Hosted by Arnie Carvalho, Stuart Atkinson, and Jakob Conkling
Cult audiences love midnight movie The Room for being crazy melodrama, but the story of how it got made might be even more nuts. Does James Franco show his talent, or just his ass, stepping into the skin of wannabe writer/director/actor Tommy Wiseau? And will Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart find a new appreciation for this Disaster Artist when the truth behind his bad plots is dramatized? Listen now and find out!
This year’s Twin Peaks: The Return revival polarized audiences and seemed to ask as many questions as it answered. With that series complete, series writer Mark Frost is free to discuss it all in Twin Peaks: The Final Dossier — the intended final book based on Twin Peaks. Join Stuart and Arnie now to find out if Peaks goes out on a high note!
I expected not to like this movie and was pleasantly surprised. A nice action film with some solid acting, it’s interesting enough to keep you watching. It seems as if they played fast and loose with the historical accuracies, and some of the characters actions don’t make sense (looking at you Tom Hiddleston) but it was an enjoyable movie.
9. The Belko Experiment
An over the top gore fest written by James Gunn, The Belko Experiment is full of inventive kills, human prey and suspense. A mysterious voice tells captive office employees that 2 employees must be killed or double that will die. The audience, nor the characters, are given any clues as to why this is happening or who is responsible. Trapped inside the office, things turn chaotic and brutal. The twist ending is original and an oddly satisfying end for the movie.
8. It
If the opening scene of this movie doesn’t get you, I don’t know if you have a heart. Little Georgie’s encounter with Pennywise is terrifying, sad and had me on the edge of my seat. The children in this movie are all fantastic actors and Bill Skarsgard undeniably scary as Pennywise. While it felt a little long in places, it still delivered creepiness and I’m looking forward to part 2.
Now Playing will review It (2017), It (1990) and the It sequel upon its release September 6, 2019.
7. Baby Driver
A crime caper by Edgar Wright shines due to it’s stellar use of music as a character. From the opening scene, down to the end scene, music is as part of this movie as any human. The soundtrack is eminently playable. In addition to the music, the visuals are top notch. A coffee run early in the movie, filmed continuously is a great sequence, almost like a music video. And let’s not forget the clean cut Jon Hamm portraying a foul mouthed criminal.
Wolverine is by far my favorite X-Men character and until Logan, he had not had a proper movie to showcase his tortured soul. With self healing powers, he has suffered while those around him have perished and he is left caring for a demented Professor X in a strange future with self driving cars. When he meets a child with similar powers, I feared he would turn fatherly, when instead we get a meaningful redemption movie and the door left open for future X-Men.
A movie about the making of the worst movie of all time might be one of the best movies of 2017. James Franco, along with brother Dave, make you feel both pity and empathy for Tommy Wiseau and Greg Sestero. Dave really pulls off the earnest star seeking Greg while James, well, he is Tommy better than Tommy can be Tommy. Both Franco brothers really shine in this movie. You don’t need to have seen The Room to get the jokes or the movie, it’s enough itself so you never feel like you are missing anything.
If the 80’s were a movie, this would be it. From the stellar New Wave soundtrack to the use of neon, and the Hasselhoff nod, Atomic Blonde is thoroughly 80’s. Charlize Theron is seriously badass in her role as a spy, while James McEvoy was great as a spy who has spent too much time in Berlin. Between double agents, and brutal fight scenes, you still don’t know who is double crossing who. The cold gray and starkness of the Berlin on both sides of the wall adds a dreariness to this movie in stark contrast to the bright neon and music of the decade.
A tongue in cheek biopic about the everyone’s favorite working class hero Tonya Harding, I, Tonya paints a brutal picture of her upbringing, as well as her tumultuous marriage to Jeff Gillooly (Sebastian Stan) leading into “The Incident” and its aftermath. Margot Robbie’s Harding is wickedly trashy and Allison Janney, playing Tonya’s mom, is a national treasure. Often breaking the 4th wall, this movie doesn’t get too serious, how can you when the actual events are crazier than any movie?
2. Ingrid Goes West
In a hard to look at portrayal of social media in our lives, Ingrid Goes West shows what happens when reality can’t be separated from social media. Ingrid moves to California because an Instagram influencer, Taylor, replied to her comment. She then works her way into Taylor’s life via kidnapping Taylor’s dog. It’s painful to watch Ingrid attempt to achieve #bestie status with Taylor, it’s so #desperate and #cringeworthy but you can’t stop watching. Aubrey Plaza is astounding as awkward Ingrid and her performance makes you feel sorry for Ingrid, even when she is making bad decisions.
1. The Big Sick
At times sweet, and at times heartbreaking, Kumail Nanjiani true story of the courtship of his wife is a great story. Not only does he stand by when his estranged girlfriend falls seriously ill, he also wins over her parents while at the same time, trying to break free from his parents and Pakistani traditions. Though a bit long, the movie is touching and sweet and that mushy stuff I usually don’t fall for.
I feel I’ve never seen an adequate number of films to declare of “best of” until at least half way into the next year. As of writing this, I haven’t seen many of the films I’ve been anticipating in 2017, such as The Shape of Water, Phantom Thread, and Baywatch. Rather, here are 10 films that stood out to me (and focusing—with one exception—on films not reviewed on the podcast) for better or for worse in 2017…
A Dog’s Purpose
Worst film of 2017
This story of a dog’s soul inhabiting various breeds is saccharine drudgery. Marketed as a family film, have fun dealing with your crying children, moms and dads! The movie believes reincarnation makes numerous dog death less traumatic for kids (and pet-loving adults). WRONG! Melodramatic, sappy, manipulative trash; I hope Dennis Quaid wishes finds a real life shrink ray from Inner Space so he can disappear from the public eye for staring in this. This film’s only redemption is that it can never be worse than Kevin Spacey-turned-cat in Nine Lives.
