Director's Club

For this excursion into something besides movies, I would recruit friend and Austin-based journalist Dan Solomon to go back 20 years to talk about a year in music - an art form that I love every bit much as film. For this retrospective, my guests and I curate a new list of ten favorite records from that year, playing snippets of certain songs and discussing our feelings about music in general. As...

Do you like explosions?! Well you're in for a summer treat. Thank you so much to guest hosts Chloe Waryan and Luther Moss for covering a director on Director's Club I never would want to cover without losing my mind. What a delightful discussion and it’s an honor to put this out for all to hear! You "don't want to miss" this episode! You also don't want to close your eyes, you don't want to fall a...

I once saw a film called Sherman’s March which of course I adored. But then a year or so ago, I watched another film by the same director, Bright Leaves . For some reason, it had a profound effect on me. This episode goes into detail as to why. Joining me throughout is Illinois archivist and historian Eric Edwards for this unconventional approach to this podcast. A lot of it edited, scripted, even...

What an honor and a joy it was to talk with Rachel Bellwoar, an extremely talented writer and pop culture enthusiast whose work I’ve enjoyed discovering over the years. Thanks to many mutual cinephile friends and podcasters, we crossed paths in the world of Facebook and I couldn’t be more thrilled to have her on the show to talk about an underappreciated British director, Jack Clayton ! Pauline Ka...

Not too big of a summary this time around since the title says it all and there’s a lot to get to in terms of the episode proper. Every year around late February / early March, I call upon my Chicago film critic buddies Collin Souter & Erik Childress to join me for an epic episode discussing as many movies as we possibly can, traveling back in time to cover an entire year. In the midst of the...

This is a celebration, not just another Director’s Club episode for a reason. Back in 1990, I became an avid fan and follower of today’s guest and he’s been on this show a couple of times in the past, most recently for the Paul Thomas Anderson Part II episode. I’m talking of course about Nick Digilio . 40 years ago, he began his career as a professional film critic, reviewing movies on Roy Leonard...

Let’s forget all about inauguration day (since this comes out on January 20th, 2025) by focusing on someone who truly matters, the legendary comedic mind of Elaine May , pioneer of improv sketch comedy and so much more! We focus on all four of her directorial films and sing the praises of nearly all of them. Yes, that MAY include her last feature from 1987 that does not deserve the reputation or t...

Nearly five hours of conversation and recommendations all about the year 2024 in cinema! Bill Ackerman (host of Supporting Characters and guest host of this show) and I reveal 25 favorite films, talk about the year in general and have a lot to say as usual. In addition, you’ll get to hear thoughts from previous guest Chloe Waryan as well as a traditional song from yours truly where I sing the titl...

Happy holidays! Grateful to my incredibly smart and passionate guests to cover a genre I’m not as well-versed in - Hong Kong cinema particularly martial arts action. I am familiar with Buster Keaton though unlike the first time I saw Rumble In The Bronx back in 1995 at the local multiplex. Nevertheless, I know I was watching a legendary talent of the highest caliber even back then. Joining me for...

Hello everyone! I am no longer putting out episodes via Libsyn, they are now hosted right here at my Substack. Formerly known as the 5 Years Substack, this is now the hub for all-things Director’s Club including a new URL. Learn about all this and more during my 8-minute preamble before we get to the subject at hand - indeed a very special one since today’s guest is responsible for my favorite fil...

Have you been waiting for the Mann? Well it's been over a decade since we last discussed his work back when Patrick and I mainly covered our love for both Heat & The Insider . Cut to present time, I have recruited two of my favorite returning guests to touch upon nearly every title by Michael Mann focusing on his post- Collateral output since it wasn't covered last time. Grateful to both Ryan...

The spooky season is here! Why not indulge in the twisted fantasy worlds of one renowned, revered Mexican filmmaker by the name of Guillermo Del Toro! Of course I needed to enlist a super fan of his and I was lucky enough to have returning guest Chloe Waryan back on the show for another truly delightful discussion. Chloe may very well be my go-to guest every October (well at least for next year so...

It's been six weeks since a new episode of the show but this will be worth the wait, given not only the director we're covering but the guest is one of the best film critics working today. Letterboxd's very own Mitchell Beaupre returns after their debut a couple years ago for a nail-biting discussion on one of our premiere action-thriller directors working today. Jeremy Saulnier has a terrific new...

