by Adam Riske and Patrick Bromley
Double Feature 1:
Adam: #1: Terrifier (2016)
Patrick: #2: The Day the Clown Cried (1972)
Patrick: Trailers/Shorts: Shakes the Clown, Quick Change, The Greatest Show on Earth
Patrick: Theme: The Crying on the Inside Kind I Guess
Patrick: I know going with an all-Clown night is an obvious theme (and is going to alienate Coulrophobics), but it’s our theater and I want to see The Day the Clown Cried. It can’t possibly be any more upsetting than Terrifier.
Adam: It’s so strange they randomly re-released Terrifier in theaters the weekend of Barbie & Oppenheimer. This is one of the craziest double features ever conceived for the Lingerground Cinemarink. We’re gonna leave that theater changed. Well done sir.
Double Feature 2:
Patrick: #1: For Love of the Game (1999)
Adam: #2: Mr. Baseball (1992)
Adam: Trailers/Shorts: The Babe, The Scout, Cobb
Adam: Theme: '90s Messy Guy Baseball Movies
Adam: I saw your tweet recently about you digging For Love of the Game. I haven’t had that watch yet but I’m willing to keep trying. I would love to see it on this double bill since Mr. Baseball is an old favorite of mine and always makes me want to fly to Japan to see a baseball game. I miss the 1990s when baseball movies came out a couple of times a year.
Patrick: I’m into this theme because I haven’t seen any of the other movies on the bill (maybe The Babe at some point?). I can’t really defend liking For Love of the Game but I don’t think it’s as bad as its reputation. Our mutual friend tweeted out that he thinks it’s Sam Raimi’s best movie, which I cannot sanction, but I admire the conviction.
Double Feature 3:
Patrick: #2: Family Honor (1973)
Patrick: Trailers/Shorts: Mean Streets, Massacre Mafia Style, Bugsy Malone
Patrick: Theme: 1970s Gangster Movies
Patrick: It’s almost impossible to pair anything with The Godfather. It’s what would be referred to on some podcasts as a “full meal” movie (a term I do not like). It’s so epic and expansive that trying to watch anything after it feels like an exhausting chore. Am I crazy? At the same time, I like the idea of going small with the same genre, and Family Honor is about as small as mob movies get. It’s an underrated gem that I would love to introduce an audience to if they’re strong enough to stick around.
Adam: I led with The Godfather as a challenge to see what you’d pair it with. I trust you so I’d like to see it with Family Honor. I agree that this slot is primed for a “discovery” pick and it’s best to go small, sort of a digestif after the full meal (sorry). Did you see all The Godfather exhibits at the Academy Museum? Weren’t they great?
Patrick: The Godfather stuff was incredible and, like most of the stuff at the Academy Museum, made me want to rewatch the movies. Are you someone who prefers II over I?
Adam: As much as I like II there’s no question for me that I prefer the first Godfather.
Double Feature 4:
Patrick: #1: Waterworld (1995)
Adam: #2: The Net (1995)
Adam: Trailers/Shorts: The Indian in the Cupboard, Nine Months, Pocahontas, The Bridges of Madison County, Braveheart
Adam: Theme: Playing on July 28, 1995 at Sony Theatres Rolling Meadows
Adam: I drive past the building where this theater was occasionally and it makes me reminisce about how good we had it with Sony Rolling Meadows, One Schaumburg Place, and Woodfield 1 & 2, 3 & 4 and the Mall. I like how movies would sort of find their theater based on their unique identity. If you were genre-y you were Woodfield Mall, Mom movie? Rolling Meadows, Paramount-ish? One Schaumburg Place. It became textbook after a while. P.S. I once wrote about how great the summer movie season of 1995 was. These aren’t even all favorites of mine but it’s still a hell of a lineup. P.S. (again) Sometimes I listen to “Colors of the Wind” from Pocahontas on YouTube and by sometimes, I mean weekly. That shit moves me.
Patrick: You know I’ve never seen Pocahontas? I feel like a bad person.1995 was so good! I know I’ve told you this before, but I was once obsessed with an awful podcast that named The Net as one of the best movies of the ‘90s, which I cannot sanction but I admire the conviction.
Double Feature 5:
Adam: #1: Pitch Black (2000)
Patrick: #2: Bloody Birthday (1981)
Patrick: Trailers/Shorts: From Dusk Till Dawn 2: Texas Blood Money, Gerald’s Game, The Seventh Sign
Patrick: Theme: Horror Movie Eclipses
Patrick: Pitch Black rules, and truth be told I’m sure as soon as it ends I’ll just want to watch The Chronicles of Riddick again. I decided to go another way, contrasting the slick sci-fi horror of the first movie with the grimy low-budget killer kid movie Bloody Birthday. A couple of kids are born on the same night (during an eclipse) and become evil murderers as a result. Why are eclipses such a thing in horror?
