This Film Could Be Your Life

Ep. 20 - The Departed (2006)

Martin Scorsese is almost inarguably the world's most iconic living director; for over four decades his movies have pushed the boundaries of storytelling and characterization. And yet, not until his 2007 remake of Hong Kong thriller Infernal Affairs did he finally win the coveted Best Director Academy Award. Despite its numerous accolades and critical acclaim, that film's reputation has remained complicated in the canon of its director. Jonathan Divine and Mike Overstreet return to the movie that introduced them to Martin Scorsese and try to discern what makes it so brilliant and, at times, so ridiculous: it's 2006 The Departed.

 

In-show reference: Every Frame A Painting, "Martin Scorsese - The Art of Silence"

Ep. 19 - Boogie Nights (1997)

Paul Thomas Anderson has earned his place among the canon of greatest living filmmakers - but in 1997, with only one moderate success under his belt, he still had a lot to prove. And his second directorial effort was a tough sell: tracing the life of a fictional, "highly gifted" porn actor during the "Golden Age of Porn," the film's scandalous subject tended to alienate potential investors, actors, and viewers - until they dug a little deeper. Mike Overstreet and Jonathan Divine aim to do just that as they dive into one of their collective favorite movies ever: Boogie Nights.

Ep. 18 - Casino Royale (2006)

It's tough to explain just how low things got for the iconic James Bond franchise by the late 90s / early 00s. A string of increasingly sillier and less successful films had left a sour taste in moviegoer's mouths for the character. To get from there to today - when each new Bond film seems to be its own global phenomenon, making huge amounts of money and often receiving wide acclaim - required a risky reinvention, a complete rebuild of the character and franchise as a whole. Hosts Jonathan Divine and Mike Overstreet return to that critical moment of rebirth to discuss one of the most successful action films ever made: 2006's Casino Royale.

Ep. 17 - Galaxy Quest (1999)

By Grabthar's Hammer ... what a podcast.

 

1999 was a high watermark year for movies, but one often overlooked is the cult classic Galaxy Quest. Riding on a strong cast and an excellent script, Jonathan Divine and Mike Overstreet revisit the film to explore just how worthwhile a rewatch it still is, and to unravel how a parody can be made with so much care and affection. Never give up - never surrender!

Ep. 16 - Inside Llewyn Davis (2013)

Brothers Joel and Ethan Coen have become two of the most acclaimed and influential active filmmakers of the past 20 years. Despite this, hosts Jonathan Divine & Mike Overstreet have always struggled to appreciate the bleak nihilism that pervades so much of the Coens' work. In this episode, our movie geek friends dive deep into one of the most personal Coen brothers films to break open how it works and what it might be saying to us: it's Inside Llewyn Davis (2013).

Ep. 15 - Spirited Away (2001)

A world of Kami spirits - gorgeously hand drawn and imaginatively designed - beckons to movie fans and the spiritually curious alike...

Join Jonathan Divine and Mike Overstreet as they discuss what makes Hayao Miyzaki's transcendent Spirited Away (2001) equal parts spellbinding and thought provoking.

Ep. 14 - Interstellar (2014)

When Christopher Nolan, on the heels of mega blockbusters The Dark Knight and Inception, announced he would be making an epic sci-fi film about space travel, the hype train went off the rails. Jonathan Divine and Mike Overstreet were among the scores of movie fans who expected a new 2001, a groundbreaking masterpiece that would upend the whole genre. What they got - inevitably, given all of those expectations - was something of a disappointment. But, years after its release, have our co-hosts' opinions on 2014's Interstellar changed at all?

Ep. 13 - Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)

This week the legendarily stupid, brilliant, subversive and over-quoted British comedy troupe goes under the microscope. Jonathan Divine and Mike Overstreet try to avoid shouting quotes back and forth as they search for the center of 1975's Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

Ep. 12 - Knives Out (2019)

A murder mystery that deepens with so many intrigues and twists that it could be described as a donut...with a donut hole missing from its center. Mike Overstreet and Jonathan Divine instantly fell in love with Rian Johnson's masterpiece, and in this episode they discuss what makes it so great and a few surprising ways it might impact your life. It's 2019's Knives Out.

Ep. 11 - Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)

Indiana Jones may have been a staple of their childhoods, but neither Jonathan Divine nor Mike Overstreet often returned to the series' second entry. Join them as they examine what might be one of the most overlooked - and most problematic - movies of Spielberg's career: 1984's Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.

 

• Film Crit Hulk's 2014 Article "Indiana Jones and the Funhouse of Doom" can be found here: https://birthmoviesdeath.com/2014/04/10/film-crit-hulk-smash-indiana-jones-and-the-funhouse-of-doom