What Is A Movie?: Recent Episodes
What Is A Movie?
Dan tries his darndest to help Kevin, a man who has somehow never seen a movie, understand what a movie is. Uploads biweekly on Thursdays.
The Summer Of Dafoe (or whatever we're calling this season) continues! Parables, sin, humanity, and superman - oh my!
You can shoot us an email at whatisamoviepod@gmail.com
We're back with a new season! This time we're competing in the Tour De Dafoe - a dive into the prolific career of one Mr. Willem Dafoe. First up, it's 1986's Platoon and all the complicated feelings that a war movie can drum up.
Is this a movie worth making?
How should we grapple with our past crimes?
Perhaps most importantly: would you smoke from the barrel of Willem Dafoe's weed gun?
You can shoot us an email at whatisamoviepod@gmail.com
COME ON AND SLAM AND WELCOME TO THE JAM.
We've arrived at the end of the New Season, let's celebrate in style. Tie those laces, get on the court, but don't you dare mention video games. It's Space Jam 2 time!
Let's chat about vanity projects, bad animation, cash grabs, corporate self hatred, and try to decide.... Is This A Movie? Also: the Best and Worst of our New Season.
*Everybody get up, it's time to slam now, we got a real jam goin' down. Welcome to the Space Jam. Here's your chance, do your dance at the Space Jam (alright).
---*See you in our next season dropping on 8/1!
You can shoot us an email at whatisamoviepod@gmail.com
Join us on a bold New experiment as we dive into the middle of a series that Dan has previously seen none of. Hop on, spider-monkey, we're going back to 2009 and re-litigating the Team Edward v. Team Jacob debates of old.
CW: discussions of domestic abuse, gaslighting, & misogyny
You can shoot us an email at whatisamoviepod@gmail.com
Our New Season continues! This time it's also secretly a Sequel Season and what better to take us there than our good friends Dick Miller and the Gremlins.
Let's chat about sequels, Christopher Lee, the ol bait & switch, and the good goofs we find along the way.
You can shoot us an email at whatisamoviepod@gmail.com
It's high time for something New. Join us as we venture into a New season - nay, a New era - of What Is A Movie.
Today we Escape from New York and chat about pulp, plisskin, politics, and the joys of well-executed creative theft (lookin at you, Metal Gear Solid).
Welcome to: Season Four - The New Season
Going forward we'll be doing shorter, more frequent seasons. Same episode format but now we'll gather 5 films/episodes under some thematic banner (genre, director, title, etc.), take a brief break, and then return with a new season/theme.
Got an idea for a theme or a film we should cover?
You can shoot us an email at whatisamoviepod@gmail.com
Sometimes you watch a movie that reminds you how cool cinema can be.
CW: discussions of abortion & body dysmorphia
You can shoot us an email at whatisamoviepod@gmail.com
Happy april fool's time, here's another stinker of a film! Let's talk about the difficulty of adaptations, how something can be so close yet so far, and the horrors of CGI Appa.
Yip yip!
You can shoot us an email at whatisamoviepod@gmail.com
It all comes down to this - the Cage Match V finals.
Join us as we dig into our loser's bracket before diving into the main event:
JOE v. DRIVE ANGRY
Thanks again to Jon, Carly, and Erin for joining Dan and I this year for our most challenging bracket yet & thanks to you, dear listener, for tuning in!
You can shoot us an email at whatisamoviepod@gmail.com
We're in the semi-finals, y'all! Only two more match-ups stand between one of these films and the crowning achievement of their careers: winning Cage Match V.
Today's combatants:
AVERAGE JOES
1. Joe (86) v. 3. Between Worlds (32)
THE SUPERNATURAL
2. Drive Angry (47) v. 4. Jiu Jitsu (27)
You can shoot us an email at whatisamoviepod@gmail.com
...and we're onto the second half of our bracket. Today's match-up:
AVERAGE JOES
-
Joe (86) v. 4. Bangkok Dangerous (9)
-
Windtalkers (33) v. 3. Between Worlds (32)
Thanks, as always, to the illustrious Cage Connoisseurs joining us on this quest - Jon Waugh, Carly Hayward, and Erin Sheehan.
You can shoot us an email at whatisamoviepod@gmail.com
Catch Match is back for a fifth go 'round. This year's match-up:
AVERAGE JOES v. THE SUPERNATURAL
Today we're diving into round 1 of the Supernatural bracket and pairing up:
-
Mom + Dad (75) v. 4. Jiu Jitsu (27)
-
Drive Angry (47) v. 3. Knowing (35)
Thanks, as always, to the illustrious Cage Connoisseurs joining us on this quest - Jon Waugh, Carly Hayward, and Erin Sheehan.
