November 22, 1963 was a devastating day for many, as the world saw the assassination of then U.S. president John F. Kennedy as his motorcade passed Dealey Plaza in Dallas, Texas. Many of us, myself included, have seen the home-movie camera footage of JFK’s dreaded assassination as captured by private citizen Abraham Zapruder, known as the Zapruder film. While many talk of that final headshot the film ultimately captured, what devastated me most was not that, it was watching Jacqueline Kennedy’s reaction as she instantly launches over the back of the motorcade (said to be retrieving a piece of her husband’s own skull) while Secret Service agent Clint Hill climbs aboard. With her at the focus, this is why I am truly excited for Jackie.
Jackie is the latest biopic detailing the life of first lady Jacqueline Kennedy, following the events of her husband’s assassination. Those who know of her history will know that this day was the first time she had ever accompanied her husband on a political trip in the United States, and following his assassination she retreating to a period of mourning, referring to her husband’s presidency as that of King Arthur’s “Camelot”. After this period, she became close to her husband’s brother Robert Kennedy, who became a sort of surrogate father figure for the Kennedy children, only to see him too assassinated in 1968, resorting back to a state of depression.
One could argue no one has suffered more than of Jacqueline Kennedy, and through the devastation she still led a proud existence. All of the marketing for Jackie looks to capture both the devastation and prevalence of this historic figure, making it seem like necessary viewing. And with Natalie Portman at the helm, who while hit-or-miss has been known to hit it out of the park when she truly cares, we could be looking at a new classic among presidential biopics. Oscar contender? We shall see.
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Here’s what else you can expect at the box office this weekend:
Incarnate
The Eyes of My Mother (limited)
Things to Come (limited)
This weekend on Episode 198, we’ll be discussing Natalie Portman’s new film, Jackie. There is a lot of buzz circulating that Portman could end up with a gold statue or two because of her performance as Jackie Kennedy in Jackie. With that in mind, we wanted to discuss Portman and her best performances for our poll this week. Now, she clearly has had some ups and downs in her career. But the “ups” have been really good and she already has one Oscar to prove it. In fact, her performance in Black Swan is so obvious a choice, we decided to leave that off of this poll. In time, Jackie could rival Black Swan, and for now we are nixing both of those choices.
All of that said, which Natalie Portman performance stands out to you given that criteria?
Director: Kelly Fremon Craig Writers: Kelly Fremon Craig Stars: Haley Steinfeld, Woody Harrelson, Blake Jenner, Haley Lu Richardson
Synopsis: High-school life gets even more unbearable for Nadine when her best friend, Krista, starts dating her older brother.
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Kelly Fremon Craig is a name you may not know, but she’s one you may want to write down. Her directorial debut The Edge of Seventeen is one of the most entertaining and gripping films of 2016. The film overall may seem familiar on the surface but Craig’s charming vision and hilarious execution transcends the tropes of this teen comedy.
Nadine (Hailee Steinfeld) is seventeen and struggling with all the things you would imagine a teenager would. She doesn’t get along with her mom or brother, she has one friend and is obsessed with the one boy she probably can’t get. Additionally, her dad recently passed away as well, only compounding her emotional turmoil. She confides her feelings with Mr. Burner (Woody Harrelson), one of her teachers at school, and he doesn’t always have the words she wants to hear. Once her best friend Krista (Haley Lu Richardson) starts dating her brother Darian (Blake Jenner), things really start to unravel in ways she didn’t see coming.
Craig’s direction is great for a first time director, but it’s Hailee Steinfeld that truly makes this film. The way she attacks this role is vicious. Her humor and sarcasm has a gripping bite that is genuinely hysterical. She impeccably balances that with visceral drama that grounds Nadine as well. As a result, there are many times we laugh with Nadine, but there are other times we question her motives, but not without sympathizing with her dilemma. Steinfeld wonderfully makes all of that work here and shines while doing it.
Her chemistry with pretty much everyone in this film is also important. Specifically, her dynamic with Blake Jenner is pivotal in the third act and it’s the crux of the movie’s dramatic and thematic weight. But more than that, her chemistry with Woody Harrelson is exhilarating. Their banter is some of the best comedy of 2016, if you ask me. Mr. Bruner’s sarcastic, dry responses to Nadine’s unraveling is priceless.
The Edge of Seventeen, while narratively familiar, is diligent in its exploration of teen naivety and emotional duress at such a vulnerable age. Craig offers several thematic notions without getting too bogged down in trying to answer one over another. In the end, Nadine finds herself grappling with her inability to sympathize with other people. This leaves her isolated as she learns to cope with the recent events of her life. Craig confronts these ideas and Nadine’s processing with a conviction that leaves you satisfied, even if you know where it’s going to end up.
