Random Acts of Cinema

French comedic powerhouse Jacques Tati finally makes his first appearance on the podcast with an introduction to his gentle homage to silent-era character Monsieur Hulot himself.  And this time, he’s at the beach.  And brother, I don’t have to tell you that there will be some… les shenanigans. Join the Random Acts of Cinema Discord server here! *Come support the podcast and get yourself or someone you love a random gift at our merch store.  T-shirts, hoodies, mugs, stickers, and more! If you’d like to watch ahead for next week’s film, we will be discussing and reviewing Rob Reiner’s The Princess Bride (1987).

Wait, so that Ozzie-Osborne-like-bad guy from G.I. Joe who could change the color of his skin made a prequel of that totally problematic Heath Ledger movie from the early 2000s?  Well, not quite.  Actually, you know what, that’s pretty much exactly what happened.  Join us as we discuss Zoltan Korda’s remake of a remake of a remake that was eventually remade, remade, remade, and remade again.  We are joined by our good friend Max to contemplate Victorian imperialism, sun blindness, and the real color of pineapple. Join the Random Acts of Cinema Discord server here! *Come support the podcast and get yourself or someone you love a random gift at our merch store.  T-shirts, hoodies, mugs, stickers, and more! If you’d like to watch ahead for next week’s film, we will be discussing and reviewing Jacques Tati’s Monseiur Hulot’s Holiday (1939).

Greg Mottola’s takes the viewer on a frantic ride through Manhattan… and into our hearts.  Sort of.  Really he just reaffirms our love for Parker Posey and somehow gets one of the hosts on the side of Leiv Schrieber for the first time. Join the Random Acts of Cinema Discord server here! *Come support the podcast and get yourself or someone you love a random gift at our merch store.  T-shirts, hoodies, mugs, stickers, and more! If you’d like to watch ahead for next week’s film, we will be discussing and reviewing Zoltan Korda’s Four Feathers (1939).

It’s number 4. It’s Fellini. It’s a beloved and highly influential 1970s nostalgia-infused takedown of everyday people living in and under fascist Italy. And yet for all of these things, it’s truly one of a kind. Join the Random Acts of Cinema Discord server here! *Come support the podcast and get yourself or someone you love a random gift at our merch store.  T-shirts, hoodies, mugs, stickers, and more! If you’d like to watch ahead for next week’s film, we will be discussing and reviewing Greg Mottola’s The Daytrippers (1996).

There’s a reading of this movie as Jean Renoir’s exercise in delayed gratification. What’s a cancan? Is that a cancan? Will they cancan? Oh no they can’t cancan!! But maybe, just maybe… No they can’t! And then just when you’ve given up all hope: they can cancan! And by god, they do. (Spoiler alert.) Join the Random Acts of Cinema Discord server here! *Come support the podcast and get yourself or someone you love a random gift at our merch store.  T-shirts, hoodies, mugs, stickers, and more! If you’d like to watch ahead for next week’s film, we will be discussing and reviewing Federico Fellini’s Amarcord (1973).

Director Brad Silberling’s modern spiritual masterpiece dares to propose a world filled with unseen angels, who look upon humanity with a detached sense of whimsy.  Until a brash, brilliant, and beautiful heart surgeon dares to question a universe who steals the life of one of her patients, and one of these angels… falls for her.  In more ways than one. Join the Random Acts of Cinema Discord server here! *Come support the podcast and get yourself or someone you love a random gift at our merch store.  T-shirts, hoodies, mugs, stickers, and more! If you’d like to watch ahead for next week’s film, we will be discussing and reviewing Jean Renoir’s French Cancan (1954).

Come gather 'round children, it's high time ye learned. About a hero named Harlan County and a devil named Duke Power.   The fight never stops.  And Barbara Kopple’s beautifully specific and devastatingly timeless documentary about a grueling coal miner’s strike won’t let us forget it. Join the Random Acts of Cinema Discord server here! *Come support the podcast and get yourself or someone you love a random gift at our merch store.  T-shirts, hoodies, mugs, stickers, and more! If you’d like to watch ahead for next week’s film, we will be discussing and reviewing Brad Silberling’s City of Angels (1998).

Bonus episode drop!  We recorded this a while ago, but we’re finally releasing the rankings of our 10 highest rated criterion movies.  Sure we each gave Rashomon 10 out of 10.  But we also gave The Seventh Seal 10 out of 10.  So… which is better?  All questions will be answered! Join the Random Acts of Cinema Discord server here! *Come support the podcast and get yourself or someone you love a random gift at our merch store.  T-shirts, hoodies, mugs, stickers, and more!

Please come celebrate our 300th episode with spine number 300!  We grapple with our legacy, come to terms with our many failures, reaffirm old friendships, get matching outfits, mourn our losses, go on one last adventure, and have a few laughs. And because it’s Wes Anderson, we can’t help but fall for yet another flawed father figure. Join the Random Acts of Cinema Discord server here! *Come support the podcast and get yourself or someone you love a random gift at our merch store.  T-shirts, hoodies, mugs, stickers, and more! If you’d like to watch ahead for next week’s film, we will be discussing and reviewing Barbara Kopple’s Harlan County, USA (1976).

Your humble hosts stumble happily headlong into the world of avant-pop Moroccan folk music!  This week we watch what seems to be a proto-version of The Last Waltz (even though it’s not) with a documentary chronicling some of the past and and a lot of the present of the group Nass El Ghiwane. Join the Random Acts of Cinema Discord server here! *Come support the podcast and get yourself or someone you love a random gift at our merch store.  T-shirts, hoodies, mugs, stickers, and more! If you’d like to watch ahead for next week’s film, we will be discussing and reviewing Wes Anderson’s The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004).