Thursday, April 5, 2018

Friday Night Double Features Vol. 3

by Adam Riske and Patrick Bromley
April showers got you down? Watch these double features!

Double Feature 1
Adam: #1: Cellular (2004)
Patrick: #2: Murder by Phone (1982)
Patrick: Trailers/Shorts: One Missed Call (2003), Don’t Answer the Phone! (1980), Blondie’s “Call Me” video, When a Stranger Calls (1979)
Patrick: Theme: Hello? Is it Me You’re Looking For?

Patrick: I genuinely really like Cellular, so you started this Friday night out in a great way. I miss the David Ellis that made cool little genre movies (and, now that he’s gone, I miss David Ellis period). I’ve never seen Murder by Phone, but I was watching the trailer with Mike recently and asking myself how I’ve lived this long without the movie in my life. I like the idea of doing a double feature with one sure thing and one unknown quantity, especially when the unknown quantity is called Murder by Phone. Plus, we could rope a millennial into watching with us so we can explain why all of these people are talking into their phones.

Adam: “Rope a Millennial” is my favorite show on CMT! I love Cellular because it prevented me from making a poor career/life choice once. Remind me to tell you that story on the next podcast we do. I’ve never heard of Murder by Phone (I confused it with Murder by Death for a second) but I trust in your recommendations. Good call! #Sorry

Double Feature 2
Patrick: #1: A View to a Kill (1985)
Adam: #2: The Living Daylights (1987)
Adam: Trailers/Shorts: You Only Live Twice (1967), Live and Let Die (1971), The Spy Who Loved Me (1977), Moonraker (1979), For Your Eyes Only (1981), Octopussy (1983), Licence to Kill (1989), Barry Bonds highlight reel, Bond-specific open mic co-headlined by Mike Pomaro and Patrick Bromley
Adam: Theme: Summer Bonds Make Me Feel Fine

Adam: Do you like Bonds in the summer of Bonds in the winter more? Like Harry Potter, I think I need them to be in November if only to have something to talk about with people at Thanksgiving dinner. I thought this was an interesting pairing because we can see the end and beginning of a Bond era (era). Plus, it only felt right to include The Living Daylights on your behalf. Also, the Duran Duran to A-Ha segway will be a nice garnish to the evening.

Patrick: I love this double feature, probably because the first movie is a comfort watch and the second is one I genuinely love. Good call on the Duran Duran/A-Ha connection, too. These represent the two times that experiment was tried, and I weirdly like the theme song for the worse movie better. Because I was too young to go see the summer Bonds theatrically, I’ve only ever associated the franchise with November -- to such a consistent degree that I only want to watch Bond every year as soon as Scary Movie Month ends.

Double Feature 3
Adam: #1: The Parent Trap (1998)
Patrick: #2: Double Impact (1991)
Patrick: Trailers/Shorts: Dead Ringers (1988), Big Business (1988), New York Minute (2004), any Doublemint commercial, Nelson’s “Love and Affection” video, Basket Case (1982)
Patrick: Theme: Twice is Nice

Patrick: Twiiiiiiiiins!!

Adam: This is an amazing double feature. I never got around to seeing The Parent Trap remake. I remember being on vacation when it came out and my family saw The Negotiator instead. Wah-Wah. Double Impact has really grown on me over the years. I wish The Parent Trap had one Lohan with slicked back, greasy hair but you can’t have everything.

Double Feature 4
Patrick: #1: Punisher: War Zone (2008)
Adam: #2: Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
Adam: Trailers/Shorts: Aeon Flux (2005), Aliens (1986), The Incredible Hulk (2008), The Punisher (2004), The Terminator (1984)
Adam: Theme: Gale Anne Hurd Presents “Produce and Destroy”

Adam: I don’t think Gale Anne Hurd gets enough credit for her contributions to badass cinema. This double feature might blow the roof off the imaginary movie house where I picture these double bills play. P.S. I really like The Punisher (2004) and Punisher: War Zone. Like, more than I probably should. When the parkour guy gets shot with a rocket launcher in P:WZ, I think I laughed for a solid minute straight in the movie theater.

