Men’s Health, Paste, and more.
Follow Isaac on Twitter, Instagram, and Bluesky.
Read Isaac's interview with Taron Egerton on She Rides Shotgun.
Preorder The Films of Larry Fessenden: Volume 1 from Vinegar Syndrome, featuring a booklet essay from Isaac.
This is a completely free, DIY project; support is optional, but greatly appreciated.
Follow Daniella on Twitter and Instagram at @DaniellaMazzio and on Bluesky at @daniellamazzio.bsky.social.
The Hand Me the Mike theme song samples R.E.M.'s "Nightswimming."
Additional music includes Hallelujah the Hills' very generous public domain track "01 Untitled, Actual Title (Joker 1)" from the album DECK: JOKERS. Check out the band's playing card-inspired releases at: https://hallelujahthehills.bandcamp.com/.
Additional royalty free music included for the "Under the Boardwalk" theme: https://pixabay.com/music/traditional-jazz-joyful-carnival-trumpet-232017/
Additional audio snippets from Take Shelter.
This episode of Hand Me the Mike was produced by Joe Engleman and Daniella Mazzio, and edited by Daniella Mazzio.
Reviews, profiles, and interviews featured in the episode:
Isaac's interviews with Jeff Nichols and Michael Shannon.
NME's look at Take Shelter at 10.
Read J.B. : a play in verse by Archibald Macleish via the Internet Archive.