Bad First Impression

Who's that silhouette I see through a piece of cheesecloth backlit red? It's BFI regular Alex Campo, here for a discussion of Ralph Bakshi's 1978 film The Lord of the Rings! This week we dive deep on the first ever theatrical feature adaptation of Tolkien's work to discover if there's anything worthwhile in it. A strange, compromised adaptation of Fellowship of the Ring and about a third of Two Towers, LOTR '78 is a strange piece of the puzzle that is the franchise. At what point do the live action elements stop being artistic choices and turn into cost-cutting measures? Why was a political filmmaker famous for X-rated cartoons chosen to direct this project? How much continuity does this movie have with the two Rankin Bass specials that bookend it? Join Devin, KeriAnn and Alex as we go long on Bakshi's career and the strange development of this movie and its cancelled sequel!  

At long last, we're starting our Lord of the Rings series. This week, Devin and KeriAnn kick things off with a movie that everyone definitely remembers: Rankin Bass' 1977 adaptation of The Hobbit!   A TV movie created under dubious legal circumstance, The Hobbit is nonetheless the first released film adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's world. How is it? Honestly, it has its moments! Listen in as we make our first deep dive into a Lord of the Rings movie by arguing if any of this movie's many, many songs are good, radical changes to the depiction of Gollum, and what the ideal runtime for an adaptation of The Hobbit is. (Hint, it's not 77 minutes, but it's definitely a lot shorter than the 474 it took for the live action trilogy!)   Subscribe, rate five stars, and leave us a review! If you'd like a video version of this or any of our other episodes, check us out on YouTube and make sure to subscribe, like and comment there as well!   Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube   Make sure to follow us on socials for episode release schedules, episode clips, and updates about the future of the show!   Instagram | TikTok   Episode artwork by Alex Campo and Lily Steinberg Logo artwork by Kristen Eng

Welcome to our first ever meta-podcast. Not really! We just like to say RaNdOm stuff like that sometimes.   From the Skeeter Stevenson Variety Hour, Kevin Wingertzahn and Sebass Maroun along with Bobby Martin make their return to the show for a... discussion? of the latest blockbuster MCU film: Deadpool & Wolverine. Why are we covering this movie? SEO, mostly. Did we like it? You'll just have to listen and find out!   Remember to rate five stars, follow, and leave us a review!   Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts, or on YouTube for video episodes!   YouTube | Spotify | Apple Podcasts   Follow us on social media for show updates and clips!   Instagram | TikTok | Letterboxd        

We forgot we had our long legs on! Nicolas Cage expert Alex Campo returns to the show to discuss the new release: Os Perkins' Longlegs! It's a fantastic suspense film even if it doesn't live up to the marketing campaign dubbing it "one of the scariest movies of the decade," and it features an absolutely gonzo supporting performance from Nic Cage that rivals any of the work he's put out during his current career resurgence. So strap in, because Alex and I go very long(legs) discussing the current state of horror, what it takes to be a financial success in today's film market, and whatever the hell Cage is on in this movie. Hail Satan!   Follow us on social! We post episode clips and it's the best place to stay updated on what movies we're covering soon. Instagram | TikTok | Letterboxd   Watch on YouTube or download wherever you get your podcasts! Remember to rate five stars, follow for new episodes, and leave us a review! YouTube | Spotify | Apple Podcasts   Episode artwork by Alex Campo Logo artwork by Kristen Eng

We're going there and back again... Again! KeriAnn Eng is back to kick off our new miniseries together: a comprehensive review of the entire Lord of the Rings franchise! What do we hope to gain by doing this? Honestly, we're not even sure yet, so join us as we figure out why- after taking a three hour bus each way to see each of the LOTR original trilogy movies' extended editions in Staten Island- we are using this series to drive ourselves further into insanity. It'll be fun!   Follow us on social! Instagram | TikTok | Letterboxd   Follow on YouTube or wherever else you get your podcasts! YouTube | Spotify | Apple   Logo artwork by Kristen Eng Episode artwork by Alex Campo and Lily Steinberg

It's the end of an era! Lily Steinberg is back to close out this season of Guest Defense episodes by discussing Kevin Smith's schmaltzy family comedy Jersey Girl. We get into the weird baggage this movie was asked to shoulder and why Kevin Smith should make his extended Snyder Cut of Jersey Girl more widely available. Also: We are so, so sorry for this episode's art work. Are you following us on social? There are episode clips as well as coverage schedules, including for our upcoming Lord of the RIngs series! Instagram | TikTok | Letterboxd Subscribe on YouTube and wherever else you get your podcasts! Remember to like, comment and leave a review! YouTube | Spotify | Apple

