"We let you all down, didn’t we?"

The Next Reel’s Speakeasy is an ongoing series of ours in which we invite an industry guest to join us and bring along one of their favorite movies to talk about. In this month’s episode, cinematographer Toby Oliver joins us to talk about one of his favorite films, Christopher Nolan’s 2017 film Dunkirk.

We talk about Nolan’s decision to shoot on IMAX 65mm largely and how this affected the overall tone of the film and informed some of their decisions as to how it was shot. We chat about the nature of the story told across three separate time windows and how the structure gave us a fascinating perspective on how to look at this war story. We discuss the use of mostly new faces for the cast, barring a few key roles, and how that works effectively in a story with no real protagonist. We touch on Hans Zimmer and his tonal score and why it, paired with the incessant use of a ticking sound, is such a key part of the film. And we talk about Nolan’s insistence on using practical effects and why it likely helped inform the performances throughout the film by having real elements to which to react.

It’s a fascinating and powerful war film that feels very different and will be one to stand the test of time. We have a great time talking about it with Toby Oliver, as well as touching on his career. Check it out then tune in! The Next Reel – when the movie ends, our conversation begins.

Film Sundries

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• Watch this film: iTunes • Amazon • YouTube • Google Play
• Screenplay
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"Simon says."

When Jonathan Hensleigh’s spec script ‘Simon Says’ was bought by Twentieth Century Fox to be turned into a Die Hard sequel, he was thrilled. After all, his deal with Warner Bros. to turn it into a Lethal Weapon sequel had collapsed. What it meant, though, is finding a way to rework half of the script to make it fit something that would happen in John McClane’s world. For the most part, things work well, and with John McTiernan returning to the franchise, it’s a solid entry. But could it have been better? Join us – Pete Wright and Andy Nelson – as we continue our Die Hard series with McTiernan’s 1995 film Die Hard With a Vengeance.

We talk about the incredible strengths the script and film have right out of the gate but how things slip quite a bit in the second half, even if it’s still a lot of fun. We discuss the buddy relationship brought forth this time with Bruce Willis and Samuel L. Jackson and why it works. We debate some dated elements of the script regarding arguments about race and quips about homosexuality. We look at the incredible stunt work paired with patient camera and editing to bring the maniacal drive through Central Park to the screen. We ponder how well the alternate ending could’ve worked because at least it brings back the riddle elements to the close. And we chat about some of the frustrating music Michael Kamen wrote for the film, sounding like bad 90s Eric Serra score.

It’s a fun film that has its faults but also has an incredibly strong first half. We have a great time talking about it on the show this week, so tune in then check it out! The Next Reel – when the movie ends, our conversation begins.

Film Sundries

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"We are just up to our neck in terrorists again, John!"

Joel Silver was never a producer to shy away from giving the audience more of what they wanted. For the sequel to his 1988 action hit Die Hard, he tapped into director Renny Harlin and together, they pushed for more action, more humor, more stunts and… more of everything else the audiences got in the first film. But does that make a good sequel? Join us – Pete Wright and Andy Nelson – as we continue our Die Hard series with Harlin’s 1990 film Die Hard 2.

We talk about the overall tone of the movie, what works with it and what doesn’t, and what may be forgivable in context of this being an over-the-top action film. We chat about how McClane is largely more unlikeable in this film and blame the writers with taking him down this road. We discuss the nature of terrorist films as summer entertainment – something John McTiernan had issue with when making the first film – and ponder if this film really kicked off a trend that made this kind of violence more okay for summer popcorn fare. We laugh at some of the more nonsensical plot elements scattered throughout this film and debate where the line is for one’s suspension of disbelief in a movie like this. And we praise Michael Kamen’s use of music throughout, even when he has to bring John Sibelius’ ‘Finlandia’ in for the parade of planes.

It’s a film that is full of problems that may or may not bother you – we certainly don’t come to any consensus here – but it’s still a fun entry into the Die Hard franchise. Check it out then tune in! The Next Reel – when the movie ends, our conversation begins.

Film Sundries

Thank you for supporting The Next Reel Film Podcast on Patreon! — https://patreon.com/thenextreel

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"Now I have a machine gun. Ho-ho-ho."

‘Tis the holiday season, and what better way to kick it off than with everybody’s favorite Christmas action classic, Die Hard. John McTiernan had done Predator beforehand and proved he was the perfect person to helm this action thriller. But would an adaptation from a book about terrorism make for entertaining summer fare? Join us – Pete Wright and Andy Nelson – as we kick off our Die Hard series with McTiernan’s 1988 blockbuster Die Hard.

