Podcasts about hollywoodchicago

Ian and Pat celebrate Valentine's Day with a candy-coated love-in for Chandler Levack's 2022 coming-of-age comedy, I Like Movies!Set in 2003,* the film stars Isaiah Lehtinen as Lawrence, a celluloid-obsessed high school student living in Canada, who dreams of studying film at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts. He and his only friend, Matt (Perry Hynes White), make low-budget movies and spend their Saturday Nights watching Saturday Night Live. When Lawrence gets a job at the local video store to save for college, he meets a group of misfit adults--including "cool boss" Alana (Romina D'Ugo), on whom he inevitably develops a crush. This coincides with a series of personal tragedies that force Lawrence into a world he can neither reckon with nor rewind.In today's spoiler-lite review, the guys dig deep into Levack's phenomenally insightful and painstakingly authentic coming-of-age movie, which borrows from her own youth yet manages to capture the universal awkwardness, isolation, and small triumphs of teen-boydom.They also veer into Levack's uncanny ability to draw strong female characters in ways that utterly shame the mainstream cliche; tout I Like Movies's similarity to Adam Rehmeier's Dinner in America; and pull each other back from the Inception-like spiral of some of the film's deceptively simple creative choices!*Ian mistakenly said the movie took place in 2002, but according to the Internet, Punch-Drunk Love didn't hit home video until June of the following year (Paul Thomas Anderson's drama figures heavily in I Like Movies).Subscribe, like, and comment on Kicking the Seat here on YouTube, and check us out at:kickseat.comXLetterboxdBlueSkyInstagramFacebookShow LinksWatch the I Like Movies trailer.Read Ian's written review of I Like Movies at Kicking the Seat!Check out Ian's recent interview with the cast and filmmaker of Dinner in America (mentioned in the show)!Keep up with Pat at HollywoodChicago.com.Listen to Pat's movie reviews on the radio at STAR 96.7.

Nostalgia is a tricky thing, and there's perhaps no better example than Ian and Pat's review of Crumb! Chronicling the lineage and linework of Underground Comix legend R. Crumb, Terry Zwigoff's 1994 documentary was once one of the guys' favorite films--and it may still be, even if the passage of time and evolving sensibilities make it far more difficult to recommend now than when it was released. Troubled by an oppressive, abusive early childhood peopled by mentally disturbed siblings and parents, Crumb channeled his social awkwardness and innate misanthropy into highly influential counter-culture comics. Having shunned commercial success and any illusions of fitting in with polite society, we meet Crumb as he and his wife, Aline, are finishing up a move from California to the South of France (where they'll move into a countryside home purchased with a suitcase full of Crumb's old sketchbooks). Zwigoff captures their informal farewells with family, colleagues, and critics--in the process asking audiences to wonder if being a well-regarded artistic genius is worth a life of numbness, doubt, and alienation.In this spoilerific review, Ian and Pat talk about what's changed in their perception of R. Crumb as an artist; how his work influenced Ian's own creative endeavors; and the eeriness of watching seemingly contemporary sociopolitical themes echoing back through the decades.Subscribe, like, and comment to the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel, and check out kickseat.com for multiple movie podcasts each week!Show LinksWatch the Crumb trailer.As mentioned in the show, check out the trailers for:Comic Book ConfidentialAmerican SplendorAs mentioned in the show, you can pick up Crumb on Blu-ray from The Criterion Collection.Keep up with Pat at HollywoodChicago.com.Listen to Pat's movie reviews on the radio at STAR 96.7.

John Waters' Female Trouble turns 50 this year. In this installment of "There's No Stalgia Like Nostalgia", Ian and Pat look at the 1974 crime/comedy classic from two very different angles!Is it an uproarious counter-culture sendup? An eerie and depressing prediction of mainstream culture a half-century hence? Both?Watch as the guys debate the good, the bad, and the Divine in one of our most "one movie/two realities" episodes yet!Subscribe, like, and comment to the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel, and check out kickseat.com for multiple movie podcasts each week!Show LinksWatch the Female Trouble trailer.Listen to Ian's 2017 interview with Female Trouble star Mink Stole.Listen to Pat's question to John Waters about his first indie film, during the 2022 Chicago Humanities Festival.Bonus: As mentioned in the show, Female Trouble's Aunt Ida character bears an odd resemblance to Debbie from the TV series 90 Day Fiancé! Click below for proof!Aunt Ida (Warning: Strong Language from Female Trouble).And here's Debbie from 90 Day Fiancé.Keep up with Pat at HollywoodChicago.com.Listen to Pat's movie reviews on the radio at STAR 96.7.

Fresh from the 11th Chicago Critics Film Festival, Ian and Pat look at one of 2024's breakout performances--with an early review of Kiki Layne in Dandelion!Writer/director Nicole Riegel's indie drama centers on the eponymous struggling musician (Layne), whose shot at fame was derailed years ago when her mother took ill. Now, pushing 30, and with no prospects beyond singing to distracted hotel bar patrons, Dandelion travels from Ohio to South Dakota for a song contest/biker rally. There she meets a country/folk band, and falls for one of its singers, a dreamy UK transplant named Casey (Thomas Doherty).The film marks a new era for Layne, who until now has been strictly known as an actress (in films like If Beale Street Could Talk, The Old Guard, and Don't Worry, Darling). In Dandelion, the star shares another talent with the world: a magnificent singing voice.In this (mostly) spoiler-free review, Ian and Pat discuss the film's unabashedly indie sensibilities; its place among great movies about making art, and whether or not it is more post-racial than its creators may think. Plus: Ian spoke briefly with Kiki Layne on the Dandelion red carpet at CCFF. Stay til the end to find out how Layne and Riegel created the character of Dandelion, and what Layne will take with her from the film into her next projects!Note: Dandelion is still winding its way through the festival circuit, but is slated for theatrical release on July 12, from IFC Films!Subscribe, like, and comment to the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel, and check out kickseat.com for multiple movie podcasts each week!Show LinksCatch up with Pat's full coverage of the 11th Chicago Critics Film Festival at HollywoodChicago.com. (And watch this space for Pat's interview with Kiki Layne, which we'll share when Dandelion hits theaters this July!)Listen to Pat's movie reviews on the radio at STAR 96.7.Can't get enough of Ian and Pat? Check out their regular retro repartee in our "There's No Stalgia Like Nostalgia" Playlist!

Ian and Pat are looking at a new movie, for a change, but there's no reason that Hard Miles couldn't become a classic!R.J. Daniel Hanna's latest film stars Matthew Modine as Greg Townsend, a real-life Colorado teacher and cycling enthusiast who created a program in which he takes troubled youth on character-building bike rides to the Grand Canyon.In this spoiler-free review, the guys talk about how this surprising, gorgeously shot, and genuinely uplifting film demands to be seen on the big screen, and how it speaks to a forgotten voice in mainstream Hollywood movies. They also recommend other recent examples of uplifting "Based on a True Story" films that may have flown under your radar.Hard Miles is now playing in theatres nationwide.Subscribe, like, and comment to the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel, and check out kickseat.com for multiple movie podcasts each week!Show LinksWatch the Hard Miles trailer.Bonus! Listen to Pat's interviews with Hard Miles co-writer/director R.J. Daniel Hanna and star Matthew Modine for HollywoodChicago.com!Listen to Pat's movie reviews on the radio at STAR 96.7.Can't get enough of Ian and Pat? Check out their regular retro repartee in our "There's No Stalgia Like Nostalgia" Playlist!

