Join co-hosts T.J. West III and Mark Muster for a discussion of under-appreciated queer films of the past and the present. Every two weeks, they'll discuss a particular film with the humor, affection, and critical insight as only two queer recovering academics can.
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Mark Muster Podcasts
TWISTA helps your startup thrive with interviews and advice from the leading founders, investors, and thinkers in Australia's tech startup community.
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Since 2013, Australia's Startup Muster report has been an eagerly-awaited snapshot of the state of the national startup ecosystem. Murray Hurps - who oversees Startup Muster under one of the many hats he wears - joins TWISTA to talk through the insights in the report - which can be downloaded at startupmuster.com. As you can imagine, there's a lot …
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In the three years since TWISTA's last investor special we've seen the end of the zero-interest rate environment, a severe inflationary shock - and much more besides. For at least two years raising investment as a startup was harder than it had been in nearly a generation. Is that tumult over? And what have we learned from it? We talk to Aussie Ang…
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The biggest change in Australia's tech ecosystem over the last decade has been the rise and rise of 'deep tech' - products and services from the frontiers of research. It's slow, expensive - and world-changing. Burl Aerospace co-founder and CEO Crighton Nichols reckons it's about time for a revolutionary rethink of air transportation - and Burl's t…
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Series 2025 Episode 6 - PollenOne - REDUX
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Can a startup serve a community first and still thrive? Brian Lim's PollenOne offers free, searchable database of grants and tenders - first for Australia, and eventually for every country where Australian startups can do business with governments (including the USA, UK, Singapore, and several others). Just getting the data is a big ask - once you …
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TWISTA tiptoes back across the Tasman to talk to another startup at the 2025 Canterbury Tech Summit. Rivir manufactures a box that provides satellite data access to field-connected sensors of the sort often found in agriculture and mining. So far so good - but what happens when your satellite provider gets bought by StarLink which 'deorbits' their …
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Sick of carrying a folder of SIMs as he traveled the world, Scott King reckoned he could do better - and did. ZapMe gives users a single number that's always available in any country - and always routes to their mobile. It's a great beginning - in a market filled with regulators and massive competitors. How can you build a successful startup in suc…
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Jevon LeRoux's startup Keeyu uses 'agentic' AI to revolutionise how online businesses work with their customers. The outcome of deep domain knowledge, LeRoux wants Keeyu to be a platform for the whole business - well beyond the sales channel. Can he get there? And what does it take to succeed an AI-centred startup?Big thanks to SxSW Sydney - where …
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TWISTA swims across the ditch to talk with Steve Leftly, founder of Kiwi startup Myovolt - (https://myovolt.com/). Straddling the line between medtech and consumer wearable, Myovolt offers both pain relief and faster rehabilitation for folks with muscle strains and injuries. But building a startup with a medical focus means regulations, certificati…
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After a bit of a pause, THIS WEEK IN STARTUPS AUSTRALIA returns with its annual preview of Spark Festival - sparkfestival.co - with Spark Festival board member and TWISTA 'guardian angel' Murray Hurps, and communications director Paul Wallbank. We go through the festival, then pivot to an examination of the state of the startup community, following…
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In this week's episode, Aaron and T.J. talk about how much of a wicked pleasure I Care a Lot really is. We talk about Rosamund Pike's performance, the power of queer villainy, and the film's narrative absurdities. Plus, T.J. gives Aaron and a hard time for not knowing how Troye Sivan is (or that he's a top). Give it a listen!…
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In this week's episode, Aaron and T.J. talk about the new documentary Rock Hudson: All That Heaven Allows. They talk about how the documentary frames its subject, their own longstanding relationship with Hudson's star image, and so much more. Plus, they have even more viewing recs. What are you waiting for? Give it a listen!…
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In this week's episode, Aaron and T.J. discuss the second season of the Netflix series Heartstopper. They talk about the way the season explores the difficulty of young relationships, the issue of eating disorders, and so much more. You won't want to miss this one!
