Cinecast Mailbag (8/31)

We promise not to spend too much more time on the response to our Top 5 Overrated Movies list, but it provoked so many heated -- and articulate -- responses that it seems a shame not to share them.

Guys –

One of the interesting things about your overrated movie list (and the Premiere Magazine list) is that it can be grouped by who overrates the movie. I would categorize it roughly in the following ways, though certain films fall into more than one list:

1) Overrated by the Academy: Making this list is like shooting fish in a barrel. There are dozens of over-acted, bloated, self-important movies that for one reason or another were Oscar bait in a certain year. Examples mentioned: “Forrest Gump”, “Terms of Endearment”, “Driving Miss Daisy.” I would add “The Color Purple” and the egregious “Dances With Wolves.” While Premiere loaded up on this type, you guys pretty much skipped over films like these – to your credit. Save them for your “Oscar mistakes” Top 5, which I look forward to hearing. [See Adam's Mailbag from 8/25 for more on this subject.]

2) Overrated by film historians: These are movies that may have struck a cultural chord or broken new ground technically or thematically, but haven’t aged well. Examples you often hear are “Easy Rider,” “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner,” “Rebel Without a Cause,” and “The French Connection.” I think movies like “Boys Don’t Cry” and “Spanking the Monkey” will join this list.

3) Overrated by younger film critics: These are the edgy movies you guys (especially Sam) went after, and good for you, because they’re the ones most beloved by your audience. I really like a couple of the films you listed, especially “Fight Club,” “Barton Fink,” and, to a lesser extent, “Royal Tenenbaums,” but at least you’re bold. I would put on this list “sex, lies and videotape” (which fascinated me for its minimalist style when it came out, but has a story that falls apart on repeated viewings), or anything by Todd Solondz or Neil LaBute.

4) Overrated by geeks: These are the comedies that are memorized and quoted ad nauseum that defy any critical scrutiny. You saved the top spot on your list for movies of this type, which is great for starting an argument but is really beside the point. I happen to agree with you on Mel Brooks, but really, the only criteria for judging these movies is whether audiences like them, and both Mel Brooks and Monty Python pass this test with flying colors. [Adam adds: The only criteria for judging these movies isn't whether "audiences" like them, but whether "you" like them (i.e. did they make you laugh?)

Thanks for all your continued work. --JH Lanier

Great e-mail, JH -- particularly for the method it offers our madness. And yes, Adam and I likely will get around to an "Oscar Mistakes" Top 5 next March. But hopefully we'll remember to offer an "Alternative Oscars" list in addition. The Cinecast Top 5 lists are supposed to be about celebrating what we like, making our "Top 5 Overrated" list a rare exception. I do disagree with JH's suggestion that including Mel Brooks movies and "Holy Grail" on the overrated list is "beside the point." Adam and I didn't just choose movies that make people laugh; we chose films that have been installed in some kind of comedic canon -- making them totally legitimate candidates for overrated designation.

Adam and I have made the point a couple times on recent shows that there's a difference between hating a movie and declaring a movie overrated. That may be true, but I completely sympathize with listeners' feelings of hurt and betrayal when they heard a favorite movie on our Top 5 Overrated list. And I even sympathize with those listeners who were so angry at some of our picks that they stopped listening to the show altogether. Premiere had one of my favorite movies of all-time on their overrated list -- Robert Altman's "Nashville" -- and my first thought was: "Well, obviously they're complete morons." It didn't matter that their list contained four or five others that I completely agreed with; their inclusion of "Nashville" felt like a personal affront.

Assembling a Top 5 Overrated Movies list is, I now realize, a potentially self-defeating exercise for a fledgling podcast like Cinecast. It could only succeed if it offended; but, having offended, have we endeared ourselves to listeners in equal measure? I guess, in the end, we were equal opportunity offenders. We offended the Academy, we offended the film historians, we offended the young critics, and we offended the geeks. And really, at the end of the day, isn't that what counts?

Sam

Cinecast #33: Failed Tale

If "The Man Who Killed Don Quixote" is the greatest film Terry Gilliam never made, "The Brothers Grimm" has the dubious distinction of being the movie he made instead. Over-ambitious and undisciplined, everything about "Grimm" feels second-rate -- the acting, the story, the direction. Though "Grimm" features isolated moments of visual inspiration, Adam and Sam agree that the entire film lacks coherence. Maybe "Tideland," a new Gilliam film scheduled for release this winter, will find the director in better form.

Also on the show, Listener Feedback, Massacre Theatre -- presented by Movies Passions.com -- and a preview of Friday's Top 5 Movie Badasses.

Music by Neko Case courtesy of Bloodshot Records ... Cinecast theme music by Age of the Rifle.



Cinecast #33
:32-13:49 - Review: "The Brothers Grimm"
Music: Neko Case, "We've Never Met"
14:36-24:35 - Listener Voicemails
Music: Neko Case, "Furnace Room Lullaby"
25:45-28:43 - Massacre Theatre
28:44-32:56 - Top 5 Movie Badasses Preview

Have a comment or Top 5 list you'd like to share? Send us an e-mail at cinecast@cinecastshow.com. Or give us a call at 206-203-CINE and leave a voice message.

