My Austin Film Festival coverage continues with writer and director Nick Arioli, who joined me remotely to discuss his film The Stalemate, featuring Manny Jacinto, Ben Foster, and Tony Hale.
I was particularly excited about the cast, especially Ben Foster, whom I’ve followed since his days on Flash Forward. However, what surprised me most about The Stalemate was how much it made me laugh.
One scene in particular, involving Manny Jacinto’s character attempting to escape on horseback, caught me completely off guard. The timing of the dialogue, camera movements, and deadpan delivery made it one of my favorite comedic moments in the film.
Arioli revealed that the sequence was filmed entirely in camera, requiring precise coordination between the actors, a stunt rider, and cinematographer Connor Murphy. After two attempts that didn’t quite capture the timing, the third take brought everything together.
“We nailed it, I called cut and the whole crew like cheered because we were like, I can’t believe we just did that in camera,” Arioli recalled.
We also discussed his filmmaking background, including his animated short Coin Operated and his childhood fascination with the American Film Institute’s list of the 100 greatest American movies. Arioli collected the films on VHS and credited those early viewing experiences with helping him understand cinema and filmmaking.
Then, our conversation took an unexpected turn.
After noticing my ThunderCats shirt, Arioli and I began discussing the animated series, its previous revival, and the possibility of bringing it to life as a live-action project. When I jokingly asked whether he would direct it, he responded, “By a hundred percent I am announcing here today.”
The conversation had wandered so far from The Stalemate that Arioli joked about his publicist leaving the room.
“My PR person literally just walked out of the room,” he said, laughing about how far off track we’d gone.
Before wrapping up, we returned to The Stalemate and its balance of comedy and more serious themes. Arioli described his appreciation for films that entertain audiences while leaving them with something to discuss afterward.
“My favorite movies always are sort of walk that line between art and entertainment,” he explained.
What began as a discussion about his feature directorial debut became a conversation about filmmaking, nostalgia, comedy, and ThunderCats.
Watch my conversation with Nick Arioli from the Austin Film Festival on The Buzz – BuzzWorthy Radio.
