Cinema A La Carte: Recent Episodes
Dark Discussions Podcast
The “little” film EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE (2022), independently made, but picked up by A24 for distribution, basically out of nowhere became a major hit and also won seven Oscars at the Academy Awards. Part science fiction, part comedy, part family drama, the movie received great reviews while also making a strong box office.
From IMDB: A middle-aged Chinese immigrant is swept up into an insane adventure in which she alone can save existence by exploring other universes and connecting with the lives she could have led.
The movie stars Michelle Yeoh, Stephanie Hsu, Jenny Slate, James Hong, Jamie Lee Curtis, and remarkably retired child actor Ke Hy Quan who went on to win the Oscar for best supporting actor. The movie was written and directed by the “Daniels”, Daniel Scheinert and Daniel Kwan after having met at Emerson College in Boston years earlier. Your co-hosts take a look at this film picked as a feature by co-host Eric.
Legal thrillers have been a staple of Hollywood films for decades. Long before the rating system and when film was black and white, they dominated theaters. In 2007, the film MICHAEL CLAYTON became a big hit. It was more a character study than just a legal thriller, and it included such topics as business corruption, mental illness, and family drama too.
Michael Clayton (George Clooney) is a lawyer for a big New York City law firm. Rather than being a partner, he’s called a cleaner or a janitor, someone that cleans up the messes of the firm’s top clients. When lawyer, Arthur Edens (Tom Wilkinson) has a breakdown and may expose the corruption of client U-North, U-North’s internal council, Karen Crowder (Tilda Swinton), has to make a rash decision. In the meantime, Michael has to find Arthur, saving their case, and try to clean up the mess.
The film received seven Academy Award nominations including a win for Tilda Swinton for Best Supporting Actress. The movie was directed and written by Tony Gilroy and included in the cast Ken Howard, Sydney Pollack, and Denis O’Hare. Receiving amazing reviews, and considered a masterpiece, the movie went on to make $93M USD. Your cohosts take a look at the movie and give their thoughts.
Terry Gilliam has been a very “confusing” director. His films are sometimes called inaccessible. Whether it is TIME BANDITS (1981), BRAZIL (1985), or FEAR AND LOATHING IN LAS VEGAS (1998), his work is very distinct. In 1995, his film 12 MONKEYS did have his various traits and also was a well received science fiction film with originality.
In apocalyptic 2035, where people live underground, prisoner James Cole (Bruce Willis) is sent to the surface for samples so a cure for a pandemic that killed most of humanity. Scientists however have a plan. They are able to send people back to the past so to see if they can stop the disease itself. When James heads back to 1996, he discovers that a group of environmental terrorists called 12 Monkeys may be the culprit.
Directed by Gilliam, the screenplay was written by duo, David and Janet Peoples, based off a French short film LA JATEE by Chris Marker. The cast includes Bruce Willis, Brad Pitt, David Morse, Christopher Plummer, and Madeleine Stowe. Your co-hosts take a look at this very interesting film and give their thoughts.
After his controversial chapter in the ALIEN film franchise, ALIEN 3 (1992), David Fincher went on a spree of some seriously remarkable films. With a few minor films, he had a run of classics such as SEVEN (1995), THE GAME (1997), FIGHT CLUB (1999), ZODIAC (2007), THE SOCIAL NETWORK (2010) and GONE GIRL (2014). His THE GAME, though a minor success at the box office, was a powerful example of the type of thrillers he would become known for.
Nicholas Van Orton is a very successful investment banker that lives in the San Francisco area. To many he appears to be a selfish and fairly aloof man, but he has carried personal demons from his childhood that haunt his adult life. At his birthday, his estranged brother gives him a gift to a LARP from a mysterious company called Consumer Recreation Services. Soon, his life seems to become exciting but for all the wrong reasons.
THE GAME stars one of the top leading men of its era, Michael Douglas, at the top of his game (no pun intended). The cast includes Sean Penn, Deborah Kara Unger, along with James Rebhorn and Carroll Baker. With a budget of $70M USD, the film went on to gross $109.4M USD. Just like FIGHT CLUB, THE GAME originally received fixed reviews before being re-evaluated and becoming a classic. Your co-hosts take a look at this spectacular thriller and give their thoughts.
