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Nobody Movie Review Nobody doesn’t break new ground for the action genre, but director Ilya Naishuller’s fight sequences and stunt choreography are so good— and Bob Odenkirk’s performance is so great— it’s essential viewing for any fan of action cinema. This week on the Sordid Cinema Podcast we review the bloody, crowd-pleasing, brutal, and never dull film, and debate if we would want to see a sequel or not. All this and more! Links: LinkTree Amazon Spotify iTunes Podbean YouTube Listen Note iHeartRadio Pandora Twitter Facebook

The Book of Boba Fett Season One Review This week on After Dark, Marc Kariloff of The Nintendo NEXpress Podcast joined to talk about The Book of Boba Fett.   With a lot of sand and a bit of pathos, Star Wars is finally telling the story of Boba Fett’s days after falling in the Sarlacc pit… at least for the first few episodes of Disney+’s The Book of Boba Fett. Created by Jon Favreau and featuring episodes directed by Robert Rodriguez and Bryce Dallas Howard, The Book of Boba Fett is an identity crisis running at hyper speed, splitting its focus between Boba Fett and The Mandalorian – and noticeably tipping its hand to which iconic bounty hunter Dave Filoni, Favreau and company are more interested in. Rancours, Darksabers, and Frank Oz jokes – The Book of Boba Fett has it all, and provides an entry into a wide-ranging discussion on the series itself, and the current state of Star Wars canon. (Also, Randy and Ricky should really watch Star Wars: The Clone Wars?)   Links: LinkTree Amazon Spotify iTunes Podbean YouTube Listen Note iHeartRadio Pandora Twitter Facebook

After an 11-year gap, Wes Craven and Kevin Williamson’s megabuck meta-slasher Scream franchise came back with the fourth installment in 2011, and to mark the occasion, Ricky D, Justine Smith and Simon Howell went back and dissect the original trilogy (in complete and spoiler-filled detail) before tackling Scream 4, which was reviewed in both non-spoiler and very, very spoiler-y format. This recording comes from episode 268 of the Sordid Cinema Podcast (formerly known as Sound On Sight). Links: LinkTree Amazon Spotify iTunes Podbean YouTube Listen Note iHeartRadio Pandora Twitter Facebook

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Following up from our epic Lord of the Rings ‘cast, Ricky D and Simon Howell had to find a way to keep the ante high to discuss The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. They could think of nothing better than to rope in one of their very favorite critics – and first-time guest – Nick Schager (Slant Magazine, Time Out NY, The Village Voice) to dissect the movie and its attendant technological advances in detail. Discussed: dwarf psychology, videogame aesthetics, 48 frames per second, and Dead Alive. Links: LinkTree Amazon Spotify iTunes Podbean YouTube Listen Note iHeartRadio Pandora Twitter Facebook

The Lord of the Rings Trilogy Review With The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey looming, we faced a problem: how do we tackle Peter Jackson’s epic, 11-hour (if we go by Extended Editions) Lord of the Rings saga without going insane? Ricky D and Simon Howell decided the best course of action was to double down. In this episode, they’re joined by Tolkien fiend Kate Fulzick of the Televerse podcast and Steve Prokopy a.k.a. Capone of Ain’t It Cool News to consider the entire trilogy as a unified entity, as well as weighing the films’ lasting impact on movie and geek culture. This segment was recorded for episode 343 of the Sordid Cinema Podcast (formerly titled, Sound On Sight). Links: LinkTree Amazon Spotify iTunes Podbean YouTube Listen Note iHeartRadio Pandora Twitter Facebook