The Great Wall
Most entertaining bad movie of 2017
Matt Damon speaks in a baffling, generic European accent not heard since Kevin Costner’s in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. Costume design inspired by the Power Ranger’s colorful armor. Willem Defoe looks as confused as I was about why he was on set. There is a whole wing of the military dedicated to fighting monsters via bungee jumping (with inelastic rope???). And the evil creatures having a weakness so bizarre, you’ll be asking, like the Insane Clown Posse, “Magnets? How do they work?”
Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets
Best first five minutes in a 2017 movie
Luc Besson’s Valerian is a galaxy-sized mess but features an awe inspiring first five minutes. Set to David Bowie’s “Space Oddity,” various nations of Earth come together on an international space station, and then are joined by aliens across the universe. It’s full of the optimism and discovery space travel can arouse. Truly, it is a moment of genius that balances out this very uneven film from its most embarrassing moments (any scene featuring Rihanna as a shape-shifting burlesque dancer).
Batman & Bill
My favorite documentary of 2017
Liked the caped crusader, documentarian Don Argott seeks justice. While everyone knows about Batman’s credited creator, Bob Kane, there was another. Behind the scenes, Bill Finger contributed the most iconic elements to the Dark Knight. Finger died alone in poverty and, reportedly, buried in a potter’s field. Argott’s journey for an eligible heir to bring suit against DC Entertainment to have Finger’s name added to the creator byline is full of twists and reveals in this engaging journey for recognition.
The Founder
Best anti-commercial of 2017
I was expecting another (alleged) heartwarming, inspiring ad for a giant corporation the way Saving Mr. Banks tried to convince me Disney knows best and was the savior for a financially struggling artist. While Michael Keaton brings a lot of charm with his portrayal of down-on-his-luck, milkshake-mixer salesman Ray Kroc, the actor is equally capable of depicting the sinister turn Kroc takes as he steals the McDonald’s brand from the brothers who conceived the fast food restaurant. Forget about the high calorie count in its food, this dark tale of capitalistic greed preying on naive innovators should keep you away from purchasing that next Big Mac.
I Don’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore
The best Sundance film that went straight to Netflix in 2017
Having starred in violent thrillers Blue Ruin and Green Room, Macon Blair’s directorial debut reframes those movies’ violence and tension into a dark comedy. Melanie Lynskey plays Ruth who undergoes an existential crisis after her house is robbed. She befriends Tony (Elijah Wood), a religious, heavy metal loving, ninja-weapons enthusiasts. The two go about reclaiming Ruth’s stolen property; but, their attempt at vigilante justice goes horribly wrong. Funny, violent, quirky, tense, bittersweet. The film hits the right beats to balance its various tones to create a comedic thriller.
Get Out
Best 2017 film reviewed on Now Playing
Patrons have heard my thoughts (along with Arnie’s and Stuart’s). A smart and tense social commentary on race in America, Get Out isn’t only relevant but also a masterfully crafter horror-thriller. Sketch-show-comedian-turned-director Jordan Peele obviously loves horror and has studied the greats in this story that warns us about the dehumanizing effects of racism even if the stereotypes are positive. Reviewed on the podcast or not, this film deserves to be recognized on any top movie list.
Best 2017 movie based on It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown
I only slightly jest. Looking at the poster of Casey Affleck dressed as a ghost—wearing a sheet with eye-holes cut out—I thought I was in for an indie comedy. Rather, this is a poetic story of the living haunting the dead. The camera holds on images until you stop asking what their narrative purpose are and, rather, focus on what you feel in each moment. Never have the folds and frayed edges of a bed sheet portrayed so much loss and sorrow. Director David Lowery channels Terrance Malick and Stanley Kubrick with this slow paced, beautifully framed journey through time and the cosmos.
Detroit
Best film of 2017 most have an opinion about based on their politics before even seeing it
Political. Polarizing. Inflammatory. If you’re inclined to ignore this film because you think you know what it is, I ask then to focus on the craft. Katheryn Bigelow has created one of the tensest hours in film as she retells the Algiers Motel Killings during the 1967 Detroit 12th Street Riot. I would hope that anyone could watch this film and walk away with a little more understanding of why people of color have a seemingly innate fear of police authority. Fifty years later and these real life events feel more relevant than ever.
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Best acted film of 2017
There’s good reason Frances McDormand and Sam Rockwell received Golden Globe nominations for their acting in this film about horrible people trying to cope with loss and hard times in the unhealthiest of ways. Even Woody Harrelson and Caleb Landry Jones (who plays the opposite of his menacing character from Get Out) are at the top of their game. Writer-director Martin McDonagh knows how the audience expects this movie to play out and, therefore, zigs when we expect it to zag to create an unpredictable, emotional story of damaged characters.
Hosted by Arnie Carvalho, Stuart Atkinson, and Jakob Conkling
A weekend in Tijuana goes to hell when two LA party boys open the infamous Cenobite puzzle box. Relatives back home try to piece together their missing sons’ fate by perusing footage found on a camcorder, but the real Revelations come when fans get a good look at Stephen Smith Collins – the new face of Pinhead. Donate today to hear Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart tear into this ninth installment of the Hellraiser retrospective series!
2017 was a bit of a rough year for blockbusters, but I did see some all-time great films. As archived per my ratings on Letterboxd, here are the 10 best new films I saw this year.
