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 Balthazar on this week's episode. Questions, Comments, Complaints, & Suggestions can be directed to gondoramos@yahoo.com. Many & Continued Thanks. 

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. 

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. 

"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.