You can shoot us an email at whatisamoviepod@gmail.com
Happy Valentines Day, ya big saps! We're diving into a nice lil Albert Brooks & Meryl Streep romcom to think about life, love, afterlife and life after love.
I can feel something inside me say, "I really don't think you're strong enough - no."
You can shoot us an email at whatisamoviepod@gmail.com
Sorry for the delay on this one - we went to see Poor Things and it absolutely ruled. You can blame Mark Ruffalo's silly accent for the late upload of our silly podcast.
We're back with Inside Llewyn Davis! Join us as we take a look at its perspective on making art, poverty, selling your soul, & the gremlin-ness of John Goodman.
Content warning: discussions of abortion, drug abuse, poverty & unhoused populations.
You can shoot us an email at whatisamoviepod@gmail.com
It's time for our annual year-end recap! Movies & TV galore.
The big list of what we discuss at some point in no particular order because it's late and I'm tired xoxo :)
The Bear
Shoresy
Letterkenny
Poker Face
Barry
Reservation Dogs
Sopranos
The Curse
Yellowjackets
Gen V
Abbott Elementary
Cunk on Earth
Invincible
Only Murders
Fargo
I Think You Should Leave
The Fall of The House of Usher
When Evil Lurks
VHS 85
Brooklyn 45
Puppet Master 1-5
Hell House LLC Origins
No One Can Save You
The Stepfather
Talk to Me
Jacob's Ladder
Pet Semetary
Dead Alive
The Nun 2
Five Nights at Freddy's
The Exorcist Believer
Pearl
Scream 6
Evil Dead Rise
Renfield
M3GAN
Knock at the Cabin
Skinamarink
The Outwaters
The Pope's Exorcist
Insidious: The Red Door
The Boogeyman
The Holdovers
Confess, Fletch
Oppenheimer
Barbie
Asteroid City
Avatar 2 (slept through most on plane)
A Haunting in Venice
Infinity Pool
John Wick 4
Super Mario Bros
Spider-man: Across the Spider-verse
Guardians of the Galaxy 3
Ant-man 3
The Killer
Romeo+Juliet
Star Trek Discovery
Gundam : The Witch from Mercury
House
Our Flag Means Death
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Only Murders in the Building
The Menu
What We Do In The Shadows
Tragedy of Macbeth
Ted Lasso
D&D Honor Among Thieves
Nimona
Howl's Moving Castle
Nausicaa: Of The Valley Of The Wind
Joe Pera Talks With You
Arrival
Doctor Who
Suspiria
Jason X
You can shoot us an email at whatisamoviepod@gmail.com
Can you remember the tallest man you’ve ever seen?
Do you love to go a-wanderin’ beneath the clear blue sky?
Does Rashomon also remind you of Jonathan Frakes' fact-or-fiction questions?
Join us as we check out the reigning champ of conflicting narratives and discuss the meaning of life, morality, justice, and all that good stuff.
CW: discussions around rape, sexual assault, gendered violence
You can shoot us an email at whatisamoviepod@gmail.com
(John Wick voice) Yeah, I'm thinking we're back - so let's watch a seasonally appropriate b-movie slasher! Join in as we feast on our thanksgiving dinner: Blood Rage. I'll tell ya one thing: it's not cranberry sauce.
Content warnings: discussions of institutionalization, wrongful imprisonment, alcohol abuse, suicide.
You can shoot us an email at whatisamoviepod@gmail.com
Good news: the strikes are over!
Neutral news: we're back!
Bad news: not soon enough for us to prepare a "normal" episode!
We're once again digging into the bins of yesteryear to see what gems we can unearth and reminisce about. This time we're looking at 2007 and, for the heck of it, we've structured it as a draft.
You can shoot us an email at whatisamoviepod@gmail.com
Still on our 'screw you amptp' grind so we're talking about games and music from the great year of two thousand and three (and also tabletop roleplaying game philosophies because why not)!
Tune in for classic RPGs, edgy nu metal & the legacy of the legacy of kain.
You can shoot us an email at whatisamoviepod@gmail.com
Hey y'all hear about this WGA/SAG-AFTRA strike? Why is it so hard to just compensate people fairly for their labor? We'll never know (which is partly why we'll never be billionaires. Ethics! Wild stuff.).
In place of our usual programming, were going to turn our eyes to ~other media~; a list of what we cover is below.
Consider donating to the Entertainment Community Fund to help support workers affected by the work stoppage.
- Baldur's Gate 3
- Elden Ring (ergo Dark Souls, Bloodborne, et al.)
