Confessions of a Not-So-Dangerous Mind*

A boxoffice and critical disappointment turned beloved Gen-X Standard, Can't Hardly Wait is now (incredibly) 28 years old, having opened 6/12/98. Join me for a look back at a film which Gen-X rejected back in the day, before rediscovering it in our "older era."

The New York Knicks' stunning comeback in Game 4 of the 2026 NBA Finals is the stuff of dreams, of legend, and of history.

Winner of 6 Oscars (inc. Best Picture and Best Director), One Battle After Another is a sprawling epic, a challenging film, quite difficult to classify, but absolutely worth seeing.

30+ years ago, I watched Rosemary's Baby at NYU, in "Color and Cinema." How I correctly identified legendary producer William Castle via his shocking cameo remains a mystery to this day 🤔😆

Peter Weir's unconventional dystopian nightmare not only predicts the future of tv,  but of "viral videos," "mass consumption of media," and the sense that we're all living in a giant fishbowl.

4x Oscar winner and "Hollywood's Last Icon" Clint Eastwood turned 96 on May 31st and according to his son, is retiring from the movie business.

The fan favorite "second sequel" to the iconic, Oscar-winning original opened May 28, 1982 and (against a $17 mil budget) grossed an astonishing $270 million worldwide. Join me a deep dive into the making of a classic.

Although I haven't been a diehard Knicks fan since the 1990s, here's to the 2026 NYK, as they prepare for the NBA finals.

Concluding our look back at the 5-film Dirty Harry Franchise with an exploration of the final entry, 1988's The Dead Pool.

Join me for a look at Larry Clark's controversial 1995 film Kids. Despite mixed reviews from critics, it was a significant boxoffice hit relative to cost, and co-stars Chloe Sevigny and Rosario Dawson (who I inexplicably blanked on during the ep) went on to great careers.

James Foley's terrific (and timeless) adaptation of David Mamet's 1983 play somehow feels specific to the early 1990s recession, which was ongoing as this film hit theaters. Irony alert, ppl watching the film for the first time circa 2008 said the exact same thing

The newest entry in our ongoing series is Mike Nichols unconventional 1994 "werewolf romance" Wolf, starring Jack Nicholson and Michelle Pfeiffer.

Legendary New York Yankees' broadcaster John Sterling passed away this morning at age 87. Join me for a look back at his incredible career in general, and his extraordinary 35 season run with the Yankees.

The newest entry in our ongoing series is the classic 1986 comedy Back to School, starring unquestioned comedy GOAT Rodney Dangerfield.

Continuing our look back at the Dirty Harry franchise with the 4th entry, 1983's hugely successful (but very problematic) Sudden Impact.

Despite being a fan of the MCU and comic book movies in general, I've barely discussed the MCU on the channel. We're about to change all that, starting with a deep dive back to 2008's OG Iron Man.

On the occasion of his 86th birthday, let's rewind to 1993 and Al's fantastic turn as a former crime boss determined to go straight in Brian DePalma's terrific crime drama Carlito's Way. 

On Jack Nicholson's 89th birthday, a look at 2003's Something's Gotta Give, a critical and financial success... and a character who seems quite similar to "The Real Jack," or more accurately how he was perceived.

The newest entry in our ongoing series is Barry Levinson's fantastic adaptation of Lorenzo Carcaterra's controversial bestseller.

Following up our discussion of Magnum Force earlier this week with a look at the next film in the Dirty Harry series, The Enforcer (1976).

The first part of our chat had us breaking down Steel Magnolias, now we turn our focus to Ali's personal experience with Type 1 Diabetes and how she's adjusted in the last decade, since her diagnosis.

Part 1 of my chat with Ali Johntry, T1 LADA Diabetic, Educator, and Long Island Entrepreneur. Stay tuned for Part 2!

Seen by many critics as a kind of "apology" for the 1971 original, Magnum Force is a thought-provoking film which gets into all kinds of gray areas...

Mike Nichols' 1967 masterpiece is the newest entry in our ongoing series.

The newest entry in our ongoing series is Richard Donner's masterful 1978 "OG" Superman: The Movie

Gregory Hoblit's twisty courtroom thriller Primal Fear opened April 5, 1996. Richard Gere is solid, but Edward Norton -- en route to a Supporting Actor Oscar nom in his film debut -- steals the film as a former altar boy accused of murder.

Jack Nicholson, Al Pacino, and Robert DeNiro have all played Satan. Which of these legends did it best?

