Trash, Art, And The Movies
The podcast that pits arthouse cinema against brainless entertainment—and then declares a victor.

Just in time for Christmas, Erin and Paul review two films about harrowing home invasions. First: HOME ALONE, Chris Columbus' 1990 blockbuster starring Macauley Culkin as a boy who fights off a pair of bumbling burglars after being accidentally left behind when the rest of his family goes on a trip to Europe; then, FUNNY GAMES, Michael Haneke's shot-for-shot 2007 English-language remake of his 1997 German original, a Brechtian suspense film about a family whose Long Island vacation home is invaded by a pair of sadistic killers. An iron to the head, or a golf club to the kneecap: which will prevail?

Plus: our quick takes on WILD, ANNIE, INTO THE WOODS, and TWO DAYS, ONE NIGHT, as well as our favourite underrated Christmas movies, and listener choices for the director who's had the most negative influence on movies and/or moviemaking.

Direct download: TAATM_129__Home_Alone_vs._Funny_Games.mp3
Category:TV and Film -- posted at: 11:21pm EDT

Erin and Paul review a bunch of films with the same title, but very different views of the law enforcement system. First: BAD BOYS and BAD BOYS II, Michael Bay's pair of over-the-top action blockbusters starring Martin Lawrence and Will Smith as squabbling Miami cops whose investigations leave a massive trail of destruction in their wake; then, BAD BOYS, the gritty 1983 drama starring Sean Penn as an unrepentant teenage criminal who is sentenced to a tough juvenile correctional facility after a small-time robbery gone wrong. A suitcase full of drugs, or a bunch of corpses full of ecstasy: which will prevail?

Plus: our quick takes on TOP FIVE, THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS, STRANGER BY THE LAKE, and IT'S SUCH A BEAUTIFUL DAY.

Direct download: TAATM_128__Bad_Boys_vs._Bad_Boys_and_Bad_Boys_II.mp3
Category:TV and Film -- posted at: 2:54am EDT

Paul and Erin review two movies about angels mingling with mortals while wearing heavy overcoats. First: WINGS OF DESIRE, Wim Wenders' 1987 classic about an angel in Berlin who decides to become human after falling in love with a beautiful trapeze artist; then, DOGMA, Kevin Smith's raunchy 1999 religious comedy starring Linda Fiorentino as an abortion-clinic employee who is assigned the holy mission of stopping two rogue angels from returning to heaven and thereby causing the end of the world. A Nick Cave concert or an Alanis Morissette cameo: which will prevail? 

Plus: our quick takes on CITIZENFOUR, TUSK, PALO ALTO, and STEP UP ALL IN.

Direct download: TAATM_127__Wings_Of_Desire_vs._Dogma.mp3
Category:TV and Film -- posted at: 2:41am EDT

Erin and Paul review two films about the exciting world of futuristic law enforcement. First: MINORITY REPORT, Steven Spielberg's 2002 Philip K. Dick adaptation, set in a world where a tank full of clairvoyant genetic anomalies allow the police to arrest people for murder before their crimes even happen; then, DEMOLITION MAN, the 1993 sci-fi action satire starring Wesley Snipes as a hyperviolent 20th-century criminal running amok in a wimped-out, politically correct future, and Sylvester Stallone as the cryogenically unfrozen supercop assigned to take him down. Three mysterious "precogs," or three mysterious seashells: which will prevail?

Plus: our quick takes on EVEN COWGIRLS GET THE BLUES, ALTMAN, PREDESTINATION, and BIRD PEOPLE.

Direct download: TAATM_126__Minority_Report_vs._Demolition_Man.mp3
Category:TV and Film -- posted at: 2:47am EDT

TAATM #125: Whiplash vs. Drumline

Paul and Erin review two films about drummers in training. First: WHIPLASH, director Damien Chazelle's high-intensity arthouse hit about the conflict between an aspiring young drummer and the abusive conductor of his school's showcase jazz band; then, DRUMLINE, director Charles Stone III's 2002 musical drama starring Nick Cannon as a drumming prodigy whose ego and hot temper might cost him his dream of performing with his university's marching band. A bandleader who idolizes Charlie Parker, or a bandleader who idolizes Earth, Wind and Fire: which will prevail?

Plus: our quick takes on M*A*S*H, THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY—PART 1, WHY DON'T YOU PLAY IN HELL?, and RICH HILL.