10. The LEGO Batman Movie
In January this year DC superheroes seemed doomed. Other than the Christopher Nolan Batman trilogy, these heroes couldn’t catch a break. Warner Bros’ new Justice League universe of films stumbled repeatedly. But, apart from all that, the filmmakers at LEGO created the best DC superhero film since Nolan’s The Dark Knight with The LEGO Batman Movie. Batman, voiced by Will Arnett, has an emotional character arc but the film never forgets to amuse as it teaches. The lampooning of other Batman movies, plus the inclusion of so many Batman baddies, and bad guys from surprising places, it’s a solid POW of enjoyment that bests both Wonder Woman and Justice League as best DC film of the year!
It’s a great time for kick-ass women in movies. The epitome of that seems to be Furiosa, Charlize Theron’s one-armed warrior in Mad Max: Fury Road. Theron continues her streak with Atomic Blonde–a cold-war era period piece spy film. Theron plays MI6 agent Lorraine Broughton. On the surface she’s “Jane Bond”, but when the fights begin she pulls out fight moves that would take Bond out with one kick. The action is balanced with great performances from Theron, James McAvoy, and Sofia Boutella, and scored to a slew of ’80s New Wave hits. The fights and the story make this the movie I wished Kingsman: The Golden Circle had been.
Stephen Soderbergh’s Ocean’s Eleven holds a special place in my heart for being the epitome of the ensemble heist movie. But I don’t need to wait for next year’s Ocean’s Eight to experience that same thrill–Soderberg recaptured that magic with Logan Lucky. The movie follows a group of blue collar criminals who plan to rob the Charlotte Motor Speedway. The able cast keeps our allegiance with the criminals, and the plot has more turns than the Speedway itself. The script is tight and the characters fun. Forget Ocean’s Twelve or Thirteen—this is Soderbergh’s best follow-up to Ocean’s Eleven.
7. The Disaster Artist
The Room is widely considered the worst film ever made–a Rocky Horror for the 21st Century. When a film is that obviously broken, where is the fun in picking it apart? Can there be a bigger punchline than the film itself? James Franco clearly proved the answer to be “Yes.” Disaster Artist starts off like many movies of wannabe actors dreaming of becoming stars in Los Angeles–but one of these wannabes is the mysterious and strange Tommy Wiseau. In that way the first half of the movie feels like a comedy-drama. But when Tommy has the idea to write, produce, and fund the picture himself the laughs truly begin. Rarely is Tommy the butt of the jokes (pun intended), but his actions, borne of ignorance, are funny just the same.
You don’t need to have seen The Room to understand the comedy of The Disaster Artist — but it helps. Either way, the film is a sensitive and funny portrayal of perhaps the most enigmatic figures in Hollywood.
Blade Runner is one of the all-time great sci-fi movies, and great noir detective films. There was great skepticism in my mind if 35 years later any follow-up could match the original. Blade Runner 2049 doesn’t quite hit that mark, but it is close.
The plot centers around new Blade Runner K, played by Ryan Gosling. On his latest mission K uncovers a trail that may indicate he may be the first child ever born to a supposedly-sterile replicant. And not just any replicant–Rachel, the love of Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford reprising his role from the original).
With this plot 2049 takes the subtext from the original, the never answered “is Deckard a replicant” question, and makes it the plot. Is K a new messiah for replicants, or is he all-too-human?
More, 2049 deepens the series’ mythology. We learn replicants are not androids, there’s no circuitry inside those bodies, they are simply genetically engineered and constructed beings. “If you cut them, do they not bleed?” This makes the “retiring” of replicants even more cagey, for how human are they? Do they have a soul?
2049 also has a love story that mirrors the original–our protagonist in love with a machine. Only now, like in Her, it is his personal assistant. It begs the question of what love means, and is love strictly human.
With a visual style that echos the original while making it to heights of nearly-unreal color and a score that, while not being by Vangelis, is a suitably atmospheric replacement, Blade Runner 2049 is a feast for the eyes, ears, and mind…be that mind natrual-born or created.
I’m seemingly one of the few who remembers the 1990 TV-miniseries It as being a dull, sometimes laughable, failure. Trailers for this new theatrical It had me thinking it would repeat the mistakes of the past. I simply couldn’t envision, even from trailers, how a supernatural clown played by Bill Skarsgård could be scary.
I was dead wrong.
It was a suspenseful, terrifying horror film. It’s ’80s setting did make it seem like a Stranger Things clone, but unlike that Netflix series It never pulls It’s punches. Skarsgård is indeed chilling as Pennywise the Clown, and while his screen time is minimal, his presence permeates every frame of It. Aided by solid performances by its young cast, It restored King’s cinematic legacy to glory (let’s just all forget about The Dark Tower) and has me salivating for the 2019 conclusion!
Now Playing will review It (2017), It (1990) and the It sequel upon its release September 6, 2019.
4. Ingrid Goes West
In an era of YouTube celebrities and Instagram professionals, people measure their self-worth through “likes” and retweets. Doctors have recently discovered that social media is not just a psychological addiction, these online interactions and responses trigger a dopamine high. Getting your post “liked” can chemically make you feel as good as a hug.
This idea is taken to its extreme in Ingrid Goes West, a dramatic comedy starring Aubrey Plaza as an aimless young woman obsessed with Instagram, and the perfect lifestyles portrayed in that media. We watch as she tries to shape her life as many people shape what they share online. It’s a manipulative car-wreck from which I couldn’t look away. Plaza shows a dramatic range I’d not seen in her mostly comedic filmography, and it enabled me to root for her while knowing tragedy is inevitable. It helps that most movie-goers will be able to relate to her obsessive phone-checking. It’s a film that has a message I endorse, and performances that rivet.
