Bad Films In Good Company

It’s that time of year. Can we predict the Oscar Best Picture winner based solely on the trailer? I know the tradition is to make stupid paragraph based on the nominees, but look at them. OK, let’s see if we can Joker-ound (say it loud, it works) with these. Once Upon A Time In Hollywood during the silent era (maybe in 1917), in the days before motoring rivalries such as Ford v Ferrari, Little Women were protesting much like they still have to. The Irishman and his country folk were not treated much better. Kinda like a Parasite. Bad times. And, erm... Jojo Rabbit. There. Done it   What do you think will win? Get in touch and let us know. https://www.facebook.com/groups/BFGCPodcast/   Apple Podcasts: apple.co/1R4SNZJ

The Ape-ril micro-season starts with the little known British horror movie Link. It stars Oscar nominated actors, though not for this film, Terence Stamp and Elisabeth Shue, who are pitted against hyper intelligent chimpanzees. We discuss how music can affect a film, what we think of Stamp’s career, Shue’s early acting skills and Ben names the wrong Jimmy Cagney film.   But does Terence put his Stamp on this film? How creepy is the initial set-up? And could they really not find a suitable chimp for the lead?   Join us in the lab to if this is this film is the missing Link, or just a horrific homunculus.   Have we missed anything? Get in touch and let us know.   Email: bfgccast@gmail.com Twitter: @bfgcpodcast Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/BFGCPodcast/ iTunes: apple.co/1R4SNZJ

Without enough time to cover the first film in our Ape-ril micro-season, we sit down for one of our infrequent chats about what we're watching. We discuss whether you can have too much choice, and whether streaming services offer enough variety. You can also find out what our favourite show of the moment is.   Are there any shows you think we should watch? Get in touch and let us know.   Email: bfgccast@gmail.com Twitter: @bfgcpodcast Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/BFGCPodcast/ iTunes: apple.co/1R4SNZJ

Brides of March ends with a Honeymoon in Vegas, an early 90s rom com with Nicolas Cage on top form as the groom to be alongside Sarah Jessica Parker as the blushing bride. Rollerball’s James Caan stands in way of their nuptials as a… is he meant to be a gangster or just a dodgy card shark? We discuss how much cinematic style changed over the decade, stunt casting and if you could get away with the actors cast as Hawaiian islanders in this day and age.   But where on the scale of insanity does Nic Cage’s performance lie? How did Pat Morita choose that accent? And why would you go to that poker game Nic, why? Join us the morning after to see if Honeymoon in Vegas was a night to remember or a hangover you’d rather forget.   Have we missed anything? Get in touch and let us know.   Email: bfgccast@gmail.com Twitter: @bfgcpodcast Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/BFGCPodcast/ iTunes: apple.co/1R4SNZJ

Brides of March continues with The Wedding Planner. This early noughties rom com stars Jennifer Lopez, as an Italian, and Matthew McConaughey, as a paediatrician, who meet when they shouldn’t. Set in glorious San Francisco this move has an interesting supporting cast. We discuss if being generic is necessarily a bad thing, whether a dancer can direct and what the ending actually means.   But will J-Lo get a chance to shake her booty? Does a car bounce over the hills of San Francisco? And will Matt Mac get a chance to take his shirt off?   Join us as we have a philosophical difference and ask if this film is planned to perfection, or a disaster waiting to happen.   Have we missed anything? Get in touch and let us know.   Email: bfgccast@gmail.com Twitter: @bfgcpodcast Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/BFGCPodcast/ iTunes: apple.co/1R4SNZJ

The Brides March on with our 2nd rom com, Fools Rush In from 1997. Capitalising on his Friends fame, Matthew Perry co-stars with, then rising star, Salma Hayek in a cross-cultural tale of an impulsive marriage. We discuss how much Perry diverts from the infamous Chandler Bing, if it takes a shortcut in showing Mexican culture and what the running time for a romantic comedy should be.   But do this mismatched pair have the right chemistry? Who should have played Salma's dad? And could this BE any more fun?   Join us at the rehearsal dinner to see if this rom com is a leap of faith or a fool's errand.   Have we missed anything? Get in touch and let us know.   Email: bfgccast@gmail.com Twitter: @bfgcpodcast Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/BFGCPodcast/ iTunes: apple.co/1R4SNZJ

