The Cinematic Schematic

Welcome back to The Cinematic Schematic, the official podcast of The Cinematropolis.com. Today I’ll be proving my review of Emerald Fennell’s directorial debut, Promising Young Woman.  DISCLAIMER: Potentially triggering topics including rape and sexual assault are a central part of the plot and themes of Promising Young Woman. If you are sensitive to these subjects, this review and the film may not be for you. Reader and listener discretion is advised.  According to IMDB Promising Young Woman is described as “A young woman, traumatized by a tragic event in her past, seeks out vengeance against those who cross her path.” The film is written/directed by Emerald Fennell and stars Carey Mulligan, Bo Burnham, and Allison Brie. Fennell’s directorial debut is a bold, sharp and oftentimes excruciating examination of the double standard between men and women, accusers and the accused and victims and their predators in our society. It’s a rape-revenge thriller that not only disregards your comfort, but actually relishe

The Cinematic Schematic podcast returns for our final episode of 2020. This week we’ll review the long-delayed sequel to 2017’s smash hit, Wonder Woman, and the latest continuation of the DCEU, Wonder Woman 1984. We’re rejoined by recurring guest co-host, Freaky AF and You People writer/director, Laron Chapman, and Geek Girl Features writer Chelsea Ratterman, to provide a spoiler-free review of the film before having an in-depth spoiler discussion. In 2017, writer/director Patty Jenkins made her name in superhero filmmaking with the box office and critical success story, Wonder Woman. After bringing in a staggering $822 million worldwide and garnering the coveted “Fresh” Rotten Tomatoes score of 93%, the hopes and expectations for the follow-up couldn’t be higher. Enter the 2020 pandemic. After several short-term delays in late 2019, the film finally landed on a June 2020 date that would eventually be pushed several more times due to the pandemic before finally having a historical simultaneous HBO Max and the

Merry Christmas and happy holidays, dear listeners! The Cinematic Schematic podcast is here with a special bonus episode reviewing Disney Pixar’s new movie releasing directly on Disney+ on Christmas Day, Soul. To meet the special occasion, we are joined by my 2020 COVID-pandemic partner in crime, the Video Peach, Lauren Weingart. Tune in to hear our reactions and analysis of one of this year’s biggest holiday releases, being released exclusively via Disney’s streaming platform. Longtime fans of Pixar may remember the Soul co-writer/director Pete Doctor‘s past films with the studio including Monsters Inc., Up, and Inside Out–their cream of the crop. If 2015’s Inside Out was Doctor’s exploration of human emotion, Soul is his examination of human spirituality. Where does inspiration originate? What’s the special energy that gets individuals motivated and excited to take on each and every day? How do purpose and fulfillment work together in the human psyche to create happiness and a sense of belonging? These are

The Cinematic Schematic podcast is back this week to review one of 2020’s most highly anticipated films, Tenet, AKA “the film that will save cinema.” We’re rejoined by guest co-hosts Jacob and Zachary Burns, co-founders of Planet Thunder Productions and The Cinematropolis, to give our initial spoiler-free reviews before diving into the film’s details to determine whether or not it was worth the wait. Tune in! The new film from The Dark Knight and Inception writer/director Christopher Nolan has had quite the journey to release. Like most films in 2020, Tenet saw several delays. It was originally scheduled for July 17, 2020, before initially being pushed to July 31, 2020, before finally being released on August 26 internationally and then September 3, 2020, in the US. At one point, they were releasing trailers without actual release dates, just saying “coming soon to theaters,” while drawing criticism in the headlines for its unconventional marketing strategy and intention to release during the global pandemic.

Welcome to The Cinematic Schematic, the official podcast of The Cinematropolis.com. Today, we’re introducing a new, shorter-form film review format. As detailed in our recent podcast announcement, this post is one of many changes being made to the podcast in order to give you, the listener, episodes more frequently. According to IMDB “1930’s Hollywood is reevaluated through the eyes of scathing social critic and alcoholic screenwriter Herman J. Mankiewicz as he races to finish the screenplay of Citizen Kane (1941).” Mank is directed by David Fincher and stars Gary Oldman, Amanda Seyfried, Lily Collins Tom Burke and Charles Dance. Fincher’s latest is a welcome departure in his oeuvre that I quite enjoyed. The set and sound designs are stunning, the performances are outstanding and the screenplay(penned by Fincher’s late father, Jack) carries the type of Hollywood nostalgia the Academy will go bananas over come awards season in spring 2021. There are three things in particular I want to note about Mank:  #1. I

