F This Movie!

Reviews: MOANA (2026) & NIGHT NURSE

fthismoviepodcast@gmail.com (fthismovie.com) — Fri, 10 Jul 2026 05:00:00 -0500

by Rob DiCristino

You’re getting two because I refuse to devote a whole column to live-action Moana.

Moana (Dir. Thomas Kail)

You know what I love about animation? I mean really good, textured, vibrant animation? I love the creativity of it all. I love the way talented artists imagine a world — or worlds, sometimes — beyond our own. They’re wondrous and strange worlds that are also uncannily familiar. The characters that populate those worlds are familiar, too. They’re comforting! Hell, for many of us, animated characters helped us navigate our earliest emotions. They were our introductions to literary archetypes. They were our first friends and teachers. Think about Woody and Buzz or Sully and Mike. Think about Snow White. Or Totoro! The Iron Giant! Jack Skellington! Each has the requisite humanity for us to see ourselves reflected in them, but then they also have that extra bit of, well, animation that lets us imagine ourselves as so much more. I don’t know how to create anything that special. I’m no artist. I’m no designer. But I love seeing what these geniuses are capable of — and what they can teach me about myself — when they’re given the room to dream.

Meanwhile, do you know what the people at the Walt Disney Corporation love? Money! Right? That’s the only feasible explanation for Moana (2026), the next in an endless parade of live-action remakes that have started to feel like an elaborate test of our collective intelligence (or lack thereof): Are global cinema audiences stupid enough to pay for the same product twice? They are? Excellent! What if it was half as good as the first product? What if it was half as textured and vibrant? What if it was flat and dull, lifeless and uninspired? Would anyone be able to tell, and — perhaps more insidiously — would anyone actually care? That’s it, isn’t it? Judging by the billions and billions and billions of dollars these remakes have generated since they began in earnest roughly a decade ago, I think we have our answer: No one gives a shit. We are dumb enough to pay not just for the same thing twice — Disney has always re-released their classic titles, and there’s at least an understandable nostalgia factor there — but something tangibly, objectively worse.

That revelation — that Disney, like Netflix, Amazon, and the United States of America, is both more expensive and less valuable than it used to be — is far more powerful than any insight I could share about Moana (2026). If you insist on an actual review, here it is: It’s Moana but worse. It’s Moana but shot against a shitty green screen. It’s Moana without the color, texture, or depth. It’s Moana without the clever direction or comic timing. It’s Moana with songs half-heartedly performed by less talented singers. It’s Moana starring a Dwayne Johnson who — fresh off the first of what will likely be many bungled Oscar campaigns — looks openly exhausted and disengaged. It’s a Moana that can’t even muster the condescending smirk of Aladdin (2024) or the catastrophic self-importance of The Lion King (2019). It’s a Moana made by people who think they don’t actually have to earn your money anymore. It’s a Moana that believes you’re a fucking idiot. But I’m here to tell you something: You’re not a fucking idiot. I don’t care what Disney believes. I believe in you.

Moana hits U.S. theaters on Friday, July 10th. You work too hard to waste your time on it.

Night Nurse (Dir. Georgia Bernstein)
Look, I’m not here to kink shame anyone (at least not until I get paid for it). I think the world is a rainbow and we’re all god’s children and hey, whatever goes down between consenting adults is none of my business (at least not until I get paid for it). But even I have to admit feeling a little bit of trepidation during the opening of Night Nurse: The camera traces the length of a telephone cord wrapped around the body of a young woman as she role plays a granddaughter under duress. “Help me, Grandpa,” she says — no, moans — as an approving male voice eggs her on. “I don’t have much time to talk. I’m in a lot of trouble. I hurt people. They say I’m going to jail, and I need a lot of money.” Someone’s getting scammed, here — and at least two people are getting off — but it’s unclear exactly who, where, and, frankly, why. Now again, that’s none of my business (at least not until I get paid for it), but it did catch my attention long enough to keep watching Night Nurse, a steamy black comedy from longtime indie producer Georgia Bernstein, making her feature debut.

As it turns out, the voice on the phone is Eleni (Cemre Paksoy), an unassuming young woman who’s just taken a nursing position at a retirement community. It’s a swanky one with personalized care, and Eleni’s been assigned to Douglas (Bruce McKenzie), a dementia patient with a history of sexual misadventure. If you’re wondering why Dr. Mann (Mimi Rodgers) would willingly put young women like Eleni and day nurse Mona (Elenore Hendricks) in a sex pervert’s orbit, well, that might just all be part of the plan. Douglas is a con artist, you see, and his Svengali bit is apparently so intoxicating that women young and old are lining up to subjugate themselves to his whims. It’s not long before Eleni and Mona are cruising the community in Douglas’ convertible, hunting for the target of their next call. But what happens when Douglas starts to tire of Eleni’s devotion? What happens when his eye starts to wander? To what lengths will Eleni go to demonstrate her undying enthusiasm — an enthusiasm that feels like it’s starting to border on obsession — for Douglas’ care?

Night Nurse isn’t funny enough to be an out-and-out comedy, nor is it thorny or complex enough to really qualify as a thriller. It rides a lane somewhere in a campier middle, with an offbeat, enigmatic tone that mixes Secretary and Fatal Attraction with a dash of The Piano Teacher and Crash. It might never approach the perverse elegance or uncompromising bravery of The Handmaiden, Titane, or Blue Velvet — you know, the boss-level sicko shit — but Bernstein nevertheless demonstrates a strong eye for composition and an essential trust in her audience’s intelligence. Debuts tend to be overconfident, “kitchen sink” affairs in which first-timers trip over their own feet in a rush to prove themselves as budding masters or idiosyncratic revolutionaries, but Night Nurse is an excellent case of addition by subtraction. Bernstein’s refusal to illuminate each of the story’s nooks and crannies is a feature, not a bug, and while it might keep the film firmly in the genre’s B-tier, that restraint will actually earn the writer/director a bit more trust from us on her next feature effort.

Night Nurse is in limited theatrical release on Friday, July 10th.

2K Replay: The Break-Up

fthismoviepodcast@gmail.com (fthismovie.com) — Thu, 9 Jul 2026 05:00:00 -0500

by Adam Riske

Nominated for “Favorite On-Screen Match-Up” (Jennifer Aniston and Vince Vaughn) at the People’s Choice Awards. They lost to Keira Knightley and Johnny Depp for Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest.

• Best Scene/Moment: Any scene with Jon Favreau (who’s really funny in this) and Vince Vaughn.

• Best Song: “You Oughta Know” by Alanis Morissette.

• Best Merch: A “3 Brothers Bus Tours Dickies Jacket…” for $65.00. Omg. This is a production crew jacket from the making of the movie with cartoon caricatures of Vince Vaughn, Vincent D’Onofrio, and Cole Hauser for their fictional tour guide business. I almost wanted to retire this category and then I saw this and I know now I can never do that or I’d miss finding merch like this, which is G-D tier.

• Director Grade: The Break-Up was directed by Peyton Reed.
Great Movies: N/A
Good Movies: Bring It On, The Break-Up, Yes Man
OK Movies: Down with Love, Ant-Man and the Wasp
Bad Movies: Ant-Man
Unseen By Me: Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania
Overall Grade: B-

• Double It with This 2006 Movie: Stranger Than Fiction

• Year 2006 Movies to Trailer Before Them: Friends with Money, The Holiday, The Lake House

• Ella McCay or The Break-Up? The Break-Up
• Mall Movie? No. This would play the fancy theater in town because Jennifer Aniston isn’t mall enough and “the town” would take Vince Vaughn more seriously now because Wedding Crashers made so much money and people who play golf also liked it and not just frat bros.

• Only in 2006: Being a part owner of a Chicago tour guide company being treated like a game-changing business venture.

• Scene Stealer (tie): Jon Favreau and Vincent D’Onofrio, who’s doing a thing in this movie and it’s fascinating.

• I Miss: Being able to like Vince Vaughn without feeling slightly dirty about it.

• I Don’t Miss: Vince Vaughn’s Julius Caesar haircut which is so bad that I’m surprised it was allowed in a studio film.

• 2006 Crush: Jennifer Aniston.

• 2026 Crush: Joey Lauren Adams.

• What I Thought in 2006: I remember thinking The Break-Up was a good drama that was mistakenly marketed as a comedy, which was the main reason I was mixed on it at the time.

• What I Think in 2026: The Break-Up is a movie that’s really grown on me over the years, and I really like it now. I was wrong thinking it wasn’t enough of a comedy (there are a lot of moments that go for jokes) but I still think it’s a really good relationship drama at times that takes the situation seriously and doesn’t cop out at the end. The two leads are very good in this.

FTM 828: A GOOFY MOVIE

fthismoviepodcast@gmail.com (fthismovie.com) — Wed, 8 Jul 2026 05:00:00 -0500

For goofy guys like Patrick, Adam, and Rob, this is just a movie.

Download this episode here.

Listen to F This Movie! on Apple Podcasts.

Also discussed this episode: L'Avventura (1960), Normal (2025), Killing of a Chinese Bookie (1976), Dante's Peak (1997), Rope (1948), The People vs. Larry Flynt (1996), Furious 7 (2015), Finnegan's Foursome (2026), Lee Cronin's The Mummy (2026), The Invite (2026)

Johnny Showtime: Coming Attractions

fthismoviepodcast@gmail.com (fthismovie.com) — Tue, 7 Jul 2026 05:00:00 -0500

by JB

Weird scenes inside the goldmine... of physical media... over the next few months...

For collectors of movies on disc, the immediate future offers some odd treasures. You can have your Fear City, your Elephant Man 4K, and your Rocky Horror documentary Strange Journey (all out today); your Hud, your Michael, your Crying Game, your Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, and your Obsession (all out July 14); your Pleasantville 4K, your Falling Down 4K, and your Money from Home 3D (all out July 21); your Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair, your Soylent Green 4K, your Explorers 4K, and your Pillow Talk 4K (all out July 28). I will be buying the following... more “specialized” releases.

Because I am a strange person.

July 28: Voices of Desire
This looks interesting, esoteric, and obscure. All these boutique video companies, knowing my weakness for Blu-ray shopping in the wee small hours of the morning when I cannot sleep, send me endless invitations to taste their wares. The latest, received a week and a half ago, is from Something Weird Video and AGFA, the American Genre Film Archive. It reads,

“Before starring in Wes Craven's The Last House on the Left, Sandra Peabody shined in Voices of Desire (1972, Color) [....] Filmed in and around Manhattan, the story follows Peabody as she attempts to escape the hauntings of a ghoulish sex cult. Voices of Desire is an undiscovered gem from the Something Weird vaults, and a sublime convergence of arthouse style and grindhouse thrills. Plus, the hallucinations continue with Fly Now, Pay Later (1969, B&W) — a drugged-out blast of sex-horror delirium that was made by gutter dwellers in New York's Greenwich Village, featuring super groupie and Andy Warhol starlet Geri Miller."

