Point of Contact

     This week- two films about emotionally stunted males struggling against overwhelming forces.

     Young David witnesses a flying saucer land in his backyard. When his father goes to investigate, he returns a changed man. Soon everyone around David begins to change drastically and only psychologist Dr. Pat Blake believes his shocking tale. Can Earth hope to stand any chance against an intergalactic threat? How long until all mankind is overwhelmed by mu-TANTS? Or will we all die at the hands of Invaders from Mars?

     Joe Marks, a psychotic arms dealer, and Nighthawk, his ambitious assistant manager, clean out a National Guard armory with plans to put military hardware in the hands of every gang in LA. James Long, LAPD lieutenant and man of little expression, goes undercover to bring their plans down. Is there anyone Marks won't remove to get what he wants? How loyal is Nighthawk? Do Long's facial muscles work? The answers to these questions lie at the Killpoint.

     All that plus Kevin and Craig get lyrical about tea cakes while Dave wonders if he has the power after all. Join us, won't you?
   Episode 470- Point of Contact

To Sleep Perchance To Ream

     This week- two films about dreams showing terrifying futures.

     In the distant future, humanity has given up dreaming for immortality. An anthology following one dreamer's last four dreams with each dream connecting to ayatana, the six sense recognized in Buddhist philosophy, and told through a century of the evolving language of cinema. Bi Gan's third feature is nothing short of a masterpiece of constantly changing style and narrative techniques- Resurrection.
     Smith, a film student, had been having strange dreams featuring people he hasn't met yet. Meanwhile, his best friend, Stella, gets involved with a violent obsessive who possesses strange powers. A sex comedy mystery presented as a mischievously open and mostly carefree adventure that, in typical Greg Araki fashion, celebrates multiple facets of human sexuality and expression- Kaboom.
     All that plus Dave, Kevin, and Craig find themselves in multiple luminal spaces and Tyler meets with old friends. Join us, won't you?
   Episode 469- To Sleep Perchance To Ream

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

Be Kind (to Tyler) Rewind

     This Week- two films that cause no harm to Tyler and leave him filled with the joys of life and a new car smell.

     A videotape with a brutal attack on it is found in a refrigerator, clutched in a dismembered hand. Two separate but overlapping investigations into who made the tape and its authenticity being. One from a young videographer who becomes increasingly obsessed with the violent images, the other from a crusading journalist with a mysterious history of her own. An artful and genre-defying pink film from one of Japan's most transgressive filmmakers- Re-Wind (aka Celluloid Nightmare).
     A hacker is exposing all of Salem's private moments. Starting with exposing the bigoted mayor's hypocritical sexual adventures and pictures from the mild-mannered high school principal of his daughter in the bath. Before either firestorm settles, the hacker releases the private information of half the town. Soon masked vigilantes flood the streets looking for revenge and find themselves pointed at high school senior Lily and her three friends. The second feature from Euphoria creator Sam Levinson- Assassination Nation.
     All that and Dave doesn't want to read any more, Kevin will never forgive this new trauma, Craig forges new ground, and Tyler spends a full week in his happy place. Join us, won't you?

   Episode 464- Be Kind (To Tyler) Rewind

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

Sex Wax, Reins & Bits

     This week- a pair of psychodramas about mentally unwell women and how they navigate societies determined to restrict and limit them.

     It's summer and Florence is determined to make the best one ever and begins experiencing inexplicable blackouts. As the endless summer drags on, she begins to suspect that she might just be the serial killer that has been targeting the people around her. Meanwhile Captain Monica Stark, a tough career centered policewoman, is on the case. A cult film based on a cult play written by and costarring cult icon Charles Busch- Psycho Beach Party.
     Amanda, an upper-class teenager with alexithymia, reconnects with her estranged friend, socially adept and academically inclined, Lily. As they reestablish their bond, they start planning to murder Lily's stepfather and enlist a small time dealer to pull the trigger. A strong debut thriller with three fantastic performances driving it like a team of- Thoroughbreds. 
     All that and Dave climate controls, Tyler is disappointed to learn what "boob tube" means, Craig finds some gold, and Kevin warps the space-time continuum two films at a time. Join us, won't you?
   Episode 459- Sex Wax, Reins & Bits

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

Loadsa Shooting

     This week- two films featuring explosions of wildly different natures.

     When Jean, a middle age writer living in Paris, reconnects with Claire, an old friend, at a party. Claire introduces him to her beautiful new toy and draws him into a sadomasochistic triangle. Based on Catherine Robbe-Grillet's Lacanian exploration of abjection and desire, directed by porno chic auteur Radley Metzger, and part of MOMA's permanent collection- The Image.
     A drifter with perfect aim and a lactating sex worker find themselves in custody of the most sought after newborn in the country. The pair try to untangle a conspiracy behind the birth and endless attempts on the baby's life. Meanwhile a henpecked savant assassin is hot on their heels. Michael Davis's cartoon inspired cult action comedy- Shoot 'Em Up.
     All that and Tyler breaks tradition, Dave learns to live with disappointment, Craig deep dives, and Kevin clarifies. Join us, won't you?
   Episode 455- Loadsa Shooting

Back with Another of Those Rothrocking Bleeps

     This week a pair of films about people reluctantly stepping into roles they never wanted but have to for the greater social good.

