Shows
The Film BoardScream 7: The Past Keeps CallingGhostface is back. Sidney Prescott is back. Kevin Williamson — the writer who started it all in 1996 — is back, this time in the director's chair. And The Film Board is here to pick through the wreckage.Pete Wright convenes the panel — Tommy Metz III, Steve Sarmento, and Mandy Kaplan — for a full-spoiler autopsy of Scream 7, the franchise's seventh installment and its most complicated origin story yet. The film arrives trailing the collapse of a whole other movie: Melissa Barrera's firing, Jenna Ortega's departure, two directors exiting before a frame was shot, and Neve Campbell finally getting what she was owed to...
2026-03-1255 min
The Film BoardScream 7Ghostface is back. Sidney Prescott is back. Kevin Williamson — the writer who started it all in 1996 — is back, this time in the director's chair. And The Film Board is here to pick through the wreckage.Pete Wright convenes the panel — Tommy Metz III, Steve Sarmento, and Mandy Kaplan — for a full-spoiler autopsy of Scream 7, the franchise's seventh installment and its most complicated origin story yet. The film arrives trailing the collapse of a whole other movie: Melissa Barrera's firing, Jenna Ortega's departure, two directors exiting before a frame was shot, and Neve Campbell finally getting what she was owed to come bac...
2026-03-1056 min
The Film BoardMercy: The Algorithm Wants Your Lunch MoneyThis month on The Film Board, Pete Wright drags Andy Nelson, Tommy Metz III, and Steve Sarmento into an emergency bonus hearing because Andy texted, essentially, “We can’t skip a month. Also I found a movie.” That movie is Mercy, a slick, noisy, deeply committed screenlife thriller where Chris Pratt wakes up strapped into a futuristic execution-chair-courtroom and has 90 minutes to prove he didn’t kill his wife. The judge is an AI who looks like Rebecca Ferguson. Which is frankly unfair to every other AI.From there, it’s a full-spoilers sprint through a world where justice is software...
2026-02-101h 01
Make Me A Nerd with Mandy KaplanClose Encounters of the Third Kind with Steve SarmentoIf there was ever an episode that proves how deeply a movie can tattoo itself onto someone’s soul, it’s this one. Mandy is joined by beloved TruStory FM collaborator and film analyst Steve Sarmento, a man whose heart has apparently been shaped like Devil’s Tower since 1977. Together, they dive into Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Steven Spielberg’s symphonic ode to curiosity, obsession, government lies, blinking lights, and questionable parenting. It’s a conversation equal parts nerdy reverence and incredulous side-eye.Steve opens by explaining why this film imprinted on him. He recalls watching space capsules dock overh...
2025-12-0156 min
The Film BoardTRON: AresGreetings, Users! The Film Board Gathers again—this time to boot up TRON: Ares, Disney’s latest attempt to update a franchise that still doesn’t understand what “updating” means. Pete Wright, Tommy Metz III, Steve Sarmento, and Mandy Kaplan log on to debate Jared Leto’s turn as an AI messiah with great hair and no emotional bandwidth, and Greta Lee’s heroic attempt to act her way out of the mainframe.The panel tackles the film’s tangled themes—AI, empathy, and whatever Jared Leto thinks a “character arc” is—before turning to the one thing everyone agrees on: the Nine Inch Nails...
2025-10-2154 min
The Film BoardThe Thursday Murder ClubCase Notes, August 30th, 2025: A suspiciously cozy murder mystery has been committed. The suspects—Tommy Metz III, Mandy Kaplan, Steve Sarmento, and Justin “JJ” Jaeger—have assembled remotely, each with their own dubious alibis and hot takes. The film: The Thursday Murder Club, Netflix’s big adaptation of Richard Osman’s beloved novel. The crime? A charming cast, a confusing mystery, and a script that may or may not have committed third-degree exposition.This month’s Film Board roundtable dives headfirst into the soft lighting and softer stakes of this senior-led whodunit. JJ comes in as the film’s most vocal defender...
2025-09-0253 min
The Film BoardCaptain America: Brave New WorldIs the latest Captain America film a bold step forward, or a symptom of a larger malaise in the Marvel Cinematic Universe? We grapple with this question, flying into Captain America: Brave New World, not just as a superhero spectacle, but as a cultural artifact reflecting our anxieties about legacy, power, and the very nature of heroism.Sam Wilson's transition from Falcon to Captain America is a referendum on what it means to inherit a symbol in a world that no longer understands symbols. Is he a worthy successor to Steve Rogers, or is he fighting a "broken system?" The...
2025-02-181h 03
The Film BoardCivil WarThe Film Board gathers! This month, host Justin Jaeger is joined by Steve Sarmento and Tommy Metz III to litigate Alex Garland's provocative new film "Civil War." The movie depicts a dystopian near-future America fractured by a second civil war, following a group of journalists on a perilous trek to interview the authoritarian president.We dive into the film's central themes—what it means to bear witness to war, how allegiances break down in times of chaos, and whether the movie serves more as a warning or simply a brutal glimpse of "what if." We debate Garland's motivations in making th...
2024-04-161h 08
Marvel Movie Minute • Captain America: The Winter SoldierTA141: With Apologies to Minute 141...Minute One Hundred Forty One: From The 34 Lighting TDs•Shader Writers at Weta Digital to The First Six of the Visual Effects ThanksThe TruStory FM Entertainment Podcast Network’s own Steve Sarmento joins us in this episode!In the one-hundred-forty-first minute of The Avengers...We’re knee deep in credits for the visual effects teams who worked on this movie. We look at how many people are credited with each team here, and then we jump into our names that we each picked. Steve picked the brothers Greg and Colin Strause, who run [hy*drau”lx], which spurs on a chat a...
2023-08-2123 minMarvel Movie Minute • Captain America: The Winter SoldierTA141: With Apologies to Minute 141...Minute One Hundred Forty One: From The 34 Lighting TDs•Shader Writers at Weta Digital to The First Six of the Visual Effects ThanksThe TruStory FM Entertainment Podcast Network’s own Steve Sarmento joins us in this episode!In the one-hundred-forty-first minute of The Avengers...We’re knee deep in credits for the visual effects teams who worked on this movie. We look at how many people are credited with each team here, and then we jump into our names that we each picked. Steve picked the brothers Greg and Colin Strause, who run [hy*drau”lx], which spurs on a chat a...