It's time for Brides of March, a month long celebration of wedding themed movies. We kick off in style with Frank Oz's classy 1997 rom com In & Out. Kevin Kline gets the oddest case of prenuptial jitters when he's outed on national TV and faces a crisis of sexuality. We discuss if it's attitude towards the LGBT community feels outdated after 20+ years, digress rather more than usual and ask if it's possible to make a bad film using a cast with this much quality.   But are we the right men to discuss this movie? Will Joan Cusack always be a bridesmaid, and never the bride? And just how weird does Tom Selleck look sans moustache?   Join us in the chapel to see if we’re Out for a good time with this wedding caper, or if it’s In deep trouble.   Have we missed anything? Get in touch and let us know.   Email: bfgccast@gmail.com Twitter: @bfgcpodcast Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/BFGCPodcast/ iTunes: apple.co/1R4SNZJ

Feburenny 2019 comes to a close with The Long Kiss Goodnight, possibly the most Renny Harlin film of them all. It’s got a Shane Black script, stars Geena Davis and Samuel L Jackson, and massive explosions. Foz is a huge fan, but Ben really didn’t like it when he first saw it, but hasn’t seen it since it’s release. We talk about how it feels to revisit a film you have bad memories of, how the strength of your antagonist affects a film, and just how much action can Renny fit into one movie.   But will Brian Cox steal the whole movie? Is this script a Black spot on Shane’s career? And will someone finally run away from a slow moving explosion?   Join us by the flaming Christmas tree to see if 20+ years can change Ben’s mind on this action spy caper, or whether he was right all along.   Have we missed anything? Get in touch and let us know.   Email: bfgccast@gmail.com Twitter: @bfgcpodcast Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/BFGCPodcast/ iTunes: apple.co/1R4SNZJ

Feburenny continues with another supernatural film from Renny Harlin. This time we have The Covenant. Imagine a genderflip of The Craft with moody male models taking over as the hormonal, adolescent teens with power. We discuss the merits of casting for looks instead of acting ability, whether the critical reception was overly harsh, and where this fits in the canon of Harlin’s horror output. But are the the boys hot enough to make the girls’ gossip? Is this just an attempt at a tweeny Harry Potter? And does anyone run away from a slow moving explosion? Join us around the cauldron to see whether this teen caper has the right kind of magic, or if it should be burned at the stake. Have we missed anything? Get in touch and let us know.   Email: bfgccast@gmail.com Twitter: @bfgcpodcast Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/BFGCPodcast/ iTunes: apple.co/1R4SNZJ

Can we guess the Oscar Best Picture winner based on the trailer alone? Time for the annual BFGC predictions for 2019 to see if A Star is Born when the producer picks up the golden man. Will there be a sweet smelling a Roma in the making, or have voters taken different ad Vice? Is Bohemian Rhapsody going to be The Favourite.  And will Blackkklansman finally Spike it’s director an overdue award? All I know is that there will be an upset if Black Panther Bagheeras the prize. (Man, this gets tougher every year).   What do you think will win? Get in touch and let us know: Email: BFGCcast@gmail.com Twitter: @BFGCPodcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/BFGCPodcast iTunes: apple.co/1R4SNZJ

Feburenny continues to celebrate the career of Renny Harlin with, possibly, his most famous film Die Hard 2 [colon] Die Harder. Bruce Willis is back to put the “Christ that hurts” into Christmas as he tackles a bunch of ex-military types who take over an airport. We discuss if the stellar cast are put to good use or not, whether it carries over too much from the iconic original and ask if it is a worthy entry into the John McLane franchise. But could this film be made today? Why didn’t they have an Italian airline called Django Air? And does anyone run away from a slow moving explosion? Join us in the departure lounge to see if this airport actioner is a high flyer, or detained by customs.   Email: bfgccast@gmail.com Twitter: @bfgcpodcast Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/BFGCPodcast/ iTunes: apple.co/1R4SNZJ

