Albatross Applesauce: A Film Blog and Podcast

Goodbye and Hello Again!

albatrossapplesauce@gmail.com (Andrew) — Thu, 23 Jan 2014 02:10:00 +0000

Ladies and gentlemen,

Some of you may have noticed that we had not put out any episodes of our podcast in the last several months. That's because all this while, Phil and I have been brainstorming a way to trim some of the fat and get you a leaner, meaner podcast and a more effective blog. Well, we've done just that and are happy to announce the launch of In the Queue, our newest podcasting and blogging venture. Whereas in the past on Albatross Applesauce, we would take on a good number of films in every episode, In the Queue will be dedicating itself to more frequent postings (at least once a week) that cover only one particular film or topic. We will, of course, still leave room for special episodes from time to time as the interest strikes us, but for the most part, we will be sticking to this format. So, hop on over to www.in-the-q.com and join us in the conversation. See you there!

Podcast Episode 29.5 - Cat Ballou / Blackfish

albatrossapplesauce@gmail.com (Philip Brubaker) — Fri, 30 Aug 2013 21:11:00 +0000

How many comedic Westerns that feature Nat King Cole as a Greek chorus can you name? Not only that, but "Cat Ballou" was also an Oscar-winner for Best Actor in 1965. Lee Marvin turns in the classic performance as a washed-up gunfighter. It's an over-the-top delight that somehow managed to snatch the coveted acting prize from some other, more serious performer like, I don't know...Rod Steiger or something. Marvin was cast against type and he is clearly the greatest thing about this somewhat dated film, which was named the #10 Greatest Western of All Time by the American Film Institute. If you're thinking about watching "Cat Ballou", take a listen to this episode.

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Lee Marvin as Kid Shelleen, soused as a louse.

Switching gears, we turn to "Blackfish", a fascinating new documentary out in theaters now. The film explores the mystique around killer whales (orcas) as they live in the wild and how their cruel imprisonment at theme parks such as SeaWorld leads to the deaths of three trainers at the hands of an orca named Tillikum. This disturbing expose on what happens when those carefully choreographed whale tricks go awry makes compelling use of home movie footage that captures the terror when the trainers are at the mercy of their whales. "Blackfish" manages to balance itself as an indictment of the inhumanity of orca parks, a compelling aquatic thriller and an ode to beauty of these intelligent creatures in their native waters.

Cruel? This documentary certainly does its part to help us think so.

Podcast Episode 29 - Jobs/The Honeymoon Killers

albatrossapplesauce@gmail.com (Philip Brubaker) — Sun, 25 Aug 2013 21:54:00 +0000

Hello, listeners. What can I help you with? Sorry, I'm not sure what you said. You want to listen to the "Jobs" podcast?

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Ashton Kutcher portrays one of the most respected visionaries of the past...37 odd years. He has the walk, the look of Steve Jobs but falls short of the mark in creating a fleshed out character. Phil thinks he is the wrong choice for the role, Andrew thinks with the right director the performance would be successful. What Phil and Andrew agree on is that "Jobs" needs an upgrade, badly.

Kutcher as Jobs, introudicng the iPod for the first time.

On a completely different note, Leonard Kastle's cult 1969 crime drama "The Honeymoon Killers" gets the Albatross Applesauce treatment in our Criterion Corner. A film about an odd couple who go around murdering lonely women that is based on actual events! This black and white and darkly humorous gem features a classic performance by Shirley Stoler as the severely troubled nurse who falls head over heels for Tony Lo Bianco's suave, Spanish lothario. It's certainly a disturbing picture - but very artful and worthwhile viewing.

Podcast Episode 28 - Nicolas Winding Refn

albatrossapplesauce@gmail.com (Philip Brubaker) — Thu, 15 Aug 2013 21:27:00 +0000

We're pleased to bring you another special episode, which we have devoted entirely to the films of Nicolas Winding Refn. This Danish-born auteur has made his films primarily in English and won international acclaim for "Drive" in 2011. Refn's new film is currently being raked across the coals by critics and audiences alike. We believe in Refn's talents enough to include him in our series on notable filmmakers. The films we watched are:

"Only God Forgives" (2013) Refn's latest film stars Ryan Gosling and takes place in an incredibly violent part of Bangkok. A disturbing but fascinating vision, and one that has been universally savaged by nearly all critics, everywhere.

