Shows
The Establishing ShotThe BFG (w/ my son, Ezekiel Price)With fantastical giants, dreams you can catch and blow into the heads of sleeping children, and a child who is swept away in adventure beyond her imagination, The BFG is, in a way, Spielberg getting back to his roots. While there is plenty of charm in the imagining of this Roald Dahl adaptation and a ton of humanity in the Motion Capture (MoCap) performance of Mark Rylance, the story and characters built could have done with some more fleshing out, as general consensus and the box office failure would tell you. This last (as of now) attempt at a...
2025-08-081h 05The Establishing ShotWar Horse (w/ Chase Ables)This time it’s Spielberg but with horses! War Horse has its problems, such as the question of who it’s for (kids or adults) or its prolonged runtime, but overall, its beautiful cinematography and composition along with its sentimentality that toes the line of sentimental schlock without ever crossing it make for an enjoyable and even hopeful movie. Adapted from Michael Morpurgo’s children’s novel of the same name, this movie has its magical Spielberg moments and those are enough.https://www.establishingshotpod.com/Feedback:Email us at establis...
2025-06-202h 46The Establishing ShotEPISODE 100 CELEBRATION & Best Films Of 2025 So FarWE MADE IT TO 100! It’s been a great journey to get here. I’ve learned a lot along the way and met some amazing people. To celebrate, I share some reflections, have listeners and past/future guests share their favorite films covered so far, and I share my top 10 films of 2025 so far. You don’t want to miss this special episode!https://www.establishingshotpod.com/Feedback:Email us at establishingshotpod@gmail.comLeave a voicemail from the button on the right side of the screen on our websit...
2025-06-131h 44The Establishing ShotStop Motion Animation Movie Draft (w/ Chase Ables)In stop-motion animation, Wes Anderson found the perfect medium for his controlled, detail filled style while still being tangible enough an animation style to surprise you with emotion. To celebrate his Fantastic Mr. Fox and Isle of Dogs, we did a stop-motion animation movie draft! We talk about everything from Henry Selick and Jack Skellington to Chicken Run and more. This is definitely an artform that deserves way more recognition and celebration. (Also, I have since seen Phil Tippett’s Mad God and would definitely have taken that if I had seen it at the time of recording).
2025-06-0637 minThe Establishing ShotThe Adventures Of Tintin (w/ Daniel Howat)Tintin is a unique film in the Spielberg filmography as his only fully animated film. Because of this, this discussion is full of interesting topics like his forging into motion capture technology, the sense of playfulness felt in the film, and much more. I might even get into a bit of Movie-Dad talk with my guest Daniel Howat of Next Best Picture, talking about movies we have enjoyed showing our kids. This was a fun episode for a movie about having fun!https://www.establishingshotpod.com/Feedback:Email us at...
2025-05-302h 26The Establishing ShotDesert Movie Draft (w/ Ian Naude)Desert settings always make for a great cinematic experience! This was just as true for Nolan’s Oppenheimer even if the desert was being used for something highly problematic. In this episode, we take turns drafting our favorite movies with desert settings. They span a wide variety of genres from sci-fi to thriller to classic epics to animated musicals! And as it turns out, talking desert movies is not so dry after all.https://www.establishingshotpod.com/Feedback:Email us at establishingshotpod@gmail.comLeave a voicemail from the bu...
2025-05-2334 minThe Establishing ShotOppenheimer (w/ Grant Robin)With Oppenheimer turning into a cultural phenomenon (aka Barbenheimer) in the lead up to its release alongside Barbie and its subsequent financial success and critical acclaim, Christopher Nolan has emblazoned his name onto the list of historically important filmmakers. We talk about the significance of a 3 hour experimental biopic making summer blockbuster levels of money, the incredible artistry and storytelling on display, the Nolan-esque style and technique, Cillian Murphy’s career defining performance, and more! https://www.establishingshotpod.com/Feedback:Email us at establishingshotpod@gmail.comLeave a voicemail fro...
2025-05-163h 05The Establishing ShotSpielberg Intermission 2 (90s-00s Recap & 10s-20s Preview)The 1990s and 2000s were some of Spielberg’s most successful decades! We see him come into his own as a director and mogul of the movie industry. He solidifies his legacy as a household name, and silences his harshest critics by showing his ability to make both popcorn blockbusters and “important” and artful films. This episode looks at takeaways from the middle career of Spielberg and then looks forward to the last stretch of his career, asking questions of what we might learn from his films of the last 15 years. I also share my favorite performances, scenes, and images...
2025-05-0953 minThe Establishing ShotUnderwater Scenes Movie Draft (w/ Jean-Pierre Boudreaux)There is nothing quite like a scene that happens underwater. One of my favorites comes from The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou when Steve and the rest of his crew have a transcendent moment encountering the infamous Jaguar Shark that ruined Steve’s life. In this episode we explore other such scenes with a draft of underwater scenes in movies. We took somewhat different approaches to this draft to very fun results!https://www.establishingshotpod.com/Feedback:Email us at establishingshotpod@gmail.comLeave a voicemail from the button on...
2025-05-0231 minThe Establishing ShotHarrison Ford Performances Movie Draft (w/ Jacob Allen)Harrison Ford has been one of the most treasured American actors since his breakout role as Han Solo in Star Wars and was solidified as a film icon as Indiana Jones when Raiders of the Lost Ark released only a few years later. This week we talk about his Hollywood and acting personas, the ups and downs of his career (mostly ups even in his lesser films), and most importantly do a movie draft where we take our favorite performances and talk through what makes him great.https://www.establishingshotpod.com/...
2025-04-2544 minThe Establishing ShotIndiana Jones & the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (w/ Jacob Allen)Nearly 20 years after Indiana Jones rode off into the sunset with his father, Spielberg returned to our favorite tomb-raiding professor of archaeology in his older years with Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. In the opinion of my guest and I, this film certainly has its flaws with some undercooked characters and questionable CGI but is largely undeservedly maligned for all the wrong reasons. We talk about the making of the film, its reception, and more as we wrap up Spielberg’s films of the 2000s.https://www.establishingshotpod.com/Feedback:Em...
