Film School

We did it! We have watched every one of the AFI's Top 100 (U.S.) Films. It took us three years, two moves, a new job and a global pandemic to do it, but it's done. We've watched and broke down all of them. Today on the Cutting Room Floor, we take a nice, long look back. What movies stood out? What have we learned, both about storytelling and also about ourselves? And now that the list is done, how...

Rosebud . . . Orson Welles, by all accounts, was a Hollywood outsider. He knew nothing about filmmaking coming in to make  Citizen Kane , and yet here it is on the tippy top of the AFI's "best" list. So, how exactly did he do that? And why is this film so beloved, so venerated? Is it a fitting pick as the #1 film in American history? We break it down for the last time on the AFI's Top 100! We did...

As we approach the very end of our journey across the AFI's Top 100 Films, Josh and Ira look back over the past three years of recording this podcast, and reflect on what they've learned along the way. It turns out: A LOT. So much more than we could have even imagined. We share a few of those things that come to mind this week on the Cutting Room Floor. We also recommend the  Great British Baking...

You broke my heart, Fredo. Pacino, Coppola and the rest of the gang try to get lightning to strike twice . . . We left Michael Corleone on a sinister note at the end of the first film, and they fully lean into that in this second chapter. If the mantra is "family, family, family," what does it mean if--slowly but surely--the Godfather is pushing his family away? That's the question at the heart of...

Beware of the infodump! Stay away from exposition!!! This week, we tackle the common advice to avoid dumping a bunch of information on your audience all at once. But, then again, how do you know what in the heck is going on in a story if the information isn't put out there?! There are ways to do it. An infodump doesn't have to be your enemy. We discuss how. We also recommend  The Great British Bak...

I'll make him an offer he can't refuse. It's considered to be the crown jewel of gangster films. Francis Ford Coppola changed the game by aiming to represent the mafia as a flawed, intricate  family more than the thugs that populated previous films. Al Pacino became a star for his turn as the baby brother, war-hero-turned-criminal. Marlon Brando resurrected his career. It spawned a whole new gener...

"What what you know" is timeless advice. On the face of it, it even *feels* like good advice. But, what exactly does that mean? Does it mean everything we write should be autobiographical? That seems kinds of limiting. So, if we must make things up, what kinds of things are okay to make up? How do we straddle the line between what we personally know and what is left to our imagination? We discuss!...

Here's looking at you, kid. This movie is one of those rare old classics that everyone seems to enjoy. It's probably the peak of the studio-era. Bogart is at his no-nonsense, softie-on-the-inside best, "As Time Goes By" still slaps to this day, and the backdrop of WWII and Rick's Place are as exciting and romantic a setting as you can imagine. It's kind of crazy the cultural impact this film STILL...

What is a good question to ask of a film or book, and what is a bad question? When we're watching or reading, what are the kinds of mystery and intrigue that pull us deeper into the story, and what are the kinds of head-scratching questions that pull us out of it? As creators, we definitely want the former. Not everything in a story requires an explanation; in fact, it's crucial that some things A...

Hit me. Harder. Harder! Bobby DeNiro takes a star turn as the ultimate man who could take a punch, "The Bronx Bull," boxing legend Jake LaMotta. Martin Scorsese is behind the lens. The result is raw, violent, and powerful. It's Scorsese's highest film on the AFI's list. But, IS it his best? We debate that very question and exactly what we're supposed to take away from a very flawed hero, this week...

Celebrate your wins. It's good advice. It can be hard to pick a "win," sometimes, in the creative process, though. Isn't there ALWAYS something next to do? When is it appropriate to stop and celebrate the progress that's been made? And how should we celebrate? Josh and Ira answer exactly that, and both realize they probably need to take celebrating more seriously . . . or is it less seriously? Whi...

I'm singin' in the rain. Just singin' in the rain. What a glorious feeling, I'm happy again! This week, we watch Gene Kelly's peak and the world's introduction to Debbie Reynolds. IS this the greatest musical ever put on film? That might be a point you could debate, but what isn't debatable is how fun, pretty, and impressive this film is. We discuss it all!

