This week we wrap up Fictional American Presidents Month with some high-octane fun. 1997's Air Force One, directed by Wolfgang Petersen, pits President Harrison Ford against terrorist Gary Oldman . . . on an airplane. It's peak dad action that preceded a whole rash of kick-ass Commander-In-Chief films in the years that followed. We're excited to talk about the one that started it all, so please join us.

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On Letterboxd? Follow along with this month’s movie list here.

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Fictional American Presidents Month rolls on this week with 1995's The American President, directed by Rob Reiner. This film stars Michael Douglas as a Commander In Chief with a conscience and a new girlfriend, played by Annette Bening. It's a charming story of love from a time when politics were simpler.

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STILL TO COME DURING FICTIONAL AMERICAN PRESIDENT MONTH:

3/31 Air Force One (1997)

On Letterboxd? Follow along with this month’s movie list here.

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Gerard Butler Action Month continues this week with Den of Thieves 2: Pantera, which is currently in theaters. It's an action-packed heist film that re-teams Butler with O'Shea Jackson Jr. in the south of France. We also discuss the passing of legendary director David Lynch.

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STILL TO COME DURING GERARD BUTLER ACTION MONTH:

12/27: Plane (2023)

On Letterboxd? Follow along with this month’s movie list here.

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This week on the show Gerard Butler Action Month continues with 2021's Copshop. This Joe Carnahan-directed jail film features Butler at his best as a witty hitman, along with great performances from Frank Grillo and Alexis Louder.

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STILL TO COME DURING GERARD BUTLER ACTION MONTH:

12/20: Den of Thieves 2: Pantera (2025)

12/27: Plane (2023)

On Letterboxd? Follow along with this month’s movie list here.

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Happy New Year! We're coming out of the gate swinging in 2025 with an action-packed month of Gerard Butler films to get you motivated. Over the past decade, Butler has made a living kicking ass and taking names in the mid-budget action genre, and we're here to celebrate it, starting with the film that got this era going: 2013's Olympus Has Fallen.

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STILL TO COME DURING GERARD BUTLER ACTION MONTH:

12/13: Copshop (2021)

12/20: Den of Thieves 2: Pantera (2025)

12/27: Plane (2023)

On Letterboxd? Follow along with this month’s movie list here.

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This week, we not only bring Offbeat Holiday Films Month to a close, but we also say goodbye to 2024. We're going out with a touching little film from 2019 called Feast of the Seven Fishes, directed by Robert Tinnell. It's a really fun story about an Italian-American family in a blue-collar Pennsylvania town, preparing for their Christmas Eve dinner. With lots of drama and the right amount of sweetness, this was fun to watch and talk about. We also discuss some recent news around the release of The Batman 2, and talk about a few great films we saw last week.

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NEXT MONTH:

Gerard Butler Action Month!

On Letterboxd? Follow along with this month’s movie list here.

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Offbeat Holiday Films Month continues this week with Carry-On, the newly released airport thriller starring Taron Egerton and Jason Bateman. This Netflix thrill ride is definitely one to watch this holiday season.

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STILL TO COME IN OUR OFFBEAT HOLIDAY FILM SERIES:

11/25: Feast of the Seven Fishes (2019)

On Letterboxd? Follow along with this month’s movie list here.

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In this week's episode, we take a break from holiday films and dive back into our Rewatch and Reconsider series with a quiet and lovely little story from 2009: City Island. Directed by Raymond De Felitta, this heartfelt dramedy follows a family full of secrets as they discover how to finally live out loud with the help of an ex-con interloper who comes to live with them and shakes everything up.

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STILL TO COME IN OUR OFFBEAT HOLIDAY FILM SERIES:

12/23: Carry On (2024)

11/25: Feast of the Seven Fishes (2019)

On Letterboxd? Follow along with this month’s movie list here.

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This week, Offbeat Holiday Film Month continues with 2020's Happiest Season from writer/director Clea Duvall. This modern meet-the-family rom-com is full of the usual Christmas film tropes but puts a unique spin on them through smart writing and great performances.

