Explore every episode of the podcast Living for the Cinema
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Mask (1994) | 13 Sep 2024 | 00:17:36 | |
SOMEBODY....STOP HIM!!! Of course we're referring to Stanley Ipkiss played by Jim Carrey once he puts on that mask, the titular mask for this Summer '94 blockbuster smash which was based on a graphic novel of the same name. Directed by Chuck Russell (Eraser) this was released amidst a breakout year for Carrey, smack between blockbusters Ace Ventura: Pet Detective and Dumb and Dumber. But THIS was the one where he got to stretch a bit....LITERALLY. :) Carrey plays a mild-mannered banker who one night finds a mysterious mask in the dock of the fictious Edge City where he lives. He soon finds out that once he puts on that mask at night, it transform him into a cartoonishly green party animal who can sing, dance, and do impressions with the best of them! Also starring in this comic book adapted comedy is Peter Greene, Peter Riegert, and in her big screen debut Cameron Diaz. It's time to P-A-R-T-Y.....WHY? Because he's GOTTA!!! ;) https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024) | 10 Sep 2024 | 00:17:09 | |
The Ghost With The Most is BACK! More than thirty-six years after the original cult smash Beetlejuice was released into theaters, director Tim Burton returns along with Winona Ryder, Catherine O'Hara, and Michael Keaton in the titular role. New additions to the cast include Jenna Ortega (Scream 6, Wednesday), Monica Bellucci (Irreversible, Matrix Reloaded), and Justin Theroux (The Leftovers, Mulholland Drive). The plot? Well....let's just say that there are lots of thrills, chills, laughs, and....disco music? :) https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| Moonraker (1979) | 02 Aug 2024 | 00:16:18 | |
Forty-five years ago in the wake of the record-breaking success of the original Star Wars, the folks at EON Productions lead by the late, great Albert Broccoli decided to take their long-running James Bond franchise in a somewhat different direction.....IN SPACE!!! :) Yes THIS is the one where Agent 007 (Roger Moore) goes to space, though to be fair not until the third act. Directed by Lewis Gilbert (The Spy Who Loved Me), this actually had a pretty similar plot to previous Bond entries like 'Spy Who Loved Me or his other previous film You Only Live Twice: evil billionaire and space maven Hugo Drax (Michael Lonsdale) has designs on taking over the world....by wiping out the human race with a rare toxin found in the jungles of Brazil, then to be repopulated by a new race of people lead by him up in space. :o Yup it's pretty nutty but it was a huge hit at the time and did manage to entertain..... https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| Stand and Deliver (1988) | 15 Sep 2023 | 00:21:09 | |
Back around the era when this came out in the late '80's/early '90's it felt like there was a new heroic teacher drama (Dead Poet's Society, Lean On Me) being released every six months. This particular inspirational drama was directed by Ramon Menendez and might be one of the best of that group. It's based upon the true story of Jaime Escalante and his advanced math class at Garfield High School in East Los Angeles. Escalante was a math whiz and he taught his students not only how to be math whizzes but eventually AP Calculus. And we follow all of their stories towards clearing this difficult academic hurdle. Edward James Olmos stars as Professor Escalante alongside Lou Diamond Phillips, Rosanna DeSoto, Andy Garcia, and several other talented young actors. https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| Bottoms (2023) | 11 Sep 2023 | 00:16:08 | |
What better way to kick off "Back to School" week than with this brand new raunchy teen comedy directed by Emma Seligman who recently gave us Shiva Baby? The story focuses on two SEEMINGLY dorky (as the movie tells us) lesbian best friends who are both virgins but would prefer to NOT stay that way as they each have their eyes on two cheerleaders for the school football team. The two teenagers are played by Rachel Sennott and Ayo Edibri....and the only things standing in their way include the football player boyfriends of said cheerleaders, the nasty principal, and the fact that nobody really likes these girls at their school. So the obvious solution is.....to start a fight club for girls at the school?? Yes in fact they do and the new fight club is a hit for girls looking to defend themselves....or exact revenge on folks who have hurt them. And what results is a raucous, funny and surprisingly violent comedy which certainly does NOT pull its punches..... https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| A Bronx Tale (1993) | 08 Sep 2023 | 00:19:45 | |
