ReelBlend

Michael Shannon Guests, New Dune Images & Possible Movie Theater Openings

One of our favorite contemporary actors, Michael Shannon, joins us to talk about his new film The Quarry which his headed to VOD. He also gets into the ending of Man of Steel, the prolific directors he's been able to work with, why he skipped the Oscars when The Shape of Water won Best Picture and more. 

Also on this week's show, we discuss those new, gorgeous photos from Dune, Cinemark's plans to start opening in July, what might happen to the Cannes film festival and other major film events throughout the rest of the year, and we take a look at what's hitting VOD. 

For this week's BlendGame, we take a look at the filmography of Tony Scott! You can play along next wee by sending in your FAVORITE best picture winner of all time with #BestPictureBlend on Twitter. 

This Week In Movies (er...Streaming)

• Underwater (VOD 4/14)
• Fantasy Island (VOD 4/14)
• The Rhythm Section (VOD 4/14)
• Wendy (VOD 4/17)
• Endings, Beginnings (VOD 4/17)
• The Lighthouse (Amazon Prime 4/17)

9:05 - Weekly Poll: Which PTA movie is better?
21:14 - Michael Shannon Interview
40:35 - Dune Images, Cinemark Announcement, Cannes
1:08:04 - This Week In Movies (er...Streaming)
1:14:41 - #TonyScottBlend

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Sean - @Sean_OConnell 
Jake - @JakesTakes
Kevin - @KevinMcCarthyTV
Gabe - @gabeKovacs

Mark Wahlberg Nearly Cast In Men In Black & More with Director Barry Sonnenfeld

In a very special bonus episode, we are joined by Barry Sonnenfeld, the director behind the Men in Black series, Get Shorty and The Series of Unfortunate Events. We discuss his early career starting out in the adult film industry, his work as the cinematographer for the Coens for many years and more. He so many great stories to tell from nearly casting Mark Wahlberg as young Tommy Lee Jones in Men In Black 3 to working with Tom Hanks on Big and Forest Gump to nearly dying in a plane crash. 

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Sean - @Sean_OConnell 
Jake - @JakesTakes
Kevin - @KevinMcCarthyTV
Gabe - @gabeKovacs

More Films Skip Theatrical Release, Quibi & Our Interview with Kris Rey

Kris Rey is a writer, director and actor who joined us to discuss her next directorial venture, I Used to Go Here (starring Gillian Jacobs, Kate Micuuci, Jemaine Clement), which  was set to debut at the SXSW festival in Austin, TX earlier this year. Following the festival's cancellation, Kris talks about what a major festival like SXSW means for an independent feature's success, what her release and promotion of the film looks like now, and the incredible cast she worked with. 

The news this week includes more delays, most notably a shift in the entire slate for the MCU. The guys discuss the new landscape for Marvel as they try to kickstart a new era in their cinematic storyline. Artemis Fowl is no longer set to be released in theaters and will instead debut on Disney+ in May, and we may see more shift like this for Disney pretty soon. 

Quibi, the "quick bite" streaming service, made it's debut this week. Sean struggles to distinguish a Quibi from a TikTok, Jake and Kevin debate whether or not the new service will last and bring a little more insight from their interviews with Quibi founder and producer Jeffrey Katzenberg. 

This Week In Movies (er...Streaming)

• Parasite (Hulu)
• Trolls World Tour (VOD)

5:08 - Weekly Poll: Which movie should we record a commentary track for?
10:18 - Kris Rey Interview
36:50 - More Movie Delays & Artemis Fowl Direct to Streaming
55:33 - Quibi Debuts
1:05:23 - This Week In Movies (er...Streaming)
1:15:12 - #Underrated2000sBlend

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Sean - @Sean_OConnell 
Jake - @JakesTakes
Kevin - @KevinMcCarthyTV
Gabe - @gabeKovacs

Ben Schwartz On Sonic's Redesign, Voicing BB-8 & More 

The incredibly awesome and hilarious Ben Schwartz joins us for a special extended interview! Things get bonkers, we play movie trivia games, he changes his laundry, and we learn a lot about his work as an improvisor. We cover much of his career from Parks and Rec to his many voice-acting projects like Sonic The Hedgehog to his upcoming Netflix special with Thomas Middleditch, Middleditch & Schwartz. 

