Screen Thoughts - Movie & TV Reviews: Recent Episodes
Christine Merser
Christine and Wilder speed through their review of the three hour Oppenheimer, singing its praises, its importance and so many behind the scenes extras. Is it about Nolan, the director? The acting acumen of everyone, from Cillian Murphy to Robert Downey? The cinematography tricks? So many things to consider. One of Christine’s recommendations is to watch Fat Man and Little Boy, the 1989 film about the Manhattan Project before you see this. Or read American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer, the more than 600 page book it’s based on. Oppenheimer makes us want to go to the movies again. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Christine (AKA Hollister) and Wilder dissect Apple’s the Crowded Room, and address Christine’s POV around the futility of the writer’s strike, while Wilder defends it. And, Somebody Somewhere, season two on HBO? Christine speaks to the enormity and importance and talent of Bridget Everett’s hit. Golda, Helen Mirren’s portrayal of Golda Meir, comes out in August and Screen Thoughts has tickets for the preview and video of an interview with Mirren, which will be offered to Screen Thoughts' viewers. And, the Morning Show comes out in early September … and, and, and, so many things discussed, so little time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The names of many of the heroes of the Civil Rights movement are well known to us today: MLK, Malcolm X, Medgar Evers—the list goes on. But there were unsung heroes of the movement as well. Among these were white men of the cloth in rural towns and small cities of the American South, whose congregations might be wearing white cloaks on Saturday night before attending services the next morning, believing that they could both be good Christians as well as racist segregationists. Some of these pastors took a stand against the views of their own parishioners, welcoming Black people to join them in the pews and worship with them on Sunday mornings. Taking this position wasn’t always easy. Sometimes it was dangerous; sometimes, it cost these men their jobs. As a child, Carolyn Crowder, filmmaker and self-described “bred racist,” struggled to reconcile what she learned from her pastors and her parents’ commitment to the belief that whites were superior to their Black neighbors. Eventually, she moved north to seek communities with views more in line with her own. Years later, using money left to her by her father, she made At the River, a feature-length documentary featuring interviews with dozens of pastors who stood up for their belief that all of God’s children should be welcomed as equals, exploring what they felt at the time, what this belief cost them, and how the struggled to defend it. While the film is not currently available to the public, Carolyn joined Hollister to speak about the film and some of the stories behind its production. We will update our event section with the details of any future screenings, so that you can have the opportunity to see this important film featuring some of the unsung heroes of the fight for racial equality. And consider following the Damariscotta, Maine’s Lincoln Theater for events and showings of some fabulous films. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Lena Dunham’s latest creation is out and ready to be seen by mothers and daughters all across the land. Brave girl, that Lena Dunham. No one tackles the Medieval Ages in film. Recipe for failure is the reason why, but she goes forth, fearless in her quest to bring her favorite childhood book to life. Don’t miss this review. And according to Hollister, don’t miss the film.
Join Hollister and Wilder as they explore their favorite Halloween films. Spoiler alert: not all are about Halloween. They are, however, classics and it’s a great list of what to watch to get in that dark, scary place.
House of the Dragon. Game of Thrones. Don’t get Wilder started on the fantasy appeal for both. But she even won Hollister over with the need to at least give House of the Dragon a try. Plot. Cinematography. Acting. Special Effects. And, and, and. The plot line is amazing and one of the things Wilder points out is that unlike Game of Thrones, this might, just might, put women on the map as the great leaders they can be. Hollister and Wilder debate the redeeming value of having rape-laden shows on the screen and whether they have a ‘right’ to be there. Interesting.
Bad Sisters. “If those are bad sisters, I want to be one!,” said Hollister. Mixing comedy with drama (tragedy?) is a good combination according to Hollister and with some exceptions in approach, Wilder agrees. Don’t miss their review of this new series by Sharon Horgan of Catastrophe fame and fortune.
Amazon Prime’s A League of Their Own Series: Join Wilder and Hollister as they celebrate and evaluate the new Amazon Prime series, A League of Their Own. Hollister takes us back to 1992’s A League of Their Own with Penny Marshall, and some of the highlights. Don’t miss out on this series, or their review.
Surface. Amazing acting is part of the appeal around Surface, Gugu Mbatha-Raw will wow you with her prowess, and it’s also a story about a women finding her own way in a sea of gaslights that turn out to be not what they appear. Edge of your seat but not scared perfection. Apple, well done.
TV Series Review: The Bear - Recommended by so many and for such good reason. "One of the best series ever,” sang Hollister. Wilder was right up there as well. They agreed on everything including the exceptional writing, acting and general approach to showing the truth behind how very hard it is to work in a restaurant. The series touches on everything from family dynamics to suicide to money to striving for excellence. Hollister says you can’t binge, Wilder said, “watch me!”
Loot is a satire about the billionaire sector, but with some twists and turns that make it actually helpful, according to Hollister. Apple TV+ is nailing content right now, according to Wilder, and Loot is a part of it all.
Cha Cha Real Smooth, with Dakota Johnson, who according to Hollister has one speed - ‘coy,’ is described by Wilder as ’sweet’ and Hollister concurs. It’s worth the watch for sure. Vulnerable men? We are all in. Written, directed and starring Cooper Raiff, who is one of the darlings of Hollywood right now, Cha Cha Real Smooth is not to be missed. Listen and find out where the name came from, although Hollister thinks it’s a mistake!
Sean Penn makes an all-in-the-family film with both his daughter, Dylan, and son, Hopper - one that he first read and shared with Dylan, now thirty, fifteen years ago. His performance is impeccable according to both Hollister and Wilder, but Dylan? Not so sure. But, for Hollister, the story might matter a lot to those who struggled with forgiveness inside families and let’s face it, there is plenty of that out there.
"Is it an age thing?" queries Hollister a number of times to Wilder during the review. Either way, so many points of view around so many things that came up for both Hollister and Wilder while they watched the film. And, one of our interns weighs in. We also hear from an active listener and no one agrees? Maybe that’s the sign of a great film. Either way, the much talked about Everything Everywhere All at Once is a heated conversation around what it means and why it matters.
Movie Review: Top Gun Maverick - Hollister and Wilder feel the need for speed and want to alert you all that there are spoilers in our review this week. Hollister is not a Cruise fan; Wilder is. Join us for this sequel thirty-six years in the making.
Hollister can’t stop crying after watching The Valet, and had no idea that the Euginio Derbez, who hurt her heart in The Valet, also played the music teacher in the acclaimed Coda last year. He’s phenomenal. What a film, and the best part about it is that it’s not a RomCom as its touted, but rather a lesson in class differential and how to treat others.
The Mormon Church's secrets exposed. A murder in the eighties. Mormon Fundamentalists meets the power of the Mormon Church dedicated to making sure the dirty underpinnings of its challenging history stays buried. Hollister recommends watching Netflix's documentary, Murder Among the Mormons before watching Under the Banner of Heaven. Different murder. Same issue. For a passive religious philosophy, a lot of murdering going on.
Hollister and Wilder come to blows over The Offer but agree on the fine work done by all in The Outfit. Think Mafia, but know that the Godfather wasn't allowed to use that word, or agreed not to, so the Mafia would 'allow' them to do the film. So much interesting information and back stories around both these projects. Don't miss this week's reviews.
Hollister and Wilder talk about two shows this week; Gaslit with Julia Roberts and The First Lady with Viola Davis, Michelle Pfeiffer and Gillian Anderson. Much to discuss as our country's political history gets unveiled from the female perspective, which somehow got lost in a sea of men. Don’t miss this episode, although one of the two series both Hollister and Wilder think could have been better done.
Hollister and Wilder come to blows about the worth of Netflix's Anatomy of a Scandal, as well as the way it was made. Don't miss it, and according to Hollister, watch it at your earliest convenience.
Hollister and Wilder finally agree, and not only do they agree, they are singing the praises of what could be one of the finest series ever produced for the screen. Roots not withstanding. Don't miss this review, and if it doesn't make you immediately turn on the series, well, there is no hope.
Check out Screen Thought’s review of ABC’s Mockumentary, Abbott Elementary! Hollister and Wilder rave about Abbott Elementary because sometimes watching television should be sheer fun and laughter, and they announce April’s Film Club choice. Wilder’s pick this month. Bridgerton. Hollister’s eyes roll but she’s in.
Premise: "A group of dedicated, passionate teachers—and a tone-deaf principal—are brought together in a Philadelphia public school where they are determined to help their students succeed in life."
"Though these incredible public servants are outnumbered and underfunded, they love what they do and fight the odds stacked up against them—like the school district's less-than-stellar attitude toward educating children—to give the students the best school life they can offer." (Source Wikipedia)
“Abbott Elementary” stars Quinta Brunson as Janine Teagues, Tyler James Williams as Gregory Eddie, Janelle James as Ava Coleman, Chris Perfetti as Jacob Hill, Lisa Ann Walter as Melissa Schemmenti and Sheryl Lee Ralph as Barbara Howard.
Is Coda unique or just another remake of girl lives in dysfunctional family, meets fabulous boy and ends up with a groundbreaking try out to enter a new world where her immense talent can emerge? And, both Hollister and Wilder are overwhelmed with the brilliance of HBO’s new series, Winning Time.
Hollister has a personal story around Elizabeth Holmes and The Dropout and she is not inclined toward sympathy of any kind, and when it comes to Severance, both Hollister and Wilder had a lot to say. As everyone struggles with the new world of work environment and commitment to living life before job, it’s a thought provoking notion to separate your work life from your personal life through brain changes. A lot of great insights into all of it this week.
This week is chock full of bad peeps; #TinderSwindler; do not get Hollister started. Why is this man not in jail? Wilder goes wild for Nightmare Alley including the dark photography and dark deals. And, Hollister and Wilder disagree (what else is new?)over Netflix's #InventingAnna, which seems to be right in line with other media reviews; people are either loving it or loathing it. Either way, don’t miss the takeaways from all these films and series this week.
Academy Awards. Killing Eve. And a review of Pam & Tommy, Hulu’s new series around the sex tapes from Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee, stolen and put out into the universe without their permission or compensation.
Hollister and Wilder walk through Kristen Bell and her Woman in the House ... So much to discuss, including Wilder's idea around how they could have done the title. Don't miss it!
Hollister goes nostalgic having lived through the sixties/seventies abortion break throughs. Either way, Sundance's Call Jane is the story of "Jane" who you can call if you need an abortion; an illegal, scary, abortion. It's a network of women who make sure that women who want to end their pregnancies can do so in a safe environment. It's not out yet, but both Hollister and Wilder believe it will get distribution, and predict that because it's done by the women that brought you Carol, it will be a darling of the awards circuit as well. And, then of course, Sigourney Weaver and Elizabeth Banks don't hurt its chances either.
In the episode, Hollister refers to an interview she did several years ago with Dr. Kerenyi, the former head of the OB/GYN department at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City and one of the first doctors to perform abortions in New York City clinics in 1970. You can listen to the episode here, https://soundcloud.com/user-504815256-843967428/dr-thomas-kerenyi
Hollister doesn't think it's worthy of her attention although she touts episode 5 and the forty minute story that shows how sexual abuse from celebrities happens. Wilder doesn't think that the documentary (it's supposed to be a docu-series but Hollister would say it's more so reality tv) goes far enough into the scandal uncovering. Either way, they both agree that the athleticism these young people exhibit is phenomenal.
Julian Fellowes has left England behind and brought this well-researched, upstairs downstairs drama to HBO (they are nailing new content this month!) in the form of the Gilded Age. Starring the likes of Cynthia Nixon (you might not recognize her) and Christine Baranski, as the old money and some fresh talent as the new, the Gilded Age transports us to New York. Getting mixed reviews by others, Hollister and Wilder walk us through the background and the overall potential of what Hollister is sure will be another success for Fellowes.
Our new Screen Thoughts Shorts where we podcast a short review around something we think is timely or relevant shouldn’t be missed. First stop? Somebody Somewhere. Do not miss all the feelings and laughter and sadness and hope that comedian Bridget Everett brings to Somebody Somewhere, the brainchild of HBO. While we're just a few episodes in to season 1, something tells us this show is going to grace our screens for quite a long time! Well done!
Ok, we knew these three wouldn’t be rocket science, but ? Hollister stands by And Just Like That, and Wilder can’t relate, which according to Hollister is no surprise given Wilder’s age. And Emily and the ladies of Pivoting? Well, listen and see what you think. And, the scandal around Emily in Paris and the Golden Globes will leave you understanding the nods it got last year, which might not have been deserved.
This week Hollister and Wilder remember Sidney Poitier, and talk through Maggie Gyllenhaal's The Lost Daughter, both from the perspective of a woman who has never had children and one who has. So much to discuss in this film and Hollister predicts many nods from the upcoming awards season.
Hollister and Wilder are back after a short few weeks celebrating the holidays with two films - Don’t Look Up and Being the Ricardos. How does Dr. Strangelove enter into it all? Blame it on Wilder. Such controversy around the Richardos film, and in both films, women reign supreme.
King Richard, or the story about Richard William's complicated personality and design for Venus and Serena to become who they became; two of the greatest women tennis players in the world. And, Tick, Tick... Boom! Wilder raves, Hollister follows. And a call out to Screen Thoughts lovers to participate in a conversation about Martha Marcey May's resurgence as one of the greatest thrillers of all time? Did you see it? Don't miss this podcast.
Hollister and Wilder talk about the sophisticated, The Harder They Fall film that is on Netflix, and according to both of them, is not to be missed. We share some great back story info to give perspective to the film, and some history to round out how wonderful the entire production is. Don’t miss this podcast, and especially listen if Westerns are not typically your thing!
Finally Steve Martin has written a series worthy of his talent and Hollister is all over it. Great short review to get you scheduling it for holiday viewing with the family. Selena Gomez? Mixed reviews. Is she a bad actor, or just playing a role that makes her look like one? That is the question. Martin Short? Fresh off the stage in The Morning Show, he and Martin have a screen connection that extends to a life long friendship.
No surprise that Wilder came locked and loaded to personally increase the numbers of those going to see Dune by double digits. Right up her alley, and so much to share about the back story around getting it made, the original book that spawned the film, and the earlier version. Hollister came along begrudgingly but ended up all in for the final count. Do listen before you see the film. No spoilers and lots to help you get the most out of seeing it.
Roadrunner. Anthony Bourdain. Hollister and Wilder were all over this and we were pleased to have Alex Holt on this podcast to discuss the issues around addiction as well as his thoughts on the documentary. Everyone agrees, this is about more than a man. It's about addiction and the issues surrounding it.
Thank you to Limitless Ventures for sponsoring this podcast. We are pairing sponsors with the topic surrounding what we are reviewing. Limitless Ventures invests in companies and technologies that make lives better as they travel the road to recovery.
Based on Beth Macy’s book Dopesick: Dealers, Doctors, and the Drug Company That Addicted America, Hulu dropped the first three episodes of the eight part series, Dopesick. Christine and Wilder were blown away and their review and plea for everyone to watch this series can’t be missed. Some back story is important and those fine performances already playing out make this a podcast to listen to before you watch the series.
James Bond. Yep, might be the last time we see James as we have known him for sixty years. Christine (Hollister) and her friend from across the pond, Louise Lloyd get us excited about both the history of the franchise and this film in particular. Don’t miss it and do not worry; they do not spoil anything.
Do not miss this podcast. Short, but filled with insight and great review of the new Netflix series, Maid. Hollister compares it to Unbelievable and some of the other strong series in the past few years focusing on women’s issues. It’s a great watch and a great listen.
Taking the fall film festival circuit by 'storm,' Storm Lake is the story of a small town newspaper in Iowa (albeit a paper whose Editor is a Pulitzer Prize winner), as it struggles with the political divide of its readership, and a pandemic-driven loss of advertising revenue. "Freedom is not free," and our local papers might be the ticket to keeping this country the republic it was meant to be. Beth Levison gives us insights and thought-provoking questions as she discusses her film. Christine thinks its on its way to the award circuit.
Thanks to Sarah Minardi, from Saunders Real Estate in the Hamptons, for sponsoring this conversation.
Hollister and Wilder review HBO’s new five-part series, Scenes From a Marriage, which is based on Ingmar Bergman’s original from the early seventies. Don’t miss the show is the take away, and don’t miss this podcast, which brings together the differences between the original and the latest, with Jessica Chastain and Oscar Isaac, who everyone agrees have a kind of connection that make this all the more compelling. Did you know they went to school together twenty years ago and are close friends? And, guess who had the part and was replaced by Jessica late in the game. Our podcast ends with a List of Six marriage films.
This week? We are reviewing the story of Monica Lewinsky and Bill Clinton in Impeachment: American Crime Story. It follows the story of Bill, who wishes all of this would go away, and Monica, who was a producer on the FX drama. So many takeaways and Hollister brings in different age groups and their take on the first two episodes. Do we need this show? And, returning to the infamous List of Six started by O'Toole and Hollister years ago, Wilder and Hollister provide a List of Six around Political Films.
Hollister's nose is out of joint around why, oh why would there be a need for another Cinderella film (yes, there are more than 100 films that tell that story), and Wilder accuses her of being incapable of having fun. Ouch. It's a heated discussion and they are still friends but do not agree even one bit on the worth and the production of this film.
The twenty year anniversary of 911 is upon us and the release of Netflix's Worth, walks through the difficult process of determining compensation for the families of the victims. "Worth is really all about what a life is worth," more than the attacks that hit America on 911," Hollister surmises. It's an interesting look at what was behind the film and Hollister reading the lawyer's review of America's attitude during the years following the attack is worth the podcast.
Hollister and Wilder delve into Nine Perfect Strangers, the week after The White Lotus, which is a double dose of white privilege and despair. And, to give some perspective, Hollister questions Wilder on her love of Super Hero films with her mini review of The Suicide Squad. Don't miss it.
