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A Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 135 – ChicagoBill Condon writes the screenplay for this Best Picture winning musical, Chicago! In this debut film for director Rob Marshall, he finds a way to make a musical work for a modern film audience. It doesn’t hurt that Catherine Zeta Jones, Renee Zellweger, and Richard Gere (also John C. Reilly and Queen Latifah) kill their … Continue reading The post Episode 135 – Chicago appeared first on A Reel Education.2019-08-0100 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 134 – Gods and MonstersAlison Anderson, our resident Frankenstein guest, joins us for Gods and Monsters, a film about James Whale, director of Frankenstein and Bride of Frankenstein. The movie features an early star making turn by Brandan Fraser as well as a great pre-Lord of the Rings performance by Sir Ian McKellon. It serves as a fine finish … Continue reading The post Episode 134 – Gods and Monsters appeared first on A Reel Education.2019-07-1500 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 133 – Bride of FrankensteinOur latest episode continues our exploration of Frankenstein with Bride of Frankenstein. Alison Anderson joins us to watch the sequel to James Whale’s Frankenstein with this film, that may actually be better. James Whale directs the sequel to his classic monster movie and Boris Karloff returns as the monster. Elsa Lanchester plays one of the … Continue reading The post Episode 133 – Bride of Frankenstein appeared first on A Reel Education.2019-07-1200 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 132 – Arsenic and Old LaceFor this episode, we sort of followed Boris Karloff to a classic screwball comedy directed by Frank Capra. Arsenic and Old Lace was based on a stage play that featured Boris Karloff. He’s not in the movie, though. We’ll explain why. Alex Wick joins us to see if this 1941 comedy is still funny to … Continue reading The post Episode 132 – Arsenic and Old Lace appeared first on A Reel Education.2019-06-0100 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 131 – FrankensteinWell after promising to get to this film for a few months, we finally managed to watch the 1931 Frankenstein! Adapted from Mary Shelly’s book, this movie basically defines what Frankenstein’s Monster will look like for the rest of film history. Boris Karloff has the star making role in this James Whale directed classic. Alison … Continue reading The post Episode 131 – Frankenstein appeared first on A Reel Education.2019-05-2100 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 130 – Spider Man: Into the Spider-VerseWe decided we needed to watch the 2019 Oscar Winner for Best Animated Film, Spider-Man Into the Spider-Verse! Melissa had not yet seen it so Patricia Wick returns as our expert to talk about the film that may have just been the best film of 2019, period. While not officially a part of the MCU, … Continue reading The post Episode 130 – Spider Man: Into the Spider-Verse appeared first on A Reel Education.2019-04-1500 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 129 – Green BookAs has been our annual tradition, we are taking a look at this year’s Oscar winner for Best Picture! For this episode, Melissa and Tim had both not yet seen the film. That means Patricia Wick joins us as our expert as we watch Green Book. This movie has some issues. It isn’t horrible but … Continue reading The post Episode 129 – Green Book appeared first on A Reel Education.2019-04-0200 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 128 – Mad Max: Fury RoadFor the second time, we are watching a Max Max movie! This time it’s Mad Max: Fury Road. In what is essentially one super long car chase, we get to watch Charlize Theron be a bad ass and a blind guy play a flame throwing guitar. It’s pretty great. Alee Baker joins us as a … Continue reading The post Episode 128 – Mad Max: Fury Road appeared first on A Reel Education.2019-03-1500 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 127 – The Great RaceWe followed Peter Paul from The Princess Bride to this farce by Blake Edwards. The Great Race stars Falk, Natalie Wood, Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon, and Keenan Wynn as they race across the world. Along the way, they get into a bar fight, escape a polar bear, and meet up with another version of Jack … Continue reading The post Episode 127 – The Great Race appeared first on A Reel Education.2019-03-0400 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 126 – The Princess BrideOK, we finally get to watch The Princess Bride! As one might expect, it was a challenge to find someone who hadn’t seen the movie but with a little work, we found Megan Ealain, who agreed to join us and watch the movie for the first time! If you’ve never seen this 1980’s fantasy/comedy gem … Continue reading The post Episode 126 – The Princess Bride appeared first on A Reel Education.2019-01-1500 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 125 – F for FakeOur latest episode was a bit of a last minute audible as we lost a guest due to weather. So Tim became our guinea pig to watch F for Fake, a “documentary” about hoaxes by Orson Welles. This kind of wacky film takes a look at a few different fakers, including the filmmaker himself. It … Continue reading The post Episode 125 – F for Fake appeared first on A Reel Education.2019-01-0800 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 124 – This is Spinal TapWe are sticking with comedy for just a bit longer as we watch the classic heavy metal mockumentary, This is Spinal Tap! Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, and Harry Shearer play the members of a rock band whose popularity is on something of a downward slide. Rob Reiner is the director of a film that is … Continue reading The post Episode 124 – This is Spinal Tap appeared first on A Reel Education.2018-12-0300 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 123 – ClueThis episode, we take a look at the best film ever based on a board game (and it isn’t close) – Clue! The movie has a stellar comedic cast and while it was something of a box office failure, it has become a huge success on home video.  