Podcasts about Roger Ebert

American film critic, author, journalist, and TV presenter

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Podcast Like It's 1999
97: Mr. & Mrs. Smith with Lindsey Romain

Podcast Like It's 1999

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 5, 2026 91:33


Phil and Emily bring in writer Lindsey Romain for the fourth installment of the Angelina Jolie action films miniseries, and it is the one LaToya Ferguson was promised. Lindsey's work has appeared in the Chicago Tribune, Vulture, and Bright Wall/Dark Room, and she saw this movie four times in theaters as a teenager. She still has the promotional pin from when she worked at a movie theater in high school. She is the right person for this.Mr. and Mrs. Smith follows two upper-class assassins who are also, it turns out, married to each other and working for rival agencies. It opened June 10th, 2005 against Madagascar, Star Wars Episode III, The Longest Yard, and The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl in 3D, and made $487 million on a $110 million budget. The script originated as Simon Kinberg's graduate thesis. Carrie Fisher, Akiva Goldsman, Jez and John Henry Butterworth, Ted Griffin, and Terrence Winter all took passes at it. Angela Bassett and Keith David filmed scenes that were cut entirely. What remained was Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, which Roger Ebert correctly identified as the only thing that needed to remain.The conversation covers the Doug Liman of it all, specifically his "we'll make it up as we go along" approach and what that costs the film in its final act. Emily identifies the half hour from when they can't kill each other through the home improvement store sequence as the movie locking in completely, and the final action sequence as where it loses her. Phil compares the last scene to Eyes Wide Shut. The group also gets into how the affair backdrop has shifted what it feels like to watch now, the surprisingly durable premise and its various attempted adaptations, who was responsible for the ex-wife jealousy beat, and where exactly 2005 Brad Pitt ranks in the full Brad Pitt hotness timeline. The answer is not first.This is the fourth installment of the Angelina Jolie action films miniseries. Wanted is next.Follow the show and guests:Podcast Like It's... — https://www.instagram.com/podcastlikeitsPhil Iscove — https://www.instagram.com/pmiscoveEmily St. James — https://www.instagram.com/emilystjamsLindsey Romain — https://www.instagram.com/lindseyromain

Christmas Movies Actually
162: Hallmark Double Feature: Switched For Christmas (2017) & The Christmas Contest (2021)

Christmas Movies Actually

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 5, 2026 97:00


What do these two Hallmark entries have in common? They both star holiday staple Candice Cameron Bure, who has charmed her way through dozens of these Hallmark films over the years. Kerry and Collin decided it was time to take a dive into this end of the Christmas movie ocean and judge the movies on heir own terms. Did "Switched For Christmas" convince Collin that Bure could play twins? What was the biggest medical faux pas that Kerry noticed in "The Christmas Contest"? Did both films incorporate a Christmas cookie baking montage? If so, were the characters dressed appropriately for the occasion? All this, plus the latest and greatest in physical media for the Blu-ray Gift Exchange.  Go to MovieZyng to start or continue your DVD/blu-ray/4K collection.   Visit collinsouter.com RogerEbert.com Follow Collin and Kerry on Letterboxd. Blu-rays covered: Warner Bros: "The Bride!" - 4K (2026) "Wuthering Heights" - 4K (2026) Gilmore Girls: The Complete Series Sony: "Nickelodeon" (1976) "The Front" - 4K (1976) Warner Archive: Looney Tunes Cartoons: The Complete Series (2020) "George Stevens: a Filmmaker's Journey" - 4K (1984)  "The Late Show" (1976)  

Podcast Like It's 1999
94: Tomb Raider 2 with Caroline Thompson & Carson Betts

Podcast Like It's 1999

Play Episode Listen Later May 29, 2026 96:40


Phil and Emily continue the Angelina Jolie action films miniseries with Lara Croft: Tomb Raider — The Cradle of Life (2003), joined by Carson Betts and Caroline Thompson, co-hosts of the How Have You Not Seen It podcast. All four participants are watching this film for the first time. This is relevant information.The Cradle of Life follows Lara Croft racing to find Pandora's Box before a rogue scientist with strong Peter Thiel energy can use it as a biological weapon, with complications provided by her ex-lover Terry Sheridan, played by Gerard Butler. It cost $95 million, grossed $160 million worldwide, and opened July 25th, 2003 against Spy Kids 3D, Pirates of the Caribbean, Bad Boys 2, and Seabiscuit. It received three stars from Roger Ebert, which nearly convinced Emily to see it in theaters that summer. She saw The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen instead. Phil does not believe she made the better choice. The film was also banned in China for giving the impression of a country in chaos overrun by secret societies. Hollywood had not yet figured that out.The consensus is that this movie is more competent than the first Tomb Raider along nearly every axis, which somehow makes it less enjoyable. Phil calls it dumb and not fun, as opposed to the first film, which was dumb and fun. Emily notes the big action set piece in the middle is a shootout in a lab, which she finds strange given the title. The group also covers Jan de Bont's filmography and what it means that this was his final film, the Sasquatch creatures that the script introduces and then declines to explain, and the actual Cradle of Life, which turns out to be visually underwhelming in a way that Carson compares to a YouTube video that will not load.The true climax, Carson argues, was always going to be in Lara's heart.This is the third installment of the miniseries on Angelina Jolie's 2000s action films, following Gone in 60 Seconds and Lara Croft: Tomb Raider.Follow the show and guests:Podcast Like It's... — https://www.instagram.com/podcastlikeitsPhil Iscove — https://www.instagram.com/pmiscoveEmily St. James — https://www.instagram.com/emilystjamsCarson Betts — https://www.instagram.com/carsonlbettsCaroline Thompson — https://www.instagram.com/sportclimbbarbieHow Have You Not Seen It — https://www.instagram.com/hhynspod

Black on Black Cinema
Is God Is (2026) | Brutal Confrontation of Generational Trauma

Black on Black Cinema

Play Episode Listen Later May 28, 2026 89:10 Transcription Available


Black on Black Cinema dives deep into Is God Is (2026), Aleshea Harris' feature directorial debut adapted from her Obie Award-winning stage play. Starring Kara Young as "The Rough One" and Mallori Johnson as "The Quiet One," the film follows twin sisters bearing the disfiguring burn scars of a childhood tragedy, ordered by their bedridden mother to kill the abusive father who destroyed their family. With Janelle Monáe, Sterling K. Brown, Vivica A. Fox, Erika Alexander, and Mykelti Williamson rounding out the cast, and Tessa Thompson and Janicza Bravo producing.We analyze Harris' genre-blending, part western grind house, part noir, part dark comedy; and how she translates her stage play to cinema. We break down how the film confronts generational trauma, absent and intimate partner violence, and the totality of Black womanhood with brutal honesty. Sterling K. Brown cast against type as a villain is inspired. Black women's rage played straight, not for laughs or shame, is the film's greatest achievement.Black on Black Cinema is a long-running podcast featuring in-depth Black movie reviews and frank conversations that matter to the Black community. We review Black films across every genre — from Black horror and Black sci-fi to indie dramas, comedies, and blockbuster action. Covering filmmakers like Spike Lee, Jordan Peele, Ryan Coogler, Ava DuVernay, and more. Hosted by Jay, Micah, Terrence, and T'ara. Featured on RogerEbert.com. A TNP Studios production. New episodes weekly on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and all major platforms. For more TNP Studios content, check out The Nerdpocalypse (movie & TV news), Look Forward (progressive politics), and Dense Pixels (video game news).

Movie of the Year
2006: The Sweet 16 Revealed

Movie of the Year

Play Episode Listen Later May 28, 2026 68:58


Movie of the Year: 2006The Sweet 16 RevealedThe Best Movies of 2006 Enter the BracketThis episode puts the movies of 2006 on the clock, as Ryan, Mike, and Greg reveal which 16 titles advance to the bracket season. The Taste Buds have spent weeks wrestling with a starting field of 64 films, and the cuts have been real. The debates ahead will be worth every minute.Getting from 64 films to 16 requires real conviction. Every cut involves films with legitimate credentials, passionate defenders, and strong arguments in their favor. Consequently, this episode does more than announce a list. It reflects a set of choices the Taste Buds are prepared to defend all season long.About Movie of the YearMovie of the Year is a PopFilter podcast built around one question: what was the best film of a given year? Ryan, Mike, and Greg select a year, assemble a 64-film bracket, and argue their way to a champion. The format rewards deep cinematic knowledge, honest disagreement, and a willingness to change your mind when the argument demands it.The show has built a catalog of bracket seasons that reward both longtime listeners and newcomers. Each season has its own personality, shaped by the films in contention and the friction those films generate in debate. The 2006 season carries that tradition forward with a year that has only gotten more interesting with time.2006: A Year Worth Arguing AboutFew years in recent memory offer the range that 2006 does. Prestige dramas, international films, genre pictures, and independent features all had strong years, and the critical consensus at the time did not always hold up. Some films that dominated awards conversation look different now. Meanwhile, others that were overlooked at release have since built lasting reputations.Roger Ebert captured the energy of 2006 well. His review of The Departed reflected a year when ambitious filmmaking found real audiences, and when the line between commercial and prestige cinema blurred in productive ways. Additionally, 2006 produced genuine disagreement between critics and general audiences, which is exactly the kind of tension that makes a bracket season compelling.The Taste Buds considered films across every genre and profile when building the 64-film field. Notably, some titles with strong critical support did not survive the early cuts, while others with devoted fanbases made a stronger case than expected. That tension runs through every round of the bracket.How the Movies of 2006 Bracket WorksThe bracket is central to what makes Movie of the Year function as a podcast. The Taste Buds begin with 64 films, then work through rounds of debate until one film stands alone. Each episode focuses on a specific matchup or group of films, with Ryan, Mike, and Greg arguing for and against each contender.The Sweet 16 revealed in this episode seeds the season ahead. From there, head-to-head matchups determine which films advance through the Elite Eight, the Final Four, and ultimately the championship. However, seeding does not guarantee anything. A well-argued case can always change the outcome, and upsets are part of the format.For listeners new to the show, this episode therefore serves as an ideal starting point. The Taste Buds make each debate accessible and entertaining, regardless of how familiar you are with any individual film.The Road to the Sweet 16Cutting 64 films to 16 means making hard calls. The Taste Buds apply consistent criteria across every cut: rewatchability, cultural staying power, craft, and genuine argument value within the bracket. A film that cannot generate a compelling debate does not serve the season well, regardless of its pedigree.Above all, the goal is a Sweet 16 that produces great arguments. A bracket full of obvious consensus picks would make for a dull season. Consequently, the Taste Buds deliberately include films that create friction, titles where reasonable and informed people genuinely disagree about their value and legacy.Some of the 16 films advancing will surprise listeners. Others will feel inevitable. The full reveal happens in this episode, and the reasoning behind each selection is part of what makes debating the movies of 2006 so worthwhile from start to finish.A Starting Field Built for DebateThe 64-film field the Taste Buds assembled for 2006 reflects the full range of what the year produced. Genre range mattered in the curation process. So did the desire to include films that cut against consensus and force the bracket to reckon with less comfortable choices. Specifically, the films that survive into the Sweet 16 represent a cross-section of 2006 that rewards close attention and strong opinions.Why the Movies of 2006 Still MatterThe Movie of the Year podcast treats film debate as something worth doing seriously. The 2006 season carries that forward with a year whose critical reputation has shifted meaningfully since its release. Films that seemed certain to endure have faded. Others that barely registered in awards conversation have grown into genuine touchstones.The bracket format demands accountability that casual film lists do not. When you argue for a film head-to-head against another specific film, you have to articulate why you believe what you believe. Furthermore, you have to hold that position under pressure from two other opinionated co-hosts who may disagree entirely.Specifically, 2006 sits at a cultural inflection point. Studio filmmaking, independent cinema, and international film all competed for serious critical attention that year, and the market rewarded each in different ways. The season will reflect that range, and the debates will run deep. The movies of 2006 have a lot left to say, and this season is where they say it.Related Episodes from Movie of the YearMovie of the Year — Full Episode ArchiveThe Last Picture Show — Movie of the Year: 1971A Clockwork Orange — Movie of the Year: 1971The French Connection — Movie of the Year: 1971Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory — Movie of the Year: 1971Note: Add 2006 episode URLs to this list as they are published.FAQ: Movies of 2006 and the Bracket RevealAbout the Episode and the ShowWhat is this movie's 2006 podcast episode about?Ryan, Mike, and Greg reveal the 16 films advancing to the 2006 bracket season. They narrow a starting field of 64 films down to the Sweet 16, setting up the full season of head-to-head debates ahead.What is Movie of the Year?Movie of the Year is a PopFilter podcast where hosts Ryan, Mike, and Greg debate and rank films from a single year using a bracket format. Each season covers one year of cinema and ends with one film crowned champion.Who hosts Movie of the Year?The show is hosted by Ryan, Mike, and Greg, collectively known as the Taste Buds, on the PopFilter podcast network. Each host brings a distinct critical perspective to every debate.How does the Movie of the Year bracket work?The Taste Buds begin each season with 64 films from the chosen year. Through debate-style episodes, films compete head-to-head until one film is crowned Movie of the Year. The Sweet 16, Elite Eight, Final Four, and championship rounds each produce their own episodes.About the 2006 SeasonWhy is 2006 a significant year in film history?2006 produced a strong and varied field of films across genres and profiles. Prestige dramas, international cinema, genre filmmaking, and independent features all had notable years, making 2006 an ideal year for bracket debate.How did the Taste Buds select the 64-film starting field?The Taste Buds curated the field based on critical reception, cultural staying power, rewatchability, and argument value within the bracket format. The goal was a field that represents the full range of 2006, including some selections that will surprise listeners.Where can I listen to Movie of the Year?Movie of the Year is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you listen to podcasts. Full episodes and archives are also available at popfilter.co.What films made the 2006 Movie of the Year Sweet 16?The 16 films advancing to the bracket are revealed in this episode. Listen to find out which films survived and how the Taste Buds justify every selection.

The Last Thing I Saw
Ep. 401: Robert Daniels on Cannes 2026: Ben'Imana, A Man of His Time, I See Buildings Fall Like Lightning, Clarissa Redux

The Last Thing I Saw

Play Episode Listen Later May 25, 2026 33:55


Ep. 401: Robert Daniels on Cannes 2026: Ben'Imana, A Man of His Time, I See Buildings Fall Like Lightning, Clarissa Redux Welcome to The Last Thing I Saw, with your host, Nicolas Rapold. At the 2026 Cannes Film Festival I caught Robert Daniels, New York Times critic and associate editor of RogerEbert.Com, just before he was wrapping up his festival visit. Among the films discussed were later Camera d'Or winner Ben'Imana (directed by Marie Clémentine Dusabejambo), A Man of His Time (Emmanuel Marré, winner of Best Screenplay), I See Buildings Fall Like Lightning (Clio Barnard), and festival sensation Clarissa (Arie Esiri and Chuko Esiri). Please support the production of this podcast by signing up at: rapold.substack.com Photo by Steve Snodgrass

Michael and Us
#716 - The Roger Ebert Mystery Box Episode

Michael and Us

Play Episode Listen Later May 24, 2026 78:08


We keep bringing up the beloved American film critic Roger Ebert over and over again, and we've decided it's time to finally exorcise this demon. Before we put Roger in the penalty box for a while, we're going to put our accumulated knowledge to good use and play a long-threatened game: The Roger Ebert Mystery Box Challenge, in which we attempt to predict his reviews for movies we've covered on this podcast. The balcony is open! Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - patreon.com/michaelandus

Roger (Ebert) & Me
Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu, Passenger, Tuner, Saccharine, Silent Friend, Giant, Stolen Kingdom

Roger (Ebert) & Me

Play Episode Listen Later May 22, 2026 64:27


7:13 Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu 24:55 Passenger 31:44 Tuner 37:55 Saccharine 44:20 Silent Friend 50:47 Giant 56:41 Stolen Kingdom It's a 7-movie week on 'At the Movies Again,' formerly known as 'Roger (Ebert) & Me, a weekly movie review podcast tribute to 'Siskel & Ebert' hosted by film critics Brett Arnold & Mark Dujsik. The show covers every new theatrical and streaming release each Friday in the format Gene Siskel & Roger Ebert pioneered. A movie review podcast covering all new releases every Friday, modeled after 'Siskel & Ebert,' the pair who inadvertently invented film podcasting in the 1970s. Hosted by Mark Dujsik of markreviewsmovies.com & Brett Arnold of Yahoo Entertainment and The New Flesh podcast, a show about horror movies that is currently celebrating its 11th year. Please rate and review on Apple Podcasts. Even if you're on Spotify or YouTube, jump over there and throw us 5 stars. We can't get on RottenTomatoes until 200 people rate it! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Black on Black Cinema
Leaked Texts Expose Playbook to "Trap" Black Athletes: We Need to Talk About This

Black on Black Cinema

Play Episode Listen Later May 21, 2026 38:47 Transcription Available


This week on Black on Black Cinema, the crew returns to announce the next film, "Is God Is." The film follows two sisters who embark on an epic quest for revenge; confronting a charged family history that will push them to extraordinary lengths. The movie is written and directed by Aleshea Harris who is also the playwright for the original play the film is based on.This week's random topic tackles the viral leaked text messages exposing alleged coaching between white women on how to "lock down" Black athletes. The screenshots show detailed "rules" including positioning the athlete as "the prize," completely integrating into his life, dealing with competition from Black women, and even strategies to provoke Black women to reinforce stereotypes. We break down the racialized manipulation at play, and the history of predatory targeting of Black athletes.Black on Black Cinema is a long-running podcast featuring in-depth Black movie reviews and frank conversations that matter to the Black community. We review Black films across every genre — from Black horror and Black sci-fi to indie dramas, comedies, and blockbuster action. Covering filmmakers like Spike Lee, Jordan Peele, Ryan Coogler, Ava DuVernay, and more. Hosted by Jay, Micah, Terrence, and T'ara. Featured on RogerEbert.com. A TNP Studios production. New episodes weekly on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and all major platforms. For more TNP Studios content, check out The Nerdpocalypse (movie & TV news), Look Forward (progressive politics), and Dense Pixels (video game news).