Not often is there a film that comes around like 2017’s THREE BILLBOARS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI. Some feel the movie is almost perfect. It was nominated for many awards, won a whole lot, and will probably be remembered more so than the films it competed against.
Mildred Hayes (Frances McDormand) is a grieving mother. A year prior her daughter was raped and murdered and there has been no leads. Outside her town, she decides to rent three billboards calling out the local sheriff and his officers for their stalled investigation.
The film is directed and written by Martin McDonagh in a career defining masterpiece. Starring Frances McDormand in a award winning performance, the movie also stars Woody Harrelson, Sam Rockwell, Peter Dinklage, Abbie Cornish, and Samara Weaving in a large ensemble cast. Your co-hosts take a look at their latest picture to reminisce on and give their thoughts.
Shane Black has many successes, especially with screenwriting. Some of his best known are LETHAL WEAPON, THE MONSTER SQUAD, and PREDATOR (all 1987), as well as IRON MAN 3 (2013). His sense of humor and his apt work on action scenes has given many of his scripts great praise. But he has directed too including our latest choice to discuss on Cinema A La Carte, KISS KISS BANG BANG (2005).
From Bing: “Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is a 2005 American neo-noir mystery black comedy action thriller film written and directed by Shane Black, and starring Robert Downey Jr., Val Kilmer, Michelle Monaghan, and Corbin Bernsen. The script is partially based on the Brett Halliday novel Bodies Are Where You Find Them, and interprets the classic hardboiled literary genre in a tongue-in-cheek fashion. The film was produced by Joel Silver, with Susan Levin and Steve Richards as executive producers.”
With its eclectic cast and Shane Black’s fingers on the script and direction, the neo-noir received excellent reviews on Rottentomatoes. Though a minor film in many involved in the movie, it helped jump each of their careers and has become a cult favorite. Your co-hosts take a look at Mike’s choice to discuss. We give our thoughts and talk about the satire about Hollywood that Black’s script focuses on.
Survival films aren’t necessarily the most popular genre but many of them are highly remembered. Whether it was such cinema as THE GRAY (2011), THE REVENANT (2015), or CAST AWAY (2000), many are considered classic cinema and highly regarded. In 1997, the movie THE EDGE, written by David Mamet and directed by Lee Tamahori, oddly slipped through the cracks when first released. Charles Morse (Anthony Hopkins) goes with his supermodel wife Mickey (Elle Macpherson) for a photoshoot in the remote areas of Alaska. When photographer Bob Green (Alec Baldwin) wants better photos, they head off on a small plane to a local guide. Unfortunately their plane crashes leaving Charles, Bob, and Bob’s assistant Stephen (Harold Perrineau) stranded. Soon, a Kodiak bear is on their trail and the three must fight for survival. Besides Anthonly Hopkins and Alec Baldwin in the leading roles, the film’s cast includes Elle Macpherson, L.Q. Jones, Harold Perrineau and Bart the Bear. The film, chosen by co-host Eric, was almost a topic for the Dark Discussions Podcast before being chosen for discussion here on the Cinema A La Carte podcast. Take a listen and hear what your co-hosts feel about a highly underappreciated movie.
Canadian filmmaker David Cronenberg is best known for his grindhouse and midnight movies back in the 1970’s and 1980’s, but as his career has evolved, he has become known as an award winning director for his dramas and thrillers as well. In 2005, his movie A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE stunned audiences with his real world implications. Based off the graphic novel of the same name by John Wagner and Vince Locke, the movie received nominations for Best Adapted Screen Play (by Josh Olson) at the Oscars. Tom Stall (Viggo Mortensen) is happily married to attorney Edie Stall (Maria Bello). He’s the owner of a local diner and has two beautiful children. When two on-the-run killers attempt to rob his restaurant, Tom is labeled a hero by local media as he saves his employees from a possible massacre. When a strange group of men appear in town, Tom and his family’s life are turned upside down. Who are these men and what do they want? The film stars Viggo Mortensen, Maria Bello, Ed Harris, and William Hurt in an Oscar nominated performance. As a commentary on the violent nature of humanity and even on Hollywood’s and Cronenberg’s own knack for aggression in film, the movie is a reflection on all of us and as a society that seems to fetishizes our own violent nature. Your co-hosts take a look at this interesting film and give their thoughts.
