Crooked Table Podcast - The world of film from a fresh angle

In a harmonious double feature, Close Watch continues venturing through the world of movie musicals with an in-depth breakdown of both the 1961 classic West Side Story and Steven Spielberg's 2021 remake. Does the Oscar-winning original still hold up, and was its update worth the creative risk? Darin Lundberg of NostalgiaCast joins us in this melodic journey through two versions of Maria and Tony's love story. We'll explore the rich history of the original film and how it laid the foundation for modern musicals. Then, we'll dive into the reimagined 2021 adaptation and how it measures up. These two films have left an indelible mark on the musical genre, and in a conversation nearly as long as the movies themselves, we discuss their impact on the genre, the timeless themes of love and conflict, and how they've resonated with audiences over the decades. LISTEN on Apple, Spotify, GoodPods, and other podcatchers! #Podcasts #NewEpisode https://linktr.ee/crookedtable

Every episode, Close Watch gives us the chance to get to know our guest through the movie they love. But more recently, the show has sharpened its focus on the wide world of movie musicals. And after the man-eating plant of Little Shop of Horrors and the cultural celebration of In the Heights, musical icon Gene Kelly has officially entered the chat. Philip Boone of the Ultimate Gilmore Girls Movie Night podcast joins us to discuss 1951's An American in Paris. We'll discuss where it fits into Kelly's filmography, how it compares to fellow classics Singin' in the Rain and On the Town, and why -- despite winning six Academy Awards, including Best Picture -- An American in Paris remains underrated. Connect with Crooked Table Productions on social media: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram

Way back in 2020, a few hardcore Hamilfans -- including this episode's guest -- united for the first-ever Crooked Roundtable to talk up the Disney+ release of Lin-Manuel Miranda's Tony-winning musical Hamilton. Now, at last, loyal listeners get the long-awaited spiritual sequel to that discussion. On this episode, Close Watch continues its year-long analysis of movie musicals as The Lady-Wan of Screen Run joins us to talk 2021's In the Heights. Based on Miranda's other Tony-winning musical, the film follows a group of largely Latinx characters in New York's Washington Heights. We'll discuss why In the Heights underperformed at the box office, how it thematically matches up with Hamilton, and why director Jon M. Chu's film deserved better. Plus, we'll count down our favorite In the Heights songs in a brand-new edition of Let's Talk About SIX! Connect with Crooked Table Productions on social media: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram

It's 2023, and Close Watch has a song in its heart this year. For the next year, we're dedicating this podcast to movie musicals. Every month, the show will feature at least one episode in which Rob and a guest go in-depth on a beloved movie musical. And what better way to celebrate one of cinema's most beloved genres than with a man-eating plant from outer space?! Film critic Morgan Roberts joins the show to discuss 1986's Little Shop of Horrors starring Rick Moranis, Ellen Greene, and Steve Martin. We'll discuss the elite group of movie musicals the Frank Oz-directed film belongs to, the staggering puppetry that brings Audrey II to life, and explore why some of our favorite movie musicals go to some very dark places. So shimmy downtown to the little flower shop on the corner for a glimpse at the strange and unusual plant in the window. Just don't feed the plants! Connect with Crooked Table Productions on social media: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram

After UHF, "Weird Al" Yankovic fans faced a wait of more than three decades for another movie featuring the musical icon. And finally, along comes Weird: The Al Yankovic Story. Starring Daniel Radcliffe as "The Weird One" himself, the movie pokes fun at Yankovic's life and career as well as the very notion that someone would make a biopic about him. Lauren Carey of the Beer'd Al Podcast joins us to discuss 2022's Weird: The Al Yankovic Story (a movie she and Rob willed into being). We'll cover whether The Roku Channel original movie met our expectations, how it connects back to the criminally under-seen 1985 mockumentary The Compleat Al, and what we want Yankovic to do next in a post-Weird world. Connect with Crooked Table Productions on social media: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram

Cate Blanchett might be poised to win a third Academy Award for her performance in Tár. But more than two decades ago, the actor -- who was already well on her way to becoming one of the best actors of her generation -- co-starred with Bruce Willis and Billy Bob Thornton in an under-seen crime comedy-drama. And unsurprisingly, she steals the film. The Famous Ashley Grant joins us to discuss 2001's Bandits from director Barry Levinson. We'll talk about Blanchett's mesmerizing turn as the hostage who comes in between two bank robbers (Willis, Thornton), how the movie's treatment of romance is so progressive, and we'll name-check our favorite Willis movies in a new edition of Let's Talk About SIX. Connect with Crooked Table Productions on social media: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram

Some movies are too big to cover in a single conversation. Cloud Atlas -- the 2012 epic directed by the Wachowskis and Tom Tykwer -- is definitely such a movie. So to celebrate the film's tenth anniversary, we invited Brian Skutle of the Sonic Cinema Podcast to help us dig into the movie and its ensemble cast, which includes Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, and Jim Broadbent. In this first half of a massive two-part crossover event, Brian joins us to discuss the audacious production that was Cloud Atlas, its controversial casting choices, its six interwoven stories, and its grand themes. Plus, the thrilling return of Let's Talk About SIX sees Rob and Brian rank their six favorite Wachowski-led projects, from Bound to The Matrix Resurrections! Stay tuned to the Sonic Cinema Podcast for Part 2 of our Cloud Atlas chat, as Rob swings by to discuss how Tykwer, Johnny Klimek, and Reinhold Heil's score informs the movie's story. Connect with Crooked Table Productions on social media: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram

Unless superheroes, hobbits, or boy wizards are involved, fantasy films are all too rare these days. But in the 1980s, the genre was thriving on the big screen. Filmmakers coupled state-of-the-art visual effects with puppetry, make-up, and good ol' movie magic to create worlds fans could previously only imagine. Director Ron Howard's 1988 film Willow is one such film. Featuring a story by George Lucas, Willow was the filmmaker's blatant attempt to tell a story like The Lord of the Rings. And with the new Disney+ sequel series right around the corner, Jeremiah Stewart of the Let's Talk YouTube channel joins the show to remind listeners why they should revisit Willow. We'll discuss how the movie inspired Jeremiah's own interest, the greatness of star Warwick Davis, and what we want out of the new show. Connect with Crooked Table Productions on social media: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram

Cinema -- like all art forms -- is wholly subjective. And within that, comedy is perhaps most subjective of all. That being said, 1980's Airplane! remains widely considered one of the funniest movies of all time. So as Close Watch emerges from a lengthy hiatus, we'll take to the skies for an in-depth chat. On this episode, film critic Albert Lanier returns to break down how Airplane! works not only as a comedy parodying the disaster films of the 1970s but also as an adaptation of the 1957 film Zero Hour. We'll discuss the most unforgettable jokes and most iconic performances, and answer once and for all whether Airplane! is indeed the funniest movie ever made. Connect with Crooked Table Productions on social media: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram

It's showtime. Close Watch kicks off a new year with the "ghost with the most" himself. Tim Burton's 1988 comedy Beetlejuice made mega-stars out of both Burton and Michael Keaton ahead of their next film, Batman. On this episode, Bri Azmoudeh of the Geeky Waffle Network's new podcast, Killer Waffles, joins the show to talk about why Bri connected so strongly to Beetlejuice, its balance of horror and comedy, and a possible sequel. SYNOPSIS After Barbara (Geena Davis) and Adam Maitland (Alec Baldwin) die in a car accident, they find themselves stuck haunting their country residence, unable to leave the house. When the unbearable Deetzes (Catherine O'Hara, Jeffrey Jones) and teen daughter Lydia (Winona Ryder) buy the home, the Maitlands attempt to scare them away without success. Their efforts attract Beetlejuice (Michael Keaton), a rambunctious spirit whose "help" quickly becomes dangerous for the Maitlands and innocent Lydia. Connect with Crooked Table Productions on social media: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram

The Dark Universe might have been dead on arrival, but 1999's The Mummy remains just as beloved as ever. More than two decades later, fans continue to revisit Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz's sweeping adventure. On this episode, Catherine Gonzales of Latinx Lens joins the show as we talk about the film's influence on modern blockbusters, its iconic cast of unforgettable characters, and how well it holds up by today's standards. SYNOPSIS The Mummy is a rousing, suspenseful and horrifying epic about an expedition of treasure-seeking explorers in the Sahara Desert in 1925. Stumbling upon an ancient tomb, the hunters unwittingly set loose a 3,000-year-old legacy of terror, which is embodied in the vengeful reincarnation of an Egyptian priest who had been sentenced to an eternity as one of the living dead. Connect with Crooked Table Productions on social media: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram

Call him The Dude, His Dudeness, El Duder, or even El Duderino (if you're not into the whole brevity thing). Whatever you call Jeff Bridge's loveable hipster hero in The Big Lebowski, he's certainly become a cinematic icon. This episode, Kerri Jones joins the show to help us break down the ethos of The Dude, what it has to say about the culture (and counter-culture), and why so many fans seem ready and willing to convert to Dudeism. SYNOPSIS Jeff "The Dude" Leboswki (Jeff Bridges) is mistaken for Jeffrey Lebowski (Charles Durning), who is The Big Lebowski. In search of justice, The Dude tracks down his namesake, who offers him a job. His wife (Tara Reid) has been kidnapped, and he needs a reliable bagman. Aided and hindered by his pals Walter Sobchak (John Goodman), a Vietnam vet, and Donny (Steve Buscemi). Connect with Crooked Table Productions on social media: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram

Who needs parents when there's adventure? That seemed to be the philosophy of fantasy films in the 1980s. And as it turns out, 1981's Time Bandits might be the granddaddy of all those fan-favorite cult classics. JC from the Screen Fix podcast joins the show as we talk about how Time Bandits influenced fantasy-adventure films, what the movie really says about childhood versus adult, and that completely bonkers ending. SYNOPSIS Young history buff Kevin (Craig Warnock) can scarcely believe it when six dwarfs emerge from his closet one night. Former employees of the Supreme Being (Ralph Richardson), they've purloined a map charting all of the holes in the fabric of time and are using it to steal treasures from different historical eras. Taking Kevin with them, they variously drop in on Napoleon (Ian Holm), Robin Hood (John Cleese) and King Agamemnon (Sean Connery) before the Supreme Being catches up with them. Connect with Crooked Table Productions on social media: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram

Spike Lee is without a doubt one of the most essential filmmakers of his generation. And 1989's Do the Right Thing is widely considered his masterpiece. So this episode, we're giving this indelible classic its due. David Snyder joins the show as we discuss Lee's ground-breaking use of hip hop in the film, his stellar ensemble cast, and how Do the Right Thing balances a variety of tones to create something wholly unique. SYNOPSIS Salvatore "Sal" Fragione (Danny Aiello) is the Italian owner of a pizzeria in Brooklyn. A neighborhood local, Buggin' Out (Giancarlo Esposito), becomes upset when he sees that the pizzeria's Wall of Fame exhibits only Italian actors. Buggin' Out believes a pizzeria in a black neighborhood should showcase black actors, but Sal disagrees. The wall becomes a symbol of racism and hate to Buggin' Out and to other people in the neighborhood, and tensions rise. Connect with Crooked Table Productions on social media: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram

The Wicker Man has gotten a bad rap in recent years, thanks to the widely ridiculed 2006 remake starring Nicolas Cage. But this episode, we're setting aside the "not the bees!" jokes for a closer look at the original 1973 classic. Amy Otero joins the show to go in-depth on The Wicker Man. We'll discuss its representation of pagan culture, how it uses folk music, and its influence on horror. Who is the real villain of director Robin Hardy's movie? SYNOPSIS Sergeant Howie (Edward Woodward) arrives on the small Scottish island of Summerisle to investigate the report of a missing child. A conservative Christian, the policeman observes the residents' frivolous sexual displays and strange pagan rituals, particularly the temptations of Willow (Britt Ekland), daughter of the island magistrate, Lord Summerisle (Christopher Lee). The more Sergeant Howie learns about the islanders' strange practices, the closer he gets to tracking down the missing child. Connect with Crooked Table Productions on social media: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram

Considering The First Wives Club earned $100 million in 1996, it's remarkable how little people seem to discuss it. This episode, Phoenix Clouden of the Film Code Podcast helps us fix that. As the movie celebrates its 25th anniversary, now is the perfect time to celebrate the iconic performances from Goldie Hawn, Bette Midler, and Diane Keaton. Even as a child, Phoenix found himself drawn into the story of three women of a certain age contending with their duplicitous ex-husbands. We'll discuss why The First Wives Club is so much deeper than it seems, which of the three leading ladies we relate to the most, and whether we'd want to see a sequel reuniting Hawn, Midler, and Keaton even now. Join us as we officially call this meeting of The First Wives Club to order. SYNOPSIS Despondent over her ex-husband's marriage to a younger woman, a middle-aged divorcée (Stockard Channing) plunges to her death. At her funeral, her former college friends (Bette Midler, Goldie Hawn, and Diane Keaton) reunite. When they discover the reason for their friend's suicide, they realize their ex-husbands have taken them for granted. Deciding it's time for revenge, they make a pact to get back at their exes. Connect with Crooked Table Productions on social media: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram

General audiences might remember Alex Proyas' 1994 movie The Crow for the tragic on-set death of star Brandon Lee. Yet, despite that infamous incident -- or, perhaps, in part because of it -- the film -- based on the comics by James O'Barr -- inspired a cult following that endures today. And this episode, Brian Skutle of the Sonic Cinema Podcast helps us discuss why. Normally, The Crow would have been a contender for our sister podcast, Franchise Detours. However, Proyas' film tells a standalone story. And besides, Brian's love for this film certainly merits the Close Watch treatment. We'll discuss what The Crow means to him, how its genre-blending tone sets it apart, and what most people misunderstand about it. Join us as we journey back to the alternative music, goth aesthetic, and pre-MCU comic book movies of the 1990s as we take flight with The Crow. SYNOPSIS The night before his wedding, musician Eric Draven (Brandon Lee) and his fiancée are brutally murdered by gang members. On the anniversary of their death, Eric rises from the grave and becomes a supernatural avenger. Tracking down the thugs responsible for the crimes and mercilessly murdering them, Eric eventually confronts head gangster Top Dollar (Michael Wincott) to complete his macabre mission. Connect with Crooked Table Productions on social media: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram

Shane Black is a name that tends to elicit either unbridled enthusiasm or consternation from moviegoers. Black started out as an actor before hitting it big as the legendary screenwriter of Lethal Weapon. Then in 2005, he made the leap to directing his own scripts. And this episode, Thomas Greene of Movies After Work joins us to discuss Black's directorial debut, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang stars a pre-Iron Man Robert Downey Jr., a post-Batman Val Kilmer, and a star-making turn by Michelle Monaghan. The film's blend of noir subject matter and buddy cop energy turned it into a cult classic for some, despite its box office underperformance. But Thomas and I will delve into how it was a pivotal movie for not only those involved but him as well. We'll discuss how accurately Black captures the Los Angeles scene, why the movie impacted Thomas' own writing, and which of the movie's three lead performances ultimately steals the movie. SYNOPSIS Two-bit crook Harry Lockhart (Robert Downey Jr.) stumbles into an audition for a mystery film while on the run from the cops. Winning the part, he lands in Hollywood, where he's flung into a tangled, murderous conspiracy with his childhood sweetheart, Harmony Lane (Michelle Monaghan), and hard-boiled private eye Perry van Shrike (Val Kilmer). Connect with Crooked Table Productions on social media: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram

