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WARNING! THIS EPISODE CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR A NUMBER OF GREAT FILMS! WARNING! linktr.ee/CatchingUpOnCinema It's once again time for Catching Up On Cinema's monthly, “Tales From the Shelf” episode! In this installment, Trevor is once again joined by his good buddy Brad from the Cinema Speak podcast to discuss films with “Fantastic Finales”! Spotlighted this episode, are noteworthy films from Trevor and Brad that have incredible climaxes, powerful final sequences, or brilliant final shots. 5:00 – 11:45 – Munich (2005 12:30 – 23:00 – SPL (2005) 23:30 – 33:30 – Before Sunset (2004) 33:30 – 45:00 – Gamera 3: Revenge of Iris (1999) 46:30 – 55:00 – Inglourious Basterds (2009) 55:30 – 1:05:45 – The Gray (2005) 1:06:00 – 1:13:00 – The Killing of a Sacred Deer (2017) 1:13:30 – 1:18:45 – Scarface (1983) And stick around for the "speed round," where Trevor and Brad quickly talk about a handful of their runner-up picks: The Godfather, Blowout, Lost in Translation, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, The Social Network, First Reformed, The Hurt Locker, Zero Dark Thirty, Heat, Transformers the Movie, Godzilla (2014), Jaws, Jurassic Park, Rurouni Kenshin: The Legend Ends, Rocky, Beavis and Butthead Do America, The Street Fighter Trilogy, Mortal Kombat, Orca, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Backdraft, Little Shop of Horrors, The Wild Bunch, City of Violence Check out Brad's podcast, Cinema Speak on Libsyn at Cinema Speak, or on Twitter and Instagram. Follow us on Instagram @catchinguponcinema Follow us on Twitter @CatchingCinema Like, share, subscribe, and we'll catch you next time!

linktr.ee/CatchingUpOnCinema It's once again time for Catching Up On Cinema's monthly Catching Up On Blu-Ray episode! Join Trevor and Brad from the Cinema Speak podcast as they take a look at the blu-ray releases for January 2023! Happy New Year! Check out Brad's podcast, Cinema Speak on Libsyn at Cinema Speak, or on Twitter and Instagram. Follow us on Instagram @catchinguponcinema Follow us on Twitter @CatchingCinema Like, share, subscribe, and we'll catch you next time!

linktr.ee/CatchingUpOnCinema This week, Trevor reviews Zach Cregger's, Barbarian (2022)! Follow us on Instagram @catchinguponcinema Follow us on Twitter @CatchingCinema Like, share, subscribe, and we'll catch you next time!

linktr.ee/CatchingUpOnCinema This week, Kyle and Trevor review Damien Leone's, Terrifier 2 (2022)! A direct continuation of the events of Terrifier (2016), as well as a progression of the franchise much in the way Gareth Evans' The Raid (2011) expanded the scope for The Raid 2: Berandal (2014), Damien Leone's Terrifier 2 (2022) is a spirited sequel that improves upon the original in virtually every regard. Representing far more than a simple upgrade in terms of gallons of blood spilt and buckets of viscera splattered, Terrifier 2 represents a meaningful effort on the part of creator and crew to improve upon aspects of the original that were nigh universally regarded by the fanbase to be detrimentally anemic, namely characterization and plot. While not a full-on character study, over the course of its near 2 and a half hour runtime, Terrifier 2 succeeds in introducing and fleshing out a small cast of well-considered characters, ably performed by all involved, in particular star and “Final Girl,” Lauren LaVera. While somewhat overlong, Terrifier 2 features stellar production values that belie its more than modest $250k budget, but perhaps more important, it boasts a coherence and clarity of vision across all aspects of production that is massively impressive, and highly commendable. The little horror that could, Terrifier 2 is far from a perfect film, but it truly feels like the movie Damien Leone wanted to make, and based on its incredible word of mouth reputation and unexpected box office success, I'd say the fanbase are quite happy with the result. Follow us on Instagram @catchinguponcinema Follow us on Twitter @CatchingCinema Like, share, subscribe, and we'll catch you next time!

linktr.ee/CatchingUpOnCinema This week on Catching Up On Cinema, Kyle returns to the program to review Mark Mylod's, The Menu (2022)! A deviously clever, pitch black comedy thriller, The Menu boasts stellar performances from Ralph Fiennes, Anya Taylor-Joy, and Nicholas Hoult, among others. Bubbling over with subtext and meta text relating to the complicated relationship between those that produce and those that consume, The Menu is a lovingly crafted piece of entertainment, as well as a provocative and timely work of social and artistic commentary. A well considered production that perseveres in spite of changing both director and lead actress prior to production, The Menu is a film that asks you to savor its thematic flourishes, but thankfully manages to offer a satisfying meal for those that would prefer to get to the cheeseburger, er, meat of the matter. Follow us on Instagram @catchinguponcinema Follow us on Twitter @CatchingCinema Like, share, subscribe, and we'll catch you next time!