Is that a naked space vampire? So close! It's Max Evry- author of A Masterpiece in Disarray- coming on the pod to discuss Tobe Hooper's box office bomb Lifeforce. But first, Max talks to me about his experience writing an exhaustive history of the production, release, and legacy of David Lynch's 1984 adaptation of Dune and some of the insights he got from talking to over three dozen people involved in the production of the film. Once we switch back over to Lifeforce, discussion topics include: Seriously- why is this movie not titled Space Vampires? Does this movie contain enough nudity that it could be repurposed as medical staff training material? How many genre shifts can one movie have before it fully collapses? All this, and more! Max's book A Masterpiece in Disarray (David Lynch's Dune - An Oral History) is available now in a limited first edition! Amazon | Barnes & Noble | 1984 Publishing   Follow us on social media for episode clips and show updates! TikTok | Instagram | Letterboxd   Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts, and remember to leave a five star review! Apple | Spotify | YouTube   Episode artwork by Lily Steinberg Logo artwork by Kristen Eng

Co-owner of Myfriendsbasement Studio and comedian Connor Kwiecien steps away from the controls and in front of the mic for a defense of Netflix's Kissing Booth Trilogy! I sat down and watched this whole trilogy- without even going to Staten Island- and I have questions. Connor, the world's foremost Kissing Booth scholar, has answers! Chief among those questions are: Is The Kissing Booth 2 the longest movie ever made? How are we supposed to relate to these characters' problem when they live in the most luxurious beachside mansions ever? Was it the smartest choice to have this trilogy kick off with a "mom gets sick and dies" montage? Follow the show on Instagram, and complain to TikTok about @bfipod being banned with no warning or reason! Until we're reinstated, clips will be on Instagram and YouTube, along with full episodes! More of an audio only person? Subscribe and remember to rate five stars and leave a review on your platform of choice! Spotify | Apple Podcasts   Logo artwork by Kristen Eng Episode artwork by Lily Steinberg

Boasting an almost impressive 1% on Rotten Tomatoes, The Master of Disguise is often cited as one of the worst movies ever made. But is this movie actually turtle-y enough to be considered a good time? That's what guest Cameron Lindsey, host of Everyone's Better Than Me, is here to argue. We dive deep on this movie to try to understand why it was received so negatively and what about it might be worth sticking around for. Did Dana Carvey hold a moment of silence for the victims of September 11th while wearing his Turtle Guy costume? Has a movie ever had a lazier premise than "what if I just did impressions?" Is the funniest moment in this movie a cutaway dance break? Make sure to follow, rate five stars and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts! Spotify | Apple Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel for community updates, episode clips, and video versions of every episode! Follow us on social media! Instagram | TikTok | Letterboxd Follow Devin on social! Follow Cameron, Everyone's Better Than Me, and Cameron's show Laugh Masters!   Episode artwork by Lily Steinberg Logo artwork by Kristen Eng

When we have repeat guests back, they often start to develop patterns with the movies they're on to discuss. Having said this, Bad First Impression is extremely proud to welcome back Bobby Martin as our resident Explicit Nudity on Puppets Expert for a discussion of Meet the Feebles! A somewhat forgotten curio from Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson, Meet the Feebles is a... showbiz satire? Proto-edgelord parody? Softcore fetish content? Aping the framework of The Muppets, Meet the Feebles is a lot of things, but boring is definitely not one of them. Watch along as Bobby makes the case for a favorite, and I try to make sense of what I just saw.   Remember to follow, rate five stars and leave a review! Video version available on YouTube: Youtube | Spotify | Apple Podcasts   Follow us on social media! We post clips from our episodes and it's the best place to stay updated on what's happening with the show. Instagram | TikTok | Letterboxd | Reddit   Make sure to follow Bobby, as well as Nerd of the Coast for new designs!   This week we're happy to partner with our friends at the International Lounge podcast! Make sure to check them out as well as subscribe and rate five stars.   Episode artwork by Lily Steinberg Logo artwork by Kristen Eng

We're getting too old for this franchise! Filmmaker Alex Campo returns to the podcast to defend Predator 2 as fun trash... that simply happens to be the sequel to one of the greatest action films of all time. Put on your sweatbands and jump in!   Follow, like, and leave a five star review wherever you get your podcasts!   Spotify | Apple Podcasts   Subscribe, like and comment on YouTube, and make sure to turn channel notifications for clips and show updates!   Follow us on social media!   Instagram | TikTok   Episode artwork by Alex Campo Logo artwork by Kristen Eng

