Shows
Fools Who Dream MoviesRevisiting The Art of the Critic w/ Chance Solem-PfeiferThis month, we're revisiting a classic episode of the show. Fools Who Dream's critic-at-large, Chance Solem-Pfeifer (from The Kick podcast and Willamette Week), discusses his extraordinary career reviewing films. Part 1 of our series on The Art of the Critic.
2025-11-0136 min
Fools Who Dream MoviesOscars 2024 Will Win/Should Win w/ Chance Solem-PfeiferFools Who Dream editor/founder Bennett Campbell Ferguson and critic-at-large Chance Solem-Pfeifer discuss the 2024 Oscars: Who will win, who should win, and who should have been a contender.
2025-02-251h 13
The KickIntroducing... 'The Kick'Starting next week in this feed, you'll get the first episodes of "The Kick," a new movie podcast from Chance Solem-Pfeifer. The pod will unfold in themed miniseries, the first of which is "Superior Sequels." For 6 weeks, guests will nominate and celebrate sequels they prefer to the original film. There will be games, deep questions, sequel philosophy, and equal doses of fun and obsessiveness. Let's roll.
2024-01-2702 min
The KickMuhammad Ali on Film (feat. Morgan Campbell) | Ep. 207To celebrate the 80th birthday of the eternal G.O.A.T., Chance dives deep into Muhammad Ali's cinematic legacy. Morgan Campbell of CBC Sports joins to discuss the unwavering supply of Ali documentaries and films, plus the necessity of preserving context around Ali's life and legacy as an activist athlete. Then, to finish, Chance runs down his three favorite Ali films. Happy birthday, champ.
2022-01-171h 00
KilmerKastAt First Sight w/ Chance Solem-Pfeifer & Noah Ballard (Be Reel) - Ep. 37The rom-com that's missing the com, At First Sight, gets a critical appraisal and general disapproval, as the guys from Be Reel, Chance Solem-Pfeifer & Noah Ballard, stop by to talk Val Kilmer. We also chat about the challenges of portraying disabilities on-screen, confuse Mira Sorvino and Marisa Tomei, try to figure out the mystery of Steve Levitt, and play a game that seemed like a good idea at first. But it's fun all the same!
2021-10-041h 50
The KickTom Hanks Is The Captain, Always | Ep. 168When it comes to being an on-screen mariner, Tom Hanks takes his orders from no one. To celebrate his recent birthday and the release of the new WWII submarine movie "Greyhound" (2020), Chance and Noah dive into the boat-bound roles of Hanks’ storied career. That means “Splash” (1984), “Sleepless In Seattle” (1993), “Cast Away” (2000), “Captain Phillips” (2013), and then “Greyhound.” Can the guys craft a coherent thesis as to why Hanks keeps choosing the water as his co-star? Permission to come aboard.
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To support the causes of justice and equality for our Black colleagues, friends, neighbors and fellow citizens, please consider donating to:
-The AAR Diversity Internsh...
2020-07-151h 24
The KickRob McElhenney on Evolving "It's Always Sunny" And Making "Mythic Quest" While Quarantined | Ep. 166This week, "It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia" co-creator and star Rob McElhenney talks with Chance about 14 seasons of changing yet not changing Mac, answering constant questions about his physique, and the new quarantine episode of his Apple TV+ comedy "Mythic Quest: Raven's Banquet." If that's not enough, there's George RR Martin talk and McElhenney's general advice for staying sharp and responsible as an artist.
To support the causes of justice and equality for Black Americans in these times, please consider donating to:
-The AAR Diversity Internship Initiative-- aaronline.org/page-1795315
-Don't Shoot PDX -- www.dontshootpdx.org/tag/donate/
-The Fa...
2020-06-2335 min
The Kick'Chicken Run' and Aardman's Claymation Wizardry | Ep. 165"Chicken Run" (2000) turns 20 this week, and to celebrate, Chance and Noah are looking back at the filmography of Nick Park, the chief creative voice of Aardman Animation through its heyday. To understand the origins of Park's droll but heartfelt world, we rewind to the original, Academy Award-winning "Wallace & Gromit" shorts and discuss all the hallmarks of tactility—exploding fruit, precocious critters and nightmarish “steam folk” machines—that made Aardman movies so singular. After a full-scale celebration of “Chicken Run,” we also review “Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit” (2005) and “Early Man” (2018).
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To support the causes of justice and equality for Black Americans...
2020-06-181h 13
The Kick'Da 5 Bloods' | Episode 164Spike Lee is back and streaming with his latest, “Da 5 Bloods,” an homage to Black Vietnam War vets by way of “The Treasure of the Sierra Madre.” Delroy Lindo gives the performance of his career as one of four vets who return to Vietnam to retrieve their fallen friend’s body and also the pile of gold they hid on their final tour. Chance and Noah break down the unexplored legacy of Black GIs and their diverging politics, now 50 years later, in the Trump era, as well as the hallmarks of a topflight auteur teaming with Netflix.
To support the causes of...
2020-06-1635 min
The KickHe’s Your Huckleberry: The Essential Val Kilmer | Ep. 163He’s been called the Lizard King, the Iceman, the Dark Knight, and is constantly applying for the post of your Huckleberry. Val Kilmer is one of the most fascinating and elusive screen presences of the last 40 years. In the wake of his new memoir, Noah and Chance chronicle the highlights (and a few lowlights) of a roller-coaster career. We know there are far more important issues in the world right now, but we hope you’ll come along with us, at least from "Real Genius" to "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang."
2020-06-031h 42
The KickRemembering Irrfan Khan (feat. Mallika Rao) | Ep. 161Hollywood and Bollywood both suffered an incalculable loss last month with the untimely passing of actor Irrfan Khan. Known to American audiences for his character work in "Life of Pi" and "Jurassic World", the icon in India spent 30 years embodying quiet masculinity in chameleonic performances, notably: "Paan Singh Tomar" (2012), "The Lunchbox" (2013), and "Piku" (2015). To start the show, Chance is joined by Vulture contributor Mallika Rao to discuss Khan's career and her tremendous remembrance of the actor, which you can read below.
https://www.vulture.com/2020/05/the-undefinable-something-of-irrfan-khan.html
2020-05-141h 16
The KickRecapping 'Devs', Ep. 5-8 (feat. Tochi Onyebuchi) | Ep. 158This week, Chance and Noah decipher the back half of Alex Garland's “Devs.” With the help of sci-fi writer Tochi Onyebuchi, the guys examine the exciting, loose-end-tying, head-scratching, quantum-defying final episodes of the FX on Hulu series.
Be Reel gives many thanks to this episode’s sponsors: Podcorn and California College of the Arts’ Writing MFA program.
-PODCORN: Explore sponsorship opportunities and start monetizing your podcast by signing up at podcorn.com/podcasters.
-California College of the Arts: Start your journey toward a writing MFA at CCA.edu/writingmfa.
2020-04-211h 04
The KickThe Essential Kelly Reichardt | Ep. 152Before the entire world shut down, there was an extremely good Kelly Reichardt movie ("First Cow") halfway into theaters. Now it's shelved, but our career-spanning look at the American independent stalwart continues. Known for their lived-in detail, complex female leads and incisive social commentary, Reichardt titles like "Wendy and Lucy" (2008), "Meek's Cutoff" (2010) and "Night Moves" (2013) examine the age-old cracks in the Pacific Northwest's rebellious mythology. Of course, the guys also discuss what they've been watching under quarantine and Chance shares a telling bit from his recent interview with Reichardt.
BE REEL is brought to you by California College of the...
