Two Geeks and a GIT Classic Movie Reviews

Our second "Prostitution Comedy" is similar in concept to our first: It's a fish-out-of-water story and it's a geek-becoming-a-hero story, but it accomplishes these tropes in quite a different way from the first film of the pairing. In 1983's "Doctor Detroit," directed by Michael Pressman, it's mild-mannered Clifford Skridlow (Dan Aykroyd) being used as a patsy by the conniving Smooth Walker (Howard Hessman) when Cliff is made the protector of four ladies of the evening (Donna Dixon, Lydia Lei, Lynn Whitfield, and Fran Drescher), who must keep them from becoming the property of the evil Mom (Kate Murtagh), while still fulfilling familial and collegiate responsibilities! It's a more light-hearted take on the genre, and a rollicking, fun filmic experience! And Buddy, Chad, and Jeff reveal their second listener-suggested film pairing for the next two episodes!

We're headed back to the 80s for two forgotten comedy classics in this pairing, lovingly referred to as "Prostitution Comedies." First up, it was supposed to be Henry Winkler's anti-typecasting break-out performance, but no one told his co-star, Michael Keaton, in 1982's "Night Shift!" Directed by (at that point) first-time director Ron Howard, co-starring Shelley Long and Gina Hecht, and featuring appearances from Basil Hoffman, Jaid Barrymore, Richard Belzer, Charles Fleischer, Kevin Costner, Vincent Schiavelli, and a very young Shannen Doherty, this movie takes a buddy-comedy premise and pairs it with a romantic comedy, while doing justice to both story types! It's a love story, it's a fish-out-of-water story, and in many ways it's a nebbish-becoming-a-hero story as well! Plus, it features some truly wonderful (and very 80s) music to accompany the improbable story!

We're headed back to the 80s for two forgotten comedy classics in this pairing, lovingly referred to as "Prostitution Comedies." First up, it was supposed to be Henry Winkler's anti-typecasting break-out performance, but no one told his co-star, Michael Keaton, in 1982's "Night Shift!" Directed by (at that point) first-time director Ron Howard, co-starring Shelley Long and Gina Hecht, and featuring appearances from Basil Hoffman, Jaid Barrymore, Richard Belzer, Charles Fleischer, Kevin Costner, Vincent Schiavelli, and a very young Shannen Doherty, this movie takes a buddy-comedy premise and pairs it with a romantic comedy, while doing justice to both story types! It's a love story, it's a fish-out-of-water story, and in many ways it's a nebbish-becoming-a-hero story as well! Plus, it features some truly wonderful (and very 80s) music to accompany the improbable story!

The second rock 'n roll biopic for this pairing looks at, arguably, one of the wildest musicians of rock's first age, Jerry Lee Lewis, in the 1989 film "Great Balls of Fire!" Jeff, Buddy, and Chad take a look at one of those performance where you can swear the lead actor is being possessed by the spirit of the rocker he's portraying... except that Jerry Lee isn't dead! Directed by Jim McBride, the film features an incredible performance by Dennis Quaid, perhaps the best of his career, in the lead role as the often out-of-control Lewis! He's accompanied by Winona Ryder, John Doe, the always-entertaining Stephen Tobolowsky, Trey Wilson and Alec Baldwin, with cameos from Steve Allen himself and musician Jimmy Vaughan! And the trio looks ahead at two fun-but-largely-forgotten comedies from the 1980s that revolve around the world's oldest profession for their next pairing!

The second rock 'n roll biopic for this pairing looks at, arguably, one of the wildest musicians of rock's first age, Jerry Lee Lewis, in the 1989 film "Great Balls of Fire!" Jeff, Buddy, and Chad take a look at one of those performance where you can swear the lead actor is being possessed by the spirit of the rocker he's portraying... except that Jerry Lee isn't dead! Directed by Jim McBride, the film features an incredible performance by Dennis Quaid, perhaps the best of his career, in the lead role as the often out-of-control Lewis! He's accompanied by Winona Ryder, John Doe, the always-entertaining Stephen Tobolowsky, Trey Wilson and Alec Baldwin, with cameos from Steve Allen himself and musician Jimmy Vaughan! And the trio looks ahead at two fun-but-largely-forgotten comedies from the 1980s that revolve around the world's oldest profession for their next pairing!

