The Cinematic Schematic

In the fifth part of The Cinematic Schematic‘s ongoing Three Films That Got You Through the 2020 Pandemic interview series, we sit down with Adam Chitwood, the managing editor at Collider, co-host of The Collider Podcast, and member of the Oklahoma Film Critics Circle. We speak with Chitwood about how he landed the Collider gig while working from Tulsa, Oklahoma, and the ways the pandemic impacted their coverage of the movies in 2020. The conversation wraps up with Chitwood’s three films that got him through 2020. Special Guest Adam Chitwood Managing Editor at Collider and co-host of The Collider Podcast Follow Adam on Twitter @adamchitwood According to his Collider author page, Chitwood has been working for Collider for over a decade, and in addition to managing content, he also runs point on interviews, awards coverage, and he co-hosts The Collider Podcast with Matt Goldberg (which has been running since 2012). He’s the creator and author of Collider‘s “How the MCU Was Made” series and has interviewed Bill

The Cinematic Schematic continues our special Three Films That Got You Through the 2020 Pandemic interview series with part four of this ten-episode run. In this episode, I speak with film studies educator, Oklahoma Film Critics Circle member, and Ward 2 city councilperson in Oklahoma City, James Cooper. I talk with Cooper about the importance of media literacy in the current climate and how the pandemic impacted how he taught his classes and interacted with his students. When talking with Cooper, I’ve learned he’s not here to give you his opinion, and he’s more focused on telling you his story through references to everything from Richard Linklater’s Waking Life to essays from academia like Andre Bazin’s “The Myth of Total Cinema.” He’s not just providing a quick take, but rather taking you on a journey to ensure his perspective is honest, grounded, clear, and empathetic. Did I mention he’s also passionate about horror movies like Scream 2?  Special Guest James Cooper College educator, Oklahoma Film Critics

In the third entry of our ongoing Three Films That Got You Through the 2020 Pandemic interview series, The Cinematic Schematic welcomes two of the GoodTrash Media co-founders, Arthur Gordon and returning guest Dalton Stuart, to the show to talk about how the pandemic impacted the production of their podcast, The GoodTrash Genrecast. They’ll discuss how the challenging year had them rethink their programming before getting into the three films that got each of them through last year. For a chance to have your three film selections read on the air later in the series, email us at thecinematropolis@gmail.com. Special Guests Arthur Gordon Co-host of GoodTrash Genrecast and GoodTrash Media co-founder Follow Arthur on Twitter @thearthurgordon Dalton Stuart Co-host of GoodTrash Genrecast and GoodTrash Media co-founder Follow Dalton on Twitter @Doll_Stew According to their website, goodtrashmedia.com: GoodTrash Media was birthed out of one simple idea – to have an intelligent conversation about film and pop culture.

The Cinematic Schematic continues our special Three Films That Got You Through the 2020 Pandemic interview series. In part two of this ten-episode interview series, we speak with Native filmmaker, artist, and podcaster, Sterlin Harjo. We’ll talk with Harjo about how the shutdown of Hollywood impacted his creative process and TV pilot production before hearing about the three films that helped him get through 2020. Special Guest Sterlin Harjo Filmmaker, Artist and Podcaster Credits include Mekko, Love and Fury, and the upcoming FX series, Reservation Dogs Follow Sterlin on Instagram @SterlinHarjo Sterlin Harjo recently made headlines when his FX series, Reservation Dogs, also co-produced by Thor: Ragnorok and Jojo Rabbit writer/director Taika Waititi, was greenlit for a full season by Disney during the House of Mouse’s December investor briefing. Raised in Holdenville, Oklahoma, Harjo is a member of the Seminole Nation and has Muskogee heritage. After studying art and film at the University of Oklahoma, he rec

The Cinematic Schematic interupts your normally scheduled film conversation-centric programming with a special look at the first batch of episodes of the Marvel Cinematic Universe‘s (MCU) first Disney+ TV mini-series, WandaVision. To provide this review, episode breakdown, and Marvel Easter egg hunt, we are rejoined by Lauren Weingart AKA Video Peach. In our discussion, we’ll talk about what it’s like to reconnect with the MCU after receiving no new releases in 2020(the first in ten years) before taking a look at the upcoming slate of series coming from Marvel studios including Loki, Falcon and the Winter Soldier, What If…?, and many others. How well does WandaVision launch the next phase of the MCU following the highest-grossing movie of all-time, Avengers: Endgame? We’ll start by giving our initial reaction to the series as a whole so far before going through each of the first four episodes in a spoiler-tastic fashion. Then we’ll close out the conversation by making our bold theories and predictions for wha

