Movies with My Dad

Episode 112: Gentle MonsterFrench cinema is truly something else. Tina finds deeper meaning in even the most mundane task shown in a scene, while Stratis can’t find any art in a film about a father who is a pedophile. Gentle Monster is a profile of a troubled German couple who are working through the fact that the father is a child predator, while the police never seem to put the young boy’s safety first. To say it’s not a feel-good movie is an understatement. Our discussion tries to make sense of what we saw, but at least one of us isn’t convinced this movie needs to exist. Vive la France!InstagramBlue SkyLetterboxdFacebookYouTubeMusic - "New York Big Jazz" by MagikStudio/Jamendo/Adobe Stock

Episode 111: ClayfaceClayface definitely provided some wildly different impressions for us this week. Neither of us knew much about this classic comic book character, but that didn't stop us from having opinions. Clayface could have become a superhero for the oppressed and downtrodden, but instead he’s hung up on getting revenge on those who did him wrong. Even though this comic book character goes back to the 1940s, the 2026 version manages to squeeze in some AI as the villain du jour. Not sure the nano cells needed any help transforming our hero/villian into a menacing blob of goo, but Hollywood always has to incorporate new buzzwords into films. Just for fun, our review goes in some strange directions, including “don’t we all have some murder in us?”InstagramBlue SkyLetterboxdFacebookYouTubeMusic - "New York Big Jazz" by MagikStudio/Jamendo/Adobe Stock

Episode 110: You Can See EverythingYou Can See Everything brings Elizabeth Holmes and the story of Theranos back to our collective consciousness, and Nathan Fielder guides us through an insane behemoth of a documentary. How this movie ever got made is a mystery, but it was amazing to spend three hours with Elizabeth. If you leave the theater with a better understanding of her, you’re doing much better than us. We spend most of this episode debating what the “real” Elizabeth is all about. Get ready to be entranced by this documentary masterpiece.InstagramBlue SkyLetterboxdFacebookYouTubeMusic - "New York Big Jazz" by MagikStudio/Jamendo/Adobe Stock

Episode 109: VerityWelcome to a throwback to the erotic murder movies of the ’70s and ’80s. The killer Verity cast includes stars Anne Hathaway, Dakota Johnson, and Josh Hartnett. The story is filled with twists and turns throughout and tries really hard to bring back that retro vibe. Unfortunately, Tina laughed at all the wrong places. Stratis was entertained enough, but wanted the pace to pick up a little. If you’re looking for a good date movie to bond over, this just might be it.InstagramBlue SkyLetterboxdFacebookYouTubeMusic - "New York Big Jazz" by MagikStudio/Jamendo/Adobe Stock

Episode 108: DiggerDigger is the latest Tom Cruise big-budget film, and it’s attempting to be a real intellectual  blockbuster comedy. Instead, we get a neat plot twist and a heck of a lot of yelling, but that’s just not enough to carry the day. The creators wanted to comment on the state of the world and the petrochemical companies that wield immense power. Unfortunately, the audience that might be attracted to this film is probably already in the choir and won’t enjoy the ham-handed sermon. So if you like smart, intellectual dark comedies, maybe you should give 1964’s Doctor Strangelove a try instead.InstagramBlue SkyLetterboxdFacebookYouTubeMusic - "New York Big Jazz" by MagikStudio/Jamendo/Adobe Stock

Episode 107: PrimetimeGet ready for an emotional ride into the disturbing world of pedophilia, TV news exploitation, and humanity’s morality. Primetime explores all this and so much more. You’re put right into the middle of one of TV’s biggest news magazine shows as it tracks down and lures pedophiles into an on-camera police sting operation. You cannot walk away from this film without being moved, but how and in which direction is going to be very personal. Tina and Stratis aren’t even in the same universe about the way this movie makes them feel. Let’s just say one of them couldn’t be happier - not sure if that’s a healthy place to be though. Buckle up for this one!InstagramBlue SkyLetterboxdFacebookYouTubeMusic - "New York Big Jazz" by MagikStudio/Jamendo/Adobe Stock

Episode 106: Coyote vs. AcmeEven though we went to the Toronto International Film Festival this week, we still found time to visit our local AMC theater to see Coyote vs. Acme. This movie has everything you’d want in a live-action cartoon: great animation, strong comedic actors, and the heritage of Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote. Who could ask for anything more? Well, evidently us. We just couldn’t find the funny here. At least we had a great time at the film festival watching a taxidermist love story. Trust us, it was worth it.InstagramBlue SkyLetterboxdFacebookYouTubeMusic - "New York Big Jazz" by MagikStudio/Jamendo/Adobe Stock

Episode 105: BuddyIf you’re a child of the ’90s and Barney the purple dinosaur was a staple in your house, then Buddy, starring a psychotic unicorn, may be your kind of movie. That’s assuming you’re looking for a deeply disturbing, trauma-filled, child-murder-palooza of a movie. Buddy perfectly matches the vibe of pre-school educational television shows with some Pee Wee Herman spice thrown in for good measure. We respect the craft of making this film, even if we don’t completely understand what we saw.InstagramBlue SkyLetterboxdFacebookYouTubeMusic - "New York Big Jazz" by MagikStudio/Jamendo/Adobe Stock

Episode 104: The Best Little Whorehouse in TexasThe world lost a truly wonderful spirit this week. We do our best to give Dolly Parton a film tribute by watching The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. It’s hard to explain how a film about Texas sex workers can be turned into a wholesome musical, but that’s the magic of Dolly. There are some great performances throughout, but Charles Durning stands out as the dancing/singing governor of Texas. He almost steals the entire show. Tina gives us all a Dolly history lesson, while Stratis covers the real story this movie is based on. Dolly’s singing and acting were a huge contribution to the world’s happiness, but don’t forget about the free books she gives to kids through her Imagination Library. Dolly, we will miss you.InstagramBlue SkyLetterboxdFacebookYouTubeMusic - "New York Big Jazz" by MagikStudio/Jamendo/Adobe Stock

Episode 103: IdiotsWhen a movie has a title like Idiots, you go in wondering if you should even bother to see it. Writer/director Macon Blair wanted to make a comedy about two hapless losers who get hired to transport a delinquent rich kid to rehab. On its face, that seems like a strong premise for all kinds of hijinx, but what we get instead is just not funny, and that’s a real problem for a comedy. To be fair, there were a couple of dudes in the theater who really seemed to enjoy the show, but they may have been operating on a HIGHER plane. InstagramBlue SkyLetterboxdFacebookYouTubeMusic - "New York Big Jazz" by MagikStudio/Jamendo/Adobe Stock