School of Movies

The Mexico Trilogy

[School of Movies 2026]

Here we begin a Director Season on the films of Robert Rodriguez. This first show is kind of a roller coaster as we get to know his style, what makes Robert tick, and we chart his progress from absolute indie obscurity, making a film for almost nothing and garnering recognition on the festival circuit, charting that up through his awkward TV movie pitstop, until he hit actual popularity with genuine audiences with a sequel that is also a remake, and just happens to star Antonio Banderas and Salma Hayek at the peak of their sizzling onscreen sexiness.

After this came his collaboration with Quentin Tarantino, Four Rooms, From Dusk till Dawn and then the neo teen-Horror wave of the late 90s with The Faculty (coming next week). After this he began his slew of Spy Kids films, which appealed to a completely different audience.

But we conclude with the third and final part of what became his "Mexico Trilogy", when Robert charged in on the wave of new film tech, both shooting and editing digitally. His career would change irrevocably at this point.

1. El Mariachi (1992) + Road Racers (1994)

2. Desperado (1995)

3. Once Upon a Time in Mexico (2003)

Amadeus

[School of Movies 2026]

For this episode we were lucky enough to be able to bring in stand-up comedian and 18th Century history nut Jenny Zigrino. We gave Jenny free reign on the choice of movie to talk about and she went for her favourite; the story of the greatest composer who ever lived, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. This masterpiece, directed by Milos Foreman and based on a 1979 stage play swept the Oscars in 1985 and if you've never had the pleasure you'll soon find out why.

You can find Jenny's standup material easily on YouTube, and check out her website where she is currently fundraising for her next show: https://www.jennyzigrino.com/ It was an absolute pleasure to have her on.

And for fans of irevenrent sexy alternate history I also showcase one of my own personal favourite projects, The Princess Thieves, the audiodrama of which can be found here: https://newcentury.bandcamp.com/

Guest: Jenny Zigrino

The Shawshank Redemption

[School of Movies 2026]

One of the most passionately beloved movies of the 1990s, and indeed all of film history, it is peculiar that while you will meet people who haven't seen this film, you will never meet people who don't like it and gleefully tell you so. The fact that when Shawshank first emerged it was largely ignored or made fun of for having a convoluted name, and lost almost every award it was nominated for to Forrest Gump (coming next week) is remarkable in retrospect.

It really only hit and became abidingly popular when it reached television screens. Perhaps the story itself does not suit being sat in a cinema with a lot of strangers feeling awkward and emotionally charged over this prison drama, and it in fact calls for a more intimate, quiet level of attention

One thing is for sure, it made for one hell of a podcast, and we were lucky enough to get back Ryan Estrada, our man in South Korea who once again holds a deep connection with this very special movie: www.ryanestrada.com

Guest: Ryan Estrada

The Truman Show

[School of Movies 2026]

Truman Burbank lives a charmed existance, residing on a little island town that is distinctly old fashioned and twee. In reality, Truman's every movement is being broadcast to the viewing planet, and has been since his infancy. But Truman is beginning to suspect something is up, and his unseen father figure Christoph (compellingly played by Ed Harris) is working hard to restore the show to its comforting routine.

A surprisingly abiding dramatic sci-fi classic from the late 90s and one of Jim Carrey's finest (and least irritating) performances. This movie is somehow more relevant today in the era of parasocial fixation on people who broadcast their lives all day and night, than it was in the late 90s when this wasn't possible.

And welcome back to the show, Ryan Estrada, our man in South Korea who has a special attachment to this multilayered film: www.ryanestrada.com

Guest: Ryan Estrada

Next Week: The Shawshank Redemption

Casablanca

[School of Movies 2026]

'The Lies of Casablanca'. That was going to be my original title for this episode. When I got to sit down and watch this impeccable film on the big screen, it struck me how often the main characters lie; to each other, to themselves, to us... and yet we as the audience are almost always in the advantagous position of being able to clearly discern each lie.

So, Sharon and I delved into a true classic, venerated throughout the second half of the 20th Century, but now somewhat in decline on lists of Greatest Films of All Time, unseated by the works of Christopher Nolan and Denis Villeneuve. However, there is something so very fitting about going back to something powered by nostalgia, its original audience now long-dead, but its central message; 'For the love of god, we must defy Nazis' delivered at a point in history that Hitler still hadn't been beaten, feels more relevent than ever.

