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...
Nov 05, 2018•1 hr 17 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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. ...
Nov 02, 2018•17 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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
Nov 01, 2018•43 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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
Oct 31, 2018•1 hr 13 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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...
Oct 30, 2018•1 hr 24 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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! ...
Oct 29, 2018•58 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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...
Oct 29, 2018•1 hr 16 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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 ...
Oct 26, 2018•1 hr 9 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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
Oct 25, 2018•47 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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...
Oct 23, 2018•1 hr 13 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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...
Oct 22, 2018•1 hr 8 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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
Oct 21, 2018•1 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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...
Oct 16, 2018•1 hr•Transcript available on Metacast 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...
Oct 15, 2018•1 hr 12 min•Transcript available on Metacast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Oct 15, 2018•1 hr 20 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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 ...
Oct 12, 2018•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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 ...
Oct 09, 2018•1 hr 7 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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
Oct 08, 2018•1 hr 11 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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 |...
Oct 02, 2018•54 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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
Oct 01, 2018•44 min•Transcript available on Metacast For the first time since The Young Pope, Jim and Cecily come together to record a podcast, this time on season 2 of Netflix's Ozark. We talk about the many things we liked and the few things we didn't. We also christen the deadliest road in all of the Ozarks, squeeze a baby for all of its juice, and find out just how much Cecily knows about poison. Join the discussion: Email | Forums Follow us: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Leave Us A Review on Apple Podcasts Learn more about your ad choices. V...
Sep 30, 2018•56 min•Transcript available on Metacast HBO's The Deuce moves out the LaLa land in the latest episode, "Seven-Fifty". The title reminds us that even people that we think of as "good" are capable of terrible exploitation in this world, a reminder that Simon and Pecalanos like to give us every 10 minutes or so. Lori gets her time to shine without her pimp clouding her view, Eileen makes some slight headway towards securing the budget for her high concept adult film, while the first shot is fired in a mob war for control over NYC's sex t...
Sep 25, 2018•1 hr 13 min•Transcript available on Metacast Special thanks once again to Sean Ray for commissioning thus podcast for the 1982 John Carpenter sci-fi/horror classic, The Thing. The location, sense of isolation and paranoia, and atmosphere of dread this film is able to generate is incredible. Kurt Russel is iconic in his role as everyman bad*ss. And the gruesome, disturbing practical effects work still effectively sells the horrific alien action. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Sep 24, 2018•59 min•Transcript available on Metacast A.Ron and Jim check out another funky episode of HBO’s The Deuce. Lori and Eileen’s careers heat up as the pimps are left out in the cold! Vincent gets nostalgic with Abby, while Paul and Bobby do their best to fight off rivals to their trades. Join the discussion: Email | Forums Follow us: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Leave Us A Review on Apple Podcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Sep 18, 2018•1 hr 2 min•Transcript available on Metacast This edition is intended to be the definitive version. The interesting thing is, Jim and I have always been a bit “meh” on the classic Blade Runner experience. Sure, we always saw how influential it is, and could understand why it was highly regarded “for it’s day”. We both felt like we saw the film with fresh eyes on this cut. There are problems with world building and pacing here and there, but everything tracks so much cleaner, and the third act which was always a standout is now a pure joy. ...
Sep 17, 2018•1 hr 15 min•Transcript available on Metacast Mandy is a film by Panos Cosmatos starring Nick Cage. It is both a slow burn, 70’s style horror film dipped in acid, and a gonzo Nick Cage action film. It continually suffers from being torn in these two very different directions. A.Ron dug it, Jim wants nothing to do with it. This film boasts near universal acclaim on Rotten Tomatoes and yet is a tough one to wholeheartedly recommend. If you want to hear Jim and I argue about Mandy’s merits, you’ll have to be a Club Member! Learn more about you...
Sep 14, 2018•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast Jim and A.Ron are happy to be back into the swinging 70’s with HBO’s The Deuce, with it’s return episode, “Our Raison D’être”. This time and setting are so colorful, fun, and alive that it’s easy to forget the layer of decay and menace that lurks just beneath each scene. Whether it’s pimps losing their grip on the game or mobsters that have grown fat and lazy from politicians looking the other way, there are a lot of dangerous people that could quickly decide that they are being squeezed out. Jo...
Sep 11, 2018•48 min•Transcript available on Metacast Special thanks to commissioner Jaimie T. for having us check out the classic 1946 British film classic, “A Matter of Life and Death”. Featuring a story that pits love against the cosmic law of death, it explores post World War 2 tensions between the England and the Unites States. Both of us see the film’s obvious charm; lavish and colorful visuals, inventive special effects and set design, and appealing lead actors. We also have a few third act quibbles and thematic issues, but not enough to sin...
Sep 10, 2018•1 hr•Transcript available on Metacast Jim and A.Ron put on their brown pants tonight to go out and see The Nun, the latest installment in The Conjuring universe, but only one of us needed to. The film’s getting mixed reviews; and Jim worries that co-writer James Wan’s bag of tricks are getting played out and the movie suffers from inconsistent internal logic. Perhaps I’m the biggest wuss alive, but the movie got my hair standing up on the back of my neck fairly consistently. Your mileage may vary! Learn more about your ad choices. V...
Sep 07, 2018•23 min•Transcript available on Metacast We’re back to finish up (?) our coverage of HBO’s Sharp Objects, and discuss our thoughts on Hulu’s Castle Rock through S01E08 (00:26:04). Next week we’ll be back to start our coverage of the second season of HBO’s The Deuce. Join the discussion: Email | Forums Follow us: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Leave Us A Review on Apple Podcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Sep 04, 2018•52 min•Transcript available on Metacast 
