The Seat Struck Movie Podcast
A film podcast hosted by Quinn, Curtis, and John, where they discuss movies they've watched recently, explore special topics, and dive deep into various filmographies.
Episodes
Episode 193: Spooky Canon Month II (OBSESSION, 2025)
John, Curtis, and special guest Izzy Werner get OBSESSED over the big smash (no pun intended) OBSESSION (2025), starring Inde Navarette and Michael Johnston and directed by Curry Barker. The trio discuss the latest news and what they watched before diving into the movie. Hot topics include "Creggerification," toxic masculinity, consent, communication, dark humour, the incredible soundtra
Episode 192: Spooky Canon Month I (SLUMBER PARTY MASSACRE II, 1987)
"Let's buzz!" Hello boils and ghouls, this week we kick off our sixth annual SPOOKY CANON MONTH, where each week of the month we cover an iconic horror classic (new and old). This week we return to to a subject we covered back in Episode 61, as we discuss the follow up sequel: SLUMBER PARTY MASSACRE II. Joining John and Curtis after some time apart is our special recurring guest Kati
Episode 191: Ridley Scott Watch Series #30 (THE DOG STARS, 2026)
It's the watch series that wouldn't die! Yes, our good buddy, and soon to be nonagenarian Ridley Scott is back with a new post-apocalyptic survival thriller: THE DOG STARS (based on a novel by Peter Heller). Rather than needlessly dunk on this film like many critics, we actually had a pretty good time with this one. We talk about the performances from Elordi, Qualley, and others; the film&
Episode 189: David Lynch Watch Series #8 (LOST HIGHWAY, 1997)
In this week's installment, John, Curtis, and special guest Dr Anna McFarlane hit the road for David Lynch's LOST HIGHWAY (1997), starring Bill Pullman and Patricia Arquette, which has also seen a reappraisal in recent years. The trio discusssed what they watched and the news of the week before diving into the film, chatting hot topics such sex and sexuality in the film, the protagonist sw
Episode 188: David Lynch Watch Series #7 (TWIN PEAKS: FIRE WALK WITH ME, 1992)
"Fire...walk....with....me! MEEE!"For the latest David Lynch canon installment, Curtis and Dr Thomas Britt join forces to take on Lynch's initially maligned feature film TWIN PEAKS: FIRE WALK WITH ME (1992), which has since had a reappraisal among its fans. The boys discuss Laura's voice and sexualisation, its links with the series,especially The Return, its prescience among COVI
Episode 187: John Cassavetes Watch Series #7 (MINNIE AND MOSKOWITZ, 1971)
"I think about you so much, I forget to go to the bathroom!"This week the "Council of John" reunites to discuss John Cassavetes 'revisionist' romantic comedy—MINNIE AND MOSKOWITZ—starring Seymour Cassel and Gena Rowlands in starring roles, and featuring appearances from other Cassavetes mainstays (including John himself, in his first on-screen role with his wife). We of course discussed how this f
Episode 186: THE LOST WORLD: JURASSIC PARK (1997)
"Mommy's very angry"This week on the show, Curtis and John are joined by recurring guest Grant to discuss a rare Steven Spielberg sequel film, THE LOST WORLD: JURASSIC PARK. A rare case of a film based on a book all of us have read, we talk a bit about the Crichton source material and talk the 'Pet Sounds / Sgt Peppers' phenomenon going on with the novels and films. We then d
Episode 185: David Lynch Watch Series #6 (WILD AT HEART, 1990)
"If you are truly wild at heart, you'll fight for your dreams.."This week on the podcast, we head back to the David Lynch Watch Series and discuss his beguiling, romantic road crime film: WILD AT HEART! We discuss this film's connection to the book; the very heavy Wizard of Oz references; the amazing Nic Cage/Laura Dern chemistry; the deep roster of Twin Peaks cast cameos; the so
Episode 184: TWISTER (1996)
"Meg's gravy is famous. It's practically a food group."Shine on! This week on the podcast, Curtis and John celebrate the 30th anniversary of an iconic 90s disaster movie: Twister! We discuss this film's long, troubled production cycle; our experiences with this film; John's childhood fear of tornados; Ottawa's recent experiences with tornados and other nasty storms; t
Episode 183: David Lynch Watch Series #5 (TWIN PEAKS, 1990-91)
That podcast you like is coming back in style! For the first time in Seat Struck history we're tackling a television series, as we deep dive into David Lynch and Mark Frost's TWIN PEAKS. Joining John and Curtis is an all-star panel of recurring guests: Simon Spiegel, Magill Foote, and Thomas Britt. We jumped right into discussion and covered a deep slate of topics, including: some notes on
