
On the Count of Three – Best Last Day Ever
Jerrod Carmichael stars in and first-time directs ‘On the Count of Three,’ a dark, but wholesome indie also starring Christopher Abbot.
Jerrod Carmichael stars in and first-time directs ‘On the Count of Three,’ a dark, but wholesome indie also starring Christopher Abbot.
Is there a doctor in the multiverse? Sam Raimi is back in the director chair for Doctor Strange 2, the biggest MCU movie since the last one.
Directed by Martin Campbell, ‘Memory’ stars Liam Neeson as an assassin for hire and Guy Pearce as the detective who’s after him.
From Doctor Strange and two Thors to Buzz Lightyear (sort of?) and dinosaurs, here’s our Summer Movie Preview for 2022!
Nicolas Cage stars as…himself! In ‘The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent.’ Tune in for our review with special guest Clint Worthington.
In this special bonus episode of Cinemaholics, we discuss ‘The Northman,’ a new revenge blockbuster from auteur director Robert Eggers.
No really, we’re excited to talk about RRR, a buzzy new blockbuster that is too epic to fit the word epic on this week’s podcast!
Two big-budget blockbusters, Ambulance and Sonic 2, sped into theaters this past weekend, but which one is the most endearingly chaotic?
No time like the present to talk about Everything Everywhere All at Once, but also Richard Linklater’s Apollo 10½: A Space Age Childhood!
Idris Elba as Knuckles? You gotta be echidning me.
In addition to reviewing The Lost City, the latest from Sandra Bullock and Channing Tatum, we discuss the Oscars’ biggest, ahem, surprises.
Live from the internet, Jon Negroni and Will Ashton pick their Oscars winners for the 2022 Academy Awards, using the official nominations.
This week, we have a double feature review for ‘X,’ a new horror slasher from Ti West, and ‘Deep Water,’ an erotic thriller on Hulu.
Cinematic vengeance is ours on this week’s episode of the podcast, where we’re covering the latest from DC, plus two Sundance favorites!
Pixar’s newest animated film, ‘Turning Red,’ is a beast when it comes to comedy. But will audiences appreciate its big, bold style?
Peter Dinklage stars as Cyrano in the musical adaptation of the classic play, also starring Haley Bennett and directed by Joe Wright.
Robert Pattinson plays a newer, younger, and darker Batman in Matt Reeves’ reboot also starring Jeffrey Wright, Zoë Kravitz, and Paul Dano.
Jon and Will jump onto the Cinemaholics podcast to discuss the new Texas Chainsaw Massacre movie, plus they slice into the overall franchise.
Three grown men talking about video games and movies? Not exactly uncharted territory, but we’re having fun.
Two new romantic comedies. But which one is better? Join us as we review ‘Marry Me’ and ‘I Want You Back,’ now available on streaming.
The real mystery behind Kenneth Branagh’s ‘Death on the Nile’ is whether or not we really disagree as much as it sounds in our review.
In addition to our main review of ‘Moonfall,’ we discuss the Oscars 2022 nominations this week and a few new releases.
Charlie Day and Jenny Slate star in ‘I Want You Back,’ a new romantic comedy set to begin streaming on Prime Video.
Kenneth Branagh returns as Hercule Poirot in ‘Death in the Nile,’ the star-studded follow-up to 2017’s ‘Murder on the Orient Express.’
Now that Sundance 2022 is over, what are the best films we saw during one of the year’s biggest (virtual) film festivals?
Does ‘The House’ always win? Tune in now to hear our thoughts on a trio of dark indie films hitting theaters and streaming.
Directed by Christian Tafdrup, Shudder’s ‘Speak No Evil’ might just make you rethink your vacation plans.
A new ‘Scream’ movie just hit theaters, and we’re catching up on Prime Video’s awards season contender, ‘The Tender Bar.’ Tune in now.
We all screamed for more ‘Scream,’ and Hollywood was more than happy to answer the call for yet another meta-slasher-whodunnit.
It’s time four our annual Top 10 Movies of the year episode, so sit back, relax, and get ready to love and hate all our picks.
In this special bonus episode of Cinemaholics, Ally Johnson (EIC of The Young Folks) joins us to review Simon Kinberg’s follow-up to ‘Dark Phoenix.’
Simon Kinberg’s sophomore feature film starring Jessica Chastain boasts an impressive cast and some decent action. But that’s about it.
Triple, double, reviews, and trouble…
Plug into our discussion of ‘The Matrix Resurrections’ (or ‘Matrix 4’), directed and co-written by Lana Wachowski.
Are we down bad for Sean Baker’s latest A24 film? Well, for starters, it stars Simon Rex and isn’t in black and white.
Tune in to hear our bonus discussion of Paul Thomas Anderson’s latest feature film recipe for success.
Somehow, Boba Fett returned.
Sorkin, we’re home! To review your latest movie, which follows the making of an episode of ‘I Love Lucy.’ Hijinks ensue, and we’re even joined by a special guest!
Lana Wachowski’s mind-bending return to the Matrix franchise is more than just deja vu. Usually.
