The Movies, Films and Flix Podcast – Episode 390: Clue, Murder Mysteries, and Tim Curry
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 Norbert discuss the 1985 comedy Clue. Directed by Jonathan Lynn, and starring Tim Curry, Madeline Kahn, Christopher Llloyd, Colleen Camp, and Michael McKean, the movie focuses on what happens when strangers are brought together for a night of murder, mayhem, and heaving breaths. In this episode, they discuss cult classic comedies, dog poop, and 1985 cinema.
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!
You can download the pod on Apple Podcasts, Tune In, Podbean, or Spreaker.
Share this post:
John’s Horror Corner: The Lair of the White Worm (1988), this Hugh Grant horror movie is way wackier and more exploitative than I remembered!
MY CALL: This preposterous, somewhat exploitative movie is highly enjoyable for its hokiness and ambition. So if you’re in the mood for Hugh Grant, a lot of ridiculous phallic imagery and a nudie snake-vampire woman, then this nonsense is for you! MORE MOVIES LIKE The Lair of the White Worm: For much more serious movies investigating the occult, try Angel Heart (1987) or Lord of Illusions (1995). Also consider The Serpent and the Rainbow (1988), which is rather less ridiculous (while still bonkers at times) and swaps an archaeologist for an anthropologist.
When an archaeologist (Peter Capaldi; House of 9, World War Z) unearths a strange skull in his landlord’s (Sammi Davis; Lionheart) back yard, locals from the nearby village begin to disappear as increasingly strange things transpire.
These country locals celebrate a “great white worm” of sorts in the form of festivities, thematic dragon-slaying song and dance, and tentacle-rich catering at the estate of the snooty Lord James D’Ampton (Hugh Grant; Extreme Measures). James takes an interest in the recent skull discovery, but not before Lady Sylvia steals it for herself.
Lady Sylvia (Amanda Donohoe; Starship Troopers 3) is a suspicious oddity at every turn, whether happily sucking the venom from a fresh wound, baring her conspicuously long viper fangs while spitting poison at a crucifix, or hosting a hitchhiking British boyscout to a skimpy lingerie game of Shoots and Ladders (no, I’m still not kidding)… and then unfurls her fangs to bite his… well, you know. Yeah, it’s that kind of movie.
As with Altered States (1980), writer and director Ken Russell (Altered States, Gothic) adapts Bram Stoker’s story with strong, dramatic religious imagery. Seeing Jesus on the cross entangled and mauled by a great white serpent as Roman soldiers rape a cadre of nuns certainly sends a message! In fact, the scene is quite relentlessly exploitative. Subsequent scenes imply phallic imagery, spiked penises (no really, I’m not kidding) and spike-impaled nuns littered with much nudity and blood.
I’m not sure if it’s more accurate to call this a quirky British horror comedy, or just a zany B-movie with some powdered horror flavoring added. Bagpipes are used for snake-charming, a snake woman is chopped in half leaving both halves writhing independently, and Lady Sylvia eventually goes full on naked snake-vampire. Sylvia’s subterranean lair includes an exploitation movie feel as she struts around topless wearing some sort of “death dildo strap-on” (no, I’m still not kidding or exaggerating at all) and binds a woman like a scantily clad virgin sacrifice in her underwear. Don’t even get me started on the white worm monster which vaguely resembles a… ahem. This finale gets ridiculous.
Ultimately, this movie remains highly watchable and quite enjoyable for its hokiness. Like a slower-paced, somewhat toned-down Bloodsucking Pharaohs in Pittsburgh (1991), it’s preposterous and it knows it. So if you’re in the mood for Hugh Grant, a lot of ridiculous phallic imagery and a nudie snake-vampire woman… well, you know if this is your kind of movie!
Share this post:
Quick Thoughts – Grade – B+ – Closely based on the Todd Snider song “Just Like Old Times,” Hard Luck Love Song is a charming and authentic film that features a standout performance from Michael Dorman.
A big thank you to the Nashville Film Festival for the screener. You should definetly check out their lineup each year.
