Layered Butter

We dive into all things TIFF for our season 3 premiere of the Layered Butter Podcast. 

TIFF festival general chat, Glass Onion, Hunt, Project Wolf Hunting, The Wonder, Holy Spider, Causeway, Women Talking, Triangle of Sadness, Empire of Light, The Son, 'Alice, Darling', Decision to Leave, Wendell & Wild, My Policeman, Devotion, Moonage Daydream, Brother, The Menu, Pearl, The Whale, The Fabelmans - The Layered Butter team saw a lot of movies this year at the Toronto International Film Festival. In this episode, we chat about some of those movies, and share our broader experience with TIFF as an event in our movie lives.

We've heard you. We've tried saying it and now we're tired of it. In this week's episode of the Layered Butter Podcast; Jordan brings in his wife, Allison to join Rod as they stage an intervention for Raf. There's no more heavy, dark, depressing tv or movie marathons - it's an episode dedicated to...happiness. The films that make us happy - take us back to a place of emotional safety, joy and absolute wonder. You won't find any murders or anything remotely depressing (subjectively) but the four chat about the films that give them infinite joy - whether it's nostalgia, serotonin or just laughter - happiness is...whatever we want it to be. In addition, Winnie the Pooh goes slasher, Ted Sarandos doubles down on stand-up and justice for ageism in the industry! All this - and more! In this week's Layered Butter Podcast.

#cinemapodcasts #filmpodcasts #pursuitofhappiness #babe #netflix #tedsarandos #davechappelle #rickygervais

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Netflix Doubles Down on Ricky Gervais and Dave Chappelle

In the wake of cancel culture and our heroes turning into villains; can we find a way to still appreciate the art or impact on culture of a cancelled artist? In this week's episode of the Layered Butter Podcast; Rod and Jordan are joined by Hannah McGregor & Marcelle Kosman of the Witch, Please podcast to mourn the death of the author, artist or even, hero. Is it even possible to separate the work and impact from the words, actions or views of the artist? Is there a fine line to thread when exploring, consuming and/or revisiting new work - whether its new series, past films or new material, are we more careful when knowing what we didn't before? Also - Raf joins Rod and Jordan dropping some hot takes in the film world today - if we even care about a new Rian Johnson Star Wars series or if art should truly imitate life with controversial narratives and if Tom Cruise really controls everything about his films - all this and more in this week's Layered Butter!

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The latter half of the season calls for another reset and with summer around the corner, this week's episode of the Layered Butter Podcast is catchin' up with the trio. Rod, Raf and Jordan are all together again with the new TV season underway, the return of James Cameron and the Cannes "experience". Is James Cameron enough to propel a decade old film back into superstardom? Was there even enough material from Pocahontas 2 to adapt? (bruh.) The Cannes Film Festival is known for its stars, red carpet and glitz and glamour - but how about its "standing ovations" and "walk-outs?" is this....cool? Finally, Jordan and Rod try to inject some wholesome recco's into Raf's dark television obsession. Rod's found himself a heartstopper, Jordan's reunited with the Kids in the Hall and Raf's lost under the banner of heaven. All of this - and more, as the trio brings it back to basics in this week's - Layered Butter.

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Episode 19 - We the Northman

Jordan and Rod are joined by returning guest and Layered Butter founding member - Andrew Perucho.

Together we’re donning our historically inaccurate horned Viking helms and diving headfirst into the battle frenzy in the hopes of glorious podcast death and one-way ticket to the halls of Valhalla. The three of us were lucky enough to attend the Canadian premiere of Robert Eggers' new ‘historical’ fantastical big-budget arthouse film - The Northman.

What does the director of The VVitch and The Lighthouse make when given 10x the budget? Go watch the film and then listen to our spoiler-filled discussion to find out!

Before we get to that review we chat about celebrity scandals (and how gross tabloid news can be), the decline of Netflix in the news and the Russian media boycott pushing Russians to embrace soviet-era tactics to keep up with modern movies.