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STILL TO COME IN OUR OFFBEAT HOLIDAY FILM SERIES:

12/16: Rewatch and Reconsider: City Island (2009)

12/23: Carry On (2024)

11/25: Feast of the Seven Fishes (2019)

On Letterboxd? Follow along with this month’s movie list here.

____________________

WE’D LOVE TO CONNECT!

Please drop us a line at moviethrowdownpod@gmail.com, and follow us on social media:

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It's December, which means a lot of holiday programming. This month, we're discussing Offbeat Holiday Films that are just a little left of the usual classic fare, starting with Shane Black's Christmas-adjacent noir comedy Kiss Kiss Bang Bang from 2005. Robert Downey Jr., Val Kilmer, and Michelle Monaghan star in this fun—and funny—thriller that you're going to love if you don't already.

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STILL TO COME IN OUR OFFBEAT HOLIDAY FILM SERIES:

12/09: Happiest Season (2020)

12/16: Rewatch and Reconsider: City Island (2009)

12/23: Carry On (2024)

11/25: Feast of the Seven Fishes (2019)

On Letterboxd? Follow along with this month’s movie list here.

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WE’D LOVE TO CONNECT!

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We close out November Noir month this week with another modern-day take on the genre. Rian Johnson's Brick from 2005 is an inventive homage to classic noir that combines its unique language with an updated setting: a 21st-century high school. With great performances across the board and some very creative choices from the production team, this first feature from Johnson is a hell of a calling card.

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On Letterboxd? Follow along with this month's movie list here.

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This week, we delve into the world of neo-noir with 1981's Blow Out. This thriller from filmmaker Brian De Palma has a lot of the hallmarks of classic noir but with a lot of modern-day flair. It's edgy, paranoid, and masterfully made.

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STILL TO COME IN OUR NOVEMBER NOIR SERIES:

11/25: Brick (2005)

On Letterboxd? Follow along with this month's movie list here.

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On this week's episode we're taking a break from our Fictional American Presidents theme to do another installment of our Rewatch & Reconsider series where we dig up something that at least one of us liked in the past and watch it again to see if it's still any good, or if it failed the test of time. This time around we're moving away from presidents but sticking with politics as we watch 1992's The Distinguished Gentleman starring Eddie Murphy. Mike really liked this film back in the day. Does it hold up? We'll find out.

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STILL TO COME DURING FICTIONAL AMERICAN PRESIDENT MONTH:

3/24 The American President (1995)

3/31 Air Force One (1997)

On Letterboxd? Follow along with this month’s movie list here.

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WE’D LOVE TO CONNECT!

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In this week's episode, we delve into the world of Technicolor noir with 1953's Niagara. This story of love and betrayal includes a lot of the classic tropes of the noir genre and includes a fantastic early performance from the great Marilyn Monroe.

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STILL TO COME IN OUR NOVEMBER NOIR SERIES:

11/18: Blow Out (1981)

11/25: Brick (2005)

On Letterboxd? Follow along with this month's movie list here.

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WE'D LOVE TO CONNECT!

Please drop us a line at moviethrowdownpod@gmail.com, and follow us on social media:

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This week, we kick off November Noir month with one of the genre's quintessential titles: 1946's The Postman Always Rings Twice. This tale of desire, betrayal, and fate is one of several films adapted from the writing of James M. Cain that set a standard for everything that came after it.

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STILL TO COME IN OUR NOVEMBER NOIR SERIES:

11/11: Niagara (1953)

11/18: Blow Out (1981)

11/25: Brick (2005)

On Letterboxd? Follow along with this month's movie list here.

____________________

WE'D LOVE TO CONNECT!

Please drop us a line at moviethrowdownpod@gmail.com, and follow us on social media:

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This week, we wrap up Stephen King Adaptations Month with 1986's Maximum Overdrive. This is the only film that Stephen King has directed to date, and it's quite a ride. The set was plagued by turmoil, and what ends up on-screen shows that it was a difficult shoot. We go deep into the lore around this cocaine-fueled odyssey and, of course, try to figure out how what we watch actually got made.

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On this week's episode, Stephen King Screen Adaptations Month continues with the recent remake of Salem's Lot. We welcome Mike's librarian friend and horror aficionado, Andy Remondino, to help us make sense of what we watched.

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Follow Andy on Instagram here, and check out his Letterboxd profile here.

