Movies That Make Us

Welcome back to another episode of Movies that Make Us. We’ve been discussing summer blockbusters and this time, we talk about the 2000 film Gladiator.Directed by Ridley Scott, the film focuses on Russel Crowe playing Roman general Maximus Decimus Meridius, who is betrayed by Joaquin Phoenix’s Commodus, the ambitious son of Emperor Marcus Aurelius, who murders his father and seizes the throne. Reduced to slavery, Maxiumus becomes a gladiator, and rises through the ranks of the arena to avenge the murders of his family and emperor. What are your thoughts on the film? As always, you can reach us at podcast@moviesthatmakeus.com. Did you miss the video premier of this episode? Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel, and then click the little bell to receive notifications when we add a new video or go live.You can also follow our Facebook page so you can receive notifications for new audio or video of our episodes. Sometimes we are even live on Facebook, so you can give us feedback right then and th

Welcome back to Movies that Make Us. Today, we are talking about one of the best sequels of all time, Terminator 2: Judgement Day.Released in 1991, this film was the first to earn over $300 million at the international box office and it finished at just over half a billion dollars in theatrical revenue. It’s a film about a future where robots gain sentience and take over the world. The human resistance once sent a man back in time to save Sarah Connor, and now must send back a reprogrammed Terminator to save her son John from an all new, enhanced, and even more deadly T-1000 model.What are your thoughts on the film? We would love to hear your memories of when you first saw the film and what your thoughts are.Did you miss the video premier of this episode? Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel, and then click the little bell to receive notifications when we add a new video or go live.You can also follow our Facebook page so you can receive notifications for new audio or video of our episodes. Sometimes w

Welcome back to another week at Movies that Make Us and we’re covering a very recent movie currently in theaters; Top Gun: Maverick. Filmed with IMAX cameras inside the cockpits of F-18 fighter jets, it gives you so much action and is a roller coaster experience. There’s a ton of heart and just enough of nostalgic callbacks to the original to make soar. The film takes place about 40 years after the original and Maverick is still a captain, still pushing the limits of machine and man, and gets called back to teach a new generation of pilots how to pull off an attack that will likely kill them. See this on the biggest screen you can, trust us and don’t wait to watch on your plasma screen at home. It will still be enjoyable, but it won’t be the same.What do you think of Top Gun: Maverick? We want your feedback, so be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel, and then click the little bell to receive notifications when we add a new video or go live.You can also follow our Facebook page so you can receive not

It’s time for another episode of Movies that Make Us and this week, we discuss the best of the Star Wars prequels - Episode Three: Revenge of the SithTracy being the old man that he is, remembers seeing A New Hope in the theater, where as Jake and Val first saw it on VHS. We discuss the film, but also how it was received differently based on when you saw the prequels. We also spend a little time speculating on what we might see in the upcoming Obi-Wan Kenobi series.What are your thoughts on Revenge of the Sith? When did you first see the film? Do you like the prequels, originals, or sequels the best? We want to hear from you.Did you miss the video premier of this episode? Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel, and then click the little bell to receive notifications when we add a new video or go live.You can also follow our Facebook page so you can receive notifications for new audio or video of our episodes. Sometimes we even broadcast live on Facebook, so you can give us feedback right then and there.

Welcome back to Movies that Make Us. Today, we’re hoping into the Wayback Machine Mr. Peabody, and traveling back to 1984 and the classic family film The Never Ending Story.The film follows a boy who happens upon a magical book that tells the story of a young warrior who is trying to stop the Nothing, a dark force, from engulfing the world of Fantasia. Directed by Wolfgang Peterson, it was the most expensive film made outside of the U.S. and U.S.S.R. when it was released. Full of nostalgia, practical effects, and a killer theme song, we discuss this classic film.What are your thoughts on the film? We would love to hear your memories of when you first saw the film and what your thoughts are.Did you miss the video premier of this episode? Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel, and then click the little bell to receive notifications when we add a new video or go live.You can also follow our Facebook page so you can receive notifications for new audio or video of our episodes. Sometimes we are even live on

