Single Serving Cinema – Détails, épisodes et analyse

In Die Hard, a New York cop must single-handedly battle a group of terrorists who have seized a Los Angeles skyscraper and taken hostages during a Christmas Eve party, including his estranged wife.

Die Hard was released on July 15, 1988, and stars Bruce Willis, Alan Rickman, Bonnie Bedelia, and Reginald VelJohnson, and was directed by John McTiernan.

Recommendations:

• Tim: Police Story (Chan, 1985)
• Tay: Behind Enemy Lines (Moore, 2001)

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• Tim on Letterboxd

During Christmas break, a group of sorority sisters at Pi Kappa Sigma begin receiving disturbing obscene phone calls from an unknown stranger. As the festive season continues, the mysterious caller's threats escalate from harassment to deadly violence.

Black Christmas was released on October 11, 1974, and stars Olivia Hussey, Keir Dullea, Margot Kidder, and John Saxon, and was directed by Bob Clark.

Links:

• "Recreating New York with Stanley Kubrick"
• Treevenge
• The Fear
• Whistle and I'll Come To You

Recommendations:

• Tim: A Christmas Story (Clark, 1984)
• Tay: Treevenge (Eisner, 2008)
• Kurt: "SCTV Staff Christmas Party" / A Ghost Story for Christmas

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• SSC on Instagram
• Tim on Letterboxd

In Prometheus, a team of explorers travels to a distant planet hoping to uncover the origins of human life. What they find instead is a threat beyond anything they imagined.

Starring Noomi Rapace and Michael Fassbender, and directed by Ridley Scott, Prometheus was released June 8, 2012.

Recommendations
Tim: The Killer (Fincher, 2023) — where to watch
Tay: Hard To Be A God (German, 2014) — where to watch

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• SSC on Instagram
• Tim on Letterboxd

Tim and Tay go back to high school to talk about Mean Girls. This teen movie has palpable star power, solid writing, thoughtful direction, and undeniably meme-able lines, making it an evergreen entry in the overcrowded and easily dated high school movie genre. 

Synopsis
When a naive, homeschooled junior named Cady attends American high school for the first time, she is quickly accepted into the Plastics, a clique of the highest strata. Cady soon falls for the ex-boyfriend of the clique leader, Regina Goerge. After Regina gets back with her ex, Cady and her friends Janice and Damian hatch a plot to take Regina down.

Mean Girls stars Lindsay Lohan and Rachel McAdams, was directed by Mark Waters, and first hit theatres on April 30, 2004.

Mean Girls is available to stream on Netflix.

Scene (55:38–1:03:18)
After securing her position as the new queen bee, Cady plans a small get-together while her parents are out of town in hopes of locking down Regina’s ex, Aaron Samuels. A full-blown party ensues, and lines are crossed as she has her moment with Aaron, is forced to face her excluded friends, and truly sends Regina over the edge by not inviting her, resulting in a high school crisis for the ages.

Links

• 6:00 - Mary Jane Ford on costuming
• 14:55 - Clinton uses Mean Girls gif 
• 20:45 - Aaron Samuels' dumb smile
• 34:30 - ModernGurlz - "Analyzing the Outfits in Mean Girls"
• 41:00 - Rosalind Wiseman on  Mean Girls

Recommendations

• Tim: Everybody Wants Some (Linklater, 2016). Available to stream on Prime.
  
  
• Tay:  Eighth Grade (Burnham, 2018). Available to stream on Crave.

All links are verified at the time of publication and based on availability in Canada.

Next episode: Dead Poets Society (Wier, 1989)—thanks for voting in our Instagram poll! Stay tuned for future votes, we'll be holding one for every other episode going forward. 

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• SSC on Instagram
• Tim on Letterboxd

Tim and Tay couldn't resist putting together what was intended to be a short episode on the sandy sci-fi epic Dune. Once we got talking about wormsign, ornithopters and "the voice", it was hard to stop. 

