In this special annual episode, Tim and Tay highlight a few notable movies from 2023. Not necessarily the best or our favourites, but certainly worth seeing! Tim The Killer (Fincher)The Taste of Things (Anh Hung)The Creator (Edwards)Tay Poor Things (Lanthimos)How To Blow Up A Pipeline (Goldhaber)The Holdovers (Payne)Links: Filming The HoldoversAs always, please leave us a review on iTunes and spread the word to your friends! Next month: The films of Greta Gerwig! Follow: SSC on...

Tim and Tay leave pretentious and inconvenient movies behind and switch to the principal media of the modern age: streaming TV. In the first episode of Solo TV Dinner we explore Andor and how it finds impressive depth working within the Star Wars IP machine. Synopsis Andor tells the story of the titular hero’s journey from apathetic rogue to dyed-in-the-wool rebel, acting as a prequel to Rogue One. Starring Diego Luna and created by Tony Gilroy, Andor premiered Sept. 21, 2022. Andor is...

Tim and Tay discuss what is likely the most beloved Star Wars anthology film, Rogue One. A compelling but compromised film, Rogue One introduced new visuals, themes, and characters to the cinematic Star Wars canon. Tune in for a discussion of Gareth Edwards' knack for imparting scale on the big screen and a lot more.  Synopsis Rogue One details the rebel effort to steal the Death Star plans and expose its weakness before the Empire puts the planet-killing weapon to use. Starring Felicity...

Tim and Tay try to look at Star Wars with fresh eyes in this episode on the genesis of one of  film culture's most valuable, gargantuan, and mixed franchises. Synopsis Star Wars (renamed "Episode IV: A New Hope" in ‘81) tells the story of Luke Skywalker, a farm boy that gets caught up in the rebel alliance’s desperate efforts to destroy the galactic empire’s weapon of mass destruction. Starring Mark Hamil, and written and directed by George Lucas, Star Wars was released May 25, 1977. ...

Did you have a dream that we did an episode on Dune: Part 2? Well, it's happening, just as you dreamed it.  Notes: Stellan Skarsgård on his careerFollow: SSC on Instagram Tim on Letterboxd

Tim and Tay celebrate their national heritage with this discussion of BlackBerry. Tune in to hear about Canada's inferiority complex, tangents about long lenses, and more. Synopsis BlackBerry charts the major chapters in the life of the once-iconic smartphone and the people who created and sold it. Starring Jay Baruchel and Glenn Howerton, and directed and written by Matt Johnson, BlackBerry was released May 12, 2023   Where to watch BlackBerry. Notes Heritage MinutesThe Big Picture...

Tim and Tay are joined by Kyle Snarr to talk about one of the most critical movies of the century: The Social Network. We discuss its legacy as part of Fincher's oeuvre, its effect on the cinematic landscape, and just how damn good it is.  Synopsis The Social Network portrays (with great artistic license) the creation and tumultuous growth of Facebook, centering on Mark Zuckerberg's journey and its many legal disputes and personal conflicts.   Where to watch The Social Network. Tay's Scene...

Tim and Tay head to the depths with what is undoubtedly James Cameron's most personal film, The Abyss. Tune in for a discussion of this year's Oscar noms, the foundation of CGI in film, and Cameron's undeniable skill for communicating need-to-know info to the audience.      Synopsis Titanic is a sweeping romantic epic, set against the backdrop of the ill-fated maiden voyage of the RMS Titanic. The film follows the doomed love story between Jack, a penniless artist, and Rose, a wealthy young...

Tim & Tay kick off the new year with a discussion of James Cameron's 1997 box office behemoth Titanic and its ingenious, audience-first design. Tune in to hear about the detailed production, the less-than-detailed characters, and more.  Synopsis Titanic is a sweeping romantic epic, set against the backdrop of the ill-fated maiden voyage of the RMS Titanic. The film follows the doomed love story between Jack, a penniless artist, and Rose, a wealthy young woman, as they struggle to...

Tim & Tay head into the holiday season with a hit musical that marks an early technological predecessor to IMAX: White Christmas. Tune in for a chat about blockbusters (old and new), Vista Vision, and Danny Kaye. Synopsis White Christmas tells the story of two World War II veterans and entertainers who team up to save their former commanding officer's struggling inn, finding love along the way. Starring Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney and Vera Ellen, White Christmas was...

Tim & Tay attempt to get in the holiday spirit with this discussion of Richard Donner's somewhat uneven Dickensian adaptation, Scrooged. Synopsis This modern-day, quasi-meta adaptation of Charles Dickens' classic "A Christmas Carol," tells the story of a cynical TV executive who undergoes a transformative journey of self-discovery during the holiday season. Starring Bill Murray and Karen Allen, Scrooged was directed by Richard Donner and released Nov. 23, 1988. Where to...

Tim & Tay are joined by Erica Sherwood to talk about an undeniable classic: E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. We discuss world-class child actors, Spielberg's insane lighting choices, and E.T.'s penchant for day beers. Synopsis Stranded on earth, a kind alien befriends a young boy in California and attempts to stay one step ahead of the authorities while finding his way home. Starring Henry Thomas, and directed by Stephen Spielberg, E.T. came out June 11, 1982. Where to...

