You Never Forget Your First

  We're exploding back on the scene with our most explosive debut where half the narrative revolves around explosions as explosions try to outdo other explosions in J. J. Abrams explosive debut Mission Impossible Three (2006). Its hard to imagine a film this large is a debut, but it set the tone for the rest of the franchise that continues to this day. From Lost, to getting lost in Lost, to wondering what exactly actually happened in Lost, JJ made a huge jump into mainstream filmmaking with MI3 and continued the trend into Star Wars. Stay tuned for Tom Cruise dressed as a nun doing questionable Italian accents and Benas Serrano Ham angle that made little to no sense. Enjoy.

We asked the ultimate question. Could AI direct? But literally though, could it actually direct? How would it work? Would it spit out garbage? Could it be creative? Direct actors? Squash producers? Work with a budget? Make something good?  If you want to feel like you plugged your head into The Matrix whilst simultaneously having your brain whisked like scrambled eggs this is the episode for you. We go from the hilarious nonsensical scripts AI has pumped out to the bleeding edge of human consciousness, even throwing in an IWAAD (which is probably the most terrifying one we've ever had). We've also upped our production value just a tad - though you'll have to listen to find out what. We can neither confirm nor deny it is/not including excerpts from films. Seriously...who'd have the audacity to do that? 

If you would have invented YNFYF, you would have invented YNFYF. But you didn't. Thankfully we did, and if you can handle the truth of the witty quips and constant repetition we're bringing this ep, then you'll discover the truth of Aaron Sorkins debut, Mollys Game (2017). We're no stranger to writer turned directors, but this particular case was unique given Sorkin is such a strong writer. Crafting his unique dialogue in films such as Steve Jobs, Moneyball, The Social Network - also that little mini series the West Wing - no matter who he works with, his voice finds its way to dominate the films he writes. Mollys Game follows the true story of Molly Bloom, an Olympic-class skier who ran the world's most exclusive high-stakes poker game and became an FBI target. Sounds pretty Sorkin-ey. Drenched in so much legal speak we needed Louis on top form to dissect what the f**k was being talked about half the time. Enjoy. 

GRAB YOUR UNCUT GEMS as we've gone to the underbelly of New York in search of The Safdie Brothers and their debut film, Daddy LongLegs (2009). The film follows a father looking after his two kids, which, if you think sounds like an anomaly in the high octane, ‘underbelly of society' types of films the Safdies make, then you'd be mistaken. In fact the film contains the very DNA of that nervous energy, bizarre characterisations and boots on the ground type of filmmaking the Safdies are synonymous with. The main actor of Daddy Longlegs, Ronald Bronstein, is essentially ‘the third Safdie brother' acting as a co-writer and editor on all their films. If that filled your knowledge gaps, then dive on in to our neon soaked room, spend time with some shifty characters (Sparrow), and hear some stories that will keep the anxiety levels so high, you'll be awake all night after listening. Either that, or you're like Benas, a stone cold film-watcher (more on that in the ep). Enjoy.

What does a debut film podcast talk about, when it’s not debut films? In and amongst the wealth of first films we cover, we’re going to occasionally pepper in what we’re referring to as ‘hangout eps’ (name pending…) extra eps that are around directing and filmmaking, spurred by questions we find interesting. This is a total experiment for us, just like when Hans Zimmer insisted on playing loud horns in Inception every 5 minutes, and look how that turned out!    You may have wondered from time to time what on earth a directors cut is (isn’t every film a directors cut?), how they come to exist, and if you’re obsessed with mentioning streaming giants every episode like us, wonder where  the future of them lies as directors are given more and more autonomy when working with streamers. This was a really fun one to record, and we hope its as fun to listen back to.

NEW EP! We’ve gone and Super Sized this weeks podcast ep for you as we delve into the 2004 documentary Super Size Me directed by Morgan Spurlock. It turns out all you need is a Big Mac and a camera to bring down the big corps, plus the digestive system of a T-Rex to weather the health storm from all that Super Sizing. The now iconic doc was far reaching and influential, having a lasting impact on our relationship with fast food and the industry’s treatment of it. To think the budget was a mere $65,000 (probably most going on McDonalds) and yet it garnered international fame, becoming Oscar nominated and winning the grand jury prize for directing at Sundance. All for just eating McDonalds for 30 days. It cant be that hard, right guys? ….guys? 

