The Jacked Up Review Show Podcast

The penultimate Samuel L. Jackson themed movie collection focuses on some of the obscure, underrated and truly divisive Crime Thrillers & Revenge Dramas on his resume:   *Which of these reasonable thrill rides were commonly on cable TV and streaming but still flew under the radar?   *Which ones have some sadly lackluster and anticlimatic plot twists?   *Which one was actually based on a manga?   *And which ones could've been bigger had they not gone the VOD route?     FILMS REVIEWED: Fresh, Kiss of Death, The Cavemen's Valentine, No Good Deed (2002), Cleaner (2007), Meeting Evil, The Samaritan, Kite, Reasonable Doubt (2014) & Damaged (2024).   MOVIE QUOTES: Pulp Fiction   INTRO CLIP: Actors on Actors by Variety: SLJ and Michael Keaton Episode

For this 9-movie pack collection, I dive into some of Sam Jackson's cop action dramas & buddy movie romps:   How many of these have some expertly timed darkly comedic wit and genre homages?   Which of these are parodies that are WAY too silly for their own doing despite Jackson giving it his all?   How does Jackson handle the various serious, popcorn and campy movie tones while still doing throwbacks to his Tarantino era persona?     All that and a brief overview on the hysterical cable TV edit of one of his famously foul-mouthed one-liners!   FILMS REVIEWED: Loaded Weapon, Amos & Andrew, The Search for One-Eyed Jimmy, The Great White Hype, The Negotiator, Formula 51/The 51st State, The Man, Snakes on a Plane & Lakeview Terrace.   SONG USED: "Rise" by Craig Armstrong (from The Negotiator OST)   AUDIO CLIPS: Snakes on a Plane, The Man & Pulp Fiction

Continuing the themed week, we dive into Samuel L. Jackson's acclaimed yet criminally underseen mini-series THE LAST DAYS OF PTOLEMY GREY:   *Apple TV+ usually promotes alot of their material so how did this fall under the radar?   *Which supporting actor steals the show here?   *How does this handle heartwarming drama, shocking mystery and crime thriller elements all in one package?   *Which actor who generally plays villains gives an undervalued performance as the caring doctor?   *And a brief snippet about author Walter Mosley's talented neo-noir character studies!    

Join us for Samuel L. Jackson September:   Action movie blogger Jon Mark & I sum up a triple feature of Sam's spy/assassin movie outings.   Is Geena Davis a better Scream Queen than an Action Star?   Why is Barely Lethal not as popular as other spy comedies like the RED and Kinsgmen movies?   How compelling is Martin Campbell's The Protege for assassin/revenge movie fans?   All that and how all of these are in some way inspired by Nikita!     SONG INTRO: "Samuel L. Jackson" by Hot Action Cop (from SWAT OST)

To conclude the Stallone fanfare, we dive into all of his remaining crime flicks where we encounter all kinds of atrocious, fascinating & underseen material to recap:   *Which of these entries easily rivals the terribleness of Rhinestone?  *Why can't Sly be bothered to actually try in even the most unwatchable direct to video film?   *Which of his later entries are easily him doing rehashes of his stand-alone '80s films?  *Should Sly had tried doing more buddy movies?  *All that and why you should seek out the extended cut of Cop Land!         FILMS REVIEWED: Rebel/No Place to Hide (A Man Called Rainbo... Film Dub),  Lords of Flatbush,  Roger Corman's Capone,  F.I.S.T.,  Nighthawks,  Lock Up,  Tango & Cash,  Oscar,  Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot!,  The Specialist,  Cop Land,  Get Carter (2000 remake),  Avenging Angelo,  Shade,  Bullet to the Head,  Reach Me,  Backtrace,  Samartian,  Armor (2024) &  Alarum (2025).                     INTRO CLIP: Sylvester Stallone 'Tulsa King' always wanted to play a gangster role! (Inspire Me Podcast, 2024)     SONGS USED: "Best Of What I Got" by Bad English (Tango & Cash End Credits)

In this brief overview, we reflect upon the junky yet divisive '90s Stallone adaptation of the comic book JUDGE DREDD as well as its critcally favorable yet financial flop rehash from 2012:   *Why didn't Dredd do more crossovers like the Batman comic book?   *Is it true that the he UK censorship cut of the '95 film has different scenes than the U.S. release?   *Why do many think that Dredd was a homage to The Raid when both were just Die Hard-inspired films filming around the same time?   *And why wasn't the '95 Dredd film just a Demolition Man sequel?               CLIP INTRO: Joblo 2012 Interview with the Cast of Dredd     SONG TRANSITION USED: "Big Car Theft" by AudioNautix Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/       GUESTS: Oreo Brewer, Cliff Stevenson, Tim Caldwell & Josh Hansen

