Be Reel

Our “Vampires of America” kick has one last burning question—what if vampires were teen fashion icons? "The Lost Boys" (1987) gives us a vampire corruption tale that mixes post-hippie paranoia with a dash of "The Goonies," Peter Pan, music video sheen, and the costume-conscious filmmaker who later bravely put nipples on the Batman suit. Noah Ballard (Verve) is here to close out this series in style. We cover best performances, dangly earrings, and the life story of Sexy Sax Guy. Let's get to it.

I'll put it this way — “Sinners” has everything you could want as the centerpiece of a “Vampires of America” podcast series. Tommy guns, blues guitars, two Michael B. Jordans, vampires as jig-dancing cult leaders, and visually entrancing commentary on folk art and oppression. Bennett Campbell Ferguson (Fools Who Dream) is back for a deep dive into Ryan Coogler's strikingly original horror musical.

Brimming with vicious bloodletting, neon beer signs, and Bill Paxton hootin' and hollerin', “Near Dark” might be the high watermark for vampire Westerns. I'm elated to have film critic and author Sarah Welch-Larson (Bright Wall/Dark Room) on the pod this week. She's a “Near Dark” turbofan, with as many deep thoughts on what the film suggests about Manifest Destiny as she has musings on whether these Oklahoma vampires have ever tried roadkill. Let's ride! Read Sarah's “Near Dark” essay here: https://www.brightwalldarkroom.com/2022/08/03/youre-gonna-give-me-back-my-spur/ Keep up with all her writing here: https://www.dodgyboffin.com/

Forget the vampire tropes this week; let's hallucinate and appreciate. Horror scholar Lea Anderson (Fangoria, Shudder) is here to look deep into 1973's "Ganja & Hess" (and honestly, help me understand it). This beguiling Black vampire story stars Marlene Clark and Duane Jones as a pair of cursed, blood-craving immortals reckoning with the beauty and horror of forever togetherness. We break down ‘70s movie blood, this film's complex take on theology, and why Marlene Clark's performance “is everything” to Lea.

Today, this “Vampires of America” kick lifts the coffin lid on the Blaxploitation era and 1972's "Blacula." I'm thrilled to be joined by Odie Henderson, author of “Black Caesars and Foxy Cleopatras” and film critic for The Boston Globe. We analyze William Marshall's Shakespearean performance as Blacula, speculate on why the backhand is his weapon of choice, and explore the key film history around “Dracula's soul brother.” I strongly recommend both Odie's book and his criticism: https://store.abramsbooks.com/products/black-caesars-and-foxy-cleopatras “Ganja & Hess” (1973) next week!

I'm not breaking news by saying that seduction often factors into vampire movies. But has it ever been done better than by Chris Sarandon in "Fright Night" (1985)? This horror-comedy toys with suburban paranoia by casting the vampire as the debonair stranger next door and drinking in his charisma "from toe to tip," as returning champion Susan Tomorrow puts it. So happy to have Susan, a programmer at Portland's Clinton Street Theater, back on the show to talk Roddy McDowall, how "Fright Night" effectively references older vampire films, and, oh yeah, Chris Sarandon's neckline. Follow Susan at @kingvidiot on Instagram and pick your next night out at Clinton Street here: https://cstpdx.com/

Awaken, my friends. We're on a stateside vampirism kick—no Transylvanian castles allowed. This run begins south of the border with “From Dusk Till Dawn” (1996) a horror-action romp that begs the question, what if pistol-toting outlaws stumbled into a biker bar run by the undead? Matthew Jackson (host of “The Scares That Shaped Us” podcast) kicks off this series. He's here to talk about George Clooney's first starring role, anoint the hottest on-screen vampire of all time, and reflect on just how seismic it was when Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez joined forces in 1996. Listen to Matthew's podcast here: https://thescaresthatshapedus.com/

We close out Year 1 of this podcast with my favorite movie of 2024. Luckily, Ian Berry (artist, programmer, trivia host, and all-around Astoria film hero) is even more into "Furiosa" than I am. We talk about what it means to have Chris Hemsworth's villain almost steal the show, why the Mad Max movies are like the Gospels, and break down the difference between George Miller's myth-making and Hollywood's usual world-building. I also spend a few minutes at the beginning sharing my Top 10 films of 2024. Thank you all very kindly for spending any amount of time with The Kick. See you in 2025!

