Movie Go Round

Widely regarded as containing Adam Sandler’s best film performance, Punch-Drunk Love is the tale of an oddball man named Barry, who has seven horrible sisters and some serious anger issues. This week, Brett, Nicole, and David were joined by guest Matthew Sargent, and together we addressed such issues as, Who is this Paul Thomas Anderson guy, anyhow? What is up with the music in this movie? And what is Barry’s major malfunction and should it keep him from having a serious relationship? Come listen! Next episode, Movie-Go-Round continues its second thematic round with a return to Around the World! The film? Paolo Sorrentino’s Italian art drama, “The Great Beauty.” Go watch the film if you haven’t! See you next Saturday!

For our second round of “New to Two,” David chose this Coen Brothers film that Brett and Nicole hadn’t seen yet. The film features Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Tilda Swinton, and the sublime Richard Jenkins, along with Coen-movie regular Frances McDormand. In this cautionary tale, two selfish fitness club employees stumble across CIA secrets and decide to try to make their dreams come true by selling them to the Russians at a huge profit. Will Nicole and Brett like this movie about small people who push themselves into big situations they can’t handle? Tune in and find out! Next episode, Movie-Go-Round continues its second thematic round, thus returning to Netflix Roulette. The pick? “Punch Drunk Love.” Go watch the film if you haven’t! See you next Saturday! Connect with your hosts! Brett Stewart | Nicole Davis | David Luzader

For our fifth and final theme, completing the first rotation of our little Movie-Go-Round, we have our audience pick. We hadn’t yet settled on “You Did This to Us” as the name of the theme, but after the first two picks we’ve seen, it seems like it’s heading in that direction… Anyhow, “Dunston Checks In” is a 1930s screwball comedy taking place in the 1980s – a tale of two brothers living in a fancy hotel with their single-dad hotel manager. Enter an amoral jewel thief who uses a trained orangutan (not a MONKEY, Brett!) as his larcenous proxy, and the hijinks really get underway. It’s terrible. Join Nicole, David, and Brett as we discuss things like: How did they make Rupert Everett ugly? Where is hotel security? And who is this audience for this disaster? Next episode, Movie-Go-Round will go back to the beginning of its rotation, exploring another “New to Two” film, “Burn After Reading.” See you next Saturday!

This tiny-budget movie, made by a BBC TV director, focused on a singer’s struggle for some kind of success in Kingston, Jamaica. The quasi-exploitation film spread reggae music around the world, and launched the international career of legend Jimmy Cliff with its smash hit soundtrack. Join Brett, David, and Nicole as we dig into this movie’s rough charms, its record company’s parallels to the American recording industry, and whether the mostly amateur cast help or hurt the feel of the film. Next episode, Movie-Go-Round will suffer through what you made us watch: “Dunston Checks In.” Really? … Why? See you this Saturday!

For our first Future Classics week, Brett nominated 2017’s “Logan.” The year is 2029, and an aging Logan is trying to leave Wolverine behind as he makes money as a limo driver to support himself, Caliban, and an ancient Professor Xavier. Into this attempt at a quiet life drops a pre-teen girl being chased by bad guys, and the motley group hits the road in search of sanctuary. Brett, David, and Nicole discuss its classic potential, what the black-and-white “noir” version brings to it, and how completely awesome Dafne Keen is as the girl in question. Next episode, Movie-Go-Round will travel abroad with its first Around the World selection. Please note that this episode and the original notes here stated the film was “The Host.” It will not be “The Host” due to a technical error, but rather, the Jamaican classic, “The Harder They Come.”

Our second week’s theme: Netflix Roulette! Each host used a randomizer to choose a movie from Netflix and we decided among the choices offered. This week’s “film” was a SyFy movie. About a tornado. Filled with sharks. Guest Claire Child joins Brett, David, and Nicole as we ponder the tough questions: Would explosives inside a tornado actually disperse it? How long could a person actually live inside a shark? And was Respectable Actor John Heard in this movie because someone was holding a loved one hostage in an undisclosed location? Next episode, Movie-Go-Round will descend into its first Future Classics selection, “Logan.” While this podcast will release weekly on Saturdays, we are debuting three full episodes to celebrate the first week. Thus, look for “Logan” tomorrow!

In our New to Two weeks, one of our hosts picks a film that neither of the others has seen. For our inaugural episode, Nicole chose the Southern Gothic thriller, Frailty. This haunting serial-killer origin story is full of unexpected turns and solid performances from Matthew McConaughey and Bill Paxton, who also directed. Find out what David and Brett thought as we discuss this hidden gem! Next episode, Movie-Go-Round will descend into its first Netflix Roulette selection, Sharknado. While this podcast will release weekly, we are debuting three full episodes to celebrate the first week. Thus, look for Sharknado tomorrow!