The veil has thinned. The leaves have fallen. The pumpkin guts line the garbage bins streetside, where swarms of masked adolescents march in unison in pursuit of sweet confections. The Twin Geeks, now aged 7, continues our annual tradition of Halloween specials with Halloween 6: The Curse of Michael Myers (1995) — an inflection point where the now long-running series must either find a new direction or face imminent cancelation. As Fall sets in, the skies fill with darker clouds, and the rain clears the streets, a shadowy figure emerges. It's The Kentucky Gentleman! None other than Jesse Sparks, resident Halloween superfan and Radiohead connoisseur. As is our tradition, we run through the best of the year's horror movies, discuss the next film in our Halloween series, and review Radiohead-adjacent albums. It's 2024's best double-feature this time: two albums from the Radiohead and Sons of Kemet off-shoot band The Smile. The albums are Walls of Eyes and Cutouts. Come join us by the fire and warm up a nice autumnal tea.

And suddenly, Halloween was another word for mayhem.

Felicia Maroni (Seeing Faces in Movies) joins the show to discuss the first half of John Cassavetes' filmography: Shadows (1958); Too Late Blues (1961); A Child is Waiting (1963); Faces (1968); Husbands (1970); and Minnie & Moskowicz (1971). When we talk about John Cassavetes, we're talking about the history of American independent movies, from what preceded and influenced the movement, to how the format adapted and was deeply influenced by the style of indie auteurs like Cassavetes. By studying this filmmaking tradition, we can give shape to a whole world of cinema crafted outside the system and trace every step of contemporary productions back to their root source. By working outside the system and against the market, Cassavetes created a new system and a new market. We explore the eccentricities of this improvisational and naturalistic filmmaker who changed movies forever, one Opening Night, one Face, one Husband, one Chinese Bookie, and one Woman Under the Influence at a time. Stay tuned as Felicia will return for the second half of our series, and some of the most influential indie films of all time, next month.

Dear friend Perla sits in with us to discuss Todd Haynes' Safe. In this striking psychological horror film, Julianne Moore's character develops environmental sickness and an allergy to the conditions of the 20th Century. We frame the film in the context of movies about the lives of women in society and how hard it is to live in it. As we discuss their working relationship, Julianne Moore becomes something like a muse for Todd Haynes. We explore their work together and the importance of signature films like Carol (2015). All that and so much Baseball, as we do a Sportcast again, to check in on the standing of the Seattle Mariners.

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In the wake of the horrific Tiananmen Square massacre in 1989, Hong Kong action director John Woo was inspired to apply his hyper-stylistic, ultra-violent directorial prowess to showcase the horrors of dictatorial reign and juxtaposing the political conflicts of the day with the similar conflicts of protest revolving around the Vietnam War. Those who are used to Woos balls-to-the-wall style of directing, eschewing logical and realism for absurdist spectacle, will be surprised to see a fusion of that thrilling bravura with the socially critical depiction of violence in the grueling wartime setting of the Vietnam conflict, as three friends find themselves caught in the midst of the bloody, unforgiving conflict while trying to make a living in the criminal underworld. The brotherly camaraderie which is a staple of Woos Heroic Bloodshed films flourish even greater here with the dramatic backdrop of the war compelling their relationships, and the action has never been as visceral or exciting. Bullet in the Head is as grand as it is ambitious, and often overlooked in the pantheon of the great action director's work.

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For nearly two decades the rocking teen comedy dominated the cinematic landscape as the preeminent escapist dream to the days of our rambunctious youths, and none perhaps more nostalgically than Richard Linklater's Dazed and Confused. Boasting one of the most electric soundtrack selections of any film, and all the warm remembrance of the culture of 1970s freedom, this perennial favorite has more than made its impact on popular culture. Linklater conjures the most profound recreation of the 1970s both through impeccable art direction and musical brilliance, falling back on only the most classic of rock and roll offerings and forever enshrining them as artifacts of the beloved era. Dazed and Confused is often described as the ultimate hang out movie, and so we soak in every moment with reverence as we consider the warm feelings of our own memories of youth.

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The tragic and unexpected passing of Chadwick Boseman has us all in deep mourning. Some would say he was just getting started, only recently having risen to the ranks of legends with breakthrough successes as the preeminent Black superhero, as well as embodying the legacy of several major Black icons for the screen. The latter of these feels most fitting in the wake of his passing, having coincided with the MLB's celebration of Jackie Robinson Day on August 28th, 2020. Boseman eloquently portrayed the major Civil Rights icon who was instrumental in breaking the color barrier and pushing for an end to segregation in the United States. In remembering Boseman, 42 feels most fitting in depicting the ideals he imbued into every performance and the grandeur of the legacy he left behind. RIP Chadwick Boseman. 1976-2020

