Blu-ray Boutique

Hosts Rosalie Lewis, a writer for ⁠⁠⁠⁠FThisMovie.com⁠⁠⁠⁠, and Tim Rosenberger -- ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠a film writer for Film Obsessive⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTuber⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ -- return to the world of director and documentarian Les Blank with a look at five short docs: Hot Pepper (1973), Always for Pleasure (1978), Garlic Is as Good as Ten Mothers (1980), Sprout Wings and Fly (1983), and In Heaven There Is No Beer? (1984). Join them as they delve into music, New Orleans, garlic, fiddles, and everyone's favorite musical genre, POLKA! All five documentaries are available through The Criterion Collection's boxset Les Blank: Always for Pleasure.

NOTE: This episode was originally supposed to be out in April. Hosts Tim Rosenberger -- ⁠⁠⁠a film writer for Film Obsessive⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠a blogger⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠YouTuber⁠⁠⁠ -- and Rosalie Lewis, a writer for ⁠⁠⁠FThisMovie.com⁠⁠⁠, look at two films from comedian, actress, writer, and director Elaine May. A New Leaf (1971) stars her and Walter Matthau in a romantic dark comedy and Mikey and Nicky (1976) co-stars Peter Falk and John Cassavetes in a gangster drama. Tim and Rosalie discuss May's twist's on these well-trodden genres and May's clashes with her studio. You can find A New Leaf through Olive Film's Olive Signature Collection and Mikey and Nicky through The Criterion Collection.

Hosts Rosalie Lewis, a writer for ⁠FThisMovie.com⁠, and Tim Rosenberger -- ⁠⁠a film writer for Film Obsessive⁠⁠, ⁠⁠a blogger⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠YouTuber⁠⁠ -- are joined by Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle lover Andy Ginestra for another episode outside the boutique for more films not currently released under a specialty label. They look at three 1990s, live-action TMNT movies: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze (1991), and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III (1993). They discuss the bodacious and the hellacious. So, grab some pizza and join Rosalie, Tim, Andy, Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello, and Michelangelo and discover the true meaning of cowabunga.

Hosts Tim Rosenberger -- a film writer for Film Obsessive, a blogger, and YouTuber -- and Rosalie Lewis, a writer for FThisMovie.com, go to Miami and discuss two comedic crime films: Miami Blues (1990) starring Alec Baldwin, Fred Ward, and Jennifer Jason Leigh; and Out of Sight (1998) directed by Steven Soderbergh and starring George Clooney, Jennifer Lopez, Ving Rhames, Don Cheadle, and Steve Zahn. Miami Blues is available through MVD Rewind and Out of Sight is available through Kino Lorber.

Hosts Rosalie Lewis, a writer for FThisMovie.com, and Tim Rosenberger -- a film writer for Film Obsessive, a blogger, and YouTuber -- discuss three more films from famed Japenese director Yasujirō Ozu. This time it's two family comedy-dramas and one crime drama: I Was Born But... (1932), Dragnet Girl (1933), and Passing Fancy (1933). The first and the last are available on Criterion's Eclipse Series 10: Silent Ozu —Three Family Comedies and the second film is available through Criterion's Eclipse Series 42: Silent Ozu —Three Crime Dramas.

Hosts Tim Rosenberger -- a 25 Years Later film writer, a blogger, and YouTuber -- and Rosalie Lewis, a writer for FThisMovie.com, discuss two feel-good films from actor and singer Bing Crosby and director Leo McCarey: Going My Way (1944) and The Bells of St. Mary's (1945). Both feature Crosby in the lead as young, optimistic Father Chuck O'Malley. These two standalone films are all about light, feel-good moments sprinkled with songs here and there. Going My Way was released through Shout Factory and The Bells of St. Mary's was released through Oliver Signature, which is part of Olive Films.