2023-08-2123 min
The Film BoardBarbieThe Film Board gathers! The gang of thugs is here to take on a movie currently in theaters and this month... let’s call it counter programming. The crew is going to try and prove that we, too, are Kenough as we talk about Greta Gerwig’s MUCH pinker sequel to Little Women: Barbie.It’s a film dense with jokes and ideology, and of course the baggage of opening Oppenheimer-adjacent. It’s certainly the biggest thing on big screens right now and we take it as our solemn duty to determine if it plays for the middle-aged guy crowd. If those...
2023-07-2657 min
The Film BoardSpider-Man: Across the Spider-VerseThe Film Board Gathers! The gang of thugs is here to take on a movie currently in theaters and this month, we’re swinging into the unknown with Miles and Gwen in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. This month, Steve Sarmento, Justin 'JJ' Jaeger, Tommy Metz III, and Pete Wright relish in the follow-up to the 2018 film that rocked us all. This film levels up almost everything we loved about the first in art, style, character, and straight-up panache. Spoiler: We liked it quite a bit.Film SundriesWatch this film: JustWatchTheatrical trailerOriginal MaterialFlickchartLetterboxdSupport The Next Reel Family of Film Po...
2023-06-1357 min
The Film BoardScream VIThe Film Board Gathers! The gang of thugs is here to take on a movie currently in theaters and this month, we’re headed to the big, bad city where everyone is dressed in robes... and masks age like fine marble. It’s Scream VI, where Ghostface follows the waterfront all the way to New York City. There’s never been one like this... or has there? It’s franchise rules with Justin 'JJ' Jaeger, Steve Sarmento, Tommy Metz III, and Pete Wright.Film SundriesWatch this film: JustWatchTheatrical trailerScream FranchiseFlickchartLetterboxdSupport The Next Reel Family of Film Podcasts:Become a member...
2023-03-141h 00
The Film BoardM3GANThe Film Board Gathers! This month it's all about everybody's favorite murderbot who just can't stop with the hand-washing: M3GAN! Just what is it that attracts (most) of us to this James Wan-Blumhouse mash-up of mechanical malignancy? Is it the incredible performance of humans behind the machine? Is it Allison Williams playing less racist, but still pretty oblivious? Or is it the reclamation of scares from horror-satire and rejiggering them for jumps today?Pete Wright hosts Andy Nelson, Steve Sarmento, Justin 'JJ' Jaeger, and Tommy Metz III for a rousing conversation with a number of threads left unresolved — just li...
2023-01-241h 11
Marvel Movie Minute • Captain America: The Winter SoldierCATFA 112: The Attempt to Gaslight Steve RogersMinute 112: From An Absolutely Gorgeous Day at Ebbets Field to Steve Shifting His GazeJoining us, we have Steve Sarmento from Trailer Rewind and the TruStory FM Entertainment Podcast Network.In the one hundred twelfth minute of Joe Johnston’s 2011 film Captain America: The First Avenger...We talk about the anachronisms that might be tripping Steve up as he wakes. None of us are baseball fans, so there has to be more than just the game, right? Like maybe the fact that they’ve turned the room sepia toned?Well, as it turns out, that particular baseball game stands out...
2023-01-0331 minMarvel Movie Minute • Captain America: The Winter SoldierCATFA 112: The Attempt to Gaslight Steve RogersMinute 112: From An Absolutely Gorgeous Day at Ebbets Field to Steve Shifting His GazeJoining us, we have Steve Sarmento from Trailer Rewind and the TruStory FM Entertainment Podcast Network.In the one hundred twelfth minute of Joe Johnston’s 2011 film Captain America: The First Avenger...We talk about the anachronisms that might be tripping Steve up as he wakes. None of us are baseball fans, so there has to be more than just the game, right? Like maybe the fact that they’ve turned the room sepia toned?Well, as it turns out, that particular baseball game stands out...
2023-01-0331 minMarvel Movie Minute • Captain America: The Winter SoldierCATFA 111: The Garbage Can ShieldMinute 111: From Peggy Reminiscing to Steve ListeningJoining us, we have Steve Sarmento from Trailer Rewind and the TruStory FM Entertainment Podcast Network.In the one hundred eleventh minute of Joe Johnston’s 2011 film Captain America: The First Avenger...Peggy’s remembering Steve from the picture of puny Steve. Or is she pining for the science? We laugh about that, and ponder the strange music swell that happens which makes Pete think of Jurassic Park. We debate more about how much the American public knew about Steve and the super-soldier program.Then we get to talk about the nearly 20 seco...
2023-01-0229 minMarvel Movie Minute • Captain America: The Winter SoldierCATFA 111: The Garbage Can ShieldMinute 111: From Peggy Reminiscing to Steve ListeningJoining us, we have Steve Sarmento from Trailer Rewind and the TruStory FM Entertainment Podcast Network.In the one hundred eleventh minute of Joe Johnston’s 2011 film Captain America: The First Avenger...Peggy’s remembering Steve from the picture of puny Steve. Or is she pining for the science? We laugh about that, and ponder the strange music swell that happens which makes Pete think of Jurassic Park. We debate more about how much the American public knew about Steve and the super-soldier program.Then we get to talk about the nearly 20 seco...
2023-01-0229 min
The.DropcastEP: 008 Porsches and the Exotic Street Racing Scene of Michigan with Steve Zarbo.Today we talk with our good friend Steve Zarbo. He has helped us plenty in the past providing vehicles for Video Production. Him and his father have been collecting Porsches and exotic cards their whole lives. These cars have been showcased throughout the world in different competitions, and I've even seen Steve race in person over the years. Tune in as we talk about this scene.
Hosted by Jonathan Downing and Trey Sarmento! Join us and our guests, every Monday morning as we talk film, photo, and industry. If you have anything to say email us @askdropcast@gma...
2022-01-241h 18
The Saturday Matinée • Movies, News, Games, and Lists!2022-01-22 • Saturday MatinéeJoin Mandy Kaplan, Steve Sarmento, and Pete Wright for today’s award season SatMat! That’s right, the SAG awards have dropped and we have some opinions. But then we get lost in dishing on Leto’s performance in that Gucci thing and things come off the rails. Don’t worry though, we do manage to bring it back around to aging on film thanks to Carrie Bradshaw and crew vis the Golden Girls. Don’t worry, we’re not the only one’s talking about it. The Today Show is, too. Finally, Apple TV+ is moving into Kong with...
2022-01-241h 13
The Saturday Matinée • Movies, News, Games, and Lists!2022-01-08 • Saturday MatinéeMandy Kaplan, Steve Sarmento, and Tommy Metz take over the Saturday Matinée this week. What’s on deck? Tommy loves Search Party and Yellow Jackets. So there.Is The Matrix Resurrections laughably bad or some sort of genius? Some people clearly think the former. As for us...?Don’t Look Up. Hrm... Uh... Yeah...Betty Davis? Peter Bogdanovich? And the news broke after we recorded, but Sidney Poitier too? What an awful start to 2022.TrailersSteve’s Trailer: MemoriaMandy’s Trailer: CyranoTommy’s Trailer: The Woman In The House A...
