Living for the Cinema (Geoff Gershon)
Explorez tous les épisodes de Living for the Cinema
| Date | Titre | Durée | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 04 Feb 2022 | Wayne’s World (1992) | 00:17:43 | |
Happy 30th Anniversary to one of the goofiest and most influential buddy comedies of the ‘90’s starring, based on the Saturday Night Live skit of the same name. Host: Geoff Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 08 Feb 2022 | Music and Lyrics (2007) | 00:18:49 | |
15 years ago, we saw the first on-screen pairing of two stars who could have been referred to at the time as the King AND Queen of romantic comedies… Host: Geoff Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 11 Feb 2022 | Green Card (1990) | 00:14:45 | |
Just in time for Valentine’s Day, we review one of the more underappreciated romantic comedies from the ’90s. It was hyped by its studio as “The NEXT Pretty Woman” and while it didn’t even come close to approaching runaway success of that Julia Roberts blockbuster, you could make a case that it’s a superior movie. Host: Geoff Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 15 Feb 2022 | Batman Begins (2005) - “Living for the Batman” Series | 00:22:57 | |
Back in 2005, writer/director Chris Nolan brought us back to Gotham City and more importantly….to the Batman. He took the character of Bruce Wayne/Batman in a completely different direction from previous films (the last one being Batman & Robin in ’97) by starting fresh at the beginning. And what results is one of the most interesting and influential origin stories ever told. Host: Geoff Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 18 Feb 2022 | Glory (1989) | 00:20:39 | |
LANGUAGE & CONTENT WARNING Host: Geoff Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 22 Feb 2022 | Panic Room (2002) | 00:17:10 | |
Twenty years ago, acclaimed director David Fincher followed up his generational anti-establishment classic Fight Club with this more straightforward genre film starring Two-time Oscar winner Jodie Foster as a recent divorcee who has moved into a cavernous Manhattan apartment with her daughter played a pre-teen, Kristen Stewart. And this fancy multi-level home happens to have a panic room….and just guess where she and daughter need to hide when burglars come calling? Forest Whitaker, Jared Leto, and Dwight Yoakam co-star as the burglars in this tense home invasion thriller. Host: Geoff Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 25 Feb 2022 | Kimi (2022) | 00:17:23 | |
Thriller Week continues with the latest directorial effort from the legendary Steven Soderbergh who apparently filmed this on the fly in Seattle at the height of the COVID pandemic. Host: Geoff Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 01 Mar 2022 | Erin Brockovich (2000) | 00:17:45 | |
We kick off Women’s History Month with this often touching and funny corporate legal drama based on true events directed by Steven Soderbergh and starring Julia Roberts in the titular lead role, for which she won the Best Actress Oscar that year. https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 04 Mar 2022 | The Batman (2022) - "Living for the Batman" Series | 00:18:53 | |
The character of Batman has been everywhere in media in recent years….and yet it has been almost ten years since we had a proper stand-alone Batman movie since "The Dark Knight Rises." Host: Geoff Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 08 Mar 2022 | The Power of the Dog (2021) | 00:17:31 | |
How did a small, idiosyncratic western family drama directed by someone who had not done a feature film in more than a decade become this year’s Oscar front-runner?? Host: Geoff Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 11 Mar 2022 | The Fugitive (1993) | 00:15:09 | |
Just in time for St. Patrick’s Day, let’s revisit the ‘90’s blockbuster thriller which helped make dying rivers (the Chicago River) green for the holiday mainstream. Host: Geoff Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 15 Mar 2022 | The Godfather (1972) | 00:19:43 | |
Fifty years ago this month, we saw the release of one the greatest and most influential films in the history of American cinema. Directed by a then-relatively unknown Francis Ford Coppola and adapted from a hugely popular fictional best-seller from a few years prior from author Mario Puzo, this movie took the world by storm having a instant and long-lasting impact on not only films but pop culture in general. If you weren’t already aware of the actual plot, let’s just say that it’s mainly about….FAMILY. Marlon Brando and Al Pacino star in this crime epic as Vito and Michael Corleone, two generations of leadership over a powerful organized crime family. Also included among this legendarily stacked cast are Diane Keaton, James Caan, Robert Duvall, and Talia Shire. Host: Geoff Gershon Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 18 Mar 2022 | Basic Instinct (1992) | 00:14:43 | |
Thirty years ago, director Paul Verhoeven followed up his modern action classics Total Recall and Robocop with this erotic mystery thriller starring Michael Douglas as a troubled San Francisco police detective investigating the grisly murder of a former rock star. The chief suspect is a famous author who was dating the victim played by Sharon Stone in what was a genuine star-making performance. Of course, the police detective falls for the chief suspect while other folks are murdered and……chaos (or hilarity?) ensues! Host: Geoff Gershon Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 22 Mar 2022 | White Men Can't Jump (1992) | 00:15:12 | |
Thirty years ago, writer/director Ron Shelton followed up his classic baseball comedy Bull Durham with this buddy comedy/romantic comedy set in the world of street basketball around Los Angeles. It stars Wesley Snipes and Woody Harrelson as two basketball hustlers who end hustling each other on the courts…..along with teaming up to hustle others. Every one just shines in this movie including Rosie Perez in a star-making performance as Woody’s girlfriend….and there’s even a special cameo from the late, great Alex Trebek along the way! Host: Geoff Gershon Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 25 Mar 2022 | The Lost City (2022) | 00:16:08 | |
In the long-standing Hollywood tradition of The African Queen and Romancing the Stone, we have a NEW version of one of those types of stories with this action/adventure rom-com featuring two attractive stars (Sandra Bullock, Channing Tatum) on a treacherous quest through the South American jungle to find….the titular "Lost City" of D. https://livingforthecinema.com/ https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 29 Mar 2022 | Lethal Weapon (1987) | 00:15:20 | |
THE prototypical buddy cop movie has just reached its 35th-anniversary as directed by the late great Richard Donner. Host: Geoff Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 01 Apr 2022 | Blue Chips (1994) | 00:17:51 | |
March Madness continues with this sports drama starring Nick Nolte as Pete Bell, the coach for a fictional college basketball program at Western University. Under his leadership, this program has been winning for years but what do you do when the winning stops? Well if you’re Coach Pete, you have some tough decisions to make as to just how far you will go to recruiter the best talent out there for your team, including hot young players portrayed by some of the NBA’s best at the time including Shaquille O’Neal and Penny Hardaway. Directed by the legendary William Friedkin who also gave us The Exorcist, this engaging morality tale also stars Mary McDonnell and the late, great JT Walsh. Host: Geoff Gershon Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 05 Apr 2022 | Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022) | 00:15:04 | |
Together, co-directors/co-writers Dan Kwan and Daniel Scheinart have graced us with what is likely the most original and uniquely entertaining film of 2022 so far. It stars Michelle Yeoh as the beleaguered owner of a laundromat who along with her husband (played by Ke Huy Quan) finds herself sucked into an elaborate adventure through the “multi-verse” where we watch several different incarnations of her try to navigate through a conflict which threatens to undo everything! As she traverses though these various universes, we see her as a martial artist and movie star, among much MORE unique incarnations….to attempt to describe it any further just doesn’t do it justice. Host: Geoff Gershon Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 08 Apr 2022 | Sorcerer (1977) | 00:15:40 | |
45 years ago when this first came out, you would have through it might be considered a pretty big event as a big budget follow-up from the recent director (William Friedkin) of The Exorcist and The French Connection….and playing its lead, the star (Roy Scheider) of Jaws. :o As it turns out, it was a VERY troubled production being released by a studio which had no idea how to market it so they didn’t even try. Host: Geoff Gershon Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 12 Apr 2022 | The Bourne Identity (2002) | 00:17:26 | |