Episode 182: John Cassavetes Watch Series #5: (FACES, 1968)
This week we are back on the retroactively titled "John Cassavetes Watch Series", as our recurring Cassavetes scholar returns to discuss his 1968 masterpiece: 1968. Jumping off from Jonathan Rosenbaum's brief review, we talked about the film's reaction to the "so-called sexual revolution"; (upper) middle class ennui; the film's detailed production history and long e
Episode 181: David Lynch Watch Series #4 (BLUE VELVET, 1986)
Curtis, John, and Magill FOOTE are BACK for the latest David Lynch watch series entry: 1987's bizarro BLUE VELVET, starring Laura Dern, Kyle MacLachlan, Dennis Hopper, Brad Dourif, and Isabella Rossellini. The boys discuss the latest news and what they watched before diving into the film. Hot topics include its links to TWIN PEAKS, the psychosexual aspects, the weirdness, and its place in Lynch's
Episode 180: NEW ROSE HOTEL (1998)
Curtis, John, and special guest (and cyberpunk scholar) Dr Anna McFarlane (University of Glasgow) do a deep dive this week into Abel Ferrara's often underlooked NEW ROSE HOTEL (1998), which is adapted from cyberpunk wizard William Gibson's short story in Burning Chrome and stars Asia Argento, Willem Dafoe, and Christopher Walken. The gang discusses the differences between the story andthe
Episode 179: Movies By Actors #2: ONE-EYED JACKS (1961)
"You may be a one-eyed jack around here, but I've seen the other side of your face"This week we continue the long-awaited follow up entry in our 'Movies By Actors' series by discussing Marlon Brando's sole directorial feature: ONE-EYED JACKS. We go over the troubled pre-production of this film, and the events which led to Brando taking the reins. We discuss his performanc
Episode 178: David Lynch Watch Series #3 (DUNE, 1984)
"The sleeper has awakened."This week we continue our David Lynch Watch Series and discuss his third feature, DUNE. Curtis is away, but we're pleased to be joined again by Simon and our recurring sibling guest, Billy. Considered a bête noire in the Lynch canon—we all sort of made the case for why we kind of like this surreal, industrial, grandiose, yet messy sci-fi epic. We also went
Episode 177: THIS IS SPINAL TAP (1984)
"Who's in here? NO ONE!"This week, John Valley, Curtis, and special guest Dr John Bruni honour the legacy of beloved director Rob Reiner with a deep dive into THIS IS SPINAL TAP (1984), his first film and arguably the best rockumentary of all time! The boys discuss what they watched this week before diving into the film, talking about its many points of satire, rock celebrity culture
Episode 176: David Lynch Watch Series #2 (THE ELEPHANT MAN, 1980)
"My life is full because I know I am loved."This week we continue our David Lynch Watch Series and discuss his second feature, THE ELEPHANT MAN. Joining us again for the discussion is recurring guest GRANT! We went over some background on this film's origins before getting into a larger discussion on the story. We touch on the historical accuracies (and inaccuracies), the warmth and
Episode 175: David Lynch Watch Series #1 (ERASERHEAD, 1977)
"In HeavenEverything is fineYou got your good thingsAnd I've got mine"Salutations, loyal Seat Struck listeners. This week we're proud to kick off our long anticipated DAVID LYNCH WATCH SERIES, starting with an introduction to the filmmaker and then chatting about his debut, avant-garde body horror: ERASERHEAD. Joining John and Curtis for the discussion is Dr. Simon Spiegel, a Pro
Episode 174: JOHNNY MNEMONIC (1995)
“Preacher? That motherfucker got God and technology ass/backwards! He’ll kill anybody for money just to keep his body full of implants!” J-BoneCurtis, John, and Simon team up for 1995's JOHNNY MNEMONIC, the pre-MATRIX cyberpunk adaptation of William Gibson's short story starring Keanu Reeves, Dina Meyer, Henry Rollins, Ice T, Dolph Lundgren, and Takeshi Kitano. The boys discuss what they w
Episode 173: Sofia Coppola Watch Series #8 (PRISCILLA, 2023)
The Sofia Coppola watch series concludes this week as John and Curtis take on PRISCILLA, Coppola's latest feature-length film starring Cailee Spaeny as Priscilla Presley and Jacob Elordi as the King. The lads discuss what they watched this week before diving into the film discussion. Hot topics include Elvis's secondary role in the film, DODGER, the Presley family's response to the fil
BONUS: John's Best of 2025
