Alternate Sides Fri, 05 Jun 2026 16:50:59 -0400 http://alternatesides.com en-us © 2026 Alternate Sides Podcast yes Support this Podcast 222ebc3e-9ec2-523d-8d4f-db2d2b677fb3 James Lavino & Sam Neave episodic true James and Sam have been friends and collaborators for over 20 years. They’ve worked on films and TV shows and commercials together and have written numerous scripts that lie unproduced in their shared Dropbox folder.

But James has a secret: he hasn’t actually seen that many movies. And Sam, who’s a bit of a film snob, has been giving him a hard time about it for years. As James enters undeniable middle age, he has finally promised to catch up on some of the films he’s missed.

Every week or so, while Sam has to move his Subaru from one side of a Brooklyn street to the other (to appease the street-cleaning gods), they chat about a classic movie that James has somehow managed to avoid until now.

One film from each year of James’s life so far: 1973 to 2026…

]]> Buzzsprout (https://www.buzzsprout.com) Film, Criticism, Friendship, Discussion, Creativity, Movies, Reviews, Arts, James Lavino & Sam Neave https://storage.buzzsprout.com/4by4ybnqilfhdpqz7zprpqstkr9s?.jpg Alternate Sides http://alternatesides.com James Lavino Sam Neave 2002: Minority Report 2002: Minority Report We close out season three with Steven Spielberg’s dystopian thriller Minority Report, starring Tom Cruise, Colin Farrell, Samantha Morton and Max von Sydow.

Plus: the seeming immortality of Tom Cruise, Sam’s first feature, and yet another award nomination – but this time, it’s not for Sam.

LINKS:

Trailer for Minority Report

Will Ferrell takes one in the jugular in OId School

Tom Cruise as Les Grossman in Tropic Thunder

"Fly Like an Eagle," by Steve Miller Band

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]]> We close out season three with Steven Spielberg’s dystopian thriller Minority Report, starring Tom Cruise, Colin Farrell, Samantha Morton and Max von Sydow.

Plus: the seeming immortality of Tom Cruise, Sam’s first feature, and yet another award nomination – but this time, it’s not for Sam.

LINKS:

Trailer for Minority Report

Will Ferrell takes one in the jugular in OId School

Tom Cruise as Les Grossman in Tropic Thunder

"Fly Like an Eagle," by Steve Miller Band

Support the show

]]> Buzzsprout-17444173 Tue, 29 Jul 2025 09:00:00 -0400 2492 3 10 full true 2001: Mulholland Dr 2001: Mulholland Dr This week we take a slow, spiraling ride down Mulholland Dr, David Lynch’s puzzle-box fever dream starring Naomi Watts, Laura Harring, and Justin Theroux.

Plus: Transcendental Meditation, Adolescence, and the time James was up against Angelo Badalamenti for a film-scoring job.

LINKS:

Trailer for Mulhallond Dr

Bob climbs over the sofa in Twin Peaks

Jeff Goldblum forgot his mantra

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]]> This week we take a slow, spiraling ride down Mulholland Dr, David Lynch’s puzzle-box fever dream starring Naomi Watts, Laura Harring, and Justin Theroux.

Plus: Transcendental Meditation, Adolescence, and the time James was up against Angelo Badalamenti for a film-scoring job.

LINKS:

Trailer for Mulhallond Dr

Bob climbs over the sofa in Twin Peaks

Jeff Goldblum forgot his mantra

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]]> Buzzsprout-17444171 Tue, 29 Jul 2025 08:00:00 -0400 2578 3 9 full true 2000: American Psycho 2000: American Psycho This week we slash our way through Mary Harron’s satirical horror-thriller American Psycho, starring Christian Bale, Chloe Sevigny, and Willem Dafoe.

Plus: The Picard Maneuver! And Sam gets stalked by his auto mechanic.

LINKS:

Trailer for American Psycho

The Picard Manoeuver

Tom Cruise as inspiration for Patrick Bateman

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]]> This week we slash our way through Mary Harron’s satirical horror-thriller American Psycho, starring Christian Bale, Chloe Sevigny, and Willem Dafoe.