When this movie came out almost twenty years ago, the expectations just were NOT very high as Matt Damon wasn’t considered an action hero, the director (Doug Liman) wasn’t considered an action director, the series of novels it was based upon had waned in popularity, and most big budget Hollywood action movies at the time were much louder and more bombastic….along the lines of recent hits produced by Jerry Bruckheimer including The Rock, Gone in 60 Seconds, and Armageddon. Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 15 Apr 2022 | Deep Cover (1992) | 00:14:04 | |
Lawrence Fishburne stars in this urban crime thriller as an undercover cover working his way up the drug trade around Los Angeles before he eventually goes TOO deep….hence the title. Jeff Goldblum also co-stars as a local drug lawyer who he becomes partnered with – both actors give among the best performances of their respective careers in a film which just turned 30 but still holds up as of the best mob/gangster movies of the 1990’s. It was directed by Bill Duke and also features one of the most popular hip hop soundtracks of its era….including the title track which showcases the studio debut of Snoop Dogg. 😊 Host: Geoff Gershon Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 19 Apr 2022 | The Untouchables (1987) | 00:19:03 | |
Brian DePalma directed this Prohibition Era crime epic about the eponymous Untouchables and their mission to take down Al Capone, who is ruling the city of Chicago through extreme violence. The Untouchables are lead by Elliott Ness played by Kevin Costner and Capone is played by DeNiro. However the most memorable player is Ness’ right-hand and mentor, Malone played by the late great Sean Connery in the role which won him an Oscar. Andy Garcia, Billy Drago, and Charles Martin Smith fill out the very well-dressed cast. Is everything portrayed true to what really happened at this time in American history? Not in the slightest, but it’s still damn entertaining! Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 22 Apr 2022 | City of God (2002) | 00:20:11 | |
It's our 100th Episode!!!! This Brazilian crime epic came out just under twenty years ago and has earned its place in the discussion for THE greatest films so far this century. And for good reason because it is expertly co-directed by Oscar-nominee Fernando Meirelles and Katia Lund, along with featuring a plethora of local Brazilian talent in front of and behind the camera. The story mainly focuses on Rocket (Alexandre Rodrigues), an up-and-coming young photographer growing up in the eponymous favela area just outside of Rio de Janeiro known as the “City of God.” https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 26 Apr 2022 | Alien (1979) | 00:18:19 | |
In honor of Alien Day (4/26…named after the planet where the alien is first discovered by humans, known as LV-426), let’s revisit the sci-fi horror classic which started it all. This was only the second feature to be directed by Sir Ridley Scott near the beginning of what would eventually become an illustrious career including Gladiator, Blade Runner, Thelma & Louise, and The Martian. Host: Geoff Gershon Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 29 Apr 2022 | The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent (2022) | 00:17:29 | |
Tom Gormican directs and Nicholas Cage stars as….Nicholas Cage, the famous Oscar-winning actor/former movie star who has spent much of the past decade acting prolifically in many smaller movies but still remains a household name. He’s struggling to find exciting new work as an actor and decides to take up on the offer of wealthy olive oil tycoon from Spain who pays him $1 million to attend his birthday party on the coast of Spain as a special guest. Host: Geoff Gershon Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 03 May 2022 | The Avengers (2012) | 00:18:35 | |
Have you heard of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes? Yup the Billionaire Playboy (Robert Downey Jr.), the Big Green Guy (Mark Ruffalo), that frozen dude with the shield (Chris Evans)….oh right The Avengers! Well ten years ago, we saw the release of their first team-up movie into theaters and in case you didn’t hear, it was a HUGE success. Now seems as good a time as any to revisit this superhero epic directed by Joss Whedon. It also stars Scarlett Johannsen, Chris Hemsworth, Samuel L. Jackson, and Jeremy Renner - together they must all ASSEMBLE to defeat the dastardly Loki played by Tom Hiddleston. Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 06 May 2022 | Slap Shot (1977) | 00:18:00 | |
It’s that time of year when the weather is getting warmer and the days are getting longer, it’s early May so WHAT does that mean? Of course, it means the NHL Playoffs are just beginning! And what better way to commemorate the kick-off for professional hockey’s playoff season than to revisit one of THE Most Beloved Hockey Movies of All Time….which happens to star one of THE Greatest Movie Stars of All Time, Paul Newman. Host: Geoff Gershon Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 10 May 2022 | Rocky III (1982) | 00:16:11 | |
It’s CLASSIC SEQUEL WEEK and for the first review of two memorable franchise films which are about to turn 40, we start with this third entry in the Rocky saga – our hero Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) has just defeated Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers) for the championship belt and is on top of the world. But a new threat has emerged, and his name is Clubber Lang played by Mr. T. :o Throw in Hulk Hogan playing Thunder Lips, training montages, a classic rocker from Survivor, and you have one hell of a time! Stallone also wrote and directed this film which also co-stars Talia Shire, Burgess Meredith, and Burt Young. Host: Geoff Gershon Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 13 May 2022 | Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982) | 00:17:26 | |
The second part of CLASSIC SEQUEL WEEK brings us another classic franchise entry from the Summer of 1982 – the crew of the USS Enterprise are back and they’re involved in some hairy stuff. James T. Kirk (William Shatner) is now an Admiral for the Star Fleet and while joining the rest of the crew for what was originally going to be a “routine training mission” he finds out about the return of an old foe who is out for revenge against him. That foe is Khan played by Ricardo Montalban and not only is he out for vengeance against Kirk but he is now trying to nab a potentially dangerous new piece of technology from Star Fleet….the Genesis Device. Host: Geoff Gershon Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 17 May 2022 | Dunkirk (2017) | 00:14:50 | |
Five years ago, acclaimed director Christopher Nolan gave us his first film to be based true events after a career mostly devoted to mind-bending fantasy or science fiction. And the subject matter is undeniably cinematic: the May 1940 evacuation of more than 400,000 Allied troops from the French coastal town of Dunkirk – this was a key turning point of World War II as these troops were generally trapped around a coastal bottleneck surrounded by Nazi/Axis forces closing in from various directions. This film was nominated for eight Oscars including Best Picture and ended up winning three – it stars Fionn Whitehead, Harry Styles, Tom Hardy, and Kenneth Branagh among many others. https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 20 May 2022 | Predator (1987) | 00:17:34 | |
Arnold Schwarzenegger stars as Dutch, the head of an elite mercenary extraction squad who are sent deep into the Latin American jungle to “rescue” some high-level US diplomats. And they are quite the crew also including CIA operative Dillon played by Carl Weathers, Mac played by Bill Duke, Billy played by Sonny Landham, and Blaine played by Jesse “The Mind” Ventura – they have all of the fire-power they could possibly need plus a cast including TWO future governors, so what could go wrong? Host: Geoff Gershon Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 23 May 2022 | Desperado (1995) | 00:15:43 | |
We kick off our Second Season with this gem from the mid '90's. Back in the early ‘90’s, a young aspiring filmmaker from Austin made his first movie for $7,000 with much of the financing coming from selling his body for science – the filmmaker was Robert Rodriguez and his first feature was the celebrated El Mariachi, an inventive action film about a guitar player-turned-assassin seeking revenge. Host: Geoff Gershon Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 27 May 2022 | Paths of Glory (1957) | 00:14:50 | |
