Movie Schmovie

Things always get nervy around Schmovie HQ when it's time to make our annual 'best of' lists, but for some reason, this year we were especially agitated. Our eternal optimism says this is because there were many great films to sift through in 2016. We buckled down and made some difficult choices. See if you agree!

It's time to break out your M. Night Shyamalan spreadsheets and add a new row for the increasingly resourceful director's latest, a tricky thriller called Split. Is this a comeback? Or did that already happen with The Visit? Who knows? We won't really understand it until we get to the end. The first 16 minutes are spoiler-free.

As our nation inaugurates a new Commander-in-Chief, and we all sort through our feelings about that, Ronald, Steve and John swear in a notable new batch of dreadful, dull or disappointing films that saw release in 2016. It's more fun than it sounds.

Gorge yourself on a generous helping of television talk as Ronald, Steve, and John each name their top five shows of the year.

2016 got a lot of hype as being a terrible year for just about everyone, and in this episode the guys do their part to support that idea, with a conversation about stuff that got stuck in their respective craws between January and December, as both film-lovers and human beings.

It's that special time of year again: Star Wars season! Ronald, Steve, and John discuss ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY, the latest entry in the iconic franchise. Note: The first chunk of the conversation is spoiler-free for your convenience.

The guys get caught up on an array of recent topics, including Gaspar Noé's LOVE, THE EDGE OF SEVENTEEN, THE ACCOUNTANT, MOANA vs TROLLS, THE ARRIVAL, HBO's WESTWORLD, LOVING, THE HANDMAIDEN, Ronald's thoughts about HELL OR HIGH WATER, and FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM.

The tradition continues! Ronald, Steve and John gather together to talk about the things, both movie-related and otherwise, that they're thankful for this year. It's a lot like what your family is doing, but without the casseroles.

You didn't know you needed it but you did: A rundown of some recent documentaries that have caught our attention, including discussions of 13TH, TICKLED, and WEINER. (Place your bets now whether that last one devolves into dick jokes.)

Ronald, Steve and John trudge through the entirety of the Sleepaway Camp franchise, starting with the original 1983 film and concluding with 2008’s Return to Sleepaway Camp Movie. It’s a journey of tedium, hilarity and near-madness and we beckon you to follow our trail.

Ronald, Steve and John try to sort out some complicated feelings regarding actor/director Nate Parker, both in terms of his new film THE BIRTH OF A NATION and his 1999 rape scandal.

On the eve of Steve's vacation, the guys convene for a brief phone call to announce which horror franchise they'll be suffering through—in it's entirety—for this year's Halloween eppy.

In this episode—the first installment in a potential trilogy—Ronald, Steve and John look at movies about animals, naming some of their favorite creatures from the silver screen. Most of them are furry; all of them are memorable. They also talk about THE LOBSTER, a movie that is not really an animal flick, despite the title.

The guys discuss recent efforts like DON'T BREATHE and HELL OR HIGH WATER as they bring the curtain down on the summer movie season of 2016, before moving on to pick some anticipated fall films.

Friend of the show Jason Conti joins Ronald, John, and Steve for a few minutes of juvenille NSFW banter (sorry, Jason's mom!) followed by a thorough rundown of the thirteen films released thus far in the big budget soap opera that is the Marvel Cinematic Universe.