Movie of the Year
2006: A New Season Begins

Movie of the Year

Play Episode Listen Later May 21, 2026 95:09


Movie of the Year: 2006A New Season Begins The Movies of 2006 Podcast Begins: 128 Films Enter the BracketThe movies of 2006 podcast is officially underway, and the Taste Buds are ready to take on one of the richest film years of the 21st century. Ryan, Mike, and Greg kick off the 2006 season on PopFilter by introducing the year, explaining the bracket structure, and beginning the first round of eliminations. Furthermore, Part 1 of the intro sets the tone for a season packed with genuine heavyweights, unlikely contenders, and some of the most debated films of the decade.2006 delivered a field that refuses to cooperate with easy rankings. The Departed sits alongside Pan's Labyrinth, Children of Men, and Little Miss Sunshine in the same calendar year. Additionally, Casino Royale, The Prestige, Babel, Borat, and Idiocracy all arrived in 2006, representing wildly different visions of what cinema can accomplish. The Taste Buds have their work cut out for them.About the 2006 Film Year2006 stands as one of the most celebrated film years of the decade. Martin Scorsese's The Departed swept the Academy Awards, winning Best Picture and earning Scorsese his first Oscar for Best Director. Meanwhile, Guillermo del Toro delivered Pan's Labyrinth, a Spanish-language dark fantasy that works equally as a fairy tale and a historical horror. Alfonso Cuarón's Children of Men earned near-universal acclaim for its singular, one-take-heavy vision of a dying civilization.The box office reflected 2006's breadth. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest topped the global charts. Casino Royale relaunched the Bond franchise with Daniel Craig in his debut as 007. Cars kept Pixar's winning streak intact. Moreover, the comedies were just as crowded: Borat, Talladega Nights, Idiocracy, and Clerks II each built devoted audiences. Consequently, building a bracket from this year means making choices that will draw genuine disagreement from all directions.International cinema contributed heavily to 2006's depth. Alejandro González Iñárritu's Babel earned seven Academy Award nominations after competing at Cannes. Pedro Almodóvar's Volver brought Penélope Cruz one of her most celebrated screen performances. The year also produced major releases from Darren Aronofsky (The Fountain), Sofia Coppola (Marie Antoinette), Christopher Nolan (The Prestige), and Mel Gibson (Apocalypto). In practice, few years in recent memory offer this density of debate-worthy titles across this many genres. The movies of 2006 represent a year when every corner of the industry produced something worth arguing about.How the Movie of the Year Bracket WorksMovie of the Year uses a bracket format borrowed from sports tournaments. The Taste Buds seed 128 films from a given year and match them head-to-head across multiple rounds until one earns the title of best of the year. The movies of 2006 provide an especially deep pool to draw from. Each round cuts the field in half: 128 to 64, 64 to 32, 32 to the Sweet 16, and on through the Elite Eight, Final Four, and championship. Notably, the bracket covers the full range of the year — prestige titles, genre pictures, comedies, blockbusters, and deep cuts all compete on equal footing.The seeding and matchups drive the conversation. A high-seeded favorite facing a scrappy underdog often produces the most spirited debates, because the Taste Buds evaluate every film on its own terms. No film earns an automatic pass based on reputation alone. A beloved blockbuster can fall in round one. A smaller film can advance much further than anyone expects. Therefore, the bracket functions as a pressure test for every assumption the hosts carry into the season.The format also distinguishes Movie of the Year from a standard best-of list. The hosts cannot simply rank their favorites and close the debate. Instead, they defend each pick against a direct opponent, round after round. Above all, the bracket produces arguments that a list never could, because every vote carries immediate consequences. To see what this process looks like across a full season, the Movie of the Year archive includes complete coverage of every year the Taste Buds have tackled, including the recently completed 1971 season.The 2006 First Round: Inside the Movies of 2006 Podcast BracketThe first round of the 2006 season pits 64 matchups against one another and cuts the field in half. Part 1 of the intro covers the opening set of battles, with Part 2 completing the round. Even the quickest first-round decisions carry weight, because an early upset can remove a major contender long before the serious rounds begin.2006 gives the hosts no shortage of compelling first-round scenarios. High-profile releases like Superman Returns, X-Men: The Last Stand, and Blood Diamond arrive as recognizable titles but face real scrutiny on merit. Films like Half Nelson, Brick, and Thank You for Smoking represent the indie side of the year with strong critical backing. Moreover, the international titles — Pan's Labyrinth, Volver, Perfume: The Story of a Murderer — introduce a different set of criteria into the matchups entirely.The documentary field adds another dimension. An Inconvenient Truth became one of 2006's most discussed releases and earned Al Gore an Academy Award. Jesus Camp generated controversy and critical notice in equal measure. Additionally, the horror entries, the prestige dramas like United 93 and The Good Shepherd, and the awards-season crowding all create pressure across the bracket from the opening round. Roger Ebert's four-star review of The Departed captures the critical consensus around 2006's most decorated film. Nevertheless, the first round is only the beginning.Why 2006 Still Matters2006 represents a pivotal moment in 21st-century cinema. The year demonstrated that prestige filmmaking and mass entertainment could share a single calendar without one displacing the other. The Departed and Pan's Labyrinth both belong to 2006. Borat and Children of Men arrived the same year. That range matters because the best film years do not produce one kind of great film — they produce many kinds simultaneously.Moreover, 2006 produced titles that have only grown in cultural stature since their release. Idiocracy arrived with little fanfare and now functions as a widely cited cultural reference point. Children of Men drew modest theatrical audiences and currently ranks among the most admired films of the decade in retrospective criticism. The Prestige built a devoted following that continues to generate debate about its structure and its final image. Additionally, Casino Royale remains the gold standard for modern Bond films nearly two decades later.The movies of 2006 podcast gives these films a structured arena to compete. That structure reveals something a ranked list cannot: which films hold up under sustained comparison, which reputations survive direct opposition, and which consensus picks turn out to be more fragile than they appear. 2006 deserves this treatment. The Taste Buds are the right crew to find out which film earns the crown.Related Episodes from Movie of the YearMovie of the Year — Full Episode ArchiveThe Last Picture Show — Movie of the Year: 1971A Clockwork Orange — Movie of the Year: 1971More 2006 episode pages will be linked here as the season progresses.FAQ: Movies of 2006 Podcast and Film YearWhat is the movies of 2006 podcast intro episode about? This episode launches the 2006 season of Movie of the Year on PopFilter. Ryan, Mike, and Greg introduce the 2006 film year, explain the bracket format, and work through Part 1 of the first round, taking the field from 128 films down toward 64.How does the Movie of the Year bracket format work? Movie of the Year seeds 128 films from a given year into a tournament-style bracket. Films compete head-to-head across multiple rounds — from 128 to 64, then 32, the Sweet 16, Elite Eight, Final Four, and championship — until one film earns the title of best of the year. The format produces arguments that a simple ranked list cannot, because every vote has immediate consequences.What films are in the 2006 Movie of the Year bracket? The 2006 bracket includes 128 films from across the year: prestige dramas like The Departed, Babel, and Letters from Iwo Jima; international titles like Pan's Labyrinth and Volver; genre films like Children of Men and The Prestige; comedies like Borat, Idiocracy, and Little Miss Sunshine; and blockbusters like Casino Royale and Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest.What won Best Picture for the 2006 film year? The Departed, directed by Martin Scorsese, won the Academy Award for Best Picture at the 79th Academy Awards in 2007. The film also earned Scorsese his first Best Director Oscar. However, Oscar history and the Movie of the Year bracket determine their...

Podcast Ponto Cego
Ponto Cego #156: Sem Imagem: Ontem e Hoje: Roger Ebert: Sexta Feira 13: O CapĂ­tulo Final (1984) e De Volta ao Vale das Bonecas (1970)

Podcast Ponto Cego

Play Episode Listen Later May 21, 2026 142:48


Bom dia, cinéfilos!No mês de maio, o Tiago convidou os amigos para falarem sobre seus projetos. Nesta semana, quem veio bater um papo foi o Caio Feio, do canal Sem Imagem no YouTube, para falar sobre seus quadros, em especial, o "Ontem e Hoje".Depois, a conversa derivou para um dos críticos de cinema mais influentes da história, que sempre aparece em seus vídeos: Roger Ebert. Para mergulhar nesse universo, o Tiago escolheu dois filmes que marcaram a trajetória do autor americano: Sexta-Feira 13: O Capítulo Final, que recebeu uma das críticas mais lendárias de Ebert, e De Volta ao Vale das Bonecas, que contou com roteiro do próprio Ebert.Ajudando os dois nessa viagem, temos o João Neto , da página Cineratus.Siga o Caio no Blueskyno twittere no Instagramouça o sem imagem podcast e se inscreva no canal do Sem Imagem no Youtube. Siga o João Neto no Instagram no Letterboxd e no twitterSiga a página do Cineratus no instagrame no tiktokSiga o Tiago no blueskye no letterboxd.Visite o canal do Ponto Cego no youtube. 

Christmas Movies Actually
161: The Shop Around The Corner (1940) (feat. Nell Minow)

Christmas Movies Actually

Play Episode Listen Later May 20, 2026 76:29


Film critic Nell Minow joins Kerry and Collin for a look an a holiday favorite that has been remade at least four times, "The Shop Around The Corner" (1940), starring Jimmy Stewart, Margaret Sullivan and Frank Morgan. At the start, though, there is also a brief discussion on the current release, "The Sheep Detective," which all three highly recommend. Why does "The Shop Around The Corner" take place in Budapest? What is it about this story that makes it so ripe for further exploration in how we anonymously communicate with one another? What exatly is "the Lubitsch touch"? All this, plus three films from 1,001 Movies You Must See Before You Die. Go to MovieZyng to start or continue your DVD/blu-ray/4K collection.   Visit collinsouter.com RogerEbert.com Follow Collin and Kerry on Letterboxd. Book movies covered: The Grapes of Wrath (1940) Pepe le Moko (1937) Ugetsu (1953)  

The Other Side of Midnight with Frank Morano
Hour 1: Cocaine Hotels, Workplace Humiliation, Talking Sheep, Human Jerky, and Sealed-Up Fireplace Mysteries | 05-18-26

The Other Side of Midnight with Frank Morano

Play Episode Listen Later May 18, 2026 53:56


Walter Sterling takes the Midnight Misfits through one of his most embarrassing corporate stories from a disastrous NBC retreat at the Hotel Mutiny in Biscayne Bay, complete with mirrored ceilings, an empty pool, suspicious phone tables, and an unexpected naked dance performance during dinner. Walter also talks with Matias Bombal about Hollywood, Roger Ebert, The Sheep Detectives, Is God Is, and the strange business of selling bizarre movie ideas. Plus, Walter dives into claims about Zorro Ranch, human jerky, elite cannibalism, old-world fireplaces that may not have been built for wood burning, and another Confessions of a Retired Detective story from Vic Ferrari about undercover narcotics work in New York City. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Black on Black Cinema
Michael (2026) | Shallow Biopic of an Icon

Black on Black Cinema

Play Episode Listen Later May 15, 2026 115:04 Transcription Available


Black on Black Cinema reviews Michael (2026), Antoine Fuqua's Michael Jackson biopic starring Jaafar Jackson as the King of Pop. While Jaafar delivers a great impression of his uncle Michael, the film itself is a shallow, sanitized music biopic that refuses to engage with Jackson's complexity and controversies. Director Antoine Fuqua (Training Day, The Equalizer) crafts a visually stunning but emotionally hollow portrait that hits every musical biopic cliché—rise to fame, family dysfunction, creative genius, tragic decline, and rise again without taking risks or offering fresh insight into one of music's most complicated icons.We break down why the film fails despite strong performances, analyzing how it sidesteps difficult questions about Jackson's life, allegations, and legacy in favor of a safe, reverential approach. The Thriller recreation is impressive, the musical sequences are well-executed, and Jaafar's physical transformation is remarkable—but beneath the spectacle lies a film afraid to be honest about its subject. We discuss what a truly great Michael Jackson film would require, compare it to other music biopics, examine the Jackson estate's involvement and creative control, and explore why Hollywood keeps making shallow biopics instead of complex character studies. Essential viewing for understanding how NOT to make a music biopic.Black on Black Cinema is a long-running podcast featuring in-depth Black movie reviews and frank conversations that matter to the Black community. We review Black films across every genre — from Black horror and Black sci-fi to indie dramas, comedies, and blockbuster action. Covering filmmakers like Spike Lee, Jordan Peele, Ryan Coogler, Ava DuVernay, and more. Hosted by Jay, Micah, Terrence, and T'ara. Featured on RogerEbert.com. A TNP Studios production. New episodes weekly on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and all major platforms. For more TNP Studios content, check out The Nerdpocalypse (movie & TV news), Look Forward (progressive politics), and Dense Pixels (video game news).

Roger (Ebert) & Me
Obsession, Is God Is, In The Grey, Marty Life is Short, Driver's Ed, The Wizard of the Kremlin, Lifehack, Forge, Magic Hour

Roger (Ebert) & Me

Play Episode Listen Later May 15, 2026 69:55


4:27 Obsession 21:06 Is God Is 28:06 In The Grey 36:51 Driver's Ed 43:41 Marty, Life is Short 49:20 The Wizard of the Kremlin 53:57 Lifehack 58:58 Forge 01:04:02 Magic Hour It's a 9-movie week on 'At the Movies Again,' formerly known as 'Roger (Ebert) & Me, a weekly movie review podcast tribute to 'Siskel & Ebert' hosted by film critics Brett Arnold & Mark Dujsik. The show covers every new theatrical and streaming release each Friday in the format Gene Siskel & Roger Ebert pioneered. A movie review podcast covering all new releases every Friday, modeled after 'Siskel & Ebert,' the pair who inadvertently invented film podcasting in the 1970s. Hosted by Mark Dujsik of markreviewsmovies.com & Brett Arnold of Yahoo Entertainment and The New Flesh podcast, a show about horror movies that is currently celebrating its 11th year. Please rate and review on Apple Podcasts. Even if you're on Spotify or YouTube, jump over there and throw us 5 stars. We can't get on RottenTomatoes until 200 people rate it! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Awesome Movie Year
Gymkata (1985 Future Cult Classic)

Awesome Movie Year

Play Episode Listen Later May 13, 2026 61:09


The thirteenth episode of our season on the awesome movie year of 1985 features our cult classic pick, Kurt Thomas action movie Gymkata. Directed by Robert Clouse and starring Kurt Thomas, Tetchie Agbayani, Richard Norton and Buck Kartalian, Gymkata is the first and only film featuring world champion gymnast Kurt Thomas.The contemporary reviews quoted in this episode come from Roger Ebert and Laurie Horn in the Miami Herald.Check out more info and the entire archive of past episodes at https://www.awesomemovieyear.com and visit us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/awesomemovieyearYou can find Jason on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/JHarrisComedy/, on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/jasonharriscomedy/ and on Letterboxd at https://letterboxd.com/goforjason/You can find Josh online at http://joshbellhateseverything.com/, on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/joshbellhateseverything/, on Bluesky at signalbleed.bsky.social and on Letterboxd at https://letterboxd.com/signalbleed/If you're a Letterboxd user and you watch any of the movies we talk about on the show, tag your review “Awesome Movie Year” to share your thoughts.You can find our producer David Rosen and his Piecing It Together Podcast at https://www.piecingpod.com, on Twitter at @piecingpod, on Bluesky at piecingpod.bsky.social and on Letterboxd at https://letterboxd.com/bydavidrosen/ Join the Popcorn & Puzzle Pieces Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/piecingpod for more movie discussion and our Awesome Movie Year audience choice polls.All of the music in the episode is by David Rosen. Find more of his music at https://www.bydavidrosen.comSubscribe on Patreon to support the show and get access to exclusive content from Awesome Movie Year and Piecing It Together, plus music by David Rosen: https://www.patreon.com/bydavidrosenPlease like, share, rate and comment on the show and this episode, and tune in for the next 1985 episode, with our audience choice pick, animated toy adaptation He-Man and She-Ra: The Secret of the Sword.

