Pivotal Film

pivotalfilmpodcast@gmail.com, www.twitter.com/filmpivotal, www.pivotalfilm.com Stephen King week on Pivotal Film begins today! First Mario, Tom, and fellow King-fan and returning guest JP, review “IT: Chapter 2,” starring James McAvoy, Jessica Chastain, Bill Hader and other people! (5:31) On Saturday we post a podcast talking about our top five Stephen King film adaptations, and next Wednesday we...

pivotalfilmpodcast@gmail.com, www.twitter.com/filmpivotal, www.pivotalfilm.com Mario and Tom begin episode 49 with a review of “Ready or Not” (9:08), before they tackle the new Netflix doc, “American Factory” (23:49). They then each spend some time in the snow trying not to get their feet wet while they dig for their number 49’s: Mario (50:44), Tom (1:21:18). On Tap! Other Desi Beer Company’s Hopp...

pivotalfilmpodcast@gmail.com, www.twitter.com/filmpivotal, www.pivotalfilm.com Part Two is here! Mario and Tom open the show by talking about an idea for a new podcast, “Pivotal Fruits,” – juicy pears, nectarines, jack fruit and clementines all get a mention - before they turn their critical eye on Jennifer Kent’s “The Nightingale,” her dark, emotional, and in its way magnificent, follow-up to “th...

pivotalfilmpodcast@gmail.com, www.twitter.com/filmpivotal, www.pivotalfilm.com They made it! This week Mario and Tom celebrate the fact that they made it halfway through their lists by doing a deep dive into their feelings about Quentin Tarantino’s “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” (7:49). They then circle each other, guns at the ready, ready to fire at Mario’s number 50, Sergio Leone’s “The Good, t...

pivotalfilmpodcast@gmail.com, www.twitter.com/filmpivotal, www.pivotalfilm.com Mario and Tom open this weeks show with a solo, mini-review of Lynn Shelton’s “Sword of Trust,” starring Marc Maron and Michaela Watkins, which leads into a reflection on the difficulties of doing a movie podcast in 2019 while also trying to do literally anything else (9:14). Then, they try and recruit people to give th...

pivotalfilmpodcast@gmail.com, www.twitter.com/filmpivotal, www.pivotalfilm.com This week’s episode concludes with Mario and Tom talking about some of their feelings surrounding the shootings in Dayton and El Paso along with the direction of the culture and how we would like to see it changed (1:30:17). But first they belatedly dig into Joanna Hogg’s masterful “The Souvenir” (8:05), before hopping...

pivotalfilmpodcast@gmail.com, www.twitter.com/filmpivotal, www.pivotalfilm.com This week Mario and Tom respond to a recent IndieWire list on the best film scores of the decade with lists of their own. Mario’s Top 5: Under the Skin (19:55), Vox Lux (30:01), Sicario (33:07), It Follows (42:45), Phantom Thread (45:39); Tom’s Top 5: The Master (22:59), Knight of Cups (27:04), The Revenant (35:27), Hig...

pivotalfilmpodcast@gmail.com, www.twitter.com/filmpivotal, www.pivotalfilm.com – a cross bow contingency This week Mario, Tom, and their now frequent guest J.P., open the show with an excerpt of a long, loose, and sometimes poorly recorded conversation based on Brian Raftery’s new book “Best. Movie. Year. Ever.: How 1999 Blew Up the Big Screen” (8:06). Then Mario and Tom eat what they hope are the...

pivotalfilmpodcast@gmail.com, www.twitter.com/filmpivotal, www.pivotalfilm.com Mario and Tom used their vacations to witness some Scandinavian midsummer rituals, but they’re back and they brought their lists along with them. First however they want to tell you about some of those rituals which have been documented in “Midsommar,” Ari Aster’s follow-up to “Hereditary” starring Florence Pugh and Wil...

pivotalfilmpodcast@gmail.com, www.twitter.com/filmpivotal, www.pivotalfilm.com Mario and Tom take another “break” from their lists this week to talk about some of the glorious films by the glorious director Claire Denis. Either settle in – ‘cause it’s a long one – or use these convenient time stamps! – “Chocolat” (13:07), “Beau Travail” (28:04), “Trouble Every Day” (56:06), “35 Shots of Rum” (1:13...

pivotalfilmpodcast@gmail.com, www.twitter.com/filmpivotal, www.pivotalfilm.com. This week, Mario and Tom take a break from their lists to talk about a great year in action movies, 1993, and some of the flicks that made it so great: Sniper (6:45), Demolition Man (17:15), Last Action Hero (31:50), Cliffhanger (56:20), In the Line of Fire (1:15:00), and Tombstone (1:40:55). Music Credits: "Her Eyes P...

pivotalfilmpodcast@gmail.com, www.twitter.com/filmpivotal, www.pivotalfilm.com. Whoa…we have a lot of work to do today. First, we glance at Paul Thomas Anderson and Thom Yorke’s Netflix dropped music video for Thom Yorke’s new record “Anima” (8:43). Next, Tom gives a quick review of “Toy Story 4” (15:14). Finally, Mario and Tom dig into Joe Talbot’s “The Last Black Man in San Francisco” (25:20), s...

