Post Script
Tori and Dávid explore storytelling, narrative, history, and culture through film. New to our podcast? We recommend starting at the beginning of the current season rather than at episode 1. Season 3—"Recounting Cri$i$"; How mainstream movies changed (or didn't) throughout The Great Recession to reflect cultural views around class and capitalism Season 2—"Patter"; How Gangsters, Hardboiled Detectives, and Tough Guys speak in movies from the 30s, 40s, and 50s (2 Parts) Season 1—"Act 1"; How to write a good or bad Act 1, how the structure works, and what can make an Act 1 unique (4 Parts)
Jul 6
In Part 6 of this season on movies and The Great Recession, Tori and Dávid find our first realistic depiction of working-class people in an unexpected place and a wave of films critiquing the establishment, but lacking depth. Topics and films mentioned: Letterboxd: Step Up: Revolution , 2012, directed by Scott Speer YouTube: Step Up: Revolution trailer Letterboxd: Arbitrage , 2012, directed by Nicholas Jarecki YouTube: Arbitrage trailer Letterboxd: Les Misérables , 2012, directed by Tom Hooper YouTube: Les Misérables trailer YouTube: " Do You Hear the People Sing? " song from Les Misérables Letterboxd: Magic Mike , 2012, directed by Steven Soderbergh YouTube: Magic Mike trailer Letterboxd: The Hunger Games , 2012, directed by Gary Ross YouTube: The Hunger Games trailer Roger Ebert: The Hunger Games review The Guardian: " From Fortnite to Love Island: how the ‘fight to the death’ defines our times " article
Mar 2
In Part 5 of this season on movies and The Great Recession, Tori and Dávid see the beginnings of systemic criticism start to appear in film against the backdrop of the Occupy movement and global civil unrest. Topics and films mentioned: Wikipedia: Occupy Wall Street Wikipedia: Occupy Movement Mojo: 2011 Worldwide Box Office Letterboxd: The Intouchables , 2011, directed by Éric Toledano & Olivier Nakache YouTube: The Intouchables trailer Wikipedia: The Intouchables Letterboxd: Horrible Bosses , 2011, directed by Seth Gordon YouTube: Horrible Bosses trailer Wikipedia: Horrible Bosses Letterboxd: Tower Heist , 2011, directed by Brett Ratner Letterboxd: In Time , 2011, directed by Andrew Niccol YouTube: In Time international trailer Wikipedia: In Time Letterboxd: Gattaca , 1997, directed by Andrew Niccol Image: Citroen DS 1955 Letterboxd: Margin Call , 2011, directed by J.C. Chandor YouTube: Margin Call trailer Wikipedia: Margin Call Letterboxd: A Most Violent Year , 2014, directed by J.C. Chandor Limitless , 2011, directed by Neil Burger We Bought a Zoo , 2011, directed by Cameron Crowe
Nov 9, 2024
In Part 4 of this season on movies and The Great Recession, Tori and Dávid explore the initial takes that attempted to explain the cause of the crisis through film. Topics and films mentioned: The Big Short (Book) The Inside Job , 2010, directed by Charles Ferguson Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps , 2010, directed by Oliver Stone David Byrne Platoon , Natural Born Killers , Wall Street (Films of Oliver Stone) Neoliberalism , neoclassical economics , & crisis theory Moral hazard The Social Network , 2010, directed by David Fincher Pirates of the Silicon Valley , 1999, directed by Martyn Burke Wikipedia of The Social Network - Claim that it inspired people The Town , 2010, directed by Ben Affleck YouTube: Male Weepies by Broey Deschanel Wall Street review by Peter Bradshaw True Grit , 2010, directed by Ethan Coen & Joel Coen
Aug 29, 2024
In Part 3 of this season on movies and The Great Recession, Tori and Dávid explore what layoffs, bailouts, and defaults meant for movies in the year immediately after the crisis. Topics and films mentioned: Up in the Air , 2009, directed by Jason Reitman Trailer: Up in the Air Poster: Up in the Air Network , 1976, directed by Sidney Lumet The Devil Wears Prada , The Pursuit of Happyness , Slumdog Millionaire Bonnie and Clyde , 1967, directed by Arthur Penn The Dark Knight , 2008, directed by Christopher Nolan The Bank Job , 2008, directed by Roger Donaldson The International , 2009, directed by Tom Tykwer Public Enemies , 2009, directed by Michael Mann Drag Me to Hell , 2009, directed by Sam Raimi The Evil Dead , 1981, Evil Dead II , 1987, directed by Sam Raimi
Aug 9, 2024
