WHO WON? WHO LOST? YOU... DON'T DECIDE (you can, but your vote doesn't count unless you're a member)!

Once again, the Academy of Motion Pictures, Arts and Sciences (or AMPAS) vote on who are the "Best" in the achievements of production ("Picture"), direction, acting, writing, production design, sound mixing AND editing (you know the difference... one of you maybe), and music and songs and so on, from the past year in films. You may already know who the winners are if you, say, are on the internet or happen across any given website. But there is still much to ponder over about this years awards show, from Chris Rock's hosting duties, to certain special guests, musical acts, montages (or the one), and what Jack means when he talks about the "Brutally Honest Oscar Ballots".

(Also, as this is a special night, we only have a segment this week on the 88th Oscars - we'll return next episode with our regularly scheduled episodes, such as Cinema Immersion Tank).

If you have any thoughts you'd like to share about the show, please email us at [email protected] or visit us on facebook.com/wagesofcinema or twitter.com/wagesofcinema (see all of our TWEETS from the show!)

(song is from The Beatles Anthology 'Blackbird', use via fair use)

What makes for a villain in a movie? A good villain, a GREAT villain? Is it how much they snarl? Is it how cool and calm they are? Does monologuing ruin it? And what if they're just in it for the money - can that be enough? We ask and answer the questions - including from one of our listeners - on this main topic on The Wages of Cinema, with some talk especially about Marvel movies and how they compare to villains.

Jack takes a dip into the CINEMA IMMERSION TANK (1 film, 5 times in 5 days) with the Academy Award nominated existential 1960's Jewish dark comedy of what's life the universe and everything else A SERIOUS MAN. Will Jack find the answers to which he seeks? And what about the Goy and his teeth?

email us at [email protected] or visit on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/wagesofcinema

(Music by Jefferson Airplane and Jimi Hendrix, fair use for the sake of film analysis)

What happens when Marvel decides to take a second chance on a character who previously (who has the nicknbame in the comics by the way as "THE MERC WITH THE MOUTH") did not have a MOUTH in his first appearance in X-Men: Origins - Wolverine. We talk about the movie, Ryan Reynolds, and what this means for future comic book movies (i.e. Batman v Superman).

We start off reminiscing (or Jack does) about that time Shia LaBeouf watched all of his movies in 3 days. Then we get into movies we've seen... but not before talking about THE most important thing that has to do with FEBRUARY 14th in 2016! You have to listen though to find out.

Among the movies we talk about:

1) GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS (Andrew's take)

2) HAIL CAESAR

3) WHERE TO INVADE NEXT

4) FAHRENHEIT 9/11

5) SON OF SAUL

6) BEST OF ENEMIES

7) COBAIN: MONTAGE OF HECK

(clips from Ghostbusters 2 and Nirvana 'Breed' used by fair use)

Needless to say a discussion of the making of George Lucas' STAR WARS (episode 4 a New Hope of course) and the book (a return of our REQUIRED READING segment) written meticulously by JW RINZLER goes into a tangent at one point about Alejandro Jodorowsky's DUNE. But, such is the way of Jack and Andrew at the Wages of Cinema. Hope you enjoy, this was a particularly fun one to record.

Any comments, questions, thoughts on the show? Email us at [email protected] or visit us on Facebook and Twitter with a simple search for Wages of Cinema.

(clips taken from 'The Making of Star Wars 1977' documentary, fair use)

Andrew goes up to bat for the first time at the CINEMA IMMERSION TANK, as he watches Alejandro Jodorowsy's (Holy Mountain, El Topo) debut film from 1968, FANDY Y LIS (or, Fando & Lis) five times over five days. Will he come out a sane man by the end of it? Listen to find out!

Music from the film (used fair use)

After an opening where Jack and Andrew go between talking about Django Unchained (starting 3:54) and its depiction of slavery and the new rules imposed by the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences on voting for movies (because those two topics have so much in common), there's informal talk about movies recently seen. Please note that the SPOILER discussion of THE BOY begin at 52:37 into the recording (and ends at 56:30). Andrew also asks a question that has haunted civilization for years; what does 'Camp' mean in movies?

Movies discussed include:

THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW (1975)

BUT I'M A CHEERLEADER (2000)

DJANGO UNCHAINED (2012)

DJANGO (1966)

FANTASTIC FOUR (2015)

THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E. (2015)

THE TALE OF PRINCESS KAGUYA (2014)

WORLD OF TOMORROW (2015)

THE BOY (2016)

THE FOREST (2016)

The PARADISE LOST Trilogy (1996-2011)

'Django' by Luis Bacalov

"But I never wave bye bye..."

Two pop culture icons have left the world this week with the untimely, surprising deaths of David Bowie and Alan Rickman, who have worked in the arts to a point where they made life in Great Britain a wee bit more enjoyable (and the world at large). And with Bowie the loss is felt in the world of cinema almost as much as music (Labyrinth, Last Temptation of Christ, The Prestige, The Hunger, the list goes on).

What was your favorite Rickman role? Was Hans Gruber the best villain? What about Jareth's crotch as the Goblin King? Is it too early to joke? email us at [email protected]

(songs: Young Americans, Space Oddity, Modern Love)

Welcome to a brand-spanking-new series for 2016: this is called the CINEMA IMMERSION TANK (inspired by the Welcome to the Basement series on YouTube), and in this Jack and Andrew will watch a movie once a day or night five days or nights in a row. How's THAT for commitment! By the end of this we very well may be just that!

On this first episode, Jack dives deep into the dark thriller-satire from Brian De Palma at the height of his powers: BLOW OUT starring John Travolta and Nancy Allen.