In honor of Memorial Day, let’s revisit one of the earliest films from a true titan of cinema, the late great Stanley Kubrick – this was only the third feature film he directed, and it came three years before what many consider his true breakout film, Spartacus starring Kirk Douglas. Douglas stars in this as well as a Colonel in the French Army during World War I who is ordered to lead his battalion into an untenable situation right at the edge of the European Front, though No Man’s Land. Host: Geoff Gershon Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 30 May 2022 | Top Gun: Maverick (2022) | 00:18:22 | |
He still feels the need, the need for speed! Maverick (Tom Cruise) is back after more than 36 years – he’s still toiling with the Navy as a Captain and still likes flying jets. He has now been called back to the Top Gun academy at Miramar by his superiors….to train a NEW crop of flyers for a top secret mission. Those new flyers include various characters with various call-signs including Hangman, Phoenix, Coyote, and…..Rooster (Miles Teller) who is actually the son of Goose, which was his best friend who died during a training exercise in the first movie. Yes this is indeed a DIRECT sequel to the 1986 smash Top Gun but it’s so much more than just a sequel. 😊 Joseph Kosinski (Tron Legacy) directs this aerial adventure also starring Jennifer Connelly, Jon Hamm, Charles Parnell, Glenn Powell, and Ed Harris. Host: Geoff Gershon Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 31 May 2022 | Pirates of the Caribbean (2003) | 00:15:19 | |
Apparently the star of this movie has been in the news a lot lately? Well let's revisit the film and the role that helped cement him into superstar status nineteen years ago....and that would of course be Johnny Depp playing the iconic Captain Jack Sparrow, resulting in not only a blockbuster franchise featuring him at its center but an Oscar nomination he would receive for this VERY role in 2003. Gore Verbinski directed this rollicking adventure on the high seas also starring Orlando Bloom, Geoffrey Rush, Keira Knightley, and Jonathan Pryce....AHOY MATEY!!! Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 06 Jun 2022 | Milk (2008) w/ The Times of Harvey Milk (1984) | 00:22:55 | |
We kick off Pride Month 2022 with this Oscar-winning biopic directed by Gus Van Sant (Good Will Hunting) which delves in the life of slain civil rights activist Harvey Milk who took the city of San Francisco AND the country by storm by becoming the first openly gay politician elected to major office in 1978. His story is both inspiring and touching, with much of the structure of this film and several highlights coming from the 1984 documentary of his life called “The Times of Harvey Milk” which also won the Best Documentary Oscar that year. Host: Geoff Gershon Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 10 Jun 2022 | Unlawful Entry (1992) & Single White Female (1992) | 00:19:45 | |
Two trashy urban thrillers from the 1990’s are about to turn 30 and gratefully, they feature top-flight talent! In Unlawful Entry, Kurt Russell and Madeline Stowe play a mild-mannered couple who become the focus of an increasingly unhinged police officer played by Ray Liotta – RIP. ☹ And in Single White Female, Bridget Fonda stars as fashionable Manhattanite who just broke up with her cheating boyfriend and is now seeking a new roommate in her swank apartment – enter Jennifer Jason Leigh’s Hedra who at first seems nice but proves increasingly……let’s say clingy. :o Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 13 Jun 2022 | Jurassic World Dominion (2022) | 00:15:51 | |
Just when you thought it was safe to try to interact with genetically developed prehistoric creatures….here’s another sequel to this long-running franchise to maybe pour some more cold water on that idea. Yes we are back in the world of raptors, T Rex’, and Chris Pratt looking manly which he certainly does. And every one else is back too from the original 1993 movie including Sam Neill, Laura Dern, and Jeff Goldblum to try to get to the bottom of what seems to be a global ecological disaster that might be emanating from one corporation…..and there MIGHT even be dinosaurs involved too! :o Bryce Dallas Howard and B.D. Wong also return from previous Jurassic films and Colin Trevorrow directs this brand new dino-epic. Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 16 Jun 2022 | Face/Off (1997) | 00:18:07 | |
What’s the BEST way to capture vital information from a renowned terrorist who’s currently in a coma with the only potential source being his extremely paranoid brother? Well if you’re living within the heightened world of this crazy action thriller directed by John Woo, the most obvious suggestion would be for you to surgically swap faces with that terrorist who’s in the coma. :o As wild as this premise seems, now imagine the two faces involved being those of John Travolta and Nicholas Cage at the height of their powers. :o WARNING: PROFANE LANGUAGE THROUGHOUT FILM CLIPS Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 21 Jun 2022 | Call Me By Your Name (2017) | 00:19:26 | |
Luca Guadagnino directs this touching coming of age drama about a 17 year old aspiring musician named Elio (Timothee Chalamet) living with his parents in Italy who falls in love with Oliver (Armie Hammer) the archeological grad student who is staying with them for the summer. The film is set during the Summer of 1983 and we are treated to sequences of dancing, swimming, bicycling, sumptuous meals, lovely people…..you’ll almost want to be there vacationing alongside them. 😊 This film was nominated for four Oscars including Best Picture and ended up winning Best Adapted Screenplay which was written by the legendary James Ivory. Michael Stuhlbarg also co-stars as Elio's father in this beautiful story of love and heartbreak. Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 24 Jun 2022 | John Carpenter's The Thing (1982) | 00:19:01 | |
Forty years ago, this sci-fi horror thriller was released as director Carpenter’s follow-up to Escape From New York and Halloween, both of which were quite popular and pretty groundbreaking for the time. It was a remake of the horror classic The Thing From Another World directed by the late great Howard Hawks – it has a top-flight cast of veteran actors lead by Kurt Russell including Keith David, Wilford Brimley, Richard Masur, Donald Moffett, and Alan Dysart among others. It also featured state-of-the-art special effects from modern master Rob Bottin, a hummable score from the legendary Ennio Morricone, and crisp visuals from one of the best cinematographers of this era, Dean Cundey. Host: Geoff Gershon Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 28 Jun 2022 | A League of Their Own (1992) | 00:17:44 | |
Happy 30th Anniversary to this classic fictionalized sports drama about the real-life All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL) which was started in 1943 during World War II as a temporary replacement or Major League Baseball as most players were serving overseas at the time – it featured several great female athletes from account the country who had never had the opportunity to play baseball at this level before. Geena Davis starts as the catcher Dottie Hinson with Lori Petty as her sister Kit who’s a pitcher – they play for the Rockford Peaches who are being managed by Jimmy Dugan played by Tom Hanks in a performance which earned him an Oscar nomination. The stacked cast also includes Madonna, Rosie O’Donnell, and it was directed by the late great Penny Marshall. Just in time for July 4th, let’s revisit this tale of America’s Pastime….albeit from a somewhat different angle. 😉 Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 30 Jun 2022 | Elvis (2022) | 00:18:28 | |
Elvis Presley remains one the most popular rock and roll performers since the inception of rock and roll – his music dominated the pop music landscape in the 1950’s and he remained a rock & roll icon through his unfortunate death in 1977. His life has been dissected, discussed, and of course has been portrayed in several movies going back decades. Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 03 Jul 2022 | Stripes (1981) Re-Release | 00:10:46 | |
For the week of July 4, 2022, we will be taking a break due to the holidays and to get our proverbial batteries recharged - we'll be ok and be back to releasing new episodes next week! ;) In the meantime, enjoy this remastered episode of my review of a comedy classic..... Host: Geoff Gershon Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 11 Jul 2022 | Thief (1981) | 00:16:58 | |
RIP to James Caan, one of the more legendary American actors to emerge from the stellar crop of the 1970’s. ☹ He has delivered many a strong performance in many strong movies including The Godfather where he played Sonny Corleone. Over his impressive 50+ year acting career, his starring role as the eponymous thief in this crime drama is considered by many (himself included) to be his best overall performance. Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 15 Jul 2022 | Thor: Love and Thunder (2022) | 00:17:10 | |