3. Thor: Ragnarok
Of the original Avengers‘ movies, Iron Man, Captain America, Hulk, and Thor, the Thor franchise is the one that hasn’t found a footing. It took Ragnarok — the mythic Norse view of apocalypse — to give actor Chris Hemsworth the superhero he deserves. Literally, everything about Thor is wiped away over the course of this film, including his mighty hammer and his homeworld (and these aren’t spoilers–they’re in every trailer). Yet with all the cataclysmic events, Thor: Ragnarok finds its heart in Guardians of the Galaxy-esque humor. Of course the “He’s a friend from work” line was (over)played in the trailers, but from start to finish Ragnarok left me with a smile on my face…and a lead-in to 2018’s Avengers: Infinity War.
Though Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 was released this year, Ragnarok was the film that best captured the mirth and magic of 2014’s original Guardians and has become my favorite film in Phase 3 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Odds are you’ve seen The Belko Experiment. While the movie only grossed $11 million worldwide, you’ve still seen it. Perhaps it bore the name Battle Royale, or The Hunger Games — movies in which groups of people are trapped in an arena and forced to murder each other. Those who don’t will have their heads blown off by explosives planted on their bodies.
But Belko sets itself apart by adding in a healthy dose of humor. In this movie the setting is an office building in Columbia filled with American employees. The usual corporate alliances and rivalries are stretched to homicidal extremes, with fun results. It helps that our protagonist Mike, played by John Gallagher Jr., bears a striking resemblance in both looks and performance to John Krasinski, making this feel like the best Office series finale ever!
With a dose of Cabin in the Woods type world-building, Belko was my single biggest cinematic surprise of 2017. I walked in expecting okay horror–and walked out with a grin on my face having had a great time. That is one successful Experiment
1. Baby Driver
If for no other reason than the three-minute continuous, highly choreographed, opening credits sequence scored to “Harlem Shuffle” Baby Driver is the best made, most artistically ambitious film I saw this year. Yet it has so much more going on than just that spotlight scene. The car chases are equally devised (and done almost entirely practically) creating a vehicular dance that is mesmerizing to behold. It’s a musical in which they only sing along to songs they’re playing, and most of the dancing is done on four wheels, but I can’t look away.
The soundtrack has been on near-constant rotation in my life since the movie’s June release. I can’t get enough of it.
More, the film has heart. Ansel Elgort’s Baby may be a criminal getaway driver, but his caring for his deaf foster father Joe, his pure love for waitress Debora, and his “one last job” mentality make him a complex, yet relatable, hero. Add in some Edgar Wright humor (the sunglasses scene is pure gold), a stellar cast, and as many plot turns as U-turns, and Baby Driver speeds past every other movie to be my top of 2017.
I think that’s your franchise going down in flames
Worst of the year: Transformers – The Last Knight
And I’d like to give special mention to the absolute worst movie of the year: Transformers: The Last Knight.
The movie was so loud, obnoxious, stupid, and incomprehensible that it makes Transformers 2 look like The Godfather Part II. It’s complete abuse of respected and returning stars like Anthony Hopkins, Tyrese Gibson, Josh Duhamel, and Stanley Tucci is horrifying. And (other than Hopkins at Stonehenge) it’s not even funny-bad, it’s just excruciatingly painful to your ears and your mind. Don’t try to figure out the plot…this film is actually less than meets the eye.
Hosted by Arnie Carvalho, Stuart Atkinson, and Jakob Conkling
It took a decade for Hellraiser director Clive Barker to realize the dream of bringing his cursed private eye Harry D’Amour to the big screen. Lord of Illusions was intended to launch Scott Bakula into a new hardboiled horror franchise, but box office black magic quickly shuttered Harry’s detective agency. Will Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart join the character’s small cult of devotees when they exhume Clive’s final film for Now Playing Patrons? Sign up today and find out!
This whole year seemed riddled with animosity, upheaval, and social breakdown – qualities reflected in most of my favorite 2017 films.
10.Downsizing – Hang the marketers for pushing this apocalyptic sci-fi story as a broad comedy. It’s fairly short on jokes once Matt Damon gets small, and definitely leaves audiences uneasy with unanswered questions. Still, I found Downsizing to be a thought-provoking look at a man who is never sure whether he should be living for himself or others.
09. The Florida Project – A coming-of-age story that draws a sharp contrast between “have” and “have not” families. A 6-year-old girl living in a fleabag motel gets into all kinds of trouble playing in trash created by neighboring Disney World. I futilely tried to think of options available to single mom Halley that would lead to better outcomes, but ultimately left the theater just grateful I wasn’t a parent.
08. Call Me By Your Name – Wealthy academics living in 1983 Italy might sound a world away from the dead-end squalor of Florida Project. But both coming-of-age stories keenly demonstrate how problems in childhood can often go unspoken. Timothee Chalamet gives a remarkably intimate performance as a teenager wrestling with being gay and Jewish in a household where everyone can identify obscure artifacts, but no one dares to articulate their carnal desires.
07. The Big Sick – Can a coma bring two cultures together? Silicon Valley star Kumail Nanjiani wrote and starred in the best romantic comedy I’ve seen in ages (which becomes even more impressive when you find out its the true story of how this Pakistani comedian met his wife).
06. The Disaster Artist – Watching The Room is no longer enough. Fans of “brown arrow” bad movies must also include a screening of behind-the-scenes tell-all The Disaster Artist. It’s the role of a lifetime for James Franco to be able to star and direct himself as wannabe star/director Tommy Wiseau.
05.The Square – As fun and feel-good as The Disaster Artist is, I loved Swedish film The Square even more for taking a deeper dive into the tension between art and mainstream society. It’s the story of a museum curator who desperately wants to provide context for the unexplainable nuttiness found in modern art, only to realize how little he knows about being a good man.