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With the first images of a new reimagining of the caped crusader recently revealed, there is no better time than the present to retrace the history of the fabled Dark Knight's first incarnation on the silver screen. The 1960s version of Batman, as played by Adam West, is famous and beloved for its unrivaled comic approach to the character, wittily delving into the unmined absurdism of the superhero world long before we'd even see the trend of a gritty, realistic take on the character overshadow his cartoon origins. For the first film spawned from the wildly popular television show, Batman -- and his young ward, Robin -- take on the best of his rogues' gallery, who have teamed together in an attempt to take over the entire world. Joker, Penguin, Catwoman, and the Riddler combine their forces in this riotously hilarious romp which planted the seeds of Batman's permanent cultural fixation. Timestamps: 0:00: Welcoming Bro back to the show Fantasia Fest Lightning Round 4:07: Fantasia 2020: First-week recap 13:56: Skin: A History of Nudity in the Movies and first experiences with nudity in film 20:53: Pretending I’m Superman — The THPS documentary 26:28: The new era of DC and Batman 36:32: Batman

The ultimate Spaghetti Western and one of the most iconic films of all time, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly still stands as a titan of cinema and a personal favorite of The Twin Geekscast. Just as Leone was building with larger and larger ambitions, so too have we been looking forward to getting around to this foundational and epic Western classic. From the monumental scope of the story's buried gold adventure to the comical character interactions which have made the film the stuff of legends, Leone's first major opus has cemented itself as the indelible icon of the Italian Western style. Clint Eastwood was never better than this iteration of "The Man with No Name", and paired with the comic capabilities of Eli Wallach's fiery Tuco the two are a pair that can't be beaten. Lee Van Cleef is no slouch either, as the scouring scourge of the West whose malevolence knows no bounds. Culminating in the most electric climax of a Western, an astounding standoff yet to be bested, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly remains a legendary monolith within its genre, and of the entire cinematic landscape at large.

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The most significant film of Preston Sturges' legacy makes a case for itself in asserting the importance of comedy as an artform like no other work has. The concluding thoughts on entertainment being all some people have is a profound statement for one of the zaniest comedies of the 1940s. The tonal dichotomy of Sullivan's Travels may be hard to swallow at first, but the deftness with which Sturges balances the dramatic turns of the story is vital to selling the pathos of its themes and ideas concerning how entertainers can help the poor and downtrodden through their art. It's also just one of the funniest films ever made, brimming with Sturges' spoonfuls of tantalizingly salacious dialogue, expedient and expert delivery, and a good helping of physical gags to boot. One of the essential "movies about movies", Sullivan's Travels endures because of its optimistic look at the good of Hollywood without shying away from the racier aspects tucked between the biting dialogue provided by Sturges' unparalleled hands as Hollywood's preeminent Writer/Director.

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Tim Burton's signature gothic styling was a perfect suit for the realization of the strange and sad, but also often humorous and heart-warming, true story of the proclaimed "worst director of all time". His sensibilities from films like Beetlejuice (1988) and Edward Scissorhands (1990) translate to the bizarre collision of the terrible 1950's B movies made by the titular director and the atmospheric horror films of the 1930s, represented by the imposing presence of faded star Bela Lugosi, as portrayed by Martin Landau. Wood's story is one of triumph, despite the notorious reputation and quality of his legacy. It is also the very cheapness and shoddy direction that compels audiences to see and appreciate his movies. Burton's vision captures the camaraderie and quirky spirit of how ambition and a creative spirit brings about a satisfying way of life, even if the result itself is admired by only a few. Luckily for him, Ed Wood is seen as his greatest directorial accomplishment, and has also solidified the legend of Wood himself as a director worth admiring and appreciating, if not for his films then at least for his gumption. Timestamps: 0:00 New videogame show 8:00 RIP Olivia de Havilland 14:51 Strasbourg 1518 18:42 Ed Wood

For his first film both as a producer and in color, Alfred Hitchcock set out on a bold experiment to adapt a drawing-room set stage play about the playful murder of a former classmate by two friends in a singularly composed presentation through as few cuts as physically possible for the time. Rope has often been dismissed as a one-off film by the legendary master for being singular in its technical ambition, but beneath the gag and conceit of the framing is a gripping and thrilling story centered around a hidden corpse and the arrogance of the nouveau riche who treat murder like a game. Hitchcock carefully paces out the story with the same deftness of execution seen in his later masterpieces, weaving between rooms and various shot compositions while incorporating cuts only when the magazine has run out of film. As one of the "Lost Hitchcocks," Rope was rarely seen until the 1980s, where it reevaluated and came to be regarded as one of his more noteworthy works. It has certainly earned its placed in the Hitchcock pantheon, proving to be more than the failed experiment some considered it to be upon its initial release.

