A collaborative exploration of cinematic rhetoric.
Another legend of Hollywood's Golden Age is the spotlight for this episode as Alex and Jonathan talk about some of the classic works of Otto Preminger: Laura (1944), Bonjour Tristesse (1958), Anatomy of a Murder (1959), and Bunny Lake is Missing (1965). We discuss how Preminger builds character driven narrative through visuals, his real and… Continue reading Episode 143. Pugnacious Preminger
The epic drama and action of director John Woo carries us away this month as Alex and Jonathan talk about The Killer (1989), Hard Boiled (1992), Face/Off (1997), and Red Cliff (2008). We talk about his pioneering of the "Honorable Bloodshed" genre, his distinct stylistic and thematic trademarks, and his continuing legacy on many modern… Continue reading Episode 139. The Dove Says Woo
From skateboard videos to high-budget science-fiction drama, today Alex and Jonathan track the career of Spike Jonze through his feature films Being John Malkovich (1999), Adaptation. (2002), Where the Wild Things Are (2009), and Her (2013). We talk about the building of themes and structure in meta filmmaking, what makes interesting protagonists, and the variety… Continue reading Episode 133. Surreal Spike
As a contrast to the majority of Indian film covered on the podcast so far, today Alex and Jonathan look at the works of Satyajit Ray in Pather Panchali (1955), Charulata (1964), and Nayak: The Hero (1966). We discuss what makes Ray stand out from other Indian films we've covered, how Ray is able to… Continue reading Episode 122. Subtle Satyajit
The Patrons voted on what contemporary female director we should talk about and the winner was Scottish filmmaker Lynne Ramsay! So today Alex and Jonathan talk about her films Ratcatcher (1999), We Need to Talk About Kevin (2011), and You Were Never Really Here (2017). We discuss Ramsay's very personal and close-to-home debut feature, the… Continue reading Episode 121. Rueful Ramsay
Friend of the podcast Jason Harden joins the show once again to talk with Alex and Jonathan about the animation of Don Bluth in The Secret of NIMH (1982), The Land Before Time (1988), and Anastasia (1997). We discuss Bluth's beginnings with his short film Banjo the Woodpile Cat (1979), the darker tone in his… Continue reading Episode 98. The Bluthian Blues Feat. Jason Harden
In the spirit of Halloween, Alex and Jonathan look at the works of John Carpenter, one of the most iconic names in the contemporary horror genre. We watch Halloween (1978), Escape from New York (1981), and The Thing (1982) and discuss the origins of modern horror tropes, world-building, and stellar practical effects. Also on iTunes… Continue reading Episode 97. Creepy Carpenter
Returning guest Benjamin Angrisano joins Alex and Jonathan to discuss the early film collaborations between director Martin Scorsese and actor Robert DeNiro in Mean Streets (1972), Taxi Driver (1976), and Raging Bull (1980). We talk about the American New Wave, recurring themes in Scorsese's work, and DeNiro's ability to adapt to different roles. Also on iTunes Skip… Continue reading Episode 66. Shooting Scorsese Feat. Benjamin Angrisano
This post is an addendum to podcast Episode 19. Maternal Meyers. As if we didn't blab enough in the podcast, but in case you would like to know more about Meyers... When I think about Nancy Meyers, I think about her sizzling characters. I think about her particularity. Her strong will. I think about her huge… Continue reading More on Meyers
The Filmlings 