Cinema Smorgasbord

In this episode of WE DO OUR OWN STUNTS we follow Asian Hawk — a fortune-hunting ex-pop star turned treasure seeker — who is forced into a globe-trotting mission to rescue a former bandmate's kidnapped girlfriend in the 1986 Indiana Jones-esque action classic ARMOR OF GOD! Jackie fights, falls and (notably) cracks his skull open trying to attain the titular armor while fighting off cult members and amazons. We go over the history, the fallout, and the different edits of the film while also discussing the latest Jackie Chan news. ENJOY!

RSS/iTunes/Spotify Check out the full Wild in the Streets archive right here On this intriguing episode of WILD IN THE STREETS Claudio Cassinelli gets out of jail after five years and wants revenge on his former mob boss (played by Martin Balsam) who he thinks set him up in Fernando Di Leo’s Caliber 9-esque 1977 eurocrime film BLOOD AND DIAMONDS! There isn’t much action, but there IS Barbara Bouchet, a crazed, violent maniac and gratuitous crucifixions! What’s not to enjoy? Check it out!The post Episode 340 – Wild in the Streets – Blood and Diamonds (1977) first appeared on Cinema Smorgasbord.

RSS/iTunes/Spotify Check out the full HOW DO YOU DO, FELLOW KIDS? archive right here On a returning HOW DO YOU DO, FELLOW KIDS our hosts set their sights on Michael Bay’s 1998 blockbuster mega-hit (and member of the Criterion Collection) ARMAGEDDON. Join us as we drill deep into the likelihood of a group of roughnecks becoming unlikely astronauts, Ben Affleck, Aerosmith (or – as I like to call them – AeroBLECH), Bruce Willis saving the planet, and ANIMAL CRACKERS. All this and the latest Steve Buscemi news! ENJOY!The post Episode 339 – How Do You Do, Fellow Kids? – Armageddon (1998) first appeared on Cinema Smorgasbord.

RSS/iTunes/Spotify Check out the entire Do You Otaku? archive right here. DO YOU OTAKU? returns with Liam helping Doug dive headfirst into the chaotic, blood-soaked world of Tatsuki Fujimoto’s CHAINSAW MAN! We go arc-by-arc through the show’s first season exploring Denji’s descent into devil hunting from the perspective of an anime novice, before transitioning from the TV series to the big screen with CHAINSAW MAN – THE MOVIE: REZE ARC and comparing the approaches to the material and what makes Chainsaw Man stand out. We also explore the fandom, the stage show(!) and so much more. CHECK IT OUT!The post Episode 338 – Do You Otaku? – Chainsaw Man (Season 1) & Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc (2025) first appeared on Cinema Smorgasbord.

RSS/iTunes/Spotify Check out the Praising Kane archive right here. In a returning PRAISING KANE we’re doubling up, starting with an first season episode of TALES FROM THE CRYPT starring Carol Kane as a woman who switches bodies with an old crone, much to the chagrin of her gun-nut husband. FUN! Then we pivot from gothic horror to existential satire with John Patrick Shanley’s 1990 cult classic JOE VERSUS THE VOLCANO, starring Tom Hanks as a soul-crushed hypochondriac sent to leap into an active volcano on the island of Waponi Woo /w Meg Ryan in three different roles. Also, Carol Kane is there. For literally two minutes. And we talk about the suitcase guy, because that guy rules. ENJOY!The post Episode 337 – Praising Kane – Joe Versus the Volcano (1990) first appeared on Cinema Smorgasbord.

On this episode of YOU DON'T KNOW DICK (the world's finest Dick Miller podcast) we're going APE with Box Office Gross podcast co-host Rob Stammitti as we check out the Jonathan Kaplan-directed Matthew Broderick-starring chimpanzee science-fiction(?) drama PROJECT X from 1987. Filled with monkeys flying planes, microwaving slop (and being microwaved by the government!), and causing mischief, this controversial film also has Helen Hunt, William Sadler and CHIMPS galore! But not only THAT, we also check out an episode of TALES FROM THE DARKSIDE called "All a Clone By The Telephone" featuring Harry Anderson! AND DICK MILLER! It's ALL TOO MUCH!

YOU MUST BE TIRED OF LIVING! On this skull-crushing episode of CINEMA SMORGASBORD SELLS OUT we're tackling the Kenji Tanigaki-directed action spectacle, The Furious! Filled (overfilled?) with action spectacle, a cavalcade of international action superstars come together to beat on each other in countless inventive ways while Xie Miao tries to track down his kidnapped daughter. We also chat about some of the recent films we've watched because WHY THE HECK NOT? Enjoy!

