This week on Episode 358 of the InSession Film Podcast, we continued our year-end wrap up by discussing our top 3 action scenes of 2019. This year was pretty good for superhero movies and action films, with the likes of Captain Marvel, Avengers: Endgame, John Wick: Parabellum and 1917. There was even great action in films like Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and Ad Astra. Regardless of type, there was a ton of great action on the screen this year and hopefully that was represented on our lists this week. That said, here are our lists:
(Note: Please keep in mind that we each had different criteria for our selections)
JD
1) Dog Sequence – John Wick: Parabellum
2) House Escape Sequence – Parasite
3) Rey vs Kylo on Death Star – Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
Brendan
1) Opening Fall – Ad Astra
2) Moon Landing – Apollo 11
3) House Escape Sequence – Parasite
Ryan
1) Escape from New York – John Wick: Parabellum
2) Red vs Adelaide – Us
3) Attack on Manson’s – Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Honorable Mentions (Combined)
Final Showdown – Godzilla: King of the Monsters
Will Smith vs Will Smith Motorcycle Chase – Gemini Man
Alligator Attack – Crawl
Avengers Assemble – Avengers: Endgame
Cliff vs Bruce Lee – Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Shootout – Dragged Across Concrete
Millennium Falcon Jumping Light Speed – Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
Wrestling Scenes – The Peanut Butter Falcon
The Making of the Climax of Dolemite – Dolemite is my Name
Jojo and the Hand Grenade – Jojo Rabbit
Burning Down the Relationship – Midsommar
Frank and Hoffas Final Encounter – The Irishman
24 Hour Daytona – Ford v Ferrari
Le Man – Ford v Ferrari
Space Pirates – Ad Astra
Space Monkeys – Ad Astra
Ending Battle – How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World
Ending Battle – Glass
Tracking Shot – Long Day’s Journey Into Night Uncut Gems
Hopefully you guys enjoyed our lists and if you agree or disagree with us, let us know in the comment section below. As mentioned above, it’s been a great year for action scenes, and maybe there’s a couple that we missed on our lists here. That being said, what would be your Top 3? Leave a comment in the comment section or email us at [email protected].
This week on the InSession Film Podcast, Ryan McQuade fills in for JD as the guys Sam Mendes’ 1917 and our Top 3 action scenes of 2019! Ryan also gives us his thoughts on Greta Gerwig’s Little Women while Brendan reviews Todd Haynes’ Dark Waters.
No guest this week, but thanks to Ryan for filling in on short notice once JD landed with the flu mid-way through the week. This was a really fun show, though. It should be interesting to see where people land on 1917 as some of the early buzz called it the “best war film since Saving Private Ryan.” Others have been more dubious of that claim. Either way it’s worth checking out and we hope enjoy the discussion.
On that note, check out this week’s show and let us know what you think in the comment section. Thanks for listening and for supporting the InSession Film Podcast!
– Movie Review: 1917 (5:06) Director: Sam Mendes Writer: Sam Mendes, Krysty Wilson-Cairns Stars: Dean-Charles Chapman, George MacKay
– Notes / Little Women / Dark Waters (37:34)
As noted above, Ryan watned to give some love to Greta Gerwig and Little Women as he loved that film. And Brendan finally got a chance to see the Todd Haynes film Dark Waters, and decided to give his thoughts on that as well.
– Top 3 Action Scenes of 2019 (1:39:50)
This year was pretty good for superhero movies and action films, with the likes of Captain Marvel, Avengers: Endgame, John Wick: Parabellum and 1917. There was even great action in films like Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and Ad Astra. Regardless of type, there was a ton of great action on the screen this year and hopefully that was represented on our lists this week. That said, what would be your Top 3?
If you want to help support us, there are several ways you can help us and we’d absolutely appreciate it. Every penny goes directly back into supporting the show and we are truly honored and grateful. Thanks for your support and for listening to the InSession Film Podcast!
As the year 2020 begins, I have to call it the best things I invested in for movies. The fall of FilmStruck led to the rise of the Criterion Channel and the reason I have written multiple volumes of some of the best (and worst) works I’ve seen is that to spread the gospel of cinema. Now, I just came off like a snob, kind of like Scorsese’s “Marvel is not cinema” comment, but as I approach my 30th year on the Earth, I feel that my engagement with the type of cinema he and the old-timers grew up with is how I feel more connected to that the modern works of the money grab for cheap laughs and jokes that all fall flat. There is a world outside Hollywood that is more appealing and more daring in its work that the Criterion Channel has opened up a vault full of these masterworks. Here are the best of them.
Top 10
The Color of Pomegranates
Dreams
The Virgin Spring
The Times Of Harvey Milk
4 Months, 3 Weeks, And 2 Days
Yi Yi
Monterrey Pop
Amarcord
Army Of Shadows
Tokyo Story
Pomegranates take the top spot because it is a dive into a culture I am blind to, a style not really seen anymore, a language of cinema that we speak of but never really hear and see, and yet a movie that sings (literally) out the beauty of an era once censored by the anti-religious Soviet machine. Sergei Parajanov’s masterpiece, loosely based on the life and poems of Armenia’s Sayat-Nova, puts together a string of chapters from the past, not to give a background on the subject, but a portrait of Armenian life, far from the politics and romanticizing the devout religion they have always been attached to. Parajanov ran afoul of the system, was imprisoned for being a homosexual, and died when the censorship that had repressed his works was finally coming out again – just like Sayat-Nova, who was executed for refusing to conform.
11-25
11. Panter Panchali
12. Yojimbo
13. The Fog Of War
14. Persepolis
15. Le Trou
16. The Night Of The Hunter
17. Hopscotch
18. Kapo
19. A Matter Of Life And Death
20. Alambrista!
21. Letter Never Sent
22. White Material
23. Kind Hearts And Coronets
24. The Bridge
25. Ace In The Hole
The film here that really surprised me was Alambrista! This film was a PBS movie, starring mostly nonprofessional actors – Edward James Olores and Ned Beatty were the main exceptions – and it gives a direct line into the lives of the migrant worker trying to survive and not get caught by law enforcement. It is the social realism that Ken Loach, another critic of superhero movies, would widely approve of.
