Episodes
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Show Notes
The Brutalist trailerRussell Crowe on working with Ridley ScottRussell Crowe on his acting skillsSynopsis
Gladiator follows Maximus, a second-century Roman general, who is betrayed and left for dead by Marcus Aurelius’ ambitious son, Commodus. In order to take revenge for his murdered family, Maximus must rise through the ranks as a gladiator.
Starring Russell Crowe and directed by Ridley Scott, Gladiator was released May 12, 2000.
Where to watch GladiatorScene [57:35 - 1:02:20]
Recommendations
Tim: The Northman (Eggers, 2022) — where to watch
Tay: Quest For Fire (Annaud, 1981) —where to watchFollow:
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Show Notes
Ari Aster @ Film at Lincoln CenterAri Aster on The Big Picture PodcastSynopsis
Midsommar follows the depressed Dani as she joins her disengaged boyfriend on a trip to Sweden to attend a folk festival. The more they learn about the reclusive commune of which they are guests, the more unsettling their experience becomes.
Starring Florence Pugh and written and directed by Ari Aster, Midsommar was released July 23, 2019.
Where to watch MidsommarScene [1:05:05 - 1:14:15]
Recommendations
Tim: Defending Your Life (Brooks, 1991) — where to watch
Tay: Kill List (Wheatley, 2011) —where to watchFollow:
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Episodes manquant?
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Show Notes
Smile's viral marketing campaignAri Aster on CBC QAlex Wolff's struggles with the roleToni Collette's career review
Synopsis
Hereditary follows the Graham family as they mourn their secretive grandmother, finding out more about her sinister proclivities—and how they have inherited them— along the way.
Starring Toni Collette, and written and directed by Ari Aster, Hereditary was released June 8, 2018.
Where to watch HereditaryScene [25:30 - 36:05]
Recommendations
Tim: The Wailing (Na, 2016) —where to watch | Altered (Sanchez, 2006) — where to watch
Tay: Goodnight Mommy (Sobel, 2022) —where to watchFollow:
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Show Notes
The Wes Anderson Collection by Matt Zoller SeitzThe Most Difficult Shot in Movie History (And Why It Matters)
Synopsis
The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissuo tells of the story of the titular oceanographer, on the hunt for the rare shark that killed his friend so he can exact revenge and film his next movie.
Starring Bill Murray, written by Wes Anderson and Noah Baumbach, and directed by Wes Anderson, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissuo was released Dec. 25, 2004.
Where to watch The Life Aquatic with Steve ZissuoScene [15:00-16:40] - "Let me tell you about my boat”
Recommendations
Tim: The Great White Silence (Ponting, 1924) —where to watch
Tay: Bottle Rocket (Anderson, 1996) —where to watchFollow:
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Show Notes
We shot a YouTube video about film formats on 35mm filmThe Insane Realism of the Film That Invented the Modern Car Movie
Synopsis
Mad Max: Fury Road finds the franchise’s titular hero caught in the escape of Immortan Joe’s harem of wives, under the leadership of Imperator Furiosa.
Starring Tom Hardy and Charlize Theron, and directed by George Miller, Mad Max: Fury Road was released May 15, 2015.
Where to watch Mad Max: Fury RoadScene [30:15 - 37:30] - "Max Meets Furiosa”
Recommendations
Tim: Speed Racer (Wachowskis, 2008) —where to watch
Tay: Mr. Brooks (Bruce Evans, 2007) —where to watchFollow:
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Synopsis
The film centers on the marriage of Nick & Amy Dunne, the nature of which is called into question (along with the former’s culpability) when the latter goes missing on the day of their fifth wedding anniversary.
Starring Rosamund Pike and Ben Affleck, and directed by David Fincher, Gone Girl was released Oct. 2, 2014.
Where to watch Gone Girl.
TAY’S SCENE - 23:54 - 27:02 - One Day Gone
TIM'S SCENE - 8:20 - 12:04 - Gone
BUNNY'S SCENE - 01:06:08 – 01:13:00 - Cool Girl
Recommendations
Tim: Phoenix (Petzold, 2014) —where to watch
Tay: State of Play (MacDonald, 2009) —where to watch
Bunny: Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (Nichols, 1966) —where to watchFollow:
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Synopsis
The movie centers on Patrick Bateman, a handsome, intelligent and successful young professional in 1980s New York that moonlights as a psychotic killer.
Starring Christian Bale, directed by Mary Harron, and based on the book of the same name by Brett Easton Ellis, American Psycho was released on April 14, 2000.
Where to watch American Psycho.Scene [17:10- 20:07] - "Business Card Casualty”
Recommendations
Tim: The Pale Blue Eye (Cooper, 2022) —where to watch
Tay: Mr. Brooks (Bruce Evans, 2007) —where to watchFollow:
SSC on Instagram Tim on Letterboxd -
Another season done! We wrap up in our usual fashion by comparing our rankings of the taglines from this year's movies.
Follow:
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Tim and Tay are back to wrap up the season with one of their favourite movies in recent years, The Nice Guys. Tune in for a chat about "Big Russ" and the comedic stylings of Ryan Gosling.
