Two Geeks and a GIT Classic Movie Reviews

For the second film in our tribute to Carl Weathers, we move to 1987 and Weathers teaming up with another superstar: Arnold Schwarzenegger! In 1987's "Predator," directed by John McTiernan, Weathers plays Staff Sergeant George Dillon, a former comrade now turned CIA operative, who needs a group of commandos to invade a South American jungle to save Americans taken hostage by a local militia group. Dillon turns to his old comrade Major Alan "Dutch" Schaefer (Schwarzenegger), and asks him to bring his crew on the mission. His crew is made up of Sergeant Mac Eliot (Bill Duke), Sergeant Blain Cooper (Jesse Ventura in his first film role), Sergeant Billy Sole (Sonny Landham), Corporal Poncho Ramirez (Richard Chaves), and Corporal Rick Hawkins (Shane Black). Upon reaching the camp where the Americans are being held, however, it becomes apparent that this is a strike mission, not a rescue mission. After taking out the militia's camp, the group discovers it is being stalked by a creature not of this earth (played by Kevin Peter Hall, voiced by Peter Cullen). The hunters quickly become the hunted, with the "Predator" picking off one member at a time until only Dutch is left. Will the last survivor make it out of the jungle alive, or will he become the final victim of the extra-terrestrial using Earth as its hunting grounds? Plus, the trio unveil which two William Friedkin-directed films make up the next pairing!

Veteran actor Carl Weathers passed away on February 2nd, 2024, from atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. He was 76 years old, and left us a long history of entertaining and engaging characters and performances. This pairing is a tribute to his career, starting with his best performance in a series that is beloved across the world. In "Rocky III," director and star Sylvester Stallone spins a tale about a fighter who's let success go to his head, and he's lost his way as an athlete. His manager, Mickey (Burgess Meredith) didn't want him to try to put his title on the line in the first place, and dies shortly after Rocky loses to Lang. After a horrific beatdown at the hands of thug fighter Clubber Lang (Mr. T), Rocky (Stallone) is adrift, unsure of what path to follow. Enter former opponent and now friend Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers) who tells Rocky he can regain his title, but only by completely changing his style of fighting. After months of re-training, Rocky and Clubber Lang meet once more in the ring, and settle the question of "Who's the best?" once and for all! Also starring Talia Shire, Burt Young, Tony Burton, and Hulk Hogan!

The second film in our pairing focusing on men dressing as women became a classic the moment it was released! Directed by Chris Columbus, 1993's "Mrs. Doubtfire" demonstrated the lengths a father will go to in order to be near his kids! Daniel Hillard (Robin Williams) is a voice-over actor whose inner sense of right and wrong results in some difficulty finding work. Separated from his wife Miranda (Sally Field), she gets fed up with his immaturity and files for divorce. This means that Daniel will only get to see his kids Lydia (Lisa Jakub), Chris (Matthew Lawrence), and Natalie (Mara Wilson, in her very first role) once a week, which isn't enough time for him. As Miranda begins searching for a housekeeper, Daniel decides to become the perfect nanny, adopting the persona of Mrs. Euphegenia Doubtfire, a kindly old Scottish woman. When Miranda decides to bring "her" in for an interview, Daniel turns to his brother Frank (Harvey Fierstein) who, along with his partner Jack (Scott Capurro), who are both costume and make-up artists professionally, turn Daniel into Mrs. Doubtfire herself! After securing the job, Mrs. Doubtfire begins to demonstrate the same love and affection toward the kids that they're no longer receiving from their father on a daily basis. When Miranda begins seeing old flame Stuart Dunmeyer (Pierce Brosnan), the temperature really begins to rise and things quickly veer out of control, but to a happy ending as only celluloid can deliver. Plus, the trio reveal which two films they've selected to memorialize the passing of veteran actor Carl Weathers for their next pairing!

