Two Geeks And A Git Classic Movie Reviews

Episode 218 comes to you via a listener request! Tom Barclay told us he "would love to hear a 12 Angry Men episode (my new fave classic film)." Well, ask and ye shall receive! Directed by the legendary Sidney Lumet, and written by Reginald Rose, this is a certified American classic! The film focuses almost solely on 12 men in the jury room, deciding the fate of an 18-year-old boy accused of murder. If convicted, he will be executed. At the beginning, there are 11 for conviction and just one juror who has "reasonable doubt." As the film unwinds, so does the evidence and testimony from the trial as the 12 try to determine what the right thing to do actually is! Starring Martin Balsam (Juror 1), John Fiedler (Juror 2), Lee J. Cobb (Juror 3), E.G. Marshall (Juror 4), Jack Klugman (Juror 5), Edward Binns (Juror 6), Jack Warden (Juror 7), Henry Fonda (Juror 8), Joseph Sweeney (Juror 9), Ed Begley (Juroro 10), George Voscovec (Juror 11), and Robert Webber (Juror 12). An absolutely top-notch example of just what film

Episode 217 is the second review in our pairing of Carl Reiner films. Reiner passed away on June 29th, 2020, but he was, and will always be remembered as, one of the best comedians in the history of media in the United States. This time, we move ahead to 1987 for Reiner's directorial take on the high school comedy genre, one that shows a deeper affection for its characters than almost any of its contemporaries. The story follows gym teacher Freddy Shoop (Mark Harmon in an unusual comedic role) who gets drafted to teach remedial English in summer school by his nasty Vice Principal Phil Gills (Robin Thomas). And were it not for the help of AP History teacher Robin Bishop (Kirstie Alley in her first Hollywood film role), he'd have no chance of succeeding and securing tenure! Add to this a cast of amazing supporting actors like Patrick Labyorteaux, Courtney Thorne-Smith, Gary Riley, Kelly Jo Minter, Ken Olandt, Shawnee Smith, Richard Steven Horvitz, Fabiana Udenio, and the incredibly funny Dean Cameron, and you h

Episode 216 begins our pairing in honor of comedy legend Carl Reiner, who passed away on June 29th, 2020. The first film in the pairing is a feat of technical brilliance and comedy genius that sends up classic film noir in a way different from any other, in 1982's "Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid!" Directed by Reiner, written by Reiner, George Gipe, and Steve Martin, the film follows Martin as hardboiled private dick Rigby Reardon, about to head out on vacation when he meets Juliet Forrest, played by Rachel Ward. Forrest hires Reardon to find her father whom she fears dead, but that's just the start of the story! Featuring clips from nineteen other classic film noir movies, this is a blending of past and present that reveals the true genius in the writing, directing, cinematography, editing, and acting that this film has to offer! Also starting Reiner and veteran character actor Reni Santoni, who also recently passed away, this is a comedic package sure to please discerning fans of funny, whether you're also a fan

Episode 215 is, perhaps, one of the finest films ever made, and one of the most impactful. Finishing our Films You Should Definitely See Once, we turn to 1993's "Schindler's List." Directed by Stephen Spielberg, with a screenplay by Steven Zaillian based on the book by Thomas Keneally, this film details the real life of Oskar Schindler, a German entrepreneur during World War II who became an unlikely hero to the 1,200 Jewish prisoners he employed in his factories. Schindler (Liam Neeson) brings Jewish prisoner Itzhak Stern (Ben Kingsley) into his business as his bookkeeper to help him rescue Jewish prisoners from the Holocaust by employing them in his metalworking factory. He meets Amon Goeth (Ralph Fiennes) who is in charge of the camp the Jewish prisoners are incarcerated in. Slowly, Schindler's factory gains a reputation as a haven, somewhere where workers aren't abused or killed. As the war goes on, and the atrocities continue, Schindler begins to see that his haven may just be his chance to help change t

Episode 214 begins our pairing of Films You Should Definitely See Once with 1986's Oliver Stone vehicle, "Platoon." Directed and written by Stone, the film stars Charlie Sheen as Chris Taylor, a soldier in the infantry newly cycled into Vietnam during the war. His troop includes Tom Berenger as Sgt. Barnes, Willem Dafoe as Sgt. Elias, John C. McGinley as Sgt. O'Neill, Keith David as King, Forest Whitaker as Big Harold, Francesco Quinn as Rhah, Kevin Dillon as Bunny, Reggie Johnson as Junior, Corey Glover as Lt. Wolfe, Johnny Depp as Lerner, and Tony Todd as Warren. The film follows Chris through three different time-periods during his "365 and a wakeup" in Vietnam, and his gradual loss of innocence throughout the year as well as the transformation he undergoes. An incredibly powerful film, based on Oliver Stone's actual experiences as an infantryman during the Vietnam war.

