Watch This With Rick Ramos

Phantoms of the Field: Kaneto Shindō's Onibaba

From time to time, Mr. Chavez & I stumble on what can lovingly be referred to as "hidden cinematic gems". A few weeks ago we discovered (for ourselves, at least) a rarely seen "cult classic" - Herk Harvey's Carnival of Souls. As we continue our look into the Horror genre we discover another film that deserves much greater attention. In 1964 Japanese director, Kaneto Shindō directed a disturbing and rather compelling look into relationships strained by the struggles and horrors of war and the power and drive for survival. Onibaba is Shindo's examination of three people (two women - mother-in-law and daughter - and a man) living, suffering, and fighting for survival through a war-ravaged 14th Century Kyoto.

Filmed in beautiful widescreen (2.35:1) Black & White, Shindō's film beautifully captures the war-ravaged countryside (overwhelmingly tall plant stalks) and the people who will murder samurai to survive one day at a time. The talk focuses on the movie, and - as always - steers into a discussion of emotion, humanity, fear, paranoia, and violence. Take a listen . . . it's a fun talk. We can be reached at gondoramos@yahoo.com - Many Thanks. 

For those of you who would like to donate to this undying labor of love, you can do so with a contribution at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/watchrickramos - Anything and Everything is appreciated, You Cheap Bastards.

Direct download: OnibabaFinal.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:42am EDT

Seven Bloody Schoolgirls: Nobuhiko Obayashi's House

There are times when reputation precedes a viewing yet nothing can really prepare you for what you are about to see. Recently Mr. Chavez & I continued our dive into the Halloween Holiday Season with a search for new, frightening, strange, and acclaimed films. This week we stumbled on Nobuhiko Obayashi's 1977 Japanese Cult Classic House. As is often the case, your two favorite movie talkers are at odds with what we take from this film. Mr. Chavez enjoyed the film's inventiveness and originality, while I found it ponderous, boring, and without any kind of interesting focus. Take a listen as eacxh of us argue our points regarding this difficult and surprising film. We can always be reached at gondoramos@yahoo.com - Many Thanks. 

For those of you who would like to donate to this undying labor of love, you can do so with a contribution at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/watchrickramos - Anything and Everything is appreciated, You Cheap Bastards.

Direct download: HouseFinal.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:29am EDT

Ghost Dance for the Organ Girl: Herk Harvey's Carnival of Souls 

This week Mr. Chavez & I continue our celebration of the Halloween season with a little-seen and incredibly influential cult film from 1962, Herk Harvey's Carnival of Souls. This is truly discovering diamonds in the landfill. Herk Harvey - a director and producer of industrial and educational films based in Lawrence, Kansas - would create one of the most influential films in cinema that would, somehow, remain almost completely unknown.  Harvey's film would be dismissed upon its intitial 1962 release, but would find an audience through television screenings (it was in the public domain) and public arthouse screenings beginning in 1989. Watching the film, it is easy to see Harvey's influence on such varied directors as David Lynch and James Wan, however its strongest influence seems to be on George A. Romero's first zombie film, NIght of the Living DeadTake a listen as I introduce this forgotten classic to Mr. Chavez and we dig into the power of its images, sound design, and story. It's a fun talk. As always, we can be reached at gondoramos@yahoo.com - Many Thanks. 

For those of you who would like to donate to this undying labor of love, you can do so with a contribution at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/watchrickramos - Anything and Everything is appreciated, You Cheap Bastards.

Direct download: CarnivalOfSoulsFinal.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:38am EDT

The Beggar, The Blonde, and The Button: Sam Raimi's Drag Me to Hell

Take a listen as Mr. Chavez & I continue our annual exploration of Horror for this Halloween Season. This week my podcast partner & I take a look at Sam Raimi's 2009 return to the Horror/Comedy genre. A modest hit when initially released, Raimi's film has developed somewhat of a cult following. Herein lies part of the problem . . . on this week's episode Mr. Chavez & I discuss the importance of the audience experience in enjoying a film of this type. It's a changing movie-watching world. Take a listen to see if you agree with our assessment of how an audience can affect the experience. As always, we can be reached at gondoramos@yahoo.com - Many Thanks. 

For those of you who would like to donate to this undying labor of love, you can do so with a contribution at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/watchrickramos - Anything and Everything is appreciated, You Cheap Bastards.

 

Direct download: DragMeToHellFinal.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:25pm EDT

Gen Z Xenomorph: Fede Alvarez's Alien: Romulus 

No Worries . . . Mr. Chavez & I will be returning to our Never-Ending 500 Episode Retrospective.  However, this week we continue our look into the Horror genre taking us into the Halloween Season, with Fede Alvarez's newest entry into the Alien Series, Alien: Romulus. This 7th film in the series - We Don't Count Those AlienVSPredator Embarassments - takes place between Ridley Scott's original 1979 Alien and James Cameron's 1986 sequel, Aliens. Your two favorite movie podcasters differ wildly on this entry. Take a listen to see which of us you agree with. Is this a tense and exciting entry into the series, or is it simply an attempt to milk blood from a stone. See the movie, take a listen, and let us know what you think. As always, we can be reached at gondoramos@yahoo.com. Many Thanks. 

For those of you who would like to donate to this undying labor of love, you can do so with a contribution at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/watchrickramos - Anything and Everything is appreciated, You Cheap Bastards.

Direct download: AlienRomulusReduxFinal.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:22am EDT

The TV Took My Blonde Daughter - Spielberg & Hooper's Poltergeist

This week we take a break from our 500 Episode Retrospectives - really didn't think it would take this long to get through 500 episodes - to bring the cinematic hammer down and dive into The Season of All-Saints. We have an entirely new slew of Cinematic Horror for the next two months with looks at Horror Comedy, Horror Cult, Horror Classics, Foreign Horror, and Literary Horror. It's going to be a fun month as we dive into an 80s Classic . . . The Steven Spielberg Produced/Tobe Hooper Directed Poltergeist.  Mr. Chavez & I have much different takes on this exploration of the supernatural. Take a listen to hear the battle between memory, personal tastes, and better viewings. It's a fun discussion that gives - you - the audience a new and interesting angle on a film that has lived with us for over 40 years. Take a listen. We think you'll have a good time. Hit us up at gondoramos@yahoo.com - As Always, Many Thanks!

For those of you who would like to donate to this undying labor of love, you can do so with a contribution at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/watchrickramos - Anything and Everything is appreciated, You Cheap Bastards.

Direct download: PoltergeistFinal.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:16pm EDT

Found Treasure, Excess, Hilarity, and New Authors in Horror

We have no idea when this will end, but we're having a hell of a time remembering. Take a listen as Mr. Chavez & I remember The Video Store, New Voices in Horror (Peele/Aster/Eggers), Ultimate Excess (Tarantino's The Hateful 8), Legends (Dylan & McCartney), and a Heartfelt Farewell to a Comedy Legend . . . Mr. Paul Mooney. This was a good time. Let us know what you think. As always we can be reached at gondoramos@yahoo.com - Many Thanks.

For those of you who would like to donate to this undying labor of love, you can do so with a contribution at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/watchrickramos - Anything and Everything is appreciated, You Cheap Bastards.

Direct download: ReflectionsPart10.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:37am EDT

Music Televison, Bad Taste, Toxic Masculinity & So Much More

It's proving to be a hell of a good time reminiscing on these past ten years. Part 9 is coming at ya. Break open a bottle, take a listen, and enjoy the memories we share. We'd love to hear your thoughts - gondoramos@yahoo.com - Many Thanks. 

For those of you who would like to donate to this undying labor of love, you can do so with a contribution at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/watchrickramos - Anything and Everything is appreciated, You Cheap Bastards.

Direct download: ReflectionsPart9.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:34pm EDT

Memories Are Made of This 

Part 8 of a never-ending ride back through a decade of WatchThis W/RickRamos. Discussing all manners of cinema, music, television, the culture, and culminating with my leaving Los Angeles after twenty years. It's a good time between two good friends. Take a listen and let us know what you think . . . .  gondoramos@yahoo.com

For those of you who would like to donate to this undying labor of love, you can do so with a contribution at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/watchrickramos - Anything and Everything is appreciated, You Cheap Bastards.

Direct download: ReflectionsPart8.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:01am EDT

Conspiracies & Things to Come

Take a listen as we continue our deep dive into a decade of WatchThis W/RickRamos. We're having a great time . . . We hope you're feeling the same. Best Wishes. As always, we can be reached at gondoramos@yahoo.com. Many Thanks. 

For those of you who would like to donate to this undying labor of love, you can do so with a contribution at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/watchrickramos - Anything and Everything is appreciated, You Cheap Bastards.

Direct download: ReflectionsPart7.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:11am EDT

Old, New, and Everything In-Between

Neither Mr. Chavez nor I are sure how long this will take, but we are having a great time remembering these last ten years. We hope that we are stirring memories and giving you an idea of the enjoyment we have in recording these shows and the importance that each episode means to us. Take a listen . . . we think you'll enjoy yourselves. As always, we can be reached at gondoramos@yahoo.com - Many Thanks!

For those of you who would like to donate to this undying labor of love, you can do so with a contribution at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/watchrickramos - Anything and Everything is appreciated, You Cheap Bastards.

 

Direct download: ReflectionsPart6Final.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:41am EDT

Down a Darker Path 

The memories continue to flow. Take a listen as we remember, argue, laugh, and double-down. This is proving to be a great time for the two of us . . . We can only hope you're enjoying it in the same manner. As always, we can be reached at gondoramos@yahoo.com. Many Thanks. 

For those of you who would like to donate to this undying labor of love, you can do so with a contribution at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/watchrickramos - Anything and Everything is appreciated, You Cheap Bastards.

Direct download: ReflctionsPart5Final.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:13am EDT

A Never-Ending Talk . . . 

We're just having too much fun remembering the last decade and the 500 episodes that have come with it. Take a listen as we amuse ourselves and - hopefully - you. No End in Sight. Just enjoy the ride. 

As always we can be reached at gondoramos@yahoo.com - Many Thanks. 

For those of you who would like to donate to this undying labor of love, you can do so with a contribution at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/watchrickramos - Anything and Everything is appreciated, You Cheap Bastards.

Direct download: ReflectionsPart4Final.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:52am EDT

And the Band Plays On . . . 

What can I say . . . ? This week Mr. Chavez & I continue our leap into the past with a look at 500 episodes and a decade of memories. It's a fun time and we'd love to share our memories, thoughts, thanks, and promises for the future. Take a listen . . . we think you'll enjoy it. 

As always, we can be reached at gondoramos@yahoo.com. Many Thanks!

For those of you who would like to donate to this undying labor of love, you can do so with a contribution at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/watchrickramos - Anything and Everything is appreciated, You Cheap Bastards.

Direct download: ReflectionsFinalPart3.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:12am EDT

More to Say: A Continuing Reminiscence on 500 Episodes

Take a listen as Ibrahim & I continue to look back on the decade of episodes we have done. This continues to be a great time for two old friends and our look back at the show, why we do it, how it still excites us, and what it has meant to us as a whole. Take a listen . . . We don't think you'll be dissapointed. As always, we can be reached at gondoramos@yahoo.com - Many Continued Thanks. 

For those of you who would like to donate to this undying labor of love, you can do so with a contribution at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/watchrickramos    - Anything and Everything is appreciated, You Cheap Bastards.

Direct download: ReflectionsPart2.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:03am EDT

Because It's In 'Em And It's Got To Come Out: Reminiscing on 500 Episodes

A whole lot of what we do is the thrill of (hopefully, thoughtful/intelligent) conversation. WatchThis W/RickRamos has afforded your two hosts the opportunity to maintain, grow, and strengthen our friendship. The fact that there exists an audience interested in where these ideas, thoughts, and opinions are platformed only emboldens our belief that criticism and conversation can be a welcomed and fascinating artform. We thank you for your nearly decade-long dedication to this show. We put a great deal of heart and soul into each episode. Take a listen as we go back to reminisce on our favorite episodes, the origins of the show, and the development into a platform for intelligent conversation. Many Thanks - We can be reached at gondoramos@yahoo.com

For those of you who would like to donate to this undying labor of love, you can do so with a contribution at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/watchrickramos   - Anything and Everything is appreciated, You Cheap Bastards.

 

Direct download: Reflections500Episodes.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:36am EDT

Nature Finds a Way: Steven Spielberg's Jurassic Park

This week Ibrahim & I close out the month with a fan favorite, a ground-breaking special effects extravaganza, the emergence of a new cinematic tool, and a hint at the cinematic world to come. This week we close out our look at blockbusters bookending Steven Spielberg's 1975 Jaws with his 1993 look at Jaws on land - Jurassic Park. This was a fun time looking back on a classic and examining how it changed the face of filmmaking. There's a whole lot to cover here - Mr. Chavez's fascination with the film, its role in Spielberg's filmography, the relationship to Jaws, and the ushering in of CGI as a mainstay of filmmaking. We discuss all of this as well as the performances of Sam Neill, Laura Dern, Sir Richard Attenborough, Wayne Kramer, Samuel L. Jackson, and - of course - Jeff Goldblum. It's a fun talk. Take a listen. As always, we can be reached at gondoramos@yahoo.com

For those of you who would like to donate to this undying labor of love, you can do so with a contribution at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/watchrickramos  - Anything and Everything is appreciated, You Cheap Bastards.

