Two Geeks And A Git Classic Movie Reviews

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"

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!

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 w

The second film in our pairing was originally conceived as a re-make of the 1984 version, but was reconned into a sequel to make way for "Karate Kid: Legends" which would combine the two stories. The 2010 version of "The Karate Kid," directed by Harald Zwart, finds Dre Parker (Jaden Smith) and his mother Sherry (Taraji P. Henson) moving from Detroit, Michigan to Beijing, China for Sherry's work. There, Dre meets the building handyman, Mr. Han (Jackie Chan) when he goes to request a repair for their new apartment. He then heads to a nearby park, where he meets Meiying (Wenwen Han) and sparks fly! Unfortuntely for Dre, the leader of a group of young Kung Fu students, Cheng (Zhenwei Wang), takes exception to Meiying showing affection toward a foreigner and ends up beating up Dre. Again, similar to the original story, Dre finds a way to get back at the bullies and is attacked by five of them and hurt, but Mr. Han arrives and saves him. They travel together the next day to try to make peace, but the Master of the

In honor of the joining of two great movies in "Karate Kid: Legends," which came out on May 30th, 2025, we're looking at the two films that gave us the new film! First up, directed by John G. Avildsen, 1984's "The Karate Kid" introduced audiences to the story that would become an enduring franchise. Fifteen-year-old Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) and his mother, Lucille (Randee Heller) have left their home in New Jersey and moved across the country to Los Angeles. After getting invited to a beach party by another teen who lives in the same apartment, Daniel meets Ali Millis (Elisabeth Shue) and the attraction is immediate. Unfortunately, her ex-boyfriend Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka) arrives and takes exception to Daniel's interest in Ali and beats him up. Meanwhile, back at his apartment, Daniel meets the handyman Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita), who sees the young man struggling and teaches him the art of Bonsai. After Daniel exacts some minor revenge on Johnny and his pack, they beat Daniel unconscious, but Mr.

Our second Jersey film features the performance that won Michael Keaton his role as Tim Burton's Batman! Directed by Glenn Gordon Caron, 1988's "Clean and Sober" was the first non-comedic role for Keaton and featured a cast of great supporting players as welL! The story follows sleazy high-end real estate man Darly Poynter (Keaton) who awakes from a drug-fueled bender only to find that his romantic partner from the previous evening is non-responsive in his bed. After he calls an ambulance, the police immediately begin questioning him about what drugs were involved in the previous evening's festivities. Added to that, he has embezzled $90,000 from his employer and lost it all in an ill-timed real estate investment. After hearing an ad on the radio, Darly heads to a drug rehabilitation center as a way of hiding from anyone who might want to talk to him further. There he meets drug rehabilitation counselor Craig (Morgan Freeman), who doesn't fall for Daryl's hype or con for perhaps the first time in his adult li

The great state of New Jersey is the focus of our next pairing, starting with a film about, arguably, it's most famous city! In 1980's "Atlantic City," director Louis Malle tells the story of two struggling individuals living in "the Las Vegas of the East." Lou (Burt Lancaster) is a former mob strongman, still protecting Grace (Kate Reid), a woman he was assigned to look after some 40 years earlier. Their relationship is strained and Grace is ungrateful, but Lou finds solace in watching his next-door neighbor, Sally (Susan Sarandon) through their respective kitchen windows. Sally works at a seafood restaurant in one of the Atlantic City casinos and is taking classes to become a dealer. When her husband estranged husband Dave (Robert Joy) and her sister Chrissie (Hollis McLaren), who is pregnant with Dave's baby, show up, Sally finds she can't turn them away. Dave and Chrissie, however, make her life miserable, especially when it becomes apparent that Dave is on the run from someone and has stolen a large amou