We're big fans of story structure on this podcast. We use it to break down every movie we watch. But, how far will structure and all its tools--like genre, acts, the 5 commandments, etc--take us? Are they all we need to make a story great? Or . . . is there more? This week, we tackle the question of where the limits are of structure, and when we hit those limits, what else is required of us. Enjoy...

Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn. By pretty much every significant measure, this film is the most popular movie ever made. That's an interesting distinction, given that it's an epic romanticizing the fall of the Antebellum South. Vivian Leigh is the iconic Scarlett O'Hara, and Clarke Gable plays the forever-spurned Rhett Butler in an unhappy love story. And the Civil War threatens to destroy e...

You need a MacGuffin! You've probably heard that before, or at least the term. "MacGuffin." It's such a silly-sounding word. But what exactly IS a MacGuffin? And why do you need one on your story? Josh and Ira break it down for you.

Big things have small beginnings. Peter O'Toole and Omar Sharif suit up for the roles of a lifetime in, arguably, the most epic of the epic era. Lawrence of Arabia still might have the most impressive cinematography ever put to film, but how does the story hold up? The performances? We discuss it all this week!

Hideaki Anno has been making  Evangelion for 26 years. 2021 saw the release of the final (?) film in his theatrical film re-make of the 1995 TV series. Ira . . . has become a bit obsessed with the series and subsequent films, but IS it good? Or, is there somewhere between bad and good, or maybe even outside of those two things when it comes to ART? And OBSESSION? The recommendations took over this...

The list is life. All around its margins lies the gulf. Unquestionably, it's Spielberg's most "grown-up" film. Even more than Saving Private Ryan--which is also very grown-up--this film is about something incredibly, deeply important: we can never forget the holocaust. It's the job of "witness" or films to be difficult to watch, and this one is no exception. But, so often in witness films, the mes...

How do you grab your audience? And then once you've got their attention, how do you KEEP it? Josh and Ira discuss how they keep in mind their audience's attention-span, and the tools, tips, and tricks they use to make sure they're along for the entire ride.  Also, Josh recommends The Toys That Made Us on Netflix, and Ira recommends Ted Lasso on AppleTV+, and Star Trek: Lower Decks  on Paramount+.

Only one is a wanderer; two together are always going somewhere . . . Hitch and Jimmy Stew are back together again with a tale of murder, mind-f*ckery, love, and obsession. All pretty much standard golden-era Hitchcock fare, but critics seem convinced that he puts it all together in some particularly spectacular ways that pushed the boundaries not only for Hitch, but cinema in general. We give it...

We ask these questions to do our weekly film breakdowns, so it seemed like a good idea to list them out and explain what each question means and is getting at. So, here you go (courtesy of storygrid.com ): 1. What is the beginning hook, middle build, and ending payoff? 2. What is the Global Genre? 3. What are the Conventions and Obligatory Scenes of the Global Genre? 4. What is the POV? (and Is th...

We're off the see the wizard! THE color movie. When we think of movies transitioning from black & white to color, we think of this film. We also think of the music, Judy Garland, the yellow-brick road, the wicked witch, flying monkeys, men behind curtains, Scarecrow, Tin-Man, and the Cowardly Lion. In a nutshell--this movie is an indelible part of everyone's childhood, which is kind of wild consid...

We do our best work when we're having a good time. When we're enjoying ourselves, the words just roll from the pen or keyboard. But, how do you find the fun when the storytelling is hard? How do we keep creating good stuff when the work--or life--is a slog? Also, Josh recommends the Steve Austin: The Broken Skull Sessions on Peacock, and Ira recommends We Bare Bears , on HBO Max.

Tomorrow the birds will sing! Chaplin takes on life in the city! The Tramp makes a rich friend, falls in love, and generally causes havoc everywhere he turns, including an iconic boxing scene. We've really enjoyed Chaplin on this list thus far. How does this one do? And *is* it his best film??? The AFI certainly seems to think so. We weigh in.

At the end of the day, we write and make movies for an audience. For money, even. That can seem so at odds with the actual creative process, which is so self-centered and so personal. So, how do we navigate that divide? How DO we make something that a customer wants to buy, and yet stay true to the personal story we want to tell? We discuss! Also, Josh recommends Harry Potter and the Chamber of Se...