Blockbusters and Birdwalks

Garrett Chaffin-Quiray and Ed Rosa agree on the value of weird. This is part of a series that overlaps with, and extends, Brian Raftery’s 2020 book “Best. Movie. Year. Ever.: How 1999 Blew Up the Big Screen”. Primary screenings include: “Following” (Christopher Nolan, 1998), “Varsity Blues” (Brian Robbins, 1999), “The Blair Witch Project” (Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sánchez, 1999), “The Matrix” (Th...

Garrett Chaffin-Quiray and Ed Rosa talk through divergent feelings about a master’s lasterpiece. This is part of a series that overlaps with, and extends, Brian Raftery’s 2020 book “Best. Movie. Year. Ever.: How 1999 Blew Up the Big Screen”. Primary screenings include: “Following” (Christopher Nolan, 1998), “Varsity Blues” (Brian Robbins, 1999), “The Blair Witch Project” (Daniel Myrick and Eduardo...

Garrett Chaffin-Quiray and Chris Metzler think fondly about late 1990s movie experimentation that formed the basis for streaming procedurals. This is part of a series that overlaps with, and extends, Brian Raftery’s 2020 book “Best. Movie. Year. Ever.: How 1999 Blew Up the Big Screen”. Screenings include: “Following” (Christopher Nolan, 1998), “Varsity Blues” (Brian Robbins, 1999), “The Blair Witc...

Garrett Chaffin-Quiray and Ed Rosa sing hosannas to a preferred religious devotion than the Big 3 of Judaism, Christianity, or Islam.  This is part of a series that overlaps with, and extends, Brian Raftery’s 2020 book “Best. Movie. Year. Ever.: How 1999 Blew Up the Big Screen”. Primary screenings include: “Following” (Christopher Nolan, 1998), “Varsity Blues” (Brian Robbins, 1999), “The Blair Wit...

Garrett Chaffin-Quiray and Ed Rosa embrace four letter curse words to review how one vulgar movie musical changed entertainment history. This is part of a series that overlaps with, and extends, Brian Raftery’s 2020 book “Best. Movie. Year. Ever.: How 1999 Blew Up the Big Screen”. Primary screenings include: “Following” (Christopher Nolan, 1998), “Varsity Blues” (Brian Robbins, 1999), “The Blair W...

Garrett Chaffin-Quiray and Ed Rosa negotiate a key boyhood memory that spawned too many sequels and spin-offs. This is part of a series that overlaps with, and extends, Brian Raftery’s 2020 book “Best. Movie. Year. Ever.: How 1999 Blew Up the Big Screen”. Primary screenings include: “Following” (Christopher Nolan, 1998), “Varsity Blues” (Brian Robbins, 1999), “The Blair Witch Project” (Daniel Myri...

Garrett Chaffin-Quiray and Ed Rosa worry whether their bots enjoy shoot ’em up entertainment. This is part of a series that overlaps with, and extends, Brian Raftery’s 2020 book “Best. Movie. Year. Ever.: How 1999 Blew Up the Big Screen”. Primary screenings include: “Following” (Christopher Nolan, 1998), “Varsity Blues” (Brian Robbins, 1999), “The Blair Witch Project” (Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sá...

Garrett Chaffin-Quiray and Ed Rosa disagree about the rewards of found footage horror craft while noting a landmark in viral marketing. This is part of a series that overlaps with, and extends, Brian Raftery’s 2020 book “Best. Movie. Year. Ever.: How 1999 Blew Up the Big Screen”. Primary screenings include: “Following” (Christopher Nolan, 1998), “Varsity Blues” (Brian Robbins, 1999), “The Blair Wi...

Garrett Chaffin-Quiray and Ed Rosa worry about a surprisingly grim, historically successful bargain that demands a young person trade their body, future, and identity for a small town’s idea of glory. This is part of a series that overlaps with, and extends, Brian Raftery’s 2020 book “Best. Movie. Year. Ever.: How 1999 Blew Up the Big Screen”. Primary screenings include: “Following” (Christopher N...