It's a doubly good Good Friday as Ian and Pat look at two spiritual films: In one corner, Mel Gibson's controversial 2004 drama, The Passion of The Christ--squaring off against Cameron and Colin Cairnes' recently released horror spectacular, Late Night with The Devil!The guys dig deep to talk about Gibson's widely misunderstood masterpiece (some of the contention persists into this very podcast!), in which Jim Caviezel plays the Son of God during his tumultuous final hours on Earth.Next up, David Dastmalchian's star turn as a late-70s, late-night TV talk show host made Ian and Pat's heads spin! Jack Delroy is a jocular but fiercely competitive Carson rival whose idea of a ratings grab is to interview Satan on a live Halloween broadcast. Dastmalchian makes audiences believe in the Cairnes' fully realized world of wide lapels, hypnosis, and occult hysteria.Join us for an odd pairing and a classic tale of Good Versus Evil at the Movies!Subscribe, like, and comment to the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel, and check out kickseat.com for multiple movie podcasts each week!Show LinksWatch the Passion of The Christ trailer.Watch the Late Night with The Devil trailer. Listen to Pat's interview with Late Night with The Devil star David Dastmalchian at HollywoodChicago.com!Watch Ian and Jeff York discuss the controversies surrounding the use of A.I. in movies (prompted by Late Night with The Devil)!Keep up with Pat at HollywoodChicago.com.Listen to Pat's movie reviews on the radio at STAR 96.7.

This year, "There's No Stalgia Like Nostalgia" is looking back on decade milestones from the last hundred years of cinema--and we're kicking things off with a hot-button review of Dante's Inferno from 1924!Henry Otto's contemporary update of Dante's famous tour through Hell stars Ralph Lewis as Mortimer Judd, a wealthy and very, very cruel businessman who may be the template for every greedy bad guy you've ever seen in a movie. Judd becomes so wrapped up in reading Inferno that he begins to see visions of Dante and Virgil's descent into punishment--all while his real-world personal life begins to unravel at a rapid pace.In this fiery but mostly peaceful discussion, Ian and Pat talk about Otto's brilliant decision to weave concepts of 20th Century fiscal morality into the vivid nightmare scenarios of Dante's epic 14th Century poem. But when Pat brings up one of the film's brief-but-oh-so-"problematic" use of blackface...well, let's just say the episode becomes something else entirely!Subscribe, like, and comment to the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel, and check out kickseat.com for multiple movie podcasts each week!Show LinksWatch Jonathan Simpson's restoration of Dante's Inferno (1924) on YouTube (the version we watched for the show):Listen to Ian and Cole Rush's "Late Screening" review of Blazing Saddles.Watch Ian discuss the Charlie Chan film Dark Alibi on The Spoiler Room (mentioned in the show).Keep up with Pat at HollywoodChicago.com.Listen to Pat's movie reviews on the radio at STAR 96.7.

It's the most Judy-ful time of the year! Last December, Ian and Pat explored 1963's bizarre TV special, The Judy Garland Christmas Show. Now they travel further back in time for a look at the classic 1944 "holiday" musical, Meet Me in St. Louis!Garland stars as Esther, a teen girl living with her sisters and brother in 1903 Missouri. All the kids are boy-crazy, girl-crazy, or unsettling-neighborhood-mischief-crazy--and their world is upended when Dad's law firm promotes him right into a high-paid position New York job.Join the guys for a spoilerific look at a film that Pat has grown up on--and which Ian saw for the first time in preparation for this episode. Is Meet Me in St. Louis a piece of nostalgia worth treasuring, or simply, as Ian puts it, "a 2-hour version of the first 20 minutes of Gone with the Wind"?Plus: If you're in Chicago this weekend, learn how you can catch Pat in A Judy Christmas, a satirical stage play about the making of that fateful TV special!Subscribe, like, and comment to the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel, and check out kickseat.com for multiple movie podcasts each week!Show LinksWatch the Meet Me in St. Louis trailer.Chicagoans! Get your tickets to see Pat in A Judy Chrismas--which takes over Chicago's Den Theatre this weekend! Order online…Or call (773) 697-3830.Keep up with Pat at HollywoodChicago.com.Listen to Pat's movie reviews on the radio at STAR 96.7.

To commemorate the 6oth anniversary of JFK's assassination, Ian and Pat look at a film that leans heavily into the myriad conspiracy theories surrounding the event--and it wasn't directed by Oliver Stone!David Miller's Executive Action came out ten years after that fateful day in Dallas, and centers on a small, shadowy group of well-connected men whose interests are jeopardized by the 35th U.S. President's ideas. Burt Lancaster and Robert Ryan star as the weavers of the web, which gets stickier by the minute.In this spoilerific episode, Ian and Pat look at the strengths and weaknesses of a film whose style and audacity were, in many ways, ahead of its time--but whose execution (no pun intended) is uneven at best.And stay til the very end, when things get dicier than a Dallas prisoner transfer!Subscribe to, "Like", and comment on the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel, and check out kickseat.com for multiple movie podcasts each week!Show LinksWatch the Executive Action trailer.Plus! Watch Ian's 2021 interview with Bobby Kennedy III about his film, Fear and Loathing in Aspen (which includes his thoughts on his famous family)!Keep up with Pat at HollywoodChicago.com.Listen to Pat's movie reviews on the radio at STAR 96.7.

It's Halloween! Join Ian and Pat for a retro review of a movie about robots that dress up as humans and play cowboys and gladiators: Westworld!Though Michael Cricthon's iconic and veeeeery influential sci-fi oddity turns fifty this year, neither Ian nor Pat had seen it until this week. In this spoilerific review, the guys marvel at the film's numerous tendrils, which spread out across the pop landscape in the decades that followed.From The Terminator, to Halloween, to Hostel, to (of course) Jurassic Park and beyond, this futuristic tale of immersive-reality droids gone haywire could be seen as the birthplace of a dozen genre tropes--and that's far from a bad thing! Subscribe, like, and comment to the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel, and check out kickseat.com for multiple movie podcasts each week!Show LinksWatch the Westworld trailer.Keep up with Pat at HollywoodChicago.com.Listen to Pat's movie reviews on the radio at STAR 96.7.

Ian and Pat go undercover to expose corruption in the justice system! Well, they would if they were cops instead of film critics--so instead, they review Sidney Lumet's Serpico!The iconic 1973 cop drama stars Al Pacino as a version of the real-life New York cop who fought to expose crooked officers, leaders, and politicians--in a crusade that saw him bounced from precinct to precinct with ever increasing threats to his life.In this spoilerific conversation, the guys examine Pacino's let-it-all-hang-out performance (which was bookended between his buttoned-up Michael Corleone role in the first two Godfather films); they also talk symbolism; supporting cast surprises; and the odds of this film ever being made today!Show Links:Watch the Serpico trailer.Watch the Seth Meyers parody trailer for Boston Accent (mentioned in the show)! Keep up with Pat at HollywoodChicago.com.Listen to Pat's movie reviews on the radio at STAR 96.7.Subscribe to, like, and comment on the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel!

