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#531 - The Act of Killing - WatchThis W/RickRamos Jan 27, 2025

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When Evil Men Remember: Joshua Oppenheimer, Christina Cynn, & an Anonymous Indonesian Director's The Act of Killing

This week Mr. Chavez & I go up river for one of the most powerful, depressing, and meaningful documentaries ever made, The Act of Killing. This 2012 documentary explores the Indonesian mass killings, rapes, and tortures that occurred between 1965 and 1966 of alleged Communist Chinese and others opposed to the Indonesian New Order Regime. What sets this documentary apart from other films of similar subject matter is the straight-forward and excited re-tellings of these war crimes by the very torturers and murderers originally involved and still living unpunished in the country. The filmmakers approach the subject matter in a novel way, allowing the perpetrators to speak freely and - horrifically - to re-enact their crimes through a series of "cinematic re-creations" stylized as War Films, Westerns, and Film Noir. A film that demands to be seen and is an incredible example of what the art of cinema and documentaries are capable of. Take a listen as we explore this powerful and disturbing motion picture. As always, we can be reached at gondoramos@yahoo.com. Many Thanks.

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#530 - Falling Down - WatchThis W/RickRamos Jan 20, 2025

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Angry White Male: Joel Schumacher's Falling Down

Looking at the world - past, present, and future - this week Mr. Chavez & I sit down to watch and discuss Joel Schumacher's 1993 look at American male angst, disgust, and disspointment, Falling Down. As we "welcome" a return of the Republicans to political power, Schumacher's film is a brutal look at the disspointment of the American Dream. Michael Douglas leads with a powerful performance of a late-30s/mid 40s everyman, laid-off, divorced, and confused by his no longer being "Economicallay Viable". Sharing the screen is a strong, later-career performance by the great Robert Duvall as the Detective who connects the dots. A better film than it deserves to be, Falling Downis a powerful examination of what happens when the Dream falls apart. Take a listen and let us know what you think - gondoramos@yahoo.com

#529 - Blue Velvet - WatchThis W/RickRamos Jan 14, 2025

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Detective or Pervert: David Lynch's Blue Velvet

This week Mr. Chavez & I dive into The World of David Lynch. Amazingly, Lynch has been able to survive and thrive in the Hollywood System for over four decades. From his beginnings with a labor of love called Eraserhead (1977) thru critical acclaim and an Oscar nomination for 1980s The Elephant Man, and a colossal failure attempting an adaptation of Frank Herbert's Dune (1984), which could have easily ended his filmmaking career, Lynch bounced back with a truly strange, mesmerizing, and captivating work. Polarizing for critics when first released in 1986, Lynch's Blue Velvet - from his own original script - would confuse, anger, and enthrall audiences. Blue Velvet announced the emergence of a singular voice in filmmaking. It's a thrill for us to sit down and re-watch this masterpiece featuring early performances from Kyle MacLachlan, Isabella Rosellini, Laura Dern, and the re-emergence in a career-defining role as the homicidal and psychotic Frank Booth, Dennis Hopper. Lynch's film examines small town America while painting a dark and pessimistic look at the underbelly of Americana. Take a lesson as we return to this Dark World. Thanks for your continued love and support. As always, we can be reached at gondoramos@yahoo.com. Many Thanks.

#528 - Nosferatu (2024) - WatchThis W/RickRamos Jan 07, 2025

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Dracula Done to Death - Robert Egger's Nosferatu

This week Mr. Chavez & I run to our local movie theaters to watch, contemplate, and bring to you Robert Egger's end of the year re-imagining of the F.W. Murnau Classic, Nosferatu. Re-makes are notoriously difficult to pull of and Egger's has his hands full with one of the greatest films in the History of Cinema. There is a great deal to admire in this new rendering of the Horror Classic. Where does it succeed? Where does it fail? There is so much to dig into on this week's episode. Take a listen and let us know your impression of this new "Dracula" Story. As always, we can be reached at gondoramos@yahoo.com. Many Thanks.

#527 - Irreversible - WatchThis W/RickRamos Dec 31, 2024

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Time Destroys Everything - Gaspar Noé's Irreversible

We're closing in on our two final films in our "Dark Cinema" showcase. This week we look at Gaspar Noé's 2002 controversial and troubling film, Irreversible. Arguably one of the most difficult viewing experiences ever unleashed on movie-watching audiences, Noé's exploration on storytelling (a backwards playing narrative) could have easily been a gimmick with little to say in the way of exploring themes, however Noé deftly handles the obvious showboating of such a technique to add a true, honest, and enlightening understanding of his story of a brutal rape and beating, revenge, mistaken identity, and murder. This is not a film for the easily offended, but it's also not for those looking for the extreme violence and blood-lust of a Death Wish 2 or I Spit on Your Grave. With Irreversible, Noé has crafted a truly powerful and beautifully realized look at violence, sexual violence, and the unfolding of time and it's commentary on the aforementioned. Take a listen and let us know what you think. It's a deep and thoughtful conversation. We continue to be reached at gondoramos@yahoo.com.

