The Filmlings

To fill some time while Alex and Jonathan are on break, we're releasing a commentary track for Peter Jackson's The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) which was recorded in 2018. Going scene-by-scene through the extended edition of the film allows us to break down some of the details and nuances of the filmmaking techniques, as well as giving plenty of time for nerdy lore discussions and behind the scenes trivia.

Note: The silences in the audio have been condensed to make it play better as a podcast. If you want to download the actual commentary to listen in real time with the film, check out our Patreon.

Join us on Discord for ongoing film discussion: https://discord.gg/MAF6jh59cF

Support the Show!

This month we'll be on break, but we have a special episode for October to fill the gap so stay tuned!

Taking a step behind the curtain of classic movie magic, today Alex and Jonathan discuss the techniques and creatures brought to the screen by VFX pioneer Ray Harryhausen in Mighty Joe Young (1949), The 7th Voyage of Sinbad (1958), Jason and the Argonauts (1963), and Clash of the Titans (1981). We discuss the evolution of the Dynamation and Dynarama processes, the ways that his techniques influenced the effects that ended up surpassing his own, and where Dynamation might still fit in the modern cinema landscape.

Skip to:

Coming Attractions:

For more information, visit the blog:

Find more info about the upcoming episode on The September Marquee.

We are all interested in the future, which is why in this episode Alex and Jonathan take a look at some prominent entries into the time travel sub-genre of science fiction, specifically: Time After Time (1979), Back to the Future (1985), Groundhog Day (1993), and Tenet (2020). We discuss the various mechanisms for implementing time travel into a plot, how the device does or doesn't influence the deeper levels of the story, and how treating the details of time travel too seriously or too loosely might detract from the overall effect of the story.

Skip to:

Coming Attractions:

For more information, visit the blog:

Find more info about the upcoming episode on The August Marquee.

Another legend of Hollywood's Golden Age is the spotlight for this episode as Alex and Jonathan talk about some of the classic works of Otto Preminger: Laura (1944), Bonjour Tristesse (1958), Anatomy of a Murder (1959), and Bunny Lake is Missing (1965). We discuss how Preminger builds character driven narrative through visuals, his real and perceived image as a directorial tyrant, and how he stacks up against some of his contemporaries.

Skip to:

Coming Attractions:

For more information, visit the blog:

Join us on Discord for ongoing film discussion:

Find more info about the upcoming episode on The July Marquee.

Sit back and enjoy the ride as Alex and Jonathan talk through the road-trip style films of Abbas Kiarostami in Where Is the Friend's House? (1987), And Life Goes On (1992), Through the Olive Trees (1994), and Taste of Cherry (1997). We discuss the way Kiarostami blends truth and fiction, how he uses long takes to provoke deeper thought from the audience, and the detailed attention he pays to the way people interact with their environment and each other.

Skip to:

Coming Attractions:

For more information, visit the blog:

Find more info about the upcoming episode on The June Marquee.