Greatest Movie Of All-Time

Dana and Tom with guest, Kristin Battestella (A Film Critic for In Session Film, Search Magazine, and Keith Loves Movies), revisit Aliens (1986), celebrating its 40th anniversary: written and directed by James Cameron, cinematography by Adrian Biddle, score by James Horner, editing by Ray Lovejoy, starring Sigourney Weaver, Paul Reiser, Michael Biehn, and Bill Paxton. Plot Summary: Ellen Ripley (S...

Summary: In this episode of Sidebar by Dana Duncan, a lawyer with over 37 years of experience breaks down the harsh reality of law school, big‑firm life, and what it actually takes to become a successful attorney. From elite law school tuition and starting salaries to the skills law school doesn’t teach—like client counseling, negotiation style, and real‑world time management—Dana offers blunt, pr...

This debut episode of Sidebar with Dana Duncan introduces listeners to Dana’s 37‑year journey as a lawyer, mentor, father, and world traveler. He shares insights from hundreds of jury trials, federal court appeals, and decades of experience in social security disability law. Dana also explores parenting philosophies, law school challenges, political perspectives, and the importance of building wea...

Dana and Tom with 5x Club member, Sara Shea (Host and Creator of Shea Cinema ), discuss T2: Judgment Day (1991) for its 35th anniversary: written and directed by James Cameron, cinematography by Adam Greenberg, music by Brad Fiedel, editing by Conrad Buff, Mark Goldblatt, and Richard A. Harris, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, and Robert Patrick. Plot Summary: In Terminator 2: Judgm...

Tom Duncan and Sara Shea continue their journey through Season 1 of The Good Wife, this time with episodes 7, 8, and 9. In this episode, Thomas and Sara analyze episodes 7-9 of The Good Wife by discussing plot points, character development, legal accuracy, and their predictions for future episodes. They also share insights on legal procedures, character arcs, and the show's overall quality. Chapte...

Dana and Tom with guest, Scott Cole (movie commentator, and occasional writer/contributor) discuss Klute (1971) for its 55th anniversary: directed by Alan J. Pakula, written by Andy and Dave Lewis, cinematography by Gordon Willis, music by Michael Small, editing by Carl Lerner, starring Jane Fonda, Donald Sutherland, and Roy Scheider. Plot Summary: A Pennsylvania businessman vanishes. The only clu...

Tom Duncan and Sara Shea continue their new journey through Season 1 of The Good Wife, this time with episodes 5 and 6. In this episode, our hosts analyze episodes 5 and 6 of 'The Good Wife,' exploring legal dilemmas, character development, and ethical questions. They delve into the show's evolving narrative, character dynamics, and real-world legal principles, providing insights for fans and lega...

Dana and Tom discuss Ace in the Hole (1951) for its 75th anniversary: written and directed by Billy Wilder with Lesser Samuels and Walter Newman, cinematography by Charles Lang, music by Hugo Friedhofer, editing by Doane Harrison and Arthur P. Schmidt, starring Kirk Douglas, Jan Sterling, and Porter Hall. Plot Summary: Meet Chuck Tatum — a fast-talking, down-on-his-luck newspaper reporter played b...

Tom Duncan and Sara Shea continue their new journey through Season 1 of The Good Wife, this time with episodes 3 and 4. In this episode, our hosts analyze the next two episodes of 'The Good Wife,' exploring character dynamics, legal accuracy, and personal impressions of the series. Join us as we dissect the show's strengths, weaknesses, and potential future directions. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction...

Dana and Tom with 5x Club Member, Sarah Duncan, discuss the comedy, History of the World: Part I (1981) for its 45th anniversary: written and directed by Mel Brooks, cinematography by Woody Omens, music by John Morris, editing by John C. Howard, starring Mel Brooks, Dom DeLuise, Madeline Kahn, Harvey Korman, and Cloris Leachman. Plot Summary: History of the World, Part I is a wild comedy that make...

Dana and Tom with 5x Club Member, Jesse Sertle (Fellow group member of CineMadison) discuss The Rock (1996) for its 30th anniversary: directed by Michael Bay, written by David Weisberg, Douglas S. Cook, and Mark Rosner, cinematography by John Schwartzman, editing by Richard Francis-Bruce, music by Nick Glennie-Smith and Hans Zimmer, starring Sean Connery, Ed Harris, and Nicolas Cage. Plot Summary:...

Tom Duncan and Sara Shea start a new journey through Season 1 of The Good Wife, starting with the Pilot and the second episode. In this episode, our hosts analyze the first two episodes, explore character development, legal accuracy, and storytelling techniques. They share insights, critiques, and predictions, offering a critical yet engaging perspective on the series. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction...

Dana and Tom discuss three very different films that are currently tied on the greater GMOAT full list: The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957), Vertigo (1958), and The Hangover (2009). Chapters: 00:00 Introduction to the TieBreaker 05:32 Cast and Background for The Bridge on the River Kwai 07:43 Plot Summary for The Bridge on the River Kwai 09:06 New Thoughts on The Bridge on the River Kwai? 17:16 Ca...