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STILL TO COME THIS MONTH:

10/28: Maximum Overdrive

If you'd like to follow along with what we're doing this month, check out this Letterboxd list: https://boxd.it/zgUKi

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This week Mike and Steven discuss Mike Flanagan's Stephen King-approved adaptation of Doctor Sleep, the 2019 follow-up to The Shining.

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STILL TO COME THIS MONTH:

10/21: Salem's Lot (2024)

10/28: Maximum Overdrive

If you'd like to follow along with what we're doing this month, check out this Letterboxd list: https://boxd.it/zgUKi

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WE'D LOVE TO CONNECT!

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This week, we kick off Stephen King Big Screen Adaptation Month with one of the writer's stories that doesn't get as much love as some of the others. 1983's The Dead Zone, directed by David Cronenberg, is a psychic thriller that stars the great Christopher Walken and Martin Sheen. Joining us to break it all down is author Laura Carney, whose literary insights really class up the show and give us some directions we might not have otherwise gone down.

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STILL TO COME THIS MONTH:

10/14: Doctor Sleep

10/21: Salem's Lot (2024)

10/28: Maximum Overdrive

If you'd like to follow along with what we're doing this month, check out this Letterboxd list: https://boxd.it/zgUKi

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Pick up Laura Carney's memoir My Father's List here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1637586388/

Visit her online at bylauracarney.com and on Instagram at @myfatherslist.

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WE'D LOVE TO CONNECT!

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In this episode, we put a bow on Clooney/Pitt Fixer Month with Wolfs, the streaming double-team they put out this week through Apple TV+. This is our first film in the series that features both of the stars, for better or worse. Does it reach the high bar we set last week with Michael Clayton? Listen to find out. But be warned: this is spoiler-adjacent, so if you don't want to hear any of the actual details before getting a chance to check out the film, maybe listen after you have.

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You can find everything we're discussing this month at this fun Letterboxd list page.

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Next month: STEPHEN KING ADAPTATIONS!

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Thoughts on the show? Drop us a line at moviethrowdownpod@gmail.com!

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This week, friend of the show Gerik Gooch joins us to discuss the much beloved George Clooney fixer film Michael Clayton. It's director Tony Gilroy's debut in the director's chair, though the film's note-perfect script is far from his first. We discuss that and a whole lot more.

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You can find everything we're discussing this month at this fun Letterboxd list page.

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Still to come this month:

9/30: Wolfs

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Thoughts on the show? Drop us a line at moviethrowdownpod@gmail.com!

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This week we take a break from Clooney/Pitt Fixer Month to return to our Rewatch & Reconsider series where we make a case for a film that's generally considered to be "bad," but at least one of us thinks is still a lot of fun. We're discussing Nicolas Cage's 2007 entry into the Marvel world, Ghost Rider.

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You can find everything we've discussed in our Rewatch & Reconsider series on this fun Letterboxd list page.

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Still to come this month:

9/23: Michael Clayton (with guest Gerik Gooch)

9/30: Wolfs

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Thoughts on the show? Drop us a line at moviethrowdownpod@gmail.com!

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Clooney/Pitt Fixer Month continues this week with the Coen Brothers' 2016 Hollywood satire Hail, Caesar! There's a lot to love about this film, but it's also easy to get lost in the details. We discuss its pros and cons, and one of us nerds out over the on-screen typography a bit.

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You can find everything we're discussing this month at this fun Letterboxd list page.

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Still to come this month:

9/16: BONUS EPISODE: Rewatch & Reconsider (Ghost Rider)

9/23: Michael Clayton (with guest Gerik Gooch)

9/30: Wolfs

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Thoughts on the show? Drop us a line at moviethrowdownpod@gmail.com!

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This week Fictional American President Month continues with Dave, the Ivan Reitman-directed comedy from 1993. Kevin Kline gives two performances in this film as the president and the man asked to stand in for him after he suffers a stroke. It's a charming story filled with light-hearted political intrigue (at least by today's standards) and featuring an all-star cast from both Hollywood and Washington.