04. Good Time – I’m going to let Robert Pattinson out of movie jail after seeing how great he is as a failed bank robber going to extremes for his mentally slow brother. The best way to enjoy Good Time is to go in knowing nothing (though I recommend putting lots of pillows on the floor to catch your dropping jaw once the crazy schemes begin).
03. Get Out – Much has been made about this Blumhouse horror movie getting nominated for a Best Comedy Golden Globe. But no genre label captures all the things that Get Out does so well. From the tender romance between Daniel Kaluuya and Alison Williams, to the stinging social commentary about cultural appropriation, a climax full of blood and brain splatter, and yes the comedic stylings of scene-stealing TSA agent Rod… there’s something for every taste in this one.
02. Detroit – I was shaking when I left Katherine Bigelow’s intense re-enactment of the 1967 Detroit race riots. But then to come home, turn on the TV, and immediately see the fallout over Confederate statues in Charlottesville… it was like I never left the movie theater! Detroit was too hot topic to succeed as escapist summer box office fare, but future generations will likely declare it one of the great summations of our times.
01.Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri – Still, nobody captured small town American rage better than British writer-director Martin McDonagh. His story of a grieving mother who takes to shaming the local police via unused billboard space held a mirror up to the world and dared us to laugh. How WILL we ever come together if everyone thinks their pain gives them the right to lash out in whatever manner they see fit? Watching Frances McDormand and Sam Rockwell squash their beef and head into an uncertain future together summed up everything I’ve been feeling in 2017… and advertised a sequel I desperately want to see (but assume they’ll never make).
Hosted by Arnie Carvalho, Stuart Atkinson, and Jakob Conkling
Audiences have been tearing delusional actor/writer/director Tommy Wiseau apart for the last 14 years over his self-funded melodrama The Room. Can you ever really trust anyone who would recommend a movie this preposterous? Oh hi Jakob! Three’s a crowd when the die hard Room-mate, his best friend Arnie, and manipulative bitch Stuart come together to explore this midnight movie phenomenon.
Hosted by Arnie Carvalho, Stuart Atkinson, and Jakob Conkling
The eighth chapter of Hellraiser breaks the internet as it invites five online gamers (including Man of Steel Henry Cavill) to an all-night rave to the grave. Party favors include roofies with Lance Henriksen, blow jobs from Butterface, and selfies with the Cenobites. Donate now and hear if Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart think Hellworld takes the franchise to the next level, or ruins Doug Bradley’s game in his final performance as Pinhea
Hosted by Arnie Carvalho, Stuart Atkinson, and Jakob Conkling
Episode VIII finds General Leia (Carrie Fisher), Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac), Finn (John Boyega), and a dwindling number of Resistance fighters beating a hasty retreat from the rising armies of Supreme Leader Snoke (Andy Serkis). Their only hope lies with recently located Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) – The Last Jedi in the universe. But can Master Luke trust feisty apprentice Rey (Daisy Ridley) to learn the ways of The Force without succumbing to the Dark Side like his previous pupil, the murderous tyrant Kylo Ren (Adam Driver)? Join Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart for a deep dive into the biggest movie of 2017.
Hosted by Arnie Carvalho, Stuart Atkinson, and Jakob Conkling
Former MTV personality Kari Wuhrer’s career was Deader than the doornails in Pinhead’s face when she hopped a party train to Budapest, and signed up for the lead in a seventh Hellraiser movie. But should the self-proclaimed crack whore put her faith in a cult leader who literally stabs his followers in the back? Donate Today to hear if Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart’s prayers for another good entry in the franchise are answered
In the latest terrifying installment of the legendary SAW series, law enforcement find itself chasing the ghost of a man dead for over a decade, embroiled in a diabolical new game that’s only just begun. Has John Kramer, the infamous Jigsaw Killer, returned from the dead to commit a series of murders and remind the world to be grateful for the gift of life? Or is this a trap set by a different killer with designs of their own?
Immerse yourself within Jigsaw’s world with the release’s extensive Special Features, including an all-new 7-Part Documentary, an Audio Commentary with Producers Mark Burg, Oren Koules, and Peter Block, and “The Choice is Yours: Exploring the Props” featurette. The 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray versions feature Dolby Atmos audio mixed specifically for the home, to place and move audio anywhere in the room, including overhead. The 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray also features Dolby Vision high dynamic range (HDR), growing Lionsgate’s library of titles featuring both Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos. Dolby Vision transforms the TV experience in the home by delivering greater brightness and contrast, as well as a fuller palette of rich colors. Together with the captivating sound of Dolby Atmos, consumers will experience both cutting-edge imaging and state-of-the-art sound technology for a fully immersive entertainment experience.
The must-see Jigsaw will be available on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Combo Pack, Blu-ray Combo Pack, and DVD for the suggested retail price of $42.99, $39.99, and $29.95, respectively.
