That's a Wrap! Film, Media and Culture. Academic yet accessible.

Episode #45 Erik and Nick  had the pleasure of recently talking to Eddie Muller, the Czar of Noir. Erik met Eddie at a Noir City event at the Redford Theatre in Metro Detroit. Our discussion touches on film noir as a genre, including the views of Andrew Sarris and Paul Schrader, Our discussion also covers … Continue reading Episode #45 – The Czar of Noir, Eddie Muller →

Encore presentation of Episode #4 We are replaying our interview with David J. Hogan from May 2013 in anticipation of our next episode, an interview with Eddie Muller. We thought it would be nice to have these back-to-back in the feed so you can get your film noir fix all at once. Enjoy!

Episode #44 My mother thanks you; my father thanks you; my sister thanks you; and WE thank  you for joining us for our excursion into the world of biographical cinema!  In episode 44, the gang at That’s a Wrap! tackles their top 5 biopics.  What does each selection reveal about its selector? We have no … Continue reading Episode #44 – Top 5 Biopics →

Episode #43 – Part II Here’s Part II of our discussion of the Coen Brothers. We had some lost audio in the first part, and this is that audio. In Part I, we do pickups, talk about Hail Caesar for almost an hour, and get into about 17 minutes of a discussion of the Coen … Continue reading Episode #43 Part II – Coen Brothers continued →

Episode #43 – Part I This is Part I of our discussion. Part II to follow shortly.  We hope you enjoy our COEN BROTHERS / HAIL CAESAR episode wherein we dicuss Joel and Ethan’s latest effort and cast retrospection on their canon.  Part of what makes these auteurs so fascinating is their cultivation of an aesthetic … Continue reading Episode #43 – The Coen Bros / Hail Caesar →

To cap off our week long Oscars extravaganza – we present our all-Oscars episode wherein we discuss our thoughts on this year’s best picture nominees, our own special favorites and, of course, our predictions. Let us know if you’ve enjoyed our special Oscars coverage this year. We appreciate any and all feedback. Here is the … Continue reading Episode #42 – The 88th Academy Awards →

A short episode with our reaction to The Big Short as part of our Oscars 2016 coverage.

A short episode with our reaction to Bridge of Spies as part of our Oscars 2016 coverage.

A short episode with our reaction to Brooklyn as part of our Oscars 2016 coverage.

A short episode with our reaction to Mad Max as part of our Oscars 2016 coverage.

A short episode with our reaction to The Martian as part of our Oscars 2016 coverage.

A short episode with our reaction to The Revenant as part of our Oscars 2016 coverage.

A quick 20-30 minute reaction to Room in our Oscars 2016 series.

A short episode of our reaction to Spotlight as part of our Oscars 2016 coverage.

Episode #41 In episode #41, your hosts (Erik Marshall, Nick Schlegel and Chris Gullen) discuss Quentin Tarantino’s eighth feature film The Hateful Eight and Star Wars: The Force Awakens. We start with a discussion of Tarantino in general before diving into the film. Spoiler: 2/3 of us loved the movie. In segment 2, we turn into a bunch of … Continue reading Episode #41 – The Hateful Eight and Star Wars: The Force Awakens →

That’s a Wrap happily presents its 2015 year in review.  Chris may join in later with his picks but for this 365 day roundup Erik and Nick share their favorite films, television and books of 2015. For Erik, Ex Machina took the top honor for his favorite film of the year (covered in-depth in Episode … Continue reading The Year in Review – 2015: Special Episode →

Episode #40 This time Nick, Erik and Chris tackle holiday movies, including movies explicitly about Christmas and movies we like to watch during the holiday season. It’s a fun, loose conversation with some cinematic gems. We then decided to watch the Netflix special A Very Murray Christmas, directed by Sofia Coppola and starring Bill Murray and Paul … Continue reading Episode #40: Holiday movies and A Very Murray Christmas →

Episode #39 Please join us for episode #39 where we discuss the science fiction darling of many critics and audiences this year, Alex Garland’s  Ex Machina (2015).  Erik and Nick discuss their reactions to the film and also the topic of gendered/sexualized androids, robots and cyborgs trending now and  in the recent past. In segment two, … Continue reading Episode #39 – Ex Machina and Wes Craven →

