Cinema Junkie

Cinema Junkie extends Noir-vember because one month was not enough time to explore the spectrum of women found on the shadowy streets of film noir. Nora Fiore, the Nitrate Diva, returns for part two of Noir Dames, a look beyond the usual suspects of femme fatales to check out such intriguing female characters as the Lady Sleuth, The Glamorous Victim and the Good Girl. Yes, believe it or not film n...

Noir dames. None were sassier, sexier or more lethal than the women of film noir. They lied, stole, cheated, murdered and more importantly just refused to conform to any standard notions of femininity. They might not have been positive role models but they were fascinating and they had agency. Cinema Junkie celebrates Noir-vember by continuing its discussion of film noir with a look to Noir Dames...

Femme fatales, private dicks, wooden kimonoes... welcome to the world of film noir. The term was coined by French film critics to describe a style of cinema rooted in hard-boiled crime fiction of the 1940s. It revealed a darkness and cynicism that challenged audiences with something new — a world where women used sex to get what they wanted, where betrayal and deceit were to be expected, and murde...

Cinema Junkie takes on another mission, this time to explore the world of spies presented in the film and television adaptations of John Le Carré's books. Previously on Cinema Junkie we looked at the fantasy world of Ian Fleming’s James Bond and now we move on to the grittier, more realistic world of John Le Carré’s spies of the Cold War and beyond. Joining Cinema Junkie once again are spy aficion...

Cinema Junkie speaks again with espionage aficionados and Spybrary Podcast contributors Gary Dexter and Jeff Quest (of spywrite.com) to look at the evolution of female characters across nearly six decades of films, and to assess what makes a good Bond and what each of the six actors in the Eon Productions' official 25 007 movies have brought to the role. We also discuss producer Barbara Broccoli's...

Cinema Junkie Beth Accomando goes on a special mission with spy aficionados Gary Dexter and Jeff Quest to explore the cinematic and literary universe of James Bond 007. Get a spoiler-free review of "No Time To Die" and then enjoy part one of an in-depth and geeky exploration of the fantasy spy world of Ian Fleming's James Bond.

Earlier this month Marvel delivered its first Asian superhero in its cinematic universe with "Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings." But it’s been a long hard road getting to this point in Hollywood. For the latest episode of Cinema Junkie, I speak with Brian Hu, artistic director of the San Diego Asian Film Festival, about the evolution of Asian images on screen from the stereotypes of yello...

The new "Candyman" has a lot to unpack for a 90-minute horror film. It cleverly continues the story of the original 1992 film that boasted Tony Todd in the title role but it is also a stunning reimagining of the character through a Black lens. The new film was directed by Nia Da Costa and co-written by Da Costa and Jordan Peele. I invited UC Riverside professor of media and cultural studies John J...

It's not often that I get to say that I was there when a filmmaker's career began but I can say that about Destin Cretton. Currently he is ushering in Marvel's first Asian superhero with "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings" but two decades ago he was a student who had not yet even thought about being a filmmaker. But then he attended the student film festival I ran called Film School Confid...

Get ready for the Indian Macbeth, Mumbai noir, and Bollywood rap. Cinema Junkie returns to India for Hooray For Bollywood, Part 2. This time we look to contemporary Bollywood cinema and redefine the term for India's film industry today. Joining me again are the podcasters of Moviewallas: Yazdi Pithavala, Rashmi Gandhi, and Joseph Djan. And joining us for Share Your Addiction is Ryan Bradford of Aw...

There is nothing quite like a Bollywood film. It’s about impossibly gorgeous stars, deliciously overripe melodrama, spectacular production numbers, an explosion of colors, and music with such an irresistible beat that even someone with two left feet feels inspired to get up and dance. This month, in honor of Indian Independence, I look to Bollywood cinema. In order to tackle the huge expanse of Bo...

When Brad Martin goes into work there’s a very real possibility his boss could ask to set him on fire. That's because he’s a stunt man. Comic-Con just wrapped up another virtual edition and I’ll be wrapping up July’s theme of celebrating pop culture by highlighting Brad Martin and Mickey Faccinello, who have both worked on the wildly successful Marvel franchise. They share stories about how you ca...