For the podcast's third anniversary, hosts Rosalie Lewis, a writer for FThisMovie.com, and Tim Rosenberger -- a 25 Years Later film writer, a blogger, and YouTuber -- return to the mysterious, supernatural, horrific, and sometimes traumatic town of Twin Peaks. They discuss the cult show's third and, as of right now, final season: Twin Peaks: The Return. They also look at Twin Peaks: The Missing Pieces. The Missing Pieces is 90 minutes of deleted and extended scenes from the Twin Peaks feature film, released through Criterion, Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me. David Lynch and Mark Frost co-created the show, which starred Kyle MacLachlan. Lynch co-wrote and directed the film and all episodes of The Return. SPOILER SECTIONS OF PODCAST: 1:01:00 to 1:10:03 and 1:20:17 to 1:34:07

Hosts  Tim Rosenberger -- a 25 Years Later film writer, a blogger, and YouTuber -- and Rosalie Lewis, a writer for FThisMovie.com, talk about the master of suspense, Alfred Hitchcock, through two of his thrillers, both released through The Criterion Collection: The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog (1927) and Notorious (1946).

Hosts Rosalie Lewis, a writer for FThisMovie.com, and Tim Rosenberger -- a 25 Years Later film writer, a blogger, and YouTuber -- travel back to the Golden Age of Television again with four live teleplays featured in the Criterion Collection's boxset The Golden Age of Television: Bang the Drum Slowly (1956), Requiem for a Heavyweight (1956), The Comedian (1957), and Days of Wine and Roses (1958). They feature such actors as Paul Newman, Mickey Rooney, Piper Laurie, Jack Palance, and Cliff Robertson.  Rod Serling also returns, writing two of the teleplays. Three of the four were later adapted into feature films.

Hosts Tim Rosenberger -- a 25 Years Later film writer, a blogger, and YouTuber -- Rosalie Lewis, a writer for FThisMovie.com, celebrate Rosalie's birthday with two films from summer 1981, the year she was born. They take a look at John Carpenter's dystopian, science fiction, action movie Escape from New York starring Kurt Russell, and they close things out with Brian De Palma's political, mystery, thriller Blow Out starring John Travolta, Nancy Allen, and John Lithgow. Escape from New York is available through Shout Factory and Blow Out is available through The Criterion Collection.

Hosts Rosalie Lewis, a writer for FThisMovie.com, and Tim Rosenberger -- a 25 Years Later film writer, a blogger, and YouTuber -- talk about The Before Trilogy: Before Sunrise (1995), Before Sunset (2004), and Before Midnight (2013). Directed and co-written by Richard Linklater and starring and co-written by Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke, the three films follow the love story of two people over the course of 18 years, the audience being dropped into their story every nine years. The films are full of love, regret, second chances, the hardships of long-term relationships, and the ever important element of our lives: connecting with others. The trilogy is available through The Criterion Collection.

Hosts Tim Rosenberger -- a 25 Years Later film writer, a blogger, and YouTuber -- and Rosalie Lewis, a writer for FThisMovie.com, our joined this month by writer Nora MacIntyre. For her website notoriouslynora.com, Nora has written about a wide variety of subjects, such as LGBT films or topics, toxic masculinity, sex, hagsploitation, and she also writes more general film reviews. For Pride Month, Nora's here to discuss three films she considers part of sapphic cinema: the historical, political thriller The Scarlet Empress (1934); the film noir Nightmare Alley (1947); and the romantic drama Walk on the Wild Side (1962). Sapphic has many definitions depending on who you ask, but it can be a synonym for lesbians or lesbianism. For Nora, it can encompass lesbianism but also bi/pan women. The three talk about how the trio of films fare as movies, how they fit into sapphic cinema, and what they mean to Nora. The Criterion Collection released the boutique hom video versions of The Scarlett Empress and Nightmare Alley, and Arrow Video released Walk on the Wild Side in the U.K.

For the first time, hosts Tim Rosenberger -- a 25 Years Later film writer, a blogger, and YouTuber -- and Rosalie Lewis, a writer for FThisMovie.com, step outside the boutique and cover films not released by a boutique home video label. They discuss four 90s films of Brendan Fraser: Encino Man (1992), Airheads (1994), Still Breathing (1997), and Blast from the Past (1999). Fraser delivers silly, stupid, serious, and sincere and shows why the recent Brenaissance is much deserved.