You decide - does the wallpaper emote more than Gosling in this film?

"Drive" (2011) won Refn the Best Director prize at Cannes and made him a hot property. This film also drew a lot of accolades for Albert Brooks' performance against type as a vicious gangster. Here we see the beginning of Refn's collaboration with Gosling. The Gos personality is portrayed as the strong, silent type.

A moment of calm just before the storm.

"Valhalla Rising" (2009) is a brutal epic about ancient warriors on a voyage to the Holy Land. It features a notable scene where the main character uses his thumbnail to slice a man's stomach open and then pulls his guts out and dumps them on the ground. Charming.

The strong, silent type.

"Bronson" (2008) stars the formidable Tom Hardy as the real-life criminal extraordinaire, Charlie Bronson: Britain's most violent prisoner. This violent (duh) but very stylized film owes a lot to Kubrick's "A Clockwork Orange" but also displays a forceful and original talent in Mr. Refn. Hardy portrays the lost man who lived in solitary confinement for 30 years with aplomb.

Tom Hardy puts on quite the show for us in this film.

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We came to the conclusion that all of Refn's movies feature a violent, anti-social male character who cannot function in society. Romantic comedy, it ain't. But Nicolas Winding Refn is a master stylist who deserves his own episode.

Podcast Episode 27.5 - Yankee Doodle Dandy / Anvil: The Story of Anvil

albatrossapplesauce@gmail.com (Philip Brubaker) — Wed, 07 Aug 2013 21:16:00 +0000

Welcome back, loyal listeners.

The second half of this episode has a decidedly musical bent to it. Although you probably couldn't find two more different kinds of music. "Yankee Doodle Dandy" is a musical in the grand old tradition of vaudeville and tap dancing. It has the distinction of being the 98th Greatest Movie of All Time, according to a 2007 poll by the American Film Institute. This is truly a film like they just don't make any more, and at the center of it is none other than gangster hoodlum extraordinaire James Cagney. This film will be a revelation to filmgoers who only know Cagney as the tough guy from movies like "The Public Enemy" and "White Heat." Cagney is one helluva hoofer and he was hand picked to play the American patriot-songsmith George M. Cohan by Mr. Cohan himself. It's one of the all time great performances.

Cohan tries to convince investors to back one of his shows.

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For the last portion of the show, Phil and Andrew review the heavy metal doc "Anvil: The Story of Anvil" about the eponymous Canadian band that influenced a score of prominent heavy metal groups, but never found the success that they ultimately deserved. It's a feast of raw emotions, heartbreaks and disappointments and the power of rock. While billed as being "Hilarious" Phil and Andrew both drew on the poignant aspects of the story in their review, bringing it all together to make a larger point about the dearth of warmth in most modern movies.

This film goes up to 11.

Podcast Episode 27 - The To-Do List / Insignificance

albatrossapplesauce@gmail.com (Philip Brubaker) — Wed, 31 Jul 2013 20:33:00 +0000

If you've never heard us before, we're glad this is your first Albatross Applesauce episode. Cause this one is fun. Join Andrew and Phil in a rollicking discussion (some might say evisceration) of the new film starring Aubrey Plaza entitled, "The To-Do List." In this piece (of cinema) the serious-looking Plaza plays an 18 year old girl attempting to gain a lot of sexual experience very quickly. Within 1 hour and 44 minutes to be exact. But seriously, she is a rising college freshman who has never done anything sexual before. The film consists of her quest to complete a variety of sex acts before the semester begins, the culmination being losing her virginity to Rusty Waters, a tanned, hunky, guitar-playing lifeguard. Andrew and Phil may have reviewed their worst movie ever.

Not very sexy.

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In a complete 180 degree spin, we discuss the Nicolas Roeg film "Insignificance" for our Criterion Corner. These films couldn't be more different and here at Albatross Applesauce we pride ourselves on our eclectic selection. This intelligent adult drama (three things that don't apply to "The To-Do List") is based on a stage play that pits Einstein, Marilyn Monroe, Joe DiMaggio and Senator Joe McCarthy in one hotel on one night in New York City. What follows is a dialogue-driven tour-de-force that somehow never feels stagy. Phil loved the film, but others may have a different reaction.

Very sexy.

