Shows
Bulletproof Screenwriting™ PodcastBPS 446: The Screenwriting Secrets Every Indie Writer Needs to Know with Dan BenamorDan Benamor began his film career as an intern, quickly working his way up to head of development at a small production company. That experience gave him a deep understanding of story and the industry, shaping his perspective on what makes a screenplay stand out: confidence, strong character work, and purposeful storytelling. While he has tried directing, Dan discovered that his true passion lies in writing. He believes the hardest part of the process is in the planning and development stage, where theme, character arcs, and structure are carefully mapped out. Once the blueprint is clear, writing becomes the rewarding...
2025-11-2040 min
Indie Film Hustle® - A Filmmaking PodcastIFH 824: The Screenwriting Secrets Every Indie Writer Needs to Know with Dan BenamorDan Benamor began his film career as an intern, quickly working his way up to head of development at a small production company. That experience gave him a deep understanding of story and the industry, shaping his perspective on what makes a screenplay stand out: confidence, strong character work, and purposeful storytelling. While he has tried directing, Dan discovered that his true passion lies in writing. He believes the hardest part of the process is in the planning and development stage, where theme, character arcs, and structure are carefully mapped out. Once the blueprint is clear, writing becomes the rewarding...
2025-10-1440 min
Watch This TonightBest Watches Of My LifeWhat is the best movie watching experience of your life, and why? In this episode, I break down 4 of mine, from seeing a film in the largest IMAX screen in America, to a relatively obscure movie that may have led to me proposing marriage to my now-wife. Let me know about YOUR best watch of your life. Reach out to me by email at dan@voyagemedia.com, or @BenamorDan (Twitter), watch_this_tonight (Instagram) or @watchthistonightpodcast (TikTok).Come back to Watch This Tonight as your podcast for the best film recommendations. Please leave us a five-star...
2023-03-2009 minWatch This TonightIn The Mood For: Most F'd Up Movies ImaginableSome people like taking a walk on the wild side. That's where this sub-genre comes in, the most f'd up movies imaginable. This is the last in our "in the mood for" series. Supremely f'd up movies discussed include The Empty Man (one of the great cult movies, literally and figuratively, of the last 5 years, which announces a stellar new filmmaker in David Prior), Annihilation (the incredibly freaky Alex Garland and Natalie Portman film), and The Perfection (a film by the always daring and fun Richard Shepard, of The Matador, which has a jaw-dropping insane ending). Let me know your...
2023-01-0912 minWatch This TonightIn The Mood For: Scifi GemsContinuing our series of sub-genres of movies you're in the mood for, on this episode we're discussing sci-fi gems, science fiction films you might not have seen. Sci-fi has a legacy of movies that are interesting, unique, with overqualified casts, and out-there ideas that just get lost for whatever reason. Films discussed include Underwater, the Kirsten Stewart film (that I'll stand on the table for all day as a legitimately good movie), Captive State (Andor before Andor, a movie very few people saw but that has really inventive ideas), and In The Shadow of The Moon (a Netflix film that...
2023-01-0612 minWatch This TonightIn The Mood For: Disreputable Crime FindsPart of a new series, sub-genres of films you're in the mood for - this episode centers on disreputable crime films, scuzzy, sleazy, crime movies that put you into a dark, amoral world. Films discussed include Wrath Of Man (Guy Ritchie and Jason Statham, with an unheralded fantastic Scott Eastwood performance), The Tax Collector (David Ayer and Shia LaBeouf) and Sicario: Day of The Soldado (Stefano Sollima, Taylor Sheridan, Josh Brolin and Benicio Del Toro). Let me know your favorite disreputable crime film at dan@voyagemedia.com, @BenamorDan (Twitter), watch_this_tonight (Instagram) or @watchthistonightpodcast (TikTok).
2023-01-0409 minWatch This TonightMagnoliaA 3-hour raw nerve ending, Magnolia is considered a divisive film, but looking back at it now, it has gained in power over the years since it was released (especially depending on what age you are when you watched it). Every minute of this movie is an intense, screaming, crying, nervous breakdown - and yet it's ultimately an upbeat message in the end. Bonus points for me sharing an extremely embarassing Magnolia-esque scene from my own life. Did you have a Magnolia moment in your own life? Let me know at dan@voyagemedia.com, @BenamorDan (Twitter), watch_this...
2023-01-0214 minWatch This TonightAvatar: The Way of WaterMy biggest surprise of the year, since I'm on record as not being a fan of the first film. James Cameron's movie event of the year, Avatar: The Way of Water is a massive improvement over the first film. The themes of environmentalism and spirituality are better integrated into the plot and characters, the villain (all hail the great Stephen Lang) is now nuanced and complex, it's better written top-to-bottom, it's a great movie about family, the action is more effective, the world-building is more complex. It is long as hell, but for me personally the time went by in...
2022-12-3015 minWatch This TonightTop Three Movies Of The YearA guarantee: you will not predict the number one selection. As much a dissection of top films of the year as a referundum on the state of cinema in 2022 vs. prior years. I'd really love to know YOUR favorite film of 2022, your number one selection - email me at dan@voyagemedia.com, or reach out on social media @BenamorDan (Twitter), watch_this_tonight (Instagram) or @watchthistonightpodcast (TikTok). Would love to read and react to your favorite film of 2022 on a subsequent episode. Thanks for listening.
