Weekly Movie Throwdown

This week on the podcast, Mike and Steven close out Physical Media Appreciation Month with a deep dive into John Landis’s horror classic An American Werewolf in London (1981). They're joined by horror aficionado and friend of the show, Andy Remondino, for a fun and detailed discussion on the film’s legacy and practical effects mastery.
Points of discussion:John Landis’s long journey to bring An American Werewolf in London to the screenRick Baker’s groundbreaking werewolf transformation effectsThe film’s themes of alienation and its outsider allegoryWhy 1981 became the definitive "Year of the Werewolf" in horror cinemaPlus cultural i...

This week, we continue Physical Media Appreciation Month with a real mind-bender of a film. Christopher Nolan's Memento from 2000 is an exercise in manipulation, identity, and the reliability of memory. Told both forward and backward, it's a head-scratcher that you'll want to watch again and again. Mike and Steven each watched it on their own DVD and Blu-ray editions, which provided for two very interesting and unique experiences.
And in the news segment this week:
What's up with Dakota Fanning's new film, Vicious?Warner Bros. is having quite a good year with the success of things like Sinners...

Physical Media Appreciation Month kicks off this week with Sorcerer from 1977. This forgotten masterpiece from Exorcist director William Friedkin is newly available as an excellent 4K release through The Criterion Collection, filled with killer special features. In this episode Mike and Steven look at the film's storied production, its poor theatrical reception, and the newfound appreciation film buffs have found for it. This is a fun and detailed conversation that you won't want to miss.
And in the news segment this week:The future of HuluParamount buys High Side, the new project from director James Mangold and Timothée C...

This week on the podcast, Mike and Steven wrap up Stories of Summer month with a deep dive into Spike Lee’s 1994 coming-of-age classic, Crooklyn. Set in 1970s Brooklyn and co-written by Spike Lee, his sister Joie, and brother Cinqué, this heartfelt film offers an intimate, stylized portrait of a Black family navigating life, love, and loss during one unforgettable summer. The guys have a lot to say about Lee as a director, how this film fits into his filmography, the impact of that tough ending, and much more.
In the news segment:Jamie Lee Curtis to reboot Murder, She...

This week on the show, Stories of Summer Month continues, as Mike and Steven explore the 2023 comedy Theater Camp, directed by Nick Lieberman and Molly Gordon. Tune in as they break down the film’s hilarious improvised dialogue, its clever mockumentary style, and the emotional depth that gives Theater Camp its big heart. Plus, they discuss what they watched over the past week, including One Crazy Summer, Superman, and Eddington.
And in the news segment this week:The Night Manager returnsJudge Dredd also returns, this time with Taika Waititi at the helm.
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STILL TO COME DURING STORIES OF...

On this week's episode, Mike and Steven continue Stories of Summer Month with The Way Way Back from 2013. They discuss how the film's humor and heart make it stand out among other coming-of age stories, what a narcissistic jerk Trent (Steve Carell) is, how writers/directors Jim Rash and Nat Faxon made this right after winning an Oscar for The Descendants, and much more.
And in the news segment this week:PG-rated films are raking in the box-office so far this year—a welcome surpriseA few reboots of beloved franchises are possibly in the works
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STILL TO CO...

Crank up the AC! This week Mike and Steven kick off Summer Stories Month with a classic eighties comedy that has a heart of gold: Summer School from 1987. They discuss the film's place amongst its teens-gone-wild contemporaries like Fast Times at Ridgemont High, what this film led to for the cast, and the importance of its director, Carl Reiner.
And in the news segment this week:Blumhouse's swing and miss with M3GAN 2.0Celebrity passings: Michael Madsen and Julian McMahon
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On Letterboxd? Follow along with this month’s movie list here.____________________
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This week on the podcast, we wrap up One Crazy Night Month with a deep dive into Michael Mann’s gripping 2004 crime thriller, Collateral. Starring Tom Cruise as a chilling hitman and Jamie Foxx as the unsuspecting cab driver caught in his path, Collateral delivers a unique blend of suspense, action, and moody L.A. nightlife. We had a blast breaking it all down!
And in our news segment:A new James Bond director has been announced—what it could mean for the franchiseA Young Frankenstein prequel series is in the worksUpdates on California film tax credits and what it m...