What's THIS? A returning episode of ERIC ROBERTS IS THE MAN with guest Mike X Nichols joining us to talk about all the latest Eric Roberts news as well as an odd AI-centered thriller from 2025 called VIOLET with a WILD backstory that is way more interesting than the film itself? IT'S TRUE! We talk about celebrity chefs, the SPIN cycle, mockbusters, stop motion, and so, SO much more before breaking down the unbelievable story behind VIOLET, which - despite being about the AI takeover of the world - features a ton of AI-generated content! WILD STUFF. CHECK IT OUT!

RSS/iTunes/Spotify Check out the Further Reeding archive right here. Bundle up tight because Further Reeding is heading deep into the unforgiving 19th-century Canadian wilderness with Oliver Reed at his absolute gruffest (and most outrageously accented) as Jean La Bête, a wild fur trapper who rolls into town and casually purchases a mute orphan girl, played by Rita Tushingham, to be his wilderness wife in 1966’s THE TRAP. Can the pair survive the wilderness and each other? ONLY ONE WAY TO FIND OUT! Watch the film right here: The post Episode 333 – Further Reeding – The Trap (1966) first appeared on Cinema Smorgasbord.

RSS/iTunes/Spotify Check out the full Wild in the Streets archive right here This week on Wild in the Streets, Doug and Liam are familiarizing themselves with Er Monnezza (aka Garbage Can), Tomas Milian’s foul mouthed criminal with a heart of.. uh.. gold who teams up with Claudio Cassinelli’s hard-nosed cop to track down a kidnapped little girl being held hostage by the evil Henry Silva in 1976’s FREE HAND FOR A TOUGH COP (aka TOUGH COP). Grab some J&B and grab a brick because on this episode we’re out for BLOOD! Here’s the article on J&B Scotch mentioned in the episode: https://punchdrink.com/articles/j-b-scotch-whisky-bottle-movies/ The post Episode 332 – Wild in the Streets – Free Hand for a Tough Cop (1976) first appeared on Cinema Smorgasbord.

SERPENT'S PATH: THE FILMS OF KIYOSHI KUROSAWA returns, and we dive into the third and fourth entries of Kiyoshi Kurosawa's crime-comedy V-cinema series: Suit Yourself or Shoot Yourself: The Loot (1996) (Katte ni shiyagare!! Ôgon keikaku) and Suit Yourself or Shoot Yourself: The Gamble (1996) (Katte ni shiyagare!! Gyakuten keikaku). Once again we follow low-level criminals Yûji (Sho Aikawa) and Kôsaku (Kôyô Maeda) as they find a treasure map(!), win big at the track, get in trouble with yakuza (of course) and maybe, just maybe, learn a little about themselves. Or not! We look at how Kurosawa's style is developing, where he's moving to in his career, and look forward to some VERY interesting developments. CHECK IT OUT! The post Episode 331 – Serpent’s Path: The Films of Kiyoshi Kurosawa – Suit Yourself or Shoot Yourself: The Loot (1996) & Suit Yourself or Shoot Yourself: The Gamble (1996) first appeared on Cinema Smorgasbord.

On a returning HOW DO YOU DO, FELLOW KIDS? we are stepping back behind the camera to look at a film directed by the man himself: 2005's LONESOME JIM. Written by Jim Strouse and starring Casey Affleck as a depressed, failed novelist who returns to his Indiana hometown and connects with a local nurse (played by Liv Tyler), LONESOME JIM got a bit lost in the cavalcade of sad-sack dude movies in the mid 2000s, but is it worthy of discovery? Let's find out. The post Episode 330 – How Do You Do, Fellow Kids? – Lonesome Jim (2005) first appeared on Cinema Smorgasbord.

Our chronological journey through the filmography of Carol Kane enters the 1990s! On this episode of PRAISING KANE (the world’s finest chronological Carol Kane-themed podcast) we're diving into Franco Amurri's buddy-comedy/action-thriller crossover Flashback (1990). Starring Kiefer Sutherland as a buttoned-down, straight-laced FBI agent tasked with escorting a legendary, Abbie Hoffmanesque hippie played by Dennis Hopper. Featuring a great supporting cast including Paul Dooley, Michael McKean, Cliff DeYoung, and — of course — our beloved Carol Kane. How does this odd-couple road trip hold up, and how much does Carol steal the show? LISTEN and FIND OUT! The post Episode 329 – Praising Kane – Flashback (1990) first appeared on Cinema Smorgasbord.