You can't tell the story of a movie year without the indie shockwave. In 2024, that breakout hit was "The Substance"—the body horror firehose that drowned audiences in gooey viscera and provocations about "chasing the dragon of youth." That's how my guest Alex Barr puts it. She's here to talk makeup effects, Demi Moore, and the eerie feeling that no one can accurately remember their younger selves. For my part, this rewatch of "The Substance" unlocked new ways of viewing the movie's absurdly disjointed backdrop. You can listen to Alex's prior appearance on The Kick here: https://thekickcast.com/episodes/challengers-with-alex-barr

Today's episode proved the point of this whole "2024 Passion Projects" exercise. Ray Gill Jr. (Portland Mercury, Willamette Week) nominated a movie I was maybe going get to? And it ended up a favorite of the year. In "My Old Ass," Maisy Stella and Aubrey Plaza play the same character at different ages, connected in time by a mushroom trip. Ray and I dig into how director Megan Park plays with our allegiances, champions youth, and turns a possibly sappy premise into a deeply affecting call for self-reflection.

A strong contender for the year's best action movie, "Rebel Ridge" is currently Noah Ballard's favorite of 2024—bar none. On this episode of our year-end series, we dive into Aaron Pierre's otherworldly calm, Don Johnson's shit-eating grin, Jeremy Saulnier's penchant for stomach-dropping bursts of violence, and a movie that Noah calls a mix between Rambo and The Pelican Brief.

We're closing Year 1 of The Kick by asking guests to nominate a film from 2024 that they couldn't stop thinking about. This first choice is right over the plate for me. Ben Campbell Ferguson returns to discuss “Sometimes I Think About Dying,” a sweet yet crushing character study set right here in Astoria, Oregon. Daisy Ridley stars as Fran, an introverted young office worker preoccupied by vibrant visions of her own death. Ben argues "Dying" has much to say about dating, Oregon filmmaking, and the fascinating state of Daisy Ridley's post-Star Wars career. Let's begin the year-end festivities! Keep up with Ben's work here: https://foolswhodreammovies.com/

You can't end a career with more enduring mystery than Stanley Kubrick's "Eyes Wide Shut." John DiLillo returns to explore how the film still reverberates (perhaps too conspiratorially) in the culture, the volumes it suggests about Tom Cruise, and why it's a movie about learning the hard way to deal with marital complexity. Need any last-minute Halloween costume ideas? We've got those, too. I'll add that this is the conclusion of Kick #4, but we'll close out the year with a series on the best (or rather, most beloved) films of 2024.

"If all great filmmakers would make a documentary about their lives right before they died, wouldn't that be so handy?" Couldn't put it better than Jennifer Jones does in this episode. She and Laura Glazer are the co-founders of the Agnes Varda Forever project, and they're here to talk about "Varda by Agnes" (2019), the final film from world cinema icon Agnes Varda. We dig into Varda's one-of-a-kind career, suggest starting points for newcomers, and assess what sets Varda's final film apart of the towering epics that seem to typify this series. Check out the Agnes Varda Forever website for free posters, cool merch, info on a forthcoming postcard project, and news of their return to Clinton Street Theater in March: AgnesVardaForever.com

What is "Megalopolis" about? The 40-year dream of Francis Ford Coppola to make his opus? A reclusive inventor who holds the key to utopia? Deviant capitalism? Cyclical violence? Aubrey Plaza giving *the* comedic performance of 2024? Bennett Campbell Ferguson is here to talk about the vast contradictions, bravura setpieces, and wild swings of "Megalopolis"—aka, this series' inspiration. Check out Ben's new film writing site Fools Who Dream: https://foolswhodreammovies.com/

Arguably the most influential rom-com voice in movie history, Nora Ephron ended her reign in 2009 with an ode to marriage, butter, and idealizing Paris. "Julie & Julia" is this week's career finale, and author Erin Carlson is here with anecdotes from both her Meryl Streep and Nora Ephron books, plus tales from the set, theories on why Julie's plotline is so stressful, and her experience cooking Ephron's rice pudding recipe. Subscribe to the "You've Got Mail" substack to read Erin's terrific reporting and criticism: https://erincarlson.substack.com/

In honor of "Megalopolis," we begin a new series on great filmmakers' last big swings. Today, it's Kevin Costner's all-in bet on himself, as he rewrites the frontier myth once again. Noah Ballard (Verve) is here to talk "Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1," its baffling number of plot lines, questionable portrayal of the Apache, and impossible infatuation with the "real West."

End of the road for this kick, gang. And fittingly enough "The Bikeriders" (2024) is all about how nothing lasts. But it's also about a lot of actors—Tom Hardy, Jodie Comer, Austin Butler, Michael Shannon, and 15 more—bringing wildly different acting styles to the table in this requiem for a Chicagoland biker gang. Film critic Bennett Campbell Ferguson is back to discuss whether "The Bikeriders" is "cosplay" or something deeper.

