For their 191st episode, two Secret Service film critics, two sweaty dads, and two counterfeit school teachers, Will Johnson and Don Shanahan, seep into the seedy side of nefarious crimes of money and the slimy side of Los Angeles with William Friedkin's 1985 stunner To Live and Die in L.A. Our guys always make time for a Willem Dafoe blind spot and this was a winner, thanks to the detailed mystery and the bold swerves orchestrated by the director.
Read MoreFor their 190th episode, two enlisted film critics, two centerfold dads, and two non-silent school teachers, Will Johnson and Don Shanahan, pull up their anchors, load their guns, and take on an 1990s action movie classic! Steven Seagal (and us) never had it better than 1992's Under Siege, co-starring Tommy Lee Jones and Gary Busey. This was director Andrew Davis's audition tape for The Fugitive, and it becomes comical how much Seagal is squeezed out of his own movie. We talk about all the warheads of Under Siege and more!
Read MoreFor their 189th episode, two romantic film critics, two pretty dads, and two school teacher with hearts of gold, Will Johnson and Don Shanahan, cover one more Oscar contender before the big awards. With Sean Baker's Anora surging up the Oscar odds charts with wins at the Critics Choice Awards, BAFTAS, and the top guilds for producers and directors, they felt the opportunity was there to announce their own tepid response to the new frontrunner. As a special pairing and point of comparison, our guys call on the edgy whimsy of 1990's Pretty Woman to weave in extra layers of discussion.
Read MoreFor their 188th episode, two patriotic film critics, two winged dads, and two reformed Marvel Schill school teachers, Will Johnson and Don Shanahan, swoop in to sing what appears to be minority praises for the new Marvel Cinematic Universe film Captain America: Brave New World. The movie might be bombing with critics, but we think there's plenty to love and enough exciting content for a trip to the big screen before settling for an afternoon on Disney+ in three months.
Read MoreFor their 187th episode, two digitized film critics, two dads who fight for the users, and two Master Control school teachers, Will Johnson and Don Shanahan, squeeze together a TRON double feature to cover the landmark 1982 original Tron and its pumped-up 2010 sequel Tron Legacy. Will was a first-timer to The Grid, while Don was happy return to the films' wondrous digital abyss with a newbie.
Read MoreFor their 186th episode, two glamorous film critics, two substance-abusing dads, and two out-of-control school teachers, Will Johnson and Don Shanahan, catch up to the recent Academy Award nominations to discuss The Substance! Filmmaker Coralie Fergeat's celebrity thriller, rife with body horror and Hollywood commentary has wowed audiences and critics alike as an exemplar of its genre worthy of Oscars and a validation measure for the career of Demi Moore. Here how our guys breakdown the hype.
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As so often has happened for me, critics meet other critics in virtual places creating a little network of acquaintances and cheerleaders for fellow creative people. I met William Eguizabal of FilmSnobReviews years ago and we hit it off with or similar clashing styles of expertise mixed with saltiness when necessary. William recently invited me back as a guest for his “Snob Cast” podcast with his multi-talented co-host Chai Simone. This time the topic was gangster and organized crime movies where the panel chose many diverse favorites.
Read MoreFor their 185th episode, two futuristic film critics, two mutant dads, and two socially-consicous teachers, Will Johnson and Don Shanahan, begin a new sub-series for 2025 called "The Anniversary Parade." A host of key classics are celebrating benchmark anniversaries this year and our show will gradually crack into that list all year long. First up is Bryan Singer's X-Men. Debuting in 2000, the movie turns 25 in 2025. Our guys chop it up and spin into an editorial on "Unknown-to-Icon Mount Rushmore" when the topic shifted to the phenomenon of Hugh Jackman.
Read MoreFor their 184th episode, two horse-riding film critics, two horn-blowing dads, and two sieging teachers, Will Johnson and Don Shanahan, celebrated a new year with a conversation on the recent spin-off The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim. The anime-style film is a deep prequel to the War of the Ring from the Peter Jackson cradle. It impressed us and we're bummed it's flopping at the box office.
Read MoreFor their 183rd episode, two Romanesque film critics, two dirt-rubbing dads, and two non-emperor teachers, Will Johnson and Don Shanahan, came together for a recent new release they both had circled on their calendars for a long time even before 2024. Celebrated film director Ridley Scott stepped back into the Gladiator arena to make the long-distance sequel Gladiator II. This highly anticipated blockbuster did not go well with one of our hosts, causing them to live up to the pod's name with different perspectives.
Read MoreFor their 182nd episode, two suspicious film critics, two Corvette-driving dads, and two sheriff-wannabe teachers, Will Johnson and Don Shanahan, dipped their toes into the wellspring that is the movie resume of the Oscar-nominated Willem Dafoe. This week's show covers 1992's White Sands, directed by Roger Donaldson and starring Dafore alongside Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, and Mickey Rourke. Will has long been a huge admirer of Willem Dafore, but, much to our mutual surprise, he had never heard of or seen White Sands until Don recommended it
Read MoreFor their 181st episode, two science officer film critics, two brave dads, and two assimilated teachers, Will Johnson and Don Shanahan, welcomed back Neil Shurley and Ben Cahlamer for their second consecutive episode guest spot. Their challenge was to boldly go where no show had gone before. The four set their phasers on stun to cover 1996's beloved Star Trek: First Contact, the first solo film for the central cast and crew of Star Trek: The Next Generation. The memories are fond and the shared insight is fonder.
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