Join us as we do what we do every episode, which is explore the lives of others, except this time we really are exploring the actual film, The Lives of Others (2006) directed by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck. This is an exceptional debut that feels like a fourth or fifth film from an already established filmmaker. The film takes place in 1984 East Berlin, telling the story of a Stasi officer who listens in on a writer and his lover, and becomes increasingly absorbed by their lives. Hopefully, you’ll listen in here and become increasingly absorbed yourself. In the pod. Not in our lives. Enjoy.

Join us in an epic journey back to 1950’s America, where we gave each other nicknames like Benas-whooping-y’all and Louis-loose-lips-Lunts, repeated the phrase ‘baking biscuits’ about a thousand times, and tried to figure out what the hell that on-going sound is, in Andrew Pattersons debut film The Vast of Night (2019). ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀A high ambition paired with a low budget means Andrew Patterson needed to deploy all the DIY tricks in the book, (as well as make up new ones) from an inventive one shot using a go kart, to hiring unknown actors who brought a freshness to the roles (who nailed it btw) to choosing a new angle on a worn genre. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀The OG crew are back together in this episode, with one of us only having watched Saving Private Ryan for the first time (yes, we are a serious film pod thanks) to of course mentioning the Netflix price hike and the obligatory Nolan mention. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀IWAADs this week included the phrase ‘spilling avocados on the road’ - you can’t make this stuff up, or maybe you can, if you’re Benas. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Happy listening, enjoy. 

We’ve started 2021 strong with a blinding ray of indie film goodness, so strong we could barely see each other as we recorded this very episode, in the form of Little Miss Sunshine (2006) directed by Jonathan Dayton & Valerie Faris.    The history of how this film was conceived, written, produced, and the 5 years it spent in development hell, including firing and re-hiring writer Micheal Arndt, is anything less than a sunny experience. Throw Jonathon and Valerie in for being responsible in bringing Red Hot Chilli Peppers to the masses, essentially directing all their hit music videos you grew up on, and you start to build a picture of why this film is a knockout debut film.    Featuring a stellar cast such as Steve Carrell before he was Steve Carrell, Paul Dano before he was Paul Dano, and Bryan Cranston before he was Bryan Cranston (yes, he makes a cameo, hence why you should rewatch it). With Greg Kinnear nailing the comedic timing and Toni Collette always bringing a solid performance, and you wonder how an indie film managed to get such a great cast (hint: write a damn good script and grab people before they come unfairly famous).   We had our own recasting for this episode in the form of Doms oldest friend, Will! No, Will is not 90 years old, he is in fact a very knowledgable filmmaker who is the very reason we’re doing this film, and he came on the pod to throw down some serious knowledge bombs, so big we actually had to take cover a few times. He also helped drive the VW mini van that is YNFYF. Turns out his parking is as great as his film knowledge.   Happy listening, enjoy.

A CHRISTMAS SPECIAL FOR YOU ALL

NEW EP

We headed back to 1999 and dived inside Spike Jonze’s head, who dived inside Charlie Kaufman’s head, who dived inside John Malkovich’s head, to bring you our episode on Spikes Jonze’s directorial debut, Being John Malkovich. A peculiar but highly entertaining film that can be read in so many ways, with John Malkovich putting his very name above the door. Thank god it did well. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀         It’s amazing to realise that Spike Jonze, despite being a household name, has only directed 4 features. His illustrious career as a music video and short film director has almost brought as much credibility to his talents as his features (which are still impeccable). Even before tackling Being John Malkovich, he was a sought after director with a penchant for unusual ideas and visuals, ultimately making him perfect for the job of dissecting writer Charlie Kaufman’s film. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀          So join us as we jump inside John Malkovich, as well as jumping inside the cinema vs streaming debate (when do we never) to dissect one of the most original films we’ve taken apart, as well as hearing Louis’ theory on the building schematics for the 7 1/2 floor.    Enjoy.