I don’t know. They had me at “ghoulish sex cult.” This new disc features a commentary track, booklet essay, and “scintillating short subjects.”

August 11: Mars Attacks! 4K

One of my favorite Tim Burton films finally comes to (non-steelbook) 4K disc. I don’t know about you, but I could watch two full hours of just those honking alien sons of bitches assuring earthlings they have nothing to fear... followed by said earthlings being vaporized by the aliens’ ray guns. Honk! Honk!

It turns out Burton decided to direct Mars Attacks! only after a project called Go Baby Go fell through. Go Baby Go was to be a beach party film as if directed by Russ Meyer with a screenplay by Jonathan Gems. The film was about three go-go dancers who, after being exposed to toxic chemicals, become 50 feet tall and destroy several beaches in Southern California. Burton and Gems left the project after they learned HBO was remaking Attack of the 50 Foot Woman. Burton went on to direct Mars Attacks!, which was written by Gems.

August 25: Teenage Riot Video Party
This disc looks especially tasty: four juvenile delinquent pictures from the Something Weird archives (Lost, Lonely, and Vicious; Jacktown; The Flaming Teen-Age; and The Narcotic Story) combined with a collection of “riotous trailers and drive-in snipes.”
“This time, we’re racing for pinks!”

September 8: Hell’s Highway
Just when Teenage Riot Video Party gets you all revved up to go drag racing out past the city limits, here is a collection of 1950s Driver’s Ed “scare films” to bring you down to earth. Interestingly, sociologists and psychologists would theorize decades later that these gruesome classroom films have little to no effect on young drivers, because ALL TEENAGERS THINK THEY ARE IMMORTAL. Buckle up and take a look at the trailer:

September 23: Drive-In Delirium: A New Beginning
Umbrella Entertainment revives its trailer compilation series with 304 mind-blowing, uncensored, and uncut trailers spread across two discs in a Collector's Edition featuring new art cards; a 48-page book with behind-the-scenes material and an extended essay by Guy Davis; archival interviews with trailer editors Steve Carver, Alan Arkush, and Joe Dante; and extensive poster galleries. NOTE: There is also a “non-special edition” available at a lower price without all of the paper ephemera.

September 29: Forbidden Planet 4K

The Daddy of modern science-fiction films finally comes to (non-steelbook) 4K disc.

I confess that I cannot wait to see this old chestnut in 4K; I’m hoping that the transfer was done with as much love and care as the recent War of the Worlds 4K disc. Earthlings can hope.

The included standard Blu-ray features a bevy of special features, some of them brand-new: “Unearthly Aura,” a newly filmed appreciation of Bebe and Louis Barron's pioneering electronic score by historian and composer Neil Brand; “Watch the Skies: Science Fiction, The 1950s and Us,” an archival documentary about the film; “Amazing! Exploring the Far Reaches of Forbidden Planet,” another archival documentary; “Robby the Robot: Engineering a Sci-Fi Icon,” an archival featurette; deleted scenes; lost footage; The Invisible Boy, a bonus feature-length movie featuring Robby the Robot; and "Robot Client," an episode of The Thin Man TV series also featuring Robby the Robot.

24 Hours of Movies: Pop Stars on Film!

fthismoviepodcast@gmail.com (fthismovie.com) — Mon, 6 Jul 2026 05:00:00 -0500

by Patrick Bromley

You know their music, now see them on screen!

10 am - House Party (1990, dir. Reginald Hudlin)

A recent rewatch of this '90s classic is what inspired this whole marathon, because it reminded me that Kid 'n Play were really good on screen. While there are moments and lines of dialogue that feel outdated in 2026, the movie is pure joy -- music and dance and comedy, with appealing performances by the two leads as well as Tisha Campbell, A.J. Johnson, Robin Cook (RIP), and a funny (and young) Martin Lawrence. I'm so glad this got the Criterion treatment because it will no doubt help improve its reputation as more than just the Kid 'n Play movie and places it among the ranks of important Black cinema.

Noon - Girl Happy (1965, dir. Boris Sagal)

One of my favorite Elvis movies that rarely gets talked about, Girl Happy casts The King as a nightclub singer who has to travel down to Florida and keep an eye on his boss's daughter (Shelley Fabares) during Spring Break. Even by the standards of an Elvis movie, this is a silly, horny movie, but that's what I find so charming about it. The songs are fun, too. It's basically an Elvis Beach Party movie, so no wonder I love it.

1:45 pm - Moonstruck (1987, dir. Norman Jewison)

Cher won a Best Actress Oscar for her portrayal of an Italian American woman engaged to be married to a Baxter (Danny Aiello) but who falls in love with his intensely passionate brother (Nicolas Cage). This is a rare romantic comedy that manages to be both funny and romantic thanks to John Patrick Shanley's terrific script and fantastic performances all around. Cage steals every moment in which he appears, but then I'm probably inclined to think that. Miss you, Margo.

3:30 pm - Dune (1984, dir. David Lynch)

Sting made a rare big screen appearance as Feyd Rautha, nephew of the evil Baron Harkonnen, in David Lynch's ambitious and messy adaptation of Dune. It was an interesting bit of casting that undoubtedly got some people out to the theater to be totally confounded by what they were watching the frontman of The Police appearing in, but it's just one of the many aspects of this Dune that make it special. Sting doesn't have to do much but be wild and menacing, at which he acquits himself just fine. His casting lends the role a larger-than-life quality that suits it well. I'm happy that Lynch's Dune can still exist alongside the Denis Villeneuve movies; I'll watch either of them depending on my mood.

6 pm - Tougher Than Leather (1988, dir. Rick Rubin)

The Run DMC movie! This one, directed by superstar music producer Rick Rubin (who also co-stars as the Big Bad), keeps the spirit of 1970s Blaxploitation alive with a story about the rappers reuniting after DMC is released from prison and trying to get their musical careers up and running again while trying to solve the murder of their friend. It's crudely made and unevenly acted (Rubin is kind of bad) but effective as a street-level crime movie. Slick Rick, Flavor Flav, and The Beastie Boys also appear as themselves. It's been trapped on VHS since the '80s, never receiving a DVD or Blu-ray release. I'm guessing it's a music rights thing, but I also know that some of the parties involved aren't super proud of the project or the way it was received. We'll have to watch it on YouTube.

7:45 pm - Purple Rain (1984, dir. Albert Magnoli)

Primetime Pizza slot goes to what may be the best modern movie musical (if you can call a 40-year old movie "modern"). The first of three Prince movies is also the best, highlighted by music from one of the best albums of the 1980s and an extended concert sequence that allows us to see Prince at the peak of his powers. It didn't exactly turn Prince into a movie star, but it didn't need to. The movie was too busy launching him into the stratosphere.

9:30 pm - Romeo Must Die (2000, dir. Andrzej Bartkowiak)

I'm not the biggest Romeo Must Die guy but it does make me miss Aaliyah, whose music I didn't really know but who proves to be a welcome presence on screen. The film tells the story of two feuding families, with Aaliyah and Jet Li caught in the middle. Maybe they fall in love? That doesn't really become clear, either because it was cut out or because Jet Li couldn't generate the right chemistry as a romantic leading man. I like the idea of transitioning into genre stuff as we get later into our marathon even if I think the movie is just ok. The action is decent and Aaliyah is great.

11:30 pm - Studio 666 (2022, dir. B.J. McDonnell)

As we enter the overnight section of our marathon, I want to spotlight this funny and surprisingly gory Foo Fighters joint in which the band plays themselves and recording their new album in a cursed house. Shot in secret and released just as we came out of COVID, the movie felt and feels like a curiosity -- a one-off goof by a rock band who wanted to make a horror movie. The actors are all fun -- even the band does a good job -- and the effects are cool, even if it all doesn't amount to much. At least we get to hang out with Taylor Hawkins one last time.

1:30 am - Videodrome (1983, dir. David Cronenberg)

I know Debbie Harry is known for being an actor as much as a rock star these days, but back when Videodrome came out in 1983 she was really just the frontwoman for the great Blondie. I love that she chose this to be one of her first screen appearances because it's one of the most messed up and punk things she could have done. I know that this isn't Cronenberg's best movie, but it remains my favorite of all his work. I love the idea of watching it in the middle of the night.

3 am - The Man Who Fell to Earth (1976, dir. Nicolas Roeg)

Confession: I have never seen this movie. Maybe 3 am isn't the best time to experience it for the first time. Maybe it's the perfect time to experience it. Judging by what I know about Nicholas Roeg -- who just might be one of my guys based on my reactions to all of his movies I've seen -- I'm guessing it's the latter.

5:30 am - The Allnighter (1987, dir. Tamar Hoffs)

This is one of the weirdest pop star vanity projects ever made. It was an attempt to make The Bangles' frontwoman Susanna Hoffs a movie star, but it often feels exploitative in a gross way. Even the poster feels exploitative. What makes that weird is that the movie was directed by Hoffs' mother Tamar. Anyway, it's a fine Beach Party update for the 1980s, with Hoffs supported by Joan Cusack, Dedee Pfeiffer, and Deathstalker II's John Terlesky. It's exactly the kind of mindless, breezy entertainment we need at this point in our marathon.

7:30 am - Poetic Justice (1993, dir. John Singleton)

John Singleton's follow-up to his massive breakthrough Boyz N the Hood zags just enough to feel interesting and more sensitive when it could have just been repetitive. Janet Jackson returns to acting for the first time post-pop superstardom and plays a poet taking a road trip with her friends, finding romance with a very good Tupac Shakur along the way. You get two musicians acting in this one! There's messiness in the movie -- some of it because of the time in which it was made, some of it because John Singleton was all of 25 -- but a lot of good here, too. I've been wanting to revisit this ever since Criterion put it out. Now's our chance.

9:30 am - Freejack (1992, dir. Geoff Murphy)

Truth be told, I wanted to program Performance into this marathon because I saw it for the first time a few months back and was totally knocked out by it. Unfortunately, I didn't feel right about having two Nicholas Roeg movies and needed the excuse to finally see The Man Who Fell to Earth so Performance hit the bin. Instead, we'll end our marathon with this goofy 1990s sci-fi actioner in which Emilio Estevez is hijacked into the future so that Anthony Hopkins can take over his body. For some reason, Mick Jagger plays a bounty hunter chasing after Estevez. He didn't act in very many movies so I'm not sure how Freejack made the cut, but his presence makes the movie 50% cooler than it otherwise might have been.

Let's play some records.

Weekend Open Thread

fthismoviepodcast@gmail.com (fthismovie.com) — Sat, 4 Jul 2026 02:00:00 -0500

Flashback Weekend is Coming!!

fthismoviepodcast@gmail.com (fthismovie.com) — Fri, 3 Jul 2026 12:00:00 -0500

Flashback Weekend returns to Chicago this summer!!