Heels Season One Podcast Review This week on After Dark, we invited Mariko McDonald of the Talk AEW Podcast to discuss Heels! You don’t have to be a professional wrestling fan to fall head over heels in love with the new STARZ series starring Stephen Amell. Created by Michael Waldron (Loki) with Mike O’Malley serving as showrunner, Heels centers on a family-owned wrestling promotion (the Duffy Wrestling League) and follows brothers Jack (Amell) and Ace (Alexander Ludwig) Spade as they navigate their way through the world of independent professional wrestling in their small, fictional Georgia hometown of Duffy. And much like sports entertainment, the most compelling storylines are often the ones that develop outside of the squared circle as the brothers wrestle to keep the family business alive while navigating family life in the wake of their father’s death. Following eight stoic years as Oliver Queen, Amell is perfectly cast here given his long-time love affair with wrestling. In addition, his multiple appearances in several real-life wrestling promotions including the WWE and Ring of Honor, help bring far more nuance to his role. And speaking of the cast, Heels is also blessed with a star-studded supporting cast including Allen Maldonaldo, character actor treasure Chris Bauer and even the ‘Best in the World,’ CM Punk who is unforgettable in his brief appearance as local wrestling legend Ricky Rabies. By now, you’ve most likely heard someone compare Heels to Friday Night Lights. Well, that’s not a bad comparison since Heels does a superb job in keeping viewers interested even if they are not familiar with the world of professional wrestling, not unlike how Friday Night Lights reached a wide audience including those with no interest in football. And like FNL, Heels is first and foremost a family drama— it just so happens to use professional wrestling as the framing device. Ultimately, Heels is funny, dramatic, often moving, and a well-written love letter to independent wrestling. Links: LinkTree Amazon Spotify iTunes Podbean YouTube Listen Note iHeartRadio Pandora Twitter Facebook

Yellowjackets Season One Podcast Review Welcome to Sordid Cinema After Dark, a series of bonus episodes in which we break down our favourite shows, past and present. Join Randy Dankievitch, Ricky D, and rotating guests as they discuss the current state of television and why they love the shows they love! In our inaugural episode, we review the first season of Yellowjackets, the new series from Ashley Lyle, Bart Nickerson that became the sleeper hit of 2021. For the unfamiliar, Yellowjackets tells the story of a high-school soccer team who survive a plane crash deep in the Ontario wilderness and how the traumatic events continue to haunt the survivors, twenty-five years later. Think, Lord of the Flies meets Lost meets Pretty Little Liars meets The Craft. Yellowjackets is many things, including our favorite new mystery drama of the year.   Links: LinkTree Amazon Spotify iTunes Podbean YouTube Listen Note iHeartRadio Pandora Twitter Facebook

The Matrix: Down the Rabbit Hole The Matrix is a movie made of groundbreaking special effects, superb martial arts combat, and mind-bending science fiction. It’s a movie that was not only ahead of its time but has stood the test of time and a movie that is still debated, decades later. It’s a film full of ideas, pulling from several influences ranging from Spaghetti Westerns, Hong Kong action cinema Japanese anime, Philip K. Dick, Alice in Wonderland, William Gibson’s Neuromancer, and so much more. The Matrix is a tale of perception and reality, a story about consciousness and about the birth and evolution of consciousness. It’s tackle’s themes of control and freedom; predestination and free will and so much more. Above all, it’s a kick-ass Hollywood blockbuster that offers a wide array of genres blended into what is basically a classic tale of good versus evil. Simply put, The Matrix is one of the greatest movies ever made— easily one of the most influential movies ever made, and arguably the quintessential film of 1999. This week on the Sordid Cinema Podcast, Tilt Magazine contributor Kent M. Wilhelm drops by to help us discuss why The Matrix is one of our favourite movies of all time! Links: LinkTree Amazon Spotify iTunes Podbean YouTube Listen Note iHeartRadio Pandora Twitter Facebook