Welcome to Feburenny. A month-long celebration of Finland’s finest filmmaker, Mr Renny Harlin. We kick things off with his American debut “Prison”, a spooky prison flick about a vengeful spirit looking for revenge on the guard that framed him for murder. We discuss if this movie contains any of his trademark visual ticks, whether it sets the tone for his future career, and where it sits in the pantheon of prison films. But what would Clark Kent make of his editors previous job as a prison warden? Does future Aragorn Viggo Mortensen make strides in this early role? And does anyone run away from a slow moving explosion? Join us in the cells to see whether this movie is a break out, or deserves to be locked in solitary.   Anything to add? Get in touch and let us know.   Email: bfgccast@gmail.com Twitter: @bfgcpodcast Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/BFGCPodcast/ iTunes: apple.co/1R4SNZJ

Van Dammit, this is an entertainment packed weekend right here. In lieu of looking at films individually, we have constructed the ultimate JCVD movie marathon for you. Foz has painstakingly put together a couple of themed lists that give you the best the muscles from Brussels has to offer. But is this The Quest a Hard Target? Is this worth going AWOL from work to watch ‘em all? And will all this excitement cause you Sudden Death? Join us as we munch down on Belgian Waffles and see whether this movie marathon makes a Double Impact or if it’s a Maximum Risk that's not worth taking. Have we missed anything? Get in touch and let us know. Email: bfgccast@gmail.com Twitter: @bfgcpodcast Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/BFGCPodcast/ iTunes: apple.co/1R4SNZJ

Van Damme does the ultimate splits playing twins in Double Impact. What better way to celebrate June Claude Van Damme by having not one, but two JCVDs. This 1991 action movie was a huge hit, even though it didn’t light a fire under critics, and is arguably the one that spin-kicked JC out of B-movies to top of the A-class. No Double Impact… means no Universal Soldier, Hard Target or Timecop. We take a deep dive into this enjoyable romp, with a diverted focus on well developed body parts. But why was the leading actress cast? Does Geoffrey Lewis manage to underplay his role? And are two JCVD’s simply too much? Join us on a junk ride in Hong Kong harbour to see whether two heads are better than one, or if they cause double trouble (and we don’t mean the film we covered a few episodes ago) What do you think? Get in touch and let us know. Email: bfgccast@gmail.com Twitter: @bfgcpodcast Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/BFGCPodcast/ iTunes: apple.co/1R4SNZJ

Idealistic Christian Bale takes a cross-country journey, with gruff veteran hunter Matt Mac to chase down a dragon in a post-cataclysmic Britain. It’s basically Jaws with dragons, and that can’t be bad… can it? This 2002 action/monster movie was a bit of a flop at the time, but has built up a cult following in the years since. This is a movie we’ve been looking forward to covering for some time. It is both good, and bad at the same time. Listen in to find out which side is more prevalent. But can Ben remain objective about a film starring Christian Bale? Is Mac still a sexy beast even with a shaved head and beard? And isn’t it weird seeing Gerard Butler looking so thin? Join us as at the dragon powered BBQ to find out if our collective nostalgic memories are gently warming or more like scorched earth. What do you think? Get in touch and let us know. Email: bfgccast@gmail.com Twitter: @bfgcpodcast Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/BFGCPodcast/ iTunes: apple.co/1R4SNZJ

