Filmspotting #162: Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End / The Killers ('46) / Top 5 Sea Movies

May 25 (Chicago Public Radio): By all accounts there are millions of people around the world who have spent the past year in feverish anticipation of "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End." Adam and Sam were not among them. In fact, last summer's "Dead Man's Chest" (aka "Pirates 2") had the distinction of being the very nadir of Filmspotting's 2006 movie-going adventures. "At World's End" was filmed simultaneously with it's predecessor, which should offer no sane person any hope of redemption. So why a return to the high seas a year later? Eternal optimism, perhaps? Well, yes ... and the mixed blessing of low expectations.

Also on the show: Filmspotting listeners weigh in with their favorite films directed by women and debate Billy Wilder's classic Noir "Double Indemnity." Plus, Massacre Theatre, the second film in Filmspotting's six-week Film Noir Marathon, "The Killers" (1946), and, in honor of "Pirates 3," the Top 5 "Sea" Movies -- films that take place on [or under, or near] bodies of water.

Music by Greg Brown, Bo Ramsey and Brent Best from the album "Just One More: A Musical Tribute to Larry Brown" courtesy of Bloodshot Records.

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Filmspotting #162
:22-13:38 - Review: Pirates 3
Music: Greg Brown, "Blue Car"
14:37-17:43 - Poll Questions
17:44-23:14 - Listener Feedback: Movies Directed By Women
17:44-23:14 - Listener Feedback: Double Indemnity
Music: Bo Ramsey, "Forget You"
31:53-34:45 - Massacre Theatre (Winner: Jackson Loo)
34:46-46:57 - Noir #2: The Killers
Music: Brent Best, "Robert Cole"
47:21-51:54 - New DVDs, Photography Competition, Donations
51:55-1:04:16 - Top 5: Sea Movies
1:04:17-1:06:38 - Close/Next Show/Outtake

CORRECTIONS/NOTES
- In FS #161 I (Adam) referred to the lone Transformer I owned as a kid as "Ironside." 'Keithimus Prime' Hayward wrote in to inform me that the red van was actually "Ironhide." And he's right. I now feel like my entire childhood was a fraud.
- During our "Killers" discussion I (Adam) refer to Burt Lancaster's Olie Anderson as a bit "happy go lucky." That's not exactly what I meant to say. He's clearly a beaten down, existentially adrift sort of character. My point was that he's got a naive, innocent 'Chippewa Falls' way about him.

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 #161: Waitress / Away From Her / Double Indemnity / Top 5 Movies Directed By Women

May 18: Sarah Polley and the late Adrienne Shelly started their careers giving memorable performances in films not unlike the ones that each of them has now directed: "Away From Her" and "Waitress," respectively. Polley's adaptation of the Alice Munro short story "The Bear Came Over The Mountain" (her feature film debut) takes place in a snow-bound Canadian town that recalls the tragic landscape of Atom Egoyan's "The Sweet Hereafter," while Shelly's second feature film as writer-director is set in an oddball sitcom world that is not so out of step with the dry absurdity of Hal Hartley's "Trust" or "The Unbelievable Truth." Adam and Sam find both efforts worthy of their creators but disagree slightly on which film strikes the more resonant chord.

Also on the show: Filmspotting listeners continue the battle Adam and Sam started last week over "28 Weeks Later." Plus, Massacre Theatre, the Top 5 Films Directed By Women, and a surprisingly contentious conversation about the first film in Filmspotting's six-week Film Noir Marathon, Billy Wilder's "Double Indemnity."

Music by Portastatic courtesy of Merge Records.

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Filmspotting #161
:22-7:20 - Review: Away From Her
7:21-17:04 - Review: Waitress
Music: Portastatic, "Sour Shores"
18:23-21:43 - Audio Feedback, Poll Questions
21:44-34:17 - Listener Feedback (28 Weeks, Character Intros)
Music: Portastatic, "Chesapeke"
35:04-37:37 - Massacre Theatre (Winner: Patrick Williamson)
37:38-47:20 - Noir #1: Double Indemnity
Music: Portastatic, "Lively Chase"
47:56-50:47 - New DVDs, Donations
50:48-53:05 - Audio Feedback, Notes
53:06-1:05:19 - Top 5: Movies Directed By Women
1:05:20-1:07:28 - Close/Next Show/Outtake

CORRECTIONS/NOTES
- AMC's Top 25 Action Movies Results
- YouTube: Miranda July's Are You The Favorite Person of Anybody?