Flash Gordon, the character, was created back in the 1930’s specifically as a space opera. Space opera is the old science fiction that takes place in outer space but doesn’t necessarily follow the knowledge behind the science. George Lucas brought it all back in the 1970’s with STAR WARS (1977). With it being a huge subgenre once more, in 1980 the film FLASH GORDON as the next big budget film to set off a franchise. New York Jets quarterback Flash Gordon (Sam J. Jones), during space Emperor Ming’s (Max von Sydow) invasion of Earth, flies a space rocket with travel agent Dale Arden (Melody Anderson) and scientist Hans Zarkov (Topol) to Ming’s palace where they are captured. With the help of Princess Aura (Ornella Muti) and others, Flash escapes and tries to start an intergalactic rebellion to free all those oppressed by Ming. Produced by Dino De Laurentiis, directed by Mike Hodges, and written by Lorenzo Semple, Jr., based off Alex Raymond’s iconic character, the movie gained much press as the band Queen joined as the main composer along with Howard Blake. Released world wide, the film’s retro look and strange story gained it mediocre reviews. Yet years later fans found the film and gave it the rightful cult following that it has. Your co-hosts discuss this wonderful film.
Lincoln Child is one of today’s best selling authors. His set of novels based off the special ops private eye Jack Reacher have been some of the favorite books by thriller and mystery fans. In 2012, Tom Cruise was able to star and produce the feature motion picture, JACK REACHER, based off the first book in the series, ONE SHOT (2005). The film was directed and written by long time Cruise collaborator Christopher McQuarrie. When a serial killer shots five people dead in downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, a mysterious former Army military police officer shows up named Jack Reacher (Tom Cruise). When the district attorney, Alex Rodin (Richard Jenkins), seeks the death penalty, his daughter Helen (Rosamund Pike) feels something is suspicious. Soon Jack Reacher joins up with Helen and the two begin to unravel a much larger conspiracy. Jack Reacher is another in a long line of films that were pushed back due to real life crimes that seemed to mirror the plot of the movie. When the film finally was released, it made less than expected but received legs and made a boat load of money world wide. The film stars Tom Cruise, Rosamund Pike, Richard Jenkins, Robert Duval, Werner Herzog, and David Oyelowo in a strong ensemble cast. Your co-hosts take a look at this well received film and give their thoughts.
One of the biggest directors over the last forty years is also one of the least prolific. Michael Mann has been synonymous with thrillers, sometimes shockingly violent and most certainly very stylish. Even prior to THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS (1991), he had already directed Hannibal Lector in the adaptation MANHUNTER (1986) of Thomas Harris’ novel, Red Dragon. However, one of his most effective films was surprising movie COLLATERAL from 2004. Max (Jamie Foxx) is an LA cab driver with big dreams of one day owning a limousine service. When a well-dressed man named Vincent (Tom Cruise) enters his taxi, Max is asked to drive around the city to five different locations. While waiting for Vincent to return after the first stop, an unexpected incident occurs that turns a routine night of work into a struggle to stay alive. The movie stars Tom Cruise in what some say is one of his most iconic performances. Jamie Foxx also received a nomination for Supporting Actor. Included in the cast is Jada Pinkett Smith, Mark Ruffalo, Bruce McGill, Peter Berg, and Javier Bardem. Your co-hosts take a look at this remarkable film and give their thoughts.
FORBIDDEN PLANET (1956), one of the most iconic science fiction films of all time, has been chosen as the latest Cinema A La Carte episode to discuss. With its timely phenomenal special effects, the movie was nominated for an Academy Award in the Best Visual Effects category. By 2013, the film was entered into the Library of Congress’ National Film Registry as an important movie in history.
The planet Altair IV had been colonized twenty years earlier, but now it is time for the relief team to replace the original explorers. When coming into audio communication with the planet, one of the original pioneers, Dr. Edward Morbius (Walter Pidgeon), warns starship C-57D to stay away. But following orders, Commander John J. Adams (Leslie Nielsen) lands the ship only to find Morbius, his daughter Altaira (Anne Francis), and a robot named Robbie all that’s left of the original settlers.
The film was one of MGM’s most successful movies. FORBIDDEN PLANET was directed by Fred M. Wilcox, written by Cyril Hume, and produced by Nicholas Nayfack. Years later, the movie still resonates with Robbie the Robot considered one of the most iconic characters in movie history. Take a listen to your co-hosts discuss all things Krell, the mind’s id, and miniskirts.
