An Invitation Productions

In the 2nd episode of "An Invitation to DESTROYER," host Jim Penola elaborates on the film's unflinching portrait of a moral but self-immolating woman in the form of Erin Bell (Nicole Kidman). Beneath and within Bell's many layers lies a tragic variation of the classic Femme Fatale archetype. One that stands out amid a recent glut of female-fronted action movies that, while tec...

In the inaugural episode of "An Invitation to DESTROYER," host Jim Penola recreates the first 4 pages of 2018's DESTROYER, directed by Karyn Kusama and written by Phil Hay & Matt Manfredi, as an audio play. His subsequent analysis of those specific pages celebrates the clarity of the screenplay, the confidence of the direction, and the feminist context that drove its creation......

A special "one-off" bonus episode dedicated to The Wachowskis' JUPITER ASCENDING (2015). | Original Score by John Penola | Artwork by Jim Penola | Shout-out to some of my lovely & amazing patrons: Rupa dasGupta, John Penola, and Jane Penola. | Receive exclusive/extended/uncut content, early access, and more at Patreon.com/jimpenola | Follow us on Twitter: @AnInvitation and Insta...

A special "one-off" bonus episode dedicated to Disney's COOL RUNNINGS (1993). | Original Score by John Penola | Artwork by Joseph Penola | Shout-out to some of my lovely & amazing patrons: Rupa dasGupta, John Penola, Stephanie Pavlick, and Jane Penola. | Receive exclusive/extended/uncut content, early access, and more at Patreon.com/jimpenola | Follow us on Twitter: @AnInvitatio...

This unique bonus episode compiles all 15 of the "radio play" portions from the limited series "An Invitation to THE INVITATION" into one seamless aural experience. Sit back, relax, and enjoy this one-of-a-kind re-telling of Phil Hay & Matt Manfredi's superb screenplay –– complete with every deleted and extended scene that didn't make it to the film's final c...

In the 7th (and likely final) bonus episode of the series, Jim Penola sits down for an extended talk with who else? Karyn Kusama. During their conversation from December 2020, Jim and Karyn –– often through the unavoidable-but-revealing lens of Covid –– discuss the ways THE INVITATION remains ahead of its time, as well as the way it thoughtfully addresses evergreen human dilemmas. Enjoy. | Shout-o...

In the 6th bonus episode of the series, Jim Penola sits down for an extended talk with prolific indie actor Lindsay Burdge (A Teacher, Easy, Thirst Street, Black Bear) who of course plays Sadie. During their conversation from December 2020, Lindsay and Jim discuss (among many other things) their shared struggle to uphold small talk and social decorum during the best of times, let alone during a pa...

In the 5th bonus episode of the series, Jim Penola sits down for an extended talk with revered character actor John Carroll Lynch (Fargo, Zodiac, The Founder, American Horror Story, Big Sky). During their conversation from December 12th, 2020, JCL and Jim discuss everything from on-set pull-up contests all the way to the universal need for forgiveness. Enjoy. | Shout-out to some of my lovely &...

In the 4th bonus episode of the series, Jim Penola sits down for an extended talk with THE INVITATION's co-star, Mike Doyle. During their conversation from December 4th, 2020, Mike discusses his long history with Logan Marshall-Green, his hilarious/fortuitous introduction to the film's screenplay, and the important ways THE INVITATION side-steps cliché. | Shout-out to some of my lovely &...

In the 3rd bonus episode of the series, Jim Penola sits down for an extended talk with THE INVITATION's star, Logan Marshall-Green. During their conversation from November 28th, 2020, Logan and Jim discuss a wide variety of topics including what made THE INVITATION's on-set family so special, the dilemma of waking up to societal grief, and much more.  | Shout-out to some of my lovely &am...

In the 2nd bonus episode of the series, Jim Penola sits down for an extended talk with THE INVITATION's co-writer/co-producer—and 1st gentlemen to director Karyn Kusama—Phil Hay. During their conversation from November 21st, 2020, Phil and Jim cover the pervasive nature of grief, the purpose of creating art, and the connection & dialogue each can create. | Shout-out to some of my lovely &...

In the first bonus episode for "An Invitation to THE INVITATION," Jim Penola welcomes his first ever guest, Matt Manfredi (DESTROYER, RIDE ALONG 1 & 2, etc.), co-writer and co-producer of THE INVITATION. In this full-length conversation recorded during November 2020, Jim and Matt touch on the film's deeply personal nature, the benefits of studio movies vs. independent ones, and...

In the final episode of the series, host Jim Penola insists that the THE INVITATION’s unforgettable ending transcends its inherent bleakness and offers a universal solidarity within its depiction of great loss. | Original Score by John Penola | Follow us on Twitter: @AnInvitation and Instagram: @Invitation2Invitation | Email us: Invitation2Invitation@gmail.com | <3  Support the show •••Shout-ou...