2020-03-191h 10
The KickThe Devil In Prada Is Still The Devil (feat. Cassie Da Costa)| Ep. 148Whether their torment is played for laughs, cold shivers, or #MeToo rage, assistants get a raw deal on screen. This week, as Kitty Green’s incisive new drama “The Assistant” rolls out around the country, Chance and Noah look at the role of assistants in cinema, also revisiting “The Devil Wears Prada” (2006) and “Secretary” (2002). They're joined by Daily Beast writer Cassie Da Costa to discuss her writing on "The Assistant" and recount her own experiences with a troubling film industry internship.
2020-02-131h 19
The KickPredicting the Damn Oscars (feat. Nick White) | Ep. 147After years of cratering in Noah's office Oscar pool, we've dispensed with the official bubbling and brought in a third voice to make sense of Hollywood's biggest (and obtusest) night. "Sweet & Low" author Nick White returns to the program to predict and critique the 2020 favorites. Highlights include Noah's surprise anointing of "The Irishman" for Oscars glory, Chance's historical theories re: "1917," and Nick's fury over the J-Lo / “Hustlers” win that will never be.
Be Reel is brought to you by California College of the Arts' Writing MFA program. Learn more about their wonderful program at CCA.edu/writingmfa.
2020-01-291h 17
The KickSh*t Just Got Reel: The 'Bad Boys' Franchise | Ep. 146"Bad Boys, bad boys / whatcha gonna do / whatcha gonna do when we rate and review?" It’s 2020, and Columbia Pictures has dug deep into its intellectual property vault for a 17-year dormant Will Smith franchise with no meaningful reason to continue. Sounds like a job for Noah and Chance.
Be Reel is brought to you by California College of the Arts' Writing MFA Program. Learn more at CCA.edu/writingmfa.
2020-01-211h 12
The KickOur Best, Worst, and Wonkiest of 2019 Movies | Ep. 144With December all but gone and neither of them having seen CATS, Noah and Chance reflect on the year in film with a series of semi-original accolades. What was their favorite 2019 performance with no awards potential? What movie will be talked about differently in 2029? In the end, we give our Top 10 lists and bid the 2019 movies a fond farewell. Happy new year!
2019-12-3058 min
The KickThe Talented Mr. Ripleys | Ep. 143This week, Chance and Noah dare to ask a question posed by many conned, spurned and murdered Patricia Highsmith characters: "Who are you, Tom Ripley?" As we celebrate the 20th anniversary of Anthony Minghella’s seminal Matt Damon vehicle "The Talented Mr. Ripley," we seek out the character’s origins in the acclaimed Highsmith novels and the many resulting film adaptations. In addition to the 1999 American hit, we're watching 1977's "The American Friend" (dir. by the great Wim Wenders) and 2002's "Ripley's Game" starring John Malkovich. If you like your con artists with a side of sexual frustration and sun-soaked coas...
2019-12-261h 03
The KickThe Star Wars Saga | Ep. 142That's no moon... this week, we throw caution to the hot winds of Tatooine and discuss every in-trilogy Star Wars movie, leading up to "The Rise of Skywalker." To keep things not-10-hours-long, the Jedi Council has assigned Noah and Chance a special approach on this show: try to give one fresh(ish) observation on each installment, rate that womp rat, and move on. 8 movies, 16 takes, and 2 white guys talking about Star Wars. "I've got a bad-good feeling about this."
2019-12-101h 13
The KickThe Crime Epics of Martin Scorsese (feat. Doug Pfeifer) | Ep. 141Noah and Chance look back through the spiritual trilogy of GOODFELLAS, CASINO and THE IRISHMAN for the groundbreaking style of Martin Scorsese, the sometimes goofy repetitions of that style, and the shadow history of America created by 10 hours of mafiosos, teamsters and their middlemen. Oh, and Chance's dad—a Vegas craps dealer circa 1978—stops by for a lightning round of questions about “Casino.” THE IRISHMAN is in select theaters now and on Netflix on Nov. 27.
2019-11-261h 16
The Kick'Parasite' and the Essential Films of Bong Joon-ho | Ep. 140With “Parasite” reaching levels of film geek ubiquity, Chance and Noah took this week to look at the buzzy import and the other essential films of its director, Bong Joon-ho. Notably, it’s also a major milestone for the Be Reel guys: they once swore to never discuss “Snowpiercer” on the podcast because of the unrest it caused their friendship upon its initial release in 2013. “The Host” (2006) rounds out this trio of genre pictures that are not anything what they seem. (**Please note: if you don't want Parasite spoilers, avoid minutes 15 through 36.)
Be Reel is brought to you by California College of the...
2019-11-121h 12
The KickNazi Satires | Ep. 139Charlie Chaplin lampooning Hitler’s bombast and fragility in “The Great Dictator” (1940) marked one of comedy’s all-time “truth to power” moments. But 80 years after WWII, how best to laugh at fascists when they seldom don the brownshirt? With the release of Taika Waititi’s “Jojo Rabbit”—a would-be charming comedy about a Hitler youth whose imaginary friend is der Führer—we’re again asking ourselves why, how, and when skewered Nazis are funny. After reviewing “Jojo,” Chance and Noah duck back to “The Producers” (1967) and “Top Secret!” (1984) to examine how Nazis became a source of irony and camp in pop culture. As always—down with H
2019-10-221h 03
The KickMy Own Worst Enemy (feat. Mia Vicino) | Ep. 138As much as people say, "You're your own worst enemy!", it's never been truer than for the protagonists of "Gemini Man" (2019), "Fight Club" (1999) and "Us" (2019). Whether through movie-science cloning, mental illness or oppressive class structures (with a healthy dose of late capitalism in all three), this week, the Be Reel guys are looking at movies that pit protagonists against literal manifestations of themselves. Around the 28-minute mark, Noah and Chance are thrilled to be joined by Brad Pitt devotee and Letterboxd queen Mia Vicino to examine “Fight Club” on its 20th birthday and celebrate “The Year of Pitt.”
2019-10-151h 13
The KickSad Dadstra | Ep. 137It’s a cold, dark place we find ourselves in the space adventure genre, where the themes owe themselves more to therapy couches than astronomy. Today's trio of the new Brad Pitt-starring "Ad Astra" (2019), the challenging and disturbing "High Life" (2019), and the ever-loving "Interstellar" (2014) shuttles the weight of children and fathers into deep space. And speaking of important relationships, Noah and Chance recorded this episode together in Brooklyn! C'mon, that's gotta be enough reasons to press play.
Be Reel is brought to you by California College of the Arts' Writing MFA program. Learn more at cca.edu/writingmfa.
2019-09-251h 10
The KickBeat 'Em At Their Own Game Show | Ep. 136Nobody tells you about the bonus round after the million-dollar question—the one where we ask, "Why have we obsessed for 70 years over the TV game show in all its inherent fakeness, exploitation, and only a lottery ticket's chance of actually paying the common person their money?" This week, BE REEL is buzzing in, to reappraise "Quiz Show" on its 25th anniversary, "Slumdog Millionaire" one decade after it took home the Oscars' highest honor, and "The Running Man" because it's a very silly movie that clearly set the stage for "American Gladiators." Press play; you might win something!
Be Reel is...
2019-09-121h 02
The KickWhere'd You Go, Mom? | Ep. 134The new Cate Blanchett/Richard Linklater film "Where'd You Go, Bernadette" launches Noah and Chance into a Be Reel category about mothers who reject motherhood. All in vastly different life situations, the protagonists of "Bernadette" (2019), "Ricki and the Flash" (2015) and "Second Act" (2018) find a common bond in pursuing much more than what society (real or imagined) tells them they deserve. If that sounds too serious, Meryl Streep growls Springsteen, Jennifer Lopez hurls a man into a Christmas tree, and Cate Blanchett rips Seattle a new one. Let's go.
