ABC Movies
94 episodes - English - Latest episode: almost 2 years ago - ★★★★★ - 10 ratingsTwo smart guys talk dumb about today's great films
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Episodes
Deerskin & Butt Boy
May 18, 2020 15:50 - 54 minutes - 99.1 MBThis week it's two bizarre horror comedies: Deerskin (2020) and Butt Boy (2019). Even better, they're both on independent streaming services, where renting them puts money towards your local arthouse theater. Deerskin is through Virtual Cinemas, and Butt Boy is on the new Alamo Drafthouse streamer, Alamo On Demand. Title music is "Life Story" by Kevin Hairs, who has a GREAT NEW EP! More info here: https://kevinhairs.bandcamp.com/releases
Never Rarely Sometimes Always & Obvious Child
May 04, 2020 13:53 - 49 minutes - 67.6 MBThis week, stay home and relax with these two movies about abortion! Two very different takes on abortion, and abortion access: the 2020 neo-realist drama Never Rarely Sometimes Always and the 2014 Jenny Slate comedy Obvious Child. Title music is "Life Story" by Kevin Hairs, who has a GREAT NEW EP! More info here: https://kevinhairs.bandcamp.com/releases
Tigertail & In the Mood for Love
April 20, 2020 14:57 - 50 minutes - 92.7 MBThis week, it's two tragic tales of love set in mid-century Asia (at least partially): Alan Yang's Tigertail (2020) and Wong Kar-wai's In the Mood for Love (2000). Title music is "Life Story" by Kevin Hairs, who has a GREAT NEW EP! More info here: https://kevinhairs.bandcamp.com/releases
Bacurau & Assault on Precinct 13
April 06, 2020 13:47 - 54 minutes - 75 MBThis week, we're talking two films where small bands of people have to fend off mysterious, murderous attackers: Bacurau (2020,Kleber Mendonça Filho, Juliano Dornelles dir.) and Assault on Precinct 13 (1976, John Carpenter dir). Title music is "Life Story" by Kevin Hairs. Learn more here: https://kevinhairs.bandcamp.com/releases
Contagion & This Is The End
March 23, 2020 14:20 - 55 minutes - 76.7 MBThis week, two movies which are sadly extremely topical: Contagion (2011) and This Is The End (2013). Watch fake people deal with deadly viral outbreaks and the end of the world instead of dealing with it yourself!!c Title music is "Life Story" by Kevin Hairs. Learn more here: https://kevinhairs.bandcamp.com/releases
Portrait of a Lady on Fire & Call Me By Your Name
March 09, 2020 20:15 - 1 hour - 139 MBThis week, it's two smoldering period romances: Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019) and Call Me By Your Name (2017). Also we have a guest! AOL Build's Ricky Camilleri. Also Chris's mic is a little echoy for some reason, sorry about that! Title music is "Life Story" by Kevin Hairs. Learn more here: https://kevinhairs.bandcamp.com/releases
Horse Girl & Welcome to Me
February 24, 2020 15:56 - 52 minutes - 95.9 MBThis week, it's two mental illness dramadies co-written by their stars. Wait don't go!! They're actually both pretty interesting: Horse Girl (2020), starring Alison Brie, and Welcome to Me (2014), starring Kristen Wiig. Title music is "Life Story" by Kevin Hairs. Learn more here: https://kevinhairs.bandcamp.com/releases
The Assistant & Compliance
February 10, 2020 15:44 - 55 minutes - 102 MBThis week, it's two movies about women being victimized by monstrous authorities at work: The Assistant (2020) and Compliance (2012). Title music is "Life Story" by Kevin Hairs. Learn more here: https://kevinhairs.bandcamp.com/releases
Pain & Glory & The Player
January 27, 2020 08:00 - 58 minutes - 106 MBThis week, it's two extremely different takes on filmmaking and filmmakers. First, it's Pedro Almodóvar's 2020 double Oscar nominee Pain & Glory (2019); next, it's Robert Altman's big commercial comeback, the cynical Hollywood thriller The Player (1992). Title music is "Life Story" by Kevin Hairs. Learn more here: https://kevinhairs.bandcamp.com/releases
Little Women & Adaptation
January 13, 2020 13:06 - 1 hour - 125 MBThis week, we're talking about two movies co-starring Meryl Streep and Chris Cooper where writers struggle to put their lives on the page. It's Little Women (2019) and Adaptation (2002). Plus, we talk to the world's foremost Little Women expert: Chris's Mom! Title music is "Life Story" by Kevin Hairs. Learn more here: https://kevinhairs.bandcamp.com/releases
Uncut Gems & Star Wars, plus Best of the Decade!