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Charlie Chaplin once called George Stevens' lurid encapsulation of ambition, desire, love, and unconscionable murder: "The greatest movie ever made about America." A Place in the Sun is a titanic film in tackling grandiose themes of American duality. The story charts a struggle between the polarizing embodiments of class within the country while also spinning a yarn of unbridled sexual romance through the electrifying chemistry of Elizabeth Taylor, Montgomery Clift, and Shelley Winters. It's a harrowing love triangle story that pits Clift in the midst of these two indelible women; one whom he inescapably is obliged to, and one who is irresistibly desirable and magnetic. The film's three juggernaut performances are only the beginning of its brilliant presentation. Stevens so deftly directs the film with that the thrilling events of the story are expertly laid out to pull the audience from one thought to the next, all the while lavishing their eyes with unparalleled cinematic beauty that truly showcases the inimitable glory of black and white photography from this period of American cinema.

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In the wake of master maestro Ennio Morricone's passing this week, we look to one of his most memorable and emotionally stunning compositions in memoriam of his illustrious and unrivaled career as a musician extraordinaire. Cinema Paradiso is as profound a love letter to cinema as they come, one that captures the true magic and unifying power of the medium, as we see reverberations of emotion echo throughout an entire community, and through one young boy in particular. Giuseppe Tornatore's ode to the art of cinema showcases an evolving culture of the hallowed screen and the congregation of the masses who pay tribute to the shining stars projected upon the holy canvas, all set to the beautifully operatic score stemming from Morricone's ingenious musical mind. There could be no better film to sum up our feelings on the exalted experience of the cinema, as well as the music makers, and the dreamers of dreams; those magnificent movie making giants who gift us these great works of art which resonate and humble us every time we look towards the flickering light of their projected celluloid creation.

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Welcome Jack Davenport to the show as he sits in for our long overdue retrospective of Guy Maddin's poem of home, My Winnipeg. Famed The Twin Geeks composer, co-founder, and the ACK of The Stacks, excellent musician 10secondbeats on Spotify, and popular Letterboxd member, Jack wears many hats, and puts on another one, analyzing a great work of docufiction, for our latest program. My Winnipeg does not have many / any other films that are exactly like it. It is most like a silent film, despite the constant narrative that drives the story. It moves in poetic arcs through understanding spaces and places and what it means to the people who have lived there, finding that rare bottled-up filmmaking energy that seems to sprout out of Winnipeg very naturally. It's a fun and full show, as we offer our personal reflections on Guy Maddin's own personal reflections of where he's from. Won't you join us?

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Sergio Leone's electrifying follow up to the massive success of his groundbreaking A Fistful of Dollars (1964) demonstrates marked improvement on everything that made the original Italian Western such a sensation to begin with. The stakes and drama are upped with the inclusion of a secondary lead to compliment Clint Eastwood's laconic Man with No Name: the dignified Lee Van Cleef in a career-defining role which usurps even Eastwood as a confident and merciless gunfighter of the West. The two play off each other in an incredible bout of charismatic oneupmanship, each attempting to outdo the other and elevating the experience of the film in tandem. Also returning is the collaborative efforts of Ennio Morricone and his dynamically angelic score, complete with haunting leitmotifs and pulsating themes that stick with you long after the credits roll. For a Few Dollars More marks Leone as a true original, taking the strides he made in his first Western entry and expanding them at every point, charting an iconoclastic growth in the genre that remains unparalleled in its impact on popular culture.

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Director Hirokazu Kore-eda is one of the most respected auteurs of the Japanese cinema. An heir to the legacy of Yasujirō Ozu, Kore-eda has found universal acclaim for his heartfelt family dramas. Expanding his international lens, this year finds the release of his first non-Japanese-language film, The Truth. We're honored to present a conversation about his new film, touching on the shifting realities of a long career in filmmaking, and what is so tangibly elemental and human about Kore-eda's own work. The Truth is a different kind of family drama: this time, concerning the family of a famed French actress (Catherine Denueve), and how success has adjusted her relationship with daughter (Juliette Binoche). Also starring Ethan Hawke, as the English-speaking husband absorbed in these dicey family dynamics. Listen to our interview for more on The Truth, premiering July 3 online.

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The latest film from director Spike Lee comes at a time of utmost relevancy, as the country continues to rail against systematic racism and the imperative energy of the Black Lives Matter movement. Reminding us that the lingering effects of the disastrous Vietnam War still permeate in our society, Da 5 Bloods weaves the tragic after effects of that unending conflict with the ongoing struggle of Black Americans, still fighting the same oppressive battles against racism as they were during the heights of the Civil Rights movement concurrently with the war in Vietnam. Lee's signature style is prominent throughout, vocally expressing his themes through colorful characters, flashy editing, and prominently featured historical footage reminding us of the tangible reality his stories are based in. We take this opportunity to reflect on his entire filmography as well, ranging from the small budget successes of his early films in the 80s to the more ambitious and even more politically charged films of the last decade. His latest joint isn't to be missed, especially in this time of critical social pertinence.