Hollister and Wilder go over The Chair, with the fabulous Sandra Oh, and then Hollister brings in Lori Rutter, a friend and Harvard Alum, who brought it to the attention of Wilder and Hollister. And, Lori adds a request at the end to have Hollister and Wilder review We Are Lady Parts. Don't miss Sandra Oh's much talked about series. .
This week Hollister and Wilder take on The White Lotus, the HBO six-part controversial satirical series, dealing with white privilege, written by a white man, Mike White (yes, we know the last name fits the bill), and is not to be missed. Hollister falls in love with the critic, @BrookeObie, who helped unveil a point of view that she missed around the film's hubris. Don't miss this conversation around the series, and the times in which we live.
Hollister and Wilder take on Dr. Death, the eight episode series launched by Peacock around the Texas doctor, Christopher Duntsch, who butchered 33 patients before being incarcerated for the rest of his life. What a cast! Christian Slater (Hollister says she never recognizes him in a film/series until she thinks about it), and Alec Baldwin take on the system in a grueling story that will make you go to physical therapy one more time before going under the knife. And, Hollister takes on Vogue Magazine for their article around film 'makeovers' (seriously?!) Don't miss this week's Screen Thoughts.
According to Hollister, Physical has enlightening moments for those women struggling with emotional issues. Wilder gets right to the point of eating disorders, anxiety and a relatable woman in the enormously talented Rose Bryrne. You remember Rose; Hollister says she rocked being Gloria Steinem in Mrs. America, but her claim is the two Emmys for her work on Damages. Hooray for Scarlett Johansson, who is taking Disney on with the fierceness of Cruella. Wilder gives some insight into the entire case, and both Wilder and Hollister agree that Amanda Knox's editorial on Medium, where she calls out the world for using her name and persona without permission (Stillwater is the film and Matt Damon is the star) and leaves her without agency. All in all, much ado is doing on this week's podcast.
This week Hollister and Wilder review Ted Lasso; the series that has everyone in America laughing, and according to Hollister, perhaps it is working because of this moment in time in which we live, rather than it being funny. And, Wilder gives you some 'if you liked Ted Lasso, you will like" ideas. Hollister will be on a panel at the Wood's Hole Film Festival, and some write in comments around last week's Black Widow.
Hollister was not a fan of Black Widow until Wilder enlightened her and now she's going back to revisit. Don't miss Wilder's insightful take on the first Marvel film to have a female lead. And, of course, a bit about the Emmy nominations and what should or shouldn't have been.
Join Hollister and Wilder as they review Steven Soderbergh's No Sudden Move, a combination film noir, comedy, drama around so many pillars of plot; racism, Detroit in the 50's, crime families, and so much more. And for a little blast to the past, a reminder that The Bird Cage is celebrating its 25 year anniversary, and there are so much wonderful inside scoops to uncover.
Cruella ... a must see from both Hollister and Wilder, no matter your age or whether you saw the original oh so long ago. Don't miss the history, the fun, more.
Hollister and Wilder review Season Four of The Handmaid's Tale, with an added review of the 1990 film, which Wilder had no idea existed. Roger Ebert's review of the 1990 film shows how far we have come in understanding the issues that The Handmaid's Tale highlights. Or not? Don't miss this episode; but beware, there are spoilers for the finale if you haven't watched it yet.
In the Heights is the film reviewed this week by Hollister and Wilder. "It's no sound of music?" The controversy around the casting is discussed and a general celebration of the culture and film abound.
Oslo, HBO's new film around the 1993 Oslo Peace Accords, based on the play by J.T. Rogers, is a must see in this challenging moment in time almost thirty years later. Watch with your family, your class, your whatever. And, talk about it. And if you are a biz person, watch it to learn about the art of negotiation. Brilliant story. Both Hollister and Wilder had strong words around both the message and the methods used to film it.
Join Hollister and Wilder as they take a look at the new Dexter teaser, the Halston series on Netflix and yes, the Friends Reunion. Guess who isn't a Friends fan?
Hollister and Wilder dig deep into Mare of Easttown and Shadow & Bone. Dark forces from fantasy land with Shadow & Bone and dark forces in the shadows of Philadelphia take over. Both are worth a watch if you ask Hollister and Wilder.
Join Hollister & Wilder while they debates both Operation Varsity Blues and Percy & Goliath. No agreement this week.
Join Hollister on a short review of Season Four of The Handmaid's Tale. She makes the case for watching it, though some of the reviews are screaming, "enough is enough!"
Hollister and Wilder talk Academy Awards 2021. Yes, Hollister still thinks they are a waste of time, but there’s a lot of backstory on some of the nominees, and their predictions might mirror your own.
Hollister and Wilder take a look at HBO’s The Nevers series, which premiered to the largest audience in HBO history. Yes, it takes place in the Victorian era, where women were corseted, but according to the series, they also had special powers. Wilder is all in. Hollister? Not so much.
Wilder and Hollister welcome Tim Miller, film critic extraordinaire, for the annual "Best of" end of year podcast. Our discussion starts with the difficulty for the film industry in Covid-2020, and moves into some not-to-be-missed viewing from this past year. First Cow. Promising Young Woman. I May Destroy You. Collective. Never, Rarely, Sometimes, Always (great name right?!). And others as well. What did we miss? Let us know and here's to 2021, with hope.
This week Hollister focuses on Meryl Streep’s Let Them All Talk on HBO while Wilder brings in Selena, the Series. Hollister is wondering if there really needed to be three renditions of the Selena story, and Wilder explains why there just might be a need. Selena, the Series is for the family to enjoy together—something for everyone—and Let Them All Talk for those women that have get togethers with friends from college decades later. And, of course, there is always discussion about Steven Soderbergh and his use of improvisation in his latest film.
First time ever that Hollister reviews a thriller like Run, staring Sarah Paulson, and Kiera Allen, who the camera loves and we hope to see in more films in the future. Mother daughter issues that go beyond the pale, but because they are both so good at their craft, it is well done and worth the watch. Hollister quotes from Jeannette Catsoulis, and her review, which begins, “if it’s not one thing, it’s your mother.” Hollister and Wilder also present their holiday films for viewing year after year, although Hollister laments that her picks are so dark compared to what she is reading others chose. You decide.
Ron Howard’s, Hillbilly Elegy, has been panned and heralded in the reviewer’s corner. It has a paltry 25 rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Doesn’t get much worse than that. But Hollister thinks it is under appreciated and one of the finest films Ron Howard has directed. Wilder isn’t so sure. Don’t miss their critique, which is different from what most reviewers are pitching. And, Hollister tuned into Hulu’s Happiest Season because she was curious why Kristen Stewart would do what appeared to be a Hallmark holiday film. She found the answer.
Hollister and Wilder touch on the feminist issue in The Crown around Thatcher and Queen Elisabeth. Women not playing well in the sandbox together? Then it’s The Undoing, HBO’s six part mini series with Nicole Kidman and Hugh Grant. So much to discuss, cast to die for (yes there is a murder) and some consider a mirror version of Big Little Lies; there are lots of similarities in those that are involved with both. And, Wilder recommends Whose Line Is It Anyway on HBO, a rerun of the show.
The Social Dilemma is discussed by Wilder & Hollister ... "When you don't pay for something like Facebook, you become the product." Techies from many of the platforms come together to discuss how the unsuspecting users are being 'used' and sold and ... don't miss it.
Move over Bobby Fischer and Gary Kasparov—there is a new chess prodigy on the scene; Beth Harmon, chess player extraordinaire who redefines the Queen’s Gambit, which for those of you not on the chess circuit is an opening move that has a lot of history. Netflix’s #1 show, starring Anya Taylor-Joy as the fictional Beth Harmon, provides yet another vehicle for a strong woman’s plot. Merser and Bassin walk us through the many moves that make this one of the best series of 2020. And, bringing back The List of Six that was a Hollister O’Toole centerpiece, they give us all six movies or series episodes to watch before election results start pouring in on Tuesday. Don’t miss this week’s Screen Thoughts’ episode.
Christine Merser (aka Hollister) invites fellow The West Wing lover, Elizabeth Bassin, herself in the film industry in Los Angeles to review The West Wing Reunion ... Everyone agrees that the much awaited reunion of the finest cast ever assembled for a series, comes together in order to support the 2020 election.
There are documentaries that need to be seen so you can educate yourself to injustice and this is one such documentary. Shame on Coca Cola. Shame on the United States of America, which is most likely not the first time we have been given reason through film to get angry at our country’s commercialism and what it has done to other countries around the globe. But the other reason to see this is for the beauty of the people, and the culture, and the art of Mexico. The opening five minutes at the death festival will calm your nerves around dying, which we all need right now and it will awake the senses around flowers and colors in such a lovely way. I was grateful to have seen the film. Ashamed of my country and Coke, and hopeful that it can be fixed moving forward. Hope you will have a listen, then watch the film and pass to a friend. - Hollister
Hollister bids a fond farewell to Claire Danes and Carrie Mathison after the finale. She recounts her discomfort with the character and the need to have her be flawed kick ass rather than just fabulous kick ass but also recognizes that all things come with time. What an ending. What a series.
Tim Miller, Movie Critic for the Cape Cod Times, joins Hollister on a walk through the last ten years of excellent film. You will hear about some films you never knew were available, as well as some old favorites. Don't miss this year end review.
Hollister interviews Sabrina Korber, who was at Fox News, around all things Bombshell, which they saw together. Long before the Me Too movement. A film for women to be sure.
Hollister meets up with Tim Miller, Film Critic of the Cape Cod Times to dish on all things around Little Women. They back stories are as interesting as the review.
Hollister, who grew up with a father who was likely one of the actors in the room at Ford Headquarters in the movie, brings in her high school girlfriends, whose fathers also worked at Ford, to review the movie and to shre anecdotes about being a teenage girl during that time of male dominance at Ford. And, do you know whether the FordGT40, the car in the movie, was a replica or the real thing?
Hollister & Lalu discuss The Morning Show, Apple T.V.'s cornerstone series for their new programming, Apple TV.
Hollister introduces Lalu to podcasting as they both gush over the Netflix sensation, Unbelievable. Hollister has some comments about Harriet as well, including how twenty-five years ago, the suits in Hollywood wanted Julia Roberts to play Harriet. You won’t believe that story. And, lastly, Hollister walks us through the Preppy Murder from 1986 and how the press made the victim out to be in question, rather than the John Kennedy Jr. look alike. You can’t make it up.
Hollister and Lalu do not agree on The Morning Show review. Listen to learn why and information about Apple's commitment to their new programming.
Join Hollister and Frances Pearson for a rousing review of Booksmart, the much talked about film about not so cool girls graduating from high school. But really it’s about friendship and no one does friendship on the screen, we decided, like our fabulous gender. Anyone agree with Hollister that Kaitlyn Dever, who plays Amy, is a mini me version of Jodi Coming from Killing Eve? In addition, Hollister saw a early viewing of Late Night, with Mindy Kaling and Emma Thompson. She reviews it on this podcast as well.
Hollister invites Shanette and Bryan to share their thoughts on what she considers the best series of 2017,
Hollister, Shanette and Bryan sing the praises of the new Juno, Love Simon, and introduce that The Americans’ final season has dropped. Then Hollister tries Roseanne for the first time ever. The stats alone around Roseanne will blow your mind. Then we close with the new NBC series, Rise.
From across The Pond: two more quality series from the BBC: First up: Voted Best New Drama of 2016, Doctor Foster. Written and created by the Olivier-winning playwright Mike Bartlett. Starring Suranne Jones (who won a BAFTA for her portrayal) as the doctor who suspects her husband of having an affair. Co-starring Bertie Carvel (as the husband), Tom Taylor (as the son), Thusitha Jayasundera (as the frenemy) and Jodie Comer from Thirteen (as the potential other woman). Available on Netflix. At 15:17: Love, Lies and Records. Starring Ashley Jensen as the overseer of the Leeds Register Office - and the people who spend their workdays registering life's milestones, such as birth, marriage, and death. Available via Acorn TV (the folks who brought us Striking Out and A Place to Call Home). 20:44: In honor of Dr. Foster, this week's #ListofSix: Our 6 Favorite Movies/Series About Women in Marital Crises.
Titanic turns 20; Edward Norton on streaming models in conversation with Goldman Sachs; Woody Allen celebrates his 82nd birthday with the release of Wonder Wheel; what would happen if Aaron Sorkin were to reboot The West Wing; Season 2 of The Crown drops December 8 on Netflix. It's then on to two of Netflix' latest offerings: At 12:55: A movie carried by Carey? Hollister reviews Mudbound (starring Carey Mulligan & Mary J. Blige). 18:22: O'Toole binges on the 10-episode offering of Dark, Netflix' first original German series - an atmospheric-supernatural-time-travelly-family drama-psycho thriller. Jawohl! 27:38: In honor of Dark, this week's #ListofSix: Our 6 Favorite Movies About Germany.
An American classic (with a majority non-American cast) turns 75; Hollister revisits Pride and Prejudice (2006); O'Toole reveals which Downton Abbey star performs the audiobook version of Murder on the Orient Express. At 7:35: Leaving last week's meditation on kindness (Wonder) far behind, this week it's all about Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. Written and directed by Martin McDonagh; starring Frances McDormand, Woody Harrelson (LBJ; The Glass Castle), Lucas Hedges (Lady Bird, Manchester by the Sea) and Sam Rockwell. One of us thought it was a stark but beautiful tale of forgiveness; the other says it left a stain on her soul. 36:23: This week's #ListofSix: Our 6 Favorite Things About Frances McDormand.
Will there be another season for Last Tango in Halifax? Liar? Hollister celebrates two anniversaries - and revisits Lady Bird. At 9:36: Just in time for Thanksgiving, a meditation on kindness: Wonder, written and directed by Stephen Chbosky (The Perks of Being a Wallflower; Beauty and the Beast). Based on the bestselling novel by R.J. Palacio, founder of the #ChooseKind movement. Starring Jacob Tremblay (Room); Julia Roberts, Owen Wilson, Izabela Vidovic, Daveed Diggs, and Mandy Patinkin (Homeland). 28:43: In honor of Thanksgiving, this week's #ListofSix: Gratitude.
O'Toole bumps into her favorite celebrity; the 300th episode of Grey's Anatomy; Julianna Margulies returns to the small screen; Hollister weighs in on Kevin Spacey. At 12:48: Oh Canada! Margaret Atwood (The Handmaid's Tale) is back with Alias Grace. Adapted by Sarah Polley; starring Sarah Gadon (A Royal Night Out; Indignation), Edward Holcroft (London Spy), and Anna Paquin (the first millennial to win an Oscar). 23:23: Glee meets Juno? O'Toole on Lady Bird, written and directed by Greta Gerwig (20th Century Women; Mistress America; Maggie's Plan). Starring Saoirse Ronan (Brooklyn), Laurie Metcalf, Tracy Letts (Indignation; The Lovers), and Lucas Hedges (Manchester by the Sea). 32:00: Hollister on LBJ. Directed by Rob Reiner and starring Woody Harrelson (The Glass Castle). Co-starring Jennifer Jason Leigh (as that other Lady Bird), Bill Pullman (Battle of the Sexes), and Richard Jenkins (The Hollars). 36:54: This week's #ListofSix: Our Six Favorite Presidential Portrayals.
Prepare for a very special podcast: Hollister shares her one-on-one interview with the legendary, literary Warren Adler - the man who named the Watergate complex in DC. Though he didn't publish his first book until he was 46, Warren Adler has gone on to pen over 50 novels, 12 of which have been optioned by Hollywood (including The War of the Roses, starring Michael Douglas, Kathleen Turner, and Danny DeVito; and Random Hearts - starring Harrison Ford and Kristin Scott Thomas; directed by Sydney Pollack).
Highlights include:
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what books can accomplish that no other art form can
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why Sydney Pollack and Harrison Ford weren’t happy when he did “the worst thing I writer could ever do”
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the role Dustin Hoffman played in bringing Random Hearts to the big screen
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Warren Adler’s Hollywood record
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how he’s decided to control his own destiny
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the 3 questions fiction writers are always asked
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why writers shouldn’t worry about exposing secrets
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on how a man who’s been very happily married for 67 years can write about such dysfunctional marriages
Warren also shares some insider's tales from Hollywood, including why they stopped production on Gone with the Wind; and which star of The War of the Roses started out a hairdresser.
Also an essayist, short-story writer, poet and playwright, Warren Adler’s works have been translated into 25 languages; he currently has 3 films and 1 television series in development.
Saving Private Ryan. Schindler's List. Raiders of the Lost Ark. Phone home: this week it's all about Spielberg.
HBO turns its lens on the iconic director in Spielberg; documentary directed by 14x-Emmy winner Susan Lacy.
At 16:55: This week's #ListofSix: 6 Fun Facts About (who else?) Steven Spielberg (and his movies).
Creative differences on #bringmcleodsback2018; Our Gal Fry Day; The Other Einstein; the Louisville-Hollywood connection.
At 6:40: Hollister’s verdict on Marshall, starring Chadwick Boseman as future Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall. Co-starring Josh Gad (Beauty and the Beast), Sterling K. Brown (This Is Us), Kate Hudson, and Dan Stevens (Downton Abbey).
12:32: It’s back to the Hamptons International Film Festival for our review of Goodbye Christopher Robin, with guest podcaster Diane Barrett. Directed by Simon Curtis (Woman in Gold); starring Domhnall Gleeson (Brooklyn), Margot Robbie (Whiskey Tango Foxtrot), and Kelly Macdonald. Click here for footage of Margot Robbie from the #HIFF25 Green Room.