Tom S Tea joins us to watch … Continue reading The post Episode 123 – Clue appeared first on A Reel Education.2018-11-1500 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 122 – Young FrankensteinJust in time for the day after Halloween! We finish off our trip through the films that are arguably Mel Brooks’ best with Young Frankenstein! This satirical homage to the classic Universal horror movies (but especially Frankenstein and Bride of Frankenstein) may be one of Brooks’ least madcap films but it is still a comedic … Continue reading The post Episode 122 – Young Frankenstein appeared first on A Reel Education.2018-11-0100 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 121 – Blazing SaddlesOur Mel Brooks series continues with his parody of the Western Genre – Blazing Saddles! Alison Anderson joins us for her first viewing of a film that took on racism head on in the 1970’s. When it comes to addressing racism, the film still really does a good job. When it comes to…other things, it … Continue reading The post Episode 121 – Blazing Saddles appeared first on A Reel Education.2018-10-1500 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 120 – The Producers (2005)Having just watched The Producers (1967) by Mel Brooks, we follow up by watching The Producers (2005) by Mel Brooks! This musical adaptation of the original film that was not quite a musical once again features “Springtime for Hitler” but it also has a whole lot of other songs along with Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick, … Continue reading The post Episode 120 – The Producers (2005) appeared first on A Reel Education.2018-09-1500 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 119 – The Producers (1967)This week, we begin working through a series of films by Mel Brooks. We start with our look at his first film, a movie Roger Ebert called “one of the funniest films ever made,” The Producers (1967)! Barb Lind joins us to discuss this film that dares to take on Hitler with comedy. Zero Mostel … Continue reading The post Episode 119 – The Producers (1967) appeared first on A Reel Education.2018-09-0100 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 118 – Schindler’s ListFor a podcast that tries to blend movie education with comedy – this episode creates a bit of a puzzler. We are watching Schindler’s List. Steven Spielberg’s undisputed masterpiece about the holocaust as seen through the eyes of a man who tried to prevent a tiny part of it is a sobering cinematic work. And … Continue reading The post Episode 118 – Schindler’s List appeared first on A Reel Education.2018-08-1500 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 117 – Jurassic ParkThis week’s theme is DINOSAURS! We bring new viewer Stephan Zvan to watch Jurassic Park with our friend and Dinosaur Expert, Matt Kessen. Spielberg’s most successful movie gets the Reel Education treatment as we consider the parts that have aged extremely well (the special effects) and the parts that haven’t (creeper Jeff Goldblum). All in … Continue reading The post Episode 117 – Jurassic Park appeared first on A Reel Education.2018-08-0100 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 116 – Ocean’s ElevenThis week, we are joined by Heather Rand-McKay to watch Ocean’s Eleven (2001)! But she isn’t our only special guest. Patricia Wick joins us in the movie expert chair! We do take some time to talk about the original Ocean’s 11 (1960) and do our best to discourage anyone who wishes to watch the movie … Continue reading The post Episode 116 – Ocean’s Eleven appeared first on A Reel Education.2018-07-1600 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 115 – WestworldOur latest episode takes a look at Michael Crichton’s Westworld. Tim’s son Alex joins us for this movie about a futuristic theme park where nothing could possibly go wrong but, due to exceptionally bad design flaws, things do! Yul Brynner stars as a gunslinger who seems to have tired of constantly being beaten by rich … Continue reading The post Episode 115 – Westworld appeared first on A Reel Education.2018-07-0200 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 114 – The Big LebowskiWe’ve been promising this movie for a while and finally it is time for us to watch The Big Lebowski! Breanna Cecile joins us to watch this film she compares to John Steinbeck’s ‘The Pearl,” which may be about the most intelligent observation made by any guest on our podcast ever. Certainly more intelligent than … Continue reading The post Episode 114 – The Big Lebowski appeared first on A Reel Education.2018-06-1500 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 113 – The OmenWe had a bit of an unintentional hiatus there because Melissa and Tim had a heck of a time coordinating schedules. We’re back and we are watching The Omen with guest Kyle Dekker. Tim also hasn’t seen the film so we have two newbies with a film Melissa watched on nearly constant loop when she … Continue reading The post Episode 113 – The Omen appeared first on A Reel Education.2018-06-0100 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 112 – Get OutBarb Lind returns as we look at yet another film nominated for Best Picture in 2018 – Get Out! Melissa is actually the only member of our podcasting crew who has seen the movie so Tim and Barb both get to experience it for the first time. This is the work of first time writer/director … Continue reading The post Episode 112 – Get Out appeared first on A Reel Education.2018-04-0400 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 111 – The Shape of WaterAs is our annual tradition, we sat down and watched the most recent winner for Best Picture. This year, it is a genre film by Guillermo Del Toro – The Shape of Water! Semi-regular guest newbie Barb Lind re-joins us to watch this fable about a fish man. We talk about Doug Jones because you … Continue reading The post Episode 111 – The Shape of Water appeared first on A Reel