School Of Movies

[School of Movies 2020] I am continuously baffled with the dearth of teenage vampire films. It sounds like a trope, but can you really name that many where the focus was on teenagers becoming vampires as a metaphor for being a teenage outcast, and disconnected with both the world of adults and that of the childhood just left behind? Twilight, a bit. Near Dark, kinda? On TV we had The Vampire Diaries. Seriously there's a goldmine here if somebody can get the alchemy right in a way that hits whatever the current teen generation is.  Anyway The Lost Boys (1987) wasn't originally intended to be that at all. It was supposed to be about vampire kids, Director Joel Schumacher simply engineered the ages upwards so it could be sexier, and mission accomplished. Our commission season continues with the bloodsucking Brady Bunch.  Guests Brenden Agnew of Cinapse  @BLCAgnew  From Sequentially Yours  Kaoru Negisa  @Moonpanther22  and Debbie Morse  @bastet8300  And many thanks to the commissioners: Andy Rodriguez, Ma

[School of Movies 2020] Our Winter commissions season begins with this cult classic fantasy from 1988. Largely dismissed at the box office, Willow found a home market of kids who grew up wearing out their VHS copies, and will still talk of it today with misty-eyed affection. This was one of those movies that kept me going between the hibernation of Star Wars and the emergence of Lord of the Rings. While this is easily passed off as a Hobbit lite or an attempt to siphon Star Wars’ space fantasy into conventional fantasy, what we talk about here are some arresting hidden depths, and how charmingly it manages to pull off its magic trick. Enough to capture the hearts of some fans for life. If you’ve not yet had the pleasure, we recommend the Blu Ray for a Sunday afternoon of feeling like you’re nine again.  Guests Brenden Agnew of Cinapse  @BLCAgnew  Hollywoo Actress  Maya Santandrea @Mayasantandrea  From Sequentially Yours  Kaoru Negisa  @Moonpanther22  and Debbie Morse  @bastet8300  And many thanks to t

[School of Movies 2020] Throughout this year we will be covering the films of Steven Spielberg in Main Event shows as well as Quick Reviews. And we figured we would start with a bang with a transformative work from 1975 that may not have been the first summer blockbuster, but definitely started the trend of the event movie that everyone goes to see and talks about, one that that grew with Star Wars into what big budget cinema is today. However, this creature feature is really, REALLY strong in so many other ways beyond spectacle, and it was an absolute nightmare to film. We brought in a special guest for his first time on our show, and the enthusiasm just bounced off the walls within our recording session. He will definitely be back. Guest Chris Chipman of The Chipman Bros Tangent @The Chippa

[School of Movies 2020] The Star Wars Saga draws to a close for the third and (not) final time. We got to see how J.J. Abrams was at finishing rather than beginning, and my guests and I were presented with the task of somehow making a show that would be satisfying to a lot of different people going through wildly different responses. What we came up with may surprise you. And it culminates in a new way of seeing the Star Wars series in general, which might just be the key to us moving forward.  Guests Jason "Chewie" Slate of The Mana Pool @TheManaPool Voice Actor Alex Eding @AlexEding Brenden Agnew of Cinapse @BLCAgnew Neil Taylor of TheKidDogg @KidDogg

[School of Everything Else 2019] In a bid to search for the best in everything I recruited James Batchelor to journey back to the three films with which I started my movie podcast career in earnest. Back in 2010 that took the form of a raw torrent of frustration and derision, but I'm trying to save that for the deserving. Instead, this time round, my enthusiastic colleague and I have found the best pieces of scoring within those three films, to showcase for all of you. Join us for a journey from trade disputes to genocide, as we traverse the story of Anakin Skywalker's fall to the dark side retold through the scores of the legendary John Williams. 1. Star Wars theme/The Federation Battleship  2. Fighting the Destroyer Droids 3. Arrival on Tatooine/The flag parade/Anakin is Free 4. Anakin’s Theme 5. The Duel/The Droid Battle 6. The Parade (Augie’s Great Municipal Band) 7. The Younglings/Meeting With Fett 8. Across the Stars 9. Confrontation with Count Dooku and Finale 10. Battle Over Coruscant (Int

[School of Movies 2019] In this episode we cover both the 1982 Jim Henson movie and the 2019 Netflix series; Age of Resistance. You can listen to our podcast first, it will make both better.  One of the most striking, extraordinary and dignified attempts at the fantasy cinema of the 1980s, the original movie was massively important to few, but Sharon was among them.  There was absolutely no rational reason why Netflix would attempt a show based on a property that didn't exactly set the box office alight 37 years earlier, much less that they would opt for the practical puppetry which made that film extraordinary over the standard CG creatures of 21st Century entertainment.  And there was absolutely no way that this could end up one of the most beautiful, extraordinary TV shows ever made. That it would feel more sharply relevant now in an era when the obscenely wealthy cartoon villains who are our excuses for rulers feast upon the figurative essence of those they deem lesser beings. And yet, here we are.

