Single Serving Cinema

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 Conduite
• Between Two Ferns

Scene [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 watch

Follow:

• SSC on Instagram
• Tim on Letterboxd

Tim & Tay are joined by Erica Sherwood to talk about an undeniable classic: E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. We discuss world-class child actors, Spielberg's insane lighting choices, and E.T.'s penchant for day beers.

Synopsis
Stranded on earth, a kind alien befriends a young boy in California and attempts to stay one step ahead of the authorities while finding his way home.

Starring Henry Thomas, and directed by Stephen Spielberg, E.T. came out June 11, 1982.

Where to watch E.T.

Notes

• Henry Thomas' final audition
• The Nolan Crosscut

Scenes
ERICA: 43:00
Elliot goes to school leaving ET at home by himself. This scene is the fun and games moment of their strong otherworldly connection.

TIM & TAY: 19:25-25:33
Elliot stays up waiting for the mysterious creature to return. When the creature appears, Elliot makes the choice to bring him inside. 

Recommendations
Tim: Starman (Carpenter, 1984)—where to watch
Tay: The Brother From Another Planet (Sayles, 1984)—where to watch

Follow:

• SSC on Instagram
• Tim on Letterboxd

Tim & Tay dig into the surprisingly odd yet undeniably heartfelt children's cult classic, The Iron Giant. Tune in for a chat about the loss of innocence, seamless melding of traditional and computer animation, and Christopher MacDonald.

Synopsis
A young boy in Cold War-era Maine befriends a giant robot from outer space, and must protect it from both paranoid government agents and its own potential for violence.

Starring Eli Marienthal and Vin Diesel, and directed by Brad Bird, The Iron Giant was released July 31, 1999. 

Where to watch The Iron Giant.

Scene: 50:28-53:53
After witnessing the death of a deer, Hogarth explains the concepts of life, death and the soul to his Iron companion. Souls don’t die.

Recommendations
Tim: Never Let Me Go (Romanek, 2010)—where to watch
Tay: Tomorrowland (Bird, 2015)—where to watch

Follow:

• SSC on Instagram
• Tim on Letterboxd

Tim & Tay honour the late, great William Friedkin by talking about one of the most successful films of all time: The Exorcist.

Synopsis
After exhausting all conventional forms of medicine and care, a distraught mother asks the catholic church to perform an exorcism for her suffering, manic daughter.

Starring Ellen Burstyn, Linda Blair and Jason Miller, and directed by William Friedkin, The Exorcist was released Dec. 26, 1973.

Where to watch The Exorcist.

Scene: 39:15 - 44:48
Chris hosts a large gathering at the house only to be disrupted by a harrowing warning from Regan.

Recommendations
Tim: The Exorcist III (Blatty, 1990)—where to watch
Tay: Leap Of Faith (Phillippe, 2023)—where to watch

Follow:

• SSC on Instagram
• Tim on Letterboxd

Tim & Tay get dig into one of the most accessible horror movies of the modern era, and one that maybe doesn't hold up under close scrutiny. Tune in for a discussion of world-building, high concept strategy, and more.

Synopsis
A family lives their lives in silence, trying to survive in the presence of alien creatures that hunt by sound.

Starring John Krasinski and Emily Blunt, and directed by John Krasinski, A Quiet Place was released April 6, 2018.

Where to watch A Quiet Place.

Scene: 54:26 - 1:00:43]
The Abbott family begins their journey home after a seemingly routine supply run. The youngest, Beau, puts batteries into a noisy toy, which tragically sounds off as the family traverses a bridge. Beau is almost immediately destroyed by an unknown creature as the family can do nothing but watch in horror cut to Title Card.

Recommendations
Tim: Hush (Flanagan, 2016)—where to watch
Tay: Don't Breathe (Alvarez, 2016)—where to watch

Follow:

• SSC on Instagram
• Tim on Letterboxd

Tim & Tay get to talk horror once again in this discussion of Neil Marshall's The Descent. We explore this movie's legacy in a genre that has somewhat forgot it, wise filmmaking on a lower budget, and much more.  

Synopsis
A day of spelunking turns into a nightmare after a group of friends gets trapped underground and pursued by terrifying predators.

Starring Shauna Macdonald and Natalie Mendoza, and directed by Neil Marshall, The Descent was released July 8, 2005.

Where to watch The Descent.

Links:

• Tay's Horror Marathon
• Oscar horror montage
• The Descent palette 

Scene: 54:26 - 1:00:43]
Broken and battered, the six women arrive atop a pile of animal bones and are quickly descended upon by cave-dwelling beings and are forced to fight for their lives.

Recommendations
Tim: Bone Tomahawk (Zahler, 2015)—where to watch
Tay: The Dive (Erlenweinn, 2023)—where to watch

Follow:

• SSC on Instagram
• Tim on Letterboxd

Tim and Tay are joined by Bunny Stephenson (Instagram / Letterboxd) to talk about our second David Fincher pick for our potlucks: Fight Club. We discuss the movie's exquisite portrayal of brutal violence, its not-so-subtle homoeroticism, and the reception of this satirical take on '90s  men's existential crisis.

Synopsis
A depressed man’s life is changed after he meets a charming and inspiring anarchist that shows him a life beyond the materialistic world.

Starring Ed Norton & Brad Pitt, and directed by David Fincher, Fight Club was released Oct. 15, 1999.

Where to watch Fight Club.

Bunny's Scene [33.28-41.00]
Meet Tyler Durden.

Tay's Scene [01:00:20 - 01:04:30]
Let's make soap.

Tim's Scene  [2:05:43-2:09:36]
Tyler & Jack's last fight.

Links

• Every Frame a Painting— "And The Other Way Is Wrong"

Recommendations

• Tim—Woodstock ‘99: Peace, Love & Rage (Price, 2021) [where to watch]
• Tay—Hobo with a Shotgun (Eisner, 2011) [where to watch]
• Bunny—The Lighthouse (Eggers, 2019) [where to watch]

All links are verified at the time of publication and based on availability in Canada.

Follow:

• SSC on Instagram
• Tim on Letterboxd

Tim & Tay take on capitalism in this episode on Nightcrawler. This slick and unsettling film stars Jake Gyllenhaal in his best performance, and explores ambition, tenacity, and the other characteristics most valued by the modern western world.

Synopsis
Lou Bloom, an ambitious and resourceful Los Angeles resident, methodically tests the moral and economic limits of sensational local news production.

Starring Jake Gyllenhaal and directed by Dan Gilroy, Nightcrawler  was released Oct. 31, 2014.

Where to watch - Paramount+

Links:

• (with apologies to) Kevin Rahm

Scene: 39:24-44:30
Arriving at an accident before the cops and paramedics, Lou manipulates the crime scene and gets his footage, beating out the other Nightcrawlers like Joe. When delivering his footage, he begins to coerce Nina into a date.

Recommendations

• Tim: Broadcast News (Brooks, 1987)—where to watch
• Tay: City of Tiny Lights (Travis, 2016)—where to watch
  
  

Next episode: Fight Club (Fincher, 1999)

Follow:

• SSC on Instagram
• Tim on Letterboxd

• RackaRacka on Corridor Crew

• Tim: Wolfguy: Enraged Lycanthrope (Yamaguchi, 1975)—where to watch
• Tay: The Raid: Redemption (Evans, 2011)—where to watch
  
  

Follow:

• SSC on Instagram
• Tim on Letterboxd

Tim & Tay explore the movie that launched Christopher Nolan's career in proper: Memento. We talk about its innovative story structure, the way it plays with the nature of film, and how Carrie-Anne Moss can be pretty mean sometimes. 

Synopsis
A man with short-term memory loss tracks his wife’s killer, employing a series of habitual techniques to find his target and, eventually, take his revenge.

Starring Guy Pearce and directed by Christopher Nolan, Memento was released September 9, 2000.

Where to watch Memento.

Scene: 1:13:00- 1:17:17
Natalie returns home with a plan to aggravate and manipulate Leonard into helping her.

Recommendations

• Tim: Lady Vengeance (Park, 2005)—where to watch
• Tay:   Blue Ruin (Saulnier, 2013)—where to watch 

Next episode: Kill Bill (Tarantino, 2003)—where to watch

Follow:

• SSC on Instagram
• Tim on Letterboxd

You know we couldn't go from our bomb theme in July to our revenge theme in August without talking about one of the summer's two biggest films: Oppenheimer.

Follow:

• SSC on Instagram
• Tim on Letterboxd

Tim & Tay dig into John Woo's maximalist style with the ridiculous, fun, and arguarbly flawed Face/Off.

Synopsis
FBI agent Sean Archer undergoes radical surgery to trade faces with his nemesis, the terrorist Castor Troy, in order to discover the location of a bomb that threatens Los Angeles.

Starring Nicholas Cage and John Travolta, and directed by John Woo, Face/Off was released June 27, 1997.

Where to watch Face/Off.

Scene: 45:30-48:25
In short order, Castor Troy wakes up from his coma, calls in his henchmen and takes Sean Archer’s face.

Links

• The Birth Of Gun-Fu

Recommendations

• Tim: Hard Boiled (Woo, 1992)—where to watch
• Tay:   2 Guns (Kormakur, 2013)—where to watch 

Next episode: Memento (Nolan, 2000)—where to watch

Follow:

• SSC on Instagram
• Tim on Letterboxd

Tim & Tay get to talk about one of their all time favourite films: William Friedkin's Sorcerer. In this first installment for our bomb month (in honour of the forthcoming Oppenheimer), we talk explosions, existential dread, and much more.

Synopsis
Four desperate men, on the run from their past lives and stuck in a quagmire of Colombian poverty, agree to drive unstable nitroglycerin across 200 miles of dangerous jungle road to put out an inflamed oil well.

Starring Roy Schieder and directed by William Friedkin, Sorcerer was released June 24, 1977.

Where to watch Sorcerer.

Scene: 1:26:35 - 1:41:15
Scanlon and Nilo arrive at the site of a gargantuan Kaoba tree that has fallen on the road, blocking their path. Amidst Scanlons rage, Victor and Kassem show up and Kassem immediately conjures up a plan to remove the impossible roadblock. The scene stars Roy Scheider, Fransisco Rabal, Bruno Cremer and Amidou

Links

• The Thirst For Annihilation

Recommendations

• Tim: Cheap Thrills (Katz, 2014)—where to watch
• Tay:   How To Blow Up A Pipeline (Goldhaber, 2023)—where to watch 

Next episode: Face/Off (Woo, 1997)—where to watch

Follow:

• SSC on Instagram
• Tim on Letterboxd

Tim & Tay revisit the seminal  summer blockbuster: Jaws. We talk about the dawn of the modern movie megahit,  the difficulty of shooting a movie on the ocean, and much more.

Synopsis
When a great white shark terrorizes a tourist trap island off the coast of New York, the local police chief, an oceanographer, and a seasoned fisherman are charged with catching it. 

Starring Roy Schieder and directed by Stephen Spielberg, Jaws was released June 20, 1975.

Where to watch Jaws.

Scene: 45:18 - 50:20
Hooper convinces Brody to join him on a night hunt for the killer shark that he believes is still roaming the Amity coastline. They come across a noted fisherman, Ben Gardner's boat  that is partially sunk. Hooper dives to investigate the boat and gets more than he bargained for.

Links

• The Playhouse Cinema
• "10 animals more likely to kill you than sharks"
• CORRECTION: Gone With The Wind was in theatres for 30 years.
• "Leitmotif" in Williams' film scores

Recommendations

• Tim: The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (Sargent, 1974)—where to watch
• Tay:   Frank Darabont's Indiana Jones' script 

Next episode: Sorcerer (Friedkin, 1977)—where to watch

Follow:

• SSC on Instagram
• Tim on Letterboxd

Another season in the bag means another head-to-head ranking of the latest crop of taglines. 

Follow:

• SSC on Instagram
• Tim on Letterboxd

Tim & Tay honour the legacy of summer blockbusters by discussing Stephen Spielberg's adventure classic, Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark.  We talk fallible heroes, action along the z-axis, and much more.  

