Reel Fanatics

The guys review John Carpenter’s Big Trouble in Little China for Joe’s third retro pick. Joe and Michael discuss watching television programming during a pandemic. Jared finally loves a certain Coen brothers film.

Jared’s second retro pick is Hitchcock’s Notorious, which the guys review and use as a jumping-off point to talk about the director’s oeuvre. Michael and Joe irritate Jared by denigrating Cary Grant and North by Northwest. Also, Joe and Jared discuss Alex Garland’s Devs.

A medley of topics in this episode. Jared and Joe disagree on a hit Netflix show then recommend two new films available in virtual cinemas. Michael joins in to contemplate what the entertainment landscape—and the nature of production—will look like for the rest of 2020 and beyond. Plus many smaller items toward the end of the show!

Michael selects the 1996 indie film Big Night for his second retro pick. Jared recommends two underrated movies from master filmmakers. Joe raves about the cinematography in a recent Chinese neo-noir.

The coronavirus pandemic has changed the film industry, including distribution methods, so in this episode Jared, Joe, and Michael review Bacurau and then discuss the new virtual exhibition initiative led by Kino Lorber.

David Cronenberg’s 1986 body horror classic, The Fly, is Joe’s first retro review pick. The guys discuss that film, as well as a Raoul Walsh western, the bibliography of Albert Camus, and a crazy Netflix documentary miniseries.

Jared’s first pick for a retro review is Robert Altman’s McCabe & Mrs. Miller, which leads to discussions of Altman’s filmography and the conventions of the western. Joe conjures an unexpected comparison to MacGruber. Michael and Jared speculate about the film’s influence on Paul Thomas Anderson.

In the time of a devastating global pandemic, Steven Soderbergh’s Contagion has taken on new relevance. Michael, Joe, and Jared review that 2011 thriller in this episode.

The guys discuss Crimes and Misdemeanors in this episode—the first in a new, intermittent series of retro reviews. Joe recommends a ’90s gangster cult classic, while Jared endorses a horror franchise reboot. Michael explains his love for Woody Allen’s 1989 film. Note: This conversation was recorded before COVID-19 took hold of the United States and altered daily life. Warning: The ending to 2019’s Black Christmas is spoiled in the recommendations section.

Céline Sciamma’s acclaimed Portrait of a Lady on Fire is the topic of the episode. The guys also reflect on the results of the 2020 Oscars.