Speaking Cinema

By Adam Seccafico, Jon Bewley, Anthony Zaccone

Welcome back to the Speaking Cinema podcast, under new management!

Frequent guests Jon Bewley and Adam Seccafico have taken the reigns from Andrew Schwarz, and welcome friend to the po

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FAQs about Speaking Cinema:

How many episodes does Speaking Cinema have?

The podcast currently has 25 episodes available.

Speaking Cinema episodes:

August 22, 2025 4.1 - V For Vendetta (2005)
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We're back! After a few months away, Speaking Cinema officially relaunches with James McTeigue's 2005 film V for Vendetta. Listen as Adam, Anthony and Jon talk about the finer point of adaptation, wax philosophic about the state of the world... and do everything in their power to get put on a government watch list. Break out your Guy Fawkes masks, this is V for Vendetta.
Like the episode? Leave us a comment, or send us an email at [email protected] and let us know what you would like to see with this new iteration of Speaking Cinema!

Thank you for listening!

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2h 33min
March 26, 2025 A Very Important Update!
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Please listen if you are following the Speaking Cinema Podcast!

Andrew's Instagram: @AndrewSchwarzMedia
Andrew's New Collaborative YouTube Channel: ThePianoKings
Like the episode? Leave us a comment, or send us an email at [email protected] and let us know what you would like to see with this new iteration of Speaking Cinema!

Thank you for listening!

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4min
March 01, 2025 3.3 - Past Lives (2023) with Jesse Mendelsohn
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In this episode of the Speaking Cinema podcast, Andrew Schwarz and Jesse Mendelsohn delve into the emotional and thematic depths of Celine Song's 'Past Lives.' They explore the intricate relationship between romance and personal growth, the cultural identity of the characters, and the film's unique storytelling techniques. The conversation highlights the emotional impact of the film, its opening scene, and the dynamics between the characters, ultimately reflecting on the broader themes of love, identity, and the human experience. The discussion also touches on the concept of In-Yun, a cultural idea that represents the connections between people across lifetimes, and how it plays a crucial role in the narrative.

Andrew's Instagram: @AndrewSchwarzMedia

Jesse's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TheEpicMovieMoment
Jesse's Instagram: @jesse_a_mendelsohn

Podcast Instagram: SpeakingCinemaPodcast
Podcast TikTok: SpeakingCinemaPod
Direct Podcast Email: [email protected]
Like the episode? Leave us a comment, or send us an email at [email protected] and let us know what you would like to see with this new iteration of Speaking Cinema!

Thank you for listening!

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1h 28min
February 15, 2025 3.2 - In Memoriam: David Lynch
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**WATCH US AND SUBSCRIBE on YouTube! (@SpeakingCinemaPodcast)
This special episode features a panel of two guest filmmakers, Adam Seccafico and Jon Bewley, who join Andrew in discussing one of the most unique and seminal filmmakers in the history of cinema. David Lynch was an American surrealist and independent filmmaker who inspired multiple generations of artists and moviegoers alike with his unmistakeable and controversial style. After his recent passing on January 15, 2025, these Speaking Cinema contributors openly and honestly discuss their views on this astonishing artist's life and work.
Some topics of discussion include everyone's takes on what Lynch was to them personally, the cultural impact of his body of work, the complexity of his ideas, how he captured both the grotesque and the beautiful, personal stories of memorable Lynchian moments, and more!
IN HEAVEN...DAVID LYNCH IS FINE
Andrew's Instagram: @AndrewSchwarzMedia

Adam's YouTube Channel: the_gleeful_pessimist
Adam's Instagram: the_gleeful_pessimist
Jon's Website: http://www.JonBewley.com
Jon's Instagram: @JonBewley
Jon’s Letterboxd: http://letterboxd.com/jonbewley

Podcast Instagram: SpeakingCinemaPodcast
Podcast TikTok: SpeakingCinemaPod
Podcast YouTube Channel: SpeakingCinemaPodcast
Direct Podcast Email: [email protected]
Like the episode? Leave us a comment, or send us an email at [email protected] and let us know what you would like to see with this new iteration of Speaking Cinema!

Thank you for listening!