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As a follow up to the smash, blockbuster success of his inspired body-horror remake The Fly (1986), David Cronenberg's more dramatically centered observation of inner human turmoils still more than delivers on the external horrors of his ethos, but without relying on the more obliquely grotesque images that have come to be expected of him. The bulky and inhumanly organic looks of the twin gynecologists', both played by an astounding Jeremy Irons, evoke the inescapable squirming sensation of Cronenberg's previous works for sure, but it is the more personal and existential crisis of identity that grounds Dead Ringers in a decidedly relatable fear, usurping even some of his better known efforts as a horror classic that gets under your skin in ways you never thought possible. The characteristic combination of overtly sexual horror blended with internal human conflict is as potent in Dead Ringers as it is in any of his more decidedly provocative films, and, at times, all the more disturbing because of it.

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The stylized, subversive, and astonishing legacy of the Spaghetti Western starts here, with Sergio Leone's explosive genre breakthrough, making the careers of not only himself, but also squinting star Clint Eastwood and legendary composer Ennio Morricone. Despite its infamous plagiarizing of Akira Kurosawa's samurai smash Yojimbo (1961), A Fistful of Dollars has carved out its own respectable place in film history as an excitingly original take on the Western genre, completing the circle of genre influences passed between the cowboys and their Japanese counterparts. Eastwood bursts onto screen with immediate, enigmatic charisma. His iconic turn as the laconic hero of the west is cemented as one of the most immutable in all of cinema. Morricone saw his star rise just the same, with an earth-shattering soundtrack that changed the way we think about Westerns today. With this single accomplishment, the legacy of Hollywood's escapist fantasies was wiped from the zeitgeist, and Italy took center stage in the realization of America's favorite mythology. Better films were still to come, but A Fistful of Dollars lit the match that set the genre ablaze.

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Jacques Demy's beloved musical sensibilities brought to France the style and glamour of Golden Age Hollywood extravagance with the grace and grounded human elements embodied by the French New Wave of the 1960s. With The Umbrellas of Cherbourg he took the emotional intent of the musical format to the next level by not only coating the film in a candy-colored, dreamlike cinematic look, but by maintaining the emotional grandeur of the format by translating all the film's dialogue into song. The conventions of rhyming lyrics or melodic variance matter not in this operatic ode to young love, as the film is an artistic reflection of reality rather than the overly fantastical incarnations of its Hollywood counterparts. The Umbrellas of Cherbourg is a beautiful, dreamy, but simultaneously grounded work of musical magic from an international legend, and one that influences and delights many of the filmmakers of today.

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A modern RomCom film with a whopper of a dramatic hook, The Big Sick is a refreshingly honest and touching tale of love, personal growth, and cultural hurdles plucked from the real life courtship of writers Kumail Nanjiani and Emily Gordon. Nanjiani also stars in the film, marrying his capable comedic sensibilities as best seen in his role on Silicon Valley with the raw, dramatic chops of someone who's truly experienced an unfathomable hardship during a most tumultuous period of personal growth. All this is laid bare on the screen for us, with great naturalistic dialogue channeled through terrific supporting performances from not just screen icons Ray Romano and Holly Hunter, but also the humanizing portraits of Nanjiani's Pakistani family, which gives credence to the film's alternating conflict of cultural clash when matched against Nanjiani's burgeoning American identity. The film also opens up a Pandora's Box of personal relatability for us here, with Emily's intensive medical struggle mirroring co-host Calvin Kemph's own inspiring life experience. Needless to say, this one has a bit of a personal affectation here. Timestamps: 0:00: Calvin returns! 4:57: Remembering Lynn Shelton 9:50: Scoob!, investigating & the mysteries of corporate branding 17:56: The Painter and the Thief 20:48: The Lovebirds 26:14: The Big Sick

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Perceived as something like a disaster during its time, Robert Altman's bizarre realization of E.C. Segar's beloved cartoon sailor with an affinity for spinach is at once a confounding but astonishingly enrapturing collage of comic slapstick humor, Altman-esque naturalism and scale, and a train wreck musical adaptation all packaged into one, not entirely cohesive, film. Robin Williams and Shelley Duvall are some inspired casting decisions for the roles of Popeye and Olive Oyl, and their studious commitments to reveling in the lunacy of live action cartoon antics is one of the reasons Popeye manages to be an endearing mess, as the gravitas of the lavishly designed setting of Sweet Haven clashes with the meandering plot, while simplistic rote musical numbers occasionally pop in to delay the proceedings even further. It's not often we look at a film with such a disparaging reputation as this, but something about Popeye and its wholesale commitment to the quirks and eccentricities of everyone involved in the production makes it a fascinating, and still overall entertaining, venture as a product of the blockbuster boom of the late 1970s swallowing the last vestiges of creative ambition provided to the directorial talents of Altman and his ilk after the collapse of the long-heralded Studio System of Hollywood's Golden Age.