December 30, 2019 04:49 - 1 hour - 113 MBThis week, Caleb is so excited about Uncut Gems he basically can't form a coherent sentence. Plus we talk about what's wrong with Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, and what was right in cinema in the 2010s. Title music is "Life Story" by Kevin Hairs. Learn more here: https://kevinhairs.bandcamp.com/releases
Knives Out & Murder on the Orient Express (1974) -- Plus Disney+
December 16, 2019 03:14 - 55 minutes - 102 MBThis week, funnily accented detectives gather everyone in the drawing room to hear who the real killer is in both Knives Out (Rian Johnson, 2019) and Murder on the Orient Express (Sydney Lumet, 1974). PLUS, we're giving our recommendations about some of the best stuff on Disney+ ! Title music is "Life Story" by Kevin Hairs. Learn more here: https://kevinhairs.bandcamp.com/releases
Marriage Story & Scenes From a Marriage
December 02, 2019 17:21 - 1 hour - 114 MBThis week, two films that look at the impossibility of human partnership & the inevitability of breakups. Happy holidays! It's Marriage Story (Noah Baumbach, 2019) and Scenes From a Marriage (Ingmar Bergman, 1974).
Irishman & On The Waterfront
November 19, 2019 06:38 - 57 minutes - 79.5 MBThis week, two movies about love, betrayal, and organized labor: The Irishman (2019) and On The Waterfront (1954).
The Lighthouse & Jojo Rabbit
November 03, 2019 21:07 - 52 minutes - 96.4 MBThis week, we've finally gotten to the part of the year when good movies come out, so we're doing TWO new movies! Crazy, I know. It's Robert Egger's The Lighthouse and Taika Waititi's Jojo Rabbit. Also discussed on this episode: Asako I & II (2018, Ryusuke Hamaguchi), The Grand Illusion (Jean Renoir, 1937), Stalag 17 (Billy Wilder, 1953), Spider Man: Far From Home, and Shazam Title music is "Life Story" by Kevin Hairs. Learn more here: https://kevinhairs.bandcamp.com/releases
Parasite & The Host
October 21, 2019 18:01 - 56 minutes - 78 MBThis week, we're tackling two great films from Director Bong, South Korean auteur Bong Joon-ho. Parasite (2019), winner of the Palm d'Or and, and Bong's 2006 American breakthrough, The Host. Title music is "Life Story" by Kevin Hairs. Learn more here: https://kevinhairs.bandcamp.com/releases
Joker & King of Comedy
October 07, 2019 11:21 - 1 hour - 118 MBThis week, we're talking about the depressingly successful new Todd Phillips movie Joker and the film it more or less directly copied, Martin Scorsese's brilliant 1983 King of Comedy. Title music is "Life Story" by Kevin Hairs. Learn more here: https://kevinhairs.bandcamp.com/releases
One Cut of the Dead & Dawn of the Dead
September 23, 2019 05:56 - 51 minutes - 94.3 MBThis week, we're talking about One Cut of the Dead (2018), the inventive meta-zombie film that took Japan by storm (and made 1000x its budget), and Dawn of the Dead (1978), the movie that changed our idea of zombies forever. Title music is "Life Story" by Kevin Hairs. Learn more here: https://kevinhairs.bandcamp.com/releases
Ready or Not & The Game
September 09, 2019 14:19 - 51 minutes - 93.5 MBThis week, it's two films about the deadly games rich people play: Ready or Not (2019) and The Game (2017). It's the absolute depth of summer, nothing's out, relax in some A/C with us. Title music is "Life Story" by Kevin Hairs. Learn more here: https://kevinhairs.bandcamp.com/releases
The Nightengale & Revenge
August 26, 2019 05:35 - 55 minutes - 102 MBThis week, it's two harrowing movies from women writer/directors about sexual violence: The Nightengale, Jennifer Kent's follow-up to The Babadook; and Revenge, the debut feature from French filmmaker Coralie Fargeat. Warning: show contains discussions of these topics. Title music is "Life Story" by Kevin Hairs. Learn more here: https://kevinhairs.bandcamp.com/releases
Once, Twice