Now, before we get started, we just wanna ask: do you guys wanna guess how much you think we can bench press?   Comedian Charlie Flynn joins me this episode to discuss Best in Show and how it was a bizarrely important film for him from a young age. We discuss unhealthy emotional investments in pets, pioneering queer representation in mainstream film, and the late, great Fred Willard.   Follow us on YouTube and wherever you get your podcasts! YouTube | Spotify | Apple Podcasts   Follow on social media for clips and updates on the show! New season announcement coming soon! Instagram | TikTok | Letterboxd   Episode artwork by Lily Steinberg Logo artwork by Kristen Eng

Don't turn your back on this guy! Comedian Bo Ballew joins the show to discuss Terence Malick's feature directorial debut Badlands dressed to the nines.   Make sure to subscribe on YouTube for video as well as wherever you get your podcasts!   YouTube | Spotify | Apple Podcasts   Follow us on social media for updates about the show!   Instagram | TikTok | Letterboxd   Make sure to follow Bo, as well as his podcast Talk Sauce!   Bo Ballew | Talk Sauce   Logo artwork by Kristen Eng Episode artwork by Lily Steinberg

Bobby Martin returns to the pod to discuss Howard the Duck: the very first movie made adapted from a Marvel comic.

KeriAnn Eng is on this week, (kind of) talking about The Lord of the Rings! Mostly we talk about Staten Island and Quest for Camelot   Are you following us on social media? You should be! Instagram | TikTok | Letterboxd | Threads   Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts! YouTube | Spotify | Apple Podcasts   Logo artwork by Kristen Eng Episode artwork by Alex Campo Social media management by Lily Steinberg

This episode is for the birds! Alex Campo returns to the pod for a format-breaking guest's choice episode on the cult classic documentary American Movie. Not subscribed yet? YouTube | Spotify | Apple Follow us on social media! TikTok | Instagram | Letterboxd Promotional images by Lily Steinberg Logo artwork by Kristen Eng

Have we been here before? On the heels of the release of "Dune Part Two," Alex Wolz returns to BFI to discuss Denis Villeneuve's other sc-fi sequel: Blade Runner 2049. How does this movie speak to the modern way of life? What can we glean from Denis Villeneuve's intentions for the future of the Dune franchise from this movie? What is the functional difference between K's relationship to JOI and the American moviegoing public's to the Dune 2 AMC popcorn bucket? All this and more! *Note: There was a minor equipment issue with this week's recording. The last 5-6 minutes of the video cut out, so a message addressing this is present in that version and the audio one. Follow us on social media: Instagram | TikTok | Letterboxd Rate, review and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts: Apple | Spotify | YouTube Episode artwork by Lily Steinberg Logo artwork by Kristen Eng

This week on BFI: I discuss the second Twilight movie: New Moon. I and my guests Lily Steinberg and KeriAnn Eng dive into what two of us contend is the best movie in the series.   Follow the show on social media!   Instagram | TikTok | Letterboxd   Follow on YouTube and wherever you get your podcasts!   YouTube | Spotify | Apple   Promotional artwork by Lily Steinberg Logo artwork by Kristen Eng

Director of the Unnamed Footage Fest Madeleine Koestner joins me this week to discuss Nikos Nikolaidis' opus Singapore Sling! The Unnamed Footage Fest runs 3/26-3/31 in San Francisco. Tickets are still available! Check out the Unnamed Footage Fest's website! Get tickets here! Follow the show on social media! Instagram | TikTok | Letterboxd Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts for new episodes every Friday! Apple | Spotify Promotional Images by Lily Steinberg Logo artwork by Kristen Eng

Surf's up! Recent winner of Virginia Emerging Filmmakers Festival's Best Production Design and Best First-Time Filmmaker awards Alex Campo returns to the pod to discuss horror master John Carpenter's only sequel: Escape from L.A.! We go deep on Carpenter and how his highest budgeted movie fits within his collaborations with star Kurt Russell and his career as a whole.   Rate, review and follow to keep up with the latest episodes and be sure to watch this episode on YouTube, where new episodes are available a day early every Thursday at 5PM!   Spotify | Apple   Instagram | TikTok | Letterboxd   Get a behind the scenes look at Alex's award winning short film on his website   Logo artwork by Kristen Eng Promotional artwork by Alex Campo and Lily Steinberg

Welcome to our awards coverage! In the spirit of the arbitrary and sometimes unfair, we've come up with a fun game as we discuss the nominees for this weekend's 96th Oscars!   Watch the video version of this episode here!   Spotify | Apple | YouTube   Instagram | TikTok | Letterboxd   Logo artwork by Kristen Eng Promotional artwork by Lily Steinberg