Here are the details from the press release:

Flashback Weekend Chicago Horror Convention

July 31 - Aug. 2, 2026

Hyatt Regency O’Hare Chicago, Rosemont, IL 60018

Tickets now on sale at www.flashbackweekend.com

Flashback Weekend Chicago Horror Convention celebrates its 25th year with a MASSIVE Celebrity guest line-up, amazing evening events, luxurious after-parties, an enormous vendor room, and special Celebrity costume Celeb Photo-Ops.

All of this and more, taking place in one of the largest and most beautiful Convention hotels in the World!

FLASHBACK WEEKEND 2026 SALUTES;

-30 years of SCREAM!

Horror Icons!

a Tribute to the 1980's Golden Age of Horror!

CELEBRATE 30 YEARS OF SCREAM!

"SCREAM" Series Reunion !!!

David Arquette - Deputy / Sheriff "Dewey Riley" - "SCREAM" 1-5

Marley Shelton - Deputy/ Sheriff "Judy Hicks" - "SCREAM" 4-5

Dermot Mulroney - Detective Wayne Bailey - "SCREAM 6"

Roger L. Jackson - The Voice of Ghostface

Celeste O'Connor - Chloe Parker - "SCREAM 7"

Joseph Whipp - "Sheriff Burke" "SCREAM" (1996)

Jeremy Conner - Ghostface - "SCREAM 7"

Kraig Dane - Karl Gibbs - Ghostface "SCREAM 7"

Noah Garret - Ghostface in "SCREAM 7" & "SCARY MOVIE 6"

Spencer Charnas ICE NINE KILLS - Official "SCREAM 7" "Twisting the Knife" Hit Song & Music Video

HORROR ICONS

Jane Levy - "Mia" ("EVIL DEAD" 2013)

Steven Weber - "Jack Torrance" "THE SHINING" mini-series (1997)

William Katt ("CARRIE", "HOUSE")

Spencer Charnas - Lead singer "ICE NINE KILLS" - Special "SILVER SCREAM" Costume Celeb Photo-Op

Charles Band - Full Moon Founder

Richard Band - Full Moon Composer

Quinn Lord - "Sam" ("TRICK 'r TREAT" 2007)

Svengoolie (Rich Koz) - Horror Host Icon

HORROR LEGENDS

CELEBRATE THE 1980's GOLDEN AGE OF HORROR

"AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON" 45th anniversary reunion

David Naughton - "David Kessler"

Griffin Dunne - "Jack Goodman"

"NIGHT OF THE CREEPS" 40th anniversary - Costume Celeb Photo-Op!

Tom Atkins - "Det. Ray Cameron"

Jason Lively - "Chris Romero"

Jill Whitlow - "Cynthia Cronenberg"

"HALLOWEEN II" (1981) 45th anniversary reunion

Dick Warlock - "MICHAEL MYERS"

Pamala Susan Shoop - "Nurse Bailey"

Ana Alicia - "Nurse Marshall"

Gloria Graham - "Nurse Alves"

Alan Howarth - co-composer music score

"SILENT NIGHT, DEADLY NIGHT" series Reunion - Costume Celeb Photo-Op!

Robert Brian Wilson "SILENT NIGHT, DEADLY NIGHT" (1984) - "Billy Chapman"

Eric Freeman "SILENT NIGHT, DEADLY NIGHT PART 2" (1987) - "Ricky Chapman"

Stay tuned for more updates!!!

Indie Horror Directors!

Jason Paul Collum - "SCREAMING IN HIGH HEELS", "OCTOBER MOON" series, "MARK OF THE DEVIL 777"

Tony Wash - Scothworthy Productions, "BETTER LUCK THAN CHUCK", Director of Programming SCREAMBOX.

CELEB PHOTO-OPS now on sale at https://celebphotoops.com/event/flashback

Celeb Photo-Ops for our Flashback Weekend Celebrity guests are now on sale including solo and group Reunion ops!

“Special Edition” Flashback Weekend Celeb Photo-Ops including:

NIGHT OF THE CREEPS In costume Tom Atkins, Jason Lively, Jill Whitlow Sat. Aug. 1, 2026

"TRICK 'r TREAT" - Quinn Lord in Costume Sat-Sun Aug. 1-2, 2026

SILENT NIGHT, DEADLY NIGHT In Costume - Robert Brian Wilson Santa costume-op Fri-Sat. July 31 - Sat. Aug. 1, 2026

SILENT NIGHT, DEADLY NIGHT PART 2 In Costume - Eric Freeman Santa costume-op Fri-Sat. July 31 - Sat. Aug. 1, 2026

DUO SILENT NIGHT, DEADLY NIGHT In Costume - Robert Brian Wilson &Eric Freeman Santa costume-op Fri-Sat. July 31 - Sat. Aug. 1

Spencer Charnas - IN COSTUME - Silver Scream Ghostface Saturday Aug. 1, 2026

Svengoolie (Rich Koz) In Costume Fri-Sat July 31 - Aug. 1, 2026

Celeb photo-ops now on sale at https://celebphotoops.com/event/flashback

When the Vendor Room closes, the convention and party is just getting started!

Special evening events on Friday and Saturday night!

Elegant and Luxurious after-parties on Friday and Saturday evenings!

SPECIAL EVENTS!

Friday July 31, 2026

SVENGOOLIE LIVE! THE LIVE HORROR TALK SHOW HOSTED BY SVENGOOLIE!

The Legendary SVENGOOLIE (Rich Koz) will be taking the stage for “SVENGOOLIE LIVE”, the live Horror talk show on Friday July 31, 2026. Featuring Svengoolie live on stage with celebrity guests and surprises, all in the classic Svengoolie style that we love! Imagine your favorite late night talk show. Imagine Svengoolie hosting. Imagine yourself in the studio audience. You can stop imagining, because it is happening! This will be the Horror Event of the Year!

Separate ticket required. Purchase in advance or at the door (pending availability)

Saturday Aug. 1, 2026

ALAN HOWARTH IN CONCERT – ALAN HOWARTH PERFORMS THE SCORE OF “HALLOWEEN II” LIVE TO A SCREENING OF THE FILM!

Composer Alan Howarth will perform his classic score to “HALLOWEEN II" (1981) live to a screening of the film at Flashback Weekend on Sat. Aug. 1, 2026! This all-immersive audio and visual film screening experience is not to be missed!

Separate ticket required. Purchase in advance or at the door (pending availability)

FLASHBACK WEEKEND FILM FEST!

Friday July 31, 2026 - 9:15PM Chicago Premiere!

"THE FRIGHT STUFF" (2026) - The acclaimed new documentary on the Haunted Attraction Industry!

From director Mike Myer (the popular web series Days of the Living Dead) and haunted attraction legend John LaFlamboy, comes "THE FRIGHT STUFF" , the first documentary to cover the history and cultural impact of haunted attractions from the inside. From humble beginnings in the early 1900s to a multi-million dollar industry, haunted attractions remain one of the few linchpins that connect modern American folk traditions and regional commerce...a place where dreamers and misfits come together to entertain people at a scale that is simultaneously huge but personal to their community.

At the center of the story is the journey of seasoned "haunter" John LaFlamboy as he battles time and resources to build his dream attraction....HellsGate Haunted House.

Flashback Weekend ticket holders for Friday July 31, 2026 are welcome (Either Weekend pass or single day Friday passes). Attendance limited to capacity.

Saturday Aug. 1, 2026 10:00PM

WORLD PREMIERE - "ROBOTICA"(2026)

Full Moon Founder Charles Band's newest film "ROBOTICA" will have its World Premiere at Flashback Weekend Chicago Horror Convention on Saturday August 1, 2026! Buckle-in and get ready for director Charles Band's latest film ROBOTICA, a hot and high-octane new sci-fi thriller that stars Lilly Bell (PROMPT) as the titular beautiful sex-bot with murder on her mind. After getting brutalized once-too-often by her despicable male overlords, Robotica snaps out of her pre-programmed stupor and enacts a wave of bloody, brutal revenge. A contemporary, blood-and-skin-soaked indie pulp classic that only could have come from Band and Full Moon!

Flashback Weekend ticket holders for Sat. Aug. 1, 2026 are welcome (Either Weekend pass or single day Sat. passes). Attendance limited to capacity.

OFFICIAL AFTER PARTIES

Friday July 31, 2026 After Party 9:15PM - ???

VENTANAS –The elegant bar on the top floor of the Hyatt –Panoramic view of Chicago’s skyline & O’Hare.

Party in Class & Style!

OFFICIAL LUXURIOUS AFTER PARTY – VENTANAS

The elegant bar on the top floor of the Hyatt –Panoramic view of Chicago’s skyline & O’Hare. Party in Elegance!

Press “V” in the glass elevators for the top floor!

All Flashback Weekend ticket holders welcome.

One (1) drink purchase minimum from the bar upstairs.

*Attendance limited to capacity*

Official After-Party Saturday August 1, 2026.

WELCOME TO WOODSBORO DANCE PARTY.

Official After-Party Saturday August 1, 2026. In the Conference Center – UNDER THE DOME. Party and Dance to the Music of SCREAM! The music soundtracks of SCREAM 1-3 defined the decade in which the first SCREAM trilogy took place. Saturday night at Flashback Weekend you will relive the amazing era of the 1990's! All Flashback Weekend ticket holders welcome. (1) drink purchase minimum from the party bar. Attendance limited to capacity.

THE LEGENDARY SVENGOOLIE (RICH KOZ)!

Svengoolie (Rich Koz) joins Flashback Weekend Chicago Horror Convention for his annual appearance!

SVENGOOLIE SCHEDULE (Times TBA)

Fri. July 31, 2026

Celeb Photo-Ops - (purchased separately)

"SVENGOOLIE LIVE! THE Live Horror Talk Show Hosted by Svengoolie! (separate ticket required)

Sat. Aug. 1, 2026

Celeb Photo-Ops (purchased separately)

Autographs and Selfies (based on availability)

Svengoolie hosts the Sinister Visions Costume Contest

You may also purchase a professional photo-op with Sven by Celeb Photo-Ops and receive a high quality 8 x 10 photo with Sven!

SINISTER VISIONS COSTUME CONTEST HOSTED BY SVENGOOLIE

Sat. Aug. 1, 2026 at 5:00PM

Join us on Saturday, Aug. 1 in your favorite ghoulish costume for our 19th Annual Sinister Visions Costume Contest and compete for fun and prizes! The contest will be hosted by the Legendary Svengoolie (Rich Koz)! All ages welcome! Prizes are awarded for First, Second and Third Place, and there's a Kids Category for ages 12 & under. Winners are determined by audience applause. This event is sponsored by Sinister Visions. All you need to enter is to pre-register, your Flashback Weekend convention tickets, and your costume! Seating limited to capacity.

You must PRE-REGISTER for the 18th Annual Sinister Visions Costume Contest at the Flashback Weekend Chicago Horror Con.

