TAATM #485: The Day After vs. Miracle Mile

Paul and Erin review two films that take place during the early days of World War III: Nicholas Meyer's blockbuster 1983 TV-movie THE DAY AFTER, and Steve de Jarnatt's quirky 1988 cult movie MIRACLE MILE.

Paul and Erin round up new releases like Paul Thomas Anderson's ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER and Park Chan-Wook's NO OTHER CHOICE before moving on to a grab bag of older titles, including LINDA LINDA LINDA, THE OFFENCE, WHO KILLED TEDDY BEAR?, and FOOL FOR LOVE.

Paul and Erin discuss two films about obsessive fandom: Rob Reiner's 1990 Stephen King adaptation MISERY, and Tony Scott's 1996 De Niro/Snipes thriller THE FAN.

Paul and Erin take a quick survey of a host of new releases including Spike Lee's HIGHEST 2 LOWEST, THE ROSES, F1, ELIO and Ethan Coen's HONEY DON'T, before gazing backward upon the likes of LADYHAWKE, TELEFON, THE EARRINGS OF MADAME DE... and the first season of MIAMI VICE.

Paul and Erin are held captive by two films about kidnapping schemes affecting wealthy men: Akira Kurosawa's 1963 all-timer HIGH AND LOW, starring Toshiro Mifune, and Ron Howard's 1996 smash thriller RANSOM, starring Mel Gibson.

Paul and Erin review a pile of new movies, including FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS, THE NAKED GUN, EDDINGTON, TOGETHER, WEAPONS, SACRAMENTO, THE LIFE OF CHUCK and BILLY JOEL: AND SO IT GOES, before revisiting the romcoms BABY BOOM and KATE & LEOPOLD, the only-in-New York flicks THE INCIDENT and SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION, and the Roman Polanski flop swashbuckler PIRATES.

Paul and Erin discuss two films that tell the origin stories behind classics of children's literature: Marc Forster's 2004 Oscar-bait drama about the creation of PETER PAN; and DREAMCHILD, the Dennis Potter-scripted 1985 drama about the creation of ALICE WONDERLAND.

Paul and Erin review James Gunn's comic-book blockbuster SUPERMAN, along with Alex Ross Perry's unconventional music doc PAVEMENTS, Mariska Hargitay's documentary MY MOM JAYNE and David Mamet's HENRY JOHNSON, as well as a Studio Ghibli classic, a neglected 1970s Key West hangout flick, a PADDINGTON movie and Dennis Potter's final two TV ministeries.

Erin and Paul bone up on two comedies about lower-class women getting tutored by intellectual men: the 1950 Judy Holliday vehicle BORN YESTERDAY, and the class-conscious 1983 British comedy EDUCATING RITA, starring Michael Caine and Julie Walters.

Paul and Erin share their impressions of Wes Anderson's capitalist caper THE PHOENICIAN SCHEME, Danny Boyle's postapocalyptic sequel 28 YEARS LATER, Celine Song's sophomore feature MATERIALISTS, David Cronenberg's grief-stricken drama THE SHROUDS and the Netflix hit KPOP DEMON HUNTERS before delving into older features such as MILLENNIUM MAMBO, STARS AT NOON and KHOON BHARI MAANG.