2022-01-101h 09
The Saturday Matinée • Movies, News, Games, and Lists!2021-11-13 • Saturday MatinéeHappy Birthday! Ok, not your birthday, unless your birthday is on November 11, and you just hit 10 years old. Cause WE did, just the other day! And now we’re going to wax a bit poetic about a history of talking about movies together. A Sampling of the Original CrewPete Wright, Andy Nelson, Steve Sarmento, and Tommy Metz III join the crew this week to share a peek into the wayback machine. We talk about those first rocky Movies We Like episodes, the first Film Boards, and the community that has come up ar...
2021-11-151h 29
The Saturday Matinée • Movies, News, Games, and Lists!2021-10-23 • Saturday MatinéeSteve Sarmento is in the big chair this week with Mandy Kaplan and Pete Wright. It’s Dune weekend, so of course we’re talking about theaters, box office, and shooting big. There’s a Breakfast Club reboot brewing… just kidding, there isn’t, but we talk about it anyway.The streamers are trying to make us feel guilty about churning and returning but it turns out we’re doing it anyway. The bigger news this week is over at Netflix as the company deals with a walkout and controversy relating for its handling around the Dave Chapelle spe...
2021-10-251h 22
The Saturday Matinée • Movies, News, Games, and Lists!2021-09-18 • Saturday MatinéeTommy Metz leads the crew of Steve Sarmento and Rob Kubasko this week in his very first hosting gig. In a follow up to last week, the team is pretty excited about the news of https://geektyrant.com/news/only-murders-in-the-building-renewed-for-season-2-at-hulu leading to one massive question: will anyone want to still live in the building?Apple's September announcements bring word of a new "Cinematic Mode" in the upcoming iPhones 13 & 13 Pro, leading to more questions of how the device might be used in future film-making. It's cool and all, and you should probably watch the demo video, but...
2021-09-181h 05
Trailer RewindBanana SplitThere’s nothing to make a father more uncomfortable than sitting with his teenage daughter watching a film that includes honest and frankly discussions of teens sexuality. Well . . . there is one thing more uncomfortable. A film that has teens and parent having explicit, yet humorous, conversations about their own sexuality. In this very special episode of Trailer Rewind, Steve Sarmento and Rob Kubasko guide parents through the difficult landscape of having honest conversations with your teen about being sexually active. . . in the context of a somewhat raunchy, fresh take on the teen rom-com.Other important questions they wi...
2020-10-2147 min
Marvel Movie Minute • Captain America: The Winter SoldierIM050: Sarcasm Harmonicsin which Andy and guest Steve Sarmento from The Next Reel talk about Pepper’s work space, Tony’s surgery, and the scripted call Pepper has with Agent Coulson Film SundriesThank you for supporting Marvel Movie Minute on Patreon!Watch this film: iTunes • Amazon • Netflix • Hulu • YouTubeJoin the conversation on DiscordScript TranscriptOriginal teaser trailerOriginal theatrical trailerOriginal poster artworkArt of the TitleOriginal MaterialFollow Steve Sarmento on Twitter---Learn more about supporting this podcast by becoming a member. It's just $5/month or $55/year. Visit our website to learn more.
2019-03-1528 minMarvel Movie Minute • Captain America: The Winter SoldierIM050: Sarcasm Harmonicsin which Andy and guest Steve Sarmento from The Next Reel talk about Pepper’s work space, Tony’s surgery, and the scripted call Pepper has with Agent Coulson Film SundriesThank you for supporting Marvel Movie Minute on Patreon!Watch this film: iTunes • Amazon • Netflix • Hulu • YouTubeJoin the conversation on DiscordScript TranscriptOriginal teaser trailerOriginal theatrical trailerOriginal poster artworkArt of the TitleOriginal MaterialFollow Steve Sarmento on Twitter---Learn more about supporting this podcast by becoming a member. It's just $5/month or $55/year. Visit our website to learn more.
2019-03-1528 minMarvel Movie Minute • Captain America: The Winter SoldierIM043: WWTD?in which Andy and guest Steve Sarmento from The Next Reel talk about the military usage of C-17s, Tony’s greeting for Pepper (and lack-of-greeting for Happy), and wet tarmacs Film SundriesThank you for supporting Marvel Movie Minute on Patreon!Watch this film: iTunes • Amazon • Netflix • Hulu • YouTubeJoin the conversation on DiscordScript TranscriptOriginal teaser trailerOriginal theatrical trailerOriginal poster artworkArt of the TitleOriginal MaterialFollow Steve on Twitter---Learn more about supporting this podcast by becoming a member. It's just $5/month or $55/year. Visit our website to learn more.
2019-03-0621 minMarvel Movie Minute • Captain America: The Winter SoldierIM043: WWTD?in which Andy and guest Steve Sarmento from The Next Reel talk about the military usage of C-17s, Tony’s greeting for Pepper (and lack-of-greeting for Happy), and wet tarmacs Film SundriesThank you for supporting Marvel Movie Minute on Patreon!Watch this film: iTunes • Amazon • Netflix • Hulu • YouTubeJoin the conversation on DiscordScript TranscriptOriginal teaser trailerOriginal theatrical trailerOriginal poster artworkArt of the TitleOriginal MaterialFollow Steve on Twitter---Learn more about supporting this podcast by becoming a member. It's just $5/month or $55/year. Visit our website to learn more.
2019-03-0621 minMarvel Movie Minute • Captain America: The Winter SoldierIM042: A Tony in a Haystackin which Andy and guest Steve Sarmento from The Next Reel talk about Tony’s escape plan, the design of Tony’s tank top, and how Rhodey found him Film SundriesThank you for supporting Marvel Movie Minute on Patreon!Watch this film: iTunes • Amazon • Netflix • Hulu • YouTubeJoin the conversation on DiscordScript TranscriptOriginal teaser trailerOriginal theatrical trailerOriginal poster artworkArt of the TitleOriginal MaterialFollow Steve on Twitter---Learn more about supporting this podcast by becoming a member. It's just $5/month or $55/year. Visit our website to learn more.