Patrick: It’s one of the best things ever put in a movie. I kind of missed War Zone the first time around, I think because I didn’t know how to process Lexi Alexander’s choices or whatever the fuck Dominic West is doing. I’ve come around on it a lot since then, though, because now I find it super entertaining. I respect that movie’s commitment to insane violence.

Also, wow Gale Anne Hurd. I think she’s been relegated to James Cameron’s shadow, the way Debra Hill was to John Carpenter. Because patriarchy. But she’s an amazing producer and creative talent, and the thought of celebrating her movies for a night seems really fun. Great theme, bud.

Double Feature 5
Adam: #1: Strange Days (1995)
Patrick: #2: Brain Smasher...A Love Story (1993)
Patrick: Trailers/Shorts: The Bodyguard (1992), Assassination (1987), Man on Fire (2004), Guarding Tess (1994)
Patrick: Theme: My Bodyguard

Patrick: I have rarely been more excited to see a movie than I was to see Strange Days back in 1995. The cool-sounding premise, coupled with Roger Ebert’s four-star review, had me out of my mind. From when I finally saw it (at a second-run theater) to this day, I have always wanted to like it more than I do. There’s a ton of great stuff in it, but also a good deal of stuff that’s less great. I think we can both agree that the best thing about the movie is Angela Bassett playing Ralph Fiennes’ bodyguard, Mace (ugh, the future). So, I ran with that theme and programmed a movie in which Andrew Dice Clay has to protect a hotpants-clad early ‘90s Teri Hatcher from ninjas. Because it’s directed by Albert Pyun, and I can’t program this many movies with none Pyun.

Adam: Yeah, I never joined the cult of fandom for Strange Days. I’ve seen it twice but it does very little for me. I do understand the appeal of Teri Hatcher, so I’m fine soldiering through Strange Days to get to your boy Pyun’s flick.

Double Feature 6
Patrick: #1: The Taking of Beverly Hills (1991)
Adam: #2: Stone Cold (1991)
Adam: Trailers/Shorts: If Looks Could Kill (1991), The Perfect Weapon (1991), “Rico Suave” by Gerardo and “Unbelievable” by EMF music videos
Adam: Theme: “Dude, I almost had you in 1991”

Adam: I toyed with a chemical spill actioner double bill, but I couldn’t bring myself to pairing The Taking of Beverly Hills with On Deadly Ground. Instead, let’s go with a night of #HeavyAction for guys who stepped up to the plate in 1991 and struck out with moviegoers. The trailers for this evening and the 1991 one-hit wonder music videos feel right. This could be really fun.

Patrick: This is my dream double bill. It’s like the reason I was put on this Earth.

Double Feature 7
Adam: #1: Lords of Dogtown (2005)
Patrick: #2: Prayer of the Rollerboys (1990)
Patrick: Trailers/Shorts: Thrashin’ (1986), The Unholy Rollers (1972), Solarbabies (1986), Rollerball (1975)
Patrick: Theme: Wheels with Attitude

Patrick: I’ll admit that I was not the biggest Lords of Dogtown fan when I saw it back in ‘05 (maybe it’s better than I remember?), so to counter that I’m programming an early ‘90s HBO favorite. Corey Haim and Patricia Arquette in an apocalyptic future fighting street gangs on roller skates? You bet your ass I watched it all the time. Where is this Blu-ray?

Adam: I remember seeing the trailer for Lords of Dogtown a lot back when I was dismissing Heath Ledger as a failed movie star. He was doing this weird character part in Lords (it looked Val Kilmer-y), and that almost intrigued me enough to see the movie but I never did. Now is as good a time as any, I suppose. Plus, I’ve never even heard of this Haim-Arquette roller skating epic. Consider me wheel interested. Stop rolling your eyes...ha...another pun!

