XVI – Conversation with Kevin Hershner, Director of ‘Normal Accidents’

We sat down with Chad’s old Virginia Tech classmate Kevin Hershner to discuss his film Normal Accidents. Kevin is a writer, director, and actor living in Los Angeles who is currently pitching the movie—his first feature—to festivals.

Normal Accidents is an auteur satire on “one man, one location” films with a lot of levity. But, it’s also a serious meditation on the intrusive nature of technology and how many of us long for escape and quiet, away from the digital record of our flawed lives, our mistakes, and our regrets. It poses the question, how can we heal our minds and be our best selves when we can’t escape our digital ghosts? 

We very much enjoyed it, and we think you will too. Check it out, a link is in the show notes.

The three of us also hung out for a while after the interview to discuss the state of Hollywood blockbusters, the overuse of special effects, and how social media is shaping movies and giving them a shelf life. Plus, you get to hear Kevin’s intriguing take on the underlying meta-themes of Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer. 

Show Notes:

Normal Accidents website:
https://www.normalaccidents.com

Normal Accidents on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/normalaccidentsmovie/ 

Kevin’s website:
https://www.kevinhershner.com/

Kevin’s podcasts:
https://www.kevinhershner.com/video-podcasts 

Kid Julius short film:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VqzWrYr0vi8 

Intro Music: https://pixabay.com/music/indie-pop-fun-punk-opener-14343/

Other Music: https://pixabay.com/music/id-105/ and https://pixabay.com/music/upbeat-rock-it-21275/ 

Email the Show: thecinematictangent@gmail.com

XV – You Used to Laugh with the People, Adam McKay

We love Adam McKay movies. Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby embraces the Americana of rednecks and NASCAR culture, innocently pitting our uncouth heroes against the French liberal elites. Step Brothers is two losers resisting the urge to seek status, content with having a good time. And Anchorman? One can argue it’s a treatise on the fallibility of news, exposing the information guardians for the dopes they are. 

Then, in his magnum opus, Adam gave us with The Big Short, an anarchist, populist masterpiece that unites all people based on class, offering empathy to those who struggle to survive in an economy ruled by elites, where “regulators” and “experts” obfuscate truth for profits. 

We graduated from college during the 2008 financial crisis, and that film educated and empowered us to think critically and speak truth to power. Adam used to be one of the people. His offensive language, love for the poors, and mission to entertain everyone regardless of politics spoke to a simpler time. It’s why his classics are beloved. 

Then he made Don’t Look Up. And it pressured audiences to implicitly trust the experts and embrace righteous politics, lest they become regular ol’ citizen “bad person” whose inaction dooms humanity.

What happened? We want to know. 

Show Notes:

Episode of South Park mentioned on the show:
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1539447

That urban legend that went viral online:
https://www.etymonline.com/word/faggot 

The Steve Carell character in The Big Short is based on:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Eisman

Rednecks aren’t to blame for emissions, 90 corporations are:
https://www.science.org/content/article/just-90-companies-are-blame-most-climate-change-carbon-accountant-says 

The FDA is funded by the companies it regulates:
https://www.fda.gov/industry/fda-user-fee-programs/fda-user-fees-explained

Cochrane study on masking efficacy: 
https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD006207.pub6/full

South Park apologize for climate change denial:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_to_Get_Cereal 

Democrats slowly losing minority vote:
https://www.vox.com/2021/5/10/22425178/catalist-report-2020-election-biden-trump-demographics

“What do you have to lose?”:
https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/political-commentary/what-we-all-had-to-lose-with-trump-1047008

Don’t Look Up and the Covid-19 pandemic:
https://www.motherjones.com/environment/2021/12/if-you-think-dont-look-up-is-just-an-allegory-about-climate-change-youre-missing-something/

Todd Phillips on woke comedy: 
https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2019/10/joaquin-phoenix-cover-story

Intro Music: https://pixabay.com/music/indie-pop-fun-punk-opener-14343/

Other Music: https://pixabay.com/music/id-105/ and https://pixabay.com/music/upbeat-rock-it-21275/ 

Email the Show: thecinematictangent@gmail.com

XIV – Barbenheimer

The boys celebrate the podcast’s 10th anniversary by digging into the whole “Barbenheimer” thing. 