Dana and Tom with 5x Club member and CLP contributor, Peterson W. Hill (Co-Host of the War Starts at Midnight podcast), discuss The Killing (1956), celebrating its 70th anniversary: written and directed by Stanley Kubrick, cinematography by Lucien Ballard, editing by Lucy Steinberg, music by Gerald Fried, starring Sterling Hayden, Coleen Gray, Vince Edwards, and Jay C. Flippen. Plot Summary: The K...

Dana and Tom discuss A Knight's Tale (2001) for its 25th anniversary: written and directed by Brian Helgeland, cinematography by Richard Greatrex, editing by Kevin Stitt, music by Carter Burwell, starring Heath Ledger, Shannyn Sossamon, Paul Bettany, Mark Addy, Rufus Sewell, and Alan Tudyk. Plot Summary: A Knight's Tale follows a poor squire who risks everything to change his fate. After his maste...

Dana and Tom with guest, Myke Emal (Host and Creator of the Cinemusts podcast), discuss Yojimbo (1961) for its 65th anniversary: written and directed by Akira Kurosawa with Ryūzō Kikushima and Hideo Oguni, cinematography by Kazuo Miyagawa, music by Masaru Sato, editing by Akira Kurosawa, starring Toshiro Mifune, Eijirō Tōno, Tatsuya Nakadai, and Daisuke Katō. Plot Summary: In a small, lawless town...

Tom Duncan and Sara Shea continue their journey through Season 1 of The West Wing, this time with episode 1.22 - the first season finale. We are joined by friend of the show, Klarissa Beckstead (I've Seen That One podcast). In this episode, Sara is given a difficult choice, our intrepid hosts grade The West Wing - Season 1, and they pick what's to come next for Season 2. Chapters: 00:00 Introducti...

Dana and Tom with 5x Club Member, VP Morris (Award-winning thriller and horror writer and podcaster), discuss Gilda (1946) for its 80th anniversary: directed by Charles Vidor, written by Marion Parsonnet and Ben Hecht, cinematography by Rudolph Mate, music by M. W. Stoloff and Marlin Skiles, editing by Charles Nelson, starring Glenn Ford, Rita Hayworth, and George Macready. Plot Summary: In the sh...

Tom Duncan and Sara Shea continue their journey through Season 1 of The West Wing, this time with episodes 1.19-1.21, exploring key episodes, character relationships, and real-world issues like drug policy and political ethics. Join us as we analyze the final episodes of season one, explore character developments, plot resolutions, and predictions for season two. We also dive into personal prefere...

Dana and Tom with 5x Club member and CLP contributor, Sara Shea (Host and Creator of Shea Cinema ), discuss The Public Enemy (1931) for its 95th anniversary: directed by William Wellman, written by Harvey F. Thew, cinematography by Devereaux Jennings, music by David Mendoza, editing by Edward Michael McDermott, starring James Cagney, Jean Harlow, Edward Woods, and Joan Blondell. Plot Summary: In T...

Tom Duncan and Sara Shea continue their journey through Season 1 of The West Wing, this time with episodes 1.16-1.18, exploring themes like presidential stress, political strategy, and societal values. Join us as we analyze key episodes, character development, and the show's reflection of real-world politics. In this episode, we explore the intricacies of the Federal Reserve, the dynamics of polit...

Dana and Tom with 5x Club Member and CLP Contributor, Kieran B. (Host and Creator of the Best Picture Cast ) discuss A Place in the Sun (1951) for its 75th anniversary: directed by George Stevens, written by Michael Wilson and Harry Brown, cinematography by William C. Mellor, editing by William Hornbeck, music by Franz Waxman, starring Montgomery Clift, Elizabeth Taylor, and Shelley Winters. Plot...

Tom Duncan and Sara Shea continue their journey through Season 1 of The West Wing, this time with episodes 1.13-1.15, this time with a deep dive into the political and moral complexities of the death penalty, addiction, and personal forgiveness as depicted in 'The West Wing'. Our hosts explore how these themes are portrayed with nuance and emotional depth, reflecting on their relevance in today's...

Dana and Tom with 5x Club member and CLP contributor Peterson W. Hill (Co-Host of the War Starts at Midnight podcast) revisit The Silence of the Lambs (1991): directed by Jonathan Demme, written by Ted Tally, cinematography by Tak Fujimoto, score by Howard Shore, Editing by Craig McKay, starring Jodie Foster, Anthony Hopkins, Scott Glenn, and Ted Levine. Plot Summary: In The Silence of the Lambs ,...

Tom Duncan and Sara Shea continue their journey through Season 1 of The West Wing, this time with episodes 1.10-1.12, exploring themes of veteran care, international diplomacy, and presidential leadership. The hosts share personal insights and historical context, making this a compelling discussion for fans and newcomers alike. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction and Podcast Overview 06:58 Episode 10: In...