Shows
Impact PricingThe Future of Pricing: How AI Changes Everything Except the Pricer with Matt KnaggsMatt Knaggs, Senior Business Value Lead at Zilliant, brings a decade of pricing insight shaped by an unexpected leap from industrial safety into commercial excellence. Known for blending analytics, AI, and practical sales enablement, he now helps B2B companies make smarter, more confident pricing decisions by pairing data science with human judgment. In this episode, Matt and Mark dive straight into the real-world intersection of pricing and AI, where deterministic models still set prices, GenAI fills in missing context, and messy CRM data finally becomes usable. Matt shares how he built a custom GPT...
2025-11-1733 min
Another Bottle DownMatt Crafton, Legacy and Creativity at Ch MontelenaOn today's episode, Mark chats with Matt Crafton, head winemaker at the historic Chateau Montelena in Napa Valley. Matt is the fifth winemaker at Montelena and has been at the helm since 2014 overseeing all aspects of winemaking, vineyard management, communication, and strategy. Matt and Mark delve into the history of this historic estate as well as the vineyards that go into the core Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon. The conversation weaves in elements of the Napa Valley terroir, creativity in winemaking, and various challenges that face the industry in today's wine-loving world. Pertinent links: Matt Crafton's Bio...
2025-06-0741 min
Matt Marney PodcastEpisode 114: Nutrition for Fat Loss, Health, the Weight Loss Drug Ozempic, and Much More – Interview with Mark DohertyMark Doherty has been a coach for 30 years and now runs a successful online coaching business. Mark has worked with every population, ranging from elite bodybuilders to people taking their first steps towards better health. Mark understands training, but his real expertise lies in nutrition. In this episode, Matt and Mark discuss:Pros and cons of getting in the best shape of your lifeHow to navigate this process safelyWhat real food is and why it's so important for our healthThe latest weight loss drug OzempicWhy everyone is using constant glucose monitors and the potential downsides to this...
2024-05-291h 05
LA Rams Up! A Los Angeles Rams PodcastRams Up Straight Up Game Picks; Week 4 Picks with Matt and MarkMatt and Mark get together for the Rams Up Straight Up Week 4 Picks. We also have some last minute Rams news and notes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2023-10-0131 min
The Boostly PodcastBehind The Host with Matt CaissieWelcome to Boostly Podcast Episode 467. In this podcast I'm going to be talking with Matt Cassie from Airbnb Uncovered, but we're going to be putting an interesting twist on this episode where we do a dual interview. I am going to interview Matt, then we'll switch it up and he's going to interview me.
Want to gain trust from your customers? Check out www.boostly.co.uk/trust
00:00 - Introduction
01:24 - Who is Matt Cassie?
05:27 - What is Matts biggest roadblock in his business?
10:07 - Matts cleaning advice for multiple units
13:28 - What key tools does Matt use everyday in hi...
2022-07-2946 min
Finding Your SummitEP 255 Matt Warren: Singer / Songwriter with multiple hits had to go through rehab to find his greatness.Matt Warren: Singer / Songwriter with multiple hits had to go through rehab to find his greatness.Everybody's Mark Pattison, I'm back again with another great episode of finding your summit, all about people overcoming adversity and finding their way. Can't wait to jump into today's guest, who certainly fits that bill. But before we do, I want to direct your attention to my website, www dot mark pattison nfl dot com, and I've got my film Emmy Award Winning Best Picture searching for the summit. You can check it out there. It directs you over to NFL three sixty...
2022-07-2238 min
Inspire GreatnessHow to Lead a High-Performance Culture in the New Normal - Mark SanbornIn this episode we talked with author Mark Sanborn and discussed the top 7 most important things that a leader needs to do to lead a high-performance culture in the new normal.Mark is president of Sanborn & Associates, Inc., an idea studio dedicated to developing leaders in business and in life. Mark is also a world-class keynote speaker and author of the bestselling book, The Fred Factor which has sold over 2 million copies worldwide. His latest book is Th...
2022-02-2134 min
The Mister Productivity PodcastInsights on Productivity - Matt EastMatt East is an expert on productivity and high performance. His books, podcasts, and coaching teach how to plan your day so you can spend more time on the projects, activities, and relationships that are most important and meaningful to you. Matt is the author of The Purposeful Planning Method: How to Plan Your Day, Beat Procrastination, and Regain Control of Your Time. Matt and Mark share their thoughts on planning, priorities, watching TV, how they handle bad days, morning routines, stress and productivity, and so much more! His website Click h...
2020-09-1042 minThe Mister Productivity PodcastInsights to Live By - Matt ZinmanMatt Zinman is a difference-maker devoted to personally enrich the lives of at least 100 million people by 2025. His new book, “Z-isms: Insights to Live By” is based on his experiences as an entrepreneur, athlete, single parent, caregiver, and nonprofit founder. Matt is also the host of "Insights to Live By," a podcast that invites guests to share their own pearls of wisdom. He is also CEO of The Internship Institute, which he established in 2007 to "Make Experience Matter." Matt and Mark discuss energy management, believing in oneself, goals, mental health, internships and productivity, and creating space. Hi...
2020-08-1835 min
The Cult of Matt and Mark Archive01174 2001: A Space Odyssey
Mopping up the Kubrik, Matt and Mark finally get around to reviewing the flawed masterpiece 2001: A Space Odyssey. A film broken up into four vignettes, we go about reviewing it as such. Despite all the big themes of human evolution and questions of mankind's existential crisis in the universe, what 2001 gets right is humanity's relationship with the tools it has created, and how we are now at the whims of those tools, good, bad, and indifferent. So open up the pod bay doors and set the controls for the heart of the sun (cue Pink Floyd... now!).
Download: 174 2001 A S...
2020-04-2500 minThe Cult of Matt and Mark Archive01173 Somewhere In Time
Matt and Mark attempt to break out of our cult film review comfort zone this week and review the 1980 sci-fi fantasy romance Somewhere In Time. Trying to go gynocentric, we fail at finding the appeal of this film as it would pertain to the ladies. Centered around a somewhat charmless 36 hour romance more typical of bodice-ripper fair, it becomes an exercise in forced gravitas, leaving the viewer little investment in its time-crossed lovers' tragedy.
Download: 173 Somewhere In Time
2020-04-2500 minThe Cult of Matt and Mark Archive01171 Tim and Eric's Billion Dollar Movie
Matt and Mark's Summer of Funny concludes this week with our review of Tim and Eric's Billion Dollar Movie. T&C's brand of humor isn't for everyone, but if you can handle its mix of stupidity and darkness, there's genuine comedy to be had. While Ebert's write-off of the movie is understandable (0.5 stars), dopey overweight white guys with a healthy disdain for corporate propaganda (no one we know of course) should enjoy this movie more than your average joe film critic.
Download: 171 Tim and Eric's Billion Dollar Movie
2020-04-2500 minThe Cult of Matt and Mark Archive01170 Up In Smoke
Our penultimate film for the Summer of Funny, this week Matt and Mark review the cult stoner classic Up In Smoke by comedy duo Cheech (Marin) and Tommy (Chong). While stoner humor tends to be one note (or one toke), C&C deliver a nice combo of outrageous characters stirred up with a nice mix of comic timing and physical humor. So head down to your local weed shop (unless you live outside the spliff utopias of Colorado and Washington State), kush out, and take a low ride into the bakey funny.
