Reel Film Nerds Podcast

Episode #137: Harvest Horror Fest – Alien (1979)

By Matt on Thursday, October 10, 2019

Thursday is here and that means it’s the start of our second annual Harvest Horror Fest! This year Matt has given full control over to Mike Talent well he is picking the films we are watching if that’s considered full control. First up is an incredible sci-fi horror classic that is celebrating its fortieth anniversary this year, Alien (1979), directed by the infamous Ridley Scott and starring Sigourney Weaver. Not Alien (the film) related topics include Triple Force Friday, robot juice, and Hastings (R.I.P).

Alien is an incredible film that has stood the test of time. It is still a very scary movie with amazing practical effects especially the Xenomorph. The cinematography and acting do not disappoint either. Do you think Harry Dean Stanton ever aged? The guy always looked the same on film no matter what his age was. If you have not seen Alien by now you need to buy it or rent it from your favorite online service now! Mysterious Mike Talent loved Alien and thinks it’s just as good today as the day it came out in theaters in 1979. He lovingly gives the movie 4.5 out of 5 Reels. Matt also really enjoyed Alien but thinks it has aged a bit more than he expected. He, believe it or not, gives it a lower rating than Mike with 4 out of 5 Reels.

Next week the podcastage continues with Gemini Man directed by Ang Lee starring Will Smith. On Thursday our second annual Harvest Horror Fest continues with another classic horror film review! Tune in Monday to Magic 99.1 with Leza Live to get Matt’s first impressions of Gemini Man and find out what our next HHF film will be. Thanks for listening and we will chat at you next week!

If you want to listen to way better podcast’s don’t forget to check out our sister podcasts The Bluemilk Podcast, The Mile High Show, and Rogues Radio Podcast also based in beautiful Prescott, Arizona.

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 too.

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!

Alien (1979)

Director: Ridley Scott

Writers: Dan O’Bannon and Ronald Shusett

Stars: Sigourney Weaver, Tom Skerritt, John Hurt, Veronica Cartwright, Harry Dean Stanton, Ian Holm, and Yaphet Kotto

Release Date: June 22, 1979

Storyline from IMDB

After a space merchant vessel perceives an unknown transmission as a distress call, its landing on the source moon finds one of the crew attacked by a mysterious lifeform, and they soon realize that its life cycle has merely begun.

Watch the Alien trailer below.

Episodes

Episode #136: Joker

By Matt on Tuesday, October 8, 2019

Happy Tuesday everyone? Yes we are back to two a weeks well at least for the month of October, you know what that means don’t you? HARVEST HORROR FEST IS HERE! HHF officially kicks off on Thursday but until then you will just have to settle for one of the most controversial films in years, Joker. Super special topics include PC America, mental illness, and super movie security.

Joker is an incredible cinematic achievement but it is not for everyone. This film is very dark and depressing. It takes a lot of inspiration from Martin Scorsese especially his 1976 film Taxi Driver. It is not about superheroes or villains. It is about mental illness and what happens when you push someone too far. Joker has no more violence than other films currently in the theaters. The issue your hosts’ think is stirring up the controversy surrounding this film, is that the violence in Joker is more realistic than most action films like Rambo or Hobbs and Shaw. Joaquin Phoenix gives us another incredible performance possibly the best of his career. If he is not nominated for Best Actor at the Academy Awards Mike and Matt will be extremely disappointed. The cinematography and score are both on another level. Joker is truly the complete package, according to Matt. He awards it a near perfect score of 4.5 out of 5 Reels. Mike also enjoyed the film but not nearly as much. He still gives it a very good rating of 4 out of 5 Reels.

Thursday the guys kick off Harvest Horror Fest with a film near and dear to both their heart’s, Ridley Scott’s 1979 sci-fi horror epic Alien. Don’t forget to catch Matt every Monday on Magic 99.1 with Leza Live to get a sneak peak of what film we are reviewing on Tuesday. Thanks for listening 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 too.