During the summer of 1980, 6 y.o. me saw a TV commercial about "a pitching machine for kids" called "Reggie Jackson's Bat Away." I HAD TO HAVE THIS. Join me for a nostalgic piece of true history - me, my dad, Reggie, and a deceptively solid mechanical contraption that was almost revolutionary for 1980.

The newest entry in our ongoing series is John Carpenter's surprisingly hopeful scifi classic Starman.

A key figure in the evolution of New American Cinema, 14x Oscar nominee Warren Beatty turns 89 today.

As movie weekends go, the weekend of March 26, 1992 ranks with the best, and certainly as good as any, *ever*, in the first quarter of a year. That weekend's boxoffice was led by White Men Can't Jump, followed by Basic Instinct, My Cousin Vinny, and Wayne's World.

Hope springs eternal! The 2026 New York Yankees open the season in San Francisco! Join me for some obscure history and personal tales of old-school days at the Big Ballpark in the Bronx.

The newest entry in our continuing series is Oliver Stone's controversial take on the Assassination of John F. Kennedy. 

It's been nearly three decade since "The 1996 Mt. Everest Disaster." Join me for a look back at a tragic piece of real history, focusing on Jon Krakauer's harrowing true-life bestseller Into Thin Air.

Garry Marshall's 1991 romcom Frankie and Johnny works better than it should, thanks to the efforts of its two great stars, Al Pacino and Michelle Pfeiffer.

Billy Crystal spoke eloquently during the Oscars' tribute to Rob Reiner, his close friend and collaborator. Join me for some musings about Billy, including a "family connection," and thoughts on his career and legendary turns as Oscars' host.

Six years ago this week, the world slowed to a crawl... then seemed to stop. Desperate Hours, indeed.

The newest entry in our ongoing series is Sam Raimi's terrific 1995 Western The Quick and the Dead, featuring an insanely-stacked cast led by Sharon Stone, Gene Hackman, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Russell Crowe, who steals the movie right out from under his co-stars.

New Jack City opened on March 8, 1991. Wesley Snipes' electric turn as Harlem drug lord Nino Brown stands as the best performance of his career and director/costar Mario Van Peebles, Judd Nelson, Chris Rock, Ice-T, and others are strong in support.

Sir Alan Parker's controversial neo-noir/horror Angel Heart opened March 6, 1987. Despite strong advance buzz, the movie failed to ignite with critics and audiences. The intervening years have seen significant reappraisal; it's now regarded as one of the most distinctive movies of its decade.

The Big Lebowski opened March 6, 1998 to decent reviews but disappointing boxoffice. Over time, the Coen Bros. quirky crime/comedy gained an enormous following on cable and home video, becoming a cult classic which defines its decade.

The newest entry in our continuing series is Jason Reitman's fantastic comedy/drama Up in the Air. An enormous boxoffice hit (later nominated for 6 Oscars), the film boasts one of George Clooney's finest performances.

Jon Avnet's romantic drama Up Close and Personal opened March 1, 1996 to poor critical reviews but big boxoffce, grossing over $100 million... thanks entirely to its glittering stars, Michelle Pfeiffer and Robert Redford.

Joel Schumacher's Falling Down opened February 26, 1993 to mixed reviews and so-so boxoffice. History has been kind to this difficult, challenging film.

Regina King's terrific 2020 film takes a piece of real history -- Jim Brown, Sam Cooke, Malcolm X, and Muhammad Ali were together the night of February 25, 1964 -- and speculates about who might have said what, to whom.

Now nearly 31 years old, Outbreak hits differently in a post-Covid world.

Of Hollywood legends born in 1930 or 1931, Michael Caine and Clint Eastwood are still with us. Steve McQueen was only 50 when Mesothelioma took him. James Dean died at 24. Some things defy explanation, but we can still try to make sense of it all.

The last conventional leading man role Sir Sean Connery would play, 1995's mystery/thriller Just Cause turned a profit, despite getting mostly trashed by critics. This movie 100% deserves a reappraisal for its unusual, twisting plot, colorful performances, and the sheer force of Connery's legendary starpower.

The Monte Carlo, Las Vegas. February 19, 2012. A long-retired blackjack card counter (aka your favorite/least favorite podcaster 😆) successfully navigates a treacherous marathon session at the tables... then promptly re-retires. 14 years later, he shows no signs of ever playing this idiotic game again.

A legend's legend 😢