2022-12-2609 minWatch This TonightTop Three TV Series of The YearTelevision writer Kendall Lampkin (who has worked on TV series produced by JJ Abrams and Dean Devlin) joins the podcast and we rank our top three favorite TV series of the year, as well as our honorable mentions. We floored each other with some of our choices, which we did not discuss beforehand, and we may have finally convinced each other to press play on some shows we had been refusing to watch. Let me know your top three TV series of the year by sending an email to dan@voyagemedia.com, or reaching out on social @BenamorDan (Twitter), watch...
2022-12-2129 minWatch This TonightThe Banshees Of Inisherin (HBO)Martin McDonagh's new film starring Brendan Gleeson and Colin Farrell, running back the same central trio from In Bruges. But this movie is very different from In Bruges. It's beautiful and often funny but also melancholy, philosphical and exisential. Now available on HBOMax, this is absolutely worth watching, but you may want to alter your expectations going in. A memorable, surprisingly emotionally poignant film. What did you think of The Banshees Of Inisherin? Let me know - reach out at dan@voyagemedia.com, @BenamorDan (Twitter), watch_this_tonight (Instagram, or @watchthistonightpodcast (TikTok). And please leave a review on Apple Podcasts...
2022-12-1910 minWatch This TonightEmily The Criminal (Netflix)Producer Garrick Dion (Whiplash, Nightcrawler) joins the podcast to discuss John Patton Ford's excellent independent film Emily The Criminal, starring Aubrey Plaza (having a hell of a year between this and The White Lotus). This is exactly the kind of movie we do this show for. Was under the radar, just popped up on Netflix, and has consistently gotten great reviews. Deservedly so, because this is a tight, attention-grabbing, compelling character study of one woman's exhilarating journey to the dark side (that for her, is actually not dark). In some ways, it's own version of Breaking Bad, but in a...
2022-12-1632 minWatch This TonightWhite Lotus Ouroboros Double Header (HBO)An innovative White Lous episode that will eat its own tail. If you listen PRIOR to the release of the Season 2 finale of White Lotus, you'll hear my predictions for the finale. If you listen on Monday night or later AFTER the Season 2 finale of White Lotus airs, you'll hear my predictions AND my report card on how I did, what I got right and wrong about the finale. Would love to hear your thoughts (either before or after) - reach out at dan@voyagemedia.com, @BenamorDan (Twitter), watch_this_tonight (Instagram) or @watchthistonightpodcast (Tik Tok). Thanks for listening.
2022-12-0908 minWatch This TonightOldboyThe gateway drug to Korea cinema. One of my favorite films of all time. By one of the leaders of Korea cinema (Park Chan-Wook) and starring one of its most accomplished actors (Choi Min-Sik). Includes incredible displays of cinematography, a haunting score, and one of the all-time WTF endings in film history. If you enjoy this film, check out the other films of Park Chan-Wook and other Korean superstar filmmakers like Bong Joon-Ho and Na Hong-Jin). Let me know your thoughts at dan@voyagemedia.com, @BenamorDan (Twitter), @watchthistonightpodcast (TikTok), and watch_this_tonight (Instagram). Please leave us a five-star review...
2022-11-2116 minWatch This TonightTulsa King (Paramount+)There was no way I wasn't going to do an episode on Tulsa King. I have been excitedly awaiting this show since it was announced - Terry Winter (The Sopranos) and Taylor Sheridan (Sicario, Yellowstone, Mayor of Kingstown) working together on a show about a mobster starting over in Tulsa, starring Sylvester Stallone? How could this NOT work? Well... it breaks my heart to say, there are some issues. There's so much talent involved that this show is worth discussing, debating, and I'd love to hear what YOU think of it. Shoot me a note at dan@voyagemedia.com, @BenamorDan...
2022-11-1613 minWatch This TonightCasinoRecent events in California gambling have shown that the film Casino is not out of date. This movie, an unlikely cable TV all-star (how many times did this air on TNT? 10,000 times?) is one I understand more as I get older, particularly in regard to DeNiro's terrible bet on Sharon Stone's character (justice for Ginger? I find myself empathizing with her more and more on revisiting of the film). Pesci, Scorsese, DeNiro, Stone - this film is often considered the more minor entry in Scorsese's gangster oeuvre but I've watched it more times than any of his other films. Is...
2022-11-1411 minWatch This TonightAndor Hits Its Stride Midseason (Disney+)In an unprecedented turn of events, for the first time ever on Watch This Tonight, we're doing the same show, again, because Episode 9 of Andor is so good it immediately vaulted to being the number one show on television for me. The unconventional theme of the series, that no one will rebel against authority unless they are so oppressed they have absolutely no other choice, comes to fruition across the ensemble, from Stellan Skarsgaard's handler, to Diego Luna and Andy Serkis in a Squid Game like prison scenario, contrasted with the enthusiastic nightmare bureaucrats of the empire. Has Andor gained...
2022-11-0711 minWatch This TonightNeighborsI have no memory of my first viewing of this film, because at the time I was (one of the only times in my entire life) under the influence of a substance the younger characters in this film adore. So it seemed like a great movie to revisit now, when I'm closer to the Seth Rogen character, vs. when I first saw the film (when I was closer to the Dave Franco character). Neighbors is an almost ideal movie to watch in your 20s, 30s, and 40s, because you'll relate to and enjoy different things about it depending on your...
2022-11-0412 minWatch This TonightThe White Lotus (Season 2, HBO)Ahhh Italy. You don't have to have seen Season 1 of HBO's The White Lotus to enjoy season 2. Just hop on the boat with Michael Imperioli, Jennifer Coolidge, F. Murray Abraham, Aubrey Plaza, and Theo James and luxuriate in the Italian sun at another White Lotus resort, replete with troubled relationships, lust, existential crises, opulence, and of course some dead bodies as well. Are you watching? Did you watch Season 1? What are your thoughts on the new season? Let me know at dan@voyagemedia.com, @BenamorDan (Twitter), watch_this_tonight (Instagram), @watchthistonightpodcast (Tik Tok). And please leave us a five-star review...
