#101 - "Tombstone" - What Makes This The Most Iconic Western of All Time
In this episode, we saddle up and head back to the Wild West to break down Tombstone. We revisit the most iconic moments, dive deep into the legendary characters, and explore what makes this Western stand out. From Doc Holliday’s unforgettable lines to Wyatt Earp’s cold stare, we discuss how the performances—especially Val Kilmer’s—elevated the story. We also analyze the themes of justice, loyalty, and legacy, and why this film continues to resonate decades later.Chapters:00:00:00 Intro Convo: 00:01:21 Doc Holiday's final words explained00:03:01 Doc Holiday may be one of the greatest characters of all time00:04:12 Staying pure to the western genre00:09:03 Val Kilmer steals the show despite Kurt Russell's amazing performance00:10:48 Doc Holiday is actually a pretty bad guy00:12:16 Doc Holidays coolest moment you may have missed00:14:03 Kurt Russell's amazing moments00:15:45 How they perfectly introduce the characters00:17:02 How they get Wyatt Earp to be a complete badass00:19:58 Breaking down the latin standoff between Doc & Ringo00:28:17 Diving deep into Wyatt Earp's character00:34:41 Did you catch this inside joke the writer left for you00:40:31 The horror story of making this movie00:43:53 Val Kilmer got absolutely snubbed00:45:44 Wyatt Earp's character arc00:48:00 The real tombstone town00:49:40 The best scene: Doc Holiday vs Johnny Ringo00:51:41 Our official rating of Tombstone00:55:37 The Wyatt Earp vs Tombstone debate00:59:11 Final thoughts: Gun flip01:00:50 Cue the music
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#100 - "Django Unchained" - How Tarantino Created the Perfect Movie
In this episode, we dive deep into Django Unchained and explore what makes it one of Quentin Tarantino’s most iconic films. We break down the characters and their motivations—from Django’s revenge-driven arc to Dr. Schultz’s moral compass and Calvin Candie’s twisted charm. We analyze the brilliant camera work that enhances tension and emotion, and unpack the bold storytelling, unforgettable moments, and everything we love about the movie.Chapters:00:00:00 Intro Convo: 100th episode celebration00:04:29 Movie Breakdown Starts: Tarantino's creative character names00:07:53 How to perfectly hook an audience from the jump00:10:51 Samuel L Jackson's brilliantly written character00:15:07 Calvin Candie's real reason for being in the movie00:18:15 Shultz's misunderstanding of American slavery00:21:49 Dr.Shultz's character arc and death explained00:30:01 The backlash00:33:52 The pure brutality Tarantino puts you through00:38:24 Proof Tarantino has the most fun making a movie00:43:21 The KKK scene 00:48:45 The absurd amount of money they were making00:50:51 Diving deeper into Stephen00:54:56 Leonardo DiCaprio struggled being this evil00:58:46 Christoph Walz didn't want to be in this movie01:00:43 Tarantino spazzing on Jamie Foxx01:03:27 Breaking down some of the best camera work01:21:02 Our ratings: The NEW rating system (do it with us)01:28:36 Final thoughts: A cool metaphor01:35:17 Cue the music
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#099 - "War Dogs" - A Perfect Balance of Comedy & Drama
In this episode, we break down War Dogs—a wild ride based on a true story. We dive into the real-life events that inspired the film, analyzing how the story was adapted for the big screen. We also highlight the clever use of comedy that elevates the tension and enhances the narrative. Plus, we explore the film’s great cinematography and how Todd Phillips crafted a unique tone that balances humor and intensity.Chapters:00:00:00 Intro Convo00:01:08 The true story behind this insanity00:07:49 Why the characters make this story so insane00:15:05 How this movie uses comedy to tell the story00:18:46 Why Jonah Hill HAD to be in this movie00:22:09 More on how the comedy tells a story00:24:25 A funny scene they removed from the script00:25:58 The honest writing of Effraim’s character00:28:01 Miles Teller is also perfect for this story00:30:21 A story about Todd Phillips on set of Project X00:32:12 Why the night vision scene is perfect00:35:06 Todd Phillips and Adam McKay have similar careers00:36:54 Jonah Hill had plenty of experience to play Effraim00:38:58 This is exactly what you want out of a movie00:41:11 The great filmmaking techniques this movie uses00:48:13 How the real life Effraim tried to sue Warner Brothers00:49:41 How Jonah Hill found Effraim’s laugh00:50:57 A cool metaphor of the war at this time00:55:17 A surprising cut from the script00:59:20 Our ratings01:04:07 Final thoughts: Gray's Race Recap01:08:24 Cue the music
In this episode, we break down Arrival's intricate storytelling by diving deep into Denis Villeneuve’s use of camera angles and intentional framing to convey meaning. We explore the color symbolism throughout the film, uncovering its ties to the central themes, and discuss how Arrival tackles complex ideas on time, language, and perception. From the visual storytelling to the brilliant narrative structure, we reveal how this film challenges viewers to think about time in ways few movies do.Spotify chapters:00:00:00 Intro Convo: Insights to the screenwriters decisions00:11:45 How the camera and story focus on circular time00:15:15 How Christopher Nolan forced this movie to change00:17:45 What would really need to happen in aliens landed & complications of teaching language00:24:49 Denis Villeneuve's genius use of color00:29:56 The intention behind these great movies00:33:47 The creative misinterpreted character arc00:40:03 Revealing what the general told Louise that changed his mind00:43:00 Talking if aliens really landed00:47:30 A real theory the aliens use to travel across the galaxy00:49:15 The interesting way it's revealed how the ships travel00:51:05 This is one of the most interesting ways to make an alien movie00:53:32 Would you learn the language to see the future?00:57:01 The most heartbreaking opening is even worse read00:58:46 Our rating, review & nitpick01:04:46 The race: Kade vs Gray01:06:16 Cue the VICTORY music
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#097 - "Apocalypto" - Mel Gibson's Masterclass in Brutality
In this episode, we dive deep into Apocalypto, discussing the film’s intense themes of survival, civilization, and human brutality. We explore the characters’ journeys, analyzing their struggles and the stakes they face, while breaking down the raw brutality that defines much of the movie. We also discuss the film's immersive depiction of the ancient Mayan world, powerful visuals, and how the brutal action drives the emotional core of the story.Chapters:00:00:00 The greatest way to open a movie00:07:20 The meaning behind the story00:13:02 Let's talk human sacrifice 00:17:11 The pure pride of the Mayans00:22:57 Jaguar Paws extreme resilience00:26:16 The flaws of the bad guys00:32:16 No redemption for the evil tribe00:35:19 Our plan if we had to escape00:40:45 The costume design's help with storytelling00:42:55 The hardest scene to watch & the religious beliefs of the tribe00:45:52 Jaguar Paws pure badassery00:47:24 Why are they not scared to death of Jaguar Paw00:52:22 What are the evil tribe even doing this for?00:54:01 Why Mel Gibson made this movie00:55:15 Our rating & review01:00:43 Final thoughts01:03:03 Cue the music
Just dudes that make movies, breaking down movies, live on a podcast. If you enjoy popular movies, sh*t-talk, and film breakdowns you've come to the right place.
The CRWN Cinema Podcast is a movie analysis podcast hosted by Kade Harvey and Gray Pittman with guest stars Mercedes Harvey and Scott Jordan. They watch & discuss classic movies to talk about the film techniques used, give interesting insights, and just have a cinematic hang.
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