We're BACK! And better than ever! On this PACKED episode of GEORGE KENNEDY IS MY COPILOT we're doubling up once again, starting with a look at the first half of George Kennedy's second mystery novel MURDER ON HIGH where once again George has to help his buddy Mike Corby solve a mystery.. but this time it's while they are on a freakin' AIRPLANE! Exciting stuff! Then we check out the 1970 revisionist western DIRTY DINGUS MAGEE featuring Frank Sinatra as the titular antihero outlaw. It's certainly something. And of course George Kennedy plays the hapless sheriff on Magee's tail. Check it ALL out right now! The post Episode 328 – George Kennedy is My Copilot – Dirty Dingus Magee (1970) (and Murder on High – Part 1) first appeared on Cinema Smorgasbord.

OH CANADA! On this episode of Cinema Smorgasbord Sells Out, our hosts have a chat about Canadian cinema having a moment, what the country can do to become a bigger player internationally (and at home) and some of our favorite Canadian films before taking a look at Sophy Romvari's tremendous semi-autobiographical drama BLUE HERON from 2025. It's a quietly experimental film about a family becoming increasingly fractured by a child's erratic behavior, and it's worth going out of your way to see. And hear us talk about! The post Episode 327 – Cinema Smorgasbord Sells Out – Blue Heron (2025) first appeared on Cinema Smorgasbord.

On a pulse pounding returning WILD IN THE STREETS Fabio Testi is trying to take down the protection racket in Rome but is up to his elbows in red tape, but after one incident too many he's fired and has to assemble a crack squad of cons to take down the baddies in Enzo G. Castellari's action packed THE BIG RACKET from 1976. Full of wild set pieces and some particularly nasty moments, it's an over-the-top romp with a final bloody action sequence inspired by The Wild Bunch! But how do our oh-too-sensitive hosts deal with all this? Let's find out! The post Episode 326 – Wild in the Streets – The Big Racket (1976) first appeared on Cinema Smorgasbord.

It doesn't get much better than this. On a long-awaited WE DO OUR OWN STUNTS Jackie Chan fulfills his long-term goal (devised partially as a response to his experience with James Glickenhaus' The Protector) to make a different kind of Hong Kong martial arts movie and pulls it off in spectacular fashion with 1985's POLICE STORY. Containing some of his most celebrated fights (the glass-filled mall spectacular) and stunts (the shantytown car chase, the umbrella assisted bus stunts and - of course - his dangerous pole slide), it changed the game for martial arts films, and launched Chan's career into the stratosphere. BUT DOES IT LIVE UP TO THE HYPE?! On this episode of WE DO OUR OWN STUNTS we look at the stories and history behind the film, and where it exists in Jackie's career. The post Episode 325 – We Do Our Own Stunts – Police Story (1985) first appeared on Cinema Smorgasbord.

In Delicious in Dungeon an adventuring group tries to track down and kill a dragon that ate one of their members, but can only survive by killing and eating the monsters they find along the way. Sounds simple, right? Well, this comedy-adventure series is anything but, with loads of often odd humor, detailed cooking sequences and some impressive world building.. BUT WILL DOUG LIKE IT? That's the question on this episode of DO YOU OTAKU? where Liam once again introduces Doug to a full season of a popular anime series and tries to convince him that it's worthwhile. LISTEN AND SEE HOW IT WORKS! The post Episode 324 – Do You Otaku? – Delicious in Dungeon (aka Dungeon Meshi) (Season 1) first appeared on Cinema Smorgasbord.

After starting his V-Cinema adventure with MEN OF RAGE and YAKUZA TAXI (both covered on our last episode) Kiyoshi Kurosawa began his most ambitious project yet: a series of SIX films featuring two bumbling, but loveable, gangsters played by Shô Aikawa and Kôyô Maeda who continually find themselves in unlikely, comical scenarios (with - naturally - bursts of sex and violence). Kurosawa would shoot two of the films at a time, and on this episode of Serpent's Path we're checking out the first two entries. In 1995's Suit Yourself or Shoot Yourself: The Heist our pair end up falling for the same woman, only to be forced to help her raise money for a sick relative once she gets involved with (wait for it!) the yakuza. Then, in Suit Yourself or Shoot Yourself: The Escape (also from 1995) the two are hired by a Yakuza boss to spy on his daughter and her boyfriend, only for them to get wrapped up in a tale of love, betrayal and AUSTRALIA. All that and plenty of context, so ENJOY! The post Episode 323 – Serpent’s Path: The Films of Kiyoshi Kurosawa – Suit Yourself or Shoot Yourself: The Heist (1995) & Suit Yourself or Shoot Yourself: The Escape (1995) first appeared on Cinema Smorgasbord.