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Sudeikis Serve Caught on Video

Episode 18 - Harry Potter and the Elephant in the Room

This week Rod and Jordan are joined by Victoria for a deep dive into the wizarding world of Harry Potter, both the books and most importantly - the movies. In our sprawling conversation on all things Potter, we unravel the good, the bad, and the memorable impacts that the franchise made on us, from the magical highs to the fantastic lows.

Before we get to that magical chat in our preshow news section we talk about Viola Davis recent clash with social media critics and the announcement that the Wicked movie is being split into two parts.

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Pack it up, folks. A24 has peaked. Daniels have peaked. Cinema has peaked. In this week's special episode of the Layered Butter Podcast - Rod, Raf and Jordan tackle Daniels' new multiverse drama, Everything Everywhere All At Once. Grandiose in its sprawling creative ambition and vision to its beating heartbeat of emotion and catharsis; the Layered Butter boys attempt to unpack whatever, whenever and everything (about this film) all at once. In its absolute insanity of a narrative - from ****** fingers to martial arts d***** to rata- (actually I'll just skip this entire spoiler section) to the return of Ke Huy Quan into the spotlight. Is there a method to this madness? Does insanity and chaos prove to be the perfect launching pad into creative nirvana? Is too much...ever too much? The Layered Butter trio wonder if the film has legs to net some Oscar gold - whether its Daniels, Michelle Yeoh (!!!!!!!!!) or A24, will this film earn a legacy deserving of its fortitude? Also - we dive into the shakeup of the headhonchos at Pixar and Disney, Miyazaki's most hated films of the West and the loss of another legacy comic. All this, everywhere, everything, all at once (in this episode of Layered Butter).

Aaaaaaaaaaaand we’re back – back to basics, back to the three amigos. Just three friends talking all things movies. 
In this week’s episode, Raf, Rod and Jordan clear the air to catch up on all things television, movies and whatever else is on their minds – and trust me, if Rod’s part of that group, it’s a doozy. 
The trio dive into some of their recent letterboxd watches, from Raf’s venture into Ti West’s slasher X to Rod’s Peruvian getaway Without Saying Goodbye (I’ll leave it to Rod to pronounce it correctly in Spanish) to Jordan’s Oscar jump into Sir Kenneth Branagh’s Belfast. 
Maybe there isn’t enough interesting films to go around anymore – we’re in that slump in the release schedule where duds roam the cinemas and we turn to TV. From Marvelous Mrs. Maisel to Midnight Mass and The Gilded Age, maybe it’s time to realize that television takes the cake over the cinema. Also – pop culture isn’t left hanging – from Rachel Zegler’s Oscar drama to NBA legend Kareem Abdul Jabaar weighing in on cinema…there isn’t a shortage of the going-ons of the world. Heck, we stumble onto how trailers just ruin everything (we’re looking at you Taylor Swift and Where the Crawdads Sing) how maybe all future films will end up being 90% CGI and if HBO guilted themselves in renewing whatever was that Sex in the City reboot. I guess the conversation rules over quality – right? 
Also, for those Rod stans, this episode has 2-3 patented Rod Rants so, don’t forget your popcorn for this episode of Layered Butter.