The son of Odon returns in his fourth movie within the Marvel Cinematic Universe once again starring Chris Hemsworth as the titular her and directed for the second time (after the previous one, Thor Ragnarok) by Taika Waititi. This time, he has a dangerous new enemy who is out to kill ALL gods (himself included) played by Oscar winner Christian Bale. He is also reuniting with a former love – returning from the first two films is Oscar winner Natalie Portman playing the earth-bound scientist Jane Foster, only this time she seems to be in possession of Thor’s favorite hammer. Also joining us for this new adventure is Oscar winner (!) Russell Crowe as Zeus who….well the less said, the better. What results is a mad-cap adventure with heart which spans several different planets including ours where New Asgard is located – gratefully New Asgard is overseen by returning character Valkyrie, still played winningly by Tessa Thompson. So the gang’s all here (minus Loki) as has the fun returned as well? Let’s find out and at least, we get to hear a lot of Guns & Roses along the way….. Host: Geoff Gershon Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 18 Jul 2022 | Robocop (1987) | 00:17:28 | |
When this film first came out 35 years ago, one of the taglines was “The Future of Law Enforcement.” Well it’s become abundantly clear that the future has now become the present upon revisiting this sci-fi action classic directed by the legendary Paul Verhoeven who would also go on to direct films such as Total Recall, Starship Troopers, and…..Showgirls? This remains of his best and most influential as it tells the story of Alex Murphy (Peter Weller) a police officer who is new to the dangerous streets of Detroit and gets brutally gunned down his first day on the job. But apparently, that’s not the last we see or hear of Murphy as he is resurrected into a cybernetic crime fighter for the city of Detroit, thanks to the interventions of the all-powerful OCP organization. He becomes known as Robocop and he has one ally partner played by Nancy Allen while having to take on several villains, most notably played by Ronny Cox and Kurtwood Smith. Host: Geoff Gershon Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 22 Jul 2022 | One Hour Photo (2002) | 00:17:38 | |
Remember when taking pictures required the use of an actual CAMERA and how the best way to see the fruits of your labor was to have them developed as PHOTOS? Well even if you don’t, it wasn’t that long ago before the age of smartphones – this film actually came out just twenty years ago and features at its center, one unique individual whose job is to develop these pictures for the general public. Host: Geoff Gershon Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 25 Jul 2022 | Nope (2022) | 00:17:20 | |
Oscar-winning writer/director Jordan Peele returns with this third film after the horror smashes Get Out and Us…..and this time, he’s taking things in a slightly different direction. There’s still horror involved but there’s also sci-fi and even many western elements. This story focuses on the Haywoods, a brother (Oscar-winner Daniel Kaluuya) and sister (Keke Palmer) running a horse ranch in southern California that was left them by their father (Keith David) who died under mysterious circumstances emanating from something dangerous….up in the sky. :o And one night as they’re trying to figure out what to do with their dying ranch (business has been much slower since Westerns stopped being a regular thing in Hollywood movies), these circumstances return….scary noises and images, it SEEMS that there might be a UFO hovering near them. So in light of recent economic circumstances, they decide that the most lucrative course of action for them would be to collect ACTUAL footage of the alleged UFO which they can sell for major profit….and that pretty much kicks off the story which has been teased by a very mysterious advertising campaign in the lead-up to this film’s release. Steven Yeun, Michael Wincott, and Brandon Perea also co-star in this very unique summer thriller. Host: Geoff Gershon Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 28 Jul 2022 | The Spy Who Loved Me (1977) | 00:16:02 | |
45 years ago during the summer of Star Wars and Smokey & the Bandit….there was only one action hero who dared to step into the ring and his name was Moore…Sir Roger Moore. 😊 By this point, Moore had played the character of James Bond in two previous entries in this franchise that made some money and had their fans but were still dwarfed by the popularity of the previous films starring Sean Connery – that all changed with this being an international smash hit and establishing Moore’s quippier version of 007 as a fan favorite for years to come. Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 01 Aug 2022 | Heat (1995) | 00:24:29 | |
“Don’t let yourself get attached to anything you are not willing to walk out on in 30 seconds flat if you feel the heat around the corner….” – Neil McCauley, 1995 And that’s the apparent thesis for one of the most beloved films of the past thirty years spoken by living legend Robert DeNiro sitting across from fellow living legend Al Pacino. Or is it really the main theme of the movie? Maybe it’s just something cool-sounding that a tough guy says but doesn’t really follow through on….director Michael Mann examines that very question among so many others during this almost three hour crime epic focusing on the brewing conflict between two self-obsessed master tacticians on both sides of the law…and the women who love them….along with every one else whose lives they impact. This STACKED cast also includes Val Kilmer, Diana Venora, Amy Brenneman, Tom Sizemore, Jon Voight, Wes Studi, Dennis Haysbert, Mykelti Williamson, Danny Trejo, and Ted Levine among SO many others. Let’s find out if the action IS really the juice….. Host: Geoff Gershon Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 05 Aug 2022 | Bullet Train (2022) | 00:18:37 | |
Brad Pitt stars in this fast-paced (literally) action comedy from director David Leitch who previously helmed Deadpool 2 and Atomic Blonde. It almost entirely takes place on a high speed train barreling through Japan which has some antagonistic passengers to say the least. Among them are a group of assassins who each seem to have different missions but involving the same set of people, mainly a local crime organization lead by the feared gangster White Death. There’s also a valuable suitcase onboard filled with money that every one seems to want and will kill for…..and chaos ensues! This film also co-stars Bryan Tyee Henry, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Joey King, Hiroyuki Sanada, and a slew of surprise cameos….if you have haven’t already trailers mind you. 😉 Host: Geoff Gershon Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 09 Aug 2022 | Top Ten Needle-Drops (Songs) | 00:27:43 | |
For the next couple of weeks, we will be taking a break to get our proverbial batteries recharged - we'll be back to releasing new episodes before the end of the month! In the meantime, enjoy this special episode going back through our catalog of more than 120 episodes to rank THE Best Needle-Drops so far – there will be two separate episodes for SONGS and MUSICAL SCORES. This one is for the songs - enjoy! Host: Geoff Gershon Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 15 Aug 2022 | Top Ten Film Scores | 00:30:44 | |
For the next couple of weeks, we will be taking a break to get our proverbial batteries recharged - we'll be ok and be back to releasing new episodes before the end of the month! ;) In the meantime, enjoy this special episode going back through our catalog of more than 120 episodes to rank THE Best Needle-Drops so far – for this episode, we are ranking the BEST FILM SCORES so far..... Host: Geoff Gershon Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 21 Aug 2022 | Prey (2022) | 00:14:36 | |
The Predator has returned! Well an earlier version of the fierce hunter from another planet…..and THIS time, he has visited America’s Great Plains more than 300 years ago. So is this a prequel to the 1987 sci-fi action thriller starring Arnold Schwarzenegger? Well sort of.... Host: Geoff Gershon Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 24 Aug 2022 | Fast Times At Ridgemont High (1982) | 00:16:46 | |
Remember when Nicholas Cage was known as Nicolas Coppola? Remember when the mall was THE place to hang out? Remember when half the girls in your high school class were trying to look like Pat Benatar? Remember when Sean Penn was funny?? :o Well if you don’t remember any of those things, here is an iconic tie capsule movie to remind of those and many other things from forty years ago. Yes this high school comedy came out forty years ago and it was not only the directorial debut for Amy Heckerling who would go on to direct Clueless but it was also the screenwriting debut of Cameron Crowe who would go on to write and direct Jerry Maguire. And it has a STACKED cast of future top talent including Penn, Cage, Forest Whitaker, Jennifer Jason Leigh, and Judge Reinhold among several others. It’s time to go back to Ridgemont and find out if playing Led Zeppelin IV on the first date REALLY works…. Host: Geoff Gershon Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 28 Aug 2022 | Boogie Nights (1997) | 00:17:52 | |
