How to Make Films and Influence People

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

Peter and Andrew unpack Edgar Wright's 2010 hyper-kinetic cult classic Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, exploring how its video game-inspired aesthetic and perfectly synced visual comedy left a lasting mark on modern cinema. They discuss the film’s themes of adolescent narcissism, romantic baggage, and fighting for affection, and debate whether its highly stylized "you against the world" message still resonates with audiences today. In their remake scenarios, they tackle a combo-breaking challenge: How do you adapt a stylized story about fighting evil exes for families? Could it work as an Inside Out-style story where Scott literally fights Ramona's fears and doubts? What would a no-budget, quiet room version focused on offering closure to the exes look like? Would it be better as a world-expanding TV series exploring the lives of all the side characters and their own relationship baggage? The hosts also share their current viewing habits, including Perfect Blue and Inside Man (and their disappointment with Havoc), while referencing Black Swan, Den of Thieves, Blade Runner, Call Me By Your Name, and Napoleon Dynamite in their discussion. Topics covered: The value of shooting 60-second micro-short films, capturing the emotional intensity of youth, comparing Edgar Wright's visual storytelling to traditional invisible editing, and why some comedies become generational touchstones while others fade away.

Ran

Peter and Andrew journey through Akira Kurosawa’s 1985 historical epic Ran, exploring how its breathtaking use of bold primary colors and massive practical battle sequences created an unparalleled visual spectacle. They discuss the film’s masterful adaptation of Shakespeare’s King Lear, its complex family dynamics, and debate whether its bleak, karmic message about building an empire on violence makes it a flawless masterpiece or a challenging watch. In their remake scenarios, they tackle an epic challenge: How do you adapt a bloody tragedy about succession for families? Could it work as a Redwall-style animated animal adventure or a Viking coming-of-age story? What would a no-budget version focused solely on Lady Kaede's backroom political manipulations look like? Would it be better as a Game of Thrones-style TV epic or a prequel series exploring the warlord's initial rise to power? The hosts also share their current viewing habits, including Rooster and The Audacity, while referencing The Office, Shrinking, Ted Lasso, Succession, Game Night, 10 Things I Hate About You, Lord of the Rings, The Departed, Seven Samurai, Gladiator, Braveheart, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Ladyhawke, The Secret of NIMH, Watership Down, How to Train Your Dragon, Shogun, Game of Thrones, Yellowstone, The Crown, and High School Musical in their discussion. Topics covered: How watching films improves your own screenwriting, the value of mimicking writers like Aaron Sorkin to find your voice, the brilliant use of color to aid storytelling, the timeless impact of practical effects, and why some films are worth watching purely for their visual pageantry.

10 Things I Hate About You

Peter and Andrew unpack Gil Junger's 1999 teen romantic comedy 10 Things I Hate About You, exploring how its smart adaptation of Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew and its fast-paced, trope-filled character dynamics made it a defining film of the era. They discuss the film’s themes of teenage rebellion, dating expectations, and high school social hierarchies, and debate whether its stylized view of late-90s youth still resonates in a modern world. In their remake scenarios, they tackle a structural challenge: How do you adapt a story about high school dating for families? Could it work as a much darker, R-rated thriller? What would a no-budget, one-location Breakfast Club-style version look like? Would it be better as an ongoing TV series about the fallout of Cameron's disastrous first date, or a sketch-comedy anthology of modern Shakespeare adaptations? The hosts also celebrate their 30th episode by handing out awards to their past ten covered films, and share their current viewing habits, including The Celebration (Festen) and Deliver Me From Nowhere, while referencing Clueless, American Pie, The Breakfast Club, Milk and Cereal, and Fight Club in their discussion. Topics covered: The value of Dogme 95 filmmaking restrictions, the challenges of writing realistic high school movies, the benefits of shooting a short film in Iceland, and why some movies are highly rewatchable and enjoyable even if they aren't considered traditional masterpieces.

City Lights

Peter and Andrew journey through Charlie Chaplin's 1931 silent classic City Lights, exploring how its masterful physical comedy and intentional use of silence in the talkie era left a lasting mark on cinema. They discuss the film’s themes of optimism, wealth disparity, and the Tramp's enduring charm, and debate whether its lighthearted approach to heavy issues still resonates in a modern world. In their remake scenarios, they tackle a physical challenge: How do you adapt a silent physical comedy for modern families? Could it work as an animal-focused claymation like Pingu? What would a no-budget, Safdie Brothers-style gritty drama version look like? Would it be better as a sketch-comedy TV series in the vein of Mr. Bean or Jackass? The hosts also share their current viewing habits, including Saturday Night Live and Dead Man's Wire, while referencing The Town, Singin' in the Rain, Babylon, The Great Dictator, John Q, Uncut Gems, and WALL-E in their discussion. Topics covered: The transition from silent films to talkies, crafting the perfect pratfall, the value of optimism in storytelling, picking the right director for a dinner date, and why some movies are more about the execution than the plot.

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

Peter and Andrew journey through Sergio Leone's 1966 epic The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, exploring how its sprawling narrative, iconic characters, and gritty take on the Civil War changed the western genre forever. They discuss the film’s slow-building tension, its memorable dubbed dialogue, and debate whether the movie's moral ambiguity makes it a masterpiece or if it's just a stylish excuse for a gunfight. In their remake scenarios, they tackle a western challenge: How do you adapt a violent story about greed for families? Could it work as a madcap treasure hunt? What would a no-budget, wilderness-only version look like? Would it be better as an ongoing TV series exploring the characters' backstories and side quests? The hosts also share their current viewing habits, including Smithereens and 28 Years Later: Bone Temple, while referencing A Fistful of Dollars, Unforgiven, The Revenant, Yellowstone, No Country for Old Men, Kill Bill, Inglourious Basterds, and The Hateful Eight in their discussion. Topics covered: Handling feedback on early script drafts, the evolution of the western genre, moral ambiguity in cinema, the impact of dubbing on classic films, and why some movies benefit from a slower pace.