2022-11-0213 minWatch This TonightBarbarian OR An Ode To Justin LongBarbarian is an impossible movie to talk about without spoiling. So instead, I decided to talk about Justin Long, and why he might be horror cinema's most underrated and accomplished jack-of-all-trades, great as the wet-blanket boyfriend in Drag Me To Hell, the nightmarish victim of Tusk, and the loathsome misogynist of Barbarian. Is Justin Long secretly original horror cinema's MVP? Let me know your thoughts at dan@voyagemedia.com, @watchthistonightpodcast (Tik Tok), @BenamorDan (Twitter) and watch_this_tonight (Instagram). And please leave us a five-star review on Apple Podcasts if you're enjoying the show.
2022-10-3110 minWatch This TonightThe Good Nurse (Netflix)Possibly the most prolific killer in American history. He didn't use a knife, or a gun. He used medication, and the hospital system. He killed people at their most vulnerable, and what makes this story so frightening is that anyone reading this could have been a victim of Charles Cullen if he was working at the hospital you were treated at. The Netflix film about this story, starring Oscar winners Eddie Redmayne and Jessica Chastain, written by 1917's Krysty Wilson-Cairnes, directed by Tobias Lindholm, is based on Charles Graeber's extraordinary, insanely well-researched book about Charles Cullen, this killer nurse who...
2022-10-2813 minWatch This TonightThe Stranger (Netflix)A crime thriller that is arguably just as much an arthouse horror movie, this Netflix film takes an unexpected path into its story, inspired by an infamous true crime from Australia. Joel Edgerton and Sean Harris are tremendous in a nightmare version of Donnie Brasco, with strong shades of Zodiac. This is not going to be for everyone, but if you dig its dreamy, creepy mood, this is a unique, compelling film. Let me know what you thought of The Stranger at dan@voyagemedia.com, @BenamorDan (Twitter), watch_this_tonight (Instagram) and now on TikTok @watchthistonightpodcast - and please leave...
2022-10-2611 minWatch This TonightThe Irishman (Netflix)Bizarrely a comfort food movie for me, I'd love to know if Martin Scorsese's The Irishman works similarly for you. Arguably handicapped because its massive length makes for a trickier watch on streaming, despite being nominated for 10 Oscars it still feels like The Irishman has gone slightly under the radar considering its budget (the film was made for a quarter of a billion dollars) and pedigree (Scorsese, DeNiro, Pesci, Pacino, Zaillian). I've found that the more times I watch the film, the more things I notice and love about it. Where did you land on The Irishman? Let me know...
2022-10-2416 minWatch This TonightThe Watcher (Netflix)Who watches The Watcher? Apparently, a lot of people. This instant hit for Netflix benefits from a great, creepy, what-if-it-happened-to-you premise. But the real fun of it is the darkly subversive nature of the show's relationship to its main characters (Naomi Watts and Bobby Canavale's family) and the murderers' row (at times it feels like literally so) of stellar supporting actors (most notably Jennifer Coolidge doing excellent work, as well as Margo Martindale, Ricard Kind, Mia Farrow, Christopher McDonald, and more). Let me know what you think of The Watcher at dan@voyagemedia.com, @BenamorDan (Twitter), watch_this_tonight (Instagram...
2022-10-2110 minWatch This TonightUpgradeFor Halloween, I wanted to give you an evergreen pick that is on my short-list of awesome movies not everyone has seen, Leigh Whannell's Upgrade, starring Logan Marshall-Green. What makes this movie so great is that it's kind of Saw meets a Jackie Chan movie, with everything that comparison entails (brutal twists, comic, inventive action). And if anything, the lighter touch the film has in spots only lulls you into a false sense of security about the ending to come. This is a great movie to watch during the Halloween season, and if you haven't seen it yet, I'm jealous...
2022-10-1911 minWatch This TonightThe SopranosWe're all trapped by our families. This is the central idea that makes The Sopranos great. I had no understanding of this as a 17-year-old, when I first tried to watch this television series. I had a much better understanding of it as a 33-year-old doing nighttime feedings of my newborn second child, which is when I binged the show in a couple months. What age did you watch The Sopranos? How did it work for you depending on the age you were at when you watched it? And do you agree with my theory on the ending, which I...
2022-10-1709 minWatch This TonightThe Black PhoneIf you missed this in theaters like me, and you were debating watching it now, definitely do it. The Black Phone is an instant horror classic, from Ethan Hawke's villain's iconic mask, to Scott Derrickson's strong direction (particularly of child actors), to the sharp writing by Scott and C. Robert Cargill, to the underlying brilliance of Joe Hill's short story which finds a fresh way into a ghost story camouflaged within a serial killer story. There are rumors of a sequel, and I hope it happens. Let me know what you think at dan@voyagemedia.com or @BenamorDan (Twitter) or...
2022-10-1411 minWatch This TonightAlaska Daily (Hulu)Rockstar creative team (pilot written and directed by Tom McCarthy, of Spotlight) lead what is in some ways like a TV sequel to the Oscar-winning film Spotlight, starring Hilary Swank as a hard-charging reporter who is embroiled in scandal and ships off to a small newspaper in Alaska, where she uncovers an epidemic of missing and murdered indigenous women. Is it perfect? No. It wobbles out of the gate a little, but by the end of the pilot, this television series shows the promise of its creative team, and feels like a potential successor to great network dramas of old...
