Film School

Twizzlers or Red Vines? Reese's Pieces or Milk Duds? Coke or Slushie? Butter on that Popcorn? We all have our favorite movie theater snacks, so what are yours? Josh and Ira shared theirs, plus some of the wonderful memories that talking about all that junk food prompts, days gone by when there was more time to just pop into the movie theater and leave the real world for a while. We get nostalgic and delicious this week on the Cutting Room Floor.

You're gonna need a bigger boat. Jaws: the genesis of the summer blockbuster, and the film that launched Steven Spielberg into the stratosphere. Dude was 26 when he made this move. TWENTY. SIX. And it defined an entire genre of films. We still make Shark Movies to this day. So, let's go back to the original "don't go in the water" scary movie. This week on Film School!

You're sitting in front of yourself at 24 years of age. What would you say to them? What have you learned that they haven't? What would you want to tell them that you know they wouldn't understand? Ya boys dive deep this week into life lessons, regrets, and triumphs.

Yo, Adrian! Stallone takes the turn that made him a star in one of the most successful examples of the "Performance" Genre in all of history. Rocky is a bum. He roughs people up for the mob. But he has a dream: to earn respect in the boxing ring. In Rocky, he gets his chance, and finds love along the way. Does this movie earn its reputation as one of the best underdog stories ever? Listen and find out what we thought!

Every story that works has 5 fundamental building blocks: Inciting Incident, Progressive Complications, Crisis, Climax, and Resolution. This week, Josh and Ira dive into the definition of each of those terms, and how they apply to the stories we love and create. For more reading on this very topic, straight from the source, check out Shawn Coyne's brilliant work over at storygrid.com

Chaplin makes his second appearance on The List as the hapless Klondike Gold Rush prospector...and he does not disappoint. We weren't too hot on Chaplin's previous film Modern Times. This time around, the gags are fresher, the story is tighter, and the music is absolutely breathtaking. It's epic, funny, poignant, and romantic. Even to this day, some of the visuals Chaplin employs are confounding. How did he do that?!

Happy New Year! So...are you a resolutions kind of person? If not, do you set any kind of intentions or goals around this time of year? And if you are, welcome to the club! Josh and Ira share what they're looking forward to and planning in 2020. We're living in the future!

Wait. Is that Bob Saget? Robert Altman does his thing in what's aimed as an epic, grand portrait/commentary on middle America. It has no less than twenty-four main characters, a run-time of over two and a half hours, and a full HOUR of original country music. With all that's going on, does it all come together in the end. Listen and find out!

Yippie-ki-yay motherf—er! Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays everyone! This holiday season, we're watching the film that's become the festive touchstone of this generation, and the one that defined Bruce Willis' career as an action star. Josh has never seen this one! Boy, is he in for a treat! It's a showdown at the Nakatomi Tower. And don't forget to bring your shoes!

We blinked and 2019 is coming to a close. Josh and Ira reflect on a year of movies. For all its flaws, the AFI's Top 100 list has DELIVERED, and ya boys discuss the highs, the lows, the takeaways, and the laughter. It's been a transformative experience already. If you haven't listened to the back-catalogue yet, this is your perfect guide!

Also, check out our BONUS extended conversation on our personal reflections on the year over at our Patreon for FREE; anyone can listen. Check it out here.