After being away on a several month-long hiatus in 2020, I have a special announcement to make. The Cinematic Schematic podcast is back! If you’ve been a longtime listener or The Cinematropolis reader, you’ve probably noticed things have been quiet here the last several months. There are a few reasons for this silence: The challenges presented to the film industry in 2020 due to the pandemic. A shift in the priorities in my personal/professional life with various projects. Content creation burnout. To remedy this, here’s what you can expect closing out this year and moving into 2021: Short weekly solo movie reviews, featuring my quick take on a new release. Approximately one group roundtable film conversation a month. Other special podcast series. This will start immediately—podcast subscribers will notice my review of David Fincher’s Mank was released at the same time as this episode.  Next week, you can expect a review of Christopher Nolan’s Tenet and Pixar’s new movie, Soul. And the following week, we’ll b

To celebrate today’s release of Planet Thunder Productions’ new film, Shifter, writer/director Jacob Leighton Burns and Zachary Burns rejoin The Cinematic Schematic to discuss a few of their favorite time travel films before we each make the case for the greatest time travel movie ever made. Before picking our favorites, we lay down the rules and criteria of what qualifies as a time travel film in this discussion. The movie must feature a person, consciousness, or object that travels through time. It cannot be a Groundhog Day-style time loop movie(think The Edge of Tomorrow, Palm Springs, or Happy Death Day). To round out the conversation, Jacob and Zachary give us the latest update on the release of Shifter! Shifter is now available on-demand for rent or purchase on iTunes, Amazon Video, Google Play Video, Xbox, and other popular video platforms. The film stars Nicole Fancher, Ashley Mandanas, Paul T. Taylor, and Jamie Brewster. The official synopsis reads: A socially awkward but ambitious young woman experi

Imagine a world where the mind is the scene of the crime inspired by the works of Stanley Kubrick, Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner, The Matrix, and James Bond films that captures the best elements of an Oceans Eleven heist. On July 16, 2010, moviegoers were introduced to Inception, writer/director Christopher’s Nolan’s massive critical and box office hit that propelled him from a talented auteur to one of the most powerful voices working in the film industry today.  With the hype and media buzz of the release now a full decade behind us, how does Inception hold up in 2020? Where does it best fit into the pantheon of Nolan’s oeuvre and, perhaps the most hotly debated question related to the film upon release, does the top keep spinning or does it fall?  In today’s special episode of The Cinematic Schematic, we’re joined by Freaky AF writer/director Laron Chapman, The Cinematropolis‘s Alexandra Bohannon and No Film School‘s Jo Light to take a look back at the critically acclaimed box office hit with an indie spirit

After 10 days of films streamed at the 2020 deadCenter Film Festival for the event’s 20th anniversary, The Cinematropolis concludes our special coverage with a festival recap discussion between our entire festival team, Jo Light, Daniel Bokemper, Christopher Shultz, and myself. Tune in to the full discussion on today’s episode of The Cinematic Schematic! Each of us discusses our favorite feature films, short films, documentaries, and virtual experience at this year’s festival. To close out the festival, we’d like to send thanks out to the deadCenter staff including Lance McDaniel, Sara Thompson, Alyx Picard, and Kevin Ely along with Sunrise Tippeconnie, Krystal Yosef, Stephen Tyler, and the other volunteers who continue to make this festival happen. We can’t wait to see what the team comes up with for deadCenter 2021! Take a look back at The Cinematropolis deadCenter 2020 Coverage Filmmaker Podcast Interviews with Caleb Masters deadCenter Executive Director Lance McDaniel Champions Local Film and Arts Communi

Special Guest Lance McDaniel Executive Director, deadCenter Director of Send Me Wings In this special interview on The Cinematic Schematic podcast, we talk with deadCenter’s executive director, Lance McDaniel, about how he is sending his tenure in the role out with a bang at deadCenter 2020. We start by discussing how his role has (or has not) changed in the shift to a largely virtual event and the opportunities it provides before getting his perspective on how the festival’s 20th year is a fitting time for him to hand the reigns of the festival over to Alyx Picard Davis. We also speak with Lance about his short film playing as part of the festival, Send Me Wings. Lance leaves the podcast with a few words about the importance of supporting film and all of the arts in Oklahoma in order to help the local culture thrive. Send Me Wings is playing in the Okie Shorts Mix Tape Vol. 1 until midnight on June 21. Follow The Cinematic Schematic Podcast Hear all of this and more of our past and future episodes by subscri