After forming Pixar, Steve Jobs eventually sold it off to Disney, and since then the company has created some of the most successful animated films in movie history. Though part of The Walt Disney Company, Pixar is its own subsidiary and is separate from Walt Disney Animation Studios. In 2015, Pixar’s movie INSIDE OUT was a very interesting addition to their catalog.
When young Riley moves with her family from Minnesota to San Francisco, her emotions get the most of her. The alpha emotion of Joy (Amy Poehler) has to juggle control of Riley while keeping her fellow emotions, Sadness (Phyllis Smith), Anger (Lewis Black), Disgust (Mindy Kaling), and Fear (Bill Hader), from causing a total meltdown. When everything inside this young girl’s mind leads to emotion overload, Joy works her best to put the pieces back together.
Pixar veteran, Pete Docter, directs and co-writes this Oscar winning animated film. With an all-star cast including two actresses who starred in the great show, The Office, the movie became an instant success during its screen debut. Cinema A La Carte takes a look at this very original movie and gives their thoughts.
Let’s say you went to a yard sale and purchased a thermos. And when you got home you found $10,000 inside. Would you return it? Would you keep it? That’s the hook to the 2012 drama film STARLET written, produced, and directed by award winning filmmaker Sean Baker. Yet, this plot device is just the spark of a much bigger story in such a small, little film.
Dree Hemingway
Jane (Dree Hemingway), a beautiful valley girl, rents a room from her friend Melissa (Stella Maeve) and her boyfriend Mikey (James Ransone). Deciding to redecorate, she goes to various yard sales and buys a thermos that was holding a lot of money. Not sure what to do, she decides to befriend Sadie (Besedka Johnson), the octogenarian who sold her the item. As the two begin to become friendly, they both fight their own personal demons as they try to build a better life.
STARLET received fantastic reviews and continued to build the resume of Sean Baker as one of today’s great talents. Dree Hemingway’s lead performance was a role that in another time would have brought her superstardom. And the heartwarming story of Besedka Johnson making her film debut after having given up acting as a young woman itself is a story in itself. A strong depiction of the dignity and humanity of all people, no matter what profession they do, STARLET is a touching drama that should not be overlooked. Your podcast co-hosts give their thoughts on this indy film gem.
With one of the worst titles in movie history, BABY DRIVER (2017) was released world wide. With such a title many folks thought it was a comedy or a family film and as a result the target audience may have ignored it during its theatrical release (including one of your podcast co-hosts). The film, directed by Edgar Wright, received positive reviews and still was able to make a large profit at the box office on top of its meager film budget.
Baby (Ansel Elgort) has been forced to work for a local crime boss since he was sixteen to pay back for doing a car jacking. Now he is a driver for various robberies. When he meets Debora (Lily James) at a local diner, his life seems to finally be moving to a new phase of respectability. Unfortunately for him, the crime boss may not let him out of his debt.
Besides the nominal leads of Ansel Elgort and Lily James, the film has a cast of big names including Kevin Spacey, Jamie Foxx, Jon Hamm, Jon Bernthal, and Eiza González. Somewhat a cult classic after it was able to be viewed at home, your co-hosts take a look at this very interesting and pulpy film.
Director Scott Cooper is well known for his award nominated films such as CRAZY HEART (2009), OUT OF THE FURNACE (2013), and BLACK MASS (2015). His movies have had their detractors, but generally have been received positively. His last film, 2017’s HOSTILES, was no different. Showing his fluidity, this movie was a Western.
Captain Joseph Blocker (Christian Bale) is assigned to escort the pardoned Cheyenne Chief Yellow Hawk (Wes Studi) and his family back to Montana, his homeland. When he and his crew come upon Rosalee Quaid (Rosamund Pike), a survivor from a Comanche massacre, she joins their group. As the two former enemies begin to see the others humanity, Blocker has a change of heart about his mission and becomes friends with Yellow Hawk.
The film was released late December 2017 hoping for Oscar buzz, but unfortunately both its box office and Academy Award hopes floundered. Now Cinema A La Carte, in its debut episode, takes a look at this overlooked movie and gives their thoughts on a modern Western in this new social age.