Send us a text

On the podcast this week, Steven and Sean are lying to our dear Nai Nais about their impending death— No, shhh! Don’t tell them about it. They don't know they’re going to die. It’s the 2019 film from Lulu Wang, The Farewell.

Talk about an intriguing dilemma at the heart of this film. Clearly, it’s about a cultural difference, but does that make it any easier to come to a good answer? If you knew that your beloved grandmother was dying, and soon, would you make the decision not to tell her? Is it right to keep information like that from her? It is her life, after all. What right does anyone have to keep news like this from someone else?

But therein lies the rub—depending on where you’re from, keeping that news from someone could make all the sense in the world. Why subject someone you love to grief, pain, and possibly even regret when they don’t have to face those emotions? Would it actually be a kinder act to keep them unaware of their impending death so their final days can be happy?

Hell if I know. We’re from the U.S.A. As Billi says in this film, keeping that sort of information from someone here is surely illegal. In China, though? That’s a whole different thing.

I suppose the best thing you could do, no matter where you live, is to just treasure whatever time you have with the people in your life. That’s the best message to be taken from this film. We never get to have enough time with the ones we love, but we can choose to fill that time with love.

It sucks like hell when we lose those we hold dearest in our hearts. There’s no denying that. We should all strive to be more like Billi: find the strength we need inside us, surround ourselves with those that mean the most to us, and love them with every we’ve got.

(Recorded on November 23, 2020)

Links to Stuff We Mentioned:

The Farewell - IMDb

The Farewell trailer - YouTube

Audio Hijack - Rogue Amoeba

Radio Disney

Awkwafina - IMDb

Crazy Rich Asians - IMDb

Jumanji: The Next Level - IMDb

Uncut Gems - IMDb

Adam Sandler - IMDb

Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens - IMDb

Bad Boys for Life - IMDb

Ouroboros - Wikipedia

Best Wishes, Warmest Regards: A Schitt's Creek Farewell - IMDb

Schitt's Creek - IMDb

The Hashtag That Changed the Oscars: An Oral History - The New York Times

Filmmaker Lulu Wang Based 'The Farewell' On Her Family's Real-Life Lie - NPR

Arnold Schwarzenegger - IMDb

Jingle All the Way - IMDb

52% of young adults

Support the show

Send us a text

On the podcast this week, Steven and Sean are pissing off L.A. tough guys, disposing of bodies, and maybe starring in a big-time Hollywood movie with the 2005 Shane Black film, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang.

We all want to be in the pictures, right? I mean, who out there doesn’t? Imagine seeing your name up in lights and having crowds of adoring fans around you, asking for your autograph. You could find yourself in front of a camera lens and acting opposite a legend of the biz. You could be up there with Bogart, Garland, and all the rest. Show me someone that isn’t attracted to that sort of life and I’ll show you someone who’s lying. 

I mean, The Kinks even made a song about it, yeah? Celluloid Heroes. Even rock stars are singing about it. Erm, wait… That one had a pretty sad message, I think. How did it go?

“You can see all the stars as you walk along Hollywood Boulevard.
Some that you recognize. Some that you’ve hardly even heard of.
People who worked and suffered and struggled for fame.
Some who succeeded and some who suffered in vain.”

Okay, maybe we shouldn’t aspire to put ourselves through that sort of near-definite torment. Sure, it would be cool to be flown out to L.A., hobnob with all the good-looking, Southern California people, and be put up in a fancy hotel for a while. Maybe you’ll even be shown around by a private investigator named “Gay Perry.” He might even look vaguely like Val Kilmer. Wouldn’t that be swell?

It happened to Robert Downey, Jr.’s character in this film. Harry had a pretty good thing going on. Pretty good, that is, until he lost a finger and had his balls zapped with what amounted to a car battery. Look, you win some and you lose some. At least he got to reconnect with an impetuous and knockout dame. Things ended up going pretty well for him, all things considered.

Still, though, he also got shot in the chest. That’s not too great. Nobody wants to end up in the hospital because they need to have a bullet removed from their body.