Direct download: TAATM_125__Whiplash_vs._Drumline.mp3
Category:TV and Film -- posted at: 12:51pm EDT

Paul and Erin unfold two films about Playboy bunnies: first, THE HOUSE BUNNY, the 2008 comedy starring Anna Faris as a bunny-in-exile who stumbles into a job as "house mother" for a sorority of unpopular, misfit college coeds; then, STAR 80, Bob Fosse's grim 1983 biopic starring Mariel Hemingway as Dorothy Stratten, a Playmate of the Year whose promising movie career was cut short when she was murdered by her estranged husband. A virtuous boyfriend who works at an old-age home, or a creepy boyfriend who sells homemade mail-order bondage chairs: which will prevail?

Plus, we offer our quick takes on ROSEWATER, FORCE MAJEURE, and GOODBYE TO LANGUAGE. Also: readers name their favourite cinematic chefs!

Direct download: TAATM_124__The_House_Bunny_vs._Star_80.mp3
Category:TV and Film -- posted at: 3:28am EDT

Erin and Paul review two films about women with supernatural kitchen skills. First: LIKE WATER FOR CHOCOLATE, the 1992 film adaptation of Laura Esquivel's magical-realist novel about a lovelorn turn-of-the-century Mexican woman who pours all her sadness and heartbreak into her cooking; then, SIMPLY IRRESISTIBLE, the 1999 romantic comedy starring Sarah Michelle Gellar as a cook at a struggling restaurant who is transformed overnight into New York's most celebrated chef thanks to the influence of a magical crab. Food that makes everyone cry and then throw up, or food that makes everyone cry and then float in the air: which will prevail?

Plus our quick takes on INTERSTELLAR, BIG HERO 6, WHIPLASH and BIRDMAN.

Direct download: TAATM_123__Like_Water_For_Chocolate_vs._Simply_Irresistible.mp3
Category:TV and Film -- posted at: 9:09pm EDT

TAATM #122: Sky Captain And The World Of Tomorrow vs. The Aviator

Paul and Erin review two films from 2004 looking back at America's 1930s love affair with high-flying airline adventure: Kerry Conran's retro-futurist visual-effects extravaganza SKY CAPTAIN AND THE WORLD OF TOMORROW, and Martin Scorsese's Howard Hughes biopic THE AVIATOR. Plus: our quick takes on NIGHTCRAWLER, STARRED UP, THE BABADOOK, and MOMMY.

Direct download: TAATM_122__Sky_Captain_And_The_World_Of_Tomorrow_vs._The_Aviator.mp3
Category:TV and Film -- posted at: 2:09am EDT

Erin and Paul review two films featuring the acting debuts of female pop stars... who went on to remain better known as singers. First, DESPERATELY SEEKING SUSAN, Susan Seidelman's 1985 screwball comedy starring Madonna as a hip female drifter who switches identities with a bored suburban housewife played by Rosanna Arquette; then, MY BLUEBERRY NIGHTS, Wong Kar-Wai's 2007 critical flop starring Norah Jones as a woman who rebounds from breaking up with her boyfriend by taking a series of waitressing and bartending jobs in Memphis and Las Vegas, and Jude Law as a dreamy café owner who pines after her back in New York. Personal ads that everyone reads, or postcards that nobody answers: which will prevail?

Plus: our quick takes on THE HUSTLER, JOHN WICK, STRETCH, and LISTEN UP PHILIP.

Direct download: TAATM_121__Desperately_Seeking_Susan_vs._My_Blueberry_Nights.mp3
Category:TV and Film -- posted at: 10:16pm EDT

Paul and Erin review two films by Hong Kong gun-fu auteur John Woo. First: HARD BOILED, Woo's 1992 shoot-em-up starring Chow Yun-Fat and Tony Leung as a pair of cops who will stop at nothing to bring down a ruthless crime syndicate; then, FACE/OFF, Woo's gleefully preposterous 1997 blockbuster starring John Travolta as an FBI special agent who swaps faces and identities with a flamboyant international terrorist played by Nicolas Cage. An exploding hospital or a magnetic prison: which will prevail?

Plus: our quick takes on THE BOOK OF LIFE, MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN, HORNS, and THE WOMAN CHASER.