It’s one thing to put a pen to the paper and write a script, it’s another to scrap up a rag-tag crew to shoot a short, but it’s whole different ballgame when it comes to getting that film out there. The festival circuit isn’t all glitz and glamour, it’s a rough road just to get eyes on the prize. In this week’s episode of the Layered Butter Podcast; Raf and Rod are joined by Layered Butter’s very own, Mark Delotinville to chat all things from inception to shooting and the road to exhibition in the festival circuit. Owner of Big Pig Co., Mark takes us through his journey in bringing his newest short film CRUISE to film festivals around the world. It isn’t as easy as just promoting a link or a USB drive to an intern at a festival; did we take into account of deadlines (early bird vs. last call submissions) to budgeting and costs for each submission to holistic strategic planning to find the best way for the most callbacks, the most exposure, networking and finally, the most eyes on a project that can bring your vision to an audience outside your friends and family. It begins early – no, not at Post, but producers, directors and creatives have to take into account of all the pros and cons that contribute to the potential success of a film. From films at 8 minutes to 25 minutes, every second counts! Returning from a recent showing of CRUISE at the Tampere Film Festival in Finland, Mark gives us his experience from submission to being a part of the festival circuit as a creative and not just an audience member. He brings us the do’s and don’t’s that he’s learned about building a successful strategy of getting exposure in the circuit. Also, Layered Butter’s own Andrew Perucho joins the preshow to chat about an update of all things’ coming up in the Layered Butter world – and shares his take on Kevin Costner’s Waterworld, John Woo’s return to action cinema and his muted response to the new Batman. All this and more in this week’s Layered Butter!

A signal cuts through the misty skyline of the decrepit Gotham City; the light in the darkness. The Caped Crusader. The World’s Greatest Detective. Bats. In this week’s episode of the Layered Butter Podcast; Raf, Rod and Jordan are whisked away to spoiler territory as they dive deep into the latest vision of the iconic Dark Knight; Matt Reeves’ The Batman. From the heavy echoes of his boots across the rain soaked pavement to his quiet eyes, darting across crime scenes; Pattinson’s Batman is the living shadow of vengeance – striking fear deep into the hearts of the crime infested underworld of Gotham. From an incredible supporting cast to the absolute mastery of Reeves’ vision and Giacchino’s powerful score – this episode unravels the many moving pieces that make this film one to remember. But as a film that is confident in exploring The World’s Greatest Detective – were we left wanting more from the Riddler’s cat-and-mouse games? Was exploring a young, brash and inexperienced Bruce Wayne an inspired choice or does it take away from Batman’s own superiority? Or that suit? Do we miss the campy Adam West costumes to the neckbrace on Keaton to the nipples on Clooney; how does Pattinson’s Year 2 Suit stack up against the rest? Is RPatz too emo for Bruce Wayne? Where does he go from here – Court of Owls? Hush? With a rogues gallery as iconic as Batman, is there Do meta-humans such as Poison Ivy, Mr. Freeze or Solomon Grundy exist in this Gotham?  This episode takes a dive into all things Caped Crusader, pulling the curtain back on how The Batman influences, influenced and pushes the Superhero genre forward. Also, the trio tackle an experimental business model for AMC movie theatres and Netflix takes a stand against the Russian Film Industry – all of this and more in this week’s Layered Butter!

All the eyes on the stars – the actors, the directors, the sounds, the picture...these are all the pieces that make cinema really what it is – but we always seem to forget, the unsung heroes. Our background artists. In this weeks episode of the Layered Butter Podcast, Rod, Raf and Jordan are joined by former assistant director, background wrangler and all-around film fan, Mike Roi, as we venture deep behind the scenes into the nitty and gritty of the world of the background artists. Popularized as the “extra” in cinema, these are the artists and actors that fill every single camera frame, every battle sequence and every diner scene with a representation of reality. They are the police officers, the waitresses, the kids on the playground – without them, cinema would just feel....empty. There’s more to just being able to fill a scene and make it seem busy. From timing around the camera and the hero actors to integrating crosses and turns to fill the frame; the “extra” isn’t an extra. They’re artists. They are one in many pieces of the moving orchestra. It isn’t all the fun and games either – from the different types of artists on set, to location days in the burning heat to the blistering cold and the adrenaline to catch your big upgrade just by saying 1 line of dialogue. It’s not all glitz and glamour too – what kind of challenges do the crew (ADs/PAs) face when they are in public locations? Is it just a wall of PAs defending the shot or do we dive into the public – just to get what we need to move on? Can anyone walk into a set? Rodrigo talks about his big break into acting and how...he almost ruined a take. The LB trio then chat about a different take on John McClane, the absurdity of physical media and cashing in on a present day conflict for the sake of cinema. All of this and more in this week’s Layered Butter! 

