Reel Film Nerds Podcast

Episode #310: Knock at the Cabin

By Matt on Wednesday, February 15, 2023

Happy Valentine’s Day hangover, may your wallets be empty and your hearts be full of love. Today for Reel Film Nerds Episode 310 the guys review Knock at the Cabin while celebrating their 5 year anniversary! Topics today include Ma Hinshaw Loses Her Cookies Episode 1, what a twist, and should we review RRR.

Apocalypse stories are a dime a dozen by movie standards. Knock at the Cabin is another apocalypse story but it doesn’t blatantly show you what’s going on outside the cabin. It hints at it and shows you news reports. Knock at the Cabin is a lot more like a one room play focusing on acting and character development and it does great. Besides the incredible acting by the entire cast especially Kristen Cui and Dave Bautista the cinematography is a master class. It is just incredible. Shot entirely on film using tight shots, wide shots, etc. it really elevates this film.

Mike liked Knock at the Cabin but didn’t love it. He awards the film 3 out of 5 Reels. Matt and Ma Hinshaw on the other hand loved it. They both give the film 4 out of 5 Reels.

Next week Mike, Matt, and Ma head to the theaters to watch our first MCU film of 2023, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania starring Paul Rudd and Jonathan Majors. Thank you for listening and we will chat with you next week!

If you have a film you would like Matt and Mike to review, email us at nerds@reelfilmnerds.com

You can find us on all things social such as YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Why not join our Facebook Fan Group so you can yell at Mike and Matt from the comfort of your keyboard while talking about films. Thank you for liking, subscribing, rating, reviewing, and telling your friends about our podcast. Stay home and stream as many movies as you can!

Knock at the Cabin

Director: M. Night Shyamalan

Writers: M. Night Shyamalan, Steve Desmond, and Michael Sherman

Stars: Dave Bautista, Jonathan Groff, Rupert Grint, and Kristen Cui

Release Date: February 3, 2023

Storyline from IMDB

While vacationing, a girl and her parents are taken hostage by armed strangers who demand that the family make a choice to avert the apocalypse.

Watch the Knock at the Cabin trailer below.

Episodes

Episode #309: The Fabelmans

By Matt on Wednesday, February 8, 2023

Happy Wednesday movie lovers. For this week’s Reel Film Nerds podcast we catch up on a 2023 Best Picture nominee The Fabelmans written and directed by Steven Spielberg. Extra topics include raw talent, breaking news, and a new movie giveaway.

This is a very personal story that took many years for Steven Spielberg to write and bring to film. The Fabelmans is very closely based on Spielberg’s upbringing in Arizona and his love of creating films. The Fabelmans is a lot deeper than that. It is also about family, resentment, lying, and truth. The film was beautifully shot and written, to be expected from Spielberg, but it also was acted extremely well. Michelle Williams and Gabriel LaBelle are incredible but Paul Dano and even Seth Rogen put on incredible displays too. The Fabelmans is a must watch film if you love movies. Is it the Best Picture winner, we will find out in a few weeks. Matt gives the film 4 out of 5 Reels while Mike with an almost perfect score rates it 4.5 out of 5 Reels.

Next week Mike and Matt head to the theaters to check out the latest M. Night Shyamalan flick, Knock at the Cabin starring Dave Bautista. Thank you for listening and we will chat with you next week!

If you have a film you would like Matt and Mike to review, email us at nerds@reelfilmnerds.com

The Fabelmans

Director: Steven Spielberg

Writers: Steven Spielberg and Tony Kushner

Stars: Michelle Williams, Gabriel LaBelle, Paul Dano, and Seth Rogen

Release Date: November 23, 2022

Storyline from IMDB

Growing up in post-World War II era Arizona, young Sammy Fabelman aspires to become a filmmaker as he reaches adolescence, but soon discovers a shattering family secret and explores how the power of films can help him see the truth.

Watch The Fabelmans trailer below.

Episodes Tributary

Episode #308: Tributary – The Pale Blue Eye

By Matt on Wednesday, February 1, 2023

Welcome to February everyone. This year is just rocketing by isn’t it? This week Mike and Matt sit down to chat about the Netflix Original The Pale Blue Eye starring Christian Bale and Harry Melling. Not murder mystery topics include Australia, cursive, and anxious Mike.

If you enjoy murder mysteries, period films, or amazing acting then The Pale Blue Eye is a great film for you. For the rest of you listeners you can stop reading now. A mysterious hanging of a West Point cadet in 1830 prompts the school’s director to recruit a local detective to investigate the mysterious suicide. The costumes are amazing, the sets are beautiful, and the color palette is perfect. Christian Bale never disappoints either. He is an incredible actor and one of the best things about this film. Harry Melling portrays a young Edgar Allen Poe nearly stealing the show from Bale.

