You can download or stream the pod on Apple Podcasts, Tune In, Podbean, or Spreaker (or wherever you listen to podcasts…..we’re almost everywhere).
If you get a chance please make sure to review, rate and share. You are awesome.
Mark and Aaron Neuwirth (@AaronsPS4 on X) draft their favorite scenes from 2003 action movies. In this episode, you’ll hear them talk about the neat action scenes in Matrix Reloaded, Oldboy, 2 Fast 2 Furious, Bad Boys 2, Ong-Bak: Muay Thai Warrior, Kill Bill, and many more cool action movies.
If you are a fan of the podcast, make sure to send in some random listener questions (we love random questions). We thank you for listening, and hope you enjoy the episode!
To get ready for the 2003 action scene draft make sure to listen to the other action drafts that Aaron and I have recorded.
Share this post:
John’s Horror Corner: Clown in a Cornfield (2025), the barely not regrettable “clown horror” you could probably skip.
MY CALL: I’m not even sure whether to call this more horror comedy, which it isn’t quite, or more satire, which it also isn’t quite. This also isn’t quite impressive, though actually quite competently made and juuuust entertaining enough for me not to fully regret it. MORE MOVIES LIKE Clown in a Cornfield: For more (and far better) evil clown movies, try Killer Klowns from Outer Space (1988), All Hallows’ Eve (2013), Terrifier (2016), Terrifier 2 (2022), Stephen King’s It (1990, 2017), and maaaybe even Clownhouse (1989), Stitches (2012), Scary or Die (2012) and Clown (2014).
Almost satirizing the trope, some kids at a 1991 rural keg party wander into a cornfield to make out and it most unshockingly ends in murder. And not just any murder. Murder by a squeaky-plus-size-shoed clown with a pitchfork. PS—my tone is not mocking. I did enjoy it. Even if nothing special, it’s well-executed.
Skip forward to present day and, just like Founder’s Day (2023), the town celebrates the Fall holiday of Founder’s Day. I’ll spare myself the online deep dive into 80s horror minutiae… but I’m assuming more movies are themed around the same day.
Quinn (Katie Douglas) is reluctantly moved by her doctor father to a small town to finish her senior year of high school. Through teacher-mocking solidarity, she ends up in detention and making friends with a bad crowd—Ronnie (Verity Marks; Elevator Game, Toys of Terror), Tucker (Ayo Solanke), Matt (Alexandre Martin Deakin), Cole (Carson MacCormac), and Janet (Cassandra Potenza). This crew makes joke videos depicting a local serial killer legend, a clown named Frendo. But Frendo doesn’t think they’re very funny… So, Frendo stalks them one by one.
The death scenes are nothing special—but not boring either. The weightlifting death definitely drew a grin, even if unsensational. Overall, attempts to make the death scenes more funny or feisty are considerably less effective than desired. This movie isn’t bad by any means. But I think it would land better on younger audiences more green to the genre.
Watch out for Kevin Durand (Abigail, Captive, Resident Evil: Retribution) as the town mayor and Will Sasso (Super Troopers, Mad TV) as the sheriff. Unfortunately, these minor roles may be the highlight of the movie for fans over 40.
Director Eli Craig has made a proficient slash-em up for teenagers—and maybe that was the goal. But I’d call this his distinctly inferior film. There is truly no comparison to the likes of Craig’s Tucker and Dale versus Evil (2010). Again, it’s not bad—pretty decent even. But it’s definitely weak when compared to the outstanding work for which he is known. So, temper your expectations accordingly.
Share this post:
John’s Horror Corner: The Ugly Stepsister (2025; aka, Den stygge stesøsteren), the delightfully macabre Norwegian twist on the Cinderella fairy tale.
MY CALL: This was a good film! A lovely dark fantasy with great acting, writing, production, pacing… I enjoyed this a lot. But it’s not really for folks seeking a horror movie—even though it’s clearly not not horror. MORE MOVIES LIKE The Ugly Stepsister: If you like your dark fantasy with a taste (or more) of horror, consider The Company of Wolves (1984), Sleepy Hollow (1999), The Brothers Grimm (2005), Viy: Forbidden Empire (2014), The Hallow (2015) or Gretel & Hansel (2020). For another interesting horror-adjacent Norwegian take on fantasy, try Trollhunter (2010).
