This week, Zach Mathews of the Proper Gentlemen Podcast stops by to marvel at Captain America: The Winter Soldier, the ninth entry into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Released in 2014, the film marked directors Joe and Anthony Russo's entrance into the franchise and solidified Chris Evans' Steve Rogers as one of the series' most beloved. With less than a month until the pivotal events of Avengers: Endgame, we'll discuss how The Winter Soldier factors into the Captain America trilogy (and the gre...
Mar 25, 2019•1 hr 3 min
On this week's episode, Nguyen Le (of the Houston Chronicle and beyond) joins the Crooked Table Podcast to discuss writer/director Hirokazu Kore-eda's latest release, Shoplifters. The Japanese family drama triumphed at the Cannes Film Festival — winning the Palme d'Or — and competed as the nation's submission for Best Foreign Language Film at the 91st Academy Awards, ultimately losing to Roma. We'll discuss how Kore-eda's film, in some respects, fares better than Alfonso Cuaron's hit as a charac...
Mar 18, 2019•1 hr 2 min
It's taken 21 movies, but the Marvel Cinematic Universe finally has its first solo female superhero. And Brie Larson's Captain Marvel has certainly been causing quite a splash in the lead-up to her big-screen debut. Now that she's here, we take it upon ourselves to investigate whether the film actually succeeds in bridging the Earth and cosmic sides of the MCU, how it plays into Avengers: Endgame and all that sweet, sweet 1990s nostalgia. Kerri Jones returns to the show to help us break down the...
Mar 11, 2019•1 hr 33 min
With several high-profile releases mere weeks from hitting the big screen, Rob decides to test a new concept in this week's episode. Rather than bringing on a guest to discuss a film of their choice, as normal, we take a look at the films hitting theaters throughout March 2019. It's that weird compromise between the relative dead period of the beginning of the year and the thick of the summer movie season (which, these days, really starts in late April). This month, Captain Marvel is set to take...
Mar 04, 2019•25 min
Less than 24 hours after the 91st Academy Awards took place, Rob takes to the mic to vent/celebrate the Oscar wins. It was a big night for films like Green Book , Black Panther and Bohemian Rhapsody , much to many people's delight/dismay. But the evening also marked major wins for Roma , The Favourite , BlacKkKlansman and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse . All in all, it was a rollercoaster ride of exciting moments (Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper's performance, Best Actress) and groan-inducing tu...
Feb 25, 2019•45 min
In this week's episode, Rob welcomes Will Ashton , co-host of Cinemaholics , to the show to talk Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Based on the Roald Dahl book, the 1971 musical classic gave Gene Wilder the opportunity to embrace both warmth and mania and, in the process, created a cinematic icon. Not to mention one of the most ubiquitous memes the internet has ever seen. Despite being a box office disappointment, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory has emerged as one of the most celebrat...
Feb 25, 2019•1 hr 5 min
When it comes to cinema history, few filmmakers compare to Alfred Hitchcock. This week, Robert Yaniz Jr. and guest Rodrick Colbert (producer of the upcoming 2nd annual Sigmund Freud Film Festival ) discuss Hitchcock's seminal 1960 classic Psycho. The film boasts not only one of cinema's most notorious twists but essentially serves as the original slasher film. Listen in as Rob and Rodrick talk about how the story of Norman Bates changed the industry and why it has stood the test of time. After n...
Feb 18, 2019•51 min
In the second half of our milestone celebration, Robert Yaniz Jr. and Freddy Yaniz continue their deep dive into everything about The Matrix. Follow as we journey into the film's latter half, in which Neo and company embark on a perilous journey to save Morpheus from the sweat-sniffing machinations of Smith. Also, can Rob possibly stop himself from constantly referencing the sequels? Perhaps he can even convince Freddy to reload his opinion on the trilogy as a whole? So, bid farewell to the woma...
Feb 11, 2019•54 min
In Episode 100 of the Crooked Table Podcast, Robert Yaniz Jr. welcomes back original podcast cohost Freddy Yaniz back to discuss their mutual favorite film of all time, The Matrix. The landmark 1999 film by The Wachowskis inspired both men to fall head over heels with cinema and remains one of the most significant science fiction films of all time. Are you ready to begin tumbling down the rabbit hole with us? Toss back that red pill and enter The Matrix. Welcome to the reel world. Stay tuned for...
Feb 05, 2019•51 min
In Episode 99 of the Crooked Table Podcast, Robert Yaniz Jr. welcomes Jackson Smith of Screen Fever to the show to discuss one of our favorite films of 2018 ( no, really ), writer/director Bo Burnham's Eighth Grade . Anchored by an all-too-real performance by Elsie Fisher, the film chronicles the final days in the life of your average middle-school girl. In his debut film, Burnham captures the terror and tragedy of being 13 in a coming-of-age drama like no other (and one that was recently robbed...
