All the Film Things

On the thirty- second episode of ATFT, I talk with actor/ director/ producer/ writer Brandon Gibson!  Brandon Gibson, who is Los Angeles- based, has taken on many roles in a variety of mediums across over two decades working in show business. Brandon started his career in the industry as a stand up comedian, earning a stand up special on NBC at only 16 years old. He then ventured into acting in films, television shows (including Black-ish, Cobra Kai, and Lessons in Chemistry), and over 70 national commercials, for companies such as Wal- Mart, Airbnb, and Geico. Brandon also has his own production company, FunnyBrand777 Productions, and an acting studio called Above the Line studio. Check out Brandon's demo reels as well as more information on both his production company and acting studio here!: https://brandon-gibson.com Brandon’s latest project is the highly- anticipated drama television series, Spilled Paint! For this project, Brandon starred in, directed, and wrote the series. Spilled Paint, which is inspired by true events, follows Brandon’s character Ramirez Ponce is an underground art dealer who forces artists to paint fake paintings so he sell them to earn a major profit before murdering them. His plan goes awry when an artist suspected to have been dead surprisingly returns. The series was produced by Beth Wheatley and also stars Justine Renee, Bronsonn Taylor, and Stephanie De Lander. Previous ATFT guests, Graham Zielinski and Taylor Donaldson, also worked on this show! Spilled Paint is expected to release this Winter on Tubi! This is Brandon’s first appearance on ATFT! We met on the set of his upcoming series Spilled Paint last year! As I mentioned, he wore many hats on the production while I was a production assistant. Brandon was so kind and despite how busy a set can be, he took the time to get to know me and my friend Taylor Donaldson, fellow PA and past ATFT guest. This was my first job on a set and I was stunned by how he made challenging roles on a set seem so effortless. To this day, Brandon remains the best director I’ve had the pleasure to work with and I hope we will work together again in the future! I was so grateful for his along with the rest of the crew’s kindness. When I asked him if he’d come on the show, he was immediately in. Spilled Paint’s release has shifted throughout the year so we recorded this episode towards the beginning of the year, March 8, 2024 to be exact! This was my third interview and I was very nervous. It had been several months since my last interview and I just didn’t ask as many good questions as I should have. Hopefully there will be a part two in the future!  Television fans will be pleased because we probably talk about as many television shows as we do films in this interview! In this episode, Brandon shares stories throughout his career from being an established stand up comedian as a teenager to his soon- to- be- released television series Spilled Paint. This episode has more star- studded stories than any previous ATFT episode yet as Brandon talks about fulfilling his life- long dream of working with Robin Williams, Ethan Coen watching his audition tape for Hail, Caesar! (2016) , and playing a competitive game of Boggle with Brie Larson. Brandon also talks about how his analysis of teleplays helped learn the craft of certain forms of comedy, his admiration of the Coen brothers, and his SNL audition. All this and much more on the latest episode of All the Film Things! Background music created and used with permission by the Copyright Free Music - Background Music for Videos channel on YouTube.

Happy Noirvember! On the thirty- first episode of ATFT, movie critic Matthieu Côté joins me in analyzing Jean- Pierre Melville’s 1967 neo- noir classic, Le Samouraï! This episode is spoiler- filled.  Le Samouraï is regarded as one of the most influential films of all time, inspiring a plethora of films including Taxi Driver (1976), Drive (2011), and The Killer (2023). The film follows highly- skilled hit- man Jef Costello, played by Alain Delon, as he simultaneously carries out a job and his alibi but his careful plans soon go awry. The audience then watches Jef as he maneuvers his way around the police and the criminals who hired him. Le Samouraï, like Easy Rider, is a show- don’t- tell film, meaning the more you watch it, the more you gain. We watch the characters and story unfold without there being too much dialogue. Films like these are the most rewarding to analyze and, when done right, become lauded as masterpieces. Le Samouraï cemented Alain Delon as massive star in cinema and many regard this film as his best.  Matthieu is a Canadian movie critic who writes for Horror Quebéc. He has interviewed several prominent directors with the most prominent thus- far being Ari Aster. Most recently, he interviewed director Timo Tjahjanto ahead of his new film The Shadow Strays. Watch his interview here!: https://youtu.be/-qDsUozgrFg?si=ITMrxcNEhYfTzGH5. Matthieu also has his own YouTube channel where he analyzes and reviews both films and television shows old and new. His analyses are truly excellent, I highly recommend subscribing to his channel… here’s the link: https://www.youtube.com/@matthieucote2272/videos.   This is Matthieu’s first appearance on ATFT! Funny enough, we got connected through the comments of his YouTube video, “⁠The Eyes Of Past Lives” about a year ago! His video greatly helped me prepare for last year’s episode on the film Past Lives so I left a comment telling him how brilliant his analysis was and that I gave him and his video a shout out in that episode. He responded very graciously and said he would love to come on the show sometime. I always kept this in mind so, when I switched the film being discussed for Noirvember this year, I thought I’d ask Matthieu if he was interested and within 24 hours, we scheduled a time to record this episode! This episode was recorded on October 17, 2024.  In this episode, Matthieu and I analyze Le Samouraï while also pay tribute to one of cinema’s greats, Alain Delon, who passed away this past August. Matthieu talks about his long- time appreciation for this film, even considering it among his very favorite films of all time. We discuss various aspects of the film including how Le Samouraï compares to American noir films of the 1940s as well as recent films that were inspired by this film, the power and emotion only Alain Delon can give through his eyes alone, and Jef's accomplice: his pet bird. All this and much more on the latest episode of All the Film Things! Music credit: Careful There by Justin Allan Arnold | https://www.ifnessfreemusic.com Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons / Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

