#106 - "Dune: Part Two" - How Denis Villeneuve Made Paul’s Rise to Power Feel Like That
In this episode, we break down Dune: Part Two and how Denis Villeneuve masterfully crafted Paul Atreides’ rise to power. We explore the psychological depth that make his journey so compelling. From the intense performances to the jaw-dropping visuals and layered storytelling, we analyze how this sequel elevates the saga into something truly epic. Whether you're a fan of the book or just discovering Arrakis through the films, this conversation dives deep into what makes Dune: Part Two a cinematic triumph.Chapters:00:00:00 Intro Convo00:01:34 How Denis Villeneuve builds Paul into a powerful character00:06:19 What makes Paul's speech such a compelling step into power00:12:37 Scene breakdown: Paul's speech Part 100:18:01 In defense of Zendaya 00:24:35 Scene Breakdown: Paul's speech Part 200:32:28 Was Paul always playing the Fremen?00:39:16 How Denis builds power through status changes00:41:57 Breaking down the Paul vs Feyd fight00:48:32 Only one other person could've pulled off Feyd Rautha00:49:58 The small details Denis adds into the movie for depth00:52:10 Touching on how good the books are00:56:45 Scene breakdown: The Sandworm Scene01:09:58 Our rating01:17:02 Final thoughts01:18:58 Cue the music
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1:22:12
#105 - "The Big Lebowski" - How a Character Became a Way of Life
In this episode, we break down The Big Lebowski and what makes it such a cult classic. We dive into the Coen Brothers’ unique storytelling style, analyze The Dude as a character, and explore the film’s deeper themes about identity, chaos, and the absurdity of life. We also talk about the movie’s unforgettable dialogue, bizarre yet brilliant plot, and how it became one of the most quotable comedies of all time. Whether you're a die-hard fan or new to the film, this episode gives you a fresh perspective on The Big Lebowski.Chapters:00:00:00 Why The Dude has become a philosophy and way of life00:07:59 Roger Deakin’s working on this is hilarious00:09:37 How The Big Lebowski is secretly a noir movie00:13:31 Surprising and funny deep meaning inside the movie00:17:07 Diving into Walter’s character00:22:14 Touching on Donny's character00:24:59 The complex story The Dude gets thrown into00:26:49 How the opening shot reveals who The Dude is00:33:14 Brandt and The Big Lebowski's character explanation00:35:43 The Dude is the most comfortable around strangers00:37:33 The Big Lebowski just an Alice in Wonderland story?00:42:54 Fun facts about the movie00:50:58 Our official rating00:54:27 Final thoughts: Sam Elliott praise00:59:34 Cue the music
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1:00:43
#104 - "Goodfellas" - How Scorsese Perfectly Portrays the Mafia Lifestyle
In this episode, we dive into Goodfellas and why it's one of the greatest gangster films ever made. We break down Scorsese's directing style, the character arcs of Henry Hill, Jimmy, and Tommy, and how the movie perfectly captures the rise and fall of a life in organized crime. We also analyze key scenes, iconic moments, and the film’s unique editing and narration style that revolutionized the genre. This is our full deep-dive into the chaos, charm, and consequences of Goodfellas.Chapters:00:00:00 Intro Convo00:05:11 How Scorsese draws you into the luxury life of a wise guy00:10:19 Joe Pesci crushes the maniac character00:12:13 Cool insights from the infamous oner00:19:43 How Scorsese makes key moments feel very important00:35:14 Diving into Henry's character00:40:06 Diving into Tommy's character00:43:53 Why normal family life is always shown in a bad light00:50:26 A couple real life events they excluded from the movie00:51:18 The deeper layer of Henry beating up Karen's neighbor00:52:37 Why Henry falls in love with Karen00:53:55 Good to see the same ole mafia actors in every gangster movie00:55:47 More examples of Scorsese showing what the mob life feels like00:57:50 Praising Momma Scorsese01:00:21 Was Henry a good person at heart?01:03:08 Fun fact: Scorsese brought a real prosecutor in to act01:04:28 Karen and Henry's major flaw01:06:46 Our official rating01:11:05 Final thoughts01:14:14 Cue the music
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1:15:23
#103 - "Knives Out" - Breaking Down Rian Johnson's Genius Twist of a "Whodunnit"
In this episode, we break down Knives Out and why it’s one of the smartest mystery movies in recent years. We dig into how Rian Johnson brilliantly subverts the classic whodunnit formula, hides the plot twist in plain sight, and uses structure to shift audience expectations. We also highlight the layers in the writing, the standout performances, and how Johnson’s script turns a familiar genre on its head without ever losing its suspense or charm.Chapters:00:00:00 Intro Convo: Why this movie is so good00:14:26 "It's what you do with the truth" is key to this story00:17:13 Perfectly depicting the family as bad people but real00:22:50 The opening scene is writing masterclass00:25:43 Rian Johnson's biggest change right before filming00:26:59 Back to: Why the opening scene is perfect00:30:46 Stories of why the characters were perfectly cast00:34:24 Returning to why the opening scene is perfect again00:38:27 What is was like on set filming with big stars for Rian Johnson00:39:34 What makes the script so phenomenal00:42:06 Benoit Blanc piano key explained00:44:46 What makes Benoit Blanc such a great character00:47:00 Chris Evans going back to his acting roots00:48:08 The beautiful details in this movie00:52:35 The theme of playing games00:55:40 How they made this movie look so beautiful00:58:18 Our official rating of Knives Out01:04:36 Final thoughts01:05:41 Cue the music
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1:06:50
#102 - "There Will Be Blood" - One of the Greatest Written /Performed Evil Characters of All Time
In this episode, we dive into There Will Be Blood and break down what makes it one of the greatest character studies in cinema. We analyze Daniel Plainview’s dark journey, the intense themes of ambition, greed, and isolation, and the masterful performances that drive the story. We also break down key scenes, the intentional camera work, and the eerie score that perfectly matches the film’s atmosphere. Plus, we explore how Paul Thomas Anderson’s storytelling makes this movie unforgettable.Chapters:00:00:00 Diving into the dark & complex character of Daniel00:08:23 Why Daniel abandon's HW00:11:32 Daniel's constant bold face lies00:14:39 The power in the moment Daniel finds out his brother's lie00:17:37 Why the opening scene is a perfect scene00:22:23 When Daniel's darkest belief is revealed00:33:15 Daniels false image of being a family man00:38:02 Another example of Daniel wanting to crush others00:41:28 Scene breakdowns where Daniel vs Eli is perfectly depicted00:47:32 Daniel Day-Lewis's method acting had to be uncomfortable on set00:49:07 This movie originally wasn't supposed to have twin brothers00:51:11 Daniel was the first one to baptize Eli00:57:13 The symbolism of Daniel going to hell when he's at his worst00:58:29 Daniel Day-Lewis absolutely owned this character01:03:00 The horror music in the opening and the score01:03:54 Why the ending is perfect for this story01:07:56 Our official ratings & review01:14:36 Talking the absurdity of the Oscar's & Sinner's praise01:18:04 Final thoughts: Our best Daniel impression01:23:09 Cue the music
Just dudes that make movies, breaking down movies, live on a podcast. If you enjoy great movies, sh*t-talk, and film breakdowns you've come to the right place.
The CRWN Cinema Podcast is a movie analysis podcast hosted by Kade Harvey and Gray Pittman with guest stars Mercedes Harvey and Scott Jordan. They watch & discuss classic movies to talk about the film techniques used, give interesting insights, and just have a cinematic hang.
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