Guillermo del Toro returns with a star-studded cast for this moody noir remake hitting awards season.
The biggest movie of 2021 is here, and so are we! Sparks (and webs) fly, as special guest Matt Serafini swings in to help us review the third Spider-Man film starring Tom Holland.
Maggie Gyllenhaal’s directorial debut, based on the novel by Elena Ferrante, stars Olivia Colman as an aging mother reflecting on her darkest choices.
We discuss the 1961 film, its remake, and a bunch of Puerto Rican stuff, because why not?
Tom Holland returns, along with a cast of familiar faces from all across the Spidey spectrum and beyond. And beyond. And beyond some more.
Tune into our bonus episode of the Cinemaholics podcast, where we discuss the films of Adam McKay, including his newest one coming to Netflix later this month.
Matthew Vaughn returns to the Kingsman franchise after years of delays and false starts. Is his new take on the action spy franchise, now with Ralph Fiennes in the lead role, the fresh spin this series needed?
Rachel Zegler, Ansel Elgort, Ariana DeBose, Mike Faist, and more star in this dazzling remake of the classic 1961 musical.
Oh, Coen brother.
This week, we cover a trifecta of critically acclaimed movies, from Jane Campion’s awards-favored western to yet another black-and-white film in 2021. Also, nuns!
Bradley Cooper, Rooney Mara, Cate Blanchett, and many more star in this sweeping, grim-dark remake of the 1947 classic.
Benedict Cumberbatch, Kirsten Dunst, Jesse Plemons, and Kodi Smit-McPhee star in Jane Campion’s unconventional and unrelenting western adaptation of Thomas Savage’s novel.
Disney’s latest animated film sparks a big discussion for such a comparatively small movie.
Tune in now to hear our bonus podcast review of The Father, Son, and House of Gucci.
Simon Rex stars as a down-on-his-luck huckster who can’t seem to get over his nostalgic view of the past. Sound familiar?
Ridley Scott directs this supposedly captivating tale starring Adam Driver, Lady Gaga, Al Pacino, Jared Leto, and the courage of Jared Leto’s stylist.
Who you gonna call for an overwhelmingly positive review of Jason Reitman’s Ghostbusters sequel? Eh, maybe someone else.
That’s right. PTA made a movie based in LA and the lead actors look like real people.
Will Smith swings for Oscar gold as Richard Williams, father of tennis superstars Venus and Serena Williams.
Nostalgia runs deep in this legacy sequel to the classic 1984 film.
Fans of the classic book series and beloved cartoon finally get the film adaptation this character doesn’t deserve.
This week on the podcast, we’re not feeling all that great about the feel-good, black-and-white front-runner for this year’s top prize at the Oscars.
This week, we’re talking about a new Marvel movie. Because we haven’t done that enough times in 2021!
Kenneth Branagh’s latest film is geared up for a Best Picture win at this year’s Oscars. But does it deserve all the awards-level hype?
Pablo Larraín and Kristen Stewart team up to make biopics thrilling again.
This week on the show, the boys go back in time to review Edgar Wright’s latest, plus the upcoming Netflix film, ‘Passing.’
This week, we review Denis Villeneuve’s latest sci-fi epic. Plus we get into ‘The French Dispatch’ from Wes Anderson, and the animated family film ‘Ron’s Gone Wrong.’
Chloé Zhao’s Marvel debut is big, bold, and thoroughly lacking.
This week on the podcast, we’re celebrating Halloween with yes, another Halloween movie. But also ‘The Last Duel’ and ‘The Velvet Underground.’
Director David Gordon Green, and Michael Myers, return for yet another slash-em-up night in Haddonfield.
Special guest Matt Serafini joins us ghoul kids for a death-defying discussion of not just Muppets Haunted Mansion, the new Disney+ special based on the classic Disneyland ride, but also the history and ongoing legacy of the Muppets and what we hope to see from Kermit and the gang over the next few years. And yes, this is the first time we’ve had a chance to talk about the Muppets on Cinemaholics!
Get in the car, film nerds, we’re watching Titane, the latest mind-bending (and gear-grinding?) French feature from Julia Ducournau (Raw). Special guest Ema Sasic joins us to unpack all the twists, turns, and detours in this Palme d’Or winner, which premiered at Cannes earlier this year—with Ducournau being the first female filmmaker to win the award solo. The film, which is now available in limited release through Neon, stars Agathe Rousselle, Vincent Lindon, Garance Marillier, and Laïs Salameh.
Speaking of toxic relationships, have you watched the new Venom movie, Venom: Let There Be Carnage? Tom Hardy returns as the sweaty, parasitic antihero, this time contending with the blood-red Carnage, played by Woody Harrelson. We review this latest comic-book movie from Sony and try to understand why these movies are so popular. Later in the show, we discuss The Many Saints of Newark, a prequel movie for the hit prestige drama The Sopranos, starring Michael Gandolfini (son of the late James Gandolfini) as a teenage Tony Soprano, which is now in theaters and playing on HBO Max for a limited time.