Direct download: JurassicParkFinal.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:40pm EDT

Lady War Rig: George Miller's Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga 

This week we focus on a soon to be classic prequel to - arguably - the best action film of the 21st Century . . . the continuing George Miller saga - Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga. Featuring an incredible Ana Taylor-Joy, taking over the Imperator Furiosa role originated by Charlize Theron in Miller's 2015 Mad Max: Fury Road, Taylor-Joy (and as the much younger Furiosa, Alyla Browne) and Chris Hemsworth as the Warlord Leader Dementus. This is a truly incredible cinematic feat that has been pulled off by the 79 year old Australian filmmaker. Little can be said in this description and all should be left to listening to the episode. Take a listen to one of the best times that Mr. Chavez and I have had doing WatchThis W/RickRamos. Thanks for the continued love and supprot. We can still be reached at gondoramos@yahoo.com

For those of you who would like to donate to this undying labor of love, you can do so with a contribution at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/watchrickramos  - Anything and Everything is appreciated, You Cheap Bastards.

Direct download: FuriosaFinalEdit.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:18pm EDT

Yippee-Ki-Yay, M*#^%$F@!^!#: John McTiernan's Die Hard 

This week a 1980s Action Classic . . . John McTiernan's Die Hard (1988). A huge gamble for 20th Century Fox in the late 1980s, Die Hard remains the standard for "everyman" action films. Before the character would become a superhero, impervious to any and all pain, John McClane was a New York cop, visiting Los Angeles, and struggling to keep his ego, anger, and jealousy in check in a Christmas Eve attempt to win back his estranged wife. We all know the story . . . Terrorists (?) take over Nakatomi Plaza and all that stands between their nefarious plans, freedom and (spoiler alert) $650 million is John McClane. What could have been an obvious and forgettable action film chooses to go against the grain and - thus - creates the archetype for the "everyman" hero. There are moments throughout McTiernan's film that would set the template and move away from the indestructible and introduce a relatable and vulnerable hero. 

With a great supporting cast including: Bonnie Bedelia (Holly Gennaro McClane), Reginald VelJohnson (Sgt. Al Powell), Alexander Godunov (Karl), William Atherton (Thornburg), and in a star-making turn, Alan Rickman as Hans Gruber. This is a great action relic and one that we were thrilled to re-visit. Take a listen and remember a great time. Thanks for the continued love and support. You can reach us at gondoramos@yahoo.com

For those of you who would like to donate to this undying labor of love, you can do so with a contribution at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/watchrickramos  - Anything and Everything is appreciated, You Cheap Bastards. 

 

Direct download: DieHardFinalCut.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:46am EDT

Like Looking in the Mirror, Only Not: John Woo's Face/Off

This week Mr. Chavez and I continue our look at blockbusters with this 1997 John 
Woo Classic of stylized violence, ridiculous plotting, and unbridled overacting . . . we are - of course - talking about Woo's Face/Off. There's no way to really get into how utterly ridiculous this film is for an episode synopsis, but I will say that it was a fun utterly moronic ride into the past. John Travolta (riding the waves of Pulp Fiction that would carry him through to the end of the century) and Nicolas Cage unrestrained and without any sense of shame . . . Cage at His Most Cagiest.

Through all of the fun, Ibrahim and I also discuss Woo's foray into Hollywood filmmaking and the troubles he would find translating his sense of heroic honor to a culture that would find it campy (essentially why do none of Woo's signature cinematic touches work in  Face/Off, but are so incredible and beautifully realized in such masterpieces as The KillerHard-Boiled, and Bullet in the Head?). Join us as we devote more discussion than this film deserves and still recognize it as a great fun time at a bad movie. Let us know what you think - gondoramos@yahoo.com

For those of you who would like to donate to this undying labor of love, you can do so with a contribution at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/watchrickramos  - Anything and Everything is appreciated, You Cheap Bastards.

Direct download: Face_OffFinal.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:26am EDT

Like a Doll's Eyes: Steven Spielberg's JAWS

This week, a classic . . . in 1975 Steven Spielberg changed the face of cinema with his adaptation of Peter Benchley's 1974 novel Jaws.  The story of a man-eating shark terrorizing a small island community, Jaws would usher in a new era of moviegoing. There's little that should be written in this episode synopsis; the history and legacy of Spielberg's film is well known. But conversation is always a good time, and we would love for you to join us as we break down this classic. From casting (Schreider/Dreyfuss/Shaw), shotting on the ocean, a mechanical shark - constantly breaking down, and that iconic Indianapolis speech, we cover the impact and our love for this masterpiece. Take a listen and let us know what you think at gondoramos@yahoo.com 

For those of you who would like to donate to this undying labor of love, you can do so with a contribution at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/watchrickramos  - Anything and Everything is appreciated, You Cheap Bastards.

Direct download: JawsFinal.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:14pm EDT

Make a Move and the Bunny Gets It: Simon West's Con Air  

This week Mr. Chavez & I celebrate bad cinema with a look at the 1997 Simon West Action/Comedy/Prison/B-Movie Character Actor Extravaganza Con Air. Based on a real-life judicial system prison transport program, Con Air is an embarassing and exaggerated look at 1990s Hollywood Action Cinema. Featuring a slew of character actors (M.C. Gainey - Swamp Thing, Danny Trejo - Johnny 23, Mykelti Williamson - Baby-O), a future star (Dave Chappelle - Pinball Parker), and respected stars slumming: (Ving Rhames - Diamond Dog, John Cusack - U.S. Marshall Vince Larkin, Steve Buscemi - Garland The Marietta Mangler Greene, John Malkovich - Cyrus the Virus, and - rounding it all out with a ridiculous mullet and equally embarassing Alabama accent, Nicolas Cage - Cameron Poe). An incredible production of 90s excess, pyrotechnics, and ridiculousness - Con Air is the definition of a film that is so bad in so many ways that it becomes endearing. This is a fun conversation where we defend our low-brow enjoyment of pointless and simplistic entertainment. Let us know what you think. As always we can be reached at gondoramos@yahoo.com - Many Thanks. 

For those of you who would like to donate to this undying labor of love, you can do so with a contribution at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/watchrickramos   - Anything and Everything is appreciated, You Cheap Bastards. 

 

Direct download: ConAirFinal.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:57pm EDT

Obvious Action, Patriotic Porn: Michael Bay's The Rock

This week Mr. Chavez & I dive into the world of 1990s Big Budget, Over-Hyped & Underwritten, Garbage Cinema with one of the best that would come out of the Don Simpson/Jerry Bruckheimer Machine, Michael Bay's 1996 opus The RockFeaturing Nicholas Cage (in the first of a series of big-budgeted, ridiculous films), Sir Sean Connery, David Morse, and Ed Harris (in a performance out of touch with this particular film), along with a who's who of 90s  character actors inclluding: John Spencer, Phillip Baker Hall, Claire Forlani, Bokeem Woodbine, Tony Todd, Michael Biehn, and William Forsyth. This is absolutely the definition of "so bad it's good" with Michael Bay leading his cast into battle, while building on a Bruckheimer aesthetic that would overwhelm every following Bruckheimer release. It's a fun talk. Take a listen and judge for yourself. As always, we can be reached at gondoramos@yahoo.com 

For those of you who would like to donate to this undying labor of love, you can do so with a contribution at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/watchrickramos  - Anything and Everything is appreciated, You Cheap Bastards..

Direct download: TheRockFinal.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:49am EDT

The Bailey Effect: Frank Capra's It's a Wonderful Life

This week Ibrahim & I re-watch a classic (Thank You - Anonymous Donor, Someone), Frank Capra's 1946 Jimmy Stewart/Donna Reed Classic It's a Wonderful LifeFew films have captured the public's hearts and imaginations like Capra's look at the life of Bedford Falls' George Bailey - A man with big dreams hobbled by the responsibilties and challenges of life. A kind of Christmas Carol re-telling from the Bob Cratchett point of view, Capra's look at pre-war thru World War II Small Town America, is a film that has been honored, cribbed from, parodied, and beloved by American audiences and audiences throughout the world. A financial failure upon it's 1946 theatrical release, Wonderful Life was re-discovered in the late 1970s when it's copyright expired and it was gobbled up by UHF and other public television stations, airing nearly round the clock during the holiday season. A paint-by-numbers story of goodness and American values, Capra's "little story" of one man's life and the effects it has had throughout his community is magical, touching, and - ultimately - inspiring. 

Thank you for your continued support. As always we can be reached at gondoramos@yahoo.com

For those of you who would like to donate to this undying labor of love, you can do so with a donation at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/watchrickramos - Anything and Everything is appreciated, You Cheap Bastards.

Direct download: WonderulLife.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:57pm EDT

A Fighter's Journey: The Rocky Saga & Legacy

This week Mr. Chavez & I continue our look at Sylvester Stallone's 1976 Oscar-Winning creation, Rocky Balboa. For nearly five decades Stallone's Balboa has captured the hearts of the American public. An underdog character that has appeared seven times on the big screen, Balboa's story has run the gamut of emotions featuring deaths, births, disappointments and success. It's a paint by numbers story that the public continues to eagerly swallow. Why is this the case? On this week's episode Mr. Chavez & I attempt to understand and answer this question. There's a great deal to unpack in this episode . . . we hope that your are interested in joining us in finding the answers. 

As always we can be reached at gondoramos@yahoo.com. You're comments and questions are always appreciated.

For those of you who would like to donate to this undying labor of love, you can do so with a donation at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/watchrickramos - Anything and Everything is appreciated, You Cheap Bastards.

Direct download: ROCKYBALBOAFinal.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:20am EDT

America's Underdog: John G. Avildsen's Rocky & Sylvester Stallone's Rocky II

Jumping into the world of underdogs (last week's Popeye), Mr. Chavez & I look at one of the great American Cinematic creations - Rocky Balboa. The Balboa character's screenplay origin rivals that of the character's struggle in the film(s). From a real life adaptation of the 70s Muhammad Ali/Chuck Wepner bout, Stallone is legendary for having written Rocky and forcing studios to accept him as the lead in order to produce the film. It was an incredible gamble that paid of beautifully for Stallone. This week we look at the character, the role of the hero, Rocky's place in 70s Cinema, and the beginning of the legacy of the original film - and character - that would continue for close to fifty years. Take a listen as we look at these first two films and their importance in and for the American public. You can reach us at gondoramos@yahoo.com. Many Thanks. 

 For those of you who would like to donate to this undying labor of love, you can do so with a donation at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/watchrickramos - Anything and Everything is appreciated, You Cheap Bastards.

Direct download: RockyPartI.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:35am EDT

Comic Strip Underdog: Robert Altman's Popeye

This week we look to the fans with a special episode dedicated to WatchThis supporter, Jorge Saucedo. Mr. Saucedo asked that we take a look at the much-maligned 1980 Robert Altman comic strip adaptation, Popeye. This was a great time re-visiting a classic of my youth and, although Popeye is not Mr. Chavez's type of film - good guy hero, comic strip adaptation, musical - there is a great deal that he admired in this 80s Classic. Featuring Robin Williams (in his debut role) as the famed Sailor Man, a supporting cast including: Ray Walston (Poopdeck Pappy) Paul Dooley (Wimpy), Paul L. Smith (Bluto), Bill Irwin (Ham Gravy), Richad LIbertini (George W. Geezil), and - in perfect casting - Shelley Duvall as Olive Oyl, Popeye is a film that is remembered fondly. For too long it  has been unfairly labeled a "disaster", but the truth is it is a charming, beautiful, and light-hearted adaptation of the E.C. Segar comic strips of the 1930s. This was a fun time remembering a classic of the 1980s. We hope you like what we have to say. Thanks for the continued support. We can be reached at gondoramos@yahoo.com.

 For those of you who would like to donate to this undying labor of love, you can do so with a donation at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/watchrickramos  - Anything and Everything is appreciated, You Cheap Bastards.

Direct download: PopeyeFinalIMovie.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:41am EDT

We'll Always Have Aqaba - David Lean's Lawrence of Arabia

Few films are able to live up to the label of "epic".  In 1962 David Lean created one of the great epic masterpieces of cinema, Lawrence of Arabia. Based on the life of British archaeologist, army officer, diplomat, and write, T.E. Lawrence, Lean's film chronicles Lawrence's involvement in the Arab Revolt (1916-1918), his life among his adopted tribal families and his struggles with loyalty to the Arab tribes, the dessert, and his ties to his British roots. Lean's film is an epic in every way; from beautiful 70mm cinematography (lensed by the great Freddie Young) majestic and engrossing music from Maurice Jarre, and the incredible editing of Anne V. Coates (all three Academy Award winners for the film). Introducing Peter O'Toole and Omar Shariff, Lean would help create two of the great international stars Cinema has known. It's a thrill for Mr. Chavez and I to sit down, watch, remember, and discuss this powerful, overwhelming, and life-changing film. Take a listen as we dig into the history of The Middle East, the reception and legacy of this film, and comparisons to other "White Saviour" stories. It's a damn good talk. We hope you'll enjoy. Let us know what you think - gondoramos@yahoo.com

For those of you who would like to donate to this undying labor of love, you can do so with a donation at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/watchrickramos  - Anything and Everything is appreciated, You Cheap Bastards.