LISTEN TO THE FULL INTERVIEW BY PUSHING PLAY ABOVE! Special Guest Stephen Tyler Director of Technology, deadCenter Founder of Mostly Harmless Media In this special interview on The Cinematic Schematic podcast, we talk with deadCenter’s director of technology, Stephen Tyler, about how deadCenter 2020 pivoted to a virtual film festival following the COVID-19 pandemic. We start by discussing how he stepped into his role and how the shift to a new approach to screening movies has changed the way attendees and filmmakers interact through pre-recorded Q&As and remote recordings. Speaking from an attendee perspective, the virtual filmgoing experience has been seamless and without any disruption. Tune in to the full interview to get the inside details about how Stephen led the tech side of the team to build a successful virtual film festival and created countless hours of supplementary content for the online event. Where to Keep Up with Stephen Tyler Follow Stephen on Twitter @stphntylr Check out Mostly Harmless Medi

Special Guest Charles Elmore Director/Producer of “The Chest“ In this special interview on The Cinematic Schematic podcast, we talk with “The Chest” director/producer Charles Elmore about how he and his writer Tony DeLesDernier found just the right comedic tone for their Hitchcock-inspired short film. Elmore also discusses how he came to cast Danielle Evon Ploeger and Emmy-nominated actors Dylan Baker and Becky Ann Baker. Our own Daniel Bokemper wrote “The Chest,” “is outstanding across both (Okie Short) Mix Tapes.”  Tune in to hear the full deadCenter 2020 interview! The official deadCenter 2020 synopsis reads: Jessica, a put-upon real estate agent is forced to work alongside Blake, her merciless and cruel superior, in selling a large estate to The Steves, a pair of potential buyers. When a tragic accident befalls the pitiless Blake resulting in his untimely (but maybe deserved?) demise, Jessica seizes the opportunity to make the sale on her own by hiding Blake’s body. It’s the perfect crime with one small p

Special Guest Sev DeMy Writer/Director/ Producer of {Black Title Here} In this special interview on The Cinematic Schematic podcast, we talk with Black Title Here writer/director/producer Sev DeMy about how he approached creating his short film as a TV show pilot, creating a comedic take on the life of a production assistant (PA) and why they went about using on-screen texts to create unique punchlines or emotional impacts. Tune in to hear the full deadCenter 2020 interview! The official deadCenter 2020 synopsis reads: BLACK Title Here introduces James on his day off from work. Unfortunately, James’ being off from work is not the only things that is off. His current girlfriend, Shalom, and the girl he moved to LA with, Nastali, are both in need of him as he tries to find his way before he loses it all. When and Where to Watch {Black Title Here} Watch Virtually at deadCenter 2020 Now playing until 11:59 PM CT on June 21 Follow The Cinematic Schematic Podcast Hear all of this and more of our past and future epi

LISTEN TO THE FULL INTERVIEW BY PUSHING PLAY ABOVE! Special Guest Cheryl Horner McDonough Director of Parkland Rising On February 14, 2018, a shooter opened fire on the students of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High, killing 17 people. This tragedy shook the nation and inspired an entire generation of teenage activism that led to the March for Our Lives. What were the human stories behind the devastation and movement? Director Cheryl Horner McDonough answers those questions with her new documentary playing at this year’s deadCenter film festival, Parkland Rising. In this special interview on The Cinematic Schematic podcast, we talk with McDonough about her documentary process and how she quickly pulled together the crew she needed to begin capturing this historic story. Tune in! The official deadCenter synopsis reads: PARKLAND RISING follows the high school students and families who became fierce leaders of a national movement for gun reform following the shooting of 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High in 2

LISTEN TO THE FULL INTERVIEW BY PUSHING PLAY ABOVE! It’s been four years since Planet Thunder Productions, writer/director Jacob Leighton Burns and producer Zachary Burns won deadCenter’s Best Oklahoma Narrative Feature Film in 2016. After next taking home the first-place prize from the 48-hour Film Project in 2016 with Let the Bodies Hit the Floor followed by their 2017 documentary about New View Oklahoma, Fleeting Light, many in the Oklahoma film community began wondering what their next genre project would look like. Two years of fundraising, a multi-part production and a world premiere event cut short due to the recent global pandemic later, the Burns brothers follow-up film, Shifter, finally makes its Oklahoma debut at this weekend’s deadCenter 2020 film festival. In part five of our ongoing Shifter Audio Diary series, found exclusively on The Cinematic Schematic podcast, we catch up with writer/director Jacob Burns and producer Zachary Burns to recount the impact the COVID-19 outbreak had on their world

