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PODCAST

Troy (D) Ramos

Troy David Ramos

Conversational movie analysis from a multidisciplinary artist perspective. I explore films through philosophical, artistic, and personal lenses - from indie gems to classic Hollywood, plus the occasional rant about the movie-going experience itself. Whether it"s unpacking the deeper meaning in Lost in Translation or explaining why Castaway"s ending hits different, these are authentic discussions for film lovers who think beyond the surface. New episodes every Saturday.

tv & film film reviews

All Episodes

00:07:45

Bugonia (2024) – No-Spoiler Review: Tension,...

Troy (D) Ramos ·

2025/11/26

Bugonia is a strange, tense, beautifully acted film. Emma Stone, Jesse Plemons, and a small cast create something that feels almost like a four-person stage play — intimate, uncomfortable, and gripping.This is a no-spoiler review, but I touch on the tension, the performances, and the one thing I’m not fully sold on: the ending.Yorgos Lanthimos builds mystery extremely well… but does the reveal land? I’m still thinking about it.If you’ve seen Bugonia, feel free to discuss it in the comments — I’ll

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00:11:12

Frankenstein (2025) — Creation, Loneliness, and a...

Troy (D) Ramos ·

2025/11/22

Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein (2025) surprised me with how emotional, lonely, and human it felt.This version leans into the philosophical side of Mary Shelley’s story — creation, consequence, and the deep sadness of a creature who never asked to exist.Oscar Isaac delivers a powerful performance, and early on I noticed a small but interesting parallel to another role he’s played before. It’s not the focus of the film or this review, but it adds an extra layer to the idea of a creator who doesn’t

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00:12:57

Eric Stoltz’s Dark Take on Back to the Future (And...

Troy (D) Ramos ·

2025/11/15

Was Eric Stoltz right about Back to the Future?Most fans know he was the original Marty McFly — fired six weeks into shooting and replaced with Michael J. Fox. But fewer people know the reason why: Stoltz saw the film as a tragedy.In this episode, I dig into the legend of that first table read, Crispin Glover’s criticism of the film’s message, early drafts of the script, the darker tone in Stoltz’s footage, and why both interpretations might actually be true.Back to the Future is still one of the

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00:11:10

Memento (2000) — Truth or Purpose?

Troy (D) Ramos ·

2025/11/08

Christopher Nolan’s Memento isn’t just a mystery told backwards — it’s a film about how far we’ll go to keep our lives meaningful, even if it means lying to ourselves.Leonard Shelby (Guy Pearce) can’t form new memories after his wife’s murder. He writes clues, tattoos his body, and hunts her killer — but when the truth finally appears, he rejects it.Memento asks a haunting question: would we rather know the truth, or keep a purpose that gives us a reason to live?This video looks at how Nolan’s

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00:14:52

Falling Down (1993) — When Losing Control Feels...

Troy (D) Ramos ·

2025/11/01

Why does Falling Down still hit so hard, more than 30 years later? In this video, I rewatch Joel Schumacher’s Falling Down (1993) — starring Michael Douglas, Robert Duvall, and Barbara Hershey — and explore the deeper connection between Defense and Prendergast. Both men feel abandoned by the world, but one chooses violence while the other finds meaning.This isn’t just a breakdown of the movie — it’s a reflection on alienation, modern frustration, and what happens when we lose control of our place in

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00:12:55

what i learned from watching “chungking express” for...

Troy (D) Ramos ·

2025/10/25

my first wong kar-wai film — chungking express (1994) — completely caught me off guard. shot fast, edited fast, but somehow timeless. it’s about heartbreak, loneliness, and love from two sides of the same city. one man can’t let go of a dream, the other finds someone who’s not ready to love him back.i talk about what makes this film so hypnotic: how wong kar-wai finds beauty in the in-between moments — a look, a song, a flickering light. and how chungking express captures hong kong in motion,

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00:06:28

"they live" | the fight for truth and perception

Troy (D) Ramos ·

2025/10/17

In John Carpenter’s They Live, truth hides behind illusion — literally.In this video, I break down the meaning of the now-legendary alley fight, why Frank refuses to “put on the glasses,” and how this struggle mirrors our own resistance to seeing what’s real.From its unforgettable “OBEY” imagery to Carpenter’s haunting blues score, They Live remains one of the boldest commentaries on media, control, and waking up.👁️ Watch, reflect, and tell me: what does this film say to you today?🎬 Directed by

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00:12:18

why paul thomas anderson’s “one battle after another”...

Troy (D) Ramos ·

2025/10/12

“One Battle After Another,” Paul Thomas Anderson’s new film, didn’t hit me the way Licorice Pizza or There Will Be Blood did.In this video, I talk about why — from the lack of character growth, to the heavy-handed political tone, to why I think that final scene with Tom Petty’s “American Girl” might actually be saying something deeper about America itself.Whether you loved it or hated it, let’s talk about what this movie is really doing beneath the surface.—Troy D Ramos🎬 more film essays:

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00:06:06

Is 1917's 'One Shot' Technique Brilliant or Misleading?

Troy (D) Ramos ·

2025/09/06

Sam Mendes' 1917 is visually stunning and emotionally powerful, but is the "one take" presentation honest filmmaking or clever trickery? After rewatching the film and diving into the making-of documentaries, I explore both sides of this debate.The film wasn't actually shot in one continuous take like Russian Ark or Victoria, but it was carefully crafted to feel that way. Quentin Tarantino has criticized this approach, arguing that if you're going for the one-take vibe, you

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00:12:01

How Movie Theaters Steal Your Time

Troy (D) Ramos ·

2025/08/31

I created my own double feature this week - Relay at AMC, then 40-Year-Old Virgin at Phoenix Theaters. What should have been 3 hours of movies became 4+ hours because I sat through over an hour of ads and previews combined. Thirty minutes before each film started.This isn't just about wasted time - it's about being asked to pay in time after you've already paid. You arrive when the showtime says, but the movie doesn't actually start for half an hour. In what other business can you

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00:16:14

Why Chinatown Hit Different After Learning These Details

Troy (D) Ramos ·

2025/08/31

I've seen Chinatown maybe four or five times, but this viewing hit completely different. Learning about the backstory - the real LA water wars, the screenplay collaboration between Robert Towne and Polanski, why they changed that ending, and what "Chinatown" actually means - changed how I experienced this 1974 noir masterpiece.This isn't just about corruption and water rights. It's about the tragedy of good intentions, and why sometimes doing "the right thing" makes

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11 results

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