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1h 19min
February 01, 2025 3.1 - Heathers (1988) with Adam Seccafico
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WELCOME TO SEASON 3! **WATCH US now/subscribe on YouTube! (@SpeakingCinemaPodcast)
Andrew and special guest, writer and director Adam Seccafico, discuss the complex meaning of one of the the most sardonic and biting satires you've never seen: Michael Lehmann's cult classic from 1988, Heathers. This explosive film offers hilarious moments with gutsy, pitch dark thematic elements that are all simply to die for!

Andrew and Adam do a deep dive into such topics as Heathers' relevance in today's society, the metaphor of croquet, the Freudian dynamics of the characters, how the film highlights broader societal issues, the normalization of suicide in teen culture, their favorite hilarious and meaningful moments, and much more.

LET'S FIND SOMEONE...OR SOMETHING TO DRIVE THE BUS!!

Andrew's Instagram: @AndrewSchwarzMedia

Adam's YouTube Channel: the_gleeful_pessimist
Adam's Instagram: the_gleeful_pessimist

Podcast Instagram: SpeakingCinemaPodcast
Podcast TikTok: SpeakingCinemaPod
Podcast YouTube Channel: SpeakingCinemaPodcast
Direct Podcast Email: [email protected]
Like the episode? Leave us a comment, or send us an email at [email protected] and let us know what you would like to see with this new iteration of Speaking Cinema!

Thank you for listening!

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1h 50min
December 15, 2024 2.11 - Her (2013) with Jon Bewley
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**WATCH US now/subscribe on YouTube! (SpeakingCinemaPodcast)

SEASON 2 AI DOUBLE FEATURE FINALE, MOVIE 2 OF 2. Andrew and special guest, Jon Bewley, examine the meaning of the incredible, unique Spike Jonze love story from 2013, Her. With its dry, charming humor and piercing introspective emotional honesty, this one-of-a-kind experience will make you reflect deeply on your own relationships and what truly defines love.

Andrew and Jon dive deep into such topics as the "techno-optimism" of the film, the layers of meaning within the title, what this story meant for Spike Jonze, irony in the film, why the ending made Andrew cry, and much more.

IT'S TIME TO GET PHYSICAL....AND NON-PHYSICAL!!!

Andrew's Instagram: @AndrewSchwarzMedia

Jon's Website: http://www.JonBewley.com
Jon's Instagram: @JonBewley
Jon’s Letterboxd: http://letterboxd.com/jonbewley

Podcast Instagram: SpeakingCinemaPodcast
Podcast TikTok: SpeakingCinemaPod
Direct Podcast Email: [email protected]
Like the episode? Leave us a comment, or send us an email at [email protected] and let us know what you would like to see with this new iteration of Speaking Cinema!

Thank you for listening!

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2h 11min
December 01, 2024 2.10 - Ex Machina (2014) with Greg Jolley
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**WATCH US now/subscribe on YouTube! (SpeakingCinemaPodcast)

SEASON 2 AI DOUBLE FEATURE FINALE, MOVIE 1 OF 2. Andrew and special guest, Greg Jolley, discuss the meaning of Alex Garland's masterful and exquisite 2014 sci-Fi drama/thriller, Ex Machina. Oscar-winning for its incredible special effects utilized for subtle yet comprehensive narrative significance, this dazzling and cerebral experience explores the territory of artificial intelligence so effectively and intensely that you may have to completely rethink what is truly "artificial" and what isn't!

Andrew and Greg explore such topics as the interesting title, how the film conveys consciousness, the vast meaning of the opening image and sequence, the complicated ethics of the three lead characters, speculation about the motives and psychology of Nathan (Oscar Isaac), philosophical ideas conjured by the Ava character (Alicia Vikander), and much more!

LET'S FIND THE MEANING IN THE MACHINATIONS!!!

Podcast YouTube Channel: SpeakingCinemaPodcast
Podcast Instagram: SpeakingCinemaPodcast
Podcast TikTok: SpeakingCinemaPod
Direct Podcast Email: [email protected]

Andrew's Instagram: @AndrewSchwarzMedia

Greg's Website: www.GregJolleyCreative.com
Greg's Instagram: GregJolleyCreative
Greg's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@gregjolley8276

Like the episode? Leave us a comment, or send us an email at [email protected] and let us know what you would like to see with this new iteration of Speaking Cinema!

