Reel Film Chronicles – A journey in film

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

Hang on to your webs spider-boys and spider-girls, because in this episode, we’re swinging out Across the Spiderverse. In this follow-up to the critically acclaimed and beloved Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, Miles Morales is grappling with how the consequences of being a hero affect him personally as well as those around him. Building on the frenetic animation style of the first film, Across the Spiderverse draws audiences in with a kaleidoscopic and vibrant visual approach that will delight and engage everyone, except for those with severe epilepsy who will likely be sent into a seizure during the opening titles alone. Taking inspiration from the Spider-Man comics (and we do mean every Spider-Man comic ever) along with every piece of Spider-Man media known to exist, Across the Spiderverse is at once a sprawling epic adventure with multiversal stakes and an incredibly focused personal story of growth, belonging, and morality perfectly woven together that will take at least ten rewatches to catch every little reference and easter egg. So slap on your spandex bodysuit, grab your mask, and join The Reel Film Chronicles as we explore…

65

A man out of time must summon the courage to save the life of a young child while battling humankind’s most ancient of enemies: the dinosaur. Also, gross bugs that crawl into bodily orifices while you’re sleeping. Though a box office flop, the movie 65 serves as a cinematic curiosity: a sci-fi genre film with a bizzare premise that tackles its subject matter with absolute seriousness. For all of its nonsensical plot points and, frankly, bewildering world- and character-building, 65 remains steadfast and laser-focused on its mission. Though what that mission might have been has likely been forever lost to the cutting room floor. Still, if you’re looking for a good time where a space-man fights dinosaurs with his lasergun, then you may have just stumbled upon the masterpiece to end all masterpieces. So listen along as we explore 65, the viability of using paprika as a communication medium, the relative effectiveness of small, blinking lights as a security system, and the potential qualifications for being a long-haul space trucker. 65 (2023)directed by: Scott Beck, Bryan Woodsstarring: Adam Driver –…

The Creator

Since the dawn of civilization, humankind has looked up into the cosmos, and with our hearts and minds overcome by the vastness of eternity, we’ve silently pondered the ultimate question at the core of our existence: Why are robots so cool? The Creator is our latest attempt to answer this age-old quandary. Helmed by Gareth “Rogue One” Edwards, the film is a special effects showcase made for the big screen, and a rarity in this day and age: a big budget sci-fi blockbuster based on original idea. In a world where human beings and AI are locked in a struggle for existence, and nations wage wars based on ignorance and partisan ideologies with no room for compromise, go and watch The Creator and take a break from all of that nonsense. Instead, watch a bunch of cool human on robot action as everyone learns a valuable lesson about the power of love, and also about the need to blow up orbital weapons platforms that reign down death arbitrarily on the citizens of sovereign nations. Join your intrepid hosts at The…

No One Will Save You

“A young woman who’s been alienated from her community finds herself in a face-off against a host of extraterrestrial beings who threaten her future while forcing her to deal with her past.” No One Will Save You (2023)directed by: Brian Duffieldstarring: Kaitlyn Dever – Elizabeth KaluevThriller – Horror – Science Fiction93 min

Talk to Me

In this universe, there are things known, and there are things unknown, and sometimes bridging that gap just takes a little conversation. Talk To Me is this year’s breakout horror hit from Australia (which is totally a thing we expect from the Land Down Under every year), offering a unique take on the ghost story / demon possession genre and creating all kinds of buzz in the horror world. An underdog pack of teens battling supernatural forces: Oh you’ve seen that before, you say? Well, you’re only half wrong. While the setup is as familiar as a beaten up old hockey mask, the execution puts a novel spin on some familiar horror tropes. You thought ghosts and demons were scary enough on their own? Well, Talk To Me takes it up a notch by using them as metaphors to explore such real-life horrors as grief, trauma, peer pressure, self harm, and drug use. So yeah. Scary and depressing. Let us in as we talk to you about Talk To Me, and discuss whether the film scratched that horror itch or…