Patrick: #2: Bloody Birthday (1981)
Patrick: Trailers/Shorts: From Dusk Till Dawn 2: Texas Blood Money, Gerald’s Game, The Seventh Sign
Patrick: Theme: Horror Movie Eclipses
Patrick: Pitch Black rules, and truth be told I’m sure as soon as it ends I’ll just want to watch The Chronicles of Riddick again. I decided to go another way, contrasting the slick sci-fi horror of the first movie with the grimy low-budget killer kid movie Bloody Birthday. A couple of kids are born on the same night (during an eclipse) and become evil murderers as a result. Why are eclipses such a thing in horror?
Adam: Because eclipses are spooky and bring out the crazies! Remember House of the Devil? I love Pitch Black too (Omg Radha!) and I’m excited to use this double feature to give Bloody Birthday a first look. Aren’t we supposed to be getting another Riddick movie soon? I could’ve sworn I heard that somewhere.
Patrick: I thought I had heard that too but I don’t have high hopes. I think Vin is stuck in Torettoland indefinitely. I’d much rather we had 10 Riddick movies.
Double Feature 6:
Patrick: #1: Richie Rich (1994)
Adam: #2: The Pagemaster (1994)
Adam: Trailers/Shorts: Getting Even with Dad, The Nutcracker, The Good Son
Adam: Theme: Mac’s Last Ride
Adam: It’s no secret to you or our readers that I’m ride or die for Macaulay Culkin. He was my favorite movie star for at least a couple of years during my youth and I named him more than once as “President of Kids.” His career makes me sad (because Kit Culkin sucks), but I’m also glad Macaulay Culkin seems well-adjusted as an adult and more importantly, happy. His late child-actor career is mixed but I have a real soft spot for his wounded birds of 1994 like Richie Rich and The Pagemaster. If they were people, these movies would be dorks that get shoved into lockers, but the kind of dorks I would be friends with for my entire life.
Patrick: Another lineup of mostly stuff I’ve never seen! Except for The Good Son, these would all be first-time watches. I’ve never even seen Richie Rich! The hotel we stayed at in California had poolside movies that they advertised as “classics” and the night we got there the movie was Richie Rich, which I cannot sanction but I admire the conviction. Don’t worry. I have it on hold at the library now.
Double Feature 7:
Adam: #1: Hook (1991)
Patrick: #2: The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997)
Patrick: Trailers/Shorts: Ender’s Game, 1941, The BFG
Patrick: Theme: Spielberg’s Folly
Patrick: I recently rewatched the HBO Spielberg documentary on a plane and it has me wanting to revisit all of his movies. These are probably my two least favorite of those I’ve seen, but I’m wondering if they’ll play better together and not in relation to any of his other, better movies. I know I’m in the minority on this because people love these movies. Also, my trailer block is unfair because I like 1941 and have never seen The BFG.
Adam: I just watched The Fabelmans again on a plane! Spielberg movies are so great for plane viewing. I haven’t seen 1941 (I’ve had opportunities, but it seems manic to the point of fatigue…I’ll eventually get to it) and The BFG is very meh. As for the double feature itself, I’ve grown to really like Hook now that I see it more through the Robin Williams character’s eyes than Charlie Korsmo and The Lost Boys. I think Hook might get a Fabelmans bump. I bet there’s some parallels I never thought of before. I was just talking about The Lost World: Jurassic Park today with a friend of mine and I said it’s probably the movie I don’t like that I’ve seen the most times. I might just…like it? I do get into Lost World moods usually when I’ve had a gummy or several mixed drinks.
Double Feature 8:
Patrick: I thought I had heard that too but I don’t have high hopes. I think Vin is stuck in Torettoland indefinitely. I’d much rather we had 10 Riddick movies.
Double Feature 6:
Patrick: #1: Richie Rich (1994)
Adam: #2: The Pagemaster (1994)
Adam: Trailers/Shorts: Getting Even with Dad, The Nutcracker, The Good Son
Adam: Theme: Mac’s Last Ride
Adam: It’s no secret to you or our readers that I’m ride or die for Macaulay Culkin. He was my favorite movie star for at least a couple of years during my youth and I named him more than once as “President of Kids.” His career makes me sad (because Kit Culkin sucks), but I’m also glad Macaulay Culkin seems well-adjusted as an adult and more importantly, happy. His late child-actor career is mixed but I have a real soft spot for his wounded birds of 1994 like Richie Rich and The Pagemaster. If they were people, these movies would be dorks that get shoved into lockers, but the kind of dorks I would be friends with for my entire life.
