Houselights: A Film Director Podcast

Houselights has now opened to door to House of Cameron! In our first episode of James Cameron films, we discuss the merits of "The Terminator" and how it changed the game while at the same time might fall short by today's standards. Listen to hear our take.

We finish our journey into Wes Anderson's works with "Isle of Dogs." A beautiful picture with great characters and several ear-to-ear grinning moments. But how does the story hold up? Listen to hear our take.

"The Grand Budapest Hotel" is Wes Anderson's most commercially successful film to date. But why? This week John Mills and Tristan Riddell visit the hotel and dissect what makes this movie beloved even by non-Anderson film fans. Where does this movie rank on your list?

Wes Anderson's Moonrise Kingdom was the beginning of his modern style, which surprisingly was his first throwback to an earlier time. Two child leads defy the odds and find a way to be together. But did they find a way into the audiences' heart? Listen to hear our take.

Wes Anderson's first foray into animation was a joy and a delight. It connected with critics and fans but not to a general audience. George Clooney and Meryl Streep lend their gravitas to an otherwise quirky and whimsical mashup of humor and danger. How do you view this film 12 years later?

Darjeeling Limited was a great collection of moments but was it a great movie? This week, Houselights takes a ride on the Wes Anderson rails and tries to figure out what went right and what went wrong.

The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou swam into our hearts but sadly not into box office gold or critic adulation. This movie is full of whimsy, family drama, Jaguar sharks, and even stop-motion animation. We're here to dissect it this week. How do you feel about this movie 17 years later?

Your favorite Wes Anderson dysfunctional family is front and center in today's episode! The Royal Tenenbaums holds a special place in many people's hearts and shows the director's growth in balancing whimsy, humor, as well as personal drama. How do you feel about this film 20 years later?

Houselights transitions from Christopher Nolan to Wes Anderson! Prepare for music from the 70s as well as the color yellow. This week we tackle "Rushmore" but open with a few thoughts on his first film "Bottle Rocket." What do you think of Rushmore this many years later?

Houselights tackle Christopher Nolan's latest with "Tenet." Many believed it to be too confusing for its own good. Others had a hard time even understanding what they were even saying. But a good portion of the audience was blown away. What did you think of this mind-bending sci-fi epic?

Dunkirk is over an hour shorter than Interstellar but packs an incredible amount of action in a short period of time. Being his first movie based on a true story, he was still able to find a way to cut in a non-linear fashion. How do you feel about this WWII epic?

You can't quantify how much we love Nolan's "Interstellar," but we're going to try. After finishing the wildly successful Dark Knight trilogy, Nolan refused to stay grounded and made his own 2001. How do you feel this movie holds up today?

🔥THE FIRE RISES!🔥 Houselights is here to discuss the ending to the greatest superhero trilogy of all time "The Dark Knight Rises!" In this hotly contested film, but beloved by many, we dissect what worked, what didn't, and what needed to be streamlined. How do you view Nolan's TDKR nine years later?

BWAAAAAM!!!!! "Inception" barrels in this week just like a train at an intersection. With DiCaprio and Christopher Nolan's only collaboration to date, your Houselights hosts dissect what's real, what isn't, and what's good.

This week your hosts discuss what is arguably the greatest superhero #film of all time! Christopher Nolan's "The Dark Knight" flew into theaters, broke box office records, and was a great story on top of it. How do you feel about this #Batman #movie13 years later?

Following up after the success of "Batman Begins," Christopher Nolan brings his now mind-bending signature to the magical masterpiece "The Prestige." Hugh Jackman, Christian Bale, Scarlett Johansson, and Michael Caine bring their A-game and so do your hosts this week.

Batman Begins is finally here on Houselights! As Christopher Nolan fans as well as Batman fans, your hosts have the best time analyzing what is arguably the start to the best superhero trilogy of all time. Listen to hear us talk about this film's impact on moviemaking as well as pop culture.

When you think Christopher Nolan, you don't immediately think of "Insomnia" starring Al Pacino, Robin Williams, and Hillary Swank. This week, your Houselights crew analyzes why this does and doesn't feel like a Nolan film.

Memento is Nolan's second directorial work and it's a huge upgrade from his first. Costing less than $10m to make and earning back almost four times that. This story told in reverse continued the non-linear trend that Nolan will keep for most of his career. Tons of film students thought it was the greatest movie ever but what did you think?

Switching directors to the one and only Christopher Nolan. We explore his first feature film "Following." Joel Schumacher saw this film and knew great things were coming from Nolan. Did you when you watched it?

We top off our journey through David Fincher's directorial works with his first streaming motion picture: Mank. This movie is his first motion picture in six years since Gone Girl, a stark contrast in themes, subject matter, and accessibility. Following the life of Herman Mankiewicz and primarily his path to writing Citizen Kane. Please join us as we dissect this throwback to the golden age of Hol...

David Fincher returns to the director’s chair in the second season of Mindhunter, and your hosts explore what that might say about the closer connection to the material as compared to House of Cards. They also discuss expectations and surprises, their reaction to the season overall, and that famous Manson scene.

Based on the real work of the FBI agents who defined the special crimes unit that analyzed serial killers to assist with their capture, David Fincher returns to the world of the murderers that chilled the latter part of the Twentieth Century with Mindhunter. These cases continue to fascinate people to this day and your hosts examine how Fincher’s approach to the material displays all his growth si...

After the relative disappointment of Dragon Tattoo, David Fincher adapted another hit crime novel, Gone Girl. Perhaps more accessible to American audiences than Lisbeth Salander, Amy Elliott thrilled audiences and delivered a box office success while making Rosamund Pike a household name and giving Ben Affleck a chance to show his own acting prowess. Defined once again by a terrific cast, the work...

David Fincher redefined television with the release of House of Cards, a series that focused on a different kind of psychopath and broke the fourth wall as a means of connecting with its audience. The show shifted viewing habits and ushered in the era of “binge watching,” as it was called. Your hosts discuss the first two episodes of the series, the only directed by David Fincher, and how they see...