The Sports-Casters
Season 16 Episode 8- Jay Mariotti

The Sports-Casters

Play Episode Listen Later May 12, 2026 109:11


Steve interviews Jay Mariotti (00:30:02) who returns to the podcast with a list of topics that he is anxious to sound off on. Jay talks about the end of the LeBron James era, watching sports in Paris, and Pablo Torre winning a Pulitzer Prize. Jay also rants on sports writers that are holding back, weak sports commissioners, and the Russini/Vrabel scandal. Jay also shares his memories of Roger Ebert and a letter that Gene Siskel wrote to him about a flowered sweater. Steve starts the show with a packed First things First that includes talk about the Buffalo Sabres in the playoffs, the 2026 Braves, Inter winning the Scudetto, and an exciting draft for the New Orleans Saints. The show ends with one last thing about everything that has went on the last month including Steve's trip to Florida, his struggles at dance class, and the progress of his failed hockey comeback. For more information follow the podcast on twitter @sports_casters Email: thesportscasters@gmail.com

Black on Black Cinema
Black Voters Are DONE With "Don't Vote" Activists After SCOTUS Guts Voting Rights

Black on Black Cinema

Play Episode Listen Later May 8, 2026 65:10 Transcription Available


This week on Black on Black Cinema, the crew returns to announce the next full film review on the 2026 music biopic "Michael." The film follows the life of famed musician Michael Jackson from early childhood to the middle of his career as one of the biggest names in music history. The random topic this week is all about the Supreme Court further damaging the Voting Rights Act, and how online Black spaces have had just about enough of celebrities and political influencers who helped put us in the current situation and now are asking for Black people to come together to fight back.Black on Black Cinema is a long-running podcast featuring in-depth Black movie reviews and frank conversations that matter to the Black community. We review Black films across every genre — from Black horror and Black sci-fi to indie dramas, comedies, and blockbuster action. Covering filmmakers like Spike Lee, Jordan Peele, Ryan Coogler, Ava DuVernay, and more. Hosted by Jay, Micah, Terrence, and T'ara. Featured on RogerEbert.com. A TNP Studios production. New episodes weekly on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and all major platforms. For more TNP Studios content, check out The Nerdpocalypse (movie & TV news), Look Forward (progressive politics), and Dense Pixels (video game news).

Roger (Ebert) & Me
Mortal Kombat II, Billie Eilish: Hit Me Hard and Soft, The Sheep Detectives, Remarkably Bright Creatures, Couples Weekend, Affection

Roger (Ebert) & Me

Play Episode Listen Later May 8, 2026 57:38


3:00 Mortal Kombat II, 13:13 Billie Eilish: Hit Me Hard and Soft 21:06 The Sheep Detectives 26:42 Remarkably Bright Creatures 33:25 Couples Weekend 38:47 Affection 44:47 Recap It's a 6-movie week on 'At the Movies Again,' formerly known as 'Roger (Ebert) & Me, a weekly movie review podcast tribute to 'Siskel & Ebert' hosted by film critics Brett Arnold & Mark Dujsik. The show covers every new theatrical and streaming release each Friday in the format Gene Siskel & Roger Ebert pioneered. A movie review podcast covering all new releases every Friday, modeled after 'Siskel & Ebert,' the pair who inadvertently invented film podcasting in the 1970s. Hosted by Mark Dujsik of markreviewsmovies.com & Brett Arnold of Yahoo Entertainment and The New Flesh podcast, a show about horror movies that is currently celebrating its 11th year. Please rate and review on Apple Podcasts. Even if you're on Spotify or YouTube, jump over there and throw us 5 stars. We can't get on RottenTomatoes until 200 people rate it! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Jacked Up Review Show Podcast
Harrison Ford Western & War Movies 10 Pack

The Jacked Up Review Show Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later May 8, 2026 42:00


We start our first series of Harrison Ford themed movie reviews for this month. What better way than to highlight all his various War/Western films?   MOVIES REVIEWED: A Time for Killing, Journey to Shiloh, The Intruders (1970), Judgment: The Court Martial of Lieutenant William Calley, The Frisco Kid, Hanover Street, K-19: The Widowmaker, Cowboys & Aliens, Ender's Game & Call of the Wild (2019)     GUESTS: Will Styer, Night Taylor, Jon Mark & Joseph Burke           CLIPS USED: Harrison Ford K-19 The Widowmaker interview (with Roger Ebert), Journey to Shiloh trailer & Judgment: The Court Martial of Lt. William Calley (1975) clip

If You Got It, Watch It!
"Tommy Boy" - Kayla's Pick

If You Got It, Watch It!

Play Episode Listen Later May 7, 2026 90:54


This week we review one of Roger Ebert's least favorite films. At what aiport store did they buy their flight attendants outfits? Are you telling us there's a factory inside that skyscraper in Chicago? Wait, Bo Derek is HOW old in this?! Join us for one of the best road trip movies ever!

Movie of the Year
1971 - The Finale, Part II

Movie of the Year

Play Episode Listen Later May 7, 2026 53:06


Movie of the Year: 1971The Finale, Part IIThe 1971 Film Bracket Podcast Reaches the Elite EightThis 1971 film bracket podcast returns with its most dramatic episode yet. Ryan, Mike, and Greg — the Taste Buds — work through the bottom half of the Sweet 16, producing four matchups that nobody saw coming. Furthermore, the episode hands out two major awards: Comedic Performance and Biggest Shithead. The results set the stage for Part III, where the Elite Eight will be whittled down to a single 1971 champion.If you missed Part I of the finale, start there first. The bracket has been full of upsets throughout the season. Consequently, no outcome here should be taken for granted.The Sweet 16: Bottom Half of the 1971 Film BracketThe bottom half of the 1971 Sweet 16 is stacked. These four matchups pit some of the most beloved and argued-over films in the entire bracket against one another. Moreover, the range of cinema on display — from Hollywood blockbusters to European art films to New Hollywood grit — illustrates exactly why 1971 is one of the most fertile film years ever put to a bracket.The Taste Buds debate each matchup using their standard evaluative framework: craft, cultural impact, rewatchability, and gut feeling. Above all, they trust their instincts — and their instincts have produced surprises at every turn this season. Tune in to find out which four films advance to the Elite Eight.Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory vs. WandaThis matchup pits one of cinema's most beloved fantasies against one of its most criminally underseen gems. Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory needs little introduction — Gene Wilder's performance alone has kept it in the cultural conversation for over fifty years. Nevertheless, Wanda is no pushover. Barbara Loden's Wanda (1971) is a raw, naturalistic landmark of American independent cinema, and its inclusion in the bracket has been a point of pride for whoever seeded it.This is a clash of tone, scale, and intention. One film is a spectacle engineered for maximum delight. The other strips cinema down to its bones. However, the Taste Buds must pick one — and the pick will tell you something about where their tastes landed by the time the 1971 season reached its final stretch.The French Connection vs. Brian's SongTwo films that defined what mainstream American cinema could do with raw emotional and procedural intensity. The French Connection won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1971. It features one of the most celebrated car chases in film history and a career-defining performance from Gene Hackman as the relentless, morally compromised Popeye Doyle. Additionally, William Friedkin's direction remains a masterclass in gritty, kinetic storytelling.Brian's Song, meanwhile, hit American living rooms as a TV movie and destroyed everyone who watched it. The story of Gale Sayers and Brian Piccolo remains one of the most emotionally devastating sports films ever made. Notably, the Taste Buds covered both films earlier this season — so this rematch in the 1971 film bracket carries the weight of all those prior arguments.The Last Picture Show vs. KluteTwo of New Hollywood's most enduring films square off here, and neither one will go quietly. The Last Picture Show is Peter Bogdanovich's elegiac black-and-white portrait of a dying Texas town — a film the American Film Institute has called one of the greatest ever made. Furthermore, its ensemble cast, including Jeff Bridges, Cybill Shepherd, Cloris Leachman, and Ben Johnson, delivers some of the finest performances in the bracket.Klute, however, has Jane Fonda. Her performance as Bree Daniels earned her the first of her two Academy Awards, and it remains one of the most psychologically intricate portrayals of a woman in crisis in American cinema. Alan J. Pakula's direction is coiled and paranoid in all the right ways. Consequently, this matchup may be the most difficult call in the entire bracket.The Conformist vs. The Panic in Needle ParkThe final Sweet 16 matchup is the most arthouse of the four — and arguably the most fascinating. Bernardo Bertolucci's The Conformist is a landmark of European cinema. Vittorio Storaro's cinematography is among the most studied in film school history, and the film's meditation on fascism, identity, and moral cowardice has only grown richer with time. You can read more about the film at Roger Ebert's review on RogerEbert.com.The Panic in Needle Park, by contrast, is bracingly American — a gritty, unglamorous portrait of heroin addiction on the streets of New York. It introduced Al Pacino to mainstream audiences. Moreover, Jerry Schatzberg's unflinching direction makes the film feel almost documentary in its honesty. These two films represent opposite ends of world cinema in 1971, and the Taste Buds must choose one.Award: Best Comedic Performance — 1971 Film Bracket PodcastThe Taste Buds hand out individual performance awards throughout the season, and the Comedic Performance category drew a fascinating and eclectic field of nominees. The 1971 bracket is not short on laughs — from the anarchic fantasy of Willy Wonka's chocolate factory to the dark comedy of Harold and Maude. Furthermore, the nominees represent a range of comic registers, from broad physical performance to pitch-black wit.The nominees are:David Battley — Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (Mike's pick)Julie Dawn Cole — Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (Greg's pick)Bud Cort — Harold and Maude (Mike's pick)Michael Gothard — The Devils (Ryan's pick)Gene Wilder — Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (Greg's pick)David Battley's turn as the hapless Mr. Turkentine in Willy Wonka is a masterwork of bewildered reaction comedy. Julie Dawn Cole's Veruca Salt is a full-throttle comic creation — spoiled, relentless, and somehow sympathetic. Additionally, Bud Cort's Harold is a genuinely difficult comic achievement: deadpan to the point of catatonia, yet somehow enormously warm.Michael Gothard's Father Barre in The Devils is Ryan's wild-card choice — a performance of manic, committed intensity that functions as dark comedy whether or not Ken Russell intended it. Meanwhile, Gene Wilder's Willy Wonka remains one of cinema's great comic performances — menacing, whimsical, and deeply strange all at once. The winner is waiting for you in the episode.Award: Biggest Shithead of 1971One of the Taste Buds' most beloved recurring awards, the Biggest Shithead category recognizes the most memorably awful person — or entity — in the bracket. Notably, this award rewards commitment. Nominees do not simply do bad things. They do bad things with style, conviction, and a complete lack of self-awareness.The nominees are:Baron de Laubardemont — The Devils (Greg's pick)The Lady at Snakearama — Duel (Ryan's pick)The Motorcycle Cop — Harold and Maude (Greg's pick)Mr. Deltoid — A Clockwork Orange (Mike's pick)Veruca Salt — Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (Mike's pick)Baron de Laubardemont, the cold bureaucratic villain of The Devils, brings state-sanctioned cruelty to the category. The Lady at Snakearama from Duel is Ryan's inspired choice — a brief but indelible portrait of someone who simply should not be in this movie. Furthermore, Harold and Maude's Motorcycle Cop is a monument to institutional pettiness.Mr. Deltoid from A Clockwork Orange is a sweaty, oleaginous masterpiece of ineffectual authority — Mike's nomination is well-argued. Veruca Salt, however, may be the category's most pure entry: a child who has elevated wanting things to an art form. The winner, as always, is in the episode.Why This 1971 Film Bracket Podcast Still MattersThe Sweet 16 is where bracket tournaments reveal their true character. By this stage, the obvious candidates are mostly gone. What remains are the films that survived not on reputation alone but on genuine argument. Moreover, the bottom half of the 1971 Sweet 16 contains some of the season's most debated films — which means every matchup result carries real emotional weight.The year 1971 is one of the most remarkable in cinema history. New Hollywood was hitting its stride. European art cinema was pushing form to its limits. Genre filmmaking was getting stranger, darker, and more personal. Consequently, any bracket drawn from this year produces matchups that feel genuinely impossible to call. The Taste Buds do not pretend otherwise — they argue, they agonize, and they vote.Part III is coming. The Elite Eight will determine the Movie of the Year: 1971 champion. Above all, this episode is the last chance to see which films survive before the final reckoning. Subscribe to PopFilter and follow along — the 1971 film...

Awesome Movie Year
The Return of The Living Dead (1985 Dave's Pick)

Awesome Movie Year

Play Episode Listen Later May 6, 2026 59:03


The twelfth episode of our season on the awesome movie year of 1985 features our producer David Rosen's pick, Dan O'Bannon's The Return of the Living Dead. Written and directed by Dan O'Bannon and starring Clu Gulager, James Karen, Thom Mathews and Don Calfa, The Return of the Living Dead is the first installment in a long-running horror franchise.The contemporary reviews quoted in this episode come from Roger Ebert (https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/return-of-the-living-dead-1985), Stephen Holden in The New York Times (https://www.nytimes.com/1985/08/16/movies/screen-return-of-the-living-dead.html) and Tom Shales in The Washington Post (https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1985/08/19/movies/48cdf3ac-70b0-4435-87ee-e0cd35e5b817/).Check out more info and the entire archive of past episodes at https://www.awesomemovieyear.com and visit us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/awesomemovieyearYou can find Jason on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/JHarrisComedy/, on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/jasonharriscomedy/ and on Letterboxd at https://letterboxd.com/goforjason/You can find Josh online at http://joshbellhateseverything.com/, on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/joshbellhateseverything/, on Bluesky at signalbleed.bsky.social and on Letterboxd at https://letterboxd.com/signalbleed/If you're a Letterboxd user and you watch any of the movies we talk about on the show, tag your review “Awesome Movie Year” to share your thoughts.You can find our producer David Rosen and his Piecing It Together Podcast at https://www.piecingpod.com, on Twitter at @piecingpod, on Bluesky at piecingpod.bsky.social and on Letterboxd at https://letterboxd.com/bydavidrosen/ Join the Popcorn & Puzzle Pieces Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/piecingpod for more movie discussion and our Awesome Movie Year audience choice polls.All of the music in the episode is by David Rosen. Find more of his music at https://www.bydavidrosen.comSubscribe on Patreon to support the show and get access to exclusive content from Awesome Movie Year and Piecing It Together, plus music by David Rosen: https://www.patreon.com/bydavidrosenPlease like, share, rate and comment on the show and this episode, and tune in for the next 1985 episode, with our cult classic pick, Kurt Thomas action movie Gymkata.

Christmas Movies Actually
160: Turbulence (1997)

Christmas Movies Actually

Play Episode Listen Later May 5, 2026 93:50


Kerry and Collin invite you to board CMA flight #160 and experience the TURBULENCE! This 1997 thriller stars a go-for-broke Ray Liotta as a maniac hell-bent on crashing a plane and Lauren Holly as the flight attendant who must land the 747 on her own. The Christmas decor on display here rivals any Hallmark movie you've seen and might even be a little dangerous. does Brendan Gleeson pull off a southern drawl? Are plastic soap dispenser tubes just as deadly as metallic ones? Does Lauren Holly pull off being an action hero? Is that even her main function here? All that, plus a look at the latest and greatest in physical media with the Blu-ray Gift Exchange.  Go to MovieZyng to start or continue your DVD/blu-ray/4K collection.   Visit collinsouter.com RogerEbert.com Follow Collin and Kerry on Letterboxd. Blu-rays covered: Criterion: Monty Python's Life of Brian - 4K (1979) Warner: Over The Garden Wall (2014) Private Benjamin (1980) Monogram Matinee Double Feature: Louisiana & Song On the Range (1947 & 1944, respectively) Sony: Moneyball (2008) Universal:  Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die (2026) Lionsgate: Dust Bunny (2026) FilmMasters: White Zombie (1932)

Two Thumbs Down with Mike and Ryan
Special 100th Episode!!! Beyond the Valley of the Dolls (1970) and Saturday Night Fever (1977)

Two Thumbs Down with Mike and Ryan

Play Episode Listen Later May 4, 2026 114:03


It's our 100th episode (we think [we're pretty sure])! And we've got a very special double feature for the Siskel & Ebert fanatics. First we're talking about the only movie either of the duo were actually involved in making: Beyond the Valley of the Dolls. Written by Roger Ebert and directed by Russ Meyer. Then we talk about Gene Siskel's favorite movie: Saturday Night Fever. A movie he loved so much he bought the famous white Travolta suit! Here's to 100 more!