Based on Frank Herbert’s seminal novel of the same name, Dune tells the story of Paul Atreides, heir to a dukedom and a potentially even greater destiny as he begins a new life with his parents on the dangerous desert planet Arrakis. As political unrest foments war over the planet and its valuable spice melange, Paul fights to stay alive and find his role in the desert-dwelling Fremen society.
 
Starring Timothee Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, and Oscar Isaac and directed by Denis Villeneuve, Dune was released on October 22, 2021.

Dune is technically available on HBO Max in the US—but you should see it on as large a screen as you can!

SCENE (58:52–108:13)

Paul, Leto, and Guerney accompany Imperial Ecologist Liet Kynes on an ornithopter ride into the desert to the site of a sand crawler; a colossal desert machine used to refine and harvest precious spice. After an equipment malfunction, they must react quickly to save the sand crawler crew from an incoming sandworm.

The scene stars Oscar Isaac as Duke Leto, Timothy Chalamet as Paul, Sharon Duncan-Brewster as Liet Kynes, and Josh Brolin as Gurney.

Links

• 1:10—Dune sequel greenlit
• 22:00—Rebecca Ferguson talks sandworm scale
• 37:00—Hans Zimmers' anti-groove

Recommendations

• Read the book!
• Notes on a Scene—Denis Villeneuve discusses the gom jabbar
• The Director’s Cut podcast w/ Denis Villeneuve and Christopher Nolan

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• SSC on Instagram
• Tim on Letterboxd

For October's second horror-centric episode, Tim and Tay talk John Carpenter's not-so-immediately appreciated masterpiece The Thing. From evergreen creature effects to unsettling philosophical implications, this movie has it all.

Synopsis
An American research base in Antarctica is infiltrated by an alien that can assume the shape of anything it attacks. The social fabric of the small community quickly erodes as each resident realizes they can no longer trust those around them.

Directed by John Carpenter, The Thing was released June 25, 1982, and stars Kurt Russell, Keith David, and Wilford Brimley.

The Thing is available to stream on Netflix. 

Scene [1:17:41 - 1:26:36]
As the remaining group begins to suspect Macready, he forces everyone into a blood test to determine who, if any are actually The Thing.

Links

• 3:00 - A monster budget
• 4:30 - E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
• 6:50 - An initial critical flop
• 7:20 - Blade Runner (1982)
• 8:25 - Too "strong" for audiences
• 20 - Carpenter on the difficulty of ensemble shoots
• 2230 - The Thing's script
• 26:15 - The Thing (2011) & CGI FX
• 28:20 - The Thing From Another World (1951) / Who Goes There?
• 30:06 - A long pre-production
• 30:40 - Invasion of the Body Snatchers - 1956 and 1978 
• 34:00 - The split diopter shot
• 35:53 - Toy Story 4's split diopter shot
• 56:15 - Stan Winston
• 57:49 - Jed the dog actor
• 59:40 - Ethan Hawke's most impressive costar

Recommendations

Tim: Invasion of the Body Snatchers (Kaufman, 1978). Available to stream on Prime.

Tay: Attack The Block (Cornish, 2011). Available to stream on CTV.

All links are verified at the time of publication and based on availability in Canada.

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• SSC on Instagram
• Tim on Letterboxd

Tim and Tay dig into their first horror movie of October with John Carpenter's In the  Mouth of Madness, discussing what it means to watch horror, the movie's classic literature and real-world psychological inspirations, and more.

In the Mouth of Madness tells the story of John Trent, an insurance investigator tasked with tracking down best-selling horror novelist Sutter Cane. When the investigation leads both Trent and Cane’s editor Linda Styles to a presumed fictional town full of strange phenomena, the two begin to question their grip on reality.

In the Mouth of Madness was directed by John Carpenter, written by Michael de Luca, and stars Sam Neil, Julie Carmen, and Jurgen Prochnow, and was released on Dec. 10, 1994.