Even some fans of animated films need to brush up on their anime. Such was the case when Rachel Wagner of Rachel's Reviews stopped by the show. A self-professed ambassador of Makoto Shinkai's 2016 film Your Name, Rachel joined us to discuss the film. And the conversation -- just like Your Name itself -- went some unexpected places along the way. Your Name blends comedy, fantasy, romance, sci-fi, and drama into one distinctive subversion of the body-swap concept. Listen in as Rachel and I discuss what the movie says about spirituality, connection, and gender identity. We'll even discuss the in-development live-action remake and the state of animated films in Hollywood. By the end, you'll know Your Name. Connect with Crooked Table Productions on social media: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram

Everyone familiar with 1989's Field of Dreams knows that "if you build it, he will come." But is the same true if you podcast about it? Darin Lundberg of NostalgiaCast helps us test that theory with an in-depth chat about writer-director Phil Alden Robinson's iconic sports film starring Kevin Costner, Amy Madigan, James Earl Jones, Ray Liotta, and Burt Lancaster. Field of Dreams has a reputation for being a film that emotionally resonates with its audiences. Listen in as Darin shares the personal story behind his love for the movie. We'll discuss why he watches it annually, how it's not really a baseball movie, and why James Horner deserves so much credit for the film's success. So lace up and join us as we run onto the Field of Dreams. Connect with Crooked Table Productions on social media: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram

The era of the Crooked Table Podcast ends with a bang as we discuss Martin Scorsese's 1990 crime drama Goodfellas. Jason from Binge Movies joins the show as we break down the film's legacy, its place in Scorsese's legendary filmography, and Goodfellas' Best Picture loss to Dances with Wolves. Stay tuned in mid-July for the first episode of Close Watch with Robert Yaniz Jr. Or check out our sister show, Franchise Detours, also coming soon wherever you listen to podcasts. SYNOPSIS A young man grows up in the mob and works very hard to advance himself through the ranks. He enjoys his life of money and luxury but is oblivious to the horror that he causes. A drug addiction and a few mistakes ultimately unravel his climb to the top. Based on the book Wiseguy by Nicholas Pileggi. SHOW NOTES Subscribe to the Crooked Table Podcast on Apple Podcasts! Listen to the Crooked Table Podcast on Spotify! Connect with Crooked Table on social media: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram

Over the years, cinema and sports have crossed paths countless times. But it takes something very special to stand out in the genre. And for an entire generation, Rudy represents the ultimate underdog story. Starring Sean Astin (The Lord of the Rings), the film tells the inspiring true story of Daniel "Rudy" Ruettiger. Philip Boone of Sports Flix, Just Give Us Clix joins the show to share his own longtime love for Rudy. We'll discuss why the 1993 movie has become such a classic, whether we would be able to persist in Rudy's situation, and how Jerry Goldsmith's score is so integral to the stirring earnestness that so many fans hold dear. SYNOPSIS Rudy Ruettiger (Sean Astin) wants to play football at the University of Notre Dame but has neither the money for tuition nor the grades to qualify for a scholarship. Rudy redoubles his efforts to get out of the steel mill where his father works when his best friend (Christopher Reed) dies in an accident there. Overcoming his dyslexia thanks to his friend and tutor, D-Bob (Jon Favreau), Rudy gains admission to Notre Dame and begins to fight his way onto the school's fabled football team. SHOW NOTES Subscribe to the Crooked Table Podcast on Apple Podcasts! Listen to the Crooked Table Podcast on Spotify! Connect with Crooked Table on social media: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram

The final round of Crooked Table Podcast episodes -- prior to the rebranding, at least -- continues. And of course, we had to tap into the red-headed step-child of Marvel Comics movies: 1986's Howard the Duck. The first full-length movie based on a Marvel character, the movie was an infamous box office and critical disaster? But have its feathers been unjustly ruffled? Jamie Williams returns to the show to help us break down Howard the Duck. We'll discuss the movie's reputation, how it affected stars Lea Thompson and Tim Robbins, and the behind-the-scenes drama that led to one of cinema's most notorious movies. We'll even make a case for why Marvel Studios should consider giving Howard the Duck a second shot at the big screen. SYNOPSIS In this film based on the Marvel Comics character, Howard the Duck (voiced by Chip Zien) is suddenly beamed from Duckworld, a planet of intelligent ducks with arms and legs, to Earth, where he lands in Cleveland. There he saves rocker Beverly (Lea Thompson) from thugs and forms a friendship with her. She introduces him to Phil (Tim Robbins), who works at a lab with scientist Dr. Jenning (Jeffrey Jones). When the doctor attempts to return Howard to his world, Jenning instead transfers an evil spirit into his own body. SHOW NOTES Subscribe to the Crooked Table Podcast on Apple Podcasts! Listen to the Crooked Table Podcast on Spotify! Connect with Crooked Table on social media: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram

For years, CinemaSins has taken the movies to task with its popular videos cheekily tackling "everything wrong with" the movies. However, with billions of views and millions of subscribers, even critics can't deny the success of CinemaSins. Jeremy Scott -- the YouTube channel's co-founder and the "voice of CinemaSins" -- has found the perfect outlet for his passion for cinema. Now fans of Jeremy's irreverent "takedowns" of Hollywood hits discover the story of how he developed his love for movies. His new book, Original Sin: From Preacher’s Kid to the Creator of CinemaSins (released May 18), chronicles his rise from movie theater employee to viral sensation. And Jeremy joined the Crooked Table Podcast to tell us what readers can expect. In addition, we'll discuss the precarious, post-pandemic state of cinema, his long-term plan for CinemaSins, the biggest sin he sees in movies today, and whether he struggled to tear into one of his favorite movies. So listen to our interview with Jeremy Scott. Then be sure to pick up a copy of his book, Original Sin, available May 18 wherever books are sold. SHOW NOTES CinemaSins' Everything Wrong with The Room Subscribe to the Crooked Table Podcast on Apple Podcasts! Listen to the Crooked Table Podcast on Spotify! Connect with Crooked Table on social media: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram

Few films released in the 21st century have as universal a reputation as David Lynch's 2001 thriller Mulholland Drive. To that end, a celebration of the film and its 20th anniversary hardly qualifies as "the world of film from a fresh angle." Yet, the movie's surrealistic tone and multi-layered tale likely flew under the radar for some mainstream moviegoers. So listen in as returning guest Albert Lanier lays out what he believes to be the "Lynch pin" to understanding Mulholland Drive. In this episode, we'll compare interpretations of the film's final act, discuss its origin as a TV pilot, and attempt to decipher one of cinema's most inscrutable minds. "There is no band," at Club Silencio. But here is an entire discussion all about Lynch's critically lauded, Oscar-nominated masterpiece: Mulholland Drive. SYNOPSIS A dark-haired woman (Laura Elena Harring) is left amnesiac after a car crash. After wandering the streets of Los Angeles, she takes refuge in an apartment. There she is discovered by Betty (Naomi Watts), a wholesome Midwestern blonde who has come to the City of Angels seeking fame as an actress. Together, the two attempt to solve the mystery of Rita's true identity. SHOW NOTES Join the Crooked Table Patreon: Patreon.com/CrookedTable Subscribe to the Crooked Table Podcast on Apple Podcasts! Listen to the Crooked Table Podcast on Spotify! Connect with Crooked Table on social media: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram  |  Tumblr

Come one, come Al! After 2020, things were bound to get weird. So we kick off 2021 with the only logical episode: "Weird Al" Yankovic's one and only big-screen starring role, 1989's cult comedy UHF. Lauren Carey of the Beer'd Al Podcast joins the show to talk about the film's legacy, its impact on Al's career, and whether UHF is an effective entry point for new fans. So don't change the channel. And don't touch that dial. This week, the Crooked Table Podcast has got it all on UHF. SYNOPSIS After losing yet another job, George ("Weird Al" Yankovic) wonders if there is any career that can handle his outrageous personality. When George's uncle (Stanley Brock) hands him the deed to a local TV station, George creates a series of television shows based on social satire and hyperactive humor, with the help of his best friend, Bob (David Bowe). However, a rival station's bitter CEO (Kevin McCarthy) tries to destroy George's wacky programming, forcing him to fight back. SHOW NOTES Join the Crooked Table Patreon: Patreon.com/CrookedTable Subscribe to the Crooked Table Podcast on Apple Podcasts! Listen to the Crooked Table Podcast on Spotify! Connect with Crooked Table on social media: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram  |  Tumblr