Garrett Chaffin-Quiray and Ed Rosa regard small joys in Christopher Nolan’s debut. This is part of a series that overlaps with, and extends, Brian Raftery’s 2020 book “Best. Movie. Year. Ever.: How 1999 Blew Up the Big Screen”. Screenings include: “Following” (Christopher Nolan, 1998), “Varsity Blues” (Brian Robbins, 1999), “The Blair Witch Project” (Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sánchez, 1999), “The...

Remembering the fin de siècle energy that birthed our 21st century, we’ve curated this 15-part series to overlap with, and extend, Brian Raftery’s 2020 book “Best. Movie. Year. Ever.: How 1999 Blew Up the Big Screen”.  Screenings include: “Following” (Christopher Nolan, 1998), “Varsity Blues” (Brian Robbins, 1999), “The Blair Witch Project” (Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sánchez, 1999), “The Matrix” (...

Garrett Chaffin-Quiray and Ed Rosa engage with herpetology, aeronautics, and the brilliance of Samuel Leroy Jackson. *** Referenced media: “School Daze” (Spike Lee, 1988) “Menace II Society” (The Hughes Brothers, 1993) “Pulp Fiction” (Quentin Tarantino, 1994) “Rules of Engagement” (William Friedkin, 2000) “Lethal Weapon” (Richard Donner, 1987) “World War Z” (Marc Forster, 2013) “Child’s Play” (Tom...

Garrett Chaffin-Quiray and Ed Rosa wonder if bears prefer eating old or young white dudes. Bon appétit, Bart! *** Referenced media: “The Silence of the Lambs” (Jonathan Demme, 1991) “First Blood” (Ted Kotcheff, 1982) “Glengarry Glen Ross” (James Foley, 1992) “Once Were Warriors” (Lee Tamahori, 1994) “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2” (Tobe Hooper, 1986) “Road House” (Rowdy Herrington, 1989) “The Game...

Garrett Chaffin-Quiray and Ed Rosa look for scars on performers who pretended to be wildlife enthusiasts, but who were nearly wildlife entrees. *** Referenced media: “Cujo” (Lewis Teague, 1983) “Kingdom of Spiders (John Cardos, 1977) “Aliens” (James Cameron, 1986) “Night of the Living Dead” (George A. Romero, 1968) “Star Wars” (George Lucas, 1977) “Speed” (Jan de Bont, 1994) “Twister” (Jan de Bont...

Garrett Chaffin-Quiray and Ed Rosa discuss ocean-going travel disasters. *** Referenced media: “Captain Phillips” (Paul Greengrass, 2013) “Force Majeure” (Ruben Östlund, 2014) “Downton Abbey” (Julian Fellowes, 2010-2015) “Cheers” (Glen and Les Charles, and James Burrows, 1982-1993) “The Menu” (Mark Mylod, 2022) “Stand by Me” (Rob Reiner, 1986) “Gilligan’s Island” (Sherwood Schwartz, 1964-1967) Aud...

Garrett Chaffin-Quiray and Ed Rosa discuss human-insect hybridity to continue the series “Revenge of Nature”. *** Referenced media: “At the Movies” (Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, 1982-1986) “The Fly II” (Chris Walas, 1989) “Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn” (Sam Raimi, 1987) “Evil Dead” (Sam Raimi, 1981) “Raiders of the Lost Ark” (Steven Spielberg, 1981) “Dead Ringers” (David Cronenberg, 1988) “Teenage Mu...

Garrett Chaffin-Quiray and Ed Rosa discuss the predator-prey relationship to continue the series “Revenge of Nature”. *** Referenced media: “A Clockwork Orange” (Stanley Kubrick, 1971) “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” (Jim Sharman, 1975) “Jaws” (Steven Spielberg, 1975) “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” (Miloš Forman, 1975) “Star Wars” (George Lucas, 1977) “The Deep” (Peter Yates, 1977) “The Rescuer...