Our 400th consecutive episode... who'd have ever believed it! And to celebrate, we're turning to movies that continue a tradition that dates back to Shakespearean times - Men dressing as women! First up, directed by Sydney Pollack (who also plays a role in the film... more on that in the episode) comes the story of Michael Dorsey (Dustin Hoffman), an actor who's just a little too opinionated about his craft, to the point where no one will hire him. To prove a point, he makes himself up as a woman who calls herself Dorothy Michaels, and auditions for a daytime soap opera. To his surprise, he lands a recurring role and becomes one of the most popular characters on the program! Along the way, however, he has to deal with gorgeous female co-stars and a tongue-kissing legacy leading man (played by George Gaynes). The biggest surprise, however, is Michael falling in love with his co-star Julie Nichols (Jessica Lange), while her father Les (Charles Durning) is falling for "her!" It's a comedy that also has some wonderful dramatic moments as well, and is the perfect combination of talent, writing, and directing to serve as our 400th episode! Also starring Dabney Coleman, Teri Garr, and Bill Murray!

The second film in our pairing of stories which were inspired by, and affected, race relations of the era, we turn to one of the most consistent voices speaking through the medium, writer/director Spike Lee. His 1989 film, "Do the Right Thing," follows a day in the life of neighborhood resident Mookie (Lee) as he navigates his various responsibilities, primarily working for local pizzeria owner Sal (Danny Aiello). He's also dealing with Sal's sons Pino (John Turturro) and Vito (Richard Edwon), and his rather reactionary friend Buggin' Out (Giancarlo Esposito). Due to a heat wave, tempers are short and relationships begin to fray. We're also introduced to local fixtures Da Mayor (Ossie Davis) and Mother Sister (Ruby Dee), as well as Mookie's sister Jade (Joie Lee) and his girlfriend (and mother of his child) Tina (Rosie Perez), and hear the day narrated by local DJ Mister Senor Love Daddy (Samuel L. Jackson). As the heat rises, anger bubbles over between the African-Americans, the Hispanics, the Koreans, and the police, resulting in the death of another well-known local, which turns out to be the spark to light the fuse of rebellion once and for all! As celebrated critic Roger Ebert wrote, "'Do the Right Thing' doesn't ask its audiences to choose sides; it is scrupulously fair to both sides, in a story where it is our society itself that is not fair." And finally, Buddy, Chad, and Jeff reveal which two films they'll be reviewing for their 400th episode pairing!

For the last pairing of the three-hundreds, we turn to films that have an indelible place in U.S. race-relations, in two separate decades. First up, from 1967, a film whose production during a time when mixed-race marriages were still illegal in over a dozen U.S. states. Directed by Stanley Kramer, "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner" put the issue front-and-center and called into question the truth of many liberal views on the subject. Dewey-eyed college graduate Joey Drayton (Katharine Houghton) returns from a trip to Hawaii with a new fiance, Dr. John Prentice (Sidney Poitier) to introduce him to her parents Matt (Spencer Tracy) and Christina (Katharine Hepburn). Both Matt and Christina are staunch democrats, liberals, and have been vocal in their support of the civil rights movement, but John's arrival forces them to decide if they can actually live their ideals. Add to the mix suspicious and protective housekeeper Tillie (Isabel Sanford), long-time friend of the family Monsignor Mike Ryan (Cecil Kellaway), and the arrival of John's parents, (Roy Glenn and Beah Richards) and the question becomes one of love, principles, and family! The film also stars Virginia Christine, Barbara Randolph, and Skip Martin!

For our second episode spotlighting the work of actor Kevin Kline, we turn to his dramatic work in a film that will tug at your heart in a way few others have! Directed by Irwin Winkler, 2001's "Life As A House" follows George Monroe, an architectural model-builder whose usefulness is ending thanks to computer modeling. He is divorced and his ex-wife, Robin Kimball (Kristin Scott Thomas) has remarried and lives with husband Peter (Jamey Sheridan), George's estranged son Sam (Hayden Christensen), and two younger children from her second marriage. After George loses his job and finds out he has terminal cancer, he resolves to tear down his eyesore of a home and build his dream house in the four months he has left. He shanghais Sam into moving in with him for the summer to help him in his efforts. Next door is an ex-girlfriend of George's, Colleen Beck (Mary Steenburgen) and her daughter Alyssa (Jena Malone). Across the street is George's nemesis, angry neighbor David Dokos (Sam Robards), who tries several times to end the construction for personal, vindictive reasons. As George's time nears, more and more people he has connected with throughout his life arrive to help get the house finished, but its ultimate disposal ends up being something no one could have predicted! The film also stars Mike Weinberg, Scotty Leavenworth, and Ian Somerhalder! Plus, the trio reveal which two films were pivotal in affecting real-world race relations will make up their next pairing!