It ends tonight. Yup, it's time for part 2 of our discussion on The Matrix sequels. Jackson Smith is back to talk The Matrix Revolutions. After the Matrix-y hijinks of its predecessor, this third chapter takes a more "real world" approach. But does it deliver a satisfying close to the trilogy? We'll get to all that -- and Hugo Weaving's hammy AF performance -- in the ultimate The Matrix Revolutions discussion. SYNOPSIS In a dystopia overrun by robots, Neo (Keanu Reeves), mankind's greatest hope, is trapped in a limbo world. Meanwhile, the majority of the planet's population remains in a state of suspended virtual reality. The few humans who are cognizant of the grim realities of the world desperately try to hold off their mechanical enemies long enough for Neo to escape and save the day, but things turn disastrous when all-powerful computer program Smith (Hugo Weaving) arrives in the flesh. SHOW NOTES Join the Crooked Table Patreon: Patreon.com/CrookedTable Subscribe to the Crooked Table Podcast on Apple Podcasts! Listen to the Crooked Table Podcast on Spotify! Connect with Crooked Table on social media: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram  |  Tumblr

As we catch up with the remaining chapters of The Matrix trilogy, it seemed like the perfect time to share a bit of bonus content. This episode features a collection of outtakes recorded during our two-part, 100th episode extravaganza on The Matrix with guest Freddy Yaniz. Until now, this bonus episode was only available to Patreon subscribers. But now as a holiday season treat, we provide it here in the main feed. Stay plugged in for more bonus content in 2021, and check back soon for part 2 of our discussion on The Matrix sequels, covering The Matrix Revolutions. SYNOPSIS Neo (Keanu Reeves) believes an elusive figure named Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne) can answer his question: What is the Matrix? Neo is contacted by Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss), a beautiful stranger who leads him into an underworld where he meets Morpheus. They fight a brutal battle for their lives against a cadre of viciously intelligent secret agents. It is a truth that could cost Neo something more precious than his life. SHOW NOTES Join the Crooked Table Crew by becoming an official patron over at Patreon.com/CrookedTable Subscribe to the Crooked Table Podcast on Apple Podcasts so that you never miss a moment! Listen to the Crooked Table Podcast on Spotify! The Crooked Table Podcast is also on Stitcher! Reach Robert Yaniz Jr. on Twitter at @crookedtable. Connect with Crooked Table on social media: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram  |  Tumblr

The Matrix has you (again). In this first half of our two-part discussion on the sequels, Jackson Smith -- our own Agent Smith, so to speak -- joins the show to examine The Matrix Reloaded. We'll cover whether the movie is a smooth transition from the first film, its wild action sequences, and why even its haters need to pay The Matrix Reloaded a revisit now. SYNOPSIS Freedom fighters Neo (Keanu Reeves), Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss), and Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne) continue to lead the revolt against the machine army. The trio unleash their arsenal of extraordinary skills and weaponry against the systematic forces of repression and exploitation. In their quest to save the human race from extinction, they gain greater insight into the construct of the Matrix and Neo's pivotal role in the fate of mankind. SHOW NOTES Join the Crooked Table Crew by becoming an official patron over at Patreon.com/CrookedTable Subscribe to the Crooked Table Podcast on Apple Podcasts so that you never miss a moment! Listen to the Crooked Table Podcast on Spotify! The Crooked Table Podcast is also on Stitcher! Reach Robert Yaniz Jr. on Twitter at @crookedtable. Connect with Crooked Table on social media: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram  |  Tumblr

It all ends (finally). But now Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 has brought the saga of The Boy Who Lived to an appropriately epic conclusion. Guest Ryan McQuade returns to the show to help us bid farewell to Harry, Ron, Hermione, and She-Who-Must-Not-Be Named with our very last episode on the Harry Potter series. Coming in 2021: we enter the ring with Sylvester Stallone, Michael B. Jordan, and the Rocky franchise! SYNOPSIS A clash between good and evil awaits as young Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), Ron (Rupert Grint), and Hermione (Emma Watson) prepare for a final battle against Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes). Harry has grown into a steely lad on a mission to rid the world of evil. The friends must search for the Horcruxes that keep the dastardly wizard immortal. Harry and Voldemort meet at Hogwarts for an epic showdown with the forces of darkness. SHOW NOTES Listen to our Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone episode featuring Bri Azmoudeh of Geeky Girl Gab! Check out our Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets episode featuring Teri Sears! Listen to our Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban episode featuring Jackson Smith! Check out our Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire episode featuring Freddy Yaniz! Listen to our Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix episode featuring Amy Otero! Check out our Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince episode featuring Kai Yaniz! Listen to our Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 episode featuring Lyndsey Cole! Join the Crooked Table Crew by becoming an official patron over at Patreon.com/CrookedTable Subscribe to the Crooked Table Podcast on Apple Podcasts! Listen to the Crooked Table Podcast on Spotify! The Crooked Table Podcast is also on Stitcher! Reach Robert Yaniz Jr. on Twitter at @crookedtable. Connect with Crooked Table on social media: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram  |  Tumblr

Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol has to be one of the most adapted literary works of all time. But the story of Ebenezer Scrooge has never been told quite like this. Bill Murray leads a "modern" take on Dickens' work in 1988's Scrooged. And Kim Stock Foster brings the holiday classic to the Table to explain why the movie's poignant message and comedic sensibility makes Scrooged her favorite Christmas movie. SYNOPSIS In this modern take on Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol," Frank Cross (Bill Murray) is a wildly successful television executive whose cold ambition and curmudgeonly nature has driven away the love of his life, Claire Phillips (Karen Allen). But after firing a staff member, Eliot Loudermilk (Bobcat Goldthwait), on Christmas Eve, Frank is visited by a series of ghosts who give him a chance to re-evaluate his actions and right the wrongs of his past. SHOW NOTES Donate to Stand Down this holiday season: https://standown.org/ Join the Crooked Table Crew by becoming an official patron over at Patreon.com/CrookedTable Subscribe to the Crooked Table Podcast on Apple Podcasts so that you never miss a moment! Listen to the Crooked Table Podcast on Spotify! The Crooked Table Podcast is also on Stitcher! Reach Robert Yaniz Jr. on Twitter at @crookedtable. Connect with Crooked Table on social media: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram  |  Tumblr

Nowadays, martial arts feel like a distinct part of the fabric of Hollywood action movies. But that wasn't always the case. In fact, if not for Bruce Lee and his iconic 1973 hit Enter the Dragon, the state of the entertainment industry might look a whole lot different. Robert Dean joins the show to take a look at how Enter the Dragon has held up since its release. We'll discuss how influential the movie has proven to be, how it captures Lee's own personal philosophy, and whether it would have kicked off a movie series if Lee had lived longer. So grab some nunchucks and brace yourselves for the virtuosity of Bruce Lee in his most famous role, the unforgettable Enter the Dragon. SYNOPSIS Lee (Bruce Lee) is a martial artist determined to capture the criminal whose gang caused his sister's death. Lee enters a kung fu competition, attempting to fight his way to the dealer's headquarters with the help of some friends. SHOW NOTES Join the Crooked Table Crew by becoming an official patron over at Patreon.com/CrookedTable Subscribe to the Crooked Table Podcast on Apple Podcasts so that you never miss a moment! Listen to the Crooked Table Podcast on Spotify! The Crooked Table Podcast is also on Stitcher! Reach Robert Yaniz Jr. on Twitter at @crookedtable. Connect with Crooked Table on social media: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram  |  Tumblr