Stay tuned for our second half when we review the James Cagney chestnut, "Yankee Doodle Dandy" and the heart-warming documentary favorite "Anvil: The Story of Anvil!"

Podcast Episode 26.5 - Ordinary People / 5 Broken Cameras

albatrossapplesauce@gmail.com (Philip Brubaker) — Thu, 25 Jul 2013 21:46:00 +0000

Greetings, intrepid move fans!

For the second half of this episode, Phil and Andrew tackle the highly emotional Oscar-winning drama, "Ordinary People" directed by Robert Redford. This painful but extremely well-acted film is one of the most gut-wrenching, realistic family tragedies ever committed to celluloid. It also won the Best Picture and Best Director prize in 1980. Many devout cineastes consider this a travesty, and portend that "Raging Bull" and its director (one Martin Scorsese) unequivocally should have won those two awards. Before you jump on that bandwagon, loyal listeners and film buffs, do check out "Ordinary People". One thing for sure is that Timothy Hutton deserved his Oscar for that film as much as any actor ever did for theirs.

Not the picture-perfect suburban life they had hoped for, perhaps...

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Rounding out this rather serious mini-sode is the Palestinian documentary "5 Broken Cameras", directed by Emad Burnat and Guy Davidi. This film takes a personal approach to the larger conflict between Israel and Palestine in that it solely consists of the home movies of the cameraman depicting a local struggle for land between the native Palestinians and the Israeli Army. The title is a poetic reference to the filmmakers' persistent attempts to document this infraction, even after their cameras are destroyed, one after another. "5 Broken Cameras" was the recipient of many international awards and proves that an important story trumps big budgets when it comes to documentary.

And here we are, with the titular cameras and the filmmaker himself.

Podcast Episode 26 - Monsters University / Shallow Grave

albatrossapplesauce@gmail.com (Philip Brubaker) — Wed, 17 Jul 2013 18:22:00 +0000

Boo.

Scared? Don't be. It's just Phil and Andrew with another podcast! This week we both scream for the new Pixar film, "Monsters University." Listen as we discuss the current state of Pixar films and compare this one to it's predecessor, "Monsters, Inc." (which happens to be Andrew's favorite film from the animation juggernaut). We both notice that "Monsters University" seems to be more about satirizing the college experience than continuing the poignant streak of other Pixar films. Tune in for more!

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One of many throwaway sight gags in this film.

For this Criterion Corner, Phil and Andrew dig deep with their review of Danny Boyle's "Shallow Grave", a diabolical thriller in the best sense of the word. The DVD contains some highly illuminating extra features, on top of a stylish and inventive film about three twenty-somethings who discover a briefcase full of money and how their friendships get torn (painfully) asunder. It promises to be bury exciting! Sorry, I just turned into the Cryptkeeper for a second there. We hope you will listen!

It would appear that something is...afoot?

And for the second half of this episode we will discuss an excellent film notorious for usurping the Oscar from Martin Scorsese as well as a very recent documentary fresh off of an Academy Award nomination. Keep listening...

Podcast Episode 25.5 - Fargo / Cave of Forgotten Dreams

albatrossapplesauce@gmail.com (Philip Brubaker) — Wed, 10 Jul 2013 18:40:00 +0000

"Didja listen to the new Albatross Applesauce podcast?"

"Oh, yah!"

Or something like that. Join us, intrepid listeners, for our latest offering as we discuss the indie crime classic, "Fargo" directed by Joel Coen. Many will have seen this snowy, bloody thriller already, but we invite you to revisit the film. Andrew and Phil touch on the Coen's affinity for Americana as well as some of the criticism that has been leveled at them for alleged contempt for their characters. It will be a spirited discussion, you betcha, yah...

She's doing some pretty good policework there, Lou.

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And finally, we discuss the documentary "Cave of Forgotten Dreams", directed by, (and starring) the venerable Werner Herzog. This affectionate portrait of the oldest cave paintings in the world features some truly beautiful images of 32,000 years ago...and a few other scenes that Phil didn't particularly care for. Perhaps the most controversial Albatross Applesauce conversation yet...? You decide...

An example of one of the many fascinating paintings from the Chauvet Caverns.