32:10 List of Six: Inspired by Goodbye Christopher Robin, Our Favorite Father-Son Movies (where no stuffed bears are co-opted).
Cher returns to the Big Screen; a truly triumphant story for spec script writers everywhere; a big reveal in episode 3 of Liar? At 7:00: more original programming from Netflix: Hollister binges on Mindhunter.
10:50: It's back to the 25th annual Hamptons International Film Festival, where we reviewed Breathe with special guest Diane Barrett. Marking the directorial debut of motion capture genius Andy Serkis (who was on hand at the festival). Starring Claire Foy (The Crown) and Andrew Garfield as real-life couple Diana and Robin Cavendish; co-starring Hugh Bonneville (Downton Abbey) (a/k/a Earl of Grantham) as their amazingly inventive friend. 24:17: Inspired by Claire Foy and The Crown, this week's #ListofSix - Our 6 Favorite Royal Portrayals.
Screen Thoughts broadcasts from the 25th annual Hamptons International Film Festival, with special guest Diane Barrett. On red carpets; Itzhak Perlman; The Divine Order (“Die göttliche Ordnung”); and women's suffrage.
At 7:45: Line judges: listeners did not love-love Hollister’s comments about Emma Stone playing Billie Jean King?
11:50: Hollister and Diane review Earth: One Amazing Day (narrated by Robert Redford), and at 16:02: Fry Day, a short by Laura Moss.
22:16: Mrs. Brown returns as Victoria and Abdul? Directed by Stephen Frears; starring Dame Judi Dench, Ali Fazal, and Adeel Akhtar (The Big Sick); based on the book by Shrabani Basu.
36:03: This week's #ListofSix - 6 Things O’Toole Learned About Dame Julie Andrews, recipient of #HIFF25's lifetime achievement award; featuring a Q&A with festival co-chair Alec Baldwin.
On the power of distribution; Hugh Hefner; Apple; and Sam Shepard's mother. One of Hollister's favorite movies to be a Broadway musical; This Is Us returns to NBC. At 8:30: A 6-part psychological thriller from across the pond: Liar - starring Joanne Froggatt (Downton Abbey) and Ioan Gruffudd in a he-said-she-said. 15:10: An Indecent "Decent" Proposal? Oscar winners Jane Fonda (Grace and Frankie) and Robert Redford (A Walk in the Woods) reteam for a fourth time in Netflix' Our Souls at Night. Directed by Ritesh Batra (The Lunchbox); based on the novel by Kent Haruf. Co-starring Iain Armitage (Big Little Lies) and Matthias Schoenaerts (A Bigger Splash). 28:41: Recreating the most watched televised sporting event in US history - or "putting the show back into chauvinism": Battle of the Sexes. Starring Emma Stone (La La Land) as Billie Jean King and Steve Carell as Bobby Riggs. Written by Simon Beaufoy (Slumdog Millionaire); directed by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris; co-starring Alan Cumming (The Good Wife), Bill Pullman, and Sarah Silverman. Fun fact: guess which cast member actually plays tennis - every day? (Answer: Elisabeth Shue.) 48:11: Inspired by Liar, this week's #ListOfSix: 6 of the Best Lies Ever Told on Screen. Honestly.
Hollister takes Baby Driver for a spin; why JLaw dropped out of The Rosie Project; some very active Downton Abbey alumni; and... is Stephen King putting clowns out of work? More from our literary Hollywood dealmaker: click here for Big Little Lies and 20 More Books on Reese Witherspoon's Must-Read List. At 7:44: A nuanced, soulful, cringe-worthy comedy, or a paean to privilege? Hollister and O'Toole debate Brad's Status, written and directed by Mike White (Beatriz at Dinner); starring Ben Stiller and Austin Abrams as a college-campus-touring father-son duo. 30:48: Inspired by a Screen Thoughts listener, this week's #ListOfSix: 6 Movies People Would Be Surprised to Learn We've Never Seen. Hint: men in ape costumes make the grade.
A big night at the Emmys - and comments from our amazing listeners: click here for Apartment Therapy's take on Nancy Meyers' best kitchens. And... the WSJ commissions touchdown dances? Click here to see what La La Land choreographer Mandy Moore came up with - a Charleston for the end zone.
At 9:00: Joy meets Misery? Darren Aronofsky teams with JLaw (Joy) to bring us his environmentally-inspired Fever Dream: Mother! Co-starring Michelle Pfeiffer, Ed Harris, and Javier Bardem; with cameos by real-life brothers Domhnall Gleeson (Brooklyn) and Brian Gleeson and a late-stage appearance by Kristen Wiig (The Martian). Hollister & O'Toole weigh in on allegories, architecture, punctuation, and plot enhancers.
31:28: Inspired by one Mother! of a marketing campaign, this week's #ListOfSix: 6 of the Scariest Scenes We've Ever Seen. Hobbling incident, anyone?
Wishing all our listeners safe havens; from cancellations to Emmy noms - is it the end of networks? One optimistic trend in 2017’s YTD box office tally.
9:32: Like Mother, like Daughter? Hollister & O'Toole debate Home Again, written & directed by Hallie Meyers-Shyer; produced by romcom powerhouse Nancy Meyers. Starring Reese Witherspoon (Big Little Lies), Candice Bergen, Lake Bell, Pico Alexander (Indignation), Nat Wolff, Jon Rudnitsky, and Michael Sheen.
26:02: This week's #ListOfSix - 6 things we love about Nancy Meyers. Cheesecake, anyone?
On the dangers of bingeing; a plethora of trailers inspired by real-life stories; a Homeland brouhaha; Wonder Woman objectified?
At 8:38: Love-love? Hollister on how best to train for Battle of the Sexes, starring Emma Stone as tennis - and equal-rights legend - Billie Jean King.
10:34: Back to the future? O'Toole on the stage-to-screen adaptation of Marjorie Prime, a Sundance winner - starring Lois Smith, Geena Davis, Tim Robbins - and Jon Hamm as a hologram (a Holohamm). Play by Jordan Harrison; adapted for the screen by director Michael Almereyda (Experimenter).
20:05: Flowery praise? Hollister on Tulip Fever. Written by Deborah Moggach (who also wrote the novel) and Tom Stoppard. Starring Oscar winners Alicia Vikander (The Light Between Oceans), Dame Judi Dench, and Christoph Waltz (Spectre).
25:44: This week's #ListOfSix - swimming against the tide: 6 Panned Movies We Enjoyed. La-di-da.
Comments from our listeners; and, New York City, one story at a time: Brandon Stanton's blog sensation and inspiration behind 2 bestselling books, Humans of New York, to air as a video series on Facebook's new Watch platform.
At 6:52: Calling all Francophiles: O'Toole on The Midwife (Sage femme), a tale about forgiveness, starring the iconic Catherine Deneuve (Persepolis) & Catherine Frot (Marguerite - a French take on Florence Foster Jenkins). Vive le cinéma!
14:50: Hollister flies too close to the sun: Icarus, a doping doco - and winner of a Special Jury Prize at Sundance (after a historic sale, now available on Netflix). Directed by Bryan Fogel (cycling enthusiast and co-creator of the off-Broadway smash hit Jewtopia).
23:30: In honor of Labor Day, this week's #ListOfSix: Our 6 Favorite Work-Related Screen Portrayals.
Shaken, not stirred - on 007 and Hollister's not-quite-undercover in-theater experience.
At 5:57: Grim statistics: murder on a Native American reservation: Taylor Sheridan (Sicario) writes and directs Wind River. Starring Jeremy Renner (Arrival), fellow Oscar-nominee Graham Greene, Julia Jones, and Elizabeth Olsen.
24:20: Hollister reports on her sneak preview of Whitney: Can I Be Me, a new documentary by Nick Broomfield and Rudi Dolezal.
33:48: Divide and conquer: This week's #ListOfSix: Our 6 Favorite Biopics. O'Toole looks at docos; Hollister at narrative films.
What's coming and going on the big and small screens - and which role made Dustin Hoffman cry (you might be surprised).
At 8:24: "I was sitting in a taxi, wondering if I had overdressed for the evening, when I looked out the window and saw Mom rooting through a Dumpster." So begins Jeannette Walls' bestselling memoir-turned-movie: The Glass Castle. Starring Oscar-winner Brie Larson (Room), Woody Harrelson, and Naomi Watts (Gypsy).
25:33: Bad habits as our birthright? The link between diet and disease examined by the team who brought us Cowspiracy: What the Health, a new documentary on Netflix.
34:23: Before Hollister & O'Toole run off for some broccoli, this week's #ListOfSix: inspired by The Glass Castle - 6 Big-Screen Father-Daughter Relationships.
Guess who's in and what's out on This Is Us; adaptations are no longer a novel-ty for Reese Witherspoon; Will & Grace borrow the sunglasses from Men in Black to make their series finale disappear.
At 4:58: The Path meets Orange is the New Black? Jessica Biel stars in The Sinner, an 8-part "Whydunit" on USA. Co-starring Bill Pullman as a tortured detective.
10:35: Jessica Biel inspires this week's #BlastFromThePastFilm: Noël Coward's Easy Virtue (2008).
11:50: Michael Mailer makes his directorial debut with Blind, starring Alec Baldwin, Demi Moore, and Dylan McDermott.
23:26: O'Toole radiates affection for Nobel Prizes: Marie Curie: The Courage of Knowledge.
29:20: It's back to murder with this week's #ListOfSix: 6 Compelling Murder Movies - and our premeditated motives for choosing them.
Will Anne Hathaway be Queen? A posthumous close to Garry Marshall's Princess Diaries trilogy?
At 2:16: Screen Thoughts pays homage with this week's #ListOfSix: 6 Amazing Things about the late, great, Pulitzer-winning Sam Shepard, who really seemed made of The Right Stuff.
8:50: Amazon calls on the Mad Men team to turn F. Scott Fitzgerald's last (and unfinished) novel into a 9-part series: The Last Tycoon. Written & created by Billy Ray; cinematography by Danny Moder. Starring Matt Bomer, Kelsey Grammer, Rosemarie DeWitt, Lily Collins, Dominique McElligott, and Jennifer Beals.
9:24: Amazon's adaptation inspires this week's #BlastFromThePastFilm: Elia Kazan's prior iteration The Last Tycoon (1976); written by Harold Pinter; starring Robert De Niro, Tony Curtis, Robert Mitchum, Jeanne Moreau, and Jack Nicholson.
30:44: 20 years after her death, a real-life Princess Diaries: Diana, Our Mother: Her Life and Legacy (HBO).
Moovision? Julia Roberts' first forays into television; Annette Bening (20th Century Women) to head the world's oldest film festival; Robert Redford (A Walk in the Woods) and Jane Fonda (Grace and Frankie) to star in their 4th joint feature.
At 5:08: An anti-morality tale travelogue? Hollister & O'Toole weigh in on Netflix' new series Ozark. Starring Jason Bateman and Laura Linney (The Dinner); written by Bill Dubuque (The Accountant).
19:02: A gender divide? Christopher Nolan's visual tale of WW2 communal heroism: Dunkirk. Cinematography by Hoyte Van Hoytema; score by Hans Zimmer. Starring Oscar-winner Mark Rylance (Bridge of Spies), Kenneth Branagh, and marking the acting debut of One Direction's Harry Styles.
37:04: Writer-director Christopher Nolan inspires this week's #BlastFromThePastFilm: Memento (2000).
40:16: Changing course with a 180-degree turn of the wheel: This week's #ListOfSix: The 6 Funniest Scenes on the Big Screen. In our humble opinions.
Two new series take a look at friendship: is one "The Big Chill" of the social media generation?
Hollister opens with a Burning Question.
At 5:58: The Bold Type (Freeform). 3 millennials finding their way at a women's magazine called "Scarlet". Created by Sarah Watson; inspired by (and Executive Produced by) former Cosmo editor Joanna Coles. Starring Katie Stevens, Aisha Dee, Meghann Fahy and Melora Hardin as their positive role model boss.
19:38: From Scarlet to Crimson: Friends from College (Netflix). 6 Harvard friends regroup 20 years later. Created by Harvard alumni (and husband and wife) Francesca Delbanco and Nicholas Stoller. Starring Keegan-Michael Key (Don't Think Twice), Annie Parisse, Jae Suh Park, Fred Savage, Nat Faxon, Cobie Smulders, Greg Germann, and Billy Eichner.
41:10: Hollister & O'Toole take on some icons. This week's #ListOfSix: The 6 Most Miscast Leads - and Who Should Have Played The Role Instead.
Over-the-top news from Down Under: a potential reboot of McLeod's Daughters?
Then it's on to God, ghosts, comas, and villains.
At 3:04: Oprah's SuperSoul Sunday leads Hollister on a spiritual quest to The Shack, where Octavia Spencer (Hidden Figures) plays God.
5:56: Ghostly boos or critics' boos? Kristen Stewart and Olivier Assayas (Clouds of Sils Maria) reteam in Personal Shopper.
11:18: Truth stranger than fiction? Kumail Nanjiani (Silicon Valley) and Emily V. Gordon script their real-life meet cute in The Big Sick. Also starring Zoe Kazan, Holly Hunter, Ray Romano, and Bollywood legend Anupam Kher. Directed by Michael Showalter (Hello, My Name is Doris); produced by Judd Apatow (Trainwreck).
28:50: This week's #ListOfSix: Fatal Audition? Our 6 Favorite Female Villains (of the big screen).
Hollister was right: this guy can sing, dance, and, apparently, drive a car. Baby Driver's Ansel Elgort.
At 2:44: The new season 3 of Broadchurch looks crime-filled and promising; how Reese Witherspoon was cast in Home Again; why O'Toole wants to be cast as the next Aunt May in the Spider-Man franchise.
5:40: Cold Mountain meets The Others? Sofia Coppola remakes The Beguiled, based on the book by Thomas Cullinan. A Gothic tale starring Nicole Kidman, Kirsten Dunst (Hidden Figures), Elle Fanning (20th Century Women), and Colin Farrell (The Lobster).
22:40: Has any other monarch inspired so much screen time? Our #BlastFromThePastFilm: The Young Victoria (2009); directed by Jean-Marc Vallée (Big Little Lies) and written by Julian Fellowes (Downton Abbey); starring Emily Blunt (Sicario) and Rupert Friend (Homeland). Hollister reveals what QE2 thought about the film.
29:44: Get us a couch, as we psychoanalyze our binge-watching of Netflix' new 10-part series Gypsy. Starring Naomi Watts as an increasingly unhinged therapist, Billy Crudup (Jackie), Karl Glusman (Nocturnal Animals), and Sophie Cookson.
45:54: In honor of the July 4th holiday: this week's #ListOfSix: Our 6 Favorite Films with Red, White, or Blue in the title.
150 episodes - and Hollister & O'Toole are still speaking!
At 0:57: Hollister revisits National Geographic's Genius, starring Geoffrey Rush as Albert Einstein.
4:24: Will Oscar-record-holder Daniel Day-Lewis' newest retirement really stick?
7:47: Downward Dog (it's not about yoga).
10:16: It's my wedding; I'll go alone if I want to: O'Toole on The Wedding Plan, written and directed by Rama Burshtein.
16:40: Hollister on The Perfect Family (2011) - does it conjure up The Real O'Neals? Starring Kathleen Turner, who inspires this week's #BlastFromThePastFilm - Body Heat (1981).
19:48: More original programming from Netflix: Glow. Starring Alison Brie (How To Be Single), and Hair That Is High. Does Hollister give it a Glow-ing review?
26:34: This week's #ListOfSix: Our 6 Favorite Ensemble Casts in a TV Series.
She.T.? Hollister hits the Spielberg vs. Banks punching bag.
At 6:45: Thelma & Louise with a life insurance premium? O'Toole on Wild Oats, starring Shirley MacLaine and Jessica Lange (Feud: Bette and Joan).
8:08: Score: A Film Music Documentary is released. Our bonus podcast here.
9:00: In honor of Wonder Woman's personal trainer, and House of Cards' Resident-in-Chief, this week's #ListOfSix: Our 6 Favorite Things about Robin Wright.
14:03: Pay it Forward with a crime? Hollister on The Book of Henry.
18:20: Healers embracing their Inner Killers? O'Toole on Beatriz at Dinner, starring Salma Hayek, Connie Britton (Me and Earl and the Dying Girl), and John Lithgow (The Crown).
26:02: Hollister follows her Sandra Oh-So-Fabulous to Catfight. Do Hollister & O'Toole come to blows? Co-starring Anne Heche; with Alicia Silverstone.
31:51: Catfight inspires this week's #BlastFromThePastFilm: Donnie Brasco (1997) - starring Al Pacino, a pre-pirate Johnny Depp, and Anne Heche.
Hollister & O'Toole strike a power pose, while our listeners weigh in on Wonder Woman.
At 4:26: Our discussion of the renewal of Luther for a 5th season (BBC), inspires this week's #BlastFromThePastFilm - which is actually another British TV series: Helen Mirren as DCI Jane Tennison in Prime Suspect.
7:56: In honor of Father's Day, this week's #ListOfSix: Our 6 Favorite Screen Dads.
Then our podcast goes to the dogs?
13:31: Kate Mara (House of Cards) stars as real-life Marine corporal Megan Leavey, who shares a special bond with her military combat dog. Co-starring Oscar-winner Common (Selma), Bradley Whitford (Get Out) and Edie Falco.
This week it's all about heroes (and a few anti-heroes).
Hollister on House of Cards Season 5 (click here for Hollister's written review of Season 4), fake documentaries, and Shakespeare's gender.
At 6:18: Paradise Island? Wonder Woman, directed by Patty Jenkins (The Killing), breaks all kinds of records. Starring Gal Gadot, Robin Wright, Chris Pine (as Lois Lane?), Connie Nielsen, and Lucy Davis.
