Film Junk Podcast

Since we already dropped our review of You Can See Everything a bit early, this week we decided to pull a junk mail episode from the Patreon vault for listeners on the public feed. Frank says this is one of the best. Do you agree?

Okay, here's your motivation. You're lost, you're angry in the woods and no one is here to help you. The Blair Witch Project was a pretty big deal when it arrived in theatres back in 1999 but it was (and still is) a somewhat divisive film. There is no debating the influence it had in terms of found footage horror but somehow the scares remain very subjective. Is this movie still an intense and immersive experience or is it just boring? Are the performances realistic and convincing or is there a little too much riffing going on? Was the marketing for the movie way ahead of its time? What is the deal with that blue slime? Pop a tent and order some Mary Brown's Chicken while listening to the latest episode of Film Junk.

Hot on the heels of a Halloween candy high, November looks a lot like Jizzmas, thanks to a selection of films that span a cavernous genre divide. From political comedies to whatever else we picked that I can't remember. I guess you'll just have to watch / listen to find out!

Note: You Can See Everything was intended to be part of our November line-up but we decided to release the episode early due to all of the discussion surrounding the film.
"Why would I deceive you? There's no reason for me to do that." This week we get caught in the Elizabeth Holmes distortion field as we review You Can See Everything, the new documentary by Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim. It's a movie with so many different layers that it almost seems to be about the nature of reality itself. Was Elizabeth Holmes knowingly defrauding investors or was she just being exploited by other people? Should documentary subjects have a say in or make a profit from movies that are about them? Can psychopaths be good people? Is there such a thing as objective truth in this world? Clearly it's very complicated... scam the scammers with the latest episode of Film Junk.

"We've always said, if there's no risk, what's the point?" On this week's episode of Film Junk, we gear up and dive back into the darkness as we return to Neil Marshall's acclaimed 2005 horror film The Descent. But not everyone on the podcast has seen it before... let's find out if still holds up or if it is actually a little bit "shite". Did The Descent kickstart the trend of "elevated horror" or is it kind of the opposite? Are the creatures just humans who got lost in the caves or are they something else entirely? Which ending is better... or do they both suck? Did the jump scares make Frankie go boom boom in his pants? Find out how to give a lemon an orgasm by downloading the latest episode of Film Junk.

I summon the vampires! I summon the werewolves! I summon Viy! On this week's episode of Film Junk we are unearthing Viy, a spooky hidden gem from 1967 that is billed as the Soviet Union's first horror film. It's a wild ride that delivers some laughs, some thrills and a lot of impressive visual effects. So why isn't this movie more widely known? How is the Russian take on vampires, witches and demons different from the mythology we know today? Does vodka cure everything? Is there a connection between Viy and the Dogma poop monster? Drop blood tear and download the latest episode of Film Junk now.

This week on the Film Junk Podcast, let's do the time warp again as we revisit one of the biggest cult classics of all time. The Rocky Horror Picture Show remains an influential and utterly unique musical that seems like an ideal choice to kick off the month of October. But what is it about this movie that has allowed it to endure? Is Tim Curry's performance revered yet still somehow underrated? Is seeing it with a live audience the best way to experience this movie? What is the deeper psychological meaning behind Frank killing Eddie? Damnit Janet... don't dream it, be it on this week's episode of Film Junk.

"Could you turn it off? This is important. This is not art, this is life!" This week on Film Junk we are revisiting another film that was way ahead of its time. There was nothing like Ross McElwee's documentary Sherman's March back when it came out in 1985 but now we live in a world where everyone is capturing their life on video. Was this movie an influence on the work of people like Nathan Fielder and John Wilson? What do General Sherman, nuclear war, Burt Reynolds and the search for love all have in common? Is Charleen one of the great documentary characters of all time? Do leg squats actually get rid of cellulite? Find yourself a nice Southern girl and check out this week's episode below.

Six little pumpkins sitting on a gate. The first one said, "Oh my, it's getting late!" The second one said, "There are witches in the air!" The third one said, "But we don't care!" The fourth one said, "Let's run, let's run!" The fifth one said, "Isn't Halloween fun?" And the sixth one said, "I'M GONNA FUCKIN' CUMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM"

Look out that window... Eden isn't burning, it's burnt. This week on the Film Junk Podcast we are jumping out of planes during magic hour as we dig hard, dig deep and look back on another post-apocalyptic world. This time Christian Bale and Matthew McConaughey are leading humans in a last stand against dragons in the 2002 cult classic Reign of Fire. Should this movie have been a bigger hit than it was? How do the special effects hold up over 20 years later? Does the fictional biology of dragons make any scientific sense? Can we improvise a better screenplay for this movie during the course of this podcast? Keep two eyes on the sky and download this week's episode of Film Junk below.

Sick of sloughing through shit from the Netflix doc-slop trough? FEAR NOT! It's time to crack open the Tickle Trunk and dig out your formal attire, because we've got two beautifully crafted entrees that will wipe that "premium doc" format aftertaste out of your stupid mouth: John Wilson’s The History of Concrete and Ross McElwee’s Remake.