linktr.ee/CatchingUpOnCinema Happy New Year! In this, the first episode of Catching Up On Cinema for the year 2023, Trevor does a solo review of Chuck Russell's, Paradise City (2022)! Billed as both the latest and (potentially) last of Bruce Willis' rather unfortunate string of direct-to-video films, Paradise City (2022) is a bland actioner that, while admittedly hamstrung by a cognitively comprised star and a tight shooting schedule, largely fails to add up to the sum of its parts. Despite a boasting a capable director in the form of Chuck Russell, decent production values, and a cast of eager supporting players, Paradise City is coherent and seldom embarrassing, but sadly not much more than that. Bonus points for successfully telling a (simple) story and achieving feature length, e.g. being a film. Also, bonus points for the part where the dude is dropped into the greenscreen volcano. Follow us on Instagram @catchinguponcinema Follow us on Twitter @CatchingCinema Like, share, subscribe, and we'll catch you next time!

linktr.ee/CatchingUpOnCinema It's once again time for Catching Up On Cinema's monthly Catching Up On Blu-Ray episode! Join Trevor and Brad from the Cinema Speak podcast as they take a look at the blu-ray releases for December 2022! Happy New Year! Check out Brad's podcast, Cinema Speak on Libsyn at Cinema Speak, or on Twitter and Instagram. Follow us on Instagram @catchinguponcinema Follow us on Twitter @CatchingCinema Like, share, subscribe, and we'll catch you next time!

linktr.ee/CatchingUpOnCinema It's once again time for Catching Up On Cinema's monthly, “Tales From the Shelf” episode! In this installment, Trevor is once again joined by his good buddy Brad from the Cinema Speak podcast to discuss "Aquatic Adventures". Spotlighted this episode, are noteworthy films from Trevor and Brad that involve action set amid, under, or atop the water. Brad's Picks: Titanic (1997) Zombi 2 (1979) Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954) The Beach Bum (2019) Trevor's Picks: The Beast (1996) Godzilla 1984, Shin Gojira (2016) and Godzilla vs. Kong (2021) Northern Limit Line (2015), Dunkirk (2017) Saving Private Ryan (1998) And stick around for the "speed round," where Trevor and Brad quickly talk about a handful of their runner-up picks. Check out Brad's podcast, Cinema Speak on Libsyn at Cinema Speak, or on Twitter and Instagram. Follow us on Instagram @catchinguponcinema Follow us on Twitter @CatchingCinema Like, share, subscribe, and we'll catch you next time!

linktr.ee/CatchingUpOnCinema This December is “Satanic Santa” month at Catching Up On Cinema! All month long, we'll be reviewing Christmas movies featuring murderous, rampaging Santa Claus! This week, Trevor reviews Dick Maas', Sint / Saint (2010)! A Dutch film concerning an evil Sinterklaas coming to murder the populace of Amsterdam, Sint (2010) is a visually dynamic and gory holiday horror-comedy that unfortunately fails to fully deliver on the promise of its premise. Unevenly paced, and lacking in character, Sint shows flashes of brilliance in its more energetic moments, but on the whole, sadly fails to make an impression. Follow us on Instagram @catchinguponcinema Follow us on Twitter @CatchingCinema Like, share, subscribe, and we'll catch you next time!

