Published by Tim & Tay
Single Serving Cinema looks at one critical scene in a movie every other week. We explore how the scene is constructed, what the scene achieves, and what it can tell us about the movie as a whole. Hosted by Tim & Tay.
Listen on Apple PodcastsTim & Tay come back from summer break for a bite-sized bonus episode on Christopher Nolan's latest epic, The Odyssey . Follow: SSC on Instagram Tim on Letterboxd Tay on Letterboxd
The Godfather Part III follows an aging Michael Corleone as he tries to legitimize his criminal empire and find a successor, while grooming his nephew Vincent and getting entangled in a Vatican banking scandal. The Godfather Part III was released on December 25, 1990, and stars Al Pacino, Diane Keaton, Talia Shire, Andy García, and Sofia Coppola. It was directed by Francis Ford Coppola. Follow: SSC on Instagram Tim on Letterboxd Tay on Letterboxd
The Dark Knight Rises finds a retired Bruce Wayne forced back into the cape and cowl when Bane, a ruthless terrorist, sets his sights on destroying Gotham City. The Dark Knight Rises was released on July 20, 2012, and stars Christian Bale, Tom Hardy, and Anne Hathaway. It was directed by Christopher Nolan. Follow: SSC on Instagram Tim on Letterboxd Tay on Letterboxd
The Dark Knight pits Batman against the Joker, a criminal mastermind whose campaign of chaos threatens to tear Gotham City apart. Follow: SSC on Instagram Tim on Letterboxd Tay on Letterboxd
Batman Begins follows billionaire Bruce Wayne as he trains to become a masked vigilante and returns to Gotham City to wage war on crime as Batman. Batman Begins was released on June 15, 2005, and stars Christian Bale. It was directed by Christopher Nolan. Follow: SSC on Instagram Tim on Letterboxd Tay on Letterboxd
In this special annual episode, Tim and Tay highlight a few notable scenes from 2025. Not necessarily the best or our favourites, but certainly worth seeing! Follow: SSC on Instagram Tim on Letterboxd Tay on Letterboxd
Mission: Impossible follows IMF agent Ethan Hunt as he goes rogue to expose a mole within his own organization after being framed for the deaths of his entire team. Mission: Impossible was released on May 22, 1996, and stars Tom Cruise. It was directed by Brian De Palma. Follow: SSC on Instagram Tim on Letterboxd Tay on Letterboxd
Casino Royale follows a newly minted James Bond on his first mission as 007, tasked with defeating a terrorist financier in a high-stakes poker game in Montenegro. Casino Royale was released on November 17, 2006, and stars Daniel Craig, Eva Green, and Mads Mikkelsen. It was directed by Martin Campbell. Follow: SSC on Instagram Tim on Letterboxd Tay on Letterboxd
Sneakers is a 1992 comedy thriller about a reformed hacker who leads a team of security specialists that break into companies to expose their vulnerabilities. When two mysterious NSA agents recruit them to steal a powerful encryption-cracking device, the crew discovers the job is far more dangerous than it seemed. Sneakers was released on September 11, 1992, and stars Robert Redford, Ben Kingsley and Mary McDonnell. It was directed by Phil Alden Robinson. Follow: SSC on Instagram Tim on Letterboxd Tay on Letterboxd
In The Matrix , an unfulfilled computer hacker discovers that reality as he knows it is a simulated world created by machines, and that he may be destined to lead the resistance to free humanity from its digital prison. The Matrix was released on March 31, 1999, stars Keanu Reeves and was directed by the Wachowskis. Notes: Sam Altman on what "real" is Keanu reminisces about bullet time Taking the Red Pill: An Analysis of Don Davis’ Score for The Matrix by Christopher James Heckman Follow: SSC on Instagram Tim on Letterboxd Tay on Letterboxd
In Jamaica, a disgraced sprinter and his unlikely teammates form the island nation's first-ever bobsled team to compete at the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, defying skeptics and overcoming impossible odds. Cool Runnings was released on October 1, 1993, and stars Leon Robinson, Doug E. Doug, Rawle D. Lewis, Malik Yoba, and John Candy, and was directed by Jon Turteltaub. Follow: SSC on Instagram Tim on Letterboxd Tay on Letterboxd