In Part 2 of this season on movies and The Great Recession, Tori and Dávid pick up in the midst of the Crisis of 2008 to examine the films that hit it big that year and discover why those films thrived in the chaos. Topics and films mentioned: Wikipedia: 2007–2008 financial crisis Slumdog Millionaire , 2008, directed by Danny Boyle Trailer: Slumdog Millionaire Poster #1: Slumdog Millionaire Poster #2: Slumdog Millionaire Slumdog Millionaire: Music from the Motion Picture Wikipedia: The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand Wikipedia: Cool Britannia Star Wars , Braveheart , The Matrix , The Hunger Games The Devil Wears Prada , 2006, directed by David Frankel The Pursuit of Happyness , 2006, directed by Gabriele Muccino The Dark Knight , 2008, directed by Christopher Nolan Iron Man , 2008, directed by Jon Favreau WALL·E , 2008, directed by Andrew Stanton Oh, Bloody Life , 1984, directed by Péter Bacsó
May 18, 2024
In Part 1 of this season on movies and The Great Recession, Tori and Dávid establish a baseline for comparison by examining movies embraced by the masses just before The Financial Crisis. Topics and films mentioned: Hell or High Water , 2016, directed by David Mackenzie The Big Short , 2015, directed by Adam McKay The Deer Hunter , 1978, directed by Michael Cimino Kelly's Heroes , 1970, directed by Brian G. Hutton M*A*S*H , 1970, directed by Robert Altman The Devil Wears Prada , 2006, directed by David Frankel Wikipedia: Critical response to The Devil Wears Prada Rotten Tomatoes: Review of The Devil Wears Prada The Pursuit of Happyness , 2006, directed by Gabriele Muccino Wikipedia: Critical response to The Pursuit of Happyness Rotten Tomatoes: Review of The Pursuit of Happyness The Guardian: Peter Bradshaw review of The Pursuit of Happyness The New York Times: Manohla Dargis review of The Pursuit of Happyness Crash , 2004, directed by Paul Haggis The Aviator , 2004, directed by Martin Scorsese V for Vendetta , 2005, directed by James McTeigue Flight Club , 1999, directed by David Fincher Office Space , 1999, directed by Mike Judge Clockwatchers , 1997, directed by Jill Sprecher
Feb 24, 2024
In this final part of this season on "Patter", Tori quizzes Dávid on the way that gangsters, film noir, and hardboiled detectives speak in movies. They also cover how "screwball" and other types of comedy of the 30s and 40s influenced this style of speaking and how it evolved through the 60s and beyond. Topics and films mentioned: The Marx Brothers & Groucho Marx The Big Sleep , 1946, directed by Howard Hawks Screwball comedy His Girl Friday , 1940, directed by Howard Hawks Bringing up Baby , 1938, directed by Howard Hawks Sweet Smell of Success , 1957, directed by Alexander Mackendrick Frank Sinatra & The Rat Pack Neo-Noir Chinatown , 1974, directed by Roman Polanski The Godfather , 1972, directed by Francis Ford Coppola Martin Scorsese The Pubic Enemy , 1931, directed by William A. Wellman Scarface , 1932, directed by Howard Hawks The Maltese Falcon , 1941, directed by John Huston Double Indemnity , 1944, directed by Billy Wilder Detour , 1945, directed by Edgar G. Ulmer Kiss of Death , 1947, directed by Henry Hathaway Pickup on South Street , 1953, directed by Samuel Fuller Little Caesar , 1931, directed by Mervyn LeRoy Patter online dictionaries: "Jargon" from "Loose Shadows Stories" " The Lingo of Film Noir " from Nancy Friedman
Jan 27, 2024
In Part 1 (of 2) of this season on "Patter", Tori and Dávid discuss the way that gangsters, hardboiled detectives, and tough guys talk in the movies of the 30s, 40s, and 50s, and how it changed over time. Topics and films mentioned: Little Caesar , 1931, directed by Mervyn LeRoy Scarface , 1932, directed by Howard Hawks The Maltese Falcon , 1941, directed by John Huston The Big Sleep , 1946, directed by Howard Hawks Pickup on South Street , 1953, directed by Samuel Fuller The Public Enemy , 1931, directed by William A. Wellman Frank Sinatra & The Rat Pack The Hays Code (The Motion Picture Production Code) - Original Text Martin Scorsese Double Indemnity , 1944, directed by Billy Wilder Leslie Nielsen & The Naked Gun , 1988 Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid , 1982, directed by Carl Reiner The Cheap Detective , 1978, directed by Robert Moore Murder by Death , 1976, directed by Robert Moore Philip Marlowe Film Noir & Hardboiled 48 Hrs. , 1982, directed by Walter Hill Die Hard , 1988, directed by John McTiernan Lethal Weapon , 1987, directed by Richard Donner Dirty Harry , 1971, directed by Don Siegel WASP (White Anglo-Saxon Protestant) Arnold Schwarzenegger , (Quote is from Commando ) Raymond Chandler & Dashiell Hammett Columbo , TV Series, 1971-1978 Chinatown , 1974, directed by Roman Polanski Murder, My Sweet , 1944, directed by Edward Dmytryk Detour , 1945, directed by Edgar G. Ulmer