Direct download: LawrenceofArabiaFinal.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:21am EDT

Frank Herbert's Burden: Denis Villeneuve's Dune Part 2

This week Mr. Chavez & I return to Planet Arrakis for the conclusion (a lie) of Frank Herbert's Sci-Fi Classic, DuneWe partly imagined that this would be more of our previous look at this film (Episode #353), however we were able to find more to complain about. Take a listen as we fortify our stance in the minority opinion regarding this "WhiteSaviour" epic. It's an interesting talk with a lot to unpack. As always we can be reached at gondoramos@yahoo.com.

For those of you who would like to donate to this undying labor of love, you can do so with a donation at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/watchrickramos  - Anything and Everything is appreciated, You Cheap Bastards.

Direct download: DunePart2Final.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:30pm EDT

Woman in Trouble; Audience Perplexed: David Lynch's Inland Empire 

Few filmmakers can live up to the title "auteur" . . . David Lynch almost requires the use of it. From daring soundtracks through troubling narratives and controversial story elements, fascinatingly over the top performances and strange journeys into the subconscious, Lynch has left audiences reeling with confusion and excitement for over forty years. On this week's episode Mr. Chavez and I take a look at his last theatrical release 2006s Inland Empire. It's as if everything that has come before has been building towards this strange and captivating three-hour long journey into the mind, fantasy, fears, reality, and imagination of an actress facing the role of her career . . . But is that what it's really about? Who knows. The fun is in the descent into Lynch's rabbit hole. Take a listen as we take a deep dive into the unknown. As always we can be reached at gondoramos@yahoo.com. Our continued love and thanks. 

For those of you who would like to donate to this undying labor of love, you can do so with a donation at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/watchrickramos  - Anything and Everything is appreciated, You Cheap Bastards.

Direct download: InlandEmpireFinal.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:58pm EDT

Broken Mirror: Darren Aronofsky's Black Swan

Fun talk . . . This week Mr. Chavez and I continue to look at the films of Darren Aronofsky with this discussion of his 2010, Five Time Oscar Nominated (Including Best Picture and Director, and Winner for Best Actress - Natalie Portman) look at the world of Ballet. Aronofsky's film is a tense and often brutal look at the world of artistic perfection featuring a dynamic and fearless performance from Natalie Portman as Nina Sayers, a young ballerina given the opportunity of a lifetime to lead a production of Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake. Questions of perfection, training, direction, maninpulation, and sexual harassment are tackled in this layered and frightening film. Take a listen as Mr. Chavez and I look at the film, the culture that spawns it, and the history of such art, lies, sacrifice, and abuse. It's a damn good talk. Let us know what you think - gondoramos@yahoo.com

For those of you who would like to donate to this undying labor of love, you can do so with a donation at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/watchrickramos - Anything and Everything is appreciated, You Cheap Bastards.

Direct download: BlackSwanFinal.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:56am EDT

Souls Dead, Eyes Dilated: Darren Aronofsky's Requiem for a Dream

On this week's episode Mr. Chavez & I sit down for a re-watch of Darren Aronofsky's second feature, Requiem for a Dream, based on the 1978 novel by Hubert Selby Jr. Aronofsky's adaptation is a tragic and often times painful viewing of heroin addiction and the victims (Jared Leto, Marlon Wayans, and Jennifer Connelly) it leaves in its wake. Aronofsky and Selby contrast heroin addiction with the more "acceptable" and less recognized addiction of prescription diet pills embodied in the struggles of Ellen Burstyn's Sara Goldfarb character as she struggles to lose weight and slowly slips into madness.

With brutal and traumatizing imagery, Aronofsky's film is a chilling look into the world of addiction. This week Mr. Chavez & I are thrilled to discuss this difficult, painful, and enlightening film. Take a listen and let us know what you think. We continue to be open to messages - gondoramos@yahoo.com. Many Thanks for your continued love and support. 

For those of you who would like to donate to this undying labor of love, you can do so with a donation at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/watchrickramos   - Anything and Everything is appreciated from you Cheap Bastards.

Direct download: RequiemForADream.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:00pm EDT

Mima's Room: Satoshi Kon's Perfect Blue 

This week we thank long time listener and Buy Me a Coffee supporter, Cornelius Burroughs with a viewing and discussion of Satoshi Kon's Perfect Blue. Mr. Burroughs was kind enough to gift me a blu-ray copy of this Classic Japanese Anime many years ago . . . I have finally made the time to watch it and am eager for listeners to hear our admiring, problematic, and conflicted opinions of this film. This is a great discussion that has forced - at least this moviewatcher - an intense critical and psychological understanding of cinema, genre, format, and expectations. Mr. Chavez and I dive head first into this wonderfully telling and suprising (for us at least) experience. Take a listen and let us know what you think (gondoramos@yahoo.com), and - once again - thank you Mr. Burroughs, You Are Appreciated. 

For those of you who would like to donate to this undying labor of love, you can do so with a donation at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/watchrickramos - Anything and Everything is appreciated from you Cheap Bastards.

Direct download: PerfectBlueFinal.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:13pm EDT

From Cute & Cuddly to Killer: Joe Dante's Gremlins and Gremlins 2: The New Batch

This week Mr. Chavez & I continue our stroll through the 1980s with a look at a stange kind of Comedy/Puppetry/Action/Horror hybrid, Joe Dante's Gremlins (1984). Dante - a graduate of the Roger Corman School of Low-Budget Filmmaking - is one of the most criminally underappreciated directors of the 1980s and 1990s. The HowlingExplorersThe 'BurbsMatinee, Innerspace, and Looney Tunes: Back in Action . . . Joe Dante has been a reliable, solid, and inventive filmmaker. Gremlins is what he calls, "the movie I'm going to be remembered for. If I get hit by a bus tomorrow, the headline is going to be 'Gremlins Director Hit By Bus'. I'll never do something that'll outlast that in terms of the public image of who I am – which is fine with me." Dante shouldn't be limited to this, but I will say that the both Gremlins films are exceptional and it was a thrill to return to them and have one of our wonderfully insightful talks. Take a listen and let us know what you think. As always, you can reach us at gondoramos@yahoo.com

For those of you who would like to donate to this undying labor of love, you can do so with a donation at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/watchrickramos  - Anything and Everything is appreciated from you Cheap Bastards.

Direct download: Gremlins12.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:03am EDT

What's Out There: Ridley Scott's Alien and John Carpenter's The Thing

This week we take a look at two of the greatest Science-Fiction/Horror films in the History of Cinema: Ridley Scott's Alien (1979) and John Carpenter's The Thing (1982) We've talked about both of these films throughout the history of the podcast, however on this go-around we take a slightly different approach, looking at the similarities between the films, the differences, the influences, and how each film has adhered to and expanded the genres. Take a listen as we go back to a well that never seems to go dry. It's a fun talk that we think you'll enjoy. You can reach us at gondoramos@yahoo.com with your comments. Many Thanks. 

For those of you who would like to donate to this undying labor of love, you can do so with a donation at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/watchrickramos - Anything and Everything is appreciated from you cheap bastards. 

Direct download: CarpenterScott_TheThing-Alien.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:04am EDT

A Safe Alien for the Box Office: Steven Spielberg's E.T. The Extra Terrestrial

This week Mr. Chavez & I shift our focus from the dangers of extra terrestrial life to the cute and cuddly alien that captivated audiences in 1982 - Steven Spielberg's E.T. The Extra Terrestrial. At the time, the biggest box office hit in the history of cinema (a title it would hold until Spielberg's own Jurassic Park eleven years later), E.T. The Extra Terrestrial, is a film that has stayed in the public consciousness for the better part of four decades . . . But is it really as good as we remember? This week we look back and answer that question with an examination of the film, the time in which it was made, and its standing among other films of the genre, year, and culture. Take a listen - it's a fun discussion. Hit us up at gondoramos@yahoo.com to let us know what you think. Many Thanks.

We continue to look to you good and loyal listeners for support. If you have listened and enjoyed our bantering over these nearly eight years please feel free to support us with a monetary contribution. We're not asking for a whole lot. Whatever you can give is appreciated. 2024 is promising to be an incredible year filled with great discussions. Help us make this possible. We appreciate anything You Cheap Bastards can give. Follow the link below to contribute.  Our Continued Thanks.

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/watchrickramos 

 

Direct download: SpielbergsET.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:02am EDT

Paradise Lost - Ridley Scott's Alien: Covenant

This week brings us to the end of our look into the Alien franchise with a discussion of Ridley Scott's final journey into the world he introduced audiences to in 1979. 2017's Alien: Covenant did a great deal to explain the origin of the xenomorphs and the space jockey, however an equal number of questions arose. As we await the release of Alien: Romulus in the summer of 2024 it's our duty to look at Ridley Scott's conclusion and discuss this multi-layered and beautifully textured film. From the production design through the cinematography and performances, Alien: Covenant is a wonderful coda to Ridley Scott's direction in this series. Take a listen as we dig deep into this film, Scott's previous film - Prometheus - and our theories on the final film and the series as a whole. It's a good talk. Let us know what you think at gondoramos@yahoo.com. Many Thanks. 

We continue to look to you good and loyal listeners for support. If you have listened and enjoyed our bantering over these nearly eight years please feel free to support us with a monetary contribution. We're not asking for a whole lot. Whatever you can give is appreciated. 2024 is promising to be an incredible year filled with great discussions. Help us make this possible. We appreciate anything You Cheap Bastards can give. Follow the link below to contribute.  Our Continued Thanks.

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/watchrickramos

 

Direct download: AlienCovenant.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:10am EDT

F*cked Around and Found Out: Ridley Scott's Prometheus 

It's rare that a director can tell a story, go on to fabulous critical and commercial success, and return to his origins, answering questions that have hovered around a franchise for decades, while doing so in an exciting and innovative way. Ridley Scott's Alien introduced one of the great Science Fiction/Horror creatures. In 2012 Scott would return to the world he created in 1979 with his prequel Prometheus. A film that confused and angered a great many audiences for taking an unexpected direction in storytelling, Scott's prequel would focus on the origin of the "Space Jockey" first seen in the original film. From that jumping point Scott would fashion an exciting and  action-packed narrative rare (for a major studio release) in the questions it would ask regarding human origins and purpose. Take a listen as Mr. Chavez and I go back and forth with our impressions of the film. It's a good talk that we're sure you'll enjoy. As always, we can be reached at gondoramos@yahoo.com. Our Continued Thanks. 

We continue to look to you good and loyal listeners for support. If you have listened and enjoyed our bantering over these nearly eight years please feel free to support us with a monetary contribution. We're not asking for a whole lot. Whatever you can give is appreciated. 2024 is promising to be an incredible year filled with great discussions. Help us make this possible. We appreciate anything You Cheap Bastards can give. Follow the link below to contribute.  Our Continued Thanks.

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/watchrickramos

 

Direct download: PrometheusFinal.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:34am EDT

Dead on Arrival: John-Pierre Jeunet's Alien Resurrection

Closing in on the end of the month brings us to the end of the original Alien franchise. 1997s Alien Resurrection is a ridiculous mess of a film that is a final disappointing period to one of the greatest Horror/Sci-Fi franchises in the history of cinema. From a script by Joss Whedon and direction from Jean-Pierre Jeunet, Alien Ressurrection badly fumbles the beauty, intensity, and  legacy of the first two films and the potential of what the third film should (and could) have been. There's a whole lot to get out in this discussion. We hope that you listen with an open mind and an understanding of our mutual disappointment in the final curtain call of Lieutenant First Class, Ellen Louise Ripley. She deserved better. Take a listen and let us know what you think. As always, we can be reached at gondoramos@yahoo.com.

We continue to look to you good and loyal listeners for support. If you have listened and enjoyed our bantering over these nearly eight years please feel free to support us with a monetary contribution. We're not asking for a whole lot. Whatever you can give is appreciated. 2024 is promising to be an incredible year filled with great discussions. Help us make this possible. We appreciate anything You Cheap Bastards can give. Follow the link below to contribute.  Our Continued Thanks.

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/watchrickramos

 

Direct download: AlienResurrection.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:30pm EDT

 

Dragon, Mother, Queen: Not David Fincher’s Alien 3 

Continuing our descent into the world created in 1979's Alien and continued with 1986's Aliensthis week Mr. Chavez & I find ourselves crash landing on Fiorina "Fury" 161 - a foundry and maximum-security planet prison. David Fincher (in his feature directorial debut) takes the helm for 1992's Alien 3Arguably the most beautifully photographed and intricately detailed entry (production design wise) in the Alien series, Fincher's work in commercials and music videos greatly influenced the look of this film. There's a whole lot going on here and therein lies the problem. Alien 3 is a troubled result of studio interference, Fincher's in-experience as a first-time director, budgetary problems, and a lack of a finished and complete script. There are ideas that are not clearly realized, storylines that are problematically resolved, a theatrical cut and an "assembly cut" (note: not a "director's cut"), cut scenes, and re-shoots that hinder and deviate from Fincher's original vision for the film. It's a film with a troubled history and, yet, one that has developed a following and hinted at the genius that would evolve in Fincher's later films. It's a thrill for Ibrahim & myself to sit down and re-visit this film. Take a listen and let us know what you think. We can be reached at gondoramos@yahoo.com. Thanks for the continued love. 