2022-10-1213 minWatch This TonightSnatchFound a fresh way into this, as I did with The Departed, I'm bringing you the top 5 lines that are in the Snatch script, which are NOT in the final film, as means to further illustrate what makes the movie so singular (Guy Ritchie's unique voice). I have probably watched Snatch 55 times. Is Snatch your favorite Guy Ritchie film? If not, what is? Let me know at dan@voyagemedia.com, or @BenamorDan (Twitter) or watch_this_tonight (Instagram). Please leave a 5-star review of the show on Apple Podcasts if you're enjoying it, and subscribe for future episodes.
2022-10-1010 minWatch This TonightGreenland (HBO)A Gerard Butler nightcap that'll have you shaking your drink from the tension, this movie really surprised me. It overachieves in every way. Reportedly made for a 35 million dollar budget, it looks like a 100 million dollar film. A seemingly familiar premise is enlivened by a smart narrative tweak and incredible, carefully calibrated, maximum suspense at every turn. I was sleeping on Greenland, and I shouldn't have been (director Ric Roman Waugh and writer Chris Sparling are two of my favorites, not to mention it has a great late-game cameo by another favorite of mine, Holt McCallany). Let me know what...
2022-10-0711 minWatch This TonightLast Seen Alive (Netflix)Some nights, you just want to watch Gerard Butler beat up a bunch of people to find his wife. Last Seen Alive, at time of recording, is the NUMBER ONE movie on Netflix. So apparently I'm not the only one who feels this way. Certainly, this is a programmer, but it's an elevated programmer film. It's got a great, what-would-you-do premise, a fast-paced and engaging plot, and a great cast of supporting actors (Jaimie Alexander, Russell Hornsby, Ethan Embry, Michael Irby) in addition to the reliably-great Gerard Butler. Let me know what you thought of this film at dan@voyagemedia...
2022-10-0513 minWatch This TonightThis Is 40 (Netflix)Perhaps the best example of this subject, Judd Apatow's film This Is 40 is a completely different viewing experience if you watch it in your 20s (like I did when it first came out) or approaching 40 (like I am now). What to a younger viewer might seem frivolous or small in stakes or plotless, to an older viewer feels one thousand percent true to life. The movie is funny no matter what age you watch it, but even more so if you are closer to the ages of the lead characters. This is all not to mention an insanely stacked supporting...
2022-10-0309 minWatch This TonightReboot (Hulu)Don't be thrown by the title, this show is fresh, funny, and surprisingly TV-MA at times in its humor. Given the pedigree (from Steve Levitan, co-creator of Modern Family, starring Keegan Michael Key, Judi Greer, Rachel Bloom, Paul Reiser, and Johnny Knoxville), we should never have doubted it. If you've got an itch for a great half-hour comedy, Reboot on Hulu is exactly that. Let me know your thoughts on it, or on the podcast, at dan@voyagemedia.com, @BenamorDan on Twitter, or watch_this_tonight on Instagram.Come back to Watch This Tonight as your podcast for...
2022-09-3012 minWatch This TonightAmerican Gigolo (Showtime)We get all versions of Jon Bernthal here. Prison Jon Bernthal. Suave Jon Bernthal. Vulnerable Jon Bernthal. The great unexpected discovery of this Showtime series, American Gigolo, though, is the sparkling romantic chemistry between Jon Bernthal and Gretchen Mol, who are exploding off the screen in every moment they share. The show has some bold choices that may or may not work for all viewers, but there's certainly enough here to recommend a watch, particularly for Bernthal fans. Shoot me an email and let me know what you think at dan@voyagemedia.com, or @BenamorDan on Twitter, or watch_this...
2022-09-2811 minWatch This TonightDen of ThievesThe film equivalent of a charming fun criminal cousin coming to visit, Den of Thieves is Gerard Butler having the most pure joy of his career, unhinging his jaw to not just chew but completely consume the scenery, ably supported by Pablo Schreiber in what is effectively this film's version of the DeNiro role in Heat. While the movie has many similarities to that film, it still makes its own way, especially with a late third-act twist that demonstrates another layer to the entire narrative. What is your movie equivalent of hanging out with a friend who is fun but...
2022-09-2612 minWatch This TonightAndor (Disney+)Tony Gilroy, Tony Gilroy, Tony Gilroy. The unique circumstances of this Disney+ Star Wars streaming television show are that Tony came in off the success of Rogue One, with the creative freedom and backing to push Star Wars into real moral ambiguity, and insert his own unique authorial voice into the mix. He's arguably an ideal candidate, because Tony's storytelling is simultaneously so classical and so distinctively him. I love this show, and I explain why in this episode. Shoot me an email at dan@voyagemedia.com and let me know your thoughts on Andor, or anything else we're doing...
2022-09-2317 minWatch This TonightThe DepartedThere is no other podcast about this movie exactly like this one. THE DEPARTED is my favorite movie of all time, but I didn't want to do just any THE DEPARTED podcast. So I went back to the William Monahan screenplay, and found the five best moments in THE DEPARTED original screenplay that are NOT in the final film. Many people will prefer other Martin Scorsese films, but for me this remains my favorite to this day, for its mixture of pacing, dark humor, East coast attitude, startling violence, and memorable dialogue. Let me know YOUR favorite movie of all...
