055 Conan the Barbarian (1982)

Q: What is best in life? A: Watching John Milius's 1982 sword and sorcery epic Conan the Barbarian starring Arnold Schwarzenegger! Matt and Mark attempt to discuss one of the greatest films of its genre. Slightly before J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit there was Robert E. Howard's Conan short stories in Weird Tales, an influential fantasy character that still resonates with audiences today. Managing to get it right, Milius's Conan pays tribute to the venerable character while adding new dimensions to the barbarian king's story. There is only one Conan movie, and this.... is.... it!

Download: 055 Conan the Barbarian (1982)

054 Intacto by Juan Fresnadillo

Is Luck an ephemeral 'thing' that can be swapped and stolen? Matt and Mark try to sort out the nuance of that question this week when we review Juan Fresnadillo's freshmen effort Intacto. Starring the venerable Max Von Sydow as the Luck Master, this visually stimulating film plays with its magic in such a way that may hide its truer reality. Dismissing its magical gimmick, Matt and Mark discuss the film in a practical context, for better or worse.

Download: 054 Intacto by Juan Fresnadillo

053 Showgirls by Paul Verhoeven

"You're going to have to sell it sometime"... and for Elizabeth Berkeley that time was 1995 when Paul Verhoeven released the over-the-top NC-17 rated Showgirls. An exercise in off-color exploitation, Showgirls is viewed by many as not only a camp classic but also satire. What is it satirizing? Perhaps the feel-good "a star is born" tropes of Americana, hard to say, but one thing you can say is that 17 years on, people are still talking about it, which unlike most of Hollywood's endless parade of vapid offerings makes it worthy of at least a little discussion.

Download: 053 Showgirls by Paul Verhoeven

052 The Crying Game by Neil Jordan

A very gender neutral podcast this week as Matt and Mark review Neil Jordan's 1992 much talked about The Crying Game. While set in "The Troubles" of IRA political intrigue, its message about love and attraction is much more basic, yet altogether complex. Mark derides Matt for his soon-to-be antiquated old-timey prejudices and dares him to imagine a manly world where macho men still seek the company of their catamites, much to Matt's obvious discomfort. The Crying Game delves into our facades, with the overt not necessarily being the most malign.

Download: 052 The Crying Game by Neil Jordan