The Weekly Movie Throwdown

In this week's episode, we take a break from holiday films and dive back into our Rewatch and Reconsider series with a quiet and lovely little story from 2009: City Island. Directed by Raymond De Felitta, this heartfelt dramedy follows a family full of secrets as they discover how to finally live out loud with the help of an ex-con interloper who comes to live with them and shakes everything up.____________________STILL TO COME IN OUR OFFBEAT HOLIDAY FILM SERIES:12/23: Carry On (2024)11/25: Feast of the Seven Fishes (2019)On Letterboxd? Follow along with this month’s movie list here.____________________WE’D LOVE TO CONNECT!Please drop us a line at moviethrowdownpod@gmail.com, and follow us on social media:Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/moviethrowdown/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moviethrowdownpod/Threads: https://www.threads.net/@moviethrowdownpodTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@moviethrowdownpodFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/moviethrowdownpod/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Offbeat Holiday Film Month continues with 2020's Happiest Season from writer/director Clea Duvall. This modern meet-the-family rom-com is full of the usual Christmas film tropes but puts a unique spin on them through smart writing and great performances.____________________STILL TO COME IN OUR OFFBEAT HOLIDAY FILM SERIES:12/16: Rewatch and Reconsider: City Island (2009)12/23: Carry On (2024)11/25: Feast of the Seven Fishes (2019)On Letterboxd? Follow along with this month’s movie list here.____________________WE’D LOVE TO CONNECT!Please drop us a line at moviethrowdownpod@gmail.com, and follow us on social media:Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/moviethrowdown/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moviethrowdownpod/Threads: https://www.threads.net/@moviethrowdownpodTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@moviethrowdownpodFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/moviethrowdownpod/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's December, which means a lot of holiday programming. This month, we're discussing Offbeat Holiday Films that are just a little left of the usual classic fare, starting with Shane Black's Christmas-adjacent noir comedy Kiss Kiss Bang Bang from 2005. Robert Downey Jr., Val Kilmer, and Michelle Monaghan star in this fun—and funny—thriller that you're going to love if you don't already.____________________STILL TO COME IN OUR OFFBEAT HOLIDAY FILM SERIES:12/09: Happiest Season (2020)12/16: Rewatch and Reconsider: City Island (2009)12/23: Carry On (2024)11/25: Feast of the Seven Fishes (2019)On Letterboxd? Follow along with this month’s movie list here.____________________WE’D LOVE TO CONNECT!Please drop us a line at moviethrowdownpod@gmail.com, and follow us on social media:Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/moviethrowdown/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moviethrowdownpod/Threads: https://www.threads.net/@moviethrowdownpodTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@moviethrowdownpodFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/moviethrowdownpod/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We close out November Noir month this week with another modern-day take on the genre. Rian Johnson's Brick from 2005 is an inventive homage to classic noir that combines its unique language with an updated setting: a 21st-century high school. With great performances across the board and some very creative choices from the production team, this first feature from Johnson is a hell of a calling card. ____________________On Letterboxd? Follow along with this month's movie list here.____________________WE'D LOVE TO CONNECT!Please drop us a line at moviethrowdownpod@gmail.com, and follow us on social media:Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/moviethrowdown/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moviethrowdownpod/Threads: https://www.threads.net/@moviethrowdownpodTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@moviethrowdownpodFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/moviethrowdownpod/moviethrowdownpod.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, we delve into the world of neo-noir with 1981's Blow Out. This thriller from filmmaker Brian De Palma has a lot of the hallmarks of classic noir but with a lot of modern-day flair. It's edgy, paranoid, and masterfully made. ____________________STILL TO COME IN OUR NOVEMBER NOIR SERIES:11/25: Brick (2005)On Letterboxd? Follow along with this month's movie list here.____________________WE'D LOVE TO CONNECT!Please drop us a line at moviethrowdownpod@gmail.com, and follow us on social media:Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/moviethrowdown/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moviethrowdownpod/Threads: https://www.threads.net/@moviethrowdownpodTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@moviethrowdownpodFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/moviethrowdownpod/moviethrowdownpod.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week's episode, we delve into the world of Technicolor noir with 1953's Niagara. This story of love and betrayal includes a lot of the classic tropes of the noir genre and includes a fantastic early performance from the great Marilyn Monroe. ____________________STILL TO COME IN OUR NOVEMBER NOIR SERIES:11/18: Blow Out (1981)11/25: Brick (2005)On Letterboxd? Follow along with this month's movie list here.____________________WE'D LOVE TO CONNECT!Please drop us a line at moviethrowdownpod@gmail.com, and follow us on social media:Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/moviethrowdown/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moviethrowdownpod/Threads: https://www.threads.net/@moviethrowdownpodTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@moviethrowdownpodFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/moviethrowdownpod/moviethrowdownpod.