22:25: Lie detector tests and bondage? What O'Toole learned about the creator of Wonder Woman from The Secret History of Wonder Woman by Jill Lepore.
And click here for Amy Cuddy's TED Talk on the real-life benefits of doing Wonder Woman's "power pose".
29:58: In honor of Lynda Carter and the original Wonder Woman series: this week's #ListOfSix: The 6 Best TV to Big Screen Adaptations. Live long and prosper: how Leonard Nimoy came up with the Vulcan salute.
38:44: O'Toole on The Hero, starring Sam Elliott (Grace and Frankie), Laura Prepon (Orange is the New Black), Nick Offerman (A Walk in the Woods), and Katharine Ross. Written, directed, and edited by Brett Haley - and shot in just 18 days.
44:16: This week's #BlastFromThePastFilm: Sam Elliott in Lifeguard (1976).
Notes from our listeners - which war films we missed in last week's #ListOfSix.
At 3:35: Hollister takes aim at Brad Pitt in Netflix' War Machine.
6:42: O'Toole on Season 3 of Amazon Prime's Catastrophe, and saying goodbye to Carrie Fisher all over again.
8:42: A search for the truth: Hollister on The Keepers, a 7-part docuseries on Netflix.
15:38: O'Toole on The Lovers, starring 3x-Oscar nominee Debra Winger and Pulitzer winner Tracy Letts (Indignation).
25:04: Hollister on Year by the Sea, based on the book by Joan Anderson; starring Karen Allen and S. Epatha Merkerson.
28:00: This week's #ListOfSix: Our 6 Favorite Summer Blockbusters.
The latest from La Croisette: which Oscar winner has four movies screening at the Cannes Film Festival this week; and which film was the first to be booed (and why).
At 5:28: In honor of Memorial Day, this week's #ListOfSix: Our 6 Favorite War/Soldier/Veteran Movies.
11:27: Eleanor Coppola makes her narrative feature debut at the age of 80. O'Toole on Paris Can Wait (starring Diane Lane, Alec Baldwin, and Arnaud Viard).
Paris Can Wait inspires this week's #BlastFromThePastFilms: Cairo Time (2009), Unfaithful (2002) and A Walk on the Moon (1999).
17:39: Then it's on to Anne with an E, Netflix' adaptation of the beloved children's book Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery. How does it compare to the Emmy-winning 1985 series? What is Hollister's criticism of the criticism? And why does it make O'Toole think of Liza Minnelli?
26:10: The biggest Ponzi scheme of all time: Robert De Niro and Michelle Pfeiffer as Bernie & Ruth Madoff in Barry Levinson's The Wizard of Lies (HBO). Based on the best-selling book by Diana Henriques (who herself makes a cameo in the film).
38:11 Hollister hates to give Bernie any more attention than he's already received (her written review of the Richard Dreyfuss-Blythe Danner pairing here), so, instead, ends with an announcement: don't miss Season 5 of House of Cards - which Netflix will be releasing May 30.
Guess which Oscar winner will be fêted at the Hamptons International Film Festival this year. (Hint: she might arrive via umbrella.)
At 4:44: Either Hollister was kidnapped, or she snuck out and saw Snatched. Is the Amy Schumer-Goldie Hawn vehicle a Trainwreck?
9:34: O'Toole picks Cactus Flower (1969) - and Goldie Hawn's Oscar-winning turn - as this week's #BlastFromThePastFilm. Don't miss this clip - a dance scene with Goldie Hawn and Ingrid Bergman (yes, that Ingrid Bergman).
Then it's on to pure genius (the non-dancing variety).
10:06: This week's #ListOfSix: Our 6 Favorite Math/Science Movies.
20:45: National Geographic's first foray into dramatic programming: Genius, a 10-episode series re-teaming the Oscar-winning duo of Executive Producers Ron Howard and Brian Grazer (A Beautiful Mind; Apollo 13). Based on Einstein: His Life and Universe by Walter Isaacson; starring Oscar-winner Geoffrey Rush as the older Einstein. O'Toole shares her 3 favorite Einstein facts (only one involves his brain).
32:49: Hollister on HBO's documentary Becoming Warren Buffett - which she might actually do, if she watches it one more time. (O'Toole is holding out for a mention of Dairy Queen.)
38:10: A stain on our history: Screen Thoughts discusses the documentary Relocation, Arkansas: Aftermath of Incarceration. Hollister interviews director (and author of Camp Nine) Vivienne Schiffer. Available on The World Channel and select PBS stations.
Screen Thoughts (almost) hits a milestone; Emma Watson (Beauty and the Beast) on her gender-free MTV Award.
At 4:11: This week's #ListOfSix: Our 6 Favorite Screen Moms.
15:16: No objections here: David E. Kelley strikes again with Goliath (Amazon), a legal thriller starring Billy Bob Thornton, William Hurt, Nina Arianda, and Maria Bello.
22:18: Herman Koch's bestselling novel The Dinner adapted for the third time. Starring Richard Gere (Norman), Laura Linney, Steve Coogan, and Rebecca Hall (Christine). Did Mr. Koch himself stay through all the courses? Richard Gere and Laura Linney inspire this week's #BlastFromThePastFilms: Primal Fear (1996) and The Mothman Prophecies (2002).
30:21: The Secret Garden meets Charlie and the Chocolate Factory? Hollister weighs in on This Beautiful Fantastic - starring Jessica Brown Findlay (Downton Abbey) and Tom Wilkinson (Selma).
34:24: Keep Calm and Finish That WW2 Script: Their Finest, starring Gemma Arterton (100 Streets), Sam Claflin (Me Before You), Jake Lacy (How To Be Single, Miss Sloane), and Bill Nighy (The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel).
This week's focus: dystopian views of the future.
Tribeca Film Festival spotlights VR (Virtual Reality). Will it be the end of "flatties"?
At 4:40: Silence of the Lambs: This week's #ListofSix remembers the late, great Jonathan Demme.
10:53: Richard Gere as Willy Loman? Norman: The Moderate Rise and Tragic Fall of a New York Fixer.
17:47: The Circle. Starring Emma Watson (Beauty and the Beast) and Tom Hanks. Written and directed by James Ponsoldt (The End of the Tour). Based on the novel by Dave Eggers (A Hologram for the King).
30:08: Hulu brings Margaret Atwood's 1985 novel The Handmaid's Tale to the small screen. Starring Elisabeth Moss (The One I Love; Mad Men) and Alexis Bledel (Gilmore Girls).
47:43: Netflix pushes the documentary genre with Casting JonBenet.
This week: we're feeling pretty literary.
At 0:22: Find out who Hollister would choose as her Baby Daddy - clue: The Tonys (finally) chose him, too.
2:01: The X-Files will be re-opened (again).
4:30: Fashionably late? Netflix' Girlboss - Britt Robertson (A Dog's Purpose) stars as the real-life Nasty Gal entrepreneur Sophia Amoruso.
10:35: It's a wrap(per): Cynthia Nixon stars as Emily Dickinson in Terence Davies' A Quiet Passion. Co-starring Jennifer Ehle (Little Men) as the poet's sister. Discover why Cynthia Nixon thinks Emily Dickinson would have been big on Twitter had she lived today.
18:52: Margaret Atwood's novel, The Handmaid's Tale, is back and as dystopian as ever. In preparation for Hulu's version, Hollister deems the 1990 big screen version (starring Natasha Richardson and Faye Dunaway) this week's #BlastFromThePastFilm. Extra credit if you can name the Nobel laureate who wrote the screenplay.
23:37: A tough cell? Oprah stars in HBO's The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks (based on the novel by Rebecca Skloot).
28:01: In honor of 13 Reasons Why, this week's #ListofSix: Our Six Favorite High School Movies.
34:36: We're finally ready to hit play: Netflix' 13 Reasons Why. 13 episodes based on Jay Asher's bestselling (and debut!) YA novel.
After 6 years on HBO, Lena Dunham brings Girls to a close.
At 7:47: Original Spanish-language programming from Netflix: Ingobernable, starring Kate del Castillo as the indomitable on-the-run First Lady of Mexico.
12:35: Gifted, starring Chris Evans, Mckenna Grace, Lindsay Duncan (Le Week-End), and Octavia Spencer (Hidden Figures). Directed by Marc Webb (500 Days of Summer).
18:21: Oprah Winfrey to star this coming week in The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks on HBO.
19:10: "The Down Under Downton": A Place to Call Home. O'Toole says this show is going to turn her acorn.tv subscription into an oak. Marta Dusseldorp and Noni Hazlehurst (Truth) star (and spar).
24:18: Amanda Seyfried and Shirley MacLaine in The Last Word - which is what Hollister reserves for herself to make The Turning Point (1977) our #BlastFromThePastFilm of the week.
28:43: This week's #ListOfSix: Inspired by La Famille Bélier, Our 6 Favorite French Films. Oh là là!
Amazon gives Amy Sherman-Palladino's The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel a two-season run.
At 1:25: The 50th anniversary of The Graduate - here's to you, Mrs. Robinson. #BlastFromThePastFilm.
4:50: A Quiet Passion: Cynthia Nixon takes on the role of Emily Dickinson.
6:12: TV cancellations?
8:00: Can TV characters leave their core environment without losing their audience?
10:12: Hollister on Showtime's The Beach Boys: Making Pet Sounds.
16:13: This week's #ListofSix: Our 6 Favorite Bank Robbery/Heist Movies.
22:31: Going in Style? Did Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine, and Alan Arkin pull off their film heist?
25:53: The RiverRun International Film Festival honors Jane Alexander as their 2017 Master of Cinema. On The Great White Hope (1970) with James Earl Jones, and how the film still resonates today. Why Jane Alexander didn't get to save the world in Terminator Salvation, but might just do it with her new book, Wild Things, Wild Places.
Nothing could be finer: we're recording live from Winston-Salem, North Carolina, home for many years to one of O'Toole's heroes: Maya Angelou.
This week's #ListOfSix: Our 6 Favorite Things About the 19th Annual RiverRun International Film Festival - can we limit ourselves to just six?
At 7:18: Hollister on Amazon v. Netflix at your local cineplex.
And then it's Books to Screen:
10:10: The much buzzed-about conclusion of the 7-part HBO series Big Little Lies (based on Liane Moriarty's bestselling novel).
And at 28:24: The Zookeeper's Wife - based on the book by conservationist Diane Ackerman - which itself was based on the diary of Antonina Zabinski. Starring Jessica Chastain (Miss Sloane), Johan Heldenbergh (The Broken Circle Breakdown), and Daniel Brühl (Woman in Gold). Directed by Niki Caro (Whale Rider).
It has been said that music is the emotional language of a film. This bonus Screen Thoughts podcast discusses Matt Schrader's Score: A Film Music Documentary, screened at the RiverRun International Film Festival in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Rob Davis, the festival's new executive director, shares a Bette Davis anecdote - and Hollister & O'Toole agree: Rob deserves his own theme song.
Hollister hangs her head in shame over last week's #ListOfSix; Netflix' "shock and awe" spending.
At 3:36: It just doesn't get Bette-r than this: O'Toole on the Divine Miss M back where she belongs: on Broadway.
5:55: This week's #ListOfSix: Our 6 Favorite Movies Based on Broadway Musicals.
9:40: Halt and Catch Fire on Netflix.
11:20: Grace and Frankie Season 3.
17:23: Ireland's new #1 drama: Striking Out (on acorn.tv).
24:28: The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. Amy Sherman-Palladino (Gilmore Girls) captains a new pilot - hopefully Amazon will give this stand-up series lift-off.
33:18: A Red Nose Day special: Love Actually 2.
At 2:02: Does The Eagle Huntress soar?
4:08: In honor of Beauty and the Beast, this week’s #ListOfSix: Our 6 Favorite Remakes.
6:04: O’Toole caps off her Sabrina dispute with Hollister (see www.screenthoughts.net/beauty-and-the-beast for the Harrison Ford visual).
11:59: A Tale as Old as Time: the Disney marketing machine strikes again. Find out who Emma Watson took to the premiere; how her star power caused a UN website to crash; and why Dan Stevens (Downton Abbey) had to read 148 novels in 8 months.
Hollister brings a feminist critique: does Belle’s love for the Beast romanticize the Stockholm syndrome? O’Toole’s response might surprise you.
Directed by Bill Condon; with Emma Thompson, Ian McKellen, Kevin Kline, Audra McDonald, Ewan McGregor, Stanley Tucci, and Gugu Mbatha-Raw.
Podcast extras: excerpts from an interview with 8x-Oscar-winning composer Alan Menken; and Angela Lansbury as Mrs. Potts in the 1991 phenom - the first animated film ever nominated for Best Picture.
Catching up on TV: This is Us; The Good Fight; Big Little Lies; a revival of the Gilmore Girls revival?
At 7:58: Hollister shares a matter of grave concern.
16:12: This week's #ListOfSix: Best Performances by Actors under the Age of 10.
22:48: A celebrity sighting As Good As it Gets.
25:12: Talk about method: Adam Driver (Girls) became a licensed bus driver to prep for his role in Paterson (written & directed by Jim Jarmusch).
31:33: the hit Australian TV series Offspring (now available on Netflix), starring 7x-Logie-winner Asher Keddie as obstetrician Nina Proudman. We can't help ourselves: the show "delivers"!
Hollister claims to have the attention span of a flea, but she breezed through this year's Oscar-winning doco: OJ: Made in America (runtime: 7hrs 47 mins), the longest film ever nominated.
At 4:04: Lena Dunham's Girls: exhibitionism or feminism?
6:24: This week's #ListOfSix honors Women's History Month - some of our choices might surprise you.
17:20: A governor's pardon: Hollister warns O'Toole not to get in to Get Out.
21:58: Two Peter Jackson alums: Melanie Lynskey and Elijah Wood team up for some vigilante action in I Don't Feel at Home in This World Anymore, now available on Netflix. Podcast extra: Melanie Lynskey in her own words on having confidence in Hollywood.
29:28: Find out if Screen Thoughts would RSVP for Table 19 - starring Anna Kendrick (Pitch Perfect 2; The Hollars); story by Mark Duplass.
36:22: One final Mark Duplass vehicle: The One I Love, co-starring Elisabeth Moss (Mad Men), with a cameo by Ted Danson (in whose home the movie was filmed).
And the Oscar goes to...
At 5:48: Hollister shares her thoughts on 6x-Oscar-nominee Hacksaw Ridge - directed by Mel Gibson; starring Andrew Garfield. Congrats to Kevin O'Connell, who finally won his Oscar for Best Sound Mixing - after a record-breaking 21 nominations.
11:09: O'Toole finally sees the German film Toni Erdmann - and thinks it has one of the best cinematic hugs in screen history. Guess who'll be starring in the Hollywood remake?
21:40: Ryan Murphy's latest TV venture: Feud: Bette and Joan - with Susan Sarandon and Jessica Lange as screen legends Bette Davis and Joan Crawford collaborating on the horror film What Ever Happened To Baby Jane?
15:21: In honor of Feud, this week's #ListOfSix: Our 6 Favorite Susan Sarandon/Jessica Lange roles. What do Moonlight, this week's #ListOfSix, and Feud have in common? Just ask O'Toole.
It's the Big Screen vs. the Little Screen.
At 1:54: This week's #ListOfSix: Our 6 Favorite Spin-offs.
7:44: Hollister makes a Supreme case for Loving, a narrative film highlighting the 1967 landmark civil rights decision Loving v. Virginia. Starring Joel Edgerton (Jane Got a Gun) and Oscar nominee Ruth Negga as the couple (and plaintiffs), whose marriage (and case) invalidated laws prohibiting interracial marriage.
11:44: An epic love? A United Kingdom. Starring David Oyelowo (Selma; Queen of Katwe) and Rosamund Pike (Gone Girl) as Prince Seretse Khama of Botswana and his wife, Englishwoman Ruth Williams (parents of Botswana's current President). Directed by Amma Asante (Belle); screenplay by Guy Hibbert (Eye in the Sky).
18:15: Transporting Australia to California: Big Little Lies. Oscar winners Reese Witherspoon and Nicole Kidman bring Liane Moriarty's bestselling novel to the small screen as a 7-part series on HBO. Co-starring Laura Dern (Certain Women) and Shailene Woodley. Written by 10x Emmy winner David E. Kelley (Ally McBeal; Boston Legal); directed by Jean-Marc Vallée (Wild).
32:30: An Oscar-worthy soundalike? Could Kermit the Frog have made a cameo in La La Land?
34:11: O'Toole's favorite spin-off of all: The Good Fight (CBS All Access), starring 2x Tony winner Christine Baranski, Cush Jumbo, and Rose Leslie (Game of Thrones). Brought to us by the same creative team who gifted us with 7 years of The Good Wife.
Whoopi Goldberg has 159 credits to her name - but there's one scene she's never played.
At 4:24: Two Roberts give a press conference: Robert De Niro and RFK, Jr.
5:21: Our #ListOfSix: Our 6 Favorite Movies with Animals in Them. Will PETA be coming after Hollister & O'Toole?
11:58: Hollister reminisces about her first hamburger - and reviews The Founder, starring Michael Keaton as Ray Kroc, the man behind McDonald's.
18:21: O'Toole talks A Dog's Purpose. Directed by Lasse Hallström (The 100-Foot Journey); written by Maya Forbes (Infinitely Polar Bear), et al; starring Dennis Quaid, Peggy Lipton, and at least 4 canine pros.
26:53: Hollister sneaks in Fifty Shades Darker (though hear how she went public with her presence in the actual theater) - starring Dakota Johnson (How To Be Single) and Jamie Dornan (The Fall). Our podcast on the initial installment here: Fifty Shades of Grey.