linktr.ee/CatchingUpOnCinema This December is “Satanic Santa” month at Catching Up On Cinema! All month long, we'll be reviewing Christmas movies featuring murderous, rampaging Santa Claus! This week, Kyle and Trevor review Joe Begos', Christmas Bloody Christmas (2022)! Released as a Shudder Original on the streaming service of the same name, Christmas Bloody Christmas (2022) is a holiday themed slasher film from director Joe Begos. Originally conceived as (another) remake of Silent Night, Deadly Night (1984), Christmas Bloody Christmas, as it exists in its completed form, more closely resembles a remake of The Terminator (1984), solely due to the structure of its 3rd act, and inclusion of a tenacious, mechanical killer, rather than anything having to do with plot or execution. Possessed of a thin concept that is oddly reminiscent of Joe Dante's, Small Soldiers (1998), Christmas Bloody Christmas is a dirt simple, though unfortunately somewhat tedious slasher. Perhaps best presented as a 45 minute episode of Creepshow, rather than a feature length film, Christmas Bloody Christmas is unexpectedly talkie in its first half, featuring numerous overlong, scenes of bawdy, overlapping dialogue that are remarkably naturalistic in delivery and pacing, but utterly unwelcome in a film with a concept and aesthetic presentation such as this. Often a delight to look at, Christmas Bloody Christmas boasts fantastic set dressings and production design, featuring audacious and hyper-stylized lighting schemes that bathe each scene with gorgeous, or alternatively, hideous, splashes of color. Noisy, and maximalist in nature, Christmas Bloody Christmas betrays the promise of its aesthetics and rock stupid concept by failing to deliver in the execution of its kill sequences. Unexpectedly restrained in the guts and gore department, Christmas Bloody Christmas features no less than 3 instances of kills that are not just cut away from before the fluids start flowing, but unfairly teased as kills that have clear potential to deliver visceral thrills. At least one of the aforementioned kill-botches bears some evidence of perhaps being the result of a failed or incomplete practical effect, however this is just a guess from this reviewer. A flawed slasher that shows craft and verve in writing, lighting and performance, perhaps too much given the overly indulgent nature of its many dialogue sequences, Christmas Bloody Christmas is not a horror film without strengths, however for this reviewer, it is a film that needed many of its darlings killed, in favor of processing them into a leaner and more digestible package. MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS! Follow us on Instagram @catchinguponcinema Follow us on Twitter @CatchingCinema Like, share, subscribe, and we'll catch you next time!

linktr.ee/CatchingUpOnCinema This December is “Satanic Santa” month at Catching Up On Cinema! All month long, we'll be reviewing Christmas movies featuring murderous, rampaging Santa Claus! This week, Kyle and Trevor review Eshom and Ian Nelms', Fatman (2020)! Starring Mel Gibson as a world weary Chris Cringle on the edge of (2 days?) to retirement, Fatman (2020) is an unconventional Christmas film that is possessed of interesting ideas, but sadly fails to expand on any of them to any satisfying degree. In the universe of Fatman, Santa Claus is not only real, he is a known entity to the U.S. Government, and a core contributor the world economy. In Fatman, Santa is a small business owner that lives on a farm, owns guns, and (grudingly) pays taxes. While the core plot of the film involves a wealthy and nefarious young brat hiring a hitman to kill Santa after receiving a well-deserved lump of a coal on Christmas morning, the majority of the runtime of Fatman is devoted to Mel Gibson griping about the taxman, and watching the always entertaining Walton Goggins go on an extended roadtrip. Not funny enough to be a comedy, and not action oriented enough to satisfy the Redbox crowd, Fatman is a strange beast of an indie film that occasionally probes interesting material with its scripting, but is a sadly lacking in cohesiveness, resulting in a movie that is perhaps more interesting to talk about than to actually watch or enjoy. Follow us on Instagram @catchinguponcinema Follow us on Twitter @CatchingCinema Like, share, subscribe, and we'll catch you next time!

linktr.ee/CatchingUpOnCinema This December is “Satanic Santa” month at Catching Up On Cinema! All month long, we'll be reviewing Christmas movies featuring murderous, rampaging Santa Claus! This week, Kyle and Trevor review David Steiman's, Santa's Slay (2005)! Starring former NFL player and pro wrestler Bill Goldberg as the titular Santa, Santa's Slay (2005) is an unrepentantly juvenile and lewd horror-comedy with its tongue firmly planted in its rosy, sugar plumb encrusted cheeks. Clumsily scripted, but ably performed, Santa's Slay is a Christmas film penned by a writer's room of young bros raised purely on a media diet of South Park, Vince Russo-era WCW, and a never ending loop of Girls Gone Wild commercials. Eric Cartman was their father. Scott Steiner, their mother. The steel drum anthem of the Girls That Have Gone Wild For Want of Beer and Beads, their evening lullaby. Lit like a Scary Movie film, with a horrendous soundtrack consisting of unknowable, bargain bin Christmas(?) songs and low grade midi tracks, Santa's Slay is nevertheless a competent production, with fine costuming for the title character, a larger comprehensible narrative, and occasionally decent production values. A fun, good-bad ride for the majority of its scant 78 minute runtime, Santa's Slay unfortunately fails to outright stick the landing, with a baffling and utterly flat finale that feels suspiciously like a result of the production losing access to Bill Goldberg prior to filming a proper conclusion. Follow us on Instagram @catchinguponcinema Follow us on Twitter @CatchingCinema Like, share, subscribe, and we'll catch you next time!

