Close Watch with Robert Yaniz Jr.
222 episodes - English - Latest episode: 9 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
'Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire' (featuring Freddy Yaniz)
August 26, 2020 03:01 - 1 hour - 81.3 MBIt's that time again as we charge through Platform 9 and 3/4 for another year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. This month, we're taking a look at the fourth entry in the Harry Potter series, 2005's Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. As fans know, this is the entry where the stakes really kick into gear, propelling towards the inevitable conclusion. So to help us break down the pivotal installment of Harry's story, original Crooked Table Podcast co-host Freddy Yaniz joins us....
'Machete' and 'Machete Kills' (featuring Sandro Falce)
August 19, 2020 01:35 - 1 hour - 75.5 MBAfter decades in the industry, Danny Trejo finally landed his first leading role in 2010. Directed by longtime Trejo collaborator Robert Rodriguez and Ethan Maniquis, the wild action movie served as the culmination of Trejo's career up to that point. And they called it Machete. Based on a fake trailer Rodriguez directed for Grindhouse -- his 2007 double feature with Quentin Tarantino -- Machete leans into exploitation and politically incorrectness with reckless abandon. And the film's effor...
'Phantom Thread' (featuring Ryan McQuade)
August 11, 2020 21:37 - 1 hour - 92.7 MBMany critics consider Paul Thomas Anderson one of the greatest living American auteurs. And with 2007's There Will Be Blood, Anderson proved he and Daniel Day-Lewis complement each other's distinctive skill sets. At least for some moviegoers. After all, Anderson's films aren't exactly mainstream crowd-pleasers. Enter 2017's Phantom Thread. A full decade after their first collaboration, Anderson and Day-Lewis reunited to tell the story of a meticulous dressmaker and the woman who changes his...
Nobody Drink the Beer! The Beer Has Gone Bad! (Crooked Commentary #7) (featuring Kai Yaniz)
August 08, 2020 07:09 - 1 hour - 98.7 MBOver the years, Kai Yaniz has endured Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, The Room, and -- most infamously -- Cats. Now Rob finally makes time for our long-awaited Crooked Commentary of Can't Hardly Wait. The 1998 teen comedy was written and directed by Harry Elfont and Deborah Kaplan. And it also happens to be the perfect encapsulation of the late 1990s. Join Kai, Rob, and an ensemble cast of up-and-coming young actors for one wild and crazy night. It's Can't Hardly Wait! SYNOPSIS School's out,...
'Ball of Fire' (featuring Lori London)
July 28, 2020 17:33 - 1 hour - 67.2 MBLast year, author and vocalist Lori London brought 1945's Christmas in Connecticut to the Table. Now she's back with another Barbara Stanwyck comedy, 1941's Ball of Fire. Featuring an Oscar-nominated lead performance and a screenplay co-written by Billy Wilder, director Howard Hawks' movie deserves to be rediscovered. Join Lori and I as we discuss how Ball of Fire captures the power of words, why Stanwyck is the perfect choice for the lead role, and how it holds up nearly 80 years after its...
'Jojo Rabbit' (featuring Karen Peterson)
July 21, 2020 15:55 - 1 hour - 102 MBThe Holocaust isn't exactly brimming with comedic potential. But in the right hands, the real-life horrors of World War II can serve a noble cause. In some cases, this harsh setting can underscore the futility of hate and the absurdity of prejudice. Such is the goal of this episode's movie, writer-director Taika Waititi's 2019 Oscar winner Jojo Rabbit. On her first appearance, Karen Peterson brought Bridget Jones's Diary to the Table. But we had a lot more ground to cover this time. We'll d...
'Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban' (featuring Jackson Smith)
July 14, 2020 08:11 - 1 hour - 86.3 MBOur year-long journey through the Harry Potter series continues with year three: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. After back-to-back installments from director Chris Columbus, the franchise finally spreads its wings. This is thanks, in large part, to the addition of future Oscar-winning filmmaker Alfonso Cuarón (Gravity, Roma). Following our Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith episode, Jackson Smith returns for another fantasy threequel. We'll discuss how Cuarón builds on Columbus' foun...