2025-04-182h 20The Establishing ShotHostages & Kidnappings Movie Draft (w/ Dave Lester)Hostage and kidnapping stories actually have a rich history in film. From serious dramas, to edge-of-your-seat thrillers, to comedies, there was a lot of great cinema to choose from for this week’s movie draft. This draft follows up our discussion of Spielberg’s Munich, and it is fully of fun discussion of some of the most fun and/or thrilling hostage movies.https://www.establishingshotpod.com/Feedback:Email us at establishingshotpod@gmail.comLeave a voicemail from the button on the right side of the screen on our webs...
2025-04-1143 minThe Establishing ShotMunich (w/ Dave Lester)Munich is one of Spielberg’s least discussed movies and undeservedly so. It displays some of his best action set pieces, contains serious contemplative political and ethical questions, and has all of the iconic Spielbergian shots and framing. And that is not even to mention that its subject matter dealing with Israeli-Palestinian conflict is still just as relevant as ever. My guest and I marvel at what this movie accomplishes (cinematically and ethically), discuss some of its weaker point mole hills that got made into mountains by critics, and take our stance that this is actually among Spielberg’s best...
2025-04-042h 22The Establishing ShotLeonardo DiCaprio Performances Movie Draft (w/ Mason Law)As a belated companion to our Catch Me If You Can episode, we are doing a movie draft of Leonardo DiCaprio performances! Leo is arguably the biggest movie star of his era. Making the turn from young heartthrob to a medium for auteurs to explore conflicted characters through was impressive. And he has worked with nearly all of the great directors of a generation. An old friend and avid Leo fan joins me to talk about all this and more as we get as pumped as Jordan Belfort in The Wolf of Wall Street drafting our favorite Leo performances.
2025-03-281h 15The Establishing ShotWar Of The Worlds (w/ Mary & Dezerae of Nerds & Jesus)With his adaptation of the sci-fi classic War of the Worlds, Spielberg continues his 2000s science fiction fun with yet another 9/11 coded film with a broken family and troubled father. Join me and the Nerds & Jesus podcast as we talk about these themes, the Tom Cruise factor, Dakota Fanning’s breakout child performance, the mix of practical and digital effects, and the blockbuster-ness of it all in this week’s episode. https://www.establishingshotpod.com/Feedback:Email us at establishingshotpod@gmail.comLeave a voicemail from the button on the r...
2025-03-212h 07The Establishing ShotFilms for All Seasons (Interview w/ Abby Olcese)Have you ever thought of watching movies as a spiritual practice? Abby Olcese’s book Film for All Seasons: Experiencing the Church Year at the Movies explores this idea by taking the stories that inspired the church calendar and connecting those occasions with films that explore similar themes. In this interview, we talk about how Abby got her start in writing about film, the art of storytelling as it relates to human experience, and how spirituality relates to film viewing (and filmmaking for that matter).https://www.establishingshotpod.com/Feedback:Em...
2025-03-1430 minThe Establishing ShotThe Terminal (w/ Jen & Sarah of Movies & Us)With The Terminal, Tom Hanks rejoins Steven Spielberg for their third collaboration and certainly their most lighthearted to date. This film represents some of the worst and best of Spielberg. It is charming and fun at times with its fun cast and remarkable set. But it is also weighed down by an inscrutable plot, strangely motivated characters, and bad jokes. We talk about all of its highs and lows this week with our guests from the Movies & Us Podcast!https://www.establishingshotpod.com/Feedback:Email us at establishingshotpod@gmail.com
2025-03-072h 04The Establishing Shot2025 Oscars Predictions & Best Films of 2024The 2025 Oscars are here! With the ceremony coming up this Wednesday, I went through all the categories from production to design to cinematography to the big categories of acting, directing, and best picture. Some categories like lead actress, editing, and animated feature are pretty tough to choose this year. But I give my best predictions for what will win, and I also give my own personal nominations for most of the categories. Also, look forward to tons of recommendations from me on what to see from last year’s releases as I share my top movies of 2024!
2025-02-281h 54The Establishing ShotCatch Me if You Can (w/ Abby Olcese)What do you get when you combine the star studded power of Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks with the blockbuster filmmaking genius of Steven Spielberg with a globe-trotting, fast paced crime drama? Turns out you get a really good and entertaining movie in Catch Me if You Can! During our discussion of this movie we talk about the incredibly fast production, the star studded cast, the Spielbergian family drama at the center of it, and just the incredible amount of fun you have watching this inherently interesting story.https://www.establishingshotpod.com/
2025-02-201h 51The Establishing ShotTom Cruise Performances Movie Draft (w/ Andrew Fossier)The stardom of Tom Cruise might have been at its peak in the 80s and 90s, but his steady work throughout his career shows that he has that timeless star quality that people go to the movies to see. He has moved from fatherless son to protective father personas; he has moved from making his way through working with many auteur directors to creating his own franchise; and it would be reasonable to say that he has never been in a movie where his co-star was ever even close to stealing the show from him. We talk about all...
2025-02-141h 10The Establishing ShotMinority Report (w/ Andrew Fossier)Minority Report feels like the deepest dive into hard sci-fi that Steven Spielberg has ever attempted, and it is also his first collaboration with fellow Hollywood superstar Tom Cruise. That combination makes for an interesting conversation in this episode as we discuss everything from working with a star to inventive sci-fi visuals to existential questions that are common to the genre and more!
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2025-02-073h 53The Establishing ShotArtificial Intelligence Movie Draft (w/ Zachary Lee)While artificial intelligence has burst on the scene as a huge cultural topic in recent years, there is a long history of AI stories in film. This week, we do a movie draft of films dealing with artificial intelligence. We talk about the ways the films we choose explore the topic, how so many of these films are more relevant today than ever, and enjoy discussing the wide variety of styles and storytelling in these AI movies. Plus, you get to vote on who had the better draft!
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2025-01-311h 00The Establishing ShotA.I. Artificial Intelligence (w/ Zachary Lee)With A.I. Artificial Intelligence, Steven Spielberg dove headfirst into sci-fi storytelling more than he ever had before. With incredible production design, another great child performance for Spielberg in Haley Joel Osment, a pinocchio infused, existential sci-fi story, and especially the Stanley Kubrick collaboration, this was an incredible feat even for Spielberg (even if it was and still is a pretty divisive film). We talk about all of this, how this film speaks to the modern artificial intelligence conversation, and more in this episode!