35:04: New episodes of Girls and Billions. Now O'Toole might just call that gratuitous.
Remembering a TV giant: hats off to Mary Tyler Moore.
This week, it's all about TV. Our updated takes on: This Is Us (NBC)(14:03); Homeland (SHO)(17:00); Grey's Anatomy (ABC)(23:08); The Path (hulu)(28:42); and The Affair (SHO)(32:42).
OK, so, it's not ALL about TV. At 5:52: #ListOfSix: Our 6 Favorite Movies Directed by Women.
We're going to make it after all.
Are parents ever knowable to their children - and vice versa? Writer/director Mike Mills explores his relationship with his real-life mother in 20th Century Women (24:05). Starring Annette Bening, Greta Gerwig (Mistress America; Maggie's Plan), Elle Fanning, Billy Crudup (Jackie), and Lucas Jade Zumann.
From across the pond, a 19th Century Woman: Victoria (43:32), starring Jenna Coleman (Me Before You) as the titular monarch. How does this Masterpiece/PBS production compare to The Crown, A Royal Night Out, and Downton Abbey?
Also: Our thoughts on the Oscar nominations (00:00); guess which movie is turning 30 (10:10); Jude Law and Diane Keaton in HBO's "not wildly inaccurate" The Young Pope (12:18); and the 2016 stats: box office and screen dialogue broken down by gender.
At 17:48, we revisit last week's #ListOfSix (6 Saddest Movies); and then bring you this week's (19:54) - in name only? 6 Movies with "Woman" or "Women" in the title.
Terror at the world's oldest marathon: Patriots Day (10:56) - writer/director Peter Berg's take on the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings - starring (and produced by) Boston native Mark Wahlberg. With Michelle Monaghan, Rachel Brosnahan, John Goodman, J.K. Simmons, Kevin Bacon, and Khandi Alexander.
At 3:00: this week's #ListOfSix: Our 6 Saddest Movies.
And the box office has spoken, astronomically: congrats to last week's film: #HiddenFigures.
Meet the truly inspiring women you don't know behind the mission you do: Hidden Figures (11:42). Starring Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer and Janelle Monáe - as real-life aeronautical superheroes Katherine G. Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson.
Based on the 2016 New York Times bestselling book by Margot Lee Shetterly (whose mantra is Research. Write. Repeat): Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians Who Helped Win the Space Race.
Hidden Figures inspires this week's #ListOfSix: Our 6 Favorite Movies Based on Real Events (4:04).
Also, Hollister welcomes the return of Homeland (0:38); and, having already been adapted for the big screen, Hulu brings Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale to the small screen (1:28).
Hit play for this month's LitLovers selection - and... 3-2-1 Liftoff!
Natalie Portman takes on an icon in Pablo Larraín's Jackie (9:45); Hollister shares some personal recollections. Podcast extras include an excerpt from the real Jackie's Emmy-winning White House Tour.
This week's #ListOfSix: 6 Strong Female TV Characters (2:06).
O'Toole pays homage to Fred & Ginger (1:10); Hollister discusses The Jinx (7:26).
Remembering Carrie Fisher. At 3:14: #ListOfSix: 6 Movies We're Looking Forward to in 2017. At 9:12: Emma Stone & Ryan Gosling star in Damien Chazelle's La La Land. Guess which one of us was impressed by the making-of stories, and which one of us was not exactly in Camp Rah-Rah Land.
At 12:26: An Isabelle Huppert double-header: Elle, directed by Paul Verhoeven (Basic Instinct) and L'avenir (Things to Come), written and directed by Mia Hansen-Løve - the film is an homage to her mother, a philosophy teacher.
At 25:51: Denzel Washington and Viola Davis reprise their 2010 Tony-winning roles in August Wilson's Pulitzer-Prize-winning Fences.
Also: 7:35: What half of all Brits dream about (The Crown, anyone?); 8:50: Hollister makes a confession (Survivor fans, listen in!); and #ListOfSix: 6 Golden Globe snubs. Let the awards season begin!
At 8:20: The buzz around Manchester by the Sea. Discover which of us thought it was pure genius; and which of us thought it was a cinematic slow-swinging sledgehammer. Written & directed by Ken Lonergan; starring Casey Affleck, Michelle Williams, Kyle Chandler, Lucas Hedges, and Gretchen Mol. At 29:31: Miss Sloane, reteaming director John Madden (Shakespeare in Love) and Jessica Chastain (The Martian). With John Lithgow (The Crown); Sam Waterston (Grace & Frankie); Christine Baranski (The Good Wife), Gugu Mbatha-Raw (Easy), and Jake Lacy (How to Be Single). Also: kicking off the podcast, this week's #ListOfSix: Book to Screen Adaptations; and at 6:58: Congrats to YouTube sensation Connor Hines.
WW2 and contemplating a world without villains. At 3:01: #ListOfSix: 6 Movies That Surprised Us. 10:10: Allied, starring Brad Pitt & Marion Cotillard. O'Toole thinks it's Mr. & Mrs. Smith as a period piece. Written by Steven Knight (Burnt; The Hundred-Foot Journey); directed by Robert Zemeckis (Forrest Gump; Back to the Future). 20:26: Hollister welcomes Season 14 of Top Chef. 20:48: NBC's hit This Is Us. Starring Mandy Moore, Milo Ventimiglia, and Sterling K. Brown. Created by Dan Fogelman (Crazy, Stupid, Love); executive produced by Ken Olin (Thirtysomething).
Buskers & Burning Questions. Trivia & Tributes. 9 years after the original Gilmore Girls series (2000-2007) wrapped, Netflix sponsors a trip back to Stars Hollow. Hollister & O'Toole review this 4-part series - to quote Carole King: Winter, Spring, Summer & Fall.
It's Amy Adams week - we take a look at two features headlining the 5x-Oscar nominee:
At 10:12: Arrival - or, a hover-side chat with heptapods. Co-starring Jeremy Renner and Oscar winner Forest Whitaker. Directed by Denis Villeneuve (Sicario).
At 23:21: Nocturnal Animals - written & directed by fashion icon Tom Ford. Co-starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Michael Shannon (Elvis & Nixon).
Also featured: #ListOfSix: in time for Thanksgiving*, our 6 favorite holiday movies.
At 6:40: guess which hit movie has inspired a new Broadway show. At 7:35: Hollister reviews Coming Through the Rye.
*We are grateful to all our listeners - and to all the artists who bring it!
Anna Kendrick on her first book tour: #ScrappyLittleNobody. At 2:58: #ListofSix 6 Favorite Songs from Movies. 9:50: O'Toole finally experiences Hannibal the Cannibal in Hollister's favorite film: The Silence of the Lambs. 17:24: Hollister revisits her custody arrangement with the HBO/Sarah Jessica Parker vehicle Divorce. 18:36: Anna will never find her: Downton Abbey's Michelle Dockery goes down, down, downstairs in TNT's new series Good Behavior. 25:33: SHO releases Season 3, Ep. 1 of The Affair on YouTube. 28:23: Spielberg's collaboration with China.
This week's #ListofSix: Our 6 Favorite Courtroom Movies (with 2 Honorable Mentions).
At 10:02: A Royal Affair indeed: the lavish new $130MM Netflix series The Crown.
Starring Claire Foy as QE2; Matt Smith as Prince Philip, and John Lithgow as Winston Churchill. Written and created by Peter Morgan (Frost/Nixon, The Queen).
At this rate, the sun will never set on the Netflix empire - God save the TV!
From Hollister's favorite serial killers to what O'Toole thinks Hugh Grant has in common with Bob Newhart - we start off with this week's #ListOfSix: Our 6 Favorite Shrinks. At 7:30: The final season of The Fall (starring Gillian Anderson and Jamie Dornan) - does it still have its Fear Factor? At 9:40: Still recovering from the pilot episode (a British PM and a pig, anyone?), Screen Thoughts dares to take another look at Black Mirror - Netflix' Nosedive episode - a bleak commentary on Social Media. Starring Bryce Dallas Howard; directed by Joe Wright (Atonement); written by Rashida Jones. Hollister reveals her Uber rating. At 18:40: like daughter, like father: Ron Howard's Inferno, starring Tom Hanks, Felicity Jones, and Sidse Babett Knudsen (Borgen). At 21:30 Certain Women (played by Kristen Stewart, Michelle Williams, Laura Dern, and Lily Gladstone). Based on Maile Meloy's short story collection Both Ways Is the Only Way I Want It; directed by and adapted for the big screen by Kelly Reichardt; produced by Todd Haynes (Carol). Additional shout-outs to Orphan Black, Westworld, and Isabelle Huppert.
Our first #ListofSix: 6 Books That Should Be Made Into Movies. At 6:22: in honor of Tatiana Maslany's well-deserved Emmy win, Screen Thoughts finally takes a look at Orphan Black. Hollister & O'Toole then split their realities, taking independent looks at 2 movies based on true stories: at 10:05, Christine (starring Rebecca Hall as troubled 1970s TV reporter Christine Chubbuck) and at 15:38, Denial (Rachel Weisz as historian Deborah Lipstadt - doing battle with a Holocaust denier). At 21:58, a film that ignited a firestorm: a look at the Brazilian film Aquarius, starring Sonia Braga.
Why Idris Elba spent the night in prison; which series was voted #1 of all time in Australia; and what the Boston Book Festival had to teach us about sympathetic characters. At 4:51, Screen Thoughts audits the latest Ben Affleck vehicle: The Accountant. Did the assets outweigh the liabilities? Directed by Gavin O'Connor (Jane Got a Gun); also starring J.K. Simmons and Anna Kendrick (Pitch Perfect 2). At 15:42, Sarah Jessica Parker's return to HBO in Divorce, created by Sharon Horgan (Catastrophe). Podcast extras include an excerpt of SJP's interview with Alec Baldwin (whom HBO had once considered for the role of Mr. Big).
2 movies based on bestselling novels; 2 women who get off trains, suspected of murder.
At 5:00: Paula Hawkins' The Girl on the Train - directed by Tate Taylor (The Help) and starring Emily Blunt. At 24:05: Rosalie Ham's The Dressmaker - written and directed by Jocelyn Moorhouse (who calls the film "Unforgiven" but with a sewing machine and haute couture), starring Kate Winslet, Judy Davis, and Liam Hemsworth.
Revenge is back in fashion.
More Fall T.V. pilots (ABC's Designated Survivor; and OWN's Queen Sugar), and Hollister's sushi kick continues - this time with East Side Sushi (5:39). Hollister & O'Toole also take a look at Woody Allen's first foray into television: Amazon's Crisis in Six Scenes (15:03). Starring 2x-Oscar nominee and comic legend Elaine May, as well as Miley Cyrus, Joy Behar, and John Magaro.
Favorite Fall T.V. Pilots; Disney's Queen of Katwe (starring Lupita Nyong'o, David Oyelowo, and introducing Madina Nalwanga as Ugandan chess prodigy Phiona Mutesi) (9:30); Mad Women? a look back at the 1960s with Amazon's Good Girls Revolt (with Grace Gummer as Nora Ephron) (12:50); and Netflix' Easy - 8 vignettes about art & sex written & directed by Joe Swanberg (26:08).
Dear Diary, 15 years since the first installment (terrifying slide into immortality), 3 books (Yesssssss!), 3 movies (v.g.), 4 Oscar-winning actors (v.v.g). Irresistible Sex Goddess facing geriatric pregnancy (what is the point?), but with convincing British accent. Hurrah!
Our favorite Singleton is back In Bridget Jones's Baby. Starring Oscar winners Renée Zellweger, Colin Firth, Emma Thompson, and Jim Broadbent (London Spy) - along with Patrick Dempsey (Grey's Anatomy) and Gemma Jones. Next up in Hollister & O'Toole's look at comedic dysfunction: The Hollars - directed by and starring John Krasinski, along with Margo Martindale (The Good Wife), Richard Jenkins, Sharito Copley, and Anna Kendrick (Pitch Perfect 2). Find out why O'Toole thinks John Krasinski is the perfect man, and which Margo Martindale role is Hollister's favorite.
Podcast cameos by Adele (yet another Oscar winner!) and Josh Groban.
A look at Amazon's The Kettering Incident, a Gothic supernatural series filmed on location in Tasmania. Also: the new fall TV line-up. Meryl Streep to film The Nix. A new doco on Norman Lear. Is Aaron Sorkin sexist?
It's hard to believe M.L. Stedman started out as a lawyer. The years-long New York Times bestseller The Light Between Oceans (2012) was her debut novel - which has since been translated into 30+ languages.
Director Derek Cianfrance (Blue Valentine; The Place Beyond the Pines) adapted the book for the big screen.
A LitLovers selection, Hollister & O'Toole discuss both the book and the movie - starring Oscar winners Alicia Vikander (The Danish Girl) and Rachel Weisz (The Constant Gardener) as well as 2x-Oscar nominee Michael Fassbender (Steve Jobs; 12 Years a Slave).
As M.L. Stedman herself put it: "A lighthouse automatically implies potential drama: You only find them where there's a risk of going astray or running aground."
Did the adaptation achieve safe passage? Be sure to listen in and let us know your thoughts; until then, Hollister & O'Toole will dutifully climb the steps and light the way.
An insider's glimpse into the world of improv comedy. Don't Think Twice is the second feature film written and directed by Mike Birbiglia - who stars in the film, along with comedic talents Keegan Michael-Key, Gillian Jacobs, Kate Micucci, Tami Sagher, and Chris Gethard.
Did Hollister & O'Toole like the film? Yes, and...
Hollister & O'Toole discuss Equity, which bills itself as "the first female driven Wall Street movie".
Directed by Meera Menon; screenplay by Amy Fox; starring Anna Gunn ("Breaking Bad"), as well as Alysia Reiner ("Orange is the New Black") and Sarah Megan Thomas (who also produced the film).
Most of the film's financial backing came from real-life women of Wall Street - who assure us that Equity (which premiered at Sundance, where it was acquired by Sony) will indeed turn a profit. Because, after all, they "like money".
Meryl Streep, Hugh Grant & Florence Foster Jenkins - did it hit all the right, wrong notes? Who knew that The Big Bang Theory's Simon Helberg could really play the piano?
And from the internationally acclaimed crime author Jo Nesbø... Occupied (Okkupert), a gripping 10-part Norwegian series available on Netflix.
Hollister and O’Toole discuss Woody Allen's 46th film, Café Society, which opened this year's Cannes Film Festival (but was not in competition - as Woody Allen puts it, competition is fine when it comes to sports, but he doesn't believe in it when it comes to the arts).
Starring Jesse Eisenberg (The End of the Tour), Kristen Stewart (Still Alice), Blake Lively (The Shallows), Steve Carell, Corey Stoll (House of Cards), and Parker Posey.
Hollister & O'Toole review Bad Moms - brought to us by the writers of The Hangover; starring Mila Kunis, Kristen Bell, and Kathryn Hahn - as well as Ira Sachs' latest offering: Little Men - starring Greg Kinnear, Jennifer Ehle, and introducing an actor-to-watch: Michael Barbieri.
Hollister & O'Toole pay tribute to the late, great Garry Marshall, whose amazingly successful 56-year Hollywood career in both television (The Odd Couple, Happy Days, Mork & Mindy, Laverne & Shirley) and film (Overboard, Beaches, Pretty Woman, The Princess Diaries) helped catapult the careers of such A-list actors (and future directors) as Ron Howard, Robin Williams, Julia Roberts, Anne Hathaway, and, of course, his sister Penny. As Bruce Weber at the New York Times (and star of the documentary OBIT) put it, "Mork and the Fonz are weeping". We also share our thoughts on the film Indignation - which we screened at the Provincetown International Film Festival - with writer/director James Schamus in attendance. Schamus is best-known for his long-time collaboration with 3x-Oscar winner Ang Lee - as both writer (Eat Drink Man Woman; Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) and producer (Brokeback Mountain, Sense and Sensibility).
Based on Philip Roth's 29th novel (of the same name), Indignation marks Schamus' feature film directorial debut.
Starring Logan Lerman (The Perks of Being a Wallflower), Pulitzer- and Tony-winner Tracy Letts (The Big Short), and Sarah Gadon (A Royal Night Out).
Hollister & O’Toole celebrate their 100th episode with two selections which have our listeners talking: The Lobster (a dystopian parable - and Cannes Jury Prize Winner) and BBC's Thirteen (a TV miniseries about an escaped girl held captive in a basement for 13 years).
Our back-up plan was... cake.
Hollister & O'Toole ring in Bastille Day with a look at the French film Mon Roi (My King) - an intense tale of an amour fou, nominated for 8 César Awards. Starring Vincent Cassel (Black Swan) and Emmanuelle Bercot - who not only took home a very well deserved Best Actress Award at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival for this film (tying with Rooney Mara for Carol) - but who also wrote & directed the festival's opening night film, Standing Tall. Mon Roi is the fourth feature film written & directed by Maïwenn (whose prior film Polisse - co-written by Emmanuelle Bercot - won the Jury Prize at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival). Vive la France!
This week we cheer on the underdog - or, perhaps more appropriately, the underhorse.
Dark Horse is the inspiring documentary (and Sundance Audience Award Winner) about a group of Welsh villagers who pool their resources and breed Dream Alliance, a come-from-behind racehorse. Hollister thinks the movie could have been called Pride & Patience. O'Toole would have pitched it as Billy Elliot - as a horse. Or perhaps as a tale of the Hooves vs. the Hoove Nots. Directed by Louise Osmond (Deep Water); starring Dream Alliance and the villagers as themselves. Also discussed: The Horse Whisperer and Buck. As well as Sully, Réttur (Case), The Shallows, and Thanks for Sharing.