Education.2018-03-1500 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 110 – The GooniesThis week is unusual because Melissa couldn’t make it and Tim was forced to be the movie expert. This proved difficult as it was only his second time watching the film! He and guest Kelvin Hatle do their best as they watch a favorite of many people who were children in the 80’s – The … Continue reading The post Episode 110 – The Goonies appeared first on A Reel Education.2018-03-0100 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 109 – High NoonKyle Dekker joins us to watch a Western that is a not even a little bit subtle allegory for the behavior of Hollywood during the House UnAmerican Activities Committee hearings – High Noon! Gary Cooper won an Oscar for his powerful portrayal of a man who slowly comes to realize that nobody will stand up … Continue reading The post Episode 109 – High Noon appeared first on A Reel Education.2018-02-1500 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 108 – Exit Through the Gift ShopWe promised you Goonies but we had a scheduling mix-up so this episode brings you Exit Through the Gift Shop instead! This documentary produced by acclaimed street artist Banksy starts out as a documentary about finding Banksy but then it turns into something quite different. Tim is our newbie for this one and he spends … Continue reading The post Episode 108 – Exit Through the Gift Shop appeared first on A Reel Education.2018-02-0100 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 107 – Die HardWe conclude our Crime Spree series (for now) with the ultimate Christmas action movie – Die Hard! Elliot James is our unsuspecting novice and he joined us to watch Bruce Willis and Alan Rickman chew scenery and destroy a building. This child of the Rambo genre actually created a genre of it’s own (the “Die … Continue reading The post Episode 107 – Die Hard appeared first on A Reel Education.2018-01-1600 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 106 – Pulp FictionWe continue our crime spree (or crime wave depending on what Tim decided to call it this episode) with the groundbreaking Quentin Tarantino film Pulp Fiction! This movie was so important that we had to get two guests to watch it with us!  The first is newcomer Patrick Fisher and the second is Tim’s now … Continue reading The post Episode 106 – Pulp Fiction appeared first on A Reel Education.2018-01-0100 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 105 – Dog Day AfternoonWe continue our focus on crime films with a look at Dog Day Afternoon. John Cazale and Al Pacino star in this look at a bank robbery that goes both comically and tragically wrong. Based on a true story but filled with impressive improvised scenes, the movie represents Pacino at the height of his movie … Continue reading The post Episode 105 – Dog Day Afternoon appeared first on A Reel Education.2017-12-1800 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 104 – The StingSemi-regular guest newbie Barb Lind is back and this week, we are watching The Sting with Robert Redford and Paul Newman! The film has lots of twists and turns and if you enjoy that sort of thing, we’d recommend watching the movie before you listen to the second half of the podcast.  We actually always … Continue reading The post Episode 104 – The Sting appeared first on A Reel Education.2017-11-1500 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 103 – The GodfatherOur next series of films is going to be the crime series and we start with one of the most classic movies about American gangsters you can find, The Godfather!  Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, Talia Shire, James Caan, Robert Duvall and…you get the idea. Directed by Francis Ford Coppola, this film is genuinely iconic. Even … Continue reading The post Episode 103 – The Godfather appeared first on A Reel Education.2017-11-0100 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 102 – Layer CakeWe have reached the end of our James Bond Odyssey as we take a look at the film that is, effectively, Daniel Craig’s audition for the role. Layer Cake is a movie clearly influenced with the works of Guy Richie and Quentin Tarantino.  It makes sense, of course, because director Matthew Vaughn produced some of … Continue reading The post Episode 102 – Layer Cake appeared first on A Reel Education.2017-10-1500 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 101 – Casino RoyaleOur Bond cycle is now complete as we watch the first outing for Daniel Craig.  Casino Royale was the first re-boot of the Bond franchise although it held over Dame Judi Dench as M. Craig takes over James Bond and pulls the franchise in a direction that helps us understand a little bit about why … Continue reading The post Episode 101 – Casino Royale appeared first on A Reel Education.2017-10-0100 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 100 – The MatadorHey there!  We said our 100th episode was going to be Star Wars but it isn’t.  That’s a long story and we’ll tell it to you someday.  Instead, we are joined by Barb Lind to watch The Matador featuring Pierce Brosnan!  Brosnan took on this role shortly after his final Bond film and it is … Continue reading The post Episode 100 – The Matador appeared first on A Reel Education.2017-09-1600 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 99 – GoldeneyeWe are back on the James Bond train as we introduce our guest Chrys VanDerKamp to the Pierce Brosnan film, Goldeneye!  This was Brosnan’s first outing as Bond and may be one of the most enjoyable Bond films of the storied franchise.  There are better Bond films but this one is an awful lot of … Continue reading The post Episode 99 – Goldeneye appeared first on A Reel Education.2017-08-1500 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 98 – Hot FuzzThis episode, we are following Timothy Dalton from James Bond to the Edgar Wright/Simon Pegg comedy Hot Fuzz!  Bob Alberti joins us as our unsuspecting victim.  While he has co-written a play that features a character obsessed with Hot Fuzz, he has, until now, never seen it!  