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2025-01-243h 03The Establishing ShotTop 5 Inspirational Movies (w/ Melvin Benson)It is a new year, and we could all use a bit of inspiration. So, this week I share my Top 5 Inspirational Movies list along with Melvin from Cinematic Doctrine. This is obviously not the definitive list of inspirational movies, but it is a collection of films that have truly inspired us in some way or another. I know my list in particular tries to cover some different categories of inspiring movies. We hope you will check some of these out and be inspired to have a great year as well!
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2025-01-171h 51The Establishing ShotSaving Private Ryan (w/ Melvin Benson)Largely considered the best (or one of the best) WWII movies ever made, Saving Private Ryan showed that Spielberg could make just about any kind of movie and do it masterfully. We talk about how he pulled it off, his collaboration with Tom Hanks, the themes of war movies, that iconically brutal open at Omaha Beach, and more in this episode!
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2025-01-103h 42The Establishing ShotDisney Animated Classics Movie Draft (Rerun w/ Harrison Fredericks)If you are like me, you likely grew up watching Disney Animated Classics! There are a ton of great ones from early films like Snow White and Pinocchio to more recent additions like Moana and Encanto. In this movie draft, we battle it out for our favorite Disney classics to see who can build the best group of films, and we might just go on a few nostalgia trips along the way. This draft was originally a segment from Episode 4 of the show.
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2025-01-0343 minThe Establishing ShotTop 100 Box Office Movie Draft (Rerun w/ Haydn Fabre)This is a rerun of a movie draft we did of films in the Top 100 of all-time worldwide box office earnings back in Episode 3. It makes for an interesting draft because the list is surprisingly bereft of really incredible movies with a few exceptions. You are mostly choosing from blockbuster crowd pleasers. I am happy with the results, though! Only 6 films have broken into the Top 100 since that draft was recorded: Inside Out 2, Barbie, Deadpool & Wolverine, Oppenheimer, Despicable Me 4, and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Of those, Barbie and Oppenheimer almost certainly would have made it into our draft.
2024-12-2720 minThe Establishing ShotFamily Christmas Movie Favorites, Part 3 (w/ Robin Price & my kids)When December rolls around, it is time to start watching Christmas movies! It has been a joy to grow my little family with our own little Christmas traditions, and movies are a big part of that. So, this week, continuing my family Chritsmas movie favorites series, I bring on my wife and kids to talk about their favorite Christmas movies. This is a very special episode for me, and I hope it is for you as well. If nothing else, let this episode be motivation for you to cozy up on the couch with your family and favorite Christmas...
2024-12-2022 minThe Establishing ShotFamily Christmas Movie Favorites, Part 2 (w/ Dawn Price and Hannah Carlton)Growing up, watching Christmas movies was always a part of our family tradition. This week, I am joined by my mom and sister to hear to hear about their favorite Christmas movies. They also share the favorites of my dad and brother-in-law who were not able to come on. I hope you enjoy their choices and make sure to watch some great holiday movies with your family this year!
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2024-12-1321 minThe Establishing ShotFamily Christmas Movie Favorites, Part 1 (w/ Jeff & Donna Ables, Chase Ables, and Katy Hebert)What is better at Christmas time than cozying up with your family for a great Christmas movie?! While we can’t really do that on a podcast, I thought I would spend the next few weeks with my family hearing about their favorite Christmas movies. This week, I am joined by my wife’s side of the family for some great Christmas movie recommendations. I hope you enjoy their choices and make sure to watch some great holiday movies with your family this year!
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2024-12-0624 minThe Establishing ShotMovie Sequels Draft (Rerun w/ Jacob Phillips)Happy Thanksgiving! This week, we are playing a rerun of the movie draft we held all the way back on episode 2 of the show with Jacob Phillips: the Movie Sequels Draft. This was a really fun draft! I hope you enjoy revisiting it or hearing it for the first time!
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2024-11-2934 minThe Establishing ShotSpielberg Starts DreamWorks & Bonus Review: 13 AssassinsA new era of Spielberg’s career was launched when he partnered with Jeffrey Katzenberg and David Geffen to start a brand new studio from scratch: DreamWorks SKG. I talk through the history of this endeavor and what it means for Spielberg’s career. I also do a bonus review of the 2010 samurai film 13 Assassins, a movie chosen for review by a supporter of the show.
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2024-11-2247 minThe Establishing ShotAmistadSpielberg’s Amistad, the telling of a true historical event in which enslaved Africans took over their slave ship and were then captured and put on trial to determine their freedom, has some things going for it. It looks great, the acting is really good (phenomenal, in fact, for Djimon Hounsou in his breakout role), and the design of the film is on par with any good historical drama. However, there can be problems that arise when a white filmmaker takes on a story that should be centered around the enslaved people, problems that I think cause this to be...
2024-11-151h 41The Establishing ShotTop 5 Underrated Movies (w/ Jean-Pierre Boudreaux)Sometimes critics or the general public get a movie wrong! This week, we let you know which movies deserve reconsideration or a revisit with our Top 5 Underrated Movies. These are movies that were critical flops or just considered not very good by the general public but that we thought were actually really good! It is a fun discussion with opinions that are destined to be vehemently disagreed with!
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2024-11-081h 14The Establishing ShotThe Lost World: Jurassic Park ( w/ Jean-Pierre Boudreaux)A few years after the most successful year of his entire career, Spielberg released what he called his first true sequel in The Lost World: Jurassic Park. Our discussion revolves around the fun elements of this film and it’s development as well as some of the major problems with its story. My guest really likes this Jurassic Park installment where I didn’t care for it too much, which made for a fun debate. Join us and Goldblum’s Ian Malcolm as we return to the world of dinosaurs!
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2024-11-013h 32The Establishing ShotSuperhero Movies, Examining Pop-Culture, & the History of Police in Film (Interview w/ Joe George)Joe George is a writer for several publications including Den of Geek and Think Christian, but he also wrote a book exploring superhero movies through a theological lens: The Superpowers and the Glory. This week we discuss his process for writing about pop-culture, his interest in superheroes and what he does with his book, why superhero films have become a staple in our culture, and an upcoming project he has in the works concerning the history of police in film. We might even tell you which superhero films are undeniably the best.