26-40
26. Time Bandits
27. Bob le flambeur
28. The Bad Sleep Well
29. A Room With A View
30. The Magic Flute
31. La Haine
32. The Red Shoes
33. Scanners
34. Dheepan
35. To Be Or Not To Be
36. Autumn Sonata
37. Judex
38. Police Story
39. War And Peace
40. Drunken Angel
The film I finally got to really see that I was excited about was War And Peace, produced by the Soviet Union in four parts compared to the shortened American version which doesn’t really hold up in comparison. The accomplishment it received around the world was a form of true acceptance after the years of social stagnation from the government. Even when reforms were trampled through the tank in Prague and Budapest, there was one shining hope that allowed the West to see behind the Iron Curtain and their fascinating culture.
41-50
41. Top Hat
42. Fiddler On The Roof
43. Welcome, Mr. Marshall!
44. Veronika Voss
45. Dry Summer
46. La Ronde
47. Darling
48. Billy Liar
49. Memories Of Underdevelopment
50. Cache
It’s always something different in a Fassbinder film as I wrote as my second piece on this website (link). With one of his last pictures before his early death, Fassbinder creates his own Sunset Boulevard was an aging actress, Veronika Voss, who was part of the Nazi propaganda machine and a sportswriter who befriends her. When the writer suspects a nurse is taking advantage of Voss, he goes undercover with another woman to help and discovers Voss’ nurse scamming the actress on overpriced medicine. It is inspired by an actual actress named Sybille Schmitz, who committed suicide in 1955, but her physician was charged for selling painkillers to Schmitz at a rate more than the actual rate. Schmitz’s family accused the doctor of doing this to take all of her money and help provide all the medicine needed for Schmitz to overdose on.
Director: Todd Haynes Writers: Matthew Michael Carnahan, Mario Correa, Nathaniel Rich Stars: Mark Ruffalo, Anne Hathaway, Tim Robbins, Bill Camp
Synopsis: A corporate defense attorney takes on an environmental lawsuit against a chemical company that exposes a lengthy history of pollution. Based on a true story
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Dark Waters tells the story of lawyer Rob Bilott and the town of Parkersburg, WV. A local farmer Wilbur Tennant (a friend of Bilott’s grandmother) tracks down the attorney at work (a large legal firm where he defends chemical companies) and begs for help. His cattle are going crazy and dying, his land doesn’t feel right, and people are sick. Tennant convinces Bilott to investigate the landfill owned by chemical giant DuPont, located next to Tennant’s farm. What he discovers is a history of pollution and negligence going back over 50 years. Bilott makes the choice to help the farmer and the town of Parkersburg and take on one of the largest and influential chemical companies in the world.
Dark Waters is an expertly crafted whistleblower drama. Mark Ruffalo shines as attorney Rob Bilott and is obviously passionate about the role and the cause he’s fighting for. The film is inspired by true events and a 2016 New York Times article “The Lawyer Who Became DuPont’s Worst Nightmare” by Nathanial Rich. I have almost no negative comments about the film. Director Todd Haynes managed to make a film filled with complicated subjects- chemistry, corporate law, medical studies, EPA regulations, etc – and made it easy to watch and comprehend. That is something I consider absolutely crucial in a “true events” movie, especially about events still going on today. The film was dramatic and filled with suspense and tension even though there wasn’t a lot of “action” happening on screen. The last time a movie made its viewers this uncomfortable with water was in 1975 with the debut of Jaws. I would bet money on the opening scene of Dark Waters being an homage to Jaws. The sense of dread and foreboding they achieved was amazing given there were no monsters or real violence in the film. Everyone involved was great; cast and crew. Anne Hathaway doesn’t have a ton of screen time but managed to make an impact, Bill Camp is phenomenal as farmer Wilbur Tennant, and Bill Pullman gave one of my favorite supporting performances as feisty lawyer Harry Dietzler.
The most frustrating thing about the film is that it is almost entirely accurate. How could something so terrible happen less than three hours from me and I knew nothing about it? This court case and exposure of DuPont’s negligence has been public knowledge, covered by national news, since the late 1990s. Even today, after several major legal settlements and EPA fines, there is almost zero information online. If you go to the town of Parkersburg’s wiki page there is only one sentence on the pollution that has given tens of thousands of it’s residences chronic and terminal illnesses. “High levels of PFOA appearing to originate in landfills used by the DuPont chemical company have been noted in Parkersburg drinking water.” Rob Billot has not worked himself half to death for the world to ignore what’s going on with water contamination and pollution. He is still working today, trying to help every single person affected by DuPont’s (and other large corporations) carelessness.
I was lucky enough to see this with a Q&A with director Todd Haynes, Mark Ruffalo, and subject of the film Rob Bilott. All three men were very passionate about the project. Ruffalo was sent the New York Times article by several friends who knew he was active in similar political causes. Ruffalo then took the idea to Haynes and had the movie made in less than a year. Billot was involved the entire time, many people had cameos or appeared as extras in the film, and much of the movie was filmed at the real locations. They stated a few times that the goal of the movie was to educate audiences on a complex subject, a “50-year crime no one knew about” and make it watchable. I think they absolutely succeeded.
Overall, Dark Waters is a film that is hard to watch, it made me angry and depressed, but it also left me hopeful because it showed me people like Rob Bilott exist. It’s a great movie that I think was released at the right time. People need movies like this, especially when you feel powerless or hopeless about current events, because it will spark something to get you motivated to take on the world. I saw the movie a month ago and I am still riled up about it. Please go see it if you have the chance, support the film, and read the original article, get involved.
As we enter the new year, the last episode of Extra Film for 2019 is down a co-host, as Jay is out due to illness. But it doesn’t stop Ryan from inviting previous Extra Film and Chasing the Gold guest Karen Peterson to join him to discuss to polar opposite pieces of cinema. With Cats, we all get to finally hear if they hype was worth all the noise. Considered by some to be one of the worst films of the year, as well as one of the craziest things to ever be filmed, Ryan and Karen try to talk about this movie without busting up laughing.
