Category: Podcast

Aug 01 2019

Episode 135 – Chicago

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ChicagoBill Condon writes the screenplay for this Best Picture winning musical, Chicago! In this debut film for director Rob Marshall, he finds a way to make a musical work for a modern film audience. It doesn’t hurt that Catherine Zeta Jones, Renee Zellweger, and Richard Gere (also John C. Reilly and Queen Latifah) kill their respective roles. We have a new guest as Alexis Callen joins us to talk about the film! She has great insights! Enjoy!

Up next, another Oscar winner, Amadeus!

Chicago (2002)
Chicago poster Rating: 7.2/10 (251,491 votes)
Director: Rob Marshall
Writer: Bill Condon, Bob Fosse, Fred Ebb
Stars: Renée Zellweger, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Richard Gere
Runtime: 113 min
Rated: PG-13
Genre: Comedy, Crime, Musical
Released: 24 Jan 2003
Plot: Two death-row murderesses develop a fierce rivalry while competing for publicity, celebrity, and a sleazy lawyer's attention.

Jul 15 2019

Episode 134 – Gods and Monsters

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Gods and MonstersAlison Anderson, our resident Frankenstein guest, joins us for Gods and Monsters, a film about James Whale, director of Frankenstein and Bride of Frankenstein. The movie features an early star making turn by Brandan Fraser as well as a great pre-Lord of the Rings performance by Sir Ian McKellon. It serves as a fine finish to our trip through the Frankenstein catalog that began way back with Young Frankenstein.

Up next, we will follow director Bill Condon as he provides the screenplay to Chicago!

Gods and Monsters (1998)
Gods and Monsters poster Rating: 7.3/10 (33,632 votes)
Director: Bill Condon
Writer: Christopher Bram, Bill Condon
Stars: Ian McKellen, Brendan Fraser, Lynn Redgrave
Runtime: 105 min
Rated: R
Genre: Biography, Drama
Released: 04 Nov 1998
Plot: The last days of Frankenstein (1931) director James Whale are explored.

 

Jul 12 2019

Episode 133 – Bride of Frankenstein

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The Bride of FrankensteinOur latest episode continues our exploration of Frankenstein with Bride of Frankenstein. Alison Anderson joins us to watch the sequel to James Whale’s Frankenstein with this film, that may actually be better. James Whale directs the sequel to his classic monster movie and Boris Karloff returns as the monster. Elsa Lanchester plays one of the most recognized women in the history of film and she’s on screen for something like five minutes! Go Elsa!

Next up, we are going to finish our Frankenstein series with Gods and Monsters!

Bride of Frankenstein (1935)
Bride of Frankenstein poster Rating: 7.8/10 (56,692 votes)
Director: James Whale
Writer: Mary Shelley, William Hurlbut, John L. Balderston
Stars: Boris Karloff, Elsa Lanchester, Colin Clive
Runtime: 75 min
Rated: Approved
Genre: Drama, Horror, Sci-Fi
Released: 06 May 1935
Plot: Mary Shelley reveals the main characters of her novel survived: Baron Henry Frankenstein, goaded by an even madder scientist, builds his monster a mate.

Jun 01 2019

Episode 132 – Arsenic and Old Lace

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Arsenic and Old LaceFor this episode, we sort of followed Boris Karloff to a classic screwball comedy directed by Frank Capra. Arsenic and Old Lace was based on a stage play that featured Boris Karloff. He’s not in the movie, though. We’ll explain why. Alex Wick joins us to see if this 1941 comedy is still funny to a 19-year-old.  For the most part, it still is!

Up next, we are going to be watching Bride of Frankenstein!

Arsenic and Old Lace (1944)
Arsenic and Old Lace poster Rating: 7.9/10 (77,355 votes)
Director: Frank Capra
Writer: Julius J. Epstein, Joseph Kesselring
Stars: Cary Grant, Priscilla Lane, Raymond Massey
Runtime: 118 min
Rated: Approved
Genre: Comedy, Crime, Thriller
Released: 21 Sep 1944
Plot: Mortimer Brewster, a Brooklyn writer of books on the futility of marriage, risks his reputation after he decides to tie the knot. Things grow complicated when he learns that his beloved maiden aunts Abby and Martha are serial murd...

 

May 21 2019

Episode 131 – Frankenstein

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FrankensteinWell after promising to get to this film for a few months, we finally managed to watch the 1931 Frankenstein! Adapted from Mary Shelly’s book, this movie basically defines what Frankenstein’s Monster will look like for the rest of film history. Boris Karloff has the star making role in this James Whale directed classic. Alison Anderson joins us after having watched Young Frankenstein so she can finally get where a whole bunch of the jokes came from!

Next up, we are going to follow Boris Karloff (sort of) to  Arsenic and Old Lace!

Frankenstein (1931)
Frankenstein poster Rating: 7.7/10 (84,925 votes)
Director: James Whale
Writer: John L. Balderston, Mary Shelley, Peggy Webling
Stars: Colin Clive, Mae Clarke, Boris Karloff
Runtime: 70 min
Rated: Approved
Genre: Drama, Horror, Sci-Fi
Released: 21 Nov 1931
Plot: Dr Henry Frankenstein is obsessed with assembling a living being from parts of several exhumed corpses.

