For our Season 3 finale we’re joined by special guest Jenny McKeown to talk about Sofia Coppola’s Priscilla (2023)! We discuss how Sofia handles her first biopic in which the subject, Priscilla Presley is still alive, how her style is a perfect fit for portraying life at Graceland with Elvis without glamourizing it, and how, much as Priscilla lived under Elvis’s shadow, this movie was released under the shadow of big glitzy Elvis movie. We also cover an assortment of recent Sofia shorts including: Chanel Iconic and Suntory Roku gin commercials, a short film for the NYC Ballet reopening, and her cameo in an episode of What We Do In the Shadows. We also briefly talk about the AFI tribute to Francis Ford Coppola and announce our Season 4 director! This episode’s themed foods were fried peanut butter and banana sandwiches and deviled eggs  and the drink was Sofia Brut Rosé 

Join Jenny McKeown for a screening of Priscilla, part of the A Woman of Taste series, at the Hyperreal Film Club on Wednesday, August 6th. Doors open at 7PM. Film starts at 7:30PM. Tickets are on sale now.

https://hyperrealfilm.club/events/2025/8-6/priscilla-movie-screening

This episode we review the feature length reunion of Sofia Coppola and Bill Murray: On the Rocks. Filmed in 2019 but released during the 2020 COVID pandemic, Sofia’s marital comedy and detective story of sorts played only briefly in theaters before ending up on AppleTV+ (though it is thankfully available on DVD & Blu-ray). We discuss the performances and chemistry of Bill Murray and Rashida Jones, how this differs stylistically from Sofia’s previous films, and how Life Without Zoe, Lost in Translation, and On the Rocks make an unofficial trilogy. Also, Bryan points out references to Lost in Translation and A.J. rants against AppleTV+. This episode’s themed drink was: Cutty (Sark) on the rocks. 

We’re back from an unexpected break, but before we can return to the movies we must first go to the opera for the Sofia Coppola directed production of La Traviata (or more accurately, we watched the Blu-ray). In 2016 Sofia Coppola was hired by the legendary fashion designer Valentino to direct a new production of Verdi’s La Traviata for Teatro Dell’Opera Di Roma and we discuss whether she or Valentino is the main creative force behind the opera. We also talk about the sets by Nathan Crowley (famous for his work for the films of Christopher Nolan), the costumes by Valentino himself, what stylistic touches Sofia brings with her and how her directorial style translates to the stage. We also mispronounce many names and titles horribly and A.J. ponders what really makes an opera an opera? This episode’s themed drink was Blanc de France Bonnete wine.

Sofia Coppola trades modern cityscapes for the Civil War era for her darkest film, visually and thematically: The Beguiled (2017). Based on a novel which was previously made into a movie in 1971 directed by Don Siegal and starring Clint Eastwood, this is (so far) Sofia's only remake. We talk about how Sofia came to make her own version of The Beguiled, the controversy and accusations of whitewashing, and what makes this movie so different from her previous work. We also talk about the differences between the novel and the Don Siegel version and Sofia’s version, get our fairy tale wolves confused, and talk about Sofia’s major achievement at that year’s Cannes Film Festival. We also briefly discuss her Panthère de Cartier watch commercial. This episode’s themed drink was: Laird’s Applejack (brandy). 

Exit theme: Lie Down in Darkness (Michael Mayer Remix) by Moby courtesy of mobygratis.com

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, Happy Everything! For our first ever Christmas special we review a Christmas special: Sofia Coppola’s A Very Murray Christmas (2015). At first glance, this Netflix musical Christmas “TV” special about putting on a musical Christmas TV special seems like it is soaked in holiday melancholy but Bryan and A.J. find that it is filled with holiday joy and many of Sofia’s favorite themes and trademarks. We go through the songs and delightful cast, talk about other Christmas specials of the past, and notice how this 2015 special about people making the most of being stuck in a place because it is too dangerous to leave makes it feel like a pre-COVID COVID movie. We also bemoan the mysterious Netflix algorithm and streaming in general and Bryan suggests a Bill Murray holiday trifecta. Tangents include: the Star Wars Holiday Special, our favorite Christmas movies, the Vulcan Video holiday section, and George Clooney’s pranks. We also briefly discuss the early ‘90s Dave Markey short Burning Palms on Jennifer’s Coffee Table, featuring a young Sofia Coppola. This episode’s themed drink was: Soiled Kimono. 

