Aug 29, 2023
Elmore Leonard's cocky, energetic ATF Agent Ray Nicolet is a key protagonist in his book 'Rum Punch'. For Quentin Tarantino's film adaptation of 'Rum Punch', 'Jackie Brown', the character, now named "Ray Nicolette" was embodied by the brilliant Michael Keaton with a perfectly cocky, energetic physicality.
While...
Aug 25, 2023
Quentin Tarantino surprised fans with the release of his third film, 'Jackie Brown' coming as it did on the heels of the global phenomenon that was 'Pulp Fiction' in all its unprecedented Tarantino-ness.
Devoid of gory violence, 'Jackie Brown' is a thoughtful, hilarious, insightful and moving crime story that manages...
Aug 17, 2023
Billy Friedkin, maybe the weirdest (in a good way) major American director of his generation, almost doesn't make sense on paper; wait...the same guy directed 'The French Connection' and 'The Excorcist'? But the ups and downs of Friedkin's storied and somewhat haphazard career are what makes him one of the...
Aug 8, 2023
A deep-dive into the semiotics of 'Barbie' and its post-feminist critique of corporate capitalism and American mores.
Just kidding, I went and saw 'Barbie' with five 12-year-olds. Six, if you count me.
But seriously, this episode unpacks some of the things I found interesting about the film, its very existence, its...
Aug 1, 2023
I'm joined by legendary ad-man-turned brand-identity guru, author, screenwriter, and producer Ernest Lupinacci to talk all things 'The Godfather' and 'The Godfather, Part II' (with a sideways glance at 'The Godfather, Part III'), including our preferences, what II gained and lost in terms of casting and production,...