Before Catfish: The TV show which Nev presents, unveiling Catfishes all over the states, he was in fact Catfished himself, documented by directors Ariel Schulman (his brother) and Henry Joost in Catfish: The Movie (2010). In the film, Nev is in contact with a family over Facebook, who him and his friends soon realise might not be who they say they are. Despite this unsettling premise, perhaps the most scary part of re-watching this decade old documentary is how much people used to use Facebook to seemingly update the world on the most evidently boring parts of their life. In a strange way, Catfish actually exposes how much Facebook has changed, from status updates asking you what you had for breakfast, to TELL US YOUR POLITICAL LEANINGS. NOW. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Ultimately Catfish is a positive piece of film, that shows us we’re all a lot better when we’re honest. Like when Louis admits on this very episode he may well have been Catfished himself when he was 12 years old (admit it, who wasn’t on MSN messenger). This is also our first documentary, and we spend an inordinate amount of time discussing the difference between a film and doc, when we probably should have just been reviewing the film. Anyway, you’ve seen what we really look like, right? Guys…..guys? ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Happy listening. 

Come on a journey with us back to July, when we were experiencing a heatwave so strong Benas may have actually passed out during recording, the background noise courtesy of a passing train that had seemingly little explanation, and a cat (Nessie) that just wanted to express its cinematic opinion, and you’ve got our episode on David Fincher’s Alien 3 (1992). Thats right, this our first real life episode in months, so we felt compelled through the sweat to tackle a beast of a director with a very interesting directorial debut.   On first glance Alien 3 stands out in Fincher’s filmography, and you’d be forgiven for thinking everyone else besides Fincher directed it. Under the surface of those pesky acid spraying Aliens are some of the trademarks of the now iconic director that can be found in his later films. At just 29 when production started, as well as the supposed troubled production itself, we go deep on Fincher and maybe, just maybe, we talk about Fight Club.  

Are things always as they appear? You might take one glance at Only You (2018) on Netflix and assume this is a cheesy romance film where the guy gets the girl at last minute in the airport. In fact, Benas did and we had to strap him to a chair and run some Clockwork Orange moves on his eyes so he would watch it. But we’re getting away from the point here. Harry Wootliff’s Only You is a raw, delicately crafted debut that might have slipped you by (despite winning two BIFAs).  A curveball suggestion by Louis that sent the pod crew getting all emotional, in whats been our closest episode to an actual therapy session on relationships, the film follows Jake and Elena as their relationship blossoms, before tackling one of the most challenging obstacles anyone has to encounter. Harry Wootliff has not only written characters that reflect actual people you might know in real life, but has explored the subject of intimacy in a way that feels fresh and important. You might even hear Benas come round to a film about relationships. Imagine that.  With no Sparrow this episode Dom, Louis and Benas pick up the slack, but rest assured, the Me and Earl-loving-currently-Malick-Obsessed-Film-Lover will be back next episode throwing out the usual gems. Happy listening, enjoy. 

What if we told you that Chris Evans isn’t the real Captain America? And that whenever you see Cap throwing himself into some insane situation, you’re actually seeing our friend Sam Hargrave don the helmet and shield, as he is in fact Caps stuntman (yes even superheroes need stunt men). Now he’s stopped throwing himself into the ring, and is instead throwing another Chris (Hemsworth) in instead, with his first film, Extraction. (2020).   The most recent film we’ve done on the pod to date, we thought we’d make our first foray into the world of action cinema with this stunt-orientated action thriller by stuntman turned directer, Sam Hargrave. He’s also in the film as the guy with the huge beard, you really can’t miss him. The Avengers connections don’t stop there, as this film is written by the Russo Brothers, who’ve directed the past few Avengers films (including the biggest film of all time…no biggie).   Also featured is a chat about why there should be a Stunt oscars, Sparrow giving the fans what they want with his latest updates, as well as Benas assuring us that Micheal Jordan smoking cigars after matches was totally normal and didn’t affect his play at all.    Miraculously no one was harmed in the making of this episode and all stunts were performed by 4 unprofessional people.   Happy listening, enjoy. 

What creates a cult classic film? Some say its being ripped apart to shreds by critics on release. Others say it’s a notoriously bad theatrical run never recouping the budget. Bruce Robinson says it’s out of work actors and an appetite for lots of alcohol. And possibly lighter fluid.  Enter Withnail and I (1987) which follows two substance abusing unemployed actors in 1969. Almost unbelievable this is a first directorial effort, it’s also the first appearance of Richard E Grant and Paul McGann in a feature film. Based on director Bruce Robinsons own experiences in the 60’s with his late friend Vivian Mackerell (whom Withnail is based on), the film is often remembered for its ability to be so quotable. After all, few films have so deftly described a hangover as feeling “like a pig shat on my head”.  Thought bubbling beneath the surface is both an intricately rendered portrait of Britain at the end of the 60’s, and the giving up of your dreams due to no fault of anything but yourself. Either that, or it’s two drunk men being preposterous on camera. We’ll let you decide, after all, we want the finest podcasts available to humanity, we want them here and we want them now! So here you go. Link in bio.  