Couldn't be more thrilled to share the latest conversation I had with one of my favorite returning guests, actor/writer/director Keith Gordon who may remember as Arnie from John Carpenter's Christine . He's been on several times in the past to not only talk about his films and his career but particular movies he thinks you should seek out from a particular decade. In the tradition of the Pure Cine...

Get it on, bang a gong, get it on! Patrick Ripoll (of 96 Greers) joins me once again, returning to discuss two horror films that left me a bit perplexed. About six years ago, I asked Patrick to come back on to review David Gordon Green's Halloween along with the Suspiria remake simply because I wanted to hear his thoughts. Upon walking out of both Longlegs and In a Violent Nature , I had that same...

For this excursion into something besides movies, in case you didn't know, I once hosted Voices & Visions and I would recruit friend and Austin-based journalist Dan Solomon to go back 20 years to talk about a year in music - an art form that I love every bit much as film. For this summer tradition, my guests and I curate a new list of ten favorite records from a favorite year, playing snippets...

Once again, the format has changed a little for an experiment. Not quite a magic trick if you will, but Erik and I hope to "incept" you with our collaborative ranking of a director's filmography (not a draft, repeat not a draft ). Last time Erik Childress was on to talk Christopher Nolan, it was way back in 2011 - the very first year of this podcast. Now the time has come for a sequel especially s...

Do you remember when Bill Ackerman and I revealed our 50 favorite movies episode for the 10-year anniversary of this show? That was Part One in what eventually has become a trilogy! Little did you know, when I briefly had a Patreon, we did a sequel that was exclusive for subscribers. I no longer have Patreon so not only do you get Part Two (50 More Favorites) but also the newly recorded Part Three...

Do you remember when Bill Ackerman and I revealed our 50 favorite movies episode for the 10-year anniversary of this show? That was Part One in what eventually has become a trilogy! Little did you know, when I briefly had a Patreon, we did a sequel that was exclusive for subscribers. I no longer have Patreon so not only do you get Part Two (50 More Favorites) but also the newly recorded Part Three...

Two reasons this podcast exist: Film Junk and Patrick Ripoll. So I'm always grateful when Patrick returns since he's the OG co-host of this show. He's always doing killer work with Reg on 96 Greers that I highly recommend. But I vividly recall two moments of the past decade: his love of Clouds of Sils Maria and my love for Personal Shopper. Made a mental note to put French filmmaker Olivier Assaya...

The epic yearly retrospectives continue as we travel back 30 years to rewatch, reconsider and share favorites along with many memories too! Join me on this 6-hour plus journey alongside Chicago critics Erik Childress and Collin Souter . Many laughs, songs, clips, trailers, excerpts and so much more! Thank you so much for the support and for listening. And of course, thank you so much to Collin &am...

When I first saw Hiroshima Mon Amour, this particular director went on the long list of names I wanted to cover. Alain Resnais is an internationally acclaimed film director, associated with both the Left Bank Group and the Nouvelle Vague. His preoccupation with the themes of time, memory and history, and his dazzling exploration of cinematographic technique, made him one of France’s most distincti...

The title of this episode says it all. Over four hours of nerdy movie conversations and recommendations all about the year 2023. Two Director's Club mainstays return. Bill Ackerman (host of Supporting Characters and guest host of this show) along with Patrick Ripoll (co-host of 96 Greers ) join me as well all share their favorite films of 2023. No categories this year (like Best Actor, etc.) but p...

Happy New Year! This is a podcast. The Director’s Club Podcast. Maybe you should get a coffee first before listening. A coffee and a muffin might help. Gosh I’m so tired. But what a way to start the new year. Podcasting with a wonderful person like Sharon. Then editing it. Then writing these show notes. The thing that you’re reading right now. Or maybe you’re not reading this, you’re listening to...

Just in time for turkey day, in which we have a lot to be thankful for, comes this delightful discussion with plenty of fixins. Fresh from their excellent new podcast, A Tripp Through Comedy , two new guests join me but I've been following them ever since we all met during Triviaspotting. Ross Bratin and Tripp Burton join me to talk all about the filmography of Frank Oz , someone each of us love a...