Hello friends, and welcome to the Spring Semester of Got Me A Movie! Andrew and Elbee are hittin’ the books as they discuss two school-related films: 2006’s Art School Confidential and 2000’s Crime + Punishment In Suburbia. First up is Art School Confidential, adapted from the work of underground comic artist Daniel Clowes. In this section of the show, the hosts talk about their experiences with Clowes’ art and comic books in general; Elbee brings up how she can’t really read comics very well, and Andrew speaks about his influences as an illustrator himself. Later, Elbee shares a brief history of cult beverage OK Soda (why? You’ll have to listen to find out!), and the two reminisce about “that ‘90s feeling.” The second half of the show features Crime + Punishment In Suburbia, a film loosely based on Fyodor Dostoevsky’s famous novel of nearly the same name. Elbee points out how the character and situational analogues don’t really work, but Andrew contends that they do indeed work well enough. Later, the pair get a tad philosophical with a discussion on criminal accountability. Thanks as always for listening, and don’t forget to check out our other podcast where we talk about horror films, with a focus on the master Vincent Price! Available from Ouchmyego.com and on iTunes as Vincent Price’s Laugh. And make sure to take a look at these other podcasts brought you to by Cinepunx.com: Cinepunx Horror Business Black Sun Dispatches The Mandate   And if you’re feeling generous, why not drop us a few dimes? Go to patreon.com/cinepunx to become a patron now! The post GOT ME A MOVIE Episode 10: Art School Punishment in Suburbia appeared first on Cinepunx.

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GOT ME A MOVIE Episode 10: Art School Punishment in Suburbia

Greetings and salutations, friends and lovers! On this episode of Got Me A Movie, we’ve got a fine double feature of off-beat romance, just in time for Valentine’s Day. First on deck is 1985’s Into The Night, starring Jeff Goldblum and Michelle Pfeiffer, and directed by John Landis. It’s a strange movie that has trouble really knowing what it is or what it’s supposed to be, but it’s packed with enough quirk to remain relevant (even if it is among the least talked-about of Landis’ films). In the episode, we get into whether or not we’re supposed to believe this film takes place in our reality, or a world that’s just like it — but, you know, slightly off. The film also evokes some “‘80s in L.A.” nostalgia, which Andrew gets to pontificate about, so keep an ear out for some Cal Worthington love. Next up is 1988’s Miracle Mile, starring Anthony Edwards and Mare Winningham, and directed by Steve De Jarnatt. Of the two films discussed here, this one is the more obvious love story, and even though it’s chaotic and crazy and at times even terrifying, it’s actually very sweet. And it also takes place in Los Angeles! In the episode, we discuss if you can really cross the streams of nuclear apocalypse and budding romance, as well as how this film compares to other apocalyptic stories. I even get to talk about my favorite subject of determinism vs. randomness for a bit! So please enjoy this episode, and don’t forget to share the love by subscribing, rating, and reviewing! The post GOT ME A MOVIE Episode 09: Love and Chaos in L.A. appeared first on Cinepunx.

GOT ME A MOVIE Episode 09: Love and Chaos in L.A.

Hello again, friends! On this episode of GMAM we dive deep into one of Andrew’s favorite films, Wim Wenders’ 1991 saga, Until The End Of The World. If you’re familiar with Wenders’ work, you’ll know he seems to specialize in making the quintessential “road movie,” putting our quest to find happiness and emotional fulfillment on full display. This is most apparent in Paris, Texas, where we are dropped into the story of Travis Henderson (Harry Dean Stanton) as he journeys through the desert to reconnect with his family. But with Until The End Of The World, Wenders and story co-conspirator Solveig Dommartin (who stars in the film) set out to produce the most epic road movie imaginable: the film’s on-location shooting spun fifteen different cities in seven different countries on four different continents. And originally, the vision was to end the film in Africa instead of Australia, which would have of course brought up the location count even more. But as it was already, the film was incredibly over-budget, and the production was cut off. But Wenders had enough footage to piece together his epic; the original cut of the film was eight hours long, and would certainly have been even longer if Wenders hadn’t run out of money (kind of a shame, too, because I hear tell the Africa portion of the film would have brought together some loose ends). So, other than its large scale, what makes Until The End Of The World so interesting? It’s a neo-noir sci-fi tale, centered around a young woman on the trail of an outlaw, complete with retrofuturistic gems predicting a slightly different version of 1999. But it’s much more than that: it’s got themes of mad science (what happens when men dabble in things they shouldn’t?), romance (how do we deal with someone we love not loving us back?), and narcissism (are we addicted to ourselves?). So please, join us for a discussion of this very long (but very good) film! The post GOT ME A MOVIE Episode 08: UNTIL THE END OF THE WORLD appeared first on Cinepunx.