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, we kick off November Noir month with one of the genre's quintessential titles: 1946's The Postman Always Rings Twice. This tale of desire, betrayal, and fate is one of several films adapted from the writing of James M. Cain that set a standard for everything that came after it.____________________STILL TO COME IN OUR NOVEMBER NOIR SERIES:11/11: Niagara (1953)11/18: Blow Out (1981)11/25: Brick (2005)On Letterboxd? Follow along with this month's movie list here.____________________WE'D LOVE TO CONNECT!Please drop us a line at moviethrowdownpod@gmail.com, and follow us on social media:Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/moviethrowdown/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moviethrowdownpod/Threads: https://www.threads.net/@moviethrowdownpodTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@moviethrowdownpodFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/moviethrowdownpod/moviethrowdownpod.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, we wrap up Stephen King Adaptations Month with 1986's Maximum Overdrive. This is the only film that Stephen King has directed to date, and it's quite a ride. The set was plagued by turmoil, and what ends up on-screen shows that it was a difficult shoot. We go deep into the lore around this cocaine-fueled odyssey and, of course, try to figure out how what we watch actually got made. ________________________________WE'D LOVE TO CONNECT!Please drop us a line at moviethrowdownpod@gmail.com, and follow us on social media:Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/moviethrowdown/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moviethrowdownpod/Threads: https://www.threads.net/@moviethrowdownpodTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@moviethrowdownpodFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/moviethrowdownpod/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week's episode, Stephen King Screen Adaptations Month continues with the recent remake of Salem's Lot. We welcome Mike's librarian friend and horror aficionado, Andy Remondino, to help us make sense of what we watched.________________________________Follow Andy on Instagram here, and check out his Letterboxd profile here.________________________________STILL TO COME THIS MONTH:10/28: Maximum OverdriveIf you'd like to follow along with what we're doing this month, check out this Letterboxd list: https://boxd.it/zgUKi________________________________WE'D LOVE TO CONNECT!Please drop us a line at moviethrowdownpod@gmail.com, and follow us on social media:Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/moviethrowdown/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moviethrowdownpod/Threads: https://www.threads.net/@moviethrowdownpodTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@moviethrowdownpodFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/moviethrowdownpod/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Mike and Steven discuss Mike Flanagan's Stephen King-approved adaptation of Doctor Sleep, the 2019 follow-up to The Shining. ________________________________STILL TO COME THIS MONTH:10/21: Salem's Lot (2024)10/28: Maximum OverdriveIf you'd like to follow along with what we're doing this month, check out this Letterboxd list: https://boxd.it/zgUKi________________________________WE'D LOVE TO CONNECT!Please drop us a line at moviethrowdownpod@gmail.com, and follow us on social media:Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/moviethrowdown/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moviethrowdownpod/Threads: https://www.threads.net/@moviethrowdownpodTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@moviethrowdownpodFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/moviethrowdownpod/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, we kick off Stephen King Big Screen Adaptation Month with one of the writer's stories that doesn't get as much love as some of the others. 1983's The Dead Zone, directed by David Cronenberg, is a psychic thriller that stars the great Christopher Walken and Martin Sheen. Joining us to break it all down is author Laura Carney, whose literary insights really class up the show and give us some directions we might not have otherwise gone down.________________________________STILL TO COME THIS MONTH:10/14: Doctor Sleep10/21: Salem's Lot (2024)10/28: Maximum OverdriveIf you'd like to follow along with what we're doing this month, check out this Letterboxd list: https://boxd.it/zgUKi________________________________Pick up Laura Carney's memoir My Father's List here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1637586388/Visit her online at bylauracarney.com and on Instagram at @myfatherslist.________________________________WE'D LOVE TO CONNECT!Please drop us a line at moviethrowdownpod@gmail.com, and follow us on social media:Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/moviethrowdown/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moviethrowdownpod/Threads: https://www.threads.net/@moviethrowdownpodTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@moviethrowdownpodFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/moviethrowdownpod/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we put a bow on Clooney/Pitt Fixer Month with Wolfs, the streaming double-team they put out this week through Apple TV+. This is our first film in the series that features both of the stars, for better or worse. Does it reach the high bar we set last week with Michael Clayton? Listen to find out. But be warned: this is spoiler-adjacent, so if you don't want to hear any of the actual details before getting a chance to check out the film, maybe listen after you have.