FILM 1592: WAR DOGS

TRIVIA: The real Efraim Diveroli declined to meet with Jonah Hill. Hill said "I'm used to it. If a person is aggressively against me playing them, it's probably a good sign."

The poster design is a parody of the iconic poster for Brian De Palma's crime epic Scarface (1983), which is much referenced throughout the film by the main characters.

The real David Packouz makes an appearance as the guitar player singing in the elders house at the beginning of the movie.

Jesse Eisenberg and Shia LaBeouf were previously in talks to star.

The beach sunset scene Efraim has adorning the wall of his office at AEY is yet another reference to Scarface. Frank Lopez had the same scene painted on the wall of his office.

First dramatic film for director Todd Phillips.

In 2016, Diveroli filed a lawsuit against Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc., director Todd Phillips, producer Bradley Cooper, and others, seeking to block release of the film. Diveroli's suit against Warner Bros. claimed that the basis for the film was taken from his self-published memoir Once A Gun Runner.

David receives a call from Mike Finkel from the New York Times about the fake bank statements and repackaging of AK ammunition. In the movie True Story, Jonah Hill plays Mike Finkel, whose identity was assumed by accused murderer Christian Longo.

FILM 1364: THE SPECTACULAR NOW

TRIVIA: Originally the scene where Sutter's father asks him to take care of the tab at the bar was supposed to end after Tommy walks away from the table. Sutter looking through his wallet, asking Amy if she has any money, and then the two of them trying to put together enough money to pay was all improvised by Miles Teller and Shailene Woodley. The director thought it was such a sad moment that he kept it in the movie.

According to the director, he was worried that Miles Teller and Shailene Woodley wouldn't get along after he saw them interact at a lunch he arranged. Teller (who was late to meeting because he had been in Las Vegas with friends the night before) was outgoing and energetic, while Woodley, though amused by Teller, was quiet and for the most part kept to herself unless she was spoken to. After the lunch was over and the director was driving away, he noticed Woodley and Teller talking in the parking lot, but decided to leave them alone - he later found out that the two of them spent two hours talking and getting to know each other in the parking lot. Teller and Woodley are now close friends.

The screenplay for this film was featured in the 2009 Blacklist; a list of the "most liked" unmade scripts of the year.

FILM 1307: WHIPLASH

TRIVIA: During the more intense practice scenes, the director wouldn't yell, "cut!" so that Miles Teller would keep drumming until he exhausted himself.

J.K. Simmons has played piano in the past and had to retake lessons for his role.

The director and writer of the film, Damien Chazelle, could not get funding for the movie, so he instead turned it into a short film and submitted it into the Sundance Film Festival in 2013. The short film ended up winning the Short Film Jury Award, and he got funding soon after.

Although Miles Teller has been drumming since he was 15 years old, he took additional lessons 4 hours a day, 3 days a week to prepare for the movie.

The film is one of the lowest grossing movies ever to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture.

The screenplay for this film was featured in the 2012 Blacklist; a list of the "most liked" unmade scripts of the year.

Metz is modeled after Pvt. Leonard aka "Gomer Pyle" from the war film, Full Metal Jacket.