Singer-songwriter Sean Rowe joins this 111th episode of the Movies In Focus podcast. Rowe wrote the songs on the soundtrack to Travis Mills’ excellent 2025 western, Frontier Crucible - and these punctuate the film as transitional pieces, much like the way that Leonard Cohen’s songs cut through the icy locales of Robert Altman’s McCabe & Mrs. Miller. It’s a fantastic suite of songs, which are available as an album from his website and on streaming services like Spotify. 

This conversation goes beyond the music for Frontier Crucible - and it delves into the process of writing and recording songs, storytelling as well as performing music live on stage.   

It's a fascinating conversation with a great artist - and a wonderful insight into what it takes to be a musician.

Listen to the Movies In Focus Frontier Crucible podcast interview Thomas Jane and Travis Mills. 

Visit www.seanrowe.net

Set in Los Angeles during Christmas, Above The Line sees six Hollywood wannabes get the invite of a lifetime when a mysterious messenger gives them the opportunity to steal the Best Picture Awards belonging to an unscrupulous film producer, played by Gregg Henry. 

Directed by Jeffrey Scott Collins, Above The Line is an on-point black comedy that takes plenty of potshots at Hollywood and the film business. It’s well shot, with a few nice plot points and good performances. It’s a good comedy in its own right, but it has added zing if you know a little bit about the biz. 

Jeffrey Scott Collins joins this episode of the Movies In Focus podcast to talk about Above The Line, how to craft a comedy filled with twists, the ups and downs of the movie business - and of course, unscrupulous film producers.

Above The Line is available on Digital & On Demand June 26, 2026.

Over the course of the last half century, Gregg Henry has become one of the most prolific - and one of the best character actors around. A man who has notched-up five guest-starring roles in Murder, She Wrote alone and who has starred in six Brian De Palma projects as well as movies like Payback, Jason Bourne and the Guardians Of The Galaxy films - to name but a few. 

I first noticed him opposite Mel Gibson in Payback - where he more than held his own on screen against that A-list star - and I know that he always gives a great performance, no matter what role he plays

In his new film, Above The Line, Henry plays a ruthless Hollywood producer, who gets more than he bargained for when a group of Hollywood wannabes attempt to steal his Best Picture Awards on Christmas Eve. 

I was thrilled to chat with Gregg Henry about Above The Line, the changing face of movies in the 21st Century — as well what he knows about the rumblings of a new Brian De Palma film.

A faux documentary that charts the chaos around the making (and therefore the unmaking) of a fictitious $500 million epic called Dissident, Chapter 51 positions itself as a true crime documentary which delves into the murder of three lead actresses during production. 

This is essentially flawless filmmaking, a rare cinematic gem that delivers on an intriguing premise. It would be great without the luscious visuals, but filmmaker and photographer Tyler Shield’s eye as a visual stylist takes Chapter 51 to a whole other level. This delivers on all fronts. It’s not only one of the most interesting films you’ll see this year, but it’s also one of the very best. 

I was thrilled to have director Tyler Shields join this episode of the Movies In Focus podcast to talk about how Chapter 51 was made - the choices which help make it such a visually fascinating piece of cinema, film in general,  camera lenses and a whole lot more.

If you love cinema, you’ll love this episode of the Movies In Focus podcast. 

John Brownell’s Coin is a crypto comedy that sees two slacker friends who, through a series of events, manage to misappropriate political campaign funds in order to launch a cryptocurrency so they can save their local park from developers. Things don’t quite go to plan and the pair find themselves pursued by a hitman.

A sort of modern day take on the type of films where Kevin Smith made his name, Coin is an energetic and entertaining comedy with a likeable central duo. Also - it just gives you enough detail on cryptocurrency - if you’re a crypto coin Luddite and know nothing about that sort of thing. . 

John Brownell joins this episode of the Movies In Focus podcast ahead of Coin's launch at the Dances With Films festival. The filmmaker talks about self-financing the comedy, keeping a low budget film on schedule, his passion for film and much more.

Filmmaker Jordan Ruttert joins the Movies In Focus podcast to talk about the first episode in a proposed independent TV series, The Reverb, which is premiering at the Dances With Films festival on June 27th, 

Pitched as a show written by Gen Z for Gen Z, the series will follow a band on the decline that is struck by an unexpected tragedy. They must then turn to old friends in a fight to uncover the truth.

A young filmmaker with a big vision, Jordan Ruttert discusses the grand design for The Reverb, being young filmmaker and writing for a specific audience - as well as her plans for the future. 

Director-producer Jay Silverman joins this episode of the Movies In Focus podcast to discuss his new film Yale. 

The comedy-drama launches at the Dances With Films film festival on June 18th and it’s a smart, well acted piece that feels like it was lifted straight from the 1990s - and I mean that in a good way. 

Starring Caitlin McGee and Kevin Dunn, Yale is based on a true story about a troubled author who must confront the deadbeat father who abandoned her as a child in an effort to find a kidney donor for her dying son.

It’s a film with good performances and a lot of heart - and it has the potential to be a real crowd pleaser when it reaches an audience. 

A veteran of film and TV, Jay Silverman joined the podcast to talk about the process of developing Yale with writer Van Billet, the personal connection of cinema, working in the independent film world and much, much more. 

Find out more about Yale at jaysilvermanproductions.com 

The wonderful David Morse and director Joseph T. Walker join this episode of the Movies In Focus podcast to talk about their new film, Broken Land. 

An excellent small scale drama, the film sees Morse play a widowed Texas rancher who takes an injured migrant (played by Jaklyn Bejarano) under his wing. Broken Land features strong performances and it has a real 1970s feel with characters and performances at the forefront. Morse has long been a favourite character actor of mine and he really excels here, delivering a lot of emotion with very little dialogue. 

David Morse and Joseph T. Walker talk about how Broken Land came to be, the challenges of making a character driven cinema in today’s film climate and much more.

Morse also brought up a film which is a particular favourite of mine - the late, great Richard Donner’s Inside Moves - and I was excited to be able to tell him how much I admire his performance in that film. 

Broken Land hits On Demand on 12 June, 2026.

Legendary horror icon, Barbara Crampton (Re-Animator, Chopping Mall, Castle Freak) and Desiree Staples (My Divorce Party), the stars of short film, The Blue Diamond, join this episode of the Movies In Focus podcast, along with the film’s director and co-writer, Sam Fox (Fck'n Nuts).

The Blue Diamond is a quirky and energetic sci-fi short set in an 1980s ski resort which deals with personal loss, overbearing parents and… aliens. It’s a vibrant and punchy proof of concept short that hits the senses like cinematic energy drink. 

Barbara Crampton, Desiree Staples and Sam Fox go into detail on making the film, its origins, the film's 1980s fashion  - as well as discussing how The Blue Diamond will become a full length feature.

Jon Keeyes, the director of the new supernatural thriller, Speed Demon joins this special bite-sized episode of the Movies In Focus podcast.

A gonzo mix of The Exorcist meets Speed by way of Murder On The Orient Express, Speed Demon sees a Nun who has lost her faith battling demonic possession on a runaway train. Frankly, if that doesn’t make you want to watch the movie then nothing will! 

An ensemble film toplined by Katie Cassidy and William H. Macy, Speed Demond is a silly, but very entertaining twist on the Exorcism sub-genre. And when you’ve seen as many of those as I have, any variation on the concept is a very welcome.

Jon Keeyes discusses the film and its far-out concept, the joys of making a one location supernatural thriller as well as sequel potential and much, much more. 

Speed Demon hits U.S. cinemas, on Demand and on Digital on May 31.