Synopsis
An adventuring archaeologist races to beat the Nazis to a priceless, potentially powerful religious relic in this globe-trotting pulp action classic. 

Starring Harrison Ford and Karen Allen, and directed by Stephen Spielberg, Raiders of the Lost Ark was released June 12, 1981.

Where to watch Raiders of the Lost Ark.

Scene: 1:15:50-1:21:15
After miraculously escaping the sealed Well of Souls, our heroes Indy and Marion stumble into another death trap featuring a grounded, out-of-control Nazi plane, a worthy boxing opponent for Indy and a most excellent explosion to cap off a memorable blockbuster set piece.

Links

• Hitting the lamp in Who Framed Roger Rabbit?
• Indiana Jones story conference transcripts

Recommendations

• Tim: The Lost City Of Z (Gray, 2016)—where to watch
• Tay:  Jungle (McLean, 2017)—where to watch

Next episode: Jaws (Spielberg, 1975)—where to watch

Follow:

• SSC on Instagram
• Tim on Letterboxd

Tim & Tay dig into the iconic Quentin Tarantino and his oeuvre for the first time with his revisionist fantasy: Once Upon A Time...In Hollywood. Tune in for a discussion of cache-cashing, period-specific production design, and much more. 

Synopsis
Once Upon A Time...In Hollywood tells the story of waning ‘60s TV star Rick Dalton and his stunt double Cliff Booth, who, in the course of their seemingly regular lives, encounter the Manson family gang and change the course of Hollywood history.

Starring Leo Dicaprio, Brad Pitt and Margot Robbie, and written/directed by Quentin Tarantino, Once was released July 26, 2019.

Where to watch Once Upon A Time...In Hollywood.

Scene: 20:13 - 26:00

After driving Rick home, Cliff commutes along Hollywood Blvd. en route to his trailer home on the lot of the infamous Van Nuys’ drive-in movie theatre. He prepares food for himself and his dog, Brandy, as she eagerly awaits.

Links

• Matt Johnson on The Big Picture
• "...because we love making movies!"
• Tarantino's 10th film
• The Hays Code
• Flamethrower stunts
• You Must Remember This podcast: Charles Manson

Recommendations

• Tim: Where Eagles Dare (Hutton, 1968)—where to watch
• Tay:  Under The Silver Lake (Mitchell, 2018)—where to watch

Next episode: Raiders Of The Lost Ark (Spielberg, 1981)—where to watch

Follow:

• SSC on Instagram
• Tim on Letterboxd

Tim and Tay are once again joined by James Stacey (The Grey Nato) to talk about our first David Fincher pick for our potlucks: Se7en. We discuss the movie that launched Fincher's film career in proper, how it stands as a unique work of its time, and who we'd cast as an alternate Mills and Somerset.

Synopsis
A veteran detective partners with a rookie to take on one last case before he retires, hunting a serial killer of unparalleled commitment and barbarism.

Starring Morgan Freeman and Brad Pitt, and directed by David Fincher, Se7en was released on Sept. 22, 1995.

Where to watch Se7en.

Tim's Scene [47:58 - 56:20]
Following a lead from fingerprints left at the Greed crime scene, the detectives and a SWAT team enter a potential suspect’s home to find yet another victim in the series of crimes.

James' Scene [1:14:56 - 1:23:45]
Mills and Somerset investigate John Doe's apartment, gaining their first direct look into his methods, habits, and state of mind.

Tay's Scene  [1:08:02 - 1:14:45]
Mills and Somerset pessimistically arrive at the apartment of John Doe based on a far-reaching lead from an FBI source. The man in question gets the jump on them, arriving as they knock on his door, initiating a dark, tantalizing chase through the dingy apartment complex.

Links

• The Social Network trailer
• Denzel Washington passed on Se7en

Recommendations

• Tim—I Saw The Devil (Kim Jee-Woon, 2011) [where to watch]
• Tay—The House That Jack Built (von Trier, 2018) [where to watch]
• James—"What's In The Box" via The Ringer

All links are verified at the time of publication and based on availability in Canada.

Follow:

• SSC on Instagram
• Tim on Letterboxd

Tim & Tay talk about one of the most iconic animated movies of all time, Spirited Away. They discuss this timeless film's attention to the child's perspective, its careful development of her developing sense of agency, and director/writer Hayao Miyazaki's singular approach to his animation. 

Synopsis
Spirited Away tells the story of 10-year-old Chihiro, who enters the spirit world after her parents are transformed into pigs. Chihiro takes a job at the spirits’ bathhouse in order to save her parents and find a way home. 

Written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki and starring Rumi Hiiragi, Spirited Away was released July 20, 2021.

Where to watch Spirited Away.

Scene: 52:00-1:06:35

On Chihiro’s first day of work, she is tasked with washing the bathhouse's stinkiest guest, who turns out to be much more than meets the eye (or nose, for that matter).

Links

• "No cuts"
• How Spirited Away Changed Animation Forever
• Miyazaki and the concept of "ma"
• Ghibli Fest

Recommendations

• Tim: Only Yesterday (Takahata, 1991)—where to watch
• Tay:  The Tale Of The Princess Kaguya (Takahata, 2013)—where to watch

Next episode: Se7en (Fincher, 1995)—where to watch

Follow:

• SSC on Instagram
• Tim on Letterboxd

Tim & Tay talk about the new era of animation in this discussion of Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse. Tune in for a comparison of Peter Parker and Miles Morales, a celebration of innovative animation, and more.

Synopsis
Unsure of who or what he wants to be, Brooklyn teenager Miles Morales is bitten by a radioactive spider and develops special powers. When he meets the current Spider-Man, and then many other Spider-people from alternate dimensions, Miles must learn to use his powers and become a hero. 

Starring Shameik Moore and Jake Johnson, and directed by Peter Ramsey, Bob Persichetti, Rodney Rothman, Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse hit theatres on December 14, 2018.

Where to watch Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse.

Scene: 8:46 - 13:58
When given a personal assignment to write about the kind of person he wants to be, Miles decides to instead sneak out to visit his uncle Aaron. Sensing his struggles, Aaron takes him to an abandoned subway tunnel to express himself creatively, through graffiti. Miles completes his piece and is subsequently bitten by an interdimensional, radioactive spider.

Links

• Profit sharing with Air
• Vox: How "Spider-Verse" forced animation to evolve
• Animating on "ones/twos"
• Designing the Prowler sound
• SSC's previous Miyazaki episode

Recommendations

• Tim: The Spine of Night (Galen King, Gelatt, 2021)—where to watch
• Tay:  9 (Acker, 2009)—where to watch

Next episode: Spirited Away (Miyazaki, 2001)—where to watch

Follow:

• SSC on Instagram
• Tim on Letterboxd

Tim & Tay talk about the cinephile's classic Cinema Paradiso, as selected by our Instagram contest winner.

Synopsis
A celebrated Sicilian director returns home for the funeral of an old friend, recounting his coming-of-age through flashbacks centered around the village’s cinema.

Starring Phiippe Noiret and Jaques Perrin, and directed by Guisepe Tornatore, Cinema Paradiso was released on November 17, 1988, in Italy (and May 2002 in Canada).

Where to watch Cinema Paradiso.

Scene: 49:52 - 57:52

Links

• The Big Picture Podcast on Keanu
• The Holy Mountain (Jodorowsky, 1975)

Recommendations

• Tim: The Majestic (Darabont, 2002)—where to watch
• Tay:  Il Camorrista (Tornatore, 1986)

Next episode: Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse (Ramsay, Rothman, Persichetti, 2018)

Follow:

• SSC on Instagram
• Tim on Letterboxd

Tim & Tay talk about the Oscars, rom-coms, and a lot more in this discussion of When Harry Met Sally.

Synopsis
Maybe more-than-friends Harry and Sally navigate the dating world through their thirties, learning whether there really are any true rules defining the relationships between men and women. 

Starring Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal, written by Norah Ephron, and directed by Rob Reiner, When Harry Met Sally hit theatres July 21, 1989.

Where to watch When Harry Met Sally.

Scene: 59:55-1:04:06
After running into his ex-wife Helen, Harry and Sally visit Marie and Jess who ask them to settle a domestic debate regarding a living room table. Boiling over, Harry snaps, and selfishly chastises them by relating the issue to his past issues with Helen. Cooling down outside, Sally confronts him on his rudeness.

Links

• Chest Fever

Recommendations

• Tim: In The Cut (Campion, 2003)—where to watch
• Tay:  A Lot Like Love (Cole, 2005)—where to watch

Next episode: Stay tuned!

Follow:

• SSC on Instagram
• Tim on Letterboxd

Tim & Tay talk Spider-Man and the beginning of a new cinematic era. This episode covers the idea of post-9/11 New York as a character, Willem Dafoe's arch take on the comic book villain, and much more.

Synopsis
When unpopular and unassuming high schooler Peter Parker is bitten by a radioactive spider, he gains miraculous powers that soon throw his life into disarray.

Starring Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst and directed by Sam Raimi, Spider-Man hit theatres May 3, 2002.

Where to watch Spider-Man.

Scene  [1:25:02 - 1:29:50]
MJ, Aunt May, and Norman join Peter and Harry for Thanksgiving in the city. Peter narrowly avoids revealing to the group that he is Spider-Man, but during the dinner, Norman notices a conspicuous cut on his arm, giving away his secret. Norman rudely excuses himself, insulting MJ as he leaves. 

Links

• Spider-Man Twin Towers Teaser
• Fincher's preference for CGI blood

Recommendations

• Tim: A Simple Plan (Raimi, 1999)—where to watch
• Tay:  Super  (Gunn, 2011)—where to watch

Next episode: When Harry Met Sally (Reiner, 1989)

Follow:

• SSC on Instagram
• Tim on Letterboxd

Tim & Tay discuss Signs, the changing trajectory of Shyamalan's career over the past two decades, and what we talk about when we talk about "coverage". 

Synopsis
A former priest comes to terms with his loss of faith as strange phenomena on his farm and around the world suggest the arrival of an invading alien species on earth.

Starring Mel Gibson and written, directed, and edited by M. Night Shyamalan, Signs was released August 2, 2002.

Where to watch Signs 

Scene  [1:09:30 - 1:18:42 ]
Graham, Merril, Morgan, and Bo settle in for an extravagant last supper on the eve of the alien invasion.

Links

• The Fear (via @kurtyboyy)
• The Big Picture ft. M. Night Shyamalan
• Knock at the Cabin's two cinematographers

Recommendations

• Tim: Altered (Sanchez, 2006)—where to watch
• Tay:  The Fourth Kind  (Osunsanmi, 2009)—where to watch

Next episode: New York movies!

Follow:

• SSC on Instagram
• Tim on Letterboxd

Tim & Tay dive into the often unfairly-maligned filmography of M. Night Shyamalan. We talk about iconic twists, patient child acting, and much more in this episode on The Sixth Sense (1999). 

Synopsis
Bruce Willis plays Malcolm Crowe, a child psychiatrist struggling to connect with his wife in the fallout of a traumatic home invasion. Colm attempts to help Cole Sear, a young boy haunted by visions of dead people.

Released August 6th, 1999, The Sixth Sense was written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan, and stars Hayley Joel Osment, Bruce Willis, and Toni Collette.

Where to watch The Sixth Sense. 

Scene  [1:31:06 - 1:36:15]
Cole and his mother Lynn are halted in traffic due to a road accident. 
Cole uses this time to tell his mother his secrets.

Recommendations

• Tim: Doctor Sleep (Flanagan, 2019)—where to watch
• Tay:  Devil In A Blue Dress (Franklin, 1995)—where to watch

Next episode: Signs (Shyamalan, 2002)

Follow:

• SSC on Instagram
• Tim on Letterboxd

In this special episode, Tim and Tay highlight a few notable movies from 2022. Not necessarily the best or our favourites, but certainly worth seeing!

