MusicTV & FilmFilm HistoryExplicit

Sonic Cinema Podcast

Brian Skutle

Discussing movies and filmmaking with fans, critics and filmmakers. Whether it's modern movies or classics, the biggest hits or some of the worst movies of all-time, host Brian Skutle is passionate about looking at the breadth of movie history. You can read my written reviews and commentary on www.sonic-cinema.com.

Play

Open in

21 episodes
fortnightly
Avg 1 hr 29 min
English

Support the show

Goes straight to the publisher. podnod takes nothing.

Support

Episodes 21

Newest Oldest Longest

All20 Unplayed20 In progress0 Played0

Counted on this page — what you have heard stays on this device, so it is not something the list can be paged by.

S12 · E14
Tuesday · 1 hr 3 min
Looney Tunes and "Coyote vs. ACME"
My hope for the release of Dave Green's long-delayed "Coyote vs. ACME" was to have an episode discussing my history with the creations of Termite Terrace, and why I love them. Because I was able to watch the movie itself via screener, I was able to combine that with a review of the movie, also. (Spoilers for the movie, by the way.) Joining me is Joan Amenn from In Their Own League, as we share our love of Looney Tunes, and how Green's delightful new film plays into what makes Looney Tunes endure. I hope you enjoy! Read my thoughts on Marvin the Martian here. Read my thoughts on Coyote and Road Runner here. Read Joan's review of "Coyote vs. ACME" here.
S12 · E13
August 18 · 51 min
Discussing “La Jetée”
Sonic Cinema's deep dive into the realm of science fiction continues with this episode, and there isn't a better guest to continue it with. Last year was the first time both myself and my guest watched Chris Marker's cult classic science fiction short film, “La Jetée”, for respective podcasts. If you haven't seen it, but heard about it, it's because it provided inspiration to Terry Gilliam's 1995 thriller, "Twelve Monkeys". My guest is Ayesha Khan, the host of the Every Single Sci-Fi Film Ever* podcast. I hope you enjoy! Listen to Every Single Sci-Fi Film Ever*'s episode on “La Jetée” here. Listen to my discussion of "Twelve Monkeys" episode on NostalgiaCast here.
S12 · E12
July 27 · 1 hr 59 min
Movie Theatre Etiquette in the Modern Age
This is less a discussion about movies as it is a commentary on moviegoing in general. One of the most common complaints I've seen about why people don't go to movies nowadays is constant disruptions during movies. In all honesty, that was the case before COVID, but it's only accelerated in the age of streaming. Joining me in the discussion is film critic Austin Belzer, and we share stories of our times working in movie theatres, as well as some of our favorite moviewatching experiences, and some of our favorite movie theatres. I hope you enjoy! Oh, and we forgot to mention it, but STOP RECORDING THE SCREEN!!!
S12 · E11
July 13 · 1 hr 10 min
"Established Classics" - "Not to Be," "Gaslight" and "Beautiful"
We are taking a break from one series to return to another. It's been a few years, but my "Established Classics" series is back. For those who may not remember, this is a series where we look at movies from Hollywood's Golden Age- from the late '30s to 1960- and look at whether they hold up now, and why they do. Returning is actor Timothy J. Cox, and after we catch up with him, we begin discussing our next set of films. Here we look at Ernst Lubitsch's "To Be or Not to Be", George Cukor's "Gaslight" and Vincente Minnelli's "The Bad and the Beautiful". I hope you enjoy! Established Classics Series Episode 81 - "Kane," "Wrath" and "Casablanca" Episode 91 - "Mr. Smith," "Sunset" and "Angry Men" Episode 109 - "Baby," "Sierra Madre" and "Singin'" Episode 125 - "Travels," "Waterfront" and "Success"
S12 · E10
June 26 · 1 hr 32 min
Fascism in Cinema: Control Through Spectacle
As we've gone through this series, many of the topics have been more inspired by the larger atmosphere around the United States during Trump Administration II. This episode, however, had a very specific inspiration in the recent UFC cage fight on President Trump's birthday- and part of his celebrations for America's 250th anniversary. The idea of a UFC fight in front of the White House made me think of films that depict past, and futuristic, examples of state-sanctioned violent spectacle as a way of exerting control over its population. Joining me on the episode is Chris Scalzo of The First Run podcast as we look at Norman Jewison's "Rollerball", Ridley Scott's "Gladiator" and Gary Ross's "The Hunger Games". I hope you enjoy! You can read my blog outlining my thoughts after the 2024 election here. In July 2025, I wrote about my dive into conspiracy theories here. Fascism in Cinema Series Episode 162 - Resistance to Fascism in Cinema Episode 166 - Fascism in Cinema: Copaganda Episode 170 - Fascism in Cinema: Bad Faith Episode 175 - Fascism in Cinema: The Fourth Estate Episode 176 - Fascism in Cinema: Action Nationalism Episode 183 - Fascism in Cinema: Past Future Present
S12 · E9
May 26 · 2 hr 19 min
Fascism in Cinema: Into a World of Conspiracy