Cinecast #33 - Coming Soon!

Principal photography on Cinecast #33 is in the can ... we've just run into a little studio interference on the final cut. Our review of Terry Gilliam's "The Brothers Grimm" -- plus Listener Feedback and Massacre Theatre -- will be available by 4pm (CST).

We'll make up for the delay by posting Friday's show a little early. Look for Cinecast #34 on Thursday night.

Thanks for your patience!

Sam

Apologies...

Some of our older shows won't be available for a few days... we're pushing our bandwidth again due to high traffic. Thanks for your patience and for listening!

Cinecast #32: Suspense At 35,000 Feet

"Red Eye" isn't the supernatural scare-fest that Adam and I expected it to be, but Wes Craven's new thriller with Rachel McAdams and Cillian Murphy is undeniably successful as simple summer entertainment. "Red Eye" also makes for a great late summer curtain call for McAdams and Murphy, both of whom played juicy supporting roles in two of the summer's biggest hits -- "Wedding Crashers" and "Batman Begins," respectively.

Also on the show, our Overlooked DVD Picks of the Week and the Top 5 Overrated Movies.

Music by Dan Bern courtesy of Messenger Records ... Cinecast theme music by Age of the Rifle.



Cinecast #32
:34-9:17 - Review: "Red Eye"
Music: Dan Bern, "Alaska Highway"
9:52-13:30 - Listener Voicemails
13:31-20:20 - Overlooked DVD Picks of the Week
Music: Dan Bern, "New American Language"
21:00-37:18 - Top 5 Overrated Movies

Have a comment or Top 5 list you'd like to share? Send us an e-mail at cinecast@cinecastshow.com. Or give us a call at 206-203-CINE and leave a voice message.

Cinecast Mailbag (8/25)

Seems we've definitely opened the floodgates with our overrated movies discussion...

Hey Adam! Hey Sam!

Love the show. Makes my daily commute less tedious, and I thank you for that.

I'm guessing this one will somehow be left out of the list of overrated flicks, but has there ever been a film as overrated as "Terms of Endearment"?

Here is a film that won best picture, director, actor, actress and adapted screenplay, and yet, it rarely rises above the level of mediocre sitcom. Nicholson rarely goes beyond auto-pilot. MacLaine is only slight outdone by Faye Dunaway in "Mommie Dearest" in terms of hamminess. The direction is pedestrian. The score entirely annoying. And the writing is lackluster and schmaltzy. Brooks' work was much sharper and often more heartfelt in any random episode of "The Mary Tyler Moore Show."

The only real highlights in the film lie in the interplay between John Lithgow and Debra Winger, and even that is burdened by some cheap, obvious humor (for example, the New York line).

I remember when the film came out that there were reports of large groups of people leaving the theatre crying. It must have been because they were so happy the movie was over.

Well, keep up the good work. --Stuart Kazanow, Reisterstown, MD

P.S. How could you leave "Revenge of the Nerds" off of the top five list of revenge flicks? The Bride's got nuthin' on Gilbert, Louis and Booger!!

Thanks for the feedback, Stuart. First off, I love "Revenge of the Nerds"! One of my all-time nostalgia movies... not to mention most quotable.

You're right, "Terms of Endearment" won't make either of our Top 5 lists. Not that it doesn't belong there, mind you -- you nailed it; it's completely overrated. (And not surprisingly, perhaps, you will find one James L. Brooks film in my top 5.) But for me, and I think Sam as well, "Terms" is just too easy a target. There are so many undeserving films just like it that won a bunch of Oscars (see below) ... enough, in fact, that you can be sure we'll have our Top 5 Best Picture Blunders come February.

But forget how it was received then, do you know anybody who really loves this film? I don't. I'm having a hard time finishing my top 5, in fact, because I have a whole list of films just like "Terms" that I do believe were overrated, but just aren't "sexy" picks (think of all of the movies Sam, rather ridiculously, listed in his 6-10). Movies that can inspire some hate mail! Will anybody be upset if I call "Driving Miss Daisy" overrated? "Titanic"? "Out of Africa"? "Rainman"?

Let me be clear... we're not going out of our way to piss people off with these lists. But if the picks aren't at least somewhat shocking, then can you really say the movies are "overrated"?

So I agree with you on "Terms," but I'm hoping for an inbox full of vitriol. I think I've got a couple in my top 5 that will do the trick... need one more though. I guess we'll see what I come up with Friday morning.

Best,
Adam

Cinecast Mailbag (8/24)

Is it safe to come out of hiding for a little mailbag? Or are we still targets of that cinematic fatwa?

I've been listening to your show, I've e-mailed you a few times, and generally, I've become a fan of your podcast. But, your list of overrated movies, frankly, makes me want to punch you both in the face. - Wesley Rumph

Wesley. You're not alone, my friend. And isn't that the fun of Overrated Lists? (And to Wesley's credit, he did add that he had no intention of "literally" punching Adam and I in the face. I am, however, still waiting for the figurative punch in the face.) Overrated lists are by definition contentious. If we all agreed that a film was overrated, it wouldn't be overrated, would it?

