Two Geeks And A Git Classic Movie Reviews

Our second film in our pairing of "film noir" stories is directed by Alex Segal and co-written by Cyril Hume and Richard Maibaum. Starring Glenn Ford, Donna Reed, and introducing Leslie Nielsen, this movie tells the story of a rich vacuum cleaner magnate David Stannard (Ford) and his wife Edith (Reed) whose eight year-old son, Andy, is kidnapped. When given with the realities of kidnapping by the Chief of Police and concerned newspaper reporter Charlie Telfer (Nielsen), David decides to go a different route than just paying the ransom demanded by the kidnappers. Although this film comes near the end of the first film noir cycle, it still does a terrific job of using the tropes and features some amazing supporting actors and actresses as well! Plus, learn all about what evil the geeks have planned for their Halloween pairing this year!

"The Third Man," directed by Carol Reed, begins our "film noir" pairing! The movie premiered in 1949, written by Graham Greene and starring Joseph Cotten, Alida Valli, and Orson Welles! Filmed on-site in Vienna, Austria (and in their amazingly beautiful and spacious sewer system... we kid you not) in the years after World War II, this is a prime example of everything "film noir" is supposed to be. The story is beautifully shot, expertly lit in a way that emphasizes the use of shadow, and contains a plot that twists and turns with such style that you're never quite sure who to trust or what's going to happen next! In 1999, This film this film topped the "BFI 100", a list of 100 of "the best British films ever!"

The second of our sequels that surpassed their originals, this time it's the Terminator franchise, and what should have been the final film, 1991's "Terminator 2: Judgment Day!" Directed by James Cameron, who directed the original, and written by Cameron and William Wisher, this film pic ks back up 10 years later, and follows John Connor, now living with foster parents after mother Sarah is committed to a maximum security mental facility. After not one, but two Terminators show up, the story kicks into high gear! Starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Linda Hamilton from the first movie, with Edward Furlong, Robert Patrick, Earl Boen, and Joe Morton, this may very well be the best action movie ever made! Finally, hear what genre, that owes much of its feel to German Expressionism, the trio will be tackling with their next pairing!

We're looking at sequels that were better than their originals in this pairing, starting with the Star Wars sequel from 1980, "The Empire Strikes Back!" Directed by Irvin Kershner, and written by Leigh Brackett and Lawrene Kasdan, this is the film that almost all fans of the Star Wars universe agree is the best film to date! Starring Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Anthony Daniels, David Prowse, Peter Mayhew, Kenny Baker, Billy Dee Williams, and the voice and puppeting skills of Frank Oz, this film hits all the right notes: story, cast, adventure, tension, and the best plot-twist perhaps of all time! Plus the near-perfect scoring by the master himself, John Williams, and you have what all sequels are supposed to be!

The second of our Tim Burton pairing is the somewhat Hollywood-ized biography picture about legendary (and legendarily bad) writer, director, producer, and actor Ed Wood, in a film that bears his name. Although not originally a Tim Burton project, he chose to take this film on, casting Johnny Depp in the title role. Burton provided Depp with an absolutely amazing cast of supporting actors, including Sarah Jessica Parker, Patricia Arquette, Jeffrey Jones, Vincent D'Onofrio, Bill Murray, Lisa Marie, George "The Animal" Steele, Juliette Landau, and her father, Martin Landau who would go on to win a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for this role! Although the subject matter is unusual, and Depp's performance may or may not be edging into charicature, the performances are extremely solid, and the story is very interesting, enough so that the faults the movie does have don't get in the way of enjoying this odd tale about a very unusual man! Plus, the trio reveal which "sequels better than the originals" they're going to

It's the first of our Tim Burton pairing! Episode 116 is perhaps the most quintessentially-Burtonesque movie in his canon, 1988's "Beetlejuice!" Directed by Burton, and starring Michael Keaton in the titular role, along with Alec Baldwin, Geena Davis, Catherine O'Hara, Jeffrey Jones, Winona Ryder, Glen Shadix, and Sylvia Sidney, this is a supernatural romp like nothing else that's been put on film! With an outstanding score by long-time Burton collaborator Danny Elfman (that is also so very indicative of his scoring work), this is a film that all three geeks agree should be seen, and perhaps seen again! Plus, a few interesting tidbits about some of the alternate castings we could have had, and some of the other goings-on behind the scenes, makes this an episode well worth your time... just like the film itself!

