Two Friends Watch

Andrew and I are fair fans of zany and mind bending films but this may have been a bit much for both of us. A very peculiar movie with strong influences from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. I think with a larger budget and a bit more work on the script this movies would have been a real gem. 33 mins

Best known for its iconic score, this story has been retold in so many different styles and genres. It's a fairly sad film in many ways but it has an intensity that many modern films can only imitate. 39mins

With all the recent chatter about Batman vs Superman we thought we would look at Batman's début movie. A truly fun-filled and wonderful movie full of daft physical comedy and ridiculous word play. It's nothing like the more modern takes on Batman but it's not trying to be. It's light hearted and enjoyable throughout.

The maker's of the movie even state at the start:

"To them [Enemies of Crime], And to the lovers of adventure, Lovers of pure Escapism, Lovers of unadulterated entertainment, Lovers of the ridiculous and bizarre--

To funlovers everywhere--

This picture is respectfully dedicated!"

We couldn't say it better ourselves. 37 mins

On this week's episode, we're discussing Into The Wild, a feature based on a true story that won a lot of acclaim from critics and audiences alike back in 2007. Based on a couple of years in the life of Christopher McCandless, a young man who, in the early 90s, left behind a comfortable and plush lifestyle to wander the highways and byways of America. We found it intriguing, although maybe not as insightful into its subject as it sets out to be.

40 mins.

There are many movies starring Nic Cage that are bad, this isn't a new thing. The suprise of this movie is that it's bad bad. Other than casting there is nothing to like about this movie. Which is a shame really because a team-up between Ghost Rider (Nic Cage) and Hellboy (Ron Perlman) should really be amazing. 35 mins

Against his better judgement, Andrew decided that he wanted to talk (on the Internet, no less) about the superhero movie responsible for perhaps the most flame wars in recent memory. Accordingly, our discussion of 2013's Man of Steel was decidedly conflicted. 46 mins

In 1990 Kevin Bacon stared in a movie which he believed at the time to be his career low. Tremors turned out to be a fantastic cult classic which is still loved to this day. 37 mins

We turn the clock back this episode for a look at a vintage 70s thriller, The Taking of Pelham One Two Three. Though you might be familiar with the mediocre Travolta/Washington remake from a few years back, this original is a taut, fast paced hostage-situation potboiler that serves equally well as a time capsule of the period in which it was made, and we both thoroughly enjoyed it.

This week we look at a not greatly known movie, Glory. It follows the first ever all black Platoon in the US Civil War. A fantastic set of memorable characters played by an amazing cast, many of who were still early (ish) in their careers. 37 mins

On this week's Two Friends Watch, Andrew picks one of his favourite films of 2014 - the tough, bleak anti-revenge thriller Blue Ruin, the product of a successful Kickstarter campaign that would seem to vindicate crowdfunding as a means of supporting the arts. We're both looking forward to what director Jeremy Saulnier has cooking next. 40 mins