E-mails from listeners so far (and we've only revealed our 6-10 overrated!) seem to be falling into two camps: 1) "You're an idiot. You totally missed the point of Brazil" and 2) "I'll see your 'Brazil' and I'll raise you "Citizen Kane." Fury and competitiveness. Sometimes in the same e-mail.

For the record, I've seen every movie on my top 10 list more than once. In some cases, the movie's flaws only became apparent to me on a second viewing (eg, "American Beauty"). In other cases, a second viewing only cemented my original impression ("Usual Suspects," "Fight Club," "The Royal Tenenbaums").

Some more overrated movies from Cinecast listeners:

"The Matrix" - I always thought people who like this had really missed out on Hong Kong Movies and (the novels) of Phillip K. Dick. (Magnus from Berlin)

"Gone With The Wind" - A time capsule of wish-fulfillment of nostalgia that has us follow for over three hours one of the most despicably shallow characters in film history. (Tony Leal)

"Star Wars" - If I can't even stop myself from nodding off during the Death Star scene at the end of the first one, it's hopeless. (Jared, Boston)

"Clerks" - I really wanted to like this movie, which was such a hit with so many of my friends. But the movie just bored me, and I felt there were some misogynistic overtones. I thought "Mallrats" and "Chasing Amy" were much better, but I almost didn't see them because I disliked Clerks so much. (Susanna Montezemolo, Washington, DC)

"Lord of the Rings: Return of the King" (and really the whole series) - Awful. Everything about Lord of the Rings is paint-by-numbers trash. (Tom Haley, Wheaton, IL)

Keep those e-mails coming!

Cinecast #31: The Last American Virgin

A veteran of Chicago's famed Second City stage, "40 Year-Old Virgin" star (and co-screenwriter) Steve Carell has made a career out of playing what Adam calls "the masculine misfit." Unassuming, asexual and decidedly normal-looking, Carell is a born character actor, which makes it a pleasant and unlikely surprise to see him leading the ensemble cast of a big budget summer comedy. More surprising still, "The 40 Year-Old Virgin" is the funniest film of the year. Adam and Sam agree that "Virgin" is what "Wedding Crashers" should have been: unapologetically crass and funny as hell.

Also on the show, Listener Feedback, Massacre Theatre and a look ahead to this week's Top 5... Overrated Movies.

Music by Bobby Bare Jr's Young Criminals Starvation League courtesy of Bloodshot Records ... Cinecast theme music by Age of the Rifle.



Cinecast #31
:35-14:02 - Review: "The 40 Year-Old Virgin"
Music - "Valentine," Bobby Bare Jr.
14:52-27:06 - Sam's "Must Love Dogs" Query, Listener Feedback
Music - "Don't Follow Me (I'm Lost), Bobby Bare Jr.
28:25-32:18 - Massacre Theatre
32:19-39:14 - Top 5 Overrated Movies Preview

Have a comment or Top 5 list you'd like to share? Send us an e-mail at cinecast@cinecastshow.com. Or give us a call at 206-203-CINE and leave a voice message.

Ci

Cinecast #30: Revenge of the Top 5's

Top 5 Revenge Movies? No problem. Or so we thought. As it turned out, one of the oldest narrative conventions proved to be one of the hardest Top 5's to assemble. Revenge on film, it seems, is often resolved with mindless bloodshed -- not always a recipe for cinematic greatness. But you didn't think we'd really leave off "Kill Bill," did you? Also on the show, the first (and last) "Judging A Book By Its Cover" segment, featuring our review of the first 15 minutes of "The Upside of Anger." Plus, our Overlooked DVD Picks of the Week.

Music by Wilder Embry. Visit him online at wilderembry.com ... Cinecast theme music by Age of the Rifle.



Cinecast #30
:24-3:49 - "Upside of Anger" Discussion
3:50-10:29 - Overlooked DVD Picks
Music: Wilder Embry, "Last Monday Night"
12:21-26:06 - Cinecast Confession, Top 5 Revenge Movies

Have a comment or Top 5 list you'd like to share? Send us an e-mail at cinecast@cinecastshow.com. Or give us a call at 206-203-CINE and leave a voice message.

Cinecast Mailbag (8/18)

What's so funny 'bout Love, Heaven and Lost in Translation?

Hi Adam and Sam,

After university, I thought that I had developed a more sophisticated appreciation for cinema. After all, I started to enjoy foreign films and indie stuff as well. However, when critics raved about "Far From Heaven," "Punch-Drunk Love," and "Lost in Translation" both for their acting and direction, I went to see them. While I could see what everyone admired about the films, they just didn't do much for me. It finally dawned on me that while bad acting and bad direction may really bother me, I didn't feel that strongly about really good acting or really good directing. I realized that I fell back on the kinds of things I liked as a kid: imaginative worlds and creative stories brought to life on screen.