'The Quiet Man' (featuring Caitlin Kennedy)
July 08, 2020 04:14 - 52 minutes - 49.6 MBJohn Wayne is, of course, synonymous with the classic Hollywood Western. Yet, the first movie of his we're covering on this show is actually a romantic comedy. Wayne reteamed with director John Ford and Maureen O'Hara for 1952's The Quiet Man. And the shift in genre paid off for the trio behind 1950 Western Rio Grande. The Quiet Man turned out to be one of the year's biggest box office hits. And we were honored to welcome film critic Caitlin Kennedy to the show to discuss the movie. We'll d...
'The 40-Year-Old Virgin' (featuring Kai Yaniz)
June 30, 2020 10:18 - 1 hour - 83 MBAnother year has passed, and once again, Rob is celebrating his birthday with a special episode. Last year, he brought on his mom, Jeannine Yaniz, to talk Who Framed Roger Rabbit. Now it is Kai Yaniz in the hot seat. And the movie in question this year is Judd Apatow's 2005 comedy The 40-Year-Old Virgin. We'll discuss how well the movie's sense of humor has aged, the flawless ensemble cast, and how the movie's premise is ultimately a bit deceptive. Moreover, Rob and Kai will discuss why Apa...
Holy Rusted Metal, Batman! (Crooked Commentary #6) (featuring Kai Yaniz)
June 29, 2020 18:26 - 2 hours - 131 MBRiddle me this, riddle me that... it's finally time to talk about the Bat. That's right. Somehow, the Crooked Table Podcast has never taken on a Batman solo movie. And with news Michael Keaton may return to the Batsuit, the Dark Knight's future has never been brighter. Sadly, that exciting news came out the same day we learned of director Joel Schumacher's passing. So, on this episode, partially in tribute to Schumacher's work, Kai Yaniz joins the show as we watch and discuss his 1995 film...
'Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets' (featuring Teri Sears)
April 30, 2020 02:00 - 1 hour - 67.7 MBThis episode, we return to Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for an in-depth chat about Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. In many ways, Year Two feels like the end of an era for the franchise. Director Chris Columbus left after this point, taking the warm and fuzzies largely with him. And the late Richard Harris makes his final appearance as Albus Dumbledore. Teri Sears joins the show to help us unlock Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. We'll address why the movie is ...
'Aliens' (featuring Will Nexii)
April 24, 2020 19:29 - 1 hour - 66 MBFor the second time, we're covering a James Cameron film on the show. And just like Terminator 2: Judgment Day, Aliens is a testament to the filmmaker's ability to deliver a thrilling, game-changing sequel. The 1986 follow-up to Ridley Scott's Alien is the rare example of a second film elevating its predecessor by building on what's come before in innovative new ways. And like T2, Aliens was so good it doomed its franchise to decades of desperate attempts for relevance. Will Nexii joins the...
Jellicle Songs for Jellicle Cats (Crooked Commentary #5) (feat. Kai Yaniz)
April 16, 2020 01:54 - 2 hours - 124 MBAs soon as we caught a glimpse of the infamous first trailer for Cats, we knew it would be a perfect addition to our Crooked Commentary series. After all, we've talked about some great films in the last few installments, including The Nightmare Before Christmas, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, and When Harry Met Sally... So it's about time we get Crooked Commentary back to awesomely bad movies like The Room. Directed by Oscar-winning filmmaker Tom Hooper (The King's Speech), Cats assembles an ...
'Ferris Bueller's Day Off' (featuring Kimberly Cook)
April 09, 2020 03:38 - 1 hour - 58.3 MBAs a righteous dude once said, "Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it." That and countless other insanely quotable lines propelled writer/director John Hughes' 1986 hit, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, to become one of the biggest comedies of the decade. Even now, more than three decades after its release, fans are still discovering and revisiting Ferris Bueller's Day Off Kimberly Cook returns to the show to dig into why Hughes' release is he...