2019-03-0525 minMarvel Movie Minute • Captain America: The Winter SoldierIM042: A Tony in a Haystackin which Andy and guest Steve Sarmento from The Next Reel talk about Tony’s escape plan, the design of Tony’s tank top, and how Rhodey found him Film SundriesThank you for supporting Marvel Movie Minute on Patreon!Watch this film: iTunes • Amazon • Netflix • Hulu • YouTubeJoin the conversation on DiscordScript TranscriptOriginal teaser trailerOriginal theatrical trailerOriginal poster artworkArt of the TitleOriginal MaterialFollow Steve on Twitter---Learn more about supporting this podcast by becoming a member. It's just $5/month or $55/year. Visit our website to learn more.
2019-03-0525 min
Mad Max Minute presents: Beyond Thunderdome (1985)Beyond Thunderdome Minute 42All is quiet in Bartertown until a sudden drop in power plunges everyone into darkness, with even Aunty’s penthouse going dark, causing grumbles of dissension. Deep in underworld, the power generator has malfunctioned and though Ironbar insists that he fix the problem, Master is unwilling to cooperate. As punishment for his defiance Ironbar has Master lowered into the pigs, something that terrifies him. This torture is cut short by Aunty’s arrival.
Special Guests: Andy Nelson & Steve Sarmento from The Next Reel
2018-07-1336 minMad Max Minute presents: Beyond Thunderdome (1985)Beyond Thunderdome Minute 41With his fate decided, Aunty wastes no time in having Max’s sentence carried out and dispatches Ironbar and Dr. Dealgood to see that he is dealt with. On the outskirts of Bartertown, Max is tied to a baited horse and his head is covered before being sent headlong into the rolling dunes of the desert beyond. With Max in exile, our focus returns to Bartertown where night has fallen and the whole town has settled down, lit by its signature electric lights.
Special Guests: Andy Nelson & Steve Sarmento from The Next Reel
2018-07-1134 minMad Max Minute presents: Beyond Thunderdome (1985)Beyond Thunderdome Minute 40As The Wheel spins, lights pass across Max’s fate, each option highlighting a different punishment, some more gratuitous than others, but none of them without their own drawbacks. The air is thick with anticipation as the wheel slows passing treacherously over Aunty’s Choice ultimately settling on Gulag. As Max sees his fate before him the spectators around the Thunderdome begin to chant max’s punishment, as Aunty looks on, satisfied with the result.
Special Guests: Andy Nelson & Steve Sarmento from The Next Reel
2018-07-0952 min
The Saturday Matinée • Movies, News, Games, and Lists!2018-04-14 • Saturday MatinéeLittle bit of a rough start this morning but we get around to business. We’re talking kids in movies and TV first, two great trailers for summer and one with for a deep, dark, criminal winter. We’re talking sibling v. sibling movies to celebrate East of Eden and Pete gets in trouble for having not seen movies… again.
Andy’s Trailer: Dark Crimes
Steve’s Trailer: Hot Summer Nights
Pete’s Trailer: The Meg
“A Postmodern Murder Mystery” by David Grann
THE LIST!
Brother versus brother!
Andy’s List
In Her Shoes
On The W...
2018-04-1457 min
The Next Reel Film PodcastThe Host • The Next Reel“Is all of your family so dumb all the time?"
Bong Joon-ho’s third film, “The Host," ended up becoming the highest grossing South Korean film of all time straight out of the gate with it playing on a record number of screens in its home country — it made the South Korean record books with its box office performance during its opening weekend alone. Quentin Tarantino loves it. Harry Knowles loves it. But how do we feel about it? Join us — Pete Wright and Andy Nelson — as we start our Bong Joon-ho series with 2006’s “The Host.” We talk about how...
2015-09-171h 16
The Next Reel Film PodcastKramer vs. Kramer • The Next Reel“I didn’t know it’d happen to me."
Meryl Streep won the first of her three Oscars for her supporting role in Robert Benton’s 1979 film “Kramer vs. Kramer.” Of course, as of this episode, it’s the second nomination for her out of nineteen nominations — more nominations than any other actor. And when you watch “Kramer vs. Kramer,” it’s hard not to wonder why she won for supporting actress rather than actress. Sure, her screen time is much less than Dustin Hoffman, her co-star, but her role has an equal importance in the film (and if we’re using the...
2015-08-271h 22
The Next Reel Film PodcastThe Deer Hunter • The Next Reel“One shot."
Michael Cimino’s 1978 film “The Deer Hunter” is definitely a divisive film, one about which a LOT of people have found plenty of things to say and argue about. Aside from all of that, it’s also the film for which Meryl Streep received her first Oscar nomination. Join us — Pete Wright and Andy Nelson — as we begin our Meryl Streep series, specifically looking at films for which Streep received an Oscar nomination, with Cimino’s epic Vietnam War film. We talk about why this film was and still is so controversial — the Russian Roulette scenes and the fac...
2015-08-201h 22
The Film BoardThe Man from U.N.C.L.E.“For a special agent, you’re not having a very special day, are you?"The latest franchise to get hit with reboot fever is a 1960s throwback with class that’s getting wildly underserved theatrical notice. That’s right, The Film Board gathers for The Man from U.N.C.L.E....and we LIKE it! Funny accents? You bet! Excessively stylistic action? And how! Dreamy blue eyes? You betcha! Join Andy Nelson, Steve Sarmento, Tommy Metz III, Mike Evans, and Pete Wright as we go to town on Guy Ritchie’s take on 1960s spy-o-rama with Henry Cavill, Ar...
2015-08-171h 10
The Next Reel Film PodcastUnder the Cherry Moon • The Next Reel“Yes, Christopher lived for all women, but he died for one."
Prince has always been a flamboyant and eclectic musician, and with the album and film “Purple Rain,” he found a new art form he enjoyed. And one he won an Oscar for — Best Original Song Score. With his next film, he had conflicts with the director so took over and directed it himself. Join us — Pete Wright and Andy Nelson — as we wrap up this year’s short guilty pleasure with Pete’s pick — Prince’s 1986 film “Under the Cherry Moon.” We talk about what’s in the film and why, despi...
2015-08-061h 10
The Next Reel Film PodcastVolunteers • The Next Reel“It’s not that I can’t help these people, it’s just that I don’t want to."It’s time for some guilty pleasures! Yes, the two of us — Pete Wright and Andy Nelson — dig up some films that we love but are generally not considered the greatest of movies. This week, it’s Andy’s turn with his guilty pleasure — Nicholas Meyer’s 1985 Peace Corps comedy “Volunteers.” That’s right, more Tom Hanks action from Andy, proving he’s just about ready to go Annie Wilkes on ol’ Tom. In this week’s episode, we talk about what Andy loves in thi...