Download: 170 Up In Smoke
2020-04-2500 minThe Cult of Matt and Mark Archive01The Wicker Man (Recorded in 2012)
It's time for your appointment with The Wicker Man! This week we review the 1973 cult classic by Robin Hardy. Rated as one of the top ten British films of all time, The Wicker Man defies film making convention, skirting the line between horror and thriller, while making a comment on religion and its relationship to modern society. While paid nothing for his work, Christopher Lee stars as Lord Summerisle in this breakout role that would eventually lead him to later fame in the Lord of the Rings and the Star Wars prequels. Besides a little sacrificial unpleasantness, both Matt and...
2020-04-2500 minThe Cult of Matt and Mark Archive01169 Caddyshack
Odd... no picture of Michael O'Keefe on the poster? Yep, that's correct. All by design. While originally scripted to follow the trials and tribulations of Danny Noonan and the caddies, the five hours of film quickly got whittled down to give the four major comedy players more screen time (Knight, Dangerfield, Murray, Chase). Matt and Mark continue with the "Summer of Funny" by review the one-and-only Caddyshack. If there was a sequel, let us all forget...
Download: 169 Caddyshack
2020-04-2500 minThe Cult of Matt and Mark Archive01165 Airplane!
Matt and Mark's "Summer of Funny" rolls on with the 1980 corn-ball classic Airplane! A farcical send up of the 1957 film Zero Hour, Airplane! rolls out its gag like a prop-comic act spinning the figurative into the literal for comedic hilarity. Does it hold up today? More or less, despite the Hari Krishnas at the airport (is that even a thing anymore?) and the strange notion of serving complimentary dinners aboard domestic flights.
Download: 165 Airplane!
2020-04-2500 minThe Cult of Matt and Mark Archive01163 Zoolander
An Ebert one-star movie, Matt and Mark come across probably one of the famous film critic's worst reviews of all time. Conflating Zoolander's "insensitivity" to the events of 9/11 is probably one of the greatest stretches since the Olympic pole vault record was broken. Regardless, derived from Ben Stiller's hilarious "Ben Stiller Show", Zoolander deftly ties all its sketches in with a fairly consistent and well written story line. So grab a hose of 87 Octane and let the fun begin!
Download: 163 Zoolander
2020-04-2500 minThe Cult of Matt and Mark Archive01161 Monty Python and the Holy Grail
"Not dead yet!!" This week we review the quintessential Monty Python classic Monty Python and the Holy Grail. As opposed to the typical quotes and rehash of scenes, Matt and Mark attempt to rate the top bits from this sketch comedy classic and arrive at the same number one. Can you, dear listener, guess which one? Comedies are always a challenge to review, but unlike Sir Robin, we do not run away!
Download: 161 Monty Python and the Holy Grail
2020-04-2500 minThe Cult of Matt and Mark Archive01159 Strangers with Candy
This week we review the sketch comedy adaptation Strangers with Candy. A lukewarm response from both Matt and Mark, Matt tries to dissect why 30 minute sketch comedy shows tend to limp into mediocre 90 minute films. It could be that while Amy Sedaris's Jerri Blank is funny for a 10 minute block, stretching this unlikable character to film length becomes challenging. Anyway, Mark has declared this the summer of 'funny', so let this be the vanguard.
Download: 159 Strangers with Candy
2020-04-2500 minThe Cult of Matt and Mark Archive01155 District 9
Matt and Mark review the Oscar nominated District 9! One of the better Sci-Fi films in recent years, the film asks question about our humanity by our reaction to the inhuman. Despite its many plot holes and heavy handed themes, District 9 creates characters you feel invested in (human and alien) and builds a level of tension in its beautiful action sequences. Additional D9 is a technical achievement that uses CGI in way that compliments film making as opposed to detracting from it.
Download: 155 District 9
2020-04-2500 minThe Cult of Matt and Mark Archive01152 Dirty Dancing
This week Matt and Mark embark on a voyage of teenage girl wish fulfillment and for our listeners, do not come up empty handed. To be as dismissive of this film as Ebert is would be to do it injustice. Just like elves and trolls are to adolescent boys, Johnny Castle is to adolescent girls. So what if the archetype is implausible? Doesn't matter. Whether it be a teenage vampire, an s&m billionaire, or a dance virtuoso at a blue blood Catskills resort, all that matters is they see Baby in the corner and lament whoever it is that...
2020-04-2500 min
Matt & Mark's 'bout Music PodcastMatt Interviews Mark - Matt & Mark's 'Bout Music Podcast Episode 11Matt Interviews Mark. The guys get up close and personal as Matt takes over and interviews Mark about what he's been up to and where he's taking his music.
2019-11-2220 minThe Cult of Matt and Mark Archive01150 Zardoz
We were going to get around to discussing Zardoz sooner or later, and now is the time! Matt and Mark review this most awesome Boorman cult classic and wade deep into the questions its Sci-Fi world creates. Zardoz plays wit the idea of utopia and immortality in a way that makes us question humanity's relationship with the death. What is life without death? So boring you'll pray for the sweat death, apparently, even if meted out by a gang of mankini wearing Brutals from the Outlands.
Download: 150 Zardoz
2019-07-0600 minThe Cult of Matt and Mark Archive01149 Beetlejuice
This week Matt and Mark review the Tim Burton breakout Beetlejuice, a surreal ghost story that explores the mechanics and absurdest bureaucracy of being dead. A showcase for Burton's imaginative film making, many dismissed the film as gag-driven and style-over-substance (including a one R.Ebert). Matt and Mark disagree. To make work, even awkwardly, some of Beetlejuice's bizarre spectacle is to succeed. Must we regurgitate Dante every time we conjure the afterlife? The answer is "Betelgeuse, Betelgeuse, Betelgeuse".
Download: 149 Beetlejuice
2019-07-0600 minThe Cult of Matt and Mark Archive01148 Buckaroo Banzai
This week we tackle the beloved Buckaroo Banzai on The Cult of Matt and Mark. Unarmed with its plentiful quotes and sound drops, Matt feels we may have let the fanboys down on this one. Mark however takes a more measured and less apologetic approach. Just because Banzai might not occupy your childhood nostalgia, does not mean this fecund space farce's Tolkien-esque mythology cannot be respected and enjoyed. So monkey boys, head into the way-back machine and enjoy the 80's pop-rock stylings of the Hong Kong Cavaliers.
Download: 148 Buckaroo Banzai
2019-07-0600 minThe Cult of Matt and Mark Archive01146 Top Gun
This week we review the Tim Robbins classic Top Gun (yes, Tim Robbins was in Top Gun!... Merlin?... check the credits!) on The Cult of Matt and Mark. A cultural phenomena that encouraged thousands of young men to serve aboard aircraft carriers performing duties far less awesome than flying an F-14 Tomcat. Matt and Mark are of Ebert's opinion on this one, when in flight Top Gun soars, when on the ground, the film crashes and burns. So take a ride in to the danger zone of Cold War era machismo and enjoy.