Look, all we’re saying is this movie is really well-done. The writing is the sort of Shane Black perfection you’ve come to expect from him, there’s masterful acting happening, and the story is just so damn fun. It’s a modern telling of the hard-boiled detective novels everyone should indulge in at least once in their lives. They’re fun as hell. They make life more enjoyable, like this movie does. Makes you wonder, Maybe dreaming of being a Hollywood movie star isn’t so bad? I mean, The Kinks also sang,

“I wish my life was a non-stop Hollywood movie show,
A fantasy world of celluloid villains and heroes.
Because celluloid heroes never feel any pain,
And celluloid heroes never really die.”

That ain’t too bad.

(Recorded on November 09, 2020)

Links to Stuff We Mentioned:

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang - IMDb

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang trailer - YouTube

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer - IMDb

Frosty the Snowman - IMDb

National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation - IMDb

Jingle All the Way - IMDb

Die Hard - IMDb

Home Alone - IMDb

RATED-R Home Alone | Corridor Digital - YouTube

(The alw

Support the show

Send us a text

On the podcast this week, Steven and Sean are trampling neighbors, kicking asses, and blowing people up in this month’s festive B-movie bonus episode. We’re joining Arnold Schwarzenegger in the 1996 film from Brian Levant, Jingle All the Way.

Man, screw Sinbad. That guy’s nothing but a world of trouble. I mean, who the heck screws another father over for a toy, threatens to explode him with a bomb, and nearly kills a kid? All in pursuit of a Turbo Man action figure? Not cool, man. Not cool. I’m calling it here first—that guy is a menace and can go screw.

If you ever see him walking down the street, you’d better find a doorway to duck into. Otherwise, you may be assaulted. Maybe. I mean, who knows? The guy’s probably a sweetheart, but his character in this film is a monster! I get it, you want to get your kid the hottest toy of the holiday season, but maybe you shouldn’t have waited until Christmas freaking Eve to do it? Maybe possibly?

For that matter, what the heck is up with Arnold in this film? He pulled the same nonsense! Sure sure, there’s a lot of comedy and pratfalls to be had here, but let’s get down to the real issue: these fathers are neglecting their families and resorting to desperation, dishonesty, and violence. There was also a potential case of grand theft toy on display. How do you break into a neighbor’s home and try to steal the action figure they got their kid? That’s low, man. Maybe you should have done what they did and went shopping for toys earlier in the year.

Sure, some of you may be thinking, “Hey guys, this is just a kid’s film. No need to get so up in arms over a fun bit of fiction. Get into the holiday spirit instead!” To that, we say, “Maybe you’re missing the bigger picture here!” This is a stark and damning portrayal of the horrors of the modern capitalist system in America. What, a man has to work his ass off all day, every day just to provide a decent life for his family, has to get into literal fights with other people in the hopes of claiming a neat toy, and gets into many harrowing scrapes with the law? And we’re just supposed to be okay with that? We say HELL NO to that! Down with that twisted vision of the present.

This is a dark and distressing film about one man’s dogged pursuit to earn the love of his wife and son in a society that only wants to drive its boot heel deeper into our collective necks. We shouldn’t just accept this treatment! We should dream of a brighter, happier future for us all, and not just The Man.

But hey, you’ve got Arnold’s always amazing accent, a drunk reindeer, and a happy ending, so I guess everything’s okay by the time the credits roll. There’s always that. Jeez…

(Recorded on November 02, 2020)

Links to Stuff We Mentioned:

Jingle All the Way - IMDb

Jingle All the Way trailer - YouTube

Power Rangers - Hasbro

Corner Bakery Cafe

Tickle Me Elmo - Wikipedia

Furby - Wikipedia

Mall of America

Jingle All the Way 2 - IMDb

Arnold Schwarzenegger - IMDb

Sinbad - IMDb

Phil Hartman - IMDb

Rit

Support the show

Send us a text

On the podcast this week, Steven and Sean are learning hard life lessons during the holidays: it’s all about love and family, don’t you know? We’re doing it with the festive Richard Donner film from 1988, Scrooged.