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STILL TO COME DURING FICTIONAL AMERICAN PRESIDENT MONTH:

3/17 Rewatch & Reconsider: The Distinguished Gentleman

3/24 The American President (1995)

3/31 Air Force One (1997)

On Letterboxd? Follow along with this month’s movie list here.

____________________

WE’D LOVE TO CONNECT!

Please drop us a line at moviethrowdownpod@gmail.com, and follow us on social media:

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This week we kick off Clooney/Pitt Fixer Month with Andrew Dominik's Killing Them Softly from 2012. It's one of only 22 films to ever get an F rating from Cinemascore, and in the episode we try to get to the bottom of what made audiences dislike it so much.

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You can find everything we're discussing this month at this fun Letterboxd list page.

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Still to come this month:

9/9: Hail, Caesar!

9/16: BONUS EPISODE: Rewatch & Reconsider (Title TBD)

9/23: Michael Clayton (with guest Gerik Gooch)

9/30: Wolfs

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Thoughts on the show? Drop us a line at moviethrowdownpod@gmail.com!

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This week we wrap up M. Night Shyamalan month with Old, his tale of a mysterious beach that affects its visitors' aging speed. We also look back on the entire month of films and discuss what we learned about the writer/director and his approach to filmmaking.

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And if you’d like to log as you go you can find everything we discuss this month on our Letterboxd list page here.

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COMING NEXT MONTH: Fixer films featuring Brad Pitt and/or George Clooney

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Send your thoughts on M. Night Shyamalan or anything else to us via email at moviethrowdownpod@gmail.com.

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This week we continue M. Night Shyamalan month with his latest film, TRAP. It's more of the same from the writer/director, but with some fun new ideas (at least according to one of our hosts).

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And if you’d like to log as you go you can find everything we discuss this month on our Letterboxd list page here.

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Still to come during M. NIGHT SHYAMALAN MONTH:

7/26 Old

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Send your thoughts on M. Night Shyamalan or anything else to us via email at moviethrowdownpod@gmail.com.

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M. Night Shyamalan month continues with UNBREAKABLE, the film many consider his best work to date. In the episode we discuss the comic book aspects of it, how it’s photographed so beautifully, the great performances, and much more.

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And if you’d like to log as you go you can find everything we discuss this month on our Letterboxd list page here.

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Still to come during M. NIGHT SHYAMALAN MONTH:

7/19: Trap

7/26 Old

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Send your thoughts on M. Night Shyamalan or anything else to us via email at moviethrowdownpod@gmail.com.

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It’s M. NIGHT SHYAMALAN MONTH! We’re kicking things off with one of the director’s more recent films, KNOCK AT THE CABIN, which we hope might be one of the titles that prove he’s settled into being the director we hoped he could be. There’s no twist, but there are still a lot of the better hallmarks of his filmmaking. 

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And if you’d like to log as you go you can find everything we discuss this month on our Letterboxd list page here.

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Still to come during M. NIGHT SHYAMALAN MONTH:

8/12: Unbreakable

7/19: Trap

7/26 Old

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Send your thoughts on M. Night Shyamalan and the show to moviethrowdownpod@gmail.com.

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In this episode, we wrap up Summer Blockbusters month with Twisters, the tentpole studio film of 2024. Currently, it's grossed north of $200 million, making it an undeniable candidate for our theme. Mike and Steven break down the expectations of the film, its highs and lows, and there's some big-time tornado talk.

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And if you’d like to log as you go you can find everything we discuss this month on our Letterboxd list page here.

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Send your thoughts on Twisters and the show to moviethrowdownpod@gmail.com.

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This week Steven and Mike welcome a special guest onto the show. Gerik Gooch is a filmmaker and cinephile who brings with him the holy grail of modern summer blockbusters: 1991's Terminator 2: Judgment Day. This contemporary classic from director James Cameron was the first film with a $100 million budget and the first to break $300 million at the international box office, so its status as a smash hit is undeniable. The guys discuss its groundbreaking special effects, casting what-ifs, and much more.

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And if you’d like to log as you go you can find everything we discuss this month on our Letterboxd list page here.

