Movie Show Theater: The Podcast

This week we celebrate the lost art of the bad movie, because The Disaster Artist was released today, which chronicles the making of the best GOOD bad movie of all time, The Room. So we thought, what makes a GOOD bad movie, and what makes a BAD bad movie, and what's the difference? We each brought to the table an example of a BAD bad movie, including The Island of Dr. Moreau (1996), Howard The Duck (1986), Kate & Leopold (2001), and Bleeders (1997). We call up an old friend to weigh in on the matter, we take on some BAD bad trivia, and reminisce on the glory days of the video store, all in an attempt to rediscover the splendor, the joy, The Art of the Bad Movie.

Hiya Georgie! I know we haven't talked in a while, but it's good to see you again! Stephen King aficionado Norm Burns and Chicago cinematographer Sarah Giroux stopped by to help with our past due It episode. So why are we just now talking about It a month after its release? Well because this episode is so unbelievably full of spoilers, I thought I'd give everyone ample time to see the new It installment before we reveal the ever loving shit out of it. That said, we all really liked It, big surprise! What might be a surprise is how the director was more concerned with staying true to the novel than the 1990's mini-series. What may also be surprising is the weird (and appropriate) trivia I found. Andy Muschietti masterfully directed despite having only directed one other feature length film (fascinating story behind that one, too). So come play with us, won't you? I mean, you won't float, but uh, you'll have a pretty good time. Thanks for supporting Movie Show Theater!

So we know you know this movie, but just how well do remember it? This year marks the 40th anniversary of Close Encounters of the Third Kind, so we decided to take another look at this true masterpiece of film. ? I'm joined by directors Corey Gilbert and Joey Fandel to help find some answers to some questions we still have 40 years later. Why did the aliens want to come here in the first place? How did this movie originally end? And if this is the Third Kind, what are the first two kinds and how many kinds are there? Don't worry, let's take this trip together! And hey! Thanks for supporting our podcast adventures!

The first Spike Lee joint we've done and probably his most memorable. Producer and director (and Peoria native) Corey Gilbert of P3 Mediaworks, a Chicago based video production company. We're also joined by writer and actor Sam ball. This movie is so many things. Do The Right Thing is fun, bright, poignant, powerful, dark, relevant, dramatic, and profoundly enjoyable to watch. This is a film begging to be picked apart, so.. you know, we did. We also touch on some works of other modern visionaries including Darren Aronofsky and Quentin Tarantino, but.. mostly Spike Lee. On the surface we get a fun, but dramatic look into the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn on the hottest day of 1989. Below the surface, we see prejudice vs. racism, building tension, inner conflict, and tested moralities. It is streaming on HBO GO, and we all think you go revisit the tale. We had a blast and we're excited to share this with you! Thanks for supporting Movie Show Theater!

To celebrate the middle of summer, we landed on a piece of true summer nostalgia (at least it is for me. And it takes 5 of us sitting around with microphones to explain just how bad this movie was. And is. Unless you've seen it, then you already know. Is it so bad it's funny? Is it just bad? Is it even funny? And did sentient cocaine direct this trash classic? No, but it might as well have been. The accents, the fashion, and the whole thing about Bernie being dead.. Man, I tell ya, this movie has a lot to give. We got 80's trivia for you, things you didn't know, and things you didn't know you needed to know. Mike Feldhaus, Sam Ball, Norm Burns, and Joey Fandel helped me out with this one. Here it is, Weekend At Bernie's from beautiful 1989. Thanks for supporting this little thing we do.

It only took this podcast 3 years to finally arrive in Fargo, North Dakota, but I'm so glad we did. Friend and fellow filmmaker Joey Fandel joined me this week to help pick apart this beloved tale of murder, betrayal, and goofy accents. There's so much going on under the surface of Fargo, we barely touched on the music, the gorgeous visual aesthetic, the washed out color palettes, the TV spin-off, behind the scenes stories, and the original concept, but we did our best, OK? We also talk Wonder Woman (yes, again), we share the rated R movies that scarred us as children, a rude phone call interruption from Sam Ball, a fantastically appropriate song break, and a great deal more. This is (almost) my favorite Coen Brothers film and I'm really excited to talk about it as you'll notice by my tone of voice. Thanks for listening and thanks for supporting Movie Show Theater!

