Lots to cover on Episode 99 of CinemAddicts, as Anderson Cowan and I review two films (Skin, Mike Wallace Is Here) and I tackle a couple of other solid indie flicks (Into The Ashes and The Mountain). First things first, however, as Quentin Tarantino is on our respective minds . . .
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Once Upon A Time In Hollywood opens up our podcast as we discuss a Deadline interview with Quentin Tarantino that is definitely worth a read. One of the of biggest news from that piece is Tarantino’s intention on turning Bounty Law, a TV series that is referenced in the film, may actually turn into a real project that will live on a streaming service (I’m assuming it will be Netflix, as it houses The Hateful Eight miniseries).
I also wanted to discuss Tarantino’s insistence that if he directed Star Trek, it would actually be like watching “Pulp Fiction in space.” I’m hoping Tarantino actually does his own vision of that Trekker universe, even if it turns out to be his last film.
A huge reason I’m doing CinemAddicts is the chance to talk movies with my good buddy Anderson, and it’s an obvious fact that his unfiltered takes on cinema is the backbone of our program. Like a majority of cinephiles, I’m a total Tarantino devotee, and while Cowan appreciates the man’s talent, he believes there have been misses in Tarantino’s body of work. Again, I think the man’s a f**king genius, and I’m more than fine with his unabashed homages to Sergio Leone, Samuel Fuller, and composer Ennio Morricone. Lastly, Cowan doesn’t think this Star Trek and Tarantino business may be all smoke and no fire, as he thinks Tarantino will end up not directing the much talked about film.
Before we get into the new and upcoming films for the mid-latter part of July, we also discuss the Breaking Bad film, The Current War, Yesterday, and Midsommar.
Thirty one minutes into the program I review Into the Ashes, an atmospheric revenge thriller written and directed by Aaron Harvey that I totally dug. Luke Grimes plays a former criminal who’s trying to live the straight life with a loving wife (Marguerite Moreau), but his past (in the form of a just released prisoner played by Frank Grillo) comes back to haunt him. The film is now in theaters and is available on Digital and On Demand.
Around the forty minute mark, we both give positive reviews to director Guy Nattiv’s latest film. Skin is the true story of Bryon Widner’s (Jamie Bell) journey from being a violent skinhead who was raised into a white supremacist family (Bill Camp and Vera Farmiga play his de facto guardians). The feature also stars Danielle Macdonald as the woman who helps Bryon focus on a more positive direction in life. Now playing exclusively through DIRECTV Cinema, the feature hits theaters July 26. Anderson and I both gave the flick four stars. Along with solid storytelling from director Guy Nattiv, the feature also features Bell in one of this year’s best performances (the ensemble also are excellent in their respective roles). Nattiv’s Oscar winning short, also titled Skin and featuring Macdonald, is available to watch on Amazon Prime Video.
Anderson has seen nearly half of Mike Wallace Is Here, but so far he’s loving the documentary. I also loved Mike Wallace Is Here and would highly recommend this film when it hits theaters July 26. I was not bored during one second of its 94 minutes, and director Avi Belkin does a great job with the archival footage, score, and editing to provide viewers a hypnotic and brutally frank look at one of the media’s most revered and determined journalists. I’m more of a cinephile than a news hound, so Mike Wallace Is Here appealed to me on that level If you’re a little of both, then this documentary should have an even deeper impact for you (I’m excited to hear Anderson’s final thoughts on the film). The doc hits theaters July 26.
I was also captivated by The Mountain, which due to its methodical pacing may turn off some viewers. Directed by Rick Alverson, the narrative centers on a shy young man named Andy (Tye Sheridan) who, after his father (Udo Kier) passes, goes on the road with Dr. Wallace Fiennes (Jeff Goldblum) to serve as a photographer. Fiennes is visiting various asylums to perform his lobotomies, and ultimately the pair encounter a French healer (Denis Lavant) who requests a lobotomy for his daughter Susan (Hannah Gross). The Mountain, along with being an acquired taste, is one of the more original films I’ve seen this year and there are images from the story that I’ll probably take with me to my grave. Sorry for the morbid analogy, but that’s my way of saying it’s a memorable experience! The feature hits New York and Los Angeles on July 26.
Show Breakdown:
- Thoughts on Quentin Tarantino: 2:00-15:00
- Anderson’s excited about a Breaking Bad movie and the Deadwood film: 15:30 – 17:23
- Judd Apatow and the Pete Davidson film that’s in the works: 17:30 – 18:50
- We’re both excited for The Current War for different reasons (Anderson loves the Thomas Edison/George Westinghouse/Nikola Tesla and we both loved Alfonso Gomez-Rejon’s Me and Earl and the Dying Girl): 18:52 – 22:10
- We also have a different take on Crawl: 22:30 – 26:07
- Anderson gives a quick and overall positive take on the flick Yesterday: 26:08 – 26:37
- We briefly discuss Midsommar, which is my #1 film this year. 26:38 – 31:06
- Anderson’s going to watch The Lion King: 31:10 – 31:31
- My review on Into The Ashes: 31:32 – 35:33
- We reflect on Sergio Leone’s Once Upon A Time films, and I remember that we actually saw one of those films together (Once Upon a Time in the West). Also covered in Anderson’s screening a print of Apocalypse Now with a Green scratch: 36:35 – 39:59
- Our review of Skin:Â 40:00 – 48:31
- Â We also do a one and a half review of Mike Wallace Is Here: 48:40 – 57:12
- I do a quick review of the Jeff Goldblum/Tye Sheridan feature The Mountain. 57:14
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