Sitting Around Talking Movies

Like you, we've been inside for weeks now but somehow we're still watching movies and shows to let you know what's worth your time. We start with "Robert the Bruce" which continues the story told in "Braveheart." You liked that movie, right? But will you like this one? We also look at the Netflix series "Giri/Haji," which translates to "Duty/Shame" and is about a Japanese detective searching for his Yakuza connected brother in London. Neil talks about "Better Call Saul" and "Ozark." While Bill McCuddy talks about the new HBO movie "Bad Education" which premieres this weekend and stars Hugh Jackman and Allison Janney. Bill Bregoli looks at the Netflix comedy series "Brews Brothers." But there's so much more including the recent "One World Together" benefit show. So give us a listen!

What happens when we have too much time on our hands? We watch stuff. All kinds of stuff. Bill MCuddy gets us going with the indy movie "Never Rarely Sometimes Always" which was a big hit on the festival circuit and was expected to be a big hit in theaters and then, well. you know. So now it's available on demand and Bill lets you know if it was worth what he spent to see it. Bill Bregoli looks at the Netflix limited series "Unorthodox" about a woman's escape from a religious community. Neil Talks about the new season of "Ozark" which is also on Netflix. Plus there's "Feel Good" which stars comedian Mae Martin, the new seasons of "Babylon Berlin" and "Grand Tour." Neil talks about the new "Law & Order SVU" spinoff and a whole lot more. Got time on you hands? You could do much worse than spend it with us!

We may be staying in place and social distancing and all that but we've got another episode for you despite all that. After all, if there's a time when you want to know how to keep from being bored it's right now. So we used a little technical wizardry and got together to tell you what's worth watching and what to avoid. First up is "Emma," based on the Jane Austin novel and starring Anya Taylor-Joy in the title role. Neil tells us what he thinks of the streaming show "Hunters" starring Al Pacino and Logan Lerman and Bill Bregoli takes on the crime drama "Clover." And there's also the drug smuggling drama "ZeroZeroZero" which stars Adrea Riseborough. And as a special bonus Bill McCuddy tells you what that little blue button on your remote control is for. You can't get this anywhere else!

Sometimes real life is even stranger than the movies. So we all washed our hands and put together this podcast. We start with Bill Bregoli talking about "The Hunt." It stars Betty Gilpin of "GLOW" and Oscar winner Hilary Swank. It's a controversial film about rich people hunting poor people. Neil talks about the Netflix series "The Stranger." It follows the lives of suburban families whose secrets and lies are made public by the appearance of a stranger. Bill McCuddy talks about how Hollywood could be changed by the coronavirus outbreak and we discuss all the shows and movies that have been affected so far. It's timely stuff but we make it fun. Listen in!

Spring is in the air and it's time for some new movies. First we've got "The Way Back" which stars Ben Affleck as a HS basketball phenom who walked away from the game, forfeiting his future. Years later, when he reluctantly accepts a coaching job at his alma mater, he may get one last shot at redemption. You've probably heard about this one because Ben has been doing interviews talking about his struggles with alcoholism and how personal this role was for him. That's cool...but how is the movie? We'll let you know. Then there's "Sorry We Missed You" which is acclaimed filmmaker Ken Loach's darkly comic look at the gig economy. Plus we've got SNL bad boy Pete Davidson's attempt at movie stardom called "Big Time Adolescence." Neil talks about the new season of "Better Call Saul" and for streaming fans Bill Bregoli talks about "I'm Not Okay With This" which stars Sophia Lillis from the "It" movies. There's even more including the foe James Bond can't beat and some new DVD releases. So listen in!