We continue the various Stallone tributes by outlining 4 of his non-Rocky sports themed dramas:     Where do Paradise Alley, Victory, Over the Top & Grudge Match all rank for most of his fanbase?    Which of them does he make a pre-Rhinestone mistake of singing the theme song in?   Which one honestly needs more love due to the comedic gags present in it?   Which entry is still often ranked as Sly's "so bad it's good" masterpiece?   And why were these so underseen despite being released during his hay day?   Get your workout music going & come listen in on our verdicts!     MUSIC USED: "Too Close To Paradise" by Bill Conti & Sylvester Stallone (Paradise Alley OST) "Meet Me Half Way" by Kenny Loggins (Over the Top OST)       GUESTS: Oreo Brewer, Cliff Stevenson & Josh Hansen       CLIP INTRO: The Rich Eisen Show interview with Stallone (Nov 19, 2022)

I close out the Expendables fanfare with an overview on the Dynamite released prequel comic and the "GO TO HELL" crowdfunded sequel by Splatto Comics:   What aspect comes up short in the prequel comic book?   What awesome personas and shenanigans happen in this supernatural sequel comic?   What creative avenues make one wish there was this much imagination in the actual movie sequels?   All that and notes on the pros & cons on comic book tie-ins to cinema!     SONG INTRO: "Diamond Eyes" (Trailer Version) by Shinedown.

For our second Stallone themed week of September, we dive into some of his other crazy outings:   We had so much fun summing up Sly's Rocky and Rambo franchise villains so it was time to slip in another minisode on the big bads of his Expendables homage series.   Would Mel Gibson be more intimidating than Van Damme in a random celebrity encounter?   Why didn't "Stone Cold" Steve Austin continue doing more Action films after stealing every scene in the first Expendables?   Was Eric Roberts amped up or was this just his usual intense acting perfectly captured on film?   And which henchman caused the team of mercs the most trouble?     Enjoy, suit up & get buff!     Guests: Jonathan Orr, The Western Wonder (Pic-a-Flic Podcast), Mark Oguschewitz & Gil Palmer    

We conclude with a fun multi-chat on the various Rocky and Rambo saga villains (as well as other Stallone film antagonists) that stand out.   The '80s and '90s had no shortage of fun OTT baddies to root for their inevitable comeuppance but why is it so much fun to rage over these particular ones?   Which ones are surprisingly quotable?   And which ones are surprisingly unpredictable in their nefarious schemes?   Come, get evil and enjoy this listen!           CLIP INTRO: Graham Bensinger chat w/ Dolph Lundgren (May 10, 2023)     SONG TRANSITIONS: "Bodies" by Drowning Pool "Tuff Enuff" by The Fabulous Thunderbirds  

Another minisode provides a quick overview on the Rocky/Creed and Rambo toys and videogames in another amusing yet headscratching sit-down:   *Why were the Contra videogames better than actual Rambo games? *Why were the action figures particular perculiar while the Rocky toys were surprisingly neat? *And why is it to hard to translate anything beloved to another medium? GUESTS: Oreo Brewer, Cliff Stevenson & Josh Hansen     SONGS USED: "Level Up" by Kevin MacLeod. Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/   "Game Music Series 003 SPlatoon Style 1" by Sascha Ende (from-filmmusic-io). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/     INTRO CLIP: Stallone 2005 Howard Stern Interview

In this minisode, we dive into the infamous Rambo Cartoons and Comics Books:   *Was it more infamous than both the Robocop and Toxic Avenger cartoons?   *Why did the Rambo toys do even worse than the cartoons and games themselves?   *Why haven't the recent Conan the Barbarian comic book writers & illustrators helped out these lackluster Rambo cartoons?   *Will we ever get a good Rambo game?   *And despite these two new comic books having some promise, why did they choose to distribute thru ComicsGate?   All that and more headscratchingly amusingly bad findings!       GUESTS: Oreo Brewer, Cliff Stevenson & Josh Hansen       SONGS USED: "The Map" and "Preparations" by Jerry Goldsmith (First Blood II OST)  

