Watch The Film With Us

Send us Fan Mail What fictional languages do you speak? In this episode, we talk about producing fictional languages in film and why we don’t see that many written fictional languages in movies. We also talk about the sound of aliens in films over the year, and how the emergence of fictional alien language parallels our comfort levels of the existence of aliens in our galaxy. Let us know what you...

Send us Fan Mail How would we rank Denis Villeneuve films we have seen? What makes these films so impressive and successful? In this episode, we chat about why we love Denis Villeneuve’s filmmaking and his organic, human way of storytelling. We also chat about how he compares with other directors, his influence on sci-fi and what we think we might see from him in the future. Let us know what you t...

Send us Fan Mail How have alien creature designs evolved over time? In this first episode of Arrival, we chat about how our human perspective influences what we imagine aliens to look like. We also chat about the role that aliens have played in the last few decades of cinema and how that affects our design and depiction of aliens. We wrap up the conversation with a look to the future and consider...

Send us Fan Mail Why do we create stories about aliens? And, what fascinates us about the possibility of finding aliens in space? In this episode, we talk about what drives mankind to look for aliens and whether we believe that we would be able to find aliens in the near future. We also chat about how, in recent years, the portrayal of aliens as a threat seems to have been replaced with AI’s as th...

Send us Fan Mail What paved the way for sci-fi as we know it now? And, what is the future of the sci-fi genre beyond the 2010’s? In this episode, we chat about the evolving themes and stories within the science fiction genre and how it coincides with our relationship with and understanding of science and technology. As we chat through the evolution of the genre, we start to see how other genres bl...

Send us Fan Mail How do people become fans? In this episode, we talk about how people go from liking something to becoming a megafan. We chat through examples and anecdotes of fandom from sports and music. This topic leads us to a conversation about the six Star Trek series that are simultaneously on TV right now, and how they strengthen the Trekkie community and form lifetime fans of the franchis...

Send us Fan Mail Space, the final frontier (for real this time)! We’re chatting about one of the foundational franchises of the sci-fi genre: Star Trek. In this episode, we talk about the origins of Star Trek and how the themes and conflicts within the series acted as comparison points for what was going on politically and culturally in the 1960s. We also talk about the real-world impact of Star T...

Send us Fan Mail What are comeback franchises? In this episode, we talk about recent franchise “resurrections” and how they compare with long-running franchises like Lord of the Rings and Star Wars. We also chat about whether they are made to satisfy the original fans of the franchise or whether they are actually made to create a new generation of fans. This discussion also leads to a conversation...

Send us Fan Mail Are we living in the matrix? Would we take the red pill or the blue pill? Welcome to our most philosophical episode yet! In this episode, we venture into topics like free will and determinism, and the various outrageous fan theories that aim to prove how we might be living in a simulation. We also dive into the meaning behind the red pill and blue pill question, and how our answer...

Send us Fan Mail Has the chosen one trope become outdated? In this episode, we talk about the chosen one narrative and how it often works within sci-fi and fantasy stories. We also discuss whether modern day audiences connect with the role of the “prophecy” in these types of narratives. Our conversation also turns to why we need a chosen one to come save us in the first place; why is the world alw...

Send us Fan Mail New year, new genre - welcome to the next few months of sci-fi movies! (Surprise, Lara somehow convinced Cheryl to watch more space movies this year.) In this episode, we chat about the genre in general and the characteristics of a sci-fi movie. We start this season off with “The Matrix” - just in time for the release of “The Matrix Resurrections” that just came out in December 20...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we look back on the year and talk about our favourite films of 2021. We also chat about the films we’re looking forward to in 2022. Listen in on our conversation to see if there is any crossover! Let us know what you think and chat with us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/WTF_WithUs Check out our YouTube channel for extended conversations and outtakes: https://www....

Send us Fan Mail We are joined by Heather from “Watching Netflix Without You” to settle the great debate: is Nightmare Before Christmas a Halloween or Christmas movie? In this episode, we talk about the specific elements that make the film a Halloween or Christmas movie. We also end the episode by giving the film two ratings (a Halloween and Christmas film rating) as the final verdict on what kind...