Download: 146 Top Gun
2019-07-0600 minThe Cult of Matt and Mark Archive01144 In Bruges
Finishing out our Christmas movie theme, we review the nearly perfect In Bruges directed by Martin McDonagh. Matt and Mark both agree, that the film achieves what the likes of Quentin Tarantino set out to do with conversation-based character driven crime stories in the 90's. However, unlike QT's recent bombastic over-the-top cinematic daring, In Bruges relies on expansively 3D dimensional characters with tactful nuance. All actors are firing on all cylinders including the memorable supporting cast. So, kick back, enjoy the fairy-tale shit, and take in the medieval marvel of Bruges!
Download: 144 In Bruges
2019-07-0600 minThe Cult of Matt and Mark Archive01143 Lethal Weapon
Matt and Mark apologize in advance for the quality of this week's podcast. Mark's single malt exhaustion coupled with Matt's daycare sponsored cold has made the coherence and vocal quality of this review possibly annoying. Anyway, excuses aside, we indulge a watershed moment in 80's action film with this Richard Donner 48 hour power punch of mania. Gibson is always a treat, especially when he's playing a half-crazed (possibly "Mad") cop acting out from the recent loss of his wife, while Glover, who finally comes into his own in a leading role, anchors this adept cop buddy classic. So put in...
2019-07-0600 minThe Cult of Matt and Mark Archive01141 Bubba Ho-Tep
Matt and Mark are in the house (literally) when we both manage to co-occupy the same room for this week's review of Bubba Ho-Tep, a rare collector's edition podcast, if you will. We delve into the high concept wackiness which manages to meld myth with legend and conspiracy theory. Tossing aside the Elvis cliches, director Coscarelli and cult film actor Bruce Campbell paint a respectful portrait of Elvis as a regretful nursing home patient facing the reality all of us will at one point face. That reality, of course being one where you're forced to fend off a 5000 year old...
2019-07-0500 minThe Cult of Matt and Mark Archive01139 Robocop
"Domo arigato Mr. Roboto!" Matt and Mark review the Verhoeven classic, Robocop, a move that spawned a franchise that continues to this day. As usual, Verhoeven transcends the sci-fi high-concept and makes a prescient film packed with big ideas served it up with a beautiful does of satirical humor. Robocop's future is our present, a cornerstone of the cyberpunk zeitgeist, not only with its predictions of man/machine technologies, but also with its notions of politics and our exploitative media culture.
Download: 139 Robocop
2019-07-0500 minThe Cult of Matt and Mark Archive01138 Halloween
Matt and Mark's Halloween movie marathon "The horror... the horror... " concludes this week with the the titular 1978 classic by John Carpenter. A definitive slasher film if there ever was one, John Carpenter uses minimalism to his advantage with "now you see him/now you don't" camera shots that highlight paranoia and dread. The masked Michael Meyers is what Dr. Loomis dubbed the embodiment of evil, however a more fearful notion still is that Michael Meyers has decoupled from a human soul so completely, "good and evil" no longer hold meaning. Happy Halloween everybody!!
Download: 138 Halloween
2019-07-0500 min
The Meshpoint PodcastThe Meshpoint Podcast Season 2 Episode #1 with Mark Grounds Head Football Coach at Jacksonville High School in Jacksonville, ILThis Episode of the Meshpoint Podcast is sponsored by GameStrat, If you are in the need of a sideline replay system look no further than GameStrat. GameStrat has the fastest sideline replay system on the market and they provide 24/7 customer support. Their systems can be used for multiple sports like football, basketball and volleyball. Bottom line, in game adjustments = winning more games, go check out GameStrat on twitter @gamestrat or on the web at www.gametimestrategy.com. We'd also like to mention a new sponsor of the podcast this year, Just Play. I know most of you know about Just...
2019-02-0452 min
Magic Minds PodcastEpisode 37- weight Cutting & Sports Performance Nutrition- Mark GermaineOn this weeks episode of the podcast Matt sat down and spoke with Mark Germaine. Mark is a Sports Science lecturer at IT Tallaght. On the show Mark tells Matt about his back round in performance nutrition, his work with boxers such as Tyrone McCullagh, Jazza Dickens and Ben Sheedy, weight cutting versus weight loss, the impact of dehydration and hydration on the brain. Matt and Mark also discuss the weight cutting practices of George Lockhart.
Thanks to Mark Germaine for coming on the show. It was a pleasure speaking to him.
Special t...
2019-01-211h 33The Cult of Matt and Mark Archive01135 Ringu (Ring)
The Horror... The Horror... continues this week with your marathon run-up to Halloween. We review the original Japanese Ringu (Ring) from which inspired the highly successful American remake. A minimalist fright-fest, gone are the typical gory tropes of traditional film horror, instead replaced by a meta-foreboding that will make you jump at the site of grainy old school television sets and the shrill ring of land line phones. Matt and Mark ponder Sadako's curse in the age of Youtube and wonder if its possible to curse an entire planet.
Download: 135 Ringu (Ring)
2018-07-0500 minThe Cult of Matt and Mark Archive01134 The Exorcist
Time to have a chat with Captain Howdy this week when Matt and Mark review the horror classic The Exorcist. Continuing on with our pre-Halloween "The Horror..." marathon, we discuss the disturbing Friedkin masterpiece that has few, if any, parallels. The Exorcist is strangely a movie for skeptics by skeptics, taunting one to ask terrifying questions about humanity's existence. While many think the opposite of love is hate, the opposite of love is indifference, and the demon occupier Pazuzu/Captain Howdy epitomizes this anti-human element by brutally perverting an innocent twelve year girl, while taking you a long for the...
2018-07-0500 minThe Cult of Matt and Mark Archive01133 Pieces
And we're back! The Horror... The Horror... this week we start off The Cult of Matt and Mark's horror movie marathon on the run up to Hell'oween with the grindhousey Pieces from 1982. A movie that defines the slasher genre in all of its cliche'd silliness. Mark is able to appreciate the films nuances, while Matt laments his inability to partake in Washington State's new-found freedom to herbally enhance for such cinematic exploitation. Nowadays, it has been out done by the horror auters it inspired (e.g. Eli Roth), it gives the gory gross out the old college try.
...
2018-07-0500 minThe Cult of Matt and Mark Archive01132 The Passion of the Christ
Matt and Mark are going on a summer hiatus, but will be back mid-to-late September for our Halloween run-up horror-a-thon. To tide you over, we review the Mel Gibson film The Passion of the Christ. Beloved by the devout, it's time for the atheists perspective. And it cannot be denied, TPOTC is a flat-out good film, regardless of its two-millennium of baggage. Matt takes a psychological perspective while Mark provides the Christian context. A film that is guilty by association, it deserves an honest viewing, even by the most cynical and critical among us. And the South Park guys can...
2018-07-0500 minThe Cult of Matt and Mark Archive01131 Stranger Than Paradise
Matt and Mark review the Jim Jarmusch indie darling Stranger Than Paradise. A film ahead of its time, it manages to capture the Kurouac feel despite its early 80's setting. Speaking to the aimless twenty somethings, there's a lot to relate to. Unfortunately in Jarmusch's endeavor, this atmosphere seems to come at the expense of plot and theme. What is this movie about? Not sure. Although, I'm sure Jim Jarmusch would retort in an ironic hipster quip that would leave you defenseless.
