Reels of Cinema

Send us Fan Mail What do two Oscar-winning actors do next after facing off against the frigid waters of the northern Atlantic once the Titanic sinks? They face off (in separate films) against the wintery elements of nature in the mountains and plains of the western U.S., that's what! Leo DiCaprio bagged his Oscar for wrestling a grizzly bear in The Revenant , while Kate Winslet, already a win...

Send us Fan Mail Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant are the sizzle to the bacon of George Cukor's Holiday (1938), while Kate Winslet, Cameron Diaz, Jude Law, and Jack Black charm each other in the Nancy Meyers-written and directed The Holiday  (2006). Ring in 2026 in style with this reedited, repackaged, and rereleased 2023 episode from my previous podcast, Silver Screeners, that looks at both...

Send us Fan Mail In 1989, unsuspecting movie audiences met two fictional characters who became the standard against which all others in the romantic comedy genre would be judged: Harry Burns (Billy Crystal) and Sally Albright (Meg Ryan). Directed by Rob Reiner from Nora Ephron's Oscar-nominated screenplay, When Harry Met Sally uses witty dialogue, Harry Connick, Jr.'s covers of jazz stan...

Send us Fan Mail A haunting Christmas tale told with both witty comedy and suspense thick enough to crack fingernail polish, this psychological thriller laid down the blueprint for what came after, from Michael Myers to Jason Voorhees to Chucky the Good Guy doll. Chris, Sean, and Tyler of The Cinematic Travelers Podcast guest for a look at the work of Bob Clark, who skillfully directs an exception...

Send us Fan Mail In December 1843, the modest book A Christmas Carol , by author Charles Dickens, appeared in print. Since then, it has been adapted for film, TV, the stage, and even animated series like The Flintstones and Mr. Magoo . But of the countless iterations, from faithful adaptations to parodies, two stand out as arguably the best of the best. Enjoy this reedited, repackaged, and rerelea...

Send us Fan Mail The semester is winding down, and the students at Barton Academy are eager for the holiday break. But what happens when the sardonic, tactless history teacher is tasked with looking after a small few who have nowhere to go? Guests Dani and Woifi of The Collections of Cinema Podcast join me to consider that question in a look at 2023's The Holdovers , directed by Alexander Pay...

Send us Fan Mail A 60th and a 35th anniversary acknowledgement is in order for The Sound of Music and Misery , respectively! Both films have two Oscar-tipped leading ladies, both are set in the mountains, and both include the reining in of the strong will of an arrogant, self-serious man who then succumbs to the power of the female protagonist's passions. Plus, poll results, entertainment new...

Send us Fan Mail Sort of breaking the self-imposed rules in this mini-episode by venturing briefly away from motion pictures and heading into TV, but  A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving is mandatory November viewing regardless of age or generation. A quick, nostalgic, and good-natured jab in the ribs at the TV special that first aired on network television in 1973. No poll question or trivia segment thi...

Send us Fan Mail It's Thanksgiving week here in the States, which means that it's time to revisit the beloved pairing of Steve Martin and John Candy as they desperately try to reach Chicago from Wichita in order to carve the turkey with Martin's family. And then we'll head to the childhood home of Holly Hunter and Robert Downey, Jr. as they grapple with dysfunctional family ten...

Send us Fan Mail On November 16, 1990, a Chris Columbus-directed, John Hughes-written family comedy about a spunky 8-year-old boy accidentally left behind at Christmas when his family flies to Paris premiered - and burglars, grocery store cashiers, polka band members, and pizza deliverers have never been the same since. Enjoy this reedited, repackaged, and rereleased 2022 episode on 1990's Ho...

Send us Fan Mail "Noirvember": that festive season of the year between Halloween and New Year's when the grim, gritty, amoral, edgy, and anti-hero and femme fatale-populated world of film noir gets the spotlight! Two of the finest, both based on books by crime novelist James M. Cain, Billy Wilder's Double Indemnity , with Fred MacMurray, Barbara Stanwyck, and Edward G. Robinson...

Send us Fan Mail Another Halloween season has wrapped up, but horror never goes out of style! Enjoy this reedited, repackaged, and rereleased 2022 episode on 1951's The Thing from Another World and 1982's The Thing from my previous podcast, Silver Screeners, with special guest Chris, host of The Cinematic Traveler Podcast. Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported  — CC BY 3.0  Music p...

