review

Cinemaholics: Winter Movie Preview 2017-2018

winter movie preview

On the show this week, I sit with Will Ashton and Maveryke Hines to discuss our most anticipated films of the Winter season. We each picked three specific films to highlight, listed out a few honorable mentions, and agreed to “share” our excitement for Star Wars: The Last Jedi, which we’ll be able to review in full next week.

We also got a chance to briefly discuss some movies we’ve seen over the last week, though we didn’t have enough time for Mini Reviews. I brought up what’s become one of my favorite films of the entire year, Bad Genius, which is available for rental on VOD. I heartily recommend it, along with The Shape of Water, Guillermo del Toro’s new film hitting a wider release this month.

Go on…Cinemaholics: Winter Movie Preview 2017-2018

Last Flag Flying: When Loving Country is as Easy as Hating It

last flag flying

We’re dependent on the government. We’re dependent on the military. We’re dependent on our soldiers. So when you put your faith and trust into the very entities that hold the key to your survival, it stings all the more when you experience the ugly side of America and war. Especially if you’re a soldier.

Richard Linklater has directed some of my favorite films of all time, so I didn’t hesitate to catch a viewing of his new film Last Flag Flying. It’s a spiritual sequel to The Last Detail, in that it tells a simple road trip story about three aging Vietnam War veterans in 2003.

One of those veterans (“Doc,” played by Steve Carrell) has recently lost his son to the horrors of the Iraq War. His fellow former marines (Sal, played by Bryan Cranston and Mueller, played by Laurence Fishburne) embark on a quest to help Doc bury his son at home in New Hampshire instead of at Arlington Cemetery in Washington D.C.

“I’m not going to bury a marine,” Doc says. “I’m just going to bury my son.” If that sounds unpatriotic to you, then Last Flag Flying has you on its allegorical mind.

Go on…Last Flag Flying: When Loving Country is as Easy as Hating It

Cinemaholics Review: The Disaster Artist

disaster artist

On this week’s podcast, I’m joined by Will Ashton and Maveryke Hines to review The Disaster Artist, along with a lot of other new releases we saw this week like Marvel’s Runaways and The Man Who Invented Christmas.

Starring James Franco and his brother Dave Franco, The Disaster Artist (which Franco also directed) is a new film from A24 about the making of The Room, known to many as perhaps the “best worst” movie ever made. The film is getting a ton of love from audiences and critics alike, so naturally, we had a great discussion on what we think of the Oscar contender.

The rest of the show is devoted to a slew of Mini Reviews, from a new documentary about Jim Carrey and Andy Kaufman on Netflix to the Nightcrawler writer/director’s follow up film starring Denzel Washington. Plus a few more surprises.

Go on…Cinemaholics Review: The Disaster Artist

Lady Bird: Understanding What Makes A Film Good

Lady Bird

Our lives are a string of incidental situations, or events. Some of these events are caused by other events. Many events are indistinguishable from coincidence. They appear chaotic and might as well be.

I found myself thinking a lot about structured chaos while watching Lady Bird. It was only after the credits rolled that I clicked with director/writer Greta Gerwig’s “point,” so to speak. That she desired to bring about meaningful change in Lady Bird’s life through both choice and conflict. Not much else.

There’s a reason why critics adore this movie. And I also suspect there will be some general audiences who disagree with the praise. This is because there are some among even the most fervent filmgoers who measure the quality of a film by its trappings. The dialogue. The cinematography. The performances. These are all important, of course, but they don’t amount to much removed from what the events onscreen  mean. Understanding this is the first step to “getting” objective film criticism as a whole. Even if you don’t necessarily agree with it.

Go on…Lady Bird: Understanding What Makes A Film Good

Part-Time Characters: Un Poco Loco for Pixar’s Coco

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The One Where Jon Negroni Chimes In

It is that time of year when Pixar brings us an original animated movie and as expected, we all went un poco loco for Coco. Joined by our ‘general manager’ or  better  known  as  that Pixar Theory Guy, Jon Negroni, we discuss the film’s design, music and characters.  We start off the episode with a quick game of Lightning Round where we ask the question: What is your favorite Pixar character?

Go on…Part-Time Characters: Un Poco Loco for Pixar’s Coco

Part-Time Characters: Justice League and Thor Ragnarok Reviewed

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The One Where Adonis is Sick
Quote: What phrasing would you prefer Adonis? ‘I don’t know, making out. Or tonguing.’
TONGUING?!

In our shortest episode to date, Bridget, Adonis and I talk about superhero movies, both Marvel and DC. Adonis does his best to defend Justice League and their CGI over Henry Caville’s moustache and Bridget pretends she is not head over heels for Thor. Neither were very successful.

Go on…Part-Time Characters: Justice League and Thor Ragnarok Reviewed

Cinemaholics Review: Justice League and The Punisher Season 1

Justice

Is Justice League the last comic book movie of 2017? If so, what a bizarre ending to one of the most bizarre years in comic book movie history (at least in recent years). What should have been the biggest comic book movie since, well, The Avengers, has arrived with little-to-no fanfare, but we’re here to judge the movie on its own, removed from any hype it may attempt to earn by merit of its seven icons.

I’m joined this week by my trusty cohosts Will Ashton and Maveryke Hines, but also special guest Craig Hanks from the Legendarium Podcast. You may remember I guested on that show to talk about The Dark Tower back in August, and per the holy podcast networking laws hiding in plain sight, it’s only fair to have Craig on this week to share his thoughts on Justice League, the DCEU, and where this frenetic franchise is headed next.

Aside from Justice League, we talk about The Punisher Season 1, plus some new movies you might be interested in. Pixar’s Coco (full review next week), Last Flag Flying, and Wonder get a few minutes each, and we finished out the show with some banter about new movies to come over the Thanksgiving holiday. 

Go on…Cinemaholics Review: Justice League and The Punisher Season 1