Thirty years ago this month saw the release of the directorial debut of Robert DeNiro with this touching coming-of-age tale set in the violent world of organized crime in the Bronx in the 1960's. The story focuses on the young Colagero (played at different points by Francis Capra and Lillo Brancato) who watch grow up from the ages of 9 to 17 as his parents struggle to raise him right. His father is a bus-driver played by DeNiro and the other major influence in his life becomes the local mob boss Sonny played by Chazz Palminteri who also wrote this film's screenplay which was an adaptation of his own autobiographical stage play of the same name. Of course Colagero is torn between these two powerful figures in his life as he potentially drawn to a life of crime while also starting to fall for a girl from his local school by Taral Hicks. And what results is a sometimes violent, often funny, and always touching modern classic - let's head back to the Bronx! https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| The Equalizer 3 (2023) | 06 Sep 2023 | 00:16:55 | |
Robert McCall is back....and this time, he has ventured to Italy after having spent most of the previous two films mostly around his hometown of Boston. McCall is once again played by Denzel Washington in this third (and final) entry of the action film franchise which kicked off in 2014. This is also the third entry in a row directed by Antoine Fuqua who had previously directed Washington to his last Oscar win for Best Actor for the film Training Day from 2001. After recovering from a gunshot injury which nearly killed him, McCall now finds himself settling in a lovely small town in Southern Italy. He's hoping to get past the violence which has marked most of his career in the CIA and his post-CIA career as an....Equalizer. Unfortunately, the local Italian mafia has other ideas as he notices them threatening his town and its people, many of whom he has now befriended. So guess what happens next? Yup the Equalizer starts to.....EQUALIZE once again. ;) Co-stars include Dakota Fanning, Eugenio Mastrandrea, David Denman, and Gaia Scodellaro. https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| Hooper (1978) | 01 Sep 2023 | 00:15:52 | |
Once Upon a Time back in the 1970’s, there was NO bigger star in the world than Burton Leon Reynolds from Lansing, MI.....known to most as Burt Reynolds. The late great Burt stars as the eponymous Hooper who is considered by many to be "The Greatest Stuntman Alive!" Hooper LOVES his job and is loving the work on his latest picture - only years of punishment on his body is starting to take its toll so Hooper is starting to wonder how many years he has left in this trade which his girlfriend (Sally Field) is also starting to worry about. That and a hot new stuntman (Jan Michael Vincent) has emerged providing some competition. And what results is a rip-roaring action comedy/drama filled loads of impressive stunts which was directed by stuntman extraordinaire Hal Needham who had also directed Reynolds the year before in the smash hit Smokey & the Bandit. Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| Kill Bill Vol. 1 (2003) & Kill Bill Vol. 2 (2004) | 29 Aug 2023 | 00:23:26 | |
Twenty years ago, the hype was building for the coming fall release of this, hyped up as "The 4th Film from Quentin Tarantino." Only a strange thing happened on the way towards its release....the director and the studio (Miramax) realized that there was SO much story and so much movie, it had ballooned into an epic of more than four hours! :o So the decision was made to split the movie into two different volumes: Volume 1 came out in October of 2003 and Volume 2 came out six months later in April of 2004. So it became an extended SAGA of one assassin (Uma Thurman playing "The Bride") waking up out of a coma now seeking revenge against the gang of fellow assassins who tried to murder her. The other assassins were played by Vivica A. Fox, Lucy Liu, Michael Madsen, and Darryl Hannah....and they were all lead by Bill played by David Carradine. And of course, our hero's ultimate goal is to.....KILL BILL. Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| Rush (2013) | 25 Aug 2023 | 00:20:18 | |
Oscar-winning director Ron Howard (A Beautiful Mind, Apollo 13, Splash) helmed this racing drama based upon the real-life rivalry between two Formula One racers in the mid '70's....the Austrian Nikki Lauda (Daniel Bruehl) vs. the British James Hunt (Chris Hemsworth). Lauda was cold and cerebral while Hunt was brash and impetuous - these styles came through in how they both raced and lived their lives. Ten years ago when this first came out, it received strong reviews but little awards attention and middling box office. However since it came out, it has garnered a strong reputation as one of the best sports dramas of recent years along with possibly being THE best film ever devoted to auto racing. Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| Enter the Dragon (1973) | 21 Aug 2023 | 00:18:33 | |
Fifty years ago this month, most of the world was first introduced to a true legend of both cinema and martial arts with the release of this action thriller. Of course that legend was the late, great Bruce Lee who tragically passed away just about a month before this movie was to hit theaters. Needless to say, he left his mark playing Lee a Hong Kong spy/martial arts master who is tasked with infiltrating a mysterious island tournament being run by the nefarious Han played by Kien Shih. Lee also has help from two American martial artists who have joined this tournament played by John Saxon and Jim Kelly. Once on the island, they fight, they feast, and they.....interact with various elements (?) and what results is a rip-roaring kung fu classic. Directed by Robert Clouse, it's time to ENTER...THE....DRAGON! Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| Top Ten Action Sequences | 09 Aug 2023 | 00:31:36 | |
