I Eat Movies Podcast

As we bid farewell to the summer season, cohosts Mike and Dino regroup to blab about their own individual courses of cinema consumption in I Eat Movies #34: Seen Report, Vol. IV. From high caliber westerns like Rio Bravo and a 90s rave-based DTV hoot from the head of Lionsgate (!!!) starring Christina Applegate to ghostbusting hijinks on glorious 35mm, the fellas also highlight their shared drive-in excursion to experience Lethal Weapon and all of Mel Gibson's mullet glory on celluloid. Plus, Mike gushes about Tim Burton and Johnny Depp's best effort and his longtime infatuation with Ed Wood himself, a UFO lands outside of Dino's window not long after selling the merits of Fred Olen Ray's Deep Space and the Chuck Connors starring sci-fi effort, High Desert Kill. All this and even more movie eating have been nicely prepared in our latest serving of I Eat Movies so ditch the bib and gorge yourself!

Spring has sprung and cohosts Dino and Mike return to bask in the neo-noir glow of Neil Jordan's breakout hit in I Eat Movies #32: Mike's First Time - Mona Lisa (1986). Charting the symbiotic relationship between Bob Hoskins' turn in The Long Good Friday (1980) and arguably his best performance here as a recently released prisoner turned chauffeur to a high-class call girl he falls for, Mona Lisa deals with a man's complexity in understanding women as well as a society he longer recognizes. In addition, Mike and Dino dish on the humorous relationship between Hoskins and IEM alumni Robbie Coltrane, Michael Caine's chilling turn that his real life wife loathed and Jordan's beautifully constructed script. In addition, Mike reveals his favorite song of all time while discussing Genesis' memorable inclusion in the film while, the importance of ambiguity and resistance in spelling everything out within a plot makes a stronger film is discussed. We may never be like normal people but, take a stroll with us on the boardwalk of this most tragic love story where manipulation is its key export.

After an extended holiday hiatus, cohosts Dino and Mike are back on the mics to close off Season 3 before they bid the concepts of seasons farewell due to their inability to properly count in I Eat Movies #30: Mike's First Time - Inside Moves (1980). Honoring the late Richard Donner, Mike and Dino examine a more intimate, character driven opus from the man behind Superman: The Movie and the Lethal Weapon films that he hailed as his personal favorite amongst all his features. A notable black sheep in a sea of bigger-budgeted studio fare, John Savage (The Deer Hunter) stars as a broken man who unsuccessfully attempts suicide only to find new purpose through the regulars of a local bar and a best friend in a bartender (David Morse, The Green Mile) with ambitions of becoming a pro basketball player. Pride, loyalty, friendship and the concept of community are all discussed in this virtually forgotten opus co-written by Barry Levinson (Diner, Rain Man) and Valerie Curtin (And Justice for All, Best Friends) and co-starring Diana Scarwind (Mommie Dearest, Psycho III) who was nominated for a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her role.

In arguably our most diverse slate yet, cohosts Mike and Dino catch each other up on all their latest cinematic servings in I Eat Movies #26: Seen Report, Vol. III. From basking together in the 35mm glow of First Blood at the Mahoning Drive-In, Mike digs up the head of Alfredo Garcia, experiences high-octane stunts and laughs with Burt Reynolds in Hooper, rides the high country and California waves with Sam Peckinpah and John Milius respectively plus, pops pills with those groovy gals in Valley of the Dolls and Beyond the Valley of the Dolls! Meanwhile, Dino hitches a ride with Vincent Gallo in Buffalo 66, hunts for Bigfoot on 16mm in The Legend of Boggy Creek, is floored by the delightful lunacy of The Return of Captain Invincible and raves about the ahead of its time Hudson Hawk. As if all this weren't enough, 90s neo-noirs, Woody Allen, Roman Polanski and so much more is covered in this recommendation heavy installment so bust out those notepads and spoil yourself with I Eat Movies #26: Seen Report, Vol. III!

After going down with Igby, Mike repays the favor this season in I Eat Movies #21: Dino's First Time - Jack the Bear (1993). A charming coming of age oddity that stars Danny DeVito giving one of his most vulnerable performances as a single father raising two sons following the death of their mother, cohosts Mike and Dino explore The Wonder Years effect of nostalgia and voiceover narration in similar films of this era as well as the less than tidy production design of these features that offer a much under-appreciated warmth to their proceedings. Join us as we explore monsters, real and imagined, as well as themes of loss and growing up all while Mike nurses a migraine in I Eat Movies #21: Dino's First Time - Jack the Bear (1993)!

