We draw the Season of the Cage to a close with its namesake movie, Season of the Witch. Does a movie starring Nicolas Cage, Ron Perlman, Claire Foy, and that guy who played Al Capone in Boardwalk Empire actually deserve a viewing? A.Ron and I certainly have an opinion. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The Romanoffs arrives at the finish line in "The One That Holds Everything". If you were hoping that this would be the one that brings into focus Weiner's thesis for The Romanoffs, you'll probably be disappointed. An ambitious story framing device that doesn't quite work leads to a surprise ending that doesn't feel earned, and we're left at the end of it all confused and asking "why?" What is so fascinating about the Romanovs that justifies the time and expense that went into making this, or wat...
Have you ever seen Nicolas Cage make a phonecall while wearing plastic vampire teeth? Have you seen him shout and gesticulate his way through the entire alphabet? Have you seen him literally say "boo hoo" while crying? No? Then you certainly haven't seen Vampire's Kiss, which is in the running for "Cage-iest" movie of all time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
We got a one-two punch to our nostalgia as Creed 2 relentlessly broke us and a theater full of Rocky diehards down. Up and coming director Steven Caple Jr. recaptures the magic of the original Creed, Michael B. Jordan is amazing as always, Sylvester Stallone continues to age like fine wine into the role he was born to play, and Tessa Thompson once again shows that playing a boxer's wife/girlfriend doesn't require you to be a human wet blanket. If you're a Rocky fan, you're going to like this fil...
This, by our estimation, is the second best episode of The Romanoffs, but that's not saying much about "End of the Line". It features fairly engaging material involving a couple desperate to have a child engaging in grey-market adoption shenanigans in Russia, and the man and woman in question are appealing and sympathetic as leads. The script also approaches "crackling" in places, as these potential parents fight over how far they're willing to go and what compromises they'll accept for their ch...
Multiple viewings and hours of sober reflection have led us both to believe that Con Air is a bad movie. The plot is contrived, the accents are awful, and it's perhaps the least "Cagey" performance in Cage's entire career. And yet, maybe based on star-power alone, it remains a classic which simply must be watched. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jim and A.Ron think this latest episode of Amazon's The Romanoffs, "Panorama" is a mess. At best, it's a mildly interesting yet gorgeous travelogue for Mexico City. At worst, it's a poorly, written, directed, acted, and edited mess that has no idea what it wants to say, and is unable to grasp any of the subjects it reaches for. The only thing that kind of works is the relationship between the two ridiculously photogenic protagonists, but they are also the least interesting of the premises. Join ...
Another split decision on the latest first run Bald Movie, the WW2-themed action-horror film, Overlord. The serious and somber tone set against the gonzo and outrageous action quickly lost Jim. I thought the film delivered a pretty solid war film, followed by a tense and effective horror film, then rounded into a solid action romp that unfortunately started collapsing under the weight of too many action movie tropes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
We're back with a review of Charlie Kaufman's 2002 "look-mom-I-wrote-myself-into-this-movie-about-orchids" classic, Adaptation. It's a real noodle-bender which features one of Nicolas Cage's finest performances. Fitting, since it puts a bow on the Summer portion of Season of the Cage. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The Deuce wrapped up it's 2nd season in style, with "Inside the Pretend". Simon and Pelecanos did an admirable job putting all their players in position to make the jump to the 80's. The pimps seem on the wane, the porn industry is still waxing, but the men and women of the industry don't seem to be enjoying their ascent as much as it would have seemed at this season's outset. It's hard to have a sunny outlook when people you care about wind up dead; that goes double when you're the one doing th...
The fifth episode of Amazon's The Romanoffs has something to say, but we're not sure what it is, if it's worth saying, and if Matthew Weiner is the right spokesperson for the message, which seems to be; the worst thing you can be accused of is accusing somebody else of something they didn't do. Regardless of how we felt about the themes at play, the presentation left a lot to be desired as well, featuring clunky dialog and either stagey acting and/or bizarre editing choices or both. Join the dis...
Jim and I had a helluva lot of fun seeing the Queen biopic Bohemian Rhapsody tonight, starring Rami Malek. It's getting mixed reviews, but we're struggling to understand why. Malek does an incredible job embodying the greatest rock band front man of all time, the soundtrack is just literally all of the greatest Queen hits, so what's not to like? Unless the movie tells just truly egregious and hateful lies about Mr. Mercury, which we're not in a position to verify, we can't see much not to like. ...
The Season of the Cage continues with another of Nicolas Cage's best films, The Weather Man (2005). He plays a well-payed Chicago weather man who would have the perfect life if only he could make his father proud, get the job of his dreams, win back his ex-wife, and stop ruining the lives of his children. Will Cage's raging summer ever end? Yeah, of course it will, so enjoy it while it lasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Welcome to Cecily and A.Ron's second annual Cinema Spooktacular, volume two! Ghosts and witches and cults and cannibals and werewolves, oh my! On this podcast, we discuss... 00:00:00 - Intro and spoiler free reviews of all subjects featured 00:15:22 - The Haunting of Hill House 00:37:33 - Chilling Adventures of Sabrina 00:51:52 - Apostle 00:58:05 - Raw 01:02:52 - Wildling Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Jim and A.Ron are here to gush about the penultimate episode of this season's The Deuce, "Nobody Has to Get Hurt". Of course, that means that someone will have to. The person who gets the hammer felt shocking and also inevitable in hindsight. There's a lot of story left to unfold, the question now is how much resolution will we get and how much will be irrelevant once the show fast forwards to the 80's. We consider Eileen's career trajectory, Frankie tempting fate, the fall of House Pimp, and mu...
