Bad First Impression

This week on Bad First Impression, filmmaker and Nicolas Cage completist Alex Campo and I sit down to discuss a depraved, frenzied, and extremely underrated entry in Cage's career. Rounding out my accidental thematic trilogy of Films with Unwieldy Titles Watched at the Nitehawk, Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans screened at the Prospect Park location on October 20, 2023.

Afterwards, we discuss Cage's newest film Dream Scenario, how it fits into his body of work, and what the future holds for him.

Discussion topics include:

• Is there a "the" in the title of this movie, and does shortening it somehow make it worse?
• Does combing through Cage's extensive indie and direct-to-video catalogue give any insight into his appeal as a mainstream leading man?
• Should the flaming motorcycle in the Ghost Rider duology make the movies count towards the alarming number of Nicolas Cage movies in which he drives a flaming car?

All this and more!

Logo by Kristen Eng

Episode artwork by Lily Steinberg

After a mad dash to binge the entire franchise, I sat down with Nikole Eva (AKA YouTube's Evasive) to discuss the finale film: Evangelion 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time. I returned to the Prospect Park Nitehawk to view this film on the big screen. Discussion topics include:

• Is this series an accessible entry point for someone looking to get into anime as a whole?
• Does this final film represent Hideaki Anno's moving past a need to constantly rewrite his own work?
• Is the optimal viewing experience for this or any film in a theatre full of Juggalos hyped up on Faygo?

Cover art by Kristen Eng

On today’s super-sized episode, I discuss the bizarre sequel Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2 with my guests Sebass Maroun, Bobby Martin and Kevin Wingertzahn. All three of my guests are on this episode because they share a personal connection to the original Blair Witch Project.

The film was shown with a Q&A by director Joe Berlinger at the Prospect Park Nitehawk Cinema on October 30, 2023. Discussion topics include:

• What is the Book of Shadows, and does it actually appear in this film?
• Is there a Papa Roach song on this movie’s soundtrack, or does it just really feel like there should be?
• Is the parody film starring children as well as a member of the original Blair Witch Project cast that Kevin, Bobby, and Sebass made years ago a more faithful follow-up than this movie?

Cover art by Kristen Eng

The parody film mentioned in the episode:

https://youtu.be/s0XmJswQOEc?si=yhKpDMgQjo5Vyx0r

On the inaugural episode of Bad First Impression, I sit down with my friend Brittany Mitchell, a fellow lover of mid-00's bargain bin classics, to discuss the 2006 Wayans Brothers "comedy" Little Man. The film was shown at The Roxy Cinema in Lower Manhattan, as part of their series on the Wayans Brothers "Take my Strong Hand" on October 20, 2023. Discussion topics include:

• Did this movie make Shawn Wayans decide to retire from comedy?
• Would this movie run longer than fifteen minutes if Calvin "Babyface" Johnson stopped trying to steal Kerry Washington's bag along with the diamond?
• Is the pitch for "That's so Raven" spinoff "Corey in the House" conceptually sound?

Cover art by Kristen Eng

Welcome to Bad First Impression! My name is Devin Warner, and this show is about movies and where we meet them. Me and a guest go to local specialty screenings in NYC and discuss the film, the venue, and how what we bring with us affects how we view a movie.

Subscribe here and be ready for when the first episode releases on December 8!

Cover art by Kristen Eng