Disclosures

• Aftersun (Wells, 2022)
• All Quiet On The Western Front (Berger, 2022)

Tim

• The Fablemans (Spielberg, 2022)
• Speak No Evil (Tafdrup, 2022)
• Tar (Field, 2022)

Tay

• Crimes of the Future (Cronenberg, 2022)
• Triangle of Sadness (Östlund, 2022)
• Everything Everywhere All At Once (DANIELS, 2022)

Links:

• Fat Elvis by The Ferns
• Cinemascope aspect ratio
• Notes on a Scene by DANIELS & Michelle Yeoh
• Writers' Roundtable

As always, please leave us a review on iTunes and spread the word to your friends!

Next month: The films of M. Night Shyamalan! Keep an eye on Instagram for our selection and the Listeners' Poll.

Follow:

• SSC on Instagram
• Tim on Letterboxd

Tim and Tay kick off the New Year by reflecting on movie trends from 2022. The two hosts share concepts from the previous cinematic year that they hope will continue in 2023 and beyond. 

Tune in for our Pick 3 episode in 2 weeks!

Follow:

• SSC on Instagram
• Tim on Letterboxd

Tim and Tay are once again joined by James Stacey (The Grey Nato) to talk about our final Denis Villeneuve pick for our potlucks: Prisoners. We discuss to what degree this movie has aged well, Jake Gyllenhaal, Hugh Jackman, and the consistent cinematographic mastery that Roger Deakins brings to the movies he shoots. 

Synopsis
When two young girls are kidnapped in the Pennsylvania suburbs over Thanksgiving, their parents and a local police Detective are pushed beyond their limits to find them.

Starring Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhall, Prisoners was directed by Denis Villeneuve and released Sept. 20, 2013.

Where to watch Prisoners.

Tim's Scene [28:10 - 32:50]
During a routine follow-up with known sex offenders in the region, Dt. Loki discovers a hidden basement in an ex-preist’s house containing a dead body.

James' Scene [33:49 - 36:31]
When Alex Jones is released from police custody, Keller Dover takes matters into his own hands.

Tay's Scene  [2:14:15- 2:19:48]
Detective Loki visits Holly Jones’ property and discovers that she is the child abductor he has been pursuing. After injecting Anna with a fatal concoction, Holly is shot dead by Loki, wounding him in the process. Loki then rushes Anna to the emergency room before the poison takes effect. 

Links

• Expedition 16610
• Bad Education (Finley, 2019)

Recommendations

• Tim—Memories Of Murder (Bong, 2003) [where to watch]
• Tay—The Clovehitch Killer (Skiles, 2019) [where to watch]
• James—The Rescue (Chin, 2021)[where to watch]

All links are verified at the time of publication and based on availability in Canada.

Follow:

• SSC on Instagram
• Tim on Letterboxd

Tim & Tay attempt to talk meaningfully about one of the most iconic war movies of all time. Dig in for a discussion of J-cuts, audience surrogacy, and Tom Hanks' onscreen presence. 

Synopsis
After surviving D-Day, an army rangers squad is tasked with finding a paratrooper in wartorn France in order to escort him safely home.

Starring Tom Hanks and directed by Stephen Spielberg, Saving Private Ryan was released July 24, 1998.

Where to watch Saving Private Ryan.

Scene  [1:24:00- 1:43:05]
En route to Private Ryan, the company decides to assault a nearby German watch post.  Medic Wade dies in combat and the group faces a difficult set of circumstances with the surviving German POW.

Links

• LA Times' Oral History

Recommendations

• Tim: Munich (Spielberg, 2006)—where to watch
• Tay:  Hearts and Minds (Davis, 1975)—where to watch

Next episode: Prisoners (Villeneuve, 2013); Potluck with The Grey Nato's James Stacey.

Follow:

• SSC on Instagram
• Tim on Letterboxd

Tim & Tay are joined by Kyle Snarr to discuss Christopher Nolan's war epic Dunkirk. We talk about time strata, IMAX, and more. 

Our guest this week is Kyle Snarr, a gear guy, auto enthusiast, and film buff. He’s the Head of Partnerships at Worn & Wound, the co-founder of Cantonment Co. (a TGN favorite), and a big fan of SSC.

Synopsis
Allied soldiers cornered by the German threat in Dunkirk, France must survive as a daring civilian rescue is mounted to get them home safe across the English Channel.

Starring Fionn Whitehead and directed by Christopher Nolan, Dunkirk was released July 19, 2017.

Find out where to watch Dunkirk.

Scene  [1:02:17 - 1:10:30]

As storylines converge, Collins' plane crash-lands in the sea as Mr. Dawson, with his son, Peter, races to save him. Back on the beach, Tommy and a group of English soldiers take refuge in a beached Dutch ship, which quickly turns into a new kind of hell as the Germans begin using the hull as target practice. The scene stars Jack Lowden as Collins, Mark Rylance as Mr, Dawson, and Fionn Whitehead as Tommy.

Links

• Memento at Sundance
• The Rewatchables discuss Dunkirk with Tarantino
• Vox's explainer on the "Shepard tone"
• Musical analysis via Medium
• Drowned IMAX camera

Recommendations

• Kyle: Insomnia (Nolan, 2002)—where to watch
• Tim: La Jetee (Marker, 1972)—where to watch
• Tay: 71 (Demange, 2014)—where to watch

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Tim & Tay close out this year's month of horror with a bonafide classic: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. They discuss the film's legacy, how its horror functions, and more. 

Synopsis
A group of five friends travels by van across rural Texas to visit a grandfather’s grave site. They stop at an old farmhouse where they face an unimaginable terror in the form of a deranged cannibalistic family and the chainsaw-wielding maniac, Leatherface

Starring Marilyn Burns as Sally, Jim Seidow as The Cook, and Gunnar Hansen as Leatherface, Texas Chainsaw Massacre was directed by Tobe Hooper and released October 1st, 1974 (in Texas).

Click here to see where to buy, rent and stream Texas Chainsaw Massacre. 

Scene  [31:45 - 40:20]

Looking for gas to refuel their van, Pam and Kirk wander across the grounds of an old farmhouse. Upon closer inspection, the two get more than they bargained for as they come face-to-face (to face) with Leatherface.

Links

• The original poster
• The Big Picture podcast on TCM
• "11 Things You Didn't Know About The Texas Chain Saw Massacre"
• Banned Exorcist trailer
• Alluvion (2021)
• Jackie Chan editing a punch

Recommendations

• Tim: The Hidden (Sholder, 1987)—where to watch
• Tay: Hatchet ( Green, 2006)—where to watch

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• SSC on Instagram
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Tim & Tay discuss this month's listener selection: A Nightmare On Elm Street (Craven, 1984). We explore this month's alchemical production, Freddy's anointing as an iconic boogeyman, and the unbeatable premise of this franchise. 

Synopsis
A group of teenagers are plagued by a recurring nightmare in which they are pursued by a badly-burned man with knives for fingers. Their fear turns to horror when they realize this boogeyman can hurt them for real.

Starring Heather Langenkamp and Robert Englund, and directed by Wes Craven, A Nightmare On Elm Street was released November 16, 1984.

A Nightmare On Elm Street is available to rent online.

Scene  [34:37 - 42:40]
Nancy enlists the help of Glen to help her “find” the mysterious claw-fingered man from her dreams, but she gets more than she bargains for as Glen falls asleep.


Links

• Oral History (Vulture)

Recommendations

• Tim: Dream Warriors (Chuck Russell, 1987)—where to watch
• Tay: Behind The Mask: The Rise Of Leslie Vernon (Scott Glosserman, 2006)—where to watch

All links are verified at the time of publication and based on availability in Canada.

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Tim brings one of his favourite horror movies to the podcast: Luca Guadagnino's Suspiria. The hosts talk horror remakes, Tilda Swinton and more in this discussion of the witchy and dense take on Dario Argento's original horror classic.

Synopsis
Susie Bannion, a naive midwesterner, travels to a divided Berlin to join the mysterious Markos Dance Company.

Starring Dakota Johnson and Tilda Swinton, Suspiria was directed by Luca Guadagnino, and released on November 2, 2018.

Suspiria is available to stream on Amazon Prime. 

Scene  [29:35 - 42:45}
Susie joins her first rehearsal with the company, which is interrupted when another dancer, Olga, quits, calling the instructors “witches”. Susie boldly steps in as the lead of the dance, while Olga attempts to escape the academy. On her way out, she is trapped by a curse, and painfully contorted by Susie’s dance.

Links

• The Hayes Code
• Amazon Prime's continual financial losses
• "A Masterpiece Is Reborn", Hayes, Screen Crush
• "Vergangenheitsbewältigung"
• "Let’s Talk about That Bonkers Conclusion", Goldberg, Collider
• The "Final Girl"
• Suspiria's writer on the "final girl"

Recommendations

• Tim: The Invisible Man (Whannell, 2020)—stream on Netflix
• Tay: X (West, 2022)—stream on Amazon Prime

All links are verified at the time of publication and based on availability in Canada.

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Tim and Tay talk meta-narratives, a new era of horror and Matthew Lillard in this discussion of We Craven's revolutionary post-modern classic Scream.

Synopsis
A masked killer stalks high school students in this meta and modern horror classic. Starring Neve Campbell and directed by Wes Craven, Scream was released Dec. 20, 1996.

Scream is available to stream on Shudder.

Scene  [00:00-13:08]
Alone at her family's rural home, high schooler Casey Becker engages in what turns into a horrifying phone-call game of cat and mouse with a masked assailant.

Links

• The oral history of Scream
• Bladerunner 2049 trailer
• Beavis and Butthead vs. Scream at the box office
• The "Raimi Cam"

Recommendations

• Tim: The Cabin In The Woods (Goddard, 2011)—stream on Netflix
• Tay: Wes Craven's New Nightmare (Craven, 1994)—rent online

All links are verified at the time of publication and based on availability in Canada.

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Tim and Tay talk flatulence, Daniel Radcliffe's career and more in this discussion of DANIELS' 2016 breakout film Swiss Army Man.

Synopsis
A hopelessly lost man discovers and befriends a dead body and uses its miraculous, if gross, abilities to survive the wilderness and make his way home. 

Starring Paul Dano and Daniel Radcliffe, Swiss Army Man was directed by DANIELS, and released January 22, 2016.

Swiss Army Man is available to stream on Prime and Plex. 

Scene  [25:12 -28:11]
“The history of the universe”—in the confines of their habitable cave, Hank explains the real world to Manny, in hopes of triggering memories of his past using trash that they find to illustrate the world Hank ran away from.

Links

• Everything Everywhere All At Once (DANIELS, 2022)
• "Turn Down For What"
• The music of Swiss Army Man
• Be Kind Rewind (Gondry, 2008)
• Horns (Aja, 2013)
• Making of featurette
• Rogue One (Edwards, 2016)
• Paul Dano's filmography

Recommendations

• Tim: Hunt for the Wilderpeople (Waititi, 2016)—stream on Netflix
• Tay: I Don't Feel At Home In This World Anymore (Blair, 2017)—stream on Netflix
• BONUS: The Package (short by Greenwood)

All links are verified at the time of publication and based on availability in Canada.

Next month is horror, focusing on Wes Craven, starting with Scream (Craven, 1996) - Get Shudder for October!

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Tim and Tay talk cinematic realism, anamorphic lenses, and Kevin Garnett's acting skills in this discussion of Uncut Gems.

Synopsis
Diamond district jeweller and gambling addict Howie Ratner makes bet after bet in pursuit of his big win. 

Starring Adam Sandler, and directed by Josh and Benny Safdie, Uncut Gems was released August 30, 2019.

Uncut Gems is available to stream on Netflix. 

Scene  [1:05:40 - 1:11:00]
KG and Demany return to Howard's store with the Opal, but get stuck in the double-glass entrance and wait, frustrated as Howard and his staff try to get the door open.

The scene stars Adam Sandler, Kevin Garnett, Lakeith Stanfield and Roman Persits.