Synopsis
An alcoholic detective and a purposeless tough guy become embroiled in a missing persons case that takes them on a journey through the many corrupt echelons of 1970s LA.
Starring Ryan Gosling, Russel Crowe, and written and directed by Shane Black, The Nice Guys premiered May 20, 2016.
Where to watch The Nice Guys.Scene [1:06:46 - 1:12:26] - "Nobody’s getting killed at the Burbank Airport Western Hotel”
Palm Springs (Barbakow, 2020)Bottoms (Seligman, 2023)Theatre Camp (Gordon, Lieberman, 2023)Barb and Star go to Vista Del Mar (Greenbaum, 2021)Snack Shack (Rehmeier, 2024)
Recommendations
Tim: No Hard Feelings (Stupnitsky, 2023)—where to watch
Tay: Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (Black, 2005)—where to watch
Tim's bonus recent comedy recommendations:Follow:
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In this special annual episode, Tim and Tay highlight a few notable movies from 2023. Not necessarily the best or our favourites, but certainly worth seeing!
Tim
The Killer (Fincher)The Taste of Things (Anh Hung)The Creator (Edwards)Tay
Poor Things (Lanthimos)How To Blow Up A Pipeline (Goldhaber)The Holdovers (Payne)Links:
Filming The HoldoversAs always, please leave us a review on iTunes and spread the word to your friends!
Next month: The films of Greta Gerwig!Follow:
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Tim and Tay leave pretentious and inconvenient movies behind and switch to the principal media of the modern age: streaming TV. In the first episode of Solo TV Dinner we explore Andor and how it finds impressive depth working within the Star Wars IP machine.
Synopsis
Andor tells the story of the titular hero’s journey from apathetic rogue to dyed-in-the-wool rebel, acting as a prequel to Rogue One.
Starring Diego Luna and created by Tony Gilroy, Andor premiered Sept. 21, 2022.
Andor is available to watch on Disney+.Notes
Papillon (Schaffner, 1973)Stellan Skarsgård on his careerR2D2 in spanishEpisode: "One Way Out" [S1E10]
Tim: UtopiaTay: Star Wars: Visions
Cassian and his allies attempt to seize a rare opportunity that could lead to victory. Mom Mothma brokers a new deal with a shady politician in order to ensure the future of the rebellion.
RecommendationsFollow:
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Tim and Tay discuss what is likely the most beloved Star Wars anthology film, Rogue One. A compelling but compromised film, Rogue One introduced new visuals, themes, and characters to the cinematic Star Wars canon. Tune in for a discussion of Gareth Edwards' knack for imparting scale on the big screen and a lot more.
Synopsis
Rogue One details the rebel effort to steal the Death Star plans and expose its weakness before the Empire puts the planet-killing weapon to use.
Starring Felicity Jones, and directed by Gareth Edwards, Rogue One was released Dec. 16, 2016.
Where to watch Rogue One.Notes
Conspiracy (Pierson, 2001)Military realism in Rogue One "Guardians of the Whills"Scene [27:47 - 37:10]
Jyn and Cassian arrive at Jedha in search of Saw Gerrera, hoping to discover critical information about the Empire's new weapon of mass destruction.Follow:
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Tim and Tay try to look at Star Wars with fresh eyes in this episode on the genesis of one of film culture's most valuable, gargantuan, and mixed franchises.
Synopsis
Star Wars (renamed "Episode IV: A New Hope" in ‘81) tells the story of Luke Skywalker, a farm boy that gets caught up in the rebel alliance’s desperate efforts to destroy the galactic empire’s weapon of mass destruction.
Starring Mark Hamil, and written and directed by George Lucas, Star Wars was released May 25, 1977.
Where to watch Star Wars.Notes
Muammar Gaddafi & Star WarsCantina patrons"jizz" or "jatz"Scene [42:32-51:13]
Luke, Ben and the droids visit the Mos Eisley Cantina in search of a pilot that can get them off planet. After an altercation with a particularly foul patron, they meet and negotiate with the braggadocious Han Solo.Recommendations
Tim: The Hidden Fortress (Kurosawa, 1958)—where to watch
Tay: The Visitor (Paradisi, 1979)—where to watchFollow:
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Did you have a dream that we did an episode on Dune: Part 2? Well, it's happening, just as you dreamed it.
Stellan Skarsgård on his career
Notes:Follow:
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Tim and Tay celebrate their national heritage with this discussion of BlackBerry. Tune in to hear about Canada's inferiority complex, tangents about long lenses, and more.
Synopsis
BlackBerry charts the major chapters in the life of the once-iconic smartphone and the people who created and sold it.
Starring Jay Baruchel and Glenn Howerton, and directed and written by Matt Johnson, BlackBerry was released May 12, 2023
Where to watch BlackBerry.Notes
Heritage MinutesThe Big Picture interview with Matt Johnson"Vancouver Never Plays Itself"Nirvana the Band the ShowScene [38:10 - 47:15]
After scrambling to make a prototype, Mike and Jim travel to New York to meet with AT&T to pitch their new product.Recommendations
Tim: Enemy (Villeneuve, 2013)—where to watch
Tay: Man Bites Dog (Benoît Poelvoorde, Rémy Belvaux, André Bonzel, 1992)—where to watchFollow:
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Tim and Tay are joined by Kyle Snarr to talk about one of the most critical movies of the century: The Social Network. We discuss its legacy as part of Fincher's oeuvre, its effect on the cinematic landscape, and just how damn good it is.
