Movie Show Theater: The Podcast

It only took this podcast 3 years to finally arrive in Fargo, North Dakota, but I'm so glad we did. Friend and fellow filmmaker Joey Fandel joined me this week to help pick apart this beloved tale of murder, betrayal, and goofy accents. There's so much going on under the surface of Fargo, we barely touched on the music, the gorgeous visual aesthetic, the washed out color palettes, the TV spin-off,...

In a world overtaken by superhero movies, help us remember the one that started it all! This movie is something else! I'm telling ya, it holds up (pretty much)! Joining me today are Earth's 2 biggest TMNT fans to help me extrapolate what works (or doesn't work) and what helps this weird classic stand the test of time. We got trivia, we recall references we for sure never got as children, and revea...

What can I say about Twilight Zone: The Movie that hasn't been said throughout its 36 years in existence? There's tragic controversy, hilarious performances, terrifying practical effects, stunning lighting schemes, emotional camera movement, not to mention whatever we didn't catch. But we caught a lot, and we are ready to talk about it. Sam and Joey play the weirdest trivia game I have come up wit...

Revisiting Alien 3 in preparation for Alien: Covenant, and it's way better than we remember it! In looking at how Sigourney Weaver's character helped to create and fuel this franchise, we are left with the question, Is Ripley the strongest female role in Science Fiction history? We also have a few more questions for an extended trivia segment. Norm Burns and Joey Fandel join us on this journey of...

A 'classic' episode and Stu's pick, we decided to pick apart this underrated film from 2010, directed by Tom Hooper. This story is loosely based on the struggles King George VI went through as he took a throne he did not initially want. This is a pretty great showcase of acting ability, and Colin Firth shines! A fine British drama at its best, The King's Speech tells a compelling story and success...

We're back with a brand new episode, and I have Chicago resident and director Joey Fandel and Chicago resident and actor Norm Burns with me tonight to nerd out on It Follows. On the surface it's an effective and stylish horror, but there's a lot more going on with this film. We run through some scenarios on how we would handle "It" as well as look at the role this crazy thing has on the evolution...

Here's a slight throwback episode. Now although I'm not a huge war movie fan, this film set the standard for boot camp schanenigans. (spelling?)It started the career of Vince D'Onofrio and Matthew Modine, while also giving us a great soundtrack to one of the confusing wars in human history. We get all the classic Kubrick conventions, but we all found things this time around we had never noticed be...

Well it's ladies night here at Movie Show Theater because our guest, Sam Ball (actor and writer), chose You've Got Mail from 1998. Join us as we discuss cybersex, America Online, Steve Zahn, and more forgotten relics from the 90's (was that mean?) We also felt to the need for some 90's reminiscing, as well as some 90's trivia. You've Got Mail was a charming Nora Ephron film with Tom Hanks as a .....

Oh my God, it's Flight of the Navigator! Sam Ball joined me to revisit this classic hoping it stands the test of time. And... it for sure holds up! The story was, dare I say, ahead of its time, and there is so much content purely designed for adults. Pee-Wee Herman (Paul Reubens credited as Paul Mall) voices MAX, the only slightly creepy robot alien from the planet Phaelon. Sam and I watched this...

So this movie is too substantial to watch and walk away from, so here we are. This is my first podcast from Chicago, and my last one before things get really interesting. This movie rings loudly with symbolic forces that can blow a mind. The director of Gravity, Y Tu Mama Tambien, and Harry Potter & The Prisoner of Azkaban comes a brutally ultra realistic look into one possible future. Thanks for...

This week I watched Jon Favreau's Jungle Book reboot and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, so here is a mini episode about both. Before the internet craps on the new Star Wars movie, I wanted to speak my peace, in a spoiler free sort of way. Thanks for listening and supporting Movie Show Theater!

I'm happy to report that The Guest was not universally appreciated among the crew. The Guest is everything and nothing you've ever seen. I was afraid this might be the case, because The Guest does not fit into a traditional genre. This was written and directed by the same two dudes that brought us You're Next (which I also loved). I believe this was intended to be taken as a parody or satire of ac...

Can't quite accept that Halloween 2016 is over? We have you covered! That's why we put this episode up today and not yesterday! We did it for you and NOT because there was a sound issue on the track I didn't know about until this afternoon. Anyway, Ben is bringing home the fun along with Dakota Kuhlman of Exit Reality Entertainment & Zack Worrent of B List Bastard. We talk about the classic blue z...

