Esoterica Cinema

#psycho #hitchcock #classichorror #classicfilm Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho was released in 1960 and became a sensation, playing both into and against many tropes of the American studio system. Starring Janet Leigh, the film took many audacious turns with regard to it's story, and as a result, audiences turned out in droves. Now, you may think that any film critic worth their salt has already seen this movie but as it turns out, Ryan Seybold never has! Does Psycho still hold up as a first-time viewing experience in 2024? Find out right now on this episode of Esoterica Cinema.

#frombeyond #stuartgordon #jeffreycombs #barbaracrampton #brianyuzna #cultmovies #cultclassic #cultmoviereview #bodyhorror In 1986, Stuart Gordon, Brian Yuzna, Jeffrey Combs, and Barbara Crampton all reunited for their follow-up to their unexpected hit Re-Animator. While Yuzna was keen to do a direct sequel to Re-Animator (which he would later direct himself), Gordon and the rest of the team wanted to do an original story, piggy-backing off what they had previously learned and delivering something fresh and new. Unfortunately, despite a sizeable investment from producer Charles Band, the film failed to recoup it's $4.5M budget, largely due to the fact that in addition to tepid market, the film failed to receive an R rating from the MPAA, who insisted on labeling it NC-17 and thus drastically lowering its distribution potential. Thankfully, the film became notorious on the VHS Video Nasties circuit, and later in 2013, the film received it's much needed restoration, restoring it to it's full run-time by adding every available scene that had been cut (sadly, there are still some sequences that were lost to the annals of time). Join Jason Peters and Ryan Seybold as they analyze what makes this movie such a fun, slimy, gory classic of mid-80's body horror filmmaking, right here on Esoterica Cinema.

Join Jason Peters from Esoterica Cinema as he guides you through the weird, wild road to greenlight for David Cronenberg's 1986 masterpiece The Fly.

The Fly was released in 1986 and quickly became director David Cronenberg's most successful film, lending itself to a far more mainstream narrative in spite of some serious body horror elements, especially along the back half of the film. Jeff Goldblum was still on the rise and was by no means a bankable leading man, so it was something of a risk when producer Stuart Cornfeld hired him to carry the film. To boot, David Cronenberg had been tapped to direct Total Recall for Dino de Laurentiis and was unable to take The Fly when producer Mel Brook called (yes, that Mel Brooks), and it was only through a series of both interesting and unfortunate circumstances that the stars aligned and Cronenberg was later brought on to direct. Geena Davis plays the lead supporting role, and was, in fact, Jeff Goldblum's real-life girlfriend at the time, which helps to explain the immediate and intense chemistry the two share throughout the movie. While heavy on the gore in the second half of the film, The Fly is still a superbly-rich narrative filled with empathy for the main character's unfortunate degradation. The tone is simultaneously somber and thrilling, and Jeff Goldblum's intensely physical performance is one for the ages. Quite simply, The Fly is David Cronenberg's masterpiece. Find out why in this episode of Esoterica Cinema with Jason Peters and Ryan Seybold.

Jason Peters takes a no-spoiler look at Yorgos Lanthimos' most recent film, Kinds of Kindness with Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons

Jason & Ryan analyze the harrowing depiction of an utterly broken relationship that is Possession.

Brian Yuzna's film Society took a long time to find distribution in the US, and disappeared from theaters just as quickly as it arrived. Thankfully, with the advent of VHS, the film was able to find its eventual audience in the 90's and 00's. Featuring solid direction from Brain Yuzna, solid 80's acting from Billy Warlock, and some of the best practical effects ever committed to celluloid thanks to fx maestro Screaming Mad George and his talented team, Society may not be a film for everyone, but it's one you won't soon forget. #cultmovies #cultclassic #moviereview #society #brianyuzna #screamingmadgeorge

#poorthings #emmastone #filmcritic #yorgoslanthimos Yorgos Lanthimos has been making films for 15 years, now. And just when you think you've got him figured out, he finds new and creative ways to surprise you. Poor Things is easily his most successful film of all time - certainly financially and arguably creatively - and Emma Stone delivers an incredible, physical performance every bit worthy of her Oscar win. Where do you fall on this admittedly bizarre film? Feel free to reach out to esotericacinema@gmail.com and let us know what you think, and enjoy this episode of Esoterica Cinema!