Jan 28, 2019•1 hr 15 min
In Episode 98 of the Crooked Table Podcast, Robert Yaniz Jr. takes a break from the show's regular format for a BONUS on this year's crop of Oscar nominations. As always, the Academy snubbed many of the year's best films, while focusing their energies on less deserving, though more "Oscar-friendly," fare. But the fun of awards season is that anything can happen. The 91st Academy Awards is still roughly a month away, but this year promises to be unlike any ceremony in recent memory. With several ...
Jan 25, 2019•51 min
In Episode 97 of the Crooked Table Podcast, Robert Yaniz Jr. brings Kerri Jones onto the show to discuss Wong Kar-wai's acclaimed 2013 action drama The Grandmaster. Based on the life legendary martial arts master Ip Man, the film stars Tony Leung as the man who would ultimately change the course of history by training a young Bruce Lee. The Grandmaster explores the events that led Ip Man to this destiny as well as his complicated relationship with Gong Er (Zhang Ziyi of Crouching Tiger, Hidden D...
Jan 21, 2019•1 hr 1 min
In Episode 96 of the Crooked Table Podcast, Robert Yaniz Jr. welcomes writer and photographer extraordinaire The Famous Ashley Grant to the show. The longtime friends, former co-workers and fellow content creators discuss director James Foley's (Fifty Shades Freed) 2003 heist thriller Confidence. Edward Burns stars as a veteran confidence man who must pull off an impossible job when he and his team run afoul of a notorious crime boss, played gleefully by Dustin Hoffman. Released in the wake of O...
Jan 14, 2019•59 min
In Episode 95 of the Crooked Table Podcast, Robert Yaniz Jr. sets aside the show's regular format to mark the end of 2018. The year in cinema has been jam-packed with tons of highlights, from the big studio fare to low-budget gems that many moviegoers may have missed. So join Rob as he reveals some of his favorite 2018 films. Thanks in part to the 2018 Holiday Binge , many strong contenders emerged for both Rob's top 10 as well as his honorable mentions. However, here is the rundown of a bunch o...
Jan 07, 2019•59 min
In Episode 94 of the Crooked Table Podcast, Robert Yaniz Jr. brings Michael Hinman — host of Alpha Waves Radio — onto the show to discuss his all-time favorite film, 1999's comedy/drama American Beauty. Winner of five Academy Awards (including Best Picture), the Sam Mendes-directed film is emblematic not only of the kind of fearless filmmaking that rarely breaks into the mainstream these days but also of the landmark year in cinema that was 1999. Kudos to screenwriter Alan Ball, whose work still...
Jan 01, 2019•1 hr 2 min
In Episode 93 of the Crooked Table Podcast, Robert Yaniz Jr. recruits his mom, Jeannine Yaniz, for her podcast debut, as they discuss the joys of the holiday season as well as the latter's long-standing love of the 1954 musical White Christmas. Starring Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen, the film capitalizes on not only the enduring appeal of its four stars but the iconic titular song. As directed by Michael Curtiz (Casablanca), White Christmas is emblematic of the heyday ...
Dec 24, 2018•1 hr 5 min
In Episode 92 of the Crooked Table Podcast, Robert Yaniz Jr. brings Adam Barnard of Screen Fever back to the show to discuss writer/director Rian Johnson's 2012 sci-fi thriller Looper. After winning indie cred with Brick and The Brothers Bloom but before he became a target of online vitriol for Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Johnson brought a wholly original vision of the future to life. Set in a grimy underworld where time travel has become primarily used by criminals looking to cleanly dispose of t...
Dec 17, 2018•1 hr 20 min
In Episode 91 of the Crooked Table Podcast, Robert Yaniz Jr. turns the attention over to returning guest Kai Yaniz, who has chosen to discuss 1995 teen comedy Clueless. Starring Alicia Silverstone and written and directed by Amy Heckerling, the film was a landmark of 1990s cinema and remains one of the most beloved films of its kind this side of John Hughes. With a remake apparently on the horizon , we take a look at how Heckerling's film serves as a time capsule of its time, creating a unique a...
Dec 10, 2018•58 min
In Episode 90 of the Crooked Table Podcast, Robert Yaniz Jr. ushers in a new era of the show (check out episode 88 for more details on the updated premise). With the help of wife/frequent podcast guest Kai Yaniz, Rob looks back on the now-problematic 1994 Jim Carrey comedy Ace Ventura: Pet Detective. The film may not have aged particularly well (which Kai and Rob most definitely will get into), but nonetheless, Rob harbors a long-held affection for Carrey's brand of rubber-faced wackiness, compl...
Dec 03, 2018•46 min
In Episode 89 of the Crooked Table Podcast, Robert Yaniz Jr. goes in-depth with independent filmmaker Jeff Witzeman, director of the powerful new documentary, Flipping the Script: When Parents Fight Back ( read our review of the film ). During the conversation, Jeff reveals what inspired him to make a film that sheds such startling light on the reality of healthcare in the United States. In the case of children battling cancer, the traditional medical protocol in this country may actually be doi...