Podcast Like It's 1999
92: Synecdoche, New York with Angie Han

Podcast Like It's 1999

Play Episode Listen Later May 1, 2026 97:24


Phil and Emily are joined by Angie Han, TV critic at The Hollywood Reporter, to discuss Synecdoche, NY (2008), Charlie Kaufman's audacious directorial debut and the film Roger Ebert called the best of the 2000s.Kaufman wrote and directed this hallucinatory portrait of Caden Cotard (Philip Seymour Hoffman), an ailing theater director who uses a MacArthur Fellowship to build a life-size replica of New York City inside a warehouse. As the decades pass and his art consumes his life, the film tunnels deeper into mortality, creative obsession, and the quiet horror of living in a body that won't cooperate. Originally conceived as a horror film with Spike Jonze, Synecdoche, NY opened in October 2008 against High School Musical 3 and Saw 5, made $4.5 million on a $20 million budget, and has since been ranked among the greatest films of the 21st century by the BBC, the Guardian, and Time.Phil finds it deeply triggering as a self-described hypochondriac. Angie has seen it a dozen times and finds it weirdly soothing. Emily thinks it's funnier than people give it credit for. All three dig into why this film bombed commercially and became a critical touchstone, what it means to watch it in your 20s versus your 40s, and why it still doesn't have a Criterion edition.Follow the show and guests:Podcast Like It's... — https://www.instagram.com/podcastlikeitsPhil Iscove — https://www.instagram.com/pmiscoveEmily St. James — https://www.instagram.com/emilystjamsAngie Han — https://www.instagram.com/ajhan06

Roger (Ebert) & Me
The Devil Wears Prada 2, Hokum, Animal Farm, Deep Water, Swapped, RZA's One Spoon of Chocolate, The Last One for the Road, Two Pianos

Roger (Ebert) & Me

Play Episode Listen Later May 1, 2026 73:25


4:09 The Devil Wears Prada 2 14:04 Hokum 23:31 Animal Farm 31:21 Deep Water 39:45 Swapped 44:54 RZA's One Spoon of Chocolate 50:19 The Last One for the Road 58:02 Two Pianos It's an 8-movie week on 'At the Movies Again,' formerly known as 'Roger (Ebert) & Me, a weekly movie review podcast tribute to 'Siskel & Ebert' hosted by film critics Brett Arnold & Mark Dujsik. The show covers every new theatrical and streaming release each Friday in the format Gene Siskel & Roger Ebert pioneered. A movie review podcast covering all new releases every Friday, modeled after 'Siskel & Ebert,' the pair who inadvertently invented film podcasting in the 1970s. Hosted by Mark Dujsik of markreviewsmovies.com & Brett Arnold of Yahoo Entertainment and The New Flesh podcast, a show about horror movies that is currently celebrating its 11th year. Please rate and review on Apple Podcasts. Even if you're on Spotify or YouTube, jump over there and throw us 5 stars. We can't get on RottenTomatoes until 200 people rate it! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Podcast Cinem(ação)
#643: O Cinema que Nos Faz Mudar de OpiniĂŁo

Podcast Cinem(ação)

Play Episode Listen Later May 1, 2026 109:30


Seu cérebro sabe que Parasita é ficção. Mas por que ele cria novas sinapses e conexões neurais como se você tivesse vivido aquela experiência? A Universidade de Nova York tem a resposta, e ela envolve o córtex pré-frontal medial "acendendo" enquanto você assiste filmes humanizados sobre imigrantes.Roger Ebert chamava o cinema de "fábrica de empatia". Mas até onde vai esse poder? Bicho de Sete Cabeças mudou leis antimanicomiais. Pixote ajudou a criar o ECA. Ainda Estou Aqui está mobilizando o STF. Mas e Tropa de Elite? Por que o público se identificou com o Capitão Nascimento em vez das vítimas? Onde está a linha entre intenção do autor e interpretação do espectador?Rafael Arinelli, Anna Livia, Domenica Mendes e Rodrigo Basso debatem a "teoria da sopa de feijão" (sim, isso existe e explica por que ninguém mais sabe interpretar texto na internet), a atração psicológica por vilões como Coringa e Thanos, e por que saímos de Manic Pixie Dream Girl nos anos 2000 para a estética Sad Girl de hoje.Cinema registra história, catalisa leis e devolve esperança. Mas você está consumindo de forma consciente?• 06m13: Pauta Principal• 1h19m43: Plano Detalhe• 1h38m36: EncerramentoOuça nosso Podcast também no:• Spotify: https://cinemacao.short.gy/spotify• Apple Podcast: https://cinemacao.short.gy/apple• Android: https://cinemacao.short.gy/android• Deezer: https://cinemacao.short.gy/deezer• Amazon Music: https://cinemacao.short.gy/amazonAgradecimentos aos padrinhos: • André Marinho Moreira• Bruna Mercer• Charles Calisto Souza• Daniel Barbosa da Silva Feijó• Diego Alves Lima• Eloi Xavier• Guilherme S. Arinelli• Thiago Custodio Coquelet• Wilmar Arinelli Jr• William SaitoFale Conosco:• Email: contato@cinemacao.com• X: https://cinemacao.short.gy/x-cinemacao• BlueSky: https://cinemacao.short.gy/bsky-cinemacao• Facebook: https://cinemacao.short.gy/face-cinemacao• Instagram: https://cinemacao.short.gy/insta-cinemacao• Tiktok: https://cinemacao.short.gy/tiktok-cinemacao• Youtube: https://cinemacao.short.gy/yt-cinemacaoApoie o Cinem(ação)!Apoie o Cinem(ação) e faça parte de um seleto clube de ouvintes privilegiados, desfrutando de inúmeros benefícios! Com uma assinatura a partir de R$30,00, você terá acesso a conteúdo exclusivo e muito mais! Não perca mais tempo, torne-se um apoiador especial do nosso canal! Junte-se a nós para uma experiência cinematográfica única!Plano Detalhe:• (Basso): Série: Slow Horses• (Basso): Série: Pluribus• (Anna): Filme: Terra Estrangeira• (Anna): Livro: Escudo de pardais• (Domenica): Podcast: A Última Bolacha• (Rafa): Texto: O Mundo Fala, Mas Ninguém Ouve• (Rafa): Podcast: Nerdcast: Artemis IIEdição: ISSOaí

Black on Black Cinema
Love, Brooklyn (2025) | Black Romance Without Stereotypes

Black on Black Cinema

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 30, 2026 105:31 Transcription Available


Black on Black Cinema breaks down Love, Brooklyn (2025), Rachael Abigail Holder's directorial debut that premiered at Sundance Film Festival. Starring André Holland, Nicole Beharie, DeWanda Wise, and Roy Wood Jr., this indie romantic drama follows writer Roger as he navigates complicated relationships with his ex Casey (an art gallery owner) and current lover Nicole (a newly-single mother) against Brooklyn's rapidly changing landscape.Executive produced by Steven Soderbergh, Love, Brooklyn delivers intelligent Black characters working through love, loss, career, and friendship without falling into stereotypes—no one raps, dies, or gets incarcerated. Director Holder created a story with "no villains," just good people navigating modern relationships.Black on Black Cinema is a long-running podcast featuring in-depth Black movie reviews and frank conversations that matter to the Black community. We review Black films across every genre — from Black horror and Black sci-fi to indie dramas, comedies, and blockbuster action. Covering filmmakers like Spike Lee, Jordan Peele, Ryan Coogler, Ava DuVernay, and more. Hosted by Jay, Micah, Terrence, and T'ara. Featured on RogerEbert.com. A TNP Studios production. New episodes weekly on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and all major platforms. For more TNP Studios content, check out The Nerdpocalypse (movie & TV news), Look Forward (progressive politics), and Dense Pixels (video game news).

Awesome Movie Year
Out Of Africa (1985 Best Picture)

Awesome Movie Year

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 29, 2026 69:00


The eleventh episode of our season on the awesome movie year of 1985 features the Academy Awards Best Picture winner, Sydney Pollack's Out of Africa. Directed by Sydney Pollack and starring Meryl Streep, Robert Redford, Klaus Maria Brandauer and Michael Kitchen, Out of Africa is based on the life and writings of Karen Blixen.The contemporary reviews quoted in this episode come from Roger Ebert (https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/out-of-africa-1985), Sheila Benson in the Los Angeles Times (https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1985-12-18-ca-26572-story.html) and Pauline Kael in The New Yorker.Check out more info and the entire archive of past episodes at https://www.awesomemovieyear.com and visit us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/awesomemovieyearYou can find Jason on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/JHarrisComedy/, on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/jasonharriscomedy/ and on Letterboxd at https://letterboxd.com/goforjason/You can find Josh online at http://joshbellhateseverything.com/, on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/joshbellhateseverything/, on Bluesky at signalbleed.bsky.social and on Letterboxd at https://letterboxd.com/signalbleed/If you're a Letterboxd user and you watch any of the movies we talk about on the show, tag your review “Awesome Movie Year” to share your thoughts.You can find our producer David Rosen and his Piecing It Together Podcast at https://www.piecingpod.com, on Twitter at @piecingpod, on Bluesky at piecingpod.bsky.social and on Letterboxd at https://letterboxd.com/bydavidrosen/ Join the Popcorn & Puzzle Pieces Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/piecingpod for more movie discussion and our Awesome Movie Year audience choice polls.All of the music in the episode is by David Rosen. Find more of his music at https://www.bydavidrosen.comSubscribe on Patreon to support the show and get access to exclusive content from Awesome Movie Year and Piecing It Together, plus music by David Rosen: https://www.patreon.com/bydavidrosenPlease like, share, rate and comment on the show and this episode, and tune in for the next 1985 episode, with our producer David Rosen's pick, Dan O'Bannon's The Return of the Living Dead.

We Love the Love
Taken (Dadvice, Part 2)

We Love the Love

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 27, 2026 82:07


Our Dadvice series continues with a look at the parenting and romance of Pierre Morel's action classic(?) Taken! Join in as we discuss our favorite Liam Neeson performances, the movie's astonishing box office run, an implausible human trafficking scheme, and the exact details of Brian Mills's (Neeson) finances. Plus: What happens to the family of the girl who dies? Why does Lenore (Famke Janssen) commit such egregious fraud? Why is Kim (Maggie Grace) always running like that? And, most importantly, is this the most divorced movie ever made? Make sure to rate, review, and subscribe! Next week: Paper Moon (1973)--------------------------------------------------Key sources and links for this episode:Roger Ebert's 2.5-star reviewPierre Morel interview at ComingSoon.net2014 Liam Neeson interview with GQ"Liam Neeson Originally Thought his Iconic Taken Phone Call Scene was 'Corny'" (Entertainment Weekly)"The Agony of Liam Neeson, Action Star" (Vulture)"Taken by Albania" tourism campaign (YouTube)"Dua Lipa Sparks Controversy with 'Greater Albania' Map Tweet" (BBC)

Blockbusters and Birdwalks
REVENGE OF NATURE, a conversation – Episode 3: “The Fly”

Blockbusters and Birdwalks

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 27, 2026 29:47


Garrett Chaffin-Quiray and Ed Rosa discuss human-insect hybridity to continue the series “Revenge of Nature”.***Referenced media:“At the Movies” (Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, 1982-1986)“The Fly II” (Chris Walas, 1989)“Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn” (Sam Raimi, 1987)“Evil Dead” (Sam Raimi, 1981)“Raiders of the Lost Ark” (Steven Spielberg, 1981)“Dead Ringers” (David Cronenberg, 1988)“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” (Ciro Nieli, Joshua Sternin, and J.R. Ventimilia, 2012-2017)“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” (Steve Barron, 1990)“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” (Fred Wolf and Mark Freedman, 1987-1996)“RoboCop” (Paul Verhoeven, 1987)“Tetsuo: The Iron Man” (Shinya Tsukamoto, 1989)“Scanners” (David Cronenberg, 1981)“Electric Dreams” (Steve Barron, 1984)“Weird Science” (John Hughes, 1985)“Crimes of the Future” (David Cronenberg, 2022)Audio quotation:“The Fly” (David Cronenberg, 1986), including “Main Title”, “The Armwrestle”, and “The Finale” by Howard Shore, https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZLTKRc6yNiQ5sujSSVMsnhaIXmfOYs6X“The Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn” (Sam Raimi, 1987), including “Behemoth” by Joseph LoDuca, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDCuIs4FLpg&list=PLwd2dpqAu5rhxfK4uM89ByvsMaRG9Ruu5“Raiders of the Lost Ark” (Steven Spielberg, 1981)“Scanners” (David Cronenberg, 1981)“Sign of the Times” (2017) by Harry Styles, Jeff Bhasker, Mitch Rowland, Ryan Nasci, Alex Salibian, and Tyler Johnson, performed by Harry Styles, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qN4ooNx77u0&list=RDqN4ooNx77u0&start_radio=1“Weird Science” (1985) by Danny Elfman, performed by Oingo Boingo, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jm-upHSP9KU&list=RDJm-upHSP9KU&start_radio=1

Roger (Ebert) & Me
Michael, Apex, Mother Mary, Over Your Dead Body, Desert Warrior, Fuze, I Swear, Omaha

Roger (Ebert) & Me

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 24, 2026 70:53


3:13 Michael 20:59 Apex 27:30 Mother Mary 34:14 Over Your Dead Body 41:06 Desert Warrior 45:36 Fuze 50:07 I Swear 54:46 Omaha It's an 8-movie week on 'At the Movies Again,' formerly known as 'Roger (Ebert) & Me, a weekly movie review podcast tribute to 'Siskel & Ebert' hosted by film critics Brett Arnold & Mark Dujsik. The show covers every new theatrical and streaming release each Friday in the format Gene Siskel & Roger Ebert pioneered. A movie review podcast covering all new releases every Friday, modeled after 'Siskel & Ebert,' the pair who inadvertently invented film podcasting in the 1970s. Hosted by Mark Dujsik of markreviewsmovies.com & Brett Arnold of Yahoo Entertainment and The New Flesh podcast, a show about horror movies that is currently celebrating its 11th year. Please rate and review on Apple Podcasts. Even if you're on Spotify or YouTube, jump over there and throw us 5 stars. We can't get on RottenTomatoes until 200 people rate it! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Black on Black Cinema
Women's "Bear Versus Man" Choice Becomes Crystal Clear

Black on Black Cinema

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 23, 2026 62:03 Transcription Available


This week on Black on Black Cinema, the crew returns to announce the next film to be reviewed, "Love, Brooklyn." The film follows three longtime Brooklynites navigate careers, love, loss, and friendship against the rapidly changing landscape of their beloved city. The movie stars Andre Holland, Nicole Beharie, DeWanda Wise, and Roy Wood Jr. The random topic this week is an overarching conversation of rape and violence culture in regards to the CNN investigative report on a secret network on men drugging their wives and sexually abusing them and the former Lt. Governor of Virginia who murdered his wife and committed suicide.Black on Black Cinema is a long-running podcast featuring in-depth Black movie reviews and frank conversations that matter to the Black community. We review Black films across every genre — from Black horror and Black sci-fi to indie dramas, comedies, and blockbuster action. Covering filmmakers like Spike Lee, Jordan Peele, Ryan Coogler, Ava DuVernay, and more. Hosted by Jay, Micah, Terrence, and T'ara. Featured on RogerEbert.com. A TNP Studios production. New episodes weekly on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and all major platforms. For more TNP Studios content, check out The Nerdpocalypse (movie & TV news), Look Forward (progressive politics), and Dense Pixels (video game news).

Movie of the Year
1971 - Straw Dogs (feat. Erik from the Cradle to the Grave pod!)

