Shot/Reverse Shot

Spurred on by the Star Wars panel at Comic-Con, where J.J. Abrams and others placed a strong emphasis on the film's use of practical effects, Matt and Ed decided to discuss the history and current state of special effects in cinema. Amongst talk of how CGI affects audiences and why it can harm actors' performances, they talk about the trailers shown at Comic-Con for films they probably won't see, whether the Emmys mean anything, and get sidetracked by Arrested Development, because they're only human.

Show Notes

0:00:00 - 0:24:30 - Intro & discussion of the week's news and Comic-Con.0:24:31 - 0:52:39 - Discussion of Special Effects in cinema.0:52:40 - 0:58:02 - SRS Recommends & Outro.

- The WETA Effect video that serves as the jumping off point for this week's episode can be seen here.- Ed incorrectly states that the podcast is available one Radio FM, which is not a thing. He actually meant Player FM, which is a thing, and is an Android podcasting app on top of being a thing.

After a few weeks away from it, this week finds Matt and Ed returning to their ongoing series of artist profiles with an episode dedicated to a firm favourite, actor/producer Burt Lancaster. In addition to discussing the best and worst of Mr. Lancaster's career, they talk about his physicality, his knack for playing complex and morally ambiguous characters, and his willingness to take risks. 

They also come up with the ultimate Michael J. Fox film, and pay tribute to the excellent film website The Dissolve, which unexpectedly ceased publication this week.

Show Notes

0:00:00 - 0:05:53 - Intro & discussion of The Dissolve closing.0:05:54 - 0:47:55 - Profile of Burt Lancaster.0:47:56 - 0:49:34 - Outro

We aren't able to provide a full episode this week as we had initially planned due to a scheduling conflict. However, since we've been away for a few weeks and there are stories that Matt and Ed want to talk about, we have prepared this minisode for your delectation.

In this short, sharp chat, they talk about the continuing success of Jurassic World, which continues to eat records like an Indominus Rex chomping on people, the news that Ava DuVernay has passed on directing Black Panther for Marvel, and the announcement that Paul Thomas Anderson is going to write a live-action version of Pinocchio for Robert Downey, Jr. That last story in particular leads to a lot of befuddlement.

In this Very Special Episode, Matt and Ed convene in the same bloody room for once to celebrate the 100th episode of Shot/Reverse Shot! To mark the occasion, they took questions from listeners via Twitter, Facebook, and in person and endeavored to answer as many of them as possible. With such a broad brief, the episode encompasses everything from their favourite cinemas, snacks, scores, and actors, to in-depth discussions of Hollywood's odd unwillingness to cast gay men in leading roles and the slow death of "serious" cinema for mainstream audiences. They also finally reveal the fate of one-time SRS host Joe Gastineau.

Thanks to all those who submitted questions for this episode, as well as to all of you who have listened to the show over the last three and a half years. We really appreciate it and look forward to doing more episodes in the years to come.

Show Notes

00:00 - 01:57 - Intro & discussion of the momentous occasion.01:58 - 1:26:21 - Matt and Ed answer your questions (assuming that you asked some)!1:26:22 - 1:29:11 - Thanks & Outro

Much like everyone else on Earth, Matt and Ed went to see Jurassic World this weekend and they had a lot of thoughts about it. After talking about the death of Christopher Lee, they delve into their feelings about the first Jurassic Park, the deficiencies in Jurassic World's script, and why they on balance like the film even if they have massive problems with it.

00:00-15:54 - Intro & discussion of the week's news.15:55-57:10 - Matt and Ed discuss Jurassic World.57:11-1:01:58 - Shot/Reverse Shot Recommends & Outro.

The essay by Stephanie Wittels-Wach that Matt mentions can be found here and it is a beautiful, heartbreaking read.

