Don’t Push Pause

In 1992, Quentin Tarantino’s life would drastically change as soon as his first feature film, RESERVOIR DOGS, would debut at Sundance. Though among many stellar films at the festival that year, it would be RESERVOIR DOGS which emerged as a transcendent feat in filmmaking. Time to go back in time to remember its importance in independent filmmaking.

How Tarantino rose to stardom based on talent, confidence & luck; the script finding its way into fortunate hands; freshening up a classic crime movie style, use of non-linear storytelling & challenging popular movie trends; casting stories & breaking down the lead roles; eccentricities about the film, music usage, realistic violence & Tarantino’s hot take observations; use of colorful characters & difficult dialog; positive & negative reactions at Sundance, plus how has this film held up 30 years later.

Tim Roth, Harvey Keitel, Steve Buscemi star in RESERVOIR DOGS (1992). Directed by Quentin Tarantino.

//***Picks of the Week***\\

• Lindsay’s Pick: FOUR ROOMS (1995). Tim Roth & so many more. /// Directors: Quentin Tarantino, Allison Anders, Robert Rodriguez, Alexandre Rockwell.

//***MurrayMoment***\\ Bill & Steve Buscemi ring in Bob Dylan’s 77th birthday & how this connects back to RESERVOIR DOGS.

//***Final Thoughts on the film; PLUS! We rank our favorite Tarantino films in order!***\\

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Be Kind and Rewatch // September 6th, 2022.

Creating a successful sequel which stands the test of time & elevates a franchise isn’t an easy feat. But LETHAL WEAPON 2 not only proved audiences wanted more from best buddies, Sgts. Murtaugh & Riggs, but that a sequel could be just as vibrant, alive & — in some ways — superior to the original film.

The evolution of creating a sequel, tonal variations in the script, challenges & major changes; blending action & darkness with evolved humor, friendship & family all woven into a cop movie; relevant messages, themes & atypical aspects of an action/thriller; breaking down the main & supporting cast; the music, thoughts on the Lethal Weapon sequels/franchise & the sequels of 1989.

Mel Gibson, Danny Glover, Joe Pesci & Patsy Kensit star in LETHAL WEAPON 2 (1989) // Directed by Richard Donner.

//***Picks of the Week***\\

• Lindsay’s Pick: BELOVED (1998). Oprah Winfrey, Danny Glover, Kimberly Elise, Thandiwe Newton /// Directed by Jonathan Demme.

//***MurrayMoment***\\ Bill getting involved with Eric Clapton’s Crossroads Guitar Festival.

//***Final Thoughts on LETHAL WEAPON 2.***\\

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Be Kind and Rewatch // August 9th, 2022.

After becoming the biggest buzzworthy phenomenon of mid-‘90s indie film, the bar was set extremely high for Quentin Tarantino’s third film, JACKIE BROWN. Often considered one of his most mature films, JACKIE BROWN tied together a classic style with a fresh voice, while also paying homage to a cinema icon. Everything about this films just gets better with age.

Where JACKIE BROWN fits into Tarantino’s career; adapting the novel into a screenplay & main differences between the two; Pam Grier’s influence on the script & impact of the Blaxploitation genre; use of visual storytelling, themes, tone, plus how violence & tension interact with humor; breakdowns of & dynamics between characters, casting stories; the inspired soundtrack; reception, response & recognition, plus some of our most memorable moments.

Pam Grier, Samuel L. Jackson, Robert Forster, Bridget Fonda, Michael Keaton & Robert De Niro star in JACKIE BROWN (1997). Directed by Quentin Tarantino.

//***Picks of the Week***\\

• Lindsay’s Pick: COFFY (1973). Pam Grier, Robert DoQui, Booker Bradshaw. /// Directed by Jack Hill.

//***MurrayMoment***\\ Going behind the scenes of Billy & Robert De Niro swapping roles & tradin’ fists for the film, MAD DOG AND GLORY (1993).

//***Final Thoughts on JACKIE BROWN.***\\

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Be Kind and Rewatch // July 12th, 2022.