Welcome back to another episode of Movies that Make Us. This week, we celebrated Earth Day, and we discussed the documentary film March of the Penguins.It’s a 2005 documentary film narrated by Morgan Freeman which depicts the yearly journey of the Emperor penguins of Antarctica. In autumn, all the penguins of breeding age (5 years and older) leave the ocean to walk inland to the breeding grounds. For the chicks to survive, both parents must make multiple arduous journeys to the ocean and back to the breeding grounds over the ensuing months. What are your thoughts on the film? We went off the rails quite a bit, but it was late when we recorded. :) As always, you can reach us at podcast@moviesthatmakeus.com. Did you miss the video premier of this episode? Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel, and then click the little bell to receive notifications when we add a new video or go live.You can also follow our Facebook page so you can receive notifications for new audio or video of our episodes. Som

Welcome to the latest edition of Movies that Make Us. This week, we discuss the 2001 film A Knight’s Tale starring Heath Ledger, Alan Tudyk, Paul Bettany, and Rufus Sewell. The film follows a squire who poses as a knight and competes in tournaments and becomes friends with Geoffrey Chaucer and Edward the Black Prince. Full of pop culture nods and a 1970’s soundtrack, this is a fun film that is full of heart, humor, and holds up very well. This week, we are joined by our friend James A. Owen, author of the Here, There Be Dragons book series, illustrator, comic nerd, time lord, and much more. He brings some great insight into this film and how it literally changed his stars in his professional career. What are your thoughts on the film?  As always, you can reach us at podcast@moviesthatmakeus.com. Did you miss the video premier of this episode? Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel, and then click the little bell to receive notifications when we add a new video or go live.You can also

Welcome back to another week at Movies that Make Us and we take a look at the underrated Tim Burton film Big Fish. Based on the book with the same title by Daniel Wallace, the film tells the story of a frustrated son who tries to distinguish fact from fiction in his dying father’s life. Starring Ewan McGregor, Danny DeVito, Steve Buscemi, Albert Finney, Helena Bonham Carter, and Albert Finney. A southern gothic fairy tale, it is a film about the reconciliation between a father and son. Screenwriter John August identified with Will's character and adapted it after himself. In college, August's father died, and like Will, August had attempted to get to know him before his death, but found it difficult. Like Will, August had studied journalism and was 28 years old. In the film, Will says of Edward, "I didn't see anything of myself in my father, and I don't think he saw anything of himself in me. We were like strangers who knew each other very well.”What do you think of Big Fish? We want your feedback, so be

Welcome to another episode of Movies that Make Us! This week we go back to 1994 with an underrated classic Quiz Show. Starring Ralph Fiennes, John Turtorro, Rob Morrow, Martin Scorsese, David Paymer, Hank Azaria, and Mira Sorvino. It’s the true story of the hit quiz show 21 and the dramatic rise and fall of contestants Herb Stempel and Charles VanDoren. It’s a story of temptation and consequence, what is real and what is fake, and is beautifully acted, directed, and filmed. What are your thoughts on this pick? Have you seen Quiz Show before? As always, you can reach us at podcast@moviesthatmakeus.com. Did you miss the video premier of this episode? Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel, and then click the little bell to receive notifications when we add a new video or go live.You can also follow our Facebook page so you can receive notifications for new audio or video of our episodes. Sometimes we are even live on Facebook, so you can give us feedback right then and there. It’s pretty swe

The Oscars are here and Movies that Make Us is taking a look back at some of our favorite Best Picture winners from years past.There were 93 different films we could have picked from but we start with Val’s selection of Rocky. The 1976 film from Sylvester Stallone where a blue collar guy who is the ultimate underdog who takes on the Heavyweight Boxing Champion for the championship. Tracy selected the 2008 film The Hurt Locker. This was the first film to have a female selected for Best Picture and the first winner as well. It is set during the Iraq war where a small team of individuals work to defuse bombs under the worst conditions imaginable. Jake selected Gladiator which was released in 2000. Incredible performances by Russell Crowe and Joaquin Phoenix drive the story of a Roman soldier forced to compete in the gladiator battles of the Coliseum. What are your thoughts on the films and the Oscars in general? Did you watch this year’s broadcast, or did you get the results online? Next week, we are discus