We had an absolute blast hanging out with Ben, and we think you'll really enjoy listening along. Be sure to grab a copy of Sonic The Hedgehog available at home this week, and check out his long-form improv special on Netflix April 21st. 

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Sean - @Sean_OConnell 
Jake - @JakesTakes
Kevin - @KevinMcCarthyTV
Gabe - @gabeKovacs

Talking Star Wars, John WIlliams And More With The Skywalker Legacy Director Debs Paterson

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is headed home this week on Blu-ray, and with it comes a feature-length documentary on making the film and honoring the legacy of the Skywalker Saga. Debs Paterson, the filmmaker behind the documentary joins us this week to talk about what they set out to capture while shooting behind the scenes of the epic, decades-spanning saga, the 350+ hours of archival footage they had access to from Lucasfilm, and so much more. She was an absolute delight to talk to, and a true Star Wars fan so we think you'll really enjoy this discussion. 

The Golden Globes have announced changes to their eligibility rules in light of current events. We discuss how this will effect the awards landscape moving forward, and, with the continued delay of films reaching into July, what that slate of awards contenders might even look like. 

For this week's BlendGame, we dive into our FAVORITE needle drops in film history with #NeedleDropBlend. On our next episode, we'll be looking at the underrated films from the 2000s. Let us know what film from the 2000s you don't think gets enough love using #Underrated2000sBlend on Twitter. 

This Week in Movies (er...Streaming)

• Portrait of a Lady on Fire (Hulu)
• Future Man: Season 3 (Hulu)
• Coffee & Kareem (Netflix)
• Tales From the Loop: Season 1 (Amazon Prime Video)

7:31 - Weekly Poll: Which director's cut of a film is the best?
12:00 - Debs Paterson Interview
45:05 - More delays, and Golden Globe Rule Changes
1:06:36 - This Week In Movies (er...Streaming)
1:12:16 - #NeedleDropBlend

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Sean - @Sean_OConnell 
Jake - @JakesTakes
Kevin - @KevinMcCarthyTV
Gabe - @gabeKovacs

Theater Owners on The Future of Movie Theaters

With the box office hitting zero for the first time, and major releases leaving the schedule as far ahead as June (as of this episode), we're all painfully curious as to what this means for the theatergoing experience of the future. Phil Contrino, the Director of Media and Research at NATO (The National Association of Theater Owners) joins us to discuss what is happening to businesses in the industry, big and small, what these delays and VOD release mean for the future of theaters, and what patrons can do right now to help support their local theaters. 

After this fascinating discussion, we move on to discuss how this could potentially affect the Oscar race, and we look at what's hitting VOD and streaming this week. 

This week's BlendGame is in honor of the great Jessica Chastain! The guys take a look at her awesome filmography, and must choose which of her works is their favorite. Next week, you can play along using #NeedleDropBlend on Twitter to let us know your FAVORITE music drop in a film. 

This Week In Movies (er...streaming)

• Ozark: Season 3 (Netflix)
• The Way Back (Early VOD)
• Bloodshot (Early VOD)
• Birds of Prey (Early VOD)
• The Gentlemen (Early VOD)
• Just Mercy (Early VOD)
• I Still Believe (Early VOD)

5:28 - Weekly Poll: Which early VOD release will you pay to stream?
11:27 - NATO's Phil Contrino
50:08 - Will this effect the Oscars?
1:03:59 - This Week In Movies
1:25:23 - #JessicaChastainBlend

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ReelBlend -  @ReelBlend
Sean - @Sean_OConnell 
Jake - @JakesTakes
Kevin - @KevinMcCarthyTV
Gabe - @gabeKovacs

New Releases Hit VOD Early & COVID-19's Continued Effect on The Industry

To hopefully restore a little consistency to our crazy world at the moment, we are back this week with our 110th episode! COVID-19 has had many dire effects on our economy as a whole, and so we take a narrowed look at how it is effecting the film industry that we love so much. Theaters are closing to aid in social distancing measures, films are being delayed indefinitely, and many are heading home on VOD much earlier than expected. 