The first glimpse the audience is given of Jesse (Michael Dorman – perfect in the role) is of him bloody and beaten, but still raising his bloody knuckles to throw down with his offscreen assailants. This quick glimpse lets us know everything we need to know about Jesse. He isn’t afraid to fight, or take a beating, and after some terrible smashings, is still alive and kicking. It’s an interesting way to introduce the character, who when we see him next, is driving a beat up car, his arm is in a cast, and he arrives at a cheap motel (That will look familiar if you’ve seen Leon Bridges music video for “River”) that will be his residence for several wild days and nights.
Jesse is the kind of guy who randomly finds $100 bills on the sidewalk, then immediately buys some booze, and gives a wine bottle to a man on the street who had asked a pre-$100 Jesse for some change. At his core, he’s a kind soul, but he’s also a liar, who makes extra money by hustling people in pool halls, which undoubtedly leads to many black eyes. He buys his clothes at Goodwill-esque stores, and they fit him perfectly, and he somehow manages to escape deadly situations, without too many scratches. He’s like a cat with nine lives, who never learns a lesson after one of his lives is taken. Instead of leaving town after a narrow escape, he stays around, and tempts confrontations by not laying low. In other words, he’s a character from a popular song who’s been expertly translated into a believable movie character, who doesn’t “want to throw a fishing line in that old main stream.” Also, since it’s based on an Americana song about a troubled troubadour, expect Jesse to drink Lone Star beer, buy decent cocaine, spend time with his lost love, bloody his knuckles (again), quote Five Easy Pieces, and more drink cheap beer/whiskey/mezcal.
What also makes this movie work so well is that director/writer Justin Corsbie grew up in Austin, Texas, and seems totally comfortable inside of dive bars, cheap hotels, and pool halls so filled with smoke, it’s amazing anyone can make a shot. What’s neat is that he’s in no hurry to move on to the next location, and isn’t afraid to linger in dingy pool halls, where cinematographer Jas Shelton (Cyrus, Jeff, Who Lives at Home, Togetherness) delivers excellent one-shot takes that feature Jesse running the table on his unsuspecting victims. Corsbie and producer Allison R. Smith did a fine job of finding dingy Los Angeles based locations that the production designer and art department didn’t have to spend much time or money decorating.
Hard Luck Love Song is loaded with authentic-feeling performances from Sophia Bush, Dermont Mulroney, Eric Roberts, Brian Sacca, and RZA, who makes one of the my favorite movie introductions of 2021. It’s neat seeing Eric Roberts exude warmth, while Dermont Mulroney is a poolhall psycho who sports some serious gold teeth (it’s fun to watch). Bush is also excellent as Carla, a bartender, who has a history with Jesse, and knows he’s terrible, but is also charmed by his good looks and wild ways. You can tell all the actors enjoy their meaty roles, and have embraced playing characters who may or may not have been born in Mexican whorehouses.
The only negative about the film are the tonal changes that don’t feel totally organic. It would be a spoiler to discuss some of the characters, but know there are several personalities who stick out like a sore thumb, and feel like they’re coming from another movie. They are likable characters, but they shift the tone dramatically and are a little over the top.
It’s interesting that the movie is being marketed as a “romantic thriller,” which doesn’t seem totally correct, but makes sense to add some intrigue to it. When you watch it, just expect an authentic and laidback film that features an excellent lead performance from Michael Dorman.
Share this post:
John’s Horror Corner: Scanners (1981), Cronenberg’s plotty approach to mean psychics and detonating heads.
MY CALL: This film boils down to two truly epic, memorable, gory scenes bookending an otherwise unhorror-ish but more thriller-ish cops’n’crime shoot’em up style movie. Clearly a classic, and it deserves to be recognized as such, but today it just doesn’t entertain or shock or titillate like so many of Cronenberg’s other films of the era (e.g., The Fly, Videodrome, The Brood) still do today. MORE MOVIES LIKE The Brood: For more of Cronenberg’s social commentary on therapy and social engineering, consider The Brood (1979) or Videodrome (1983).