Joker

Director: Todd Phillips

Writers: Todd Phillips and Scott Silver

Stars: Joaquin Phoenix, Robert De Niro, Zazie Beetz, and Frances Conroy

Release Date: October 4, 2019

Storyline from IMDB

Joker centers around an origin of the iconic arch nemesis and is an original, standalone story not seen before on the big screen. Todd Phillips’ exploration of Arthur Fleck, a man disregarded by society, is not only a gritty character study, but also a broader cautionary tale.

Watch the Joker trailer below.

Episodes Legacy

Episode #135: Legacy – The Rock

By Matt on Wednesday, October 2, 2019

A new month and a new Wednesday means a new podcast for your ear holes. Today Mike and Matt get around to another Legacy Cast this one though is not a request but from Matt’s Legacy list. Today the hosts take a look back at a Michael Bay masterpiece, according to Mike Talent, 1996’s The Rock. Bonus topics include Mike won the lottery, we miss watching Sean Connery on the big screen, and violence in movies, music, video games etc.

The Rock is a classic 90’s action movie that helped put Michael Bay on the map as one of the best action film directors working today. Up until The Rock he mostly directed music videos and another little action film you might have heard of Bad Boys. The Rock is the complete package. It has incredible acting, amazing action sequences, and a compelling story about a prison inmate no one has ever heard of. It definitely shows it’s age compared to the modern action film but still holds up pretty well. Sean Connery, Nicholas Cage, and Ed Harris bring some of their best acting to the table with this film. The chemistry between our two heroes is great to say the least. Ed Harris gives us amazing nuances and dedication to his craft as a villian with honor. His character is ultimately trying to achieve recognition for overlooked soldiers who gave all but has the wits to not add innocent blood shed to do it in the end. Mike Talent loves this movie with a passion, almost as much as he loves Jaws and that’s saying a lot! He gives The Rock one of his very rare perfect ratings of 5 out of 5 Reels. Matt really enjoyed the film as well but felt it has not aged as gracefully as he remembers it. He awards it a respectful 4 out of 5 Reels.

Next week the guys hit the theaters to watch a film that is already generating a ton of controversy and buzz, Todd Phillips’ Joker starring Joaquin Phoenix. Matt and Mike are both extremely excited to see this film and give you their honest opinions for our faithful few listeners. If you want a sneak peek don’t forget to tune in to Leza Live on Magic 99.1 on Monday next week to hear Matt give his first impressions of the Joker. Thanks for listening 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 too.

The Rock

Director: Michael Bay

Writers: David Weisberg, Douglas Cook, and Mark Rosner

Stars: Sean Connery, Nicolas Cage, Ed Harris, Michael Biehn, and David Morse

Release Date: June 7, 1996

Storyline from IMDB

A mild-mannered chemist and an ex-con must lead the counterstrike when a rogue group of military men, led by a renegade general, threaten a nerve gas attack from Alcatraz against San Francisco.

Watch The Rock trailer below.

Episodes

Episode #134: Ad Astra

By Matt on Wednesday, September 25, 2019

It’s Wednesday and that means it’s new podcast day! Today Mike and Matt review the latest Brad Pitt space odyssey Ad Astra written and directed by James Gray. Incredible additional topics today include The Martian, space pirates, and Matt has a guest spot on Leza Live every Monday on a real radio station Magic 99.1, seriously?

Ad Astra is what we call a true hardcore sci-fi film. It is jam packed with action, it can drag at times, but the cinematography and acting is incredible! For the most part it is a pretty great movie with a decent story about an astronaut with daddy issues but not according to Mike Talent. There are several, and we mean several parts of the film where you have to suspend reality. Both your hosts agree though Brad Pitt‘s acting was nuanced and incredible. Clearly 2019 is Brad Pitt’s year for great acting. Liv Tyler did great and so did Donald Southerland and Tommy Lee Jones for the few seconds they are in the film. Matt and Mike did not agree on this film at all. This might be the first time in the history of the pod that they are so divided. Mike really did not like Ad Astra. He had a difficult time overlooking the many impossible and fantastical parts of the film. He gives it a dismal 1.5 out of 5 Reels. Matt on the other hand really enjoyed it giving a whole lot of passes to the impossible acts in the movie. If you are into sci-fi and space he suggests you definitely go see this film in the theater especially if you can afford an IMAX ticket. He gives Ad Astra 4 out of 5 Reels.

