Finally, a movie that answers the tough questions... What if terrorist got hold of a time machine and used it to try and assassinate Jesus, prevent the resurrection by bringing his body to the present, thereby erasing Christianity from history? What if the only people who can stop that from happening are a group of scientists that accidentally discovered time travel in less than a month? Can you still get away with an African American character who is essentially a collection of outdated stereotypes. These and many more questions are answered in this episode as we look at Assassins 33 AD.

Finally, a movie that answers the tough questions... What if terrorist got hold of a time machine and used it to try and assassinate Jesus, prevent the resurrection by bringing his body to the present, thereby erasing Christianity from history? What if the only people who can stop that from happening are a group of scientists that accidentally discovered time travel in less than a month? Can you still get away with an African American character who is essentially a collection of outdated stereotypes. These and many more questions are answered in this episode as we look at Assassins 33 AD.

Assassin 33 AD

Thanks to a Patreon request, we finally take a look at possibly the Irish American film. John Ford's, "The Quiet Man," with John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara. It's funny how much a little bit of introspection can change how you relate with a movie. Seeing the... Irishness of it all is... well, you kinda have to listen.

Thanks to a Patreon request, we finally take a look at possibly the Irish American film. John Ford's, "The Quiet Man," with John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara. It's funny how much a little bit of introspection can change how you relate with a movie. Seeing the... Irishness of it all is... well, you kinda have to listen.

The Quiet Man

There are few movies as criminally overlooked and underrated as "Big Night." It's just a minor indie movie from the mid 90's, but it might be flashpoint for modern foodie culture.  All that nonsense aside... its just a good movie. 

There are few movies as criminally overlooked and underrated as "Big Night." It's just a minor indie movie from the mid 90's, but it might be flashpoint for modern foodie culture.  All that nonsense aside... its just a good movie.

Big Night

Nathan Dies

Well, sometimes the last minute is kind of awesome. The stars aligned and we were finally able to introduce Nathan to Die Hard. That's right, you are about to hear from someone who had never seen Die Hard before, and we release it on the 31st anniversary of The Battle of Nakatomi Tower. 

Well, sometimes the last minute is kind of awesome. The stars aligned and we were finally able to introduce Nathan to Die Hard. That's right, you are about to hear from someone who had never seen Die Hard before, and we release it on the 31st anniversary of The Battle of Nakatomi Tower.

The Initiates: Nathan Dies Hard

It's the holidays, which can only mean one thing... time to subject someone to this "movie." Join us as we blindside the absolute shit out of Clarkson's friend Andrew.

It's the holidays, which can only mean one thing... time to subject someone to this "movie." Join us as we blindside the absolute shit out of Clarkson's friend Andrew.

Saving Christmas 2019

Tone deaf, or just deaf deaf. We watched the Death Wish remake so you don't have to.

Tone deaf, or just deaf deaf. We watched the Death Wish remake so you don't have to.

Death Wish

The further adventures of Fudd Pump and crew!

The further adventures of Fudd Pump and crew!

Fast And Furious 6

This movie could have only been made in 1985. It literally could not have happened at any other time. Join a discussion about Rambo, a movie that Jim hasn't seen since the 80's.

This movie could have only been made in 1985. It literally could not have happened at any other time. Join a discussion about Rambo, a movie that Jim hasn't seen since the 80's.

Rambo: First Blood Part 2

This might be hard to believe, but John Rambo was originally a symbol of the horrors of war. Really, he was. Whatever he morphed into, he began his life as a... a cautionary tale. Can you create a perfect soldier, ready him to handle whatever he would come across in the middle of  a war, and then just expect him to shut it off and go back to a normal life? There were some heavy questions at play in "First Blood." Not that we address any of them in any meaningful way, but they are there.

This might be hard to believe, but John Rambo was originally a symbol of the horrors of war. Really, he was. Whatever he morphed into, he began his life as a... a cautionary tale. Can you create a perfect soldier, ready him to handle whatever he would come across in the middle of  a war, and then just expect him to shut it off and go back to a normal life? There were some heavy questions at play in "First Blood." Not that we address any of them in any meaningful way, but they are there.