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2024-10-251h 11The Establishing ShotScience Gone Wrong Movie Draft (w/ Christiaan Funkhouser)Sometimes science goes all wrong, and sometimes that happens in movies! This week we do a draft of our favorite movies where some sort of scientific endeavor goes all wrong, whether technological, biological, or sometimes both like in Spielberg’s Jurassic Park which inspired this draft. We had a great time talking about these movies and what is interesting about them, and we hope you have fun listening!
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2024-10-111h 00The Establishing ShotJurassic Park (w/ Christiaan Funkhouser)In 1993, Steven Spielberg once again awed audiences by giving them something they had never seen so real before on the big screen: dinosaurs. With Jurassic Park, he started what would turn out to be one of the greatest movie years for a director ever, started a technological revolution in film with advances in CGI, and even broke his own box office record. But maybe more importantly, he once again captured the wonder and fear of his audiences and left them with a great theatrical experience. We discuss all this and more about this classic in this episode.
2024-10-043h 36The Establishing ShotDisney & Pixar Villains Draft (w/ Colby Ewert)We follow up our discussion of Spielberg’s Hook with a semi-related Disney Villains Draft! Disney fan Colby Ewert joins me to go back and forth picking our favorite villains from Disney and Pixar films. We compiled some great lists along with some great discussion of these villains and what makes them great. We also start off the conversation with a bit of fantasy football talk, another love of both me and Colby.
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2024-09-2737 minThe Establishing ShotHook (w/ Colby Ewert)With Hook, Spielberg was beginning a new decade of filmmaking, but this adventure movie that acts as a twist on a classic tale really marks the end of a particular phase in his career. This film was a huge deal at the time, not only because of the well known names of Peter Pan and Hook attached to it, but also because of the actors in those roles: Robin Williams and Dustin Hoffman. We talk about all of this, the amazing production design, the nostalgia, and even some things that didn’t hold up on a rewatch in this ep...
2024-09-202h 04The Establishing ShotMovie Decades Draft (Rerun w/ Jacob Phillips)Which movie decades are the best? We are doing a rerun of our very first movie draft from our first episode this week! In this first movie draft, we took turns taking movie decades, trying to amass the best group of decades. This endeavor made for some good discussion, and it is great to have it as a standalone episode now. You can decide who got the best group of 4 decades!
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2024-09-1323 minThe Establishing ShotA Spielberg Intermission (70s-80s Recap & 90s-00s Preview)For this intermission in our Spielberg series, we take a look back at his career thus far, analyzing his career of the 1970s and 1980s overall. Then we discuss the transition point Spielberg is in moving out of the 80s and into the 90s and do a bit of a preview of his mid-career of the 1990s and 2000s. This was a pivotal time in his career! I also share my personal rankings of the films we have covered so far and what I am most looking forward to in the upcoming section of the series.
2024-09-0640 minThe Establishing Shot2024 Fall Movie PreviewThe fall movie season is upon us! In this episode, I do a recap of great films I have seen since the ‘Best of the Year So Far’ episode. Then, I look forward to the upcoming slate of fall movies, talk about the ones I am most excited about, and give a rundown of all of the significant movies coming out to make note of. It should be a fun season for movie lovers!
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2024-08-301h 00The Establishing ShotAlways (w/ Chase Ables)Spielberg ended his run of 80s movies with the romance-drama-comedy-fantasy Always. If that sounds like a confusing mish-mash of genres, it’s because it kind of is. While the movie is tonally confusing and has a plot that is strangely questionable at best, it is still beautifully shot with a really great performance from Holly Hunter. Also starring Richard Dreyfuss, John Goodman, and Audrey Hepburn in her very last role, this made for a really fun discussion even if we didn’t care too much for the movie as a whole
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2024-08-232h 11The Establishing ShotMovie Trilogies Draft (w/ Christiaan Funkhouser)It is movie draft time! This week we celebrate the completion of the original Indiana Jones trilogy on the show by doing a draft of movie trilogies! Guest Christiaan Funkhouser and I take turns choosing 7 of our favorite film trilogies, and you get to decide who ended up with the best collection. Enjoy our discussion of how to define a trilogy, of these trilogies that we chose, and of course all of our honorable mentions.
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2024-08-161h 13The Establishing ShotIndiana Jones and the Last Crusade (w/ Christiaan Funkhouser)Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, seemingly the last of a trilogy of adventure collaborations between Steven Spielberg and George Lucas at the time, came in the middle of a bit of a career shift for Spielberg. You can see a bit of that infused into the movie with more emotional themes mixed into the typical Indy action fare. We talk about that, the incredible stunts and effects, and more in our discussion of this search for the Holy Grail.
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2024-08-093h 17The Establishing ShotChristian Bale Performances Movie Draft (w/ Jean-Pierre Boudreaux)Christian Bale had his big debut for most people in Spielberg’s Empire of the Sun, which we discussed last week. This week, we accompany that discussion with a movie draft of Christian Bale performances. We take turns choosing our favorite performances from Bale, and discuss his acting career along the way.
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2024-08-0251 minThe Establishing ShotEmpire of the Sun (w/ Jean-Pierre Boudreaux)Empire of the Sun is a forgotten gem in Steven Spielberg’s filmography, which is fitting since its setting is sort of a forgotten perspective on WWII. This is a bit of a hybrid for Spielberg in that it marries his childlike fantastical side with his newfound interest in making more serious, mature movies. This film is full of phenomenal shots typical of Spielberg and introduces us to a young Christian Bale, all while giving us a really interesting story about growing up in the midst of war.
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2024-07-263h 03The Establishing ShotBecoming an Actor (Interview w/ Christian Robertson)Actor Christian Robertson joins me in this episode for a great interview. We talk about his personal journey into getting into acting, what he has learned from acting coaches, what it is like to work with directors and be on set, some advice for people wanting to get into acting, and more!
