Filmspotting

With a deluge of great stuff heading to theaters over the next couple of weeks, Adam and Josh devote this week’s show to the latest from three great directors: Todd Haynes ("Carol," "Far From Heaven") brings his experimental rigor to the adaptation of Brian Selznick's novel-with-pictures WONDERSTRUCK; former Golden Brick-winner Yorgos Lanthimos delivers Kubrick-inspired horror with THE KILLING OF A SACRED DEER; and the 89-year-old French New Wave pioneer Agnes Varda ends a decade-long hiatus with her joyous new doc FACES PLACES. Plus, results from the latest Filmspotting Death Match.0:00-1:46 - Intro2:36-26:29 - Review: "Faces Places"Destroyer, "In the Morning"30:53-36:55 - Larsen Recommends: "Wonderstruck"36:55-43:22 - Notes43:22-54:30 - Polls: Death Match / "The Room"54:30-1:00:29 - "The Killing of a Sacred Deer"1:00:29-1:10:46 - Close / Hot Mics

With new superhero movies making their way to screens every couple of months, less devoted fans of the genre start to look for a more compelling reason to check out the latest installment. Like handing the reins of Marvel's new "Thor" movie to a director best known for a vampire mockumentary. On this week’s show, a review of director Taika Waititi’s THOR: RAGNAROK (long may you reign, Jeff Goldblum), and Adam and Josh go shopping for post-Halloween discounts with their Top 5 Superhero Costumes.0:00-1:35 - Billboard2:13-26:58 - Review: "Thor: Ragnarok"Manowar, "Thor (The Powerhead)"29:59-39:46 - Next Week / Movie Passes39:46-44:01 - Massacre TheatreJames Newton Howard, "Green Lantern"47:38-50:53 - Donations50:53-1:32:38 - Top 5: Superhero Costumes1:32:38-1:36:01 - Close

In 1968, a Pittsburgh-based TV commercial director scrounged together a hundred thousand bucks and shot a quickie horror film that went on to gross $30 million over nearly five decades of re-releases. It also more or less invented a new movie monster. Yes, there were zombie movies before George Romero’s NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD, but - important distinction - Romero’s were the first to feast on human flesh. This Halloween weekend, Adam and Josh revisit "Dead" for a Sacred Cow review and share their Top 5 Horror Debuts. Plus, listeners name the best horror film of the last decade.0:00-1:19 - Billboard1:19-3:14 - Donations3:14-41:44 - "Night Of The Living Dead" (1968)Benjamin Wallfisch, "Every 27 Years" ("It") 43:11-52:47 - Next Week / Movie Passes / New Merch52:47-1:09:47 - Polls: Decade's Best Horror / Death MatchTobe Hooper & Wayne Bell, "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre"1:10:44-1:45:24 - Top 5: Horror Debuts1:45:24-1:58:41 - Close / Hot Mics

The characters in writer/director Noah Baumbach’s films are neurotic, hyper-articulate and often have unresolved issues with their dads. It’s true of movies like "The Squid and the Whale" and "Margot at the Wedding," and it’s true of his latest, THE MEYEROWITZ STORIES, with Dustin Hoffman as the bad dad, and Ben Stiller, Adam Sandler and Elizabeth Marvel as his dysfunctional kids. Like the good dads they are, Adam and Josh dote on MEYEROWITZ and share their Top 5 Baumbach Characters. Plus, Massacre Theatre and a post-credits "Hot Mics" segment with Adam's reaction to "Blade Runner 2049."0:00-1:15 - Billboard2:00-31:50 - Review: "The Meyerowitz Stories"Cherry Glazerr, "Told You I'd Be With The Guys"34:27-43:30 - Next Week / Movie Passes / Notes43:30-50:20 - Massacre TheatreCherry Glazerr, "Nurse Ratched"51:16-1:21:30 - Top 5: Noah Baumbach Characters1:21:30-1:37:54 - Close / Hot Mics