Plus: The Picard Maneuver! And Sam gets stalked by his auto mechanic.

LINKS:

Trailer for American Psycho

The Picard Manoeuver

Tom Cruise as inspiration for Patrick Bateman

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]]> Buzzsprout-17444167 Tue, 29 Jul 2025 07:00:00 -0400 2395 3 8 full true 1999: The Wind Will Carry Us 1999: The Wind Will Carry Us This week we explore Abbas Kiarostami’s meditative drama The Wind Will Carry Us, starring Behzad Dorani.

Plus: Iranian hospitality, Marjie’s Broadway debut, and the movie that led to Sam and James meeting each other.

LINKS:

Trailer for The Wind Will Carry Us

Trailer for Joe Gould's Secret

Nick Cave on cold-water swimming

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]]> This week we explore Abbas Kiarostami’s meditative drama The Wind Will Carry Us, starring Behzad Dorani.

Plus: Iranian hospitality, Marjie’s Broadway debut, and the movie that led to Sam and James meeting each other.

LINKS:

Trailer for The Wind Will Carry Us

Trailer for Joe Gould's Secret

Nick Cave on cold-water swimming

Support the show

]]> Buzzsprout-17444164 Tue, 29 Jul 2025 06:00:00 -0400 2717 3 7 full true 1998: Buffalo '66 & The Celebration 1998: Buffalo '66 & The Celebration A double-bill! Vincent Gallo’s Buffalo ‘66, starring Gallo and Christina Ricci; and Thomas Vinterberg’s Festen, or The Celebration, starring Ulrich Thomsen, Paprika Steen and Thomas Bo Larsen. One of them became an instant classic for James.

Plus: Dogme 95 and the “vow of chastity.”

LINKS:

Trailer for Buffalo '66

Trailer (a terrible and misleading one) for The Celebration

The Dogme 95 movement’s “Vow of Chastity”

Support the show

]]> A double-bill! Vincent Gallo’s Buffalo ‘66, starring Gallo and Christina Ricci; and Thomas Vinterberg’s Festen, or The Celebration, starring Ulrich Thomsen, Paprika Steen and Thomas Bo Larsen. One of them became an instant classic for James.

Plus: Dogme 95 and the “vow of chastity.”

LINKS:

Trailer for Buffalo '66

Trailer (a terrible and misleading one) for The Celebration

The Dogme 95 movement’s “Vow of Chastity”

Support the show

]]> Buzzsprout-17444161 Tue, 29 Jul 2025 05:00:00 -0400 3262 3 6 full true 1997: Boogie Nights 1997: Boogie Nights This week we get into Paul Thomas Anderson’s 1997 kaleidoscopic end-of-an-era drama Boogie Nights, starring Mark Wahlberg, Julianne Moore, and Burt Reynolds. 

Plus: James’s psilocybin adventure!

LINKS:

Trailer for Boogie Nights

Ben Affleck on teaching miners to be astronauts

The final scene of Big Night

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]]> This week we get into Paul Thomas Anderson’s 1997 kaleidoscopic end-of-an-era drama Boogie Nights, starring Mark Wahlberg, Julianne Moore, and Burt Reynolds. 

Plus: James’s psilocybin adventure!

LINKS:

Trailer for Boogie Nights

Ben Affleck on teaching miners to be astronauts

The final scene of Big Night

Support the show

]]> Buzzsprout-17444153 Tue, 29 Jul 2025 04:00:00 -0400 2369 3 5 full true 1996: Lone Star 1996: Lone Star This week we explore John Sayles’s 1996 bordertown drama Lone Star, starring Chris Cooper, Matthew McConaughey, and Kris Kristofferson.

 Plus: Sam goes to the Emmys!

LINKS:

Trailer for Lone Star

A Scene from Taste of Cherry

Doogh

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]]> This week we explore John Sayles’s 1996 bordertown drama Lone Star, starring Chris Cooper, Matthew McConaughey, and Kris Kristofferson.

 Plus: Sam goes to the Emmys!

