How to Make Films and Influence People

Andrew Curzon and Peter Kimball
  • 5.0 (7)
  • Film Reviews

In this podcast, we talk about our own approach to screenwriting and filmmaking, discuss great works of cinema, and blasphemously imagine how they could be remade. Each week we tackle a movie widely considered to be a "great film". We ask the important questions: How would you remake this as a family film? What's the no-budget version? How do you turn this into a 10-episode Netflix series? Join us as we walk through our creative process, share updates from our screenplay, and talk about what we've been watching lately.

  1. 11h ago

    No Country for Old Men

    Peter and Andrew head to West Texas to break down Joel and Ethan Coen’s 2007 modern classic No Country for Old Men, exploring how the film upends traditional thriller conventions through randomness, subverted genre expectations, and the lingering dread of Tommy Lee Jones’s bookending monologues. They analyze the illusion of control shared by Llewellyn Moss, Anton Chigurh, and Carson Wells, Javier Bardem’s terrifying yet intimate portrayal of Chigurh, and why leaving critical story threads unresolved cements the film's philosophical weight. In their remake scenarios, they tackle their customary blasphemous challenges: How would you pitch a family-friendly version—a high school football rivalry about rule-breaking on the field, or a youth treasure-hunt adventure following multiple converging perspectives? What would a low-budget bottle movie look like, whether centering on Chigurh’s isolated rooms or following the mundane marital fallout of the spared gas station attendant? And could the story survive as an anthology TV series tracking the border or following Chigurh's deadly contracts across seasons? Plus, the hosts launch a new pitch challenge adapting TV series like New Girl and Perfect Strangers into feature films, and share their latest watches, including Ted Lasso Season 4, The Village, and The Witch. Topics covered: The illusion of control and fatalism in crime cinema, subverting audience expectations, humanizing a ruthless killer through mundane vulnerability, pitching classic sitcoms as auteur horror, and why some masterpieces are deeply rewarding precisely because they refuse to give you closure.

    No Country for Old Men

  2. Sep 4

    Casablanca

    Peter and Andrew dive into Michael Curtiz’s 1942 classic Casablanca, unpacking how its sharp, endlessly quotable dialogue and moody, film noir–style shadows elevated an American studio production into an enduring masterpiece of cinema. They discuss the film’s unique production timing during World War II, Rick Blaine’s journey from cynical neutrality to active self-sacrifice for the greater good, and Claude Rains’ morally flexible Captain Renault serving as the essential bridge between the Allied resistance and German occupation. In their remake scenarios, they tackle a set of blasphemous challenges: How do you adapt Casablanca as a family-friendly film? Could it work as a kid-led resistance story or an animated animal allegory in the vein of Zootopia? What would a no-budget indie look like—a dialogue-heavy single-room bottle drama set entirely in Rick’s Café, an immigration story set in the Spanish exclave of Ceuta, or a morally ambiguous drama set during the dissolution of Yugoslavia? Would it translate better as a Mexican border town TV series or an episodic, Mandalorian-style anthology following Rick's weekly encounters with refugees and scoundrels? The hosts also share their current viewing habits—including Jake Johnson’s pickleball comedy The Dink, the Apple TV show Lucky, and the Anthony Bourdain summer-break biopic Tony—while referencing Challengers, The Mighty Ducks, The Great Dictator, To Be or Not to Be, Star Wars (and Han Solo's cantina roots), Children of Men, The Dark Knight, The Adventures of Robin Hood, The Fugitive, and Poker Face along the way. Topics covered: The commercial and patriotic confluence of Operation Torch and the Casablanca Conference on the film's original release, why the reluctant-hero archetype hits harder when the choice comes in Act Three instead of Act One, racial dynamics and the nuanced role of Sam, and why the messy compromises of World War II gave early cinema a rare moral clarity.