(Minus Marty Supreme, which I saw a couple of days after I recorded this lol).Enjoy this piece of year-end bonus content—the audio minisode of my Best of 2025.Here's my Letterboxd list for reference: https://letterboxd.com/johnnycakes91/list/best-of-2025/
Episode 172: Found Footage Roundtable Discussion! (ft. Richard Waters)
Happy Holidays! As everyone winds down for end of the year celebrations, we decided to gather a special SUPERGROUP for a discussion on FOUND FOOTAGE MOVIES. Curtis is back from Japan, and joining the boys are our recurring guests MAGILL and TOMMY BRITT, and special guest RICHARD WATERS, a filmmaker from Ireland most known for his found footage horrors (IN A STRANGER'S HOUSE, DISTORT). With the
Episode 171: THE CANDIDATE (1972)
This week on the pod, special guest John Bruni returns to discuss a Robert Redford vehicle—the political satire film THE CANDIDATE. We had a long discussion on Redford's performance, how the film's satire has aged, whether McKay is a sympathetic character, and also consider this film in comparison to D.A. Pennebaker's Election and The War Room, and through Andrew Sarris' pointed, yet somewhat blin
Episode 170: THE BLACKWELL GHOST (2017) Series Discussion
With Curtis still away, John was joined by Magill to partake in what might be the most self-indulgent episode yet: a discussion on Turner Clay's THE BLACKWELL GHOST series of films (which as of this release is up to eight films, with a ninth on the way). While this discussion was about the filmmaker, the verisimilitude of its presentation, and the ever expanding lore, we did spend a lot of time ta
Episode 169: BACK TO THE FUTURE PART III (1990)
"Clara was one in a million. One in a billion. One in a googolplex!"With Curtis away in Japan, John is once again joined by his brother Billy for a 100% sibling pod, going over the final entry in the Back to the Future trilogy. They run down the events of the movie, talk about the production, how this holds up as a Western, and whether this is a better movie (or worse) than Part II. Befo
Episode 168: Spooky Canon Month IV (WEAPONS, 2025)
Frights, camera, action! For the final outing of spooky season, Curtis and John take on Zach Cregger's WEAPONS (2025), starring Julia Garner, Amy Madigan, and Josh Brolin, alongside special guests Magill and Dr Thomas Britt. The boys discussed what they watched this week before diving into the film discussion. Hot topics include the "comedic" aspects of the film, parasitism, the mult
Episode 167: Spooky Canon Month III (THE UGLY STEPSISTER, 2025)
And now, a little something to make your skin crawl! For the third entry of spooky season, Simon and Curtis discuss the period piece body horror THE UGLY STEPSISTER (2025) with special guest Dr Sean Travers. They chat about its connections to THE SUBSTANCE (2024) and GRAFTED (2024), literal and metaphorical parasites, the monstrosity of the transformed body, the pressures of patriarchal expectatio
Episode 166: Spooky Canon Month II (DON'T TORTURE A DUCKLING, 1972)
Pleasant screams, boils and ghouls! John and Curtis return to the spooky canon this week for its second screamy offering: 1972's DON'T TORTURE A DUCKLING, directed by Lucio Fulci and starring Barbara Bouchet (and one of Curtis's giallo favourites). The boys are also joined by their favourite librarian, the very hot and cool Katie! They discuss the film as giallo, libraries, the rural s
Episode 165: Spooky Canon Month I (MAD GOD, 2025)
Hello, boils and ghouls! October is here, which means we kick off the first entry in our fourth annual SPOOKY CANON MONTH! We will return to our weekly cadence to cover our favourite horror films every week. For my pick, we discuss the inimitable 2021 stop-motion classic, by famed special effects guru Phil Tippett: MAD GOD! Joining Curtis and John for this discussion is our long-time recurring gue
Episode 164: John Cassavetes Watch Series #4 (SHADOWS, 1959)
"I don't know why we do this"After doing a few episodes of the works of John Casavettes, we felt it was time to go back to the start to discuss his 1959 low-budget debut: SHADOWS! Joining John for this discuss is our recurring guest John Bruni, who also wrote a recent article on this film (linked below). With reference to that article, we also discussed the background on the film's production, the
Episode 163: Sofia Coppola Watch Series #7 (ON THE ROCKS, 2020)
We've finally reached the penultimate Coppola film (at least, until her new Marc Jacobs documentary gets distribution), the 2020 A24/Apple TV+ release: ON THE ROCKS! We discuss the performances by leads, the emotional material this film touches on, our shared gripes, and we get into some extended talk on Bill Murray and the #MeToo movement. Before that, we went over the usual news and what we
