Ben Johnson
@benjohnsonfilms.bsky.social
Writer/Director/occasional YouTuber
Migrating from Twitter in search of the filmmaking wisdom once found there.
Migrating from Twitter in search of the filmmaking wisdom once found there.
SKY CAPTAIN AND THE WORLD OF TOMORROW - a film done dirty. Made for $17M in B&W, the studio paid another $17M to colorize it. An overzealous producer inflated the budget numbers in an interview to $70M to look like a big shot. The result was the movie looked like a bomb rather than a modest success.
July 16, 2025 at 9:26 PM
It surprises me that DC (to my knowledge) hasn't ever rebooted Green Arrow into a street-level Daredevil-esque character instead of a billionaire superhero like Batman.
I feel like it would fit his character & Robin Hood motif better to have him be a normal guy vs the system.
I feel like it would fit his character & Robin Hood motif better to have him be a normal guy vs the system.
June 12, 2025 at 9:17 PM
It surprises me that DC (to my knowledge) hasn't ever rebooted Green Arrow into a street-level Daredevil-esque character instead of a billionaire superhero like Batman.
I feel like it would fit his character & Robin Hood motif better to have him be a normal guy vs the system.
I feel like it would fit his character & Robin Hood motif better to have him be a normal guy vs the system.
I desperately need Tom Hanks and Playtone to hop back on that In the Garden of Beasts movie they announced 5 years back.
May 14, 2025 at 2:34 PM
I desperately need Tom Hanks and Playtone to hop back on that In the Garden of Beasts movie they announced 5 years back.
Reposted by Ben Johnson
Hello Marvelites! I have a new job opening on my NYC team and I need someone with deep Marvel Comics (and overall) knowledge as well as video development/creation experience, among other skills. Apply here: www.disneycareers.com/en/job/new-y...
a cartoon character with the word attack written on it
ALT: a cartoon character with the word attack written on it
media.tenor.com
March 10, 2025 at 10:01 PM
Hello Marvelites! I have a new job opening on my NYC team and I need someone with deep Marvel Comics (and overall) knowledge as well as video development/creation experience, among other skills. Apply here: www.disneycareers.com/en/job/new-y...
I think Daredevil might have my favorite fight scenes of any show or movie. It dances perfectly on the line of Matt being a total badass while also showing him struggle/getting hurt in a level of vulnerability seldom seen in action movies.
March 5, 2025 at 4:16 AM
I think Daredevil might have my favorite fight scenes of any show or movie. It dances perfectly on the line of Matt being a total badass while also showing him struggle/getting hurt in a level of vulnerability seldom seen in action movies.
I've always found it funny that The Thing's love interest is blind so she doesn't see how ugly he is, as though she can't feel that he's made of rock.
February 4, 2025 at 3:13 PM
I've always found it funny that The Thing's love interest is blind so she doesn't see how ugly he is, as though she can't feel that he's made of rock.
Reposted by Ben Johnson
This is so goddamn funny
January 27, 2025 at 4:56 PM
This is so goddamn funny
Why are we still writing female leads whose only purpose in a movie is to be horny and throw herself at the main character? I thought we gave up this archetype in the 90s.
January 26, 2025 at 3:58 AM
Why are we still writing female leads whose only purpose in a movie is to be horny and throw herself at the main character? I thought we gave up this archetype in the 90s.
So happy (and pleasantly surprised) Nosferatu got a Best Cinematography nom. What a gorgeous movie.
January 23, 2025 at 2:26 PM
So happy (and pleasantly surprised) Nosferatu got a Best Cinematography nom. What a gorgeous movie.
Oh hell yeah! As a huge fan of fantasy I always want more big budget fantasy movies, and to have one that's based on a great book that moves away from the stereotypical Tolkien-ish setting has me STOKED.
AND THAT CAST 🤯
AND THAT CAST 🤯
#childrenofbloodandbone coming to IMAX and THEATERS!!!!!! 🥹🙌🏾🙌🏾
January 22, 2025 at 8:19 PM
Oh hell yeah! As a huge fan of fantasy I always want more big budget fantasy movies, and to have one that's based on a great book that moves away from the stereotypical Tolkien-ish setting has me STOKED.
AND THAT CAST 🤯
AND THAT CAST 🤯
Universal: We're rebooting all of the classic monster movies.
Robert Eggers: Hold my beer.
empireonline.com/movies/news/...?
Robert Eggers: Hold my beer.
empireonline.com/movies/news/...?
Robert Eggers Will Follow Nosferatu With 13th Century-Set Werwulf Movie
The filmmaker is swapping vampires for werewolves in his next feature film. Read more at Empire.
empireonline.com
January 22, 2025 at 7:33 PM
Universal: We're rebooting all of the classic monster movies.
Robert Eggers: Hold my beer.
empireonline.com/movies/news/...?
Robert Eggers: Hold my beer.
empireonline.com/movies/news/...?
Reposted by Ben Johnson
not Lynch's movie, I know, but god, what a sendoff
January 16, 2025 at 6:35 PM
not Lynch's movie, I know, but god, what a sendoff
I actually just watched this last week, it's quite good!