Since you both obviously admire and enjoy good acting and good directing, are there films that you think are really good in spite of mediocre acting or directing, which have gained your admiration for other qualities?

Keep up the great work, guys. You know I'm listening.

Thanks,
Alvin Ng, Toronto

Great question, Alvin. I appreciate your measured response to films like "Punch-Drunk Love" and "Lost In Translation." Instead of declaring movie critics pretentious, over-educated snobs, you make the always valuable point that watching movies is an entirely subjective experience. It's not uncommon for someone like yourself to leave college with a new appreciation for film. Four long years of textual or molecular analysis, lunchroom debate, and -- in many cases -- an introduction to new cultures and philosophies, can give you a greater appreciation for non-traditional storytelling techniques. And sometimes this new appreciation for the experimental can make you less patient with the conventional -- which is the common condition of the modern movie critic. Repeated exposure to the "new" can make you lose taste for the "old." And gross exposure to conventionality can make the rare taste of originality all the sweeter. Which can result in ecstatic reviews for imperfect films like "Lost in Translation" and "Far From Heaven." (Subjectively speaking, I happen to think that "Punch-Drunk Love" is a nearly perfect film.)

But. I'm not sure I've answered your question. Are there films I like despite "mediocre acting and directing"? I took a quick look at my Netflix ratings and the movies that seemed to match your query fell into a couple of categories: 1) Nostalgia movies, the movies I loved as a kid (see Cinecast #13); 2) movies where character or setting made up for uninspired (or amateur) acting or directing ("Raising Victor Vargas" "The Fast Runner"); and 3) Comedies. I don't want to come off as dismissive of comedic acting -- or directing -- but I think it's fair to say that movies like "Anchorman" or "Wet Hot American Summer" that make me laugh, that provide genuine enjoyment, are not the best acted or directed. And I think your question does well to skirt the "guilty pleasure" question, too. I think it's fair to say that if you enjoy watching a movie, there's a reason for it. To declare an appreciation for, oh, I don't know, "Four Brothers," a "guilty pleasure" is selling the movie and yourself short. Let the guilt-free movie revolution begin! Let's declare an end to "guilty pleasures" and stand up for what we like!

Cinecast Mailbag (8/17)

A long but provocative email from a listener in Japan...

Hi Adam and Sam,

I'm a British guy living in Japan. I really enjoy your show and listen every week. Yes, your listeners are spreading worldwide! I noticed Japan is slowly becoming a more significant topic in recent cinema discussion. Not only as a source of talent such as the acclaimed Miyazaki, mentioned briefly in last Tuesday's podcast, but also as a source of recent Hollywood horror remakes such as The Ring, The Grudge and most recently Dark Water, not forgetting the subject and setting of films such as Lost In Translation, The Last Samurai and the highly anticipated "Memoirs of a Geisha". Japan has rightly or wrongly proved itself as a rich source for filmmakers.

I take issue with a recent listener's email that made a comparison of greatness between Broken Flowers and Lost in Translation. If, like many people, you thought "Lost in Translation" was a touching, insightful art film, trust me, you are wrong. The subject matter was criminally under researched. It is so flawed with its unforgivably stereotypical phony "insights" about Japan and its people that the film loses all credibility. I realize the film is about two characters that feel lost and disconnected in their environment, but that's no excuse for endless scenes where Japanese people are repeatedly and inaccurately portrayed as bizarre to the point of mentally insane. I urge you, Adam and Sam, to watch the film again and confirm with me that there was not one scene in which any of the characters make any kind of connection or understanding of Japanese people without that irritating and condescending undertone. What also annoyed me was the lost opportunity of worthy subject matter. It drove me mad, and when smug director and writer Sofia Coppola scooped an Oscar, well, as you can imagine I was thrilled...

Keep up the great work.

Giles Mitchell, Japan

P.S. Please include "Lost In Translation" in your top 5 overrated movies and I can forgive Sam's shocking review of "Four Brothers"!

I'm not sure anything can forgive Sam's review of "Four Brothers," Giles! I think one could argue that "Lost In Translation" is still a "touching, insightful art film" even if it isn't particularly insightful -- or is just plain wrong -- about Japanese culture. I'd love to take your challenge and revist the film, paying close attention to the "irritating and condescending undertone," but when there are so many movies I still need to see, I doubt I'll find the time to watch "LIT" again anytime soon. Considering I've only seen the movie once -- and enjoyed it, but was not blown away by it -- and know very little about Japan and its people, I really can't argue with you. But it is worth noting that you certainly aren't alone in your criticism. Asian Mediawatch sponsored a campaign again "LIT" for the way it "dehumanizes the Japanese people by portraying them as a collection of shallow stereotypes who are treated with disregard and disdain...

The film has no meaningful Japanese roles, nor is there any significant dialogue between the main characters and the Japanese. Such portrayals perpetuate negative stereotypes and attitudes that are harmful to Asian Americans in the United States where a significant minority of Americans already have negative attitudes towards Asian Americans."

