The Bluff Council Podcast

KEY TOPICS - Keith's biggest complaint: The script The character of Dorothy doesn't need to learn the primary lesson of the film Toto is screwed Why does water kill the witch, and why didn't we know that beforehand Glinda the sociopath The behind-the-scenes horrors: toxic makeup, hot lights, and poor Judy Garland 35:28 - The munchkin hanging Margaret Hamilton as the Witch is great, timeless stuff...

1939's "The Wizard of Oz" is so iconic it has transcended being "just" a film. It is as much a part of our shared social fabric as just about anything else. It's perhaps the most viewed film of all time. How did that happen? How does it hold up today? Why was it so impactful? LET'S GET INTO IT. KEY TOPICS  - Intro / Is this the most important film of all time? 01:45 - Wait Keit...

KEY TOPICS  - The "poorly aged" Wendy Peffercorn scene AKA ya'll hate true love The poignant relatability of the ending Ev's major criticism: Why do the moral and climax of the story not more directly include the primary protagonist of the film? The movie definitely takes a hard right into Kid Town in that third act The visual representation of the mythic Beast Smalls hung out with these kids all...

For folks of a certain age, "The Sandlot" is about as good as kids movies get. The 1993 classic was a staple of endless rewatchability and quotability for an entire generation. But what makes it so great? Why was it so timeless? And what, gulp were the... flaws? Join the aged and overweight boys of The Bluff Council as they dive head first into the deep end, even though they can't swim,...

KEY TOPICS  - These is no story to be found here, very little makes sense, character motivations are... meh, the heroes can't die, etc. This movie is fun, the story doesn't matter OK but if the story doesn't matter NOW, Marvel/Disney is gonna just keep not trying to make it matter in the future The big question: Does "Deadpool & Wolverine" save the MCU? Probably not, because it's not...

It's Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool! It's Hugh Jackman as Wolverine! It's profanity and violence and innuendos galore IN THE MCU!! We did it! We're back! Wait... are we back? It's "Deadpool & Wolverine," the last great hope for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It's smashing records and is a certifiable hit. It is mainlining nostalgia and action and hilarity directly into your veins. But is...

"Hit Man" hit Netflix this past weekend. Directed by Richard Linklater and starring Glen Powell and Adria Arjona, the movie has earned rave reviews almost across the board. But does it REALLY deserve them!? Yes. It's very good. Join Ev on a solo mission as he discusses "Hit Man." KEY TOPICS 00:00 - Intro / This movie surprised Ev 00:44 - Ok FINE YES GLEN POWELL IS A STAR 03:06...

KEY TOPICS  - The "poorly aged" Wendy Peffercorn scene AKA ya'll hate true love The poignant relatability of the ending Ev's major criticism: Why do the moral and climax of the story not more directly include the primary protagonist of the film? The movie definitely takes a hard right into Kid Town in that third act The visual representation of the mythic Beast Smalls hung out with these kids all...

For folks of a certain age, "The Sandlot" is about as good as kids movies get. The 1993 classic was a staple of endless rewatchability and quotability for an entire generation. But what makes it so great? Why was it so timeless? And what, gulp were the... flaws? Join the aged and overweight boys of The Bluff Council as they dive head first into the deep end, even though they can't swim,...

KEY TOPICS  - The terrible audio mixing/mastering... did this film use AI to fill in actor's voices? Wait so one guy yells "bar fight" and the bar erupts into a full blown riot? - Fight scenes don't need CGI! Especially bad CGI All the drama: This film's streaming release, Doug Liman's beef, and his open letter - Was it all just a marketing gimmick? Are the streaming companies intentionally trying...

The original "Road House," released in 1989 and starring Patrick Swayze and Sam Elliott, was loud, dumb, and incredibly fun. This new "reimagining" of "Road House," released in 2024 and starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Conor McGregor, is loud and dumb. Two outta three ain't bad! Right? Right!? Let's talk about the script, the performances, the effects, and also maybe a fe...

"Barbie" may be the biggest film story of the year. 1.5 BILLION dollars raked in. Immeasurable cultural impact. So when the director of the film, Greta Gerwig, was not one of the five directors nominated for Best Director at the upcoming 2024 Academy Awards, the streets of the internet were filled with rage. Was Greta Gerwig snubbed? Or were there simply five directors that Academy voter...