Cinema Junkie has been on a quarantine break but I decided that July, the month of Comic-Con, would be a great time to make a comeback. My first guest is someone who not only fits the spirit of Comic-Con, but also is a longtime friend and frequent Cinema Junkie guest and that is Dr. Arnold T. Blumberg, a.k.a. Doctor of the Dead. We've bonded over zombies in the past and now I want to tap into a di...

"Cinema Junkie" has been on a quarantine break, but returns healthier than ever on July 14. It will be a leaner, 30-minute format, but will still feature in-depth interviews with filmmakers, scholars and cinephiles. Hosted by KPBS film critic Beth Accomando, the new format will also feature new segments. Guests and listeners will share their rants and raves about movies through fun segments called...

To close out Black History Month I will be speaking with Caroline Collins, a post doctoral fellow in the department of Communication at UC San Diego, about films that look to Black people and a sense of place. We discuss films such as "Daughters of the Dust," "Eve’s Bayou," "Get Out," "Sorry To Bother You," "Last Black Man in San Francisco," and "Black Panther," and look to how each of those films...

My celebration of Black History Month continues with Part Two of my interview with David F. Walker, author of the new graphic novel "The Black Panther Party." We finish our discussion about the Black Panthers with a focus on their social programs and how the FBI infiltrated the organization from its very beginning in order to bring it down. This leads into our discussion of the new film "Judas and...

For Black History Month I am dedicating a two-part podcast to the Black Panthers and speaking with author David F. Walker ("Bitter Root," "Shaft," "The Life of Frederick Douglas") about his new graphic novel "The Black Panther Party." In Part One, we discuss what inspired the book, about historical context (including the Kerner Commission Report), and about Marcus Kwame Anderson who illustrated th...

The final episode in Cinema Junkie's Giving Thanks to Film Editors trilogy. This time I speak with Oscar-nominated film editor Paul Machliss. He has had a wildly creative and innovative partnership with director Edgar Wright on films such as "Baby Driver" and "Scott Pilgrim Vs. the World." He talks about having to edit on the set for "Baby Driver" and then has some surprising recommendations for f...

On the last episode of Cinema Junkie I kicked off a trio of podcasts that give thanks to film editors. I started with an interview with Tatiana S Riegel, the Oscar-nominated film editor of "I, Tonya." Now I speak with Stephen Mirrione who has worked repeatedly with Steven Soderbergh and Alejandro Gonzales Innaritu, and won an Oscar for his editing on "Traffic." He provides insights into the craft...

Join me in a three-part tribute to film editors. Most people can name a film's director and maybe even its writer, cinematographer or composer but far fewer can name editors. But film editors can alter performances, determine pace, and affect cinematic storytelling in so many ways. To kick off this three-part series is Tatiana S. Riegel, Oscar-nominated editor of "I, Tonya."

This episode of Cinema Junkie serves up a Halloween Double Dare, playwright Michael Mizerany and I dare you to listen to a pair of his one-act horror plays. So turn out the lights, put on some headphones and enjoy an audio treat while sheltering at home this Halloween. Please note the plays contain explicit language and mature content. "Johnny and Babs Versus the Apocalypse" by Michael Mizerany Ba...

San Diego Asian Film Festival's artistic director Brian Hu gives Cinema Junkie a preview of the most exciting films from Johnnie To's new boxing romance to Lav Diaz' epic Philippine melodrama to zombies in the Taiwan parliament. Festival runs Oct. 23 through 31 with Mystery Kung Fu Theater streaming live on Twitch!

Can films help us remember history so that we don't repeat it? That's the question Cinema Junkie poses to Kimber Quinney, professor of history at Cal State San Marcos, and Antonio Iannotta, artistic director of the San Diego Italian Film Festival. We look at the rise of fascism in Italy in the 1920s, 30s and 40s to see what lessons we might be able to learn that might apply to the U.S. right now....

The 27th Annual San Diego Latino Film Festival streams its first virtual edition now through Sept. 27 and the film choices push the envelope in terms of diversity and cinematic styles. I speak with festival founder/executive director Ethan Van Thillo about the challenges of moving the event online and with exhibitions manager Moises Esparza about showcasing emerging filmmakers drawn to themes of u...

As the real world feels scarier each day with a pandemic in full swing, police brutality and people just behaving badly filling social media, and a president fanning the flames of hate and unrest, the horror genre has had to adjust. This year's Horrible Imaginings Film Festival has had to move online for its annual showcase of horror, sci-fi and fantasy. Festival founder and executive director Mig...