Filmspotting #111: Cobra Verde / Top 5 Character Actors

Considered by many (including Werner Herzog himself) to be the most disappointing collaboration between director Herzog and star/madman Klaus Kinski, 1988's "Cobra Verde" tells the tale of 19th century bandit and slave trader Franciso Manoel de Silva. Taking his myth-making act on the road to the west coast of Africa, Herzog's film features many of the elements that worked so effectively in his previous work: beautiful and haunting photography and memorable use of exotic locations and their inhabitants. And as a bonus, the movie also features the unhinged Kinski performance we've all been waiting for. Adam found the experience to be just as disappointing as he'd been warned it would be; Sam, bewilderingly, declared "Cobra Verde" his favorite in the series.

Also on the show: Listener Feedback and our Top 5 Character Actors Who Should Be In Every Movie -- inspired by this article in The Onion A.V. Club.

Music by Neko Case courtesy of Bloodshot Records.

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Filmspotting #111
:18-14:33 - Herzog #5: "Cobra Verde"
Music: Neko Case, "We've Never Met"
15:23-22:18 - Notes, Donations, Poll
22:19-30:03 - Listener Feedback (Nacho Libre, Best of '06 So Far)
Music: Neko Case, "Twist the Knife"
31:06-48:00 - Top 5 Character Actors
48:01-49:17 - Next Week/Close/Outtake

Have a comment or Top 5 list you'd like to share? Send an e-mail or short mp3 clip to feedback@filmspotting.net. Or give us a call at 206-203-CINE and leave a voice message.

Filmspotting #110: Proposition / Inconvenient Truth / Lake House

Three quick reviews instead of one long one. That was the brilliant plan. To the surprise of no one, however, Adam and Sam are physiologically incapable of abbreviated conversation. On the agenda: the dirty and dusty Australian Western "The Proposition," the Al Gore global warming doc "An Inconvenient Truth," and the Sandra Bullock-Keanu Reeves romance "The Lake House." Despite a surplus of material, the three-part conversation results in some surprises: agreement on "The Proposition" (Sam learns that sadism isn't always a bad thing); a somewhat surprising bit of Gore-bashing; and one host admits to not only liking "The Lake House" (quite a bit, in fact) ... but Keanu Reeves' shockingly natural performance as well. You don't want to miss this.

Also on the show: Listener Feedback, Massacre Theatre and a preview of this week's Top 5 ... Character Actors Who Should Be In Every Movie -- inspired by this article in The Onion A.V. Club.

Music by Jon Chinn courtesy of Reverbose Records.

Filmspotting is brought to you by Peerflix. Enter the Peerflix 'Show Us Your DVDs' contest and get a shot at a 400-Disc DVD Mega Changer!



Filmspotting #110
:19-12:44 - Review: "The Proposition"
12:45-22:03 - Review: "An Inconvenient Truth"
Music: Jon Chinn, "Stop Being So Dramatic"
22:56-25:10 - Peerflix Winner/DVD Releases
25:11-40:38 - Review: "The Lake House"
Music: Jon Chinn, "Record Sets"
41:29-44:12 - Massacre Theatre (Winner: Matt McDowall)
44:13-47:35 - Poll Questions
47:36-58:15 - Top 5 Preview: Character Actors
58:16-1:00:03 - Next Show/Dope Sheet Winner

Have a comment or Top 5 list you'd like to share? Send an e-mail or short mp3 clip to feedback@filmspotting.net. Or give us a call at 206-203-CINE and leave a voice message.

Next Show

Filmspotting #110 with reviews of "The Proposition," "An Inconvenient Truth," "The Lake House" and our Top 5 Character Actors will be posted Wednesday morning. Thanks for your patience.

Filmspotting #109: Fitzcarraldo / Top 5 Performances of the Year So Far

Although not Herzog's first choice for the title role (Jack Nicholson passed, then Jason Robards, Jr. fell ill during shooting), Klaus Kinski eventually joined Herzog in the Amazon for 1982's "Fitzcarraldo". A decade after the two teamed up for "Aguirre: The Wrath of God," Kinski is again cast as a river-bound madman looking for glory in the rain forest. "Fitzcarraldo" is a more mature film than Herzog's previous Amazonian adventure -- fewer digressions, a more compelling story, stronger characters -- but the power of the film is largely due to the central conceit: Fitzcarraldo's plan to haul a 300-ton steamship over a mountain. The fact that Herzog risked the lives of his cast and crew to actually pull off this dubious achievement in engineering only adds to the movies allure. Two-thirds of the way through the six-week Herzog-Kinski marathon, Sam admits to experiencing some fatigue with Herzog's myth-making, but Adam defends the director and names "Fitzcarraldo" his favorite film in the series.

Also on the show: Listener Feedback and our Top 5 Performances of the Year So Far.

