Happy Dev Patel Season to all who celebrate! Mr. Patel's directing debut, MONKEY MAN, is in theaters now, but we decided to look back a few years at his great work in THE GREEN KNIGHT, adapted from the chivalric romance SIR GAWAIN AND THE GREEN KNIGHT by writer-director David Lowery (PETER PAN & WENDY). Filmmaker and VHS enthusiast Conor Holt joins Allan and Justin to talk King Arthur stories and much more! Hosted by Allan Traylor and Justin Remer. (Feel better, Tyler!) Produced by Justin Remer.  Recorded at the LAPL Octavia Lab. Opening music: "Optimism (Instrumental)" by Duck the Piano Wire  Closing music: "Rule of 3s (Solmenity Child)" by Elastic No-No Band

Happy Opening Day! And coincidentally, Tyler has selected a baseball classic for his birthday pick: Michael Lewis's MONEYBALL: THE ART OF WINNING AN UNFAIR GAME and the Oscar-nominated film adaptation co-written by Aaron Sorkin and directed by Bennett Miller. How did they turn those stats into a movie!?! Guest Michael Chin (Great Wave Goods) helps break down the differences between page and screen.  Hosted by Tyler Austin, Allan Traylor, and Justin Remer.  Produced by Justin Remer.  Recorded at Tyler's house on Tyler's couches.  Opening music: "Optimism (Instrumental)" by Duck the Piano Wire.  Closing music: "Rule of 3s (Solemnity Child)" by Elastic No-No Band.

How's the peepin', Tommy? Netflix's RIPLEY series is still more than a month away from dropping, but guest Emily VanKoughnett (Los Angeles Review of Books; LIT ANGELES) joins the BTTM crew to discuss Patricia Highsmith's classic murder story from 1955, THE TALENTED MR. RIPLEY, and the 1999 film adaptation from writer-director Anthony Minghella, starring Matt Damon, Jude Law, Gwyneth Paltrow... and the incomparable Philip Seymour Hoffman. TOMMY! (There's a little chat about 1960's PURPLE NOON too, but everybody didn't watch that one.) Hosted by Tyler Austin, Justin Remer, and Allan Traylor.  Produced by Justin Remer.  Recorded at the LAPL Octavia Lab.  Opening music: "Optimism (Instrumental)" by Duck the Piano Wire.  Closing Music: "Rule of 3s (Solemnity Child)" by Elastic No-No Band.

It's a sneak peek special! Skylight's own Elodie sits down with the incredible Tommy Orange (There, There) to talk about his new novel Wandering Stars (Feb. 27)...listen in for a reading of an excerpt, Tommy's thoughts on Native American representation and why he's hopeful for the future. To pre-order Wandering Stars: https://www.skylightbooks.com/book/9780593318256 Edited by Mick Kowaleski Music by Duck the Piano Wire

From The Beatles to Beyoncé! Author Eric Wolfson discusses his new book on the shifting identity of the concept album in rock, pop, and hip-hop music with bookseller (and, yes, friend) Justin Remer. The book breaks down 25 albums across five eras, and Eric and Justin get into many of them here. A great chat for veteran music nerds and new fans alike.  Produced by Justin Remer.  Recorded at LAPL Octavia Lab. Opening music: "Optimism (Instrumental)" by Duck the Piano Wire.  Closing music: "Rule of 3s (Solemnity Child)" by Elastic No-No Band.

I am serious. And don't call me Shirley.   Resident film buff Tyler Austin sits down with Will Harris, pop culture journalist, to discuss the interviews that comprise Surely You Can't Be Serious: The True Story of Airplane! Together, they discuss some of Will's favorite interviews and some truly great behind-the-scenes scoops from one of the greatest comedies of all time. ------------------------------------------------------------ Produced by Tyler Austin and Mick Kowaleski.   Music by Duck, the Piano Wire.

Happy New Year! BTTM is back for 2024 with a birthday pick from Allan: Clive Barker's NIGHTBREED, based on the horror novella CABAL by Barker himself! Tyler is the opposite of a gorehound, so he is really mad at Allan for making this pick. Our guest is the delightful -- and delighted -- Garon Cockrell (of the podcasts Never Not Funny and How to Survive with Danielle and Kristine). Hosted by Tyler Austin, Justin Remer, and Allan Traylor.  Produced by Justin Remer.  Recorded at the LAPL Octavia Lab.  Opening music: "Optimism (Instrumental)" by Duck the Piano Wire.  Closing music: "Rule of 3s (Solemnity Child)" by Elastic No-No Band.