Patrick: Another lineup of mostly stuff I’ve never seen! Except for The Good Son, these would all be first-time watches. I’ve never even seen Richie Rich! The hotel we stayed at in California had poolside movies that they advertised as “classics” and the night we got there the movie was Richie Rich, which I cannot sanction but I admire the conviction. Don’t worry. I have it on hold at the library now.
Double Feature 7:
Patrick: #2: The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997)
Patrick: Trailers/Shorts: Ender’s Game, 1941, The BFG
Patrick: Theme: Spielberg’s Folly
Patrick: I recently rewatched the HBO Spielberg documentary on a plane and it has me wanting to revisit all of his movies. These are probably my two least favorite of those I’ve seen, but I’m wondering if they’ll play better together and not in relation to any of his other, better movies. I know I’m in the minority on this because people love these movies. Also, my trailer block is unfair because I like 1941 and have never seen The BFG.
Adam: I just watched The Fabelmans again on a plane! Spielberg movies are so great for plane viewing. I haven’t seen 1941 (I’ve had opportunities, but it seems manic to the point of fatigue…I’ll eventually get to it) and The BFG is very meh. As for the double feature itself, I’ve grown to really like Hook now that I see it more through the Robin Williams character’s eyes than Charlie Korsmo and The Lost Boys. I think Hook might get a Fabelmans bump. I bet there’s some parallels I never thought of before. I was just talking about The Lost World: Jurassic Park today with a friend of mine and I said it’s probably the movie I don’t like that I’ve seen the most times. I might just…like it? I do get into Lost World moods usually when I’ve had a gummy or several mixed drinks.
Double Feature 8:
Patrick: #1: War of the Worlds (2005)
Adam: #2: Transformers (2007)
Adam: Trailers/Shorts: 2000s July 4th Weekend Movies
Adam: Theme: The Perfect Storm, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, Men in Black II
Adam: I don’t love either of these movies (I do like that Perfect Storm though) but I’m curious to rewatch both since I’m on a Tom Cruise run right now (I just rewatched Mission: Impossible - Fallout and The Firm recently after seeing Dead Reckoning). I remember liking the first half of War of the Worlds but thinking the ending was too abrupt and the third act falls apart after a great setup. I wonder if Transformers has aged well when compared to 2023 blockbusters. Probably not, but it’s the only Transformers movie I have any interest in revisiting.
Patrick: I like War of the Worlds overall, but you’re not wrong about it missing a third act. It’s been years since I last revisited Transformers but I know I thought it still sucked. I can’t believe those movies are being reevaluated as good online.
Double Feature 9:
Patrick: #2: Rhinestone (1984)
Patrick: Trailers/Shorts: The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Straight Talk, “Dolly Has a Date with Bruce Willis” segment from Dolly (1987)
Patrick: Theme: Dolly Parton Tribute
Patrick: It’s astounding to me that Dolly Parton only made a couple of movies, because she’s such a natural presence on screen. I like every movie she’s been in – yes, including Rhinestone, which I intentionally programmed instead of Best Little Whorehouse because I want to hear an audience sing along with Sylvester Stallone as he performs “Drinkenstein.” Now that’s a night at the movies.
Adam: The Last Action Heroes book I read earlier this summer made me want to watch Rhinestone and I’ve never seen 9 to 5 so I’m all over this double feature. Gawd, is Dolly Parton charming.
Double Feature 10:
Patrick: #1: Jaws 2 (1978)
Adam: #2: Arachnophobia (1990)
Adam: Trailers/Shorts: Spider-Man, Sorcerer, Charlotte’s Web, All That Jazz, Eight Legged Freaks, 2010: The Year We Make Contact
Adam: Theme: Scheiderwebs
Adam: This was originally going to be a night of movies where a character gets electrocuted but that probably invites bad karma, so I took a cue from a No Doubt song I heard on the radio on my drive home tonight. Even though this is pun led, I think Jaws 2 and Arachnophobia would play great together. I’m so glad I got to see the latter on 35mm at the Music Box a couple of Octobers ago. Plus, I need some Harley Jane Kozak this July. I got my June fix with House on Sorority Row but I’m ready for more.
Patrick: “Scheiderwebs” is amazing. You are the winner.
I'm so into these! Great pairings as always. I would most like to do the Dolly and Scheiderwebs doubles--you guys always come up with creative pairing ideas and I love it!
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