No Sudden Move is one of the few things I’ve done that I wish more people had seen.
I recommended the Soderbergh mini-series Full Circle to my co-worker, he couldn't believe he didn't know about it when he's been rewatching KIMI and NO SUDDEN MOVE. You're fuckin up, algorithm.
January 16, 2025 at 7:48 PM
I actually just watched this last week, it's quite good!
I feel like too many aspiring screenwriters (myself included) focus too much on film as their primary influence and the result is a bunch of cookie cutter copies of classic movies.
We asked Shane Black about his signature writing style. His superpower? Reading a book a week since age 7 --and channeling every voice into his own. #ScriptSky
January 14, 2025 at 4:54 PM
I feel like too many aspiring screenwriters (myself included) focus too much on film as their primary influence and the result is a bunch of cookie cutter copies of classic movies.
I really have no idea why they didn't make a Wreck-It Ralph game where you could play Fix-It Felix Jr., Sugar Rush, and Hero's Duty.
If you could turn ANY MOVIE into a video game, which one would you choose?
January 13, 2025 at 5:09 AM
I really have no idea why they didn't make a Wreck-It Ralph game where you could play Fix-It Felix Jr., Sugar Rush, and Hero's Duty.
So, Severance is every last bit as good as everyone said it is.
January 9, 2025 at 5:40 AM
So, Severance is every last bit as good as everyone said it is.
Child Batman? His name is Robin, dude.
just found the ticket stub for the first time i saw the movie that made me fall in love with movies…
#movielover #ticketstub #batman1989 #timburton
#movielover #ticketstub #batman1989 #timburton
January 5, 2025 at 9:10 PM
Child Batman? His name is Robin, dude.
Watching Harley Quinn and it honestly surprises me DC hasn't totally committed to turning Poison Ivy into a Punisher style anti-hero at this point.
I feel like people would up eat up a series based around an eco superhero taking down corporations killing the environment.
I feel like people would up eat up a series based around an eco superhero taking down corporations killing the environment.
January 2, 2025 at 8:08 PM
Watching Harley Quinn and it honestly surprises me DC hasn't totally committed to turning Poison Ivy into a Punisher style anti-hero at this point.
I feel like people would up eat up a series based around an eco superhero taking down corporations killing the environment.
I feel like people would up eat up a series based around an eco superhero taking down corporations killing the environment.
That time of year.
January 1, 2025 at 1:48 AM
That time of year.
If you're wondering how good Wicked is, when the credits rolled the 19 year old frat boy behind me declared "yo, chat, that was peak".
December 30, 2024 at 6:16 AM
If you're wondering how good Wicked is, when the credits rolled the 19 year old frat boy behind me declared "yo, chat, that was peak".
"Buff Dennis Nedry can't hurt you"
Buff Dennis Nedry:
Buff Dennis Nedry:
December 24, 2024 at 11:57 PM
"Buff Dennis Nedry can't hurt you"
Buff Dennis Nedry:
Buff Dennis Nedry:
Fun fact, Christopher Nolan was once considered to direct Troy. So this feels like a weird alternate universe sequel.
Thrilled to see what Nolan’s take on a mythical epic will be.
Thrilled to see what Nolan’s take on a mythical epic will be.
Christopher Nolan’s next film is an adaption of ‘THE ODYSSEY’
• Described as a mythic action epic that follows the tale of Odysseus & his 10-year journey home after the Trojan War
• Starring Tom Holland, Zendaya, Anne Hathaway, Matt Damon, Lupita Nyong’o and Robert Pattinson
• Described as a mythic action epic that follows the tale of Odysseus & his 10-year journey home after the Trojan War
• Starring Tom Holland, Zendaya, Anne Hathaway, Matt Damon, Lupita Nyong’o and Robert Pattinson
December 24, 2024 at 6:08 AM
Fun fact, Christopher Nolan was once considered to direct Troy. So this feels like a weird alternate universe sequel.
Thrilled to see what Nolan’s take on a mythical epic will be.
Thrilled to see what Nolan’s take on a mythical epic will be.
Does anyone know if they tweaked the audio for the Interstellar re-release? Because this time around I could hear all of the dialogue perfectly and followed the story/character dynamics so much easier than on first viewing in 2014.
December 14, 2024 at 4:42 AM
Does anyone know if they tweaked the audio for the Interstellar re-release? Because this time around I could hear all of the dialogue perfectly and followed the story/character dynamics so much easier than on first viewing in 2014.
RIP Film School Rejects. I learned a lot about filmmaking from those articles, they will ve sorely missed.
The website that sponsored our podcast, Junkfood Cinema, (and on which the original column was hosted) has folded. It was one of the last holdouts in the long, slow disintegration of the Blogosphere. Pouring one out for Film School Rejects and all the great writers who wrote there over the years.
December 11, 2024 at 1:05 AM
RIP Film School Rejects. I learned a lot about filmmaking from those articles, they will ve sorely missed.
Abbott Elementary continues to blow me away with how funny it is. @quintabrunson.bsky.social is a comedy god.
December 9, 2024 at 4:52 AM
Abbott Elementary continues to blow me away with how funny it is. @quintabrunson.bsky.social is a comedy god.