Links

• "Cinema of attraction"
• A24's model
• Safdies filmography
• Cassavettes and other influences
• Anamorphic lenses 101
• DP Darius Khondji on anamorphic lenses
• "Macguffin"
• There Will Be Blood (Rewatchables)

Recommendations

• Tim: Treasure of the Sierra Madre (Huston, 1948)—rent on Google Play.
• Tay: Elevator To The Gallows (Louis Malle, 1958)—stream on Criterion Channel.

All links are verified at the time of publication and based on availability in Canada.

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Tim and Tay talk Verhoeven, love-triangles and squibs in this discussion of 1997's StarshipTroopers.

Synopsis
Johnny Rico joins his high school friends in a galactic war against bugs from outer space, and soon comes face to face with both the highs and horrors of a life in military service. 

Starring Casper Van Dien, Denise Richards, and Dina Meyer, Starship Troopers was directed by Paul Verhoeven and released on November 7, 1997. 

Starship Troopers is available to stream on Netflix. 

Scene  [48:08 - 55:00]
After communication with his parents is cut off suddenly, the newly resigned Johnny Rico learns that his family and home have been destroyed. He quickly falls back under the guise of nationalism and rejoins the mobile infantry.

Links

• Broadcast News (Brooks, 1987)
• ST's many bad reviews
• Blade Runner's name
• Bug Hunt At Outpost 9
• Soldier Of Orange (Verhoeven, 1977)

Recommendations

• Tim: Being There (Ashby, 1979)—rent on Google Play 
• Tay:  Hot Shots! Part Deux (Abrahams, 1993)—watch on Disney+

All links are verified at the time of publication and based on availability in Canada.

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Jordan Peele's Nope dropped right before we entered out alien movie month, so you know we had to do a bite-sized bonus episode on it. No scene, no proper format—just a fast chat about the movie right after our second viewing.

Nope concerns ranch-owning siblings OJ and Emerald Haywood who attempt to document a thrilling and terrifying phenomenon in order to gain fame and fortune. Starring Daniel Kaluuya and Keke Palmer, Nope  is Jordan Peele's third feature film. 

Nope was released July 22, 2022, and is still in theatres—go see it while you still can!

Link:  "Netflix Thinks Exactly Like an Old Movie Studio"

Recommendations:

• Tay: Fire in the Sky (Liberman, 1993)—rent on Google Play
• Tim: Annihilation (Garland, 2018)—stream on Hoopla 

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Tim and Tay are once again joined by James Stacey (The Grey Nato) to talk about another Denis Villeneuve movie: Arrival. We discuss this movie's patience, the cinematic  function of the Louise's transformation, and more in this potluck episode. 

Synopsis
When twelve alien ships appear on Earth, a linguist must determine how to communicate with the visitors before more paranoid and violent ambassadors of the human race take action.

Starring Amy Adams and Jeremy Renner, and directed by Denis Villeneuve, Arrival was released Sept. 2, 2016.

Arrival is available to stream on Crave.

Tay's Scene  [23:30-33:00]
Almost immediately after arriving at the base, Louise and Ian are rushed in to prepare to visit the alien spacecraft. They are driven over and anticipation mounts as they prepare to enter the vessel.

Tim's Scene [1:19:55-1:25:21]
Louise’s developing grasp of the heptapod language prompts more and more recollections of her daughter, which take on a new dimension when she realizes she can actively affect the memories, calling into question what they are and how she is seeing them.

James' Scene [1:33:14 - 1:43:39]
With unprompted help from a future General Shang, Louise puts her newfound abilities to use to prevent a military response against the heptapod ships.

Links

• Denis' filmography
• Dune: Part 2 starts filming
• Rendezvous With Rama
• "Story of Your Life"
• The Kuleshov Effect
• Song Exploder, ft. Johann Johannsson
• The lost soundtrack for Avatar (Cameron, 2009)
• Ghost Dog: Way of the Samurai (Jarmusch, 1999)
• Tarkovsky on film
• Primer (Carruth, 2004)

Recommendations

• Tim — Captive State (Wyatt, 2019)—rent on Google Play
• Tay — Lifeforce (Hooper, 1985)—stream on Shudder
• James — Annihilation (Garland, 2018)—stream on Hoopla 

All links are verified at the time of publication and based on availability in Canada.

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Tim and Tay become obsessed with the flesh in this discussion of David Cronenberg's body-horror masterpiece The Fly. 

Synopsis
An attempt to change the nature of transportation results in a horrible accident for ambitious scientist Seth Brundle.

Starring Jeff Goldblum and Geena Davis, and directed by David Cronenberg, The Fly was released on August 15, 1986.

The Fly is available to stream on Disney+ and Crave.

Scene  [01:23:00 - 01:33:10]
Stathis arrives at Seth's house in hopes of rescuing Veronica, and instead he is forced into a violent confrontation with Brundlefly.

Links

• The Thing (Carpenter, 1982)
• An American Werewolf in London (Landis, 1981)
• The Evil Dead (Raimi, 1981)
• Dead Alive (Jackson, 1992)
• Cronenberg's filmography
• Top movies of August '86
• Cronenberg on elderly and technology
• Marshall McLuhan, Technology and Agency

Recommendations

• Tim: Antiviral (Cronenberg, 2010)—watch on Netflix
• Tay:  Hardcore Logo (McDonald, 1996)—watch on Hoopla

All links are verified at the time of publication and based on availability in Canada.

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Tim and Tay dig into one of their favourite Canadian filmmakers, David Cronenberg, in this talk on A History Of Violence. Despite its lack of body horror, gore and goop, this character drama remains a distinctly Cronenbergian creation,

Synopsis
Small-town diner-owner Tom Stall makes national news by easily dispatching two criminals who threatened his staff. Seeing him on TV, dangerous men from the Philadelphia mob invade Tom’s life, believing him to be an associate of theirs long thought dead.

Starring Viggo Mortensen and Maria Bellow, A History of Violence was directed by David Cronenberg and released on September 23, 2005.

A History of Violence is available on Crave.

Scene  [52:08 - 58:01]
In this scene, Fogarty and his men roll up to the Stall homestead with Jack as their captive. They demand that Tom come back to Philadelphia with them in exchange for his son. As Edie watches from inside, Jack is let go while Tom bursts into a moment of violence, shattering his small-town facade.

• 6 :00 - Viggo and Rob's long-form interviews
• 14:30 - Cronenberg's long quote on his relationship to the body
• 22:00 - Scorsese on Cronenberg in FANGORIA
• 47:00 - Casting Tom Stall

Recommendations

• Tim: You Were Never Really Here (Ramsay, 2017)—available to stream on Prime.
• Tay: The Kid Detective (Morgan, 2020)—available to stream on Crave.

All links are verified at the time of publication and based on availability in Canada.

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CORRECTION: Contrary to what we discuss in this episode, the thirtieth episode (planned as a potluck for Arrival) will release in August, not July. We will save the alien theme and listener vote for that month. July's theme will be announced on Instagram soon.

---
 
Tim & Tay close out (early career) Keanu month with the film that cemented him as an action star willing to do his own stunts: Speed.

Synopsis
A terrorist plants a bomb on bus, armed to explode the second it drops below 50/mph. Can hotshot LAPD officer Jack Traven keep the bus at speed, defuse the bomb, and save the innocent passengers along for the ride?

Starring Keanu Reeves Sandra Bullock and Dennis Hopper, Speed was directed by Jan de Bont, and premiered June 10, 1994.

Speed is available to stream on Disney+.

Scene  [34:16-40:15]
After receiving word about a bomb on a public transport bus, Jack steals a car in order to track the bus down.

• 7:00 - Die Hard (McTiernan, 1988)
• 8 :00- Yost's script
• 20:00 - Terminator 2 (Cameron, 1991)
• 24:00 - Development of Annie's character
• 25:30 - Miss Congeniality (Petrie, 2000)
• 28:00 - PG-13 rules concerning the "f word"
• 33:00 - Camera destroyed during bus jump (via DVD commentary)
• 40:00 - Speed 2 (de Bont, 1997)
• 54:30 - Shang Chi bus fight
• 58:00 - Snyder and the "dream" lens
• 1:02:00 - Patrick Fischler
• 1:05:00 - Kurosawa's runaway train concept
• 1:06:00 - Tarantino's top movies

Recommendations

• Tim: Unstoppable (Scott, 2010) — stream on Disney+
• Tay: The Running Man (Glaser, 1987) — stream on Tubi

All links are verified at the time of publication and based on availability in Canada.

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Tim & Tay kick off Keanu month with one of his most iconic blockbusters: Point Break. We talk about Keanu's unique offering as an actor, '90s action cinematography, and meatball sandwiches. 

Synopsis
Federal Agent Johnny Utah infiltrates a group of bank-robbing surfers and soon begins to question his loyalties.

Starring Keanu Reeves, Patrick Swayze and Lori Petty, and directed by Kathryn Bigelow, Point Break was released July 12, 1991.

Point Break is available to stream on Prime (Starz).

Scene  [1:02:16 - 1:10:30]
With the Ex-Presidents planning their big end-of-season bank heist, Utah and Pappas stake out the bank. Pappas loses focus when he sends Utah to grab lunch and the Ex-Presidents escape with the money, leading to an extensive car and foot chase resulting in a showdown between Bode and Utah

• 2:30 - Hot Fuzz
• 2:35 - "Stan Smith Is Keanu Reeves as Stanny Utah in Point Break"
• 3:45 - Patrick Swayze
• 8:15 - Keanu Reeves
• 18:00 - Johnny Utah as an ingenue
• 28:00 - The "pogo cam"
• 30:00 - Telephoto lens (as compared to other focal lengths)
• 32:48 - parallax & Michael Bay
• 33:00 - Running scene from The Graduate
• 35:35 - Hurt Locker beats Avatar
• 42:50 - Car chase in The Batman
• 55:40 - Keanu Reeves is Duke Caboom

Recommendations

• Tim: Brick (Johnson, 2005)—available to rent on Apple TV.
• Tay: Abyss (Cameron, 1989).

All links are verified at the time of publication and based on availability in Canada.

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Tim & Tay follow through on their promise to rank the taglines from each and every movie covered in season one.

Tim's List

1. The Thing - Man is the warmest place to hide.
   
   
2. The Royal Tenenbaums - Family Isn't A Word... It's A Sentence.
   
   
3. In The Mouth of Madness - Lived any good books lately?
   
   
4. Drag Me To Hell- Christine Brown has a good job, a great boyfriend, and a bright future. But in three days, she's going to hell.
   
   
5. Shin Godzilla - A god incarnate. A city doomed.
   
   
6. Home Alone - A family comedy without the family.
   
   
7. Everybody Wants Some!!- Here for a Good Time Not a Long Time
   
   
8. Gattaca - There Is No Gene For The Human Spirit.
   
   
9. The Prestige - Are You Watching Closely?
   
   
10. Moneyball - What are you really worth?
    
    
11. The Big Chill - How much love, sex, fun and friendship can a person take?
    
    
12. Oldboy - 15 years of imprisonment, 5 days of vengeance.
    
    
13. Incendies- The search began at the opening of their mother's will.
    
    
14. Ocean’s 12 - Three years ago, they stole 160 million dollars. Now the only thing between their old enemy and their new one is an Ocean.
    
    
15. Game Night - This is not a game.
    
    
16. Sicario - The border is just another line to cross.
    
    
17. BR 2049 - The key to the future is finally unearthed.
    
    
18. The Green Knight - When honor was everything. When courage made kings.
    
    
19. Dune - Beyond fear, destiny awaits.
    
    
20. Children of Men - No children. No future. No hope.
    
    
21. Mean Girls - Welcome to Girl World.
    
    
22. Krisha - “I want to be in your life. I want to be close to you”
    
    
23. Dead Poets Society - He was their inspiration. He made their lives extraordinary.
    
    
24. The Handmaiden - Never did they expect to get into a controversial relationship…
    
    
25. Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind - FLEE, FLY, FOE, FUN! Here's an adventure for everyone. (Warriors of the Wind, US release.)