Next Wednesday Matt and Mike keep rolling with the Legacy casts by reviewing Michael Bay’s 1996 film The Rock. Thanks for tuning in for another pod and don’t forget to listen to Matt make a fool of himself on Monday mornings with Leza Live on Magic 99.1 FM around 8:45 AM. 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 too.

Ad Astra

Director: James Gray

Writers: James Gray and Ethan Gross

Stars: Brad Pitt, Tommy Lee Jones, Ruth Negga, and Donald Sutherland

Release Date: September 20, 2019

Storyline from IMDB

Astronaut Roy McBride undertakes a mission across an unforgiving solar system to uncover the truth about his missing father and his doomed expedition that now, 30 years later, threatens the universe.

Watch the Ad Astra trailer below.

Episodes Legacy

Episode #133: Legacy – Demolition Man

By Matt on Wednesday, September 18, 2019

It’s Wednesday and that means it’s new podcast day! Today Mike and Matt finally get around to watching and chatting about a listener film request. Today’s request which was requested months ago comes from super-fan Don in Chino Valley, Ariz. He wanted to hear the nerds take on the 1993 action packed futuristic Sci-Fi film Demolition Man. Special topics today include Borderlands 3, Moviepass is finally dead, and how do you use the 3 seashells.

The most surprising thing about re-watching Demolition Man after all these years is how accurate it predicted the future we are currently living in. For instance it predicted voice assistants, video conferencing, and the rise of Taco Bell as the only restaurant in the land! Demolition Man is not a perfect film but it is a ton of fun, filled with action and a fascinating look into the future. Wesley Snipes is a force to be reckoned with in this film. How many actors do you know can successfully play a villain and a hero with the public applauding them for their roles, not many. Matt and Mike both agree this movie is definitely worth another watch or your first watch. Matt gives Demolition Man 4 out of 5 Reels. He believes it’s mostly for nostalgia reasons but totally worth it. Mike Talent also enjoyed the film but as always is more judgmental than Matt. He gives it a 3.5 out of 5 Reels.

Next Wednesday we will be reviewing another Sci-Fi film but this one is starring Brad Pitt and Tommy Lee Jones titled Ad Astra. If you want a teaser of our review tune in Monday to Matt’s movie review segment during Leza Live on Magic 99.1 FM at 8:45 AM. Hopefully he wakes up in time for the show. Thanks for spending a half hour of your day with us especially you new listeners 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 too.

Demolition Man

Director: Marco Brambilla

Writers: Peter M. Lenkov, Robert Reneau, and Daniel Waters

Stars: Sylvester Stallone, Wesley Snipes, Sandra Bullock, Denis Leary, and Benjamin Bratt

Release Date: October 8, 1993

Storyline from IMDB

Frozen in 1996, Simon Phoenix, a convicted crime lord, is revived for a parole hearing well into the 21st century. Revived into a society free from crime, Phoenix resumes his murderous rampage, and no one can stop him. John Spartan, the police officer who captured Phoenix in 1996, has also been cryogenically frozen, this time for a crime he did not commit. In 2032, the former cities of Los Angeles, San Diego and Santa Barbara have merged into peaceful, utopian San Angeles. Unable to stop him with their non-violent solutions, the police release Spartan to help recapture Phoenix. Now after 36 years, Spartan has to adapt himself to the future society he has no knowledge about.

Episode #137: Harvest Horror Fest – Alien (1979)

Alien (1979)

Storyline from IMDB

Watch the Alien trailer below.

Episode #136: Joker

Joker

Storyline from IMDB

Watch the Joker trailer below.

Episode #135: Legacy – The Rock

The Rock

Storyline from IMDB

Watch The Rock trailer below.

Episode #134: Ad Astra

Ad Astra

Storyline from IMDB

Watch the Ad Astra trailer below.

Episode #133: Legacy – Demolition Man

Demolition Man

Storyline from IMDB

Watch the Demolition Man trailer below.