Cinema Junkie Podcast

VICE TV’s Icons Unearthed Star Wars and Disney Plus’ Light and Magic serve up a wealth of interviews and behind the scenes materials that will dazzle and delight not just Star Wars fans but anybody who loves movies and the creative process. Icons Unearthed boasts the first on camera interview with Lucas’s ex-wife and the Oscar winning editor of A New Hope, Marcia Lucas, while Light and Magic was made by Lawrence Kasdan with the full support of Lucasfilm and access to its archives. Both shows take a deep dive into the Star Wars franchise and into what Lucas had to do to get his vision on the screen.

Get ready for a bonkers ass ride through the wildest and most extreme horror and exploitation cinema as Greg Dohler and author Matt Rotman take the wheel to kick a new season of Cinema Junkie into high gear.

Cinema Junkie is on a season break but serves up this Bonus Podcast on the bold visionaries behind "Mad God" and "Neptune Frost."

TCM Classic Film Festival is back in person in Hollywood. TCM host Alicia Malone and TCM programmer Scott McGee will both be at the festival to sign copies of their new books. Cinema Junkie speaks with both authors.

Cinema Junkie speaks with actors Gary Oldman, Kristin Scott Thomas and Jack Lowden as well as director James Hawes about bringing Micke Herron's acclaimed spy novel "Slow Horses" to the small screen. The Apple Original series is currently streaming.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of Francis Ford Coppola's "The Godfather." Actor Robert Duvall played Tom Hagen and talks about working on the classic film.

Joel Coen’s "The Tragedy of Macbeth," currently streaming on Apple TV+, came in at number three on my ten best list for 2021. It’s breathtakingly cinematic and delivers Shakespeare’s play in a kind of stripped down, minimalist fashion that removes all excess props, scenery and even color. For a play whose language is soaked in blood, Coen boldly renders it in stark black and white. His adaptation is strikingly clean and crisp even as it is shrouded in fog and darkness. Coen, making his solo directing debut sans his usual collaborator and brother Ethan, gives us a version of the play that feels surprisingly fresh. So I’m excited to dive into the making of the film with two of its actors: Corey Hawkins and Alex Hassell. Cinema Junkie is on a season break but when something this good comes my way I will share a bonus podcast like this. I jumped at the opportunity to interview two actors from the film in part because Coen seems a bit of a mystery in terms of how he works. He doesn’t give a lot of interviews

Cinema Junkie extends Noir-vember because one month was not enough time to explore the spectrum of women found on the shadowy streets of film noir. Nora Fiore, the Nitrate Diva, returns for part two of Noir Dames, a look beyond the usual suspects of femme fatales to check out such intriguing female characters as the Lady Sleuth, The Glamorous Victim and the Good Girl. Yes, believe it or not film noir offers up some admirable dames who challenge expectations by providing, as Fiore says, "a guiding light for men in dark places."

Noir dames. None were sassier, sexier or more lethal than the women of film noir. They lied, stole, cheated, murdered and more importantly just refused to conform to any standard notions of femininity. They might not have been positive role models but they were fascinating and they had agency. Cinema Junkie celebrates Noir-vember by continuing its discussion of film noir with a look to Noir Dames with Nora Fiore, The Nitrate Diva. We explore such favorite femme fatales as Jane Greer in "Out of the Past" and Lizabeth Scott in "Too Late for Tears" but also look past these usual suspects of film noir women to explore the diversity of female characters you can find in these seductive, shadowy tales. In Part One of Noir Dames, we consider the femme fatale as well as The Self Reliant Performer. Then in Part Two we will continue to point out the wide spectrum of female roles and actresses as we consider The Lady Sleuth, The Long Suffering Wife and The Glamorous Victim.