You go after him, and you'll find his shadow - or his song - and you'll have to go home. There'll never be another: THIN MAN! Jen Johans (Watch With Jen podcast) joins the Better Than the Movie crew for a holiday classic (of sorts). It's the William Powell and Myrna Loy comic mystery that launched a 6-film series, THE THIN MAN, directed by W.S. Van Dyke, with a script by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett, based on the novel by the great Dashiell Hammett. This is Nick and Nora, and NO infinite playlist. Tyler, Allan, Justin, and Jen also discuss other offbeat yuletide tales that AREN'T freakin' DIE HARD. Produced by Allan Traylor and Justin Remer.  Recorded at the LAPL Octavia Lab.  Opening music: "Optimism (Instrumental)" by Duck the Piano Wire  Closing music: "Rule of 3s (Solemnity Child)" by Elastic No-No Band

Skylight royalty Rosecrans Baldwin joins Elodie to talk about his Los Angeles classic Everything Now. He talks about what makes L.A. a city-state, what makes it such a beautiful and conflicting place to be, and his three quintessential L.A. reads! (Spoilers below!) ---------------------------------------------------------------- Produced by Elodie Saint-Louis and Mick Kowaleski Opening music: "Optimism (Instrumental)" by Duck the Piano Wire Closing music:  "Rule of 3s (Solemnity Child)" by Elastic No-No Band Rosecrans's Three L.A. Reads: Mike Davis, Ecology of FearOctavia Butler, Parable of the SowerMyriam Gurba, Mean

Get ready for a serious discussion of a funny book! Kliph Nesteroff's OUTRAGEOUS is the author's third investigation into the world of comedy, following THE COMEDIANS and WE HAD A LITTLE REAL ESTATE PROBLEM. While pundits may posit that you can't joke about anything anymore, Nesteroff's history shows that comic entertainment has been the frequent target of outrage for the better part of two centuries. In this discussion with Tyler Austin, Nesteroff digs into the political influences that have guided American cultural and political rhetoric, and he repeats a few gleefully random showbiz anecdotes. Produced by Justin Remer  Opening music: "Optimism (Instrumental)" by Duck the Piano Wire Closing music:  "Rule of 3s (Solemnity Child)" by Elastic No-No Band

Hello listeners! On this episode Tyler talks to film and television critic Charles Bramesco about his book, "Colors of Film: The Story of Cinema in 50 Palettes"    Produced by Tyler Austin & Alena Saunders Opening music: "Optimism (Instrumental)" by Duck the Piano Wire Closing music: "Rule of 3s (Solemnity Child)" by Elastic No-No Band

A fairy tale romance or blatant child abuse? Today, the BTTM crew tackles another nonfiction film adaptation, Sofia Coppola's PRISCILLA, taken from the memoir ELVIS AND ME by Priscilla Beaulieu Presley and Sandra Harmon. Musician and educator Collin Jonkman helps assess the grandeur of Coppola's filmmaking, the quality of Presley's prose, and the toxicity of what could be described as a "May-February romance." Collin, Allan, Tyler, and Justin also discuss the pitfalls of music memoirs and biopics. Produced by Justin Remer and Allan Traylor. Opening music: "Optimism (Instrumental)" by Duck the Piano Wire  Closing music: "Rule of 3s (Solemnity Child)" by Elastic No-No Band

Time to investigate! It's the BTTM crew's first dissection of a nonfiction adaptation: the new Martin Scorsese film, KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON, which is based on the book by David Grann. Fellow bookseller David Kimbel joins the core trio of Justin Remer, Allan Traylor, and Tyler Austin in their analysis of these two related retellings of the bloody Reign of Terror which targeted the wealthy Osage Indian population of Oklahoma in the 1920s. Other essential works of true crime and nonfiction storytelling are also discussed.  Produced by Justin Remer and Allan Traylor.  Opening music: "Optimism (Instrumental)" by Duck the Piano Wire  Closing music: "Rule of 3s (Solemnity Child)" by Elastic No-No Band

Trick or treat! Allan Traylor, Tyler Austin, and Justin Remer take a spooky stroll down memory lane, exploring the world of the kiddie horror book series GOOSEBUMPS by R.L. Stine. Allan is the (relative) expert of the group, so he assigns titles for Tyler and Justin to read. He also springs a GOOSEBUMPS title trivia game on the other two. All three fellas watch the 2015 film and... they have some notes. This was recorded before the new Disney/Hulu series was released, but the BTTM crew talks about the classic '90s TV version, as well as other throwback shows like EERIE, INDIANA and ARE YOU AFRAID OF THE DARK? Let's get spooOOOOooooky!  Produced by Justin Remer.  Opening music: "Rumination: If I Should Die (Slowed / Instrumental)" by Duck the Piano Wire  Closing music: "Rule of 3s (Solemnity Child)" by Elastic No-No Band

