Subject: Rear Window (1954)

Observers: John Pavlich, Tysto

Record Date: March 16, 2012, 09:03 PM

Plot Summary: A broken leg confines a photographer to his apartment, with nothing to do but watch the courtyard and other apartments from his window. All seems fine and mundane at first, until he begins to suspect one of his neighbors of cold-blooded murder.

Note: Taking a look at a beloved classic, Tysto returns to the podcast for a commentary on one of Alfred Hitchcock's masterworks of suspense, "Rear Window". We discuss minimalist storytelling, economy of information, relationship politic of the 1950s' versus today, voyeurism and building a great mystery. Remember to listen for the preemptive countdown before starting the film on your DVD.

Subject: The Fast and The Furious (2001)

Observers: John Pavlich, Alex Ewing, Matt Vayda

Record Date: March 25, 2012, 12:32 AM

Plot Summary: A young cop goes undercover in the high stakes world of illegal street racing, in an effort to bring down the mastermind behind a city-wide highjacking ring.

Note: Alex returns for more car-related commentary and brings Matt Vayda with him. The three of us share our thoughts on the Fast and the Furious franchise. We discuss the car fetish subculture, the cast and crew involved in this series and the order in which one should watch them. Remember to listen for the preemptive countdown before starting the movie on your DVD.

Subject: April Fool's Day (1986)

Observers: John Pavlich, William Bibbiani

Record Date: March 25, 2012, 08:41 PM

Plot Summary: A group of nine college students, staying at a friend's remote, island mansion begin to fall victim to an unseen murderer over the April Fool's day weekend.

Note: In celebration of the podcast's six year anniversary, Crave Online's film channel editor, William Bibbiani returns to discuss the unique, 80s' slasher cult classic, April Fool's Day starring Deborah Foreman. We talk about pulling pranks, twisting the conventions of the genre and William coins the term, "Sleepover Horror". Remember to listen for the preemptive countdown before starting the film on your DVD.

Subject: Drive (2011)

Observers: John Pavlich, Alex Ewing, Michael "Dorkman" Scott

Record Date: March 18, 2012, 06:24 PM

Plot Summary: A quiet, enigmatic loner, with dreams of settling down works as a Hollywood stunt driver by day, and a getaway driver by night.

Note: Having previously indulged here in a discussion about "them teenage witches", Alex Ewing returns to the podcast. In addition, Michael "Dorkman" Scott makes his first appearance, unfaithfully straying from his smarter and prettier partner, Down In Front. The three of us are here to gush about one of the best films of 2011 (yeah, I said it), Drive. We talk about the nuts and bolts screenplay, the unconventional direction, the ethereal synth-pop soundtrack and the brutal, crackling intensity of it all. Also, here's the animated tribute to the film Alex was referring to in this episode. Remember to listen for the preemptive countdown before starting the movie on your DVD.

Subject: I'll Always Know What You Did Last Summer (2006)

Observers: John Pavlich, Hayley White

Record Date: March 08, 2012, 04:56 AM

Plot Summary: The legend of the Killer Fisherman has manifested into a supernatural force, when a prank gone wrong results in an accidental death and a group of teenagers vow to keep their involvement a secret.

Note: Chocolate dealer from the land down under, Hayley White returns to the podcast to help me put the final nail (hopefully) in the coffin of the Killer Fisherman franchise. We discuss our feelings on pulling pranks, ADR and the struggle of trying to do something different in a pre-established series, while also being trapped within that territory. Remember to listen for the preemptive countdown before starting the movie on your DVD.

Subject: Shriek If You Know What I Did Last Friday the 13th (2000)

Observers: John Pavlich, Hayley White

Record Date: February 27, 2012, 06:37 AM

Plot Summary: Highschool kids are being systematically stalked and murdered by a masked madman in this fun (but flawed) parody, spoofing the Teen Slasher genre.

Note: Australian ubergeek, Hayley White returns to the podcast for some more Dead Teenager discussions. We talk about the art and science that goes into making a spoof movie, what works, what doesn't and why and how to possibly fix things. We also discuss the ensemble cast including Julie Benz, Danny Strong, Tom Arnold, Majandra Delfino and Tiffani Thiessen. Remember to listen for the preemptive countdown before starting the movie on your DVD.

Correction: In this episode, I mistakenly declare Danny Strong as having been nominated for an Academy Award for his Recount screenplay. What I meant to say was Emmy. He also won a WGA Award for that script. Also, I should do more research before these commentaries, as Majandra Delfino has in fact been quite busy, I just didn't know it.

Subject: The Dark Knight (2008)

Observers: John Pavlich, Tysto

Record Date: February 18, 2012, 02:57 PM

Plot Summary: Batman has established himself in Gotham as a force to be reckoned with against organized crime. Unfortunately, something completely chaotic and disorganized arrives out of nowhere to set the city on fire, sometimes literally: An elusive, destructive psychotic known only as The Joker.

Note: Recorded mere hours ago from this posting, Tysto and I continue our examinations into the dark and compelling world of Christopher Nolan's take on Batman. We discuss order versus chaos, translating a comic book fantasy into a harsh, gritty reality, transcending your genre and the late, great Heath Ledger's masterful performance. Remember to listen for the preemptive countdown before starting the film on your DVD.

Subject: Three O'Clock High (1987)

Observers: John Pavlich, William Bibbiani

Record Date: December 10, 2011, 09:50 PM

Plot Summary: A sheepish young man is suddenly very popular with his peers, when he is forced into a fight after school with a new student, who happens to be a stone cold psychopath.

Note: Finishing the last of the banked episodes from 2011, "Bibbs" (the managing editor for Crave Online's Film section) joins me to discuss this film's astounding cinematography and editing, school violence and the more underrated offerings of teen films from the 1980s'. Remember to listen for the preemptive countdown before starting the film on your DVD. Also of note, I mentioned in this episode, a podcast featuring interviews with a few actors from the film, and here it is!

Subject: Gattaca (1997)

Observers: John Pavlich, Josh Bradley, Tysto

Record Date: December 02, 2011, 11:41 PM

Plot Summary: A genetically inferior man assumes the identity of a superior one in order to pursue his lifelong dream of space travel.

Note: In addition to this being one of the last of the banked episodes, it's also the penultimate recording from 2011. Josh, Tysto and I take an in depth look at this unique and throught-provoking science fiction-noir film. We discuss and reconfigure the story structure and plot points, examine the themes and ideas within and reflect on the critical and audience reaction, as well as the film's success and relevance to today. Remember to listen for the preemptive countdown before starting the film on your DVD.

Subject: Batman Begins (2005)

Observers: John Pavlich, Tysto

Record Date: November 20, 2011, 08:38 PM

Plot Summary: Driven by the death of his parents and the rise of criminal activity within the city, a man uses his inherited wealth to transform himself into a masked vigilante known as the Batman.

Note: After taking a break for the holidays, the podcast returns. Tysto and I take a look at the first installment of Christoher Nolan's Batman Trilogy. We discuss comic book adaptation to film, past incarnations of the characters, narrative structure and the repitition of specific themes within the Director's body of work. Remember to listen for the preemptive countdown before starting the film on your DVD.