016 Caligula by Tinto Brass and Bob Guccione

What happens when you merge a sword and sandals epic with 70's era pornography? Matt and Mark find out in this week's review of the "controversial" Caligula by Tinto Brass and famous Penthouse smut peddler Bob Guccione. Starring an A-list cast of notables, including Peter O'Toole, Sir John Gielgud, Malcolm McDowell and Shakespearean actress Helen Mirren, Caligula is a what we would consider, at the least, a watchable film. Minus a few digressions into porn nostalgia, Matt and Mark come to consensus that Caligula, while not exactly worthy of Ebert's famed no-star review, is more style than substance, but not in an "utterly worthless" or "vile" way. Grab yourself a bottle of Chianti and Enjoy!

Download: 016 Caligula by Tinto Brass and Bob Guccione

015 Battle Royale by Kinji Fukasaku

Did The Hunger Games rip-off Battle Royale? meh.... Matt and Mark are pretty sure we don't care. This week we attempt to review the 2001 Japanese blockbuster sensation Battle Royale by famed film director Kinji Fukasaku. Sadly this review will no doubt disappoint those seeking more Suzanne Collins versus Koushan Takami fodder, but the web is already clogged enough with that nonsense. Unfamiliar with the novel or subsequent manga, BR proves a challenge to absorb with its 44 characters and nuanced back stories. We did give it our best shot though... Enjoy?

Download: 015 Battle Royale by Kinji Fukasaku

014 The Shining by Stanley Kubrick

We all shine on! (just some more than others). This week we review the 1980 Stanley Kubrick classic The Shining, based on the novel by Stephen King and starring Jack Nicholson and Shelley Duvall. Defying the usual horror movie gimmicks, Kubrick does what few directors are able to do, convert the The Overlook Hotel itself into a villain, packing it with an eerie cavernous malignancy that is without parallel in cinema. Matt attempts to put to bed the whole "movie not as good as the book" argument, while Mark gives his first-timer thoughts on the film. Here's Johnny! Enjoy!

Download: 014 The Shining by Stanley Kubrick

013 Primer by Shane Carruth

What if Steve Jobs had forgone his world conquest of the consumer electronics market and built an accidental time machine in his garage instead? Primer, released in 2003, answers this question with a cautionary tale of what happens when you try to pack 36 hours into a 24 hour day. Matt manages to put his physics knowledge to inadequate use with some Feynman diagram hand waving while Mark explores the combination of claustrophobia and Argon as we review this low-budget sci-fi indie. Enjoy!

Download: 013 Primer by Shane Carruth

012 The Warriors by Walter Hill

Can you dig it!! This week we review the 1979 street gang classic The Warriors by Walter Hill. While firmly set in the late 70's nocturnal blight of New York City, The Warriors defies its reality with a stylized depiction of gang fiefdoms and eerie synth-rock soundtrack, courtesy of Barry De Vorzon. Enter the world of terrifying baseball Harlequins (Baseball Furies!) and Afro-chopsocky legionnaires (Grammercy Riffs!) with our discussion of this cult classic. Enjoy boppers!

Download : 012 The Warriors by Walter Hill

011 Heathers by Michael Lehmann

%$#@ me gently with a chainsaw! This week we enter the halls of Westerburg High in the 80's cult film Heathers by Michael Lehmann, starring Winona Ryder, Christian Slater, and Shannen Doherty. Matt searches in futility for a broader psychological, social, and/or historical meaning while Mark cuts to the cynical chase and calls Heathers out for the cathartic misanthropic dirge that it is. Chock full of memorable quotes and sinister flourishes, Heathers does not disappoint. Enjoy!

Download: 011 Heathers by Michael Lehmann

010 The Wicker Man (1973) by Robin Hardy

It's time for your appointment with The Wicker Man! This week we review the 1973 cult classic by Robin Hardy. Rated as one of the top ten British films of all time, The Wicker Man defies film making convention, skirting the line between horror and thriller, while making a comment on religion and its relationship to modern society. While paid nothing for his work, Christopher Lee stars as Lord Summerisle in this breakout role that would eventually lead him to later fame in the Lord of the Rings and the Star Wars prequels. Besides a little sacrificial unpleasantness, both Matt and Mark agree, to be a 'born again pagan' may not be all that bad. Enjoy!

Download: 010 The Wicker Man (1973) by Robin Hardy