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The Martini Scale: Movies Over Martinis

The Martini Scale: Movies Over Martinis

By Shawn Feeney, Natalie Masciale

Welcome to The Martini Scale - where we talk movies over martinis, and provide our perspective on what is and ISN'T worth watching. Featuring your hosts Natalie Masciale, Lyna Cunningham, and Shawn Feeney.
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Kate // The Unholy (2021)

The Martini Scale: Movies Over MartinisOct 04, 2021

00:00
47:51
Kate // The Unholy (2021)
Oct 04, 202147:51
Malignant // Vacation Friends (2021)
Sep 13, 202153:55
@zola (2021)

@zola (2021)

Join us for the latest episode of The Martini Scale - where we talk movies over martinis, and provide our perspective on what is and ISN'T worth watching.

In this special Indie Spotlight episode, Natalie, Lyna, and Shawn discuss:

Zola (stylized as @zola) is a 2020 American black comedy, based on a viral Twitter thread by Aziah "Zola" King and the resulting Rolling Stone article "Zola Tells All: The Real Story Behind the Greatest Stripper Saga Ever Tweeted" by David Kushner. Directed by Janicza Bravo, from a screenplay by Bravo and Jeremy O. Harris, it stars Taylour Paige as Zola, a part-time stripper who is convinced by her new friend (Riley Keough) to travel to Tampa, Florida, in order to earn money, only to get in over her head; Colman Domingo, Nicholas Braun, and Ari'el Stachel also star.

The film had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on January 24, 2020, and was released in the United States on June 30, 2021 by A24, and is currently in theaters and available for rent on streaming platforms. 


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Aug 02, 202157:43
Black Widow // A Quiet Place Part 2 (2021)

Black Widow // A Quiet Place Part 2 (2021)

Join us for the latest episode of The Martini Scale - where we talk movies over martinis, and provide our perspective on what is and ISN'T worth watching.

In this episode, Natalie, Lyna, and Shawn discuss:

Black Widow is a 2021 superhero film from Marvel Comics, produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures; the 24th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). The film was directed by Cate Shortland from a screenplay by Eric Pearson, and stars Scarlett Johansson, alongside Florence Pugh, David Harbour, and Rachel Weisz. Set promptly after the events of Captain America: Civil War the film sees Black Widow on the run and forced to confront a conspiracy tied to her past. Black Widow is currently in theaters, and streaming on Disney Plus.

A Quiet Place 2 is a 2021 horror film, and the sequel to 2018's A Quiet Place, following the family from the first film as they continue to navigate and survive in a post-apocalyptic world inhabited by blind aliens with an acute sense of hearing. The film was written, produced, and directed by John Krasinski. Emily Blunt, Millicent Simmonds, and Noah Jupe reprise their roles from the first film. A Quiet Place 2 is currently in theaters, and is streaming on Paramount Plus. It is also available for purchase on digital platforms.

For more information, please visit http://themartiniscale.com

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Jul 18, 202157:46
Top Disaster Films
Jul 08, 202101:00:53
Palmer (2021) // The Little Things (2021)
Feb 16, 202101:06:18
Valentine's Day: Movies for Single People
Feb 08, 202101:02:09
Tom Cruise: Our Favorites
Jan 19, 202101:07:37
Best & Worst of 2020 // 2021 Preview
Jan 04, 202101:34:37
Wonder Woman 1984 (2020)
Dec 28, 202058:09
T E N E T (2020)
Dec 22, 202001:05:28
Indie Spotlight: Black Bear (2020)
Dec 17, 202001:00:29
Christmas Extravaganza 2020
Dec 07, 202001:41:14
Possessor (2020) // A Rainy Day in New York (2020)
Nov 30, 202001:08:04
Nicole Kidman: Our Favorites
Nov 23, 202058:38
Rebecca (2020) // On the Rocks (2020)
Nov 16, 202041:14
Halloween Special: Top Horror Killers
Oct 28, 202001:10:53
Faith Based (2020) // The Exorcist (1973) // The Cleansing Hour (2020)

Faith Based (2020) // The Exorcist (1973) // The Cleansing Hour (2020)

Join us for the latest episode of The Martini Scale - where we talk movies over martinis, and provide our perspective on what is and ISN'T worth watching.