What McConaughmay would be complete without a McConaughrom-com. There are so many to choose from, but we’ve gone with Ghosts of Girlfriend’s Past. A loose reworking of the classic story A Christmas Carol, with Matt Mac as a promiscuous, gamophobic Scrooge visited by the titular spectres. Jennifer Garner and Michael Douglas co-star in this lightweight, but utterly enjoyable film. But is this Michael Douglas’ most controversial role to date? Does Jennifer have enough charm to Garner the heart of Matt? And is McConaughey just too charming to be tied to just one woman? Join us at the wedding of the decade to see if this McConaughrom-com is a poltergeisty pleasure, or if the ghost’s make it a bust. What do you think? Get in touch and let us know. Email: bfgccast@gmail.com Twitter: @bfgcpodcast Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/BFGCPodcast/ iTunes: apple.co/1R4SNZJ

Alright, alright, awwwwriiiiight! It’s the glorious month of McConaughmay, celebrating the best Texan export since the discovery of oil. Kicking off this most sacred of months is Two For The Money, a “based on reality“ drama about the world of legalised sports betting. Matt Mac is brought into this shady world by a gambling Svengali, played by the legendary Al ‘hoo-ah’ Pacino. This is one of those movies that’s a slam dunk on paper, but it hit a short stop at the box office, and failed to score with the critics. Time (out) for us to take a punt, and revisit this classy looking drama. But does Pacino act like a walking parody of himself? Will it persuade us to become gambling addicts? And is Matthew’s performance McONaughhay or McOFFaughhay? Join us down the bookies to see if this gambling drama is an odds on favourite, or a waste of a betting slip. Does Matthew McConaughey make you want to lay bets? Get in touch and let us know. Email: bfgccast@gmail.com Twitter: @bfgcpodcast Facebook: www.facebook.com/g

Imagine if someone made a version of the Arnie/De Vito movie Twins, but cast actual twins. Welcome to Double Trouble from 1992 starring body building brothers Peter and David Paul. They are Dead Ringers, but couldn’t be more different. One’s a cop, the other is a criminal, and they must work together to stop the bad guys. This is one of those films that appears out of nowhere on Netflix and just begs to be watched. We did, and we’ll let you know if you should too. But do these twins give identical performances? Was this film really made in 1992? And just how wrong does it feel to hear an OG Star Trek actor swearing? Join us in the proper man’s gym to see if these overly buff brothers create a Double Impact, or if they are Twins of Evil. Have you seen the brothers in action? Get in touch and let us know. Email: bfgccast@gmail.com Twitter: @bfgcpodcast Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/BFGCPodcast/ iTunes: apple.co/1R4SNZJ

It's Showtime! No, not Beetlejuice. Buddy cop meets reality TV in this 2002 action comedy. You might know it better as the one where William Shatner teaches De Niro how to act. That's right, Captain Kirk shows the man behind Travis Bickle, Jake La Motta, Rupert Pupkin and Young Vito how to act. That sounds good, yeah? But then it also stars a post 1980s Eddie Murphy, which is not such a sure thing. It was a critical and commercial bomb on release, but can it really be that bad? It's time to re-evaluate BFGC style. But which films would you choose for the stars on the back of the DVD box? Will Eddie Murphy rein it in, or be all swivelling bug eyes? And is it possible for William Shatner to be the best actor in a movie? Join us in the LAPD squad room to see if this Big Brother/Cop hybrid is arresting entertainment, or if it should be evicted. Get in touch and let us know. Email: bfgccast@gmail.com Twitter: @bfgcpodcast Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/BFGCPodcast/ iTunes: apple.co/1R4SNZJ

Were our Oscar picks on the money, or did we miss the mark? Following from our prediction podcast, comes the inevitable fall out and a chat about the awards in general. We also go over some things we’ve been watching and some things we’re looking forward to. Stuff you should watch, films to avoid and some returning favourites. This episode also includes the triumphant return of Our Man in Japan. Sam has a Japanese show to recommend that you can watch now (if you have Amazon Prime, that is). Is there anything you think we should be watching? Get in touch and let us know. Email: bfgccast@gmail.com Twitter: @bfgcpodcast Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/BFGCPodcast/ iTunes: apple.co/1R4SNZJ