A New Year brings with it The Same Old Needs . . . We continue to look to you good and loyal listeners for support. If you have listened and enjoyed our bantering over these nearly eight years please feel free to support us with a monetary contribution. We're not asking for a whole lot. Whatever you can give is appreciated. 2024 is promising to be an incredible year filled with great discussions. Help us make this possible. We appreciate anything You Cheap Bastards can give. Follow the link below to contribute.  Our Continued Thanks.

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/watchrickramos

 

Direct download: Fincher-Alien3.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:56pm EDT

Unfinished Business: James Cameron's Aliens 

This week Ibrahim & I return to LV-426. 57 years later - but feeling more like seven - James Cameron takes over the reins for the masterpiece created by Sir Ridley Scott. 1979's Alien would change the Sci-Fi genre. An incredibly influential work of cinema, the film would influence any number of directors, with James Cameron springboarding off of the world created by Scott and moving the genre from Horror/Sci-Fi to Military/Sci-Fi. Analogous to the Vietnam War, Cameron's film is a brutal and unrelenting rollercoaster ride that -although not surpassing the original film - is nonetheless an incredible piece of practical filmmaking, utilizing miniature work, puppetry, animatronics, forced perspective, and rear projection. Thirty-eight years later Aliens continues to captivate, compel, frighten, and entertain. Mr. Chavez and I are thrilled to continue diving into this great Science Fiction series. Tell us what you think - We can be reached at gondoramos@yahoo.com

A New Year brings with it The Same Old Needs . . . We continue to look to you good and loyal listeners for support. If you have listened and enjoyed our bantering over these nearly eight years please feel free to support us with a monetary contribution. We're not asking for a whole lot. Whatever you can give is appreciated. 2024 is promising to be an incredible year filled with great discussions. Help us make this possible. We appreciate anything You Cheap Bastards can give. Follow the link below to contribute.  Our Continued Thanks.

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/watchrickramos

 

Direct download: JamesCameronsALIENS.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:42pm EDT

Crew Expendable: Ridley Scott's Alien 

Might as well not screw around and start 2024 with a bang . . . This month Mr. Chavez and I dive into the world of Ellen Ripley and the Xenomorphs. At this point it's been nearly 45 years since we were first introduced to the crew of the Nostromo: Tom Skerritt, Veronica Cartwright, Harry Dean Stanton, Ian Holm, John Hurt, Yaphet Kotto, and - in her film debut - Sigourney Weaver. Scott (in his second feature) created a science fiction world unlike anything seen before and rarely equaled since. Taking a Horror staple (monster/haunted house) that could have easily been a cliché-ridden embarassment, Scott crafted a new vision that leaned heavily on the practical and portrayed a future that we could realistically expect. Take a listen as Mr. Chavez and I dive into this six film series (we will be ignoring the Alien vs. Predator embarrassments and any novelizations or comic books). As always, we can be reached at gondoramos@yahoo.com. Many Thanks.

A New Year brings with it The Same Old Needs . . . We continue to look to you good and loyal listeners for support. If you have listened and enjoyed our bantering over these nearly eight years please feel free to support us with a monetary contribution. We're not asking for a whole lot. Whatever you can give is appreciated. 2024 is promising to be an incredible year filled with great discussions. Help us make this possible. We appreciate anything You Cheap Bastards can give. Follow the link below to contribute.  Our Continued Thanks.


https://www.buymeacoffee.com/watchrickramos

 

Direct download: RidleyScottsAlien.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:00am EDT

L.A. After Midnight: Dan Gilroy's Nightcrawler

Finishing December and starting 2024. (Sorry, we're a bit late getting this one out.) A continuation and closing out of Ibrahim Chavez's Los Angeles. We've talked James Ellroy, Charles Bukowski, Thom Andersen, and Paul Schrader's Los Angeles. This week we filter the darkest, most cynical, and bleakest impressions of Los Angeles through the tabloid and exploitative lens of television news in Dan Gilroy's 2014 NightcrawlerFeaturing a powerful and disturbing performance from Jake Gyllenhaal, Nightcrawler is one of the great films of the 2010s. Take a listen as Mr. Chavez and I re-visit this film, looking at the role of news reporting in today's world and the power of the image in captivating, intriguing, and frightening audiences. Take a listen and let us know what you think. We can be reached at gondoramos@yahoo.com

As always, we continue to look to you good and loyal listeners for support. If you have listened and enjoyed our bantering over these nearly eight years please feel free to support us with a monetary contribution. We're not asking for a whole lot. Whatever you can give is appreciated. The holidays are coming an we could use the help. Stop being cheap bastards and give what you can. Follow the link below to contribute.  Our Continued Thanks.

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/watchrickramos

 

Direct download: Nightcrawler.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:29pm EDT

Bukowski's Drunken Streets: Marco Ferreri's Tales of Ordinary Madness

Continuing our exploration of The City of Angels, Mr. Chavez & I dive into the great Los Angeles novelist, short story writer, poet, and "Dirty Old Man" Henry Charles Bukowski (1920 - 1994). Bukowski holds a special place in my heart and memories; Beginning with Notes of a Dirty Old Man and continuing through novels (Women, Ham on Rye), a screenplay (Barfly), and numerous poetry collections (War All the Time: Poems 1981-1984, Septuagenerian Stew: Stories and Poems, The Last Night of the Earth Poems), I have been a fan of Bukowski's work for the better part of three and a half decades. Bukowski's writings depict Los Angeles in a way that few wrtiers are able to match. This week we look at "Bukowski's Los Angeles" as depicted in Marco Ferreri's 1981 adaptation of the short story collection, Erections, Ejaculations, Exhibitions, and General Tales of Ordinary Madness as Tales of Ordinary Madness featuring Ben Gazarra as Bukowski's alter ego, Henry Chinaski (in the film Charles Serking). A not altogether successful adaptation of Bukowski's work, there is still a great deal to discuss in the failure of Ferreri to capture Bukowski's words, actions, life, and city. Take a listen and let us know what you think. We can be reached at gondoramos@yahoo.com. Many Thanks. 

As always, we continue to look to you good and loyal listeners for support. If you have listened and enjoyed our bantering over these nearly eight years please feel free to support us with a monetary contribution. We're not asking for a whole lot. Whatever you can give is appreciated. The holidays are coming an we could use the help. Stop being cheap bastards and give what you can. Follow the link below to contribute.  Our Continued Thanks.

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/watchrickramos

 

 

Direct download: BukowskisLosAngeles.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:06am EDT

Down These Dark Streets: James Ellroy - Feast of Death

Continuing our travels through Los Angeles, Mr. Chavez & I focus our discussion on the great LA Crime (Historical Crime) Novelist, James Ellroy. Famous for his LA Quartet - including The Black DahliaL.A. ConfidentialThe Big Nowhere, and White Jazz, as well as the autobiographical My Dark Places, Ellroy has written some of the most celebrated and polariizing Los Angeles based novels of the last century. His examination of the L.A. Police Department, criminals, murders, and (fictionalized) historical characters is unlike anything else in modern day fiction. It's a thrill to sit down and discuss this bold, brazen, and difficult writer. Take a listen and let us know what you think. We can still be reached at gondoramos@yahoo.com 

As always, we continue to look to you good and loyal listeners for support. If you have listened and enjoyed our bantering over these nearly eight years please feel free to support us with a monetary contribution. We're not asking for a whole lot. Whatever you can give is appreciated. The holidays are coming an we could use the help. Stop being cheap bastards and give what you can. Follow the link below to contribute.  Our Continued Thanks.


https://www.buymeacoffee.com/watchrickramos

 

Direct download: Ellroy.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:02pm EDT

Another Lost Angel: Paul Schrader's Hardcore

This week we continue our descent into Ibrahim Chavez's Los Angeles with a look at Taxi Driver screenwriter, Paul Schrader's blunt and brutal examination of the Los Angeles/San Diego/San Francisco sex trade of the late 1970s. Schrader's upbringing in a strict Calvinist environment would shape his social outlook and influence his abandonment of religion and drive towards sexual and cultural freedoms. Much like his screenplay for Taxi Driver, Schrader's Hardcore would take inspiration from John Ford's classic The Searchers, replacing the racism of that film with a difficult and controversial look at the world of pornography and the restrictive worlds that feed into it. Featuring George C. Scott in a powerful - at times sad and other times unlikable - performance of a man searching for his lost (runaway?) daughter, Season Hubley as a sex worker  he employs to lead him into this foreign world, and Peter Boyle as a smarmy, degenerate and exceptionally effective private detective. Schrader's sophomore directorial effort is a wondrous relic of California in the 1970s. Take a listen and give the film a watch. You can always reach us at gondoramos@yahoo.com. We look forward to hearing from you. 

As always, we continue to look to you good and loyal listeners for support. If you have listened and enjoyed our bantering over these nearly eight years please feel free to support us with a monetary contribution. We're not asking for a whole lot. Whatever you can give is appreciated. The holidays are coming an we could use the help. Stop being cheap bastards and give what you can. Follow the link below to contribute.  Our Continued Thanks.


https://www.buymeacoffee.com/watchrickramos

 

Direct download: Hardcore_-_WatchThis_W_RickRamos.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:37am EDT

At Night and From a Distance: Thom Andersen's Los Angeles Plays Itself

We're starting the month of December (and ending 2023) with a dive into Los Angeles in a month of programming curated by our own Ibrahim Chavez. Our first episode of December is a look at film critic and teacher, Thom Andersen's "video essay" Los Angeles Plays Itself (2003). A legend in the world of documentary filmmaking, Andersen's film was seen sporadically in screenings set up by Andersen, showings at the American Cinematheque in Los Angeles (Hollywood), and filesharings through film lovers. In 2014 the film film was finally released on DVD through Cinema Guild and can also be seen (for free) on YouTube. 

Examining the city of Los Angeles in three distinctive categories (Background/Character/Subject), Andersen's film is a love letter to the city and cinema itself. Questions are asked and Answers are forwarded. Take a listen and see if you agree with our thoughts on this wonderfully entertaining look at one of the world's great cities. You can reach us at gondoramos@yahoo.com to give us your thoughts.

As always, we continue to look to you good and loyal listeners for support. If you have listened and enjoyed our bantering over these nearly eight years please feel free to support us with a monetary contribution. We're not asking for a whole lot. Whatever you can give is appreciated. The holidays are coming an we could use the help. Stop being cheap bastards and give what you can. Follow the link below to contribute.  Our Continued Thanks.

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/watchrickramos 

Direct download: LaPlaysItselfFinal.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:11am EDT

Beyond Laughter: Richard Pryor - Live in Concert & Live on the Sunset Strip 

This week Mr. Chavez & I close out November with a look at - arguably - the greatest stand-up comic the craft has ever produced, Richard Franklin Lennox Thomas Pryor, Sr. I have been an admirer of Mr. Pryor for nearly five decades now and am unable to remember a time when I was not aware and was not in total awe of him. On this episode, Ibrahim & I look at the legacy of this great artist as well as the brilliance in both his material, delivery, and stage presence. We look at his two greatest artistic achievements, 1979s Richard Pryor: Live in Concert  and 1982s Richard Pryor: Live on the Sunset Strip. There is a whole lot to break down and we give it our all. Take a listen and let us know what you think - gondoramos@yahoo.com

As always, we continue to look to you good and loyal listeners for support. If you have listened and enjoyed our bantering over these nearly eight years please feel free to support us with a monetary contribution. We're not asking for a whole lot. Whatever you can give is appreciated. The holidays are coming an we could use the help. Stop being cheap bastards and give what you can. Follow the link below to contribute.  Our Continued Thanks.

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/watchrickramos

 

Direct download: RichardPryorFinal.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:46am EDT

Ransom: Akira Kurosawa's High & Low

There are no shortage of names that define our undersrtanding and foster our enjoyment of Cinema. Scorsese, Fellini, Bergman, Leone, Eisenstein, Spielberg, Chaplin, Keaton, Lumet, Ford, Hawks . . . the list could run for pages (and fortunately for us it does). There is a name that cannot be left off . . . Best known for his Jidaigeki - Historical (Action) Dramas - including Seven SamuraiYojimboRashomon, Throne of Blood, and The Hidden Fortress (to name a few), Kurosawa was a master at the modern drama, as well. IkiruThe Bad Sleep WellDrunken AngelStray Dog are a few of his modern explorations of Japanese life after the war. A masterpiece (rarely discussed and criminally underseen) is 1963's High & Low. Adapted from Ed McBain's 87th Precinct series of crime novels, High & Low is a beautiflly nuanced and brilliantly tension-guided police procedural. Re-teaming in their fifteenth (of sixteen) collaborations, Kurosawa and Toshiro Mifune come together to tell one of the greatest films in both mens' filmographies. This is an incredible film that Mr. Chavez and I are thrilled to bring to you. Take a listen and let us introduce you (or remind you if you are already familiar with) this wonderul film. 