     After her sister and nephew are murdered, a psychologist with multiple black belts gets psychic powers. Using her new found powers for justice, she begins to investigate the crime ring that is responsible for her sister's murder. A cult classic of the straight to video action era, that takes the star out of her comfort zone and drops her and the audience right into the director's favorite dreams- Sworn to Justice.
     12-year-old John begins to develop episodes of tics and uncontrollable echolalia that no one understands. 13 years later John is directionless and hopelessly resigned to his situation with a diagnosis that offers no hope of reprieve. When he reconnects with a school friend and his family, John begins taking control of his own life. A biopic that skillfully balances the  complicated disorder with an amiable nature supported by a terrific cast- I Swear.
     All that and Craig experiences joy, Tyler experiences pain, Dave still feels noting, and Kevin plots to unearth somethings that may be best left forgotten. Join us, won't you?
   Episode 454- Back with Another of Those Rothrocking Bleeps

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

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

Pup Tent

     This week the inmates try to run the asylum to varying degrees of success.

     Randle McMurphy is moved from a hard labor prison farm for a psychological evaluation. Nurse Ratched maintains strict control, through fear and intimidation, over the ward he is placed. McMurphy's lively and rebellious nature immediately put them at odd to dire consequences. Winner of Best Picture, Director, Actor, Actress, and Adapted Screenplay at the 1976 Academy Awards, inducted into the US Library of Congress National Film Archive in 1993, and widely held as an enduring masterpiece in American cinema- One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.

     After her brother dies, Kaori teams up with a ridiculously over the top pervert but equally skilled private investigator, Ryo Saeba. As they attempt to figure out who killed her brother and behind the new drug he was investigating, they get caught up in a dangerous life and death struggle. Based on the influential manga by Tsukasa Hojo, City Hunter.

     All that and Kevin and Dave clash over a divorce, Tyler tries to enter the 1st of 36 Chambers, and Craig makes an adjustment. Join us, won't you?
   Episode 438- Pup Tent

Womb with a View (And Other Assorted Tales)

     This week- three horror movies about identity and society.

     Corky is a magician and ventriloquist about to break into the mainstream. When the network backing his major debut asks for a standard medical examination for insurance reasons, he fears his deeply held secret will be revealed. Corky flees to his hometown in the Catskills. Will Corky be able to pull himself out of his spiraling mental health crisis? Will the beautiful resort owner, and former classmate, accept Corky as he is or will she choose her loveless home? How many cigars can an elderly man smoke in a day? A quartet of incredible performances in a tale of psychological torment come together as a kinda... Magic.
     Seven college friends reunite together at cabin in the woods to celebrate Juneteenth. Despite lengthy separation, as soon as the majority are together again old dynamics and resentments immediately come back. In the game room, they find a deeply racist board game that addresses them directly. Will they survive the night? What happened to the two who obviously arrived first and decorated? Who is behind this deadly game of trivia and identity? One of the sharpest horror comedies of the last decade, The Blackening.
     In a devastated world, Mariano spends his days making gas for others outside and slowly converting his cavernous space into an actual cave. When siblings Lucio and Fauna invade his space, Mariano presses them into helping him in exchange for food and shelter. Soon the demands become more horrific and extreme. Will the siblings escape the lascivious hermit's clutches? What is Mariano actually doing? What exactly is happening outside? A fiesta of gorgeous and grotesque images that drive to a fever pitch of flesh, We Are the Flesh.
     All that and Dave gets drawn back to the 80s, Tyler takes a tour through a gas station serial killer attraction, Kevin gets back into whittling, and Craig cleans up after us all emotionally. Join us, won't you?
   Episode 435- Womb with a View (And Other Assorted Tales)

Rising Dobermans

     This week- a pair of films about unexpected criminals.

     Three less than competent criminals come up the perfect plan- train a pack of Dobermans to rob a bank. Posing as a journalist one recruits an Air Force dog handler to assist in their training and a waitress to assist in their care. Will the handler realize there's something no quiet right going on? Will the bestest boy robbers be able to pull off the heist and make a clean getaway? Was this all just a waste of time for our original trio? The first of a four film series, with the first film score composed by the legendary Alan Silvestri, The Doberman Gang.
     Akemi is the dragon tattooed leader of the Tachibana yakuza clan. When she accidentally hurts an opponent's sister, who threw herself in between the fighters, a black cat appears to lap up the blood. Years later, the cat and injured girl show up again and Akemi's world begins to fall apart. Can Akemi get rid of this curse before her clan falls to ruin? Are there really human hands behind these events? What will become of the local restaurant run by reformed yakuza? Is that cat up to date on its shots? An early film staring the amazing Meiko Kaji and directed by Teruo Ishii, a prolific and eccentric filmmaker who specialized in ero goro sexploitation films, Blind Woman's Curse (original title: Kaidan Nobori Ryū, lit. Ghost Story Rising Dragon).
     All that and Tyler contemplates adding to his personal pantheon, Craig contemplates pants, Dave feels an ethereal disappointment, and our special guest, AC who can be found at https://www.youtube.com/@HORROR101withDrAC or wherever you get your podcasts, wonders why he wanted it this way.
   Episode 430- Rising Dobermans