Reel Film Chronicles – A journey in film

Space Sweepers

In a dark and dystopic future where an evil corporation wields unbridled political, technological, and social power and is willing to sacrifice the masses of socio-economically disadvantaged people it deems unfit to save an elite, wealthy few from a looming environmental apocalypse (Wait, are we sure this isn’t a documentary?), only one thing stands in their way: a rag-tag group of daring space trash collectors. Space Sweepers is the latest Netflix sensation that people will talk about intensely for a week, then likely forget entirely trying to keep up with the next big thing in the streaming deluge, probably Stranger Things. So join us as we delve into Space Sweepers and try to get to the bottom of whether the crew of the spaceship Victory were able to earn the moniker and how a $20 million dollar South Korean sleeper hit somehow looks better than 85% of major blockbusters with ten times the budget. SPACE SWEEPERS | 2021 | directed by Jo Sung-heestarring Song Joong-ki | Kim Tae-ri | Yoo Hae-jin | Jin Sun-kyu | Richard Armitagescience-fiction / drama / fantasy…

Donnie Darko

Do you find yourself possessed by an unwavering commitment to Sparkle Motion and an unnatural fear of rabbits? Then you find yourself in good company. In this exciting episode, we explore Donnie Darko, the very definition of a “cult classic”. Initially overlooked by audiences upon release, the movie quickly gained an underground following in the home video market, eventually becoming so popular that every film nerd from here to Middlesex, Virginia, now won’t shut up about it, including yours truly. There’s no longer a need to go searching for answers in all the wrong places when you can listen to The Reel Film Chronicles talk about the lasting impact of Donnie Darko. So don’t be a prisoner of fear: tune in and get the scoop on one of the most unique visions in cinematic history without having to wait 28 days, 6 hours, 42 minutes, and 12 seconds. 2001 | directed by Richard Kellystarring Jake Gyllenhaal | Jena Malone | James Duval | Drew Barrymore | Beth Grantmystery / drama / fantasy | 114 min

Nightmare Alley

You find yourself on the wrong side of the tracks in the seediest bar in town. You’re waiting for a lead on your latest case, the last case you agreed to take before you get out of the private eye game, for good. Then she walks in. She spells trouble with a capital “T,” but strange times make for strange bedfellows. You down another shot of whiskey and wave the bartender over as she sits down beside you, her presence more intoxicating than the cheap, watered down liquor. She’s not short on moxie, that’s for sure. You adjust your fedora as you try to brush the thought out of your head, but it just won’t go away: You’re trapped in a film noir. There’s not much else to do, you realize, than tune in to the latest episode of The Reel Film Chronicles and listen to the boys discuss Nightmare Alley, the latest movie from Guillermo del Toro and proof positive that film noir is still alive and well. This could very well be the beginning of a beautiful friendship. 2021 |…

The Matrix Resurrections

Everything that has a beginning has an end. Unless, of course, you work in Hollywood. The Matrix is the latest in a long line of franchises that has been resurrected, this time with the aptly named The Matrix Resurrections, the fourth outing into an environmentally devastated world where machines have come to dominate society, and people are kept placated and docile in a virtual universe enabled by a global, interconnected network. So, basically, our current world, except with slightly more cave orgies. So take your red pill, grab your sunglasses, strap on your finest leather outfit, and join us as we show you exactly how deep the rabbit hole goes. In this episode, we examine whether The Matrix Resurrections is a worthy successor to the boundary-pushing original trilogy, or just another system of control to distract audiences from the mundane reality of their day-to-day lives. 2021 | directed by Lana Wachowski starring Keanu Reeves | Carrie-Anne Moss | Yahya Abdul-Mateen II | Jessica Henwick | Jonathan Groff action / sci-fi / adventure | 148 min — CHAPTERS — 00:00 –…