In a world overtaken by superhero movies, help us remember the one that started it all! This movie is something else! I'm telling ya, it holds up (pretty much)! Joining me today are Earth's 2 biggest TMNT fans to help me extrapolate what works (or doesn't work) and what helps this weird classic stand the test of time. We got trivia, we recall references we for sure never got as children, and reveal the fact that Daredevil and the turtles came from the same car accident. This movie had serious themes masked behind humor, and touches on universally accepted themes without being too preachy. This film trusted kids to fill in the gaps and understand the story on their own. This was an empowering experience as a child! And the soundtrack.. ARE YOU KIDDING ME WITH THIS?! It had MC Hammer, Ya Kid K, Spunkadelic, and so much more! This movie is a wonderful time capsule of 90's fashion, pop culture, vernacular, and we stand behind it! So let us tell you why! Thanks for supporting Movie Show Theater!

What can I say about Twilight Zone: The Movie that hasn't been said throughout its 36 years in existence? There's tragic controversy, hilarious performances, terrifying practical effects, stunning lighting schemes, emotional camera movement, not to mention whatever we didn't catch. But we caught a lot, and we are ready to talk about it. Sam and Joey play the weirdest trivia game I have come up with yet. And before this episode is over, we'll each share our favorite original Zone episode. Also, Sam explains the propaganda bullshit that is Popeye. Thanks for supporting Movie Show Theater!

Revisiting Alien 3 in preparation for Alien: Covenant, and it's way better than we remember it! In looking at how Sigourney Weaver's character helped to create and fuel this franchise, we are left with the question, Is Ripley the strongest female role in Science Fiction history? We also have a few more questions for an extended trivia segment. Norm Burns and Joey Fandel join us on this journey of trivia and look at all five previous Alien installments. One thing is for sure, Danny McBride will likely suffer a horrific & violent death. Thanks for supporting Movie Show Theater!

A 'classic' episode and Stu's pick, we decided to pick apart this underrated film from 2010, directed by Tom Hooper. This story is loosely based on the struggles King George VI went through as he took a throne he did not initially want. This is a pretty great showcase of acting ability, and Colin Firth shines! A fine British drama at its best, The King's Speech tells a compelling story and successfully grabs you by the emotional balls and never lets go! Thanks for listening and thanks for supporting us! This is Movie Show Theater.

We're back with a brand new episode, and I have Chicago resident and director Joey Fandel and Chicago resident and actor Norm Burns with me tonight to nerd out on It Follows. On the surface it's an effective and stylish horror, but there's a lot more going on with this film. We run through some scenarios on how we would handle "It" as well as look at the role this crazy thing has on the evolution of the American horror movie. We examine some recent remakes and reboots and prequels and sequels and try to figure out why they just won't stop! All of that and more in store for tonight's show! Thanks for listening and thanks for supporting Movie Show Theater!

Here's a slight throwback episode. Now although I'm not a huge war movie fan, this film set the standard for boot camp schanenigans. (spelling?)It started the career of Vince D'Onofrio and Matthew Modine, while also giving us a great soundtrack to one of the confusing wars in human history. We get all the classic Kubrick conventions, but we all found things this time around we had never noticed before. If it's a been more than 5 years since you've seen it, perhaps it's time to revisit. Thanks for supporting us and enjoy our geeky talk!