The film is a clever parody and homage … Continue reading The post Episode 98 – Hot Fuzz appeared first on A Reel Education.2017-08-0100 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 97 – The Living DaylightsWe return to our James Bond series with the first of only two Bond outings by Timothy Dalton – The Living Daylights! Chrys VanDerKamp returns as our guest to decide for herself where Dalton falls in the “who is the best Bond” debate.  Tim and Melissa are both Dalton apologists as he is frequently viewed … Continue reading The post Episode 97 – The Living Daylights appeared first on A Reel Education.2017-07-1500 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 96 – The Cannonball RunThis episode, we follow the late Sir Roger Moore from his first turn as James Bond to a film where he basically plays himself playing James Bond.  Cannonball Run is a film by Hal Needham starring Burt Reynolds and Farrah Fawcett and – honestly – almost every other actor from the seventies you’ve ever heard … Continue reading The post Episode 96 – The Cannonball Run appeared first on A Reel Education.2017-07-0100 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 95 – Live and Let DieThis week, we return to our James Bond series with the first installment of the Roger Moore era, Live and Let Die!  Moore was the longest tenured actor to play Bond (this is the first of seven films featuring him as the British super spy).  Chrys VanDerKamp joins us once again to unpack a film featuring … Continue reading The post Episode 95 – Live and Let Die appeared first on A Reel Education.2017-06-1500 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 94 – The HauntingOur next episode in the Bond series follows Lois Maxwell (Miss Moneypenny) because George Lazenby really didn’t make any other films of note after his turn as Bond.  Because of that, we used Maxwell’s small role as an excuse to watch The Haunting!  We are joined by returning guest Lana Rosario to watch this extremely … Continue reading The post Episode 94 – The Haunting appeared first on A Reel Education.2017-06-0100 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 93 – On Her Majesty’s Secret ServiceWe continue our exploration of James Bond and the actors who played him with On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, the first and only film featuring George Lazenby as Bond.  Our guest is once again Chrys VanDerKamp, who will be joining us for every bond film as the only two she has seen is Quantum of Solace … Continue reading The post Episode 93 – On Her Majesty’s Secret Service appeared first on A Reel Education.2017-05-1500 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 92 – The UntouchablesHaving watched Sean Connery play James Bond, we move on to watching Sean Connery in the only role that earned him an Oscar.  Alex Wick joins us for The Untouchables, a Brian De Palma directed crime drama about Chicago and Al Capone.  The movie features some fantastic set piece action as well as several truly … Continue reading The post Episode 92 – The Untouchables appeared first on A Reel Education.2017-05-0100 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 91 – GoldfingerOur Bond project officially begins!  Over the next several episodes, we will be watching Bond movies featuring each of the actors who have played this film icon as well as other movies featuring the same actor!  We begin with what many consider the best of the Bond films, Goldfinger!  Our companion for this film was … Continue reading The post Episode 91 – Goldfinger appeared first on A Reel Education.2017-04-1500 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 90 – MoonlightThis episode, we tackle the 2017 Oscar winner for Best Picture: Moonlight!  After the crazy ending to this year’s Oscar ceremony, this film was crowned Best Picture.  We’re guessing you haven’t seen it.  In fact, neither Melissa or Tim had seen it either.  Still, we brought in Pat Wick, who also hadn’t seen it, to … Continue reading The post Episode 90 – Moonlight appeared first on A Reel Education.2017-04-0100 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 89 – The Quiet ManFor our newest episode, we take a look at a project that was something of a dream project for John Wayne – The Quiet Man!  Directed by John Ford and featuring Wayne and Maureen O’Hara, this film is surprisingly unlike what most would expect from names like John Wayne and John Ford.  We are re-joined … Continue reading The post Episode 89 – The Quiet Man appeared first on A Reel Education.2017-03-1500 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 88 – Snow White and the Seven DwarfsThis week we have two special guests who join us for the Disney classic Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Lana Rosario and David Tyler McKay join us with little more than childhood memories of orange soda.  After a viewing of the film, we discuss all the ways it might not work for some modern … Continue reading The post Episode 88 – Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs appeared first on A Reel Education.2017-03-0100 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 87 – The Adventures of Prince AchmedOn this episode, we take a look at the oldest existing feature length animated film – The Adventures of Prince Achmed.  Our friend Cetius joins us to discuss this silent film created using silhouette.  It is remarkable to watch the film and recognize how much influence it has had on cinema over the years.  We … Continue reading The post Episode 87 – The Adventures of Prince Achmed appeared first on A Reel Education.2017-02-1500 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 86 – The Man Who Would Be KingOur latest episode features the guest stylings of Bob Alberti!  Bob joins us to talk about The Man Who Would be King.  The film features a post Bond Sean Connery and a pre Jaws 4 Michael Caine as two ex soldiers looking to make a fortune by making themselves kings.  