That Final Scene

This week on That Final Scene, I chat with Dr. Dario Llinares (educator, researcher, writer, podcaster and fellow Substacker) about whether we're witnessing cinema's final act—or just its most dramatic plot twist yet.
We dive into our recent watches (Ben's frankly had it with Trump-coded villains in Mickey 17 and Daredevil), debate what makes a cinema experience worth leaving your couch for, and explore Dario's fascinating AI video essay project that uses the technology to critique... well, the technology itself.
The burning question at the heart of our conversation: why are theaters emptying out faster than a cinema playing Morbius, and what would actually bring audiences back? From "event" screenings to repertory programming to Simon's wild idea for "live cinema," we workshop solutions that might just save our beloved movie palaces.
Plus: Soderbergh's slick spy thriller Black Bag, Pierce Brosnan's mysteriously vanishing Irish accent, and why open-air screenings of The Greatest Showman keep selling out while multiplexes gather dust.
Listen in for a conversation that's equal parts film-nerd deep cut and urgent state-of-the-industry diagnosis.
Find Dario's work at his Substack ContraWise and through the Cinematologist podcast. His new interview series Cinema Body, Cinema Mind explores our physical relationship with moviegoing.
https://dariollinares.substack.com/
https://dariollinares.substack.com/s/the-cinematologists-newsletter-archive
https://dariollinares.substack.com/s/cinema-body


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I've never been so unprepared for an Oscar season. This year's race feels like someone threw all the conventional wisdom into a blender, hit puree, and walked away laughing.
So in this episode, we are joined by The Schmear Hunter’s Gabriel Frieberg – whose Berlinale stories alone are worth the price of admission – to walk us through his film and TV journey, and quickly descend into our annual tradition of pretending we have any idea what'll happen on Hollywood's favorite night of self-congratulation: The Academy Awards.
Gabriel turned out to be the perfect antidote to my cynicism, bringing actual insights from the festival circuit while Ben chugged tea and ranted about why "Furiosa" deserved more recognition. We dove into the genuine surprise of Ariana Grande's performance in "Wicked" (who knew?) and debated whether Demi Moore will finally get her flowers in the Best Actress category.
The real fun came when we compared our predictions against what YOU, the TFS community, voted for in our Substack ballot. Your "will win" picks are surprisingly industry-savvy, but your "want to win" choices? Pure chaos in the best possible way.
Sean Baker vs. Brady Corbet for Best Director created our most heated exchange (sorry for the sound spike), and none of us could agree whether "Conclave" deserves its Best Picture nomination. But there's unanimous support for "Anora" in both our panel and community picks—which probably means something else will win because the Oscars love nothing more than making us all look foolish.
Make sure you listen on our take on the Bond franchise's uncertain future and stay for Gabriel’s passionate defense of the films that got completely overlooked this awards season. As always, I promise to eat my words publicly when my predictions turn out wrong.
Catch up on Gabriel’s work at:
schmearhunter.com
Also subscribe to his podcast, The SchmearCast, on Spotify, Apple, or wherever you get your podcasts 🎧
And follow him on Instagram, TikTok & Letterboxd.
instagram.com/schmearhunter_
tiktok.com/@schmearhunter
letterboxd.com/SchmearHunter
Loved what you heard? Let's keep the conversation going at the That Final Scene chat on Substack:
https://substack.com/chat/3141096
Follow That Final Scene at:
Substack: thatfinalscene.com
Instagram: @thatfinalscene
TikTok: @thatfinalscene
YouTube: @ThatFinalScene
Timestamps
00:00 Introduction to the Podcast and Guest
00:51 Gabriel's Journey in Film and TV
03:24 The Importance of Unique Voices in Film Critique
05:49 Experiences at the Berlinale Film Festival
07:58 Discussion on 'Mickey 17' and Director Bong Joon-ho
09:39 The Future of Big Budget Films and Auteur Directors
11:48 Concerns Over the Bond Franchise and Amazon's Influence
20:02 Oscar Predictions and the Best Actor Category
29:17 The Rise of Timothée Chalamet
30:39 Best Actress Predictions
32:36 Best Supporting Actor Insights
35:08 Best Supporting Actress Discussion
40:00 Best Adapted Screenplay Contenders
44:35 Best Director Showdown
55:04 Fan Favorites and Cult Classics
56:56 Cinematography Predictions
01:00:07 Film Editing Insights
01:03:21 Best Picture Predictions
01:10:30 Oscar Snubs and Underrated Films