What's old is new again. Sort of. There's a new "Invisible Man" movie out in theaters. This one is a more modern take and stars Elisabeth Moss. And it's from Blumhouse, the company that's bringing horror fans back to the theaters in droves. Do we see eye to eye on it? Then there's "Wendy." It's a modern "re-imagining" (movie companies love that word) of "Peter Pan." Only this time it's from Wendy's point of view, and more importantly it's by the director of "Beasts of the Southern Wild." And we move on to a movie with an original idea - "Greed." It stars British comic Steve Coogan as a not so likeable billionaire. Neil then tells us about the Broadway revival of "West Side Story" which has got singing and dancing and a gigantic TV screen. It definitely made an impression on Neil. There's also the Amazon series "Hunters," James Bond news and more. So give us a listen!

Wow have we been seeing a lot of movies, plus streaming shows and just about anything that moves. We start with "The Call of the Wild." It's based on the classic Jack London novel and stars Harrison Ford...and a CGI dog. No kidding. Movie dogs are now on unemployment lines, replaced by lines of code. PETA is happy but what about audiences? Then there's "The Night Clerk" which stars Ana de Armas, Helen Hunt, John Leguizamo and Tye Sheridan. It's about a voyeuristic hotel clerk who becomes the subject of a murder investigation. Quirky enough for you? We also look at "Downhill" which puts Will Farrell and Julia Louis-Dreyfus on a ski slope. Then Neil tells us about "Standing Up, Falling Down" which stars Billy Crystal and Ben Schwartz. And if you're hungry for streaming shows Bill McCuddy has you covered with the Netflix series "Criminal: UK" It's a cat-and-mouse drama, which focuses on the intense mental conflict between detectives and suspects. He's also seen "The Stranger" which is based on Harlan Coben's nov

It was this week's biggest event and chances are you might not have bothered to see it. No, not the New Hampshire Presidential Primary, the Academy Awards. Why do we say this? Because the TV ratings for this year's Oscars were the lowest ever! Ever! And if you didn't watch it we can't really blame you. After all, it lasted longer than "The Irishman" and had a million commercials. Not to mention categories you don't care about, boring acceptance speeches and interminable song and dance numbers. Besides, you had to be at work in the morning. So we took one for the team and watched the whole thing from weak beginning to admittedly surprising ending. Just listen to us recap the highs and lows and you'll be able to hold your own at water fountain conversations everywhere.

It's that time of year again! Time for celebs to get all gussied up, go to fancy parties and be given awards while the rest of us sit at home in our much more comfortable underwear and make fun of them. It's an interesting race this year and we've got some insider info to help you figure out how to fill out your Oscar pool ballots. Will it be the historically accurate "1917" or the historically not so accurate "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood." Or maybe the irreverent "JoJo Rabbit." There are also the actor and actress races to consider. And there are some movies to talk about too. Like "The Rhythm Section" starring Blake Lively. It's from the production company behind the James Bond movies. Could it be their next franchise? And then there's the first of probably many films inspired by the #me too movement called "The Assistant" starring Julia Garner." So grab you Oscar ballots and listen in!

Since the studios use January as their dumping ground for bad movies we turned to streaming this week and oh boy, is Neil excited about "Star Trek: Picard" which is on CBS All Access. It centers on Jean-Luc Picard (Sir Patrick Stewart) in the next chapter of his life. Is it better than the last Star Trek series on CBS All Access? We'll let you know. Then there's the second season of "Sex Education" on Netflix which Bill Bregoli binge-watched over the weekend. That's how he spends his weekends. Sad. But it's got Gillian Anderson and it's about sex. Maybe Bill has the right idea. There's also "You" on Netflix which stars Gossip Girl's Penn Badgley which is about a dangerously charming, intensely obsessive young man who goes to extreme measures to insert himself into the lives of those he is transfixed by. Creepy. There's also "Schitt's Creek" which Bill McCuddy watched and finally warmed up to. And Bill Mccuddy also reveals his guilty TV pleasure. Not creepy at all. So listen in!

