Blu-ray Boutique

Hosts Rosalie Lewis, a writer for FThisMovie.com, and Tim Rosenberger -- a 25 Years Later film writer, a blogger, and YouTuber -- talk about The Before Trilogy: Before Sunrise (1995), Before Sunset (2004), and Before Midnight (2013). Directed and co-written by Richard Linklater and starring and co-written by Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke, the three films follow the love story of two people over the course of 18 years, the audience being dropped into their story every nine years. The films are full of love, regret, second chances, the hardships of long-term relationships, and the ever important element of our lives: connecting with others. The trilogy is available through The Criterion Collection.

Hosts Tim Rosenberger -- a 25 Years Later film writer, a blogger, and YouTuber -- and Rosalie Lewis, a writer for FThisMovie.com, our joined this month by writer Nora MacIntyre. For her website notoriouslynora.com, Nora has written about a wide variety of subjects, such as LGBT films or topics, toxic masculinity, sex, hagsploitation, and she also writes more general film reviews. For Pride Month, Nora's here to discuss three films she considers part of sapphic cinema: the historical, political thriller The Scarlet Empress (1934); the film noir Nightmare Alley (1947); and the romantic drama Walk on the Wild Side (1962). Sapphic has many definitions depending on who you ask, but it can be a synonym for lesbians or lesbianism. For Nora, it can encompass lesbianism but also bi/pan women. The three talk about how the trio of films fare as movies, how they fit into sapphic cinema, and what they mean to Nora. The Criterion Collection released the boutique hom video versions of The Scarlett Empress and Nightmare Alley, and Arrow Video released Walk on the Wild Side in the U.K.

Hosts Rosalie Lewis, a writer for FThisMovie.com, and Tim Rosenberger -- a 25 Years Later film writer, a blogger, and YouTuber -- discuss two films from Spanish writer/director Pedro Almodóvar: Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (1988) and Volver (2006). The first, an almost screwball-like comedy drama, deals with the relationships between women and the men in their lives. The second, a drama, touches on the lives of five women and their healing from generational trauma. Both are told in Almodóvar's unique style and are just as revelant today as when they premiered.

For the first time, hosts Tim Rosenberger -- a 25 Years Later film writer, a blogger, and YouTuber -- and Rosalie Lewis, a writer for FThisMovie.com, step outside the boutique and cover films not released by a boutique home video label. They discuss four 90s films of Brendan Fraser: Encino Man (1992), Airheads (1994), Still Breathing (1997), and Blast from the Past (1999). Fraser delivers silly, stupid, serious, and sincere and shows why the recent Brenaissance is much deserved.

Hosts Rosalie Lewis, a writer for FThisMovie.com, and Tim Rosenberger -- a 25 Years Later film writer, a blogger, and YouTuber -- discuss two animated films you don't want to show to the kids: Heavy Traffic (1973) and Perfect Blue (1997). One's a Ralph Bakshi helmed semi-autobiographical X-rated dark comedy, drama about a young cartoonist who struggles to succeed in a rundown New York City that's pracitcally crumbling around him. The other, an anime directed by Satoshi Kon, is a psychological thriller about a Japapenese pop-singer turned actress who begins to lose her grip on reality as someone is murdering those around her. They deserve their adult ratings and feature adult content in more ways than one. Shout Factory released both Heavy Traffic and Perfect Blue. The former is, sadly, out of print.

Hosts Tim Rosenberger -- a 25 Years Later film writer, a blogger, and YouTuber -- and Rosalie Lewis, a writer for FThisMovie.com, celebrate Black History Month by honoring the great Sidney Poitier, who passed away about a month-and-a-half before this episode's release. Rosalie and Tim discuss why Poitier was so important and what he meant to them while focusing on two of his many famous films: the 1961 drama A Raisin in the Sun and the 1963 comedy-drama Lilies of the Field. For the latter, Poitier won the Oscar for Best Leading Actor, the first time a black actor (male or female) had won such an award (Hattie McDaniel had won for Best Supporting Actress for Gone with the Wind (1939)). The Criterion Collection released A Raisin in the Sun on DVD and Blu-ray, and Kino Lorber released Lilies of the Field on DVD and Blu-ray.

Hosts Rosalie Lewis, a writer for FThisMovie.com, and  Tim Rosenberger -- a 25 Years Later film writer, a blogger, and YouTuber -- travel to Japan to discuss three early silents from famed Japanese writer and director Yasujirō Ozu. While Ozu would become known for his films examining familiar relationships and dynamics in post-war Japan, his early films were of different genres, such as crime. He still made films like dramadies that were closer to the work he would become known for in later years. Tim and Rosalie touch on Walk Cheerfully (1930) and That Night's Wife (1930) from the Criterion Collection's Eclipse Series 42: Silent Ozu—Three Crime Dramas and Tokyo Chorus (1931) from Criterion's Eclipse Series 10: Silent Ozu—Three Family Comedies. All three films are also available on The Criterion Channel.

Hosts Tim Rosenberger -- a 25 Years Later film writer, a blogger, and YouTuber -- and Rosalie Lewis, a writer for FThisMovie.com, dance their way through two 1933 pre-code musicals: Gold Diggers of 1933 and Flying Down to Rio. The former features musicals sequences directed by the great Busby Berkeley, both feature Ginger Rogers in supporting parts, and the latter marks the first pairing up Fred Astair and Ginger Rogers. Take a listen to see why these movies may send your feet a tapping, especially during the holidays. Take a listen to see why these movies may send your feet a tapping, especially during the holidays. Both are available through Warner Archive.

For the podcast's second anniversary, hosts Rosalie Lewis, a writer for FThisMovie.com, and Tim Rosenberger -- a 25 Years Later film writer, a blogger, and YouTuber -- make their first visit to the mysterious, supernatural, horrific, and sometimes traumatic town of Twin Peaks with the cult show's first two seasons and its feature film, released through Criterion, Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me. The show starred Kyle MacLachlan and was co-created by David Lynch and Mark Frost, with Lynch co-writing and directing the film.

Hosts Rosalie Lewis, a writer for FThisMovie.com, and Tim Rosenberger -- a 25 Years Later film writer, a blogger, and YouTuber -- take a look at two European horror films: Eyes Without a Face (1960) -- from French director and co-writer Georges Franju -- and The Bird with the Crystal Plumage (1970), directed and written by Italy's Dario Argento. Both break the horror mold and feature elements of mystery and a psychological human story or of thriller and suspense. But they dial up the horror when needed to be interesting October viewings. The Criterion Collection released Eyes Without a Face and Arrow released The Bird with the Crystal Plumage.