- Tears of the Kingdom
- Yakuza series
- Armored Core 6
- Starfield
- Kentucky Route Zero
- Disco Elysium
- Circe (Madeline Miller)
- A Psalm for the Wild-Built (Becky Chambers)
- Garth Marenghi's TerrorTome (Garth Marenghi)
- Comedy Bang! Bang! The Podcast: The Book (Aukerman, et al.)
- The music of Kevin's teen years (aka Linkin Park & Metallica)
Find us on twitter @whatisamoviepod and shoot us and email at whatisamoviepod@gmail.com
We're back from our little summer hiatus and we're ready to Scream. Let's chat horror trends, deconstructionism, meta narratives, and messy opinions about messy media.
Find us on twitter @whatisamoviepod and shoot us and email at whatisamoviepod@gmail.com
We're celebrating the 4th of July the only way we know how - schlocky slasher movies. Get your Scream Queen Pageant Crown on and hop on in!
CW: suicidal ideation
Find us on twitter @whatisamoviepod and shoot us and email at whatisamoviepod@gmail.com
Get on the bus, we gotta go fast - it's time for Speed! We buckle up and scoot along with our good bud Keanu to talk about dumb action, trends in pop cinema, and whether you can still make a movie "like this" anymore.
Find us on twitter @whatisamoviepod and shoot us and email at whatisamoviepod@gmail.com
Oh boy, it's Mummy time!
We dive into everyone's favorite bisexuality-fueled film and discuss CG, expensive hijinks, character tropes, colonialism, and more!
Find us on twitter @whatisamoviepod and shoot us and email at whatisamoviepod@gmail.com
Ayup, we gots The Lobster here. Grab a pot, some rubber bands, and dig in!
CW: discussions of suicide, animal abuse/death, torture, abusive relationships, sexual coercion
Find us on twitter @whatisamoviepod and shoot us and email at whatisamoviepod@gmail.com
It's time to take a trip to Skull Island, friends. Join us for a super-sized, action-packed, tangent-filled episode befitting that big ol' king of the apes. We muse on Jurassic Park, high/low brow art, shooting your shot, and the importance of coronas & family.
Find us on twitter @whatisamoviepod and shoot us and email at whatisamoviepod@gmail.com
BREAKING NEWS: we've gone and hopped in the news van to check out Nightcrawler (2014). We discuss creeps, nepotism, bizarre music, & more!
cw: discussions of sexual abuse, gaslighting, white supremacy
Find us on twitter @whatisamoviepod and shoot us and email at whatisamoviepod@gmail.com
The ghost of April Fools is still lingering so we're back with an All-Time Classic Pillar of Cinema: Troll 2. Grab your green food coloring and get in the van; we're takin a trip to Nilbog today.
Find us on twitter @whatisamoviepod and shoot us and email at whatisamoviepod@gmail.com
Cage Match rides into its annual finale as we crown our fourth champion - who will it be: Leaving Las Vegas or 8mm? Only time will tell...
But first, the winner of the losers!
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It's time for the semi-finals! Join us as we narrow our bracket down even further and declare our Daddy and Au2eur division champions. Our grueling competition is riding ever closer to its grand finale.
Joining Dan and Kevin and returning CageConnoiseurs: Erin, Jon, and Gerry.
Today's match-ups:
8mm v. Bringing Out the Dead
and
Pig v. Leaving Las Vegas
Find us on twitter @whatisamoviepod and shoot us and email at whatisamoviepod@gmail.com
Cage Match rides on as we continue the initial round of match-ups. It's round one of the Au2uer Division!
Joining Dan and Kevin are returning CageConnoiseurs: Erin, Jon, and Gerry.
Today's match-ups:
Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans v. 8mm
and
Bringing Out the Dead v. Snake Eyes
Find us on twitter @whatisamoviepod and shoot us and email at whatisamoviepod@gmail.com
March madness is here, and so is our Nicolas Cage tournament bracket. This year it's Auteur2 v. Daddy in a winner-takes-all battle for the Cage Crown.
Joining Dan and Kevin are returning CageConnoiseurs: Erin, Jon, and Gerry.
Today's episode: Round 1 of the Daddy Division:
Pig v. Outcast
and
Leaving Las Vegas v. Kick Ass
Find us on twitter @whatisamoviepod and shoot us and email at whatisamoviepod@gmail.com
We've got a fistful of dollars and a whole lot of facts about american family restaurant chains. How are these connected? Are they connected at all? You'll be shocked to find out.
CW: racism/brownface, american exceptionalism, right wing politics/nationalism, gun violence, brief allusions to sexual assault
Find us on twitter @whatisamoviepod and shoot us and email at whatisamoviepod@gmail.com
The corporate-funded American police state is a true nightmare. Anyways: here's Robocop!
