Of COURSE I'd CCH Pound Her

     Someone dosed the iced tea and now we all have to sweat it out together. To make matters worse, Tom and Anna are determined to make issues with their new neighbor and a squatter is going to give the surprise landlords a real headache. 

   Cape Fear Minisode 6- Of COURSE I'd CCH Pound Her

Won't You Be My Neighbor?

     After a night of drinking with Max, Tom's hangover is far worse than he imagined possible. Anna tracks down Neveah's mother with devastating consequences. Meanwhile, Max meets his new neighbors and they seem lovely.

   Cape Fear Minisode #5- Please Won't You Be My Neighbor?

But What You Make Others See

This week- the boys take a trip to an art exhibit, the girls visit a pop up artist, and Max tries to buy a car in Cape Fear episode 4 "Pierced". 
Cape Fear Minisode #3- But What You Make Others See

Full Court Haunt

     This week- two films about dudes justifying their actions as being pushed to extremes by manipulative outside forces.

     Odin James, an African-American basketball prodigy, has earned a leadership position on a highly competitive  private school's predominately white and upper-middle class team and the interest of many college recruiters. When Odin shares his team MVP award with Michael, Hugo, the coach's jealous son, devises a plot to take them both down so he can step into the team's spotlight. An updated take on Shakespeare and the second directorial feature from playwright and character actor Time Blake Nelson- O.
     Charles Dexter Ward has inherited the grand mansion overlooking the small town of Arkham, Massachusetts. Little does he suspect that is the same place where the town burned his forebearer, the necromancer Joseph Curwen, 110 years earlier. The sixth film in Roger Corman's Poe cycle and the first film adaption of a H.P. Lovecraft story- The Haunted Palace. 
     All that and Kevin and Dave make the most of their time, ignoring the mysterious disappearances around them. Join us, won't you?

   Episode 471- Full Court Haunt

Maxxed Out

     This week- We pick up a guy from jail and join a tale of revenge that has been told three times before. That's right- Kevin, Craig, and Dave are talking about Apple TV's Cape Fear episode 1.

   Cape Fear Minisode #1- Maxxed Out

euphoric finale

     THIS WEEK! (part 3)- The final season of Euphoria comes to a close with a feature length series finale. How will Tyler cope without his precious babies?*

     *He'll just start season 1 again. Duh.

   Minisode 8- euphoric finale

Don't Hate the Player

     This week- two movies about men reintegrating into society after extended absences for vastly different reasons.

     Conor lives a life cut off from the world with Sandy, his dog. Finding himself intrigued by a video game ad promising more immersion than ever before. What starts as disappointment soon leads to a journey beyond Conor's door to places he never imagined. The sixth existential DIY analog odyssey from Albert Birney- OBEX.
     Eddie finally comes home after five years as a prisoner of war. Soon he learns things have changed more than he ever imagined and there is no help coming from those important to his previous life or the VA. Driven to an extreme, Eddie tried a desperate move to take care of himself and his mother. Michael Pressman's ambitiously social commentary dramedy that was butchered by the studio but still propped up by a strong performances from Richard Pryor and the supporting cast- Some Kind of Hero.
     All that and Tyler's canvas gets more crowded, Craig explores new avenues, Kevin grumbles about the future, and Dave considers wanting information. Join us, won't you?
   Episode 467- Don't Hate the Player

If the Doors of Perception Were Cleansed

     This week- a pair of films about people living with extreme circumstances. 

     Split between the day- to-day life of an artist as he loses his sight to AIDS related complications and an the abstract absurdist adventure. The final work from Derek Jarman, one of the most influential voices in new queer cinema movement, Blue (1993)
     The story of a young sex worker and drug addict. As she works the streets of NYC she is put on a collision course with the mother who abandoned her when she was only six months old. The middle entry in Amos Kollek's trilogy of desperate young women- Fiona.
     All that and Tyler swims against the current, Craig loves on deep cuts, Dave reports some content, and Kevin considers adding a new species to his wild army. Join us, won't you?
   Episode 466- If the Doors of Perception Were Cleansed

Through the Valley of Sumo

    This week- two movies about people following their calling outside of social norms and expectations.
     In order to graduate Shuhei Yamamoto cuts a deal with his thesis supervisor. He must join the university sumo club and participate in an upcoming tournament. With only one other club member, Shuhei finds himself rebuilding the club from scratch. One of the very few movies about sumo and, arguably, one of the best sports films ever made- Sumo Do, Sumo Don't.
     A street preacher spends his days telling those walking Hollywood Boulevard that God loves them. One day, a young woman wonders out of her job while having an emotional crisis and crosses his path. Originally debuting at the 1998 New York Underground Film Festival before being removed from view to undergo reshoots 9 years later and resurface on YouTube in 2012. The first feature by music video and commercial director Erick Ifergan- Johnny 316.
     Kevin and Dave get a reanimating jolt, Craig finds a gem that everyone will enjoy, and Tyler spreads ruin in the way only he can. Join us, won't you?