GOT ME A MOVIE Episode 08: UNTIL THE END OF THE WORLD

We here at GMAM love spooky movies just as much as anyone, and given it’s October, we couldn’t resist doing a seasonally appropriate episode. But, as Cinepunx already has an authoritative podcast on all things horror-related (hey, Horror Business!), we decided to go a somewhat uncharted route and do a double feature on a couple of our favorite old-fashioned creepy thrillers. These two picks are atmospheric and ripe with psychological tension, but by some people’s standards may not exactly be called horror movies. Effectively, I’m calling them Horror Lite™ (same great taste, less filling). First, we explore director Charles Laughton’s 1955 epic Night of the Hunter. Many critics and fans alike have claimed this is their favorite horror movie, or that it’s the scariest movie they’ve ever seen. The film’s visuals are stark and dramatic, and along with heart(and gut)-wrenching performances from stars Robert Mitchum and Lillian Gish, it’s not a film that’s easily forgettable. Night of the Hunter is timeless and resonant, seemingly existing in a world that’s just outside of our own. It’s a beautiful southern gothic tale that gets under your skin and haunts you, even if it’s not particularly “scary” by today’s standards. In this episode, we talk about why the film clicks for us, and how my most recent viewing of it in particular gave me a tremendous amount of anxiety. We may also pay tribute to Robert Mitchum’s 1957 calypso album somewhere along the way – who knows! Next is Otto Preminger’s mod 1965 thriller, Bunny Lake Is Missing. It’s human nature to be fascinated by madness, and in this story of a young woman going mad over her missing child, we are left questioning our perceptions of mental stability. The film is set in London, while our protagonists are Americans, playing on a sense of “fish out of water” isolation as well. Carol Lynley is perfect as the frantic mother, and Keir Dullea as her brother commands an urgency that is ultimately hair-raising. Insert the cool and collected investigator Laurence Olivier and a strange promotional appearance from ‘60s rockers The Zombies, and you’ve got yourself quite a memorable film. Don’t worry, we don’t spoil the ending – you’ve really got to watch this for yourself! What you will hear, though, is how much we appreciate this film and its impact – and its music. By the way, have you heard the story of how The Zombies weren’t The Zombies in America? Tune in! As always, thanks for listening! Have a great spooky season everyone! The post GOT ME A MOVIE Episode 07: Horror Lite appeared first on Cinepunx.

GOT ME A MOVIE Episode 07: Horror Lite

On this episode of Got Me A Movie, we go back to 1990 for acclaimed playwright Tom Stoppard’s only directorial work: a film adaptation of his play, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead. The film stars Tim Roth and Gary Oldman in the titular roles, two minor characters from William Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Richard Dreyfuss is the support, portraying The Player, leader of the group of traveling tragedians who perform for the King and Queen of Denmark. Much of the story takes place “in the wings” of Hamlet, a clever referential device where we see the events of Hamlet, but through the eyes of these two characters. There’s a lot of play-within-a-play-within-a-play-within-a play going on, which is utilized perfectly. Like, dude, this thing is so meta. The play version of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead was written and first performed in the mid-sixties, a true example of Theatre of the Absurd. It’s similar in theme to Samuel Beckett’s existentialist drama “Waiting for Godot,” with the majority of those themes being perception of self, life’s purpose, and personal choice and freedom — all of which we discuss more of in this episode. The film is very similar, yet feels a bit different (as with any adaptation, really). We talk about the pros and cons of both, and discuss briefly different adaptations of Hamlet as well. So, although this isn’t technically a double feature, we hope you’ll enjoy it just as much. As always, thanks for listening! The post GOT ME A MOVIE Episode 06: The Play’s The Thing appeared first on Cinepunx.