The last couple of years have seen overwhelming attendance at this event, which is great, but we only have so much time and space! The first 20 adults and first 10 kids (12 & under) who submit their info via this registration form - https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfcgYPOJdZExNduftxKizeReGYzs5LyBWnYKWxon7-SxTj8VA/viewform?pli=1 will be this year's contestants; first-come, first-served. Please share this post and spread the word! More info about the SVCC at http://flashbackweekend.com/schedule.html.

Flashback Weekend Q & A's and Panel Discussions are moderated by Prominent Film critics, Journalists, and Podcast hosts:

Dann Gire - The Daily Herald

Nick Digilio - The Nick D Podcast

Steven Prokopy - Third Coast Review

Patrick Bromley - "F THIS MOVIE"

Morgan Gire - "Fighting Gire With Gire", Podcaster

A FANGORIA Magazine Collector's Edition for FLASHBACK WEEKEND CHICAGO HORROR CONVENTION 2026!

This is a one-time printing. Custom editorial, articles, and photos based on the 2026 Celebrity guests, the legends, the events, and the moments that define Flashback Weekend. Signable front and back covers. A must have keepsake from a Flashback Weekend you won't forget.

You can pre-order this special edition collectible in advance at a discount price of $8.00 on the Flashback Weekend ticket sales page. Pick up your pre-purchased issue at the Flashback Weekend Convention registration desk when you check in. This will not be shipped. The price for the special Flashback Weekend FANGORIA edition at the convention will be $15.00 and may be purchased either at the Flashback Weekend Registration Desk or the Fangoria booth while supplies last.

JSA – JAMES SPENCE AUTHENTICATION will be at Flashback Weekend all three days!

HAVE YOUR CELEBRITY AUTOGRAPHS AUTHENTICATED!

JSA will be set-up in the foyer along the windows inside the main entrance.

Look for JSA in the Grand Foyer

Flashback Weekend 2026 Hours of Operation

Check out our schedule which features our 2026 convention hours at http://www.flashbackweekend.com/schedule.html. Detailed schedule to be posted closer to the event.

THE HYATT REGENCY O’HARE CHICAGO – THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE!

Our venue, the Hyatt Regency O’Hare Chicago is one of the largest convention hotels in the world! The Hyatt is luxurious and elegant and will provide you with the extravagant and lavish weekend that you deserve!

TICKETS NOW ON SALE!

Buy your convention and Celeb Photo-Ops tickets now at www.flashbackweekend.com.

Flashback Weekend 2026 Hours of Operation

Check out our schedule which features our 2026 convention hours at http://www.flashbackweekend.com/schedule.html

THE HYATT REGENCY O’HARE CHICAGO – THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE!

Buy your tickets now and visit www.flashbackweekend.com for updates!

THE HYATT REGENCY O’HARE CHICAGO IS A CASHLESS VENUE – BRING CREDIT CARDS FOR PAYMENTS TO THE HYATT

The HYATT REGENCY O'HARE CHICAGO is a cashless venue. Please bring your credit cards for all purchases and charges to the hotel for their restaurants, bars, gift shops, perks, hotel room charges, and parking fees.

FLASHBACK WEEKEND, VENDORS, and CELEBRITIES WILL ACCEPT CASH

Please note that while the Hyatt is a cashless venue, your cash is still accepted at the Flashback Weekend registration desk for your Flashback Weekend ticket and T-Shirt purchases. And cash is accepted at the Flashback Weekend vendors and at the Celebrity tables.

FLASHBACK WEEKEND PAYMENT AT THE DOOR POLICIES

FLASHBACK WEEKEND TICKET SALES AT THE DOOR – PAYMENTS ACCEPTED

Cash accepted with no additional fees.

CREDIT CARDS MASTERCARD OR VISA ACCEPTED WITH THE FOLLOWING FEES

SINGLE DAY & WEEKEND PASSES TICKETS CREDIT CARD FEE - Add a $2.00 fee per ticket at the door with a Mastercard or Visa credit card

Looking forward to seeing everyone in August!

Review: GAIL DAUGHTRY AND THE CELEBRITY SEX PASS

fthismoviepodcast@gmail.com (fthismovie.com) — Fri, 3 Jul 2026 05:00:00 -0500

by Rob DiCristino

A new David Wain joint to kick off your wet hot American summer.

It just occurred to me that I’ve watched three new Zoey Deutch movies in the past week. The first was Voicemails for Isabelle, a tropey Netflix rom-com so disinterested in its own premise that I found myself far more enamoured with Zoey’s character opening a dessert taco truck than I was with the douchey real estate bro she was supposed to be falling in love with. The second movie was Minions & Monsters, another incoherent mess from the criminals at Illumination, which Letterboxd will try to convince you is good because it makes a couple of Harold Lloyd and Buster Keaton references in the first ten minutes (Don’t fall for it! It’s bad). I know that even Hollywood scions need to pay the bills, but I was starting to worry that Deutch wouldn’t get the opportunity to build on her strong 2025, a year that saw her headlining the truly demented comedy The Threesome and playing Jean Seberg in Richard Linklater’s ode to the Nouvelle Vague, the title of which is escaping me at the moment. Deutch is a real talent, and it would be a shame to see Hollywood waste her.

Luckily, the third movie I saw this week was Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass, the newest comedy from The State and Stella mastermind David Wain. Co-written with longtime collaborator Ken Marino, Gail Daughtry introduces us to Gail (Deutch) and Tom (Michael Cassidy), two pieces of starchy, Middle-American white bread putting the final touches on their dream wedding. These high school sweethearts may only have eyes for each other — much to the chagrin of Gail’s best friend, Otto (Miles Gutierrez-Riley), who thinks she can do better — but even the world’s most perfect couple has had the “celebrity sex pass” discussion (Tom’s is Jennifer Aniston; Gail’s is Jon Hamm). Well, guess who’s in town for a book signing just before the wedding? Jennifer Aniston! Guess who Gail catches balls-deep inside of Aniston after the signing? Tom! Guess who’s suddenly having doubts about her relationship and planning to even the playing field by taking a trip to Tinseltown and fucking Jon Hamm? Gail again! Guess who gives this premise two thumbs up? Me!

While few films will ever approach the absurdist perfection of Wain’s 2001 debut, Wet Hot American Summer, Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass at least gives his incredibly talented stock company another opportunity to run roughshod all over our favorite genre cliches. It’s packed wall-to-wall with celebrity cameos — everyone from “Weird Al” Yankovic to Elizabeth Banks — and carried along by Wain co-conspirators like Joe Lo Truglio, Thomas Lennon, Kerry Kennedy-Silver, and Michael Ian Black. At its heart, though, is Gail’s posse: There’s Otto, who’s in LA for a hair dressing convention led by “King of the Whip Curl” Remy Fontaine (Lennon). Then there’s bright-eyed CAA intern Caleb (Ben Wang), down-on-his-luck paparazzo Vincent (Marino), and Hamm’s Mad Men co-star John Slattery, who’s looking for an opportunity to relive his 2010s glory days. There’s also a fierce mafiosa (Sabrina Impacciatore) and her stolen documents, a security guard who wants to make you sick (Tobie Windham), and Paul Rudd because, I don’t know. Why not?

But wait! We were talking about Zoey Deutch! She’s predictably perfect in the lead role, playing each of Wain and Marino’s ridiculous scenarios straight as a rail (which, when those scenarios involve bare-knuckle manslaughter, a Mexican standoff in an Old West town, and [spoilers?] raucous sex with Jon Hamm, is harder than you’d think). Comedy is subjective, of course, so I can’t tell you if you’ll find any of this funny. What I can say, though, is that Gail Daughtry embodies The State’s patented comedy ethos — that is, following the oddest of premises to their most illogical extremes — with the highest success rate of any project I’ve seen from Wain since 2014’s massively underrated They Came Together. There isn’t necessarily anything in Gail Daughtry that you haven’t seen from these guys before, but in an age when writers are trying to stretch sketch-sized bits out into feature length movies — Yes, I’m inexplicably talking shit on Friendship again — it’s nice to see a ninety minute comedy that actually leans into form and structure rather than struggling to resist it.

It’s that commitment to sending up familiar genre structures that keeps Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass anchored in (sur)reality when things start to get too inside baseball for anyone who hasn’t spent thirty years working in the entertainment industry. After all, “Small Town Girl and Her Gay Best Friend Have an Adventure in the Big City” is a lot more relatable to audiences than “Major Studio Projects Are Often Packaged in a Counterintuitive Fashion, Aren’t They?” A healthy dose of tried-and-true gags gives Wain and Marino the latitude to play around with those more specialized, idiosyncratic edges, and by the time the film lands on a Wizard of Oz-inspired finale — answering our central question in the funniest possible way — we’re reminded that the best parodies are always rooted in sincere affection. Just as Wain and company composed a love letter to ‘70s summer camps with Wet Hot American Summer, Gail Daughtry celebrates an idealized vision of Hollywood that, while still defined by cupidity and caprice, has never failed to capture our imaginations.

Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass hits U.S. theaters on Friday, July 10th.

Johnny Showtime: 24 Hours of Pancakes

fthismoviepodcast@gmail.com (fthismovie.com) — Thu, 2 Jul 2026 05:00:00 -0500

by JB

A few weeks ago, someone suggested a 24-hour marathon of films about pancakes. I bravely accept that challenge.

Uncle Buck (1989) 100m. “Birthday pancakes”

Because of the perma-frost of adolescent nostalgia that now encircles his work, we often overlook that John Hughes’ films almost always deal with class in America. Consider the differences between working-class John Bender and the rest of the kids in The Breakfast Club, the conflict between upper-middle class Neil and lower-middle class Del in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles, and the drama that results when upper-class Blane deigns to date lower-class Andie in Pretty in Pink. See it?

Let rich people eat French toast, omelets, and crepes, Uncle Buck knows that a good ol’ stack of pancakes is the Breakfast of the Masses. This country was built on pancakes. Go down into the basement of your domicile right now... right now... and look under the foundation. What will you all find? Pancakes.

The Kid (1921) 68m.

In this seminal Charlie Chaplin comedy, the tramp and his adopted son Jackie Coogan share a fitful meal of pancakes after a busy morning of work. I love how Charlie counts the pancakes like he is counting money, making sure that he and Jackie get a fair split. NOTE: Readers with high cholesterol might NOT want to copy Charlie’s method of wrapping a pancake around a big slab of butter. The choice is yours...

Fargo (1996) 98m. “More pancakes”

One of the many things Steve Buscemi can’t figure out about fellow kidnapper Peter Stormare is why you would want to follow a breakfast of pancakes... with more pancakes?

Rain Man (1988) 133m. “Pancake Tuesdays”

The Dustin Hoffman character always eats pancakes on Tuesdays, and he eats them using toothpicks. This of course leads to the famous “toothpick counting” scene. Okay, maybe it isn’t so famous.

Ma & Pa Kettle Go to Town (1950) 79m. “Popcorn pancakes”

Between 1949 and 1955, Universal Studios made seven Ma and Pa Kettle movies; today these films are largely forgotten. In the same way that Universal’s Francis the Talking Mule series later “moves to television” as Mister Ed, the spirit and sense of humor of the Ma & Pa Kettle series was later hijacked by The Beverly Hillbillies.