Then, in the back half of the episode, the duo discuss the latest offering from Netflix in The Two Popes. Considered another awards contender from the top streaming service and one of the best films of 2019, the conversation led to a thoughtful points on the faith, politics and struggles within the film. It was such a good discussion, it lead Ryan to change some of his own opinions on The Two Popes.
On that note, have fun with this week’s Extra Film segment and let us know what you think in the comment section below. Thanks for listening!
– Movie Review: Cats (3:26) Director: Tom Hooper Screenplay: Lee Hall, Tom Hooper Stars: Judi Dench, Idris Elba, Jennifer Hudson, Ian McKellen, Francesca Hayward
– Movie Review: The Two Popes (40:59) Directors: Fernando Meirelles Screenplay: Anthony McCarten Stars: Anthony Hopkins, Jonathan Pryce, Juan Minujín
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Happy 1917 week everyone! Sam Mendes is back and his latest is a stunning technical achievement. We’ll discuss more this weekend on Episode 358, but we thought we’d use it as inspiration for our poll this week. Simply, we are asking, what is your favorite Sam Mendes film? He’s had quite the varied career so far, which makes us curious for what these results could end up being in the end.
Director: J.J Abrams Writers: J.J Abrams and Chris Terrio Stars: Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Anthony Daniels and Kelly Marie Tran
Synopsis: The Resistance faces the First Order once more in the final chapter of the Skywalker saga.
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***This will be a spoiler-free review. For a full spoiler discussion, catch our Bonus Content episode coming soon. ***
From the moment you become a writer, you’re taught to cut the word “I” from your writing. With this word extermination, you have to come up with some way of making a voice shine throughout the piece you are writing. But many believe there are exceptions to the rule, especially when talking about a subject personally attached to the writer. So, when I was assigned this review of “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker,” caution was thrown to the wind, and I knew it would be something that I had to use. It’s because Star Wars is one of the most personal franchises in all of cinema, binding generations of people together to love something magical and profound. It’s the first film franchise I can remember falling in love with, with the rich worlds, in-depth characters, and enough memorable moments to keep me coming back for more.
But, throughout the last couple of years, the words Star and Wars have become as toxic of a topic as one can find. A fan base divided amongst themselves, throwing unobtainable expectations out left and right, seeming to be displeased with every choice made by the filmmakers. It makes for frustrating conversations, leading many, including myself, to feel like the magic of this franchise is dying. But while this may be the case, these movies are about hope, and how we should reflect hope into our world. We need optimistic films like this in the world, something where it brings joy back into our lives. So, when the credits began to roll, and the lights came up, I realized director J.J Abrams had given us the Star Wars movie we need right now.
“Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” picks up a year after the events of “The Last Jedi,” with Kylo Ren running The First Order, destroying any threating standing in his way. While he is doing this, our heroes, Rey, Finn, and Poe, are preparing for the final showdown with Kylo and his army. At the same time, both Rey and Kylo discover an old enemy is rising from the shadows, with plans for the two advisories and the entire galaxy. Mixed with exciting new characters and old favorites, our heroes must stop Kylo, The First Order, as well as the new lingering threat, to bring peace to the galaxy.
Though this movie packs many action set pieces, its character moments are what shines the most. With Rey and Kylo, we find comfort in the conclusion of their relationship, with both growing massively from when we first met them. For Rey, she discovers who she needs to be, confronting all her fears and wrapping them into a real personal transformation. By the end, we realized she is the hero we have always needed and the hero of our generation. With Kylo, he plays as the ultimate bookend to the entire Skywalker family, with an arc to rival his ancestors. Through this, we see the story of two come together as one with effortless performance and moving writing.
Along with these two, Finn, Poe, BB-8, Chewbacca, C-3PO, and many more have enough moments to leave you content with where they land. But “The Rise of Skywalker” highlights the most crucial character to conclude, General Leia Organa. Even though Carrie Fisher passed away a couple of years ago, she has a vital role, making her conclusion the real heart of the film next to Rey and Kylo. By bringing her back, “The Rise of Skywalker” delivers her a tribute she would be proud of, one fit for a princess.
I love the way “The Rise of Skywalker” leaves the saga, leading to the most stable position the franchise has been since “Return of the Jedi.” You make the case the movie did its job by getting to a “safe place” to end. But the film is more important than just a checklist to make sure everything runs to a good ending. It continues what the other entries accomplished, restoring my hope and faith in the Star Wars universe. The final shot could be considered an eye roll, but its the essence of this episodic storyline. We are always looking to the horizon, searching for answers to our problems. Star Wars has always been a place for wonder and optimism, putting us in a place to we can discover what is necessary to make a difference in our world. It’s why I cried throughout because “The Rise of Skywalker” is trying to earnestly unite us, not divide.
“The Rise of Skywalker” is a beautiful capper to not only just this new trilogy but the entire Skywalker saga. It is an action-adventure with tons of emotional pathos, leading the audience to a satisfying conclusion for all to love and enjoy. If this is the future for Star Wars films, I’d be happy and we should be so lucky.
This week on Episode 357 of the InSession Film Podcast, we discussed our top 3 “against the grain” movies of 2019, or in other words, the movies we liked that most didn’t care for much. The feedback to this week’s Top 3 should be fun since the nature of this topic means that we’ll be in the minority opinion regarding these films. But, that’s also what makes it a lot of fun at the same time. That said, here are our lists:
(Note: Please keep in mind that we each had different criteria for our selections)
JD
1) How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World
2) The Beach Bum
3) The Dead Don’t Die
Brendan
1) Dragged Across Concrete
2) The Beach Bum
3) Paddleton
Kevin
1) Booksmart
2) The Dead Don’t Die
3) The Kid
Honorable Mentions (Combined) Joker, Dark Phoenix, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, The Report, Arctic, All is True, The Russian Five, Light of Life, Frozen II, Godzilla: King of the Monsters, Where’d Ya Go Bernadette, Brittany Runs a Marathon, Her Smell, Midsommar, Under the Silver Lake, Glass, Serenity, Yesterday, The Peanut Butter Falcon
Hopefully you guys enjoyed our lists and if you agree or disagree with us, let us know in the comment section below. As mentioned above, there’s a good chance that you will disagree with us, so let us know why and which films you were against the grain on in 2019. That being said, what would be your Top 3? Leave a comment in the comment section or email us at [email protected].