Well it's ladies night here at Movie Show Theater because our guest, Sam Ball (actor and writer), chose You've Got Mail from 1998. Join us as we discuss cybersex, America Online, Steve Zahn, and more forgotten relics from the 90's (was that mean?) We also felt to the need for some 90's reminiscing, as well as some 90's trivia. You've Got Mail was a charming Nora Ephron film with Tom Hanks as a .. kind of manipulative sociopath.. so to speak. The second time this story has been remade, we found some noteworthy moments this time around. You've Got Mail serves as our vessel into looking at the evolution of the romantic comedy, and why movies like this just can't exist anymore. Thanks for listening and thanks for supporting us!

Oh my God, it's Flight of the Navigator! Sam Ball joined me to revisit this classic hoping it stands the test of time. And... it for sure holds up! The story was, dare I say, ahead of its time, and there is so much content purely designed for adults. Pee-Wee Herman (Paul Reubens credited as Paul Mall) voices MAX, the only slightly creepy robot alien from the planet Phaelon. Sam and I watched this together, and we both agree that this piece of 80's nostalgia is like peering into a wholesome time capsule of cheesy goodness, but we're about to look a lot deeper and explore some things we totally missed as ten year old nerds. Join us and step back into a time when we all had a little more imagination. This is Movie Show Theater! And hey, thanks!

So this movie is too substantial to watch and walk away from, so here we are. This is my first podcast from Chicago, and my last one before things get really interesting. This movie rings loudly with symbolic forces that can blow a mind. The director of Gravity, Y Tu Mama Tambien, and Harry Potter & The Prisoner of Azkaban comes a brutally ultra realistic look into one possible future. Thanks for listening to us!

This week I watched Jon Favreau's Jungle Book reboot and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, so here is a mini episode about both. Before the internet craps on the new Star Wars movie, I wanted to speak my peace, in a spoiler free sort of way. Thanks for listening and supporting Movie Show Theater!

I'm happy to report that The Guest was not universally appreciated among the crew. The Guest is everything and nothing you've ever seen. I was afraid this might be the case, because The Guest does not fit into a traditional genre. This was written and directed by the same two dudes that brought us You're Next (which I also loved). I believe this was intended to be taken as a parody or satire of action, thriller, and horror all throw into one disjointed looking movie, lead by an INTENSELY 80's style synthesizer soundtrack. Ben & Stu strongly disagreed with my take-away. They both thought Wingard missed his mark. If you haven't seen The Guest, it's on Netflix and it's A LOT of fun. Speaking of fun, we also serve up some trivia with a new game. Thanks for listening to Movie Show Theater!

Can't quite accept that Halloween 2016 is over? We have you covered! That's why we put this episode up today and not yesterday! We did it for you and NOT because there was a sound issue on the track I didn't know about until this afternoon. Anyway, Ben is bringing home the fun along with Dakota Kuhlman of Exit Reality Entertainment & Zack Worrent of B List Bastard. We talk about the classic blue zombies from Dawn of the Dead (1978) and the significance his original trilogy had on film & society. There's a lot we covered, including the last horror movie we watched & our top 3 (current) favorites of all time. Thanks for supporting us as always, and... Happy Halloween... again!

This is most fun I've had in quite some time. I invited some friends over to help me with our Halloween Episode. Zack Worrent hosts the webseries B List Bastards, as well as Geeks & A Phone podcast. Dakota Kuhlman is a fellow filmmaker and horror enthusiast. We looked at so many films tonight, I don't even know where to start. We agree, we disagree, we revel in horror movies! Check it out, and I promise you'll walk away with a few great movies to add to your Netflix queue! Thanks for supporting Movie Show Theater!

This is one of the most influential films I've ever freaking seen! The whole 'band of normal people teaming up to fight the greater cause' started with Seven Samurai. It is George Lucas' favorite film, and ranks as the 20th greatest film ever made (according to Entertainment Weekly). It is 3.5 hours long, I won't lie, but it is a very worthy endeavor. From its conception to editing to cinematography, this film is historically and socially significant. We brought in a fellow filmmaker to help us with this one. We also have some trivia, and random movie chat, as usual. Thanks for supporting Movie Show Theater!