Close Watch with Robert Yaniz Jr.
222 episodes - English - Latest episode: 6 months ago - ★★★★★ - 12 ratingsOn the Crooked Table Podcast, Robert Yaniz Jr. and company celebrate the creative, quirky and downright peculiar parts of the pop culture and, more specifically, the movie industry. Each episode provides in-depth reviews and lively discussions of current releases, lesser-known gems and nostalgic favorites. Pull up a chair and join the conversation... In short, welcome to the Table!
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Episodes
'West Side Story' (1961/2021) (feat. Darin Lundberg of NostalgiaCast)
October 19, 2023 05:17 - 2 hours - 205 MBIn a harmonious double feature, Close Watch continues venturing through the world of movie musicals with an in-depth breakdown of both the 1961 classic West Side Story and Steven Spielberg's 2021 remake. Does the Oscar-winning original still hold up, and was its update worth the creative risk? Darin Lundberg of NostalgiaCast joins us in this melodic journey through two versions of Maria and Tony's love story. We'll explore the rich history of the original film and how it laid the foundation...
'An American in Paris' (feat. Philip Boone of Ultimate Gilmore Girls Movie Night)
June 07, 2023 11:00 - 1 hour - 124 MBEvery episode, Close Watch gives us the chance to get to know our guest through the movie they love. But more recently, the show has sharpened its focus on the wide world of movie musicals. And after the man-eating plant of Little Shop of Horrors and the cultural celebration of In the Heights, musical icon Gene Kelly has officially entered the chat. Philip Boone of the Ultimate Gilmore Girls Movie Night podcast joins us to discuss 1951's An American in Paris. We'll discuss where it fits int...
'In the Heights' (feat. The Lady-Wan from Screen Run)
April 05, 2023 11:00 - 1 hour - 133 MBWay back in 2020, a few hardcore Hamilfans -- including this episode's guest -- united for the first-ever Crooked Roundtable to talk up the Disney+ release of Lin-Manuel Miranda's Tony-winning musical Hamilton. Now, at last, loyal listeners get the long-awaited spiritual sequel to that discussion. On this episode, Close Watch continues its year-long analysis of movie musicals as The Lady-Wan of Screen Run joins us to talk 2021's In the Heights. Based on Miranda's other Tony-winning musical,...
'Little Shop of Horrors' (1986) (feat. film critic Morgan Roberts)
February 15, 2023 12:00 - 1 hour - 95.4 MBIt's 2023, and Close Watch has a song in its heart this year. For the next year, we're dedicating this podcast to movie musicals. Every month, the show will feature at least one episode in which Rob and a guest go in-depth on a beloved movie musical. And what better way to celebrate one of cinema's most beloved genres than with a man-eating plant from outer space?! Film critic Morgan Roberts joins the show to discuss 1986's Little Shop of Horrors starring Rick Moranis, Ellen Greene, and Ste...
'Weird: The Al Yankovic Story' (feat. Lauren Carey of the Beer'd Al Podcast)
December 23, 2022 12:00 - 1 hour - 95.1 MBAfter UHF, "Weird Al" Yankovic fans faced a wait of more than three decades for another movie featuring the musical icon. And finally, along comes Weird: The Al Yankovic Story. Starring Daniel Radcliffe as "The Weird One" himself, the movie pokes fun at Yankovic's life and career as well as the very notion that someone would make a biopic about him. Lauren Carey of the Beer'd Al Podcast joins us to discuss 2022's Weird: The Al Yankovic Story (a movie she and Rob willed into being). We'll co...
'Bandits' (feat. The Famous Ashley Grant)
November 24, 2022 06:00 - 1 hour - 95 MBCate Blanchett might be poised to win a third Academy Award for her performance in Tár. But more than two decades ago, the actor -- who was already well on her way to becoming one of the best actors of her generation -- co-starred with Bruce Willis and Billy Bob Thornton in an under-seen crime comedy-drama. And unsurprisingly, she steals the film. The Famous Ashley Grant joins us to discuss 2001's Bandits from director Barry Levinson. We'll talk about Blanchett's mesmerizing turn as the hos...