We've just gotten used to writing 2020 on checks and yet the year seems to be in full swing. We've got so much to talk abut this week. There's Robert Downey, Jr. in "Dolittle" which has him talking to animals instead of people in spandex. Then there's "Like a Boss" with the formidable Rose Byrne, Tiffany Haddish and Salma Hayek. There's also "Fall from Grace" which is the latest from Tyler Perry and the romance "Portrait of a Lady on Fire" (just the title should get you intrigued). But wait, there's more. Neil has caught up on "Fleabag," Bill M has watched "Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee" and Bill B tells us about season 3 of "The Crown." Is that enough for you? If not, you should get professional help. Skip the shrink and listen to us!

Remember when you were channel surfing last Sunday night and saw an angry Englishman whose every other word was bleeped, followed by groans from the audience? That was the 77th Annual Golden Globes telecast! It's always a big draw thanks to all the celebrities who show up for the open bar and vegan food. Never mind that the flowers on stage were flown in from South America that morning via jet. This is a show put together by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, most of whose members get groped by the TSA every time they fly in and out of the US - and with good reason (just kidding). Anyway, we watched the entire 3-hour long show just to help you make sense of it all. There were lifetime achievement awards, political acceptance speeches and mumbled acceptance speeches. Not to mention some amazing cleavage. There were also some big surprises, like "1917" grabbing Best Motion Picture - Drama even though most of the TV audience hasn't even seen it yet. Does any of it portend anything for the upcoming Academy

2019 is over and between the three of us (Neil Rosen, Bill Mccuddy and Bill Bregoli) we've seen probably about 1,000 movies over the course of the year. Some of them were really memorable and some of them were not. And then there's "Cats." So we put together our lists of the best and the worst and got together to compare. Were any of them this year's superhero franchise movies? Were any of them set in space? Did any of them feature big stars yelling at each other? Did any of them have big stars in CGI cat fur? Chances are you have your own list of best and worst. How many of those were on our lists as well. It's that time of year to make resolutions so resolve to listen to us right now!

While you've been holiday shopping Neil Rosen, Bill McCuddy and Bill Bregoli have been going to movies. We're not bragging - we're doing it so you'll know what movies to see after all your holiday preparations are done. And if you're really efficient that could be right now! And what's out there? Well, unless you've been living in a cave the past year or so you know that "Star Wars: The Rise of the Jedi" has finally landed. It's the last of the "Skywalker" saga and there are all sorts of opinions about it all over the place. So who's opinion do you trust? Ours of course. Then there's "Cats," the big screen musical with an all star cast - all of whom wear nothing but CGI fur. That's right - Picture Dame Judi Dench is covered head-to-toe in hair! Now do you want to go? Then there's "Little Women" which is the umpteenth time Louisa May Alcott's novel has come to the big screen. But this time it's been directed by Greta Gerwig. Plus there's "1917." It's a WWI movie directed by Sam Mendes and it looks like it's al

Neil Rosen, Bill McCuddy and Bill Bregoli found some time during the pre-holiday madness to talk about some of the shiny new baubles the movies studios are putting in your local theater. We start with Richard Jewell - It's the controversial new film by Clint Eastwood starring Paul Walter Hauser about the security guard suspected of planting a bomb during the Olympic Games in Atlanta back in 1996. Then we have "Uncut Gems" which stars Adam Sandler in a drama about a jeweler who is also a gambling addict. There's also "Bombshell" which takes us behind the scenes at Fox News when head honcho Roger Aisles was confronted with charges of sexual harassment by his female anchors. It's got Charlize Theron, Nicole Kidman and Margot Robbie to boot! Neil talks about season 3 of "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" and Bill McCuddy tells us an interesting way critics can watch movies that has some Hollywood folks upset. It's all shiny and new so listen in!