Apr 15 2019

Episode 130 – Spider Man: Into the Spider-Verse

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Into the Spider-VerseWe decided we needed to watch the 2019 Oscar Winner for Best Animated Film, Spider-Man Into the Spider-Verse! Melissa had not yet seen it so Patricia Wick returns as our expert to talk about the film that may have just been the best film of 2019, period. While not officially a part of the MCU, Spider-Verse fits extremely well in that universe and, in some ways, even tops it.

Next up, we swear we are actually going to watch Frankenstein!

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse poster Rating: 8.4/10 (754,444 votes)
Director: Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, Rodney Rothman
Writer: Phil Lord, Rodney Rothman
Stars: Shameik Moore, Jake Johnson, Hailee Steinfeld
Runtime: 117 min
Rated: PG
Genre: Animation, Action, Adventure
Released: 14 Dec 2018
Plot: Teen Miles Morales becomes the Spider-Man of his universe and must join with five spider-powered individuals from other dimensions to stop a threat for all realities.

 

Apr 01 2019

Episode 129 – Green Book

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Green BookAs has been our annual tradition, we are taking a look at this year’s Oscar winner for Best Picture! For this episode, Melissa and Tim had both not yet seen the film. That means Patricia Wick joins us as our expert as we watch Green Book. This movie has some issues. It isn’t horrible but it definitely has some…problems. So as much as three white people can, we try to unpack this movie about racism that might just have some problems because it may be a little bit racist.

Next up, we’re going to watch another Oscar winner for 2019 – the Best Animated Film of the Year – Spider Man: Into the Spider-Verse!

Green Book (2018)
Green Book poster Rating: 8.2/10 (656,245 votes)
Director: Peter Farrelly
Writer: Nick Vallelonga, Brian Hayes Currie, Peter Farrelly
Stars: Viggo Mortensen, Mahershala Ali, Linda Cardellini
Runtime: 130 min
Rated: PG-13
Genre: Biography, Comedy, Drama
Released: 16 Nov 2018
Plot: A working-class Italian-American bouncer becomes the driver for an African-American classical pianist on a tour of venues through the 1960s American South.

Mar 15 2019

Episode 128 – Mad Max: Fury Road

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Mad Max: Fury RoadFor the second time, we are watching a Max Max movie! This time it’s Mad Max: Fury Road. In what is essentially one super long car chase, we get to watch Charlize Theron be a bad ass and a blind guy play a flame throwing guitar. It’s pretty great. Alee Baker joins us as a first time viewer of this explosive action film that may not have re-defined the action genre but sure as hell pushed the limits of it.

Next up, we said we’d be watching Frankenstein but that’s a lie! Instead, we are going to watch the 2018 Oscar winner for Best Picture: Green Book!

Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)
Mad Max: Fury Road poster Rating: 8.1/10 (1,183,848 votes)
Director: George Miller
Writer: George Miller, Brendan McCarthy, Nick Lathouris
Stars: Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron, Nicholas Hoult
Runtime: 120 min
Rated: R
Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Released: 15 May 2015
Plot: In a post-apocalyptic wasteland, a woman rebels against a tyrannical ruler in search for her homeland with the aid of a group of female prisoners, a psychotic worshipper and a drifter named Max.

 

Mar 04 2019

Episode 127 – The Great Race

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The Great RaceWe followed Peter Paul from The Princess Bride to this farce by Blake Edwards. The Great Race stars Falk, Natalie Wood, Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon, and Keenan Wynn as they race across the world. Along the way, they get into a bar fight, escape a polar bear, and meet up with another version of Jack Lemmon! Our newbie for this film is…Melissa! Hard to believe there are any films she hasn’t seen but this was one of them. Join us for the silliness!

Up next, we are going to take another road trip with Mad Max: Fury Road!

The Great Race (1965)
The Great Race poster Rating: 7.2/10 (20,762 votes)
Director: Blake Edwards
Writer: Arthur A. Ross, Blake Edwards
Stars: Tony Curtis, Natalie Wood, Jack Lemmon
Runtime: 160 min
Rated: Approved
Genre: Action, Adventure, Comedy
Released: 17 Dec 1965
Plot: In the early 20th century, heroic Leslie Gallant and his despicable rival Professor Fate engage in an epic automobile race from New York to Paris while enthusiastic suffragette Maggie Dubois enters the race to report on every step...

Jan 15 2019

Episode 126 – The Princess Bride

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The Princess BrideOK, we finally get to watch The Princess Bride! As one might expect, it was a challenge to find someone who hadn’t seen the movie but with a little work, we found Megan Ealain, who agreed to join us and watch the movie for the first time! If you’ve never seen this 1980’s fantasy/comedy gem before, you should definitely do so before you listen to the episode. If you have seen it before (more likely), you can enjoy our stories about the film and even Tim’s story about meeting one of the actors!

Next up, we are going to follow Peter Falk to The Great Race!

The Princess Bride (1987)
The Princess Bride poster Rating: 8.0/10 (473,749 votes)
Director: Rob Reiner
Writer: William Goldman
Stars: Cary Elwes, Mandy Patinkin, Robin Wright
Runtime: 98 min
Rated: PG
Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Family
Released: 09 Oct 1987
Plot: A bedridden boy's grandfather reads him the story of a farmboy-turned-pirate who encounters numerous obstacles, enemies and allies in his quest to be reunited with his true love.