For her part, Sofia Coppola was surprised by the charges: "I can see why people might think that, but I know I'm not racist. I think if everything's based on truth, you can make fun, have a little laugh, but also be respectful of a culture. I just love Tokyo, and I'm not mean-spirited."

Like Coppola, I understand the complaint, but reflecting on my lone viewing of "LIT," I certainly never got the impression that she was being mean-spirited or deliberately trying to portray Japanese people in a bad light. The whole discussion reminds me a little bit of the complaints by the family of Max Baer, Jr. for the way he was portrayed in "Cinderella Man" -- as a loud-mouth, womanizing thug. Ron Howard's response was that he wasn't telling Max Baer's story; he was telling Jim Braddock's story, and that's how Braddock and his family viewed Baer. I'm not sure how compelling this argument is, but it seems sufficient to me... and perhaps applicable here. As you pointed out, Giles, "LIT" really is just a story about two lost characters, "disconnected in their environment." It's not a story, ultimately, about Japan or the Japanese people. Maybe all those two characters really noticed was the "bizarre" behavior.

Cinecast #29: Pathetic Justice

Four Brothers, the new urban revenge drama from director John Singleton, features a preposterous plot, two-dimensional characters, violence without consequence ... and guess what? Sam liked it anyway. Adam, however, considered it a "travesty." That's right folks, the first Cinecast fight since show #17! The only thing Adam and Sam did agree on, which somehow goes largely un-discussed during their debate -- Mark Wahlberg's brash, charismatic performance as the avenging quartet's ringleader.

Also on the show, Listener Feedback, a preview of Friday's Top 5 Revenge Movies, and Massacre Theatre presented by ChicagoMixer.com.

Music by Anne McCue courtesy of Messenger Records ... Cinecast theme music by Age of the Rifle.



Cinecast #29
:30-14:04 - Review: "Four Brothers"
Music - Anne McCue, "Milkman's Daughter"
14:59-25:18 - Listener Feedback, Overlooked DVD Picks
Music - Anne McCue, "Stupid"
26:42-29:17 - Massacre Theatre
29:18-33:19 - Top 5 Revenge Movies Preview

Have a comment or Top 5 list you'd like to share? Send us an e-mail at cinecast@cinecastshow.com. Or give us a call at 206-203-CINE and leave a voice message.

Cinecast #28: Bergman's Last Symphony

Calling Ingmar Bergman's latest film a "sequel" to 1974's "Scenes From A Marriage" is like calling the Sistine Chapel a sequel to the Pieta. In "Saraband," Johan and Marianne -- the unhappy couple from Bergman's landmark '70s film -- are reunited after 30 years apart. Your hosts disagree on how the two films match up -- Adam considers "Scenes" a masterpiece, which Bergman's latest cannot hope to equal; while Sam actually found more to like in "Saraband." But one thing is clear: at 87 years of age, Bergman is still a master of psychological storytelling.

Also on the show, Listener Feedback, our Overlooked DVD Picks of the Week, and the Top 5 Movies About Marriage.

Music by Rainmarket. Visit them online at rain-market.com ... Cinecast theme music by Age of the Rifle.



Cinecast #28
:33-14:08 - Review: "Saraband"
Music: Rainmarket, "Bristol"
14:46-24:26 - Listener Feedback, Overlooked DVD Picks
Music: Rainmarket, "On Your Own"
25:19-39:08 - Top 5 Movies About Marriage

Have a comment or Top 5 list you'd like to share? Send us an e-mail at cinecast@cinecastshow.com. Or give us a call at 206-203-CINE and leave a voice message.

Cinecast Mailbag (8/11)

As a new dad, I've especially enjoyed your new "Overlooked DVD" segment. Getting to the theater has become much more difficult for me, so I've missed most of the movies you've been discussing....This might not be a film that is overlooked, but one of my favorites is "Wag The Dog," starring Dustin Hoffman and Robert De Niro....It's a great modern fairy tale about cynicism, the truth about our own attention spans in a media-soaked culture, and in a weird way, duty. If the rumors are true that Barry Levinson agreed to do "Sphere" for the chance to make "Wag The Dog," certainly movie fans owe it to him to see "Dog" for making that kind of sacrifice....It doesn't hurt that it's one of the funnier films in years. --Robb Neumann

Thanks, Robb. And thanks to everyone who has sent Overlooked and Best of 2005 (So Far) recommendations recently. Because of all of you, my Netflix queue currently features nearly 300 titles, including the two right at the top of the queue, "The Upside of Anger" and "Oldboy" (on DVD here in the States Aug. 23).

I chose Robb's e-mail because... well... I completely agree with him. "Wag the Dog" has been totally overlooked. I saw it when it was still in theaters back in '97... maybe six months or so before then President Clinton fired a couple rockets at Afghanistan when the first reports of his relationship with Monica Lewinsky started to leak. It was an uncanny parallel to the film, which tells the satirical tale of White House staffers enlisting a Hollywood producer to create a televised war in an effort to cover up a Presidential sex scandal. But the movie isn't just prescient; it's smart and funny (the script was co-written by David Mamet) and features great performances from De Niro and Hoffman (and, in supporting roles, Woody Harrelson, Anne Heche and Willy Nelson). "Wag The Dog" isn't perfect by any means, but I remember being impressed and surprised with the energy and sense of fun which Barry Levinson made the movie. (Apparently it was shot in less than 30 days for a budget under $15 million. And because everything is relative, we're just going to have to accept that $15 million isn't a lot of money.) I loved this movie when I saw it in the theater and always meant to check it out again. Thanks to Robb's e-mail, I'm adding it to the queue. You should to.