First Blood

The Rocky film series has somehow managed to pull off a nearly impossible feat, for the second time. A lot of people may not realize this, but Rocky was not a big release when it first came out. It was a low budget arthouse film that somehow went on to become a blockbuster franchise. No mean feat. But, doing the near impossible once just wasn't enough. So... Creed II That's right. The latest installment of one of the most beloved American film franchises of all time comes roaring in and moves what was a story about a guy trying to live in the shadow of his father into the big leagues. We begin another series of films in reverse. Join Clarkson for his first viewing, Jim saw it on opening day because its a Rocky movie and he is not normal about these things.

The Rocky film series has somehow managed to pull off a nearly impossible feat, for the second time. A lot of people may not realize this, but Rocky was not a big release when it first came out. It was a low budget arthouse film that somehow went on to become a blockbuster franchise. No mean feat. But, doing the near impossible once just wasn't enough. So... Creed II That's right. The latest installment of one of the most beloved American film franchises of all time comes roaring in and moves what was a story about a guy trying to live in the shadow of his father into the big leagues. We begin another series of films in reverse. Join Clarkson for his first viewing, Jim saw it on opening day because its a Rocky movie and he is not normal about these things.

Creed II

Informed film discussion for the unrefined connoisseur.

Great Podcast Great dynamic between the guys.  Like listening to two old friends b.s. about movies.

Garoumitch

These guys is awesomb. I continue to listen and can&#39;t stop!

Example of excellence

The Film Thugs Movie Show

Quantum of Solace. For starters, the title means nothing. It is taken from a Ian Flemming short story. However, that story has nothing to do with this movie, and it is possibly the least "Bond" story ever written. The entire thing takes place during a dinner party. There is no action, no violence, nothing. Literally, just someone telling Bond a story about a failed marriage. That pretty much tells you everything you need to know about this movie. This thing is kind of baffling. It's not terrible, it's just not very good. It is very clear that there was a writers strike going on when this was made because the story is all over the place. There is potential for a good movie in here, but as it stands, especially following on the heels of Casino Royale, this just feels out of place.    We shall return in a few weeks with... Thunderball.

Quantum of Solace. For starters, the title means nothing. It is taken from a Ian Flemming short story. However, that story has nothing to do with this movie, and it is possibly the least "Bond" story ever written. The entire thing takes place during a dinner party. There is no action, no violence, nothing. Literally, just someone telling Bond a story about a failed marriage. That pretty much tells you everything you need to know about this movie. This thing is kind of baffling. It's not terrible, it's just not very good. It is very clear that there was a writers strike going on when this was made because the story is all over the place. There is potential for a good movie in here, but as it stands, especially following on the heels of Casino Royale, this just feels out of place. We shall return in a few weeks with... Thunderball.

Quantum of Solace

The Criterion Collection, the last vestige of truly collectible DVD and Blu-Ray movies in existence. These are well produced, fancy pants editions of important and interesting films for the discerning film lover. We continue our journey through Jim's collection of movies with... It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World Spine Number: 692 Director: Stanley Kramer Genre: Comedy   The thing about the movie business is that it's a business. As much as we love the artistry and the beauty of what they produce, at the end of the day, movies are a business. And as much as we may want to make that business about art, it is, was, and every will be about money. That's not a bad thing, but it does explain some things. Throughout the history of the industry there has been a figt for an audience. Be it against TV, streamig, video games, whatever, the industry has always been fighting to stay relevant. This has given us amazing things like super wide screen formats, and foolish wastes of time, like 3D (over and over again). One of these attempts was the string of EPIC films back in the day. Normally, they were big on spectacle and budget. The idea was to create an experience that could no tbe replicated at home. This weeks movie, Stanley Kramer's, "It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World," took the  idea of EPIC and applied it to comedy and decided to spend it's sizeable budget on EVERY SINGLE COMEDIAN ALIVE AT THE TIME, or so it seemed. Sid Ceasar, Milton Berle, Buddy Hackett, Jonathan Winters, Carl Riener, Phil Silvers, Buster Keaton, The Three Stooges, and many, many more all appear in this... I guess "romp," is the only appropriate term. However, this movie completely belongs to Dick Shawn.  It's a good time. There is no denying that. This is a fun movie, and as long as you don't take any time to stop and realize that there are no sympathetic characters, and that pretty much everyone is either dead or badly maimed by the end... it's still a very good time. So, enjot an old school, mad cap adventure, won't you?    Next week,    Spine number 696:Foreign Correspondent   Also, check this out. The Life Masters is now it's own show with its own site and own dedicated feed. That's right, we have two completely different shows!  Right now check it out at www.thelifemasters.podbean.com. You can also drink in our brilliance on Youtube for both The Film Thugs and The Life Masters. http://fantasymovieleague.com/ Looks like Summer Movie League has officially become Fantasy Movie League. It looks quite fun. Here's how it works. You have an 8 screen theater. Every week you pick movies and have a budget/salary cap you have to stay under. Then you compete against other theaters in your league. It's fantasy football for movie people. Our league is Film Thugs 2015 and the password is Porterhouse. And remember, you can be a part of the show any time you wild like. How's that? All you have to do is call or e-mail us. If you live in the US, or any place that makes calling the US easy, just dial 512-666-RANT and leave us a voicemail. We will read the Google Voice transcript and play your message. It's both funny AND informative. If you live outside the US you can call us on Skype at The_Film_Thugs. You can leave a message, or someone might actually answer. E-mail us at thefilmthugs@gmail.com and we will read/play whatever you send us, or you can e-mail thugquestions@gmail.com to be part of  an upcoming "Ask the Film Thugs" show, where we answer questions on any subject without having heard them first. Also, we are on twitter @thefilmthugs and on Facebook and Vine. Also, be sure to check back often for our new endeavor The Life Masters, where we answer questions to other advice columnists. Thanks for listening, and until next week...

