“You don’t love me. You love me to love you.”

— Susan Alexander Kane, Citizen Kane

FIRST TIME VIEWERS:  ALISA, JOE

 

We can see the headlines now: "Charles Foster Kane on IOML At Last". Yes, that's right, we're finally discussing Orson Welles' directorial debut, Citizen Kane, commonly regarded as the greatest film ever made. With Oscar season upon us, we're taking a look at this fabled movie, nominated for nine Academy Awards, but winner of only one for Best Original Screenplay (Herman J. Mankiewicz and Orson Welles).

 

Was this film a blueprint followed by a recent American President? Is it an examination of the origins and effects of narcissism? Is there anyone left who doesn't know what Kane's last word, "Rosebud," refers to? How many of us learned that information from pop culture parodies? How well does the recently released Netflix film Mank pair with this masterpiece? And where does Sacha Baron Cohen fit into all of this? Join us, as we piece together the puzzle to reveal whether this movie deserves its reputation or if it's all just a bunch of sensationalism.

 

Click here to listen to Episode 31: Citizen Kane.

 

Be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, so you never miss an episode!

“England is under threat of invasion, and though we be on the far side of the world, this ship is our home. This ship is England. So, it’s every hand to his rope or gun; quick’s the word and sharp’s the action. After all... Surprise is on our side.”

— Captain Jack Aubrey, Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World

FIRST TIME VIEWERS:  ALISA, ANDREW, BETHANY, JOE

 

We've joined the British Royal Navy, as we haul the lines and sail to the far side of the world in pursuit of Peter Weir's Oscar nominated film, Master and Commander. Russell Crowe and Paul Bettany star as author Patrick O'Brian's beloved characters, Captain Jack Aubrey and physician/naturalist Dr. Stephen Maturin, who make beautiful music together aboard HMS Surprise as they attempt to stop the French ship Acheron from bringing the Napoleonic War to Pacific waters.

 

Is this film action, adventure, bromance or all three combined? Exactly why do we call the bathrooms on boats "heads"? Is young Midshipman Mr. Blakeney the key to enjoying this movie? Is there more to Stephen than performing surgery on himself? Will we ever get a tune we can dance to? And could Cheryl possibly be more in her element than she is when talking about this movie? (Spoiler: the answer is no) Come along, so we can impress you as we explore this wooden world.

 

Click here to listen to Episode 30: Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World

 

Be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, so you never miss an episode!

It was a great big white elephant of a place. The kind crazy movie people built in the crazy 20’s. A neglected house gets an unhappy look. This one had it in spades. It was like that old woman in “Great Expectations”. That Miss Havisham in her rotting wedding dress and her torn veil, taking it out on the world, because she’d been given the go-by.

Joe Gillis, Sunset Blvd.

FIRST TIME VIEWERS:  BETHANY, CHERYL, JOE, JUSTIN

Special guest Justin Quizon, co-host of Nothing New and Go, Go, Godzilla, hopped in our custom built Isotta-Fraschini to join us for a trip along Sunset Blvd., the 1950 film that provided silent-film star Gloria Swanson with her most remembered and meta role as faded silent film star Norma Desmond. Also featuring William Holden as screenwriter Joe Gillis, the down-on-his-luck young man who stumbles into Norma’s dream of a return to stardom, this self-referential Hollywood fable continues to influence pop culture more than 70 years after its release.

Is Norma Desmond’s middle-aged melodrama relatable? Have the pictures really gotten small? If your band is hired to play a private New Year’s Eve party, how long are you obligated to perform? What color is appropriate for a monkey’s coffin lining? Which is worse, being a newspaper reporter in Ohio or being a faded movie star’s boy toy in Hollywood? Just how did they get so many famous people to play themselves in this unusual story of the dark realities of stardom? There are no locks on the doors, so let yourself in and join us as we have Max start up the projector while we get ready for our close-up look at this legendary Billy Wilder film.

Be sure to follow Justin Quizon on Instagram and Twitter! Also, check out his amazing Kickstarter project, Lumpia!

Click here to listen to Episode 29: Sunset Blvd.

Be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, so you never miss an episode!

“I do not hold out much hope for Jack. He has many excellent qualities, but thinking is not one of them.”

— Tik-Tok, Return to Oz

FIRST TIME VIEWERS: ALISA, BETHANY, CHERYL, JOE

Special guest Aldrin Cornejo, Design Supervisor at Fox Television Animation's American Dad, invited us to Return to Oz with him, so we set out to discover this not-a-sequel to The Wizard of Oz. Even though we were a little reluctant, Aldrin electrified us into making our way along what's left of the Yellow Brick Road into an Oz that looks very different from the one we last left.

Is this a children's film or a horror movie? Does Dorothy's use of Life Powder on the Gump-sofa concoction create a flying wonder or a terrifying abomination? Which would you rather meet in a dark alley, a Flying Monkey or a Wheeler? Did awful things happen to the Emerald City just because Dorothy couldn't keep her shoes on? Can we call you "Mom"? And, really, where did all the Munchkins go? Find out as we put on our best heads and flow down the river to meet the Nome King.

Be sure to follow Aldrin Cornejo on Instagram and Twitter!

Click here to listen to Episode 28: Return to Oz.

Be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, so you never miss an episode!

“Do not play detective. This is not a book. This is not a movie.”