This week on the InSession Film Podcast, Kevin Thompson from CinemaGeeks joins us to discuss Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker and our Top 3 against the grain movies of 2019! JD and Brendan also give our thoughts on Adam Sandler in Uncut Gems.
The Star Wars discourse right now is as heated it’s ever been, and understandably from a certain point of view, but we tried to be open-minded with our thoughts on the film. We expect a good portion of you will disagree with us, but hopefully we can all be friendly and cordial. And if you’re tired of all the Rise of Skywalker talk, feel free to skip ahead to our thoughts on Uncut Gems and the Top 3. We won’t be offended!
On that note, check out this week’s show and let us know what you think in the comment section. Thanks for listening and for supporting the InSession Film Podcast!
– Movie Review: Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (6:12) Director: J.J. Abrams Writer: Chris Terrio, J.J. Abrams Stars: Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac
– Notes / Uncut Gems (1:17:49)
As noted above, we were able to catch up with the Safdie brothers’ latest film Uncut Gems, starring Adam Sandler. For long time listeners of the show, you may remember that we were not big fans of the Safdie brothers prior to Uncut Gems, but that may have changed with this one.
– Top 3 Against the Grain Movies of 2019 (1:39:50)
For clarity, these are the movies we liked more than most people, which should make the feedback interesting since the nature of this topic means that we’ll be in the minority opinion regarding these films. But, that’s also what makes it a lot of fun at the same time. That said, what would be your Top 3?
If you want to help support us, there are several ways you can help us and we’d absolutely appreciate it. Every penny goes directly back into supporting the show and we are truly honored and grateful. Thanks for your support and for listening to the InSession Film Podcast!
Director: Jay Roach Writers: Charles Randolph Stars: Charlize Theron, Nicole Kidman, Margot Robbie, John Lithgow
Synopsis: A group of women take on Fox News head Roger Ailes and the toxic atmosphere he presided over at the network.
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Politics affects daily life. It affects everything. That’s why whenever anyone asks another person to “keep politics out” of something, it’s always suspect. Usually it means the person wants to keep a certain type of politics out of something. Whether it’s possible to separate politics is an entirely different question than whether you even should.
I say this because I’m wondering if the political forces and ideas at the heart of director Jay Roach’s new film Bombshell may get in the way of the story this film attempts to tell.
For one, it would certainly be impossible to try to separate politics from this story, and I’m certainly not advocating that it should have been attempted. This is a story about Fox News, for goodness sake. You have to deal with the politics. Roger Ailes (played here by John Lithgow) was one of the leading political figures of his time. He built a network that changed the political landscape. You can’t tell this story without getting into politics.
But what is “this story” exactly? Well, the film looks at the sexual harassment lawsuits that rocked Fox News and forced Ailes out of the network he built. It centers on characters – both real and fictional – that bravely spoke out about the harassment that they and their colleagues were subjected to. There is Megyn Kelly (Charlize Theron), the network star; Gretchen Carlson (Nicole Kidman), who was the first major network personality to speak out; and Kayla Pospisil (Margot Robbie), a fictional character who joins the network as an associate producer at the beginning of the film. These three will be our main window into how women are treated at the network, and how they must react to that treatment.
The cast in this film is absolutely fantastic. You could probably tell that by the names I’ve already listed, but then you have supporting turns from the likes of Allison Janney, Malcom McDowell, Kate McKinnon, and Mark Duplass. The acting on display is wonderful, but Robbie steals the show in my book. Each of the three leads performs their part well, but I thought Robbie outshined the rest. She embodies the youthful vigor and simultaneous naiveté of this fresh talent walking in the doors of Fox News. She wants to be there. She’s dreamed of it. But she quickly realizes that it may not be all she dreamed.
I do wonder if Robbie was aided in this particular instance by not having a real-life shadow hanging over her character. The character of Megyn Kelly was particularly difficult for me. Theron really gives a fine performance, but everyone watching this film knows Kelly. Even Carlson has at least a semblance of mystery. But there always seemed to be a conflict at play. I don’t mean there was conflict at the heart of the character but rather in how exactly to portray her. Conflict within a character can give an actor a wonderful opportunity to give a fully realized performance, but a bifurcated approach into how to handle a character dulls that opportunity. I felt that happened with the approach to Kelly in this film.
What the film absolutely nails is the makeup. Theron looks like a mirror image of Kelly, and Lithgow’s transformation into Ailes is absolutely remarkable. The makeup team’s work here is certainly Oscar-worthy, and I thought it was the best element in the film.
But here again we come to the issue of real and fake. Understand where I’m going here – Bombshell is not a documentary but rather a feature film. It is a fictional narrative that depicts a real-life story. We should not expect perfection from the film, and the viewer needs to understand that creative license will be taken. A title card before the start of the film makes this very clear. At the same time, that creative license needs to be subtly hidden. The makeup is a perfect example of this. We know these are actors playing parts, and yet the makeup team causes us to suspend our disbelief through their incredible work.
The script by Charles Randolph, unfortunately, does not accomplish the same feat.
Much of the film felt like it came out of a writer’s room where the only idea was – “Let’s figure out what lines of dialogue would be hilarious for someone at Fox to say.” Much of the dialogue is far too convenient. Again, we all understand that this is a fictional tale, but when you have characters underlying the manufactured quality of the film, it pulls us out of the story. There have been great films that have pointed out this manufactured quality inherent in movies, but it is a very fine line to walk. It’s why Persona is one of the all-time greats – there aren’t many people who can nod to the “fake” nature of filmmaking like Bergman did there.
An example is when Kelly is talking with her husband, Doug Brunt (Duplass), and she asks whether her big mouth has ruined their lives. Doug responds, “Not yet.” It is too perfect of a response. We know what has happened to Kelly in the time since this would have occurred. It feels false because it’s too convenient. It’s too true. We shouldn’t expect a creative team to figure out exactly what Kelly said at any given moment and put that in the script. But we should expect them to hide the fact that such an idea is impossible a little bit better than they do here.