Also, for more "Overlooked DVD" recommendations from listeners, check out the Cinecast message boards.

Sam

Cinecast Mailbag (8/10)

Hey guys, Bill Murray has given us "Lost in Translation", "The Life Aquatic", and now "Broken Flowers." I am now convinced that he has but one goal in life... boring us to death. Love your show. --Daryl Palmer

Thanks, Daryl. Nicely (and humorously) put. Considering that I really liked "Lost in Translation" and loved "Broken Flowers," I can't totally agree with you of course. However...

I missed "The Life Aquatic" in theatres and finally caught it on DVD last month. In all honesty, I thought it was one of the worst films I've seen all year. Wes Anderson had to disappoint eventually, right? For the first time I felt like all of those people I've heard about who sat blankly watching "Rushmore" and/or "Tenenbaums" and just didn't "get" the humor. "Aquatic" felt so forced... like Anderson was trying SO HARD to be absurd. It bored me to death, but I thought Murray did the best he could do with the script.

And as much as I enjoyed "Broken Flowers" -- and enjoyed watching Murray in it -- I'll admit there were times that his inaction and general indolence did bother me. Going back to Jarmusch's "Generica" idea, if we view Don as a kind of everyman, then would it have possibly made more sense to portray him a little less mopey? Aren't we all a little unhappy and dissatisfied when we really think about it? And yet, most of us don't walk around in a complete fog like Don does. We put on a face to meet the faces we meet (thank you, T.S. Eliot). I'm not asking for Don to be sprightful or anything, but did he have to be so apathetic? Just throwing it out there...

Sam's chimes in: Just so Adam's not hanging out there all alone with his criticism of "Life Aquatic" ... a film many otherwise sane people seem to enjoy ... I agree: it totally bored me, too. And as I've said more than once on the show, Anderson's "Bottle Rocket" is one of my favorite movies of all time. But I'll go Adam one better: "Anderson had to disappoint eventually, right?" Yes, Adam. It was called "The Royal Tenenbaums." As far as I'm concerned, Anderson's only batting .500. What happened to the charismatic, oddball heroes of "Bottle Rocket" and "Rushmore"? Part of what makes Dignan and Max so fascinating -- and funny -- is that they fight their battles alone; Anderson's last two pictures have been overpopulated with eccentrics -- and mopey eccentrics at that. Here's hoping that Anderson can kick the self-indulgent streak and get his sense of humor back.

Cinecast #27: Look At You Now, (Broken) Flowers In The Window

"Hustle & Flow," "Last Days," "March of the Penguins," "The Beat That My Heart Skipped" ... and now Jim Jarmusch's "Broken Flowers": The summer of 2005 is being saved from mediocrity by independent cinema. "Flowers," starring Bill Murray and an incredible roster of supporting talent (including Jeffrey Wright, Sharon Stone, Jessica Lange and "Six Feet Under's" Frances Conroy), features a surprisingly conventional premise that has ex-ladies man Murray trying to figure out the origin of a mysterious note that claims he's the father of a 19 year-old son. But Jarmusch successfully mines the high concept story for his trademark deadpan laughs and genuine pathos. Fast becoming the go-to guy for indie auteurs, Murray gives another outstanding and subtle performance. Fans of "About Schmidt," "Lost in Translation" and "Sideways" take heed: your middle-aged man-in-crisis movie has arrived.

Also on the show, Listener Feedback, the Best and Worst Performances of the Year (So Far), and Massacre Theatre presented by ChicagoMixer.com ... Where singles mix and couples emerge.

Music by Waco Brothers courtesy of Bloodshot Records ... Cinecast theme music by Age of the Rifle.



Cinecast #27
:32-14:24 - Review: "Broken Flowers"
Music: Waco Brothers, "Come A Long Long Way"
15:14-25:17 - Listener Feedback, Worst Performances of the Year (So Far)
Music: Waco Brothers, "Lincoln Town Car"
26:05-32:58 - Best Performances of the Year (So Far)
32:59-36:19 - Massacre Theatre
36:20-38:38 - Top 5 Movies About Marriage Preview

Have a comment or Top 5 list you'd like to share? Send us an e-mail at cinecast@cinecastshow.com. Or give us a call at 206-203-CINE and leave a voice message.

New Show Tuesday

No Mailbag today... Sam and I have decided to take Mondays "off" to prepare for Tuesday's show. Look for the Mailbag posted every Wednesday and Thursday before noon CDT.

