Can a conversation be riveting enough to be considered a set-piece? Because the "I drink your milkshake" and the churchy "I abandoned my child" scenes are all-timers (even parodied on SNL by Bill Hader).

The oil derrick fire absolutely is.

Hey! Congratulations! That is awesome.

I'm an outliner anyway.

So I'm usually editing one... scripting one... and outlining a few at any one point in time. My goal is three features a year at this stage, but I'm getting faster.

Multiple projects don't seem to be an issue.

Freaky sense of direction, to the point that even if I make wrong turns I just directionally feel my way back to the correct spot. If I drive anywhere once, I will recall the route, even years later.

"if Beethoven had been killed in a plane crash at the age of twenty-two, the history of music would have been very different. As would the history of aviation, of course" is a fuckin all-timer.

"Just when you thought it was safe to phone home"...

Dark MOFO!

And don't underestimate grants (at least in Australia). You get a 30k grant here and there, that keeps folk afloat.

Bridesmaids not in the Top 10 is a genuine surprise to me.

Man, that sucks, Dave. 😑

Fair. I've always seen Babe as so Australian given Szubanski, that I didn't even think of the English aspect (it's been years since I've seen it).

There're many set here that are very Australian, but not what you'd call Big Hollywood Films

- Bait
- Dangerous Animals
- Chopper
- Lion
- The Hunter

Babe
Predestination (shot in Australia though not necessarily set here)
Talk to Me
Wish You Were Here (was more indie in size though)
The Surfer (depends if the coast counts as inhospitable backdrop)

Staten Island reading this ...

That opening scene is a banger, have to admit.

We really do.

Talk to Me is superb.

Causeway Films consistently puts out great stuff. I would love to get a horror screenplay to them some day. They really put in the effort with script, acting, cinematography and just overall quality and look of their films (especially the horror sphere).

Visit a Christmas store and come away with headband antlers and delightfully hideous, oversized Christmas sweaters.

Ghosts on Netflix. Just delightful

Great story!