Show Notes:

Mission Impossible 7 bombs because theatres are dead again:
https://www.msn.com/en-us/movies/news/mission-impossible-7-ends-its-domestic-run-by-hitting-another-disappointing-low/ar-AA1hdwR7

Censorship on Apple TV and Criterion Channel:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnarcher/2023/06/06/apple-tv-and-the-criterion-channel-outrage-film-fans-by-censoring-classic-movie/ 

The “Despecialized Edition” of Star Wars:
https://originaltrilogy.com/topic/Harmys-STAR-WARS-Despecialized-Edition-HD-V2-7-MKV-Released/id/12713

Krystal Ball on Barbie’s late-stage capitalist bullshit:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCQdVQUXgSQ

Ben Shapiro takes Barbie way, way, way too seriously:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynU-wVdesr0

Well, fuck. It looks like the Mattel Cinematic Universe is a thing:
https://people.com/polly-pocket-movie-everything-to-know-7565134 

Shoe0nHead has a balanced take on Barbie:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2CsTzVyZP4M

Shoe0nHead talks male loneliness epidemic:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQv8VuLpKN4

Greta Gerwig is re-booting Narnia?:
https://news.yahoo.com/chronicles-of-narnia-release-date-netflix-cast-greta-gerwig-081617220.html 

There was no CGI in Oppenheimer at all:
https://collider.com/oppenheimer-no-cgi-christopher-nolan-explained/

Intro Music: https://pixabay.com/music/indie-pop-fun-punk-opener-14343/

Other Music: https://pixabay.com/music/id-105/ and https://pixabay.com/music/upbeat-rock-it-21275/ 

Email the Show: thecinematictangent@gmail.com

XIII – Darren Aronofsky: Capriciously Comparing ‘The Whale’ and ‘The Wrestler’

Darren Aronofsky’s The Whale and The Wrestler are very different films, but both center on a broken person, unable to achieve their former high, estranged from family and facing a new, less satisfying reality. Yet, one of these films sucks while the other is a cinematic masterpiece. 

Brad and Chad take a hard look at The Whale and dissect how prior knowledge of The Wrestler makes its themes, style, and premise hard to digest. 

Show Notes:

Fatphobia and The Whale:
https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/the-whale-review-darren-aronofsky-brendan-fraser/ 

Daily Beast takes the “Pizza Binge” scene way too seriously:
https://www.thedailybeast.com/obsessed/the-whale-brendan-frasers-shocking-binge-eating-scene 

The scene where the Gremlins eat chicken:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qs1RPclm5MY 

Wrestlers love The Wrestler:
https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=99825912

Intro Music: https://pixabay.com/music/indie-pop-fun-punk-opener-14343/

Other Music: https://pixabay.com/music/id-105/ and https://pixabay.com/music/upbeat-rock-it-21275/ 

Email the Show: thecinematictangent@gmail.com

XII – There Should be More Beat-the-Clock Movies about the Asteroid that Killed the Dinosaurs

Everything Everywhere All at Once swept the Oscars, but Hollywood seems incapable of talking about the movie on its merits. After discussing the struggle between art and identity politics, Brad and Chad both fail to remember the plot to Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre, despite seeing it multiple times. Then, CinTan praises the shit out of the dumb-but-fresh movie called 65, longing for the days when blockbusters took risks.

Show Notes:

Chris Pine laments how Hollywood is dominated by Marvel Cinematic Universe profit incentives:
https://www.ign.com/articles/chris-pine-vents-star-trek-frustrations-feels-like-its-cursed

Quentin Tarantino is/was making a Star Trek movie:
https://screenrant.com/star-trek-quentin-tarantino/

Chris Gore on the death of the American movie:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JO5KLe1QE5Q

Everything Everywhere All at Once sweeps the Oscars: https://www.onthebulletin.com/film-television/2023-oscars-reaction-eeaao-sweeps-yeoh-makes-history-academy-award

Freddie DeBoer asks: “Are You Sure You Want to Say That White People Are the Lone Agents in Human Affairs, the Main Characters, the Sole Movers of History?”:
https://freddiedeboer.substack.com/p/are-you-sure-you-want-to-say-that

Operation Fortune is cool, but it may not stick around:
https://www.looper.com/1219017/why-guy-ritchies-operation-fortune-ruse-de-guerre-bombed-at-the-box-office/ 

