The Next Reel Film Podcast

Waiter, there’s a fly in my soup...

We’ve been running the show for over a decade now and want to keep going. One of the things we’re doing to keep the lights on is the addition of dynamic advertising during the episodes, both past episodes and moving forward. If you’d like to keep listening but don’t want to hear the ads, you can still support the show by becoming a member.

Members get early access to all new episodes. They get our monthly member bonus episodes. Members get our Flickchart Re-Ranking episodes. And members get our Retake episodes. Plus, members have access to special members-only channels in our Discord community where they can chat with other like-minded film fans as well as vote on upcoming member bonus episodes. It’s a great way to support the show. And, of course, members get their own podcast feed where they can listen to episodes ad-free.

Learn more about membership here.

Either way, your support means the world to us and keeps us going. Thanks for all the years of listening and being a part of our community! The Next Reel – when the movie ends, our conversation begins.

Learn how to support our show and The Next Reel’s family of film podcasts by becoming a member. It's just $5 monthly or $55 annually. Learn more here.

Join the conversation with movie lovers from around the world in our Discord community!

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• You can buy our movie-related apparel, stickers, mugs and more from our MERCH PAGE.
• Or buy or rent movies we’ve discussed on the show from our WATCH PAGE.
• Or buy books, plays, etc. that was the source for movies we’ve discussed on the show from our ORIGINALS PAGE.
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“Did the penguin tell you to do this?”

Tamra Davis came on as director for Billy Madison after they’d already been filming for a few days of production as the studio felt the original director wasn’t funny enough. Davis had already met with Sandler and they connected. Plus, it helped that she found him funny. Because of this, she ended up in the director’s seat, taking over the project and delivering a film that, like it or not, has given Sandler a solid home in mid-budget comedy production. Join us – Pete Wright and Andy Nelson – as we wrap up our 90s Comedies series and our 11th season with Davis’ 1995 comedy Billy Madison.

Adam Sandler – Love Him or Hate Him

This is a tough film for us to review. Neither of us are fans of Sandler’s juvenile comedy, so we really struggled to review this in a way that appeals to his fans. What we did try to do, though, is to maintain a critical eye without being overly judgmental, knowing that we’re just not the audience for this movie.

It’s a tough place for us, as we both certainly love crass and dumb comedies. We’re both big fans of Dumb and Dumber. So why is this film so much more difficult to like?

There’s a certain element that definitely falls on Sandler’s shoulders. His dumb title character just makes little sense to us. In context of the film’s world, why does he want to run his dad’s company? Is it just to keep Eric from it? Even Billy seems to acknowledge he doesn’t know how to do it. With that, the story ends up feeling like a lot more sketches that don’t tie together cohesively than anything else. That’s a big frustration for us.

We’re also not huge fans of how some of the characters are treated or portrayed. Miss Vaughn isn’t treated well and is written to fall for Billy far too quickly. And what are Sandler and co-writer Tim Herlihy saying about their other female characters, not to mention the gay school principal?

There are funny moments, but rarely do they fall to Billy. For a film about Billy, this makes it very hard for us. Regardless, we do work to not completely bag on this movie but to approach it with some serious thought. Many love it, and for that, we’re happy they have this, Sandler’s comedy, and his film productions. So check it out if you want. Either way, it’s a great conversation. Tune in to check it out. The Next Reel – when the movie ends, our conversation begins!

Join the conversation with movie lovers from around the world on The Next Reel’s Discord channel!

Film Sundries

Learn more about supporting The Next Reel Film Podcast through your own membership.

• Watch this on Apple or Amazon, or find other places at JustWatch
• Script Transcript
• Theatrical trailer
• Poster artwork
• Flickchart
• Letterboxd

And check out our lineup for Season 12 right here which looks at franchises and series. The first episode drops July 28th for members, August 4th for everyone else!

Learn how to support our show and The Next Reel’s family of film podcasts by becoming a member. It's just $5 monthly or $55 annually. Learn more here.

Join the conversation with movie lovers from around the world in our Discord community!

Here’s where you can find us around the internet:

• The Web
• Letterboxd
• Facebook
• Instagram
• Threads
• X
• YouTube
• Flickchart
• Pinterest
• Pete 
• Andy

What are some other ways you can support us and show your love? Glad you asked!

• You can buy our movie-related apparel, stickers, mugs and more from our MERCH PAGE.
• Or buy or rent movies we’ve discussed on the show from our WATCH PAGE.
• Or buy books, plays, etc. that was the source for movies we’ve discussed on the show from our ORIGINALS PAGE.
• Or renew or sign up for a Letterboxd Pro or Patron account with our LETTERBOXD MEMBERSHIP DISCOUNT.
• Or sign up for AUDIBLE.

“How could you guys eat with a dead man at the table?”

With an Oscar nomination under her belt for a short film and connections to many in Hollywood, Stacy Title was in a great position to make her first feature. She and screenwriter Dan Rosen made a black comedy that tackled liberals and conservatives along with bombastic one-way thinking with their collaboration The Last Supper. Join us – Pete Wright and Andy Nelson – as we continue our 90s Comedies series with Title’s 1995 film The Last Supper.