August 12, 2019 16:16 - 1 hour - 114 MBThis week we're talking about Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood (2019) and Once Upon a Time in the West (1969). They've got more in common than their names! Title music is "Life Story" by Kevin Hairs. Learn more here: https://kevinhairs.bandcamp.com/releases
The Art of Self Defense & Junebug
July 29, 2019 17:57 - 50 minutes - 68.1 MBThis week, we're talking about two movies featuring character actor Alessandro Nivola. In 2019's The Art of Self Defense, he's a friendly and possibly sinister martial arts sensei; in 2005's Junebug, he's a charming and blank guy who connects his beautiful wife with his mildly provincial family. These are both good movies, guys! Title music is "Life Story" by Kevin Hairs. Learn more here: https://kevinhairs.bandcamp.com/releases
Midsommar & Force Majeure
July 15, 2019 00:45 - 1 hour - 111 MBThis week, two sorta-Swedish films looking at the dark terror of sharing your life with a loved one. Starting at 30 minutes, you can hear all about the new flower crown relationship horror Midsommar, broken up into special spoiler-free and spoiler-y sections. Before that, the guys talk about 2014's Force Majeure, and get into an extremely spirited disagreement about whether or not it's a comedy. Stop fighting, dads! Title music is "Life Story" by Kevin Hairs. Learn more here: https://kevin...
The Farewell & Shirkers
June 30, 2019 19:38 - 44 minutes - 60.9 MBThis week, we look at two films about alienation, trust, and growing up in Asia. First is Lulu Wang's The Farewell (2019), a buzzy new movie about truth, lies, and family starring Awkwafina in her first dramatic acting role. Next is Shirkers, a 2018 auto-documentary from Sandi Tan about her life as a teenage rebel filmmaker in Singapore. Title music is "Life Story" by Kevin Hairs. Learn more here: https://kevinhairs.bandcamp.com/releases
John Wick 3 & Toy Story 3
June 17, 2019 22:58 - 47 minutes - 87.1 MBThis week, we look at two 3s: John Wick 3 and Toy Story 3. Are they good? What makes a good 3? Title music is "Life Story" by Kevin Hairs. Learn more here: https://kevinhairs.bandcamp.com/releases
The Souvenir & Tucker
June 03, 2019 15:07 - 54 minutes - 99.3 MBThis month, we're looking at two films starring parents & their children: The Souvenir (2019), starring Honor Swinton Byrne and featuring her mother Tilda; and Tucker: The Man and His Dreams starring Jeff Bridges and featuring his dad Lloyd. Title music is "Life Story" by Kevin Hairs. Learn more here: https://kevinhairs.bandcamp.com/releases
Burning & Barton Fink
May 20, 2019 20:45 - 55 minutes - 51 MBThis week in a special Cannes episode we're talking two great movies from Cannes. First up is Burning (2018), Lee Chang-dong's moody inequality mystery based on the Haruki Murakami short story "Barn Burning" (not "barnburner" as Chris repeatedly says, incorrectly). Also is Barton Fink (1991), the Cohen Brothers metaphysical Hollywood parable that won so many awards at Cannes they changed the rules!
Her Smell & Babylon
May 06, 2019 15:32 - 47 minutes - 65.4 MBThis week, we're talking about two music movies! There's the new Alex Ross Perry film, Her Smell (2019), a claustrophobic ode to 1990s alterna rock, with an absolutely mindblowing performance from Elizabeth Moss. Also talking Babylon (1980), a film about a reggae soundsystem in London beset by racism, deemed too controversial to release in North America ... until now! Title music is "Life Story" by Kevin Hairs. Learn more here: https://kevinhairs.bandcamp.com/releases
4/20ish: The Beach Bum & Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping
April 23, 2019 14:22 - 57 minutes - 53 MBIn this 420-adjacent show, we talk about two modern stoner classics: The Beach Bum (2019), Harmonie Korine's ode to wasting away again in margaritaville, and Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping (2016), a joke-packed Lonely Island pop parody finally starting to get the recognition it deserves.
