And today, we're talking about 1982's Sydney Pollack film Tootsie. It follows unemployed actor Michael Dorsey who decides to impersonate a woman to land a role as a saucy, no-nonsense hospital administrator on a soap opera. In the process, he finds wild success, learns how it feels to be treated like a piece of meat, falls for his co-star, and seduces his friend only to toss her aside while he espouses the virtues of feminism. Is Michael kind of trash? Yes. Is this film hilarious? Also, yes.

The film stars Dustin Hoffman, Jessica Lange, Terry Garr, and Bill Murray and has a runtime of 1 hour and 56 minutes.

CREDITS

Hosted by: Erin Maxwell & Kristina “Krissie” Rettig

Edited by: Russ Lichter

Theme song by: Spooky Dan

And today, we’re talking about 2004’s Crash, written and Directed by Canadian Paul Haggis, who seemed to fancy himself the perfect person to examine LA's complex race issue. This won Best Picture over Brokeback Mountian, Good Night and Good Luck, Munich, Capote, mostly because this was before The Academy had minorities it, and it reflected the myopic worldview of old, white male Academy members and how they viewed racism and people of color. But in reality, Crash was a bona fide trainwreck.

The film stars Matt Dillon, Thandiwe Newton, Terrence Howard, Michale Pena, Ludacris, Lorenz Tate, Don Cheadle, Sandra Bullock, Brendan Frase, Ryan Phillipe, and many more otherwise talented actors who managed to be the least likeable cast this century. The film has a runtime of 1hr 57 minutes.

CREDITS

Hosted by: Erin Maxwell & Kristina “Krissie” Rettig

Edited by: Russ Lichter

Theme song by: Spooky Dan

Released in 2008, Tropic Thunder is what happens when Hollywood decides the best way to mock its own ego is to crank it up to deeply unhinged levels. Ben Stiller, Jack Black, and Robert Downey Jr. lead the chaos as pampered actors filming a Vietnam epic who accidentally stumble into a real war zone, forcing them to confront the one thing they fear most: reality. Downey’s Oscar-nominated turn as a method actor who refuses to break character became instant comedy legend, while Brandon T. Jackson, Nick Nolte, and a scene-stealing Tom Cruise pile on the insanity.

It’s bold, hilarious, and merciless in its satire, aiming for fame, ego, and the absurd lengths actors go for “authenticity.” But nearly two decades later, some of its most infamous jokes come with an uncomfortable edge, reminding audiences that satire and offensiveness have always walked a very fine line. Runtime: 1 hour, 47 minutes.

CREDITS

Hosted by: Kristina “Krissie” Rettig & Erin Maxwell

Edited by: Russ Lichter

Theme song by: Spooky Dan

And today, we’re talking about John Badham’s gritty 1977 disco classic Saturday Night Fever. It follows the life of Tony Manero - a handsome yet emotionally immature young man who lives at home, but escapes the shadow of his disapproving parents by going to the 2001 Odyssey club every weekend where he is King of the Disco. He convinces a headstrong, ambitious girl from his neighborhood - Stephanie - to be his dance partner at the disco contest to prove that he’s not just a screw up and actually has something to give back to the world. And learns a little bit about sophistication and potential along the way. All the while, he hangs out with his frankly terrible friends who revel in racism, sexual assault, and violence which unfortunately rubs off on him, too. All to an iconic soundtrack from the Bee Gees which made all of this horrific behavior much easier to dance to.

The film stars John Travolta, Karen Lynn Gorney, Joseph Cali, Barry Miller, Paul Pape, Donna Pescow, and Julie Bravaso, and has a runtime of 1hour 59 minutes.

CREDITS

Hosted by: Erin Maxwell & Kristina “Krissie” Rettig

Edited by: Russ Lichter

Theme song by: Spooky Dan

And today, we're covering Adrian Lyne's iconic 1987 film Fatal Attraction. It follows Dan Gallagher - a successful lawyer and happily married man who thinks he can have a casual, "discrete" weekend affair with the sexually independent book editor Alex Forrest. What Dan does NOT realize is that Alex is, shall we say, a bit more attached than he is. Her obsession escalates to stalking, violence, and one poor boiled bunny. As a result, the audience is basically begged to side with Dan even though he abdicates responsibility for his transgression and never fully takes responsibility. So, who is the villain here? Let's discuss!

The film stars Glenn Close, Michael Douglas, and Anne Archer and has a runtime of 1 hour and 59 minutes.

