The Cinematic Tangent

We grew up in a time when the original Gladiator was a cultural touchstone—everyone saw this movie, and it was the talk of the proverbial water cooler. But, is it actually a good movie? We debate that, getting hung up on a pointless, long escape sequence that sees Maximus end up right back where he … Continue reading XX – ‘Gladiator’ Jumps the Shark

For this episode, we opted to compare and contrast American Fiction and You People, two comedy-dramas where contemporary racial politics are the focal point. Yet, their perspective, style, tone, themes—and demonstrated level of filmmaking competence—could not be more radically different. We thoroughly analyze both films in our patented “deep casual” style, and we ask only … Continue reading XIX – ‘American Fiction’ and ‘You People’

We take a deep dive into the films of animator and director Don Bluth, with special focus on The Land Before Time, An American Tail, All Dogs Go to Heaven, and Anastasia.  For those of us who grew up watching these movies, they are remembered for their dark subject matter and themes antithetical to Disney. … Continue reading XVIII – Don Bluth

George Miller can’t make yet another great Mad Max movie, right? Wrong. He can and he did. And we hope he makes them forever. As we catch up on movies we’ve seen, one of them was Unfrosted. There’s a deep analysis of Jerry Seinfeld’s directorial debut (and its Goo Monster), followed by some light praise … Continue reading XVII – ‘Furiosa’, the PopTart Movie, and Tangents

We sat down with Chad’s old Virginia Tech classmate Kevin Hershner to discuss his film Normal Accidents. Kevin is a writer, director, and actor living in Los Angeles who is currently pitching the movie—his first feature—to festivals. Normal Accidents is an auteur satire on “one man, one location” films with a lot of levity. But, … Continue reading XVI – Conversation with Kevin Hershner, Director of ‘Normal Accidents’

We love Adam McKay movies. Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby embraces the Americana of rednecks and NASCAR culture, innocently pitting our uncouth heroes against the French liberal elites. Step Brothers is two losers resisting the urge to seek status, content with having a good time. And Anchorman? One can argue it’s a treatise … Continue reading XV – You Used to Laugh with the People, Adam McKay

The boys celebrate the podcast’s 10th anniversary by digging into the whole “Barbenheimer” thing.  Show Notes: Mission Impossible 7 bombs because theatres are dead again:https://www.msn.com/en-us/movies/news/mission-impossible-7-ends-its-domestic-run-by-hitting-another-disappointing-low/ar-AA1hdwR7 Censorship on Apple TV and Criterion Channel:https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnarcher/2023/06/06/apple-tv-and-the-criterion-channel-outrage-film-fans-by-censoring-classic-movie/  The “Despecialized Edition” of Star Wars: https://originaltrilogy.com/topic/Harmys-STAR-WARS-Despecialized-Edition-HD-V2-7-MKV-Released/id/12713 Krystal Ball on Barbie’s late-stage capitalist bullshit:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCQdVQUXgSQ Ben Shapiro takes Barbie way, way, way too seriously:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynU-wVdesr0 … Continue reading XIV – Barbenheimer

Darren Aronofsky’s The Whale and The Wrestler are very different films, but both center on a broken person, unable to achieve their former high, estranged from family and facing a new, less satisfying reality. Yet, one of these films sucks while the other is a cinematic masterpiece.  Brad and Chad take a hard look at … Continue reading XIII – Darren Aronofsky: Capriciously Comparing ‘The Whale’ and ‘The Wrestler’

Everything Everywhere All at Once swept the Oscars, but Hollywood seems incapable of talking about the movie on its merits. After discussing the struggle between art and identity politics, Brad and Chad both fail to remember the plot to Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre, despite seeing it multiple times. Then, CinTan praises the shit out … Continue reading XII – There Should be More Beat-the-Clock Movies about the Asteroid that Killed the Dinosaurs

Cocaine Bear is based on the true tale of a bear who ate cocaine and died. The movie adaptation is about a CGI blob that mauls people to death – with some admittedly cool traditional effects. After sobering up, Brad and Chad go deep on M. Night Shyamalan’s Knock at the Cabin, revealing the (possible) … Continue reading XI – It’s About a Bear that Does a Lot of Cocaine

From The Fabelmans to Avatar: The Way of Water, Hollywood feels increasingly out of touch, both in its ability to capture what it means to be a person – and to re-capture what it meant to watch a Blockbuster in the theatre. Opining on their growing dislike of movies, the boys analyze similar trends in … Continue reading X – Oscars So Blue