Podcast Episode 25 - This Is The End / The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp

albatrossapplesauce@gmail.com (Philip Brubaker) — Thu, 27 Jun 2013 22:06:00 +0000

Welcome back, loyal listeners. In this podcast, Andrew and Phil talk about the new Seth Rogen-James Franco-Jay Baruchel-Jonah Hill-Craig Robinson-Danny McBride vehicle, "This Is The End." This horror-comedy is a refreshing take on the somewhat stale Apatowian comedies that have glutted the multiplex for the past several years. Our aforementioned lovable goons find themselves faced with none other than The Apocalypse, and they must make gut-wrenching life or death decisions, such as who gets to eat the last Milky Way. Open your ears and your mind to try and guess the song parody that Phil sings at the beginning of this episode. "This Is The End" kept Phil and Andrew laughing and they hope you tune in to decide if this film is worth your $10+ box office dollars.

The usual suspects...

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For the 'AA' Criterion Corner, the dynamic duo review "The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp", a sumptuous Technicolor cinematic feast from 1943 that has been championed by such contemporary directors as Martin Scorsese and Wes Anderson. The film is also considered by many to be the greatest British film ever made, so naturally, Phil and Andrew had to review it. Legend has it that Winston Churchill himself tried to stop production of this wartime tale. The film follows 40 years in the life of the titular character, a stiff-upper-lip British soldier. As you history buffs know, when this film was released, London was getting blitzed by the Nazis, and "Blimp" portrays a supporting German soldier character in a highly sympathetic light. This enraged Churchill, but it's a credit to the British democracy that filming was allowed to continue, and now we have a great film as a result. Overall the film examines the shift in British military values from the Boer War to World War II, and poignantly shows how Blimp's tactics of fighting a "gentleman's war" became obsolete in the face of the Nazi terror. This is another film we hope you check out, although it couldn't be more different from "This Is The End"!

A silly hats party, perhaps?

Tune in next week for the second half of this episode when Phil and Andrew review a seminal film by the Coen Brothers and a recent documentary by warrior-poet, Werner Herzog.

Podcast Episode 23.5 - An American Werewolf in London / Murderball

albatrossapplesauce@gmail.com (Philip Brubaker) — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 14:36:00 +0000

Grrrr! This episode is about man becoming a savage beast...although in slightly different circumstances.

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The first film in this mini-episode is a ground-breaking comedic horror film from John Landis (a departure from him, having just directed Animal House and The Blues Brothers) which features still-stunning make-up effects by Rick Baker. Lucky for Rick, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences just created a Best Make-Up award after the upheaval surrounding the collective diss directed at The Elephant Man a year earlier. The werewolf transformation scene is still the highlight of this film from 1981 and it is part of our new series where we select an Oscar winning film to discuss.

That's some Oscar-winning makeup work there, y'all.

Murderball is a documentary about quadraplegic rugby. But really it's about the courage and tenacity of disabled men and how they really are just living their lives like everyone else. This multi-award winning film is part of our other new category where we review a documentary of our choosing. Murderball won the Audience Award at Sundance and we think it needs a wider audience. Cheers!

This sport is not for the namby-pamby milquetoast types, no sir!

The Albatross Returns - Podcast Episode 23 - Mud / Ratcatcher

albatrossapplesauce@gmail.com (Philip Brubaker) — Fri, 24 May 2013 02:59:00 +0000

Welcome back, Albatross Applesauce listeners! Phil here, new graduate of the Experimental and Documentary Filmmaking grad program at Duke University, along with my co-host Andrew, graduate of the School of Hard Knocks. We are ready to get back to the nitty gritty: film reviewing via podcast.

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This episode is about the new film from rising star Jeff Nichols, "Mud", starring Matthew McConaughey. Nichols was one of our classmates in college and listen as we reel in our bitterness to give an unbiased review of this promising film!

What would a Matthew McConaughey movie be without a shirtless Matthew McConaughey?

Second, Andrew and I review "Ratcatcher" the feature debut of Scottish director Lynne Ramsay. Interestingly, both films feature an unvarnished portrayal of young teenage boys living in near poverty and by a body of water crucial to the story. It will prove interesting...Give us a listen!

Coming of age...

