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...
#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
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#096 - "The Godfather Part III" - Our Reaction to This Complete Disaster of an Ending
In this episode, we break down The Godfather Part III and explain why it falls short of its predecessors. We discuss the film’s missteps, including issues with the plot, pacing, and character development. From its lackluster execution to its overall deviation from the brilliance of the first two films, we explain what didn’t work and why it left us disappointed as fans of the trilogy.Chapters:00:00:00 Post movie reaction00:05:44 It was all a money grab00:10:01 It's weird seeing the characters old00:11:38 Couldn't ask for worse dialogue 00:18:30 The Kay subplot & Michael not being Michael00:21:07 More too on the nose call backs00:23:19 Wtf is going on with the cousin love???00:27:10 Why was Vincent not Tom's son00:29:44 Is Michael just giving up?00:32:49 A cool moment of symbolism00:36:17 Did Al Pacino actually care about this role?00:37:22 Why Michaels fate turns out the way it does00:39:58 So the mob can just order helicopter attacks now??00:43:08 What the people of Letterboxd think00:44:33 The one praise Gray gives00:46:59 We can't get over the fact this was a money grab & Sofia Coppola00:51:26 More poorly acted characters00:52:17 Our rating and review of this disaster01:00:33 Cue the music
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#095 - "The Revenant" - The Brilliant Techniques that Create Pure Brutality
In this episode, we dive deep into The Revenant, analyzing the powerful character themes, breathtaking cinematography, and the intensity behind key scenes. We discuss the visual storytelling techniques used to convey survival, vengeance, and humanity, breaking down the intentions behind Alejandro González Iñárritu’s direction and Emmanuel Lubezki’s stunning camera work. Get ready for an in-depth look at how these elements combine to create a truly visceral cinematic experience.Chapters:00:00:00 Post movie discussion: Why did we not like this movie in 2015?00:04:53 This movie is nothing without DiCaprio00:15:24 The story behind the terrible production experience00:23:57 The great choice that makes the bear scene as brutal as possible00:31:43 The real story of Hugh Glass is crazy00:39:14 The intention of Fitzgerald v.s. Hugh Glass00:48:14 The beautiful use of symbolism00:50:33 How they let nature tell the story00:56:05 The perfect cinematography embedding you into the brutality + the first attack01:04:15 The awards that this movie deserved01:07:22 Our ratings & review01:10:32 Final thoughts: A cool connection to Inglourious Basterds01:16:31 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.
New Zealand