Today, Ian and Pat look back on one of the most under-appreciated films in the James Bond franchise: 1983's Octopussy!Roger Moore stars as the MI6 super-agent, whose latest adventure involves fake Fabergé eggs, a Russian plot to conquer the "divided and distracted" West, and a team of international female criminals who have about as many commitment issues as Bond himself!In this fun flashback episode, Ian and Pat stand up for an entry that many Bond-ophiles ignore (or downright despise), and draw some really fun parallels between last episode's movie, Enter the Dragon, and several of this summer's biggest blockbusters!Note: There was a bit of a connectivity issue on the video conference, so Pat's audio is a bit choppy at times. Apologies for that. We're working on a solution.Show Links:Watch the Octopussy trailer.Keep up with Pat at HollywoodChicago.com.Listen to Pat's movie reviews on the radio at STAR 96.7.Subscribe to, like, and comment on the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel!

As hard as it is to believe, Ian and Pat have never seen Enter the Dragon...until now!To celebrate the 50th anniversary of Robert Clouse's landmark martial arts film, the guys watched and discussed this surprising action-spy adventure starring the inimitable Bruce Lee. He plays Mr. Lee, an MA instructor at a Shaolin temple who is recruited by British intelligence to infiltrate the lair of a former-student-turned-criminal-mastermind.In this spoilerific love fest, these newly minted Bruce Lee fans talk about their expectations going in; the myriad pleasant surprises they discovered; and the legion of imitators that have tried their hands at the formula--only to be slammed to the mat!Show Links:Watch the Enter the Dragon trailer.Keep up with Pat at HollywoodChicago.com.Listen to Pat's movie reviews on the radio at STAR 96.7.Note: Shortly after Ian and Pat recorded their review, Warner Bros announced an upcoming 4K Blu-ray release of Enter the Dragon, and Fathom Events will be hosting two big-screen showings of the film in August (the guys talked about these as "What If's" during the show.).Subscribe to, like, and comment on the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel!

Ian and Pat bust out the legwarmers for a 40th anniversary review of Flashdance!Adrian Lyne's 1983 dancing drama stars Jennifer Beals as Alex, an 18-year-old welder at a Pittsburgh steelworks. She moonlights as an exotic dancer at the local dive bar, and dreams of one day enrolling at a classical dance academy. Things get complicated when she starts dating her boss, Nick (Michael Nouri), and the film vacillates between May/December romance flick and a misfit-townies take on Fame.In this episode, the guys discuss why they decided to talk about this unlikely $200 million-grossing blockbuster (and that's in 1983 dollars!); how the film trips up its own fancy narrative footwork; and how it would be different if re-imagined today!Show Links:Watch the Flashdance trailer.Keep up with Pat at HollywoodChicago.com.Subscribe to, like, and comment on the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel!

Our Good Friday tradition continues as Ian and Pat look back on a half-century of Jesus Christ Superstar! Norman Jewison's big-screen adaptation of the smash Broadway musical is a unique chronicle of Jesus's final days. Ostensibly a period piece filmed in Israel, the film's conceit is that a merry band of hippie performers sets up an elaborate production in the desert--marrying an age-old story with modern dress, music, and, in an astonishing nod to the times, weapons of war.In this spoilerific exploration, the guys discuss who the movie is really about; why it might actually speak to people of different faiths (or even no faith); and how it remains relevant fifty years on. Show Links:Watch the Jesus Christ Superstar trailer.Ian and Pat's review of Godspell, which came out the same year as Jesus Christ Superstar.BONUS! Check out Pat's interview with Jesus Christ Superstar's Ted Neeley at HollywoodChicago.com.Subscribe to, like, and comment on the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel!

Ian and Pat kick off a year of anniversary movies with a look at 1943's Cabin in the Sky!Vincente Minnelli's big-screen adaptation of the hit Broadway play was also the first all-Black feature from a major movie studio. In this musical dramedy, hardcore gambler "Little Joe" Jackson (Eddie "Rochester" Anderson) is mortally wounded during a dice game; his wife, Petunia (Ethel Waters), prays for his soul--resulting in a wager between Heaven and Hell as to whether or not Little Joe would turn his life around if given another six months on earth.Featuring supporting performances from Louis Armstrong, Butterfly McQueen, Mantan Moreland, and a musical guest spot by Duke Ellington, Cabin in the Sky is a vibrant and visually inventive morality play that really got Ian and Pat talking.From its deft handling of faith-based material; to its place in pop cultural and civil rights history; and its various connections to Gone with the Wind, the film sparks a lot of discussion points that the guys may revisit throughout the year!Show Links:Watch the Cabin in the Sky trailer.Keep up with Pat at HollywoodChicago.com.Subscribe to, like, and comment on the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel!

'Tis the Season for Ian and Pat to try something a little different! Every year the guys discuss a Christmas movie, but they're closing out 2022 with the oddly dark CBS production of The Judy Garland Christmas Show from 1963.Filmed mere days after the assassination of Garland's dear friend, John F. Kennedy, this ostensibly heartwarming holiday musical feels like the production itself has been traumatized. Garland and her real-life family invite an unseen live studio audience into their fake home for an evening of song, dance, and comedy that (especially through the lens of modernity) comes off as alternately corny, creepy, and wrong. As a matter of fact, Pat's comedy troupe, Famous in the Future, will be performing a lively send-up of the special this week. Here he talks about how A Judy Christmas came to be, and what folks can expect to see at the Den Theatre in Chicago. Strap in as we leap over the rainbow and down the rabbit hole!Show Links:Watch The Judy Garland Christmas Show (1963) on YouTube.Get tickets to see Pat in Famous in the Future's production of A JUDY CHRISTMAS--playing this Thursday through Saturday at Chicago's Den Theatre!Listen to Pat's interview with Judy Garland's daughter, Lorna Luft (mentioned in the show)! Keep up with Pat at HollywoodChicago.com.Subscribe to, like, and comment on the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel!

This month, Ian and Pat talk about a space movie that's far from far-out!Antonio Margheriti's Battle of the Worlds stars Claude Rains and a bunch of other people playing scientists who must grapple with an alien intelligence that's on a collision course with Earth.(We're not saying it was the inspiration for MOONFALL, but we're not not saying it, either!)Join the guys as they ponder the mysteries of the cosmos and Ian works as much post-production magic as possible to compensate for his unplugged microphone! Show Links:Watch the Battle of the Worlds trailer.Keep up with Pat at HollywoodChicago.com.Order The Film Detective's extras-packed new Battle of the Worlds Blu-ray! Subscribe to, like, and comment on the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel!

