Episodes
Monday Jun 07, 2021
Monday Jun 07, 2021
Super 8 Review
After a year of anticipation through teasers, images, and speculation, J. J. Abrams’s third feature Super 8 (featuring his first original screenplay) was released in 2011 to much an overwhelming amount of hype. Fans expected big things while critics seemed out to tear it apart— and it didn’t take long before the film became a source of fierce debate. In episode #276 of the Sordid Cinema Podcast (then called Sound On Sight) Ricky D, Justine Smith and Simon Howell sat down to discuss the sci-fi thriller and settle the score. Or at least they tried. What follows is our review of Super 8 recorded way back on June 11, 2011.
Sunday Mar 21, 2021
Sunday Mar 21, 2021
Alex Proyas’ Dark City Review
While The Matrix grabbed more attention the following year from sci-fi fans and moviegoing audiences, 1998’s Dark City still holds up as a fantastically imagined search for what it means to be human in a neo-noir city set on a spaceship hurtling through the cosmos. Alex Proyas’ story of a man without a memory, who is trapped in a waking nightmare perpetrated by Nosferatu-looking aliens who swap memories in and out of citizens as if they were positioning pieces of an unsolvable jigsaw puzzle, moves at a breakneck pace while still managing an intoxicating atmosphere. This week Rick, Simon, and Patrick dive deep into the psyche of this great work of imagination, and while they may not resurface with all the answers, the journey is still a great one.
Join us as we break down John Murdoch’s path from a wanted serial killer to mankind’s redeemer, marvel at the impressive production design, muse on Jennifer Connelly’s nightclub singer character (or lack thereof), and try to parse out that ending. And just why does Christopher Nolan’s name keep coming up? For all this and more, have a listen!
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Saturday Mar 06, 2021
Sordid Cinema Podcast Rewind: Richard Kelly Special
Saturday Mar 06, 2021
Saturday Mar 06, 2021
Donnie Darko, Southland Tales, and The Box Review
In episode 167 of the Sordid Cinema Podcast (then called Sound On Sight), we discussed not one, not two, but three Richard Kelly films.
At the time, writer-director Richard Kelly wasn’t around too long, but his three features had all been the subject of intense debate: Is Donnie Darko the great sci-fi fable of the 2000s or a teen angst pretension pit? Is Southland Tales, as the Village Voice’s J. Hoberman contends, a “visionary” film, or creative control gone horribly wrong? And is The Box an incomprehensible sci-fi mishmash or a return to form? Al Kratina, Mariko McDonald, and Simon Howell attempt to answer all these questions without falling into any aquatic time portals.
Tuesday Mar 02, 2021
Tuesday Mar 02, 2021
The Empty Man Review
Have you heard the call of The Empty Man? Writer-director David Prior’s weird and wild movie has snuck its way into the hearts and minds of a select few in the months since it was (barely) released. Now, Ricky, Simon, and Patrick face a dilemma: how the hell do you describe a movie seemingly designed to simulate losing your mind? Note: We strongly recommend renting The Empty Man before listening! This movie is best served cold.
Monday Feb 08, 2021
Sordid Cinema Podcast #569: Joe Begos’ Psychotropic Nightmare 'Bliss'
Monday Feb 08, 2021
Monday Feb 08, 2021
Are you losing your mind in quarantine? Need to freak out, break shit, maybe attack a stranger? Now you don’t have to, because Joe Begos’ hallucinatory, wild, and loud Bliss is here to do the job for you. (To be clear: this is the 2019 horror movie Bliss, not the new sci-fi film starring Owen Wilson, which we’re sure is fine.) This week, the lads take a deep dive into Begos’ film, discuss the merits of practical effects, the enduring appeal of DIY genre filmmaking, and how one key prop can make all the difference.