Send us Fan Mail Tom Holland's campy vampire flick Fright Night (1985) celebrates its 40th anniversary, and Joel Schumacher's The Lost Boys (1987) gets equal time as Alec and Erik of The Wheel of Horror Podcast join me for a tip of the hat to both just in time for the Halloween season - we talk favorite moments, songs, characters, and more! Plus, poll results, entertainment news, the coo...

Send us Fan Mail What is the definitive fate of the character of Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis)? Where does the story end for Dr. Sam Loomis (Donald Pleasence) when he is hot on the trail of serial killer Michael Myers, aka the "Bogeyman," aka the "Shape"? Does Laurie have a daughter, and then not - because she has a son? Then a different daughter with no son? It all depends...

Send us Fan Mail Writer-director-former Film Studies student of mine, Brendan Manning, guests to discuss the proof of concept short for his film The Dubliner , about an Irish immigrant in 1893 who turns to bareknuckle boxing in order to survive. He talks about his background and career, the inspiration for the film itself, and what he's learned so far in the industry as a frequent extra in fi...

Send us Fan Mail "It wasn't gardening." This film isn't like riding a roller coaster - it's skydiving in a whirlwind! Co-stars and co-producers Guile Branco (also writer-director) and Lou D'Amato guest to talk about their gory and outrageous horror-comedy  A Halloween Feast , both onscreen happenings and behind-the-scenes anecdotes. This conversation is one not to mis...

Send us Fan Mail This time around, it's two episodes in one - a re-edited and reissued 2024 episode from my retired Silver Screeners Podcast on 1984's A Nightmare on Elm Street put together with a brand-new episode on  Nightmare on Elm Street 2 - both with special guest Andrew of The Revisionist Almanac Podcast! Hear all about both Freddy Krueger films, both onscreen and behind the scene...

Send us Fan Mail It's been 30 years since Tom Hanks told Houston he had a problem and the same number of years since he first growled, "Reach for the sky!" to space traveler Buzz Lightyear.  Apollo 13 and Toy Story  both were released when his career was at its peak, hot off two consecutive Oscar wins. A nostalgic revisiting of both of these films that catapulted Hanks into space on...

Send us Fan Mail It's the conclusion of my 2-part discussion with special guest Jacquelyn Shulman about her experience as a producer and director in the film industry! She reflects on the creative process, the power of art, and the significance of everyone tapping into their creative side in some way. The former intern on the second season of the series Sex and the City , participant in TV wo...

Send us Fan Mail Special guest Jacquelyn Shulman joins me to talk about her experience as a producer and director in the film industry! From interning on the second season of the series Sex and the City to TV work on shows like First 48 and Nightwatch to attending the Academy Awards luncheon for her participation in the 2006 Oscar-nominated documentary feature Jesus Camp , her background is both f...

Send us Fan Mail With a new fall semester underway, it is now time for a look back at two comedies led by comedians-actors, Rodney Dangerfield in 1986's Back to School and Melissa McCarthy in 2018's Life of the Party , both playing middle-aged divorcees joining their only child at college. Plus, poll results, entertainment news, the cooking segment Cinemunch, and interactive listener tri...

Send us Fan Mail As the 1970s began, director-screenwriter Brian De Palma was a promising new talent with classics like Carrie (1976) and The Fury (1978). In this episode, special guest Fred joins me for a look at Sisters and Dressed to Kill . We talk, among other things, the characters, the cinematography, and the influence of Alfred Hitchcock. Plus, poll results, entertainment news, the cooking...

Send us Fan Mail It's a Jack Lemmon two-fer with two classic comedies, Some Like It Hot , directed by Billy Wilder and co-starring Tony Curtis and Marilyn Monroe, and The Odd Couple , directed by Gene Saks, based on Neil Simon's Tony-winning Broadway comedy, and co-starring Walter Matthau! The two-time Oscar-winning actor, who was equally adept at comedy and drama, was an onscreen force...

Send us Fan Mail Sometimes films we enjoy were not exactly box office sensations. In fact, sometimes, they landed in theaters with a resounding thud. In this episode, my friend Chad joins me for a look at two films that deserve more attention than what they initially got. He chose Babylon, and I chose the Green Knight. Plus, poll results, entertainment news, the cooking segment Cinemunch, and inte...

Send us Fan Mail Steve Carell. Paul Rudd. Jane Lynch. Seth Rogen. Jason Segel. Romany Malco. Judd Apatow. With comedians like this, it's a guarantee that, among all of them, having churned out 2005's The 40-Year-Old Virgin and/or 2009's I Love You, Man , they create raunchy comedy that you won't soon forget, whether or not you want to try! A look at both outrageous films will m...