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The Pestle: In-depth Movie Talk, No Fluff | Film Review | Spoilers

Wes Evans: Actor, Filmmaker, Director, Writer; Todd Sapio: Actor, Producer, Musician, Athlete

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Cinema lovers unite! Two actors and filmmakers decided to cut through all the fluff and start a movie podcast where they actually discuss the film and not a million other things you don’t care about. Covering the obvious (did you like the movie?) while diving a little deeper (what is Interstellar really about? is there a bootstrap paradox?) we are having an in-depth conversation about movies and see if they hold up to scrutiny, and maybe even inform us about life or moviemaking itself. Becau ...
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We grin at Naomi Scott’s “Smile 2” and discuss: Cinematography, editing, and sound, jumpscares; Story & Writing, theme, exposition; and other such stuff and things and stuff. “Do you remember when you found out you wouldn’t live forever? People don’t talk about this, but everybody had to go through it because you’re not born with that knowledge.“ –…
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We evoke Sam Raimi’s original “The Evil Dead” and discuss: Getting your reps in; Cinematography, interesting angles; Comparing to the sequel; and other such stuff and things and stuff. “Jim Cameron is proof that if you are good, you’ll get promoted.“ – Roger Corman Notes & References: The Evil Dead budget was 350k (in 2024 this would be 1.2m) *Chec…
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We camp at Sam Raimi’s “Evil Dead II” and discuss: Letting the movie dictate the terms of the experience; Cinematography, style, story, and budget; Story & Writing, cut to the chase, motivating character choices; and other such stuff and things and stuff. “I’m too obsessed that the people who say critical things about me are right, even though I’m …
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We sparkle through Richard Kelly’s “Donnie Darko” and discuss: Story & Writing, we try to figure out what’s it all about; and other such stuff and things and stuff. “If you have abandoned one faith, do not abandon all faith. There is always an alternative to the faith we lose. Or is it the same faith under another mask?“ – Graham Greene Notes & Ref…
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We take the mask off of Todd Phillips’ “Joker: Folie à Deux” and discuss: Cinematography, blocking; Story & Writing, Arthur vs Joker, judging the viewer; and other such stuff and things and stuff. “The trees here are in misery, and the birds are in misery. I don’t think they sing. They just screech in pain.“ – Werner Herzog Notes & References: Real…
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We stop time in Francis Ford Coppola’s “Megalopolis” and discuss: We, uh, review Megalopolis; Story & Writing, exposition, melodrama; Afterwards we’ll rank our top 5 or 10 films; and other such stuff and things and stuff. “Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair!” – Percy Bysshe Shelley from the poem “Ozymandias” Watch us on YouTube! Top 5/10 Film…
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We floor it through Keanu Reeves’ “Speed” and discuss: Cinematography, motivated camera movement, dramatic angles; Story & Writing, heightened storytelling, packing in the action, Jack & Annie; and other such stuff and things and stuff. “If you spend enough time with yourself in silence, you’ll be surprised what goes through your head.“ – Sandra Bu…
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We keep it real with Tim Burton’s “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” and discuss: Cinematography, closeups vs mediums and wides for comedy & connection; Story & Writing, but/therefore storytelling, sequels honoring their predecessors, Lydia’s arc; and other such stuff and things and stuff. “With movies, you are always in search of a good story, one that eve…
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We jump in the line of Tim Burton’s “Beetlejuice” and discuss: Cinematography, motivating unmotivated lighting, reveals; Story & Writing, rules for adventure, plot vs emotional arcs; Music, double music cues, setting the tone; and other such stuff and things and stuff. “You don’t know whether chimps are going to kill you or kiss you. They’re very o…
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We burst into Fede Alvarez’s “Alien: Romulus” and discuss: Story & Writing, body horror, Andy, dystopias; and other such stuff and things and stuff. “Science fiction writers, I am sorry to say, really do not know anything. We can’t talk about science, because our knowledge of it is limited and unofficial, and usually our fiction is dreadful.“ – Phi…
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We anoint Shia LaBeouf’s “A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints” and discuss: Cinematography & Directing, camerawork, continuity vs performance; Story & Writing, the saints; and other such stuff and things and stuff. “It is not death that a man should fear, but he should fear never beginning to live.“ – Marcus Aurelius Notes & References: Dito Montiel…