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Often overlooked in favor of the more famous contemporary comics of his time, Harold Lloyd was at least an equal to both Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton in terms of his comedic capabilities and his part in pushing the cinematic medium towards the mainstream. In his time, he was more active and at times more popular than the other two more famous filmmakers, but in the proceeding century of cinema that has passed he has faded into more relative obscurity. Ardent cinephiles recognize and remember Lloyd for his equivalent talents, but still we must do our part in upholding his legacy to the same degree as the other comic masters. Safety Last! is his most enduring and iconic feature film, with a thrilling climactic set piece that has defined his image in popular culture more than his name or indelible Glasses persona ever has. The combination of Keaton-like feats of daring and Chaplin-esque romantic pathos make Lloyd an easy middle ground between the two comic titans, but not without his own prevailing identity as the plucky everyman who wins our hearts and keeps us in stitches with his own unique take on immortal slapstick comedy. Timestamps: 0:00: The hosts don their Glasses character costumes 5:00: Beastie Boys Story & the best music docs 12:20: First Academy Awards 17:50: The imminent death of the studio comedy 29:10: Safety Last!

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Friend of the show, professional podcast guest, and den mother to podcasts everywhere, Perla sits in with us for a wide-ranging discussion of David Lynch's full filmography, especially focused on the new restoration of The Elephant Man & SIFF's Dreams & Nightmares: The Films of David Lynch festival. We collect our shared passions for Lynch to give an incisive look at how the entire filmography informs one of his earliest works and how such a stylist can still find a clean fit with a surrealist biopic. Follow Perla on Insta at pxcaballero & look forward to more of her terrific insights on future programs!

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A rare convergence of the Samurai and Western genre, embodied by the iconic figures of Toshirô Mifune and Charles Bronson, Red Sun is a fun and adventurous gem set in the style of Spaghetti Westerns which emphasizes the clash of cultures central to the film's main dynamic. Further solidifying this universal sentiment is the credibility of British director Terence Young, famous for spearheading the first several James Bond films, and French superstar Alain Delon as a brilliantly mischievous black-hatted antagonist. Much humor is made from the fish-out-of-water quest to restore the honor of the slighted samurai, making the ignorance of the American protagonist the butt of most jokes, preserving the dignity and respect the Japanese guests deserve in the Western land. The interplay between Mifune and Bronson is the greatest success for sure, but Young makes sure to deliver on the Western action as well, blending together the exciting anarchy of Western shootouts with the swift nobility of Samurai swordplay. Red Sun is a uniquely fantastical Western that represents a universal appreciation of the genre, packaged in an entertaining and star-studded presentation that is inimitable in any other time period. Timestamps: 0:00: The Virtues of White Chocolate 6:05: Now Streaming: It’s the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown! (1974), Vikings: Season 1 (2013), Easter Parade (1948) 15:08: Tiger King, the all-time most viewed documentary 23:20: The week where only Jesse Eisenberg movies come out: Resistance & Vivarium 29:19: Trolls World Tour 36:26: Red Sun

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The family friendly and homogenous branding of the Disney corporation wouldn't seem to be the best fit for a visionary and singular surrealist filmmaker like David Lynch, but at the end of the previous millennium, he did in fact partner up with the now domineering conglomerate to make an understated yet classically Lynchian film about a man traversing the American Midwest to make amends with his estranged brother. The film has come to greater attention this week after being made available for all to see on the streaming platform Disney+, after being widely unavailable for a long period of time. Richard Farnsworth, a brilliant character actor with a warm demeanor and a wholesome spirit, breathes life into the leading role of Alvin Straight, turning in the finest performance of his career, as well as his tragically last. He is complemented by Lynch's characteristically brilliant direction, capturing the eccentricity of small town America while the beautiful score from Angelo Badalamenti accentuates the cultural spirit of the humble residents of the rural towns Alvin passes through. Emotionally driven and wholesome in tone, The Straight Story is an unexpected but welcome treat from Lynch that sacrifices none of his signature directorial vision.

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With the downbeat, somber setting of mid-Depression Era America juxtaposed with the contagiously humorous nature of the relationship between a dopey con man and a firecracker young girl who may be his daughter, director Peter Bogdanovich mines a heart-warming and hilarious adventure through the past, utilizing all his signature talents at the height of his powers during the peak of his New Hollywood celebrity. Ryan O'Neal and his real life daughter Tatum are an electric pairing on screen, with the young 9-year-old giving a legendary performance that still stands as the youngest to win an Academy Award. And it's not just the beauty of their relationship that makes Paper Moon so compelling, as Bogdanovich summons all his cinematic powers to render the 1930s world into a nostalgic dream of movie memory. The stark black and white photography, combined with steadfast attention to period details, make Paper Moon a transportive and endearing film that remains a highlight of the legendary decade.