Tim & Tay dig into the surprisingly odd yet undeniably heartfelt children's cult classic, The Iron Giant. Tune in for a chat about the loss of innocence, seamless melding of traditional and computer animation, and Christopher MacDonald. Synopsis A young boy in Cold War-era Maine befriends a giant robot from outer space, and must protect it from both paranoid government agents and its own potential for violence. Starring Eli Marienthal and Vin Diesel, and directed by Brad Bird, The Iron...

Tim & Tay honour the late, great William Friedkin by talking about one of the most successful films of all time: The Exorcist. Synopsis After exhausting all conventional forms of medicine and care, a distraught mother asks the catholic church to perform an exorcism for her suffering, manic daughter. Starring Ellen Burstyn, Linda Blair and Jason Miller, and directed by William Friedkin, The Exorcist was released Dec. 26, 1973. Where to watch The Exorcist. Scene: 39:15 - 44:48 Chris...

Tim & Tay get dig into one of the most accessible horror movies of the modern era, and one that maybe doesn't hold up under close scrutiny. Tune in for a discussion of world-building, high concept strategy, and more. Synopsis A family lives their lives in silence, trying to survive in the presence of alien creatures that hunt by sound. Starring John Krasinski and Emily Blunt, and directed by John Krasinski, A Quiet Place was released April 6, 2018. Where to watch A Quiet...

Tim & Tay get to talk horror once again in this discussion of Neil Marshall's The Descent. We explore this movie's legacy in a genre that has somewhat forgot it, wise filmmaking on a lower budget, and much more.   Synopsis A day of spelunking turns into a nightmare after a group of friends gets trapped underground and pursued by terrifying predators. Starring Shauna Macdonald and Natalie Mendoza, and directed by Neil Marshall, The Descent was released July 8, 2005. Where to watch The...

Tim and Tay are joined by Bunny Stephenson (Instagram / Letterboxd) to talk about our second David Fincher pick for our potlucks: Fight Club. We discuss the movie's exquisite portrayal of brutal violence, its not-so-subtle homoeroticism, and the reception of this satirical take on '90s  men's existential crisis. Synopsis A depressed man’s life is changed after he meets a charming and inspiring anarchist that shows him a life beyond the materialistic world. Starring Ed Norton & Brad...

Tim & Tay take on capitalism in this episode on Nightcrawler. This slick and unsettling film stars Jake Gyllenhaal in his best performance, and explores ambition, tenacity, and the other characteristics most valued by the modern western world. Synopsis Lou Bloom, an ambitious and resourceful Los Angeles resident, methodically tests the moral and economic limits of sensational local news production. Starring Jake Gyllenhaal and directed by Dan Gilroy, Nightcrawler  was released Oct. 31,...

Tim & Tay talk both of Tarantino's revenge epics, Kill Bill Vols 1 &2. Tune in for a discussion of how these films have aged, how they deny audience expectations, and more. Synopsis Kill Bill Vols 1 & 2 tell the story of an assassin’s quest for revenge against her spurned master and ex, Bill. Starring Uma Thurman and directed by Quentin Tarantino, Kill Bill Vols 1 & 2 were released October 10, 2003 and April 16, 2004, respectively. Where to watch Kill Bill Vols 1 &...

Tim & Tay explore the movie that launched Christopher Nolan's career in proper: Memento. We talk about its innovative story structure, the way it plays with the nature of film, and how Carrie-Anne Moss can be pretty mean sometimes.  Synopsis A man with short-term memory loss tracks his wife’s killer, employing a series of habitual techniques to find his target and, eventually, take his revenge. Starring Guy Pearce and directed by Christopher Nolan, Memento was released September 9,...

You know we couldn't go from our bomb theme in July to our revenge theme in August without talking about one of the summer's two biggest films: Oppenheimer. Follow: SSC on Instagram Tim on Letterboxd

Tim & Tay dig into John Woo's maximalist style with the ridiculous, fun, and arguarbly flawed Face/Off. Synopsis FBI agent Sean Archer undergoes radical surgery to trade faces with his nemesis, the terrorist Castor Troy, in order to discover the location of a bomb that threatens Los Angeles. Starring Nicholas Cage and John Travolta, and directed by John Woo, Face/Off was released June 27, 1997. Where to watch Face/Off. Scene: 45:30-48:25 In short order, Castor Troy wakes up from his...

Tim & Tay get to talk about one of their all time favourite films: William Friedkin's Sorcerer. In this first installment for our bomb month (in honour of the forthcoming Oppenheimer), we talk explosions, existential dread, and much more. Synopsis Four desperate men, on the run from their past lives and stuck in a quagmire of Colombian poverty, agree to drive unstable nitroglycerin across 200 miles of dangerous jungle road to put out an inflamed oil well. Starring Roy Schieder and...

Tim & Tay revisit the seminal  summer blockbuster: Jaws. We talk about the dawn of the modern movie megahit,  the difficulty of shooting a movie on the ocean, and much more. Synopsis When a great white shark terrorizes a tourist trap island off the coast of New York, the local police chief, an oceanographer, and a seasoned fisherman are charged with catching it.  Starring Roy Schieder and directed by Stephen Spielberg, Jaws was released June 20, 1975. Where to watch Jaws. Scene:...