//***Discussions include***\\

Why an ALIEN sequel took so long, James Cameron’s methodical scriptwriting & becoming the director for ALIENS; struggle with studio over the film’s star & producer, Sigourney Weaver & Gale Anne Hurd, budgetary constraints; thematic elements, overall vibe, visual concepts & differences from the original film; using a pre-selected British production crew, difficulties, disagreements & disrespect; creating a world with matte paintings, miniatures, mechanical, visual & in-camera special effects; ensemble cast breakdown, training & futuristic weapons; the nightmarish film score situation; release of the film, recognition & extended cut.

Sigourney Weaver, Michael Biehn, Carrie Henn, Bill Paxton, Lance Henriksen & Paul Reiser star in ALIENS (1986). Directed by James Cameron.

//***Picks of the Week***\\

//***MurrayMoment***\\

//***Final Thoughts on ALIENS, plus ALIEN 3 (extended cut), ALIEN: RESURRECTION & further lineage discussion.***\\

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It’s the 4-Year Anniversary of Don’t Push Pause!

THE BREAKFAST CLUB is one of the most well-known American films from the 1980s. It roped audiences in with sarcastic, yet endearing humor, then captivated us with its sincere depiction of cutting teenage truths. It became an iconic pinnacle of achievement for all those involved in its creation, but continuing to have mass appeal makes THE BREAKFAST CLUB a legendary film.

//***Discussions include***\\

Pre-Breakfast Club career history of John Hughes; inspiration behind, writing evolution & revisions of the script; tonal shifts, use of dialogue & conflict; casting & chemistry, rehearsal stories & actors influencing the script; set construction, the film’s soundtrack & use of music, problematic elements, release/reception & why this movie is still effective.

//***Picks of the Week***\\

• Lindsay’s Pick: HIGH ART (1998). Ally Sheedy, Radha Mitchell & Patricia Clarkson /// Directed by Lisa Cholodenko.

//***MurrayMoment***\\

Bill visits a Kansas high school for the Wall of Fame induction ceremony of influential comedy madman, Del Close.

//***Final Thoughts on THE BREAKFAST CLUB.***\\

Next Episode:

**Visit Our Archive for Four Years of Diving Deep Into the Best Movies Around!**

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//Hosts: Justin Johnson & Lindsay Reber // Music: Matt Pace // Announcer: Mary Timmel // Logo: Beau Shoulders. 

Be Kind and Rewatch // May 3rd, 2022

Ivan Reitman was an illustrious filmmaker whose creative ingenuity & lifelong desire for audiences to laugh was born from an unimaginable beginning.

With more than 50 years of directing & producing, Reitman turned comedians into movie stars, reinvented careers & subgenres of comedy & sci-fi, while forging longstanding friendships throughout the business. Focusing on themes of friendship, family, perseverance & the fantastic, from toga parties to marshmallow men, Reitman never stopped entertaining.

His recent passing pierced the hearts of so many collaborators & fans. After all the laughs he brought to the world, we wanted to celebrate the unrelenting dedication & lasting cultural footprint Ivan Reitman left behind.

***Picks of the Week & the MurrayMoment will return next episode.***

Next Episode:

THE BREAKFAST CLUB (1985)

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//Hosts: Justin Johnson & Lindsay Reber // Music: Matt Pace // Announcer: Mary Timmel // Logo: Beau Shoulders.

Be Kind and Rewatch // April 12, 2022

//***Discussions include***\\

—Sandler’s break into comedy, acting & how college set the stage for his future career; early acting jobs & forming a creative pool of friends, partners; Saturday Night Live & breaking into movies.

—THE WEDDING SINGER: The timely significance & magic of the Sandler/Barrymore pairing; concept, writing process, balancing heartache & humor; broadening Sandler’s comedy & introduction of a female voice in his films; favorites in the cast, music & reception.

—Furthering Sandler’s comedy evolution, while expanding outside the genre; consistency of multiple recurring themes in his films; co-writing, co-producing & working with same group of directors; critical reactions to his films, as well as our own thoughts.

Adam Sandler, Drew Barrymore, Christine Taylor & Allen Covert star in THE WEDDING SINGER (1998). Directed by Frank Coraci.

The formation of the semi-experimental, classical music supergroup, Bill Murray, Jan Vogler & Friends, plus how their album, New Worlds, came together.

//***Final Thoughts: Our Top 5 Favorite Sandler Films .***\\

**Next Episode: TRIBUTE TO IVAN REITMAN.**

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//Hosts: Justin Johnson & Lindsay Reber // Music: Matt Pace // Announcer: Mary Timmel // Logo: Beau Shoulders.

