CinemaSpection

We're defrosting a sci-fi classic that helped kick off the alien invasion craze of 1950s cinema,  The Thing From Another World . Listen in as we discuss the conflict of science vs. militarism, explore metaphorical interpretations of the vegetative title monster, and investigate the mystery of who actually directed the movie. Warning: Contains explicit language, spoilers, and some light bondage. Ou...

Chris and Sarah join us again to explore the watery depths of the Disney animated classic  The Little Mermaid . We discuss the film's mixed messages regarding women's autonomy and body image, speculate on the Lovecraftian origins of merfolk, and discuss the movie's role in bringing about Disney's second golden age of animated films. Warning: Contains explicit language, spoilers, and some disturbin...

We've talked about heroes. We've talked about villains. Now it's time to cover those protagonists that fall in between as we discuss cinema's great antiheroes and antiheroines. We'll discuss what distinguishes them from their more heroic and villainous counterparts, why they're so fascinating to moviegoers, and of course we'll run down our sometimes surprising lists of the best antiheroes from the...

Hold on to your butts! We're taking a tour of one of the all-time great blockbusters as we discuss Steven Spielberg's dinosaur-sized hit  Jurassic Park . Listen as we examine the film's place as a transition point in Spielberg's filmography, explore its themes of family and scientific responsibility, and unearth how the movie's Oscar-winning special effects brought the dinosaurs back to life. Warn...

As the weather grows warmer and the beaches reopen, we're traveling back to Amity Island with Chris and Sarah to watch  Jaws 2 . We discuss the troubled history of the production, play armchair screenwriters by proposing alternative storylines for the film, and battle over the relative merits of director Jeannot Szwarc's filmography .  Warning: Contains explicit language, spoilers and potential T-...

It's finally here. A decade of colorful outfits, thrilling heroics, and mind-boggling continuity culminates in the ultimate Marvel Cinematic Universe cross-over,  Avengers: Infinity War . As we recover from our viewing experience, we discuss the pragmatic evil of the villainous Thanos, highlight the film's depiction of competent, cooperative women and neurotic, combative men, and assess the damage...

From the age of Big Brother, from the age of podcasting... greetings. Bob 'Moviebob' Chipman joins us again as we engage in thoughtcrimes galore while discussing the film adaptation of  1984 , directed that same year by Michael Radford. Grab yourself some Victory Gin and listen in as we explore the changing political contexts of Orwell's novel, comment on Radford's visual style for the movie, and...

In a special episode recorded at the Arisia convention this past January, Rosie returns to have a chat about the great cinematic heroines and heroes. We discuss the attributes we look for in a movie hero before running down our lists of our favorite good guys and gals, a group which transcends race, gender, and species. Warning: Contains explicit language, spoilers, and some minor issues with ambi...

In this episode, we look into the mirror and reflect on another horror story from the mind of Clive Barker,  Candyman . We discuss our experiences with urban legends, offer varying interpretations on the nature of the title character, and explore how the film takes on weighty subjects such as racism, cultural appropriation, and gentrification. Warning: Contains explicit language, spoilers, and uns...

All set? OK! On this episode we take flight with the first film to win the Academy Award for Best Picture, William Wellman's aerial war epic Wings from 1927. We discuss the amazing stunt work and how the film set the template for decades of war movies. Meanwhile, Tim offends the Fatherland with his bad German accent and Corinne illustrates the importance of good coffee to the movie-watching experi...

The 90th Academy Awards are upon us, so we take some time to predict the winners and reveal who we'd like to see take home the Oscar. Will Daniel Day-Lewis take home one last Oscar? Will Get Out be the first horror film to be chosen as Best Picture? Can Greta Gerwig win for her debut screenplay, Ladybird? Is this finally the year Chris Nolan is crowned Best Director? Listen to our prognosticating...

Darn clever, these romantic comedies. We're bringing down the walls of Jericho as we watch Frank Capra's multiple Oscar-winning hit It Happened One Night from 1934. Listen in as we discuss the amazing chemistry of stars Claudette Colbert and Clark Gable, examine whether the film's problematic views on gender affect its reputation as a classic, and explore the film's influence on countless movies t...

So in the midst of recording our episode on 2017's best movies, we were discussing the perception of genre films that achieve critical acclaim when a debate broke out regarding the definition of horror and science fiction movies, particularly with how those two genre labels apply to The Shape of Water and Get Out. It's unclear whether we reached definitive answers on some of the questions asked, a...