On this episode of Movies That Make Us, we welcome Patrick Gibbs, film critic for SLUG Magazine as we take a look at the upcoming Academy Awards, being broadcast live on March 27, 2022 on ABC.In this episode, we run through all the nominees for best picture. Which ones should win, or could win, and which ones shouldn’t have been nominated. We also talk about films we think should have been nominated instead, and take a brief look at the the Best Animated Feature category.Are you excited for the Oscars? Who do you think will win Best Picture? What award are you most looking forward to? Did Tracy say something you disagreed with? You can send all of that feedback to podcast@moviesthatmakeus.com. Did you miss the video premier of this episode? Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel, and then click the little bell to receive notifications when we add a new video or go live.You can also follow our Facebook page so you can receive notifications for new audio or video of our episodes. Sometimes we are

On this very special episode of Movies That Make Us, we are marking 3 years of doing this show! And what better way to celebrate than by welcoming our very special guest- Larry Curtis and talking all about The Lord of the Rings! In this episode, we get to listen as Larry relates some of his experiences covering the early days of the Lord of the Rings films for theonering.net, as well as his visit to the set of The Hobbit. He has a lot of stories, and new promise you won’t be bored. What did you think of The Lord of the Rings? Did you like The Hobbit? Are you excited about the new series? Did Tracy say something you disagreed with? You can send all of that feedback to podcast@moviesthatmakeus.com.  Did you miss the video premiere of this episode? Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel, and then click the little bell to receive notifications when we add a new video or go live. You can also follow our Facebook page so you can receive notifications for new audio or video of our episo

Jon Favreau is most well known for being the creator of the Disney+ series The Mandalorian and feature films like Elf, The Lion King, and Iron Man. This week, we discuss his lesser-known film Zathura: A Space Adventure.This family friendly sci-fi film was released in 2005 and is based on the book Zathura by Chris Van Allsburg who was also the author of Jumanji. The story is about two brothers, Walter and Danny, who find a mysterious board game in the basement, which transports their house into outer space. Along with their older sister Lisa and an astronaut, they try to survive the game so they can return home. Starring Josh Hutcherson, Jonah Bobo, Dax Shepard, Kristen Stewart, and Tim Robbins. Favreau is one of our favorite directors and we recommend you check out this lesser-known film.What are your thoughts on the film?  As always, you can reach us at podcast@moviesthatmakeus.com. Did you miss the video premiere of this episode? Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel, and then click the litt

Welcome back to Fantasy February here at Movies that Make Us. This week, we discuss the 1986 classic Labyrinth.The film tells the story of 16-year-old Sarah (Jennifer Connelly)’s quest to reach the center of an enormous maze to rescue her infant half-brother Toby who Sarah wished away to Jareth, the Goblin King (David Bowie). The majority of the characters in the film are played by puppets from Jim Henson’s Creature Shop.This is a film many of us grew up with, but how does it hold up to current audiences? We would love to hear your thoughts on the film. Next week, we’ll be discussing Jon Favreau’s underappreciated film Zathura.Did you miss the video premier of this episode? Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel, and then click the little bell to receive notifications when we add a new video or go live.You can also follow our Facebook page so you can receive notifications for new audio or video of our episodes. Sometimes we even broadcast live on Facebook, so you can give us feedback right then and there

It’s Fantasy February here at Movies that Make Us, and this week we discuss the Japanese animated fantasy film Spirited Away by Hayao Miyazaki. It tells the story of a ten-year-old girl who when moving to a new neighborhood, enters the world of Kami (spirits of Japanese Shinto folklore). After her parents are turned into pigs by the witch Yubaba, Chihiro takes a job working in Yubaba’s bathhouse to find a way to free herself and her parents and return to the human world.Beautiful, hand-drawn animation brings us into a world lush with unique characters and beautiful settings. The film won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature at the 75th Academy Awards, making it the first and to date, the only hand-drawn and non-English-language animated film to win the award.Did you miss the video premier of this episode? Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel, and then click the little bell to receive notifications when we add a new video or go live.You can also follow our Facebook page so you can receive notific

