In The Seats with...

We're showing our age with the hope that is in 80's Rock Docs.

On this episode we are seeing the collision of two of our biggest passions; film restoration and 80's Pop Culture Rock Docs.  It's time for 'The Long Way Home'.

From the late Michael Apted, and restored from the only existing 16mm print, supervised by producer Steven Lawrence and editor Susanne Rostock. 'The Long Way Home: Remastered and Expanded  (2026)  is a revealing, rollicking portrait of the Soviet underground rock legend Boris Grebenshchikov, who became the first to record in the West during the early, optimistic days of Glasnost. The film features Boris Grebenshchikov, Dave Stewart and members of legendary Russian rock band Aquarium, with special appearances by Annie Lennox, Chrissie Hynde, Ray Cooper, Crosby, Stills & Nash and many more.

Playing this coming Wednesday at To Save and Project: The 22nd MoMA International Festival of Film Preservation this is an event that is a must see if you're in New York.

We got to talk with producer Steven Lawrence about restoring this story, the additional epilogue he shot with Boris, working with Michael Apted, this films place in Rock Doc lore and so very much more....

When you're building a village that it takes to populate a movie, quality relationships matter...

On this episode we are still deep in the throws of awards consideration season and we get the pleasure of diving into the Golden Globe winning 'The Secret Agent'.

From Writer/Director Kleber Mendonça Filho, 'The Secret Agent' takes us back to Brazil, 1977. Marcelo, a technology expert in his early 40s, is on the run. He arrives in Recife during carnival week, hoping to reunite with his son but soon realizes that the city is far from being the non-violent refuge he seeks.

It's a fictional story but pulled from the very real political strife that rocked Brazil in the late 70's.  Wagner Moura leads a massive cast which is why it was so fascinating to get a chance to sit down with Casting Director Gabriel Domingues about his work on the film, the importance of having a pre existing relationship with Writer/Director Kleber Mendonça Filho, and assembling a cast with dozens of actors and even more supporting and background players.

Go and see 'The Secret Agent' anyway you can, it's already won some awards with many more to come.

The right song can not only brings the house down, but it can add layers to the story that you couldn't even imagine....

On this episode we have a fun one as we get to sit with a genuine up and coming star.  We get to sit down with Aiyana-Lee to talk about her song in the movie 'Highest 2 Lowest'

This is a straight up power house of a song that will not only bring the house down but it truly does some up the entire arc of the movie that sums up the story arc of music mogul David King (played by Denzel Washington) as he navigates his way and his families way through a life or death situation.

We won't use the tired line of calling her an overnight success, but being discovered by Spike Lee on Instagram to being on set with Denzel is certainly one hell of a compelling story.  We talked about that, basically writing a whole album when Spike asked her for a song, her musical heritage, storytelling across artistic mediums and so very much more.

Check out 'Highest 2 Lowest' on Apple TV+ now.

It takes a village, quite literally to build a village and tell a story...

On this episode we're back in awards mode as we dive back into the world of 'Hamnet' with set decorator Alice Felton.

We talked about how she got involved in the project, working from the source material, honouring the realities of a period piece without it being obvious and so very much more.

Get to your local theatre and see 'Hamnet'

There's something about true crime stories that are still fresh in our collective memory that are just unsettling as all hell.

On this episode, we dive into a true to life story as a serial killer gripped a nation and almost shattered a justice system.  Coming to VOD platforms on Friday Jan 16th it's time for 'Maldorer'.

Based on/Inspired By a True Story that shook Belgium legal system, follows the case of a serial killer/sex offender, the faults in the system that let him slip through the system once eariler and the lives of the police who are affected more then we can ever appreciate in confronting crime of this nature.

We had the pleasure of sitting down with writer/director Fabrice du Welz to talk about the original Affaire Dutroux, how the story has stayed with him as a kid, the influences the film pulls from the likes of Sydney Lumet all the way to David Fincher in capturing not only the horrible nature of the crime but how it affects the people trying to find justice.

'Maldorer' is on VOD platforms as of Jan 16th from our friends at Film Movement, go check it out.

The biggest movie of the past year, actually may have been even bigger...

On this episode we're going off world to Pandora to get some insights into the music and sounds of the world of 'Avatar: Fire & Ash'.

We had the chance to sit down with composer Simon Franglen to talk about his extensive work on these films (you'll be stunned to find out how much) his working relationship with James Cameron, working on the song for the film with Miley Cyrus, the nature of film composing and the evolution of the job over the years.

Go see 'Avatar: Fire & Ash' on the biggest screen possible, the way it's meant to be seen.

The outfit truly does make the character....

We're still elbows deep in awards season coverage and we've got another good one for you as we get some insight into the craft behind 'Hamnet'.

We had the pleasure of sitting down with the one and only Malgosia Turzanska; costume designer on 'Hamnet; and a myriad of other high profile shoots.  We talking about getting involved with the project, how much creative rope she gets from a director like Chloe Zhao, truly understanding the source material and getting to work with the actors to help maximize every element of the characters that they bring to the screen.

Go see 'Hamnet' in theatres everywhere now.

Sound is a character...

For this episode we get to talk about a movie that made us excited about the movie going experience.  It's time for 'Sirat'.

On it's surface, it's the story of a father accompanied by his son as they search for his missing daughter in North Africa, but it's also an immersive, even primal cinematic experience that hits audiences with walls of sound which are just as important to the narrative.

We had the pleasure of talking with sound designer Laia Casanovas about her work on this incredibly unique cinematic experience.

'Sirat' is in theatres in Toronto on Feb 13th

Music is all about relationships....

On this episode we have the pleasure of sitting down with one of the most interesting composers working in the space today; Hildur Guðnadóttir.  With her work on Prime Video's 'Hedda' making the short list for the Academy Awards and her work on the film '28 Years Later: Bone Temple' hitting theatres this week,  it was the perfect time to sit and talk about the work, getting into the business the importance of relationships not only with actors but with a director like Nia DaCosta who she worked on both of these films with especially during awards season.

Yet another strong talk as we kick off our year and we certainly hope you enjoy it.

'Hedda's is on Prime Video now and '28 Years Later: Bone Temple' is in theatres this Friday.

Sometimes perspectives change...

It's a new year and it's a new episode as we're already knee deep into Shortlists and Awards season consideration and it makes sense.  We had the pleasure of talking with Singer/Songwriter/Composer/Actor Sara Bareilles about her song 'Salt Then Sour Then Sweet' which was used in the new documentary on Apple+ 'Come See Me In The Good Light'.

'Come See Me in the Good Light' is a poignant and unexpectedly funny love story about poets Andrea Gibson and Megan Falley facing an incurable cancer diagnosis with joy, wit and an unshakable partnership. Through laughter and unwavering love, they transform pain into purpose, and mortality into a moving celebration of resilience.

I'll admit that when watching this for the first time, I actually felt a little uncomfortable watching as I was having trouble with as it made me uncomfortable watching it as it felt in conflict with my own emotions about being a care giver for a family member with terminal cancer, I felt uncomfortable viewing it all.  That is until the end credits and this song came on....

Using the words of Andrea Gibson after she died, what Bareilles and Brandi Carlile do here is sum up what is a horrible emotional experience into a 3.5 minute experience that had this critic blubbering in tears.

I had the pleasure of sitting down with Sara to talk about how she got involved in the project, the pressure of a job like this, working and repurposing someone else's art and the importance of storytelling leading with love.

'Come See Me in the Good Light' is on Apple+ now.