KEY TOPICS - Bill Hader is Keith's favorite part Tom Cruise as Les Grossman, hilarious and a bit overplayed Ev isn't a fan of Jack Black 30:30 - Kevin Hart was almost in this film The amazing trailers at the beginning of the film aren't just hilarious, they serve a much more important purpose This movie loses its way in the third act - the child warmonger, the final battle, the missile-stopping Ti...

A big-budget, R-rated, studio comedy, filled with megastars and graphic violence and dirty jokes... and an OSCAR NOMINATED blackface performance!? Y'all, 2008 WASN'T EVEN THAT LONG AGO. What a time... To many, it's a comedy masterpiece, a tremendous swing from director and star Ben Stiller. To others, it's an overrated aberration, unfunny and offensive. Per usual, the Bluff Council guys have a lot...

KEY TOPICS - Ev loves the cinematography, San Francisco, and how weird things get Keith loves the experience of watching this film and its surprising structure Let's talk about the ending The "Madeleine Writes Her Letter" scene/exposition ruins EVERYTHING Falling in love too fast and the wild age gap between James Stewart and Kim Novak We weep for Midge... sweet, crazy Midge The challeng...

There are those who will tell you that Alfred Hitchcock's "Vertigo" is the single greatest film ever made, and there are those you will tell you it is an overrated, convoluted mess. Who better to take a deep dive off the top of a bell tower into this 1958 legendary movie than the boys of The Bluff Council!? Steady yourself... this is our "Vertigo" episode. KEY TOPICS Intro / General Housekeeping I...

The title kind of says it all, doesn't it? While 2023 will likely be remembered as a particularly strong year for cinema, they all can't be winners. In this episode, Keith and Ev each pick their five least favorite films of the year, which include a number of major box office successes. We're sure everyone's responses to our insulting the films they love will be measured and thoughtful, though. GE...

It's that time of the year again! Actually, we're a little behind. But that's what makes us COOL, ok, guys? We march to the beat of our own drummer. And he's always a little behind. But it's COOL. Anyways... you're wondering: "What are the best films of 2023? What movies were the best in 2023? Best movies list 2023?" Because you always wonder things in ideal SEO phrases, and thank you fo...

The Bluff Council is turning 100 and just as you would expect, we are confused, cranky, and constantly screaming our thoughts into the void. In celebration of this momentous event, we are doing something special: two films in one episode! And what a natural pairing: "On Golden Pond," the 1981 classic starring Henry Fonda, Katherine Hepburn, and Jane Fonda, and that focuses on the challen...

"Crash" (2004) is famously one of the most polarizing films of all time. It was released to wide acclaim and went on to win Best Picture at the Academy Awards, defeating "Brokeback Mountain" in one of the great upsets in Oscars history. Is it as bad as everyone says it is? Does it deserve all the hate? In this segment of our larger episode on the film, we discuss some of our complaints. Most of ou...

Merry Christmas? Bah, humbug! "Elf" is widely beloved, and considered by many to be a modern Christmas classic, but Ev doesn't get the hype, and thinks that it's actually... gulp a BAD movie. Scoop yourself up a large serving of figgy pudding and let's get into Jon Favreau's "Elf," the 2003 Christmas comedy starring Will Ferrell, James Caan, Ed Asner, Mary Steenburgen, and Zooe...

"Casablanca" is at or near the top of most "Best Films of All Time" Lists, but is it REALLY that good!? Yes. Yes it is. Made in 1942 and starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman, the film sets a high bar with a timeless script, excellent performances, and beautiful black and white cinematography. It's not all "butterflies and gumdrops," though; join us as we discus...

It was a resounding commercial success when it was released in 1994, and it launched Jim Carrey to superstardom. It sparked a sequel, a cartoon series, a spinoff TV movie, and COUNTLESS teenage boys saying "Allllllllll righty then". But now, almost thirty years later, has any 90's comedy aged as poorly as "Ace Ventura: Pet Detective?" There is a LOT to unpack here. Join the Blu...

For millennials of a certain age, "Hook" is a beloved favorite. It's got stars (Robin Williams! Dustin Hoffman! Julia Roberts!), it's got production value, it's got the beloved Peter Pan IP, and it's got the most famous film director of all time. Only problem is... Spielberg hates it! Most of the stars didn't enjoy it! It was largely savaged by critics and was considered a commercial flo...

In 2009, we were introduced to Zack Snyder's vision of "Watchmen," the heralded graphic novel from the 1980s. It was immediately an incredibly polarizing film, with some deeming it a brilliant, ahead-of-its-time adaptation, and others infuriated by what they viewed as a bastardization of the beloved source material. After this decade-plus of superhero films... we look back and talk about...