Oscars 2013 - Best Picture - Podcast Episode 22

albatrossapplesauce@gmail.com (Andrew) — Sun, 24 Feb 2013 18:47:00 +0000

And here it is, ladies and gentlemen! Andrew and Phil have some pretty interesting things to say about all of the Best Picture nominees at this year's Academy Awards, and we're bringing those opinions to you without a moment to spare. The Oscars are airing tonight at 8pm, so you have just enough time to settle in and listen to our take on the nine Best Picture nominees before watching the awards. Listen as we praise and, in some cases *coughLesMiscough* condemn the films, and share your opinions with us. Give us a listen, folks!

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Oscars 2013 - The Miscellaneous Awards - Podcast Episode 21.5

albatrossapplesauce@gmail.com (Andrew) — Sat, 23 Feb 2013 17:01:00 +0000

Well, kadies and gentlemen, we've recorded a couple of these Oscar podcasts now (the Best Picture podcast will be posting later tonight), and in each of them we tried to fit in our brief discussion about the "miscellaneous" awards at the Oscars. Typically, these are the awards that have been seen by fewer people (including us), and typically are less talked about. Well, we're here to discuss them, dagnabit! Give us a listen below, and keep an ear out for our Best Picture podcast this evening, in order to help you prime for the awards tomorrow night. Cheers!

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The Simpsons short "The Longest Daycare" is nominated for Best Animated Short

Podcast Episode 21 - Oscars 2013 "The Big Five (Minus Picture)"

albatrossapplesauce@gmail.com (Andrew) — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 15:56:00 +0000

Greetings, ladies and gentlemen! This most recent podcast has been a little while coming, but we're going to get it out to you, along with two other podcasts, before the weekend and just in time for the Oscars! Consider this your humbly authoritative guide to the awards...we have seen all the nominated films, after all.

You can download the podcast here by right-clicking on that link and choosing "save as", or you can use the convenient player located below:

Take a listen this week as we break down all the major acting awards as well as Director and Screenplay. We're saving the discussion of Picture for the last of these podcasts, so make sure to check in tomorrow and listen before the awards come up. A little later in the day today, we'll be releasing a short podcast that covers all the rest of the awards, including Animated Feature, Documentary, and all those technical awards that nobody ever knows anything about. We...do our best with it, and I think you'll enjoy. Keep an eye out for that later in the day, but for the time being, enjoy this offering. As always, leave feedback in the comments or on our Facebook page. We'd love to hear from you!

Podcast Episode 20 - Oscar Snubs 2013

albatrossapplesauce@gmail.com (Andrew) — Wed, 06 Feb 2013 22:06:00 +0000

Albatross Applesauce. Oscartross Applesauce? Albatross Oscarsauce? Some kind of portmanteau must be appropriate here...

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It's that time of year again, and Phil and I have been exceptionally busy preparing for the 2013 Academy Awards. We've been running around like chickens with our heads cut off trying to see as much as we can, as the end result of all of that is a solid month of Oscar podcasts! This week, we bring you the first of said podcasts, and in it we get into a thorough discussion of a number of the significant snubs of this Oscar season. We touch upon some of this year's nominees, but for the most part we spend the episode trying to bring attention to those films and filmmakers and performances that may have deserved a little something but were cruelly and sadistically shut out of the awards. Give us a listen, and let us know what you think about this year's snubs in the comments, or head over to our Facebook page and let us know there. As always, you can find us and subscribe to us on iTunes, so do it already!

No picture or directing nod for Mr. Anderson...

...or Mr. Anderson.

Podcast Episode 19.5 - Philadelphia / Rachel Getting Married

albatrossapplesauce@gmail.com (Andrew) — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 22:17:00 +0000

We're back again to talk about a couple of movies from a particular director's body of work, and for this episode we've picked Jonathan Demme. Beloved most notably for the 90s mega-thriller The Silence of the Lambs, Demme has had a remarkably long and stylistically varied career. Join us as we discuss films from two different decades of his work, Philadelphia (1993) and Rachel Getting Married (2008).

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Two acting powerhouses at the top of their respective games in Philadelphia.

Feel the love in Rachel Getting Married.

Join us next week when we start in on a month full of Oscar-themed shows. In the first episode, we'll be discussing this year's awards and the most prominent snubs, so tune in to hear our opinions and maybe share one of your own. As always, leave your feedback and opinions in the comments section below or mosey on over to our Facebook page where you can do the same. Also, find us on iTunes and subscribe, why don't ya?

