MovieFilm Podcast Episode 11 - Star Trek Into Darkness, Oblivion, The Hobbit, The Guilt Trip and More

This week it's trailers ahoy on the MovieFilm Podcast as Zaki, Sean and Brian take time to ponder several recent offerings including Tom Cruise in Oblivion, Will Smith in After Earth, and the first full trailers for JJ Abrams' sequel Star Trek Into Darkness and Zack Snyder's Superman reboot Man of Steel.

In addition, the guys share a thought or two on the Golden Globe nominations, recount how The Hobbit nearly made Zaki throw up, and offer reviews of Jack Reacher and The Guilt Trip, all with a holiday-themed movie quiz to wrap things up.

Please feel free to stream it below or subscribe and download the episode at this itunes link. If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please send them along to MovieFilmPodcast@gmail.com, or to our official Facebook page. And from all of us at MovieFilm, we hope you have a safe and merry holidays!

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MovieFilm Podcast Episode 10 - Lincoln, Skyfall, Star Wars, X-Men!

Four score and seven days ago, Zaki, Sean and yours truly set forth to record what would become the 10th episode of the MovieFilm podcast. Actually, my math may be a bit off regarding the dates but the wording remains relevant because in this episode we discuss Steven Spielberg's recent critical darling Lincoln. We also share our thoughts, both the good and the bad, on the highest grossing Bond film to date, Skyfall. And just to sweeten the deal, we also delve into a wide array of topics including Lawrence Kasdan being tapped to write one of the upcoming Star Wars films, rumors of Joseph Gordon-Levitt possibly donning the cowl as Batman in the upcoming Justice League movie, and casting updates for the (what sounds to be pretty epic) upcoming X-Men film.

As always, you can stream the episode by clicking on this link, or download it by visiting our iTunes page here. We'd also love to hear from you so please send us your questions, comments or anything else you want to share to MovieFilmPodcast@gmail.com or visit our official Facebook page. 

MovieFilm Podcast Episode 9 - Skyfall, Flight and All Things Zemeckis

Hello, friends! Episode 9 of the MovieFilm Podcast is here! This week is a special episode as Zaki shares an exclusive interview he conducted with Tripp Vinson, producer of the upcoming Red Dawn remake. In addition to that we also discuss potential directors for the forthcoming Star Wars sequel (how long until it doesn't feel weird to type that?), as well as Zaki's take on Skyfall, our thoughts on the World War Z trailer, and Sean's musings on Wreck-it Ralph. Then, after we opine a bit on the film Flight, the three of us share our thoughts on all things Robert Zemeckis. 

Check it out by either streaming at this link, or download the show through iTunes which you can do by clicking here. It's the perfect listening material for your walk around the block or weekday commute!

And please send any questions or comments to us either through the official MovieFilm Facebook page, or email us at MovieFilmPodcast@gmail.com. 

Flight's Turbulant Story Soars

In spite of what trailers would have us believe, it turns out Flight isn't so much a slick drama about an accidental hero with a dilemma, but instead a surprisingly down-and-dirty, intimate tale of an out-of-control addict who won't even let a brush with death keep him from his destructive behavior. Starring Denzel Washington and directed by perpetual crowd-pleaser Robert Zemeckis, Flight is a bit of a risky hybrid: a gritty addict drama made by a filmmaker with blockbuster sensibilities. And for me, it works.

Washington plays commercial airline pilot Whip Whitaker, whose destructive behavior is made quite clear to us in the opening minutes of the film. After an all night bender of alcohol and cocaine, Whitaker shows up to fly per usual - though to the dismay of his straight-laced co-pilot (Brian Geraghty). When the plane malfunctions, Whitaker shows unflinching poise and executes a radical maneuver that ends in a controlled crash landing that saves nearly all the passengers on board. Waking up in the hospital, Whitaker should be readying himself to be declared a hero, the problem is his incriminating blood - swimming with illegal substances - was drawn at the scene of the accident.

What's interesting is that Flight chooses not to show its audience much of the world reacting to the accident. It instead keeps us primarily at the hip with Whitaker, who chooses to escape the media frenzy by retreating. Though a court hearing looms in the background - with Don Cheadle playing the pilot union's lawyer - the film's focus remains fixed on Whitaker's tug of war with the demons that are poisoning his career, his relationship with his estranged wife and son, and a friendship with a former colleague desperately trying to be an ally (Bruce Greenwood.)

The only other character we truly follow is a heroin addict and kindred spirit named Nicole (Kelly Reilly) who Whitaker meets at the hospital. Keeping us in exclusive proximity with these two characters allows this surprisingly effortless 2 hour 20 minute character study room to breathe, entrusting its audience with occasional moments of quiet - and it's this quiet that allows the bigger moments their impact. Of course Denzel sweeping up the floor with his ability to play everything from calm and confident, to sad sack, to a loose canon provides a sturdy anchor throughout.

