Movie Nerds with Kyle and Russel

In this episode of Movie Nerds, Kyle and Russel chat about films about obsessing over your profession. Using 2010's Black Swan and 2017's Phantom Thread as conversation starters, the hosts share their history with these films, how obsession can differ in movies, common traits, when it works and when it doesn't, and so much more. And of course, we wrap it all up with our Starter Kit Question - if you've never seen a professional obsession movie, what would you recommend to start with? Subscribe now!

In this episode of Movie Nerds, Kyle and Russel chat about time loop movies and their value as a niche genre.  Using 2011's Source Code and 2017's Happy Death Day as conversation starters, the hosts share their history with these films, what we like and dislike about time loop movies, how it impacts storytelling, and so much more. And of course, we wrap it all up with our Starter Kit Question - if you've never seen a time loop movie, what would you recommend to start with? Subscribe now!

In this episode of Movie Nerds, Kyle and Russel discuss movie "best of" lists and their importance (or distraction) to movie watching.  Using regular listed attendees 1968's 2001: A Space Odyssey and 1941's Citizen Kane as conversation starters, the hosts share their history with these films, what lists we like, why lists are good or bad, and so much more.  And of course, we wrap it all up with our Starter Kit Question - if there was one list to follow, what do we recommend? Subscribe now!

In this episode of Movie Nerds, Kyle and Russel discuss movies where the city location is treated like its own character.  Using 1985's After Hours (New York) and To Live and Die in L.A. (Los Angeles) and 2002's City of God (Rio De Janeiro) as conversation starters, they share their history with these films, what we liked and hated, the characteristics of the locations, what a city character adds to a story, the movies that best use cities as characters and more. And of course, we wrap it all up with our Starter Kit Question - what city as a character movie we'd recommend you watch if you've never seen one before. Subscribe now!

In this episode of Movie Nerds, Kyle and Russel discuss movies where sports underdogs get the spotlight.  Using 1976's Bad News Bears and 1979's Breaking Away as conversation starters, they share their history with these underdog stories, what we liked and hated, what makes a great underdog movie , how these films have changed over the years, our top 3 favourites and movies that fail at the attempt.  And of course, we wrap it all up with our Starter Kit Question - what underdog movie we'd recommend you watch if you've never seen one before. Subscribe now!

In this episode of Movie Nerds, Kyle and Russel discuss musical movies and how they've changed over the years.  Using 1952's Singing in the Rain and 2017's The Greatest Showman as conversation starters, they share their history with these musicals, what makes a musical, how they're different than musical bio pics, the differnce between stag shows adapted to film vs original musicals, and our top 3 favourites.  And of course, we wrap it all up with suggestions of musical movies we'd recommend you watch if you've never seen one before. Subscribe now!

In this episode of Movie Nerds, Kyle and Russel discuss movies we love to rewatch and what makes movie that way.  Using 1998's The Big Lebowski and 2010's Scott Pilgrim vs The WOrld as conversation starters, they share their history with these rewatchable films, the types of movies that demand rewatchability, what qualities do movies like these have that make you want to watch them again (or not), our emotional need for comfort food movies, how style can inspire us, and our top 3 favourites.  And of course, we wrap it all up with suggestions of movies we'd recommend you watch again, even if you've already seen them. Subscribe now!

In this episode of Movie Nerds, Kyle and Russel discuss controversial films - what makes them so and how they change over time.  Using 1979's Life of Brian and 1971's Clockwork Orange as conversation starters, they share their history with these controversial films, what makes the so, if they earned their controversial title, how the idea of "controversial" has changed and more.  And of course, we wrap it all up with suggestions of controversial films that we would recommend people to a 2nd look on. Subscribe now!

In this episode of Movie Nerds, Kyle and Russel discuss the work of film legend Gene Hackman.   Using 1975's Night Moves and 1992's Unforgiven as conversation starters, they share their history with watching Gene Hackman movies, what makes him standout and defines him as an actor, how his career changed over time, and some of our favs (and not so favs) of his films.   And of course, we wrap it all up with suggestions for films we'd recommend if someone had never seen a Gene Hackman movie before.Join us for the discussion, you nerds!Subscribe now!

In this episode of Movie Nerds, Kyle and Russel discuss movies that once everyone thought sucked but have since had a rethink. Using 1982's The Thing and 1995's Showgirls as conversation starters, they share their history with these movies, why they might not have been liked back in the day, the factors that go into movie hate, why movies get a reappraisal and more.  And of course, we wrap it all up with suggestions for films we think should have a rethink. Join us for the discussion, you nerds!Subscribe now!

In this episode of Movie Nerds, Kyle and Russel discuss the work of film director David Lynch Using 1986's Blue Velvet and 2001's Mulholland Drive as conversation starters, they share their history with his filmography, what makes a "David Lynch" movie, why he's considered influential, and some of our favs (and not so favs) of his films. And of course, we wrap it all up with suggestions for films we'd recommend if someone had never seen a David Lynch movie before.Join us for the discussion, you nerds!Subscribe now!