Be Reel is brought to you by California College of the Arts...
2019-08-211h 10
The KickAisling Franciosi on starring in Australian revenge epic 'The Nightingale'Aisling Franciosi stars in "The Nightingale," which is the summer's bravest drama or toughest watch depending whom you ask. It could be both, which is fitting of Franciosi's character, Clare, a very complicated woman out for justice against British Army officers in 1825 Australia. In this interview, Franciosi tells Chance how 'Nightingale' director Jennifer Kent would push her actors on set (and get pushed back, sometimes literally). Plus, a quick story about the day Franciosi got the call to play Lyanna Stark despite knowing nothing about "Game of Thrones."
Be Reel is part of The Playlist Podcast Network. Subscribe wherever you...
2019-08-1522 min
The KickOnce Upon A Time... In Hollywood | Ep. 132This week, Chance and Noah offer some premium content* for the Be Reel subscribers by sharing their holistic takes on the movie everyone is talking about: "Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood." It's the 9th offering from video store flunkie cum Hollywood auteur Quentin Tarantino. Part pastiche, part homage, part alternate history, this 1969 La La Land-set buddy picture stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt and Margot Robbie as movie folks battling irrelevance and the Manson Family. Spoilers abound!
*this show remains totally free, so what are we talking about
Be Reel is brought to you by California College of the Arts...
2019-08-0543 min
The KickAm I Watching Your Divorce? (feat. Lila Shapiro) | Ep. 131On a new Be Reel, we examine the ample evidence for why you shouldn't try to save your marriage with a movie. Chance and Noah check in with “Eyes Wide Shut” (1999) as the infamous Stanley Kubrick-directed interrogation of Tom Cruise and his marriage to Nicole Kidman turns 20. We also look back at the lovechild of “Liz” Taylor and “Dick” Burton, “Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” (1966) and the honeymoon-cum-couples therapy “By The Sea” (2015), which self-analyzes Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt's sinking ship of a union. New York Magazine's Lila Shapiro joins the show to discuss seeing "Eyes Wide Shut" 100 times and what it taught her a...
2019-07-231h 17
The KickJoin Our Nature Cult | Ep. 130If modern life has you down, consider a spiritual summer fling with the oracles and the lotus eaters in this week's movies. First, Noah and Chance reckon with the cruel, entrancing, maybe even hilarious horror of "Midsommar" (2019) in which a Swedish death cult plays host to the fallout of a bad relationship. Then, it's on to "Children of the Corn" (1984) and "The Wicker Man." That's the 2006 "Wicker Man" unfortunately, but Chance fills us in on what's actually good about the 1973 original. Oh, and don't ask questions about our special tea; just drink up.
Be Reel is brought to you by...
2019-07-111h 04
The KickThe Last Black Man In San Francisco (feat. Jimmie Fails) | Ep. 129Striking an unlikely balance between gentrification treatise and Great American fantasy, “The Last Black Man In San Francisco” is among 2019’s most striking debut films. This week, Chance and Noah unpack the new A24 drama and speak with its star, co-scribe, and inspiration Jimmie Fails.
Be Reel is brought to you by California College of the Arts’ Writing MFA program. Learn more at cca.edu/writingmfa.
2019-06-2640 min
The KickHigh School Seniors Shoot Their Shot | Ep. 127With college looming, there’s a certain class of high-school comedy that races the clock. This week, Chance and Noah watched “Booksmart” (2019) “Superbad” (2007) and “Can’t Hardly Wait” (1998) for a trio of movies about graduating seniors with one last chance to ace their social lives. Big questions include:
-Does the women-led “Booksmart” strike the balance between heightened comedy and teenage truth?
-Does “Superbad’ fall victim to the yuck of the 17-year-old boy?
-Why in god’s name do the protagonists of “Can’t Hardly Wait” not know each other?
-Will those jerks ever pay for turning Noah away from their party in 2006?
Be Reel is brough...
2019-05-281h 14
The KickRemembering John Singleton (feat. Tochi Onyebuchi) | Ep. 126With the untimely passing of writer/director/producer John Singleton last month, the guys take stock of his life, times and film career. From the seminal “Boyz N the Hood” to the endlessly meme-able “Poetic Justice” to the unsung epic “Rosewood,” Chance, Noah, and author Tochi Onyebuchi reflect on Singleton's role as a preeminent black filmmaker and all the beauty and ugliness wrapped up in his both timely and timeless portraits of America.
Be Reel is brought to you by California College of the Arts' Writing MFA program.
2019-05-101h 13
The KickWho Wrote This Movie, A Fan? (feat. Kathleen Newman-Bremang) | Ep. 125This week, Chance and Noah dive into the one-inch pool of movies based on fan fiction — writing that takes the characters of more popular sources and, apparently, has them do weird sex stuff. In addition to the new YA film "After" (2019), our case study includes the mega-franchise “Fifty Shades of Grey” (2015) and one-note joke of a movie “Pride & Prejudice & Zombies” (2016). Plus, Kathleen Newman-Bremang (of Refinery29)breaks down why this genre so defined by sex isn't particularly sexy.
Be Reel is brought to you by the good folks at California College of the Arts' Writing MFA Program. Learn more about CCA.edu/writin
2019-04-291h 07
The KickEmma Tammi on her plains horror film 'The Wind' | Ep. 122On an interview edition of Be Reel, Chance talks with director Emma Tammi about her new horror film "The Wind" (out now from IFC Films). They discuss how Tammi made the transition from documentary filmmaking to genre mashups, how the wind haunted real-life pioneers, and why trauma is having its day in the horror genre.
Be Reel is brought to you by the California College of the Arts' Writing MFA.
2019-04-1524 min
The KickOperation Cha-Ching | Ep. 120JC Chandor's "Triple Frontier" isn't the first movie to wonder what would happen if a few rogue soldiers tried to get rich while allegedly doing the right thing. On a new "Be Reel," Chance and Noah review Netflix's latest film and compare its themes and all-star casts to "Three Kings" (1999) and "Kelly's Heroes" (1970).
Be Reel is brought to you by California College of the Arts' Writing MFA program.
2019-03-201h 13
The KickWhen Liaisons Get Dangerous (feat. Abbey Bender) | Ep. 119The rich are monsters, and Noah and Chance are watching three movies based on the scandalous French novel "Les Liaisons Dangereuses." Don't know it? That's fine. You might know "Cruel Intentions," the now-20-year-old teen movie it inspired, as well as the 1988 Oscar contender "Dangerous Liaisons," starring Glenn Close and John Malkovich. We watched a less-known third adaptation called "Valmont" too, and we're psyched to have film critic Abbey Bender back on the program to once again discuss "teens" behaving badly in erotic thrillers.
"Be Reel" is brought to you by the California College of the Arts' Writing MFA program.
2019-03-081h 25
The KickM. Night Shyamalan's Cinematic Universe (feat. Zach Vasquez) | Ep. 115M. Night Shyamalan's "Glass" is the biggest hit of the young year, but does it make Chance and Noah wish they'd been dead the whole time? Today, we search for this heart of M. Night's unlikely super-hero trilogy, beginning with UNBREAKABLE (2000), continuing with SPLIT (2017) and culminating in GLASS. Guardian contributor Zach Vasquez joins the program!
This episode is brought to you by California College of the Arts MFA in Writing Program and Converse College MFA in Writing Program. Visit BeReelPodcast.com or ThePlaylist.net for more.