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Still to come during Summer Blockbuster month:

7/29 Twisters

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Send your thoughts on Terminator 2: Judgment Day and the show to moviethrowdownpod@gmail.com.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we're doing something a little different on the Weekly Movie Throwdown. When there are five-week months we'll post four films inside our topic for that month, and then we're going to offer up a bonus episode where either Mike or Steven brings a bad film to the show that they love and it's discussed . . . for better or worse.

The series is called Rewatch & Reconsider, and it kicks off with 1992's Class Act, a film that Mike loves. Steven, not so much. But the two discuss its odd existence at great length in the episode and share some interesting insights and facts about how it came to be.

Next week we return to Summer Blockbusters Month with Terminator 2: Judgment Day.

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And if you’d like to log as you go you can find everything we discuss this month on our Letterboxd list page here.

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Still to come during Summer Blockbuster month:

7/22: Terminator 2

7/29 Twisters

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Send your thoughts on Ghost and the show to moviethrowdownpod@gmail.com.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In a world where action and comedy ruled the summer, one film defied all expectations. 1990's Ghost—a romance/thriller/comedy—took the box office not only through the summer, but it was the highest-grossing film of the year. It won Oscars, it revived classic songs, it relaunched the pixie haircut. And despite a lot of hurdles to getting made, it came out with the exact ingredients it needed to become a modern classic. Here at the Weekly Movie Throwdown, we're big fans and when you listen you'll be able to tell that we were really excited to discuss this one.

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And if you’d like to log as you go you can find everything we discuss this month on our Letterboxd list page here.

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Still to come during Summer Blockbuster month:

7/15: BONUS EPISODE: REWATCH AND RETHINK: Class Act

7/22: Terminator 2

7/29 Twisters

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Send your thoughts on Ghost and the show to moviethrowdownpod@gmail.com.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Mike and Steven kick off Summer Blockbuster month with 1989's Batman. This Tim Burton classic had a huge impact on Mike as a kid, and he wasn't alone. The film started a craze of Batmania due to its marketing and merchandising. With Michael Keaton in the title role and Jack Nicholson as The Joker, it became beloved and set the bar for just how big summer blockbusters in the nineties could get.

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And if you’d like to log as you go you can find everything we discuss this month on our Letterboxd list page here.

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Still to come during Summer Blockbuster month:

7/8: Ghost

7/15: BONUS EPISODE: REWATCH AND RETHINK: Class Act

7/22: Terminator 2

7/29 Twisters

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Send your thoughts on Batman and the show to moviethrowdownpod@gmail.com.

Follow us at @moviethrowdownpod on all your favorite social media platforms.

Subscribe to the Weekly Movie Throwdown on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS

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This month on the podcast we're all about the American President. And while that might be a dicey subject in real life, the ones we're looking at harken back to a simpler time—one that didn't actually exist. These are all made-up presidents in films that span the past thirty or so years. The office has changed a lot in that time, and so has how it's portrayed on screen. We'll talk about rom-coms, dramas, and even action-adventures. Starting things off this week is Long Shot, the 2019 film from director Jonathan Levine and starring Charlize Theron and Seth Rogen.

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STILL TO COME DURING R-RATED ROM-COM MONTH:

3/10: Dave (1993)

3/17 Rewatch & Reconsider: The Distinguished Gentleman

3/24 The American President (1995)

3/31 Air Force One (1997)

On Letterboxd? Follow along with this month’s movie list here.

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WE’D LOVE TO CONNECT!

Please drop us a line at moviethrowdownpod@gmail.com, and follow us on social media:

Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/moviethrowdown/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moviethrowdownpod/

Threads: https://www.threads.net/@moviethrowdownpod

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@moviethrowdownpod

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/moviethrowdownpod/

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In this episode, Mike and Steven round out Hitman Month with a real gem: Grosse Pointe Blank. This George Armitage-directed rom-com is a beloved story of getting a second chance in life and, well, leaving your career as an assassin behind. It explores regret, existentialism, FOMO, and . . . unions. With great performances from John Cusak, Minnie Driver, Dan Aykroyd, and a whole slate of other actors, this is a film for the ages.

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And if you’d like to log as you go you can find everything we discuss this month on our Letterboxd list page here.

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Next week we begin Summer Blockbuster Month with 1989's comic book classic, Batman!

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Send your thoughts on Grosse Pointe Blank and the show to moviethrowdownpod@gmail.com.