This week, Kicking the Seat looks at horror movies that most people don't instantly think of as "horror movies"!Sofia Coppola's 1999 feature directorial debut, The Virgin Suicides, centers on a strict religious family living in the Michigan suburbs in the mid-1970s. The five teenage Lisbon sisters are the talk of their school: attractive, aloof, and totally mysterious, they inspire wild speculation in the adolescent boys who admire them from afar.In adapting Jeffrey Eugenides' novel, Coppola frames The Virgin Suicides as a haunted reminiscence by one of those boys, who recalls the tragedy that befell the Lisbons and the ripples it caused decades later. This spoilerific conversation finds Ian and Pat McDonald looking back on a film they hadn't revisited in nearly a quarter-century--and wondering just what kept them away. From the story's take on the so-called "male gaze"; to its kinship with a very popular, no-doubt-about-it horror movie; to the inclusion of a song that inspired Ian to create a new Film Rule, the guys delve into one of the most unique and insightful takes on the dark corners of nostalgia and the horrors of growing up.Show Links:Watch the Virgin Suicides trailer.Keep up with Pat at HollywoodChicago.com.The Criterion Collection recently released The Virgin Suicides on 4K UHD Blu-ray, which you can order here.Subscribe to, like, and comment on the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel!

Ian and Pat crack open their used books and wade through the ivy for a look at Back to School!Alan Metter's blockbuster 1986 comedy stars Rodney Dangerfield as Thornton Melon, a wildly successful businessman who buys his way into his son Jason's (Keith Gordon) college as a way of patching up their strained relationship. Hijinks ensue, of course, as Thornton unleashes his irreverent party animal antics on an unsuspecting (but very receptive) campus. But can Thornton schmooze and spend his way out of a cheating scandal?This episode is much more than a book report about a classic 80s comedy. Pat and Ian discuss how their perceptions of the film have changed in the nearly four decades since its release--considering matters as trivial as diving team regulations, and questions as profound as whether or not Back to School is a cosmic prequel to the 2016 election!Show Links:Watch the Back to School (1986) trailer.Read Ian's written review of Back to School from 2015 (mentioned in the show).Keep up with Pat at HollywoodChicago.com.Subscribe to, like, and comment on the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel!

In this follow-up to Ian's review of the movie with Pat "The Uber Critic" McDonald last week, he looks at two special features on The Criterion Collection's new 4K UHD/Blu-ray release of Shaft (1971)--both centered on the surprising cultural and literary influences that gave birth to Blaxploitation's most towering icon! Show Links:Watch the Shaft (1971) trailer.Pick up The Criterion Collection's new release of Shaft on 4K UHD and Blu-ray. Watch Ian and Pat discuss Shaft on the latest edition of "There's No Stalgia Like Nostalgia"! Keep up with Pat at HollywoodChicago.com.Subscribe to, like, and comment on the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel!

Ian and Pat break out their turtlenecks and leather trenchcoats to review Gordon Parks' seminal Blaxploitation epic, Shaft!Richard Roundtree stars as the Black private dick who's a sex machine to all the chicks. It's 1971 in New York City, and John Shaft has been hired to find the kidnapped daughter of a Harlem gangster. He winds up on the wrong side of the police, the Mafia, and a crew of militants all battling to control the streets of the Big Apple.The guys continue their exploration of 70s Black cinema with a (pretty much) first-time viewing of Parks' swagger-heavy procedural--comparing it to Melvin Van Peebles' Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song (which came out the same year), and questioning whether or not this film belongs in the genre with which it is most heavily associated.Shaft was recently given the deluxe treatment by The Criterion Collection, which has made the film available on 4K UHD and Blu-ray.Show Links:Watch the Shaft (1971) trailer.Keep up with Pat at HollywoodChicago.com.Subscribe to, like, and comment on the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel!

Ian and Pat rev up their dirt bikes and plow through Little Fauss and Big Halsy!This obscure 1970 racing movie pairs Michael Pollard and Robert Redford as an unlikely team who outrun, out-hustle, and out-sleep the competition on a quest for fortune and fame. Complicating matters is Rita (Lauren Hutton), a slumming-it rich girl who drives a wedge between the already tentative relationship between clumsy circuit-nerd Little Fauss (Pollard) and heartless con man Halsy (Redford).Ian and Pat dig into the film's oddball connection to The Godfather; examine the myriad ways in which flesh is exploited throughout, and contemplate Redford's last truly human performance.Note: In the discussion, Pat references a documentary by Robert Redford's late son, Jamie. The film is called Resilience, and you can learn more about it at: https://kpjrfilms.co/resilience.Show Links:Watch the Little Fauss and Big Halsy trailer.Keep up with Pat at HollywoodChicago.com.Subscribe to, like, and comment on the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel!

Ian and Pat McDonald raise a scoop of freezer-burnt ice cream to the most important women in their lives with a look at Albert Brooks' 1996 comedy, Mother!Brooks stars as John Henderson, a sci-fi novelist who moves in with his mother, Beatrice (Debbie Reynolds), after finalizing divorce #2. His plan: figure out what it is about his own strained family relationships that prevent him from finding a compatible partner.In this loving and (mostly) reverent review, the guys talk about why MOTHER took awhile to grow on them; debate whether or not Mother's Day is an actual holiday, and open up about why their own moms mean so much to them!Plus: Ian's Rob Morrow impression will send you hurtling toward the "Volume" button!Show Links:Watch the Mother trailer.Keep up with Pat at HollywoodChicago.com.Subscribe to, like, and comment on the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel!

Ian becomes a first-time Fellini fanatic as Pat "The Uber Critic" McDonald introduces him to 1960's La Dolce Vita!Marcello Mastroianni plays Marcello, a tabloid journalist whose penchant for drinking, smoking, and womanizing places him smack-dab in the middle of an existential crisis. Turns out putting the "bone" in "Bon Italia" isn't all it's cracked up to be--and through a series of seven vignettes, we watch this so-called "sweet life" decay into a grim battle for a wayward soul.In their annual Easter-week podcast, Ian and Pat dig into the themes, the style, and the masterful visual storytelling of this indispensable classic.Show Links:Watch the La Dolce Vita trailer.Keep up with Pat at HollywoodChicago.com.Subscribe to, like, and comment on the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel!

Romance is old hat. Bromance is where it's at! And on today's very special installment, Ian and Pat McDonald revisit one of the all-time great "I Love You, Man" movies, Wayne's World--which opened exactly thirty years ago today!Yes, we're switching it up a bit, focusing on a movie that was a big part of Ian's formative years (and, as it turns out, to the broader pop culture landscape all the way through the mid-2000s).Though they're not worthy to do so, the guys heap praise on this feature-length SNL skit, marveling at its concept, interweaving of "bits" into a perfectly orchestrated narrative whole, and the punk-rock spirit that director Penelope Spheeris brought with her from the days of helming punk docs like The Decline of Western Civilization.So gather some friends, gas up the car, and fire up "Bohemian Rhapsody" (after you listen to our show, of course): it's time to party on!Show Links:Watch the Wayne's World trailer.Keep up with Pat at HollywoodChicago.com.Subscribe to, like, and comment on the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel!