Episode 162: WATCH SERIES DOUBLE FEATURE-STRAVGANZA (Don Siegel's THE BEGUILED [1971] and Sofia Coppola's THE BEGUILED [2017])
We're mixing things up this week. Since the next film in our Sofia Coppola Watch Series is her 2017 adaptation of The Beguiled, we decided to discuss this as a double feature in concert with the original 1971 Don Siegel adaption. Much of our discussion touches on the differences between these two films, both aesthetically and narratively, and considers which elements we think these films do we
Episode 161: NIGHT MOVES (1975)
"Where were you when Kennedy got shot?""Which Kennedy?""Any Kennedy."On a special "John's Only" episode—John is joined by our recurring guest and resident Cassavetes scholar Dr. John Bruni to discuss the 1975 neo-noir NIGHT MOVES, starring the late Gene Hackman. This was the subject of some writing by Bruni on Media Magpies (link below in the description
Episode 160: AMERICAN PSYCHO (2000)
"Are you freebasing or what?"Curtis and John celebrate years of AMERICAN PSYCHO (2000) with their deep dive into the film on this week's episode. They discuss queerness and homoeroticism in the film, Reaganism and '80s yuppie culture, serial killer fascination, Bret Easton Ellis's book, the female direction, and more. Before they talk about the film, they talk about new relea
Episode 159: Sofia Coppola Watch Series #5 (THE BLING RING, 2013)
"Girls, time for your Adderall!"This week on the pod, we jump back into the Sofia Coppola Watch Series to discuss her 2013 crime film, and one of the first distributed by A24, THE BLING RING. Since this is based on real events (or rather, the written account of such events) we spent a little bit of time talking about the real events before getting to the movie. We talked about Coppola
Episode 158: John Cassavetes Watch Series #3: (THE KILLING OF A CHINESE BOOKIE, 1976)
This week on the pod, after some much needed rest and relaxation, John and Curtis reunite to talk another Cassavetes film: THE KILLING OF A CHINESE BOOKIE. Joining us again for this discussion is our resident scholar and honorary "fifth Beatle" Dr. John Bruni. We talked about the differences between the 1976 and '78 cuts, the electric performance by Ben Gazzara, Cassavetes dabbling with genre elem
Episode 157: THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK (1980)
LAUGH IT UP, FUZZBALL! This week on the podcast it's a sibiling show, as John and recurring guest Billy talk the first sequel of the Star Wars saga (celebrating a 45th anniversary this year): The Empire Strikes Back. We discussed our own experiences watching this at home on tape (with the fabulous CBS Fox Video fanfare, who could forget?) and coming back to it throughout the years. Look, this
Episode 156: Curtis's Canon Pick #7: COLD IN JULY (2014)
Curtis returns with John this week to cover another canon pick: Jim Mickle's neo-noir classic COLD IN JULY (2014), starring Michael C. Hall, Don Johnson, and the late (but great) Sam Shepard. The boys talk about what they recently watched, John's recent trip to Toronto and Curtis's vacation to Jordan, supporting Palestine and Palestinian films, and their shoutouts before doing a deep d
Episode 155: TO LIVE AND DIE IN L.A. (1985)
"Buddy, you're in the wrong place at the wrong time."Curtis and John team up again with special guest Dr John Bruni for William Friedkin's neo-noir classic TO LIVE AND DIE IN L.A., starring William Petersen, John Pankow, Willem Dafoe, and John Turturro. The boys talk about what they recently watched and their shoutouts before doing a deep dive into the film. Hot topics include Wa
Episode 154: Sofia Coppola Watch Series #4 (SOMEWHERE, 2010)
After discussing the garish, expensive, shot-on-location entry from the previous episode, this week's return to the Sofia Coppola Watch Series considers her next film SOMEWHERE, which is a complete departure from those things. Instead, this plays more as slow cinema, shot on mostly on tight-focused handheld with a limited cast. We talk about our favourite moments in the story, the somewhat bio
Episode 153: John's Canon #6 (THE BREAKFAST CLUB, 1985)
"Does Barry Manilow know you raid his wardrobe?"It's been a while, so this week John decided to celebrate the recent 40th (!) anniversary of one of the all time classic 1980s films by making this a PERSONAL CANON discussion on John Hughes' THE BREAKFAST CLUB. This was a favourite growing up, so we ended up spending a lot of time this ep just talking about what it feels like to be