The Criterion Collection, the last vestige of truly collectible DVD and Blu-Ray movies in existence. These are well produced, fancy pants editions of important and interesting films for the discerning film lover. We continue our journey through Jim's collection of movies with... It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World Spine Number: 692 Director: Stanley Kramer Genre: Comedy The thing about the movie business is that it's a business. As much as we love the artistry and the beauty of what they produce, at the end of the day, movies are a business. And as much as we may want to make that business about art, it is, was, and every will be about money. That's not a bad thing, but it does explain some things. Throughout the history of the industry there has been a figt for an audience. Be it against TV, streamig, video games, whatever, the industry has always been fighting to stay relevant. This has given us amazing things like super wide screen formats, and foolish wastes of time, like 3D (over and over again). One of these attempts was the string of EPIC films back in the day. Normally, they were big on spectacle and budget. The idea was to create an experience that could no tbe replicated at home. This weeks movie, Stanley Kramer's, "It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World," took the  idea of EPIC and applied it to comedy and decided to spend it's sizeable budget on EVERY SINGLE COMEDIAN ALIVE AT THE TIME, or so it seemed. Sid Ceasar, Milton Berle, Buddy Hackett, Jonathan Winters, Carl Riener, Phil Silvers, Buster Keaton, The Three Stooges, and many, many more all appear in this... I guess "romp," is the only appropriate term. However, this movie completely belongs to Dick Shawn. It's a good time. There is no denying that. This is a fun movie, and as long as you don't take any time to stop and realize that there are no sympathetic characters, and that pretty much everyone is either dead or badly maimed by the end... it's still a very good time. So, enjot an old school, mad cap adventure, won't you? Next week,    Spine number 696:Foreign Correspondent   Also, check this out. <a href="http://www.thelifemasters.podbean.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Life Masters</a> is now it's own show with its own site and own dedicated feed. That's right, we have two completely different shows!  Right now check it out at <a href="http://www.thefilmthugs.com/www.thelifemasters.podbean.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.thelifemasters.podbean.com.</a> You can also drink in our brilliance on Youtube for both <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/thefilmthugs" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Film Thugs</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHoHROMqCKRMF71RZ6OExVQ" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Life Masters</a>. <a href="http://fantasymovieleague.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://fantasymovieleague.com/</a> Looks like Summer Movie League has officially become Fantasy Movie League. It looks quite fun. Here's how it works. You have an 8 screen theater. Every week you pick movies and have a budget/salary cap you have to stay under. Then you compete against other theaters in your league. It's fantasy football for movie people. Our league is Film Thugs 2015 and the password is Porterhouse. And remember, you can be a part of the show any time you wild like. How's that? All you have to do is call or e-mail us. If you live in the US, or any place that makes calling the US easy, just dial 512-666-RANT and leave us a voicemail. We will read the Google Voice transcript and play your message. It's both funny AND informative. If you live outside the US you can call us on Skype at The_Film_Thugs. You can leave a message, or someone might actually answer. E-mail us at thefilmthugs@gmail.com and we will read/play whatever you send us, or you can e-mail thugquestions@gmail.com to be part of  an upcoming "Ask the Film Thugs" show, where we answer questions on any subject without having heard them first. Also, we are on twitter @thefilmthugs and on Facebook and Vine. Also, be sure to check back often for our new endeavor The Life Masters, where we answer questions to other advice columnists. Thanks for listening, and until next week...