If you’re a fan of The Spectacular Now, The Perks of Being a Wallflower or several other recent great teen dramedy’s, you’re going to love this film. Each (main) character possesses protagonist and antagonist qualities that robustly gives a solid nuance to this film. The storytelling is crisp and provacative. The performances are all captivating. Outside of some tonal inconsistencies with the Erwin (Hayden Szeto) character, there’s not much to dislike about The Edge of Seventeen. Go see this film, you won’t regret it.
Overall Grade: A
[divider] Hear our podcast review on a previous Extra Film:
This week on Episode 197 of the InSession Film Podcast, we discussed the latest Disney musical, Moana. Disney has not only been known for its animation over the years, but also the music they’ve created that make their films come alive within the animated worlds they create. Whether it back from Cinderella back in the day, to the genius work out of Beauty and the Beast, to the unstoppable force that was Frozen, Disney and musicals are one in the same. For each generation, there are Disney tunes that we all hold close to our hearts, making this a fun and rich category this week.
On that note, which Disney animated musical numbers would make your list? Here are the one’s that made ours:
*Keep in mind we have different criteria for our lists as well*
JD
1) Beauty and the Beast – Beauty and the Beast
2) When You Wish Upon a Star – Pinocchio
3) I’ll Make a Man out of You – Mulan
Brendan
1) Beauty and the Beast – Beauty and the Beast
2) When You Wish Upon a Star – Pinocchio
3) The Bells of Notre Dame – The Hunchback of Notre Dame
Matt
1) Reflection – Mulan
2) Once Upon a Dream – Sleeping Beauty
3) Let It Go – Frozen
Honorable Mentions (Combined)
Sing, Sweet Nightingale – Cinderella
Out There – The Hunchback of Notre Dame
Topsy Turvy – The Hunchback of Notre Dame
I See the Light – Tangled
Zero to Hero – Hercules
Can You Feel the Love Tonight – The Lion King
Belle – Beauty and the Beast
Colors of the Wind – Pocahontas
This is Halloween – The Nightmare Before Christmas
Hakuna Matata – The Lion King
Part of Your World – The Little Mermaid
Bare Necessities – The Jungle Book
A Whole New World – Aladdin
I Got No Strings – Pinocchio
Cruella De’Ville – 101 Dalmations
Hellfire – The Hunchback of Notre Dame
Under the Sea – The Little Mermaid
A Girl Worth Fighting For – Mulan
Do You Want To Build a Snowman – Frozen
A Pirates Life – Peter Pan
Ev’rybody Wants To Be A Cat – The Aristocats
Friends Like Me – Aladdin
Be Our Guest – Beauty and the Beast
Hopefully you guys enjoyed our lists and if you agree or disagree with us, let us know in the comment section below. As mentioned above, there is a plethora of great musical numbers from Disney over the year that missed our lists, depending on our tastes and criteria. That being said, what would be your Top 3? Leave a comment in the comment section or email us at [email protected].
This week on the InSession Film Podcast, Matt St. Clair from Film Guy Reviews joins us to discuss Disney’s latest musical, Moana. We also discuss our favorite Disney animated musical numbers and we round out the show by talking about this year’s Independent Spirit Awards Nominees that were announced this last week.
Big thanks to Matt for joining us this week, it was a huge pleasure to finally get him on the show. He is a good guy who knows a lot about movies and awards season, especially. If you’re a fan of Disney musicals (and how can you not be?), this is a show just for you. We had a blast this week talking Disney and the great music they have made famous over the years.
On that note, check out the show and let us know what you think in the comment section. Thanks for listening and thanks for supporting the InSession Film Podcast!
– Moana Movie Review (10:16) Grades
JD: B
Brendan: B
Matt: B+
– Top 3 Disney Animated Musical Numbers (37:27)
Disney has not only been known for its animation over the years, but also the music they’ve created that make their films come alive within the animated worlds they create. Whether it back from Cinderella back in the day, to the genius work out of Beauty and the Beast, to the unstoppable force that was Frozen, Disney and musicals are one in the same. For each generation, there are Disney tunes that we all hold close to our hearts, making this a fun and rich category this week. On that note, what would be your top 3?
– 2017 Independent Spirit Awards Nominations (1:15:13)
This week we skipped any usual discussion segment and instead we talked about this year’s nominations for the Independent Spirit Awards. It may have been a lackluster year for mainstream Hollywood, but independent cinema couldn’t be more alive. This year’s crop of nominations certainly reflect that and we discussed why during this segment.
If you want to help support us, there are several ways you can help us and we’d absolutely appreciate it. Every penny goes directly back into supporting the show and we are truly honored and grateful. Thanks for your support and for listening to the InSession Film Podcast!