April Fool's 2020 Special (featuring The Famous Ashley Grant)
April 01, 2020 05:23 - 51 minutes - 48.8 MBIt's April Fool's Day! And because we can all use a bit of silliness right about now, the Crooked Table Podcast is setting aside the usual format for a timely jaunt into the world of magic and illusions. No democratizing the film criticism conversation this week. And this week's special episode isn't even (exclusively) designed to be a tie-in to our just-launched Harry Potter series. Rather, the concept is directly inspired by a longtime friend and recurring guest of the show. The Famous As...
'Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone' (featuring Bri Azmoudeh of Geeky Girl Gab)
April 01, 2020 04:04 - 1 hour - 82.7 MBLast year, we had a blast running through all nine episodes in the Star Wars saga. But now that the Skywalker has risen (kinda?), we're turning our attention to a bunch of British witches and wizards. That's right: 2020 is the year of Harry Potter. Because this year really could use a bit of magic right about now. Bri Azmoudeh of Geeky Girl Gab joins the show to help us travel back nearly two decades -- yes, really -- when J.K. Rowling's best-selling book series first made the leap to the b...
'8 1/2' (featuring Brian Susbielles of InSession Film)
March 28, 2020 17:38 - 53 minutes - 49.3 MBIn the interest of providing broader coverage of cinema history, we always love the chance to cover either a classic or foreign release. So, of course, it was a blast to cover Federico Fellini's 1963 Italian film, 8 1/2. The film is more self-reflective than most, a cinematic fever dream brought to life. The parallels between Marcello Mastroianni's Guido -- a middle-aged movie director at a creative and personal crossroads -- and Fellini himself are stark, blatant, and fascinating as hell. ...
'Planes, Trains, and Automobiles' (featuring Jamie Williams)
March 22, 2020 06:01 - 1 hour - 63.8 MBIn the 1980s, few filmmakers were as in-demand and influential as John Hughes. The man basically created the concept of the teen movie with films such as Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club, Weird Science, and Ferris Bueller's Day Off. Yet, after that run, Hughes did the last thing anyone expected: he grew up. Planes, Trains, and Automobiles marks his directorial entry into adult comedies. And boy, is it a great one. Jamie Williams last appeared on the show to talk 1999's Man on the Moon. B...
'La La Land' (featuring The Lady-Wan of Screen Fix)
March 20, 2020 23:04 - 1 hour - 82.8 MBAfter Whiplash won critical acclaim and a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for J.K. Simmons, writer/director Damien Chazelle could have done anything. So, naturally, he decided to make a modern-day tribute to lavish Hollywood musicals of yesteryear. The resulting film, La La Land, went on to become an unprecedented smash, to the tune of nearly $450 million worldwide. Although it didn't win the Academy Award for Best Picture, Chazelle's film finally gets its due on our show. The Lady-Wan of Scree...
'You Can Count on Me' (ft. Dames Marvs of CF3: Cult Fans, Films & Finds)
March 02, 2020 15:44 - 1 hour - 57.5 MBWriter/director Kenneth Lonergan won his first Academy Award for the acclaimed domestic drama Manchester by the Sea. But more than a decade and a half before that film, Lonergan burst onto the scene with his directorial debut, You Can Count on Me. Both movies tackle the fallout of family tragedies and feature standout performances. You Can Count on Me focuses on the broken bond between a sister (Laura Linney) and brother (Mark Ruffalo). And while neither guest Dames Marvs -- from CF3: Cult ...
'The Witch' (featuring Amy Otero)
February 20, 2020 12:19 - 1 hour - 89.1 MBDirector Robert Eggers burst on the scene in 2015 with The Witch. And when he did, horror audiences didn't know quite how to react. The film -- subtitled "A New England folktale" -- follows a Puritan family in 1600s New England and its inevitable descent into hell. However, its period setting, era-accurate dialect, and slowly building tension came across as jarring to audiences accustomed to jump scares and slasher films. Amy Otero joins the show this episode to help us analyze what makes T...