A special spotlight episode of Movie Nerds sets its sights on a local movie nerd - Kent Bendall.He is a cherished figure in Victoria, British Columbia, renowned for his dedication to film culture and community engagement. As the former owner and operator of Pic-A-Flic Video, he played a pivotal role in sustaining one of Canada's last independent video rental stores.​Kent shares his history and insights on film and physical media, his role in keeping Pic-A-Flic alive until it wasn't, and his general movie nerdery. Subscribe now!

In this episode of Movie Nerds, Kyle and Russel are joined by a special guest - former owner of Pic-A-Flic Kent Bendall to dig into movies showcasing fake bands. Using 1996's That Thing You Do! and 2001's Josie and the Pussycats as conversation starters, they share the similarities between fake and real musical biopics, what we like/hate about them, the quality of the music, each of our top 3 films on fake bands and more!And of course, we wrap it all up with suggestions for films we'd recommend if someone had never seen a film on fake bands. Join us for the discussion, you nerds!Subscribe now!

In this episode of Movie Nerds, Kyle and Russel discuss the movie roles of Nicole Kidman. Using 1995's To Die For and 2002's The Hours as conversation starters, they share their history with these two films, what makes a "Nicole Kidman" character or movie, how her roles have changed over the years, and some of our favs (and not so favs).And of course, we wrap it all up with suggestions for films we'd recommend if someone had never seen a Nicole Kidman movie before.Join us for the discussion, you nerds!Subscribe now!

In this episode of Movie Nerds, Kyle and Russel get a little niche - 70s Street Gang Action FilmsUsing 1976's Assault on Precinct 13 and 1979's The Warriors as conversation starters, they share their history with these two films, what works and what doesn't, staples of the genre, how they were different than other decades and more!And of course, we wrap it all up with suggestions for films we'd recommend if someone had never seen a 70s Street Gang movie before.Join us for the discussion, you nerds!Subscribe now!

In this episode of Movie Nerds, Kyle and Russel discuss Best Picture winners.Using 1969's Midnight Cowboy and 2016's Moonlight as conversation starters, they share their thoughts on these two films as Oscar winners, how the Oscars have changed over the years, what we like/don't like and the 2025 nominations. And of course, we wrap it all up with an effort to try to convince a non-Oscar watcher why they should take in the big show.Join us for the discussion, you nerds!Subscribe now!

In this episode of Movie Nerds, Kyle and Russel discuss 2000's Spielberg.Using 2001's AI: Artificial Intelligence and 2005's War of the Worlds as conversation starters, they share their thoughts on these two films, how the director's movies in the 2000s stood up to his other eras, common themes, what makes them watchable and more!And of course, we wrap it all up with suggestions for films we'd recommend if someone had never seen a 2000s Spielberg before.Join us for the discussion, you nerds!Subscribe now!

In this episode of Movie Nerds, Kyle and Russel discuss Xmas dark comedies.Using 1988's Scrooged and 2003's Bad Santa as conversation starters, they share their thoughts on these two films, the place of dark holiday during holiday cheer, what makes them watchable and more!And of course, we wrap it all up with suggestions for films we'd recommend if someone had never seen Xmas dark comedy movie before.Join us for the discussion, you nerds!Subscribe now!

In this episode of Movie Nerds, Kyle and Russel discuss movies about coming home from war.Using 1989's Born on the Fourth of July and 2016's Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk as conversation tentpoles, they share their thoughts on these two films, what defines an anti-war movie, common cliches and the messages they try to portray.And of course, we wrap it all up with suggestions for films we'd recommend if someone had never seen a "coming home" movie before.Join us for the discussion, you nerds!Subscribe now!

In this episode of Movie Nerds, Kyle and Russel discuss horror sequels and the good and bad of them. Using sequels to two iconic horror movies, 1983's Psycho 2 and 2019's Doctor Sleep, they share their thoughts on these two films, what horror sequels bring to the table, if they are necessary and when they aren't, and more. And of course, we wrap it all up with sequels we'd recommend if someone had never seen a horror sequel before. Happy Halloween! Join us for the spooky discussion, you nerds!Subscribe now!

In this episode of Movie Nerds, we discuss the career and performances of Denzel Washington. Using his two Oscar-winning performances as tentpoles - 1989's Glory and 2001's Training Day, they dig into our personal history with these films, what we love/don't love as much with his performances, our favourite scenes, the characteristics of a Denzel performance, other films of his we love and why and more.And of course, we wrap it all up with movies we'd recommend if someone had never seen a Denzel Washington movie before. Join us for the discussion, you nerds!Subscribe now!

In this episode of Movie Nerds, hosts Kyle, and Russel dig into the cliches and traditions of musical biopics. Using 1954's The Glenn Miller Story and 1986's Sid and Nancy as their tentpoles for the discussion, they discuss what defines a biopic, what they liked/hated about them, why we kinda hate them, the list of tropes and how these movies have changed over the years. And of course, we wrap it all up with movies we'd recommend if someone had never seen a musical biopic before. Join us for the discussion, you nerds!Subscribe now!