On the thirtieth episode of ATFT, I talk with former broadcaster/ executive producer/ writer/ actress/ proud cat mom, Vesta Millard!  Vesta Millard has had an incredibly vast and impressive career in show business, so much so that those titles don’t cover every job she’s had! She was a radio DJ for thirty years in some of the biggest markets, including New York and New Jersey.  Vesta ranks among the top ten percent of voice actors worldwide and has lent her voice to a range of projects including, but not limited to, documentaries, animated television shows, and video games. Some of her most prominent clients have been Coca Cola, the A&E Network, and Sirius XM. Vesta has appeared in commercials as well as short films "Covington", "Fruit Cake", and most recently "Life is Torture" in which she won two awards at OIF last month. Off camera, Vesta led the charge behind creating an anti- stalking law that remains in effect today and has significantly helped many people. In recent years, aside from voice acting, Vesta has created her own independent fantasy short films. Vesta’s latest short film, "Time Will Tell", is the fourth installment of “The Witches Diaries” following Vesta’s character, heroine witch Tara Ward. In this thirty- minute short, Tara travels back to the time of the Salem Witch Trials in order to save her bloodline. She is aided by fellow witches and pirates as Tara becomes a part of history. "Time Will Tell" be soon be submitted to film festivals but the film will have a premiere at Epic Theaters in St. Augustine, Florida on November 10 at 2 pm. Vesta’s third installment, "On Blood Moon", will also be shown at the premiere. Tickets are $10 and there are raffle prizes will all proceeds going to Ayla’s Acres, a nonprofit no- kill animal rescue. Also be sure to check out Vesta's work through her website!: https://www.vestavox.com/ This is Vesta’s first appearance on ATFT! Thanks to the incredible Danielle Bowman for recruiting me to join the crew as a production assistant/ craft services/ film extra, I was able to meet Vesta on the set of her fourth and latest short film, "Time Will Tell", almost a year ago. The whole experience was such a joy, in large part due to the joyous and hard working environment set and led by Vesta. Since being on set is very much a work environment, there’s not often much time to get to know each other. I was lucky enough to sit and have a quick chat with Vesta not long after filming wrapped, which is when I asked if she would be a guest on ATFT sometime. In that conversation, I was stunned by Vesta’s stories from her career… some we didn’t even get to mention in this interview! In preparing for this interview, I learned those stories were just the tip of the iceberg. I was very nervous for this interview. I had so many questions that, even though this episode was originally around 140 minutes, many questions were never posed. Hopefully there will be a part two in the future! This episode was recorded on October 2, 2024.  In this episode, Vesta shares stories through the years from growing up in a show business to making independent fantasy short films today. Vesta also talks about the terrifying situation that drove her to create an important anti- stalking law. We also discuss the importance in portraying women over 40 in cinema, the making and reflection of her short films, and her appreciation for Martin Scorsese.  All this and much more on the latest episode of All the Film Things! Background music created and used with permission by the Copyright Free Music - Background Music for Videos channel on YouTube.

On the twenty- ninth episode of ATFT, one of my good friends, lover of movies Taylor Donaldson joins me in discussing 1999 in film! This episode is explicit and contains spoilers for a few 1999 films. 1999 is often regarded as one of the greatest years in cinema. There's even a book written by Brian Raftery titled: Best. Movie. Year. Ever: How 1999 Blew Up the Big Screen. NPR's Scott Detrow describes 1999 to Raftery in a short conversation, as a year in which "old masters like Martin Scorsese and Stanley Kubrick were still putting out provocative work, while new masters like David Fincher and Paul Thomas Anderson were pushing the boundaries of narrative and cinematic form." As Taylor describes in the beginning of the episode, it was a very "eclectic" year for cinema. Keanu Reeves took the red pill and learned "there is no spoon", John Cusack along with several others entered the mind of John Malkovich, Angelina Jolie screamed "Where's Jamie?", Brad Pitt and Edward Norton welcomed us to their fight club and Heath Ledger stole all of our hearts. 1999 was certainly an innovative, stand- alone, eclectic year in cinema. This is Taylor’s fourth time on ATFT but first appearance on the wide release! Taylor has been one of my closest friends for four years now and quickly became my favorite person to talk film with. Since this is a special episode, I knew I had to bring on a very special guest and Taylor instantly came to mind. This episode was recorded on September 5, 2024.  In this episode, Taylor and I discuss the films of 1999 with a little help from each and every past wide release guest on ATFT. Since this was, again, a special episode, I wanted to include all the past guests so I asked each of them their favorite film from 1999. After Taylor share our top five favorite films of the year, we go through the list of films chosen by the ATFT guest community. Taylor also shares some hot takes, the most significant probably being The Virgin Suicides is the best film by a Coppola, why she is rooting for Matt Damon's Tom Ripley in The Talented Mr. Ripley, and the hits and many misses of the 2000 Academy Awards. All this and more on the latest episode of All the Film Things! Background music created and used with permission by the Copyright Free Music - Background Music for Videos channel on YouTube.

On the twenty- eighth episode of ATFT, cinematographer Josie Cruz joins me in analyzing (and solving) Jaco Van Dormael’s 2009 film Mr. Nobody as it celebrates its 15th anniversary! This episode is spoiler filled. Mr. Nobody is a sci- fi fantasy film that explores the butterfly effect by portraying the story in a non- linear structure. The film follows Nemo Nobody (at various points in his life from pre- birth to 118 years old) who, at nine years- old, is faced with an impossible decision when his parents divorce: should he live with his mother or his father? Through his contemplation, we see the many different life paths he would have through either decision… adding up to about twelve different lives. It is a beautiful film viewed through a child’s eyes about indecision and committing to decisions while also exploring scientific concepts like the Big Crunch theory. The film stars Jared Leto, Diane Kruger, Sarah Polley, Juno Temple, and Rhys Ifans. Mr. Nobody has become a hidden gem, possibly because it was not released in the US. Mr. Nobody is a very confusing film. It is challenging to follow and possibly even harder to articulate in discussion. At times I felt as though I failed at explaining and hypothesizing this film since I wasn’t sure I was making sense. I hope those who have seen Mr. Nobody are empathetic towards this and, as Josie suggests, maybe us trying to talk about this film makes the episode even more enjoyable.  This is Josie’s second appearance on ATFT! Josie was a guest on the Past Lives episode released last December. Not only do I regard that episode as one of the best ATFT episodes released thus far, I was stunned by Josie’s analytical takes when dissecting the film. She has become one of my favorite people to analyze films with. As we discuss in the beginning of this episode, there are some similarities to Past Lives and Mr. Nobody, which is exactly why I wanted her to join me in discussing this beautiful, complex hidden gem. This episode was recorded on August 22, 2024.  Josie is a Jacksonville- based cinematographer who has been streaming live, under the username jojigami, on Twitch for four years now! She streams fun video games such as Until Then with realistic interactive characters in a truly extraordinarily designed visuals and music. As someone who has joined her for two streams, it is really fun to watch Josie play these games while interacting in the chat. Click this link, https://www.twitch.tv/jojigami, to follow Josie on Twitch, watch her past streams, and leave a donation on her “About” page! Keep listening until the end of the episode to learn more about Josie’s Twitch streams and when you can join her livestreams! In this episode, Josie and I attempt to understand Mr. Nobody while also analyze the deeper meanings underlying the film. We also make comparisons to other films. While Josie compared Mr. Nobody to Everything Everywhere All at Once, I compared the film to Tenet. Josie also talks about her personal resonance to the film, why she liked probably- unlikable character Elise, and her favorite of Nemo's many possible life paths. All this and more on the latest episode of All the Film Things! Background music created and used with permission by the Copyright Free Music - Background Music for Videos channel on YouTube.