2022-09-1909 minWatch This TonightEmergency (Amazon)An Amazon Prime hidden gem, Emergency is a clever, subversive, fresh take on SUPERBAD through the lens of race in America. Consistently funny while also threading in an undercurrent of social commentary, and even some sneaky horror beats, this is a true original movie cloaked in the fabric of a familiar classic. A great, fast, engaging watch, this film is currently streaming on Amazon Prime. Let me know what you thought of Emergency at dan@voyagemedia.com, or on Twitter @BenamorDan or Instagram at watch_this_tonight. And please write a review of the show on Apple Podcasts (I'll read...
2022-09-1613 minWatch This TonightTell Me Lies (Hulu)Everyone who worked on this show will be a star in about three weeks. I'm fully convinced of that. Hulu's new streaming television series TELL ME LIES comes out of the gate so strong, with stellar acting from its leads Grace Van Patten and Jackson White, wickedly sharp, rockstar writing from series creator Meaghan Oppenheimer, strong direction from Jonathan Levine - this TV show is the total package, and I can't wait to watch the rest of it. One of the strongest pilots I've seen in years. This episode of the podcast analyzes only the pilot episode of the series...
2022-09-1416 minWatch This TonightUncut GemsI don't find this movie anxiety inducing at all. Perhaps that's because I'm a reformed degenerate gambler. The Safdie Brothers Adam Sandler starring film UNCUT GEMS is a ghost of Christmas future movie for me, one I enjoy watching because I avoided going down the path of the character in the movie. Do you have any films you watch that way? Let me know at dan@voyagemedia.com, or at watch_this_tonight on Instagram or @BenamorDan on Twitter or the Watch This Tonight Facebook group.
2022-09-1210 minWatch This TonightThe Patient (Hulu)FX/Hulu continues their winning television streak with The Patient, a true two-hander starring Steve Carell and Domhnall Gleeson. If you've seen any marketing of the show, you'll know the high-concept premise. A serial killer abducts a therapist to try and get himself cured. Wild high-concept idea for a TV series, and through two episodes, they're pulling it off. A sneaky half-hour television drama (a rarity) that leaves you wanting more at the end of each episode (while avoiding dragging, since it's mostly Steve and Domhnall talking in a room). Let me know what you think of The Patient by...
2022-09-0914 minWatch This TonightWelcome To Wrexham (Hulu)More than just a novelty act, Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds new documentary TV series Welcome To Wrexham on FX/Hulu really breaks down what it means to be a sports fan, especially in a blue collar town. The show is funny, that is a given, but it's also emotionally engaging and compelling for any sports fan (even if you've never seen a game of soccer). Let me know what you think of this TV series, or anything else we're doing at Watch This Tonight, by emailing dan@voyagemedia.com or reaching out on Twitter @BenamorDan, Instagram at watch_this...
2022-09-0712 minWatch This TonightMargin CallWhy have I watched this movie 20 times? On the face of it, JC Chandor's ensemble drama, about an after-hours fiasco at a Wall Street firm, starring a starry ensemble including Zachary Quinto, Paul Bettany, Jeremy Irons, Stanley Tucci and Demi Moore, sounds like it should be dry and frankly, boring. It is anything but. The quality of the writing, the quality of the character work, the performances, the narrative structure, and the themes of the film, all come together to make something super-entertaining and a movie I revisit every few years. And like other All-Star episodes of this show, I...
2022-09-0511 minWatch This TonightHouse Of The Dragon (HBO)I was planning to not watch. It took an Instagram post from director Greg Yaitanes (Banshee, Quarry) to get me through the door. And once I was through the door, I shut the door behind me and planned to stay forever, within 15 minutes. This television series, with so much riding on it for HBO, steers its way steadily in through George RR Martin's world. We might have all over-thought this. Sunday nights, dragons, palace intrigue, world-class actors. The TV show is good. Don't worry. Shoot me an email to dan@voyagemedia.com with any thoughts, comments or questions on House...
2022-09-0214 min
SOFREP RadioTrue War Stories Podcast Producer Dan Benamor and Camouflaged Sisters Founder Lila HolleyOn this week’s podcast, Rad interviews Dan Benamor and Lila Holley. Dan is the Head of Podcasts at Voyage Media, and has shepherded 7 podcast series to release, including the hit true crime podcast Borderline and the military podcast True War Stories: Mission Report. Lila is an Army veteran, author of 9 books, and founder of Camouflaged Sisters. Dan shares stories of people he featured in his podcast, from survival after getting shot down in Vietnam to blocking war memories. Lila also talks about the amazing work of healing through storytelling that she does with Camouflaged Sisters, as we...
2022-04-0145 min
Movies I Love That No One Talks AboutA MOST VIOLENT YEARJ.C. Chandor has quietly become one of the best filmmakers working today, with MARGIN CALL, ALL IS LOST, TRIPLE FRONTIER and A MOST VIOLENT YEAR, perhaps his least-seen, most-underrated film (not by critics, who loved it, but by the general public). Have you seen this movie? It is, in some ways, to the gangster film what UNFORGIVEN is to the western, a deconstruction of the foundational tropes of the genre. Oscar Isaac IS early Al Pacino, a conclusion widely-found in the critical response to the film, while Jessica Chastain provides a strong counterpart to him as the real killer...
2020-11-0127 minMovies I Love That No One Talks AboutTHE SALTON SEAThe writer of this film, Tony Gayton, joins the podcast. Tony also created HELL ON WHEELS, and wrote FASTER and MURDER BY NUMBERS. This film, a wild, inventive, tonally adventurous neo-noir, stars Val Kilmer, Vincent D'Onofrio, Peter Sarsgaard and marked the directorial debut of DJ Caruso, who would go on to direct DISTURBIA and many other films. A true original, this film is as fresh and unpredictable today as it was when it first came out.
