Reel Film Chronicles – Page 6 – Reel Film Chronicles

Scream (2022)

I scream, you scream, we all scream for more Scream. Proving that the slasher genre is as difficult to kill as the wide array of masked homicidal maniacs that drive their narratives, the Scream franchise lives on with the fifth installment in the series, titled Scream. Confusing titles aside, Scream (2022) carries on Wes Craven’s legacy with a whole new generation of victims, scream queens, psycho killers, and oh so many misdirects regarding exactly who those psycho killers might actually be. Along for the ride are franchise regulars Neve Campbell, Courtney Cox, and David Arquette, giving series-best performances and drawing in long-time audiences and having their characters killed off or being grossly underpaid for their trouble. Listen in to the Reel Film Chronicles as we deconstruct and pay homage to Scream (2022) and the rest of the Scream movies, the horror franchise that’s been deconstructing and paying homage to the entire horror genre for over 25 years, and either discover a new horror series or get really depressed when you realize that you were old enough to see the original…

Robocop (1987)

>Accessing files >List Prime Directives 1. Serve the Public Trust 2. Protect the Innocent 3. Uphold the Law 4. [Classified] Listen and subscribe to the Reel Film Chronicles podcast In this episode that you’d almost certainly buy for a dollar, Brian and Nathan dive into one of the all time greats: Robocop. In Paul Verhoeven’s action masterpiece, audiences are offered a vision of a broken and bankrupted Detroit, a world on the brink of nuclear war, and a society exploited by soulless corporations. Luckily, nothing like our own world. Enter Robocop: a police officer gunned down in the line of duty then resurrected through the use of advanced cybernetic technology, a modern Christ metaphor who walks on water and cleans up the streets by shooting bad guys in the dick. Simultaneously a brilliant satire and a genuinely entertaining action movie in its own right, Robocop has left an indelible, bloody mark on cinema history. So join us as we explore this classic film, but just make sure to come quietly or there will be… trouble. The Reel Film Chronicles: Part man.…

Stephen King’s IT

For nearly half a century, Stephen King has tormented and delighted fans in equal measure by plumbing the very depths of our collective psyches to lay bare the ultimate existential terror that lies at the heart of humankind’s deepest and darkest fears: clowns. King’s seminal work, IT, has been adapted for the screen two (and a half?) times, first manifesting itself in the form of a ’90s mini-series starring the incomparable Tim Curry as the terrifying Pennywise the clown, and then reincarnating nearly three decades later as a duology of blockbuster horror films: IT, the highest grossing horror film of all time, and IT: Chapter 2, which technically qualifies as a movie. In this episode, you get even more bang for your buck as Brian and Nathan discuss not one, not two, but three… well, two movies and a mini-series (for all you Gen Z kids, they were limited series before they got rebranded for streaming services). The point is, first Stephen King writes this cocaine-fuelled nightmare, then Hollywood becomes obsessed with his work, and now, we’re going to have…

The Adam Project

In this episode, The Reel Film Chronicles takes a journey through time alongside Ryan Reynolds in The Adam Project, a time travel movie brought to us by the friendly marketing algorithms over at Netflix. A carefully curated mix of action and drama, The Adam Project is the latest in a short line of made-for-streaming movies attempting to bridge the gap between the big and the small screens. The movie asks deep philosophical questions, like what kind of conversations would you have with your past self, whether our destiny is set or the future can be changed, and whether Ryan Reynolds’ ineffable brand of charm can be taught or it’s something one can only be born with. Join us as we take a deep dive into The Adam Project, and see if a time-travelling, martial-arts-trained, definitely-not-lightsaber-wielding, fast-talking, jaded fighter-jet pilot with a heart of gold is truly the hero we need right now. THE ADAM PROJECT | 2022 | directed by Shawn Levy starring Ryan Reynolds | Walker Scobell | Mark Ruffalo | Jennifer Garner | Zoe Saldana | Catherine Keener science-fiction /…

Space Sweepers

In a dark and dystopic future where an evil corporation wields unbridled political, technological, and social power and is willing to sacrifice the masses of socio-economically disadvantaged people it deems unfit to save an elite, wealthy few from a looming environmental apocalypse (Wait, are we sure this isn’t a documentary?), only one thing stands in their way: a rag-tag group of daring space trash collectors. Space Sweepers is the latest Netflix sensation that people will talk about intensely for a week, then likely forget entirely trying to keep up with the next big thing in the streaming deluge, probably Stranger Things. So join us as we delve into Space Sweepers and try to get to the bottom of whether the crew of the spaceship Victory were able to earn the moniker and how a $20 million dollar South Korean sleeper hit somehow looks better than 85% of major blockbusters with ten times the budget. SPACE SWEEPERS | 2021 | directed by Jo Sung-heestarring Song Joong-ki | Kim Tae-ri | Yoo Hae-jin | Jin Sun-kyu | Richard Armitagescience-fiction / drama / fantasy…