Direct download: TAATM_120__Hard_Boiled_vs._Face_Off.mp3
Category:TV and Film -- posted at: 12:52am EDT

TAATM #119: Ms. 45 vs. Sympathy For Lady Vengeance

Erin and Paul review two films about beautiful female vigilantes. First: MS. 45, Abel Ferrara's 1981 feminist exploitation classic about a meek, mute seamstress in New York's garment district who transforms into an angel of vengeance after a pair of violent sexual assaults; then, SYMPATHY FOR LADY VENGEANCE, Park Chan-Wook's stylish 2005 melodrama about a freshly paroled female prisoner with a complicated, long-gestating plan to get revenge on the man who actually committed the crime she was convicted of. Thick red lipstick or blood-red eyeshadow: which will prevail?

Plus our quick takes on GONE GIRL, THE BOXTROLLS, PLUSH, FOXCATCHER, and MAPS TO THE STARS.

Direct download: TAATM_119__Ms._45_vs._Sympathy_For_Lady_Vengeance.mp3
Category:TV and Film -- posted at: 9:55pm EDT

Erin and Paul review two musicals about women accused of first-degree murder. First: DANCER IN THE DARK, Lars Von Trier's emotionally grueling 2000 Palme d'Or-winning drama starring Bjork as a fantasy-prone, nearly blind factory worker who sacrifices everything in order to provide a future for her young son; then, CHICAGO, Rob Marshall's brassy 2002 Oscar-winner starring Renee Zellweger and Catherine Zeta-Jones as a pair of homicidal 1920s entertainers who parlay their criminal notoriety into fame and celebrity with the assistance of a cynical lawyer. Selma or Velma: which will prevail?

Plus your modern-day BARBARELLA casting suggestions and our quick takes on THIS IS WHERE I LEAVE YOU, 20,000 DAYS ON EARTH, FRANK, and IDA.

Direct download: TAATM_118__Dancer_In_The_Dark_vs._Chicago.mp3
Category:TV and Film -- posted at: 3:16am EDT

TAATM #117: Barbarella vs. They Shoot Horses, Don't They?

Erin and Paul review two key films from the career of Jane Fonda. First: BARBARELLA, Roger Vadim's 1968 erotic sci-fi cult film starring Fonda as an interstellar adventurer whose wardrobe of skimpy futuristic outfits is as huge as her capacity for sexual pleasure; then, THEY SHOOT HORSES, DON'T THEY?, Sydney Pollack's super-cynical 1969 Depression-era drama starring Fonda as a hard-bitten contestant in a physically and psychologically grueling marathon dance contest. "Pretty, pretty, pretty" or "Yowsa, yowsa, yowsa": which will prevail?

Plus: our quick takes on THE DROP, THE ROVER, GOD HELP THE GIRL, and THE IMMIGRANT.

Direct download: TAATM_117__Barbarella_vs._They_Shoot_Horses_Dont_They.mp3
Category:TV and Film -- posted at: 11:29pm EDT

Paul and Erin review two key films from the career of Tom Cruise. First: TOP GUN, Tony Scott's 1986 box-office smash starring Cruise as a cocky navy pilot who must battle daddy issues and by-the-rules superiors while enrolled at an elite training facility; then, EYES WIDE SHUT, Stanley Kubrick's 1999 erotic drama starring Cruise as a doctor who embarks on a dreamlike series of sexually provocative adventures following an argument with his beautiful wife. A doomed friend named Goose, or a doomed friend named Nightingale: which will prevail?

Plus our quick takes on JOURNEY TO THE WEST, THE CAPTIVE, NIGHT MOVES, ELAINE STRITCH: SHOOT ME, and THE STRANGE COLOR OF YOUR BODY'S TEARS.

Direct download: TAATM_116__Top_Gun_vs._Eyes_Wide_Shut.mp3
Category:TV and Film -- posted at: 3:24am EDT

TAATM #115: Mrs. Doubtfire vs. One Hour Photo

Erin and Paul review two films starring the late Robin Williams. First: MRS. DOUBTFIRE, the 1993 family comedy starring Williams as a divorced dad who masquerades as an elderly British nanny in order to spend more time with his children; then, ONE HOUR PHOTO, director Mark Romanek's 2002 psychological thriller starring Williams as a lonely photo technician who develops an unhealthy obsession with the seemingly perfect family who are some of his lab's most frequent customers. The unsettling story of an emotionally underdeveloped man who goes to psychotic extremes to get the love he craves... or ONE HOUR PHOTO: which will prevail?

Plus our quick takes on FRANK MILLER'S SIN CITY: A DAME TO KILL FOR, BOYHOOD, THE ONE I LOVE, VENUS IN FUR, and LET THE FIRE BURN.