For the next couple of weeks, we will be taking a break to get our proverbial batteries recharged - we'll be back to releasing new episodes before the end of the month! In the meantime, enjoy this special episode going back through our catalog of more than 220 episodes to rank THE TEN BEST ACTION SEQUENCES so far! https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| Married to the Mob (1988) | 04 Aug 2023 | 00:18:22 | |
The Summer of 1988 was filled with BIG, seminal comedies (actually including the movie Big) which were sizeable hits and had long-lasting legacies including Bull Durham, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, and previous episodes Midnight Run and A Fish Called Wanda. Kind of lost in the shuffle was this small, quirky mob comedy directed by Jonathan Demme though it did feature a very promising cast including Dean Stockwell, Mercedes Ruehl, Oliver Platt, Alec Baldwin, and Matthew Modine. Leading this cast was the illustrious Michelle Pfeiffer kind of playing against type with BIG hair, a big attitude and a prominent New Yawk accent - she plays Angela, a Long Island housewife who is....you guessed it....married to a mobster played by Baldwin. Things don't end well for her husband so Angela decides to try to start a fresh new life with her son AWAY from the Mob....but not every one is onboard with that including the FBI and local mob boss Tony played by Stockwell in a performance which earned him an Oscar nomination. And hilarity ensues..... Host: Geoff Gershon Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| Goldfinger (1964) | 31 Jul 2024 | 00:18:31 | |
Sixty years, this might have very well been released as THE first franchise blockbuster. It was the third entry in the James Bond franchise (adapted from a series of best-selling spy novels authored by Ian Fleming) which had been rapidly growing in popularity around the world. Helmed by then up-and-coming British director Guy Hamilton, it featured the return of James Bond, Agent 007 of the British Secret Service, once again played by the late great Sir Sean Connery. This time around, he's on a unique mission mostly set within the United States, trying to investigate and eventually take down a plot by the titular Auric Goldfinger (Gert Frobe) to potentially take control of the worldwide gold market....and it just gets crazier from there with henchmen named Odd Job, mysterious women named Pussy Galore, and a spanking new Aston Martin DB5 featuring lots of cool new gadgets. :) https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| Blade (1998) & Blade II (2002) | 01 Aug 2023 | 00:22:34 | |
Have you heard of Blade? He's the scourge of the vampire world and is what they refer to as a "Daywalker" - he has all of their strengths....NONE of their weaknesses. And he's played by Wesley Snipes, have you heard of him? He was one of the bigger action stars of the '90's back when action stars were actually a thing which would draw folks to go to the movies. The lore of Blade and the charisma of Snipes seemed to be an ideal match at the time and twenty-five years ago this month, we saw the release of that first Blade movie (starring Snipes in the titular role) which was directed by Stephen Norrington. It was not only a surprise hit at the box office but it also earned the distinction of being THE first successful feature film adapted by a Marvel Comics property.....and obviously was far from the last. It co-starred Stephen Dorff, Kris Kristofferson, and N'Bushe Wright. Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| Insomnia (2002) | 28 Jul 2023 | 00:14:47 | |
Concluding NOLAN WEEK, it seemed best to follow up his latest big release with a review of what might be Christopher Nolan's most underappreciated directorial effort. This was his follow-up to the ground-breaking Memento which was released just the year before and this time around, he was working with a major studio with a decent budget, along with several top-flight actors. This is basically a crime procedural taking place in Alaska during a time of year when the sun never sets. Host: Geoff Gershon Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| Oppenheimer (2023) | 26 Jul 2023 | 00:17:44 | |
"Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds." Host: Geoff Gershon Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| Barbie (2023) | 21 Jul 2023 | 00:17:27 | |
After decades of false starts and several months of building hype, we finally have a live action feature film focusing on Barbie, Mattel's long-running line of popular dolls! And it has QUITE the pedigree: it's directed by Greta Gerwig as a follow-up to her last two films (Lady Bird, Little Women) which both received Oscar nominations for Best Picture. Gerwig also co-wrote the screenplay with Noah Baumbach who himself has received multiple Oscar nominations for previous films including Marriage Story. AND it also stars two actors who have received multiple Oscar nominations: Margot Robbie plays our eponymous heroine Barbie while Ryan Gosling plays Ken. Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| Deep Blue Sea (1999) | 17 Jul 2023 | 00:15:51 | |