The Big Lebowski (1998) 117m. “Lingonberry pancakes”

Probably the saddest pancake scene ever committed to film, as the nihilists gloomily order an early morning diner breakfast after one of their number has sacrificed a toe to their cause.

A Night at the Opera (1935) 96m. “Harpo Eats Pancakes”

Three hungry Marx brothers and Allen Jones finally get something to eat. Harpo uses the pancakes and powdered sugar as face makeup. Do not confuse this scene with a similar one in the Marx brothers’ Room Service. This is the only one of the two with pancakes! In the Room Service scene, Harpo eats peas one at a time with a fork. Otherwise, the two scenes are almost identical.

Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure (1985) 91m. “The Breakfast Machine”

“I pity the fool who doesn’t eat a good breakfast.”

Pleasantville (1998) 124m.

Fifties mom Joan Allen extolls the benefits of a good breakfast while her Nineties children watch in horror. This film is so wonderful in so many ways... and I wonder why it isn’t shown or talked about that much anymore. What gives? I put blueberries in them just the way you like.

Matilda (1996) 98m. “Matilda makes pancakes”

Pulp Fiction (1994) 154m. “One charming m*****-f****** pig.”

John Travolta and Samuel L. Jackson have their famous “pigs are filthy animals” conversation in an LA diner with PANCAKES on Travolta’s plate. This gives us an excuse to watch a two hour and thirty-four-minute film as part of this marathon just for a scene that is LESS THAN FOUR MINUTES LONG.

Cabin Fever (2002) 93m. “Pancakes!”

A strange child reacts oddly to mentions of pancakes. For years I thought the short clip from this film included in Patrick’s YouTube tribute to our 100th podcast was from the film The Legend of Billy Jean. I do not know why. Ten years later, I stand corrected.

Man of Steel (2013) 143m. “Most Product Placements Ever”

This blockbuster film/expensive showcase for paid ads features not just one but two full scenes set in an International House of Pancakes. Take your pick.

Winter of the Witch (1969) 24m.

Okay, this might be cheating because I only need a few more minutes to get this marathon to the requisite 24 hours. A staple in middle school classrooms in the Seventies and early Eighties, this Learning Corporation of America short may have just been seen by more delighted students than all of the other films in this hotcake marathon combined. Any student back then can reminisce warmly about days when the hungover and/or going through a messy divorce teacher dutifully wheeled the 16mm projector into the classroom for some teaching-free “me time.” This film could be titled “The Lion, The Witch, and the Pancakes Without the Lion,” and it is a wonderful example of this type of film. The opening music cues filled me with such nostalgia that I reflexively hid my hands under my desk so that Sister Lee Anne could not swat them with her metal ruler. The film features Broadway legend Hermione Gingold, here slumming as the titular witch.

Hey! You know what? Now that the movie marathon is over, I could really go... for some Belgium waffles.

FTM 827: BLOW OUT

fthismoviepodcast@gmail.com (fthismovie.com) — Wed, 1 Jul 2026 05:00:00 -0500

Patrick and Rosalie talk about a masterpiece.

Download this episode here.

Listen to F This Movie! on Apple Podcasts.

Also discussed this episode: Is God Is (2026), Stop That Train (2026), Obsession (2026), Disclosure Day (2026), Lucky Grandma (2019), How To Make a Killing (2026), Toy Story 5 (2026), Forbidden Fruits (2026)

Johnny Showtime: 10 Obscure Comedies for '80s Comedy Day

fthismoviepodcast@gmail.com (fthismovie.com) — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 05:00:00 -0500

by JB

Oh, sure... you can have your Airplanes, your Back to the Futures, your Back to Schools, your Beetlejuices, your Caddyshacks, your Ghostbusterses, your Major Leagues, your Midnight Runs, your Naked Guns, your Princess Brides, your Spaceballses, your Stripeses, your Trading Placeses, and your Uncle Buckseses, but have you seen any of the following great '80s comedies?

Funny Farm (1988, George Roy Hill): Andy (Chevy Chase) wants to get away from the rat race and so buys a farmhouse in bucolic Vermont. Life is not what he expects there, and all of the townspeople are ignorant, selfish, greedy pricks. Everywhere you turn, this film is the opposite of what you expect and defies cliche. Terrific supporting performances by Madolyn Smith, Joseph Maher, Jack Gilpin, Mike Starr, Dakin Matthews, and Alice Drummond. This is supposedly Chase’s favorite of all the films he has made.

Modern Romance (1981, Albert Brooks): Apparently, one of Stanley Kubrick’s favorite films of all time, Modern Romance is the romantic comedy for viewers who can see right through most Hollywood romantic comedies. Albert Brooks’s Robert and Kathryn Harrold’s Mary are madly in love, but only when they are in bed together. The rest of the time, his insane jealousy and her utter passivity threaten to tear them apart. The film also features a very funny subplot. Brooks’s character is a professional film editor and he’s working on the worst science fiction film ever made, directed by James L. Brooks.

Neighbors (1981, John G. Avildsen): This one got a bad rap when it was released, and with the benefit of hindsight, one can see why. It was based on a troubling book by noted “literary” author Thomas Berger. The screenplay was by comic genius Larry Gelbart, but he complained that the filmmakers took too many liberties with his script. Stars John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd complained that director Avildsen (Rocky, Blue Thunder) had no comedic sensibilities and actively tried to have him fired. Avildsen complained that the soundtrack music by the punk band Fear, which Belushi had insisted upon, did not fit the rhythm or tone of his film and hired Tom Conti to write more “suitable” music. Fans of the two SNL stars complained that they were both playing against type, having switched roles during pre-production: Belushi would play the “normal” neighbor Earl Keese, and Dan Aykroyd would play the crazy, crude Vic.

All of those whiners can bite my substantial ass, because I love this movie. Time has been kind to Neighbors. Most amateur reviewers on IMDB and Amazon Instant Video tend to start their reviews the same way, with some variation of “I thought I was the only person who ever loved this film.” Looking at it now, I see a funny, offbeat film unlike any other comedy. Although admittedly it is a film with problems, the laughs outweigh the quibbles.

S.O.B. (1981, Blake Edwards): Blake Edwards’ take on '80s Hollywood is a nutty, nutty farce. Filmmaker Felix Farmer (Richard Mulligan) makes an expensive, bloated musical that no one wants to see. He buys the film back from the studio, vows to reshoot sequences turning it into soft porn, and convinces the star of the film, his wife Sally Miles (Julie Andrews) to film a nude scene for it. Richard Mulligan plays a man possessed. Julie Andrews plays herself; she was really married to real director Blake Edwards. A supporting cast for the ages: William Holden, Larry Hagman, Stuart Margolin, Robert Loggia, Robert Preston, Robert Vaughn, Robert Webber, and Shelly Winters. One of the few Hollywood musicals to include a Viking funeral.

Student Bodies (1981, Mickey Rose & Michael Ritchie): Funny parody of slasher films, made just three years after the original Halloween. Like the original Airplane, this one has jokes aplenty: from the ongoing, complaining voice-over of the POV killer, “The Breather;” to an onscreen “Body Count” monitor; to paper clips, chalk board erasers, and eggplants being used as murder weapons; to a shop teacher obsessed with horse-head bookends. This film has it all. Co-director and screenwriter Rose also co-wrote Take the Money and Run and Bananas with Woody Allen.

The Tall Guy (1989, Mel Smith): A very funny British comedy starring Jeff Goldblum and Emma Thompson. Just see it.

Teachers (1984, Arthur Hiller): Finally, a film that shows us a real American high school in all its glory. I am not talking about the endless preachifying of the Nick Nolte character; I am talking about the film’s many subplots. For instance, Royal Dano plays “Ditto,” a burned-out teacher who prepares copious worksheets to occupy his students. They are expected to work independently while he sits at the back of the room at his desk and reads the newspaper. One day he dies in the middle of class, still clutching his newspaper. No one notices. Students continue to file into his class, pick up worksheets, complete them, and hand them in at the bell. This has actually happened at my school. No names.

All of the supporting performances sing: JoBeth Williams, Judd Hirsch, Allen Garfield, Lee Grant, William Schallert, Laura Dern, Crispin Glover, and Morgan Freeman. (Remember when Hollywood movies had CASTS?) Best of all there is a wonderful subplot involving Richard Mulligan as an escaped mental patient who somehow becomes a substitute history teacher. The students love him. He is a complete success, the best teacher in the school. Eventually the authorities catch on to the subterfuge, and as the police haul him out of the building in handcuffs, he pauses long enough to exclaim, "Sir, unhand me! You will treat me with respect! For I... am a TEACHER!"

Tin Men (1987, Barry Levinson): The middle film in Levinson’s “Baltimore trilogy” is this funny slice-of-life tale in which two aluminum siding salesmen, BB (Richard Dreyfuss) and Tilley (Danny DeVito), grow to hate each other and engage in an epic game of revenge. Levinson has his whole “Baltimore schtick” down pat here after his earlier film Diner—the accents, the houses, the cars, and the period references are all on point. Excellent supporting cast includes Barbara Hershey, John Mahoney, Jackie Gayle, Seymour Cassel, Bruno Kirby, J.T. Walsh, and Michael Tucker, returning from Diner as “Bagel.”

Used Cars (1980, Robert Zemekis): A very funny movie. Watch it today.

The War of the Roses (1989, Danny DeVito): Remade poorly in 2025, the original is the real deal—a nasty, knock-down, black comedy about divorce. Great performances by the two leads, Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner, reuniting after the Romancing the Stone pictures; great dialogue (“That depends on what the paté is made of... Woof. Woof.”); and a conclusion that is darker than dark. This did not do well upon its original theatrical release. It figures.

Boy, 1981 was a great year for comedies. Right?

Junesploitation 2026 Day 30: '80s Comedy!

fthismoviepodcast@gmail.com (fthismovie.com) — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 02:00:00 -0500

Friday Night Double Features Vol. 68

fthismoviepodcast@gmail.com (fthismovie.com) — Mon, 29 Jun 2026 05:00:00 -0500

by Adam Riske and Patrick Bromley

Ten new double features to watch after you see fireworks!

Double Feature 1:

Adam: #1: Bubba Ho-Tep (2002)
Patrick: #2: Heartbreak Hotel (1988)
Patrick: Trailers/Shorts: 3000 Miles to Graceland, Elvis, Honeymoon in Vegas
Patrick: Theme: Fake Elvis

Patrick: I love Bubba Ho-Tep and I’m excited to revisit it but I’m not in the most “horror” place these days so I wanted to pair it with something outside the genre. I’ve never seen Heartbreak Hotel but I know David Keith plays Elvis and I kind of have to see that. Plus, it’s written and directed by Chris Columbus and is one of his only movies I’ve yet to see, so I’m excited to put another finger down on the Two Fists. Have you seen it? You’re more of a CC guy than me but your affection for him has rubbed off on me a lot.