2020 Movie Preview (featuring Tom Chang of Bleeding Cool)
February 14, 2020 14:41 - 1 hour - 81.1 MBFor us pop culture enthusiasts, 2019 was one for the record books. Just on the movie side, moviegoers the finale of Marvel Studios' "Infinity Saga" in Avengers: Endgame and witnessed the end of Skywalker story in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Of course, the year brought a ton of sequels, reboots, and spin-offs of various quality levels. But it also delivered unexpected -- and Oscar-winning -- treats such as Jojo Rabbit, 1917, Marriage Story, and director Bong Joon-ho's Parasite. We alr...
'Parasite' (featuring Sade Glover of Offscreen Babble)
February 06, 2020 03:20 - 1 hour - 90.7 MBForeign films usually make a very limited impact at the domestic box office. At best, they mostly wind up attracting love from critics or perhaps some prestige awards. Almost never do they break into the mainstream the way Parasite has. Co-writer/director Bong Joon Ho's film blends dark comedy, thriller, and horror elements into an irresistible bit of social commentary. Now Sade Glover of Offscreen Babble returns to the show for a deep, spoiler-filled dive into Parasite. The last time Sade ...
'Event Horizon' (featuring Jon Cohorn of Modern Horrors)
January 30, 2020 05:02 - 1 hour - 64.5 MBEvent Horizon hits theaters in 1997 to a disappointing box office response. Yet, like so many genre films, the Paul Anderson -- the Resident Evil guy, not the There Will Be Blood one -- sci-fi/horror hybrid has developed a cult following. So, as our first regular episode of 2020, we're taking a look at how the movie has held up and why its combination of Alien and Hellraiser is worth seeking out for those who haven't caught up with it. Jon Cohorn of Modern Horrors -- who previously helped u...
Our Favorite Films of 2019
January 23, 2020 03:48 - 51 minutes - 48.1 MBAh, 2019, we hardly knew you. With the passing of another year — and another decade, more or less — it's time again to run through some of our favorite movies from the past 12 cinematic months. So what are our top movies of the year? Last year, Marvel Studios made an incredible showing atop our 2018 retrospective. With three releases in 2019, can Marvel claim a spot in this year's list? We have lots of great stuff planned for 2020, including our Harry Potter series. First, hear Rob reveal ...
I'll Have What She's Having (Crooked Commentary #4) (featuring Kai Yaniz)
December 30, 2019 18:46 - 2 hours - 115 MB2019 is about to head off into the sunset, but we can't let the year pass without a Crooked Commentary. For this fourth entry in the series, we follow The Room, The Nightmare Before Christmas, and Scott Pilgrim vs. the World with the seminal romantic comedy (and underrated New Year's Eve movie), 1989's When Harry Met Sally... Of course, Kai Yaniz returns to watch the film, which just celebrated its 30th anniversary. We'll talk about how Nora Ephron's script shaped modern cinematic love stor...
'Star Wars: Episode IX — The Rise of Skywalker' (featuring Kai Yaniz)
December 24, 2019 19:53 - 2 hours - 121 MBJust as Lucasfilm says goodbye to its own Star Wars saga, so must we do the same. After spending most of 2019 working our way through George Lucas' "galaxy far, far away," we've come to the final installment of our Star Wars series. This week, we'll discuss Star Wars: Episode IX — The Rise of Skywalker. To complete this epic journey, Lucasfilm recruited The Force Awakens director J.J. Abrams. So, in keeping with that, we've brought back our guest from our original Star Wars episode, Kai Ya...
'Gremlins' (featuring Cristian Garcia of Nerds with Friends)
December 17, 2019 04:50 - 1 hour - 68.3 MBIt's the holiday season. So, of course, it is time to bust out all our favorite Christmas movies. We've got White Christmas, Christmas in Connecticut, and — what do we have here? — Gremlins. That's right, folks. That 1984 Joe Dante horror-comedy about a furry little Mogwai with a very particular set of rules is technically a Christmas movie. And we'll take any opportunity we have to revisit a nostalgic favorite. Cristian Garcia of Nerds with Friends joins us to talk about why Gremlins is su...
Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping (featuring Sandro Falce of Oldie But a Goodie)
December 10, 2019 03:26 - 57 minutes - 54.7 MBEven more than most genres, mockumentaries just aren't for everyone. So perhaps — despite The Lonely Island's built-in fanbase — Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping failed to bring in an audience in 2016. In a blatant parody of Justin Bieber or other recent music sensations, the film follows fading pop music icon Conner4Real (Andy Samberg). Sandro Falce of Oldie But a Goodie joins the show to help us spread the word about Popstar's insanely underrated status. We'll discuss how the movie foll...
Will Ashton 2 / Punch-Drunk Love
December 03, 2019 03:00 - 1 hour - 69 MBPeople just love to hate on Adam Sandler. Perhaps the reason behind this is how little his comedic persona has evolved since the days of Happy Gilmore and The Wedding Singer. Or maybe just not enough moviegoers have seen Punch-Drunk Love. This 2002 romantic comedy/drama from writer/director Paul Thomas Anderson marked a surprising departure from Sandler's usual work. Although the film does go for some laughs, it is far more esoteric than Sandler's usual broad style. In fact, the film digs d...
Sade Glover / The Farewell
November 25, 2019 10:00 - 1 hour - 57.5 MBThroughout 2019, A24 has further cemented its dominance as a safe haven for distinctive creative voices. In just the past few years, the company has given moviegoers releases as diverse as Moonlight, Lady Bird, Hereditary, Ex Machina, and Room. And easily one of this year's A24 highlights — and indeed 2019 cinema, in general — has been Lulu Wang's poignant and hilarious The Farewell. Sade Glover of the Offscreen Babble podcast joins the show to discuss how Wang's second directorial effort ...
Albert Lanier / Eyes Wide Shut
November 18, 2019 11:00 - 1 hour - 88.5 MBThe year 1999 is the gift that keeps on giving. We're already covered several key releases from that year, including The Matrix, Fight Club, American Beauty, and Office Space. Now, this week, we welcome freelance writer and critic Albert Lanier to the show to discuss Stanley Kubrick's final film, Eyes Wide Shut. Released 20 years ago, this compelling thriller is the stuff of legend. A notoriously long shoot, friction with the MPAA, and of course, Kubrick's death soon before it hit theater...
Kerri Jones 2 / Star Wars: Episode VIII — The Last Jedi
November 12, 2019 03:46 - 2 hours - 120 MBIn the eighth (and penultimate) installment of our retrospective on the Star Wars saga, we take on the most divisive installment. That's right, folks. This week, we're talking Rian Johnson's Star Wars: Episode VIII — The Last Jedi. Kerri Jones returns to the show to talk about how Johnson's film upends the franchise, its thought-provoking depiction of the Force, and the tantalizing possibility of Reylo. Strap in, Star Wars fans, because this episode probably won't please all of you. Every...
Star Wars: Episode VII — The Force Awakens (featuring Kai Yaniz)
November 12, 2019 03:15 - 2 hours - 117 MBIn the seventh installment of our retrospective on the Star Wars saga, we revisit our two-part conversation from 2015 on Star Wars: Episode VII — The Force Awakens. The first hour was recorded before Rob and guest Kai Yaniz saw the film, serving as a summary of what came before. Then, part two delves deep into J.J. Abrams' film, its comparisons to A New Hope, and what we hoped to see from the Star Wars sequel trilogy. Every month for the rest of 2019, we've been discussing another epi...
David Rosen / Wet Hot American Summer
November 04, 2019 10:00 - 51 minutes - 48.6 MBSome movies land with audiences immediately, while others don't find their fans for years to come. Wet Hot American Summer is one of the latter. Featuring a star-studded cast of comedy talents, director David Wain's film is a quirky ode to '80s "camp" classics (pun intended) and sex comedies. Its popularity grew so much over the years that Netflix ultimately produced two limited series based on the film. David Rosen of the Piecing It Together podcast joins the show to discuss the phenomen...
