cinematographer
Bradford Young
Arrival' is one of my favorite movies. I believe Bradford Young is one of the most unique DOPs of our time. Hearing him talk about his creative process is equally inspiring to me as watching his work.
psychologist
Adam Grant
More than anything, I'm fascinated by the complexity of human behavior—what drives us and why we do what we do. This guy dives deep with provoking ideas and insights that linger. If you're even remotely interested in understanding the psychology behind our actions and thought patterns, his podcast 'ReThinking' is what you need.
comedian
Jerrod Carmichael
Jerrod Carmichael is easily one of the most devastating storytellers I've seen and heard in a looooong time - and that's not hyperbole. EVERYTHING that comes out of his mouth feels brutally honest, painfully visceral, and at the same time awkwardly hilarious. Jerrod Carmichael lives in a world that has no comfort zone between happiness and pain.
interview
Ari Aster
vs. Joaquin Phoenix
Ari and Joaquin talk about their collaboration on 'Beau Is Afraid' and finding comfort in discomfort.
interview
Mahershala Ali vs. Ramy Youssef
Mahershala and Ramy like each other, and I like that they like each other.
lenses
Blackwing 7
I absolutely love the aesthetic of these lenses. Before the Tribe 7 Blackwings came out there were either vintage or modern lenses. There was barely anything in between. So it was a bit like in that band we all played in, where you could only find drummers that were either perfect technicians with no soul or virtuosic masterminds that constantly play in their own world, coming up with unexpected artifacts, making it impossible to follow them. The Tribe 7s do both, they are modern, well engineered, spherical Large Format lenses with a vintage
feel and a lot of soul.
tv series
The Bear
This show is a bit like confrontational therapy for people with claustrophobia. I know it's not very original to rave about The Bear, but it is what it is and it gets better every time. Can't wait for the next season.
interview
Ava DuVernay vs. Team Deakins
When I saw 'When They See Us' (I know it sounds funny) I was shook. It was incredibly gripping and it felt so different and contemporary. To me Ava DuVernay is one of the most relevant filmmakers of our time.
interview
Jonah Hill
The title pretty much says it all. Jonah Hill asked a diverse and interesting group of people the same set of questions. These rather personal conversations reveal just as much about his interview partners as they do about Jonah Hill himself.
filmmaker
Paul Thomas Anderson
Among many other stories, PTA talks about what inspired him to write 'Magnolia.' It's one of those moments where you realize how deeply personal even his most ambitious films really are. What a great conversation on Marc Maron's podcast WTF.
podcast
Persona
Persona is a documentary podcast about the mother of all fraudsters. It's fascinating to me how some people are able to create an entire parallel universe in which they do very bad things making themselves believe they do very good things.
dining
Bavel DTLA
Not sure who needs to know this, BUT can I just hype up a restaurant that doesn't need any hype? Should you ever come to the Arts District in Downtown LA, this is where you want to eat. My favorite restaurant in this city. Don't forget to make reservations.