It’s summer, it’s disgustingly hot outside, and the local beaches and pools are overcrowded. So what better way to beat the heat during Shark Week than to kick back at home with this shlocky underwater thriller? Well besides the original Jaws of course…… Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part 1 (2023) - "Living For The Cruise" Series | 13 Jul 2023 | 00:19:39 | |
It has finally arrived! Not the long-awaited latest entry in the long-running Mission Impossible franchise but the concluding episode of our ongoing series focusing on the filmography of Thomas Mapother III....otherwise known as Tom Cruise. Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| Joy Ride (2023) | 11 Jul 2023 | 00:14:50 | |
With her directorial debut, long-time screenwriter Adele Lim (Crazy Rich Asians) has delivered a raunchy comedy focusing on four Chinese-American friends as they traverse across China. They are played by Ashley Park, Sherry Cola, Stephanie Hsu, and Sabrina Wu - they are on quest to find the birth mother of Audrey played by Park and needless to say, not everything goes as planned. What results is a wild misadventure FILLED with sex, drugs, and rock & roll....actually K-Pop to be accurate! Host & Editor: Geoff Gershon
https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023) | 07 Jul 2023 | 00:15:56 | |
Indiana Jones is BACK....for the FIFTH time! But did he need to be? Well it has been fifteen years since the successful though disappointing (for fans) 'Kingdom of the Crystal Skull and for the first time, we have a new Indiana Jones sequel NOT directed by Steven Spielberg. But the director this time is no slouch....James Mangold has taken the directorial reins after delivering several strong movies over the past 25 years including Logan, 3:10 to Yuma, Ford Vs. Ferrari, and Copland. Producer: Marlene Gershon
https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| Past Lives (2023) | 05 Jul 2023 | 00:15:19 | |
Playwright Celine Song has made her directorial debut with this highly acclaimed romantic drama which she also wrote the screenplay for. It's the story of Nora (Greta Lee) and Hae Sung (Teo Yoo) who grew up as very close friends in South Korea until Nora's parents moved her to the West at the age of 12. Now as grown adults, they are about to reunite in person for the first time in 24 years in New York City, which is where Nora lives....and is also married. And what results is a touching meditation on memories, life choices, and the how people can be drawn to others at different points in their lives. Producer: Marlene Gershon
https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| Booksmart (2019) | 30 Jun 2023 | 00:25:25 | |
Four years ago, the release of this film marked the directorial debut of Olivia Wilde who up until this time had mostly been well-known as an actress. And she really does make quite a memorable debut with this raunchy "One Crazy Night" comedy about two soon-to-be-high-school graduates (Kaitlyn Dever, Beanie Feldstein) who are the smartest students in their class and the best of friends. As one of them just found out that they are not the only graduates in their class who are going on to bigger and better things, they decide to spend this one last night before graduation to show that they can also have "fun" with the best of them. And what results is a night of parties, drugs, homicidal cabbies, fancy yachts, and various other hijinks! Also along for the ride are co-stars Jessica Williams, Mason Gooding, Diana Silvers, Molly Gordon, and Billie Lourd. Producer: Marlene Gershon
https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| Twisters (2024) | 26 Jul 2024 | 00:19:10 | |
It only took 28 years but we have FINALLY got a sequel to the beloved mid '90's disaster blockbuster Twister....only is it really? There are no returning characters, only a returning device named Dorothy....and of course several big tornadoes. ;) So yes once again we are following storm-chasers around Tornado Alley not only attempting to figure out new ways to monitor these increasingly destructive storms but also maybe to stop them. The cast is lead by Daisy Edgar-Jones (Where the Crawdads Sing, Normal People) who plays Kate, a "retired" young storm-chaser from Oklahoma who is now getting back into the game after several years of working a desk job in the aftermath of a tragic incident which occurred when she was chasing tornadoes as a grad student. Helping to bring her back is old classmate Javi played by Anthony Ramos (In the Heights) who has landed some newfangled technology which might help them in their ongoing mission to "tame" tornadoes. And along the way, Kate also strikes up a possible romance with the charismatic Tyler (Glen Powell), a YouTube star who also fancies himself as the ultimate "Tornado Wrangler." And needless to say, they all deal with a LOT of bad weather. Oscar-nominee Lee Isaac Chung (Minari) directs our return to The Suck Zone..... https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| A Fish Called Wanda (1988) | 27 Jun 2023 | 00:18:27 | |
