Two Geeks and a GIT Classic Movie Reviews

We're pausing our list of pairings for a couple weeks in order to pay tribute to a great actor who passed away recently. Terrence Stamp left us on August 17th, 2025, but what remains is a filmography of amazing performances, two of which we're going to spotlight. First up, what is likely his most well-known role! Directed by Richard Donner and Richard Lester, 1980's "Superman II," Stamp plays General Zod, leader of the recently freed criminal Kryptonians. Zod arrival on Earth, along with the man-hating Ursa (Sarah Douglas) and the mute beat Non (Jack O'Halloran) coincides with Superman's (Christopher Reeve) decision to give up his power in order to be with his love, Lois Lane (Margot Kidder) full-time. While they're together in the Fortress of Solitude, the three evil Kryptonians subjugate the entire planet. It's only when Lex Luthor (Gene Hackman) arrives to visit them in the White House that they learn the son of their jailor, Jor-El (Marlon Brando) is also on Earth. This sets up a world-shaking conflict, but how will Superman prevail against three beings as strong, or maybe even stronger, than himself? Also returning for this sequel are Ned Beatty as Otis, Valerie Perrine as Eve Teschmacher, Marc McClure as Jimmy Olsen, and Jackie Cooper as Perry White!

The companion film for our werewolf/coming-of-age stories is a unique one. Filmed in Canada, directed by John Fawcett and written by Fawcett and Karen Walton, 2000's "Ginger Snaps" tackles the puberty issue from the female perspective. Ginger (Katharine Isabelle) and Bridgette (Emily Perkins) Fitzgerald are the outcast sisters at their high school, obsessed with death and making their mark on the world through some very dark art and a suicide pact. They're also dealing with a haughty and beautiful mean girl, Trina (Danielle Hampton) and a high-school romeo on the make, Jason (Jesse Moss), and some creature killing local dogs. To top everything off, Ginger gets her first period, something she desperately wanted never to happen. After deciding to kidnap Trina's dog as revenge, they find the dog already dead, leading to Ginger being attacked by whatever's responsible. It turns out that the creature responsible is a werewolf, who is later killed by drug dealer Sam's (Kris Lemche) van. As Ginger starts to experience yet more physical changes, Bridgette and Sam begin to search for some sort of cure. But, as in any good horror film, things go awry in a most spectacular way. Also starring John Bourgeois and Mimi Rogers! Plus, the gents reveal which two films chronicling the rise and fall of a band make up their next pairing!

This pairing combines the werewolf genre with coming-of-age stories! First up, it's back to the cheese-fest that was the 1980s and Michael J Fox's follow-up film to the sensation that was "Back to the Future!" Directed by Rod Daniel, and written by Jeph Leob and Matthew Weisman, 1985's "Teen Wolf" tells the story of high school student and mediocre basketball player Scott Howard (Fox). Scott has two close friends, the wild and unpredictable Stiles (Jerry Levine) and the subtly gorgeous "Boof" (Susan Ursitti) who'd like to be more than friends. Unfortunately for her, Scott has a crush on the blonde popular girl Pamela (Lorie Griffin). And to make matters worse, Scott begins to experience some... interesting physical changes, beyond that of normal puberty: He's a werewolf. Of course, the first time he fully turns, he discovers that he comes from a family of werewolves when he comes face-to-face with "shifted" father, Harold (James Hampton). But when Scott shifts to werewolf form on the basketball court in the middle of a game, his life takes an unexpected turn and he becomes both a successful athlete and quite popular! But sudden fame and popularity has its drawbacks too, as Scott soon learns. Also starring Matt Adler, Mark Holton, and Jay Tarses!