We RETURN TO THE SANDLER-VERSE on this episode of HOW DO YOU DO, FELLOW KIDS? (the world's finest Steve Buscemi podcast) with the 2015 made-for-Netflix western-comedy THE RIDICULOUS 6 featuring Terry Crews, Taylor Lautner, Rob Schneider, Jorge Garcia, and Luke Wilson and Sandler himself as the titular 6, as well as appearances by Will Forte, Steve Zahn, Nick Nolte, Danny Trejo, Harvey Keitel and.. uh.. Vanilla Ice as Mark Twain. Oh, and it sucks! It's really bad! Hear us suffer, please. The post Episode 322 – How Do You Do, Fellow Kids? – The Ridiculous 6 (2015) first appeared on Cinema Smorgasbord.

On this free-wheeling episode of BARTEL ME SOMETHING GOOD we're doubling up with two films featuring notable Paul Bartel ACTING performances. Uh.. kinda. We start with the cult-classic killer robots in a mall horror film CHOPPING MALL, directed by Jim Wynorski. With an all-star cast including Kelli Maroney, Barbara Crampton, DICK MILLER, Gerrit Graham, Mel Welles, Angus Scrimm and - of course - Paul Bartel and Mary Woronov, reprising their roles from EATING RAOUL! Then we put on our deerstalker hats and pull out our magnifying glasses as we solve the mystery of WHERE IS PAUL BARTEL (as "Twister Master") IN GREGG ARAKI'S THE LIVING END?! The record will be changed PERMANANTLY as we discuss Araki's transgressive 1992 road comedy-drama ALSO featuring an appearance by Mary Woronov. Have a listen, friends! The post Episode 321 – Bartel Me Something Good – Chopping Mall (1986) & The Living End (1992) first appeared on Cinema Smorgasbord.

We're selling out again.. and much faster than usual! On this explosive episode of CINEMA SMORGASBORD SELLS OUT we're surviving on wild boar and coconut water with the help of Sam Raimi in 2026's SEND HELP, his return to low-budget thrills starring Rachel McAdams and Dylan O'Brien! That pair got stranded on a deserted island after a (appropriately violent) plane crash, but here's the twist: O'Brien is McAdams' overbearing, piece of garbage boss and McAdams is obsessed with survivalist books and TV shows. The pair learn a lot about love, friendship and MURDERING EACH OTHER. Did we like it? I dunno. Let's find out! The post Episode 320 – Cinema Smorgasbord Sells Out – Send Help (2026) first appeared on Cinema Smorgasbord.

WHAT'S THE BUZZ?! TELL ME WHAT'S A-HAPPENIN! On this episode we're SELLING OUT FOR THE LORD as we tackle Norman Jewison's adaptation of the Andrew Lloyd Webber/Tim Rice rock opera JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR featuring (wussy) Ted Neeley as Jesus and (bad-ass) Carl Anderson as Judas. Doug asks Liam all sorts of uncomfortable religious questions. Y'know, for fun! We'll talk the history, the performances, the accusations of anti-semitism, all that stuff! Also, what is the DEAL with this Jesus guy? Listen and find out! The post Episode 319 – Cinema Smorgasbord Sells Out – Jesus Christ Superstar (1973) first appeared on Cinema Smorgasbord.

We like to have fun here on PRAISING KANE, the world's finest chronological Carol Kane-themed podcast, but occasionally - rarely - even Carol Kane's charms are not enough to lift up a film, and that's certainly the case with Joyce Chopra's misguided misfire THE LEMON SISTERS from 1989 (though held back from release until 1990). Despite a dynamite supporting cast (including Elliott Gould, Aidan Quinn, a young Nathan Lane, and Ruben Blades) and the talented trio of Diane Keaton, Kathryn Grody and Kane herself as the titular Lemon Sister (friends who grew up together on the Atlantic City boardwalk who sing standards in a nightclub.. sorta), it's just a disaster. Bad music, incomprehensible plot elements, and a lack of chemistry just dooms the whole thing. But is there ANYTHING to recommend it? Listen and find out! The post Episode 318 – Praising Kane – The Lemon Sisters (1989) first appeared on Cinema Smorgasbord.

Three well-to-do young men go on a crime and killing spree for KICKS while Tomas Milian is.. uh.. kinda on their trail in Romolo Guerrieri's YOUNG, VIOLENT, DANGEROUS from 1976! Milian is sort of wasted, but the trio are a hoot (and there's plenty of homoerotic under(?)current as well, because of course there is! There's blood, murder, and a tremendous car chase. Who could ask for anything more? We also discuss our favorite trios for some reason. ENJOY! The post Episode 317 – Wild in the Streets – Young, Violent, Dangerous (1976) first appeared on Cinema Smorgasbord.