2020-10-2528 minMovies I Love That No One Talks AboutCOP LANDScreenwriter Raul Inglis (AMERICAN HEIST w/Adrien Brody, SUDDENLY w/Ray Liotta) joins the show to discuss James Mangold's cop drama, COP LAND, featuring a cast so absurdly stacked it's tough to write all their names in this summary - Sylvester Stallone, Harvey Keitel, Ray Liotta, Robert DeNiro, Peter Berg, John Spencer, Malik Yoba, Janeane Garafolo, Noah Emmerich, Frank Vincent, Edie Falco, Annabella Sciorra and Michael Rapaport. As he's done at various points throughout his career, Stallone reminds us of what a true top-notch actor he can be when given the right material. Mangold affirms his status as one of...
2020-10-1829 minMovies I Love That No One Talks AboutINITIATIONThe director, co-writer, and editor of this film, Oren Benamor, joins the show. Bloody Disgusting called INITIATION, "unusually thoughtful," and a, "well-crafted thriller." It's a death match movie, about a mysterious cult that kidnaps a group of strangers and makes them fight its recruits to the death as part of an initiation ceremony. You might notice that Oren and I have the same last name - he's my cousin, and I'm the other writer of the film. Listeners of the show know that I am brutally honest about my work, and this is my favorite produced film I've been involved...
2020-10-1043 minMovies I Love That No One Talks AboutTHE LOOKOUTAcclaimed screenwriter Ali Imran Zaidi joins the show to discuss Scott Frank's too-little-seen crime thriller, THE LOOKOUT, starring Joseph Gordon Levitt, Jeff Daniels, Isla Fisher and Matthew Goode. The type of intimate character study that's rarely made at this level anymore, full of richly-realized characters, and a great re-watch in 2020, especially for Chris Pratt.
2020-10-0430 minMovies I Love That No One Talks AboutBREACHMy biggest guests yet - all-universe writer and director Billy Ray (CAPTAIN PHILLIPS, THE HUNGER GAMES) and prolific producer Adam Merims (STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON, BRIGHT). They join the show to discuss BREACH, their film about Robert Hanssen, FBI agent, Soviet spy, and one of the worst intelligence disasters in US history. Chris Cooper plays Hanssen in one of his career best performances, opposite an excellent Ryan Phillippe. Released the same day as the premiere of THE COMEY RULE on Showtime, also written and directed by Billy Ray, another complex, political, and FBI-centric story.
2020-09-2753 minMovies I Love That No One Talks AboutTHE PRESTIGEChristopher Nolan's best movie? Yes, it is. But bizarrely, it's one of the lowest scoring movies (from audience members) of any of his films. Screenwriter Tyler Burton Smith (the Chucky reboot CHILD'S PLAY, and upcoming KUNG FURY 2 w/Arnold Schwarzenegger) joins the show to puzzle out this staggeringly complex yet always crystal-clear dueling magicians film, starring Hugh Jackman, Christian Bale, Scarlett Johansson, Rebecca Hall and David Bowie. If you can't see TENET, go watch this movie right now.
2020-09-2146 minMovies I Love That No One Talks AboutWIDOWSOne of the movies that made me want to do this show - pop culture writer LaToya Ferguson (AV Club, IndieWire) joins the show to chat about Steve McQueen's heist drama film, working with writer Gillian Flynn (GONE GIRL), with an absurd cast, Viola Davis, Michelle Rodriguez, Elizabeth Debicki, Cynthia Erivo, Liam Neeson, Colin Farrell, Robert Duvall, Daniel Kaluuya, Brian Tyree, Jon Bernthal, and more. As great a popcorn heist movie as it is a thoughtful, artful, independent movie, this film has something for everyone.
2020-09-1444 minMovies I Love That No One Talks AboutSUICIDE KINGSThe co-writer/producer of the film, Wayne Rice, joins the podcast to discuss SUICIDE KINGS - one of the great career showcases of Christopher Walken, featuring early-days Jay Mohr, Johnny Galecki, Jeremy Sisto, Henry Thomas, Sean Patrick Flanery, and a tremendous, boot-wearing Denis Leary. Listen to the end for Wayne's wild announcement about a possible reunion!
2020-09-0738 minMovies I Love That No One Talks AboutTHE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTOScreenwriter Ian Shorr, who sold a futuristic version of THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO to Warner Brothers, joins the show to discuss the 2002 Jim Caviezel and Guy Pearce version, directed by ROBIN HOOD: PRINCE OF THIEVES director Kevin Reynolds, adapted by PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN scribe Jay Wolpert. Featuring one of the great late-career turns by Richard Harris and a teenaged pre-Superman Henry Cavill, this movie is fun, funny, and maybe one of the last great classic adventure films.
2020-08-3135 minMovies I Love That No One Talks AboutARBITRAGEThe writer/director of ARBITRAGE, Nicholas Jarecki, joins the show to discuss his stunning Richard Gere film, on par with MICHAEL CLAYTON and UNCUT GEMS as tremendously compelling portraits of deeply flawed leading men, with Gere ably supported by an all-star cast including Susan Sarandon, Tim Roth, and Brit Marling.
2020-08-2544 minMovies I Love That No One Talks AboutTHE SKELETON KEYThe director of THE SKELETON KEY, Iain Softley, joins the show to discuss this perennially underrated horror film starring Kate Hudson, Gena Rowlands, Peter Sarsgaard and John Hurt, which low-key ran much of the same creative road as GET OUT, but never broke through in the same way. This remains one of the best-acted, best-plotted horror movies, with a flat-out great final twist.