Nothing says "Christmas Eve" like two long-time friends having their first movie fight!Discussing holiday films has been a favorite tradition for Ian and Pat, but Arnaud Desplechin's 2008 French-language drama, A Christmas Tale, is unlike anything they've reviewed before.When the dreary, dysfunctional Vuillard family reunites for Christmas dinner, secrets are revealed, age-old animosities flare, and a life hangs in the balance. There've been a million movies with the same premise, but few have served up such unrelenting, brutal "honesty" (Ian calls it "The Family Stone, without the jokes."). Watch as the guys stake their positions and, in the spirit of the season, try (and try and try) to find some common ground!Show Links:Watch the A Christmas Tale trailer.Keep up with Pat at HollywoodChicago.com.Subscribe to, like, and comment on the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel!

Ian and Pat continue their look at Melvin Van Peebles' filmography. Criterion recently released Melvin Van Peebles: Essential Films, a packed and gorgeously packaged Blu-ray set that contains Watermelon Man (which they talked about in February) and the writer/director's groundbreaking follow-up, Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song! The 1971 proto-Blaxploitation movie centers on a sex worker named Sweetback (Van Peebles) who finds himself on the lam after beating up two White cops in defense of a Black Panther, whom they rough up while in custody. Using his connections, cunning, and, um, natural talents, Sweetback evades the authorities while igniting a revolutionary spirit in a community that's fed up with police harassment and disenfranchisement.In this charged and very wide-ranging discussion, Ian and Pat talk about the film's shocking content; Van Peebles' cutting edge use of editing and meta-storytelling; and why it spawned a vital 1970s movie genre. They also delve into modern issues of race, inspired by questions the film raises, and look ahead to next month's annual holiday movie review.It's a weird, messed-up, poignant show--or as we like to think of it, "Baadasssss"!Timestamps:Intro: 0:00 - 1:09Sweet Sweetback Discussion: 1:10 - 54:08George Carlin and "Guilty White Liberals": 54:09 - 1:05:56Holiday Cheer (Planning Our Annual Christmas Movie Review): 1:05:57 - 1:16:08Outro: 1:16:09 - 1:18:33 Show Links:Watch the Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song trailer.Order Melvin Van Peebles: Essential Films from The Criterion Collection.Watch Ian and Pat discuss Van Peebles' Watermelon Man (recorded earlier this year).Keep up with Pat at HollywoodChicago.com.Subscribe to, like, and comment on the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel!

Ian and Pat close out the summer with a look at George Lucas' mainstream breakout hit, American Graffiti! Yes, two years before Star Wars, the young filmmaker created a love letter to the mischievous car-culture Americana of his teen years--resulting in not only one of the most profitable independent movies ever made but also launching an entire generation of iconic actors into the stratosphere.In this warm reminiscence, Ian and Pat talk about American Graffiti's remarkable balance of rambunctious innocence with the encroachment of adult themes; its unexpected influence on the era of teen sex comedies; and how MAD Magazine's impact on two budding film critics rippled down the generations to inform how these two film critics look at movies like American Graffiti...and the world!Show Links:Watch the American Graffiti trailer.Keep up with Pat at HollywoodChicago.com.And listen to Ian's 2019 interview with American Graffiti star Richard Dreyfuss! Subscribe to, like, and comment on the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel!

Ian and Pat look at a very different kind of war movie, Robert Mulligan's 1971 coming-of-age drama, Summer of ‘42!The film centers on three WWII-era teen boys whose lazy summer is spent roughhousing, pursuing girls, and generally blocking out the world outside their idyllic beach-front community. When Hermie (Gary Grimes) falls in love with an older woman named Dorothy (Jennifer O'Neill), his ideas about the opposite sex are challenged in ways the characters and the audience may find surprising.In this wide-ranging review, the guys explore how Summer of ‘42 compares and contrasts from the teen sex comedies that would flood cinemas a decade later; why the film makes them feel at once cozy and uncomfortable; and its unlikely modern-day successor.Show Links:Watch the Summer of ‘42 trailer.Keep up with Pat at HollywoodChicago.com.Watch Pat's interview with Godspell star Robin Lamont (referenced in the episode):Part 1Part 2Subscribe to, like, and comment on the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel!

Ian and Pat look at a movie that history (and most of the people involved in making it) has tried to bury: Mark Rydell's 1976 flop, Harry and Walter Go To New York!This vaudeville-era heist comedy is heavy with star power, including James Caan, Elliott Gould, Diane Keaton, and Michael Caine--but it was swept into obscurity on a wave of The Sting's imitators.The guys unearth this obscure gem and discuss why it really worked for one critic, and not so much the other; why it might be better appreciated today; and how its themes transcend slapstick comedy, revealing some dark and truly biting social commentary.Show Links:Watch the Harry and Walter Go To New York trailer.Keep up with Pat at HollywoodChicago.com.Subscribe to, like, and comment on the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel!

Ian and Pat continue their unofficial "Adventures in Cancellation" series with a look back at the 93rd Academy Awards and a review of Woody Allen's 2019 film, A Rainy Day in New York!The guys talk plummeting audience numbers and ascendant wokeness; Tyler Perry's message of unity, and Twitter's ugly reaction to Anthony Hopkins' win; and why the once venerated telecast has shrunk to little more than a gold-plated COVID bubble.Then they get into the latest (released) Allen film, which stars Timothée Chalamet and Elle Fanning as college kids whose day trip to the Big Apple becomes a descent into the madness of celebrity culture, old flames, and high-society revelations.The movie-review segment is bookended by thoughts on the controversies surrounding Allen and fellow accused-and-canceled comic Louis C.K., and the dangers of extra-judicial media trials.So, yes, please enjoy what very may well be the final episode of the Kicking the Seat Podcast!Timestamps:93rd Oscars Discussion: 0:00 - 18:40Some Thoughts on Woody Allen: 18:41 - 29:17A Rainy Day in New York Review: 29:18 - 51:17Louis C.K. Revisited (Why Not?): 51:18 - 58:09Outro: 58:10 - 101:33Show Links:Watch the A Rainy Day in New York trailer.Thirsty for more controversy? Listen to Ian and Pat's 2017 review of Woody Allen's Wonder Wheel and Louis C.K.'s I Love You, Daddy on the Kicking the Seat Podcast.Keep up with Pat at HollywoodChicago.com.Subscribe to, like, and comment on the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel!

Ian and Pat continue their not-quite-annual Easter tradition of talking about a religious-themed movie during Holy Week.1973's Godspell is the perfect cinematic allegory for two recovering Catholics who dig the message of Jesus without the pageantry and prognosticating of a church superstructure. Victor Garber stars as a hippie-era Messiah who recruits a diverse group of apostles in modern-day New York. Together they frolic through an empty Big Apple, singing and acting out spiritual teachings that awaken new ways of seeing the world--in each other and in the one who assembled them.The guys break down the history of Godspell (which had a "dueling asteroid movie" relationship with Jesus Christ Superstar); examine director David Greene's scrappy and sparse aesthetic, and make a case for this being one of the most effective representations of the Passion Play ever filmed.Show Links:Watch the Godspell trailer.Listen to Ian and Pat discuss Kevin Smith's Dogma on the Kicking the Seat Podcast. Keep up with Pat at HollywoodChicago.com.Subscribe to, like, and comment on the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel!