Download: 131 Stranger than Paradise
2018-07-0500 minThe Cult of Matt and Mark Archive01129 This is Spinal Tap
Let's turn this up to 11! Matt and Mark have come to the realization that it's a challenge to review comedies properly, and Spinal Tap is no different. But we give it a go, and as such, end up rambling quite a bit. Perhaps more tangential than usually, on this podcast we try to probe the cliched and spoof-worthy realm of heavy metal pop music, a comedy rich landscape. Spinal Tap holds a mirror up to the self-indulgent adolescent rocker, and no matter how close it hits to home, bands to this day continue to indulge the silliness. Just as rock...
2018-07-0500 minThe Cult of Matt and Mark Archive01126 Fast Times at Ridgemont High
Could this movie get made today? If you're the strangely prudish Russ Meyer devotee, Roger Ebert, the answer would be "let this movie never get made!" As time travelers from the hyper-sensitive P.C. present, Matt and Mark disagree. Stacy's coming of age experiences with underage sex, reproductive mistakes, and poor judgement isn't necessarily the exception, but perhaps more the norm than uptight middle-aged white guy America likes to think. In the past, Jennifer Jason Liegh's Stacy probably would have been burned at the stake, but in early 80's American, she's just slut shamed by Ebert.
Download: 126 Fast T...
2018-07-0500 minThe Cult of Matt and Mark Archive01125 Sexy Beast
Just when you think you're out, they pull you back in! This week Matt and Mark review Sexy Beast starring a surprisingly menacing Ben Kingsley as the titular character. While Sexy Beast could easily be a straight up British heist film, it chooses to be something more. Which is strange considering its 85 minute run time. Kingsley's Don Logan is a sociopath with a single-mindedness that may be perfect for crime, but is cancerous when it comes to matters of the heart. Sexy Beast is well filmed and visually amazing, and one can only wonder if Donnie Darko's Frank the bunny...
2018-03-2600 minThe Cult of Matt and Mark Archive01121 Bad Boys 2
What? You haven't seen the first Bad Boys? Sorry bro, you're totally not going to get Bad Boys 2. But if you dare, let Matt and Mark give you the neophyte's perspective. A quintessential Michael Bay action movie (although quintessential is a little too high bro) BB2 is a film lesson in why our current decade and a half has been a wretched low point in action film, devoid of suspense, care, or craftsmanship. BB2 is what happens when films are made purely based on marketing decisions, solely focused on profit margins. Michael Bay's talent lies in his ability to get...
2018-03-2600 minThe Cult of Matt and Mark Archive01120 The Terminator
Matt and Mark take an objective look into whole the Harlan Ellison-James Cameron kerfuffle over the origins of the film The Terminator. After much deliberation, we determine that not only is Harlan Ellison kind of a dick, but that Cameron should be given credit for taking the nascent Outer Limits episode Soldier and fleshing it out into a more exciting action packed narrative. Regardless, its always nice to entertain the notion of traveling back to Reagan's big hair 80's and getting the chance to blow that miserable decade back to hell.
Download: 120 The Terminator
2017-11-0100 minThe Cult of Matt and Mark Archive01119 Secrets and Lies
It's a storm of swords and a clash of kings this week as Matt and Mark enter the bloody battle space of drama film reviewing. Secrets and Lies is not a popcorn movie, unless you like to salt your popcorn with the tears of bleak desperation and catharsis. But one thing Mark and Matt did conclude during this contentious and disagreement fraught podcast is that the dramas one likes are deeply personal, and perhaps for unexplained reasons lacking resolution. Even if you haven't seen S&L, tune in and see what reviewer becomes a feast for crows.
Download: 119 Secret a...
2017-11-0100 minThe Cult of Matt and Mark Archive01116 Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
Heading off for a savage journey to Heart of the American Dream, Matt and Mark discuss the pros (Matt) and cons (Mark) of the Hunter S. Thompson adaptation Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Terry Gilliam. Matt attempts to slice and dice the absurdity, comparing such existential musings with the likes of Sartres and Camus, while Mark shrugs his shoulders at the irredeemable assholes which are Raoul Duke and Dr. Gonzo. It's hard to argue either way.
Download: 116 Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
2017-11-0100 minThe Cult of Matt and Mark Archive01111 Total Recall
Matt and Mark review the Verhoeven 1990 classic Total Recall starring Arnold Swarzenegger. Matt struggles to evoke the sense of sci-fi wonder in Mark when he becomes fixated on the notion of a Hilton hotel room on the planet Mars, complete with cheesy wall art. But despite this, Matt and Mark do thoroughly plumb the Phillip K Dickian notion of "what is real" and Total Recall's deft delivery thereof. Total Recall's true magic is its ability to literally spoil the plot for you 1/4 of the way in, yet keep you riveted until the very end.
Download: 111 Total Recall
2017-11-0100 minThe Cult of Matt and Mark Archive01110 Closer
Matt and Mark try to get closer to Closer this week when we review the 2004 adaptation of the titular play. Like Mike Nichols other film The Graduate, this film examines the lives a self-involved privileged and generally unlikable people, daring its audience to take a stake in their relationships' outcomes. Is there a 'theme' here? Hard to say, but memorable well written scenes, this movie has many. So why do you like this movie? Perhaps you're a f*&%ing caveman!!!
Download: 110 Closer
2017-11-0100 minThe Cult of Matt and Mark Archive01109 Lifeforce
Vampires in space! Oh the high concept! Matt and Mark find the thin blue/green/red/gray line of our mutual tastes with this week's review. While Matt picks at the film's contrived ideas and its poorly thought out feasibility, Mark gives Lifeforce a pass, enjoying the dry wit of the British characters and B-movie silliness. A movie that really should never have been made, Lifeforce, like many megaplex flops, is a film artifact, and for that reason, I/we suppose it is worth a watch.
Download: 109 Lifeforce
2017-11-0100 minThe Cult of Matt and Mark Archive01107 Alien
The Dan O'bannon-othon continues this week with the 1979 classic Star Beast (original title) aka Alien. Matt and Mark discuss at length Mr. O'banon's hand in making this film and his purity of vision compromised for better-or-worse by the deft hand of Ridley Scott (probably for the better). While the alien xenomorph is a beautiful monster designed by H.R. Giger, its ingenious biology was not as much a consequence of stylistic creativity than it was plot necessity, which may have worked even better.Download: 107 Alien
2017-08-0800 minThe Cult of Matt and Mark Archive01104 A Clockwork Orange
This week Matt and Mark review Kubrik's A Clockwork Orange. Viddying the horror-show ultra-violence and some of the ole in-out in out, we seek the film's thematic elements through its stylistic fog. While Alex is a miserable, violent, and possibly irredeemable bastard, he provides us a window into an alien personality that we experience but with whom we aren't necessarily asked to sympathize. And that may've been the films worst sin in many critics' eyes, thus dismissing a beautifully wrought film of near artistic perfection.Download: A Clockwork Orange
2017-08-0800 minThe Cult of Matt and Mark Archive01103 Return of the Living Dead
Once again Matt and Mark return to the sub-genre of horror comedy. A highly rated film by Alien screenplay writer Don O'Bannon, RotLD sets the mood for all slapstick zombie horror to follow ("brains... more... brains"). While Mark indulges the silliness and touts its original ideas, Matt is less engaged. Not necessarily an indictment of the film per-se as much as a 'been there, done that' attitude calloused by henceforth imitators. None-the-less a worthy outing.Download: 103 Return of the Living Dead
2017-08-0800 minThe Cult of Matt and Mark Archive01102 The Thing 1982
And finally.... John Carpenter's The Thing is reviewed this week on The Cult of Matt and Mark. While much is to be said about the making of this strange dread-filled movie adaptation of the original Campbell novella, Matt and Mark delve into the viability of The Thing as an organism, attempting to rationalize its motives, desires, and biology. Dismissing Ebert's dismissal of this seminal Sci-Fi horror classic, we are drawn to the film 30 years on, engaging it again and again with homage prequels and video games as we try to capture a little of Carpenter's original paranoid beauty....