The only one of these attempts at satire that worked for me was early in the film where Kayla mixes up an on-air graphic – showing a picture of Don Henley instead of Glenn Fry. She responds that she doesn’t know “secular” music. That’s funny. It’s good satire, and it makes sense within the narrative of that scene. It doesn’t pull us out of the story, and it also comments on the type of person that might work at Fox News. But so much of the dialogue throughout the film is of the clunkier variety.
I’ll admit, it is hard to separate one’s views of the Fox News personalities in this story from the narrative that the film builds. I’ve seen some commentary about the danger in painting the real-life characters at the heart of this story as feminist heroes or leaders of the resistance.
And this is where my intro comes in – we must remember what exactly the story that this film attempts to tell really is. This is the story of women coming forward and speaking the truth about powerful men. You must remember – Roger Ailes was removed from Fox News before Harvey Weinstein’s alleged abuse was uncovered. That’s not to say that Gretchen Carlson somehow launched the #MeToo movement, but we should consider that when she came forward with her lawsuit against Ailes, the idea of such a powerful man being taken down would have been far less likely. This was a courageous act, and that should not be overlooked because one disagrees with her politics. To #BelieveWomen, you have to believe the ones that once worked for Fox News, too.
The film deals with this aspect of its story by having Carlson speak directly to the camera later in the film. I think there may have been a better way to get at that difficult aspect of wrestling with this film, but it wasn’t horribly handled.
What was a little bit more difficult for me was the way in which the film depicted sexual harassment. For the most part, we only hear about the abusive comments that Ailes and others made (the film only tiptoes around the edges of Bill O’Reilly’s settlement for sexual harassment claims). However, there is one scene that depicts Ailes asking Kayla to hike up her skirt for him to determine whether she will be right for his “visual medium” of TV. He has her continue to raise her skirt until we can see her underwear. It is not just a creepy scene, it is disturbing. I saw the film in a theater with my wife. After we left, I asked her about the scene. She said she felt it was necessary – that we needed to actually see the harassment. I think I agree, but the scene was certainly disturbing, and anyone who has experienced harassment or sexual abuse must be aware that the film will display this in no uncertain terms.
Bombshell is a good film, and it tells a story worth telling. I’m not convinced that Roach was the director to handle this type of material, and there were repeated moments were I felt he went for the cheap laugh and convenient punch line where a sharper eye could have lent the film a stronger quality. Still, this story is powerful enough to push through all that, and the acting performances elevate the power of the story.
Yes, this may be about Fox News. But more than anything, this is about women speaking truth about powerful men. Their acts took courage no matter their political leanings. If we can’t see that, then what are we doing?
With Uncut Gems, we get the much-anticipated follow-up to the Safdie Brother’s 2017 thriller Good Time. Though Good Time seemed a divisive film by some, Uncut Gems has been seen as one of the best films from 2019, with one of the best performances of the year from Adam Sandler. There was a lot to tackle with this review and the guys came ready with extremely positive takes on it.
In the back half of the episode, the guys talk about the prison drama, Clemency. This one premiered back at the Sundance Film Festival in early 2019, but has garnered a lot of buzz, espcially for stars Alfre Woodard and Aldis Hodge. Not a long conversation from the boys but lead to some interesting thoughts.
On that note, have fun with this week’s Extra Film segment and let us know what you think in the comment section below. Thanks for listening!
– Movie Review: Uncut Gems (2:43) Director: Josh Safdie, Benny Safdie Screenplay: Josh Safdie, Ronald Bronstein, Benny Safdie Stars: Adam Sandler, Julia Fox, Kevin Garrnett, Idina Menzel
We try to make this the best movie podcast we possibly can and we hope you enjoy them. Subscribe today on iTunes, Spotify or Stitcher, and please leave us a review on iTunes. You can also find us on Soundcloud, PlayerFM and TuneIn Radio as well. We really appreciate all your support of the InSession Film Podcast.
To hear this Extra Film episode and everything else we do, download our apps on the Amazon Market for Android and the Podcast Box app on IOS devices. The mobile app covers all of our main shows, bonus podcast’s and everything else relating to the InSession Film Podcast. Thanks for your wonderful support and for listening to our show. It means the world to us!
On Episode 17 of Chasing the Gold, Ryan is joined by Erik Anderson of Awards Watch and Kevin Jacobsen of And the Runner Up Is podcast to discuss the Oscar shortlists for many Oscar categories and then dive deep into Golden Glove and SAG nominations. As the awards race keeps picking up, three of the biggest lists came within the same week, with the Oscar shortlists arrive minutes before the recording of this show. Instant reactions to those were given but a complete look at Golden Globe and SAG nominations shine a crystal ball into what we could see come Oscar nomination morning. With Erik and Kevin being two veteran guests on the show, their conversation with Ryan plays like old friends discussing something they love and it’s one of the best Chasing the Gold episodes we have had.
On that note, have fun with this week’s Chasing the Gold and let us know what you think in the comment section below. Thanks for listening!
We try to make this the best movie podcast we possibly can and we hope you enjoy them. Subscribe today on iTunes, Spotfiy or Stitcher, and please leave us a review on iTunes. You can also find us on Soundcloud, PlayerFM and TuneIn Radio as well. We really appreciate all your support of the InSession Film Podcast.
To hear this Extra Film episode and everything else we do, download our apps on the Amazon Market for Android and the Podcast Box app on IOS devices. The mobile app covers all of our main shows, bonus podcast’s and everything else relating to the InSession Film Podcast. Thanks for your wonderful support and listening to our show. It means the world to us!
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Help Support The InSession Film Podcast
If you want to help support us, we would greatly appreciate it! For more info, CLICK HERE.
As we begin 2020, the floodgates are open for more movies coming out in theatres for the Oscar campaign, reassessments in the argument of what is cinema, and more special releases in the Criterion Channel that goes beyond their usual realm. Technicolor musicals, satirical approaches towards society, and the real-life grit of innocence lost have now graced the site for all to see. And if you’re like me with a nice metallic card recognized as a charter subscriber (humble brag!), you know what is new out there. So, here’s my latest cruise down the Channel.