Listen, we know what you’re thinking – after 30+ episodes of the Layered Butter Podcast; how do we keep it fresh like a new Tarantino, Spielberg or Aster? After all this time, Rod, Raf and Jordan just generally nerd out, whine or even cry about the general state of film, cinema and pop culture and honestly, we’re happy for the opportunity to just be a part of your podcasting world. In this weeks episode of the Layered Butter Podcast, our trio is joined by Podcast greatness, legends and hosts of the longest-running film podcast ever! Frank & Sean of the Film Junk Podcast. They’ve got over seventeen years (!!!) in the podcasting world honestly, we thought it would be pretty damn cool to talk about how we talk about movies. The Layered Butter Podcast was a pandemic baby (bruhhh) and it was just a great way to stick around and chat about something we all love to do – across different topics from love, unions, film festivals and even genre film…but how do we keep things interesting enough to keep ya’ll listening? Raf can only butcher only so many names on-air, Jordan can drop only so many obscure documentaries and Rod….well, he can keep dropping fire emoji hot takes because…yeah. Frank and Sean gives us a deep dive into the world of all things cinema talk – from the absolute strength of the Letterboxd rating system to the strive for authenticity in their on-air personas – I mean, are we all who we really are in a public sphere? Are we, as hosts, self-aware of the personalities we portray ourselves as across the airwaves? The LB Podcast has been running for almost a year and a half now – all done virtually – how does Film Junk adapt to the changes of how people listen to podcasts and how do those changes affect chemistry or even logistics? As much as we can nerd out as a bunch of friends talking about what we love – do we….ever get tired of each other? (of course not ) We learn from the Godfathers of the O.G. film podcast, Film Junk. In addition, Rod, Raf and Jordan chat about the absolute GEM of Nicole Kidman’s new AMC ad, the satire of Adam McKay’s Don’t Look Up and the possibility of Nolan’s first blockbuster….bomb? All of this and more in this weeks episode of the Layered Butter Podcast!

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The Satire of Adam McKay’s Don’t Look Up

At the Layered Butter Podcast, we have been very fortunate to have writers, personalities, hosts, friends and esteemed colleagues join us weekly as we pick their brains...on whatever we want to talk about. We’d like to think we’re pretty good,  but how can take this Podcast to the next level? Well, this week, Rod, Raf and Jordan explore the world of Press Junkets and the art of the interview with film critic, author and host of Hey Alexandra!, Alexandra Heilbron. From our experience at the TIFF Q&As or casual hello/goodbyes in passing; this episode dives into the process of the formal celebrity interview. From the rush of the weekend junket to the seconds leading up to meeting the stars... How do we separate the nerves from the anxious excitement? Do you always watch the film or television show before the interview? What if....you can't? How do we decide what question to ask? Being the 15th or 1st journalist in line, how do you prep, build and execute the perfect interview? We can’t all be the Sean Evans in the world – and maybe you don’t need a schtick to land the perfect one-on-one....but just make sure you don’t get any walkouts a la Downey JR or Tarantino. Also, the LB trio look back at the legacy of Spielberg, the power or pretentiousness of the final cut and Rod, again, has a problem with the Oscars. All this and more in this episode of Layered Butter.

Love is in the airwaves!... or at the very least,  conversations about everyone’s favourite brand of feel-good cinematic romance- the Romantic Comedy! In this Valentine’s themed episode of the Layered Butter Podcast we’re joined by returning guest Katherine Ramachandran and first time guest Molly McAlea who together host the VomCom podcast. Rodrigo and Jordan pick our guests' brains to discuss the highs and lows of the genre, historic trends, the essential ingredients to make the perfect romcom, and together we brainstorm some hypothetical romcom concepts that we’d love to see.