For the second entry this week, I dive into a double feature on some pre-Rambo esque films that are both rather interesting watches: The 1955 classic Neo-Western Bad Day at Black Rock and the 1980 rather goofy Ruckus starring Dirk Benedict (The A-Team, original BSG).   We then conclude the minisode with a brief overview on the Rambo Novel itself, how the title character is actually portrayed as an unstable villain in that version & how it was so easy back then for many to portray a violent Green Beret returning to normal life before the actual film came out!   CLIP USED: Sylvester Stallone- 2005 Howard Stern Interview   SONG USED: "It's a Long Road" by Dan Hill (First Blood OST)

We start off the Stallone Themed September Week by listing off our favorite Rambo movie moments!   TALKING POINTS:   *Did our title hero REALLY fall down thru 12 different branches while falling off that cliff?   *How many famous actors play the crooked deputies in the first film?   *Is Col. Trautman's deprogramming of Rambo in the first movie one of the best dramatic movie moments ever?   *Is Rambo dying in his chair in Part 5 a callback to Michael Carleone dying in a chair in Godfather Part 3?   *What's our favorite Hot Shots Part Deux skit?   *Why was Rambo okay helping out the Taliban in Part 3?   *What would've happened if Rambo just remained in the reform prison doing just construction work until his time was up?   *And more fun yet dedicated '80s fans summing up the tropes, beloved mayhem & themes that this saga yielded for moviegoers back then!    

I offer a bonus interview with the cast and crew of the upcoming indie mystery film DON'T ANSWER:   When you come up with a Hitchock inspired thriller, how do you balance out the thrills and chills?   This ambitious suspense film was shot in a quick yet organized 8 days with all kinds of talents pitching in to assist. I navigate from top to bottom examining its inception and sold out theater run!   GUESTS FEATURED: Executive Producer Juanita Willis-Rodgers, Director Reg Henderson, Actors Montreal Diggs & Luke Jackson, MUA Artisha Mukes & Script Supervisor Jacque Miller.     Thanks to producer Rodgers for setting this interview up and giving a voice to the indie film world!    

To finish up the SCARFACE fanfare, i dedicate 42 minutes to EVERYTHING else related to the topic.   I end up reviewing the: *The Armitage Trail novel   *The 1932 Howard Hawks film version   *The 2007 IDW Comic Book Prequel: Devil in Disguise   *The 2006 IDW Comic Book Sequel: Scarred for Life   *Two key fan-films that made waves on the internet   *And remember- everyone has a choice in life: live in Hell or die for your sins!         SONGS USED: Push It to the Limit by Paul Engemann   INTRO CLIP: Biography Channel Inside Story: Scarface (2013 documentary)   AUDIO CLIPS: Scarface (1932 film version) trailer, Scarface: The World is Yours Videogame Trailer

It's time for another filmmaker tribute complete with a themed yet unofficial trilogy: Enter Oliver Stone's Drug Cartel Themed Trilogy!   Is Midnight Express still one of Oliver's most personal dramas to date?   Why does Scarface still continually divide audiences?   What exact drugs are portrayed in these films again to illustrate why they're irresistable in the character's eyes?   Was Savages doomed due to the infamous book it was based on?   Has anyone seen the High School Play version of Scarface that made waves online?   Which of these has a narration that simply does not work?   We also talk everything from the constant revisiting of the films thru time, the Italian actors playing Cubans & dispute if the Shakespeare elements even work in any of the three films.     MUSIC USED: "Push It to the Limit" by Paul Engemann.   INTRO CLIP: Oliver Stone on directing- BAFTA Guru video interview      GUESTS: Oreo Brewer, Jaylan Salah, Johnny Potoky, Robert Cohen, Rich Cyr, James Bruno, Mike Ensing, Gil Palmer, The Bonsai Movie Crew

We dive into the Godfather/Scarface adjacent film CARLITO'S WAY and its prequel follow-up:   How did they find limited audiences despite being faithful to the author's books and utilizing all kinds of talent?   Which of his many collaborations with Al Pacino does producer Martin Bregman consider his best outing?   I also play some badass clips from both films that merit some other deep talking points!     SONG USED: "Push It to the Limit" by Paul Engemann   OTHER CLIPS USED: Yoda and Al Pacino on the Dark Side stand-up bit by Frank Caliendo, BUILD interview 2018 with John Leguizamo     GUESTS: Patrick Darms, Ethan Weeks, JJ & Kristin Battelstella (Therefore Horror on Twitter)

