Movies Will Save The World
by Chris Peterson and Glen Cooper
Can movies save the world? Can anything? Join us on our journey as we try to answer this question. Tune in each week for a new movie matching a pre-selected theme. Judge us as we attempt to bring our limited intellects to bear pushing movies through the contrived meat grinder of social significance. Can movies save the world? Let's find out.
Episodes
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37. The Spanish Prisoner (1997)
It's always an interesting experience to see a movie.written and directed by the same person - especially when that person is someone as unique as David Mamet. Sometimes the watering down or smoothing out can be a benefit. Other times it can dilute the vision that the writer has in mind. Today we...
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36. Glass Onion (2022)
Sequels can sometimes be a bit challenging. Will it live up to expectations especially if the first movie is beloved by fans. Some sequels can take a franchise in a new and interesting direction while others just try and cash in on the tropes established in the original. We've reviewed Knives Out...
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35. The Princess Bride (1987)
How many lines can you quote from The Princess Bride? I'm guessing you could come up with 20 without thinking too hard. Have you ever met anyone who doesn't love this movie? And if so, does their broken sad and cynical soul show through in other areas of their life? I'm joking of course, but it…
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34. Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992)
The early 90s was an interesting time for movies. Lower budget independent films were on the rise, and many prominent directors experimented with new techniques in story telling and artistic license. Some of these movies have held up well while others, not so much. Today we're looking at Bram...
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33. Planes, Trains And Automobiles (1987)
Happy Thanksgiving! Today we're revisiting what is widely regarded as one of the great Thanksgiving movies - not to mention great comedies - of our generation. That said, does this movie hold up? Movies from the past don't always age well and it can be a bit dicey when we let nostalgia color our...
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32. Always Be My Maybe (2019) with Alicia Dara
How does a movie in an established genre stand out from the crowd? What is that special sauce that keeps audiences returning to the movie again and again? Join us as we discuss these questions and more with our very special guest Alicia Dara. Always Be My Maybe was released in 2019 and primarily...
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31. Backrooms (2022)
Can internet culture inspire a new form of filmmaking? The platforms available to content creators create the opportunity for individuals outside of the studio system to create something completely independent and free of the influence of commercially minded producers and executives. At the same...
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30. Patton (1970)
Can large-scale movies from the past compete and hold their own against current technology and film-making? Is there something about older, pre-CGI movies that have a special flavor that is lost in our current films? This week we're discussing the 1970 movie Patton. Clearly an epic on the scale…
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29. Terrified (2017)
Horror movies are a bit like heavy metal. For the few movies that stand out, there is an ocean of dreck to wade through and it can often be difficult to explain to outsiders why it's worth the journey. The true horror (or metal) fans know when they've struck gold and stumbled across something…
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28. Widows (2018)
Psst. Don't tell anybody, but I've got the perfect caper we can pull off. A couple of weeks work and we'll be set for life! All we need to do is get the right bank codes, throw off the thugs who'll be chasing us, assemble a team we can trust, launder the money so we can spend it, and move to a…
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27. 300 (2006)
Does style over substance make for a worthwhile movie? If so, what does it take? Is it simply the visual aesthetic? Stylized dialogue perhaps? Or perhaps an unorthodox editing style that transcends the substance of the plot and characters themselves. And if this is possible, how unique, how...
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26. Memento (2000)
How much do you trust your memory? How much do you depend on your memory of past events to shape your current reality, your history, who you are and what you've experienced? To a certain extent we all know memory can be fallible, but what if you knew to a certainty that you couldn't depend on…
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25. Whiplash (2014)
What would we sacrifice in the pursuit of greatness? How far would we allow ourselves to be pushed? What would we compromise and where is our breaking point? Today's movie - Whiplash - is an incredible study in these questions. While it may be an uncomfortable watch for some (most), it's also an...
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24. Ip Man (2008)
We've got kicks! We've got punches! But do we have story?! What makes a great martial arts movie? Do we need more than awesome kicks and killer punches? Ip Man is a movie that delivers on both of those promises with amazing technique and filmmaking. However, it's got quite an amazing story as…
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23. Big Fish (2003)
Tim Burton is an iconic director. His visual aesthetic and "quirky" take on the stories he chooses to tell have made for decades of interesting movies to digest. However, some people might think Burton can be a bit too quirky and the story might come second to the overall aesthetic of the film....
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22. I Care A Lot (2020)
Well, we can't all pick winners. This is a confused movie that is having a bit of an identity crisis. What's the genre? What's the message? What's the point? And yet, reviews are mixed - some people like this movie and our star Rosamund Pike won a Golden Globe for this performance. It has a...
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20. Dr. Strangelove (1964)
Everyone has a responsibility to protect their precious bodily fluids - necessary to preserve our purity of essence. And with the right diet and exercising strict control over what we consume, it's within all of our power to preserve our essence from dilution, or commies, or um... other problems....
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19. The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
What makes a great movie great? And are certain "great" movies deserving of that title? The world loves The Shawshank Redemption, but what is it about this movie that makes it so beloved by fans? Does it deserve the pedestal on which it has been placed? Join us as we crawl through 500 yards of…
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18. Aliens (1986)
How does one follow such an iconic movie as Alien? And who would willingly sign up for such a task? James Cameron apparently. Aliens is in the running for one of the greatest sequels of all time - at least in our opinion. Join us as we discuss this '80s action thriller and attempt to tease apart...
