This episode of Top Five Movies features Jonathan (@berkreviews), Corey (@coreyrstarr), and Michael (@servermonkey) discussing their favorite Cult Movies. Not movies about cults mind you, but Cult films defined as movies that are known for their dedicated, passionate fanbase, an elaborate subculture that engages in repeated viewings, quoting dialogue, and audience participation. Well, each kind of used some variation of this definition in their list building. 

Corey’s list: 

5. Die Hard (1988)

Michael’s List: 

5. Altered States (1980)

Jon’s List:

5. Grandma’s Boy (2006)

Following the Oscars, Corey  (@coreyrstarr) and Jonathan  (@berkreviews) decided to pick an actor who they love but had major gaps in their viewing history. Thus, March's theme is Best Actor goes to Jeff Bridges! That's right, The Dude himself is our focus for Movie Club this month and March gives them five weekends which means five different Jeff Bridges movies. Corey gets to pick first and then they alternate every week as per usual. 

Each episode features an in-depth review of the movie for the week initially spoiler free and then diving in completely after a spoiler warning. Before getting into the review Jonathan and Corey discuss what other movies they've seen since the last episode as well as anything else they feel like discussing. To help them decide which of the many films to watch each month they started creating themes for them all. 

Week 5 - True Grit (2010)

The last Jeff Bridges film for this months theme is one that Jonathan loves and Corey has never seen. Ethan Coen and Joel Coen direct this remake that introduces Hailee Steinfeld and co-stars Matt Damon, Josh Brolin, and Jeff Bridges. In it, "A stubborn teenager enlists the help of a tough U.S. Marshal to track down her father's murderer."  

Following the Oscars, Corey  (@coreyrstarr) and Jonathan  (@berkreviews) decided to pick an actor who they love but had major gaps in their viewing history. Thus, March's theme is Best Actor goes to Jeff Bridges! That's right, The Dude himself is our focus for Movie Club this month and March gives them five weekends which means five different Jeff Bridges movies. Corey gets to pick first and then they alternate every week as per usual. 

Each episode features an in-depth review of the movie for the week initially spoiler free and then diving in completely after a spoiler warning. Before getting into the review Jonathan and Corey discuss what other movies they've seen since the last episode as well as anything else they feel like discussing. To help them decide which of the many films to watch each month they started creating themes for them all. 

Week 4 - The Last Picture Show (1971)

One of the big reasons Jonathan chose the Last Picture Show is its inclusion on the AFI top 100 movies list. He's seen 56 of the 100 and is trying to include as many of the movies from the list into Movie Club this year. The movie is directed by Peter Bogdanovich and stars Timothy Bottoms, Jeff Bridges, and Cybill Shepherd. The film has a 93 Metascore to boast and is described by IMDb.com as "In 1951, a group of high schoolers come of age in a bleak, isolated, atrophied West Texas town that is slowly dying, both culturally and economically."

 There was a meme circulating recently that posed the idea of what if directors were culinary artists. Tim Burton’s panel simply had him covering all different types of food with his own Tim Burton Sauce. If you’ve seen a Burton film you know how accurate that cartoon is. Burton style is clear in most of his filmography and with his sauce getting tossed into Disney’s new obsession with remaking their beloved cartoons with Dumbo coming out in just a week. Jonathan, Mike, and Corey decided to look at Burton’s filmography and each pick their Top Five Movies from it. There are only 18 to choose from since they haven’t seen Dumbo yet, so there was a big chance for overlap. At the end of the episode, instead of honorable mentions, they are going with dishonorable mention because not all of Burton’s films are gold. 

Jon’s list:

5. Mars Attacks! (1996)

Corey’s list: 

5. Pee Wee’s Big Adventure (1985)

Mike’s list: 

5. Mars Attacks! (1996)

Following the Oscars, Corey  (@coreyrstarr) and Jonathan  (@berkreviews) decided to pick an actor who they love but had major gaps in their viewing history. Thus, March's theme is Best Actor goes to Jeff Bridges! That's right, The Dude himself is our focus for Movie Club this month and March gives them five weekends which means five different Jeff Bridges movies. Corey gets to pick first and then they alternate every week as per usual. 

Each episode features an in-depth review of the movie for the week initially spoiler free and then diving in completely after a spoiler warning. Before getting into the review Jonathan and Corey discuss what other movies they've seen since the last episode as well as anything else they feel like discussing. To help them decide which of the many films to watch each month they started creating themes for them all. 

Best Actor goes to Jeff Bridges Week 3 - Bad Times at the El Royale (2018)

Corey missed Bridges most recent film while it was in the theater so it makes perfect sense to revisit it. Jonathan enjoyed the film, but fell short of truly loving it, but he's been looking for a reason to watch it again. This film is written and directed by Drew Goddard and stars Jeff Bridges, Cynthia Erivo, Dakota Johnson, Jon Hamm, Chris Hemsworth, and Cailee Spaeny. In case you missed it, IMDb.com reads, "Circa 1969, several strangers, most with a secret to bury, meet by chance at Lake Tahoe's El Royale, a rundown hotel with a dark past. Over the course of one night, everyone will show their true colors - before everything goes to hell."