Episode # 38 In this episode, we each list and discuss our top (favorite) movie openings of all time. We loosely define openings to include pre-credits, credits, post-credits – shots, scenes, sequences etc. Pretty much anything in the first ten minutes is fair game. We hope, as always, that you enjoy our list episodes – and … Continue reading Episode #38 – Our Top Movie Openings →

Episode # 37 The Marvel Cinematic Universe & Netflix’s Daredevil For Episode #37, Erik, Nick and Chris tackle the massive Marvel Cinematic Universe as well as the Netflix streaming series, Daredevil. The guys give a brief history of the superhero genre from the eighties up to the present including commenting on the (somewhat controversial) acquisition … Continue reading Episode #37 – The Marvel Cinematic Universe and Netflix’s Daredevil →

Episode # 36 That’s a Wrap presents its Summer Blockbuster Extravaganza! For their 36th episode the lads tackle 2015’s runaway summer juggernaut Jurassic World.  An exciting and insightful look at the franchise and its latest (record breaking) entry await you!  In the second segment, we perform our own “half-assed autopsy” on the original summer blockbuster, 1975’s … Continue reading Episode #36 – Jurassic World & Jaws: 40th Anniversary. →

Episode #35 In this episode, the guys go totally 80’s with their top ten films from the decade that gave us hair bands, Ronny Reagan and zombies that danced to pop music. Join Erik, Nick and Chris as they discuss their favorite picks and spend a lot of time quoting one particular film about golf. Don’t … Continue reading Episode #35 – Top Ten Films of the 1980’s →

Episode #34 In this episode, Erik, Nick and Chris introduce a new feature!! Original Films and Their Remakes. They inaugurate with the 1947 film noir classic Out of the Past and its updated version, Against All Odds from 1984. Please consider supporting us on Patreon! Links Here is the amazon page of Nick’s upcoming book! It will be … Continue reading Episode #34 – Remakes: Out of the Past & Against All Odds →

Episode #33 It was, in retrospect (and despite the above image), a very good decade for film. The last gasp of a pre-blockbuster-superhero-dominated era when the new, “New Hollywood” (Kevin Smith, Quentin Tarantino, Robert Rodriguez – etc) found easy distributive flow from indie and import giant MIRAMAX.  Join Erik, Nick and Chris as they countdown … Continue reading Episode #33 – Top Ten Films of the 1990s →

Episode #32 That’s a Wrap! takes a look at the career of one of the most respected, profitable, bankable and just plain interesting directors of the last 20 years, Christopher Nolan.  We examine his films and analyze his career up to, and including, Interstellar.  Do we reach a consensus? Tune in! Links Paddy Chayefsky clip … Continue reading Episode #32 – Christopher Nolan →

Episode #31 Happy New Year from That’s a Wrap!  We’re back for the new year and thrilled to have author and historian Ted Okuda wrap with us for Episode #31.  We talk about Ted’s books, the project of film history, the constant politicizing of films and upcoming projects.  It was a blast and we’re sure … Continue reading Episode #31 – Special Guest: Film Historian Ted Okuda →

Episode #30 XXX In this episode, we talk about Lars von Trier’s film Nymphomaniac, and pornography in general. If you haven’t seen the film, you can listen spoiler free until about the 50 minute mark, and then again at 1:20, when we start talking about porn in general. Nymphomaniac, despite its polarizing reception, came in … Continue reading Episode #30 – XXX – Nymphomaniac! Pornography! →

Episode #29 Join Erik, Nick and Chris as they discuss Charlie McDowell’s “The One I Love.”  This 2014 release was mostly well-received. The guys agree and weigh in from a narrative and aesthetic perspective, but more importantly, they talk about the film’s economics and its distribution model. In segment two, we list some of our all-time favorite skits … Continue reading Episode #29 – The One I Love & SNL at 40! →