We can’t say this movie came out in no time. After 6 years of delays and false starts, Daniel Craig’s final mission as James Bond culminates in this nearly 3-hour 007 sequel directed and co-written by Cary Joji Fukunaga and also written by Neal Purvis, Robert Wade, and Phoebe Waller-Bridge. This is a spoiler-free review of the movie, but at 00:54:30, we will give a fairly lengthy spoiler warning and begin talking about the ending of the movie and what we think might happen with the future of the Bond franchise.
This is definitely not a review we’re sealing with a kiss. On this week’s show, our main review is Dear Evan Hansen, a film adaptation of the hit Broadway musical, starring Ben Platt, Amy Adams, Kaitlyn Dever, Amandla Stenberg, and Julianne Moore. We also do some catchup reviews on festival indie I’m Your Man, a Netflix Melissa McCarthy dramedy called The Starling, and the third season of “Sex Education” on Netflix.
Don’t worry, these are tears of joy. Why? In this packed episode of Cinnamonholics, we dish on TIFF 2021, catch up on The Card Counter and Blue Bayou, then review some movies. First, there’s Clint Eastwood’s new western, Cry Macho, starring himself, which just hit theaters and HBO Max. Then we get into The Eyes of Tammy Faye, starring Jessica Chastain, Andrew Garfield, and Jon’s personal, childhood memories (just wait). Then we have a special surprise celebrity guest (Nicolas Cage?!) on the show to help us review his new movie Prisoners of the Ghostland.
Special guest Ryan Oliver joins us for a review of Malignant, a giallo-esque horror thriller from James Wan that just hit wide release and HBO Max. The movie is so scary, in fact, Ryan Oliver cusses one time! We also talk about Kate, the latest action movie on Netflix about revenge (another one!) this time starring Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Woody Harrelson. We open the show with a brief check-in on the 2021 Toronto International Film Festival and some brief thoughts for Petite Maman from Celine Sciamma and The Voyeurs on Amazon Prime Video.
Special guest Adonis Gonzalez returns for an action-packed review of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. No, this isn’t an arthouse remake of one of those Sonic movies, though the rings do look suspiciously familiar. This is the latest movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, their first Asian-led superhero flick, in fact. Later in the show, we also review Cinderella, a new musical adaptation of the classic story directed by Kay Cannon and starring Camila Cabello, which is now streaming on Amazon Prime. Then we cover the new 9/11 awards-bait drama, Worth, a Sundance 2020 release that is now available to stream on Netflix, which stars Michael Keaton, Stanley Tucci, and Amy Ryan.
You haven’t heard from us in a few days, yes, but what can you do, we’re on vacation! Making friends! Speaking of, here’s our belated review of Vacation Friends, a new buddy comedy on Hulu starring Lil Rel Howery, John Cena, Meredith Hagner, and Yvonne Orji as a group of strangers who become friends while on vacation. Vacation friends! We also talk about the current state of wrestlers who become actors, then the problem with streaming-only movies having little-to-no pop cultural impact, so we might’ve made some vacation enemies after this.
Special guest Adonis Gonzalez joins us to review Candyman, a horror legacy sequel to the iconic 1992 slasher. Directed and co-written by Nia DaCosta with Jordan Peele as producer and co-screenwriter, this new take on the urban legend stars Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Teyonah Parris, Nathan Stewart-Jarrett, and Colman Domingo. We open the show with a brief review of He’s All That, the new Netflix teen rom-com based on the late 90s “classic,” She’s All That. And we finish the show with an announcement!
It’s gametime. We’re back this week to review Free Guy, a new action comedy starring Ryan Reynolds as a non-playable character in a video game who becomes self-aware. We also review the new Netflix political thriller Beckett, which stars John David Washington as an unwitting fugitive in Greece. And then CODA, the Sundance Grand Jury winner about the child of deaf adults, which is now in select theaters and streaming on Apple TV+.
So, what, we’re reviewing some new Suicide Squad movie? Close. It’s The Suicide Squad, this time, a standalone sequel and/or soft reboot of 2016’s Suicide Squad, now directed by James Gunn. But this isn’t your stepdad’s PG-13 Marvel space jam. Nope, this is an R-rated action comedy featuring a massive ensemble cast, which includes the return of Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn and Viola Davis as Amanda Waller, but also new characters played by Idris Elba, John Cena, Daniela Melchior, David Dastmalchian, and the voice of Sylvester Stallone. Later in the show, we also review Leo Carax’s new arthouse musical Annette, which stars Adam Driver and Marion Cotillard. Then Vivo, a Netflix animated musical from Sony starring Lin-Manuel Miranda.
Some people say this isn’t a “bolder” movie. But it does star the Rock. It’s hard to follow the dialogue. But at least it’s Blunt. No listener, you haven’t stumbled upon some pun-infested hell. No, you’ve found yourself on the Cinemaholics cruise with Jon and Will, as they review Jungle Cruise, the long-awaited adaptation of the Disney theme park ride starring Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt. Delayed twice since its original intended release in 2019, the movie is now available to watch in theaters and on Disney+ through Premiere Access.
