For 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 MoreWith the 20th anniversary re-release of Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith, Mike Crowley of the You’ll Probably Agree website was very eager to talk about the blockbuster’s legacy. He, David Fowlie of Keeping it Reel, and I ignite our lightsabers and reminisce about the best George Lucas’s prequel finale had to offer. Time has been kind to the movie and so were we. May The Force Be With You!
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 MoreDirector Ryan Coogler is on to something. That man is a hot streak, not only as an artist, but as an innovator of storytelling and filmcraft. Ian Simmons of the Kicking the Seat podcast and YouTube channel is on to something too with his own genius to assmble, as always, Earth’s Mightiest Critics. Last week, he brought on-camera guests to talk about the big spring hit Sinners. I pleased as punch to join Ian, Jeff York of The Establishing Shot and Pipeline Artists, Mark Krawczyk of the Spoiler Room, and Cati Glidewell of The Blonde in Front, to talk about it.
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 MoreFor their 192nd episode, two haughty film critics, two betrothed dads, and two classical school teachers, Will Johnson and Don Shanahan, refine their usual viewing to discuss possibly unexpected from their norm, but something with extreme class. We're talking about director Joe Wright's sumptuous 2005 adaptation of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, starring Kiera Knightly in her prime stardom.
Read MoreFreelancer and fellow film critic friend Ben Silverio and his Chicago-based podcast co-host Ansel Burch invited me back for my second stint as a month-long guest on Time 2 Party podcast. They specialize in time travel films. Last time in the fall of 2024, I went romantic with Somewhere in Time. This time around, I move it up the more present era with the vastly underseen 2022 Hawaii-set romantic drama Press Play starring Clara Rugaard, Lewis Pullman, and a stellar soundtrack!
Read MoreMike Osborn and Curtis Menke of the irreverent and laugh-filled podcast “Let’s Talk About Flix are weekly appointment laughs for me and pod I support on Patreon. Mike and Curtis have become two full members of the Chicago Indie Critics group that I co-direct. For the second year in a row, I was honored to be asked on as the return guest during their “Patreon Picks” month. For that guest’s choice theme, I brought them 2018’s The Man Who Killed Hitler and Then The Bigfoot starring Sam Elliot. Enjoy our chat! Follow their show on podcast platforms and YouTube!
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