In the discussion of fascism and authoritarianism in cinema (and in real life), it's impossible to not discuss conspiracy theories. Over the past few years, conspiratorial ideas is almost hat in hand with the politics of the time. In our latest exploration of fascism in cinema, come down the rabbit hole with my guest, Ben Friedman of Ben Talks Film, and I as we look at how three films take their characters, and the audience, down the rabbit hole. Our films this episode are Oliver Stone's "JFK", Stanley Kubrick's "Eyes Wide Shut" and Ari Asher's "Eddington". I hope you enjoy, and don't get too lost! The end credits track is my composition, "Minimalist Suspense". You can read more of my thoughts regarding "Eyes Wide Shut" and its connections to Jeffrey Epstein here. You can read my blog outlining my thoughts after the 2024 election here. In July 2025, I wrote about my dive into conspiracy theories here. Fascism in Cinema Series Episode 162 - Resistance to Fascism in Cinema Episode 166 - Fascism in Cinema: Copaganda Episode 170 - Fascism in Cinema: Bad Faith Episode 175 - Fascism in Cinema: The Fourth Estate Episode 176 - Fascism in Cinema: Action Nationalism Episode 183 - Fascism in Cinema: Past Future Present
S12 · E8
May 15 · 45 min
Atlanta Film Festival 2026
Earlier this week, the 2026 Atlanta Film Festival wrapped up its 50th iteration with its virtual festival. What was great? What was noteworthy? What was the experience. All will be discussed in this episode, and for the topper, I present an interview with filmmaker Costa Karalis, who made one of my favorite films of the festival, "Frogtown". I hope you enjoy! My curtain raiser piece, along with all the reviews published during the festival, can be found here.
S12 · E7
April 27 · 3 hr 5 min
Fascism in Cinema: Past Future Present
As I started to look to 2026, I knew there was still more to cover in this series beyond what we hit upon in the five episodes last year in discussing authoritarianism in cinema. One of the richest genres doing that was science fiction which, coincidentally, is what led to my emphasis on the genre this year. With such a vast subject, there was only one choice to join me on this episode- the person who started this series with me, Jason from Binge Movies and The Slashers. This is probably the most obvious lineup we've had yet, but when you have movies like Fritz Lang's "Metropolis", John Carpenter's "They Live" and Paul Verhoeven's "Starship Troopers", you already have not just compelling films to watch, but a wealth of depth to cover. I hope you enjoy!
S12 · E6
March 27 · 14 min
Why Sci-Fi?
In this mini-episode of the podcast, I thought I'd talk briefly about my favorite genre of all-time- science fiction. My history with the genre, why my love has only deepened, and why it's being covered so heavily this year on Sonic Cinema. I hope you enjoy! The end piece is "Weightless Waltz in F," from my 2010 album, "Beyond the Infinite: A Musical Odyssey". Listen to me talk about some of the films mentioned: "2001: A Space Odyssey" "Strange Days" (on Female Gaze: The Film Club) "12 Monkeys" (on NostalgiaCast) "Dark City" "2050" "A.I. Artificial Intelligence"
S12 · E5
March 14 · 1 hr 52 min
Oscar Thoughts with Amanda Spears and Brian's Top 10 of 2025
It is that time of year again- the Oscars. This episode features the things you've come to expect over the years- a category by category breakdown with awards watcher Amanda Spears, followed by my 10 Best Films of the year. I hope you enjoy! My retrospective on 2025 can be read here. Read Brian's Thoughts on the 2025 Atlanta Film Critics Circle Winners here. Read Brian's Thoughts on the 2025 Southeastern Film Critics Association Winners here. Read Brian's Thoughts on the 2025 Georgia Film Critics Association Nominees and Winners here. I also joined the Piecing It Together podcast to discuss the best film scores of 2025 here.
S12 · E4
February 25 · 1 hr 34 min
Discussing "Network" at 50
A few months ago, we discussed three films about the press speaking truth to power. What happens when the powerful pervert media for profits? As it enters The Criterion Collection this week, Sidney Lumet's satirical look at television news- 1976's "Network"- feels like a documentary of the times we live in now. Joining me to discuss the legacy of this film is Jason from Binge Movies and The Slashers and Joan Amenn from In Their Own League. I hope you enjoy!
S12 · E3
February 13 · 55 min
Discussing "To Catch a Thief"
What could be more romantic than two Gen X white guys talking about Alfred Hitchcock's most romantic film before Valentine's Day? I'm sure plenty of things, but this is what you get from the Sonic Cinema Podcast this year. My frequent guest, Phil Fasso, returns for the third time in five months to discuss Cary Grant and Grace Kelly being two of the most drop-dead gorgeous people in movie history in Hitchcock's 1955 light and entertaining caper, "To Catch a Thief". I hope you enjoy!
S12 · E2
January 31 · 1 hr 52 min
Discussing Rachel McAdams