Adam: This is a really cool double. Heartbreak Hotel is one of my unseen Columbus’s, so it’ll be nice to check that one off the list. I’m glad you’re liking him/his movies more these days. Dude’s like a no-brainer for me. Like when you had a teacher you loved growing up. I have such a special place in my heart for Bubba Ho-Tep because it started as a movie I was into and became one I shared with my Mom. We used to watch it together every October along with The Blob (1958) and Last Man on Earth (1964). That was our annual trilogy during Scary Movie Month most years. It'll be really nice to see it in a theater again and dedicate it to her.

Double Feature 2:

Patrick: #1: 2 Fast 2 Furious (2003)
Adam: #2: Paparazzi (2004)
Adam: Trailers/Shorts: Dazed and Confused, Higher Learning, Pitch Black
Adam: Theme: A Handful of Hausers

Adam: Cole Hauser is terrifying but that doesn’t prevent me from really enjoying his work and wanting to dedicate a night to his onscreen villainy. I think 2 Fast 2 Furious (which has re-established itself as my second favorite in the franchise after the original) and Paparazzi would play really well together since they both have a schlocky vibe in the best way possible. It’s a very Cinemarink double is what I’m trying to say. P.S. My memory is it gets funnier and funnier in Paparazzi when Dennis Farina keeps going back to Cole Hauser all “We have a lot of dead paparazzi on our hands, know anything about this Cole Hauser?” and Cole Hauser’s like “No” but with a shit eating grin on his face. I dunno, maybe you have to be there and by “be there” I mean at this double feature. #Engine'sGood

Patrick: I’m so excited for this double bill but I’m afraid it’s going to conjure an appearance from Cole Hauser, like saying “Candyman” in the mirror three times. I just rewatched 2 Fast and it’s officially my favorite. It’s so colorful and silly and fun. John Singleton really knew what he was doing on that one. If Cole Hauser doesn’t return as Carter Verona for the last Fast installment, this franchise will have really fucked up. I haven’t seen Paparazzi since E and I saw it with Mike and Christy opening weekend. I feel like I would like it more now by enjoying it as stupid trash, clearly the right way to watch it.

Double Feature 3:
Adam: #1: Silverado (1985)
Patrick: #2: Open Range (2003)
Patrick: Trailers/Shorts: Horizon Part 1, Dances With Wolves, Wyatt Earp
Patrick: Theme: Costner Goes West

Patrick: Such an obvious theme but Costner has made so many good westerns that we really need to devote a whole night to them. I like starting with Silverado when he’s young and full of energy and then following that with Open Range when he’s older and grouchier and won’t stop sending Annette Bening away. I love both of these movies, but truth be told we could probably follow Silverado with any of the movies in the trailer lineup and I would be super happy. I thought about programming Horizon Part 2 as a cheat but it just bums me out that we still can’t see it.

Adam: So, what you’re doing is programming a perfect evening. This is incredible. I can’t believe they still haven’t released Horizon Part 2 in some fashion. P.S. One of my favorite celebrity interactions at a con was when Amanda Wyss told me that like 30+ years later, the cast of Silverado had a text chain because they all had so much fun making that movie together. I need to see it again. What better way to do that than at the Cinemarink!?

Double Feature 4:

Patrick: #1: Primary Colors (1998)
Adam: #2: A Civil Action (1998)
Adam: Trailers/Shorts: Pulp Fiction, Get Shorty, Face/Off
Adam: Theme: John Travolta’s Best Performances of the 1990s

Adam: John Travolta has made a lot of questionable career choices, but sometimes when people lean too far into making fun of him, I want to remind them how awesome he has been for extended periods of time. His run from 1994 to 1998 was one of those eras (eras) and I selected five of what I consider to be his best performances during that stretch as a theme. I’m of the opinion he should have gotten another Academy Award nomination for one of his 1998 movies - Primary Colors and A Civil Action. He’s incredible in both movies as charismatic, and somewhat well-intentioned, men whose flaws can’t help but build to the surface. I think both movies are pretty underrated and rewatchable, with a surplus of great actors in supporting roles.

Patrick: Yeah I was just revisiting Primary Colors and was reminded of just how good it is. I feel like something I was watching recently – maybe an old Siskel & Ebert? – made a point of saying that Travolta was miscast in A Civil Action and I totally disagree. That’s the better of the two performances for me, even if I like Primary Colors more as a movie. I’ve been on a Mike Nichols run lately and it’s been pretty great.

Double Feature 5:
Adam: #1: Band of Outsiders (1964)
Patrick: #2: The Bride! (2026)
Patrick: Trailers/Shorts: Pulp Fiction, She’s All That, Southland Tales, The Mask
Patrick: Theme: Dance Numbers!

Patrick: I had absolutely no idea what to pair with Band of Outsiders because I’m a philistine, but the thing I remember loving most about it was the dance number that the characters do about halfway through the film. I decided to run with that idea and programmed another movie with a left-field dance number because I still think The Bride! Is one of the most underrated movies of this year and the dance number is probably my favorite part of the whole thing. Have you seen it yet? I’m curious what you think. You might hate it.

Adam: You’re not a philistine! This is a unique theme and pairing in a good way. I remember seeing Band of Outsiders and zoning in on Anna Karina. And then I remember seeing Vivre sa vie and zoning in on Anna Karina even more while also being blown away by the movie in a way I wasn’t for Band of Outsiders. I’d like to give it another try after really liking Nouvelle Vague last year. I haven’t seen The Bride! but I did check it out from the library a couple of days ago (along with Dracula and Wuthering Heights). I’ll report back. I’m slowly catching up on 2026 movies from earlier this year when I was in a funk and rarely going to the movies. P.S. If Jack Rabbit Slim’s from Pulp Fiction or Coco Bongo from The Mask existed, I would have my birthday parties there.

Double Feature 6:

Patrick: #1: Dune (1984)
Adam: #2: The Last Starfighter (1984)
Adam: Trailers/Shorts: Firestarter, Streets of Fire, Conan the Destroyer, Cloak & Dagger
Adam: Theme: Universal Pictures 1984

Adam: Sometimes you make double features for your friends. I had you in mind for this one, Patrick. I originally was going to make a tribute to the film work of Sting -- a singer I enjoy much more than you, especially his solo work. The problem was I couldn’t find something good to pair with Dune, so I went the obvious route of Universal 1984, which was a good idea since Universal distributed so many similar fantasy/space/pulp type movies that year. I think this will be a really fun and nostalgic night at the movies with an amazing trailer block.

Patrick: You’re such a good friend because this is one of the most me-coded doubles we’ve ever done, even down to the trailers. I might be the internet’s biggest fan of at least three of these movies. If you want, we can play “Fields of Gold” during the intermission and then we both get something out of the night.

Double Feature 7:
Adam: #1: Troop Beverly Hills (1989)
Patrick: #2: The Wizard (1989)
Patrick: Trailers/Shorts: Runaway Daughters, Foxfire, “One of the Guys” Music Video
Patrick: Theme: Jenny Lewis Tribute

Patrick: Erika and I saw Rilo Kiley live a couple of weeks ago and I was reminded that Jenny Lewis is and has been a top 5 celebrity crush ever since Troop Beverly Hills so I thought it only right to devote the night to her. She didn’t do a ton of acting so we’re fairly limited in what we can show. I don’t think I’ve seen Troop Beverly Hills since that original VHS viewing but I know there are some people who make it like their whole personality. Are you a Trooper? I know we probably can’t get Jenny Lewis out to the double (restraining order), but do you think Power Glove kid from The Wizard might show up?

Adam: Yeah, that Jenny Lewis crush hit the Chicago suburbs hard. I was a goner once I saw the 1989 one-two punch of Troop Beverly Hills and The Wizard. My Jenny Lewis crush walked so my Emma Stone crush could run. I would consider myself a Trooper since my family saw it TWICE at the dollar theater for some reason. Pretty sure Power Glove kid is our soda distributor, so, yeah, Jackey Vinson will be there, put it on the marquee.

Double Feature 8:

Patrick: #1: Speed Racer (2008)
Adam: #2: Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008)
Adam: Trailers/Shorts: The Spiderwick Chronicles, Kung Fu Panda, Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa, All of their Happy Meal Commercials
Adam: Theme: 2008 Movies That Had McDonald’s Happy Meal Promotions

Adam: Growing up, there was almost nothing more exciting to me than when McDonalds had a Happy Meal promotion for a movie I was into. I was no longer tapped into Happy Meals in 2008, so looking back it was funny to see that some of these movies even had one. P.S. I’ve tried but just can’t get into Speed Racer. I’m most excited about seeing the Happy Meal commercials on the big screen.

Patrick: Yeah, this might be a rough night for us. I keep trying with Speed Racer, which is why I programmed it this month, but it hasn’t clicked for me yet. Clone Wars is never going to happen for me so maybe we can eat a bunch of McDonald’s in the back of the theater while the people who are going to enjoy that movie are enjoying it.

Double Feature 9:
Adam: #1: Clerks (1994)
Patrick: #2: She’s Gotta Have It (1986)
Patrick: Trailers/Shorts: Slacker, Go Fish, Roger & Me
Patrick: Theme: Spike, Mike, Slackers, & Dykes

Patrick: I used to really love John Pierson’s book Spike, Mike, Slackers, & Dykes but mostly for the Kevin Smith stuff. I feel like I’ve grown up since then. I like that almost all the movies even in the trailer block aren’t just first films but also in black and white. It will remind me of the pretentious ‘90s, a period for which I still have a ton of affection because it’s when I became a real movie bro. I feel like I’ve grown up since then.

Adam: I like this double a lot. I’ve only seen She’s Gotta Have It once and didn’t like it, so I feel like I owe it another chance being a Spike Lee guy. I just bought a ticket to see An Evening with Kevin Smith this September, so I feel like I haven’t grown up yet.

Double Feature 10:

Patrick: #1: Please Give (2010)
Adam: #2: The Town (2010)
Adam: Trailers/Shorts: The Prestige, The Gift (2015), Ella McCay
Adam: Theme: Rebecca Hall Shitty Significant Others

Adam: This one’s hyper-specific but I like Rebecca Hall and I always feel bad that in movies she is stuck dating/married to bank robbers, creepy twins, secret bullies, philanderers, and Thomas Ian Nicholas. She deserves better. Plus, theme aside, we get to watch two good movies with great Rebecca Hall performances!

Patrick: This is a really funny theme and I’m so glad you found a way to sneak in the Ella McCay trailer. You are solely responsible for keeping the name of that movie alive. Rebecca Hall is always so good but hasn’t had a really good part in a couple of years. She needs to come back. I feel like the one-two punch of The Night House and that movie where Tim Roth eats her baby positioned her to really break out but instead she’s getting mostly cut out of Ella McCay. What gives?