    Casablanca

  3. Aug 28

    City of God

    Peter and Andrew dive into Fernando Meirelles and Kátia Lund’s 2002 Brazilian masterpiece City of God, examining how its kinetic editing, split screens, handheld camera work, and vibrant energy bring the poverty-stricken favelas of Rio de Janeiro to life. They analyze the film's unconventional, vignette-driven story structure, discuss Rocket’s evolving role as an embedded narrator, and debate how the cyclical, unrelenting violence involving young children challenges traditional Hollywood storytelling and empathy. In their remake scenarios, they tackle a wild set of creative constraints: How do you adapt an unflinchingly violent crime saga into a family-friendly film? Could it work as an animated feature about a runaway chicken dodging danger, or a low-stakes turf war over contraband candy at a summer camp? What would a no-budget version look like told entirely in a darkroom through developing photographs, or an ultra-high-budget epic transported to the slums of ancient Rome? Would the sprawling favela dynamics be best served as an expansive, character-rich prestige TV series? The hosts also catch up on what they've been watching, discussing the razor-sharp comedic plotting of A Fish Called Wanda (1988) and the baseball romance of Fever Pitch (2005), while also referencing Goodfellas, The Godfather, The Shawshank Redemption, Do the Right Thing, Come and See, The Secret Agent, and nature documentaries like Planet Earth. Topics covered: Subverting traditional "Save the Cat" narrative formulas, balancing bleak thematic reality with visual style and vitality, the ethics and power of showing systemic cycles without moralizing, and why setting a city as the true main character creates an unforgettable cinematic world.

    City of God

  4. Aug 20

    Singin' in the Rain

    Peter and Andrew explore Stanley Donen and Gene Kelly’s 1952 musical classic Singin' in the Rain, unpacking how its high-energy choreography, vibrant Technicolor spectacle, and witty satire captured Hollywood’s turbulent transition from silent films to talkies. They discuss the film’s themes of genuine optimism, the artifice of celebrity image, and the evolution of entertainment technology, and debate whether its lighthearted jukebox musical structure and static stage-style camerawork still hold up as a towering work of cinema. In their remake scenarios, they tackle a lively challenge: How do you adapt an upbeat classic for families? Could it work as a 19th-century period piece about the arrival of city gaslighting, or a darker Babylon-style tragedy? What would a no-budget indie version look like, focusing on a celebrity hiring someone to secretly live out their social media life? Would it be better as an ongoing Glee-style musical series expanding on the supporting characters, or a meta backstage drama about the making of the film itself in the 1950s? The hosts also answer a listener question about their most controversial overrated and underrated movie hot takes, share their current viewing habits—including Nirvana The Band The Show The Movie, the latest Spider-Man, and experiences on a film festival selection committee—while referencing The Wizard of Oz, Wicked, It’s a Wonderful Life, Solo: A Star Wars Story, Braveheart, Babylon, Hail, Caesar!, The Adventures of Robin Hood, The Sound of Music, and The Offer in their discussion. Topics covered: The mechanics of turning pre-existing catalog songs into a cohesive movie, why unbridled 1950s post-war optimism is difficult to recreate today, the visual trade-offs between static full-body dance shots and modern kinetic editing, and why pure cinematic fun doesn't always need deep thematic complexity to endure.

    Singin' in the Rain

  5. Aug 14

    Goodfellas

    Peter and Andrew unpack Martin Scorsese's 1990 classic Goodfellas, exploring how its highly stylized editing and unique dual-narrator perspective redefined the gangster genre. They discuss the film’s themes of the illusion of mafia loyalty, the allure of the criminal lifestyle, and the reality of middle management incompetence, and debate whether its intense, stylized violence serves to intentionally desensitize the viewer. In their remake scenarios, they tackle a ruthless challenge: How do you adapt an ultra-violent mob story for families? Could it work as a summer camp movie about a kid slinging contraband candy? What would a no-budget version set entirely inside Paulie's house or a single chaotic car ride look like? Would it be better as an ongoing TV series expanding on the unseen Lufthansa heist? The hosts also celebrate their 40th episode by handing out awards for the past ten movies they've covered, while referencing The Godfather, The Sopranos, Donnie Brasco, The Office, Wet Hot American Summer, A Woman Under the Influence, Children of Men, Mulholland Drive, The Truman Show, Night of the Living Dead, Ran, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, Cinema Paradiso, and Donnie Darko in their discussion. Topics covered: The cinematic discipline of skipping a highly-anticipated heist scene, the unglamorous reality of cleaning up crime scenes in your own driveway, comparing ruthless mobsters to incompetent regional managers, and why some movies are better experienced as a fast-paced rollercoaster ride.

