Treknobabble: Cause & Effect

Sick of sloughing through shit from the Netflix doc-slop trough? FEAR NOT! It's time to crack open the Tickle Trunk and dig out your formal attire, because we've got two beautifully crafted entrees that will wipe that "premium doc" format aftertaste out of your stupid mouth: John Wilson’s The History of Concrete and Ross McElwee’s Remake.

Jesus Christ! They've done it... They've done it! After previously covering one of the most joyful movies of all time, this week we are tackling what could very well be the bleakest. Threads is a British docudrama that goes into brutal detail on the effects of nuclear war on the general population. But is this movie scientifically accurate? How would future generations learn to survive and rebuild society? Would Threads have been better if it starred Steve Guttenberg? Which members of the Film Junk crew would actually survive the apocalypse? Take shelter and soil yourself in fear while listening to this week's episode of Film Junk.

In honour of Star Trek Day, we are taking an episode of Treknobabble out of the Patreon vault! On this one, Reed Farrington joins us to discuss season 5 episode 18, Cause & Effect (aka The Time Loop Episode). Must be deja vu... or is it vuja dej?

Come Rain, come shine, come snow, come sleet, the show must go on! We are dancing our way through an all-time classic this week on Film Junk with the 1952 Gene Kelly musical Singin' in the Rain. The genre and era are a bit of a blind spot for us so we also brought in an "expert" to help us with our analysis. Does any of the humour still work for modern audiences? Which of the song and dance numbers are the most impressive? Is Donald O'Connor an unsung hero or is he just creepy? Is the movie truly a masterpiece or is it another case of classitosis? Make love to a bush and download this week's episode of Film Junk.

"What are you gonna do, tough guy? You gonna make a citizen's arrest?" This week on Film Junk, we are ending the summer season off with a fun '90s thriller starring Kurt Russell, Ray Liotta and Madeleine Stowe. Unlawful Entry is not necessarily a masterpiece but it is watchable in the best way possible. Does this movie have a deeper social commentary or is it just a shallow genre exercise? Is Ray Liotta's performance deserving of more praise than an MTV Movie Award nomination? What would you do if you got the chance to beat up the man who broke into your house and terrorized your wife? Try and guess our seven-letter password on this week's episode of Film Junk.

"COME SEPTEMBER, YOU CAN SUCKING ON MY BIG FAT MEMBER" - Dolly Parton, RIP. Listen, this month gets dark in a few spots, but honestly, it's about time you WAKE UP and consider the atomic sword of Damocles hanging over ALL of our heads EVERY SINGLE DAY. When those missiles strike, it's not as simple as popping an umbrella and tip-tapping carefree and gay as can be in a REIGN OF FIRE. Unless that umbrella is made from some SERIOUS fire retarded material, that umbrella ain't DOIN' SHIT. All that and a documentary.

"I am not a vigilante. I am just trying to get home to my little girl's birthday party and if everyone will just stay out of my way, nobody will get hurt." This week we revisit Joel Schumacher's 1993 dark comedy / thriller Falling Down and find out whether it has gotten more or less controversial over the years. Is D-Fens a relatable anti-hero or just an entitled asshole? Is Prendergast's character arc satisfying or weirdly regressive? Does this movie feel out of place in Joel Schumacher's filmography? Should fast food restaurants just serve breakfast all day long? Go past the point of no return... this week's episode of Film Junk is not economically viable.

Hey Bobby, now do you care? Just a little bit? This week we are stepping up to the plate to revisit an underrated Tony Scott thriller that was definitely not a hit on initial release. His batting average as a director is pretty solid but everyone goes through the occasional slump. Is it a forgotten classic or is it like a bad freeway accident with everyone slowing down to watch? Does any part of this movie feel realistic or does it even matter? Is the prominent use of Nine Inch Nails on the soundtrack a plus or a minus? Are there hidden Major League references in this movie? What's worse: toxic politeness or toxic fandom? Find out why baseball's better than life on this week's Film Junk Podcast.

Note: This episode is dedicated to longtime listener and beloved Film Junk community member Charbel Beaini, aka Chuck B, who sadly passed last week. His positive presence will be greatly missed, and our hearts go out to his family and friends. All the little devils are proud of hell. This week on the Film Junk Podcast, we travel to The Yabba and experience the extreme heat and aggressive hospitality of the Australian outback in Wake in Fright. This cult classic plays like a horror movie but has a unique vibe that we won’t soon forget. Is everyone in this movie practicing toxic politeness? How does anyone follow the chaos of betting on Two-Up? Is there any justification for the brutal kangaroo hunting scenes? Could any of us survive a week in The Yabba? Come and have a drink, mate... sit down with the latest episode of Film Junk.

Where's my dinner? This week on the Film Junk Podcast we step inside the world of a 1950s black and white sitcom with the 1998 high concept dramedy Pleasantville. The movie was fairly well-received at the time but let's find out how it holds up almost 30 years later. Is the social commentary on point or does it miss the mark? Do the digital desaturation effects still dazzle? Is this movie better or worse than The Truman Show? What was Don Knotts' mysterious TV repairman trying to accomplish anyway? It's time to separate out the things that are pleasant from the things that are unpleasant... tune in to this week's episode of Film Junk now.