It’s the final episode of 2021 for Movies that Make Us and we’re discussing some of our favorite unconventional Christmas films. We all love National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, A Charlie Brown Christmas, Elf, etc. but we wanted to offer you some movies that you may want to mix into your Christmas movie marathon this year.Jake selected Batman Returns and Edward Scissorhands that were directed by Tim Burton. He also selected the Lord of the Rings trilogy because the movies were all released over the holidays and it watching them hits a little harder at Christmas. Tracy went with the Dan Akroyd and Eddie Murphy film Trading Places, the VERY black comedy The Ref with Kevin Spacey, Dennis Leary, and Judy Davis, and a Christmas musical film centered around high school students trying to survive zombies in Anna and the Apocalypse. Val selected the latest version of Little Women, The Family Man starring Nicholas Cage, and Children of Men starring Clive Owen.What are your thoughts on these films? We would love to h

Welcome to another episode of Movies that Make Us! It’s the Holiday season and we want to celebrate by unwrapping some of the cinematic gifts we received this year.Tracy selected Dune, Tick, Tick…Boom! and Free Guy. An epic sci-fi film, a small film about a musical talent, and a movie that was just absolutely fun. Val selected The Tender Bar - the George Clooney directed film, The Harder they Fall - which is a modern western with a killer cast, and Belfast - the latest from Kenneth Branagh. Jake had the musical In the Heights, Finch which is the latest from Tom Hanks found on Apple TV, and Ghostbusters Afterlife.What are your thoughts on these picks? As always, you can reach us at podcast@moviesthatmakeus.com. Did you miss the video premier of this episode? Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel, and then click the little bell to receive notifications when we add a new video or go live.You can also follow our Facebook page so you can receive notifications for new audio or video of our episodes. Some

Hi friends! This week, we are finishing up Nicholas Cage November with the small, independent film Pig.It’s one crazy premise - Nicholas Cage’s character Robin Feld lives alone in the woods of the Pacific Northwest with only his truffle hunting pig for companionship. They collect truffles and sell them to Amir who in turn sells them to high end restaurants in Portland. One day his beloved pig is stolen and he is dead set on finding out what happened to his friend. What could have turned into a John Wick or Nobody revenge film, instead is a thoughtful examination of loss, family, finding your place in the world, and knowing who you are.What are your thoughts on the film? Next week, we’ll kick off the Christmas season with Staff Picks - our cinematic presents we received this year.Did you miss the video premier of this episode? Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel, and then click the little bell to receive notifications when we add a new video or go live.You can also follow our Facebook page so you can r

Welcome back to Nicholas Cage November and this week we’re discussing the Michael Bay action 1997 film Con Air.It’s the story of a former Army Ranger who accidentally killed a man while protecting his wife, who has become eligible for parole, and ends up on a plane full of the worst criminals in the world. Featuring a stellar cast of Nicholas Cage, John Cusack, John Malkovich, Steve Buscemi, Ving Rhames, Dave Chapelle, and Danny Trejo. It’s Michael Bay unleashed, so there’s plenty of explosions, slow motion hair, and Nick Cage’s deep fried southern accent that has to be experienced to be understood.What are your thoughts on the film? Next week, we continue with our Nicholas Cage November with Pig.  As always, you can reach us at podcast@moviesthatmakeus.com. Did you miss the video premier of this episode? Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel, and then click the little bell to receive notifications when we add a new video or go live.You can also follow our Facebook page so you can receive noti

We’re halfway through our Nicholas Cage November and it’s also the second Jon Turtletaub film we are reviewing (first was While You Were Sleeping) - we are discussing the film National Treasure. This action/adventure/treasure hunt film came out in 2004 and has a star studded cast including Christopher Plummer, Harvey Keitel, Jon Voight, Diane Kruger, Sean Bean, and Justin Bartha. Even if you haven’t seen the film, you know the line “I’m gonna steal the Declaration of Independence.” It’s a whirlwind film full of hidden treasure, the Knights Templar, Free Masons, our Founding Fathers, and is probably one of, if not the most accessible Nicholas Cage film.What are your thoughts on the film?  As always, you can reach us at podcast@moviesthatmakeus.com. Did you miss the video premier of this episode? Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel, and then click the little bell to receive notifications when we add a new video or go live.You can also follow our Facebook page so you can receive notificati