Special guest Alisha Grauso joins our roundtable to discuss The Green Knight, a new A24 fantasy epic from director/screenwriter David Lowery (A Ghost Story). The film stars Dev Patel as Sir Gawain, King Arthur’s nephew, who embarks on a dark, existential, anti-hero’s journey to his own doom. The film also stars Alicia Vikander, Joel Edgerton, Sarita Choudhury, Sean Harris, Barry Keoghan, Kate Dickie, and Ralph Ineson. And it’s loosely based on the poem, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.
Our heads are finally above water this week, because we’re reviewing Luca, a new Pixar movie about two young sea monsters who explore an Italian coastal town during an unforgettable summer. We also discuss The Sparks Brothers, Edgar Wright’s music documentary about “your favorite band’s favorite band.” Then we get into Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard, the action comedy sequel to the action comedy you probably didn’t see or remember. And we finish out the show with a breezy review of Summer of 85, a coming-of-age indie romance about two young men exploring their mortality and sexuality.
No one made us review The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, the third entry in the main horror series of Conjuring films and eighth overall film in the “Conjuring Universe.” This time directed by Michael Chaves (The Curse of La Llorona), the supernatural film once again stars Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga as Ed and Lorraine Warren, the paranormal investigative duo tasked with solving a spooky conspiracy involving demonic possession, a murder trial, and even an evil cult. Also in this week’s show, we briefly discuss “Mare of Easttown” spoiler-free and review All Light, Everywhere, a new documentary from Theo Anthony about the abstract challenges of using body cameras to hold police officers accountable.
It’s Jon vs. Will on this week’s bonus episode of Cinemaholics. Who will prevail? Hard to say. But they do their best to battle out their differing takes on not only Godzilla vs. Kong, but Legendary’s overall “MonsterVerse” to date. Their latest effort comes to us from director Adam Wingard and stars Alexander Skarsgård, Millie Bobby Brown, Rebecca Hall, Brian Tyree Henry, Shun Oguri, Eiza González, Julian Dennison, Kyle Chandler, and Demián Bichir.
This month on Extra Milestone, we jump back in time 75 years to discuss Gilda, a cult classic film noir starring Rita Hayworth, Glenn Ford, and George Macready. Directed by Charles Vidor and co-written by Jo Eisinger and Marion Parsonnet (with an uncredited contribution from Ben Hecht), the story is adapted from the work of E.A. Ellington, and it centers around gambling con man Johnny Farrell (Ford), whose amoral casino boss Ballin (Macready) surprises him with the revelation of his new, striking wife Gilda (Hayworth). We discuss the film’s resonant themes all these years later, its impact on the noir genre, and how the film relates to other iconic dramas from the era.
Don’t worry, this shouldn’t take four hours. Special guest Adonis Gonzalez joins us to review Zack Snyder’s Justice League, the epic “Snydercut” or director’s cut of the 2017 superteam movie dud, which has just premiered on HBO Max. We discuss the legacy of Zack Snyder’s filmography, his work on the DCEU (DC Extended Universe), and the potential future of DC superheroes on the big screen.
Tom Holland and Ciara Bravo star in Cherry, a new heavy drama on Apple TV+ from the Russo Brothers. We discuss the film and its interesting…perspectives on this week’s show, along with reviews for Yes Day, Kid90, and The Last Right. We open the show with a quick, super-serious crossover with Biff and Marty from Collision Movie Smackdown, in which they interview “Tom Holland.”
Special guest Matt Serafini joins us this week for a bonus review of The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run, which is now available to stream on Paramount+. In addition to discussing this third movie about everyone’s favorite undersea sponge, we also wax poetic about the ongoing legacy of “SpongeBob SquarePants” and its impact on pop culture over the last 20 years.
We’re going on an adventure this week in our review of Raya and the Last Dragon, a new action-adventure film from Walt Disney Animation featuring the voice talents of Kelly Marie Tran, Awkwafina, Gemma Chan, Benedict Wong, Sandra Oh, and Daniel Dae Kim. Later in the show, we also review Coming 2 America, Sophie Jones, and Moxie. And we open the episode with a quick tribute to our cohost Abby Olcese, who will be departing Cinemaholics starting next week.
Special guest Amanda the Jedi joins the show for a bonus review of “Behind Her Eyes,” a new psychological-thriller limited series from Netflix created by Steve Lightfoot and based on Sarah Pinborough’s novel of the same name. The story follows Louise, a single mother played by Simona Brown, who sparks a love affair with her new boss David, a psychiatrist played by Tom Bateman. She only later realizes however that he is already married to a woman named Adele, played by Eve Hewson. And before Louise knows it, she’s begun a secret friendship with the wife of the man she’s pining for.
This month’s Extra Milestone discussion is The Silence of the Lambs, which recently celebrated its 30th anniversary. We discuss the ongoing legacy of this perennial classic from director Jonathan Demme and screenwriter Ted Tally (adapted from the novel by Thomas Harris), including how it shaped the modern landscape of true crime filmmaking and left a lasting impact on perceptions of the transgender community. We also discuss the iconic performances of Jodie Foster, Anthony Hopkins, and Ted Levine, who portray Clarice Starling, Hannibal Lecter, and Buffalo Bill, respectively. Then finish with a deep dive on the film’s ending.
