Movie Show Theater: The Podcast

Starship Troopers is probably a little misunderstood. Directed by the same guy who brought us Total Recall AND Robocop, so... that being said, I believe this film was intended to be cheesy and VERY over the top. They weren't trying to sell us a convincing story here. This is a pure popcorn flick. On the same token, there are obvious nods to our own government and military, and maybe Paul Verhoeven was making a comment on the current state of affairs in 1997. The screenplay is based on a science fiction novel from 1959 written by Robert Heinlein. His story was much darker and much more of a social and political commentary, but this film is merely eye candy. Perhaps a little TOO over the top at times, but as I mentioned, I think that was the idea. So, ladies, you may want to sit this one out, because the future is grim and full of boobs and unisex showering. Thanks for listening!

Tommy is a much better soundtrack than it is a movie, I'll start there. It wasn't "bad", but it wasn't exactly "good" either. I don't mind musicals, in fact, I quite like them. Tommy is a weird one, though. Just ask your dad, he probably used to break up his weed on the vinyl soundtrack for this film. The choreography isn't all that impressive, and the story is just, uh.. lacking? I don't know. I don't smoke pot, but I probably should have for this one. I got nothing else. I can say, though, that our episode on Tommy is probably more fun than the actual movie, so.. there's that. If you liked it, great. If not, I understand. Thanks for listening!

Darren Aronofsky currently has six feature films under his belt, yet is one of most brilliant and talented directors of our generation. He is fearless with what he presents on screen, and he has personal attachment to everything he puts his creative hands on. The Fountain fell under the radar for a lot of people, but it really is quite a good story. I think a lot of people also went in to this movie thinking it was something it was not. It is a love story, yes, but not in the traditional linear direction most love story dramas take. That is part of why I appreciate Aronofsky so much. There is a memorable scene where Hugh Jackman's character is moving through space and time, and the effects are pretty impressive. The effect was achieved by filming microscopic chemical reactions with a macro cine lens, and projecting it onto an enormous screen. Little things like that make Aronofsky stand out as a storyteller and as a director. This might not be your cup of tea, but maybe try it anyway. You might like it. If no

This is the feature film debut for director Dan Gilroy. He is normally a writer, but he took a chance in the director's seat. This movie was great! Like really great, one of my favorites of 2014. Gyllenhaal turned out an incredible performance as a selfish, yet extremely likable master of manipulation. This was an original screenplay, but based off the real occupation of renegade photo journalists (often called nightcrawlers, get it?!), mostly found in big cities. The story I thought was pretty engaging. Gyllenhaal plays an extremely talented liar with not much of a conscience. He finds the job that he born to do. The overall tone of the film is pretty dark and gritty, but gorgeously photographed by Director of Photography Robert Elswit. James Newton Howard did the score, and it was a very different sound than what we're used to hearing from his work with M. Night Shyamalan. The visual aesthetics are pretty highly stylized, yet reminiscent of the grindhouse films of the 70's and 80's. Stu really didn't care m

So...tonight was a bit awkward. First off, I LOVE The Blair Witch Project. I saw it in the theater in 1999, and it terrified me. The whole idea of less is more when it comes to revealing horror movie antagonists has never been more accurate than with The Blair Witch Project. If you got bored or tired of the shaky camera, then this movie was not for you and that's OK. As I re-watched this a few days ago, I remembered how effective it was when it was first released. Especially when compared to the last ten years with the creation of the 'found footage' genre, really originating from The Blair Witch Project. That being said, Stu and Ben HATED it. Listen to how desperately I try to sell them the movie, and they hand it right back. They bring up some solid points, and we all hugged it out at the end. Don't tell Ben or Stu, but I love arguing over movies. Especially movies I feel so passionately about. Anywho, here is our episode on The Blair Witch Project. Enjoy and thanks for listening!

Hard Candy caused a bit of confusion among the troops. Although we all enjoyed it for the most part, I feel like we're left with a few questions. If you haven't watched this movie yet, perhaps I've said too much already. This is a pretty effective thriller that's best enjoyed going in blindly. Don't IMDB it and don't watch the trailer. It's absolutely worth a watch and I hope you enjoy it (as well as some over stylized camera work.... ok ok I'm done) Twists and turns abound is all I'm saying. Thanks for listening!!

This is the first feature film from Australian director Jennifer Kent. There's a lot beneath the surface with this one. We all mostly agreed on this one. You might not like the child actor they went with, but he is supposed to be a little irritating. There's not much more I can say if you haven't watched it yet. If you HAVE, please proceed. And thanks for listening to Movie Show Theater!