Follow us at @moviethrowdownpod on all your favorite social media platforms.

Subscribe to the Weekly Movie Throwdown on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS

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Hitman Month continues this week with David Fincher's Netflix film The Killer. He is a director around whom there is a lot of conversation, primarily because of his meticulousness. Mike and Steven get deep into that in this episode and their different interpretations of the film. They also close out the show with a familiar topic: the state of movie theaters.

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And if you’d like to log as you go you can find everything we discuss this month on our Letterboxd list page here.

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Still to come during hitman month:

6/24: Grosse Pointe Blank

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Send your thoughts on Hit Man and the show to moviethrowdownpod@gmail.com.

Follow us at @moviethrowdownpod on all your favorite social media platforms.

Subscribe to the Weekly Movie Throwdown on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS

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This week Mike and Steven talk in-depth about Richard Linklater's new film Hit Man and how it fits into this month's theme of . . . hitmen. They also discuss Netflix's baffling release strategy of putting these films into a very small number of theaters for a short period of time.

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And if you’d like to log as you go you can find everything we discuss this month on our Letterboxd list page here.

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Still to come during hitman month:

6/17: The Killer

6/24: Grosse Pointe Blank

__________________________________________

Send your thoughts on Hit Man and the show to moviethrowdownpod@gmail.com.

Follow us at @moviethrowdownpod on all your favorite social media platforms.

Subscribe to the Weekly Movie Throwdown on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we kick off hitman month as we discuss the movie Joel Schumacher's Assassins, a vehicle for Sylvester Stallone and Antonio Banderas that really allows them to show off their acting styles. One is batshit crazy and the other is like a stone statue—guess which is which. Julianne Moore gives a ramped-up performance as well that will serve her well in the films she'd do with Paul Thomas Anderson a couple of years later. Also, did you know this was a spec script from the Wachowskis that they sold to Joel Silver when he bought The Matrix? Neither did we! All of that and a whole lot more.

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And if you’d like to log as you go you can find everything we discuss this month on our Letterboxd list page here.

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Still to come during hitman month:

6/10: Hit Man

6/17: The Killer

6/24: Grosse Pointe Blank

__________________________________________

Send your thoughts on Stallone and the show to moviethrowdownpod@gmail.com.

Follow us at @moviethrowdownpod on all your favorite social media platforms.

Subscribe to the Weekly Movie Throwdown on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we're wrapping up '80s TV Show Adaptation Month with a doozy: Michael Mann's 2006 Miami Vice. It's a bold swing that ended up being very divisive but is seeing a rise in popularity lately. With quite a lot of on-set drama—including shootings and hurricanes—and diva-like behavior, there's a lot to talk about and we get into all of it.

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And if you’d like to log as you go you can find everything we discuss this month on our Letterboxd list page here.

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Send your thoughts on The A-Team and the show to moviethrowdownpod@gmail.com.

Follow us at @moviethrowdownpod on all your favorite social media platforms or visit us at moviethrowdownpod.com on the web.

Subscribe to the Weekly Movie Throwdown on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS

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In this episode, we discuss another beloved '80s TV property, The A-Team. The 2010 film version makes nods to the original, but they don't necessarily all hit the mark. With a bit of a tonal issue and way-too-big CGI swing, the film, directed by Joe Carnahan, is fun but could be a lot more so. We have a lot of love for the TV show, so this was always going to have to work hard to win us over. Ultimately it didn't, but it's still entertaining enough for us to enjoy breaking it down.

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And if you’d like to log as you go you can find everything we discuss this month on our Letterboxd list page here.

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Still to come during '80s TV Show Adaptations month:

5/27: Miami Vice

__________________________________________

Send your thoughts on The A-Team and the show to moviethrowdownpod@gmail.com.

Follow us at @moviethrowdownpod on all your favorite social media platforms.

Subscribe to the Weekly Movie Throwdown on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week's episode looks at David Leitch's latest film, The Fall Guy, starring Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt. Much to their surprise, Mike and Steven both enjoyed it for the most part. The discuss its fun tone, the TV show on which it's based, and much more. At the end of the show, prompted by the film's opening weekend box office numbers, they talk about what the rest of the summer—and Hollywood in general—might have in store. Spoiler alert: it's grim,

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And if you’d like to log as you go you can find everything we discuss this month on our Letterboxd list page here.