After we get through the news though, we have plenty of fun discussing what we've been streaming. We also take a look at some new films that are hitting streaming services this week with a restructured This Week In Movies segment; including a few recommendations from the guys themselves on what and where to watch some of their favorite films and TV. 

It wouldn't be ReelBlend with a BlendGame, and this week's topic is of course out continued look through ages of underrated movies we adore. #Underrated90sBlend takes a look at some of the guys favorite movies that they don't think get enough love. Next week, we're looking at the rather awesome career of Jessica Chastain! Send us your picks on social using #JessicaChastainBlend and you might just hear it read on the show. 

Stay safe out there, folks. 

This Week In Movies

• The Platform (Netflix)
• Blow The Man Down (Amazon Prime)
• The Banker (Apple TV+)

5:35 - Weekly Poll: Which streaming service is your new best friend while stuck at home?
8:33  - COVID-19 and The Industry
25:22 - What we're watching while social distancing. 
39:21 - This Week In Movies
55:33 #Underrated90sBlend

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Sean - @Sean_OConnell 
Jake - @JakesTakes
Kevin - @KevinMcCarthyTV
Gabe - @gabeKovacs

Bloodshot Director Talks Vin Diesel & Competing with Marvel & DC

Dave Wilson, the first-time director behind Bloodshot, joins the show to discuss working with Vin Diesel and the big-movie-franchise experience he brought to set, how Valiant Comics and their heroes differ from Marvel and DC and more. Later on in the show, Sean also gives his spoiler-free review of the film hitting theaters this week. 

The effects of COVID-19 have continued worldwide, and the film and entertainment industries are seeing some major changes. Following No Time To Die's push to the fall, we saw SXSW, a major festival for indie filmmakers, get cancelled entirely, and the status of each upcoming release seems to be in question as matters develop. We dive into what we've seen happen so far, and how the industry and consumers may continue to react with the ever-evolving situation. 

In lighter news, we finally have a better understanding of what Disney's latest theme park ride turned movie is all about. In the most recent trailer for Jungle Cruise, we learn more about the story, and tone that Emily Blunt and Dwayne Johnson will be working with when it hits theaters later this year. We give our thoughts, and expectations with where it stands at the moment. 

As always, we take a look back at some of our favorite films. This time, we dive into our favorite original songs written for a motion picture with #SongBlend. You can play along with next week's BlendGame by using #Underrated90sBlend on Twitter, and letting us know your FAVORITE movie from the 1990s that you think doesn't get enough love. 

This Week In Movies

• Never Rarely Sometimes Always (limited)
• The Roads Not Taken (limited; Javier Bardem, Elle Fanning, Salma Hayek)
• I Still Believe (Britt Robertson, K.J. Apa)
• The Hunt (Betty Gilpin, Hillary Swank, Ike Barinholtz)
• Bloodshot  (Vin Diesel, Eiza González, Sam Heughan)

7:24 -> Weekly Poll: Which film would you move up to Bond 25's spot?
11:48 -> Dave Wilson Interview
39:29 -> News: COVID-19, Jungle Cruise Trailer
1:02:45 -> This Week In Movies
1:05:31 -> Bloodshot Review
1:10:45 -> #SongBlend

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ReelBlend -  @ReelBlend
Sean - @Sean_OConnell 
Jake - @JakesTakes
Kevin - @KevinMcCarthyTV
Gabe - @gabeKovacs

The Way Back Director On Ben Affleck's Return & The Most Emotional Days On Set

Director Gavin O'Connor has a staggering filmography that includes Miracle, Warrior and The Account, and on this week's show he joined us to discuss his latest project The Way Back (starring Ben Affleck). We touch on some awesome behind-the-scenes moments from Miracle during the 40th anniversary of the Miracle on Ice, his approach to this project as a drama first and a sports movie second, working with Ben on the film while he was in rehab, their concerns with filming some of the scenes so closely to leaving rehab, and more. 