In Munich , a secret Israeli squad is assigned to track down and assassinate the Palestinian terrorists believed responsible for the massacre of Israeli athletes at the 1972 Munich Olympics. Munich was released on December 23, 2005, and stars Eric Bana and was directed by Steven Spielberg. Follow: SSC on Instagram Tim on Letterboxd Tay on Letterboxd
Another season done! We wrap up in our usual fashion by comparing our rankings of the taglines from this year's movies. Follow: SSC on Instagram Tim on Letterboxd Tay on Letterboxd
In Inception , a skilled thief who steals corporate secrets through dream-sharing technology is offered a chance at redemption by performing the seemingly impossible task of planting an idea into a target's subconscious rather than extracting it. Inception was released on July 16, 2010, and stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Ken Watanabe, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Marion Cotillard, Elliot Page, Tom Hardy, Cillian Murphy, Tom Berenger, and Michael Caine, and was directed by Christopher Nolan. Links: Interview with Josh Safdie on Marty Supreme, ( The Big Picture) The Inception Sound EVERYWHERE NOW Recommendations: Tim: Paprika (Kon, 2006) Tay: Looper (Johnson, 2012) Follow: SSC on Instagram Tim on Letterboxd Tay on Letterboxd
In Die Hard , a New York cop must single-handedly battle a group of terrorists who have seized a Los Angeles skyscraper and taken hostages during a Christmas Eve party, including his estranged wife. Die Hard was released on July 15, 1988, and stars Bruce Willis, Alan Rickman, Bonnie Bedelia, and Reginald VelJohnson, and was directed by John McTiernan. Recommendations: Tim: Police Story (Chan, 1985) Tay: Behind Enemy Lines (Moore, 2001) Follow: SSC on Instagram Tim on Letterboxd Tay on Letterboxd
During Christmas break, a group of sorority sisters at Pi Kappa Sigma begin receiving disturbing obscene phone calls from an unknown stranger. As the festive season continues, the mysterious caller's threats escalate from harassment to deadly violence. Black Christmas was released on October 11, 1974, and stars Olivia Hussey, Keir Dullea, Margot Kidder, and John Saxon, and was directed by Bob Clark. Links: "Recreating New York with Stanley Kubrick" Treevenge The Fear Whistle and I'll Come To You Recommendations: Tim: A Christmas Story (Clark, 1984) Tay: Treevenge (Eisner, 2008) Kurt: " SCTV Staff Christmas Party " / A Ghost Story for Christmas Follow: SSC on Instagram Tim on Letterboxd Tay on Letterboxd
In Pan's Labyrinth , a young girl seeks her mythical royal heritage in a magical labyrinth during the Spanish Civil War. Starring Ivana Baquero, Sergi López and Doug Jones and directed by Guillermo del Toro, Pan's Labyrinth was released December 29, 2006. Links: Listers Recommendations: Tim: The Wizard of Oz (Fleming, 1939) Tay: Fantastic Planet (Laloux, 1973) Follow: SSC on Instagram Tim on Letterboxd Tay on Letterboxd
In The Shape of Water , a mute janitor working in a government laboratory forms a bond with a captive amphibious creature. Starring Sally Hawkins, Doug Jones and Michael Shannon and directed by Guillermo del Toro, The Shape of Water was released December 1, 2017. Recommendations: Tay — The Lure (Smoczynska, 2015) Tim — The Elephant Man (Lynch, 1980) Follow: SSC on Instagram Tim on Letterboxd Tay on Letterboxd
In Halloween , a masked killer returns to his quiet suburban hometown after escaping a mental institution and begins stalking a babysitter and her friends on Halloween night. Starring Jamie Lee Curtis and Donald Pleasence and directed by John Carpenter, Halloween was released October 25, 1978. Recommendations: Tim — The Hitcher (Harmon, 1986)— where to watch Tay — Halloween H20 (Minor, 1998)— where to watch Follow: SSC on Instagram Tim on Letterboxd Tay on Letterboxd
In The Shining , a family heads to an isolated hotel for the winter where a sinister presence influences the father into violence. The young son, gifted with psychic abilities, witnesses disturbing visions of the past and future. Starring Danny Lloyd, Jack Nicholson and Shelley Duvall and directed by Stanley Kubrick, The Shining was released May 23, 1980. Recommendations: Tim — Doctor Sleep (Flanagan, 2019)— where to watch Tay — El Orfanato (Bayona, 2007)— where to watch Follow: SSC on Instagram Tim on Letterboxd Tay on Letterboxd