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We stride through Jim Henson’s “The Dark Crystal” and discuss: Cinematography, lighting, camerawork; Puppetry & Directing, process preceding/creating story; Special Guest Elissa Marie talks art, building a business as an artist, and being named Best Visual Artist in Austin; and other such stuff and things and stuff. “When I was young, my ambition w…
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We pop into Ryan Reynolds’s “Deadpool & Wolverine” and discuss: Story & Writing, macguffins, stakes, comedy; and other such stuff and things and stuff. “Just one supernova can temporarily outshine an entire galaxy of 100 billion stars.“ – Michio Kaku Notes & References: “Supernova” by Mad Valley – Todd’s latest music track “Bye Bye Bye” dancing is …
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We make a res with Christian Bale’s “American Psycho” and discuss: Cinematography, lighting a flat shot, hallway composition; Story & Writing, symbolism; and other such stuff and things and stuff. “Well first of all you have to make the character strong so that people can follow that. And then hopefully that character can integrate with the backgro…
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We sincerely reminisce about Stephen King’s “Stand By Me” and discuss: Cinematography, rule of thirds; Story & Writing, coming of age stories, friendship, facing your own mortality; and other such stuff and things and stuff. “That’s the worst, I think. When the secret stays locked within not for want of a teller but for want of an understanding ear…
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We tiptoe through Lupita Nyong’o’s “A Quiet Place: Day One” and discuss: Writing & Story, suspending disbelief, theme & plot; and other such stuff and things and stuff. “I’ll tell you what freedom is to me: no fear. I mean really, no fear!“ – Nina Simone Notes & References: Joseph Quinn (iMDB) – Stranger Things season 4 Reclamation (wiki) – “return…
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We go to war with “Godzilla Minus One” and discuss: Cinematography, revealing scale; Story & Writing, Godzilla the metaphor; and other such stuff and things and stuff. “War does not determine who is right – only who is left.“ – Bertrand Russell Notes & References: Japan war atrocities(wiki) Unit 731(wiki) Firebombing Japan (wiki) Budget is estimate…
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We drop into Dwayne Johnson’s respawn of an old classic, “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle” and discuss: Cinematography, shooting night for night instead of day for night; Story & Writing, physical comedy, character arcs; and other such stuff and things and stuff. “Being in the same room with people and creating something together is a good thing.“ –…
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We rub George Miller’s “Three Thousand Years of Longing” and discuss: Cinematography, how compositing, motion blur, and depth of field help tell the story; Story & Writing, Enzo, Storytelling; Wes rants about why this movie may not have done well in theaters; and other such stuff and things and stuff. “If I had a flower for every time I thought of …
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We stowaway in George Miller’s “Furiosa” and discuss: Story & Writing, mercy in the wasteland, teleporting; and other such stuff and things and stuff. “When life itself seems lunatic, who knows where madness lies? Perhaps to be too practical is madness. To surrender dreams — this may be madness. Too much sanity may be madness — and maddest of all: …
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We give “Fallout” a thumb’s up and discuss: Story & Writing, Lucy’s character arc, great exposition; Guest Joe Howes solves cold fusion during an offscreen scene; and other such stuff and things and stuff. “You only know me as you see me, not as I actually am.“ – Immanuel Kant Notes & References: *Correction: Fallout 4 was released Nov. 10, 2015, s…
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We crash into “The Fall Guy” and discuss: Story & Writing, great stakes, breaking the rule of repeats; and other such stuff and things and stuff. “I think if you have ability and talent in one way, you have it in all ways. I’m not a jack of all trades; I’m a master of many. I don’t feel there is anything I can’t do if I want to.“ – Evel Knievel Not…
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We narrate Will Ferrell’s “Stranger Than Fiction” and discuss: Cinematography, infinite zoom, story through shadows; Story & Writing, rule of repeats, naming conventions, ticking clock; and other such stuff and things and stuff. “Kind words don’t cost much. Yet they accomplish much.“ – Blaise Pascal Notes & References: “Office Zombies” short film –…
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We swing through Dev Patel’s “Monkey Man” and discuss: Cinematography, camerawork, visual motifs; Story & Writing, emotional engagement, setting up payoffs; and other such stuff and things and stuff. “Grief changes shape, but it never ends.“ – Keanu Reeves Notes & References: Todd’s band: Mad Valley vinyl album Byron Reese speaker demo reel – they …