Let us know what you think - gondoramos@yahoo.com

As always, we continue to look to you good and loyal listeners for support. If you have listened and enjoyed our bantering over these nearly eight years please feel free to support us with a monetary contribution. We're not asking for a whole lot. Whatever you can give is appreciated. The holidays are coming an we could use the help. Stop being cheap bastards and give what you can. Follow the link below to contribute.  Our Continued Thanks.

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/watchrickramos

 

Direct download: HighLowFinal.mp3
Category:Cinema -- posted at: 2:04am EDT

When a Promise Meant Something: Sean Penn's The Pledge 

November is the month of Rick Ramos and this week we continue - following Martin Scorsese's Killers of the Flower Moon and Walter Hill's Hard Times - with a look at Sean Penn's 2001 The Pledge. Featuring an underrated (and I would argue tragically underseen) Jack Nicholson performance that sidesteps all of the Nicholson tropes that we have become used to, Nicholson portrays Jerry Black, a police detective on the eve of his retirement who leaves his retirement party to investigate a young girl's rape and murder. He is quickly sucked into the horror of the crime and finds himself obsessed with discovering the truth and bringing the killer to justice. Penn's film takes all of the labored and tired tropes that have become standard for the genre and manipulates them in ways that make for a fresh directorial take. Featuring an all-star cast (that never screams of stunt casting) including: Sam Shepard, Helen Mirren, Aaron Eckhart, Patricia Clarkson, Michael O'Keefe, Vanessa Redgrave, Robin Wright Penn, Harry Dean Stanton, Benicio del Toro, Tom Noonan, and (an incredible) Mickey Rourke, the 2001 film is one that truly speaks to Penn's power and gifts behind the camera. Take a listen and let us know what you think. You can reach us at gondoramos@yahoo.com. Many Thanks. 

As always, we continue to look to you good and loyal listeners for support. If you have listened and enjoyed our bantering over these nearly eight years please feel free to support us with a monetary contribution. We're not asking for a whole lot. Whatever you can give is appreciated. The holidays are coming an we could use the help. Stop being cheap bastards and give what you can. Follow the link below to contribute.  Our Continued Thanks.

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/watchrickramos 

Direct download: ThePledgeFinalCut.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:31am EDT

Oil & Blood: Martin Scorsese's Killers of the Flower Moon

Take a listen as Mr. Chavez & I kick off the month of November with a series of films curated by your host and producer, Rick Ramos. We begin with a discussion of Martin Scorsese's newest film - currently in theaters - Killers of the Flower Moon, a beautifully realized adaptation of David Grann's 2017 non-fiction best seller, Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI.  Featuring exceptional performances from Leonardo DiCaprio, new comer Lily Gladstone, Jesse Plemons, John Lithgow, Tantoo Cardinal, Brendan Fraser, and a powerfully restrained Robert DeNiro, Killers of the Flower Moon is a beautifully told and powerfully moving dramatization of the Osage murders of the early 1920s. Scorsese has crafted a nuanced and gripping film that only time will allow the revelation of its complete impact. It was a pleasure to begin November with this film. Comments can be directed to gondoramos@yahoo.com

As always, we continue to look to you good and loyal listeners for support. If you have listened and enjoyed our bantering over these nearly eight years please feel free to support us with a monetary contribution. We're not asking for a whole lot. Whatever you can give is appreciated. The holidays are coming an we could use the help. Stop being cheap bastards and give what you can. Follow the link below to contribute.  Our Continued Thanks.

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Direct download: KofFMFinal.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:20am EDT

1933 . . . Words Didn't Buy Much - Walter Hill's Hard Times 

On this week's episode, Mr. Ramos celebrates his 49th birthday looking at the purpose and drive of WatchThis W/RickRamos, some of his favorite films, why he loves them as he does, and culminating with a look at one of his favorite films, Walter Hill's directorial debut, Hard Times (1975). Why this films is a longstanding favorite is a mystery, however it is one that our illustrious host works to understand. Featuring wonderful performances from Charles Bronson as Chaney, James Coburn as Speed, Strother Martin as Poe, and exceptional supporting performances from Jill Ireland, Nick Dimitri, Robert Tessier, and Michael McGuire Hard Times continues to hold onto Ramos's imagination and soul. This was a fun episode. Hopefully you'll enjoy the reminiscing. If you have something to contribute you can correspond with Rick Ramos at gondoramos@yahoo.com. Many Thanks.

As always, we continue to look to you good and loyal listeners for support. If you have listened and enjoyed our bantering over these nearly eight years please feel free to support us with a monetary contribution. We're not asking for a whole lot. Whatever you can give is appreciated. The holidays are coming an we could use the help. Stop being cheap bastards and give what you can. Follow the link below to contribute.  Our Continued Thanks.

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/watchrickramos

 

Direct download: HardTimes.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:09am EDT

Your #1 Fan: Rob Reiner & Stephen King's Misery

This week Mr. Chavez & I close out October and Halloween with one of the great Horror/Thrillers of the 1990s, Rob Reiner's adaptation of Stephen King's MiseryA tale of King's personal struggles with the writing medium, alcohol and drug abuse, and the perils of fame told through the life of the fictional author Paul Sheldon. With the creation of Annie Wilkes - a seemingly sweet, caring, and psychotic nurse, King gave life to an incredible character that embodied many of his personal demons. Realized through the performances of James Caan as King's alter ego, Paul Sheldon, and (a new discovery at the time) Kathy Bates as Annie Wilkes, King and Reiner created one of the more unsettling, disturbing, and beautifully tense thrillers in the history of the genre. With a wonderful supporting cast including Lauren Bacall, Frances Sternhagen, and - an exceptional - Richard Farnsworth, Misery, was a great film to re-visit. We are thrilled to end the month with this recommendation. Hit us up at gondoramos@yahoo.com if you'd like to let us know what you think. 

As always, we continue to look to you good and loyal listeners for support. If you have listened and enjoyed our bantering over these nearly eight years please feel free to support us with a monetary contribution. We're not asking for a whole lot. Whatever you can give is appreciated. The holidays are coming an we could use the help. Stop being cheap bastards and give what you can. Follow the link below to contribute.  Our Continued Thanks.

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/watchrickramos

 

Direct download: MiseryEdited.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:08am EDT

Never Sleep Again: The Horror of Freddy Krueger

This week Ibrahim & i talk one of the iconic Horror figures of the late 20th Century, Wes Craven's pedophile, nightmare murderer Freddy Krueger. Through seven original films, a remake  (which we only touch on), and a Friday the13th crossover, Krueger has taken on a cryptic and overwhelming cult of popularity. Created by Craven and realized through the performance of Robert Englund, Krueger is a character that has captured the cinematic imagination and enjoyment of audiences throughout the world. With the original Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) - directed by Wes Craven, followed by four quality diminishing sequels and a triumpant return to form with the Wes Craven directed Wes Craven's New Nightmare (1994), the combined efforts of Craven, Englund, and actress Heather Langenkamp have created one of the great figures in Horror Cinema. Take a listen and let us know what you think - gondoramos@yahoo.com

 As always, we continue to look to you good and loyal listeners for support. If you have listened and enjoyed our bantering over these nearly eight years please feel free to support us with a monetary contribution. We're not asking for a whole lot. Whatever you can give is appreciated. Follow the link below to contribute.  Our Continued Thanks.

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Direct download: ElmStreetFinalCut.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:19am EDT

Full Moon Fever: John Landis's An American Werewolf in London

Halloween is around the corner . . . this week Mr. Chavez & I continue our look into the Horror Genre with a screening and discussion of John Landis's 1981 Horror Classic, An American Werewolf in London. There's a whole lot going on in Landis's film (some good, some bad, some exteme), but the great gift - that it continues to deliver on - is the introduction of Special Effects and Make-Up Master, Rick Baker. On this week's episode we discuss what we feel Landis did right, what he did wrong, as well as the film's lasting impact on the entire make-up and special effects industry. Baker won a richly deserved Oscar (an award created specifically for his groundbreaking work) at the '81 Academy Awards. Take a listen and let us know what you think. It's a fun and interesting talk detailing the film, Landis's career, the history of Horror films, and the importance of the genre itself. Let us know what you think . . . gondoramos@yahoo.com

As always, we continue to look to you good and loyal listeners for support. If you have listened and enjoyed our bantering over these nearly eight years please feel free to support us with a monetary contribution. We're not asking for a whole lot. Whatever you can give is appreciated. Follow the link below to contribute.  Our Continued Thanks.

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/watchrickramos

 

Direct download: LandisWerewolf.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:49am EDT

The Horror Double: Invasion of the Body Snatchers 

This week Ibrahim & I look at a classic (a standard) of the Horror Genre - Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956 & 1978) and Body Snatchers (1993). Based on the 1954 Jack Finney Sci-Fi Novel, directors Don Siegel, Philip Kaufman, and Abel Ferrara have taken drastically different approaches to this material. Each film is a classic in their own rights. Take a listen and see if you agree with out assessments. As always we'd love to hear your comments and contributions at gondoramos@yahoo.com. Many Thanks. 

As always, we continue to look to you good and loyal listeners for support. If you have listened and enjoyed our bantering over these nearly eight years please feel free to support us with a monetary contribution. We're not asking for a whole lot. Whatever you can give is appreciated. Follow the link below to contribute.  Our Continued Thanks.

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/watchrickramos

Direct download: BodySnatchersTrebleBoost.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:19pm EDT

Bloody Giallo - Dario Argento's Suspiria

This week Ibrahim & I dive into the world of Italian Giallo Cinema with a look at Dario Argento's 1977 "masterpiece" Suspiria. Combining violence, sexploitation, the supernatural, and vibrant color, Argento's film is one that is considered one of the most influential films in the genre. For those familiar with the podcast it should come as no surprise that one of us dislikes this film and one of us wholeheartedly embraces it. Take a listen for a spirited conversation. . . it's a good time. You can reach us at gondoramos@yahoo.com

As always, we continue to look to you good and loyal listeners for support. If you have listened and enjoyed our bantering over these nearly eight years please feel free to support us with a monetary contribution. We're not asking for a whole lot. Whatever you can give is appreciated. Follow the link below to contribute.  Our Continued Thanks.

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/watchrickramos

Direct download: SuspiriaFinal.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:29am EDT

Dark, Wild Woods: Neil Jordan's The Company of Wolves

This week Mr. Chavez & I sink into the world of Fairy Tales and Warped Childrens' Stories to examine Director Neil Jordan's 1984 Horror/Fairy Tale The Company of Wolves. This is an intersting film with beautiful production design. One of us appreciates it more than the other and so the arguments begin. Take a listen as we discuss fairy tales as allegory, the storied history of werewolves in cinema and literature, as well as Neil Jordan's filmography. It's an interesting conversation that we know you will appreciate.  

You can reach us at gondoramos@yahoo.com

As always, we continue to look to you good and loyal listeners for support. If you have listened and enjoyed our bantering over these nearly eight years please feel free to support us with a monetary contribution. We're not asking for a whole lot. Whatever you can give is appreciated. Follow the link below to contribute.  Our Continued Thanks. 

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/watchrickramos

 

Direct download: CoWFinal.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:10am EDT

Beyond Black Tropes: Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror (Part II)

A second episode uploaded and ready for your enjoyment, as Mr. Chavez and Mr. Ramos continue our look at The History of Black Horror Cinema through the Shudder Network and Xavier Burgin's Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror (2019). Take a listen as we move out of the "Blaxploitation" era and into the modern era of Black Horror. It's a fun talk. Let us know what you think at gondoramos@yahoo.com 

If you've listened to us over the years, or if you're new to the podcast, and you'd like to support us you can click on the link below and donate to this long-running labor of love. Simply click on the link below and go to the Buy Me a Coffee website. We've busted ass for a number of years, scraping by for the Love of Cinema . . . you can do the right thing by digging into those pockets and giving a little bit to help keep the lights on. Our Continued Thanks. 


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Direct download: HorrorNoireTwoFinal.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:20am EDT

First to Die: Black Noire: A History of Black Horror (Part I) 

The first of a two-part looking at The History of Black Horror Cinema. On this episode we discuss the Shudder Network Documentary Black Noire: A History of Black Horror (2019), focusing on the history, films, tropes, and achievements of African-American Horror Cinema. Including interviews with scholars, writers, directors, and actors, Xavier Burgin's 2019 documentary is an enjoyable and informative look at a sub-genre that rarely gets the attention and examination it deserves. Take a listen and let us know what you think. We can be reached at gondoramos@yahoo.com

If you've listened to us over the years, or if you're new to the podcast, and you'd like to support us you can click on the link below and donate to this long-running labor of love. Simply click on the link below and go to the Buy Me a Coffee website. We've busted ass for a number of years, scraping by for the Love of Cinema . . . you can do the right thing by digging into those pockets and giving a little bit to help keep the lights on. Our Continued Thanks. 