In our preshow Raf, Rod, & Jordan chat about Oscar & Razzie nominations (and snubs!) and question the merit of handing out awards at all. Finally, to add some (more) existential dread to our lives we discuss the state of Streaming networks and the fracturing landscape of modern cinema - how romantic! ♥️

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All the world's a stage...and honestly, we're down for it. In this week's episode of Layered Butter, Rod, Raf and Jordan are joined by educator, all-around dance, drama and theatre aficionado, Lisa Fiorelli as they pull the curtain back on what it takes to be.....or not to be. From its humble beginnings in community storytelling to the rise of Shakespeare and then the Sorkins, Mamets and even the Mirandas - without theatre and drama, what would cinema even look like? Your story is enclosed across four walls of the stage; how does your characters traverse time, location and worlds in such a small space? In film we can cheat the world, cutting back and forth, to and from and forming emphasis with close-ups and wide shots. There's an energy in the immersiveness of theatre - each performance is a singular, lived event; every word, every scene and every decision is built in the now for the actor. How does that translate to film? We've got adaptations in Spielberg's West Side Story to even Joel Coen's Tragedy of MacBeth to even bottle films like Mass or Dogtooth...are these adaptations worth the transition? Also, the pod tackles D.A.R.E versus Euphoria, a potential new viral Twitter rant on A24 and have we heard enough about Bruno? Take a bow on this episode of Layered Butter!

Hello, 2022!! It’s that time of year where optimism is top of mind and resolutions are….thrown out the window? The Layered Butter Podcast is back and in this year’s first week back to the airwaves, Rod, Raf and Jordan take a look back and even get a little personal to reflect on their 2021 selves…and by that they mean their letterboxd watch lists and if going back to the theatre is really worth (dying) for. It’s resolution time, right? Do we have what it takes to go back to the movie theatre experience? Complete darkness, that giant screen, surround sound….or is that Rodrigo’s living room? Maybe two of our three hosts are going to the movies – let’s check back at the halfway point in the year if Rod’s still there. Maybe we can resolute to being more open to films – like Words on Bathroom Walls (this is a real movie) or….not? Even if we can’t, at least we have a new slate of films coming out for 2022, whether we’ll hate them, we’ll love them or never see them because of COVID, at least we have something to look forward to! We’ve got new films from Cameron, Scorsese, Aronofsky, Aster and even Miyazaki coming out – and we have to wonder, is Avatar 2 really worth the wait? Is this finally the year of Brendan Fraser with The Whale? Or maybe Marvel will just give Raimi free reign after Doctor Strange 2. Who knows! In addition, are stunt ensembles long overdue for recognition? How about Andy Serkis and motion capture? And two fans take on the industry when they were bamboozled to find their queen out of a final cut. All this and much more in our return to the airwaves in this episode of Layered Butter!

As the Holly Jolly season bears down upon us and 2021 comes to a close, the Layered Butter Podcast busts out the hot chocolate and the hot takes in this Christmas special. Raf, Rod & Jordan debate the merits of what even should be considered a Christmas movie, touching Holiday media moments we like revisit every year, and Christmas cinematic catastrophes we’d rather forget. Is Home Alone 2 the superior movie? Which version of the Grinch reigns supreme? Is The Lord of the Rings a Christmas movie? Why is Jingle All The Way a top tier Christmas film? Do we need an Arnold Schwarzenegger ASMR? In non-Christmas news we also discuss the top 10 most discussed Films of 2021 according to Twitter - a list that surprisingly includes our favourite Myke Myers voiced Green Ogre; We reflect on Bob Iger’s reign as Disney CEO coming to a close, and what the Iger years have ment for the big D; and we discuss Hollywoods Relationship with China- and vice-versa. We end the show with our recommendations for what to watch to close out 2021. So hang your stockings, put the yuletide log video on the television and prepare yourself for a cozy good time with the Layered Butter Podcast.

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The Top 10 most discussed films of 2021…Shrek is on it. 