Where do we even begin with Jaws? This film invented the summer blockbuster, and still serves as the standard on which all other summer blockbusters are judged. This beaming example of true film is actually rated PG, which is hilarious. How can it be so PG and so violent? Because 1970's and because there is no open mouthed kissing, that's why. There was no PG-13, and there is absolutely no sexual innuendo. The movie is based on the novel by Peter Benchley, in which Brody's lovable wife, Ellen Brody, has an affair with Hooper. Can you imagine the course that would have set this movie on? I'm trying hard to squeeze in a few nautical puns, but that's the best I have. So... Jaws. If you haven't seen it recently and it's currently summer where you are, you should most certainly revisit this film. Maybe the magic will hold up, but the shark probably won't. That is ok, because we only see him like 5 times. The shark (5 sharks actually) was constantly malfunctioning on set, so Spielberg was forced to cut a lot of Bru

Stu chose Miyazaki's Spirited Away, as it is one of top 5 favorite movies of all time. Ben nor I had ever seen it, and I'm really glad I did. I should be quick to point out that this film is NOT anime, but japanese animation. Anime fans are hardcore about this distinction, and I get it. So this film is absolutely gorgeous. It's a variation of Alice In Wonderland, at least that's what I inferred. It is animated, but gets pretty dark at times. The music compliments the imagery in perfect harmony. There is not a large amount of dialogue in this, but you don't notice as Miyazaki gives our eyes and mind a full time job just taking in this beautiful world he has created. Stu loves it and he's going to tell you. He's going to tell you quite a few times. Check it out and thanks for listening to Movie Show Theater!

Stu took the night off while Ben and I tackled one of the oldest movies in our catalog, Enter The Dragon. This is a really interesting movie. Bruce Lee was only in 5 major studio films in the Americas, and we thought this one was his best. John Saxon is about as old school cool as it gets. The film's opening theme does a great job of mixing instruments popular in oriental culture, but keeping it fresh and funky and staying true to the 70's grindhouse/ blaxploitation feel. The choreography stands the test of time, as it is pretty obvious our lead actors are doing their own stunts. If you look closely, you can spot a young Jackie Chan almost break Lee's nose. Don't worry, though, he's fine. Well, actually he's dead, but not from that. Anyway, if you've never seen this movie, you really should. We definitely deem this classic culturally relevant. It's pretty badass, too! Check it out, and thanks for supporting our podcast!

So... this movie is still fucking awesome, in case you were wondering. Alien had been released 7 years before and a sequel wasn't really necessary, nor was anyone expecting one. Alien was Ridley Scott's 2nd feature length film, and put him on the map. BUT James Cameron gave us a sequel anyway, and blew us away completely (or at Ben, Stu, and I). He took the franchise to a completely different place, and we should all thank him for that. This is tossed around as one of the few sequels in history that out performs its predecessor, and I believe it does. Anyway, it was released more than 30 years ago, and the special effects honestly hold up. It is still just as terrifying and badass as it was when I was 13. Maybe it's time you revisit this masterpiece, as well. Thanks for supporting our podcast!

We've all seen, but can you believe this movie came out more than 17 years ago!? Does it still hold up? We ... actually didn't think so. Chuck Palahniuk's books often make for poor film adaptations for a number of reasons. A lot of elements from this particular novel just did not translate well on screen. But we all loved it when it came out, because it was original, weird, violent, and Brad Pitt is hot. Although David Fincher is one of top 5 (maybe 3) favorite directors out there, this is not a favorite of mine. Check out how we lovingly tear it down. Thanks for listening to Movie Show Theater!

I chose Death Proof, as I find it to be one of Tarantino's strongest and most underrated films in his catalog. He has called it his least favorite film he's directed, which I strongly disagree with. He has a heavy heart for practical effects and all things analog, and this film serves as his love letter to the shows and films of yesteryear. Vanishing Point and The Rifleman and Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry. Often interpreted as "boring" or "uneventful", I think it's full of things to appreciate. Most of all I love the soundtrack, as Tarantino has become famous for. Anyway, Stu and Ben hated it and so we argued about it. Check it out and judge for yourselves! Thanks for listening!

This episode was pulled from the vault and originally recorded days after horror master Wes Craven passed away. Although silly and cornball at parts, this film really did change the rules of the horror genre. Not only silly, but many scenes are true blue comedy, and were never meant to be taken seriously. Love it or hate it, you can probably recognize the standard it set for decades of horror movies to follow. Thanks for supporting us!

We got the cure to your 4th of July hangover right here! Let's go way back to 1996, where seeing was believing. Let's all relive the glory of Independence Day! Does it hold up 20 years later? Ben and I have watched it and can tell you the conclusions we've reached. We'll also probably talk about the Ghostbusters reboot, Tooken 3 (Taken 3), and who knows what else. Take a listen won't you? Thanks for supporting Movie Show Theater

We landed on a classic tonight with The Sting. Everyone knows OF The Sting, but how long has it been since you actually sat sat down and watched it? It's probably been too long, because there's some things about The Sting that just don't hold up. I will say that the Newman/ Redford chemistry is truly undeniable, and makes for a worthwhile investment of 129 minutes of your time. I also believe that this episode is a worthwhile investment of 59 minutes of your time. Enjoy and thanks for listening to Movie Show Theater!

We tend to do a lot of horror movies, huh? Well , here's another one. This is a very small labor of love edited, written, produced, and directed by ONE GUY! Tonight we bring you a truly hipster indie Netflix gem called They Look Like People. It is a slow burn of a film that makes you think rather than cringe. The suspense, however, is very intense. I really liked it. Give it a try and tell me what you think. Join us for Movie Show Theater! And thanks!