Music by Johnny Society courtesy of Messenger Records.

Filmspotting is brought to you by Peerflix. Enter the Peerflix 'Show Us Your DVDs' contest and get a shot at a 400-Disc DVD Mega Changer and more!

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Filmspotting #109
:28-15:44 - Herzog #4: "Fitzcarraldo"
15:45-15:59 - Audio Feedback
Music: Johnny Society, "Trust"
16:53-30:57 - Donations, Correction, Listener Feedback
Music: Johnny Society, "Mommy In The Flowers"
31:34-49:53 - Top 5 Male/Female Performances ... So Far
49:54-51:49 - Reverbose Winner, Next Week, Close

Have a comment or Top 5 list you'd like to share? Send an e-mail or short mp3 clip to feedback@filmspotting.net. Or give us a call at 206-203-CINE and leave a voice message.

FS #108 (WBEZ Edition): Nacho Libre / Top 5 Movies of the Year So Far

Director Jared Hess couldn't possibly have imagined the impact his debut film "Napolean Dynamite" would have, particularly on young moviegoers who latched on to the film's absurd turns of phrase and oddball characters. For his second film, "Nacho Libre", Hess retains his debut's distinctive deadpan comic tone and weird fascination with food; but it's no more sophisticated than the largely episodic "Napolean Dynamite" and certainly less inspired. Through sheer force of will, star Jack Black provokes a couple of laughs, but Adam and Sam agree that while "Nacho Libre" may be a welcome (lip)balm to serious "Dynamite" devotees, anyone else can probably steer clear. Yes, sadly, the official Sam Hallgren 'Nacho Libre Hype Train' has been permanently derailed. (Sam, it seems, is the Fitzcarraldo of the cinema -- and if that makes no sense, tune in to Friday's Herzog discussion).

Note: Filmspotting #108 marks the debut of Filmspotting on Chicago Public Radio. This special WBEZ edition features excerpts from last week's review of "A Prairie Home Companion," plus clips from our February reviews of "Night Watch" and "The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada," both out this week on DVD. While this content is timely, we recognize that for you -- the podcast listener -- this show will feature some redundant segments. We appreciate your patience as we continue to tweak the format for future WBEZ editions.

Also on the show: Listener Feedback, Massacre Theatre and the Top 5 Movies of the Year ... So Far.

Music by The Bottle Rockets from the album "Zoysia" courtesy of Bloodshot Records.

Filmspotting is brought to you by Peerflix. Enter the Peerflix 'Show Us Your DVDs' contest and get a shot at a 400-Disc DVD Mega Changer!

And also by the Honda Fit. It delivers 38 miles per gallon on the freeway! Learn more at fit.honda.com.



Filmspotting #108
:14-12:40 - Review: "Nacho Libre"
Music: Bottle Rockets, "Better Than Broken"
14:20-20:29 - Review Revisited: "A Prairie Home Companion"
20:30-27:43 - Listener Feedback (Top 5 Ensembles)
Music: Bottle Rockets, "Middle Man"
28:31-28:57 - Peerflix Contest
28:58-33:05 - Poll, Massacre Theatre
33:06-36:32 - DVD Review: "Night Watch"
36:33-41:05 - DVD Review: "Three Burials..."
Music: Bottle Rockets, "I Quit"
42:05-42:37 - Peerflix DVD Giveaway Winner
42:38-56:31 - Top 5 Movies of the Year ... So Far
56:32-58:43 - Next Show/Close

Have a comment or Top 5 list you'd like to share? Send an e-mail or short mp3 clip to feedback@filmspotting.net. Or give us a call at 206-203-CINE and leave a voice message.

Filmspotting #107: Woyzeck / Top 5 Ensemble Movies

Just days after completing work on their "Nosferatu" collaboration, Werner Herzog and Klaus Kinski started shooting an adaptation of playwright Georg Buchner's "Woyzeck." Here, Herzog again employs his documentary instincts to great effect while also remaining faithful to the film's theatrical origins, giving the film a great allegorical power. Though smaller in scale than either of the first two films in the Herzog-Kinski Marathon (and much less well-known), Sam found "Woyzeck" the best showcase so far of both Herzog's unique talents and Kinski's great skill as an actor. Adam also admired the film, but felt that both "Aguirre: The Wrath of God" and "Nosferatu" were greater achievements.

Also on the show: Listener Feedback and -- inspired by our recent review of Robert Altman's "A Prairie Home Companion" -- our Top 5 Ensemble Movies.

Music by The Randy Bandits Bloodshot Records.

Filmspotting is brought to you by Peerflix. Enter the Peerflix 'Show Us Your DVDs' contest and get a shot at a 400-Disc DVD Mega Changer and more!

