Another of our favorite christmas films, this time it's an action-adventure story set in a warm Los Angeles evening! Of course, we're talking about 1988's "Die Hard," directed by John McTiernan and starring Bruce Willis, Gonnie Bedelia, Reginald VelJohnson, and Alan Rickman! There are those would would argue that Die Hard isn't a Christmas film, but Jeff, Buddy and Chad disagree, and will persuade you to their view if you let them. :) All this, plus a preview of which great writer, who started as an independent filmmaker and went on to become a Hollywood name, the trio will be examining next!
One of the most christmas-y stories of all times is Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol," and one of Jeff's favorite stories. In this episode, Buddy and Chad let Jeff pick his favorite version of the story on film, and that turns out to be 1970's "Scrooge!" Directed by Ronald Neame, adapted for the screen by Leslie Bricusse, and starring Albert Finney, Edith Evans, Kenneth More, Michael Medwin, David Collings, and Sir Alec Guiness, this is the story brought to life differently as a musical, adding in tunes happy ("Thank You Very Much"(, sad ("You, You"), and creepy ("See the Phantoms"). All together, this is one of the most affecting versions of the story yet to be put on film!
Episode 25 continues our look at non-traditional films in the Western genra with arguably one of the best revisionist-western films made to date - 1992's "Unforgiven!" Directed by, and starring, Clint Eastwood, and co-starring Morgan Freeman, Gene Hackman, Richard Harris, Jaimz Woolvett, Soul Rubinek, Frances Fisher, and Anna Levine, this story takes us long after the "good old days" for gunslinger William Munny, who gets persuaded to return to his desperado lifestyle to avenge the attack on a prostitute by two cowboys. Between the righteousness of the hunt and the reward money for killing the two culprits, this story follows an anti-hero on a quest, demonstrates the simple nature of regret, and shines a light on the difference between the vigorous sureness of youth and the bitter wisdom of age. This is an example of filmmaking at its finest, and comes very close to being the perfect movie! Plus, at the end, Buddy, Chad, & Jeff talk about their picks for the next two episodes, otherwise known as the Christmas episodes!
Episode 24 is our first return to a genre. We're going back to Westerns, but instead of celebrating the traditions of westerns, we're instead celebrating the films that took the Western genre in new and unexpected directions. This week, it's Sergio Leone's neo-realist masterpiece "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly" from 1966. Directed by Leone, co-written with Luciano Vincenzoni, and starring Lee Van Cleef, Eli Wallach, and Clint Eastwood, this is a film that delivers storytelling on several different levels simultaneously! Whether it's the beautiful Ennio Morricone score, the incredible cinematography by Tonino Delli Colli, or the performances turned in by these amazing actors, this is a film that, rightfully so, it held as an example of how to make a nigh-unto perfect movie!
Episode 23 is a look at two of Pixar's best films (in our humble opinions), and 2008's "Wall-E" is one of their strongest films in practically every single way. Not only is it a stunning visual experience, not only does it possess a score beautiful enough to make a grown man weep, not only is it a tale of innocence and true love, but it's a legitimate science fiction film as well, worthy to be held up with movies like 2001, Blade Runner, Alien, and other sci-fi classics! Directed by Andrew Stanton, and written by Stanton, Pete Docter, and Jim Reardon, this film has the distinction of having the fewest spoken lines of any Pixar film! The lines it does have are voiced by Ben Burtt, Elissa KNight, Jeff Garlin, Fred Willard (in the film's only "actual footage" clips), John Ratzenberger, Kathy Najimy, Sigourney Weaver, and an actual Macintosh voice program called "MacInTalk!" Plus, the trio reveal that they're going back o a genre they've covered already for the next episode, but with a bit of a twist!
Another of our favorite christmas films, this time it's an action-adventure story set in a warm Los Angeles evening! Of course, we're talking about 1988's "Die Hard," directed by John McTiernan and starring Bruce Willis, Gonnie Bedelia, Reginald VelJohnson, and Alan Rickman! There are those would would argue that Die Hard isn't a Christmas film, but Jeff, Buddy and Chad disagree, and will persuade you to their view if you let them. :) All this, plus a preview of which great writer, who started as an independent filmmaker and went on to become a Hollywood name, the trio will be examining next!
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