LINKS:

Trailer for Lone Star

A Scene from Taste of Cherry

Doogh

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]]> Buzzsprout-17444146 Tue, 29 Jul 2025 03:00:00 -0400 2298 3 4 full true 1995: Safe 1995: Safe This week we explore Todd Haynes’s prescient 1995 environmental-illness drama Safe, starring Julianne Moore. 

Plus: Emmy nominations, James’s upcoming psilocybin journey, and how bad Sam is at running.

LINKS:

Trailer for Safe

Kripalu

Sam's Emmy nominations

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]]> This week we explore Todd Haynes’s prescient 1995 environmental-illness drama Safe, starring Julianne Moore. 

Plus: Emmy nominations, James’s upcoming psilocybin journey, and how bad Sam is at running.

LINKS:

Trailer for Safe

Kripalu

Sam's Emmy nominations

Support the show

]]> Buzzsprout-17444142 Tue, 29 Jul 2025 02:00:00 -0400 2459 3 3 full true 1994: Shallow Grave 1994: Shallow Grave This week we dig up Danny Boyle’s suitcase-full-of-cash thriller Shallow Grave, starring Ewan McGregor, Kerry Fox, and Christopher Eccleston.

Plus: Ripley, the frustrations of tourism, and the European Cup.

LINKS:

Trailer for Shallow Grave

Trailer for Ripley

Trailer for Cry Funny Happy

Deadline.com announcement of Sam’s football project

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]]> This week we dig up Danny Boyle’s suitcase-full-of-cash thriller Shallow Grave, starring Ewan McGregor, Kerry Fox, and Christopher Eccleston.

Plus: Ripley, the frustrations of tourism, and the European Cup.

LINKS:

Trailer for Shallow Grave

Trailer for Ripley

Trailer for Cry Funny Happy

Deadline.com announcement of Sam’s football project

Support the show

]]> Buzzsprout-17444138 Tue, 29 Jul 2025 01:00:00 -0400 2496 3 2 full true 1993: Carlito's Way 1993: Carlito's Way We kick off Season Three of the podcast with Brian De Palma’s crime drama Carlito’s Way, starring Al Pacino, Penelope Ann Miller, and Sean Penn.

Plus: offensive accents, an update on Sam’s car, and the time we almost paid someone $10,000 to read a script.

LINKS:

Trailer for Carlito's Way

The Globe and Shakespeare’s “anti-literalism”

Trailer for Bonnie, a documentary about casting director Bonnie Timmermann

Support the show

]]> We kick off Season Three of the podcast with Brian De Palma’s crime drama Carlito’s Way, starring Al Pacino, Penelope Ann Miller, and Sean Penn.

Plus: offensive accents, an update on Sam’s car, and the time we almost paid someone $10,000 to read a script.

LINKS:

Trailer for Carlito's Way

The Globe and Shakespeare’s “anti-literalism”

Trailer for Bonnie, a documentary about casting director Bonnie Timmermann

Support the show

]]> Buzzsprout-17442915 Tue, 29 Jul 2025 00:00:00 -0400 2537 3 1 full true 1992: Scent of a Woman 1992: Scent of a Woman We close out Season Two of the podcast with Martin Brest’s drama Scent of a Woman, starring Al Pacino and Chris O’Donnell.

Plus: Alexander Payne’s The Holdovers, and an encounter with a rude traffic warden.

LINKS:
Trailer for Scent of a Woman
Trailer for The Holdovers
Trailer for People I Know

Support the show

]]> We close out Season Two of the podcast with Martin Brest’s drama Scent of a Woman, starring Al Pacino and Chris O’Donnell.

Plus: Alexander Payne’s The Holdovers, and an encounter with a rude traffic warden.

LINKS:
Trailer for Scent of a Woman
Trailer for The Holdovers
Trailer for People I Know

Support the show

]]> Buzzsprout-15266969 Tue, 25 Jun 2024 09:00:00 -0400 2803 2 10 full true 1991: The Silence of the Lambs 1991: The Silence of the Lambs This week week we’re taking a bite out of Jonathan Demme’s classic serial-killer thriller The Silence of the Lambs, starring Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins.