In this episode,  Natalie, Lyna, and Shawn continue their "Horror October" series, which features an entire month of horror-themed surprises. This week, they are joined by special guest Vincent Masciale, Director of the 2020 film, "Faith Based". Follow Vince on Instagram @vincentmasciale // For more information on Faith Based, please visit http://geni.us/faithbased/

In this episode, we discuss: 

Faith Based - A 2020 comedy that focuses on two slacker friends who come to the realization that every low budget Christian movie starring 90's TV actors makes millions of dollars. They soon set out on a mission to make "A Prayer in Space", the story of the first prayer ever to be prayed...in space. Directed by Vincent Masciale, and starring Luke Barnett, Tanner Thomason, Jason Alexander, Margaret Cho, David Koechner, and Lance Reddick, Faith Based is available now on all streaming platforms. 

The Exorcist - A 1973 American supernatural horror film directed by William Friedkin. Starring Ellen Burstyn, Max von Sydow, Lee J. Cobb, Kitty Winn, Jack MacGowran (in his final film role), Jason Miller and Linda Blair. It is the first installment in The Exorcist film series, and follows the demonic possession of a 12-year-old girl and her mother's attempt to rescue her through an exorcism conducted by two priests.

The Cleansing Hour - A 2019 horror film directed by Damien LeVeck, starring Ryan Guzman and Kyle Gallner star as childhood friends Max and Drew host The Cleansing Hour, a popular livestream show where "Father Max" exorcises a possessed person each episode. 

For more information, please visit http://themartiniscale.com

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Oct 21, 202001:09:09
The Conjuring Part I (2013) and II (2016)

The Conjuring Part I (2013) and II (2016)

Join us for the latest episode of The Martini Scale - where we talk movies over martinis, and provide our perspective on what is and ISN'T worth watching.

In this episode,  Natalie, Lyna, and Shawn continue their "Horror October" series, which features an entire month of horror-themed surprises. 

In this episode they discuss parts 1 and 2 of The Conjuring. 

The Conjuring - A 2013 American supernatural horror film directed by James Wan and written by Chad Hayes and Carey W. Hayes. It is the inaugural film in the Conjuring Universe franchise. Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga star as Ed and Lorraine Warren, paranormal investigators and authors associated with prominent cases of haunting. Their purportedly real-life reports inspired The Amityville Horror story and film franchise. The Warrens come to the assistance of the Perron family, who experienced increasingly disturbing events in their farmhouse in Rhode Island in 1971.

The Conjuring 2 - A 2016 American supernatural horror film, directed by James Wan. The screenplay is by Chad Hayes, Carey W. Hayes, Wan, and David Leslie Johnson. It is the sequel to 2013's The Conjuring, the second installment in The Conjuring series, and the third installment in the Conjuring Universe franchise. Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga reprise their roles as paranormal investigators and authors Ed and Lorraine Warren from the first film. The film follows the Warrens as they travel to the United Kingdom to assist the Hodgson family, who are experiencing poltergeist activity at their Enfield council house in 1977 which later became referred to as the Enfield poltergeist.

For more information, please visit http://themartiniscale.com

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Oct 15, 202045:21
The Babysitter (2017) // The Babysitter: Killer Queen (2020)
Oct 07, 202039:14
VOTE ~ 2020: A Special Episode

VOTE ~ 2020: A Special Episode

Join us for the latest episode of The Martini Scale - where we talk movies over martinis, and provide our perspective on what is and ISN'T worth watching.

In this episode, Natalie, Lyna, and Shawn celebrate all things democracy, and why your vote is so important in 2020, and are joined by special guest Krysta Masciale: host of the new show, "Rebranding America". 

We also discuss some of our favorite political-themed films and documentaries: 

>Movies: 

-All The President's Men

-Citizen Ruth 

-The American President

-Dave

>Documentaries: 

-Coastal Elites (HBOMax)

-Agents of Chaos (HBOMax)

-Whose Vote Counts - Explained (Netflix)

//

Below are some additional resources to educate friends, family, and acquaintances. You can also learn more about how you can volunteer to be a poll worker, or make phone calls or send texts on behalf of your local representatives, senate, or presidential candidate. 

vote.org - You can register to vote, check your registration status, find your polling place, check for mail-in voting deadlines in your state, and so much more. 

VoteSaveAmerica.com - Another great resource where you can learn more about all the candidates—you can even adopt a swing state, and work to educate voters in these states on how to make an informed decision, and help them get to the polls on Election Day. All from the comfort of your home. 