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Well, it seems like it's time to sink our teeth into another THAT FINAL SCENE episode (sorry, couldn't resist). If you're also grappling with Robert Eggers' latest “Nosferatu” and Ellen's choice to face death in that haunting final scene, you might want to tune in.
We go deep into the shadows of this one – from death-and-maiden motifs to why some of us felt oddly disconnected despite the film's technical mastery. Plus, we somehow end up on a tangent about watching THE DA VINCI CODE over the holidays (questionable choices were made) and why old Bond films hit different now.
Fair warning: we get into a heated debate about whether this version of NOSFERATU actually makes us feel anything beyond aesthetic appreciation. And yes, we absolutely dissect that ending – you know I got you covered y’all.
Come for the vampire discourse, stay for our chaotic holiday viewing confessions and some spicy award season predictions that will probably age terribly.
The episode is available wherever you get your podcasts.
And while you're there, maybe leave us a review? Unless you're Count Orlok himself – in which case, we respectfully decline your feedback.
P.S. Between you and me, there's a moment where we completely derail into UK Traitors Season 3 territory and I regret nothing. Enjoy!
Loved what you heard? Let's keep the conversation going - download the Substack app to join our chat around the episode:
https://substack.com/chat/3141096
Be part of my chronically online film community by following me on:
* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thatfinalscene
* TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@thatfinalscene
* Substack (for deeper takes): at https://thatfinalscene.com
Timestamps
00:00 Intriguing Opening Scene
00:13 New Year Greetings and Cultural Differences
01:27 Podcast Behind the Scenes
02:41 Movie Recommendations and Reviews
10:43 Reality TV Highlights
14:08 Discussing the Greatest Film Ever Made
22:37 The Pact and Opening Sequence
23:21 Psychosexual Dynamics and Imaginary Friends
23:28 Critique on Film Length and Pacing
23:41 Character Analysis: Nosferatu and Orlok
26:03 Robert Eggers' Cinematic Style
29:12 Character Performances and Emotional Connection
31:52 Themes of Sacrifice and Grotesque Imagery
41:26 Final Thoughts and Audience Reactions
45:20 Upcoming Episodes and Farewell


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In our final episode of 2024, we do what any self-respecting film nerds would do during the holidays - torture each other with impossibly specific movie trivia. But first, some cinematic therapy:
We kick things off diving into CONCLAVE (or as I like to call it, "Ralph Fiennes Does His Best Pope Impression While Looking Incredibly Concerned"). This leads us down a rabbit hole about actors who deserve Oscars but keep getting snubbed. Speaking of snubs, we tackle the Harry Potter reboot news - I have THOUGHTS about recasting, and they mostly involve protecting the sacred memory of Robbie Coltrane. But that’s for another episode.
The middle chunk gets spicy with chat about Black Doves (Netlix’s new smash hit), the new Bob Dylan film that feels like it exists in a parallel universe (it’s really good), and why Tom Cruise continues to defy both gravity and aging. There's a brief detour into Netflix territory, which somehow evolves into an impassioned debate about MUBI's latest programming choices. If anyone wants to get Simon a pressie, let it be an annual MUBI subscription.
Then comes the quiz portion - the main event, if you will. I channel my inner film school professor and subject Simon to a Mrs. Doubtfire interrogation that would make Robin Williams wince. I absolutely demolish the Fight Club round - turns out watching it approximately 27 times pays off. Ben tests Simon's James Bond knowledge, which leads us down various 007 rabbit holes. Which I didn’t understand one bit.
We close out with anticipation for the new Nosferatu coming in 2024. Because nothing says "Happy New Year" like a German expressionist vampire, right?
Timestamps
00:00 Opening Remarks and Final Episode Introduction
00:15 Reflecting on the Podcast Journey
00:51 Special Ideas for Next Year
00:56 Discussing Conclave and Ralph Fiennes
01:45 Actors Who Deserve an Oscar
02:51 Harry Potter Series Reboot
05:15 Robbie Coltrane's Iconic Roles
06:52 Black Doves and Other TV Shows
10:30 Bob Dylan Movie Review
14:49 Tom Cruise and Action Stars
18:02 Netflix's Latest Offerings
24:37 Discussing 'Queer' and Mubi's Cinema Release
25:17 Reviewing 'Craven' and Aaron Taylor Johnson's Performance
27:06 Christmas Quiz: Mrs. Doubtfire Edition
31:16 Christmas Quiz: Fight Club Edition
32:50 Christmas Quiz: James Bond Edition
35:25 Bond Franchise Deep Dive
40:48 Upcoming Movies and Final Thoughts