Movie of the Year

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 23, 2026 111:01


Movie of the Year: 1971Straw Dogs (feat. Erik from the Cradle to the Grave pod!)The Straw Dogs Podcast: Peckinpah's Most Dangerous FilmThe Straw Dogs podcast episode of Movie of the Year confronts one of 1971's most debated, disturbing, and relentlessly provocative films — Sam Peckinpah's psychological siege thriller starring Dustin Hoffman and Susan George. Ryan, Mike, and Greg are joined by Erik Hanson of the Cradle to the Grave podcast. Together, they examine the film's violence, its contested rape scene, and the gender dynamics at the heart of Peckinpah's vision. Consequently, no other episode this season demands more from its hosts — or from its audience.Moreover, the 1971 film Straw Dogs arrived in remarkable company. A Clockwork Orange, Dirty Harry, and The French Connection all hit theaters the same year — forming a cluster of films that fundamentally altered what Hollywood was willing to show. Furthermore, Straw Dogs distinguished itself from all of them. Filmed entirely in a Cornish village, it replaced the city's noise with something quieter and more suffocating. Ultimately, it is a film that has never stopped demanding conversation — and that is exactly what the Taste Buds deliver.About the FilmSam Peckinpah directed Straw Dogs (1971), starring Dustin Hoffman as David Sumner, a mild-mannered American mathematician who relocates with his English wife Amy (Susan George) to her rural hometown in Cornwall. David hires local men to repair their farmhouse. Almost immediately, however, the couple faces escalating harassment, intimidation, and violence from the villagers — including Amy's former boyfriend Charlie (Del Henney).Peckinpah and screenwriter David Zelag Goodman adapted the film from Gordon M. Williams's 1969 novel The Siege of Trencher's Farm. Peckinpah famously dismissed the source material. The film builds to a harrowing siege in which David, pushed past every limit, defends his home with escalating brutality. Additionally, the title derives from the Tao Te Ching, which describes straw dogs as ceremonial objects — used briefly, then discarded without feeling. The Criterion Collection edition includes a discussion of this symbolism in its supplemental materials.Released theatrically in the UK in November 1971, the film earned a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Original Score. It was later issued as a Criterion Collection release featuring new critical scholarship. The British Film Institute also maintains an entry on the film. The British Board of Film Classification banned it for home video release for years after its UK theatrical run.Guest Panelist: Erik HansonJoining the Taste Buds for this Sam Peckinpah film discussion is Erik Hanson, the creator and host of Cradle to the Grave — a horror movie podcast built around a distinctive structural premise. Starting with 1971, his own birth year, Erik ranks and discusses his Top 10 horror films from every year of his life, covering each in depth with rotating guests. The show has developed a devoted following for Erik's knowledgeable, laid-back, and genuinely funny approach to the genre.In addition to podcasting, Erik is the author of Death Machine, a debut horror novel set in 1987 Northern California that reimagines the Zodiac Killer returning to terrorize a group of kids. Based in Sacramento, California, Erik is also a musician. His work across fiction and podcasting reflects a lifelong relationship with horror that goes well beyond fandom and into genuine craft. Notably, the fact that Cradle to the Grave begins precisely with 1971 makes Erik an especially fitting guest for a deep dive into one of that year's most unsettling films. You can pick up Death Machine on Amazon.Peckinpah and Violence: A Director Pushed to the EdgeBy 1971, Sam Peckinpah had already established himself as Hollywood's most uncompromising chronicler of violence. The Wild Bunch (1969) had rewritten the grammar of the Western, deploying slow-motion carnage in a way that made violence impossible to process cleanly. Straw Dogs, however, moved in a very different direction. Furthermore, Warner Bros. had effectively exiled Peckinpah from Hollywood following a chaotic falling out, which is why he filmed this Straw Dogs 1971 production entirely in England, far from his natural terrain.The violence in Straw Dogs is not operatic like The Wild Bunch. Instead, it is domestic, intimate, and deeply uncomfortable. Peckinpah builds menace through accumulation — small humiliations, loaded glances, minor intrusions — before releasing it all in the siege. Additionally, the film implicates the audience in David's rampage by making it feel, at least in the moment, cathartic. That troubling catharsis is entirely the point. As a result, the Straw Dogs podcast discussion centers on Peckinpah's central question: whether violence is ever truly civilized, or whether it simply waits beneath the surface of every man who believes he is better than it. Roger Ebert, writing for the Chicago Sun-Times in 1971, gave the film two stars and called it a film committed to the pornography of violence while laying on moral outrage with a shovel — a dissent worth hearing even for those who disagree.The Rape Scene: Context, Controversy, and CriticismNo discussion of Straw Dogs is complete without addressing its most contested sequence. Charlie, her former boyfriend, first assaults Amy — then a second attacker follows. What makes the scene so difficult to analyze is the way Peckinpah films the first assault. Many critics interpreted Amy's shifting emotional response during the rape as suggesting consent or complicity. That reading fueled decades of fierce feminist criticism of the Sam Peckinpah film.Moreover, the British Board of Film Classification rejected the film for home video release for years, specifically over this content. The studio cut the scene for the US release to secure an R rating. Susan George has spoken in interviews about her complex relationship to the role and the sequence. Notably, film scholar Linda Williams frames the film within the longer history of misogynistic representation in cinema. Her analysis appears in the Criterion Collection release. She argues that Straw Dogs belongs in conversation with works that are technically significant but ethically compromised. Consequently, the scene is not a matter of simple condemnation or simple defense. It is the central wound around which the entire film's meaning turns, and the Taste Buds treat it accordingly.David, Amy, and Gender in Straw Dogs 1971At its core, Straw Dogs is a film about masculinity in crisis. David Sumner is an intellectual — passive, avoidant, and seemingly incapable of the physical authority the Cornish village treats as natural male behavior. The film, however, refuses to position his bookishness as a virtue. Dustin Hoffman understood his character as a man who unconsciously provokes the violence around him — a pacifist whose repressed aggression the siege finally unlocks.Amy occupies an equally impossible position. The film's gaze codes her as provocative — bare feet, no bra, conspicuous in the village — while simultaneously punishing her for that very visibility. Nevertheless, Susan George's performance introduces ambiguity and depth that the script does not always earn on its own. The dynamic between David and Amy is as much a source of tension as the men gathering outside. They seem genuinely ill-suited and miscommunicate constantly. Above all, Straw Dogs asks what gender roles cost everyone involved. Specifically, the film suggests that masculinity, however dormant, will ultimately assert itself through violence. That is Peckinpah's most unsettling argument — and one that the A Clockwork Orange episode of Movie of the Year covers from a very different angle.Career Retrospective: Dustin HoffmanBy the time the Straw Dogs podcast era film was released in 1971, Dustin Hoffman had already fundamentally changed what a movie star could look like. His breakthrough in The Graduate (1967) — neurotic, unhandsome, deeply searching — made him a voice for a generation that distrusted certainty. Midnight Cowboy (1969) proved he could disappear entirely into character, earning his first Academy Award nomination. Little Big Man (1970) demonstrated his ability to age through an entire life on screen. Straw Dogs, therefore, marks something different in his catalog: not charm or pathos, but something colder and harder to forgive.Hoffman's Career After...

Awesome Movie Year
Blood Simple (1985 Sundance Film Festival Award Winner)

Awesome Movie Year

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 22, 2026 65:56


The tenth episode of our season on the awesome movie year of 1985 features the Sundance Film Festival Grand Jury Prize winner, Joel and Ethan Coen's Blood Simple. Written and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen and starring John Getz, Frances McDormand, Dan Hedaya and M. Emmet Walsh, Blood Simple was the Coen brothers' debut feature.The contemporary reviews quoted in this episode come from Roger Ebert (https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/blood-simple-1984), Janet Maslin in The New York Times (https://www.nytimes.com/1984/10/12/movies/blood-simple-a-black-comic-romp.html) and Pauline Kael in The New Yorker.Check out more info and the entire archive of past episodes at https://www.awesomemovieyear.com and visit us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/awesomemovieyearYou can find Jason on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/JHarrisComedy/, on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/jasonharriscomedy/ and on Letterboxd at https://letterboxd.com/goforjason/You can find Josh online at http://joshbellhateseverything.com/, on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/joshbellhateseverything/, on Bluesky at signalbleed.bsky.social and on Letterboxd at https://letterboxd.com/signalbleed/If you're a Letterboxd user and you watch any of the movies we talk about on the show, tag your review “Awesome Movie Year” to share your thoughts.You can find our producer David Rosen and his Piecing It Together Podcast at https://www.piecingpod.com, on Twitter at @piecingpod, on Bluesky at piecingpod.bsky.social and on Letterboxd at https://letterboxd.com/bydavidrosen/ Join the Popcorn & Puzzle Pieces Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/piecingpod for more movie discussion and our Awesome Movie Year audience choice polls.All of the music in the episode is by David Rosen. Find more of his music at https://www.bydavidrosen.comSubscribe on Patreon to support the show and get access to exclusive content from Awesome Movie Year and Piecing It Together, plus music by David Rosen: https://www.patreon.com/bydavidrosenPlease like, share, rate and comment on the show and this episode, and tune in for the next 1985 episode, with the Academy Awards Best Picture winner, Sydney Pollack's Out of Africa.

Black on Black Cinema
Black Belt Jones (1974) | Jim Kelly's Insanely Fun Karate Flick

Black on Black Cinema

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 20, 2026 89:52 Transcription Available


Black on Black Cinema examines Black Belt Jones (1974), the groundbreaking Blaxploitation martial arts film that solidified Jim Kelly as an action star following his breakout role in Enter the Dragon. Directed by Oscar Williams and produced by Warner Bros during the height of the Blaxploitation era, the film stars Kelly as a martial arts instructor who battles the mob to protect his community's karate school from a crooked land deal. Co-starring Gloria Hendry as Sydney, Scatman Crothers as Pop Byrd, and featuring incredible fight choreography that showcased Kelly's karate championship skills, Black Belt Jones became a cult classic that merged kung fu cinema with Black urban action. We break down the film's cultural significance as one of the first major films to center a Black martial arts hero, analyze its approach to representing Black power and community resistance, discuss the chemistry between Kelly and Hendry, examine the fight sequences, and explore how the film fits into both Blaxploitation and martial arts cinema history. Plus: the film's influence on Black action cinema, Jim Kelly's career trajectory, and why Black Belt Jones remains essential viewing for understanding 1970s Black representation in Hollywood genre filmmaking.Black on Black Cinema is a long-running podcast featuring in-depth Black movie reviews and frank conversations that matter to the Black community. We review Black films across every genre — from Black horror and Black sci-fi to indie dramas, comedies, and blockbuster action. Covering filmmakers like Spike Lee, Jordan Peele, Ryan Coogler, Ava DuVernay, and more. Hosted by Jay, Micah, Terrence, and T'ara. Featured on RogerEbert.com. A TNP Studios production. New episodes weekly on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and all major platforms. For more TNP Studios content, check out The Nerdpocalypse (movie & TV news), Look Forward (progressive politics), and Dense Pixels (video game news).

We Love the Love
Hook (Dadvice, Part 1)

We Love the Love

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 20, 2026 94:41


In honor of Will's impending fatherhood, we're inviting dads onto the show to share the romance and parenting tips from some of their favorite movies. First up: Steven Spielberg's 1991 Peter Pan adaptation Hook, starring Robin Williams as Peter and Dustin Hoffman as the titular one-handed captain. Join in as we discuss Hook's place in the Spielberg dad canon, this odd transition point in the director's career, and the standout performances by Hoffman and Bob Hoskins. Plus: Why wasn't this movie made into a musical? Why can only Wendy (Maggie Smith) properly remember Neverland? Why does Peter have an American accent? And, most importantly, why is Peter's son Jack so terrible at baseball? Make sure to rate, review, and subscribe! Next week: Taken (2008)-------------------------------------------------Key sources and links for this episode:Roger Ebert's two-star review of Hook "A Peter Pan for the 90s" (New York Times)"Steven Spielberg: The EW Interview" (Entertainment Weekly)"Did You Know Hook was Once a Musical?" (NPR)"Spielberg at 40: The Man and the Child" (New York Times)"The Autobiography of Peter Pan" (TIME)"Ahoy! Neverland" (People)"Hooked on News" (Check Book)

Roger (Ebert) & Me
Lee Cronin's The Mummy, Normal, The Christophers, Balls Up, Erupcja, Blue Heron, Mile End Kicks, Wasteman, Ballistic, Mad Bills to Pay, Eagles of the Republic, Marama, Amrum

Roger (Ebert) & Me

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 17, 2026 104:38


2:33 Lee Cronin's The Mummy 18:59 Normal 26:04 The Christophers 35:08 Balls Up 42:21 Erupcja 51:02 Blue Heron 58:01 Mile End Kicks 01:05:24 Wasteman 01:10:01 Ballistic 01:16:18 Mad Bills to Pay 01:20:56 Eagles of the Republic 01:25:04 Marama 01:29:22 Amrum 01:34:26 RECAP It's a 13-movie week on 'At the Movies Again,' formerly known as 'Roger (Ebert) & Me, a weekly movie review podcast tribute to 'Siskel & Ebert' hosted by film critics Brett Arnold & Mark Dujsik. The show covers every new theatrical and streaming release each Friday in the format Gene Siskel & Roger Ebert pioneered. A movie review podcast covering all new releases every Friday, modeled after 'Siskel & Ebert,' the pair who inadvertently invented film podcasting in the 1970s. Hosted by Mark Dujsik of markreviewsmovies.com & Brett Arnold of Yahoo Entertainment and The New Flesh podcast, a show about horror movies that is currently celebrating its 11th year. Please rate and review on Apple Podcasts. Even if you're on Spotify or YouTube, jump over there and throw us 5 stars. We can't get on RottenTomatoes until 200 people rate it! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Awesome Movie Year
The Goonies (1985 Jason's Pick)

Awesome Movie Year

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 15, 2026 64:29


The ninth episode of our season on the awesome movie year of 1985 features Jason's personal pick, Richard Donner's The Goonies. Directed by Richard Donner from a screenplay by Chris Columbus and starring Sean Astin, Corey Feldman, Josh Brolin, Jeff Cohen and Ke Huy Quan, The Goonies is based on a story by producer Steven Spielberg.The contemporary reviews quoted in this episode come from Roger Ebert (https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-goonies-1985), Janet Maslin in The New York Times (https://www.nytimes.com/1985/06/07/movies/screen-the-goonies-written-by-spielberg.html) and Paul Attanasio in The Washington Post (https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1985/06/07/goonies/718634c1-8878-47b5-a886-1e5ecab819cf/).Check out more info and the entire archive of past episodes at https://www.awesomemovieyear.com and visit us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/awesomemovieyearYou can find Jason on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/JHarrisComedy/, on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/jasonharriscomedy/ and on Letterboxd at https://letterboxd.com/goforjason/You can find Josh online at http://joshbellhateseverything.com/, on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/joshbellhateseverything/, on Bluesky at signalbleed.bsky.social and on Letterboxd at https://letterboxd.com/signalbleed/If you're a Letterboxd user and you watch any of the movies we talk about on the show, tag your review “Awesome Movie Year” to share your thoughts.You can find our producer David Rosen and his Piecing It Together Podcast at https://www.piecingpod.com, on Twitter at @piecingpod, on Bluesky at piecingpod.bsky.social and on Letterboxd at https://letterboxd.com/bydavidrosen/ Join the Popcorn & Puzzle Pieces Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/piecingpod for more movie discussion and our Awesome Movie Year audience choice polls.All of the music in the episode is by David Rosen. Find more of his music at https://www.bydavidrosen.comSubscribe on Patreon to support the show and get access to exclusive content from Awesome Movie Year and Piecing It Together, plus music by David Rosen: https://www.patreon.com/bydavidrosenPlease like, share, rate and comment on the show and this episode, and tune in for the next 1985 episode, with the Sundance Film Festival Grand Jury Prize winner, Joel and Ethan Coen's Blood Simple.