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We document Alex Garland’s “Civil War” and discuss: Cinematography, compositions; Story & Writing, strong character arcs; Sound design, music; and other such stuff and things and stuff. “War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength.“ – George Orwell Watch us on YouTube! This Week’s Recommendations: The post Ep 273: “Civil War” appeared f…
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We migrate to Celine Song’s “Past Lives” and discuss: Cinematography, long takes, composition and blocking; Story & Writing, immigration, notes from the screenplay; and other such stuff and things and stuff. “We become not a melting pot but a beautiful mosaic. Different people, different beliefs, different yearnings, different hopes, different drea…
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We karate chop Matt Damon’s “The Bourne Identity” and discuss: Cinematography, camerawork, lighting; Sound design & editing; and other such stuff and things and stuff. “There can be no faith in government if our highest offices are excused from scrutiny – they should be setting the example of transparency.“ – Edward Snowden Notes & References: Todd…
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We tour Martin McDonagh’s “In Bruges” and discuss: Directing & Cinematography; Story & Writing, innocence, ethics of murder; and other such stuff and things and stuff. “The only difference between the saint and the sinner is that every saint has a past, and every sinner has a future.“ – Oscar Wilde Notes & References: *Correction: Elf came out in 2…
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We claw through Jon Favreau’s “Swingers” and discuss: Cinematography, Directing & DP’ing, blocking; Story & Writing, Titles, Theme, Homages; and other such stuff and things and stuff. “Judge a man by his questions rather than by his answers.“ – Voltaire Notes & References: “An oral history of Swingers” (Grantland.com) – Amazing retelling of how the…
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We hit 88 mph through Michael J. Fox’s “Back to the Future” and discuss: Cinematography, performance and editing; Story & Writing, cars, clocks, and loops, Marty’s arc; and other such stuff and things and stuff. “Affliction comes to us, not to make us sad but sober; not to make us sorry but wise.“ – H.G. Wells Notes & References: Eric Stoltz shot f…
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We chip and shatter Denis Villeneuve’s “Dune part 2” and discuss: Cinematography, exposure for story, backlighting the sun; Story & Writing, na-Baron; Performances, Zendaya’s layers, Javier Bardem going all out; and other such stuff and things and stuff. “You can have the power to destroy, but it doesn’t give you the power to reform, or improve, or…
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We’re ON THE WAY through Brad Pitt’s “Fury” and discuss: Cinematography, contrast, motivating light; Story & Writing, Norman’s arc; Sound design; and other such stuff and things and stuff. “I’ve always felt that movies are an emotional medium — that movies are not the way to make an intellectual argument.“ – Roger Ebert Notes & References: Reddit d…
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We slowly watch Zack Snyder’s “300” and discuss: Cinematography, slomo; Story & Writing, dramatic effect; Not quite true history; and other such stuff and things and stuff. “It is better by noble boldness to run the risk of being subject to half the evils we anticipate than to remain in cowardly listlessness for fear of what might happen.“ – Herodo…
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We process Paul Thomas Anderson’s “The Master” and discuss: Cinematography, contrast and eye shadows; Story & Writing, Freddie’s potion, the master; and other such stuff and things and stuff. “Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich.“ – Napoleon Bonaparte Notes & References: Addendum: The highlights definitely near blowing out, but …
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Two hungry boys devour Paul Thomas Anderson’s “Phantom Thread” and discuss: Cinematography without a cinematographer; Directing, sound design; Story & Writing; and other such stuff and things and stuff. “There is no time for cut-and-dried monotony. There is time for work. And time for love. That leaves no other time!“ – Coco Chanel Notes & Referenc…
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We investigate Denzel Washington’s “Fallen” and discuss: Cinematography, exposition, eye lights; Story & Writing, theme; and other such stuff and things and stuff. “Never pick a fight with an ugly person, they’ve got nothing to lose.“ – Robin Williams Watch us on YouTube! This Week’s Recommendations: The post Ep 262: “Fallen” (1998) appeared first …
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We wrestle Zac Efron’s “The Iron Claw” and discuss: Story & Writing, exposition, bittersweet salve; and other such stuff and things and stuff. “In order to be the man, you have to beat the man.“ – Ric Flair Watch us on YouTube! This Week’s Recommendations: Versa Gripps Pro (on Amazon) The post Ep 261: “The Iron Claw” appeared first on The Pestle.…