Firstly, we must set expectations appropriately. If you seek a horror film, this isn’t it. This isn’t not horror by general classification; and horror fans should delight in this film. But this is truly a dark fantasy with a few horror elements. With that said, I really enjoyed this film!
Elvira (Lea Myren; Jenter) is introduced to her new home when her mother Rebekka (Ane Dahl Torp; The Wave) marries a nobleman (Ralph Carlsson) at his estate… who then dies before tasting his own wedding cake.
It seems that both Rebekka and her abruptly late husband married each other based on lies each told of their wealth. When the truth is revealed that neither had money, the burden falls upon the homely Elvira to marry into wealth to protect her family. But rejoice, as the local prince has invited all noble virgins (which Elvira has been for not 24 hours) to a ball to select his wife! And among these invitations is Elvira’s gorgeous new stepsister Agnes (Thea Sofie Loch Næss; Evil), who has been less than thrilled with the new living situation, and her new stepmother’s lack of compassion for her late father’s remains.
To prepare our less comely Elvira, her braces are removed with pliers, she gets a nose job with a hammer and chisel (the doctor is a DELIGHT), attends a catty finishing school, ingests a tapeworm to lose weight, and fake eyelashes are sewn into her eyelids. Many of these scenes induce winces and yelps from viewers, including myself. But the truly brutal scene is yet to come!
Meanwhile her stepsister is assisted by supernatural visions of her departed mother and magical silkworms that mend her dress for the ball. So, is our Elvira the Cinderella we expect? And since this is a horror-ish movie, what will come of that tapeworm? And the slipper! What of the slipper?
As we wait to learn the answers to these questions, we enjoy a well-produced, well-paced lead-in to the Prince’s ball, complete with all manner of noble disdain for the more “poor” nobles, toxic beautification practices, provocative dialogue cultivating tension between Elvira, Agnes and Rebekka… and let me say, Rebekka is quite the character. I won’t spoil anything, though. The entire cast and filmmaking team actually does a fantastic job, such that I would have just as much enjoyed this story without any horrific elements, told as a historical-fantasy drama series—something like The Serpent Queen (2022-2024).
Overall, there are a few truly brutal or wincingly gross scenes in this movie—and they hit pretty hard. This may not be a gory tour-de-force; really it’s more about the storytelling. But a well done, twisted fairy tale. Very well done. Director and writer Emilie Blichfeldt’s first feature film is as engaging as a dark fairy tale as it is an occasionally disgusting horror. And while I’m excited to see whatever she does next, I wonder if she has gross creative spins on other fairy tales in mind…
Share this post:
The Movies, Films and Flix Podcast – Episode 654: I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997), Trunk Crabs, and Chase Scenes
You can download or stream the pod on Apple Podcasts, Tune In, Podbean, or Spreaker (or wherever you listen to podcasts…..we’re almost everywhere).
If you get a chance please make sure to review, rate and share. You are awesome.
The Scream ripoff series begins! Mark and Zanandi discuss the 1997 horror film I Know What You Did Last Summer. Directed by Jim Gillespie and starring Jennifer Love Hewitt, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Freddie Prinze Jr., and an insane fisherman, the movie focuses on what happens when a car is accidentally driven into a psychotic fisherman. In this episode, they also talk about trunk crabs, insane plans, and tank tops. Enjoy!
If you are a fan of the podcast, make sure to send in some random listener questions (we love random questions). We thank you for listening, and hope you enjoy the episode!
Share this post:
The Long Walk (2025) – 10 Quick Thoughts
I’d love to write more about The Long Walk, but my schedule is insane, so I wanted to share some quick thoughts because I’m a big fan of the film.
1. Now that the Academy Awards have a “Best Achievement in Casting” category, it would be cool to see Casting Director Rich Delia (Joy Ride, Short Term 12, Game Night, It) get a nomination. The cast is excellent.