In a few short years, J D Dillard has gone from being a receptionist at Bad Robot (J. J. Abrams production company) to having 2 features under his belt, and is (possibly) on his way to developing a Star Wars project.  You may not know who J D Dillard is. Thats OK, because theres a whole podcast here on the man himself. A true indie filmmaker in the eyes of YNFYF, his first film, Sleight (2016), follows street magician Bo as he is left to care for his younger sister. A genre blend thats part superhero, part sci fi and a whole lot of low-budget indie, Sleight is inspired by Dillards own experiences growing up learning magic. For the first time in 2 episodes, the original 4 are back together to do what they do best - tackle low budget indie flicks. And yes, for long time fans, that means Blumhouse is no doubt getting a shout out.

SOME-BODY once told us to get making some waffles and rewatch Shrek. We’re so glad we did, as the amount of adult jokes in this film that flew over our heads as kids makes it worth a rewatch almost 20 years later. On the surface, Shrek really should not have worked as a film. It (literally) shits on the classic fairytale genre, is full of (somehow not dated?) pop culture references, and at last minute had the whole of Shreks lines re-recorded with a Scottish accent. Yet directors Andrew Adamson & Vicky Jensen knew exactly what they were doing, as the final result was not only hilarious and wildy entertaining, but went on to win the first ever Academy Award for Best Animated Feature (beating out Pixar’s Monsters Inc by the way). Also, the internet is actually obsessed with it. Google Shrek meme and you’re met with a mix of hilarious and worrying results (Shrek is Love, Shrek is Life being the latter). Though in all honestly, Shrek and the inhabitants of Duloc wouldn’t want it any other way.  Joining us all the way from NYC for this one is Dylan. He’s back by popular demand after laying down the pizza law on our Nightcrawler ep (Joes Pizza in Greenwich if you’re asking). Here D switches out crispy crusts for some crispy commentary on our green friend and all things Duloc.  We also have a short of the week, Commute by Scott Lazer. This ones based in NYC, in case there wasn’t already enough New Yorker attitude on this episode.  Link in bio. Enjoy. 

When it comes to special effects, you need hundreds of specialist people to create them, right? Well, if you’re Gareth Edwards, all you need is your bedroom and a laptop from 2009. In one of the most inspiring “budget to magic on screen” ratios we’ve seen on YNFYF, Gareth Edwards both wrote, shot and created ALL the special effects seen in his directorial debut, Monsters. This is independent filmmaking at its most essential; most of the actors were members of the public, and the film was shot on the fly in South America. Not only that, but fast forward to present day and Gareth here directed what’s probably your favourite Star Wars in recent years, Rogue One. 

Have you ever thrown your hands up in the air and just shouted “YOU’RE TEARING ME APART LISA!” No? Then fear not, because Tommy Wiseau has you covered, and also has a whole host of other bizarre and hilarious things covered in his directorial debut (really his only film) The Room. Made in 2003 for a staggering 6 million dollars, The Room has cultivated such a cult following, that it still plays in cinemas to this very day. It makes you wonder, how many other films can claim that? Only a handful of classics. But it also makes you wonder, how many other films can claim to ask about your sex life? Well…there’s only one. The Room holds the award for the best/worst film of all time, intended to be a dramatic story, that ended up being a full on accidental comedy. Crew members have even tried it come forward and claim they directed it. But once you watch The Room, you understand there really is only one person who could have made such a film… We also have our SOTW, Don’t Sell The Tiger, directed by Ben Wylson and written and produced by Joanne Oatts and Mark Winter. This ones a good one, so get your Vimeo fingertips going. We also hope everyone is doing well during this troubling time, and that you’re all safe. Hopefully this episode (and all other quarantined eps) will distract you from the everyday quarantine life. Luckily, we’ve found a way of still being able to podcast, because films still need to be talked about! (And are probably being watched now more than ever, at home, not in the cinema, but thats another thing,,,) Enjoy!