Golden Age Of MGM Musicals
In the 1940s and 50s, Technicolor musicals were becoming the instant hits for Metro-Goldwyn-Meyer and 21 of them are available. I saw several of them, namely the big hits that are much highly regarded to this day. One of the first big hits was Meet Me In St Louis starting Judy Garland, a beautiful piece of early 20th-century setting that gave us Garland in her first adult role following The Wizard of Oz. The film is one of a few in this category directed by Vincente Minnelli, who would marry (then divorce) Garland, but produce one child from the marriage, Liza Minnelli. Two notable Minnelli films, the Best Picture-winning An American In Paris and The Band Wagon, featured each of the leading dancing men who graced the screen, Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire. Of course, Kelly also served as co-director with Stanley Donen on Singing In The Rain, but there is a second film worth watching from the two, On The Town, which paired Kelly with Frank Sinatra. The variety of major musicals coming from this era was a high point in the genre, even outside of MGM, ending with the compilation film from 1974, That’s Entertainment!
The Circus (1928)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mg8y6NyE1oE
Charlie Chaplin’s underrated silent film follows The Tramp stumbling into a job for a traveling carnival and falling in love with a horse rider. This movie was the hardest to make because of the number of problems in the way, including Chaplin’s legal issues with the IRS that help production up for months, a public divorce with his wife that lasted a year, and a large fire in the studio that destroyed most of the set. It took two years to finish and the result was the same as his other classics: a film about love, fantasy, and daily mischief from Chaplin’s legendary alter ego.
A Face In The Crowd (1957)
Elia Kazan took his America story to the growing television market with the story about a drifter (Andy Griffith) who rises in popularity from his local radio in Arkansas to the small screen in New York City. As his stature grows, so does his ego, which leads to his downfall. It was Griffith’s first film just a few years before his famed The Andy Griffth Show made him one of the most popular TV actors in the country. It serves as a self prophecy, showing a figure who takes his ballooned personality into areas out of his entertainment lane, notably the politics of it, very much like the man who occupies the White House now. In A Face In The Crowd, the golden age of television is both the lightning bolt that brings in fame and the killer of all TV lives.
Following (1998)
Before he became the auteur we know him to be, Christopher Nolan’s debut showed the talent that would come in the future with his usual non-linear storyline about a London man who follows strangers around and follows one person into the criminal underworld. With a budget of $6,000, Nolan shot it on the weekends with a cast that had full-time jobs on the weekdays, a few crew members, and 16-mm black & white film stock to which Nolan saved by only shooting two takes of each scene. His three-minute short, Doodlebug, could also be seen and has the same luring style of Following, which came right after this short film. It is incredible the leap Nolan has taken from this to the Dark Knight Trilogy, Dunkirk, and now the upcoming Tenet.
Persepolis (2007)
One of the most amazing animated films in the 21st century, this adaptation of the graphic novel memoir by Marjane Satrapi follows her childhood in Iran and growing up within the Iranian Revolution to her rebellion amidst leaving Iran to France. It is such a progressive film, on how the animation is and how it flows moment to moment in Marjane’s turbulent early life with family origins, political strife, and Western values all colliding in a confusing time and how Marjane struggles to find her independence in two different worlds. Could it possibly mean it will get the Criterion treatment? They need more animated films and this will work perfectly.
This year saw the release of two films which explored government corruption, cover-ups and the brave individuals willing to fight for democracy. Both films have their merits and both have their flaws, but there’s no denying their importance considering the current political climate. These films were Official Secrets directed by Gavin Hood and The Report from director Scott Z. Burns, and while both films shared many similarities and had very strong performances from their central leads, (Adam Driver in “The Report” and Keira Knightley in “Official Secrets”), from a screenwriting perspective one film worked better in terms of narrative structure and character development.
While The Report has a far more catastrophic scandal at its core, the overall film seemed smaller in terms of its cinematic visuals and its storytelling. Official Secrets may be formulaic and cliched in terms of its narrative beats and structure, but because it sticks so closely to the rules of the three-act structure of screenwriting its climax has more of a dramatic, emotional impact for the viewer compared to the ending of The Report.
If we use the three act structure as our basis we can compare how these films differ and why Official Secrets works in the traditional film structure, and why The Report would have been better suited as a televised mini-series. First off, this isn’t to say that The Report isn’t an important film, or to dismiss any messages/themes that the film addresses, but the aim of this article is simply to explore how the story of The Report is restricted by the traditional narrative structure of film.
To all those who have studied screenwriting, the three act structure is something you are more than likely familiar with, but to all of those who aren’t familiar with the playbook of screenwriting, let’s break it down. The three act structure is a narrative model that divides stories into three parts — Act One, Act Two, and Act Three (the beginning, the middle and the end). Every story needs a beginning, and in act one the screenwriter must set up the world in which the story takes place in, the main characters, the main character’s goal, and the obstacles that they must overcome to achieve their goal.
Using Official Secrets as our template, we can see how the screenwriter adheres to the rules of the three act structure to set up the character of Katharine Gun. In the film’s opening we see her daily routine, we are introduced to her job (working at GCHQ), and we see her interacting with her husband Yasar (Adam Bakri) and their relationship is established. The world around Katharine is also established, the viewer sees quickly that she lives in a small town, her husband is running a restaurant that is struggling, and the country is torn apart by the impending decision to invade Iraq. By the end of the 25 minute mark, the first act will end with an inciting incident. In the case of Official Secrets the incident is Katharine’s decision to leak the memo. By setting up the character of Katharine, and establishing her personality and her moral compass, the viewer accepts the reason behind her decision to leak the memo.
If we contrast the beginning of Official Secrets with The Report, we can see how the character of Daniel Jones lacks any real introduction and as a result the viewer doesn’t fully connect with him.. Daniel mentions the impact that 9/11 had on his life, during an interview which led to him pursuing his line of work, but we know very little about Daniel’s background and his life prior to the report.