Garrett Chaffin-Quiray and Ed Rosa discuss the presentation of zoonotic disease to begin the series “Revenge of Nature”. *** Referenced media: “Sex, Lies, and Videotape” (Steven Soderbergh, 1989) “Do the Right Thing” (Spike Lee, 1989) “Black Bag” (Steven Soderbergh, 2025) “Ocean’s Eleven” (Steven Soderbergh, 2001) “Ocean’s Twelve” (Steven Soderbergh, 2004) “Ocean’s Thirteen” (Steven Soderbergh, 20...

In this multi-part conversation series, we’ve curated a handful of movies, from among hundreds of options, to explore how moviemakers transform the natural world into the antagonistic face of on-screen villainy. *** Referenced media in INTRODUCING REVENGE OF NATURE: “Jaws” (Steven Spielberg, 1975) “The Birds” (Alfred Hitchcock, 1963) “Contagion” (Steven Soderbergh, 2011) “Dersu Uzala” (Akira Kuros...

Garrett Chaffin-Quiray and Ed Rosa discuss the blockbuster and Academy Award-winning Best Picture of 2023. *** Referenced media: “American Fiction” (Cord Jefferson, 2023) “Anatomy of a Fall” (Justine Triet, 2023) “Barbie” (Greta Gerwig, 2023) “The Holdovers” (Alexander Payne, 2023) “Killers of the Flower Moon” (Martin Scorsese, 2023) “Maestro” (Bradley Cooper, 2023) “Past Lives” (Celine Song, 2023...

Garrett Chaffin-Quiray and Ed Rosa discuss a blockbuster that is also one of 2019’s critical darlings. *** Referenced media: “Reservoir Dogs” (Quentin Tarantino, 1992) “The Adventures of Cliff Booth” (David Fincher, 2026) “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood: A Novel” (2021) by Quentin Tarantino “Pulp Fiction” (Quentin Tarantino, 1994) “Parasite” (Bong Joon Ho, 2019) “Argo” (Ben Affleck, 2012) “The Wrec...

Garrett Chaffin-Quiray and Ed Rosa discuss one of 2025’s biggest blockbusters. *** Referenced media: “Swingers” (Doug Liman, 1996) “The Parent Trap” (David Swift, 1961) “From Dusk Til Dawn” (Robert Rodriguez, 1996) “The Lost Boys” (Joel Schumacher, 1987) “Fright Night” (Tom Holland, 1985) “Lord of the Dance” (Michael Flatley, 1996) “Battlestar Galactica” (Ronald D. Moore, 2003-2009) “Star Trek: Th...

This is Garrett Chaffin-Quiray’s summation of GATEWAY CINEMA, a multi-part series of conversations centered on key ideas in film studies. In these conversations, Garrett and Ed Rosa have interpreted and celebrated a set of eclectic feature films from across generations and from around the world, including “La Haine”, “Drum”, “Alien 3 (Assembly Cut)”, “Come and See”, “Perfect Days”, “Sweet Smell of...

GATEWAY CINEMA is a multi-part series of conversations centered on key ideas in film studies. In these conversations, we interpret and celebrate a set of eclectic feature films from across generations and from around the world, including “La Haine”, “Drum”, “Alien 3 (Assembly Cut)”, “Come and See”, “Perfect Days”, “Sweet Smell of Success”, “The Swimmer”, “Amadeus (Director’s Cut)”, “Bring Me the H...

In this multi-part series, we’ve focused on just one movie to explore a key idea in film studies. But this one choice means we’ve left out multitudes. Here is the larger set of also-rans we wrestled with before finally choosing “The Death of Stalin”. *** Referenced media in GATEWAY CINEMA, Episode 19A: “The Running Man” (Paul Michael Glaser, 1987) “The Jerky Boys: The Movie” (James Melkonian, 1995...