Ian and Pat look at one of the earliest and most controversial "body swap" movies: 1970's Watermelon Man! Melvin Van Peebles' cutting social satire finds Jeff Gerber, a racist white suburban dad played by Godfrey Cambridge, waking up one morning to discover that he's turned black.The guys examine the film's successes and shortfalls as a comedy; the context in which it was released versus how it holds up today; and the behind-the-scenes tensions that led to very ideologies competing for screen time.Also, Pat hatches a plan to be the first certified film critic to review Watermelon Man for Rotten Tomatoes!Note: This conversation was recorded several days before Coca-Cola's controversial "Be Less White" corporate training became headline news--which is why you won't see it discussed here. However, the questions of identity and culture that have arisen in the aftermath of that story are very relevant to Watermelon Man, and to Ian and Pat's commentary.Show Links:Watch the Watermelon Man trailer.Watch Watermelon Man on Amazon Prime (streaming FREE for members).Keep up with Pat at HollywoodChicago.com.Subscribe to, like, and comment on the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel!

Ian and Pat put on their virtual tuxes and dance the night away at Netflix's The Prom!Ryan Murphy's adaptation of the hit Broadway musical debuted late last year, and the guys catch up with this fanciful, dance-able dramedy. Cultures clash when a quartet of New York theatre elites comes to the aid of an Indiana teen who's been barred from bringing her girlfriend to the big dance.The guys talk about strong music; weak narrative underpinnings; and how two key bits of casting may have muddied an otherwise strong message. And, no, that doesn't refer to The Prom's most obviously controversial bit of casting--but that's up for discussion, too!Show Links:Watch the Prom trailer.Keep up with Pat at HollywoodChicago.com.Subscribe to, like, and comment on the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel!

Ian and Pat "The Über Critic" McDonald wake up early to unwrap White Christmas! Continuing their holiday tradition of discussing a movie Ian had never seen before, the guys plow through Michael Curtiz's 1954 classic musical about a reluctant quartet of song-and-dance performers who rally to save a struggling Vermont inn. Those are the broad strokes of a nuanced (and very funny) plot that ties love, war, and showbiz in a velvety, toe-tapping bow.Ian and Pat pay respects to the physical and comedic brilliance of stars Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, and Vera-Ellen; remark on the surprising connection to the John Wayne/John Ford "Cavalry Trilogy"; and tiptoe through some of the film's less-than-2020-friendly aspects.Show Links:Watch the White Christmas trailer.Keep up with Pat at HollywoodChicago.com.Subscribe to, like, and comment on the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel!

Today, the Kicking the Seat Podcast and HollywoodChicago.com’s Pat “The Uber Critic” strip the show of all pretense with a look at Danny Wolf’s Skin: A History of Nudity in the Movies! The documentary recently landed on Amazon Prime, and includes a comprehensive look at the origins, motivations, and evolution of flesh on celluloid.From the Silent Era to the #MeToo Era, the guys share their favorite revelations from the film; challenge some of Wolf’s dangling assertions; and explore their own complicated relationships with salacious movies and the culture surrounding them.Pat also shares the surprising inspiration for this episode—a story not to be missed!Episode 611 no longer eats apple pie!Show Guide:Intro Music: 0:00 - 0:14Intro: 0:14 - 1:55Skin: A History of Nudity in the Movies Trailer: 1:55 - 3:38Skin: A History of Nudity in the Movies Discussion: 3:38 - 1:07:13Outro Music: 1:07:13 - 1:07:28Keep up with the latest seat-kicking goodness by following, liking, rating, and subscribing to us on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, iTunes, Stitcher!

Today, the Kicking the Seat Podcast and HollywoodChicago.com’s Pat “The Uber Critic” McDonald visit the Land of the Dead for the penultimate episode of “Reelpolitik”!This George Romero flick pits the haves against the have-nots against the brainless, lumbering dead. And though it may seem like just another Bush-era political allegory, it holds up pretty well today—with evergreen themes, and a colorful cast of characters that make it more of an adventure film than a straight-up horror movie.Also, Ian invites you to watch his YouTube-exclusive interview with director Julie Sokolow, whose documentary, Barefoot: The Mark Baumer Story, is now available On Demand. Also, Ian reviews the film, and teases his recent guest appearances on You’ll Probably Agree and 90 Under 90!Episode 601, man, it freaks me out!Show Guide:Intro Music: 0:00 - 0:14Intro: 0:14 - 1:54Barefoot: The Mark Baumer Story Review: 1:54 - 7:56Intro Ct’d: 7:56 - 12:08Land of the Dead Trailer: 12:08 - 13:41Land of the Dead Discussion: 13:41 - 1:15:33Outro Music: 1:15:33 - 1:15:49Keep up with the latest seat-kicking goodness by following, liking, rating, and subscribing to us on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, iTunes, Stitcher!

Today, the Kicking the Seat Podcast and HollywoodChicago.com’s Pat “The Uber Critic” McDonald feast on David Gelb’s 2011 documentary, Jiro Dreams of Sushi! The film centers on renowned sushi master Jiro Ono and the Michelin-rated restaurant he runs inside a Japanese subway station.Chronicling a life of unwavering dedication to serving simple yet utterly perfect food to customers from all over the world, Jiro Dreams of Sushi is an aspirational guide to anyone striving to master a craft. Ian and Pat talk about how Gelb’s film mirrors his focused and emotionally distant subject, and recount their own experiences of the daily grind to greatness.Also, Ian invites you to listen to his YouTube-exclusive interview with Frally Hynes about her stirring cover of “Girls Just Want to Have Fun”, which is featured in Alexandra Dean’s documentary, This Is Paris! And be sure to subscribe to the channel so you’ll be notified when we go live this Friday for the first of five “Scare-a-Thon” livestreams!Episode 590 strives for perfection in all things!Show Guide:Intro Music: 0:00 - 0:14Intro: 0:14 - 2:59Jiro Dreams of Sushi Trailer: 2:59 - 5:18Jiro Dreams of Sushi  Discussion: 5:18 - 57:58Outro Music: 57:58 - 58:14Keep up with the latest seat-kicking goodness by following, liking, rating, and subscribing to us on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, iTunes, Stitcher!

Today, the Kicking the Seat Podcast and HollywoodChicago.com’s Pat “The Uber Critic” McDonald amp up the paranoia with a “Reelpolitik” look at The Parallax View! Alan J. Pakula’s precursor to All the President’s Men finds Warren Beatty dodging death and searching for the truth behind a senator’s assassination. The down-on-his-luck newspaper reporter soon discovers that the only person he can trust is himself, and that not even he is a reliable source!Ian and Pat unravel the film’s eerily prescient ideas about the political/industrial complex; chuckle at Beatty’s amazing luck; and find parallels to Parallax in the modern political climate!Also, Ian layers on the spandex and heads down to The Spoiler Room for a round table review of Mystery Men, and shares a video for Pat’s music duo, The Dark Room Men!Episode 574 died of natural causes!Show Guide:Intro Music: 0:00 - 0:14Intro: 0:14 - 4:30The Parallax View Trailer: 4:30 - 6:58The Parallax View Discussion: 6:58 - 56:49Outro Music: 56:49 - 57:17Keep up with the latest seat-kicking goodness by following, liking, rating, and subscribing to us on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, iTunes, Stitcher!

