The Top 100 Project

David Fincher’s serial killer thriller is what we explore in N100P podcast #18. It’s bloody, it’s bleak and it’s also brilliant. Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman are very solid, but Kevin Spacey steals the whole movie. Before we break down the Sev, visit Sparkplug.Coffee!

A comedy classic with Cary Grant & Rosalind Russell is #17 in the Next 100 Project. Even 76 years later, it's sharp, funny and remarkably competent (Bev's favourite word!). This is Howard Hawks' best comedy (and that's saying something). It might have some problems with tone though. Check out Sparkplug.Coffee, then ignite the rat-a-tat rom-com!

The consensus choice for best Star Wars movie is what we'll talk about in episode #16 of the Next 100 Project. Like most people, we rag on the prequels. Empire, though, has some pretty good acting and obviously outstanding F/X to go with the dark story. Dedicated to Geoff Wall, the unfortunately departed superfan and college friend of Ryan. Go to Sparkplug.Coffee, then saddle up your Tauntaun (for no reason) before you hit that play button!

Hey, a documentary! Yup, the 15th edition of the Next 100 Project is Michael Moore’s 1st flick. He found his voice right out of the gate and continues to showboat about important subjects...and to rake in big box office. This is one of Bev’s 3 favourite movies, so you know she’s got passionate opinions. Get Sparkplug.Coffee in you, then listen!

Joel and Ethan Coen’s Oscar-winning modern western chase picture is the subject of the 14th edition of the Next 100 Project. The brothers are known for wacky comedies, so this flick was a truly cynical departure. Excellent cast, story and production values. Curiosity? Our podcast manages to talk about Batman Forever more than anyone has in 20 years! Sink your teeth into our meatiest episodes in a while, but cleanse your palate first with some Sparkplug.Coffee!

Movies about inspirational teachers are common, but this one---although quite dated---has some grit to it. Glenn Ford has the task of trying to educate a wide array of tough teens in the (overrated) ’50s, including Sidney Poitier and Vic Morrow (the Twilight Zone victim). We didn’t love this flick as much as most of our recent choices, but why spoil those thoughts now? Check us out! Oh, and hit Sparkplug.Coffee too.

To honour baseball’s 2016 Opening Day, we cover a genial biopic about the remarkable Lou Gehrig. Gary Cooper is solid as the Iron Horse who loves 2 things above all else: baseball & his devoted wife Eleanor (Teresa Wright). It’s no Bull Durham, but this ancient baseball movie exudes class & character. Pop over to Sparkplug.Coffee before you hear the Ellises play ball!

The Next 100 Project is back in the modern era with the one that cinched Tom Hanks' status as a bonafide movie star. There'a an awful lot of pathos in what is absolutely a funny movie, but that pathos is probably what's given the flick its longevity. After you go over to SparkplugCoffee.com to get some beans, please settle in for some Big!

The daddy of Biblical epics is our first (and probably only) chance to talk about a Cecil B. DeMille picture. The Moses story has been filmed many times (Ryan thinks none of them get it right), but it's hard to argue that Charlton Heston's portrayal is the most iconic version. Yul Brynner and Anne Baxter are pretty good at playing Egyptians, considering they aren't Egyptian. For a lot more about the movie that ripped apart the Red Sea, slam that button, but first check out our longtime sponsor, Sparkplug.Coffee!

The 9th episode in the Next 100 Project tackles a foreign film, something the AFI obviously couldn't do. Henri-Georges Clouzot's ultra-tense thriller about 4 men driving 2 trucks with nitro-gylycerine in the back takes some time to get going. Once they start driving though, Clouzot keeps you teetering on the edge of your seat. You know what you need to do before you press play? Buy some Sparkplug.Coffee!

Oscar Month ends with this episode as Kevin Spacey & Annette Bening share the hate in most comical fashion. The Oscar-winner was a mega-hit and it’s still vivid & funny, but also a touch dated. The young actors more than hold their own in Sam Mendes’ debut as a film director. Look closer at this one while also tracking down some Sparkplug.Coffee!

With this 7th Next 100 Project podcast, we join the cacophony of movie people weighing in on the 2016 Academy Awards. With #Oscarssowhite being an issue again this year, it’s going to be a controversial show. Chris Rock, you’re up! We also share some of our favourites in 2015 and we even gab a bit about great Oscar moments. Dive in with a cup of Sparkplug.Coffee!

A month ahead of another "vs." movie (with the bitter bat & the arrogant alien), KvK is about as grounded & real as a blockbusting Oscar-winner can get. Dustin Hoffman & Meryl Streep are brilliant as the title characters. This is a very sympathetic movie with a half-dozen perfect, deeply moving scenes. Hit that Sparkplug.Coffee link and get listenin'!

Oscar Month is under way with this stunningly popular title. Newman & Redford have more chemistry than just about any couple ever paired up on the big screen. Their charm takes them a long way and they're convincing as con men too, but is their twist-filled movie funny? How has it held up compared to other '70s classics? Check out our theories and get you & your family some beans from Sparkplug.Coffee!

Oil! Also, money, religion, power...and blood! Paul Thomas Anderson’s blisteringly intimate epic brings us another in a long line of huge Daniel Day-Lewis performances. This remains PTA’s most-successful and rewarded film yet, even though it certainly isn’t flawless. This wraps up the Month O’ Bev, so stay tuned for Oscar Month the rest of February. And don’t forget to check out our sponsor at Sparkplugcoffee.com.

It’s the 24th anniversary of the launch of Quentin Tarantino’s career when this flick was screened at Sundance. The ultimate movie geek’s 1st film remains cool as a cuke and the cast gnashes their teeth on QT’s uber-famous turns of phrase. Turn up the volume as we dissect what makes Pink, Blonde, White, Orange and their contemptible allies so damn special! But…you also must check out our longtime sponsor, Sparkplug Coffee.

Next 100 Project episode #2 is a romance in the land of Schwarzenegger! Richard Linklater’s simple little poem---and its sequels---are must-sees for anyone who loves big-screen love. Ethan Hawke is peanut butter to Julie Delpy’s chocolate. Pure chemistry, kids. Order up some Sparkplug Coffee and sink into the hug that is Before Sunrise!

Welcome to our 2nd phase, which we’re calling the Next 100 Project. Movie #1 in the N100P is the 1st in the Month O’ Bev...and it remains a fantastical delight. With Tim Burton and Johnny Depp involved, it was destined to be a kooky fantasy though, right? Check out our pithy confab while you multi-task yourself some Sparkplug Coffee, who remain our illustrious sponsor!

And it so it goes, and so it goes. We close it out with a journey back in time to talk about 123 movies...and we name-drop 89 of them! We discuss recurring themes throughout the T100P, how we feel about AFI’s 2 lists and we also reveal our own Top 10 Lists. Plus, we get into the not-so-bright spots and the frustrating oversights by the AFI’s compilations. Talk to you on January 11th with the Next 100 Project and do not forget our sponsor, Sparkplug Coffee.

We end the T100P with a cliffhanger! LOTR: FOTR clearly represents the entire trilogy, which is good for us because we spent a lot of this 'cast talking about the 2 sequels. The cast is terrific, the F/X & overall look are extraordinary and J.R.R. Tolkien's story of a hero's journey is a classic. It's also a bit goofy. Click play to hear our lengthy gab gab, but you need your Sparkplug Coffee first!