For our final GODFATHER themed week, we dive into the 6 different versions of the movie trilogy.    The special editions/director's cut versions of the saga include:   *The NBC extended mini-series of the first two films *The VHS Trilogy Edit *The Uncut Trilogy Cable TV cut broadcast on HBO   *The 3 films in their original form *Part 3's CODA recut   *The Edited Trilogy TV Cut       TALKING POINTS: *Which deleted scenes were reinstated into the TV mini-series and VHS trilogy edits?   *Which versions make for far-more rewarding viewing and which ones are even in chronologic order?   *And which ones were rightfully eliminated altogether due to their technical mishaps and tone shifts?             CLIP INTROS USED: AFI's 10 Top 10 (2008)- Sidney Lumet On THE GODFATHER, Francis Ford Coppola interview clip from Happy Sad Confused with Josh Horowitz (September 2024)      

In this Bonus Chat, I welcome back returning-guest Victoria Urso as she gets to detail more on her music videography and photography based career while sharing the usual inspiring advice, spiritual motivation and positive reinforcement that any kind of entertainer, career professional or mentor will find mentally rewarding to listen to.   If you want some career pointers, some emotionally healing bulletpoints and other ways in which we pick each other's brain on how to brainstorm creating all kinds of art, then this is the wonderful chat for you to hear!   Plus, you get to hear about her work with other music artists like Mike Mennard and Marvel Years band as well as more talk on the tri-state business traveling method.   FOLLOW HER ON: https://victoriaurso.myportfolio.com/

Oreo Brewer & Cam Sully found it only appropriate to talk about another controversial, award-winning film and its Starz TV show spin-off during Godfather Week: Crash!   TALKING POINTS: *Was thie the first acclaimed movie to have mixed reviews from local critics and audiences?   *How does the Starz TV show truly make use of its multi-character scenarios?   *Can anyone actually state why they think the film is racist or is it just due to the jealousy of wanting to not win Best Picture over Brokeback Mountain?   *Can we like certain movies without being called "pretentious?" Can we like them without them even needing to win Best Picture?   *How does this handle multiple storylines, social commentary & character tension like other East LA-set films such as American History X & Falling Down?   *What are the technical mertis, complex characters and crime thriller aspects that make it almost a quasi-Godfather piece?   *We also celebrate the many actors who emerged from this film (as well as how the creator was both rather talented yet also a terrible person who got rightfully cancelled)!         SONG INTRO: "Afloat Pad" by Apple Free To Use Music

The second True Crime Biopics I cover are on the other notorious Italian gangster organization: The Bonanno Crime Family!   Which of these are probably best known outside of DONNIE BRASCO?   Do any of these provide entertaining details or are they largely dramatized over actual facts?   How do they portray the blood oaths and dangerous lifestyles versus the law enforcement and turf war stand-offs?     FILMS REVIEWED: Mobsters (1991), Love Honor & Obey, Donnie Brasco & Bonanno: A Godfather's Story         SONG USED: "Afloat Synth Lead" by Apple Free2Use Music

It's time that we dive into some True Crime Biopics for the real-life Italian Mob: For the third entry being released this week, I get to cover the various John Gotti and Gambino Family portrayals in cinema!   Which actor probably gave it their all when researching Gotti's mannerisms and persona?   Were any of these films objectively well-made or were they just cashing in on the news media craze on one of America's most notorious crimelords?   And which film ends up being the biggest headscratcher by even dramatized biopic standards?   FILMS REVIEWED: Getting Gotti, Gotti (1996), Witness to the Mob, Boss of Bosses & Gotti (2018)   SONG INTRO: "Afloat Synth Arp" by Apple Free-to-Used Music

Another Mario Puzo mini-series adaptation gets a spotlight: THE LAST DON PARTS I AND II.   How do the filmmakers handle their own concept while doing plot and style nods to Puzo's earlier GODFATHER material?   Where does this popular CBS network hit rate in terms of his other adaptations?   What material does the sequel mini-series go awry on?   Plus, some well-acted clips from the show are played!       SONG USED: "Tempting Secrets" by Kevin MacLeod. Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Two adaptations of GODFATHER creator Mario Puzo's bibliography get a spotlight: one of them a divisive movie revisited thru its director's cut and a obscure NBC mini-series event.   How did actor John Turturro feature in both of these?   Was there anyway to feature the Corleones in The Sicilian or was it all legally impossible?   And what positives and negatives can one reflect on from either book adaptation?   Plus, we also note other GODFATHER trivia and the bogus reason why critics like Roger Ebert gave it an okay review but not a glowingly excellent one (which he later regretted but alas we make sure that no one forgets it).   I'll make you an offer you can't refuse and that's entertaining your ears!       MUSIC USED: "The Sicilian OST" by David Mansfield   INTRO CLIP: Mario Puzo 1996 interview with Charlie Rose- promoting THE LAST DON novel.