2019-01-221h 17
The Kick2018 Was a Strange Year for Comedy Movies | Ep. 113To close out 2018, Chance and Noah look back at this year's comedy offerings in what feels a bit like a slate of movies without a proper center. For today, we watched BLOCKERS to represent traditional studio fare (14:20), EIGHTH GRADE for an upstart indie (32:15), and SET IT UP for Netflix's full-on foray into rom-coms (48:00). Finally, we name our five favorite comedy performances of the year from films like GAME NIGHT, SORRY TO BOTHER YOU, and more (1:04:30).
Be Reel is part of The Playlist Podcast Network and is brought to you by Converse College MFA program and California College of the Arts...
2018-12-191h 18
The KickBonnies Wanted; Clydes Need Not Apply (feat. Ciara Wardlow) | Episode 111Have you ever found yourself out of a job? Dead criminal husband? Recently out of prison and looking for a quick payday? Well, gather up your girlfriends and rob a bank/gala/corrupt politician’s coffers! That’s the premise that links our three films today: “Widows,” “Set It Off” and “Ocean’s 8.” Aided by podcast favorite and Hollywood Reporter writer Ciara Wardlow, Chance and Noah break down the criminal exploits of these films' Bonnies loudly and proudly without Clydes. The guys discuss everything from Steve McQueen’s harrowing long takes, the surprisingly woke treatment of lesbians in a '90s action movie, and...
2018-11-281h 14
The KickThe Ballad of Buster Scruggs | Episode 110What did you stream this weekend, partner? Well, the guys on Be Reel saddled up and saw the new Coen Bros movie, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, an anthology film set upon a very Coen Bros frontier. We’ve got a singing sharp shooter, a mumbling and lucky-as-hell prospector, and a stagecoach bound for hell. Chance and Noah chat about what distinguishes a topflight Coen movie, our favorites from the film's dozens of memorable performances, and speculate why Buster Scruggs might have originally been sold as a mini-series.
2018-11-2024 min
The KickHeroes From Hell (feat. Adam Nemett) | Episode 109What connects indie comic book movie adaptations from the ‘90s and early ‘00s? Why they're all about demons, of course! Today, Chance and Noah dissect the gross, weird, often incoherent tendencies of 1994's "The Shadow", 1997's "Spawn" and 2004's "Hellboy" in a round-up of the lesser known Hollywood superheroes. Joining the guys to add superhero context is novelist Adam Nemett, whose debut WE CAN SAVE US ALL chronicles a group of Ivy League undergrads who form their own sort of Justice League to stop the threat of global warming. The three discuss Alec Baldwin's prosthetic nose and how a dagger is t...
2018-11-121h 05
The Kick'Wildlife' (feat. Paul Dano) | Episode 108When the guys heard about Paul Dano's directorial debut, "Wildlife," they both admitted to pre-judging it as good-bad: a period piece, a troubled marriage, a child bearing witness to fighting. But much like the characters on screen, the film revealed itself to be much more nuanced than they had imagined. Today, we dive deep into this quiet Richard Ford adaptation and discuss the multitudes therein: a captivating Carey Mulligan, a simmering score, and a director clearly influenced by the greats he's acted for (PTA, Rian Johnson, and others). Then, Chance gets on the phone with Paul Dano to discuss his...
2018-11-0138 min
The KickThe Horror of John Carpenter (feat. Niela Orr and Andy Crump) | Episode 107At these dark times (read: Halloween, not the burning hellscape of our democracy, come on!) we look to the “Prince of Darkness” himself for frights and insights into the state of horror. This week, Chance and Noah watch and review John Carpenter’s “Halloween,” “The Fog” and “The Thing.” We’re joined by Andy Crump and Niela Orr to unpack articles they wrote for The Hollywood Reporter and The Ringer, respectively, about the legacy of 1978’s “Halloween” as it celebrates its 40th birthday and hits theaters again in its latest sequel form. Your hosts discuss everything from how Carpenter uses space to create terror, whe...
2018-10-251h 31
The KickThe State of the YA Adaptation (feat. Krystie Yandoli) | Episode 106Forget John Hughes and Freddie Prinze, Jr.! 2018 was a watershed year for high school movies as Hollywood has turned to best-selling YA novels to inform the future of "10 Things I Hate About You" and "Sixteen Candles." In this episode, Chance and Noah apply their maybe too lofty standards to "The Hate U Give," "Love, Simon" and "To All the Boys I've Loved Before." The guys break down all the racial fairy tales, internet hate crimes and the sex appeal of Peter Kavinsky, plus we welcome BuzzFeed reporter Krystie Yandoli to give some context about the production controversies behind "The Hate...
2018-10-181h 18
The KickReeled In: 'A Star Is Born' | Episode 105In this special in-person episode recorded in a hotel room in Lincoln, Nebraska, Chance and Noah reunite to watch and review "A Star is Born." The guys discuss everything from the film's portrayal of pop music, what it means to be a songwriter, why the hell Dave Chappelle is in this movie, and how Bradley Cooper can play sweaty, drunk and sexy at the same time. While Chance believes this movie is the great Vanessa Carlton/Caleb Followill (Kings of Leon) love story that no one ever asked for, Noah has a pretty hot take on the real reason for...
2018-10-1132 min
The KickJukebox Heroes (feat. Ruthie Fierberg) | Episode 104It's not easy building a musical narrative from the pieces of one artist's catalogue. That's one thing Chance and Noah learned this week when they reviewed three jukebox musical movies: "Mamma Mia," "Rock of Ages," and "Across The Universe." In experiencing cinematic delivery systems for ABBA, The Beatles, and the worst of '80s rock, your hosts gained a little appreciation for the jukebox musical form while also struggling with some of its conventions. Luckily, Playbill editor Ruthie Fierberg stopped by to contextualize the seemingly ceaseless Broadway trend and to defend the jukebox musical idea, if not always the execution...
2018-09-281h 20
The KickTake Me To The River, Drop Me In The Water | Episode 103If you're looking for a late-summer/early-fall adventure, might we suggest NOT taking a rafting trip? Ample evidence of why rafting is a terrible idea is provided by classic river pictures "Deliverance" (1972), "The River Wild" (1994) and "Without a Paddle" (2004). Even if you have enough river savvy to navigate the white water of the Gauntlet or the burning marijuana fields of Oregon, you're definitely going to get picked off (or picked up) by the river hillbillies! Chance and Noah investigate why these movies are a genre, why they're so sympathetic to the male ego (even when Meryl Streep is the protagonist...
2018-09-171h 05
The Kick'Crazy Rich Asians' feat. Vivian Lee | Episode 102In this pseudo-mini pod (oops, it's long!) Chance and Noah watch and discuss the end of summer's biggest hit, "Crazy Rich Asians." It's the first major Hollywood movie to feature an all-Asian cast in 25 years, and your hosts are on hand to unpack its romantic comedy tropes, its visions of excess and cultural specificity, and to pick out some favorite players from this giant cast. While attempting not to get distracted by just how beautiful Henry Golding is, the guys analyze the difficult pedestal this movie is on (and the future of non-Marvel films that target new film-going demographics). Then, wri...
2018-09-1046 min
The KickSharks That Still Aren't 'Jaws' (feat. Caroline Moss) | Episode 101Ba da. Ba da. Bum bum bum bum bum. Just when you thought it was safe to go back to the movies, Hollywood (and China) releases a new shark picture—and it commands the summer box office! Chance and Noah use this as an opportunity (as if they needed a better reason) to talk Sharks that Aren’t “Jaws” one more time: this summer’s "The Meg", "Open Water" (2003) and Johannes Roberts’ "47 Meters Down” (2017).
They’re joined by author and “The Meg” enthusiast Caroline Moss to explain the simple pleasures of the summer blockbuster without deeper meaning or politics. Chance and Noah are a bit m...
