Two Geeks And A Git Classic Movie Reviews

Episode 25 continues our look at non-traditional films in the Western genra with arguably one of the best revisionist-western films made to date - 1992's "Unforgiven!" Directed by, and starring, Clint Eastwood, and co-starring Morgan Freeman, Gene Hackman, Richard Harris, Jaimz Woolvett, Soul Rubinek, Frances Fisher, and Anna Levine, this story takes us long after the "good old days" for gunslinger William Munny, who gets persuaded to return to his desperado lifestyle to avenge the attack on a prostitute by two cowboys. Between the righteousness of the hunt and the reward money for killing the two culprits, this story follows an anti-hero on a quest, demonstrates the simple nature of regret, and shines a light on the difference between the vigorous sureness of youth and the bitter wisdom of age. This is an example of filmmaking at its finest, and comes very close to being the perfect movie! Plus, at the end, Buddy, Chad, and Jeff talk about their picks for episodes 26 and 27, otherwise known as the Christmas

Episode 24 is our first return to a genre. We're going back to Westerns, but instead of celebrating the traditions of westerns, we're instead celebrating the films that took the Western genre in new and unexpected directions. This week, it's Sergio Leone's neo-realist masterpiece "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly" from 1966. Directed by Leone, co-written with Luciano Vincenzoni, and starring Lee Van Cleef, Eli Wallach, and Clint Eastwood, this is a film that delivers storytelling on several different levels simultaneously! Whether it's the beautiful Ennio Morricone score, the incredible cinematography by Tonino Delli Colli, or the performances turned in by these amazing actors, this is a film that, rightfully so, it held as an example of how to make a nigh-unto perfect movie!

Episode 23 is a look at two of Pixar's best films (in our humble opinions), and 2008's "Wall-E" is one of their strongest films in practically every single way. Not only is it a stunning visual experience, not only does it possess a score beautiful enough to make a grown man weep, not only is it a tale of innocence and true love, but it's a legitimate science fiction film as well, worthy to be held up with movies like 2001, Blade Runner, Alien, and other sci-fi classics! Directed by Andrew Stanton, and written by Stanton, Pete Docter, and Jim Reardon, this film has the distinction of having the fewest spoken lines of any Pixar film! The lines it does have are voiced by Ben Burtt, Elissa KNight, Jeff Garlin, Fred Willard (in the film's only "actual footage" clips), John Ratzenberger, Kathy Najimy, Sigourney Weaver, and an actual Macintosh voice program called "MacInTalk!" Plus, the trio reveal that they're going back to a genre they've covered for the next two episodes, but with a twist!

In Episode 22, we're looking at the Pixar catalogue and, believe us, figuring out what films to review was our nost contentious argument to date! But, we settled on two that we think capture Pixar at its best. Part 1 is all about the first film from Pixar, the movie that took the world by storm, the original "Toy Story" from 1995! Directed by John Lasseter, and written by LaSseter and a plethora of other writers (including fan-favorite Joss Whedon), this film features the voice-acting of Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Don Rickles, Jim Varney, Wallace Shawn, John Ratzenberger, Annie Potts, Laurie Metcalf, R. Lee Ermey, and Penn Jilette!

The second half our our look at parodies comes full circle with Episode 21 and our look at Blaxploitation films in episode 11 with 2002's "Undercover Brother!" Directed by Malcolm D. Lee (cousin to Spike Lee), and written by John Ridley (who wrote the acclaimed "12 Years a Slave"), the film stars Eddie Griffin, Chris Kattan, Denise Richards, Aunjanue Ellis, Dave Chappelle, Chi McBride, Neil Patric Harris, Gary Anthony Williams, and Billy Dee Williams! It's a farce, a romp, that's not afraid to laugh at itself along with the audience, nor poke at some racial stereotypes and beliefs throughout, while, in the end, giving us a really entertaining film! And finally, the trio reveal what two Pixar films they're reviewing for episodes 22 and 23 as "representative" of the company that has brought us so much feeling and laughter over the last two decades and more!

Episode 20 is all about parody, specifically films that parody an entire genre, and the suave international spy genre is our first target! Buddy, Chad, and Jeff review 1997's "Austin Powers-International Man of Mystery," directed by Jay Roach, written by and starring Mike Mysers! This film also stars Elizabeth Hurley, Michael York, Mimi Rogers, Robert Wagner, Seth Green, Fabiana Udenio, Mindy Sterling, and Will Ferrell in probably the best send-up of the James Bond films to be made yet!

