Richard Linklater’s latest film “Hit Man,” starring Glen Powell and Adria Arjona, is now available to stream on Netflix, and the legendary writer-director sat down with us to discuss the making of his (sort of based on a true story) film, and his career. We dive into his process of working with actors, finding chemistry on screen, the prospects of a “School of Rock” sequel, and an incredible story about Matthew McConaughey’s iconic “Dazed and Confused” line. 

It’s our first full show back from our hiatus, so we also take some time to discuss what we’ve been watching, Disney’s new “Star Wars” series “The Acolyte,” and we celebrate the incredible influence of Scott Wampler following his passing. 

Timestamps (approx. only)

• 00:00:00 - Intro
• 00:07:16 - Richard Linklater Interview - ‘Hit Man’
• 00:38:25 - ‘Hit Man’ Review
• 00:42:41 - This Summer Movie Season Is ‘Just Fine’
• 00:51:31 - New Disney+ ‘Star Wars’ Series ‘The Acolyte’ Reactions
• 00:54:13 - What We’ve Been Watching
• 01:04:14 - Remembering Scott Wampler
• 01:15:44 - Outro

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This week, we return with one of our all-time favorite interviews. Originally recorded in December 2019, we are joined by Quentin Tarantino for an extended, 2-hour conversation spanning the legendary director's career. We sat down with Tarantino for the home video release of Once Upon A Time… In Hollywood, so we of course spent a lot of our time with him discussing the making of the film, casting Al Pacino, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Brad Pitt’s perfect casting, and more. 

That is just the tip of this iceberg. Stick around through the conversation for his thoughts on being snubbed at the Oscars, Pulp Fiction, Bruce Willis nearly cast as Bill in Kill Bill, and more. 

Timestamps (approx. only)

• 00:00:00 - Intro
• 00:03:30 - Quentin Tarantino Interview (*originally recorded Dec. 2019)
• 02:07:11 - Outro

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Legendary director George Miller joins the show for the release of his latest entry in the Mad Max franchise, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga. The franchise has been cruising for over four decades, and the filmmaker takes us all the way back to the beginning with memories of early, negative reviews and the cultural wave that eventually grew into what it is today.

We discuss some obvious, and not-so-obvious, changes to how stunts and special effects shots are made, watching Road Warrior 30 years later, and more.

Timestamps (approx. only)

• 00:00:00 - Intro
• 00:05:32 - George Miller Interview
• 00:36:25 - ‘Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga’ Review (Spoiler-Free)
• 00:51:12 - ‘Furiosa’ Spoilers!
• 00:56:42 - Outro

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Director Renny Harlin (Die Hard 2, Cliffhanger) joins us for a chat about the making of his new film The Strangers: Chapter 1, the first of 3 chapters he shot simultaneously. But that of course is not all. The director has a long history in Hollywood, and we run through a number of his notable projects such as Die Hard 2, his Exorcist sequel, and more. 

In our interview, the director walks us through some of his creative process on set for setting up his shots, choosing lenses, and why he doesn't need an excessive amount of takes to get what he wants. From regrets around his Exorcist sequel to conflicts on set with Bruce Willis on the direction to take the Die Hard franchise and even his experience making A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master, we cover the breadth of his long career.

Next week, we welcome George Miller to the program for Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, so be sure to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts!

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Dune: Part Two's Costume Designer Jacqueline West and Set Designer Patrice Vermette join us to discuss their collaboration with Denis Villeneuve for their return to the world of Arrakis. We get into the types of conversations they have with each other and their director when crafting their respective visual elements for the film including the "big fiasco" caused when shooting Dune: Part Two's gladiator scene on Giedi Prime in infrared. 

Stay tuned, Friday brings another great interview!