After losing Zemeckis to motion capture animated films for over a decade - his last live action film being Cast Away in 2000 - I'm happy to report that his brand of storytelling and exacting camera work are back in play without a hitch. Thanks to subtle but powerful technique, alcohol itself almost because a tangible villain. I nearly found myself yelling out loud "Don't do it!" whenever a drink was in proximity of Whitaker. Additionally, Zemeckis shoots his films in a more classical style, free from today's tendency of excessive cutting, which allows the frame to move and explore, revealing information rather than presenting it, effectively turning the camera into less of an observer and more of a silent narrator.

Flight is an expansive, involving, and often times frustrating look at addiction and the wake it can create. Its unexpected weight is what will surprise most audiences I imagine, but it's what also makes Flight worth the trip.

MovieFilm Podcast Episode 8 - The Future of Star Wars

"Star Wars lives!" The Mr. Boy gang was all set to discuss a variety of different topics for the latest MovieFilm episode, then Mr. Lucas dropped his little bomb mid-week, and that changed our trajectory somewhat. So this week, in addition to the answering listener e-mails, debating the role celebs should have in politics, and dissecting the trailers for Gangster Squad and Iron Man 3, the centerpiece of Episode 8 (or rather Episode VIII) is an extended discussion about the impact of Lucasfilm's acquisition by the Disney company, the impending open-ended continuation of the Star Wars saga, and what it all means not only for the brand, but for the film industry, and heck, even for society. We had a blast recording this one, so hopefully you'll have just as much of a blast listening. Stream it below or download it at the link. Send any questions or comments to us through the official MovieFilm Facebook page, or e-mail MovieFilmPodcast@gmail.com.

Seven Psychopaths: The Review I Didn't Write (But Totally Agree With)

Ever have one of those films that everyone you know seems to love up and down, and so you finally get around to checking it out and you're left thinking, "I mean, it was all right...?" One of those films for me was In Bruges. Maybe I just need to watch it again sans the hype and I'll enjoy it from a less anticipatory perspective. But to quote a co-worker of mine: "No you won't."

Which brings us to Seven Psychopaths. I kind of assumed that since the film was from Martin McDonagh, the writer/director of In Bruges, it would probably be a similar experience. Fortunately, I was able to attend a screening of Psychopaths this week and I'm glad I did because as it turns out, I enjoyed the heck out of it.

It's the story of a frustrated screenwriter who can't think of the story to back up his already predetermined title: Seven Psychopaths. What follows is a dark, occasionally gruesome, surprisingly touching at times, shaggy dog story within a shaggy dog story as we encounter the psychopaths our hero meets who foster his imagination, as well as the ones he conjures up for his own screenplay - which we get to see brought to life.  

I toyed with writing a review of the film but I soon read TK's write up over at Pajiba and felt he said almost exactly what it is I would have tried to put into words. So if you're interested, check out his review here. 

How The Simpsons Should End

First things first, this inspired take on how to end one of the longest running television shows in history was not my idea. I was browsing Reddit one sunny afternoon when I stumbled across a post written by LittleMonkey69 (ah, the internet.) He was responding to the question "How Would You Properly End The Simpsons?" What I read was a rough but poignant premise for what I agree would be a satisfying farewell to this monumental fictional family - who have been continuously serving up brand new adventures for over 23 years and counting.

Here is the original (unedited) text:

The show begins with the family watching Itchy and Scratchy. They announce that the show is coming to an end and the entire family gasps in horror. They then announce that the last episode will be aired in a years time, and until then, a contest will be running; this contest will offer the winner the chance to write what will happen in the finale. The entire Simpson family applies.

Krusty is in charge of choosing the winner. He falls in love with one of the Simpson's idea and puts it in [the] winners box. He makes a mistake though, he puts all five of their ideas in the box by accident. He goes on his show to announce the winner and pulls out five cards out of the box. Stumped, he reads all five names out, "Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie." 

Flash forward a year later and Bart is in class describing his take on the Itchy and Scratchy finale to Milhouse, while showing us Itchy and Scratchy with Bart's voice-over. He finishes and the class is silent, Edna Krabappel is staring at him and says, "After-school detention." The scene then cuts to the power plant and Homer is describing his finale to Lenny and Carl. He finishes, a bell rings and he gets in a radiation suit. The scene cuts to a supermarket and Marge is describing her take to Helen Lovejoy, she finishes and strolls Maggie in the trolley to another aisle. Here, Maggie sees the unibrow baby and starts describing her take via waving and motioning. She finishes and the scene cuts to Lisa, she begins describing her take to Sherri and Terri. She finishes and picks up her saxophone to go to music practice. She walks in the music room sits down and then sees the time. She realises the show is going to be on in ten minutes. She plays the Itchy and Scratchy melody on her sax and bolts out. It cuts to Bart, he's writing on the black board: "I will not talk in class ever again" he hears a bell, realises the time and runs out. Cut to Homer holding some plutonium at a conveyor belt when a bell rings at the plant and he too realises the time and runs off, dropping some plutonium. Cut to the supermarket and we see Marge and Maggie checking out and running through the exit doors. Cut to a birds eye view of their home and we see everyone rushing to take a seat in the couch. They look at each other, they smile, the Itchy and Scratchy music plays, and it cuts to credits.

It would be pretty difficult to try and top crafting a story around reaching that final moment, am I right? You can find the original post here.