Acclaimed director, writer, and producer Joel Schumacher passed away on June 22nd, 2020, so this is the second part of our pairing in tribute to him. For Episode 213, it's a story of racial justice and injustice in the deep south in 1996's "A Time to Kill." Based on a controversial John Grisham novel, Jake Tyler Brigance (Matthew McConaughey) is a lawyer in Mississippi, trying to keep his firm afloat after his mentor, Lucian Wilbanks (Donald Sutherland) was removed from the Bar. With office manager Ethel (Brenda Fricker) and his friend and shady divorce lawyer Harry Rex Vonner (Oliver Platt), he's just trying to keep the lights on. But after Carl Lee Hailey's (Samuel L. Jackson) daughter is raped, abused, and almost lynched, and Carl takes the law into his own hands, Jake may be his only hope. And he finds help going up against C. A. Rufus Buckley (Kevin Spacey) and cantankerous Judge Omar Noose (Patrick McGoohan) in the form of idealistic, genius law student Ellen Roark (Sandra Bullock). But amidst and again

On June 22nd, 2020, we lost acclaimed director, writer, and producer Joel Schumacher. Thus, for this pairing, we're going to pay a tribute by focusing on two films from Schumacher, starting with Episode 212, spotlighting his 3rd cinematic offering, 1985's "St. Elmo's Fire." The story follows seven college friends, Kirby Keger (Emilio Esteves), Billy Hicks (Rob Lowe), Keven Dolenz (Andrew McCarthy), Jules (Demi Moore), Alec Newbary (Judd Nelson), Leslie Hunter (Ally Sheedy), and Wendy Beamish (Mare Winningham) just after they've graduated from college. The story revolves around the gradual dissolution of the ties that bound them together at college as they begin to navigate the adult "real world" and realize that things are not going to stay the same as when they were still in school. This was the film to feature the largest number of the "Brat Pack" of the 80s, missing only Anthony Michael Hall and Molly Ringwald, and also started the career of Andie MacDowell, who plays Kirby's object of obsession. A film to

Episode 211 is the second in our pairing of films which can be linked three different ways! It's a Christmas film that was moved up six months so that its production company could compete against Ghostbusters. Released on the same day, it's director Joe Dante's 1984 horror comedy "Gremlins!" Written by Chris Columbus and starring Hoyt Axton, Zach Galligan, Phoebe Cates, Polly Holliday, Dick Miller, Francis Lee McCain, Corey Feldman, and Judge Reinhold, with a cameo by animator Chuck Jones, and the voice of comedian Howie Mandel, this is the story of a cute little creature, a Mogwai named Gizmo, who joins the Peltzer family one Christmas. Billy (Galligan) is the recipient of the gift, and he is told the three rules for keeping the Mogwai: No bright light, don't get him wet or give him any water, and never, ever, under any circumstances, feed him after midnight. And, as you might guess, each of these rules gets broken, unleashing calamity upon the sleepy little town of Kingston Falls. The film that helped creat

For this pairing, we could label this several ways: Horror comedies, films released on June 8th, 1984, or movies starting with "G." Whatever way you like, for episode 210, our first film is the blockbuster that endures, the paranormal comedy with a heart, the love letter to New York City that is "Ghostbusters!" Directed by Ivan Reitman, this film boasts a script by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis that was used mostly to give the stars a starting point to improvise from. Starring Aykroyd and Ramis, along with Bill Murray, Ernie Hudson, Sigourney Weaver, Rick Moranis, Annie Potts, and William Atherton, this is one of the best U.S. film to come out of the 1980s. Apart from its superb cast (who improvised most of the film's dialogue and turned in superb performances) the film features a great score by the renowned composer Elmer Bernstein, an Academy Award-nominated song by Ray Parker Jr., and special effects that are still impressive even in 2020! Plus, it's one of the most quotable (and quoted) films in cinema his

Episode 209 is the second in our pairing of films that detail the African-American experience in the United States, as well as the second appearance of our Guest Geek, Annette, as we take a look at one of the pivotal events of the 1950s, the Montgomery, Alabama bus boycott in 1990's "The Long Walk Home." Directed by Richard Pearce, the story follows Miriam (Sissy Spacek) and Odessa (Whoopi Goldberg). Miriam is the mother in a middle-class white family, while Odessa is the mother in a working-class African-American household, and Miriam's housekeeper. Shortly after the start of the film, we hear about Rosa Parks historic refusal to give up her seat on a public bus to a white person. This results in the African-American residents of Montgomery staging a complete boycott of the bus system. This does, however, cause many problems as a significant portion of those boycotting live far enough away from their workplaces as to make walking not really feasible. They do it anyway, however, and Miriam starts turning her