Direct download: TAATM_115__Mrs._Doubtfire_vs._One_Hour_Photo.mp3
Category:TV and Film -- posted at: 1:24am EDT

TAATM #114: Pickpocket vs. Thief

Heather bids a (hopefully temporary) goodbye to the podcast by discussing two movies about guys who really, really like to steal things. First: PICKPOCKET, Robert Bresson's 1959 arthouse classic starring Martin Lassalle as an inscrutable young Parisian man who supports his meagre lifestyle by lifting people's watches and wallets; then, THIEF, Michael Mann's stylish 1981 neo-noir starring James Caan as a master jewel thief whose dreams of going straight are dashed when he begins doing heists for a powerful Chicago gangleader. Black-and-white realism or Tangerine Dream: which will prevail?

Plus: our quick takes on THE PERVERT'S GUIDE TO IDEOLOGY, THE SEVEN SAMURAI, BAD TIMING, THE ZERO THEOREM, and SIX BY SONDHEIM.

Direct download: TAATM_114__Pickpocket_vs._Thief.mp3
Category:TV and Film -- posted at: 3:58pm EDT

Erin and Paul review two fake autobiographical origin stories from two gigantic pop stars. First: 1984's PURPLE RAIN, starring Prince as a hypertalented, self-destructive young musician struggling to overcome a difficult home life and to find an audience for his scandalous brand of sexed-up R&B dance music; then, 8 MILE, Curtis Hanson's 2002 drama starring Eminem as a dead-broke trailer-trash underdog trying to make a name for himself within Detroit's competitive rap-battle underground. "Let's Go Crazy" or "Lose Yourself": which will prevail?

Plus our quick takes on SNOWPIERCER, GET ON UP, LOCKE, and COHERENCE.

Direct download: TAATM_113__Purple_Rain_vs._8_Mile.mp3
Category:TV and Film -- posted at: 3:20pm EDT

TAATM #112: Gangs Of New York vs. The Warriors

Paul and Erin review two movies about organized big-city street violence, set roughly a century apart. First: GANGS OF NEW YORK, Martin Scorsese's 2002 epic starring Daniel Day-Lewis as a ruthless mid-19th-century crime boss and Leonardo DiCaprio as a young man on a mission of revenge against him; then, THE WARRIORS, Walter Hill's 1979 cult favourite about a street gang trying to stay alive as they travel from the Bronx all the way back home to Coney Island after they are framed for the assassination of a charismatic gangleader. A jar full of human ears, or a guy with soda bottles stuck to the ends of his fingers: which will prevail?

Plus our quick takes on THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL, THE TASTE OF TEA, COLD IN JULY, STAKE LAND, THE CONGRESS, and TWIN PEAKS: FIRE WALK WITH ME: THE MISSING PIECES.

Direct download: TAATM_112__Gangs_Of_New_York_vs._The_Warriors.mp3
Category:TV and Film -- posted at: 2:44am EDT

TAATM #111: The Turning Point vs. The Company

Erin and Paul squeeze into their pointe shoes to review two films that take place behind the scenes of major ballet companies. First: THE TURNING POINT, the 1977 soap opera starring Anne Bancroft as an aging ballet star and Shirley MacLaine as her estranged friend who gave up her ballet career to become a wife and mother; then, THE COMPANY, Robert Altman's 2003 fly-on-the-wall docudrama starring Neve Campbell as a promising young dancer with Chicago's Joffrey Ballet Company. Mikhail Baryshnikov in tights or Malcolm McDowell in a yellow scarf: which will prevail?

Plus our quick takes on WISH I WAS HERE, LUCY, CHEF, THE PRETTY ONE, THE SIGNAL, and Karina Longworth's podcast YOU MUST REMEMBER THIS.

Direct download: TAATM_111__The_Turning_Point_vs._The_Company.mp3
Category:TV and Film -- posted at: 3:09pm EDT

TAATM #110: The Bellboy vs. The King Of Comedy

Paul and Heather review two films featuring every highbrow movie fan's favourite lowbrow comedian, Jerry Lewis. First: THE BELLBOY, Lewis' 1960 comedy about the slapstick misadventures of a hapless employee of the luxurious Fontainebleau Hotel in Miami, Florida; then, THE KING OF COMEDY, Martin Scorsese's 1982 dark comedy starring Lewis as a late-night talk-show host and Robert De Niro as an aspiring standup comedian who kidnaps him in order to force the network to put him on the air. Milton Berle playing himself or Tony Randall playing himself: which will prevail?

