Episode 57

16 Replies to “Episode 57”

1. Hi Ryan! Good to hear Jess on the podcast. I just did a double-feature of listening to the new Reel Insight and the Matineecast today. I also really enjoyed Cabin in the Woods and its clever take on the horror genre. I agree with your point that the praise about it being a “game changer” goes a bit over the top. Also, this could lead to a backlash from people who see it later and expect too much. It’s a fun movie with a lot of great sequences, and this is coming from someone who’s not a huge horror fan.

   It’s interesting that you mention District 9 as offering more than you expected. I actually had the opposite experience. I’d heard that it was an intelligent sci-fi movie, and that held true for a while. The movie lost me in the final act, which just involved faceless villains getting blown away. On the other hand, I agree about The Adjustment Bureau, which also surprised me and was a lot different (and better) than I expected. Great show.

   1. I think the next step for me, now that I’ve had both Rachel and Jess on the show twice, is to get them both on at once.

      I really need to grab DISTRICT 9 and give it another look. I really liked it on the whole, but recall being a little mixed up with it. I still think, despite the faceless violence, that it turned into a really wonderful film (a best picture nominee as you might recall).

      Thanks again for listening sir.

   2. I also need to check out District 9 again. I saw it in the theaters and think my judgment may have been clouded by expectations. I’ve really tried to avoid falling into that trap, but it can’t be helped sometimes. It was one of the more notable movies of that year, but my response was lukewarm, which is a surprise given my interest in that genre.

      You should definitely put Rachel and Jess on the show together. That can only be a good thing.

   3. Consider the dynamic duo on the bench, ready to get in the game. Now the only question is whether I’ll be able to play ringmaster to the three-ring-circus such a show would be.

2. I was a bit surprised when I heard ADAM mentioned on that bait and switch list. Perhaps it’s because I didn’t pay too much attention to the marketing of the film (though I do admit that tagline was a little off).

   I was diagnosed with Asperger’s a little over a year before the film came out and the very fact that the film dealt with something that I was learning to deal with was enough to get me to see the film (and as a 30 year old who has yet to have a romantic relationship, I consider Adam one lucky guy :P).

3. I should also mention that I’m quite looking forward to (my second) Hot Docs, where I will be quite busy as both an attendee and volunteer. Perhaps our path’s will cross (posted my screening schedule on my blog).

   1. That’s the thing about bait & switch, it’s completely hinged on expectations going in, which are usually more at a fever pitch before a film comes out. (After its release, there’s a whole different set of expectations that come into play).

      It’s the main reason the oldest film on our lists is only 12 years old.

      Thanks again for listening good sir – hope to see you around Hot Docs.

4. “I had a farm in Africa at the foot of the Ngong Hills. The Equator runs across these highlands, a hundred miles to the north, and the farm lay at an altitude of over six thousand feet. In the day-time you felt that you had got high up; near to the sun, but the early mornings and evenings were limpid and restful, and the nights were cold.”

   *raises hand*
   I love Out of Africa. Or rather: I used to love it. I haven’t watched it since it came out, but I remember falling in love with that landscape and the voice over.

   Also: just wanted to compliment you for the chapter feature. This made it easy for me to skip the section about Cabin in the woods, which I haven’t seen yet and seems extremely spoiler sensitive. I wish more podcasts were as easy to navigate your way through.

   1. Yay Jessica. So glad someone else will raise their hand for Out of Africa.

      Sean, I think Adam should have gotten more attention for being what it is rather than trying to market it as something it wasn’t.

   2. I could have sworn nobody was using the chapter feature, but now I know it’s coming in handy. Glad to have given you an out to get around finding all about a movie you haven’t seen yet, and it looks like you have a new fan with your love for OUT OF AFRICA.

5. Good review. Yeah, I’ve seen CitW three times now and it is definitely a film that rewards re-watching.

   I don’t know if it’ll be as much a game changer as, say, Scream or Saw were. But it definitely was a good deconstruction of the horror film.

   Hmm. I’ve never seen The Descent, but do the characters in that (all female, correct?) fit the standard group trope?

   1. No – THE DESCENT is very much its own animal. The group dynamic is in play where decision-making is concerned, by the women in the story aren’t as cookie-cutter as most other horror films.

      You should give it a watch – glorious claustrophobia

6. I’ll be honest, I listened to this episode for Jess, ‘cuz she’s awesome. Looking forward to hearing her thoughts on Take Shelter.

   Good to hear more details on what you thought about CitW. Also, kudos for giving Goddard a mention. He seems to get glazed over in most discussions about the film, but I think there’s a good marriage between Goddard and Wheadon sensibilities in the broader strokes of this film, a mash of Goddard’s strain of pawn manipulation in Lost and Wheadon’s biting comedy in Buffy.

   On your bait and switch discussion:

   I’ll second Midnight in Paris. I honestly have no idea why I went to see it. I don’t care for Allen and the trailer didn’t sell me, but I ended up seeing it in theaters anyway and I’m glad I did. A wonderful film.

   Also, Ryan, how could you not mention The American. Sold as a James Bondesque film with Cloony, turned into a fantastic arthouse flick! In the same vein, I think The Grey did the same thing: sold as two hours of Liam Neeson punching wolves, ends up being much more artistic and pensive.

   1. It’s alright buddy – nobody tunes into this show to hear me; always the guest.

      And I feel like a complete idiot for not mentioning THE AMERICAN, certainly after loving it so much and likewise sensing the restlessness in my cinema from those expecting a Bourne film.

      Well played Ewing!

      1. Honestly, the reason why I don’t listen more is because you tend to cover movies I just haven’t ended up seeing yet for whatever reason. I went back and looked and the last episode you did of a film I had seen is the 50/50 episode which came out in October.

      2. No worries – We still love ya around these parts. I started dropping in chapter stops though, so of you want to start listening again, you can just skip the feature discussion and jump to the next part.

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