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17. Alien (1979)
Finally we get back to a good film! What can be said about a movie as iconic as Alien? Such a perfect blend of creativity and vision, masterful film making, and pure, unbridled tension and suspense. I think we can all learn some valuable lessons from this masterpiece such as don't put your face...
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16. The Happening (2008)
How did this happen? Who allowed this movie to be made? Weren't there any grownups in the room?! Today we're discussing The Happening by "writer/director" M. Night Shyamalan. Bizarre directorial choices, baffling dialogue, an inconsequential plot - what's not to love? Please don't watch this…
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15. Sunshine (2007)
When a movie, a good movie, takes a hard left turn in a completely different direction, how does an audience react? When the left turn seems detrimental to every other decision that the movie has made, what do we take away? Do we appreciate the craft put in to the movie up until that point? Or…
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14. Knives Out (2019)
An amazing cast with a delightfully fresh take on the classic "who done it" genre - we watched Knives Out - and you should too. Seriously, watch before listening because we spoil the hell out of it. This movie is as much an homage to the mystery formula as much as it is a great mystery in and of...
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13. Rogue One (2016)
Anybody want to argue about Star Wars movies? Let's not get into Star Wars vs. Star Trek, we can leave that for another time. But what is the 4th best Star Wars movie? Chris suggests that it's the 2016 movie Rogue One. Do you agree? Or should we take it out back - you know, for a civilized debate...
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12. The Lighthouse (2019)
This is our second installment of "movies that hurt your brain" on Movies Will Save The World. Our question as we dive into this movie is - is the pain justified? What's the deeper meaning just below the surface and are we smart enough to claw our way through to uncover a greater understanding?…
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11. Your Name (2016) with Josephine Cooper
Have you ever woken up from a dream so real you weren't sure if you were awake or still dreaming? What if the bizarre circumstances you found yourself in weren't a dream but reality? What would it take for you to believe what was happening to you? Join us as we discuss the 2016 movie Your Name…
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10. Safety Not Guaranteed (2012)
Have you ever wanted to sit down and listen to two straight white guys talk about their favorite romcom? Well for the 1 of you out there, you're in luck! But first, is Safety Not Guaranteed even a romcom? Apparently there's some debate about that and while we would say yes, certain significant...
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9. Predator (1987)
What more can be said about such a classic action movie as Predator? Starring Arnold Schwarzenegger at the peak of his career and coming at a time when audiences were primed for non-stop bullet-fests punctuated by quippy one-liners, what wasn't to love? And yet, Predator seems to hold up where…
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8. Hunt for the Wilderpeople (2016)
Do you ever cry at movies? It's well established on our show that Glen cries quite frequently at movies but it's more rare for Chris. This touching tale of an adventure through the New Zealand bush manages to tick the right boxes and unleash the waterworks for Chris (this may be an exaggeration)....
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7. This Is Spinal Tap (1984)
What happens when a parody hits so close to the mark that the result is almost inextricable from the source? For those not in on the joke you get confusion, rejection, or simple dismissal. But if you "get it" the result can be a wonderfully hilarious experience rich with tie-ins to a world that…
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6. Ford v Ferrari (2019)
What does it take to reach perfection? Who among us are willing to sacrifice what's required to meet this goal? Where does that drive come from? And why spend that energy making a car that can go fast in a circle for 24hrs? Do you know? I don't. But maybe, we can get some answers in this episode…
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5. Blindspotting (2018)
How many issues can you fit into a movie before it feels bloated and overburdened? Somehow, this masterpiece of a movie manages to address a wide range of topics without feeling heavy handed or weighed down. Blindspotting is a brilliantly written and performed movie which dances a delicate…
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4. The Hunt (2020)
Can't we all just get along? Apparently not. What if our protracted Twitter battles were brought up close and personal and supplemented with all the high caliber fire power we needed to settle the argument once and for all? Join us as we discuss The Hunt - an over the top satire which explores…
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3. Searching for Bobby Fischer (1993)
Wholesome? Inspiring? Formulaic? Yes, this movie is all of these things. But does 1993's Searching for Bobby Fischer hold up and even transcend its genre? What can we learn about a gifted child's journey to excellence? What can we learn about parenting and mentorship? How does one guide genius...
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2. Primer (2004)
Do you have a headache? Would you like one? In this episode we discuss 2004's Primer - possibly the most mind-bending time travel movie ever created. This movie is especially challenging because the entire concept of time travel is a Pandora's box of paradoxes and circular thinking. Join us as we...
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1. Sicario (2015)
Can a movie be saved by a single scene? Does 2015's Sicario even need saving? What do President Taft and the invention of the Burrito have in common? There's only one way to find out. This week on Movies Will Save The World, Sicario. Theme: Redemption Scene - movies saved or elevated by a single...
About this show
Can movies save the world? Can anything? Join us on our journey as we try to answer this question. Tune in each week for a new movie matching a pre-selected theme. Judge us as we attempt to bring our limited intellects to bear pushing movies through the contrived meat grinder of social significance. Can movies save the world? Let's find out.
Hosted by
Chris Peterson and Glen Cooper