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Dune’s Oscar-winning cinematographer Greig Fraser returns to the show with Oscar-winning editor Joe Walker to discuss the making of Dune: Part Two and their collaborations with Denis Villeneuve. We get details on shooting Feyd-Rautha’s introduction on Giedi Prime with infrared lighting, cutting Paul Atreides and Feyd’s final fight, and more. 

Stay tuned. We have more interviews on the making of “Dune: Part Two” coming! 

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Michael Showalter returns to the show to discuss his new film starring Anne Hathaway, “The Idea of You.” He discusses the origins of the film’s story, whether or not it’s inspired by Harry Styles and Olivia Wilde’s relationship, Anne Hathaway would rather you call her Annie, and more.

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“Challengers,” from writer-director Luca Guadagnino, is our favorite performance from the ever-talented Zendaya, but she isn’t alone. Mike Fast and Josh O’Connor equally deliver to create a three-piece ensemble that propels us through one of the year's most exciting films. In this week’s show, we dive right in with our review, and if you’ve managed to make it out to the theater already, stick around for our brief spoiler-filled section that follows. For those that haven’t, hit pause and see this one as soon as possible. 

Also this week, in light of recent success at the box office, we discuss the nature of the middle-budget feature film and its potential comeback in the industry. Finally, Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman’s “Deadpool & Wolverine” dropped the full-length trailer we’ve all been dying to see, and we give our immediate impressions.  

Timestamps (approx. only)

• 00:00:00 - Intro
• 00:04:13 - Are smaller films reclaiming the box office?
• 00:19:07 - ‘Challengers’ Review (Spoiler-Free)
• 00:29:56 - ‘Challengers’ SPOILERS!
• 00:38:23 - ‘Deadpool & Wolverine” Trailer Reactions
• 00:51:50 - Game: Lost In Translation
• 01:00:15 - Outro

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The horror genre has been on a box office tear this year with what feels like a new entry hitting theaters every week. Today, we welcome back the director duo known as Radio Silence, Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, and Tyler Gillett, to discuss their new vampire flick “Abigail.” After two turns at the wheel of the “Scream” franchise, the two bring a unique spin to their story which follows a group of criminals who find themselves in over their heads after kidnapping a young vampire. 

The film finds inspiration from all the right places including “The Shining” and “From Dusk Till Dawn,” the two share just how important films like that are to their own and more. 

Timestamps (approx. only)

• 00:00:00 - Intro 
• 00:10:17 - ‘Abigail’ Interview | 
• 00:27:33 - ‘Civil War’ Marks A24’s Best Box Office Opening Weekend
• 00:34:51 - Scorsese And Spielberg Both Have Some Big Upcoming Pictures
• 00:43:03 - Review: ‘The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare’
• 00:51:18 - Review: ‘Abigail’
• 00:57:10 - Outro

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Alex Garland is one of the most interesting filmmakers working today and has delivered striking, awe-inspiring cinema as both a writer and director for over two decades. We are honored to welcome Garland on the show to discuss his latest film, Civil War. The cast blew away each of us, as well as the story centered on wartime journalists, and the grace with which the film navigates its controversial narrative through the real world it seems to depict so nearly. 

We discuss designing his set pieces with backstory, how Jesse Plemons joined the cast at the last minute and delivered one of the best performances of the year, and more. He even shares some details on the upcoming 28 Days Later sequel, 28 Years Later. 

Timestamps (approx. only)

• 00:00:00 - Intro 
• 00:02:49 - Alex Garland Talks ‘Civil War,’ ’28 Years Later’ and More
• 00:30:11 - Spoiler-Free’ Civil War’ Review
• 00:49:48 - ‘Civil War’ Spoilers!
• 01:08:09 - Sean Is At CinemaCon 2024
• 01:20:23 - Outro

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Sign up for our premium membership, which includes a bi-weekly newsletter from Sean, and ad-free episodes. Also, be sure to subscribe to ReelBlend on YouTube for full episodes of the show in video form. Finally, we have all kinds of fun merchandise for dedicated Blenders to flaunt their fandom with pride.