Intro Music: https://pixabay.com/music/indie-pop-fun-punk-opener-14343/

Other Music: https://pixabay.com/music/id-105/ and https://pixabay.com/music/upbeat-rock-it-21275/ 

Email the Show: thecinematictangent@gmail.com

XI – It’s About a Bear that Does a Lot of Cocaine

Cocaine Bear is based on the true tale of a bear who ate cocaine and died. The movie adaptation is about a CGI blob that mauls people to death – with some admittedly cool traditional effects. After sobering up, Brad and Chad go deep on M. Night Shyamalan’s Knock at the Cabin, revealing the (possible) class message at the heart of a crazy movie about the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse accosting a gay couple and their daughter. Major props is given to Dave Bautista for his truly excellent performance. 

Show Notes:

Correction: Chad referred to “Knock at the Cabin” as “Cabin the Woods” by accident, because of a debate Brad and he had 11 years ago.

Check out the defunct This Week’s Movie (please excuse the poor writing). 

Correction 2: Chad says Knock at the Cabin is based on a short story, but it’s actually a novel. 

The real bear should have paid attention in D.A.R.E:
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/01/arts/cocaine-bear-true-story.htm

Brian Wells did die – and it is a really sad, crazy story:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_Brian_Wells 

Considering the death of theatres – Cocaine Bear performed well:
https://www.boxofficemojo.com/release/rl2503901953/ 

Cocaine Shark will be about a shark that does cocaine:
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/cocaine-shark-movie-trailer_n_640afca2e4b006d19e274dc3

Stephanie Zacharek’s Knock at the Cabin review:
https://time.com/6251987/knock-at-the-cabin-review/ 

Intro Music: https://pixabay.com/music/indie-pop-fun-punk-opener-14343/

Other Music: https://pixabay.com/music/id-105/

Email the Show: thecinematictangent@gmail.com

X – Oscars So Blue

From The Fabelmans to Avatar: The Way of Water, Hollywood feels increasingly out of touch, both in its ability to capture what it means to be a person – and to re-capture what it meant to watch a Blockbuster in the theatre. Opining on their growing dislike of movies, the boys analyze similar trends in comic books and video games that leave us feeling empty, in a constant state of consumption, waiting for the next unnecessary sequel or piece of content. 

Show Notes:

It was apparently the “wokest” Superbowl ever:
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/columnist/mike-freeman/2023/02/12/super-bowl-57-blackest-woke-sorry-haters/11245293002/

The transparently performative, superficial diversity and inclusion standards at the Oscars:
https://www.oscars.org/news/academy-establishes-representation-and-inclusion-standards-oscarsr-eligibility/ 

George Santos embodies the times:
https://www.newsweek.com/full-list-george-santos-claims-that-have-now-been-debunked-1770172 

M3ghan 2 was always coming:
https://www.1news.co.nz/2023/01/18/m3gan-director-gerard-johnstone-on-sequels-shooting-in-new-zealand/

James Cameron altering future Avatars based on audience feedback:
https://variety.com/2023/film/news/avatar-3-loak-replaces-jake-sully-narrator-james-cameron-1235492365/ 

Not everything is made for you:
https://freddiedeboer.substack.com/p/not-everything-is-for-everyone

Link to Film Threat, since we cite Chris Gore all the time:
https://filmthreat.com/

Link to Sacred Symbols, since we reference Colin Moriarty’s video game coverage all the time:
https://laststandmedia.com/ 

Intro Music: https://pixabay.com/music/indie-pop-fun-punk-opener-14343/

Other Music: https://pixabay.com/music/id-105/

Email the Show: thecinematictangent@gmail.com

IX – ‘Bad Santa’

This is the deepest dive into Bad Santa that you’ll find anywhere. The “Santa” that made it into theatres – and conned its way onto DVD and streaming services – is an imposter, with the cut approved by director Terry Zwigoff hidden away (at the North Pole), only to be quietly released years later. Brad and Chad take a look at this overlooked Director’s Cut, comparing its structure, tone, themes, and approach to comedy to the theatrical release, revealing one of the most criminal examples of studio manipulation in movie history.