Thirty-five years ago, this raunchy comedy directed by Charles Crichton took the world by storm featuring a melding of British and American comedic talent at the peak of their powers - it even got some Oscar love including Kevin Kline winning the rare Best Supporting Actor for a full-on comedic role. Kline co-stars as former CIA assassin Otto who has been brought aboard the crew of a diamond heist in London recruited by his "sister" Wanda played by Jamie Lee Curtis who is also in on the heist. The heist apparently goes off without a hitch....until one key assailant George (Tom Georgeson) gets arrested and ONLY he knows where the diamonds have been hidden? Or DOES he? Host: Geoff Gershon Producer: Marlene Gershon
https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| The Great Escape (1963) | 23 Jun 2023 | 00:18:29 | |
This seminal World War II classic is about to turn 60 years old and for many Americans, it's a perennial rewatch usually around this time of year. It was directed by John Sturges and features a legendary cast including Steve McQueen, James Garner, Richard Attenborough, Charles Bronson, Donald Pleasance, and James Coburn. Based upon true events, it tells the story of a large band of military officer POW's from the Allied Forces who all been moved to a new German-run prisoner camp. What all of these POW's have in common is they have each attempted multiple times to escape from other Nazi POW camps - apparently THIS camp will be the place where they can no longer escape as the Axis forces can now keep a close eye on ALL of them in one place. So guess what this band of POW's FIRST course of action is? Well you know the title of the movie right? :) Host: Geoff Gershon Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol (2011) - "Living For The Cruise" Series | 20 Jun 2023 | 00:20:04 | |
Our ongoing series of reviews of Tom Cruise vehicles leading up to Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part 1 is almost over with the release of that long-awaited sequel next month. So what better time to revisit what many consider to be THE seminal entry of the franchise? By the time this movie was released in late 2011, Cruise's star had faded somewhat as had the demand for another Mission Impossible sequel after the disappointing box office of Mission Impossible III in 2006. Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| Boyz 'N the Hood (1991) Re-Release | 18 Jun 2023 | 00:16:07 | |
Thirty-two years ago, one of the Greatest Coming-of-Age stories and also one of THE great father-and-son stories was released. And now to celebrate Father's Day and Juneteenth Day, here is a newly remastered review with a few extra features. Producer: Marlene Gershon
https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| The Flash (2023) | 16 Jun 2023 | 00:19:40 | |
Apparently this movie was first slated to come out more than four years ago? Yup after several years of pre-productions stops and starts, COVID-related delays, a revolving door of talented directors joining the project, and....a lot of dicey criminal activity from its start not long after production completed, DC's stand-alone movie focused on one of its most beloved superheroes is FINALLY coming to the big screen! Ezra Miller stars in the titular role of the Scarlett Speedster, otherwise known as The Flash - his actual character's name is Barry Allen and he's embarking on a unique journey of attempting to change one tragic part of his past through the power of his speed......officially known as the "Speed Force." Host: Geoff Gershon Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/
https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| Staying Alive (1983) | 12 Jun 2023 | 00:18:17 | |
COULD this be the greatest sequel EVER? Well considering that it was the long-awaited follow-up to one of the most influential smashes (Saturday Night Fever) of the 1970's and has very little in common with that disco drama outside of bringing back its star (John Travolta) along with some new songs from The Bee-Gee's, then the most likely answer would be NO. Upon release forty years ago, this film was universally panned as a shameless cash grab on the part of both Travolta and its director, Sylvester Stallone....yup that's right, Stallone is a director TOO and this remains the only film he has ever directed which does not feature a prominent role for him. The story brings our hero Tony Manero to slick early '80's Manhattan across the river from his home town of Bay Ridge, Brooklyn - he's now a struggling actor/dancer looking for a breakout opportunity.....and he might have now found it landing a role in the hot new Broadway musical, "Satan's Alley." And we'll leave it that.....the film also co-stars Cynthia Rhodes and Finola Hughes and ALSO features several new songs from Frank Stallone. :o (Yes they are related....he's Sylvester's brother) Host: Geoff Gershon Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023) | 08 Jun 2023 | 00:19:58 | |