We don’t want to spoil … Continue reading The post Episode 86 – The Man Who Would Be King appeared first on A Reel Education.2017-02-0200 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 85 – La Dolce VitaThis episode is a return to the world of Federico Fellini with two guests as we all try to determine if Melissa’s hatred of the film is misplaced.  La Dolce Vita is considered one of Fellini’s masterpieces.  But is it? We watch the film and do our best to appreciate it as film geeks.  You … Continue reading The post Episode 85 – La Dolce Vita appeared first on A Reel Education.2017-01-1500 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 84 – Josie and the PussycatsIt is a new year and we celebrate with a ridiculous movie that may not be great but is way better than it had any right to be.  Kelvin Hatle joins us to watch Josie and the Pussycats, a subversive comedy about product placement and corporate greed. It is also exceptionally silly and features an … Continue reading The post Episode 84 – Josie and the Pussycats appeared first on A Reel Education.2017-01-0200 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 83 – A Hard Day’s NightWe have a first this week – it is the first episode of our podcast that doesn’t feature Tim at all!  Instead, Melissa is joined by Lauren Haven and John Youker.  They are present to watch the classic Beatles Film, A Hard Day’s Night!  This rather light and frothy mixture of Beatles music and a … Continue reading The post Episode 83 – A Hard Day’s Night appeared first on A Reel Education.2016-12-2700 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 82 – Purple RainFor our latest episode, we watched Purple Rain with our good friend and podcasting mega–star, Matt Allex.  In spite of being from Minneapolis, Matt has somehow never seen the film and we were able to enjoy him trying to unpack everything that is going on.  For such an iconic film, it is surprisingly clunky whenever … Continue reading The post Episode 82 – Purple Rain appeared first on A Reel Education.2016-12-0100 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 81 – Stop Making SenseFor this episode, we are joined by Kyle Dekker from Hot Chocolate Media.  He joins us to watch the Talking Heads concert film Stop Making Sense! Directed by Jonathan Demme of Silence of the Lambs fame, this bare bones concert film is considered to be one of the best in the genre.  We talk a bit … Continue reading The post Episode 81 – Stop Making Sense appeared first on A Reel Education.2016-11-1500 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 80 – 2001: A Space OdysseyToday, we return to the world of Stanley Kubrick to experience 2001: A Space Odyssey in 70mm glory.  We are joined by a panel of guests including regular Allee Ellingsburg, Scott Keever, and Richard Brantley.  Almost everyone had seen the film before but this was the first time most had seen it in a theater. … Continue reading The post Episode 80 – 2001: A Space Odyssey appeared first on A Reel Education.2016-11-0200 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 79 – The ShiningAs we continue with our October horror theme, we take journey to the Overlook hotel to watch Stanley Kubrick’s adaptation of Stephen King’s The Shining!  Our newcomer to this journey is Sean O’Loughlin, who joined us a while back to watch Hugo!  Once you’ve watched this film, we suggest you watch the documentary Room 237, … Continue reading The post Episode 79 – The Shining appeared first on A Reel Education.2016-10-1900 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 78 – HalloweenThis week, Susanne Becker joins us to watch the horror classic Halloween!  Jamie Lee Curtis and Donald Pleasence star in a movie that pretty much served as the source for every masked killer horror trope from the 1980’s.  Make no mistake, though, this film did them all first and, in many ways, it is still … Continue reading The post Episode 78 – Halloween appeared first on A Reel Education.2016-10-0100 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 77 – The Shawshank RedemptionThis episode focuses on one of the best films of the 1990’s (or any decade): The Shawshank Redemption!  Alee Ellingsburg returns to watch this prison drama that is structured about as well as a movie can be structured.  Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman star in this movie that was one of the first true home … Continue reading The post Episode 77 – The Shawshank Redemption appeared first on A Reel Education.2016-09-0100 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 76 – Taxi DriverThis week, we take a look at one of the most iconic films of the 70’s, Taxi Driver! We are joined by movie know nothing Salsa Sterling as we explore Martin Scorsese’s dark masterpiece.  We follow Jody Foster from The Silence of the Lambs to her breakout role more than decade prior. This film also established … Continue reading The post Episode 76 – Taxi Driver appeared first on A Reel Education.2016-08-1500 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 75 – The Silence of the LambsThis week’s episode explores the only horror film to win an Oscar for best picture, The Silence of the Lambs!  It took some work to find someone who hadn’t seen the film but Chelsea Okey was good enough to join us even though she really doesn’t like horror.  We spend a lot of time talking … Continue reading The post Episode 75 – The Silence of the Lambs appeared first on A Reel Education.2016-08-0100 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 74 – The Lion in WinterThis week’s episode features another guest host from our sister podcast: A Reel Education – Noir.  Alee Elingsburg joins us to talk about The Lion in Winter, a classic historical drama about a fictional Christmas Henry II spent with his family.  It is full of political machinations, scenery chewing dialogue, and a very youthful Timothy … Continue reading The post Episode 74 – The Lion in Winter appeared first on A Reel Education.2016-07-1500 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 73 – 8 1/2We are sad to say goodbye to Jena as a regular co-host and movie non-expert but that means we will have rotating cast of non-experts instead!  