January 2020 - Reel Film Nerds

Episode #157: Parasite

By Matt on Wednesday, January 29, 2020

Happy Wednesday fellow nerds! Matt and Mike are back with another great podcast for you. Today the guys review a film that slid under the radar this past November but is currently in the theaters and on Blu-ray thanks to its many Academy Award nominations, the South Korean film Parasite. Bonus topics today include Aerosmith, subtitles, and Morse code.

Parasite is a very good film that caught both of your hosts by surprise. It is 100% subtitled so if you are not ok with reading for an entire film you might want to skip this one. You will really be missing out on a great movie though. The acting, sets, and the cinematography are fantastic in Parasite but where this film really shines is its story. It is very hard to discuss this film without spoiling it so we won’t here. It is a genre bending film that raises lots of questions about societal class status. You will be thinking and discussing Parasite long after you leave the movie theater. Mike really enjoyed this film giving it 4 out of 5 Reels. Matt on the other hand was absolutely blown away by Parasite, he gives it a perfect rating with 5 out of 5 Reels.

Next week the guys head to their favorite theaters to watch DC’s latest superhero film featuring a stellar cast, Birds of Prey. The real question is if this film will continue DC’s recent success with films like Aquaman, Wonder Woman, and Shazam! or is it going to be a box office disaster like Justice League? Sorry but you will have to wait to download next week’s pod to find out. Chat with you then.

If you have a film you would like Matt and Mike Talent to review you can email us at nerds@reelfilmnerds.com, listeners we are talking to you.

Lastly we are on all things social such as YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Please join our Facebook Fan Group so you can have a safe space to yell at Mike and Matt from the comfort of your keyboard while talking about films too. Now go out and catch a movie!

Parasite

Director: Bong Joon Ho

Writers:Bong Joon Ho and Jin Won Han

Stars: Kang-ho Song, Sun-kyun Lee, Yeo-jeong Jo, Woo-sik Choi, and So-dam Park

Release Date: November 8, 2019

Storyline from IMDB

All unemployed, Ki-taek and his family take peculiar interest in the wealthy and glamorous Parks, as they ingratiate themselves into their lives and get entangled in an unexpected incident.

Watch the Parasite trailer below.

Episodes

Episode #156: Bad Boys For Life

By Matt on Wednesday, January 22, 2020

Welcome kiddos to another movie review podcast!! Ours is special though because we said so. First off we screwed up a little bit. This week’s review Bad Boys for Life was not directed by Michael Bay but by Belgian directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah. We apologize for getting your hopes up with #BayBang. We are still keeping the hashtag though. Here is your warning the guys are in really rare form on today’s pod. They tried to stay on topic but failed miserably. It’s still a fun podcast to listen to, we swear. Some of our copious off topics include The Villages in Florida, the FAA and drone regulations, and lastly Best Picture nominees.

Bad Boys for Life is a breath of fresh air for a typically stale month of movie releases. Is it going to win any awards next year, heck no but it is a ton of fun! Will Smith and Martin Lawrence retain their incredible chemistry together even after 17 years apart. The action was good but a bit over the top and even silly at times. It is not quite at the level of Michael Bay’s action but the directors were definitely channeling him. The story is where this film really shines. The previous Bad Boys films had decent stories in the past but they were second to the action. In this film, the story is very well developed with tons of great banter and comedy. Mike Talent really had a great time watching this movie, he gives it a shocking 4 out of 5 Reels. Matt also enjoyed Bad Boys For Life but did not like a couple of plot twists. He gives the film 3.5 out of 5 Reels.

Next week the guys hit the theater to review a film that flew under the radar when it was released in November of last year, Parasite. It is nominated for Best Picture and Mike and Matt can finally watch it! Thanks for hanging out with us and dealing with this truly off the wall pod of pods. See ya next week.

If you have a film you would like Matt and Mike Talent to review you can email us at nerds@reelfilmnerds.com, listeners we are talking to you.