[School of Movies 2019]   This was the film that convinced me though theatrically-released hand-drawn animation is gone that the future is in good hands all the same. John Musker and Ron Clements made their Disney directorial debut all the way back in 1986's Great Mouse Detective. They then followed that up with a double-whammy of The Little Mermaid and Aladdin, forming the foundation of the 90s renaissance (and sandwiching Beauty & the Beast).  They went on to helm the delightful disappointments; Hercules, Treasure Planet and The Princess & the Frog, which failed to hit those box office figures but proved to be firm favourites with die hard Disney fans. And here they bid farewell to directing, twenty years after they began with their first 3D animation gig, that also could be argued as one of the most beautiful ever created within that medium. That this was both their first and last is as surprising as it is bittersweet. But enough about two lovable old white men, this is a film where the house o

[School of Movies 2016] This was a show we recorded way back in 2016, that simply couldn't wait the three more years it would take to bring us up to date. Dan was not available this time round so we brought in some anthropomorphic animal specialists in his absence. This was a movie that kind of came out of nowhere and delighted pretty much everyone by having a lot more going on below the surface than your average animated animal adventure. At the very least it's a major new find for the furry community as our guests Lorin Grieve from A Year of Steam and Matt Wardle and Laureta Sela of New Century can attest. As well as this there is a multi-layered and infinitely applicable series of social commentaries on everyday prejudices. This downright demanded discussion so we pulled out all the stops to deliver you a packed two hour show.    Folks on the patreon at the $5 per month support level can, this week, get their paws on an additional 90 minutes of rambling tangents which also took place during recording and

[School of Movies 2019]   It appears to be decreed that Disney must sandwich every princess film in their animated classics canon with one that is either accessible to the whole family (like Zootopia) or one that at least suggests it will appeal to male-coded interests. In this case Wreck-It Ralph with all those video games (that girls love too) and Big Hero 6 with all its superheroes (that girls love too). In this case Disney's first attempt at adapting a Marvel comic book with no connection to the MCU this one takes a virtually unheard of Joe Kelly book from the 90s which had not quite a dozen issues to its name and turned it into something like The Iron Giant, something like what would eventually be Bumblebee and something like Into the Spider-Verse. Two films that would improve upon elements of this formula. And whilst we don't love it as much as any of the above there is something kind of wonderful about Baymax, and there are things we can learn from this film about living with grief and crazy science

[School of Movies 2019]   The Disney series continues, and in fact this run of four episodes (including the re-release of the 2016 show on Zootopia) marks our project finally coming up to date, since we began this way back around the time Frozen was being released. We will of course return in years to come with another stretch of episodes on Ralph Breaks the Internet, Frozen II, Raya and the Last Dragon and whatever comes next. But for now this gets us to a place we want to be.  I think people forget, because of all the airplay that one song got, because of all the merchandising and ubiquity of these characters within Disney's self-identifying brand just how GOOD this movie actually is. When you watch it again the script is really strong, it's progressive in a way that challenges their somewhat dated fairy tale elements in a positive way. And not just that one song but ALL of the musical numbers are fantastic (except one and we'll go into that). It's beautiful and thought-provoking and soulful and sometimes

[School of Movies 2019] The saga of The Shining continues with a new generation being hounded by the very eldest. This is one of those movies that nobody really expected. The original decades-old novel and film are at war with one another, and this drastically belated sequel is the battle-ground. Yet what transpires harmonises both in a supremely confident fashion.  And hardly anybody saw it. So it's our job now to explore the shadowy, steamy depths of Doctor Sleep, establish what Stephen King was saying with his books and how director Mike Flanagan (fast becoming an understated mainstay in the horror milieu) reinterprets the best of multiple mediums... in every possible sense of the word. This is one of our very favourite films of 2019. You can listen if you haven't seen it, most people haven't. The plot developments and character movements we discuss won't spoil the film, they will improve it.

[School of Movies 2019] The Kubrick season concludes with arguably his most celebrated film (the only other contender being Space Odyssey). This is the one we set out to talk about, but we had to try our level best to understand the men behind it as we did so. Making this a continuation of our Stephen King adaptations series where we compare the book and film (including IT, Pet Sematary and at some point in the future Stand by Me, Misery, The Green Mile and The Shawshank Redemption). So we watched and talked about everything Kubrick made since 1968, and we read through King's books of The Shining and Doctor Sleep. This really was a grand project and took a lot out of us, but crucially we tried to have fun along the way so it would feel worth it. The end result is a pair of immensely detailed shows, including Doctor Sleep next week, wherein we discuss how these two creators' different outlooks permeate the cinematic story of Daniel Torrance over 39 years.  

[School of Movies 2019] The Kubrick season continues with his creations from the 80s and 90s.  First, a harsh, black vision of the experiences of United States Marines in the Vietnam War. Beginning with their training at the hands and barking yell of the apparently lone  Gunnery Sargent Hartman. Then a confused meander through various areas of the war-torn country, searching for meaning that does not reveal itself. After that Tom Cruise finds out that Nicole Kidman once thought briefly about having an affair and journeys out into the New York Night for a sexual odyssey that was deliberately designed to be seedy, uncomfortable and weirdly puritanical. 