Episode 152: Sofia Coppola Watch Series #3 (MARIE ANTOINETTE, 2006)
This week we return to the Sofia Coppola Watch Series to discuss her soft-historical biopic, MARIE ANTOINETTE. We discussed the film's rising standing over the years; how it continues to explore feminist tropes found in Coppola's earlier films, the sick 80s post-rock and new wave needle drops, and how the film's angle towards class and privilege may not be as blinkered as you may think
Episode 151: THE MAN WHO FELL TO EARTH (1976)
John and Curtis team up again with special guest (and John Cassavetes scholar) John Bruni to take on Nicolas Roeg's 1976 science fiction film, starring David Bowie. The trio talk about what they watched, shoutouts of the week, and new releases before doing a deep dive into the film. Hot topics of discussion include Bowie as an alien, capitalism, Newton's experiences on Earth, the montage,
Episode 150: THE SUBSTANCE (2024)
Curtis, John, Simon, and special guest Ivana try to maintain the balance with THE SUBSTANCE (2024), starring Margaret Qualley, Demi Moore, and Dennis Quaid. The Fantastic Four talk about what they watched, shoutouts of the week, and new releases before doing a deep dive into the film. Hot topics of discussion include feminist angles and male gaze of the film, its satirical elements and critique of
Episode 149: Ridley Scott Watch Series #29: GLADIATOR II (2024)
The Ridley Scott Watch Series refuses to die! After our 'soft' conclusion, Scott released his long awaited sequel GLADIATOR II in November of last year, so we finally got around to talking about it. Joining us this week is our old guest and Gladiator-head IN-HWAN. Cards on the table here: we had some gripes with the movie. We talk about some of the things that worked and didn't work for us. We als
Episode 148: LATE NIGHT WITH THE DEVIL (2023)
John and Curtis are joined by special guest Dr Thomas Britt for a deep dive into 2023's LATE NIGHT WITH THE DEVIL, starring David Dastmalchian. The boys talk about their shoutouts, what they watched this week, and new releases before discussing the film. They talk about the Satanic panic, and comparisons to GHOSTWATCH, found footage and lost media aspects, and '70s TV programs.
Tune in next week
Episode 147: Sofia Coppola Watch Series #2: LOST IN TRANSLATION (2003)
" ...SUNTORY TIME!'"
Happy Boxing Day! We are back after a long hiatus to continue our Sofia Coppola Watch Series, discussing her most popular film: LOST IN TRANSLATION. We talked about our reaction coming back to this film, going over some of the relatable vibes, the relationship dynamic between Murray and Johansson, and some of our misgivings around the film's racial humour. Before that, we went
Episode 146: Sofia Coppola Watch Series #1: THE VIRGIN SUICIDES (1999)
John and Curtis kick off their NEW Sofia Coppola watch series with 1999's THE VIRGIN SUICIDES, starring Kirsten Dunst and based on Jeffrey Eugenides' bestselling novel. The boys talk their shoutouts, what they watched this week, and new releases, before diving into the film discussion. They chat about the Coppola as a filmmaker, the book, the film's ambiguity, the suicides, how the town collective
Episode 145: John Cassavetes Watch Series #2: (A WOMAN UNDER THE INFLUENCE, 1974)
This week on the podcast, Curtis and John are joined once again by resident Cassavetes scholar JOHN BRUNI to discuss another entry in the namesake's filmography: A WOMAN UNDER THE INFLUENCE. We discussed the film's compelling and morally complex story and the great performance at the heart of it by the late Gena Rowlands. We also talked about how this film fits along other Cassavetes works, and wh
Episode 144: Spooky Canon Month IV (FRANKENHOOKER, 1990)
"Something's happening to me that I just don't understand. I can't think straight anymore. It's like my reasoning is all, uh, twisted and distorted, you know? I seem to be disassociating myself from reality more and more each day. I'm anti-social. I'm becoming dangerously amoral. I - I've lost the ability to distinguish between right from wrong, good from bad. I'm scared, Ma. I mean, I feel like I
Episode 143: Spooky Canon Month III (RE-ANIMATOR, 1985)
John, Curtis, and recurring guest Katie RETURN FROM THE LIVING DEAD this week to discuss Stuart Gordon's B-movie class RE-ANIMATOR (1985), which is based on H.P. Lovecraft's fiction. Before talking about the film, they also chat about what they watched this week, shoutouts, and news of the week.