Unrequited love, relentless & reckless abandon, the fragility of the human soul, a snapshot of Americana through the eyes of filmmaker, Paul Thomas Anderson. In this week’s special close-up episode of Layered Butter; Raf, Rod & Jordan explore the Californian peaks and valleys through the lens of celebrated filmmaker, Paul Thomas Anderson. On the cusp of the release of his 9th film of his revered filmography, Licorice Pizza; Layered Butter delves into the world of PTA; from his formalism to his melodrama, his fascination and obsession with seemingly impossible people and his nostalgic yearning for love, acceptance and understanding in an ever-changing world. From schemers and con artists to cult leaders and wanderers to dreamers and romantics; Paul Thomas Anderson weaves through dynamic ensemble features to intimate narratives are emotional, magnetizing and cathartic in execution, beauty and scale. What makes a PTA film distinctly a PTA film? Is it the kinetic, dizzing energy of the camera? Or is it the off-beat characters stumbling across the turn of a century? Does PTA excel at ensemble epics like his earlier work in Magnolia or Boogie Nights? Or do we prefer the intimacy of Phantom Thread or the Master? Of course, how can we forget every single performance in his films – from his muse Philip Seymour Hoffman to Daniel Day-Lewis’ towering Daniel Plainview. Whether or not you’re a fan, any PTA film is an event; a monument in American storytelling and an essential voice in original filmmaking. All this – and even our first reactions to the beginning of award season with the announcement of the Golden Globe & Critics Choice Award Nominations  and more in this week’s episode of Layered Butter.

What would life be like without having Tom Hanks compare it to a box of chocolates or knowing that Rose had enough space to save Jack from drowning or honestly, realizing that you can save humanity by sending deep sea oil drillers to space to blow up an asteroid?

 All of these are lessons taught to us by  films of the 90s – the decade of cinema that reinvigorated, influenced and changed the way movies and pop culture lived and breathed. 

In this week’s episode of the Layered Butter Podcast; the nostalgia kicks into overdrive as Raf, Rod and Jordan look back at one of the most iconic decades in cinema history. Are we turning into the boomers longing for the good days of cinema? 

More. More. More. More characters. More stories. More easter eggs. More worlds. How much is too much? In this week’s episode of the Layered Butter Podcast; Rod, Raf and Jordan ponder if the behemoth of shared / cinematic universes are finite or…can they just keep getting bigger and bigger? Joined by Christopher Antilope; teacher, marvel aficionado and overall pop-culture nerd, Layered Butter ventures deep into the black hole of these “universes” searching for the beginning and also, maybe…an end? What happened to the OG franchise? Stand alone films or series that proved successful enough to warrant a 2nd adventure?Listen in!

Masks on, picture’s up. Even in the midst of a global pandemic, the picture’s gotta roll. The billion dollar behemoth of the entertainment industry isn’t just going to stop. It’s just a virus, right? In this week’s episode of the Layered Butter Podcast, Raf, Rod and Jordan explore just how much the film world has changed…if it ever did?  Well, the trio call on Sareena Perera, film fan, aspiring writer and COVID-19 PA, to bring a little clarity to how sets are run during COVID; from distancing protocols to mandated testing to grouped departments and purifiers, there’s more to movie making than having that camera focused. Do crew and talent have to be mandated to be tested or vaccinated on set? What happens if there’s a breakthrough?  Also, a native American film shot entirely in the indigenous Blackfoot ancestral language, “Sooyi” premieres on tribal land as part of the Montana Film Festival; Filmmaker Asghar Farhadi stands up for his beliefs and his film, even if it means losing chance at Oscar gold – and, are subtitles part of the cinematic enjoyment or do they take away from the experience? We chat all things production during COVID-19 times and more in this episode. Oh, start your Rod tirade tallys. We got our first. Hot takes are back. No one & nothing is safe.

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Do you watch film/tv with Subtitles? Studies say it’s growing in popularity.

