Reels of Cinema

Send us Fan Mail

What if the lead P.I. at a murder scene were a ventriloquist with a dummy as his sidekick? Writer-star-professional ventriloquist Jonathan Geffner and co-stars Deborah Twiss and Ed Altman bring their talents to the screen in an offbeat, quirky, and thoroughly entertaining spoof of the murder mystery genre in their comedy-mystery-thriller The Dummy Detective! Sean Young (1982's The Blade Runner, 1984's Dune, 1994's Ace Ventura: Pet Detective) joins a solid cast for an entertaining whodunnit that flips expectations on their head! Currently streaming on Amazon Prime, Tubi, Plex, and other channels. Plus...

Send us Fan Mail

Co-directors and co-stars Adam Burke (who also wrote the screenplay) and Jud Nichols bring to the screen a story about the possibility of change in a person in their psychological drama-thriller Wet Paper Bag. From the film's official logline: To find her missing sister, a journalist infiltrates a psychedelic therapy center and uncovers a treatment far more dangerous than the trauma it claims to heal. If you loved Midsommar, Saltburn, or The White Lotus, this is your next watch.

Instagram: @wetpaperbag_film (underscore matters)
Facebook: @WetPaperBagfilm
Site: wetpaperbagfilm.com<...

Send us Fan Mail

If student loans drag you down, don't do what Tomas Varley (played by Haulston Mann) does in writer-director-co-producer Wes Clark's dark comedy-satire-thriller How to Start a Cult in 5 Easy Steps! Clark joins me for an eye-opening conversation about his inspiration for this story, his own filmmaking background, and his thoughts on the dos and don'ts for aspiring filmmakers. Enjoy this episode on repeat with 0% interest! Plus, the interactive listener trivia segment with listener shout-outs!

Letterboxd review: https://boxd.it/cDZG4j

Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported  — CC BY 3.0 

Music...

Send us Fan Mail

Actor-writer-director-stunt performer Chris Guttadaro guests for a conversation about his career in both entertainment and as a NYC firefighter. We discuss his acting credits, his upcoming projects, and behind-the-scenes anecdotes from some of his films. Plus, poll results, interactive listener trivia, and listener shoutouts! Watch his indie horror films and visit his website at the links below:

Watch The Omicron Killer (2024) - Free Movies | Tubi

Watch Stream (2024) - Free Movies | Tubi

Chris Guttadaro

Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported  — CC BY 3.0 

Music promot...

Send us Fan Mail

Award-winning writer-director Braden Barton guests for a conversation about his 2022 live action short Waltz of the Angels (HollyShorts Film Festival winner for Best Sci-Fi) and his upcoming feature The Fiddler's Stroke, currently in pre-production. We discuss his filmmaking background to date, his creative process, and the production of his work. Plus, poll results! Watch Waltz of the Angels at the link below!

WALTZ OF THE ANGELS | Videos & Movies on Vimeo

Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported  — CC BY 3.0 

Music promoted by Copyright Free Music - Background Music For Videos @podcas...

Send us Fan Mail

Filmmaker Devlin Blevins is joined by two actresses in his company, Marleigh Arnold and Amber Brooke, for a conversation with me about their Halloween fan films, their proof of concept Dasher Slasher, and their movie The Forsaken Few, currently in pre-production! Among other things, we discuss the inspirations for these stories and their filmmaking and acting backgrounds. Plus, poll results and the interactive listener trivia! Watch Devlin's films on YouTube at the links below!

Halloween Genesis: https://youtu.be/VtsWLlwbyLM?si=Z6I73SWYztsKE_4N

Halloween Ultimatus: https://youtu...

Send us Fan Mail

Producer Caitlin Weis, writer-leading actor Daniel Figueroa, and leading actor Derek Vaudry join me for a conversation about their first live action short film, the upcoming The Last Favor, a crime thriller that they promise pushes independent filmmaking to the limit! Among other things, we discuss their labor of love and passion, as well as inspirations for their original story. Plus, the interactive listener trivia!

Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported  — CC BY 3.0 

Music promoted by Copyright Free Music - Background Music For Videos @podcastbackgroundmusic 

@kensoundfx2647 / @Creative Commons Club

Lo...

Send us Fan Mail

Writer-director Thom Harp joins me to talk about his family comedy-drama Home Delivery, featuring a pitch-perfect ensemble cast delivering quality dialogue about a plus-sized supermodel who, with her husband, invites her eccentric family to their home for the delivery of their first child. Old conflicts and tensions arise, battle lines are drawn, character idiosyncrasies bring on the laughs, and then there's that child's pull-along wagon. Plus, the interactive listener trivia!

Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported  — CC BY 3.0 

Music promoted by Copyright Free Music - Background Music For Videos @podcastbackgroundmusic 

@kenso...

Send us Fan Mail

What if a traumatized young man finds himself shunned by his religious community because of their twisted beliefs? And what if those who do take it upon themselves speak to him mysteriously vanish? Writer-director Matthew G. of the M.T. Grave Studio joins me to talk about his upcoming folk horror film Exiled! Plus, poll results, the cooking segment Cinemunch, and interactive listener trivia!

Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported  — CC BY 3.0 

Music promoted by Copyright Free Music - Background Music For Videos @podcastbackgroundmusic 

@kensoundfx2647 / @Creative Commons Club

Logo...

Send us Fan Mail

"Reach the stars, fly a fantasyyyyy, dream a dream, and what you see will beeeee, cuz rhymes that keep their secrets will unfold behind the clouds, and there upon a rainbow is the answer to a never-ending storyyy." And maybe even the Purple Buffalo Atreyu is hunting. And just what is Bastian's mother's name that he hollers into the rainstorm? As for Jim Henson's labyrinthian Muppet-populated world of goblins and David Bowie music, why does Sarah hate Baby Toby so much? Dive into 1984's The Neverending Story and 1986's Labyrinth! Plus, poll results...

Send us Fan Mail

The 98th annual Academy Awards may be over, but let's allow for one final round of predictions that was recorded before Hollywood's big night! Writer-director-producer Brendan Manning and producer Zak Tauscher, both former high school film studies students of mine, join me to continue our annual tradition started on my previous podcast, Silver Screeners, to make predictions for this year's nominees. In this second of a two-parter, we predict Cinematography, Adapted and Original Screenplays, International Feature, Director, the four acting categories, and Best Picture. What did we get right? What did...

Send us Fan Mail

Writer-director-producer Brendan Manning and producer Zak Tauscher, both former high school film studies students of mine, join me to continue our annual tradition started on my previous podcast, Silver Screeners, to make predictions for the current Academy Award nominees! In this first of a two-parter, we look at the new category of Best Casting, as well as Live Action Short, Sound, Visual Effects, Costume Design, Makeup and Hairstyling, Production Design, Editing, Musical Score and Best Song.

Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported  — CC BY 3.0 

Music promoted by Copyright Free Music - Backgr...

Send us Fan Mail

Grab your Dunkin' iced coffee, or just hydrate with a sip of water from the bubblah, bang a uey, and head over to the "download" icon to hear author Daniel Dain (A History of Boston) and I share thoughts on two Massachusetts-set films, 1948's Portrait of Jennie (starring the legend Joseph Cotten and the Oscar-winning Jennifer Jones) and 1982's The Verdict, starring Paul Newman and directed by Sidney Lumet. Plus, poll results and Dain's thoughts on Boston's historical and cultural landscape! Link to his book and his bio below.

A History of...

Send us Fan Mail

Celebrating 50 episodes by interviewing award-winning actor-director-writer-producer Tommy Jay Dwyer, a fellow MA native who featured in topshorts.net's list of "25 Exceptional Filmmakers to Watch in 2025," about his background and career. He tells an anecdote from the set of 2010's The Social Network, speaks of his work in two Mark Wahlberg films (2010's The Fighter, 2015's Ted 2), and shares his passion for projects that he wrote, produced, directed, and acted in, including the horror short Solus (2025) that will screen at Boston's Southie Film Festival in March 2026. Among his upcoming credits are the documentary Burnin...

Send us Fan Mail

Child-rearing is no easy responsibility, but the payoffs can be immeasurable. 1989 saw two comedies, Ron Howard's Parenthood and John Hughes's Uncle Buck, depict family life in ways that are relatable, sentimental, and sometimes confusing and frustrating. But in the hands of comedy pros like John Candy, Steve Martin, Rick Moranis, and two-time Oscar winner Dianne Wiest, you know you're in for some real laughs - and stories with heart. Plus, poll results, entertainment news, the cooking segment Cinemunch, and interactive listener trivia! For WDMF with love.

Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported  — CC BY 3...

Send us Fan Mail

Creative artists Kyle Valle and Erin Aine join me to discuss their careers as independent filmmakers. Our conversation focuses primarily on their 2024 horror-comedy ZombieCON Vol. 1, sharing anecdotes and behind-the-scenes information about everything ranging from financing to casting to distribution to their infectious passion for storytelling. Joining them is their 10-month-old daughter who honestly brings this episode up to the next level. Plus, poll results, the cooking segment Cinemunch, and the interactive listener trivia!

https://www.instagram.com/zombieconmovie?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==

Music...

