Storybeater

Anthony and Andrew talk monstrous ideas and inspirations by diving deep into the new Dungeons & Dragons Monster Manual!

Breaking down our thoughts on the screenplay nominees for the 97th Academy Awards. Writing (Adapted Screenplay) A Complete Unknown Conclave Emilia Pérez Nickel Boys Sing Sing Writing (Original Screenplay) Anora The Brutalist A Real Pain September 5 The Substance

 Anthony and Andrew unpack the joys and challenges of classic 80s kids' movie The Goonies.

We're dancing through life with John M. Chu's movie adaptation of the musical Wicked .

To mark the release of Gladiator II, Anthony and Andrew unpack our fascination with gladiator stories and historical and mythological epics.

 For the annual Halloween episode, Anthony and Andrew discuss scary robots, from  Metropolis to  M3GAN .

What makes the martial artist an appealing archetype in fiction? Anthony and Andrew unpack the tropes with reference to some of their favourite examples!

Mutants, multiverses, and mowing down the fourth wall! Anthony and Andrew talk Deadpool & Wolverine.

With  Twisters tearing through theatres, Anthony and Andrew look at the uses and meaning of "man versus nature" conflicts in narrative.

Anthony and Andrew explore the dungeoneering tropes of the hit animated series  Delicious in Dungeon , aka  Dungeon Meshi.

Anthony and Andrew explore the themes and approaches of the three iterations of the Planet of the Apes movie franchise.

 Anthony and Andrew mark ten years of the reading-and-writing podcast by reflecting on ten themes and trends in storytelling from the past decade, including streaming, shared universes, the state of the "sure thing", and the rise of cozy entertainment.

Anthony and Andrew break down the runners and riders in the 96th Academy Awards categories for Best Original Screenplay and Best Adapted Screenplay. Movies discussed include: American Fiction The Zone of Interest Barbie Oppenheimer Poor Things   The Holdovers May December Past Lives Anatomy of a Fall Maestro

Beekeepers, bricklayers, painters, and John Wick. Anthony and Andrew dive into the world of the assassin in fiction. What's the appeal of the archetype, what does it represent, and how does it work?

Anthony and Andrew discuss the themes, story structure, and worldbuilding of animator Hayao Miyazaki's Studio Ghibli movies, including My Neighbor Totoro, Spirited Away, Howl's Moving Castle, and Porco Rosso!

 Anthony and Andrew revisit a key author from their childhoods as they dip into the dark worlds of Roald Dahl, to mark both the release of Wes Anderson's adaptations of Dahl's short stories and the upcoming Wonka movie.

It's time for the annual Storybeater monster episode. This year we're looking at aliens in fiction, where horror and sci-fi intersect, and what fears and anxieties aliens can represent.

Anthony and Andrew discuss the recent series of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds and take a look back over the history of the Star Trek franchise, from The Original Series to Lower Decks!

Anthony and Andrew unpack the blockbuster sensation Barbie. It's bright, its breezy, and it's shockingly smart!

Anthony and Andrew check out the latest and last Indiana Jones movie to ask whether there's still life in the adventure genre, what the tropes of an Indiana Jones movie might be, and where there may yet be untapped potential in this fictional world.

 With the 60th anniversary of classic BBC sci-fi show Doctor Who fast approaching, Anthony and Andrew look back at their memories of the original series, the challenges of the modern day revamp, and their hopes for the future of the show.

Anthony and Andrew have a spoiler-filled discussion about Fast X, covering the trouble with Brian, the villain's queer coding, the need for a Johnny Tran resurrection, and what it might say about the franchise that the outlaws have become the in-laws. 

Anthony and Andrew discuss how playing roleplaying games has shaped them as writers and what writers can learn from playing RPGs!

Anthony and Andrew break down the latest and perhaps most successful video game-to-live action adaptation, HBO's The Last of Us , to look at how the source material shapes the story.

Anthony and Andrew assess this year's Academy Award nominees for Best Adapted and Best Original Screenplay, including: Best Adapted: All Quiet on the Western Front Glass Onion Living Top Gun: Maverick Women Talking Best Original: The Banshees of Inisherin Everything Everywhere All at Once The Fabelmans Tár Triangle of Sadness