Criterion Year Week 62: It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World

The Life Masters Episode 6: How Many Punches Is Too Many Punches?

Project: Munchiebird   The Film Thugs will return with... Die Another Day.

Project: Munchiebird The Film Thugs will return with... Die Another Day.

You Only Live Twice

Eddie Coyle

The Criterion Collection, the last vestige of truly collectible DVD and Blu-Ray movies in existence. These are well produced, fancy pants editions of important and interesting films for the discerning film lover. We continue our journey through Jim's collection of movies with... The Friends of Eddie Coyle Spine Number: 475 Director: Peter Yates Genre: Crime Drama There has always been a romanticism to gangsters in movies. It's understandable, at least on the surface. Think about it. Outlaws who live by their own rules taking chances and living outside the drudgery of our nine to five lives. They live on their own terms and have a code of honor that they all abide.  "The Friends of Eddie Coyle," however, takes a different view point. While gangster movies run the gamut from the gorgeous, like "The Godfather," to the more average, like "Goodfellas," and "The Departed," to the rough, street level life of a criminal, like "Donnie Brasco," and "Mean Streets," no other movie captures the reality of life as a low rent thief like "The Friends of Eddie Coyle."  For starters, "low rent," is an understatement. The crooks in this movie are so low level that they might as well be driving a bus. Everything is so dated that this movie couldn't possible be set in any other year. Not that it was cheap, but the people in it are not wealthy. They aren't even well off. They are lower middle, to upper lower class. There is nothing even approaching the neighborhood of glamorous in this movie. But that's what makes it so great. Well... that's one of the things that makes it so great. What's the other thing? Robert. Goddamned. Mitchum. As Peter Boyle said, "You know what the '2001' theme is? That's the sound of Mitchum waking up." Simply put, Robert Mitchum is an absolute BEAST in this movie. And that is saying a lot, given that Eddie Coyle is the farthest thing from a beast that you will find. He is essentially a middle man for a gun runner. He buys guns from one guy who knows people who can get guns and sells them to other guys who rob banks. That's it. He's facing two years in prison for transporting stolen merchandise and is trying make a deal to avoid those years, and trying to make enough money for his family in case he can't avoid them. Simply put, Coyle isn't the guy, or the guy who knows the guy, or even the guy who knows the guy who knows the guy. He's the guy who goes to a bar where a guy who knows the guys works. That is this movies blessing and curse. It is a fantastic portrayal of the day to day grind of the lowest rung on the criminal ladder. It's a movie about where most of us would be if we were criminals. It's gritty, dirty, and almost a documentary on how UN-glamorous a life of crime would really be.  In short, it kills the illusion. However, we cannot say this enough... The Friends of Eddie Coyle is an amazing film and is worth it for Robert Mitchum alone. So, check it out and see if you agree with us.  Next Week:  Spine number 538: Paths of Glory Also, check this out. The Life Masters is now it's own show with its own site and own dedicated feed. That's right, we have two completely different shows!  Right now check it out at www.thelifemasters.podbean.com. You can also drink in our brilliance on Youtube for both The Film Thugs and The Life Masters. http://fantasymovieleague.com/  Looks like Summer Movie League has officially become Fantasy Movie League.  It looks quite fun. Here's how it works.  You have an 8 screen theater.  Every week you pick movies and have a budget/salary cap you have to stay under.  Then you compete against other theaters in your league.  It's fantasy football for movie people.  Our league is Film Thugs 2015 and the password is Porterhouse. And remember, you can be a part of the show any time you wild like. How's that? All you have to do is call or e-mail us. If you live in the US, or any place that makes calling the US easy, just dial 512-666-RANT and leave us a voicemail. We will read the Google Voice transcript and play your message. It's both funny AND informative. If you live outside the US you can call us on Skype at The_Film_Thugs. You can leave a message, or someone might actually answer. E-mail us at thefilmthugs@gmail.com and we will read/play whatever you send us, or you can e-mail thugquestions@gmail.com to be part of  an upcoming "Ask the Film Thugs" show, where we answer questions on any subject without having heard them first. Also, we are on twitter @thefilmthugs and on Facebook and Vine. Also, be sure to check back often for our new endeavor The Life Masters, where we answer questions to other advice columnists. Thanks for listening, and until next week...

