We stop time in Francis Ford Coppola’s “Megalopolis” and discuss: We, uh, review Megalopolis; Story & Writing, exposition, melodrama; Afterwards we’ll rank our top 5 or 10 films; and other such stuff and things and stuff. “Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair!” – Percy Bysshe Shelley from the poem “Ozymandias” Watch us on […]

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We floor it through Keanu Reeves’ “Speed” and discuss: Cinematography, motivated camera movement, dramatic angles; Story & Writing, heightened storytelling, packing in the action, Jack & Annie; and other such stuff and things and stuff. “If you spend enough time with yourself in silence, you’ll be surprised what goes through your head.“ – Sandra Bullock […]

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We keep it real with Tim Burton’s “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” and discuss: Cinematography, closeups vs mediums and wides for comedy & connection; Story & Writing, but/therefore storytelling, sequels honoring their predecessors, Lydia’s arc; and other such stuff and things and stuff. “With movies, you are always in search of a good story, one that everyone will […]

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We jump in the line of Tim Burton’s “Beetlejuice” and discuss: Cinematography, motivating unmotivated lighting, reveals; Story & Writing, rules for adventure, plot vs emotional arcs; Music, double music cues, setting the tone; and other such stuff and things and stuff. “You don’t know whether chimps are going to kill you or kiss you. They’re […]

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We burst into Fede Alvarez’s “Alien: Romulus” and discuss: Story & Writing, body horror, Andy, dystopias; and other such stuff and things and stuff. “Science fiction writers, I am sorry to say, really do not know anything. We can’t talk about science, because our knowledge of it is limited and unofficial, and usually our fiction […]

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We anoint Shia LaBeouf’s “A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints” and discuss: Cinematography & Directing, camerawork, continuity vs performance; Story & Writing, the saints; and other such stuff and things and stuff. “It is not death that a man should fear, but he should fear never beginning to live.“ – Marcus Aurelius Notes & References: […]

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We stride through Jim Henson’s “The Dark Crystal” and discuss: Cinematography, lighting, camerawork; Puppetry & Directing, process preceding/creating story; Special Guest Elissa Marie talks art, building a business as an artist, and being named Best Visual Artist in Austin; and other such stuff and things and stuff. “When I was young, my ambition was to […]

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We pop into Ryan Reynolds’s “Deadpool & Wolverine” and discuss: Story & Writing, macguffins, stakes, comedy; and other such stuff and things and stuff. “Just one supernova can temporarily outshine an entire galaxy of 100 billion stars.“ – Michio Kaku Notes & References: “Supernova” by Mad Valley – Todd’s latest music track “Bye Bye Bye” […]

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