2015-07-301h 07
The Next Reel Film PodcastThe Roaring Twenties • The Next Reel“He used to be a big shot."
James Cagney was getting tired of making gangster films for Warner Bros. by the time he starred in Raoul Walsh’s 1939 film “The Roaring Twenties. After all, he really loved comedy and the song-and-dance too. But he clearly was great as a gangster. Look at him in “The Public Enemy” or “White Heat.” He carried a dark energy that really came across in those films as well as this one. Join us — Pete Wright and Andy Nelson — as we continue our series on films from 1939 with Walsh’s “The Roaring Twenties.” We talk abo...
2015-07-161h 16
The Next Reel Film PodcastMr. Smith Goes to Washington • The Next Reel“You’re not a Senator, you’re an honorary stooge."
It’s rare to find a film from 75 years ago that feels relevant still in today’s world, but Frank Capra’s 1939 “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington” is one of those films. Corruption in the Senate? Check. Corporate interests secretly working their own machinations behind the scenes to get their political puppets to do their bidding? Check. Cynical office staff who are only interested in making a buck? Check. Sad to say that the only thing that doesn’t feel modern is that a politician like James Stewart’s titular...
2015-07-091h 27
The Next Reel Film PodcastSeconds • The Next Reel“Time for a change."
James Wong Howe shot color films very well, but it was his black-and-white cinematography that he was really known for. He won two Oscars for his B&W cinematography and played with many techniques that influenced filmmakers and cinematographers long after he was gone. The camera work on John Frankenheimer’s 1966 film “Seconds” is no exception. It fits the tone of the film perfectly, creating a sense of unease and discomfort quite often. Join us — Pete Wright and Andy Nelson — as we finish our B&W cinematography of James Wong Howe with Frankenheimer’s “Seconds.” W...
2015-06-181h 08
The Next Reel Film PodcastKings Row • The Next Reel“Where’s the REST of me?!?!"
“Kings Row” was adapted from a much racier novel from 1940 and had to be sanitized quite a bit because of the Hays Code. They had to leave some pretty big elements out — homosexuality, mercy killings, incest, nymphomania — but even with that, the film still is very dark because of the issues it does deal with. Join us — Pete Wright and Andy Nelson — as we continue our Black and White Cinematography of James Wong Howe series with Sam Wood’s 1942 film “Kings Row.” We talk about the adaptation and what had to change in order for th...
2015-06-041h 09
The Next Reel Film PodcastThe Thin Man • The Next ReelJames Wong Howe is often cited as one of the most influential cinematographers there have been. He worked in film from the early days of the silents to the mid-70s when he received his last Oscar nomination for his color work on “Funny Lady.” But his black-and-white cinematography is what he’s primarily known for. Join us — Pete Wright and Andy Nelson — as we start up our Black and White Cinematography of James Wong Howe series with W.S. Van Dyke’s 1934 film “The Thin Man.” We talk about the joy of watching this film, and how it really doesn’t c...
2015-05-281h 08
The Next Reel Film PodcastMad Max Fury Road • The Next ReelIn case you haven’t heard, everybody seems to be talking about “Mad Max: Fury Road.” Whether they’re talking about the silly fan theories about who Tom Hardy really is playing in this film, or the ‘meninist’ groups telling people to avoid it because of its feminist agenda, or everyone else talking about the amazing action film that George Miller gave us, it certainly seems to be on people’s minds. Join us — Pete Wright and Andy Nelson — as we finish up our Mad Max series with Miller’s latest entry, and our favorite, “Mad Max: Fury Road.” Andy gets to brag about...
2015-05-211h 14
The Next Reel Film PodcastMad Max Beyond Thunderdome • The Next ReelWhile the first two Mad Max films had so much going for them, it sure seemed like a stumble with the third of the trilogy. But that’s looking at it through today’s eyes because some critics like Roger Ebert sure loved it — he put it on his ’10 Best’ list of 1985! Okay, so George Miller had lost his producing partner, Byron Kennedy, and let George Ogilvie co-direct it with him. Maybe that’s why “Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome” seems to be a bit of a stumble. Maybe it was the American financing that made it feel less gritty and more… Hollyw...
2015-05-151h 20
The Film BoardAvengers: Age of UltronFilm Board assemble! This month the thugs gather to take on Joss Whedon’s next entry to the Marvel Cinematic Universe with Avengers: Age of Ultron. How does the comic adaptation stand up to the original books? Does Joss manage to pull off an even more character-dense film and keep it making some sort of sense? Why does Ultron smile and blink? All these questions and so many more answered this week as Andy Nelson, Steve Sarmento, Tommy Metz III, Justin 'JJ' Jaeger, Mike Evans, and Pete Wright gather to give the smackdown to our coming robot overlords! Support Th...
2015-05-061h 05
The Next Reel Film PodcastMad Max • The Next Reel“They say people don’t believe in heroes anymore. Well, damn them! You and me, Max, we’re going to give them back their heroes!"
George Miller’s film “Mad Max” came out in 1979 in Australia and became a huge success, going on to become the most profitable film ever until it was unseated from its throne by one Blair Witch. It went on to spur two sequels and, soon, a fourth. Join us — Pete Wright and Andy Nelson — as we gear up for one of our most anticipated movies this summer by kicking off our Mad Max series with...
2015-04-301h 13
The Next Reel Film PodcastTouch of Evil • The Next ReelOrson Welles never was one who could direct in the Hollywood studio system without a hitch, and his last studio picture he directed, 1958’s “Touch of Evil,” stands testament to that fact. While the shoot itself went well, the film ran into its issues in post, leaving a truncated version that Welles wasn’t a part of (nor happy with) released on the bottom of a double bill. Luckily, through the plucky determination of producer Rick Schmidlin and editor Walter Murch, an extended version of the film, largely re-edited to Welles’ own notes to the studio, was cut together and releas...
2015-04-231h 13
The Next Reel Film PodcastAce in the Hole • The Next Reel“Bad news sells best, because good news is no news."
From “Double Indemnity” in 1944 through “The Apartment” in 1960 (maybe even “One, Two, Three” in ’61), Billy Wilder really hit his stride. His films were all over the map genre-wise, yet he showed how great a director he was because they’re all incredibly memorable. With his successes, however, he certainly didn’t shy away from making dark pictures from time to time, and “Ace in the Hole” is arguably his darkest. Released in 1951, it came out a time when neither the public nor the critics were ready for something like it and it...
2015-04-161h 28
The Next Reel Film PodcastOut of the Past • The Next Reel“You’re like a leaf that the wind blows from one gutter to another."