Spider-Man is BACK! No not the squeaky-voiced Tony Stark-fanboy played by Tom Holland....nope this animated epic features the vaunted return of another Spider-Man from another universe. THIS one is Miles Morales voiced by Shameik Moore who was also the star of this film's Oscar-winning predecessor from five years ago, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. And he's back with his friends and family too, among them Gwen Stacey voiced by Hailee Steinfeld, Peter Parker voiced by Jake Johnson, and Miles' parents voiced by Brian Tyree Henry and Luna Lauren Velez. He also has LEGIONS of new Spider-friends from various different universes voiced by a stacked cast including Issa Rae, Oscar Isaac, and Daniel Kaluuya who plays the ULTIMATE as "Spider-Punk." Every one is involved at various levels with a daunting new mission to keep the various universes from collapsing in on each other and what results is an eye-popping ambitious superhero sequel which many critics are referring to as not only one of the greatest superhero movies ever made but possibly THE greatest animated film EVER. :o Directed by Joachim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, and Justin K. Thompson, let's see if this one lives up to the hype! Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| Jeffrey (1995) | 05 Jun 2023 | 00:19:00 | |
Based upon a popular off-Broadway stage play performed in the early '90s, this sweet-natured but raunchy romantic comedy was one of the first of its kind when it came out in the mid '90's: it focused on a budding romance between two gay men including the titular protagonist Jeffrey played by Steven Weber who then was best known as the star of the popular network sitcom, "Wings." We follow Jeffrey on a journey of self-discovery amid his struggle to be comfortable building a new connection during the Age of AIDS....and yet most of this played for laughs thanks to an unending stream of comic vignettes written by Paul Rudnick, adapting his own stage show for the screen.
https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| Wargames (1983) | 01 Jun 2023 | 00:20:23 | |
"SHALL WE PLAY A GAME?" Producer: Marlene Gershon
https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| The Firm (1993) - "Living For The Cruise" Series | 29 May 2023 | 00:24:50 | |
Our ongoing series of notable Tom Cruise vehicles from different eras continues, all leading to the release of Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part I coming this July. The next entry in this series focuses on one of the most successful thrillers of the '90's which is approaching its 30th Anniversary - it also happens to be one Cruise's biggest hits but for some reason, it doesn't receive nearly as much ongoing discussion as several of his other blockbusters like Jerry Maguire, Top Gun, or A Few Good Men. Could it be because it was SUCH a dense movie geared towards grown-ups? Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| The Abyss (1989) | 23 Jul 2024 | 00:20:40 | |
Throughout the illustrious career of Oscar-winning director James Cameron (Titanic, Avatar), this remains his ONLY film which can be considered a financial failure. It was his very much his first "blank check" project following the mega one-two punch of The Terminator and Aliens which were his previous two films. Like those two beloved hits, he was once again crafting a sci-fi thriller but this time around.....this particular story didn't take place on land nor in space. https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| Saving Private Ryan (1998) | 25 May 2023 | 00:20:31 | |
Throughout his illustrious career as a director, Steven Spielberg has never been afraid to tackle big subject matter and when this World War II epic was first released to theaters twenty five years ago this July, it was a BIG deal. Not only was he returning to the time period and broad category of subject matter (World War II) which had last earned him an Oscar and widespread acclaim with Schindler's List less than five years prior but he was collaborating with who was at the time our most beloved movie star Tom Hanks....who was coming off of two recent Oscar wins himself for Philadelphia and Forest Gump. It also comprised a stacked cast of talented actors, many of whom were on their way towards becoming stars including Matt Damon, Vin Diesel, Giovanni Ribisi, and Tom Sizemore. All of the stars were aligned for what many expected to be a masterpiece.... Host: Geoff Gershon Producer: Marlene Gershon
https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| Cliffhanger (1993) | 23 May 2023 | 00:18:54 | |
We kick off our third season with this action blockbuster from thirty years ago starring Sylvester Stallone, John Lithgow, Janine Turner, and Michael Rooker. It came out just a few years after the first Die Hard and was looked upon as just the latest in a series of feature-length "Die Hard On A BLANK" homages released throughout the '90's. The premise of this movie is basically "Die Hard Around the Peaks of the Rocky Mountains" and it also happened to be directed by Renny Harlin who had helmed Die Hard 2 (Die Hart in an airport) just a couple of years prior. And it features a ton of high altitude action in the process. HANG ON!!! Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 2 Fast 2 Furious (2003) | 19 May 2023 | 00:19:01 | |
