CinemaSpection

  Holy mackerel, what a show!! We've reached episode 50 and what better way to mark this milestone than to watch a monster classic like the original King Kong from 1933? Listen in as Tim waxes nostalgic about his childhood as an ape, Corinne expresses concern for the welfare of both Fay Wray and her onscreen counterpart Ann Darrow, and both discuss the lasting impact the movie has had on both the...

  In this episode, Corinne, Polly, and Tim are off their leashes as they explore the bizarre alien landscape of René Laloux's animated sci-fi masterpiece Fantastic Planet AKA La planete sauvage . The resulting discussion touches on the political symbolism of the film's story, Laloux and artist Roland Topor's amazing animation work, and the proper treatment of household spiders. Warning: Contains e...

Hey you dirty birds! In this episode, Corinne and Tim stave off cabin fever by talking about Rob Reiner's adaptation of Stephen King's novel Misery . Topics discussed include how Misery might be perceived as a Christmas movie, personal examples of fandom rage, and why it's never a good idea to plan a winter visit to Colorado in a Stephen King story. Warning: Contains explicit language, spoilers, a...

It's time to visit Christmas past, present, and future with Corinne, Polly, and Tim as they watch the 1951 version of A Christmas Carol starring the incomparable Alastair Sim. The discussion includes a proposed duel to the death over whether Sim is the best cinematic Scrooge ever, speculation that Marley's ghost is trolling Ebenezer from beyond the grave, and the accidental slander of charities. W...

We have new orders from M to make contact with special guest Bob Chipman and discuss From Russia With Love , the second James Bond film. We'll talk about the film's reputation as one of the best of the Bond films, examine the movie's place in the evolution of the 007 franchise, and keep track of the series' racism, sexism, homophobia, and articles of clothing that Bond has people fetch for him. Wa...

Corinne, Rosie, and Tim get the unnerving feeling someone's right behind them as they discuss David Robert Mitchell's It Follows from 2015. Listen in as we speculate on the meaning and motives of the film's monster, note the influence of 1980s horror directors on Mitchell's style, and examine how the movie functions as a twisted coming-of-age story. Warning: Contains explicit language, spoilers, a...

The only thing more terrifying than the last ten minutes of our episode on Dario Argento's Suspiria are the first seventy-two. Corinne and Tim discuss how the film incorporates elements of fairy tales, point out the futility of remaking the movie, and warn of the psychological hazards of watching an Argento film under the influence of pain medication. Warning: Contains explicit language, spoilers,...

This episode Corinne and Tim accept an invitation to the dance and watch the cult horror classic Carnival of Souls from 1962. Listen in as they discuss feminist and LGBT interpretations of the film's story, speculate on the nature of the ghouls chasing heroine Candace Hilligoss, and detail the sad history of Saltair, the film's spooky centerpiece location. Warning: Contains explicit language, spoi...

Tim and Corinne are only two, but they podcast like two-hundred as they head south of the border to watch The Magnificent Seven from 1960. They compare this Americanized remake of Kurosawa's Seven Samurai to its Japanese source material, cringe at some of the "white savior" aspects of the story, and revel in the coolness of Yul Brynner and Steve McQueen. Warning: Contains explicit language, spoile...

The wild West meets the Jurassic period as we ride into the hidden valley to lasso an episode on the cowboys vs. dinosaurs creature feature The Valley of Gwangi . We comment on how the story borrows from previous dinosaur movies, marvel at the detail and artistry of special effects master Ray Harryhausen's creations, and ponder if the film could serve as an alternate origin story for Devil Dinosau...

  The podcast ventures where it never has before: the Star Trek franchise, as Bob Chipman and Tim spend long periods staring at their viewscreen and watching Star Trek: The Motion Picture from 1979. The resulting discussion touches on the soporific reputation of the movie, the treatment of religion in the Star Trek series, and why you shouldn't replace the chemistry of a good cast with special eff...

  It's time to feed the hole as Corinne and Tim crack open the old photo album and have an extended flashback regarding Peter Medak's warped film noir Romeo is Bleeding . Topics discussed include the film's numerous plot holes, how to commit assault with a music score, and the mystery of why on Earth anyone would ever cheat on Annabella Sciorra. Warning: Contains explicit language and spoilers. Pr...

