Modern Classics Podcast

Prometheus vs. Don't Look Up

It's a battle of the nerds as we explore the 2000's "Science Community" film canon. For this episode we bring you a high minded franchise reboot and a wacky comedy that carries a serious warning. Will either movie make the Greatest Films of The 21st Century List? Which host will win? Curious? If so join us as we suck down some alien goo, turn on the news and ignore the handsome scientist. Remember to follow, rate, and review!

Hosted By Mike Evans & Kendell Sweeney-Thomas 

Prequel Episode - 100 Films : A Retrospective

Today we celebrate a landmark with 100 films covered! Join us as we look back at the highs and lows of creating the Modern Classics Greatest Films of the 22 Century List. There's jokes, there's music, there's celebrity voicemails. Check out the episode and remember to rate, review and follow the show!

Hosted by Mike Evans & Kendell Sweeney-Thomas

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@ChadMichaelMann

I, Robot vs. Hero

We are back in the battle arena with two "Summer Action" movies. The Will Smith lead "I, Robot" was not exactly what we expected and left us with many questions like; What kind of hat is that anyways? or Did Elon Musk watch this one too many times? Then it's the martial arts epic "Hero" . We had a thrill uncovering this somewhat forgotten Jet Li gem. Tune in to find out if either film makes the Greatest Films of The 21st Century List!

Hosted By...

Prequel Episode #49

This episode we dig into what we have been watching recently. Now that we both have had chance to see "Backrooms" it was time to revisit the conversation. Then its time to talk the year's most anticipated film "The Odyssey". We round out the show with "Kendell's Questions" which gives us a chance to dive deeper into the theme of previously covered films. Please rate, review and follow the show.

Hosted By:

Mike Evans & Kendell Sweeney-Thomas 

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The Girl With all The Gifts (2016) vs. Under The Shadow (2016)

Woah! It's time to battle again! This week the category is "Supernatural Terror" and our double features offers two very different movies. " The Girl With all The Gifts" is a Netflix released independent zombie film with a fungal element akin to "The Last of Us". While "Under The Shadow" gives us a good old fashioned haunting with a historical and cultural twist. This episode is a teeth chattering fright not be missed! Come listen as these two pictures go head to head for a...

Come tune in for this weeks Prequel Episode. Today is all about Kendell's Questions. Join us as we dig into ; conspiracy theories, aliens, Jeff Bridges AI promotion and more! Also look below for links to some great docs we discuss available on Youtube. Remember to rate, review and follow!

Hosted by : Mike Evans & Kendell Sweeney-Thomas

Watch Along:

Earth's Greatest Enemy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NgJyutPe_Qw

Side By Side

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4jx_cbuXgO0

Matrix Revisited

Serenity (2005) vs Sunshine (2007)

Todays battle category is "Spacecrafts". First in the match up is "Serenity" directed by the disgraced Joss Whedon. The movie is a Star Wars style romp based on the hit series "Firefly" . Then its Danny Boyle's Sci-fi epic "Sunshine". Will either film score 8 Stars and be added to the Greatest Films of The 21 Century List? Feel free to find out by staring directly at the Sun while you listen. Please rate, review, and follow the show!

Hosted by Mike Evans & Kendell Sweeney-Thomas

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We cover a lot of ground in this episode. First we settle some ties on our Greatest Films of The 21 Century List. Then its a look at recent releases. We close out the show with a round of A24 Questions and still had time to talk about the Longlegs & Weapon sequels, the Scary Movie Franchise, and so much more. Remember to rate, review and follow the show!

Hosted by Mike Evans & Kendell Sweeney-Thomas

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Hell or High Water (2016) v 1917 (2019) 

It’s battle! And the category is ‘On A Mission”. We start with “Hell or High Water” a Neo-Western with a mumbly Jeff Bridges that proved to be a bit too much Taylor Sheridan for the both of us. Then we discuss the war epic “1917”. Sam Mendes’ one shot wonder is third of his films we have covered on the show and perhaps it is one of his best. Will either film be awarded 8 or more stars and be added to the Greatest Films of The 21st Century List? Tune in and be su...

It’s time for a prequel episode! Join us as we discuss a multitude of topics including: Maggie Gyllenhaal’s “The Bride”, Tom Hank’s WW2 fixation, “8 Crazy Nights”, the odd 2000’s filmography of Ron Howard. And More! Remember to Rate review and follow the show. Hosted By Mike Evans & Kendell Sweeney-Thomas Follow on Instagram and TikTok @modernclassicspodcastFollow Mike on Letterboxd @ChadMichaelMann

Fruitvale Station (2013) vs. Tangerine (2015)

The category is "Budget Under $1 Million". Will either flick make the Greatest Films of The 21st Century List? Join us as we discuss American low budget cinema. The 2000's are full of low budget gems. So choosing duel came with plenty of options. The result was two films by recent Oscar winners. Have you seen either? Do you just like talking movies? Then meet us at Mary's at seven. Please rate, review, and follow.