Femme fatales, private dicks, wooden kimonoes... welcome to the world of film noir. The term was coined by French film critics to describe a style of cinema rooted in hard-boiled crime fiction of the 1940s. It revealed a darkness and cynicism that challenged audiences with something new — a world where women used sex to get what they wanted, where betrayal and deceit were to be expected, and murder was a given. Classic noir is usually defined as films made between 1941 and late 1950s. It’s marked by a visual style rich in shadows, cigarette smoke, and dimly lit streets. The term literally means black film and the darkness comes not just from the visual look but also from the dark motives of the characters. To explore this shadowy, treacherous terrain, Cinema Junkie has invited The Czar of Noir Eddie Muller, host of TCM’s Noir Alley and the founder and president of the Film Noir Foundation. He has just revised and expanded his book “Dark City: The Lost World of Film Noir” and we’ll be discussing that as well

Cinema Junkie takes on another mission, this time to explore the world of spies presented in the film and television adaptations of John Le Carré's books. Previously on Cinema Junkie we looked at the fantasy world of Ian Fleming’s James Bond and now we move on to the grittier, more realistic world of John Le Carré’s spies of the Cold War and beyond. Joining Cinema Junkie once again are spy aficionados Gary Dexter and Jeff Quest, both are regular contributors to Shane Whaley's Spybrary Podcast . Quest also runs spywrite.com, which is dedicated to spy fiction and non-fiction. We look to the early attempts of depicting what spies do in Hitchcock films such as "The 39 Steps" and later the film adaptations of Graham Greene's novels such as "Our Man in Havana." Then we discuss the many adaptations of Le Carré's books, and how he put his real world experiences working in intelligence to a different use than Fleming did. Also listen to Cinema Junkie Bond. James Bond. Part One and Part Two.

Cinema Junkie speaks again with espionage aficionados and Spybrary Podcast contributors Gary Dexter and Jeff Quest (of spywrite.com) to look at the evolution of female characters across nearly six decades of films, and to assess what makes a good Bond and what each of the six actors in the Eon Productions' official 25 007 movies have brought to the role. We also discuss producer Barbara Broccoli's contribution to the franchise and where it might go after "No Time To Die." Please check out part one of the podcast where we have a spoiler-free review of "No Time To Die." And check out Cinema Junkie Presents Geeky Gourmet where you can learn how to make food themed to "No Time To Die" and cakes with the gun barrel logo. Plus download files for the perfect 007 party.

Cinema Junkie Beth Accomando goes on a special mission with spy aficionados Gary Dexter and Jeff Quest to explore the cinematic and literary universe of James Bond 007. Get a spoiler-free review of "No Time To Die" and then enjoy part one of an in-depth and geeky exploration of the fantasy spy world of Ian Fleming's James Bond.

Earlier this month Marvel delivered its first Asian superhero in its cinematic universe with "Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings." But it’s been a long hard road getting to this point in Hollywood. For the latest episode of Cinema Junkie, I speak with Brian Hu, artistic director of the San Diego Asian Film Festival, about the evolution of Asian images on screen from the stereotypes of yellow peril to Shang Chi. Hu will take us on a tour through early negative stereotypes of Fu Manchu to characters like Charlie Chan and Mr. Moto to the breakthrough stardom of Bruce Lee and finally to Shang Chi. I'll play lots of clips and Hu offers some exciting film recommendations to check out. Plus enjoy the decidedly eccentric rants and raves of Awkward San Diego's Ryan Bradford and Horrible Imaginings' Miguel Rodriguez on the latest Cold Turkey and Share Your Addiction. And check out the latest Geeky Gourmet video where I'll show you how to make Asian treats to eat with the films we discuss: https://bit.ly/CJGe

The new "Candyman" has a lot to unpack for a 90-minute horror film. It cleverly continues the story of the original 1992 film that boasted Tony Todd in the title role but it is also a stunning reimagining of the character through a Black lens. The new film was directed by Nia Da Costa and co-written by Da Costa and Jordan Peele. I invited UC Riverside professor of media and cultural studies John Jennings to join me for a bonus podcast where we peel back just a few of the many layers of this amazing film. The film opened in cinemas earlier this month and becomes available VOD on Sept. 17. NOTE: This podcast has spoilers so if you haven't seen the film, correct that oversight right now and then come back to listen to the podcast. But if you have seen it, then let's dive into this film.