Following the Oscars, Corey  (@coreyrstarr) and Jonathan  (@berkreviews) decided to pick an actor who they love but had major gaps in their viewing history. Thus, March's theme is Best Actor goes to Jeff Bridges! That's right, The Dude himself is our focus for Movie Club this month and March gives them five weekends which means five different Jeff Bridges movies. Corey gets to pick first and then they alternate every week as per usual. 

Each episode features an in-depth review of the movie for the week initially spoiler free and then diving in completely after a spoiler warning. Before getting into the review Jonathan and Corey discuss what other movies they've seen since the last episode as well as anything else they feel like discussing. To help them decide which of the many films to watch each month they started creating themes for them all. 

Week 2 - TRON (1982)

Jonathan picked a movie that's been on his gap list for far too long. TRON (1982) has always been on his radar, but the overall '80s aesthetic has kept him from diving in; until now. Written and directed by Steven Lisberger, TRON stars Jeff Bridges, Bruce Boxleitner,  and David Warner. TRON is "A computer hacker is abducted into the digital world and forced to participate in gladiatorial games where his only chance of escape is with the help of a heroic security program," according to IMDb.com.

This week's Top Five Movies focuses on Nostalgia. These are movies that make you miss the good old days. Blockbuster's appearance in the Captain Marvel trailer and the setting of the upcoming MCU film taking place in the past inspired Jonathan (@berkreviews), Corey (@coreyrstarr), and Michael (@servermonkey) to look at movies that remind them of times gone by. 

5. The Gate (1987)

5. Last Action Hero (1993)

5. Starman (1984)

Following the Oscars, Corey  (@coreyrstarr) and Jonathan  (@berkreviews) decided to pick an actor who we love but had major gaps in their viewing history. Thus, March's theme is Best Actor goes to Jeff Bridges! That's right, The Dude himself is our focus for Movie Club this month and March gives them five weekends which means five different Jeff Bridges movies. Corey gets to pick first and then they alternate every week as per usual. 

Each episode features an in-depth review of the movie for the week initially spoiler free and then diving in completely after a spoiler warning. Before getting into the review Jonathan and Corey discuss what other movies they've seen since the last episode as well as anything else they feel like discussing. To help them decide which of the many films to watch each month they started creating themes for them all. 

Week 1 - Crazy Heart (2009)

The first episode for our study of Jeff Bridges films is the only time he has won an Oscar; Crazy Heart (2009). The film is directed and adapted by Scott Cooper and stars Jeff Bridges, Maggie Gyllenhaal, and Colin Farrell. Corey started the month of strong with this pick as it showcases Bridges in what at least the academy deemed his best work. The plot summary according to IMDb.com reads, "A faded country music musician is forced to reassess his dysfunctional life during a doomed romance that also inspires him."

For the last episode of the February 2019 Take 6 Challenge features Sean and Jonathan reviewing the last two movies they assigned each other for the series. There were no rules for these films meaning they could have been mean and made them watch two bad movies or even the same bad movie twice. Though, this time they showed mercy and assigned two films they both thought the other should see. 

Sean challenged Jonathan to watch:

Jonathan challenged Sean to watch:

After they review the final two films, they rank the 6 movies they watched for the series from worst to best. 

Music from Bensound.com

2019 continues on as we roll into the shortest month of every year; February! Corey (@coreyrstarr) and Jonathan (@berkreviews) started Movie Club Podcast when they both realized they had a ton of movies they'd never seen but had no real good reason that they hadn't yet. In an effort to work through their respective gap lists by using this show to ensure they at least check one new film off one of their lists almost every week. 

February's theme: 90 minutes or less

In honor of this short month, Jonathan and Corey decided their film selections should be shorter than 90 minutes. So, the only criteria governing the movies for February are the runtime plus the fact that the person picking the film is supposed to have never seen it before or at least not recently. Though, more often than not, the movies on this months list were not seen by either before the viewing for the episode. 

Week 4 - Run Lola Run (1998)

For the last movie of 90 minutes or Less, Jonathan picked Run Lola Run, which clocks in at just 1hr and 20 minutes. The film is directed by Tom Tykwer and stars Franka Potente, Moritz Bleibtreu, Herbert Knaup. It has been on Jonathan's gap list for a while with a high prority. IMDb.com's plot synopsis reads, "After a botched money delivery, Lola has 20 minutes to come up with 100,000 Deutschmarks."  Apparently, this film is available to watch for free on IMDb.com Freedive.