Jim and A.Ron have a split decision on the forth episode of Amazon's The Romanoffs, "Expectations". A.Ron found it pointless and borderline unwatchable, where Jim was drawn into the human element of Amanda Peet's Julia struggling to deal with a secret that has been weighing on her conscience for 20 years. Regardless, the episode does feature engaging performances from very likable stars (the previously mentioned Peet, and John Slattery). What did you think? Tell us using the contact info below! ...
Michael was nice enough to commission this podcast in honor of his wife, Susanna. Michael wanted to recognize and celebrate the hundreds of people that collectively make our favorite movies and television shows possible. Using "Star Wars Within A Minute" as a guide, we go department by department to talk about the things they contribute to your average Hollywood blockbuster. Whether you're moved to sit through credits or perhaps look for a local project to get involved in, we hope you enjoy this...
Welcome to Cecily and A.Ron's second annual Cinema Spooktacular! During the month of October, we like to watch scary movies, and then talk about them on a podcast. Perhaps you'd care to join? Stay awhile... stay FOREVER! Muahahahahaha! This year we're going to do multiple Spooktaculars in a (mostly failed) effort to get these out quicker. On this podcast, we discuss... @00:25:30 - Are We Not Cats?, @00:39:28 - The Endless, @00:53:42 - Mom and Dad, @00:57:54 - Hereditary Learn more about your ad ...
Welcome to The Rock, and welcome to the first review of Super Serious Film Fest's "Season of the Cage". Released in 1996, this modern classic stands as one of Nic Cage's, as well as Michael Bay's, finest action movies. It's not quite the level of Caginess you're probably looking for but the Season of the Cage is just warming up. Join us next week for The Weather Man. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jim and I checked out the latest episode of HBO's The Deuce, "The Feminism Part", and boy, just a lot happened. There's mob money, murder, attempted murder, betrayals, breakups, Bobby's kid lost his virginity! The stakes can be as low as Vince losing himself for a few days tending bar in sleepy Vermont towns, or as high as a dead prostitute washing up and into Detective Alston's case load. That's life on The Deuce. Join the discussion: Email | Forums Follow us: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Lea...
Jim and I watched an unexpectedly spooky episode of Matthew Weiner's The Romanoffs, "House of Special Purpose". It's a tale that asks us whether we believe in ghosts or if one or perhaps more people are actually losing their minds. Does the spell work, and what is Weiner saying about coercive / abusive directors and set environments? Despite the super serious subject matter, we also find time to pitch a sequel to Twister, somehow, because of Paul Riser? Perhaps it is us losing our minds after al...
Welcome to super serious film fest, our themed series of movie reviews. This season covers the best and the worst of Nic Cage, the summer and winter of his career, in what we're calling "Season of the Cage". Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
A.Ron and Jim blow all the doors down on the latest episode of HBO's The Deuce, "We're All Beasts". It provokes a lot of meta discussion about progressive politics, America's long lost battle against vice, and offensive analogies. We also talk about Eileen's guerrilla film-making campaign for what looks to be the very watchable Red Hot. Finally, A.Ron reacts to a 70s-era porno! Join the discussion: Email | Forums Follow us: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Leave Us A Review on Apple Podcasts Learn...
It's been three years since Don Draper left our televisions, and now Mad Men creator Matthew Weiner is back with something to say? Is it good, is it bad, is it something even worth saying? After seeing 180 minutes of his new series, The Romanoffs, we're still oddly divided on answering those basic questions. It's beautiful, and thoughtful, and at times absorbing, but are the disconnected lives of eight (perhaps delusional) offspring of the fallen House Romanov interesting enough to merit our att...
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Jim and A.Ron saw Bad Times at the El Royale and give it mixed reviews. Writer/Director Drew Goddard throws a lot of slow, character and dialog driven set pieces at the audience, mixed up and out of order, until finishing the movie with a spasm of violence and action. Jim enjoyed the performances and the movie held his interest throughout, whereas I thought the ending didn't do enough to justify the other two hours. But the film is stylish and slick enough that perhaps you'll be able to forgive ...
Jim and A.Ron go cruising for the latest episode, "All You'll Be Eating Is Cannibals". The Deuce has always featured duality; Frankie/Vincent being the parade example. But here we see two raids; one on an underground card game by a professional crew of criminals, another by professional law enforcement on an above ground massage parlor. We also see members of the gay community step out of the shadows and emerge as people, basically. And Vincent is confronted by his duality being converged. Join ...
Thanks to Sean Ray for commissioning the classic 1992 western, "Unforgiven". Directed by and starring a perfectly-aged Clint Eastwood, the story has him reconciling the man he was in his drunken youth with the man he wants to be, and more importantly, the man his dead wife would have him be. Where does he come down on it? It's a classic so you probably already know but one of us didn't and the discussion is interesting. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
A.Ron and Jim are down to talk about the latest episode of HBO's The Deuce, "What Big Ideas". The Deuce drops another couple of bodies, which draws the increasing attention of the Public Morals Task Force. Unfortunately, that attention is incompetent, corrupt, or often both. Bobby and Vincent have trouble dealing with their involvement in the flesh trade, even as Abby and Dorothy beat the streets trying to organize and help their fellow women, often to little result. Join the discussion: Email |...
Special thanks to Sarah Sugas for commissioning 1944's Laura, a film-noir set around a hard boiled detective attempting to solve the mystery other murder of a remarkable young woman. Thanks once again to Sarah for her support and excellent choice of film! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