//

Krysta Masciale - Rebranding America:

Instagram

YouTube 

Follow Krysta on Instagram @krystamasciale

//

For more information, please visit http://themartiniscale.com

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Sep 29, 202001:11:48
The Devil All the Time // Strange but True (Netflix, 2020)
Sep 22, 202046:38
Our Favorite Documentaries
Sep 15, 202001:18:04
Love, Guaranteed // Project Power (Netflix, 2020)
Sep 09, 202001:00:18
The Best of Jennifer Aniston (with The Girl Crush Podcast)
Aug 31, 202001:14:20
Movies We Never Want to See Again
Aug 24, 202001:22:30
The Rental (2020) // Vivarium (2019)
Aug 13, 202001:18:13
Top 10 Summer Blockbusters (with The Con Guy Podcast)
Aug 06, 202001:26:41
Will Smith: Our Top 5
Jul 28, 202001:26:15
Greyhound // The Old Guard (2020)
Jul 21, 202058:00
Palm Springs // The King of Staten Island (2020)
Jul 14, 202001:17:03
Pride 2020: Our Favorite LGBTQ Films
Jun 29, 202001:59:54
What We're Streaming: TV Edition (Part II)
Jun 21, 202001:19:28
What We're Streaming: TV Edition
Jun 12, 202001:00:39
The Lovebirds // The Wrong Missy (Netflix, 2020)
May 28, 202001:08:47
Movies You Might Have Missed: Fan Picks from "Victor Justice"

Movies You Might Have Missed: Fan Picks from "Victor Justice"

Join us for the latest episode of The Martini Scale - where we talk movies over martinis, and provide our perspective on what is and ISN'T worth watching.

This week, our favorite fan, "Victor Justice" (you really have to listen to the whole show) picks the films we discuss: 

Moon - A 2009 science fiction film directed by Duncan Jones (in his directorial debut) and written by Nathan Parker from a story by Jones. The film follows Sam Bell (Sam Rockwell), a man who experiences a personal crisis as he nears the end of a three-year solitary stint mining helium-3 on the far side of the Moon. Kevin Spacey voices Sam's robot companion, GERTY.

Funny Games - A 2007 internationally co-produced psychological thriller film written and directed by Michael Haneke, an Austrian, and a remake of his own 1997 film of the same name. Naomi Watts, Tim Roth, Michael Pitt, and Brady Corbet star in the main roles.

Shot Caller - A 2017 American crime thriller film directed and written by Ric Roman Waugh. The film chronicles the transformation of a well-to-do family man into a hardened prison gangster, undergone to survive California's penal system after he is incarcerated for his role in a deadly DUI car accident. The film stars Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Omari Hardwick, Lake Bell, Jon Bernthal, Emory Cohen, Jeffrey Donovan, and Evan Jones, with Benjamin Bratt, and Holt McCallany.

You can check out the entire list of suggested films via LETTERBOXD: https://boxd.it/5ceXQ

For more information, please visit http://themartiniscale.com

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May 14, 202001:35:03
Love, Wedding, Repeat // Extraction (Netflix, 2020)
Apr 29, 202001:01:57
Movies You Might Have Missed: Feel-Good Movies

Movies You Might Have Missed: Feel-Good Movies

Join us for the latest episode of The Martini Scale - where we talk movies over martinis, and provide our perspective on what is and ISN'T worth watching.

In this episode, Natalie, Lyna, and Shawn continue with the next installment of our latest series: Movies You Might Have Missed, where we discuss some films you…Might have missed. Each film is available on various streaming platforms for you to enjoy during the quarantine. This week, we discuss our favorite feel-good movies.

This week, we discuss:

Tag (currently available for rent or purchase on iTunes and other streaming platforms) is a 2018 American comedy film directed by Jeff Tomsic (in his feature directorial debut) and written by Rob McKittrick and Mark Steilen. The film is based on a true story that was published in The Wall Street Journal about a group of grown men, played by Ed Helms, Jake Johnson, Hannibal Buress, Jon Hamm, and Jeremy Renner, who spend one month a year playing the game of tag.[2][3] Annabelle Wallis, Isla Fisher, Rashida Jones, and Leslie Bibb also star. 

The Other Woman (currently available for rent or purchase on iTunes and other streaming platforms) is a 2014 American comedy film directed by Nick Cassavetes and written by Melissa Stack. The film stars Cameron Diaz, Leslie Mann and Kate Upton. Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Nicki Minaj and Taylor Kinney appear in supporting roles. The film follows three women—Carly (Diaz), Kate (Mann), and Amber (Upton)—who are all romantically involved with the same man, Mark (Coster-Waldau). After finding out about each other, the trio take revenge on Mark.