Today, the Kicking the Seat Podcast celebrates six decades of Pat “The Über Critic” McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com and Michael Powell's exquisitely creepy thriller, Peeping Tom! The film centers on a young movie-studio cameraman obsessed with photographing people at the moment of their deaths--which, incidentally, he's responsible for! The guys dig into this criminally underseen film, talking about its juicy themes, incredible production quality, and ahead-of-its-time ideas on everyday voyeurism. Also, Ian teases his recent appearance on the Spoiler Room podcast (in which he attempts to shower off the shame of 1995's The Babysitter); invites listeners to join tomorrow night's Rendezvous in Chicago virtual Watch Party; and recommends you check out his YouTube-exclusive interview with Proximity co-writer/director Eric Demeusy! Episode 537 likes to watch! Show Guide: Intro Music: 0:00 - 0:14 Intro: 0:14 - 3:58 Peeping Tom Trailer: 3:58 - 6:16 Peeping Tom Discussion: 6:16 - 54:52 Outro Music: 54:52 - 55:07 Keep up with the latest seat-kicking goodness by following, liking, rating, and subscribing to us on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, iTunes, Stitcher!

Today, the Kicking the Seat Podcast and Pat “The Über Critic” McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com celebrate the 2020 baseball season with the only game in town--movies! At first glance, Michael Ritchie's 1976 classic, The Bad News Bears, is a far cry from his earlier film, The Candidate, but the guys discover some surprising similarities. They also marvel at how Walter Matthau and Vic Morrow's powerful lead performances give the movie just as much punch for adults as for children--and wrestle with who the "appropriate" audience is for this explicitly un-PC film in the year 2020! Episode 531 didn't come into this world to sit on a bench in a dugout! Show Guide: Intro Music: 0:00 - 0:14 Intro: 0:14 - 2:05 The Bad News Bears Trailer: 2:05 - 5:06 The Bad News Bears Discussion: 5:06 - 1:03:00 Outro Music: 1:03:00 - 1:03:15 Keep up with the latest seat-kicking goodness by following, liking, rating, and subscribing to us on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, iTunes, Stitcher!

Zelle LLP partner Steven Badger joins Rich and Tina to discuss whether commercial property insurance applies in the wake of the coronavirus. Above the Law Senior Editor Kathryn Rubino discusses how firms are addressing staffing issues and cost cutting due to the COVID-19 economic downturn. HollywoodChicago.com film critic Patrick McDonald takes the LFO crew on […]

The cliche of the middle-aged dad with a secret second family is a well-worn one, but one that the indie comedy Being Frank attempts to complicate in some fascinating ways. When Phillip (Logan Miller) discovers that his dad Frank (Jim Gaffigan) has a whole other family across the country - one he seems to get along with better than his own - it sets in motion a series of farcical scenarios that require the two to keep Frank's secrets alive.   While it falls into a lot of the goofy indie-movie trappings that plague this particular genre, Gaffigan's unexpectedly vulnerable performance and the taut direction of documentarian Miranda Bailey (making her narrative feature debut) help elevate Being Frank beyond its auspices.   In this episode, I spoke with Gaffigan and Bailey (respectively) about Being Frank's unique challenges and myriad tones, as part of a roundtable interview with HollywoodChicago.com's Pat McDonald and Kicking the Seat's Ian Simmons. Together, we discuss Gaffigan's role choices, Bailey's transition from documentaries to scripted film, and the rocky road to getting Being Frank on the big screen. (More of a Comment, Really… is a proud member of the Chicago Podcast Coop. Thanks to Overcast for sponsoring this episode!)

While dysfunctional family dramas are arguably a dime a dozen, Elizabeth Chomko's Chicago-centric debut What They Had stands out substantially from the pack. A touching, heartfelt tale of a woman (Hilary Swank) who returns home to help her brother (Michael Shannon) and father (Robert Forster) care for her Alzheimer's-afflicted mother (Blythe Danner), What They Had is refreshingly nuanced, filled with strong, witty dialogue and incredible performances from its lead cast. While at the Chicago International Film Festival, we sat down with Chomko for a roundtable discussion (along with Pat McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com and Al and Linda Lerner of MoviesandShakers.com) - with Forster popping in as a late-interview surprise. Check out our roundtable, along with that wonderful cameo, in our podcast below. Thanks to our sponsor Overcast as part of the Chicago Podcast Coop!)

The main podcast is back, baby! Since Ant-Man and the Wasp has us thinking about all things shrinking, we decided to look at 1987's fun-sized adventure comedy InnerSpace! Film critic for HollywoodChicago.com (and now Alcohollywood!) Jon Espino joins us to dive into a movie from our 80s-kid childhoods - a Joe Dante romp of the finest order that sees hotshot pilot Tuck Pendleton (Dennis Quaid) shrunk down to a microscopic level and injected into the body of nebbish hypochondriac Jack Putter (Martin Short). Together, the two have to evade corporate spies, silent Terminator-types, and navigate a very strange love triangle with Tuck's girlfriend Lydia (Meg Ryan).  In classic Joe Dante style, InnerSpace features a wonderful blend of surprisingly mature elements for a PG film (Dennis Quaid butt!), a charming sense of whimsy and lightness, and his signature stable of actors, from Dick Miller to Robert Picardo. Dante's a master of these kinds of breezy high-concept adventures, so it was a real treat to finally visit his delightfully devious oeuvre.  We had a blast talking about this crazy time capsule of a movie, so take a listen and check out our custom cocktail and drinking rules! (Thanks to our sponsor Overcast as part of the Chicago Podcast Coop!) Related links: The Goldsmith Odyssey - a great podcast on the works of Jerry Goldsmith, who also sponsored this very episode!

Jared's been zapped into another dimension, so Jon Espino of The Young Folks and HollywoodChicago.com joins Clint to investigate the mysteries of Netflix's Super Bowl-marketed sci-fi disaster The Cloverfield Paradox! A previously-unrelated sci-fi thriller given the J.J. Abrams treatment, The Cloverfield Paradox turns Julius Onah's The God Particle into a confusing, meandering installment of Paramount's favorite clearinghouse for original sci-fi movies! Here, the crew of the Cloverfield Station (Daniel Bruhl, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, John Ortiz, Chris O'Down, David Oyelowo, Ziyi Zhang, Aksel Hennie) run a Large Hadron Collider in space to solve the world's energy crisis. Once they fire it up, though, they find themselves in another reality with the Earth gone, a mysterious visitor (Elizabeth Debicki) stuck in the wall, and all kinds of crazy dimension-warping shenanigans.  That sounds really cool, right? Unfortunately, it becomes a boring slog of flat characters, confusing technobabble and some arbitrary connections to the rest of the otherwise-solid Cloverfield universe. Still, Clint and Jon soldier on for your pleasure - listen and check out our custom cocktail and drinking game! (Thanks to our sponsor Overcast as part of the Chicago Podcast Coop!)

