Movie Review Episodes

What makes a great Christmas movie? This is a question we attempt to tackle this week as we review three Christmas movies elected by a few supporters of the show: The Star (2017), Eloise at Christmastime, and Die Hard. Through a brief review of each of these movies, each bringing their own unique Christmas vibes, we are able to see what really makes a good Christmas movie. Grab a cup of hot chocolate, sit back, and relax as you listen to these Christmasmovie reviews and recommendations. Don’t fo...

In this special review/interview episode, we explore Stationed at Home, a new indie film that explores the connection of the cosmic to the everyday life of people in a forgotten town. Following cab driver Ralph as he awaits the passing of the International Space Station across the sky on a cold Christmas Eve, director Daniel Masciari and crew guide us on a journey through spaces and soul of Binghamton, NY. Daniel joins me after a short review to talk about the process of making the film, the inf...

In Steven Spielberg’s The Fabelmans, we get a wonderful gift toward the end of his career. We get a skeleton key that unlocks the reasons behind so much of what we know and love about Spielberg and his storytelling. This film is the culmination of a career in so many ways for Spielberg, and it is truly a key to seeing so many of his films with an even wider scope. Not only that, but we get all the things we love about a Spielberg movie: great child acting, family drama, action, and just great st...

It was a lifelong dream of Spielberg’s to direct a musical movie, and even more specifically, to adapt West Side Story. The question of whether we needed another adaptation of this beloved stage musical is a legitimate one. But with his mastery of staging, composition, camera movement, and visual storytelling, Spielberg makes the case that not only was a new adaptation ok to do but that it was needed. Enhanced by powerhouse performances & new choreography, this is arguably one of Spielberg’s mos...

At the point in his career where Spielberg took on the adaptation of the popular novel Ready Player One, he was due for another technological challenge. While not a Spielberg favorite or master work, there is no denying his touch on the movie (without which this project might have been doomed). Although this was a financial success and looked impressive, it got mixed reception and is most likely a lower tier movie by Spielberg’s standards. https://www.establishingshotpod.com/ Feedback: Emai...

When The Post was released in 2017, it was released into a political climate that was fraught with distrust and an anxiety about the loss of the freedom to seek the truth. Many wondered then if this based-on-a-true-story political thriller by Spielberg starring powerhouses Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks was just a product of the cultural atmosphere it was made in. Little did they know that 8 years later we might be worse off than ever. Spielberg and his veteran cast and crew pulled off developing, p...

With fantastical giants, dreams you can catch and blow into the heads of sleeping children, and a child who is swept away in adventure beyond her imagination, The BFG is, in a way, Spielberg getting back to his roots. While there is plenty of charm in the imagining of this Roald Dahl adaptation and a ton of humanity in the Motion Capture (MoCap) performance of Mark Rylance, the story and characters built could have done with some more fleshing out, as general consensus and the box office failure...

Bridge of Spies might be one of Spielberg’s most underrated films, and an argument could be made for it being his best of the 2010s. Being his 4th collaboration with Tom Hanks and his 1st with Mark Rylance, this film supports top notch acting and a superb script with precise and interesting editing. We talk about all of this and whether James B. Donovan ever got over that darned cold in this episode. https://www.establishingshotpod.com/ Feedback: Email us at establishingshotpod@gmail.com Le...

What do you get when you have one of our all time great directors in Spielberg with one of our all time great actors in Daniel Day-Lewis playing one of our all time great US Presidents? You get one of our all time great president movies in Lincoln! We talk about the incredible performances, the masterful script from Tony Kushner, the subtle camera moves, the top notch production design, and much more in this great discussion of Lincoln. https://www.establishingshotpod.com/ Feedback: Email u...

This time it’s Spielberg but with horses! War Horse has its problems, such as the question of who it’s for (kids or adults) or its prolonged runtime, but overall, its beautiful cinematography and composition along with its sentimentality that toes the line of sentimental schlock without ever crossing it make for an enjoyable and even hopeful movie. Adapted from Michael Morpurgo’s children’s novel of the same name, this movie has its magical Spielberg moments and those are enough. https://www...

Tintin is a unique film in the Spielberg filmography as his only fully animated film. Because of this, this discussion is full of interesting topics like his forging into motion capture technology, the sense of playfulness felt in the film, and much more. I might even get into a bit of Movie-Dad talk with my guest Daniel Howat of Next Best Picture, talking about movies we have enjoyed showing our kids. This was a fun episode for a movie about having fun! https://www.establishingshotpod.com/ ...

With Oppenheimer turning into a cultural phenomenon (aka Barbenheimer) in the lead up to its release alongside Barbie and its subsequent financial success and critical acclaim, Christopher Nolan has emblazoned his name onto the list of historically important filmmakers. We talk about the significance of a 3 hour experimental biopic making summer blockbuster levels of money, the incredible artistry and storytelling on display, the Nolan-esque style and technique, Cillian Murphy’s career defining ...