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2024-07-1943 minThe Establishing ShotThe Color Purple (1985) (w/ Christian Robertson)In his first attempt at a serious adult drama, Spielberg takes on not just a new type of movie for his career but also an adaption of an award winning novel with a predominantly black cast (unfortunately a tremendous anomaly at the time). This movie has become a bit of a classic but at the time was steeped in controversy. We dig into its inconsistencies, the controversy, the incredible display of acting talent, and more in this episode.
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2024-07-123h 30The Establishing ShotTwilight Zone: The Movie (w/ Andrew Fossier)Twilight Zone: The Movie was supposed to be a collaborative passion project for longtime fan of the TV series Steven Spielberg who produced it and directed one of its four segments. But with a tragedy casting a shadow over the production and release, it turned out to be a bit of a regret. We talk about the details of the film, which segments are best, what too much power in Hollywood can lead to, and much more. We also discuss a couple of episodes of Spielberg’s show Amazing Stories that he himself directed: “Ghost Train” and “The Mission.”
2024-07-052h 58The Establishing Shot50th Episode!! & Best Films of 2024 So FarWe have made it to Episode 50!!! For this special milestone episode, I share three thoughts on what I have learned so far in the journey of making this podcast relating to both creative efforts in general and more specifically the art of film. Then, I share my favorite films of 2024 so far! Spoiler: it has been a weak year so far but there are still some really great films at the top.
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2024-06-281h 17The Establishing ShotWriting About Film (Interview w/ Elijah Davidson)This week, I interviewed Elijah Davidson, Chief Critic and Managing Editor of Brehm Film, to pick his brain about writing about film. What is the process of writing books and articles about films? How do you choose which books to publish? What ways do cultural influences affect how films are received? What critics or writers are influential? What is some advice for aspiring writers or film critics? These are all questions that we dig into through this episode!
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2024-06-211h 16The Establishing ShotIndiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (w/ Elijah Davidson)Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom is a film in a beloved franchise that actually carries a heavy burden with it for its filmmakers Steven Spielberg and George Lucas. In this episode I am joined by Elijah Davidson of Brehm Film to delve into the depths of its darkness, the ways that it is still exciting and beautiful in the midst of that, and of course all of the fun behind the scenes tidbits. (No monkey brains or beetle guts were consumed during the making of this podcast.)
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2024-06-143h 18The Establishing ShotAlien Invasion Movie Draft (w/ Melvin Benson)In honor of our discussion of Spielberg’s E.T. the Extra Terrestrial, Melvin of the Cinematic Doctrine podcast joins me again to do an Alien Invasions Movie Draft! This was a really fun movie draft where we chose some of our favorite films where aliens invade earth, and we have a much wider range of types of movies than you would think! Be on the lookout for the polls on social media to vote on who you think won the draft!
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2024-06-0758 minThe Establishing ShotE.T. the Extra Terrestrial (w/ Melvin Benson)This week, Melvin Benson of the Cinematic Doctrine podcast joins us to discuss what Steven Spielberg has called his most personal film: E.T. the Extra Terrestrial. At the height of his powers in the 1980’s, this awe-filled look at an optimistic alien encounter through the eyes of a child captured the hearts of people around the globe. We talk everything from directing children, to the special effects of our alien friend, to why this film is not just for kids but for everyone.
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2024-05-242h 54The Establishing ShotThe Screenwriting Process (w/ Chasah & Charliese West)This week, I talk with The West Sisters (Chasah and Charliese) about screenwriting. They have done a good bit of screenwriting, entering into screenwriting contests, and have even been able to write and direct some short films that are currently being submitted to festivals! We talk about their inspirations, their process from start to finish, what it is like to work on a script as a team, and what sorts of screenplays they might be interested in writing next.
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2024-05-1724 minThe Establishing ShotRaiders of the Lost Ark (w/ Chasah & Charliese West)Indiana Jones is one of the most iconic characters of all time, and it is all due to a combination of the charm of Harrison Ford and the masterful character building of Steven Spielberg as director and George Lucas as storyteller/producer. Not only would Raiders of the Lost Ark become a beloved gem for an entire generation, it would also launch Spielberg’s already successful career into the stratosphere! We dig into the inception of the film, the cast, the production and set pieces, and the unexpected, pop culture shaking success of this classic adventure.
h...
2024-05-102h 21The Establishing ShotDirectors' Flops Movie Draft (w/ Zachary Lee)Sometimes even the best directors have a big ol’, old fashioned FLOP. This week, we decided to follow up our discussion of Spielberg’s critical and audience flop with a movie draft of some of our most renowned directors’ flops! The goal is not to draft the worst collection of movies, but movies we think hold up despite flopping at the time of their release. We tried to stick with movies that had 60 or below on their metascore, were rotten on Rotten Tomatoes, were huge commercial failures, and typically some combination of those three. This was a super fun draft...
2024-05-031h 02The Establishing Shot1941 (w/ Zachary Lee)In 1941, the 1979 WWII comedy, we have a prime example of a powerhouse director putting out a complete flop. Steven Spielberg along with writers in Robert Zemecki & Bob Gale and producer John Milius were trying to ride the train of troublemaking comedies that came before them. While the film did fine commercially worldwide, it was not well received by audiences and critics alike. Our discussion delves into why this movie was a failure and what we can learn from that.
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2024-04-262h 38The Establishing ShotApproaches to Film Viewing (w/ Sam Camp)We discuss some of our approaches to film viewing. We tackle questions concerning motivations for watching films, how to choose what to watch, how we process films, and how we determine if a film is good or not. We also share some recommended resources to help with your film viewing experience. This is by no means the definitive film viewing treatise but just two normal people who love movies sharing our experience.
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2024-04-1947 minThe Establishing ShotClose Encounters of the Third Kind (w/ Sam Camp)Spielberg followed up his breakout summer blockbuster Jaws with a sci-fi adventure thriller in Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Its success is due to the incredible visual and narrative storytelling alongside the innovative special effects that wowed crowded theaters. We talk all of this and more in our discussion of this strangely optimistic film about UFOs, aliens, and strange people who are obsessed with something they can’t quite understand.
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2024-04-122h 29The Establishing ShotCreature Feature Movie Draft (w/ Daniel Blackaby)To accompany our discussion of Jaws last week, we did a Creature Feature Movie Draft! Creature Features are generally any film where a creature of some sort (beast, vampire, alien, zombie, etc.) is the main antagonist. We drafted 5 movies each and ended up with some great lists and fun discussions. Tune in to hear how the draft turned out, and look for the poll to vote for your favorite draft on our social media platforms!