CW: discussions of police brutality, gun violence, sexual assault, rape, american exceptionalism
Find us on twitter @whatisamoviepod and shoot us and email at whatisamoviepod@gmail.com
Dang, you aint never gonna see more birds than in this one, lemme tell you what.
Find us on twitter @whatisamoviepod and shoot us and email at whatisamoviepod@gmail.com
Boy howdy, we made it to 2023. Time to look back and recap the shows 'n movies we watched in the last year.
Here's the list, generally in order of discussion:
Severance
Sandman
Moon Knight
Ms. Marvel
She Hulk
Our Flag Means Death
Andor
Peaky Blinders
Only Murders in Building
What We Do in the Shadows
Over The Garden Wall
Abbott Elementary
Reservation Dogs
White Lotus
Under The Banner of Heaven
Spider-Man: No Way Home
Letterkenny
Shoresy
Cowboy Bebop/The Movie
Mobile Suit Gundam Wing/Endless Waltz
Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans
Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team
Mobile Suit Victory Gundam
Revolutionary Girl Utena
Everything Everywhere All At Once
The Batman
Weird: The Al Yankovic Story
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery
Knives Out
Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence
Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me
The Man Who Fell To Earth
Moonage Daydream
The Prestige
The Hunger
Jackass Forever
The Bob's Burgers Movie
Death on the Nile
Murder on the Orient Express
The Northman
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
Thor: Love and Thunder
Werewolf by Night
Morbius
Venom: Let There Be Carnage
No Time To Die
Batman & Robin
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
King Arthur: Legend of the Sword
The Green Knight
The Lord of the Rings Trilogy
Police Story
In The Mood For Love
Nightmare Alley
Encanto
Dracula (’31)Kids in the Hall
Rings of Power
Scream (’22)
Texas Chainsaw Massacre (’22)
Halloween Ends
Hellraiser (’22)
Hellraiser (’87)
Hellbound: Hellraiser II
Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth
Hellraiser IV: Bloodline
Hellraiser: Inferno
Hellraiser: Hellseeker
Hellraiser: Deader
Hellraiser: Hellworld
Prey
V/H/S/99
Terrifier 2
The Wailing
The Black Phone
Barbarian
Watcher
X
Fresh
NOPE
Smile
The Menu
Find us on twitter @whatisamoviepod and shoot us and email at whatisamoviepod@gmail.com
We're gassed up and ready to go for our most Dan-filled episode yet. Don't be a creepo; it's Swiss Army Man time!
CW: suicide, self-harm, dead bodies
Find us on twitter @whatisamoviepod and shoot us and email at whatisamoviepod@gmail.com
Is Ryan Gosling's best role his performance in The Nice Guys? Quite possibly!
That, a brand-new Cinema Spectrum, fresh titles/accolades for Shane Black, and more in our latest episode!
CW: discussions of sex work/pornography and gun violence
Find us on twitter @whatisamoviepod and shoot us and email at whatisamoviepod@gmail.com
It's almost Hallovveen so vve're vvatching the vvitch. Some good and normal puritanical times ahead - come on down to spooky town! Trust us, it's delicious.
CW: infanticide, body mutilation, misogyny, animal death, murder
Find us on twitter @whatisamoviepod and shoot us and email at whatisamoviepod@gmail.com
It's Sequel Season! We're back for a whole new season of What Is A Movie and we're kicking it off with one of the most important and critically lauded sequels we could: Blade 2. (It's spookytimes and GDT rules, just go with it.)
CW: blood, drug addiction, destroying fetuses
Find us on twitter @whatisamoviepod and shoot us and email at whatisamoviepod@gmail.com
"Where's the dreams that I've been after?" is a question I'm not sure The Master can answer for us or for Metallica... But the movie can provide a two-hour study of two nasty little dudes. Check out our latest and final episode of this season!
Hop in as we take a look at The Wedding Singer which (get this) takes place in the 80s!? Who knew! Crazy.
To all the Julia Guglia's out there: this one's for you.
I don't have anything witty to say this week; Parasite rules, it set our brains on fire, movies are good.
(PS Kevin edited out a bit where he said the house was "well scouted." That was A SET?! Incredible.)
Last call for childhood; all aboard The Pagemaster. Join us as we browse what this library has to offer: stunning animation (sometimes), alarmingly flat characters, 8 minutes of Christopher Lloyd, and more (barely)! Also, a dive into some of Mr. Lloyd's... questionable roles.
