ABC Movies

This week, we're talking about two movies featuring character actor Alessandro Nivola. In 2019's The Art of Self Defense, he's a friendly and possibly sinister martial arts sensei; in 2005's Junebug, he's a charming and blank guy who connects his beautiful wife with his mildly provincial family. These are both good movies, guys! 

 

Title music is "Life Story" by Kevin Hairs. Learn more here: https://kevinhairs.bandcamp.com/releases

This week, two sorta-Swedish films looking at the dark terror of sharing your life with a loved one. Starting at 30 minutes, you can hear all about the new flower crown relationship horror Midsommar, broken up into special spoiler-free and spoiler-y sections. Before that, the guys talk about 2014's Force Majeure, and get into an extremely spirited disagreement about whether or not it's a comedy. Stop fighting, dads! 

Title music is "Life Story" by Kevin Hairs. Learn more here: https://kevinhairs.bandcamp.com/releases

 

This week, we look at two films about alienation, trust, and growing up in Asia. First is Lulu Wang's The Farewell (2019), a buzzy new movie about truth, lies, and family starring Awkwafina in her first dramatic acting role. Next is Shirkers, a 2018 auto-documentary from Sandi Tan about her life as a teenage rebel filmmaker in Singapore.

Title music is "Life Story" by Kevin Hairs. Learn more here: https://kevinhairs.bandcamp.com/releases

This week, we look at two 3s: John Wick 3 and Toy Story 3. Are they good? What makes a good 3? 

Title music is "Life Story" by Kevin Hairs. Learn more here: https://kevinhairs.bandcamp.com/releases

This month, we're looking at two films starring parents & their children: The Souvenir (2019), starring Honor Swinton Byrne and featuring her mother Tilda; and Tucker: The Man and His Dreams starring Jeff Bridges and featuring his dad Lloyd. 

Title music is "Life Story" by Kevin Hairs. Learn more here: https://kevinhairs.bandcamp.com/releases

This week in a special Cannes episode we're talking two great movies from Cannes. First up is Burning (2018), Lee Chang-dong's moody inequality mystery based on the Haruki Murakami short story "Barn Burning" (not "barnburner" as Chris repeatedly says, incorrectly). Also is Barton Fink (1991), the Cohen Brothers metaphysical Hollywood parable that won so many awards at Cannes they changed the rules! 

This week, we're talking about two music movies! There's the new Alex Ross Perry film, Her Smell (2019), a claustrophobic ode to 1990s alterna rock, with an absolutely mindblowing performance from Elizabeth Moss. Also talking Babylon (1980), a film about a reggae soundsystem in London beset by racism, deemed too controversial to release in North America ... until now! 

Title music is "Life Story" by Kevin Hairs. Learn more here: https://kevinhairs.bandcamp.com/releases

In this 420-adjacent show, we talk about two modern stoner classics: The Beach Bum (2019), Harmonie Korine's ode to wasting away again in margaritaville, and Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping (2016), a joke-packed Lonely Island pop parody finally starting to get the recognition it deserves. 

Hey, guys, just a short note that we're moving to every two weeks and we'll be back the week of the 21st with a new full episode, talking about two high-brow stoner movies: The Beach Bum and Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping. 

See you then!

Title music is "Life Story" by Kevin Hairs. Learn more here: https://kevinhairs.bandcamp.com/releases

It's perfect plane movie Juliet, Naked (2018), the career of Rose Byrne, the films of Agnès Varda, and what we're looking forward to in the rest of the year (Uncut Gems to Avengers: Endgame) on this week's show inbetween big proper review shows. 

Title music is Life Story by Kevin Hairs. Learn more here: https://kevinhairs.bandcamp.com/releases