As we say goodbye to a year full of great movies, Corinne and Tim make some hard choices as they put together their top tens lists for the best films of 2017. The resulting conversation includes threats of divorce, lots of second-guessing, and not enough Cillian Murphy. Warning: Contains explicit language, mild spoilers, and a multitude of cinematic gut punches. Our theme song is "Nostalgia TV" by...

We're wrapping up the year with a trip to scenic Bedford Falls as Bob 'Moviebob' Chipman joins us for a discussion of Frank Capra's enduring Christmas classic,  It's a Wonderful Life . Listen in as we explore angelically-induced alternate realities, unhealthy courtships, and one podcaster's vendetta against little Zuzu. Warning: Contains explicit language and spoilers. Hot dog! Our theme song is "...

The honeymoon is over as Tim forces Corinne to watch yet another James Bond movie, with MovieBob joining them again to face the toxic masculinity of the popular 007 outing Goldfinger . We discuss the metaphorical and nearly literal emasculation of Bond, compare the greedy title villain to a certain head of state, and suggest that more casting decisions should be contingent on wrestling matches. Wa...

Kay Lynch from Salem Horror joins us again as we discuss the first movie adapted from the works of Stephen King, the high school horror story Carrie . We describe our first experiences reading King's work, explore the film's depiction of trauma and abuse, and imagine a superhero team of King protagonists. Warning: Contains explicit language, spoilers, and sexual ventriloquism. Note: This episode w...

In an episode we created with our own hands, we try to use our (criminal) brains to analyze the original Universal horror classic Frankenstein . We debate the responsibilities and motives of Henry Frankenstein, discuss the story's erasure of women from the act of creation, and point fingers at the film's true villains. Warning: Contains strong language, spoilers, and the old "disappearing cat tric...

We're taking the ultimate cinematic empathy test as we watch the 1982 science fiction noir Blade Runner . Listen in as we discuss the sociological implications of using replicants as slave labor, identify changes in the various releases of the movie, and reflect on what an asshole Rick Deckard is. Warning: Contains explicit language, spoilers, and bored voice-overs. Also please be advised that we...

This episode we're throwing a very special dinner party in honor of the Master of Suspense as we take a look at Alfred Hitchcock's underrated suspense thriller Rope . Listen in as we discuss the film's groundbreaking use of long takes, explore the story's controversial gay subtext, and ruminate on the very timely theme of taking responsibility for one's views and statements. Warning: Contains expl...

We've got a new episode wrapped in tissue paper with pink ribbons around it as we watch the 1944 film noir classic  Double Indemnity . We comment on the movie's influence on the dark visual style of the genre, debate the misogynist and feminist implications of the femme fatale archetype, and delve into the metatextuality of Barbara Stanwyck's wig. Warning: Contains explicit language, spoilers, and...

In this episode, Chris and Sarah hop on board for a breakneck conversation about the 1994 action hit Speed . Along the way, we discuss the film's episodic story structure, ponder alternate casting choices for the story's heroes and villain, and appreciate the maniacal laughter of Dennis Hopper. Warning: Contains explicit language, spoilers, and buses that violate the laws of physics.   Our theme s...

In our newest episode, we sit down with Kay Lynch, the founder of Salem Horror, to discuss the upcoming Salem Horror Fest, a celebration of the macabre being held this fall in our haunted hometown, Salem, Massachusetts. We talk about the appeal of horror movies, explore their value in expressing societal fears in turbulent times, and comment on Salem's reputation as a Halloween hot spot. We also t...

Chris and Sarah join us as we try to solve that classic cinematic mystery, Who Framed Roger Rabbit . Digging beneath the gags and guffaws of this groundbreaking mix of animation and live-action, we investigate its clever use of film noir conventions, uncover the movie's racial subtext, and count the passive-aggressive attacks on former Disney CEO Michael Eisner. Warning: Contains explicit language...

  Corinne and Tim get dropped into a meat grinder but still manage to bring back a trophy or two as they watch the iconic action/monster movie Predator from 1987. Tim laughs at Arnold Schwarzenegger's cursing, Corinne re-imagines the movie with Jesse Ventura cast as the hero, and both discover the answer to the age-old question: How many future governors does it take to kill an alien? Warning: Con...