More Than Biblical References

The title clearly connects the film to Biblical stories, so does that make this film more of a parable? Crafting a black comedy can be very challenging as often, we’re left with few people to root for. That’s certainly the case here as everyone ends up fairly despicable, even if they find a form of salvation in the end. So with all of that, how well does Title bring this film to fruition?

And what about the actors? We have Cameron Diaz, Ron Eldard, Annabeth Gish, Courtney B. Vance, and Jonathan Penner as our five liberal grad students who set the story’s deadly dinners into motion. Their guests include Bill Paxton, Charles Durning, Mark Harmon, Jason Alexander, and Ron Perlman. The actors are all bringing their own thing to the parts, but are they given enough to work with? Or perhaps as a parable, the script is giving them – and by extension us – enough to work with so we can watch the story unfold and deliver its message.

To the point of the message, is it as effective as we’d like? Does the ‘if you could travel back in time, would you kill young Hitler before he could do anything’ question posed several times throughout the film deliver the point of the film? How about that last dinner with Ron Perlman’s Rush Limbaugh-esque character?

And what about the story thread with Nora Dunn’s sheriff as she tries to find a missing girl? What’s that doing for the story? Is it as effective as we want it to be? Could it have been used for better effect?

Stacy Title’s Battle with ALS

Unfortunately, Stacy Title was diagnosed with ALS in 2017, and it took her from this life in 2021. She never had as robust a film career as she likely deserved, though she still managed to make some interesting projects. We chat a bit about her and the struggles she had. We also touch on the commitment her husband Penner had in supporting her through this difficult time.

Wrapping up

All in all, it’s an interesting film that generates some interesting conversations. Did it work better in 1995 than it does today? Or perhaps does it feel more relevant today than it did then? Would it work as a play now if updated? Or would that fall as flat as the film does for some modern eyes? There’s a lot to talk about here and we have a great time digging into it. So check it out then tune in. The Next Reel – when the movie ends, our conversation begins!

Join the conversation with movie lovers from around the world on The Next Reel’s Discord channel!

Film Sundries

Learn more about supporting The Next Reel Film Podcast through your own membership.

• Watch this on Apple or Amazon, or find other places at JustWatch
• Theatrical trailer
• Poster artwork
• Flickchart
• Letterboxd
• More About Stacy Title and Her Battle With ALS

Learn how to support our show and The Next Reel’s family of film podcasts by becoming a member. It's just $5 monthly or $55 annually. Learn more here.

Join the conversation with movie lovers from around the world in our Discord community!

Here’s where you can find us around the internet:

• The Web
• Letterboxd
• Facebook
• Instagram
• Threads
• X
• YouTube
• Flickchart
• Pinterest
• Pete 
• Andy

What are some other ways you can support us and show your love? Glad you asked!

• You can buy our movie-related apparel, stickers, mugs and more from our MERCH PAGE.
• Or buy or rent movies we’ve discussed on the show from our WATCH PAGE.
• Or buy books, plays, etc. that was the source for movies we’ve discussed on the show from our ORIGINALS PAGE.
• Or renew or sign up for a Letterboxd Pro or Patron account with our LETTERBOXD MEMBERSHIP DISCOUNT.
• Or sign up for AUDIBLE.

“So, okay, you’re probably going, ‘Is this, like, a Noxema commercial or what?’ But seriously, I actually have a very normal life for a teenage girl.”

Amy Heckerling started a project about a positive high school student for TV. She wrote several iterations before it stalled out, but when she switched agents, her new agent said it was too good for TV. So she switched it to be a feature film. And with that the foundation for Clueless was born. Join us – Pete Wright and Andy Nelson – as we continue our 90s Comedies series with Heckerling’s 1995 film Clueless.

Here are some clues about what we talk about in our Clueless episode.

The foundation for Clueless may be Heckerling’s TV project, but it didn’t take long for her to realize she had been pulling in elements from Jane Austen’s “Emma.” Locking that in and focusing on the Beverly Hills high school set, Heckerling found the story. And it’s a delight.

Alicia Silverstone is the key for this film. She’s perfect as Cher, delivering a performance that’s authentic and kind, even while being a rich shopaholic. The rest of the cast fleshes out the film. Stacey Dash, Paul Rudd, Brittany Murphy – everyone feels perfect for the roles they play.

And that holds true for the adults too. Dan Hedaya as Cher’s dad? What a loveable grump.

But the movie’s more than the cast. Heckerling’s script, which intrinsically different from Fast Times at Ridgemont High because of the RomCom nature of this story, still captures the teens of the mid-90s in action and speech. Mona May’s costumes both captured the time and ended up influencing fashion for years to come. And the production design and cinematography together bring the colors and vibes to the forefront to create a hyper-realistic world.

It’s a delight of a film. It’s not perfect, but is an easy watch and an easy one to fall in love with. Check it out then tune in to this week’s episode on your podcatcher of choice. The Next Reel – when the movie ends, our conversation begins!