This is the deepest dive into Bad Santa that you’ll find anywhere. The “Santa” that made it into theatres – and conned its way onto DVD and streaming services – is an imposter, with the cut approved by director Terry Zwigoff hidden away (at the North Pole), only to be quietly released years later. Brad … Continue reading IX – ‘Bad Santa’

In a world where a cartoonishly evil cabal of men exploit damaged women from cradle to grave, Blonde takes the heroic position that that is bad. The highly sensational, fictionalized Marilyn Monroe “biopic” from Andrew Dominik is the first film released on Netflix to earn an NC-17 rating – and holy shit, it takes full … Continue reading VIII – “Marilyn Monroe” Gets Pwnd

Let’s play a game of Bodies Bodies Bodies – a new viral TikTok sensation for upper-middle-class woke kids who kill each other in manic witch hunts! After, we can all find Jesus through the (very entertaining and solidly made) gospel of Black Phone. Show Notes: Finally, our Ferris Bueller questions will be asked: https://www.msn.com/en-us/movies/news/the-ferris-bueller-spin-off-will-let-us-revisit-key-scenes-through-other-characters-eyes-according-to-jon-hurwitz/ar-AA11StM6  Let’s … Continue reading VII – Like This Podcast to Cancel ‘Bodies Bodies Bodies’

In part 2 of a 2-part adventure, Chad and Brad finally have a civil conversation about Everything Everywhere All at Once. And then they stammer through a chat about George Miller’s Three Thousand Year of Longing.  Show Notes: Freddie deBoer on Everything Everywhere All at Once: https://freddiedeboer.substack.com/p/i-would-like-to-gently-suggest-that Tarantino read the script for Swiss Army Man: … Continue reading VI – Narratologists Approve of ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’

In part 1 of a 2-part adventure, Chad and Brad attempt to unravel a great mystery: How in the hell does Star Wars (1977) still look amazing when Spider-Man (2002) is aging like a Thor: Love and Thunder joke? Show Notes: Vulture piece on how Marvel SFX are an assembly line: https://www.vulture.com/article/a-vfx-artist-on-what-its-like-working-for-marvel.html (Editor’s Note: Chad … Continue reading V – Why Does Modern CGI Suck?

With audio now in the proper human-sounding bit rate, The Cinematic Tangent returns to discuss why Top Gun: Maverick is uniquely American. Plus, Brad and Chad mull over the themes of Crimes of the Future, while acknowledging CGI sex-violence is not particularly arousing. Show Notes: Hey Siri, what BitRate is Correct for Podcasts? We Really … Continue reading IV – God Damn, that Tom Cruise Fella Sure is a Movie Star

Audio issues and circular arguments abound, Chad and Brad bicker over Everything Everywhere All at Once and The Northman. Show Notes: Amplifying 4Chan posts for woke takes: https://www.theguardian.com/film/2022/apr/22/norse-code-white-supremacists-reading-the-northman-robert-eggers Intro Music: https://pixabay.com/music/indie-pop-fun-punk-opener-14343/ Other Music: https://pixabay.com/music/id-105/ E-mail the Show: [email protected]

Chad and Brad discuss Uncharted and Jackass Forever. With a bittersweet take, Chad pontificates on how the Internet’s shift from anarchy to sanitized corporate product mirrors the evolution of Jackass. Show Notes: Chad referred to Poopies as “Poopsie” during the show. He apologizes and will do better. Bam Margera in Jackass Forever: https://screenrant.com/jackass-forever-bam-margera-filmed-scenes-fired-explained/ Steve-O on … Continue reading II – Shit is so Corporate, Man

Welcome to the podcast from a real-life Brad and Chad duo. Now, what the fuck happened to film? It really sucks. Show Notes: The Substack of Marxist writer Freddie deBoer that Chad is clearly a reader of: https://freddiedeboer.substack.com An example of woke praise for Nomadland that LITERALLY does not mention Amazon: https://slate.com/culture/2021/04/nomadland-2021-oscars-best-picture-winner-historic-women.html If you somehow … Continue reading I – Cut the Bullshit

Brad and Chad discuss Ready Player One and Isle of Dogs, the latter of which has angered some kids on Twitter.