Plus our quick takes on MELVIN AND HOWARD, LIFE ITSELF, and BIG BAD WOLVES.

Direct download: TAATM_110__The_Bellboy_vs._The_King_Of_Comedy.mp3
Category:TV and Film -- posted at: 1:40am EDT

Erin and Paul review two versions of the same story of unfaithful wives, double-crossing hitmen, and bodies that just won't stay dead. First: BLOOD SIMPLE, Joel and Ethan Coen's 1984 debut, starring Dan Hedaya as the owner of a Texas roadhouse who hires a sleazy private eye to kill his wife and her love; then, A WOMAN, A GUN, AND A NOODLE SHOP, director Zhang Yimou's slapstick 2009 remake, which transplants the action to a remote Gobi Desert noodle emporium in feudal China. Ceiling fans or paper fans: which will prevail?

Plus: our quick takes on NURSE 3D, MAN BITES DOG, DAWN OF THE PLANET OF THE APES, and GAMBIT.

Direct download: TAATM_109__Blood_Simple_vs._A_Woman_A_Gun_And_A_Noodle_Shop.mp3
Category:TV and Film -- posted at: 2:15am EDT

TAATM #108: We Are The Best! vs. Ladies And Gentlemen, The Fabulous Stains

Heather and Paul review two films that suggest 1982 was a banner year for punk bands made up of young girls. First: WE ARE THE BEST!, Lukas Moodysson's warm-hearted comedy about a trio of school friends and diehard punk fans who refuse to let their lack of musical experience keep them from forming a band; then, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE FABULOUS STAINS, director Lou Adler's cult 1982 film starring Diane Lane as a disaffected teenager whose two-toned hairdo, nihilistic attitude, and see-through blouses briefly make her a rock and roll sensation. "Hate the Sport" or "Waste of Time": which will prevail?

Plus: our quick takes on THEY CAME TOGETHER, THE UNKNOWN KNOWN, and ENEMY... as well as Heather's upcoming directorial debut.


TAATM #107: Maitresse vs. Single White Female

Paul and Erin bring the whip down on two films from director Barbet Schroeder, both about the perils of rashly accepting new roommates into your apartment. First: MAITRESSE, Schroeder's controversial 1975 battle-of-the-sexes drama starring Gerard Depardieu as a small-time thief who embarks on a contentious relationship with a professional dominatrix; then, SINGLE WHITE FEMALE, Schroeder's 1992 thriller starring Bridget Fonda as a young woman who takes out an ad for someone to share her apartment, and Jennifer Jason Leigh as the mentally unstable woman who moves in with her, and gradually attempts to assume her identity. A man getting his penis nailed to a board, or a man who gets a high-heeled shoe through his eye: which will prevail?

Plus: our quick takes on TRANSFORMERS: AGE OF EXTINCTION, THE IMMIGRANT, TIM'S VERMEER, and SOMM.

Direct download: TAATM_107__Maitresse_vs._Single_White_Female.mp3
Category:TV and Film -- posted at: 1:30am EDT

Heather and Paul review two films from writer/director Woody Allen: an early funny one, and a later pretentious one. First: SLEEPER, the 1973 sci-fi slapstick spoof starring Allen as a manager of a 1970s Greenwich Village health-food store who awakens from a cryogenic chamber two hundred years later into a fascist, robot-filled future; then, INTERIORS, his super-serious 1978 ensemble drama depicting the emotional fallout among three artistically inclined sisters when their father decides to separate from their stifling, perfectionist mother. A woman who kills herself by walking into the sea, or a man who gets beaten unconscious with a giant strawberry: which will prevail?

Plus: our quick takes on BLUE IS THE WARMEST COLOR, ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK, and A MILLION WAYS TO DIE IN THE WEST.

Direct download: TAATM_106__Sleeper_vs._Interiors.mp3
Category:TV and Film -- posted at: 1:50am EDT

Paul and Erin revisit two memorable films about short-term memory loss. First: MEMENTO, Christopher Nolan's intricately constructed 2000 neo-noir starring Guy Pearce as a brain-damaged man who refuses to let his inability to make new memories interfere with his vendetta against the man who killed his wife; then, GHAJINI, the tonally unstable 2008 Bollywood remake of MEMENTO starring Aamir Khan as a former cellphone magnate who is transformed into a violent instrument of vengeance after a criminal gangleader murders his girlfriend. A story told backwards, or a story told with lots of elaborate musical numbers: which will prevail?