Josh Bell / Terminator 2: Judgment Day
October 28, 2019 09:00 - 1 hour - 58.2 MBWith the upcoming release of Terminator: Dark Fate, now is the perfect time to reflect on the series. In 1991, Terminator 2: Judgment Day surpassed James Cameron's original classic and set a new standard for blockbuster cinema. Josh Bell of the Awesome Movie Year podcast joins the show to talk about how T2 changed the world of cinema forever. We'll discuss how Cameron was able to successfully build on his own mythos, what the subsequent sequels have missed, and how we hope that Terminator...
Michael Hinman 2 / Star Wars: Episode VI — Return of the Jedi
October 21, 2019 09:00 - 1 hour - 73.5 MBIn the sixth installment of our retrospective on the Star Wars saga, we bid farewell to the pre-Disney era of the franchise. Way back in 1983, director Richard Marquand ended the original Star Wars trilogy with Return of the Jedi. Now, Michael Hinman of Alpha Waves Radio joins us to conclude our coverage of the George Lucas's original three-part vision for the "galaxy far, far away." Every month for the rest of 2019, we'll be discussing another episode of the Star Wars saga, building up t...
Danielle Solzman / The Lion King
October 15, 2019 02:49 - 51 minutes - 48.3 MBIn the heart of the Disney Renaissance, the studio that had already back-to-back box office smashes (and Academy Award winners) in Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin unleashed its 32nd animated feature. The Lion King pounced into theaters in the summer of 1994, becoming the highest-grossing animated film ever at the time of its release and spawning a cultural phenomenon. This episode, Danielle Solzman of Solzy at the Movies joins us to discuss the film on its 25th anniversary. Of course, we...
Stephen M. Colbert / Speed Racer
October 08, 2019 03:45 - 1 hour - 80.2 MBEarlier this year, we celebrated our 100th episode by delving into a lengthy two-part discussion about The Matrix. While the Wachowskis' 1999 classic marked a seismic shift for the world of cinema, the filmmakers behind Neo's story have certainly lived up to the narrative and visual ambition of their breakthrough. Case in point, expect to see more coverage on Lilly and Lana Wachowski's filmography in the months ahead, including a look at The Matrix sequels themselves. However, this week, ...
Happy International Podcast Day (and What to Expect in 2020)
September 30, 2019 21:24 - 35 minutes - 32.9 MBOne year ago, the fate of the Crooked Table Podcast was uncertain. Trapped at a creative crossroads, the show was put on what turned out to be a temporary hiatus until it could be refocused to its current premise, in which we "democratize the film criticism conversation." Once that concept was nailed down, Rob unveiled it just in time for International Podcast Day 2019. Now, with the return of this annual celebration of the podcasting medium (Happy International Podcast Day, all!), Rob is...
Candace Kaw / Star Wars: Episode V — The Empire Strikes Back
September 23, 2019 19:25 - 1 hour - 73.3 MBIn the fifth installment of our retrospective on the Star Wars saga, we turn our attention to what is arguably the most popular film in the series: director Irvin Kershner's 1980 release The Empire Strikes Back. After the phenomenon that was the original Star Wars, fans hoped the follow-up would expand the world and continue the story in a meaningful way. What they got was one of the best sequels ever made. Candace Kaw of Geeky Girl Gab joins us to discuss why the film has endures, what mak...
Lori London / Christmas in Connecticut
September 16, 2019 16:15 - 1 hour - 66 MBThe holiday season is still a few months away, but we're definitely not above breaking out the tinsel and candy canes a bit earlier than usual. Last year, we released our White Christmas episode perfectly timed to Christmas Eve, but this time around, we're taking a closer look at the 1945 release Christmas in Connecticut starring Barbara Stanwyck, Dennis Morgan and Sydney Greenstreet. Lori London, author of the Tripi the Fly children's book series, joins us to discuss the holiday-set rom...
Our Top 5 Films of 1999 (with Kai Yaniz)
September 09, 2019 23:58 - 1 hour - 97.3 MBA year after helping us break down our favorite movies of 1998, Kai Yaniz of BeBold-BeBrave.com returns to take aim at one of the most important years in cinema: 1999. Twenty years ago, so many bold, risk-taking movies hit the big screen, and while we may not necessarily be fans of all those iconic releases, this milestone felt like a great opportunity to pay tribute to what many have considered one of the finest years at the theater. If you've been listening to our recent episodes, then ...
