Film Trace

Welcome back Snyder? The last five years have been a rollercoaster for Zach Snyder. Batman vs Superman imploded within days of opening in 2016. The next year Snyder left Justice League due to a family tragedy, and the Frankenstein'd cut of that film almost killed the DCEU when it was released in 2017. Then Snyder went dark. In the meantime, the Snyder fan army rose up to defend his DC abominations and Warner Bros needed to prop up HBO Max. Enter the infamous Snyder cut of Justice League, which seemed to reverse Snyder's fall. But hold on, here we have a two and half hour sophomoric heist romp through a zombie-infested Las Vegas.  Does Snyder still make the cut? Join us as we trace the life of Army of the Dead from conception (failed Dawn of Dead followup) to production (ebay vintage broken lenses) to release (Netflix shiny object) to reception (widely watched, narrowly loved)

Shane Black was the wunderkind and whipping boy of screenwriting in the 1980s and 90s. His instant massive influence was only surpassed by his sudden fated fall. The scriptwriting maestro ran for the hills when his fame and wealth became a target-rich environment for snippy critics and jealous peers. His guardian angel, producer Joel Silver, let Shane direct his script Kiss Kiss Bang Bang in 2005, and this helped the stars align for 2016's The Nice Guys, a slick nostalgic noir featuring the comedy duo Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling. None of this works on paper, but on the screen it shines bright and helped bring Shane Black back into the good graces of the backstabbing Hollywood elites. Special Guest: Gary Horne from the fantastic Cinema Shock Podcast Join us as we trace the life of The Nice Guys from conception (modern-day detective tv show for CBS) to production (Crowe going method as fat man) to release (snoozy summer release) to reception (muted in theaters, elevated on home video)

The domestic thriller makes a futile and flaccid comeback with this Casey Affleck helmed stalker gawker. In what amounts to a really expensive Lifetime movie, Every Breath You Take is a paint-by-numbers melodrama that forgot how to count. Chris tries to find some faint glimmer of a silver lining in this borefest, and Dan spends most of the episode beating it like a pinata to see what pretentious claptrap pours out. This episode of Film Trace is at least five times as riveting as the movie.  Join us as we trace the life of Every Breath You Take from conception (a script by the Third Man) to production (filmed in a West Elm catalog) to release (acquired a month before release) to reception (crash and burn)

We take the deep trip with Darren Aronofsky on his grief tour of conquistadors, neuroscience, and bubble spaceships. The Fountain is crazy. What started out as a 100 million Warner Bros production, got downsized to a 35 million love letter to Rachel Weisz after Brad Pitt walked away from the production only weeks before shooting. Aronofsky refused to give up on his time-hopping quest for eternal life. The Fountain is what happens when an all-star, who just hits two home runs, gets cocky, millions of more dollars, and enough hubris to sink a battleship. It is a glorious mess. Special Guest: Ryan Hendricks, a movie industry veteran, long time friend, and film aficionado Join us as we trace the life of The Fountain from conception (Brad Pitt cold feet) to production (budget cut by 60%) to release (C- Cinemascore) to reception (pseudo cult hit)

The Russo Brothers set fire to their MCU millions with a bombastic and experimental drug drama starring Spiderman himself, Tom Holland. Based on a gonzo novel, Cherry is a deep trip to the dystopia of Cleveland, Ohio. Holland gladly grins his way through this strung-out odyssey of suburban malaise and mania. Love leads to heartbreak to Iraq to heroin to bank robbery to prison. The Russo brothers shove the plot through a kaleidoscope of tone and out pops a shattered confection of mental illness and drug addiction. Join us as we trace the life of Cherry from conception (autofiction NY Times bestseller) to production (budget cut from 100 million to 40 million) to release (the final pandemic release?) to reception (critical pariah)   

Before Nolan became a film bro deity, he made a little neo-noir film about a guy who can't remember anything. Well, as Nolan would say, it's a lot more complicated than that. Memento is a milestone for many reasons. It kickstarted Nolan's career. It is one of the best noir films made outside the golden age. Memento was also a huge triumph for indie filmmaking. Shot for under 5 million and produced for under 10 million in total by a complete nobody, Memento sat next to Fight Club in every 20-something male's dvd collection.  Our resident Nolan critic, Molly, joins us to dissect a film that hit us hard as young adults. But does it still pack the same punch? Join us as we trace the life of Memento from conception (road trip storytime) to production (The Valley in Cinescope) to release (minor success) to reception (critical hit becomes frat hall cult film)