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2024-04-0537 minThe Establishing ShotJaws (w/ Daniel Blackaby)Jaws marks both the breakout of Steven Spielberg’s illustrious career and the beginning of the summer blockbuster. From crazy production stories to camera work to efficient character building and more, this discussion with guest Daniel Blackaby really encompasses a ton about what makes Spielberg such a great director. We also discuss if the dawn of the summer blockbuster has ultimately been good or bad for cinema (or both).
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2024-03-292h 46The Establishing ShotAbout Time Review & Storytelling (w/ Shannon Burge)Storytelling is a vital element of filmmaking. It is done in through the written narrative, the visuals, the sound, the performances, the camera work, and so much more. This week, I discuss storytelling, especially as it relates to children, with elementary school media specialist Shannon Burge. Before that, I review a movie chosen by some supporters of the show: About Time. Spoiler alert: I really enjoyed it! If you want to pick a movie for me to review, you can become a supporter too (see link below)!
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2024-03-2256 minThe Establishing ShotThe Sugarland ExpressSpielberg’s first theatrically released feature film, The Sugarland Express, showed many signs of what was to come for the young director. In this episode I discuss the many Spielberg-ian themes, character traits, camera techniques, and knack for scale and adventure that was already evident in this early movie in his filmography.
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2024-03-151h 39The Establishing Shot2024 Oscars Predictions & Best Films of 2023It’s Oscars weekend! On this episode I share my favorite films of 2023, and we hear from some listeners/past guests on their favorites as well. Then, I go through the 2024 Oscars nominations and share what my choices would have been for each category.
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2024-03-082h 09The Establishing ShotDuel (w/ Dave Lester)Steven Spielberg’s Duel was never supposed to be as successful as it was. As a movie of the week TV feature in 1971, the 24 year old director gained the attention of critics and studios alike with a road thriller that begged to be on the big screen. We discuss this TV movie that launched his career along with briefly talking about his other two TV movies, Something Evil, a low budget, rural horror and Savage, a failed TV pilot episode.
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2024-03-011h 59The Establishing ShotCar Chase Movie Draft (w/ Dave Lester) & My Neighbor Totoro Review w/ My SonSteven Spielberg’s Duel inspired me to do a Car Chase Movie Draft with my guest, Dave Lester. Listen as we take turns drafting what we think are some of the best movie car chases out there. I also share some honorable mentions and do a review of My Neighbor Totoro with my five year old son.
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2024-02-2335 minThe Establishing ShotSteven Spielberg: An OverviewSteven Spielberg is one of the most accomplished directors in film history. In this episode, we do an overview of his career focusing on the first two decades of his work as a director. Everything from his childhood, his start as a director, his filmmaking techniques, and the recurring themes in his films are discussed. This episode will give us an establishing shot of Spielberg’s career so that we will know what to look for as we work through his filmography.
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Timestamps:
Intro to Spielberg (00:40)
Spielberg Bio (21:00)
Spielberg’s Filmmaking Philosophy (1:48:15)
Spielberg’s Filmmaking Techniques (2:00:25)
Spielbe...
2024-02-162h 42The Establishing ShotShort Films Draft (w/ Chase Ables)To accompany our discussion of Wes Anderson’s short films including The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar, we did a draft of our favorite short films. There are so many great short films from Maya Deren’s work to Pixar’s shorts. This was a fun draft and led to some great discussion. We hope this episode will work as a recommendations list for those of you who have never ventured into the world of short films!
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2024-02-091h 34The Establishing ShotThe Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar, The Swan, The Rat Catcher, & Poison (w/ Chase Ables)Wes Anderson’s love for Roald Dahl’s storytelling pours out of the screen in his four short film adaptations of Dahl short stories that dropped on Netflix in 2023. This week, we discuss the unique pop-up book execution of Anderson’s The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar, The Swan, The Rat Catcher, and Poison. With nonstop narration, a troupe of phenomenal actors, and stage play moving sets, these shorts are unlike anything I’ve ever seen on film. Our discussion ranges from our favorite set pieces to the underlying themes being explored.
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2024-02-022h 22The Establishing ShotTrailer 2024Thanks for checking out our show! Check out the links below to learn more about the show, leave feedback, and support the show. Don’t forget to hit that subscribe button!
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2024-01-2601 minThe Establishing ShotChristmas Movie Draft Special (w/ Harrison Fredericks & Andrew Fossier)MERRY CHRISTMAS! It’s the most wonderful time of the year for movies, and what better way to celebrate than with a movie draft. In this Christmas Movie Draft Special, we draft Christmas movies into seven different categories and get to talk about our holiday favorites. Join us for a festive fun time!
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2023-12-151h 22The Establishing ShotChristopher Nolan: An EpilogueChristopher Nolan’s career is a fairly unique! He has made some huge movies (in scale, budget, and box office revenue) that smuggle in his personal obsessions and interests in intriguing ways. Nolan has truly come to define big budget Hollywood for his generation of filmmakers. Digging into his films over the course of this series, it's easy to see why that is. Join me is this epilogue to our Nolan series where I share my major takeaways from our venture through Nolan’s filmography. No movie news or movie draft this week!
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2023-12-011h 24The Establishing ShotTenet (w/ Andrew Fossier)Tenet is, in many ways, the culmination of Nolan’s career up this point. It is a huge budget genre movie with a sci-fi twist, and really feels like something only he could pull off. With action sequences unlike anything else you’ve ever seen on screen, it is certainly worthy of a deep dive. In movie news, we talk about some recent releases and upcoming fall releases we are excited about including The Marvels and Napoleon. Our movie draft for the week is a Spy Movie Draft, and we share some recommendations of the week.
ht...
2023-11-174h 27The Establishing ShotDunkirk (w/ Kara Smith)Dunkirk is the culmination of so many techniques and filmmaking obsessions that Christopher Nolan had developed up to this point in his career. We discuss its unrelenting pace, the incredible work done to bring this film into being, and why this movie is so meaningful for both Nolan and the audience. In the stead of movie news and a movie draft, we simply share some recommendations of a couple of our favorite war movies (and one Dunkirk related non-war movie).