Tay's List

1. The Thing
   
   
2. The Prestige
   
   
3. Shin Godzilla 
   
   
4. Drag Me To Hell
   
   
5. Home Alone 
   
   
6. The Royal Tenenbaums
   
   
7. Oldboy
   
   
8. In The Mouth of Madness
   
   
9. Everybody Wants Some!!
   
   
10. Moneyball
    
    
11. Game Night
    
    
12. Sicario
    
    
13. Dune
    
    
14. Gattaca
    
    
15. BR 2049
    
    
16. Children of Men
    
    
17. The Handmaiden
    
    
18. Incendies
    
    
19. Mean Girls
    
    
20. The Green Knight
    
    
21. Dead Poets Society
    
    
22. The Big Chill
    
    
23. Ocean’s 12
    
    
24. Krisha
    
    
25. Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind

Keep an eye on Instagram for the next listener vote, which will kick off Season 2 in June!

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Tim & Tay talk about world-building, documentary realism, and oners in this discussion of Children of Men.

Synopsis
In the year 2027, the inexplicably infertile human race suffers amidst war, famine, plague, and worse. Theo, a disillusioned activist is charged with guarding humanity’s last hope on a harrowing journey from London to the coast of Great Britain.

Based on the novel of the same name by PD James.

Starring Clive Owen and Claire-Hope Ashitey, and directed by Alfonso Cuaron, Children Of Men was released December 25, 2006.

Children Of Men is available to stream on Amazon Prime (Starz).

Scene  [26:20-30:21]
While driving with several members of Fishes, including his ex-wife, Theo and the group fall under fire from an armed gang. While retreating Julian is shot in the neck and killed, and Luke is forced to murder two police officers to cover their tracks.

The scene stars Julianne Moore as Julian, Clive Owen as Theo, Chiwetel Ejiofor as Luke, Pam Ferris as Meriam and Claire-Hope Ashitey as Kee

Links

• 5:45 - Clive Owen's filmography
• 6:00 - The Knick
• 30:30 - "Don't Ignore The Background" (Nerdwriter)
• 30:45 - Y Tu Mama Tambien (Cuaron, 2011)
• 41:30 - "The Spielberg Oner" (Every Frame A Painting)
• 43:15 - Cuaron on "realtime"
• 52:00 - VFX Artists React
• 1:00:00 - The 3 Rules of Living Animation (kaptainkristian)

Recommendations

• Tim: In The Mouth of Madness (Carpenter, 1995)—rent online.
• Tay: Gattaca (Niccol, 1997)—stream on CTV.

All links are verified at the time of publication and based on availability in Canada.

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Tim & Tay talk masculinity (toxic and otherwise) in this episode on Richard Linklater's ostensible baseball movie, Everybody Wants Some!!

Synopsis
Everybody Wants Some!! runs the course of a long weekend before the start of the fall semester at a Texas college in 1980. Over the course of the three days, freshman pitcher Jake meets his teammates, competes with virtually everyone he meets, and pursues his crush, an auburn-haired theatre major named Beverly.

Starring Blake Jenner and Zoey Deutch, Everybody Wants Some!! was directed by Richard Linklater and released March 30, 2016.

Everybody Wants Some!! is available to rent online.

Scene [48:01 - 58:05]
After a Friday night out, activities resume around the off-campus residence. Numerous competitions play out, featuring a competitive game of mini-basketball, an intense ping-pong showdown, and a major upset in a battle of knuckles.

Links

• 8:50—Dazed and Confused (Linklater, 1993)
• 9:10—Boyhood (Linklater, 2014)
• 16:45—Hereditary (Aster, 2018)
• 22:00—No phones at the bunkhouse

Recommendations

• Tim: Paterson (Jarmusch, 2016)—watch on Amazon Prime
• Tay: A Scanner Darkly (Linklater, 2006)—watch on Crave Stars

All links are verified at the time of publication and based on availability in Canada.

Next episode: Season finale! Movie TBA...

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Tim & Tay give colour commentary on the most subversive baseball movie ever made, Moneyball. Tune in for a chat about Brad Pitt, baseball stats, and strategic pixelation. 
 
Synopsis
Partly inspired by true events, Moneyball tells the story of Oakland A’s manager Billy Beane challenging baseball’s century-long conventional wisdom by building a low-budget team that could go all the way.

Directed by Bennett Miller, Moneyball stars Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill, and was released September 23, 2011.

Moneyball is available on Netflix.
 
Scene [1:13:16 - 1:20:47]
As frustration with his manager mounts, Billy Beane decides to radically shake up the team with a harsh fire-sale, trading away the team's most promising rookie, Pena (Gerardo Selasco), and most prolific name, Jeremy Giambi (Nick Porrazzo). Pete is forced to face his fears by telling Pena he has been traded and Billy makes a show of trading Giambi in front of his coach, Art Howe (Phillip Seymour Hoffman).

Links

• 3:00 - "Why Baseball is The Best Movie Sport" by Patrick H Willems
• 30:00 - The real Art Howe
• 31:30 - Paul DePodesta
• 1:02:00 - Soderbergh directing Moneyball

Recommendations

• Tim: High Flying Bird (Soderbergh, 2019)—available on Netflix
• Tay: BASEketball (Zucker, 1998)—available to rent

All links are verified at the time of publication and based on availability in Canada.

Next episode: Everybody Wants Some!! (Linklater, 2016)—available to rent

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Tim & Tay talk Park Chan-Wook's The Handmaiden with special guest and self-described "psychotic fan" Hayley Rose Malouin. Tune in for a chat about queer media, cinematic eroticism and more.
 
Synopsis
Based on the novel Fingersmith by Sarah Waters, The Handmaiden tells the story of a pickpocket and a con man attempting to swindle a wealthy Japanese woman out of her inheritance through seduction and subterfuge.

Directed by Park Chan-wook, The Handmaiden was released May 14, 2016, and stars Kim Tae-ri, Kim Min-hee, Ha Jung-woo, and Cho Jin-woong.

The Handmaiden is available to rent on Google Play or stream on Hoopla.
 
Scene [Theatrical—51:32-103:05] / [Extended—1:00:24-1:14:40]
As Uncle Kouzuki leaves for a week to visit his gold mine, the plan for Lady Hideko and Count Fujiwara to elope to Japan commences. After the secret marriage ceremony, the relationship between Lady Hideko and Sook-Hee is seemingly strained by the secrecy they must abide by.
When it comes time to leave Lady Hideko at a mental hospital, it is in fact Sook-Hee who is betrayed at the last minute and is confined to the hospital in her place.

Links

• 3:50 - Indecent Proposal (Lyne, 1993)
• 4:00 - Basic Instinct (Verhoeven, 1992)
• 7:50 - Kim Tae-ri's award
• 11:50 - New Yorker article
• 15:10 - "Bury Your Gays" trope
• 18:50 - Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema
• 21:00 - Blue Is The Warmest Color (2013, Kechiche)
• 24:40 - Sarah Waters in The Guardian
• 49:30 - "Comedy wide, tragedy close"
• 1:28:00 - Dark Passage (Daves, 1947)

Recommendations

• Tim: Deep Water (Lyne, 2022)
• Tay: The Ballad of Little Jo (Greenwald, 1993)
• Hayley: Different for Girls (Spence, 1996)—available on Hoopla

All links are verified at the time of publication and based on availability in Canada.

Next episode: Moneyball  (Miller, 2011)—available to stream on Netflix

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Tim & Tay dig into eastern cinema with the listener-selected Oldboy. We talk revenge, sensory overload, and a lot more in this episode.

Synopsis
When freed after being imprisoned for 15 years, Oh Dae-Su seeks an explanation and revenge.

Oldboy, directed by Park Chan-wook, was released on Nov. 23, 2003, and stars Choi Min‑sik, Kang Hye-jung, and Yoo Ji-tae.

Oldboy is available on physical media.
 
Scene [0:35:23—0:42:22]
Oh Dae Su tries to find the location where he was imprisoned for 15 years, tracking down a dumpling delivery service that leads him right back to his captors, where he initiates his vengeful plan. Stars Choi Min-sik as Oh Dae- Su and Kang Hye-jeong as Mi-Do.

Links

• 4:00 - Tarantino as Jury President at Cannes
• 12:20 - The infamous hallway fight scene
• 13:00 - Oldboy (Lee, 2013)
• 19:00 - Morty's screenplay criticism
• 26:30 - Eisenstein  on cinematic immersion
• 27:00 - Park on Oldboy being "felt physically"
• 37:00 - Dan Harmon on montages
• 42:00 - Facetiming with my Mom, Bo Burnham
• 45:00 - The dutch angle
• 1:01:30 - The Spielberg oner

Recommendations

• Tim: The Gift (Edgerton, 2015)— available to rent on AppleTV
• Tay: The Wailing (Na Hong-jin, 2016)— available to rent on AppleTV

All links are verified at the time of publication and based on availability in Canada.

Next episode: The Handmaiden (Park, 2015)— available to rent on AppleTV

Follow:

• SSC on Instagram
• Tim on Letterboxd

Part 2 of Blunt Month & episode 20! Tim & Tay are joined by The Grey Nato's James Stacey to talk Emily Blunt, Denis Villeneuve, Roger Deakins, and a lot more in this discussion of Sicario.

Synopsis
Sicario examines the unethical nature of actions taken in the war on drugs by following idealistic FBI agent Kate Macer as she descends into covert anti-cartel operations on US and Mexican soil.

James' Scene [31:47 - 37:54]
Returning from Juarez with a high-value prisoner, Kate, Matt, Alejandro, and a Delta Force squad are trapped in traffic at the border. A tense standoff and momentary shoot-out ensue.

Tim's Scene [40:17 - 43:35]
With Guillermo successfully (if not cleanly) transported across the border, Alejandro and Matt intend to torture him for intel on the cartel’s operations. Before waterboarding Guillermo (among, potentially, other things) Alejandro speaks to another Mexican Prosecutor, Raphael.

Tay's Scene [1:22:55 - 1:32:13]
Against their better judgment, Kate and Reggie tag along as Matt, Alejandro and Delta Force operators storm a tunnel beneath the US-Mexico border.

Links

• 4:00 - Rendezvous with Rama
• 4:30 - Blank Check with Griffin & David
• 7:00 - Villeneuve on "western powers"
• 11:40 - Sheridan's original script
• 45:00 - Edited by Joe Walker
• 52: 00 -  Johan Johansson on composing a new Jaws  theme for Sicario
• 55:50 - Cinefix's breakdown of the border crossing
• 1:07:50 - "Sicario and the Value of Depicting Rape in Abstract"
• 1:18:00 - Villeneuve on "ugly poetry"
• 1:40:30 - Abrams on not hurting Tom Cruise's nose

Recommendations

• Tim: Wind River (Sheridan, 2017) —stream on Netflix.
• Tay: Harry Brown  (Barber, 2009) — stream on Hoopla.
• James: Every Frame A Painting on Youtube (and Voir on Netflix)
• Check out The Grey Nato's Bond episode

All links are verified at the time of publication and based on availability in Canada.

Follow:

• SSC on Instagram
• Tim on Letterboxd

It's Blunt Month! Tim & Tay talk Emily Blunt, Tom Cruise, and why people love time loop movies in this discussion of Doug Liman's Edge of Tomorrow.

Synopsis
Edge of Tomorrow tells the story of Maj. William Cage, who enters humanity’s war against the invading aliens known as Mimics with no combat experience. After promptly dying in action, Cage awakes a day earlier, and soon realizes he is caught in a cycle: live, die, repeat.  

Edge of Tomorrow stars Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt, was directed by Doug Liman, and released May 28, 2014.

Edge of Tomorrow is available as a digital rental.

Scene [1:03:05-1:10:27]
After breaking through enemy lines, Cage and Vrataski stop at a small farmhouse to refuel. While treating Vrataski's injury, Cage is forced to reveal the futility of their next move.

