On this week’s Silver Screens & Politics, Brett and Dominic explore the crazy but undeniably lovable tale of “Dave,” the best president that was never president. After a series of unfortunate events, Dave, a guy who runs a temp agency, becomes the most powerful person in the world. How does he wield that power? Does he set an example for his non-fictional counterparts in the … Continue reading 7: “Dave” Is The Best Not-President President
This 2013 film from Italy was received with huge critical acclaim in the US, but it was a tiny release. Episodes from the life of aging raconteur and journalist Jep, a sharp observer of life but participant only in his limited sphere of intellectual party-goers, unspool amid travel-porn-worthy views of Rome. Jep is only now coming to grips with his age and mortality, as he … Continue reading 8: The Great Beauty (La Grande Bellezza)
In the return of Silver Screens & Politics, Dominic and Brett watch the film ‘Virtual JFK’ – an exploration of the Vietnam War if President John F. Kennedy had not been assassinated. Does it succeed in exploring an alternative timeline? Or does it develop a lengthy thesis that it never delivers on? Also, does the math add up on the official website’s store?! Tune into … Continue reading 6: “Virtual JFK” – An Extraordinary Portrait of Someone Thinking
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 … Continue reading 7: Punch-Drunk Love
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 … Continue reading 6: Burn After Reading
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 … Continue reading 5: Dunston Checks In
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 … Continue reading 4: The Harder They Come
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 … Continue reading 3: Logan
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 … Continue reading 2: Sharknado
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 … Continue reading 1: Frailty
Tilting Windmill Studios 