Junesploitation 2026 Day 29: Free Space!

fthismoviepodcast@gmail.com (fthismovie.com) — Mon, 29 Jun 2026 02:00:00 -0500

Junesploitation 2026 Day 28: PM Entertainment!

fthismoviepodcast@gmail.com (fthismovie.com) — Sun, 28 Jun 2026 01:00:00 -0500

Junesploitation 2026 Day 27: Italian Cinema!

fthismoviepodcast@gmail.com (fthismovie.com) — Sat, 27 Jun 2026 01:00:00 -0500

Review: SUPERGIRL

fthismoviepodcast@gmail.com (fthismovie.com) — Fri, 26 Jun 2026 04:00:00 -0500

by Rob DiCristino

Girls get it done. Well, if they feel like it.

“He sees the good in everyone, but I see the truth,” Kara Zor-El (Milly Alcock) says about her cousin, Superman (David Corenswet). It’s true that the Man of Steel takes a considerably more generous view of humanity — of terrestrial and extraterrestrial beings alike, actually — than she does, but perhaps that’s because the famed Last Son of Krypton never really felt the loss of their home planet. Kara did. Well, sort of: In the years after Kal-El’s parents shot his toddling ass into the far reaches of space, Kara grew up on a Kryptonian colony designed by her father (David Krumholtz as Zor-El), where she lived in peace until a fatal strain of radiation poisoning laid waste to what remained of their population. Hoping to ensure his daughter a prosperous future — and perhaps hoping to undermine the whole “my son will rule the Earth as an uncompromising God” plan hatched by his brother — Zor-El sent his only child to a place where she could have an impact. Where she could find her path. Where, alongside Kal-El and Earth’s other metahumans, she could be a hero.

But again, Kara has elected a slightly different response to this particular call to adventure. While Big Blue busies himself defending truth, justice, and the American way, she and her trusty super dog, Krypto, treat the universe like one giant pub crawl (specifically those planets orbiting red suns, where her powers don’t activate and she can get a proper buzz on). It’s not that Kara is unfeeling — as I said, she favors places where she can actually feel things — it’s that she’s too resentful to lift a finger for anyone else. Despite Kal’s invitations back to Earth, she’s perfectly content riding the Hot Mess Express until a space pirate called Krem of the Yellow Hills (Matthias Schoenaerts) steals her ship and poisons her dog. As it turns out, this is the same Krem who recently murdered swordsmith Elias Knoll (Ferdinand Kingsley) and his family, leaving behind only pint-sized Ruthye (Eve Ridley) — for reasons that will become more inexplicable as the film goes on — to take revenge. So yeah, it’s True Grit in space, plus Jason Momoa as an immortal, motorbike-riding surf vampire called Lobo.

Adapted from Supergirl: The Woman of Tomorrow by Tom King and Bilquis Evely, Craig Gillespie’s Supergirl is a considerably lighter and lower-stakes adventure than its almost fatally-overstuffed DC Universe predecessor, Superman. Australian newcomer Milly Alcock — who already made a splash in said predecessor and has been firming-up her badass bonafides on HBO’s House of the Dragon — is immediately captivating in the title role, carrying herself with a devil-may-care energy that never bleeds into haughty ignorance. Kara knows that the universe is made of hard-boiled ass fat. She knows scumbags like Krem and his band of child bride-kidnapping Brigands terrorize the innocent with impunity. She respects Ruthye’s whole Inigo Montoya bit, and she will definitely be thinking of her when she beats Krem senseless and steals Krypto’s antidote. But revenge, she says, is a fool’s errand. It doesn’t make anything better. Hurting those who hurt you doesn’t make your pain go away. It’s nothing more than a slippery slope towards self-medication and misery.

The trouble with Supergirl — which is otherwise lean, funny, and entertaining — is that we never understand the source of Kara’s antipathy. When did she exact revenge? On whom? Kryptonian plate tectonics? Why does she resist Kal’s optimism? Why don’t we develop their dynamic? Why wasn’t Zor-El a eugenicist like his brother? Why did Krem leave Kara on a poisonous, green-sunned planet if he knew that the sun was going to set? Oh, and why in the intergalactic fuck would a child trafficker let Ruthye escape if her whole family is dead? There’s no one to come after her! These may seem like irrelevant, Cinema Sins quibbles, but after an electric opening act that blends Star Wars, Hitchhiker’s Guide, and Guardians of the Galaxy, Supergirl collapses into a maddening collection of movements that fail to develop — let alone resolve — any of the major character threads established early on. Ana Nogueira’s screenplay feels like it’s been chopped down to the bone, especially in a disastrous climactic action sequence that reeks of reshoots and rearrangements.

What’s worse is that, at 108 minutes soaking wet, Supergirl is endearing enough to have earned an extra few minutes for character and theme. Perhaps James Gunn overreacted to complaints about his Superman’s clunky storytelling and crowded roster — by the way, I hope none of you are Krypto fans, because that little guy spends 95% of this movie unconscious — and had Craig Gillespie remove everything that seemed like extraneous filler? Brevity is certainly a virtue in these blockbusters, but they forgot to replace the bloat with, you know, interesting things that make the movie coherent and exciting! Ruthye has zero emotional latitude, Lobo is a complete afterthought — which is especially upsetting because Momoa iterates on his Beer-Chugging Gym Bro just differently enough to be worthwhile — and what passes for Kara’s emotional catharsis feels completely unearned. So while Supergirl succeeds in adding another dynamic character to Gunn’s universe, it — and see if you can find the irony here — utterly fails to give us a reason to care about her.

Supergirl hits U.S. theaters on Friday, June 26th.

Junesploitation 2026 Day 26: Heroes and Villains!

fthismoviepodcast@gmail.com (fthismovie.com) — Fri, 26 Jun 2026 02:00:00 -0500

Heavy Action: RUMBLE IN THE BRONX (FTM Rewind)

fthismoviepodcast@gmail.com (fthismovie.com) — Thu, 25 Jun 2026 05:00:00 -0500

by Patrick Bromley

Welcome to America, Jackie! We're sorry.

Rumble in the Bronx was not Jackie Chan's first American movie. He was showing up in the Cannonball Run movies as far back as the early '80s. In fact, Rumble in the Bronx is not even an American movie, despite purporting to take place in New York (it does not) and featuring an almost all non-Asian cast. It's actually a Chinese film released in its native country as Hong faan kui, but was picked up by New Line, trimmed down slightly and given a new English language dub in order to be Chan's "breakthrough" American movie. Amazingly, it worked; the movie was a hit and Chan became a star in the U.S. (The original Hong Kong version is finally being made available in the U.S. as part of Arrow Video's new and prohibitively expensive "Jackie Chan's Breakout Hits" 4K box set.)

I get it, too. As an introduction to Jackie Chan, the movie is effective. He gets to play the best kind of Jackie Chan character (almost the only kind): the decent guy trying to do good, fighting only in self defense. More than that, though, it was the way he fought that made the movie a success in America. This was 1994, and not every single movie featured kung-fu. It was before Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Before The Matrix. Before fucking Charlie's Angels. Mainstream audiences who took a chance and went out to see Rumble in the Bronx in 1994 had likely never seen anyone move or fight the way Jackie Chan does. It's breathtaking. It's awesome. And he deserved to become a star because of it.

That's good, because as a movie, Rumble in the Bronx is...not great

Jackie plays Keung, a Hong Kong cop who comes to New York for the wedding of his uncle Bill, a shop owner who has recently sold his grocery store. When a street gang begins terrorizing the new owner, Keung steps in and stops them, essentially painting a target on his back. To make matters worse, one of the gang members has gotten wrapped up in some diamond smuggling with the mob; when the diamonds wind up in the seat cushion of wheelchair-bound kid Danny (Morgan Lam), Leung has to protect both him and his sister, Nancy (Françoise Yip), a model and sometimes stripper who just happens to be part of the street gang, too.

I'm sure there are a lot of people who love Rumble in the Bronx. Some of them are probably fans of Jackie Chan and are predisposed to like anything he's in (anything not called The Tuxedo, that is). Some dig its goofy charm. Then there are those -- and you know they exist -- who like the movie not in spite of its badness, but because of it: they enjoy the bad dubbing and over-the-top performances in an ironic way. And while I would typically be inclined to call those people assholes (people who like things ironically usually are), in this case I kind of get it. If you're going to like Rumble in the Bronx, you have to be willing to accept all of these things as parts of the whole. For better or worse (it's worse), it's this stuff that gives the movie its personality.

Not one thing is convincing about the New York of Rumble in the Bronx. The movie was shot in Vancouver, and it shows. The set decorators appear to have learned everything they know about cities from watching Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoons. The gang members look and act like extras from Tromaville. It is one of the ugliest, tackiest movies ever made that wasn't really trying to deliberately be ugly and tacky. The dubbing, apparently commissioned by New Line before releasing the movie in the States, is downright weird; here you have English-speaking actors saying their lines in English, but all of their voices have been dubbed by some truly awful voiceover actors (at least Jackie Chan gets to do his own lines). Danny, the kid in the wheelchair, is dubbed in a way that makes him sound like either a little girl or Bob from Lucio Fulci's The House by the Cemetery. If you've seen that movie, you know exactly what I'm talking about. No one forgets Bob. At any rate, all of these weird choices give the whole thing a weird, alien quality in which we recognize all of the pieces but none of them add up.

Though he had been playing a version of the same character for years in his Chinese films, Rumble in the Bronx pretty much cemented the "Jackie Chan" persona for American audiences. He gets compared to silent comedians like Buster Keaton a lot, and with good reason: his appeal is all about physical grace and his ability to wow audiences with his ability to perform amazing stunts inside of rapidly escalating situations. And, like Keaton, he wears one face through these physical feats -- only instead of the Keaton stoneface, it's a look of worry. That expression has always been my favorite thing about Jackie Chan; even when he's hitting someone, his face is preemptively apologizing for it. Some of the best scenes in his American output don't even involve fighting, like the sequence in the first Rush Hour where he's trying to catch all of the priceless vases before they smash on the floor. That's pure Keaton/Chaplin, and his trademark look of worry has never been put to better use. There's nothing in Rumble in the Bronx that overtly comic, even though there are comedic overtones to the whole movie. In fact, it's jarring to realize that the movie is rated R, something I only remember when we get to the scene in which a gang member is stuffed into a wood chipper; otherwise, it's pretty tame.

There are three or four big action set pieces in the movie, and most of them are amazing. That's expected. I don't think there are any that are quite up to the level of the big warehouse fight in Mr. Nice Guy, another Hong Kong import that New Line redubbed and released in the U.S. in the wake of Rumble's success, but that's ok. They still put any of the fight scenes released in any American movie in the first half of the '90s to shame. Part of what makes them so enjoyable is that Keung doesn't want to fight the gang members, primarily because he never really wants to fight but also because he knows they're just misguided and need to straighten up and fly right. This leads to my favorite line in the movie, in which Jackie Chan pleads in his clipped English, "Don't you know? You are the scum of society!"