2020 is nearing a close. And with it, the Crooked Table Podcast is almost finished with its ill-timed deep dive into the Harry Potter franchise. In 2010's Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1, the stakes have never been higher. We knew a fresh perspective was required to deliver the exciting, frank conversation this series of episodes needs. And so Lyndsey Cole joins the show to break down whether this penultimate Harry Potter adventure achieves the epic scope it aims for. We'll discuss which young star is actually the weakest of the three actors, how Deathly Hallows Part 1 emphasizes character over action, and what sequence is perhaps the best bit of filmmaking in the entire series. The ultimate battle of good and evil -- or at least the lead-up to it -- is afoot. So pull a chair up to the Table and join us for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1. SYNOPSIS Without the guidance and protection of their professors, Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), Ron (Rupert Grint), and Hermione (Emma Watson) begin a mission to destroy the Horcruxes, the sources of Voldemort's (Ralph Fiennes) immortality. Though they must rely on one another more than ever, dark forces threaten to tear them apart. Voldemort's Death Eaters have seized control of the Ministry of Magic and Hogwarts, and they are searching for Harry -- even as he and his friends prepare for the ultimate showdown. SHOW NOTES Listen to our Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone episode featuring Bri Azmoudeh of Geeky Girl Gab! Check out our Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets episode featuring Teri Sears! Listen to our Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban episode featuring Jackson Smith! Check out our Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire episode featuring Freddy Yaniz! Listen to our Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix episode featuring Amy Otero! Check out our Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince episode featuring Kai Yaniz! Join the Crooked Table Crew by becoming an official patron over at Patreon.com/CrookedTable Subscribe to the Crooked Table Podcast on Apple Podcasts so that you never miss a moment! Listen to the Crooked Table Podcast on Spotify! The Crooked Table Podcast is also on Stitcher! Reach Robert Yaniz Jr. on Twitter at @crookedtable. Connect with Crooked Table on social media: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram  |  Tumblr

When the podcast relaunched in December 2018, it did so with the goal of bringing new voices -- and therefore a wide range of movies -- to the forefront. That's certainly the case with this episode, which highlights the unjustly forgotten 1954 release Salt of the Earth. The movie has since fallen into the public domain and is available to watch on YouTube. Rosa Parra of Latinx Lens joins the show to discuss why Salt of the Earth is such a vital part of cinema history. We'll discuss how the movie involved real-life miners in the production, why its feminist perspective is still progressive by today's standards, and whether the film suffers because it is not directed by a Latin filmmaker. So fill out the blind spot you didn't even know you had by checking out director Herbert J. Biberman's Salt of the Earth. SYNOPSIS At New Mexico's Empire Zinc mine, Mexican-American workers protest the unsafe work conditions and unequal wages compared to their Anglo counterparts. Ramon Quintero (Juan Chacón) helps organize the strike but is similarly unfair to his pregnant wife, Esperanza (Rosaura Revueltas). When an injunction stops the men from protesting, however, the gender roles are reversed, and the women find themselves on the picket lines. SHOW NOTES Join the Crooked Table Crew by becoming an official patron over at Patreon.com/CrookedTable Subscribe to the Crooked Table Podcast on Apple Podcasts so that you never miss a moment! Listen to the Crooked Table Podcast on Spotify! The Crooked Table Podcast is also on Stitcher! Reach Robert Yaniz Jr. on Twitter at @crookedtable. Connect with Crooked Table on social media: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram  |  Tumblr

Even though we just covered Hamilton in our first-ever Crooked Roundtable, we're not quite ready to move on from musicals just yet. So this episode, we're discussing one of the most beloved big-screen musicals of all time: 1952's Singin' in the Rain starring Gene Kelly, Donald O'Connor, and Debbie Reynolds. Ryan McQuade returns to the show to help us break down why Singin' in the Rain is such a joyous and unforgettable experience. We'll discuss the behind-the-scenes drama, how the film comments on real-life cinema history, and -- of course -- the indelible music, many of which debuted in earlier films. So put your dancing shoes on, grab an umbrella, and get ready to tap your way through that shower with Singin' in the Rain. SYNOPSIS When silent films begin to transition to "talkies," everyone has trouble adapting. Don (Gene Kelly) and Lina (Jean Hagen) have been cast repeatedly as a romantic couple. But when their latest film is remade into a musical, only Don has the voice for the new singing part. After a lot of practice with a diction coach, Lina still sounds terrible. Kathy (Debbie Reynolds) -- a bright young aspiring actress -- is hired to record over her voice. SHOW NOTES Join the Crooked Table Crew by becoming an official patron over at Patreon.com/CrookedTable Subscribe to the Crooked Table Podcast on Apple Podcasts so that you never miss a moment! Listen to the Crooked Table Podcast on Spotify! The Crooked Table Podcast is also on Stitcher! Reach Robert Yaniz Jr. on Twitter at @crookedtable. Connect with Crooked Table on social media: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram  |  Tumblr

We were willing to wait for it. Now the time has finally come to cover the Disney+ release of Hamilton. But how best to commemorate the "ten-dollar Founding Father without a father"? Surely, with the pop cultural impact of Lin-Manuel Miranda's Tony-winning musical, we wouldn't be satisfied with just another regular episode. Instead, we assembled a panel of epic Hamilfans to blow our listeners away. In our first-ever Crooked Roundtable discussion, Michael Hinman, Candace Kaw, Mandy Lake, and The Lady-Wan talked non-stop about everything Hamilton. We'll discuss whether Aaron Burr (sir) is really the show's villain, how Miranda turned the world upside down with an introduction to hip hop history, and why we're all helpless to stop ourselves from obsessing over this epic musical. So strap in for a two-part deep dive into how Miranda used rhyme and American history to tell a moving tale of legacy and created a phenomenon in Hamilton. SYNOPSIS Filmed from the Richard Rodgers Theater in New York, the original Broadway production of the award-winning musical tells the story of Alexander Hamilton (Lin-Manuel Miranda) -- first secretary of the U.S. treasury -- blending hip-hop, jazz, R&B, and Broadway styles. SHOW NOTES Join the Crooked Table Crew by becoming an official patron over at Patreon.com/CrookedTable Subscribe to the Crooked Table Podcast on Apple Podcasts so that you never miss a moment! Listen to the Crooked Table Podcast on Spotify! The Crooked Table Podcast is also on Stitcher! Reach Robert Yaniz Jr. on Twitter at @crookedtable. Connect with Crooked Table on social media: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram  |  Tumblr

It's the most terror-filled time of the year. This episode, we're taking a look at one of the most influential horror films of the 2000s: James Wan's 2004 release Saw. In addition to seven (soon-to-be eight) sequels, the film kickstarted Wan's directing career long before Insidious, The Conjuring, Furious 7, and Aquaman. But is Saw just a disposable bit of "torture porn" like so many of its imitators? Lucy Buglass joins the show to help us tear into that very question. We'll discuss how Saw serves as a springboard for not only Wan but also screenwriter/star Leigh Whannell (The Invisible Man). And we'll consider whether the first film's legacy is upheld by its sequel. We'll even ask the question everyone has been wondering for the better part of 20 years: did Saw invent escape rooms? So keep your pig mask handy, queue up your creepy puppets, and prepare yourself for a modern horror classic. We want to play a game. And it's Saw. SYNOPSIS Photographer Adam Stanheight (Leigh Whannell) and oncologist Lawrence Gordon (Cary Elwes) regain consciousness while chained to pipes at either end of a filthy bathroom. As the two men realize they've been trapped by a sadistic serial killer nicknamed "Jigsaw" and must complete his perverse puzzle to live, flashbacks relate the fates of his previous victims. Meanwhile, Dr. Gordon's wife (Monica Potter) and young daughter (Makenzie Vega) are forced to watch his torture via closed-circuit video. SHOW NOTES Join the Crooked Table Crew by becoming an official patron over at Patreon.com/CrookedTable Subscribe to the Crooked Table Podcast on Apple Podcasts so that you never miss a moment! Listen to the Crooked Table Podcast on Spotify! The Crooked Table Podcast is also on Stitcher! Reach Robert Yaniz Jr. on Twitter at @crookedtable. Connect with Crooked Table on social media: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram  |  Tumblr