One of the surprising success stories of 2015 was “Tangerine,” an indie shot on iPhones about a pair of transgender prostitutes who spend their Christmas Eve tracking down a disloyal pimp. Directed by Sean Baker, “Tangerine” went from Sundance sensation in January to critical darling by year’s end. Baker’s new film, THE FLORIDA PROJECT, is set among the “Hidden Homeless” of Disney-adjacent Orlando. This week, Josh and guest Michael Phillips join the chorus of praise for FLORIDA and Adam sits down with Baker to discuss the film - and get his answers to our rapid-fire Q&A, "The Filmspotting Five."0:00-1:08 - Billboard1:08-23:17 - Review: "The Florida Project"The Flat Five, "Florida"24:09-1:00:18 - Interview: Sean Baker1:00:18-1:03:04 - Close

Thirty-five years after the original “Blade Runner” brought its influential tech-noir vision of the future to movie screens, the highly anticipated sequel has finally arrived. Michael Phillips joins Josh for a review.0:00-3:58 - Billboard3:58-34:21 - Review: "Blade Runner: 2049"34:21-36:20 - Close

Tom Cruise has been cranking out high-profile motion pictures at the rate of one a year for over three decades now. In his latest, AMERICAN MADE, he plays an ‘80s-era pilot who ends up working for the CIA - and a Columbian drug cartel. Adam and Josh are positive on the Doug Liman-directed film, and consider the star's long, impressive career with their Top 5 Cruise Performances.0:00-1:52 - Billboard1:52-26:10 - Review: "American Made"John Williams, "End Credits" (Far & Away)28:00-34:29 - Listener Feedback34:29-50:51 - Polls: Cruise / Best Horror Since '07Aimee Mann, "Save Me"51:58-1:39:24 - Top 5: Tom Cruise Performances1:39:24-1:42:02 - Close

In 2015, the comic book adaptation “Kingsman: The Secret Service” opened to divisive - but mostly favorable - reviews. Some critics appreciated the movie’s hyper-violent reimagining of a Bond-esque spy agency; others found it sadistic and in poor taste. Adam and Josh... skipped it entirely. This week, they caught up with it for a review of the new sequel “Kingsman: The Golden Circle.” Plus, Adam's interview with Kogonada, director of "Columbus," the acclaimed new film starring John Cho (and some famous Modernist buildings).0:00-4:02 - Billboard4:02-30:30 - Review: "Kingsman: The Golden Circle"Dead Pretties, "Confidence"32:59-41:58 - Cruise Poll / Listener Feedback41:58-53:02 - Massacre Theatre: Impenetrable Accent Edition53:02-1:22:31 - Interview: Kogonada1:22:31-1:25:58 - Close

Damian Szifron's 2015 Oscar nominee "Wild Tales" proves to be a perfect - and entertaining - bookend to a marathon that started with Mariano Llinas' 2008 film "Extraordinary Stories." Though very different in style and tone, both films successfully juggle multiple narratives and show their young writer-directors to be promising talents to keep an eye on.

Since his startling 1998 debut "Pi," Darren Aronofsky has used his intense, visceral style to tell stories about damaged and obsessive characters. Even his foray into big-budget filmmaking was no exception - Russell Crowe’s Noah battles some of the same demons as Natalie Portman’s ballet dancer in “Black Swan” (or Mickey Rourke's broken warrior in "The Wrestler"). This week, Josh and guest host Michael Phillips review of Aronofsky’s latest, the Jennifer Lawrence-starring psychological thriller “mother!”. Then Adam drops back in for the Top 5 Aronofsky Scenes. Plus, the Filmspotting Five with "Columbus" director Kogonada.    0:00-1:41 - Billboard1:41-26:30 - Review: "mother!" (w/ Michael Phillips)Feist, "Any Party"28:17-44:41 - Next week / MT Music Fun / Crushing Linklater44:41-55:50 - Polls: Aronofsky / Tom Cruise55:50-1:03:43 - Filmspotting Five: KogonadaFeist, "Pleasure"1:05:15-1:06:55 - Donations1:06:55-1:46:11 - Top 5: Aronofsky Scenes1:46:11-1:48:34 - Close / Outtake

In the spirit of Bunuel's surrealist critiques of the bourgeoisie, Lucrecia Martel's 2008 film continues her own indictment of Argentina's upper class with the story of a woman who may or may not have committed vehicular homicide. Adam and Josh discuss Martel's gift for inviting the audience to find empathy with an often unsympathetic figure.     Up next: Damián Szifrón's Oscar-nominated "Wild Tales."And coming Friday, Sept. 15: Josh and Michael Phillips review Darren Aronofsky's  "mother!" and the Top 5 Aronofsky Scenes with Josh and Adam.Click to learn more about Filmspotting Marathons.