#526 - Crumb - WatchThis W/RickRamos Dec 24, 2024

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Perv with a Pen - Terry Zwigoff's Crumb

This week we race back to 1994 with one of the great documentaries of the modern era, Terry Zwigoff's portrait of underground comic artist, Robert Crumb. A simple profile of the artist and the polarizing reaction to his work alone would have made for an interesting and enjoyable film; Zwigoff's decision to focus on Crumb's extended family (two brothers and mother) forms a more powerful and disturbing work. With an abusive childhood to expand on and two examples of talent overpowered by mental difficulties, Zwigoff highlights how powerful art is in giving voice to the pain and desperation that exists within all of us, but is tempered by an artist who can find the levels of supportive expression that can save him from the insanity of an imbalanced brain. Crumb is truly a powerful and englightening film. However disturbing it may be is worth the rewards the film has to offer. Take a listen as we discuss this beautifully realized and deeply troubling film. As always, we can be reached at gondoramos@yahoo.com. Many Thanks.

#525 - Crash (1996) - WatchThis W/RickRamos Dec 18, 2024

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Blood, Metal, C*m - David Cronenberg's CRASH

For Darkness in Popular Cinema it's difficult to find a director that reaches deeper and more disturbing images than Canadian auteur, David Cronenberg. 1997s Crash is - arguably - his most divisive, polarizing, and controversial film. Winner of a special Cannes Jury Award (which jury president, Francis Ford Coppola refused to hand to Cronenberg), Crash examines symphorophiliacs (A paraphilia involving sexual arousal from staging and watching disasters, such as traffic collisions.) as they discover one another and push the limits of their sexual kinks, desires, and passions. This is not an easy film to view, however it is never boring, and the beauty and complexity of the storytelling is almost unknown in popular cinema (or at least films distributed in theaters). There's nothing like Cronenberg's descent into body dysmmporphia, sexual fetishes, and complex human relationships. Take a listen and let us know what you think. It's a damn good conversation. Lovers of Cinema should be excited. As always, we can be reached at gondoramos@yahoo.com - Many Thanks.

#524 - The Unknown - WatchThis W/RickRamos Dec 10, 2024

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To Neither Have Nor Hold - Tod Browning's The Unknown

On this week's episode of WatchThis W/RickRamos, Mr. Chavez & I look back to 1927 for one of the great Actor/Director collaborations - Lon Chaney & Tod Browning. With The Unknown, Chaney & Browning would create one of the most disturbing and beautifully realized films of The Silent Era. Browning's years spent as a youth in circuses and carnivals would inform two of his most famous films (The Unknown and Freaks [1932]). Chaney's dedication to portraying a carnival performer without arms who falls in love with a young Joan Crawford, is a marvel of early cinema. It's a thrill to sit down and discuss this classic and dive into it's strange and troubling elements. It's a fun discussion. We hope you'll enjoy it. Take a listen and let us know what you think - gondoramos@yahoo.com. Many Thanks.

#523 - American Psycho - WatchThis W/RickRamos Dec 03, 2024

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Wall Street Chainsaw Massacre - Mary Harron's American Psycho

On this week's episode of WatchThis W/RickRamos, Mr. Chavez & I take a look at director Mary Harron's 2000 adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis's American Psycho. A controversial and polarizing film that has gained cultural and critical praise in the nearly quarter century since the film's release (and the 1991 publication of the novel), we are thrilled to discuss the pros (Christian Bales's performance as Patrick Bateman) and cons (a limited scope in portraying and commenting on the society it was showcasing and influencing) of this cult classic. As always, our discussion takes us on a journey into American Culture and a greater understanding in how the culture is both portrayed and influenced by images traveling at 24 frames per second. Take a listen . . . it's a pretty intersting conversation. As always, we can be reached at gondoramos@yahoo.com. Many Thanks.

#522 - Mad as Hell Network 1976 - WatchThis W/RickRamos Nov 26, 2024

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Rage for Ratings: Paddy Chayefsky & Sidney Lumet Present NETWORK

What was once considered a satire by all (save the two men who made it - they considered it a reflection of what was happening), Paddy Chayefsky and Sidney Lumet's 1976 masterpiece exists as a fifty year harbinger of a media, social, and political reality that has reached its culmination with the current state of American culture. Once considered a blistering social comedy Network has lost a great deal of of its humor in the absurd realities of the third decade of the 21st Century. Mr. Chavez & I are thrilled, excited, depressed, and disgusted . . . all of it coming out in this timely discussion. Take a listen as we look to Faye Dunaway, William Holden, Robert Duvall, Ned Beatty, Beatrice Straight, and (posthumous Oscar winner - the first ever) Peter Finch in this briliant look at the American Media System - Nearly Fifty Years before its Horrible, Horrible Culmination. Take a listen . . . it's a fun talk. As always, we can be reached at gondoramos@yahoo.com - Many Thanks.

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