Episode #28 The title says it all: Chris, Nick and Erik talk about their top 10 films of the Millennium (so far). Leave comments below to tell us what we missed, or give us your Top 10. WARNING: IF YOU DON’T WANT TO KNOW AHEAD OF TIME WHAT OUR SELECTIONS ARE, READ NO FURTHER!!!     … Continue reading Episode #28 – Top 10 Films of the Millennium →

Episode #27 In the latest episode, the guys (once again a trio) are back to discuss Jim Jarmusch’s masterpiece Only Lovers Left Alive. After waxing vampiric for awhile, Erik, Nick and Chris then discuss their favorite film podcasts, the links for which are below. Also, you can check out the thoughts of our friend and colleague, … Continue reading Episode #27 – Only Lovers Left Alive & Favorite Film Podcasts →

Episode #26 Hello everyone!  That’s a Wrap is proud to bring you Episode #26, which examines 2013’s Under The Skin, a powerful and brave film that has made many 10 Best lists while simultaneosly managing to “alienate” some audiences.  We tackle the complex film and then move on to segment two, which is dedicated to … Continue reading Episode #26 – Under The Skin & Robin Williams →

Episode #25 We tackle the juggernaut SNOWPIERCER in episode 25.  Currently holding a very impressive 94% at Rotten Tomatoes, SNOWPIERCER is raking up the box office (particularly through VOD) and the critical praise.  So, what’s it all about? Well, you’ll just have to listen to find out! The first 40 minutes are spoiler-free. This is … Continue reading Episode #25 – Snowpiercer & Film Book Recommendations →

Episode #24 Nick and Erik tackle Zizek’s The Pervert’s Guide to Ideology and The Shining documentary Room 237 as two opposite sides of the spectrum of criticism.  Is one form of analysis privileged over another?  Should it be?  Tune in and let us know! Links Mentioned: South Park: Mystery of the Urinal Deuce Pervert’s Guide … Continue reading Episode #24 – Zizek’s Pervert’s Guide Movies and Room 237 →

Episode #23 In this episode, we each list and discuss our 5 favorite movie endings of all time.  This necessarily means: SPOILERS AHEAD.   A list of our selections is provided below – as to temper any spoilers you truly wish to avoid.  Otherwise, enjoy! As with all of our lists, they’re fun to do, promote … Continue reading Episode #23 – Our Top 5 Movie Endings →

Episode # 22 In this episode, the guys, along with guest panelist, Dr. Lara Hrycaj (who attended graduate school with the guys), discuss one of the more polarizing figures in modern cinema, Wes Anderson, director of Bottle Rocket, The Royal Tenenbaums, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou and the recent The Grand Budapest Hotel. We discuss Anderson’s complete oeuvre as well … Continue reading Episode #22 – The Wild, Wonderful World of Wes Anderson →

Episode #21 It’s documentary time here at That’s A Wrap! We finally talk about Errol Morris, framing the discussion around his latest film, The Unknown Known (Watch Now on Amazon While It’s in Theaters). In Segment 2, we talk about Joshua Oppenhimer’s chilling Oscar-nominated film The Act of Killing. Links Errol Morris’s article about The Act of … Continue reading Episode #21 – Errol Morris/The Unknown Known and The Act of Killing →

Episode #20 In our 20th episode, we look at The Hunt (Jagten, 2012).  This Academy Award nominated Danish film from visionary director Thomas Vinterberg is a powerful, wrenching and honest exploration of the malleability and fallibility of human behavior. The Hunt tells the tale of Lucas (Mads Mikkelsen), a divorced day-care worker (laid off from … Continue reading Episode #20 – The Hunt (Jagten, 2012) and Random Recommendations →

Episode #19 Join us as we share our thoughts, criticisms and general reactions to this year’s Oscar winner for Best Original Screenplay Her.  Very much a topical film that addresses many “here and now” issues and technologies (although it’s set in a near future), Spike Jonez’s film generates a lot of pathos from its main characters and calls … Continue reading Episode #19 – Her and HBO’s True Detective →

Episode #18 Erik, Nick and Chris discuss their very favorite films to “look at.” We each take turns presenting our TOP 5 best-loved films that we admire simply for their visual beauty.   A tough task to be sure, but we did our best and include a brief short-list of honorable mentions at the end. … Continue reading Episode #18 – Top 5 Favorite Films to “Look At” & House of Cards S02 →