2. David Jonsson and Cooper Hoffman have beautiful chemistry. Aside from the technical wizardry, solid supporting actors, and confident direction, they are a big reason why the film works so well.
3. Between I Am Legend, Hunger Games 2-4, and The Long Walk, director Francis Lawrence has proven himself to be adept at bringing post-apocalyptic (or dystopian) worlds to life. Crafting something like The Long Walk couldn’t be easy, so I appreciate the hard work Lawrence put into it. You can tell it was a passion project for him.
4. The Long Walk was shot in chronological order during a hot summer in Manitoba, Canada, and the actors walked an estimated 8 to 14 miles per day during the 35-day shoot. You can feel the exhaustion in their performances, and actual pavement pounding creates a welcome dose of authenticity.
5. Cinematographer Jo Willems (Hunger Games 2-4, Red Sparrow) should be applauded for the shot selection and ability to not make the walking seem monotonous. He said he shot the film with “almost no equipment, no lighting and no control,” and he totally pulled off something special. You can tell that he and Lawrence have a nice shorthand, and it’s interesting that they found inspiration from Vietnam War photos and videos to create the look and feel of the film.
6. It would be great if David Jonsson picked up a bunch of acting nominations. I know The Long Walk is a genre film about young kids being murdered (which won’t help come awards time), but his performance is exceptional. He called the film “a once-in-a-lifetime kind of thing,” and you can tell he walked hard for it.
7. It will win the 2025 movie award for “Most Pooping on Empty Roads.”
8. Garrett Wareing, Tut Nyuot, Mark Hamill, Charlie Plummer, Ben Wang, and Joshua Odjick are very good.
9. Writer JT Mollner is on a roll! Between Strange Darling (2024) and The Long Walk (2025), he’s written two legit screenplays (adapted and original).
10. The 7.4 IMDb score and the 89% Tomatometer score make me happy.
Share this post:
The Movies, Films and Flix Podcast – Episode 653: Couples Retreat (2009), Romantic Comedies, and Guitar Hero
You can download or stream the pod on Apple Podcasts, Tune In, Podbean, or Spreaker (or wherever you listen to podcasts…..we’re almost everywhere).
If you get a chance please make sure to review, rate and share. You are awesome.
Mark and Erik discuss the 2009 romantic comedy Couples Retreat. Directed by Peter Billingsley and starring Vince Vaughn, Jon Favreau, Malin Akerman, Kristin Bell, and Guitar Hero, the movie focuses on what happens when four couples are forced to endure couples therapy while visiting a beautiful island. In this episode, they also talk about original ideas, rom-com tropes, and vacation movies. Enjoy!
If you are a fan of the podcast, make sure to send in some random listener questions (we love random questions). We thank you for listening, and hope you enjoy the episode!
Share this post:
The Movies, Films and Flix Podcast – Episode 652: Quotable Movie Lines
You can download or stream the pod on Apple Podcasts, Tune In, Podbean, or Spreaker (or wherever you listen to podcasts…..we’re almost everywhere).
If you get a chance please make sure to review, rate and share. You are awesome.
Mark and Nick share their favorite quotable movie lines from films like Airheads, Ernest Scared Stupid, Hot Tub Time Machine, Raising Arizona, Spaceballs, Walk Hard, and Dumb and Dumber.
If you are a fan of the podcast, make sure to send in some random listener questions (we love random questions). We thank you for listening, and hope you enjoy the episode!
Share this post:
Twinless (2025) – Review
Quick thoughts:
- Dylan O’Brien deserves award recognition. His character may not be the “brightest tool in the shed,” but he made a great “ladder” move when he took the part.
- Director/producer/writer/star James Sweeney has crafted an original and very funny film.
- Aisling Franciosi (Stopmotion, God’s Creatures, The Last Voyage of the Demeter) is excellent. Franciosi has an immense range.
- The title card appears 20 minutes into the movie. I love it.
- The world needs a movie in which Dylan O’Brien and Lauren Graham yell at each other for 90 minutes.