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Orson Welles' messy, bungled, chopped-up masterpiece of Film Noir is rife with provocative imagery and surreal storytelling techniques that stand out as some of the best exhibited in the genre, despite all efforts at the hands of studio meddling (the eternal Wellsian curse) to strip away the genius that defined his films. The story behind the making of The Lady from Shanghai is equally as fascinating as the film itself, which we gleefully dive into alongside the dissection of the film's confounding story structure, themes of betrayal and manic confusion, beautiful beach locales, and of course the dark brooding of noir mystery that boils at the center of the film's layered intrigue. A touchstone of classic Film Noir, and a highlight of Welles' troubled but brilliant career in Hollywood, The Lady from Shanghai continues to be a fascinating product of the clash between the restricting forces of the studio system and the trailblazing genius of an auteur who fought his entire career to get even a fraction of his vision rendered on screen.

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With a recent uptick in period dramas taking hold of public interest recently, with the likes of Little Women (2019) and the newly released Emma being of particular note, we are fondly reminded of one of our favorite films from 2018: Yorgos Lanthimos' star-studded crass beauty, The Favourite. The hilarious battle between Emma Stone and Rachel Weisz for the heart of Olivia Coleman's Queen Anne (and all the power that comes with that affection) won us all over in a big way. The crudeness of the film's sharp script cuts like a dagger through the projected pomposity of faux 18th century romanticized aristocracy, while still lensing the film with the utmost consideration for beauty and decadence through a myriad of distorted wide angles. The film is cutthroat, funny, and bolstered by its three central performances, equally lifting the film to a greater plane of celebrated excellence. Period dramas have never been as entertaining as this, so the new crop we're seeing right now has a lot to live up to.

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The third collaboration between real life Hollywood couple Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall, and the first of Bogie's films covered here on our podcast, is the little known but marvelously entertaining Dark Passage. What starts out as a singular gimmick thriller, where Bogart's escaped criminal is disguised in shadows and a unique first-person perspective approach to the cinematography, evolves into a tense entanglement with the underbelly of San Francisco, with Bacall harboring Bogart from the law and falling in love with his newly transformed face. The mix of dark noir lighting and tense Hitchcockian premise are capably handled by director Delmer Daves, and the electric chemistry between Bogart and Bacall is as captivating as it ever was. With a unique angle to present its story, and a capable cast of veteran Hollywood talents, Dark Passage is an overlooked gem from Hollywood's Golden Age with plenty of intrigue and action to stand out from the pack.

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Last week, the last of Classic Hollywood's great leading men passed away. At 103, Kirk Douglas had a hell of a life, and one of the most impressive resumes of the era. We honor his memory this week by looking back to one of the defining performances of his career, and one of the finest War Films ever made. Roger Ebert once proclaimed that there has never been a War Film that didn't glorify violence and conflict in some manner, other than Paths of Glory. The story about a World War I French battalion carelessly thrust into a massacre of a battle by generals who reside in a celestial castle, far removed from the gritty and terrible conflict they command, is as brilliant a condemnation of class and pointless brutality as ever was recorded. Split into two distinct segments, the bloody battle in the trenches and the ensuing court martial of three innocent soldiers as recompense for supposed cowardice, Kubrick's masterpiece of moral indignation is as brilliant today as it was in 1957, centered around Douglas' singular performance as a beacon of righteousness in a world of utter moral decay.

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Matt Farley (of Motern Media notoriety — see: Local Legends (2013) & Magic Spot (2022)) joins the show to discuss Richard Linklater's seminal 2016 hangout movie Everybody Wants Some!! We discuss the great and varied career of Linklater and his unmatched ability to find the in-between moments of life while also allowing the audience to live with his characters for a while. You can catch up with all of Matt Farley's movies on our podcast dedicated to his filmography, Don't Let the Moterncast Get You.

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With the Oscars approaching this coming Sunday, and a slew of deserving films up for the big award, we found it only fitting to highlight not only one of the best of the bunch this week, but also the greatest stand-out from the pack in the form of the biggest non-English language film that has a real chance at taking the top prize. South Korean auteur Bong Joon-Ho gave what many consider his sprawling opus last year with a triumphant return to his home country after a couple of pictures made here in the States. Parasite is a grand ensemble tour de force that tackles universally relevant themes of class struggle and inequality that resonated strongly both in its native country and over here abroad. Bong ingeniously weaves his yarn through many overlapping genres with deft expertise, delivering a hilarious, tragic, thrilling, and touching film with an incredible cast of characters and journeyman-like filmmaking. Its shot at winning Best Picture, as well as numerous other nominations this year, feels surer than previous foreign language nominees, as we look over it fantastic qualifications compared to all the other nominees, and weigh in on what we think the Academy will decide upon just in time for the anticipated ceremony.

