Bravo for the B-side Podcast

Gentlemen Broncos is a marvelous, heavily underrated film by Jared Hess that we’ve mentioned several times on previous episodes. Now we finally give it the dissection it deserves. This incredible soft-spoken film has so many terrific lessons on filmmaking, character development, story, and the all important soundtrack selection. This is a must-see movie, and one you should own. Gentlemen Broncos c...

It’s not a great movie, but it is an important one. We dissect Dolemite, a Rudy Ray Moore film that has earnest heart and a fixed place in history. This 1975 film has inspired many filmmakers and is an important historic voice on Black cinema. Join us in the wayback machine to visit 1975’s indie film about a streetwise pimp. You can find Dolemite on Amazon Video.

We get to talk to director Sylas Dall and star Mary Madaline Roe of They Reach. Another fantastic and fun interview. We get into some great talk about filmmaking, the artistry behind giving the audience a visual feel, and how Mary Madaline handled her first go on a banana-seat bike. Two great people involved in a great film. Join us for some fun, and for a look into a very passionate project. They...

They Reach is a fantastic first feature by Sylas Dall. A retro horror in the vein of E.T., Goonies, Monster Squad, this movie hits all the marks. With fantastic young stars, superb direction, and a wonderfully fun and creepy story, this is another movie that has lessons on doing everything right. They Reach can be found on iTunes, Fandango, Vudu, Google Play, Amazon Video

We finally get to Cockneys vs Zombies, a wonderfully fun film by Matthias Hoene. Aside from all of the fun of joining some East Enders dealing with a zombie outbreak, there are some spectacular lessons to glean from this movie. It’s a fast-paced ride of laughs and a masterclass all at the same time. Cockneys vs Zombies can be found on Amazon Video and iTunes.

Story is everything, and Invasion Planet Earth is deeply lacking in that department. From a misleading logline to a rambling, almost indecipherable plot, this ambitious indie film falls flat on so many levels. But, with every failure comes lessons, and there are quite a few lessons to be had here. Not everything was terrible, but when story execution fails, nothing else can save a movie. Invasion...

Set in the Afghanistan versus Russia war in the early 80’s, The Beast is a fast-moving film about a Russian tank on the run from Afghan rebels. Starring Jason Patric, it delivers some compelling food for thought as well as some fast-paced storytelling. We talk about how the story itself can be the main character, and some nearly forgotten choices in writing. The Beast can be found on Amazon Video.

We’ve talked to Ryan Kruger, and now we do a spoiler-free dissection of his amazing film Fried Barry. This thing has been killing it at festivals around the world, and for good reason. Not scheduled for public release until January 2021, we talk about the technical brilliance that Ryan has brought and why you need to see this movie. This is a future Criterion Collection nominee. Fried Barry is sho...

We are graced with returning guest Tucky Williams as we talk about Dagger Kiss: Enchanted Forest, her latest venture to make it to Amazon. Even though she was sick and chose to go through with the interview, Tucky brings her grace and poise in top form. We talk again about making films, the struggles indie filmmakers run into, and some overall fun. You can find Dagger Kiss: Enchanted Forest on Ama...

Join us as we cover Dagger Kiss: Enchanted Forest, the film conclusion to the Dagger Kiss series by Tucky Williams. A clever combination of fantasy and modern settings, this film takes us on a very human journey of the heart. It proves that even with a very limited budget a production can deliver some surprising emotion and layered story. You can find Dagger Kiss: Enchanted Forest on Amazon Video.

BURLAP LIVES! A masterful sequel, Redwood Massacre: Annihilation brings back Burlap, the best slasher-killer to hit the scene in a good long while. We go about this episode differently, we don’t dissect the entire film so that you can enjoy all of the moments unspoiled. We do dive deep into the technical mastery that David Ryan Keith brings to all of his work. We love this sequel and hope you will...

We have David Ryan Keith returning to the show to talk to us about the upcoming Redwood Massacre: Annihilation, which hits VOD/DVD on October 20. It is our best talk yet. David confirmed that the killer in the film was named after the nickname that Jim gave him during our rundown of the first Redwood Massacre. Join us as we celebrate the christening of Burlap, and some fantastic tales of post prod...