If you care a lot about all the new releases this week, then you’ve come to the right place. This week we discuss the new Netflix dark comedy thriller I Care a Lot, which stars Rosamund Pike as a ruthless con artist (Con Girl?) who meets her match when crossing a gangster (Peter Dinklage) and his mother (Dianne Weist). We also review Minari, Flora & Ulysses, and a few other films that just hit theatrical and on demand. And toward the beginning of the show we discuss our preferred way of watching TV shows and play some listener voicemails.
After a few weeks apart, the Cinemaholics trio is back together again! And our main review discussion this week is Shaka King’s Judas and the Black Messiah, a buzzy awards-level movie on HBO Max starring Daniel Kaluuya as the iconic Black Panther Fred Hampton and Lakeith Stanfield as the “Judas” who betrayed him in late-60s Chicago. We also continue our discussion about movie trailers from last week and review To All the Boys: Always and Forever, Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar, and The Map of Tiny Perfect Things.
Special guest Chris Vognar joins us for a bonus review of “Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel,” a new 4-part, true-crime documentary series on Netflix from Joe Berlinger. It gives a comprehensive account of Elisa Lam’s tragic disappearance in 2013, and how it may or may not be related to the eery, notorious, infamous, and downright spooky Hotel Cecil located in downtown Los Angeles.
If you’ve ever overhead an argument between Jon and Will right here on Cinemaholics, you’re pretty much prepared for Malcolm and Marie, a new Netflix film directed and written by Sam Levinson. This enclosed black-and-white drama stars Zendaya and John David Washington, and critics are pretty split on this film about relationships and, well, critics. Also in the show, we play some listener voicemails about the state of movie trailers and review several other new films, which include A Glitch in the Matrix, Little Fish, and more.
Special guest Cory Woodroof joins us for our recap of the 2021 Sundance Film Festival. We discuss our favorite films of the fest, plus some of the buzziest flicks you’ll probably hear more about in the year ahead.
OK, “reel” talk. 2020 was…interesting. It was definitely the most unique year of film in the last century of moviegoing. But throughout all the weirdness, we here at Cinemaholics found ourselves captivated by no small number of great projects from veteran filmmakers, first-time directors, and plenty of independent voices. In our annual “best of the year” show, we each discuss our general thoughts on 2020, our honorable mentions, and of course, our respective Top 10 choices. Plus, we share voicemails from some of you listeners discussing your favorite films of 2020.
To officially conclude this year’s Extra Milestone lineup, Jon Negroni and Will Ashton of the Cinemaholics podcast joined forces with me one last time to discuss two distinct (and oddly holiday-centric) auteur-driven classics. We start our conversation by digging through the muck of Terry Gilliam’s Brazil, a bureaucratic odyssey of madness often regarded as one of the greatest films of all time. After that, we jump forward to Edward Scissorhands, an intensely personal story from Tim Burton that is both lighthearted and melancholy, and which has affected us all at one point or another.
We love watching movies around Christmastime, but we all have our favorite “unconventional” picks for the holiday season. Julia Teti joins us for a bonus discussion to discuss some of the best alternative Christmas movies, from recent favorites like Hustlers to perennial classics like The Apartment (which Julia contends is a New Year’s Movie for some reason).
We’re sounding off this week for Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, the new Netflix film that has Oscars in its sights for Viola Davis and the late Chadwick Boseman. We also cover Nomadland, a Best Picture frontrunner from writer/director Chloé Zhao and starring Frances McDormand. And there’s also Greenland, the newest Gerard Butler disaster flick that is surprisingly decent! Last, we do a retrospective of Small Axe, a collection of five films from director Steve McQueen, which you can now stream on Amazon Prime Video.
The holiday season is upon us, so you know what that means! Time to celebrate the…prom? Well, OK, we’re really celebrating the annual big-budget December movie musical, which this year is Ryan Murphy’s The Prom, now streaming on Netflix and starring Meryl Streep, James Corden, Nicole Kidman, and Keegan-Michael Key. We cover several other movies as well, which include Julia Hart’s new indie noir drama I’m Your Woman on Amazon Prime Video starring Rachel Brosnahan, Steven Soderbergh’s Let Them All Talk (also starring Meryl Streep) on HBO Max, the hand-drawn animated film Wolfwalkers on Apple TV+, the time-bending indie Wander Darkly starring Diego Luna and Sienna Miller, and Songbird, which stars KJ Apa and Sofia Carson.
Cinemaholics is now doing a live stream! It’s called The Big Stream, and it’s our new destination for all things movie industry news and extra off-topics we don’t have time to cover on the main show. Yesterday, I kicked off a conversation about Disney Investor Day, and how these massive show/movie announcements for Star Wars, Marvel, Pixar, and Disney Animation signal a new streaming strategy for Disney+, Hulu, and…Star?
