Film Geek Central  

Show Notes

Every week, Scott Davis and Austin Kennedy check out the latest, but not always the greatest films in the multiplexes. Everything from the biggest blockbusters, to the smallest indie films to the latest foreign films. Scott and Austin are film geeks by birth, keeping a critical eye on things, but bringing a lot of humor and energy to the proceedings as well. They don't always agree, but it's always entertaining.

• Featured Episode

  Ninja Assassin, Old Dogs, Fantastic Mr. Fox, House of the Devil, Coco Before Chanel

  Film Geek Central

  Date / Time: 11/30/2009 1:00 AM UTC

  Category: Film

  
  

  Our kung fu is strong here at Film Geek Central!
  
  
  First up, Disney has been plugging the comedy OLD DOGS for months now. Obviously, this is their big post-Thanksgiving release. Robin Williams and John Travolta who play middle-aged bachelors who suddenly have to care for the twins Williams didn't know he had. This is from the same director as WILD HOGS, so we're expecting family-friendly comedy here.
  
  Next up is NINJA ASSASSIN. See, back in the 1980s, ninjas were everywhere. Ninjas and cocaine. We're fine without the cocaine but the ninjas we miss. The director of V FOR VENDETTA brings us a modern-day ninja epic. Some are wondering if this is going to be a real ninja movie. We will be happy if it recreates the magic of those cheesy Cannon films from the 1980s. Paging Michael Dudikoff...
  
  THE FANTASTIC MR. FOX seems to be an indie film masquerading as a big family blockbuster. Done in the style of vintage stop-motion animation, it recreates a Roald Dahl story about a fox who wants to settle in his dream home, despite the nasty farmers lurking about. Wes Anderson, who gave us RUSHMORE and THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS did this one, so we're not expecting ICE AGE material here.
  
  We've pushed back THE HOUSE OF THE DEVIL twice already. No more! This episode, we promise we will deliver a review of Ti West's horror shocker which has a retro-80s film to it and boasts cult favorites Tom Noonan and Mary Woronov in its cast.
  
  We're also finally able to review COCO BEFORE CHANEL, the story of the famous fashion designer long before she was famous. Audrey Tatou (AMELIE) stars in this award-winning film.
  
  All this plus film news and our DVD Picks of the Week.
  Hope to see you there, Film Geeks!

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• On Demand Episodes           45024          

  Original Air Date: 6/29/2009 12:00 AM UTC

  Transformers Revenge of the Fallen, My Sister's Keeper, The Proposal, Year One, Away We Go

  This week, Scott and Austin check out the Michael Bay sequel TRANSFORMERS: REVENGE OF THE FALLEN. Cameron Diaz stars in the tearjerker MY SISTER'S KEEPER. Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds turn a marriage of convenience into a love connection in THE PROPOSAL. Jack Black and Michael Cera take us back to YEAR ONE. And a couple expecting a baby goes on a journey to find their place in AWAY WE GO. We will also be discussing the Academy's huge decision to expand the number of Best Picture nominees from five to ten. Why did they do it? What effect will it have on the Oscars? And will it last?
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  • Tags:
  • Transformers
  • My Sister's Keeper
  • The Proposal
  • Year One
  • Oscars
  Comments (1)

• Date / Time: 6/27/2009 5:27 AM UTC

  REVENGE OF THE FILM GEEKS

  
  
  Hello, film geeks. After a week-long hiatus, we're back and we've got a great show for you.
  
  First of all, we're going to be discussing the game-changing decision that will expand next year's Best Picture nominees from five to ten. Who stand to gain from this? How will this change the Oscars? How long will it last?
  
  
  
  
  
  Next up, you may have heard of a small little independent film opening this weekend called TRANSFORMERS: REVENGE OF THE FALLEN. We will take a long, hard look at Michael Bay's summer epic and see how it holds up.
  
  
  
  
  
  We then get our hankies out for Nick Cassavetes' tearjerker, MY SISTER'S KEEPER, which stars Abigail Breslin as a young girl artificially concieved as a means of saving her cancer-stricken sister. When she decides she doesn't want to do it anymore, it sends her family in a tailspin. The film co-stars Cameron Diaz, Jason Patric and Alec Baldwin.
  