Join Ryan as he reviews Atomic Blonde starring Charlize Theron

The Wachowski's Speed Racer was released in 2008 to horrible reviews and an even worse box office performance. But as time has progressed, a small but vocal contingent has gone on to reappraise the film, claiming that it was misunderstood at the time of its release. On this episode "Speed Racer (2008)", you get both sides of the argument as Jason found it a groan-inducing, cheesy bore while Ryan could get enough of the flashy visuals and eye candy. Where do you fall on this debate? Feel free to send in a comment and let us know what you think, and enjoy this feisty episode of Esoterica Cinema!

Join Ryan Seybold as he quickly breaks down why you need to see the hilarious new film Hundreds of Beavers from writer/director Mike Cheslik. Made for a modest budget of $150,000, Hundreds of Beavers features mad-dash capers and non-stop sight gags. Google describes Hundreds of Beavers as: A drunken applejack salesman must go from zero to hero and become North America's greatest fur trapper by defeating hundreds of beavers. Enjoy Ryan's review-in-brief and then go see this howlingly funny movie! #hundredsofbeavers #comedymovies #comedyfilms

George Miller's post-apocalyptic epic Mad Max Fury Road hit theaters and audiences in 2015 with gale forces of hyperkinetic action and never looked back. The film was an overnight sensation, luring audiences into theaters while managing to impress the critics along the way, being named the Best Picture of the Year by the L.A. Times and picking up 10 Academy Award nominations; no small feat for arguably the weirdest blockbuster to ever come out of a major studio. But honoring Miller's unique vision is exactly why the film works. There is an authenticity on display that is perhaps unparalleled in the modern action film, and the creative freedom Miller allowed and even insisted on his crew employing to every piece of material accumulates into one of the all time great works of cinema and an absolutely genre-defining film. In this episode, Jason & Ryan break down all the many ways the film succeeds, both technically and creatively, while sharing numerous insights that they learned throughout their research and cinematic observations. Come join the conversation as we look at Mad Max: Fury Road right here on Esoterica Cinema.

Gangubai Kathiawadi from director Sanjay Leela Bhansali sees Alia Bhatt play the notoriously infamous Madame to various effects. On the one hand, the film is a dark and serious look at admittedly difficult parts of her legacy, while at the same time glossing over events to make them seem less sordid and violent than they in fact were. As Jason & Ryan review the film, you'll get both sides of the equation, as Jason took issue with the manner in which Gangubai Kathiawadi was represented, while Ryan felt the film did an estimable job telling the story of this flawed yet unique character that did much to advance the normalization of sex work in India and abroad. Either way, get ready for five musical sequences in a row (j/k) as we review Gangubai Kathiawadi right here on Esoterica Cinema.#moviereview #indiancinema #aliabhatt #sanjayleelabhansali #moviereviewpodcast #filmanalysis #filmcritic #filmcritique #filmcriticismABOUT OUR CHANNEL Esoterica Cinema is the result of a great friendship between Jason Peters and Ryan Seybold. Having met in film school, both have since gone on to pursue their craft in various ways. Ryan actively works as a sound recording engineer, having been involved in numerous projects for nationally prominent companies such as ESPN and PBS, while Jason is a published author, screenwriter, and filmmaker responsible for a variety of works available online and elsewhere. The program focuses not just on surface level observations, but gets down to the heart and soul of what makes a given film tick. Direction, Acting, Cinematography, Score, Sound Design, Narrative Structure, and Character Arcs are some of the many high-level and granular analysis provided on every episode. At Esoterica Cinema, we don't just tell you whether or not a movie is good; we go into detail on what makes it good or bad, educating and informing our audience along the way. Come join the fun and enjoy the movies!

Jason & Ryan get philosophical and ask, "what is art?" while analyzing Ruben Ostlund's 2017 arthouse satire The Square

Tim Burton's Ed Wood rocketed to the top of many critics lists of the best films of 1994. But a lot has changed in 30 years. Join Jason Peters & Ryan Seybold as they break down and analyze why this charming biopic still qualifies as a great movie about the bonds of friendship, however unlikely their origins.

Jason & Ryan get Zen as they study Jim Jarmusch's Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai

Jason & Ryan set their eyeballs to "psychedelic" as they review Dario Argento's arthouse horror classic Suspiria.

Jason & Ryan are called before judge and jury to defend their positions on Otto Preminger's 1959 courtroom drama Anatomy of a Murder starring Jimmy Stewart, George C. Scott, Ben Gazzara, and Lee Remick.

Jason & Ryan take a seat for Darren Aronofsky's emotional wallop of a film The Whale starring Brendan Fraser

Jason & Ryan strap themselves to their nuclear weapons whilst watching & reviewing Stanley Kubrick's classic "Nightmare Comedy" Dr. Strangelove, starring the incomparable Peter Sellers, George C. Scott, and a slew of other talent.