Synopsis
The Social Network portrays (with great artistic license) the creation and tumultuous growth of Facebook, centering on Mark Zuckerberg's journey and its many legal disputes and personal conflicts.
Where to watch The Social Network.Tay's Scene [9:00-16:18]
How Did This Ever Get Made? (The Social Network bts documentary)
Face Mash.
Kyle's Scene [1:05:19 - 1:11:18]
The "Seanathon"
Tim's Scene [1:24:24 - 1:28:58]
Henley Royal Regatta
NotesRecommendations
Tim: Adventureland (Mottola, 2009)—where to watch
Tay: Molly's Game (Sorkin, 2017)—where to watch
Kyle: The Squid and the Whale (Baumbach, 2005)—where to watchFollow:
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Tim and Tay head to the depths with what is undoubtedly James Cameron's most personal film, The Abyss. Tune in for a discussion of this year's Oscar noms, the foundation of CGI in film, and Cameron's undeniable skill for communicating need-to-know info to the audience.
Synopsis
Titanic is a sweeping romantic epic, set against the backdrop of the ill-fated maiden voyage of the RMS Titanic. The film follows the doomed love story between Jack, a penniless artist, and Rose, a wealthy young woman, as they struggle to survive the tragic sinking of the ship.
Where to watch The Abyss.Notes
Gina (Arcand, 1975) via CIPCorridor Crew on The AbyssThe Stained Glass KnightScene [39:35-49:05]
A wild storm on the surface jeopardizes the Deep Core rig’s structural integrity, resulting in a thrilling sequence as the crew on the surface and below navigate a potential disaster.Recommendations
Tim: Last Breath (Parkinson, 2019)—where to watch
Tay: Piranha II: The Spawning (Flying Killers), (Assonitis, Cameron, 1981)—where to watchFollow:
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Tim & Tay kick off the new year with a discussion of James Cameron's 1997 box office behemoth Titanic and its ingenious, audience-first design. Tune in to hear about the detailed production, the less-than-detailed characters, and more.
Synopsis
Titanic is a sweeping romantic epic, set against the backdrop of the ill-fated maiden voyage of the RMS Titanic. The film follows the doomed love story between Jack, a penniless artist, and Rose, a wealthy young woman, as they struggle to survive the tragic sinking of the ship.
Where to watch Titanic.Notes
Patrick Willems on Music BiopicsWillem Dafoe in the Criterion ClosetScene [[1:34:27 1:43:08]
Our scene depicts the fateful impact as the Titanic hits the iceberg, followed by the immediate repercussions felt around the ship, from the lookouts, to the coal-engine workers, to Jack and Rose.Recommendations
Tim: Last Night (McKellor, 1998)—where to watch
Tay: All Is Lost (Chandor, 2013)—where to watchFollow:
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Tim & Tay head into the holiday season with a hit musical that marks an early technological predecessor to IMAX: White Christmas. Tune in for a chat about blockbusters (old and new), Vista Vision, and Danny Kaye.
Synopsis
White Christmas tells the story of two World War II veterans and entertainers who team up to save their former commanding officer's struggling inn, finding love along the way. Starring Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney and Vera Ellen, White Christmas was directed by Michael Curtiz and released Oct. 14, 1954.
Where to watch White Christmas.Notes
VistaVision primerIMAX vs. Lie-MAX (and IMAX locations)Scene [1:24:08 - 1:29:11]
At the cast party, Judy and Phil plan to fake an engagement in order to encourage "mother hen" Betty (Rosemary Clooney) to "leave the roost", and pursue her own love of Bob (Bing Crosby).Recommendations
Tim: West Side Story (Spielberg, 2021)—where to watch
Tay: It Happened One Night (Capra, 1934)—where to watchFollow:
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Tim & Tay attempt to get in the holiday spirit with this discussion of Richard Donner's somewhat uneven Dickensian adaptation, Scrooged.
Synopsis
This modern-day, quasi-meta adaptation of Charles Dickens' classic "A Christmas Carol," tells the story of a cynical TV executive who undergoes a transformative journey of self-discovery during the holiday season.
Starring Bill Murray and Karen Allen, Scrooged was directed by Richard Donner and released Nov. 23, 1988.
Where to watch Scrooged.Notes
Zero de ConduiteBetween Two FernsScene [18:05-24:20}
Working late the night before Christmas Eve, Frank encounters the fully formed ghostly presence of his old boss, Lou Hayward, who acts as a harbinger, warning Frank that he will be visited by 3 Christmas ghosts.Recommendations
Tim: The Muppet Christmas Carol (Henson, 1992)—where to watch
Tay: The Abyss (4K Remaster) (Cameron, 1989)—where to watchFollow:
SSC on Instagram Tim on Letterboxd - Montre plus
