Ever since I started working on the /Filmcast, there have been two people I’ve always wanted to get onto the show that I haven’t been able to. Today, I cross one of those two names off my list (As for the other one, hopefully one day I can still get Heather Havrilesky to notice me…).
Shawn Ryan is one of the most exciting people working in the entertainment industry today. With an ear for crackling dialogue and a penchant for labyrinthine, satisfying plots, Ryan re-invigorates any genre he touches. He created the hit FX show The Shield, and was the showrunner on Lie To Me, Terriers, and The Unit. His newest show, The Chicago Code, airs on Fox on Monday nights and it’s one of my favorite new shows of 2011. In addition to watching it on TV, you can also see The Chicago Code on Hulu, Amazon, or iTunes. It’s well-worth your time to catch up now!
After the jump, read a full transcript (edited for clarity) of my 40-minute conversation with Shawn Ryan. It’s rare, in-depth look into what it’s like to create and manage a big-budget broadcast TV show and I’d urge you to give it a look. You can also download the audio from the interview through the /Filmcast.
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David chats with actor/writer/director Tom McCarthy about playing the most hated villain in The Wire, the challenges of filming high school wrestling, and making indie fare that rises above the rest. Tom’s newest film, Win Win, is out in limited release today.
You can always e-mail us at slashfilmcast(AT)gmail(DOT)com, or call and leave a voicemail at 781-583-1993. Join us for our next live broadcast on Sunday, March 20 at Slashfilm’s live page where we’ll be discussing Paul.
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Posted on Sunday, February 20th, 2011 by David Chen
As I mentioned yesterday, I recently had the opportunity to speak with David O. Russell, who directed The Fighter, which was my favorite film of 2010. We chatted about a variety of topics, including themes of incest in his work, his musical choices, plus some of the other projects he’s worked on in the past and will be working on in the future. Thanks to everyone who submitted awesome questions for this live Q&A!
Russell seemed like an incredibly cool dude, who’s had somewhat of a rough time of it in Hollywood until recently. I wish him the best on his next projects. Below is the audio of our conversation. Hit the jump for the full transcript, which has been edited for clarity.
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Posted on Friday, November 5th, 2010 by David Chen
One of the most audacious films to come out of Sundance this year was Chris Morris’ Four Lions. A comedic genius who hails from the UK, Morris has previously skewered the nightly newscast and the investigative documentary in the TV series The Day Today and Brass Eye, respectively. In Four Lions, Morris turns his satirical eye towards a group of would-be terrorists from Sheffield, England. While their desire for jihad is strong, they are far from the sharpest knives in the drawer. The result is a film that’s both hilarious and dark, farcical yet true-to-life.
In this episode of the /Filmcast, Dave speaks with Morris about Four Lions (his first feature film). Chris discusses why terrorists really can sometimes be hilarious, how we aren’t getting the full story from the media, his appreciation of the documentary film format, and why he chose to shoot part of his film using night vision. Four Lions is out in limited release today. Thanks to Brattle Theater and BUFF for helping me put this interview together!
You can always e-mail us at slashfilmcast(AT)gmail(DOT)com, or call and leave a voicemail at 781-583-1993. Join us on Sunday (11/7) at 10 PM EST / 7 PM PST at Slashfilm’s live page as we review Due Date.
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Posted on Tuesday, November 2nd, 2010 by David Chen
This week, Dave Chen speaks with director Danny Boyle about his newest film, 127 Hours. Dave asks Boyle about the unique style he employed for 127 Hours, what tricks he used to make the film (set in one place and primarily starring one character) dynamic, what other guy-stuck-in-one-place films inspired him, and why, of all movies, he chose to tackle this one after the stunning success of Slumdog Millionaire. 127 Hours is out in limited release on Friday, November 5th. Be sure to also check out Peter’s great video interview with Boyle.
You can always e-mail us at slashfilmcast(AT)gmail(DOT)com, or call and leave a voicemail at 781-583-1993. Join us on Sunday (11/7) at 10 PM EST / 7 PM PST at Slashfilm’s live page as we review Due Date.
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Posted on Wednesday, September 29th, 2010 by David Chen
Trent Reznor’s score for The Social Network (which he co-wrote with collaborator Atticus Ross) is a surprisingly perfect fit for a film about Harvard nerds who create the world’s largest online social network. With a deft combination of melancholy and grittiness, Reznor brings out the excitement of the times while infusing the proceedings with a sense of dread and foreboding. It’s one of my favorite soundtracks of the year, and I’d definitely recommend you check it out.
I had the privilege to chat with Reznor a couple days ago. In our 50-minute interview, we discuss how he first became involved in the project, his creative process for some of the tracks, and some of the challenges he faced achieving the right sound and feel for the film. We also preview some of the best tracks from the soundtrack, which is available for purchase/pre-order right now (today at Amazon for $2.99).
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Posted on Thursday, August 19th, 2010 by David Chen
David Michôd’s Animal Kingdom is my favorite film of 2010 so far (see my Sundance review here), so when I was given the opportunity to chat with Michôd a few months ago, I jumped at it. In our half-hour interview, we discussed how he first broke into the industry, the decline of bank robbers in Melbourne, Australia, the process of choosing a complete unknown to headline his film, his copious use of slow motion, and the beauty of Air Supply. I’ve released this interview on the /Filmcast feed. You can also watch the video of the interview and read a few highlights from it after the break.
Note: During this interview, we discuss some plot details that are revealed in the first 30 minutes of the film, and there’s a clearly demarcated section at the end where we talk about some of the film’s spoilers.
Animal Kingdom is already playing in New York and LA and opens on Friday in Boston and Chicago. It will expand wider to cities across the country in the weeks to come.
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Posted on Thursday, August 12th, 2010 by David Chen
The other night, Adam Quigley and I had the opportunity to chat with filmmaker Edgar Wright (Hot Fuzz, Shaun of the Dead) about his newest film, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World. In our one-hour interview, Edgar discusses his feelings towards 3D, how little his movie has in common with The Expendables, the nature of his distaste for superhero origin stories, and why his film have so many shots. You can listen to the whole interview by downloading it below, and you can also subscribe to the /Filmcast to make sure you don’t miss any of our great audio content. Scott Pilgrim vs. The World hits theaters on Friday, August 13, 2010.
Have any questions, comments, or suggestions? Feel free to e-mail us at slashfilmcast(AT)gmail(DOT)com. You can also call and leave a voicemail at (781) 583-1993.
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M. Night Shyamalan is a nice guy, which makes the fact that he directed one of the worst films of the year all the more painful. I got a chance to sit down and chat with The Last Airbender director after viewing the film, and it’s clear that he’s passionate about the material, and that he’s very conscious of the racebending controversy. Our discussion touches on him getting used to making a CGI-filled epic film, some material that was cut out, and how he recovered from feeling lost during the production, among other topics.
You can view a video of the interview below (worth watching if only for the moment he realizes something may have been left out of the Blu-ray), download an audio version, or read a transcript of a majority of the discussion. My review of the film, with all the heartache you’d expect from a fan of the series, will be coming soon.
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The /Filmcast Interview is a series of conversations with actors, directors, and other key figures from the entertainment industry. In this episode, David Chen speaks with Vince Gilligan, the creator and showrunner of Breaking Bad, about how The X-Files inspired him, why he finds science so appealing, and the psychology of Walter White. Breaking Bad currently airs on AMC on Sunday nights at 10 PM EST.
Have any questions, comments, or suggestions? Want to be interviewed on the /Filmcast? Feel free to e-mail us at slashfilmcast(AT)gmail(DOT)com. You can also call and leave a voicemail at (781) 583-1993.
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