   Episode 460- Through the Valley of Sumo

Real Boy

     This week- two films about people pushed to desperate measures for love and socioeconomic security.

     After an emergency landing, a young boy must spend a week with his estranged uncle. Fortunately, the uncle is desperate to manipulate his girlfriend into believing he wants children and jumps at the opportunity. When a promise is broken, dire consequences for all ensue. A cult classic dark comedy- Clifford.

     After a chance meeting, a young couple are drawn together. Substance abuse, emotional issues, domestic violence, and hostile work environments keep them in an untenable situation. Just as it all seems ready to collapse, they find the answer to all their problems, bank robbery. A tragically overlooked social commentary laden romantic crime thriller- Normal Life.

     All that and Kevin bribes wildlife, Dave gets names wildly wrong, Craig plots, and Tyler might have misunderstood an assignment. Join us, won't you?

   Episode 457- Real Boy

Without A Haunt of My Own

     This week- two films about people confronting their worlds changing.

     Lorenz Hart slips away from his creative partner's first work without him to hold court before the opening night celebration begins. As the night goes on, Hart's insecurities, jealousy, and self-destructive tendencies simmer. Richard Linklater's 23rd film boasts incredible central performance, strong support and beautiful production design- Blue Moon.
     After her sister disappears, Joo-young rushes back to their shared apartment to search for her. Meanwhile, the man in the apartment below begins to make threats over noises no one else can hear and the head of the residents group is determined to stop anything from derailing her renovation plans. The first feature from Kim Soo-jin offers a mix of atmosphere and social commentary- Noise.

     All that and Tyler gets a jolt, Kevin marshals his forces, Craig contemplates better mousetraps, and Dave reaffirms that the princess is always going to be in another castle. Join us, won't you?
   Episode 456- Without A Haunt of My Own

Poly Wants A Sacrifice

     This week- two films about alternative family structures.

     One night Veronica meets Abel, a freelance music journalist, at a concert and sparks fly. That same night she meets Zed, a drummer, and sparks fly. She begins dating both men and eventually brings them together in a polyamorous cohabitation. Despite some simmering tension between Zed and Abel, Veronica is mostly content with her life... until she meets successful up and coming director Mike, a recently single serial monogamist, and learns she is pregnant. Will Veronica choose her nontraditional love or throw it all aside for security and tradition? A modernist take on screwball romantic comedy from Greg Araki, one of the indie auteurs of the New Queer Cinema movement, Splendor.
     Sarah Jane is an orphan hired to do live-in secretarial work for a reclusive author of works on the paranormal and occult. His latest work eerily reflects her recurring nightmares about a bloody ritual to summon the cult's demonic master. Trying to settle into her new situation in a new town, she keeps meeting unsettling people and situations. Soon she enlists the help of the local vicar to figure out what is going on. Widely regarded as the turning point for the low budget cult filmmaker whose five decade career spanned every genre with a prolific output, Michael J. Murphy's Moonchild.
     All that and Dave gets weird, Kevin champions to overlooked, Craig gets jealous of recording software, and Tyler keeps sweating in... anticipation... Join us, won't you?
   Episode 452- Poly Wants A Sacrifice

Grime Guy

     This week- two movies about new families and arguable amounts of crime.

