Episode 143: CONTACT (1997)

Why is it when men play, they always play at killing each other? Grab your Princeton jacket, your suntan lotion, and your bloodied boat oars as NostalgiaCast investigates THE TALENTED MR. RIPLEY, based on the classic novel by Patricia Highsmith and directed by the late, great Anthony Minghella. Jonny and Darin discuss the movie's many ambiguities, why it's so easy to empathize with the monster at its center, and gaze longingly at the knockout performances from Matt Damon, Jude Law, Gwyneth Paltrow, Cate Blanchett, and Philip Seymour Hoffman. Don't be a fake somebody or a real nobody... listen now!

Pack your camping gear and take a hike in the woods for a special Halloween episode of NostalgiaCast, as critic/ scholar/ podcaster/ returning guest Megan Kearns joins Jonny and Darin for a discussion of THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT from 1999, directed by Eduardo Sánchez and Daniel Myrick, and starring Heather Donahue, Joshua Leonard, and Michael C. Williams. Shiver as your hosts dive into the history of the found footage film, why BLAIR WITCH's filmmaking and lore might've been too sophisticated for audiences even at the time of its release, and the groundbreaking (if problematic) legacy that the movie left behind.     Also check out Codie Allen's review of TEENAGE SEX AND DEATH AT CAMP MIASMA (as discussed in the episode!) at InSession Film, here:   https://insessionfilm.com/movie-review-teenage-sex-and-death-at-camp-miasma/

NostalgiaCast picks Flick! Just in time for midterms, Jonny and Darin kick off the final stretch of their 1990s retrospective with ELECTION from 1999, directed by Alexander Payne and starring Matthew Broderick, Reese Witherspoon, and Chris Klein. They discuss the knockout performances, laugh-out-loud dialogue, and multi-layered themes that made the film a cult comedy classic, plus the many ways that it mirrors our current political climate. Don't interfere with destiny. Listen now!

It looks like another sunny day here at NostalgiaCast, with a high of 72 and a low of 72 as Jonny and Darin tune in to PLEASANTVILLE, directed by Gary Ross and starring Tobey Maguire, Jeff Daniels, Joan Allen, and Reese Witherspoon. Friend and fellow podcaster Robert Yaniz Jr. is our very special guest for this episode, in which we discuss the peachy keen comedy, boss digital FX, and outta-this-world performances that bring this multi-meaning'd social commentary fantasy to life.

You wanted to tussle? Let's tussle, as NostalgiaCast sets its sights on OUT OF SIGHT, directed by Steven Soderbergh and starring George Clooney, Jennifer Lopez, Ving Rhames, Don Cheadle, Steve Zahn, and Albert Brooks. Jonny and Darin discuss the movie as an Elmore Leonard adaptation with a voice, the jump cuts, freeze frames, and electric filmmaking choices that defined the rest of Soderbergh's career, and the megawatt movie star performances by Clooney and Lopez. Also, where does the movie rank among PULP FICTION wannabes?

Justice leaves its mark! Grab your whip and your fedora as NostalgiaCast celebrates cinema's other greatest pulp adventure hero with a retrospective look at THE MASK OF ZORRO, directed by Martin Campbell and starring Anthony Hopkins, Antonio Banderas, and Catherine Zeta-Jones. Friend and fellow podcaster Stanford Clark joins Jonny and Darin for a swashbuckling, horse-riding, Spanish Tango-ing discussion of this '90s adventure classic, the characters (like Batman and Indiana Jones) that Johnston McCulley's iconic creation inspired, and the story choices and practical stuntwork that sets the movie apart from 99% of all blockbusters today.   Visit Stanford's Movies Past And Present Podcast here:  https://moviespastandpresent.com/

We can't stop here, it's bat country! Take a mind trip you'll never forget as NostalgiaCast kicks off its 1998 Bucket List retrospective with FEAR AND LOATHING IN LAS VEGAS, Terry Gilliam's polarizing adaptation of the novel by Hunter S. Thompson. Jonny and Darin are joined by author/ podcaster/ Jonny's wife Ruth Harris Craddock to discuss the gonzo performances and camera tricks that immerse us in a world of debauchery and excess, and also delve into the '60s counterculture that inspired the book. Buy the ticket, take the ride! 

NostalgiaCast says a little prayer for you as Jonny and Darin welcome film critic, friend, and good luck charm Natasha Alvar for a joy-filled discussion of MY BEST FRIEND'S WEDDING, directed by P.J. Hogan and starring Julia Roberts, Dermot Mulroney, Cameron Diaz, and Rupert Everett. They talk about the current state of romantic comedies in today's political climate, why modern movie watchers push back on the idea of imperfect protagonists, and also interview Natasha about her invaluable work cultivating the arts as editor-in-chief of The Fiction Department. Don't be the pus that infects the mucus that cruds up the fungus that feeds on the pond scum. Listen now!   Read in-depth reviews of TV, film, books, and so much more by Natasha and her esteemed contributors here: https://thefictiondepartment.com/

How do you like them apples, it's the latest '90s Bucket List episode of NostalgiaCast! Jonny and Darin are joined by returning friend (and Matt Damon lookalike) Tim Hade for a deep-dive psychoanalysis of GOOD WILL HUNTING, directed by Gus Van Sant and starring Matt Damon, Robin Williams, Ben Affleck, and Minnie Driver. Listen as they discuss the performances, Damon and Affleck's award-winning screenplay, and why a movie made up almost entirely of monologues positively should not work but absolutely does. Let the healing begin!   Listen to Tim at Brown Pocket Radio here:  brown-pocket-radio.mixlr.com

Hey, podcast listeners: wanna take a riiiiiide? Search the stars for meaning and purpose as NostalgiaCast revisits Robert Zemeckis's CONTACT, starring Jodie Foster and Matthew McConaughey. Returning guest (and fellow philosophizer) Kevin The Critic joins Jonny and Darin to help make sense of the scientific/ religious/ political debate at the center of this mind-bending sci-fi classic, plus the glorious mix of spectacle and storytelling that defines Zemeckis's best work.