On the twenty- seventh episode of ATFT, director/ 1st AC Manny Plaza- Fernandez joins me in discussing the collaborations between Denis Villeneuve and Jake Gyllenhaal… more specifically, the films Enemy (2013) and Prisoners (2013). This episode is spoiler filled with a few expletives. The two collaborations between director Denis Villeneuve and actor Jake Gyllenhaal were released in 2013. Enemy may have been made first but Prisoners was released first. Villeneuve regarded Enemy as his “practice film” as it was his first English- language film. Even though both Prisoners and Enemy are collaborations between Villeneuve and Gyllenhaal, they are very different films. Enemy is more of an art film that sparks seemingly infinite interpretations. Gyllenhaal carries that film as he plays two characters and besides him, there are very few other characters in the film. Prisoners, on the other hand, is a crime thriller with an ensemble cast that includes, aside from Gyllenhaal, Hugh Jackman, Viola Davis, Paul Dano, and Melissa Leo. While Prisoners is a film that also requires analysis, it is more straight- forward than Enemy. Both films are brilliant and do share similarities in from technical aspects. These two films prove that Villeneuve and Gyllenhaal are excellent, underrated collaborators who will hopefully continue to work together in the future.  This is Manny’s first appearance on ATFT! Manny and I met on the set of the upcoming short film, Time Will Tell, last November. There was only one production day in November before resuming in February but after striking up a conversation on that one day in November, it was clear Manny was incredibly knowledgeable about film. He was one of the first people on the crew I befriended and, after telling him a little bit about my podcast, he definitely wanted to make a guest appearance. Ever since, we talked about a few potential topic ideas and this topic proved to be a great first episode. This episode was recorded on August 7, 2024.  Manny is an Orlando- based 1st AC who has been working in the film industry for three years. He has just recently added the “director” title to his name! Manny’s directorial debut, the horror short film titled The Autopsy, is expected to premiere this September at OIF! Be sure you keep listening until the end of the episode to learn more about The Autopsy, his first experience in the director’s chair, and when you can expect to watch this film! In this episode, Manny and I analyze both Enemy and Prisoners while (mostly) focusing on the direction of Villeneuve and Gyllenhaal’s brilliant and sometimes incredibly subtle acting choices. Manny also shares how he became a fan of Jake Gyllenhaal, his interpretation of Enemy (including the symbolism behind the spiders), and why he says Prisoners captures and evokes every emotion. All this and more on the latest episode of All the Film Things! Background music created and used with permission by the Copyright Free Music - Background Music for Videos channel on YouTube.

On the twenty- sixth episode of ATFT, my good friend, law student Katherine Jakeway, joins me in comparing and contrasting the 2001 film Legally Blonde with the reality of being a law student! Legally Blonde, directed by Robert Luketic, follows Elle Woods (Reese Witherspoon) as she is first getting ready to go on a big date with her boyfriend Warner (Matthew Davis), convinced he will propose to her but, the date takes a surprising turn when he tells her he wants to break up in anticipation of him going to Harvard Law. A devastated Elle soon has an epiphany: she will follow him to law school and get him back. Elle too gets accepted into Harvard Law, much to the surprise of her fellow law students and professors. She is belittled and underestimated by most at Harvard Law but slowly but surely earns their respect. What started as a plan to get her boyfriend back, turns into a self- journey of realization as she sees that she has more to offer the world than just her looks. The film also stars Selma Blair, Luke Wilson, and Jennifer Coolidge. Since the film’s release over twenty years ago, Legally Blonde has been inspiration to many, specifically women and, even more specifically, law students. Reese Witherspoon has said many people have told her that Elle was their inspiration to attend law school. Katherine watched Legally Blonde at a young age and while she wouldn’t say this film is the specific reason behind her venture into law school, it was certainly a formative film in her life.  This is Katherine’s second appearance on ATFT but her first appearance on the wide release of this show! She previously joined me for an episode on Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar last year! Katherine and I have been friends for approaching eight years now! We met in our TV production class in our junior year of high school and have remained friends ever since! I am truly grateful that I can consider her one of my closest friends. She has always challenged me to think outside the box and continues to inspire me through her hard work and strength. Katherine came up with this topic idea maybe about two years ago now and, for a while, I couldn’t figure out how to go about it. I had kept the topic in mind and eventually came up with the structure and what kinds of questions I could ask her. It’s a little strange to interview a friend of eight years so between that and me being in unfamiliar waters with the legal jargon, I was quieter than usual. Although I do cringe at my poor banter in this episode, I am thrilled with the results and I think you all will be too. Katherine has been an inspiration to me and all those who know her… it is nice to know that a wider audience will likely become inspired by her as well. This episode was recorded on July 27, 2024.  This month marks the beginning of Katherine’s third year at SMU Law in Dallas. She is currently on the Executive Board for the International Law Review Association. This past summer, she had an internship with Zelle, LLP. As an undergraduate at SMU, Katherine was apart of the tennis team. All of this is just some of her accomplishments and it is guaranteed there will be more to come for Katherine in the future. In this episode, Katherine debunks law school stereotypes portrayed in Legally Blonde while also discussing points in the film. Katherine and I also talk about having interest in pursuing a career in law at an early age, the nature of cold- calling in class, and the importance in believing in yourself while Katherine shares her advice for those contemplating attending law school. All this and more on the latest episode of All the Film Things! Background music created and used with permission by the Copyright Free Music - Background Music for Videos channel on YouTube.

