The Searchers

Alright, everyone! Chris and Kevin are back, this time driving The Searchers' stagecoach from wondrous sepia tones and into the graces of beautiful black and white. A sweet film from 2023, bearing a subdued essence and yet proving itself to be such a permeating spear that’ll strike the hearts of those who see and hear. Veteran and iconic director John Huston’s very own grandson, Jack, has taken th...

The Searchers celebrate their centennial episode with honorary fourth Searcher Nick Langdon. The movie focuses on Hiroki, a young man plagued by loneliness and unrequited love. When a strange girl appears out of nowhere, he is torn between believing she’s real or a creation of his own psyche. Miss Lonely is one of Chris' favorite movies from director Nobuhiko Obayashi; however, to keep with tradit...

In this episode, Ben and Chris dive deep into Nobuhiko Obayashi’s poignant 1991 drama Chizuko’s Younger Sister — a lesser-known gem that blends grief, coming-of-age, and the supernatural with the director’s signature dreamlike touch. We explore how the film captures the emotional aftermath of loss through the eyes of high schooler Mika, visited by the ghost of her older sister Chizuko. How does Ob...

The Searchers close out this arc on Jean-Paul Belmondo actioners with The Outsider from 1983, not to be confused with the Francis Ford Coppola film. Is this the famous Frenchman's Dirty Harry clone? Was he too old to do all his own stunts? Come listen to the latest episode and find out! On the next episode, Chris and Ben cover another film from the great Obayashi.  Please rate us a 5/5 on Apple, S...

Folks, Chris and Kevin are once more at it again. The stagecoach on this wild cinematic trail takes listeners on a third detour back onto the “Non-Algorithmic Superhero Film” route, and this time it’s rather red like the last one, but a bit more fiery. The Searchers review Neveldine and Taylor’s Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance from 2011, with the one and only Nic Cage, sporting the leather jacket...

Hey all, we're back! All three Searchers return to Jean-Paul Belmondo action films this time reviewing Claude Zidi's Animal from 1977. JPB stars alongside American superstar Raquel Welch hence the American release title, "Stuntwoman." We discuss the film, more about Jean-Paul Belmondo's career, and many tangents on random things like Peter O'Toole's Oscar nominations. Check Animal (1977) out on Tu...

Chris and Kevin take a look at Daredevil (2003), specifically the Director’s Cut, directed by Mark Steven Johnson and starring Ben Affleck as the blind vigilante from Hell’s Kitchen. This episode explores a film often dismissed, but one that reveals more on a closer look — a story about pain, guilt, and perseverance. So hop on the Searcher's stage — we’re digging into the forgotten corner of early...

Ben and Chris come back around to Japanese cinema with a review of Nobuhiko Obayashi's 1989 film, Beijing Watermelon . While made considering Japan's and China's complicated history and produced coincidentally with the events of Tiananmen Square in 1989, Obayashi bends the rules of cinema once again to make a beautiful and non-political film about community, personal responsibility, and balance. W...

Kevin and Ben are joined by Letterboxd reviewer extraordinaire and friend of the pod Tyler to discuss the new Tom Cruise movie in an effort to save cinema once again. In addition to reviewing MI 8: The Final Reckoning, we discuss the Mission Impossible series as a whole, storytelling with mythology, artificial intelligence as of 2025, the future of cinema, and more. Your mission, should you choose...

In this episode, Chris and Kevin review Ang Lee’s Hulk, a bold and visually experimental take on the superhero genre. They explore the film’s unique split-screen techniques and its psychological focus on Bruce Banner’s inner conflict. Was this ambitious, art-house approach a stroke of genius, or did it miss the mark with comic book fans? Tune in as we unpack the film’s legacy, its flaws, and the m...

In this episode, The Searchers dive into the 1964 French classic That Man from Rio , a film that blends action, comedy, and romance in the most improbable ways. Join us as we unpack Jean-Paul Belmondo’s irresistible charm as he embarks on a wild adventure through the streets of Rio de Janeiro. From stolen artifacts to high-flying stunts, this film has it all—and then some! But does its quirky blen...

Chris and Kevin take a detour this week into the icy grip of a Buffalo winter with Buffalo '66 . Written, directed by, and starring Vincent Gallo, the film also features standout performances from Christina Ricci, Anjelica Huston, and Ben Gazzara. Gallo’s background as a painter, musician, and songwriter lends the film a unique, outsider sensibility—raw, personal, and unmistakably his. We’ll be ba...