What Bruns does well with the opening to The Report is setting up Daniel’s aim and the world in which the narrative takes place in. However, aside from knowing Daniel’s mission, the viewer lacks a real emotional connection with this character. The issue is that as a character, Daniel feels underdeveloped, we know his want but what is his need? It would have been far more compelling to see Daniel’s world outside the office in a similar fashion to how the viewer saw Katharine’s life. A classic rule of screenwriting is show don’t tell but Burns seems to have overlooked this aspect of screenwriting.
We understand that Daniel has become obsessed with discovering the truth, and this has affected his mental well-being. However, this isn’t conveyed to us in the same manner that occurs in Official Secrets where we see the character of Katharine become more withdrawn and paranoid. As film is a visual medium, an image can convey more emotions. Instead of Daniel disclosing his emotional struggles, it would have been far more impactful to see Daniel waking up from a nightmare.
Perhaps the main issue with the narrative of The Report is that the film’s events take place over the course of several years, compared to the events of Official Secrets taking place over a shorter time span. While, Burns makes the viewer aware of the change in time with the use of title cards indicating the year, the narrative jumps across several years at such a rapid pace with multiple characters being introduced so quickly that it becomes a struggle for the viewer to keep up. If the story had been structured as an episodic television series, each episode could have been centred over the events taking place in one particular year or focused on one character, which would have allowed the story to evolve in a natural way.
While, there are clearly issues in terms of narrative structure and character development with The Report there’s no denying how important this film is. In fact, both films help to kickstart some much needed discussion in terms of political corruption, and the freedom of the press. It is a shame that The Report failed to deliver the same emotional climax that Official Secrets did especially when you compare the devastating events/scenes that occur in The Report. However, one can hope that by examining the flaws of The Report any aspiring screenwriters out there can understand why the number one rule of screenwriting is “show, don’t tell.”
This week for our Patreon Bonus Content, Mark Hurne is back for another edition of Settling the Score, this time talking about the best score tracks of the decade! There’s been some great music in film this decade and we wanted to take a look at the tracks that moved us the most. Check it out!
To hear our bonus content episodes early, subscribe now on Patreon. In many cases, though, we offer our bonus content for free after a certain period of time and we do encourage (and very much appreciate) a small donation of $0.99 as a way to help support the show if signing up on Patreon isn’t for you. Click on the PayPal button below to donate and thanks so much for your support. You can also hear much of our Bonus Content via our mobile apps. See the information at the bottom of the post for more details.
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Listen to all of our bonus content on our apps for just a one-time fee! Whether you have an iPhone, Android or Windows phone, our apps are available in many different ways that is convenient for you. With our mobile app, not only can you listen to all of our bonus content, but our main shows and our Extra Film podcasts as well. Click here for more info!
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Happy Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker week everyone! Right now the Star Wars fan community is divided, so we’re going to aim to keep this positive. While some of these films are better than others, I think it’s safe to say that most fans have at least enjoyed them in some way or another. Each one seems to have their devoted fan base and we think that makes this poll interesting. So with that sayd, what is the best Star Wars film from this decade?
Director: Michael Bay Writers: Rhett Rheese, Paul Wernick Stars: Ryan Reynolds, Mélanie Laurent, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, Ben Hardy, Adria Arjona, Dave Franco, Corey Hawkins, Lior Raz, Payman Maadi
Synopsis: Meet a new kind of action hero. Six untraceable agents, totally off the grid. They’ve buried their pasts so they can change the future.
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From the director of Bad Boys comes Sabotaging Squad, or as its leading actor deemed it a Bay production where Bay is at his Bay-est. If you’re irked, you should, as that means filmmaking has been interpreted as trailer-making and 6 Underground is not the silly actioner as advertised but absolutely a mess that announces itself as so in the loudest and most vulgar manner possible.
Proof? Look no farther than the film’s first set-piece — a car chase throughout Florence, Italy — that challenges sense, comprehension and tolerance. All this action is the result of a eff-up assassination mission, per the voiceover, and Bay brings the point home by filming it as if he was effed-up: flashing lights, shaky closeups, zipping bullets, flipping cars, slow-motion maneuvers, “Four” (Ben Hardy) doing parkour, shouting from “Five” (Adria Arjona), “Three” (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo) learning Italian, less-than-subtle oglings of gun-toting “Two” (Mélanie Laurent), lame quips from “One” (Ryan Reynolds) — two of them xenophobic, music zips between orchestral and pop rock, and apparently a thousand edits to capture everything (praise d.p. Bojan Bazelli for staying on until the end). Knowing Netflix’s flexibility with its filmmakers, this is Bay unshackled, and that means granting liberty to a rabid elephant. While the ensuing mayhem electrifies — where else will you see a lime-green Alfa Romeo dodging Suburbans, (then inexplicably) Audis, Subarus and Maseratis? Fracas in a penthouse with a rooftop pool?! A yacht turned into magnet?!!? — the main feeling is unpleasantness. When random is reason, even the fun that sometimes agrees to be the dumb’s best company has to make a run for it.
There is supposed to be dumb fun here: Writers Rhett Rheese and Paul Wernick are basically pumping steroids into 2001’s Swordfish, ripping off a bigger check for destruction to the order of folks with skills, wealth or both who use anonymity to right wrongs. In 6 Underground’s case, the group-o’-Ghosts’ objective is to unseat the dictator of Dubai-like Turgistan (Lior Raz) so his more democratic brother (Payman Maadi) can come to power. It’s a competent-enough setup that then degrades itself by becoming — just because — difficult to follow due to the editors on speed, a willy-nilly need to rewind when it’s going forward just fine or pivot to a hollow emotional beat. “Three” is madly in love with “Two,” but they are rarely seen in sync — not even in that sex scene in tennis clothes. “One” is basically Bruce Wayne, though most of the time the thing that’s weighing him down is obnoxiousness rather than responsibility. New recruit-slash-replacement “Seven” (Corey Hawkins) is the most human member of the group, but his loss-and-redemption arc is about as significant as single-use tissue. It’s already ruinous on the writing front, and yet Bay does nothing to save it; his action instead is to use his craftsmanship to amplify the flaws. Can’t see it? Who cares. Can’t feel it? Middle finger to you. No questions? Here’s more pyrotechnics to fill up the screen and semi-naked girls to push things along. Again, just because.