On a brand new episode of HOW DO YOU DO, FELLOW KIDS? we're finding a stranger in the alps with THE DUDE and all his funny pals in The Coen Brothers' neo-noir cult favorite THE BIG LEBOWSKI from 1997. Featuring Jeff Bridges as the dude, John Goodman as his pal Walter Sobchak and - of course - the great Steve Buscemi as the mild-mannered Donny (and also Julianne Moore, Philip Seymour Hoffman, John Turturro, Sam Elliott and MORE). We talk about Dudeism, oat sodas, Caucasians.. all that stuff! Enjoy! The post Episode 316 – How Do You Do, Fellow Kids? – The Big Lebowski (1997) first appeared on Cinema Smorgasbord.

Before we get to the sublime (POLICE STORY) we need to experience the ridiculous, and it doesn't get much more ridiculous than 1985's HEART OF DRAGON which features Jackie taking care of his developmentally delayed brother (played by Sammo Hung) even though he really just wants to be on the SWAT Team.. or a police officer.. or a sailor. While sometimes a total disaster (the Sammo antics are NOT GREAT) it also features some extraordinary choreography (from Yuen Biao), particularly in the Japanese version we watched for this episode that has TWO extra fight scenes and closing credits outtakes. Hear some conflicted opinions on this episode of WE DO OUR OWN STUNTS! The post Episode 315 – We Do Our Own Stunts – Heart of Dragon (1985) first appeared on Cinema Smorgasbord.

On a returning CINEMA SMORGASBORD SELLS OUT we're talking about Bradley Cooper's divorced dad energy mid-life crisis comedy-drama IS THIS THING ON? for some reason. Will Arnett plays a RICH BASTARD who divorces former volleyball star Laura Dern and turns to stand-up comedy to discover insights about himself and somehow we STILL decided to watch it. Bradley Cooper plays a character named BALLS! Yikes! Anyway, there are plenty of shocking revelations, so give it a listen. Spoilers ahead, but who cares? The post Episode 314 – Cinema Smorgasbord Sells Out – Is this Thing On? (2025) first appeared on Cinema Smorgasbord.

On a brand new episode of FURTHER REEDING (the world's finest Oliver Reed-themed podcast) you can SEE US, FEEL US, TOUCH US and HEAL US as we check out Ken Russell's all-star film adaptation of The Who's classic rock opera TOMMY starring Roger Daltrey, Ann-Margret, Elton John, Eric Clapton, Jack Nicholson, Tina Turner and - of course - OLIVER REED! We couldn't cover such an epic experience by ourselves, so we're joined by special guest Kolleen Carney Hoepfner to cover the good and bad of Russell's overblown, over-the-top, synth-heavy monster! Our senses will never be the same! The post Episode 313 – Further Reeding – Tommy (1975) (/w Kolleen Carney Hoepfner) first appeared on Cinema Smorgasbord.

On an UNPRECEDENTED new episode of Eric Roberts is the Man, we're covering a film.. FOR THE SECOND TIME! Due to a series of unfortunate events (and fading memories) The Catered Quiz host (and Family Feud veteran) Rick Katschke joins us for our second kick at the all-star counterfeit money crime caper LUCK OF THE DRAW from 2000 (/w Dennis Hopper, Ice-T, Michael Madsen, William Forsythe and - of course - ERIC ROBERTS). Did we like it any more this time? GUESS YOU'LL HAVE TO LISTEN AND FIND OUT. All that and the latest Eric Roberts news. ENJOY. The post Episode 312 – Eric Roberts is the Man – Luck of the Draw (2000) first appeared on Cinema Smorgasbord.

What if you witnessed a murder but the ACTUAL murderer goes to the cops first and accused YOU of being the killer? UH OH! That's what happens to Enzo Cerusico's hapless Fabio Santamaria in 1973's comically titled NO, THE CASE IS HAPPILY RESOLVED where Fabio's attempts to not get involved in the criminal justice system lands him in a heap of trouble, while the actual murderer (a school professor played by Riccardo Cucciolla) is treated like a hero by the cops. It's a dire look at class differences, the criminal justice system and making a lot of BAD decisions when you think someone is looking for you. At least, until a terrible, tacked-on ending (which we discuss!). CHECK IT OUT! The post Episode 311 – Wild in the Streets – No, The Case is Happily Resolved (1973) first appeared on Cinema Smorgasbord.

Kiyoshi Kurosawa is coming off a rough patch after controversies around SWEET HOME in 1989 and the financial failure of THE GUARD FROM UNDERGROUND in 1992, but after retreating into television work he's about to be given a new lifeline in the 90s: V-CINEMA! This straight-to-VHS trend focusing on genre fare ended up being a training ground for a number of favorite directors and Kurosawa dives right in, first with the extremely silly (but quite fun) crime-comedy YAKUZA TAXI, and continuing with the cycling drama (adapted from a Yasuhito Yamamoto manga) MEN OF RAGE. On this episode of SERPENT'S PATH we look at everything Kurosawa was up to, how he ended up on these two films, and detail some of our own frustrations watching them. ENJOY! The post Episode 310 – Serpent’s Path: The Films of Kiyoshi Kurosawa – Men of Rage (1994) & Yakuza Taxi (1994) first appeared on Cinema Smorgasbord.