Our second film is an independent venture from England, loosely based on the legend of two infamous East London gangsters Ronald and Reginald Kray. Directed by Sacha Bennett, 2014's "We Still Kill the Old Way" focuses on brothers Charlie (Steven Berkoff) and Richie (Ian Ogilvy) Archer. Long after they ruled the streets, Charlie still lives in East London while Richie has moved to Spain. Unfortunately a new gang has moved into the Archer's old neighborhood. Calling themselves the E2, this group of post-adolescent thugs, led by the sociopathic Aaron (Danny Boy Hatchard), rule the streets through extreme violence and terror. Aaron is currently wooing a young girl, Lizzie (Dani Dyer), and after finally getting her in bed, lures her to an alley where the rest of his boys plan to rape her. Charlie, headed home from a night out, catches the gang in the act and tries to stop it, allowing Lizzie to escape. Facing off against the E2, however, results in Charlie's death. Lizzie (Lysette Anthony), an old friend of the Archer's and the person who found Charlie's body in the alley, calls Richie in Spain to inform him of his brother's death. Shortly thereafter, Richie returns to East London and reunites with several of his old crew members: Roy (Christopher Ellison), Arthur (James Cosmo), and Butch (Tony Denham). The four of them embark on a mission to discover who killed Charlie and enact revenge for everything else they've done as well. Also starring Alison Doody, Johnny Palmiero, and Nathan Clarke. Plus, find out which two non-traditional werewolf movies Buddy has in store for the team in the next pairing!

Revenge is the topic of this pairing, with a film from each of the last two decades. To lead off, the film that's become synonymous with picking on the wrong guy... Directed by Pierre Morel, and written by Luc Besson and Robert Mark Kamen, 2008's "Taken" turned Liam Neeson from a romantic lead into an action star! Bryan Mills (Neeson) is a divorced father trying to be a part of his daughter's life after being mostly-absent due to his job. Unfortunately, his ex-wife Lenore (Famke Janssen) has re-married to Stuart (Xander Berkeley), a rich international businessman, who spoils their daughter Kim (Maggie Grace) very effectively. After being guilted into allowing Kim and her friend Amanda (Katie Cassidy) to go off to Paris on their own, his worst nightmare comes true: Kim is kidnapped by the Albanian mob and will be forced into a life of prostitution. But Bryan has a particular set of skills, and tells the kidnapper on the phone that he will use them to track them all down, kill them, and bring his daughter back safely. Of course, they don't believe him. They should have. Also starring Leland Orser, Jon Gries, David Warshofsky, and Holly Valance.

Our second film looking at the perils of alcoholism takes a slightly different angle on the subject. In 1962's "Days of Wine and Roses, directed by none other than Blake Edwards, instead of a single alcoholic, it's a pair. Joe Clay (Jack Lemmon) is the new head of Public Relations for his firm, meets Kristen Arnesen (Lee Remick), who he has mistaken for a 'party girl.' She turns out to be his boss, Jim Hungerford's (Jack Klugman) secretary. After a tumultuous re-introduction in the office, Joe and Kristen have dinner, where Joe convinces Kristen to try a Brandy Alexander, and she gets tipsy for the first time in her life. They end up getting married, over the objections of Kristen's father Ellis Arnesen (Charles Bickford), and have a daughter they name Debbie. Unfortunately, due to Joe's drinking problem, Kristen ends up becoming an alcoholic as well. The rest of the tale has many twists and turns, and not the happiest of endings, but upon its release, it had the effect of helping to normalize Alcoholics Anonymous in the United States. Also starring Jack Albertson, Alan Hewitt, Tom Palmer, and Maxine Stuart. Also, the fellows reveal which two modern revenge films will make up their next pairing!