Bad Boys For Life

Directors: Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah

Writers: Chris Bremner, Peter Craig, Joe Carnahan, and George Gallo

Stars: Will Smith, Martin Lawrence, Paola Nuñez, and Joe Pantoliano

Release Date: January 17, 2020

Storyline from IMDB

Marcus and Mike have to confront new issues (career changes and midlife crises), as they join the newly created elite team AMMO of the Miami police department to take down the ruthless Armando Armas, the vicious leader of a Miami drug cartel.

Watch the Bad Boys For Life trailer below.

Episodes

Episode #155: 1917

By Matt on Wednesday, January 15, 2020

Wednesday is upon us again, the week is halfway over and boy do we have an incredible film to review for you! Today Matt and Mike discuss the latest World War I epic 1917 directed by Sam Mendes. Not war related topics include friends, History versus Hollywood, and #BayBang.

1917 is a truly incredible film that is a must see in the theater. It is getting a ton of awards season buzz and it is warranted. The cinematography is absolutely stunning, the acting is very good, the sets and soundtrack are stunning and accurate to a T. If this film does not win several awards this year it would be a shock to both Mike and Matt. This is truly one of the best if not THE best film of 2019. Mike awards 1917 a perfect rating with 5 out of 5 Reels!!! Matt really loved 1917 as well but really would have liked it more if the story was historical. He still gives it a very high rating with 4.5 out of 5 Reels. Honestly you must see this cinematic achievement in the theaters you will thank us.

Next week the boys hit the theaters to watch another Michael Bay film, Bad Boys for Life. For those of you counting that is two Michael Bay movies in one month, crazy right? #BayBang Hopefully in the near future we will discuss a Tributary film that is getting a ton of awards season buzz as well The Two Popes starring Anthony Hopkins and Jonathan Pryce. Thanks for listening to our incredible podcast and we will chat at you next week.

If you have a film you would like Matt and Mike Talent to review you can email us at nerds@reelfilmnerds.com, listeners we are talking to you.

1917

Director: Sam Mendes 1917 Movie Poster

Writers: Sam Mendes and Krysty Wilson-Cairns

Stars: Dean-Charles Chapman, George MacKay, Daniel Mays, and Colin Firth

Release Date: January 10, 2020

Storyline from IMDB

Two young British soldiers during the First World War are given an impossible mission: deliver a message deep in enemy territory that will stop 1,600 men, and one of the soldiers’ brothers, from walking straight into a deadly trap.

Watch the 1917 trailer below.

Episodes Tributary

Episode #154: Tributary – 6 Underground

By Matt on Wednesday, January 8, 2020

Welcome fellow film geeks! Today Mike Talent and Matt discuss the most Michael Bay film Michael Bay has ever Michael Bayed in history, the Netflix original 6 Underground starring Ryan Reynolds. Not Michael Bay related topics include not so smart assistants, Kirby Chambliss, and selfies.

6 Underground is a really fun movie with tons of incredible over the top action. This is one of the few straight to Netflix films that definitely would be better to watch in a theater. The biggest issue this movie has is the story and that is a very big deal to both of your hosts. The acting is great for the most part. Ryan Reynolds comes off as just collecting a paycheck though. He is not terrible in 6 Underground but he also does nothing that’s worth talking about either. Mike Talent enjoyed the film but was very disappointed by the story and acting giving the film 2 out of 5 Reels. Matt also thought this movie could have been better except for the action and stunts, he loved them. He gives 6 Underground a score of 3 out of 5 Reels.

Possibly later this week we will discuss a second Tributary film with our review of The Two Popes starring Anthony Hopkins and Jonathan Pryce. Based on true events of the transition of power from Pope Benedict to Pope Francis. Finally, next week we will be reviewing a film your hosts are extremely excited about Sam Mendes’ 1917. A story following two British soldiers during World War I who are tasked with delivering a message behind enemy lines. Thanks for your continued support of our podcast and have a great rest of your week.

