Episode 22: Dysfunctional Is Still Functional

Xanadu Sq LogoThis week, Windy and Melissa make use of listener Ryan Alexander’s suggestion and talk about BOOZE MOVIES! (“Because meta,” writes Ryan.)

We, of course, did not do this episode sober. We found a bottle of wine with a sheep on it (Le Grand Noir Malbec) and enjoyed it very, very thoroughly.

Show notes behind the cut!

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This Week’s Underappreciated Movies

Every Monday, each of us will suggest a film that we feel too few people have seen.

Monster_Squad

Windy’s Pick of the Week: Monster Squad

Alright, I’m not sure this is “underappreciated” but I’m gonna go with it. See, this movie is a bit of an open secret among my social circle, so not one of my friends would agree that it is “underappreciated.” However, it would be easy to be unaware of this delightful little entry into 80’s young adult adventure films. There are a lot of familiar faces in the movie (the most recognizably awesome being Duncan Regehr as Dracula), and the script is warm and likable – with some great quotes. Anyone who ever sat around with their friends playing “who would win in a fight?” will have an affinity for this film. A solid addition to the classic Universal monster movie canon.

tuckeranddale

Melissa’s Pick of the Week: Tucker & Dale vs. Evil

I am a big fan of horror comedies, and this is one of the best one to appear in recent years. Like Cabin in the Woods (which is also great), Tucker & Dale vs. Evil is a loving ode to the horror genre while also lampooning a thousand horror tropes. Tucker & Dale has a lighter touch than Cabin, though, so it might be more appealing to folks averse to the horror genre. It also has the hilarious Alan Tudyk as Tucker, a bumbling redneck mistaken as a Deliverance-style teenager-killer. (The rest of the cast is fun, too, but Tudyk is a scene-stealer in every movie.) This low-budget treat is easily found on streaming providers these days, so give it a look!

Episode 21: A Bucket Full of Wrong

, with special guest:

 

Actual photo of Windy, taken while recording this episode.

Actual photo of Windy, taken while recording this episode.

This week, we are joined by erudite comedian Kelvin Hatle as we unravel our feelings about “probematic media”: movies and shows that are great except for that ooooooone super offensive part. We go a little long on this one and hit upon some not-very-nice subjects, so buckle up with a bottle of Penascal Temperanillo or The Gaucho Club Oak Cask Malbec… because we certainly did!

If we make your blood pressure rise too much with this week’s episode, we apologize and offer How Animals Eat Their Food as a palliative measure.

Show notes behind the cut!

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This Week’s Underappreciated Movies

Every Monday, each of us will suggest a film that we feel too few people have seen.

timecrimes

Melissa’s Pick of the Week: Timecrimes

This Spanish film is an amazing example of great sci-fi made on a minuscule budget. This movie squeezes everything it can out of a tiny cast, three locations, and a deft script. Eerie, tense, and bizarre, Timecrimes is one of my very favorite time-travel films. To describe it in more detail would be a disservice. Seriously, just look it up on Netflix Streaming and watch it.

Push

Windy’s Pick of the Week: Push

Chris Evans stars in this quasi-future-dystopian movie where some people have developed extra-sensory powers. Needless to say, shadowy government-run agencies seek to recruit, exploit, and control them. Lots of plot twists based on just how far a clairvoyant’s power can go, and just how much a brain can be reprogrammed. Chris Evans is extremely likeable onscreen, and he’s supported by a Dakota Fanning that is bitter and brittle – and very enjoyable.

Episode 20: Morality Is Our Weakness

, with special guest:

Xanadu Sq LogoThis week, DC Comics artist Christopher “Danger” Jones, Esq. returns to discuss “family friendly” movies, and all the problems audiences seem to have with them. And if you thought talking about family fare would prevent us from drinking, well, pop open that bottle of Castello Banfi Centine Toscana and drink along with us!

Show notes behind the cut!

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