Are you watching closely? On the twenty- fifth episode of ATFT, my friend and writer/ director Samy El- Kamel returns to begin a new segment- episode, Nolanception, where we discuss and analyze specific and niche topics within the work of Christopher Nolan! The focus of this first edition of Nolanception is on non- linearity, specifically the non- linear structures of Nolan’s films. This episode is explicit and spoiler- filled.  Nolanception is the third segment introduced on ATFT! Christopher Nolan is both mine and Samy’s favorite director and we both love film analysis so we often have analytical conversations surrounding Nolan’s work. Our episodes tend to be longer because of that! Since we love talking about all things Nolan, we wanted to use ATFT to allow us to analyze deeper topics within Nolan’s complex films. As we throw out in this episode, we have several niche topics in the works after this! We have been really looking forward to starting this segment and we are excited to continue creating episodes under this segment! This is Samy’s eighth appearance on ATFT! He is now, after my friend and photojournalist Cole Echevarria, the second most frequent guest on this show! I am always grateful when he comes on the show and then later helps spread the word about our episodes and this podcast in general. He is one of my favorite guests and one of my favorite people to discuss film with, especially since he is a fellow massive Nolan fan. Samy and I first became friends, approaching three years ago, by talking about Nolan! As always, Samy’s analyses and contribution to this episode is brilliant. This episode was recorded on July 9, 2024.  Samy has a production company, Barefoot Python Media, and will be releasing his next short film, Waveform, this Winter! See the teaser trailer for the short as well as a variety of his other videos, such as “The Fate of Physical Media in 2024”, “All 12 Christopher Nolan Movies, Ranked | Including Oppenheimer (2023)”, and, his last short, Speak of the Devil. If you are a Better Call Saul fan, you will probably enjoy going through his Youtube channel, @BarefootPythonMedia, on YouTube. Samy also is an excellent photographer and is selling his prints on Darkroom. Support art by purchasing his prints here!: https://samyelkamel.darkroom.com If you love Christopher Nolan’s work and Nolan- related humor, this episode is for you. In this episode, Samy and I go through all of Nolan’s films, from Following to Oppenheimer, and discuss the non- linear structures. Naturally, we do stray from the main focus of the episode a few times, but it’s always related to Nolan’s films. One instance is when we laugh, and applaud, the one poorly written line in a Nolan film. Samy and I also talk about the ways Nolan continues to make the impossible possible, bizarre Dunkirk criticism, and the serious dilemma Samy faces every morning. All this and more on the latest episode of All the Film Things! Background music created and used with permission by the Copyright Free Music - Background Music for Videos channel on YouTube.

On the twenty- fourth episode of ATFT, I talk with artist Bernardo Goya! Bernardo is a Jacksonville- based artist and filmmaker with an experimental style. He has directed several films, many of them shorts, including Goodbye Channel 99, Sweet Temptation, and, his latest short being, In Eros We Trust. Bernardo’s films have been featured at several film festivals including Sleeping Giant and Creative Veins. Goodbye Channel 99 actually earned the award for “Best Use of Music” Award at the Hysteria Film Festival in St. Louis the day we recorded this episode! Bernardo is keeping his next project under wraps but if it is anything like his previous films, it is sure to be creative, artistic, and something you’ve never seen before.  I first met Bernardo on the set of our mutual friend, Craig “ienne!” Pedroza’s, new short film We Dream of Eden! Several months later, Bernardo reached out to ask me if I’d record a voice narration for his short, In Eros We Trust (so if you listen closely you may hear a familiar voice!), which then led me to ask him if he and his brother Freddy would like to be guests on the Killers of the Flower Moon episode (Episode 13), an episode which nearly didn’t happen without their help! This time around, Bernardo is back six months later for an interview after my original plans for Episode 24 fell through… it was a good one and will be rescheduled! This episode was recorded on June 29, 2024.  To watch Bernardo’s films, subscribe to his Gumroad account under the username IvoryTower333. Here is the link to his Gumroad channel!: https://ivorytower333.gumroad.com/l/phrtj?_gl=1*qncfq1*_ga*MTY0MTg4MDg2MC4xNzA0MzQwMjk5*_ga_6LJN6D94N6*MTcxOTU0MDMzMi42NC4xLjE3MTk1NDAzMzguMC4wLjA. Bernardo is planning to release a Blu- Ray DVD of his shorts towards the end of this year or the beginning of next year. He will be selling this DVD around Jacksonville and on his website, https://theboysfrombohemiangrove.godaddysites.com/, so stay tuned for that forthcoming announcement! In this episode, Bernardo’s passion and knowledge for film is on full display as he discusses his appreciation for certain prominent figures like Martin Scorsese and Ingmar Bergman, his DVD collection, and love for the beloved Jacksonville theater, SunRay Cinema, which unfortunately just recently closed down. Bernardo also talks about his encounter with John Waters, how he crafts his films both in production and in post- production, and the different eras he has laid out for his work in film, which tends to come with a name change! All this and more on the latest episode of All the Film Things! Background music created and used with permission by the Copyright Free Music - Background Music for Videos channel on YouTube.

On the twenty- third episode of ATFT, my friend and photojournalist Cole Echevarria returns for the second “wide- released” edition of our segment, Film Finds! This episode spoils two 2024 films: Monkey Man and The Fall Guy.  The “Film Finds” segment is ATFT in its most casual, spontaneous form as we talk about recent films we’ve watched with nearly nothing prepared. The last time we did a “Film Finds” episode was back in August of last year. Listen to that episode titled “Episode 3: Film Finds- August 2023 with Cole Echevarria”! This time around, I discuss a few old films I have seen since our last Film Finds episode while Cole focuses on 2024 films.  This is Cole’s, record- breaking, sixteenth appearance on ATFT! On this “wide release” of the show, this is Cole’s sixth appearance! Check out Cole’s previously “wide- released” episodes 2, 3, 10, 13, and 15! Before recording this episode, I gave Cole his long- awaited birthday present: the very first ATFT shirt! Not only is he the most frequent guest and “unofficial co- host” of the show, Cole is one of the biggest champions of this podcast. He surely makes each episode fun and brings out a less- serious version of myself. Cole has been asking for merch for a while now and, since he is both a great friend and aforementioned champion of ATFT, I wanted to make him the very first ATFT shirt individualized just for him! Check out @all.the.film.things on Instagram to see the shirt! This episode was recorded on June 10, 2024.  Cole is a photojournalist based in Jacksonville, Florida. He works behind the scenes for First Coast News!  While this segment is meant to be sharing the films we have recently watched, this episode went slightly awry. This episode is filled with debates, especially in the first twenty minutes or so. Those twenty or so minutes are some of the most comical ATFT has seen thus far since our banter just gets better and better. Debate topics include Cole’s bold statement, “If 12 Angry Men was made today, it would be far better than the original 1957 film”, and if coloring in film is better now than back in the day when Technicolor was used. Weigh in on the debates by answering the question that appears after listening to this episode or by going to or tagging the All the Film Things Instagram! Cole also shares his top five 2024 films so far while also discussing the new films he has recently seen in theaters. Towards the end of this episode, I talk about a few of the films I have seen lately, including The Virgin Spring, Le Samouraï, and The Children’s Hour. Cole and I also share some hot takes surrounding Sydney Sweeney and The Bikeriders, respectively. All this and more on the latest episode of All the Film Things! Background music created and used with permission by the Copyright Free Music - Background Music for Videos channel on YouTube.