Censor Review The act of censorship cuts deep into the heart of Censor, a slick first feature from Welsh writer/director Prano Bailey-Bond. Censor is a nostalgic treat for anyone old enough to remember the infamous “video nasties” scare of the early eighties but it’s also a film about the power of editing, memory, and dealing with traumatic events from your past. In other words, it’s a movie about the grieving process and how deep-lying emotional trauma can cloud one’s identity and judgment— but it’s also a kick-ass psychological horror film that we happen to love. This week on the Sordid Cinema Podcast we break down this wonderfully ambiguous, introspective, thoughtful film and tell you why it landed on our list of the best horror films of 2021. All this and more!   Links: LinkTree Amazon Spotify iTunes Podbean YouTube Listen Note iHeartRadio Pandora Twitter Facebook

James Wan’s impact on contemporary horror is undeniable. The Malaysian-born Australian filmmaker is not only the co-creator of the Saw and Insidious franchises but he’s also the creator of The Conjuring Universe, the second highest-grossing horror franchise of all time. Marking his return to horror after a detour into family-friendly blockbuster filmmaking, James Wan’s Malignant once again proves that the producer/director still knows a thing or two about making good horror films. Malignant is a fine patchwork quilt of ’70s and ‘80s horror films and best described as a modern-day Sci-fi, supernatural Giallo with an outlandish plot that feels lifted from the best and worst Dario Argento films. This week on the Sordid Cinema Podcast, we’ll tell you why Malignant is one of our ten favourite horror films of 2021 and why we had such a fun time watching it!

The Beta Test Review Writer-director-actor Jim Cummings’ made a splash with Thunder Road and The Wolf of Snow Hollow, two independently produced films that were both very well received on the American indie circuit. His latest, The Beta Test, co-written and directed with its co-star PJ McCabe was 100% crowdfunded and made specifically in a way to avoid the traditional old-school corporate model of moviemaking to have complete control of the final product. The Beta Test is many things: a scathing satire of Hollywood culture; a black comedy; a detective story; and an erotic thriller that doubles as a cautionary tale about the age of digital tracking and your digital footprint. It’ best described as the twisted delinquent cousin to Robert Altman’s The Player— something WGA members will love, and agents will hate! This week on the Sordid Cinema Podcast, Simon Howell and Ricky D break down why The Beta Test is one of their favourite films of 2021 and explain why Jim Cummings is a star in the making. Links: LinkTree Amazon Spotify iTunes Podbean YouTube Listen Note iHeartRadio Pandora Twitter Facebook

Spider-Man: No Way Home Podcast Review Not even the pandemic can stop millions of people from flocking to theatres to watch the third installment of John Watt’s Spider-Man trilogy starring Tom Holland as everyone’s favourite neighborhood Spider-man! Spider-Man: No Way Home unwrapped the best Holiday gift of all, becoming the first pandemic-era movie to cross $1 billion at the global box office. The numbers that Spider-Man: No Way Home is pulling in are nothing short of incredible and now that everyone has had a chance to see the movie, we figured it was time to deliver our spoiler-heavy review of the film, Joining Ricky D to discuss Spider-Man: No Way Home is Randy Dankievitch, Marc Kaliroff, and David Harris. Links: LinkTree Amazon Spotify iTunes Podbean YouTube Listen Note iHeartRadio Pandora Twitter Facebook

Scream (1996) Review Wes Craven’s Scream was an unexpected smash hit in 1996, revitalizing the horror genre and inspiring a new generation of self-knowing teen slasher films. For a generation of kids, Scream provided a gateway to horror movies, but how does it hold up 25 years later? In this episode of the Sordid Cinema Podcast, we revisit Craven’s canny, witty, and surprisingly effective slasher film and explain why it not only holds up but remains one of the greatest scary films ever made. Joining us is Tilt Magazine writer, Leah Wersebe. Links: LinkTree Amazon Spotify iTunes Podbean YouTube Listen Note iHeartRadio Pandora Twitter Facebook