2017-08-0800 minThe Cult of Matt and Mark Archive01101 Kill List
Matt and Mark are back in movie review mode this week with our take on the UK soon-to-be cult film Kill List. Skillfully made by Ben Wheatley, with measured pacing and realistic dialogue, the film is a mash-up domestic drama, hit man thriller, and horror. While echoing the Wicker Man (Podcast #10), the Kill List, whether intended or not, does not tie up its loose ends neatly, which is both evocative and maddening.Download: 101 Kill List
2017-08-0800 minThe Cult of Matt and Mark Archive01100 BONUS EPISODE!
It's The Cult of Matt and Mark's 100th Episode, and this week we decided to take topics from our loyal listeners, film related and otherwise. So come join us, knock back a few (we always do), and allow us to waste your time with inadequate answers to very thoughtful questions/topics! Much thanks to friends of the show Aaron C. of Ireland and Tom H. of Australia.Download: 100 Bonus Episode!
2017-08-0800 minThe Cult of Matt and Mark Archive01099 Killing Zoe
Not a spectacular movie but one of Matt's cult films none-the-less, Killing Zoe has the heavy hand of Quarantino all over it. A churn of graphic violence, drug use, criminality, friendly prostitutes, KZ is a walk on the wild side. Lacking the thematic meat of other films, Matt and Mark get slightly tangential, which is why we're soliciting topics for our 100th podcast! Make sure to email us desired topics at cultfilmreview@gmail.com. Film based or other-wise, we will discuss ALL emails sent in!
Download: 099 Killing Zoe
2017-04-0900 minThe Cult of Matt and Mark Archive01098 The Big Lebowski
The Mt Everest of cult films, The Big Lebowski may offer too much meat for Matt and Mark to digest properly, but we give it a go regardless. Like Sam Elliott's cowboy, we ramble quite a bit. Matt wastes a great deal of time trying to pinpoint his loathing towards all that the fraudulent Reagan-inspired titular character represents, while Mark thankfully stirs us towards more interesting topics like the fleecing of Walter and The Dude over the funeral home's most modestly priced receptical.
Download: 098 The Big Lebowski
2017-04-0900 minThe Cult of Matt and Mark Archive01095 Trainspotting
No, Matt and Mark did not indulge heroin for this week's podcast, even though our off-kilter and awkward Skype issues might give one the impression of a nascent junk habit. This week we review the British cult 90's classic Trainspotting. Not much of a morality tale, and as the viewer you don't much care, as it offers up a buffet of interesting characters all swirling around the desperate world of heroin use. Solidly directed with solid actors, Danny Boyle made a name for himself with this iconic film, leading to a career that continues to challenge its viewers.
...
2017-04-0900 minThe Cult of Matt and Mark Archive01094 Pink Flamingos
With the invention of the internet and its vast inexhaustible 24/7 geek show, the relevance of Pink Flamingos has long past. Despite its obsolete status, it still does not fail to disgust (there's a little bit of vomit-in-your-mouth for everyone). John Waters somehow managed to carve out a mainstream film career from this cinematic circus freak show, which defies convention. Not really Matt and Mark's cup o' tea, we both struggle to take a little bit away.
Download: 094 Pink Flamingos
2017-04-0900 minThe Cult of Matt and Mark Archive01093 Akira
Matt and Mark review the Otomo classic Akira this week, taking stock of its 25 years and whether or not its message of creation/destruction is transcendent or buried in the generational zeitgeist of post-war Japan. Released at the height of the cyberpunk wave, its flashy urban grit and ground-breaking animation make for anime spectacle despite Matt and Mark's lament that the use of psychic powers is weak sci-fi sauce, but that's just nitpicking.
Download: 093 Akira
2017-04-0900 minThe Cult of Matt and Mark Archive01092 The Maltese Falcon
Matt and Mark get into the way-back machine and rediscover The Maltese Falcon, the hard-boiled film noir that started it all. So borrowed in pop-culture, to watch the unaltered/unmolested original, the film that started the genre, is an experiment in perception. Matt of course takes issue with old film (as usual), moaning about dialogue and realism, while Mark enjoys the quick-paced action and direction of the one and only John Huston, finding the movie uniquely fresh 70+ years on.
Download: 092 The Maltese Falcon
2017-04-0900 minThe Cult of Matt and Mark Archive01091 Night of the Living Dead
Q: mommy, daddy, where do zombies come from? A: from vampires of course! It's no accident that the walking dead resemble all the mythical tropes of a vampire, undead-ness, feeding on human flesh, etc... Heavily borrowed from Richard Matheson's novel 'I am Legend', George Romero reinvents the idea giving birth to the rich cornucopia of zombie entertainment today. Matt and Mark discuss this nuance, and others, like the subtext of American racial tension in the late 60's on this week's podcast.
Download: 091 Night of the Living Dead
2017-04-0900 minThe Cult of Matt and Mark Archive01090 Muriel's Wedding
A little late this week, Matt and Mark, consumed with the Sisyphean chores of yardwork the prior weekend, managed to finally get the podcast out! We review Muriel's Wedding and Mark discloses his affinity for the melancholia of the ambition-less suburban existence while Matt riffs on the US and Australia's mutual affinity.
Download: 090 Muriel's Wedding
2017-02-1300 minThe Cult of Matt and Mark Archive01089 Outland
Not really a science fiction film if you hold a snobby attitude towards the genre, but perhaps a nicely wrought 'space opera' more akin to Star Wars than Blade Runner. Matt and Mark review the film Outland starring Sean Connery, a recasting of the 'High Noon' western tale set on the far-flung Jovian moon of Io. A straight forward plot filled with hit-men, corrupted lawmen, and seedy power-brokers, it makes for a very enjoyable film, minus pretense. Absent heavy thought-provoking sci-fi themes, Matt and Mark discuss the minutia.
Download: 089 Outland
2017-02-1300 minThe Cult of Matt and Mark Archive01087 Annie Hall
Matt and Mark come to the conclusion that reviewing comedies is tough business and Annie Hall is no exception. More meat on its bones than the romantic comedies that came before and after, Annie Hall provides an interesting window into Woody Allen's persona, one both of us (more so Matt) can easily relate to: neurotic, self-deprecating, liberal, and fond of easy intellectual pretentious stereotypes that invite mild ridicule. We try to do it justice, so... you decide.