Thank you for listening!

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2h 11min
November 15, 2024 2.9 - Oppenheimer (2023) with Nicholas Stonehouse
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**WATCH US now on YouTube! (@SpeakingCinemaPodcast)

Andrew and special guest, Nicholas Stonehouse, take on Christopher Nolan's incredible 2023 Best Picture winning epic, Oppenheimer. Gracing us with one of the most stacked ensemble casts of all time including multiple Oscar-winning lead and supporting performances, this magnum opus of fire, fury, and fission will educate you on what makes an extraordinary man as well as an extraordinary cinema experience!

Andrew and Stonehouse find the meaning by discussing such topics as why Nolan changed the title from the book, the similarities between arts and sciences, the significance of the atomic bomb creating a "new world", the most cinematic scenes and how they work, the striking conversations between Oppenheimer and Einstein, and much more.

3....2....1...BOMBS AWAY!!!

Andrew's Instagram: AndrewSchwarzMedia

Stonehouse’s Letterboxd: http://letterboxd.com/stonedhouse

Podcast Instagram/YouTube Channel: SpeakingCinemaPodcast
Podcast TikTok: SpeakingCinemaPod
Direct Podcast Email: [email protected]
Like the episode? Leave us a comment, or send us an email at [email protected] and let us know what you would like to see with this new iteration of Speaking Cinema!

Thank you for listening!

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2h 7min
October 31, 2024 2.8 - Psycho (1960) with Adam Seccafico
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HALLOWEEN 2024 SERIES, FINAL MOVIE 3 of 3

Andrew and special guest, writer and director Adam Seccafico, break down the meaning of one of the creepiest and most influential, iconic, and revered horror movies of ALL TIME -- Alfred Hitchcock's 1960 masterpiece, Psycho. This seminal classic with unforgettable performances and thrills might just frighten you so badly, you'll go running home to your MOTHER!

Andrew and Adam do a deep dive into such topics as the undeniable influence of the film on filmmakers and the greater culture, what makes this experience so SCARY, the question of how much we can really know about Norman Bates, how the story handles morality, Alfred Hitchcock's voyeurism and viewer manipulation within the film, Norman Bates' sexuality, and much more.

LET'S FIND THE MEANING IN THE MADNESS...OF NORMAN BATES!!

Andrew's Instagram: @AndrewSchwarzMedia

Adam's YouTube Channel: the_gleeful_pessimist
Adam's Instagram: the_gleeful_pessimist

Podcast Instagram: SpeakingCinemaPodcast
Podcast TikTok: SpeakingCinemaPod
Podcast YouTube Channel: SpeakingCinemaPodcast
Direct Podcast Email: [email protected]
Like the episode? Leave us a comment, or send us an email at [email protected] and let us know what you would like to see with this new iteration of Speaking Cinema!

Thank you for listening!

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2h 13min
October 15, 2024 2.7 - The Ring (2002) with Jon Bewley
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HALLOWEEN 2024 SERIES, MOVIE 2 of 3

Andrew and special guest, Jon Bewley, examine their takes on the meaning of the bone-chilling mega-hit American horror remake from 2002, The Ring. Directed by Gore Verbinski (Pirates of the Caribbean, Rango), this thrilling and ceaselessly scary modern classic will forever remind us that "what's down the well comes up the bucket."

Andrew and Jon dive deep into such topics as interpretations of what the unique character Samara Morgan represents, the origin of the Japanese title "Ringu," what about the film is so scary, a debate about the look of the film, the story's association with technology, and much more.

IT'S TIME TO WATCH THE TAPE!!!

Andrew's Instagram: @AndrewSchwarzMedia

Jon's Website: http://www.JonBewley.com
Jon's Instagram: @JonBewley
Jon’s Letterboxd: http://letterboxd.com/jonbewley

Podcast Instagram: SpeakingCinemaPodcast
Podcast TikTok: SpeakingCinemaPod
Direct Podcast Email: [email protected]
Like the episode? Leave us a comment, or send us an email at [email protected] and let us know what you would like to see with this new iteration of Speaking Cinema!

Thank you for listening!

...more
1h 57min

FAQs about Speaking Cinema:

How many episodes does Speaking Cinema have?

The podcast currently has 25 episodes available.