'Cloud Atlas' (feat. Brian Skutle of the Sonic Cinema Podcast)
October 26, 2022 12:00 - 1 hour - 133 MBSome movies are too big to cover in a single conversation. Cloud Atlas -- the 2012 epic directed by the Wachowskis and Tom Tykwer -- is definitely such a movie. So to celebrate the film's tenth anniversary, we invited Brian Skutle of the Sonic Cinema Podcast to help us dig into the movie and its ensemble cast, which includes Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, and Jim Broadbent. In this first half of a massive two-part crossover event, Brian joins us to discuss the audacious production that was Cloud A...
'Willow' (feat. Jeremiah Stewart of Let's Talk)
September 23, 2022 11:00Unless superheroes, hobbits, or boy wizards are involved, fantasy films are all too rare these days. But in the 1980s, the genre was thriving on the big screen. Filmmakers coupled state-of-the-art visual effects with puppetry, make-up, and good ol' movie magic to create worlds fans could previously only imagine. Director Ron Howard's 1988 film Willow is one such film. Featuring a story by George Lucas, Willow was the filmmaker's blatant attempt to tell a story like The Lord of the Rings. An...
'Willow' (feat. Jeremiah Stewart of Let's Talk)
September 23, 2022 11:00Unless superheroes, hobbits, or boy wizards are involved, fantasy films are all too rare these days. But in the 1980s, the genre was thriving on the big screen. Filmmakers coupled state-of-the-art visual effects with puppetry, make-up, and good ol' movie magic to create worlds fans could previously only imagine. Director Ron Howard's 1988 film Willow is one such film. Featuring a story by George Lucas, Willow was the filmmaker's blatant attempt to tell a story like The Lord of the Rings. An...
'Willow' (feat. Jeremiah Stewart of Let's Talk)
September 23, 2022 11:00Unless superheroes, hobbits, or boy wizards are involved, fantasy films are all too rare these days. But in the 1980s, the genre was thriving on the big screen. Filmmakers coupled state-of-the-art visual effects with puppetry, make-up, and good ol' movie magic to create worlds fans could previously only imagine. Director Ron Howard's 1988 film Willow is one such film. Featuring a story by George Lucas, Willow was the filmmaker's blatant attempt to tell a story like The Lord of the Rings. An...
'Willow' (feat. Jeremiah Stewart of Let's Talk)
September 23, 2022 11:00Unless superheroes, hobbits, or boy wizards are involved, fantasy films are all too rare these days. But in the 1980s, the genre was thriving on the big screen. Filmmakers coupled state-of-the-art visual effects with puppetry, make-up, and good ol' movie magic to create worlds fans could previously only imagine. Director Ron Howard's 1988 film Willow is one such film. Featuring a story by George Lucas, Willow was the filmmaker's blatant attempt to tell a story like The Lord of the Rings. An...
'Willow' (feat. Jeremiah Stewart of Let's Talk)
September 23, 2022 11:00 - 1 hour - 97.6 MBUnless superheroes, hobbits, or boy wizards are involved, fantasy films are all too rare these days. But in the 1980s, the genre was thriving on the big screen. Filmmakers coupled state-of-the-art visual effects with puppetry, make-up, and good ol' movie magic to create worlds fans could previously only imagine. Director Ron Howard's 1988 film Willow is one such film. Featuring a story by George Lucas, Willow was the filmmaker's blatant attempt to tell a story like The Lord of the Rings. An...
'Airplane!' (feat. film critic Albert Lanier)
July 01, 2022 11:00 - 59 minutes - 83.5 MBCinema -- like all art forms -- is wholly subjective. And within that, comedy is perhaps most subjective of all. That being said, 1980's Airplane! remains widely considered one of the funniest movies of all time. So as Close Watch emerges from a lengthy hiatus, we'll take to the skies for an in-depth chat. On this episode, film critic Albert Lanier returns to break down how Airplane! works not only as a comedy parodying the disaster films of the 1970s but also as an adaptation of the 1957 f...
'Beetlejuice' (feat. Bri Azmoudeh of Killer Waffles)
January 05, 2022 17:00 - 1 hour - 73.3 MBIt's showtime. Close Watch kicks off a new year with the "ghost with the most" himself. Tim Burton's 1988 comedy Beetlejuice made mega-stars out of both Burton and Michael Keaton ahead of their next film, Batman. On this episode, Bri Azmoudeh of the Geeky Waffle Network's new podcast, Killer Waffles, joins the show to talk about why Bri connected so strongly to Beetlejuice, its balance of horror and comedy, and a possible sequel. SYNOPSIS After Barbara (Geena Davis) and Adam Maitland (Ale...