Join the conversation with movie lovers from around the world on The Next Reel’s Discord channel!

Film Sundries

Learn more about supporting The Next Reel Film Podcast through your own membership.

• Watch this on Apple or Amazon, or find other places at JustWatch
• Script Transcript
• Theatrical trailer
• Poster artwork
• Original Material
• Flickchart
• Letterboxd

Learn how to support our show and The Next Reel’s family of film podcasts by becoming a member. It's just $5 monthly or $55 annually. Learn more here.

Join the conversation with movie lovers from around the world in our Discord community!

Here’s where you can find us around the internet:

• The Web
• Letterboxd
• Facebook
• Instagram
• Threads
• X
• YouTube
• Flickchart
• Pinterest
• Pete 
• Andy

What are some other ways you can support us and show your love? Glad you asked!

• You can buy our movie-related apparel, stickers, mugs and more from our MERCH PAGE.
• Or buy or rent movies we’ve discussed on the show from our WATCH PAGE.
• Or buy books, plays, etc. that was the source for movies we’ve discussed on the show from our ORIGINALS PAGE.
• Or renew or sign up for a Letterboxd Pro or Patron account with our LETTERBOXD MEMBERSHIP DISCOUNT.
• Or sign up for AUDIBLE.

“I can’t believe I’m doing this. I can’t believe I’m in a graveyard with a strange man hunting for vampires on a school night.”

Fran Rubel Kuzui seems like an odd choice to end up helming a vampire comedy. Her only other film was Tokyo Pop, a drama about a young American woman trying to make it in Tokyo. But she and her husband, producer Kaz Kuzui, had found the script for Buffy the Vampire Slayer written by a then unknown writer named Joss Whedon, put the financing together with Dolly Parton’s production company, and got it made. Apparently, it was off-the-wall enough that the studio didn’t request a known commodity for the director’s chair. So Rubel Kuzui directed it, and made what feels like a bit of a mess. Join us – Pete Wright and Andy Nelson – as we kick off the last series in our 11th season – 90s Comedies. For this first episode of the series, we’re looking at Rubel Kuzui’s 1992 film Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

We need to talk about Joss.

Unfortunately, Joss Whedon (or Tig Notaro as we like to call him) is a key part of this property, and we have to discuss a bit about who he is and why he’s a problem. But a lot of other people worked on this film as well as the spinoff shows that it’s still valuable to talk about these properties. We do, though, have to acknowledge him. And we definitely complain about signs of his issues as they come out in his writing and treatment of the protagonist.

The Film Vs. the TV Series

The TV series obviously was huge and had its own spinoff, comics, video games, etc. The Buffyverse is massive and still popular. So how does this film feel as the origin of all of that? That’s a tough place to start because, well, this film’s a mess. The film never can settle on a tone so ends up feeling disjointed and rushed. The world-building, while it has a strong foundation, doesn’t get enough focus so far too many elements feel disconnected and nonsensical.

The actors deliver fine performances for the most part. The challenge is that so many of the characters feel underwritten. Is that on Notaro? On rewrites dictated by the studio? Improv done on set at the behest of Rubel Kuzui? It’s hard to say, but it makes it feel like some of the actors are giving fairly flat performances. Only Paul Reubens really shines in his role, as he seemed to figure out what was going on. That leaves Kristy Swanson, Donald Sutherland, Rutger Hauer, Luke Perry, David Arquette, Hilary Swank, and many others flailing.

In the end, this ends up disappointing us. We had remembered enjoying it back in the day. But now, it just doesn’t stand up well on its own and, for any fans of the show, feels like a rough first draft. But it does allow for a fantastic conversation, so check it out if you’d like then tune in. The Next Reel – when the movie ends, our conversation begins!

Join the conversation with movie lovers from around the world on The Next Reel’s Discord channel!

Film Sundries

Learn more about supporting The Next Reel Film Podcast through your own membership.

• Watch this on Apple or Amazon, or find other places at JustWatch
• Script Transcript
• Theatrical trailer
• Poster artwork
• The TV Series
• Flickchart
• Letterboxd

Learn how to support our show and The Next Reel’s family of film podcasts by becoming a member. It's just $5 monthly or $55 annually. Learn more here.

Join the conversation with movie lovers from around the world in our Discord community!

Here’s where you can find us around the internet:

• The Web
• Letterboxd
• Facebook
• Instagram
• Threads
• X
• YouTube
• Flickchart
• Pinterest
• Pete 
• Andy

What are some other ways you can support us and show your love? Glad you asked!

• You can buy our movie-related apparel, stickers, mugs and more from our MERCH PAGE.
• Or buy or rent movies we’ve discussed on the show from our WATCH PAGE.
• Or buy books, plays, etc. that was the source for movies we’ve discussed on the show from our ORIGINALS PAGE.
• Or renew or sign up for a Letterboxd Pro or Patron account with our LETTERBOXD MEMBERSHIP DISCOUNT.
• Or sign up for AUDIBLE.