Podcast Episode 19 - Zero Dark Thirty / The Magician

albatrossapplesauce@gmail.com (Andrew) — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 01:08:00 +0000

Here at Albatross Applesauce, it seems that we have gotten Oscar fever. This is the third podcast in a row in which we are discussing, as our new release, one of the films nominated for Best Picture at the 2013 Academy Awards! This week, it's Kathryn Bigelow's tense true-life thriller Zero Dark Thirty, which details the decade-long hunt for Osama bin Laden. The film has stirred up a lot of praise and a lot of controversy, and Phil and I dive in head-first and discuss it with relish.

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The raid on Osama bin Laden's compound.

Our Criterion Corner selection this week is a lesser-known film by the great Ingmar Bergman entitled The Magician. It follows the story of a youthful, charismatic, and mute magician and his band of performers as they are questioned and tested by the skeptics of a small town before being allowed to perform for the people of the town. As both an allegory of the filmmaking (and really, any artistic) process and as something of an autobiographical statement to his critics and detractors, Bergmans film never ceases to fascinate. We talk all about the director and where this film may fit into his filmography.

Max von Sydow as the titular magician, Vogler.

Join us next week for the second half of this podcast, where we will be discussing two compelling character studies by the great Jonathan Demme, 2008's Rachel Getting Married and 1993's Philadelphia. Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes and leave your comments for us here in the comments section or over on our Facebook page. See you next time!

Podcast Episode 18.5 - The Neverending Story / In the Line of Fire

albatrossapplesauce@gmail.com (Andrew) — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 21:59:00 +0000

Boy, oh boy! In this episode of the podcast, Phil and I take a little trip down memory lane and discuss two prominent films from our youth directed by Wolfgang Peterson - The Neverending Story and In the Line of Fire. The former, of course, is a classic children's film that will be familiar to nearly everyone who grew up in the 80s. Join us as we discuss how much we both love this film, lament the overuse of CGI in modern cinema, and listen as I butcher the hell out of the theme song.

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Oh, childhood.

Gesundheit!

In our discussion of In the Line of Fire, the classic 90s thriller starring Clint Eastwood and John Malkovich, our discussion ranges from lingering crushes on Rene Russo to the joy of seeing this film (and others) in 70mm to the seeming dearth of quality thrillers being made these days. It'll be a fun discussion, and we invite you to take part by commenting in the comments section below or hopping on over to our Facebook page to start the discussion there.

We'll see you next time around, when we'll be discussing the controversial film presently garnering a great deal of praise and a great deal of cash, Zero Dark Thirty. We'll also be having a look-see at Ingmar Bergman's The Magician over in The Criterion Corner. The film is new to both of us, and as great fans of Bergman's work, we think it will likely be a pretty interesting discussion. See you then!

Podcast Episode 18 - Django Unchained / Army of Shadows

albatrossapplesauce@gmail.com (Andrew) — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 23:23:00 +0000

Django Unchained! Tarantino's newest film is, as you might expect, hotly debated, drawing both lavish praise and withering criticism alike. People seem to either love it or hate it, and we here at Albatross Applesauce are keen to put in our two cents as well. We'll talk about Tarantino the auteur, we'll talk about the extreme violence, and we'll talk about the difference between what it is to be a "performer" and what it is to be an "actor". Tune in and give us a listen!

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In our Criterion Corner, we are looking at the compelling 1969 masterpiece Army of Shadows, directed by the great Jean-Pierre Melville. This film, seemingly lost until its restoration and re-release in 2006, deals rather fatalistically with the French resistance to the German occupation during World War II. One of my very favorite films, Phil and I have a lively discussion about the overarching existentialism, the consummate filmmaking on display, and the infrmative, though sometimes frustrating, extras on this disc.

As always, give us a listen, converse with us on our Facebook page or the comments section on this blog, and let us know what you think. In the next episode, we'll be discussing the films of Wolfgang Petersen, more specifically The Neverending Story and In the Line of Fire. See you then!

Podcast Episode 17.5 - The Holy Mountain / Santa Sangre

albatrossapplesauce@gmail.com (Andrew) — Thu, 27 Dec 2012 04:59:00 +0000

Santa Sangre's comin' to town!