This ain’t yo granddaddy’s Christmas Carol, no siree! Nah, this is the cool, hip, kickin’ ‘80s version of the classic Charles Dickens story. We’ve got greased-up tv company executives, the cutting-edge technology known as the VCR, and enough Christmas ghosts to keep you feeling the holiday cheer for weeks.

Even after one of them keeps kicking our dear Bill Murray in his jingle bells, too, if you know what I mean…

Hey, when it’s Carol Kane doing the kicking, you just tell yourself that you’re okay with it. Oh, did I mention that the wonderful Carol Kane is in this movie? And Bill Murray! And Karen Allen! And freaking Robert Mitchum! C’mon, does it get any better than that? This film is a veritable who’s who of amazing actors. Alfre Woodard’s in this one, too, for crying out loud!

Maybe some of you will feel put off by the thought of watching yet another version of a story you probably know like the back of your hand. Ebenezer Scrooge, Bob Cratchit, fetch me a big turkey and all that. You’d be wrong, as dead wrong as the Ghost of Christmas Future. This is a fresh take on that tale and it’s a blast. This is peak ‘80s Bill Murray here, folks, and he’s chugging along on all cylinders. You’ve got to love him.

If you’re looking to spice up your holiday movie watching, go no further. Give it a watch or Lee Majors may try to murder you with Mrs. Claus and a bunch of elves. Yes, you read that right.

(Recorded on October 26, 2020)

Links to Stuff We Mentioned:

Scrooged - IMDb

Scrooged trailer - YouTube

Bill Murray - IMDb

Carol Kane - IMDb

Gotham - IMDb

The Princess Bride - IMDb

Richard Donner - IMDb

Superman II - IMDb

(Richard Donner was also, and probably more famously, the director of the first Superman movie.)

Lethal Weapon - IMDb

Ladyhawke - IMDb

Ebenezer Scrooge - Wikipedia

Caddyshack - IMDb

Beverly Hills Ninja - IMDb

Aladdin - IMDb

A Goofy Movie - IMDb

John Glover - IMDb

Smallville - IMDb

André the Giant - IMDb

Lou Ferrigno - IMDb

Danny Elfman - IMDb

Tim Burton - IMDb

Batman Returns - IMDb

Lee Majors - IMDb

Mac

Support the show

Send us a text

On the podcast this week, Steven and Sean are realizing that we’ve got it pretty good after all. Sure, we’ve got some debt and bankers aren’t ever doing us any favors, but life is still worth living in the Frank Capra classic from 1946, It’s a Wonderful Life.

I want to get something out of the way right at the beginning: Potter’s a jerk. Just a straight-up, stone-cold, heartless bastard. He’s very frustrating to watch and doesn’t appear to have any redeeming qualities by the end of the film. He’s just a miserly, bitter old fool. He’s a great antagonist, though, I will say that. I can’t think of another film villain that is so deserving of all the ill will that’s aimed at him.

Yeah, I know, we should all get in the Christmas spirit. Being able to forgive others is an essential and good quality to have. I get it, but look, forgiveness should still be earned and Potter wouldn’t hesitate to step on your neck if it meant making more money. My advice? Spend your time and forgiveness on someone who deserves it.

Like George Bailey, for instance. Now there’s a stand-up fella. Does he have his flaws and shortcomings? Who among us doesn’t? He’s been dealt some unfortunate cards in life—he’s also been dealt some really great cards (I’m looking at you, Mary)—but he still does what’s right. He had great dreams and wanted to be a different person, but he understands that there are people who depend on him. Despite the disappointments he’s had in life, he’s always there for them.

More importantly, he’s like every one of us: he’s still human. He’s got his troubles and sometimes things get to be too much for him. We’ve all felt overwhelmed in our lives. The important thing to remember is life is worth living and there’s always someone out there who wants you to keep going. You’re never without someone cheering you on. For George, it was his family, his town, and dear Clarence.

This is a lovely movie and a classic for a reason. If you haven’t seen it, then give it a watch. It lives up to its reputation. If you’ve already seen it (and possibly many, many times), then give it another watch. It’s a heartwarming story about learning to love yourself.

Also, remember to ring a bell the next time you see one.