This is an episode my guest and I have discussed doing for a couple of years, and with the release of a new film with the subject of the episode, it made sense. The topic is Academy Award nominee Rachel McAdams, who has shown herself to be a versatile performer in a variety of films over the years. My guest is fellow critic and podcaster Morgan Roberts, the host of Female Gaze: The Film Club. We focus on the early part of McAdams's career in film with Nick Cassavetes's "The Notebook", Mark Waters's "Mean Girls", Wes Craven's "Red Eye" and Thomas Bezucha's "The Family Stone". I hope you enjoy!
S12 · E1
January 11 · 1 hr 23 min
Cinematic Rapture
Immediately after recording the first episode of 2026, I went into the editing, because honestly, it's one of my favorite year starter episodes to date. This episode was born out of the fact that my guest, Snarky Faith's Stuart Delony, has a book coming out, and it's subject is a satirical look at the theological idea of the Rapture that has taken ahold in some sects of Evangelical Christianity. It only made sense for us to discuss three cinematic depictions of the Rapture. Join us as we talk about faith, religious escapism, and 1972's "A Thief in the Night", 2000's "Left Behind", and 2013's "Revelation Road: The Beginning of the End". We do have some audio issues at times but it's worth listening for the discussion we have. I hope you enjoy! Check out Stuart's book, The Tribulation Survival Guide: How to Stay Alive When Everything Else is Dead, when it comes out on Tuesday, January 13, 2026. You can order it here.
S11 · E16
Dec 29, 2025 · 1 hr 59 min
Fascism in Cinema - Action Nationalism
We've looked at resistance to fascism. The police state. Faith peddlers. And journalists holding power accountable. The first few episodes in this series have looked at serious topics when dealing with encroaching authoritarianism. For the fifth and final episode of the series for 2025, it's time to have a little bit of fun. While cinematic propaganda has been around for pretty much the entirety of the medium's existence, when it comes to American propaganda, there was something about the politics of the 1980s that found its way into a lot of action cinema. Joining me is Phil Fasso, and here we discuss "Rambo: First Blood - Part II" and "Rambo III", "Invasion U.S.A." and "The Sum of All Fears". I hope you enjoy!
S11 · E15
Nov 22, 2025 · 2 hr 19 min
Fascism in Cinema: The Fourth Estate
When it comes to authoritarian regimes- or those aspiring to be- a free and independent press can be its worst enemy. Fake news, Lugenpresse. "Liberal bias." Those are just some of the ways they can be discredited by leaders with a fetish for dictatorships. In this episode in our "Fascism in Cinema" episode, listen as myself and the Editor in Chief at In Their Own League, Joan Amenn, discuss what a free press means, and why it matters now more than ever. We bring up more films than these, but our discussion focuses on Alan J. Pakula's "All the President's Men", George Clooney's "Good Night, and Good Luck", and Tom McCarthy's "Spotlight". I hope you enjoy!
S11 · E14
Oct 16, 2025 · 1 hr 59 min
Discussing The War of the Worlds
In part due to the unplanned hiatus during May and June, horror podcast episodes are not on the menu this year. But this episode is close, because H.G. Wells's is one of the most terrifying stories in the annals of science fiction. Much like we did a couple of years ago regarding Dracula, Phil Fasso and I look at Wells's classic through the perspective of some of its most famous iterations. We begin with Orson Welles's infamous radio play version, then go to Byron Haskins's 1953 film, Steven Spielberg's 2005 adaptation, and finally, this year's hideous adaptation. I hope you enjoy!
S11 · E13
Oct 2, 2025 · 1 hr 38 min
Discussing "Braveheart"
As you've probably noticed in the past few years, one of the things I've wanted to do is have some discussions on films from my formative years discovering films, and getting deeper into films, that mean a lot to me. This is one that was bound to be a tough one to get a guest for, but as you hear, this conversation ended up being a fascinating, all-encompassing one about every aspect of this film's discussion over the years. We are discussing Mel Gibson's Oscar-winning "Braveheart", which remains meaningful to me, in spite of its maker- and the film's- reputation. Joining me is Carlo from The Movie Loot podcast. I hope you enjoy!
S11 · E12
Sep 16, 2025 · 51 min
Kiera Faber Interview
In the latest episode of the Sonic Cinema Podcast, we continue a conversation that began this year at the 2025 Atlanta Film Festival. It's not often that we return to a filmmaker so quickly after meeting them, but the connection I had with filmmaker Kiera Faber was a meaningful one for both of us. I hope you enjoy this continuing meeting of minds with the filmmaker of the short film, "The Garden Sees Fire". You can hear our discussion at the Atlanta Film Festival here.
S11 · E11
Sep 4, 2025 · 20 min
DragonCon 2025
Because of the lack of the film festival element, it feels as though my annual DragonCon podcast gets shorter and shorter each year. But, it is tradition, and it's also a nice reprieve from the heavier episodes of the year. I hope you enjoy this year's episode!

Showing 1–20 of 21 episodes