Kevin, Chris, and Ben finish off the "philosophical hitman" series with Wim Wenders' The American Friend (1977).  The Searchers will return to you next time with an episode on a Vincent Gallo film before diving into their next 3 episode arc. Thanks for listening, and we'll catch you in May!  If you like what you heard, please rate us a 5/5 on Apple, Spotify, or Podbean, and review us on Apple. Sub...

The Searchers discuss the 2nd film in their philosophical hitman series, Crying Freeman starring Mark Dacascos. We discuss our thoughts on the film, the origins of the source material, and a few tangents are made. We'll be back soon with the 3rd and final entry, The American Friend. Enjoy!

For the first "Cinema Crusades" episode in two years, Chris and Ben discuss the recent deaths of Val Kilmer and Richard Norton. Of course, more movies are discussed as the pair pick apart their recent watches. As promised, Crying Freeman will be discussed on episode 88. Thanks for listening.  If you like what you heard, please rate us a 5/5 on Apple, Spotify, or Podbean, and review us on Apple. Su...

The Searchers are back with another episode, this one starting off the next arc: "the philosophical hitman." Chris picked Looper starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Bruce Willis, directed by the now-infamous Rian Johnson. Does this movie hold up, or not? Listen and find out! Next up will be a new Cinema Crusade episode followed by a review on Crying Freeman.  If you like what you heard, please rate...

Okay, gang. Last episode on Jackie for a while! We discuss his two "Shanghai" films with costar Owen Wilson.  Next time we are back with an episode on a film from 2012 with Bruce Willis... wink wink. 

Two Jackie films made in Australia must be discussed with the Searchers' resident Aussie, so of course that means it's another episode with Nick Langdon. The discussion focuses on the subject films and their different cuts, Sammo's vs. Jackie's direction, why New Line Cinema is never to be trusted, and much more. This may be our longest episode in over two years; so get your favorite snacks, possi...

The Searchers are back with our second Jackie Chan movie in a row... this time it's Crime Story from 1993 where we see our star try something new with a more serious role and very serious film. Listen to us discuss it along some other films in Chan's repertoire. Next episode will cover two 1990s Jackie Chan films to round out this mini series on Jackie. See you next time! If you like what you hear...

We are starting something new for 2025 where we cover a group of movies revolving around one topic: an actor, a director, theme, a genre, or whatever else. Coincidentally, we picked Jackie Chan as our first topic which brings us back to one of the reasons Kevin and Ben started this thing in 2022: being big fans of JC. Chris "picked" this one since we've been giving him a hard time about it for ove...

The Searchers are all back to cover Clint Eastwood's 1980 film, Bronco Billy . Don't miss this one, folks! Our episode catalogue: https://searchersfilmpodcast.podbean.com/

Kevin and Chris cover Chris Columbus' 1991 film Only the Lonely starring John Candy, Maureen O'hara, Ally Sheedy, and Anthony Quinn.  Next episode will focus on Clint Eastwood, for the wondering listener(s)!  If you like what you heard, please rate us a 5/5 on Apple, Spotify, or Podbean, and review us on Apple. Submit your mailbags to us at thesearcherspodcast@gmail.com. We'll read both on air. Fo...

Chris is joined by Nick Langdon and Max (mushiminion) to discuss John Frankenheimer and his 1973 film Impossible Object . Don't miss this detailed deep dive into Frankenheimer... enjoy! Follow Nick and Max on Letterboxd, HERE and HERE respectively.  If you like what you heard, please rate us a 5/5 on Apple, Spotify, or Podbean, and review us on Apple. Submit your mailbags to us at thesearcherspodc...

Ben is joined by frequent guest Odie Arbuckle to discuss Let Him Rest In Peace from director Yôichi Sai. Odie graciously spent hours reading the book the film is based off of in Japanese to help provide context to this episode. The discussion focuses on the similarities between Japanese and Westerns filmmaking, Okinawa, Japanese regional filmmaking, and the universal themes of the film. For the ep...

Merry Christmas (and eventually Happy New Year's) from The Searchers. The three of us cover Trading Places starring Dan Aykroyd and Eddie Murphy from 1983, directed by the now less-than-favored John Landis. Because of the hectic time of year and recent personal developments, please forgive the "rougher" cut that must be released, otherwise we'd have missed the release before Christmas Day. We can'...