In the Mouth of Madness is available as a digital rental.

Scene (31:00 - 35:47)

Styles and Trent drive through the night to find the fabled town of Hobbs End. While Trent sleeps, Styles encounters a young boy riding down the highway on his bike. Moments later she sees another similar figure, although much older, on a bike going the opposite way.

The boy appears for a third time and is struck by the car. Trent and Styles stop to check the body and the boy cries: “I can't get out”. He then mysteriously gets up and rides away. Styles continues driving, experiencing some supernatural phenomena before crossing a covered bridge that leads them right into Hobbs End.

Links

• 10:40 - Black Check episode on Halloween
• 12:50 - John Carpenter's financial approach to remakes
• 22:30 - HP Lovecraft
• 23:20 - The King in Yellow
• 24:00 - Media horror in True Detective
• 26:30 - GDT's At the Mountains of Madness
• 28:30 - Lovecraft's racism
• 30:00 - Filming locations in Canada
• 31:30 - Giger's alien designs
• 34:50 - "groupthink"
• 1:06:20 - Sorcerer essay

Recommendations

Tim: The Empty Man (Prior, 2020). Available to stream on Crave.

Tay: Sorcerer (Friedkin, 1977). Available to rent on iTunes.

All links are verified at the time of publication and based on availability in Canada.

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• SSC on Instagram
• Tim on Letterboxd

Tim and Tay welcome James Stacey (The Grey NATO) to celebrate episode #10 with a potluck — each host picks a scene from Blade Runner 2049 to discuss.

Set 30 years after the first film, Blade Runner 2049 tells the story of K, a replicant who discovers the remains of one of his kind, who had died giving birth to a child. As a Blade Runner with the LAPD, K is secretly tasked with finding the child and destroying all evidence related to it in order to prevent all-out war between humans and replicants. 

Starring Ryan Gosling and Harrison Ford, Blade Runner 2049 was released on Oct. 3, 2017. Blade Runner 2049 is available as a digital rental and to stream on HBO Max.

Tagline — "The key to the future is finally unearthed."

Tim’s Scene (3:23 - 10:12)
K, a Nexus-9 replicant and blade runner for the LAPD, visits the home of suspected replicant and war veteran Sapper Morton. 

James’ Scene (58:51 - 1:05:47)
After pulling the records suggesting the replicant-born offspring had spent time at the Morrillcole Orphanage, Joi and K go for a ride to San Diego. They are attacked by marauders and brought down near the orphanage. Back at Wallace HQ, Luv begins a drone strike while also getting her nails done. Quickly dispatching the marauders, Luv’s involvement allows K to continue on their now overlapping goal of finding the child. 

Tay’s Scene (1:40:50 - 1:50:00)
Officer K  investigates the highly radioactive remains of Las Vegas in order to find the maker or the source of the wooden horse from his implanted memories. He eventually finds the disgruntled Rick Deckard and the two have a violent altercation throughout various sectors of a casino, concluding in a holographic Elvis projection concert room.

Links

• 1:50 - Team Deakins podcast
• 16:00 - Ana de Armas' English prep
• 23:30 - Nine cameras vs. one camera
• 46:00 - Bautista wanted dramatic roles
• 1:12:00 - Blade Runner test inspired by Canadian military tech
• 1:23:00 - Shooting in Hungary

Recommendations

Tim: Brad Allen’s movies (Gorgeous, Kingsmen, Kick-Ass), Edgar Wright’s tribute. 

James: Corridor Crew

Tay: Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (Wright, 2006). Available to rent on Google.

All links are verified at the time of publication and based on availability in Canada.

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• SSC on Instagram
• Tim on Letterboxd

Tim and Tay talk comedy (Apatow & otherwise), late '90s pop, and board games in this episode that looks at Game Night. This recent comedy breathed fresh air into the genre by returning to a few simple techniques while updating a few dated tropes. 