Well, well, well…hello again!! The Layered Butter podcast is back (finally!!) and we’ve missed you all. No twiddling fingers on this podcast, we’ve been watching and waiting for the right time to get back on the airwaves and we are excited to bring back the popcorn! Rod and Raf are back and we are happy to announce a new cast member to join our little duo…which is now, a trio! A familiar face (or voice, I guess) nonetheless, Layered Butter contributor and family; @jsloggett! It won’t just be Rod going on long winded rants or crazy hot takes or Raf just forgetting what to say, we now have a third voice that’ll keep things fresh (and to hold Raf and Rod back from destroying each other). Maybe no more Brendan Fraser shoutouts? Or even moreso…Our first episode back features the trio jumping back to the old stompin’ grounds. Like nothing ever changed. Less serious and more casual than ever, we chat the implications of the tragedy on the set of “Rust”,  Raf’s fascination for cults and so much more. That’s the way to do it, right? There’s never enough television and cinema out there, right? We’re back, extra layered.

A five…six...seven…eight! Hit the lights. Cue the jazz hands. Bring on the tap dancin’ shoes and your Sunday’s best. Save for the tears, the melodrama and the extravagance; They can’t hold a note to save their lives, but Rod and Raf will their own showstopping Dreamed a Dream / Don’t Cry for Me, Argentina. Joined by film fan and Youtuber, Sophia Phan, the trio embark on their own musical adventure through the soundscapes and the world of the Movie Musical. There’s something in the way these characters bring their worlds to life, in every single breath; the way the weave in and out of song, their inner monologues spilled on the screen for all the FEELS; their hopes, their dreams, their heartbreak and their longing. It’s the way their bodies move with every single slip, slide, dance, fight or choreography that invites us into a world, far more different than the films today. There must be more from the Disney Musicals, right? Rami Malek won an Oscar for one, right? (RIGHT?!) From the legendary Sound of Music and Grease 2 (yes, “2”) to the jukebox tunes of Moulin Rouge & Rocketman; These songs are here to save your life, and we can’t held but stan. Get ready to sing the blues and more in this week’s Layered Butter!

It's on, like  Donkey Kong! In this week's super-special episode, Rod and Raf are joined by their closest pals and hosts of Your Podcast is in Another Castle podcast, Diego and Jordan, as they traverse the mythical and uncharted lands of the revered, Video Game Movie. Aside from the obvious questions (why?) studios and audiences seem to be drawn to the relentless mythos of the video game film - the adaptation of a story or world that deemed successful in the medium of gaming, but can it survive as a film? I mean, Tomb Raider spawned a franchise and what the heck even is the 10+ Resident Evil movies? (Good for Milla Jovovich!!!) There's camp, there's cheese, there's also the absolute garbage. Again, maybe it's us being video game fans and our protectiveness of that IP, but there's hope for a good adaptation in the future right? RIGHT?! Oh, Tom Cruise gets hit with another setback in his Mission Impossible and Vin & his familia is going to Cannes (really). Tune in!

Do you remember going to your local Blockbuster (RIP) or library and picking out a movie to watch for the weekend? From VHS to DVDs to Blu-Rays...how amazing it was to pop in the DVD Menu to see a chapter select, special features and even commentary. Long gone are the days of the base movie sets; just to rewatch and own. Today...we have Criterion. The cinephile's (or film bro, don't @ us) haven for film school in a package. In this week's episode, Rod and Raf are joined by our very own Layered Butter Criterion expert, Alex Orr, as we venture deep into the world of physical media and the prestigious Criterion collection. What makes the criterion collection, the pinnacle of cinematic physical media? Is it just an extra price tag for a collector's item or is there more to the name and the brand? In addition, we "celebrate" the return of a beloved actress back on our screens and is more Robert Pattison a good thing? Listen up and tune in!

