Post-modern horror comedies (which are WAY more fun than they sound) are our targets for these episodes of the podcast. Jeff and Chad welcome guest geek Annette (sitting in for Buddy) as they look at 2004's slackers-meet-zombies classic, Shaun of the Dead! This is a bit like a combination of Clerks with George Romero's "Dawn of the Dead," if it were set in England. It's also something of a romantic comedy wrapped in horror paper. Written by Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg, and directed by Wright, the film stars Pegg, alongside his partner-in-crime, Nick Frost. They're joined by Kate Ashfield, Lucy Davis, Dylan Moran, Bill Nighy, and Penelope Wilton, along with a brief cameo by none other than Martin Freeman!
The last episode warmed you up for presidential romantic comedy, but in this episode, Buddy, Jeff, and Chad bring you the best of the genre yet put on film, as they discuss 1995's "The American President!" Directed by the amazing Rob Reiner, and written by the person Jeff refers to as "The Master," the unparalleled Aaron Sorkin, this film stars Michael Douglas, Annette Benning, Martin Sheen, Michael J. Fox, Anna Deavere Smith, Samantha Mathis, David Paymer, Richard Dreyfuss, Wendie Malick, Joshua Malina, , and John Mahoney in a tour de force of exactly what a presidential romantic comedy, really ANY romantic comedy in fact, can be when it's done by people who fully understand the structure and possibilities of the genre! It's a rare three-way top-score rating from the trio for this film, so listen in and find out why! And at the end, find out what chillingly funny films are coming up in episodes 44 and 45!
It's a presidential romance, with just the right amount of laughs thrown in, Jeff, Buddy, and Chad discuss all of the elements that make up the wonderful film "Dave" from 1993! From director Ivan Reitman, written by the amazing Gary Ross, and starring Kevin Kline, Sigourney Weaver, Frank Langella, Kevin Dunn, Ving Rhames, Ben Kingsley, and Charles Grodin, this is a movie that will simply make you feel good, as it's one of those rare RomComs that actually delivers the romance and the comedy both! And it features an oval office set that was so good it's been used in movies and TV shows ever since! Plus, Ving Rhames with hair is a sight you won't see in many other movies, so sit down with someone you love, get some popcorn, and learn about the next movie you should be watching!
In our second homage, as well as our second gloriously awful 80s movie, it's a martial arts-meets-motown mash-up with 1985's "The Last Dragon" from Motown producer Barry Gordy! This film pays tribute to Bruce Lee and the martial arts films of the 70s, but with a decidedly 80s Motown twist! Directed by Michael Schultz, written by Louis Venosta, and starring Taimak, Vanity, Julius Carry, Christopher Murney, Faith Prince, Mkie Star, Glean Eaton, and Ernie Reyes Jr., this film answers the question "What if a Bruce Lee movie were set in a 1980s dance club and cast with primarily African-American actors in the title roles?" It's truly a fun romp, but not exactly Oscar-worthy (although there was a song from this film nominated for a Golden Globe)! Finally, the trio discuss the romantic-comedy/romantic-dramady pairing coming up in the next two episodes!