'The Mummy' (feat. Catherine Gonzales of Latinx Lens)
December 18, 2021 17:00 - 47 minutes - 44.4 MBThe Dark Universe might have been dead on arrival, but 1999's The Mummy remains just as beloved as ever. More than two decades later, fans continue to revisit Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz's sweeping adventure. On this episode, Catherine Gonzales of Latinx Lens joins the show as we talk about the film's influence on modern blockbusters, its iconic cast of unforgettable characters, and how well it holds up by today's standards. SYNOPSIS The Mummy is a rousing, suspenseful and horrifying ...
'The Big Lebowski' (feat. Kerri Jones)
December 17, 2021 17:00 - 1 hour - 63.3 MBCall him The Dude, His Dudeness, El Duder, or even El Duderino (if you're not into the whole brevity thing). Whatever you call Jeff Bridge's loveable hipster hero in The Big Lebowski, he's certainly become a cinematic icon. This episode, Kerri Jones joins the show to help us break down the ethos of The Dude, what it has to say about the culture (and counter-culture), and why so many fans seem ready and willing to convert to Dudeism. SYNOPSIS Jeff "The Dude" Leboswki (Jeff Bridges) is mist...
'Time Bandits' (feat. JC from Screen Fix)
December 16, 2021 17:00 - 1 hour - 68 MBWho needs parents when there's adventure? That seemed to be the philosophy of fantasy films in the 1980s. And as it turns out, 1981's Time Bandits might be the granddaddy of all those fan-favorite cult classics. JC from the Screen Fix podcast joins the show as we talk about how Time Bandits influenced fantasy-adventure films, what the movie really says about childhood versus adult, and that completely bonkers ending. SYNOPSIS Young history buff Kevin (Craig Warnock) can scarcely believe ...
'Do the Right Thing' (feat. David Snyder)
December 15, 2021 17:00 - 1 hour - 69.9 MBSpike Lee is without a doubt one of the most essential filmmakers of his generation. And 1989's Do the Right Thing is widely considered his masterpiece. So this episode, we're giving this indelible classic its due. David Snyder joins the show as we discuss Lee's ground-breaking use of hip hop in the film, his stellar ensemble cast, and how Do the Right Thing balances a variety of tones to create something wholly unique. SYNOPSIS Salvatore "Sal" Fragione (Danny Aiello) is the Italian owner...
'The Wicker Man' (1973) (feat. Amy Otero)
December 14, 2021 17:00 - 1 hour - 76.2 MBThe Wicker Man has gotten a bad rap in recent years, thanks to the widely ridiculed 2006 remake starring Nicolas Cage. But this episode, we're setting aside the "not the bees!" jokes for a closer look at the original 1973 classic. Amy Otero joins the show to go in-depth on The Wicker Man. We'll discuss its representation of pagan culture, how it uses folk music, and its influence on horror. Who is the real villain of director Robin Hardy's movie? SYNOPSIS Sergeant Howie (Edward Woodward) ...
'The First Wives Club' (feat. Phoenix Clouden of the Film Code Podcast)
October 21, 2021 03:31 - 1 hour - 58.1 MBConsidering The First Wives Club earned $100 million in 1996, it's remarkable how little people seem to discuss it. This episode, Phoenix Clouden of the Film Code Podcast helps us fix that. As the movie celebrates its 25th anniversary, now is the perfect time to celebrate the iconic performances from Goldie Hawn, Bette Midler, and Diane Keaton. Even as a child, Phoenix found himself drawn into the story of three women of a certain age contending with their duplicitous ex-husbands. We'll di...
'The Crow' (feat. Brian Skutle of Sonic Cinema Podcast)
October 06, 2021 04:04 - 1 hour - 86.5 MBGeneral audiences might remember Alex Proyas' 1994 movie The Crow for the tragic on-set death of star Brandon Lee. Yet, despite that infamous incident -- or, perhaps, in part because of it -- the film -- based on the comics by James O'Barr -- inspired a cult following that endures today. And this episode, Brian Skutle of the Sonic Cinema Podcast helps us discuss why. Normally, The Crow would have been a contender for our sister podcast, Franchise Detours. However, Proyas' film tells a stand...
