For their 202nd episode, two sneak-attacking film critics, two camoflauged dads, and two warrior teachers, Will Johnson and Don Shanahan, draw their swords and pistols on the frequently-mentioned Predator franchise on the podcast. In June, Hulu released the stunningly animated Predator: Killer of Killers, which continues the new stewardship of writer-director Dan Trachtenberg, who put Predator back in the intimating and scary side of cinema with Prey a few years ago.
Read MoreFor their 201st episode, two mask-pulling film critics, two special agent dads, and two stuntman teachers, Will Johnson and Don Shanahan, begin a group of retrospective episodes reflecting on the recently finalized Mission: Impossible franchise. Taking them a pair at a time, this first episode covers Brian De Palma's Mission: Impossible from 1996 and its wild 2000 sequel M:I-2 from director John Woo. Will and Don are united in praising these two standalone adventures that flaunted what made Tom Cruise and this series interesting and cool before the larger and increasingly overinflated arc would take over later.
Read MoreFor their historic 200th episode, two detective-minded film critics, two dream theory dads, and two noir-loving teachers, Will Johnson and Don Shanahan, welcome Chicago-based film critic and artist Jeff York of The Establishing Shot and Pipeline Artists to compare two examples of poisonous Hollywood settings separated by decades and mere blocks of postal addresses. Our trio compares the dangerous and pervasive themes to be found in David Lynch's revered 2001 fever dream Mulholland Drive versus Billy Wilder's salaciously seminal 1950 dark comedy Sunset Boulevard.
Read MoreFor their 199th episode, two altruistic film critics, two anagram-loving dads, and two hacker school teachers, Will Johnson and Don Shanahan, tuck themselves into the warm sheets of the 1990s with the steady 1992 hit, Sneakers. Directed by Field of Dreams director Phil Alden Robinson and top-lined by the Oscar-winning duo of Robert Redford and Sidney Poitier, this little pre-internet cyber caper has charm for days, topics that have held up in 30+ years, and perfect ensemble cast.
Read MoreFor their 198th episode, two avenging film critics, two reject dads, and two asterisk-owning school teachers, Will Johnson and Don Shanahan, arrive at the opening big hitter of the summer of the 2025. As usual, Marvel Studios staked claim the first week of May release slot for Thunderbolts. The self-described "lapsed" Marvel shill and the Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic who graded the movie to a minority "rotten" rating couldn't be farther apart on this one.
Read MoreFor their 197th episode, two non-musical film critics, two vampiric dads, and two enthralled school teachers, Will Johnson and Don Shanahan, turn their gaze and their microphones to the big April hit of Ryan Coogler's Sinners starring Michael B. Jordan. Our two fellas walked away very impressive with every aspect of this wild genre mashup. They see myth and relevance with every pluck of the movie's dobro.
Read MoreFor their first Pateon exclusive episode, two lovestruck film critics, two "Crazy for Swayze" dads, and two ditto-making school teachers, Will Johnson and Don Shanahan, check off a few delightful and dreamy boxes with an opposite on the 1990 smash hit Ghost. The movie has been in Don's all-time Top 10 for decades, and Will---coming off a 1990 binge with his recent first-time viewing of Pretty Woman---finally caved to curiosity and pressure to check off the Patrick Swayze, Demi Moore, and Whoopi Goldberg vehicle from his list of blind spots. Say ditto with them as they expound long-held and newfound praise for one of the romantic greats
Read MoreFor their 195th episode, two imposter film critics, two murderous dads, and two non-Italian school teachers, Will Johnson and Don Shanahan, stay in the monumental year of 1999 for one more week with another cornerstone film. Lapped at the time by the likes of The Matrix, American Beauty, Magnolia, and Fight Club, stands the late Anthony Minghella's salacious The Talented Mr. Ripley starring the early white-hot coals of Matt Damon, Jude Law, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Philip Seymour Hoffman.
Read MoreFor their 194th episode, two beatnik film critics, two Cold War-curious dads, and two robotic school teachers, Will Johnson and Don Shanahan, turn it back to the great year of 1999 to love on a flop that turned into a classic. Brad Bird's The Iron Giant has gone from being trounced at the box office to being an animation exemplar for all ages, and our guys are here to admire its popularity and quality.
Read MoreFor their 193rd episode, two suburbanite film critics, two nanny-gawking dads, and two accosted school teachers, Will Johnson and Don Shanahan, circle back to a cinematic cottage industry found in the 1980s and 1990s of so-called domestic terror: stories that preyed on the pearl-clutching fears of the upper middle class. One of the best to get the audience's blood boiling was 1992's The Hand That Rocks the Cradle directed by the late Curtis Hanson and starring Rebecca De Mornay.
Read MoreTrue to a play’s performative spine, Eric LaRue rises to become an actor’s showcase building towards two important summits: the aforementioned collection of mothers and the first visit to Eric in prison. Each seated clash places Judy Greer in the unenviable position as the target of ire and the recipient of painful reactions, where no amount of contrition will be enough and immediate peace is impossible.
Read MoreFor their 191st episode, two Secret Service film critics, two sweaty dads, and two counterfeit school teachers, Will Johnson and Don Shanahan, seep into the seedy side of nefarious crimes of money and the slimy side of Los Angeles with William Friedkin's 1985 stunner To Live and Die in L.A. Our guys always make time for a Willem Dafoe blind spot and this was a winner, thanks to the detailed mystery and the bold swerves orchestrated by the director.
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