Nearly 20 years after Indiana Jones rode off into the sunset with his father, Spielberg returned to our favorite tomb-raiding professor of archaeology in his older years with Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. In the opinion of my guest and I, this film certainly has its flaws with some undercooked characters and questionable CGI but is largely undeservedly maligned for all the wrong reasons. We talk about the making of the film, its reception, and more as we wrap up Spielberg’s films of the 2000s. ...

Munich is one of Spielberg’s least discussed movies and undeservedly so. It displays some of his best action set pieces, contains serious contemplative political and ethical questions, and has all of the iconic Spielbergian shots and framing. And that is not even to mention that its subject matter dealing with Israeli-Palestinian conflict is still just as relevant as ever. My guest and I marvel at what this movie accomplishes (cinematically and ethically), discuss some of its weaker point mole h...

With his adaptation of the sci-fi classic War of the Worlds, Spielberg continues his 2000s science fiction fun with yet another 9/11 coded film with a broken family and troubled father. Join me and the Nerds & Jesus podcast as we talk about these themes, the Tom Cruise factor, Dakota Fanning’s breakout child performance, the mix of practical and digital effects, and the blockbuster-ness of it all in this week’s episode. https://www.establishingshotpod.com/ Feedback: Email us at establishing...

With The Terminal, Tom Hanks rejoins Steven Spielberg for their third collaboration and certainly their most lighthearted to date. This film represents some of the worst and best of Spielberg. It is charming and fun at times with its fun cast and remarkable set. But it is also weighed down by an inscrutable plot, strangely motivated characters, and bad jokes. We talk about all of its highs and lows this week with our guests from the Movies & Us Podcast! https://www.establishingshotpod.com/ ...

The 2025 Oscars are here! With the ceremony coming up this Wednesday, I went through all the categories from production to design to cinematography to the big categories of acting, directing, and best picture. Some categories like lead actress, editing, and animated feature are pretty tough to choose this year. But I give my best predictions for what will win, and I also give my own personal nominations for most of the categories. Also, look forward to tons of recommendations from me on what to ...

What do you get when you combine the star studded power of Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks with the blockbuster filmmaking genius of Steven Spielberg with a globe-trotting, fast paced crime drama? Turns out you get a really good and entertaining movie in Catch Me if You Can! During our discussion of this movie we talk about the incredibly fast production, the star studded cast, the Spielbergian family drama at the center of it, and just the incredible amount of fun you have watching this inheren...

Minority Report feels like the deepest dive into hard sci-fi that Steven Spielberg has ever attempted, and it is also his first collaboration with fellow Hollywood superstar Tom Cruise. That combination makes for an interesting conversation in this episode as we discuss everything from working with a star to inventive sci-fi visuals to existential questions that are common to the genre and more! https://www.establishingshotpod.com/ Feedback: Email us at establishingshotpod@gmail.com Leav...

With A.I. Artificial Intelligence, Steven Spielberg dove headfirst into sci-fi storytelling more than he ever had before. With incredible production design, another great child performance for Spielberg in Haley Joel Osment, a pinocchio infused, existential sci-fi story, and especially the Stanley Kubrick collaboration, this was an incredible feat even for Spielberg (even if it was and still is a pretty divisive film). We talk about all of this, how this film speaks to the modern artificial inte...

Largely considered the best (or one of the best) WWII movies ever made, Saving Private Ryan showed that Spielberg could make just about any kind of movie and do it masterfully. We talk about how he pulled it off, his collaboration with Tom Hanks, the themes of war movies, that iconically brutal open at Omaha Beach, and more in this episode! https://www.establishingshotpod.com/ Feedback: Email us at establishingshotpod@gmail.com Leave a voicemail from the button on the right side of the s...

When December rolls around, it is time to start watching Christmas movies! It has been a joy to grow my little family with our own little Christmas traditions, and movies are a big part of that. So, this week, continuing my family Chritsmas movie favorites series, I bring on my wife and kids to talk about their favorite Christmas movies. This is a very special episode for me, and I hope it is for you as well. If nothing else, let this episode be motivation for you to cozy up on the couch with yo...

Growing up, watching Christmas movies was always a part of our family tradition. This week, I am joined by my mom and sister to hear to hear about their favorite Christmas movies. They also share the favorites of my dad and brother-in-law who were not able to come on. I hope you enjoy their choices and make sure to watch some great holiday movies with your family this year! https://www.establishingshotpod.com/ Feedback: Email us at establishingshotpod@gmail.com Leave a voicemail from the...

What is better at Christmas time than cozying up with your family for a great Christmas movie?! While we can’t really do that on a podcast, I thought I would spend the next few weeks with my family hearing about their favorite Christmas movies. This week, I am joined by my wife’s side of the family for some great Christmas movie recommendations. I hope you enjoy their choices and make sure to watch some great holiday movies with your family this year! https://www.establishingshotpod.com/ ...