Download: 087 Annie Hall
2017-02-1300 minThe Cult of Matt and Mark Archive01085 The Graduate
It's not rebellion that defines youth (that's a given) but it's really how one rebels... In the case of Dustin Hoffman's Ben Braddock in The Graduate, his act of rebellion comes in the form of easy sex with the venerable Mrs Robinson played by Anne Bancroft. Juxtaposed to 60's counter-culture, Ben's form of revolt lacks a needed creativity or a new paradigm which was the hallmark of his more adventurous generational peers, which is why he is so unlikable. Matt and Mark discuss a film whose time may have passed but is still relevant in its capturing the 1967 zeitgeist, still...
2016-11-2300 minThe Cult of Matt and Mark Archive01084 Master and Commander
And we're back! This week Matt and Mark review the rip-roaring high seas adventure film Master and Commander The Far Side of the World. Doing storytelling justice, MACTFSOFTW teases out just the right tidbits to flesh out full characters, reflecting and contrasting persona to add depth without bruising the script purple with unneeded conversation. Matt discloses his spiteful appetite for minke whale while both Matt and Mark relish in the blood and splinters visceral nature of Napoleanic tall-ship combat, a form of war rarely depicted in an era of the modern shoot 'em up.
Download: 084 Master and Commander
2016-11-2300 minThe Cult of Matt and Mark Archive01083 Sideways
An epic podcast by Matt and Mark this go around and perhaps our longest (depending on editing). Viewing the Jack and Miles characters as two side of the same addiction-addled coin (strange-women/alcohol ...respectively), we discuss the chemistry of the unlikely duo. In addition, Matt waxes hypocritically on the snobbishness of wine aficionados while defending his Scotch addiction. Sympathies abound with the struggling novelists plight as well (please by my novel Nova Byzantium, coming out in October via Masque Books).
Download: 083 Sideways
2016-11-2300 minThe Cult of Matt and Mark Archive01081 Red Rock West
Adios Red Rock! This week Matt and Mark review the neo-noir western Red Rock West directed by John Dahl. A fairly straight up review, Matt waxes nostalgic for a Wyoming perhaps more intriguing than ever experienced while Mark gives us a virgin-eyed view of this early 90's classic. All actors are in top form including an non-inebriated/non-crazy Nick Cage and the ever wily Dennis Hopper. So kick up your cowboy boots, grab yourself a bottle of Bud and a shot of Jim Beam, and enjoy...
Download: 081 Red Rock West
2016-11-2300 minThe Cult of Matt and Mark Archive01079 Goonies
In 1985 Steven Spielberg conjured the kids' film Goonies from his bag of money-making tricks and garnered a cult following among the adolescents of the day (Matt and Mark included). Set in the rainy berg of Astoria, Oregon, Goonies is an Indiana Jones for juniors. Mark takes issue with fat kid stereotypes but gives the film cred for its realistic fraternal relationships, while Matt reminisces about the 80's style water parks. But all in all, we still must fault Spielberg for his hallmark emotional manipulation even though he let's adolescent kids crack sex jokes and say "shit", something verboten in today's...
2016-11-2300 minThe Cult of Matt and Mark Archive01077 THX 1138
George Lucus's debut feature THX 1138 was one of the first and last Zoetrope films to be produced by Francis Ford Coppola's nascent production company. Before Star Wars and the ILM empire was founded, Lucas cut his chops on true Sci-Fi themes in this dystopic 1984 story revised for the 60's/70's bomb-shelter generation. Matt and Mark digest the themes of the film, embellished by a haunting sound track and stark sterile visuals. Both agree this is rock-solid sci-fi which mainstream film rarely dabbles in and few get right.
Download: 077 THX 1138
2016-11-2300 minThe Cult of Matt and Mark Archive01076 Sholay
Attempting to expand our listenership to the sub-continent of India, Matt and Mark review the #1 Indian cult film of all time, Sholay! A movie that leverages familiar tropes of western film to create what is called the "masala" Curry Western, director G.P. Sippy provides a bit of something for everybody. Having little exposure to Bollywood film-making, we both feel that if you're going to start somewhere, Sholay is the place. Now throw your arms in the air, like you just don't care!.... uhm... not you Thakur.... yeah, yeah... we know.
Download: 076 Sholay
2016-11-2300 minThe Cult of Matt and Mark Archive01075 Office Space
Damn, it's good to be a gangster! Matt and Mark review the 1999 cult classic Office Space by Beavis and Butthead creator Mike Judge. An existential film if there ever was one, Office Space mines the heart of darkness lurking in the quiet desperation of our ubiquitous industrial parks. In lamenting the soullessness of modern corporate life, Judge releases subtle comedic gold. We've all met Lawrences and Lumbergs, but Judge is able to introduce you to these archetypes deftly and without the heavy-handedness typical of more mainstream Hollywood comedies.
Download: 075 Office Space
2016-10-1200 minThe Cult of Matt and Mark Archive01073 The Virgin Suicides
You miss them until they're gone... such is the paradox of the ephemeral and beautiful teenage girl. This week Matt and Mark try to get to the bottom of a film that admits it has no answers, Sophia Coppala's The Virgin Suicides. An extremely evocative film, it deftly plays with the idealism of youth juxtaposed to the tarnished mediocrity of adulthood, allowing you only brief empathetic glimpses into the life of adolescent girls.
Download: The Virgin Suicides
2016-10-1200 minThe Cult of Matt and Mark Archive01071 The Dark Crystal
Another world! ... Another time! This week Matt and Mark review the Jim Henson Frank Oz puppet show masterpiece The Dark Crystal. A marvel of classic special effects, TDC proves to be an evocative film minus its human-free celluloid. Marketed as a children's movie, it challenges youthful sensibility with a touch of Grimm's fairy tales, and in so doing, gives its viewer the benefit of the doubt. So forget James Cameron's heavily borrowed Pandora and settle in to the more imaginative world of The Dark Crystal.
Download: 071 The Dark Crystal
2016-10-1200 minThe Cult of Matt and Mark Archive01070 Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!
Matt and Mark delve into the big-boobed world of Russ Meyers this week when we review the 1965 cult classic Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! We attempt to explore the feminist angle of FPKK by juxtaposing the Varla character with the typical male-dominated action roles. What we get is an interesting hyperbole of exaggerated misogyny that may speak more truth then most men can admit.
Download: 070 Faster Pussycat!
2016-09-1400 minThe Cult of Matt and Mark Archive01069 Reservoir Dogs
Well, it's about time we got around to reviewing a Quentin Tarantino film ("Quarantino", if you're not into that whole brevity thing, man). A cult film if there ever was one, Matt and Mark discuss the seminal classic Reservoir Dogs. Along with its violence, R'Dogs capitalizes on the subtle yet intriguing nuance of everyday guy conversations, whether its pop-culture musings or humorous anecdotes. Tarantino's dialogue is where he's always been the strongest, which of course is not to sell the film short for its storytelling chops, which QT deftly wields.