Ahoy mateys and avast ye scurvy dogs, it's time for some treasure! Muppet Treasure Island, to be precise. Tune in for some thoughts on Tim Curry, the Long John Silver's food chain, and all things piratical.
Buy me some peanuts and crackerjacks; the Summer of Kevin's Lost Childhood continues with the Great American Pastime - romanticizing baseball. Tune in for a few thoughts about The Sandlot and lots of thoughts about everything wrong about modern baseball.
It's summertime: time to speedrun Kevin's missing childhood! First up, A Goofy Movie. Cheese whiz, possums, and Sasquatch; oh my. Now we're really seein' it eye to eye.
CW: discussion of a parent-child abusive relationship
It's judgement day again - this time it's in Bruges! Join us for ruminations on crime, catholic guilt, and our new segment Reihle Talk where we discuss the life and career of Richard Riehle (for some reason).
CW: Discussions of suicide, murder (of adults and children), racism, fatphobia, & ableism (particularly around dwarfism).
We're back and we're goin to new york, baby! Join us for drugs, guns, little natalie portman, and tips for good parenting (also a brief foray into Beast Wars v. Transformers) as we check out Léon the Professional.
It's time for a delightfully delicious double feature of both Paddington movies. Grab a marmalade sandwich and let's chat about two perfect movies!
Surf's up! Grab your board, badge, and government-issued homoerotic tension and meet us at the beach for Point Break. Vaya con dios, brah.
Hide your prized horses, it's time for The Godfather! Something something offer you can't refuse.
Hot take - this is a pretty good movie, eh?
CW: discussions of domestic abuse, graphic violence, & animal cruelty
A wise man once said, "I am vengeance." That man went on to fight crime dressed like a bat and dang, we just can't stop making movies about that cool dude, huh. This episode is about your favorite one of those films (at least in part).
Although we've come
To the end of the road
Still I can't let go
It's unnatural...
There have never been truer words sung about Nicolas Cage. Or perhaps there have, but we're not here for that. We're here for one reason only: to determine the Champion of the Cage Match. Who will hold the Cage Crown?
The Main Event:
Wild At Heart v. The Sorcerer's Apprentice
Hosted by Kevin & Dan, Erin, Jon (from Damn That Television!), and Carly (from Story Chat Radio).
CW: discussions of sexual assault, rape, and gun violence.
Things are heating up: it's semifinals time. We've got hot deliberation, magic daddy(tm), and (for some reason) an investigation into what Rocky Balboa: Vampire would look like.
Today's match-ups:
Wild At Heart v. Peggy Sue Got Married
&
Vampire's Kiss v. Sorcerer's Apprentice.
Hosted by Kevin & Dan, Erin, Jon (from Damn That Television!), and Carly (from Story Chat Radio).
CW: discussions of bad depictions of mental health, AIDS, sexism, gendered workplace violence, racism, police violence.
Round two is here; time to dive into the Auteur division. How does Nic Cage fit into these directors' visions? Why does he do that voice? Who thought these movies were a good idea? These questions and more on today's foray into Cage Match.
This Round:
Adaptation. v. Wild At Heart
&
Peggy Sue Got Married v. Matchstick Men
Hosted by Kevin & Dan, Erin, Jon (from Damn That Television!), and Carly (from Story Chat Radio).
CW: discussions of pedophilia, abuse, mental illness (and questionable portrayals thereof)
Let's ride.
For the third year running we're putting Nicolas Cage movies through an arduous tournament bracket in our quest to find the Ultimate Cage Film. Round one this year is dedicated to the Magic Division: four films that prominently feature magical themes & performances.
This Round:
Vampire's Kiss v. Season of the Witch
&
Sorcerer's Apprentice v. Next
CW: discussions of sexual assault, stalking, sinophobia, sexism, & misogyny
This time we're in Casablanca and, what do you know, it looks like everybody's come to Rick's. Buckle up and grab your visa – it's time for fashion, romance, colonialism, and more!
Today is the big Big Night day! We discuss ill-fated accents, the taxonomy of soup, and lay the groundwork for the brilliant and necessary sequel: Bigger Night. Call us when you're ready, Hollywood.
Editor's note: toward the end of this episode we make a grievous error and accuse Stanley Tucci, as Secondo, of not seasoning his eggs. Upon review of the film he does, in fact, put a small dash of salt in there. Our deepest apologies for the culinary oversight.
!emite otnemem s'ti Listen along as we wade back into the pool of early 2000s emotionally-stunted detective men. Polaroids, Nolan, and bad suits, oh my; it's Memento time!
What do you know, it's still 2022!