Today we’re diving into Cruel Intentions (1999), the teen remake of Dangerous Liaisons where rich French sociopaths are reimagined as extremely horny Manhattan step-siblings. Katherine and Sebastian pass the time manipulating classmates, wrecking reputations, and placing elaborate sex bets that would make the high school headmaster clutch his pearls. What follows is a glossy parade of betrayal, broken hearts, and moral rot served with peak ’90s fashion, prestige casting, and a movie that’s way too chill about homophobia, sexual assault, deciding who's redeemable, and who gets Sebastian's car.

The film stars Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ryan Phillipe, Reese Witherspoon, Selma Blair, Joshua Jackson, Christine Baranski, Sean Patrick Thomas, and Swoosie Kurtz, and has a run time of 1hr and 37 minutes.

CREDITS

Hosted by: Erin Maxwell & Kristina “Krissie” Rettig

Edited by: Russ Lichter

Theme song & intro video by: Spooky Dan

Today, we’re talking about Richard Curtis’ 2003 Christmas classic Love Actually. This ensemble film shows nine interconnected stories of love’s various forms. From the unrequited love of Sarah for Carl or Mark for Juliet; to the meet-cutes of PM David and Natalie or John and Judy; to the tales of love betrayed like with Karen and Harry, the film explores how love is not only all around, but also playful, funny, longing, and heartbreaking. And it all takes place in the 3 weeks leading up to Christmas, which makes this an instant Christmas classic, even though it may be implying that it’s totally okay to tell your direct reports to shag the hot designer in the office. 

The film has a stacked cast that includes: Hugh Grant, Emma Thompson, Laura Linney, Liam Neeson, Thomas Brodie-Sangster, Bill Nighy, Andrew Lincoln, Kiera Knightley, Martin Freeman, Chiwetel Ejiafor, and many others, and has a run time of 2 hours and 15 minutes.

CREDITS

Hosted by: Erin Maxwell & Kristina “Krissie” Rettig

Edited by: Russ Lichter

Theme song & intro video by: Spooky Dan

And today, take a little trip with me. Once upon a time, there was a man, and that man drew a mouse, and from that mouse grew an empire. In that empire was a whole slew of princesses that were appropriated from different cultures, who are all public domain and free to use. Yay! We love a happy story. In the beginning, these princesses were very simple. They were just young little girls who needed a man to save them, and that was very simple. But then, as audiences kind of evolved, so did the princesses, and a new generation of princesses came forth, ones that were resourceful and intelligent and yet still had to get married at the end of the movie. Recently, these princesses have come under fire because, well, even though Disney princesses have evolved dramatically over the years, there's still quite a few issues with them. There's some issues with how they act. There's some issues with how they grow as people. And there are some major issues with Pocahontas.

So today we're going to tackle the so-called princess problem.

CREDITS

Hosted by: Kristina “Krissie” Rettig & Erin Maxwell

Edited by: Russ Lichter

Theme song by: Spooky Dan

This week on Cinematix Problematix, we’re heading back to Faber College for John Landis' 1978 film Animal House, the movie that helped define frat-boy culture, brought John Belushi out of late-night and into cinemas, introduced toga parties into society, and is absolutely a minefield of 1970s “yikes.” And yes, we still kind of love it. Blame nostalgia. Or the soundtrack. Or the fact that the 1970s were lawless times.

CREDITS

Hosted by: Erin Maxwell & Kristina “Krissie” Rettig

Edited by: Russ Lichter

Theme song by: Spooky Dan

Today, we’re talking about the 1993 Joel Schumacher film Falling Down. It follows a down-on-his luck man named William Foster (aka D-FENS)  over the course of a 24 hour period on a hot day in 1990’s Los Angeles. Sitting in traffic, surrounded by a cacophonous crescendo of standard LA traffic stimuli, he abandons his car in the middle of the freeway, and sets off on a cross-city trek from East LA to Venice. Along the way, he takes out all of his pent-up resentments on a murderer’s row of LA archetypes that include: a Korean shopowner, hostile Latino gang members, homeless people, fast food workers, construction workers, a neo-nazi who owns a gun shop, and - my favorite - his ex wife (who has a restraining order against him).

Join us to discuss how this film is still relevant today, as well as to revel in how disturbed Erin was watching it.

CREDITS

Hosted by: Kristina “Krissie” Rettig & Erin Maxwell

Edited by: Russ Lichter

Theme song by: Spooky Dan