Part two of our look at Blaxploitation moves toward the end of that period for 1974's "Coffy." A true part of the genre, this independent film from American International Pictures stars Pam Grier in the titular role, with supporting performances from Booker Bradshaw, Robert DoQui, Sid Haig, and Allan Arbus! Combining the best elements from Blaxploitation as well as the feminist movement of the mid-70s, this film is all about revenge and justice. And, of course, at the end of the episode, the Geeks and the GIT talk about genre parodies and which two films they'll be reviewing for their next pairing!

In honor of Luke Cage, episode 11 is all about the Blaxploitation films of the 70s. We're starting with one of the best, and a rarity at that - a blaxploitation film produced by a major studio! It's 1971's "Shaft" starring the incredible Richard Roundtree. Directed by the amazing Gordon Parks, with iconic music by Isaac Hayes, this was the beginning of a genre that sought to exploit, but resulted in a lifting up of an entire culture!

In the second part of their "Atomic Future Warning" episode, the filmic trio of Geeks Buddy and Jeff, along with Geek-In-Training Chad, run and hide their way through 1984's nightmarish science-fiction epic "The Terminator." Written (partially) and directed by Hollywood legend James Cameron, and starring Michael Biehn and Linda Hamilton, this movie is most remembered as the breakout role for a young Arnold Schwarzenegger, before anyone really knew who he was. It's also a deeply scary film, featuring an adversary that it is next to impossible to stop, and destroying it is the only way to survive! At the end of the episode, the Geeks and GIT discuss how the new "Luke Cage" series on Netflix has influenced their choices for episodes 18 and 19!

This episode, Buddy, Chad, and Jeff look at the first of two "Atomic Future Warning" movies, by watching the original 1968 "Planet of the Apes!" Charleton Heston in one of his least-overacted roles, along with Roddy McDowell, Kim Hunter, Maurice Evans, and Linda Harrison. This film was directed by Franklin J. Schaffner, and written by none other than Rod Serling (from "The Twilight Zone" and "Night Gallery"), based on a novel by Pierre Boulle (who also wrote "Bridge On the River Kwai")! It's a great sci-fi story, full of ethical questions that were contemporary in the late 60s and, strangely, are still issues we're grappling with today! Plus, with an amazing score by the one and only Jerry Goldsmith and award-winning make-up effects, this is the very essence of "an oldy but a goody!"

In the second part of our tribute to actor and writer Gene Wilder, who passed away on August 26th, 2016, at the age of 83, Buddy, Jeff, and Chad look at his first big success as both a comedic actor and a writer with 1974's Young Frankenstein! Starring Gene Wilder, Madeline Kahn, Marty Feldman, Terry Garr, and Peter Boyle, with a cameo from Gene Hackman, this deliberately black-and white film pays tribute to the original three Frankenstein movies of the 1930s while also adeptly parodying the genre in a way not seen since! It's a masterpiece of imagining the Frankenstein scenario in the modern age, but replete with elements from the original films, including on-set equipment that was used in 1931 when the original Universal film was made! And finally, the filmic trio reveal the theme of the next pairing!

We recently lost a true genius as both a comic and serious actor, as well as an amazing writer. Gene Wilder passed away on August 26th, 2016, at the age of 83. Fortunately for us all, he left behind an absolutely amazing body of work, including the western parody film that all other western parody films since have been compared to (and found lacking against), 1974's Blazing Saddles, starring Cleavon Little, Harvey Korman, Mel Brooks, Slim Pickens, Madeline Kahn, Alex Karras, David Huddleston, and John Hillerman. Although not the first choice for the role, it became a defining one for him and for audiences everywhere! Jeff, Buddy, and Chad explore his career, his life, and the role that introduced his comic talents to the world!

Our first international film, we head to Japan for the world-wide phenomenon, 1998's Ringu (Ring). This film is an example of what modern horror can (and should) be, with a gripping story, amazing performances, and a twist ending the Shyamalan only wishes he could still pull off! Directed by Hideo Nakata, based on a novel by Koji Suzuki, and starring Nanako Matsushima, Niki Nakatani, Yuko Takeuchi, Hitomi Sato, and Yoichi Numata, this is a different kind of ghost story, one that casts a new light on why ghosts do what they do, and what outcomes the ghost most desires. Sometimes, it isn't what you think. When you watch the film, make sure you watch the subtitled version, so you don't miss out on the actor's vocal performances! This film is currently available on Amazon Prime. And don't miss the preview of episodes 14 and 15, a tribute to a great actor lost too soon!