(Recorded on December 14, 2020)

Links to Stuff We Mentioned:

It’s a Wonderful Life - IMDb

It’s a Wonderful Life trailer - YouTube

Hallmark Channel

November Christmas - IMDb

Sam Elliott - IMDb

John Corbett - IMDb

My Big Fat Greek Wedding - IMDb

Mr. Potter - Wikipedia

How the Grinch Stole Christmas! - Wikipedia

National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation - IMDb

Christmas Vacation | More Movies Please! - Libsyn

Beverly D'Angelo - IMDb

Godfellas | Futurama - IMDb

The Big Bang Theory - IMDb

Jacob Marley - Wikipedia

Support the show

Send us a text

On the podcast this week, Steven and Sean are dealing with the family—oh, the terrible family—and trying not to go absolutely insane during the holidays in the 1989 film from Jeremiah Chechik, Christmas Vacation.

It’s the most!

Wonderful time!

Of the year!

Unless you’re Clark Griswold, that is. Let us all thank our lucky stars that we don’t have to risk falling off our roofs, getting stuck in our attics, or dealing with an Uncle Eddie. At least, I’m hoping your holidays don’t involve any of those things. If they do, then you have our sincerest condolences. Nobody should have to live a single day like Clark, much less several.

It’s such a dang shame for him, too. Here’s a hard-working man who only wants to give his family a happy, memorable Christmas. Instead, all he gets in return is numerous near-death experiences.

Clark Griswold is all of us in 2020.

Is he without his faults? Heck no. The man sank away his entire year-end bonus on a pool before he ever got the cash, inadvertently terrorized his admittedly yuppie-punk neighbors way too often, and could have burned down his house with the 25,000 Christmas lights he strung up. That’s not even mentioning his clear anger management issues. Oh, his poor wife. She’s a saint for supporting him through all the craziness that he brings upon his family.

Still, through all the dry turkey-eating, cat-killing, squirrel-chasing, boss-kidnapping, sewer-exploding insanity, the Griswolds keep the true meaning of Christmas in mind. It’s all about spending time with your loved ones, even if you do wish you could kick them out of the house for good.

(Also, Sean said this was the second Vacation movie in the opening. He couldn’t have been more wrong about that. This is actually the third Vacation movie. That guy should get his film lover’s certification taken away. Posthaste!)

(Recorded on October 19, 2020)

Links to Stuff We Mentioned:

Christmas Vacation - IMDb

Christmas Vacation trailer - YouTube

National Lampoon's Vacation - IMDb

Doctor Who - IMDb

Doctor Who - IMDb

Looney Tunes - Wikipedia

Johnny Galecki - IMDb

Juliette Lewis - IMDb

Beverly D'Angelo - IMDb

Chevy Chase - IMDb

Randy Quaid - IMDb

Brian Doyle-Murray - IMDb

Doris Roberts - IMDb

Julia Louis-Dreyfus - IMDb

Seinfeld - IMDb

Caddyshack - IMDb

Fletch - IMDb

National Lampoon - Wikipedia

Dennis the Menace - Wikipedia

The Rocketeer - IMDb

Support the show

Send us a text

On the podcast this week, Steven and Sean are kicking off the holidays with hilarity and cheer! We’re giving our beloved Christmas traditions one final hurrah before having to accept that we’re old adults now in the 2015 film from Jonathan Levine, The Night Before.

Right off the bat, I need to make clear that you should not, under any circumstances, do anything that Seth Rogen did in this film. I mean, who in the world takes that many drugs before a night out on the town with your three best friends? A bit of drugs seems handleable, but dude was not doing so well. Let this be a lesson to you, kids: enjoy your drugs responsibly, and please don’t vomit in the middle of any churches on Christmas Eve.

You’ll make Baby Jesus sad.

Nah, what you should do is spend time with your good buddies. I mean, that’s what the holidays are really all about, yeah? Spending time with the ones you love, eating some delicious cookies, and going all out getting to the completely kick-ass Nutcracker Ball that you’ve been dying to find for years. Seriously, be like Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s friends in this one. Sure, they were pretty danged selfish about their own messy lives, but they got him to the party by the end, and they had a memorable time doing it, too.