We talk about the adaptation from the original novel and why the terrorism elements were dropped in favor of the robbery elements. We also talk about why Frank Sinatra was the first person the studio went to when offering actors the chance to play John McClane. We look at what the film did for Bruce Willis’ career and why he was such a gamble to helm an action thriller that now seems like such a no-brainer. We discuss Jan de Bont’s cinematography and Michael Kamen’s score, not to mention the wonderful effects work that Thaine Morris put together. And we chat about the legacy the film has had and how it made pitching similar action films so easy (it’s Die Hard on a (fill in the blank)).

We love this movie which we definitely think is a Christmas movie. It’s one of our favorites and we’re thrilled to get a chance to talk about it. Put the movie on with the age-appropriate family for the holiday (definitely not the three-year-olds) then tune in to the show! The Next Reel – when the movie ends, our conversation begins.

Film Sundries

Learn how to support our show and The Next Reel’s family of film podcasts by becoming a member. It's just $5 monthly or $55 annually. Learn more here.

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"I’m a survivor, as you should know by now."

Stieg Larsson had plans to write an entire series of Millennium novels, but unfortunately died having only written three of them. Because of this, they’re often referred to as the Millennium trilogy. Sure, they have the same characters largely and are centered around the Millennium magazine, but it’s not really a trilogy per se. That being said, when making the three films, it didn’t stop the team from shooting them all back to back to keep the story as cohesive as possible. While it’s great having the three Swedish films feel so much of a whole, it is a challenge seeing this as a trilogy. It doesn’t help that the third film, Daniel Alfredson’s 2009 The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets’ Nest, starts to feel a bit like the storytellers are stretching credulity a bit. Join us – Pete Wright and Andy Nelson – as we wrap up our series on the Millennium ‘trilogy’ with Alfredson’s film.

We talk about the basic struggles we have with the film, even if we still largely enjoy it. We look at the struggles all trilogies seem to face and how that often is expounded when they shoot them back to back. We talk about the cast and how well they do, most notably the women throughout. We look at the courtroom scene and Dr. Teleborian’s takedown, discussing the camerawork and performances and how that scene stands out as quite effective. And we come back around to talking about Noomi Rapace and Michael Nyqvist and how great they are in their roles.

While we have issues with this film, it’s still one we enjoy and would return to. It’s a series of films that’s dark but definitely worth checking out. So check it out! Then tune in. The Next Reel – when the movie ends, our conversation begins.

Film Sundries

Thank you for supporting The Next Reel Film Podcast on Patreon! — https://patreon.com/thenextreel

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"Hello, Papa."

Stieg Larsson’s second novel in the Millennium trilogy, “The Girl Who Played With Fire,” saw the continuation of the story of Lisbeth Salander and Mikael Blomqvist while they try to stop a sex trafficking ring in Sweden. The whole trilogy of books was a massive success, but the film version was given half the budget of the first film for some reason, while also being paired with a different director. Perhaps the producers knew the book wasn’t quite as good as the first one? Perhaps they figured they could spend less because people would be seeing it anyway? Whatever the reasons, it seems a bit like the ugly red-headed stepchild. But director Daniel Alfredson still put together an effective film, even if it feels a bit average at times. Join us – Pete Wright and Andy Nelson – as we continue our series on the Millennium trilogy with Alfredson’s 2009 take on The Girl Who Played With Fire.

We talk about the overall feel of the film and try to gauge why it doesn’t feel as fresh or original as the first film. We discuss the inevitable effects that a much lower budget has on those making the film and ponder if that affected Alfredson. We debate about Alfredson as a director and wonder what he’s bringing to the table. We are still thrilled with Noomi Rapace and Michael Nyqvist as Lisbeth and Mikael, even if there are elements about them that can be more frustrating here. We look at Peter Mokrosinski’s cinematography and look at where it works and where it doesn’t. And we look at the script and how the adaptation works, questioning whether some of the poorer elements were thrust on the filmmakers by Larsson’s source material.

On the whole, we enjoy the film but not on the level of the first entry. Still, it allows for a great conversation, so check it out then tune in! The Next Reel – when the movie ends, our conversation begins. 

Film Sundries

Thank you for supporting The Next Reel Film Podcast on Patreon! — https://patreon.com/thenextreel

Learn how to support our show and The Next Reel’s family of film podcasts by becoming a member. It's just $5 monthly or $55 annually. Learn more here.