__________________________You can find everything we're discussing this month at this fun Letterboxd list page.__________________________Next month: STEPHEN KING ADAPTATIONS!__________________________Thoughts on the show? Drop us a line at moviethrowdownpod@gmail.com! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, friend of the show Gerik Gooch joins us to discuss the much beloved George Clooney fixer film Michael Clayton. It's director Tony Gilroy's debut in the director's chair, though the film's note-perfect script is far from his first. We discuss that and a whole lot more. __________________________You can find everything we're discussing this month at this fun Letterboxd list page.__________________________Still to come this month:9/30: Wolfs__________________________Thoughts on the show? Drop us a line at moviethrowdownpod@gmail.com! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we take a break from Clooney/Pitt Fixer Month to return to our Rewatch & Reconsider series where we make a case for a film that's generally considered to be "bad," but at least one of us thinks is still a lot of fun. We're discussing Nicolas Cage's 2007 entry into the Marvel world, Ghost Rider.__________________________You can find everything we've discussed in our Rewatch & Reconsider series on this fun Letterboxd list page.__________________________Still to come this month:9/23: Michael Clayton (with guest Gerik Gooch)9/30: Wolfs__________________________Thoughts on the show? Drop us a line at moviethrowdownpod@gmail.com! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Clooney/Pitt Fixer Month continues this week with the Coen Brothers' 2016 Hollywood satire Hail, Caesar! There's a lot to love about this film, but it's also easy to get lost in the details. We discuss its pros and cons, and one of us nerds out over the on-screen typography a bit. __________________________You can find everything we're discussing this month at this fun Letterboxd list page.__________________________Still to come this month:9/16: BONUS EPISODE: Rewatch & Reconsider (Ghost Rider)9/23: Michael Clayton (with guest Gerik Gooch)9/30: Wolfs__________________________Thoughts on the show? Drop us a line at moviethrowdownpod@gmail.com! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we kick off Clooney/Pitt Fixer Month with Andrew Dominik's Killing Them Softly from 2012. It's one of only 22 films to ever get an F rating from Cinemascore, and in the episode we try to get to the bottom of what made audiences dislike it so much.__________________________You can find everything we're discussing this month at this fun Letterboxd list page.__________________________Still to come this month:9/9: Hail, Caesar!9/16: BONUS EPISODE: Rewatch & Reconsider (Title TBD)9/23: Michael Clayton (with guest Gerik Gooch)9/30: Wolfs__________________________Thoughts on the show? Drop us a line at moviethrowdownpod@gmail.com! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we wrap up M. Night Shyamalan month with Old, his tale of a mysterious beach that affects its visitors' aging speed. We also look back on the entire month of films and discuss what we learned about the writer/director and his approach to filmmaking. __________________________________________And if you’d like to log as you go you can find everything we discuss this month on our Letterboxd list page here.__________________________________________COMING NEXT MONTH: Fixer films featuring Brad Pitt and/or George Clooney__________________________________________Send your thoughts on M. Night Shyamalan or anything else to us via email at moviethrowdownpod@gmail.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we continue M. Night Shyamalan month with his latest film, TRAP. It's more of the same from the writer/director, but with some fun new ideas (at least according to one of our hosts). __________________________________________And if you’d like to log as you go you can find everything we discuss this month on our Letterboxd list page here.__________________________________________Still to come during M. NIGHT SHYAMALAN MONTH:7/26 Old__________________________________________Send your thoughts on M. Night Shyamalan or anything else to us via email at moviethrowdownpod@gmail.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

M. Night Shyamalan month continues with UNBREAKABLE, the film many consider his best work to date. In the episode we discuss the comic book aspects of it, how it’s photographed so beautifully, the great performances, and much more.__________________________________________And if you’d like to log as you go you can find everything we discuss this month on our Letterboxd list page here.__________________________________________Still to come during M. NIGHT SHYAMALAN MONTH:7/19: Trap7/26 Old__________________________________________Send your thoughts on M. Night Shyamalan or anything else to us via email at moviethrowdownpod@gmail.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s M. NIGHT SHYAMALAN MONTH! We’re kicking things off with one of the director’s more recent films, KNOCK AT THE CABIN, which we hope might be one of the titles that prove he’s settled into being the director we hoped he could be. There’s no twist, but there are still a lot of the better hallmarks of his filmmaking. __________________________________________And if you’d like to log as you go you can find everything we discuss this month on our Letterboxd list page here.__________________________________________Still to come during M. NIGHT SHYAMALAN MONTH:8/12: Unbreakable7/19: Trap7/26 Old__________________________________________Send your thoughts on M. Night Shyamalan and the show to moviethrowdownpod@gmail.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.