In this episode of the podcast, Phil and Andrew will be discussing two films by the notorious art-house director Alejandro Jodorowsky. First up is The Holy Mountain, a film about...well...we're not entirely sure, to tell you the truth. This film is about a journey, sure, but it is so chock-full of allegorical imagery that it can be difficult at times to decipher exactly what it is that the director is trying to tell us, the audience. Listen as Phil and I struggle with...well, pretty much everything about this film. Confounding and bizarre, but undeniably unique, we try to pick it apart as best we can.

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What? Just...what?

Fans of MGMT might recognize this imagery...

Secondly, we will be discussing the more decidedly more enjoyable Santa Sangre, a beautiful and hallucinatory thriller with the circus as its backdrop. This is probably the most accessible of Jodorowsky's films, and certainly the one that we enjoy the most, but thankfully his bizarre sensibilities and flair for beautiful, haunting imagery remain intact. Join us for the discussion!

Young love in the circus. Awwwww!

Next episode, we will be discussing Quentin Tarantino's new film, Django Unchained, as well as Jean-Pierre Melville's fantastic epic masterpiece Army of Shadows, which follows the lives of those involved in the French Resistance during WWII. After that, we'll be looking into a little bit more popular fare by taking a glance at a couple of Wolfgang Petersen's films from the 80s and 90s. The childhood classic The Neverending Story should make for some fond remembrances, and In the Line of Fire should allow us to have a positive discussion about Clint Eastwood, something that doesn't seem to be happening all that much in recent months.

As always, we'd love your contributions, so leave us a message at our blog or our Facebook page, or send us an e-mail at albatrossapplesauce@gmail.com. Cheers!

Podcast Episode 17 - Lincoln / World on a Wire

albatrossapplesauce@gmail.com (Andrew) — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 22:51:00 +0000

Lincoln, Lincoln, Lincoln. It's on the tongues of everyone discussing best-of lists for the end of the year and every person speculating for the upcoming awards season. It's already been nominated for 7 Golden Globes and is likely to go on to a pretty big haul when it comes time for Oscar nominations. The performances have been praised, the direction of Spielberg has been applauded, and the handling of the subject matter has been discussed at length. All that is well and good, sure, but the best thing about Lincoln is that it is being discussed in depth right here on Albatross Applesauce. Phil and I offer up our individual reads on the film, and not everything we have to say is praise. Give us a listen, won't you?

You can download the podcast here by right-clicking on that link and choosing "save as", or you can use the convenient player located below:

Daniel Day-Lewis plays the titular role in Spielberg's Lincoln.

In the second half of this week's podcast, for The Criterion Corner, we discuss Rainer Werner Fassbinder's one and only foray into the world of science fiction, World on a Wire. This 3 1/2 hour sci-fi-cum-noir, that is at least the spiritual precursor to many of the great sci-fi films of the past 40 years, is alternately fascinating, dated, compelling, and insufferably dull. Phil and I have somewhat divergent views in regards to this film, and try our best to get to the heart of this compelling yet frustrating film.

Join us again next week, when we'll discuss two films from the bizarre and controversial art-house director Alejandro Jodorowsky! We've watched his psychedelic allegory of The Holy Mountain and the bizarre circus sideshow slasher flick Santa Sangre. Join us for our discussion of these bizarre and fascinating films.

We'd love you to participate in the discussion, so please leave any feedback on the podcast in the comments section below or visit us at our Facebook page. Thanks so much!

Podcast Episode 16.5 - The Descent / The Shining

albatrossapplesauce@gmail.com (Andrew) — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 21:35:00 +0000

Andrew and Phil here again, with the second half of our latest episode of Albatross Applesauce! As we alluded to at the end of last episode, we'd be spending time in this episode talking about our recommendations for a couple of great scary movies. A little late for Halloween, perhaps, but scary movies never go out of style, amirite? Hollywood certainly seems to think so, as this trailer and this trailer seem to prove. Hm. Yes.

You can download the podcast here by right-clicking on that link and choosing "save as", or you can use the convenient player located below:
We'll be discussing a couple of great chillers this go-round, starting with Andrew's pick, The Descent, directed by Neil Marshall. A modern horror gem, released in 2005, it follows the adventures of a group of girlfriends who go spelunking in the Appalachians together, with somewhat...unfortunate results, to say the least. A really compelling and frightening film, and one of the best of the recent crop of horror films.

Phil's pick this time around is one of the great classics of the horror genre, Stanley Kubrick's The Shining, starring Jack Nicholson and Shelly Duvall. It follows the story of Jack Torrance and his family over the course of a winter at the isolated Overlook Hotel, whose secrets may be a little more than Jack's psyche can bear. Truly terrifying.