Getaway to never never land with two 40-something Middle America chatty uppers called Barb and Star. Their final destination is the sunny and surreal Vista Del Mar somewhere on the gulf coast of Florida. We haven't seen an absurdist comedy like this in many moons with only a faint lineage traced to Hot Rod (2007) and a smidge of Austin Powers (1997). Otherwise, this movie is an exercise and experiment in a decades-long inside joke between two improv stars: Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo. Toss in documentary filmmaker Josh Greenbaum and you get this bizarre beach romp. Join us as we trace the life of Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar from conception (Bridesmaids outtakes) to production (heatstroke Caribbean) to release (PVOD or bust) and reception (instant cult hit).

Mann is born. James Caan cruises through the black mirror of Chicago's rain-soaked streets in Micheal Mann's masterful film debut, Thief. This 1980s neo-noir is a rote one-more-caper film at its root, but its eccentric flourishes grow into bountiful and rich foliage: the ethereal soundtrack from Tangerine Dream, the searing ambition of Caan, and the corrupted spine of Chicago itself. Way behind the genre films of the time, Thief remains a riveting, ambitious, and wonderful film. Special Guest: Mike Field of the fantastic Forgotten Cinema podcast. Join us as we trace the life of Thief from conception (Mann cold selling) to production (18 hour days stalking Chicago) to release (muted and forgotten) and reception (Letterboxd catnip). 

Take a walk on the trite side with this 1990s LA Boir period-piece new to HBO Max, The Little Things. This bromidic concoction comes from the Hollywood journeyman John Lee Hancock who is responsible for The Blind Side and more recently the Netflix AARP hit The Highwaymen. Denzel Washington plays the haunted lead detective opposite Rami Maleck and walking freakshow Jared Leto plays the heavy in this inconspicuous crime thriller. How did a script written in 1993 with Steven Spielberg attached end up getting dumped to a streaming service in 2021? Listen and find out! Join us as we trace the life of The Little Things from conception (script hot potato) to production (Denzel has nothing better to do) to release (hanging up on Warner Bros) and reception (no one loves it but most people watch it).

Plumbing the depths of our virile past, we uncover the distinct and indecipherable artifact of Swingers, a 90s hipster flick that Gen X refuses to disavow. Before Youtube and TikTok, the aimless youth took to indie filmmaking to express their angst, opinion, and sociopathy. Using discarded film and refuse from his own life, Jon Favreau joined forces with Doug Liman and Vince Vaughn to spawn this down and out EL Lay hangout movie that mysteriously led to a swing music revival. The past ain't dead, but it certainly doesn't age well. Joining us this week to dissect this 1996 bromedy are repeat guests Mark and Brigitte from the Screen Time: A Quarantine Podcast Join us as we trace the life of Swingers from conception (Dad got you Final Draft) to production (what's a release form?) to release (only LA people got it) and reception (massive home video hit).

We start Season 3 with the opening salvo of Promising Young Woman, a genre confection spiked with razors that rides the line between pitch-black comedy, exploitation rape-revenge, and 90s romcom. Carey Mulligan plays a down and out con artist who reaps revenge on date rapists and anyone associated with a life-altering crime that took her best friend. A saccharine sheen is mixed with catastrophic trauma, and the die feels cast in the opening scenes of slurred pink and runny red.  Join us as we trace the life of Promising Young Woman from conception (opening scene spark) to production (shoestring shoot) to release (film twitter hype) and reception (loved by many, hated by few).

Merry Christmas from Finland! Chris shares this wonderful little gem from the great north and the land of Soviet crushers. Rare Exports is clearly a labor of love, and it became Finland's first breakthrough film export, ironically. It started as two very gonzo film shorts made in the early to mid-2000s and culminated in one of the most bizarre and enjoyable holiday films of the 21st century. Santa is a massive monster, and his elves are Crazies. It's fun, weird, perfectly paced, and full of holiday terror. Highly recommended. Join us as we trace the life of Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale from conception (admen got bored) to production (filmed on location in Santa's backyard) to release (International cult hit) and reception (aged very well, new holiday classic).