Loved what you heard? Let's keep the conversation going - download the Substack app to join our chat around the episode:
https://substack.com/chat/3141096
Be part of our chronically online film community by following me on:
* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thatfinalscene
* TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@thatfinalscene
* Substack (for deeper takes): at https://thatfinalscene.com
And hey, if you're feeling generous, take 30 seconds to rate and review us wherever you're listening - it helps other film obsessives find us. See you in a couple of weeks for another ending that will either vindicate or devastate us.


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There's a moment in There Will Be Blood where Daniel Plainview stares at a burning oil derrick with maniacal glee while others panic around him. That scene captures everything fascinating about PTA's examination of capitalism, greed, and American ambition - and it's just one of many moments we unpack in this week's episode - including of course…its final scene.
Before diving into our main discussion, Ben and I get into it over Gladiator 2 (which I maintain is a perfectly entertaining time if you accept it for the ridiculous spectacle it is), and Simon takes us through Michael Bay's 13 Hours, leading to an unexpected conversation about method acting and on-set dynamics.
But the heart of this episode is our analysis of the iconic There Will Be Blood - from Paul Dano's remarkable dual performance (pulled off with just 4 days of prep) to the film's masterful exploration of how capitalism and religion feed off each other. We dig into the historical context, decode that famous milkshake monologue, and debate whether Daniel Plainview was always a monster or if success corrupted him.
Next episode: We're closing out the year with our Christmas special, featuring what will surely be a deeply competitive movie trivia showdown.
Timestamps for the chronologically-gifted:
00:00 Opening Remarks and Initial Banter
00:21 Behind the Scenes of Podcasting
00:50 Correction on Russell Crowe's Oscar Wins
02:04 Discussion on Gladiator 2
10:48 Review of The Foreigner
12:05 Michael Bay's 13 Hours
19:25 Mean Girls and Lindsay Lohan's Career
20:45 Upcoming Movies and Recommendations
24:45 Revisiting There Will Be Blood
27:05 Daniel's Descent into Capitalism
27:24 Manipulating Relationships
27:59 Curiosity and Camera Work
28:51 Moral Ambiguity and Greed
29:12 Sympathy for the Son
30:00 The Harsh Realities of Business
31:10 Religion vs. Capitalism
32:13 The Final Confrontation
33:33 The Aftermath and Reflections
42:57 The Iconic Milkshake Metaphor
51:21 Paul Dano's Performance
57:50 Upcoming Episodes and Farewell

Loved what you heard? Let's keep the conversation going - download the Substack app to join our chat around the episode:
https://substack.com/chat/3141096
Be part of our chronically online film community by following me on:
* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thatfinalscene
* TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@thatfinalscene
* Substack (for deeper takes): at https://thatfinalscene.com
And hey, if you're feeling generous, take 30 seconds to rate and review us wherever you're listening - it helps other film obsessives find us. See you in a couple of weeks for another ending that will either vindicate or devastate us.


Get full access to That Final Scene at www.thatfinalscene.com/subscribe