Plus our quick takes on X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST, THE FAULT IN OUR STARS, EDGE OF TOMORROW, UNDER THE SKIN, and BIRTH OF THE LIVING DEAD.

Direct download: TAATM_105__Memento_vs._Ghajini.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 1:22pm EDT

TAATM #104: Secretary vs. Working Girl

Heather and Paul review two films that explore love, romance, and office power dynamics. First, SECRETARY, Steven Shainberg's 2002 indie drama starring Maggie Gyllenhaal as a shy young woman whose new job as James Spader's office assistant blossoms into a dom/sub love affair. Then, WORKING GIRL, Mike Nichols' Oscar-nominated 1988 romantic comedy starring Melanie Griffith as a downtrodden secretary whose attempts to climb the corporate ladder are thwarted by her double-crossing boss, played by Sigourney Weaver. Getting spanked by James Spader or groped by Kevin Spacey: which will prevail? 

Plus: our quick takes on THE DECALOGUE, I AM DIVINE, and RED DESERT.

Direct download: TAATM_104__Secretary_vs._Working_Girl.mp3
Category:TV and Film -- posted at: 2:14am EDT

Erin and Paul review two movies which explore meanness in all its manifestations: first, MEAN GIRLS, the Tina Fey-scripted 2004 comedy starring Lindsay Lohan as an unworldly teenager who climbs to the top of her high school's social ladder; then, MEAN STREETS, Martin Scorsese's 1973 classic starring Harvey Keitel as a gangster's nephew in New York's Little Italy tormented by Catholic guilt, and Robert De Niro as his irresponsible, self-destructive best friend. Wearing pinkie rings, or wearing pink on Wednesdays: which will prevail?

Plus, our quick takes on the new GODZILLA remake, HAROLD AND MAUDE, and THE DOUBLE. 

Direct download: TAATM_103__Mean_Girls_vs._Mean_Streets.mp3
Category:TV and Film -- posted at: 1:31am EDT

Paul and Heather review two movies about men who get magically transformed into women. First: ORLANDO, Sally Potter's 1992 film adaptation of Virginia Woolf's novel, starring Tilda Swinton as an ageless, androgynous young Elizabethan nobleman who lives through four centuries of British history; then, SWITCH, Blake Edwards' 1991 comedy starring Ellen Barkin as a murdered ad man who is sent back to earth in the body of a beautiful blonde as punishment for his womanizing ways. Getting romanced by Billy Zane or date-raped by Jimmy Smits: which will prevail?

Plus: our quick takes on YOUR SISTER'S SISTER, CHINA GATE, and Karina Longworth's new book about Meryl Streep.

Direct download: TAATM_102__Orlando_vs._Switch.mp3
Category:TV and Film -- posted at: 2:42am EDT

TAATM #101: Cronos vs. Death Becomes Her

Erin and Paul review two films about people who discover that eternal youth comes with a terrible price. First: CRONOS, Guillermo del Toro's 1993 debut about a kindly antiques dealer who develops a thirst for blood thanks to a strange, centuries-old device he discovers inside his shop; then, DEATH BECOMES HER, Robert Zemeckis' 1992 special-effects comedy starring Goldie Hawn and Meryl Streep as women whose bitter romantic rivalry over Bruce Willis goes into overdrive after they both take a magical youth potion. Mexican vampires or Beverly Hills ghouls: which will prevail?

Plus our quick takes on THE LUNCHBOX, BLUE RUIN, and JOE.

Direct download: TAATM_101__Cronos_vs._Death_Becomes_Her.mp3
Category:TV and Film -- posted at: 2:09am EDT

Paul and Heather escape the tedium of their humdrum lives by reviewing two films about daydreaming office drones. First: THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY, Ben Stiller's 2013 megabudgeted expansion of James Thurber's classic story, in which a meek LIFE magazine employee seizes what may be his last, best opportunity for real-life adventure; then, BRAZIL, Terry Gilliam's bleak 1985 science fiction comedy starring Jonathan Pryce as a bureaucrat in a dystopian future Britain whose pursuit of his dream girl makes him an enemy of the state. Sean Penn as a rebellious photojournalist, or Robert De Niro as a rebellious home repairman: which will prevail?

Plus: our quick takes on the web series HIGH MAINTENANCE, PROXY, IN YOUR EYES, and the TV series FARGO.