On the twenty- second episode of ATFT, film historian/ author/ lecturer Max Alvarez joins me in celebrating the 50th anniversary of Chinatown! This episode is spoiler- filled. Chinatown, a neo- noir thriller directed by Roman Polanski, is widely considered one of the greatest films of all time. The film is set in 1937 Los Angeles and follows J.J. “Jake” Gittes, a private investigator played brilliantly by Jack Nicholson, as he is, initially, hired by a woman to uncover the details of her husband’s, Hollis Mulwray, affair, a man who is the head of the water department. From there, the story unfolds in unanticipated ways. What started as an investigation into an affair leads to the uncovering of a deceitful plot involving Mulwray’s former partner as co- head of the water department, Noah Cross (John Huston). Chinatown deals with corruption, greed, and the advantages of having money, which by extension, comes with power. The film also stars Faye Dunaway who plays Evelyn Mulwray, Hollis Mulwray’s wife and Jake’s “partner- in crime” in solving this expansive and disturbing case. Chinatown won one Oscar, for Robert Towne’s famously masterful screenplay, and earned ten nominations.  This is Max’s second guest appearance on ATFT! He was the guest on the very first episode of the “wide- release” of ATFT. I was so honored that Max agreed to be my first interview and I am just as honored that he agreed to return to discuss this excellent film! Since our interview, we have maintained a consistent correspondence via e-mail where we keep each other updated on our projects as well as discuss certain films. This episode was recorded on June 6, 2024.  Max Alvarez is a guest lecturer at both New Plaza Cinema in NYC and the Smithsonian Institute. On the day this episode releases, Max will be giving a Zoom lecture on “The Cinema of Billy Wilder” and the next day, he will be giving another Zoom lecture on Wilder’s film, Sunset Boulevard. Stay updated on Max’s upcoming lectures for New Plaza Cinema by going to the “Lectures” tab on newplazacinema.org. Max has also written three books, two of which, The Crime Films of Anthony Mann and The Cinephile’s Guide to the Great Age of Cinema, are available for purchase on Barnes and Noble’s website.  In this episode, Max shares some history about the making of Chinatown from Robert Towne’s screenplay, which is often regarded as “the greatest screenplay of all time” to Jerry Goldsmith’s score. I compared Chinatown to two films: one that was recently Oscar- nominated and the other being an Italian film from the 60s. Max and I also analyze the film’s mysteries as well as characters Jake Gittes and Noah Cross and discuss the famous ending of the film, including the drastic last minute changes made to Chinatown’s original ending. All this and more on the latest episode of All the Film Things! Background music created and used with permission by the Copyright Free Music - Background Music for Videos channel on YouTube.

On the twenty- first episode of ATFT, I am joined by the host of the Red Room Radio podcast, Cristina Santiago, to talk about Old Hollywood Fashion in Film Moments. More specifically, fashion moments in color films from the 50s and 60s.  Old Hollywood has had a lasting impact on cinema, pop culture, and the world to this day in many ways… with one of them being fashion. In an article titled "Old Hollywood’s Impact on the Fashion World" on UrbanityChic.com, the trends featured in Old Hollywood films “…have transcended the passing of time, thanks to their universal appeal and sophisticated versatility. Year after year, flapper or retro- inspired trends appear on the runways, and designers create lines to emulate the fashion icons of this famous era.” With the range of Old Hollywood lasting from the 1920s- 1967, it’s incredible to see the lasting impact and appreciation of classic Old Hollywood fashion decades later. The actresses of this time have transcended to the stratosphere of “icon status”- especially Marilyn Monroe. It’s likely no surprise to many that Audrey Hepburn popularized the classic little black dress but who would’ve thought Marilyn Monroe is responsible for the rise in popularity of polka dots? Old Hollywood stars like Marilyn and Audrey have been immortalized on screen and their dazzling impact along with many others have lasted to today.  This is Cristina’s second guest appearance on the wide release of ATFT! She was previously a guest on the Elevator to the Gallows episode this past November, which is still the most listened ATFT episode! Overall, this is her fourth guest appearance on the show. Cristina and I share a love of Old Hollywood films… and fashion. We have been talking about and preparing this episode for several months but the format was the biggest challenge. After being stumped for a while, Cristina came up with this fashion show format which has never been done before on ATFT! This episode was recorded on May 24, 2024.  Cristina is the host of Red Room Radio, a pop culture podcast with a variety of topics and established guests. Her episodes range from rap album reviews to interviews to spotlights on prominent celebrities. I have been lucky enough to be a guest on the “Jayne Mansfield ‘Barbie World’” and “Celebrity Spotlight | Britney Spears” episodes! Cristina’s most recent episode was on Beyoncé’s latest album, Cowboy Carter, with her guest being Jet Phynx, the CEO of Jet Phynx Films. Red Room Radio episodes range from seven minutes to an hour long. No matter the length, each episode is consistently excellent with brilliant questions, great guests, and well- crafted editing. You can listen to Red Room Radio on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio, and more! Be sure to follow Red Room Radio on those platforms as well as Cristina on Instagram @xoredroomradio !  This episode starts off with Cristina and I naming our top five Old Hollywood icons. Cristina takes it up a notch by naming her top 10 Old Hollywood icons with specific films… she throws in a New Hollywood film and TV show in as well! We next go through iconic fashion moments in Old Hollywood films including Grace Kelly in Rear Window and Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Finally, we rank our top five films for fashion of Old Hollywood. Follow along with the exact looks and films we discuss by clicking through our Google Slides document here!: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/16JWco7vSWFoQUYQrombzNbqnhLw92UdqDJDfJBuOoRs/edit?usp=sharing Cristina and I also talk about which Old Hollywood accessories and trends should be brought back, how our astrological signs potentially impact our personal favorites, and which female rappers should bring back certain Old Hollywood looks. All this and more on the latest episode of All the Film Things! Background music created and used with permission by the Copyright Free Music - Background Music for Videos channel on YouTube.