Oct 15, 2018•37 min
In Episode 88 of the Crooked Table Podcast, Robert Yaniz Jr. returns after a two-month " Crooked Hiatus " to commemorate International Podcast Day by unveiling plans for the upcoming next phase of Crooked Table Podcast. Rather than focusing strictly on new releases or relying on a regular co-host, the Crooked Table Podcast version 2.0 will feature new guests each episode, who will join us for in-depth discussions of films of their choice. The show's goal is to highlight the subjective nature of ...
Sep 30, 2018•14 min
In Episode 87 of the Crooked Table Podcast, Robert Yaniz Jr. takes another detour from the world of movies to lavish praise on Dirty Computer, the third studio album by Janelle Monáe. Released back in April, this latest work is a concept album — complete with a 49-minute "emotion picture" — celebrating individuality, free expression and being true to who you are. For Monáe, Dirty Computer represents her most ambitious project to date, as the music reflects her own journey to embrace her sexualit...
Jul 24, 2018•22 min
In Episode 86 of the Crooked Table Podcast, Robert Yaniz Jr. shares his thoughts on the bonkers absurdism of Sorry to Bother You, the feature debut for writer/director Boots Riley, and why the film represents a natural extension of the growing trend of satirical films tackling issues like race, class and conformity in increasingly over-the-top ways. Amid the current social and political landscape, a new string of fresh voices is rising to stir discussion of the many topics making headlines and c...
Jul 16, 2018•26 min
In Episode 85 of the Crooked Table Podcast, Robert Yaniz Jr. and Kai Yaniz strap in for our third Crooked Commentary. After years of wishful thinking, we finally rewatched Edgar Wright's 2010 flop-turned-cult-classic Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. Based on the comics by Bryan Lee O'Malley, the film stars Michael Cera as a bassist in Canadian indie rock band Sex Bob-Omb who just so happens to be an immature 22-year-old leaving a path of destructive behavior in his wake. But when he falls for the el...
Jul 09, 2018•2 hr
In Episode 84 of the Crooked Table Podcast, Robert Yaniz Jr. and Kai Yaniz hop a ride on the nostalgia wave as the journey back 20 years (!) to the year 1998. It was a simpler time, when our distinguished hosts were mere high school students, and the world had yet to be conquered by perpetual lists and rankings of the so-called "good ol' days." In that spirit, join us as we discuss the theatrical releases turning 20 years old this year that have stuck with us the most. And, if you're among our y...
Jul 02, 2018•1 hr 4 min
In Episode 83 of the Crooked Table Podcast, Robert Yaniz Jr. is joined by Adam Barnard of Screen Fever for an in-depth review of Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, the fifth entry in Universal's Jurassic Park franchise. The series has come a long way since Steven Spielberg's 1993 original film, but even with its legacy intact following two less-than-stellar sequels, no one expected the sequel/reboot that was 2015's Jurassic World to connect with audiences to the tune of $1.7 billion worldwide. Now ...
Jun 23, 2018•1 hr 12 min
In Episode 82 of the Crooked Table Podcast, Robert Yaniz Jr. shares his thoughts on Incredibles 2, the Disney and Pixar sequel the world was waited 14 years for. Then, he opens it up into a broader analysis of Pixar's filmography, the highs and lows of the studio's history and what being a Pixar film means to him. Ever since audiences first burst into Andy's room, the creative team at Pixar has created some of the most beloved animated releases of all time. Let's dive deep into the studio's acco...
Jun 18, 2018•36 min
In Episode 81 of the Crooked Table Podcast, Robert Yaniz Jr. and Kai Yaniz tie up some loose Riverdale ends with their brief review of the 2001 cult comedy Josie and the Pussycats, based on the Archie Comics title. Then it's into more serious matters, as they address the disparity in the audience and critical response to women and POC in studio films. From Ocean's 8 to Ghostbusters, female-led releases in particular have proved divisive among some moviegoers. In fact, actresses like Ghostbusters...
Jun 11, 2018•44 min
In Episode 80 of the Crooked Table Podcast, Robert Yaniz Jr. and Kai Yaniz take a detour from the world of film to address their recent trip down the Riverdale rabbit hole. The CW transformed the Archie Comics gang into its latest page-to-screen smash in 2017, turning "The Town with Pep" into a dark teen soap opera set in an all-too-seedy small town. Murder mysteries, love triangles, gangland wars and more shenanigans make the show — and its cast full of scene-stealers — the perfect show to bing...
Jun 04, 2018•1 hr 9 min
In Episode 79 of the Crooked Table Podcast, Robert Yaniz Jr. shares his thoughts on director Ron Howard's Solo: A Star Wars Story, which sees Alden Ehrenreich slip into Harrison Ford's iconic vest. The film — which features an ensemble supporting cast led by Emilia Clark, Woody Harrelson, Donald Glover and Paul Bettany — is the only the second Star Wars anthology film but indicates that fans might expect more solo films (pun intended) featuring their favorite characters. Case in point, James Man...
May 28, 2018•27 min