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Timestamps:
Intro (00:39)
Dunkirk Discussion (09:42)
M...
2023-11-102h 37The Establishing ShotInterstellar (w/ Sam Camp)Interstellar manages to be Christopher Nolan’s most expansive film yet while simultaneously being his most sentimental. We discuss the incredible work done making this film as well as why this film feels like Nolan’s most emotional in his filmography. In our movie news section, we very briefly anticipate Sofia Coppola’s Priscilla. Finally, we do a movies in space draft and share our recommendations of the week.
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Timestamps:
Intro (00:39)
Interstellar Discussion (14:12)
Movie News (02:57:37)
Movie Draft (02:59:24)
Recommendations of the Week (03:31:07)
...
2023-11-033h 39The Establishing ShotThe Dark Knight Rises (w/ Zachary Lee)The Dark Knight Rises was an ambitious end to Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy. Its epic scale feels like the natural target of the trajectory that this trilogy and Nolan’s career overall had been taking. Our discussion spans from the incredible production work to the core themes at play, and we try to figure out if this is a satisfying wrap up of the trilogy. In our movie news section, guest Zachary Lee shares some of his favorite films of 2023 so far. Finally, we do a horror subgenre movie draft and share our recommendations of the week.
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2023-10-274h 25The Establishing ShotInception (w/ Elijah Davidson)A BIG episode for a BIG movie! Christopher Nolan’s Inception feels like a lifetime achievement in many ways. Its inception as an idea goes back to his childhood, and here we see the culmination of his visual, conceptual, and emotional obsessions culminate in a film that dominated cultural conversation. Our discussion spans from the incredible VFX work to the emotional core that makes this one of Nolan’s most personal films. In our movie news section, we talk about our excitement for Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon. Finally, we do a movie draft of adaptations of non-fi...
2023-10-204h 05The Establishing ShotThe Dark Knight (w/ Houston Dragna)Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight is arguably his most notable film to date, changing not just superhero movies but the film industry in general. His grounded approach to the comic book world, Ledger’s iconic performance, and escalated scale in both the action and the story add up to a phenomenal film that is his most well known to this day. In our movie news section, we briefly mention Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour. Finally, we do a movie draft of movie villains and share our recommendations of the week.
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Timestamps:
Intro (00:39)
Batman Begins Discussion (15:30)
Movie N...
2023-10-133h 33The Establishing ShotThe Prestige (w/ Jacob Phillips)In our discussion about Christopher Nolan’s The Prestige, we marvel at the cinematic sleight of hand that Nolan brings with his technical and plot precision. He stretches his budget to its extremes with an incredible cast, phenomenal set pieces, and an ending that leaves you wanting more. In our movie news section, we talk about some fun ways to utilize Letterboxd. Finally, we do a movie draft of revenge movies and share our recommendations of the week.
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Timestamps:
Intro (00:40)
Batman Begins Discussion (06:33)
Movie News (02:44:26)
Mov...
2023-10-063h 31The Establishing ShotBatman Begins (w/ Drew Felts)In our discussion about Christopher Nolan’s Batman Begins, we dig into what he brought to this beloved franchise that changed superhero films. Working with a huge budget and his detailed mind, Nolan reimagined the world of Batman and Gotham and kicked off the trilogy that would elevate his career. In our movie news section, we talk about looking forward to Gareth Edwards’ The Creator and discuss AI. Finally, we do a movie draft of DC Comics movies and share our recommendations of the week.
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Timestamps:
Intro...
2023-09-292h 46The Establishing ShotInsomnia (w/ Dave Lester)In our discussion about Christopher Nolan’s first studio feature, Insomnia, we examine why this feels like his forgotten film. Somehow with Insomnia’s studio budget, star-studded cast, adapted script, and its fairly standard narrative structure, Nolan is still able to display his unique style as he gives us an incredibly interesting character study. Finally, we do a movie draft of foreign language films and their American remakes and share our recommendations of the week.
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Timestamps:
Intro (00:38)
Insomnia Discussion (18:48)
Movie Draft (02:13:32)
Recommendations of the Week (02:38:42)
2023-09-222h 43The Establishing ShotMemento (w/ Philip Marinello)Our discussion of Christopher Nolan’s sophomore film, Memento, praises the unique experience that he brought us in his budding career. Memento’s backwards structure, iconic design, and great performances put Nolan on the map as the next great American filmmaker. In our movie news section, we discuss theatrical re-releases of classic film with the recent re-release of Oldboy and the upcoming one for Stop Making Sense. Finally, we do a movie draft of films dealing with memory loss and memory manipulation and share our recommendations of the week.
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Time...
2023-09-153h 16The Establishing ShotFollowing (w/ Haydn Fabre)This week we discuss Christopher Nolan’s debut feature film, Following. With virtually no budget and borrowed equipment, Nolan was able to make an interesting twist on noir that already displayed his personal flair. In our movie news section, we share some random discussion on Scorsese anticipating Killers of the Flower Moon. Finally, we do a movie draft of debut features from directors and share our recommendations of the week.
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Timestamps:
Intro (00:39)
Following Discussion (8:18)
Movie News (01:39:03)
Movie Draft (01:47:33)
Recommendations of the Week (02:33:51)
F...
2023-09-082h 43The Establishing ShotChristopher Nolan: An Overview (w/ Jean-Pierre Boudreaux)This week we kick off our Christopher Nolan series by discussing his career as a whole. This episode will act as an establishing shot for the rest of the series, cluing us in to techniques and themes to look for as we watch through Nolan’s filmography. In our movie news section, our guest shares some recent 2023 watches that he has enjoyed. Finally, we do a draft of movies shot with IMAX cameras/IMAX approved digital cameras and share our recommendations of the week.
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Timestamps:
Intro (w/ our pe...
2023-09-013h 23The Establishing ShotWatch Old Movies with Your Kids
This week, we have a bonus episode where I talk about watching old movies with your kids, recommending Ty Burr’s The Best Old Movies for Families, and my four year old gives his review of two recent watches: The Wizard of Oz (1939) and The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938)
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2023-08-1813 minThe Establishing Shot2023 Fall Movie PreviewThis week I take a break between director series and talk about some recent releases that I have seen as well as look forward to some upcoming releases coming out this fall by the likes of Martin Scorsese, Denis Villenueve, Sofia Coppola, David Fincher, and more!