2020-08-1943 minMovies I Love That No One Talks AboutFOUR BROTHERSMark Wahlberg, Tyrese Gibson, Andre Benjamin, Garrett Hedlund, and Chiwetel Ejiofor anchor this deeply satisfying John Singleton crime thriller. Comedian and screenwriter Atif Myers joins me to argue that it’s one of Wahlberg’s best and most underrated movies.
2020-08-1339 minMovies I Love That No One Talks AboutKISS KISS BANG BANGShane Black at his best, channeling pulp crime novels in Hollywood with Robert Downey Jr, Val Kilmer, and Michelle Monaghan. Screenwriter John Sullivan (SECURITY w/Antonio Banderas) and I exchange witty one-liners and reminisce about our own LA experiences as we dive into this under-the-radar crime/comedy classic.
2020-08-0644 minMovies I Love That No One Talks AboutFRAILTYThe screenwriter of FRAILTY, Brent Hanley, joins the show to explain how this stunningly bold thriller - where a father teaches his kids to murder people, claiming an angel has commanded him - got made. starring (and directed by) Bill Paxton, with Matthew McConaughey and Powers Boothe.
2020-07-3151 minMovies I Love That No One Talks AboutTHE GUESTScreenwriter Brian D. Young joins the show to talk about the nightmare riff on the 80s, John Carpenter, and horror/thrillers, Adam Wingard and Simon Barrett’s film THE GUEST, with Dan Stevens very far away from DOWNTON ABBEY.
2020-07-2433 minMovies I Love That No One Talks AboutHAMLET 2The director and co-writer of HAMLET 2, Andrew Fleming (THE CRAFT) joins the show to discuss this wild Steve Coogan comedy, which remains criminally under-watched (you don’t have to see HAMLET to watch this movie!). The film was co-written with Pam Brady, who co-wrote TEAM AMERICA: WORLD POLICE, which is not a coincidence.
2020-07-1634 minMovies I Love That No One Talks AboutBLUE RUINScreenwriter Matt O’Reilly joins the show to discuss the radically stripped-down, surprisingly soulful, homeless drifter revenge film BLUE RUIN, directed by Jeremy Saulnier, starring Macon Blair.
2020-07-0930 minMovies I Love That No One Talks AboutRED PLANETThe co-writer of this film, Chuck Pfarrer, sold this as an original spec script for a million dollars. Hear him explain how it became the Val Kilmer film RED PLANET, which is much better than its reputation.
2020-07-0341 minMovies I Love That No One Talks AboutSPARTANLiterary manager Jarrod Murray returns for David Mamet’s SPARTAN, the cinematic equivalent of a punch to the face, starring Val Kilmer, Derek Luke, William H. Macy, Ed O’Neill and Kristen Bell.
2020-07-0239 minMovies I Love That No One Talks AboutLAW ABIDING CITIZENLegendary producer Lucas Foster (FORD V FERRARI, BAD BOYS, CRIMSON TIDE) joins the show to discuss the Gerard Butler & Jamie Foxx rage against the machine thriller, LAW ABIDING CITIZEN.
2020-06-2550 minMovies I Love That No One Talks AboutWALK HARDEntertainment lawyer Sam Strantz joins the show to talk WALK HARD, the saga of Dewey Cox. John C. Reilly leads an all-star cast in this sublimely goofy music satire, which has been impossibly under-seen.
2020-06-1735 minMovies I Love That No One Talks AboutUNFRIENDEDScreenwriter Nelson Greaves details the wild genesis of his screens-only horror film, and how he essentially willed it into existence with sheer willpower and creativity. The film exceeded everyone’s expectations and was a global hit, but we break down why it is much more than just a gimmick.
2020-06-0938 minMovies I Love That No One Talks AboutEASTERN PROMISESRussian screenwriter Michael Arkof joins the show to talk Viggo Mortensen’s accent, nude fights, and GODFATHER level greatness in David Cronenberg’s crime epic EASTERN PROMISES.
2020-06-0441 minMovies I Love That No One Talks AboutDRIVE ANGRYScreenwriter Todd Farmer joins the show to discuss his tendency to appear as a nude character named Frank in his films, improvised Nicolas Cage kissing, and the general demented merriment of the action/horror/comedy DRIVE ANGRY.
2020-05-2832 minMovies I Love That No One Talks AboutBEST OF THE BESTMartial artist and screenwriter Joshua James (POUND OF FLESH w/Jean Claude Van Damme) joins the show, and franchise creator Phillip Rhee answers audience questions, regarding BEST OF THE BEST, the best late 80s sports film you may not have seen, starring Eric Roberts, James Earl Jones, Chris Penn, and Phillip Rhee.
2020-05-2132 minMovies I Love That No One Talks AboutCOLD IN JULYDevelopment executive Harris Kauffman joins host Dan Benamor to discuss Jim Mickle’s backcountry noir acid trip of a movie, COLD IN JULY, starring Michael C. Hall, Sam Shepard and Don Johnson, adapted from Joe R. Lansdale’s novel.
2020-05-1434 minMovies I Love That No One Talks AboutJACK REACHERFormer Cruise/Wagner executive Jeff Buitenveld joins the show to talk Tom Cruise and JACK REACHER.
2020-05-0844 minMovies I Love That No One Talks AboutA HISTORY OF VIOLENCEOscar-nominated screenwriter Josh Olson joins host Dan Benamor to discuss his Viggo Mortensen / David Cronenberg film A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE.