Cinecast #27 will be up Tuesday morning with our review of Jim Jarmusch's "Broken Flowers," Massacre Theatre (brought to you by ChicagoMixer.com), the Best and Worst Performances of the Year (So Far) and a look ahead to Friday's Top 5 -- Movies About Marriage.

Cinecast #26: March To The Beat

Driven into the arthouse last weekend thanks to uninspiring mainstream releases, your Cinecast co-hosts took the opportunity to catch a couple of this summer's less-hyped movies. Adam took his three year-old son to see the surprise hit of the summer, the National Geographic documentary March of the Penguins, while Sam threw on a beret and took himself to see The Beat That My Heart Skipped, French director Jacques Audiard's remake of the 1978 American film "Fingers." According to Sam, Audiard's remake is worth seeking out -- and a big improvement over writer/director James Toback's cult classic original. Adam was moved by "Penguins," and his emotional evocation of the egg-passing ritual should earn him the podcasting equivalent of the Pulitzer Prize.

Also on the show, Cinecast listeners do our dirty work and review "Stealth," "Sky High" and "Must Love Dogs." Plus, our Overlooked DVD Picks of the Week and the Top 5 Movies of the Year (So Far).

Music by Kelly Hogan courtesy of Bloodshot Records ... additional music by Haywood Yards ... Cinecast theme music by Age of the Rifle.



Cinecast #26
:38-7:29 - Review: "The Beat That My Heart Skipped"
7:30-13:54 - Review: "March of the Penguins"
14:57-18:49 - Listener Feedback
18:50-24:52 - Overlooked DVD Picks of the Week
25:35-36:59 - Top 5 Movies of the Year (So Far)

Have a comment or Top 5 list you'd like to share? Send us an e-mail at cinecast@cinecastshow.com. Or give us a call at 206-203-CINE and leave a voice message.

Cinecast Mailbag (8/4)

Three responses to Sam's post yesterday regarding the best female performances of the year... all three urging us to include Joan Allen for "The Upside of Anger."

Hello, gents. How about Joan Allen's performance in "The Upside of Anger." I believed her intensity could've blown off Mike Binder's head WITHOUT Hollywood FX. And while we're at it, why not add Kevin Costner for the same film. I was about ready to give up on this guy until "Open Range." Now, the performance he turns in here is so ego-free, so everyman slobby that he could easily become the last word/poster child for all of America's jocks-gone-to-seed. -- Tanboy

Maybe you didn't get a chance to see this film yet, but Joan Allen in 'The Upside of Anger' was absolutely perfect. I personally don't like Kevin Costner, but I even thought he did a decent job in the film. -- Phil Schaefer

Can’t believe you missed out on Joan Allen in "The Upside of Anger!!!" I'm chalking that up to the fact that you probably didn't see it. Trust me, she was great. -- Clarence Moye

Tanboy, Phil and Clarence, thanks for reminding me how much of an idiot I was. Way back on Cinecast #3 I actually talked Sam into seeing and reviewing "The Ring Two" instead of "Upside" because I thought it would appeal to a wider audience. Of course, if I still worried about appealing to a wider audience, we'd be seeing "Dukes of Hazzard" this weekend. (Sorry, we're not.)

Anyway, I have no doubt Allen was fantastic. Isn't she always? I love the fact that she's transformed herself from the go-to actress if you need a repressed housewife into the go-to actress if you need a mature sex kitten. Sam and I will both definitely check out "Upside" before we hand out our Cinecast awards.

My Top 5 Joan Allen Movies
5. The Contender (an average movie, but she and Jeff Bridges are both great in it)
4. The Ice Storm
3. Peggy Sue Got Married
2. Pleasantville
1. The Bourne Supremacy

"The Ice Storm" at #4! You're crazy. Are you sure this isn't the "Top 5 Joan Allen Movies In the Order That I Thought of Them" list? Ang Lee's "Ice Storm" is one of the best films of the 90's.

My Top 5
5. Pleasantville
4. Searching For Bobby Fischer
3. Nixon
2. The Bourne Supremacy
1. The Ice Storm

- Sam

The Ice Storm... everybody with me now... "O-VER RA-TED clap clap clap-clap clap."
- Adam

Cinecast Mailbag (8/3)

Something a little different today, Adam and I are posting our nominees for Best Performances of the Year (So Far). Unless otherwise noted, we each chose 5 nominees per category. Statues will be handed out to winners on next Tuesday's show (Cinecast #27). It's a sad fact that there are a dearth of good roles for women in Hollywood -- and our list of nominees reflects that. We didn't add names to the list just because they were eligible (e.g., Nicole Kidman in "The Interpreter"). We only listed those performances that genuinely excited us in the films we've seen this year. We encourage your feedback! Let us know who you think is missing...