And also by the Honda Fit. It delivers 38 miles per gallon on the freeway! Learn more at fit.honda.com.



Filmspotting #107
:27-14:09 - Herzog #3: "Woyzeck"
14:10-14:24 - Audio Feedback
Music: The Randy Bandits, "Catalyst"
15:22-26:32 - Listener Feedback (Kill Turnage-'Chick' Flick Edition)
Music: The Randy Bandits, "My Sweet Time"
27:12-42:21 - Top 5 Ensemble Movies
42:22-45:13 - Next Week/Close

Have a comment or Top 5 list you'd like to share? Send an e-mail or short mp3 clip to feedback@filmspotting.net. Or give us a call at 206-203-CINE and leave a voice message.

Filmspotting #106: A Prairie Home Companion / Top 5 Ensembles Preview

An 80 year-old director makes a movie about a 30 year-old public radio show. OK, so this isn't typical summer fare. That being said, the director is Hollywood maverick Robert Altman -- and if anyone (over the age of 70) can make public radio cool, it's Altman. The fictitious tale of the venerable radio program's final broadcast, "A Prairie Home Companion" was co-written by show host Garrison Keillor and features a huge cast of award-winning talent, including Meryl Streep, Kevin Kline, Woody Harrelson, John C. Reilly, Virginia Madsen, Tommy Lee Jones and Altman regular Lily Tomlin. The movie will likely draw its target audience of NPR junkies, but Adam and Sam agree that it deserves a bigger audience than that. "Prairie Home" may seem a bit slight when compared with previous Altman films like its musical cousin "Nashville" or even 2001's Oscar nominated "Gosford Park," but what it lacks in ambition it more than makes up for in entertainment: Harrelson and Reilly's performance of "Bad Jokes" may be, simultaneously, the corniest and funniest thing you'll see all summer ... until, that is, Reilly returns in August in Will Ferrell's "Talladega Nights."

Also on the show: Listener Feedback, Massacre Theatre and a preview of this week's Top 5 ... Ensemble Movies.

Music by Jude from the album "No One Is Really Beautiful."

Vote to have "Gymkata" released on DVD here.

Filmspotting is brought to you by Peerflix. Enter the Peerflix 'Show Us Your DVDs' contest and get a shot at a 400-Disc DVD Mega Changer!

And also by the Honda Fit. It delivers 38 miles per gallon on the freeway! Learn more at fit.honda.com.



Filmspotting #106
:27-14:42 - Review: "A Prairie Home Companion"
Music: Jude, "I'm Sorry Now"
15:52-21:16 - Peerflix Winner/New DVDs, Donations, Polls
21:17-25:47 - Notes, Free Gymkata!
25:48-32:36 - Major Filmspotting Announcements
Music: Jude, "Charlie Says"
33:30-36:40 - Massacre Theatre (Winner: Corey Atad)
36:41-42:24 - Listener Feedback (The Break-Up), SF Meetup
42:25-47:34 - Top 5 Preview: Ensemble Movies
47:35-49:17 - Next Show/Close

Have a comment or Top 5 list you'd like to share? Send an e-mail or short mp3 clip to feedback@filmspotting.net. Or give us a call at 206-203-CINE and leave a voice message.

Filmspotting #105: Nosferatu / Top 5 'Chick' Flicks

After a somewhat mixed response to the first film in Filmspotting's six week Herzog/Kinski Marathon, 1972's "Aguirre: The Wrath of God" -- considered by many to be Herzog and Kinski's collaborative masterpiece -- Adam and Sam worried that they might be setting themselves up for disappointment. The second film in the series, 1979's "Nosferatu the Vampyre," quickly cured them of those fears. A remake of F.W. Murnau's classic 1922 horror film, Herzog's film is as much an homage to Murnau's silent film as it is an update. Kinski stars as the strangely sympathetic vampire, with Isabelle Adjani as the heroine Lucy Harker and Bruno Ganz as her doomed husband. Striking a nice balance between his narrative and documentarian instincts, Herzog takes a streamlined, philosophical approach to Bram Stoker's familiar tale -- maybe not the first Dracula movie you'd recommend to someone new to the story, but a fascinating interpretation. Bonus points to Herzog for making such a creepy film so resolutely absent of gore and unnecessary special effects.

Also on the show: Listener Feedback and -- inspired by our recent review of "The Break-Up" -- our Top 5 'Chick' Flicks.

Music by Mark Pickerel and His Praying Hands courtesy of Bloodshot Records.

Filmspotting is brought to you by Peerflix. Enter the Peerflix 'Show Us Your DVDs' contest and get a shot at a 400-Disc DVD Mega Changer and more!

And also by the Honda Fit. It delivers 38 miles per gallon on the freeway! Learn more at fit.honda.com.