Yes kids, what you've heard is true! There was once a Fast & Furious sequel WITHOUT Vin Diesel, it featured the late, fondly remembered Paul Walker at his most endearing and Tyrese actually playing a charismatic anti-hero type Roman who is not the butt of the joke....and it was directed by the late, great John Singleton amidst a good run of action films he did in the early '00's. And believe it or not, it was actually a lot of fun. :) Just as the latest (Fast X) in this long-running saga is about to be released to theaters, let's revisit one which came out during simpler times. Producer: Marlene Gershon
https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| The Station Agent (2003) | 15 May 2023 | 00:17:00 | |
Peter Dinklage has won multiple Emmy awards for playing the iconic character Tyrion Lannister on HBO's "Game of Thrones" in a role that helped him become an international superstar. However roughly eight years before that show first went on the air, he had his first true breakout role playing the more unassuming Finbar McBride in this relatively unassuming comedy/drama directed by Tom McCarthy. McCarthy would also go on to bigger things as he would eventually direct the Best Picture-winning Spotlight in 2015. Together they collaborated here on a bittersweet story of a quiet loner who finds that despite his best efforts to keep to himself and JUST study and watch trains, he can't help but meet interesting new people. Playing the various new people whom Finn befriends are Patricia Clarkson, Bobby Cannavale (in one of HIS early breakout roles), and Michelle Williams. On the surface, this is very much a movie about trains but UNDER the surface? Let's find out.... Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| Aliens (1986) Re-Release | 14 May 2023 | 00:16:20 | |
Thirty seven years ago, one of the Greatest Sci-Fi Action Films and Best Sequels of All Time was released. And now to celebrate Mother's Day, here is a newly remastered review with a few extra features. Producer: Marlene Gershon
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| Out of Sight (1998) | 12 May 2023 | 00:20:11 | |
What happens when you take two up-and-coming stars (George Clooney, Jennifer Lopez), a talented director (Steven Soderbergh) eager to break out from smaller indie films at the time, a screenplay adapted from one of THE premiere crime novelists (Elmore Leonard) of our time, and have them collaborate with a top-flight cast filled with talent (Dennis Farina, Don Cheadle, Steve Zahn, among several others) along with some next-level talent behind the camera including the Oscar-winning editor (Anne Coates) of seminal classics like Lawrence of Arabia? You get a smart, stylish, suspenseful, and sexy crime drama which is about to turn twenty-five and remains a career highpoint for several involved. https://livingforthecinema.com/ https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| Iron Man 3 (2013) | 08 May 2023 | 00:19:43 | |
Ten years ago, audiences were treated to what would be THE final stand-alone movie focused on the character of Tony Stark/Iron Man played by Robert Downey Jr.....and for his solo swan song, he helped bring over an old friend to direct, Shane Black. Black had previously directed RDJ in Kiss Kiss Bang Bang eight years prior, a dark action comedy which is among several notable entries in the buddy cop drama written by Black including the original Lethal Weapon.
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| Andor - Season One (2022) | 04 May 2023 | 00:29:12 | |
Apparently May the Fourth has become an official holiday to celebrate all things Star Wars on an annual basis so what better way to honor THIS May 4 than to revisit what is likely the most grown-up and possibly CINEMATIC of this recent crop of streaming shows from that universe? This Disney Plus series - which debuted last fall to critical acclaim and middling ratings - stars Diego Luna returning to play Cassian Andor, the lead character he also played in the recent Star Wars prequel, Rogue One. As you would expect, the show takes place before the events of Rogue One and chronicles Cassian's first efforts towards joining and helping an ongoing Rebel Alliance which is partially lead by Stellan Skarsgard's Luthen Rael. Producer: Marlene Gershon https://livingforthecinema.com/ https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| Return of the Jedi (1983) | 01 May 2023 | 00:19:51 | |
Forty years ago, we saw the release of this THIRD movie of the original Star Wars trilogy - this was the highly anticipated follow-up to what many (myself included) consider to be THE best Star Wars film ever, Empire Strikes Back. It featured the return of several beloved characters and the resolution of a story which was last concluded with quite a surprising cliffhanger at the end of the previous episode. So...did it live up to the hype....and how does it hold up?