The second time travel film takes us in a radically different direction story-wise. In 2012's "Looper," directed by Rian Johnson, we learn that sometime in the future, time travel is realized. Unfortunately, it's used exclusively by organized crime to dispose of bodies in the past where they'll never be found. Those who are stationed in the past to kill the mob's victims are called "Loopers." After learning about the culture of Loopers, we also learn about what it means to have your loop "closed," i.e. being told to terminate your future self, after which you are allowed to retire, given a small fortune, and released to live out the rest of your life however you wish, knowing you will be killed at a certain future date and time. But what happens when a Looper decides they don't want to be retired? Looper Joe (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) receives orders to kill his future self, Old Joe (Bruce Willis). Old Joe, however, is in love with his soulmate and doesn't want to lose her, so he figures out a plan to take down t

It's time travel movies for this pairing, and two very different looks at the phenomenon (although both have an actor in common)! First up, director Terry Gilliam, of Monty Python fame, leads us on a whirlwind trip that may or may not actually be time travel in 1995's "12 Monkeys!" James Cole (Bruce Willis) is a prisoner in a strange, futuristic institution. One day, he's volunteered for something no one has ever returned from, according to his next-cell-neighbor, Jose (Jon Seda). Cole is sent to the surface to observe and report back, since scientists are still trying to solve the issue of the virulent plague that killed 99% of humanity a couple decades ago. After proving himself useful, he's again volunteered to be sent back in time for more information. He's supposed to end up in 1996, the year the virus was released, but instead ends up in 1990. There, he's quickly institutionalized after appearing quite insane, where he meets fellow inmate Jeffrey Goines (Brad Pitt) and sympathetic psychiatrist Dr. Kathr

The second film in our tribute to the late Val Kilmer may be the finest work in his filmography! Directed by George P. Cosmatos and written by Kevin Jarre, 1993's "Tombstone" tells the story of the Earp family. After retiring as a peace officer, Wyatt (Kurt Russell) has brought his brothers Morgan (Bill Paxton) and Virgil (Sam Elliott) together in Tombstone, Arizona, to retire and become entrepreneurs. Also joining him, and seeking a dry climate in the hopes of relieving his tuberculosis, is Doc Holliday (Kilmer). What stands in their way are the Cowboy, a vicious gang of exiled Texas outlaws, lead by Curly Bill Brocius (Powers Booth) and his right-hand, Johnny Ringo (Michael Biehn). After a troupe of actors, featuring Josephine Marcus (Dana Delany) and Mr. Fabian (Billy Zane) comes to town, an attraction between Josephine and Wyatt springs to life, drawing the two closer and closer, even though Josephine is dating the county sheriff Behan (Jon Tenny) and Wyatt is technically married to Mattie (Dana Wheeler-N

We're celebrating the life and work of Val Kilmer, who passed away on April 1st, 2025. He left us a catalog of over 100 films, but we've chosen two of his best. First up, directed by Oliver Stone, 1991's "The Doors" chronicles the rise and fall of singer Jim Morrison. After leaving film school, Morrison (Kilmer) recruits his friend Ray Manzarek (Kyle MacLachlan) in an effort to start a band. They add Robby Krieger (Frank Whaley) and John Densmore (Kevin Dillon) and begin to perform as "The Doors." But Morrison is also smitten with a woman he followed home from the beach, Pamela Courson (Meg Ryan), and declares her his muse. After using psychedelic drugs to fuel their inspiration, the band is discovered by producer Paul Rothschild (Michael Wincott) from Elektra Records, and they're on their way to stardom! Unfortunately, Kilmer's fascination with alcohol, drugs, and other women, continually threatens to destroy the success the band has found. Also starring Michael Madsen, Billy Idol, and Kathleen Quinlan!