Tune in next week for FRANKENHOOKER!
TIME STAMPS
00:00:00 Introduction
00:01:19 News of the Week/Shouto
Episode 142: Spooky Canon Month II (THE RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD, 1985)
They're Back From The Grave and Ready to Party!
This week's entry in our 2024 edition of the Spooky Canon is the iconic punk horror-comedy, THE RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD. Joining Quinn, John, and Curtis is fellow ROTLD-head, and recurring guest, Magill. We go over a lot of production details and some fun trivia that you may not know about. We also discuss this film's tonal departure from similar
Episode 141: Spooky Canon Month I (THE TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE, 1974)
Who Will Survive, and What Will Be Left of Them?
We kick off our annual "Spooky Canon" month with a pick from Simon (which coincidentally just celebrated its 50th anniversary), the iconic 70s horror THE TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE. Joining John, Simon, and Curtis for this discussion is special guest Tobi, who loyal listeners will remember from our previous John Carpenter Watch Series. We spend some
Episode 140: STAR WARS EPISODE I: THE PHANTOM MENACE (1999)
Once upon a time, in the same galaxy, John, Curtis, and Billy discussed STAR WARS EPISODE I: THE PHANTOM MENACE for its 25th anniversary. They talk about what they watched this week and HOGWARTS LEGACY before diving into the topic. Hot topics include Natalie Portman, the epic score, Jar Jar Binks, podracing, and reassessing an often maligned sequel and its legacy.
This episode is dedicated to Curt
Episode 139: ANCHORMAN: THE LEGEND OF RON BURGUNDY (2004)
"There was a time, a time before cable, when the local anchorman reigned supreme, when people believed everything they heard on TV. This was an age when only men were allowed to read the news. And in San Diego, one anchorman was more man than the rest. His name was Ron Burgundy. He was like a god walking amongst mere mortals. He had a voice that could make a wolverine purr and suits so fine,
Episode 138: Ridley Scott Watch Series #28: NAPOLEON (2023)
John and Curtis wrap up the Ridley Scott watch series by covering the man's latest film NAPOLEON, starring Joaquin Phoenix, Matthew Needham, Vanessa Kirby, and more. They talk about the casting, the French Revolution and its aftermath, and the epic battle sequences, as well as have an in-depth discussion about ALIEN: ROMULUS. Before talking about the film, they also talked about what they watched
Episode 137: Ridley Scott Watch Series #27: HOUSE OF GUCCI (2021)
"Father, Son, and the House of Gucci"
On this week's episode, Simon and John discuss the penultimate entry in the Ridley Scott filmography (at least, until Gladiator 2 comes out), and chat his second 2021 release: HOUSE OF GUCCI, starring Adam Driver and Lady Gaga. We discussed the immaculate costuming and prop work, funky needle drops, and Jared Leto's hall of fame Gallagheresqu
Episode 136: A NEW LEAF (1971)
Curtis, John, and returning special guest (and John Cassavetes film scholar) Dr John Bruni take on Elaine Mays (one of the first female directors) debut film A NEW LEAF (1971). They chat about what they watched this week and the latest news of the week before diving into our topic.
TIME STAMPS
00:00:00 Introduction
00:05:42 News of the Week/What We Watched This Week
00:42:45 A NEW LEAF (1971) Disc
Episode 135: More Hidden Gems
With Simon and Curtis away on vacations, Quinn and John decided to take things easy this week and run through another lineup of HIDDEN GEMS! Maybe one of these movies might appeal to you? We run through a few selections, ranging from horror, offbeat comedy, documentary, and limited series.
Before that, since it's our first episode after a few weeks, we run through some belated news.
Next week
Episode 134: Ridley Scott Watch Series #26: THE LAST DUEL (2021)
John and Curtis return to Ridley Scott's medieval world and interest in duels with 2021's THE LAST DUEL, starring Matt Damon, Jodi Comer, Ben Affleck, and Adam Driver.
The boys discuss the news of the week and what they watched during the week before diving into the film. They talk about the source material, the narratology of the film, connections with Akira Kurosawa's RASHOMON, and
Episode 133: Ridley Scott Watch Series #25: ALL THE MONEY IN THE WORLD (2017)
"You could have all the money in the world, and you are still a no-good, miserable son of a bitch, and don't you forget it."