linktr.ee/CatchingUpOnCinema It's once again time for Catching Up On Cinema's monthly Catching Up On Blu-Ray episode! Join Trevor and Brad from the Cinema Speak podcast as they take a look at the blu-ray releases for November 2022! Check out Brad's podcast, Cinema Speak on Libsyn at Cinema Speak, or on Twitter and Instagram. Follow us on Instagram @catchinguponcinema Follow us on Twitter @CatchingCinema Like, share, subscribe, and we'll catch you next time!

linktr.ee/CatchingUpOnCinema It's once again time for Catching Up On Cinema's monthly, “Tales From the Shelf” episode! In this installment, Trevor is once again joined by his good buddy Brad from the Cinema Speak podcast to discuss "A Dollop of D's"! Spotlighted this episode, are noteworthy films from Trevor and Brad that have titles beginning with the letter "D". Brad's Picks: Dumb and Dumber (1994) Don't Look Now (1973) Dolls (1987) and Dolly Dearest (1991) The Deer Hunter (1978) Trevor's Picks: The Darkman Trilogy (1990 - 1996) Deep Cover (1992) The Daimajin Trilogy (1966) Doberman (1997) And stick around for the "speed round," where Trevor and Brad quickly talk about a handful of their runner-up picks. Check out Brad's podcast, Cinema Speak on Libsyn at Cinema Speak, or on Twitter and Instagram. Follow us on Instagram @catchinguponcinema Follow us on Twitter @CatchingCinema Like, share, subscribe, and we'll catch you next time!

linktr.ee/CatchingUpOnCinema This November is “No Nut November” at Catching Up On Cinema! All month long, we'll be reviewing erotic thrillers from the 80's and 90's! This week, Trevor and Kyle celebrate the 200th episode of Catching Up On Cinema with a review of John McNaughton's, Wild Things (1998)! Released at a time when the erotic thriller genre was being phased out in favor of teen-focused sex comedies and Scream (1996) rip offs, Wild Things (1998) is a competent neo-noir that has since developed a minor cult following. Benefiting massively from the charms of its charismatic and very game cast of players, Wild Things is nothing special from a writing or production standpoint, however it manages to keep the viewer engaged with a steady drip of smolder, sex, and plot twists. Perhaps best remembered as the film featuring (executive producer) Kevin Bacon's penis in a brief, but essential cameo, Wild Things is a decent erotic thriller, that, perhaps unfortunately, also perhaps marks the transition point for the subgenres' trajectory towards hibernation/obscurity. Special thank to Kyle's brother Nik, Trevor's brother Matt, and all our podcasting friends Brad @cinemaspeak Harrison and Jordan @GriefBurrito Chase Keys and EmmyZero @snescapades Chris @playcomicscast Brian and Michele @MovieLifePod Richie @SuperMediaBros_ And thanks to you, the listener, for tuning in and supporting us all these years! Follow us on Instagram @catchinguponcinema Follow us on Twitter @CatchingCinema Like, share, subscribe, and we'll catch you next time!

linktr.ee/CatchingUpOnCinema This November is “No Nut November” at Catching Up On Cinema! All month long, we'll be reviewing erotic thrillers from the 80's and 90's! This week Kyle and Trevor review William Friedkin's, Jade (1995)! Follow us on Instagram @catchinguponcinema Follow us on Twitter @CatchingCinema Like, share, subscribe, and we'll catch you next time!

linktr.ee/CatchingUpOnCinema This November is “No Nut November” at Catching Up On Cinema! All month long, we'll be reviewing erotic thrillers from the 80's and 90's! This week Trevor does a solo review of Phillip Noyce's, Sliver (1993)! Released almost exactly one year after her star making turn in the massively successful Basic Instinct (1992), Sliver (1993) saw Sharon Stone return to the erotic thriller subgenre, albeit without the benefit of the one-two punch of Paul Verhoeven's slick and wildly excessive directorial flourishes, and Jan De Bont's sumptuous lighting and lensing. Once again working from a screenplay penned by genre veteran and Hollywood sleaze maestro, Joe Esztherhas; Sliver sees Sharon Stone cast not a femme fatale as in case of the pairings earlier effort, Basic Instinct, but as a weirdly passive, shy woman that may be more sexually adventurous than even she would care to admit. A murder-mystery whodunit that often feels utterly uninterested in detective work or suspense building, Sliver somewhat delivers on the eroticism and thrills one would expect from an erotic thriller, however the connective fiber between the elements, so essential to creating an effective and cohesive genre film, are sorely lacking. Dull and aimless in instances where its handsome and talented cast still have their clothes on, Sliver is not bereft of interesting thematic content or compelling performances, though at the end of the day it all feels very slight and surface level, and sadly doesn't amount to a film that could be considered much more than “adequate” or “serviceable”. Reportedly a troubled production in the form of the MPAA requiring massive reedits to avoid an NC-17 rating, and negative test audience reactions compelling the producers to insist on changing the identity of the killer and the entire ending well into post-production, Sliver is a film that was restructured within an inch of its life, such that its a small miracle that it was even able to limp its way into theaters as a coherent narrative at all. Many point to Basic Instinct (1992) as being at or near the pinnacle of the erotic thriller boom of the era, and appropriately enough, Sharon Stone and Joe Esztheras' very next project together, Sliver (1993), would go on to represent the cresting of the wave for the genre. Follow us on Instagram @catchinguponcinema Follow us on Twitter @CatchingCinema Like, share, subscribe, and we'll catch you next time!