We're going GUESTLESS and UNTETHERED on this episode of YOU DON'T KNOW DICK, and what a long, strange trip it is! We're checking out the Roger Corman-directed 1967 film THE TRIP starring Peter Fonda, Bruce Dern and Dennis Hopper and it's full of surreal visuals, mind-expanding dialogue and hippy nonsense! Roger Corman went on an LSD trip as prep for the film, and he imbues it with plenty of independent energy (helped by Fonda and Hopper filming guerilla style on the streets of LA), but is it consciousness expanding weirdness or boring nonsense? Let's find out! The post Episode 309 – You Don’t Know Dick – The Trip (1967) first appeared on Cinema Smorgasbord.

Steve Buscemi.. the CROONER? It happened! In this episode of HOW DO YOU DO, FELLOW KIDS? we're checking out Stanley Tucci's throwback comedy THE IMPOSTERS from 1998 where Tucci teams with Oliver Platt as a pair of struggling actors/con-artists who find themselves in the middle of MANY plots when they accidentally stowaway on an ocean liner. I'm laughing already! And you'll be laughing(?) alongside an all-star cast that includes Alfred Molina, Tony Shalhoub, Hope Davis, Lili Taylor, Richard Jenkins, Allison Janney, and - of course - Steve Buscemi as "Happy" Franks. Also Woody Allen shows up. Anyway, all that and the latest Buscemi news. Stop reading this and start listening! The post Episode 308 – How Do You Do, Fellow Kids? – The Impostors (1998) first appeared on Cinema Smorgasbord.

Cinema Smorgasbord host Liam O'Donnell is an anime/manga-loving man in his 40s while his Cinema Smorgasbord co-host Doug Tilley is an anime skeptic (and grumpy old man). On DO YOU OTAKU? Liam is going to force Doug to watch popular anime TV shows and movies and RECORD THE RESULTS. On this PREMIERE episode Liam makes Doug watch the 12-episode first season of the comedy/romance/sci-fi/horror anime DANDADAN, where two high school students encounter monsters, aliens and maybe - just maybe - learn a bit about love. It's better than that sounds. Always curious about anime but have no idea where to start? START RIGHT HERE, BOZO. The post Episode 307 – Do You Otaku? – Dandadan (Season 1) first appeared on Cinema Smorgasbord.

After a lengthy break we're celebrating the holiday season with some fresh-from-the-oven JODOWOWSKY featuring now only a SLEW of new Alejandro Jodorowsky news (including a surprising celebrity admirer), but also a TRIO of documentaries featuring Jodo's always-memorable talking head! We start with the 2005 doc MIDNIGHT MOVIES: FROM THE MARGINS TO THE MAINSTREAM (2005) which documents the origins of midnight cult cinema starting with - of course - EL TOPO, and then moving onto PINK FLAMINGOS, THE HARDER THEY COME, NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD, THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW and more! Featuring interviews with John Waters, David Lynch, George Romero and (of course) Alejandro Jodorowsky. Next up is the 2007 documentary MOEBIUS REDUX: A LIFE IN PICTURES tracing the career of Jean "Moebius" Giraud, and featuring an impressive collection of his collaborators and admirers. Then we finish up with the unique, revealing documentary MY LIFE DIRECTED BY NICOLAS WINDING REFN from 2014 which follows director (and Jodorowsky acolyte) Nicolas Winding Refn as he goes through a depressive episode while making hi film ONLY GOD FORGIVES. Fun! All this and SO much more. Let's listen right now! The post Episode 306 – JodoWOWsky Part 18 – Documentary Trio (Midnight Movies (2005), Moebius Redux (2007), My Life Directed By Nicolas Winding Refn (2014)) first appeared on Cinema Smorgasbord.

DASHING THROUGH THE SNOW here comes the Cinema Smorgasbord HOLIDAY SPECIAL! And this time it really IS a holiday special, because we're talking about the 2023 time loop Hallmark Hanukkah film ROUND AND ROUND (featuring Dropout comedy sensation Vic Michaelis) before getting cozy with the 2024 nostalgia-tinged comedy-drama CHRISTMAS EVE IN MILLER'S POINT. All that and some thoughts about Christmas-themed music because WHY NOT? Enjoy! The post Episode 305 – The Cinema Smorgasbord Holiday Special – Round and Round (2023) & Christmas Eve in Miller’s Point (2024) first appeared on Cinema Smorgasbord.