Jesus Christ! They've done it... They've done it! After previously covering one of the most joyful movies of all time, this week we are tackling what could very well be the bleakest. Threads is a British docudrama that goes into brutal detail on the effects of nuclear war on the general population. But is this movie scientifically accurate? How would future generations learn to survive and rebuild society? Would Threads have been better if it starred Steve Guttenberg? Which members of the Film Junk crew would actually survive the apocalypse? Take shelter and soil yourself in fear while listening to this week's episode of Film Junk.

In honour of Star Trek Day, we are taking an episode of Treknobabble out of the Patreon vault! On this one, Reed Farrington joins us to discuss season 5 episode 18, Cause & Effect (aka The Time Loop Episode). Must be deja vu... or is it vuja dej?

Come Rain, come shine, come snow, come sleet, the show must go on! We are dancing our way through an all-time classic this week on Film Junk with the 1952 Gene Kelly musical Singin' in the Rain. The genre and era are a bit of a blind spot for us so we also brought in an "expert" to help us with our analysis. Does any of the humour still work for modern audiences? Which of the song and dance numbers are the most impressive? Is Donald O'Connor an unsung hero or is he just creepy? Is the movie truly a masterpiece or is it another case of classitosis? Make love to a bush and download this week's episode of Film Junk.

"What are you gonna do, tough guy? You gonna make a citizen's arrest?" This week on Film Junk, we are ending the summer season off with a fun '90s thriller starring Kurt Russell, Ray Liotta and Madeleine Stowe. Unlawful Entry is not necessarily a masterpiece but it is watchable in the best way possible. Does this movie have a deeper social commentary or is it just a shallow genre exercise? Is Ray Liotta's performance deserving of more praise than an MTV Movie Award nomination? What would you do if you got the chance to beat up the man who broke into your house and terrorized your wife? Try and guess our seven-letter password on this week's episode of Film Junk.

"COME SEPTEMBER, YOU CAN SUCKING ON MY BIG FAT MEMBER" - Dolly Parton, RIP. Listen, this month gets dark in a few spots, but honestly, it's about time you WAKE UP and consider the atomic sword of Damocles hanging over ALL of our heads EVERY SINGLE DAY. When those missiles strike, it's not as simple as popping an umbrella and tip-tapping carefree and gay as can be in a REIGN OF FIRE. Unless that umbrella is made from some SERIOUS fire retarded material, that umbrella ain't DOIN' SHIT. All that and a documentary.

"I am not a vigilante. I am just trying to get home to my little girl's birthday party and if everyone will just stay out of my way, nobody will get hurt." This week we revisit Joel Schumacher's 1993 dark comedy / thriller Falling Down and find out whether it has gotten more or less controversial over the years. Is D-Fens a relatable anti-hero or just an entitled asshole? Is Prendergast's character arc satisfying or weirdly regressive? Does this movie feel out of place in Joel Schumacher's filmography? Should fast food restaurants just serve breakfast all day long? Go past the point of no return... this week's episode of Film Junk is not economically viable.

Hey Bobby, now do you care? Just a little bit? This week we are stepping up to the plate to revisit an underrated Tony Scott thriller that was definitely not a hit on initial release. His batting average as a director is pretty solid but everyone goes through the occasional slump. Is it a forgotten classic or is it like a bad freeway accident with everyone slowing down to watch? Does any part of this movie feel realistic or does it even matter? Is the prominent use of Nine Inch Nails on the soundtrack a plus or a minus? Are there hidden Major League references in this movie? What's worse: toxic politeness or toxic fandom? Find out why baseball's better than life on this week's Film Junk Podcast.

Note: This episode is dedicated to longtime listener and beloved Film Junk community member Charbel Beaini, aka Chuck B, who sadly passed last week. His positive presence will be greatly missed, and our hearts go out to his family and friends.

All the little devils are proud of hell. This week on the Film Junk Podcast, we travel to The Yabba and experience the extreme heat and aggressive hospitality of the Australian outback in Wake in Fright. This cult classic plays like a horror movie but has a unique vibe that we won’t soon forget. Is everyone in this movie practicing toxic politeness? How does anyone follow the chaos of betting on Two-Up? Is there any justification for the brutal kangaroo hunting scenes? Could any of us survive a week in The Yabba? Come and have a drink, mate... sit down with the latest episode of Film Junk.

Where's my dinner? This week on the Film Junk Podcast we step inside the world of a 1950s black and white sitcom with the 1998 high concept dramedy Pleasantville. The movie was fairly well-received at the time but let's find out how it holds up almost 30 years later. Is the social commentary on point or does it miss the mark? Do the digital desaturation effects still dazzle? Is this movie better or worse than The Truman Show? What was Don Knotts' mysterious TV repairman trying to accomplish anyway? It's time to separate out the things that are pleasant from the things that are unpleasant... tune in to this week's episode of Film Junk now.