Shot/Reverse Shot: Episode 108 - Evolution

This episode finds Matt and myself talking about the ways in which artists evolve over the course of their careers, and how that can affect the ways in which an audience relates to the artists' work. Building on that theme, we also discuss the ways in which our own tastes have changed over time.

Movie Journal: July

This was another busy month for me as I watched a grand total of 43 films in July. Of those, 40 were features and 3 were shorts, and all but 3 were first-time viewings. There was no overarching theme to those viewings, though the publication of Little White Lies' list of 100 Great Movies by Female Directors (which can be seen in full on Letterboxd here, though you really should read the individual entries on the LWL site) did drive me to seek out more films directed by women than I might otherwise have done, including incredible shorts like Lois Weber's Suspense and Alice Guy's Falling Leaves. I've only seen 22 of the films on that list, so one of my aims over the next few months is to get that total up to a less mortifying number.

The best film I rewatched this month was Michael Mann's Thief, which I watched for a forthcoming episode of Shot/Reverse Shot on the work of Jerry Bruckheimer. Although I think Mann has made more enjoyable films (both Heat and Manhunter leap to mind) and more aesthetically bold ones (Collateral and Public Enemies), Thief strikes me as the sweet spot between the two. It's a pleasingly hard-nosed character study which looks beautiful, and is about as sparse an iteration of Mann's style and themes as you are likely to find. I also realised that I forget about the adoption storyline every time that I watch it, and that Jim Belushi is a pretty good actor when he needs to be (see also: his performance on HBO's great miniseries Show Me A Hero).

The worst film I watched for the first time was The Wizard of Oz. Not the classic 1939 musical version, which has been one of my favourite films since childhood, but the 1925 silent version directed by and starring Larry Semon. Despite some pretty good slapstick, some of which verges on Looney Toons levels of sheer visual lunacy, the pacing is really slow, the romance is dull and, oh yeah, it is horrendously racist. Like, "introduce the only black character by having them sit on the floor eating watermelon" racist. Obviously you have to grade older films on a curve when it comes to their social views, but no film is that good.

Anyway, we'll leave that unpleasantness behind and get to the top ten.

Shot/Reverse Shot: Episode 107 - Jerry Bruckheimer

In the latest part of our series of artist profiles, Matt and I examine the work of someone whose work we have decidedly mixed feelings about: Hollywood mega producer Jerry Bruckheimer.

Film Review: Trainwreck (2015)

While a lot of romantic comedies are about the battle of the sexes, Trainwreck is a battle of sensibilities. Written by its star, Amy Schumer, its script bears the hallmark of her work as a standup and on her sketch show Inside Amy Schumer. It's incisive in its understanding of the (often sexist) ideas and tropes underlying a lot of popular media, and it seeks to subvert them in ways which are clever, funny and, where possible, dirty. An early scene, in which Schumer's character, also called Amy, has a one-night stand then pretends to fall asleep after receiving cunnilingus, leaving her partner to complain about his needs not being met, is a typical example of something Trainwreck does very well. It takes an established trope - i.e. men are inherently selfish when it comes to sex - then turns it on its head.

Shot/Reverse Shot: Episode 106 - True Detective Season Two

Having greatly enjoyed watching and talking about the first season of HBO's anthology crime show, Matt and I decided to give the same treatment to the much more divisive second season. We also talk about the possible return of Deadwood and whether or not Vince Vaughn has become the white Eddie Murphy.

Shot/Reverse Shot: Episode 105 - Ed's Birthday, 2015

Beginning what will become a tradition, we're taking the week off from talking about anything in particular to commemorate my birthday. With no set topic, we have a free-flowing discussion about Josh Trank's tweet about Fantastic Four and whether or not he sank his own film, Jon Stewart's final episode of The Daily Show, and imagine what Francis Ford Coppola would have tweeted from the Apocalypse Now shoot.

Shot/Reverse Shot: Episode 104 - Disney

Now that Disney own basically everything in pop culture - or at least everything that people on the Internet like to talk about - Matt and I decided now would be the perfect time to talk about the impact that the House of Mouse have had on cinema, as well as the ways in which their corporate elements allow them to take surprisingly big risks.