Hello one and all, and welcome to the first in (what I hope) will be a long line of reviews I post on this site. But before I get ahead of myself, let me explain:
My plan is to write two different types of reviews. The first (which follows below) will be a look back at the films of my childhood, in a vain attempt to point out how my viewing habits growing up were better than yours. The second (to come at some point in the next few weeks) will be myself reviewing a “classic” film that I’ve watched for the first time. It will be a lame attempt to get myself to finally watch those films that cause people to say “You’ve NEVER seen…” over and over. How well this works, we shall see. But for now it’s on with the show!
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With a continuation of this 1995 film in the works (not to mention the “meh” spiritual sequel “Zathura”), it seems only natural that my first entry in this nostalgic look back should be a film that holds a special place in my heart. Those who know me already know how big a fan of Robin Williams I am. The fact that my infant daughter will grow up in a world where there are no new RW films being made is a sad one for me. However, when I start to introduce her to the films of this late great man, I will probably start with this one (OK, Aladdin first, then this. No need to write in!). This film starts off with a simple premise. A child called Alan Parish, who I must admit bears a striking resemblance to myself as a child, has a fractured relationship with his father and wishes to run away before being shipped off to boarding school. A classic trope, but this was before all these tropes had become waaaay overused. And not long into the film, we’re introduced to the titular game. The idea of this game basically is (for those who haven’t seen the film, and if you haven’t then I ask “Why not?!?”) that you start playing, roll the dice, have your piece move and try to make it to the end if you can. It’s the “if you can” that’s the fun part. For 8 year old me, “A game for those who seek to find a way to leave your world behind” was a fantastic premise. I’d never seen anything like what occurred on screen before, and to be honest I’ve not really seen anything that similar since.
Alan gets sucked into the board game in a sequence which looks dated now, but was really state-of-the-art back then, and the girl he was playing with gets chased away by bats. So, in the first 20 minutes we’re introduced to these characters and then it’s all “Bye now, let’s bring in some new ones!”. And,of course, we know they’ll be back. But that’s not the point. It’s something that’s not done much now, where a film can throw something at you like that and then move on for another 10-15 minutes before giving you a proper continuation of that thread. In a time of instant gratification in film, I always look back on this one as an example of what I want to see when it comes to pacing and structure. And yes, I admit I just said that about a “kids movie”. So sue me!
The strangest thing about this film is that Robin Williams is not the star. Yes, he’s bigger than life, he’s the main character for 85% of the time Alan is on screen and he’s VERY funny with a dry wit that you don’t see much in kids films. But the star of this film is Jumanji itself, or rather what Jumanji does to the town. Every time the dice is rolled, you’re waiting for the next thing to derail their game. Whether it’s a stampede that arrives through a bookcase, a hunter who is an eerie doppelgänger for Alan’s father or even just a policeman riding a door on a torrent of water (trust me, it’s better if I don’t try to explain), everything that Jumanji throws out opens up a new thread that is a joy to follow. Even small things like spiders become an obstacle to be dealt with, though I’ll admit that the spiders were the least interesting ones.
I’ve heard people coming down on both sides of this film, and my wife has stated that she has no feelings one way or the other. However, I cannot look at this film without having those twangs of nostalgia. Every lion roar, every Van Pelt interaction and every time the writing on the board squirms into view I get excited. It’s almost as if the director and cast managed to take a child’s imagination and put it directly on the screen. It’s D&D for the little ‘uns. It’s something unique. And it’s always going to be one of my favorite Robin Williams films. And I’m not just saying that because I want to look like him when I grow up, like this film seemed to show I would!
Now, I’ve been trying to think of a rating system for these films. And, to be honest, I don’t think I can have one. These films that I’ll be talking about (at least in the nostalgic look- backs) will be ones that I obviously enjoy immensely. Every entry would get 4-5 stars or 9-10/10. However, I think I know what to do. So, from now on, these films will not be rated by content. These films will be rated by how young they make me feel. And so, for the inaugural review, I give Jumanji a rating of…
5 year-old me in my Thunderbird pajamas*.
Thank you for letting me ramble, and I hope I’ve given you the nagging thought that “Maybe I should watch Jumanji again”. I honestly think your inner child will thank you.
Until next time, and remember…. If a box starts drumming, RUN!!!
*Yes, I owned Thunderbird pajamas. You may now all have a good laugh.
This week on the InSession Film Podcast: Extra Film segment, we discuss The Edge of Seventeen from first time filmmaker Kelly Fremon Craig, as well as Ang Lee’s latest film, Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk.
