We dive into Tom Cruise’s “Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning” and discuss: Editing dialog-heavy scenes; Story & Writing, exposition dumps, the real villain; and other such stuff and things and stuff. “Disobedience is the true foundation of liberty.“ – Henry David Thoreau Notes & References: AGI (Artificial General Intelligence) (wiki) Emergent Phenomena (wiki) Watch us […]

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We drill into Paul Thomas Anderson’s “There Will Be Blood” and discuss: Story & Writing, plot vs character; Daniel Day-Lewis; and other such stuff and things and stuff. “It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends upon his not understanding it.“ – Upton Sinclair Notes & References: *first 15 […]

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We cross into Matthew Vaughn’s “Stardust” and discuss: Cinematography, polished camera moves; Story & Writing, fairytale rules, character wants, love; and other such stuff and things and stuff. “My bounty is as boundless as the sea, My love as deep. The more I give to thee, The more I have, for both are infinite.“ – […]

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We trek across Cormac McCarthy’s “The Road” and discuss: Cinematography, compositions, first frame last frame; Story & Writing, structure, morality, terse dialog; and other such stuff and things and stuff. “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.“ – […]

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We summon Ryan Coogler’s “Sinners” and discuss: Story & Writing, fairytales, flashbacks, and protagonists; and other such stuff and things and stuff. “If art is to nourish the roots of our culture, society must set the artist free to follow his vision wherever it takes him.“ – John F. Kennedy Notes & References: Eric Roth […]

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We surveil Rami Malek’s “The Amateur” and discuss: Story & Writing, how world-building impacts the audience experience, setting up your character arcs; and other such stuff and things and stuff. “What idea havers don’t understand is that it’s in the making of all of the microdecisions that the actual work of creation takes place, and […]

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We devour Eva Green & Ewan McGregor’s “Perfect Sense” and discuss: Cinematography, contrast, camera movement; Story & Writing, scene character, relationship epidemics; and other such stuff and things and stuff. “Yes, there is joy, fulfillment, and companionship, but the loneliness of the soul in its appalling self-consciousness is horrible and overpowering.“ – Sylvia Plath Notes […]

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We double-cross Tom Cruise’s original “Mission: Impossible” and discuss: Cinematography, split focus diopters; Story & Writing, the opening, big set pieces; and other such stuff and things and stuff. “Without promotion, something terrible happens… nothing!“ – P.T. Barnum Notes & References: David Koepp (IMDB) Robert Towne (IMDB) Watch us on YouTube! xx Art Spotlight: “The […]

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