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Timestamps:
Intro (00:40)
Recent Release Reviews (02:06)
2023 Fall Movie Preview (19:35)
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2023-08-1155 minThe Establishing ShotWes Anderson: An EpilogueThis week I wrap up our series on Wes Anderson’s filmography with an epilogue episode. I talk through some of my major takeaways from Anderson’s filmography then share a takeaway from the endeavor of going through a director’s filmography in general. Finally, I announce the director we will cover in our next series!
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2023-08-0442 minThe Establishing Shot"Asteroid City" (w/ Ian Naude)
This week we discuss “Asteroid City”, Wes Anderson’s latest film. With a meta-textual, layered framing device, highly stylized desert set and just as dry characters, and Wes at the height of his powers, this discussion was bound to be great. In our movie news section, we discuss Wes Anderson and other directors of his generation and what makes them tick. Finally, we do a draft of movies with deserts and share our recommendations of the week.
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Timestamps:
Intro (00:38)
“Aste...
2023-07-283h 15The Establishing ShotThe French Dispatch (w/ Kara Smith)This week we discuss The French Dispatch, Wes Anderson’s first work in an anthology format. This one is both an ode to French cinema and to The New Yorker, is charming in its own drab yet fanciful Anderson way, and is chock full of various filmmaking abstractions. In our movie news section, we discuss current working female directors in anticipation of Greta Gerwig’s Barbie. Finally, we do a draft of writers in movies and share our recommendations of the week.
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Timestamps:
Intro...
2023-07-213h 31The Establishing ShotIsle of Dogs (w/ Chase Ables)This week we discuss Isle of Dogs, Wes Anderson’s second venture into stop-motion animation. Full of beautiful sets, love for Japanese art, and of course dogs, this is a really enjoyable film to both watch and discuss. In our movie news section, we discuss Tom Cruise’s stunts in Mission Impossible films and how long action stars can last. Finally, we do a draft of stop-motion animation movies and share our recommendations of the week.
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Timestamps:
Intro (00:35)
Isle of Dogs Discu...
2023-07-143h 02The Establishing ShotBest Films of 2023 So FarThis week we take a break from our Wes Anderson series for a look at my favorite movies of 2023 so far. It is halfway through the year, and I wanted to share some of the best films I have seen from 2023. Spoiler: there is one Marvel film in my top 8 films, and it is NOT distributed by Disney. There have already been some great movies, and there are more to come! I hope these recommendations will put some new films on your watchlist!
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2023-07-0758 minThe Establishing ShotThe Grand Budapest Hotel (w/ Jean-Pierre Boudreaux)This week we discuss The Grand Budapest Hotel, Wes Anderson’s most successful film to date. It doesn’t get much better than Ralph Fiennes concierge-ing his way into our hearts. In our movie news section, we discuss whether we are excited for Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny or not. Finally, we do a draft of movies with hotels and share our recommendations of the week.
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Timestamps:
Intro (00:39)
The Grand Budapest Hotel Discussion (05:13)
Movie News (02:06:53)
Movie Draft (02:24:48)
Rec...
2023-06-303h 06The Establishing ShotMoonrise Kingdom (w/ Thomas Pears)This week we discuss Moonrise Kingdom, a childhood romance, fantasy adventure by Wes Anderson. We loved this movie, but we don’t know what we’re talking about. In our movie news section, we discuss what has happened to hit, blockbuster comedies anticipating the release of No Hard Feelings. Finally, we do a draft of 2000’s comedies and share our recommendations of the week.
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Timestamps:
Intro (00:38)
Moonrise Kingdom Discussion (08:45)
Movie News (01:44:42)
Movie Draft (02:00:02)
Recommendations of the Week (02:48:05)
2023-06-232h 56The Establishing ShotFantastic Mr. Fox (w/ Haydn Fabre)This week we discuss Fantastic Mr. Fox, Wes Anderson’s first venture into animation. Full of great puppetry, sets, charm, and layers of emotions for both kids and adults, this film has plenty to dig into. In our movie news section, we discuss extended cinematic universes and if they are good for the future of cinema in line with The Flash releasing. Finally, we do a draft of films with time travel, also with The Flash in mind, and share our recommendations of the week.https://www.establishingshotpod.com/
Timestamps:
Intro (00:36)
Fan...
2023-06-162h 46The Establishing ShotThe Darjeeling Limited (w/ Sam Camp)This week we discuss The Darjeeling Limited, the spiritual journey on a train in India we were all waiting for from Wes Anderson. With incredible set pieces and great performances from and chemistry between the three brothers that we follow, this film provided a ton a great things to dive into. In our movie news section, we discuss the ramifications of the time between theatrical and streaming releases. Finally, we do a draft of films with train scenes on brand with the Darjeeling talk and share our recommendations of the week.
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Timestamps:
2023-06-092h 34The Establishing ShotThe Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (w/ Jean-Pierre Boudreaux)This week we discuss The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, which might be the most quintessential example of the Wes Anderson aesthetic. With the cutaway, dollhouse boat, a phenomenal cast, and stop-motion sea creatures this is a fun one. In our movie news section, we discuss Spider-Man adaptations with Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse releasing this weekend. Finally, we do a draft of films with underwater scenes and share our recommendations of the week.
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Timestamps:
Intro (00:37)
The Life Aquatic Discussion (14:09)
M...
2023-06-022h 49The Establishing ShotThe Royal Tenenbaums (w/ Harrison Fredericks)
This week we discuss The Royal Tenenbaums, Wes Anderson’s third film and first big box office success. Here we see his first ensemble cast and his distinct style coming to the forefront. In our movie news section, we discuss live-action Disney remakes with The Little Mermaid releasing this weekend. Finally, we do a draft of Disney Animated Classics and share our recommendations of the week.
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Timestamps:
Intro (00:37)
The Royal Tenenbaums Discussion (07:50)
Movie News (01:17:12)
Movie Dra...
2023-05-262h 20