This week’s show is somewhat disheartening as we discuss an Ang Lee film that isn’t quite up to par. Lee is one of our filmmakers working today but Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk is a far cry from Life of Pi, one of JD’s favorite films of this decade. All in all, we still have a great show that we hope you enjoy nonetheless.
On that note, have fun listening to this week’s Extra Film segment and let us know what you think in the comment section below. Hope you enjoy and thanks for listening!
– The Edge of Seventeen Movie Review (7:49) Grades
Brendan: A
JD: A
Vince: B+
– Billy Lynn’s Long Haltime Walk Movie Review (39:27) Grades
Brendan: C+
Vince: B-
JD: D (Not available during review)
We try to make this the best movie podcast we possibly can and we hope you enjoy them. Subscribe today on iTunes and Stitcher and please leave us a review on iTunes. You can also find us on Soundcloud, PlayerFM and TuneIn Radio as well. We really appreciate all your support of the InSession Film Podcast.
To hear this Extra Film episode and everything else we do, download our apps on the Amazon Market for Android and the Podcast Box app on IOS devices. The mobile app covers all of our main shows, bonus podcast’s and everything else relating to the InSession Film Podcast. Thanks for your wonderful support and listening to our show. It means the world to us!
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Help Support The InSession Film Podcast
If you want to help support us, we would greatly appreciate it! For more info, CLICK HERE.
We offer our bonus content for free, but we do encourage and appreciate a small donation of $0.99 as a way to help support the show. Click on the PayPal button below to donate and thanks so much for your support. You can also hear all of our Bonus Content via our mobile apps. See the information at the bottom of the post for more details.
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Listen!
This week for our Episode 196 InSession Film Podcast: Bonus Content, Hadas from Common Room sticks around as we discuss spoilers for Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them! We probably nerd out more than we should, but hey, that is what we do. Check it out!
Listen to all of our bonus content on our apps for just a one-time fee! Whether you have an iPhone, Android or Windows phone, our apps are available in many different ways that is convenient for you. With our mobile app, not only can you listen to all of our bonus content, but our main shows and our Extra Film podcasts as well. Click here for more info!
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This weekend will see the release of Disney’s latest animated musical, Moana, looking to continue an incredible trend of outstanding movies coming out of that studio. Sure, we all love Pixar, but if you’re being honest, it’s Disney Animation that has been king of American animation the last five years. Outside of Inside Out in 2015, Disney’s string of films including Tangled, Wreck-It Ralph, Big Hero 6, Frozen and Zootopia has been very impressive and has out-classed Pixar. There’s no doubt that Pixar’s run in the 2000’s is one of best we’ve ever seen from any studio. And in that time, Disney Animation was second tier. But similar to the late 80’s and early 90’s, Disney has resurged once again to regain that top spot as king of American animation.
So with that as our inspiration for our poll this week, what is your favorite Disney animated film in this new “resurgence” era for the Mouse? Vote now!
This week on Episode 196 of the InSession Film Podcast, we discussed the latest film to further the lore of Harry Potter in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. Coming off the heels of our Harry Potter Movie Series and our review of Fantastic Beasts, it made sense to talk about the moments and scenes from this newly crafted “Potter-Verse,” if you will. There are a ton of great moments to choose from, making this list very hard to decipher, but we conjured some great lists that we hope you enjoy.
On that note, which “wizarding world” moments would make your list? Here are the one’s that made ours:
*Keep in mind we have different criteria for our lists as well*
JD
1) Ending battle / Harry’s retort to Lord Voldemort – Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
2) Harry and Hermione’s Dance – Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1
3) Death of Cedric / Amos cries over son – Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Brendan
1) Ending battle / Harry’s retort to Lord Voldemort – Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
2) Resurrection Stone Scene – Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2
3) Harry and Lupin on Bridge – Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Richard
1) The Reveal by Tom Riddle – Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
2) Seeing Hogwarts for the first time – Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
3) Amos Diggory cries over son – Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Honorable Mentions (Combined)
Raising of the Wands – Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Harry still surprised by magic (Tent Scene) – Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
“You’re not going alone” – Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1
Snape’s Flashbacks – Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2
Opening Scenes – Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire / the Half-Blood Prince / the Deathly Hallows Part 2
Harry and Hermione embrace before Dragon Scene – Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Night Bus Scene – Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Aunt Marge Blows Up – Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Revenge of Delores Umbridge – Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Flying Buckbeack – Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
“She’s got nice skin” – Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Felix Felicis – Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Dumbledor’s Army Montage – Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Harry visits parents grave – Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1
Protecting Hogwarts – Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2
Suitcase Sequence – Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
Rain Moment (at end of movie) – Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
Hopefully you guys enjoyed our lists and if you agree or disagree with us, let us know in the comment section below. There are obviously a ton of other great “Wizarding World” moments that missed our lists, depending on your criteria. That being said, what would be your Top 3? Leave a comment in the comment section or email us at [email protected].