A short note!
April 18, 2019 15:17 - 1 minute - 1.67 MBHey, guys, just a short note that we're moving to every two weeks and we'll be back the week of the 21st with a new full episode, talking about two high-brow stoner movies: The Beach Bum and Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping. See you then! Title music is "Life Story" by Kevin Hairs. Learn more here: https://kevinhairs.bandcamp.com/releases
April Chataround: Juliet, Naked; Agnes Varda
April 08, 2019 04:25 - 35 minutes - 49.1 MBIt's perfect plane movie Juliet, Naked (2018), the career of Rose Byrne, the films of Agnès Varda, and what we're looking forward to in the rest of the year (Uncut Gems to Avengers: Endgame) on this week's show inbetween big proper review shows. Title music is Life Story by Kevin Hairs. Learn more here: https://kevinhairs.bandcamp.com/releases
Us, two ways
April 01, 2019 14:03 - 53 minutes - 73.3 MBThis week, there's a TWIST! Instead of talking about two movies, we're talking about one movie two ways: Jordan Peele's Us (2019). In the first half of the show, we're be having a totally spoiler-free discussion of the film, totally safe to listen to if you haven't seen the movie but still maybe will eventually (we promise!). The second half (starting at 30 minutes) it's a totally spoilery discussion only for cool kids who've seen the movie. This was a fun one!!
Captain Marvel & Short Term 12
March 26, 2019 12:40 - 42 minutes - 58.8 MBWe're talking about two movies starring America's Sweetheart (???) Brie Larson: Captain Marvel (2019) and Short Term 12 (2013). It's a real soft cheese fest! One's a huge blockbuster, the other's a tiny indie about a care home for troubled teens: but which is actually best choice for a little Larson charm? PLUS, because Caleb is now living a climbing lifestyle, we talk about Free Solo (2018), and because Chris continues to live a nerd lifestyle, we talk about The Expanse. And because we're t...
Captain Marvel & Short Term 12
March 26, 2019 12:40 - 42 minutes - 58.8 MBWe're talking about two movies starring America's Sweetheart (???) Brie Larson: Captain Marvel (2019) and Short Term 12 (2013). It's a real soft cheese fest! One's a huge blockbuster, the other's a tiny indie about a care home for troubled teens: but which is actually best choice for a little Larson charm? PLUS, because Caleb is now living a climbing lifestyle, we talk about Free Solo (2018), and because Chris continues to live a nerd lifestyle, we talk about The Expanse. And because we're t...
Climax & Krisha
March 18, 2019 14:58 - 43 minutes - 59.4 MBTHIS WEEK we're talking about two movies that take on situations you might actually find yourself in in real life and makes them frankly terrifying. Climax (2018) finds you locked in a warehouse party after taking too many drugs; Krisha (2015) is about going to a family party where you feel on the outs. And they're both genuinely scary!! Title music is Life Story by Kevin Hairs. Learn more here: https://kevinhairs.bandcamp.com/releases
Climax & Krisha
March 18, 2019 14:58 - 43 minutes - 59.4 MBTHIS WEEK we're talking about two movies that take on situations you might actually find yourself in in real life and makes them frankly terrifying. Climax (2018) finds you locked in a warehouse party after taking too many drugs; Krisha (2015) is about going to a family party where you feel on the outs. And they're both genuinely scary!! Title music is Life Story by Kevin Hairs. Learn more here: https://kevinhairs.bandcamp.com/releases
Overlooked in 2018: Vox Lux, Sisters Brothers
March 11, 2019 19:03 - 37 minutes - 51.5 MBChris and Caleb slow it down a bit and talk about some overlooked movies from this year, popstar tragedy Vox Lux (starring Natalie Portman) and competitive actor punishment camp Sisters Brothers (starring John C. Reilly and Joaquin Phoenix). Also, who had a good year last year? FIND OUT WHY DON'T YOU!!! Title music is Life Story by Kevin Hairs. Learn more here: https://kevinhairs.bandcamp.com/releases
Never Look Away & Killer Joe
March 04, 2019 04:38 - 44 minutes - 40.5 MBThis week, we're talking about two movies from cinematographer Caleb "Zooey's Dad" Deschanel: Never Look Away (2018) and Killer Joe (2011). One's a high point of the McConaissance, the other's a just-fine three hour German melodrama that was somehow nominated for three Oscars this year. SPEAKING OF OSCARS, we also talk about the one time Deschanel got an Oscar nom for Fly Away Home, the movie where Jeff Daniels and Anna Paquin teach a goose how to fly. Life is wild! lfDE8OZOgIzrYRR5zDPp T...
