It may have taken six outings, but the Transformers film franchise finally got it right with “Bumblebee.” The movie is available on home video today, and so we’re taking a few minutes to discuss exactly why this entry succeeds where… Read More ›
Lass is More
“Mary Poppins Returns” and we Love it
What is an unnecessary sequel? Correctly defined, it is a movie which doesn’t add to the legacy of the original (or any follow-ups). It is a movie that isn’t particularly good and won’t be remembered all that well. If there… Read More ›
“The Ox-Bow Incident” is Still Relevant Today
It is often said that the best movies stand the test of time. I don’t know if I would qualify “The Ox-Bow Incident” as one of the best movies ever made, but I do know that it can still… Read More ›
Falling in Love with “Instant Family”
Somehow, probably because it’s a busy time of year, I didn’t get to see “Instant Family” when it came out in late 2018. Boy did I miss out, and, if you didn’t see it, you did too. This is a… Read More ›
Director Mandie Fletcher on “Patrick,” Pugs, and… Peter Davison?
Up this week on the podcast we have an interview with Mandie Fletcher, whose latest effort, “Patrick,” is currently in theaters and on demand. Fletcher has directed such television shows as “Black-Adder II,” “Black Adder the Third,” “Only Fools and… Read More ›
“Overlord,” “Bohemian Rhapsody,” and the Truth
I was not the most revered graduate in my class. Sure, I ran the student group my second year in school and I proved myself well enough all around, but there was something in my approach, I fear, which wasn’t… Read More ›
“Nobody’s Fool” – Do People Make Relationship Lists?
In the film “Nobody’s Fool,” the Tyler Perry one, not the Paul Newman one, a character played by Tika Sumpter has a list for what she wants in a man. It’s a physical thing, and I find that perplexing. Do… Read More ›
“Nutcracker and the Four Realms” Tries Really Hard
Listen, not every idea you have is going to work. It would be amazing if it did, but it just isn’t going to. That is the reality of the world in which we live. It is wonderful to see a… Read More ›
Talking “Then Came You” with Peter Hutchings
The new film “Then Came You” finds itself in the difficult position of having to balance a potentially dark drama with far lighter moments. It is a difficult tone to shoot for, but director Peter Hutchings and his cast, which… Read More ›
Looking at History with “Once Upon a Deadpool” and “First Man”
We need to look at history. We need to understand what it can tell us about today. Movies help us do just that, and it is essential to understand that films made about the past aren’t just about way back… Read More ›
Digging into the TiVo Archives… and Coming up Empty
For this week’s podcast, I did something unthinkable — I sat down and watched one of the movies I had recorded on my TiVo years ago but then never actually watched. There are a decent number of such movies sitting… Read More ›
“Murder by Death” may be Funny, but…
Neil Simon’s “Murder by Death” is an incredibly funny spoof on detective stories. It is “Clue,” but more clever… much more clever. It is also not without a big question mark. The film puts Peter Sellers into yellowface. Is this… Read More ›
“Mrs. Maisel” Finishes Our Podcast Year
Currently available on Amazon Prime are the first two seasons of their original series, “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.” On this, what we presume to be our final episode of the year, we suggest that it makes for wonderful holiday viewing…. Read More ›
Is “The Muppet Christmas Carol” the Best Adaptation of the Novel?
It is a time to celebrate the holidays and even if we talked about “A Christmas Carol” last week on the podcast, we’re doing it again this week. It is just that good. Last week, of course, we discussed the… Read More ›
“Mission: Impossible – Fallout,” “Scrooged,” and Being a Good American
More than 20 years after the first film’s release, the sixth “Mission: Impossible” movie arrived on the big screen this summer. Now, it’s on Blu-ray, as is a 30th anniversary edition of the Bill Murray classic, “Scrooged.” Both films, as… Read More ›
“To Kid or not to Kid” That is Maxine Trump’s Question
This week’s podcast episode features director Maxine Trump, whose new documentary, “To Kid or not to Kid” just premiered at DOC NYC. The movie looks at the decision most people have to eventually make on whether or not to have… Read More ›
“BlacKkKlansman,” “Midaq Alley” & Racist Presidential Rhetoric
Sometimes we sit down to watch movies and simply cannot escape their echoes. We look and we see the movies reflected in our world, for good or for ill. So, this week we’re looking at “BlacKkKlansman” and “Midaq Alley,” two… Read More ›
“Christopher Robin” is Eeyore, “Incredibles 2” is… Incredible
What is it to be a family? What does that mean? How do we live our lives and comport ourselves so as to do the best for them. This week we have two very different Disney movies that attempt to… Read More ›
“Mamma Mia! Here we go Again” with Sequels
I have to wonder if I’m facing my Waterloo. With this sequel to “Mamma Mia!,” I couldn’t escape if I wanted to. What I am trying to figure out though is if I do want to escape. I watched the… Read More ›
“Weed the People” Has a Memory Problem
Directed by Abby Epstein, a new documentary, “Weed the People,” is in theaters this week. It builds an argument around anecdotes that marijuana might cure cancer. Whether or not marijuana can cure cancer, the movie seems to forget that near… Read More ›