Here's a lil bonus episode for y'all. First, a quick walk down memory lane looking at last year's episodes. Then, Kevin and Dan discuss the films and shows they each watched this year.
The full list of what's discussed won't fit in a description so here's that:
https://tinyurl.com/2p93khdy
Standouts include The Matrix: Resurrections, The Green Knight, House (1977), and, of course, Malignant.
The new year is a time to look back. A time to look out the rear window, if you will.
See what we did there? eh? Look, we're watching some Hitchcock, alright? Time to get voyeuristic, friendos.
CW: discussions of murder, suicide, domestic violence
Christmastime is here! We're bringing a very festive double feature of TV specials to your ears this year full of late 80s commercials, maligned title characters, and the unveiling of a brand new Seussomatic Universe.
Today's selections:
A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)
How The Grinch Stole Christmas (1966)
Get on your ice skates; it's wintertime and time for Blade! Come join our journey through this late-90's vampiric gem cause 'round here it's always open season on suckheads.
Happy Thanksgiving! We're entering travel purgatory to investigate some of life's big questions: what are we thankful for? How John Hughes can one film be? Why is there a clip show in this movie? What's the value of a scooter? Hopefully we can find some answers.
Hail to the king, baby; it's Godzilla time! Tune in as we talk about that big lizard, his progeny, and the planes trains and automobiles that he kicks around. There's also a quick detour into the Godzilla '98 soundtrack because nothing says "Godzilla" quite like Jamiroquai.
CW: This episode discusses sexual assault, violence, rape, and stalking.
Spooky season continues! Just in time for Halloween, we're watching It Follows (2014). We discuss the stunning visuals/music, gripping tension, interesting themes, and where it might fall a bit short (unlike the spooky tall man; he's very tall, very spooky, and wonderful).
Aw heck, it's October so that means we're back in sequel season! Here comes:
What Is A Movie: Season Three
And what better way to ring in spooky season with the reason for the season himself, Michael "Halloween" Myers. Dan recounts the true Halloween horror - having to sit through every other sequel in this franchise. Listen in and get back up to speed just in time for Halloween Kills!
Bonjour! Grab a baguette or a fresh slice, we're taking a look at The French Connection in a back-to-back Hack(man) attack. We also connect the dots between this, The Exorcist, Blade Runner, and (of course) the Ferris Bueller TV Show.
Come along as we hop into The Birdcage. We've got beautiful images, fantastic performances, terrible politicians, and deeply unsatisfying narrative payoffs. And, as always, Jeb!
How 'bout those dolphins, huh?
Finally, a film that asks the question on the tip of our tongues: "how rad would a skateboarding vampire be?" and answers with an emphatic "Very. Obviously."
Tune in as we chat about vampires, love stories, and Elijah Wood while ogling at the beauty of black and white cinematography.
It's time for Predator; big arms, big guns, big sweaty men... it's all here. Join us as we redesign Splash Mountain, compare alien-fighting squads, and reminisce about Kevin McAllister. Also, Dan declares "you cannot fathom how jacked I am."
Today we're diving into Whiplash, aka Two Dudes Bein' Terrible, aka Dumb Jerks the Worst: The Movie.
D'ya like jazz?
CW: discussions of self harm, suicide, physical and emotional abuse, and slurs.
Happy birthday America, it's time to slam some raw eggs, punch meat, and triumphantly climb some big, big stairs. Join us as we celebrate by watching Rocky, the story of a big himbo who likes turtles and do a damn decent punch.
Pack your bags and put your samba shoes on, we're goin to Brazil! Today we take a look at Terry Gilliam's not-so-distant dystopia and all the lovely bureaucracy it comes with.
We found a guy named Max. He's pretty mad but we brought him with us. Get on your bikes and ride as we chat about about Mad Max ('79)!
The weather's getting nice - let's head to summer camp! We somehow find our way into Jumanji, Magic Johnson, and a large amount of Davids in this one. Grab your can of mixed vegetables and come on down!
'The dust and the screaming
The yuppies networking'
Today we venture into the world of Patrick Bateman - business cards, pop music, thousands of crunches, and oh so much blood. It's American Psycho time!
We're kicking it into high gear today with Enter The Dragon. This was a new one for both of us, tune in and see how it went!
We're looking at a real gem of cinema here as we ride a true roller coaster of emotions thanks to the ill-fated, Hanna-Barbera produced, KISS vehicle: Kiss Meets the Phantom of the Park.
'... and how about the time we were the hard-rocking quartet of Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Ace Frehley, and the bat?'