Links

• 4:35 - Gnomeo & Juliet
• 4:46 - Looper
• 4:50 - A Quiet Place
• 8:30 - Under The Skin
• 12:20 - Mission(s) Impossible
• 13:45 - Fair fighting in The Fast & The Furious
• 19:10 - Time-looping in the Aladdin TV show
• 19:30 - X-Files' time loop
• 21:30 - Dion Bebe's approach to filming Edge of Tomorrow
• 29:30 - Script revisions and remnants
• 32:20 - Groundhog Day

Recommendations

• Tim: Primer (Carruth, 2004)
• Tay: Salmon Fishing in the Yemen  (Hallström, 2011) — Available to rent online.

All links are verified at the time of publication and based on availability in Canada.

Next episode: Potluck—Sicario (Villeneuve, 2015) [available to rent online] with The Grey Nato's James Stacey. 

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• Tim on Letterboxd

Tim & Tay finally dig into Wes Anderson, one of the most recognizable auteurs of modern cinema. Tune in to hear about formalism/contrivance, needle drops,  the Wilson brothers, and more.

Synopsis
An emotionally distant father attempts to reconnect with his separated wife and three adult children after he loses his place to live.

The Royal Tenenbaums, directed by Wes Anderson, stars Gene Hackman, Angelica Houston, Gwyneth Paltrow, Luke Wilson, and Ben Stiller. It hit theatres Dec. 28, 2001.

The Royal Tenenbaums is available to stream on Disney+

Scene [58:35 - 1:05:20]
Henry Sherman follows up on his suspicions and invites the family in as he reveals Royal is faking his illness. The scene follows Royal's exit from the Tenenbaum house.

Links

• 5:00 - The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou (Anderson, 2005)
• 5:25 - Wes Anderson's filmography
• 20:36 - Aaron Sorkin's "contrived" dialogue
• 21:00 - His Girl Friday (Hawks, 1940)
• 21:31 - Panic Room (Fincher, 2002)
• 22:20 - "Dirt on the Camera Lens" (Mike Rugnetta)
• 26:00 - "What Is Bayhem?" (Every Frame a Painting)
• 34:00 - Mean Streets (Scorcese, 1973)
• 38:00 - RLM on The French Dispatch
• 56:30 - Suspicion (Hitchcock, 1941)

Recommendations

• Tim: No Escape (Dowdle, 2015) — stream on Prime
• Tay: Submarine (Ayoade, 2010) — stream on Prime (Sundance Now)

All links are verified at the time of publication and based on availability in Canada.

Next episode: Listeners' Choice—Edge of Tomorrow (Liman, 2014), available to stream on Netflix

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• SSC on Instagram
• Tim on Letterboxd

Tim & Tay talk needle drops, the New Year, and old friends in this discussion about The Big Chill. Tune in to hear why this script is a great example of graceful exposition without the usual crutches. 

Synopsis
A once-close group of college friends reunites over the course of a weekend to mourn their departed friend, reflecting on how they and the world have changed since they were last together.

The Big Chill, released Sept. 28, 1983, was directed by Lawrence Kasdan, and stars Tom Berenger, Glenn Close, Jeff Goldblum, William Hurt, Kevin Kline, Mary Kay Place, Meg Tilly and JoBeth Williams.

The Big Chill is available to stream on Amazon Prime.

Scene [13:35-19:45]
As the central cast of characters departs from Alex’s funeral, Karen begins playing "You Can't Always Get What You Want" on the organ, transitioning into a needle drop in the film that brings about a series of character interactions during the funeral procession.

Links

• 3:45 - The Big Bounce (Armitage, 2004)
• 4:40 - New Year's Eve (Marshall, 2011)
• 7: 25 - Lawrence Kasdan
• 38:02 - How To Do Visual Comedy (Every Frame a Painting)
•  1:04:30 - GQ on Jeff Goldblum

Recommendations

• Tim: Start your own film club!
  
  
• Tay: Le Déclin de l'empire américain (Arcand, 1986). Stream on Hoopla

All links are verified at the time of publication and based on availability in Canada.

Next episode: The Royal Tenenbaums (Anderson, 2001). Stream on Disney+

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• SSC on Instagram
• Tim on Letterboxd

In this special episode, Tim and Tay highlight a few notable movies from 2021. Not necessarily the best or our favorites, but certainly worth seeing!

Disclosures

• Licorice Pizza (PTA, 2021)
• Drive My Car (Hamaguchi, 2021)
• The Worst Person in the World (Trier, 2021)
• Red Rocket (Baker, 2021)
• The Tragedy of Macbeth (Coen, 2021)
• Petite Maman (Sciamma, 2021)
• Summer of Soul (Questlove, 2021)

Tim:

• INSIDE (Burnham, 2021)—stream on Netflix
• Pig (Sarnoski, 2021)—stream on Crave
• The Power of the Dog (Campion, 2021)—stream on Netflix

Tay:

• No Time To Die (Fukunaga, 2021)—rent on Google
• Censor (Bailey-Bond, 2021)—rent on Google
• Nightmare Alley (del Toro, 2021)—catch in the theatre, if it's safe to do so!

Links:

• 6:32 — In The Earth (Wheatley, 2021)
• 8:20 — Locked Down (Liman, 2021)

As always, please leave us a review on iTunes and spread the word to your friends!

Next episode: The Big Chill (Kasdan, 1983)—stream on Amazon Prime

Follow:

• SSC on Instagram
• Tim on Letterboxd

Tim & Tay talk family, the American Dental Association, and more on this episode about the Christmas classic Home Alone.

Synopsis
When eight-year-old Kevin McCallister is forgotten at home by his vacationing family, he must defend it against a pair of persistent burglars.

Home Alone stars Macaulay Culkin, Catherine O’Hara, Joe Pesci, and Daniel Stern, was directed by John Hughes, and first hit theatres Nov. 16, 1990.

Home Alone is available to stream on Disney+

Scene [38:46-44:44]
Kevin attempts to buy a toothbrush from a department store, but before he can pay at the counter, Old Man Marley enters. Stricken by fear, Kevin runs out of the store with the toothbrush without paying. He evades a police officer on a public ice rink and then has a run-in with Marv and Harry who almost hit him with their car as they pull out of a driveway. They follow him up the road because Harry doesn't "like the way that kid looked at [him].”

Links

• 11:15 - Jingle All The Way (Levant, 1996)
• 12:00 - Skyfall (Mendes, 2012)
• 13:50 - It's A Wonderful Life (Capra, 1946) & White Christmas (Curtiz, 954)
• 20:30 - SSC 03: Krisha
• 22:09 - SSC 05: Ocean's 12
• 51:25 - John Candy's role

Recommendations

• Tim: After Hours (Scorsese, 1985). Available to stream on Crave
  
  
• Tay: Krampus (Doherty, 2015). Available to rent on Google Play

All links are verified at the time of publication and based on availability in Canada.

Next episode: Our Top 3 Movies of the Year

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• SSC on Instagram
• Tim on Letterboxd

Tim and Tay talk ambiguous and not-so-pretentious art films in this discussion on David Lowery's The Green Knight.

Synopsis
This adaptation of the epic Arthurian poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight tells the tale of Gawain as he embarks on a quest to make a name for himself in the eyes of King Arthur’s court and all of Britain.

The Green Knight stars Dev Patel, Alicia Vikander, and Ralph Ineson, was written and directed by David Lowery, and first hit theatres July 30, 2021.

The Green Knight is available to rent on Google Play.

Scene [57:18—104:27]
Beaten, battered, and mentally defeated, Gawain enters a small seemingly abandoned cabin to rest. Awoken by a young girl, Gawain initially panics. The girl, Winifred, asks him for his help to find her head. Taken aback, he agrees to enter into a pond to retrieve it.

Links

• 2:30 — Director David Lowery's "Notes on a Scene"
• 14:10 — Annihilation (Garland, 2018) + "Annihilation & Decoding Metaphor"
• 25:30 — "The ending is the conceit" (Film Crit Hulk)
• 57:45 — The Green Knight posters

Recommendations

• Tim: "The Invisible Horror of The Shining" by kaptainkristian on YouTube
  
  
• Tay: The Devil's Backbone (del Toro, 2001) 

All links are verified at the time of publication and based on availability in Canada.

Next episode: Home Alone (Columbus, 1990). Available to stream on Disney+

Follow:

• SSC on Instagram
• Tim on Letterboxd

In our first audience-selected episode, Tim and Tay attempt to seize the meaning of one of the most quoted school-based movies of all time: Dead Poets Society. We explore how Peter Wier's strong direction helps unify great performances and specific camera work to serve the story being told.

Synopsis
An unconventional English teacher urges his students at a stuffy Vermont boarding school to “seize the day”, broadening their horizons to new forms of self-expression, much to their parents’ and other educators’ dismay.

Dead Poets Society, starring Robin Williams, Robert Sean Leonard, and Kurtwood Smith, and directed by Peter Weir, was released on June 2, 1989.

Dead Poets Society is available to stream on Disney+.

Scene [53:42–58:00]
Mr. Keating assigns a poetry assignment to the class and on the day of presentations, Todd is finally pushed to confront his fears of expressing himself. The scene stars Ethan Hawke, Robin Williams, Josh Charles, and Matt Carey.

Links

• 2:45 - Mr. Holland's Opus (Herek, 1995)
• 9:45 - Earlier versions of the script
• 11:00 - Ebert's review
• 12:50 - Community's DPS spoof
• 15:00 - Take The Lead (Friedlander, 2006)
• 36:20 - CODA (Heder, 2021)

Recommendations

• Tim: Election (Payne, 1999). Available to rent on Google Play.
  
  
• Tay: Overlord  (Julius Avery, 2018). Available to rent on Google Play.

All links are verified at the time of publication and based on availability in Canada.

Next episode: The Green Knight (Lowery, 2021). Available to rent on Google Play.

Follow:

• SSC on Instagram
• Tim on Letterboxd

Tim and Tay go back to high school to talk about Mean Girls. This teen movie has palpable star power, solid writing, thoughtful direction, and undeniably meme-able lines, making it an evergreen entry in the overcrowded and easily dated high school movie genre. 

Synopsis
When a naive, homeschooled junior named Cady attends American high school for the first time, she is quickly accepted into the Plastics, a clique of the highest strata. Cady soon falls for the ex-boyfriend of the clique leader, Regina Goerge. After Regina gets back with her ex, Cady and her friends Janice and Damian hatch a plot to take Regina down.

Mean Girls stars Lindsay Lohan and Rachel McAdams, was directed by Mark Waters, and first hit theatres on April 30, 2004.

Mean Girls is available to stream on Netflix.

Scene (55:38–1:03:18)
After securing her position as the new queen bee, Cady plans a small get-together while her parents are out of town in hopes of locking down Regina’s ex, Aaron Samuels. A full-blown party ensues, and lines are crossed as she has her moment with Aaron, is forced to face her excluded friends, and truly sends Regina over the edge by not inviting her, resulting in a high school crisis for the ages.

Links

• 6:00 - Mary Jane Ford on costuming
• 14:55 - Clinton uses Mean Girls gif 
• 20:45 - Aaron Samuels' dumb smile
• 34:30 - ModernGurlz - "Analyzing the Outfits in Mean Girls"
• 41:00 - Rosalind Wiseman on  Mean Girls

Recommendations

• Tim: Everybody Wants Some (Linklater, 2016). Available to stream on Prime.
  
  
• Tay:  Eighth Grade (Burnham, 2018). Available to stream on Crave.

All links are verified at the time of publication and based on availability in Canada.

Next episode: Dead Poets Society (Wier, 1989)—thanks for voting in our Instagram poll! Stay tuned for future votes, we'll be holding one for every other episode going forward. 

Follow:

• SSC on Instagram
• Tim on Letterboxd

Tim and Tay couldn't resist putting together what was intended to be a short episode on the sandy sci-fi epic Dune. Once we got talking about wormsign, ornithopters and "the voice", it was hard to stop. 

Based on Frank Herbert’s seminal novel of the same name, Dune tells the story of Paul Atreides, heir to a dukedom and a potentially even greater destiny as he begins a new life with his parents on the dangerous desert planet Arrakis. As political unrest foments war over the planet and its valuable spice melange, Paul fights to stay alive and find his role in the desert-dwelling Fremen society.
 
