This Week’s Underappreciated Movies

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

chef

Windy’s Pick of the Week: Chef

Unexpectedly, I’m picking a recent movie. Chef came out just a year ago, but I feel like most people completely missed it. Which is a darn shame, as this is a fantastic amuse-bouche of a movie. Jon Favreau wrote, directs, and stars in this movie about a chef who has unknowingly let his life go the wrong direction. When the truth about how unhappy he is finally crashes down on him spectacularly, he has to rebuild his life by reminding himself of what it is he truly loves. Favreau’s love of food is ALL over this movie, and you’ll definitely want to stock up on quality nosh before hitting play. But it’s on Netflix streaming right now, so you’ve really got no excuse. True fact: my husband watched this without me, and was willing to re-watch it within a week because he wanted to watch it again. P.S. John LeGuizamo too.

seven_psychopaths

Melissa’s Pick of the Week: Seven Psychopaths

Brought to us by the same writer/director who brought us In Bruges (also great), Seven Psychopaths is bizarre, poppy, and loaded with great character actors doing great character actor things. Are there indeed seven psychopaths? Check. Are they chasing after a down-and-out screenwriter in Los Angeles? Yup. Is this all about a stolen shih-tsu? Sure is. Does this movie have Christopher Walken in one of his strangest roles? Oh yeah. It’s like this film was actively trying for cult film status.

Episode 57: Saltine Lust

, with special guest:

0057 RomcomDear listeners, if the term “romcom” is poison to you, don’t worry… we know how you feel! That’s why this week, we talk about romantic comedies for people who hate romantic comedies! And joining us this week as our special guest is comedy person Kelvin Hatle!

If you would like to ignite your passions with some booze (as we certainly did while recording), we recommend Rabbit Ridge Allure de Robles, a red wine with a rabbit on the bottle. Because rabbits have sexy-times, and so should you.

Show notes behind the cut!

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Trailer Tuesday

This Week’s Underappreciated Movies

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

dredd-2012

Melissa’s Pick of the Week: Dredd

High octane and smarter than you might think, the 2012 cinematic take on the Judge Dredd comic is surprisingly good. It’s something like an extremely violent, futuristic, dystopian version of Die Hard, except there’s more for women to do and there are fewer wisecracks. Karl Urban is kind of perfect as Dredd: he is content to reside entirely in the trademark mask, like in the comics. He never shows his face, in a zenlike unity of man and job (if zen were really violent). However, if that sounds dour, it isn’t. Dredd doesn’t forget that it is essentially a satire, and the film never takes itself too seriously. If you can stomach the gore, Dredd is an action-packed goodie.

frequency-movie

Windy’s Pick of the Week: Frequency

I’m a sucker for time travel movies, and this one has at its center a father-son relationship anchored by Dennis Quaid and Jim Caviezel. Jim is a cop whose firefighting father died when he was a boy, and who has struggled with emotional distance ever since. When he uncovers his father’s old HAM radio, rare and freakish atmospheric anomalies have him talking to a stranger that sounds very familiar. The movie plays with the time stream (and would give Doctor Who with his “fixed point in time” conniptions) and the consequences of actions, eventually leading to the father in the past and the son in the present teaming up to solve a decades-old long serial killer case.

Episode 56: Mutter Mutter Mutter KNIFE

0056 HitchcockThis week, dear listeners, we set Melissa loose on early Hitchcock films! Why? Because she’s seen them all, and can tell you which ones are the best of the Master of Suspense’s early years.

If you would like to drink along with us, we recommend Esprit Barville Cotes du Rhone wine, which has those little hat-like marks over several letters when written correctly. Or, if you don’t have any of that, you can always go for Hitch’s favorite: brandy.

Show notes behind the cut!

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