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/watchrickramos
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Direct download: HorrorNoireFinal.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:48am EDT

Horror Well-Cut: Nicholas Roeg's Don't Look Now

This week Ibrahim & I continue our descent into Horror Cinema with a look at a British Classic, Nicholas Roeg's Don't Look Now (1973). Beautifully edited, masterfully directed, and sensitively acted (from stars Julie Christie and Donald Sutherland), Nicholas Roeg's film examines the struggle of a married couple as they attempt to continue living after the accidental drowning of their young daugter. Featuring a sex scene that has stirred controversy and speculation for over forty years, Roeg's film utilizes tension built through incredible tension and editing. Don't Look Now is a film that has continued to captivate critics while unsettling audiences since the film's premiere in 1973. Take a listen and let us know what you think. We can be reached at gondoramos@yahoo.com

If you've listened to us over the years, or if you're new to the podcast, and you'd like to support us you can click on the link below and donate to this long-running labor of love. Simply click on the link below and go to the Buy Me a Coffee website. We've busted ass for a number of years, scraping by for the Love of Cinema . . . you can do the right thing by digging into those pockets and giving a little bit to help keep the lights on. Our Continued Thanks. 

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/watchrickramos

 

Direct download: DontLookNowFinal.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:35pm EDT

A Mary Shelley Dick Joke: Mel Brooks's  Young Frankenstein

There's absolutely no caption, intro, blurb, or description that can capture the magic and brilliance of Mel Brooks's masterpiece (arguably one of three), Young Frankenstein (1974). From a script by Brooks and star, Gene Wilder, two comic geniuses salute, honor, and show great love for the Classic Universal Horror films of the 1930s, 40s, and 50s. With a brilliant supporting cast (possibly the greatest ever committed to film) including Marty Feldman, Cloris Leachman, Teri Garr, Kenneth Mars, Peter Boyle, Gene Hackman, and Madeline Khan, Brooks and Wilder's continuation of James Wales's Frankenstein (1931) and The Bride of Frankenstein (1935) faithfully recreates the Frankenstein World Cinema has come to know and love. Take a listen as Mr. Chavez & I shine a light on this incredibly loving and - often times - hilarious film. 

 If you've listened to us over the years, or if you're new to the podcast, and you'd like to support us you can click on the link below and donate to this long-running labor of love. Simply click on the link below and go to the Buy Me a Coffee website. We've busted ass for a number of years, scraping by for the Love of Cinema . . . you can do the right thing by digging into those pockets and giving a little bit to help keep the lights on. Our Continued Thanks. 

 

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Direct download: YoungFrankenstein.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:21pm EDT

Family Plot: William Friedkin's Film of Tracy Letts's Killer Joe

This week Ibrahim & I remember the iconic filmmaker, William Friedkin. Friedkin was director of numerous classic films including: The French Connection (1971), The Exorcist (1973),  Sorcerer (1977), and To LIve and Die in L.A. (1985). His career would see numerous hits and misses, however many would agree that it ended with one of the strongest (and easily the most polarizing) films of his career . . . the Tracy Letts scripted (from his stage play) Killer Joe. Troubling material and numerous explicitly violent scenes make this film a struggle (albeit incredibly rewarding) to get through. With an powerful titular performance from Matthew McConaughey and an incredible supporting cast including: Emile Hirsch, Thomas Hayden Church, Gina Gershon, and Juno Temple, this is - arguably - one of the best films 2011 and the decade. Take a listen and see if you agree with our impressions of this overpowering film. Questions, Comments, Complaints, and Suggestions can be directed to gondoramos@yahoo.com. Many Thanks. 

f you've listened to us over the years, or if you're new to the podcast, and you'd like to support us you can click on the link below and donate to this long-running labor of love. Simply click on the link below and go to the Buy Me a Coffee website. Anything and Everything is Appreciated.

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/watchrickramos

Direct download: KillerJoeFinal.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:00am EDT

The Prometheus Warning: Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer 

Take a listen as Mr. Chavez makes his triumphant return and we dive into Christopher Nolan's masterpiece bio-pic of J. Robert Oppenheimer - The Father of the Atomic Bomb. A fascinating film that the two of us are thrilled to have seen in 70MM IMAX and are even more thrilled to discuss. A great film and - hopefully - a great discussion. Take a listen.

Questions, Comments, Complaints, & Suggestions can be directed to gondoramos@yahoo.com. Many Thanks for Your Continued Support. 

If you've listened to us over the years, or if you're new to the podcast, and you'd like to support us you can click on the link below and donate to this long-running labor of love. Simply click on the link below and go to the Buy Me a Coffee website. Anything and Everything is Appreciated.

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Direct download: NolansOppenheimer.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:07am EDT

Based On a True Story: William Friedkin's The Brink's Job

This past week we said farewell to one of the greats of 70s & 80s Cinema, William Friedkin. Known for  such classics as The French ConnectionThe Exorcist, and To Live and Die in L.A, Friedkin was a difficult and polarizing figure in the world of cinema. What cannot be argued was his briliance. For this week's episode I remember Mr. Friedkin with a rarely seen film that is far outside his better known filmography, 1978's The Brink's Job. Based on the true story of the biggest heist in history - up to that point - Friedkin's film is a wonderfully playful and comic look at the men who pulled off this ridiculous crime. Featuring an all-star cast led by Peter Falk and including Gena Rowlands, Peter Boyle, Allen Garifeld, Paul Sorvino, and Warren Oates, The Brink's Job is a fun little caper film that is far better than it has any right to be. Watch the movie, take a listen and let me know if you agree. Questions, Comments, Complaints, and Suggestions can be directed to gondoramos@yahoo.com

If you've listened to us over the years, or if you're new to the podcast, and you'd like to support us you can click on the link below and donate to this long-running labor of love. Simply click on the link below and go to the Buy Me a Coffee website. Anything and Everything is Appreciated.

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/watchrickramos

Direct download: BrinksJobFinal.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:08pm EDT

Murder Comes Home - Carl Franklin's One False Move 

This week I take a look at Carl Franklin's 1992 directorial debut, the powerful and disturbing, One False Move. Featuring Bill Paxton, Billy Bob Thorton, Cynda Williams, Earl Billings, Jim Metzler, and Michael Beach,  in a film the great film critic Roger Ebert called, "a powerful directing job. He (Franklin) starts with an extraordinary screenplay and then finds the right tones and moods for every scene, realizing it's not the plot we care about, it’s the people." Gene Siskel would name it the best film of 1992. It was a thrill to re-watch it and record my thoughts on this brililant first film. Take a listen and let me know what you think. Questions, Comments, Complaints, and Suggestions can be directed to gondoramos@yahoo.com

If you've listened to us over the years, or if you're new to the podcast, and you'd like to support us you can click on the link below and donate to this long-running labor of love. Simply click on the link below and go to the Buy Me a Coffee website. Anything and Everything is Appreciated.

https://bmc.link/watchrickramos

Direct download: OneFalseMoveFinal.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:47pm EDT

Taking Chances . . . Bitter Stories

Neo-Noir - Walter Hill's Johnny Handsome 

A solo episode for your enjoyment. This week I recommend a classic Walter Hill film showcasing the violence, grittiness, and power of action and neo-noir cinema. Featuring an all-star cast including Forrest Whitaker, Ellen Barkin, Lance Henriksen, Elizabeth McGovern, Morgan Freeman (in a rare - questionably - villainous role), and a leading performance from a young and beautiful Mickey Rourke. Darkness overwhelms this film and is a magical reminder of Hill at his artistic peak. Take a listen and let us know what you think. Questions, Comments, Complaints, & Suggestions can be directed to gondoramos@yahoo.com

If you've listened to us over the years, or if you're new to the podcast, and you'd like to support us you can click on the link below and donate to this long-running labor of love. Simply click on the link below and go to the Buy Me a Coffee website. Anything and Everything is Appreciated.

https://bmc.link/watchrickramos

 

Direct download: JohnnyHandsomeFinal.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:35am EDT

A Continuing Story to Tell - The American Western: Dead for a Dollar & Old Henry 

Rick Ramos flies solo and talks Walter Hill's Dead for a Dollar (2022), featuring Christoph Waltz and Willem Defoe and Potsy Ponciroli's Old Henry (2021) starring Tim Blake Nelson, Steven Dorff, and Trace Adkins. One good film (if not somewhat disappointing) from one of our greatest action directors and one exceptional film from a director out of nowhere. Take a listen as I wax poetically on this Western genre that I love so much. 

Questions, Comments, Complaints, & Suggestions can be directed to gondoramos@yahoo.com

If you've listened to us over the years, or if you're new to the podcast, and you'd like to support us you can click on the link below and donate to this long-running labor of love. Simply click on the link below and go to the Buy Me a Coffee website. Anything and Everything is Appreciated.

https://bmc.link/watchrickramos

Direct download: DeadOldHenry.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:06am EDT

A Humanistic Pairing: Harrison Ford & Peter Weir (Witness and The Mosquito Coast

Join me as we close out our Harrison Ford Tribute (tribute?) with a look at two exceptional Ford performances (one of which is his only Oscar nomination), 1985s Witness and 1986s The Mosquito Coast.  In the first film a seemingly typical Ford character, Philadelphia Detective John Book finds himself protecting a young Amish boy (Lukas Haas) and his mother (Kelly McGillis) in an Amish community completely unfamiliar to him. What could easily be a routine and obvious storyline is allowed to find itself and evolve into more than your standard police procedural. Director Peter Weir (in his first American production after great success in Australia - Picnic at Hanging Rock and Gallipoli) delivers a gripping and emotionally powerful narrative. The following year would find Weir and Ford continuing their collaboration with The Mosquito Coast (from the novel by Paul Theroux with a screenplay from Paul Schrader). In a performance unlike anything else in his filmography, Ford portrays Allie Fox an inventor, father of four, and deeply dissapointed member of American society. Disgusted with the hypocrisy, laziness, and greed of America, Fox moves his family to the jungles of Panama in an egotistical effort to control his (and his family's) present and future. Take a listen to this solo episode. It's a fun time. Questions, Comments, Complaints, & Suggestions can be directed to gondoramos@yahoo.com

 

If you've listened to us over the years, or if you're new to the podcast, and you'd like to support us you can click on the link below and donate to this long-running labor of love. Simply click on the link below and go to the Buy Me a Coffee website. Anything and Everything is Appreciated.

https://bmc.link/watchrickramos

Direct download: FordWeirFinal.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:30pm EDT

Indiana Jones: The Making of a Hero 

This week Ibrahim & I continue to look at the world of Indiana Jones, first profiled in Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) and continued with Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984), Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989), Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008), and Indiana Jones and Dial of Destiny (2023). On this episode Mr. Chavez & I focus on the middle three films. There has been a great deal written and discussed about all of the films in this series. Why should Ibrahim and I be any different? From the thrills and ridiculousness of so much of these films thru the politics, controversies, and tropes of the adventure genre (including racism, colonialism, and the White Saviour) we approach all of this with an awareness that acknowledges these facts while simulataneously loving and embracing the excitement of the action and the nobility of the Jones character. It's a fun conversation; we hope you enjoy it. Thanks for your continued love and support. 

Questions, Comments, Complaints, & Suggestions can be directed to gondoramos@yahoo.com 

If you've listened to us over the years, or if you're new to the podcast, and you'd like to support us you can click on the link below and donate to this long-running labor of love. Simply click on the link below and go to the Buy Me a Coffee website. Anything and Everything is Appreciated.

https://bmc.link/watchrickramos

 

Direct download: JonesThreeFilms.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:17am EDT

Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark

This week Mr. Chavez & I continue our look at one of the great cinematic heroes, The George Lucas/Steven Spielberg imagined, Harrison Ford realized Indiana Jones. For over forty years, five films (as well as novelizations, comic books, and a television show - which we will not be getting into) and countless adventures searching for historical, religious, and cultural artifacts, Jones has amazed and thrilled countless audiences. This week Ibrahim & I go back to the beginning . . . 1981s Raiders of the Lost Ark. There's a whole lot to unpack. Take a listen as we head down memory lane with an old friend. 

Questions, Comments, Complaints, & Suggestions can be directed to gondoramos@yahoo.com. Our Continued Thanks.

If you've listened to us over the years, or if you're new to the podcast, and you'd like to support us you can click on the link below and donate to this long-running labor of love. Simply click on the link below and go to the Buy Me a Coffee website. Anything and Everything is Appreciated.

https://bmc.link/watchrickramos

Direct download: RaidersoftheLosArk.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:00pm EDT

Yesterday Belongs to Us:

Indiana Jones & The Dial of Destiny 

This week Mr. Chavez & I welcome the return of Henry Walton Jones, Jr. better known as "Indiana" Jones. Fifteen years since Kingdom of the Crystal Skull and 34 years since The Last Crusade, Jones (the 80 years old Harrison Ford) is back in - possibly - his greatest role. James Mangold (Walk the Line and Logan) takes over directing duties from Steven Spielberg and delivers a rousing, exciting, and emotionally satisfying conclusion to one of the greatest heroes in all of cinema. Ibrahim & I discuss the film (all aspects and spoilers noted) as well as internet controversies (box-office and "wokeness") that are plaguing the film in it's first weekend in theaters. There's a great deal here to unwrap as we begin a three episode series that covers the entirety of the "Indiana" Jones story (minus the television show). 