If you don’t make the time and effort to be a pal, then you could very well miss two of the most important things a human being could experience:

1. Meeting Miley Cyrus.
2. Realizing you need to get your nonsense together so you can be with the person you’re supposed to be with.

Otherwise, it could just slip through your fingers and then you’ll be stuck with an aimless, sad sack of a man who spends all his time pining for the woman he couldn’t hold on to. Nobody wants that to happen.

Be the best friend ever and make the holidays this year worth celebrating!

(Recorded on October 12, 2020)

Links to Stuff We Mentioned:

The Night Before - IMDb

The Night Before trailer - YouTube

Joseph Gordon-Levitt - IMDb

Seth Rogen - IMDb

Anthony Mackie - IMDb

Michael Shannon - IMDb

Randall Park - IMDb

Tracy Morgan - IMDb

Moana - IMDb

The Shining - IMDb

Grady Twins | Stephen King Wiki - Fandom

Playing the Piano Scene | Big - YouTube

Scrooged - IMDb

Die Hard - IMDb

A Christmas Carol - IMDb

A Christmas Carol - South Coast Repertory

It's a Wonderful Life - IMDb

Ilana Glazer - IMDb

Home Alone - IMDb

”Happy Trails, Hans” scene | Die Hard - YouTube

Support the show

Send us a text

On the podcast this week, Steven and Sean are dusting off their finest pin-striped suits and concocting a foolproof plan to win big with this week’s episode. It’s the 1973 film from George Roy Hill, The Sting.

Is there anything better than a Paul Newman-Robert Redford team-up? This one and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid goes to show us all that those two make some serious magic when they’re on-screen together. We love their work and wish they could have co-starred in at least one more film, but sadly ’tis not in the cards for us. We’ll always have those two, though. They’re satisfying enough.

In this film, we’ve got one of the greatest cons ever set to film. Who doesn’t love to pull a fast one over on ol’ Robert Shaw? If you’re anything like Henry Gondorff and Johnny Hooker, then you’re going to delight in taking advantage of him. Did he have it coming? Well yeah! Dude killed Johnny’s good friend, Luther Coleman. Of course he had it coming, and he deserved a hell of a lot more. He lost a bunch of money; Luther lost his life. How is that fair? What a damn shame.

Amid all this is a con artist story like you dream about. This is one of those classic films that so many others have tried to emulate. Most of them aren’t successful. It’s hard enough to capture lightning in a bottle once, and it’s danged near impossible to do it twice. The significance of The Sting reverberates throughout film history. Without it, we’d miss out on so many other thrilling stories.

We loved watching this film unfold, sometimes getting conned ourselves. It’s the sort of story that film lovers want to experience. If you enjoy watching a great movie with a stellar cast, confident writing, and wonderful direction, this is sure to be a good one for you.

(Recorded on October 05, 2020)

Links to Stuff We Mentioned:

The Sting - IMDb

The Sting trailer - YouTube

Wilhelm scream - Wikipedia

Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope - IMDb

Raiders of the Lost Ark - IMDb

The Terminator - IMDb

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl - IMDb

Paul Newman - IMDb

Robert Redford - IMDb

Robert Shaw - IMDb

Ocean's Eleven - IMDb

Ocean's Twelve - IMDb

Ocean's Thirteen - IMDb

Confidence - IMDb

Ocean's 11 - IMDb

Ocean's 8 - IMDb

Scott Joplin - Wikipedia

Baby Driver - IMDb

The Invisible Man - Art of the Title

The Invisible Man | More Movies Please! - Libsyn

Galaxy Quest - IMDb

Support the show

Send us a text

On the podcast this week, Steven and Sean are welcoming the lovely and fun as hell Eimanne El Zein as our special guest. We’re going to need all the help we can get because we’re trying to figure out just what the hell is going on with Tommy Wiseau in one of the most famous of all bad movies, 2003’s The Room.

I mean… I don’t even know where to start with this thing. How does one write about what may be a legitimate terrible movie masterpiece? Do you try to peel back whatever fetid onion layers this movie may actually have and find something worthwhile underneath? Do you say “HELLS NAH!” to prospect of subjecting yourself to an hour and thirty-nine minutes of a man being torn apart?