Heat (1995)

[School of Movies 2026]

One of the greatest thrillers of the 20th Century, we recorded this show on the 30th Anniversary of Michael Mann's crime epic. This is most definitely NOT a film to watch in twenty-minute chunks on your phone at work! It is a masterfully crafted presentation of the tension between professionalism and emotion, punctuated with ferocious gunfire and transcendant, eliptical music.

It is a one-time head-to-head between two of the most celebrated actors of that age, Godfather veterans Al Pacino and Robert DeNiro as a detective and a thief who keep themselves at peak focus to the detriment of their personal lives. It is lightning in a bottle, the kind of career-peak for all involved that you may not instantly adore, but it will linger nonetheless, and whenever you find yourself in a silver-blue pre-sunrise, it will come back to you.

Die Hard

[School of Movies 2025]

This is another revisit to one of the first films we ever covered, way back on Digital Gonzo at Christmas in 2010. The quintessential Holiday movie for those who want violence and swearing with their jingle bells. But if you go back and watch all five films (the final low-point didn't even exist when we covered this before) you will find some exceptional strengths in this one alone that all relate to precisely how it was constructed.

A creative team that didn't realise they were all at the top of their game, impeccable cinematography, editing, pacing, a red hot screenplay that fleshed out a rich supporting cast, a nervy, brooding score that builds and crescendos along with the perfect pacing, and two actors in the antagonistic lead roles of John and Hans who were hungry to prove themselves and turned in the most memorable big-screen performances on their first try.

But also, it had something the others lack, as did almost all other action thrillers of the era; The story is about a broken argument, and it weighs on estranged husband and wife for the duration. Also, in deciding that the villains be robbers rather than terrorists, director John McTiernan sealed the deal on this story being something it otherwise couldn't; colossal fun!

Guest: Matt Ramsey

Those early Digital Gonzo shows can be found on the School of Movies Archive podcast feed. They are rough as hell, amateur hour on my part and this one doesn't even break the sixty minute mark. The best bits are featured at the end, same as with Back to the Future. Many thanks to my vintage guests, Matt Ramsey, Nikki Taylor of GameBurst and Mike Philips of the Fanboys Lunchcast.

Falling Down

[School of Movies 2025]

This is a commissioned episode for our hardworking Pez-loving Discord moderator Mike Hasko. It's a relic from 1993, a period just after the Cold War and not too long before the War on Terror, and the focus is on a middle-aged, white, American, divorced, straight, cis, male office-worker who one boiling hot Los Angeles morning decides that he has had enough.

The man known throughout most of the movie by his personalised license plate as D-FENS (played with vigour by Michael Douglas in this memorable and divisive Joel Schumacher joint) steps out of the car he leaves stuck in traffic, walks across a city that is not designed for pedestrian travel, and clashes with everyone who gets in his way.

The creative team are really trying to have their cake and eat it by making the protagonist also the antagonist and how much they succeed or fail is very much down to the perception of the viewer. Pull up a breakfast 'Whomelette' and an ice-cold, aggressively-priced can of Coca Cola and we shall guide you through this eventful day.

Dead Talents Society

[School of Movies 2025]

In an unprecedented show-type for us, what we have here began life as an After School Club commission by Tylor Long. Before it could be released it got upgraded to become a full Main Event show after this wonderful, darkly-funny, warm-hearted ghost story got included in our Discord Halloween watch-along.

The premise is familiarly bureaucratic, and simple enough for little kids to understand; In the afterlife ghosts must work to scare the living in order to be remembered. The results are what feels like the Taiwanese Beetlejuice, utilising the trappings of horror movies without ever actually being scary. It also seems to have a hell of a lot of things to say about the attention economy in a world where MrBeast is the highest aspirational figure for so many young people. What Dead Talents Society hints at is that there's so much more to existence than just being talked about by strangers.

Released straight to streaming in 2024, this movie is ironically virtually unseen and unheard of, but you should absolutely listen to this show and track this film down. It's going right at the top of our films of the year list.

The Crow

[School of Movies 2025]

Several years ago, Sharon and I recorded an After School Club on this 1994 film, the botched production of which took the life of its young star Brandon Lee. We were scathing and derisory, having never much liked it (and the awful DVD transfer did it no favours) whilst expressing contempt for director Alex Proyas (I, Robot, Knowing, Gods of Egypt).

But this time (actually a year ago on its 30th anniversary) with Willow in tow, in conjunction with watching the appalling remake, we finally took in the 1080p blu ray, and I subsequently brought it to my editing bench to see if I could file off the sharp, jagged corners that bothered us so much and shape it into something worthier of the last screen appearance of the son of Bruce Lee.

And wouldn't you know it... now we LOVE The Crow.