Questions Comments, Complaints, & Suggestions can be directed to gondoramos@yahoo.com. We appreciate your continued support. 

If you've listened to us over the years, or if you're new to the podcast, and you'd like to support us you can click on the link below and donate to this long-running labor of love. Simply click on the link below and go to the Buy Me a Coffee website. Anything and Everything is Appreciated.

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Direct download: IndyDialFinal.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:10pm EDT

Hidden in the Mind: Ken Russell's Altered States 

This week Mr. Chavez and I continue our exploration of mind-altering narratives with a look at Ken Russell's 1980 Hollywood debut, Altered StatesWhile not a completely successful film, there are elements here that force the audience to look deeper into the subject of sensory deprivation, isolation tanks, hallucinogenic drugs and the controversial work of counterculture  scientist, John C. Lilly. Perhaps a victim of 1980s cinematic limitations, Russell's film (from a screenplay by noted playwright and screenwriter, Paddy Chayefksy) touches on a number of interesting factors without being able to successfully depict them on screen. As always, it's an interesting conversation between the two of us, and one that we believe you will enjoy. There's quite a bit to unpack in this episode. We hope you'll join us. Questions, Comments, Complaints, and Suggestions can be directed to gondoramos@yahoo.com. Many Thanks. 

If you've listened to us over the years, or if you're new to the podcast, and you'd like to support us you can click on the link below and donate to this long-running labor of love. Simply click on the link below and go to the Buy Me a Coffee website. Anything and Everything is Appreciated.

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Direct download: AlteredStatesFinal.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:09am EDT

The Suffering in Between:

Adrian Lyne's Jacob's Ladder

This week Ibrahim & I continue looking into the world of challenging and painful cinema. In 1990 Adrian Lyne directed Bruce Joel Rubin's  screenplay (considered one of the great unfilmed screenplays for the ten years before the production) of Jacob's Ladder (Rubin would also write that year's Ghost). Filled with troubling imagery and an arguably confusing narrative that rewards its viewers with a dark, pained, and powerful story, Lyne's film is one that failed at the box office, found a new life on home video and (it can be argued) led towards a darker cinema of the 1990s led by directors such as David Fincher, Paul Thomas Anderson, Darren Aaronofsky, and Christopher Nolan. Not an entirely successful film, but a film that was an early trumpeting of things to come. Take a listen and let us know what you think. Questions, Comments, Complaints, and Suggestions can be directed to gondoramos@yahoo.com. Many Thanks. 

If you've listened to us over the years, or if you're new to the podcast, and you'd like to support us you can click on the link below and donate to this long-running labor of love. Simply click on the link below and go to the Buy Me a Coffee website. Anything and Everything is Appreciated. 

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/watchrickramos

 

 

Direct download: JacobsLadder.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:34am EDT

Tokyo Book of the Dead: Gaspar Noé's Enter the Void 

This week Mr. Chavez and I examine the work of a controversial and polarizing director, Gaspar Noé. Noé made headlines in the early 2000s with Irreversible, a film that continues to upset audiences and challenges filmmaking conventions. With Enter the Void (2009), Noé doubled down and created a film that divided critics calling it both "captivating and innovative" and "tedious and puerile." The argument continues on this week's episode. Watch the film, listen, and agree or disagree. We'd love to hear from you at gondoramos@yahoo.com 

If you've listened to us over the years, or if you're new to the podcast, and you'd like to support us you can click on the link below and donate to this long-running labor of love. Simply click on the link below and go to the Buy Me a Coffee website. Anything and Everything is Appreciated. 

https://bmc.link/watchrickramos

 



Direct download: EnterTheVoidFinal.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:33am EDT

A Little Girl's Dream:  Terry Gilliam's Tideland

Troubled throughout his career for circumstances - oftentimes - beyond his control (inadequate budgets - Munchausen, studio interference - Brazil and The Brothers Grimm, flash floods - Quixote, and death - Parnassus), Terry Gilliam has somehow been able to create some of the most incredible images ever committed to the big screen. From the great adventures of Baron Munchausen through an abandoned Philadelphia future overrun by wild animals, into an acid trip vision of 1970s Las Vegas, Gilliam is responsible for creating magic on screen that can only be described by his own adjective - Gilliamesque. With his 2005 look into the life of a nine-year old girl, Jelizah-Rose (Jodelle Ferland), orphaned and left to survive in an abandoned home on the Texas plains, Gilliam began a strange and interesting late career struggle for understanding. The films definitely changed. Pulling strongly from Lewis Carrol's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, at 64 Gilliam created one of the most difficult and polarizing films of his career. (According to Gilliam, fellow Python, Michael Palin, called the film - either the greatest thing he has ever done, or the worst.) The fact is that polarizing and difficult films are the films that need to be looked at, examined, and talked about. That's all we're really trying to do with this (and every one of our) episode(s). Take a listen and let us know what you think. Questions, Comments, Complaints, & Suggestions can be directed to gondoramos@yahoo.com

Special Note: We're trying something new in this episode. If you've listened to us over the years, or if you're new to the podcast, and you'd like to support us you can click on the link below and donate to this long-running labor of love. Simply click on the link below and go to the Buy Me a Coffee website. Anything and Everything is Appreciated. 

https://bmc.link/watchrickramos

 

 

 

Direct download: Tideland.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:36am EDT

Anti-Sci-Fi: Andrei Tarkovsky's Solaris 

This week Ibrahim & I sit down to discuss a film widely-heralded as a masterpiece of Science Fiction Cinema, Andrei Tarkovsky's Solaris. In previous episodes, Ibrahim and I have discussed the brilliance of Tarkovsky's Mirror and Stalker. Here we struggle to understand and critique a film (widely recognized as brilliant) that simply doesn't come together for the two of us.

What is Sci-Fi? Aside of basic story elements, can Tarkovsky's film be considered a true Sci-Fi? This week we discuss this point as well as the role of an entire filmography in terms of understanding and evaluating a filmmaker's career. 

Take a listen and let us know what you think. It's definitely an interesting conversation. Questions, Comments, Complaints, and Suggestions can be directed to gondoramos@yahoo.com. Many Thanks for Your Continued Love and Support. 

Direct download: SolarisTarkovsky.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:22pm EDT

Way of Nature, Way of Grace: Terrence Malick's The Tree of Life 

One of the greatest films ever commited to celluloid . . . Terrence Malick's The Tree of Life. This is simply the greatest film about childhood; beautifully photographed, honestly acted, and briliantly realized, Malick is a true visionary whose five films up to this point (2011) are all considered spiritual, poetic, and beautiful. The Tree of Life  is (arguably) a masterpiece that has polarized audiences - some enchanted by the poetic beauty of its images, others put-off by what is considered pretentiousness and a lack of narrative focus. Everyone has a right to their opinion, but simply putting aside a certain expectation of "typical" narrative films, provides a rewarding and life-changing (at least the cinematic equivalent) experience. Take a listen as Mr. Chavez and I dig deeply into this wondrous film-watching experience. 

Questions, Comments, Complaints, and Suggestions can be directed to gondoramos@yahoo.com. Many Thanks for the Continued Love & Support. 

Direct download: My_Movie_5.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:48am EDT

Donkey Variations: Jerzy Skolimowski's EO

This week Mr. Chavez and I travel to Cinematic Poland for Jerzy Skolimowski's EO - a beautiful and touching examination of the world through a donkey's eyes. Pain, Suffering, Beauty, and Resilience inspired by Bresson's Au Hasard Balthazar, but with a modern vision. This is an inspired piece of cinema, one that Ibrahim and I are thrilled to introduce to you and  excited to talk about. Take a listen and let us know what you think. For reference, you can find EO streaming on Amazon Prime for a small rental fee. Questions, Comments, Complaints, and Suggestions can be directed to gondoramos@yahoo.com. Many Thanks. 

Direct download: EO-Donkey.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:55pm EDT

Virtual Girl & Sad Boy: Spike Jonez's Her

On this week's episode, Mr. Chavez & I sit down to discuss Spike Jonez's Her, a film particularly important and reflective of these times. With beautiful cinematography from Dutch/Swedish cinematographer, Hoyte van Hoytema, and featuring touching performances from Joaquin Phoenix, Amy Adams, Rooney Mara, and the voice of Samantha - Scarlett Johansson, Jonez's look at love, loneliness, heartache, and artificial intelligence, Her is an interesting examination however a problematic and (for one of us, at least) highly unsatisfactory film. The discussion goes into this. We hope that you join us and formulate your taste. Take a listen and let us know what you think. Questions, Comments, Complaints, & Suggestions can be directed to gondoramos@yahoo.com.  Many Thanks. 

 

Direct download: HerFinal.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:50pm EDT

Beast of Burden: Robert Bresson's Au Hasard Balthazar - WatchThis W/RickRamos 

This week finds Mr. Chavez and myself continuing our dive into films with great reputations and few viewings. Bresson's 1966 French Classic, Au Hasard Balthazar, looks at life through the eyes of a donkey as it moves through the world being loved, abused, championed, worked, and - finally - sacrificed. A touching and beautifully story about humanity told in a profoundly emotional manner. As Mr. Chavez says, "I challenge someone to watch this movie and to be like, 'Well It's just about a f****** stupid donkey.'" There's so much more to unwrap, and for true fans of Cinema (and World Cinema in particular), Bresson's story is about the struggle found in purpose, love, and suffering. This is a truly beautiful film that has found legions of fans since its release over sixty years ago. We are proud to present Au Hasard Balthazaon this week's episode. Questions, Comments, Complaints, & Suggestions can be directed to gondoramos@yahoo.com. Many & Continued Thanks. 

Direct download: Balthazar1stCut.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:47pm EDT

A New Kind of Forgotten Western - Sam Raimi's The Quick & the Dead

This week Mr. Chavez continues to travel and I continue my exploration into the vast number of films that I've somehow missed in this lifetime. There are quite a few films on this list and this podcast allows me the opportunity to watch them and assess their value. This week's choice is the 1995 Sam Raimi-directed, Sharon Stone lead (a rarity in the Western genre) The Quick & the Dead. This is by far not a great film or a forgotten masterpiece, however it is somewhat fascinating in its snapshot look at mid-90s Hollywood filmmaking. The beginning of an independent filmmakers dive into studio filmmaking (at this point, Raimi had directed The Evil Dead series and Darkman but was yet to take on the Spiderman series) and Sharon Stone's emergence as a powerhouse star and producer after Basic Instinct. With supporting performances from a nasty, vile, and dangerous Gene Hackman, and early appearances from Russell Crowe and Leonardo DiCaprio, Raimi's film is filled wtih beautiful cinematography (Dante Spinotti) and exceptionally strange and compelling production design. It's a good time and I'm thrilled that I had the opportunity to watch it for this show. I hope you enjoy it. Questions, Comments, Complaints, & Suggestions can be directed to gondoramos@yahoo.com. Many Thanks. 

Direct download: QuickDeadFinal.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:12am EDT

Loser Row - David Mamet's American Buffalo 

This week I go it alone to ramble on about losers, warped friendships, bad ideas, and hopelessness in David Mamet's 1975 play to 1996 film adaptation, American Buffalo. A three man showcase for Dennis Franz (Donny), Dustin Hoffman (Teach), and Sean Nelson (Bobby) in an angry portrait of loses who have no idea how desperate and ridiculous their ideas are. Not a great film, but a hell of a good time for those of us who love simple stories about hopelessness. Take a listen there's a pretty good amount to unpack. Thanks for listening; Thanks for the continued support. Questions, Comments, Complaints, & Suggestions can be directed to gondoramos@yahoo.com

Direct download: AmericanBuffaloFinal.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:26pm EDT

"I Know You're There . . . " - Wim Wenders's Wings of Desire

Ibrahim and I continue our dive into foreign, arthouse, and obscure films with this examination of Wim Wenders's 1987 cinematic elegy to angels, poetry, sacrifice, and love. With beautiful performances from Bruno Ganz, Otto Sander, Solveig Dommartin, and Peter Falk, Wings of Desire is a powerful, romantic, and inspiring film that leaves viewers feeling hopeful and enlightened. It's a beautiful film that we are thrilled to look at. Take a listen; It's a fun conversation. Let us know what you think. Questions, Comments, Complaints, and Suggestions can be directed to gondoramos@yahoo.com

Direct download: WingsofDesire.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:25am EDT

City of Solitude - Wong Kar-wai's Fallen Angels

In the very late 80s and early 1990s, Hong Kong Cinema was evolving from the wuxia epic swordplay films of the Shaw Brothers, Bruce Lee's explosion and evolution into Jackie Chan's Golden Harvest heyday, John Woo's police and crime epics, and the emergence of Wong Kar-wai - a director of intense visual and thematic beauty. This week Ibrahim & I discuss a visually stunning and poetic example of Wong's work; showcasing the after hours nights of 1990s Hong Kong, Wong's film looks at an assassin, his "manager", a recently escaped convict, and a series of questionable types that come into their lives. This is a beautiful film that Ibrahim & I loved and loved talking about. Take a listen and let us know what you think. 