Today marks the beginning of a new special interview series for The Cinematic Schematic – Three Films That Got You Through the 2020 Pandemic. In this limited ten-episode interview series, we will speak with a wide variety of colleagues, professionals, and artists working in the film industry, largely in our backyard of Oklahoma. We’ll talk with each guest about how the pandemic has impacted their line of work before talking about the three movies that helped them get through it all.  In our inaugural episode, we sit down for a talk with the deadCenter Film Festival‘s executive director, Alyx Picard Davis. Special Guest Alyx Picard Davis The executive director of the deadCenter Film Festival Follow Alyx on Twitter @alyxpicarddavis Follow deadCenter on Twitter @deadcenter Purchase passes for the virtual deadCenter 2021 Film Festival today! The deadCenter Film Festival is Oklahoma’s largest film festival and it’s dedicated to “inspire, promote, and celebrate creativity and community through film,” according to t

Welcome back to The Cinematic Schematic, the official podcast of The Cinematropolis.com. Today I’ll be proving my review of Emerald Fennell’s directorial debut, Promising Young Woman.  DISCLAIMER: Potentially triggering topics including rape and sexual assault are a central part of the plot and themes of Promising Young Woman. If you are sensitive to these subjects, this review and the film may not be for you. Reader and listener discretion is advised.  According to IMDB Promising Young Woman is described as “A young woman, traumatized by a tragic event in her past, seeks out vengeance against those who cross her path.” The film is written/directed by Emerald Fennell and stars Carey Mulligan, Bo Burnham, and Allison Brie. Fennell’s directorial debut is a bold, sharp and oftentimes excruciating examination of the double standard between men and women, accusers and the accused and victims and their predators in our society. It’s a rape-revenge thriller that not only disregards your comfort, but actually relishe

The Cinematic Schematic podcast returns for our final episode of 2020. This week we’ll review the long-delayed sequel to 2017’s smash hit, Wonder Woman, and the latest continuation of the DCEU, Wonder Woman 1984. We’re rejoined by recurring guest co-host, Freaky AF and You People writer/director, Laron Chapman, and Geek Girl Features writer Chelsea Ratterman, to provide a spoiler-free review of the film before having an in-depth spoiler discussion. In 2017, writer/director Patty Jenkins made her name in superhero filmmaking with the box office and critical success story, Wonder Woman. After bringing in a staggering $822 million worldwide and garnering the coveted “Fresh” Rotten Tomatoes score of 93%, the hopes and expectations for the follow-up couldn’t be higher. Enter the 2020 pandemic. After several short-term delays in late 2019, the film finally landed on a June 2020 date that would eventually be pushed several more times due to the pandemic before finally having a historical simultaneous HBO Max and the

Merry Christmas and happy holidays, dear listeners! The Cinematic Schematic podcast is here with a special bonus episode reviewing Disney Pixar’s new movie releasing directly on Disney+ on Christmas Day, Soul. To meet the special occasion, we are joined by my 2020 COVID-pandemic partner in crime, the Video Peach, Lauren Weingart. Tune in to hear our reactions and analysis of one of this year’s biggest holiday releases, being released exclusively via Disney’s streaming platform. Longtime fans of Pixar may remember the Soul co-writer/director Pete Doctor‘s past films with the studio including Monsters Inc., Up, and Inside Out–their cream of the crop. If 2015’s Inside Out was Doctor’s exploration of human emotion, Soul is his examination of human spirituality. Where does inspiration originate? What’s the special energy that gets individuals motivated and excited to take on each and every day? How do purpose and fulfillment work together in the human psyche to create happiness and a sense of belonging? These are

The Cinematic Schematic podcast is back this week to review one of 2020’s most highly anticipated films, Tenet, AKA “the film that will save cinema.” We’re rejoined by guest co-hosts Jacob and Zachary Burns, co-founders of Planet Thunder Productions and The Cinematropolis, to give our initial spoiler-free reviews before diving into the film’s details to determine whether or not it was worth the wait. Tune in! The new film from The Dark Knight and Inception writer/director Christopher Nolan has had quite the journey to release. Like most films in 2020, Tenet saw several delays. It was originally scheduled for July 17, 2020, before initially being pushed to July 31, 2020, before finally being released on August 26 internationally and then September 3, 2020, in the US. At one point, they were releasing trailers without actual release dates, just saying “coming soon to theaters,” while drawing criticism in the headlines for its unconventional marketing strategy and intention to release during the global pandemic.