This film sets its dire tone very early when a man is “scanned” before a group of academics only to have his head explode into visceral chunks in one of the most famous on-screen head trauma death scenes of all time. The perpetrator of this cephalic party-popping is a dangerous rogue scanner named Darryl (Michael Ironside; Starship Troopers, Total Recall, Visiting Hours, Prom Night II, Watchers), the villain of our story.
Canadian director and writer David Cronenberg (The Fly, Rabid, Videodrome, The Brood) makes some serious statements about modern psychology and metaphysics in this 80s horror oddity. Scanners have psychic telepathic powers to read minds and control behavior. Such powers in the wrong hands pose significant threats to regular people. So to control these dangerous scanners, a drug called Ephemerol is developed to dull these psychics’ extrasensory powers, and thus keep their powers under control. It’s not unlike what we find in comic books and superhero movies when employing a mutant power-suppressing collar in Deadpool 2 (2018) or when exposing Superman to Kryptonite. Only here, it feels more a tool a social manipulation and suppression.
To infiltrate these rogue scanners, Dr. Ruth (Patrick McGoohan; Braveheart) recruits his own psychic Cameron (Stephen Lack; Dead Ringers) to track down Darryl and stop him. As he learns to harness his newfound abilities, Cameron acquires the help of fellow scanner Kim (Jennifer O’Neill) along the way.
Outside of the one epic exploding head death scene in the beginning, very little of visual interest transpires. This is all plot and very little gore, limited to frequent bloody gun violence. That is, until the finale psychic duel which brings a heavy dose of practical effects including blood-spurting pulsating veins, exploding eyes, incineration and the like while staring so hard you look like you just might crap yourself!
All told, the film doesn’t hold up phenomenally (mostly considering first-time viewers)… but that’s not to say it doesn’t hold up at all. I still enjoyed it, even if it felt quite slow when considering the rate of special effects delivery—basically the two epic bookended scenes. Clearly a classic, and deserving to be recognized as such, but today it just doesn’t entertain or shock or titillate like so many of Cronenberg’s other films of the era (e.g., The Fly, Videodrome, The Brood) still do today.
Share this post:
Nashville Film Festival – 7 Days (2021) – Review – A Charming Romantic Comedy From Director/Writer Roshan Sethi
Quick Thoughts – Grade – B – 7 Days is a charming Covid-19 rom-com that features likable performances from Geraldine Viswanathan and Karan Soni
Thank you to the Nashville Film Festival for the press credentials, which allowed me to watch some excellent films. More reviews to come!
Directed/written by Roshan Sethi (who created The Resident), and starring Geraldine Viswanathan (Blockers, Miracle Workers) and Karan Soni (Deadpool 1 & 2, Miracle Workers, Safety Not Guaranteed), who also co-wrote the screenplay, 7 Days tells the story of two polar opposites stuck together during the outbreak of the recent pandemic. Sethi and Soni wrote the screenplay in less than a week, put up their own money, and two months later, shot the film in eight coffee-filled days. The end result is a charming rom-com that showcases what happens when filmmakers need to create during a global pandemic. Also, it’s not surprising to see that the Duplass brothers produced the film, as Soni had worked with Mark Duplass on Safety Not Guaranteed, and the mostly single location film shares similar DNA to prior Duplass projects.
What’s neat about 7 Days is how it leans into rom-com tropes, and still manages to stand out from its peers. The film combines polar opposites, an illness, and people stuck in a single location (due to the pandemic), but it’s arranged-date plot, and the likable leads elevate the familiar elements. The movie revolves around an arranged date between Ravi (Soni) and Rita (Viswanathan), two twenty-somethings who are wildly different, and know almost immediately that they are on different wavelengths. The awkwardly filmed date, which happens near what seems to be a retention pond, is a thing of legend as Ravi accidentally buys hard lemonade instead of lemonade, and he fumbles his way through a heat-soaked lunch while Rita looks on humorously.
Things get more awkward when Ravi’s transportation is cancelled, and he has to wait several days to get a rental car that will drive him far away from Rita’s cluttered home that is loaded with beer bottles, ceramic horses, and an adorable and fluffy possum plush (I want one). While stuck together, Ravi, a vegetarian who doesn’t drink, and is comically uptight, eventually warms to Rita, who eats chicken wings, drinks loads of beer, and is seeing a married man who really doesn’t like it when she calls unexpectedly. It would be a shame to spoil the rest, just know that the rest of the movie features dancing, deep conversations, and believably dirty floors which are a credit to production designers Ashley and Megan Fenton (they also use duct tape creatively).