“Wait, you’re giving us the usual first films, but then throwing in a few one one-off special episodes every now and then, about topics you feel you can add some value to and have a good chat about for our listening pleasure?” Uh, yeah. That is literally what we are doing. That’s weird you know that.    So for our first special episode, we decided to shoot for the stars YNFYF style, and corner ourselves into the biggest corner you’ve ever heard by tackling the unconquerable challenge of reviewing the decade. Which was actually unconquerable.    So to break this down into GSCE bitesize chunks, we decided to split this episode into a few key big broad topics from the decade, that we felt we could have some fun with and add some meaning to; the rise of streaming, originals vs reboots, indie film, camera tech and debating the impact of Superhero films this decade.    We also each reveal our 10 favourite films of the decade, which in itself was also an unconquerable task (as you will hear when Louis has a breakdown choosing his favourite).   As usual, strap those headphones in and get ready to remember how silly you looked wearing 3D headphones in 2010 when you went to see Avatar.   Happy listening. 

American Beauty is one of those films every always agrees is “pretty damn good”. You’d be hard pushed to find someone who doesn’t like it, and isn’t wowed by the fact this DEBUT FILM won Best Picture and Best Director at the Oscars. Imagine that? Well, if you’re Sam Mendes, you don’t have to. Released in 1999, American Beauty follows average middle aged guy Lester Burnham and his mid-life crisis, as it unravels to affect those around him. Not only is this film full of stand out performances, every single department is firing on all cylinders. From Conrad Halls cinematography (which it won an Oscar for) Thomas Newmans haunting score (which it won an Oscar for) and Alan Balls amazing script (which…you guessed it). It’s one of the most knockout debuts we’ve had the pleasure of exploring on YNFYF, and if you expected Louis to relax on taking apart movie titles with the word American in, you’d be wrong!We also cover all the Oscars chat and our predictions, as well as dropping a Kong Skull island reference for good measureTheres also no short of the week this week, as we had plenty to get through!As always, enjoy.

Happy New Year from YNFYF! We’re kicking off 2020 with a look back at another decade, 2003, when an unknown Patty Jenkins somehow managed to get Charlize Theron to play Aileen Wuornos, a prolific female serial killer who lived in Florida. With a virtually unrecognisable Charlize Theron in the main role, as well as a high level of craft and storytelling, this debut is moving, tough watch that cemented Patty as a force to be reckoned with. We had to wait a whole 14 years before another cinema experience from Patty, this time in the form of a superhero film called Wonder Woman. Worlds away from Monster, this was well worth the wait. In-between she directed popular TV shows, such as The Killing. We’re big fans of Patty and are looking forward to her next film Wonder Woman 1984 (which is out this year…). But thats not all! We have our very good friend of the pod and fellow cinephile Ella on this weeks episode. Not only does she expertly break down this dense, tricky movie into such lovely conversation we can all enjoy, but she’s vowed to see more films in the actual cinema this year. You know, that place you go to other than your sofa to watch movies? We’re holding you to your New Years resolution Ella. Expect to hear her back on the pod in the future, telling us about all those films she saw at that place called “the cinema”. On our SOTW we cover greg by Will Denis. A New York subway based short that follows a man who loses his phone on the train tracks. Loads of film fun to come this year. Enjoy.

If you thought you could escape Christmas without watching Love Actually, you’d ACTUALLY be mistaken. Because no one can get to Christmas Day without at least shedding a tear that Emma Thompson never gets given that necklace. Every. Single. Year. Merry Christmas!You’d be forgiven for thinking that Curtis directed Four Weddings and Notting Hill, his films all feel like they’re part of the same universe.  It wasn’t until Love Actually that he took the plunge, and decided to weave together ten different love stories in the lead up to Christmas. Wait, did he create his own cinematic universe, the RCCU (Richard Curtis Cinematic Universe) before Marvel? We’ll let you be the judge. Our SOTW this week is Brian and Charles directed Jim Archer, a 12 minute short that follows a man who lives alone in the countryside, and builds a robot to keep him company. Madness ensues from then on. We’re having a doubly special episode as we’re joined by by none other than Jeune Femme and 30 somethings having breakdowns on film expert, Julia. If you’re yet to listen to Jeune Femme, catch her laying down some gems on that episode, then jump back to Love Actually for more gems (but the festive kind). And then, next year, she might even lay down MORE gems on UNCUT GEMS. There’s a little glimpse at the future