On June 20th, 1975, Jaws was unleashed upon American audiences for the first time, in the process changing how people viewed the ocean, and how studios viewed the summer, forever. To mark this momentous occasion, Matt and Ed sit down to talk about the influence that the film has had, the ways in which it feels both part of the New Hollywood movement and separate from it, and how it relates to the work of Henrik Ibsen. And, of course, why they both really love it.

They also ponder whether a remake of Big Trouble in Little China is a good idea (and whether the greatest danger posed to it is a rewrite that makes Jack Burton anything other than a buffoon), and the true meaning of a Wookie life debt. 

- The Mark Kermode article on Jaws mentioned in the episode can be found here.- Roger Ebert's original review can be found here, and his Great Movies feature on it is also well worth a read.- The snippet of Spielberg heard at the start of the episode is taken from this fascinating video in which he, along with character actor Joe Spinelli, watch the 1976 Oscar nominations.

This Friday sees the start of Sheffield Doc/Fest, one of the biggest and best documentary festivals in the world and a favourite of this show. Unfortunately, for the first time in years, neither Matt or Ed are able to tend this year due to other commitments and the Atlantic Ocean, respectively. To commiserate, they talk about what they love about Doc/Fest, then use that as an opportunity to talk about different strains of documentary filmmaking, such as activist docs like Blackfish and rock docs like Made of Stone, and the ways in which Netflix has altered the landscape for documentary distribution. They also introduce a new feature, whereby they recommend a different film or television related thing that they feel would enrich your lives.

And, as with last week, they are still taking questions for the 100th episode, so please submit them via Twitter, Facebook, or email (best to use [email protected]) before June 13th. If you want to go the extra mile, then please submit them as an audio file (you can record them as voice memos on most phones) and we'll play them as part of the episode.

This Friday sees the start of Sheffield Doc/Fest, one of the biggest and best documentary festivals in the world and a favourite of this show. Unfortunately, for the first time in years, neither Matt or Ed are able to tend this year due to other commitments and the Atlantic Ocean, respectively. To commiserate, they talk about what they love about Doc/Fest, then use that as an opportunity to talk about different strains of documentary filmmaking, such as activist docs like Blackfish and rock docs like Made of Stone, and the ways in which Netflix has altered the landscape for documentary distribution. They also introduce a new feature, whereby they recommend a different film or television related thing that they feel would enrich your lives.
And, as with last week, they are still taking questions for the 100th episode, so please submit them via Twitter, Facebook, or email (best to use [email protected]) before June 13th. If you want to go the extra mile, then please submit them as an audio file (you can record them as voice memos on most phones) and we'll play them as part of the episode.

Historians will no doubt mark May 17, 2015 as the day the sixties died, as it was on that day that AMC's Mad Men ended its stellar seven season run. Matt and Ed felt that they had to mark the passing of a great show by discussing its phenomenal writing, directing and acting, as well as its significance as a key text in the ongoing American television renaissance. They also find time to talk about their individual disappointment about Tomorrowland and Pitch Perfect 2, and their shared sadness over the end of David Letterman's tenure as a late night host.

They also announce how you - yes, you! - can be a part of the 100th episode of Shot/Reverse Shot. Please submit any questions you have about the show, about film or television, or just about anything to the show's Twitter or Facebook page by June 13th and Matt and Ed will answer them on air. If you want to be extra fancy, record your questions as an audio file, email them to [email protected], and we'll edit them into the episode itself. Ask Us Anything!

This week, like a couple of Billy Pilgrims, Matt and Ed are looking backwards and forwards simultaneously as they talk about nostalgia, and how it has informed films like the marketing behind the recently released Mad Max: Fury Road and the forthcoming Jurassic Park and Vacation sequels. They discuss the unstable nature of nostalgia, which can bring fans onboard or completely alienate them if it isn't used correctly, how some films manage to subvert nostalgia in interesting ways, as well as the kinds of films that make them nostalgic. They also find time to talk about Cannes, the rumours that Marvel is looking to hire Ava DuVernay to direct one of their forthcoming films, and whether or not J.K. from Jamiroquai has connections to the U.S. Army.