Twenty-five years ago, director Paul Thomas Anderson shook up the cinematic world with this epic tale focusing on the adult film industry in the 1970’s and 1980’s. He borrowed techniques from Robert Altman and Martin Scorcese but he made them his own with this sprawling tale of Eddie Adams, a teenager played by Mark Wahlberg with ONE special gift. This one special gift helps Eddie become an instant star with the name of Dirk Diggler – we witness his rise and fall within the industry along with stories of so many others around him portrayed by an impressively stacked cast including Burt Reynolds, Julianne More, Don Cheadle, the late great Phillip Seymour Hoffman, John C. Reilly, and Heather Graham, along with so many others….. And If you still don’t want to hear this review after reading the above, then that’s not an MP…..that’s a YP, YOUR problem. :O Host: Geoff Gershon Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 01 Sep 2022 | RRR (2022) | 00:18:29 | |
RRR (2022) This is the epic story of Ramu (Allur Sitarama Raju) and Bheem (NT Rama Rao Jr), two fierce soldiers on opposite sides of a long-running conflict in India one hundred years ago between the local residents and their British colonizers. Ramu reports to the British military and is on a mission to find the lead revolutionary who has been hiding in nearby forests - that revolutionary happens to be Bheem. Of course, they become friends at one point starting to fight together unaware of the other one’s roots…..and what results is a CRAZY 3+ hour extravagance of action, fantasy, dancing, revolution, and tigers defying gravity. :o Come learn about this deliriously entertaining Tollywood smash which not only took India but the rest of the world by storm this year! It was directed by S.S. Rajamouli and it’s quite the ride…. Host: Geoff Gershon Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 05 Sep 2022 | LA Confidential (1997) | 00:19:11 | |
Right on the heels of Boogie Nights, yet ANOTHER all-timer is about to turn twenty-five! And this one is one hell of a sprawling crime drama set in the Los Angeles in the 1950’s focusing on three different LAPD cops played by Russell Crowe, Guy Pearce, and Kevin Spacey. It’s quite an elaborate tale involving murder, prostitution, racism, corruption, blackmail, abuse, and even glamour at points – this was directed by Curtis Hanson and adapted from an acclaimed novel from James Ellroy. The stacked cast also includes James Cromwell, David Straitharn, Danny DeVito, and Kim Basinger in the role that won her an Oscar. This begins our “LA Crime Week” with Chinatown to soon follow…. Host: Geoff Gershon Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 09 Sep 2022 | Chinatown (1974) | 00:18:44 | |
“LA Crime Week” continues with this Neo-Noir thriller directed by Roman Polanski which is considered by many cinephiles to be one of the best films of the 1970’s. It’s a complex mystery focusing on water distribution, adultery, and murder among other several other matters – the private detective who has been hired to investigate is played by Jack Nicholson in one of his earlier breakout performances. As Nicholson’s Jake Gittes delves further into his investigation, he starts to uncover unforeseen levels of corruption, mainly from local water baron Noah Cross played by the late great John Huston. But at the center of this mystery is Evelyn Mulwray who hired Jake and is played by Faye Dunaway – both Dunaway and Nicholson received Oscar nominations for their performances. Host: Geoff Gershon Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 12 Sep 2022 | Three O'Clock High (1987) | 00:18:37 | |
Seeing as it’s September, it’s that time of year again…..time for the kids to go back to school! And what better way to commemorate this time period than revisiting what MIGHT be one of the strangest high school comedies from the ‘80’s? It’s the simple of story of Jerry Mitchell (Casey Siemaszko) a mild-mannered Senior student who gets challenged to an after-school brawl by the new intimidating kid in school, the much gossiped about Buddy Revell played menacingly by Richard Tyson. And then we watch over the next six hours as Jerry attempts to exhaust all options to AVOID this fight….including trying to enlist help to take on Revell. It’s quirky, fresh, funny, and definitely underappreciated as this film was a flop when it first hit theaters – since then, it has reached somewhat of a cult status thanks to confident direction from Phil Joanou in what was his directorial debut. Host: Geoff Gershon Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 16 Sep 2022 | Cobra Kai - Season Five (2022) | 00:22:44 | |
In a first for this podcast, I review an entire season of a streaming/TV show…. Host: Geoff Gershon Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 19 Sep 2022 | The Last of the Mohicans (1992) | 00:20:18 | |
Twenty-five years ago, audiences saw what would be THE first true movie star performance from eventual three-time Oscar winner Daniel Day-Lewis headlining a large, mainstream action adventure film….and this would also be the last time they would see this as well. No matter because as directed by Michael Mann, it was quite memorable to be taken back to 1757 and told the story of Hawkeye, a white man raised and adopted by the Mohican tribe. Russell Means plays his father, Madeline Stowe plays the British aristocrat whom he falls in love with, and Wes Studi plays a local indigenous guide with a hidden agenda whom he encounters. Amidst a sprawling story of romance, adventure, political intrigue, and tragedy, let’s find out who leaves the greatest impression…. Host: Geoff Gershon Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 23 Sep 2022 | Don't Worry Darling (2022) | 00:17:50 | |
Back in 2019, actress Olivia Wilde dazzled many folks with Booksmart which was her directorial debut – it remains one of the funniest and most inventive comedies of recent years. So as her follow-up, she has given us an original thriller which is much more ambitious….but is it just as good? Well it has a mind-bending premise about a seemingly utopian sequestered village in the desert known as the “Victory Project” and it stars Oscar nominee Florence Pugh as a seemingly happy housewife living there with her adoring husband played by Harry Styles, who’s working for a mysterious boss played by Chris Pine. And of course, there has been significant online chatter lately about the film’s production, director, and cast. Let’s find out if all of this results in a good movie…. Host: Geoff Gershon Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 26 Sep 2022 | Dredd (2012) | 00:18:07 | |
Ten years ago, we saw the second big-screen adaptation of a popular British graphic novel – the previous one (Judge Dredd) which came out in the 1995 starred Sylvester Stallone and was widely disliked by both fans and non-fans of the original comic. As a result, expectations for this latest version were pretty low in the lead-up to its fall release. WARNING: ADULT LANGUAGE AND VIOLENCE FEATURED IN CLIPS FOR MOVIE Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 30 Sep 2022 | One False Move (1992) | 00:16:19 | |
1992 was just a great year for independent cinema……you had SO many memorable smaller films directed by both new directors like Quentin Tarantino (Reservoir Dogs) and veteran directors like Robert Altman (The Player). Amidst this crop was this underseen gem directed by Carl Franklin which didn’t have much of a theatrical release nor did it receive much in the way of Oscar attention. However it DID eventually garner a following on home video thanks to being loudly championed by the two premiere film critics of the time on their regular weekly review show….Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert. In fact both critics even selected it as THE best film of 1992 which was a very strong year. This neo-noir crime thriller stars Bill Paxton as a small-town sheriff pulled into an ongoing hunt for three suspected murderers played by Cynda Williams, Michael Bowen, and Billy Bob Thornton who also co-wrote the screenplay. Host: Geoff Gershon Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 04 Oct 2022 | Frances Ha (2012) | 00:14:55 | |
Noah Baumbach directs this wistful coming-of-age comedy starring Greta Gerwig as the eponymous Frances who is a 27 year old aspiring dancer trying to find her place in the world after her best friend/roommate Sophie (Mickey Sumner) decides to move away with her fiancé to France. We follow her misadventures as Frances struggles to find steady work, a suitable home, and maybe even a bit of romance. This acclaimed indie from ten years ago also stars Adam Driver in one of his earliest roles and was co-written by both Baumbach and Gerwig - both of them would eventually not only get married but would also each receive Oscar nominations for Best Director just a few years later. Host: Geoff Gershon Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 06 Oct 2022 | Bros (2022) | 00:18:55 | |