With all the unrest in the United States over the past month or so, we wanted to do our part... but we review movies. So, as we welcome our first Guest Geek, Annette, episode 208 begins our investigation of the African-American experience, as captured in popular film, with the first of two films starring Whoopi Goldberg, 1985's "The Color Purple!" Directed by Steven Spielberg, from a screenplay written by Menno Meyjes (based on the best-selling book by Alice Walker), the film co-stars Danny Glover, Margaret Avery, Oprah Winfrey, Willard E. Pugh, Akosua Busia, Rae Dawn Chong, and Adolph Caesar. The story follows a young woman named Celie as she is married off to an older man, assigned to take care of his three poorly-behaved children, and separated from her only friend, her sister Nettie. It isn't until a juke joint singer named Shug arrives that her life begins to change for the better. This is the first on-screen appearance for both Oprah Winfrey and Whoopi Goldberg, and it's an absolute triumph for both!

Episode 207 completes our two-week look at the films of the great Danny Kaye, with a review of what is likely his best-known film, 1955's "The Court Jester." This film netted Kay a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor in a Comedy or Musical (this film is both). Kay plays Hubert Hawkins, a former circus performer turned bandit, part of the crew under the lead of the infamous Black Fox. Hawkins wants nothing more than to be useful in the fight against the usurper King Roderick the First. Unfortunately, the Black Fox feels he's not manly enough, and assigns him to work with his Captain, Jean (Glynis Johns), in keeping hidden the rightful king, an infant with a telltale birthmark on his... cheek. He ends up meeting Giacomo, King of Jesters and Jester of Kings, who is headed for Roderick's court. Hubert and Jean waylay Giacomo and Hubert takes his place. Arriving at the palace, he meets both the evil Sir Ravenhurst (Basil Rathbone) and the beautiful Princess Gwendolyn (Angela Lansbury). Unfortunately for Hubert/

Episode 206 begins our two-week look at the films of entertainer extraordinaire Danny Kaye. First up is the 1947 film which has been remade twice since, most recently in 2013 with Ben Stiller in the lead role, "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty!" Written by Ken Englund and Everett Freeman, based on a James Thurber short story, and directed by veteran Norman Z. McLeod, the story follows Water Mitty (Kaye), a mild-mannered, hen-pecked, editor of lurid pulp magazines. Since his real life is so hum-drum, he survives by descending into a fantasy world of daydreams, filled with damsels in distress, and heroism. But when he falls into a situation where real-life becomes too much like his daydreams, will he shrink away or rise to the occasion? Co-starring Virginia Mayo, Boris Karloff, and Reginald Denny, this is a classic film the whole family can enjoy!

Episode 205 completes our "Fish Out of Water" pairing and, once again, the fishes are from New York. This time, however, they land in a small town in Alabama, in its courthouse, and dealing with one of it's old-school judges in 1992's "My Cousin Vinny!" Directed by Jonathan Lynn and written by Dale Launer, this is the film that won Marisa Tomei an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. Bill (Ralph Macchio) and Stan (Mitchell Whitfield) are heading to college. After they stop at a store in a small town in Alabama, they are mistaken for two guys who robbed the store they stopped at and shot the clerk. In desperation, they reach out to "the lawyer in the family," Bill's cousin Vinny Gambini (Joe Pesci). Vinny arrives in NY style, complete with New York fiance Mona Lisa Vito (Tomei) in tow. But when he appears before long-time judge Chamberlain Haller (Fred Gwynne), and faces off against the town DA Jim Trotter III (Lane Smith) as well as the town's head of law enforcement, Sheriff Farley (Bruce McGill), Vinn

Episode 204 begins our "Fish Out of Water" comedy pairing, starting with a lesser-known Steve Martin vehicle, 1990's "My Blue Heaven!" Directed by Herbert Ross and penned by acclaimed writer-director Nora Ephron, Martin stars alongside Rick Moranis (in a rare straight-man role), Joan Cusack, Melanie Mayron, Bill Irwin, Carol Kane, William Hickey, Daniel Stern, and a cast of great character actors. Vincent Antonelli (Martin) and his wife are in federal witness protection, awaiting Vinnie's trial appearances. Rangled by FBI agent Barney Coopersmith (Moranis), Antonelli is, to say the least, a handful. He doesn't blend in, he doesn't change, he doesn't want to be there... in short, he's a nightmare assignment for Barney. This film is loosely based on the real-life of Henry Hill, the same man who was the basis for "Goodfellas." This film, however, is a comedy that starts a bit slowly but picks up along the way and comes to a very satisfying conclusion!