It's Thanksgiving time again and once the table has been cleared and the kids have done the dishes it's time for some relaxation. Sure you can watch some overpaid athletes do damage to themselves and their opponents. But we've got some movies instead. First there's "Knives Out." It's a whodunnit from writer director Rian Johnson with an incredible cast including Daniel Craig, Jamie Lee Curtis, Ana De Armis, Christopher Plummer, Don Johnson (yes, THAT Don Johnson) Chris Evans and Toni Collette. It's miss Marple for our modern times but is it worth your time. Then we have "The Two Popes." It's got Jonathan Price and Anthony Hopkins and it takes place behind Vatican walls when the conservative Pope Benedict and the liberal future Pope Francis must find common ground to forge a new path for the Catholic Church. And then we take on some of the year's turkeys at the local theater. It's a main course for movie lovers so listen in!

Neil Rosen, Bill McCuddy and Bill Bregoli have crawled out of the dark screening rooms and into the light to talk to you about a whole bunch of movies just in time for your pre-Thanksgiving weekend. We start with "A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood" starring Tom Hanks as Fred Rogers who helps a cynical journalist, played by Matthew Rhys, deal with his complicated life. Then there's "Marriage Story." It's director Noah Baumbach's incisive and compassionate look at a marriage breaking up and a family staying together and it stars Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver. And Neil tells us about "Dark Waters." It stars Mark Ruffalo as a corporate defense attorney who takes on an environmental lawsuit against a chemical company that exposes a lengthy history of pollution. Oh, and Anne Hathaway is in it too. Plus Bill McCuddy talks about re-watching Michael Cimino's Vietnam drama "The Deer Hunter." Big films past and present. besides, it's too soon to defrost the turkey so listen in!

Hey, you found us! And boy are we happy you did. In this week's episode we look at "The Good Liar" which stars Ian McKellen as a con artist who dates a lonely widow played by Helen Mirren. It's directed by Bill Condon who did "Gods and Monsters" with MccKellen. Is this as good? Then we talk about "The Report" which stars Adam Driver and Annette Bening. It's about idealistic Senate staffer Daniel J. Jones, who is tasked by his boss to lead an investigation into the CIA's post 9/11 Detention and Interrogation Program, and uncovers shocking secrets. Then there's the Netflix series "Unbelievable" which stars Toni Collette and Kaitlyn Dever. Its' based on the true story of Marie, a teenager who was charged with lying about having been raped, and the two female detectives who followed the path to the truth. But wait, there's more! We also talk about The Critics Choice Documentary Awards and the possibility of a "Friends" reunion show...Listen in!

It's all about relationships this week. Sure, the first movie is called "Ford v Ferrari" but it's really about the relationship between the legendary Carroll Shelby (Matt Damon) and driver Ken Miles (Christian Bale) as they tried to bring the Ford Motor Co. a victory over Ferrari in the 1966 24 Hours of LeMans. And it's based on a true story. Then it's "The Morning Show, a streaming show about a morning TV show featuring Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon and Billy Crudup. And then there's Modern Love, yet another streaming show but this one is based on a series of NY Times articles (excited yet?) on romance and relationships. It too has a roster of big stars including Anne Hathaway, Tina Fey, Catherine Keener and Julia Garner. But are the big stars enough to make it interesting? Listen in!

Franchises have come and gone over the years but "Terminator" has been with us for decades. It's gone through some changes but now James Cameron has come back to produce along with Arnold Schwarzenegger and brought back Linda Hamilton as well. Oh and some nice youngsters too. It sounds like a nice way to revive the old cyborg drama but does it work? Then there's the historical drama "Harriet" about civil rights icon Harriet Tubman. And history gets a strange satirical twist in "Jojo Rabbit" in which Hitler befriends a small boy. Then Bill Bregoli tells us about "Zombieland: Double Tap. Oh and that's not all. We've also got "Motherless Brooklyn" featuring writer/director/actor Edward Norton. Plus Bill McCuddy has a personal remembrance of the late Hollywood prducer Robert Evans. It all goes by in a flash too. If podcasts got quotes like movies do we'd call this "Taught, Tense and Terrific!" But don't take our word for it. Listen in!