In the second half of our look at storybook movies, episode 115 moves ahead 20 years from the last film to tackle the intricate tale of truly "star-crossed" lovers in the cinematic adaptation of Neil Gaiman's novel Stardust! Directed by Matthew Vaughn, who co-wrote the screenplay with Jane Goldman, narrated by none other than Sir Ian McKellen, and starring Charlie Cox (Marvel's Daredevil on Netflix), Clair Danes, Michelle Pfeiffer, Mark Strong, Sienna Miller, Henry Cavill, Kate Magowan, Peter O'Toole, Rupert Everett, Mark Williams, Ricky Gervais, and Robert De Niro in the most un-De Niro-like role ever, this film delivers a solid, if a bit overly complicated, entertaining romp from one world to another and back again! Interestingly enough, this film was also given a GLAAD award (for reasons you'll have to listen to find out)! And finally, the trio reveal which director, a favorite of Jeff and Chad's, but not necessarily of Buddy's, they'll be focusing on for the next pairing!

Episode 114 begins the first of our pair of storybook movies with the film that became a cult classic, a true classic, and Rob Reiner's masterpiece, 1987's The Princess Bride! Starring Cary Elwes, Mandy Patinkin, Chris Sarandon, Christopher Guest, the amazing Wallace Shawn, wrestling legend Andre the Giant, Fred Savage, Peter Falk, Mel Smith, Billy Crystal, Carol Kane, and Robin Wright in her first big-screen role, this epic breaks several cinematic conventions (including how the story is "told" to the audience). In spite of this, however, or perhaps because of it, this film delivers a tale that has... well... everything: Romance, swordplay, political intrigue, friendship, adventure, betrayal, and ultimately the power of true love! Plus, every single member of the cast delivers absolutely stellar performances, and everyone involved remembers the production fondly, despite the many injuries that were suffered on-set! Truly a top-movie-list film, and suitable for just about any type of audience!

There's no question that Hunter S. Thompson was a unique individual, with a decidedly odd view of the world. But to see that vision translated onto to film by none other than Monty Python alum Terry Gilliam, is a "trip" in the truest sense of the word! With a screenplay re-written from previous versions by Gilliam himself, starring Johnny Depp and Benicio Del Toro, and featuring appearances by (deep breath) Tobey Maguire, Katherine Helmond, Mark Harmon, Tim Thomerson, Laraine Newman, Debbie Reynolds, Verne Troyer, Penn Jillette, Cameron Diaz, Lyle Lovett, Flea (from the Red Hot Chili Peppers), Gary Busey, Christina Ricci, Michael Jeter, Harry Dean Stanton, and Ellen Barkin, this film does for the drug culture what Richard Nixon did for presidential ethics! Plus, the trio reveal which two adult- and child-friendly live-action fantasy films make up their next pairing!

This episode begins our pairing of Las Vegas films with a story that is in no way, shape, or form, what one would call "happy," but is still one of the finest performances ever captured on film, so much so that it netted Oscar nominations for Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Actress, and got Nicolas Cage an Oscar win for Best Actor. The movie is the broken love story that is "Leaving Las Vegas." Directed by Mike Figgis, he also wrote the screenplay based on the novel by John O'Brien. Starring Cage, Elizabeth Shue, and Julian Sands, with cameo-level appearances by Richard Lewis, Steven Weber, Emily Procter, French Stewart, R. Lee Ermey, Mariska Hargitay, Danny Huston, Laurie Metcalf, Shawnee Smith, and Lou Rawls, this is a showpiece where both the director and the two leads are absolutely at the top of their game. An absolute must-see, although queue up some cartoons or your favorite comedy afterwards.