Critically panned and sitting at a lowly 51% on Rotten Tomatoes, James Mangold’s Knight and Day has long been dismissed as a box office misfire. Even with A-listers Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz, the action-comedy-romance couldn’t escape harsh reviews. But in this episode of our Rewatch & Reconsider series, we ask the big question: does Knight and Day deserve the hate?
Join us as we dive deep into what works (and what doesn’t) in this misunderstood 2010 movie, serving up some unexpected praise, and a few theories about its critical failure. Plus, we cover the latest entertainment news—AI in Holly...

This week on the podcast, we continue One Crazy Night Month with a deep dive into the hit 2018 comedy Game Night, directed by John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein. This dark comedy-mystery blends sharp humor, clever plot twists, and stylish cinematography. Starring Jason Bateman and Rachel McAdams, Game Night delivers one of the most entertaining comedy films of the 2010s.
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STILL TO COME DURING ONE CRAZY NIGHT MONTH:
6/23: Rewatch & Reconsider: Knight and Day (2010, directed by James Mangold)6/30: Collateral (2004, directed by Michael Mann)
On Letterboxd? Follow along with this month’s movie list here.____________________
WE’D LOVE...

This week on the podcast, One Crazy Night Month rolls on with a deep dive into Martin Scorsese’s 1985 cult classic After Hours—the film he credits with rekindling his love for directing. Mike and Steven are joined by special guest Ben Tanzer, author of the new book After Hours: Scorsese, Grief and the Language of Cinema, to discuss the film’s surreal storytelling, its place in Scorsese’s filmography, and how it helped Ben process the loss of his father.
Plus, in film and podcasting news, the trio reacts to Marc Maron’s announcement that he’s ending his legendar...

This week on the podcast, we kick off One Crazy Night Month—a series celebrating movies where the action unfolds over the course of a single wild night. First up: Go (1999), Doug Liman’s fast-paced tale of a drug deal gone wrong. Often compared to Pulp Fiction, Go takes the multi-perspective narrative popularized by Tarantino and runs with it—arguably delivering one of the best takes on the format.
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STILL TO COME DURING 21ST CENTURY WESTERNS MONTH:
6/9: After Hours (1985, directed by Martin Scorsese) with guest Ben Tanzer6/16: Game Night (2007, directed by John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein)6/23: Rewatc...

21st-Century Westerns Month wraps up this week with a real gem. We dig into Joel and Ethan Coen's No Country for Old Men, adapted from Cormac McCarthy's novel of the same name. With three fantastic performances, beautiful direction, and stunning cinematography, this film was a big hit at the Oscars, taking home four statues including Best Picture.
Joining us to discuss the film is author David Tromblay, whose forthcoming novel Coydog has been called "a cross between No Country for Old Men and Fargo," which makes him the perfect guest for this episode!
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Preorder David's book Coydog...

This week 21st-Century Westerns Month continues with a double shot of 3:10 to Yuma. We compare and contrast the original 1957 version—directed by Delmer Daves—and the 2007 James Mangold remake. There's a lot of shared DNA that carries through from Elmore Leonard's short story, as well as quite a few original ideas in both. We also discuss the loss of Joe Don Baker last week, and a few other news stories.
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STILL TO COME DURING 21ST CENTURY WESTERNS MONTH:5/26: No Country for Old Men (2007, directed by Joel and Ethan Coen)On Letterboxd? Follow along with this month’s movie list her...

On the show this week we discuss Wind River from 2017. This is the directorial debut of writer/actor/Paramount+ benefactor Taylor Sheridan. It's the third in his trilogy about the modern American frontier (along with Sicario and Hell or High Water), which makes it perfect for this month's 21st-Century Westerns theme. With a compelling story and pitch-perfect cast, we had a lot of fun talking about this one.
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STILL TO COME DURING 21ST CENTURY WESTERNS MONTH:
5/19: 3:10 to Yuma Double Feature (1957 and 2007, directed by Delmer Davies and James Mangold)5/26: No Country for Old Men (2007, directed by Joel and...