After a couple of months away from Sir Ridley, we're back on the watch series to discuss his OTHER 2017 picture, ALL THE MONEY IN THE WORLD. Most folks probably remember the film as a failed piece of Oscar bait, and the infamous decision to re-cast Kevin S
Episode 132: BACK TO THE FUTURE PART II (1989)
"Roads? Where we're going, we don't need roads."
This week we discuss the next entry in the Back To The Future series. Joining John and Simon is John's brother (and resident BTTF scholar) Billy. We discussed the production of this film and our favourite scenes from the three big acts in the story. We also make some small references to the third film, nothing too specific, bu
Episode 131: Curtis's Canon Pick #6: MAD MAX 2: THE ROAD WARRIOR (1981)
Curtis returns to the Wasteland this week (and his canon picks) with Simon and special guest Magill for George Miller's 1981 Australian post-apocalyptic road masterpiece MAD MAX 2: THE ROAD WARRIOR. They chat about what we watched this week and the latest news of the week before diving into the topic, discussing the future of movie theatres, those kinky S&M outfits, FURIOSA, George Miller&
Episode 130: John Cassavetes Watch Series #1: HUSBANDS (1970)
Curtis and special guest (and John Cassavetes film scholar) Dr John Bruni (Grand Valley State University, MI) take on Cassavetes' 1970 film HUSBANDS. We chat about what we watched this week and the latest news of the week before diving into our topic, discussing John's new HUSBANDS book project, toxic masculinity, indie cinema, Cassavetes life, impact, and contributions to cinema, '70s New York Ci
Episode 129: Simon's Canon Pick #2: MAD MAX: FURY ROAD (2015)
Curtis, John, Simon, and special guest (and resident Apocalypse expert) David Cross visit the Wasteland for Simon's second canon pick: 2015's high octane action blockbuster MAD MAX: FURY ROAD, starring Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron, and more. The boys chat about the news of the week, Cannes releases, and what they watched they week before discussing the film. They talk about Furiosa (and her
Episode 128: Ridley Scott Watch Series #24: ALIEN: COVENANT (2017)
John and Curtis return to the Ridley Scott watch series this week with the PROMETHEUS sequel ALIEN: COVENANT (2017). They chat about neomorphs, homoerotic AI, and Scott's bleak vision of the ALIEN universe, as well as discussing the news of the week and what they watched this week.
TIME STAMPS
00:00:00 Introduction
00:01:01 What We Watched This Week/News of the Week
00:26:18 ALIEN: COVENANT (
Episode 127: John's Canon #5: ROCKY (1976)
"I was nobody. But that don't matter either, you know? 'Cause I was thinkin', it really don't matter if I lose this fight. It really don't matter if this guy opens my head, either. 'Cause all I wanna do is go the distance. Nobody's ever gone the distance with Creed, and if I can go that distance, you see, and that bell rings and I'm still standin', I'm
Episode 126: Movies By Actors #1: THE NIGHT OF THE HUNTER (1955)
"It's a hard world for little ones".
This week on the pod we kick off a new recurring series looking at films directed by actors. For our inaugural entry, we take a look at one of the greatest 'one-hit-wonder' films in history, Charles Laughton's The Night of the Hunter. While the film was a critical and commercial failure on initial release, one that resulted in Laughto
Episode 125: Ridley Scott Watch Series #23: THE MARTIAN (2015)
"I'm gonna have to science the shit out of this."
John, Curtis, and special guest and physicist Nick Champion (from the European Space Agency) take on Ridley Scott's THE MARTIAN (2015) for this latest watch series episode. The boys discuss the news of the week and what they watched during the week before diving into the film. They talk about Andy Weir's novel, Kerbal Space Pr
Episode 124: Ridley Scott Watch Series #22: EXODUS: GODS AND KINGS (2014)
LET MY PEOPLE GO! We continue our Ridley Scott Watch Series this week on the podcast by discussing his 2014 big budget adaptation of the Book of Exodus—EXODUS: GODS AND KINGS. Cards on the table: we weren't big fans of the film, but we went over some of the reasons why it didn't work for us, along with some of the things we did like.