Have you ever felt like a stranger inside of your own head? Brandon Cronenberg takes you on a dissociative bender in his second feature, Possessor. This cyber noir freak show is just as unsettling as the work of Brandon's father, the body horror king himself, David Cronenberg. A mind-jumping hitwoman is sent by the nebulous company to take out soft targets for big dollars. Both disgusting and riveting, Possessor is elevated horror that may leave you nauseous and ponderous or perhaps sick and bored. Join us as we trace the life of Possessor from conception (philosophy 101 mad libs) to production (7 damn years) to release (Sundance darling) and reception (a split-brain response).

Get out your MAGA hat (made in China) and your Bernie 2016 organic cotton t-shirt (made in Vietnam), it's time for everyone's favorite middlebrow polemic, V For Vendetta (2005). Chris decides to punish Dan and himself in the process by revisiting our mid-20s and this sloppy attempt to adapt Alan Moore's pretty awesome graphic novel about a coming dystopia. Spoiler alert: Dystopia is already here, but instead of Norsefire and Fingermen, we have Alexa, Covid, and the Republican party. Dan rants while Chris sighs as we breakdown why a 3rd stringer was brought into direct Lilly and Lana Wachoskowi's vision for Anarchy in the UK. But it is a beloved film, and we would be remiss to not add an extra level of condescension to aggravate the masses. Join us as we trace the life of V for Vendetta (2005) from conception (turning wine into swill) to production (who needs locations when you have a soundstage) to release (perfect timing) and reception (an average person's idea of a thinking man's movie).

Let the Werewolf renaissance begin! Chris and Dan discuss the new "indie" horror film The Wolf of Snow Hollow from the director-writer-star, Jim Cummings. Wolf is a gumbo of tones and a buffet of horror tropes served piping hot. It is a fun movie, especially for horror nerds who enjoy their gore with a wink. More than anything, this film creates a unique and layered cinematic world without wasting anyone's time (sub 90 minute run time). That is quite a feat. This has been a long season of some pretty bad and mediocre movies, but we finally found a movie we both love. Join us as we trace the life of The Wolf of Snow Hollow (2020) from conception (what if Zodiac was a comedy) to production (guerilla filmmaking in Utah) to release (a pandemic treat) and reception (critics love, audiences like, we praise).

Ian Mungall of the great CineSiblingsPod joins us to discuss the turn of the century maladapted-male classic, High Fidelity (2000). John Cusack plays a thirty-something music nerd who can't seem to find the right rhythm in his love life. Based on the once-beloved now belittled novel of the same name, High Fidelity is a pristine time capsule of how Gen X men translated their suppressed emotions through obsessions about how other people, mostly dead, expressed their emotions. Is the MCU fanboy a newer version of the 1990s vinyl snob? Listen and found out as three white males discuss a sacred text of casual chauvinism.  Join us as we trace the life of High Fidelity (2000) from conception (I wonder what men think?) to production (Chicago is cheaper to film than London) to release (I don't see a lot of money here) and reception (loved in its time but grown stale with age).

Special guest, good friend Molly, joins us for a deep dive into Aaron Sorkin's attempt at storming the bastille, The Trial of the Chicago 7 (or 8 or 10 depending on who you ask). In 2006, Steven Spielberg tapped Sorkin to write this courtroom thriller about a pivotal moment in American history, a 1969 political show trial Nixon concocted to take out the leaders of the anti-war movement. Sorkin finished the script in a year, but the movie went through development purgatory for a decade before the money men could see a profit with the upcoming last election in America ever. The cast is wonderful. The script is vintage Sorkin. The pieces are all there, but do they fit together? Join us as we trace the life of The Trial of the Chicago 7 from conception (Sorkin's historical amnesia ) to production (creating a painting, not a photo) to release (a 24-hour bidding war between the streaming giants) and reception (beloved by all except the deeply cynical and the British).