pivotalfilmpodcast@gmail.com, www.twitter.com/filmpivotal, www.pivotalfilm.com. Mario’s dream has come true this week, as he is not disappointed in the reboot of “Child’s Play,” starring the voice of Mark Hamill, Aubrey Plaza and Brian Tyree Henry (7:40). They then share differing views of Netflix’s “Rolling Thunder Revue: A Bob Dylan Story” directed by Martin Scorsese (23:35). They then stand at...

pivotalfilmpodcast@gmail.com, www.twitter.com/filmpivotal, www.pivotalfilm.com. This week’s episode finds Mario and Tom forcing themselves to talk about Netflix’s new sci-fi flick “I am Mother” starring Hilary Swank, the voice of Rose Byrne and a very shiny robot (11:15). They then analyze a dream they had about their number 58’s in which they turn into jungle animals and dance to the Psychedelic...

pivotalfilmpodcast@gmail.com, www.twitter.com/filmpivotal, www.pivotalfilm.com. We have a guest! Our buddy JP joins the conversation about “Godzilla: King of the Monsters” (15:30), after Tom talks briefly about “Waiting: the Van Duren Story,” which was screened at the New Haven Documentary Film Festival (http://www.nhdocs.com/)(7:04). Then, the Libyans make Tom and Mario talk about their number 59...

pivotalfilmpodcast@gmail.com, www.twitter.com/filmpivotal, www.pivotalfilm.com. Mario and Tom open this week’s show talking about three new flicks: the evil “superman” premise horror disappointment “Brightburn,” starring Elizabeth Banks and Roy from “The Office” (9:20), Olivia Wilde’s could-have-been-better coming of age comedy “Booksmart” (18:30), and Alex Ross Perry’s divisive “Her Smell,” starr...

pivotalfilmpodcast@gmail.com, www.twitter.com/filmpivotal, www.pivotalfilm.com. Mysterious technical difficulties mean that Mario and Tom begin this week’s episode simply by opening some beers before they reveal their true identities in order to determine whose number 61 is whose, or whether their 61’s even exist at all: Mario (7:09), Tom (49:45). On Tap! Stonington, CT’s Beer’d Brewing Co.: Frank...

pivotalfilmpodcast@gmail.com, www.twitter.com/filmpivotal, www.pivotalfilm.com. Mario and Tom begin this week’s show by speaking begrudgingly about “Detective Pikachu” the disappointing new Pokémon movie starring Justice Smith and Ryan Reynolds (6:59). They then interact with their past and future selves in an attempt to make sense of their relationship to their number 62’s: Tom (22:40), Mario (38...

pivotalfilmpodcast@gmail.com, www.twitter.com/filmpivotal, www.pivotalfilm.com. Mario and Tom open this week’s show by talking about the new Netflix Ted Bundy biopic “Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile,” starring Zac Efron, Lilly Collins, and Judge John Malkovich (11:30). They then dig into their pasts in an attempt to reveal the true nature of the number 63’s: Tom (35:03), Mario (1:08:30)...

pivotalfilmpodcast@gmail.com, www.twitter.com/filmpivotal, www.pivotalfilm.com. Mario and Tom spend some time poking around on the Criterion Channel and settle on a couple of deep cuts from French director Agnes Varda: “Mur Murs” and “Documenteur” (19:45). They then try to adjust their feelings about their number 64’s: Mario (58:45), Tom (1:30:52). On Tap! A variety of beers from Half Full Brewing...

pivotalfilmpodcast@gmail.com, www.twitter.com/filmpivotal, www.pivotalfilm.com. Mario and Tom assemble to have a spoiler-free discussion of the new MCU content “Avengers: Endgame” starring everyone but your mother (4:28), before spending almost an hour spoiling everything - SPOILERS START AT (19:30). They then try to remember what life was like before they were forced to take up residence in the w...

pivotalfilmpodcast@gmail.com twitter.com/filmpivotal pivotalfilm.com After Mario and Tom discuss their feelings about Bret Easton Ellis’s new book, they dig into a couple of new movies: “Guava Island” starring Donald Glover and Rhianna(10:57), and “Under the Silver Lake,” David Robert Mitchell’s new flick starring Andrew Garfield and Riley Keough(22:17). They then put together a team to go spelunk...

pivotalfilmpodcast@gmail.com twitter.com/filmpivotal pivotalfilm.com It is apparently big-budget horror-slog season! Mario and Tom start this week’s podcast by discussing the misbegotten reboot of Hellboy starring David Harbour, Milla Jovovich, Sasha Lane and Ian McShane (6:50). They then spend some time looking for the edge pieces of the human puzzles that are their 67’s: Mario (41:30), Tom (1:30...

pivotalfilmpodcast@gmail.com twitter.com/filmpivotal pivotalfilm.com Mario and Tom are finding that the Native American burial ground that they found cant revive their interest in the new adaptation of Stephen King’s Pet Sematary starring Jason Clarke, Amy Seimetz, and John Lithgow (5:26). They then spend some time talking to ghosts about their number 68’s: Tom (27:04), Mario (52:59). On Tap! A be...

pivotalfilmpodcast@gmail.com twitter.com/filmpivotal pivotalfilm.com Mario and Tom dragged themselves to their televisions to watch S. Craig Zahler’s “Dragged Across Concrete,” starring Mel Gibson, Vince Vaughn, and Tory Kittles (12:43). They then bask in the elegant aromas of their number 69’s: Mario (46:06), Tom (1:00:33). On Tap! Nebraska Brewing Company’s HopAnomaly – Belgian-Style IPA, enhanc...