In The Seats with...

It's easier then you think to be pulled in two different directions by two different worlds....

On this episode we get to talk about a glorious little slice of Can-Con pulled straight from the GTA. It's time for 'Shook'.

After an encounter with his estranged father, aspiring writer Ash (Saamer Usmani) finds himself at a crossroads as he has to deal with a secret that will force him to balance family, love and success while navigating the difficult divide between the excitement of city life that he wants and the suburban domestic truths that lie a head.

It's a classic tale with a swing on it that hits close to home and in advance of the movie hitting theatres today we had the pleasure of sitting down with Co-Writer/Director Amar Wala to talk about the origins of 'Shook' the process of making it all and so very much more....

'Shook' is in theatres now.

It's time to get....loud...

Appropriate that on this episode we're going a little high octane with the three episode premiere of 'Twisted Metal: Season 2' which is now streaming on Paramount Plus.

Following the dramatic events that ended season one, our heroes John Doe (Anthony Mackie) and Quiet (Stephanie Beatriz) find themselves entering the deadly 'Twisted Metal' tournament; a savage demolition derby hosted by the mysterious Calypso.  As our duo faces some new foes and familiar faces things get complicated for John when his long lost sister reenters the equation.

It's hard to believe but things get bigger, bolder and even more smashy in Season 2.  We got the pleasure of sitting down with the one and only Stephanie Beatriz to talk about coming back for more, the fun in the chaos of it all, getting a little break from the dudefest that was Season 1 and so very much more....

'Twisted Metal' will see new episodes of Season 2 dropping every week alongside Season 1 on Paramount Plus here in Canada so there's no excuse to not catch up on the fun.

Sometimes there are stories that you wish didn't have to be told....

On this episode we are reminded of some of the vital shorter pieces of cinema on the myriad of streaming services out there in the market place.  Available on Paramount Plus now it's time for 'The Children of October 7th'

Israeli children share their Oct 7 Hamas attack experiences with activist Montana Tucker, describing survival, captivity, parental loss, and home invasions as they process their trauma.

Even at a mere 36 minutes long this was a harrowing and vital piece of cinema that we can't recommend highly enough if only to remind ourselves of the horrors of that day that are still being played out today.

We had the chance to speak with singer/songwriter and social media activist Montana Tucker who has been bringing necessary attention to this plight as she sat down with the subjects in this film to relive and highlight what happened to them on that harrowing day.

We talked about the importance of these difficult conversations and stories that are told in this film and so very much more.

'The Children of October 7th' is streaming on Paramount Plus every where.

Unfortunately it's the hard conversations which are the ones that usually need to be had....

On this very special episode we dive into a story that is simply all too real.  It's time for 'Sovereign'.

It's the story of a father and his teenage son; Jerry and Joseph Kane (Nick Offerman and Jacob Tremblay) who follow the Sovereign Citizen belief system, a deeply anti-establishment worldview rooted in distrust of government authority. As the pair travel across the country delivering self-taught legal seminars and pushing back against systems they believe have failed them, their journey brings them into conflict with Police Chief Jim Bouchart (Dennis Quaid), setting off a tragic chain of events that forces a reckoning with power, principle, and the limits of freedom. Inspired by true events.

At the intersection of conspiracy, mental health and social and legal institutions that are ill equipped to deal with them all we have 'Sovereign' which is a stunning film from first time filmmaker Christian Swegal.

We got to talk with Christian about the origins of the story, getting this load cast together our collective need to be more understanding of each other's journey's and so very much more.

'Sovereign' is in theatres and on VOD platforms now.

World building occasionally requires some subtle touches....

On this episode we are diving head first into the world of 'Eddington' which is in theatres now.

From the mind of Ari Aster, 'Eddington' takes us to May of 2020, where a standoff between a small-town sheriff (Joaquin Phoenix) and mayor (Pedro Pascal) sparks a powder keg as neighbor is pitted against neighbor in Eddington, New Mexico.

This is such cringe inducing satire that it's almost too soon as we run the gamut of emotions with the denizens of this small town as we get transported back to such a culturally in certain time that we are still navigating today.

We had the unique pleasure of sitting down with costume designer Anna Terrazas about joining this world, crafting the slightly worn and sundrenched world of this town where we all just began to forget about how to function in a modern society that has changed irrevocably in the wake of the pandemic as well as working with Ari Aster and finding a vision that we just can't look away from.  It's Western, it's satire, and it's everything else in-between.  Imagine 'Bad Day At Black Rock' desperately needing a Xanax refill.

When the man who plays a renaissance man in one of your favorite movies growing up actually turns out to be an ACTUAL renaissance man, it's ok to meet your heroes.

On this incredibly special episode we get the chance to talk with an actor who helped to form our love of movies but also happens to be a ridiculous cool and well rounded dude to boot, we allowed ourselves to be a little bit of a nerd as we sat down with the one and only Peter Weller to talk about his new film 'Bang' but a little bit of everything else inbetween.