This week we kick off 21st Century Westerns Month, where we'll discuss the similarities and difference between modern films in this genre and their predecessors from the early days of Hollywood. Kicking things off, 2015's Bone Tomahawk, a throwback to early westerns with a very contemporary sensibility. It's the first film from writer/director S. Craig Zahler, and features an unbelievable cast. It's also controversial for its brutality, which we get into.
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STILL TO COME DURING 21ST CENTURY WESTERNS MONTH:5/12: Wind River (2017, directed by Taylor Sheridan)5/19: 3:10 to Yuma Double Feature (1957 and 2007, directed by Delmer Davies and James Mangold)5/26...

This week we wrap up Baseball Month with one of the best films about the sport in the modern era. David S. Ward's Major League is a screwball comedy with a lot of the tropes we saw in Bad News Bears earlier in the month, and along with its hard R antics, it also sports a lot of heart in the writing. It's fun, funny, and inspiring. Join us as we discuss it along with some movie news about Sinners, Netflix, and much more!____________________
On Letterboxd? Follow along with this month’s movie list here.____________________
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Baseball Month continues this week with 2002's The Rookie, directed by John Lee Hancock. This story based on the life of pitcher Jim Morris fits the Disney template for inspiring sports films perfectly with its underdog themes and uplifting conclusion. Steven is nuts about this one, and Mike is on board too. ____________________
STILL TO COME DURING BASEBALL MONTH:4/28: Major League (1989, directed by David S. Ward)
On Letterboxd? Follow along with this month’s movie list here.____________________
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This week we're staying in 1976 with a look at The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings, a somewhat forgotten comedy that looks at the obstacles faced by players in the Negro League in the 1940s. Its heavy-hitting cast includes Billy Dee Williams, James Earl Jones, and Richard Pryor, and it tackles some serious issues while bringing nonstop comedy. ____________________
STILL TO COME DURING BASEBALL MONTH:4/21: The Rookie (2002, directed by John Lee Hancock)4/28: Major League (1989, directed by David S. Ward)
On Letterboxd? Follow along with this month’s movie list here.____________________
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After our Bad News Bears episode we thought it'd be fun to stay on the mics and have a conversation about A Working Man, the new film from director David Ayer. It stars Jason Statham, the unofficial mascot of our show (see our first month of episodes from 2024 for more on him), as a construction worker with a dangerous past—much like The Beekeeper, the actor's other film with Ayer. Bonus: this was made from a script by the one and only Sylvester Stallone! Did we enjoy it? Listen and see.
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April is upon us and that means it's time for a new monthly theme. Since spring is in the air we've decided to talk baseball this month on the show. Some of these films are a little off the beaten path, and a couple of them are beloved. But whether you know them or not, we can attest that they're all a lot of fun, starting with this week's exciting double feature.
We're discussing both versions of the classic Bad News Bears—the original from 1976 and its remake from 2005. Both have their moments, but one is superior. We had a...

This week we wrap up Fictional American Presidents Month with some high-octane fun. 1997's Air Force One, directed by Wolfgang Petersen, pits President Harrison Ford against terrorist Gary Oldman . . . on an airplane. It's peak dad action that preceded a whole rash of kick-ass Commander-In-Chief films in the years that followed. We're excited to talk about the one that started it all, so please join us.____________________
On Letterboxd? Follow along with this month’s movie list here.____________________
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Fictional American Presidents Month rolls on this week with 1995's The American President, directed by Rob Reiner. This film stars Michael Douglas as a Commander In Chief with a conscience and a new girlfriend, played by Annette Bening. It's a charming story of love from a time when politics were simpler.____________________
STILL TO COME DURING FICTIONAL AMERICAN PRESIDENT MONTH:3/31 Air Force One (1997)
On Letterboxd? Follow along with this month’s movie list here.____________________
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On this week's episode we're taking a break from our Fictional American Presidents theme to do another installment of our Rewatch & Reconsider series where we dig up something that at least one of us liked in the past and watch it again to see if it's still any good, or if it failed the test of time. This time around we're moving away from presidents but sticking with politics as we watch 1992's The Distinguished Gentleman starring Eddie Murphy. Mike really liked this film back in the day. Does it hold up? We'll find out. ____________________
STILL TO COME...