— Gay Perry, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang

FIRST TIME VIEWERS: ALISA, CHERYL, JOE

Sometimes a movie comes along that's polarizing...and confusing...and, well, a lot of things we may wish movies wouldn't be. For Christmas, Bethany brought us Shane Black's directorial debut, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. It's a parody of the hard-boiled detective stories like Raymond Chandler used to bake up...or maybe a Johnny Gossamer story. Dames and Dicks, all mixed up in the ugly underbelly just beneath the beautiful bosom of Hollywood.

Can we see the origins of Robert Downey Jr's Iron Man in this film? Is there anything wrong with calling Val Kilmer's character Gay Perry? Did any of us REALLY HATE this movie? Is it possible to be the very thing you're trying to make yourself out not to be? Grab yourself a stiff drink and join us at the scene of the crime as we go over the details just one more time before we let you know whether we think this movie should be turned over to the cops or you should just go along for the ride.

Click here to listen to Episode 27: Kiss Kiss Bang Bang.

Be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, so you never miss an episode!

“This is America. Virtue always prevails.”

— Senator Brickely Paiste, Bob Roberts

FIRST TIME VIEWERS: ALISA, ANDREW, BETHANY, JOE

As though struggling through the current election cycle wasn't already difficult enough, Cheryl asked everyone to add another level of upset by watching this 1992 political "documentary" written/directed by and starring Tim Robbins. If you haven't seen it either, that's not a surprise; this movie didn't get a wide release and has been very difficult to find. It's available here (until it's not).

Can conservative folk songs be enjoyable? Is this perhaps Jack Black's best role? How did Tim Robbins get so many amazing actors to appear in this movie? Is this film still a humorous satire or has it become a terrifying reflection of reality? Is Tim Robbins psychic? And, if not, how did he get every single aspect of our current political climate precisely correct 28 years ago? Join the campaign and we'll tell you if we're voting for this prescient rebel conservative.

Click here to listen to Episode 26: Bob Roberts.

Be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, so you never miss an episode!

“Don’t you know what’s goin’ on out there? This is no Sunday School picnic!”

— Ben, Night of the Living Dead

FIRST TIME VIEWERS: BETHANY, CHERYL

It's October, it's almost Halloween, and that means it's time for something scary. We've reached back to George A. Romero's fabled independent film, which had a massive and unmistakable impact on horror that continues today. Join us, as we hide out in our respective homes and try to board up the windows to keep out the ghouls.

What's the difference between a zombie and a ghoul? What are the connection points between this movie and The Walking Dead? How do you make a movie like this without any money? Who would you be: the catatonic Barbra, the action-oriented Ben, or the jerkface Harry? Meet us in the cemetery to find out if we think this movie belongs upstairs or in the cellar. Don't worry if we look a little...off. We're just coming to get you, Barbra.

Click here to listen to Episode 25: Night of the Living Dead.

Be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, so you never miss an episode!

“It’s funny how people see me and treat me, since I’m really just a simple, boring person.”

— Finbar McBride, The Station Agent

FIRST TIME VIEWERS: ANDREW, BETHANY, JOE

Special guest Jake Lloyd, director of the feature film Pinch and founder of Dragon Wagon Radio, added The Station Agent to our list, so we asked him to walk the right-of-way with us to talk about this quiet 2003 film starring Peter Dinklage, Bobby Cannavale, and Patricia Clarkson. Join us for a break by the railroad tracks, as Jake shares how this movie influenced his own filmmaking and the many familiar ways it became a favorite.

Would we want to be friends with a character like Joe, the overenthusiastic food truck fill-in? Does Fin love trains or just hate people? Could Olivia be the worst driver on the planet? Can three lonely people come together to create family?  Check your timetables and don't miss our discussion of this slow freight train of a movie. We'll let you know if it's worth the wait.

Click here to listen to Episode 24: The Station Agent.

Be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, so you never miss an episode!

“We don’t know what the next iteration of this will be, but it will be. It will be. And we will have to be vigilant.”

— Van Jones, 13th

FIRST TIME VIEWERS: ALISA, ANDREW, BETHANY, CHERYL, JOE

In the current socio-political climate, we all agreed it was imperative that we watch Ava DuVernay's 2016 documentary on the US prison system and racial inequality. We wanted to better understand the history of how and why our legal system has been shaped to criminalize the black population and fill our prisons with free labor sources, heavily utilized by major corporations.

Did you know that the United States has just 5% of the world population, but 25% of the world prison population? Or that the likelihood of a white man spending time in jail during his life is just 1 in 17, while for black men the likelihood is 1 in 3? Or that black men make up 6.5% of the US population, but 40.2% of the US prison population? Join us, as we grapple with what we've learned from this award-winning documentary.

Click here to listen to Episode 23: 13th.

Be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, so you never miss an episode!

FIRST TIME VIEWERS: ANDREW, JOE

Milos Forman's Oscar winning adaptation of Peter Shaffer's Tony winning stage play, Amadeus immerses us in the lush, candlelit world of 18th century Vienna. Genius, jealousy, royalty, and retaliation combine to tell the fictionalized story of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's decline through the machinations of his bitter rival, Antonio Salieri.

Should you invest the time in the extended Director's Cut of this film? What happened when one our co-hosts was dragged to this movie against her will? Did Amadeus deserve the 8 Oscars it won in 1985? And just how badly do we want to try Capezzoli di Venere? Listen to our opera of opinion to find out!

Click here to listen to Episode 22: Amadeus.

Be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, so you never miss an episode!