The cinematography by Jeremy Mackie (who was the Gaffer on Green Room!) becomes much more confident as the film progresses, and he finds ways to make Rita’s apartment look interesting during the 86-minute running time. Also, the dedication of the actors is impressive, as Viswanathan had to do her own makeup (in 100+ degree heat), and learn ludicrous amounts of dialogue during the eight day shoot. In the end, 7 Days is worth a watch because it’s an obvious work of passion, and it’s neat seeing Viswanathan and Soni headline their own rom-com.
Share this post:
The Many Saints of Newark (2021) – Review: A Solid Prequel That Features a Standout Performance From Alessandro Nivola
Quick Thoughts: – Grade – B – The Many Saints of Newark is a valuable addition to Sopranos lore, and despite copious fan service, tells a solid gangster tale. Creator David Chase should be applauded for creating a welcome addition to the world that doesn’t feel unnecessary.
Taking place from 1967, to the early 1970s, The Many Saints of Newark focuses on the rise of Richard “Dickie” Moltisanti (an excellent Alessandro Nivola), who audiences know as Tony Sopranos (played here by Michael Gandolfini) beloved “uncle” who Tony talks about a lot on The Sopranos. The New Jersey based film focuses on the tumultuous times that helped create Tony Soprano, as his dad Johnny Soprano (Jon Bernthal) goes to jail, his mom Livia Soprano (Vera Farmiga) is wildly depressed, and he’s surrounded by criminals who do nothing but act as terrible influences.
Directed by Sopranos-veteran Alan Taylor (who directed episodes of Lost, Game of Thrones, Mad Men, Boardwalk Empire, and Thor: The Dark World), who has a clear and obvious comfort with the material, The Many Saints of Newark plays like an extended episode of The Sopranos that features a lesser-combustible, but just as deadly lead character. What makes the film different from the show (aside from the change in decades), is the demeanor of Dickie Moltisanti, the mid-level mafioso, who runs the numbers racket in Newark. Dickie is 10,000 times more suave and calm(ish) than Tony Soprano, as he hides his violent temper behind tailored suits and a soft-spoken demeanor. He’s married to Joanne Maltisanti (Gabrielle Piazza), and his father “Hollywood Dick” (Ray Liotta) just brought home a young Italian wife Giuseppina (Michela De Rossi) who clearly doesn’t know she’s moving in with an abusive maniac. Toss in conflicted relationships with fellow criminal Harold McBrayer (Leslie Odom Jr.), and Junior Soprano (Corey Stoll), and you have a powder keg that eventually explodes.
What makes the movie work so well is Nivola’s performance as Dickie. Sure, the performances by Liotta, Odom Jr, and Farmiga (who is always good) are fine, but the movie doesn’t spend enough time with them to make them memorable. The impressive thing about Nivola is how he can be confident, self-conscious, kind, horrible, and deeply conflicted during one conversation. While James Gandolfini’s performance in The Sopranos will always be considered to be an all-time great due to his anger, panic attacks, warmth, and smolder. It’s nice to know that his fictional mentor is also as complicated and horrible. The two are totally different, but the way they lean towards violence and leadership compliment each other.
The production design by Bob Shaw (who was the production designer on The Sopranos) is wonderful, as he’s able to recreate the late 1960s without kitsch, and the cinematography by Kramer Morgenthau (Boardwalk Empire, Thor: The Dark World) is able to capture the feeling of The Sopranos, and also add some wonderfully framed shots that find beauty amongst chaos. It’s also nice that despite some gangster tropes (people rise and fall), the film doesn’t feel overly familiar as it bounces around between different characters who are either stealing furniture, eating pasta, or engaging in gunfights outside of nightclubs.