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Join Aaron and T.J. this week as they discuss Alfred Hitchcock's Rope, a tautly constructed drama about two men who murder their classmate, thinking that they've pulled off the perfect killing. They discuss the erotics of suffering and the star text of Farley Granger, the film's aesthetics and, of course, the most pressing question of all: just wha…
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In this week's episode, Aaron and T.J. discuss Schimigadoon! and Schmicago, the hilarious musical series from Apple TV+. They discuss the queerness of the musical, the utopian pleasures the genre offers, and the simple joy of seeing the form brought to life on the small screen. They also talk about the importance of small town Pride festivals. Give…
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In this week's episode, Aaron and T.J. explore just what it is that makes The Little Mermaid such a perennial favorite for queer audiences, from its expressions of utopian longing to Pat Carroll's exuberantly queer performance as Ursula. Plus, T.J. grills Aaron about what he doesn't know about gay culture.…
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In this week's episode, Aaron and T.J. discuss Mommie Dearest, one of the biggest camp classics of them all! They talk about Faye Dunaway's scenery-devouring performance, Joan Crawford's career and, of course, the tragedy at the heart of it all. You won't want to miss this one!
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In this week's episode, Aaron and T.J. discuss Party Monster, the 2003 film starring Macaulay Culkin and Seth Green. Focusing on the infamous Michael Alig, it's a cotton-candy acid trip of a film but, beneath of all of its camp excess there lurks a rich and resonant queer tragedy. In addition to diving into the film, your favorite co-hosts also dis…
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In this week's episode, Aaron and T.J. discuss the film Knock at the Cabin, the new film from M. Night Shyamalan. They talk about Shyamalan's status as a director, the way the film plays with his usual directorial style, as well as the weighty philosophical issues it raises. Plus, they talk about the vital importance of trans visibility. You won't …
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In this week's episode, Aaron and T.J. discuss Date and Switch, a surprisingly funny stoner/sex comedy. They look at its examination of gay masculinity, as well its surprising connections to both Succession and The White Lotus. Give it a listen!
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This week, Aaron and T.J. discuss the new sci-fi horror film M3GAN, focusing on its camp appeal, its engagement with the uncanny and AI, and everything else that makes it queer. They also talk about the BAFTAs and, of course, the Twitter Gays.
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In this week's episode, Aaron and T.J. discuss The Favourite, doing a deep dive into the film's great performances, its queerness, and its exploration of the fraught dynamics of royal power, gender, and desire. T.J. also quizzes Aaron on what he knows (and doesn't know) about the real Queen Anne.
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This week, Aaron and T.J. discuss the beautiful but heartbreaking Belgian film Close. They share their interpretations of the film, as well as their deep emotional responses to it. And, of course, they harass each other for their gaps in queer knowledge.
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This week, T.J. and Aaron discuss the new film Spoiler Alert, looking at the way it addresses grief, terminal illness, and love. And, of course, Aaron gives T.J. a hard time for not having seen The Devil Wears Prada until recently.
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This week Aaron and T.J. discuss the new Lifetime movie A Christmas to Treasure, discussing its narrative, its characters and, of course, its queerness.
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This week Aaron and T.J. talk about the complicated nature of the most recent season of American Horror Story. Also, T.J. confesses that he's never seen Waiting to Exhale! ~Gay gasp~
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In this much-delayed (and much-anticipated!) episode, T.J. and Aaron discuss the new AMC Interview with the Vampire, talking about what makes it so queer and why it is very much in keeping with the spirit of the original novels.
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This week, Aaron and T.J. talk about the 1994 film version of Interview with the Vampire, unpacking just what makes it queer and asking (and answering) the pressing question: is it camp?
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In this week's episode, Aaron and T.J. talk about the new film My Policeman, discussing its tragic narrative, the performances of its cast (including Harry Styles), and whether (and if) it's a film of its time. Note: T.J. mistakenly refers to Emma Corrin as "her." This misgendering of the nonbinary Corrin was in error, and we apologize for the mist…
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"Leslie Jordan, Angela Lansbury, and the Passing of Queer Icons"
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This week, T.J. and Aaron talk about the passing of Leslie Jordan and Angela Lansbury, and what it means to lose queer icons like them.
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In TWISTA's Series 10 final, Playful Purpose MD Julie Trell joins us to highlight some of the most impressive WORLDCHANGING startups. Then, LAUNCH's Molly Wood tells us how she approaches the task of investing in WORLDCHANGING climatech businesses. Finally, we unveil the BIG theme for TWISTA Series 11. We're reviewing, summing up, and looking forwa…
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