2020-05-0845 minMovies I Love That No One Talks AboutJUST FRIENDSScreenwriter Adam “Tex” Davis joins host Dan Benamor to discuss his early-career Ryan Reynolds classic, JUST FRIENDS.
2020-05-0137 minMovies I Love That No One Talks About3:10 TO YUMAFilmmaker Ryan Little (SAINTS AND SOLDIERS) joins host Dan Benamor to discuss arguably the last best classic Western to get a big theatrical release with a star-studded cast, headed up by Christian Bale and Russell Crowe.
2020-04-3028 minMovies I Love That No One Talks AboutDONNYBROOKWriter/director Tim Sutton joins host Dan Benamor to discuss his Jamie Bell / Frank Grillo film, the haunting, bone-crunching, mythical, cage-fighting, hillbilly elegy, DONNYBROOK.
2020-04-2442 minMovies I Love That No One Talks AboutTHE PLACE BEYOND THE PINESProducer Oliver Ridge (upcoming LANSKY w/Harvey Keitel) joins host Dan Benamor to discuss the star-studded, generational saga THE PLACE BEYOND THE PINES.
2020-04-2237 minMovies I Love That No One Talks AboutPOPSTAR: NEVER STOP NEVER STOPPINGDevelopment executive Ryan Stayton (Netflix’s THE WITCHER) and filmmaker Sam Thompson join host Dan Benamor to discuss Andy Samberg’s pop opus, POPSTAR: NEVER STOP NEVER STOPPING.
2020-04-1630 minMovies I Love That No One Talks AboutGONE BABY GONEActor Martin Thomson (upcoming SNOWPIERCER TV series on TNT) joins host Dan Benamor to discuss Ben Affleck’s less heralded but arguably best film, GONE BABY GONE.
2020-04-1032 minMovies I Love That No One Talks AboutI SEE YOUDirector Adam Randall joins host Dan Benamor to discuss his supremely twisty Helen Hunt thriller I SEE YOU.
2020-04-0534 minMovies I Love That No One Talks AboutTHE RELICScreenwriters Ryan Dixon and Luke Piotrowski (fresh off the 12M sale of his film THE NIGHT HOUSE at Sundance) join host Dan Benamor to discuss the insane, funny, gory JURASSIC PARK-in-a-museum movie THE RELIC.
2020-04-0136 minMovies I Love That No One Talks AboutBROTHERHOODWriter/director Will Canon joins host Dan Benamor to discuss his insanely tense thriller BROTHERHOOD.
2020-03-2538 minMovies I Love That No One Talks AboutUNIVERSAL SOLDIER: DAY OF RECKONINGProlific action screenwriter Chad Law joins host Dan Benamor to discuss arguably the best Scott Adkins, Jean Claude Van Damme and Dolph Lundgren film, UNIVERSAL SOLDIER: DAY OF RECKONING.
2020-03-1841 minMovies I Love That No One Talks AboutWORLD’S GREATEST DADFilmmaker Jeremy LaLonde joins host Dan Benamor to discuss the Robin Williams dark comedy cult classic WORLD’S GREATEST DAD.
2020-03-1135 minMovies I Love That No One Talks AboutA WALK AMONG THE TOMBSTONESComic book writer Michael Gordon joins host Dan Benamor to discuss the underrated crown jewel of Liam Neeson films, A WALK AMONG THE TOMBSTONES.
2020-03-0437 minMovies I Love That No One Talks AboutIN BRUGESJOHN WICK creator/screenwriter Derek Kolstad joins host Dan Benamor to discuss the darkly comic Colin Farrell crime film, IN BRUGES.
2020-02-2733 minMovies I Love That No One Talks AboutTUCKER & DALE VS EVILScreenwriter David Wingert joins host Dan Benamor to discuss the redneck-slasher-subverting-horror-comedy TUCKER & DALE VS EVIL.
2020-02-1933 minMovies I Love That No One Talks AboutFRESHScreenwriter Joshua James (POUND OF FLESH w/Jean Claude Van Damme) joins host Dan Benamor to discuss Boaz Yakin’s film FRESH featuring Samuel L. Jackson and Giancarlo Esposito.
2020-02-0548 minMovies I Love That No One Talks AboutTHE FRIENDS OF EDDIE COYLEFilmmaker Aaron Harvey (CATCH-44 w/Bruce Willis, INTO THE ASHES w/Frank Grillo) joins host Dan Benamor to discuss the Robert Mitchum crime film THE FRIENDS OF EDDIE COYLE.
2020-02-0231 minMovies I Love That No One Talks AboutBAD LIEUTENANT: PORT OF CALL NEW ORLEANSScreenwriter Dikran Ornekian joins the show to discuss the Werner Herzog / Nicolas Cage film BAD LIEUTENANT: PORT OF CALL NEW ORLEANS.
2020-01-3032 minMovies I Love That No One Talks AboutTHE MATADORWriter/Director Richard Shepard (THE PERFECTION, DOM HEMINGWAY, HBO’s GIRLS) joins host Dan Benamor to discuss his Pierce Brosnan film THE MATADOR.
2020-01-2938 minMovies I Love That No One Talks AboutTHE COUNSELORLiterary manager and producer Jarrod Murray joins host Dan Benamor to discuss the criminally underrated Ridley Scott film THE COUNSELOR.
2020-01-2538 minMovies I Love That No One Talks AboutSPLICEHorror filmmaker Michael Kuciak joins host Dan Benamor to discuss the disturbing horror masterpiece SPLICE.
2020-01-2238 min