Our Top 5 Films of 1999 (with Kai Yaniz)
September 09, 2019 23:58A year after helping us break down our favorite movies of 1998, Kai Yaniz of BBold-BBrave.com returns to take aim at one of the most important years in cinema: 1999. Twenty years ago, so many bold, risk-taking movies hit the big screen, and while we may not necessarily be fans of all those iconic releases, this milestone felt like a great opportunity to pay tribute to what many have considered one of the finest years at the theater. If you've been listening to our recent episodes, then yo...
Crooked Takeover — Ditsy Comic Podcast
September 02, 2019 09:00 - 36 minutes - 35.5 MBIn our first-ever Crooked Takeover, we extend our time with Justin Beck of the Ditsy Comic Podcast. Whereas last week Justin showed up on the Crooked Table Podcast to discuss 1997 sci-fi comedy Men in Black, this episode sees Rob pay a visit to the Ditsy Comic Podcast. Listen in as Justin and Rob discuss the origins of Crooked Table, play silly games and test Rob's ability to pull off a convincing Arnold Schwarzenegger impression (jury's still out?). At least he manages to land on one cha...
Justin Beck / Men in Black
August 27, 2019 14:20 - 56 minutes - 52.6 MBMore than 20 years ago, Men in Black cemented Will Smith's status as an A-list star. Moreover, director Barry Sonnenfeld's film kicked off a franchise that has been, creatively and financially, much like a starship crashlanding into a farm. Now, with the recent failure of Men in Black International in our wake, we take a closer look at what made that original film such a classic and explore why its follow-ups struggle to reach the same heights. Justin Beck of the Ditsy Comic Podcast joins...
Kim Stock Foster / Star Wars: Episode IV — A New Hope
August 20, 2019 13:28 - 1 hour - 57.4 MBIn the fourth installment of our retrospective on the Star Wars saga, we turn to the film that first introduced the world to the "galaxy far, far away." When Star Wars — excuse us, Star Wars: Episode IV — A New Hope — hit theaters in 1977, it cemented the concept of the summer blockbuster and has inspired generations of fans and filmmakers alike. Kim Stock Foster joins us to discuss the film's enduring legacy as well her experience seeing George Lucas' vision on the big screen during its ...
Ashley Grant 2 / Fight Club
August 12, 2019 09:00 - 1 hour - 66.5 MBRule-breakers unite! This week, we're going to be talking lots and lots of Fight Club. Director David Fincher's 1999 film didn't exactly set the world on fire during its theatrical run but has emerged as one of that year's most-talked-about releases ever since. Featuring Edward Norton as the unnamed narrator, Brad Pitt as the wily Tyler Durden and Helena Bonham Carter as the woman who gets between them, this adaptation of Chuck Palahniuk's novel is both darkly hilarious and harrowing in equ...
Bianca Garner / American Psycho
August 05, 2019 09:00 - 1 hour - 65.2 MBCan't get a res at Dorsia? Well, you can always settle in with our analysis of director Mary Harron's killer satire American Psycho. Based on the 1991 Bret Easton Ellis novel, the film stars Christian Bale in his breakthrough role as investment banker Patrick Bateman, whose career amidst the excess of the late 1980s may have pushed him to engage in a murderous rampage. Bianca Garner — aka The Film Bee — of Filmotomy joins the show to discuss how the 2000 release brings a distinctive persp...
Michael Denniston / The Station Agent
July 29, 2019 09:00 - 1 hour - 66.8 MBNowadays, Peter Dinklage may be known as the wily, heavy-drinking Tyrion Lannister he played for eight seasons on Game of Thrones. However, his breakthrough film role — 2003's comedy/drama The Station Agent — showcases a very different side of the actor who "drinks and knows things" throughout Westeros. Written and directed by Tom McCarthy (Spotlight, The Visitor), the film sees Dinklage as a curmudgeonly loner who finds himself thrust into a reluctant friendship with two other outcasts, ...