Before that, we did our usual discussion of news of the
Episode 123: Ridley Scott Watch Series #21: THE COUNSELOR (2013)
"...when it comes to grief, the normal rules of exchange do not apply, because grief transcends value. A man would give entire nations to lift grief off his heart. And yet, you cannot buy anything with grief, because grief is worthless"
This week on the podcast, John and Curtis celebrated Easter Monday by discussing the bleak, Southwestern crime thriller/horror THE COUNSELOR—written by
Episode 122: THE IRON CLAW (2023)
Curtis "THE RIPPER," John "SKULL SMASHER," and Simon dive into the moving new A24 wrestling drama THE IRON CLAW (2023), about the rise and tragedies of the Von Erich family, and starring Zac Efron, Lily James, and more. The boys discuss what they watched this week and the news of the week before talking about gender and hypermasculinity, toxic masculinity, wrestling as a perfor
Episode 121: Ridley Scott Watch Series #20: PROMETHEUS (2012)
"We were so wrong..."
Tune in for the latest Ridley Scott watch series episode of 2012's underrated ALIEN prequel PROMETHEUS with Curtis, John, and special guest Burak! They chat about the disc jockeys, the mythos, AI, the pro-choice scene, the baby alien from ALIEN RESURRECTION, and more. Before the film, they also discuss what they watched this week and the latest film news.
Hold o
Episode 120: Ridley Scott Watch Series #19: ROBIN HOOD (2010)
For this week's episode, the boys (Simon, Curtis, and John) continue their Ridley Scott watch series with a deep dive into 2010's ROBIN HOOD, starring Russell Crowe (again), Oscar Isaac as slimy Prince/King John, Léa Seydoux as French royalty, Great Big Sea legend Alan Doyle, and many GAME OF THRONES favourites before they were super famous. They also discuss what they watched this week as
Episode 119: HALLOWEEN: RESURRECTION (2002)
Is HALLOWEEN: RESURRECTION (2002) the WORST HALLOWEEN film? Can Michael Myers defeat Busta Rhymes? Curtis, John, and Simon take on the most maligned HALLOWEEN sequel (and the final addition) from the original sequel run this week. They also discuss what they watched this week and the news of the week before diving into the film.
Tune in next week for more Ridley Scott canon with ROBIN HOOD (2010)!
Episode 118: Ridley Scott Watch Series #18: BODY OF LIES (2008)
I and the public know what all schoolchildren learn, those to whom evil is done, do evil in return. - W.H. Auden
This week on the podcast, John, Curtis, and Quinn discuss the 2008 Ridley Scott-directed intelligence thriller: Body of Lies. We discuss the time and place of this film, as a late Bush Administration, post-PATRIOT ACT, critique of American foreign policy and CIA overreach. We also disc
Episode 117: Ridley Scott Watch Series #17: AMERICAN GANGSTER (2007)
Listen as John, and Curtis explore Ridley Scott's tremendous picture...AMERICAN GANGSTER from 2007! But First, the boys talk about what they've watched recently, along with current events in movies and tv. Please enjoy!
CAST
Denzel Washington as Frank Lucas
Russell Crowe as Richie Roberts
Chiwetel Ejiofor as Huey Lucas
Josh Brolin as Detective Trupo
Lymari Nadal as Eva[a]
Ted Levine as Lo
Episode 116: Quinn's Canon #5: THE FRENCH CONNECTION (1971)
"You ever picked your feet in Poughkeepsie?"
This week on the podcast, Quinn joins John to discuss his next canon selection—the iconic New Hollywood classic, and Best Picture winner at the 1972 Oscars: The French Connection. It was John's first time watching this film, so we both had a lot to discuss: the excellent score, the iconic car and subway chase scene, Friedkin's 'i
Episode 115: Ridley Scott Watch Series #16: A GOOD YEAR (2006)
Happy New Year! Curtis and John close out 2023 by discussing another entry in the Ridley Scott watch series, his 2006 Euro wine romcom A GOOD YEAR! Before that, we also chat about some recent flicks we watched. John and Curtis also met up the night prior, so we talk a bit about our bar crawl and our experience at the Mayfair Theatre's monthly secret screening at Saturday Night Sinema.
Next we
Episode 114: Ridley Scott Watch Series #15: KINGDOM OF HEAVEN (2005)
Curtis, John, and special guest Victor dig into Ridley Scott's medieval Crusades masterpiece KINGDOM OF HEAVEN (2005), starring Orlando Bloom, Eva Green, Liam Neeson, Brendan Gleeson, David Thewlis, Edward Norton, and more. They chat about the influence of Peter Jackson's LOTR trilogy and its pre-GAME OF THRONES portrait of the Middle Ages; portrayals of the Middle East in the context of t
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