Billy Eichner stars as Bobby, a single, successful, gay podcaster in his ‘40’s living in the big city who thinks he has everything he wants….until he meets Aaron one night in a club, a dreamy attorney played by Luke MacFarlane. And now Bobby THINKS he wants love…..as does Aaron…but it’s never that simple is it? Nicholas Stoller (Neighbors, Forgetting Sarah Marshall) directs this raucous romantic comedy which has attracted a lot of attention for what it signifies and how that plays with mainstream audiences….but is it any good? Let’s find out…. Host: Geoff Gershon Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 10 Oct 2022 | Michael Clayton (2007) | 00:18:22 | |
Fifteen years ago, the screenwriter of The Bourne Trilogy delivered his directorial debut and it was quite a memorable one! Tony Gilroy both wrote and directed this complex legal thriller starring George Clooney in the title role as a legal “fixer” who solves problems for the clients of his law firm that their lawyers really can’t touch. And now Michael comes upon a problem involving one of those said lawyers – his long-time friend Arthur played by Tom Wilkinson – and his involvement with a major class action lawsuit involving a major agricultural company who might be breaking the law. Tilda Swinton won an Oscar for her portrayal of the lead council for that company and she delivers a memorable performance among many others from a top-flight cast firing on all cylinders. Host: Geoff Gershon Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 13 Oct 2022 | Near Dark (1987) | 00:17:10 | |
Thirty-five years ago, we saw the release of a vampire thriller from a hot new director which truly connected with audiences and is beloved to this day – that film was The Lost Boys and it remains pretty beloved to this day. This was the OTHER vampire thriller released that same year – it was the second film to be directed by future Oscar-winner Kathryn Bigelow and it stars Adrian Pasdar as Caleb, a young man living in Oklahoma who meets a mysterious young woman (Jenny Wright) one night. The two lovebirds connect and then he meets the rest of the family….or so he thinks. Because this woman doesn’t below to a family, she belongs to a gang of vampires lead by Lance Henrickson and they’re travelling around the country with one main purpose: to feed on others. And as a result, Caleb has to decide whether he wants to join them….or to be fed upon. This cult classic also stars Jeanette Goldstein, Tim Thomerson, and the late, great Bill Paxton. Host: Geoff Gershon Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 17 Oct 2022 | Reservoir Dogs (1992) | 00:20:10 | |
Happy 30th Anniversary to one of the most influential independent films of the 1990’s. This was the directorial debut of future Oscar-winner Quentin Tarantino – he also wrote the screenplay and co-stars as Mr. Brown, who is part of a criminal gang assembled to perpetrate a large diamond heist. The overall story focuses on both the lead-up and aftermath of said heist…..and everything that goes wrong. And along the way, we get to meet a unique set of characters played by Harvey Keitel, Tim Roth, Michael Madsen, and Steve Buscemi along with several others. Host: Geoff Gershon Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 20 Oct 2022 | Event Horizon (1997) | 00:15:11 | |
Spooky Season continues with this late ‘90’s throwback to sci-fi horror which is very reminiscent of both Alien and The Shining – this was directed by Paul W.S. Anderson who gave us the Resident Evil series. It’s basically a very gory haunted-house-in-space thriller which flopped upon initial release 25 years ago but has since gained quite a cult following. And for good reason because it features a lot of freaky imagery along with a pretty strong cast including Laurence Fishburne, Sam Neill, Kathleen Quinlan, Joely Richardson, and Jason Isaacs. Let’s head off into space where no one….can understand your messages if they’re spoken in Latin. :o Host: Geoff Gershon Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 23 Oct 2022 | Black Adam (2022) | 00:14:55 | |
This latest addition to the DC Cinematic Universe stars Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson as the titular hero….well he’s not actually a hero, more of an anti-hero who has been bestowed the almighty powers of the gods, THIS is his origin story. Along with that, we also get introduced to the Justice Society lead by Hawkman played by Aldis Hodge who is joined by Doctor Fate played by Pierce Brosnan along with other heroes. The story mostly takes place in the fictional Middle Eastern city of Kahndaq which has been overrun by foreign military powers…..and only ONE man is there to defend its citizens who are trying to revolt. Guess who that happens to be? Jaume Collet-Serra directs this superhero epic….sorry anti-hero epic. Host: Geoff Gershon Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 28 Oct 2022 | Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992) | 00:17:54 | |
What better way to close out this scary season than to revisit a gothic horror romance from one of our greatest living directors, Francis Ford Coppola, who directed The Godfather Trilogy among several other modern classics. This adaptation of the classic 1897 vampire novel of course tells the epic tale of Count Dracula himself played with wild abandon by Gary Oldman clad in various memorable costumes and under gobs of convincing make-up depending on the scene – the story focuses on his star-crossed romance with Mina played by Winona Ryder. The cast also includes Keanu Reeves, Anthony Hopkins, and Sadie Frost among several other notable actors. Happy 30th Anniversary to a blood-soaked story where Love Never Dies. Host: Geoff Gershon Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 31 Oct 2022 | Passenger 57 (1992) | 00:16:17 | |
More than thirty-five years after its release, Die Hard remains among the most influential action films of all time. Since its release, we have seen dozens of movies following its formula of having ONE good guy within an enclosed space having to take down a group of bad guys lead by a terrorist mastermind. Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 04 Nov 2022 | Tootsie (1982) | 00:20:25 | |
Forty years ago, Sydney Pollack directed one of the most acclaimed and most successful comedies of all time with this gender-bending sorta-romantic comedy starring Dustin Hoffman as Michael Dorsey. Dorsey is an unemployed actor who suddenly finds success disguised as Dorothy Michaels, a suddenly successful actress who becomes of the leads of a popular daytime soap opera. Jessica Lange plays Julie, her co-star whom Michael falls in love with, Charles Durning plays Julie's father Les who falls in love with Dorothy....and hilarity ensues! The stellar cast also includes Teri Garr, Dabney Coleman, Geena Davis, and Bill Murray. Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 07 Nov 2022 | The Good Nurse (2022) | 00:14:36 | |
True crime dramas have been all the rage on various streaming services and here's a new one on Netflix which is affecting and disturbing, but also a bit different in its approach. Directed by Tobias Lindholm, we are told the true story of a Pennsylvania nurse who was suspected about twenty years of murdering dozens of his own patients in subtle ways at various local hospitals - his name is Charles and he's played by Oscar winner Eddie Redmayne. However the story is mostly told through the point of view of the nurse who befriended him and eventually helped bring him to justice - her name is Amy and she's played by recent Oscar winner Jessica Chastain. What results is a compelling docudrama which leaves its mark on you..... Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 10 Nov 2022 | First Blood (1982) | 00:17:27 | |
Forty years ago before this film directed by Ted Kotcheff came out, star Sylvester Stallone was generally associated with the popular character of Rocky Balboa which was created by him six years prior. Well all of that changed with the surprise success of this taut action thriller released in the fall of 1982 - this was the introduction to audiences of his OTHER beloved character, John Rambo. Rambo is a veteran of the Vietnam War who is simply wandering into a small northwestern town when he starts to get harassed by the local Sheriff Teasle played by the late great Brian Dennehy. Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 14 Nov 2022 | The Crying Game (1992) | 00:16:47 | |