Starring Timothee Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, and Oscar Isaac and directed by Denis Villeneuve, Dune was released on October 22, 2021.

Dune is technically available on HBO Max in the US—but you should see it on as large a screen as you can!

SCENE (58:52–108:13)

Paul, Leto, and Guerney accompany Imperial Ecologist Liet Kynes on an ornithopter ride into the desert to the site of a sand crawler; a colossal desert machine used to refine and harvest precious spice. After an equipment malfunction, they must react quickly to save the sand crawler crew from an incoming sandworm.

The scene stars Oscar Isaac as Duke Leto, Timothy Chalamet as Paul, Sharon Duncan-Brewster as Liet Kynes, and Josh Brolin as Gurney.

Links

• 1:10—Dune sequel greenlit
• 22:00—Rebecca Ferguson talks sandworm scale
• 37:00—Hans Zimmers' anti-groove

Recommendations

• Read the book!
• Notes on a Scene—Denis Villeneuve discusses the gom jabbar
• The Director’s Cut podcast w/ Denis Villeneuve and Christopher Nolan

Follow:

• SSC on Instagram
• Tim on Letterboxd

For October's second horror-centric episode, Tim and Tay talk John Carpenter's not-so-immediately appreciated masterpiece The Thing. From evergreen creature effects to unsettling philosophical implications, this movie has it all.

Synopsis
An American research base in Antarctica is infiltrated by an alien that can assume the shape of anything it attacks. The social fabric of the small community quickly erodes as each resident realizes they can no longer trust those around them.

Directed by John Carpenter, The Thing was released June 25, 1982, and stars Kurt Russell, Keith David, and Wilford Brimley.

The Thing is available to stream on Netflix. 

Scene [1:17:41 - 1:26:36]
As the remaining group begins to suspect Macready, he forces everyone into a blood test to determine who, if any are actually The Thing.

Links

• 3:00 - A monster budget
• 4:30 - E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
• 6:50 - An initial critical flop
• 7:20 - Blade Runner (1982)
• 8:25 - Too "strong" for audiences
• 20 - Carpenter on the difficulty of ensemble shoots
• 2230 - The Thing's script
• 26:15 - The Thing (2011) & CGI FX
• 28:20 - The Thing From Another World (1951) / Who Goes There?
• 30:06 - A long pre-production
• 30:40 - Invasion of the Body Snatchers - 1956 and 1978 
• 34:00 - The split diopter shot
• 35:53 - Toy Story 4's split diopter shot
• 56:15 - Stan Winston
• 57:49 - Jed the dog actor
• 59:40 - Ethan Hawke's most impressive costar

Recommendations

Tim: Invasion of the Body Snatchers (Kaufman, 1978). Available to stream on Prime.

Tay: Attack The Block (Cornish, 2011). Available to stream on CTV.

All links are verified at the time of publication and based on availability in Canada.

Follow:

• SSC on Instagram
• Tim on Letterboxd

Tim and Tay dig into their first horror movie of October with John Carpenter's In the  Mouth of Madness, discussing what it means to watch horror, the movie's classic literature and real-world psychological inspirations, and more.

In the Mouth of Madness tells the story of John Trent, an insurance investigator tasked with tracking down best-selling horror novelist Sutter Cane. When the investigation leads both Trent and Cane’s editor Linda Styles to a presumed fictional town full of strange phenomena, the two begin to question their grip on reality.

In the Mouth of Madness was directed by John Carpenter, written by Michael de Luca, and stars Sam Neil, Julie Carmen, and Jurgen Prochnow, and was released on Dec. 10, 1994.

In the Mouth of Madness is available as a digital rental.

Scene (31:00 - 35:47)

Styles and Trent drive through the night to find the fabled town of Hobbs End. While Trent sleeps, Styles encounters a young boy riding down the highway on his bike. Moments later she sees another similar figure, although much older, on a bike going the opposite way.

The boy appears for a third time and is struck by the car. Trent and Styles stop to check the body and the boy cries: “I can't get out”. He then mysteriously gets up and rides away. Styles continues driving, experiencing some supernatural phenomena before crossing a covered bridge that leads them right into Hobbs End.

Links

• 10:40 - Black Check episode on Halloween
• 12:50 - John Carpenter's financial approach to remakes
• 22:30 - HP Lovecraft
• 23:20 - The King in Yellow
• 24:00 - Media horror in True Detective
• 26:30 - GDT's At the Mountains of Madness
• 28:30 - Lovecraft's racism
• 30:00 - Filming locations in Canada
• 31:30 - Giger's alien designs
• 34:50 - "groupthink"
• 1:06:20 - Sorcerer essay

Recommendations

Tim: The Empty Man (Prior, 2020). Available to stream on Crave.

Tay: Sorcerer (Friedkin, 1977). Available to rent on iTunes.

All links are verified at the time of publication and based on availability in Canada.

Follow:

• SSC on Instagram
• Tim on Letterboxd

Tim and Tay welcome James Stacey (The Grey NATO) to celebrate episode #10 with a potluck — each host picks a scene from Blade Runner 2049 to discuss.

Set 30 years after the first film, Blade Runner 2049 tells the story of K, a replicant who discovers the remains of one of his kind, who had died giving birth to a child. As a Blade Runner with the LAPD, K is secretly tasked with finding the child and destroying all evidence related to it in order to prevent all-out war between humans and replicants. 

Starring Ryan Gosling and Harrison Ford, Blade Runner 2049 was released on Oct. 3, 2017. Blade Runner 2049 is available as a digital rental and to stream on HBO Max.

Tagline — "The key to the future is finally unearthed."

Tim’s Scene (3:23 - 10:12)
K, a Nexus-9 replicant and blade runner for the LAPD, visits the home of suspected replicant and war veteran Sapper Morton. 

James’ Scene (58:51 - 1:05:47)
After pulling the records suggesting the replicant-born offspring had spent time at the Morrillcole Orphanage, Joi and K go for a ride to San Diego. They are attacked by marauders and brought down near the orphanage. Back at Wallace HQ, Luv begins a drone strike while also getting her nails done. Quickly dispatching the marauders, Luv’s involvement allows K to continue on their now overlapping goal of finding the child. 

Tay’s Scene (1:40:50 - 1:50:00)
Officer K  investigates the highly radioactive remains of Las Vegas in order to find the maker or the source of the wooden horse from his implanted memories. He eventually finds the disgruntled Rick Deckard and the two have a violent altercation throughout various sectors of a casino, concluding in a holographic Elvis projection concert room.

Links

• 1:50 - Team Deakins podcast
• 16:00 - Ana de Armas' English prep
• 23:30 - Nine cameras vs. one camera
• 46:00 - Bautista wanted dramatic roles
• 1:12:00 - Blade Runner test inspired by Canadian military tech
• 1:23:00 - Shooting in Hungary

Recommendations

Tim: Brad Allen’s movies (Gorgeous, Kingsmen, Kick-Ass), Edgar Wright’s tribute. 

James: Corridor Crew

Tay: Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (Wright, 2006). Available to rent on Google.

All links are verified at the time of publication and based on availability in Canada.

Follow:

• SSC on Instagram
• Tim on Letterboxd

Tim and Tay talk comedy (Apatow & otherwise), late '90s pop, and board games in this episode that looks at Game Night. This recent comedy breathed fresh air into the genre by returning to a few simple techniques while updating a few dated tropes. 

Max & Annie’s weekly game night is kicked into high gear when Max’s visiting brother Brooks arranges for a fake kidnapping. The three couples playing the game soon find out that it and Brooks are more than they appear, leading them on a chaotic night of fun, danger, and more.

Game Night was directed by John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein, stars Jason Bateman, Rachel McAdams, and Kyle Chandler, and debuted on February 23, 2018.

Tagline — "This is not a game."

Game Night is available as a digital rental.

Scene  (32:25-36:36 & 42:40-44:51)

After tracking down Brooks to a local dive bar, Max and Annie enter the joint to scope it out. Thinking that it is all part of the game night, they humorously build up the confidence to hold up the three men in the bar who appear to be holding Brooks hostage, forcing them to the floor with Pulp Fiction-inspired vigor. 

There is a scene break that catches the audience up with the other two couples and when we return to the bar, Max and Annie recover the keys from one of the thugs. Brooks tries to tell them that this is not part of the game, but  Max and Annie only realize this after Annie shoots the supposedly fake gun in the air. Dropping it in surprise recoil, the gun goes off again, shooting Max in the arm before the three are chased out of the building.

Links

• 7:30 - Bateman originally slated to direct
• 7:40 - Rewriting the script
• 9:50 - Assuming the worst for Game Night
• 13:50 - "How To Do Visual Comedy" (Every Frame a Painting) 
• 29:50 - Developing female characters
• 33:00 - Why Bateman prefers being the straight man
• 48:00 - Filming with an R1 arm & the "GTA shot"

Recommendations

Tim: Akira (Otomo, 1988). Available to stream on Tubi.

Tay: A Scanner Darkly (Linklater, 2006). Available to stream on Crave.

Bonus Rotoscope recommendations:

• Undone (Hulsing, 2019). Available to stream on Prime.
• Joel Haver's

Follow:

• SSC on Instagram
• Tim on Letterboxd

Tim and Tay discuss their first animated feature and first Hayao Miyazaki feature on the podcast: Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, which offers a compelling heroine for young and old viewers alike, embodying the idea that violence and war only lead to more of the same. The success of Nausicaä would allow Miyazaki to co-found Studio Ghibli and subsequently release some of the most beloved animated movies in cinematic history. 

This animated feature tells the story of Nausicaä, a pacifist and princess who finds herself and her people caught in the middle of two warring nations that are intent on destroying each other and the hostile natural world. 

Directed and written by Hayao Miyazaki, Nausicaä stars Sumi Shimamoto and Goro Naya; it premiered March 11, 1984, in Japan, and on DVD (with an English dub) on February 22, 2005.

Tagline — "Why do people destroy and hate? Why do they not show love and affection?"

Nausicaä  is available to stream on Netflix.

Scene  (31:15 — 35:10)

Tolmekian airships disrupt the peaceful Valley of the Wind. Nausicaä realizes that the airships are going after her father, who lies bedridden in a tower. She arrives, but her father has already been slain by the Tolmekian Royal Guard. In a burst of rage, Nausicaä attacks several Tolmekians, before Lord Yupa stops her.

Links

• 5:00 — Lupin III: The Castle Of Cagliostro
• 5:21 — Nausicaä goes from manga to movie
• 9:00 — The Warriors Of The Wind
• 10:30 — Toshio Suzuki says “no cuts” for Princess Mononoke
• 16:00 — Miayzaki’s tropes and the concept of “shojo”
• 19:00 — Writing strong roles for young girls
• 21:00 — Miyazaki on the ending of Nausicaä
• 25:00 — Miyazaki’s love of aircraft
• 26:55 — Inspiring Final Fantasy's chocobos
• 48:00 — INVINCIBLE
• 54:00 — Giant God Warrior Appears In Tokyo
• 55:00 — Manga as the outlet for darker ideas

Recommendations

Tim: The Hunt (Zobel, 2020). Available to stream on Crave.

Tay: La

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• SSC on Instagram
• Tim on Letterboxd

Tim and Tay are joined by Rob (our very first guest on the podcast) to talk about bureaucracy, kaiju films, and more in a discussion about 2016's Shin Godzilla.

This 2016 installment in the 67-year Godzilla franchise examines how the modern Japanese government (and allied forces) would respond when a skyscraper-sized lizard comes ashore to wreak havoc in Tokyo. Shin Godzilla was written and directed by Hideaki Anno and Shinji Higuchi, and stars:

• Horoki Hasegawa as Rando Yaguchi
• Mikako Ichikawa as Hiromi Ogashira
• Satomi Ishihara as Kayoko Ann Paterson
• Yutaka Takenouchi as Hideki Akasaka

Tagline — "A god incarnate. A city doomed."

Shin Godzilla is available to rent on Google Play.