The Criterion Collection, the last vestige of truly collectible DVD and Blu-Ray movies in existence. These are well produced, fancy pants editions of important and interesting films for the discerning film lover. We continue our journey through Jim's collection of movies with... The Friends of Eddie Coyle Spine Number: 475 Director: Peter Yates Genre: Crime Drama There has always been a romanticism to gangsters in movies. It's understandable, at least on the surface. Think about it. Outlaws who live by their own rules taking chances and living outside the drudgery of our nine to five lives. They live on their own terms and have a code of honor that they all abide. "The Friends of Eddie Coyle," however, takes a different view point. While gangster movies run the gamut from the gorgeous, like "The Godfather," to the more average, like "Goodfellas," and "The Departed," to the rough, street level life of a criminal, like "Donnie Brasco," and "Mean Streets," no other movie captures the reality of life as a low rent thief like "The Friends of Eddie Coyle." For starters, "low rent," is an understatement. The crooks in this movie are so low level that they might as well be driving a bus. Everything is so dated that this movie couldn't possible be set in any other year. Not that it was cheap, but the people in it are not wealthy. They aren't even well off. They are lower middle, to upper lower class. There is nothing even approaching the neighborhood of glamorous in this movie. But that's what makes it so great. Well... that's one of the things that makes it so great. What's the other thing? Robert. Goddamned. Mitchum. As Peter Boyle said, "You know what the '2001' theme is? That's the sound of Mitchum waking up." Simply put, Robert Mitchum is an absolute BEAST in this movie. And that is saying a lot, given that Eddie Coyle is the farthest thing from a beast that you will find. He is essentially a middle man for a gun runner. He buys guns from one guy who knows people who can get guns and sells them to other guys who rob banks. That's it. He's facing two years in prison for transporting stolen merchandise and is trying make a deal to avoid those years, and trying to make enough money for his family in case he can't avoid them. Simply put, Coyle isn't the guy, or the guy who knows the guy, or even the guy who knows the guy who knows the guy. He's the guy who goes to a bar where a guy who knows the guys works. That is this movies blessing and curse. It is a fantastic portrayal of the day to day grind of the lowest rung on the criminal ladder. It's a movie about where most of us would be if we were criminals. It's gritty, dirty, and almost a documentary on how UN-glamorous a life of crime would really be. In short, it kills the illusion. However, we cannot say this enough... The Friends of Eddie Coyle is an amazing film and is worth it for Robert Mitchum alone. So, check it out and see if you agree with us. Next Week: Spine number 538: Paths of Glory Also, check this out. <a href="http://www.thelifemasters.podbean.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Life Masters</a> is now it's own show with its own site and own dedicated feed. That's right, we have two completely different shows! Right now check it out at <a href="http://www.thefilmthugs.com/www.thelifemasters.podbean.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.thelifemasters.podbean.com.</a> You can also drink in our brilliance on Youtube for both <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/thefilmthugs" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Film Thugs</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHoHROMqCKRMF71RZ6OExVQ" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Life Masters</a>. <a href="http://fantasymovieleague.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://fantasymovieleague.com/</a> Looks like Summer Movie League has officially become Fantasy Movie League. It looks quite fun. Here's how it works. You have an 8 screen theater. Every week you pick movies and have a budget/salary cap you have to stay under. Then you compete against other theaters in your league. It's fantasy football for movie people. Our league is Film Thugs 2015 and the password is Porterhouse. And remember, you can be a part of the show any time you wild like. How's that? All you have to do is call or e-mail us. If you live in the US, or any place that makes calling the US easy, just dial 512-666-RANT and leave us a voicemail. We will read the Google Voice transcript and play your message. It's both funny AND informative. If you live outside the US you can call us on Skype at The_Film_Thugs. You can leave a message, or someone might actually answer. E-mail us at thefilmthugs@gmail.com and we will read/play whatever you send us, or you can e-mail thugquestions@gmail.com to be part of  an upcoming "Ask the Film Thugs" show, where we answer questions on any subject without having heard them first. Also, we are on twitter @thefilmthugs and on Facebook and Vine. Also, be sure to check back often for our new endeavor The Life Masters, where we answer questions to other advice columnists. Thanks for listening, and until next week...