linktr.ee/CatchingUpOnCinema This November is “No Nut November” at Catching Up On Cinema! All month long, we'll be reviewing erotic thrillers from the 80's and 90's! This week on Catching Up On Cinema, Trevor does a solo review of Paul Verhoeven's, Basic Instinct (1992)! Working from a script penned by genre stalwart Joe Esztherhas, Verhoeven's Basic Instinct (1992) represents an acceleration in the ongoing evolution of the then booming erotic thriller subgenre. Starring Michael Douglas and an up-and-coming Sharon Stone, Basic Instinct is a raunchy neo-noir whodunit. Profane, explicit, and positively dripping with body fluids at every turn, Basic Instinct is thankfully more than just an expensive fuck film from the 90's. Brilliantly shot and scored by Jan De Bont and Jerry Goldsmith respectively, and performed with intensity and verve by a who's who of recognizable names and faces, Basic Instinct's only true liability is its (reportedly) $3 million screenplay. Robbed of momentum in its later stages by the necessity of the whodunit aspect of the narrative taking precedence over the fucking and fighting, Basic Instinct unfortunately allows itself to get bogged down with too many repetitive interrogation sequences in the lead up to its resolution. A sexy, fun watch, Basic Instinct is not as consistently entertaining or as layered as many of Verhoeven's best mainstream American efforts, however it is effortlessly memorable, and easily a standout among the subgenre. Follow us on Instagram @catchinguponcinema Follow us on Twitter @CatchingCinema Like, share, subscribe, and we'll catch you next time!

linktr.ee/CatchingUpOnCinema This November is “No Nut November” at Catching Up On Cinema! All month long, we'll be reviewing erotic thrillers from the 80's and 90's! This week we kick things off with a review Adrian Lyne's, Fatal Attraction (1987)! A wildly successful erotic thriller from genre maestro Adrian Lyne, Fatal Attraction (1987) is by no means the first of its kind, however it can easily be pointed to as one of the most important and influential to the mainstream proliferation of the subgenre. Featuring Michael Douglas, who would soon find himself occupying the enviable role of the poster boy for erotic thriller leading men, as well as the at the time surging Glenn Close, Fatal Attraction (1987) is an exceedingly handsome thriller, in terms of both the aesthetic charms of its cast, as well as in terms of its crisp lighting and cinematography. In spite of the quality of performance and raw filmmaking talent poured into the film, Fatal Attraction is nevertheless a somewhat strange film to evaluate in 2022. Featuring a vague portrayal of mental illness in the form of Glenn Close's, Alex, as well an adulterous protagonist in the form of Michael Douglas', Dan, Fatal Attraction's narrative arc and tendency to look up upon the character of Dan in a positive/sympathetic light, may be difficult pills for contemporary audiences to swallow. In spite of its somewhat dated cultural perspectives, Fatal Attraction is a superior erotic thriller possessed of fantastic production values and engaging drama that never veers into disingenuous melodrama. An exciting and highly profitable film that would ensure that director, star, and subgenre alike would occupy an important niche in Hollywood for years to come. Follow us on Instagram @catchinguponcinema Follow us on Twitter @CatchingCinema Like, share, subscribe, and we'll catch you next time!

linktr.ee/CatchingUpOnCinema Happy Halloween from all of us here at Catching Up On Cinema! In this, the first of a new series of bonus episodes that Kyle has proudly dubbed, “My Brother Pissed On Me,” Kyle and his brother Nik reminisce about the 90's phenomenon that was R.L. Stine's, Goosebumps. Primarily focusing their discussion around the book series and the late-90's TV adaptations of The Werewolf of Fever Swamp and A Night in Terror Tower, the 2 brothers nevertheless find plenty of opportunities to verbally piss on one another throughout. Happy Halloween! Follow us on Instagram @catchinguponcinema Follow us on Twitter @CatchingCinema Like, share, subscribe, and we'll catch you next time!