Film geeks Jeff and Buddy force geek-in-training Chad to watch horror films, picked by horror afficianado Jeff, and he's going back 35 years for this one: 1981's Ghost Story. Directed by John Irvin, based on a novel by Peter Straub, and starring Fred Astaire, Melvyn Douglas, Douglas Fairbanks Jr., John Houseman, Craig Wasson, Patricia Neal, and Alice Krige, this is, as Buddy describes, partially a "dark old house" film, but at the same time it's also a supernatural revenge story. No gore, just suspense and a few truly noteworthy make-up effects, this is a great film to watch on a dark winter's eve, but be sure you're watching it with someone else! This film is currently evailable online at Amazon Prime.

Get busy living or get busy dying. Great words from this week's film, 1994's The Shawshank Redemption! Jeff, Buddy, and Chad discuss the origin of the film (spoiler alert: another Stephen King novella) and why this film ranks among Hollywood's best in terms of direction, cinematography, writing, and acting! With Frank Darabont at the helm, lead talent like Tim Robbins, Morgan Freeman, and phenomenal supporting actors like Bob Gunton, William Sadler, Clancy Brown, and James Whitmore, it would be really difficult to screw this one up... and they didn't! This film is available for streaming on Amazon Prime. Finally, they head into the realms of horror and let Jeff (the horror film expert) pick the two films to be viewed next for the next pairing!

Clearly the inspiration for NetFlix's blockbuster hit "Stranger Things," in this episode, Jeff, Buddy, and Chad talk about what has become the seminal coming-of-age film about young men, 1986's Stand By Me, directed by Rob Reiner and starring Wil Wheaton, River Phoenix, Corey Feldman, Jerry O'Connel, Kiefer Sutherland, John Cusack, and Richard Dreyfuss as The Writer. Nowhere else can you find this many stand-out performances by actors of this age, and with a script adapted from a Stephen King novella, what you have is a timeless classic! This film is currently evailable online at Amazon Prime.

In this episode, Buddy, Jeff, and Chad review Chad's favorite film of all times, 2000's High Fidelity, starring John Cusack, Iben Hjejle, Todd Louiso, and Jack Black, with appearances by Lisa Bonet, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Joan Cusack, Lili Taylor, and Tim Robbins. The trio talk favorite characters, favorite scenes, and how this is an example of how you are supposed to edit a film, as well as how well an adaptation this particular film is. This film is available for streaming on Amazon Prime. And they reveal what two films are up to bat for episodes 10 and 11!

This week the terrible trio of film reviewers, Jeff, Buddy, and Chad, dive into workplace comedies set in one specific location - a record store! They talk 1995's Empire Records, starring Anthony LaPaglia, Maxwell Caulfield, Debi Mazar, Rory Cochrane, and early performances from Ethan Embry, Robin Tunney, Renee Zellweger, and Live Tyler! Plus the inside scoop on the making of the film and the hard time it had finding its audience! This film is currently evailable online at Amazone Prime.

This week, Buddy, Jeff, and Chad review the movie that started the 2nd major western cycle in film, the 1985 homage to all that makes a western a western: Silverado. Directed and co-written by Lawrence Kasdan and a score by Bruce Broughton, this film features a list of stars that no one could afford to put in the same movie nowadays: Kevin Kline, Scott Glenn, Kevin Costner, Danny Glover, John Cleese, Rosanna Arquette, Brian Dennehy, Linda Hunt, Jeff Goldblum, Lynn Whitfield, Jeff Fahey (in his first film role), and Earl Hindman of "Home Improvement" fame! The film is currently available online on Amazon Prime. And finally, the trio discuss working in a music store, as they unveil their picks for workplace comedies for the next two episodes!

Buddy (a Film Geek), Jeff (also a Film Geek), and Chad (a Film Geek-In-Training) decided that it was high time they paid attention to one of the most American film genres of them all: The western. The first film (of two) for Episode 5 is 1960's "The Magnificent Seven," adapted from Akira Kurosawa's "Seven Samurai," and starring some of the best talent from the 1960s, Yul Brynner, Eli Wallach, Steve McQueen, Charles Bronson, Robert Vaughn, and James Coburn! The film is currently available online on Amazon Prime.