Storybeater

Is Mary Poppins a protagonist? Is she a witch? Is she mean? Is she a Manic Pixie Dream Girl? Is she fighting the patriarchy and tearing down the Empire?

Anthony and Andrew look at the 1964 Mary Poppins movie and the character of the nanny with the brolly.

Plus, what we're reading and what we're writing!

Direct download: storybeater-ep72.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:49pm EDT

Storybeater unpacks the literary tropes and traditions surrounding the British folklore hero Robin Hood.

How has Robin Hood evolved? Why is archery a popular skill for heroes? What's the definitive trope of a Robin Hood story? Who is the best Merry Man, why are some Merry Men more iconic than others, and how gay is Will Scarlet? Anthony and Andrew discuss all these questions and more!

Plus, what we're reading and what we're writing!

Direct download: storybeater-ep71.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:41pm EDT

For this year's special Halloween episode, Anthony and Andrew discuss the tropes and conventions of the slasher genre, including the recently rebooted Halloween movie franchise. The conversation covers the sexual politics of slashers, the appeal of fear in storytelling, the post-modern deconstruction of the genre, and more!

Plus, what we're writing, and what we're reading!

Direct download: storybeater-ep70.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:26pm EDT

Anthony and Andrew discuss the new Netflix animated show The Dragon Prince and its tropes, characters, and prospects. They also talk about what they're writing, and discuss Spider-Man... and Thomas Mann.

Direct download: storybeater-ep69.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:07pm EDT

Anthony and Andrew discuss the blockbuster rom-com Crazy Rich Asians and how it compares to the tropes of the genre. They also talk about favourite rom-coms and how the genre has changed over time, and where the future of the rom-com might lie.

As always, Anthony and Andrew also talk about what they're writing and what they're reading!

Direct download: storybeater-ep68.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:09pm EDT

Anthony & Andrew discuss the new Marvel movie Ant-Man & The Wasp and the second season of Luke Cage on Netflix, and break down the tropes, the villains, the ways the stories use power, and much more. They also discuss whether it's time to stop talking about Marvel all the time! 

Plus, what they're writing, and what they're reading, including Yahtzee Croshaw's Jam, and Mackenzi Lee's A Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue.

Direct download: storybeater-ep67.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:07pm EDT

We're putting a team together. Andrew and Anthony discuss the story beats behind heist movies, with a focus on Ocean's 8 and the other movies in the Ocean's franchise, but also touching on heist movies as different as Topkapi and Lucky Logan.

Plus, what we're reading and what we're writing!

Direct download: storybeater-ep66.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:17pm EDT

Anthony and Andrew look at the big "season finale" of Marvel Studios' ten year cinematic universe project, Avengers: Infinity War. Does it work as a movie? Does Thanos work as a villain? And what might be next for the MCU? Plus, what we're writing, and what we're reading!

Direct download: storybeater-ep65.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:17am EDT

Anthony and Andrew break down what works and what doesn't about the new Lost In Space TV show. Is Parker Posey the Dr Smith we need right now? They also discuss space-based sci-fi, and talk about what they're reading and writing.

Direct download: storybeater-ep64.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:18pm EDT

The first season of Jessica Jones had a very clear story to tell about living with trauma, but did it leave anywhere for the second season to go? Anthony and Andrew dig in to the new storyline and ask all the big questions, like 'Can Jessica be happy?', 'What is Malcolm for?' and 'How famous is Trish meant to be anyway?'

Direct download: storybeater-ep63.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:50pm EDT

Anthony and Andrew share their thoughts on the ten nominees for best screenplay in this year's Academy Awards, including The Big Sick, The Shape of Water, Lady Bird, Call Me By Your Name, and Logan. Then they share their thoughts on the latest hit Marvel movie, Black Panther.

00:10:17 Academy Awards
01:17:47 Black Panther

Direct download: storybeater-ep62.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:47pm EDT

Anthony and Andrew offer their take on the writing and world-building of Star Wars: The Last Jedi, plus a look back at some of their favourite genre works of 2017 (and a couple of duds). 

Direct download: storybeater-ep61.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:29pm EDT

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