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Still to come during '80s TV Show Adaptations month:

5/20: The A-Team

5/27: Miami Vice 

__________________________________________

Send your thoughts on The Fall Guy and the show to moviethrowdownpod@gmail.com.

Follow us at @moviethrowdownpod on all your favorite social media platforms.

Subscribe to the Weekly Movie Throwdown on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode we kick off a month of '80s TV show adaptations with one of the best: Lord and Miller's 21 Jump Street from 2012. The film stays fairly true to the series but the tone is way lighter—something we think might be necessary to successfully bring one of these now-campy shows to the big screen. The R rating helps, too. We discuss all of that, along with a whole lot more.

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And if you’d like to log as you go you can find everything we discuss this month on our Letterboxd list page here.

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Still to come during '80s TV Show Adaptations month:

5/13: The Fall Guy

5/20: The A-Team

5/27: Miami Vice 

__________________________________________

Send your thoughts on 21 Jump Street and the show to moviethrowdownpod@gmail.com.

Follow us at @moviethrowdownpod on all your favorite social media platforms.

Subscribe to the Weekly Movie Throwdown on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this bonus episode, we deviate from our usual monthly theme to discuss Civil War directed by Alex Garland. It's a disorienting, fence-sitting road movie that stars Kirsten Dunst, Cailee Spaeny, Wagner Moura, and Stephen McKinley Henderson. We discuss why Garland, a Brit, took on this story, the technical aspects of making the film, what its budget means for A24, and a lot more.

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Send your thoughts on Civil War and anything else to moviethrowdownpod@gmail.com.

Join us on Patreon for bonus episodes and a bunch of other content and follow us at @moviethrowdownpod on all your favorite social media platforms.

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Subscribe to the Weekly Movie Throwdown on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS

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This week we round out our month of Dev Patel films with 2020's The Personal History of David Copperfield, a delightful contemporary-feeling period piece directed by Armando Iannucci. Like other films the actor was involved in, this one felt the wrath of COVID times and was barely seen in theaters. A shame since it's beautifully made and a lot of fun. But it is streaming (at least for now), so we recommend you seek it out.

Next week we're shifting gears and airing a bonus episode where we discuss Alex Garland's divisive new film, Civil War.

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And if you’d like to log as you go you can find everything we discuss this month on our Letterboxd list page here.

__________________________________________

Send your thoughts on Dev Patel and the show to moviethrowdownpod@gmail.com.

Join us on Patreon for bonus episodes and a bunch of other content and follow us at @moviethrowdownpod on all your favorite social media platforms.

Subscribe to the Weekly Movie Throwdown on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we wrap up R-Rated Rom-Com Month with an indie darling: 2020's Dinner In America. This film, directed by Adam Rehmeier and starring Kyle Gallner and Emily Skeggs, is an unconventional love story set against the backdrop of suburban malaise. It's punk, it's sweet, and it's a lot of fun.

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NEXT MONTH:

Fictional American Presidents

On Letterboxd? Follow along with this month’s movie list here.

____________________

WE’D LOVE TO CONNECT!

Please drop us a line at moviethrowdownpod@gmail.com, and follow us on social media:

Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/moviethrowdown/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moviethrowdownpod/

Threads: https://www.threads.net/@moviethrowdownpod

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@moviethrowdownpod

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/moviethrowdownpod/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

So far this month we've looked at Dev Patel the actor, but this week we're examining his work as a director. Monkey Man is his first film behind the camera and it's clear he's been paying attention while on the sets of people like Danny Boyle and David Lowery.

This film, in which Dev also stars, is a visually striking revenge story set in India—something we don't see a lot of in America. It's been well-received so far and with good reason. The young filmmaker has a great eye and a really good sense of what works and what doesn't.

Join us as we discuss this ambitious first feature from someone who is quickly becoming a Weekly Movie Throwdown favorite.

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And if you’d like to log as you go you can find everything we discuss this month on our Letterboxd list page here.