In the penultimate episode of the series, Jim Penola celebrates THE INVITATION's cathartic subversion of genre cliche´ while acknowledging the potential cost of those choices. Similarly, the film's deliberate and measured use of violence comes to the forefront as a career-long theme of internalized trauma emerges. | Original Score by John Penola | Follow us on Twitter: @AnInvitation and...

In episode 13, Jim Penola finally tackles the brutal and stunning climax of THE INVITATION––touching on the film's long-gestating turn towards the horrific, Karyn Kusama's increasingly destabilized camera, as well as her striking, painterly visuals. | Original Score by John Penola | Follow us on Twitter: @AnInvitation and Instagram: @Invitation2Invitation | Email us: Invitation2Invitatio...

In episode 12, Jim Penola explores THE INVITATION's sinister & inextricable ties to Los Angeles, the necessity of rigidly adhering to Will's (Logan Marshall-Green) point-of-view, and the striking deleted scene revealing Claire's (Marieh Delfino) fate. | Original Score by John Penola | Follow us on Twitter: @AnInvitation and Instagram: @Invitation2Invitation | Email us: Invitatio...

In episode 11, Jim Penola addresses Will's (Logan Marshall-Green) climactic meltdown at the dinner table––discussing how the conspicuous absence of Choi (Karl Yune) functions as a terrific red herring but also gets to the heart of what Will's real issue is with his hosts: their erasure of his son, Ty. | Original Score by John Penola | Follow us on Twitter: @AnInvitation and Instagram: @I...

In episode 10, Jim Penola contrasts the differences between Will's (Logan Marshall-Green) interactions with Sadie (Lindsay Burdge) and Tommy (Mike Doyle). These memorable exchanges bring Will's only trusted instinct to the foreground: survival. | Original Score by John Penola | Additional Audio Production by Brandon Sheer | Follow us on Twitter: @AnInvitation and Instagram: @Invitation2I...

In episode 9, Jim Penola highlights THE INVITATION's unflinching-yet-cathartic depiction of  isolation––using Will's internal meltdown at the dinner table as a means to examine the ways emotionally posturing can often do more harm than good. | Original Score by John Penola | Additional Audio Production by Brandon Sheer | Follow us on Twitter: @AnInvitation and Instagram: @Invitation2Invi...

In episode 8, host Jim Penola continues his discussion around the unsettling party game introduced in the previous installment – addressing, in detail, the complicated wants and relative moral ambiguity of the film's antagonists. | Original Score by John Penola | Additional Audio Production by Brandon Sheer | Follow us on Twitter: @AnInvitation and Instagram: @Invitation2Invitation | Email us...

In episode 7, host Jim Penola breaks down & analyzes the party game presented by David (Michiel Huisman) and its stealthily insidious goal of obliterating personal boundaries. | Original Score by John Penola | Additional Audio Production by Brandon Sheer | Follow us on Twitter: @AnInvitation and Instagram: @Invitation2Invitation | Email us: Invitation2Invitation@gmail.com | <3 Support the s...

In episode 6, host Jim Penola discusses the double meaning of the film's title, the complex discomfort of David's recruitment video, and the "false promises of beauty" expressed by the script. | Original Score by John Penola | Additional Audio Production by Brandon Sheer | Follow us on Twitter: @AnInvitation and Instagram: @Invitation2Invitation | Email us: Invitation2Invitatio...

In episode 5 – focusing on pages 26 through 30 of THE INVITATION's screenplay – host Jim Penola highlights the aching, self-destructive, Man-versus-Self conflict on display during this section of the film. | Original Score by John Penola | Additional Audio Production by Brandon Sheer | Follow us on Twitter: @AnInvitation and Instagram: @Invitation2Invitation | Email us: Invitation2Invitation@...

In episode 4, host Jim Penola analyzes pages 21 through 26 of THE INVITATION's original script and corresponding final cut – discussing the notable arrival of Pruitt (John Carroll Lynch) and the subsequent verbal parrying between Will (Logan Marshall-Green) and David (Michiel Huisman). Furthermore, the way social decorum and the fear of offending can mute one's survival becomes even more...

In episode 3, Jim Penola breaks down pages 15 through 21 of THE INVITATION's script and its on-screen counterpart––putting an emphasis on the film's cutting depiction of memory. | Original Score by John Penola | Additional Audio Production by Brandon Sheer | Follow us on Twitter: @AnInvitation and Instagram: @Invitation2Invitation | Email us: Invitation2Invitation@gmail.com | <3 Suppo...