On the twentieth episode of ATFT, I talk with director Craig Ienne Pedroza! Craig is a Jacksonville filmmaker who fell in love with cinema at a young age and his passion for film has only grown through the years. Musicals like The Court Jester, Singin' in the Rain, and The Sound of Music were some of the first musicals that have impacted him to this day. His favorite film is Damian Chazelle's La La Land. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Film & Production last year and has won both the Best Micro Short at Infinity Fest and Best Jax 180 at the Apologia Film Festival for his short film "The Candles are Wilting", which you can watch on YouTube by clicking here!: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXecwF6x0xU.  This is Craig’s third guest appearance on the wide release of ATFT! He was previously a guest on the episodes #FilmTwitter Trends: Directors edition and the 2024 Oscars Special. Overall, this is his fifth guest appearance on the show. This episode marks the first time I have interviewed a friend on ATFT! Craig and I became friends through our mutual friend, Taylor, who helped recruit him to join our team of making a short film. Craig was incredibly helpful and gave me advice I really needed at the time amidst the stressful environment. We share similar interests in film, especially in regards to Wong Kar- Wai. Two years later, we often talk or text about film and I love learning of his often fascinating, unique takes. When I started this podcast two years ago, it was always my intention to interview my friends but I grew somewhat hesitant since I expected I would know many of the answers to the questions asked. I ended up learning so much about Craig and I couldn’t be happier with what became of this episode. This episode was recorded on May 10, 2024.  Craig’s musical drama short, "We Dream of Eden", has been long anticipated. The film is about dreams and how a stranger can have a strong impact on another. The story is told through a young boy, Noah’s (Aisha Christopher Williams jr), eyes and his fractured memories of the turbulent relationship between up- and- coming star July (Lina Smith) and her boyfriend Rowan (Jadon Le). Lina Smith has been a guest on two previously released episodes: Horror films and the 2024 Oscars Special! I was very fortunate to work on this film as a script supervisor but more so capturing behind the scenes footage. Craig’s goal for the film is for the audience to leave the theater with a certain, individualized and impactful feeling. Craig led a positive and collaborative set filled with people who share a deep passion for film. "We Dream of Eden" will be submitted to a few film festivals so stay updated on when and where you can watch the short film by following @iennefilm on both Instagram and YouTube as well as his production company KAIBIGANfilm on Instagram.  Craig gives a very real, honest interview that spans from his early interest in film thanks to his grandparents and mother to reflecting on his previous work to his boldest project yet, "We Dream of Eden". His story and work ethic is sure to inspire aspiring filmmakers. In this episode, Craig and I also talk about the brilliance of 12 Angry Men, the challenges of filmmaking, and how he opened up and became more social thanks to three factors including film and his girlfriend Lina. All this and more on the latest episode of All the Film Things! Background music created and used with permission by the Copyright Free Music - Background Music for Videos channel on YouTube.

On the nineteenth episode of ATFT, I talked with director/ writer/ producer and Wagyu Films co- founder David A. Roberts!  David has been working in production for over twenty years, a long period of time only exceeded by his passion for film. Thanks to his father, David developed an appreciation for horror films at an early age which led him to his work today. Before shifting into feature films more recently, he directed commercials, music videos, and shorts for over fifteen years. He co- founded the production company Wagyu films alongside longtime friends and collaborators. Under Wagyu films, David and company made shorts Weight, Embers, and Afterlyfe- all of which can be viewed on their Youtube channel @WagyuFilms. David's directorial feature debut, Older Gods, is a Lovecraftian, cosmic horror film following Chris (Rory Wilson) whose friend's disappearance propels him on dark investigation, leading him to the horrifying apocalyptic cult that could have been the reason for his friend's demise. Older Gods earned the “Best British Film” award at the Breaking TV Film Festival in London and the “Best Horror Film” award at the Los Angeles Film Awards last year. Older Gods is now available for rent on Amazon Prime and is streaming free with ads on Fandango at Home (formerly Vudu). In this episode, David and I talk about horror films such as Aliens and The Shining and the impact of sound in the horror genre, why he loves being a director and working in production, and his debut feature film, Older Gods! All this and more on the latest episode of All the Film Things! Background music created and used with permission by the Copyright Free Music - Background Music for Videos channel on YouTube.

On the eighteenth episode of ATFT, I am joined by filmmaker/ podcaster/ documentarian/ “all around badd-ass” Shane Kidd- Walker to talk about the incredible Creed franchise starring Michael B Jordan, Sylvester Stallone and Tessa Thompson!  This episode is explicit with spoilers.  The Creed franchise is a continuation of the decades- spanning beloved Rocky franchise. Adonis Johnson (Jordan) is the son of Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers), the antagonist and later friend of Rocky in the Rocky franchise, but he never met his father. Like his late father he is a fighter who moves from LA to Philadelphia to fight full time and get help training from Rocky. From there he creates a strong bond with his “unc” Rocky and develops a relationship with Bianca (Thompson), a popular singer in Philly. So far, there are three Creed films with the first being released in 2015, the second in 2018, and the third in 2023. Each of the Creed films have parallels to the coinciding Rocky films. While the franchise is incredibly popular and beloved among long time fans, each of the films have received critical acclaim.  The audio quality gets much better after the first fifteen minutes. I’m happy to say this is one of the best quality- sounding episodes so far! This is Shane’s first guest appearance on ATFT! He has been one of the biggest champions of this podcast for which I am incredibly grateful. Shane is one of the hosts of Industry Shakedown, a pop culture podcast covering niche, interesting topics that always provoke great conversations amongst the hosts. Industry Shakedown is currently available to listen on the Pro Sports Fanatics (formerly Relevnt) app but will soon be available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and more platforms later this year. Stay updated by following both @industryshakedowninc and @iamskw on Instagram! Also, check out the Industry Shakedown magazine here: https://issuu.com/phantast1cproductionzp1p. This episode was recorded on April 13, 2024.  In this analytical episode, Shane and I talk about the evolution of both Adonis and Bianca, if Creed should have taken the fight with Viktor Drago, and a potential Creed IV. Shane also shares his ranking of the current trilogy and how being a due hard Rocky fan initially made him hesitant to watch the first Creed film back in 2015. We also answer the big question: Should Sylvester Stallone have been in Creed III? All this and more on the latest episode of All the Film Things! Background music created and used with permission by the Copyright Free Music - Background Music for Videos channel on YouTube.