As a Bonus Episode, you're treated to an excelusive Interview with Make-Up Artist-Hair/Stylist Rey Medrano.   His credits include: The Taylor Sheridan Crime Shows, Harold and Kumar 2, Love and Death, Cruel Summer and many other political biopics/faith dramas/horror flicks/period dramas!       We also get to talk about set etiquette, how he's forming his new store Odyssey Comics & the memories he's blessed to cherish. Don't miss this touching yet sensitive and realistic take on how to keep going in this everchanging film industry!

For the penultimate episode this week, we note the documentaries about Godfather Producer Robert Evans:   First with a brief overview (with clips) on the doc The Kid Stays in the Picture (2002) and then some serious praise for the biopic mini-series The Offer (2022).   Which actors in THE OFFER steal the show portraying the real-life yet very unusual figures who helped that difficult to film movie come together?   And we also showcase some of the dumbest people in real life who've given hot takes about these classic films!             CLIPS USED: Live Well and Thrive with Mike Torchia: Melissa Prophet Interview, Howard Stern 2009 interview with Francis Ford Coppola & "Your Own Crime Syndicate" comedy bit by Ernie Kovacs

It's another excuse to talk about all things Pacino and De Niro related during this GODFATHER themed week:   We examine some of their various Action-Mystery-Slasher Movies in this retrospect.   Why do so many of these films fail to capture the earlier success of the actors respective hits Cape Fear, Heat, Insomnia & The Devil's Advocate?     The Films Reviewed Include: *And Justice For All *True Confessions *Sea of Love *Night and the City (1992) *City Hall *The Fan (1996) *Ronin *The Local Stigmatic *15 Minutes *City by the Sea *Hide and Seek (2005) *88 Minutes (2007) *Righteous Kill *Hangman (2017)       SPEAKERS: Cam Sully, Oreo Brewer, Gil Palmer, Mike Ensing, James Bruno & Rich Cyr             CLIP INTROS: AFI Francis Ford Coppola Toast by Pacino & DeNiro (2025) Funny Quotes by the Actors from Glengarry Glen Ross, Midnight Run and Meet the Parents

A detailed overview on the iconic 1995 film HEAT and its 2022 book sequel (soon to be a movie itself) get examined in this lengthy yet dedicated summary of its still-rather impressive themes, thrills and characters.   What separates Michael Mann's style from the Coppolas, Scorseses and Walter Hills of the world?   What key character in the book sequel gets a huge persona change that feels VERY unbelievable?   We try to sell our filmbuff buddy James on seeing this film. Will we be successful?   Listen in and find out!       SONGS/CLIPS USED: Siskel and Ebert Review Clip "Alarming Bass" by Apple Free to Use Music Val Kilmer interview on Larry King Live "God Moving Over The Face of the Waters - End Credits (Film Version)" by Moby & Kronos Quartet "Force Marker" by Brian Eno    

I continue the GODFATHER Themed Week with a brief overview on the ANALYZE THIS crime comedy franchise:   *Do these comedy films make use of their gags or is there more wit to be desired? *How does De Niro's gangster spoofing nature work here when compared to Mad Dog and Glory & Midnight Run? *Why did so many accuse these films of being a Sopranos knockoff when these were both owned by Warner Bros. to begin with?   SONG USED: "Analyze" by Sharpshooters (from HBO's The Wire OST)  

The 2nd week of GODFATHER Themed Material starts: In this brief overview, I mention some of the Electronic Arts videogames that dominated consoles in the mid '00s.   What were the missed opportunities?   Why were many okay with the blatant GTA style exploration?   And what other cool gangster mayhem could you do while being a street soldier for the Corleone family?       SONG USED: The Godfather Theme by Nino Rota.