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Last week, the great American screenwriter Buck Henry sadly passes away. He gave us many classics over the years, but none as iconic and game-changing as Mike Nichols' seminal coming of age film, The Graduate. The film that launched Dustin Hoffman's career and a renewed sexual interest in middle-aged women everywhere, The Graduate is unquestionably a leading film in defining the 1960s at large and a foundation for the revolution Hollywood was soon beginning with the collapse of the studio system. The story is a delicate balance of generational woes, giving equal sympathies to the lost and misguided Benjamin Braddock and the wistful Mrs. Robinson, now looking to recapture her lost youth. Nichols frames Henry's brilliant treatment of the Charles Webb novel through expressive and artistic cinematography, filled to the brim with clever symbolism that co-host David Punch covered so well in his feature on the film. More than 50 years removed, The Graduate continues to speak to every generation, timelessly evolving in the collective conscious as it continues to grow in its iconic status as one of the most relatable and striking stories committed to the screen.

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Timestamps: 0:00 New Years movie resolutions, rental shops, list intro 9:34: 10. Deadwood: The Movie 13:23: 9. Rocketman 19:25: 8. Ad Astra 25:23: 7. Little Women 29:26: 6. Uncut Gems 34:43: 5. Knives Out 39:29: 4. Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood 46:04: 3. Parasite 56:19: 2. The Irishman 1:00:50: 1. The Lighthouse

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Who doesn't fondly remember Christmases of yore where the entire family would huddle around the television for an annual viewing of the Michael Keaton snowman movie... Nobody? Just me? Whether it's for the irony of it all or our [Editor's note: David's] genuine nostalgic fondness, we're revisiting this childhood favorite that most have probably chosen to forget. We've dusted off our magic harmonica to bring this icy corpse back to life, both to ridicule the laughable concept and corny jokes, as well as to appreciate the fondness we had for it growing up and other cheesy classics like it. Still incredibly saccharine, as all these 90s Christmas movies are expected to be, but you'll be surprised just how charming Jack Frost can be. Get ready for an excruciating amount of winter-themed puns, and a CG/puppet monstrosity that might make you more uncomfortable than anything else. Look, we never promised It's A Wonderful Life (1946) or anything, so don't be upset. Snow movie is better than no movie.

Timestamps: 0:00: SFCS 2019 Awards 9:55: The media takedown of Richard Jewell 16:49: The media takedown of Bombshell 20:30: The way Uncut Gems is a dope, great movie, and our top and bottom Sandlers 27:15: The spectacular cinematography of 1917 32:46: The Searchers

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From the evolved college film that started it all to his most recent gangster opus, Martin Scorsese has proven himself to be one of the most important and influential directors of our times. A leading member of the 70s New Hollywood movement, Scorsese’s films have paved the way and stood the test of time. Even now, some 50 years after making his first film, he’s still churning out grand works that show no loss of luster from the illustrious director, outshining all of his New Hollywood contemporaries. We’ve covered Scorsese’s work some before, including and a previous podcast on Goodfellas (1990), and a raving review of his most recent release, The Irishman (2019). Today, we’re taking on all 25 of his theatrical feature films, and ranking them according to the collective opinion of all our writers and contributors. Everyone has an underrated favorite and a greatest of all time, and we’ve done our best to represent them accordingly here. From the excess of Wall Street to the life of Jesus Christ himself, we’re weighing them all, so buckle up and dive in with us as we rank every feature film from Martin Scorsese. Timestamps: 0:00: Bro, Calvin, and David introduce the list 6:05: 25. New York New York (1977) 11:53: 24. Boxcar Bertha (1972) 17:15: 23. Bringing out the Dead (1999) 23:00: 22. Who’s That Knocking at My Door (1967) 27:24: 21. Cape Fear (1991) 32:12: 20. Hugo (2011) 38:17: 19. The Departed (2006) 47:30: 18. Silence (2016) 51:55: 17. Kundun (1997) 55:07: 16. Gangs of New York (2002) 57:58: 15. The Color of Money (1986) 1:02:03: 14. After Hours (1985) 1:04:58 13. Casino (1995) 1:08:38: 12. Mean Streets (1973) 1:13:25: 11. The Last Temptation of Christ (1988) 1:17:22: 10. Shutter Island (2010) 1:20:50: 9. The Age of Innocence (1993) 1:25:02: 8. The Wolf of Wall Street (2013) 1:28:35: 7. The King of Comedy (1982) 1:31:55: 6. The Aviator (2004) 1:34:39: 5. Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore (1974) 1:39:02: 4. The Irishman (2019) 1:43:55: 3. Goodfellas (1990) 1:46:49: 2. Taxi Driver (1976) 1:52:00: 1. Raging Bull (1980)

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Still not satiated after the Thanksgiving holiday, we return with our eyes still fixated on food, movie food specifically. Actor/director Jon Favreau gave us one of the most heart-warming and plate-warming food movies in recent memory this decade. The story of a renowned chef leaving his stuffy restaurant job to find satisfaction in the independent circuit of the food truck market mirrored his own desire to return to less smaller, less studio intense work in the movie business after having great success in helping start the Marvel Cinematic Universe back in 2008. Chef is one of Favreau's greatest directorial successes, proving himself capable beyond Disney's latest go-to with the subsequent live-action successes of The Jungle Book (2016) and The Lion King (2019), showing off a cinematic eye in the presentation of the film's many mouth-watering dishes, and also a great sense for character in the touching tale of a man reconnecting with his world through his one great passion.