Based on director Hall Needham and writer Brock Yates' experience racing in the final run of the actual "Cannonball Baker Sea-To-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash," this film featured a cast of who's who for the time, including stars Burt Reynolds, Dom DeLuise, and Farrah Fawcett, plus supporting help from the likes of Roger Moore (as himself, sort of), Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Jack Elam, Adrianne Barbeau, Terry Bradshaw, Mel Tillis, Jackie Chan (in his first American movie appearance), Burt Convy, Jamie Farr, George Furth, and Peter Fonda! And while the cast is amazing, two of the trio almost came to blows when discussing the film's raw entertainment value! This film review features the widest spread in ratings of any film this crew have reviewed thus far! And finally, the trio reveal what U.S. city is the focus of their next pairing!

The movie that legitimized CB (and trucker) culture, wrecked Trans Ams but promoted their sales through the roof, and made Burt Reynolds a star! This episode begins the pairing that could be car race films, Burt Reynolds movies, or Hal Needham-directed films, with the #2 grossing movie of 1977, "Smokey and the Bandit!" Based on an idea director Hal Needham got while working as a stuntman on the film "Gator," this cross-country beer run stars Reynolds, Sally Field, Jerry Reed, Pat McCormick, Paul Williams, Mike Henry, and the imcomperable Jackie Gleason as Sheriff Buford T. Justice of Portague County! Plus, one of the catchiest songs ever written, that became a huge hit for Jerry Reed, "East Bound and Down" is the film's anthem! A triple "10-4" from the geeks for this film, but storm clouds are on the horizon... tune in next episode to find out more!

Our second entry into our look at pre-MCU films from Marvel is the incredible production that took the comic's lead vigilante and turned him into a dynamic, on-screen presence in 2004's "The Punisher." Directed by Jonathan Hensleigh and written by Hensleigh and Michael France, this is the film that really brought the name of Thomas Jane into the public consciousness through his portrayal of Frank Castle, an ex-solder and ex-cop whose life was ended, in more ways than one, when a sting operation accidentally kills the son of a local crime boss. Co-starring John Travolta (as the villain), Rebecca Romijn, Ben Foster, John Pinnette, Eddie Jemison, Laura Harring, Will Patton, country singer Mark Collie, and former professional wrestler Kevin Nash, this film was a gamble for Marvel, given its violence and rated-R status, but it created a legion of fans who started clamoring for more from Marvel itself, which was a factor in the creation of the Marvel Cinematic Universe! Plus, find out why a certain moustache is int

This episode begins our look at pre-MCU films from Marvel, with 1998's dark and gritty hero "Blade!" Directed by Stephen Norrington, and written by scribe David Goyer, the film stars Wesley Snipes in the titular role (and at his most Wesley-Snipes-ish), Stephen Dorph as the villainous "Deacon Frost," Kris Kristofferson as Blade's right-hand "Whistler," and supported by N'Bushe Wright, Donal Logue, and Udo Kier, this was the first time a Marvel property (albeit a C-List character) had been treated as valuable and taken seriously! While the film doesn't hold up technically when compared to the modern MCU movies, it was groundbreaking for its time, and you can definitely see hints of what would come with the premiere of Iron Man and the official launch of the Marvel Cinematic Universe a decade later!

For the second film in our look at boxing films, we're moving ahead four years to likely the best performance of his career, Robert De Niro's starring turn in 1980's "Raging Bull!" Directed by Martin Scorsese, and starring De Niro, Cathy Moriarty, Joe Pesci, Frank Vincent, and Nicholas Colasanto, this film tells the story of middleweight bruiser Jake LaMotta, and his life of triumph in the ring, alongside his battles with insecurity and its effect on his relationships, both romantic and familial, throughout his life. Co-written by LaMotta himself, this is a semi-tragic tale of a guy who never knew just how good he really had it. It is, however, one of the greatest films of Scorsese's career, and one of the best films period! Plus, the trio reveal which pre-Marvel Cinematic Universe Marvel films made the cut for this podcast!