When it comes to splashy film festival debuts, Twinless takes the cake (or sandwich). On top of being nominated for the Grand Jury Prize, the James Sweeney-directed film won the Audience Award (Dramatic) and netted a U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for star Dylan O’Brien. The splash came when pirated clips pulled from the festival’s online screening platform appeared on Twitter (X). The pirated clips spoiled key twists, and the film was pulled from the Sundance Film Festival online platform. The spoilers are now common knowledge, but this review is spoiler-free because Twinless is best enjoyed without any knowledge about where it’s headed.
The twinless person is a thirtysomething (or thereabouts) man named Roman (Dylan O’Brien) who starts going to a twin support group after the death of his identical twin brother Rocky. Roman is a bulked-up bruiser who isn’t great with words and admittedly isn’t the “brightest tool in the shed.” What he lacks in vocabulary is made up for by his earnestness and loyal nature that’s hidden underneath explosive outbursts. At the support group, he becomes fast friends with a quick-witted gay man named Dennis (James Sweeney), who reminds Roman of his gay brother Rocky. Roman and Dennis are drawn together by loneliness, and it’s fun/stressful watching the friendship evolve as they shop for lemons, dress up like The Sims characters for Halloween, and belt out the Evan and Jaron song “Crazy for This Girl” while driving to a hockey game.
In an interview with Pride Source, O’Brien said that this performance “was the most in touch I’ve ever felt as an actor and one of the things I’ll forever be most proud of in my entire life, let alone career.” It’s high praise for James Sweeney’s writing and directing prowess, and it’s deserved. O’Brien has always had a likable screen presence, and it’s been fun watching his career evolve from Teen Wolf to Twinless. He’s mostly known for his amicable screen presence and ability to run long distances in movies like Love and Monsters, and the Maze Runner trilogy. For Twinless, he packed on muscle to become a believable mini-Ivan Drago who loves boobs (there’s more to him than that). It’s not surprising that he’s excellent in the film; it’s just fun knowing that he is pushing himself to become a great all-around actor who is comfortable in any type of role.
There’s a lot of depth to Twinless, and a great example of Sweeney’s ability to evolve characters comes through the character of Marcie (Aisling Franciosi – who is great). Marcie is a receptionist who works with Dennis at their graphic design company. At first, Marcie comes across as a bubbly personality who is defined by her cosmic optimism. As the film progresses, we learn that she’s universally beloved, super loyal, and has a psychology degree (which is the butt of a great joke). As the movie progresses, she starts up a relationship with Roman and proves to be a mature force of nature, which is exactly what Roman needs. All of the characters in Twinless have a welcome amount of depth, and it’s easy to understand why they are drawn to each other
At its core, Twinless is a stressful movie about friendship, and hopefully, the themes of loneliness and bromance won’t get overshadowed by the twists. On top of writing an excellent script, Sweeney brought in a fantastic group of artists to make the film. The cinematography by Greg Cotton is patient, and he understands what each scene needs (except for one moment that involves unnecessary short-siding). The costume design by Erin Aldridge Orr (Significant Other, Leave no Trace, All the Real Girls) incorporates comfy sweaters, form-fitting pants, and The Sims cosplay. Also, Sweeney and his location managers picked several distinctive and unique Portland-based locations that give the film added production value and personality.
Sweeney started writing the film in 2015 after his boyfriend (who is an identical twin) broke up with him. Sweeney learned about twin support groups, and the script poured out of him. You can tell that it’s been finessed over the last 10 years as Sweeney’s been able to evolve the characters and fine-tune the quips. He also created a thorough shot list and added in split-screen moments, long takes, and flashbacks to create a visually interesting look. A lot of work went into Twinless, and it paid off.
Final thoughts – Watch it! Avoid spoilers.
Share this post:
The Movies, Films and Flix Podcast – Episode 651: Universal Soldier (1992), Dolph Lundgren, and Diner Fights
You can download or stream the pod on Apple Podcasts, Tune In, Podbean, or Spreaker (or wherever you listen to podcasts…..we’re almost everywhere).
If you get a chance please make sure to review, rate and share. You are awesome.
