IMDB Synopsis: “An employee and her insufferable boss become stranded on a deserted island, the only survivors of a plane crash. Here, they must overcome past grievances and work together to survive, will they make it out alive?”

IMDB Synopsis: “A group of Miami cops discovers a stash of millions in cash, leading to distrust as outsiders learn about the huge seizure, making them question who to rely on.”

Occasionally disgraced film critic Daniel Barnes returns with another episode of the Single Take podcast. One of the nation’s foremost political satirists, Daniel is best known for his hilarious musical parodies of current events, frequently performing on Meet the Press with his American flag-themed piano. Hang on, that’s Mark Russell. Daniel Barnes is just some guy who reviews movies.

This week, Daniel offers his Single Take on Rachel McAdams and Dylan O’Brien in Send Help, a survival-ry showdown that marks a sort-of return to form for Sam Raimi. He also reviews Matt Damon and Ben Affleck in Joe Carnahan’s crime thriller The Rip.  Listen along as Daniel talks to himself about gonzo fluids, bad baseball movies, social pariahs and ultra-efficient mediocrity.

The post Single Take with Daniel Barnes – “Send Help” & “The Rip” appeared first on Dare Daniel & Canon Fodder Podcasts.

IMDB Synopsis: “Follows an aspiring actress working on a U.S. military base that simulates an Iraqi war zone.”

IMDB Synopsis: “In the near future, a detective stands on trial accused of murdering his wife. He has 90 minutes to prove his innocence to the advanced A.I. Judge he once championed, before it determines his fate.”

It’s a new year and a new podcast for world-famous film critic Daniel Barnes! Known for his provocative yet family-friendly brand of humor, Daniel brings along his beloved cast of puppet characters, including grumpy old man Walter, the irascible Achmed the Dead Terrorist, and Bubba J, a stereotypical NASCAR enthusiast…oh wait, that’s ventriloquist Jeff Dunham. Daniel Barnes is just a guy who reviews movies.

This week, Daniel offers his Single Take on Alia Shawkat in Atropia, an overstuffed yet underdeveloped satire about an ambitious actress role-playing revolutionaries in elaborately staged war games. He also looks at Mercy, a sci-fi whodunit starring Chris Pratt as a cop-on-the-edge trying to find “the real killers” before artificial intelligence seals his fate.

Listen along as Daniel begs mercy for January unicorns, CD-ROM murder mysteries and 20-year-old The Daily Show jokes.

The post Single Take with Daniel Barnes – “Atropia” & “Mercy” appeared first on Dare Daniel & Canon Fodder Podcasts.

Daniel and Corky go on the lam with Jean-Paul Belmondo and Anna Karina to review Jean-Luc Godard’s apocalyptic road movie Pierrot le Fou. But were your hosts Vague-ly entranced by Godard’s Nouvelle vision, or did they act the Fou?

Sight & Sound 2022 Critics Poll Ranking: #85 [tied]

World premiere: Aug. 29, 1965 (Venice Film Festival)

IMDB synopsis: “Pierrot escapes his boring society and travels from Paris to the Mediterranean Sea with Marianne, a girl chased by hit-men from Algeria. They lead an unorthodox life, always on the run.”

Official trailer for Pierrot le Fou

A Galaxie in the ocean

“A film is like a battleground.”

Kissing cars

Where Is the Friend’s House? (1987; Dir.: Abbas Kiarostami)

IMDB synopsis: “Eight-year-old Ahmed has mistakenly taken his friend Mohammad’s notebook. He wants to return it, or else his friend will be expelled from school. The boy determinedly sets out to find Mohammad’s home in the neighbouring village.”

Our review of Where Is the Friend’s House comes out Tuesday, Feb. 3!

The post Pierrot le Fou – Canon Fodder Episode 53 appeared first on Dare Daniel & Canon Fodder Podcasts.

Quasi-disgraced pseudo-critic Daniel Barnes takes a solo excursion through the year in cinema to share his best and worst films of 2025. Daniel also discusses some of the awards contenders, blockbusters and bombs that did not make either of his lists. He also previews next week’s new Canon Fodder episode, in which Daniel and Corky review Jean-Luc Godard’s Pierrot le Fou.

CLIPS & CLIPPINGS

Daniel’s 2025 Ranked list on Letterboxd

Daniel’s 2025 San Francisco Bay Area Film Critics Circle Awards ballot

Pierrot le Fou (1965; Dir.: Jean-Luc Godard)

IMDB synopsis: “Pierrot escapes his boring society and travels from Paris to the Mediterranean Sea with Marianne, a girl chased by hit-men from Algeria. They lead an unorthodox life, always on the run.”

Our review of Pierrot le Fou comes out Tuesday, Jan. 20.

The post Daniel’s Best & Worst Films of 2025 appeared first on Dare Daniel & Canon Fodder Podcasts.

Film critic Daniel Barnes and comedy legend Corky McDonnell review their favorite films and moments from the last year of the Canon Fodder podcast. Your hosts also offer bonus mini-reviews and rulings on disputed films such as Distant Voices, Still Lives, The Long Day Closes, Bound, Salvatore Giuliani and Pale Flower.

Episodes released in 2025: 23

First film reviewed: India Song

Last film reviewed: Metropolis

Most popular episode: Videodrome

Pierrot le Fou (1965; Dir.: Jean-Luc Godard)

IMDB synopsis: “Pierrot escapes his boring society and travels from Paris to the Mediterranean Sea with Marianne, a girl chased by hit-men from Algeria. They lead an unorthodox life, always on the run.”