Erin go bragh, faithful listeners! This week, we celebrate St. Patrick's Day with our very own St. Patrick MacDonald of HollywoodChicago.com, as we down a pint and fight some beasties with the Irish horror comedy Grabbers! When a sleepy Irish town is beset by extraterrestrial octopods with a thirst for blood, the town must rally around an alcoholic local cop (Richard Coyle) and his straight-laced partner (Ruth Bradley) to fight them off the only way they know how - by getting piss drunk!   Much like previous podcast subject Attack the Block, Grabbers is deeply indebted to the droll horror-comedy humor of Edgar Wright, and manages to find its own charms within that level of sincere imitation. Check out our thoughts, along with our custom cocktail and drinking game, below! (Thanks to our sponsor, The Second City Training Center, as part of the Chicago Podcast Coop!)

HORROR OCTORBOR 666 continues, as we move down our list of devil-themed horror movies with the schlocky legal drama The Devil's Advocate! Jon Espino of HollywoodChicago.com and The Young Folks partners with us again to tell the story of Kevin Lomax (a ridiculously Southern Keanu Reeves), an unscrupulous Florida lawyer brought up to New York with his wife (Charlize Theron) to join the law firm of grimy legal titan John Milton (Al Pacino). It's two and a half hours of goofy CGI demon faces, complicated legalese, and Trump allusions we'll never get back. Still, we braved this decidedly goofy bit of 90s kitsch to bring you our custom cocktail and drinking rules, so take a listen! (Thanks to our sponsor Cards Against Humanity as part of the Chicago Podcast Coop!)

This week, we test our commitment to Sparkle Motion with Jon Espino of The Young Folks and HollywoodChicago.com as we revisit Richard Kelly's 2001 cult time travel teen drama Donnie Darko! The hit of the Hot Topic crowd in the early 2000s, for better or worse, we go back to this twisty, navel-gazing mixture of American Beauty and The Butterfly Effect to see if its profundities still hold up. Take a listen, and check out our custom cocktail and drinking rules! (Thanks to our sponsor Cards Against Humanity as part of the Chicago Podcast Coop!)

This week, we finish off Video Game Movie Month Level 2 with the infamous 1994 fighting-game disaster Street Fighter The Movie, starring Jean-Claude Van Damme and Raul Julia! Jon Espino of HollywoodChicago.com joins us to talk about the film's troubled history, Bison's muddy plan for world domination, and where all the street fights went. Take a listen and check out our custom cocktail and drinking rules! (Thanks to our sponsor Know Your Company as part of the Chicago Podcast Coop!) Related links:  Polygon's excellent oral history of the making of Street Fighter: the Movie Every line Chris Klein says in Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun Li

This week, Jared and Clint embark on a mission from God with special guest Pat "Uber-Critic" McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com and Chicago Film Tour (and the podcast Lou Dickman Weekly) as we check out the classic 1980 comedy The Blues Brothers! Following Jake and Elwood Blues as they 'get the band back together' to save the orphanage where they grew up, John Landis' cult hit is a celebration of 1980s Chicago and the urban blues scene while being a great absurdist comedy in its own right. Check out our thoughts along with our custom cocktail and drinking game! (Thanks to our sponsor Second City as part of the Chicago Podcast Coop!)

First up in this two-part episode, I join film critic on sabbatical with bylines at Roger Ebert dot com and the Metaplex Brendan Hodges. Brendan and I wrestle with Mohicans impact and resonance and talk about how the rug is pulled out from us when we're expecting a Hawkeye versus Magua face-off. To close the episode, I join the author of Fierce Bitches, Peckerwood and curator of noir literature film and culture blog - Hardboiled Wonderland - Jedidiah Ayres. Jed and I discuss the many iterations of Mohicans through the ages and reconvene for an emergency chat about Russell Means' electrifying account of his experience behind the scenes.Further reading:CHAT WITH CHINGACHGOOK: THE RUSSELL MEANS INTERVIEWABOUT JEDIDIAH AYRESJEDIDIAH AYRES IS THE AUTHOR OF FIERCE BITCHES, PECKERWOOD. HE WRITES ABOUT CRIME FICTION AND FILM ON THE BLOG HARDBOILED WONDERLAND. TWITTER: @JEDIDIAHAYRESABOUT BRENDAN HODGES I LOVE MOVIES AND WRITE ABOUT THEM ON THE INTERNET. I HAVE WRITTEN FOR A NUMBER OF ONLINE PUBLICATIONS INCLUDING ROGEREBERT.COM, HOLLYWOODCHICAGO.COM, LIVEFORFILMS.COM AND KEEPING-IT-REEL.COM. PRIMARILY, I HAVE WRITTEN FOR MY OWN WEBSITE AND BLOG, THE METAPLEX.COM.YOU CAN FIND MY FREELANCE WORK HERE. OTHERWISE, YOU CAN READ SELF-PUBLISHED MOVIE REVIEWS HERE, MY TOP TEN LISTS HERE, OR MY NETFLIX PICKS SERIES HERE. OR, FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER: @metaplexmovies.About the show: THE LAST (12 minutes) OF THE MOHICANS is a twelve-episode limited podcast series focusing on the climax of the Michael Mann's 1992 epic The Last of the Mohicans. The format of the podcast, which slightly differs from ONE HEAT MINUTE, utilises the entire final twelve-minute climax of Mohicans as a portal to explore the themes of the movie. The show examines the cross-section of political apparatuses, colonial superpower wrangling, and Mr Mann's riff on the "great American hero." The final episode - once again will feature Mr Mann to unpack his intentions with the film in the conception and orchestration of its grand ending.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/one-heat-minute-productions/donations

“What did it matter where you lay once you were dead? In a dirty sump or in a marble tower on top of a high hill? You were dead, you were sleeping the big sleep, you were not bothered by things like that. Oil and water were the same as wind and air to you. You just slept the big sleep, not caring about the nastiness of how you died or where you fell. Me, I was part of the nastiness now.” That’s a line from Raymond Chandler’s The Big Sleep, and it’s one that Doc is surely on a handshake basis with, or would at least nod kinda knowingly to before returning to his cloud of Asian indica. “When you’re dead, you’re dead,” as Bigfoot Bjornsen says…but what if…what if even that was one of the certainties that the Golden Fang could take from us? Who could you turn to? Who else could Doc take this to, besides our old flat-topped pal?As Chandler wrote in The Long Goodbye, “I never saw any of them again — except the cops. No way has yet been invented to say goodbye to them.”About the Guest - BRENDAN HODGESBrendan Hodges (@metaplexmovies) is an insurance agent by day and freelance film critic by night. He has written for RogerEbert.com, Keeping-It-Reel.com, and HollywoodChicago.com, but his work primarily appears on his website, TheMetaplex.com. Brendan is prone to ramble about aspect ratios at parties.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/one-heat-minute-productions/donations