Join us for our next podcast coming soon, in which we will be discussing Steven Spielberg's Lincoln as our new release and Rainer Werner Fassbinder's sci-fi epic World on a Wire in our Criterion Corner. Until then!

Podcast Episode 16 - The Master / 12 Angry Men

albatrossapplesauce@gmail.com (Andrew) — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 00:52:00 +0000

Greetings, ladies and gentlemen! Albatross Applesauce is coming at you with a brand new podcast episode, and wouldn't you know it? We're returning to our original format, and you can listen to it by clicking this link or using the player below!
What format is that format, you new(er) listeners may ask? Well, why don't I lay it out for you right here and now. In our original format, we did not take on, as we have been doing recently, one particular director and talk about his work. Oh, no! What we used to do was, in the course of one episode, review one new release, one selection from The Criterion Collection (in a segment we like to call The Criterion Corner), and then both Phil and Andrew would suggest a particular film that we might be partial to, and try and give you some good reasons to watch it on your own. Our shows, however, tended to run upwards of an hour and a half or more, so we've made an executive decision, as our public has demanded it: WE WILL BE CUTTING OUR SHOWS IN HALF!

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, we will now be releasing the same ol' podcast, but we'll be releasing it in more digestible chunks. Each episode will be divided into two segments, to be released over two consecutive weeks:
Part 1: New Release, plus The Criterion Corner selection.
Part 2: Andrew and Phil's recommendations for the episode.

There you have it! That's it! That's the new format! Let us know if you love it, hate it, or are completely indifferent to it! And now that that is out of the way, we're going to be releasing many more podcasts on a much more regular basis. Joy! Mirth! Merriment! Whoop-dee doodle!

Joaquin Phoenix (left) and Philip Seymour Hoffman (right) in The Master.

In this first half of our msot recent episode, we'll be discussing the (now not so) recent release The Master, Paul Thomas Anderson's latest confounding and fascinating film, featuring powerhouse performances from Joaquin Phoenix and Philip Seymour Hoffman. After, that, we'll delve into The Criterion Collection's spectacular Blu-ray release of 12 Angry Men, a classic if ever there was one, and the great Sidney Lumet's first feature film.

A pivotal scene from 12 Angry Men

Oh, and please keep on the lookout for part two of this episode a week from today, where Phil and I will be talking about SPOOKY MOVIES, just in time for Hallowee...er, Christmas. Enjoy!

Podcast Episode #15: Wes Anderson

albatrossapplesauce@gmail.com (Andrew) — Sun, 02 Sep 2012 15:32:00 +0000

Hey, guys. That Moonrise Kingdom has been really popular, right? Have you seen it yet? Oh, you have. Well did you like it? Hate it? Feel ambivalent about it? Confused by it? Yeah, it's only natural. I mean, Wes Anderson is that kind of filmmaker, right? Whatever your answers to the questions above, it seems to be that Wes Anderson inspires vehement love/hate, defiant ambivalence, confusion, or some mixture of all of the above. His body of work is one that has sparked a great many discussions and, I am sure, ruined a great many friendships that seemed perfectly healthy up to that point. I suppose it's just how the proverbial cookie crumbles.

Anderson directing actor Jared Gilman on the set of Moonrise Kingdom

We here at Albatross Applesauce, however, are interested in trying to suss out the finer details of Wes Anderson's films. We are here to give you a little bit of insight into our opinions about the man and his method, and hopefully we can pull back the curtain a little bit on this man's filmography. Join us, if you would, as we discuss every single one of Wes Anderson's films chronologically, starting with Bottle Rocket and going right down the line through Rushmore, The Royal Tenenbaums, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, The Darjeeling Limited, The Fantastic Mr. Fox, and finally this year's Moonrise Kingdom.

You can download the podcast here by right-clicking on that link and choosing "save as", or you can use the convenient player located below:

We do hope that this will be an interesting and enlightening discussion, and more than that we hope you will take part. Please leave any thoughts or feelings in the comments section below, or send us an email at albatrossapplesauce@gmail.com. Also, you can find our page on Facebook by searching Albatross Applesauce, so "like" us there, and please subscribe to us on iTunes for regular podcast updates.