Our motto is that if you want to record a podcast, you gotta do the research to sound like you know what you’re talking about. And while we’re at it, your performance review is coming up. You’ve shown some real initiative downloading our episodes, as well as having an enthusiastic attitude to our posts. But if you ever miss an episode again, make no mistake. We will terminate you. Of course we won’t! Because we’re too busy laughing at all the self-help management talk in Dan Gilroys stand out debut film, Nightcrawler (2014). We’re also too busy spending some of it completely frightened at Jake Gyllenhaals unforgettable performance as Lou Bloom, a man who becomes obsessed with capturing the horrific accidents and murders in Los Angeles for local news networks.  We also have to shout out to Riz Ahmed, who also nailed it with his performance as Rick (the interview scene with “hire rick” is a particular pod favourite moment). In our SOTW section, we’ll be covering Rachel Stubbings short, Mum of the Year, which we all had a good laugh at indeed. This episode is extra special as joining us all the way from Brooklyn, as well as having us convinced he is actually the real Bruce Wayne, it’s Dylan! A special friend of the NYFYF community, he holds it down for our American market, whilst also advising us that if we ever go public on the stock exchange, he’ll make sure to “take care of all the details”. Dylan practically schooled us all on American history and its media landscape, which sounded twice as cool through his thick take-no-bullshit Brooklyn accent. If you ever find yourself in New York, he’ll take you down to the guys at Joes Pizza in Greenwich, demanding you eat a slice whilst educating you on what a real slice of pizza is. (also shout out to Joes Pizza in Greenwich. We know the score). Happy listening. 

It’s been claimed by those film nerds that 1999 was one of the best years for original movies. We got given Fight Club. The Matrix. American Beauty. The Sixth Sense. Eyes Wide Shut. The Blair Witch Project. The Iron Giant. Nottinghill. Being John Malkovich. Toy Story 2. The Green Mile. Just to name a few. And then one movie came along that penetrated culture (and pies) with its outrageousness. That film is American Pie.   The directorial debut of Paul Weitz (his brother Chris Weitz is an uncredited director) saw this movie reboot and retool the teen comedy genre, skyrocketing it to a truly global status. Made on a budget of $10 million, and going on to reap over $250 million at the box office - as well as ruining everyones favourite homemade pie -  it’s clear that the film did something right. Tune in to find out.   Our SOTW is Hillside DIY by Ben Ericsson. A fun little homemade film about skating that is a welcome change from all the pie chat.   Enjoy.

If you ever find yourself needing to look up synonyms for the word “zombie”, the first suggestion will in fact be “George A Romero”. Thats because our friend George virtually invented the zombie genre with his 1968 groundbreaking first film, “Night of The Living Dead”.  This first film didn’t just launch a career though, it launched an entire GENRE. Popular modern entertainment like The Walking Dead, 28 Days Later, and even everyones favourite ITV2 re-run Shaun of the Dead, all wouldn’t exist without the path George blazed. And ironically, he did it all without a single utterance of the word zombie. He just used ham for guts and chocolate sauce for blood instead. George went on to create every single possible film title that could come from his original like “Dawn of The Dead”, “Day of The Dead”, “Land of The Dead”, “Diary of The Dead”, and “Survival of The Dead”. Thats commitment and we very much like that here on YNFYF.  The good news on this ep is Louis is back, bringing fan-favourite wheezey laughs and such deep insightful critique you’d wonder why a major news publication hasn’t yet hired him to review BBC mini-series. The bad news is Sparrow was unavailable for this episode, and we very much felt the hole created by his absence. We mention it many, many, many times. He’s back on next weeks film.  Also, In our short of the week section, Benas gets deep discovering the meaning of life as we cover “My Boy” by Charlotte Reagan.  Anyway, that’s enough from us. Happy listening.

Imagine, if only for a second, you are the worlds biggest movie star. Your accepted nickname is “King of Cool”. You do your own stunts, could have almost been a professional racing driver and your name even sounds like an expensive brand of perfume. Now forget all that, because we just realised we’re actually talking about the wrong Steve McQueen.Thats right, we’re talking about the British director Steve McQueen, whose credits include Shame, 12 Years A Slave and Widows. And perhaps a little known gem that you may never have heard of….Hunger (2007). The film follows Irish republican Bobby Sands, as he leads the inmates of a Northern Irish prison in a hunger strike. We go from McQueens illustrious career as an award winning artist to….his illustrious career as a filmmaker. Before you knew him as Magneto, or that actor who got fully naked on camera, this was Micheal Fassbenders exceptional break out role. And he gives Christian Bales weight-loss a run for its money.We also have the record for the longest Who Dat Quote guess. You can blame Benas for choosing the most obscure film title ever (but it was also a genius move). We also have two shorts of the week, Nursery Rhymes by Tom Noakes and Floor 9.5 by Toby Meakins. Both great shorts respectively.So come join us for Steve McQueens Hunger (not Bullitt, though that is a great film in its own right).Happy listening.