Scene  (12:42 - 15:55)

As the first form of Godzilla moves upriver, the Prime Minister begs his team to find new perspectives. Hiromi (Mikako Ichikawa) is called in, immediately cutting through the bureaucratic decorum with radical ideas about Godzilla’s capabilities and rapid evolution, including the idea that it could support its own weight to walk on land.

Bound by procedure, the cabinet agrees that they need to hold a press conference to calm the public, at which the Prime Minister foolishly goes off script and announces that Godzilla cannot leave the sea, according to experts. He is interrupted by an aide, who informs him that Godzilla has in fact come ashore.

Links

• 6:40 — Neon Genesis Evangelion, available to stream on Netflix
• 8:20 — Anno and fan service
• 25:55 — Frilled shark design
• 33:30 — Found footage

Recommendations

Tim: Colossal (Vigalondo, 2016). Available to stream on Amazon Prime and CBC Gem.

Tay: Trollhunter (Øvredal, 2011.) Available to stream on Hoopla.

Rob: The Twentieth Century (Rankin, 2020). Available to stream on Crave.

All links are verified at the time of publication and based on availability in Canada.

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Tim and Tay talk about the career of Canadian filmmaker Denis Villeneuve, and examine a powerful scene that marks the turning point for Incendies' protagonist Narwal Marwan.

Incendies tells the story of Canadian twins that travel to their mother's native country in the Middle East to uncover her hidden past amidst a bloody civil war. Told in parallel, the two generations’ stories examine the trauma and effects of cyclical violence. Based on the play of the same name by Wajdi Mouawad, Incendies premiered on September 4, 2010. 

Tagline — “The search began at the opening of their mother's will.”

Incendies is available to stream on Crave (Starz) or as a digital rental. 
 

Scene (48:08 — 52:52)

Amidst the revolution, Nawal searches for her long-lost child, making her way through the dangerous desert countryside where she catches a bus carrying Muslim refugees. To avoid conflict, she hides her Christianity by removing her crucifix. Awaking from a nap, Nawal witnesses a violent confrontation between the bus driver and a group of Christian Nationalists before they turn their guns on the bus, leaving only Nawal and another woman and child alive. 

As they prepare to light the bus on fire, Nawal calls out that she is Christian, and is spared. She tries to save the child by saying that it’s hers, but the Nationalists shoot the child anyways. Nawal is left alone in the desert beside the burning bus.

Links

• 6:35 — Souha Bechara as partial inspiration for Incendies
• 7:32 — Villeneuve speaking on Incencies  (making-of documentary on Incendies blu-ray)
• 8:52 — Munich (Spielberg, 2005)
• 15:35 — The Midpoint Collision, (Lessons From The Screenplay)
• 21:17 — Alien (Scott, 1979)

Recommendations

Tim: Mikey and Nicky (Elaine May, 1976). Available to stream on Amazon Prime.

Tay: Persepolis (Marjane Satrapi, 2007). Available to stream on Criterion Channel, or as a digital rental. 

All links verified at the time of publication and based on availability in Canada.

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By examining an infamous, potentially movie-breaking scene in Ocean's 12, Tim and Tay explore just how much of Soderbergh's audacity this franchise can bear before it falls apart.

Ocean’s 12, the second installment in Steven Soderbergh’s Ocean’s trilogy, finds the gang on the clock to repay their mark from the first film, casino mogul Terry Benedict (Andy Garcia). In order to pay back what they stole, with interest, they must oblige François Toulour (Vincent Cassel), the world’s greatest thief, in a competition to steal the Fabergé Imperial Coronation Egg.

Starring George Clooney, Julia Roberts, Brad Pitt, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Vincent Cassel, Ocean’s 12 premiered on December 8, 2004. 

Tagline — Three years ago, they stole 160 million dollars. Now the only thing between their old enemy and their new one is an Ocean.

Ocean’s 12 is available on Netflix and as a digital rental.

 
Scene (1:25:20 - 1:30:40)

After picking up a frustrated Tess, the remaining Ocean's team (Linus, Basher, and Turk) attempts to prep her for her role as the diversion in their plan. The plan involves her impersonating the actress Julia Roberts to use her star power to get close to the Faberge egg that they intend to steal. In a scene full of meta-commentary, Bruce Wilis appears as himself and threatens to disrupt the plan.

The scene stars Julia Roberts as Tess Ocean (and as herself), Bruce Willis as himself, Matt Damon as Linus, Don Cheadle as Basher, Scott Caan as Turk, and Carl Reiner as Saul.

Links

• 48:22 — the Coen brothers as Virgil & Turk

Note: Most of the background and insight explored in this episode can be heard in the Ocean's 12 commentary with director Steven Soderbergh and writer George Nolfi.

Recommendations

Tim: Riders Of Justice (Anders Thomas Jensen, 2021) — available as a digital rental.

Tay: Behind The Candelabra (Soderbergh, 2013) — available on Crave (CA), HBO (US), and as a digital rental.

All links verified at the time of publication and based on availability in Canada.

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Tim and Tay talk Sam Raimi’s post-Spider-Man return-to-horror, Drag Me To Hell, and how one scene in a parking garage shows off everything the director has mastered since his start in the early ‘80s. 

 Drag Me To Hell is a 2009 horror feature directed by Sam Raimi, starring Alison Lohman, Lorna Raver, and Justin Long. Lohman plays Christine Brown, an ambitious loan officer who, in the pursuit of a promotion,  chooses to evict an elderly woman from her home. The woman, played by Raver, curses Christine, giving her three days until a malicious spirit, the Lamia, drags her to hell. 

 Tagline — “Christine Brown has a good job, a great boyfriend, and a bright future. But in three days, she's going to hell.”

 Drag Me To Hell is available for digital rental.

Scene (16:41 - 22:37)

The scene in question stars Alison Lohman and Lorna Raver. After being told she is a shoo-in for the big promotion, Christine leaves the office, venturing into the underground parking garage with her office supplies. Once inside her car, she is violently attacked by Ms. Ganush for shaming her earlier in the day. 

In a chaotic fight scene, the women attack each other within the tight confines of the car, involving staplers, handkerchiefs, a smashed window, and more. The scene concludes with Ms. Ganush cursing Christine by taking a button off her jacket and handing it back to her.

Links

• 14:50 — Aiming for a PG-13 rating
  
  
• 39:12 — Drag Me To Hell as a morality tale
  
  
• 47:50 — Maggie Mae Fish’s video on Coup 53

Recommendations

Tim: Coup 53 (Taghi Amirani, 2019) — available for rental on the filmmaker’s website.

Tay: The Wolf Of Snow Hollow (Jim Cummings, 2020) — available on Crave, and for digital rental. 

All links verified at the time of publication and based on availability in Canada.

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In the premiere episode of Single Serving Cinema, Tim and Tay explore a deceptively simple and highly functional scene in the spiraling, multi-layered narrative of Christopher Nolan’s The Prestige. 

The Prestige tells the story of two rival stage magicians in Victorian-era London, and their obsessive pursuits to gain superiority, no matter the cost. Directed by Christopher Nolan, starring Christian Bale and Hugh Jackman, The Prestige was released on Oct. 20, 2006.

The Prestige is available to stream on Disney+, and as a digital rental.  

 
Scene (0:13:27- 16:02)

Featuring Hugh Jackman as Robert Angier, Christian Bale as Alfred Borden, Piper Perabo as Julia Angier, and Michael Caine as Cutter.

The scene is set backstage following a successful, but apparently, "boring", act by Milton, a show magician that the quartet all work for. Borden largely drives the conversation regarding the lack of originality in Milton's show, while Angier questions Borden’s morality and his bluntness on the subject. Cutter calls out Borden for using the incorrect knot on Julia during the act and further arguments of professionalism, showmanship and secrecy arise.

Links

16:32: “Secret of the Magus”, a New Yorker profile of Ricky Jay

Recommendations

Tim: Burning, (Lee Chang-dong, 2018)  — available on Amazon Prime

Tay: Eastern Promises, (David Cronenberg, 2007) — available on Amazon Prime  

All links verified at the time of publication and based on availability in Canada.

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Tim and Tay dive into a pair of scenes from Andrew Niccol’s thought-provoking and economical sci-fi film Gattaca. Can a simple race from shore to horizon reveal a person’s potential? 

In the “not too distant future”, advances in eugenics have lead to a genetic caste system — those with manufactured, ideal genetics, and those conceived naturally, possessing the expected hereditary pitfalls and risks. The film follows Vincent, who endeavors to overcome the limits of his naturally developed genes to become an astronaut. Starring Ethan Hawke, Jude Law, and Uma Thurman, Gattaca was directed and written by Andrew Niccol, and was released October 24, 1997.

 Gattaca is available as a digital rental.

Scenes (16:41 — 18:20 & 1:30:47 — 1:34:07)
click here for a PDF of an early draft of Gattaca’s script.

The scenes star Chad Christ as Young Vincent, William Lee Scott as Young Anton, Ethan Hawke as Vincent, and Loren Dean as Anton.

Brothers Vincent (Chad Christ) and Anton (William Lee Scott) challenge each other to a game of chicken to see who can swim the farthest from shore before turning back. The genetically superior Anton handily wins each time they swim. One day, a determined Vincent recklessly swims beyond his limit, but surprisingly it is Anton who needs rescuing. In spite of his prophesied heart deficiency,  Vincent is miraculously able to swim them both back to shore safely.

Many years later, long after Vincent’s heart is supposed to have stopped, the brothers reunite. Still unaware of how Vincent could have swum that distance and back, Anton agrees to a rematch. Stripping down, the brothers swim out far in the misty night. 

After refusing to turn back once, Anton confronts Vincent, who tells him that “it’s too late to turn back” because they are “closer to the other side”. Vincent reveals that “this is how I did it”; “I never saved anything for the swim back”. Despite hearing this Anton tries to turn back, but once again, Vincent must save him and drag him back to the closer shore.

Links

5:15: La Jetée (Chris Marker, 1962)

18:30: Making waves with a forklift

39:00 — Wearing suits in space (via blu-ray bts featurette)

Recommendations

Tim: First Reformed (Paul Schrader, 2017) — available for digital rental

Tay: The Vast of Night (Andrew Patterson, 2019) — available on Amazon Prime

All links verified at the time of publication and based on availability in Canada.

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Tim and Tay discuss Trey Edward Shults’ feature debut Krisha, its expert use of horror tropes and its endlessly frugal composition. 

Krisha is a 2015 family drama about a recovering addict and alcoholic in her sixties attempting to reconnect with her family over Thanksgiving. Directed by Trey Edward Shults, Krisha stars his real-life aunt Krisha Fairchild in the eponymous lead role, and was produced on a crowd-sourced, shoe-string budget.  

Krisha is available as a digital rental on iTunes. 

Scene (51:39 — 55:18)

Starring Krisha Fairchild as Krisha, Robyn Fairchild as Robyn, Bill Wise as Doyle & Trey Edward Shults as Trey.

After a series of seemingly traumatic encounters with her mother and Trey, Krisha relapses, unceremoniously uncorking a bottle of wine with a pair of scissors in her bathroom. She guzzles back the bottle, entering an almost dream-like, euphoric state. Returning to her family downstairs for final dinner preparations, Krisha attempts to remove the giant family-sized Thanksgiving turkey from the oven. Her hands tremble and the turkey falls to the floor, creating an enormous mess and ruining the family dinner.

Links

3:00 — Krisha’s many awards

3:30 — Krisha as a short & following production

25:30 — “playful chaos”

27:00 — Anatomy Of A Scene with Trey Edward Shults

30:25 — Rules Of The Game (Jean Renoir, 1939)

32:00 — Paying for Nina Simone’s “Just In Time”

40:00 — Composer Briann McOmber on scoring Krisha

43:32 — Krisha, improvised

44:30 — Edward Shults’ grandmother in Krisha

Recommendations

Tim: Ponyo (Hayao Miyazaki, 2008) — available on Netflix

Tay: Exotica (Atom Egoyan, 1994) — available on The Criterion Channel

All links verified at the time of publication and based on availability in Canada.

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