The newly rebranded Hollywood Creative Alliance continues to assemble a series of “Gradebooks” collecting early reviews and grades from their critics on popular releases. When I can get more work completed and a review submitted early enough, my take and connected quotes have the chance to make these shout-out posts. My newest was being included for Dumb Money. Check out your boy!
Read MoreThe newly rebranded Hollywood Creative Alliance continues to assemble a series of “Gradebooks” collecting early reviews and grades from their critics on popular releases. When I can get more work completed and a review submitted early enough, my take and connected quotes have the chance to make these shout-out posts. My newest was being included for Dumb Money. Check out your boy!
Read MoreFor their 129th episode, two completely human film critics, two protective dads, and two plugged-in teachers, Will Johnson and Don Shanahan, welcome back frequent guest Cati Glidewell of The Blonde in Front back to the podcast. She is filling for Will with Don moderating to cover the first of three consecutive episodes of new release reviews. First up is The Creator from director Gareth Edwards and starring John David Washington. The movie has snooty critics pointing out borrowed sci-fi tropes and others soaking in big feels. Find out where our duo landed.
Read MoreFor their 128th episode, two nonreligious film critics, two sanctimonious dads, and two soup-loving teachers, Will Johnson and Don Shanahan, have a special episode this week. This year, it's the 50th anniversary of The Exorcist and Don had never seen it. Until now! Catch our reaction show where one cinema's most important cornerstones gets discussed with all the heartiness of projectile vomit!
Read MoreFor their 127th episode, two investigative film critics, two disguise-worthy dads, and two sneezing teachers, Will Johnson and Don Shanahan, welcome back returning North Carolina-based guest Joel Winstead of Winstead Reviews and the And the Winner Was... Podcast. In his second visit to the third chair, Joel submitted one of his all-time favorite movies, namely the 1974 film The Taking of Pelham One Two Three starring Walther Matthau and Robert Shaw. The three lay out what makes this underseen classic a future action-thriller prototype for a whole generation of movies that would follow.
Read MoreFor their 126th episode, two dirt-sniffing film critics, two storm-chasing dads, and two meteorlogically-minded teachers, Will Johnson and Don Shanahan, enter "The Suck Zone" with debuting guest Joel Winstead of Winstead Reviews and the "And the Winner Was..." podcast. They pour on the gravy and roll the maps together about their mutual love of the classic 1996 summer blockbuster Twister!”
Read MoreFor their 125th episode, two amnesiac film critics, two ignorant dads, and two redemptive teachers, Will Johnson and Don Shanahan, continue to dive into the older and lesser-seen films of Harrison Ford. Last week, it was Hanover Street. This week, the boys jump up a decade and change to 1991's Regarding Henry written by a young J.J. Abrams and directed by Ford's Working Girl director Mike Nichols. This is a cuddlier part for the typical rough and gruff Ford. Listen to hear what our guys thought.
Read MoreFacebook is the main place that I’ve come to know and commiserate with Kenan Cross, part of the Culture Junkies network of genre-loving content creation. Their YouTube channel and Twitch presence are outstanding. In their brand’s Facebook group, I play “the ringer” as the vetted and RT-approved film critic surfing in the discussion thread. Kenan invited me on recently to talk with his squad all about that work landscape during a time when the “critics vs. fans” debate couldn’t be higher
Read MoreFor their 124rd episode, two dashing film critics, two non-veteran dads, and two honorable teachers, Will Johnson and Don Shanahan, begin to venture to some of the older and underseen films of Harrison Ford. They were inspired after spending in-person time together earlier this summer with Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. Up first is 1979's romantic drama Hanover Street from director Peter Hyams. The movie attempted to make Ford a swoon-worthy romantic lead between the first two "Star Wars" movies when his charisma shot up like a rocket.
Read MoreRecently, Ian Simmons of the Kicking the Seat podcast and YouTube channel and I were talking about the anniversary Warner Bros. 4K release of East of Eden. At the end of the episode, he wanted to know more about my FreeBlockbuster.org project. For those who don’t know, my family and I updated a retired Little Library in Elmwood Park, Illinois into a “Take a Movie/Leave a Movie” franchise location for a Free Blockbuster. Our box is the fourth in the Chicagoland area, and it’s been a fun civic experiment. I told Ian all about it. Follow the Free Blockbuster Elmwood Park Instagram page!
Read MoreFor their 123rd episode, two tall-ish film critics, two lengthy dads, and two long-winded teachers, Will Johnson and Don Shanahan, stay on the editorial track with this open discussion posing the question "Are movies too long?" From blockbusters to prestige pictures, including the recent Oppenheimer the number of movies flying further than a tidy 90 minutes or two hours seems to be growing. Our guys try to dissect how and why this is happening and share how they feel about it.
Read MoreRecently, Ian Simmons of the Kicking the Seat podcast and YouTube channel and I were on the receiving end of a pair of promotional 4K-UHD disc copies from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment. Throughout 2023, the studio has been celebrating their 100th anniversary. Fresh physical media copies of classic titles have been hitting store shelves all year. Last tiome, it was the classic western Rio Bravo. This time around, we have Elia Kazan’s still-evocative East of Eden. Enjoy the show and be sure to subscribe to Ian’s channel!
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