Download: 069 Reservoir Dogs
2016-09-1400 minThe Cult of Matt and Mark Archive01068 The Third Man
This week Matt stupefies Mark, and possibly raises the ire of all those who consider themselves fans of cinema, by shrugging off the film noir classic The Third Man, starring Orson Welles. Yep, Matt must admit he did not enjoy the film, despite its essential place in cinematic history. Mark makes the case which Matt respects, but in the end, film will always be a subjective media. Anyway, we'll let the listener decide. Hate mail welcome!
Download: 068 The Third Man
2016-09-1400 minThe Cult of Matt and Mark Archive01066 Dersu Uzala
The famous Japanese director Akira Kurawasa released his only non-Japanese language film in 1975, Dersu Uzala, the true life tale of Siberia's version of Jedi Master Yoda. Matt and Mark invite Mark's better half Jean to share in our discussion of the quiet classic. Man v. Nature is always a straight forward theme, but here, we're treated to a nuanced interpersonal relationship between two characters that define the eternal struggle. With vistas of Far East Russia, Dersu is a beautiful snapshot of frontier life that's all but disappeared.
Download: 066 Dersu Uzala
2016-09-1400 minThe Cult of Matt and Mark Archive01065 American Psycho
Is Christian Bale's Patrick Bateman a metaphor for corporate America, male narcissism, or both? Matt and Mark try to sort it out when we review the darkly satiric American Psycho, released in 2000. Matt rants about the Reagan era, embodied by Patrick Batemen's empathy-free consumerist machismo, while Mark brings up the hypothetical and controversial view that the only problem with serial killers is their choice of victim. And last but not least, R.I.P. Roger Ebert, you will be missed.
Download: 065 American Psycho
2016-08-0800 minThe Cult of Matt and Mark Archive01063 River's Edge
What if there was a murder and nobody cared? This week Matt and Mark enter the teenage nightmare of River's Edge, starring the always enigmatic Crispin Glover, along with Keanu Reeves, Ione Skye, and an ever-crazy Dennis Hooper. Based after a real life murder, River's Edge dares you to blame the film's psychological phenomena on the usual suspects (drugs, alcohol, societal breakdown, the media, etc...) but in providing no answers, it forces the viewer to ask deeper and more troubling questions about the human animal.
Download: 063 River's Edge
2016-08-0800 minThe Cult of Matt and Mark Archive01062 Apocalypse Now
Time to make a friend of horror! This week Matt and Mark attempt to get at the heart of Francis Ford Coppola's Heart of Darkness adaptation, the Vietnam masterpiece Apocalypse Now, starring Martin Sheen, Robert Duvall and a rotund Marlon Brando. Probing the dark corners of Kurtz's psyche, Matt and Mark dwell on the fundamental themes of A.Now, for better or worse, depending... A multi-themed film deserves its due, and perhaps long winded, Matt and Mark attempt to give this monstrously important film its day in court.
Download: 062 Apocalypse Now
2016-08-0800 minThe Cult of Matt and Mark Archive01061 Pink Floyd The Wall
Forgoing the Pink Floyd fanboy trivia, Matt and Mark explore the quiet desperation of Bob Geldolf's Pink character in the The Wall. What happens when you write off your fellow man, embrace your cynical side, and dismiss one's need for meaningful personal relationships? Roger Waters explores this idea using music and evocative visuals in this cult "rock opera". If you could only take one music video to to the dark side of the moon, we highly recommend The Wall (take that Axl Rose and your November Rain!).
Download: 061 Pink Floyd The Wall
2016-08-0800 minThe Cult of Matt and Mark Archive01060 War Games
Shall we play a game? Galaga? or Donkey Kong... maybe Pac Man? In War Games, Matthew Broderick's character David (a fellow Snohomish High alum!) was pining for something more in home gaming, which leads him to the Pentagon's NORAD launch computer WOPR/Joshua. More of a tangential podcast than most, Matt and Mark cover many topics including extinction events, AIs, and Ally Sheedy's strange attraction for the John Lennon-esque professor Falken. War Games gave hope to thousands of shut-in hackers that it's theoretically possible to one day make out with a chick.
Download: 060 War Games
2016-06-1800 minThe Cult of Matt and Mark Archive01058 Being There
Life is just a state of mind! Yes, in a way, and if you have the mind of Chauncey Gardener, played brilliantly by Peter Sellers in the Hal Ashby film Being There, that mind is a little... lacking? Matt and Mark share differing opinions regarding the film, with Matt criticizing the film's dated satire while Mark basks in the 'alien-like' preternatural Chauncey. Regardless, Being There hits the right notes and manages to avoid going the 'full retard', laying the groundwork for cultural feel-good hits Forrest Gump and Rain man.
Download: 058 Being There
2016-06-1800 minThe Cult of Matt and Mark Archive01057 Ghost in the Shell
Conjuring the 'ghost' of the bygone 90's cyberpunk era, Matt and Mark review Mamoru Oshii's anime classic Ghost in the Shell, released in 1996. Pondering such Sci-Fi topics as the Technological Singularity, we discuss the viability of a world dominating artificial intelligence and how the GITS's Puppet Master may fit such a paradigm. But more importantly, we discuss whether or not anime cyborgs are truly anatomically correct.
Download: 057 Ghost in the Shell
2016-06-1800 minThe Cult of Matt and Mark Archive01056 Re-Animator (1985)
"But you're just a talking head!" And so are Matt and Mark this week when we discuss Stuart Gordon's 1985 Cult Classic Re-Animator, based loosely on H.P. Lovecraft's short story of the same name. Matt and Mark get into the finer physiological details of 're-animation' and come to the conclusion that freezing your head, despite its promise of immortality, will not even get you close to the body-less monstrosity of the film's Dr. Carl Hill. Sorry Mr. Disney.
Download: 056 Re-Animator (1985)
2016-06-1800 minThe Cult of Matt and Mark Archive01055 Conan the Barbarian (1982)
Q: What is best in life? A: Watching John Milius's 1982 sword and sorcery epic Conan the Barbarian starring Arnold Schwarzenegger! Matt and Mark attempt to discuss one of the greatest films of its genre. Slightly before J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit there was Robert E. Howard's Conan short stories in Weird Tales, an influential fantasy character that still resonates with audiences today. Managing to get it right, Milius's Conan pays tribute to the venerable character while adding new dimensions to the barbarian king's story. There is only one Conan movie, and this.... is.... it!
Download: 055 Conan The Barbarian (1982)
2016-06-1800 minThe Cult of Matt and Mark Archive01054 Intacto
Is Luck an ephemeral 'thing' that can be swapped and stolen? Matt and Mark try to sort out the nuance of that question this week when we review Juan Fresnadillo's freshmen effort Intacto. Starring the venerable Max Von Sydow as the Luck Master, this visually stimulating film plays with its magic in such a way that may hide its truer reality. Dismissing its magical gimmick, Matt and Mark discuss the film in a practical context, for better or worse.
Download: 054 Intacto
2016-06-1800 minThe Cult of Matt and Mark Archive01052 The Crying Game
A very gender neutral podcast this week as Matt and Mark review Neil Jordan's 1992 much talked about The Crying Game. While set in "The Troubles" of IRA political intrigue, its message about love and attraction is much more basic, yet altogether complex. Mark derides Matt for his soon-to-be antiquated old-timey prejudices and dares him to imagine a manly world where macho men still seek the company of their catamites, much to Matt's obvious discomfort. The Crying Game delves into our facades, with the overt not necessarily being the most malign.