Fast X

There’s a legend that’s spoken of in hushed tones by people of every country and creed, from the dive bars of Los Angeles to the back alleys of Brazil to the neon-lit cityscape of downtown Tokyo. A whisper, carried faintly upon the breeze, of a promise that lies just over the horizon. The legend speaks of a tribe, a family, made up of the unwanted. Misfits. Outcasts. Criminals. This is a family where all are welcome at the table, bound together through the holy communion of Corona and BBQ. A family bound by a simple maxim: Ride or die. A band of kindred souls that dole out second chances as freely and frequently as they switch gears. This is the world of The Fast and The Furious. Fast X is the tenth mainline film of a series that spans two decades and boasts the kind of staying power and legitimacy that only multiple billions of dollars can. Come along for the ride in this high-octane episode as your intrepid hosts put the pedal to the metal and charge full speed…

The Black Demon (2023)

Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water. From the director who brought us Rambo: Last Blood comes a new terrifying vision of aquatic violence known as The Black Demon. Is it a giant shark? A mutant aberration? A zoological holdover from an ancient race of megalodons? An instrument of vengeance sent by the gods to punish humanity for our crimes against nature? An allegory for the consequences of our centuries of environmental mismanagement? The manifestation of one man’s guilt as he struggles to find his humanity and a hint of redemption in a cruel, unforgiving world? Who’s to say? No really, who? With an eclectic mix of family drama, action, shady corporate politics, violence, esoteric references to ’90s sitcoms, and a hint of the supernatural, The Black Demon seems to have a lot to say, and lucky for you, the Reel Film Chronicles is here to make sense of it all. In a topsy, turvy world it’s nice to know that there’s a podcast out there that makes everything all right. So join your…

The Super Mario Bros. Movie

It’s a me, the Real Film Chronicles review of the Super Mario Bros. Movie! After 40 years and a couple of false starts, Nintendo finally made a successful transition from video games to the silver screen (all due respect to The Wizard and 1993’s Super Mario Bros.). With an all-star cast; the full might of the animated film film titan, Illumination; Nintendo’s Scrooge-McDuck-esque coffers; and four decades of simmering nostalgia, The Super Mario Bros. Movie seems to have cemented its place in movie history, raking in over a billion dollars during its theatrical run. But does the movie do justice to the timeless tale of two plumbers from Brooklyn transported to a magical realm of princesses, sentient mushrooms, talking apes, and dinosaur despots? Listen in as your intrepid hosts explore the ins and outs of Nintendo’s first successful film and maybe also learn a thing or two about the untold film history of your old pals Mario and Luigi. So dust off that Tanookie suit, hop in your go-kart, and take a ride down rainbow road with The Reel Film Chronicles…

Operation Fortune

Strap yourself in and prepare for a non-stop, white-knuckle, action-packed thrill ride. And if that doesn’t pan out, then you can always unstrap yourself and sit down to watch Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre instead, the perfect movie for a lazy Sunday afternoon. Guy Ritchie’s action adventure spy movie runs at a brisk pace quite confidently down the exact middle of the road, moored as much by the obvious fun Ritchie takes in getting to tell his own stories in his own voice as by the script, cast, or action sequences. Elevated by a talented cast, the movie seems as much an excuse for Ritchie and his crew of regular contributors to hang out in exotic locations worldwide and enjoy themselves as much as to actually film a movie. Which, honestly, you can’t really get too upset about because any one of us would probably want to do the same thing given the chance. Join your intrepid hosts as they dive into the world of Operation Fortune and the filmography of one of Hollywood’s definitely A-List directors. OPERATION FORTUNE (2023)dir: Guy RitchieStarring: Jason Statham…

Cocaine Bear

If there’s one constant in the film industry, it’s that the only sure way to improve a movie is to add copious amounts of cocaine, either behind or in front of the camera. If any movie proves this, it is certainly Cocaine Bear. Unleashed upon suspecting audiences after an incredibly effective marketing campaign, the bloody, drug-fuelled mayhem of the movie ironically serves as a sort of cinematic palate cleanser, offering a ridiculously fun escape from the drudgery of the real world. Stretching even the most liberal interpretation of the oft-invoked Hollywood mantra of “Based on a true story,” Cocaine Bear is refreshing in that it makes no pretense of even trying to portray actual events, sticking mostly to the two things that make this movie such a fun ride: namely, the cocaine and the bear. Directed by the prolific Elizabeth Banks and including a colourful cast of oddball characters, Cocaine Bear is surely the kind of film that you want injected straight into your veins. Join your intrepid hosts as they break down the blood-soaked, drug-induced lunacy of Cocaine Bear. For…