The biggest complaint about the movie is how it introduces crowd-favorite characters and gives them nothing to do. It’s fun seeing Corey Stoll, Billy Magnusen, and John Magaro play Junior, Paulie and Silvio, but they don’t add much aside from some silly moments involving blood spraying on their new coats, or their toupees flying into the wind.
Final Thoughts:The Many Saints of Newark is required viewing for Sopranos fans, and will most certainly entertain people who haven’t watched the popular HBO show yet.
Share this post:
Cry Macho (2021) – Review: A Low-Key Exploration of Finding Purpose Again
Quick Thoughts – Grade – B – Based on the 1975 novel written by N. Richard Nash, Cry Macho, is an offbeat exploration of getting old, learning new tricks, and finding a new purpose. While many won’t appreciate its low key vibe, others will be thrilled with Eastwood’s laid back exploration of pointless machismo.
Set in 1979, Cry Macho tells the story of a washed-up rodeo tough guy named Mike Milo (Clint Eastwood) who travels to Mexico City to pick up Rafael (Eduardo Minnett) the 13-year old son of his former boss (Dwight Yokam), who is living on the streets because he’s afraid of his mom Leta (Fernanda Urrejola), who is some sort of criminal who has several armed henchmen. What’s refreshing, is that aside from a few punches, and a couple low-key car chases, Cry Macho mostly focuses on the relationship between Milo and Rafael (AKA Rafo), who are in much different stages of their lives. The widowed Mike is old enough to realize his wild ways were a waste of time, while Rafael is trying to find his way in life, and establish his own tough roots. Together, the two journey back to Texas, and are joined by Rafo’s rooster Macho (played by 11 roosters – all amazing), who is an all-star cockfighter (named Macho lol) back in Mexico City. The journey isn’t totally easy as Leta’s henchmen are always nearby, and they have to steal a car (which breaks down) after Mike’s car is stolen.
Eastwood was originally offered the role in 1988, but he turned it down because he was too young. 33 years later, at the age of 91, Eastwood has aged perfectly into the role as his tough guy filmography, slim frame, gravely voice, and hunched stance make him the perfect candidate to play a guy who regrets years of tough guy nonsense. The decades-long wait was worth it, and we’re lucky that actors such as Arnold Schwarzenegger considered the role, and passed on it, because he probably would’ve added too much machoness to a role that doesn’t need machismo. It’s neat seeing Eastwood monologue about wasted years, and saying things like “If a guy wants to name his cock Macho, that’s okay by me.” A role like this requires someone who is old enough to care less about how he looks, and more about how his tough guy years were pointless.
The cinematography by Ben Davis (Doctor Strange, Kick-Ass) is solid, as it captures the open vistas of Mexico, while adhering to Eastwood’s fast moving style (he finished the film one day ahead of schedule, during a pandemic). Also, the screenplay by Eastwood regular Nick Shenk (Gran Torino, The Mule) avoids stock tropes (car chases, thrilling brawls, major life lessons) and comes to life during conversations, slow dances, and the moments when 91-year old Eastwood rides a horse. What’s interesting is that none of the conversations are overwritten or self-important, and instead rely on little nuggets of wisdom, or small asides that eschew anything remotely close to life changing rhetoric. There aren’t any Gran Torino-esque quotes (Get off my Lawn), or Dirty Harry threats, it’s just a broken old man driving a young kid to Texas, and it’s refreshing. If you are looking for the quotability of Gran Torino, prestige of Letters From Iwo Jima, or the quick and brutal violence of Unforgiven, you’ll be disappointed. Just expect a laid back tale of a man finding meaning again.
Share this post:
The Movies, Films and Flix Podcast – Episode 389: The Movie Soundtrack Draft, Deserted Islands, and Coffee
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 Nicholas Rehak (of the Rehak Radio podcast) draft their favorite movie soundtracks that they would take to a surprisingly nice deserted island. In this episode, they discuss coffee, Purple Rain, long hikes, Dazed and Confused, and Tron: Legacy. 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!
You can download the pod on Apple Podcasts, Tune In, Podbean, or Spreaker.