Send us Fan Mail What are holiday movies? And, why do they exist? In this episode, we chat about movies based around specific holidays and why so many big movies are released during the December holiday season. We also chat about how holidays can also be created from cult followings (ex. October 3rd and Mean Girls), and how movies bring people together to form genuine, collective memories. Let us...

Send us Fan Mail Is Nightmare Before Christmas a movie for kids or adults? How can you tell when an animated movie is aimed at adults or made for kids? In this episode, we talk about how animated films are often perceived to be “for the kids”, but there are so many animated films out there (i.e. stop-motion, Miyazaki-type films) that are targeted to an older audience. We also chat about how live-a...

Send us Fan Mail Welcome to Halloween Town! In this episode, we talk about the animation style of Nightmare Before Christmas and why stop-motion works so well for the film. We also talk about how stop-motion compares with other animation styles (like the classic Disney 2D-drawn vs 3D Pixar-style). Lastly, we chat about how technology has allowed animators to push the boundaries of realism in anima...

Send us Fan Mail Now that the Daniel Craig era of James Bond has come to an end - and there is literally no way he’s coming back… who will be the next 007? What are the people saying? In this episode, we chat through some fan input on who the next 007 will be. We also talk about the core criteria of choosing the next 007 and the challenges that may impact the decision. Lastly, we chat about the ne...

Send us Fan Mail How has the 007 franchise developed over time? And, how will the latest filmmaking decisions in No Time To Die influence the future of the franchise? In this episode, we chat about the international reach of spy movies and whether spies exist. We also continue to compare action franchises (Mission Impossible, Bourne, and Fast & Furious) and talk about the audiences that they c...

Send us Fan Mail How many products can you spot during a bond movie? In this episode, Cheryl and Lara talk about how the 007 franchise is an advertising machine and the types of products, places and people it helps to promote. We also chat about how the cross-promotion affects the post production and financing of the Bond franchise. 007 Product Placement Drinking Game Every product spotted (1 sip...

Send us Fan Mail What makes James Bond “James Bond”? And, how does he differ from other action protagonists? In this episode, Cheryl and Lara talk about the developments of the Bond character over time. We also chat about the impact of Daniel Craig’s Bond on the franchise and how it reflects what we, as the audience, want from the 007 films. Let us know what you think and chat with us on Twitter:...

Send us Fan Mail Fall is usually the season of big movie releases - and 2021 is no different! Both Cheryl and Lara had a chance to watch some of the biggest films this year at TIFF and the London Film Festival - before the films were even released. Listen in on our conversation about The French Dispatch, Spencer, Last Night in Soho and more! Let us know what you think and chat with us on Twitter:...

Send us Fan Mail To wrap up the superhero genre, we chat about the source material for the genre itself: comic books! Of course, both Cheryl and Lara are not avid comic book fans, but have no fear - we brought on friend and special guest Niels Haraldsted to talk about comic book culture, including the format of comic books and the community that surrounds this medium. We also chat about how comics...

Send us Fan Mail Dune is (finally) released today in Canada and the UK! We both had the chance to watch Dune early at TIFF and the BFI. To celebrate release day, we recorded a bonus episode about whether Dune met our expectations, how it works as an adaptation, what we thought about the score and more! References:  IndieWire “Hans Zimmer Says He’s Driving ‘Dune’ Team Crazy with So Many Score Ideas...

Send us Fan Mail In our last episode of Unbreakable, we start with a quick chat about creepy kids and realistic portrayals of children in film. The conversation leads us to chat about suspending disbelief in films and how authentic characters allow audiences to believe in what’s going on even when the plot is not realistic at all. We then wrap up the episode with our final thoughts and rating of U...

Send us Fan Mail What are our favourite plot twists? This episode, Cheryl and Lara chat about the plot twist in Unbreakable and whether we thought it was successful. We also chat about which genre usually has plot twists and when they are most often done well. Lastly, we talk about how plot twists are impacted from audiences’ initial expectations of the film and why that matters in the film experi...