Doctor Who: Tin Dog Podcast
TDP 1462: For Your Consideration 22 Atlantis - The Lost Empire

Doctor Who: Tin Dog Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 13, 2026 57:48


https://m.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?sid=tindogpodcast&_pgn=1&isRefine=true&_trksid=p4429486.m3561.l49496 Atlantis: The Lost Empire is a 2001 American animated science fiction adventure film directed by Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise, produced by Don Hahn, and written by Tab Murphy. Produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation, it stars Michael J. Fox, James Garner, Cree Summer, Don Novello, Phil Morris, Claudia Christian, Jacqueline Obradors, Florence Stanley, David Ogden Stiers, John Mahoney, Jim Varney, Corey Burton and Leonard Nimoy. Set in 1914, the film follows young linguist Milo Thatch, who gains possession of a sacred book, which he believes will guide him and a crew of mercenaries to the lost city of Atlantis. Development of the film began after production had finished on The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996). Instead of another musical, directors Trousdale and Wise, producer Hahn, and screenwriter Murphy decided to do an adventure film inspired by the works of Jules Verne. Atlantis: The Lost Empire was notable for adopting the distinctive visual style of comic book artist Mike Mignola, one of the film's production designers. The film made greater use of computer-generated imagery (CGI) than any of Disney's previous traditionally animated features and remains one of the few to have been shot in anamorphic format. Linguist Marc Okrand constructed an Atlantean language specifically for use in the film. James Newton Howard provided the film's musical score. The film was released at a time when audience interest in animated films was shifting away from traditional animation toward films with full CGI. Atlantis: The Lost Empire premiered at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles, on June 3, 2001, and went into its general release on June 15. The film received mixed reviews from critics. Budgeted at around $90–120 million, Atlantis grossed over $186 million worldwide, $84 million of which was earned in North America; its lackluster box office response was identified as a result of being released in competition with Shrek, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, The Fast and the Furious and Dr. Dolittle 2. As a result of the film's box office failure, Disney cancelled a planned spin-off animated television series, Team Atlantis; an underwater Disneyland attraction; and a volcanic Magic Kingdom attraction based on it. Atlantis was nominated for several awards, including seven Annie Awards, and won Best Sound Editing at the 2002 Golden Reel Awards. The film was released on VHS and DVD on January 29, 2002, and on Blu-ray on June 11, 2013. Despite its initial reception, reception in later years became favorable and has given Atlantis a cult following[5] and reappraisal from critics as a mistreated classic, due in part to Mignola's unique artistic influence.[6][7] A direct-to-video sequel, Atlantis: Milo's Return, was released in 2003. Plot In 1914 Washington, D.C., archaeo-linguist Milo Thatch obsesses over finding the legendary lost city of Atlantis, believed to have sunk thousands of years ago. His employers ridicule his theories, but he gains an unexpected ally in eccentric millionaire Preston B. Whitmore, a friend of Milo's deceased adventurer grandfather who also sought the city. Determined to honor his old friend's quest, Whitmore recruits Milo for an expedition to Atlantis, having recently uncovered the Shepherd's Journal, an ancient Atlantean manuscript that contains directions to the lost city. Aboard the submarine Ulysses, Milo meets his teammates: Commander Lyle Tiberius Rourke, Lieutenant Helga Sinclair, demolitions expert Vincenzo Santorini, geologist Gaetan "Mole" Molière, medical officer Joshua Sweet, mechanic Audrey Ramirez, radio operator Wilhelmina Packard, mess cook Jebidiah "Cookie" Farnsworth, and a platoon of mercenaries. Upon reaching a cave entrance leading to the lost city, the submarine is destroyed by a massive mechanical leviathan, killing most of the crew. Milo and the survivors escape in smaller craft, navigating through the cave to emerge among ancient ruins. Milo translates the journal, guiding the team through caves beneath a dormant volcano until they reach the worn remains of Atlantis. There, they are greeted by Princess Kidagakash "Kida" Nedakh, who, despite being around 8,500 years old, has the appearance of a young woman. She leads them to her father, King Kashekim, who orders them to leave. Learning that Milo can read their language—a skill lost to the Atlanteans over millennia—Kida asks for his help in uncovering their forgotten history and highly-advanced technology, without which the city has declined and resources have dwindled. Milo learns that Atlantis is powered by the Heart of Atlantis, a massive crystal that grants longevity and health to its citizens through the smaller crystals they carry. Rourke betrays Milo and the Atlanteans, revealing his true intention to steal the Heart for profit, despite knowing the Atlanteans will perish without it. He mortally wounds the King while seizing control and uncovers the crystal's hidden location beneath the city. Sensing the danger, the crystal merges with Kida, who is then captured by Rourke. He departs with the crystallized Kida and his mercenaries, except for Vincenzo, Molière, Sweet, Audrey, Packard, and Cookie, who refuse to take part in the Atlanteans' destruction. Before dying, the King reveals that Atlantis was devastated by a megatsunami after he attempted to weaponize the crystal's vast power. To protect the city, the crystal merged with a royal family member, Kida's mother. This created a protective dome over the city's inner district, shielding it from total destruction as Atlantis sank beneath the waves, but Kida's mother never returned. To prevent the crystal from ever merging with Kida, the King hid it, inadvertently accelerating Atlantis' decline. He warns Milo that Kida will be lost forever if she is not soon separated from the crystal and pleads with him to save her. Alongside his allies, Milo rallies the Atlanteans to reactivate their long-dormant flying machines. Together, they eliminate Rourke and his mercenaries in the volcano. Milo and the others fly the crystallized Kida back to Atlantis as the volcano erupts. Kida ascends into the air and awakens Stone Guardians, who erect a barrier that shields the city from the lava flow. With Atlantis saved, the crystal separates from Kida and remains suspended in the sky. Milo chooses to stay in Atlantis with Kida, having fallen in love with her. Before returning to the surface, Vincenzo, Molière, Sweet, Audrey, Packard, and Cookie each receive a small crystal and a share of treasure. The six reunite with Preston on the surface and agree to keep their adventure a secret to protect Atlantis. Preston opens a package from Milo containing his own crystal and a note thanking him. The newly crowned Queen Kida and Milo carve a stone effigy of her father to join those of past rulers floating beside the Heart of Atlantis, as the city stands restored to its former glory. Voice cast Production layout sketch of Milo and Kida. Milo's character design was based in part on sketches of the film's language consultant, Marc Okrand. Michael J. Fox as Milo James Thatch, a linguist and cartographer at the Smithsonian who was recruited to decipher The Shepherd's Journal while directing an expedition to Atlantis. James Garner as Commander Lyle Tiberius Rourke, the leader of the band of mercenaries for the Atlantean expedition. Cree Summer as Kidagakash "Kida" Nedakh, the Princess of Atlantis and Milo's love interest. Natalie Strom provided dialogue for Kida as a young child. Summer also voiced the unnamed Queen of Atlantis, Kida's mother and Kashekim's wife who was "chosen" by the Crystal during the sinking of the city. John Mahoney as Preston B. Whitmore, an eccentric millionaire who funds the expedition to Atlantis. Lloyd Bridges was originally cast and recorded as Whitmore, but he died before completing the film. Mahoney's zest and vigor led to Whitmore's personality being reworked for the film.[8] Claudia Christian as Lieutenant Helga Katrina Sinclair, Rourke's German-born second-in-command. Don Novello as Vincenzo "Vinny" Santorini, an Italian demolitions expert. Phil Morris as Dr. Joshua Strongbear Sweet, a medic of African-American and Arapaho descent. Jacqueline Obradors as Audrey Rocio Ramirez, a Puerto Rican mechanic and the youngest member of the expedition. Corey Burton as Gaetan "Mole" Molière, a French geologist who acts like a mole. Jim Varney as Jebidiah Allardyce "Cookie" Farnsworth, a Western-style chuckwagon chef. Varney died in February 2000, before the production ended, and the film was dedicated to his memory. Steven Barr recorded supplemental dialogue for Cookie. Florence Stanley as Wilhelmina Bertha Packard: an elderly, sarcastic, chain-smoking radio operator who is also the expedition's photographer. Leonard Nimoy as Kashekim Nedakh, the King of Atlantis and Kida's father. David Ogden Stiers as Fenton Q. Harcourt, a board member of the Smithsonian Institution who dismisses Milo's belief in the existence of Atlantis. Production Development The production team visited New Mexico's Carlsbad Caverns to get a sense of the underground spaces depicted in the film. The idea for Atlantis: The Lost Empire was conceived in October 1996 when Don Hahn, Gary Trousdale, Kirk Wise, and Tab Murphy lunched at a Mexican restaurant in Burbank, California. Having recently completed The Hunchback of Notre Dame,[9] the producer, directors and screenwriter wanted to keep the Hunchback crew together for another film with an "Adventureland" setting rather than a "Fantasyland" setting.[10] Drawing inspiration from Jules Verne's Journey to the Center of the Earth (1864) and Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas (1870), they set out to make a film which would fully explore Atlantis (compared to the brief visit depicted in Verne's novel).[11] While primarily utilizing the Internet to research the mythology of Atlantis,[12] the filmmakers became interested in the clairvoyant readings of Edgar Cayce and decided to incorporate some of his ideas—notably that of a mother-crystal which provides power, healing, and longevity to the Atlanteans—into the story.[13] They also visited museums and old army installations to study the technology of the early 20th century (the film's time period), and traveled underground in New Mexico's Carlsbad Caverns to view the subterranean trails which would serve as a model for the approach to Atlantis in the film.[14] The filmmakers wanted to avoid the common depiction of Atlantis as "crumbled Greek columns underwater", said Wise.[15] "From the get-go, we were committed to designing it top to bottom. Let's get the architectural style, clothing, heritage, customs, how they would sleep, and how they would speak. So we brought people on board who would help us develop those ideas."[16] Art director David Goetz stated, "We looked at Mayan architecture, styles of ancient, unusual architecture from around the world, and the directors really liked the look of Southeast Asian architecture."[17] The team later took ideas from other architectural forms, including Cambodian, Indian, and Tibetan works.[18] Hahn added, "If you take and deconstruct architecture from around the world into one architectural vocabulary, that's what our Atlantis looks like."[19] The overall design and circular layout of Atlantis were also based on the writings of Plato,[18] and his quote "in a single day and night of misfortune, the island of Atlantis disappeared into the depths of the sea"[20] was influential from the beginning of production.[9] The crew wore T-shirts which read "ATLANTIS—Fewer songs, more explosions" due to the film's plan as an action-adventure (unlike previous Disney animated features, which were musicals).[21] Language The Atlantean letter A, created by artist John Emerson. Kirk Wise noted that its design was a treasure map showing the path to the crystal, "The Heart of Atlantis". Main article: Atlantean language Marc Okrand, who developed the Klingon language for the Star Trek television and theatrical productions, was hired to devise the Atlantean language for Atlantis: The Lost Empire. Guided by the directors' initial concept for it to be a "mother-language", Okrand employed an Indo-European word stock with its own grammatical structure. He would change the words if they began to sound too much like an actual, spoken language.[16] John Emerson designed the written component, making hundreds of random sketches of individual letters from among which the directors chose the best to represent the Atlantean alphabet.[22][23] The written language was boustrophedon: designed to be read left-to-right on the first line, then right-to-left on the second, continuing in a zigzag pattern to simulate the flow of water.[24] The Atlantean [A] is a shape developed by John Emerson. It is a miniature map of the city of Atlantis (i.e., the outside of the swirl is the cave, the inside shape is the silhouette of the city, and the dot is the location of the crystal). It's a treasure map. — Kirk Wise, director[25] Writing Joss Whedon was the first writer to be involved with the film but soon left to work on other Disney projects. According to him, he "had not a shred" in the movie.[26] Tab Murphy completed the screenplay, stating that the time from initially discussing the story to producing a script that satisfied the film crew was "about three to four months".[27] The initial draft was 155 pages, much longer than a typical Disney film script (which usually runs 90 pages). When the first two acts were timed at 120 minutes, the directors cut characters and sequences and focused more on Milo. Murphy said that he created the centuries-old Shepherd's Journal because he needed a map for the characters to follow throughout their journey.[28] A revised version of the script eliminated the trials encountered by the explorers as they navigated the caves to Atlantis. This gave the film a faster pace because Atlantis is discovered earlier in the story.[29] The directors often described the Atlanteans using Egypt as an example. When Napoleon wandered into Egypt, the people had lost track of their once-great civilization. They were surrounded by artifacts of their former greatness but somehow unaware of what they meant. — Don Hahn, producer[30] The character of Milo J. Thatch was originally supposed to be a descendant of Edward Teach, otherwise known as Blackbeard the pirate. The directors later related him to an explorer so he would discover his inner talent for exploration.[31] The character of Molière was originally intended to be "professorial" but Chris Ure, a story artist, changed the concept to that of a "horrible little burrowing creature with a wacky coat and strange headgear with extending eyeballs", said Wise.[32][33] Don Hahn pointed out that the absence of songs presented a challenge for a team accustomed to animating musicals, as action scenes alone would have to carry the film. Kirk Wise said it gave the team an opportunity for more on-screen character development: "We had more screen time available to do a scene like where Milo and the explorers are camping out and learning about one another's histories. An entire sequence is devoted to having dinner and going to bed. That is not typically something we would have the luxury of doing."[16] Hahn stated that the first animated sequence completed during production was the film's prologue. The original version featured a Viking war party using The Shepherd's Journal to find Atlantis and being swiftly dispatched by the Leviathan. Near the end of production, story supervisor John Sanford told the directors that he felt this prologue did not give viewers enough emotional involvement with the Atlanteans. Despite knowing that the Viking prologue was finished and it would cost additional time and money to alter the scene, the directors agreed with Sanford. Trousdale went home and completed the storyboards later that evening after visiting a strip club where he boarded the new sequence on a napkin.[34] The opening was replaced by a sequence depicting the destruction of Atlantis, which introduced the film from the perspective of the Atlanteans and Princess Kida.[35] The Viking prologue is included as an extra feature on the DVD release.[36] Casting Kirk Wise, one of the directors, said that they chose Michael J. Fox for the role of Milo because they felt he gave his characters his own personality and made them more believable on screen. Fox said that voice acting was much easier than his past experience with live action because he did not have to worry about what he looked like in front of a camera while delivering his lines.[37] The directors mentioned that Fox was also offered a role for Titan A.E.; he allowed his son to choose which film he would work on, and he chose Atlantis.[38] Viewers have noted similarities between Milo and the film's language consultant, Marc Okrand, who developed the Atlantean language used in the film. Okrand stated that Milo's supervising animator, John Pomeroy, sketched him, claiming not to know how a linguist looked or acted.[24] Kida's supervising animator, Randy Haycock, stated that her actress, Cree Summer, was very "intimidating" when he first met her; this influenced how he wanted Kida to look and act on screen when she meets Milo.[39] Wise chose James Garner for the role of Commander Lyle Tiberius Rourke because of his previous experience with action films, especially war and Western films, and said the role "fits him like a glove". When asked if he would be interested in the role, Garner replied: "I'd do it in a heartbeat."[40] Producer Don Hahn was saddened that Jim Varney, the voice of Jebidiah Allardyce "Cookie" Farnsworth, never saw the finished film before he died of lung cancer in February 2000, but mentioned that he was shown clips of his character's performance during his site sessions and said, "He loved it." Shawn Keller, supervising animator for Cookie, stated, "It was kind of a sad fact that [Varney] knew that he was not going to be able to see this film before he passed away. He did a bang-up job doing the voice work, knowing the fact that he was never gonna see his last performance." Steven Barr recorded supplemental dialogue for Cookie.[41] John Mahoney, who voiced Preston Whitmore, stated that doing voice work was "freeing" and allowed him to be "big" and "outrageous" with his character.[42] Dr. Joshua Sweet's supervising animator, Ron Husband, indicated that one of the challenges was animating Sweet in sync with Phil Morris' rapid line delivery while keeping him believable. Morris stated that this character was extreme, with "no middle ground"; he mentioned, "When he was happy, he was really happy, and when he's solemn, he's real solemn."[43] Claudia Christian described her character, Lieutenant Helga Katrina Sinclair, as "sensual" and "striking", and was relieved when she finally saw what her character looked like, joking, "I'd hate to, you know, go through all this and find out my character is a toad."[44] Jacqueline Obradors said her character, Audrey Rocio Ramirez, made her "feel like a little kid again" and she always hoped her sessions would last longer.[45] Florence Stanley felt that her character, Wilhelmina Bertha Packard, was very "cynical" and "secure": "She does her job, and when she is not busy, she does anything she wants."[46] Corey Burton mentioned that finding his performance as Gaetan "Mole" Molière was by allowing the character to "leap out" of him while making funny voices. To get into character during his recording sessions, he stated that he would "throw myself into the scene and feel like I'm in this make-believe world".[47] Kirk Wise and Russ Edmonds, supervising animator for Vincenzo "Vinny" Santorini, noted Vinny's actor Don Novello's unique ability to improvise dialogue while voicing the role. Edmonds recalled, "[Novello] would look at the sheet, and he would read the line that was written once, and he would never read it again! And we never used a written line, it was improvs, the whole movie."[48] Michael Cedeno, supervising animator for King Kashekim Nedakh, was astounded at Leonard Nimoy's voice talent in the role, stating that he had "so much rich character" in his performance. As he spoke his lines, Cedeno said the crew would sit there and watch Nimoy in astonishment.[49] Animation For comparison, the top image (panoramic view of Atlantis) is cropped to Disney's standard aspect ratio (1.66:1); the bottom image was seen in the film (2.35:1). At the peak of its production, 350 animators, artists and technicians were working on Atlantis[50] at all three Disney animation studios: Walt Disney Feature Animation (Burbank, California), Walt Disney Feature Animation Florida (Orlando), and Disney Animation France (Paris).[51] The film was one of the few Disney animated features produced and shot in 35mm anamorphic format. The directors felt that a widescreen image was crucial, as a nostalgic reference to old action-adventure films presented in the CinemaScope format (2.35:1), noting Raiders of the Lost Ark as an inspiration.[52] Because switching to the format would require animation desks and equipment designed for widescreen to be purchased, Disney executives were at first reluctant about the idea.[16] The production team found a simple solution by drawing within a smaller frame on the same paper and equipment used for standard aspect ratio (1.66:1) Disney-animated films.[52] Layout supervisor Ed Ghertner wrote a guide to the widescreen format for use by the layout artists and mentioned that one advantage of widescreen was that he could keep characters in scenes longer because of additional space to walk within the frame.[53] Wise drew further inspiration for the format from filmmakers David Lean and Akira Kurosawa.[16] The film's visual style was strongly based upon that of Mike Mignola, the comic book artist behind Hellboy. Mignola was one of four production designers (along with Matt Codd, Jim Martin, and Ricardo Delgado) hired by the Disney studio for the film. Accordingly, he provided style guides, preliminary character, and background designs, and story ideas.[54] "Mignola's graphic, the angular style was a key influence on the 'look' of the characters," stated Wise.[55] Mignola was surprised when first contacted by the studio to work on Atlantis.[56] His artistic influence on the film would later contribute to a cult following.[57] I remember watching a rough cut of the film and these characters have these big, square, weird hands. I said to the guy next to me, "Those are cool hands." And he says to me, "Yeah, they're your hands. We had a whole meeting about how to do your hands." It was so weird I couldn't wrap my brain around it. — Mike Mignola[56] The final pull-out shot of the movie, immediately before the end-title card, was described by the directors as the most difficult shot in the history of Disney animation. They said that the pull-out attempt on their prior film, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, "struggled" and "lacked depth"; however, after making advances in the process of multiplaning, they tried the technique again in Atlantis. The shot begins with one 16-inch (40.6 cm) piece of paper showing a close-up of Milo and Kida. As the camera pulls away from them to reveal the newly restored Atlantis, it reaches the equivalent of an 18,000-inch (46,000 cm) piece of paper composed of many individual pieces of paper (24 inches [61 cm] or smaller). Each piece was carefully drawn and combined with animated vehicles simultaneously flying across the scene to make the viewer see a complete, integrated image.[58] Scale model of Ulysses submarine by Greg Aronowitz, used by digital animators as reference during production.[59] At the time of its release, Atlantis: The Lost Empire was notable for using more computer-generated imagery (CGI) than any other Disney traditionally animated feature. To increase productivity, the directors had the digital artists work with the traditional animators throughout the production. Several important scenes required heavy use of digital animation: the Leviathan, the Ulysses submarine and sub-pods, the Heart of Atlantis, and the Stone Giants.[60] During production, after Matt Codd and Jim Martin designed the Ulysses on paper, Greg Aronowitz was hired to build a scale model of the submarine, to be used as a reference for drawing the 3D Ulysses.[59] The final film included 362 digital-effects shots, and computer programs were used to seamlessly join the 2D and 3D artwork.[61] One scene that took advantage of this was the "sub-drop" scene, where the 3D Ulysses was dropped from its docking bay into the water. As the camera floated toward it, a 2D Milo was drawn to appear inside, tracking the camera. The crew noted that it was challenging to keep the audience from noticing the difference between the 2D and 3D drawings when they were merged.[62] The digital production also gave the directors a unique "virtual camera" for complicated shots within the film. With the ability to operate in the z-plane, this camera moved through a digital wire-frame set; the background and details were later hand-drawn over the wireframes. This was used in the opening flight scene through Atlantis and the submarine chase through the undersea cavern with the Leviathan in pursuit.[63] Music and sound Since the film would not feature any songs, the directors hired James Newton Howard to compose the score after they heard his music on Dinosaur. Approaching it as a live-action film, Howard decided to have different musical themes for the cultures of the surface world and Atlantis. In the case of Atlantis, Howard chose an Indonesian orchestral sound incorporating chimes, bells, and gongs. The directors told Howard that the film would have a number of key scenes without dialogue; the score would need to convey emotionally what the viewer was seeing on screen.[64] Gary Rydstrom and his team at Skywalker Sound were hired for the film's sound production.[65] Like Howard, Rydstrom employed different sounds for the two cultures. Focusing on the machine and mechanical sounds of the early industrial era for the explorers, he felt that the Atlanteans should have a "more organic" sound utilizing ceramics and pottery. The sound made by the Atlantean flying-fish vehicles posed a particular challenge. Rydstrom revealed that he was sitting at the side of a highway recording one day when a semi-truck drove by at high speed. When the recording was sped up on his computer, he felt it sounded very organic, and decided to use it in the film. Rydstrom created the harmonic chiming of the Heart of Atlantis by rubbing his finger along the edge of a champagne flute, the sound of sub-pods moving through the water with a water pick, while a ceramic pot from a garden store was used for the sounds of the movement of the Giant stone guardians.[66] Release Atlantis: The Lost Empire had its world premiere at Disney's El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles, on June 3, 2001[67] and a limited release in New York City and Los Angeles on June 8; a wider release followed on June 15.[4][61] At the premiere, Destination: Atlantis was on display, featuring behind-the-scenes props from the film and information on the legend of Atlantis with video games, displays, laser tag, and other attractions. The Aquarium of the Pacific also loaned a variety of fish for display within the attraction.[68] Promotion Atlantis was among Disney's first major attempts to utilize internet marketing. The film was promoted through Kellogg's, which created a website with mini-games and a movie-based video game give-away for UPC labels from specially marked packages of Atlantis breakfast cereal.[50] The film was one of Disney's first marketing attempts through mobile network operators, and allowed users to download games based on the film.[69] McDonald's (which had an exclusive licensing agreement on all Disney releases) promoted the film with Happy Meal toys, food packaging and in-store decor. The McDonald's advertising campaign involved television, radio, and print advertisements beginning on the film's release date.[70] Frito-Lay offered free admission tickets for the film on specially marked snack packages.[71] Home media Atlantis: The Lost Empire was released on VHS and DVD on January 29, 2002.[72] During the first month of its home release, the film led in VHS sales and was third in VHS and DVD sales combined.[73] Sales and rentals of the VHS and DVD combined would eventually accumulate $157 million in revenue by mid-2003.[74] Both a single-disc DVD edition and a two-disc collector's edition (with bonus features) were released. The single-disc DVD gave the viewer the option of viewing the film either in its original theatrical 2.39:1 aspect ratio or a modified 1.33:1 ratio (utilizing pan and scan). Bonus features available on the DVD version included audio and visual commentary from the film team, a virtual tour of the CGI models, an Atlantean-language tutorial, an encyclopedia on the myth of Atlantis, and the deleted Viking prologue scene.[72] The two-disc collector's edition DVD contained all the single-disc features and a disc with supplemental material detailing all aspects of the film's production. The collector's-edition film could only be viewed in its original theatrical ratio, and also featured an optional DTS 5.1 track. Both DVD versions, however, contained a Dolby Digital 5.1 track and were THX certified.[72][75] Disney digitally remastered and released Atlantis on Blu-ray on June 11, 2013, bundled with its sequel Atlantis: Milo's Return.[76] Reception Box office Before the film's release, reporters speculated that it would have a difficult run due to competition from Shrek and Lara Croft: Tomb Raider. Regarding the market's shift from traditional animation and competition with CG-animated films, Kirk Wise said, "Any traditional animator, including myself, can't help but feel a twinge. I think it always comes down to story and character, and one form won't replace the other. Just like photography didn't replace painting. But maybe I'm blind to it."[61] Jeff Jensen of Entertainment Weekly noted that CGI films (such as Shrek) were more likely to attract the teenage demographic typically not interested in animation, and called Atlantis a "marketing and creative gamble".[77] With a budget of $100 million,[3] the film opened at #2 on its debut weekend, behind Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, earning $20.3 million in 3,011 theaters.[78] During its second weekend, it would drop into fourth place behind the latter film, Dr. Dolittle 2 and The Fast and the Furious, making $13.2 million.[79] The film's international release began September 20 in Australia and other markets followed suit.[80] During its 25-week theatrical run, Atlantis: The Lost Empire grossed over $186 million worldwide ($84 million from the United States and Canada).[4] Responding to its disappointing box-office performance, Thomas Schumacher, then-president of Walt Disney Feature Animation, said, "It seemed like a good idea at the time to not do a sweet fairy tale, but we missed."[81] Critical response Atlantis: The Lost Empire received mixed reviews from critics,[82][83][84] many of whom criticized its story.[85] The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reports that 48% of 144 professional critics have given Atlantis: The Lost Empire a positive review; the average rating is 5.5/10. The site's consensus is: "Atlantis provides a fast-paced spectacle, but stints on such things as character development and a coherent plot".[86] Metacritic assigned the film a weighted average score of 52 out of 100 based on 29 reviews from critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews.[87] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A" on an A+ to F scale.[88] While critics had mixed reactions to the film in general, some praised it for its visuals, action-adventure elements, and attempt to appeal to an older audience. Roger Ebert gave Atlantis three-and-a-half stars out of four. He praised the animation's "clean bright visual look" and the "classic energy of the comic book style", crediting this to the work of Mike Mignola. Ebert gave particular praise to the story and the final battle scene and wrote, "The story of Atlantis is rousing in an old pulp science fiction sort of way, but the climactic scene transcends the rest, and stands by itself as one of the great animated action sequences."[89] In The New York Times, Elvis Mitchell gave high praise to the film, calling it "a monumental treat", and stated, "Atlantis is also one of the most eye-catching Disney cartoons since Uncle Walt institutionalized the four-fingered glove."[90] Internet film critic James Berardinelli wrote a positive review of the film, giving it three out of four stars. He wrote, "On the whole, Atlantis offers 90 minutes of solid entertainment, once again proving that while Disney may be clueless when it comes to producing good live-action movies, they are exactly the opposite when it comes to their animated division."[91] Wesley Morris of the San Francisco Chronicle wrote positively of the film's approach for an older audience: "But just beneath the surface, Atlantis brims with adult possibility."[92] Other critics felt that the film was mediocre in regards to its story and characters, and that it failed to deliver as a non-musical to Disney's traditional audience. Owen Gleiberman of Entertainment Weekly gave the film a C+ rating, writing that the film had "gee-whiz formulaic character" and was "the essence of craft without dream".[93] Kenneth Turan of the Los Angeles Times said the storyline and characterizations were "old-fashioned" and the film had the retrograde look of a Saturday-morning cartoon, but these deficiencies were offset by its "brisk action" and frantic pace.[94] Todd McCarthy of Variety wrote, "Disney pushes into all-talking, no-singing, no-dancing and, in the end, no-fun animated territory."[95] Stephanie Zacharek of Salon wrote of Disney's attempt to make the film for an adult audience, "The big problem with Disney's latest animated feature, Atlantis: The Lost Empire, is that it doesn't seem geared to kids at all: It's so adult that it's massively boring."[96] Rita Kempley of The Washington Post panned the film, calling it a "new-fashioned but old-fangled hash" and wrote, "Ironically Disney had hoped to update its image with this mildly diverting adventure, yet the picture hasn't really broken away from the tried-and-true format spoofed in the far superior Shrek."[97] In 2015, Katharine Trendacosta at io9 reviewed the film and called it a "Beautiful Gem of a Movie That Deserved Better Than It Got" and said that the film deserves more love than it ended up getting.[6] Lindsay Teal considers "Atlantis" to be "a lost Disney classic". Describing the film as highly entertaining, she praises the writing and characterisation – in particular, Sweet, Helga and Kida.[7] In particular, much praise has been given to the character of Kida.[98] Summer has regarded the character of Kida as one of her favourite roles and even considers the character among the official Disney Princess line-up. Themes and interpretations Several critics and scholars have noted that Atlantis plays strongly on themes of anti-capitalism and anti-imperialism. M. Keith Booker, academic and author of studies about the implicit messages conveyed by media, views the character of Rourke as being motivated by "capitalist greed" when he pursues "his own financial gain" in spite of the knowledge that "his theft [of the crystal] will lead to the destruction of [Atlantis]".[99] Religion journalist Mark Pinsky, in his exploration of moral and spiritual themes in popular Disney films, says that "it is impossible to read the movie ... any other way" than as "a devastating, unrelenting attack on capitalism and American imperialism".[100] Max Messier of FilmCritic.com observes, "Disney even manages to lambast the capitalist lifestyle of the adventurers intent on uncovering the lost city. Damn the imperialists!"[101] According to Booker, the film also "delivers a rather segregationist moral" by concluding with the discovery of the Atlanteans kept secret from other surface-dwellers in order to maintain a separation between the two highly divergent cultures.[102] Others saw Atlantis as an interesting look at utopian philosophy of the sort found in classic works of science fiction by H. G. Wells and Jules Verne.[103] Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water controversy When the film was released, some viewers noticed that Atlantis: The Lost Empire was similar to the 1990-91 anime Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water, particularly in its character design, setting, and story.[104] The similarities, as noted by viewers in both Japan and America, were strong enough for its production company Gainax to be called to sue for plagiarism. According to Gainax member Yasuhiro Takeda, they only refrained from doing so because the decision belonged to parent companies NHK and Toho.[105] Another Gainax worker, Hiroyuki Yamaga, was quoted in an interview in 2000 as saying: "We actually tried to get NHK to pick a fight with Disney, but even the National Television Network of Japan didn't dare to mess with Disney and their lawyers. [...] We actually did say that but we wouldn't actually take them to court. We would be so terrified about what they would do to them in return that we wouldn't dare."[105] Although Disney never responded formally to those claims, co-director Kirk Wise posted on a Disney animation newsgroup in May 2001, "Never heard of Nadia till it was mentioned in this [newsgroup]. Long after we'd finished production, I might add." He claimed both Atlantis and Nadia were inspired, in part, by the 1870 Jules Verne novel Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas.[106] However, speaking about the clarification, Lee Zion from Anime News Network wrote, "There are too many similarities not connected with 20,000 Leagues for the whole thing to be coincidence."[107] As such, the whole affair ultimately entered popular culture as a convincing case of plagiarism.[108][109][110] In 2018, Reuben Baron from Comic Book Resources added to Zion's comment stating, "Verne didn't specifically imagine magic crystal-based technology, something featured in both the Disney movie and the too similar anime. The Verne inspiration also doesn't explain the designs being suspiciously similar to Nadia's."[110] Critics also saw parallels with the 1986 film Laputa: Castle in the Sky from Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli (which also featured magic crystals, and Atlantis directors Trousdale and Wise both acknowledged Miyazaki's works as a major influence on their own work)[104] and with the 1994 film Stargate as Milo's characteristics were said to resemble those of Daniel Jackson, the protagonist of Stargate and its spinoff television series Stargate SG-1 — which coincidentally launched its own spinoff, titled Stargate Atlantis; the plot of the 1994 film is also paralleled involving a group visiting an unknown world, a fictional language made for the other world's people, the main protagonist having apparent knowledge of the people's culture, falling in love with one of the female locals and electing to stay behind when the others return home.[111] Accolades Award Category Name Result 29th Annie Awards[112] Individual Achievement in Directing Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise Nominated Individual Achievement in Storyboarding Chris Ure Nominated Individual Achievement in Production Design David Goetz Nominated Individual Achievement in Effects Animation Marlon West Nominated Individual Achievement in Voice Acting – Female Florence Stanley Nominated Individual Achievement in Voice Acting – Male Leonard Nimoy Nominated Individual Achievement for Music Score James Newton Howard Nominated 2002 DVD Exclusive Awards[113] Original Retrospective Documentary Michael Pellerin Nominated 2002 Golden Reel Award[114] Best Sound Editing – Animated Feature Film Gary Rydstrom, Michael Silvers, Mary Helen Leasman, John K. Carr, Shannon Mills, Ken Fischer, David C. Hughes, and Susan Sanford Won Online Film Critics Society Awards 2001[115] Best Animated Feature Nominated 2002 Political Film Society[116] Democracy Nominated Human Rights Nominated Peace Nominated World Soundtrack Awards[117] Best Original Song for Film Diane Warren and James Newton Howard Nominated Young Artist Awards[118] Best Feature Family Film – Drama Walt Disney Feature Animation Nominated Related works Main article: Atlantis (franchise) Atlantis: The Lost Empire was meant to inspire an animated television series entitled Team Atlantis, which would have presented the further adventures of its characters. The series would have been akin to an animated steampunk version of The X-Files and feature a crossover with Gargoyles. However, because of the film's underperformance at the box office, the series was not produced.[119] On May 20, 2003, Disney released a direct-to-video sequel titled Atlantis: Milo's Return, consisting of three episodes planned for the aborted series.[120] Disneyland planned to revive its Submarine Voyage ride with an Atlantis: The Lost Empire theme with elements from the movie. These plans were canceled and the attraction was re-opened in 2007 as the Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage, its theme based on the 2003 Pixar film Finding Nemo, which was far more successful commercially and critically.[121] In addition, after the Submarine Voyage's Magic Kingdom counterpart, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea: Submarine Voyage, closed down in 1994, four years before Disneyland's, there were proposals of a new attraction that would take its place, with one of them a volcano attraction inspired by that film's Vulcania location, being approved for the Magic Kingdom's Adventureland area. Around 1999, during development of Atlantis: The Lost Empire, it was decided that it would be themed to the movie, with it taking place in 1916, two years after the film's events. The ride would have focused on Preston Whitmore, a character from the film, seeking to make Atlantis existence public and offer expeditions to visitors in newly developed vehicles. However, due to mishaps, the vehicles would be forced to make a detour through the lava-filled caverns of the volcano. The attraction would have used a unique hybrid ride system, in which it would start as a standard coaster before the trains hook up to a suspended track midway through to fly through the caverns. The attraction would have been accessed by a new canyon path in between Pirates of the Caribbean and a re-routed Jungle Cruise that would have led to a Whitmore Enterprises base camp at the edge of the Walt Disney World Railroad path, with the mountain itself being built outside the berm. However, like the previous Submarine Voyage retheme, the ride was cancelled due to the film's disappointment in the box office.[122]