Stephen King’s first book - “Carrie” - came out in 1974. Brian DePalma's film followed two years later. Then came Kubrick's "The Shining" in '80. Since then, there’s hardly been a year without a King movie adaptation, including two prominent ones this year - THE DARK TOWER and this weekend’s IT, featuring one of King’s most memorable creations: Pennywise the Clown. This week, fresh from a screening, Adam and Josh offer thoughts on IT, and share King-induced childhood traumas with their Top 5 Stephen King Movie Scares. Plus a (sort of) Musical Massacre Theatre and another new Golden Brick nomination - director Kogonada's COLUMBUS.     0:00-1:55 - Billboard3:37-34:23 - Review: "It" (2017)EMA, "I Wanna Destroy"40:29-45:08 - Next week / Argentine Marathon / Correction45:08-52:50 - Massacre Theatre52:50-1:04:15 - Brickspotting: "Columbus"EMA, "Blood and Chalk"1:05:12-1:48:59 - Top 5: Stephen King Movie Scares1:48:59-1:58:59 - Close / Hot Mics    

Attack ships on fire, glittering c-beams, an alien in a bike's basket passing over a full moon. We've seen some things, too, Roy Batty. The Chicago Tribune's Michael Phillips joins Adam and Josh for a Sacred Cow review of Ridley Scott's seminal sci-fi noir (we chose THE FINAL CUT," if you're curious) and the Top 5 Films of 1982. Plus, listeners weigh in on our '82 Death Match - Blade Runner vs E.T. - and Michael recalls seeing "An Officer and a Gentleman" with his college girlfriend (and her grandparents).0:00-1:51 - Billboard1:51-37:43 - Sacred Cow: "Blade Runner""End Credits", Vangelis (Blade Runner)38:42-39:32 - Donations39:32-45:10 - Brickspotting: "Lemon," "Brigsby Bear"45:10-55:38 - Next week / Argentine Marathon / Listener Feedback55:38-1:03:54 - Polls ("Blade Runner" v "E.T.")1:03:54-1:20:28 - Top 5: Films of 1982"Up Where We Belong," Joe Cocker & Jennifer Warnes1:21:23-2:00:20 - Top 5 cont.2:00:20-2:06:07 - Close / Hot Mics  

Following the inspired narrative flights of "Extraordinary Stories" and the fleet-footed absurdism of "Castro," the New Argentine Cinema Marathon takes Adam and Josh to The Swamp. Lucrecia Martel's celebrated debut film from 2001 abounds in fetid unease and the dread of impending catastrophe. They admire Martel's vision and control of tone, but question the effectiveness of the film's resolution. Up next: Martel's "The Headless Woman" (2008)And coming Friday, Sept. 1: Sacred Cow review of "Blade Runner" and the Top 5 Films of 1982 w/ Michael PhillipsClick to learn more about Filmspotting Marathons.

With new films from George Clooney ("Suburbicon"), Taika Waititi ("Thor: Ragnarok") and Darren Aronofsky (the Jennifer Lawrence-starring "mother!") scheduled for release before Thanksgiving, Adam and Josh assemble their Top 5 Fall Movie Questions.  Plus, a split review on Steven Soderbergh's new NASCAR-set heist movie, LOGAN LUCKY, and a slapstick edition of "Hot Mics."0:00-1:05 - Billboard2:04-27:03 - Review: "Logan Lucky"Matt Pond PA, "Still Summer"28:01-35:58 - Jerry Lewis / Notes35:58-47:16 - Massacre Theatre47:16-58:46 - Top 5: Fall Movie PreviewMatt Pond PA, "A Spark"59:40-1:35:33 - Fall Preview, cont.1:35:33-1:49:56 - Close / Hot Mics