Ryan Coogler’s Black Panther is breaking records – but how good is it, really?

The Cinematic Tangent spoils The Post, Paddington 2, Shape of Water, and I, Tonya.

Chad maintains his boycott of all things Star Wars movies, while Brad quickly brushes past Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi. After that, the guys talk Coco, Last Flag Flying, and Lady Bird. Why is Twitter mad about a Frozen short? Is it anti-war, or are the “boys” just “back in town”? Is … Continue reading Episode 64 – Not a ‘Last Jedi’ Show

The guys talk Murder on the Orient Express, The Killing of a Sacred Deer, and A Ghost Story. Also, are you tired of sequels yet?

Just in time for the World Series, the Cinematic Tangent reflects back on The Sandlot, Little Big League, and other baseball films from the good ol’ days.

A re-direct from last episode on the value of comedy is followed by talk of Baby Driver and Spider-Man: Homecoming. Also, from cushy chairs at a high price to cushy chairs that shake, are you tired of “luxury” theatre gimmicks yet? Bring back Smell-O-Vision!  

After a … passionate (Chad was raging.) battle over Fist Fight that leads into a larger discussion about film criticism and philosophy, Brad and Chad talk Wonder Woman, The Lovers, and It Comes at Night.

From the brand new Cinematic Tangent production studio (a laptop and a mic), Chad and Brad talk the complete filmography of writer/director Mel Gibson: Braveheart, Passion of the Christ, Apocalypto, and Hacksaw Ridge.

Yeah, The Cinematic Tangent is late to the party – so what? Chad and Brad have a detailed, spoiler-ridden discussion of The Circle, The Lost City of Z, and Alien: Covenant. Also, hear Brad talk about Rock Dog!

After a long hiatus, The Cinematic Tangent returns to talk some of the noteworthy films of 2016.

It’s 2017, and the year already sucks. Because Donald Trump is President. After a lengthy apology for The Cinematic Tangent’s unreleased blogs and lost episodes, Brad and Chad start the year fresh by discussing a couple of films sure to earn Oscar buzz – A Monster Calls and Silence. And one that won’t – Live … Continue reading Episode 56 – ‘Live By Night’, ‘Silence’, and ‘A Monster Calls’

The Cinematic Tangent finally sits down to talk Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy and J.R.R Tolkien’s Middle-earth.

Despite technical difficulties (sorry!), CinTan talks Hell or High Water, Demolition, Kubo and the Two Strings, and more.

With Don’t Breathe hitting theatres, Brad and Chad look back at some of the notable horror films from this year – The Witch, Green Room, and The Forest.

Catching up on some of best and worst that 2016 cinema has to offer, from the brand new Ghostbusters to the farting prank known as “Swiss Army Man”.

The Cinematic Tangent talks Duncan Jones and his complete filmography: Moon, Source Code, and Warcraft. What was the name of Chad’s World of Warcraft character? Who is Buttbong420? Zub-Zub? And is Duncan Jones a good director? The Cinematic Tangent answers these questions – and more (maybe)!

Practice your Batman voice! It’s time to talk Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight Trilogy: Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, and The Dark Knight Rises    

Take a shot of something questionable from the bottom shelf, and join the Cinematic Tangent for a conversation about Hardcore Henry, 10 Cloverfield Lane, Zootopia, and Deadpool.  

Have a glorious Easter – Or you can listen to the Third Annual CinTan Awards! What film is pure “Wow.”? Which movie is “Surprisingly Anarchist”? What flick would you call the “Most Underrated”? Find out here! … And, can you believe there’s actually a CinTan award for “Worst Use of a Nirvana Song”? It’s true.

The only award show that maters! Finally, your Cinematic Tangent hosts list their favorite films of 2015, complete with heated debates and lots of trolling. Plus, Chad met Michelle Rodriguez. And he had no idea. So, there’s that.

The Cinematic Tangent catches up on the last-minute films that fly into theatres just before the Oscars. The Big Short made Chad a happy anarchist (#Occupy, #OWS!); the Irish names in Brooklyn upset Brad; and neither of our intoxicated hosts are convinced Carol deserves all the praise it’s been receiving. This episode unofficially brought to … Continue reading Episode 46 – ‘The Big Short’, ‘Brooklyn’, and ‘Carol’

Just in time for Oscar season, the Cinematic Tangent returns to delve deep into The Revenant, The Hateful Eight, and Joy.