After more than a year and a half of fundraising, pre-production, filming and, post-production VFX, The Cinematropolis co-founders Jacob Leighton Burns and Zachary Burns are premiering their new time-travel body horror film, Shifter, at the Cinequest Film and Creativity Festival in San Jose, California on Friday, March 6th. In part four of our ongoing Shifter Audio Diary series, found exclusively on The Cinematic Schematic podcast, we catch up with Jacob and Zachary about phase 2 of filming, applying VFX in post-production and preparing the film for its world premiere. Shifter was 100% funded through an IndieGoGo Campaign and filmed in Oklahoma locations including Guthrie, El Reno, and Oklahoma City. The official synopsis reads: A young woman struggles with the painful and gruesome side effects of an experiment with time travel gone wrong that causes her to lose control and shift through time at random. SHIFTER – Full Length Official Trailer from Planet Thunder Productions on Vimeo. The film stars Nicole Fanc

After a long hiatus, The Cinematic Schematic returns for a special episode to give listeners, cinephiles and people hoping to be impressive at this Sunday night’s 92nd Academy Awards watch parties everything they need to build a semi-accurate-ish Oscar ballot. Tune in to the conversation to prepare yourself for the Oscars 2020! Laron Chapman and I are back for our annual tradition of making the Oscar predictions that will either make your ballots shine or go down in a blaze of glory. Following last year’s surprising (and according to your hosts, disappointing) victory for Green Book, can the Academy pivot in a different direction? Who will win this year’s Best Picture? Will it be a historic win for Bong Joon-ho‘s surprise hit, Parasite? Or will it be the current front-runner coming off the PGA win, 1917? Perhaps it will be one of the surprise box office hits of 2019, Joker? It’s shaping up to be a race worth remembering. For a deep dive conversation into Caleb’s conversation with Harold Storey on the 2020 Bes

The Cinematic Schematic returns in our August edition to give a spoiler-free review of two of the month’s biggest releases, Hobbs and Shaw, and Lulu Wang’s The Farewell. With the summer winding down, we take a look at the final big-budget blockbuster of the 2019 summer season, Hobbs and Shaw, the first spin-off in the Fast and Furious series starring series regulars Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham. Laron Chapman and Caleb Masters both claim the franchise as a “guilty pleasure,” but went into the film with skepticism. Does the film cap off the summer in a satisfactory way? According to IMDB, Hobbs and Shaw can be described as: Lawman Luke Hobbs and outcast Deckard Shaw form an unlikely alliance when a cyber-genetically enhanced villain threatens the future of humanity. After scarfing down the fast-food burger that is Hobbs and Shaw, we move into a healthier course, the critically acclaimed darling, The Farewell. According to IMDB, The Farewell is described as: A Chinese family discovers their grandmother has

The Cinematic Schematic returns in our July edition to give a spoiler-free review of Quentin Tarantino’s highly anticipated ninth film, Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie, and a huge all-star supporting cast. Before taking an in-depth look at QT’s latest, Caleb Masters and Laron Chapman discuss other notable films they’ve seen since the June issue. They lament how quietly Joe Talbot’s directorial debut, The Last Black Man in San Francisco, came and went through theaters in July. They also discuss Ari Aster’s sophomore feature, Midsommar, Stuber, and Spider-Man: Far From Home. According to IMDB, Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood can be described as: A faded television actor and his stunt double strive to achieve fame and success in the film industry during the final years of Hollywood’s Golden Age in 1969 Los Angeles. To celebrate the release of Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood, Masters and Chapman close out the show with a countdown of their favorite movies written and

The Cinematic Schematic returns in this special June edition to give a spoiler-free review of Jim Jarmusch‘s new film, a zombie comedy (zom-edy), The Dead Don’t Die. After spending the summer so far planning his new film and attending the 2019 deadCenter Film Festival, Laron Chapman returns to the co-host’s mic! Before digging into this week’s review, Caleb and Laron play a little bit of catch up on the summer movie season so far by talking about other films they’ve recently seen including Rocketman, Ma, Dark Phoenix, and Brightburn. According to the Google description, In the sleepy small town of Centerville, something is not quite right. The moon hangs large and low in the sky, the hours of daylight are becoming unpredictable, and animals are beginning to exhibit unusual behaviors. News reports are scary, and scientists are concerned, but no one foresees the strangest and most dangerous repercussion that will soon start plaguing Centerville: the dead rise from their graves and feast on the living, and the c