Movie Date Night

Lauren’s launches our Space themed month with the 2013 blockbuster Gravity. In this minimal cast survival story, we pick apart the physics and gender choices in this film, wondering if the film would have been so impactful had Dr. Ryan Stone been a male instead a female. We critique the pseudo-mansplaning moment in this feminist film, and Lauren opens up with one of her irrational fears. Music is 64 Sunday by http://www.twinmusicom.org/

Greg’s Oscar pick takes us back to the tail end of the 1970s with Kramer vs Kramer staring Dustin Hoffman and Meryl Streep. In this drama about divorce and single parenthood, we discuss the difficulties of finding a balance between work and family life, justifying Joanna’s exit with Millennial eyes, late 70’s job salary comparison and Greg offers up the easy solution to everyone’s problem that this movie completely ignores. Music is 64 Sunday by http://www.twinmusicom.org/

Lauren kicks off our Oscar month with 1996’s Sling Blade, which won the Academy Award for Best Writing Adapted Screenplay. In this tale of a recently released mental patient, trying to find his place in the world after a long absence, we discuss the critical flaws of patient and prisoner release programs, Doyle’s impossible standards for his step-son, surprisingly woke 90’s characters, and this movie’s surprising parallels to Pinocchio. Music is 64 Sunday by Twinsmusic.com

For Greg’s premier pick of 2020 he takes us back to another Hollywood flop with 1967’s Dr. Dolittle starring Rex Harrison. In this tone deaf film about an animal doctor too obsessed with his new hobby, Lauren and Greg contrast this ‘classic’ with the new 2020 Dolittle starring Robert Downey Jr. discuss their concern for young Stubbins Welfare, terrible expositional songs, and the plentiful problems with the Pushmi-Pullyu. Music is 64 Sunday by http://www.twinmusicom.org/

For our first movie of 2020, we go finally visit the film that inspired Movie Date Night, 1995’s Cutthroat Island. While watching this legendary box office flop, Lauren and Greg discuss why this film failed where Pirates of the Caribbean succeeded, terrible map preservation ideas, weird orange filters, awkward family relationships and we ask if a female pirate film can even work. Music is 64 Sunday by http://www.twinmusicom.org/

Lauren and Greg discuss the new movies they saw during the 2019 year, their favorite episodes from Movie Date Night this past year and upcoming films they are looking forward to seeing in 2020. Music is 64 Sunday by http://www.twinmusicom.org/

Greg decided to share an example of a non-holiday classic with 2015’s The Night Before. As we discuss how this flash-in-the-pan movie extraordinarily dates itself and is denied becoming a Christmas classic, we share some of our Christmas traditions from our youths, what makes a good vs. bad Ugly Christmas Sweater and why this movie takes things a Tracy Morgan too far. Music by bensound.com

Lauren’s pick for a lasting Christmas film is 2005’s family drama The Family Stone. As we ride this emotional roller coaster of a film, we further discuss the positive and realistic representation of a deaf character, how Sarah Jessica Parker can’t read people’s vibes, the weird importance placed on a casserole, and we rule on how deserving this film is to be on the shelf with other Christmas films. Music by bensound.com

Greg’s thrilling choice this month is 10 Cloverfield Lane (2016). In this film with a too revealing title, Greg and Lauren discusses tacked on third act twist that takes things too far, bad bunker blueprints, and we deep dive into the likelihood of Howard’s possible motives for his actions. Music by bensound.com

For the month of November, we decide to keep the tension high with our next theme of Suspenseful films and Lauren kicks things off with 2009’s Orphan. In this creepy child film, we discuss why this sub-genre even exists, how this movie expertly represents many motherly fears, whether or not Ester is a sympathetic character, and Greg shares his opinion on who is truly to blame in this film.