Mark and John discuss the 1992 sci-fi action film Universal Soldier. Directed by Roland Emmerich and starring Dolph Lundgren, Ally Walker, Jean-Claude Van Damme and lots of ice, the movie focuses on what happens when the United States government creates zombie super soldiers who cost $250 million each. In this episode, they also talk about diner scenes, supermarket monologues, and Dolph Lundgren’s best performances.
If you are a fan of the podcast, make sure to send in some random listener questions (we love random questions). We thank you for listening, and hope you enjoy the episode!
Share this post:
Affinity (2025) – Review
Quick thoughts:
- The final fight between Marko Zaror and Brahim Chab is wonderful
- Between Fight or Flight, Diablo and Affinity, it’s fun watching Marko Zaror flex his acting chops
- I like knowing that director/editor Ernesto Díaz Espinoza (Fist of the Condor, Diablo Redeemer) edited the film.
- Watch Fist of the Condor (2021). It’s one of my favorite action films of recent memory.
- Brook Ence has all the tools to become an action movie star
- Louis Mandylor makes everything better. Watch The Debt Collector (2018) and Avengement (2019).
Plot Synopsis (from Well Go USA) – Chilean martial-arts star Marko Zaror is Bruno, an ex-SEAL struggling with PTSD. He lives a life in fear of his demons until one day when he discovers a beautiful woman with no past of her own. Together they begin to build a life, but when she disappears, Bruno must return to his violent past if he’s going to save her from a shocking conspiracy in this riveting, fast-paced sci-fi action film from director Brandon Slagle.
If you’re a fan of DTV action films, you’ll know the name Marko “The Chilean Dragon” Zaror. The Chilean martial arts action star has been steadily building his action movie credentials since the 1990s and has appeared in Undisputed 3: Redemption (2010), Machete Kills (2013), Redeemer (2013), and Savage Dog (2017). The 6′ 2″ face-kicker has been picking up steam since 2020, and it’s been awesome watching him in The Fist of the Condor (2023), John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023), The Killer’s Game (2024), Fight or Flight (2025), Diablo (2025), and now Affinity. The Well Go USA distributed film gives Zaror his first lead role in an English-speaking action film, and it allows him to flex his acting muscles alongside Louis Mandylor, Brooke Ence, Brahim Chab, and Jane Mirro.
Directed by Brandon Slagle (The Flood, Arena Wars, Breakout) and edited by Ernesto Díaz Espinoza (who directed The Fist of the Condor), Affinity focuses on a badass named Bruno (Marko Zaror), who has fallen on tough times after his brother died during a botched mission. Bruno spends his nights drinking in Thailand bars, and his days working at a restaurant owned by fellow Navy SEAL Joe (Louis Mandylor), who also frequently bails Bruno out of jail after he beats up surprisingly well-trained pickpockets. One night, Bruno finds an unconscious woman named Athena (Jane Mirro) on his doorstep, and after nursing her back to health (and several synth-scored montages), the two fall in love. Since it’s an action film about a guy finding an unconscious woman on his doorstep, Joe’s restaurant is soon attacked by a horde of gunmen lead by a guy named Krieger (Brahim Chab – a famous fight choreographer who developed the fights in Fight of Flight, Monkey Man, and Ninja: Shadow of a Tear), who kidnaps Athena and forces Bruno to go a rescue mission that will see him murdering dozens of unlucky henchmen. During his mission, he’s joined by Fitch (Brooke Ence – a legendary CrossFit athlete), and the two find themselves in a beautifully insane sci-fi twist that involves bio-engineered humans and secret laboratories.
Affinity is a passion project for Zaror, who developed the idea with late director Daniel Zirilli and worked on the script with Gina Aguad, Liam O’Neil, and Christopher M. Don. When you’ve watched most of Zaror’s filmography, it’s easy to understand why he wanted to take on a challenging role that forces him out of his comfort zone and pushes him to pull off various emotions. At a brisk 86 minutes, the film moves along quickly and ends with a fantastic final fight (directed by Zaror) between Zaror and Brahim Chab, who utilize decades worth of experience to give audiences a memorable finale.
Overall, Affinity is a fine showcase for Zaror and even though the various plot elements never really gel, the film is worth a watch because of all the talent behind and in front of the camera.
Movies, Films & Flix 