Exchanging adults for adolescents, Mike and Dino explore the suburbs and cityscapes of youth in I Eat Movies #20: In No Sense - Rich Kids (1979) / Kenny & Company (1976). Produced by Robert Altman and, in a rare move, headlined by its young newcomers, Rich Kids finds two friends bonding over the shattered realities of their broken homes. Naturalistic and as humorous as it can be heavy, cohosts Dino and Mike rave about Terry Kiser's groovy man cave, the flawlessness of John Lithgow and some very questionable pizza. Later, Don Coscarelli's most personal film rushes over us with waves of nostalgia that recalls simpler times. Dreamlike, sweet and funny as hell, Mike also paints a frightening (and in retrospect, hilarious) portrait of a ding-donging nightmare come true from his younger years. A parent's permission isn't required for listening but, maybe do it anyways for old time sake's as you tune into I Eat Movies #20: In No Sense - Rich Kids (1979) / Kenny & Company (1976). And no, this was not recorded in Westport!

Another actor spotlight is upon us in I Eat Movies #19: Overlooked Bernie Casey - Maurie (1973) / Hit Man (1972) where we celebrate the highly accomplished and underrated athlete turned thespian. After eight successful seasons in the NFL, Bernie Casey set his sights on Hollywood with one memorable turn after another, mostly in supporting parts with the rare lead as evident in this week's selections. In charting Casey's trajectory, Mike and Dino discuss the 1970s as a boom for athletes, specifically African-American males, transitioning into the movies with much success as well as Casey's roles in Guns of the Magnificent Seven (1969) that kicked his career off before his breakout roles as a flashy vengeance seeker and his highly understated and emotive turn as a paralyzed basketball player that demonstrated Casey's wide range of talent. Plus, Bernie's butt (and maybe a testicle), an up and coming starlet known as Pamela Grier, the modest but memorable output of George Armitage and the underrated productions of Gene Corman are all covered in this double-stuffed serving of I Eat Movies #19: Overlooked Bernie Casey!

2022 has arrived and we're still here! In the midst of holiday happenings and this COVID-surging world we operate in, Dino and Mike remained occupied with monster-sized servings of movies to kill the time. In I Eat Movies #18: Seen Report, Vol. II, the fellas serve up a mouthful of movies they've been gorging on from mini Woody Allen film festivals and Burt Reynolds double headers to Paul Sorvino dancing in the moonlight and Fred Williamson retaking the Wild West, grab your notepad and get ready to munch on movies with us in I Eat Movies #18: Seen Report, Vol. II!  

As we close out 2021, cohosts Dino and Mike finally time warp back to the '60s with a pair of pictures featuring small-screen stars who make a go of their big-screen ambitions as charismatic sleuths in I Eat Movies #17: Gayle of Bullets - P.J. (1968) / Marlowe (1969). With both features graced with the presence of Gayle Hunnicutt (The Legend of Hell House), the fellas also dish on George Peppard's better than initially thought of run of features and James Garner's cool as ice charisma. In addition, Rita Moreno sizzles while, Dino educates us on Caribbean music and Mike regretfully admits to still not seeing one particular Raymond Chandler adaptation (but, vows to change that before the year is out!). We may not be trained detectives but, we always know when we're hungry (always) so take a seat at the table next to us and let us serve you up I Eat Movies #17: Gayle of Bullets - P.J. (1968) / Marlowe (1969)! 

In their Season 2 premiere, cohosts Dino and Mike delve back into Friedkin territory with I Eat Movies #14: Billy Flops - Deal of the Century (1983) / Jade (1995). Exploring two of his undermentioned and critically maligned pictures, the fellas explore how a political satire led by the comedic force of Chevy Chase and accompanied by the likes of Sigourney Weaver and Gregory Hines misfired like a B-29 bomber. In addition, although beloved by the filmmaker himself, Friedkin's attempts to get frisky with erotic thrills and twists that do little to tantalize and resulted in a pair of Golden Raspberry nominations for its troubles is also discussed. Whether you asked for it or not, I Eat Movies is back!