The two films most often cited as the ultimate representations of film noir are Billy Wilder’s 1944 film “Double Indemnity” and Jacques Tourneur’s 1947 film “Out of the Past.” Tourneur’s film gives us Robert Mitchum at his laconic best, Jane Greer at her sexiest and Kirk Douglas in one of his earliest roles but already defined by his machismo. Join us — Pete Wright and Andy Nelson — as we continue our Film Noir seåries with “Out of the Past.” We talk about what we love about it and h...
2015-04-091h 13
The Next Reel Film PodcastScarlet Street • The Next Reel“I’ve wanted to laugh in your face ever since I first met you. You’re old and ugly and I’m sick of you! Sick! Sick! Sick!"
Fritz Lang may have often had conflicts with his producers, but when he turned out a great film, he made so great that it’s easy to look past his argumentative nature and just focus on the end product. Well, perhaps more so now than at the time. Sure, he had his stinkers, but looking at a magnificent film like “Scarlet Street,” it’s easy to forgive any battles he started and j...
2015-04-021h 13
The Film BoardInsurgent“It’s time we fight back."The Film Board gathers! This month we take on the latest in The Divergent Series: Insurgent! This time around, Tris Prior is battling her nemeses internal and external at the hand of director Robert Schwentke and writers Brian Duffield, Akiva Goldsman, and Mark Bomback. How’d it hold up, you ask? Did Mekhi Phifer reprise his standout performance as Mekhi Phifer? Did Miles Teller play any rhythm instrument at all? Did Theo James brood? We answer all these questions, and address the most pressing issue of all: #InsurgentBedHead.All this in the capabl...
2015-03-231h 02
The Next Reel Film PodcastDouble Indemnity • The Next ReelNobody knew they were making films noir when the genre started in the 40s — it wasn’t until much later when the French dubbed this new run of American films that had a darker bent with snappy dialogue, lots of shadows and femme fatales film noir. Billy Wilder was setting out to make a crime thriller; he didn’t realize at the time that his film “Double Indemnity” would be considered the first real film noir. Join us — Pete Wright and Andy Nelson — as we begin our Film Noir series with Wilder’s brilliant film from 1944. We talk about the genre and wh...
2015-03-191h 10
The Next Reel Film PodcastLa Vie en Rose • The Next ReelBiopics come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Olivier Dahan’s film “La Vie en Rose” detailing the life of Edith Piaf, one of France’s greatest singers and international stars, is a whirlwind of a film. Unlike biopics that tell the story linearly, this one wraps its audience in and proceeds to take them on a wild ride all through Piaf’s sadly short life, not so much focused on chronology as much as an emotional journey. It’s a brazen way to tell the story but one that mostly works. Join us — Pete Wright and Andy Nelson — as we...
2015-03-121h 19
The Next Reel Film PodcastL.A. Confidential • The Next Reel1997 was a big year for movies, and perhaps that’s because one of the biggest box office sensations — James Cameron’s “Titanic” — was released that year. And while it went on to make a gajillion dollars (okay, just $2.2 billion worldwide), many argue that it’s not actually the best movie of the year, but instead give that title to Curtis Hanson’s crime thriller “L.A. Confidential.” Join us — Pete Wright and Andy Nelson — as we continue our Guess the Connection series with this fantastic film. We talk about the nature of the story as a crime thriller and as, possibly, a neo-noir...
2015-03-051h 20
The Next Reel Film PodcastMillion Dollar Baby • The Next ReelNext up in our Guess the Connection series: Clint Eastwood’s 2004 boxing drama “Million Dollar Baby."
For those of you who have yet to see “Million Dollar Baby,” you probably should just stop reading this and go watch the movie. Even though the movie is nearly 11 years old now, it’s still hard to talk about without going into detail about the change in story direction in the third act. That was a divisive problem at the time of the movie’s release, and while it shouldn’t be a problem now, it feels like it is. But we jump in...
2015-02-261h 20
The Next Reel Film PodcastSyriana • The Next ReelIt’s game time, folks! This current series consists of four films that for all intents and purposes are not related, except for one connection they all have. And that’s the game — guess the connection. We won’t be announcing the films ahead of time — you’ll have to wait until they’re released to see what the films are. And when the podcast about the fourth film in our series is released on Friday, March 13th, the first person to post the correct connection on Facebook or Twitter will win a Next Reel T-shirt! Think you’ve got what it take...
2015-02-191h 14
The Next Reel Film PodcastDelicatessen • The Next ReelWe love doing our Listener’s Choice episodes — it’s a great way for our listeners to get us to finally talk about movies about which conversations are long overdue. Cameron Ryan, our 2014 Pony Prize winner, got to pick the movie this time, and ended up picking the fantastic black comedy “Delicatessen,” a movie that we both love but for whatever reason just hadn’t gotten around to discussing yet. So now finally, join us — Pete Wright and Andy Nelson — as we enjoy another Listener’s Choice episode with one of our faves, the Jean-Pierre Jeunet & Marc Caro 1991 film “Delicatessen.” We ta...
2015-02-121h 22
The Next Reel Film PodcastThe Man in the White Suit • The Next ReelEaling Studios comedies, particularly the ones we’ve been talking about, have all had a bit of an anti-establishment feel to them but “The Man in the White Suit” feels like they were trying to something a bit more with it. The film is fascinating satirical comedy looking at the relationship between the factory owners and the union laborers in England back in the 50s that doesn’t just focus on their differences but also finds a way to bring the two groups together. The reason for their coming together is, of course, the titular character, played wonderfully by Sir Alec...
2015-01-221h 07
The Film BoardBlackhatChris Hemsworth gives his all in Michael Mann's study of hacking new this week: Blackhat. If most computer films have historically failed the computer stuff, the consensus thus far is that Blackhat has delivered where others have so desperately lacked. But how does it hold up beyond the tech? The Film Board gathers! This week Andy Nelson, Steve Sarmento, Tommy Metz III, and Pete Wright hash out Blackhat, from every high-minded concept to the very last USB stick. Did Mann's usual critical eye deliver a thriller that'll stand? How about screenwriter Morgan Davis Foehl's first produced feature? We run the...
2015-01-191h 10
The Next Reel Film PodcastThe Lavender Hill Mob • The Next ReelSir Alec Guinness had already proven both his comedic and dramatic prowess by the time he came to Ealing Studios’ “The Lavender Hill Mob” in 1951, a point in his career when he was making two films a year. He’d continue working in both comedy and drama throughout his career, but we’re lucky to still be talking about his comedies because “The Lavender Hill Mob” is an absolute delight. Join us — Pete Wright and Andy Nelson — as we continue our Sir Alec Guinness series with a conversation about his seventh film, directed by Charles Crichton. We talk about the comedy in this...
