Pantheon Plus – Brendan Fraser In the 90s: Encino Man

Brian and Jerome are celebrating another Oscar winner from this year’s awards and it’s Brendan Fraser. More specifically, his films from the 90’s.

We start with a breakout performance in a goofy, teen movie that millions of people remember from their childhood. It’s Enicno Man from 1992. Does the movie hold up? Nope, but that’s okay. It’s still fun to look back on.

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Ranking the Evil Dead Films

Evil Dead is a really good explanation of what makes movies fun and interesting (talented artists with a stylistic/thematic POV) and what makes them demoralizing (Corporate IP Slop). You can basically figure out which of the movies are good based on how each of them got made. Here is how I rank them.

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Ranking the Indiana Jones Films

The Reel World’s Indiana Jones “Content”
Make sure to listen to our site’s podcast episode on Raiders of the Lost Ark.
8 Thoughts on the Harrison Ford Episode of The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles
The 7 Worst Parts of Indiana Jones & the Crystal Skull
Ranking the Indiana Jones Films

The Indiana Jones film series was never one I gravitated towards much as a child (especially in comparison to my beloved Star Wars).

As such, I do not have a lot of feelings of nostalgia tied up with them. Nevertheless, revisiting them as an old has been interesting and satisfying.

Harrison Ford is obviously one of the greatest and most compelling movie stars of all time, and George Lucas is utterly fascinating as a larger than life cinema entity. (Spielberg is Spielberg.) Here is how I rank the films. Continue reading Ranking the Indiana Jones Films

More (And Less!) Than Meets the Eye – Episode 3: Revenge of the Fallen

In which we discuss embarrassing reviews from our younger selves, the 2008 writers strike’s impact on one of the worst major movies ever released, Michael Bay Unchained, giant robot balls and of course a Magic Sock Full of Matrix Dust.

Continue reading More (And Less!) Than Meets the Eye – Episode 3: Revenge of the Fallen

Pantheon Plus – Harrison Ford Month: What Lies Beneath

Jerome and Brian end their look at Harrison Ford’s filmography with a discussion of his only horror movie to date. They discuss the greatness of Michelle Pfeiffer and why this movie is a great illustration of gaslighting.

Continue reading Pantheon Plus – Harrison Ford Month: What Lies Beneath

Ranking the Jason Bourne Films

The Jason Bourne series is one of those things that had a mostly bad influence on lots of other movies and mostly was a good example of how a series of films could suffer from diminishing returns as it kept going. But I will always have a deep fondness for this series overall and for a few of the films in particular. It was one of the best showcases for Matt Damon as a star.

 

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Pantheon Plus – Harrison Ford Month: Presumed Innocent

Jerome and Brian only wish they had as shocking of an ending as the Harrison Ford movie they’re discussing this week. It’s Presumed Innocent, and what a supporting cast. Find out whether Harrison Ford’s hair is maybe just a little too short and whether this turned out to be a miscast or not.

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More (And Less!) Than Meets the Eye – Episode 1: Transformers (2007)

In which we discuss the seeming improbability of Michael Bay agreeing to helm this franchise, everything revolving around a horny teenager, characters arriving in pairs, deploying Megatron so late and Matt’s potentially controversial take on the best handling of a Transformer in a Michael Bay movie.

Continue reading More (And Less!) Than Meets the Eye – Episode 1: Transformers (2007)

Pantheon Plus – Harrison Ford Month: The Mosquito Coast

Jerome and Brian continue their look at Harrison Ford and discuss a movie Harrison Ford probably should have won an Oscar, the 1986 movie version of The Mosquito Coast, not to be confused with the Apple series. They also discuss the greatness of River Phoenix and the advantages of bringing ice to the jungle.

Continue reading Pantheon Plus – Harrison Ford Month: The Mosquito Coast

Ranking the Warren Beatty Films

Warren Beatty is one of the most fascinating  stars in the history of Hollywood. I have found him to be as compelling as any major movie star that has ever existed and always grateful to get opportunities to explore him deeper and see new layers to his work in front of and behind the camera.

This 2022 interview response by Beatty was so illuminating for understanding the conflict and tension in all Beatty movies. Beatty is the ultimate narcissist who desperately wants to conceal his own narcissism. He is embarrassed by how essential narcissism is to being a genuine Hollywood star. Everything Beatty touches becomes worth examining because of this dynamic especially when he is firmly the actual director of his movies. And it has led to some truly great works of art.

But first. His one unforgivably bad film.

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