Do you wonder just what happened in your life to get you to the point where you’re spending your time watching this film so you can discuss it at length with a couple other people on a movie appreciation podcast? I mean, just what happened? Did you sell your soul to the devil and this is your punishment? Are you trapped within a sadistic computer simulation?

Or rather, are you doing the good, honest work of trying to figure out the true mysteries of the universe by watching this movie? Seriously, why else could something like this exist? It’s got to be some sort of coded message sent to humanity from a hyper-intelligent, benevolent alien being. Perhaps that’s actually it. Tommy Wiseau isn’t a terrible filmmaker! He’s a creature from the stars who’s sending us this message in the hopes that we’ll puzzle it out and save us all from certain doom. There’s clearly no other explanation for anything that happened in this mess of a film.

We’re not meant to groan while watching The Room. No, instead we’re supposed to use this film as a motivator to help us all live better, healthier, happier, more inclusive lives. All for the sake of the planet.

Thank you, Tommy.

(Recorded on August 06, 2020 | There are occasional audio oddities happening in this episode. They’re rare and shouldn’t affect the wonderful conversation.)

Links to Stuff We Mentioned:

The Room - IMDb

The Room (fan-made) trailer - YouTube

Tommy Wiseau - IMDb

The Room Viewer & Participation Guide - Screen Rant

The Disaster Artist: My Life Inside The Room, the Greatest Bad Movie Ever Made | Greg Sestero - Goodreads

Adrian! | Rocky - YouTube

You Are Tearing Me Apart! full scene - YouTube

“The Room” Talking Johnny Bobble Head – Tommy Wiseau

This is the bobble head that Eimanne shows off during the episode. It’s such a wonderful, silly thing.

The Disaster Artist - IMDb

Ed Wood - IMDb

Army of Darkness - IMDb

Full House - IMDb

Best F(r)iends: Volume 1 - IMDb

Mars Attacks! - IMDb

Mars Attacks! | More Movies Please! - Li

Support the show

Send us a text

On the podcast this week, Steven and Sean are crashing into armored cars and knocking off downtown banks in the classic, electric Michael Mann film, Heat.

We’re pretty astounded that this film is now as old as it is (and will only continue to get older because that is indeed, perhaps unsurprisingly, how time works) considering how timeless it is. Sure, there are still pagers shown in this movie and the cops would never be able to make it to the downtown bank that’s being robbed because there’s so much more traffic there now, but it still somehow feels evergreen!

Let’s put that down to the magic of filmmaking.

In a movie that’s nearly three hours long, it’s amazing how engrossing and energetic it still feels. Is it any wonder why when it stars so many phenomenal actors? I mean, you’ve got your De Niros, your Pacinos, your Kilmers and Judds and Brennemans. And then you throw them all on the screen together, sometimes even at the same time? It doesn’t get any better than this movie!

And we haven’t even gotten to the intense action sequences. Seriously, the opening armored car robbery and the bank robbery that happens midway through are still some of the best pieces of action that have ever been put on film. If you can, make sure to watch this one with great speakers.

You’ll feel like you’re living in the movie and also probably upset your neighbors.

The sound design in Heat is on another level. The bank robbery scene is a great example of how the audio in this film elevates every other moment in it. There’s a reason why this film and that particular action scene is still so well-loved. We think it’s due in large part to its realistic sound design. ‘90s era Los Angeles has also never been shot better than it was by Dante Spinotti in this film. There’s a certain glittering realness to how everything looks that just isn’t easy to achieve anymore. We loved every moment of this film.

(Recorded on May 14, 2020)

Links to Stuff We Mentioned:

Heat - IMDb

Heat trailer - YouTube

Pager - Wikipedia

Here’s what that ancient technology know as the “pager” looks like for those of you who are somehow still younger than us relatively young folks.

Reservoir Dogs - IMDb

Dennis Haysbert - IMDb

Leon: The Professional - IMDb

Dante Spinotti - IMDb

Follow Us:

Give us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts!

Our Libsyn site!

Our Instagram profile!

Our Twitter profile!

Support the show