Thirty years ago, this small little UK thriller from writer/director Neil Jordan took the world by storm - it was a surprise hit at the box office, received near universal critical acclaim, and it also received seven Oscar nominations including for Best Picture. What ended up being the main driver for much of this film's buzz and success was that it contained a "The Twist" which most audiences weren't expecting....and not just ANY twist either. ;) Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 18 Nov 2022 | Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022) | 00:15:14 | |
It's time to return to the fictional African kingdom introduced to us in one of the strongest films from the Marvel franchise which was also the RARE superhero movie to receive significant awards attention. Black Panther actually received seven Oscar nominations including for Best Picture and ended up winning three - not bad! Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 21 Nov 2022 | Gremlins (1984) | 00:16:43 | |
'Tis the season for holiday movies! And what better way to kick off this season than revisiting this Christmas-themed horror gem from the '80's directed by Joe Dante, starring Zach Galligan and Phoebe Cates? The REAL stars are actually the creatures of the title of course - they can start as cute, furry little things known as Mogwai. But if you violate two of the three rules - don't let them get wet and don't feed them after midnight - then they can multiply and transform into much less pleasant scaly creatures who relish violence and mischief! :o What resulted was one of the bigger hits of the 1980's and just an endless parade of holiday nastiness.... Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 25 Nov 2022 | She Said (2022) | 00:14:12 | |
Based upon their Pulitzer Prize-winning investigation (and novelization) from just a few years ago, this docudrama tells the true story of New York Times' journalists Megan Twohey (Carey Mulligan) and Jodi Kantor (Zooey Kazan) in their exhaustive effort to get to the bottom of rampant sexual harassment and workplace abuse in Hollywood....mainly at Miramax Pictures under the thumb of Harvey Weinstein throughout the '90's and early '2000's. This film was directed by Maria Schrader and also stars Patricia Clarkson, Andre Braugher, and Samantha Morton among several others. Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 28 Nov 2022 | Elf (2003) | 00:14:25 | |
Our ongoing parade of holiday movies continues with likely one of the more beloved ones of the 21st Century with this charming tale of Buddy, the oversized Christmas Elf played by Will Ferrell back when he was still an active cast member of Saturday Night Live. As Buddy is not always fitting in at the North Pole due to his unusual size for an elf, he decides to venture to New York City to seek out his REAL father whom he has been told lives there - the father is played by the late, great James Caan who is obviously taken by surprise meeting the son he never knew he had. Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 02 Dec 2022 | Starship Troopers (1997) | 00:17:39 | |
Twenty-five years ago, this biting satire loosely based upon Robert Heinlein's military science fiction novel of the same name was released - there was much fanfare as it was a very expensive production co-financed by two different studios and was directed by Paul Verhoeven who had recently given us Total Recall, Basic Instinct, and Robocop. The problem was that most folks who initially saw it didn't seem to get the joke, not audiences nor critics. Much of that was due to a cast of absurdly attractive actors playing absurdly written characters - it starred Casper Van Dien, Denise Richards, Dina Meyer, and Neil Patrick Harris among several others. Let's revisit this sci fi satire to see how it has held up.... Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 07 Dec 2022 | The Long Kiss Goodnight (1996) | 00:17:42 | |
The Holiday Movie Season continues.....and strangely enough, this one has quite the pedigree: it's directed by Renny Harlin who gave us the underrated Christmas actioner Die Hard 2: Die Harder and it's written by Shane Black who gave us the Christmas classic, Lethal Weapon. Beyond that, it stars Oscar winner Geena Davis as Charli Baltimore, a former government assassin who contracted amnesia and is now mild-mannered midwestern school teacher with a young daughter.....until of course, former rivals come calling. :o Charli has also teamed up with Mitch Hennessy, a crafty private detective played by Oscar nominee Samuel L. Jackson.....and what results is a quippy, brutal, and entertaining Christmas actioner which more people should have seen while it was in theaters. Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 09 Dec 2022 | Wall Street (1987) | 00:22:03 | |
Thirty-five years ago, writer/director Oliver Stone released the follow-up to his searing Vietnam War drama Platoon which came out the previous year winning Best Picture among several other Oscars.....and this time, his focus was on stock brokers? :o Of course his late father had been a stock broker so this was a very personal subject for Stone and he even brought back the star from his previous film to star in this one....Charlie Sheen. Sheen plays our main protagonist Bud Fox who's an aspiring young stock broker who idolizes one of the most exciting new titans of investment banking, Gordon Gekko who is played by Michael Douglas. One day, he ingratiates himself into Gekko's world and ends up trading for him.....and what results is one of the most quoted and often imitated adult drama/thrillers of the 1980's. Much of what makes it so iconic is the lead performance by Douglas who would win Best Actor at the Oscars. It also stars Martin Sheen, Darryl Hannah, John C. McGinley, and the late great Hal Holbrook among several others. Let's find out if Greed is STILL good! Producer: Marlene Gershon
https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 12 Dec 2022 | Zero Dark Thirty (2012) | 00:22:21 | |
Ten years ago, we saw the release of Kathryn Bigelow's follow-up to The Hurt Locker, a film which not only won Best Picture at the Oscars but for which she became the first woman to be Best Director as well. She and writer Mark Boal decided to tackle the comprehensive subject of the US' ongoing ten year search for Osama Bin Laden....and history occurred just before they started filming, leading to a dramatic overhaul of the story they were trying to tell. What resulted was an in-depth dramatization of how the US intelligence community eventually found Bin Laden with the focus mostly being on one CIA agent at the center of this investigation named Maya (a composite of several real individuals) played by Oscar-winner Jessica Chastain. This film also stars Jason Clark, Mark Strong, Jennifer Ehle, and James Gandolfini among several others involved in this massive war-time prodecural which attracted a ton of controversy. Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 15 Dec 2022 | Vice Versa (1988) | 00:15:51 | |
This year's series of holiday-themed movies concludes with a body-switch comedy from 1988 starring Judge Reinhold and Fred Savage as a father and son who - you guessed it - switch bodies as a result of a mishap with an ancient artifact. What results are hijinks involving middle school bullies, board meetings, heavy metal concerts, motorcycle chases, department stores, etc.....and this all takes place around Chicago during Christmastime. Of course while father and son adapt to their circumstances, they get to know each other better and hilarity ensues. ;) Brian Gilbert directed and this film also co-stars Swoosie Kurtz, Jane Kaczmarek, and David Proval. This came out amidst a slew of other body-switching comedies released within a few months including Like Father Like Son, 18 Again, and Big....and it's actually one of the better ones! Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 23 Dec 2022 | Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022) | 00:16:05 | |
Three years ago, most audiences were delighted by the breezy ensemble mystery comedy Knives Out directed by Rian Johnson and starring an impressive cast lead by Daniel Craig playing the brilliant detective Benoit Blanc. The film was a surprise box office hit when it came out so to no one's surprise, a sequel was planned and that sequel has also been directed by Johnson bringing back Craig's Blanc as our central protagonist. But this time, he has been invited to a pre-planned murder mystery set on the island of an eccentric billionaire played by Edward Norton....or WAS it pre-planned? What results is a dizzying comic mystery featuring a whole new cast of quirky characters including Kate Hudson, Janelle Monae, Dave Bautista, Kathryn Hahn, Leslie Odom Jr, and Jessica Henwick. Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 20 Dec 2022 | Avatar: The Way of Water (2022) | 00:16:52 | |