Cinemaholics is what you Mank of it. Which is why we’re reviewing David Fincher’s latest film, Mank, now streaming on Netflix and starring Gary Oldman, Amanda Seyfried, and Charles Dance. Manks in advance for listening. We also review Sound of Metal starring Riz Ahmed and Olivia Cooke, Black Bear starring Aubrey Plaza and Christopher Abbot, and Godmothered starring Jillian Bell, Isla Fisher, and June Squibb.
Election week is over, but that doesn’t mean we took a break from catching up on new movies. Our reviews this week include The Dark and the Wicked, a new horror film from Bryan Bertino that is now streaming on demand. We also discuss the new Netflix miniseries The Queen’s Gambit, which stars Anya Taylor-Joy and Marielle Heller. Plus, we cover Let Him Go starring Kevin Costner and Diane Lane, Kindred starring Tamara Lawrance and Fiona Shaw, Come Play starring Gillian Jacobs and Azhy Robertson, and finally Time, Garrett Bradley’s new Amazon Studios documentary that premiered at Sundance 2020.
In this house, we review the new Netflix horror film His House, the feature debut of writer/director Remi Weekes starring Wunmi Mosaku, Sope Dirisu, and Matt Smith. We also discuss the soft reboot/sequel The Craft: Legacy, which is now on VOD. There’s Holidate, an unexpectedly R-rated rom-com on Netflix that might win some hearts. And last, Glen Keane’s feature directorial debut, Over the Moon, an animated family film from the same studio that made last year’s Abominable.
It time for very nice episode of Cinemaholics. First American movie is Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, great success. Rashida Jones and Bill Murray have weird marriage problem in On the Rocks, not nice. New streaming service HBO Max ruin day with The Witches, my wife Anne Hathaway make big impression. Rebecca on Netflix make no sense, but Lily James in it, high five. Bad Hair on Hulu scare all children, not appropriate for babies under 3, now official favorite movie of Cinemaholics Halloween.
Cinemaholics host Jon Negroni returns to Extra Milestone for a double feature of two of the greatest films of all time! We start by discussing Sidney Lumet’s 1975 crime thriller Dog Day Afternoon, a revolutionary and dynamic film that remains just as relevant 45 years later, if not even more so. From there, we move on to Martin Scorsese’s career-defining classic Goodfellas, which we believe may potentially hold the title as the greatest gangster film of them all, in addition to being expertly crafted in every way.
The pairings keep getting stranger and stranger every week, and this week’s show is no exception! Special guest Ryan Oliver joins Sam and Jon to tackle two very different classics, starting with Akira Kurosawa’s massively influential 1950 arthouse classic Rashomon. We discuss everything from our differing experiences with the film, how multiple viewings have yielded different interpretations, and why the film has remained so meaningful even after 70 years. After that, we take a huge left turn toward Transylvania to examine the legacy and power of Jim Sharman’s 1975 genre-defining cult classic The Rocky Horror Picture Show, which one of us doesn’t like! It’s another collection of varied experiences complete with a litany of recommendations to go along with both films!
The Cinemaholics are going on a road trip! Metaphorically, at least. Our first pit stop this week is an in-depth review of Unpregnant, a buddy road trip comedy streaming exclusively on HBO Max, and it stars Haley Lu Richardson and Barbie Ferreira. Next, we travel all the way to the internet for The Social Dilemma, a new Netflix documentary about how social media is basically ruining society. Fun! After that, we head to France to discuss yet another Netflix film, Cuties, which has been caught in a maelstrom of controversy considering its sexual content. But that’s not all, we go on a detour out east for #Alive, a new South Korean zombie movie on (you guessed it) Netflix! Last, we head on home for an American documentary on Prime Video called All In: The Fight For Democracy, which is about voter suppression in these United States.
Jon Negroni makes his long-awaited return to Extra Milestone to investigate Federico Fellini’s La Dolce Vita, one of his very favorite films. For 60 years, the film has gained a reputation of being one of the most insightful and layered journeys of World Cinema, and I had a wonderful time learning about its many rich cinematic attributes from Jon. Tune in to hear the two of us break down the film’s cinematography, the way it uses the city of Rome to help tell its story, the many exciting chapters that comprise the plot, and more!
Special guest Emily Kubincanek joins us for a double milestone feature of Alfred Hitchcock’s Rebecca, which just celebrated 80 years since its release, as well as Jacques Becker’s final film Le Trou (or The Hole), which recently had its 60th anniversary. As always, we lay out the context for what makes these films so memorable all these years later, plus there’s a little contention between the Cinemaholics on both films, so stay tuned to hear where we all land.
Is Jon Stewart’s sophomore feature film irresistible? Is Dave Bautista our kind of spy? Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga? Find out on this week’s episode of Cinemaholics Z.
The Extra Milestone crew has so far been “silent” when it comes to covering silent films, and for that, we have no excuse. But consider this deep dive of Buster Keaton’s comedic classic Seven Chances to be our comeuppance! That’s right, the screwball romantic comedy that helped define the genre recently celebrated 95 glorious years, making this the oldest film we’ve ever covered on the show. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry (from laughing), and just maybe you’ll fall in love with one of the greatest actor-directors in all of film history.
