Episode 357

Author & Film Analyst Bryan Kristopowitz is Giving Direct-to-Video Movies the Red Carpet Treatment

On this week's episode of Excelsior Journeys: The Road to Creativity, host & producer George Sirois sits down with an old friend from the days of writing together on 411Mania.com: author / critic / film analyst Bryan Kristopowitz. A member of the deep roster of prolific writers on 411Mania since 2005, Bryan immediately set himself up as a champion for the ultimate cinematic underdogs: the B-movies. Those wonderful oddities that lined video store shelves since the 1980s. And most recently, Bryan has gravitated toward low budget direct-to-video action flicks, which are still being filmed and released to retail stores to this very day.

This year, Bryan took the ultimate plunge into the direct-to-video world by compiling his list of action movies he recommends to fellow cinephiles into his very own book: Not Coming to a Theater Near You: 50 Great Direct-to-Video Action Flicks of the Early 2000s.

Make sure you get your copy by clicking HERE.

And definitely check out 411Mania - one of the premiere indie pop culture websites out there - by clicking HERE.

Excelsior Journeys: The Road to Creativity exists primarily as a platform for creatives of all kinds (authors, filmmakers, stand-up comics, musicians, voice artists, painters, podcasters, etc) to share their journeys to personal success. It is very important to celebrate those voices as much as possible to not only provide encouragement to up-and-coming talent, but to say thank you to the established men & women for inspiring the current generation of artists.

If you agree that the Excelsior Journeys podcast serves a positive purpose and would like to show your appreciation, you can give back to the show by clicking HERE.

Excelsior Journeys: The Road to Creativity is now a proud member of the Podmatch Podcast Network, and you can access all shows in the network by clicking HERE.

About the Podcast

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Excelsior Journeys: The Road to Creativity
A Proud Member of the Podmatch Podcast Network

About your host

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George Sirois

George Sirois is the author of the international bestselling young adult / science-fiction novel "Excelsior," its two sequels, and the science-fiction / sports trilogy "From Parts Unknown." He served as President of the Missouri Writers Guild from 2017-2018, and is the host and producer of the podcasts Excelsior Journeys: The Road to Creativity and From Duck Till Dark: Outside the Marvel Studios. In 2023, George adapted his novel "Excelsior" into a feature-length audio drama, which was performed live on Clubhouse with a full cast of voice actors, a vast catalog of sound effects, and a stirring musical score.
George is also an audiobook narrator, lending his voice to over twenty books of all genres, and he is currently on the narrator rosters for Audio Sorceress and Encyclopocalypse Publications.
In 2025, George's short screenplay "Minus One Plus" won the award for Best SciFi Short at the 13th annual Austin Revolution Film Festival. The same year, Excelsior Journeys: The Road to Creativity joined the Podmatch Podcast Network.
A New Yorker since birth, George now lives in St. Louis, Missouri with his wife and daughter. For more information, please visit www.hesgotit.com.

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