Jump in this week as we discuss the new Amazon series "Expats," the fifth episode of which screened at Film at Lincoln Center with director Lulu Wang in person. Additionally, Lily and I talk about some of the Valentine's Day-themed programming we went to around the city. Guest: Lily Steinberg Youtube | Instagram | TikTok | Letterboxd Promotional images and social media by Lily Steinberg Logo artwork by Kristen Eng

Photographer and host of the Too Much Dialogue podcast Doyin Ayo makes her debut on Bad First Impression to discuss the 1997 Quentin Tarantino film Jackie Brown!   Discussion topics include: Is the chemistry between Pam Grier and Robert Forster believable as romantic? Does Tarantino's track record mean he deserves our skepticism that he could write a black woman well? Does Robert DeNiro know he's Doyin's boyfriend? All this, and more!   Make sure to watch this episode on YouTube as well as like, comment and subscribe! Follow us on Instagram and drop us a line at mailbag@bfipod.com! Please rate, review and follow us wherever you get your podcasts, and reach out to us with feedback!   Promotional artwork by Lily Steinberg   Logo artwork by Kristen Eng  

We're back with another new movie: 2024's first major wide release Argylle! But who is the real Agent Argylle? Find out in our spoiler-filled discussion of Matthew Vaughn's flop!   Also discussed this week: 1992's cult artifact The Lawnmower Man. This film screened at the Museum of the Moving Image earlier this month, and we not only watched this movie but also it's sequel Lawnmower Man 2: Beyond Cyberspace (alternate subtitle: Jobe's War,) the 1987 Dollar Baby short film adaptation, and the season six episode of Community "Lawnmower Maintenenance and Postnatal Care" that spoofs elements of the 1992 movie. Discussion topics include:    Why has Ariana Debose's career since winning an Oscar consisted of a string of disappointing roles in box office bombs? Why did Matthew Vaughn spoil this movie's twist on Twitter, years before it was shooting? Did the sequel to Lawnmower Man invent the term "jacking off to VR?"   All this and much, much more in the episode!   If you wanna find the audio-only version of this episode, it's available here   Follow the show on social as well! Instagram     TikTok     Letterboxd   Promotional artwork by Lily Steinberg   Logo design by Kristen Eng

YouTuber Evasive returns to Bad First Impression for our first Guest's Choice episode!   Every episode, I end the discussion by asking the guest what movie they would want to come back for if it were ever screening in New York. As luck would have it, Cowboy Bebop: The Movie got a surprise screening, and I made another anime deep dive to prep for this movie.   Make sure to like, comment and subscribe! New episodes are posted to Youtube weekly on Thursday at 5PM EST and published as podcasts the next day. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts, and give us a follow at the link below!   https://linktr.ee/bfipod   Promotional images and social media by Lily Steinberg   Logo artwork by Kristen Eng

For the first time on Bad First Impression, we're covering a tv show?!   Film at Lincoln Center showed the new show from Nathan Fielder and Benny Safdie in two episode chunks over the last couple months, so we decided to take the unique opportunity and cover the buzzy new show The Curse. But were our plans themselves cursed?   Show producer Lily Steinberg returns to the show to discuss the third addition to Nathan Fielders canon of format and reality breaking tv projects.   Listen to the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever else you get your podcasts at the link below, and be sure to follow the show @bfipod on all socials for announcements and more photoshops!   Catch the video version on YouTube!   https://linktr.ee/bfipod   Social media and promotional images by Lily Steinberg   Logo artwork by Kristen Eng

This week on Bad First Impression, returning guest Alex Campo and I dig deep into a movie that that a startling number of people have a childhood connection to: the 2004 blockbuster Christian exploitation film The Passion of the Christ. After we saw it at the Anthology Film Archives as part of their series "Jesus Christ! At the Movies," we sat down to parse how this movie became an Easter staple in Christian households. Discussion topics include:    Is this a horror film? Does its mere existence as a commercial product constitute blasphemy? Why is this movie apologizing for Pontius Pilate's behavior?