Ding dong merrily on high! PRAISING KANE returns again.. and much quicker than usual because we just happened to have the Holiday classic SCROOGED next up in our chronological look at the life and work of Carol Kane! You know SCROOGED, right? Bill Murray, Richard Donner, modern adaptation of A Christmas Carol.. You get it. What's our take on it? LISTEN and FIND OUT. But that's not all! We also discuss the long-awaited documentary (recently made available on The Criterion Channel) CAROL & JOY from director Nathan Silver about Carol's relationship with her 98-year-old mother Joy (who she cares for in her piano-filled New York apartment). It's two for one! A holiday miracle! ENJOY! The post Episode 304 – Praising Kane – Scrooged (1988) (and Carol & Joy (2025)) first appeared on Cinema Smorgasbord.

All aboard! We choo-choo-choose you on this episode of CINEMA SMORGASBORD SELLS OUT and we're checking out the 2025 drama TRAIN DREAMS starring Joel Edgerton, with Felicity Jones, Kerry Condon, and William H. Macy! Based on the beloved novella Denis Johnson, we follow 80 years of the life of Robert Grainier, a logger (and later hermit) who faces love, loss, triumph and tragedy at the turn of the 20th century. BUT IS IT ANY GOOD? I guess we'll talk about it until we reach a conclusion. The post Episode 303 – Cinema Smorgasbord Sells Out – Train Dreams (2025) first appeared on Cinema Smorgasbord.

On the latest PRAISING KANE we're diving into the fraught history of the two Coreys (Haim and Feldman) with the 1988 teen comedy classic(?) LICENSE TO DRIVE, featuring car chases, a hip drive-in restaurant, scary driving tests (/w James Avery), Richard Masur, Billy Ocean's "Get Outta My Dreams, Get into My Car" and OF COURSE the wonderful Carol Kane. We also chat about the upcoming short documentary CAROL & JOY which should be available to watch RIGHT NOW on the Criterion Channel. Enjoy! The post Episode 302 – Praising Kane – License to Drive (1988) first appeared on Cinema Smorgasbord.

We're getting WILD IN THE STREETS with Henry Silva (/w some other guy's voice) in Mario Caiano's WEAPONS OF DEATH from 1977. Trying desperately to seem like a sequel to the previous year's VIOLENT NAPLES, this one has Leonard Mann as Commissioner Belli, a cop on the edge trying to track down rogue mob boss Santoro (Henry Silva) while also helping out a precocious/annoying kid named Gennarino. Thankfully this one has a trick up its sleeve: EXTREME VIOLENCE (thanks to Fulci makeup favorite Gino De Rossi), and a few solid action scenes (car chases! Pool hall fights! Piano wire decapitation!) to keep things moving. It's not bad, but is it.. good? Listen and find out! The post Episode 301 – Wild in the Streets – Weapons of Death (1977) first appeared on Cinema Smorgasbord.

It's the 300th(!!!!) episode of Cinema Smorgasbord! Now, normally we would do a big, special celebratory episode, but.. uh.. I forgot it was coming up so instead we're back with those pervy Lucky Stars goofballs as they travel to Thailand for some trademark misadventures/sexual harassment. Thankfully these sequences are intercut with some of the most incredible action sequences of the era featuring (naturally) Jackie Chan and Yuen Biao (and also Andy Lau, Richard Norton, Lau Kar-wing, Dick Wei, Philip Ko, and Yasuaki Kurata!). Michelle Yeoh even pops up briefly. It's a tale of two movies in 1985's TWINKLE TWINKLE, LUCKY STARS. Enjoy! The post Episode 300 – We Do Our Own Stunts – Twinkle Twinkle, Lucky Stars (1985) first appeared on Cinema Smorgasbord.

On a returning HOW DO YOU DO, FELLOW KIDS? (the world's finest Steve Buscemi-themed podcast) we're heading back to the past with Bill Sherwood's gay romantic drama PARTING GLANCES from 1986, featuring Steve Buscemi's breakout performance as Nick, an HIV-positive rock musician. Two straight dudes talking about a pioneering queer work? It happened! Now you can hear it and all the latest Steve Buscemi news. Enjoy! The post Episode 299 – How Do You Do, Fellow Kids? – Parting Glances (1986) first appeared on Cinema Smorgasbord.

It's the 2025 Cinema Smorgasbord HALLOWEEN HORROR SPECIAL and as usual we're taking a look at two underloved horror (or, in this case, horror adjacent) films that deserve a little more attention. We start with the Serbian 2023 socio-political satire WORKING CLASS GOES TO HELL from LIFE AND DEATH OF A PORNO GANG director Mladen Djordjević about a group of exploited workers who turn to Satan for some help battling corrupt businessmen and political leaders. We follow that up with Scooter McCrae's BLACK EYED SUSAN, which features Yvonne Emilie Thälker as a sex doll designed for punishment, and tackles some iffy moral questions about the future of artificial intelligence and.. Hey! This isn't very spooky at all! Oops! The post Episode 298 – Halloween Horror Special – Working Class Goes to Hell (2023) & Black Eyed Susan (2024) first appeared on Cinema Smorgasbord.