Special guest Charlie Ridgely of Comicbook.com joins the show for a death-defying review of Spike Lee’s new joint Da 5 Bloods, which is now streaming on Netflix. We also answer a listener question, rant about Artemis Fowl (now on Disney+), and finish things out with a balanced discussion of Judd Apatow’s new dramedy The King of Staten Island starring Pete Davidson and Bill Burr, which just came out on VOD.
Special guests Dan Murrell and Sam Noland are here to chat about Zack Snyder’s recently announced director’s cut of Justice League, which came out in 2017 to mostly negative reviews (from us, included). We break down this big news, explain what it means for the movie industry, and speculate about what the cut might look and feel like and what other director’s cuts we’re hoping to see someday.
Special guest Emily Kubincanek joins us for a bonus review of The Plot Against America, a new HBO mini-series starring Zoe Kazan, Winona Ryder, John Turturro, and many more. From David Simon (creator of The Wire), this alternate history drama follows a Jewish family in 1940s New Jersey trying to grapple with the presidency of Charles Lindbergh, who wins on a platform of staying out of World War II and has a history of antisemitism.
Hey folks, Coach here. Ready to tell you all about our Bad Education review this week. Now on HBO. Ya gotta trust your teachers, but what if your superintendent was secretly Hugh Jackman? What if Allison Janney was his right hand? Don’t worry. I got my eye on both ’em. Anyway, we also got you folks covered on The Willoughbys, the new Netflix animated film. Time for a history lesson with True History of the Kelly Gang, which just hit VOD. Extraction is on Netflix too, and I gotta say, I love me an action flick with Chris Hemsworth. Finally, we get a little sappy and romantic, what’s new, with Normal People, which just dropped its first season on Hulu. If it’s anything like the season I got comin’ up in the fall, it’s a doozy. Anyway. Coach, OUT!
We may not be allowed to explore the world right now, but a mere quarantine won’t stop these Trolls from rocking out. In this action-packed episode of Cinemaholics, we open with an extended Off-Topics section covering all the latest shows we’ve been watching, including Quibi, for some reason. After a quick PSA, we discuss DreamWorks and Universal’s surprise straight-to-streaming sequel, Trolls: World Tour. Then we slow things way down to discuss Tigertail, a new original Netflix drama starring Tzi Ma. Looking for a weird sci-fi indie starring Jesse Eisenberg and Imogen Poots? Look no further than Vivarium. There’s also Love Wedding Repeat, another new Netflix movie, but this one is a multiverse rom-com starring Sam Claflin and Olivia Munn. Finally, Will Ashton gets a bit serious for our detailed, practical review of Impractical Jokers: The Movie, based on the truTV show.
Here’s the big scoop! For our February Extra Milestone, we’re getting down and dirty with His Girl Friday, see. Directed by Howard Hawks and starring Cary Grant, Rosalind Russell, Ralph Bellamy (as himself?), and many others, we discuss how this 1940 film was made and what we think of it today, 80 years later.
Special guest Amanda the Jedi joins us all the way from YouTube to review a host of controversial new films most of us can’t see in theaters right now, including The Hunt starring Betty Gilpin, Guns Akimbo starring Daniel Radcliffe and Samara Weaving, I Still Believe starring Britt Robertson and her boyfriend Archie (fine, KJ Apa), and Never Rarely Sometimes Always starring Sidney Flanigan and Talia Ryder.
Special guests Julia Teti and Emily Kubincanek join Jon and Will for an in-depth review of Portrait of a Lady on Fire, one of the most universally acclaimed new films from the last year. Directed by Céline Sciamma, this sweeping romantic drama centers around an intense love affair between a young painter (Noémie Merlant) and the woman she is secretly painting a portrait of (Adèle Haenel).
Ready to be emancipated from January movie season? Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) just flew into theaters, and the Cinemaholics are ready to discuss. Stay tuned for reviews of the new Netflix film Horse Girl starring Alison Brie, our quick Season 6 discussion of BoJack Horseman, and the surprisingly good new Disney+ original movie Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made.
On a special bonus episode of Cinemaholics, we pick our own winners for the 2020 Oscars ceremony. Inspired by the Siskel and Ebert classic format, we go through the nominees of almost every category and explain our favorites.
Special guest Sam Noland joins us for a countdown of our favorite films this year, as well as our general reflections on 2019. You’ll also hear voice recordings from Cinemaholics contributors all across the globe who picked vastly different films for their own lists, which all factor into our definitive Top 25 rankings, which you’ll hear at the end of the episode along with outliers and honorable mentions. This is our longest episode of Cinemaholics yet, but we hope you give the whole episode a listen as we deep dive into a wide variety of films that made this past year just a little better.
It’s the most cinematic time of the year…for the cinemaholics, at least! Jon and Will discuss the films they’re most excited about watching from now until the end of February, along with some dark horse picks that have them more curious than ever about the upcoming winter season.