2015-01-151h 07
The Next Reel Film PodcastKind Hearts and Coronets • The Next ReelSir Alec Guinness may always be remembered as Obi Wan Kenobi, but his career goes far beyond those three little science fiction films he did late in his career. He worked many times with David Lean. He gave life to the spy George Smiley long before Gary Oldman. And he starred in a number of the great Ealing comedies, his first of which is “Kind Hearts and Coronets,” where he pulls a Peter Sellers by playing 8 of the characters in the film. Join us — Pete Wright and Andy Nelson — as we begin our Sir Alec Guinness series by talking about Ro...
2015-01-081h 17
The Next Reel Film PodcastThe Poseidon Adventure • The Next ReelThe end of 2014, the beginning of 2015. Happy New Year, everybody! And what a better way to celebrate than with Ronald Neame’s 1972 disaster classic “The Poseidon Adventure.” Join us — Pete Wright and Andy Nelson — as we enjoy the holiday with a wonderful conversation about this infamous ship. We talk about the nature of disaster movies from the 70s and producer Irwin Allen — the Master of Disaster — and how this genre turned into quite a thing for him. We discuss the ideas within the film, notably the religious elements, and look at what the film might be trying to say about those el...
2015-01-011h 10
The Next Reel Film PodcastThe Bishop's Wife • The Next ReelHappy holidays! It’s time for another Christmas movie pick to celebrate, and we’re jumping back to 1947 to talk about Henry Koster’s “The Bishop’s Wife.” Join us — Pete Wright and Andy Nelson — as we dive into this perennial classic starring Cary Grant, Loretta Young and David Niven. We talk about how the film works for us and compare that with what we were expecting, considering neither of us had seen this film before. We chat about the brilliant Niven, the casual and awesome Grant, and the loving Young playing the titular character. We spend some time deliberating on...
2014-12-261h 08
The Film BoardThe Hobbit: The Battle of the Five ArmiesPeter Jackson is back with another turn at the wheel of Middle Earth. This time, Bilbo and buddies are off to slay the dragon, fight ye olde Gold Flu, and get all gussied up to ready themselves for The Lord of the Rings, which already happened. That's right, it's time to tackle the conclusion to this trilogy, The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies. The Film Board gathers as Steve Sarmento, Chadd Stoops, Tommy Metz III, and Pete Wright tackle the big issues of The Five Armies—the love story? Scarface Orc got an upgrade? The love story? We ta...
2014-12-211h 19
The Next Reel Film PodcastRequiem for a Dream • The Next ReelPhew. This film should be required viewing for all high school seniors. It’s brutal and intense, but also honest and powerful in its depiction of addiction. Join us — Pete Wright and Andy Nelson — as we finish up our series on the immensely gifted actress Ellen Burstyn with Darren Aronofsky’s 2000 film “Requiem for a Dream.” We discuss why this film is so powerful, and what creating a film that goes to the places this one goes to meant in the filmmakers’ battle with the MPAA over the rating. We talk about the performances — Burstyn’s heartbreaking portrayal of a mother addicted...
2014-12-191h 38
The Next Reel Film PodcastThe Exorcist • The Next ReelIt’s pretty rare for a film to come along that has such a visceral effect on people when they’re watching it where they faint or throw up because it’s so overwhelming. When “The Exorcist” was released just after Christmas in 1973, it had that effect. People flocked to it in droves and seemed to have these heightened reactions to it, whether because they were so scared or they felt it was truly evil. It’s a fascinating case study in how religion and horror draws people to the theatre. Join us — Pete Wright and Andy Nelson — as we continue our...
2014-12-111h 38
The Next Reel Film PodcastAlice Doesn't Live Here Anymore • The Next ReelEllen Burstyn won her Oscar for Best Actress for her powerful turn as Alice Hyatt in Martin Scorsese’s 1974 film “Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore,” and it was clearly well-deserved. Always an actress in pursuit of roles as strong female characters, Burstyn took this film on after her huge success with “The Exorcist.” Join us — Pete Wright and Andy Nelson — as we start our Ellen Burstyn series with “Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore.” We talk about the film as a whole, looking at the journey this widow takes with her son told in a very realistic, gritty, yet comedic way. We di...
2014-12-041h 30
The Next Reel Film PodcastO Brother, Where Art Thou? • The Next ReelJoel and Ethan Coen must have a funny sense of humor, because the idea of making an “adaptation” of Homer’s ‘The Odyssey’ without having read it just seems like a bad idea when I picture anyone else doing it, but with them it seems like that’s part of the joke. They put enough of the story into this film to warrant it being credited as an adaption but certainly create a world of their own within the context of the film — 1930s Mississippi. And the Coens are masters of creating worlds within their films. Join us — Pete Wright and Andy...
2014-11-271h 20
The Film BoardThe Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1Katniss and crew are back in part one of their journey against the Capitol. Things are grim, as evidenced by the jumpsuits and rubble, and the crying that happens whenever our heroes see jumpsuits and/or rubble in the frame. The gang of thugs is back this week to take on Francis Lawrence’s latest take on The Hunger Games Saga, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1, and we’re firmly split on the results. Is it a fun romp through civilian uprising? Is it a valiant effort to translate literary tripe to screen? Or is it a shameless money grab...
2014-11-231h 07
The Next Reel Film PodcastThe Big Lebowski • The Next ReelIt seems appropriate to the character of the Dude that “The Big Lebowski” took its time finding its audience. Coming fresh on the heels of their first Oscar-winning hit, “Fargo,” the Coen Brothers’ 7th film had a strange sense of humor, felt disjointed, was full of swearing, and didn’t connect with audiences or critics, who were all largely left scratching their heads. But time was on the side of the movie as people continued to discover it, turning it into a much-loved cult classic — with its own annual festival even. Join us — Pete Wright and Andy Nelson — as we continue our Co...
2014-11-211h 22
The Next Reel Film PodcastRaising Arizona • The Next ReelIt’s time for some laughs! Kicking off our series of Coen brother comedies, we jump in with the second film of theirs, “Raising Arizona.” Coming after “Blood Simple,” they certainly went 180 degrees with this wild comedy. Join us — Pete Wright and Andy Nelson — as we talk about this hilarious 1987 film. We talk about why the film works for us and what we like about it — and why it’s so stinkin’ funny! We discuss the performances — Nicolas Cage, Holly Hunter, John Goodman, William Forsythe, Trey Wilson, Frances McDormand and more — and look at what they bring to the table and why they all w...