Be Kind and Rewatch // March 22, 2022 

Celebrating its 50th Anniversary this year, THE GODFATHER is largely considered one of the most influential & important films to date. While it catapulted careers, it also forever changed American cinema & the modern organized-crime film. But the road to fruition was not without constant roadblocks, only adding to what makes this film nothing short of iconic.

//***Discussions include***\\

State of the Hollywood studio system & mafia movies pre-GODFATHER; writer Mario Puzo’s involvement & how Francis Ford Coppola came aboard & adapted the best-selling novel into a screenplay; influences & truth behind the film, Italian-American representation & evolving complications with real-life mafia interference; Coppola’s repeated clashes & compromises with Paramount over the film’s vision, crew disrespect; main character breakdowns, surprising casting stories & struggles; main theme & musical composition; violence in the film, cinematography & editing challenges; critical & audience reception, plus our feelings on the Sicily scenes & the subsequent sequels.

Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, Robert Duvall & Diane Keaton star in THE GODFATHER (1972). Directed by Francis Ford Coppola.

//***Picks of the Week***\\

• Lindsay’s Pick: PEGGY SUE GOT MARRIED (1986). Kathleen Turner, Nicholas Cage /// Directed by Francis Ford Coppola.

//***MurrayMoment***\\

Sofia Coppola’s exhaustive process in finally landing Billy to star in LOST IN TRANSLATION (2003).

//***Final Thoughts on THE GODFATHER.***\\

Next Episode: ADAM SANDLER SPECIAL / THE WEDDING SINGER (1998)!

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//Hosts: Justin Johnson & Lindsay Reber // Music: Matt Pace // Announcer: Mary Timmel // Logo: Beau Shoulders.

Be Kind and Rewatch // March 01, 2022 

For being based on a true story, GIRL, INTERRUPTED’s highly-praised & harrowing ensemble cast had to lead with sincerity to leave an enduring impact. Just like the memoir on which it was based, this film continues to affect those looking for authentic connection, while also being well-deserving of rediscovery.

//***Discussions include***\\

Winona Ryder, Angelina Jolie, Whoopi Goldberg & so many others star in GIRL, INTERRUPTED (1999). Directed by James Mangold.

• Lindsay’s Pick: MERMAIDS (1990). Cher, Winona Ryder, Christina Ricci. /// Directed by Richard Benjamin.


//***MurrayMoment***\\

The summer when Billy & Hunter Thompson’s personalities merged & created hell for Saturday Night Live.

Next Episode: THE GODFATHER (1972)

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//Hosts: Justin Johnson & Lindsay Reber // Music: Matt Pace // Announcer: Mary Timmel // Logo: Beau Shoulders.

Be Kind and Rewatch // February 08, 2022

It’s hard to believe a voyeuristic tale about mortality became the biggest blockbuster of 1990. Although GHOST embodied the essence of human connection, it was not the easiest to initially sell. Nevertheless, the film went on to inspire real world conversations about life & death, solidifying  its place in pop culture history & proving to be a love that would last forever.

//***Discussions include***\\

Studio reluctance & unimaginable director choice; story inspiration, script alterations & themes behind this multi-genre blender; deconstructing the film’s most famous scene; casting stories of Swayze & Goldberg, cast chemistry, main character significance & revisions; the magical minority trope; the film’s score & signature song, special effects, favorite scenes, resulting success & unexpected style phenomenon.

Patrick Swayze, Whoopi Goldberg, Demi Moore & Tony Goldwyn star in GHOST (1990). Directed by Jerry Zucker.

•    Lindsay’s Pick: THE YEAR OF LIVING DANGEROUSLY (1982). Mel Gibson, Sigourney Weaver, Linda Hunt. /// Directed by Peter Weir.

•    Justin’s Pick: DEADLY FRIEND (1986). Matthew Labyorteaux, Kristy Swanson, Michael Sharrett. /// Directed by Wes Craven.

The Patrick Swayze moment which has had Billy prank calling two of his dearest friends for over 30 years.

//***Final Thoughts on GHOST.***\\

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//Hosts: Justin Johnson & Lindsay Reber // Music: Matt Pace // Announcer: Mary Timmel // Logo: Beau Shoulders

Be Kind and Rewatch // January 18, 2022