CriterionCollectionWhen
Hi all,
In light of allegations of abuse recently made public about Richard Stanley, director of Color Out Of Space, we don’t feel it’s appropriate to put any more of a spotlight on that film and are wrapping up this season of Cage Match as is. We unequivocally believe and support Scarlett Amaris and survivors of domestic abuse everywhere. We urge you to look into the groups and organizations fighting domestic abuse if your community and support them in any way you can.
In place of our usual programming, here are a few friends we recommend you check out:
Huge thanks to our amazing friends Gerry and Jon for making Cage Match possible. Find Gerry on twitter @d_apollo and catch Jon as co-host of the podcast Damn That Television.
For more movie talk, check out For Her Consideration - each episode sees our friends Tim and Cassidy watching through past years’ best picture noms and judging the Academy’s decision.
Story Chat Radio is by our friends Carly and Jeni, professional editors, who look at a different film each episode to see how you can use its strengths to improve your own writing. It's great stuff even if you’re not a writer!
We’ll be back with our regular programming on April First.
Cage Match 2 continues as we finalize the first round of our bracket. This week: The Family Division. We've got a caveman, colons, a horrifying make-out session, and 2021's Great Hunk Debate.
1 Moonstruck
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4 National Treasure: Book of Secrets
2 The Croods
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3 The Family Man
Featuring Jon Waugh (@jonwahizzle) and Gerry D'Apollo (@d_apollo)
A year has passed and a siren song is whispered on the wind. Four friends have gathered to answer this call and determine which Nicolas Cage film reigns supreme. This is a test of their will, of their might, and the very bonds of friendship itself.
Eight films enter, but only one can survive. This is Cage Match 2.
First up, the Batshit Division:
1 Mandy
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4 Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance
2 Color Out Of Space
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3 Willy's Wonderland
Featuring Jon Waugh (@jonwahizzle) and Gerry D'Apollo (@d_apollo)
This week we're taking a trip to Chicago's 14th Best Hospital! Listen along as we dive into The Big Sick and crown Ray Romano as the Ur-Dad. It's a whole thing. Check it out!
Pop the champagne, it's time for Dumb and Dumber! We're checking out yet another '94 Jim Carrey comedy to see how it has held up. Buckle into your dog-car or moped, we're going on a road trip!
There can be only one, but today we are three! Special guest Jon Waugh is here to share the hard-rocking Queen anthems of his adolescence with Highlander (1986). This also the starts our campaign to get Matt Berry into any (all?) roles of a Highlander remake.
Accents, katanas, and lightning - oh my!
Surprise! It's a new year and we've got a new bonus episode for y'all. We took a look back at what we watched in the dumpster fire that was 2020. Kevin somehow managed to eke out a few extracurricular films! Meanwhile, Dan's horror watch-list is truly terrifying.
Please let Dan know if you've seen Verotika, he desperately needs to know he wasn't the only one.
We're back and hoping to get rocked by Amadeus ('84)! We list a lot of musicals in this one for some reason. Also, we make a pact to start ramping the drama in our lives up to 11 every so often #JustSalieriThings
Merry Gremlins Eve!
Today we're learning how many hamfisted christmas song references Kevin can make and judging the great "is Baby Yoda a Gremlin?" debate. Visits from friends both new and old, cheerful music, and gremlins being murdered by kitchen implements - it's what the holiday season is all about!
Let's take a trip down Mulholland Drive (2001)! If you look to your left you'll see sweeping vistas of unnamed emotions. To your right, the face of someone you know but can't name or remember. It's lovely even if we can't answer our titular question this time around.
SlugsForStreams
If you find you're missing the drama and arguments that usually surround the Thanksgiving table, throw on My Cousin Vinny (1992) - or just listen to us chat about it!
This episode we dunk on Ralph Macchio's mustache, grow increasingly envious of Marisa Tomei's wardrobe, and continue to puzzle over how and why a Ferris Bueller TV show ever existed.
What could it be like to live under a governing class looting a country for their own political gain, all with no regard for its citizen's lives? Who could possibly say.
Today we're taking a look at Armando Iannucci's black comedy The Death of Stalin (2017).
This year our Halloween episode is pretty... sweet.(get it?)
We're taking a look at Candyman (1992): all its frights, haunts, scares, and the biggest specter of all, white privilege. Repeat after me: Candyman, Candyman, Candyman...
Season 2 is here! We're back but so are those pesky xenomorphs. Grab a flamethrower and join us as we dive on into Aliens (1986) from our now very good friend James Cameron.
In this podcast Dan tries his darndest to help Kevin, a man who has somehow never seen a movie, understand what a movie is.
Today: Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
In this podcast Dan tries his darndest to help Kevin, a man who has somehow never seen a movie, understand what a movie is.