Episode #17 We have a rather sprawling discussion of film theory, reminiscing about graduate school and the process of grappling with difficult writing. Toward the end, Erik starts talking about fiction that does the work of film theory (Amazon affiliate links to most of the books appear below). Links mentioned: Auction site for movie memorabilia: … Continue reading Episode #17 – Film Theory: FTW or WTF? →

Episode #16 In their year-ending episode, Erik, Nick and Chris discuss Paul Schrader’s The Canyons from every possible angle. The film polarized critics yet was appreciated by scholars and cinephiles. In segment 2, the guys discuss their favorite episodes and moments over the maiden year of the podcast. Finally, Erik Marshall, Nicholas Schlegel and Christopher Gullen … Continue reading Episode #16 – The Canyons →

Episode #15 In this special episode, Erik, Nick and Chris have a roundtable with Mike White and Rob St. Mary, hosts of the fantastic The Projection Booth podcast. The guys all discuss the question on whether or not film is still relevant. Over the last decade, technological, social, economic and aesthetic changes have forced filmmakers, studios, … Continue reading Episode #15 – Roundtable Discussion with The Projection Booth →

Episode #14 In Segment One of this epsiode, Erik, Nick and Chris talk about the MPAA ratings system, and specifically the film This Film is Not Yet Rated directed by Kirby Dick. The film (and our discussion) focuses heavily on the rather uneven and mysterious ratings criteria for Hollywood films and the fact that the MPAA … Continue reading Episode #14 – MPAA ratings/This Film is Not Yet Rated and Foreign Films to Watch →

Supplemental Episode Erik and Nick were impressed by Alfonso Cuaron’s Gravity.  In fact, they’ve dedicated a supplemental episode between shows 13 and 14 to this box-office monster and critical darling.  In many ways, Gravity presents a possible model or methodology that Hollywood could and should take seriously.  The film’s narrative simplicity – with its focus on … Continue reading Gravity (2013) – A “That’s a Wrap” Special Episode →

Episode #13 Note:  We had severe audio difficulties that were unknown to us until we were in post.  As a result, we have had to makes some edits to the content.  We sincerely apologize for this calamity and are taking measures to ensure that this does not happen again. 2012 marked the 50th Anniversary of … Continue reading Episode #13 – 007 James Bond Special & Skyfall Revisited →

Episode #12 Join us in welcoming Ian Olney, Associate Professor of English at York College, to That’s a Wrap this week to discuss a particular brand of horror that many (even fans of the genre) are unfamiliar with: Euro Horror.  Ian discusses the origins of this movement in Europe, it’s key characteristics, major films and lack … Continue reading Episode #12 – Interview with Ian Olney: Euro Horror Special →

Episode #11 In this episode we talk about the career of Woody Allen, including his new film Blue Jasmine. We each choose a favorite film as well films we think someone new to Woody Allen should watch. After stipulating that Annie Hall is the ideal entry point, we came up with second movies for newbies … Continue reading Episode #11 – Woody Allen/Blue Jasmine →

Episode #10 Our RATINGSPALOOZA podcast drops today with our very special guest, Robert Burgoyne, Chair of the Department of Film Studies at St. Andrews, Scotland. Bob’s work centers on historiography and film, with a special emphasis on American cinema, history and national identity, and the counter narratives of nation that have emerged in many films.  … Continue reading Episode #10 – Special Guest: Robert Burgoyne →

Episode #9 We explore two lengthy topics in our 9th episode of That’s a Wrap!  Principal photography begins with part one of a two-part series on film pedagogy.  Erik, Nick and Chris discuss their various approaches to teaching film in past years, today and well into the future.  They discuss, among other things, the importance … Continue reading Episode #9 – Back To School: Teaching Film & Man of Steel →

Episode #8 Do you recall the days when spectacle-driven “event” cinema was the exception, not the rule?  Mid and low-concept minded films have been an endangered species over the years… This is not to say that we don’t have films to counter this increasingly stupid strategy (Erik and I just went and saw, and podcasted … Continue reading Episode #8 – State of Cinema →