Hosts Rosalie Lewis, a writer for FThisMovie.com, and Tim Rosenberger -- a 25 Years Later film writer, a blogger, and YouTuber -- discuss two animated films you don't want to show to the kids: Heavy Traffic (1973) and Perfect Blue (1997). One's a Ralph Bakshi helmed semi-autobiographical X-rated dark comedy, drama about a young cartoonist who struggles to succeed in a rundown New York City that's pracitcally crumbling around him. The other, an anime directed by Satoshi Kon, is a psychological thriller about a Japapenese pop-singer turned actress who begins to lose her grip on reality as someone is murdering those around her. They deserve their adult ratings and feature adult content in more ways than one. Shout Factory released both Heavy Traffic and Perfect Blue. The former is, sadly, out of print.

Hosts Tim Rosenberger -- a 25 Years Later film writer, a blogger, and YouTuber -- and Rosalie Lewis, a writer for FThisMovie.com, celebrate Black History Month by honoring the great Sidney Poitier, who passed away about a month-and-a-half before this episode's release. Rosalie and Tim discuss why Poitier was so important and what he meant to them while focusing on two of his many famous films: the 1961 drama A Raisin in the Sun and the 1963 comedy-drama Lilies of the Field. For the latter, Poitier won the Oscar for Best Leading Actor, the first time a black actor (male or female) had won such an award (Hattie McDaniel had won for Best Supporting Actress for Gone with the Wind (1939)). The Criterion Collection released A Raisin in the Sun on DVD and Blu-ray, and Kino Lorber released Lilies of the Field on DVD and Blu-ray.

Hosts Rosalie Lewis, a writer for FThisMovie.com, and  Tim Rosenberger -- a 25 Years Later film writer, a blogger, and YouTuber -- travel to Japan to discuss three early silents from famed Japanese writer and director Yasujirō Ozu. While Ozu would become known for his films examining familiar relationships and dynamics in post-war Japan, his early films were of different genres, such as crime. He still made films like dramadies that were closer to the work he would become known for in later years. Tim and Rosalie touch on Walk Cheerfully (1930) and That Night's Wife (1930) from the Criterion Collection's Eclipse Series 42: Silent Ozu—Three Crime Dramas and Tokyo Chorus (1931) from Criterion's Eclipse Series 10: Silent Ozu—Three Family Comedies. All three films are also available on The Criterion Channel.

Hosts Tim Rosenberger -- a 25 Years Later film writer, a blogger, and YouTuber -- and Rosalie Lewis, a writer for FThisMovie.com, dance their way through two 1933 pre-code musicals: Gold Diggers of 1933 and Flying Down to Rio. The former features musicals sequences directed by the great Busby Berkeley, both feature Ginger Rogers in supporting parts, and the latter marks the first pairing up Fred Astair and Ginger Rogers. Take a listen to see why these movies may send your feet a tapping, especially during the holidays. Take a listen to see why these movies may send your feet a tapping, especially during the holidays. Both are available through Warner Archive.

For the podcast's second anniversary, hosts Rosalie Lewis, a writer for FThisMovie.com, and Tim Rosenberger -- a 25 Years Later film writer, a blogger, and YouTuber -- make their first visit to the mysterious, supernatural, horrific, and sometimes traumatic town of Twin Peaks with the cult show's first two seasons and its feature film, released through Criterion, Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me. The show starred Kyle MacLachlan and was co-created by David Lynch and Mark Frost, with Lynch co-writing and directing the film.

Hosts Rosalie Lewis, a writer for FThisMovie.com, and Tim Rosenberger -- a 25 Years Later film writer, a blogger, and YouTuber -- take a look at two European horror films: Eyes Without a Face (1960) -- from French director and co-writer Georges Franju -- and The Bird with the Crystal Plumage (1970), directed and written by Italy's Dario Argento. Both break the horror mold and feature elements of mystery and a psychological human story or of thriller and suspense. But they dial up the horror when needed to be interesting October viewings. The Criterion Collection released Eyes Without a Face and Arrow released The Bird with the Crystal Plumage.

Hosts Tim Rosenberger -- a 25 Years Later film writer, a blogger, and YouTuber -- and Rosalie Lewis, a writer for FThisMovie.com, travel back to the Golden Age of Television with four live teleplays featured in Criterion's boxset...um...The Golden Age of Television. Hollywood later adapted all but one of the four teleplays -- Marty (1953), Patterns (1955), No Time For Sergeants (1955), and A Wind from the South (1955) -- into successful feature films and were written by legends like Paddy Chayefsky, Rod Serling, and Ira Levin.