2014-11-131h 23
The Film BoardFuryThe Film Board gathers to fully spoil Brad Pitt’s and David Ayer's latest World War II tank-a-palooza, Fury. First spoiler: it's a war film, more intimate than epic, but it comes with all the violence that such a film typically entails. Too gratuitous? Does the film truck in inappropriately annoying stereotypes? Does Brad Pitt have crazy-fantastic scars? Did Shia really pull out his own tooth for the part? Steve Sarmento, Tommy Metz III, Andy Nelson, and Pete Wright take on all these critical tentpoles of film criticism in this month's Film Board. Join us! Support The Next Reel Fa...
2014-10-191h 25
The Film BoardThe EqualizerIt’s throwback time on The Film Board as we take on Denzel Washington’s latest, The Equalizer. We discuss all the various social constructs Denzel and director Antoine Fuqua look to equalize, from guns and home improvement to racism and gender inequality. Plus, the film is punctuated with violence and not a little allegory. So join us — Andy Nelson, Steve Sarmento, Pete Wright, and the disembodied voice of Chadd Stoops — as we review this homage to Edward Woodward and ‘80s pop culture greatness. Support The Next Reel Family of Film Podcasts:Become a member for just $5/month or $55/yearJoin o...
2014-10-011h 02
The Film BoardGuardians of the GalaxyThis, good people, is a summer tentpole we can get excited about. Director James Gunn has delivered a funny and frolicking space opera in Guardians of the Galaxy with a terrific cast, immersive effects, and a script that is, as we're apt to say, way smarter than it needed to be. Join Mike Evans, Tommy Metz III, Andy Nelson, Steve Sarmento, Chadd Stoops, and Pete Wright as we break down the film. We walk through James Gunn’s performance as director and co-writer with Nicole Perlman, Ben Davis’ cinematography, gorgeous production and art design, and, of course, performances from Chris Prat...
2014-08-031h 17
The Film BoardDawn of the Planet of the ApesWaitwaitwait... what?? A summer tentpole that causes us to ask big questions and congratulate smart filmmaking decisions? WHAT? Such is our review of Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, people, and we’re as shocked as you are. This follow up to the 2011 reboot, Rise of the Planet of the Apes marks director Matt Reeves' big screen intro to the franchise. Does he live up to the love we showered him on for Cloverfield? The Film Board gathers to hash it out. Steve Sarmento, Tommy Metz III, Andy Nelson, and Pete Wright spread some ape love all over the fi...
2014-07-131h 20
The Film BoardEdge of TomorrowTom Cruise is back in Doug Liman’s Edge of Tomorrow, tripping through time and trauma on the road to defeat an alien horde. Here’s the weird thing about this summer tentpole: we all loved it. No kidding. Andy Nelson, Steve Sarmento, Tommy Metz III, and Pete Wright make up The Film Board this week and dish spoilerifically on the time loop architecture at work in the film, the action, the humor (yes, humor!), and the crucial end. And did we mention Emily Blunt? She's crushingly awesome in this film as the brute, delivering what so many films have only...
2014-06-081h 24
The Film BoardGodzillaJapan + Nuclear Power Plant + Misunderstood Fear of Technology = GODZILLA! The Film Board gathers to take on this summer romp and the jury is split. Did this summer’s dose of midtown mayhem lift you out of your seats? Join Tommy Metz III, Steve Sarmento, Andy Nelson, and Pete Wright for a chat about all things Godzilla-licious! Did Gareth Edwards bring his indie spirit to this monster mash? Did Max Borenstein deftly handle the hodgepodge of hands meddling in the script? Was Bryan Cranston in this movie? All these questions answered this week as Godzilla takes its place in The Film Bo...
2014-05-211h 14
The Film BoardCaptain America: The Winter SoldierFilm Board assemble! It’s Captain America and his bestie The Winter Soldier this week as Andy Nelson, Pete Wright, Steve Sarmento, and Chadd Stoops huddle up to give this film a good drilling. We hash out the Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely-penned script, the direction of the Russo brothers, and of course, Robert Redford being all Robert Redford-y. How does Captain America: The Winter Soldier hold up in the Marvel Cinematic Universe? What’s the skinny on Bucky? Mindless speculation on story treatments leading into 2020? We hit it all. Join us for a rip-roaring good time crushing on all thin...
2014-04-211h 20
The Film BoardDivergentWhat better way to kick off the spring tentpole season than with the launch of another adaptation of a young adult novel. This time, it’s Veronica Roth’s take on dystopian Abercrombie in Divergent. This is perhaps the most divided we’ve been on The Film Board. Andy Nelson, Steve Sarmento, and Tommy Metz III come out as pro-faction, Pete Wright and Mike Evans against. We take on Roth’s story and how well it translates to the big screen. We talk factions and the nature of social control in an after-the-fall Chicago. Somewhere in there, Pete makes a case for...
2014-03-231h 16
The Next Reel Film PodcastRichard Dysart: A Special Next Reel Interview • The Next ReelRichard Dysart is one of those faces that you instantly recognize. He's acted on the stage, on the movie screen and on the TV screen most of his life. In his films, he generally played strong supporting characters, helping to fill any given scene with what it needed. (Look at him in the films we've discussed in our Dysart series as well as several past shows — The Hospital and The Thing — to really get a sense as to what he brought to those movies.) On TV, he often carried the projects, whether he was playing a US President (he played Trum...
2014-01-301h 14
The Next Reel Film PodcastRichard Dysart: A Special Next Reel Interview • The Next ReelRichard Dysart is one of those faces that you instantly recognize. He's acted on the stage, on the movie screen and on the TV screen most of his life. In his films, he generally played strong supporting characters, helping to fill any given scene with what it needed. (Look at him in the films we've discussed in our Dysart series as well as several past shows — The Hospital and The Thing — to really get a sense as to what he brought to those movies.) On TV, he often carried the projects, whether he was playing a US President (he play...
2014-01-301h 14
The Film BoardJack Ryan: Shadow RecruitJack Ryan: Shadow Recruit is worth exactly what you pay for it. And possibly slightly less. Such is the verdict of The Film Board this month as we take on the Kenneth Branagh-helmed thriller. It's the fifth in the Ryan series, but the first not based on one of Tom Clancy's novels — a sore point for many of us on The Board. Writers Adam Cozad and David Koepp conjure up some interesting moments in a script that is otherwise awash in trite dialog. But the biggest questions remain: Can Chris Pine pull off the fish-out-of-water clumsiness of Ryan? Can Kevin Cos...
2014-01-191h 33