This is most fun I've had in quite some time. I invited some friends over to help me with our Halloween Episode. Zack Worrent hosts the webseries B List Bastards, as well as Geeks & A Phone podcast. Dakota Kuhlman is a fellow filmmaker and horror enthusiast. We looked at so many films tonight, I don't even know where to start. We agree, we disagree, we revel in horror movies! Check it out, and I p...

This is one of the most influential films I've ever freaking seen! The whole 'band of normal people teaming up to fight the greater cause' started with Seven Samurai. It is George Lucas' favorite film, and ranks as the 20th greatest film ever made (according to Entertainment Weekly). It is 3.5 hours long, I won't lie, but it is a very worthy endeavor. From its conception to editing to cinematograp...

Well... Ben picked Hairspray so we had to watch it. What were we supposed to do? It's not that we (as 3 dudes) don't like or appreciate musicals (I was a theater kid), but this one is just so... John Waters. Before getting into THAT, let's play some trivia!! I chose some, Ben chose some, and I came up with a new game that I don't have a name for yet. Let's call it... As The Plot Thickens. I also e...

Well we had to do it. The news of Gene Wilder's passing was pretty crushing. He survived 'the business' for over 50 years, and he set the bar high for everyone who thinks they are funny. After much discussion, we landed on Blazing Saddles to serve as our vessel for remembering a legend, and honoring a true legend. And.. uh.. it gets lighter from here. Thanks for supporting Movie Show Theater!

Today comes from a slightly different angle as I take a plunge into the unknown depths of solo podcasting. And there's never been a better vessel than one of favorite films of all time, as I've seen it at least twenty times. Is that weird? Is that unnecessary? Probably yes, but there's so much here to appreciate. Especially considering I am NOT a Adam Sandler fan. Like, at all. I tried watching Th...

So this is the last time we discuss Stranger Things for a while, but we went out on a very geeky bang. It's been out for over a month since its release on Netflix, and we're talking about EVERYTHING today! This includes conspiracies, fan theories, news about season 2, and everything we caught watching the season again. We were geeky, and thorough. And geeky. Thanks for listening to Movie Show Thea...

Ever seen this movie?! If not, you really really should. Watch it because it is a movie going experience like no other. If you don't understand how a movie can be so bad that it's good, than this movie is for you. Tommy Wiseau, a true man of mystery, spent six million dollars on this film's production. We discuss some of the lesser known facts and mythology about The Room, as well as a special gue...

Another episode from the vault, we took two standards from the gangster film genre and pitted them against each other. We weren't going for a 'which one is better' mindset, because we simply won't choose. But these are incredibly effective films, and both have a tremendous amount of staying power. Mobster films seem to have timeless elements incorporated into their stories that help keep them rele...

While this is a really good film, we don't spend an hour worshipping the ground on which it stands. It's a bit long, and nail that gritty look it was trying so desperately to achieve. However, it is about the most alpha male old school cool as it gets. Watching this again makes me realize what an incredible gem Paul Newman was to Hollywood. Also famous funny man Jackie Gleeson takes on a most seri...

We got a request from Cody Cornwell of Peoria to do Requiem For A Dream this week, so... We did Requiem For A Dream this week. Ben and I both own this movie, but haven't watched it in a long time. It's an incredible film, but not a sunny day kind of movie. It's not supposed to be either, as it is meant to evoke very specific emotions and tell a pretty harrowing tale. Darren Aronofsky (Black Swan,...

We got a request to do Dogma!! ! Isn't that great?! The movie is hilarious to me, but some people disagree. This movie sparked a lot of controversy, as do most religious centered films. This is a film you need to approach with a sense of humor, and realize that Kevin Smith was not trying to bring down the Catholic church with his film. On another level, it is a really interesting story a woman who...

Before The Office and before Borat, we were introduced to Nigel Tufnel, Derek Smalls, and David St. Hubbins. All of Christopher Guest's film are cringe-worthy hilarious, but Spinal Tap is something special. Real life famed director, Rob Reiner, plays (fictional) director Marty DiBergi filming this documentary on the legendarily awkward (and fictional) rock band Spinal Tap. I'm here to tell you, th...