'Kiss Kiss Bang Bang' (feat. Thomas Greene of Movies After Work)
September 29, 2021 17:00 - 1 hour - 75.7 MBShane Black is a name that tends to elicit either unbridled enthusiasm or consternation from moviegoers. Black started out as an actor before hitting it big as the legendary screenwriter of Lethal Weapon. Then in 2005, he made the leap to directing his own scripts. And this episode, Thomas Greene of Movies After Work joins us to discuss Black's directorial debut, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang stars a pre-Iron Man Robert Downey Jr., a post-Batman Val Kilmer, and a star-making turn...
'Your Name' (feat. Rachel Wagner of Rachel's Reviews)
August 13, 2021 06:42 - 1 hour - 58.6 MBEven some fans of animated films need to brush up on their anime. Such was the case when Rachel Wagner of Rachel's Reviews stopped by the show. A self-professed ambassador of Makoto Shinkai's 2016 film Your Name, Rachel joined us to discuss the film. And the conversation -- just like Your Name itself -- went some unexpected places along the way. Your Name blends comedy, fantasy, romance, sci-fi, and drama into one distinctive subversion of the body-swap concept. Listen in as Rachel and I di...
'Field of Dreams' (feat. Darin Lundberg of NostalgiaCast)
August 02, 2021 17:48 - 1 hour - 71.9 MBEveryone familiar with 1989's Field of Dreams knows that "if you build it, he will come." But is the same true if you podcast about it? Darin Lundberg of NostalgiaCast helps us test that theory with an in-depth chat about writer-director Phil Alden Robinson's iconic sports film starring Kevin Costner, Amy Madigan, James Earl Jones, Ray Liotta, and Burt Lancaster. Field of Dreams has a reputation for being a film that emotionally resonates with its audiences. Listen in as Darin shares the p...
'Goodfellas' (featuring Jason from Binge Movies)
June 29, 2021 04:44 - 1 hour - 83.7 MBThe era of the Crooked Table Podcast ends with a bang as we discuss Martin Scorsese's 1990 crime drama Goodfellas. Jason from Binge Movies joins the show as we break down the film's legacy, its place in Scorsese's legendary filmography, and Goodfellas' Best Picture loss to Dances with Wolves. Stay tuned in mid-July for the first episode of Close Watch with Robert Yaniz Jr. Or check out our sister show, Franchise Detours, also coming soon wherever you listen to podcasts. SYNOPSIS A young m...
'Rudy' (feat. Philip Boone of Sports Flix, Just Give Us Clix)
June 07, 2021 09:30 - 1 hour - 60.5 MBOver the years, cinema and sports have crossed paths countless times. But it takes something very special to stand out in the genre. And for an entire generation, Rudy represents the ultimate underdog story. Starring Sean Astin (The Lord of the Rings), the film tells the inspiring true story of Daniel "Rudy" Ruettiger. Philip Boone of Sports Flix, Just Give Us Clix joins the show to share his own longtime love for Rudy. We'll discuss why the 1993 movie has become such a classic, whether we ...
'Howard the Duck' (feat. Jamie Williams)
May 31, 2021 10:00 - 59 minutes - 54.7 MBThe final round of Crooked Table Podcast episodes -- prior to the rebranding, at least -- continues. And of course, we had to tap into the red-headed step-child of Marvel Comics movies: 1986's Howard the Duck. The first full-length movie based on a Marvel character, the movie was an infamous box office and critical disaster? But have its feathers been unjustly ruffled? Jamie Williams returns to the show to help us break down Howard the Duck. We'll discuss the movie's reputation, how it affe...
INTERVIEW with CinemaSins' Jeremy Scott
May 17, 2021 10:00 - 50 minutes - 45.8 MBFor years, CinemaSins has taken the movies to task with its popular videos cheekily tackling "everything wrong with" the movies. However, with billions of views and millions of subscribers, even critics can't deny the success of CinemaSins. Jeremy Scott -- the YouTube channel's co-founder and the "voice of CinemaSins" -- has found the perfect outlet for his passion for cinema. Now fans of Jeremy's irreverent "takedowns" of Hollywood hits discover the story of how he developed his love for m...