This week on the InSession Film Podcast, Hadas from Common Room joins us to discuss the latest film to further the lore of Harry Potter, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. We also discuss our Top 3 moments from the “wizarding world” and we continue a segment we call, We’ve Been Watching You.
Huge thanks to Hadas for joining us this week discussing the greatness that is the world of Harry Potter. She is a massive fan of that franchise and her passion seeps through every corner of this show. We are sad that our Harry Potter series is over but we had fun diving back into what makes this saga so wonderful and capping it all off with this new era of magic.
On that note, check out the show and let us know what you think in the comment section. Thanks for listening and thanks for supporting the InSession Film Podcast!
– Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them Movie Review (8:43) Grades
JD: B
Brendan: B
Hadas: B+
– Top 3 “Wizarding World” Moments (40:46)
Coming off the heels of our Harry Potter Movie Series and our review of Fantastic Beasts, it made sense to talk about the moments and scenes from this newly crafted “Potter-Verse,” if you will. There are a ton of great moments to choose from, making this list very hard to decipher, but we conjured some great lists that we hope you enjoy. On that note, what would be your top 3?
– We’ve Been Watching You (1:25:05)
So this is a new/old segment that used to do quite a bit but haven’t done since 2014. This segment used to be called “What We’ve Seen Recently” where we simply talked about other films that we have seen on our own outside of our featured discussions. Well, we thought it would be fun to bring this segment back but we now have a new name for it. As stated above, we are now calling this segment, We’ve Been Watching You.
If you want to help support us, there are several ways you can help us and we’d absolutely appreciate it. Every penny goes directly back into supporting the show and we are truly honored and grateful. Thanks for your support and for listening to the InSession Film Podcast!
This week on the InSession Film Podcast: Extra Film segment, we review the highly acclaimed film from director Barry Jenkins, Moonlight, as well as the Swedish comedy/dram selected to compete for this year’s Oscar nominations, A Man Called Ove!
This week JD takes off but Brendan and Vince do a great job of discussing the greatness of Jenkins’ sophomore film. Moonlight has recieved a plethora of critical acclaim, and for very good reason. It’s a film that could garner an Oscar nomination for Best Picture, and we wouldn’t be surprised if it’s a big horse in that race. Either way, it’s a film you need to see and hopefully we offer a few reasons that help inspire you to get to the theater.
On that note, have fun listening to this week’s Extra Film segment and let us know what you think in the comment section below. Hope you enjoy and thanks for listening!
– Moonlight Movie Review (5:04) Grades
Brendan: A
Vince: A
– A Man Called Ove Movie Review (39:27) Grades
Brendan: B-
Vince: A-
We try to make this the best movie podcast we possibly can and we hope you enjoy them. Subscribe today on iTunes and Stitcher and please leave us a review on iTunes. You can also find us on Soundcloud, PlayerFM and TuneIn Radio as well. We really appreciate all your support of the InSession Film Podcast.
To hear this Extra Film episode and everything else we do, download our apps on the Amazon Market for Android and the Podcast Box app on IOS devices. The mobile app covers all of our main shows, bonus podcast’s and everything else relating to the InSession Film Podcast. Thanks for your wonderful support and listening to our show. It means the world to us!
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Help Support The InSession Film Podcast
If you want to help support us, we would greatly appreciate it! For more info, CLICK HERE.
Director: Kelly Reichardt Writers: Kelly Reichardt Stars: Laura Dern, Michelle Williams, Lily Gladstone, Kristen Stewart
Synopsis: The lives of three women intersect in small-town America, where each is imperfectly blazing a trail.
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Kelly Reichardt is a filmmaker who has set herself apart over the course of the last decade with films such as Meek’s Cutoff, Night Moves and Wendy & Lucy. Her style isn’t for everyone, but if you’re willing to submit to her methodical and patient approach, she will reward you. Her new film, Certain Women, is no different.
The film features three short stories on the lives of three women who live in rural Montana. Laura (Laura Dern) is having to deal with a client who doesn’t seem to have a clue. Gina (Michelle Williams) is having marital problems and struggles to connect with her daughter as a result. Jamie (Lily Gladstone), a farm rancher, is quiet, lonely and seemingly eager to connect with a stranger named Elizabeth (Kristen Stewart).
The three narratives will feel disconnected on the surface, with some connective tissue here and there, however there is one glaring commonality. All three stories are about women who feel desperate and isolated. Gina, although married and with a family, first appears on a hike by herself. Even in contact with her loved ones, there is something between them that has fostered some animosity. As for Jamie and Beth, despite sharing some genuine moments together, they eventually find themselves in familiar places by the film’s end. There are several occasions where characters, not only struggle to connect with another person, but they cannot find the words to process their current circumstances.