Are you looking for a delightful weekend break? May the pod crew suggest Bruges for you and your loved ones. Straight out of a fairytale, Bruges will offer idyllic views of castles, romantic streets to lose yourself in and an array of dif-YOU'RE AN ANIMATE FUCKING OBJECT.Sorry. You’re obviously not. You’re a living, breathing, clever soul for choosing to join us in our weekend break in Bruges. Because aside from having some lovely alcoves, its the setting of Martin McDonaghs debut film, In Bruges. It follows hitmen Ray and Ken, who have to await orders from their boss in Bruges, after a jobs gone wrong. As Ray so aptly puts it; “I'm suicidal, me mate tries to kill me, me gun gets nicked and we're still in fucking Bruges.” This is just one of many quotable lines from this movie, which, we warn, get quoted a lot in this episode. We also apologise in advance for the jealously you will no doubt harbour in hearing our perfect impersonations of accents. We deep dive into McDonagh, from his career as a successful playwright before transitioning to film, going from strength to strength, having had his latest film Three Billboards nominated for 7 Oscars. We also talk about his Oscar winning short film, Six Shooter, which if you haven’t seen, is a much watch. Link here.  We also have our short of the week, The Brain And You, written and directed by Paul Trillo. This one is a little political, so if that’s your thing, get involved.  So come get lost in the alcoves, see the views from the tower and have yourself a NORMAL PODCAST FOR NORMAL PEOPLE. If you don't get that, it might be time to give In Bruges a re-watch.  Happy listening. 

Paris. As soon as someone says it, you can't help but think of romantic strolls around The Eiffel Tower, coffee in a small café and pedalling down streets on a chic bike. What if we told you to forget all that Lonely Planet stuff, and instead journey with a woman who's recently homeless, can't hold down a job or friends, and just left a cat in a graveyard.  This is just the start of Lèonor Serraille's great debut feature, Jeune Femme, and so the pod crew brushed up on their French, dressed in their chicest threads, and dove straight in to pulling apart this film. But that's not all people. We haven't even mentioned the best bit. This is an extra-extra-special episode as we're joined by a very good friend of the pod, Julia. Not only is Jeune Femme one of her favourite films, but she also schooled us (like Micheal Jordan shooting a 3-pointer from downtown) with her words of wisdom, love of 30-something characters losing their shit, and her actual ability to pronounce French.  Our short of the week is directed by Cole Escola and is called Lorraine Was On The News Note on SOTW: We should apologise in advance as far as in depth reviews go, as we found this short so funny, that it's basically the 4 of us just cracking up.  Thanks for listening. Enjoy.        

Hey, remember that film Indiana Jones? Or E.T? Jurassic Park? Minority Report? Close Encounters? How about Schindlers List? Saving Private Ryan? A.I? Catch Me If You Can? Or even Jaws?Thats great you remember all of those classics.How about Duel? Remember that one? Yeah we didn’t think so. Thats right, just when you thought we’d only do a few little indie films, we’ve taken a Toretto handbrake turn and gone straight to the man who basically IS the movie industry, back to the beginning of his incredibly influential, groundbreaking and frankly (when you actually look at it) astonishing career. He is perhaps, the GOAT. We’ll let you decide…on this podcast episode which is almost 2 hours long. Thats twice the length of any other episode we’ve done. Thats twice the movie goodness, twice the movie magic, and twice the er…twice the time it took to edit. But anyway, we’re here and excited to share our findings on the man himself, Mr Steven Spielberg, and his very first film, Duel (1971) about a man who is harassed by a truck driver. Yes you read that right. It might be the only film devoid of that Spielbergian magic. Even more of a reason to watch it. We’ve also got an incredible short of the week, The Candidate (2010), by David Karlak. The keen eyed viewer might notice Meghan Markle, displaying her acting chops before she packed it in to became the Duchess of Sussex. Good job its a royally good little film.  Link to The Candidate here. Happy listening.