After weeks of behind the scenes shenanigans, we are finally able to welcome to the show- as a guest!- BFI's producer and social media manager Lily Steinberg. This week we discuss the first wide release of 2024: Blumhouse's PG-13 haunted pool movie Night Swim! Additionally, Lily and I talked about a recent repertory screening we attended for a film we both love: Elaine May's 1971 directorial debut A New Leaf. Topics include:   Can Night Swim mimic the success that M3GAN enjoyed last January? Would Elaine May's unseen three hour cut of A New Leaf be as good as the masterpiece that the studio cut is? What exactly constitutes a Mom Movie, and how do you avoid watching bad ones?   All this and more!   Logo artwork by Kristen Eng   Episode artwork by Lily Steinberg

Returning to the show this week for our very first video episode are Sebass Maroun and Kevin Wingertzahn from The Skeeter Stevenson Variety Hour to discuss one of the most over-discussed film series of all time- that's right, we're talking Star Wars! After a midnight screening of Revenge of the Sith at the IFC Center, we sat down for an exhaustive conversation about Star Wars, how our relationships to it have changed over time, and what place it has and will continue to have in the culture at large. Topics include:   Did George Lucas actually want to make this movie? Can any new Star Wars project avoid being too reactive to the reception of the last one? Were Yoda and Chewbacca always intended to be friends, and is Chewie's Ewok fetish problematic?   All this, and more!   Logo by Kristen Eng Episode artwork by Lily Steinberg

This week on Bad First Impression: I took my friend Alex Wolz to an age-appropriate showing of Moonrise Kingdom at one of my favorite movie houses in New York: The Film Forum. Discussion topics include:   Does Wes Anderson make accessible, mainstream films, or does he deserve his reputation as a highfalutin auteur? How do the jokes in this movie feel off-the-cuff when their construction is so particular and specific? Have I successfully converted Alex to attending movies at smaller movie houses instead of exclusively maxing out his AMC A-List reservations? All this and more!   Logo by Kristen Eng

This week on Bad First Impression, filmmaker and Nicolas Cage completist Alex Campo and I sit down to discuss a depraved, frenzied, and extremely underrated entry in Cage's career. Rounding out my accidental thematic trilogy of Films with Unwieldy Titles Watched at the Nitehawk, Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans screened at the Prospect Park location on October 20, 2023. Afterwards, we discuss Cage's newest film Dream Scenario, how it fits into his body of work, and what the future holds for him.   Discussion topics include: Is there a "the" in the title of this movie, and does shortening it somehow make it worse? Does combing through Cage's extensive indie and direct-to-video catalogue give any insight into his appeal as a mainstream leading man? Should the flaming motorcycle in the Ghost Rider duology make the movies count towards the alarming number of Nicolas Cage movies in which he drives a flaming car? All this and more!   Logo by Kristen Eng Episode artwork by Lily Steinberg

After a mad dash to binge the entire franchise, I sat down with Nikole Eva (AKA YouTube's Evasive) to discuss the finale film: Evangelion 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time. I returned to the Prospect Park Nitehawk to view this film on the big screen. Discussion topics include:   Is this series an accessible entry point for someone looking to get into anime as a whole? Does this final film represent Hideaki Anno's moving past a need to constantly rewrite his own work? Is the optimal viewing experience for this or any film in a theatre full of Juggalos hyped up on Faygo? Cover art by Kristen Eng

On today's super-sized episode, I discuss the bizarre sequel Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2 with my guests Sebass Maroun, Bobby Martin and Kevin Wingertzahn. All three of my guests are on this episode because they share a personal connection to the original Blair Witch Project.   The film was shown with a Q&A by director Joe Berlinger at the Prospect Park Nitehawk Cinema on October 30, 2023. Discussion topics include:   What is the Book of Shadows, and does it actually appear in this film? Is there a Papa Roach song on this movie's soundtrack, or does it just really feel like there should be? Is the parody film starring children as well as a member of the original Blair Witch Project cast that Kevin, Bobby, and Sebass made years ago a more faithful follow-up than this movie?   Cover art by Kristen Eng   The parody film mentioned in the episode: https://youtu.be/s0XmJswQOEc?si=yhKpDMgQjo5Vyx0r

On the inaugural episode of Bad First Impression, I sit down with my friend Brittany Mitchell, a fellow lover of mid-00's bargain bin classics, to discuss the 2006 Wayans Brothers "comedy" Little Man. The film was shown at The Roxy Cinema in Lower Manhattan, as part of their series on the Wayans Brothers "Take my Strong Hand" on October 20, 2023. Discussion topics include:   Did this movie make Shawn Wayans decide to retire from comedy? Would this movie run longer than fifteen minutes if Calvin "Babyface" Johnson stopped trying to steal Kerry Washington's bag along with the diamond? Is the pitch for "That's so Raven" spinoff "Corey in the House" conceptually sound? Cover art by Kristen Eng

Welcome to Bad First Impression! My name is Devin Warner, and this show is about movies and where we meet them. Me and a guest go to local specialty screenings in NYC and discuss the film, the venue, and how what we bring with us affects how we view a movie. Subscribe here and be ready for when the first episode releases on December 8! Cover art by Kristen Eng