Best Actress
Miranda July, Me and You And Everyone We Know
Jennifer Connolly, Dark Water
Rhada Mitchell, Melinda and Melinda

Best Actor
Russell Crowe, Cinderella Man
Romain Duris, The Beat That My Heart Skipped (SH)
Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Mysterious Skin (AK)
Terrence Howard, Hustle & Flow
Paul Kaye, It's All Gone Pete Tong
Michael Pitt, Last Days

Best Supporting Actress
Eva Green, Kingdom of Heaven (AK)
Taraji Henson, Hustle & Flow (SH)
Taryn Manning, Hustle & Flow
Brittany Murphy, Sin City (SH)
Mary Lynn Rajskub, Mysterious Skin
Renee Zellwegger, Cinderella Man

Best Supporting Actor
Brady Corbet, Mysterious Skin (SH)
Paul Giamatti, Cinderella Man
Terrence Howard, Crash
Ian McDiarmid, Star Wars: Episode III (AK)
Ed Norton, Kingdom of Heaven (AK)
John C. Reilly, Dark Water (SH)
Mickey Rourke, Sin City

Cinecast #25: Locked Inside A Heart-Shaped Box

What's more indulgent than a troubled rock star roaming the woods for 97 minutes in a heroin-induced haze? How about two movie geeks spending 15 minutes talking about it? Maybe you haven't noticed, but "Good Will Hunting" director Gus Van Sant has spent the last few years making some of the most interesting and technically inventive films of his career. His latest, "Last Days," employs the non-traditional narrative structure he used in 2002's "Gerry" and 2003's "Elephant" to construct the final hours of the late Kurt Cobain. Like his re-imagining of the Columbine shootings in "Elephant," Van Sant diffuses potentially provocative subject matter with careful, deliberate pacing (read: really slow) and an absolute respect for his subject matter. So load up on guns, bring your friends ... "Last Days" is a "minor masterpiece!" -- Sam Hallgren, Cinecast

The film is currently playing in Los Angeles, New York, Portland, San Francisco and Seattle with a wider release on Friday.

Also on the show, listeners challenge Cinecast on the definition of "antihero" and share their Top 5's. Plus, Massacre Theatre, and we preview Friday's countdown of the Top 5 Movies of the Year (So Far) by revealing our Top 5 Worst Movies of the Year (So Far).

Music by Dan Bern courtesy of Messenger Records ... Cinecast theme music by Age of the Rifle.



Cinecast #25
:27-15:37 - Review: "Last Days"
16:45-26:59 - Cinecast Notes, Listener Feedback
27:55-30:20 - Massacre Theatre
30:21-32:57 - Top 5 Worst Movies of the Year (So Far)

Have a comment or Top 5 list you'd like to share? Send us an e-mail at cinecast@cinecastshow.com. Or give us a call at 206-203-CINE and leave a voice message.

Cinecast Odeo Channel

Cinecast Mailbag (8/1)

Look for Cinecast #25 with our review of Gus Van Sant's "Last Days" Tuesday morning.

Great show guys, it reminds me of how my friends and I talk about movies, its very comforting to listen to. Anyways Just wondering if you guys got the idea for "top 5 picks" from the movie High Fidelity? Where John Cusack's character makes top 5 lists of random subjects, yet is relative to what's going on in the movie at that time. --Ryan

Ryan, the top 5 list idea was definitely inspired by "High Fidelity," a film Sam and I both love. Even more than the film, however, I was inspired by Nick Hornby's book, which I read (and adored) before the film came out. As is usually the case, the book is better than the movie.

Hi, Adam & Sam. I wanna say that I love your show. It's too good. I wanted to listen to more podcasts about films, but they all suck compared to yours ... Here's my top 5 Antiheroes, excluding the obvious choice of Michael Corleone.

5. Sean Penn as Samuel Bicke in THE ASSASSINATION OF RICHARD NIXON
An overlooked film from 2004. Sean Penn gives a haunting protrayal as a man obsessed with composer Leonard Bernstein. The final scene is so haunting.

4. Josh Cusack, Anjelica Huston, & Annette Bening in THE GRIFTERS
You just can't help but love this sly con artists.

3. Julia Roberts as Jules in MY BEST FRIEND'S WEDDING
An overlooked gem of a film. Julia Roberts tries to break up her best friend's wedding so she can marry the groom herself. Roberts is so charming that you forget she's a villian.

2. Tim Robbins as Griffin in THE PLAYER
Robbins is a sleazy hollywood producer who is also a murder. You don't hate him, but you can understand what his character goes through.

1. Al Pacino as Sonny in DOG DAY AFTERNOON
He's a bank robber holding innocent people hostage, yet you still want him to be successful. -- Matt from Michigan

Thanks for the kind words, Matt. This is a fantastic list. I love "The Player" and "Dog Day Aftenoon," and Robbins and Pacino both almost cracked my top 10. I also like your Sean Penn pick. I thought Penn was brilliant in "The Assassination of Richard Nixon," a film that totally redeemed my admiration for him as an actor after watching his downright awful performance in the downright awful "The Interpreter." Alas, I've still never seen "The Grifters" -- Sam, have you? -- nor have I seen "My Best Friend's Wedding." With my snob mentality, I just couldn't get excited about another Julia Roberts romantic comedy. Although I've always been intrigued by it since seeing Quentin Tarantino on "Charlie Rose" several years ago explain that it was one of the best films of the year (1997). Who knew QT was such a softie?