Hosted By: Mike Evans & Kendell Sweeney-Thomas

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The films of 2011 are the subject of our main focus in the second half of the show. Join us with a look at an interesting year of cinema. The critical darlings were forgettable like Best Picture winner “The Artist”.  While films like “Super 8” and “Drive” went less noticed but stood the test of time. 

Other highlights from this year discussed include; Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Bernie, Attack The Block, Moneyball and more. 

Remember to rate , review, and follow the show. 

Hosted by ; Mike Evans & Kendell Sweeney...

Hellboy (2004) vs Mad Max Fury Road (2015)

The category for today's battle is "Antiheroes". It's another action packed episode as two films go head to head for a spot on the Greatest Films Of The 21s Century List. Our first film is Guillermo del Toro's "Hellboy". We had a great time revisiting this prothetic laden comic book gem. Then its George Miller's masterpiece "Mad Max : Fury Road". A fully loaded ride into the heart of a dystopian desert hellscape. It's a long one so make sure you have plenty of "Aqua Cola" and please watch your whammer. Remember...

Today we look back at some recent films we have covered as we celebrate our Past Tens Awards. Movies discussed include Sorry To Bother You, Zoolander, Unstoppable, Tokyo Godfathers, They Cloned Tyrone, Phantom Thread and more. For the finale we play a new games segment called "Blooper Games". Remember to rate, review, and subscribe!

Hosted By; Mike Evans & Kendell Sweeney-Thomas

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City Island (2009) vs Red Hook Summer (2012)

Category: New York Movies

It's a battle of the Burroughs as two films go head to head and get a chance to join the Greatest Films of the 21st Century List. First we chat it up about the little known family Dramedy "City Island". Then it's on to late career Spike Lee with " Red Hook Summer". We have some interesting commentary on both films. This episode is full of bits and laughs. So don't be a clam digger!!! Tune In! Remember to rate review and subscribe! <...

Today we discuss "Movies based on TV Shows". Films discussed include The Fall Guy, Miami Vice, Star Trek, 21 Jump Street and many more. We also takes some time to talk about the newly released "Project Hail Mary".

Also included is our reaction to the "Man on Fire" Netflix Series trailer.

Remember to rate, review and follow the show!

Hosted by; Mike Evans & Kendell Sweeney Thomas

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Gone in 60 Seconds (2000) vs The Transporter (2002)

It's a battle of the "Chase Scenes" as two action packed films go head to head for a spot on the Greatest Films of the 21st Century List. "Gone in 60 Seconds" was a big hit upon its release in 2000 but has since faded into relative obscurity. The final chase packs a punch but does the rest of the film hold up? We answer that question and more. "The Transporter" on the other hand has gone on to spawn several sequels even more successful than the original. We had a great time...

Today we give our Oscar Ballot results and our post show reactions. Then we catch up on our recent watches. Movies discussed include : It Was Just An Accident, The Secret Agent, Bugonia, Song Sung Blue, Hamnet, Sirat, Fall, Cinnamon and more. Be sure to rate, review, and follow the show!

Hosted By : Mike Evans & Kendell Sweeney-Thomas

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@modernclassicspodcast

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@ChadMichaelMann

Zoolander (2001) vs Phantom Thread (2017)

The category is "Fashion Industry Films" and we have two very different movies going head to head. Zoolander is an outlandish comedy with wacky jokes and even wackier outfits. Phantom Thread brings a more sophisticated style along with some truly interesting themes on love and desire. Most importantly it's the first appearance by a pair of distinct directors with Ben Stiller and Paul Thomas Anderson. Will either feature score 8 or more stars and be inducted onto the Modern Classics Greatest Films of the 21st Century List? The only way to find out is...

Join us as we fill out our Oscar ballots! This year our picks will go head to head and who ever gets the most correct wins the chance to reorder any movie placement on our Greatest Films Of The 21st Century List. Please rate, review and follow the show!!

Hosted by Mike Evans & Kendell Sweeney-Thomas

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@ChadMichaelMann

After some Greatest Films of the 21st Century List tie breaking we talk about what has been grinding our gears in Hollywood. Then we focused on Snow Movies . Films discussed include : Snow Day, The Grand Budapest Hotel, Out Cold, 30 Days Of Night, The Holdovers, Winter's Bone, Kumiko The Treasure Hunter and more. Remember to rate, review, and follow the pod!