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Hot Take: It is perfectly justifiable to refund your movie ticket if you've missed the trailers for the film. At least, we'd like to think so! In this week's episode, Raf and Rod are joined by Layered Butter's very own in-house video editor, Lester Lubuguin to talk everything about an underrated part of the movie experience - the movie trailer. What are some of the most effective or perfectly cut trailers in recent memory? The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo? The Social Network? (Or any Fincher film, let's be honest) Mission Impossible: Fallout? It's sometimes about the timing of each cut, the shots they pull the audience in...it's all part of that trailer magic. We dive deep into the world of the trailer - what makes a great trailer? What makes an effective trailer? And moreso, what makes the most memorable trailer? Remember, it's those tag-lines, those emotional gut punches, that montage....all it takes is the tease..

Once upon a time…in a galaxy far, far away, George Lucas created a legacy that would span generations, pop culture and the face of cinema as we know it today. From the sprawling title cards narrating the beginning of the journey, to the blasting horns of John Williams’ overture to the sweeping lightsabers and the epic dogfights in space; Star Wars is a celebrated cinematic cultural icon that has influenced the world of pop culture and nerd culture as we know it today. In this week’s special episode, Rod & Raf tackle the galactic empire with honourably, the biggest Star Wars nerd they know, @John Stong. In celebration of May the Fourth (be with you), the trio traverse through the grandiose nature of the worlds’ of Star Wars – both literally and figuratively as they search for the impact of Lucas’ characters, world-building and moments in the world today. From deserts of Tatooine to the towering Cloud City in Bespin or even to Order 66 to the Ewok shaking his deceased companion to wake up…the moments that Star Wars has given to movie fans is insurmountable. But…are the prequels even necessary? Or what the hell happened to Rey and Finn? Punch it, Chewie. This episode is going lightspeed.

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The lights. The glamour. The looks. Hollywood's big night arrived.

We aren't all film wunderkinds of the new generation, but that shouldn't stop you. Your first film will be bad. It may be horrible, it may be absolutely unwatchable actually. But you made one and that's all that matters.

In this weeks episode Rod and Raf are joined by a friend of the pod and local activist and filmmaker, Natalie Torres. Back in the yonder days of their university careers; Raf and Natalie met in film school and Rod delves deep into their respective paths into filmmaking and approach to an aspiring "first film". Where do we start? How do you start? Is film school really worth it? As much as Raf and Natalie would like to say "just start shooting" - it wasn't that easy ten years ago. It's more of - "how deep do our pockets go?" or "do I know someone who can hold a boom? (or even can I get a boom?)". There's a stark reality of indie filmmaking - especially from the perspective of graduating from four years of film school. As always, Rod goes off on another producer revelation and is 450M too much for a ten episode season? Tune in!

Everything on the line, one moment to change it all. It ain't sports without that speech, that final shot or that celebration. That journey from rags to riches. The team that changed it all. In this episode, Rod & Raf go for a home run with a friend of the pod, Andrew Osmond. The Sports Genre is an essential piece of Western culture; the drama, the redemption, the journey. What makes the genre as successful as it is? Is it the Americana? Or the dramatization of an underdog championship run? We throw our hail Mary's in search for that go-ahead bucket. Also, we chat about a new kind of magical competition, a potential rewrite of a beloved series and our hope(s) for a new challenger in the Kaiju world. 

In film and television, the East is portrayed as a land of stereotype and trope; a detached perspective and portrayal of the identity and nuance of the Asian culture. Ever since Bong-Joon Ho’s Parasite, Lulu Wang’s The Farewell and more recently, Lee Issac Chung’s Minari; it becomes clear of the challenging dynamic of Asian representation and identity in cinema and the multi-faceted narratives artists develop and write. Why do the pre-conceived notions of ethnicity define the perspective and understanding of a character within a narrative? In this week’s episode, Raf and Rod are joined by a local Toronto filmmaker and a friend of the Pod, Oscar Lao. The three dive deep into their own relationships and perspectives of Asian identity and representation and how their own experiences have shaped their understanding of the films and narratives they chase today. In addition, Raf gets vindicated about his theory on Godzilla and Kong, gets blasted by Rod (1 word letterboxd reviews, right?) and we give our thoughts on the hottest Twitter trend – turned A24 Feature.