Welcome to The Cinematic Schematic, the official podcast of The Cinematropolis.com. Today, we’re introducing a new, shorter-form film review format. As detailed in our recent podcast announcement, this post is one of many changes being made to the podcast in order to give you, the listener, episodes more frequently. According to IMDB “1930’s Hollywood is reevaluated through the eyes of scathing social critic and alcoholic screenwriter Herman J. Mankiewicz as he races to finish the screenplay of Citizen Kane (1941).” Mank is directed by David Fincher and stars Gary Oldman, Amanda Seyfried, Lily Collins Tom Burke and Charles Dance. Fincher’s latest is a welcome departure in his oeuvre that I quite enjoyed. The set and sound designs are stunning, the performances are outstanding and the screenplay(penned by Fincher’s late father, Jack) carries the type of Hollywood nostalgia the Academy will go bananas over come awards season in spring 2021. There are three things in particular I want to note about Mank:  #1. I

After being away on a several month-long hiatus in 2020, I have a special announcement to make. The Cinematic Schematic podcast is back! If you’ve been a longtime listener or The Cinematropolis reader, you’ve probably noticed things have been quiet here the last several months. There are a few reasons for this silence: The challenges presented to the film industry in 2020 due to the pandemic. A shift in the priorities in my personal/professional life with various projects. Content creation burnout. To remedy this, here’s what you can expect closing out this year and moving into 2021: Short weekly solo movie reviews, featuring my quick take on a new release. Approximately one group roundtable film conversation a month. Other special podcast series. This will start immediately—podcast subscribers will notice my review of David Fincher’s Mank was released at the same time as this episode.  Next week, you can expect a review of Christopher Nolan’s Tenet and Pixar’s new movie, Soul. And the following week, we’ll b

To celebrate today’s release of Planet Thunder Productions’ new film, Shifter, writer/director Jacob Leighton Burns and Zachary Burns rejoin The Cinematic Schematic to discuss a few of their favorite time travel films before we each make the case for the greatest time travel movie ever made. Before picking our favorites, we lay down the rules and criteria of what qualifies as a time travel film in this discussion. The movie must feature a person, consciousness, or object that travels through time. It cannot be a Groundhog Day-style time loop movie(think The Edge of Tomorrow, Palm Springs, or Happy Death Day). To round out the conversation, Jacob and Zachary give us the latest update on the release of Shifter! Shifter is now available on-demand for rent or purchase on iTunes, Amazon Video, Google Play Video, Xbox, and other popular video platforms. The film stars Nicole Fancher, Ashley Mandanas, Paul T. Taylor, and Jamie Brewster. The official synopsis reads: A socially awkward but ambitious young woman experi

Imagine a world where the mind is the scene of the crime inspired by the works of Stanley Kubrick, Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner, The Matrix, and James Bond films that captures the best elements of an Oceans Eleven heist. On July 16, 2010, moviegoers were introduced to Inception, writer/director Christopher’s Nolan’s massive critical and box office hit that propelled him from a talented auteur to one of the most powerful voices working in the film industry today.  With the hype and media buzz of the release now a full decade behind us, how does Inception hold up in 2020? Where does it best fit into the pantheon of Nolan’s oeuvre and, perhaps the most hotly debated question related to the film upon release, does the top keep spinning or does it fall?  In today’s special episode of The Cinematic Schematic, we’re joined by Freaky AF writer/director Laron Chapman, The Cinematropolis‘s Alexandra Bohannon and No Film School‘s Jo Light to take a look back at the critically acclaimed box office hit with an indie spirit

After 10 days of films streamed at the 2020 deadCenter Film Festival for the event’s 20th anniversary, The Cinematropolis concludes our special coverage with a festival recap discussion between our entire festival team, Jo Light, Daniel Bokemper, Christopher Shultz, and myself. Tune in to the full discussion on today’s episode of The Cinematic Schematic! Each of us discusses our favorite feature films, short films, documentaries, and virtual experience at this year’s festival. To close out the festival, we’d like to send thanks out to the deadCenter staff including Lance McDaniel, Sara Thompson, Alyx Picard, and Kevin Ely along with Sunrise Tippeconnie, Krystal Yosef, Stephen Tyler, and the other volunteers who continue to make this festival happen. We can’t wait to see what the team comes up with for deadCenter 2021! Take a look back at The Cinematropolis deadCenter 2020 Coverage Filmmaker Podcast Interviews with Caleb Masters deadCenter Executive Director Lance McDaniel Champions Local Film and Arts Communi