The second film in this pairing is another giant monster sequel, but this time to a Kaiju film from the 1950s. The original "The Return of Godzilla" was directed by Koji Hashimoto and Ishiro Honda. But, like the original in 1954, an Americanized version was created by shooting scnes with American actors and inserting them into the original film, which resulted in "Godzilla 1985!" With the American scenes directed by R. J. Kizer, the film featured veteran actor Raymond Burr reprising his role as a reporter by the name of Steve Martin. In this story, it's been 30 years since Godzilla originally attacked mainland Japan, and he has awakened from his hidden slumber to once again find and feed upon nuclear energy. This time, however, a young sailor, Hiroshi Okumura (Shin Takuma), a reporter, Goro Maki (Ken Tanaka), Professor Hayashida (Yosuke Natsuki) who studies mutations, and his research assistant Naoko Okumura (Yasuko Sawaguchi), who is also Hiroshi's sister, team up to try to find a way to stop the natural for

This pairing was seeded by a request from one of our Patreon supporters, Flat Doug, who asked us to look back at this first film. Directed by Dino De Laurentiis, and written by James Ashmore Creelman, Ruth Rose, and Merian C. Cooper, 1976's "King Kong" was a record-setting special effects marvel and the first big-budget re-imagining of the original 1933 classic! The film follows Petrox oil executive Fred Wilson (Charles Grodin) who, along with his scientific advisor Bagley (Rene Auberjonois), are headed for a mysterious fog-shrouded island in search of oil. Just before their ship departs, however, a paleontologist named Jack Prescott (Jeff Bridges) sneaks on board, convinced that there's more than oil to be found at their destination. Along the way, they find a young woman named Dwan (Jessica Lange, in her first film role) unconscious abort a raft, drifting in the ocean. After rescuing her, she joins the expedition to Skull Island. When the company arrives, however, they discover that Prescott was right, and

The second film in this pairing moves from one kind of theater to another very different kind! In 2000, Christopher Guest moved from small-town community theater to national-level canine showmanship in "Best In Show!" Exploring the world of dog shows, we meet the owners of the dogs who will be competing in the Mayflower Kennel Club Dog Show in Philidelphia. Gerry (Eugene Levy) and Cookie (Catherine O'Hara) Fleck, from Florida, bring their Norwich terrier, Winky. Meg (Parker Posey) and Hamilton (Michael Hitchcock) Swan arrive escorting their weimaraner, Beatrice. Arriving with his Bloodhound, Hubert, Harlan Pepper (Christopher Guest) arrives with high hopes. And Sheri Ann Cabot (Jennifer Coolidge), trophy wife and dog-show enthusiast, bring along both dog trainer Christy Cummings (Jane Lynch) and her standard poodle, Rhapsody in White. And Scott Donlan (John Michael Higgins) and Stephen Vandorhoof (Michael McKean) accompany their Shih Tzu, Miss Agnes. Along the way, we see the extremes these dog show parents a

For this pairing we return to the genius that is Christopher Guest and two of his films we've yet to do on this podcast... until now! Directed by Guest and written with Eugene Levy, 1996's "Waiting for Guffman" is a somewhat twisted love-letter to the trials and tribulations of participating in community theater. Eccentric writer, director, and actor Corky St. Clair (Christopher Guest) is in charge of the Blaine, Missouri sesquicentennial celebration's closing event - an original stage musical which celebrates the history of the town entitled "Red, White, and Blaine!" The cast is made up of a few of the town's community theater regulars: Ron (Fred Willard) and Sheila (Catherine O'Hara) Albertson, a pair of married travel agents, and Libby Mae Brown (Parker Posey), a young and enthusiastic Dairy Queen employee. Corky also casts newcomers Johnny Savage (Matt Keesler), a mechanic who's never been on the stage, and Dr. Allen Pearl (Eugene Levy), a local dentist who has finally worked up the nerve to audition for

The second film in our pairing pedantically entitled "Uncomfortably Prescient Dystopian Science Fiction" moves ahead 40 years from the first. Directed by Mike Judge and written by Judge and Etan Cohen, 2006's "Idiocracy" looks at an army experiment in suspended animation that, thanks to its director being arrested, goes on much longer than expected! Test subjects Joe Bauers (Luke Wilson) and Rita (Maya Rudolph), two average people who were supposed to awaken a year after going to sleep, end up waking after 500 years into a world gone dumb, due to the fact that the uneducated have been procreating 100 times faster than their intelligent brethren! Joe awakens and meets his future lawyer, Frito (Dax Shepard) and a stoned doctor (Justin Long) before being arrested. In prison, Joe is given an IQ test, and is determined to be the smarted man in the world! Joe is taken to the White House where President Comacho (Terry Crews) makes him the Secretary of the Interior and gives him the job of fixing all of the nation's

