Director's Club

Returning guest Brendan M Leonard joins us to discuss the great writer/director David Mamet. We talk about his debut con-man classic, HOUSE OF GAMES, as well as his political thriller SPARTAN from 2004. We dissect his work at length, and each of us choose one other film from his filmography to talk about further. During the what we watched segment, Brendan talks GAME OF THRONES, Jim reviews RED STATE, and Patrick brings up a discussion of 9/11 and how it's shaped popular culture including horror films.

In about two weeks on September 24th, CHUD.com's Renn Brown joins us to talk about the work of The Wachowski's. Until next time, please send us your suggestions as well as any comments about Mamet or any director we’ve discussed or will discuss on a future episode. Drop us a line if you’re a movie blogger/podcaster and would like a guest spot on the show to talk about a filmmaker whose work you admire or despise. Thanks for listening and be sure to check out our updated upcoming schedule in the sidebar to see which directors we’ll be talking about soon! Leave us a voicemail to play on the show at 224-366-9528. Questions are always welcome via email: [email protected]

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit directorsclub.substack.com/subscribe

Our guest film critic, Erik Childress of Efilmcritic.com is a huge fan of Christopher Nolan. He put one of Nolan’s films on his list of the best films of the decade and we were more than curious to hear an interesting perspective on a such an innovative director. We mainly look at Nolan's most acclaimed film, MEMENTO, then discuss a film that seemed to be less acclaimed at the time, THE PRESTIGE. We dissect both at length, and each choose one other film from his filmography to talk about further. During the what we watched segment, Erik reviews WARRIOR, Jim reviews FRIGHT NIGHT, and Patrick reviews CAPTAIN AMERICA. We also announce the winner of the Amazon Gift Card contest!

In less than a week, our first returning guest Brendan Leonard joins us to talk about the work of David Mamet (both as a director and as a writer). Until next time, please send us your suggestions as well as any comments about Nolan or any director we’ve discussed or will discuss on a future episode. Drop us a line if you’re a movie blogger/podcaster and would like a guest spot on the show to talk about a filmmaker whose work you admire (or despise). Thanks for listening and be sure to check out our updated upcoming schedule in the sidebar to see which directors we’ll be talking about soon! Leave us a voicemail to play on the show at 224-366-9528. Questions are always welcome via email: [email protected]

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit directorsclub.substack.com/subscribe

Reminder: This came out in 2011. For the first time ever, we welcome two guests for a point/counter-point discussion on a very divisive filmmaker. This whole new format quite possibly turned out to be our best show yet with lots of hilarity and violent screams of fury! Some love Brian De Palma as a remarkable visual artist and cite him as a member of the New Hollywood group of filmmakers, while others despise him for being derivative and lazy with the storytelling process. We wanted to explore both sides. It got heated. There was swearing.

Our guests, Peter Sobczynski of Efilmcritic.com is on the plus side, whereas Matt Gamble of WhereTheLongTailEnds.com is on the negative side. We mainly look at his earliest and most acclaimed film, BLOW-OUT, then talk about a rather goofy noir from the latter part of his career, FEMME FATALE. Collectively, we all have very different takes on De Palma and it makes for a really tense and enlightening analysis especially as we obsess over his filmography. During the what we watched segment, we also have a heated debate on THE TREE OF LIFE, and our guests talk about two new movies coming out within the next month or so, that we're both really excited to see. Let us know if you enjoyed this new format so that we consider this approach again for future episodes. Email us at: [email protected].