This episode, Tonya Wershow from our sister podcast, A Reel Education: Noir, joins us for Federico Fellini’s 8 1/2.  The movie is surreal and collapses in on itself like … Continue reading The post Episode 73 – 8 1/2 appeared first on A Reel Education.2016-07-0800 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 72 – King KongWe remain in the jungle for a third straight episode as we watch King Kong!  We begin in an actual jungle and then transition to a concrete one!  Given the time period, we are treated to more racism and sexism but also a monster movie that will, from that point on, be the movie against … Continue reading The post Episode 72 – King Kong appeared first on A Reel Education.2016-06-1600 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 71 – TarzanThis episode, we return to the jungle with a look back at the quintessential Tarzan film – Tarzan the Ape Man! Featuring Johnny Weismuller and his abs (also Maureen O’Sullivan), the film is basically about Africa killing all sorts of African American extras while most of the white people survive.  There are lions and elephants … Continue reading The post Episode 71 – Tarzan appeared first on A Reel Education.2016-06-0200 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 70 – FitzcarraldoWe continue down the Werner Herzog rabbit hole this week to watch Fitzcarraldo!  A movie that was years in the making, this is one of those films where the story of the making of the movie is possibly more interesting than the film itself.  Don’t let that statement fool you, though, the movie is a … Continue reading The post Episode 70 – Fitzcarraldo appeared first on A Reel Education.2016-05-1500 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 69 – Grizzly ManIt is time to dive into the works of Werner Herzog with the documentary film Grizzly Man!  Herzog tells the story of naturalist Timothy Treadwell who researched grizzly bears up until one of them decided he looked like a tasty morsel.  Using mostly Treadwell’s old footage, the film is less about his death than it … Continue reading The post Episode 69 – Grizzly Man appeared first on A Reel Education.2016-05-0100 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 68 – All the President’s MenAfter watching Spotlight on our last episode, we decided to take a look at another “Newspaper Journalist Thriller” so we watched All the President’s Men!  The film stars Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman as the reporters who broke the Watergate story.  If you aren’t familiar with Watergate, it is the scandal that ensured every succeeding … Continue reading The post Episode 68 – All the President’s Men appeared first on A Reel Education.2016-04-1700 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 67 – SpotlightAs has become an annual tradition, we are watching this year’s Best Picture Oscar winner.  For 2016, most people assumed the award would go to Revenant.  However, Oscar voters surprised everyone by selecting Spotlight instead.  The film is representative of a dying genre as newspaper journalism is a dying medium.  Fine performances anchor this movie … Continue reading The post Episode 67 – Spotlight appeared first on A Reel Education.2016-04-0100 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 66 – StagecoachWe take a trip down Western lane with the John Wayne/John Ford classic, Stagecoach!  This film basically made a superstar out of Wayne and defined the western genre for the next several decades.  It features Ford’s favorite location – monument valley – as well as his favorite actor.  In addition to Wayne, the movie also … Continue reading The post Episode 66 – Stagecoach appeared first on A Reel Education.2016-03-1500 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 65 – La Belle et la BeteThis episode, we watch the classic French film “La belle et la bete” (Beauty and the Beast). Jean Cocteau’s artistic rending of the classic French fairy tale is a clear influence of the adaptations that followed up to and including the well known Disney version. We talk a lot about the artistry of the film … Continue reading The post Episode 65 – La Belle et la Bete appeared first on A Reel Education.2016-03-0100 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 64 – The Phantom of the OperaOne episode later than promised, we watch the 1925/1929 version of The Phantom of the Opera!  Why do we list two dates?  You’ll have to listen to the podcast to find out!  Not only do we discuss this fine silent film, Tim also spends a not insignificant amount of time ranting about the 2004 musical. … Continue reading The post Episode 64 – The Phantom of the Opera appeared first on A Reel Education.2016-02-1500 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 63 – The Hateful EightThose of you who listened to our last episode may have noticed we said this episode would be about The Phantom of the Opera.  Surprise!  With The Hateful Eight leaving theaters soon, we decided we should shuffle off to the movie theater and check out Quentin Tarantino’s latest offering.  Melissa actually saw the film in … Continue reading The post Episode 63 – The Hateful Eight appeared first on A Reel Education.2016-02-0100 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 62 – DraculaWe’ve been circling this one for a while.  Having watched Ed Wood, Plan 9 From Outer Space, and Horror of Dracula, it is finally time to look at the role that both defined and trapped Bela Lugosi: Dracula.  Our first Universal horror film and one of the best known, we took a look at this … Continue reading The post Episode 62 – Dracula appeared first on A Reel Education.2016-01-1600 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 61 – Horror of DraculaFor this episode, we take a look at one of the most famous films out of the Hammer Horror studio – Horror of Dracula!  We decided to watch the movie because Sir Christopher Lee was in Hugo and this film is one of his breakout roles.  