  
  
  
  
  Sandra Bullock proved she still has what it takes to make a big hit with THE PROPOSAL. But how does her romantic comedy stack up when the film geeks have a go at it?
  
  
  
  
  
  It would be hard to find two night-and-day comic duos like Jack Black and Michael Cera. But that's who stars in YEAR ONE, actually a takeoff on Biblical epics of old. Now, Austin has been dreading this one ever since he saw the Superbowl ad back in January. Tune in to find out what both of us thought.
  
  
  
  
  
  Finally, we take a look at the newest film from the suddenly very busy Sam Mendes (REVOLUTIONARY ROAD, JARHEAD, AMERICAN BEAUTY). In AWAY WE GO, a married couple expecting a child pull up their roots and try to find a place to raise their family. It's a romantic, dramatic comedy that is getting some positive buzz. We'll check that one out too.
  
  Also, we're sure to have other news items to mention, not to mention DVD releases. So, just because we were gone for a week, it doesn't mean we haven't been busy.
  
  Check us out live on Sunday June 28th at 8:00 PM Eastern/7:00 PM Central on Film Geek Central
  
  You can also subscribe to the show every week by checking us out on iTunes.
  
  Don't forget to check out our updates on MySpace and Twitter.
  
  Hope to see you there, Film Geeks!
  • Tags:
  • Transformers
  • Revenge of the Falle
  • Megan Fox
  • Michael Bay
  • Shia LaBeouf
  No Comments

• Original Air Date: 6/15/2009 12:00 AM UTC

  The Taking of Pelham 123, Imagine That, Departures, Silent Light

  This week, Scott and Austin check out Tony Scott's remake of THE TAKING OF PELHAM 123. Eddie Murphy goes the family comedy route again with IMAGINE THAT. DEPARTURES, the 2009 winner for Best Foreign Language Film finally gets a theatrical release. A man deals with faith and humanity in SILENT LIGHT. And Austin checks out CALL OF THE WILD 3-D.
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  • Tags:
  • Taking of Pelham 123
  • Denzel Washington
  • John Travolta
  • Eddie Murphy
  • Academy Award
  No Comments

• Date / Time: 6/13/2009 9:55 AM UTC

  THE AIRING OF FILM GEEK FGC

  This week, five more big films to review as the summer goes trucking along.
  
  
  
  First up, Denzel Washington and John Travolta slip into Walter Matthau and Robert Shaw's shoes with THE TAKING OF PELHAM 123.
  
  
  
  
  
  Next, we have Eddie Murphy... again. This time in a family comedy... again. Check out what we thought of IMAGINE THAT.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Next up, we'll take a look at DEPARTURES, which won this year's Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. Then, a man deals with guilt and loss in SILENT LIGHT.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  And then, Austin takes a look at CALL OF THE WILD 3-D, where you can feel the huskies jump right in your lap.
  
  It all happens Sunday night at 8:00 PM Eastern/7:00 PM Central at Film Geek Central on Blog Talk Radio.
  
  You can also subscribe to the show every week by checking us out on iTunes.
  
  Plus, don't forget to give us a buzz on MySpace and Twitter.
  • Tags:
  • Denzel Washington
  • John Travolta
  • Taking of Pelham 123
  • 3-D
  • film
  No Comments

• Date / Time: 6/10/2009 10:31 PM UTC

  LaBeouf Out of "Y: the Last Man"

  Before I would have said Shia LaBeouf was a pretty good choice to play Yorick Brown in Y: THE LAST MAN. Now that he has given his reasons why he won't be in the film, I'm sort of relieved.
  
  Y: THE LAST MAN was a successful comic series by Brian K. Vaughn that ran for several years before wrapping up its story arc. It involved a young man named Yorick Brown and his pet monkey. Once a kind but ineffectual person, Brown is shocked to find himself the only male left alive after the rest of the men in the world from embryos on up mysteriously drop dead.
  