    Goodfellas

  6. Aug 7

    A Woman Under the Influence

    Peter and Andrew unpack John Cassavetes's 1974 independent character study A Woman Under the Influence , exploring how its uncomfortably intimate filmmaking style and incredibly nuanced performances left a lasting mark on independent cinema. They discuss the film’s themes of mental illness versus idiosyncrasy, the dark underbelly of 1970s domestic life, and the messy reality of marriage, and debate whether its challenging, unresolved narrative still resonates in a modern world. In their remake scenarios, they tackle an uncomfortable challenge: How do you adapt a harrowing domestic drama for families? Could it work as a Mary Poppins -style fantasy where a mother's erratic behavior translates into magical adventures for her kids? What would a no-budget "birthday party from hell" version told entirely from the perspective of an awkward visiting parent look like? Would it be better as a time-hopping TV series exploring the couple's early romance and the future lives of their children in the vein of This Is Us ? The hosts also launch a new segment pitching auteur directors for bizarre brand movies (featuring Edgar Wright and John Milius takes on Crocs), and share their current viewing habits, including Shoresy and The Karate Kid (1984), while referencing Barbie, Battleship, Jumanji, Mean Girls, Red Dawn, Letterkenny, Cobra Kai, Black Swan, The Killing of a Chinese Bookie, Krisha, Blue Valentine, Saturday Night Live, Barry, and Entourage in their discussion. Topics covered: The difference between a low-budget Hollywood film and true independent cinema, the dark cultural undertones of the 1970s, the ethics of the Cobra Kai dojo, the value of long, uncomfortable scenes, and why some masterpieces are deeply rewarding but incredibly unpleasant to watch.

    A Woman Under the Influence

  7. Jul 31

    Night of the Living Dead

    Peter and Andrew unpack George Romero's 1968 independent horror classic Night of the Living Dead , exploring how its single-location tension and foundational zombie tropes created an entire cinematic genre. They discuss the film’s themes of interpersonal power dynamics, the futility of survival, and the dark irony of the rescue posse, and debate whether its straightforward, relentless narrative still holds up in a modern world saturated with undead copycats. In their remake scenarios, they tackle a terrifying challenge: How do you adapt a story about flesh-eating ghouls for families? Could it work as a comedic movie about teenagers barricading their house to study for an AP test? What would a high-budget ancient Roman version set during the conquest of Gaul look like? Would it be better as an anthology TV series where the main cast dies every episode, or an X-Files-style detective show investigating petty grudges settled during the outbreak? The hosts also kick off a new segment pitching auteur directors for Disney live-action remakes (featuring Robert Eggers and Christopher McQuarrie takes on Moana), and share their current viewing habits, including Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey and The Invite , while referencing Mission: Impossible, The Witch, Nosferatu, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Carnage, Closer, Die Hard, Jaws, Shaun of the Dead, The Purge, and 28 Days Later in their discussion. Topics covered: The logistical and financial realities of 1960s micro-budget filmmaking, the effectiveness of stripping away character backstories to heighten situational tension, the mechanics of a satisfying twist ending, and why the original blueprint of a genre is always worth revisiting.

    Night of the Living Dead

  8. Jul 24

    Children of Men

    Peter and Andrew unpack Alfonso Cuarón's 2006 dystopian masterpiece Children of Men , exploring how its gritty, ground-level visual style and masterful "show, don't tell" world-building elevate it beyond a standard action thriller. They discuss the film’s themes of societal collapse, the moral complexities of revolution, and the balance between random chance and miraculous faith, and debate whether its deeply cynical yet hopeful view of humanity still resonates in a modern world. In their remake scenarios, they tackle an apocalyptic challenge: How do you adapt a bleak story about the end of human reproduction for families? Could it work as a fun adventure where a motley crew of animals helps the last pregnant sea turtle reach a sanctuary, or a quest to save the last growing plant? What would a no-budget version set entirely inside an abandoned Michigan strip mall look like? Would it be better as a gritty 10-episode sci-fi retelling of the biblical Nativity story? The hosts also share their current viewing habits, including The Invite , while referencing The Godfather trilogy, Star Wars: A New Hope, The Lord of the Rings, 22 Jump Street, Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2, Pusher, Der Vorname, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Carnage, Closer, The Bourne Identity, and Seinfeld in their discussion. Topics covered: The rarity of truly great movie sequels, the effectiveness of a reluctant "common man" hero over an action superstar, the intricate background details of a collapsing society, and why some cinematic masterpieces are easily misjudged on a first watch because of their superficial accessibility.

    Children of Men
See All (46)

5
out of 5
7 Ratings

About

In this podcast, we talk about our own approach to screenwriting and filmmaking, discuss great works of cinema, and blasphemously imagine how they could be remade. Each week we tackle a movie widely considered to be a "great film". We ask the important questions: How would you remake this as a family film? What's the no-budget version? How do you turn this into a 10-episode Netflix series? Join us as we walk through our creative process, share updates from our screenplay, and talk about what we've been watching lately.

Information

You Might Also Like