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We check in to Drew Goddard’s “Bad Times at the El Royale” and discuss: Cinematography, unmotivated light, motivated coverage; Story & Writing, true faith, honoring the dead; Special Guest Hamish Purdy, set decorator on Bad Times at the El Royale; and other such stuff and things and stuff. “A well constructed plot, therefore, must neither begin nor…
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We cancel Nicolas Cage’s “Dream Scenario” and discuss: Cinematography, selling the absence of something; Story & Writing, structure, blending in, viral fame; New Mad Valley track, “I Don’t Want to Be Careful”; and other such stuff and things and stuff. “The most powerful force ever known on this planet is human cooperation – a force for constructio…
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We invade Ridley Scott’s “Napoleon” and discuss: Cinematography, fight sequence; Story & Writing, nudity, Josephine; and other such stuff and things and stuff. “There is no instance of a nation benefitting from prolonged warfare.“ – Sun Tzu Notes & References: “Threads” Light Ranger 2 Ridley Scott’s 1984 Apple Super Bowl Commercial Watch us on YouT…
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We deserve Clint Eastwood’s “Unforgiven” and discuss: Cinematography, contrast; Story & Writing, Will vs Bill, deserve’s got nothing to do with it; New Mad Valley Track “All Of Me”; and other such stuff and things and stuff. “Being good is easy, what is difficult is being just.“ – Victor Hugo Notes & References: “Unforgiven” is not based on a book,…
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We flip a coin on the Coen Brothers’ “No Country for Old Men” and discuss: Cinematography & Editing; Story & Writing, luck, fate, and evil; Actor Trent Moore discusses his role in No Country for Old Men and working with the Coen Brothers; and other such stuff and things and stuff. “We cannot change anything until we accept it. Condemnation does not…
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We grow into Charlie Kaufman’s “Adaptation” and discuss: Wes discusses losing his grandmother (00:00-13:38); Cinematography; Story & Writing, subplots vs settings, Charlie’s twin; New Mad Valley track “Come Back Down”; and other such stuff and things and stuff. “There’s this inherent screenplay structure that everyone seems to be stuck on, this thr…
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We scan Gareth Edwards’ “The Creator” and discuss: Story & Writing, humanizing the enemy; Performance; Music & Sound Design; and other such stuff and things and stuff. “Individual science fiction stories may seem as trivial as ever to the blinder critics and philosophers of today – but the core of science fiction, its essence has become crucial to …
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We shake hands with RackaRacka’s “Talk To me” and discuss: Directing & Cinematography, visceral storytelling; Story & Writing, keeping us off-balance, possessing the hand; New Mad Valley track “Take It All”; and other such stuff and things and stuff. “Words have no power to impress the mind without the exquisite horror of their reality.“ – Edgar Al…
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We stalk “Paranormal Activity” and discuss: Cinematography, combining style and story; Writing & Story, selling the world, slow burns and slow payoffs; Directing and Editing, fast facts; and other such stuff and things and stuff. “The key to a good horror movie is what happens between the scares. The scares aren’t the tricky part. If you’re involve…
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We grab a Twinkie, call the “Ghostbusters” and discuss: Story & Writing, efficient storytelling, comedy; Sound & Music, soundtrack; New Mad Valley track: “Only Good Things”; and other such stuff and things and stuff. “Don’t think about your errors or failures; otherwise, you’ll never do a thing.“ – Bill Murray Notes & References: Listen to Mad Vall…
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We float through M. Night Shyamalan’s “The Sixth Sense” and discuss: Cinematography, reveals, coverage and theatrical flair; Writing & Directing, pacing; and other such stuff and things and stuff. “I have found little that is ‘good’ about human beings on the whole. In my experience most of them are trash, no matter whether they publicly subscribe t…
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We bear down on Leonardo DiCaprio’s “The Revenant” and discuss: Cinematography, immersive storytelling; Guest Sergio Trejos, sound engineer joins us; New Mad Valley track!; and other such stuff and things and stuff. “A man that studieth revenge keeps his own wounds green.“ – Francis Bacon Notes & References: Check out Sergio’s work as a sound desig…
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We concur with Denzel Washington’s “Crimson Tide” and discuss: Cinematography, dutch angles for dramatic effect and for the setting; Story & Writing, betrayals, conversations about horses, command, duty, and doing what’s right; Performances, Music by Hans Zimmer, Random Crimson Tide facts; and other such stuff and things and stuff. “It is even bett…
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