“Why didn’t you write me back?” one character says to Laura near the end of the film. She replies, “I didn’t know what to say.” There is an intentional emphasis on how little dialogue we hear from our characters. They simply linger in awkward silences, and it’s in those moments where Reichardt’s characters exist the most. Reichardt isn’t interested in conventional storytelling or presenting high narrative states, she’s more interested in the encounters her characters experience, which they wrestle with in realistic and profound ways. These situations may seem mundane, but to these characters, it’s everything. Reichardt’s stakes are the moments of reflection that will reap severe impacts later, especially when you consider their isolation and desperation for connectivity.
Michelle Williams, Kristen Stewart and Laura Dern are all fantastic here, but it’s newcomer Lily Gladstone that is a true revelation in Certain Women. She offers an effortless, yet captivating performance that brings warmth among this film’s cold setting. Her sense of longing for companionship is beautiful and heartbreaking, but it’s her subtlety that makes it such a magical performance. She isn’t trying to make you cry, you just sympathize with her the less she does.
Certain Women also thrives on Reichardt’s direction. The art direction and cinematography isn’t very glamorous, and it’s not meant to be. The depiction of this film’s imagery beautifully couples with the movies themes and tones. The use of natural sound also amplifies its authenticity. There is very little score and the little we do have is quite good.
Overall, Certain Women is a Kelly Reichardt film through and through. Again, her style isn’t for everyone, but if you fall into her rhythm, there’s some proactive and cinematic gold here that is sure to satisfy.
If you scour the internet for movie podcasts, it’s going to be hard to find one that features two hosts that are bigger Harry Potter fans than we are. If you listened to our Harry Potter Movie Series, hopefully that is evident. It’s been a few years now since the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, so it’s really exciting to have the opportunity to jump back into that world with Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. Fantastic Beasts is actually a prequel that takes place several decades before the events of Harry Potter, which is probably a good thing since we don’t really need to further Harry’s story at this point. This world is so large and there are many other stories that can be told. Speaking of, it doesn’t hurt that this particular narrative is written by J.K. Rowling herself. She may not be an established screenwriter, but who else knows this world better than she? It should be interesting to see how that transition holds up.
Another reason to be excited for Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is that it’s directed by David Yates, who directed the last four Harry Potter films. Yates brought a dramatic and thematic consistency to those films that brought real potency. The action was fantastic and he arguably got the best performances from that franchise. In that regard, it’s not a surprise to see him back in the directors chair for Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, as well as its planned four sequels. Yates may not have a deep resume, but when it comes to the Wizarding world, he is more than serviceable and I’m amped to see him back for this film.
At this point, my biggest concern is the cast. I really like Eddie Redmayne, who fits in really well with serious dramatic character roles, but he doesn’t scream “charisma” when he’s on screen. At least, not in terms of leading a fantasy-adventure franchise like Fantastic Beasts. I hope he proves me wrong, but it’s a slight concern for me. Perhaps it’s just the marketing, but in the full-length trailers I’ve seen, he feels somewhat distant and disengaging. Again, maybe it’s just the trailer. Additionally to that, the casting of Johnny Depp has me dubious. Depp’s antics could serve well in this kind of setting, and outside of Tim Burton he has proven himself to be a good actor, but it could also be a major backfire. I just hope he’s not a huge distraction.
Outside of those two, the rest of the cast looks descent. Colin Farrell, Jon Voight, Ron Perlman and Ezra Miller are always great and I’m glad to see them here. But more than anyone else, I’m stoked to see Katherine Waterston in this film. I’ve been dying to see more of her since Inherent Vice, where she blew me away. I’m not sure what kind of role she will have but I hope it’s more than just a few scenes here and there.
I think going into Fantastic Beasts, the key will be expectation. I’m not anticipating this film to live up to the greatness of Harry Potter. It’s probably not even fair to compare this film to Harry Potter, even though it will be impossible to refrain from that exercise. Keep in mind, the first two Harry Potter movies were lesser than its latter counterparts. So even if this first film is average, that can be an okay thing. I expect better from Yates at the helm, but given this is Rowling’s first go-round as a Hollywood screenwriter, it’s okay if this is just a “B” film. Either way, I’m ready to dive back into a world that I absolutely adore.
Are you excited?
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Here’s what else you can expect this weekend at the box office:
Bleed for This
The Edge of Seventeen
Manchester By the Sea (limited)
Nocturnal Animals (limited)
Loving (limited)
Moonlight (expanding)
A Street Cat Named Bob (limited)
Earlier this week, Disney released a brand new trailer for its new live-action adaptation of Beauty and the Beast, this time featuring real footage from the film and a lot more dialogue. In case you missed it, you can see the trailer above.