     Just as Charlie Babbitt, a grey-market collectible car dealer, hits a snag in his biggest deal, he learns about his estranged father's death. After looking into the will, Charlie finds he has an extremely regimented, autistic savant, older brother, Raymond, living in an institution. Charlie takes Raymond out of his daily routine and demanding half the estate for his return. Will Charlie get what he feels is rightfully his? Will the brothers find a way to connect and communicate? The film that introduced autism spectrum disorder to the public at large, coinciding with more broadly defined diagnosis criteria in the DSM-III-R, published the same year- Rain Man.
     Aurora lives with in terror that the monster under her bed will eat her parents. Desperate for help, she follows her neighbor, a hit man, across the hall and believes sees him kill a dragon. Knowing the only monsters are people and that her parents hat to have been killed accidentally by his enemies, the neighbor tries to protect the girl and save himself. Will Aurora find safety from both human and inhuman monsters? Will the neighbor realize that sometimes monsters are under your bed? Long time television auteur Bryan Fuller makes a stylish and imaginative feature debut- Dust Bunny.
     Meanwhile Dave gets MSTie eyed, Tyler finds more things to love, and a plot begins that will leave them looking back and wondering if their lives derailing were just the twisted hand of fate or the machinations of KEVIN! Join us, won't you?
   Episode 451- Grime Guy

Stay Gold

     This week- two movies about relationships... with ourselves and with others. 

     Nicky, a small time gangster, stole from his boss. With nowhere else to go, he calls his old friend Mikey, also employed by the same local crime boss. Together the two drift through the city at night with a hitman not far behind. An anxiety inducing melodrama about male friendship and cruelty driven masculinity, with a pair of staggeringly brilliant performances, a sharply witty script and equally edged direction from Elaine May- Mikey and Nicky.
     An intersex sex worker goes on the run after a mobster dies in his company. On the way he takes a hard look at his life, relationships, challenges with his own identity, and if any of it is what he wants. An incredible script, written by lead River Gallo, driving a bus full of strong performances and stylishly assured direction in a film that that deserves far more eyeballs than it has received so far- Ponyboi.
     All that and Kevin feels feeling inside, Dave suffers in more ways than one, and Tyler guzzles the sweet sweet wine of victory. Join us, won't you?
   Episode 450- Stay Gold

A Good Day to Nakadai Hard

     This week a four film tribute to an actor whose career spanned seven decades, the legendary Tatsuya Nakadai.

     A penniless samurai leaves his wife for improved social status and the daughter of wealthy family. A young woodcutter, taking refuge from a blizzard, confronts a yuki-onna. A blind musician performs for a dead Emperor, who plans to keep him playing in his ghostly court forever. A lord sees a face he doesn't know reflected back in his cup of tea and soon is visited by their ghostly and murderous attendants. Widely regarded as one of the most beautiful films of all time and based on the legends collected by Yakumo Koizumi, whose work gave Western audiences their first look into Japanese culture- Kwaidan.
     An amoral master swordsman, with a habit of random street murders, has to leave his home after killing an opponent after a duel and takes his opponent's wife with him. Two years later, in Edo, he has joined a secret assassin squad to support the shogunate and his past begins to catch up with him. The first in a planned trilogy, never completed due to the amounts of violence in the first film, based on one of the longest books ever written over 41 volumes and published over 28 years, The Sword of Doom.
     Masagoro Kiryuin, a contradictor gang-boss who sees himself as a chivalric protector, adopts a daughter. Matsue is smart, has a thirst for knowledge, and struggles against the boundaries society has set for her. A yakuza melodrama that covers several decades of their lives- Onimasa (aka Kiryûin Hanako no shôgai).
     2,217 British and Australian prisoners of war had been forced to work on the Burma railway and build a bridge. Now they are being taken to Japan to fill in the increasing manpower shortage. Stuffed into the hold of a hell ship, without enough air, water, or food, it seems unlikely the majority will survive to their destination. Or will they all die at the hands of patrolling American submarines? Not a sequel to the similarly titled classic, Return from the River Kwai. 
All that and Kevin might never Returnal from his current obsession, Craig shares a pain Tyler knows well, and Dave might be napping in his chair. Join us, won't you?
   Episode 449- A Good Day to Nakadai Hard

SPOILER THINGS

     This week we arrive late as a party and finally close the on Hawkins Lab Sourcebook Unusual Contrivances Adventure Inverted Corporeal Supplement 5e.

     Anna rolls a nat20 saving throw, Kevin rethinks his Orc Wizard, Tyler misuses his Seduce Everything strategy, Dave gets his hand stuck in the dice tower... again... and the dice finally put an end to the tyrannical plans of the Illithid. Join us, won't you?
   Episode 448- SPOILER THINGS

Corpus Delectus

     This week we learn a lessons on loneliness and self-improvement. 

