The Next Reel Film Podcast

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Gremlins • The Next Reel Dec 24, 2015

Show notes

‘Tis the holiday season, which means it’s time for another Next Reel Christmas movie, and how better to share in the joy and festivities of the Christmas season than with some wacky laughs and slimy gore from Joe Dante’s 1984 horror comedy “Gremlins.” Join us – Pete Wright and Andy Nelson – as we celebrate another end of the year with some holiday cheer (and mayhem), this time with Gizmo, Stripe, Billy, Kate, Mrs. Deagle, Barney and the rest of the residents of Kingston Falls (aka Universal’s backlot). We talk about our impressions of this film from when we were young and how those changed (or didn’t) since then. We chat about the actors, from Zach Galligan and Phoebe Cates to Polly Holliday and Howie Mandel, and what they brought to the table. We discuss Jerry Goldsmith’s score and why it works really well for Andy while not so much for Pete. We talk about Chris Walas and his creature effects, and banter about the script and how it really is pretty simplistic. And we touch on what Steven Spielberg, Joe Dante and Chris Columbus all bring to the table here. It’s a fun film, one that certainly seems to have held up better for Andy than it has for Pete, and definitely fun to talk about. Check the movie out then tune in!
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The Next Reel's 2016 Announcement Extravaganza! • The Next Reel Dec 22, 2015

Show notes

Hey folks! Please listen to this episode! We tried to keep it short, but we need to tell you about a few things you'll be seeing come January 2016 which, if you don't listen now, may come as a surprise later.
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National Lampoon's Vacation • The Next Reel Dec 17, 2015

Show notes

Harold Ramis’ second foray into feature film directing introduced the world to the Griswolds – Clark, Ellen, Rusty and Audrey – as they drive from Chicago to LA on a 2-week vacation with the aim of visiting an obvious Disneyland replacement for legal reasons, Walley World. It’s a wonderful film and proved to be another box office success for Ramis, who wouldn’t direct another hit like this for 10 years with ‘Groundhog Day.’ Join us – Pete Wright and Andy Nelson – as we wrap up our very short Harold Ramis series with the classic 1983 road trip comedy “National Lampoon’s Vacation.” We talk about the original John Hughes story on which this is based and look at the darker tones in that story, comparing it with how it was reshaped in this film. We discuss the cast, notably Chevy Chase, Beverly D’Angelo, Anthony Michael Hall, Dana Barron, Imogene Coca (and her dog), Randy Quaid, Christie Brinkley and Eddie Bracken. We chat about the ending of the short story, the original ending and the rewritten ending and debate what works best (and what problems this one may have because of the final ending). And we, of course, talk about the franchise, comparing this with what we view as the only other good one in the bunch, 1989’s ‘National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.’ It’s a comedy classic and a great way to finish our Ramis series, so check it out then tune in!
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Stripes • The Next Reel Dec 11, 2015

Show notes

Harold Ramis made his big screen debut acting in Ivan Reitman’s 1981 military comedy “Stripes,” which he also co-wrote for Reitman, having worked on “Animal House” and “Meatballs” with him a few years before. He’d go on to appear in a number of films throughout his career, and generally played the straight man to people like Bill Murray. Join us – Pete Wright and Andy Nelson – as we continue our Harold Ramis series with 1981’s “Stripes.” We talk about how this film may have worked in the past but how it didn’t really work well for us in the present. We chat about the comedy and why some of it works but why much of it falls flat, possibly due to the editing, or the writing, or the directing, or the performances, or the time period, or all of it. We discuss the structure of the script and why it really should have ended after the second act. And we go through the talent, from Murray and Ramis to the wonderful old timer Warren Oates and all of the first timers popping up here all babyfaced and eager to act. It’s not a film that we really clicked with while knowing that many hold it near and dear in their hearts. That being said, we still have a great time talking about it and spoiling it rotten. So check it out and tune in!
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Caddyshack • The Next Reel Dec 03, 2015

Show notes

With a background at Second City and National Lampoon, comedy was right up Harold Ramis’ alley, and while he had early opportunities to write and perform comedy, it wasn’t until the third feature film on which he was involved that gave him the opportunity to direct. Luckily for him, that movie was “Caddyshack” and the rest, as they say, is history. Join us – Pete Wright and Andy Nelson – as we begin our Harold Ramis series with his directorial debut from 1980 – “Caddyshack.” We talk about Ramis and his co-writers, Brian Doyle-Murray and Douglas Kenney, how they came up with the idea for the script and how so much of what ended up on the screen was improvised. We discuss the older talent – Chevy Chase, Rodney Dangerfield, Ted Knight and Bill Murray – and how their performances really forced the filmmakers to diminish the story of the caddies, notably Michael O’Keefe, and what are thoughts are on this. We chat about the story of the kids as it compares with the story of the adults and what our thoughts are on these two stories. We talk about the gopher and how he figures into the story. And we chat about how endlessly quotable this movie is. It’s one of the best, if not the best, golf movies out there and certainly a fun movie to add to our list. So check it out then tune in!
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The Boring Flickchart Re-Ranking • The Next Reel Nov 30, 2015