Plus: James comes out of film-scoring retirement.

LINKS:
Trailer for The Silence of the Lambs
"Lotion" by Greenskeepers
Austin Pendleton as a lawyer in My Cousin Vinny

Support the show

]]> This week week we’re taking a bite out of Jonathan Demme’s classic serial-killer thriller The Silence of the Lambs, starring Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins.

Plus: James comes out of film-scoring retirement.

LINKS:
Trailer for The Silence of the Lambs
"Lotion" by Greenskeepers
Austin Pendleton as a lawyer in My Cousin Vinny

Support the show

]]> Buzzsprout-15266957 Tue, 25 Jun 2024 08:00:00 -0400 2351 2 9 full true 1990: An Angel at My Table 1990: An Angel at My Table This week we discuss the journey of author Janet Frame in Jane Campion’s biographical drama An Angel at My Table, starring Alexia Keogh, Karen Fergusson, and Kerry Fox.

Plus: Season Two of The Jinx, and the time Stanley Tucci took James to a Yankees game.

LINKS:
Trailer for An Angel at My Table
Trailer for season two of The Jinx
Dr McCoy treats a patient in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home

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]]> This week we discuss the journey of author Janet Frame in Jane Campion’s biographical drama An Angel at My Table, starring Alexia Keogh, Karen Fergusson, and Kerry Fox.

Plus: Season Two of The Jinx, and the time Stanley Tucci took James to a Yankees game.

LINKS:
Trailer for An Angel at My Table
Trailer for season two of The Jinx
Dr McCoy treats a patient in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home

Support the show

]]> Buzzsprout-15266941 Tue, 25 Jun 2024 07:00:00 -0400 2388 2 8 full true 1989: Do the Right Thing 1989: Do the Right Thing This week we explore Spike Lee’s comedy-drama Do the Right Thing, starring Spike Lee, Danny Aiello, John Turturro and Rosie Perez.

Plus: James eats a $35 salad, Don Mischer’s “Go balloons”, and 1990 as the year of sequels.

LINKS:
Trailer for Do the Right Thing
Trailer for Thea Sharrock's Wicked Little Letters
Don Mischer at the 2004 Democratic National Convention
An incredible use of film score in In the Mood for Love

Support the show

]]> This week we explore Spike Lee’s comedy-drama Do the Right Thing, starring Spike Lee, Danny Aiello, John Turturro and Rosie Perez.

Plus: James eats a $35 salad, Don Mischer’s “Go balloons”, and 1990 as the year of sequels.

LINKS:
Trailer for Do the Right Thing
Trailer for Thea Sharrock's Wicked Little Letters
Don Mischer at the 2004 Democratic National Convention
An incredible use of film score in In the Mood for Love

Support the show

]]> Buzzsprout-15266912 Tue, 25 Jun 2024 06:00:00 -0400 2420 2 7 full true 1988: Dangerous Liaisons 1988: Dangerous Liaisons This week we discuss Stephen Frears’s film-adapted-from-a-play-adapted-from-a-novel Dangerous Liaisons, starring Glenn Close, John Malkovich, and Michelle Pfeiffer.

Plus: James finally visits the Vanguard!

LINKS:
Trailer for Dangerous Liaisons
Malkovich and Sinise in True West
John Candy in Uncle Buck: "unbreakable"

Support the show

]]> This week we discuss Stephen Frears’s film-adapted-from-a-play-adapted-from-a-novel Dangerous Liaisons, starring Glenn Close, John Malkovich, and Michelle Pfeiffer.

Plus: James finally visits the Vanguard!

LINKS:
Trailer for Dangerous Liaisons
Malkovich and Sinise in True West
John Candy in Uncle Buck: "unbreakable"

Support the show

]]> Buzzsprout-15266889 Tue, 25 Jun 2024 05:00:00 -0400 2573 2 6 full true 1987: Fatal Attraction 1987: Fatal Attraction This week we take a stab at Adrian Lyne’s classic romantic thriller Fatal Attraction, starring Glenn Close and Michael Douglas.