This week, every movie is a suspect. Jon and Will discuss the latest releases, including Rian Johnson’s modern whodunnit-murder-mystery ensemble, Knives Out, which stars way too many people to mention. We also talk Christmas movies on streaming, catch up on recent flicks we missed, and cover a few indies you might want to add to your ever-growing radar.
The hot takes never bothered the Cinemaholics anyway. This week, Jon and Will review Frozen 2, the latest animated Disney film, along with the other big releases of the week. They also read your answers to the question of the week, catch up on what they’ve been watching, and discuss the Three Rivers Film Festival.
This week, Jon and Will enter the fast lane for an in-depth review of Ford v Ferrari, starring Matt Damon and Christian Bale. They kick things off with some mini reviews for The Irishman, Parasite, and Doctor Sleep. Plus some full reviews for Charlie’s Angels, Klaus, and Jay and Silent Bob Reboot.
Special guest Brandon Katz joins us for a bonus episode of Cinemaholics. We dive into Waves, the new A24 drama starring Kelvin Harrison Jr., Taylor Russell, and Sterling K. Brown. After that, we review Honey Boy from Amazon Studios, which stars Shia LaBeouf as his own father in a semi-autobiographical drama about his life as a child actor coming of age.
This week, we’re seeing double. Jon and Will review Gemini Man, a new action-thriller-spy-clone film starring Will Smith from acclaimed writer and director Ang Lee. Known for its off-kilter shooting style and aggressively high frame rate, Gemini Man has critics and audiences torn, but where do the Cinemaholics stand? Also in the show, Will shares his thoughts on two other new films: Mister America and In the Tall Grass. And Jon briefly discusses his experience playing Borderlands 3 for Playstation 4.
Get ready to cruise down the sunset strip to WSJ radio (Will/Sam/Jon), because we’re reviewing Once Upon a Time…In Hollywood, the latest film from director/writer Quentin Tarantino, which stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie, and a huge cast of surprise faces you’ll probably recognize. This is one of our most divisive conversations of the year, so you don’t want to miss it, ya dig?
We have a triple feature this week, as we dive into the new hurricane horror predator flick Crawl from director Alexandre Aja, the new R-rated buddy action comedy Stuber starring Kumail Nanjiani and Dave Bautista, and the dark indie comedy The Art of Self-Defense starring Jesse Eisenberg.
Jon, Will, and Julia escape the daylight and discuss Midsommar, the latest “horror” film from director/writer Ari Aster and A24. Yes, we’re doing another bonus review on an A24 movie. We start with a spoiler-free overview of our thoughts, then we dive into spoiler-filled deep dive of the film. Midsommar stars Florence Pugh, Jack Reynor, William Jackson Harper, Will Poulter, and Vilhelm Blomgren.
Jon, Will, Sam, and Julia talk about Ridley Scott’s Alien, which celebrates its 40th anniversary this month! The Cinemaholics crew debates the film’s most iconic moments, whether or not it’s a masterpiece, and more.
Suit up. Jon and Will are back in black to discuss Men in Black: International, the fourth film in the franchise, now starring Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson as the memory-wiping, alien-saving agents. They also discuss the lackluster summer box office in 2019 and how this may affect theatrical releases in the future. And you’ll hear reviews for Jim Jarmusch’s “dry zombie comedy” The Dead Don’t Die and Seth Green’s directorial debut Changeland.
We’re not the podcast you thought we were before. This week, Sam Noland joins Jon Negroni for a packed episode, covering all the wide releases of the week, plus some extra limited/streaming releases. Our theme music this week is “Amoreena,” performed by Taron Egerton on the Rocketman soundtrack.
Jon, Will, and Sam talk about François Truffaut’s The 400 Blows, which began the French New Wave of Cinema in the late 1950s. We discuss the significance of the film and why it’s essential viewing for cinemaholics, plus we debate the meaning behind the film’s controversial ending.
Fellow Game of Thrones fanatics Kimber Myers and Julia Teti join us for a full-length discussion of the hit HBO series and its 8-season finale. We discuss what we liked and disliked, what surprised us, and how the legacy of Game of Thrones may shape pop culture for winters to come.
We’re ready to get in on the action of John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum, the third installment of the ongoing Keanu Reeves hitman franchise from director Chad Stahelski and screenwriter Derek Kolstad. We kick off the show with Off-Topics and briefly catch up on some of the new films we saw this week and last week but don’t have time to fully review.
This month on Extra Milestone, we’re celebrating the 65th anniversary of Akira Kurosawa’s legendary action epic, Seven Samurai, which was released on April 26, 1954. As always, we dive into the historical context and legacy for the film, why it’s so fondly remembered, and what we think of it all these years later.
This month for our Extra Milestone series, we’re discussing the classic Billy Wilder comedy Some Like It Hot, celebrating 60 years since its release on March 29,1959. Joining us is Sam Noland, our Movie of the Week columnist. In this discussion, we cover the background and legacy of the film, which stars Marilyn Monroe, Jack Lemmon, and Tony Curtis. Afterward, we dive into the plot of the film with clips and our own double entendres.