Direct download: TAATM_100__The_Secret_Life_Of_Walter_Mitty_vs._Brazil.mp3
Category:TV and Film -- posted at: 10:49pm EDT

Erin and Paul review two movies about humanity's struggle for survival after the entire planet is flooded. First: NOAH, Darren Aronofsky's revisionist Biblical epic starring Russell Crowe as the ark-building Old Testament prophet; then, WATERWORLD, Kevin Reynolds' 1995 post-apocalyptic adventure starring Kevin Costner as a gill-breathing mutant who reluctantly assists a woman and a small child in their quest for the planet's last piece of dry land. Gigantic rock monsters, or waterskiing pirates: which will prevail?

Plus: our quick takes on THE LOOK OF LOVE, THE SINGING DETECTIVE, and SNOWPIERCER.

Direct download: TAATM_99__Noah_vs._Waterworld.mp3
Category:TV and Film -- posted at: 2:07pm EDT

TAATM #98: Vivre Sa Vie vs. Pretty Woman

Heather and Paul discuss two old films about the world's oldest profession. First: VIVRE SA VIE, Jean-Luc Godard's 1962 film starring Anna Karina as a beautiful young Parisian woman who dreams of becoming an actress but slides into prostitution instead; then, PRETTY WOMAN, Garry Marshall's 1990 Cinderella fantasy, the highest-grossing romantic comedy of all time (!), starring Julia Roberts as a Hollywood Boulevard hooker and Richard Gere as the wealthy client who falls in love with her. A trip to see THE PASSION OF JOAN OF ARC, or a trip to see LA TRAVIATA: which will prevail?

Plus: our quick takes on FIVE CORNERS, NYMPHOMANIAC: VOLUME II, and ONLY LOVERS LEFT ALIVE.

Direct download: TAATM_98__Vivre_Sa_Vie_vs._Pretty_Woman.mp3
Category:TV and Film -- posted at: 11:51am EDT

Erin and Paul review a landmark film of the French New Wave, and its nearly forgotten American remake. First: BREATHLESS, Jean-Luc Godard's 1960 feature debut, about a French petty criminal and cop-killer who hides out with his American girlfriend in Paris while planning a getaway to Italy; then, Jim McBride's 1983 film BREATHLESS, in which an American petty criminal and cop-killer hides out with his French girlfriend in Los Angeles while planning a getaway to Mexico. Jean-Paul Belmondo rubbing his lips, or Richard Gere gyrating his hips: which will prevail?

Plus: quick takes on A FIELD IN ENGLAND, VERONICA MARS, and THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL.

Direct download: TAATM_97__Breathless_vs._Breathless.mp3
Category:TV and Film -- posted at: 3:12am EDT

Heather and Paul look at two films that reflect the many moods of director Jonathan Demme. First: BELOVED, his 1998 film adaptation of the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, starring Oprah Winfrey as an African-American woman living in post-Civil War Ohio whose home is haunted, literally, by the terrible legacy of her experiences as a slave; then, MARRIED TO THE MOB, his goofy 1988 comedy starring Michelle Pfeiffer as a gangster's widow who tries to start a brand-new life for herself and her son, only to be pursured by an amorous mob boss as well as a clean-cut FBI agent. Toni Morrison or Tony the Tiger: which will prevail? 

Plus: our quick takes on GRAVITY, WHEN FATHER WAS AWAY ON BUSINESS, JE T'AIME, JE T'AIME, CHEAP THRILLS, and NYMPHOMANIAC: VOLUME 1. 

Direct download: TAATM_96__Beloved_vs._Married_To_The_Mob.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:15am EDT

TAATM #95: Tess vs. Cat People

Paul and Erin review two recent Blu-Ray reissues starring the late-’70s/early-’80s sex symbol Nastassja Kinski. First, TESS: Roman Polanski's 1979 film version of Thomas Hardy's novel about a simple farmgirl whose discovery that she is distantly related to an old noble family sets the stage for a lifetime of disappointment and misery; then, CAT PEOPLE, Paul Schrader's 1982 remake of Val Lewton's horror classic, starring Kinski as a woman whose discovery that she is descended from an ancient race of incestuous were-panthers sets the stage for violence and erotic torture.

Plus: our quick takes on THE WIND RISES, RHYMES FOR YOUNG GHOULS (and other films in the "Canada's Top Ten" touring package), THE PRICE OF GOLD, and WE ARE THE BEST!