Thursday Jan 21, 2021
Sordid Cinema Podcast Rewind: David Cronenberg’s Videodrome and The Fly
Thursday Jan 21, 2021
Thursday Jan 21, 2021
David Cronenberg Special
On episode 252 of the Sordid Cinema podcast (then named Sound on Sight), we invited Sean Dwyer and Jay Cheel from the Film Junk Podcast to discuss David Cronenberg’s visually audacious, revolutionary, and utterly strange sci-fi thriller, Videodrome— as well as The Fly, possibly his most triumphant and accessible film to date. Enjoy!
Tuesday Jan 19, 2021
Sordid Cinema Podcast Rewind: Cronenberg’s Antiviral
Tuesday Jan 19, 2021
Tuesday Jan 19, 2021
In our sixth Cronenberg-themed show (recorded in 2012), we expanded our scope to include David Cronenberg’s very own spawn, Brandon, whose debut feature Antiviral had just gone wide in Canada. Ricky, Edgar, and Simon tackled the flick, to see how it stacks up against one of daddy’s earlier efforts, 1981’a sci-fi actioner Scanners.
Monday Jan 18, 2021
Sordid Cinema Podcast #566:Scanners: So Good, It Will Blow Your Mind
Monday Jan 18, 2021
Monday Jan 18, 2021
Scanners Podcast Review
This week the Sordid Cinema Podcast takes a deeper look at the 1981 cult classic Scanners to see if there’s still more in this tale of telepathic intrigue than a nifty exploding head GIF. Goomba Stomp writer/editor Mike Worby joins Rick and Patrick on their dive into director David Cronenberg’s first commercial hit, discussing where the film stands in his pantheon, debating the effect a rushed production schedule had on the script, and wondering just why the film’s lead actor comes across as a robot. Along the way here are comparisons to Hitchcock and the X-Men, praise for the incredible practical effects, a chuckle over a phone booth that gets blown up but good, and some questions about that twist ending.
Does Scanners still stand the test of time? What sort of tweaks could be made if this film was ever reimagined? And just how many times will that exploding head actually be mentioned? For all this and more, have a listen!
Editor’s Note: We’ve included our original review of Scanners from 2012 at the one hour and fifteen-minute mark of the episode.
Sunday Nov 15, 2020
Sordid Cinema Podcast #560: Unbreakable
Sunday Nov 15, 2020
Sunday Nov 15, 2020
Hot off the heels of The Sixth Sense, writer-director M. Night Shyamalan decided to follow up his smash psychological horror hit with something fans weren’t quite expecting: a grounded look at the comic book superhero myth. This week The Sordid Cinema Podcast takes a look at that low-key masterpiece, Unbreakable. Rick and Patrick are joined by superfan Aisha Newton (her cat is named Elijah, after Samuel L. Jackson’s diabolical villain) to discuss what makes this film so special these many years later, especially in the context of the flood of Marvel and DC blockbusters that have released since. Those who have yet to see this 2000 film will definitely see a different approach than what they may be used to. So how does Shyamalan’s patient, precise style hold up today? Is there an audience for this type of superhero film going forward? And just what exactly is Rick’s ‘kitchen theory’? For all this and more, have a listen!
Monday Oct 26, 2020
Sordid Cinema Podcast #558: ‘Frailty’ Remains a Solid Horror Mystery
Monday Oct 26, 2020
Monday Oct 26, 2020
Frailty Podcast Review
The late Bill Paxton’s 2001 directorial debut Frailty may have passed by unnoticed at the box office, but over time this low-budget, atmospheric horror film has maintained a steady appreciation. This week Rick and Patrick are joined by Montreal-based film writer and professor Matthew Hays to break down just what makes this underseen gem so good, as well as dive into its themes of religious piety and family dynamics. The story of a man who believes he has been chosen by God to destroy demons living as humans on earth delves into dark places, as this good-natured mechanic also turns his mission into a family affair – even as one of his sons thinks his father may be going insane.
From strong performances to an interesting script with an unreliable narrator, Frailty consistently engages the audience and is sure to surprise them as well with its many (too many?) twists. Join us as we sort out all the plot details and ponder the mysteries. How well does Frailty handle the supernatural elements? Would the film have worked even better with more ambiguity, or is the clarity of vision one of its strengths? For all this and more, have a listen!