Boxing, in all its despair and glory, is the topic of this pairing, beginning with argually the best of the genre, 1976's "Rocky!" Directed by John G. Avildsen, and written by and starring Sylvester Stallone, this was the film that launched a franchise that is still spawning movies today! Co-starring Talia Shire, Burt Young, Carl Weathers, and the incredible Burgess Meredith, this is the story of a young Italian boxer named Rocky Balboa, who fights part-time whenever he can get a fight, who is, by a million-to-one chance, given an opportunity to step into the ring with the world heavyweight champion! He doesn't have a chance in hell of surviving the fight, let alone winning. The only problem is... no one told him that.

For the second film in our tribute to the "Buddy Cop" genre, it's 1987's smash hit and franchise-maker, "Lethal Weapon." Directed by the genius that is Richard Donner, and starring Mel Gibson (before he went crazy in real life), Danny Glover, Gary Busey, Mitchell Ryan, Tom Atkins, Darlene Love, and Traci Wolfe, it's the story of one cop who's ready to retire being forced to partner with another cop who should have been placed on leave a long time ago! Combine that with a dead prostitute and a drug-ring, and you have an action-packed film that is much darker then the last one reviewed, but not as dark as it could have been! Plus, the trio reveals what their "one-two punch" will be for the next pairing!

It's off to the chilly Lake Michigan shore community of Chicago for this episode as the trio review one of their favorite buddy cop films of all times, 1986's "Running Scared!" Directed by Peter Hyams, and starring Gregory Hines, Billy Crystal, Jimmy Smits, Darlanne Fluegel, Joe Pantoliano, Dan Heydaya, Jon Gries and Tracy Reed, this is a mostly-forgotten gem in the "buddy cop" genre! While a bit more light-hearted than a lot of others of this type, the movie does an excellent job of following most of the rules of the genre without succumbing to tripping over the tropes and showing a lot of over-used elements. Although it's clearly an 80s film (watch for the "carphone"), otherwise, it's still representative of the best this type of story can become!

For the second film in our homage to the car chase, we turn to 1971's "Vanishing Point," which answers the question "Does speed kill?" in more ways than one. Directed by Richard C. Sarafian, written by Cuban screenwriter Guillermo Cabrera Infante, and starring Barry Newman, Cleavon Little, Dean Jagger, and Victoria Medlin, the film represents a significant entry in the counter-culture movie genre especially popular in the early 1970s, when disillusionment with the government, the police, the war in Vietnam, and organized religion was starting to really simmer. It also has a rather deep philosophical message (although whether existential or nihilistic, we'll let you be the judge) that doesn't exactly endear the film to one of our reviewers once he understand it, but it's interesting nonetheless! Plus, Buddy, Chad, and Jeff reveal what two non-traditional buddy cop films they'll be talking about for the next two episodes!

We're celebrating the car chase in films in this episode of the podcast, with the movie that defined what a film car chase should be, and is still influencing moviemakers today, 1968's "Bullitt!" Directed by Peter Yates, and starring Steve McQueen, Robert Vaughn, Jacqueline Bisset, Robert Duvall, Simon Oakland, Norman Fell, and George Stanford Brown, it's a trip back to the end of the 60s in San Francisco! Plus minor supporting roles by Vic Tayback, stuntman Bill Hickman, a cameo appearances by Julie Christy, and a first-ever cinematic appearance from Joanna Cassidy! And accompanied by a Lalo Schifrin score, this movie is an ode to police work at the turn of the decade, even if one of our geeks feels the romantic storyline was shoehorned in. :)