Reel Film Chronicles

Sometimes we all need a little vacation. A little time in the sun. A few drinks. Some good food. Chance encounters with charming strangers. Clandestine hand jobs. Accidental homicides. Drug-fuelled orgies. Human cloning. You know. The usual regimen of rest and relaxation. Welcome to Infinity Pool. Have you ever considered how spending some time getting away from it all you might be inadvertently (or not-so-inadvertently) contributing to the exploitation and appropriation of other cultures and nations? Well, forget about taking another guilt-free vacation ever again, because Infinity Pool takes a scathing look at the battle for one man's soul while also turning an uncomfortably critical eye on the tourism industry. Brought to you by the twisted mind of Brandon Cronenberg, son of David Cronenberg, this is not a movie for the squeamish or the faint of heart. Playing in the same thematic sandbox as his father, Cronenberg II definitively carves out his own cinematic territory with his third film. Would a consequence-free world to be an opportunity to explore the boundaries of pleasure and pain and dance upon that thin line between ecstasy and depravity or would it create a moral hellscape, a perpetual state of perdition from which there is no salvation, from forces either internal or external? Join your intrepid hosts and dip your toes into the Infinity Pool to explore a veritable tsunami of moral, philosophical, and existential quandaries that will no doubt seep into the deepest, darkest regions of your mind. Just make sure not to eat anything for at least a half an hour before listening to this episode.

INFINITY POOL (2023)

| directed by Brandon Cronenberg | starring: Alexander Skarsgard - Mia Goth - Cleopatra Coleman - Jalil Lespert | horror - science-fiction - thriller | 118 min

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Tie up your donkey and come on down to the pub to grab a pint with the Reel Film Chronicles as we discuss the The Banshees of Inisherin. Set on the... let's call them "sunny" shores of a remote Irish island in the early 1920s, Banshees follows the aftermath of the fallout between two longtime friends. This deteriorating friendship sets into motion a darkly comedic series of events involving beatings, destruction of property, and unnecessary amputations. Brendan Gleeson and Colin Farrell reunite with writer/director Martin McDonagh for another tragicomic outing, fulfilling the destinies foretold by the Fates after the success of In Bruges back in the mist-shrouded days of yore in the ancient past of 2008. Can the trio recapture the magic they first conjured up 14 years ago? Listen in to find out if Banshees of Inisherin was blessed with the luck of the Irish or if its demise was presaged as though by the mythical creature from whence the film takes its very name.

THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN (2022)
| directed by Martin McDonagh
| starring: Colin Farrell - Brendan Gleeson - Kerry Condon - Barry Keoghan
| drama - comedy
| 114 min

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Do you enjoy deconstructing hierarchies of sexual, political, and artistic power within our society? Have you ever depicted stunning imagery blurring the lines between pleasure and pain? Have you ever found yourself described as "body horror?" Do you find yourself consistently having to work on a very tight budget, often with support from Telefilm Canada? Have you ever had to have your violence toned down by some kind of ratings board? Well then, you might be a David Cronenberg film. One of Canada's favourite sons is back with his latest and greatest, Crimes of the Future. Fully encapsulating all phases of his earlier work, Cronenberg's newest endeavour is as much an ode to his own repertoire as it is a movie in its own right. Set in a dystopic future where humanity is forced to face - or deny - the next stage in our evolution, Crimes of the Future dares to ask questions about how future generations will adapt to an environment increasingly darkened by the shadow of the byproducts of our industrialized society. It also asks questions about the artistic relevance of a mutant man covered in human ears and many other pressing social and political issues. Crimes of the Future has all of the hallmarks of a David Cronenberg joint, but does it stack up to his earlier work? And if it does, is Cronenberg even your particular cup of tea? Listen in to the latest episode of the Reel Film Chronicles as we dissect Crimes of the Future, and decide whether you've found your next hidden gem you won't shut up about to family and friends or you'd rather sit in a bathroom eating a garbage can before being suffocated by your own mother. Either way, welcome to the wonderful world of David Cronenberg.

CRIMES OF THE FUTURE (2022)
| directed by David Cronenberg
| starring: Viggo Mortensen - Lea Seydoux - Scott Speedman - Kristen Stewart
| horror - drama - sci-fi
| 107 min

-- CHAPTERS --

00:00 - Introduction, Overview and Cronenberg
12:04 - Feature Film Discussion
56:12 - Ratings
59:42 - Final Thoughts and Closing

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For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. For every particle, an antiparticle. For every light, a shadow. For every Taco Bell, an Imodium. While every year, some films rise head and shoulders above the rest of the pack to make us laugh or cry or feel other feelings or even change the way we look at the world, there are other films that do not do those things. In fact, some movies fail gloriously in providing insight into the human condition or even in simply being entertaining. In this episode, Brian and Nathan discuss their Bottom Five Movies from 2021, and what made them fail to live up to their impossibly high standards. Join our intrepid duo as they explore the lows that made the highs higher and discuss the failed promise of what could have been, much like the conversations their teachers had with their parents in grade school.

-- CHAPTERS --

Introduction (00:48)
Venom 2 (1:33)
Jungle Cruise (3:09)
Don't Breathe 2 (3:54)
Ghostbusters Afterlife (5:54)
Injustice (8:58)
Shang Chi & Black Widow (10:46)
Alien Conquest (14:42)
The Deep House (17:40)
Prisoners of the Ghostland (19:37)
Ghostbusters Afterlife - Addendum (23:56)
Honorable Mentions (25:11)
Closing Comments (27:20)

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Join Brian and Nathan as they count down their top ten movies of 2021. Their criteria? Simple. They're just looking for exceptionally well-made films that exemplify the best humanity has to offer, excelling both technically and narratively to transcend traditional genre boundaries and offer the deepest insights into the deepest philosophical questions about what it means to be a sapient being searching for meaning in an otherwise cold and uncaring universe. Well, that or some costumed heroes punching bad guys in the face. But mostly the finding-meaning-in-the-human-experience thing. So grab your popcorn and join our intrepid duo as they break down the very best of what 2021 movies had to offer with their typical insight and nuance.

-- CHAPTERS --

Introduction (00:10)
Honorable Mentions: Nathan (13:44) & Brian (18:04)

- Brian's Top 10 -
20:38 - Power of the Dog
28:38 - Dune
35:52 - Spider-Man No Way Home
46:05 - The Tragedy of MacBeth
57:26 - The Last Duel
1:03:48 - Pig
1:11:36 - The Father
1:22:16 - The Night House
1:30:16 - The Green Knight
1:42:04 - Censor

- Nathan's Top 10 -
25:01 - The Last Duel
30:10 - Zack Snyder's Justice League
41:06 - Don't Look Up
50:30 - The French Dispatch
59:56 - Censor
1:06:44 - The Green Knight
1:15:44 - The Matrix Resurrections
1:24:43 - Dune
1:37:53 - The Night House
1:47:25 - Pig

1:53:19 - Closing Remarks

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