We conclude the week with our final SOPRANOS themed episode for this GODFATHER MONTH: Ranking the Villains of the Saga!     TALKING POINTS: *Co-hosts Oreo Brewer & Josh Hansen join us to remark on the unusual style of this franchise   *Is Phil Leotardo the deadliest gangster?   *Do both Ralphie and Mikey give everyone else a run for their money?   *And how does Tony seem less like a villain in comparison to all the other instigators while refusing to apologize for this unethical actions?     Come get philosophical (while you see our therapist)!         FUNNY AUDIO INTRO: "Monsters, Muppets, And Madness (James Gandolfini was on Sesame Street)" by Frank Caliendo (All Over the Place Comedy Album)

To continue the themed week, we dive into our favorite GODFATHER movie moments that live rent-free in our minds:   *Is Tales from the Hood the best at doing parodies of Godfather's shocking death scenes?   *Why is Clemenza soooo badass (in both the book and films)?   *How many movies have done death squad-style marches set to a music-filled montage and Biblical type imagery?   *What other disturbing backstories do we gain from certain side characters?   *All that and why you, the lisener, CAN ACT LIKE A MAN!       VOICEMAILS & INTROS BY OUR GUESTS: Cam Ray SemiProductions, SayShoe (Pic A Flic Podcast), Mike-EL, Lezlie Sawyer & Anthony Francis         MUSIC USED: "The Godfather Theme Music" by Nino Rota

While continuing to focus on the influence of THE GODFATHER for this themed week, I dive into the GHETTO DAWG hood action dramas from the '00s:   *What filmmakers today are the best at using limited resources and not overcomplicating their plots now that all filmmaking is digital?   *How do these films make their material bigger than it actually is?   *How does it handle various subplots while avoiding confusion or one plot twist too many?   *Will they appeal to B-movie fans of '90s Hood flicks, underground fighting films and drive-in revenge movies or are they just a fad nowadays?   MUSIC INTROS/OUTROS: "Fire It Up/Get Low Beats" by Apple Free to Use Music

Join us for another special side-episode of ALL VERSIONS OF... where we discuss multiple directors cuts of both famous and infamous movies!   For the GODFATHER theme week, it was time that we dived into the next divisive crime epic by the same film crew known only as THE COTTON CLUB.   What serious changes were enhanced and truly benefitted this problematic film?   What were the main components that made it a burden upon intial release?   Will anyone give it a second chance or is the damage basically done?   And more Coppola trivia to display in this minisode!   GUESTS: Gil Palmer Filmmaker Mark Oguschewitz

Speaking of True Talents, let's have a Godfather Themed Month: Enjoy our summary of Francis Ford Coppola and Mario Puzo's movie trilogy!   *Why is it so embroiled in the pop culture zeitgeist?   *How does John Wick basically make mild nods to Godfather's Italians with its Russian characters?   *We also reference homages, the unmade Part 4 sequel, discuss less-talked-about trivia as well as real-life gangster stories.   *Plus, a deep focus on the Hyman Roth scene in Part 2!     TRAILER INTRO: "The Godfather Saga" TV Promo (1977)   MUSIC USED: "The Godfather Theme Song" by Nino Rota

Our all-star cast discusses the appeal, ups-and-downs and pop culture expertise of comedic filmmaker/actor Kevin Smith.   Talking points Include: *New Jersey culture that Kevin recreates, some surprisingly positive takes on Clerks 2   *Kevin's comic book & TV contributions   *Is him being stoned the reason for why he cries so much inbetween his geeky rants? *We dives into some of his graphic novels and the appeal of the Clerks characters.   *How Kevin basically shoots his small-scale films w/ friends much like people he admires (Spike Lee) & how he's a mixture of a more serious Leslie Nielsen, Farrelly Brothers crudity, a Bill & Ted duo, pre-SouthPark/Judd Apatow parody guy & geekier Mel Brooks. *Which of his serious films were rather solid and which ones fell flat? *The change in the '90s indie film scene & art house favorites to the '00s digital underground films & mismarketing by the various studios that occurs. *Plus, James describes a hysterical convention signing where he met Kevin in-person!       OUR GUESTS INCLUDE:  Jeremy "Squatchy Largefoot" Bryant, Josh Hansen, Ryan McGann, Travis Crawford, Tim Caldwell & Oreo Brewer!       SONGS/CLIPS USED: "The Fuck Song" from Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back Kevin Smith disses/riffs by RiffTrax Commentary for Star Trek II: Wrath of Khan

Indie Comic Book Creating Duo Joe Kazmer & Jarrod Burris (Collision Force) get an exclusive interview!   They tell the inspiring story of how the duo's creativity energy came to be stemming post-pandemic.    They also lay out some neat advice on networking with well-known artists, taking the crowdfunding seriously & always outlining what journey will take their original characters on next.   I also also ask about Jarrod's filmmaking forays, how they got to work with Image Comics illustrator Chris Johnson and being inspired by G.I. Joe!