Plus: the two faces of Harrison Ford, and James’s habit of talking to the television.

LINKS:
Trailer for Fatal Attraction
The original ending of Fatal Attraction
Trailer for Running on Empty

Support the show

]]> This week we take a stab at Adrian Lyne’s classic romantic thriller Fatal Attraction, starring Glenn Close and Michael Douglas.

Plus: the two faces of Harrison Ford, and James’s habit of talking to the television.

LINKS:
Trailer for Fatal Attraction
The original ending of Fatal Attraction
Trailer for Running on Empty

Support the show

]]> Buzzsprout-15266876 Tue, 25 Jun 2024 04:00:00 -0400 2420 2 5 full true 1986: Sid & Nancy and Round Midnight 1986: Sid & Nancy and Round Midnight It’s a double-feature this week as we riff on two movies about musicians: Bertrand Tavernier’s Round Midnight and Alex Cox’s Sid and Nancy.

Plus: burned-out cars, slow television, and the unhelpful advice Robert Redford used to get.

LINKS:
Trailer for Sid & Nancy
Trailer for Round Midnight
Siskel & Ebert on Round Midnight
"Slow Television": the train in Norway

Support the show

]]> It’s a double-feature this week as we riff on two movies about musicians: Bertrand Tavernier’s Round Midnight and Alex Cox’s Sid and Nancy.

Plus: burned-out cars, slow television, and the unhelpful advice Robert Redford used to get.

LINKS:
Trailer for Sid & Nancy
Trailer for Round Midnight
Siskel & Ebert on Round Midnight
"Slow Television": the train in Norway

Support the show

]]> Buzzsprout-15266844 Tue, 25 Jun 2024 03:00:00 -0400 2422 2 4 full false 1985: Ran 1985: Ran This week we survey the expanses of Ran, Akira Kurosawa’s epic adaptation of Shakespeare’s King Lear.

Plus: beds in cinemas, Werner Herzog on psychotherapy, and Sam’s aversion to movies set on ships.

LINKS:
Trailer for Ran
"VIP Beds" in UK cinemas
How an 18th-Century Sailing Warship Works
Werner Herzog on psychology as a “catastrophe”

Support the show

]]> This week we survey the expanses of Ran, Akira Kurosawa’s epic adaptation of Shakespeare’s King Lear.

Plus: beds in cinemas, Werner Herzog on psychotherapy, and Sam’s aversion to movies set on ships.

LINKS:
Trailer for Ran
"VIP Beds" in UK cinemas
How an 18th-Century Sailing Warship Works
Werner Herzog on psychology as a “catastrophe”

Support the show

]]> Buzzsprout-15266827 Tue, 25 Jun 2024 02:00:00 -0400 2529 2 3 full true 1984: Blood Simple 1984: Blood Simple This week we tackle the Coen Brothers’ gritty debut feature, Blood Simple, starring Frances McDormand, John Getz, and M. Emmet Walsh.

Plus: Wayne Shorter, rock climbing, and our experiences with first-time directors.

LINKS:
Trailer for Blood Simple
Trailer for Wayne Shorter: Zero Gravity
Let's go to court: a scene from The Insider

Support the show

]]> This week we tackle the Coen Brothers’ gritty debut feature, Blood Simple, starring Frances McDormand, John Getz, and M. Emmet Walsh.

Plus: Wayne Shorter, rock climbing, and our experiences with first-time directors.

LINKS:
Trailer for Blood Simple
Trailer for Wayne Shorter: Zero Gravity
Let's go to court: a scene from The Insider

Support the show

]]> Buzzsprout-15266660 Tue, 25 Jun 2024 01:00:00 -0400 2447 2 2 full true 1983: Eureka 1983: Eureka This week we discuss Nicolas Roeg’s period drama Eureka, starring Gene Hackman, Theresa Russell, and Rutger Hauer.

Plus: Wynton Marsalis, washroom attendants, and James's recent trip to London.

