Episode 22: Spider-Man: Into the Spider-verse

Hey there, true believers! This week’s “In Theaters Now” involves the animated film “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-verse,” the most recent attempt to translate Spider-man to the big screen.  Does it work? Does it fail? More importantly, if he’s got the powers of spider, why do his webs come out of his wrists? Shouldn’t they come out of a more . . . abdominal region? And if he “does whatever a spider can”, doesn’t that mean he should catch thieves, cocoon them in his web for a while, and then eat them? Wow, that would be a REALLY different movie . . . [Spoilers: at no time does Spider-man eat any of his criminal foes.  At least . . . not on screen . . . ].

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Episode 21: Robin Hood (2018)

Robin Hood, Robin Hood/Riding through the glen
Robin Hood, Robin Hood/With his band of men

Ah, the glorious story of Robin Hood, told so many times in literature, song, and film.  And here’s yet another interpretation, another in our series of “In Theaters Now” discussions.  Starring Taron Egerton, Jamie Foxx and a bunch of other unfortunates, I mean actors.  So does this one earn a place in the canon? Will it make us forget such classics portrayals as those of Errol Flynn, Patrick Bergen, Bugs Bunny, and Daffy Duck? Give a listen and find out!

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Brief Respite

Hallo there, my little droogies! While we didn’t take a break for Thanksgiving, we are taking one this week.  Just for this episode, promise! We’ll be back next week with meanderings, musings, and . . . um, marmosets.  Yes, in our next series we’ll be focusing exclusively on the sprawling sub-genre of films that prominently feature marmosets.  That’s what we’ll be doing.  I’m totally not completely lying about this and I’m certainly not going to pretend next week that I never said this.  Cough.
Please do join us next week!

Episode 20: Ralph Breaks the Internet

Happy Thanksgiving weekend to all our stunning and well-groomed listeners! Continuing in our “In Theaters Now” we have the animated film “Ralph Breaks the Internet,” the sequel to 2012’s “Wreck-It Ralph.” Join us as we ask the question on everyone’s mind: why isn’t Dirk the Daring from Dragon’s Lair in this movie? Serious oversight.  Ralph, Vanellope, Felix, and Calhoun are all back.  Plus internet references! So . . . many . . . internet references. Enjoy!

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Episode 19: Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald

‘morning, my merry muggles! Another in our series “In Theaters Now”! And what’s in theaters now? Why the latest in the Potterverse movies “Fanfictional Beasts: The Crimes of the Bandersnatch.”
Yeah, I’m pretty sure that’s the title.  Once again we follow the adventures of Newt Scamander (yeah, his brother’s name is “Theseus” and this poor schlub is stuck with “Newt.”  Nice one, Mr. and Mrs. Scamander) as he dives into an immensely complicated plot endeavoring to squeeze a little more magic out of this franchise.  Does he succeed? Not even the Cruciatus Curse could force me to reveal it! But listening to this episode just might.
Enjoyio Podcastio! (. . . . I’m so sorry)

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Episode 18: The Grinch (2018)

Here we are with another in our series “In Theaters Now,” where we discuss a movie that just opened this weekend.  This week, just in time for . . . two weeks before Thanksgiving . . . it’s the newest update/reboot/reimagining/cashgrab of Dr. Seuss’ classic Christmas tale “How the Grinch Stole Christmas”, an animated creation with the voices of Benedict Cumberbatch, Rashida Jones and a brief voice cameo by Angela Lansbury.  Is it any good? How does it stack up against the original 1966 animated classic? Give a listen and find out.  Hear us be holly and jolly and other words ending in “-olly”!

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Episode 17: Bohemian Rhapsody

Welcome to our latest series, “In Theaters Now.” In this series, we actually discuss a movie that is currently playing, quite possibly in a theater near you; we see the movie on Thursday or Friday and then have the discussion up for you on Monday.  How do we do it? Volume, volume, volume! And speaking of volume, this week we’re talking about the rock bio-pic “Bohemian Rhapsody” starring Rami Malek, which tells the story (sort of) of the rise of the classic rock band Queen.  Is it worth seeing? Scaramouche, Scaramouche, will you do the fandango?

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Episode 16: That Thing You Do!

One last hidden gem for you! This week we’re havering about the 1996 directorial debut of Tom Hanks, “That Thing You Do (exclamation point)”.  It’s the story of a the rise of a band from Erie, PA in the 1960s called The Wonders and their one hit . . . huh . . . I feel like there’s a reference I’m missing here . . . It’s charming, the acting is good and you won’t get the title song out of your head for quite some time.  Enjoy with us, won’t you?

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Episode 15: Buckaroo Banzai

A gem that was hidden, but no more! Ok, I think a number of folks know this one, but not nearly enough! This week we’re talking about the 1984’s “The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension”.  See the fabulous outfits of Peter Weller and Ellen Barkin! Watch John Lithgow leave no piece of scenery un-chewed (seriously, this is one of his funniest performances ever).  We must work while the clerk, she is ticking! History is made at night! Character is what you are in the dark!
Clearly, this is one of the most quotable movies ever.

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Episode 14: What We Do In The Shadows

Good evening, Children of the Night.  This week our hidden gem is “What We Do In the Shadows”, a terrifying . . . no, that’s not the word . . . a spine-chilling . . . no, that’s not right.  Ah! A HILARIOUS vampire movie starring Jermaine Clement and directed by Taika Waititi (“Thor: Ragnarok”).  This low-budget New Zealand film, set as a faux-documentary, follows a group of vampires living in New Zealand as they deal with vampire hunters, the trials of the modern world and whose turn it is to do the dishes.  Do our dark bidding on the internet and listen!

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