This week it's all about adaptation. First Hollister & O'Toole discuss Our Kind of Traitor - based on the 22nd novel by John Le Carré (The Night Manager; Most Wanted Man). Film directed by Susanna White; starring Ewan McGregor, Damian Lewis, Stellan Skarsgård and Moneypenny - a/k/a Naomie Harris (Spectre). Then hear from the authors of The Danish Girl; Still Alice; and The Finest Hours - a fascinating Book to Screen panel @ #PIFF2016. How having your book adapted is like selling your apartment; the difference between sympathy and empathy for your characters; and, of course, tales from the Oscars (yes, there are TWO red carpets).
Hollister & O'Toole podcast from the 18th annual Provincetown International Film Festival - making "P-Town" P(odcast)-Town!.
Inspired by its location on the very tip of Cape Cod (P-Town is America's oldest art colony), the festival celebrates filmmakers "on the edge". Hear about this year's honorees: Cynthia Nixon (a 2x-Emmy, Tony, and Grammy winner) and 3x-Oscar winner Ang Lee (Sense and Sensibility, Brokeback Mountain, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon). O'Toole also touches on 3 docos seen at the festival (Sonic Sea, OBIT, and Sundance favorite Sonita), as well as the beautifully animated film Long Way North. Hollister gives additional shout-outs to OITNB Season 4, Finding Dory, and The Last Tycoon vs. The Interestings.
What is the best thing that could ever happen to your unpublished novel? Your friend Rebecca Miller asks if she could adapt it for the big screen. Rebecca Miller (yes, daughter of Arthur) helms her 5th feature as both writer & director in Maggie's Plan - a quirky, academic romance set in NYC with ficto-critical anthropologists, a pickle entrepreneur, and some sensible (and not so sensible) shoes. Loosely based on a story by Karen Rinaldi (which, in turn, was grounded in her real life). Starring Greta Gerwig (Mistress America), Ethan Hawke, and Oscar-winner Julianne Moore (Still Alice). Co-starring Bill Hader (Trainwreck), Maya Rudolph, Travis Fimmel, and Wallace Shawn (The Good Wife). O'Toole didn't want to leave destiny to, well, destiny, so she saw it twice - the first time at the Miami International Film Festival (with Rebecca Miller in attendance).
And, no longer talking about the film's love triangles here, Hollister also discusses her newest guilty pleasure: Fixer Upper.
Get ready to weep.
Jojo Moyes' 9th novel, Me Before You, became a runaway bestseller, selling over 5 million copies around the globe. As Vanity Fair put it: “It’s an existential work that’s masquerading as a beach read.” Now the author of 13 novels, the film version of Me Before You marks a first: Jojo Moyes' very first screenplay - the naturally visual writer adapted her own novel for the big screen (and by all accounts, thoroughly enjoyed the process). A LitLovers selection, Hollister & O'Toole discuss both the book and the movie - film directed by Thea Sharrock; starring Emilia Clarke (Game of Thrones) and Sam Claflin (The Hunger Games).
Listen in; we promise to tell you something good.
Director Whit Stillman, Kate Beckinsale & Chloë Sevigny (The Last Days of Disco) reteam in this film adaptation of Jane Austen's novella Lady Susan (which the author herself never submitted for publication).
Given their usual sense and sensibility, Hollister & O'Toole needed no persuasion - they were both sure they would love Love & Friendship. Alas, only one declared a victory for Austen Powers.
Was one too proud - or the other too prejudiced? Podcast extras include: excerpts from Steven Spielberg's 2016 Harvard Commencement Address.
Hollister & O'Toole are at opposing wits' ends in this week's podcast - one calls the film brilliant; the other thinks that Nice Guys, well, finish last.
An ode to Abbott & Costello? Or a film that makes How To Be Single look like Ms. Magazine?
Listen in - and let us know what you think!
Hostage thriller meets Morality Tale: Money Monster makes its premiere at the 69th annual Cannes Film Festival. Starring George Clooney, Julia Roberts, Jack O'Connell (Unbroken), and Dominic West (The Affair). Directed by Jodie Foster, who was aiming for Sidney Lumet-esque (Network) - did she achieve it?
Also mentioned: #Flatgate and the unwritten rules of the Cannes Red Carpet; The Man Who Knew Infinity, starring Dev Patel (Marigold Hotel); and Aaron Sorkin's directorial debut.
Oscar-winner Tilda Swinton (Michael Clayton; Trainwreck) and director Luca Guadagnino (I Am Love) re-team in A Bigger Splash, an adaptation of the 1969 French film La Piscine. Can Hollister & O'Toole crack the film's symbolism?
Co-starring Ralph Fiennes (The English Patient), Dakota Johnson (How to be Single; Fifty Shades of Grey), and Matthias Schoenaerts (The Danish Girl).
Also mentioned: saying goodbye to the 7-year gift of The Good Wife (sigh slap-slap), and saying hello to Season 2 of Grace and Frankie.
Tom Hanks reteams with director Tom Tykwer (Cloud Atlas) in A Hologram for the King, based on Dave Eggers' acclaimed novel, a 2012 National Book Award finalist.
Co-starring Alexander Black, Sarita Choudhury (Learning to Drive), and Sidse Babett Knudsen (Borgen) - with Ben Whishaw (Spectre, London Spy) as the hologram.
A LitLovers selection, Hollister & O'Toole discuss both book and movie.
A real-life premise even Hollywood couldn't dream up: December, 1970. An uninvited Elvis shows up at the White House, requesting a meeting with President Nixon (and asking to be made a federal agent at large). The result: the most requested image in the history of the National Archives. Amazon Studios marks its theatrical debut with Elvis & Nixon (starring Michael Shannon & Kevin Spacey). Find out who liked the music (but thought there should be more meat in the meeting) and who couldn't handle the mockery.
For more on the Elvis & Nixon meeting, click here to access the National Archives exhibit (including a transcript of the actual letter Elvis sent Nixon): http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/nixon-met-elvis/
Also discussed: Beyoncé's visual album #Lemonade; the 75th annual Peabody Awards; 112 Weddings.
The Night Manager - the bestselling novel by John le Carré (A Most Wanted Man) is adapted for the big screen in a 6-part miniseries (BBC/AMC). Directed by Oscar-winner Susanne Bier (After the Wedding) and starring Tom Hiddleston (the next Bond?) as the night manager-turned-avenging-angel/spy, Olivia Colman (Broadchurch) as the British intelligence chief (a part originally written for a man), and Hugh Laurie (House) as "the worst man in the world". By the way, did you know Dr. House can sing (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3pGknJ9ymI)?
At least 15 le Carré novels have made it to the big screen; visit us at http://www.screenthoughts.net/#!blank-4/dmrnh to read what he himself thinks of this latest adaptation. While watching the series, be sure to keep an eye out for the author - he makes a cameo.
And marking the 25th anniversary of the nationally televised October, 1991 Senate hearings which sparked a nationwide debate on sexual harassment, HBO brings us Confirmation - starring Scandal's Kerry Washington as Anita Hill, The Wire's Wendell Pierce as Clarence Thomas, and a star-studded supporting ensemble. Written by Susannah Grant (Erin Brockovich) - who was inspired by the book Strange Justice (written by journalists Jane Mayer and Jill Abramson) and the 2013 documentary Anita by Oscar-winner Freida Lee Mock.
Visit us at http://www.screenthoughts.net/#!blank-4/dmrnh to read Prof. Hill's opening statement to the Senate Judiciary Committee - which ranks in the Top 100 most significant American political speeches of the 20th century. As HBO puts it: “It only takes one voice to change history.”
Shonda Rhimes' Year of Yes. Scandal & #TGIT (unless you're about to get chaired). Reese Witherspoon as Hollywood tastemaker. American Crime Story and the trial of O.J. Simpson. Catastrophe and Season 2 on Amazon Prime - would Rob Delaney and Sharon Horgan offer creativity time management seminars already. For our podcast on Catastrophe Season 1, click here: https://soundcloud.com/screen-thoughts/catastrophe Nothing Left Unsaid: Gloria Vanderbilt & Anderson Cooper (the newest doco from 2x-Oscar-nominee Liz Garbus).
Screen Thoughts turns its lens on 3 new network TV offerings: Shondaland's latest - The Catch (ABC); The Real O'Neals (ABC); and Crowded (NBC). Find out who feels no shame in indulging a guilty pleasure, and where Hollister & O'Toole stand on sitcoms.
Hollister & O'Toole pay tribute to 2x-Oscar winner Sally Field - one of the first actors ever to successfully make the transition from TV to film - and discuss her new movie Hello, My Name is Doris.
Also discussed: Everything is Copy, the new HBO documentary about Nora Ephron - directed by her son, Jacob Bernstein. For more on Nora, don't miss our previous tribute at https://soundcloud.com/screen-thoughts/nora-ephron-tribute
Hollister & O’Toole interview writer/director Joe Castelo (The War Within; American Saint) & producer Travis Burgess about the making of their award-winning film The Preppie Connection (starring Thomas Mann, Logan Huffman and Lucy Fry) - and inspired by a real-life drug-smuggling scandal at Choate.
Aspiring filmmakers will want to hear what Joe and Travis have to say about how to get an independent film made - from casting and financing to the Holy Grail of distribution.
Tune in to discover Joe’s connection to Dakota Johnson and Rooney Mara; what he learned from director Doug Liman (The Bourne Identity); and what Joe was doing in the apartment of screenwriting legend William Goldman (The Princess Bride).
The Preppie Connection is currently the 3rd most watched trailer on imdb.com.
Written by Joe Castelo and Ashley Rudden; additional producers Joe Mensch, Adam Folk, Carlo Sirtori, Eric Schultz, and Billy Raftery.
Currently in theaters; also available on iTunes and Amazon.
Saying goodbye to Downton Abbey; House of Cards Season 4; and the 33rd annual Miami International Film Festival - where Oscar-winner Gavin Hood was on hand to discuss his latest film, Eye in the Sky.
Helen Mirren in a part written for a man. The late great Alan Rickman in his last on-screen role. A morality tale about drone warfare and its collateral damage; a master class in maintaining suspense.
Hollister & O’Toole, or, in keeping with the title’s NATO Phonetic Alphabet, Hotel & Oscar debate the merits of Tina Fey’s latest offering: Whiskey Tango Foxtrot.
Directed by Glenn Ficarra & John Requa (Crazy, Stupid, Love). Cinematography by Xavier Grobet. Screenplay by Robert Carlock; based on a fictionalized account of Kim Barker’s book "The Taliban Shuffle: Strange Days in Afghanistan and Pakistan”*. Produced by Tina Fey and Lorne Michaels.
Also starring Margot Robbie, Martin Freeman, Alfred Molina, Christopher Abbott, and Billy Bob Thornton. Cameos by Josh Charles (Will lives!) and Cherry Jones.
*Though the film is based on Kim Barker’s book, Tina Fey’s character is Kim Baker (without the first “r”). O’Toole swears that at one point in the movie someone addresses Tina Fey as “Tina”. Is O’Toole crazy? (Wait, don’t answer that.)
Hollister and O’Toole weigh in on the 2016 Oscars.
O'Toole is fascinated by the history behind the Academy Awards: whose idea they were; who gave them their nickname; and what happened in 1941 to cause the first female president of the Academy to resign in frustration.
As for this year's ceremony, hear which acceptance speech was Hollister's favorite, what she thinks of the Best Picture winner, and what her hopes are for the future.
A singular critique of Hollywood’s take on How to Be Single (loosely based on the book by SATC writer and co-author of He’s Just Not That Into You, Liz Tuccillo). Starring Dakota Johnson and Rebel Wilson.
Find out what Hollister identifies as the common thread running between this film, Lena Dunham’s Girls, and Judd Apatow’s new series Love. Hear which movie O’Toole touts above all others as truly depicting How to Be Single and what she has to say about the passing of Harper Lee, who brought us To Kill a Mockingbird and Atticus Finch (who, by the way, the U.S. Census Bureau would have classified as single).
Screen Thoughts welcomes all your thoughts at screenthoughts@gmail.com (and, let’s be honest, both Hollister and O’Toole could use a little cheering up).
Taking a look at an actress known for The Look: Dame Charlotte Rampling, in her Oscar-nominated turn in 45 Years - a haunting and intimate look at the potential fragility of a long and stable marriage. How well does one really know one's own spouse? Co-starring Tom Courtenay; written and directed by Andrew Haigh; based on the short story "In Another Country" by David Constantine.
Also, hear what Hollister & O'Toole think of the BBC series Happy Valley (re-teaming the creator and star of Last Tango in Halifax); which movie Hollister watched on Valentine's Day; and how 45 Years reminds O'Toole of Liane Moriarty's The Husband's Secret.
Pride and Prejudice... and Zombies. Hear which of us thinks it's nothing short of sacrilege; and which actually welcomes the inversion of the typical marriage plot. Based on the international bestseller by Seth-Grahame Smith (Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter); screenplay and direction by Burr Steers (who also wrote How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days). Starring Lily James and Sam Riley as zombie-fighters Lizzie Bennet and Darcy.
Also discussed: the end of an era (The Good Wife); the upcoming start of a new season (House of Cards); and whether or not Hollister hails Caesar.
"It is a truth, universally acknowledged, that a zombie in possession of brains, must be in want of more brains."
For this month's LitLovers selection, Hollister & O'Toole discuss Pride and Prejudice and Zombies - both the international best-seller* by Seth-Grahame Smith (Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter) and the film adaptation starring Lily James and Sam Riley as zombie-fighters Lizzie Bennet and Darcy.
Hear which of us thinks it's nothing short of sacrilege; and which actually welcomes the inversion of the marriage plot (even if Mrs. Bennet herself would still rather see her daughters "with husbands than muskets").
*For those who worry about Jane Austen rolling in her grave, if it makes you feel any better, you could instead opt to read the book in Japanese, Chinese, Hungarian, Polish, Serbian or Croatian.
TGIT! Hollister & O'Toole return to Shondaland with a look at Scandal - a show that still has America talking, averaging about 300,000 Tweets per episode. Also: Hollister discusses American Crime Story's upcoming The People v. O.J. Simpson and the Gilmore Girls re-boot, while O'Toole reports from the St. Augustine Film Festival.
Hollister and O'Toole cover a lot of territory this week - as does Chelsea Handler in her new 4-part docuseries on Netflix (Marriage; Racism; Silcon Valley; Drugs). Hollister, who thinks we're becoming a nation of serial murderer series binge-watchers (seriously), swears she's going to take a murder hiatus - but not before discussing the BBC's new series London Spy (starring Ben Whishaw and Jim Broadbent). Also mentioned: Meet the Patels, The Staircase, Learning to Drive, and... Downton Abbey! Seatbelts on!
In honor of Brooklyn's 3 Oscar noms (Best Picture, Best Actress - Saoirse Ronan, Best Adapted Screenplay - Nick Hornby), Hollister & O'Toole dedicate this week's podcast to the movie-based-on-the-novel - a dream team of cast and script. Also discussed: #OscarsSoWhite, SHOwtime's new series Billions, and which actor's voice is most like the cello.
For this month's LitLovers selection, Hollister & O'Toole discuss Brooklyn - based on Colm Tóibín's acclaimed novel - and currently nominated for 3 Academy Awards: Best Picture, Best Actress (Saoirse Ronan) and Best Adapted Screenplay (Nick Hornby).
Breaking news from this morning: the 2016 Oscar noms, as well as the sad news of the passing of the great Alan Rickman - who we love Truly Madly Deeply. Hollister & O'Toole also discuss Sunday night's Golden Globe winners, as well as the much-discussed Netflix docu-series Making a Murderer - with a shoutout to the perspective-bending The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby series (Him/Her/and Them).
This week Hollister & O'Toole discuss Amazon Prime's Mozart in the Jungle, recently nominated for 2 Golden Globes: Best Comedy/Musical and Best Actor, Gael García Bernal (Y Tu Mamá También; The Motorcycle Diaries). The cast alone is music to our ears: Broadway legend Bernadette Peters, Lola Kirke, Saffron Burrows, Malcolm McDowell, Debra Monk...
Also, hear what Hollister has to say about Will Smith's new movie Concussion, while O'Toole pays homage to the late, great Elaine Stritch, truly one of the Grande Dames of American Theatre (the self-proclaimed "existential problem in tights") with the doco Elaine Stritch: Shoot Me. Fun fact: Alec Baldwin appears in both movies (Concussion and Shoot Me)!
In this week's podcast, Hollister & O'Toole take a look at the latest David O. Russell-Jennifer Lawrence-Bradley Cooper-Robert De Niro offering: Joy. Learn who loved Silver Linings Playbook, who didn't like Silver Linings Playbook, and who was willing to take the Joy out of Christmas. (Clue: O'Toole says she's always tonally suspect when a movie's gone through 4 editors.) Hollister does her best to enlighten O'Toole, claiming the movie was about much more than the Miracle Mop. Also discussed: The Big Short and Le Week-End. With some New Year's Resolutions thrown in for good measure. Auld lang syne!
For this month’s LitLovers’ selection, Screen Thoughts sends its crew to review The Martian – based on the bestselling book by Andy Weir and the acclaimed movie by Ridley Scott.
Starring Golden Globe nominee Matt Damon as astronaut Mark Watney (which is more impressive – his scientific wherewithal or his gallows humor?); co-starring Jessica Chastain, Kate Mara, and Jeff Daniels.
Hear what Hollister and O’Toole have to say about survival skills – especially on a planet where the desert is “so old it’s literally rusting”.
(It’s pretty safe to say a typical day at Screen Thoughts does not entail thinking about the fact that we could save ourselves by cutting off an arm and eating it. O.K., O.K., we know that might not have been normal commentary, but “Normal was a long time ago…”)
Screen Thoughts to Book Clubs: Let us know how your conversations rove!