The end is drawing nearer as our ill-timed Harry Potter series trudges ahead. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince may opt for love-potion hijinks over grim flashbacks. But the movie still gives audiences a delightful turn by Oscar winner Jim Broadbent, potions galore, and a taste of the Harry-Dumbledore buddy movie we could have gotten instead. Kai Yaniz returns to the show after reading the books for the first time just a year ago. And she has some thoughts on how director David Yates adapts the source material. We'll cover Draco Malfoy's moral dilemma, Voldemort's dark past, and how Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince keys up the epic two-part conclusion to The Boy Who Lived's magical saga. SYNOPSIS As Death Eaters wreak havoc in the Muggle and Wizard worlds, Hogwarts is no longer a safe haven for students. Though Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) suspects there are new dangers lurking within the castle walls, Dumbledore (Michael Gambon) is more intent than ever on preparing the young wizard for the final battle with Voldemort. Meanwhile, teenage hormones run rampant through Hogwarts, presenting a different sort of danger. Love may be in the air, but tragedy looms, and Hogwarts may never be the same again. SHOW NOTES Listen to our Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone episode featuring Bri Azmoudeh of Geeky Girl Gab! Check out our Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets episode featuring Teri Sears! Listen to our Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban episode featuring Jackson Smith! Check out our Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire episode featuring Freddy Yaniz! Listen to our Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix episode featuring Amy Otero! Join the Crooked Table Crew by becoming an official patron over at Patreon.com/CrookedTable Subscribe to the Crooked Table Podcast on Apple Podcasts so that you never miss a moment! Listen to the Crooked Table Podcast on Spotify! The Crooked Table Podcast is also on Stitcher! Reach Robert Yaniz Jr. on Twitter at @crookedtable. Connect with Crooked Table on social media: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Tumblr

Christian Bale might have played the Dark Knight for director Christopher Nolan. But his real superpower as an actor is his ability to play cold, emotionally detached characters such as American Psycho's Patrick Bateman. And building off of that iconic performance, Equilibrium thrusts Bale full-on into dystopian sci-fi. But, y'know, with "gunkata." Returning guest Jon Cohorn previously brought the gun-toting martial arts of John Wick and the underrated sci-fi of Event Horizon to the Table. Now he combines the two with writer-director Kurt Wimmer's 2002 film Equilibrium. And for a film most moviegoers have never even heard of, it has a hell of a lot of relevance to today's world. SYNOPSIS In a futuristic world, a regime has eliminated war by suppressing emotions. Books, art, and music are strictly forbidden, and feeling is a crime punishable by death. Cleric John Preston (Christian Bale) is a top-ranking government agent responsible for destroying those who resist these rules. When he misses a dose of Prozium -- a mind-altering drug that hinders emotion -- Preston, who has been trained to enforce strict laws of the new regime, suddenly becomes the only one capable of overthrowing it. SHOW NOTES Join the Crooked Table Crew by becoming an official patron over at Patreon.com/CrookedTable Subscribe to the Crooked Table Podcast on Apple Podcasts so that you never miss a moment! Listen to the Crooked Table Podcast on Spotify! The Crooked Table Podcast is also on Stitcher! Reach Robert Yaniz Jr. on Twitter at @crookedtable. Connect with Crooked Table on social media: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram  |  Tumblr

Long before Liam Neeson let the world know about his "very particular set of skills," he was Darkman. The cult classic from director Sam Raimi even predates Neeson's Star Wars and Batman Begins days. Yet, in many ways, it feels like it belongs to the initial comic book movie boom of the early 2000s. Kevin Smith joins the show to discuss why Darkman is such a well-kept secret, how it's a critical turning point for Raimi's career, and why Hollywood should dust off the franchise. We'll also cover Oscar winner Frances McDormand, the late great Larry Drake, and that pink elephant. He's everyone and no one. Everywhere and nowhere. But this episode, you can call him Darkman. SYNOPSIS When thugs employed by a crime boss lead a vicious assault on Dr. Peyton Westlake (Liam Neeson), leaving him literally and psychologically scarred, an emergency procedure allows him to survive. Upon his recovery, Westlake can find solace only by returning to his scientific work developing synthetic skin, and seeking revenge against the crime boss. He assumes a phantom avenger persona called Darkman, who -- with malleable facial qualities -- is able to infiltrate and sow terror in the criminal community. SHOW NOTES Join the Crooked Table Crew by becoming an official patron over at Patreon.com/CrookedTable Subscribe to the Crooked Table Podcast on Apple Podcasts so that you never miss a moment! Listen to the Crooked Table Podcast on Spotify! The Crooked Table Podcast is also on Stitcher! Reach Robert Yaniz Jr. on Twitter at @crookedtable. Connect with Crooked Table on social media: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram  |  Tumblr

The real-life political climate bleeds into the Wizarding World this week. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is very much a political commentary. So guest Amy Otero and I did our very best to stay focused on the movie at hand. As it turned out, neither of us realized just how relevant director David Yates' first Harry Potter movie would be. If Year Four represents Harry's loss of innocence, then this next film sees the boy wizard and his friend brave the dark and complex real world for the very first time. We'll talk about how Dumbledore's Army speaks to today's world, why Imelda Staunton's Dolores Umbridge is worse than Lord Voldemort, and what Luna Lovegood (Evanna Lynch) brings to the group. So get ready to be inducted into a secret society of wizard revolutionaries because darkness is on the rise. It's Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. SYNOPSIS Now in his fifth year at Hogwarts, Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) learns that many in the wizarding community do not know the truth of his encounter with Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes). Fearing Dumbledore (Michael Gambon) is after his job Cornelius Fudge (Robert Hardy), minister of magic, appoints Dolores Umbridge (Imelda Staunton), as Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts. But her teaching is deficient and her methods cruel. So Harry prepares a group of students to defend the school against a rising tide of evil. SHOW NOTES Listen to our Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone episode featuring Bri Azmoudeh of Geeky Girl Gab! Check out our Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets episode featuring Teri Sears! Listen to our Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban episode featuring Jackson Smith! Listen to our Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire episode featuring Freddy Yaniz! Join the Crooked Table Crew by becoming an official patron over at Patreon.com/CrookedTable Subscribe to the Crooked Table Podcast on Apple Podcasts so that you never miss a moment! Listen to the Crooked Table Podcast on Spotify! The Crooked Table Podcast is also on Stitcher! Reach Robert Yaniz Jr. on Twitter at @crookedtable. Connect with Crooked Table on social media: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Tumblr

What comes to mind when you think of John Carpenter? Most people probably go straight to classic horror films like Halloween or The Thing. Or perhaps cult sci-fi thrillers such as Escape from New York and They Live. The point is, we're willing to bet few would think Carpenter had a romantic sci-fi drama in him. And yet Starman exists. Starring Jeff Bridges and Karen Allen -- who we just covered in our Raiders of the Lost Ark episode -- the 1984 release barely broke even at the box office. Yet, it remains critically beloved and, according to this episode's guest, the ultimate comfort movie during the insanity that is 2020. JC of Screen Fix joins us to discuss why Starman is a forgotten gem of the 1980s. We'll get into where the unlikely film fits in Carpenter's career, the chemistry between Bridges and Allen, and -- of course -- why Starman shines so very bright in today's world. So join us as we hitch our crooked wagon to Carpenter's Starman. SYNOPSIS Answering a NASA message intended, an alien tries to contact mankind, but an American missile grounds his ship. Scrambling, the so-called Starman (Jeff Bridges) inhabits the body of a late Wisconsinite and kidnaps the dead man's widow, Jenny Hayden (Karen Allen). Determined to reunite with a vessel from his home planet at a predetermined site, Starman and Jenny travel to Arizona. Pursued by military officials trying to kill him, Starman forges a lasting bond with Jenny. SHOW NOTES Join the Crooked Table Crew by becoming an official patron over at Patreon.com/CrookedTable Subscribe to the Crooked Table Podcast on Apple Podcasts so that you never miss a moment! Listen to the Crooked Table Podcast on Spotify! The Crooked Table Podcast is also on Stitcher! Reach Robert Yaniz Jr. on Twitter at @crookedtable. Connect with Crooked Table on social media: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram  |  Tumblr

