Hold Up

Requiem For A Dream

In the year 2000, Darren Aronofsky decided everyone looked a little too happy for his liking so he decided to unleash the depressed drug hellscape, Requiem For a Dream. Requiem is a psychological drama which focuses on Harry Goldfarb, his mother Sarah, girlfriend Marion, and best friend Tyrone as they attempt to use substances as a vehicle to fill their various desires but soon discover that things might not be so easy. Starring Ellen Burstyn, Jared Leto, Jennifer Connelly, Christopher McDonald, and Marlon Wayans this film received praise from the critics and even made a humble $7.5 million from the ~$4 million budget despite the challenging content. But, does it hold up? Listen in as Jon, Colin, and Brent debate get quick rich schemes and fad diets as we decide if this one is still flying high or if it has burned out.

Saw (2004)

In 2004, two film school graduates made a movie about how you get a guy to cut off his foot. IT WORKED and a franchise was born with ten sequels and counting. Of course, we’re talking about SAW and the years of horror for audiences that it has left in its wake. Made for a measly one million dollars and pulling in more than a hundred at the box office, it created a whole new genra of horror filmmaking we like to refer to as “torture porn.” Just ask Rob Zombie. Anyway, with a crazy cast of actors like Danny Glover and starring Cary Elwes and the screenwriter (AKA Adam) what could go wrong? Let’s find out! Listen in as Jon, Colin, and Brent discuss the best way to saw your feet off and flashbacks within flashbacks as we try to decide if this flick is a must-watch on your Halloween movie list, or if it is an embarrassing footnote about our terrible taste from 18 years ago.

L.A. Confidential

L.A. Confidential was amongst several classics released in 1997 and its neo-noir style amidst the glamour and cityscape of ‘50s Los Angeles captured audiences' attention. This film tells the story of a corrupt police force and glamourous Hollywood entwined when a naïve new policeman stirs the department up from top to bottom. Russell Crowe and Guy Pearce were a couple of unknown Aussies when they were partnered with Danny DeVito, Kim Basinger, and Kevin Spacey as the main cast but all doubts were quickly settled as the film was nominated for 9 Oscars, winning 2. But does it hold up? Listen in as Jon, Colin, and Brent solve this mystery as we discuss Russell Crowe's diet and Kim Basinger’s night-rates as we discover if this flick can be cleared of all charges.

Training Day

In 2001, Antoine Fuqua decided it was time to direct a movie with a lead actor getting nominated for a supporting role Oscar, and a supporting actor getting nominated for a lead role Oscar. And as we all probably know, Denzel got the best actor award while Ethan Hawke got bupkis in Training Day. Also starring Scott Glenn, Eva Mendes, Cliff Curtis, Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg, Training Day follows Officer Jake Hoyt, a fresh recruit who gets put on Detective Alonzo Harris's undercover narcotics team for his training day. Rather than feel the rookie out slowly, Alonzo decides that weed, PCP, theft, blackmail, murder, and mid-day babysitting would be a better test of skills. Made for $45M, Training Day made $105 at the box office and received a better-than-average critical response. But does it hold up? Listen as Jon, Colin, and Brent discuss the finer points of undercover policing and crooked cops as we see if this movie likes to get wet, or if it should get its head blasted off in an old bathtub.

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas

We were somewhere outside of 1998 when the drugs began to take hold. Did you see what God just did to us man? God didn't do that, Terry Gilliam did! He released Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, the film adaptation of Hunter S. Thompson's drug-fueled adventure of excess and debauchery through Las Vegas with his attorney Dr. Gonzo. Johnny Depp and Benecio del Toro star as the lead and his lawyer in this film which garnered less critical acclaim than it did fan buzz about this adaptation of a beloved counterculture novel. But, does it hold up? Listen in as Jon, Colin, and Brent debate grapefruits and carve a little z on your foreheads as we dial back to the place where the wave broke as we try to figure out if this is a good ride or a bad trip.

Leaving Las Vegas

In 1995 Mike Figgis decided everyone seemed too happy, so he released his story of lost hope and radical acceptance with, Leaving Las Vegas. Nick Cage stars as Ben Sanderson, a disgraced screenwriter who has lost his family and his job and so he heads to the gym and decides to get his life together…just kidding, obviously he heads to Vegas to drink himself to death. While in Vegas he meets a prostitute and they form an unlikely relationship with one stipulation, they don’t try to change the other. Do they fall in love and live happily ever after, or do they fall deeper into despair and misery? You’ll have to watch! The film and the two lead actors were nominated for a ton of awards (Cage won the Oscar), as this film was a critical and box office hit. But, does it hold up? Listen in as Jon, Colin, and Brent discuss suicidal best practices and whisky dick as we try to decide if this flick is a party or a bad hangover.

The Untouchables

In 1997 Brian de Palma brought Al Capone and Elliot Ness’s prohibition battle to life with The Untouchables. Starring Kevin Costner, Andy Garcia, Robert De Niro, and Sean Connery this flick tells the story of Elliot Ness’s squad of Untouchables pursuing Al Capone’s ruthless bootlegging operation and his eventual capture for the obvious crime of tax evasion. This flick cost $25 million but brought back $106 million at the box office, along with a number of accolades and Connery’s sole Oscar win. But, does it hold up? Listen in as we discuss blood oaths and what we are prepared to do as we try to figure out if this one should be prohibited, or if the lesson endeth with a nice cold drink.

The Fighter

In 2010, the long-time passion project of Mark Wahlberg, The Fighter, came to life. Covering the lives of professional boxers and half-brothers Micky Ward and Dicky Eklund, The Fighter was directed by David O. Russell, and stars Wahlberg, Christian Bale, Amy Adams, and Melissa Leo. Made for $25M, The Fighter pulled in $130M in the box office, and this flick covers a lot of ground, like family squabbles, picking up bartenders, Massachusetts accents, crack addiction, and oh yeah, boxing. But does it hold up? Listen as Jon, Colin, and guest host Dave discuss subtitled movies, the pride of Lowell, and caricatures of characters as we see if The Fighter can box its way out of a wet paper bag, or if it smokes too much crack and goes down jumping out of a window to be confronted by our Moms.

The Jackal

Today we jump back to ’97 for Sidney Poitier’s final theatrical release with Michael Caton-Jones’s action thriller, The Jackal. Poitier is joined by Richard Gere and Bruce Willis for this fox chase where The Jackal (Willis) is pursued by Poitier and Gere, an FBI agent and an imprisoned IRA sniper, as they try to find the assassin while not knowing their true target or location. Made for ~$60 million, this flick was a commercial success, raking in over $150M despite being poorly reviewed, and held a special place in a couple of the hold-up guy's hearts. So, listen in to Jon, Colin, and Brent as we discuss sexual fluidity and really earning your money as we decide if The Jackal hits its target, or if it misses with several hundred rounds of depleted uranium.

The Master

In 2012 Paul Thomas Anderson gave us all purpose with his psychological drama, The Master. The Master stars Joaquin Phoenix as Freddie Quell, a World War 2 veteran suffering severe trauma and addiction as he finds a charismatic cult leader and his wife, played by Philip Seymour Hoffman and Amy Adams, who offer a life raft if he can get on board with their revolutionary and controversial methods. The Master is often considered to be PTA’s finest film and secured 3 Oscar nods for acting but, does it hold up? Listen in as Jon, Colin, and Brent, debate the best ways to wash your brain and sub/dom dynamics in cults as we try to see if this truly is Anderson’s master, or if it just spews nonsense over and over.