LINKS:
Trailer for Eureka
Wynton Marsalis does Louis Armstrong
The Wolseley
Climax of The Natural (Randy Newman)

Support the show

]]> This week we discuss Nicolas Roeg’s period drama Eureka, starring Gene Hackman, Theresa Russell, and Rutger Hauer.

Plus: Wynton Marsalis, washroom attendants, and James's recent trip to London.

LINKS:
Trailer for Eureka
Wynton Marsalis does Louis Armstrong
The Wolseley
Climax of The Natural (Randy Newman)

Support the show

]]> Buzzsprout-15256938 Tue, 25 Jun 2024 00:00:00 -0400 2374 2 1 full true Holiday Special: Elf Holiday Special: Elf It’s a special holiday episode! We’re deviating from our usual chronology to talk about Jon Favreau’s 2003 Christmas classic, Elf, starring Will Ferrell, Zooey Deschanel, and James Caan. And it turns out that neither of us had ever seen this movie before this week.

Plus: Ferris Bueller, overripe fruit, and “cross-hatched” dreams.

LINKS:
Trailer for Elf
Will Ferrell takes a dart to the neck in Old School
Will Ferrell imitates a cat in his SNL audition
M. Ward sings Bowie's "Let's Dance"

Support the show

]]> It’s a special holiday episode! We’re deviating from our usual chronology to talk about Jon Favreau’s 2003 Christmas classic, Elf, starring Will Ferrell, Zooey Deschanel, and James Caan. And it turns out that neither of us had ever seen this movie before this week.

Plus: Ferris Bueller, overripe fruit, and “cross-hatched” dreams.

LINKS:
Trailer for Elf
Will Ferrell takes a dart to the neck in Old School
Will Ferrell imitates a cat in his SNL audition
M. Ward sings Bowie's "Let's Dance"

Support the show

]]> Buzzsprout-14160088 Wed, 20 Dec 2023 00:00:00 -0500 2186 12 bonus true 1982: Fanny and Alexander 1982: Fanny and Alexander This week we close out Season One of the podcast with a conversation about Ingmar Bergman’s family epic Fanny and Alexander, starring Bertil Guve, Ewa Fröling, and Jan Malmsjö.

Plus: wind chimes, bookstore etiquette, and Gloomhaven.

LINKS:
Trailer for Fanny and Alexander
Art Garfunkel in the studio
Chevy Chase can't get left, from European Vacation

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]]> This week we close out Season One of the podcast with a conversation about Ingmar Bergman’s family epic Fanny and Alexander, starring Bertil Guve, Ewa Fröling, and Jan Malmsjö.

Plus: wind chimes, bookstore etiquette, and Gloomhaven.

LINKS:
Trailer for Fanny and Alexander
Art Garfunkel in the studio
Chevy Chase can't get left, from European Vacation

Support the show

]]> Buzzsprout-14122839 Mon, 11 Dec 2023 10:00:00 -0500 2501 1 11 full true 1981: Thief 1981: Thief This week we discuss Michael Mann’s gritty debut feature, Thief, starring James Caan and Tuesday Weld.

Plus: spa treatments, house cats, and Pink Floyd knockoffs.

LINKS:
Trailer for Thief
The VEMI treatment
Steve Martin makes coffee in Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid
The end of Pink Floyd’s “Comfortably Numb” (starting at 4:20)
“Confrontation”, the final music cue in Thief (starting at 0:40)

Support the show

]]> This week we discuss Michael Mann’s gritty debut feature, Thief, starring James Caan and Tuesday Weld.

Plus: spa treatments, house cats, and Pink Floyd knockoffs.

LINKS:
Trailer for Thief
The VEMI treatment
Steve Martin makes coffee in Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid
The end of Pink Floyd’s “Comfortably Numb” (starting at 4:20)
“Confrontation”, the final music cue in Thief (starting at 0:40)

Support the show

]]> Buzzsprout-14122816 Mon, 11 Dec 2023 09:00:00 -0500 2343 1 10 full true 1980: The Elephant Man 1980: The Elephant Man This week we explore David Lynch’s black-and-white period drama The Elephant Man, starring Anthony Hopkins, John Hurt, and Anne Bancroft.