Hosted by Mike Evans & Kendell Sweeney-Thomas

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@modernclassicspodcast

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@ChadMichaelMann

"Sorry To Bother You" vs. "They Cloned Tyrone"

The battle category is Sci-Fi Comedy and our double feature is one we highly recommend watching. First up is the wacky and poignant knock out of a directorial debut "Sorry to Bother You" by musician turned filmmaker Boots Riley. Then we tackle "They Cloned Tyrone" a masterclass in social satire featuring non-stop laughs delivered by a hilarious cast. Come find out if either movie makes the Greatest Films Of The 21st Century List, just don't eat the chicken. Remember to rate, review and follow the show! <...

Suzi Nash Interview

Today is a very special prequel episode. We got a chance to speak with musician, producer, actor, and columnists for Philadelphia Gay News; Suzi Nash! She is also in the current Artistic and Programming Director for the Women’s Film Festival in Philadelphia. Suzi has worked in television and movies for multiple decades. She even appeared in the cult classic film "The Watermelon Woman" and is part of the production company Three Left Handed Women currently working on a feature length lesbian romantic comedy called "Back To December". It was a wonderful conversation full of sho...

Wendy And Lucy (2008) vs Skinamarink (2023)

The category for today's battle episode is "Streaming on Tubi". With wide range of selections we landed on two very different movies. However that doesn't mean we weren't able to find some commonalities. "Wendy and Lucy" is a touching yet bleak look at the sate of economic struggle in the U.S. , directed by Kelly Reichardt who brings her distinct simplistic style. "Skinamarink" on the other hand is a chilling lo-fi horror ASMR experimentation that lead to a very interesting conversation. Make sure you turn up the volume on this episode to...

It's another wacky super fun time Prequel Episode. Today we settle a tie on our Greatest Films of The 21st Century List, catch up on our recent movie viewings in a segment called "What You Watching?", and end the episode a round of our movie release year trivia game "Making The Cut". Films discussed in this episode include: Him, One Battle After Another, Die My Love, Evil Does Not Exist, Grand Tour, Certain Women, Joy Ride, Wristcutters, The Running Man, The Ugly Stepsister and More. Rate, Review, and Follow the show!

Hosted by : Mike...

Metropolis (2001) vs. Tokyo Godfathers (2003)

Two "Animated Movies" battle it out this week for a spot on the greatest films of the 21st Century List. Will either make the cut? "Metropolis" is dystopian saga full of robots, revolutionaries, and political killings. It was a wild watch that made for some interesting discussions. "Tokyo Godfather's" is a much different film with a more realistic tone. Satoshi Kon directs this found family comedy with a lot of heart. While the category is animation the episode itself is far from sketchy. Rate, review and follow the show!

It's a new year! Which means it's time share our Top 10 Movies and Albums of 2025. It was such a strong season for film and music which made this task incredibly difficult. Tune in to hear if your favorites made the cut. We put together a playlist featuring songs from our album picks so listeners can enjoy them with us! Remember to rate, review and follow the show.

Top 10 Albums Playlist:

apple:

https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/modern-classics-top-albums-2025/pl.u-9N9LLaLt3aj57q

<...

The Darjeeling Limited (2007) vs. Unstoppable (2010)

Today we tackle one of our countries oldest forms of transportation. The category is "Train Movies" and we bring you two very different locomotive based films. The Darjeeling Limited is a family drama from auteur filmmaker Wes Anderson. A somewhat "spiritual" journey that leads to more goofs than breakthroughs for Owen Wilson, Adrien Brody, and Jason Schwartzman. We also discuss Unstoppable. A non stop (pun intended) action thriller featuring Denzel Washington as a conductor having a monumentally bad day at work. With Tony Scott directing in his signature full...

It's the final episode of the year. To celebrate we take a look back at some of the movies we have covered with a round of Kendell's Question. We also share some stats regarding our Greatest Films of the 21st Century List. There was even time to chat about some recent watches. Films discussed in this episode include but are not limited to : F1, Wake Up Dead Man, Hot Frosty, Andhra King Taluka, Eephus, Ready to Rumble, and A Beautiful Mind. Remember to Rate, Review, And Follow the show! Thank you so much to our loyal supporters this year! <...

El Conde (2023) vs. The Girl With The Needle (2024)

Battle Category: Black and White

Join us as we explore Black and White films with our two featured movies going head to head for a chance to land a spot on our Greatest Films Of The 21st Century List. We will breakdown and score each movie starting with "El Conde". A horror comedy with a new twist on the vampire genre. After that is "The Girl With The Needle" which brings us on a dark journey to post war Denmark. It's...

It's time to review the results of our awards segment for the past ten films we have covered. We always have a fun time going down memory lane and finding out what movies stood out to us most. As usual we lost track of time so its actually 18 films that need to be evaluated still we kept it brief and full of ad many bits as possible. Films discussed in this episode include; Sexy Beast, Selma, The Savages, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Burn After Reading and more. Remember to rate and review if you enjoy the show. <...