Episode 203 is the second in our "Movies About Movies" pairing, and the Indie-est of Indie films done on this podcast thus far, yet is also one of the mostly strangely affecting as well. Described by one of the geeks as "A romantic comedy that segues, somewhere along the line, into a romantic fantasy," 2003's "The Movie Hero" was never released theatrically, but it won several awards throughout its two-year film festival exhibition! Written and directed by Brad T. Gottfred, the movie follows Blake Gardner (Jeremy Sisto), self-proclaimed movie nut, as he navigates his daily life, all the while talking to "his audience," invisible to everyone but Blake. In his efforts to be a good movie hero for his audience, he spots a suspicious character (Peter Stormare) who becomes the problem he must solve. He then recruits a sidekick (Brian White) but, before they can head off to defeat the bad guy, Blake is arrested. He then meets his court-assigned therapist, Elizabeth (Dina Meyer), who Blake immediately decides is his

Episode 202 begins our pairing of "Movies About Movies," whether that be making them, appreciating them, or loving them the way we do! First up, it's director Christopher Guest's first feature film, 1989's "The Big Picture." Written by Guest, Michael Varhol, and Michael McKean, the story follows award-winning (in school) director Nick Chapman, newly graduated, entering the hard-to-navigate waters of the Hollywood film system. This is made all the more difficult by a couple of sharks in those waters, producer Allen Habel (J.T. Walsh) and selfishly avaricious actress Gretchen (Teri Hatcher in her first big-screen role). Their influence has Nick losing his girlfriend Susan (Emily Longstreth) and his best friend Emmet (Michael McKean), until a chance re-meeting with film school buddy Lydia (Jennifer Jason Leigh) sets him on a path that, strangely enough, guides him back to his roots. A film that roasts Hollywood even as it's saluting it and playing with its traditions and behaviors, plus a plethora of cameos!

Episode 201 is the 2nd in our pairing of Best Picture Academy Award-winning films that seriously underperformed at the box office when they first came out. This time, we move ahead to 1954 and a film that's considered one of the classic films to be made in the 50s, a film that was mired in controversy (and still is for some), but cemented Marlon Brando's place as Hollywood royalty: "On The Waterfront." Directed by Elia Kazan (a hero to some, villain to others, for "naming names" during the House Un-American Activities Committee pursuit of Communists in Hollywood), the film stars Marlon Brando, Karl Malden, Lee J. Cobb, Rod Steiger, and introduced the world to Eva Marie Saint. Perhaps an attempt to get back at Arthur Miller, perhaps an attempt to make up for his HUAC testimony, one thing is for certain: This is an American classic for all times, and netted eight Oscars in 1955! Plus, the trio reveal which two "Movies about making movies" they'll be reviewing for the next pairing!

It's our 200th episode and the first in our pairing of Best Picture Academy Award-winning films that seriously underperformed at the box office when they first came out! Our first film is also director Alfred Hitchcock's first American film, 1940's "Rebecca." Starring Laurence Olivier (pre "Sir"), Joan Fontaine, George Sanders, Judith Anderson, Reginald Denny, C. Aubrey Smith, Gladys Cooper, and Edward Fielding. The story follows Maxim de Winter, a lonely widower who falls in love with a young woman, marries her, and takes her home to his mansion known as Manderley. There, the new Mrs. de Winter meets friend and foe amongst the people who work for Maxim, although she doesn't know why she is despised by some and befriended by others. In true Hitchcockian fashion, the story twists and turns until you're not sure who to believe, but you know you're enjoying a cinematic ride like no other!

Episode 199 finishes up our "second century of reviews," so-to-speak, with another classic 1960's musical. From the last episode, we move ahead two years to 1964 for another film based on a hit Broadway musical, "My Fair Lady!" Expertly directed by veteran director George Cukor, this story follows a poor street girl who sells flowers to get by, being taken in by two linguistics professors as the object of a bet: That one of them can, in six months, turn her into a young woman presentable enough to attend court with royalty and not give away her lower-class origin! Audrey Hepburn plays Eliza Doolittle, with Rex Harrison playing Professor Henry Higgins and Wilfrid Hyde-White as Colonel Hugh Pickering, the former accepting the wager from the latter. Add to that Stanley Holloway as Alfred P. Doolittle (Eliza's father), Gladys Cooper as Henry's mother, and Mona Washbourne as Mrs. Pierce (Henry's housekeeper) and you have a group of excellent performers who, in turn, present a film that took home eight Academy awar