GOT ME A MOVIE Episode 06: The Play’s The Thing

Hello again, friends! On this episode of Got Me A Movie, we’re talking about a couple of our favorite tuff chicks: Tank Girl and Billie Jean Davy. 1995’s Tank Girl was meant to be a revelation. Based on Alan Martin and Jamie Hewlett’s work for Deadline magazine (and beyond), this film was supposed to encapsulate all the snark, rebellion, and cheekiness that made the title character who she was, and that readers of the comic rallied around. It was supposed to be a larger-than-life, punk rock force to be reckoned with, and in some ways was successful in that. But as with any major studio endeavor, the filmmakers (director Rachel Talalay, along with Martin & Hewlett) were struck by limitations that no doubt watered down the spirit of the character and her world. So, we have a film that means well, that does the best with what it’s got, but lacks a sense of soul that won’t allow it to fully get there. It’s unfortunate that so much got lost in the translation from comic to film, because this really could have been something special. Still, despite the weaknesses, the cult status of Tank Girl remains, and there are some pretty cool things about it. Hear what we think those things are in the episode! 1985’s The Legend of Billie Jean, on the other hand, is a cult classic with so much staying power it hurts. This resonate tale about siblings on the lam tackles the issues of not only youth empowerment, but of how working class individuals are regarded and treated. Billie Jean is a symbolic, almost mythical character, who transcends class and gender in order to fight for what is right, and what is fair. The film can be a bit hokey at times (i.e., those Texan accents!), but for what it’s worth, this film absolutely sticks its landings. Tune in, and see why we think The Legend of Billie Jean should be required viewing for everyone! So, please, click below and hear what we really think of these films (and these amazing characters). And, as always, thanks for listening! The post GOT ME A MOVIE Episode 05: TUFF CHIX appeared first on Cinepunx.

GOT ME A MOVIE Episode 05: TUFF CHIX

Hey all you hotdoggers and beach bunnies! On this super boss summer edition of Got Me A Movie, we’re talking about a couple of the coolest, corniest, and all-around funnest beach movies there are: 1987’s Back to the Beach and 2000’s Psycho Beach Party. Admittedly, this episode is a bit nostalgia-based. Personally, I love all those American International beach party movies from the late 60s – as silly as they are, they’re mostly a good time. Their nonsensical look at American youth culture at the time is oddly comforting; it’s like a big picnic basket full of hotdogs and Sentimentality Soda. But what’s interesting about the beach party flicks is that most of them have a theme that is unequivocally American: how do we justify working a soul-sucking job only to make money, when we could throw that all out the window and thrive in the soul-freeing life of a surfer? Hear what we have to say about that in the episode! We also touch on the differences between camp and kitsch, as these two movies are prime examples of the former. Back to the Beach is a meta look back at those AIP releases, parodying Frankie and Annette while actually starring Frankie and Annette. And Psycho Beach Party is playwright Charles Busch’s perfect nod to the beach party flick, along with the Hollywood Hag (aka psycho-biddy) films of the past. So please join us at the drive-in on this hot July evening, as we scarf down corndogs and nachos, and settle in for this fine double feature full of silly summer fun! The post GOT ME A MOVIE Episode 04: Back to the Psycho Beach Party appeared first on Cinepunx.