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As part of our ongoing series on the people behind the sites and services that serve the film-loving community, today we’re talking to Paul Dergarabedian, the senior media analyst for comScore. You may not be familiar with comScore but you’re likely familiar with reports on how well any particular movie did on any given weekend. comScore is the company that gathers all of that information from the movie theatres, organizes the statistics into useful information, and gets it back to the studios so they know how well their movies did. Paul works as the frontman for the company and is often seen as the face of the numbers in interviews far and wide. Paul joins us to talk about the exciting world of film statistics, how he got started in the business and his love for film.

Learn how to support our show and The Next Reel’s family of film podcasts by becoming a member. It's just $5 monthly or $55 annually. Learn more here.

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What are some other ways you can support us and show your love? Glad you asked!

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"Whatever it is that you’ve been through, you don’t have to tell me. I’m just glad you’re here."

With the international success of Stieg Larsson’s novel “Men Who Hate Women” and its sequels, it was inevitable that a cinematic version would be made. The three films that make up Larsson’s ‘Millennium Trilogy’ were made back to back and were all released in Sweden in 2009 before making their way around the world to financial and critical success. The first film, Niels Arden Oplev’s The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, introduced the world cinematically to both Lisbeth Salander and the actress who portrayed her – Noomie Rapace. Her work to bring Salander to life is largely what makes this trilogy stand out as one worth talking about. Join us – Pete Wright and Andy Nelson – as we kick off a series about the three films in the Millennium Trilogy with Oplev’s 2009 film The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo.

We talk about the story and why it largely works so well – Lisbeth Salander. We look at Rapace as Salander and how well she does with Michael Nyqvist playing the man who brings her in to help him solve this case. We look at what Oplev does here cinematically and make some comparisons with the 2011 David Fincher remake. We chat about some of the violence with the story and debate what it does for the story itself. And we touch on some of the differences between the original cut and the extended TV cuts.

It’s a dark film but certainly one worth watching. We love the mystery presented here, but more importantly, we love that this film gave us Noomi Rapace. We have a great time talking about this movie, so check it out then tune in!

Film Sundries

Thank you for supporting The Next Reel Film Podcast on Patreon! — https://patreon.com/thenextreel

Learn how to support our show and The Next Reel’s family of film podcasts by becoming a member. It's just $5 monthly or $55 annually. Learn more here.

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What are some other ways you can support us and show your love? Glad you asked!

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"Turn back, Sarah. Turn back before it’s too late!"

After working on The Dark Crystal together, Jim Henson and Brian Froud wanted to do another project together, but they had a few stipulations. One, they didn’t want to tell a story that was so dark. Two, they didn’t want it to be all puppets – they wanted to include people as well. After locking those in, they came up with a concept that included goblins stealing a baby, and away they went. Steal away with us – Pete Wright and Andy Nelson – as we add another Listener’s Choice episode with Henson’s 1986 film Labyrinth, selected by Melanie from Melbourne!

We talk to Melanie about why she picked this film for us to discuss. We dig into our own histories with the movie and Andy acknowledges that some of his 13-year-old self may be coloring his view on the film today. We look at the film overall, both at what works and what doesn’t. We chat about Jennifer Connelly and David Bowie and look at what they’re each bringing to the table. We also talk about the slew of puppeteers working hard to make this world come to life through many types of puppetry. We debate the quality of Bowie’s music in the film, regardless of how catchy it may be. We look at some bigger issues going on in the film regarding adolescence and leaving childish ways behind (not to mention the timely lenses of seeing the film as a story about an older man lusting after a much younger girl). We look at Henson as a director and wonder if he might be more of a technician who brings amazing puppets to life than a director. We debate if the film feels cohesive or feels too disjointed. And we try to not comment on Bowie’s pants but find we can’t help ourselves.

It’s a film that one of us loves and the other finds fairly middle-ground, but one that warrants a fantastic discussion. So check it out (or don’t – it’s up to you) then tune in! The Next Reel – when the movie ends, our conversation begins.

Film Sundries

Thank you for supporting The Next Reel Film Podcast on Patreon! — https://patreon.com/thenextreel

Learn how to support our show and The Next Reel’s family of film podcasts by becoming a member. It's just $5 monthly or $55 annually. Learn more here.

Join the conversation with movie lovers from around the world in our Discord community!

Here’s where you can find us around the internet:

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What are some other ways you can support us and show your love? Glad you asked!

• You can buy our movie-related apparel, stickers, mugs and more from our MERCH PAGE.
• Or buy or rent movies we’ve discussed on the show from our WATCH PAGE.
• Or buy books, plays, etc. that was the source for movies we’ve discussed on the show from our ORIGINALS PAGE.
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