On the last stirring episode of GEORGE KENNEDY IS MY COPILOT we covered the first half of the George Kennedy-penned mystery novel MURDER ON LOCATION and on this episode.. WE REACH THE END! Who is the killer? What is their motivation? Does George Kennedy get an Oscar? All will be revealed! And then we talk about the odd disaster movie/jingoistic action movie hybrid THE DELTA FORCE from 1986 starring Chuck Norris and Lee Marvin (and also George Kennedy). ENJOY! The post Episode 297 – George Kennedy is My Copilot – The Delta Force (1986) (and Murder on Location – Part 2) first appeared on Cinema Smorgasbord.

When Paul Thomas Anderson drops one of the year's most anticipated movies you know THE BOYS gotta get their opinions down on.. uh.. tape, so on this episode of CINEMA SMORGASBORD SELLS OUT we're watching the lengthy action thriller ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER! But this three hour epic about an ex-revolutionary stumbling his way through a search for his daughter requires EXTRA FIREPOWER so we've been joined by the great RELAX, I'M FROM THE FUTURE director Luke Higginson to talk about the triumphs, controversies and everything else tied to PTA's triumphant return. Listen! The post Episode 296 – Cinema Smorgasbord Sells Out – One Battle After Another (2025) (/w Luke Higginson) first appeared on Cinema Smorgasbord.

We're back in CLASSIC ERIC ROBERTS era with the darkly comedic romantic drama NOBODY'S FOOL from 1986 featuring Rosanna Arquette as a quirky, traumatized waitress who finds her life turned upside-down when a troupe of Shakespearean actors arrive in her small Arizona town, including a handsome, equally messed up stagehand played by - wait for it - ERIC ROBERTS. There's plenty of odd charm, thanks to a strong script from Pulitzer Prize-winner Beth Henley, and a great supporting cast including Mare Winningham, Louise Fletcher and Stephen Tobolowsky! We're joined by NOBODY'S FOOL superfan Dan Gorman, making his long-awaited return, and the show is JAM-PACKED with the latest Eric Roberts news. ENJOY! The post Episode 295 – Eric Roberts is the Man – Nobody’s Fool (1986) (/w Dan Gorman) first appeared on Cinema Smorgasbord.

After a bumpy and controversial start to his career, that bumpiness would continue for Kiyoshi Kurosawa with 1989's SWEET HOME, a unique videogame/film collaboration that is colorful, entertaining and full of goopy FX by the legendary Dick Smith, but after a post-theatrical re-edit things would go sour between Kurosawa and producer Juzo Itami. It would be a few more years before Kurosawa would direct another feature, returning with the slasher-y office thriller THE GUARD FROM UNDERGROUND which has a number of hints at what would become his trademark style. Let's check it out! The post Episode 294 – Serpent’s Path: The Films of Kiyoshi Kurosawa – Sweet Home (1989) & The Guard From Underground (1992) first appeared on Cinema Smorgasbord.

2025 is the YEAR OF CAROL KANE! From Star Trek to It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia to a documentary about her relationship with her mother (CAROL &JOY, coming soon!), to appearing in the latest Darren Aronofsky movie, it's a busy time in the world of PRAISING KANE and we're loving it. We break down all the latest news on this episode, followed by a look at the strange Caitlin Adams-directed crime-comedy STICKY FINGERS starring Helen Slater and Melanie Mayron as two down-on-their-luck street musicians who are saddled with a bag containing almost a million dollars! With supporting turns from Christopher Guest, Eileen Brennan, Stephen McHattie and - of course - CAROL KANE! Enjoy! The post Episode 293 – Praising Kane – Sticky Fingers (1988) first appeared on Cinema Smorgasbord.

Two gang members pull a double cross on Claudio Cassinelli's Raul Montalbani after a bank robbery in Mario Caiano's occasionally spirited 1976 film BLOODY PAYROLL (aka VIOLENT MILAN). BIG MISTAKE! Cassinelli spends most of the film tracking them down to get a little revenge, helped by the sympathetic sex worker Leila. It's bookended by some terrific action (especially the car and motorcycle chases in the first thirty minutes, but then settles down into some Noir-ish score settling buoyed by a terrific, jazzy soundtrack. But what did we think? CHECK IT OUT! The post Episode 292 – Wild in the Streets – Bloody Payroll (aka Violent Milan) (1976) first appeared on Cinema Smorgasbord.