'Mulholland Drive' (feat. Albert Lanier)
February 09, 2021 08:04 - 1 hour - 89.8 MBFew films released in the 21st century have as universal a reputation as David Lynch's 2001 thriller Mulholland Drive. To that end, a celebration of the film and its 20th anniversary hardly qualifies as "the world of film from a fresh angle." Yet, the movie's surrealistic tone and multi-layered tale likely flew under the radar for some mainstream moviegoers. So listen in as returning guest Albert Lanier lays out what he believes to be the "Lynch pin" to understanding Mulholland Drive. In th...
'UHF' (feat. Lauren Carey of the Beer'd Al Podcast)
February 01, 2021 10:00 - 1 hour - 69.9 MBCome one, come Al! After 2020, things were bound to get weird. So we kick off 2021 with the only logical episode: "Weird Al" Yankovic's one and only big-screen starring role, 1989's cult comedy UHF. Lauren Carey of the Beer'd Al Podcast joins the show to talk about the film's legacy, its impact on Al's career, and whether UHF is an effective entry point for new fans. So don't change the channel. And don't touch that dial. This week, the Crooked Table Podcast has got it all on UHF. SYNOPSI...
'The Matrix Reloaded'/'The Matrix Revolutions' [Part 2] (ft. Jackson Smith)
January 01, 2021 02:54 - 1 hour - 68.8 MBIt ends tonight. Yup, it's time for part 2 of our discussion on The Matrix sequels. Jackson Smith is back to talk The Matrix Revolutions. After the Matrix-y hijinks of its predecessor, this third chapter takes a more "real world" approach. But does it deliver a satisfying close to the trilogy? We'll get to all that -- and Hugo Weaving's hammy AF performance -- in the ultimate The Matrix Revolutions discussion. SYNOPSIS In a dystopia overrun by robots, Neo (Keanu Reeves), mankind's greates...
'The Matrix' Bonus Material (featuring Freddy Yaniz)
December 25, 2020 10:00 - 33 minutes - 31.5 MBAs we catch up with the remaining chapters of The Matrix trilogy, it seemed like the perfect time to share a bit of bonus content. This episode features a collection of outtakes recorded during our two-part, 100th episode extravaganza on The Matrix with guest Freddy Yaniz. Until now, this bonus episode was only available to Patreon subscribers. But now as a holiday season treat, we provide it here in the main feed. Stay plugged in for more bonus content in 2021, and check back soon for pa...
'The Matrix Reloaded'/'The Matrix Revolutions' [Part 1] (ft. Jackson Smith)
December 22, 2020 10:00 - 1 hour - 107 MBThe Matrix has you (again). In this first half of our two-part discussion on the sequels, Jackson Smith -- our own Agent Smith, so to speak -- joins the show to examine The Matrix Reloaded. We'll cover whether the movie is a smooth transition from the first film, its wild action sequences, and why even its haters need to pay The Matrix Reloaded a revisit now. SYNOPSIS Freedom fighters Neo (Keanu Reeves), Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss), and Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne) continue to lead the re...
'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2' (featuring Ryan McQuade)
December 15, 2020 10:00 - 2 hours - 112 MBIt all ends (finally). But now Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 has brought the saga of The Boy Who Lived to an appropriately epic conclusion. Guest Ryan McQuade returns to the show to help us bid farewell to Harry, Ron, Hermione, and She-Who-Must-Not-Be Named with our very last episode on the Harry Potter series. Coming in 2021: we enter the ring with Sylvester Stallone, Michael B. Jordan, and the Rocky franchise! SYNOPSIS A clash between good and evil awaits as young Harry (D...
'Scrooged' (featuring Kim Stock Foster)
December 10, 2020 04:09 - 1 hour - 66.7 MBCharles Dickens' A Christmas Carol has to be one of the most adapted literary works of all time. But the story of Ebenezer Scrooge has never been told quite like this. Bill Murray leads a "modern" take on Dickens' work in 1988's Scrooged. And Kim Stock Foster brings the holiday classic to the Table to explain why the movie's poignant message and comedic sensibility makes Scrooged her favorite Christmas movie. SYNOPSIS In this modern take on Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol," Frank Cross...