Send us Fan Mail

Get ready for the upcoming horror movie The Weeping with my interview with its writer-director-producer Spyder Dobrofsky and leading actor Jonathan Charles! Among other things, we talk about their careers, their experiences with this production, and their vision for the film. You'll never enter the woods alone again because, as the film's tagline informs us, "You can't escape." Plus, the cooking segment Cinemunch, and interactive listener trivia!

https://www.instagram.com/weepingmovie?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==

https://www.instagram.com/spyderdobro?utm_source...

Send us Fan Mail

In this second of a two-parter on a pair of 1950 films that mercilessly skewer the politics and egos in show business, Josh of The Couch Critics Podcast and I discuss All about Eve, starring a temperamental Bette Davis, a devious Anne Baxter, a patience-strained Gary Merrill, an acid-tongued George Sanders, an overly-trusting Celeste Holm, a debuting Marilyn Monroe, and the incomparable Thelma Ritter! With 6 Oscar wins, including Best Picture, director Joseph L. Mankiewicz had the Academy talking ... all about Eve. Plus, the cooking segment Cinemunch and interactive listener trivia!

Creative Commons — At...

Send us Fan Mail

In this first of a two-parter on a pair of 1950 films that mercilessly cast a critical eye on the seedy underbelly of show business, Josh of The Couch Critics Podcast joins me for a look at Sunset Blvd., starring Gloria Swanson as former silent film superstar 'Norma Desmond', William Holden as struggling screenwriter 'Joe Gillis', Erich von Stroheim as Norma's sketchy butler 'Max', Nancy Olson as script reader 'Betty Schaefer', and a pre-Dragnet Jack Webb as filmmaker 'Artie Green'! Director Billy Wilder crafted a classic that received 3 Oscars out of a whopping 11 nominations...

Send us Fan Mail

In this special episode, Vinny Pacifico, world traveler/professional wrestler/professional actor/entrepreneur, joins me to discuss his multi-faceted career journey, his appearance on a Times Square billboard, his personal values, his love of Disney, and his promising acting opportunities. With roles and appearances in music videos and upcoming films and series such as Crimzon Harvest and Menspeaking, his is a story you don't want to miss!

Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported  — CC BY 3.0 

Music promoted by Copyright Free Music - Background Music For Videos @podcastbackgroundmusic 

Logo: DaveyATalks

Send us Fan Mail

What do two Oscar-winning actors do next after facing off against the frigid waters of the northern Atlantic once the Titanic sinks? They face off (in separate films) against the wintery elements of nature in the mountains and plains of the western U.S., that's what! Leo DiCaprio bagged his Oscar for wrestling a grizzly bear in The Revenant, while Kate Winslet, already a winner, joined forces with Idris Elba to survive a plane crash in the snow-covered High Uintas Wilderness in Utah. Will they live to reunite and sail on the Atlantic...

Send us Fan Mail

Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant are the sizzle to the bacon of George Cukor's Holiday (1938), while Kate Winslet, Cameron Diaz, Jude Law, and Jack Black charm each other in the Nancy Meyers-written and directed The Holiday (2006). Ring in 2026 in style with this reedited, repackaged, and rereleased 2023 episode from my previous podcast, Silver Screeners, that looks at both films with me and special guests Max and Daniel, co-hosts of The Bitches with Beards Podcast!

Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported  — CC BY 3.0 

Music promoted by Copyright Free Music - Background Music For Videos...

Send us Fan Mail

In 1989, unsuspecting movie audiences met two fictional characters who became the standard against which all others in the romantic comedy genre would be judged: Harry Burns (Billy Crystal) and Sally Albright (Meg Ryan). Directed by Rob Reiner from Nora Ephron's Oscar-nominated screenplay, When Harry Met Sally uses witty dialogue, Harry Connick, Jr.'s covers of jazz standards, and the setting of Manhattan on two New Year's Eves to set the tone for a romantic journey with characters you root for. Enjoy this reedited, repackaged, and rereleased 2024 episode from my previous podcast, Silver Screeners...