4K UHD / BLU-RAY SPECIAL FEATURES
Audio Commentary with Producers Mark Burg, Oren Koules, and Peter Block
“I Speak for the Dead: The Legacy of Jigsaw” 7-Part Documentary
o “A New Game”
o “You Know His Name”
o “Survival of the Fittest”
o “Death by Design”
o “Blood Sacrifice”
o “The Source of Fear”
o “The Truth Will Set You Free”
“The Choice is Yours: Exploring the Props” Featurette
DIGITAL SPECIAL FEATURES
“I Speak for the Dead: The Legacy of Jigsaw” 7-Part Documentary
o “A New Game”
o “You Know His Name”
o “Survival of the Fittest”
o “Death by Design”
o “Blood Sacrifice”
o “The Source of Fear”
o “The Truth Will Set You Free”
“The Choice is Yours: Exploring the Props” Featurette
DVD SPECIAL FEATURES
Audio Commentary with Producers Mark Burg, Oren Koules, and Peter Block
“The Choice is Yours: Exploring the Props” Featurette
Hosted by Arnie Carvalho, Stuart Atkinson, and special guest Matt Wessel
In 12 Monkeys Bruce Willis plays James Cole – a man from the future who’s come to witness the start of an extinction-level pandemic. Or he’s insane, filled with a Cassandra complex. He encounters Brad Pitt’s Jeffrey Goines, who is insane, but also may know more than he’s letting on. Yet perhaps the real time traveler is nonconformist, eclectic director Terry Gilliam whose underrated 1995 film foreshadows both stars’ roles in more popular films. Now, join Arnie, Stuart, and guest host Matt as they travel back to 1995 and examine this dystopian sci-fi film.
Hosted by Arnie Carvalho, Stuart Atkinson, and special guest Matt Wessel
In 12 Monkeys Bruce Willis plays James Cole – a man from the future who’s come to witness the start of an extinction-level pandemic. Or he’s insane, filled with a Cassandra complex. He encounters Brad Pitt’s Jeffrey Goines, who is insane, but also may know more than he’s letting on. Yet perhaps the real time traveler is nonconformist, eclectic director Terry Gilliam whose underrated 1995 film foreshadows both stars’ roles in more popular films. Now, join Arnie, Stuart, and guest host Matt as they travel back to 1995 and examine this dystopian sci-fi film.
To celebrate Now Playing’s 10th Anniversary we are releasing our second DVD-ROM set! This set contains every podcast we’ve done from 2013-2017. This is all regular feed shows, all bonus shows, all donation shows, all Patron shows…and even the 4 Kickstarter exclusive reviews of Shocker, A Clockwork Orange, Super 8, and Xanadu.
Plus there are exclusive bonus features–including:
the Unedited review of Star Wars: The Last Jedi.
The full video review of Kingsman: The Golden Circle
The full LIVE audio review of Kingsman: The Secret Service
The sixth installment of Hellraiser goes searching for the series’ original Last Girl, Ashley Laurence. But no one has seen Kirsty Cotton-Gooden since her shady husband Trevor (Dean Winters) drove their car off a bridge. Eels and sex tapes are among the treasures that Hellseekers Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart dredge up as they mine the watery depths of the franchise. Will they find some Green Arrows inside this DVD box too? Donate Now and find out!
Now Playing is a podcast with no sponsors or advertisements. We rely solely on listener support to keep going. Our Fall 2017 Donation Drive is underway and from now through July 31, 2017, the Hellraiser Retrospective Series is available as a “thank you” to those who support Now Playing.
You can listen to this preview of the show for free now using the link above.
The full podcast series is available through a Paypal donation to Now Playing, or individual episodes are available on our Podbean page. Details can be found on our Spring 2017 Donation page.
Thank you in advance for your support of our show!
December 8, 2017
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Hosted by Arnie Carvalho, Stuart Atkinson, and Jakob Conkling
The sixth installment of Hellraiser goes searching for the series’ original Last Girl, Ashley Laurence. But no one has seen Kirsty Cotton-Gooden since her shady husband Trevor (Dean Winters) drove their car off a bridge. Eels and sex tapes are among the treasures that Hellseekers Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart dredge up as they mine the watery depths of the franchise. Will they find some Green Arrows inside this DVD box too? Donate Now and find out!
MARVEL TO LAUNCH NEW ANIMATION FRANCHISE ‘MARVEL RISING’
Feature Length Film And Six, Four-Minute Digital Shorts Set to Debut the Property
Key Voice Cast Includes Dove Cameron, Chloe Bennet, Tyler Posey, Kim Raver and BooBoo Stewart Among Others
(Glendale, CA) December 7, 2017 – Marvel Entertainment announced today, “Marvel Rising,” a brand-new, multi-platform animation franchise starring the next generation of Marvel heroes set to launch in 2018. The program will launch with six, four-minute digital shorts that spotlight Spider-Gwen with her new secret moniker, Ghost-Spider, and introduce audiences to the world of “Marvel Rising.” Following the shorts, a feature-length animated film, “Marvel Rising: Secret Warriors” will premiere later that year. Distribution partners for the content to be announced at a later date.
Meet the characters and all-star voice actors behind the all-new franchise “Marvel Rising” here:
The content features an all-star line-up of voice talent including Dove Cameron, Chloe Bennet, Tyler Posey, BooBoo Stewart, Kathreen Khavari, Milana Vayntrub, Cierra Ramirez, Kamil McFadden, Skai Jackson, Kim Raver, Ming-Na Wen, Steven Weber, and Dee Bradley Baker among others. Future stories and content are also being developed across Marvel’s digital and publishing platforms and will be announced at a later date.
“Marvel Rising: Secret Warriors” is a long-anticipated event, bringing together Marvel’s newest and beloved characters that have garnered major fan excitement over the last few years. Powered teens Ms. Marvel, Squirrel Girl, Quake, Patriot, America Chavez, and Inferno join forces as an unlikely, but formidable crew of aspiring heroes. When a threat no one could have expected bears down on the Marvel Universe, this ragtag, untrained band of teens have no choice but to rise together and prove to the world that sometimes the difference between a “hero” and “misfit” is just in the name.