This week Fictional American President Month continues with Dave, the Ivan Reitman-directed comedy from 1993. Kevin Kline gives two performances in this film as the president and the man asked to stand in for him after he suffers a stroke. It's a charming story filled with light-hearted political intrigue (at least by today's standards) and featuring an all-star cast from both Hollywood and Washington.____________________
STILL TO COME DURING FICTIONAL AMERICAN PRESIDENT MONTH:3/17 Rewatch & Reconsider: The Distinguished Gentleman3/24 The American President (1995)3/31 Air Force One (1997)
On Letterboxd? Follow along with this month’s movie list here.____________________
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This month on the podcast we're all about the American President. And while that might be a dicey subject in real life, the ones we're looking at harken back to a simpler time—one that didn't actually exist. These are all made-up presidents in films that span the past thirty or so years. The office has changed a lot in that time, and so has how it's portrayed on screen. We'll talk about rom-coms, dramas, and even action-adventures. Starting things off this week is Long Shot, the 2019 film from director Jonathan Levine and starring Charlize Theron and Seth Rogen. ____________________
ST...

This week we wrap up R-Rated Rom-Com Month with an indie darling: 2020's Dinner In America. This film, directed by Adam Rehmeier and starring Kyle Gallner and Emily Skeggs, is an unconventional love story set against the backdrop of suburban malaise. It's punk, it's sweet, and it's a lot of fun.____________________
NEXT MONTH:Fictional American Presidents
On Letterboxd? Follow along with this month’s movie list here.____________________
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R-Rated Rom-Com Month continues this week with 2010's She's Out of My League, a really fun story of a mid guy (Jay Baruchel) who catches the eye of a stone-cold ten (played by Alice Eve) and he—along with everyone around him—can't understand it. Hilarity ensues, but there's a lot of heart underneath the comedy.____________________
STILL TO COME DURING R-RATED ROM-COM MONTH:12/24: Dinner In America (2020)
On Letterboxd? Follow along with this month’s movie list here.____________________
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In this episode we continue R-Rated Rom-Com Month with Nicholas Stoller's You're Cordially Invited, starring Reese Witherspoon and Will Ferrell. It's currently streaming on Amazon Prime. ____________________
STILL TO COME DURING R-RATED ROM-COM MONTH:12/17: She's Out of My League (2010)12/24: Dinner In America (2020)
On Letterboxd? Follow along with this month’s movie list here.____________________
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This week kicks off R-Rated Rom-Com month with a real banger. 2011's Bridesmaids might be the best of the bunch when it comes to this genre and we have a lot of fun talking about it. ____________________
STILL TO COME DURING R-RATED ROM-COM MONTH:12/13: You're Cordially Invited (2025)12/20: She's Out of My League (2010)12/27: Dinner In America (2020)
On Letterboxd? Follow along with this month’s movie list here.____________________
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This week, we wrap up Gerard Butler Action Month with 2023's Plane, in which Gerry plays an everyman who's called to action when the flight he's piloting is forced to crash-land on an island run by guerillas. It's a great way to round out the month!
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Gerard Butler Action Month continues this week with Den of Thieves 2: Pantera, which is currently in theaters. It's an action-packed heist film that re-teams Butler with O'Shea Jackson Jr. in the south of France. We also discuss the passing of legendary director David Lynch. ____________________
STILL TO COME DURING GERARD BUTLER ACTION MONTH:12/27: Plane (2023)
On Letterboxd? Follow along with this month’s movie list here.____________________
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This week on the show Gerard Butler Action Month continues with 2021's Copshop. This Joe Carnahan-directed jail film features Butler at his best as a witty hitman, along with great performances from Frank Grillo and Alexis Louder. ____________________
STILL TO COME DURING GERARD BUTLER ACTION MONTH:12/20: Den of Thieves 2: Pantera (2025)12/27: Plane (2023)
On Letterboxd? Follow along with this month’s movie list here.____________________
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Happy New Year! We're coming out of the gate swinging in 2025 with an action-packed month of Gerard Butler films to get you motivated. Over the past decade, Butler has made a living kicking ass and taking names in the mid-budget action genre, and we're here to celebrate it, starting with the film that got this era going: 2013's Olympus Has Fallen. ____________________
STILL TO COME DURING GERARD BUTLER ACTION MONTH:12/13: Copshop (2021)12/20: Den of Thieves 2: Pantera (2025)12/27: Plane (2023)
On Letterboxd? Follow along with this month’s movie list here.____________________
WE’D LOVE TO CONNECT!Please drop us a line at moviethrow...