We explore his career as well as that of … Continue reading The post Episode 61 – Horror of Dracula appeared first on A Reel Education.2016-01-0800 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 60 – HugoNote: We apologize for the late posting of this episode.  This episode, we return to the works of director Martin Scorsese to watch the film Hugo.  Jena was unable to join us so we appointed stunt Jena Sean O’Laughlin to watch the film with us.  Hugo is notable for being a film almost completely unlike any … Continue reading The post Episode 60 – Hugo appeared first on A Reel Education.2015-12-2100 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 59 – Safety Last!We’ve been watching a lot of recent movies lately so for this episode, we slid all the way back to the silent film era and comedy legend Harold Lloyd!  Lloyd is the third of the great solo silent comedians.  We’ve already taken a look at Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin and, like most people, we’ve … Continue reading The post Episode 59 – Safety Last! appeared first on A Reel Education.2015-12-0100 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 58 – Bull DurhamIn part two of our exploration of movies about Baseball, we watched Bull Durham.  Pat Wick acts as our stunt Jena but it is Melissa who has never seen the film.  The film is one of the more quotable ones we’ve watched and is actually about baseball.  At least it is a little bit like … Continue reading The post Episode 58 – Bull Durham appeared first on A Reel Education.2015-11-1600 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 57 – MoneyballWith this episode, we embark on a two episode exploration of baseball movies.  Moneyball stars Brad Pitt and it takes a look at the evolution of the way modern baseball teams are assembled.  Like most baseball movies, this movie isn’t about the game so much as it is about the people who make a living … Continue reading The post Episode 57 – Moneyball appeared first on A Reel Education.2015-11-0200 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 56 – The Warrior and the SorceressHaving watched Akira Kurosawa and Sergio Leone tackle the same story, this episode considers John Broderick’s take on the same material.  We know what you’re thinking: who is John Broderick?  Exactly.  Frequent guest Kelvin Hatle joins us for a sword and sandal retelling of Yojimbo that is, in almost every conceivable way, a complete disaster. … Continue reading The post Episode 56 – The Warrior and the Sorceress appeared first on A Reel Education.2015-10-1500 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 55 – A Fistful of DollarsHaving just watched Yojimbo, it is time for us to watch the same movie made by another director.  The style of Sergio Leone is vastly different from that of Akira Kurosawa but he brings his own flair to the story of one man trying to clean out a crooked town in A Fistful of Dollars!  Instead of Toshiro … Continue reading The post Episode 55 – A Fistful of Dollars appeared first on A Reel Education.2015-10-0100 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 54 – YojimboWe are embarking on a three movie exploration of the same story! First up is a return to the great Akira Kurosawa.  His film, Yojimbo, borrows heavily from American Westerns and American film noir.  But it has a badass samurai twist courtesy of Toshiro Mifune.  We enjoy this relatively light offering from the Japanese master filmmaker … Continue reading The post Episode 54 – Yojimbo appeared first on A Reel Education.2015-09-1500 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 53 – Django UnchainedSince there was only one other Quentin Tarantino film unseen by Jena, we knew we had to get to it as quickly as possible.  After showing her Jackie Brown a month ago, we took a look at Django Unchained for this episode.  Tarantino does another pastiche of Westerns, Blaxploitation and, because it is Tarantino, a … Continue reading The post Episode 53 – Django Unchained appeared first on A Reel Education.2015-09-0100 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 52 – Foxy BrownHaving just watched Jackie Brown, we decided it was time to introduce Jena to the Blaxploitation sub-genre with another Pam Greer classic – Foxy Brown!  Greer rocks a 70’s wardrobe in this film about revenge, revenge, and more revenge.  If anyone can get revenge, it would be Pam Greer.  We share some information about Blaxploitation … Continue reading The post Episode 52 – Foxy Brown appeared first on A Reel Education.2015-08-1500 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 51 – Jackie BrownAfter much searching, we managed to find a Quentin Tarantino film that Jena hadn’t see yet!  That’s a lie.  It didn’t take that much searching at all.  We sat Jena down in front of Jackie Brown so she could enjoy a film that is not quite as obviously a Tarantino film than all of his … Continue reading The post Episode 51 – Jackie Brown appeared first on A Reel Education.2015-08-0100 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 48 – The Lady From ShanghaiFor this episode, we return to the lovely Trylon Microcinema in Minneapolis to enjoy Orson Wells’ curious film noir, The Lady from Shanghai.  The film stars Wells and his then wife Rita Hayworth, who makes her first appearance on our podcast.  Melissa is the only member of our team who has seen the film before … Continue reading The post Episode 48 – The Lady From Shanghai appeared first on A Reel Education.2015-06-0100 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 37 – Mystery of the Wax MuseumThis episode focuses on a rather obscure film that is a favorite of Tim and Melissa.  Mystery of the Wax Museum has lots of things working for it.  It has Fay Wray (of King Kong fame) and is directed by Michael Curtiz (who also directed Casablanca).  The film would later be remade into House of … Continue reading The post Episode 37 – Mystery of the Wax Museum appeared first on A Reel Education.2014-12-2300 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 36 – Planes, Trains and AutomobilesWe were glad to return to the Trylon Microcinema for a live recording this episode!  