Each week we bring on a friend, from lifelong to brand new, to talk about their favorite* movie. We like to talk about why our favorites are our favorites, what they make us think and what they make us feel. I can't promise a lack of spoilers (let's face it; there will be spoilers!), but we're much more into what movies mean to us personally. We talk about favorites because we want to explore how movies affect us so deeply. One thing I've always found is that even those who don't think of themselves as movie fans have a favorite movie and have a lot to say about it!
Join Jim Angehr and I as we channel our mid-90's selves in talking about Beautiful Girls. A modest performer at the box office, it gained traction on home video with a demographic we were squarely in the middle of. Saying it's a cult classic would probably be strong, but I know we aren't the only folks in the orbit of this podcast who remember it fondly.
It's always great to heat a subject matter expert discuss, and we have that today with Bill Peltier, who has been racing most of his life. He gives us some great historical context and a driver's eye view on one of the best sports movies of the century so far. Strap in! (I know, I know, I couldn't resist.)
Anne Sears joins us today to about a little old obscure indie flick...DIE HARD! Anne is all over this movie, having loved it since childhood, and she brings multiple ideas to the table that has never occurred to me before. And I've watched Die Hard A LOT. We talk Alan Rickman, feminism, of course we address the Christmas movie issue, albeit briefly. Trust me; you will have a great time with this one.
Welcome to a rather profound episode of the show. Jim Meadows and I wrestle with a movie we both love, which necessarily tackles challenging subject matter. This is an experimental, early film by director Todd Haynes. This movie is officially pulled from circulation, but you can check it out on YouTube: https://youtu.be/LaBVmyNwshg?is=86AOXkS7fCuNrfe- Jim is executive director of noage , an important organization that serves and advocates for elderly members of the New Orleans LGBTQ+ community. Check them out and maybe donate if it's within your means.
Join writer and critic Scott Gold and I as we discuss the postmodern Spike Jonze flick Being John Malkovich. Scott goes deep on this one, on both the film itself and the tradition behind it. We have a ton of fun with it, as well.
It's our first new (well newish) release episode! Past guest Daniel Sovich texted me earlier this week to let me know that he was obsessed with Obsession and that we had to record on it ASAP. I dutifully got my ticket, and we sat down just this past Thursday to break it down. Daniel is a heckuva songwriter and musician, based in Nashville. Check him out! Daniel's YouTube Channel
We're heading to Hawaii!!! Well, at least the characters are heading to Hawaii. We just get to jealously gawk at them in paradise. It's the incomparable (because who would we compare to him to) Jeff Elizardi returning to the show to talk Forgetting Sarah Marshall. We have a lot of fun with this movie, highlighting what makes the comedy and the characters tick. There also is an important message partway through about certain people who are no longer allowed to listen to the show. You better check to see whether you've made the cut.
Director/Writer/Actor/Friend Graham Skipper joins me to talk The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, his hands-down favorite film. Saying that Graham knows his stuff on this one is the understatement of the year. He not only eloquently describes what he loves about this gritty 70's indie horror but also fills us in on its production history and its place in the world of horror.
It's ScottLucius Wilder, filmmaker and chef, joining me today to talk about 80's horror classic Christine. Scotty goes deep on knowledge of 80's movies, John Carpenter, techniques, and well, pretty much everything. We also had a blast making this one. I hope it's half as fun to listen to. Check out Scotty's incredible shorts on his his Instragram @scottluciuswilderredux
My brother and fan favorite (seriously, people seem to love his previous episode though I can't imagine why) Jeffrey Glaser joins us again on an EMERGENCY episode to talk Top Gun's 40th Anniversary Re-release. Jeff has some thoughts about how ruthlessly the Oscars treated the best popcorn flick ever made, and he shares many of them. He wanted to share all of them, but I didn't have 57 hours of recording time to spare. Strap up for this ride into the Glaser Zone!
The setting? Post-war occupied Vienna. The story? A racketeer, his friend, his woman, penicillin, and death. The actors? Joseph Cotten, Alida Valli, and Orson Welles. The director? Oscar winner Carol Reed. It's The Third Man: suspense, anxiety and a shocking amount of great comedy. Join us.
We're off to see Lebowski, the wonderful hippie of Oz! Jacob Eben, post-production pro and essayist, joins us to talk about his love of the Coen Brothers, the importance of sound in the mediums of movies and television and, of course, his take on The Big Lebowski, which has a lot to do with a certain 1939 technicolor marvel. Jacob has worked on shows like Curb Your Enthusiasm, Black Bird and Perry Mason, so he knows what he's talking about, and he brings his experience to the discussion in an approachable way.