2018-08-231h 13
The KickDirector Interview: Rachel Dretzin on 'Far From The Tree'In today's mini-episode, Chance talks to veteran documentarian Rachel Dretzin about her new film "Far From The Tree." They discuss her surprisingly close collaboration with bestselling author Andrew Solomon and how to be ethically curious when interviewing people with disabilities. "Far From The Tree" opens this weekend in select cities.
2018-08-1723 min
The KickMission ImPODible | Episode 100What’s more impressive: that Tom Cruise is still making Mission: Impossible movies into his 50s or that Chance and Noah recorded 100 episodes of Be Reel? Feels like a toss-up, and reviewing all six MIs is our chosen victory lap.
Inspired by the current box office hit, “Fallout”, Chance and Noah look to the Brian de Palma origins of the franchise, the John Woo growing pains, and the JJ Abrams-ification of the Cruise-produced series. Does Tom’s personal/tabloid life almost perfectly mirror the arc of his character Ethan Hunt? Does Tom have more sex appeal than Jeremy Renner and Henry Ca...
2018-08-091h 34
The KickMI: Fallout, the Bathroom Brawl, and Ilsa Gets Her Due (feat. Sheryl Oh)In this special prelude to our Mission: Impossible super show, Chance calls up Sheryl Oh. The Film School Rejects writer breaks down the character development and camera work that together make "Fallout" a new high point in the MI franchise. Then, Chance and Sheryl look backward at "Mission Impossible" and "MI2" and wonder when this series shifted genres.
Read Sheryl's "Fallout" piece here:
https://filmschoolrejects.com/how-mission-impossible-fallout-gets-immersive-action-right/
2018-08-0715 min
The KickI'm Just Drawn That Way (feat. Gus Van Sant) | Episode 99Do you ever stop and look at a New Yorker cartoon or a sardonic comic book and wonder, "Huh! I wonder what sort of deviant mind would create this"? Lucky for you, dear listener, there are at least three movies about such people--one fiction, two biopics. This week, with the release of Gus Van Sant's "Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far On Foot" (about the late John Callahan), Chance and Noah look at movies about cynical cartoonists: Harvey Pekar in "American Splendor" and fictional writing duo Holden McNeil and Banky Edwards in "Chasing Amy."
And big news! We got Gus...
2018-07-231h 15
The KickWhere The Wild Dads Are (feat. Debra Granik) | Episode 98Oh, dads! They love things like the great outdoors and mansplaining political movements. But where does one draw the line between normal dad and egomaniac, survivalist dad? Does your father rant about consumerism or the coming nuclear holocaust? Does he ship your family off to the jungle to act out a colonialist fantasy? On this episode of Be Reel, Chance and Noah look at movies about wild dads and their wild dad ways. From Harrison Ford in “Mosquito Coast” to Viggo Mortensen in “Captain Fantastic” to Ben Foster in the recently released “Leave No Trace”, the guys break down how this off-the...
2018-07-101h 13
The KickReeled In: Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom | Episode 97.5Friends of the podcast and dear listeners, welcome to the Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom mini pod! The park is gone and the characters’ basic desires have been totally rewritten, but that won’t stop Universal from releasing another unholy beast of a movie for our viewing pleasure. Come along as Chance and Noah dissect how this movie fits (or doesn’t) into the JP Universe, as well as the new sci-fi ground this film endeavors to break. Pod will find a way!
2018-06-2833 min
The KickThe Game Is On (feat. Tag Brother Joe Tombari) | Episode 97It was Ben Franklin or George Bernard Shaw or someone who said, "We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." Luckily, this also happens to be a Be Reel tailor-made genre!
On today's show, Chance and Noah review "Tag," "Game Night" and the classic "Clue" as we look at adults refusing to grow out of their childlike need to play games. As it happens, this genre is also a great referendum on both the legacy and current health of the broad comedy. When it comes to playing a crew's handsome guy, is a...
2018-06-191h 04
The KickEnterprising Americans (feat. Bart Layton) | Episode 96Boredom, boldness and a proper mark — those are the three ingredients shared by today's category of "American" criminal films. It matters not if it's New York in the '70s or a sleepy college campus in 2004; flying too close to the sun for that big score is apparently a national pastime.
We start the episode in the true crime realm with a discussion of the new film "American Animals" and the dramatization of its stranger-than-fiction premise. Chance interviews director Bart Layton to ask about connecting with the real people who tried to steal $12 million worth of rare books and the wo...
2018-06-071h 02
The KickSeemingly Unnecessary Prequels (feat. John DiLillo) | Episode 95Sequels are so 20th century; in the 21st, we supposedly want origin stories. Starting with the relative disappointment that is Disney's new "Solo: A Star Wars Story," Chance and Noah look at other more or less successful prequels: "Red Dragon" (prequel to "Silence of the Lambs") and "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" (prequel to the Harry Potter films). The guys pick apart what makes these films nominally successful or totally grating: How many links does one need to the films that came before? How much world-building must occur to have these films stand alone? And is it possible...
2018-06-011h 10
The KickStoner Odysseys (feat. Marshall Shaffer) | Episode 94A couple 4/20's ago, we spent a day on the couch with the genre of Cult Weed Movies ("How High," "Bongwater," etc.), but today our chosen stoner movies are on a mission, maybe to nowhere. In this week's episode, we unpack the wild and circuitous journeys of some unlikely high heroes. “Inherent Vice” is groovy and insane (5:00), “Dude, Where’s My Car?” is the featherweight sci-fi prequel to “The Hangover” (37:50), and “Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle” is actually more about race than weed (51:30).
With the help of Slash Film writer Marshall Shaffer (19:00) and his strong feelings about where "Inherent Vice" bel...
2018-05-241h 06
The KickThe Old Modern Family | Episode 93Here's the story, of guys watching movies, and these movies are all linked around a theme. All of them are about adaptions, of TV series, about families with a dream.
It's a podcast, where Chance made Noah, watch three TV Land movies on his own. They were weird and, without context, maybe didn't stand alone. 'Til the one day Chance and Noah were recording, and they knew it was much more than a hunch, that quality of these films would not be equal, when they reappraised the merits of The Brady Bunch.
(Also we reviewed "The Addams Family" and "The...
2018-05-1749 min
The KickSocial Media Terror (feat. Emily Sundberg) | Episode 92You don’t get to a couple hundred listeners without making a few social media observations. On this episode, Chance and Noah collect all their likes and reposts and subtweets to analyze how terrifying being online can be. Through "Ingrid Goes West" (6:15), "Unfriended" (39:55), and "The Social Network" (52:10), they look at the thin line between follower and stalker, trend and obsession, and friend and frenemy.
In the middle of it all (23:10), Instagram influencer and The Cut editor Emily Sundberg stops by to discuss the warped lenses of social media perception, what it's like to try and put her phone away, and th...
2018-05-101h 19
The KickThe American Psychos of Bret Easton Ellis | Episode 91Bret Easton Ellis is a writer, commentator and real-life character almost too easily defined by the word "problematic." The quintessentially '80s novelist who struck a cultural chord with his borderline-nihilistic tales of excess, perversion and violence has aged into a fascinating person to do a podcast about. This week, Noah and Chance drop in on the most famous three films adapted from Easton Ellis' novels: "Less Than Zero" (1987), "The Rules of Attraction" (2002), and "American Psycho" (2000). Press play for a million and one Patrick Bateman impressions, a take about why only women should be allowed to adapt BEE, and Chance...