I get to welcome another unique talent to interview: Actress/Dancer Morgana Shaw!   TALKING POINTS: *Her credits include: Home Fries, True Women, Salem, Little Woods, The Long Game & The Passenger but what role as a stand-in changed her life for the better for years to come? *She gets to detail how to bring life to both one's work and your own personal day-to-day routine. *She discusses her recent move to New York, various work in Southern states and how to treat the work as both fun material and as a commitment. *How working with Sally Field inspired her own acting skills and choices. *And how to focus on working with others you know are BOTH a worthwhile collaboration and finding purpose vs. worrying about impressing everyone else!   Get schooled, embrace the fun and get ready to listen to a serious teacher on the craft of acting!

I get to interview Cinematographer Luisa Mendoza: We're diving into some true entertainment talents for the rest of this week so it was only fitting that we start off with examining her many skillsets while she shares some neat advice for all entertainers!   TALKING POINTS INCLUDE: *Inbetween her neat stories about using Panasonic cameras, we also talk about different tech used for way more convenient technology. *She talks about speaking on the college boards and studying film in St. Louis. *She talks working for clients like NFL Films, Toyota and HGTV. *How her many international travels including a Machu Picchu videoshoot! *And how camera lenses are always the most important thing to buy in this career field.    

Stuart Mulrain (And Why Not? Podcast) joins me for another game of 2 Movies, 1 Theme: this time, we dive deep into the '80s inspiring dance dramas Flashdance and Footloose!   *Do the studios know what makes for a good dance movie formula or are they just hoping to attract crowds going to something infamous like the Breakin' movies? *Which of the original casting choices for either film might've actually worked better? *Why did both of these often beloved dance dramas surprisingly survive a barrage of negative reviews initially? *Do they rival Rocky and other dramas with their "show (don't tell)" editing approach?   You don't have to dance but please come listen to us jam!     (Disclaimer: I didn't use the trailers as there's none of them that doesn't use copyrighted music, plus, we wanted to focus on the trivia & why the films appeal rather than the great music itself.)

We previously did epic franchise face-offs with both FREDDY VS. JASON and STAR WARS VS. STAR TREK and it was time to conclude another epic one for this summer:   Come listen to the most divisive one yet with a franchise face-off special dedicated to ALIEN VS. PREDATOR!     TALKING POINTS: *We might agree which is objectively a better movie but which saga is just far more enjoyable?   *We might have trouble deciding who has better visual effects and gore but who has better military badasses?   *Which actually has far more underrated sequels?   *And which one benefitted from having better villains, spin-offs and even book tie-ins?     It's a geeky fun time and you'll even learn something from this passionate discourse!       THE PODCAST DEBATORS: Cam Sully, Filmmaker Jack Bennett, Cliff Stevenson & Shane Kelley (Movies by Minutes), Josh Hansen (Action Movie Book Club), James Avinash Jackson, Jonathan Orr, Charlie Hildebrand, Daniel Ryan Oreo Brewer, Ethan Weeks & Gil Palmer           MUSIC/SFX USED: "Fox Fanfare" by John Williams, "Jaracanda" by Apple FreeToUse Music, Starship Troopers (International Trailer /"Code Red") theme by Alan Silvestri, Predator creature vision sound effects & "I Stand Alone" by Godsmack

Corey Stevenson (Podcasting After Dark) rejoins for another movie tie-in special: the short-lived STARSHIP TROOPERS graphic novels by Dark Horse Comics and Markosia Publishing!     TALKING POINTS: *Could they had done a Anthology comic book series for this?   *Some coverage on the Neodogs and Sknnies species in both the Starship Troopers expanded universe and novel itself   *Tributes to the artists/illustrators Jan Strnad, Paolo Parente, Davidé Fabbri, Warren Ellis & Gordon Rennie   *Should they had written a TREMORS crossover with this deliberately satirical saga?   *Would you read a Marvel Ultimate Universe-style take on AVP Vs. Starship Troopers?   *And why did Dark Horse Comics let their license expire?       MUSIC OUTRO USED: "Ruffneck" by MC Lyte  

Continuing the Cyberpunk themed week on aliens and android corporations, I dive into the various fan-made BLADE RUNNER short films:   *Which ones truly showcase some serious talent and visions?   *Which ones could've easily been an official entry?   *Which one is neat but you can't find on IMDb (possibly due to legal reasons)?   *And which ones have some stunning visual effects?       INTRO CLIP: "If Only You Could See What I´ve Seen With Your Eyes" scene in Blade Runner     MUSIC USED: "RIP Vangelis Blade Runner Love Theme Cover" by LUX- Ambient Music