GOT ME A MOVIE Episode 04: Back to the Psycho Beach Party

Hello again, friends and fiends! On this episode of GOT ME A MOVIE, we’ll be talking about Alex Cox’s stylish feature debut, Repo Man…and Alex Cox’s flub of a sequel (remake?), Repo Chick. Repo Man is often championed as a symbol of freedom, a quintessential representation of the spirit of Los Angeles punk rock in the early ‘80s. It’s a film that’s often hard to describe: is it a comedy? It has humor, but it’s strangely more serious than that. Is it science fiction? I mean, there are aliens…right? Is it a car movie? Not quite. But what’s definite about Repo Man is that it possesses a heart and some kind of soul, which comes through in its rough-and-tumble main characters. Repo Chick, on the other hand, is a bit…different. Although the film shows genuine effort, it pales in comparison to Cox’s 1984 predecessor. The same anti-establishment punk values are there, and Cox plays around with the same sociopolitical themes, but there’s just something that doesn’t quite hit the mark. It seems to be a case of style over substance – except, even the style here isn’t too spectacular. Cox does pull some great performances out of his lead actors, though – without which, this movie would be an absolute dud. Join us as we get into the nitty gritty on these two films – we’ll discuss the failures of Reaganism, the role of religion in government, Iggy Pop’s Sunset Boulevard efficiency apartment, and how cool it is when someone knows what you mean by “plate of shrimp.”     The post GOT ME A MOVIE Episode 03: Always Intense appeared first on Cinepunx.

GOT ME A MOVIE Episode 03: Always Intense

  Hello again, friends! On this episode of Got Me A Movie, we’ll be talking about the 1996 cult favorite, Trainspotting, and its recently released sequel, T2: Trainspotting. The first film is one that both of us think of quite often, and quite fondly. There are always a few films that you are exposed to in your youth that resonate with you in such a profound way, and for the both of us, Trainspotting is a prime example of one that helped shape our perceptions of what is cool and interesting. In the episode you’ll hear how we both discovered the film, and what it really meant to us when we first saw it. Aside from the obvious examination of what it’s like to be an addict, Trainspotting is a layered masterpiece of a film, revealing underlying themes of friendship, identity crisis, class struggle – and that’s just to name a few! Every viewing of the film unveils some new motive or purpose, and that’s precisely why we love it so much.   We waited what seemed like forever for T2: Trainspotting to hit our south Texas theaters, finally being able to see it a full month after its American release date. We were understandably excited, given our histories with the first film, but you’ll hear in this episode how our opinions differ a bit as we review the sequel. Please join us as we discuss things like “how adorable is Spud?!”, “why didn’t Diana have a bigger role in T2?”, and “is Begbie gay?” Click play, and as always, thanks for listening!   The post GOT ME A MOVIE Episode 02: What Are You Two Talking About? appeared first on Cinepunx.

GOT ME A MOVIE Episode 02: What Are You Two Talking About?

Hello friends, and welcome to the very first episode of Got Me A Movie!  Our names are Elbee and Andrew, and although we’re not new to podcasting, we are new to Cinepunx, and we’re awfully excited to be joining this very cool network. You may know us from our horror podcast, Vincent Price’s Laugh, and even though we love scary movies, we felt the need to expand. This show will cover a variety of films we think are worth experiencing. And for our first episode, we are discussing a film you probably already know, and one you possibly forgot: Arrival and Knowing. I am admittedly not too keen on science fiction movies, but they are something that have always been welcomed in Andrew’s life. So, when films such as these come around that are thoughtful as well as exciting, they manage to tickle both our fancies at the same time. We like these films because not only do they satisfy the need for a big, exhilarating sci-fi epic – not only do they have cool aliens – but they also offer stories that encompass the human condition. And that’s what keeps them grounded, so to speak. And, even further, they ask resonating questions about the nature of reality. From Arrival’s ‘linguistic relativity” to the “determinism versus randomness” argument in Knowing, these films challenge the viewer as well as entertain. Please join us for an exploration of these two films, and forgive us if the content seems a bit dry or philosophy-heavy, but there really was just so much fascinating info to sift through! But, hey, even Roger Ebert gave Knowing a boring ol’ nerdy review. The post GOT ME A MOVIE Episode 01: We’re DETERMINED to have a great show! appeared first on Cinepunx.

GOT ME A MOVIE Episode 01: We’re DETERMINED to have a great show!

Elbee and Andrew bring to you an odd assortment of films and whatever else (if ever else) that tickles their fancy.

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Got Me a Movie

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