On the seventeenth episode of ATFT, my friends philosopher pirate Daniel Carbonell- Sifontes and filmmaker/ video editor Max McBride join me on the second edition of the “fan- favorite” ATFT segment, #FilmTwitter Trends!  This episode is explicit with some sporadic spoilers.  Towards the end of last year, there was this trend going around #FilmTwitter (with the platform now called X) where someone would post a decade and list their favorite film each year of that decade. Nearly every decade became a trend at the time and it became a fun thing to think about and then answer. This episode does have some audio issues but the quality of the audio gets better later in the episode. I believe this episode is not only one of the best casual- format episodes of ATFT but one of the best episodes of this “wide release” so far so I hope despite the poor quality at times, you will all enjoy it!  Both Daniel and Max have been guests on ATFT before but this is their debut on this "wide release" of the podcast! I told Daniel about this Twitter trend and asked which decades he’d be interested in doing an episode around and he said either the 70s or 90s (just as I had hoped!). The 90s was a great decade for cinema with some of the most original films since the 70s. Between the three of us, we have a very different interests in film which made for a wide range of films discussed from Reservoir Dogs to Fallen Angels to Romeo and Juliet. Daniel is an incredible photographer and has recently directed a few music videos for the band Velvet Meadow. Follow his photography Instagram account @allmynegativesarehere and subscribe to Max’s YouTube channel by clicking here! Max recently posted a documentary short as well as an action- packed short film Pools. This episode was recorded on March 15, 2024.  In this episode, Daniel, Max, and I go through our list of 90s film favorites and discuss them briefly as well as talking about other 90s films. Daniel’s first pick, his favorite film of 1990, caught Max and I by surprise. Max, an anime fan, was very excited to share his 1997 pick. Two of my 90s favorites got an eye roll from Daniel but I stand by my choices! Some tangents include Pokémon video games, one- take films like 1917 and Birdman, and arguing over the quality of 1980s cinema. Later in the episode we have a quick debate over which Keanu Reeves franchise is better: The Matrix or John Wick. All this and more on the latest episode of All the Film Things! Background music created and used with permission by the Copyright Free Music - Background Music for Videos channel on YouTube.

On the sixteenth episode of ATFT, I am joined by one of my good friends, musician Helena Amador to talk about iconic music moments in film!  In other words, moments in film where found music is featured or used to elevate a scene. This episode is explicit with some sporadic spoilers.  Helena is to music what I am to film. We are coming up on ten years of friendship and, for as long as I’ve known her, she has always loved music and listens to a wide variety of music. It has been very cool to combine our passions for this episode and we made sure to go in "professional mode" for our talk. Even though this is Helena’s first appearance on this wide release, she is actually now tied as the second most frequent guest on ATFT! This episode marks her seventh guest appearance on the show and I have been excited to bring one of our episodes to this wide release! As previously stated, Helena is a musician and DJ- you can occasionally find her doing a live set on Twitch where the comment section is always active. Helena plans on releasing her own music hopefully later this year and continues to be booked for DJ gigs. Follow Helena and check out her mixes on SoundCloud and by clicking here: ⁠https://on.soundcloud.com/sokHybkUtMNh7Fwc7⁠. This episode was recorded on March 14, 2024.  In this episode, Helena and I share our picks for our favorite music moments in film while also focusing on specific directors like Quentin Tarantino who famously use found music in their films to elevate a scene. We both share some hot takes where I talk about how found music is usually better used in 70s films rather than in 80s films and Helena’s pet peeve of Baz Luhrmann’s use of popular music. All this and more on the latest episode of All the Film Things! Background music created and used with permission by the Copyright Free Music - Background Music for Videos channel on YouTube.

The Oscars countdown has come to a close on All the Film Things! On the fifteenth  episode of ATFT, my friends photojournalist/ unofficial ATFT co- host Cole Echevarria, director Craig Pedroza, and actress Lina Smith join this year’s panel to discuss the Oscar nominated films and share our predicted winners!  This episode is explicit and spoiler- filled. 2023 was a great year for film… making this year’s Oscars very exciting! This year’s awards season has become the most competitive since the 2020 awards season, with competing films that included Parasite, Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood, and Joker. For the 2024 Academy Awards, Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer earned the most nominations (13) this year while Poor Things came in second, earning 11 nominations. Other films that received many nominations are Killers of the Flower Moon, Barbie, Maestro, and American Fiction. Even though Oppenheimer is predicted to sweep this year, many categories are have become incredibly competitive, leaving audiences torn on who will win. Will it be Cillian Murphy or Paul Giamatti who will take home the Best Actor Oscar (a strong debate between Cole and I)? How about who will win Best Actress: Lily Gladstone or Emma Stone? These are just two of the widely debated categories. We will soon learn the answer on Sunday, March 10! Every one of this year’s Oscar panelists are returning guests. This is Cole’s fifteenth appearance on ATFT (fifth on this wide release). This is both Craig and Lina’s fourth appearance each on the show while also having one episode each released on the wide release (Episode 12 for Craig and Episode 6 for Lina). Cole and I recorded an Oscars special for the 2023 Oscars via the Relevnt app. We enjoyed it so much that we wanted to make it a big yearly event for the show! Since the Oscars is the “Super Bowl for film fans”, this episode is in a more Sports Center- format. This episode was recorded exactly one month before the Oscars on February 10, 2024.  In this episode, Cole, Craig, Lina, and I go through each category and discuss our predicted winners. Cole and I have very strong favorites, his being The Holdovers and mine being Oppenheimer. We agree that our banter in this episode is the best and most entertaining yet. There are few categories we unanimously agree on. Lina compares the brilliant aging hair and makeup in Oppenheimer and Maestro. Craig thinks that even though Oppenheimer is predicted to be the Best Picture winner, there could definitely be an upset. In addition to sharing our predictions, we talked about snubs and surprises, our ranging thoughts on Wes Anderson's work, films like Saltburn and May December that fizzled out from Oscar buzz over time, and more! ATFT Announcement!: Due to recent production assistant opportunities, there will be no episode on March 13. All the Film Things will be back on March 27! Stay updated by following @all.the.film.things on Instagram!  Background music created and used with permission by the Copyright Free Music - Background Music for Videos channel on YouTube.