Since we're talking about everything in the Alien/Predator/Blade Runner universe the rest of this week, it was only fitting to do a tribute to android actor himself, the late great Rutger Hauer!       TALKING POINTS: *Hauer's probably best known for other films like Flesh and Blood, Ladyhawke, The Hitcher and Blind Fury but what are the roles that truly show his almighty range (SPOILER: We each have a pick that's a deep cut!)   *Should he had played Pinhead in those Hellraiser movies with that moody voice of his?   *Does his voice sound like a rather angry Eeyore?   *Plus, we end up recasting unmade movies with him and other B-movie favorites that should've happened!       INTRO CLIP: Rutger Hauer on Letterman (February 14, 1990)   INTRO MUSIC: "RIP Vangelis Blade Runner Love Theme Cover" by LUX- Ambient Music

I get to tackle the AVP: Rage War book trilogy which is set at Love Grove Base on LV-1529 in the year 2692:   TALKING POINTS: *Is this still the best of the book trilogies in the AVP saga to date?   *What emotional beats drove the rest of the drama and thrills?   *What plot reveal was actually chillingly claustrophic to read here?   *Why did the 2nd book have a bit too much filler & soapy melodrama?   *And why were the characters truly compelling without feeling like more Ripley & Hicks knock-offs?           GUEST STAR: Eric (from AVP Vs. The World on Insta)     SFX/SONG USED: "Jaracanda" by Apple Free-to-Use Music, Predator Sound Effect

Check out our Bonus Interview with Singer, Radio DJ & Full Moon Actress Venesa Taylor:   The Discussion on the Multi-Talent includes:   *How she got to worked with famed dance choreographer Michael Rooney   *An infamous mainstream movie role she missed out on and her experiences working as both a cabaret dancer and college radio station entertainer   *And using DistroKid to publish indie music   We also have a nice take on philosophy and positive life changes. S if you love interviews that take a lovely twist and go in all sorts of organized but emotionally rewarding directions, then this is the chat that will open up your soul!     #Podcastinterview #aliens #MusicAndActing #fullmoonpictures #venesataylor #femalien #meditation #philosophy #radiodjs #indiemusic #bmovies #nineties #multitalent

Oreo, Johnny & I sum up all you need to know about the HALO videogame franchise (the games, the comics, the cartoon anthology film, the web series, the books & the Paramount Plus streaming show) as well as why its overall concept is still pretty damn cool in hindsight.   Why did its fanbase seem to want just shallow mindless shenanigans while the creators wanted to deepen their mythology?   Why do the other shit-talkers continue to play the games anyway?   Plus, we also joke how Halo online gaming teaches people how to deal with bullies online!     SONGS/CLIPS USED: Halo Combat Evolved TV Commercial Trailer (2001), "Blow Me Away" & "Valora Version Remix" by Breaking Benjamin

In another minisode, I get to cover some of the many Alien Vs. Predator fan films:   Which of these would totally work as a feature film (if not a videogame premise)?   Which ones are surprisingly similar to the beginning of Predator: Killer of Killers?   And which ones show soooo much more imagination than FOX Studios could ever shake a stick at?   Lock N' Load for nothing fur intergalactic fun!       MUSIC USED: Blade Runner 2049 Trailer Music: "Decay (Ciaran Birch)" by Elephant Music & Predator vision sound effects intro

I dive into another mini-chat on SyFy Channel's Aliens/Predator rip-off series Interceptor Force 1 & 2:   Why was the first film the highest rated SyFy Channel Original Movie for the longest time?   Where do they rank alongside other low-brow B-Movie/DTV franchises?   Why was Olivier Gruner not a bigger MMA Action movie star?   All that and why the superguns in this are a total knock-off of the BFG in the DOOM videogames!     MUSIC USED: "Jaracanda" by Apple Free to Use Music "Fast Moving," "Nasty Groove" and "Where Are You Now" by Soundscrate  

We begin the Alien themed week for all your Xenomorph, Predator & space creature needs:   I start off with a mini-review on Audible's ALIEN 3 audio drama from 2019.   Does it properly update William Gibson's unused 1987 script?   Are the voice-overs by the returning actors any good or is everyone rather unenthusiastic?   Why does it suffer from some confusing edits or was that deliberate?   Would this had worked better as a fan film production?   And does this fix any of the finished movie's problems or is it still an uneven outing?     MUSIC USED: "Horror Done" by AudioNautix (Jason Shaw). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/     CLIP INTRO: Just Foolin About with Michael Biehn clip on Alien 3 BTS