The Last Duel

2021 | directed by Ridley Scottstarring Jodie Comer | Matt Damon | Adam Driver | Harriet Walter | Ben Affleckdrama / action / history | 153 min In this week’s exciting episode, Brian and Nathan discuss The Last Duel, the latest film from Ridley Scott. An historical epic about the events leading up to the last legally sanctioned duel in France, the movie wrestles with some very timely subject matter, including the very human cost of sexual assault and structural mysogyny. Join our intrepid duo as they take a deep dive into The Last Duel, exploring the unique narrative structure, powerful themes, and singular vision of one of the best movies that 2021 had to offer despite being largely ignored during its initial theatrical release. This episode also explores the celebrated filmography of Ridley Scott and where The Last Duel falls in his pantheon, in the kind of thoughtful, nuanced way you’re come to expect from The Reel Film Chronicles. Anchor Apple Google Pocket Casts — CHAPTERS — 00:00 – Introduction01:13 – Ridley Scott Filmography24:47 – The Last Duel1:13:12 –…

Resident Evil

I was roughly fifteen years old when the first Resident Evil game appeared on the Playstation and feeding off the hype of a heavy diet of gaming magazines, I was quick to run out and rent the title to see what the fuss was all about. This wasn’t my introduction to survival horror – that had come in Alone in the Dark on the PC – but it was a giant leap forward and ultimately, not a game that I could really get into. I ignored the first three games but absolutely fell in love with the fourth title, which served as a retooling of the series with the advent of an entirely new gameplay structure and embracing more of the shooter aspect of survival horror. With that being said, I can’t pretend to know anything about the series, including any of the characters or the lore of the world that’s been built up for so long. I approach these films as a bit of an outsider, but my gamer roots and knowledge are not entirely forgotten. Resident Evil has seen live action…

Underworld

Join in on some good old fashioned vampire versus werewolves fun as Brian indulges in this 2000-era five part series known as UNDERWORLD. Starring (for the most part) Kate Beckinsale, as her vampire character falls in love with a vampire/werewolf hybrid in the midst of a millennia-long war between vampires and lycans, with both sides featuring their fair share of heroes and villains.

The Fast and The Furious: Tokyo Drift

Year: 2006 | Dir: Justin Lin | Runtime: 104m It’s easy to conceive of a universe where The Fast and The Furious franchise simply dissipated into the ether like a puff of exhaust from the tailpipe of a 1970 Dodge Charger. The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift had all the hallmarks of a direct-to-video release and a total lack of any confidence in its success on the part of Universal. With none of the stars from the first two films returning, Tokyo Drift appeared to be an attempt by a major Hollywood studio to capitalize on whatever shred of popularity they could sink their greedy little claws into. On paper, it seemed to be a Fast and The Furious movie in name only: it featured all new characters in an all-new setting with a narrative completely divorced from the movies that had proceeded it. All signs pointed to Universal trying to squeeze the last few drops of profitability from a (at the time semi-) recognizable brand name before discarding its desiccated rinds into the gutter like so much scrap metal. Tokyo Drift might very well have sealed the…

Dune

2021 | directed by Denis Villeneuvestarring Timothee Chalamet | Rebecca Ferguson | Oscar Isaac | Josh Brolin | Stellan Skarsgardaction / science-fiction | 155 min Strap on your stillsuits and grab a heaping helping of spice as you travel along with The Reel Film Chronicles to delve into the world of Dune. Based on Frank Herbert’s epic novel of the same name, Denis Villeneuve’s film adaptation is an ambitious interpretation of a story that has long been categorized as unfilmable (with the notable exception of David Lynch’s attempt with his own cinematic version back in 1984, which has since garnered a cult following). As recent converts to the Dune-iverse, Brian and Nathan bring to bear their own insightful insights to the denizens and political machinations of Arrakis. Such challenging source material requires the skill and patience rivalling the bene gesserit themselves. Tune in to find out whether 2021’s Dune exceeded even the most prescient of visions or whether it earned itself a place in the gullet of a sandworm. Anchor Apple Google Pocket Casts — CHAPTERS — No chapters, it’s…

Eternals

With a more casual approach, Brian and Nathan take on this sweeping entry into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. 2021 | directed by Chloé Zhao starring Gemma Chan – Richard Madden – Angelina Jolie – Kumail Nanjiani a ction / science-fiction / superhero | 156 min — CHAPTERS — No chapters, just pure Eternals talk here! Anchor Apple Google Pocket Casts