     Sonya runs her family funeral parlor. She lives an isolated and routine life, above the parlor, with her distant father. The business is slowly going under and she is under a crushing amount of debt owed to a psychotic landlord. Sonya finds an unlikely companion in the unclaimed cadaver of an elderly woman. The third film by Dwein Baltazar and produced by Black Sheep Productions, the Philippine answer to A24, Oda sa Wala (English: Ode to Nothing).
     Susan finds no satisfaction with her working class life and yearns for an escape. When her husband and father start to really push her to have a baby, her fear of forever being shackled to the daily monotony drive her to start attending Open University courses on Literature. Her tutor, Dr. Frank Bryant, is jaded by the pretensions of university culture and drowns his misery in public alcoholism. Susan's verve rekindles Frank's passion for literature and Frank's teaching opens  doors to a bohemian life and newly discovered self-confidence for Susan. Lewis Gilbert's reverse Pygmalion with a pair of fantastic lead performances and based on screenwriter Willy Russell's play of the same title, Educating Rita.
     All that and Dave drops out, Kevin has a strange interlude, and Tyler stands alone in a neon fog. Join us, won't you?
   Episode 444- Corpus Delectus

Interpretive Rants

     This week- two films about damaged psychologically manipulative men and the women entangled with them.
     In 1996 a virus wiped out the majority of humanity and forced the survivors underground. Now in a desperate attempt to salvage some future, volunteers are sent back in time in the hopes to trace the virus origin and obtain a sample of it in its purist form. James Cole, a prisoner traumatized from seeing a man murdered in a airport in his youth, is accidentally sent 6 years too early and sets off a chain of events with devastating consequences. Terry Gilliam's feature adaption of Chris Marker's 1967 short film, 12 Monkeys.
     The police investigate the murder of Laura Hunt, killed with a shot to her face in the doorway of her apartment. We the  a young, beautiful, and highly successful advertising executive killed by her sardonic newspaper columnist friend, her parasitic playboy fiancé, her jealous wealthy socialite aunt, or her well intentioned maid? Is there a twist in this knot of boiling jealousies? Directed by one of the most influential directors of the Noir Era and 1999 inductee to the Library of Congress National Film Registry, Laura.
     All that and Kevin has trouble reintegrating into society, Tyler tries new baked goods, Dave is invited out, and Craig fails to rise above it all. Join us, won't you?

   Episode 440- Interpretive Rants
 

A Nihilist and a Dancer Walk into a Bar

     This week- a pair of films with strong female characters and their lovers being caught up in another man's violence. 

     Driving home from a club, Amy and Jordan pick up magnetic drifter X. Soon they find themselves on the run through a deadpan pastiche of early 90s America. The 2023 director's cut of a totally heterosexual film by Gregg Araki that already left a massive transgressive shadow over generations of indie filmmakers, The Doom Generation.

     Violeta, a popular featured dancer at a Mexico City cabaret, rescues a newborn left in a red-light district trash can. Refusing to give up the infant, Violeta starts down a path that will bring violence and loss to those around her. A musical melodrama from the Golden Age of Mexican Cinema with gorgeous cinematography by Gabriel Figuerao, highlighting his incredible handling of chiaroscuro, and a powerhouse performance from Ninón Sevilla, Victimas del Pecado (English title: Victims of Sin).

     All that while Craig and Kevin build a man, Dave tears him apart, and Tyler irons his US flag bed spread. Join us, won't you?
   Episode 439- A Nihilist and a Dancer Walk into a Bar

Ventre

     This week- two films about men who live violently and do crime. 

      After a long absence from his native Sicily, Tony Aniante finally returns to settle some old debts. Soon the two families that control the area begin to compete for his services. Services rendered in brutal and bloody fashion. Will Tony get the closure he desires? Will the local families realize what really motivates Tony? How long can they keep the higher ups from discovering the tangled web they have made? The third feature from one of Italy's huge stable of 70s exploitation filmmakers, Cry of a Prostitute (original title Quelli che contano, lit. The One That Matters). 
     Tommy "Buns" Bundy and his lifelong friend Sincere move from robbery into drug transport after a nightclub robbery ends violently. As Buns is pulled deeper into a brutal world, Sincere tries to find a way to get his family out, and a betrayed associate plots revenge. Will Sincere be able to start the new life he dreams of? Will Buns go beyond the point of no return and lose his humanity to the hustle? Or will both men become just another data point in year end statistics? The only feature from music video auteur Hyper Williams that has become an urban crime drama cult classic, Belly.
     All that and Dave fights the Gregorian calendar, Tyler damages his vision with blacklights, and Kevin laments missing time with other film buffs of a higher quality. Join us, won't you?
   Episode 431- Ventre