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There is perhaps no more an iconic film than that of Stanley Kubrick's zeitgeist-capturing adaptation of Stephen King's classic novel. King famously hates the liberties Kubrick took with his material, but no one has been able to deny the technical genius that motivates the film, or its legacy for that matter. The Shining is one of the most enduring films of all popular culture, both for its pervasive iconography and its timeless ability to scare and terrorize many generations of horror enthusiasts. It often ranks as one of the best horror films ever made, and with deserved reasoning. Kubrick was one a master of the filmmaking craft, and a maverick of genres. Though The Shining was his single outing in the supernatural, he keenly captures the dread of isolation like so few have, and in turn gives us one of the most chilling and effective of all horror films ever made.

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Expedient repartee is one of the major hallmarks of any screwball comedy classic, and director Howard Hawks was the undisputed king of prose. His work in the 1930s already consisted of major screwball classics Twentieth Century (1934), with John Barrymore and Carole Lombard, and Bringing Up Baby (1938), another collaboration with the ineffable Cary Grant. But His Girl Friday takes the cake not only for its record-setting dialogue speeds, but just for being one of the most uproariously hilarious films ever made. Hawks ingenious ploy to change the role of Hildy Johnson from a man to a woman in this definitive departure from the iconic stage play The Front Page is only one of the many radical adjustments he made that gives His Girl Friday a unique and inventive edge over the well-worn expectations of the original classic. Grant and girl Friday herself Rosalind Russell have incredible chemistry together, and an unbelievable knack for one-upmanship, leading the film to rapidly accelerate in both its humor and absurdity. The comic expertise on display for His Girl Friday cannot be overstated; this is a bona fide and much deserved classic that remains timeless in its comedy and astonishingly impressive in its skill.

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It's a double header with friend of the show Seth Vargas (Movie Friends Podcast). Seth sits in while we explore two rule-breaking essentials. First up is the rarely-seen Canadian film Crime Wave (1985) which is a totally different movie from Sam Raimi's Crimewave (1985). This one is a surrealist comedy written, directed, produced, and acted by Winnipeger John Paizs. There's something in the water, or snow, over there. It's like nothing you've ever seen before. On the other end of the spectrum, we chat about Stanley Kubrick's anarchic touchstone picture, A Clockwork Orange (1972), how we experience film in different phases of our life, and how the movie compares with the Anthony Burgess novel. This week on The Twin Geeks, it's a double bill and an awful lot of fun.

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We return again to the Western genre, this time turning away from the more traditional and classic choices to the wildly revisionist world of Robert Altman. After the smash success of his 1970 anti-war film MASH, Altman sought to bring his unique perspective to many different genres, beginning with what he would dub his "anti-Western". McCabe & Mrs. Miller is a poetic but unflinching look at the muddier side of the frontier film, oftentimes very literally. The film is set in the backyard of our beautifully gloomy Washington state, which of course gives it an extra edge in being one of our all-time favorites. The abundant evergreens and shimmering snowfall of the landscape is entirely in opposition of typical Western expectations, but at its core McCabe & Mrs. Miller is still a story about morality in a savage and untamed world. Our heroes aren't always heroes, as history has been all too kind to show us, and the revisionist approach of Altman's Western masterpiece is one of the best examinations of legends and folklore we've yet to see.

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Last year, we kicked off The Twin Geeks with a review of last year's reboot of the Halloween franchise from David Gordon Green, also titled Halloween (2018). To celebrate our 50th installment, as well as giving the Halloween season a proper send-off, we're dedicating this last October podcast to the original slasher classic that has come to define the spooky season best, as well as the horror genre at large. To help us this week we've enlisted to help of Twin Geeks writer Jesse Sparks, who fancies himself an expert on the series, having chronicled all 12 entries thus far in a massive Halloween Retrospective in celebration of the original film's 40 year anniversary. The film is a hallowed classic here at The Twin Geeks, at it wouldn't quite feel like the titular holiday if we didn't sit down for an annual viewing. What better way could there be to celebrate this podcast milestone than revisiting this autumnal favorite, and one of the greatest horror films ever created.

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Universal Studios was saved from almost complete failure when, in 1931, an A-Picture adaptation of a horror play made Hungarian actor Bela Lugosi an instant icon, followed immediately by the star-making role of a re-animated Goliath of a corpse played by Boris Karloff decimated the box office that same year. Dracula and Frankenstein remain two of the most iconic monsters ever created for the silver screen, followed closely by their other Universal counterparts, The Mummy (1932) and The Invisible Man (1933). These four films, along with Bride of Frankenstein (1935), make up the legendary first run of Universal's beloved monster movie canon. Today, we look back at the foundation these five films laid for the entire horror genre to follow, and how their legacy has held up over more than 80 years since their inception.

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