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 #160: 28 Weeks Later / Silent Movie Awards / Top 5 Character Introductions

May 11 (Chicago Public Radio): Back in 2002, "Trainspotting" director Danny Boyle put a new spin on the zombie genre with "28 Days Later." Instead of the stiff-legged, waking-walking dead, Boyle's "zombies" wreaked high-speed havoc thanks to a highly contagious virus called "Rage." "28 Weeks Later" (opens today) picks up where Boyle's film left off ... except with none of the original film's cast or crew. Adam and Sam get infected with a little "rage" themselves and offer split diagnoses on whether the new film is able to sustain the originality of its predecessor.

Also on the show: Filmspotting listeners share their thoughts on Spider-Man 3 -- and prove to be just as dangerous to Spidey as super-villains Sandman and Venom. Plus, Massacre Theatre, the Filmspotting Silent Movie Marathon Awards [aka "The Chaneys"], and this week's Top 5 ... Character Introductions.

Music by Milwaukee's Codebreaker from their new album "Exiled!"

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Filmspotting #159
:22-15:10 - Review: 28 Weeks Later
Music: Codebreaker, "Dream Lover"
15:45-20:35 - Audio Feedback, Poll Questions
20:36-31:16 - Listener Feedback (Spider-Man 3)
Music: Codebreaker, "Exiled!"
31:31-34:39 - Spout Welcome, New DVDs, Donations
34:40-37:27 - Massacre Theatre (Winner: Drew Shirley)
37:28-47:29 - The Chaneys: Silent Movie Awards
Music: Codebreaker, "Riviera On The Moon"
47:51-1:02:28 - Top 5: Character Introductions
1:02:29-1:04:58 - Close/Next Show/Outtake

CORRECTIONS/NOTES
- Thanks to the folks at Script Frenzy for suggesting this week's Top 5. To read Adam and Sam's "cameo," or for more information about how to participate in the write-a-screenplay-in-a-month project, go to scriptfrenzy.org.

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 #159: Spider-Man 3 / Passion of Joan of Arc / Top 5 Most Anticipated Summer Movies

May 3: Adam and Sam kick off the 2007 summer movie season with a look at this year's entry in the superhero franchise sweepstakes: Sam Raimi's Spider-Man 3. After "Batman Begins" and "Superman Returns" failed to meet perhaps unrealistic -- and certainly nostalgia-fueled -- expectations, Adam and Sam approach the third Spider-Man movie with cautious enthusiasm. With three villains making his Spidey-sense work overtime, the question is not whether Spidey can handle it, but whether the audience can.

Also on the show: Massacre Theatre, Listener Feedback, the sixth and final film in Filmspotting's Silent Movies Marathon, Carl Theodor Dreyer's "The Passion of Joan of Arc" and Adam and Sam share their Top 5 Most Anticipated Summer Movies.

Music by Tim Fite from his new album "Over The Counter Culture," which you can download for free at timfite.com.



Filmspotting #159
:13-15:39 - Review: Spider-Man 3
Music: Tim Fite, "Camouflage"
16:20-19:09 - Audio Feedback, Poll Questions
19:10-29:45 - Listener Feedback (Hot Fuzz, Action Movies)
Music: Tim Fite, "Soup of the Day"
30:21-33:16 - Massacre Theatre (Winner: Ryan Watkins)
33:17-41:46 - Silents: Passion of Joan of Arc
Music: Tim Fite, "Over The Counter Culture"
42:17-44:58 - New DVDs, Donations
44:59-1:01:34 - Top 5: Summer '07 Movies
1:01:35-1:03:11 - Close/Next Show/Sorry... No outtake this week!

CORRECTIONS/NOTES
- Thanks to our friends over at Sound Opinions for turning us on to Tim Fite.

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.