'Enter the Dragon' (featuring Robert Dean)
November 25, 2020 22:10 - 49 minutes - 47.2 MBNowadays, martial arts feel like a distinct part of the fabric of Hollywood action movies. But that wasn't always the case. In fact, if not for Bruce Lee and his iconic 1973 hit Enter the Dragon, the state of the entertainment industry might look a whole lot different. Robert Dean joins the show to take a look at how Enter the Dragon has held up since its release. We'll discuss how influential the movie has proven to be, how it captures Lee's own personal philosophy, and whether it would h...
'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1' (featuring Lyndsey Cole)
November 25, 2020 21:59 - 1 hour - 84.1 MB2020 is nearing a close. And with it, the Crooked Table Podcast is almost finished with its ill-timed deep dive into the Harry Potter franchise. In 2010's Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1, the stakes have never been higher. We knew a fresh perspective was required to deliver the exciting, frank conversation this series of episodes needs. And so Lyndsey Cole joins the show to break down whether this penultimate Harry Potter adventure achieves the epic scope it aims for. We'll dis...
'Salt of the Earth' (featuring Rosa Parra)
November 25, 2020 21:41 - 1 hour - 65.2 MBWhen the podcast relaunched in December 2018, it did so with the goal of bringing new voices -- and therefore a wide range of movies -- to the forefront. That's certainly the case with this episode, which highlights the unjustly forgotten 1954 release Salt of the Earth. The movie has since fallen into the public domain and is available to watch on YouTube. Rosa Parra of Latinx Lens joins the show to discuss why Salt of the Earth is such a vital part of cinema history. We'll discuss how the...
'Singin' in the Rain' (featuring Ryan McQuade)
November 10, 2020 02:51Even though we just covered Hamilton in our first-ever Crooked Roundtable, we're not quite ready to move on from musicals just yet. So this episode, we're discussing one of the most beloved big-screen musicals of all time: 1952's Singin' in the Rain starring Gene Kelly, Donald O'Connor, and Debbie Reynolds. Ryan McQuade returns to the show to help us break down why Singin' in the Rain is such a joyous and unforgettable experience. We'll discuss the behind-the-scenes drama, how the film com...
'Singin' in the Rain' (featuring Ryan McQuade)
November 10, 2020 02:51Even though we just covered Hamilton in our first-ever Crooked Roundtable, we're not quite ready to move on from musicals just yet. So this episode, we're discussing one of the most beloved big-screen musicals of all time: 1952's Singin' in the Rain starring Gene Kelly, Donald O'Connor, and Debbie Reynolds. Ryan McQuade returns to the show to help us break down why Singin' in the Rain is such a joyous and unforgettable experience. We'll discuss the behind-the-scenes drama, how the film com...
'Hamilton' (Crooked Roundtable #1)
November 02, 2020 11:00 - 2 hours - 132 MBWe were willing to wait for it. Now the time has finally come to cover the Disney+ release of Hamilton. But how best to commemorate the "ten-dollar Founding Father without a father"? Surely, with the pop cultural impact of Lin-Manuel Miranda's Tony-winning musical, we wouldn't be satisfied with just another regular episode. Instead, we assembled a panel of epic Hamilfans to blow our listeners away. In our first-ever Crooked Roundtable discussion, Michael Hinman, Candace Kaw, Mandy Lake, an...
'Saw' (featuring Lucy Buglass)
October 27, 2020 10:00 - 1 hour - 62.5 MBIt's the most terror-filled time of the year. This episode, we're taking a look at one of the most influential horror films of the 2000s: James Wan's 2004 release Saw. In addition to seven (soon-to-be eight) sequels, the film kickstarted Wan's directing career long before Insidious, The Conjuring, Furious 7, and Aquaman. But is Saw just a disposable bit of "torture porn" like so many of its imitators? Lucy Buglass joins the show to help us tear into that very question. We'll discuss how Saw...
'Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince' (featuring Kai Yaniz)
October 20, 2020 10:00 - 1 hour - 103 MBThe end is drawing nearer as our ill-timed Harry Potter series trudges ahead. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince may opt for love-potion hijinks over grim flashbacks. But the movie still gives audiences a delightful turn by Oscar winner Jim Broadbent, potions galore, and a taste of the Harry-Dumbledore buddy movie we could have gotten instead. Kai Yaniz returns to the show after reading the books for the first time just a year ago. And she has some thoughts on how director David Yates a...
'Equilibrium' (featuring Jon Cohorn)
October 13, 2020 11:00 - 1 hour - 79.5 MBChristian Bale might have played the Dark Knight for director Christopher Nolan. But his real superpower as an actor is his ability to play cold, emotionally detached characters such as American Psycho's Patrick Bateman. And building off of that iconic performance, Equilibrium thrusts Bale full-on into dystopian sci-fi. But, y'know, with "gunkata." Returning guest Jon Cohorn previously brought the gun-toting martial arts of John Wick and the underrated sci-fi of Event Horizon to the Table. ...
'Darkman' (featuring Kevin Smith)
October 09, 2020 04:23 - 1 hour - 73.4 MBLong before Liam Neeson let the world know about his "very particular set of skills," he was Darkman. The cult classic from director Sam Raimi even predates Neeson's Star Wars and Batman Begins days. Yet, in many ways, it feels like it belongs to the initial comic book movie boom of the early 2000s. Kevin Smith joins the show to discuss why Darkman is such a well-kept secret, how it's a critical turning point for Raimi's career, and why Hollywood should dust off the franchise. We'll also c...
'Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix' (featuring Amy Otero)
October 01, 2020 03:46 - 1 hour - 93.2 MBThe real-life political climate bleeds into the Wizarding World this week. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is very much a political commentary. So guest Amy Otero and I did our very best to stay focused on the movie at hand. As it turned out, neither of us realized just how relevant director David Yates' first Harry Potter movie would be. If Year Four represents Harry's loss of innocence, then this next film sees the boy wizard and his friend brave the dark and complex real world...
'Starman' (featuring JC Screen Fix)
September 23, 2020 03:03 - 1 hour - 67.1 MBWhat comes to mind when you think of John Carpenter? Most people probably go straight to classic horror films like Halloween or The Thing. Or perhaps cult sci-fi thrillers such as Escape from New York and They Live. The point is, we're willing to bet few would think Carpenter had a romantic sci-fi drama in him. And yet Starman exists. Starring Jeff Bridges and Karen Allen -- who we just covered in our Raiders of the Lost Ark episode -- the 1984 release barely broke even at the box office. Y...
'Raiders of the Lost Ark' and the Indiana Jones series (feat. Craig Price)
September 16, 2020 03:36 - 1 hour - 82.7 MBAfter spending all of 2019 covering the Star Wars saga, we finally crack the whip on George Lucas' other beloved creation finally. Together with director Steven Spielberg and star Harrison Ford, Lucas created one of cinema's most iconic action heroes in Indiana Jones. That's right. This episode, it's all Raiders of the Lost Ark. Craig Price of Matinee Heroes joins the show to discuss that 1981 adventure film. And along the way, we'll discuss just about everything else about the Indiana Jone...
'Back to the Future' Trilogy (featuring Vanessa Taylor)
September 09, 2020 04:50 - 1 hour - 91.1 MBGreat Scott! It's time for the Crooked Table Podcast to go Back to the Future! We don't need money, fame, or even a flux capacitor to travel through the space-time continuum to discuss this classic. In fact, while we have the Delorean all fired up at 88mph, we'll even look back at director Robert Zemeckis' entire trilogy. Vanessa Taylor from The Geeky Waffle helps us tackle the original 1985 sci-fi comedy that introduced audiences to Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) and Doc Brown (Christopher L...
'Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure' and 'Bogus Journey' (feat. Chris Scalzo)
September 01, 2020 11:00 - 1 hour - 62.5 MBAfter nearly three decades away from their breakthrough roles, Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter return for Bill and Ted Face the Music. Having previously covered Reeves' The Matrix and John Wick, there's no way we were going to pass up this most triumphant opportunity to pull off a Keanu hat trick. With the help of Chris Scalzo of The First Run podcast, we travel all the way back to 1989 to discuss Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure. Then, before heading out of the Circuits of Time, we stop off...