Download: 052 The Crying Game
2016-06-1800 minThe Cult of Matt and Mark Archive01047 Glengarry Glen Ross
It's all about the fucking leads!!! This week Matt and Mark review the boiler room Mamet classic Glengarry Glen Ross directed by James Foley and starring a rock star "super group" of Oscar talent including Al Pacino, the late Jack Lemmon, Alec Baldwin, and Kevin Spacey. Like a meat grinder, this film shows you what happens when you take the weak pulpy bits of human pride and process them through the steel teeth of capitalism. To be a salesman is to be an actor, a character fueled by seduction and confidence, and if your act isn't honed, as Baldwin's character...
2016-03-0700 minThe Cult of Matt and Mark Archive01044 Pee Wee's Big Adventure
Ha ha! ... he he he he I know you are, but what am I? A more tangential podcast than usual, Matt and Mark push the limit this week to review Tim Burton's directorial debut, Pee-Wee's Big Adventure starring Pee-Wee Herman (Paul Reubens) as himself... sort of. Besides the prepubescent smart aleck quirks of its main character, there's not much meat on the bones of this silly Saturday morning styled film. Like most skit comedy spin-offs, Pee-Wee is an extrapolated stage bit that has its moments, but few too many unfortunately.
Download: 044 Pee Wee's Big Adventure
2016-01-2500 minThe Cult of Matt and Mark Archive01042 Jacob's Ladder by Adrian Lyne
Take a ride down the ladder! A drug induced hallucination of a dying mind or a transcendent spiritual epiphany? Matt and Mark have slightly different takes on whether or not it matters in Adrian Lyne's disturbing Jacob's Ladder, released in 1990. Tim Robbins as Jacob Singer gives an evocative and melancholy performance in this unique psychological film about the dying process; like death itself, it is not easy to watch. Worthy of note is Lyne's use of "thalidomide" inspired visuals and body-horror to create the film's demonic imagery.
Download: 042 Jacob's Ladder
2016-01-2500 minThe Cult of Matt and Mark Archive01041 Clerks by Kevin Smith
Welcome to Dante's Inferno (actually more like Dante's Purgatory), a state of early twenties Gen-X career/life dislocation summed up by Kevin Smith's lead character in his directorial debut Clerks, released in 1994. Matt pines for a Kevin Smith filmography that was never destined to be, while Mark embraces the Kev Smith career of the here and now. Clerks exemplifies Smith's talent for conversation, and as a result, has pioneered the podcast format of which Matt and Mark are merely standing on the hockey jersey'd shoulders of giants.
Download: 041 Clerks
2016-01-2500 minThe Cult of Matt and Mark Archive01039 Straw Dogs
Perhaps our most controversial film review yet! This week we discuss Sam Peckinpah's 1971 masterpiece Straw Dogs starring Dustin Hoffman. Actually Matt and Mark don't see what all the fuss is about, while graphic, the depiction of violence and rape fits a context of the human animal that isn't necessarily distorted or exaggerated. It's perhaps easy to view the events of the film through the lens of civilized man with all of modernity's prejudices, but once removed, what we're really viewing is a primal (and hated) truth.
Download: 039 Straw Dogs
2015-12-1700 minThe Cult of Matt and Mark Archive01036 Excalibur
The king without a sword! A land without a king! In 1981 John Boorman directed probably the most successful King Arthur film adaption ever with his beautifully wrought Excalibur. Filmed entirely in Ireland with a host of nascent Irish film stars including Gabriel Byrne and Liam Neeson, Excalibur fleshes out a Dark Age Britain that never was. While its Shakespearean overtones fail to evoke a human story, Matt and Mark agree: that really isn't the point. This a cursory Cliff Notes of Malory's Arthur myth produced for a matinee audience. Watch with some popcorn and enjoy!Download: 036 Excalibur
2015-12-1700 minThe Cult of Matt and Mark Archive01034 Dark Star
In space nobody can hear you laugh. Sadly, that seemed to be the case when John Carpenter and Dan O'Bannon (the writer of Ridley Scott's classic Alien) released their debut film Dark Star to audiences in 1974. Despite its poor box office sales, Dark Star has since become a cult classic with its generous mix of existential absurdity and Kubrik-style satire, giving new meaning to the word "smart bomb." Instead of focusing on Carpenter, which we plan to do in a later podcast, Matt and Mark discuss the late O'Bannon, whose mark on cinema is significant. O'Bannon would go on to...
2015-12-1300 minThe Cult of Matt and Mark Archive01033 Waiting for Guffman
This week Matt and Mark review 1997's Waiting for Guffman by Christopher Guest. In the mockocumenteray genre he made famous with follow-ups Best in Show and A Mighty Wind, Guest blends ad-lib sketch and musical comedy into a film length feature. Mark explores the plight of the characters, while Matt attempts to overcome his cynicism in order to embrace their delusional yet sincere need to entertain. Both of us wonder, however, if Guest's stereotypical portrayal of gay Corky St. Clair won't be the equivalent of "black face" a few decades down the road. Enjoy! Download: 033 Waiting for Guffman
2015-12-1300 minThe Cult of Matt and Mark Archive01032 Fight Club
Breaking the first rule of Fight Club, we're talking about Fight Club this week. David Fincher serves up a nihilistic schizophrenic parable about the inherent paradox of masculinity and modern civilization. Viewing the film in middle-age may have tempered Matt and Mark's ideological reaction to the subject matter, but we definitely avoid the old man "grumpitude" of Roger Ebert's less then complimentary review. More of an 'amoral' film, FC paints nihilism in a dysfunctional and harsh light when compared to our current consumerist hypocrisy; neither an attractive option. Fight Club stars Edward Norton, Helen Bonham Carter, and Brat Pitt. Enjoy!
2015-12-1300 minThe Cult of Matt and Mark Archive01031 Vertigo
Usurping reigning champion Citizen Kane as the "Best Film of All Time" according to the British Film Institute (and thankfully so), Matt and Mark review Alfred Hitchcock's 1958 masterpiece Vertigo, starring James Stewart and Kim Novak. With such a weighty title, we try to give this film its due. Mark cuts to the l'essence of Stewart's John "Scottie" Ferguson character by calling Scottie out for his nascent pimp-hand as his obsession warps him into a most diabolical Pygmalion. Doing what M.Night Shyamalan attempts but rarely succeeds at, Hitchcock pulls off one of movie history's famous twists. With a beautiful mid-century...
2015-12-1300 minThe Cult of Matt and Mark Archive01030 Hard Boiled
With a body count of 307, John Woo serves up a bullet-ridden slice of Hong Kong action with his 1992 breakout Hard Boiled. Cast from the Dirty Harry mold, Chow Yun-Fat's Tequila, with his ATF-Waco style of police intervention, is a hardened cop with a vigilante sense of street justice. Matt and Mark find it odd Tequila's ability to escape multiple manslaughter charges despite his sloppy gun play, but to inject reality into HB would only detract from its charm.Download: 030 Hard Boiled
2015-12-1300 min