Chris and Dan along with special guest Evan from the great Spoilerpiece Theatre podcast discuss the finer points of 90s elevated schlock, Species. What starts out as a high concept alien invasion film quickly devolves into a dutch angle thriller with a syfy channel finale. Natasha Henstridge gets her infamous start flanked by a motley crew of thespians: Micheal Madsen, Marg Helgenberger, and Forest Whitaker. Ben Kingsley leads this ragtag team of alien hunters searching LA for a female model who wants to procreate in a plot that could have only be concocted by a frustrated middle-age man.  Join us as we trace the life of Species from conception (8 rewrites of the script) to production (HR Giger sending hate faxes) to release (good enough for 3 sequels) and reception (genrework as its best defense).

The Sandlerverse births another low-brow Netflix comedy that plays for background noise rather than laughs. Adam Sandler may be the most powerful person in comedy filmmaking, but he uses his clout to make this soft-serve swill that appeals to the indolent and ignorant alike. Hubie features an amazing array of SNL cutouts, bored and possibly broke celebrities, and newcomers who have wandered into Sandler's web. We traverse the Sandlerverse to discover the event horizon between art and commerce, a place where Grown Ups 2 plays on repeat for eternity.  Join us as we trace the life of Hubie Halloween from conception (Sander's posse needed cash) to production (Salem's first film since Hocus Pocus) to release (Netflix  Triple-A) and reception (universally disliked but not hated).

Guests Mark and Brigitte from the Screen Time: A Quarantine Podcast join us for the second episode of season two where we dive into reclusive genius Micheal Cimino's bizarro attempt at a house invasion remake, Desperate Hours (1990). A year before Mickey Rourke temporarily dropped out of acting to become a pro boxer, he played the charismatic gang leader Micheal Bosworth in this genre film gone ham. The all-star cast mostly sits idly in the stands as Cimino and Rourke try to hit dingers in every scene. Little British man Anthony Hopkins plays a Vietnam vet grunt. Supposed femme fatale Kelly Lynch is a brilliant yet also hysterical victim. Elias Koteas and David Morse are both bit-part jesters making the most of it. It's not great, but it's a lot of fun. Join us as we trace the life of Desperate Hours from conception (a true story sensationalized) to production (randomly Utah) to release (DOA) and reception (the penultimate film of Micheal Cimino).

Season 2 is here! Dan and Chris along with special guest Molly dissect the latest Oscar-bait offering from Netflix, The Devil All the Time.  With a cast stacked like flapjacks and a plot overflowing the brim, this Antonio Campos film is satiating and gluttonous. The story follows non-American actors playing poor Americans who lead desperate lives in the American South or Midwest or maybe Appalachia (it is not very clear). Despite the implicit pretentiousness, the acting is superb and the cinematography is gorgeous. But what does it all add up to? Find out as we trace the life of The Devil All the Time from conception (guy reads a book) to production (celebrities in rural Alabama) to release (Netflix awards chum) and reception (Number 1 in USA) Join us as we trace the life of The Devil All the Time...

Dan Gilroy's anti-capitalist polemic is one of the most beautiful and horrific films of the 2010s. Jake Gyllenhaal masterfully plays Lou, a lone wolf who stalks human tragedy in the headlight glow of LA nights. His relentless drive for action, money, and success leaves us both nauseous and enthralled. Mostly ignored by the masses upon release, Nightcrawler has had many second lives being spread through online forums via the praise of young men. A true cult classic. We trace the life of Nightcrawler from conception (the antihero wins) to production (location scouting at 3am) to release (a TIFF success that didn't take) and reception (Critical raves, B- CinemaScore) Join us as we trace the life of Nightcrawler...

David Ayer returns to his old haunts in this 30 million dollar low-rent crime film about the LA gangland. The violence is constant and grotesque. The emotional melody is either mute or cacophonous. Shia LaBeouf, tightrope walking a role as a gringo hitman called Creeper, tattooed his entire chest for a 2-minute grainy scene where he is relentlessly tortured. This film is a prime example of how the forces of commerce can overpower even the most resolute artistic impulse. We trace the life of The Tax Collector from conception (it all began in a dojo), production (the cast rehearsed for over 2 months), release (VOD hit), reception (0% Top Critic Rotten Tomato score) Join us as we trace the life of The Tax Collector...