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Still to come during Dev Patel month:

4/22: The Personal History of David Copperfield

__________________________________________

Send your thoughts on Dev Patel and the show to moviethrowdownpod@gmail.com.

Join us on Patreon for bonus episodes and a bunch of other content and follow us at @moviethrowdownpod on all your favorite social media platforms.

Subscribe to the Weekly Movie Throwdown on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we go back to where Dev Patel began his big screen career with Danny Boyle's frenetic and heartwarming story of an Indian underdog, Slumdog Millionaire. It's the beautiful story of a young man who tries his luck on the world's most famous game show to get the attention of the love of his life. But much to the surprise of everybody, he knows all the trivia answers and is suspected of cheating. Through flashbacks director Danny Boyle creates a narrative of the young man's life to show how he came to know the answer to these tough questions.

Slumdog talks a lot about destiny, and the film itself seems to have had a path drawn out for it that, despite some overwhelming odds, led it to eight Oscar wins. it's beloved, and worth a watch. We discuss all its greatness in this episode.

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To find out where to watch Slumdog Millionaire search for them on JustWatch.

And if you’d like to log as you go you can find everything we discuss this month on our Letterboxd list page here.

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Still to come during Dev Patel month:

4/15: Monkey Man

4/22: The Personal History of David Copperfield

__________________________________________

Send your thoughts on Dev Patel and the show to moviethrowdownpod@gmail.com.

Join us on Patreon for bonus episodes and a bunch of other content and follow us at @moviethrowdownpod on all your favorite social media platforms.

Subscribe to the Weekly Movie Throwdown on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's a new month and that means a new theme here on the Weekly Movie Throwdown. We thought since Dev Patel's directing debut Monkey Man is out next week this would be a good time to look at the actor's filmography to see the steps that got him into the director's chair. What we'll learn is that he's someone who works with very visual filmmakers, something that comes through in Monkey Man. He's also a charismatic young man who handles himself well when he's on-screen alone or at the center of an ensemble.

This week we kick things off with The Green Knight, David Lowery's retelling of the epic tale of Sir Gawain, a young man forced to face his destiny after a life-changing encounter. To help us we welcome Laura Carney, author of My Father's List: How Living My Dad's Dreams Set Me Free. She has an in-depth knowledge of the hero's journey after going on her own adventure to complete her late father's bucket list, and is loaded with knowledge of the teachings of Joseph Campbell. We thought this would make her the perfect guest to discuss The Green Knight.

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To find out where to watch The Green Knight search for them on JustWatch.

And if you’d like to log as you go you can find everything we discuss this month on our Letterboxd list page here.

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Still to come during Dev Patel month:

4/8: Slumdog Millionaire

4/15: Monkey Man

4/22: The Personal History of David Copperfield

__________________________________________

Send your thoughts on Dev Patel and the show to moviethrowdownpod@gmail.com.

Join us on Patreon for bonus episodes and a bunch of other content and follow us at @moviethrowdownpod on all your favorite social media platforms.

Subscribe to the Weekly Movie Throwdown on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we wrap up Elmore Leonard month with a double feature of 1995's Get Shorty and its sequel from 2005, Be Cool. These two are night and day as far as how they handle their respective book adaptations and once again we hear about how studio involvement changes a film into something completely different than it set out to be.

Barry Sonnenfeld's Get Shorty nails the Elmore Leonard tone with its quick wit, effortless humor, and crime-laden story. Be Cool, however, takes that cache and throws it out the window. Director F. Gary Gray says that what we see on the screen is not the same film that he signed up to do—for one thing the original script's R-rated content was pared down to an eventual PG-13. It's another example of the importance of a script above all else.

We break both of these films down in this episode, and once again Mike has read the books on which they're based, so he offers some great insights into just how far afield Be Cool went from the source material.

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To find out where to watch Stick search for them on JustWatch.

And if you’d like to log as you go you can find everything we discuss this month on our Letterboxd list page here.

__________________________________________

Send your thoughts on Elmore Leonard and the show to moviethrowdownpod@gmail.com.

Join us on Patreon for bonus episodes and a bunch of other content and follow us at @moviethrowdownpod on all your favorite social media platforms.

Subscribe to the Weekly Movie Throwdown on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.