Nic Cage brings the boys back together for a weekend of Ghost Rider. In search of the motorcycle rebel's most demonic representation, we watched “Ghost Rider” (2007) and “Ghost Rider: The Spirit of Vengeance” (2011). What did we find? Floating skulls, hot chains, performances stuck between a Cage and a hard place, and two movies that just need a *little* more time to explain what a Ghost Rider is.

“The Motorcycle Boy Reigns” as our kick arrives at “Rumble Fish” (1983). It's not set on the highway, but perhaps no movie in this kick uses the idea of the motorcycle rebel to such cool, elusive effect as Francis Ford Coppola's dreamlike crime drama, starring a young Mickey Rourke. Ray Gill Jr. (Portland Mercury, Willamette Week) is here to explain why “Rumble Fish” is his favorite film, why Matt Dillon used to scare him, and why insanity is intoxicating, plus primo tales of growing up in a video store.

I've said from the beginning that this podcast represents freedom—specifically the freedom to beg far-flung thinkers to talk about canonical movies. This week, our Motorcycle Rebel kick arrives at "Easy Rider" (1969), and motorcycle bard / journalist J. Peter Thoeming, aka THE BEAR, is on the show to talk about how this countercultural touchstone relates to Faust, road safety, backaches, and searching for America. Keep up with The Bear's writing here: https://www.advrider.com/author/thebear/

Let's start the engines on a new kick! Now through the end of June (when "The Bikeriders" hit theaters), we're tracing the archetype of the motorcycle rebel. Most historians agree the first biker picture was "The Wild One" (1953) starring an iconically moody and leather-clad Marlon Brando. Today, author Burt Kearns joins the show to share how "The Wild One" became a flashpoint for censorship, anti-hero adulation, and movie posters. Kearns' new book "Marlon Brando: Hollywood Rebel" is out now. https://www.marlonbrandobook.com/

It's match point of our sports-romance kick and hooooo, baby. "Challengers" is here, and we've got writer Alex Barr on the program to discuss this year's sweatiest, hungriest, horniest movie. We talk tennis as sex, sex as tennis, the movie's use of food, unexplained bruises, a different side of Zendaya, bafflingly inventive cinematography, and so much more.

A cop and robber touch souls—and bods while skydiving at 120 mph—on the penultimate episode of our sports-romance kick. It's "Point Break" week, baby. Bennett Campbell Ferguson is here to dig into everyone's favorite surfing-skydiving-beach football spectacular. We break down good vs. goofy Keanu, assess how Kathryn Bigelow's first big hit epitomized her directing style, and try to figure out what to call Swayze's take on the femme fatale.

Today, dreams of soccer stardom clash with a host of familial and cultural expectations. Writer Jessie Tu (Women's Agenda, “The Honeyeater”) is here to break down how "Bend It Like Beckham" (2002) changed the culture, showcased heartfelt father-daughter relationships, and everything happening in that one dizzying nightclub scene. Plus, is this another movie where the sports-romance is not between the obvious characters? Just sayin'.

Tie the boards to the ‘61 Chevy, and let's scope out a locals beach! Writer Emma Specter (Vogue) is here to discuss why "Blue Crush" is the ultimate women's sports "sleepover movie." We also get into the power of Michelle Rodriguez on a jet ski, a healthy fear of the ocean, and whether the romance in “Blue Crush” is between the right characters.

Four quarters, two players, one game for your heart. No movie in this sports-romance series creates team chemistry between the "sports" and "romance" like LOVE & BASKETBALL. The fantastic Jordan Robinson (Queens of the Court) joins the program to discuss the movie's on-court realism, athlete couples, the enormous pressures on college basketball players, and the LOVE & BASKETBALL character she finally feels bad for two decades later.

What if a washed-up tennis journeyman (Paul Bettany) and a rising phenom (Kirsten Dunst) made a pact to hook up before every round of Wimbledon? That's a big swing from this 2004 rom-com, but how's its follow-through? Noah Ballard (Verve) joins our sports-romance kick to analyze the darker movie at the core of "Wimbledon," savor the film's giant cast, and regale us with racquet-sports anecdotes from his own life.