Robert Pattinson broods his way through Pre-9/11 New York City in this yappy genre gumbo: One part Nicholas Sparks, Two Parts 2005's Stay, Three Parts masturbatory memoir. It is less a movie and more a ride. The story arc is built by fiddlestix as young love blooms in the shadow of the twin towers. The ending makes it one of the worst movies of the 2010s. We trace the life of Remember Me from conception (they started with the ending!), production (Pattinson needed security to take a piss), release (Tiger Beats saved it), reception (rage against the screen) Join us as we trace the life of Remember Me...

Dave Franco attempts to escape his brother's shadow by commissioning a mumblecore horror flick called The Rental. Teaming with the mumbleking himself, Joe Swanberg, the two try to walk the impossible tight rope between arthouse and consumer swill. It is a horror genre piece that shreds conventions without putting them back together. It is a passion project where artistic desire mingles with old Hollywood chutzpah. A film with many identities, none very knowable. We trace the life of The Rental from conception (AirBNB Nightmares), production (finding the spooky house), release (a pandemic bounce), reception (showing promise or a first misstep) Join us as we trace the life of The Rental...

A dream team creates a stoner comedy to cap off the golden age of improv. Odd man out David Gordan Greene helms the ship as Seth Rogen, James Franco, and a motley ensemble of character actors "yes and" their way through suburban EL Lay. It is the definitive weed movie of the 2000s. We trace the life of Pineapple Express from conception (Apatow's "weed action movie"), production (Greene refused to use the script on set), release (dog days with 3.7x multiplier), reception (cult classic or an afterthought?) Join us as we trace the life of Pineapple Express...

Kelly Reichardt's subversive western about two men and a prized cow. A novel is deftly cut down here to a seemingly small film with a massive message: capitalism, masculinity, and manifest destiny. We trace the life of this newly released film from conception (why a cow?), production (an indie period piece), release (skipping Venice after being explicitly invited), reception (critical rapture, but will it play outside the West Village?) Just us as we trace the life of First Cow... 

A lost film from the dynamic duo of crazy man Nic Cage and blockbuster director Gore Verbinski. A rich man's failed attempt at remaking Sideways. In place of a wine metaphor for aging gracefully, we have Cage getting faced by a Big Gulp as a "life crisis." It's literally in your face. We trace the life of this bizarre mid-Aughts artifact from conception (a 6 digit bidding war for the script) to production (Cage job shadowing a Chicago weatherman) to release (shuffled for a delusional Oscar campaign) to reception (a D+ CinemaScore). In our journey, we uncover the difference between an authentic indie pinot noir versus a studio system brown-bag merlot. Listen to found out as we film trace The Weather Man (now showing on Hulu)

We are back with a new episode on Eurovision blah blah blah. The title is dumb, but is the movie? Yes, of course, but is it an enjoyable lark? We trace the life of this absurd film from conception (Will Ferrell said it took 20 years to make) to production to release and reception.  We chat a lot about Netflix's house style for their original content and how comedy has quickly fallen out of grace at the box office. Can Eurovision reignite the golden years of the mid-2000s when improv comedy took over the multiplex?  Listen to found out as we film trace Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga

Film Trace is a new podcast where we trace the life of a film from conception to production all the way to release and reception. This week's episode is The Darkness, newly released on Netflix. We cover how horror film upstarts George McLean and Jason Blum joined forces to bring us one of the most mediocre horror films of the last decade. The micro-budget film starring Kevin Bacon and Radha Mitchell attempts to build on the haunted house tradition of Paranormal Activity and The Conjuring. Instead, we get a mushy melodrama with the edge of the blunted knife.  Join us for the perilous journey into The Darkness. 

Film Trace is a new podcast where we trace the life of film from conception to production all the way to release and reception.  This week's episode is Da 5 Bloods, Spike Lee's new film for Netflix. We cover how the film was conceived from a script scribed by no other than the writers of The Rocketeer. Oliver Stone was originally attached but dropped out. Step in Spike Lee who brings along an amazing cast and crew. Filmed in Vietnam and the jungles of Thailand. The film has already received rapturous approval from critics and currently sits at the number 1 spot on Netlfix. Join us for the journey of Da 5 Bloods