Today: Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961)
In this podcast Dan tries his darndest to help Kevin, a man who has somehow never seen a movie, understand what a movie is.
Today: The Fighter (2010)
In this podcast Dan tries his darndest to help Kevin, a man who has somehow never seen a movie, understand what a movie is.
Today: Gladiator (2000)
In this podcast Dan tries his darndest to help Kevin, a man who has somehow never seen a movie, understand what a movie is.
Today: Clueless (1995)
In this podcast Dan tries his darndest to help Kevin, a man who has somehow never seen a movie, understand what a movie is.
Today: Seven Samurai (1954)
In this podcast Dan tries his darndest to help Kevin, a man who has somehow never seen a movie, understand what a movie is.
Today: Se7en (1995)
In this podcast Dan tries his darndest to help Kevin, a man who has somehow never seen a movie, understand what a movie is.
Today: Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994)
In this podcast Dan tries his darndest to help Kevin, a man who has somehow never seen a movie, understand what a movie is.
Today: John Wick (2014)
In this podcast Dan tries his darndest to help Kevin, a man who has somehow never seen a movie, understand what a movie is.
Today: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)
In this podcast Dan tries his darndest to help Kevin, a man who has somehow never seen a movie, understand what a movie is.
Today: Alien (1979)
In this podcast Dan tries his darndest to help Kevin, a man who has somehow never seen a movie, understand what a movie is.
Today: Up (2009)
In this podcast Dan tries his darndest to help Kevin, a man who has somehow never seen a movie, understand what a movie is.
Today: Goldfinger (1964)
In this podcast Dan tries his darndest to help Kevin, a man who has somehow never seen a movie, understand what a movie is.
Today: Chopping Mall (née Killbots) (1986)
In this What Is A Movie? March Madness special, Kevin and Dan enlist their friends Jon and Gerry to determine the greatest Nic Cage movie. This task will test not only their strength of character and their determination, but the ties of friendship itself. Eight movies enter, one movie leaves. This is Cage Match.
Today's matchups:
Con Air v. Raising Arizona
In this What Is A Movie? March Madness special, Kevin and Dan enlist their friends Jon and Gerry to determine the greatest Nic Cage movie. This task will test not only their strength of character and their determination, but the ties of friendship itself. Eight movies enter, one movie leaves. This is Cage Match.
Today's matchups:
Con Air v. Face/Off
Raising Arizona v. The Rock
In this What Is A Movie? March Madness special, Kevin and Dan enlist their friends Jon and Gerry to determine the greatest Nic Cage movie. This task will test not only their strength of character and their determination, but the ties of friendship itself. Eight movies enter, one movie leaves. This is Cage Match.
Today's matchups:
Raising Arizona v. Gone in 60 Seconds
The Rock v. Ghost Rider
In this What Is A Movie? March Madness special, Kevin and Dan enlist their friends Jon and Gerry to determine the greatest Nic Cage movie. This task will test not only their strength of character and their determination, but the ties of friendship itself. Eight movies enter, one movie leaves. This is Cage Match.
Today's matchups:
Face/Off v. The Wicker Man
Con Air v. National Treasure
In this podcast Dan tries his darndest to help Kevin, a man who has somehow never seen a movie, understand what a movie is.
Today: Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) (2004)
In this podcast Dan tries his darndest to help Kevin, a man who has somehow never seen a movie, understand what a movie is.
Today: Dirty Dancing (1987)
In this podcast Dan tries his darndest to help Kevin, a man who has somehow never seen a movie, understand what a movie is.
Today: The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
In this podcast Dan tries his darndest to help Kevin, a man who has somehow never seen a movie, understand what a movie is.
Today: Inception (2010)
In this podcast Dan tries his darndest to help Kevin, a man who has somehow never seen a movie, understand what a movie is.
Today: Die Hard (1988)
In this podcast Dan tries his darndest to help Kevin, a man who has somehow never seen a movie, understand what a movie is.
Today: The Pink Panther (1963)
In this podcast Dan tries his darndest to help Kevin, a man who has somehow never seen a movie, understand what a movie is.
Today: The Terminator (1984)
In this podcast Dan tries his darndest to help Kevin, a man who has somehow never seen a movie, understand what a movie is.
Today: Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)
In this podcast Dan tries his darndest to help Kevin, a man who has somehow never seen a movie, understand what a movie is.
Today: Halloween (1978)
In this podcast Dan tries his darndest to help Kevin, a man who has somehow never seen a movie, understand what a movie is.
Today: The Fly (1986)
In this podcast Dan tries his darndest to help Kevin, a man who has somehow never seen a movie, understand what a movie is.
Today: Psycho (1960)