Movies Will Save The World

It's always an interesting experience to see a movie.written and directed by the same person - especially when that person is someone as unique as David Mamet. Sometimes the watering down or smoothing out can be a benefit. Other times it can dilute the vision that the writer has in mind. Today we discuss The Spanish Prisoner - written and directed by David Mamet - and discuss these items and more.

Theme: Stylized Dialog

Sequels can sometimes be a bit challenging. Will it live up to expectations especially if the first movie is beloved by fans. Some sequels can take a franchise in a new and interesting direction while others just try and cash in on the tropes established in the original. We've reviewed Knives Out on this podcast already and today we're looking at Glass Onion. How does it hold up to the original - a movie that we both really enjoyed. Join us to find out.

How many lines can you quote from The Princess Bride? I'm guessing you could come up with 20 without thinking too hard. Have you ever met anyone who doesn't love this movie? And if so, does their broken sad and cynical soul show through in other areas of their life? I'm joking of course, but it is amazing that certain movies just seem to resonate with a broad audience and generations. Join us today as we dive in to The Princess Bride on this episode of Movies Will Save The World.

Theme: Quotable Movies

The early 90s was an interesting time for movies. Lower budget independent films were on the rise, and many prominent directors experimented with new techniques in story telling and artistic license. Some of these movies have held up well while others, not so much. Today we're looking at Bram Stoker's Dracula - fairly well regarded at the time and definitely an example of a movie attempting to fulfill the director's unique vision. Does it hold up? Find out on this episode of Movies Will Save The World.

Theme: Movies I Almost Walked Out Of

Happy Thanksgiving! Today we're revisiting what is widely regarded as one of the great Thanksgiving movies - not to mention great comedies - of our generation. That said, does this movie hold up? Movies from the past don't always age well and it can be a bit dicey when we let nostalgia color our perspective. Should this movie be in your regular holiday movie rotation, or does it fail to stand the test of time and should be left as a fond memory, but best left to fade into the background? Tune in on this episode as we tackle these questions and more.

Theme: Holiday Movies

How does a movie in an established genre stand out from the crowd? What is that special sauce that keeps audiences returning to the movie again and again? Join us as we discuss these questions and more with our very special guest Alicia Dara. Always Be My Maybe was released in 2019 and primarily written by the two leads Ali Wong and Randall Park. While clearly a romantic comedy, does this movie have what it takes to transcend the genre and keep us coming back for more? Find out on this episode of Movies Will Save The World.

Theme: Romantic Comedies

Guest: Alicia Dara - https://www.aliciadara.com

Can internet culture inspire a new form of filmmaking? The platforms available to content creators create the opportunity for individuals outside of the studio system to create something completely independent and free of the influence of commercially minded producers and executives. At the same time, does this format work when approaching a feature-length work? Where does the studio system get in the way and stymie creativity, and where does it help tell a story to a broad audience? Today we're looking at a non-conventional work created by Kane Parsons called Backrooms. It's a series of short films which come together to tell a story arc based on internet lore. Join us as we talk about these subjects and more on this episode of Movies Will Save The World.

Theme: New Indie Films

Can large-scale movies from the past compete and hold their own against current technology and film-making? Is there something about older, pre-CGI movies that have a special flavor that is lost in our current films? This week we're discussing the 1970 movie Patton. Clearly an epic on the scale of Lawrence of Arabia and other similar movies, also clearly a war movie as it's set squarely in World War II. But is this more of a biopic exploring this complex and nuanced character? Tune in as we discuss all of these factors on this week's episode of Movies Will Save The World.

Theme: Epic Movies

Horror movies are a bit like heavy metal. For the few movies that stand out, there is an ocean of dreck to wade through and it can often be difficult to explain to outsiders why it's worth the journey. The true horror (or metal) fans know when they've struck gold and stumbled across something truly remarkable. But for those on the outside, what differentiates great horror from mediocre horror may be difficult to discern. Today we discuss the 2017 Argentinian film Terrified - a modern horror movie that might just earn the label "classic".

Theme: Modern Horror Classics

Psst. Don't tell anybody, but I've got the perfect caper we can pull off. A couple of weeks work and we'll be set for life! All we need to do is get the right bank codes, throw off the thugs who'll be chasing us, assemble a team we can trust, launder the money so we can spend it, and move to a new city - or maybe a different country - haven't figured that out yet. Anyway, you in?

The heist movie genre can be a lot of fun, but of course it does have its tropes - as many genres do. But can a simple heist film be elevated past its formulaic parts and transcend to something greater? We talk about this idea and more as we discuss the 2018 film Widows.

Theme: Great Heist Movies