This episode begins our pairing saluting the incredible work of actor Kevin Kline! Drama, comedy, thriller, musical, there's not a genre he can't master and turn in an incredible performance time and time again. And so, we're focusing on two extremes for these two episodes. First up: Comedy! Directed by Frank Oz, 1997's "In and Out" tells the tory of small-town English teacher and drama instructor Howard Brackett (Kline), who is engaged to be married to long-time fiance Emily Montgomery (Joan Cusack). Howard's family, including father Frank (Wilford Brimley), mother Berniece (Debby Reynolds), and brother Walter (Gregory Jbara) are in full support as well! But when alumnus Cameron Drake (Matt Dillon) wins an Academy Award for Best Actor, during his acceptance speech, he thanks Howard personally and announces to the world that Howard is gay. The problem is... Howard isn't gay. Or is he? This announcement turns his world upside down, pitting him against entertainment reporter Peter Malloy (Tom Selleck WITHOUT his famous moustache) and his boss, Principle Tom Halliwell (Bob Newhart). What results is a gentle but hilarious comedy about finding oneself, both personally and socially, in small town America! The film also stars Shalom Harlow, Ernie Sabella, William Duell, and Joseph Maher!

The second film in our fantasy pairing comes from acclaimed director Ridley Scott, and also features the first appearance of an actor we've all come to know and love! In 1985's "Legend," a beautiful young maiden named Lily (Mia Sara in her first cinematic role) is in love with Jack (Tom Cruise), a young man living in the wilds of the forest. He, too, is besotted with Lily, and decides to show her his most closely-guarded secret: The existence of two unicorns. Against his advice, Lily touches one of them, distracting it long enough for a monstrous goblin named Blix (Alice Playten), who is an emissary of a demon known only as Darkness (Tim Curry) to carve the horn from one of the Unicorns, killing it, and plunging the world into eternal winter. Jack then meets several forest-dwellers, including the Gump (David Bennent), Brown Tom (Cork Hubbert), and Screwball (played by the legendary Billy Barty) who agree to help Jack find the horn and bring it back to the light. Along the way, Lily is kidnapped, the other Unicorn taken, and the quartet of forest heroes must face down several threats, including a swamp hag named Meg Mucklebones (Robert Picardo). This film is also notable for its score, done by the pop group Tangerine Dream, and provided last-minute after Jerry Goldsmith's score was rejected by the film's producers after a discouraging screening! Plus, the gents reveal which two films they'll be reviewing to shine a light on the talent of Kevin Kline!

For our first full pairing of the new year, we're going to take a turn to the fantastic... literally! Two epic fantasy films from the 1980s are our focus this time around, starting with the debut cinematic performance of Peter MacNicol in director Matthew Robbins' take on a favorite fantasy beast in 1981's "Dragonslayer!" Master sorcerer Ulrich (Ralph Richardson) and his apprentice Galen (MacNicol) receive a group of townspeople from nearby Urland, led by Valerian (Caitlin Clark) who beseech them to rid their kingdom of Vermithrax, a dragon. The King, Casiodrus Rex (Peter Eyre) has made a deal with the beast to sacrifice a virgin maiden twice yearly in exchange for being allowed to live undisturbed. Valerian firmly believes this must stop, and has come in search of another solution. Tyrian (John Hallam), the vile captain of the King's guard, has followed Valerian's group, and challenges Ulrich to prove himself an actual sorcerer. Ulrich invites Tyrian to stab him, claiming it will cause him no harm, but Ulrich is killed, leaving Galen to follow in his Master's footsteps and attempt to save the kingdom from the dragon! The film also stars Albert Salmi, Sydney Bromley, Chloe Salaman, and an early appearance from Ian McDiarmid!