Matt and Mike differ greatly on this film. Mike really enjoyed The Pale Blue Eye. He loved almost every aspect of it, awarding the film 4 out of 5 Reels. Matt on the other hand really found the story boring and way too long. He only awards it 2 out of 5 Reels.

Next week Mike and Matt play catch up by reviewing one of the 2023 Oscar Nominated Best Picture films The Fabelmans written and directed by Steven Spielberg. Thank you for listening and we will chat with you next week!

If you have a film you would like Matt and Mike to review, email us at nerds@reelfilmnerds.com

The Pale Blue Eye

Director: Scott Cooper

Writer: Scott Cooper and Louis Bayard

Stars: Christian Bale, Harry Melling, Simon McBurney, and Gillian Anderson

Release Date: January 6, 2023

Storyline from IMDB

A world-weary detective is hired to investigate the murder of a West Point cadet. Stymied by the cadets’ code of silence, he enlists one of their own to help unravel the case – a young man the world would come to know as Edgar Allan Poe.

Watch The Pale Blue Eye trailer below.

Episodes

Episode #307: A Man Called Otto

By Matt on Wednesday, January 25, 2023

Guess what it’s podcast time with Matt and Mike AKA the Reel Film Nerds. For episode 307 the guys chat about Tom Hanks’ latest film A Man Called Otto. Not grumpy old man topics include dry January, another awesome giveaway, and homeowners associations.

This is not intentional but so far we are at 50% sad movie reviews for 2023. We swear we are not picking sad films on purpose, guess it’s just that time of year. A Man Called Otto is a really great film but gosh it’s really depressing for the bulk of the movie. It has a really nice thoughtful third act that makes you feel all warm and fuzzy but holy crap there is some darkness to work through first. This is a difficult film to discuss without spoiling major plot points so we won’t. The acting is very good as expected from Tom Hanks but Mariana Treviño the counterbalance to the grumpy old man, was equally amazing.

Should you rush out and watch A Man Called Otto, maybe. The movie theaters would love your business and it’s Tom Hanks dang it. Mike and Matt both really enjoyed the film but Matt liked it a little bit more, awarding it 4 out of 5 Reels. Mike gives A Man Called Otto a respectable 3.5 out of 5 Reels.

Next week we stay home and sit on our couches catching Christian Bale’s latest Netflix Original The Pale Blue Eye. Thank you for listening and we will chat with you next week!

If you have a film you would like Matt and Mike to review, email us at nerds@reelfilmnerds.com

A Man Called Otto

Director: Marc Forster

Writer: David Magee, Fredrik Backman, and Hannes Holm

Stars: Tom Hanks, Mariana Treviño, Rachel Keller, and Mack Bayda

Release Date: January 13, 2023

Storyline from IMDB

Otto is a grump who’s given up on life following the loss of his wife and wants to end it all. When a young family moves in nearby, he meets his match in quick-witted Marisol, leading to a friendship that will turn his world around.

Watch the A Man Called Otto trailer below.

Episodes

Episode #306: M3GAN

By Matt on Wednesday, January 18, 2023

Happy hump day everyone! For Reel Film Nerds Episode 306 we chat about our first horror movie of 2023 M3GAN. Additional topics include the TV show Girls, donkeys, and what is elevated horror.

Does this film really qualify as a horror movie or is it a thriller? Matt and Mike think M3GAN leans more towards psychological thriller than a horror flick. The things you don’t see or experience are just as scary as the things the film does show you. M3GAN, the AI doll, is basically a mix of Terminator and Chucky with a sprinkle of everyone’s favorite Alexa device thrown in for good measure. This film is a story that has been done over and over again just not quite like this. One of the best questions M3GAN raises is a kid’s dependency on their guardian and should an AI be that guardian? There are some really interesting scenes that do make this film worth a watch. Just seeing the doll M3GAN do her thing and how well she does it is a feat in its own right. They really nailed it visually and audibly. Matt and Mike differ a bit on M3GAN. Mike, as expected, loved the movie, awarding it 4 out of 5 Reels. Matt thought the film was just average and had been done before. He awards it 3 out 5 Reels.

Next week Mike and Matt head to the theaters this week to watch Tom Hanks try to play a grumpy man in A Man Called Otto. Come on Tom, we know you are a nice guy. We will try to believe you anyway. Thank you for listening and we will chat with you next week!

If you have a film you would like Matt and Mike to review, email us at nerds@reelfilmnerds.com