It's unfortunate that instead of ending with another big fight scene, the movie climaxes with Keung and Nancy driving a hovercraft and chasing down mobsters across a golf course. It results in one of the strangest endings to any movie ever, when (SPOILERS FOR THE LAST SECONDS OF THE MOVIE) they finally run over the big bad guy, who is left face down on the ground, stripped naked with a chapped ass. Everyone cheers. Jackie smiles. The movie FREEZES MID-CHEER and goes to credits. But don't take my word for it:

Where the clip freezes at the end? That's where the credits start. It's fucking crazy.

There are still a ton of Jackie Chan movies I have never seen, so I wouldn't dream of judging his body of work on the basis of Rumble in the Bronx. Both the character and the action do a good job of introducing what's great about him as an action star to American audiences. I just wish it did those things inside of a much better movie.

This article originally appeared in 2012. I've seen a lot more Jackie Chan movies and like this movie a long more now.

Junesploitation 2026 Day 25: Jackie Chan!

fthismoviepodcast@gmail.com (fthismovie.com) — Thu, 25 Jun 2026 02:00:00 -0500

FTM 826: PROM NIGHT

fthismoviepodcast@gmail.com (fthismovie.com) — Wed, 24 Jun 2026 05:00:00 -0500

Patrick and Mike disco dance their way through this 1980 slasher.

Download this episode here.

Listen to F This Movie! on Apple Podcasts.

Also discussed this episode: The Furious (2026), Black Caesar (1973), Highlander (1986), Disclosure Day (2026), A Rage in Harlem (1991), Voicemails for Isabelle (2026), Tiger on the Beat (1988)

Junesploitation 2026 Day 24: Slashers!

fthismoviepodcast@gmail.com (fthismovie.com) — Wed, 24 Jun 2026 02:00:00 -0500

Johnny Showtime: Russ Meyer and FASTER, PUSSYCAT! KILL! KILL!

fthismoviepodcast@gmail.com (fthismovie.com) — Tue, 23 Jun 2026 05:00:00 -0500

by JB

In which we near the end of our yearly exploitation journey, race around the desert in our hot jalopies, and attempt to kill some innocent lovebirds and a family of three...

Russ Meyer is one of the original exploitation auteurs. He predates Joe Sarno, Jess Franco, Larry Cohen, Jack Hill, Doris Wishman, and Fred Olen Ray. Meyer was a contemporary of Jack Arnold, Roger Corman, Herschell Gordon Lewis, and William Castle. Only Dan Sonney and Kroger Babb pre-date him.

According to Nathan Rabin of The AV Club, “Meyer [...] got his start making films while serving in the US Army's 166th Signal Photographic Company during WWII. He had a reputation for running strictly regimented film shoots with a small crew composed largely of former army buddies. Charles Napier, who appeared in five of Meyer's films, said that ‘working with Russ Meyer was like being in the first wave landing in Normandy during World War II.’ Meyer considered the Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! shoot no different, saying ‘It was the usual thing with me. It's like being in the military. Everybody has to get up and do their jobs to get things together, and that's it.’"

It certainly helped Meyers’ eventual career as a filmmaker that his army experience turned him into an ace cinematographer. Say what you want about the content of his exploitation pictures, they all look magnificent.

THE PLOT IN BRIEF: Go-Go dancers Varla, Rosie, and Billie (Tura Satana, Haji, and Lori Williams) finish their shifts at the club and go riding off into the desert in their souped-up roadsters. Eventually, they come upon Tommy (Ray Barlow) doing a time trial of his racecar with girlfriend Linda (Susan Bernard). Varla kills Tommy; the three of them drug and kidnap Linda.

Our homicidal trio (with comatose Linda in tow) chance upon an old man (Stuart Lancaster) living like a hermit on the edge of the desert. He lives there with his two sons, Kirk (Paul Trinka) and The Vegetable (Dennis Busch). Rumor has it that the old man is hiding a fortune in cash somewhere on his property. Our three go-go protagonists vow to find it and take it from him.

Like many eventual cult classics, Faster, Pussycat! was not a success upon its original release. It took many years of reparatory screenings and eventual home video releases to garner the film its current reputation as an exploitation masterpiece. In this, the film shares a demented point of pride with many other beloved films: The Wizard of Oz, Blade Runner, and The Big Lebowski spring to mind. These films were considered financial failures in their first release, and only garnered praise and esteem over time; The Big Lebowski even spawned a religion.

The film has also influenced other filmmakers. Writer-director John Waters stated in his book Shock Value that "Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! is, beyond a doubt, the best movie ever made. It is possibly better than any film that will be made in the future."

Like the films of fellow exploitation auteur Ed Wood, Russ Meyer’s Faster, Pussycat! contains ENDLESSLY QUOTABLE DIALOGUE:

Narrator

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to violence: the word and the act!

While violence cloaks itself in a plethora of disguises, its favorite mantle still remains... SEX! Violence devours all it touches, its voracious appetite rarely fulfilled. Yet violence doesn't only destroy, it creates and molds as well. Let's examine closely then this dangerously evil creation, this new breed encased and contained within the supple skin of woman. The softness is there, the unmistakable smell of female, the surface shiny and silken, the body yielding yet wanton. But a word of caution: handle with care and don't drop your guard. This rapacious new breed prowls both alone and in packs, operating at any level, anytime, anywhere, and with anybody. Who are they? One might be your secretary, your doctor's receptionist... or a dancer in a go-go club!

And...

Verbose Gas Station Attendant

(staring at Varla's chest as he pumps gas)

Just passing through, huh? Boy, that motor's sure hot!

You gals really must have been moving on these little machines.

Yessir, the thrill of the open road. New places, new people,

new sights of interest. Now that's what I believe in, seeing America first!

Varla

You won't find it down there, Columbus!

And...

Billie

I'm of legal age for whiskey, voting, and loving.

Now the next election is two years away, and my love life

ain't getting much better, so how about some of that 100 percent?

And...

The Old Man

They let 'em vote, smoke and drive — even put 'em in pants! So whaddya get?

A Democrat for President! A lotta smoke up your chimney,

Russian roulette on the highway! You can't even tell brother from sister...

'less you meet 'em head on.

Though it does not contain the copious nudity that fills Meyer’s other films, Faster, Pussycat! might just be the ideal Meyer “starter film,” a chance to stick your... um... toe in the water... so to speak. In this film, we enter a fictional world that would stay pretty consistent throughout Meyer’s oeuvre—a sweaty, white trash, oversexed backwoods Anytown of the mind. A small hamlet south of the Mason-Dixon line that hides many secrets. Meyer’s created genre seems to channel Erskine Caldwell’s God’s Little Acre, Grace Metalious’s Peyton Place, and Tennessee Williams’s Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. Let’s call it Southern Horny Noir. The men are compromised and cuckolded; the women possess heavy bosoms and insatiable sex drives. The stifling heat and lack of any abiding moral code eventually drives everyone crazy. Many of Meyer’s films end with a long speech by an unseen narrator, exhorting us to live a better life. The following screed from the conclusion of Beyond the Valley of the Dolls is representative of all of these:

Narrator

The act of death has caused another life to be reborn. Together we share the wonder of human existence, and let there be no doubt that all of us are brothers. There can be no beginning or ending that does not in some way touch another, for our actions affect the lives and destinies of many. Z-Man, he forgot that life has many levels, and by choosing to live on only one, lost sight of reality [....] Kelly, with her selfish involvement, was so ready to turn her back on friendship. The road back is painful, but by her pain, she will never again forget.

YOU must each decide what your life will be. YOU must always know that a hand extended to your fellow man is a gesture of love; love that asks nothing, expects nothing, yet is simply there. And if love is in YOU, then gentle will be all your steps as YOU walk beyond this valley.

Junesploitation 2026 Day 23: Exploitation Auteurs!

fthismoviepodcast@gmail.com (fthismovie.com) — Tue, 23 Jun 2026 02:00:00 -0500

2K Replay: V FOR VENDETTA

fthismoviepodcast@gmail.com (fthismovie.com) — Mon, 22 Jun 2026 05:00:00 -0500

by Adam Riske

Nominated for “Worst On-Screen Hairstyle” (Natalie Portman) at the Stinkers Bad Movie Awards. She lost to Tom Hanks for The Da Vinci Code. I agree with this win.

• Best Scene/Moment: The two scenes where someone makes Natalie Portman “Egg in a Basket,” which consists of a slice of bread with a hole cut in the center, placed in a buttered skillet, with a fried egg in the hole. It looks delicious. I love breakfast more than most things.

• Best Song (tie): “Street Fighting Man” by The Rolling Stones and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s “1812 Overture (Finale)”

• Best Merch: A “V For Vendetta Movie Promo Mask 2006 Cardboard Flat” for $34.99. I mean, seriously, what other merch from this movie would you possibly want over your own Guy Fawkes mask? The only problem with this is the stick makes it look like an ice cream bar so now I just want to eat this, which I won’t, but the fact that crossed my mind bothers me. On the other hand, what better way to remember remember the 5th of November than eating cardboard?

• Director Grade: V for Vendetta was directed by James McTeigue.
Great Movies: N/A
Good Movies: N/A
OK Movies: V for Vendetta, The Raven (2012)
Bad Movies: Ninja Assassin
Unseen By Me: Survivor, Breaking In
Overall Grade: C

• Double It with This 2006 Movie: Children of Men

• Year 2006 Movies to Trailer Before Them: A Scanner Darkly, Superman Returns, X-Men: The Last Stand

• Ella McCay or V for Vendetta? Tie. V for Vendetta is “better” but I enjoy watching Ella McCay more.

• Mall Movie? Borderline yes. V for Vendetta feels more elevated than the usual comic book movie but it’s still a comic book movie and those just feel right playing at the mall.

• Only in 2006: I thought Natalie Portman looked better with a shaved head.

• Scene Stealer (tie): Roger Allam (who looks like Sam Neill and Tim Curry had a baby with a punchable face) and Stephen Fry.

• I Miss: Movies where people wear Guy Fawkes masks onscreen. It’s amazing how emotive that mask is even though it’s stationary. I would’ve loved to have seen a person in Guy Fawkes mask in other movies (like Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull or Love and Other Drugs) and everyone just go with it and pretend like it’s a normal dude.

• I Don’t Miss: The scenes with Stephen Rea. I have nothing against Stephen Rea, but his scenes are such a drag and primarily there to provide plot details.

• 2006 Crush: Natalie Portman.

• 2026 Crush: Natalie Portman.

• What I Thought in 2006: I don’t remember really except I saw it in IMAX and that I must have been impressed with it since I’ve owned the DVD since 2006.

• What I Think in 2026: I liked it in fits and starts. The chemistry between Natalie Portman and Hugo Weaving (who’s terrific here) is what works best. There’s too much cutting to cops figuring it out and it screws up the movie’s momentum for me. I’m not a big fan of dystopia movies either, so V for Vendetta holds me at arm’s length a bit but it’s decent.