This week, we not only bring Offbeat Holiday Films Month to a close, but we also say goodbye to 2024. We're going out with a touching little film from 2019 called Feast of the Seven Fishes, directed by Robert Tinnell. It's a really fun story about an Italian-American family in a blue-collar Pennsylvania town, preparing for their Christmas Eve dinner. With lots of drama and the right amount of sweetness, this was fun to watch and talk about. We also discuss some recent news around the release of The Batman 2, and talk about a few great films we saw last week. ____________________
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Offbeat Holiday Films Month continues this week with Carry-On, the newly released airport thriller starring Taron Egerton and Jason Bateman. This Netflix thrill ride is definitely one to watch this holiday season.____________________
STILL TO COME IN OUR OFFBEAT HOLIDAY FILM SERIES:11/25: Feast of the Seven Fishes (2019)
On Letterboxd? Follow along with this month’s movie list here.____________________
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In this week's episode, we take a break from holiday films and dive back into our Rewatch and Reconsider series with a quiet and lovely little story from 2009: City Island. Directed by Raymond De Felitta, this heartfelt dramedy follows a family full of secrets as they discover how to finally live out loud with the help of an ex-con interloper who comes to live with them and shakes everything up.____________________
STILL TO COME IN OUR OFFBEAT HOLIDAY FILM SERIES:12/23: Carry On (2024)11/25: Feast of the Seven Fishes (2019)
On Letterboxd? Follow along with this month’s movie list here.____________________
WE’D LO...

This week, Offbeat Holiday Film Month continues with 2020's Happiest Season from writer/director Clea Duvall. This modern meet-the-family rom-com is full of the usual Christmas film tropes, but puts a unique spin on them through smart writing and great performances. ____________________
STILL TO COME IN OUR OFFBEAT HOLIDAY FILM SERIES:12/16: Rewatch and Reconsider: City Island (2009)12/23: Carry On (2024)11/25: Feast of the Seven Fishes (2019)
On Letterboxd? Follow along with this month’s movie list here.____________________
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It's December, which means a lot of holiday programming. This month, we're discussing Offbeat Holiday Films that are just a little left of the usual classic fare, starting with Shane Black's Christmas-adjacent noir comedy Kiss Kiss Bang Bang from 2005. Robert Downey Jr., Val Kilmer, and Michelle Monaghan star in this fun—and funny—thriller that you're going to love if you don't already.____________________
STILL TO COME IN OUR OFFBEAT HOLIDAY FILM SERIES:12/09: Happiest Season (2020)12/16: Rewatch and Reconsider: City Island (2009)12/23: Carry On (2024)11/25: Feast of the Seven Fishes (2019)
On Letterboxd? Follow along with this month’s movie list here.____________________
WE’D LOVE TO...

We close out November Noir month this week with another modern-day take on the genre. Rian Johnson's Brick from 2005 is an inventive homage to classic noir that combines its unique language with an updated setting: a 21st-century high school. With great performances across the board and some very creative choices from the production team, this first feature from Johnson is a hell of a calling card.
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