Also on this week's show, we honor James Lipton's life and career following his recent passing. He remains a major influence on Jake, Sean and Kevin as lovers of film, and film journalists. Given the recent developments regarding COVID-19, we look at how the spread of, and concern regarding the virus may continue to effect the film industry. DISCLAIMER: We recorded this episode before No Time To Die was officially delayed until the fall. 

For the BlendGame this week, in honor of The Way Back's release, we take a look back at Ben Affleck's career with #BenAffleckBlend. His is a unique one as we have to consider his great work as an actor, writer and director. It makes for a very fun conversation. Next week, we're diving into the wonderful world of movie music. What is your favorite original song made for a motion picture? Let us know on social using #SongBlend, and we may just read it out on the show. 

The Week In Movies

• The Banker (limited; starring Samuel L. Jackson, Anthony Mackie)
• The Burnt Orange Heresy (limited; starring Elizabeth Debicki, Donald Sutherland, Mick Jagger)
• First Cow (limited; starring John Magaro, Orion Lee, Toby Jones)
• EMMA. (expanding wide; starring Anya Taylor-Joy, Johnny Flynn, Bill Nighy)
• Onward (starring Chris Pratt, Tom Holland, Julia Louis-Dreyfus)
• The Way Back (starring Ben Affleck, Janina Gavankar, Michaela Watkins)

6:03 - Weekly Poll: Which March release are you most excited for?
11:51 - Gavin O'Connor Interview
47:09 - Remembering James Lipton
1:03:30 - COVID-19 and the Film Industry
1:16:12 - This Week In Movies
1:25:26 - #BenAffleckBlend

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Sean - @Sean_OConnell 
Jake - @JakesTakes
Kevin - @KevinMcCarthyTV
Gabe - @gabeKovacs

The Invisible Man Director on Making Small-Budget Horror & The Saw Franchise

Co-creator of the Saw franchise, and breakout director in his own right, Leigh Whannell joins the show this week to talk about The Invisible Man, his followup to 2018's Upgrade. He talks about stepping away from the Saw franchise because he was just out of ideas to kill people, tells a great story about running into Chris Rock long before he was attached to the upcoming Saw spinoff, Spiral: From the Book of Saw, and he even reacts, in real time, to the Battinson Bat suit. We also get into some behind-the-scenes details on how they pulled off The Invisible Man for just a $7 million, and more. 

Breaking just as we started recording this week, we finally have a title for the next Jurassic World movie, Jurassic World: Dominion. The guys discuss. Continuing the trend of breaking news, Bob Iger stepped down as CEO of Disney during our recording. The guys react, but mostly just go on a tirade of terrible puns. And of course, we review the movie of the week, The Invisible Man. No worries, it's totally spoiler-free. 

This week's BlendGame takes us back to the 1980s with #Underrated80sBlend. The debate their favorite 80s movies that they don't think get enough love, and make their case for why they think it is underrated. Next week, we look back and Ben Affleck's career, and you can play along on social using #BenAffleckBlend. 

This Week In Movies

• Greed (limited release; starring Steve Coogan, Isla Fisher)
• Wendy (limited release; starring Yashua Mack, Devin France, Gage Naquin)
• EMMA. (starring Anya Taylor-Joy, Johnny Flynn, Bill Nighy)
• The Invisible Man  (starring Elisabeth Moss, Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Aldis Hodge)

10:00 - Leigh Whannell Interview
55:18 - Jurassic World: Dominion Title Revealed
1:01:20 - This Week In Movies
1:07:43 - The Invisible Man Review
1:23:19 - #Underrated80sBlend

Follow The Show Here

ReelBlend -  @ReelBlend
Sean - @Sean_OConnell 
Jake - @JakesTakes
Kevin - @KevinMcCarthyTV
Gabe - @gabeKovacs