Our review of Pierrot le Fou comes out Tuesday, Jan. 20. Join us next week when Daniel shares his Best and Worst Films of 2025!

The post Canon Fodder Best of 2025 appeared first on Dare Daniel & Canon Fodder Podcasts.

Daniel and Corky crank up the city lights for the jaw-dropping dystopia of Fritz Lang’s fully restored Metropolis (1927). Directly or indirectly influencing a century of pop culture from Blade Runner to Diamond Dogs, Lang’s film continues to amaze and inspire. But did your hosts appreciate Lang’s outstanding vision, or are they on the Fritz?

Sight & Sound 2022 Critics Poll Ranking: #67 [tied]

World premiere: Jan. 10, 1927

IMDB synopsis: “In a futuristic city sharply divided between the working class and the city planners, the son of the city’s mastermind falls in love with a working-class prophet who predicts the coming of a savior to mediate their differences.”

Official trailer for Metropolis (1927)

The Moloch!

Maria’s transformation

Metropolis cityscape

Pierrot le Fou (1965; Dir.: Jean-Luc Godard)

IMDB synopsis: “Pierrot escapes his boring society and travels from Paris to the Mediterranean Sea with Marianne, a girl chased by hit-men from Algeria. They lead an unorthodox life, always on the run.”

Our review of Pierrot le Fou comes out Tuesday, Jan. 20! Join us in two weeks for our Best of Canon Fodder 2025 episode!

The post Metropolis (1927) – Canon Fodder Episode 52 appeared first on Dare Daniel & Canon Fodder Podcasts.

Daniel and Corky keep it Neo-Real with their review of Italian Neo-Realist icon Roberto Rossellini’s highly influential Paisan. Rather than simple tales of heroes at war, Rossellini offers bitterness-tinged stories of tenuous brotherhood along the Allied path to victory. But did this WWII anthology leave your hosts battling a bulge, or do they have their heads up their Anzio?

Sight & Sound 2022 Critics Poll Ranking: #196 [tied]

World premiere: September 1946 (Venice Film Festival)

IMDB synopsis: “American military personnel interact warily with a variety of Italian locals over a year and a half in the push north during the Italian Campaign of WWII as German forces make their retreat.”

Martin Scorsese presents Paisan

The opening scenes

“You can’t cross the road now.”

Just watch the whole movie

Metropolis (1927; Dir.: Fritz Lang)

IMDB synopsis: “In a futuristic city sharply divided between the working class and the city planners, the son of the city’s mastermind falls in love with a working-class prophet who predicts the coming of a savior to mediate their differences.”

Our review of Metropolis comes out Dec. 16!

The post Paisan (1946) – Canon Fodder Episode 51 appeared first on Dare Daniel & Canon Fodder Podcasts.

Daniel and Corky explore the dark side of the sunny South of France with Agnes Varda’s 1985 movie Vagabond. Sandrine Bonnaire plays the equally frustrating and fascinating title character, a young woman trudging across the French countryside without passion or purpose. Your hosts also share their thoughts on Leonardo DiCaprio in Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another.

Sight & Sound 2022 Critics Poll Ranking: #101 [tied]

World premiere: September 1985 (Venice Film Festival)

IMDB synopsis: “A young woman’s body is found frozen in a ditch. Through flashbacks and interviews, we see the events that led to her inevitable death.”

Theatrical trailer for Vagabond 

Mona & the Statue

“She’s a sound sleeper.”

Tracking shots

Paisan (1946; Dir.: Roberto Rossellini)

IMDB synopsis: “American military personnel interact warily with a variety of Italian locals over a year and a half in the push north during the Italian Campaign of WWII as German forces make their retreat.”

Our review of Paisan comes out Dec. 2!

The post Vagabond (1985) – Episode 50 appeared first on Dare Daniel & Canon Fodder Podcasts.

IMDB Synopsis: “Grace, a writer and young mother, is slowly slipping into madness. Locked away in an old house in and around Montana, we see her acting increasingly agitated and erratic, leaving her companion, Jackson, increasingly worried and helpless.”

IMDB Synopsis: “A young Predator outcast from his clan finds an unlikely ally on his journey in search of the ultimate adversary.”

In this questionably special mini-episode, film critic Daniel Barnes reviews two new releases – Lynne Ramsay’s Die My Love and Dan Trachtenberg’s Predator: Badlands.

Die My Love is an emotionally scorching anti-love story with a powerfully fearless lead performance by Jennifer Lawrence. Predator: Badlands is Trachtenberg’s third entry into the Predator-verse, and his second this year alone after the animated movie Killer of Killers.

Listen along as Daniel talks to himself about song surgery, doomed dogs and pandering predators.

The post Daniel Reviews “Die My Love” and “Predator: Badlands” appeared first on Dare Daniel & Canon Fodder Podcasts.

Daniel and Corky follow the song of the little road to 1910’s Bengal to review Pather Panchali, the first film in Satyajit Ray’s storied Apu Trilogy. Elsewhere, Daniel discusses the big winners and awards season favorites from this year’s Toronto International Film Festival.

Sight & Sound 2022 Critics Poll Ranking: #35

World premiere: May 3, 1955 [New York Museum of Modern Art]

IMDB synopsis: “Impoverished priest Harihar Ray, dreaming of a better life for himself and his family, leaves his rural Bengal village in search of work.”

Original theatrical trailer

The train scene

Wake up, Apu!

Vagabond (1985; Dir.: Agnes Varda)

IMDB synopsis: “A young woman’s body is found frozen in a ditch. Through flashbacks and interviews, we see the events that led to her inevitable death.”

Our review of Vagabond comes out Nov. 18!

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