There’s a scene in “Pootie Tang” where a gorilla fatally mauls Pootie’s dad. It was unexpected, absurd and the ONLY funny scene in the entire flick. The fact that this movie even made it into theaters is a testament to how hot Chris Rock was in 2001. Rock’s collaborations with HBO (two stand-up specials and a comedy series) were solid gold and made him an icon. But for whatever reason, his brilliance didn’t translate into long-form storytelling. I see the […]
Ever since Buster Keaton gave us his revolutionary The General back in 1926, audiences and critics have afforded avant-garde comedies the confusion and hostile pity typically reserved for homeless street performers and the last five seasons of Two and a Half Men. When Wet Hot American Summer first appeared in the summer of 2001, it fared no better. A weak opening in less than thirty cities drew both tepid audience responses and polarizing critical reception (Roger Ebert was so famously disappointed […]
(In Austrian accent) Hear me now and believe me later… Saturday Night Live has been at the forefront of American comedy since it’s opening monologue on October 11th, 1975. The list of comedic actors that have graced the halls of Studio 8H inside 30 Rock is legendary. Eddie Murphy, Will Ferrell, Bill Murray, Gilda Radner, Dana Carvey, Phil Hartman, Adam Sandler, and Chris Farley are just a few of the numerous comedic talents that were able to use their […]
I’ve been saying for a long time that filmmakers love sports and war metaphors to describe the process of making a movie because they are applicable in so many different ways. Both involve a group of individuals brought together for a single purpose. They might be there for different reasons, but the goal is the same – to win, often at any cost. On the highest level, both involve campaigns – an MLB season has 162 games; America was in […]
It could have been a result of the cheap movie-theater pizza I was struggling to digest throughout the screening or a product of the ringing and raging in my psyche from two and a half hours of mind-numbing explosions and vroom-vrooms, but as I stumbled out of my seat and beyond the shellshock, I began to wonder if maybe the “seven” in Furious 7 is more than just a mere indication that this uber-machismo, adrenaline-fueled, NOS-guzzling dumpster fire is the […]
FOLLOW US: ITUNES TWITTER FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD Highlights from this section of PREDATOR Dutch and Predator prepare for battle Dutch gets primal The game of cat-and-mouse begins The two warriors each draw blood Dutch loses his camouflage Predator creature design and special effects The Predator is one of Hollywood’s most iconic movie monsters. Designed by the legendary Stan Winston, Predator now sits right alongside Freddy Krueger, Xenomorphs, or Jaws on the list […]
FOLLOW US: ITUNES TWITTER FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD Highlights from this section of PREDATOR Billy faces off with the Predator Predator finishes off Poncho “GET TO DA CHOPPAH!!!” Dutch discovers how to hide from the Predator Predator and Dutch prepare for battle “GET TO THE CHOPPA!!!” – A Quote for the Ages Arnold Schwarzenegger has had the honor of delivering more than his share of iconic movie lines during his mythical career. From “I’ll […]
FOLLOW US: ITUNES TWITTER FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD Highlights from this section of PREDATOR Dutch uses himself as bait Predator gets punked Mac goes off the deep end Dillon comes face-to-face with the Predator The Code of the Predator A lot of time in this week’s podcast is dedicated to discussing the Predator’s ethics. Much fan research and theorizing has been done on the subject, and the subsequent PREDATOR releases (films, books, video games, […]
FOLLOW US: ITUNES TWITTER FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD Highlights from this section of PREDATOR Predator nursing his wound Mac says goodbye to Blain “If it bleeds, we can kill it” The gang strips down and builds some Predator traps Self-administered first aid: the ultimate ‘tough guy’ move It’s a tried and true action movie trope: if you want to show how tough a character is, just have them give themself first aid. Whether it’s […]
FOLLOW US: ITUNES TWITTER FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD Highlights from this section of PREDATOR The group finds Hawkins’ remains, but can’t find Hawkins Predator takes out Blain The squad’s epic ammo dump No one can agree on who or what is out there They fortify their position; Mac says goodbye the Blain In Soviet Union, PREDATOR watches you This article and video from The New York Times describes how the proliferation of black market […]
FOLLOW US: ITUNES TWITTER FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD Highlights from this section of PREDATOR The squad takes Anna with them on the run from the guerillas Mac versus Dillon – Round 2 Billy senses that they are being stalked Anna makes an escape attempt Hawkins meets the Predator Mac vs Dillon: Why all the hate? The animosity between the characters of Mac (Bill Duke) and Dillon (Carl Weathers) is palpable throughout PREDATOR. To a […]
FOLLOW US: ITUNES TWITTER FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD Highlights from this section of PREDATOR Dutch and crew find the guerilla base Dutch and crew lay waste to the guerilla base Dillon and Dutch face off over Dillon’s real agenda Schwarzenegger’s secret weapon: Sven-Ole Thorsen Danish bodybuilder/actor/stuntman Sven-Ole Thorsen has appeared in 15 films (see list below) alongside frequent collaborator Arnold Schwarzenegger throughout their careers, according to IMDb. Schwarzenegger met Thorsen on the professional bodybuilding […]
FOLLOW US: ITUNES TWITTER FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD Highlights from this section of PREDATOR The squad finds the crashed helicopter The demise of Captain Jim Hopper Introduction of “Old Painless” and Predator-vision Mac punks Dillon Grappling hooks: practical or just a movie trope? From BATMAN to STAR WARS, grappling hooks are a tool that movie heroes always seem to have when they need it. And PREDATOR is no exception. When our heroes find the […]
FOLLOW US: ITUNES TWITTER FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD Highlights from this section of PREDATOR Predator shoots down to earth from a passing spacecraft. The squad arrives by helicopter at the beachfront base Dutch and Dillon arm wrestling reunion. Dillon convinces Dutch to take the mission to rescue some diplomats. The squad helicopters into the jungle. What genre is PREDATOR? Wikipedia calls PREDATOR a science-fiction action horror movie. Is this more mileage than any one movie […]
Have you ever been out for a leisurely jog when some guy tries to get you to upgrade your mobile service? Well, if this has happened to you, you’ll enjoy this video. But seriously, the ongoing situation that inspired this video was two-fold. First, I get a ton of “Unknown” phone calls on my mobile phone (does anyone have a land line anymore?) Every now and then, especially if it’s an area code of a job I applied for, I’ll […]
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