Share this post:
Prisoners of the Ghostland (2021) – Review: Sion Sono and Nicolas Cage Give the World a Unique New Hero
Quick Thoughts – Grade – B+ – Prisoners of the Ghostland is not for everyone, but if you are a fan of Sion Sono and Nicolas Cage, you will love this movie. Be prepared for exploding testicles, gonzo filmmaking, and inspired cinematography by Sôhei Tanikawa.
When it was announced that Nicolas Cage (who between Willy’s Wonderland and Pig is having an excellent 2021) would be starring in a movie directed by Sion Sono (Why Don’t You Play in Hell?, Love Exposure, Suicide Club, Tokyo Vampire Hotel), cinephiles started drooling because it meant the world would soon see a glorious product created by two unique artists. The good news is that Prisoners of the Ghostland is wonderfully fun, and despite some last minute changes after Sono had a heart attack during pre-production, it still lives up to the hype.
While the 4.3 IMDb Score might scare you away from Prisoners of the Ghostland, just know that if you can embrace the tone and style, you will be rewarded with an engrossing tale about a guy named Hero (Nicolas Cage), who is recruited to rescue Bernice (Sofia Boutella), the adopted “granddaughter” (AKA sex slave) of a warlord named The Governor (Bill Moseley – chewing every piece of scenery), who runs a post-apocalyptic town named Samurai Town. The movie kicks off with a botched robbery that involves Hero, and his partner-in-crime Psycho (Nick Cassavettes – AKA the guy who directed The Notebook) slaughtering unlucky bank patrons, and blowing up hundreds of gumballs, during a terribly planned robbery. After the slaughter, Hero is arrested, stuffed in a self-detonating suit, and forced to rescue Bernice, who escaped into the Ghostland, a wasteland loaded with crazed outcasts, who are obsessed with time. Hero is given five days to save Bernice (it’s a fun homage to Escape From New York), or his suit will blow up his testicles, arms, and eventually head, if he fails, or threatens Bernice in any manner. It would be a shame to spoil the rest, just know that it involves toxic waste, abandoned towns, collapsed humanity, and lackadaisical plotting.
What’s beautiful about the movie is that it’s about a guy named Hero, who goes on a journey. It’s a cheeky idea, and gives Cage a chance to really stretch out the word “testicle.” The production design by Toshihiro Isomi is beautiful, and his Samurai Town creation is a marvel of Japanese architecture, neon lights, and cowboy hats. Also, the Ghostland feels believably ghostly with a combination of smoke effects, broken down cars, and a gigantic clock. The cinematography by Sôhei Tanikawa (a frequent Sono collaborator) is excellent, and he’s at his best inside The Governor’s gaudy residence, which is loaded with warm lights, bright colors and more cowboy hats. Overall, the entire package looks great, and despite a low budget, manages to punch above its weight (which isn’t a surprise).
If you are looking for a fun cultural mashup that fuses together multiple genres, it doesn’t get much better than Prisoners of the Ghostland. Also, don’t let the Nicolas Cage quote about it being “The wildest film I’ve ever made” set unreal expectations. Yes, it’s wild, but if you don’t know about Sono as a filmmaker (This is in no way his most wild film…), you might expect an Americanized-bonkers fest. It’s not that, it’s a surreal, somewhat violent tale of redemption, that features a fun combination of Cage and Sono sensibilities.
Share this post:
Deep Blue Sea – The Podcast – Episode 64: Mindhunters, Renny Harlin, and Underwater Gunfights
You can listen to Deep Blue Sea – The Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spreaker, Spotify, Tunein, Podcast Addict, Amazon, Google Podcasts, and everywhere else you listen to podcasts. Also, make sure to like our Facebook page!
Please make sure to rate, review, share, and subscribe!
Jay and Mark are joined by Lindsay Street (@lindsay_street on Twitter) to discuss the 2004 film Mindhunters. Directed by Renny Harlin, and starring Val Kilmer, Christian Slater, LL Cool J, and Kathryn Morris, the movie features underwater gunfights, very strong acid, and people dying really hard. In this episode, they talk about mid-budget thrillers, elaborate fake puppeteer kills, and robot cowboys. Enjoy!
Please make sure to rate, review and subscribe to the DBS podcast.
Movies, Films & Flix 