  It's time for Corinne, Polly, and Tim to discuss the facts of the case regarding Sidney Lumet's classic legal drama 12 Angry Men . We'll argue over the motivations of each of the jurors, examine Lumet's visual tricks for heightening the film's tension, and look back at how disgusting men's rooms were in the 1950s. Warning: Contains explicit language, spoilers, and a switchblade (or two).   Our t...

  So the idea was that Corinne, Tim, and walking non-sequitur Jay would sit down to talk about the 1982 fantasy cult classic The Beastmaster . But much like the film in question, the discussion goes spectacularly off the rails. As such, the giggle-afflicted conversation meanders around subjects such as the explosive potential of John Amos, whether being a man born of cow leads to sexual confusion,...

  It's time to pick a side as Corinne and Tim leap into the fray with the newest Marvel movie, Captain America: Civil War . We debate the ethical positions of Team Cap and Team Iron Man, comment on the romantic tension between Captain America and the Winter Soldier, and impatiently await the inevitable Black Widow and Black Panther films to come. Warning: Contains explicit language, spoilers, and...

  Corinne and Tim delve into the mysteries of Darling , the year's trickiest horror thriller. We explore possible interpretations of the film's ambiguous storyline, examine the subtleties of Lauren Ashley Carter's performance as the title character, and comment on director Mickey Keating's cinematic influences. Warning: Contains explicit language, spoilers, and brandy (it's free). Also please be a...

  Corinne, Rosie, and Tim conduct a highly unscientific experiment by discussing David Cronenberg's gooey remake of The Fly from 1986. When not averting our eyes from the film's grotesque visuals, we discuss Jeff Goldblum's quirky and awkward performance as Seth Brundle, the disturbingly visceral make-up effects, and the film's surprisingly nonjudgmental stance on reproductive rights. Warning: Con...

  Bob, Corinne, and Tim prowl the dark alleys of Gotham to take on the cultural phenomenon that was Tim Burton's Batman from 1989. We discuss the controversial casting of Michael Keaton as the Caped Crusader, compare the movie's depiction of the Dark Knight to his other TV and film appearances, and ponder the Batmobile-sized plot holes in its screenplay. Warning: Contains explicit language, spoile...

While recording out last episode on Superman: The Movie , Ellie and I commented on the various sequels and spin-offs, eventually getting into a little debate about the merits of Zack Snyder's Man of Steel . While brief, the discussion ran a bit too long for the episode and had to be trimmed down but we thought it would be interesting to present it uncut here as everyone gears up for the sequel, Ba...

  After nearly forty years, Ellie and Tim still believe a man can fly as they talk about the Man of Steel's first feature film outing, Superman: The Movie from 1978. We discuss the value of Superman as an symbol of optimism and decency in a cynical age, comment on the perceived religious metaphors in the Superman mythos, and Ellie describes their childhood encounter with the man himself, Christoph...

  Don't tell the parents! Bob offers a comics history lesson and Tim deals with childhood trauma as they look at George Romero's Creepshow from 1982. Topics discussed include the warped moral code of horror comics, how Romero's social commentary seeps into the film's segments, and just what the hell that thing in the crate is. Warning: Contains explicit language and spoilers, but if you want cake...

  For this Valentine's Day, Corinne, Chris, Sarah, and Tim are putting it on 22 as they grab a drink at Rick's and enjoy the charms of 1942's Casablanca . Listen in as we discuss the political dimensions of this classic romance, note how the film helped shape Humphrey Bogart's onscreen persona, and explore whether Casablanca itself symbolizes purgatory amidst the chaos of World War II. Warning: Co...

  Corinne and Tim try to figure out who's who as they watch John Carpenter's version of The Thing from 1982. Listen in as we speculate on why the film failed critically and commercially during the busy summer of '82, comment on the film's themes of isolation and paranoia, and discuss the lack of women in the cast. Warning: Contains explicit language, spoilers, and some unorthodox chess strategy.  ...

  As the year ends, we have one last holiday gift to unwrap. Corinne and Tim come down from their high castle to talk about Tim Burton's fairy tale Edward Scissorhands from 1990. We'll discuss Burton's forays into magical realism, how the film illustrates the relationship between the artist and mainstream society, and the viability of a cookie-based economy. Warning: Contains explicit language, sp...

  Corinne and Tim will have to start taking chances as they present their points-of-view on the odd film noir thriller Dark Passage from 1947. We'll discuss the chemistry between married co-stars Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall as compared to their earlier collaborations, the use of first-person perspective in the movie, and the script's over-reliance on dubious coincidences. Warning: Contains s...