Big Jim is back! I'm referring to James Cameron of course, the Oscar-winning director of Titanic who also gave us such modern classics as Aliens, The Terminator, Terminator 2, and most recently Avatar which came out in 2009. Despite a lengthy production process and going massively overbudget, that film shocked every one to become a worldwide phenomenon - it starred Sam Worthington as Jake and Zoe Saldana as Netyri, two star-crossed lovers fighting to protect the Navi people on the moon of Pandora. Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 26 Dec 2022 | Malcolm X (1992) | 00:23:05 | |
Thirty years ago, director Spike Lee released what at the time was his magnus opus...this highly ambitious biopic of the eponymous iconic civil rights leader played by Denzel Washington. We are taken through the entire life of Malcolm and his journey from street gangster to prominent spokesman for the Nation of Islam. His words and actions as an activist inspired millions while dividing many others. This 190 minute epic received much acclaim and a couple of Oscar nominations, including Best Actor or Denzel who gave one of - if not THE best - performance of his career. It also stars Angela Bassett, Albert Hall, and Al Freeman Jr. Producer: Marlene Gershon
https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 29 Dec 2022 | Runaway Train (1985) | 00:17:06 | |
Remember Cannon Films? They were an independent production company started in the '70s run by two Israeli cousins (Yoram Globus, Menahem Globus) who wanted to bring their cinematic ambitions to the United States....and they released a LOT of movies, most of which were considered schlock in retrospect. But every once in a while, they would release a GENUINE quality film and this was one of them. :) Directed by Andrei Konchalovsky, this is a tense action adventure focusing on two escaped convicts of an Alaskan prison who jump on to a nearby train before eventually realizing that its conductor has died and its breaks are not working. Hence it's a.....RUNAWAY TRAIN. ;) Jon Voight and Eric Roberts star as the two convicts along with Rebecca De Mornay as a rail worker who they encounter on their adventure. Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 04 Jan 2023 | Den of Thieves (2018) | 00:15:52 | |
Five years ago, this sprawling heist movie/crime drama came out to mixed reviews and solid box office. At the time of release, many dismissed it as a knock-off the 1995 classic Heat.....which it is somewhat is. But since then, it has garnered quite a cult following on cable and streaming for that VERY reason: it's a fun, engaging knock-off of Heat. :) And it features a nutso leading performance from Gerald Butler playing Big Nick, the dirty cop to end all dirty cops - he's on the trail of a proficient gang of bank robbers lead by ex-military, ex-con Merriman played by Pablo Schreiber. Also included among the cast are Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson and O'Shea Jackson in this twisty action thriller directed by Christian Gudegast. Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 06 Jan 2023 | Jackie Brown (1997) | 00:20:10 | |
As a writer/director, HOW do you follow up one of the most highly acclaimed and influential films of the past several decades? Well back in 1997, Quentin Tarantino initially disappointed many (myself included) by NOT just giving us a redux of Pulp Fiction which had come out three years prior. Though as it turns out, he actually gave us one hell of a movie which decades later holds up very well as a more mature character piece - this one stars Pam Grier as the titular Jackie Brown alongside Samuel L. Jackson, Robert Forster, Bridget Fonda, Robert DeNiro, and Michael Keaton. The story focuses on the pursuit of more than $500k of gun-running money and how so many different folks want to get their hands on it....but it's actually much more than that. Let's revisit one of Tarantino's best! Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 10 Jan 2023 | The Warriors (1979) | 00:17:23 | |
Could this be one of the most influential genre movies of the '70's? Well if you consider this to be one of the earliest movies to take place over ONE tense night traversing through big city, then the answer is likely yes. Walter Hill (48 Hours) directed this urban adventure of one young gang (the eponymous Warriors) trying to find their way back home to Coney Island from a violent event in The Bronx......all via 50 miles of subway train when they're not fending off rival gangs wearing facepaint, brandishing baseball bats, and/or gliding on old-school roller skates. The cast includes Michael Beck, James Remar, David Patrick Kelley, Dorsey Wright, Brian Tyler, and Roger Hill among several others.....CAN YOU DIG IT?? Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 12 Jan 2023 | The China Syndrome (1979) | 00:17:22 | |
Remember when Hollywood used to release actual THRILLERS focused on real Earth-based things which involved real regular people who didn't wear capes?? Well you don't have to go all the way back to 1979 to find a strong one (as there were many during the '90's) to find one but this might be one of the more memorable ones as it focuses on subject matter which was a hot-button topic at the time of release: the proliferation of nuclear power. Jane Fonda stars as a TV reporter who might have uncovered some unexpected dangers emerging from a local power plant in southern California, Michael Douglas (who also produced) plays her camera man, and Jack Lemmon plays an operator at said local power plant. This film received several Oscar nominations including for Best Actor (Lemmon), Best Actress (Fonda), and Best Original Screenplay which was co-written by James Bridges who also directed this film. Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 16 Jan 2023 | Joker (2019) | 00:16:46 | |
Director Todd Phillips (The Hangover) takes us through an alt-world origin story for the titular comic book villain from DC Comics. In this version, he's a struggling comedian/street clown in early '80's Gotham City named Arthur Fleck played by Joachin Phoenix in a role which won him the Oscar for Best Actor. Producer: Marlene Gershon
https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 19 Jan 2023 | Falling Down (1993) | 00:18:07 | |
Thirty years ago, this urban thriller came out to mild acclaim and pretty strong box office - it stars one of our biggest stars of the time, Michael Douglas, in what would be one of his most iconic roles generally known as "D-Fens." He plays a recently divorced, disgruntled former defense engineer stuck in traffic one humid morning in LA when he suddenly decides....that he has just HAD it! He walks away from his car and starts to venture by foot into greater Los Angeles encountering his share of strangers who are either dangerous or scared of him.....and things get increasingly violent as the day progresses on. On his trail is Robert Duvall as a LAPD detective on his last day before retirement....or will he? Eventually their stories converge in a one o the more controversial thrillers of the '90's - this was directed by the late, great Joel Schumacher who had previously directed movies like The Lost Boys and Flatliners. Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 23 Jan 2023 | Taxi Driver (1976) | 00:17:15 | |
What can be said about one of THE most iconic movies of the past 50 years which hasn't been said already? Well you probably know that it was directed by Martin Scorsese, one of our greatest living American filmmakers. And you probably also know it stars the legendary Robert DeNiro in one of his most iconic roles playing Travis Bickle, the titular taxi driver. You might also know that it was also written by the renowned writer/director Paul Shrader who would go on to craft other iconic films including American Gigolo and Affliction, along with several other collaborations with Scorsese. You probably already have an idea that it tells the story of an Vietnam veteran, disgruntled cab driver who eventually finds himself on a mission to "clean up the streets" of mid '70's New York City in his own unique way of course. Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 26 Jan 2023 | The King of Comedy (1983) | 00:19:32 | |
Continuing this weeks's run of collaborations between Martin Scorsese and Robert DeNiro, we are now approaching the 40th Anniversary of likely the most obscure film which they worked on together. Scorsese returns to direct DeNiro in a completely different sort of role from his more recent tough guy ones in movies like Taxi Driver - this time he plays Rupert Pupkin, an "aspiring comedian" living in early '80's New York City who has only one dream.....to get a stand-up gig on "The Jerry Langford Show" which is the most popular night-time talkshow in the country, loosely modeled on "The Tonight Show With Johnny Carson" at the time. Langford is played by legendary comedian Jerry Lewis in a very different type of actor's turn for him. Pupkin becomes OBSESSED with getting on Jerry's show and in the process starts to stalk him....and hilarity ensues! :) Well at the very least some pretty funny satire...... Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||