2018-05-041h 05
The KickReeled In: 'A Quiet Place' | Episode 90.5It's this year's unexpected horror smash... but is "A Quiet Place" actually good-good? Is the cinematic ingenuity of this pseudo-indie picture enough to overcome some Cloverfield-level world-building? Chance and Noah break down the hokey premise (sound aliens), potentially pro-life politics (or lack thereof), and whether Jim from "The Office" could be a believable father even without a beard in this mini appraisal of John Krasinski's third directorial effort.
2018-04-3016 min
The KickBeauty and the Creep (feat. Abbey Bender) | Episode 90Since early fairy tales, the wolf and red riding hood have done battle towards grandmother’s house. Of course in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, this predator/prey relationship continues in our cinema—usually ending in murder. On this week’s episode, we look at cult classic "Wild Things," and two recent additions to this genre of teen girls plotting against skeezy older men, "Thoroughbreds" and "Flower." As we unpack these femme Lolitas, there’s sex, horse murder and Adam Scott’s weirdly charged bowling lessons. Plus, film critic Abbey Bender celebrates the 20th anniversary of "Wild Things" with Chanc...
2018-04-091h 13
The KickLa Femme Espionage | Episode 88There's nothing more compelling than an unlikely spy — especially a good femme fatale out of her depth! Noah and Chance gather their best intelligence (read: listening to Marc Maron's podcast) and are fully authorized to debrief you on Jennifer Lawrence in "Red Sparrow," Angelina Jolie in "Salt" and Melissa McCarthy in "Spy."
We talk star power, agency in female-led action movies and why Paul Feig might need to reassess the way he spoofs genres. Much the way Chance recently hoisted razor clams out of the unforgiving Washington coastline, the guys dig at why audiences love some spy movies and pass on...
2018-03-201h 01
The KickOur Research Mission Is Still Not What It Seems (feat. Ciara Wardlow) | Episode 87Are you a top scientist gearing up to investigate an unexplainable phenomenon at a great distance from home? We warned you in one of our very early episodes to be careful. The rule still applies as Chance and Noah dissect Alex Garland’s sophomore film "Annihilation," Netflix’s Super Bowl Hail Mary “The Cloverfield Paradox,” and Paul W.S. Anderson’s cult classic “Event Horizon” in this deep dive into sci-fi horror.
Aided by the insights of film critic and biology student Ciara Wardlow, the findings of Be Reel’s research mission feature a bizarre Sam Neill performance, a few surprising thoug...
2018-03-061h 14
The KickChance Helps Noah 'Win' His Office Oscars Pool | Episode 86.5It’s that time again, movie-lovers! The Oscars — aka the Yom Kippur of cinema — are upon us again. It's five hours of network television so the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences can remember its 2017 highs (and lows) and take its own political temperature.
This year, our preview takes the form of Chance chiming in while Noah fills out his office's Oscar ballot. They talk dark horses and snubs while returning to the eternal Oscar pool question: "Do you wanna pick good movies, or do you wanna win?"
2018-03-0123 min
The KickAlan Moore Cannot Abide This Podcast (feat. Scott Meslow & Jake Dilley) | Episode 86Alan Moore is inarguably among the best regarded comic writers of all time, but he’s also a mystery wrapped in an enigma. This week, Chance and Noah break down three comic-to-film adaptations in search of the man behind "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen," "V for Vendetta" and "Watchmen." The guys are joined by Jake Dilley (24:10) of St. Louis' Comic HQ store to give a bit of context on Alan Moore and how comic enthusiasts view these adaptations. Then, GQ’s Scott Meslow (48:35) returns to Be Reel to discuss the American political allegory on display in the otherwise very British "V fo...
2018-02-231h 23
The KickReeled In: "Black Panther" | Episode 85.5Because there aren't enough opinions out there about Ryan Coogler's "Black Panther," broken white boys Chance and Noah unpack the political read and narrative construction of this Marvel blockbuster. Is Wakanda a utopia or an acknowledgement of violence's place in society? Is globalism a responsibility or a danger for a tech- and resource-rich country? Unclear! But what is clear is that both guys have a real affection for Michael B. Jordan. Noah can't get over the ancestral plane, and Chance's only point of CGI reference is the Star Wars prequels.
2018-02-2017 min
The KickDo You Believe In Winter Olympic Miracles?! Affirmative. | Episode 85Let the flags wave, the trumpets sound, and the Pink Eye medication take effect quickly! Chance and Noah are here to represent their podcast at the Winter Olympics of movies past. After some initial thoughts on the 2018 games, your hosts get into Miracle (2004), Cool Runnings (1993), and Eddie The Eagle (2016). They're all movies inspired by true underdog stories with the sap, grandstanding, and training montages you'd expect when it's ... [pauses for effect] ... inside what counts. From hockey to bobsledding to ski jumping, we break down all the sports movie cliches and discuss how you can still make an enjoyable film out...
2018-02-1659 min
The KickI Wanna Dance With Somebody (feat. Meryl Cates) | Episode 84It takes two to tango, and Chance and Noah try not to step on each other’s feet in this week’s episode of Be Reel. Your hosts unpack the romances, trials and tropes of dance movie classics and upstarts alike with “Dirty Dancing,” “Save the Last Dance” and “Step Up,” questioning why these movies were made, if boppin’ around in your seat is a litmus test for quality, and why your mom (plus one of your hosts) is obsessed with Patrick Swayze.
Meryl Cates, who's written about dance for The New Yorker and works as a publicist for The Met, edifies us on...
2018-02-121h 15
The KickPop & Doc: It's My Story (feat. Obligatory Mention of the Fans) | Episode 82Chance and Noah do a podcast, and you're going to hear us ROAR! On this week's episode, we take on pop musicians by unpacking their self-produced documentaries. In Demi Lovato's "Simply Complicated," the guys are torn about objectivity and ulterior motives. In Justin Bieber's "Never Say Never," Chance and Noah spar over whether Bieber is a talented performer or a symptom of parasitic celebrity culture. Finally, in Katy Perry's "Part of Me," Chance would maybe grab a beer with this surprising acolyte of Alanis Morissette, while Noah can't get over how terrible a husband Russell Brand was. If this genre...
2018-01-261h 00
The KickAt the End of the Day-Lewis | Episode 81Once every five (or so) years, Academy Award-winning actor Daniel Day-Lewis takes to the screen to embody a powerful masculine figure. On the heels of his announcement that this month's "Phantom Thread" will be his final picture, Chance and Noah look back at career touchstones of an actor with the chiseled features of piece of coinage. From this year's Reynolds Woodcock to Bill "The Butcher" Cutting ("Gangs of New York") to Nathaniel "Hawkeye" Poe ("The Last of the Mohicans"), Day-Lewis always swings for the fences. But how will be his legacy be remembered, and how watchable are these prestige pictures?
...
2018-01-1158 min
The KickReeled In: "It" | Episode 70.5In this week's mini-episode, Noah and Chance review and rate the new, smash-hit adaptation of Stephen King's "It." While Noah is almost finished with King's dictionary-sized 1986 novel, Chance came completely cold to this story about an evil force terrorizing small-town kids in the form of a killer clown.
While Noah fills Chance in on the issues director Andrés Muschietti's adaptation doesn't touch from the original novel, your hosts also grapple with how to judge horror movies with their rating system. Is it pleasurable to watch Pennywise the Dancing Clown torment the adolescent outcasts who call themselves The Losers' Club? Let's div...
2017-09-1925 min
The KickSaving Privates Not Named Ryan (feat. Joe Kozal) | Episode 67With the film world abuzz about "Dunkirk" this week, we paired the new war epic from Christopher Nolan with two other military rescue films: "Behind Enemy Lines" and "Black Hawk Down." After Noah shares the story of his transcendental evening with Phish, we dig into "Dunkirk" and argue over whether Nolan's manipulation of time is a gag or a successful bit of orchestration. At 25 minutes, we're joined by Nolan superfan and friend of the pod Joe Kozal, who lays down a "Proposal" about where the auteur is at in his prestigious career.
