Ep. 356: Clayface

Yo, Adrian! In celebration of ROCKY’s 50th anniversary, cue up John G. Avildsen’s beloved underdog classic for our feature-length MovieFilm commentary track! We hope you'll go the distance with us as we discuss Sylvester Stallone’s star-making performance and Oscar-winning screenplay, the film’s unforgettable training montage magic, Bill Conti’s iconic score, Carl Weathers’ Apollo Creed, and the deceptively simple story that launched one of cinema’s most enduring franchises.Listen ad-free at Patreon: https://patreon.com/MovieFilmPodcast

(00:00:00) MovieFilm After Dark: Circadian Rhythms Off (00:02:02) Roger Moore's Spy Who Loved Me on the Big Screen (00:10:45) Stop-Motion Masterpiece: Wildwood's Dark Fantasy World (00:19:51) Prime Video's The Greatest: A Gripping Ali Story (00:25:17) Ron Howard Directs Spielberg's Abandoned Robopocalypse (00:29:08) Listener Mail: Reconciling Digger's Polarizing Cinematic Swing (00:33:00) Netflix's Cliff Booth Faces Theater Window Resistance (00:35:35) Meryl Streep as Aslan, Brian Tyree Henry as Two-Face (00:39:10) The Shifting Perception of Video Game Film Adaptations (00:45:35) Listener Feedback: The Fly Commentary and Best Remakes (00:54:43) Listener Requests: From She's All That to Human Centipede (01:00:25) Honoring the Prolific Voice Actor Eric Bauza's Legacy (01:09:20) Celebrating the Career of Actress Susan Saint James (01:12:07) Star Trek's Chekhov: A Tribute to Walter Koenig (01:18:11) Captain Picard's Legacy: A Tribute to Patrick Stewart (01:34:43) Final Thoughts, Listener Engagement, and Patreon Support We kick off Episode 357 with Brian’s response to his first viewing of the classic 007 adventure THE SPY WHO LOVED ME and Laika’s stop-motion opus WILDWOOD. Meanwhile, Zaki offers his thoughts on Prime Video’s Muhammad Ali series THE GREATEST. Plus, we open the MovieFilm Mailbag for listener questions and pay tribute to ’80s star Susan Saint James, voice-over artist Eric Bauza, and STAR TREK legends Walter Koenig and Patrick Stewart. All that and much more!Listen ad-free at Patreon: https://patreon.com/MovieFilmPodcast

Be afraid. Be very afraid. For Halloween, we’re marking 40 years of David Cronenberg’s unforgettable body-horror classic THE FLY! Cue up the 1986 film and watch along as we discuss Jeff Goldblum’s career-defining transformation from scientist Seth Brundle into the horrific Brundlefly, along with Cronenberg’s fusion of gruesome practical effects and heartbreaking romance. Listen separately or watch along as we explore why this remake remains one of cinema’s most powerful meditations on love, illness, aging, and loss. It’s the ultimate Halloween treat — but make sure nothing accidentally enters that telepod!Listen ad-free at Patreon: https://patreon.com/MovieFilmPodcast

There's a new Apu in town! The beloved SIMPSONS supporting player made his return this month after a near-decade absence, and in this BONUS DISCUSSION we have some thoughts on what he represents and other questions about representation. Plus: The legacy of Muhammad Ali and more!Listen ad-free at Patreon: https://patreon.com/MovieFilmPodcast

This week we go in-depth on DC Studios’ latest big-screen offering, the body horror-meets-Batman baddie picture CLAYFACE! Plus: we remember beloved actors Richard Riehle and Tom Skerritt, size up the latest contenders to inherit James Bond’s license to kill (while singing the praises of the 1989 Bond flick LICENCE TO KILL), offer quick takes on some new Netflix docs, and much more!Listen ad-free at Patreon: https://patreon.com/MovieFilmPodcast

This week, we’re going in-depth on two new releases: the big-screen video-game adaptation STREET FIGHTER and the mysterious Elizabeth Holmes documentary YOU CAN SEE EVERYTHING! Plus: MUSK, VISIONQUEST, remembering BREAKING BAD star RJ Mitte, Steven Soderbergh steps in for director Matt Reeves to finish THE BATMAN PART II, and much more!Listen ad-free at Patreon: https://patreon.com/MovieFilmPodcast

This week, we’re going in-depth on two very different (yet similar?) new releases: Aaron Sorkin's Zuckerberg revisit THE SOCIAL RECKONING and anarchic Tom Cruise vehicle DIGGER! Plus, we remember beloved SAVED BY THE BELL actor Dennis Haskins, unpack the now-closed Skydance/Warner Bros. merger, check in on Paramount's TRANSFORMERS and G.I. JOE revival plans, and react to yet another delay for THE BATMAN PART II. All that plus Listener Letters, Recent Watches and much more!Listen ad-free at Patreon: https://patreon.com/MovieFilmPodcast

With THE SOCIAL RECKONING bringing audiences back to the world of Facebook next week, we go back to where it all began with a commentary track for 2010's THE SOCIAL NETWORK! Listen separately or watch along as we discuss David Fincher’s meticulous direction, Aaron Sorkin’s razor-sharp screenplay, the powerhouse performances of Jesse Eisenberg and Andrew Garfield, Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross’s unforgettable score, and why this tale of ambition, friendship and betrayal feels even more relevant today. Before the story continues, log on and revisit a modern classic with us!Listen ad-free at Patreon: https://patreon.com/MovieFilmPodcast

In this bonus show we discuss the recent release of AVENGERS: ENDGAME ENCORE, with new scenes meant to lead into AVENGERS: DOOMSDAY, and the news that STAR WARS: EPISODE X may soon be coming. Plus: DAYS OF THUNDER 2 headed for the on-ramp. Does anything end anymore? We ponder this and more questions.Listen ad-free at Patreon: https://patreon.com/MovieFilmPodcast

This week, we’re going in-depth on two very different new releases: HEART OF THE BEAST and PRIMETIME! Plus, we unpack the seismic Paramount/Warner Bros. merger, ponder whether Zack Snyder has officially landed in “director’s jail,” and catch up on all the latest movie news. It’s another packed episode, so settle in and join us!Listen ad-free at Patreon: https://patreon.com/MovieFilmPodcast