Send us Fan Mail

A haunting Christmas tale told with both witty comedy and suspense thick enough to crack fingernail polish, this psychological thriller laid down the blueprint for what came after, from Michael Myers to Jason Voorhees to Chucky the Good Guy doll. Chris, Sean, and Tyler of The Cinematic Travelers Podcast guest for a look at the work of Bob Clark, who skillfully directs an exceptional cast that includes Olivia Hussey, Keir Dullea, Margot Kidder, Andrea Martin, Art Hindle, and John Saxon. Plus, poll results, entertainment news, the cooking segment Cinemunch, and interactive listener trivia!<...

Send us Fan Mail

In December 1843, the modest book A Christmas Carol, by author Charles Dickens, appeared in print. Since then, it has been adapted for film, TV, the stage, and even animated series like The Flintstones and Mr. Magoo. But of the countless iterations, from faithful adaptations to parodies, two stand out as arguably the best of the best. Enjoy this reedited, repackaged, and rereleased 2022 episode on 1951's Scrooge, starring Alastair Sim, and 1992's The Muppet Christmas Carol, starring Michael Caine, from my previous podcast, Silver Screeners, with special guests Stu and Al, co-hosts of The...

Send us Fan Mail

The semester is winding down, and the students at Barton Academy are eager for the holiday break. But what happens when the sardonic, tactless history teacher is tasked with looking after a small few who have nowhere to go? Guests Dani and Woifi of The Collections of Cinema Podcast join me to consider that question in a look at 2023's The Holdovers, directed by Alexander Payne and starring Paul Giamatti, Dominic Sessa, and Da'Vine Joy Randolph in her Oscar-winning role. A modern Christmas classic! Plus, poll results, entertainment news, the cooking segment Cinemunch...

Send us Fan Mail

A 60th and a 35th anniversary acknowledgement is in order for The Sound of Music and Misery, respectively! Both films have two Oscar-tipped leading ladies, both are set in the mountains, and both include the reining in of the strong will of an arrogant, self-serious man who then succumbs to the power of the female protagonist's passions. Plus, poll results, entertainment news, the cooking segment Cinemunch, and interactive listener trivia!

Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported  — CC BY 3.0 

Music promoted by Copyright Free Music - Background Music For Videos @podcastbackgroundmusic 

@kens...

Send us Fan Mail

Sort of breaking the self-imposed rules in this mini-episode by venturing briefly away from motion pictures and heading into TV, but A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving is mandatory November viewing regardless of age or generation. A quick, nostalgic, and good-natured jab in the ribs at the TV special that first aired on network television in 1973. No poll question or trivia segment this time around, but enjoy this week's movie news and the cooking segment Cinemunch!

Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported  — CC BY 3.0 

Music promoted by Copyright Free Music - Background Music For Vid...

Send us Fan Mail

It's Thanksgiving week here in the States, which means that it's time to revisit the beloved pairing of Steve Martin and John Candy as they desperately try to reach Chicago from Wichita in order to carve the turkey with Martin's family. And then we'll head to the childhood home of Holly Hunter and Robert Downey, Jr. as they grapple with dysfunctional family tensions with their parents, Anne Bancroft and Charles Durning, over the stuffing and pumpkin pie.  A festive look at both films that define Thanksgiving holiday viewing! Plus, poll results, entertainment news, t...

Send us Fan Mail

On November 16, 1990, a Chris Columbus-directed, John Hughes-written family comedy about a spunky 8-year-old boy accidentally left behind at Christmas when his family flies to Paris premiered - and burglars, grocery store cashiers, polka band members, and pizza deliverers have never been the same since. Enjoy this reedited, repackaged, and rereleased 2022 episode on 1990's Home Alone and its 1992 sequel, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York from my previous podcast, Silver Screeners, with special guests Davey A from The DaveyATalks Podcast and actor-YouTuber Stephen J. Holloran!

Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies by K...

Send us Fan Mail

"Noirvember": that festive season of the year between Halloween and New Year's when the grim, gritty, amoral, edgy, and anti-hero and femme fatale-populated world of film noir gets the spotlight! Two of the finest, both based on books by crime novelist James M. Cain, Billy Wilder's Double Indemnity, with Fred MacMurray, Barbara Stanwyck, and Edward G. Robinson, and Tay Garnett's The Postman Always Rings Twice, with Lana Turner and John Garfield, are the focus of this episode. Plus, poll results, entertainment news, the cooking segment Cinemunch, and interactive listener trivia!

Creative...

Send us Fan Mail

Another Halloween season has wrapped up, but horror never goes out of style! Enjoy this reedited, repackaged, and rereleased 2022 episode on 1951's The Thing from Another World and 1982's The Thing from my previous podcast, Silver Screeners, with special guest Chris, host of The Cinematic Traveler Podcast.

Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported  — CC BY 3.0 

Music promoted by Copyright Free Music - Background Music For Videos @podcastbackgroundmusic 

@kensoundfx2647

https://www.youtube.com/@SoundLibrary1 (Dinosaur Roar Sound Effect)

Logo: DaveyATalks

Send us Fan Mail

Tom Holland's campy vampire flick Fright Night (1985) celebrates its 40th anniversary, and Joel Schumacher's The Lost Boys (1987) gets equal time as Alec and Erik of The Wheel of Horror Podcast join me for a tip of the hat to both just in time for the Halloween season - we talk favorite moments, songs, characters, and more! Plus, poll results, entertainment news, the cooking segment Cinemunch, and interactive listener trivia!

Music: Power Music Factory

Channel URL :    / powermusicfactory  

@kensoundfx2647

www.youtube.com/@soundsareus2644

Logo: DaveyATalks

Send us Fan Mail

What is the definitive fate of the character of Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis)? Where does the story end for Dr. Sam Loomis (Donald Pleasence) when he is hot on the trail of serial killer Michael Myers, aka the "Bogeyman," aka the "Shape"? Does Laurie have a daughter, and then not - because she has a son? Then a different daughter with no son? It all depends on which of the many timelines in the series you choose to follow. Since 1978, "the Shape" has been terrorizing the town of Haddonfield, Illinois - and...

Send us Fan Mail

Writer-director-former Film Studies student of mine, Brendan Manning, guests to discuss the proof of concept short for his film The Dubliner, about an Irish immigrant in 1893 who turns to bareknuckle boxing in order to survive. He talks about his background and career, the inspiration for the film itself, and what he's learned so far in the industry as a frequent extra in film and on TV, as a production assistant, and as an aspiring director! Plus, poll results, entertainment news, the cooking segment Cinemunch, and interactive listener trivia!

Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Un...

Send us Fan Mail

"It wasn't gardening." This film isn't like riding a roller coaster - it's skydiving in a whirlwind! Co-stars and co-producers Guile Branco (also writer-director) and Lou D'Amato guest to talk about their gory and outrageous horror-comedy A Halloween Feast, both onscreen happenings and behind-the-scenes anecdotes. This conversation is one not to miss! Instagram: @ahalloweenfeastmovie @guilebranco 

Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported  — CC BY 3.0 

Music promoted by Copyright Free Music - Background Music For Videos @podcastbackgroundmusic 

Non copyright sound effects | Feesou

Logo: DaveyATalks

Send us Fan Mail

This time around, it's two episodes in one - a re-edited and reissued 2024 episode from my retired Silver Screeners Podcast on 1984's A Nightmare on Elm Street put together with a brand-new episode on Nightmare on Elm Street 2 - both with special guest Andrew of The Revisionist Almanac Podcast! Hear all about both Freddy Krueger films, both onscreen and behind the scenes. (To go straight to the Nightmare 2 episode, drag that little button to time stamp 44:24!) Plus, the usual poll results and the interactive listener trivia segment!

Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported  — CC BY...

Send us Fan Mail

It's been 30 years since Tom Hanks told Houston he had a problem and the same number of years since he first growled, "Reach for the sky!" to space traveler Buzz Lightyear. Apollo 13 and Toy Story both were released when his career was at its peak, hot off two consecutive Oscar wins. A nostalgic revisiting of both of these films that catapulted Hanks into space one way or another. Plus, poll results, entertainment news, the cooking segment Cinemunch, and interactive listener trivia!

Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported  — CC BY 3.0 

Music promoted by Copyr...

Send us Fan Mail

It's the conclusion of my 2-part discussion with special guest Jacquelyn Shulman about her experience as a producer and director in the film industry! She reflects on the creative process, the power of art, and the significance of everyone tapping into their creative side in some way. The former intern on the second season of the series Sex and the City, participant in TV work on shows like First 48 and Nightwatch, and associate producer of the Oscar-nominated documentary feature Jesus Camp (2006) has lots of insight to pass on! Part 2 of a 2-parter. (Regular...

Send us Fan Mail

Special guest Jacquelyn Shulman joins me to talk about her experience as a producer and director in the film industry! From interning on the second season of the series Sex and the City to TV work on shows like First 48 and Nightwatch to attending the Academy Awards luncheon for her participation in the 2006 Oscar-nominated documentary feature Jesus Camp, her background is both fascinating and inspiring. Part 1 of a 2-parter. (Regular features, including the interactive listener trivia, the listener poll, the cooking segment Cinemunch, and entertainment news will be back in episode 26!)

...