This pairing takes a long, serious look at the perils of alcoholism, with two classic films. Starting off, it's the first film to have the same individual win the Academy Awards for Best Director and Best Screenplay for the same project. In writer/director Billy Wilder's "The Lost Weekend," from 1945, we're introduced to writer Don Birnam (Ray Milland, who also won the Academy Award for Best Actor for this film) who is getting ready to leave for a long weekend of writing on a farm out in the middle of nowhere. His brother, Wick (Phillip Terry) is going with him, and has taken great pains to make sure that Don is taking no alcohol with him, as Don is an alcoholic. Don's girlfriend, Helen St. James (Jane Wyman) stops in to encourage him and send him off with a few small gifts. All the while, Don is desperately trying to get a bottle of whiskey he's hung out his window on a string into his luggage without Wick or Helen seeing him. After Wick discovers the bottle and dumps it out, they both depart, leaving Don frantically searching his apartment for one of the other bottles he's hidden... to no avail: Wick has found them all and disposed of them. But the arrival of their cleaning lady tips Don off to a ten-dollar bill she's supposed to receive for her work. Instead, Don lies about finding it and, after she departs, heads off to the liquor store, and then the bar. There, he's served and admonished by bartender Nat (Howard Da Silva), and flirted with by local call girl Gloria (Doris Dowling). This begins a booze-fueled spiral that might just be terminal, depending on Don's choices and Helen's commitment. Also starring Frank Faylen, Anite Sharp-Bolster, and Frank Orth.

Our second feature in our pairing of Cohen Brothers movies was their follow-up to last week's film! In 2000's "O Brother, Where Art Thou," the brothers took the classic Greek myth of "The Odyssey" and set it during the US's great depression in the 1930s! Ulysses Everett McGill (George Clooney), along with fellow convicts Pete (John Turturro) and Delmar (Tim Blake Nelson) have escaped from a chain gang and are on the run from the law, headed for Everett's family cabin to retrieve a million dollars in stolen money that's supposedly buried there. After bring freed from their shackles by Pete's cousin, the three are later turned in by that same relative. After a daring escape, they meet up with a young black man named Tommy Johnson (Chris Thomas King) who tells them he's just sold his soul to the Devil in order to be able to play his guitar like a master. The four end up visiting a small, independent recording studio run by a radio station man (Stephen Root), and they record a version of "Man of Constant Sorrow" as the "Soggy Bottom Boys." The end up falling in with George "I'm not Babyface!" Nelson (Michael Badalucco) for his third consecutive bank heist and miraculously manage to get away! Meanwhile, their recording of "Man of Constant Sorrow" has become a huge hit, and music industry folk are also trying to track them down... to offer them a contract! From there, the story just gets deeper and more complicated, but in the end Everett, Pete, and Delmar get almost everything want. Almost. Also starring John Goodman, Holly Hunter, Wayne Duvall, and Daniel von Bargen! Plus, the trio reveal which two classic cautionary tales about the perils of drinking will make up the next pairing!

This pairing celebrate the work of writer and director brothers Joel and Ethan Cohen! First up, made in 1998 but set at the beginning of the 90s, "The Big Lebowski" follows the misadventures of a man named Jeffrey Lebowski (Jeff Bridges), although he prefers to be known as "The Dude." He's at home, when two men break into his home, threat him with bodily harm if he doesn't cough up the money to pay his wife's debts, and then they urinate on his rug. Unfortunately, the Dude isn't married, and the men clearly have the wrong guy. Later, at a bowling alley, his friends Donny (Steve Buscemi) and Walter Sobchak (John Goodman) hear the Dude's tale of woe and Walter convinces the Dude to visit the "other" Jeffrey Leboswki and seek restitution for his ruined rug! The next day, the Dude meets the "big" Lebowski (David Huddleston) and his aide Brandt (Philip Seymour Hoffman). The "big" Lebowski flat out refuses to make the Dude whole, but on his way out, he lies to Brandt and ends up taking a rug from the mansion home with him. Unfortunately, this is just beginning of what becomes a comedy of errors when the "big" Lebowski's wife, Bunny (Tara Reid), gets kidnapped, and he and Brandt hire the Dude to deliver the ransom money and get her back! But, due to Walter's interference, things don't go as planned and the story just continues to spin out of control from there. Also starring Julianne Moore, Peter Stormare, Flea, and John Turturro!

Our talk show, "From the Balcony," is usually for our Patreon supporters, but we wanted to share this one with everyone as a big "THANK YOU!" to everyone who listens to our show! Were it not for you, we wouldn't still be going 9 years after we started! This is the story of how this podcast began as an idea from a comic and sci-fi convention, and what it means to the three of us that you're listening and have been for all these years!