Home Again (currently available to stream on Amazon Prime Video, and available for rent or purchase on iTunes) is a 2017 American romantic comedy film written and directed by Hallie Meyers-Shyer, in her directorial debut. It stars Reese Witherspoon, Nat Wolff, Jon Rudnitsky, Pico Alexander, Michael Sheen and Candice Bergen, and follows a 40-year-old single mother who allows three young aspiring filmmakers to live with her in her Los Angeles home. 

For more information, please visit http://themartiniscale.com

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Apr 22, 202001:12:11
Movies You Might Have Missed: 90s Romantic Comedies

Movies You Might Have Missed: 90s Romantic Comedies

Join us for the latest episode of The Martini Scale - where we talk movies over martinis, and provide our perspective on what is and ISN'T worth watching.

In this episode, Natalie, Lyna, and Shawn continue with the next installment of our latest series: Movies You Might Have Missed, where we discuss some films you…Might have missed. Each film is available on various streaming platforms for you to enjoy during the quarantine. This week, we continue our 90's themed episodes with some of our favorite romantic comedies.

This week, we discuss:

Threesome (available to rent or purchase on most streaming platforms) is a 1994 dramatic comedy, written and directed by Andrew Fleming and starring Lara Flynn Boyle, Stephen Baldwin and Josh Charles. It is an autobiographical comedy mixed in with some social commentary, and is based on the college memories of Fleming. 

She's the One (currently available to stream on Cinemax) is a 1996 American romantic comedy film written and directed by New York actor and director Edward Burns. It stars Jennifer Aniston and Cameron Diaz. The film is one of Tom Petty's few movie soundtracks, and is named after the Bruce Springsteen song of the same name.

The Cutting Edge (currently available to stream on Amazon Prime and Cinemax) is a 1992 American romantic comedy film directed by Paul Michael Glaser and written by Tony Gilroy. The plot is about a rich, spoiled figure skater (played by Moira Kelly) who is paired with an injury-sidelined ice hockey player (played by D. B. Sweeney) for Olympic figure skating. Competing at the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville, France, they have a climactic face off against a Soviet pair.

For more information, please visit http://themartiniscale.com

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Apr 14, 202001:11:41
Movies You Might Have Missed: Vol III (90s Edition, Part 1)

Movies You Might Have Missed: Vol III (90s Edition, Part 1)

Join us for the latest episode of The Martini Scale - where we talk movies over martinis, and provide our perspective on what is and ISN'T worth watching.

In this episode, Natalie, Lyna, and Shawn continue with the next installment of our latest series: Movies You Might Have Missed, where we discuss some films you…Might have missed. Each film is available on various streaming platforms for you to enjoy during the quarantine. This week, we kick off our 90's themed episodes. 

This week, we discuss:

Judgment Night (available to stream for free on VUDU) is a 1993 American action thriller film directed by Stephen Hopkins and starring Emilio Estevez, Cuba Gooding Jr., Jeremy Piven and Stephen Dorff as a group of friends on the run from a gang of drug dealers (led by Denis Leary) after they witness a murder.

Falling Down (available to stream for free on VUDU) is a 1993 crime thriller film directed by Joel Schumacher and written by Ebbe Roe Smith. The film stars Michael Douglas in the lead role of William Foster, a divorced and unemployed former defense engineer. The film centers on Foster as he treks on foot across the city of Los Angeles, trying to reach the house of his estranged ex-wife in time for his daughter's birthday. Along the way, a series of encounters, both trivial and provocative, causes him to react with increasing violence and make sardonic observations on life, poverty, the economy, and commercialism. Robert Duvall co-stars as Martin Prendergast, an aging Los Angeles Police Department sergeant on the day of his retirement, who faces his own frustrations - even as he tracks down Foster.

To Die For (available to rent or purchase on all streaming platforms) is a 1995 criminal comedy-drama film, made in a mockumentary format, directed by Gus Van Sant and written by Buck Henry, based on the novel of the same name by Joyce Maynard. The film was inspired by the story of Pamela Smart. It stars Nicole Kidman, Matt Dillon, and Joaquin Phoenix, and features supporting roles from Illeana Douglas, Wayne Knight, Casey Affleck, Kurtwood Smith, Dan Hedaya, and Alison Folland.