Show notes

Pete and Andy go through the tedious... yet entertaining?... task of re-ranking our Flickchart feed.
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Viridiana • The Next Reel Nov 27, 2015

Show notes

It’s time for another Listener’s Choice episode, and boy, do we have a doozy this week. Listener Diego Luis Contreras López wanted us to talk about a film from Spain and settled on Luis Buñuel’s return to his home country (and immediate departure thereafter) with his 1961 film “Viridiana.” Join us – Pete Wright and Andy Nelson – as we delve into our sixth listener’s choice with “Viridiana.” We talk about our previous (and limited) experiences with Buñuel and what our expectations were with this film, contrasting that with how we ended up feeling about the film. We discuss the many things Buñuel was doing and saying with this film and how that ties into the actual story of Viridiana. We chat about the performances, notably Silvia Pinal, Fernando Rey, Francisco Rabal and Margarita Lozano, and how much we liked all of them. We debate the look of the film and José F. Aguayo’s cinematography and how it was affected by Buñuel’s desire to put the importance of coming in on time and under budget ahead of sloppy filmmaking sometimes. And we look at the film’s release, the reaction to it from the Catholic Church and its banishment from several countries leading to more of an underground screening history after its win at Cannes. It’s a film in which we found a lot of meat to discuss and are thrilled to add it to the films we’ve discussed. Tune in!
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The Wind Rises • The Next Reel Nov 20, 2015

Show notes

With the 2013 release of “The Wind Rises,” his eleventh feature film, Hayao Miyazaki retired from making his beautiful animated films. Animation fans worldwide were disappointed to hear this, yet thrilled to see him go out on such a high note. Join us – Pete Wright and Andy Nelson – as we close our Miyazaki series with his final film “The Wind Rises.” We talk about the direction of Miyazaki’s career and how it took him to this story as his final output. We chat about the nature of dreams and nature and how these elements become the key connections to Miyazaki’s touch that he’s had through his other films. We discuss the nature of biopics and how an animated biopic full of fictional elements ends up feeling to us when looking at how it connects with the real Jiro Horikoshi and his role as a Japanese airplane designer pre-WWII. We debate Miyazaki’s decision to tell this particular story and how it reflects on his pacifism. We touch on the voice casts in both the English and Japanese versions, commenting on who worked well for us. And we bring up Joe Hisaishi, the film’s composer, and the beautiful music he contributed here as well as in “My Neighbor Totoro,” which we forgot to bring up last week. It’s a great film that is certainly worth watching and discussing. Tune in!
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My Neighbor Totoro • The Next Reel Nov 13, 2015

Show notes

With the creation of Studio Ghibli, Hayao Miyazaki and the other filmmakers involved had created a place where they could create the films they wanted to make. With “My Neighbor Totoro,” Miyazaki’s third feature film and second he directed under the Ghibli banner, it was crystal clear what Miyazaki wanted to bring forth from his films — the relationship between man and nature, the purity and innocence of youth and the imaginative look at characters who didn’t quite fit the world as we know it. Join us — Pete Wright and Andy Nelson — as we continue our brief Miyazaki series with his 1988 film, “My Neighbor Totoro.” We discuss the elements of this film that we like so much, particularly the pacing and whether one could call it boring or not (note: neither of us do). We talk about the simplicity of the story but how through that simplicity there are some large ideas being dealt with. We chat about the voice cast and how the current English dub works for us, commenting on the problems people on Amazon have with it (despite the fact that an animated film is ALWAYS going to be dubbed, even in its original language). And we talk about the nature of the forest spirits and how we them through the eyes of children. It’s a beautiful, touching, quirky film that we love and are thrilled to talk about on the show. Tune in!
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Lupin the 3rd: The Castle of Cagliostro • The Next Reel Nov 06, 2015

Show notes

Hayao Miyazaki began his career with television and it was the show “Lupin III” that gave him the chance to direct both for the small screen as well as for the big screen with the second story about Lupin the Third in 1979. Join us — Pete Wright and Andy Nelson — as we begin our short Hayao Miyazaki series with his first theatrical feature film, _Lupin the Third: The Castle of Cagliostro_. We talk about the history of the character of Lupin III in Monkey Punch’s original manga series, in the TV series and its films, as well as in the Arsène Lupin character he’s loosely based on (and related to) created by Maurice Leblanc. We discuss the elements within the film and what feels like Miyazaki touches, even at this early stage in his career. We compare the interesting world of manga and anime as compared to Disney films in particular. And we chat about the casts: the original Japanese, the 1992 English dub version and the 2000 dub. It’s a fun film, maybe not one of our favorites, but still something that’s got action, comedy and entertainment for the family. Check it out then tune in!
This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5640170/advertisement

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