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit directorsclub.substack.com/subscribe

Guest Kurt Halfyard from RowThree.com and Twitchfilm.com joins us to discuss prolific British filmmaker Michael Winterbottom.  We all agree on Winterbottom's triumphantly energetic 24 Hour Party People but all three of us have different opinions on Code 46.  We also have a very lengthy deconstruction of the majority of his filmography (although he's almost too prolific to where it's hard to see everything or keep up).  There are a couple of brief in-house items and we elaborate on a couple other things we've watched this week including Ghostbusters II, The Swell Season documentary, and The Change-Up!  Any thoughts on this episode, shoot 'em our way.  And please be sure to visit our website so you can enter our $30 Amazon Gift Card contest.  Entries are due by August 25th:  directorsclubpodcast.com

This week, we crank up the Elfman score as we take a trip down the rabbit hole with visual storyteller Tim Burton. Our guest this week is musician/filmmaker/editor Steven Ray Morris, and we all have a blast universally praising Ed Wood. In contrast, we each have very few positive things to say about the majority of his later work, particularly Sleepy Hollow. We announce our first listener contest, read a couple of emails, talk about what we've watched this week, and discuss all of Burton's filmography! If you agree or disagree with us, send us your feedback/questions to [email protected]

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit directorsclub.substack.com/subscribe

This week, we get hardwired into the work of the controversial Canadian filmmaker David Cronenberg. Our special guest Meghan Lamb is a friend to the show, as well as a very talented author/musician/artist. We cover the diverse, ever-evolving filmography of Cronenberg, focusing on his earlier success from the late 80s Dead Ringers, as well as the critically acclaimed A History of Violence. But there's plenty to say about nearly all of his rather cerebral, psychologically stimulating films. In addition, we also announce our annual July Shitacular, read emails, and reveal our Top 5 Films of 2011 so far. As always, drop us an email about this episode or any upcoming director to: [email protected]. Thanks as always for listening and subscribing!

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit directorsclub.substack.com/subscribe

This week, we immerse ourselves into the world and vision of Australian filmmaker Peter Weir. Our special guest is the talented pop culture writer and CHUD contributor, Brendan M Leonard. We have an intellectually stimulating discussion covering the entire filmography of Peter Weir, focusing on the foreboding with THE LAST WAVE and the life-affirming, with FEARLESS, a movie that has very personal meaning for Jim. As always we read a couple of emails and talk about what we watched this week, including the theatrically-released Super 8 and Midnight in Paris. Send your thoughts on the podcast or a favorite directors of yours to: [email protected]

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit directorsclub.substack.com/subscribe

We dive deep into the work of action director Walter Hill, alongside guest and CHUD.com contributor, Mike Flynn. While expressing having oodles of praise for the majority of his filmography, we focus on what we all feel are two of his best films, THE WARRIORS and STREETS OF FIRE. As always, we also read some listener emails and talk about what else we’ve watched this week.

In two weeks, we will be covering the work of the great Australian filmmaker Peter Weir (Truman Show, Witness, Fearless, Master & Commander). Until then, please send us your suggestions as well as any comments about Walter Hill or any director, and especially drop us a line if you’re a movie blogger/podcaster and would like a guest spot on the show to talk about a filmmaker whose work you admire: [email protected]

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit directorsclub.substack.com/subscribe

For another epic-length episode, we deconstructed the work of the ever-so prolific Woody Allen with fan and friend to the show - Tony Valdivieso. Woody Allen just happens to be Patrick’s favorite director as well so we ecstaticly discuss two of his absolute best films, MANHATTAN and THE PURPLE ROSE OF CAIRO. As always, we read some listener emails and talk about what else we've watched this week. Send us your suggestions as well as any comments about Woody or any director, and especially drop us a line if you’re a movie blogger/podcaster and would like a guest spot on the show to talk about a filmmaker whose work you admire: [email protected]

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit directorsclub.substack.com/subscribe

No guest this week, but in honor of Jim's birthday, we cover his all-time favorite director, horror film-pioneer Sam Raimi. In addition to talking about the movies we watched this week and reading a suggestion from a listener, we swallow and digest a good majority of Raimi's filmography, including a couple of his lesser-successes over the years. We focus on EVIL DEAD 2 and share a mutual affinity for THE QUICK AND THE DEAD. As always, send all feedback and your thoughts on Sam Raimi or any director to: [email protected]

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit directorsclub.substack.com/subscribe