It's rock 'n roll biopics for this pairing of films, and Jeff, Buddy, and Chad are taking you back to the late 1950s with a film that follows the rise of 17-year-old Richard Valenzuela, who would later be known as Ritchie Valens, the outstanding rock singer and guitarist. 1987's "La Bamba," written and directed by Luis Valdez, with the support of, and input from, the Valenzuela family, is a (mostly) historically accurate retelling of how a migrant farmworker from southern California went on to become one of the fastest rising stars of the early rock era! Starring Lou Diamond Phillips in his first leading role, with co-stars Esai Morales, Rosanna DeSoto, Elizabeth Pena, Joe Pantoliano, Rick Dees, and cameo musical performances from Marshall Crenshaw, Howard Huntsberry, and Brian Setzer, this film tackles every part of life in SoCal in the late 50s, including the struggle between Ritchie and his brother Bob, and the racial tensions of the era. But it does it all with some absolutely amazing music, much of it courtesy of Los Lobos!

It's rock 'n roll biopics for this pairing of films, and Jeff, Buddy, and Chad are taking you back to the late 1950s with a film that follows the rise of 17-year-old Richard Valenzuela, who would later be known as Ritchie Valens, the outstanding rock singer and guitarist. 1987's "La Bamba," written and directed by Luis Valdez, with the support of, and input from, the Valenzuela family, is a (mostly) historically accurate retelling of how a migrant farmworker from southern California went on to become one of the fastest rising stars of the early rock era! Starring Lou Diamond Phillips in his first leading role, with co-stars Esai Morales, Rosanna DeSoto, Elizabeth Pena, Joe Pantoliano, Rick Dees, and cameo musical performances from Marshall Crenshaw, Howard Huntsberry, and Brian Setzer, this film tackles every part of life in SoCal in the late 50s, including the struggle between Ritchie and his brother Bob, and the racial tensions of the era. But it does it all with some absolutely amazing music, much of it courtesy of Los Lobos!

For the second episode looking at the work of acclaimed director Stanley Kubrick, we turn to his 1971 epic "A Clockwork Orange." This was the first time Kubrick had written a screenplay, based on a novel, by himself, as well as directing the film. Jeff and Chad talk through this film (while Buddy is out sick) including a synopsis for those who haven't seen it, a sample of the film's music as part of the trailer, and try to figure out such a truly terrifying film is, at the same time, so incredibly beautiful and moving! While it's not a casual viewing experience for Geek or GIT, this is absolutely one of Kubrick's finest films. It tackles subject matter that only Kubrick could make so compelling and so uncomfortable at the same time! This film truly unique across the history of cinema! Plus, Chad and Jeff discuss lightening the mood for the next pairing by moving into cinematic depictions of rock and roll!

For the second episode looking at the work of acclaimed director Stanley Kubrick, we turn to his 1971 epic "A Clockwork Orange." This was the first time Kubrick had written a screenplay, based on a novel, by himself, as well as directing the film. Jeff and Chad talk through this film (while Buddy is out sick) including a synopsis for those who haven't seen it, a sample of the film's music as part of the trailer, and try to figure out such a truly terrifying film is, at the same time, so incredibly beautiful and moving! While it's not a casual viewing experience for Geek or GIT, this is absolutely one of Kubrick's finest films. It tackles subject matter that only Kubrick could make so compelling and so uncomfortable at the same time! This film truly unique across the history of cinema! Plus, Chad and Jeff discuss lightening the mood for the next pairing by moving into cinematic depictions of rock and roll!

We're paying tribute to another director for this pairing. It's Stanley Kubrick films, and we're starting with the classic "2001: A Spacy Odyssey," directed by Kubrick and based on a short story by science fiction legend Arthur C. Clarke! Starring Keir Dullea as Dave Bowman, Gary Lockwood as Frank Poole, and featuring the voice of Douglas Rain as the HAL 9000 computer, this story did more to fuel worries about artificial intelligence than any film short of Ex Machina. If you've not seen the film, Jeff, Buddy, and Chad will explain why it's a classic you must experience first-hand! And if you have seen the film, the trio will explain the parts of it that no one understands after their first (or second, or third, or fourth) viewing!