Let's Finally Watch This

It's 2012. Movies are experimenting with 3-D and Blu-ray is making inroads. This movie, considered a prime example of good 3-D storytelling, follows Pi, an Indian man whose story will, according to some, "make you believe in God." That story involves being adrift at sea with a Bengal tiger. What Life of Pi offers casual movie fans who have always meant to watch classic movies: a gorgeous, visually...

It's 2002. Sequels and franchises are everywhere, and digital filmmaking is just beginning. This movie, however, is the exception that proves the rule. Gangs of New York , directed by Marin Scorsese, fully embodies 1862 New York as it examines tribalism, crime, and revenge in the relationships of immigrant and "native" Americans. What Gangs of New York offers casual movie fans who have always mean...

It's 1992. The Age of Blockbusters continues, but a wide assortment of genres are making their way to the box office. New independent filmmakers are up and coming. This movie, Unforgiven , is a revisionist western following a reformed outlaw and assassin as he decides to take on one last bounty to help provide for his two children. What Unforgiven offers casual movie fans who have always meant to...

It's 1982. The era of blockbusters is upon us, movie technology is changing, and science fiction is popular. Into this mix comes Blade Runner , a visually groundbreaking sci-fi/noir set in far-off future of 2019, where detectives call blade runners track down and kill rogue replicants (androids) which have been outlawed on Earth. What Blade Runner offers casual movie fans who have always meant to...

It's 1972. "New Hollywood" is in full swing with its loosening moral standards, greater artistic freedom, and more ambiguous endings. But it's also an era of disaster movies, with this episode's movie, The Poseidon Adventure , being a prime example, as passengers of the overturned ship struggle for survival. What The Poseidon Adventure offers casual movie fans who have always meant to watch classi...

It's 1962. We're in early "New Hollywood Era," when movies begin to lean into more complex themes and ambiguity. This episode's movie is Lawrence of Arabia , an epic historical drama about British officer T.E. Lawrence and his time in the Ottoman Empire regions of Hejaz and Greater Syria during World War I. What Lawrence of Arabia offers casual movie fans who have always meant to watch classic mov...

It's 1952. TV is competing with movies, so movies are going color and going for spectacle. This episode's movie is Singin' in the Rain , a musical full of romance, comedy, and charm starring Gene Kelly, Donald O’Connor, and Debbie Reynolds. What Singin' in the Rain offers casual movie fans who have always meant to watch classic movies: energetic dance numbers, laugh-out-loud humor, brilliant color...

It's 1942. World War II looms large on the American mind--but not in this movie. This episode's movie is The Magnificent Ambersons , a family drama about changing times directed by Orson Welles. What The Magnificent Ambersons offers casual movie fans who have always meant to watch classic movies: intricate cinematography, complex characterizations, and a behind-the-scenes story as interesting as t...

It's 1932. Silent films are out. Talkies are in. This episode's movie is Horse Feathers , a Marx Brothers comedy (ostensibly) about a college president trying to recruit football players for the big game--but that's just an excuse for the humor. What Horse Feathers offers casual movie fans who have always meant to watch classic movies: ridiculous hijinks, musical numbers, indiscriminate mockery, a...

It's 1922. It's the era of silent films, and our first classic movie of the century is Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror , a early (and unofficial) Dracula film directed by F. W. Murnau. What Nosferatu offers casual movie fans who have always meant to watch classic movies: iconic imagery, German expressionism, early vampire lore, and a haunting (but not scary) experience. Listen in to find out more!...

Welcome to the test episode for Let's Finally Watch This , a podcast for casual movie fans who have always meant to watch classic movies. In this limited, 10-episode season, we'll take you through a century of film, highlighting one movie from each decade from 1922 to 2012. We'll highlight what's going on film history, how the chosen film affected future movies, and, of course, whether the movie i...