Burn After Reading (2008) Vs Big Eyes (2014)

The category is "Scammers" as two films go head to head for a spot on the Greatest Films of The 21st Century List. First up is the Coen Brother's goof ball caper "Burn After Reading". It gave us plenty to chat about including a surprisingly wacky performance by Brad Pitt. Then it's Tim Burton's " Big Eyes". A bio-pic of sorts about a character whose art and identity has been stolen in a most unexpected way. We had a great time recording so enjoy. We do not suggest listening to this episode...

This week we catch up on what we have been watching lately. Films discussed include; A House Of Dynamite, Lurker, Frankenstein, Friendship, Jurassic World: Rebirth, Bring Her Back, Oceans 8, Confessions of a Shopaholic, The Lovebirds and more. We also play a round of "A24 questions" (our movie guessing game) and "Making The Cut" (our movie release year trivia game). Make sure you rate, review, and follow the show!

Hosted by: Mike Evans & Kendell Sweeney-Thomas

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Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind (2004) vs. The Savages (2007)

It's a battle of words as the category for this week's episode is "Best Original Screenplay Nominees". Out of all the possible contenders we settled on two very different films. Eternal Sunshine of The Spotless Mind is an irreverent sci-fi dramedy starring a very subdued Jim Carey along with a very animated Kate Winslet. Director Michel Gondry and writer Charlie Kaufman prove to be a very complimentary duo with a surreal story to match Gondry's avant-garde imagery. The Savages on the other hand is a...

Today leading up to our Best Original Screenplay Nominees battle episode we discuss every film nominated for Best Original Screenplay since the year 2001. The prompt lead to many great ideas on what films to cover next and some solid bits as usual. Films discussed include; Banshees Of Inisherin, Up, Get Out, The Squid and The Whale, Gosford Park, Manchester By The Sea, Amelie, Gangs of New York, Lars and The Real Girl, Inception and many more. So tune in to hear our thoughts and to hear us make fun of John Travolta. Remember to rate, review and subscribe.

Inside Man (2006) vs. Thunivu (2023)

The category is "Heist Movies". Join us as two films go head to head and possibly earn a spot on our Greatest Films of the 21 Century List. First we tackle 'Inside Man' the Spike Lee joint from 2006. With Denzel Washington , Clive Owen, Jodie Foster, Christopher Plummer and Willem Dafoe going toe to toe in a taut thrill ride. Then it's 'Thunivu' from 2023. A Bollywood style action film with plenty of twists and turns. So break on in to this episode and make sure you bring the get away car. Both...

Join us as we determine the scariest movie we have covered in our battle episodes. We have put together a bracket of all 12 horror films from Modern Classics history and judged them based on what we like to call the "Scream Scale". Movies discussed include The Host, The Village, Shaun of the Dead, Another, I Am Mother, Possessor, Escape Room, Nope, Pulse, A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night, and Battle Royale. Makes sure to rate the show and leave us a review!

Hosted by Mike Evans and Kendell Sweeney-Thomas

Arrival (2016) vs. Landscape With Invisible Hand (2023)

The category for today's Battle Episode is "Alien Invasions". It's time to explore a robust genre of 2000's film. We had the tough task of choosing two films to go head to for a chance of placing a spot on the Greatest Films 21st Century List. First up is 2016's "Arrival" a sweeping epic on the linguistic barriers of first contact. Then it's "Landscape with Invisible Hand" from 2023. This pick brought us a family comedy with a heavy dose of social commentary the likes of which he hadn't...

Today's episode is all about villains as we explore the subject in our segment Keep It 2000. We also play a round of 2000 or More where Mike's knowledge of Ang Lee's filmography will be put to the test. Movies discussed in this episode include No Country For Old Men, XMen, Whiplash, Lord of The Rings, Us, Whiplash, Finding Nemo, Gangs of New York, There Will Be Blood, Training Day, Gangs of New York, The Dark Knight, and more. Remember to rate, review and follow the show!

Hosted by: Mike Evans & Kendell Sweeney-Thomas

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Whale Rider (2003) vs Kontroll (2003)

The Category is “Movies From 2003” and your hosts are bringing two lesser known films to the battle arena. First up is “Whale Rider”. A coming of age tale out of New Zealand with a stunning performance from Keisha Castle-Hughes. Next up is the Hungarian indie thriller “Kontroll”. A wild ride into the depths of Budapest’s underground metro system. Mike and Kendell will discuss both films ending with a star score for each pick. If the combined star score of either movie total 8 or more then that film will be inducted onto the Greatest Films...