In this episode of Movie Nerds, hosts Kyle, and Russel blossom from prepubescence into adulthood as they discuss coming of age moviesUsing 1985's Better Off Dead and 2007's Superbad as their tentpoles for the discussion, we discuss what defines coming of age films, how these movie fit the theme, how they've changed over the years, how diverse they can be while still sticking to a formula, what we hate/love about them and so much more. And of course, we wrap it all up with movies we'd recommend if someone had never seen a coming of age film before. Join us for the discussion, you nerds!Subscribe now!Subscribe now!

In this episode of Movie Nerds, hosts Kyle, Russel and special guest Page DeWolfe talk about the Bechdel Test, and how it impacts what we watch.  Using 1953's Hitch-Hiker and 1990's Goodfellas as their tentpoles for the discussion, we discuss the history of the Bechdel test, why this type of test is needed, the problems with it in determining representation, how movies hit or miss the mark and more. Join us for the discussion, you nerds!Subscribe now!

In this episode of Movie Nerds, we discuss Meryl Streep and Russel investigates as to why Kyle isn't a fan. Using 1982's Sophie's Choice and 2009's Julie and Julia as their tentpoles for the discussion, we wanted to get into what Meryl Streep brings to her roles and her history as an amazing actress. Then Kyle mentions that he isn't blown away by her work. So we get into it!Join us for the discussion, you nerds!Subscribe now!

In this episode of Movie Nerds, Kyle and Russel have a spectrum of a conversation around colour cinematography.Using 1947's Black Narcissus and 2002's Hero as their tentpoles for the discussion, they get into what colour cinematography is, how this approach adds to storytelling, various examples of this technique and our love/hate of it, movies we'd recommend and more!Join us for the discussion, you nerds!Subscribe now!

In this episode of Movie Nerds, Kyle and Russel wash up, get on their surgical gloves and cut into medical thrillers. Using 1978's COMA and 2022's The Good Nurse as their tentpoles for the conversation, they get into the different types of medical thrillers, what we like/hate about them, what constitutes a medical movie, why it's not more popular and more!Join us for the discussion, you nerds!Subscribe now!

In this episode of Movie Nerds, Kyle and Russel are joined by special guest Ed Sum from the Otaku No Culture Blog to discuss ghost stories and the movies that told them. Using 1963's The Haunting and 2015's Crimson Peak as their tentpoles for the conversation, they get into what makes a fun ghost story movie, what can ruin one, CGI vs practical effects, our favourites and more!Learn more about Ed's love of pop culture here: https://otakunoculture.com/Join us for the discussion, you nerds!Subscribe now!

In this episode of Movie Nerds, Kyle and Russel stick to one location and the movies that stayed there.Using 1948's Rope and 2002's Panic Room as their tentpoles for the conversation, they get into the restrictions of filming in one location, the challenge of defining ONE location, how it can add to tension and character, and more!Join us for the discussion, you nerds!Subscribe now!

In this episode of Movie Nerds, Kyle and Russel discuss the filmography of Robert Redford.Using 1980's Brubaker and 2013's All Is Lost as their tentpoles for the conversation, they get into what they like and don't like about Redford films, what makes a film uniquely his, our hits, our misses and is he even a good actor?Join us for the discussion. Subscribe now!

In this episode of Movie Nerds, Kyle and Russel discuss the filmography of Michael Mann, the good and the bad.Using 1981's Thief and 2015's Blackhat as their tentpoles for the conversation, they get into the differences in Michael Mann's films, his particular style, how he compares to other directors and what we've loved and hated.Join us for the discussion. Subscribe now!

In this episode of Movie Nerds, Kyle and Russel discuss the history of submarine movies and why they are so interesting as a genre.Using 1958's Run Silent, Run Deep and 1990's The Hunt for Red October as their tentpoles for the conversation, they get into the commonalities of submarine movies, the surprising number of these films and why we like/dislike them so much. Join us for the discussion. Subscribe now!

In this episode of Movie Nerds, Kyle and Russel discuss the filmography of Clint Eastwood and his impact on film.Using 1976's Outlaw Josey Wales and 1993's In the Line of Fire as their tentpoles for the conversation, they get into what makes Clint Eastwood a movie star, what he brings to his roles and what we like/dislike about him on screen. Join us for the discussion. Subscribe now!

In this episode of Movie Nerds, Kyle and Russel discuss the history and impact of the summer blockbuster. Using 1975's Jaws (considered the first movie blockbuster) and 2003's Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl as their tentpoles for the conversation, they get into what defines a summer blockbuster, how they've changed and why they suck/are awesome.Join us for the discussion. Subscribe now!

Welcome to Movie Nerds!Hosts Russel Lolacher and Kyle Wells share their insight, experience and sheer nerdery in discussing themes per episode. As life-long movie nerds and managers of the Victoria Movie Nerds community, they're excited to nerd out and share their thoughts about everything from submarine movies, summer blockbusters, the films of Clint Eastwood or what ever is on their radar. They'll also be inviting local guests on to get their nerdy perspective.If you like movies, love talking about movies, or just want to expand your movie knowledge, you're in the right place. Subscribe now!