Screen Thoughts spends this week in Space, reviewing both The Martian as well as the 7th installment in the storied 38-year Star Wars Franchise: The Force Awakens. We’ll also take a look at Jessica Jones, superhero turned P.I. on Netflix.
Podcast extras include a snippet from Carrie Fisher’s Emmy-nominated one-woman show Wishful Drinking (on what it’s like when you’ve sold your likeness to George Lucas) as well as a very special podcaster: O’Toole cedes the floor to her nephew Connor on his 9th birthday – hear what lessons he’s learned from Star Wars, his recipe for water on Mars, and whether he’ll be applying to NASA’s space program anytime soon.
This week Hollister and O’Toole cover a lot of territory:
Robert Loggia.
Carol.
The documentary shortlist for the Academy Awards.
The Golden Globe nominations.
Comments from our listeners – including some great news shared by director Joseph Castelo (The Preppie Connection).
The Peanuts Movie (O.K., O.K., O’Toole snuck that one in there).
And, in honor of this week’s annual awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize, our feature review: The Letters – starring Juliet Stevenson as Mother Teresa – who once told us “If you judge people, you have no time to love them.” (We’re really hoping Mother Teresa would have exempted movie reviewers.)
O'Toole got to live out a fantasy: a trip to Tasmania to have coffee and Tim Tams with creative powerhouse Posie Graeme-Evans - producer of countless award-winning T.V. shows, author of 6 bestselling novels, and, of course, the mastermind behind the beloved, long-running Australian T.V. series McLeod's Daughters. Tune in to discover what Posie has to say about cows, composers, Claire and the cliff - and, of course, what she's dreaming up next. Trust us, you'll want to live in any world PGE creates.
For O'Toole's video of her visit, click here: https://vimeo.com/154381319
In the last of our podcasts from the Hamptons International Film Festival, Hollister and O'Toole - along with guests Bill Harts and Melissa Cohn - take a look at the delightful A Royal Night Out, a reimagining of a real-life event: V.E. Day, 1945. Winston Churchill has just declared the war in Europe over. In this "reverse Cinderella" story, a young Princess Elizabeth (wearing her wartime uniform) and Princess Margaret sneak out of Buckingham Palace to join all of London in a night of celebrating and revelry (incognito, of course).
Starring Sarah Gadon and Bel Powley. Co-starring Rupert Everett and Emily Watson. Directed by Julian Jarrold (Becoming Jane, Kinky Boots).
It's a fresh take on the world's longest reigning monarch (click here to see photos of Queen Elizabeth II with 12 US Presidents over her 63-year reign).
Podcast extra: in a rare interview, hear in the Queen's own words about that actual night - taken from the Channel 4 documentary The Queen's Big Night Out.
Whether the real QE2 really did the Lindy hop that night, we may never know; but she has declared it to have been one of the most memorable nights of her life.
53 years and 24 films. That's, of course, Bond, James Bond.
Hollister and O'Toole discuss Spectre, the latest offering in the storied franchise. Find out who says Daniel Craig is their favorite Bond ever; and who was neither shaken nor stirred.
Bond films wouldn't be Bond films without the iconic music. Features clips from the title song "Writing’s on the Wall" by Sam Smith (the first Englishman to solo a Bond song in over 50 years); "Goldeneye" by Tina Turner; and "Goldfinger" by the legendary Shirley Bassey (who holds the record for most Bond themes).
One thing's for sure (the credits assure us): Bond shall return.
For this month's LitLovers' selection, Screen Thoughts shines its spotlight on the bestselling book and acclaimed movie Room - both penned by Irish writer Emma Donoghue.
Movie adaptation directed by Lenny Abrahamson; starring Brie Larson (in a role that is a far cry from Trainwreck!) and the astounding child actor Jacob Tremblay as the 5-year-old Jack.
Hear Hollister and O'Toole's points of view on, well, points of view.
Disturbing? Fascinating?
Let us know how your book club weighs in!
Hollister and O’Toole (and, later, special guests Bill Harts and Melissa Cohn, who very generously hosted us at the 23rd annual Hamptons International Film Festival) turn the spotlight on Spotlight - the much-touted film about the Boston Globe’s Pulitzer-Prize-winning coverage of two terrible evils: the child molestation scandal - and the subsequent cover-up of the same - within the local Catholic Archdiocese.
O’Toole would like to give a special shout-out to the journalists who actually broke the story before the Globe - including Kristen Lombardi of the now-defunct Boston Phoenix - who broke the story 9 months before the Spotlight series ran. To read her story Cardinal sin click here.
Spotlight stars Mark Ruffalo, Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams, Liev Schreiber, John Slattery, Brian d'Arcy James, and Stanley Tucci. Directed by Tom McCarthy; co-written by McCarthy and Josh Singer. Filmed at the Boston Globe offices and in Toronto.
Tell us: what's your favorite Boston movie?
Hollister and O’Toole cast their ballots on Our Brand Is Crisis, inspired by Rachel Boynton’s 2005 documentary of the same name. One thinks it’s the best of Sandra Bullock to date; the other thinks the screenplay (written by Oscar nominee Peter Straughan, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy) hit an Act II speed bump.
Starring Sandra Bullock, Billy Bob Thornton, Ann Dowd, Anthony Mackie, Joaquim de Almeida, and Zoe Kazan. Produced by George Clooney and Grant Heslov (who brought us the Oscar-winning Argo).
Incidentally, Happy Election Day. Don’t forget to vote.
Here are 10 Things We Learned from Emily Blunt at the 2015 Hamptons International Film Festival. Photo: #emilyblunt gracing the #stepandrepeat @hamptonsfilm before heading in for her fascinating #Q&A with @jenelleriley @variety. What she learned from #judidench and her reaction to #merylstreep claiming #emilyblunt saved her life on set of #intothewoods. @hamptonsfilm can really pick 'em: festival named #emilyblunt one of its Rising Stars 10 years ago. #HIFF2015
Hollister and O’Toole discuss Sicario (which, as we know from the trailer, means “hitman” in Mexico). Directed by Québec native Denis Villeneuve; written by Taylor Sheridan; starring Emily Blunt, Josh Brolin, and Benicio Del Toro. Cinematography by Roger Deakins (a 12x Oscar nominee).
The cross-border drug cartel theme leads to comparisons with Steven Soderbergh’s film Traffic and the FX series The Bridge (which starred Diane Kruger and Demian Bichir).
Hollister loved the acting, the script, the direction, the cinematography. For her part, O’Toole can’t help but wonder how Sicario would have turned out had it been edited by long-time Martin Scorsese collaborator (and 3x Oscar winner) Thelma Schoonmaker (Raging Bull).
Hollister and O’Toole can both agree: Sicario would not have been Sicario without Emily Blunt. Kudos to writer Taylor Sheridan for turning down the backers who offered a bigger budget if he would only replace Emily Blunt’s character (really, the only female character in the movie) with another man.
Podcast extra: 10 Things O’Toole Learned from A Conversation With Emily Blunt at the Hamptons International Film Festival.
Screen Thoughts is thrilled to announce a special collaboration with LitLovers.com: each month, Hollister and O'Toole will review one movie inspired by a book. To start us off, the no. 1 book on LitLovers.com: I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban (by Malala Yousafzai and journalist Christina Lamb) and the newly-released documentary He Named Me Malala by Oscar-winning filmmaker Davis Guggenheim (An Inconvenient Truth).
Hollister and O'Toole saw the documentary last week at the 23rd annual Hamptons International Film Festival - where they were joined in the audience by many fans of the book, and one Pakistani princess - a close family friend of Malala's, and the woman who inspired Malala's own mother to learn to read.
Malala and her incredibly inspiring, courageous, and humorous voice are certainly a multimedia feast - an incredibly brave blogger at the age of 11, and by age 17, the youngest-ever recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize.
As Malala herself says: "Let us pick up our books and our pens - they are our most powerful weapons."
Long live the power of literature! And just for the record: this is our 59th podcast, and the 16th film we've reviewed inspired by a book!
Broadcasting from the 23rd annual Hamptons International Film Festival, Hollister and O’Toole welcome special guests Bill Harts and Melissa Cohn, film aficionados and Hampton denizens – to join in their discussion of this year’s opening night film. "Truth" tells the story (or at least one version of it) of the 2004 CBS 60 Minutes report on President George W. Bush’s military service – that ultimately cost anchor Dan Rather and producer Mary Mapes their careers. Starring Cate Blanchett, Robert Redford, Dennis Quaid, Elisabeth Moss, Topher Grace, Stacy Keach, Bruce Greenwood, and Noni Hazlehurst. Based on Mary Mapes’ memoir "Truth and Duty: The Press, the President, and the Privilege of Power".
Hollister & O'Toole discuss "Jane the Virgin" - the first show in the history of The CW to earn a Golden Globe nomination. As O'Toole puts it: it's as though "Gilmore Girls" and "Ugly Betty" had a love child. Based on the Venezuelan Telenovela "Juana la Virgen" (don't be deterred by the title's English translation).
The Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Comedy or Musical (2015) did go home with shining star Gina Rodriguez, who deserved every ounce of it.
And now, go Meet Jane. Who believes in Family. God. And grilled cheese sandwiches. What a delight.
This week Screen Thoughts takes a look at "The Intern" - starring Robert De Niro and Anne Hathaway - in which writer-director Nancy Meyers offers us yet another signature twist on the rom-com genre.
As Hollister puts it: "She's like that kid in class who never disappoints." O'Toole cheers her on for being so successful in a landscape where only 6% of directors are women.
Ageism. Sexism. Househusbands. And those Nancy Meyers sets. As Robert De Niro's character Ben would put it: "Good times!"
This week Hollister and O'Toole discuss the latest Noah Baumbach-Greta Gerwig creation: "Mistress America" (which many say is a follow-up to their previous collaboration: "Frances Ha"). Good thing Hollister brought her NYC decoder ring, because sometimes O'Toole is convinced she needs to be European to understand movies shot in her adopted (and beloved) City.
Find out which famous literary work Hollister is sure inspired the plot; what O'Toole would like for Christmas; and help us decide: Is art possible without betrayal? Was "Mistress America" a comedy, a dramedy, or something else altogether?
And if Tracy (Lola Kirke) and Brooke (Greta Gerwig) were submitting to our literary journal, we'd make them answer the following: Did the characters evolve - or abandon their dreams (or both at the same time)? 1000 words or less, please. (And we'll keep the pie.)
From the Danish creators of "The Killing" comes the international hit "Borgen" - a TV drama about Denmark's first female Prime Minister. In a serious case of life imitating art (or perhaps showing just how influential this show has been), Denmark really did elect its first female Prime Minister at the conclusion of season 1.
After airing in 70 countries around the globe, Borgen has finally made it to the U.S. (care of iTunes).
In honor of Denmark's Parliament, Hollister and O'Toole vigorously debate the themes of the show, the merit of subtitles, and last but not least, the state of this fictional PM's marriage (brilliantly played by Sidse Babett Knudsen and Mikael Birkkjær).
On one thing both Hollister & O'Toole can agree: Borgen is some seriously quality TV. To the incredibly talented Danish team who has gifted us with this series, a heartfelt "Tak".
This Labor Day weekend, Hollister and O'Toole take A Walk in the Woods with screen titans Robert Redford and Nick Nolte - based on the bestselling book of the same name by travel writer and memoirist Bill Bryson ("The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid").
Co-starring Oscar Winners Emma Thompson and Mary Steenburgen. Cameos by Nick Offerman (Parks and Recreation) and Gaia Wise (Emma Thompson's real-life daughter fleetingly plays her on-screen daughter). And introducing, of course, the spectacular 2200-mile Appalachian Trail.
At its heart, this Odd Couple-Buddy Movie is really a comedy about friendship - and getting back up when you fall down. Sometimes it's the people you think about the least who surprise you the most.
Lace up your boots, grab a backpack of popcorn, and come along for the ageless ride.
The BBC has done it again – in this crime series (an inverted detective story) created by 2x-Emmy nominee Neil Cross.
Hollister says she couldn’t watch Luther without checking under her bed. O’Toole says he’s her fallen-angel-cerebral-superhero – she thinks the series is really all about love.
Idris Elba (The Wire) won a Golden Globe for his portrayal of tragic-hero DCI John Luther. Ruth Wilson (Golden Globe winner, The Affair) plays the brilliant killer – who lends her unflagging support when it comes to solving cases and staying alive. O’Toole calls her a pathological guardian angel. Hollister takes issue.
And that’s just the podcast in a nutshell.
Podcast includes clips from the celebrated series (so you might not want to listen alone) as well as the series' theme song by Massive Attack.
Note: if this British series is your cup of tea, check out our podcast on The Fall – another cat-and-mouse BBC series (with the genders reversed – starring Gillian Anderson and Jamie Dornan).
“[David Foster Wallace] was the one voice I absolutely trusted to make sense of the outside world for me. Anyone that picks up his work for the next 50 years will have their antenna polished and sharpened, and they’ll be receiving many more channels than they were aware of.” – David Lipsky
In this skillful “two-hander” Jason Segel and Jesse Eisenberg star as celebrated author David Foster Wallace and David Lipsky, the Rolling Stone journalist who was sent to interview Wallace at the conclusion of his 1996 book tour promoting Infinite Jest. Though the intended Rolling Stone profile was never published, Lipsky went on to write a best-selling memoir about their meeting (Although of Course You End Up Becoming Yourself) after Wallace’s tragic suicide in 2008. Lipsky’s book was the basis for The End of the Tour.
Before we are accused of trying to emulate the length of Wallace-sized paragraphs, let us just say: Jason Segel really is a revelation.
Directed by James Ponsoldt; written by Pulitzer-Prize-Winning-Playwright Donald Margulies; co-starring Ron Livingston, Anna Chlumsky, Mamie Gummer, Mickey Sumner, and Joan Cusack.
O’Toole even likes the film’s poster – which reminds her of John Lennon’s self-portrait.
Hollister predicts the comeback for Wallace’s trademark bandana – and, for those looking to delve further into Wallace’s work, recommends starting with Brief Interviews with Hideous Men.
The podcast concludes in the words of David Foster Wallace himself – excerpts from his Commencement Address (“This is Water”) given to the 2005 graduates of Kenyon College.
In honor of their 50th podcast, Screen Thoughts presents a special episode – with an idea that has Hollister’s name all over it: Hollister and O’Toole run through a list of 50 films they’ve seen more than once – from the inspiring to their downright guilty pleasures. No judgment, please. Heartfelt gratitude to our listeners. Here’s to you – and our next 50 podcasts.
Podcast extras include:
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excerpt of Angela Lansbury singing the Oscar-winning song from "Beauty and the Beast"
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podcast concludes with Bette Midler, Diane Keaton, and Goldie Hawn singing "You Don't Own Me" from the film "The First Wives Club"
We were so Ready for Ricki. Really we were.
And, well, you’ll just have to listen to the podcast.
Starring, of course, Meryl Streep, Kevin Kline, Audra McDonald, Rick Springfield, and Mamie Gummer (Meryl Streep’s real-life daughter).
And Hollister sends a special shout-out to the bartender in Ricki and the Flash - played by Ben Platt (Pitch Perfect).
Add two more Oscar winners to the mix: screenplay by Diablo Cody (Juno); directed by Jonathan Demme (The Silence of the Lambs).
Meryl Streep - who once trained with the same voice coach as Beverly Sills - learned to play rhythm guitar for the movie.
And in honor of the Rick in Ricki, we end the podcast with a live performance of Rick Springfield performing “Jessie’s Girl” (he used the same guitar in the film - but to play a truly supportive band member, held it at a higher angle).
And now, time for the podcast (warning: our commentary might be more rock than roll).
Screen Thoughts was present for the opening night of the 24th annual Woods Hole Film Festival – which featured the Sundance hit "Infinitely Polar Bear". The autobiographical film marks the directorial debut of Writer/Director (and 4x Emmy-nominee) Maya Forbes. Hollister and O’Toole discuss the genesis of the film (it actually involves Wes Anderson), its themes (bipolar disorder), and the music (including a song by Maya’s sister China Forbes – of Pink Martini fame).
Starring Mark Ruffalo, Zoe Saldana, Ashley Aufderheide, and Imogene Wolodarsky (Forbes’ real-life daughter).
To hear in Maya Forbes’ own words how she came up with the title of her movie, check out O’Toole’s Encore from the Woods Hole Q&A here: https://vimeo.com/134558467
Hollister and O’Toole take a look at this year’s Sundance favorite (winning both the Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Award): the quirky and moving "Me and Earl and the Dying Girl". Novel and screenplay by Jesse Andrews. Starring Thomas Mann, RJ Cyler, and Olivia Cooke. Co-starring Connie Britton, Nick Offerman (“Parks and Recreation”) and Molly Shannon.
Directed by Alfonso Gomez-Rejon (“Glee”) – who said movies like "Harold and Maude" served as inspiration. “It’s that school of filmmaking — nothing too slick. One false note and it becomes sentimental… inauthentic.”
Here’s your chance to re-live high school – without being seen.
This week Hollister and O’Toole discuss the latest Judd Apatow offering: "Trainwreck". Semi-autobiographical screenplay by Comedy Central star Amy Schumer. Starring Amy Schumer and SNL’s Bill Hader.
Supporting cast includes Oscar-winner Tilda Swinton ("Michael Clayton") & fellow SNL alum Colin Quinn – as well as some towering sports figures: LeBron James (who scores some of the film’s biggest comedic points), wrestling champ John Cena (“I look like Mark Wahlberg ate Mark Wahlberg”) and tennis legend Chris Evert.