As the sun starts to set on the summer season, the boys are back with their season finale in I Eat Movies #13: Wanna Bet? - Little Darlings (1980) / Spring Fever (1982)! While the teen sex cycle of films from the 1980s would evolve into a genre told from an almost exclusively male point of view, the dawn of the decade suggested different with the coming of age charmer, Little Darlings. Costarring Tatum O'Neal (Paper Moon) and Kristy McNichol (TV's Empty Nest) as two girls from opposite ends of the track who are pressured into a bet to see who will lose their virginity first at summer camp, the vulnerability and relatable adolescent confusion displayed by the film's talented roster vividly recall all your teenage insecurities with beauty and hilarity. Next up, the old bait and switch is pulled with Spring Fever, a film not even remotely resembling its hijink-infused poster art. Instead, we're treated to a Canadian tax-shelter production concerning female teen tennis players competing at a Florida tournament that might just surprise you. In addition, we read from Mike McPadden's essential tome Teen Movie Hell (with words from the wonderful Rachel McPadden) and discuss the sometimes misguided and occasionally hilarious reviews both films endured from the critics of their day. All this and more to be feasted upon in our season closer so start munching!    

The heat is on as cohosts Dino and Mike roll the die in I Eat Movies #11: No Luck At All - P.I. Private Investigations (1987) / Let It Ride (1989). Examining the feature film debuts of two noted music video and commercial mavericks, the underrated Clayton Rohner (Just One of the Guys) takes center stage as an innocent average joe who finds himself in the middle of a drug ring orchestrated by corrupt city cops. Nearly forgotten today as it was when it debuted, P.I. Private Investigations sits in good company with the likes of After Hours and Miracle Mile where extraordinary circumstances come crashing down on a most ordinary individual. Next up, after personal and professional setbacks sidelined him for much of the decade, Richard Dreyfuss (Close Encounters of the Third Kind) emerges like a phoenix as a lovable loser with a gambling problem whose luck might finally be turning around. Complimented by a winning ensemble cast including, the we-don't-deserve-her Teri Garr (Young Frankenstein) and David Johansen (Scrooged), Let It Ride comes up all aces for those willing to bet it all on a guy who uses a dingy bathroom stall like a church confessional. While your mouth's open from huffing and puffing through all this hot weather, take a bite out of I Eat Movies #11: No Luck At All - P.I. Private Investigations (1987) / Let It Ride (1989)!

Pride Month is here and we're celebrating! In I Eat Movies #10: No Camping! - The Boys in the Band (1970) / But I'm a Cheerleader, the movie consuming duo feast heavily on Friedkin's groundbreaking adaptation of Mart Crowley's deeply moving and controversial stage play. Featuring one impassioned performance after another, Mike and Dino discuss the criticism the film faced on its representation of gay individuals and who each member of the band we identified the most with. For dessert, we cut into our first offering from the 90s with an indie lesbian tale that casts a satirical spotlight on gay-conversion camps and religion with its tongue firmly implanted in cheek. Choke full of hilarity, heart, a dope indie rock soundtrack and the fabulous RuPaul in a rare non-drag role, what's not to love? Also, Dino visits Fire Island and doesn't know what to do with Jim Parsons while, Mike hails 1999 for something more than Clinton being acquitted. All this and more in our cheer-raising salute to the LGBTQ community! 

Celebrating his 85th birthday the day of our recording, Mike and Dino honor the one of a kind talent of Bruce Dern in I Eat Movies #9: Dernsie A-Plenty - The Laughing Policeman (1973) / On the Edge (1986). Making each of his roles their own with a unique dose of Dernism infused into every performance, the fellas examine Bruce's firecracker approach to playing partner to Walter Matthau in a San Francisco with a killer on the loose while singlehandedly stealing the show for himself. Next up, we dust off an obscure passion project with Dern in a lead role as a middle-aged runner (he was in fact a middle-aged runner in real life), that initially found audiences in a hissy over his sex scenes with the lovely Pam Grier. If your appetite calls for a double scoop of Dern, I Eat Movies #9 has you covered and then some! 

In I Eat Movies #1: McBeardo Forever, co-hosts Dino and Mike celebrate the life and work of their dearly departed influencer and friend Mike "McBeardo" McPadden with their devil-horns raised firmly to the sky. Culled from the books of "McBeardo", the boys hit the ground running with a double whammy from '82 discussion on Cannon Films' sex comedy heartbreaker, The Last American Virgin and certified punk rock cult classic, Ladies and Gentlemen, The Fabulous Stains. And remember, we don't put out, suckers!!!