Criterion Year Week 46: The Friends of Eddie Coyle

The Criterion Collection, the last vestige of truly collectible DVD and Blu-Ray movies in existence. These are well produced, fancy pants editions of important and interesting films for the discerning film lover. We continue our journey through Jim's collection of movies with... Anatomy Of A Murder Spine Number: 600 Director: Otto Preminger Genre: Drama Courtrooms are inherently dramatic. There are stakes, someone will win, someone will lose... you don't have to add anything to the environment to make it dramatic. Sometimes movies will dress thigns up and try to force some sort of spectacle onto the story, but you really don't need it. This point is driven home masterfully in Otto Preminger's "Anatomy of A Murder." A young Army officer admits to killing a man. There are witnesses. Open and shut, right? Well...  Not really.  Brilliantly acted, expertly directed, and beautifuly written, Anatomy of A Murder is one of the finest examples of courtroom drama ever filmed.   But there is more. We also talk about how this type of film is becoming scarcer and how the current business model of the flm industry is killing the film industry.      Next week,    Spine number 662: Safety Last  Also, check this out. The Life Masters is now it's own show with its own site and own dedicated feed. That's right, we have two completely different shows!  Right now check it out at www.thelifemasters.podbean.com. You can also drink in our brilliance on Youtube for both The Film Thugs and The Life Masters. http://fantasymovieleague.com/ Looks like Summer Movie League has officially become Fantasy Movie League. It looks quite fun. Here's how it works. You have an 8 screen theater. Every week you pick movies and have a budget/salary cap you have to stay under. Then you compete against other theaters in your league. It's fantasy football for movie people. Our league is Film Thugs 2015 and the password is Porterhouse. And remember, you can be a part of the show any time you wild like. How's that? All you have to do is call or e-mail us. If you live in the US, or any place that makes calling the US easy, just dial 512-666-RANT and leave us a voicemail. We will read the Google Voice transcript and play your message. It's both funny AND informative. If you live outside the US you can call us on Skype at The_Film_Thugs. You can leave a message, or someone might actually answer. E-mail us at thefilmthugs@gmail.com and we will read/play whatever you send us, or you can e-mail thugquestions@gmail.com to be part of  an upcoming "Ask the Film Thugs" show, where we answer questions on any subject without having heard them first. Also, we are on twitter @thefilmthugs and on Facebook and Vine. Also, be sure to check back often for our new endeavor The Life Masters, where we answer questions to other advice columnists. Thanks for listening, and until next week...