Find out how Hollister thinks "Trainwreck" can reinvigorate the modern rom-com, and, on a matter of perhaps even greater significance: how O’Toole really feels about snow globes.
Podcast extras include: - Official "Trainwreck" trailer; - Clip from "Woman of the Year" (starring Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn)
Hollister and O’Toole rave about the new, bawdy, hilarious, and very original hit “Catastrophe” – starring and completely written by the extremely talented actor-comedians Sharon Horgan and Rob Delaney (of Twitterverse fame) – who play an Irishwoman named, yes, Sharon, and an American man named, you got it, Rob – not werewolves in London.
This R-rated comedy comes to us from the U.K. via Amazon Prime (that place where we used to go to buy books).
Tune in to find out how Carrie Fisher was convinced to play Rob Delaney’s mother; how the writing compares to When Harry Met Sally; why Malcolm Gladwell’s book Blink suggests these fictional characters have quite a future together; what percentage of the series is based on the stars’ real lives; and most importantly, which piece of furniture Hollister most covets from the set.
This show – which is simultaneously New Age (pushing the envelope) and Old School (rocking the romance) – certainly hit the ground running. “Catastrophe”, of course, in title only.
Podcast extras include clips from the official trailer.
For our podcast on Catastrophe Season 2, click here: https://soundcloud.com/screen-thoughts/ep-86-catastrophe-2-nothing-left-unsaid-gloria-vanderbilt-anderson-cooper
Hollister & O’Toole dedicate this special 25-minute podcast to the 25th anniversary of “Pretty Woman” – which to this day remains one of the most successful rom-coms of all time.
“Pretty Woman” and its morals speak to Hollister’s Inner Businessperson – Hollister can probably quote the entire movie verbatim. She tries to explain it all to O’Toole, who has been baffled by the enduring appeal of this movie (businessman falls for a hooker with a heart of gold – and a great dental plan) for 2.5 decades. If O’Toole thinks the movie is devoid of life lessons, well, then, as Hollister says: that’s a “Mistake. Big Mistake.”
What the two can agree on is this: Julia Roberts and Richard Gere had great chemistry; Hector Elizondo and Laura San Giacomo were magnificent; and Garry Marshall has gifted us with a lifetime of entertainment (“The Odd Couple”, “Mork & Mindy”, “Happy Days”, “Laverne & Shirley”, “Beaches”, “Overboard”). As Marshall himself puts it: “In the education of the American people, I am recess.”
“Pretty Woman” garnered a then 21-year-old Julia Roberts an Oscar nomination and a Golden Globe win. (Domestically and internationally, the film took home 8 wins and 11 nominations.)
Love story? Morality tale? You decide.
Podcast extras:
- lots of “Pretty Woman” trivia
- Roy Orbison’s original recording of the theme song (“Pretty Woman”)
Hollister & O'Toole speak with the amazingly talented actor, writer and director Connor Hines.
Connor created (and stars in) the YouTube sensation “Local Attraction” – a web series portraying a series of blind dates inspired by the dating app Tinder.
We discuss Connor’s motivation in creating the series; how he got Glenn Close to star in one of his episodes – and, drumroll, how ABC Studios recently picked up a pilot Connor created.
In short, the potential power of a YouTube upload - how a blind date parody led to the Holy Grail of so many writers: a blind script deal with a major network!
Hollister & O’Toole were completely charmed by “Learning to Drive” at this week’s Provincetown International Film Festival – where it rightfully took home the @hbo #AudienceAward. (At the Toronto International Film Festival audiences ranked it second only to “The Imitation Game”.)
It is a simple story of two very different lives intersecting, at just the right moment. As Hollister says, it’s not just about Learning to Drive – it’s really about Learning to Live.
Featuring the indomitable re-pairing of Ben Kingsley (yes, our Oscar-winning “Gandhi”) and Oscar-nominee Patricia Clarkson (and two-time Emmy winner for “Six Feet Under”). Directed by Barcelona’s very talented Isabel Coixet (who also directed Kingsley, Clarkson, and Penélope Cruz in “Elegy”). Screenplay by Sarah Kernochan (who has won two (!) Oscars for her documentaries, and whose artistic output has given O’Toole a complete complex).
Grace Gummer (Meryl Streep’s real-life daughter) plays the movie daughter of Clarkson (who, like Meryl, went to the Yale School of Drama) and Jake Weber (Patricia Arquette’s husband on “Medium”).
Hollister and O’Toole – and their complexes – completely apologize when it comes to pronouncing last names in this podcast. Isabel Coixet, Sarah Kernochan – please just come give us a tutorial so we can sing your praises in person.
Podcast extras include:
- Official “Learning to Drive” trailer
- Clip from “Elegy”
- Musical excerpt from “Thoth” (the Oscar-winning short documentary by “Learning to Drive” screenwriter Sarah Kernochan.
Now put your seatbelts on first, and go listen to the podcast.
Screen Thoughts' Hollister and O'Toole discuss the latest offering of creator Darren Star ("Sex and the City", "Melrose Place", "90210"): TVland's "Younger" starring Tony-winner Sutton Foster - as a 40-something who passes herself off as a 20-something to land a job in publishing. Co-starring Hilary Duff and Debi Mazar. It's all about reinvention.
Podcast extras include:
- Younger's official Season 1 trailer
- Clip from Sutton Foster's Tony-winning turn in "Anything Goes"
- Podcast concludes with Hilary Duff's latest single: "Sparks"
In honor of the 69th annual Tony Awards (did you know the Tonys are named after a woman?), Hollister & O’Toole salute Broadway with a review of the documentary: The Standbys.
Do you know the difference between an understudy and a standby? What about a swing? What all three certainly have in common: their dedicated pursuit of the Broadway dream.
Come walk through the stage door and experience a world to which few ever gain access.
Podcast extras include:
– The Standbys trailer
– Tony hosts Kristin Chenoweth (who was on Hollister’s favorite show The West Wing) and Alan Cumming (from O’Toole’s favorite show The Good Wife) performing their opening number at the 2015 Tonys.
Lights up – here’s to Broadway!
Hollister and O’Toole debate Netflix’ latest offering: Grace and Frankie.
Starring Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin, whose husbands (played by Martin Sheen and Sam Waterston) announce that they are running off – to marry each other.
Can frenemies Jane and Lily forge a new life for themselves as unlikely roommates in the Malibu beach house the two couples once shared?
These respected actors have garnered Oscars, Tonys, Grammys, Emmys, Golden Globes – taken together, their resumes represent more than 200 years of performing.
Series created by Marta Kauffman (“Friends”) and Howard J. Morris (“Home Improvement”).
13 episodes. Season 1 runtime: 6.5 hours. Comedy or drama? To binge or not to binge?
Podcast extras include:
– excerpts from interview with Jane Fonda
– series trailer
– excerpts from Lily Tomlin’s monologues
– clips from The Newsroom and The West Wing
– Jane Fonda’s Ted Talk on Life’s Third Act
Warning: while Hollister & O’Toole certainly believe in the power of TV to inform and inspire, this week they acknowledge the dark side – dipping into the archives with a look back at Network (1976).
Whether satire or reportage, the film firmly lands on the American Film Institute’s list of 100 Greatest Movies of All Time. Network was nominated for 10 Oscars (including Best Picture) – winning four (Best Screenplay; Best Actor; Best Actress; Best Supporting Actress).
Written by 3x Oscar winner Paddy Chayefsky.
Starring Faye Dunaway, Peter Finch, William Holden, Robert Duvall, Beatrice Straight, and Ned Beatty.
Directed by the late, great Sidney Lumet (“The Verdict”, “Serpico”, “12 Angry Men”). Truly an actor’s director (he directed 17 actors to Oscar nominations) – his films from the 1970s alone garnered 30 Oscar nominations.
Has there ever been another movie so prescient?
Podcast features include:
– Clips from the movie
– Jeff Daniels’ famous rant on The Newsroom
– Three things O’Toole learned from Sidney Lumet’s making of Network
– Why casting should be an Oscar category
We tried to keep it short, truly we did, but... seriously? There's just so much to say.
(Especially when you get Hollister, dark and twisty as she is, talking about her BFF Cristina Yang.)
11 seasons.
The cast.
The music.
Shonda.
OK, so we don't know how to save a life, but Screen Thoughts could be your person - O'Toole has her Post-Its ready.
Podcast extras: clips from the Grey's Anatomy Theme Song, Chasing Cars, The Story, and the cast of Grey's performing How to Save a Life
Aca-mazing or a dis-aca-ppointment? Screen Thoughts was present at a special sneak preview (along with every teenage girl within a 100-mile radius).
Tune in to hear the latest from the a cappella world. Directed by Elizabeth Banks; starring Rebel Wilson and two Oscar nominees: Anna Kendrick (“Up in the Air”) and Hailee Steinfeld (“True Grit”).
Hollister & O’Toole are in harmony on some elements (the music! the cast!) but discord on others (body parts, anyone?).
One thing is for sure: the Barden Bellas can sing!
Podcast extras: clips from the trailer; “Wrecking Ball”; and the podcast concludes with Anna Kendrick’s hit song “Cups” from Pitch Perfect 1.
In this podcast, Screen Thoughts celebrates women and diversity in film – podcasting from the inaugural Bentonville Film Festival – the first to guarantee theatrical, TV, digital, and retail distribution for winning films.
Hollister & O’Toole take a look back at the storied career of festival chair and co-founder, Geena Davis: including clips from her Oscar-winning turn in “The Accidental Tourist”; her iconic role in “Thelma & Louise”; her Golden Globe win for playing the first female President of the US (“Commander in Chief”); and, most recently, her portrayal of Dr. Nicole Herman on Grey’s Anatomy.
We also take a look at the important research coming out of the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media – and include excerpts from Geena Davis herself, discussing how we can all make changes – one project at a time.
Kudos to Geena – here’s to making it over (all the way over) the Grand Canyon together.
Last week, while in NYC for the Tribeca Film Festival, Hollister & O’Toole were podcasting from the Beacon Hotel. When they turned off their mics and finally looked out the window, they realized that Hollister’s room had a stunning view of the Apthorp - a building in which Nora Ephron famously spent 10 years “in a state of giddy delirium”.
O’Toole figured it was a sign - a very big sign. It was time for Screen Thoughts to do a tribute to the late great Nora Ephron (1941-2012).
Hollister, who slots “When Harry Met Sally” into the Top 10 Greatest Movies of the 20th Century, readily agreed.
In her book “I Remember Nothing,” Nora Ephron once said “On some level, my life has been wasted on me. After all, if I can’t remember it, who can?” Perhaps it was a rhetorical question, but we remember, Nora, we remember.
Podcast highlights:
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Nora Ephron’s AFI tribute to Meryl Streep (one of the funniest things O’Toole has ever seen)
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“Making-Of” clips from “When Harry Met Sally”
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Bonus track: Nora Ephron herself, reading from “I Feel Bad About My Neck.”
Don't miss our podcast on Everything is Copy - the HBO documentary about Nora directed by her son, Jacob Bernstein: https://soundcloud.com/screen-thoughts/ep-84-hello-my-name-is-doris-nora-ephron-doco
While in New York, Hollister & O’Toole had the enormous pleasure of speaking with the amazingly talented writer and director Elliot Thomson – founder of Empire Arts Film Corp.
Elliot’s short film “Le Refuge” is currently enjoying a very successful run at festivals around the globe – from Istanbul to the Cleveland International Film Festival – an Oscar-qualifying fest, where it recently won Best Comedy Short out of 224 films. Le Refuge elegantly tells the tale of an American lawyer – on vacation with her family in Lausanne, Switzerland – who’s coming unhinged from the guilt of representing the manufacturer of a cheap car that tips over when it turns left.
Talking with Elliot is like viewing his art – witty and thought-provoking – and very, very engaging. We might as well call this podcast How to Make a Film with Integrity. Holding on to Your Vision. Collaborating without Compromising.
Elliot aimed high, and landed on his star. Come along for the ride - listen to how his short film is linked to Broadway greats, the New York Philharmonic - and even the U.S. Ambassador to the U.N.
We spoke to Elliot for nearly 2 hours - truly, one of the most engaging afternoons we’ve had. While we couldn’t manage to whittle that conversation down to a length shorter than “Le Refuge” itself, we wanted to include here as much as possible - since, in our opinion, listening to these 38 minutes with Elliot is a gift (and one that sure beats the price of film school).
Integrity in (wry) storytelling. That’s what it’s all about.
Caption for photo: Tony Award nominee Jessica Hecht, writer/director Elliot Thomson, Tony Award winner Frank Wood, and crew on the set of “Le Refuge”.
ScreenThoughts #ShoutouTs:
LeRefuge
CIFF
DeanMinow
WomenMakeMovies
VanessaRedgrave
SchindlersList
JessicaHecht
FrankWood
Gustav Klimt. Helen Mirren. The same director who brought us “My Week with Marilyn”.
Hollister & O’Toole were asked to moderate a panel of experts (weighing in on the art, the legal issues, and the movie itself) in conjunction with a special premiere screening of “Woman in Gold”. The panel was so informative, we wanted to share some of that information with our listeners.
So Jerry Forman, Esq. was kind enough to join us in our studio – Jerry is well-known in legal circles for his work on seeking restitution for Nazi crimes – he also happens to be the author of Graphic History of Antisemitism. Jerry provides great insight into Maria Altmann’s case – a fascinating triumph – everything from what to do if you find yourself before the U.S. Supreme Court and you don’t understand the question – to how Maria Altmann’s attorney found jurisdiction in a bookstore. Ryan Reynolds might have played a lawyer on the big screen, but “Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act” naturally rolls right off Jerry’s tongue.
Meanwhile, O’Toole’s nose was in the book inspired by the same set of characters: The Lady in Gold: The Extraordinary Tale of Gustav Klimt’s Masterpiece, Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer by Anne-Marie O’Connor. O’Toole thinks the book should be an entire mini-series (The Orient Express! Syphilis! Bambi!) – it’s that rich.
As always, Hollister humorously keeps us all on track – weighing in on the performances (Jonathan Pryce; Katie Holmes; Elizabeth McGovern) – and what she thinks of both the painting and the movie.
Trust us: if you’re a deep-diver, this is one podcast you don’t want to miss.
Hollister and O’Toole discuss the multi-Logie-winning drama “McLeod’s Daughters” (2001-2009) - at its height, the most popular show on Australian TV. Still enjoying a cult following around the globe (and available on Netflix and Hulu), McLeod’s was filmed on location - telling the tale of two sisters running a cattle station (“Drover’s Run”) in the Australian Outback. Not only did the actors have to learn their lines and hit their marks, they had to ride horses and shear sheep - convincingly.
A special guest (and equestrian expert) weighs in: Shanette Barth Cohen, Executive Director of The Hampton Classic Horse Show (one of the biggest show jumping contests in the U.S.).
O’Toole, who would love to live in the Outback (if only she could get up early!) might never recover from a particular episode in Season 3 (seriously). Whereas Hollister (far more resilient) is ready to leave our show and open “Hollister’s Run” out West. Shanette wonders if just watching the beautiful cinematography has given both Hollister and O’Toole sunstroke.
This podcast is not unlike a McLeod’s episode: a group of women sharing their passionate opinions - against a backdrop of laughter.
Click here for our podcast with the amazing writer/creator and international bestselling author Posie Graeme-Evans herself: https://soundcloud.com/screen-thoughts/mcleods-daughters-interview-with-writer-creator-posie-graeme-evans
Review of this Oscar-nominated documentary, funded by Kickstarter! Directed by John Maloof and Charlie Siskel (Gene Siskel's nephew). Chronicles the mystery of Vivian Maier - one of America's most prolific and talented street photographers - who lived and died in obscurity.
Netflix releases season 3 of the much-talked-about House of Cards on Feb. 27. Hollister & O'Toole review seasons 1 and 2 of this game-changing political thriller - which made history as the first web-only series to win a Primetime Emmy.
With the upcoming publication of Harper Lee's "Go Set a Watchman", we went back and took a look at "To Kill A Mockingbird" - one of the most inspiring movies of all time. Includes historical context, behind-the-scenes info, and Gregory Peck's Oscar acceptance speech for Best Actor (1963).
Curious? Check out the Fifty Shades of Grey movie review by Screen Thoughts with Hollister & O'Toole.
Screen Thoughts' review of Still Alice and Julianne Moore's well deserved Oscar-winning turn.
Screen Thoughts' review of this powerful BBC series (on which Gracepoint is based). The beach. Body of a child. A town turns on its own in grief and fear. Twists and turns throughout.
Gillian Flynn wrote the runaway bestseller Gone Girl - and then adapted it herself for the big screen. Hear what Hollister & O'Toole think of book vs. film.
Directed by David Fincher (Fight Club, The Social Network). Starring Ben Affleck, Rosamund Pike, Neil Patrick Harris, and Tyler Perry.
Screen Thoughts' review of Madame Secretary (starring Téa Leoni) and State of Affairs (starring Katherine Heigl).
Helen Mirren headlines a magical cast. The perfect film for dinner and a movie - bring your friends!
Screen Thoughts' review of The Affair - what a brilliant cast; what a gripping story structure!
The Good Wife does network television proud. Kudos to Michelle and Robert King (it is one of the best written shows ever). And huge thanks to Julianna Margulies and the entire cast - what a gift.
Do yourself a favor and watch this series. Hollister and O'Toole walk us through why this is a Netflix/BBC series not to be missed.
What real life couple is behind the T.V. series, The Americans? Hear all about the behind-the-scenes and a review of what is on the screen on Hollister and O'Toole's latest review.
The second season of The Fall begins on Netflix on January 17th. Here is a review of Season One. A must watch for sure!
One of Hollister's all-time favorite movies. It's timeless - Pollyanna is not to be missed! You'll be glad you listened!