We parachute "Behind Enemy Lines" at 37 minutes, wondering...
2017-07-271h 09
The KickThe Alien Franchise: Part Two (feat. Jaime Prater & Ryan Zeid) | Episode 63Ramp up the violence and turn down the storytelling; it's Part Two of our Alien franchise reappraisal! This week, we pick up with "Alien 3" and analyze why it's so fit for reclamation from fans and cinephiles alike. At the 24-minute mark, Chance is joined by the hosts of the Alien universe podcast "Perfect Organism." Jaime Prater and Ryan Zeid discuss why the narrative hardship of "Alien 3" appeals to them and why the cutesy self-awareness of "Alien: Resurrection" certainly does not. At 44 minutes, your hosts jump back into "Resurrection" and consider whether creative gore is enough to merit a "bad-good" rating...
2017-06-161h 11
The KickThe Alien Franchise: Part One (feat. Kevin Lincoln & Josephine Livingstone) | Episode 62The Alien franchise’s five-decade journey has crossed genres, intersected the careers of preeminent filmmakers and wavered wildly from classic to culty to catastrophic. With the recent release of the disturbing and philosophical “Alien: Covenant,” we set out to reappraise all the chest-bursting and face-hugging in Part One of our franchise retrospective:
2:02 - Noah and Chance give some franchise background, and Noah wonders why “Covenant” is two movies.
14:15 - Vulture’s Kevin Lincoln joins the show to discuss what contemporary franchises can learn from the villainous android David.
29:10 - Chance stands up for the headiness of “Covenant” and Noah makes a superb “Frasie...
2017-05-311h 21
The KickThe Real Rockys (feat. Philippe Falardeau) | Episode 61A statue of Rocky Balboa looms over most people’s visions of boxing and boxing films alike, but that hasn’t stopped contemporary filmmakers from mining the gritty world of professional pugilism for its comeback stories and unlikely heroes. On this week’s show, we watched three such films, starting with "Chuck," the new biographical film about Chuck Wepner, the club fighter who largely inspired the Rocky story when he lasted 15 rounds with Muhammad Ali in 1975.
"Chuck" director Philippe Falardeau guests on the program, talking with Chance about Wepner’s rare comedic and charming persona in the world of boxing and what...
2017-05-121h 02
The KickCult Weed Movies (feat. Jay Horton) | Episode 60In the wake of 4/20, Chance and Noah try to fan away the smoke around the genre of stoner movies. They start with 1998’s HALF BAKED, which is to say, they start out frustrated.
Then, Chance’s city doesn't need a special day to celebrate marijuana, but it has been 20 years since Portland produced the forgotten ‘90s slacker film BONGWATER. Chance met up with writer Jay Horton to discuss his Willamette Week feature on the cult film that wasn't (which stars Luke Wilson, Brittany Murphy, and Jack Black, among others). Around the 23-minute mark, hear Jay describe incinerating decrepit houses for movies...
2017-04-261h 05
The KickSpike & Denzel Joints (feat. David Sterritt and Todd McGowan) | Episode 57Spike Lee turning 60 this week gives us ample reason to reflect on the pioneering American filmmaker. With the help of two guest scholars, Chance and Noah revisit three of the writer-director's collaborations with Denzel Washington.
5:00 - Chance interviews veteran critic and author David Sterritt to set the table for discussing Spike Lee's legacy and status as an American icon.
20:00 - Your hosts review 1990's MO BETTER BLUES, which features a fresher-than-fresh Denzel Washington making and destroying his life with jazz.
33:55 - We move to 1998's HE GOT GAME to discuss a movie starring NBA legend Ray Allen and which is "...
2017-03-231h 15
The KickClassic Lit Goes To High School (feat. JoAnna Novak)| Episode 56Where in the present day can you find the stakes of high society match-making or puritanical persecution? Try high school. This week, we're discussing high school comedies that find their roots in canonical English literature.
Chance starts the show in conversation with novelist JoAnna Novak, whose forthcoming book I MUST HAVE YOU explores the voices of '90s teenagers and briefly riffs on CLUELESS. At 25:40, Noah and Chance weigh in on how CLUELESS manages to be both of its time and quite aware of that fact. At 37:30, your hosts review 10 THINGS I HATE ABOUT YOU, arguing the merits of Julia...
2017-03-101h 11
The KickNoah & Chance Watch Some Porno | Episode 47From Chance's couch in Portland, your trusty hosts exchanged many looks (but mostly held it together) through three movies about the adult film industry. We begin with the new film KING COBRA, a depiction of rival production teams in the 2000s gay porn business. It's very James Franco. At 17:45, we move on to the porn movie monolith, BOOGIE NIGHTS, except we don't agree on just how great the saga of Dirk Diggler is. At 31:45, we wrap up with ZACK AND MIRI MAKE A PORNO, asking whether Kevin Smith had lost his best self by the time of this unsteady spoof...
2016-11-2145 min
The KickReeled In: "Arrival" | Episode 46.5This week, Noah and Chance saw the artful new alien invasion film "Arrival." Directed by Denis Villeneuve, it stars Amy Adams and Jeremy Renner as scientists charged with discovering shell-shaped spacecrafts' purpose on Earth. That familiar premise led Noah and Chance to argue whether "Arrival" is a relative of movies we've seen before or something more meditative with stranger designs. Spoilers are broached in the back half of the show; plus, is this a comforting picture of human potential in the wake of the presidential election?
Find all episodes at bereelguys.com.
2016-11-1521 min
The KickOne Day Romances (feat. April Wolfe) | Episode 42A love so great it spawned a movie and this podcast episode. Thanks, Obamas. We lead off our discussion of romance movies set during a single day with the new film "Southside With You." First, Chance speaks with LA Weekly's lead film critic April Wolfe about the movie's ambitious premise, odd diction and political bubble.
At 27 minutes, Noah and Chance move to "Before Sunrise," discussing what makes Richard Linklater so sneaky great and whether you have to believe love exists to put up with Ethan Hawke's performance. At the 37-minute mark, they conclude with "A Single Man" and whether Tom...
2016-09-1253 min
The KickWas That Our Exit? (feat. Saul Austerlitz) | Episode 38Toss the kids in the back and chart a winding course to a kitschy destination — we're at the wheel of three American road trip comedies this week. Pit stops include a deep psychological analysis of Clark Griswold, a theory on how you market indie pop and questions about whether Netflix is making the new cable movie.
Chance begins the episode in conversation with writer Saul Austerlitz. They discuss his book, "Another Fine Mess" (a history of American comedy film), as well as the 1941 road trip classic "Sullivan's Travels." At 15 minutes, Noah and Chance transition to "National Lampoon's Vacation." At 26:30, they giv...
2016-07-2049 min
The KickDadPod (feat. Doug Pfeifer and Rod Ballard) | Episode 36The moms took their turn; yesterday the dads were on deck. Noah and Chance called "Big Rod" and "Digdoug" to discuss a pair of movies about early 20th century sporting. (It's worth noting that the dads chose movies independent of each other.)
First, Chance called his father to discuss 2005's Cinderella Man, listening to classic fights on the radio, and remembering Great Depression anecdotes passed down through the family. At 27:15, we transition to Rod Ballard's selection, Chariots of Fire. There's talk of post-WWI anxiety, Antisemitism meeting classism, and Olympic running. Ya know, dad stuff all around.
