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It's possible that the people who write the movies you love will stop working on May 2nd. Screenwriter John Gary joins us to explain how we got here, and what may happen next.

This week on the show, a special interview with Splice writer Noah Berlatsky about movies made by and about fascism where we consider The Eternal Jew, Casablanca, Dirty Harry and more. 

This week on the show we answer your screenwriting questions about how to make the Second Act easier to slog through [1:50 - 13:10] and what to do if your friends (and husband) make fun of you for taking time to write [13:10 - 23:30]. Then we mine Chef David Chang's article in Wired about "unleashing the world's most amazing flavors" for nuggets of wisdom for screenwriters [23:30 - 38:00].

The 2017 Oscars are this Sunday, and instead of complaining about the wrong movie winning, we're challenging ourselves to pick Best Actors, Actresses, Screenplays, Directors and Movies that didn't make the Academy Award cut. What didn't get nominated, but deserves to win? Let's find out.

Special guest Christopher Lockhart, story editor at WME, joins us to answer your screenwriting questions about your entitlement to have your script read [0:00 - 15:00], whether studio passion for IP extends to short stories [15:00 - 19:55], times Chris has passed on projects and regretted it [19:55 - 26:00], whether writing diversity into your script is a risk (hint: it isn’t) [26:00 - 31:50], and if it’s a good idea to write an adaptation for a book you don’t own the adaptation rights to [31:50 - 40:00].

We have some demands.

This week, award-winning filmmaker BenDavid Grabinski joins us to answer your screenwriting questions about writing for an international audience [0:00 - 8:25], what the heavy amount of biopics on the 2016 Black List means [8:25 - 18:00], and how to dance around the specter of Donald Trump at your pitch meetings [18:00 - 25:00].

This week on the show, we answer your screenwriting questions about Johnny Depp being overpaid [0:00 - 5:00], how much of a lunch meeting is spent on small talk vs the project [5:00 - 10:00], preparing for a pitch meeting [10:00 - 16:00], what a "set piece" is [16:00 - 23:00], and the best movie made from a bad script [23:00 - 33:00].

This week we welcome IndieWire’s senior film critic David Ehrlich to the show to discuss the best movies of 2016, the state of cinema, and his supercut celebrating both. Plus, we officially close the door on 2016 (2017 now starts on December 10th).

Westworld's season one finale is this Sunday, so we brought on expert fan conspiracy theorist and probably-real-human Joanna Robinson to hash out what we think may happen in the closing moments. We'll unwrap some mysteries and contemplate some character growth in a world where Anthony Hopkins' yogurt puppets are packing.

This Thanksgiving week, we answer your screenwriting questions about pushing through depression-based writer's block [0:00 - 11:15], reaching the decision to give up on your dream [11:15 - 22:30], the difference between different incarnation's of the hero's refusal [22:30 - 23:55], and the line between world-building and dumping too much detail on the page [23:55 - 31:00]. We close out by sharing some of the TV shows and movies you told us you were thankful for (as well as offering a few of our own) [31:00 - 36:00].

This week, we return from a long hiatus to deliver a massive conversation about conversations with Talk Easy Pod host Sam Fragoso, who reveals how he gets people like Don Cheadle and Zoe Kazan to get their guard down for an intimate, real conversation.

We talk about great conversational scenes in movies, something that may need a larger spotlight in an age dominated by plot-heavy, punching-fueled films.

Plus, an epic rant/rave, imploring all of us to stop sharing cultural spoiled milk.

What's the 80siest 80s movie? What can 2017 learn from the era of Jaws and Indiana Jones? We answer these questions and more with the hosts of the 80s All Over podcast, film geeks-on-high Drew McWeeny and Scott Weinberg. Grab some leg warmers and join us.

This week we answer your screenwriting questions about creative script fixes for budget problems (Hey, Deadpool!) [1:15 - 11:30], showing a character lying with your visuals [11:30 - 16:40], writing an action synopsis that isn't just a laundry list of action scenes [16:40 - 22:15], figuring out why Doctor Strange showed up on General Hospital [22:15 - 27:45], and then Geoff wants to bring up the new Willy Wonka movie for some reason [27:45 - 33:00].

This week we answer your screenwriting questions about what to do with your old "practice" scripts [0:00 - 9:55], what to do if you keep spoiling the tone of your serious movie with unfunny jokes [9:55 -  16:30], what it means for a producer to attach themselves to a project [16:30 - 20:30], when you should give up on becoming a professional writer [20:30 - 41:45], and what music we listen to while writing [41:45 - 44:00].

This week, the Onion AV Club's Nathan Rabin introduces us to "7 Days in Ohio: Trump, The Gathering of the Juggalos and the Summer Everything Went Insane" while exploring the nexus where the Republican presidential candidate, the world's most hated clown-make-up-wearing hip hop crew and blockbuster cinema collide.

This week on the show we hang out with literary manager Michael Botti of Industry Entertainment. We learn how he became a manager [0:00 - 7:45], and answer your screenwriting questions about expectations for meeting with a manager for the first time [7:45 - 17:55], if following up ever leads to a 'yes' [17:55 - 20:45], whether cold queries are worth the time [20:45 - 26:00], how UK-repped writers can get in on the LA action [26:00 - 26:45], how someone with a few script under their belt who doesn't live in LA can catch a manager's attention [26:45 - 34:05], if managers are looking for writing teams [34:05 - 35:15], if managers should be more regulated as an industry [35:15 - 43:00], what the distinction is between managers who produce and producers who manage [43:00 - 60:45], what a manager does to develop a writer [60:45 - 69:35] and whether it's pronounced "By-o-pic" or "Bio-dome" [69:35 - 70:30].

This week, we get to know writer/director Emily Carmichael (Pacific Rim 2, Stryka, Powerhouse) [0:00 - 4:35] who sticks around to read through some of your board game movie pitches [4:35 - 8:45], and answer your screenwriting questions about structuring your rewrite process [8:45 - 13:25], what ideas to scrap when you see similar concepts sold [13:25 - 16:55], whether you change writing styles for something you know you're not directing [16:55 - 17:45], getting into the industry later in life [17:45 - 23:25], our approach to creating characters [23:25 - 34:05], how much to care about crafting a theme [34:05 - 39:05], annoying genre tropes we're bored with [39:05 - 45:00], and how to pronounce "biopic" correctly [45:00 - 49:00]. Spoiler alert: no one knows that last one.  

Can movies and TV accurately portray politics and government? Are our politicians more Veep, Scandal or West Wing? What's the virtue of a proportional response?

We explore these questions while talking Mr. Smith, Air Force One, Milk, Ides of March and many more.