MovieMaker

In this episode of Actual Facts, we delve into the documentary “Join or Die,” which explores the critical importance of joining clubs and how this simple act can determine the fate of our society. Through the lens of legendary social scientist Robert Putnam, whose groundbreaking book and research "Bowling Alone" shed light on the decline of community connections, "Join or Die" offers profound insights into our democracy's current crisis.Rebecca and Pete Davis, a sister-brother filmmaking team dedicated to producing media that supports civic renewal, join us to discuss their film. "Join or Die" combines Putnam’s story with insights from the worlds of politics, economics, public health, and urban design. The documentary features perspectives from notable figures such as Hillary Clinton, Pete Buttigieg, Vivek Murthy, Raj Chetty, and Priya Parker. It also incorporates historic home videos and contemporary community profiles to highlight the essential role civic organizations play in maintaining a healthy democracy.Actual Facts is hosted by Eric SteuerTheme music by Yalls: https://www.dancasey.me/“Join or Die”: https://www.joinordiefilm.com/ MovieMaker Magazine: https://www.moviemaker.com/ 

Hit Man star Glen Powell and director Richard Linklater talk about co-writing their story of a quiet college professor who goes undercover to impersonate a hitman and catch people looking for hired killers. He ends up falling in love.We talk about Steely Dan, submitting to passion to become the person you want to be, thinking, overthinking, and sex scenes. You can read our print version of this interview here.

Vera Drew is the creator of The People's Joker, which evolved from an attempt to re-edit Todd Phillip's 2019 into its own completely original work of art — a very affectionate parody of Batman mythology and all the ideas it takes for granted. Combining comedy, animation, and Tim Burton and Joel Schumacher's flair for cartoonish drama, it's a punkish, dreamy dismantling and rebuilding of Gotham as we know it, made with verve and daring.We talk with Drew about making a microbudget masterpiece, dealing with some legal issues, and scoring a cameo by Robert Wuhl.

Some people think of virtual reality as an escape from actual reality. But helping you escape reality is the opposite of what Felix Lajeunesse and Paul Raphaël hope to do through their immersive virtual reality company, Felix & Paul Studios.The Emmy-winning Montreal-based studio takes audiences to places they might otherwise never go — to the International Space Station, inside the Oval Office, even back in time.You can watch Inside Felix & Paul Studios here.

Coss Marte created a prison-based workout program in solitary confinement, then turned it into a thriving business called Conbody that employs ex-inmates. Their recidivism rate is zero.Debra Granik, the brilliant Oscar-nominated director of films including Winter's Bone and Leave No Trace, tells the story in Conbody vs Everybody, premiering today at Sundance.

Documentary podcast Actual Facts is back on the MovieMaker feed to talk docs! Eric and Jason discuss "American Pain," a documentary that tells the story of twin brothers and bodybuilders Chris and Jeff George, who operated a franchise of pain clinics in Florida where they made millions of dollars handing out pills like candy. The film's director, Darren Foster, stops by to chat.Actual Facts is hosted by Eric Steuer and Jason BetrueMusic by Yalls: https://www.dancasey.me/"American Pain": https://www.americanpainfilm.com/

Cory Choy's Esme, My Love is a mother-daughter thriller, set in the wilds of upstate New York and powered by visual and auditory experimentation. Choy relied not just on his extensive experience as a sound designer (he runs NYC's Silver Sound) but also on his own life experiences, from recording music with his friends in his early teens to being a parent to listening to supernatural stories. Esme, My Love is now available on your favorite VOD platform.

Brian Helgeland has won an Oscar for the screenplay of L.A. Confidential and was nominated again for Mystic River. He wrote and directed films including Payback, A Knights Tale and 42. But the film he always wanted to make is Finestkind, inspired by his experience on a fishing boat off the coast of his Massachusetts hometown. It's now out on Paramount+.Photo by Maarten De Boer.

Filmmaker Sharon "Rocky" Roggio is a lesbian filmmaker who hopes to someday change her Christian pastor father's mind about homosexuality.Like many Christians, he believes that the Bible condemns it. But her new documentary, 1946: The Mistranslation That Shifted Culture, argues that mistranslations at a 1946 gathering led to widespread misunderstandings used to justify bigotry and violence.It's a scholarly, fascinating film, but also an achingly personal one. Roggio takes a love-your-enemies approach to trying to end the weaponization of the Bible against LGBTQ people — starting in her own family.