united states america music american california canada learning new york city australia art earth hollywood disney internet los angeles washington voice japan french religion home heart sales german development western italian drawing north america greek african americans 3d indian journal mexican mcdonald focusing wise production scale washington post caribbean giant star trek falling in love new mexico notre dame dvd responding pirates pacific raiders pixar disneyland dinosaurs morris guided vhs critics considerations variety salon themes viking determined cgi atlantis napoleon plato shrek los angeles times seas x files booker puerto rican rotten tomatoes smithsonian 2d audiences indonesians aboard blu kellogg hellboy viewers lost ark tibetans mayan leviathan studio ghibli stargate leagues hahn michael j fox garner sanford burbank san francisco chronicle magic kingdom jungle cruise aquarium hayao miyazaki cg southeast asian entertainment weekly disney princesses sensing miyazaki cambodians roger ebert finding nemo mahoney happy meals layout ebert leonard nimoy jules verne edmonds akira kurosawa klingon moli gargoyles hunchback toho rourke dolittle smithsonian institution metacritic blackbeard thx nhk verne frito lay fantasyland whitmore edgar cayce adventureland packard dts atlanteans mike mignola upc james garner david lean blue water best original song stargate sg varney harcourt leagues under atlantis the lost empire jim varney indo european nimoy lara croft tomb raider james newton howard thomas schumacher annie awards jim martin daniel jackson john mahoney gainax stargate atlantis novello arapaho lloyd bridges cinemascope mignola kida wesley morris edward teach carlsbad caverns cree summer skywalker sound cinemascore claudia christian david ogden stiers walt disney feature animation anime news network don hahn phil morris comic book resources jeff jensen uncle walt corey burton twenty thousand leagues under laputa castle walt disney world railroad gary trousdale kirk wise submarine voyage best sound editing elvis mitchell el capitan theatre todd mccarthy marc okrand gary rydstrom owen gleiberman finding nemo submarine voyage stone giants dolby digital don novello vulcania kenneth turan ken fischer nadia the secret although disney katharine trendacosta james berardinelli
Roger (Ebert) & Me
You, Me and Tuscany, Faces of Death, Exit 8, Thrash, Outcome, Hunting Matthews Nichols