When feared hitman Bang (Jack Kesy) questions his violent life after a near-death experience by seeing a future beyond bloodshed, he wants out—but his crime boss (Peter Weller) won’t let him go without a fight.

We had the unique pleasure of talking with Peter about getting this 'fun' script, pronouncing his director's name, what keeps him getting out of bed in the morning, the legacy of some of his more iconic films like Buckaroo Bonzai and Robocop, the music of acting, which led to directing and him ultimately getting his Phd in Italian Renaissance Art History with his book,  Leon Battista Alberti in Exile: Tracing the Path to the First Modern Book on Painting which is going into a second printing from Cambridge University Press right now, so hurry up and get your copies on order now.

While he may not be a brain surgeon/rocket scientist/rock star like Buckaroo Bonzai, Peter Weller is one hell of an interesting guy who at the age of 78 who wants to keep working and creating until he drops and as someone who aspires to live even a fraction of the life that he has lived, we can't say that we blame him.  Doctor Peter Weller is a true renaissance man (in more ways then one) and it was a pleasure to talk with him.

'Bang' is on all VOD platforms now.

It's nice....when things are just nice....

We're a little late to the dance on this one but on this episode we dive into one of our favourite movies of the year with 'The Life of Chuck'.

From the mind of Stephen King and the vision of Mike Flanagan; 'The Life of Chuck' is a profoundly magical story about the importance of living life and appreciating every minute of it that takes us through the life of one Charles Krantz (Tom Hiddleston) in three very distinct chapters.

Low key one of our favourite movies of the year that people need to see, we had the chance to talk with the one and only Matthew Lillard who played a key role in how the story unfolds.  We talked with him about working with Mike Flanagan, the philosophy of the story, how he's lived his life to the fullest and so very much more.

'The Life of Chuck' is in theatres now....

It doesn't take much to change to course of a war...

On this episode we drive down the VOD superhighway once more to take a look at a gritty slice of indie genre cinema featuring one of the final performances of the iconic Michael Madsen who we just recently lost.  It's time for 'Resurrection Road'.

An elite squad of six soldiers, led by ex-slave Barabbas, is sent on a suicide mission to infiltrate a heavily guarded Confederate fort hidden deep in the Arkansas wilderness. Their objective: destroy the fort’s long-range guns and shift the tide of the war. But as they venture further into enemy territory, the mission takes a chilling turn. The soldiers uncover a dark and sinister secret buried within the heart of the forest—one that will test their courage, loyalty, and will to survive like never before.

A fun and grimy piece of genre cinema, we had the unique pleasure of sitting down and talking with writer/director Ashley Cahill about the origins of it all.

'Resurrection Road' is on VOD platforms now....

If you hear it, it's too late....

On this episode we dive head first into a hidden gem now available on VOD.  It's time for 'The Sound'

A world-class group of climbers is granted access to the Forbidden Wall, a mysterious rock wall previously closed for decades. Among the climbers is Sean (Marc Hills), whose grandfather made an ill-fated attempt 63 years earlier. During the group’s ascent, they come face to face with a malevolent force that quickly turns their expedition into a harrowing battle for survival hundreds of feet above the ground.

This is really a great example of doing more with less as it uses sound design and the idea of isolation and makes it a chilling ride.

We talked with writer/director Brendan Devane about the origins of the story and so very much more....

It's nice to see genre cinema executed with real layers to it....

On this episode we get to deal with some Canadian cinema getting love and co-funding south of the border.  It's time for '40 Acres'.

After a plague eradicates all animal life, famine spreads across the globe leaving society at war and in ruins, but the Freemans are surviving — even thriving — on their ancestral farm so long as they dispatch the occasional raiding party. But what good is surviving the end of the world if it means snuffing out your own humanity? Former soldier Hailey (Danielle Deadwyler) made that choice years ago, believing that isolation was the only way to protect her family. She and her partner Galen (Michael Greyeyes) fled the collapse along with their children, fenced them off from the world and trained them to fight (and, yes, kill). But now Hailey’s eldest Emanuel (Kataem O’Connor) is a young man, and when he meets a young woman (Milcania Diaz-Rojas) in the forest beyond the fence, his need for human contact could place the whole family in jeopardy.

'40 Acres' takes the best of the likes of Carpenter and Romero and sprinkles in some genuine cultural and societal relevance in this familiar yet wholly original yarn.  R.T. Thorne has laid his claim to being a self-assured filmmaker that isn't afraid to combine the best of all worlds to give audiences something both entertaining and intellectually engaging.

We had the unique pleasure of sitting down co-writer/director R.T. Thorne about so many of elements at play in this film, the freedom allowed in genre cinema, working with Danielle Deadwyler and about being a storyteller that isn't afraid to spark conversation and entertain, all at the same time.

'40 Acres' is in theatres now