For more information, please visit http://themartiniscale.com

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Apr 07, 202001:33:06
Movies You Might Have Missed: Vol II

Movies You Might Have Missed: Vol II

Join us for the latest episode of The Martini Scale - where we talk movies over martinis, and provide our perspective on what is and ISN'T worth watching.

In this episode, Natalie, Lyna, and Shawn continue with Volume II of our latest series: Movies You Might Have Missed, where we discuss some films you…May have missed. Each film is available on various streaming platforms for you to enjoy during the quarantine.

This week, we discuss:

Portrait of a Lady on Fire (available to stream on HULU) is a 2019 French historical drama film written and directed by Céline Sciamma, starring Noémie Merlant and Adèle Haenel. Set in France in the late 18th century, the film tells the story of a forbidden affair between an aristocrat and a painter commissioned to paint her portrait.

Hobbs & Shaw (also known as Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw or Fast & Furious: Hobbs & Shaw; available to stream on HBOGo) - A 2019 action film directed by David Leitch and written by Chris Morgan and Drew Pearce, from a story by Morgan. It is a spin-off of the Fast & Furious franchise set in between the events of 2017’s The Fate of the Furious and 2021’s F9. The film sees Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham reprise their roles from the main series as Luke Hobbs and Deckard Shaw respectively, and also stars Idris Elba, Vanessa Kirby, Eiza González, Cliff Curtis, and Helen Mirren. The plot follows the unlikely pairing of the titular characters as they team up with Shaw's sister (Kirby) to battle a cybernetically-enhanced terrorist (Elba) threatening the world with a deadly virus.

Downhill (available for digital purchase on all streaming platforms) - A 2020 American black comedy drama film directed by Nat Faxon and Jim Rash, who also co-wrote the script with Jesse Armstrong. The film is a remake of Force Majeure (2014) by Swedish director Ruben Östlund. It stars Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Will Ferrell as a married couple going through a rough patch after a near-death encounter during a family ski outing.


For more information, please visit http://themartiniscale.com

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Mar 31, 202001:17:56
Movies You Might Have Missed: Vol I

Movies You Might Have Missed: Vol I

Join us for the latest episode of The Martini Scale - where we talk movies over martinis, and provide our perspective on what is and ISN'T worth watching.

In this episode, Natalie, Lyna, and Shawn introduce Volume I of our latest series: Movies You Might Have Missed, where we discuss some films you…May have missed. Each film is available on various streaming platforms for you to enjoy during the quarantine.

This week, we discuss:

Upgrade (available to stream on HBOGo) - A 2018 cyberpunk action body horror film written and directed by Leigh Whannell and starring Logan Marshall-Green, Betty Gabriel, and Harrison Gilbertson. The film follows a technophobe who is implanted with a chip that allows him to control his body after a mugging leaves him paralyzed.

Good Time (available to steam on Netflix) - A 2017 American crime thriller directed by Josh and Benny Safdie and written by Josh Safdie and Ronald Bronstein. It stars Robert Pattinson as a bank robber desperately trying to get enough money to pay for bail for his developmentally disabled brother (Benny Safdie); Barkhad Abdi, Jennifer Jason Leigh, and Buddy Duress co-star.

Colossal (available to stream on HULU) - A 2016 science fiction black comedy film directed and written by Nacho Vigalondo. The film stars Anne Hathaway, Jason Sudeikis, Dan Stevens, Austin Stowell, and Tim Blake Nelson, telling a story about Gloria, an unemployed young writer played by Hathaway, who is unwittingly causing a giant monster to wreak havoc halfway across the world.

For more information, please visit http://themartiniscale.com

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Mar 25, 202001:06:09
Outbreak (1995) vs. Contagion (2011)
Mar 17, 202052:28
The Invisible Man // The Lodge (2020)
Mar 01, 202001:01:34
To All the Boys I've Loved Before (Parts 1 & 2; Netflix 2018, 2020)
Feb 23, 202055:39
Bad Boys For Life // Harley Quinn: Birds of Prey (2020)
Feb 16, 202056:05
1917 (2019)
Feb 02, 202001:14:44
2020 OSCARS Preview & Predictions
Jan 26, 202001:07:31
Marriage Story (Netflix, 2019)
Jan 19, 202001:01:17
Best & Worst of 2019 // 2020 Preview
Jan 05, 202001:35:49