Max & Annie’s weekly game night is kicked into high gear when Max’s visiting brother Brooks arranges for a fake kidnapping. The three couples playing the game soon find out that it and Brooks are more than they appear, leading them on a chaotic night of fun, danger, and more.

Game Night was directed by John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein, stars Jason Bateman, Rachel McAdams, and Kyle Chandler, and debuted on February 23, 2018.

Tagline — "This is not a game."

Game Night is available as a digital rental.

Scene  (32:25-36:36 & 42:40-44:51)

After tracking down Brooks to a local dive bar, Max and Annie enter the joint to scope it out. Thinking that it is all part of the game night, they humorously build up the confidence to hold up the three men in the bar who appear to be holding Brooks hostage, forcing them to the floor with Pulp Fiction-inspired vigor. 

There is a scene break that catches the audience up with the other two couples and when we return to the bar, Max and Annie recover the keys from one of the thugs. Brooks tries to tell them that this is not part of the game, but  Max and Annie only realize this after Annie shoots the supposedly fake gun in the air. Dropping it in surprise recoil, the gun goes off again, shooting Max in the arm before the three are chased out of the building.

Links

• 7:30 - Bateman originally slated to direct
• 7:40 - Rewriting the script
• 9:50 - Assuming the worst for Game Night
• 13:50 - "How To Do Visual Comedy" (Every Frame a Painting) 
• 29:50 - Developing female characters
• 33:00 - Why Bateman prefers being the straight man
• 48:00 - Filming with an R1 arm & the "GTA shot"

Recommendations

Tim: Akira (Otomo, 1988). Available to stream on Tubi.

Tay: A Scanner Darkly (Linklater, 2006). Available to stream on Crave.

Bonus Rotoscope recommendations:

• Undone (Hulsing, 2019). Available to stream on Prime.
• Joel Haver's

Follow:

• SSC on Instagram
• Tim on Letterboxd

Tim and Tay discuss their first animated feature and first Hayao Miyazaki feature on the podcast: Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, which offers a compelling heroine for young and old viewers alike, embodying the idea that violence and war only lead to more of the same. The success of Nausicaä would allow Miyazaki to co-found Studio Ghibli and subsequently release some of the most beloved animated movies in cinematic history. 

This animated feature tells the story of Nausicaä, a pacifist and princess who finds herself and her people caught in the middle of two warring nations that are intent on destroying each other and the hostile natural world. 

Directed and written by Hayao Miyazaki, Nausicaä stars Sumi Shimamoto and Goro Naya; it premiered March 11, 1984, in Japan, and on DVD (with an English dub) on February 22, 2005.

Tagline — "Why do people destroy and hate? Why do they not show love and affection?"

Nausicaä  is available to stream on Netflix.

Scene  (31:15 — 35:10)

Tolmekian airships disrupt the peaceful Valley of the Wind. Nausicaä realizes that the airships are going after her father, who lies bedridden in a tower. She arrives, but her father has already been slain by the Tolmekian Royal Guard. In a burst of rage, Nausicaä attacks several Tolmekians, before Lord Yupa stops her.

Links

• 5:00 — Lupin III: The Castle Of Cagliostro
• 5:21 — Nausicaä goes from manga to movie
• 9:00 — The Warriors Of The Wind
• 10:30 — Toshio Suzuki says “no cuts” for Princess Mononoke
• 16:00 — Miayzaki’s tropes and the concept of “shojo”
• 19:00 — Writing strong roles for young girls
• 21:00 — Miyazaki on the ending of Nausicaä
• 25:00 — Miyazaki’s love of aircraft
• 26:55 — Inspiring Final Fantasy's chocobos
• 48:00 — INVINCIBLE
• 54:00 — Giant God Warrior Appears In Tokyo
• 55:00 — Manga as the outlet for darker ideas

Recommendations

Tim: The Hunt (Zobel, 2020). Available to stream on Crave.

Tay: La

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• SSC on Instagram
• Tim on Letterboxd