Sofia Coppola once again takes us on a tour through Los Angeles wealth but this time it’s with The Bling Ring (2013). Based on the unbelievable but very true story of a group of celebrity obsessed teenagers who easily break into different celebrities’ mansions and steal lots of stuff, Sofia’s adaptation touches on many of her favorite interests and themes. Bryan and A.J. discuss whether Sofia’s style is distant or observational, Emma Watson’s standout performance, how the movie affected the real case which was still working its way through the courts, and the cinematography of the late Harris Savides. We also talk about the Phoenix-Chloroform music video and Miss Dior-Blooming Bouquet commercial she directed. SPOILER ALERT for this true story but also for First Cow, which we end up talking about too. Other tangents include Harmony Korine’s Spring Breakers (2012), the films of Marc and Christopher Coppola (Nicolas Cage’s brothers), and Bryan has a correction for IMDB. This episode’s themed drink was Sofia Brut Rose minis. 

We are in need of a great debate about…Francis Ford Coppola’s Megalopolis (2024). After literally decades in the making, Coppola’s ambitious passion project finally made it to theaters and gave us a lot to talk about. We (briefly) go over the long production history, the critical and poor box office performance, and how we were surprised by our own reactions. We also talk about the performances, the wild, random, and unforgettable plot points and dialogue, Coppola’s big swings of the past, and why the best movies to understand Coppola’s style are Rumble Fish, The Rain People, and even George Lucas’s THX 1138 (which Coppola produced). We also talk about Coppola’s latest re-edit, One From the Heart: Reprise. This episode’s Coppola wine was: Francis Coppola Diamond Prosecco.

To help us breakdown Sofia Coppola’s “experimental” film, Somewhere (2010), we are joined by special guest Jenny McKeown, programmer and host of the A Woman of Taste film series. After the large scale production of Marie Antoinette (2006), Coppola took a scaled back, minimalist approach to her story about a listless movie star reconnecting with his daughter. We talk about Sofia’s further lean into “arthouse” style, her collaboration with the late, great cinematographer Harris Savides, Stephen Dorff’s career, and A.J. pitches a Sofia Coppola adaptation of Ernest Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises. We also talk about Coppola’s commercial for Miss Dior Cherie and the Somewhere crossover episode of the reality TV series The Girls Next Door. This episode’s themed meal and drink were sad spaghetti and whatever liquor was around the room. 

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Spoiler Alert! The M. Night Shift is back! Bryan and A.J. went to the movies for the latest M. Night Shyamalan experience: Trap. Following Siskel & Ebert rules we didn’t reveal our thoughts until recording began and it turns out… we each had a different M. Night Shyamlan experience. We talk about Josh Harnett’s great performance, the curious casting of Haley Mills, and the not-exactly-twists the story takes. We also discuss other thrillers and serial killer movies which likely influenced Shyamalan, plot points that do not hold up to scrutiny, and whether or not Shyamalan can go dark. Minor tangents include the TV series Monk and the meaning behind star ratings. This episode’s Shyamalan scotch was: Shackleton blended malt.

Thanks to the success of Lost in Translation, Sofia Coppola was able to cash in her “I won an Oscar” chip and make an ambitious, big budget movie about Marie Antoinette. The catch…she did her way. This movie was booed at the Cannes Film Festival and was heavily criticized for its use of modern music, lack of French accents, and breaking from the traditional biopic format. However, it now seems that Sofia’s Marie Antoinette may have just been ahead of its time. Bryan and A.J. discuss the great cast, Coppola’s unique approach to a notorious historical figure, the great use of modern music, and ponder why Sofia’s movies stick so well in our memory. We also talk about Baz Luhrmann movies, bash Ridley Scott’s Napoleon, and, of course, talk about the 2006 Oscars. This episode’s themed drink was: Sofia Brut Rosè.