Episode 4: OSCARS + Columbus & The World Is Yours
February 26, 2019 03:22 - 48 minutes - 44.6 MBIn this episode, Chris and Caleb talk all about the Oscars, though it's a little confusing because they recorded it before they actually aired, though it's coming out after! Extremely timey-wimey stuff. Also, this week they look at two movies you can stream now: Columbus (2017) and The World is Yours (2018). One is a talky look at discovering yourself through architecture, and the other is a supposedly good French gangster comedy. But which is actually best choice? Find out!
Episode 4: OSCARS + Columbus & The World Is Yours
February 26, 2019 03:22 - 48 minutes - 44.6 MBIn this episode, Chris and Caleb talk all about the Oscars, though it's a little confusing because they recorded it before they actually aired, though it's coming out after! Extremely timey-wimey stuff. Also, this week they look at two movies you can stream now: Columbus (2017) and The World is Yours (2018). One is a talky look at discovering yourself through architecture, and the other is a supposedly good French gangster comedy. But which is actually best choice? Find out!
Episode 3: Oscar faves: The Favourite & Can You Ever Forgive Me
February 18, 2019 23:14 - 46 minutes - 42.3 MBThe Oscars are this weekend, which is frankly wild. It's been the craziest Oscar season since everyone had a collective delusion that Crash was a good movie, so instead of making predictions exactly Caleb & Chris talk about their favorite movies nominated this year: The Favourite and Can You Ever Forgive Me. Also the animated shorts! Also Caleb talks about his big crush on Lucas Hedges! Title music is Life Story by Kevin Hairs. Learn more here: https://kevinhairs.bandcamp.com/releases
Episode 3: Oscar faves: The Favourite & Can You Ever Forgive Me
February 18, 2019 23:14 - 46 minutes - 42.3 MBThe Oscars are this weekend, which is frankly wild. It's been the craziest Oscar season since everyone had a collective delusion that Crash was a good movie, so instead of making predictions exactly Caleb & Chris talk about their favorite movies nominated this year: The Favourite and Can You Ever Forgive Me. Also the animated shorts! Also Caleb talks about his big crush on Lucas Hedges! Title music is Life Story by Kevin Hairs. Learn more here: https://kevinhairs.bandcamp.com/releases
Episode 2: We got that Fyre
February 11, 2019 20:31 - 43 minutes - 40.1 MBThis week on Actually Best Choice Movies, Chris and Caleb talk about dueling documentaries released just days apart on the Fyre Festival from competing streaming services Netflix and Hulu. We all know Fyre was a hilariously outlandish scam -- but how are the movies? What's most important in a documentary, emotion, character, presentation of information, or the moral/immoral actions of the filmmakers? Which of these two films on exactly the same topic, released at the same time, is Armageddon...
Actually Best Choice Movies: Roma and Cold War
February 03, 2019 21:37 - 41 minutes - 37.8 MBIn this episode, it's Amazon vs. Netflix, Mexico vs. Poland, and dog poop vs folk dancing. Chris and Caleb talk about Roma and Cold War, two moody black and white films both nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the 2019 Academy Awards. Can Caleb understand Donald Duck? Which Oscar is about the part of filmmaking that "helps you digest lumpy movies" (a totally gross thing Caleb says), and are Polish folk songs actually dope? All this and more revealed on this episode of Actually Best C...