Direct download: FallenAngels.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:18am EDT

In Search of Goosebumps 

Last week we looked at Rick Ramos, this week Mr. Chavez takes center stage, diving into the myriad influences that have created Ibrahim Chavez. Take a listen as we dig into Mr. Chavez's psyche and memories to understand him just a bit better. It's a hell of a fun conversation. We hope you enjoy. 

Questions, Comments, Complaints, & Suggestions can be directed to gondoramos@yahoo.com. Many Thanks. 

Direct download: IncomparableMr.Chavez.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:33am EDT

Defining Rick Ramos 

The Self-Indulgence is strong in this episode as Mr. Chavez and I break down our lives in movies over the next two episodes. From The Blues Brothers through Unforgiven and the concert films of George Carlin, it's a fun trip through the psychology of a movie lover. Take a listen; it's a fun conversation. 

Questions, Comments, Complaints, and Suggestions can be directed to gondoramos@yahoo.com

Many Thanks. 

Direct download: RickRamosFinal.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:59am EDT

Three Auteurs: DePalma, Friedkin Uncut, and by Sidney Lumet 

When you have these three names there's little else that needs to be said. Take a listen as Mr. Chavez & I look at the careers and brilliance of three 1970s names that are sometimes left in the shadows of Scorsese, Spielberg, and Coppola - Brian DePalma, William Friedkin, and Sidney Lumet. It's a fun talk. We hope you enjoy it. 

Questions, Comments, Complaints, & Suggestions can be directed to gondoramos@yahoo.com. Many Thanks. 

Direct download: Auteurs.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:58pm EDT

A Dish Served Cold: Mark Mylod's The Menu 

This week Ibrahim & I sit down to talk a film that has recently left theatres, Mark Mylod's The Menu. Featuring a wonderful slumming performance from Ralph Fiennes and a captivating Anya Taylor-Joy (both Golden Globe nominated), this film is the very definition of empty calorie cinema. Ibrahim & I differ greatly in our opinions of this film, but we had fun with the viewing and and an even better time talking the film. You're in for an interesting and enjoyable discussion on a fun and forgettable film that many of you will enjoy simply for what it is. Class, Culture, The Restaurant and Cooking Industries, and Fame - We cover all of it, doing so with our usual insight and penchant for truth. Take a listen and see if you agree. Questions, Comments, Complaints, & Suggestions should be directed to gondoramos@yahoo.com

Direct download: TheMenuFinal.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:35pm EDT

The Colonel and The King - Baz Luhrman's Elvis 

This week Ibrahim and I sit down to discuss the Academy Award nominated, Baz Luhrman directed, Elvis Presley Bio-Pic, Elvis. Definitely a visual assault on the senses, Luhrman has an incredible eye that re-creates the country from the 1950s thru the birth of the Vegas Lounge Act in the 1970s. Featuring an award-winning performance from star, Austin Butler, as Presley and Tom Hanks as his controversial and Svengali-like manager, Colonel Tom Parker (born Andreas Cornelis van Kujik) in a strange and polarizing performance. Luhrman's film hits the familiar points; the music, censorship, racism and segregation, The Blues, Gospel, and - of course - the enduring legacy of Elvis Presley and the early days of the media star and the beginnings of cancel culture. Take a listen; it's an interesting discussion. Questions, Comments, Complaints, & Suggestions can be directed to gondoramos@yahoo.com. Our Continued Thanks. 

Direct download: ElvisFinal.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:00am EDT

Monster Hunter - Todd Field's TÁR - WatchThis W/RickRamos 

This week Mr. Chavez & I sit down to talk Academy Best Picture Contender, Tár, featuring a stand-out performance from Cate Blanchett. This is the kind of picture we only ever get to see at awards season. In a cinematic world filled with remakes, re-hashes, and action tent-poles, Tár delivers a wonderfully nuanced and brutal honest examination of the  world we live in. This is a slow-paced, thoughtful film that asks a great deal from its viewers while simultaneously delivering a great deal. Take a listen and catch this essential film playing in theaters and streaming on select services.

 Questions, Comments, Complaints, & Suggestions can be directed to gondoramos@yahoo.com. Many Thanks for your continued love and support. 

Direct download: TARFinal.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:46am EDT

Blue Dances with Wolves - James Cameron's Avatar Films 

In 2009 James Cameron took old soup and re-heated it in a familiar bowl. Equal parts Lawrence of Arabia, The Last Samurai, and (most glaringly) Kevin Costner's revisionist Western, Dances with Wolves, Cameron has gone back to the well-worn tradition of re-imagining Native Cultures, Colonialism, and the Trope of the White Saviour. This is territory that we (and many others) have explored ad-nauseum, however the films continue to get made and starving whores that we are, we take the bait. You can love this film series, you can hate it, but the discussion will always be an important, controversial, and impassioned one. Take a listen as Mr. Chavez and I discuss 2009s Avatar and it's thirteen years in the making sequel, Avatar: The Way of Water. At the very least it's a fun and combative discussion. 

Questions, Comments, Complaints, and Suggestions can be directed to gondoramos@yahoo.com. Many Thanks for your continued love and support. 

Direct download: AVATARFinal.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:50pm EDT

Eating Images: Jordan Peele's Nope 

On this episode, Mr. Chavez & I sit down to discuss one of the best directors to emerge from the late 2010s into the early 2020s, Jordan Peele. With three films under his belt, 2017s Get Out2019s Us, and his latest - 2022s Nope, Peele has established himself as one of the most creative and compelling voices in today's cinema. His films challenge convention and stun audiences and critics with their audacity. This week we discuss Peele's emerging style as a filmmaker as well as the conventions and evolution of the genre. Take a listen. Ibrahim & I continue to have great times recording these episodes. We hope you can join us. 

Questions, Comments, Complaints, and Suggestions can be directed to gondoramos@yahoo.com. Many Thanks. 

Direct download: NOPEFinal.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:45pm EDT

The Many Faces of The Little Wooden Boy - Pinocchio 

Talking a Classic . . .  Netflix has recently premiered Guillermo del Toro's (with co-director Mark Gustafson) Pinocchio (2023), a touching stop-motion animation feature that is overwhelming in its beauty. On this week's episode I'm taking a look at Carlo Colidi's 1883 classic tale (The Adventures of Pinocchio) as it has been interpreted throughout the 20th and 21st Centuries. For this episode I look at the del Toro Netflix film, the 1940 Walt Disney Classic, and (my favorite) the 2019 Italian film from director Matteo Garrone and featuring Roberto Benigni as Geppetto. Hopefully this episode will give you a few things to consider. Take a look at these three films. I hope you will enjoy them. 

Questions, Comments, Complaints, & Suggestions can be directed to gondoramos@yahoo.com. Many Thanks. 

 

Direct download: Pinocchio.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:30am EDT

Hollywood - Spectacle & Sacrifice: Damien Chazelle's Babylon


This week, Mr. Chavez & I continue our close out of 2022 (going into this third week of 2023), with a look at one of the most highly-anticipated films of the year (and one of its most polarizing films and biggest box-office disappointments), Damien Chazelle's Babylon. This is certainly a film that defines cinematic ambition, but also thematic and visual excess; A film of grotesque imagery and questionable plot points, Chazelle's love and fascination for the Hollywood's Silent Era and the slow emergence into "Talkies" is divisive at the very least. Rarely does a film emrege that is as beautiful, overblown, and misguided as this three-hour opus. Featuring Hollywood Stars interpreting the lives of early screen stars John Gilbert (Brad Pitt) and Clara Bow (Margot Robbie), and newcomers Diego Calva, Li Jun Li, and Jovan Adepo, as well as Jean Smart, Flea, Lukas Haas, Eric Roberts, Jeff Garlin, and Tobey McGuire. Incredibly problematic, but definitely worth seeing on the big screen, Chazelle's "Love Letter to Cinema and Hate Letter to Los Angeles/Hollywood" is one of the more fascinating spectacles in recent cinema. Take a listen and let us know what you think. 

As always, we. dive into all aspects of this film. It is best to have seen the film before listening. You've been warned. Questions, Comments, Complaints, and Suggestions can be directed to gondoramos@yahoo.com Many Thanks. 

Direct download: BabylonFinal.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:30pm EDT

Prison of the Self: Darren Aaronofsky's The Whale

On this week's episode of WatchThis W/RickRamos, Mr. Chavez & I continue our look at a series of challenging, polarizing, and (in some cases) critically-acclaimed films closing out 2022 and carrying us into 2023. This week we look at Brendan Fraser's return to the big screen in Darren Aaronofsky's The Whale. There is definitely greatness here, but there are also troubling and problematic (cinematic) elements to this film. We are not getting on a bandwagon our overlooking the attitudes and problems the public may have with this film, but are focusing - rather - on the qualities of telling a narrative centered around a morbidly obese man and all that that entails. 

There's a lot to unpack. Mr. Chavez and I do our best to come at the film with open-minds and balanced understanding. Take a listen as we dive into this moving and difficult film. 

Questions, Comments, Complaints, & Suggestions can be directed to gondoramos@yahoo.com. Many Thanks. 

Direct download: TheWhale.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:15pm EDT

To Our Graves, We're Taking This: Martin McDonagh's The Banshees of Inisherin

On this week's episode of WatchThis W/RickRamos, Mr. Chavez & I move into 2023 with one of the best films of 2022, Martin McDonagh's The Banshees of Inisherin. A reunion for stars Brendan Gleeson & Colin Ferrel as well as their Director Martin McDonagh (all three of In Bruges - 2008), Banshees is a beautifully realized character study looking at a decades long friendship as it comes to an end and the struggle of both men dealing with that separation, McDonagh's film is both beautiful and touching in it's examination of friendship, aging, and loneliness. It's a thrill for the two of us to sit down and discuss this wonderful film playing in theaters and on HBO Max right now. Please realize that Mr. Chavez & I will be discussing all aspects of this film. Be sure to see the film before listening to the episode. However you get into this it's a fun and informative discussion. We hope you enjoy it. Questions, Comments, Complaints, & Suggestions can be directed to gondoramos@yahoo.com. Many Thanks. 

Direct download: BansheesRaw.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:27pm EDT

Dance of Death: Lars Von Trier's Melancholia 

Cinema is a strange and captivating artform. In many cases, understanding a filmmaker's intent is a hopeless effort. Lars Von Trier is a director whose filmography has captivated, confused, angered, and endeared itself to audiences. His critically-lauded 2011 film, Melancholia, would startle and fascinate audiences at The 64th Cannes Film Festival. The film itself would beguile audiences (awarding Best Female Pereformance to Kirsten Dunst and making the film a top contender for the Palme d'Or, but it was press conference in support of the film that would torpedoe it's chances at the Award. This week, Mr. Chavez & I discuss the controversy surrounding that press conference as well as our own contradictory attitudes regarding the film. This is an interesting film with a great deal to recomend. We discuss these positives and dive just as deeply into the negatives of the film's offerings. Take a listen and let us know what you think. Questions, Comments, Complaints, & Suggestions can be directed to gondoramos@yahoo.com. ManyThanks. 

Direct download: Melancholia.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:28pm EDT

Questions in the Rain: Bong Joon-ho's Memories of Murder 

On this week's episode of WatchThis W/RickRamos, Mr. Chavez & I continue our exploration of South Korean Cinema with a look at Bong Joon-ho's Memories of Murder. Based on a true-life series of rapes and murders that captured and terrified the minds of South Koreans from 1986 thru 1991, Bong's film is a subtle and intriguing police procedural that takes the great elements of Police-Thrillers, Crime, and Noir. Memories of Murder is a captivating and powerful look at paranoia, fear, and the minutiae of police work It's a beautifully realized and thrilling introduction to a filmmaker that would make an incredible stamp on Cinema in the years to come. Take a listen and let us know what you think. It's an interesting and fun talk. Questions, Comments, Complaints, & Suggestions can be directed to gondoramos@yahoo.com. Many Thanks. 

Direct download: MemoriesOFMurder.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:48pm EDT

Nothing Left to Say - Defining Films of the 2010s

Nothing left to say, People . . . this week Mr. Chavez & I conclude our look into the Defining Films of Their Respective Decades. We started in the 1910s and here we are, one hundred years of Cinema later. It's been a fun time looking at some great films and a bunch of painful ones. The fact is that Cinema influences society, but also is a reflection of it. We're thrilled to have dedicated nearly a year to the art, power, and influence of The Movies. Take a listen to our opinions, ideas, and thoughts on This Final Decade. It's been a whole lot of fun. We hope you've enjoyed the ride and we hope this final chapter lives up to whatever expectations you have formed. Questions, Comments, Complaints, & Suggestions can be directed to gondormaos@yahoo.com. Many Thanks. 

Direct download: Defining2010s.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:02pm EDT