The Oscars countdown is coming to a close! On the fourteenth episode of All the Film Things, my friend and writer/ director Samy El- Kamel is back to discuss my favorite film of the year, the latest masterpiece by Christopher Nolan: Oppenheimer! This episode is explicit and spoiler- filled. Oppenheimer, a film that many have considered Christopher Nolan’s “magnum opus”, is an epic biographical drama film based on a true story following J. Robert Oppenheimer, the head of the Manhattan Project, from the making of the atomic bomb to the world he created after making the atomic bomb. While the description of the film makes it seem like a straight biopic, it is very much a Nolan film. This film is based on the book American Prometheus by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin. After collaborating on six films together over the past twenty years, this is the first time Nolan cast Murphy in a lead role. The film has an all- star cast, including in addition to Murphy, Robert Downey Jr, Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, Josh Hartnett, Jason Clarke, and Rami Malek. Oppenheimer received the most nominations (with ten) at this year’s upcoming Oscars, including the award for “Best Picture”. We are a little over a month away to learning how many Oscars Oppenheimer will take home! Samy is one of my very favorite ATFT guests and this is his sixth appearance on the show. Samy and I are both massive Christopher Nolan fans… which I think the audience will very much pick up on. So much so that we both made sure to see Oppenheimer four times in theaters. There was no one else I could have recorded this episode with. Check out Samy’s Youtube channel Barefoot Python Media to watch his videos including his ranking of Christopher Nolan’s films, the future of physical media, and his director/ cinematographer reel. Click here to watch and subscribe to the Barefoot Python Media Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@BarefootPythonMedia/videos. We recorded this episode on January 21, 2024. Since I was editing the previous ATFT episode (on Killers of the Flower Moon), I couldn’t analyze Oppenheimer as extensively as I had hoped and tend to do with Christopher Nolan films so I didn’t talk about the film as much as I hoped but that is completely okay because the episode turned out incredible. In this episode, Samy shares additional facts behind the true story of Oppenheimer’s life while also analyzing the man himself further. Since Oppenheimer is (only) three hours long, Christopher Nolan couldn’t portray everything in the true story. Through Samy, I learned the subtle ways in which Christopher Nolan captures the true Oppenheimer.  We also discuss the trademark Nolan qualities in Oppenheimer such as parallel editing, non- linearity, and how both of those qualities come together to play with time. While the film is mostly analytical, the last section is more of a casual conversation surrounding Nolan, recent videos Samy created for Barefoot Python Media that are available on Youtube, and a little prank Samy pulled that had me laughing so hard.  The next episode will be the big Oscars special! Due to upcoming production assistant opportunities, this episode may not be released on February 28. Stay updated by following @all.the.film.things on Instagram!  Background music created and used with permission by the Copyright Free Music - Background Music for Videos channel on YouTube.

The Oscars countdown continues! On the thirteenth episode of All the Film Things, I am joined by brothers, filmmaker Freddy Burgos and artist Bernardo Goya to talk about Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon! This episode is explicit and spoiler- filled. Killers of the Flower Moon is an epic crime drama film based on a true story depicted in the book by David Grann, about the betrayal of the Osage Nation in 1920s Oklahoma. The film follows Ernest Burkhart (Leonardo DiCaprio) as he returns from war to live with his uncle William “King” Hale (Robert DeNiro). Hale sets Ernest up to be a driver which leads him to meeting Molly Kyle (Lily Gladstone). Ernest and Molly fall in love but Ernest is “under Hale’s spell” as they, with help from a few others, plot to kill her family in order to take their wealth. It’s a heartbreaking, brutal story focused on this plot while also giving a voice to a story that has been hidden in history for decades. Killers of the Flower Moon marks the first time Scorsese directed his two muses, DeNiro and DiCaprio, in a film. The film also stars Jesse Plemons, Tantoo Cardinal, Brendan Fraser, and John Lithgow. Just last week, Killers of the Flower Moon earned ten Oscar nominations, including the award for “Best Picture”. We are a little over a month away to learning if the film will take home a few Oscars! This episode is both Freddy and Bernardo’s ATFT debut! We met on the set of our friend Craig Pedroza’s upcoming film We Dream of Eden in 2022. They truly saved this episode. My original guest became unavailable so I was scrambling to find a guest. I asked Bernardo if he’d be interested and he was (!!) so he brought along his brother and the three of us had a great conversation! I learned early on this was a perfect film for us to discuss since they are big Martin Scorsese fans… and it shows in the episode! They have a joint YouTube channel called Fresh Lad Collective where they post, according to their bio, "cinematic shenanigans" which includes short films, vlogs, and compilations. Check out their channel by clicking this link: https://www.youtube.com/@freshladcollective/featured In this episode, Freddy, Bernardo, and I attempt to understand the complicated grey areas of the film such as the highly debated question, “Does Ernest really love Molly?”.  Bernardo gave this film high praise, regarding it as Scorsese’s “magnum opus”. Since Freddy and Bernardo are big fans of Scorsese, a lot of the episode focuses on him as they compare this film to previous films in Scorsese’s filmography such as Taxi Driver, Goodfellas, and The Departed. I spoke about the Scorsese film from the New Hollywood era that made me gain an even stronger respect for him. We also talked about the mafia- like parallel/ similarities, the dynamic between Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert DeNiro, Lily Gladstone’s powerful and moving performance, and much more! Background music created and used with permission by the Copyright Free Music - Background Music for Videos channel on YouTube.