  
  
  
  DISTRUBIA director D.J. Caruso has been prepping the film since shortly after that film became a big hit. Ever since then, LaBeouf has been attached. But now, LaBeouf thinks he's been there, done that. The reason he gives is strange.
  
  The reason given is that LaBeouf sees a lot of similarities between the Yorick Brown character and his character of Sam from the TRANSFORMERS films. "You take Sam and you put a monkey on his shoulder. I don't know if it's that big a differential. It seems like he's the ordinary guy in an extraordinary situation again....I'm not willing to make that movie currently, and may be too old to play the role by the time it does come around" says LaBeouf.
  
  The thing is that besides being an ordinary guy in an extraordinary situation, the two roles are completely unalike. Not only is Brown a bit older, but his personality is a bit different. Not to mention the tone of the whole thing is considerably darker (The Y film would have to be rated "R" if it was keeping in tone with the comic) and more overtly satrical, thus skewing the way certain characters play.
  
  So, although he seemed like a good fit, it now seems like LaBeouf's read of the Yorick Brown character may have been incorrect anyway.
  
  Whatever the case, the project remains active with Caruso still on to direct and Carl Ellsworth will serve as screenwriter. No plans on when the film will be ready to go into production.
  
  
  • Tags:
  • Shia LaBeouf
  • Y the Last Man
  • comic book
  • film
  • adaptation
  No Comments

• Original Air Date: 6/8/2009 12:00 AM UTC

  The Hangover, Land of the Lost, My Life In Ruins, Easy Virtue, The Brothers Bloom

  HUGE EPISODE! Scott and Austin check out Will Ferrel's comedic retooling of LAND OF THE LOST. A trio of revelers can't remember the wildest night of their lives in THE HANGOVER. Nia Vardalos returns to her "Greek Wedding" territory with MY LIFE IN RUINS. Jessica Biel, Kirsten Scott Thomas and Colin Firth star in EASY VIRTUE, based on a play by Noel Coward. Children can't separate from the past in SUMMER HOURS. And we will finally get to our much-promised review of REVANCHE. I think. Also, Austin takes a solo look at one of our most awaited films of the year, THE BROTHERS BLOOM, while Scott checks out CAYMAN WENT. We'll also take a moment to remember David Carradine.
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  • Tags:
  • Land of the Lost
  • Will Ferrell
  • The Hangover
  • comedy
  • Jessica Biel
  No Comments

• Date / Time: 6/7/2009 6:50 AM UTC

  FILM GEEK CENTRAL'S LOST WEEKEND

  
  It's our Lost Weekend at Film Geek Central, as we survey the consequences of drunken debauchery and the consequences of seeing middle-aged comedians being eaten by dinosaurs.
  
  
  
  The bigger films (in release if not in stature) start out with Todd Phillips' THE HANGOVER, a ensemble comedy that is gaining lots of positive buzz. Then, we go to Will Ferrell who retools Sid and Marty Kroft's LAND OF THE LOST. After that, Nia Vardalos tries to recapture her mojo in MY LIFE IN RUINS.
  But that's not all. Oh no, that most certainly is not all.
  
  
  
  
  
  Jessica Biel, Clive Owen and Kristen Scott Thomas star in Stephen Elliot's adaptation of Noel Coward's EASY VIRTUE. Then, a family tries to keep the pieces of their legacy together in SUMMER HOURS. And two desperate people go to extremes to escape their desolate lives in REVANCHE.
  
  
  
  
  
  Next up, THE BROTHERS BLOOM didn't hit Scott's area of Florida (dammit, dammit, dammit), but Austin was able to check it out and he'll give his thoughts. Meanwhile, Scott checks out the indie drama, CAYMAN WENT.
  
  All of that and more this episode of Film Geek Central. It goes down Sunday night at 8:00 PM Eastern/7:00 PM Central at .
  
  You can also subscribe to the podcast by checking us out on iTunes.
  
  Also, don't forget to keep up with us during the week via MySpace and Twitter.
  Hope to see you there, Film Geeks!
  • Tags:
  • The Hangover
  • Land of the Lost
  • Bradley Cooper
  • Will Ferrell
  • Jessica Biel
  No Comments

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