Direct download: TAATM_95__Tess_vs._Cat_People.mp3
Category:TV and Film -- posted at: 12:05pm EDT

Paul and Heather review two film adaptations of the classic French fairytale BEAUTY AND THE BEAST: Jean Cocteau's poetic live-action 1946 version starring Jean Marais and Josette Day, and Disney's Oscar-nominated 1991 animated musical version. Smoking paws or a talking candlestick: which will prevail?

Plus: our quick takes on THIS MAN MUST DIE, ROLLING THUNDER, and BEST SELLER.

Direct download: TAATM_94__Beauty_And_The_Beast_vs._La_Belle_Et_La_Bte.mp3
Category:TV and Film -- posted at: 9:02pm EDT

TAATM #93: The Monuments Men vs. The Train

Paul and Erin review two WWII adventures about men trying to rescue great works of art from the clutches of the Nazis. First: THE MONUMENTS MEN, George Clooney's new all-star crowd-pleaser based on the true story of a group of art scholars assigned to save great buildings and artwork from destruction during the waning days of the war; then, THE TRAIN, John Frankenheimer's 1964 action film starring Burt Lancaster as a member of the French Resistance who attempts to foil the plans of an art-loving Nazi colonel to transport a train filled with priceless paintings across the border to Germany. Paintings on a train, or paintings in a mine: which will prevail?

Plus quick takes on VAMPIRE ACADEMY, ROBOCOP (both the original and the remake), WINTER'S TALE, and ENDER'S GAME.

Direct download: TAATM_93__The_Monuments_Men_vs._The_Train.mp3
Category:TV and Film -- posted at: 1:15am EDT

TAATM #92: Lenny vs. Punchline

But seriously: Heather and Paul thank you guys for being such a fantastic audience as they discuss two movies set in the world of standup comedy. First: Lenny, Bob Fosse's stylized 1974 biopic starring Dustin Hoffman as the groundbreaking comic and free-speech martyr Lenny Bruce; then, Punchline, the 1988 drama starring Sally Field as a New Jersey housewife with dreams of becoming a standup comic and Tom Hanks as the troubled but talented performer who becomes her mentor. "Sick" comedy or cuddly comedy: which will prevail?

Plus: quick takes on Divided We Fall, In Darkness, Black Mirror, The Lego Movie, Would You Rather, and American Gigolo.

Direct download: TAATM_92__Lenny_vs._Punchline.mp3
Category:TV and Film -- posted at: 1:35am EDT

Paul and Erin review two very different films about frequently naked female Nazis. First: THE READER, Stephen Daldry's 2008 Oscar-bait drama starring Kate Winslet as a German woman with a mysterious past who embarks on a love affair with a book-loving teenaged boy; then, ILSA, SHE WOLF OF THE SS, the notorious 1975 grindhouse sleazefest starring Dyanne Thorne as the sexually voracious warden of a Nazi prison camp who conducts sadistic experiments on her inmates. Men whipped by guilt, or men whipped by whips: which will prevail?

Plus: short takes on YOU'RE NEXT, GRAND PIANO, THE COUNSELOR, the death of Philip Seymour Hoffman, and the films of Bengali director Qaushiq Mukherjee, aka "Q."

Direct download: TAATM_91__The_Reader_vs._Ilsa_She_Wolf_Of_The_SS.mp3
Category:TV and Film -- posted at: 1:31am EDT

Heather and Paul join up to review two films about conjoined twins. First: TWIN FALLS IDAHO, the 1999 surprise indie hit starring Mark and Michael Polish as a pair of shy, reclusive conjoined twin brothers who develop a friendship with a lonely prostitute; then, STUCK ON YOU, the 2003 Farrelly Brothers comedy starring Matt Damon and Greg Kinnear as a pair of Massachusetts conjoined twin brothers who relocate to California so that one of them can pursue his dream of becoming a Hollywood actor. Two arms and three legs, or four arms and four legs: which will prevail? 

Plus: quick takes on season six of MAD MEN, DARK SKIES, and +1.

Direct download: TAATM_90__Twin_Falls_Idaho_vs._Stuck_On_You.mp3
Category:TV and Film -- posted at: 1:22am EDT

In this jumbo-sized year-in-review episode, Paul, Heather, and Erin run down their lists of the 10 best films of 2013, plus their personal picks for the year's most overrated and underrated films, the performances of the year, and their favourite cinematic discoveries.

Direct download: TAATM_89__Year-End_MEGASODE__Top_10_Films_Of_2013.mp3
Category:TV and Film -- posted at: 1:57am EDT