Before ‘Wakanda Forever!’ made over a billion dollars, and before Rocky emerged out of the shadows promising this fight may actually be “my final fight kid”, Ryan Coogler wrote and directed his very first film, Fruitvale station, that premiered at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival and won the Grand Jury Prize. It follows 22 year old Oscar Grant’s final day before being tragically shot by police on New Years Day, 2009. The pod are big fans of Coogler, and dove straight into the immensely deep level of craft and storytelling that make this excellent debut. So if you haven’t seen it, then pause re-watching emotional Rocky moments from Creed, and get ready for a great directorial debut. We also cover two shorts in our shorts of the week! The First Men by Stacey Richter and (our pod favourite) Lifehack by Will Dennis. We also shine a light on Cooglers first short, Locks, which is well worth a watch. We also need to clarify, we definitely are not sponsored by Mubi. Just so you know. But Mubi, if you’re reading this, throw us some love for us and our listeners. Please. That is all.   Links to both shorts, and Locks by Ryan Coogler. Locks directed by Ryan Coogler. The First Men directed by Benjamin Kegan based on a short story by Stacey Richter  Lifehack directed by Will Dennis    Thanks for listening, enjoy.  (Mubi, DM us and we’ll chat)

Jonah Hill has gone from screaming at McLovin in Superbad for getting a dodgy fake ID, to working alongside some of the greatest actors and directors currently working. And now, he's going all the way back to the Mid90's, to make his film, Mid90's. Despite our immense lack of skateboarding skills, the trio attempt to kickflip, grind and roll through his directorial debut, which stars mostly unknown actors cruising through 90's Los Angeles to some pretty damn good music. There's much more to it however, so plug in, blow the dust off your Tony Hawk skateboard and try your best to do that pop-shove-it you spent your childhood trying to nail on Tony Hawk Pro Skater 2.  

Well haven’t we got a great episode for you! We dive into a much loved film of the YNFYF community, Thunder Road (2018) by recent producer turned director Jim Cummings. Jim is somewhat of a new breed of filmmaker, tearing down the old walls of Hollywood and democratising filmmaking. We find him exceptionally motivating, as he advises you to grab your own camera, make your own film, and distribute it yourself.    We’re big fans of this film, so the excitement levels are particularly high on this episode. And whats that? A new voice? Our film friend Louis joins us to explore Thunder Road, bringing his own brand of boundless positivity and wheezey laughs that you can’t help but crack a little smile at. He isn’t all laughs and smiles though; his own commentary and insightful thoughts gave us a run for our money, as the four of us pulled apart what makes this debut so great.   We also have a special surprise. This is the first time we can (technically) claim an actual director came on the podcast. Jim Cummings himself, of Thunder Road fame, intro’d his very own episode after we briefly met him at a screening of Thunder Road. We’re very thankful Jim; you keep making the films, we’ll keep buying the popcorn. 

Do you feel like dancing? Because we're bobbing away to Damien Chazelles debut feature film Guy and Madeline On A Park bench. If you've ever wondered what La La Land looks like on a low-budget, look no further than this first film. Following a similar story of a guy and a girl (spoiler, Madeline) just trying to work it out to the backing of some catchy jazz tunes, Chazelles first feature solidifies his love for music and filmmaking, whilst showing just what you can do on a low budget. Listen as we break this obscure first film apart, whilst also shouting out to some short films in our shorts of the week section. Happy listening.

Join us on our second ride, as we cut to the heart of Joseph Gordon Levitts directorial debut, Don Jon. Having been in the acting scene for a while, JGL's debut was a refreshing story about a man struggling with porn addiction. But, as we uncover, the movie is about so much more. The usual Shorts of The Week section covers short films you should be watching - as well as a tangental conversation into whether Bad Times At The El Royale has a story or not. Happy listening. 

Join us in our very first episode, where we explore one of the more recent directorial debuts of our time, Get Out (2017). Written and directed by Jordan Peele, and, unless you missed us shouting out to Jason Blumhouse multiple times, produced by Blumhouse productions. We dive into the bits and bobs of this film with varying degrees of success, but always trying our best to make sure you take away something that you might have missed at the cineplex. Such as the 'plastic' category at The Oscars (you'll understand when you listen). We'll also be doing our usual 'Vimeo Shorts of The Week' where we pick 1 or 2 shorts from Vimeo that we've all seen, and give them a quick run-down for you to check out. Enjoy, and happy listening.  PS: It's our first ep, so go easy...