[School of Movies 2019] Stanley Kubrick Season: Part 1 of 3 Last year we covered the work of Guillermo del Toro, this year we were only going to do The Shining after being asked to do Kubrick many times. But the raft of research and hard work that went into simply covering the context for that movie led to us talking about not one but six of his films. What unfolded as we recorded these sessions out of order was a veritable Stanley Kubrick Season. So this first part we will cover 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), A Clockwork Orange (1971) and -briefly- Barry Lyndon (1975). Next week we have Full Metal Jacket (1987) and Eyes Wide Shut (1999). Finally, the third week will be all about The Shining (1980), and we will be closely comparing it with Stephen King's book. We are going to be critical of Kubrick. This is a risky prospect for us as we are talking about a revered artist in our chosen field of study. But only one of these films that we talk about in depth do we actually genuinely dislike. The rest are very

[School of Movies 2019] After the pantsing of Tim Burton with this year's Miss Peregrine main event and Dumbo Quick Review we decided for Halloween to go back to one of our favourites of his.  This one is not very popular, a lot of people consider it a mess, and they're correct, but it's a mess that we enjoy greatly, and one that delighted Lorin who was a first timer here. It's a dark, twisted, witchy, campy, gory mystery and everyone on board seems to be having a great time. Come join us.  Guest: Lorin Grieve:  @VixenVVitch  

[School of Movies 2019] Just in time for the sequel we examine this perky black comedy about life after the end of the world. At present there isn't too much in the way of deeper readings of the escapades of Columbus, Tallahassee, Wichita and Little Rock, so we took that as something of a challenge. Recruiting two shrinks last heard on our Inside Out episode we examined each of their behavioural patterns and asked ourselves what state of mind the daily pursuit of survival might have left them in.  Guests: Dr Hunter Mulcare @realhuntermmm   Amy Donaldson of @TwoShrinksPod

[School of Movies 2019] This turned out to be one of the most gruelling ordeals for us in terms of lead-up, viewing, preparation, recording and editing. This is an intensely divisive film with smart, decent people who dislike it and smart decent people who love it. And the last thing we want is to divide and clash.  We DO however have to account for how this film made us feel, which is not great at all. Of course we didn't go in hoping to hate it, but what started out as "Okay this isn't bad" descended into "God, get me out of here!" Next Week: Zombieland

[School of Movies 2019] This is every Friday the 13th movie made so far, excluding Freddy vs. Jason (which we covered in our Nightmare on Elm Street series). So that's Friday the 13th (1980) then Part 2, III (in 3D), IV: The Final Chapter, V: A New Beginning, VI: Jason Lives, VII: The New Blood, VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan, Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday, Jason X and Friday the 13th (2009). 29 years of teenagers being slaughtered in the woods for drinking, smoking weed and having sex. This one could have been exhausting, but there's enough variety (just) to differentiate the series. One of them has overtones of Hitchcock, two of them are whodunnit mysteries, a couple get vaguely psychological, one tries to be very Terminator, one has a Carrie, one is a Jason fan film set on a bloody space station, and one tries to mash four of them together to tell the grim story of a sadistic survivalist nut. However, one of them gets the chemistry just right and is a hilarious splatterfest. You'll have to listen t

[School of Movies 2019]  We cover the five movies each in turn. 0.00 First Blood (1982) 0.25 Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985) 0.49 Rambo III (1988) 0.59 Rambo (2008) 1.12 Last Blood (2019) It's quite a wild and bumpy ride, going from a sobering critique of the military industrial machine and what it does to our soldiers, to a critique on political chicanery and lack of transparency in warfare to just an all-out blockbuster western with tanks to a gruesome revenge-porn exploitation action and finally to a grim take on American/Mexican border-relations. There are good and bad elements to be found within, as a shell-shocked soldier morphs into an unbeatable saviour and then into basically Jason Vorhees minus the hockey mask. 

[School of Movies 2019] The follow-up to our extensive discussion on both the source novel and the 1990 miniseries, and then our lengthy discussion on the amazing 2017 movie. Few horror sequels are as eagerly anticipated as this one, and bettering or even matching the kids' story was always going to be an insane challenge. King didn't really manage it with his book, the TV version delivered a lukewarm, erratically paced exercise in uncertainty of purpose and true to form this one disappointed a lot of returning viewers. However, our little Losers Club found a rich vein of complexity to mine, and plenty to infer in this tale of graduating adult fears and anxieties. We begin with twenty minutes of unbridled praise, just to establish a base of quality, and then follow it up with two hours of discussion on the mixed bag on offer, the good, the bad and the Pennywise. Guests Brenden Agnew of Cinapse  @BLCAgnew   From Sequentially Yours  Kaoru Negisa  @Moonpanther22  and Debbie Morse  @bastet8300