Hello listeners! On this episode Tyler talks to James Park, food writer and author of the new cookbook "Chili Crisp: 50+ Recipes to Satisfy Your Spicy, Crunchy, Garlicky Cravings" about all things-- you guessed it-- chili crisp.    Produced by Tyler Austin & Alena Saunders Opening music: "Optimism (Instrumental)" by Duck the Piano Wire Closing music: "Rule of 3s (Solemnity Child)" by Elastic No-No Band

It's spooky season, and our LITTLE GREY CELLS are HAUNTED! Former Skylight booksellers Natalie Freeman and Allison Miriam Smith return to the store to join Allan, Tyler, and Justin for the Better Than the Movie crew's most rambunctious (and, let's admit it, CHAOTIC) episode yet.  This fulsome fivesome discuss Kenneth Branagh's third movie outing as detective Hercule Poirot, A HAUNTING IN VENICE, and its credited source material, HALLOWE'EN PARTY by Agatha Christie, which is a completely different story. It's a SPOILERS-HEAVY discussion, full of digressions and talking over each other. Lots of laughter and fun. Produced by Justin Remer and Mick Kowaleski.  Opening music: "Rumination: If I Should Die (Slowed / Instrumental)" by Duck the Piano Wire Closing music: "Rule of 3s (Solemnity Child)" by Elastic No-No Band

She's his number one fan. The hilarious and well-read Mark Rennie (TWO OLD QUEENS podcast) joins a reduced BTTM crew to discuss MISERY, the Stephen King novel and the Oscar-winning film from screenwriter William Goldman and director Rob Reiner. (And cinematographer Barry Sonnenfeld!!) With a new documentary about King adaptations out in theaters, KING ON SCREEN, the fellas also discuss some other King faves on page and screen. Produced by Justin Remer and Mick Kowaleski.  Opening music: "Optimism (Instrumental)" by Duck the Piano Wire Closing music: "Rule of 3s (Solemnity Child)" by Elastic No-No Band

Hello listeners! In this episode, Tyler chats with Elliott Kalan, co-host of wildly successful bad movie podcast The Flop House, Emmy Award winning head writer of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, and the creative force behind the comics MANIAC OF NEW YORK and MANIAC OF NEW YORK: THE BRONX IS BURNING.  Elliott discusses his earliest inspirations for Maniac Harry, a masked and immortal killer, whose murderous rampages become a semi-regular occurrence/nuisance to New Yorkers, his rules of satire and thoughts on storytelling as a vehicle for social messaging, plus why THE TAKING OF PELHAM 123 is his favorite film and a glorious portrait of '70s New York. Lastly, Elliott gives some insight into the ongoing writer's strike and how to support those most impacted by it.  Links to MANIAC OF NEW YORK and MANIAC OF NEW YORK: THE BRONX IS BURNING https://www.skylightbooks.com/book/9781949028713  https://www.skylightbooks.com/book/9781956731040 Link to the Entertainment Community Relief Fund:  https://entertainmentcommunity.org/ Produced by Tyler Austin, Mick Kowaleski, & Alena Saunders Opening music: "Optimism (Instrumental)" by Duck the Piano Wire Closing music: "Rule of 3s (Solemnity Child)" by Elastic No-No Band The Better Than the Movie guys will be at the American Cinematheque's FRIEND OF THE FEST! They'll be hosting a screening of Sally Potter's ORLANDO (1992) on Sunday, August 27th, at the Los Feliz 3. It's right next door to Skylight, come hang out and watch a movie with the BTTM gang!  Tickets found here: https://www.americancinematheque.com/now-showing/the-skylight-books-podcast-presents-orlando-8-27-23/

Calling all fans of The Boss! In this episode, Tyler Austin sits down with Warren Zanes, writer of Petty: The Biography, Dusty Springfield’s Dusty in Memphis (33 1/3), and, most recently, Deliver Me from Nowhere: The Making of Bruce Springsteen’s Nebraska.  Tyler and Warren talk about Bruce’s seminal album, the singular vision necessary to create its distinct sound, and the lead up to/aftermath of the release. Warren goes into detail about why most albums don’t deserve a full book, what it’s like spending the day at Springsteen’s house in New Jersey, and how Nebraska changed his life. So, hit that play button ‘cause tramps like us, baby, we were born to pod! Produced by Tyler Austin and Mick Kowaleski Music by Duck the Piano Wire

Just when you thought it was safe to download a podcast... The BTTM fellas are back to talk JAWS with film writer and podcaster Kristen Lopez (who discussed her book about 52 classic film adaptations BUT HAVE YOU READ THE BOOK? on a recent Skylit episode). Steven Spielberg's film has become an American classic, but what about Peter Benchley's original novel? It's got more sex, more mafia enforcers, and more small town economic hardship -- but is it better than the movie?   Produced by Justin Remer, Allan Traylor, and Mick Kowaleski Opening music: "Optimism (Instrumental)" by Duck the Piano Wire Closing music: "Rule of 3s (Solemnity Child)" by Elastic No-No Band