One of the things that separates science fiction from any other genre is its ability to gaze into a crystal ball and attempt to predict what the future might be like if humanity continues on a certain path. This pairing is dedicated to science fiction films that looked into a darker future for humankind and, unfortunately, seem to have been uncomfortably prescient with their predictions, as evinced by the direction certain civilizations seem to be headed. First up, from the brilliant mind of author Ray Bradbury and the direction of acclaimed French director Francios Truffaut, is 1966's "Fahrenheit 451!" Set in an undetermined future, humanity has chosen to turn its back on the written word in favor of "equality for all." Newspapers have become pictograms, television is the primary form of learning (although it's completely controlled by the government), and firemen now have a different job: They locate and destroy (by burning) any books or other written materials found and confiscated by the authorities. The

Our tribute to Gene Hackman moves to 2001 and his only collaboration with writer/director Wes Anderson, in a part Anderson wrote specifically for Hackman. In 2001's "The Royal Tenenbaums, also written by Anderson and Owen Wilson, Hackman plays estranged family patriarch Royal Tenenbaum. He is many years separated from, but still married to, wife Etheline (Anjelica Huston), and is father to three children: Chas (Ben Stiller), Richie (Luke Wilson), and adopted daughter Margot (Gwyneth Paltrow). Childhood next-door neighbor and friend of the children, Eli Cash (Owen Wilson), and house manager Pagoda (Kumar Pallana) round out the initial cast. As the story moves ahead to the children's adulthood, we also meet Raleigh St. Clair (Bill Murray), Margot's husband, Etheline's accountant and fiance Henry Sherman (Danny Glover), and Chas's children Ari (Grant Rosenmeyer) and Uzi (Jonah Meyerson). Narrated by Alec Baldwin, the story chronicles the numerous dysfunctional relationships inherent in being a Tenenbaum, parent-

On February 18th, 2025, legendary actor Gene Hackman was found dead in his home. With a career few actors experience, Hackman was a two-time Oscar winner and was a part of over a hundred separate cinematic projects. This pairing is dedicated to the career of Gene Hackman, starting with 1986's Oscar-nominated basketball film "Hoosiers!" Directed by David Anspaugh and written by Angelo Pizzo, the film follows former college basketball coach Normal Dale (Hackman) who returns from a 12-year hiatus to take over as head basketball coach at Hickory High School in rural Indiana. Basketball is the other religion in the town of Hickory, and Dale begins with only five players, an absent superstar, and a reticent and hostile community. Slowly, over time, he earns the respect of his players, the trust of his fellow teacher Myra Fleener (Barbara Hershey), rehabilitates the town drunk Shooter (Dennis Hopper), and converts the townies to his flavor of basketball. Based on the true story of the Milan Indians of Milan, Indiana

The second film in our pairing of Scottish cinema reunites director Ken Loach and writer Paul Laverty, this time for a dramedy heist film that still has all the working-class pathos Loach is famous for! In "The Angels' Share," the story begins by showing us a series of individuals all getting sentenced to "community payback" (community service) for their particular crimes: Robbie (Paul Brannigan), Albert (Gary Maitland), Rhino (William Ruane), and Mo Jasmine Riggins). They meet when they report for their first day under supervisor Harry (John Henshaw). Robbie is about to become a father and is determined to turn his life around. After witnessing Robbie getting beaten by his partner Leonie's (Siobahn Reilly) brothers and father, Harry takes Robbie under his wing. When Robbie and Leonie's son Luke is born, Harry treats Robbie to a toast with a glass of very old and expensive whiskey, which also reveals that Robbie has a very evolved sense of smell, allowing him to detect all the subtle notes and nuances of the