Double Feature 8
Patrick: #1: Class of 1984 (1982)
Adam: #2: Repo Man (1984)
Adam: Trailers/Shorts: Class of Nuke’Em High (1986), The Decline of Western Civilization (1981), Rock ‘N’ Roll High School (1979), Sid and Nancy (1986), Punk episode of Freaks & Geeks, Class of 1999 (1990)
Adam: Theme: Gives me the C.B.G.B.’s

Adam: This might be the double feature I’m most intimidated by because everything punk era (era) makes me uncomfortable. I’ve never seen Class of 1984, so this will be a good opportunity to knock that off my bucket list.

Patrick: These two movies are incredible! The only thing better than ‘80s punks are ‘80s punks in movies. Class of 1984 is insanely fun and Repo Man is genuinely great, so I think we’re going to have the best time. This is another double feature I think you and I should actually do.

Double Feature 9
Adam: #1: Look Who’s Talking (1989)
Patrick: #2: Johnny Dangerously (1984)
Patrick: Trailers/Shorts: Fast Times “Pilot” (1986), Clueless (1995), I Could Never Be Your Woman (2007), National Lampoon’s European Vacation (1985)
Patrick: Theme: What the Heckerling

Patrick: Amy Heckerling is the best, and it’s really too bad she hasn’t directed more movies. I like Fast Times and Ridgemont High and Clueless better than Johnny Dangerously, but I think Johnny would play better as the second half of this double feature.

Adam: I share your Heckerling fandom because I’m sane. Also, I know that you’re a mensch because Loser appears nowhere in this evening. It’s like “Hello, Biggs! If you just cut your fucking hair then 90% of your problems would be solved!” I’ve never seen Johnny Dangerously, so that’s a bonus.

Double Feature 10
Patrick: #1: Bound (1996)
Adam: #2: V for Vendetta (2006)
Adam: Trailers/Shorts: Assassins (1995), Cloud Atlas (2012), The Matrix (1999), Jupiter Ascending (2015), Speed Racer (2008)
Adam: Theme: Writechowskis

Adam: I tried really hard to make this a “9 Lives of Joe Pantoliano” theme so I could homage his Tales From the Crypt episode, but I couldn’t find enough movies where I was sure his character died. Also, it’s super fucking morbid so….Writechowskis! The Wachowski siblings are filmmakers I’ll defend till the end. I even like Speed Racer (Jupiter not so much). As for this pairing, I’ve never seen Bound, surprisingly, and I thought V for Vendetta was another of their films with a strong female lead and vengeance to boot.

Patrick: I just rewatched Bound a few nights ago and it’s just as good as I remember. I love the Wachowskis even when I don’t love their movies completely (Jupiter, as you mentioned, and I’m still struggling with the pace and length of Speed Racer).

Adam: I saw Speed Racer just once and it was while I was on medication, so that might have had something to do with my affection for the film.

8 comments:

  1. While "Murder By Phone" plays mostly as a standard cop procedural, the phone deaths are fantastic and there is enough of them in there to keep you entertained. The holy grail of phone death films though is Ruggero Deodato's "Dial:Help" with the lovely Charlotte Lewis.

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  2. I loved Prayer for the Rollerboys growing up, though am not a fan of Lords of Dogtown. I'd switch it up and put Gleaming the Cube in there, although maybe that's too much late '80s/early '90s hair. I don't know.

    Also, as the marketing manager at Segway Inc. I am obliged to tell you that the word you were looking for in this line "Also, the Duran Duran to A-Ha segway will be a nice garnish to the evening." is 'segue'.

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    1. I wasn't sure about segway. Dammit!

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    2. You weren't the first and you won't be the last. :-)

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  3. I rewatched V for Vendetta before Christmas and it holds up very well. Hugo Weaving is fantastic conveying emotion even though he wears a mask throughout the whole movie.

    I didn't realize it was directed by The Wachowskis, haha. (Edit: It wasn't directed by them. They wrote the screenplay.)

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  4. This fargin icehole has never seen Johnny Dangerously?

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  5. I think, so far these are the finest double bill selections you wonderful gents have done! Bravo, bravo... :)

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