After spending all of 2019 covering the Star Wars saga, we finally crack the whip on George Lucas' other beloved creation finally. Together with director Steven Spielberg and star Harrison Ford, Lucas created one of cinema's most iconic action heroes in Indiana Jones. That's right. This episode, it's all Raiders of the Lost Ark. Craig Price of Matinee Heroes joins the show to discuss that 1981 adventure film. And along the way, we'll discuss just about everything else about the Indiana Jones series too. From the undeniable impact of Raiders itself to whether director James Mangold (Logan) has what it takes to make the fifth -- and presumable final -- entry in the series. So listen in as we discuss the original Indy movie and his subsequent adventures too! SYNOPSIS In this epic tale, an intrepid archaeologist (Harrison Ford) tries to beat a band of Nazis to a unique religious relic which is central to their plans for world domination. Battling against a snake phobia and a vengeful ex-girlfriend (Karen Allen), Indiana Jones is in constant peril, making hair's-breadth escapes at every turn in this celebration of the innocent adventure movies of an earlier era. SHOW NOTES Join the Crooked Table Crew by becoming an official patron over at Patreon.com/CrookedTable Subscribe to the Crooked Table Podcast on Apple Podcasts so that you never miss a moment! Listen to the Crooked Table Podcast on Spotify! The Crooked Table Podcast is also on Stitcher! Reach Robert Yaniz Jr. on Twitter at @crookedtable. Connect with Crooked Table on social media: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram  |  Tumblr

Great Scott! It's time for the Crooked Table Podcast to go Back to the Future! We don't need money, fame, or even a flux capacitor to travel through the space-time continuum to discuss this classic. In fact, while we have the Delorean all fired up at 88mph, we'll even look back at director Robert Zemeckis' entire trilogy. Vanessa Taylor from The Geeky Waffle helps us tackle the original 1985 sci-fi comedy that introduced audiences to Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) and Doc Brown (Christopher Lloyd). We'll talk about why the movie is so damn perfect, explore whether it's problematic in today's day and age, and reflect on how Zemeckis and co-writer Bob Gale crafted such an influential trilogy. So watch out for lightning storms because things are about to get heavy. This episode, it's all about the Back to the Future trilogy! Even if you aren't ready for this episode yet, your kids are going to love it. SYNOPSIS Back to the Future: In this 1980s sci-fi classic, small-town California teen Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) is thrown back into the '50s when an experiment by his eccentric scientist friend Doc Brown (Christopher Lloyd) goes awry. Traveling through time in a modified DeLorean car, Marty encounters young versions of his parents (Crispin Glover and Lea Thompson), and must make sure that they fall in love or he'll cease to exist. Even more dauntingly, Marty has to return to his own time and save the life of Doc Brown. Back to the Future Part II: In this zany sequel, time-traveling duo Marty McFly (Fox) and Dr. Emmett Brown (Lloyd) return from saving Marty's future son from disaster, only to discover their own time transformed. In this nightmarish version of Hill Valley, Marty's father has been murdered and Biff Tannen (Thomas F. Wilson), Marty's nemesis, has profited. After uncovering the secret to Biff's success -- a sports almanac from the future -- Marty and the Doc embark on a quest to repair the space-time continuum. Back to the Future Part III: In this final chapter, Marty McFly (Fox) obtains a 70-year-old message from the time-traveling Dr. Emmett Brown (Lloyd), in which he informs Marty that he has retired to a small town in the Old West. Marty then finds out that the Doc was murdered shortly after sending the letter. In order to save his friend, Marty will have to travel back in time, disentangle a lovestruck Doc from a local schoolmarm (Mary Steenburgen), and repair the DeLorean -- all while avoiding a posse of gunslingers. SHOW NOTES Join the Crooked Table Crew by becoming an official patron over at Patreon.com/CrookedTable Subscribe to the Crooked Table Podcast on Apple Podcasts so that you never miss a moment! Listen to the Crooked Table Podcast on Spotify! The Crooked Table Podcast is also on Stitcher! Reach Robert Yaniz Jr. on Twitter at @crookedtable. Connect with Crooked Table on social media

After nearly three decades away from their breakthrough roles, Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter return for Bill and Ted Face the Music. Having previously covered Reeves' The Matrix and John Wick, there's no way we were going to pass up this most triumphant opportunity to pull off a Keanu hat trick. With the help of Chris Scalzo of The First Run podcast, we travel all the way back to 1989 to discuss Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure. Then, before heading out of the Circuits of Time, we stop off at 1991's Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey. Finally, we'll talk about what we hope to get out of the Wyld Stallyns' long-awaited third adventure. So be excellent to each other, party on, and get ready a trip to Hell and back with Bill, Ted, and the Crooked Table Podcast. In closing... San Dimas High School football rules! Station! SYNOPSIS Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure: Bill (Alex Winter) and Ted (Keanu Reeves) are high school buddies starting a band. However, they are about to fail their history class, which means Ted would be sent to military school. They receive help from Rufus (George Carlin), a traveler from a future where their band is the foundation for a perfect society. With the use of Rufus' time machine, Bill and Ted travel to various points in history, returning with important figures to help them complete their final history presentation. Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey: Amiable slackers Bill (Winter) and Ted (Reeves) are once again roped into a fantastical adventure. De Nomolos (Joss Ackland), a villain from the future, sends evil robot duplicates of the two lads to terminate and replace them. The robot doubles actually succeed in killing Bill and Ted, but the two are determined to escape the afterlife, challenging the Grim Reaper (William Sadler) to a series of games in order to return to the land of the living. SHOW NOTES Join the Crooked Table Crew by becoming an official patron over at Patreon.com/CrookedTable Subscribe to the Crooked Table Podcast on Apple Podcasts so that you never miss a moment! Listen to the Crooked Table Podcast on Spotify! The Crooked Table Podcast is also on Stitcher! Reach Robert Yaniz Jr. on Twitter at @crookedtable. Connect with Crooked Table on social media: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram  |  Tumblr

It's that time again as we charge through Platform 9 and 3/4 for another year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. This month, we're taking a look at the fourth entry in the Harry Potter series, 2005's Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. As fans know, this is the entry where the stakes really kick into gear, propelling towards the inevitable conclusion. So to help us break down the pivotal installment of Harry's story, original Crooked Table Podcast co-host Freddy Yaniz joins us. We'll discuss how the film's many shocking twists, why the relationship drama matters, and when exactly viewers are supposed to suspect what's really going on at the Triwizard Tournament. So grab your Portkey, steer clear of hedge mazes, and sharpen up your Expeliarmus skills as The Boy Who Lived comes face to face with destiny in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire! SYNOPSIS The fourth Harry Potter movie sees Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) returning to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Along with his friends, Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson), it's another year of magic and mystery. Hogwarts hosts a tournament between three schools, with one participant selected from each school by the Goblet of Fire. When Harry's name is drawn unexpectedly, he must compete in the dangerous contest. SHOW NOTES Listen to our Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone episode featuring Bri Azmoudeh of Geeky Girl Gab! Check out our Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets episode featuring Teri Sears! Listen to our Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban episode featuring Jackson Smith! Join the Crooked Table Crew by becoming an official patron over at Patreon.com/CrookedTable Subscribe to the Crooked Table Podcast on Apple Podcasts so that you never miss a moment! Listen to the Crooked Table Podcast on Spotify! The Crooked Table Podcast is also on Stitcher! Reach Robert Yaniz Jr. on Twitter at @crookedtable. Connect with Crooked Table on social media: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Tumblr