Roger (Ebert) & Me

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 10, 2026 65:14


6:46 You, Me and Tuscany 14:43 Faces of Death 25:35 Exit 8 33:38 Thrash 39:33 Outcome 48:23 Hunting Matthews Nichols It's a 6-movie week on 'At the Movies Again,' formerly known as 'Roger (Ebert) & Me, a weekly movie review podcast tribute to 'Siskel & Ebert' hosted by film critics Brett Arnold & Mark Dujsik. The show covers every new theatrical and streaming release each Friday in the format Gene Siskel & Roger Ebert pioneered. A movie review podcast covering all new releases every Friday, modeled after 'Siskel & Ebert,' the pair who inadvertently invented film podcasting in the 1970s. Hosted by Mark Dujsik of markreviewsmovies.com & Brett Arnold of Yahoo Entertainment and The New Flesh podcast, a show about horror movies that is currently celebrating its 11th year. Please rate and review on Apple Podcasts. Even if you're on Spotify or YouTube, jump over there and throw us 5 stars. We can't get on RottenTomatoes until 200 people rate it! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Die Hard On A Blank
THE RAID with Jason Kleeberg!

Die Hard On A Blank

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 1, 2026 86:58


It's Die Hard in a tower block! Yep things really are coming full circle now as this time the Die Hard-esque mayhem takes place in…a tall building…as we discuss Gareth Evans' furiously intense game-changer THE RAID (aka THE RAID: REDEMPTION) with special guest Jason Kleeburg!Rama (Iko Uwais) is a young police officer in the Mobile Brigade Corps, Indonesia's spec-ops paramilitary tactical unit. Rama is part of an small MBC squad who are tasked with assaulting an impenetrable Jakarta slum ruled by the notorious gangster Tama Riyadi (Ray Sahetapy). The goal is to extract and arrest Tama, but the bungled operation quickly goes to hell, and soon Rama and what's left of his unit find themselves trapped inside the building, facing overwhelming opposition from Tama's seemingly endless hordes of henchmen. So, are the DHOAB boys ready for a bit of the old ultraviolence? Well, opinions vary. The lads fiercely debate this divisive film's merits…just like many of the prominent critics did at the time of its release. Is this, as Jason suggests, simply one of the best fight films ever made? Or is it, as Roger Ebert argued, “a visualized video game that spares the audience the inconvenience of playing it”? Perhaps it's both, and the guys chew it all over, discussing its relevance as a paradigm-shifter for the entire action genre, its influences (and influence) across Asian, American, and indeed world cinema, and its potency, originality, and inventiveness with no recognizable stars, a fixed location, and an extremely limited budget. As always the fellas wrap things up with the Die Hard Oscars, followed by the Double Jeopardy Trivia Quiz…while still searching valiantly for the titular “redemption”! Raid Riders rise up! TRAILER: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6Q7KnXpNOgAt the time of release, THE RAID: REDEMPTION is streaming on AMC+, Sundance Now, and Philo and is available to rent or buy on Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV/iTunes, YouTube, Fandango and all the usual platforms! It is also available on physical media!Click here to subscribe to our Patreon feed 48 HOURS OF BUDDY MOVIES!www.patreon.com/48hoursofbuddymoviesNO ESCAPE on 4K (featuring our commentary track) is OUT NOW! Order here! https://shop.umbrellaent.com.au/products/no-escape-1994-4k-blu-ray?srsltid=AfmBOoqnRCaCPMg02WCWvNPTkK_8_fwYeelYFr90HpRlEuQQZ0025adT Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Awesome Movie Year
Ran (1985 Foreign Film)

Awesome Movie Year

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 1, 2026 63:39


The seventh episode of our season on the awesome movie year of 1985 features our foreign film pick, Akira Kurosawa's Ran. Directed and co-written by Akira Kurosawa and starring Tatsuya Nakadai, Akira Terao, Jinpachi Nezu, Daisuke Ryu and Mieko Harada, Ran is adapted from William Shakespeare's King Lear.The contemporary reviews quoted in this episode come from Roger Ebert (https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/ran-1985), Paul Attanasio in The Washington Post (https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1986/01/24/movies/86669975-df20-49c2-9e7f-f8c7268250df/), and Pauline Kael in The New Yorker.Check out more info and the entire archive of past episodes at https://www.awesomemovieyear.com and visit us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/awesomemovieyearYou can find Jason on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/JHarrisComedy/, on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/jasonharriscomedy/ and on Letterboxd at https://letterboxd.com/goforjason/You can find Josh online at http://joshbellhateseverything.com/, on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/joshbellhateseverything/, on Bluesky at signalbleed.bsky.social and on Letterboxd at https://letterboxd.com/signalbleed/If you're a Letterboxd user and you watch any of the movies we talk about on the show, tag your review “Awesome Movie Year” to share your thoughts.You can find our producer David Rosen and his Piecing It Together Podcast at https://www.piecingpod.com, on Twitter at @piecingpod, on Bluesky at piecingpod.bsky.social and on Letterboxd at https://letterboxd.com/bydavidrosen/ Join the Popcorn & Puzzle Pieces Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/piecingpod for more movie discussion and our Awesome Movie Year audience choice polls.All of the music in the episode is by David Rosen. Find more of his music at https://www.bydavidrosen.comSubscribe on Patreon to support the show and get access to exclusive content from Awesome Movie Year and Piecing It Together, plus music by David Rosen: https://www.patreon.com/bydavidrosenPlease like, share, rate and comment on the show and this episode, and tune in for the next 1985 episode, with our animation pick, Will Vinton's The Adventures of Mark Twain.

Roger (Ebert) & Me
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, The Drama, Pizza Movie, The Stranger, The Yeti

Roger (Ebert) & Me

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 1, 2026 60:07


4:21 The Super Mario Galaxy Movie 17:01 The Drama (Zendaya, Robert Pattinson) 25:31 Pizza Movie 34:19 The Stranger 40:38 The Yeti It's a 5-movie week on 'At the Movies Again,' formerly known as 'Roger (Ebert) & Me, a weekly movie review podcast tribute to 'Siskel & Ebert' hosted by film critics Brett Arnold & Mark Dujsik. The show covers every new theatrical and streaming release each Friday in the format Gene Siskel & Roger Ebert pioneered. Except today is a special early Wednesday drop, thanks to Mario's release date. A movie review podcast covering all new releases every Friday, modeled after 'Siskel & Ebert,' the pair who inadvertently invented film podcasting in the 1970s. Hosted by Mark Dujsik of markreviewsmovies.com & Brett Arnold of Yahoo Entertainment and The New Flesh podcast, a show about horror movies that is currently celebrating its 11th year. Please rate and review on Apple Podcasts. Even if you're on Spotify or YouTube, jump over there and throw us 5 stars. We can't get on RottenTomatoes until 200 people rate it! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Black on Black Cinema
Zohran Mamdani's Wife Said the N-Word...at Age 15

Black on Black Cinema

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 26, 2026 31:08 Transcription Available


This week on Black on Black Cinema, the crew returns to announce the next film, "Black Belt Jones." The 1974 blaxploitation classic starring Jim Kelly, which follows the Mafia buy out of Papa Byrd's karate school downtown that ends in his death. Byrd's daughter, Sydney, refuses to sell, and wants revenge. Byrd's students call the Black Belt Jones for help. Jones reluctantly teams with Sydney in many battles. The random topic this week is about the discovery that the wife of the Mayor of New York City, Rama Duwaji, said the N-word in a tweet back when she was 15. We have a conversation on the severity of this discovery and the weirdness of certain rules and lines on the use of the word by people outside of the community.Black on Black Cinema is a long-running podcast featuring in-depth Black movie reviews and frank conversations that matter to the Black community. We review Black films across every genre — from Black horror and Black sci-fi to indie dramas, comedies, and blockbuster action. Covering filmmakers like Spike Lee, Jordan Peele, Ryan Coogler, Ava DuVernay, and more. Hosted by Jay, Micah, Terrence, and T'ara. Featured on RogerEbert.com. A TNP Studios production. New episodes weekly on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and all major platforms. For more TNP Studios content, check out The Nerdpocalypse (movie & TV news), Look Forward (progressive politics), and Dense Pixels (video game news).

From Beneath the Hollywood Sign
JAMES WONG HOWE - 132

From Beneath the Hollywood Sign

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 23, 2026 34:49


“JAMES WONG HOWE: THE MAN WHO PAINTED WITH LIGHT” - 3/16/2026 (132) Today, we're going to step behind the camera and shine a spotlight—quite literally—on one of the most brilliant craftsmen Hollywood has ever seen. A man who helped shape the way movies look. If you've ever admired the stark black-and-white photography in Hud, the shadowy nighttime streets of Sweet Smell of Success, or the striking boxing scenes in Body and Soul, then you've already seen the artistry of cinematographer JAMES WONG HOWE. And whether you realized it or not, you were looking at the work of someone who had a huge influence on the visual language of film. Join us as we examine the life and career of this technical master.  SHOW NOTES:  Sources: James Wong Howe: The Camera Eye (2010), by Alain Silver; “Focusing In On James Wing Howe,” May 31, 2024, TriviaMafia.com; “James Wong Howe: Unsung Hero of Golden Age Hollywood,” April 27, 2022, by Nicholas Rapold, The Financial Times; “James Wong Howe: Master of Lights,” December 14, 2012, by Roger Ebert; RogerEbert.com; “James Wong Howe Dies; Noted Cinematographer,” July 16, 1976, by Robert Hanley, New York Times; Oscars.org Wikipedia.com; TCM.com; IMDBPro.com; Movies Mentioned: Hud (1963), starring Paul Newman, Patricia Neal, and Melvyn Douglas; The Sweet Smell of Success (1957), starring Burt Lancaster, Tony Curtis, & Susan Harrison; Body & Soul (1947)l starring John Garfield, Lilli Palmer, Anne Revere, Hazel Scott, & Canda Lee; Male and Female (1919), starring Gloria Swanson; The Spanish Dancer (1923), starring Pola Negri; Peter Pan (1924); Shanghai Express (1932)l starring Marlene Dietrich & Anna May Wong; Manhattan Melodrama (1934), starring Clark Gable, Myrna Loy, William Powell, & Mickey Rooney; The Thin Man (1934), starring William Powell & Myrna Loy;  Little Lord Fauntleroy (1936), with Freddie Bartholomew; The Prisoner of Zenda (1937), starring Madeleine Carroll & Douglas Fairbanks Jr,;   Algiers (1938), starring Charles Boyer & Hedy Lamarr:   Abe Lincoln in Illinois (1940), with Raymond Massey; Fantasia (1940); The Strawberry Blonde (1941), starring James Cagney, Olivia de Havilland, & Rita Hayworth; King's Row (1942), starring Ann Sheridan & Ronald Davis;  Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942), starring James Garfield & Joan Leslie; The Hard Way (1943), starring Ida Lupino & Joan Leslie; The North Star (1943), starring Dana Andrews & Anne Baxter; Air Force (1943), with John Garfield; Confidential Agent (1945), starring Charles Boyer & Lauren Bacall;  Nora Prentiss (1947), starring Ann Sheridan:  He Ran All the Way (1951), with John Garfield & Shelley Winters; The Baron of Arizona (1950) starring Vincent Price & Ellen Drew; The Rose Tattoo (1955) starring Anna Magnani, Burt Lancaster & Marisa Pavan; Seconds (1966), starring Rock Hudson; Go, Man, Go (1954), starring Dane Clark & Sidney Poitier; Funny Lady (1975), starring Barbra Streisand; --------------------------------- http://www.airwavemedia.com Please contact sales@advertisecast.com if you would like to advertise on our podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Black on Black Cinema
Devil in a Blue Dress — Denzel's Neo-Noir Film & The Franchise That Never Was

Black on Black Cinema

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 20, 2026 82:38 Transcription Available


Devil in a Blue Dress (1995): Denzel Washington's most underrated performance. Directed by Carl Franklin, based on Walter Mosley's novel. Easy Rawlins, a Black WWII veteran in 1948 Los Angeles, takes a job finding a missing white woman. Simple task becomes a labyrinth of violence, corruption, and impossible choices. This week on Black on Black Cinema, we look back on one of Denzel's lesser known classics.This should have launched a franchise. Walter Mosley wrote 14 Easy Rawlins books. Denzel was perfect in the role. Don Cheadle's Mouse was a scene stealer. Carl Franklin's direction was a excellent visual take on the times and brought the book to life.Why it matters: Denzel plays Easy as morally complex—not hero, not villain, just a Black man trying to survive. Don Cheadle's breakout as Mouse (chaotic, violent, loyal). Carl Franklin directs through the Black gaze. 1948 LA shown as a minefield for Black veterans. Themes: survival in immoral systems, respectability politics, racial passing.This is a forgotten masterpiece. We break down why Devil in a Blue Dress deserves reconsideration.New episodes every other week.Subscribe: Spreaker, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube#DevilInABlueDress #DenzelWashingtonBlack on Black Cinema is a long-running podcast featuring in-depth Black movie reviews and frank conversations that matter to the Black community. We review Black films across every genre — from Black horror and Black sci-fi to indie dramas, comedies, and blockbuster action. Covering filmmakers like Spike Lee, Jordan Peele, Ryan Coogler, Ava DuVernay, and more. Hosted by Jay, Micah, Terrence, and T'ara. Featured on RogerEbert.com. A TNP Studios production. New episodes weekly on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and all major platforms. For more TNP Studios content, check out The Nerdpocalypse (movie & TV news), Look Forward (progressive politics), and Dense Pixels (video game news).

Black on Black Cinema
Living Through Moral Collapse (Iran War)

Black on Black Cinema

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 12, 2026 43:03 Transcription Available


Next week on Black on Black Cinema, we're reviewing Devil in a Blue Dress (1995), starring Denzel Washington in one of his most underrated performances. This Carl Franklin neo-noir follows Easy Rawlins navigating 1940s Los Angeles—a Black veteran trying to survive in a world designed to destroy him.But first, we need to talk about something: watching the Iran war unfold from inside the United States feels surreal. We're living through what might be the moral collapse of American foreign policy in real time, and the cognitive dissonance is overwhelming. How do you review films about justice and survival when your country is manufacturing catastrophe overseas?