Succession Podcast Special! Fans already buying what Succession is selling won’t need us to convince them why they should be watching the show but in this episode of the Sordid Cinema Podcast, we do our best to convince everyone else why they should be watching the popular HBO series by showrunner Jesse Armstrong. And for those who have watched all three seasons of Succession, we break down season three towards the end of the episode and speculate about what could happen moving forward. Joining us is guest host, Randy Dankievitch. Links: LinkTree Amazon Spotify iTunes Podbean YouTube Listen Note iHeartRadio Pandora Twitter Facebook

One False Move Spoiler Review This week on the Sordid Cinema Podcast, we explain why we agree with Roger Ebert and Gene Siskel that Carl Franklin’s low-budget crime pic One False Move, is one of the best films of 1992. Scripted by Thom Epperson and Billy Bob Thornton, the neo-noir is hard-hitting, skillfully performed, well shot, and perfectly paced. And while the film might not be a masterpiece, it sure is better than your average thriller and also features a breakthrough performance by the late, great, Bill Paxton. Sadly, the film was neglected and forgotten over the years, but we’re here to hopefully change that. Links: LinkTree Amazon Spotify iTunes Podbean YouTube Listen Note iHeartRadio Pandora Twitter Facebook

Anyone who’s even remotely familiar with Quebec cinema will know his name: Xavier Dolan is currently Canada’s chief prestige cinematic export, for better or worse. On episode 398 of the Sordid Cinema Podcast (then known as Sound On Sight), Kate Rennebohm and Justine Smith joined Simon Howell to debate the merits of his sixth feature, Mommy, for which he shared the Best Director prize at Cannes with none other than Jean-Luc Godard. Links: LinkTree Amazon Spotify iTunes Podbean YouTube Listen Note iHeartRadio Pandora Twitter Facebook

Dune 2021 Review There’s a lot to like about Denis Villeneuve’s version of Frank Herbert’s Dune and this week on the Sordid Cinema Podcast we discuss what we admire about the Montreal filmmakers’ adaptation of the complex, weighty sci-fi novel and how it compares to David Lynch’s 1984 vision. We’ll tell you why Dune is a feminist film even if it revolves around a very masculine world and explain why it has some of the best sound design of any blockbuster film in recent memory. We also examine Greig Fraser’s gorgeous cinematography; Patrice Vermette’s incredible production design, as well as the work of Hans Zimmer who spent months creating new instruments to help him and his team, compose the soundtrack. Needless to say, there’s a lot to discuss this week. Enjoy! Links: LinkTree Amazon Spotify iTunes Podbean YouTube Listen Note iHeartRadio Pandora Twitter Facebook

Cube (1997) Review This week on the Sordid Cinema Podcast, we revisit Vincenzo Natali’s 1997 science-fiction horror film Cube; a low-budget, high-concept, mind-bending, sci-fi-thriller that revolves around people trying to escape a giant cube made of 17,576 different rooms, some of which feature inescapable deadly traps. We debate if Cube was ahead of its time and discuss why we feel the film was so influential to other movies and TV shows like Squid Game, Battle Royale and Saw, to name just a few. But what really interests us is the question: how many ways can one man film a movie that all takes place in one room and still keep it engaging? All this and more!

Squid Game Podcast Review You might think we’re late with our review of Squid Game, but we swear, it was all by design. Now that the hype has whittled down, we decided to sit back and discuss the Netflix phenomenon and why we think Squid Game— despite its many flaws— is one of the best shows of 2021. Squid Game has all the characteristics we love about Korean dramas including unexpected plot twists, over-the-top characters, and a story that grapples with economic anxieties and class struggles. It’s part horror and part dark comedy and boasts a catchy soundtrack and impeccable set design featuring candy-colored, high-concept dystopian sets that reflect how brutal South Korean society is toward the people at the bottom. If you’re familiar with manga like Liar Game, Gambling Apocalypse: Kaiji, and Battle Royale, you know what to expect. Squid Game is all that and more! Links: LinkTree Amazon Spotify iTunes Podbean YouTube Listen Note iHeartRadio Pandora Twitter Facebook