“Marvel characters are so relatable because they live in our world and face the same challenges we do. So I’m very excited that our Marvel Rising team of heroes is so inclusive, reflecting characters with different backgrounds, particularly a set of strong female leads that our young audience can connect with,” said Cort Lane, Marvel’s Senior Vice President of Animation & Family Entertainment.
Sana Amanat, Marvel’s Director of Content & Character Development, added, “This project is unlike anything we’ve done before—from featuring the rising and fan-favorite stars of the Marvel Universe, to a visually distinct animation style, this is a groundbreaking animated event. It’s an action-packed adventure, full of comedy, heart and powerful messages for every kind of Marvel fan.”
Meet the characters behind “Marvel Rising”:
Gwen Stacy aka Ghost-Spider (formerly Spider Gwen) voiced by Dove Cameron (“Descendants,” “Hairspray Live”) – a free spirited teen who found her calling to be a super hero after being bitten by a radioactive spider and gaining spider-like powers. As Ghost-Spider, she aids those in need, but has to keep her alter-ego a secret from her father, Captain George Stacy, who sees Ghost-Spider as more of a menace than a hero.
Daisy Johnson aka Quake voiced by Chloe Bennet (“Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.,” “Nashville”) – a leading agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. whose tendency for rule-breaking gets her into trouble now and then. Daisy befriends the young group of heroes and through them discovers how to become a better leader. She can generate powerful vibrational waves, which produce effects similar to earthquakes.
Dante Pertuz aka Inferno voiced by Tyler Posey (“Teen Wolf,” “Lincoln Heights”) – a brooding, dark loner on the run. Dante has the power of pyrokinesis, which makes him capable of generating flames – however, he is not fully in control of his fiery abilities. It’s a thin line between good guy and villain for the unpredictable Inferno.
Victor Kohl aka Exilevoiced by BooBoo Stewart (“Descendants,” “The Twilight Saga”) – a charming, handsome, and troublesome young Inhuman whose quest for superiority places him into the wrong crowd. He can use Darkforce energy to create weapons and portals that allow him to teleport.
Kamala Khan aka Ms. Marvelvoiced byKathreen Khavari (“Marvel’s Avengers Assemble,” “Big Little Lies”) – a devoted fan of Super Heroes, especially of her mentor Captain Marvel; she is determined that she too can be a great hero! If only she’d be taken seriously. Kamala is equipped with metamorphic powers that allow her to stretch, enlarge, or shrink her overall size, parts of her body, or alter her physical appearance. She is especially fond of “embiggening” her fists.
Doreen Green aka Squirrel Girl voiced by Milana Vayntrub (“Marvel’s New Warriors,” “This Is Us”) – the uber-positive, hilarious best friend and teammate of Ms. Marvel. With advanced computer skills, enhanced strength, agility, durability, and senses of a squirrel, Doreen (along with her squirrel partner, Tippy Toe!), is primed and ready to become a successful hero.
America Chavez voiced by Cierra Ramirez (“The Fosters,” “The Secret Life of an America Teenager”) – a strong, independent young hero whose painful past drives her to reject leadership and remain a loner. America’s powers include superhuman strength, speed, and durability, plus the ability to fly.
Rayshaun Lucas aka Patriotvoiced by Kamil McFadden (“K.C. Undercover,” “Grown Ups 2”) – a natural born leader who is quick to leap into action to impress his colleagues at S.H.I.E.L.D. Rayshaun strives to live up to Captain America’s legacy with integrity, honesty, and order above all. His skills include heightened strength, speed, stamina, and durability.
Gloria “Glory” Grant voiced by Skai JacksFron (“Bunk’d,” “Jessie”) – Gloria, or ‘Glory,’ is Gwen Stacy’s friend and member of their garage band “The Emm-Jays.” Gloria is a smart, hard-working girl that genuinely cares for Gwen, but has felt a distance growing between them ever since their friend, Kevin, was murdered. When being casual, Gloria’s known to be funny, sarcastic and sassy.
Carol Danvers aka Captain Marvelvoiced byKim Raver (“Grey’s Anatomy,” “24”) – a bold leader who doesn’t sugar-coat and is guided by a strong sense of duty and honor. She’s the ultimate inspiration for our band of misfit heroes. She is equipped with superhuman strength, can fly at high speeds, and can project intense energy blasts.
Hala voiced by Ming-Na Wen (“Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.,” “Mulan”) – Hala is a Kree Accuser bent on galactic domination. She’ll go to any length or treacherous means to achieve what she, and the entire Kree race, wants: Power. Hala is cold, cryptic and nefarious, often challenging those who try to oppose her.
Captain George Stacyvoiced bySteven Weber (“13 Reasons Why,” “NCIS: New Orleans”) – Chief of the NYPD and Gwen Stacy’s loving, but fiercely protective father. Captain Stacy is a very disciplined, hard-working man that will stop at nothing to obtain justice – who unfortunately sees Ghost-Spider as a menace and a threat to society.
Lockjaw and Tippy Toeare voiced byDee Bradley Baker (“Star Wars Rebels,” “Gravity Falls”). Two lovable and heroic sidekicks:Lockjaw is Kamala’s trusty, teleporting mutt and Tippy Toe is Doreen’s partner in crime and best squirrel friend.
“Marvel Rising: Secret Warriors” is executive produced by Joe Quesada, Dan Buckley, Cort Lane, and Eric Radomski; co-executive produced by Stan Lee, Sana Amanat, and
Marsha Griffin. The film and shorts were written by Mairghread Scott. Alfred Gimeno served as supervising director.
As Justice League limps out of theaters, anguished studio executives are lamenting the superhero flick’s failure to capture box office glory. Little do they know the arrival of DC’s team-up did capture one long-awaited milestone: Jakob Brewster’s 500th episode of Now Playing Podcast.