Special Guest Lance McDaniel Executive Director, deadCenter Director of Send Me Wings In this special interview on The Cinematic Schematic podcast, we talk with deadCenter’s executive director, Lance McDaniel, about how he is sending his tenure in the role out with a bang at deadCenter 2020. We start by discussing how his role has (or has not) changed in the shift to a largely virtual event and the opportunities it provides before getting his perspective on how the festival’s 20th year is a fitting time for him to hand the reigns of the festival over to Alyx Picard Davis. We also speak with Lance about his short film playing as part of the festival, Send Me Wings. Lance leaves the podcast with a few words about the importance of supporting film and all of the arts in Oklahoma in order to help the local culture thrive. Send Me Wings is playing in the Okie Shorts Mix Tape Vol. 1 until midnight on June 21. Follow The Cinematic Schematic Podcast Hear all of this and more of our past and future episodes by subscri

LISTEN TO THE FULL INTERVIEW BY PUSHING PLAY ABOVE! Special Guest Stephen Tyler Director of Technology, deadCenter Founder of Mostly Harmless Media In this special interview on The Cinematic Schematic podcast, we talk with deadCenter’s director of technology, Stephen Tyler, about how deadCenter 2020 pivoted to a virtual film festival following the COVID-19 pandemic. We start by discussing how he stepped into his role and how the shift to a new approach to screening movies has changed the way attendees and filmmakers interact through pre-recorded Q&As and remote recordings. Speaking from an attendee perspective, the virtual filmgoing experience has been seamless and without any disruption. Tune in to the full interview to get the inside details about how Stephen led the tech side of the team to build a successful virtual film festival and created countless hours of supplementary content for the online event. Where to Keep Up with Stephen Tyler Follow Stephen on Twitter @stphntylr Check out Mostly Harmless Medi

Special Guest Charles Elmore Director/Producer of “The Chest“ In this special interview on The Cinematic Schematic podcast, we talk with “The Chest” director/producer Charles Elmore about how he and his writer Tony DeLesDernier found just the right comedic tone for their Hitchcock-inspired short film. Elmore also discusses how he came to cast Danielle Evon Ploeger and Emmy-nominated actors Dylan Baker and Becky Ann Baker. Our own Daniel Bokemper wrote “The Chest,” “is outstanding across both (Okie Short) Mix Tapes.”  Tune in to hear the full deadCenter 2020 interview! The official deadCenter 2020 synopsis reads: Jessica, a put-upon real estate agent is forced to work alongside Blake, her merciless and cruel superior, in selling a large estate to The Steves, a pair of potential buyers. When a tragic accident befalls the pitiless Blake resulting in his untimely (but maybe deserved?) demise, Jessica seizes the opportunity to make the sale on her own by hiding Blake’s body. It’s the perfect crime with one small p

Special Guest Sev DeMy Writer/Director/ Producer of {Black Title Here} In this special interview on The Cinematic Schematic podcast, we talk with Black Title Here writer/director/producer Sev DeMy about how he approached creating his short film as a TV show pilot, creating a comedic take on the life of a production assistant (PA) and why they went about using on-screen texts to create unique punchlines or emotional impacts. Tune in to hear the full deadCenter 2020 interview! The official deadCenter 2020 synopsis reads: BLACK Title Here introduces James on his day off from work. Unfortunately, James’ being off from work is not the only things that is off. His current girlfriend, Shalom, and the girl he moved to LA with, Nastali, are both in need of him as he tries to find his way before he loses it all. When and Where to Watch {Black Title Here} Watch Virtually at deadCenter 2020 Now playing until 11:59 PM CT on June 21 Follow The Cinematic Schematic Podcast Hear all of this and more of our past and future epi

LISTEN TO THE FULL INTERVIEW BY PUSHING PLAY ABOVE! Special Guest Cheryl Horner McDonough Director of Parkland Rising On February 14, 2018, a shooter opened fire on the students of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High, killing 17 people. This tragedy shook the nation and inspired an entire generation of teenage activism that led to the March for Our Lives. What were the human stories behind the devastation and movement? Director Cheryl Horner McDonough answers those questions with her new documentary playing at this year’s deadCenter film festival, Parkland Rising. In this special interview on The Cinematic Schematic podcast, we talk with McDonough about her documentary process and how she quickly pulled together the crew she needed to begin capturing this historic story. Tune in! The official deadCenter synopsis reads: PARKLAND RISING follows the high school students and families who became fierce leaders of a national movement for gun reform following the shooting of 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High in 2