Film School

Hitchcock's penultimate film!

Do you take naps? If you don't, why is that? And if you do, do you feel guilty about it? Or are they a regular part of your routine (at least when life allows it)? We discuss our stance on all the above (spoiler: we're pro nap), and how we fit such indulgences into our daily routine.  Also, Josh recommends Man of the Year which is currently on Tubi, and Ira recommends Mondovino, which is on Pluto TV.

Does the word "topaz" mean anything to you? The Cold War rages on in the world, and Hitchcock delivers a political/spy thriller centered on the lead-up to the Cuban Missile Crisis, apparently even based on real events. Is Hitch just replaying the old hits? Or does this one have any juice on its own? We watch to find out!

When making art like writing or telling a story, when do you compromise? Or DO you compromise? The word is so loaded with negative connotation, but its definition is so slippery, maybe even personal. So...what's an acceptable level of compromise? We discuss!  Also, Josh recommends re-watching Severance season 1 on Apple TV+, and Ira recommends SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night, which is on Peacock.

How would you like to live behind what you call the Iron Curtain...? It's the height of the cold war. Hitch swaps his nationless networks of mysterious criminals for a far more real-world one: East Germany and the Russians. It's also a different era of Hollywood that's starting to emerge, actors like Julie Andrews and Paul Newman who expect to have much more of a say on set than the contract actors of the past. So, will Al adapt with the times? We watch and find out!

"Ideas are like fish. If you want to catch little fish, you can stay in the shallow water. But if you want to catch the big fish, you've got to go deeper."  David Lynch pushed the boundaries of filmmaking. He was known for his surrealism, his expressionism, his images, and, much of the time, for not making sense. He certainly wasn't interested in explaining himself to the audience. But the genius of David might actually be how much, at his best, he really did make sense, he really did have something to say. So...how does one figure that out? WE DISCUSS! Also, Josh recommends Owning Mahoney, and Ira recommends Conclave, which is on Peacock. Rest In Peace, David. You will always be the best of us. Thanks for all the fish.

You, Freud. Me, Jane? Alfred takes on sex, lies, and money missing from the big safe at work. It's half trippy para-psychology Spellbound, part neo-noirish femme fatale Vertigo, this time with a returning Tippi Hedron as the slippery-with-the-truth title character and an up-and-coming Sean Connery as the guy who catches her...and falls in love with her? Does it all come together? We find out!

The Darkness is out there. Everyone can feel evil working in the shadows of the real world, however figurative or literal you want to attribute it. So, naturally, evil plays a big part in our stories; it behooves us storytellers to know how to effectively represent it. How do we do that? Josh and Ira talk through their own personal tips and tricks. Also, Josh recommends Hotel Hell, and Ira recommends The Batman, which is on Max.

It's the end of the world! Hitch backs up the classic Psycho with another horror film, but this time it's nature itself that's out for humanity rather than one of our own. What would happen if all the birds in the world suddenly turned against us? Would we stand a chance? That's the very simple question at the heart of this one that will have you looking at our feathered friends veerrryyy differently by the end of it. We watch and discuss!

Should I stay or should I go now? It takes SO MUCH EFFORT to reach a plateau--a new level--it can be absolutely daunting to consider doing it all over again to reach the NEXT plateau--the next level. So...how long is it okay to sit back and rest on one's laurels? How long is it okay to stay on one level before mustering up the courage and energy to take on the next? We discuss! Also, Josh recommends Ink, which is on Tubi, and Ira (tentatively) recommends Arcane Season One, which is on Netflix.