For the first time we have some disagreement on the merits of a film. Manborg is an ambitious effort that has a lot of plusses, but for Jim there are some heavy minuses. Dubbed a “green screen” movie, where the backgrounds and sets are entirely green screen, this micro-budget film is worth a look so you can judge for yourselves. Manborg can be found on Amazon Video.

A delightful find, Muse is a horror thriller that has a lot going for it. We talk about the straightforward story, writing, beautifully composed shots, excellent use of lighting, and more. There are a lot of fantastic examples in this movie to take away for everyone. Well worth watching. Muse can be found on Tubi.

It’s fun and a lot of people have not seen it, and they need to. Ahhhhh! Zombies is a horror comedy that delivers a magnificent take on zombie films. We talk about quite a few great lessons to take away from this film. We also talk again about pushing through this tough time to unleash your creative force. Ahhhh! Zombies can be found on Amazon Video.

We’ve waited long enough. We are finally covering Clerks, the cornerstone film by Kevin Smith that launched the View Askew universe, and a 26 year career in filmmaking that is still going. We talk about this wonderful movie, break down some excellent moments, and go over some important lessons that can be learned from this pillar of indie film. How it was shot, camera work, dialogue, all things th...

We tackle Blood Hunters in this episode. A low-budget horror that unfortunately falls short on horror, story, plot, and sensibility. We dissect this mess of missed opportunities and dive into some important lessons. Story, plot lines, character development, and the outdated use of jump-scares and why filmmakers need to stop using them are a few things we touch on. We were hoping for a good and fun...

We talk with South African director/writer Ryan Kruger. Known for his kick-ass music videos over the past ten years, Ryan talks a little with us about Fried Barry, his first feature film. Currently making its rounds at festivals, and preliminary release date of January 2021, Fried Barry looks like the indie/b-movie we need. Ryan gives some fantastic career advice, shares some fantastic stories, an...

It’s our first coverage of an The Asylum Films movie for the podcast. Dead 7 is a post-apocalyptic zombie western, filled with aging Boy Band members. Written by Nick Carter, we see why The Asylum has done so well with their B-movie formula all of these years. Filled with plot holes and bewildering location cuts, it’s actually not as bad in those areas as some A-List movies out there. We talk abou...

This love letter to Schlock Sci-Fi is a treat for everyone. Attack of the Moon Zombies is a throwback salute to those sci-fi films of the 50’s that launched the genre. It excels as a throwback homage movie as well as a satirical take on schlock. With our daughter returning to guest host we dissect this delightful movie and run through some lessons that make filmmaking fun, and the importance of eg...

This movie from New Zealand saw a very limited release in the U.S. Guns Akimbo is a wild, fun, and loud ride. The plot is ridiculous which makes it all the more fun. Daniel Radcliffe shows us once again that is made for wild, crazy, outrageous roles, and that he can nail them like no one else. With a massive amount of lessons for filmmakers, Guns Akimbo is a delight for the viewer and for those lo...

This Australian film never saw a release in the US, but it should have. Danger Close tells the story of the Battle of Long Tan in Viet Nam. A true story with excellent portrayals, it is not to be missed. We talk about the technical aspects, which are superior, and the importance of the need for stories that have that human spark in them. We stray from movie lessons and get into some deep philosoph...

We are so lucky to have Liam Matheson returning to speak with us, and he is joined by Steven Worsley, both starring in Attack of the Herbals. It was another great chat as we talked about the movie, voice acting, filmmaking, and go-to genres for comfort films. Don’t miss this fun chat, and at the end learn how sweet Liam was in speaking to our daughter after the interview. Attack of the Herbals is...

An early film by David Ryan Keith and Liam Matheson, Attack of the Herbals is a horror comedy that delivers on many levels. Very low budget but fun and technically proficient, this movie sets a standard for indie film excellence. With our daughter as a special guest we tackle this film’s humor, great direction, and so much more. An undervalued gem, this movie should be cult status. Attack of the H...

We have the honor of speaking Barney Burman, Oscar Winner for Best Cinematic Makeup for Star Trek in 2009, writer/director/producer of Wild Boar, and make-up effects master for decades’ worth of television and movies. Barney shares not only his experiences in filmmaking, but also how his self-doubt held him back until he finally overcame it. Some great inspiration and movie making lessons from a t...