Both this trailer, as well as the teaser, have broke YouTube records, so it’s clear that many people are excited. However, there are some people that are dubious and have questions regarding this iteration of the beloved animated classic (ahem, Brendan Cassidy). If you ask me, Disney has been doing a great job with most of these live-action remakes and Beauty and the Beast seems to be in line with that trend. That said, did you like the new trailer for Beauty and the Beast?
Harry Potter is simply one of our favorite franchises out there and we’ve been itching to have this series for quite some time now. And with Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them coming out later this year, we finally found our excuse to dive into this magical world that we love so much. Harry Potter is more than just fantasy and magic, it is the ultimate coming of age experience. We literally grow up with these characters and saw them transform before our eyes. As the characters grew older, so did the maturity of these films and it was really fascinating to see the development of that over the course of a decade. It’s also a lot of fun when you couple that with wizardry and exciting magic. In this series, we’ll cover that and so much more. Join us as we go through the entire Harry Potter series and re-live a franchise that we hope you enjoy as well.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, 2001
Grades
JD: A-
Brendan: B+
Tasha: B
Listen to our review of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone below as heard on Episode 188.
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Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, 2002
Grades
JD: B-
Brendan: B
Neil: A-
Listen to our review of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets below as heard on Episode 189.
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Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, 2004
Grades
JD: A
Brendan: A
Kristen: A-
Listen to our review of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets below as heard on Episode 190.
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Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, 2005
Grades
JD: B+
Brendan: C+
Listen to our review of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire below as heard on Episode 191.
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Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, 2007
Grades
JD: A
Brendan: A
Listen to our review of Harry Potter and Order of the Phoenix below as heard on Episode 192.
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Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, 2009
Grades
JD: A-
Brendan: B+
Vince: A-
Listen to our review of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince below as heard on our Episode 193: Bonus Content.
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Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1, 2010
Grades
JD: A
Brendan: A
Jonathan: A-
Listen to our review of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 below as heard on Episode 194.
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Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2, 2011
Grades
JD: A
Brendan: A
Richard: A-
Listen to our review of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 below as heard on Episode 194.
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We are, obviously, big fans of Harry Potter and this series was an absolute blast. From the moment Harry first stepped in Hogwarts, to the final showdown with Lord Voldemort, this franchise has a lot to offer. Hopefully we dissected it and offered some fun insight into a world that is wonderful joyous. We hope you enjoyed the magic as we did. Let us know what you thought of the series in the comment section below or hit us up on social media!
This week on Episode 195 of the InSession Film Podcast, we discussed Denis Villeneuve’s latest film, Arrival, one of our most anticipated films of the year. Using that as inspiration, we decided to talk about our favorite “thinking” sci-fi films for this week’s Top 3. Sci-fi has been around since the beginning of the film, and while some are fun and adventurous, others are more thought-provoking and cerebral. This approach to sci-fi has not only conjured some fascinating cinema, but it’s rendered some of the best movies of all-time. There are a ton of great films that fit this criteria, and we discussed some great films that we think you’ll enjoy.
On that note, which movies would make your list? Here are the one’s that made ours:
*Keep in mind we have different criteria for our lists as well*
JD
1) Metropolis
2) Her
3) Solaris
Brendan
1) A.I. Artificial Intelligence
2) Children of Men
3) Solaris
Richard
1) The Matrix Reloaded / The Matrix Revolutions
2) Her
3) Predestination
Honorable Mentions (Combined) 2001: A Space Odyssey, Blade Runner, Contact, Stalker, Brazil, Inception, Upstream Color, Under the Skin, Ex-Machina, Enemy, Donnie Darko, Akira, Looper, Minority Report, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Moon, Snowpiercer, 12 Monkeys, Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back
Hopefully you guys enjoyed our lists and if you agree or disagree with us, let us know in the comment section below. There are obviously many more options out there that we missed on our lists, depending on your criteria. That being said, what would be your Top 3? Leave a comment in the comment section or email us at [email protected].
This week on the InSession Film Podcast, Richard Newby from Audiences Everywhere joins us to discuss Denis Villeneuve’s latest film, Arrival, our #1 most anticipated film of the year. We also discuss our favorite “thinking” sci-fi movies and we conclude our Harry Potter Movies Series with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2!
Big thanks to Richard for joining us once again. It was a huge pleasure to have him back and we love whenever he graces us with his presence on the show, especially for films and topics he’s passionate about. As mentioned above, we’ve been looking forward to Arrival for some time. Check out Episode 153, where we discuss our anticipation for the the film and why we love Villeneuve so much. This week also marks the end of our Harry Potter series, which is very bittersweet. We are sad to see it come to end but it was fun revisiting the world of Potter and we hope you enjoyed it as much as we did.