Filmspotting #105
:26-13:42 - Herzog/Kinski #2: "Nosferatu the Vampyre"
Music: Mark Pickerel, "Forest Fires"
14:42-22:21 - Listener Feedback (Screen Parents)
Music: Mark Pickerel, "Come Home Blues"
23:27-27:00 - Sam's fiance's Top 5 'Chick' Flicks
27:01-42:23 - Top 5 'Chick' Flicks
42:24-44:01 - Next Week/Close

Have a comment or Top 5 list you'd like to share? Send an e-mail or short mp3 clip to feedback@filmspotting.net. Or give us a call at 206-203-CINE and leave a voice message.

Filmspotting #104: The Break-Up / Top 5 'Chick' Flicks Preview

Judging by the trailer, "Bring It On" director Peyton Reed's latest film "The Break-Up" seems pretty conventional fare: boy (Vince Vaughn) meets girl (Jennifer Aniston) ... contrived forces dictated by nearly a century of romantic comedies keep them apart ... boy and girl fall (back) in love and live happily ever after. As it turns out, better to trust the title of the movie than the trailer. A romantic comedy in structure, but the 'anti-romantic comedy' in almost every other way, Reed's film surprises by being equal parts comedy and drama, choosing not to avoid any of the messy stuff inherent in a difficult break-up. It's a pretty bold choice that surely risks turning off some members of its target audience. But does it work? With the aid of their patented CineGoggles, Adam and Sam buck the critical trend and give "The Break-Up" a hearty recommendation.

Also on the show: Listener Feedback, Massacre Theatre and a preview of this week's Top 5 ... 'Chick' Flicks.

Usually click off your iPod during the credits? Listen through the end of the show for a special Filmspotting outtake starring Adam Kempenaar.

Music by the Old 97's -- featured in "The Break-Up" -- courtesy of Bloodshot Records.

Filmspotting is brought to you by Peerflix. Enter the Peerflix 'Show Us Your DVDs' contest and get a shot at a 400-Disc DVD Mega Changer and more!

And also by the Honda Fit. It delivers 38 miles per gallon on the freeway! Learn more at fit.honda.com.



Filmspotting #104
:26-16:53 - Review: "The Break-Up"
Music: Old 97's, "I'd Be Lonesome"
17:51-21:51 - Peerflix Winner/New DVDs, "The Break-Up" cont.
21:52-26:23 - Notes, Poll Questions, What's Akiva in Swedish?
26:24-33:18 - Listener Feedback (X-Men)
Music: Old 97's, "Doreen"
34:02-36:59 - Massacre Theatre (Winner: Joe Limon)
37:00-42:43 - Top 5 Preview: 'Chick' Flicks
*Bonus Outtake*

Have a comment or Top 5 list you'd like to share? Send an e-mail or short mp3 clip to feedback@filmspotting.net. Or give us a call at 206-203-CINE and leave a voice message.

Filmspotting #103: Aguirre: The Wrath of God/Top 5 Screen Parents

Until the release of last year's widely and justifiably praised "Grizzly Man," veteran filmmaker and documentarian Werner Herzog was arguably as famous for the death-defying antics of his movie shoots as he was for the films he actually made. Among the most infamous of these fabled shoots was Herzog's first collaboration with actor/madman Klaus Kinski, 1972's Aguirre: The Wrath of God -- the first film in Filmspotting's six-part Herzog-Kinski Marathon. Alternately fascinating and frustrating, "Aguirre" -- shot on the cheap in the Peruvian jungle -- still has more than enough moments to make it worth recommending. Even more captivating, however, is Herzog's sometimes shocking, always amusing and insightful DVD commentary track.

Also on the show: Listener Feedback and -- halfway between Mother's Day and Father's Day -- our Top 5 Screen Parents.

Music by Wilder Embry.

Filmspotting is brought to you by Peerflix. Enter the Peerflix 'Show Us Your DVDs' contest and get a shot at a 400-Disc DVD Mega Changer and more!

And also by the Honda Fit. It delivers 38 miles per gallon on the freeway! Learn more at fit.honda.com.



Filmspotting #103
:26-13:14 - "Aguirre: The Wrath of God"
13:15-13:42 - Audio Feedback
Music: Wilder Embry, "Bad Case of the Nothings"
14:49-18:22 - Peerflix Contest, Listener-Aberdeen City Meetup
18:23-20:12 - Top 10 Character Actors
20:13-24:04 - Got the keys to Telegraph Road?
24:05-30:59 - Listener Feedback (Religious Movies)
Music: Wilder Embry, "Light Me Up in the Dark"
31:45-44:55 - Top 5 Screen Parents
44:56-46:47 - Next Week/Close

Have a comment or Top 5 list you'd like to share? Send an e-mail or short mp3 clip to feedback@filmspotting.net. Or give us a call at 206-203-CINE and leave a voice message.