The host joined the show on November 6, 2009 during the Saw retrospective (a series that recently came back from the dead) and has since lent his perspective to some of Now Playing’s biggest retrospectives, including the Marvel, Children of the Corn, and Fast and the Furious films.
To mark the anniversary of his 500th show, Jakob took part in a Q&A with the Venganza Media Gazette.
Gazette: First, congratulations on 500 episodes of Now Playing Podcast. When you first signed on, did you ever think you’d get the chance to review the fifth sequel to Hellraiser?
Jakob: Thanks! I know it wouldn’t have been possible to make it to 500 if it weren’t from some great franchises out there like Children of the Corn and Leprechaun that churn out so many quality sequels to push Now Playing to keep going and mining these cinematic gems.
You always hope a franchise makes it to a fifth sequel, because that’s when the mythology is really developed and some rich stories can finally be told. Hellraiser: Hellseeker really completes the circle by bringing back Kirsty (played by the original Ashley Laurence) and finishing her story in such a way that even the best fanfic couldn’t achieve.
The shame is that not every franchise capitalizes on this opportunity. Like the Marvel Cinematic Universe, their sixth film in was The Avengers. Wow, what a misstep! They had set up such a great nemesis when hinting of The Leader (Tim Blake Nelson) in one of the only passable MCU films, The Incredible Hulk. And they do nothing with him! He’s the only villain that would require a whole team of heroes to defeat him. Also, that CGI model for Bruce Banner looked nothing like Edward Norton in The Avengers.
Gazette: You recently celebrated your milestone with a review of Justice League, how has that movie raised the bar for superhero films?
Jakob: It accomplished so much! On a technical level, it proved that computers can create 1000 percent realistic humans. This is great because it will let actors really focus on perfecting their craft instead of having to spend all their time grooming and looking perfect. No longer exists the burden of wasting time getting your hair styled or shaving a beard when the magic of CGI can render you as perfect and real looking as Henry Cavill’s upper lip.
It also introduced a layer of subtext that has never been explored in the superhero genre (Halle Berry’s Catwoman came close). I mean, Batman dresses as a bat to scare bad guys. But he also has a giant robot spider to ride around in? That’s two animals, plus lots of people are afraid of robots. So Batman is two kinds of phobia plus both animals? Chris Nolan wishes his Dark Knight trilogy plumbed the depths of psychology like this.
I could go on for hours gushing about Justice League. It feels as pivotal as when people were first awed by the last great achievement in superhero cinema, Superman and the Mole Men.
Gazette: Now that he’s directed both the Avengers and Justice League, which superhero team should Joss Whedon tackle next?
Jakob: Honestly, it feels like Justice League has reinvigorated Whedon. The Avengers felt like a clip-show episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I think Whedon’s real calling is to make sense of production disasters. He saved Justice League from [Zack] Snyder and created a front-runner for the Best Picture Oscar. I’d like to see him save a franchise cut from the same cloth as superheroes. Something with a history of cartoons, comic books, toys, a whole team of good guys fighting evil. I say give him Michael Bay’s Transfor — all of [his] released films. Have him reshoot some scenes with Shia LaBeouf and a few of the action scenes and I think everyone will understand how great that franchise could be.
Gazette: Your 500 episodes of Now Playing Podcast are longer than the combined runs of Knight Rider, Baywatch, and Baywatch Nights. Besides Looking for Freedom, what’s your favorite David Hasselhoff album?
Jakob: I’m going with his latest album, 2012’s This Time Around. This was a redemption album for the drunken cheeseburger incident. It took a lot of courage to put himself out there again like that. His fans… and the world, really, have embraced him for being so brave.
Gazette: Lightning round: Three thoughts on that Avengers: Infinity War trailer?
Jakob:
Disney has destroyed the Marvel movies. They used to be edgy and, while never achieving the greatness of, say, Return of Swamp Thing, they felt like they had something to say about our lives. Now because Disney needs a new Disney Princess to market to little girls, they’ve created this new princess… The Anos, or something, who goes around collecting jewelry?
Again, Disney is now putting its own characters in these films?! At the end, Thor asks some people who they are and I swear Mickey Mouse is standing there. Though the CGI model is waaaay off. He looks like a raccoon, not a mouse.
A group of heroes come together to fight hoards of aliens and a being from another dimension who is powered by a magic box? I’ve already seen this in Justice League. It was first, it was better, and it just has better characters. For example: Cyborg vs. Iron Man. One is made of space metal and the other iron (which I think is getting rusty because it is so red from oxidation). No contest.
Hosted by Arnie Carvalho, Stuart Atkinson, and Jakob Conkling
Saw director James Wan wished to leave the horror genre behind when he signed on to adapt Death Sentence – author Brian Garfield’s previously unmade sequel novel to Death Wish. A buttoned-down Kevin Bacon cuts loose, kicks off his Sunday shoes, and follows in the footsteps of Charles Bronson’s pistol packin’ Paul Kersey once a street gang targets his perfect family. Listen now and find out if Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart give this failed reboot a stay of execution.
Hosted by Arnie Carvalho, Stuart Atkinson, and Jakob Conkling
Q: What’s a seven letter word for a diminished movie series?
A: INFERNO. The fifth installment of the Hellraiser franchise returned to Earth, bypassed theaters, and banished Pinhead to a DVD box. But the Cenobite still hopes to make legendary suffering by collaborating with future Sinister and Doctor Strange director Scott Derrickson, and facing off with a dirty Denver cop (Nightbreed star Craig Sheffer) who fingers Pinhead for a series of occult murders. Donate Today to learn if Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart think this sequel is killing Clive Barker’s spirit.