She's a pairs figure skater who keeps rejecting partners; he's a washed-up hockey player. Can they win gold by falling in love and performing an unthinkable maneuver? With a setup like that, "The Cutting Edge" (1992) is the perfect launchpad for our Sports Romances kick. Emily L. Newman (Texas A&M Unversity-Commerce) is here to break down the banter, the costumes, the battle of the sexes, and the Pamchenko Twist as a symbol of impossible love.

At last, we've arrived at our first kick's climactic question: Is "Dune: Part Two" a superior sequel? Bennett Campbell Ferguson (Willamette Week) is here to answer emphatically. We talk sandworm setpieces, Chalamet's gravitas or lack thereof, and this sequel's complex relationship to fate and character development.

Heeeere's Danny! On the penultimate episode of our "Superior Sequels" kick, horror specialist Molly Henery nominates "Doctor Sleep," the 2019 sequel to "The Shining." A bold take? Perhaps! But Stephen King certainly agrees, and Molly goes deep on the film's sweeping character development and visual choices. We talk Mike Flanagan's adaptation skills, 300-year-old tophats, and expand a moon landing conspiracy theory. Steam or shine, The Kick continues.

“Like a kids' movie for adults,” Susan Tomorrow describes the joyful anarchy of "House II: The Second Story." For her Superior Sequel, the Clinton Street Theater programmer and co-owner nominates this 1987 horror-comedy where any dimension, genre, or plot U-turn is possible in the next room over. Zombie grandpas, crystal skulls, pterodactyls, Bill Maher—there truly is no telling where this one will go.

Sometimes, "superior sequel" status is declared right in the movie's title. This week, Bennett Campbell Ferguson is here to nominate "The Bourne Supremacy" (2004) for its frenetic action, underrated love story, and Matt Damon's cargo shorts. We also break down Greengrass vs. Liman, sing the Bourne theme almost immediately, and get *this close* to remembering our real names.

Some folks think "Home Alone 2" is just the same movie again (and they're right). But to others, it's an "obscene artifact"—and a superior sequel at that. On today's show, old friend and literary agent extraordinaire Noah Ballard makes his case for why Kevin McCallister's Christmas déjà vu succeeds in going darker, showcasing unforgettable audio technology, and presaging the ills of the next American century. Everybody say, "Hiya, pal!"

You hear that? ... Is it Eywa's heartbeat? Or the birth of a new podcast? Today, we start our first-ever kick with "Avatar: The Way of Water" (2022). It's a sequel with twice the cast, twice the mo-cap, and twice the reasons for Jim Cameron never to doubt himself. Fantastic writer (and some would say "Avatar guy") John DiLillo is here to unpack Way of Water's refinement of the 2009 original, go beyond the spectacle, and act as the guinea pig for a segment called "Truth or Trivia." "The  Kick" is proudly part of the Now Playing Network. Artwork by Amy Moore. TheKickCast.com by Michael Todd.

Starting next week in this feed, you'll get the first episodes of "The Kick," a new movie podcast from Chance Solem-Pfeifer. The pod will unfold in themed miniseries, the first of which is "Superior Sequels." For 6 weeks, guests will nominate and celebrate sequels they prefer to the original film. There will be games, deep questions, sequel philosophy, and equal doses of fun and obsessiveness. Let's roll.

It's rare for a journey-woman actor to suddenly garner an international spotlight in her 50s, but equally rare to grab a film by the horns the way Dolly de Leon does in "Triangle of Sadness." The Golden Globe-nominated de Leon swung by the podcast to talk about crafting character backstory that altered Ruben Östlund's biting, hysterical script and how starring in a Palme d'Or winner changes her career. "Triangle of Sadness" is on VOD now and highly recommended.

After nearly 8 years, dear listeners, 'Be Reel' is riding off into the sunset. But not before we talk about one of the year's most intriguing horror films (and maybe films, period)—"Barbarian." If basements and plot twists aren't your thing, you can skip to 37:28 to hear a retrospective game/quiz we whipped up to celebrate 700 movies reviewed and reappraised. We can't thank you enough. Please do keep this feed in your heart/eyeline for whatever comes next. And for once in your life...

Man versus beast movies often make for electric Hollywood skirmishes, but Alaskan settings heighten the conflict even further. On today's Be Reel, Chance and Noah discuss "The Edge," "The Grey" and "Hold The Dark"—a trio of films about how outsiders to The Last Frontier find their lives (and masculinity) threatened by howling winds and howling wolves. (We would like to dedicate this episode to Bart the Bear and saying "Charles" without pronouncing the 'r'.)

