Watch the trailer!

Week two of our focus on real-life scandals brings us forward to the 1990s and the lengths one young writer will go to in order to be seen as successful by his peers. In 2003's "Shattered Glass," director Billy Ray brings us the story of Stephen Glass (Hayden Christensen), the youngest write on-staff at the New Republic magazine. The editor of the magazine, Michael Kelly (Hank Azaria), is loved by everyone on-staff, but his constant head-butting with the owner Marty Peretz (Ted Kotcheff) sees him let go, replaced by Charles 'Chuck' Lane (Peter Sarsgaard), who Stephen views as a rival. After reporters for Forbes Adam Penenberg (Steve Zahn) and Andy Fox (Rosario Dawson) do a follow-up on one of Stephen's stories, 'Hack Heaven." After discovering that they can confirm no facts, locations, persons, or companies mentioned in the article, they contact the New Republic and begin a series of meetings that ultimately result in the revelation that Glass has been fabricating story after story for years, something that, somehow, the extensive fact-checking system at the New Republic failed to uncover. The film also stars Chloe Sevigny, Melanie Lynskey, and Mark Blum. Plus, the trio unveil two 80s science fiction films they've dreamed up for the next pairing!

Find us on Facebook!

Follow us on Twitter!

Support us on Patreon!

Watch the trailer!

Scandals are the fixed-point for this pairing of films about real-life instances of dishonorable behavior! First up is the Robert Redford-directed tale of how American gameshow audiences lost their innocence in the late 1950s in 1994's "Quiz Show!" The film follows Herbie Stempel (John Turturro), an everyman from Queens, New York, who has a run of victories on the NBC quiz show "21." Unfortunately for him, however, along comes dashing and handsome Charles Van Doren (Ralph Fiennes) who the producers of the show, Dan Enright (David Paymer) and Albert Freedman (Hank Azaria), think will be more popular with audiences. Stempel, who has been receiving the answers from the producers before actually competing on the game show, is told to lose to allow Van Doren to become the new champion, an instruction he is not happy to receive. As Van Doren becomes the new television sweetheart, also winning with answers provided ahead of time from the producers, Stempel tries to blow the whistle on the program. Along comes Richard Goodwin (Rob Morrow), who works as a Congressional investigator, and believes that Stempel's claims are true. Also appearing are Paul Scofield, Christopher McDonald, Elizabeth Wilson, and Mira Sorvino!

Find us on Facebook!

Follow us on Twitter!

Support us on Patreon!

Watch the trailer!

The second part of our pairing focusing on the Supreme Court of the United States leaps straight into a horror the likes of which we have not seen. Directed by veteran Alan J. Pakula, the film follows law student Darby Shaw (Julia Roberts) as she navigates both her classes and her relationship with her teacher Thomas Callahan (Sam Shepard). When two Justices of the Supreme Court are assassinated, Darby puts together a wild theory so far out in left field that it's unbelievable. Unfortunately for Shaw, it also turns out to be true. Callahan gives the paper to his friend, and lawyer for the FBI, Gavin Verheek (John Heard), who passes it along up the chain. So intriguing is the paper, now called "The Pelican Brief," that it makes its way to the CIA and the White House. From there, Darby's life becomes a nightmare as she is hunted for being the author of the brief. Ultimately, she requests the assistance of famed Washington Times reporter Gray Grantham (Denzel Washington) in her quest to both reveal the truth of the assassinations and survive to read about it in his newspaper! Also starring Tony Goldwyn, James Sikking, William Atherton, Robert Culp, Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, and Hume Cronyn. Plus, the trio unveil which scandals-made-movies make up their next pairing!

Find us on Facebook!

Follow us on Twitter!

Support us on Patreon!

Watch the trailer!

With the Supreme Court of the United States in the news of late, this pairing focuses on two very different views of the Court. First, Ronald Neame directs Walter Matthau and Jill Clayburgh in a dramedey about the appointment of the first female Supreme Court Justice in 1981's "First Monday In October!" Based on a stageplay of the same name from 1978, this tells the story of the appointment of conservative Judge Ruth Loomis (Clayburgh) to the Supreme Court, something liberal Justice Dan Snow (Matthau) finds troublesome. The film follows the congenial relationship between Mr. Justice Snow and the "CJ," the Chief Justice of the Court (Barnard Hughes), and the contentious, combative, but ultimately friendly relationship between Justice Snow and Justice Loomis as they argue both economic and free speech cases back and forth. An intriguing look at how the Justices of the Court might discuss and debate the matters under their consideration, both in and out of the courtroom!

Find us on Facebook!

Follow us on Twitter!

Support us on Patreon!