Shot/Reverse Shot

Historians will no doubt mark May 17, 2015 as the day the sixties died, as it was on that day that AMC's Mad Men ended its stellar seven season run. Matt and Ed felt that they had to mark the passing of a great show by discussing its phenomenal writing, directing and acting, as well as its significance as a key text in the ongoing American television renaissance. They also find time to talk about their individual disappointment about Tomorrowland and Pitch Perfect 2, and their shared sadness over the end of David Letterman's tenure as a late night host.

This week, like a couple of Billy Pilgrims, Matt and Ed are looking backwards and forwards simultaneously as they talk about nostalgia, and how it has informed films like the marketing behind the recently released Mad Max: Fury Road and the forthcoming Jurassic Park and Vacation sequels. They discuss the unstable nature of nostalgia, which can bring fans onboard or completely alienate them if it isn't used correctly, how some films manage to subvert nostalgia in interesting ways, as well as the kinds of films that make them nostalgic. They also find time to talk about Cannes, the rumours that Marvel is looking to hire Ava DuVernay to direct one of their forthcoming films, and whether or not J.K. from Jamiroquai has connections to the U.S. Army.

In the fourth SRS Artist Profile, Matt and Ed look at the work of Ang Lee, a filmmaker who has worked in multiple genres, on multiple continents and in multiple languages over the course of his career, creating a body of work which is incredibly diverse yet distinctly his own. They discuss the reasons why his early films, which dealt with cross-generational conflict and Taiwanese identity in the West, made him the perfect choice to direct a Jane Austen adaptation, his ill-advised venture into broad comedy, and his endlessly fascinating take on The Incredible Hulk, which looks even more radical in such a superhero-addled age. They also find time to discuss one of nature's greatest sights: a wild Nick Nolte.

Spoiler Warning: This episode contains discussion of specific plot points in Avengers: Age of Ultron, but also of a crucial plot point in the Civil War comics which may be a spoiler for the forthcoming Civil War film (but then again may not). If you want to avoid the Civil War spoilers, then please skip this timecode: 31:30-33:00.