Plus: Just how bad was James’s first screenplay?

LINKS:
Trailer for The Elephant Man
Michael Jackson bids for Merrick's bones
Three pages from The Mourning Cloak (1999)

Support the show

]]> This week we explore David Lynch’s black-and-white period drama The Elephant Man, starring Anthony Hopkins, John Hurt, and Anne Bancroft.

Plus: Just how bad was James’s first screenplay?

LINKS:
Trailer for The Elephant Man
Michael Jackson bids for Merrick's bones
Three pages from The Mourning Cloak (1999)

Support the show

]]> Buzzsprout-14122801 Mon, 11 Dec 2023 08:00:00 -0500 2331 1 9 full true 1979: Being There and Life of Brian 1979: Being There and Life of Brian This week we tackle two movies. Hal Ashby’s American satire Being There, starring Peter Sellers; and Terry Jones’s biblical spoof Monty Python’s Life of Brian, starring the Pythons.

Plus: blooper reels, the death of Black Panther, and the apparently ambiguous ending of Planet of the Apes.

LINKS:
Trailer for Being There
Trailer for Monty Python's Life of Brian
James's mother's eyes in Twelve Monkeys
Trailer for Not the Messiah (with glimpse of James, in back row, at 0:48)

Support the show

]]> This week we tackle two movies. Hal Ashby’s American satire Being There, starring Peter Sellers; and Terry Jones’s biblical spoof Monty Python’s Life of Brian, starring the Pythons.

Plus: blooper reels, the death of Black Panther, and the apparently ambiguous ending of Planet of the Apes.

LINKS:
Trailer for Being There
Trailer for Monty Python's Life of Brian
James's mother's eyes in Twelve Monkeys
Trailer for Not the Messiah (with glimpse of James, in back row, at 0:48)

Support the show

]]> Buzzsprout-14122740 Mon, 11 Dec 2023 07:00:00 -0500 2429 1 8 full true 1978: Days of Heaven 1978: Days of Heaven This week we discuss Terence Malick’s luminous period drama Days of Heaven, starring Richard Gere, Brooke Adams, and Sam Shepard.

Plus: Virgil’s Eclogues, group dynamics, and the Identified Patient.

LINKS:
Trailer for Days of Heaven
Steve Coogan's impression of Richard Gere (from The Trip)
The "identified patient"

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]]> This week we discuss Terence Malick’s luminous period drama Days of Heaven, starring Richard Gere, Brooke Adams, and Sam Shepard.

Plus: Virgil’s Eclogues, group dynamics, and the Identified Patient.

LINKS:
Trailer for Days of Heaven
Steve Coogan's impression of Richard Gere (from The Trip)
The "identified patient"

Support the show

]]> Buzzsprout-14122726 Mon, 11 Dec 2023 06:00:00 -0500 2218 1 7 full true 1977: Stroszek 1977: Stroszek This week we discuss Werner Herzog’s black comedy Stroszek, starring Bruno S, Eva Mattes, and Clemens Scheitz.

Plus: Sam has a martini with Dianne Wiest.

LINKS:
Trailer for Stroszek
Thieves stealing the "cat"
Afternoon tea at Fortnum & Mason
The afternoon tea menu

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]]> This week we discuss Werner Herzog’s black comedy Stroszek, starring Bruno S, Eva Mattes, and Clemens Scheitz.

Plus: Sam has a martini with Dianne Wiest.

LINKS:
Trailer for Stroszek
Thieves stealing the "cat"
Afternoon tea at Fortnum & Mason
The afternoon tea menu

Support the show

]]> Buzzsprout-14122651 Mon, 11 Dec 2023 05:00:00 -0500 2324 1 6 full true 1976: Rocky 1976: Rocky This week we discuss John Avildsen’s rousing and immortal Rocky, starring Sylvester Stallone and Talia Shire.

Plus: Real tennis, a dead car battery, and the time Sam’s parents met Mike Tyson.