2016-06-2052 min
The KickShane Black Buddy Banter (feat. Josh Stephenson and Spiel) | Episode 34We may not always see eye to eye, but dammit, we're partners. This week, Noah and Chance take on three examples of Shane Black's buddy cop movies, 1987's Lethal Weapon, 2005's Kiss Kiss Bang Bang and the new Gosling/Crowe team-up, The Nice Guys. Noah is away from New York this week recording from a Summersville, West Virginia radio station with his lifelong pal Alex "Spiel" Wiederspiel.
But first, Chance starts the show in conversation with director, actor and very busy film and TV crew member Josh Stephenson. Stephenson recently had his Shane Black trope-highlighting supercut featured on The AV Club.
...
2016-06-0155 min
The KickSuperstore Servitude (feat. Casey Welsch) | Episode 33Pop on your vest or polo and try not to lose your mind as we head inside the fluorescent maze of movies set in big box stores. This week, Chance and Noah are joined by an old colleague to discuss the experience of working in a haven of "sad commerce." Former Walmart baker and current editor/radio host Casey Welsch starts the show with some personal insights. Then at 11:20, Chance and Noah talk the odd, inward plot weave of 2002's "One Hour Photo." At 29:30, it's onto "Employee of the Month" (2006), which stars Dane Cook and cannot be good. Then they...
2016-05-1756 min
The KickMomPod (feat. Nancy Ballard and Kathleen Solem) | Episode 32In the spirit of this past weekend, Noah and Chance called their moms to discuss a favorite film from each. We begin from a dining room in Lawrenceville, New Jersey with a discussion of 1985's "Out of Africa," a sweeping romance about a Danish baroness (Meryl Streep) making her life in Kenya. At 27:50, they transition to 2001's "The Royal Tenenbaums," a movie the Solem-Pfeifer house bonded over for its lying, lovable patriarch and visual detail. Thanks for listening. And thanks for showing us movies, Moms.
2016-05-0953 min
The KickReeled In: "Batman Vs. Superman" | Episode 29.5Noah and Chance were held up by sickness and travel in their plans for a steel-jaw-meets-iron-glove fight over Batman Vs. Superman. But they still squabble a bit. Noah calls from a parked car in Los Angeles to explain what he finds entertaining about the much-maligned superhero showdown. Chance is largely incredulous.
2016-04-0512 min
The KickOne Foot In Toon Town (feat. Nigel Miguel) | Episode 29In the late '80s and throughout the 1990s, Hollywood conceived a new wave of animation, cross-branding and films for children. They looked half-animated and half-live action, with entries like "Who Framed Roger Rabbit?", "Space Jam" and "The Pagemaster." On this week's episode, Noah and Chance revisit that trio and that era in filmmaking to assess the industry's artistic and business intentions and how well these cartoon hybrids hold up today.
But first, Chance calls Nigel Miguel, the basketball technical advisor to "Space Jam," to talk about the movie turning 20, the roadblocks to a potential sequel and Miguel's work in...
2016-03-2458 min
The KickFight Crime Through Time (feat. Justin Taylor) | Episode 28For as long as humanity has dreamt of traveling through time, it's also dreamt of time manipulation as a means of preventing terrorism, apprehending warlords in future dystopias and stopping your younger self from killing your older self. But don't take our word for it! This week, we watched a trio of "Fight Crime Through Time" movies, including Demolition Man (1993), Looper (2012) and Deja Vu (2006).
This episode's special guest is Justin Taylor, an acclaimed author and a Demolition Man fan from way back. He's the writer of Flings, The Gospel of Anarchy and Everything Here Is The Best Thing Ever. Follow Justin o...
2016-03-101h 06
The KickCoen Kidnappings | Episode 27Noah and Chance discuss the Coen Brothers' three kidnapping movies: the wild-eyed "Raising Arizona," the neo-classic black comedy "Fargo" and the new Hollywood tribute spectacle "Hail, Caesar!"
Zooming out, Noah wonders about the brothers' precarious place in contemporary film and Chance speculates about their one-of-a-kind storytelling priorities and areas of narrative neglect.
5:30 - "Hail, Caesar!" Review
16:00 - "Fargo" Review
30:30 - "Raising Arizona" Review
2016-02-2245 min
The KickDoes That Make Me Crazy? (feat. Sarah Barrett) | Episode 26On this week's episode, Chance and Noah tell you about everything but their childhoods. But a little personal disclosure is appropriate as they discuss three movies about therapists and their patients. Plus, Chance invites a counseling graduate student (to whom he's also a live-in boyfriend) onto the show to talk about the accuracy and responsibility-of-representation sides of "A Dangerous Method" (2011), "Girl, Interrupted" (1999) and "Analyze This" (1999). Via drama and comedy, these titles portray psychotherapy from its birth to its cultural growing pains to its absolute exhaustion in the wrong hands. Enjoy, and don't forget to tell us how this episode makes...
2016-02-0957 min
The KickOne Last Attempt at Family (or "The Hangover Pod") | Episode 24Noah and Chance were reunited over the holidays when they spent a few very head-achy days in a dim and borrowed living room. Back together in their Nebraska college town, they rang in 2016 watching three movies (all covered in the 2015 "Trailer Pod," by the way) about trying to reconcile with family before it's too late. Did Liam Neeson save his son from hitmen in "Run All Night"? Did the sellout pop star Danny Collins strut and clown his way into his estranged family's life? Does "Mississippi Grind" even really fit this category? Did Noah and Chance ever leave Nebraska? Questions...
2016-01-1353 min
The KickThe Lonely Planet | Episode 18Humanity's laws and best interests be damned, let's go to space and see what happens when one person (but maybe robot) is stranded on a planet (but maybe moon.) Noah and Chance watched the biggest movie in the world, "The Martian," and parlayed that into a discussion of 2009's "Moon" and 2008's "Wall-E." Episode highlights include: a surprise visitor, Noah accusing Chance of being "a rube," and a discussion of Chance's written guide to Ridley Scott's later years.
7:30 - The Martian
29:30 - Moon
50:15 - Wall-e
Good-Good = High quality, high watchability (e.g. The Departed)
Good-Bad = High quality, low watchability (e...
2015-10-201h 04
The KickAn Innocent Man | Episode 11In this episode, Noah and Chance watched a trio of thrillers about falsely accused murderers.
First, a long and confusing conversation about the long and confusing 2014 film adaptation of "Gone Girl." Then, a celebration of 1993's "The Fugitive" and Harrison Ford's mid-late-career desperation turn. Finally, a review of a regular basic cable customer, 1998's "The Negotiator." They all didn't kill ... somebody!
Follow and reach Noah and Chance at @bereelguys on Twitter and at bereelguys@gmail.com.
2015-08-031h 00
The KickJurassic Park Sequels | Episode 8This episode is certain to drive kids out of their minds! Chance and Noah attempt to patent, package and slap their opinions on a proverbial lunch box by breaking down the watchability of the Jurassic Park sequels--including "Jurassic World." And the results are as carnage-filled as The San Diego Incident.
Don't miss Chance's defensiveness when his child-like wonder is threatened or the boys' rant about how Bryce Dallas Howard gets shamed for being a woman with a serious job in this podcast 65 million years in the making!
2015-06-221h 12
The KickThere's Some Crying In Baseball | Episode 7As the baseball season heats up, Chance and Noah step up to the plate to discuss three films that explore the often-alienating nature of America's pastime: "Million Dollar Arm," "A League of Their Own" and "The Natural."
Don't miss Noah rambling on about the importance of chastity in the American hero myth, Chance's monologue about drunk-watching the beloved children's film "Angels in the Outfield" and a lightning round of "Fair or Foul" reviews for other baseball films.
2015-06-1554 min