If you have a film you would like Matt and Mike Talent to review you can email us at nerds@reelfilmnerds.com, listeners we are talking to you.

6 Underground

Director: Michael Bay

Writers: Paul Wernick, Rhett Reese

Stars: Ryan Reynolds, Mélanie Laurent, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, Ben Hardy, Adria Arjona, and Corey Hawkins

Release Date: December 13, 2019

Storyline from IMDB

What’s the best part of being dead? It’s the freedom. The freedom to fight the evil which lurks in our world. 6 Underground’s group of unnamed individuals have chosen to change the future. The team’s brought together by enigmatic leader code-named ‘One’, whose sole mission is to ensure that, he and his fellow teammates will have their actions remembered.

Watch the 6 Underground trailer below.

Episodes

Episode #153: Uncut Gems

By Matt on Friday, January 3, 2020

Welcome to 2020 everyone! Nope we are not going to make the same stupid joke everyone else keeps making on the socials about finally having 2020 vision but we are going to review a movie for you! Today your hosts talk about the Safdie brother’s newest film Uncut Gems starring Adam Sandler. Bonus topics today include going to concerts, great TV shows, and advancing film making with smaller budget films.

Uncut Gems is a dark disturbing and well made film. It is gritty to it’s core from the sets to the audio tracks to the chaotic cinematography. Adam Sandler is absolutely incredible as main protagonist Howard Ratner. Easily the best performance of his life. If Sandler is not at least nominated for an Academy Award for this film Matt might start a one man riot. Kevin Garnett yes that Kevin Garnett does a surprisingly great job as himself as an obsessed NBA basketball player looking for anything to give him an edge. Uncut Gems is a great film but it is not a must see in the theaters unless you have seen Star Wars: Episode IX The Rise of Skywalker four times like Matt has then sure why not. This film has tons of awards potential and both your hosts really enjoyed it. Mike Talent with the surprise highest rating of the pod gives the film 4 out of 5 Reels. Matt gave it a good rating as well just not at Mike’s level. He gives Uncut Gems 3.5 out of 5 Reels.

Next week the guys stay home and watch a couple of new Netflix films. The first one is Michael Bay’s most Michael Bay film to date according to it’s trailers, 6 Underground starring none other than the living embodiment of the merc with a mouth Ryan Reynolds. Our second Tributary review if we can get to it is another Netflix Original based on a true story, The Two Popes starring Anthony Hopkins and Jonathan Pryce. Thanks for hanging out with us for another incredible year of movie reviews with even more to come in 2020! Chat at you next week.

If you have a film you would like Matt and Mike Talent to review you can email us at nerds@reelfilmnerds.com, listeners we are talking to you.

Uncut Gems

Directors: Benny Safdie and Josh Safdie

Writers: Ronald Bronstein, Benny Safdie, and Josh Safdie

Stars: Adam Sandler, Julia Fox, Kevin Garnett, and Idina Menzel

Release Date: December 25, 2019

Storyline from IMDB

A charismatic New York City jeweler always on the lookout for the next big score, makes a series of high-stakes bets that could lead to the windfall of a lifetime. Howard must perform a precarious high-wire act, balancing business, family, and encroaching adversaries on all sides, in his relentless pursuit of the ultimate win.

Month: January 2020

Episode #157: Parasite

Parasite

Storyline from IMDB

Watch the Parasite trailer below.

Episode #156: Bad Boys For Life

Bad Boys For Life

Storyline from IMDB

Watch the Bad Boys For Life trailer below.

Episode #155: 1917

1917

Storyline from IMDB

Watch the 1917 trailer below.

Episode #154: Tributary – 6 Underground

6 Underground

Storyline from IMDB

Watch the 6 Underground trailer below.

Episode #153: Uncut Gems

Uncut Gems

Storyline from IMDB

Watch the Uncut Gems trailer below.