It's not often that I get to say that I was there when a filmmaker's career began but I can say that about Destin Cretton. Currently he is ushering in Marvel's first Asian superhero with "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings" but two decades ago he was a student who had not yet even thought about being a filmmaker. But then he attended the student film festival I ran called Film School Confidential and met San Diego State University professor and filmmaker Greg Durbin and decided to enroll at the SDSU film program. So for this podcast I delve into Cretton's origin story to see how he developed from a student filmmaker to indie darling to Marvel's latest director. Cretton talks about community, challenging himself as an artist and about making "Shang-Chi" and directing Hong Kong cinema royalty like Tony Leung and Michelle Yeoh. Plus I'll preview next month's spy theme with a Share Your Addiction and Cold Turkey about James Bond. And check out the latest Geeky Gourmet video where I'll show you how to m

Get ready for the Indian Macbeth, Mumbai noir, and Bollywood rap. Cinema Junkie returns to India for Hooray For Bollywood, Part 2. This time we look to contemporary Bollywood cinema and redefine the term for India's film industry today. Joining me again are the podcasters of Moviewallas: Yazdi Pithavala, Rashmi Gandhi, and Joseph Djan. And joining us for Share Your Addiction is Ryan Bradford of Awkward San Diego. Plus, check out the latest Geeky Gourmet video where I will show you the perfect intermission snack. Here's the Geeky Gourmet playlist on the KPBS YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/CJGeekyGourmet And if you'd like to contribute your own Share Your Addiction or Cold Turkey, then just email baccomando@kpbs.org and put Share Your Addiction in the subject line. For a list of films discussed go to www.kpbs.org/cinemajunkie

There is nothing quite like a Bollywood film. It’s about impossibly gorgeous stars, deliciously overripe melodrama, spectacular production numbers, an explosion of colors, and music with such an irresistible beat that even someone with two left feet feels inspired to get up and dance. This month, in honor of Indian Independence, I look to Bollywood cinema. In order to tackle the huge expanse of Bollywood film I decided to invite the trio of Moviewallas podcasters --Yazdi Pithavala, Rashmi Gandhi, and Joseph Djan -- onto the show. In Part 1 we define what makes a Bollywood film and look to its golden era. For a list of all the films discussed, go to bit.ly/CJBollywood1. And joining us for Share Your Addiction and Cold Turkey is Nora Fiore, the Nitrate Diva. Plus, check out the latest Geeky Gourmet video where you can learn how to make Bollywood popcorn as you watch some Indian films. Here's the Geeky Gourmet playlist on the KPBS YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/CJGeekyGourmet And if you'd like to contri

When Brad Martin goes into work there’s a very real possibility his boss could ask to set him on fire. That's because he’s a stunt man. Comic-Con just wrapped up another virtual edition and I’ll be wrapping up July’s theme of celebrating pop culture by highlighting Brad Martin and Mickey Faccinello, who have both worked on the wildly successful Marvel franchise. They share stories about how you can become a stunt person and what the job entails from being set on fire to wire work to motion capture. Join me in paying tribute to the people who often take your breath away and make your jaw drop down in awe. And check out the latest Geeky Gourmet video where you can learn how to make delicious edible blood that can also enhance any stunt work you might do at home. Here's the Geeky Gourmet playlist on the KPBS YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/CJGeekyGourmet And if you'd like to contribute your own Share Your Addiction or Cold Turkey, then just email baccomando@kpbs.org and put Share Your Addiction in the subj

Cinema Junkie has been on a quarantine break but I decided that July, the month of Comic-Con, would be a great time to make a comeback. My first guest is someone who not only fits the spirit of Comic-Con, but also is a longtime friend and frequent Cinema Junkie guest and that is Dr. Arnold T. Blumberg, a.k.a. Doctor of the Dead. We've bonded over zombies in the past and now I want to tap into a different side of his expertise to talk about comic book movies. Blumberg has the distinction of teaching the first of its kind course on the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Back in 2015 at the University of Baltimore. The class was called Media Genres, Media Marvels. "There’s something to be said for the fact that the Marvel cinematic universe that they started building was just so incredibly successful and cohesive and fascinating," Blumberg said. These film can also be great tools to teach students about critical thinking and media literacy. Follow Cinema Junkie online at www.kpbs.org/cinemajunkie or on Facebook (ww