On that note, check out the show and let us know what you think in the comment section. Thanks for listening and thanks for supporting the InSession Film Podcast!
– Top 3 “Thinking” Sci-Fi Movies (45:34)
Inspired by Arrival, we decided to discuss our favorite “thinking” sci-fi films for this week’s Top 3. Sci-fi has been around since the beginning of the film, and while some are fun and adventurous, others are more thought-provoking and cerebral. This approach to sci-fi has not only conjured some fascinating cinema, but it’s rendered some of the best movies of all-time. There are a ton of great films that fit this criteria, and we discussed some great films that we think you’ll enjoy. On that note, what would be your top 3?
Main Review: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
Top 3: Moments in the Wizarding World
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Help Support The InSession Film Podcast
If you want to help support us, there are several ways you can help us and we’d absolutely appreciate it. Every penny goes directly back into supporting the show and we are truly honored and grateful. Thanks for your support and for listening to the InSession Film Podcast!
Director: Denis Villeneuve Writers: Eric Heisserer (screenplay), Ted Chiang (based on the story “Story of Your Life” written by) Stars: Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner, Forest Whitaker, Michael Stuhlbarg
Synopsis: A linguist is recruited by the military to assist in translating alien communications.
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Denis Villeneuve is one of the best directors right now, and his last three movies Enemy (2014), Prisoners (2013) and Sicario (2014) were all highly acclaimed film. Villeneuve’s directorial style is one that I respect because he always has some unexpected plot twist or presents situations that cause conversation as you leave the theater. Villeneuve’s latest film, Arrival, is another blockbuster that I am certain the average moviegoer will be mixed on. Arrival is not your typical alien-invasion movie; it teaches us lessons that we can apply in our lives. Communication and language are something that every species utilizes and this is the basis for Arrival. If you are uneasy with bad aliens-coming-to-Earth films (looking at you Independence Day: Resurgence), don’t fret; Arrival is the best film of its kind.
Mysterious alien aircraft land in various places around the world and of course they want to know why these creatures are here? Do they intend to harm the residents on earth? The army enlists linguist Dr. Louise Banks (Amy Adams) and physicist Ian Donnelly (Renner) to answer those very questions. While the rest of the world is on a first-strike option, Louise and Ian are making strides but as pressure mounts will it be too late?
Interestingly the script by Eric Heisserer is very sparse in its dialogue. The film chooses to tell it’s story through visually and through sound primarily. Most of the films best scenes involve Louise standing outside a glass window, conversing with the aliens through cryptic imaging. At first, the images seem like nothing, but as the movie progresses, we learn about their language and how quickly they can convey complex messages. I mention all this because in these films, the language barrier never really gets challenged as it does here. What is your purpose here? Is a simple question to us because we understand the language. Louise explains why she can’t simply ask the aliens that question. Small details like this make the movie for me.
Amy Adams put herself in contention for Best Actress this awards season for her performance in this film. She isn’t afraid when the aliens show up, and despite what everyone around here believes, she believes in language and doesn’t deviate from that. Adams balance all those emotions with ease. Renner also proves he is more than just an Avenger.
Arrival is a must-see movie and is another brilliantly directed film by Villeneuve.
Overall Grade: A
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Hear our podcast review on Episode 195, coming soon.
This week on the InSession Film Podcast: Extra Film segment, we have a huge announcement as we introduce officially our new co-host and team member. We also discuss the Korean drama from director Park Chan-wook, The Handmaiden, as well as Mel Gibson’s latest film, Hacksaw Ridge!
We are super excited to officially reveal our newest member to InSession Film. This person is an amazing film critic that loves to discuss film in the same style that we do and we know he will be a great fit. And what a pair of films to start this partnership on, as one of them is Top 10 of the year worthy.
On that note, have fun listening to this week’s Extra Film segment and let us know what you think in the comment section below. Hope you enjoy and thanks for listening!
– The Handmaiden Movie Review (8:52) Grades
Brendan: A
JD: A
Vince: A+
We try to make this the best movie podcast we possibly can and we hope you enjoy them. Subscribe today on iTunes and Stitcher and please leave us a review on iTunes. You can also find us on Soundcloud, PlayerFM and TuneIn Radio as well. We really appreciate all your support of the InSession Film Podcast.
To hear this Extra Film episode and everything else we do, download our apps on the Amazon Market for Android and the Podcast Box app on IOS devices. The mobile app covers all of our main shows, bonus podcast’s and everything else relating to the InSession Film Podcast. Thanks for your wonderful support and listening to our show. It means the world to us!
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