We enjoyed Steve Martin and John Candy in the dramedy Planes, Trains and Automobiles.  Tim got to share his own story of travel hell although he was quick to point out that his car never caught on fire. The first … Continue reading The post Episode 36 – Planes, Trains and Automobiles appeared first on A Reel Education.2014-12-0100 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 32 – The Dirty DozenJena had a last minute conflict so we were forced to enlist an emergency stunt Jena.  Fortunately, Tim’s wife Pat was available.  We had to make an alteration in movie (Pat has seen Man on Wire) so we pulled out The Dirty Dozen! This classic example of a mission movie involves a great cast trying to save the world from … Continue reading The post Episode 32 – The Dirty Dozen appeared first on A Reel Education.2014-10-0100 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 30 – Plan 9 From Outer SpaceHaving tackled Tim Burton’s Ed Wood, we used our latest episode to look at Ed Wood’s magnum opus, Plan 9 From Outer Space!  The film, rightly or wrongly, is hailed as the worst movie of all time.  Our friend and bad movie aficionado Kelvin Hatle joins us once again to explore what will forever be … Continue reading The post Episode 30 – Plan 9 From Outer Space appeared first on A Reel Education.2014-09-0300 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 29 – Ed WoodThis episode, we enter the world of Tim Burton and his homage to the king of bad movies, Ed Wood!  What is true and what is not true about this story is nowhere near as important as the personal touch Burton brings to this story.  You can tell that this is a movie dedicated to … Continue reading The post Episode 29 – Ed Wood appeared first on A Reel Education.2014-08-1600 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 25 – CabaretJena wasn’t able to make it to the recording of this episode but that’s OK, we bought in a stunt Jena!  This week’s stunt Jena was…Melissa!  Turns out Cabaret was one of the few films that she had never seen.  With Melissa our acting Jena, we were down one expert.  Enter our friend Windy Bowlsby!  Windy is … Continue reading The post Episode 25 – Cabaret appeared first on A Reel Education.2014-06-1500 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 24 – DuneFor our newest episode, we subjected Jena to the 1984 train wreck that is David Lynch’s Dune!  We are joined by two special guests.  First is Kelvin Hatle, who has an unholy love for bad movies great and small.  Second is Jerry Belich who, along with Melissa, produced a Swede version of the film that … Continue reading The post Episode 24 – Dune appeared first on A Reel Education.2014-06-0100 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 21 – 12 Years a SlaveIn what is becoming a tradition, we watched this year’s Academy Award winner for Best Picture, 12 Years a Slave!  In an unusual twist, Tim was the only host who had actually seen the film already.  The movie inspired a lot of discussion about slavery, the Oscars and, oddly, Gravity.  We hope you enjoy our … Continue reading The post Episode 21 – 12 Years a Slave appeared first on A Reel Education.2014-04-1500 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 17 – Seven SamuraiIt is time for some Reel Education subtitled action courtesy of the great Akira Kurosawa’ s masterpiece, Seven Samurai! While Jena speculates there will be flips in this film, she finds nary a one.  Instead, she finds one of the greatest films ever along with some truly racist Japanese accents courtesy of Melissa and Tim! … Continue reading The post Episode 17 – Seven Samurai appeared first on A Reel Education.2014-02-1500 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 16 – Double IndemnityJena was unable to make our recording at Pepito’s this episode so we pulled in a Stunt Jena.  Joining us at the Parkway was Tim’s son Alex, who got to watch his first Noir on the big screen.  Our movie was the Noir classic Double Indemnity by Billy Wilder.  People betrayed each other.  People died. … Continue reading The post Episode 16 – Double Indemnity appeared first on A Reel Education.2014-02-0100 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 11 – PlaytimeThis week, we tackle Jaques Tati’s comedy Playtime.  In a unique twist, neither Tim nor Jena had seen the film.  It is also our first “foreign language” film although the fact the movie is French is hardly relevant as the dialogue is almost completely unnecessary. If you’ve never seen the movie and you have Hulu … Continue reading The post Episode 11 – Playtime appeared first on A Reel Education.2013-11-1500 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 4 – Lawrence of ArabiaHoly crap!  This movie is so long we had to split this episode into three parts! Lawrence of Arabia is an undisputed classic no matter what the length so Melissa and Tim couldn’t wait to show it to Jena.  There is significant geeking about the score, the flimmaking and Peter O’Toole.  If you have never seen … Continue reading The post Episode 4 – Lawrence of Arabia appeared first on A Reel Education.2013-08-0100 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 2 – Singin’ in the RainFor our second episode, our permanent co-host Melissa Kaercher joins the party to enjoy one of the greatest movie musicals ever made – Singin’ in the Rain.  We don’t know how Jena managed to go this long without experiencing “Make ’em Laugh” but that horrible oversight has now been rectified.  Enjoy the episode and remember … Continue reading The post Episode 2 – Singin’ in the Rain appeared first on A Reel Education.2013-07-0100 minA Reel EducationA Reel EducationEpisode 1 – CasablancaWelcome to the inaugural episode of our podcast! This podcast will follow our attempts to  educate Jena Young on the great films that she hasn’t seen yet. Or, occasionally, just the ones she doesn’t remember.  This week’s episode was recorded before co-host Melissa Kaercher became a co-host so Tim Wick educates Jena all on his … Continue reading The post Episode 1 – Casablanca appeared first on A Reel Education.2013-06-1700 min