After decades in the industry, Danny Trejo finally landed his first leading role in 2010. Directed by longtime Trejo collaborator Robert Rodriguez and Ethan Maniquis, the wild action movie served as the culmination of Trejo's career up to that point. And they called it Machete. Based on a fake trailer Rodriguez directed for Grindhouse -- his 2007 double feature with Quentin Tarantino -- Machete leans into exploitation and politically incorrectness with reckless abandon. And the film's effort in capturing the grimy tone of 1970s B-movies is a hell of a good time. Sandro Falce returns to the show to talk about not only Machete and the whole Grindhouse phenomenon. We'll also cover Rodriguez's even more insane 2013 sequel, Machete Kills. Plus, we throw some wishful energy into the ongoing prospect of the third film, Machete Kills Again... in Space! So join us as we take a stab at talking all about Machete. SYNOPSIS Machete: After nearly being killed during a violent fight with a powerful drug lord (Steven Seagal), a former Mexican Federale known as Machete (Danny Trejo) roams Texas streets as a vigilante and sometime day-laborer. Hired to perform a covert hit, he is double-crossed and forced to go on the run. Machete may be down but not out, and he carves a path of blood, bullets, and broken hearts in his quest to settle the score. Machete Kills: When the U.S. president (Carlos Estevez) has a mission that would be impossible for just any mortal man, the person he needs is Machete (Danny Trejo), a knife-wielding ex-Federale agent. Machete's mission is to take down Voz (Mel Gibson), a madman revolutionary and an eccentric billionaire arms dealer who has come up with a plot to start a nuclear war. Facing death at every turn from assassins, Machete pulls out all of his skills to get the job done. SHOW NOTES Join the Crooked Table Crew by becoming an official patron over at Patreon.com/CrookedTable Subscribe to the Crooked Table Podcast on Apple Podcasts so that you never miss a moment! Listen to the Crooked Table Podcast on Spotify! The Crooked Table Podcast is also on Stitcher! Reach Robert Yaniz Jr. on Twitter at @crookedtable. Connect with Crooked Table on social media: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram  |  Tumblr

Many critics consider Paul Thomas Anderson one of the greatest living American auteurs. And with 2007's There Will Be Blood, Anderson proved he and Daniel Day-Lewis complement each other's distinctive skill sets. At least for some moviegoers. After all, Anderson's films aren't exactly mainstream crowd-pleasers. Enter 2017's Phantom Thread. A full decade after their first collaboration, Anderson and Day-Lewis reunited to tell the story of a meticulous dressmaker and the woman who changes his life. Ryan McQuade joins the show to discuss why Phantom Thread is one of his favorite films. We'll discuss the movie's version of romance, its sense of humor, and if it will truly be Day-Lewis' final movie. So join us as we step inside the House of Woodcock for an in-depth discussion on Paul Thomas Anderson's Phantom Thread. SYNOPSIS Renowned dressmaker Reynolds Woodcock (Daniel Day-Lewis) and his sister Cyril (Lesley Manvile) are at the center of British fashion in 1950s London -- dressing royalty, movie stars, heiresses, socialites, and debutantes. Women come and go in Woodcock's life, providing the confirmed bachelor with inspiration and companionship. His carefully tailored existence soon gets disrupted by Alma (Vicky Krieps), a young and strong-willed woman who becomes his muse and lover. SHOW NOTES Join the Crooked Table Crew by becoming an official patron over at Patreon.com/CrookedTable Subscribe to the Crooked Table Podcast on Apple Podcasts so that you never miss a moment! Listen to the Crooked Table Podcast on Spotify! The Crooked Table Podcast is also on Stitcher! Reach Robert Yaniz Jr. on Twitter at @crookedtable. Connect with Crooked Table on social media: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram  |  Tumblr

Over the years, Kai Yaniz has endured Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, The Room, and -- most infamously -- Cats. Now Rob finally makes time for our long-awaited Crooked Commentary of Can't Hardly Wait. The 1998 teen comedy was written and directed by Harry Elfont and Deborah Kaplan. And it also happens to be the perfect encapsulation of the late 1990s. Join Kai, Rob, and an ensemble cast of up-and-coming young actors for one wild and crazy night. It's Can't Hardly Wait! SYNOPSIS School's out, and an entire graduating class -- from football stars and cool girls to complete nerds -- gathers at a wealthy classmate's home for a party. There, the artistic Preston (Ethan Embry) hopes to move in on Amanda (Jennifer Love Hewitt), the beauty he has admired from afar for years. Dorky William (Charlie Korsmo) schemes to pay back meathead Mike (Peter Facinelli) for years of bullying, and would-be rapper Kenny (Seth Green) gets locked in a room with snarky Denise (Lauren Ambrose). SHOW NOTES Join the Crooked Table Crew by becoming an official patron over at Patreon.com/CrookedTable Subscribe to the Crooked Table Podcast on Apple Podcasts so that you never miss a moment! Listen to the Crooked Table Podcast on Spotify! The Crooked Table Podcast is also on Stitcher! Reach Robert Yaniz Jr. on Twitter at @crookedtable. Connect with Crooked Table on social media: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram  |  Tumblr

Last year, author and vocalist Lori London brought 1945's Christmas in Connecticut to the Table. Now she's back with another Barbara Stanwyck comedy, 1941's Ball of Fire. Featuring an Oscar-nominated lead performance and a screenplay co-written by Billy Wilder, director Howard Hawks' movie deserves to be rediscovered. Join Lori and I as we discuss how Ball of Fire captures the power of words, why Stanwyck is the perfect choice for the lead role, and how it holds up nearly 80 years after its release. Of course, we'll also talk about Lori's children's book series, The Amazing Adventures of Tripi the Fly, and what the future has in store for the tiny traveler. So journey with us into a world full of 1940s slang, Stanwyck's crackling chemistry with Gary Cooper, and get ready to roll with laughter as we talk Ball of Fire. SYNOPSIS Hoping to update his chapter on modern slang, encyclopedia writer Professor Bertram Potts (Gary Cooper) ventures into a chic nightclub. Inside, he meets the snarky burlesque performer "Sugarpuss" O'Shea (Barbara Stanwyck). Fascinated by her command of popular jargon, Potts invites her to stay with him. But, unknown to Potts, she is the fiancée of a mobster (Dana Andrews) and wanted by the police. In the ensuing mayhem, Potts must stay on his toes or be swallowed up by bigger fish. SHOW NOTES Join the Crooked Table Crew by becoming an official patron over at Patreon.com/CrookedTable Subscribe to the Crooked Table Podcast on Apple Podcasts so that you never miss a moment! Listen to the Crooked Table Podcast on Spotify! The Crooked Table Podcast is also on Stitcher! Reach Robert Yaniz Jr. on Twitter at @crookedtable. Connect with Crooked Table on social media: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Tumblr

The Holocaust isn't exactly brimming with comedic potential. But in the right hands, the real-life horrors of World War II can serve a noble cause. In some cases, this harsh setting can underscore the futility of hate and the absurdity of prejudice. Such is the goal of this episode's movie, writer-director Taika Waititi's 2019 Oscar winner Jojo Rabbit. On her first appearance, Karen Peterson brought Bridget Jones's Diary to the Table. But we had a lot more ground to cover this time. We'll discuss how some moviegoers grossly misunderstood Jojo Rabbit, what Waititi changes in his adaptation of Christine Leunens' 2004 novel Caging Skies, and why Scarlett Johansson is the undisputed heart of the movie. So brush up on those dance moves, turn up some Bowie, and prepare to tell Hitler to eff off as we launch into 2019's "anti-hate satire" Jojo Rabbit. SYNOPSIS Jojo (Roman Griffin Davis) is a lonely German boy who discovers that his single mother (Scarlett Johansson) is hiding a Jewish girl (Thomas McKenzie) in their attic. Aided only by his imaginary friend -- Adolf Hitler (writer/director Taika Waititi) -- Jojo must confront his blind nationalism as World War II continues to rage on. SHOW NOTES Join the Crooked Table Crew by becoming an official patron over at Patreon.com/CrookedTable Subscribe to the Crooked Table Podcast on Apple Podcasts so that you never miss a moment! Listen to the Crooked Table Podcast on Spotify! The Crooked Table Podcast is also on Stitcher! Reach Robert Yaniz Jr. on Twitter at @crookedtable. Connect with Crooked Table on social media: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Tumblr