Unsung Cinematics

Joaquin Phoenix (prounced wah-keen) stars in this 2023 surrealist art film called Beau is Afraid, where ever irrational fear seems to come to life partially fueled on by his mother and partially by his inability to have sex.

Beau is a middle aged man who never could live up to this mothers expectations and as a result lives his life in constant fear. He lives in a terrifying neighbourhood and is hell bent on attending his mothers funeral, but a series of tragedies unfold that prevent him making it on time.

Directed and Written by Ari Aster, and starring Joaquin Phoenix, Patty Lupone, Amy Ryan, Stephen Henderson, Parker Posey, Armen Nahapetian and Julia Antonelli. Cameo appearance from Julian Richings.

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In this edition of Off the Record we review the following films and TV series. Our Feature for this episode is Le Samourai from 1967, followed by Paint (2023), The Fall of the House of Usher (2023), In Order of Disappearance (2014), Heist 88 (2023), The Haunting of Bly Manor (2020) and a New Brazilian based Comedy yet to be revealed.

Notable Actors include: Alain Delon, Owen Wilson, Carla Gugino, Stellan Skarsgard, Courtney B. Vance, and Victoria Pedretti

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The Million Dollar Hotel is a 2000 art film that follows a FBI agent investigating the suspected murder of a resident who supposedly committed suicide. The prime and bizarre suspect is also a prostitute and the main character has a learning disability who may also be in on it. The thing is most of the others who live in this permanent residence hotel are also a bit insane, but smart enough to hatch schemes of their own.

Starring Mel Gibson, Milla Jovovich, and Jeremy Davies. The film is directed by Win Wenders and is the joint production of Bono, Mel Gibson and screenwriters Nicholas Klein with Bono. Mel Gibson quoted early on that this "film was as boring as a dog's ass", but later retracted that statement.

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In this episode we review the following films. I Am Not Okay with This (2020), Silver and the Book of Dreams (2023), Sisu (2020), Devil in Ohio (2022), Star Trek Lower Decks (2020), and The Man from Toronto (2022).

Notable Actors include: Christy Hall, Jonathan Entwistle, Jana McKinnon, Jorma Tommila, Emily Deschanel, Jerry O'Connell, Kevin Hart and Woody Harrelson.

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Grave of the Fireflies is a 1988 dramatic anime set during the events of World War Two Japan. In this episode we brought on our special guest Tyler who is fluent in Japanese culture and language. This film is available in Japanese and two seperate English dubs. Setsuko a young girl and her older brother Saiti find themselves parentless after a US bomber drops incendiary bombs on their city of Kobe. After briefly staying with their aunt, they are unable to cope with the set forth rules, and decide to go out on their own. A film set apart from others at the time does not sugar coat the realities of war.
The film is directed by Isao Takahata and written by Akiyuki Nosaka and Isao Takahata which is based on his short story. Starring Tsutomu Tatsumi, Ayano Shiraishi, and Akemi Yamaghuchi.

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In this Christmas edition of Off the Record, we watched the following films from November. There's Something in the Barn (2023), Station Eleven (2021), Office Race (2023), Silent Night (2023), Devs (2020), and Exmas (2023). Honorable mention Candy Cane Lane from 2023.

Notable actors in the films are Martin Starr, Mackenzie Davis, Joel McHale, Kelsey Grammer, Alyson Hannigan, Sonoya Mizuno, Joel Kinnaman, Robbie Amell, and Eddie Murphy.

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Idiocracy is a 2006 comedy/sci-fi film set on future earth. In present day a very average US Army soldier with no family or friends decides to freeze himself as a part of a military experiment. The project goes south and Joe finds himself waking up 500 years in the future. Things couldn't be worse as society lives on top of a garbage pile, and society has bred generations of stupid people. It turns out Joe is now the smartest man on earth, and must solve an issue that threatens humanity.
The film is directed and written by Mike Judge, starring Luke Wilson as Joe, Maya Rudolph as Rita, Terry Crews as President Camcho, Dax Shepard as Frito and Justin Long as the Doctor

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Join us for this edition of Off The Record. We take a look at the following films: South Park Joining the Panderverse (2023), Enemy Mine (1985), Behind Her Eyes (2021 TV Series), The Homesman (2014), Dragon Inn (1967), The Watcher (2022), and a special mention of the film When Evil Lurks (2023). Be sure to listen to the very end, as there is a special outtake for the audience.

Notable Actors include: Trey Parker and Matt Stone, Dennis Quaid, Tom Bateman, Tommy Lee Jones,
Lingfeng Shih, Naomi Watts, and Ezequiel Rodriguez.

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Join us for the month of spooky and terrifying films. In this edition of Off The Record for Sept/Oct 2023 we take a look at the following films. Totally Killer (2023), Pet Sematary Bloodlines (2023), Body Parts (1991), The Wrath of Becky (2023), Witch Hunt (2021), and Vicious Fun (2020).

Notable Actors in this edition: Kiernan Shipka, David Duchovny, Jackson White, Jeff Fahey, Lulu Wilson, Elizabeth Mitchell, and Evan Marsh.

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Nefarious is a 2023 exorcism style film based on the source material A Nefarious Plot. Hatched onto the big screen, this flick takes on a different direction than previous exorcism type of movies. Nefarious is a demon who has possessed a man who is about to be executed for his crimes. Before execution it is required by law that he has a psychological assessment to determine if he is mentally insane, and unfit for execution. The film captures that dialogue between the demon and his assessor in a way that would creep out even the worst violent offenders and in many ways is very simular to the book by C.S. Lewis called the Screwtape Letters.

Directed by Chuck Konzelman, and written by Chuck Konzelman and Cary Solomon. Starring Sean Patrick Flanery as Nefarious and Jordan Belfi as Dr. James Martin. Also fearing Tom Ohmer as Warden Tom Moss. The film is loosely based on the book by Steve Deace.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit unsungcinematics.substack.com