One of Hollywood's foremost chroniclers of obsession and a legendary obsessive himself, David Fincher has made serial killers and their pursuers central to his career in films like “Se7en” (1995), “Zodiac” (2007) and “The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo” (2011). Ahead of Fincher's 60th birthday, Be Reel investigates all the absurd kinship, crippling loneliness and gallows humor at the dark heart of Fincher's career-defining murder mysteries.

In a rare treat, two unmistakable character actors join the pod: Wes Studi and Dale Dickey. If you don't know their names, you certainly know their indelible faces from movies like "The Last of the Mohicans" and "Winter's Bone." They star together in the tender, dusty new romance film, "A Love Song." Studi and Dickey tell Chance all about finally getting to kiss anyone on screen, plus plenty of talk about acting bucket lists, "Reservation Dogs" and improv battles with Jennifer Lawrence.

When your job is your life, a work spouse is there with a listening ear, comforting rapport, and maybe even soup--at least when that work marriage is functioning platonically and properly. On today's episode, Noah's work spouse, Elise, joins the program to break down what "Broadcast News" (1987), "Jerry Maguire" (1996), and "The Intern" (2015) say about high-stakes careers and the office life partners that make them navigable.

The acclaimed new Greek film "Apples" imagines a world in the grips of an amnesia epidemic. Director Christos Nikou swings by the pod to remember the origins of his debut feature, as well as what he learned from working with Yorgos Lanthimos on "Dogtooth."

For the 10th anniversary of “Magic Mike,” we make it rain critical reflection on Channing Tatum's career-defining role and other standouts of the male stripper sub-genre like “The Full Monty” (1997) and “Chocolate City” (2015). Suffice it to say, if this episode had a stage name, it would probably be “Cash Rich” or “Threatened Masculinity.”

First director interview in a minute! Today we're talking to Jim Archer, who's made a new comedy called "Brian and Charles" about a kooky inventor (David Earl's Brian) who builds a 7-foot-tall robot (Chris Hayward's Charles) anxious to learn all it can about this world of ours. Jim discusses some of the film's documentary inspirations, shopping for mannequin heads and how to direct an actor who's inside a box. "Brian and Charles" is in theaters now, from Focus Features.

Rap our knuckles and yank our ears if you must, but we watched three irreverent nun movies for today's show. From the musical-comedy of “Sister Act” (1992) to the demonic possession of “The Nun” (2018) to the perverse wonderment of “Benedetta” (2021), these sisters play by their own rules in the face of retribution and damnation. This episode has Whoopi, Valak and Paul Verhoeven making us talk dirty. Forgive us, listeners, for we have reappraised.

Few would call Nicolas Cage a chameleonic actor, but his career is always shapeshifting like no other. On the occasion of Cage playing himself in "The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent," Chance is joined by fellow Portland film critic Ray Gill Jr. to review the new movie and then by returning champ Andy Crump to break down the last chapter of Cage's career as the icon embraces gravitas and grief in standouts like "Pig" and "Mandy." Photo: KATALIN VERMES/LIONSGATE

Countless movies capture the exhilaration and horror of high school, but only a select few resurrect those qualities for high school reunions. On this episode, we reminisce on this delightful and harrowing subgenre, featuring “Romy and Michele's High School Reunion” (1997), “Peggy Sue Got Married” (1986) and “Central Intelligence” (2016). There's one universal takeaway: even one night of reliving high school sends people off the deep end.

After a 2.5-year hiatus from watching movies in person, your trusty hosts recently took time away from getting sunburned in Miami to catch three new films. This month, we're talking THE OUTFIT, DEEP WATER, and X. But these three titles have something in common beyond their release weekend. After some Oscars jibber-jabber, we talk claustrophobic gangster pictures, Affleck erotic thrillers, chainsaw-less Texas massacres, and the violence of aging.

In the wake of "Death On The Nile," we peer through our spyglass at that classic sub-sub-genre Nautical Murder Mysteries. Along for the pleasure cruise is Mashable illustrator Bob Al-Greene, who's currently working on the first-ever graphic novelization of an Agatha Christie mystery. We talk Poirot, Branagh, and distracting CGI before diving into our other nautical murder mysteries: "Dead Calm" (1989) and "Murder Mystery" (2019). Did the skipper do it? Listen in.

While 2020 kept so many families painfully apart, three acclaimed indies from last year made the opposite case: "Why do I see these people again?" Playing a little 2021 catch-up, Chance and Noah drop by to visit "Spencer," "Shiva Baby," and "The Humans" to explore how families—be they English royalty or middle-class Americans—banter, bristle, covet nostalgia, push buttons, and flirt with genuine horror. But hey, just look at that spread.