Advertise on podcast: Reviews And Otherwise

The auteur of BABEL, BIRDMAN and THE REVENANT and the megastar who did a few episodes of voiceover for Ted Turner’s CAPTAIN PLANET cartoon series combine their talents for an apocalyptic climate change satire. Like the earlier pre-Trump episodes of SOUTH PARK where Trey and Matt would snicker at both sides.

Discussing Zach Cregger’s reboot of the RESIDENT EVIL franchise with Everydude Austin Abrams doing his very best to deliver precious cargo to horrific creature-populated Raccoon City.

Discussing THE HOLE IN THE WALL (1929, Robert Florey) with Edward G. Robinson and Claudette Colbert, plus films likely to be referenced on the new The Bisexuals season of YOU MUST REMEMBER THIS: AN AMERICAN TRAGEDY (1931, Josef von Sternberg) with Phillips Holmes (one of Libby Holman’s male lovers) in the lead, plus two films fictionalizing Holman’s marriage to doomed tobacco heir Smith Reynolds—SING, SINNER, SING (1933) with Leila Hyams as faux-Libby and Don Dillaway as faux-Smith and Victor Fleming’s MGM-glossy RECKLESS (1935), with the pretend Libby and Smith roles played by Jean Harlow and Franchot Tone.

Examining John Boorman’s uneven, excoriated on original release, follow-up to THE EXORCIST and a 49-years-later documentary trying hard to convince today’s audiences of its merits and absolve Boorman of any lingering regrets.

Adaptations of DC’s SUPERGIRL tend to be underwhelming (didn’t see the TV series with Melissa Benoist). The 1984 campy Salkind production had Helen Slater upstaged by post-MOMMIE DEAREST Faye Dunaway. This one has been overly firebombed by misogynistic fanboys, for which the casting of Jason Momoa as Lobo wasn’t soothing enough. It does have its merits—mostly Milly Alcock’s transformation from depressed punk nihilism to responsible heroine.

Deep cuts from the filmographies of John Wayne and Greta Garbo. A MAN BETRAYED is Republic Pictures doing a knockoff of Frank Capra’s virtuous small town citizen confronting Big City corruption formula. Wayne plays Gary Cooper here and has some romantic chemistry with Frances Dee (daughter of politician/crime boss Edward Ellis). ROMANCE is pre-code 1930 with Garbo having fun with an Italian accent as opera star oppositely attracted to Gavin Gordon’s clergyman.

Discussing Steven Spielberg’s full-circle return to his chase thriller 70s roots plus side orders of UFO files paranoia and Hitchcock homages.

Reviews of a feature version of a YouTube series, a feature version of a Disney+ series and an original, non IP movie you’re probably unaware of.

Discussing the 20 years on follow-up to the glossy fashion magazine comedy—plus some musing on why most celebs wouldn’t quit this year’s Jeff and Lauren Met Gala.

Discussing real Michael Jackson plus Antoine Fuqua and the estate’s sinned against angelic version—and Dan Reed’s view of Michael escaping accountability for his alleged sexual misbehavior with children.

Irish horror director with his take on the nine-decades-plus unearthed and undead horror concept—which apparently collided with James Wan’s hopes to give WB/New Line a movie that was CONJURING-adjacent. Has its moments, mainly in the final third, but definitely a hodgepodge.

Discussing two of the shiny object cringe comedy/dramas from the boutique portion of A24. Spoilers included for THE DRAMA.

Discussing the debut commentary track—Ronald Haver’s discussion of the original KING KONG for a 1990s Criterion laserdisc. Also, some context as to Haver’s career as programmer at Los Angeles County Museum of Art, plus his restoration of George Cukor’s A STAR IS BORN and authorship of DAVID O. SELZNICK’S HOLLYWOOD.

Reviewing a 1976 actioner with mob lawyer and BFF race driver Stacy Keach keeping heroin off the streets of San Francisco, Nicholas Ray’s 1949 woman’s picture/mystery/noir with Maureen O’Hara and Gloria Grahame and a 1986 TV-movie with the one-off pairing of Robert Mitchum and Wilford Brimley.

Reviewing the new documentary COVER-UP (co-directed by Laura Poitras) on investigative journalism legend Seymour Hersh, Josh Safdie’s MARTY SUPREME, James Cameron’s AVATAR: FIRE AND ASH and Paul Feig’s THE HOUSEMAID.