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| Shattered Glass (2003) | 27 Apr 2023 | 00:18:21 | |
Based upon true events, this recounts the incredible story of Stephen Glass (Hayden Christianson), a young reporter for the New Republic in the '90's who made quite a name for himself writing several high-profile stories for the magazine which garnered a lot of attention for just how entertaining and informative they were....and apparently several of them were entirely made up by Glass. :o What results is a scandal with a very troubled soul at the center of it - along the way, we get to know both editors (Hank Azaria, Pete Saarsgard) and fellow reporters (Chloe Sevigny, Steve Zahn) who were also affected by Glass' deception. Billy Ray directs a journalistic docu-drama which has proven just as relevant today as it was when it was first released twenty years ago.....
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| The Thomas Crown Affair (1999) | 19 Jul 2024 | 00:18:54 | |
Right smack in the middle of his run of playing James Bond in four consecutive movies, Pierce Brosnan took a SLIGHT detour in this remake of a sorta-classic from 1968, the romantic thriller of the same name starring Steve McQueen and Faye Dunaway. This is a somewhat modernized remake as we follow the exploits of a billionaire playboy named Thomas Crown (Brosnan) who also moonlights as an art thief....and the crafty art bounty hunter who's on his tail (in more ways than one) Catherine Banning played by Rene Russo. And wouldn't you know it...these two take a liking for each other. Not only that but could THIS be the best Bond-life performance ever given by Brosnan, even better than when he actually played bond? Inquiring minds want to know in this breezy romantic caper directed by John McTiernan. Yes the SAME McTiernan who had directed action classics such as Predator and Die Hard more than a decade prior....who knew that he also had a romantic streak? :) https://livingforthecinema.com/ | |||
| 28 Days Later (2003) | 24 Apr 2023 | 00:21:15 | |
Twenty years ago, director Danny Boyle and writer Alex Garland helped revitalize the zombie subgenre with this seminal post-apocalyptic thriller produced on a shoe-string budget....even though the story isn't technically about zombies. Nope this is the actually story of a fictional pandemic which strikes the UK known as the "Rage" virus.....society becomes gradually wiped out by those who are "infected" which can basically be described as FAST zombies who spew blood which spreads the infection. And at the core of this story is an aimless bike messenger (Cillian Murphy) who was actually in a coma during the first 28 days of this pandemic and a resourceful survivor who he teams up with played by Naomie Harris. Brendan Gleason and Chris Eccleston also co-star as fellow survivors of this outbreak.
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| Hud (1963) | 20 Apr 2023 | 00:15:40 | |
Legendary filmmaker and former playwright Martin Ritt directed this family drama set on a farm starring the late, great Paul Newman as the titular Hud who works with the ranch with his father (Melvyn Douglas) and younger brother (Brandon De Wilde) while also making their lives difficult. You see Hud is a scoundrel who drinks too much and he's not making things any better for his family as they experience a looming crisis which could destroy their farm - this could very well be the most irredeemable character Newman ever played and it did earn him an Oscar nomination for Best Actor. He didn't win that year but others in the cast did including Douglas and Patricia Neal for Best Actress. This film received enormous acclaim upon release while also being a sizeable hit and.....it's about to turn 60. :) Producer: Marlene Gershon
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| The Color of Money (1986) - "Living For The Cruise" Series | 17 Apr 2023 | 00:20:20 | |
What happens when you hire one legendary TOP-tier movie star (Paul Newman) returning to play a character he played once before 25 years prior (Fast Eddie Felson in 1961's The Hustler)....pair him up with one giant up-and-coming movie star (Tom Cruise)....and then hire possibly THE greatest American filmmaker (Martin Scorcese) of the past 50 years to direct?? Producer: Marlene Gershon
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