More Than One Lesson

In this episode, Reed and Nathan discuss Guillermo Del Toro’s The Devil’s Backbone.

In this episode, Tyler discusses Ava DuVernay’s A Wrinkle in Time.

In this episode, Reed and Nathan discuss J.A. Bayona’s The Orphanage.

In this episode, John and Aaron discuss Peyton Reed’s Ant-Man.

Listen to “Ep.12 Two and a Half Geek Soup?!?” on Spreaker.

Citizen Kane. Casablanca. Lawrence of Arabia. Dr. Strangelove. Films considered by virtually all movie buffs to be amongst the greatest ever made. Classics. But there are so many wonderful movies that for one reason or another have fallen through the cracks and don’t get the recognition they truly deserve. In this new series I will be writing about and hopefully encouraging people to discover the classics that they’ve been missing. Movies like Real Life, Hud, and L.A. Story just to name a few. I’ll be looking at the film, the era in which it was released, and other popular movies released in that era. For my second entry in this series I’m writing about a film that balances multiple genres while addressing racism in a far more thoughtful and nuanced way than many movies which address it today. From 1955, Bad Day at Black Rock.

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In its opening shots, Bad Day at Black Rock introduces us to a speeding locomotive roaring through a desert. It is a simple but incredibly effective way to get the audience’s attention while indicating that this is a movie that will waste no time. Quickly, this opening credits sequence gives way to the sights of the small western town of Black Rock. There are seemingly few residents, none of whom appear to have done much for a long time other than to sit outside and peer into the desert. Even before a character explicitly states it on screen it’s clear from the reactions of the townspeople that the train hasn’t stopped in Black Rock for years. Despite not cutting an imposing figure, the man who steps off the train, Macreedy (Spencer Tracy) fills the citizens of this town with trepidation.

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In this episode, Reed and Nathan discuss Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining.

In this episode, John and Marilette discuss Joss Whedon’s Avengers: Age of Ultron.

Listen to “Ep 11 “The time-travelly magic of podcast scheduling weirdness”” on Spreaker.

In this episode, Reed and Nathan discuss Lynne Ramsay’s We Need to Talk About Kevin.

For a director known for thrillers and suspense, I had no idea how many straight-forward domestic dramas were among his early films. Not to mention plays.

The Skin Game is yet another stage adaptation to screen, and it still mostly feels that way. However, this one benefits from impressive performances (particularly from Edmund Gwenn of Miracle on 34th Street fame) and from a tighter, more compelling script. Hitchcock also takes steps to make the film seem more cinematic than his previous outings (particularly Juno and the Paycock), utilizing the camera as more than a theatrical audience viewpoint and playing with alternate points of view (take note of the pivotal auction scene and how Hitchcock toys with expectation and information for a fun example of how the master tries to develop audience engagement).

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In this episode, Reed and Nathan discuss Alfred Hitchcock’s Shadow of a Doubt.