A couple of 90's teens talk about their favorite 70's-set high school flick as Phil Murray and I dig into Dazed and Confused. One of the great hangout movies, this one is stacked with then-future stars. We talk cliques, party, and one rather creepy character who has somehow become a cultural icon.
On a podcast, no one can hear you scream. Or at least they can't until weeks later, when it's probably too late to do anything about it. That's right: it's Alien, the Ridley Scott 1979 original that kicked off a franchise that is still with us today. This one finds the balance of sci-fi, horror and suspense in a way that I don't think has ever been matched. Our guest Laura Alcoriza brings heat on this one. I won't lie: I struggled to keep up. Hopefully, I didn't make a total fool of myself, at least not any more than usual.
It's our long-awaited first episode set in Belgium. Is it Tintin? Is it Poirot? No, it's a couple of Irish hit men, by way of London, hiding out In Bruges. Steve Kind joins me as we talk the hell, purgatory, and the thin chance at redemption in this great darkly comic crime flick. Steve is a recovery advocate who has written a stirring memoir about his own recovery, Inspirational Dissatisfaction (https://www.amazon.com/Inspirational-Dissatisfaction-Steven-Kind/dp/B09KDSRYKN)
"If you can be anybody, be yourself...unless you can be Batman. Then, be Batman." Well, I'm not Batman, and neither is my guest Daniel Sovich, at least I don't think he is. He is, however, and actor/musician who's been on the Broadway stage and is now in Nashville writing and playing music, both under his own name and DiscoFox. His stuff is truly excellent. Links below. I suggest checking out "Keep It" first, which has an opening line that is spot on for this episode. "Keep It" - https://youtu.be/HjKE9zKImRA?si=WNYdCsLPDiKGtbB- "All Night" - https://youtu.be/FQs7trIzN20?si=oCWOwFaCV4K3FOy- DiscoFox Home - https://linktr.ee/discofox This Sunday, we have my friend Steve Kind on the show to discuss his favorite, In Bruges, a dark comedy about hitmen "on vacation."
Hungry like the wolf? Then, please have a listen to J.B. Raasch and I biting into Brotherhood of the Wolf. I know what you're thinking, "Just how many 18th century French costume drama / creature flick / bang-up action flicks can I watch in a month?" Well, trust me, make this one of them. We get into how these elements coalesce, the beauty of constraints, and the range of influences that this movie wears proudly. This Wednesday, we have actor/musician Daniel Sovich, Disco Dan himself, coming on the show to breakdown The Dark Knight. That's gonna be a fun one too.
"Master, master, where's the dreams that I've been after? Master, master, you promised only lies!" Wait, that's from something else entirely, though maybe it's not wholly inappropriate here. We've got Jeff Elizardi, longtime friend of mine and fan of the show, here to discuss The Master, a Paul Thomas Anderson film, led by Amy Adams, Joaquin Phoenix, and Phillip Seymour Hoffman. It's an exploration into nothing less than the soul of humanity. We give it its just reverence, but we're also cutups by nature, so I promise there are some laughs throughout. This Sunday, J.B. Raasch is coming at you to talk about The Brotherhood of the Wolf, a French action period piece that is also...well, it's something of genre grab bag to be honest, in the best possible sense.
Dum, di-di, dum-dum...Dum, di-di, dum-dum...Dum, di-di, dum-dum... Bwaaah... bwah-bwah bwaaah...Bwaaah... bwah-bwah bwaaah...Bwah, bwah, bwaaaaah! WAAAH... WAAAH... WAAAAAAH!Dah-dah-dah-dah-DAAAH! Wow, is that the dumbest way I could have thought of to intro that we're covering our first, and my favorite, Bond Movie? It's Skyfall day, and we're joined by returning guest Barrett Landen, a Bond and car aficionado, to get into what makes this a great Bond flick, a great action flick and so much more. Buckle up and enjoy!
We're getting psyched for The Devil Wears Prada 2, so we're bringing you my fun conversation with Crystal Coffman on the original. We talked characters and themes and had a lot of laughs along the way on this one. On Sunday, we're going to be coming at you with Skyfall with returning guest Barrett Landen. This one may be a little more intense than his Uncle Buck episode, but I think it's one that any Bond fan will enjoy. And if you're not a Bond fan, maybe we'll convince you to at least give this one a shot.