Donnie Darko

Do you find yourself possessed by an unwavering commitment to Sparkle Motion and an unnatural fear of rabbits? Then you find yourself in good company. In this exciting episode, we explore Donnie Darko, the very definition of a “cult classic”. Initially overlooked by audiences upon release, the movie quickly gained an underground following in the home video market, eventually becoming so popular that every film nerd from here to Middlesex, Virginia, now won’t shut up about it, including yours truly. There’s no longer a need to go searching for answers in all the wrong places when you can listen to The Reel Film Chronicles talk about the lasting impact of Donnie Darko. So don’t be a prisoner of fear: tune in and get the scoop on one of the most unique visions in cinematic history without having to wait 28 days, 6 hours, 42 minutes, and 12 seconds. 2001 | directed by Richard Kellystarring Jake Gyllenhaal | Jena Malone | James Duval | Drew Barrymore | Beth Grantmystery / drama / fantasy | 114 min

Nightmare Alley

You find yourself on the wrong side of the tracks in the seediest bar in town. You’re waiting for a lead on your latest case, the last case you agreed to take before you get out of the private eye game, for good. Then she walks in. She spells trouble with a capital “T,” but strange times make for strange bedfellows. You down another shot of whiskey and wave the bartender over as she sits down beside you, her presence more intoxicating than the cheap, watered down liquor. She’s not short on moxie, that’s for sure. You adjust your fedora as you try to brush the thought out of your head, but it just won’t go away: You’re trapped in a film noir. There’s not much else to do, you realize, than tune in to the latest episode of The Reel Film Chronicles and listen to the boys discuss Nightmare Alley, the latest movie from Guillermo del Toro and proof positive that film noir is still alive and well. This could very well be the beginning of a beautiful friendship. 2021 |…

The Matrix Resurrections

Everything that has a beginning has an end. Unless, of course, you work in Hollywood. The Matrix is the latest in a long line of franchises that has been resurrected, this time with the aptly named The Matrix Resurrections, the fourth outing into an environmentally devastated world where machines have come to dominate society, and people are kept placated and docile in a virtual universe enabled by a global, interconnected network. So, basically, our current world, except with slightly more cave orgies. So take your red pill, grab your sunglasses, strap on your finest leather outfit, and join us as we show you exactly how deep the rabbit hole goes. In this episode, we examine whether The Matrix Resurrections is a worthy successor to the boundary-pushing original trilogy, or just another system of control to distract audiences from the mundane reality of their day-to-day lives. 2021 | directed by Lana Wachowski starring Keanu Reeves | Carrie-Anne Moss | Yahya Abdul-Mateen II | Jessica Henwick | Jonathan Groff action / sci-fi / adventure | 148 min — CHAPTERS — 00:00 –…

The Last Duel

2021 | directed by Ridley Scottstarring Jodie Comer | Matt Damon | Adam Driver | Harriet Walter | Ben Affleckdrama / action / history | 153 min In this week’s exciting episode, Brian and Nathan discuss The Last Duel, the latest film from Ridley Scott. An historical epic about the events leading up to the last legally sanctioned duel in France, the movie wrestles with some very timely subject matter, including the very human cost of sexual assault and structural mysogyny. Join our intrepid duo as they take a deep dive into The Last Duel, exploring the unique narrative structure, powerful themes, and singular vision of one of the best movies that 2021 had to offer despite being largely ignored during its initial theatrical release. This episode also explores the celebrated filmography of Ridley Scott and where The Last Duel falls in his pantheon, in the kind of thoughtful, nuanced way you’re come to expect from The Reel Film Chronicles. Anchor Apple Google Pocket Casts — CHAPTERS — 00:00 – Introduction01:13 – Ridley Scott Filmography24:47 – The Last Duel1:13:12 –…

Resident Evil

I was roughly fifteen years old when the first Resident Evil game appeared on the Playstation and feeding off the hype of a heavy diet of gaming magazines, I was quick to run out and rent the title to see what the fuss was all about. This wasn’t my introduction to survival horror – that had come in Alone in the Dark on the PC – but it was a giant leap forward and ultimately, not a game that I could really get into. I ignored the first three games but absolutely fell in love with the fourth title, which served as a retooling of the series with the advent of an entirely new gameplay structure and embracing more of the shooter aspect of survival horror. With that being said, I can’t pretend to know anything about the series, including any of the characters or the lore of the world that’s been built up for so long. I approach these films as a bit of an outsider, but my gamer roots and knowledge are not entirely forgotten. Resident Evil has seen live action…