LINKS:
Trailer for Rocky
The LOKITHOR car charger
Charlie Chaplin boxing in City Lights
Real tennis

Support the show

]]> This week we discuss John Avildsen’s rousing and immortal Rocky, starring Sylvester Stallone and Talia Shire.

Plus: Real tennis, a dead car battery, and the time Sam’s parents met Mike Tyson.

LINKS:
Trailer for Rocky
The LOKITHOR car charger
Charlie Chaplin boxing in City Lights
Real tennis

Support the show

]]> Buzzsprout-14122587 Mon, 11 Dec 2023 04:00:00 -0500 2287 1 5 full true 1975: The Passenger 1975: The Passenger This week we talk about Michelangelo Antonioni's existentialist thriller The Passenger, starring Jack Nicholson and Maria Schneider.

​Plus: What George Plimpton found at the top of the Brooklyn Bridge.

LINKS:
Trailer for The Passenger
The Weather Channel explains "wintry mix"
Trailer for Flesh Gordon (1974; NSFW)

Support the show

]]> This week we talk about Michelangelo Antonioni's existentialist thriller The Passenger, starring Jack Nicholson and Maria Schneider.

​Plus: What George Plimpton found at the top of the Brooklyn Bridge.

LINKS:
Trailer for The Passenger
The Weather Channel explains "wintry mix"
Trailer for Flesh Gordon (1974; NSFW)

Support the show

]]> James Lavino & Sam Neave Buzzsprout-14042541 Mon, 11 Dec 2023 03:00:00 -0500 2209 1 4 full true 1974: The Last Detail 1974: The Last Detail This week we talk about Hal Ashby's road movie The Last Detail, starring Jack Nicholson, Otis Young, and Randy Quaid. 

​Plus: James shares a bedroom with Sam's parents.

LINKS:
Trailer for The Last Detail
"The Man Who Never Heard of Frank Sinatra"
Trailer for Flash Gordon (1980)

Support the show

]]> This week we talk about Hal Ashby's road movie The Last Detail, starring Jack Nicholson, Otis Young, and Randy Quaid. 

​Plus: James shares a bedroom with Sam's parents.

LINKS:
Trailer for The Last Detail
"The Man Who Never Heard of Frank Sinatra"
Trailer for Flash Gordon (1980)

Support the show

]]> James Lavino & Sam Neave Buzzsprout-14041899 Mon, 11 Dec 2023 02:00:00 -0500 2042 1 3 full true 1973: Don't Look Now 1973: Don't Look Now At Sam's suggestion, James starts his journey with Nicolas Roeg's 1973 horror-thriller Don't Look Now, starring Donald Sutherland and Julie Christie.

Plus, penalty kicks, second sight, and why not to keep loaded guns in the house.

LINKS:
Trailer for Don't Look Now
Harry Kane misses World-Cup penalty
Marquinhos's reaction after he misses his penalty

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]]> At Sam's suggestion, James starts his journey with Nicolas Roeg's 1973 horror-thriller Don't Look Now, starring Donald Sutherland and Julie Christie.

Plus, penalty kicks, second sight, and why not to keep loaded guns in the house.

LINKS:
Trailer for Don't Look Now
Harry Kane misses World-Cup penalty
Marquinhos's reaction after he misses his penalty

Support the show

]]> James Lavino & Sam Neave Buzzsprout-13806080 Mon, 11 Dec 2023 01:00:00 -0500 2047 1 2 full true Series Intro Series Intro James accepts that it's time to overcome his fears and watch some movies, but he'll need some guidance. Sam, stuck in his car thanks to New York's alternate-side-parking regulations, is only too happy to oblige.

LINKS:
NYC alternate side parking rules
Martin Scorsese’s thoughts on Tár

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]]> James accepts that it's time to overcome his fears and watch some movies, but he'll need some guidance. Sam, stuck in his car thanks to New York's alternate-side-parking regulations, is only too happy to oblige.

LINKS:
NYC alternate side parking rules
Martin Scorsese’s thoughts on Tár

Support the show

]]> James Lavino & Sam Neave Buzzsprout-13806011 Mon, 11 Dec 2023 00:00:00 -0500 751 1 1 trailer true