And it’s hard to say thanks — let’s assume there is a need to — since these bits are presented with nothing else besides crudeness. Shaky if slow. Dizzying if large-scale. Perversely close if anatomical.
For sure, some of the folks involved know what film they’re in — definitely Reynolds and Hardy with their “ah-whatever” spirit; absolutely Laurent with the slight annoyance upon realizing her badassery won’t be as crucial as her body — but it’s not tough to imagine that they’ll still be surprised as final cut almost totally caters to the uglies of their director. 6 Underground allows Bay to operate at his highest level and enables him to further dissolve his brand from lardy entertainment into expensive insults to filmgoers — this being the grandest one to date. Where art thou, the Bay who knows he’s on the set of a feature film? The one who has a reduced budget but turns in OK fares, or the one who can control his explosions without losing the plot? We need him above ground, stat.
As we’ve noted with other Movie Series we’ve done, Ingmar Bergman is a major blindspot for us (especially for JD) and we were eager to remedy that error. Bergman is considered one of the most influential filmmakers of all-time, with a deep filmography of iconic films that continue to have an impact today. Unfortunately we can’t cover every single one of his masterful works of art, but we are going to dive heavily into his most prominent films and discuss how they’ve effected the cinephile landscape. Follow along and we hope you enjoy the series as much as we will.
The Seventh Seal, 1957
Listen to our review below as heard on Episode 347.
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Wild Strawberries, 1959
Listen to our review below as heard on Episode 348.
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Persona, 1967
Listen to our review below as heard on Episode 351.
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Cries & Whispers, 1972
Listen to our review below as heard on Episode 349.
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Autumn Sonata, 1978
Listen to our review below as heard on Episode 353.
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Fanny and Alexander, 1983
Listen to our review below as heard on Episode 354.
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Scenes from a Marriage, 1974
Listen to our review below as heard on Episode 355.
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The Virgin Spring, 1960
Listen to our review below as heard on Episode 356.
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Well, that’s it. That’s our Ingmar Bergman Movie Series. What an incredible journey we went on. We’ve done some great series’ before, but this may be the best one yet. We loved every second of it and we hope you enjoyed it as well. Be sure to leave any feedback in the comment section below or hit us up on social media!
This week on the InSession Film Podcast, we discuss Greta Gerwig’s Little Women and we conclude our Ingmar Bergman Movie Series with his 1960 film The Virgin Spring! JD also gives his thoughts on Richard Jewell, For Sama and 6 Underground.
What’s especially exciting this week is that we are joined by Brandon Stanwyck from the Academy Queens podcast for our review of The Virgin Spring. We love and adore Brandon’s work on its own terms, so we were excited to have him on the show for that alone, but there’s an extra connection he has to the show which makes his appearance even more special. It turns out that Brandon’s boyfriend is the brother of Nate Parsons, co-founder of InSession Film, so in a small way Brandon has been a party of the family this whole time. Which is to say, we loved having him on the show and he was a great guest.
On that note, check out this week’s show and let us know what you think in the comment section. Thanks for listening and for supporting the InSession Film Podcast!
– Movie Review: Little Women (5:54) Director: Greta Gerwig Writer: Greta Gerwig, Louisa May Alcott (based on the novel by) Stars: Saoirse Ronan, Emma Watson, Timothée Chalamet, Florence Pugh
– Notes / Richard Jewell / For Sama / 6 Underground (50:24)
As noted above, JD was able to see Clint Eastwood’s Richard Jewell, which has found itself in some controversy (shocking) over its depiction of the Kathy Scruggs character. He gave his thoughts on the discourse surrounding that and the film itself. He also talked about the documentary For Sama and Michael Bay’s latest film 6 Underground, which out on Netflix right now.
– Ingmar Bergman Movie Series: The Virgin Spring (1:17:11) Director: Ingmar Bergman Writer: Ingmar Bergman Stars: Max von Sydow, Birgitta Valberg, Gunnel Lindblom
Main Review: Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
Top 3: N/A
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Help Support The InSession Film Podcast
If you want to help support us, there are several ways you can help us and we’d absolutely appreciate it. Every penny goes directly back into supporting the show and we are truly honored and grateful. Thanks for your support and for listening to the InSession Film Podcast!
This week on the InSession Film Podcast: Extra Film segment, Ryan and Jay discuss the latest from directors Clint Eastwood and Todd Haynes with Richard Jewell and Dark Waters.
With Richard Jewell, Clint Eastwood finds himself again the subject of a late-year review from Ryan and Jay. Unlike last year’s The Mule, the two Extra Film hosts seem to find common ground and have a lengthy discussion over the film’s quality, controversies, and politics. The conversation is one of the best the guys have had this year.
In the back half of the episode, the guys talk about the environmental thriller, Dark Water. As another entry in Jay’s “People doing good at their job” genre, it’s no secret he fell in love with it. But you will want to listen to see if Ryan agrees with him or not.
On that note, have fun with this week’s Extra Film segment and let us know what you think in the comment section below. Thanks for listening!
– Movie Review: Richard Jewell (3:10) Director: Clint Eastwood Screenplay: Billy Ray Stars: Paul Walter Hauser, Sam Rockwell, Olivia Wilde, Kathy Bates, Jon Hamm
– Movie Review: Dark Waters (52:18) Directors: Todd Haynes Screenplay: Mario Correa, Matthew Michael Carnahan Stars: Mark Ruffalo, Anne Hathaway, Tim Robbins, Bill Camp, Victor Garber
We try to make this the best movie podcast we possibly can and we hope you enjoy them. Subscribe today on iTunes, Spotify or Stitcher, and please leave us a review on iTunes. You can also find us on Soundcloud, PlayerFM and TuneIn Radio as well. We really appreciate all your support of the InSession Film Podcast.
To hear this Extra Film episode and everything else we do, download our apps on the Amazon Market for Android and the Podcast Box app on IOS devices. The mobile app covers all of our main shows, bonus podcast’s and everything else relating to the InSession Film Podcast. Thanks for your wonderful support and listening to our show. It means the world to us!