Show Notes:

Terry Zwigoff discusses the Bad Santa Director’s Cut:
https://www.indiewire.com/2012/12/terry-zwigoff-talks-battling-over-bad-santa-his-preferred-directors-cut-much-more-in-candid-interview-250073/

Pearl clutching over Bad Santa ads in 2003:
https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-2003-11-21-0311210371-story.html

Snowflakes at Fox News were offended by the movie:
https://www.foxnews.com/story/bad-bad-santa

Roger Ebert’s review:
https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/bad-santa-2003

Member Berries:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Member_Berries 

Script for Bad Santa:
https://imsdb.com/scripts/Bad-Santa.html

Music by Uncle Dave: http://www.mp3forkidz.com/xmas/

Email the Show: thecinematictangent@gmail.com

VIII – “Marilyn Monroe” Gets Pwnd

In a world where a cartoonishly evil cabal of men exploit damaged women from cradle to grave, Blonde takes the heroic position that that is bad. The highly sensational, fictionalized Marilyn Monroe “biopic” from Andrew Dominik is the first film released on Netflix to earn an NC-17 rating – and holy shit, it takes full advantage of it. This movie does not shy away from exploited asses, creepy blowjobs, and shots from inside “Marilyn Monroe’s” battered vagina. But, it’s all in service to some incomprehensible #MeToo themes, so this is not torture porn. It’s art. It earned a 14-minute standing ovation. This will probably win an Oscar. 

After discussing how stupid Blonde is, Chad and Brad lighten the mood by talking about Zac Cregger’s brutal-but-fun Barbarian. 

Show Notes:

First NC-17 movie on Netflix:
https://www.theringer.com/movies/2022/9/27/23374647/blonde-netflix-movie-nc17-rating 

This stupid movie earned a 14-minute standing ovation:
https://variety.com/2022/film/news/blonde-ana-de-armas-standing-ovation-venice-nc-17-marilyn-monroe-1235337816/ 

Blonde is based on a fiction novel:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blonde_(novel) 

Femme Fatale criticism from the 80s:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1986/12/07/the-feminist-and-the-femme-fatale/d9301d18-5f37-452a-a608-4bd5d6cf7688/

Intro Music: https://pixabay.com/music/indie-pop-fun-punk-opener-14343/

Other Music: https://pixabay.com/music/id-105/ and https://pixabay.com/music/upbeat-rock-it-21275/ 

Email the Show: thecinematictangent@gmail.com

VII – Like This Podcast to Cancel ‘Bodies Bodies Bodies’

Let’s play a game of Bodies Bodies Bodies – a new viral TikTok sensation for upper-middle-class woke kids who kill each other in manic witch hunts! After, we can all find Jesus through the (very entertaining and solidly made) gospel of Black Phone.

Show Notes:

Finally, our Ferris Bueller questions will be asked: https://www.msn.com/en-us/movies/news/the-ferris-bueller-spin-off-will-let-us-revisit-key-scenes-through-other-characters-eyes-according-to-jon-hurwitz/ar-AA11StM6 

Let’s dig John Hughes up and #MeToo his movies! https://www.newyorker.com/culture/personal-history/what-about-the-breakfast-club-molly-ringwald-metoo-john-hughes-pretty-in-pink 

This show Tolkien didn’t write or produce is very Tolkien: https://gamerant.com/rings-of-power-bronwyn-tolkien-hero/ 

Chris Gore’s thoughts on alienating audiences: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tv9u9Nwi6Y4&list=PLez8jOvskc-Oul_WJy_Wk8f37KFS88vrh&index=2 

Evil Dead’s global bans and censorship: https://www.grunge.com/795161/why-the-movie-evil-dead-was-banned-in-several-countries/

Fahrenheit 451 was censored a bunch of times, because reality loves creating irony: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fahrenheit_451#Censorship/banning_incidents 

Campus free thought and speech concerns: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/07/opinion/campus-speech-cancel-culture.html 

Opera students want operas updated to fit the times – and the schools are too cowardly to tell them to fuck off: https://www.blockedandreported.org/p/premium-blocked-and-reported-presents#details 

E.T. guns once removed now restored: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/et-change-spielberg-video-guns_n_1559613

Intro Music: https://pixabay.com/music/indie-pop-fun-punk-opener-14343/

Other Music: https://pixabay.com/music/id-105/

E-mail the Show: thecinematictangent@gmail.com