Back to the movies

We may not have a giant Kaijus but this week's Back to the Movies packs a mean Godzilla sized punch in our review of 2016's biggest surprise, 10 Cloverfield Lane. It may not have much in common with it's predecessor, but that doesn't stop us from talking conspiracies, remembering the original, or discussing our spiderweb crazy theories.

We're joined again by Dalton Stuart to talk about our memories with the 2008 Cloverfield before delving into our reviews and recommendations. In order to keep you spoiler free and ripe for the filmgoing experience, we keep our initial review on a tight lockdown of any real plot points. 

10 Cloverfield Lane stayed under tight wraps at Bad Robot Productions under the code name Valencia based on a script titled The Cellar before being officially announced January 15 of this year. The film's shocking announcement less than 2 months before its release has been the talk of the internet and it's minimal marketing and projected success could effectively make it the Beyonce of the film industry.

J.J. Abrams has run a tight shift as producer by keeping all of this film's secrets tightly under wraps. We don't want to spoil any of the fun, but here's a basic synopsis. After an accident, Howard (John Goodman) takes Michelle (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) to his underground bunker and refuses to let her leave because of an incident that has occurred on the outside. 

10 CLOVERFIELD LN Timestamps

Remembering Cloverfield - 4:10

Review - 14:12

Recommendations - 30:50

*Spoilers* - 35:36

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It's springtime, listeners. The sun is shining, the flowers are blooming, and naturally the terrorists are taking London Bridge all the way down. That's right, Back to the Movies is locked, loaded, and ready to trash a bit of classic jingoism because nothing kicks off the March election season like the fresh smell of American propaganda in the cinema. This is our review of London Has Fallen.

To discuss the the ra-ra America Mania,  Arthur and Caleb are joined by local writer Jacob Oller of the OK Gazette,The Film Stage, and Film School Rejects. The trio talk a little bit about their expectations before taking a closer look at the troubling messages the film is sending to audiences.

London Has Fallen and It Can't Get Up - Time Stamps

Introductions - 1:12

Review - 3:01

Follow Guest Jacob Oller on Twitter @JacobOller

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Prepare to be bewitched on this week's Back to the Movies featuring special guest host, The Frightful Femme herself, Kirsten Therkelson in our review discussion of The Witch.  The film has been lauded by a number of critics ever since its Sundance 2015 debut and the internet just can't stop talking about it. It brings a slow burn horror to the criminally underused setting of precolonial 17th century by mixing myth with authentic vernacular. It's got an undeniable attention to detail in its script, sets, and costuming, but does it really deliver a compelling bit of horror?

The VVitch Time Stamps

Review - 2:51

Recommendations - 33:53

*Spoilers* - 38:38

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It's the age of superheroes and when it comes to Valentine's Day 2016, Deadpool reigns supreme. This week's Back to the Movies reviews the long awaited solo venture of the the Merc with the mouth, Deadpool. After a couple of weeks away from the mic, Arthur Gordon returns to his chair as co-host along with returning guest Dalton Stuart of The People's History of Film fame. Before going deep into our review, we take a look at Deadpool's runaway success at the box office. The film is brought in $152 million over the four day President's day weekend and set the record for biggest R-rated opening. We love the unadulterated love for Wade Wilson, but what does it mean for the future of superhero movies? 

Were the chimichangas the best ever? Tune in!

Deadpool

Box Office Chatter - 2:03

Review - 4:43

Recommendations - 33:50

*Spoilers* - 38:44

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Find all of our podcasts and sister programming at GoodTrashMedia.com 

Hollywood is front and center this week on Back to the Movies as Caleb and the GoodTrash gang review the Coen Brothers latest outing, Hail Caesar!. It’s become something for movie goers every time a famous auteur puts out a movie and Joel and Ethan Coen are certainly no exception. They’ve taken on westerns, comedies, dramas, and even musicals. How well does the duo handle their own reflection on Hollywood? The only way the Coen Brothers ever could, with George Clooney of course! Caleb is joined by guest host Dalton Stuart of The People’s History of Film and Alexandra Bohannon of The Film Syllabus fame.

The film stars Clooney, Josh Brolin, Alden Ehrenreich, Ralph Fiennes, Scarlet Johanson, Tilda Swinton, Channing Tatum, and a slew of other great character actors. The film follows a day in the life of studio producer Eddie Mannix as he runs set to set to ensure that all of his productions are in line to hit their deadlines and budgets. Things get troublesome for Eddie when the star of his biggest film “Hail Caesar!” is kidnapped from the set and held for ransom. With so much at stake at the studio, Mannix is forced to choose between pursuing a new career, running his studio, or spending time with his family. 

Like the works of the Coen Brothers, the Back to the Movies discussion is a bit dry, a bit odd, and undeniably charming. Once the review moves into spoilers, things get a bit more analytical as the gang talks about some of the deeper themes at play in the film.

Heil Caesar!

Review – 3:29

Recommendations – 33:43

Spoilers– 38:47

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Zombies and the undead are the name of the game in this week's Back to the Movies as Caleb and Alexandra review Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. After over-saturating the big screen they invaded our TVs, infiltrated our comic books, and and eventually even got their own plush toys. The phenomena that twenty years ago was reserved for horror fans and D&D players has become one of the definitive pieces of house hold pop culture. With no media left to haunt, the only place for them to run to was the pages of English literature.

Thanks for listening! If you like the work we're doing on Back to the Movies, I hope you'll consider contributing to our Patreon so that we can continue to bring you reviews of the latest movies.

The Pride of Prejudice Zombies

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies Review - 3:45

Recommendations - 30:40

*Spoilers*- 33:38

Back to the Movies continues riding the Oscar hype train in this week's in depth discussion of Room directed by  and starring Brie Larson. We have an awful lot to say about Room, but we want to remain tight lipped about the premise for listeners who might not be initiated with the details. To keep it simply, Room is the story of one mother and her child bond together and seek freedom from the confines of a very tight living space. It's filled with plenty of surprises and an undeniable emotional weight.

Arthur and Caleb talk a little bit about the Oscar buzz related to the film before diving head first into their reactions. 

Back to the Movies has returned with an extra special bonus episode to discuss Charlie Kaufman's recent venture into stop motion animation, Anomalisa. The film stars a famed, lonely, and middle aged self help author, Michael Stone(David Thewlis) as he wanders around the city of Cincinnati looking for a taste of something or something new in life. Michael is beaten down by the mundanity of his own life and has lost his ability to connect with other people including his own wife and son. Everything changes when he hear's the voice of Lisa (Jennifer Jason Leigh) who gives him a new hope for his life. 

Caleb is joined again by GoodTrash cohort Alexandra Bohannon to talk full spoilers about Anomalisa. They discuss the film's decision to be animated before looking at the film's portrayal of other people through the eyes of Michael Stone. The film looks amazing, but what exactly does the Anomilisa's stop motion bring to the table. Is 2015's gems really one of the best of the year? Tune in!

The Anomalisa Bonus Feature

Spoiler Review - 1:50

Recommendations - 32:55

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