The Criterion Collection, the last vestige of truly collectible DVD and Blu-Ray movies in existence. These are well produced, fancy pants editions of important and interesting films for the discerning film lover. We continue our journey through Jim's collection of movies with... Anatomy Of A Murder Spine Number: 600 Director: Otto Preminger Genre: Drama Courtrooms are inherently dramatic. There are stakes, someone will win, someone will lose... you don't have to add anything to the environment to make it dramatic. Sometimes movies will dress thigns up and try to force some sort of spectacle onto the story, but you really don't need it. This point is driven home masterfully in Otto Preminger's "Anatomy of A Murder." A young Army officer admits to killing a man. There are witnesses. Open and shut, right? Well...  Not really. Brilliantly acted, expertly directed, and beautifuly written, Anatomy of A Murder is one of the finest examples of courtroom drama ever filmed. But there is more. We also talk about how this type of film is becoming scarcer and how the current business model of the flm industry is killing the film industry. Next week,    Spine number 662: Safety Last  Also, check this out. <a href="http://www.thelifemasters.podbean.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Life Masters</a> is now it's own show with its own site and own dedicated feed. That's right, we have two completely different shows!  Right now check it out at <a href="http://www.thefilmthugs.com/www.thelifemasters.podbean.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.thelifemasters.podbean.com.</a> You can also drink in our brilliance on Youtube for both <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/thefilmthugs" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Film Thugs</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHoHROMqCKRMF71RZ6OExVQ" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Life Masters</a>. <a href="http://fantasymovieleague.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://fantasymovieleague.com/</a> Looks like Summer Movie League has officially become Fantasy Movie League. It looks quite fun. Here's how it works. You have an 8 screen theater. Every week you pick movies and have a budget/salary cap you have to stay under. Then you compete against other theaters in your league. It's fantasy football for movie people. Our league is Film Thugs 2015 and the password is Porterhouse. And remember, you can be a part of the show any time you wild like. How's that? All you have to do is call or e-mail us. If you live in the US, or any place that makes calling the US easy, just dial 512-666-RANT and leave us a voicemail. We will read the Google Voice transcript and play your message. It's both funny AND informative. If you live outside the US you can call us on Skype at The_Film_Thugs. You can leave a message, or someone might actually answer. E-mail us at thefilmthugs@gmail.com and we will read/play whatever you send us, or you can e-mail thugquestions@gmail.com to be part of  an upcoming "Ask the Film Thugs" show, where we answer questions on any subject without having heard them first. Also, we are on twitter @thefilmthugs and on Facebook and Vine. Also, be sure to check back often for our new endeavor The Life Masters, where we answer questions to other advice columnists. Thanks for listening, and until next week...

Criterion Year Week 58: Anatomy Of A Murder

Another Oscars has come and gone and we have nothing left to do but pick up the pieces of our shattered lives and move forward hoping that the coming spring shall, at long last, bring deliverance from the dark winter of our souls. There were winners, there were losers, there were dogs, and there were ponies. We learned a lot about each other, and just a little bit about ourselves. In the end, all that remained was silence.

Oscar Recap 2015- The Year of The Dog and Pony

The Criterion Collection, the last vestige of truly collectible DVD and Blu-Ray movies in existence. These are well produced, fancy pants editions of important and interesting films for the discerning film lover. We continue our journey through Jim's collection of movies with... Moonrise Kingdom Spine Number: 776 Director:Wes Anderson Genre: Comedy   And once again we return to the well of Wes Anderson for what is, quite possibly, the most Wes Anderson film of his career.  Wes is one of those directors who has an undeniable style, and every single aspect of that style is on full display in Moonrise Kingdom. This movie dances right up to the edge of being too much several times. It is very nearly too quirky, too clever, too stylized, but it never crosses over. Instead, you get a wonderfully charming, funny, and completely original and entertaining movie that could have only been made by one man.    So, join us as we discuss this fantastic little film, as well as a host of other topics.      Next time... Spine number 803: The Manchurian Candidate Also, check this out. The Life Masters is now it's own show with its own site and own dedicated feed. That's right, we have two completely different shows!  Right now check it out at www.thelifemasters.podbean.com. You can also drink in our brilliance on Youtube for both The Film Thugs and The Life Masters. http://fantasymovieleague.com/ Looks like Summer Movie League has officially become Fantasy Movie League. It looks quite fun. Here's how it works. You have an 8 screen theater. Every week you pick movies and have a budget/salary cap you have to stay under. Then you compete against other theaters in your league. It's fantasy football for movie people. Our league is Film Thugs 2015 and the password is Porterhouse. And remember, you can be a part of the show any time you wild like. How's that? All you have to do is call or e-mail us. If you live in the US, or any place that makes calling the US easy, just dial 512-666-RANT and leave us a voicemail. We will read the Google Voice transcript and play your message. It's both funny AND informative. If you live outside the US you can call us on Skype at The_Film_Thugs. You can leave a message, or someone might actually answer. E-mail us at thefilmthugs@gmail.com and we will read/play whatever you send us, or you can e-mail thugquestions@gmail.com to be part of  an upcoming "Ask the Film Thugs" show, where we answer questions on any subject without having heard them first. Also, we are on twitter @thefilmthugs and on Facebook and Vine. Also, be sure to check back often for our new endeavor The Life Masters, where we answer questions to other advice columnists. Thanks for listening, and until next week...

The Criterion Collection, the last vestige of truly collectible DVD and Blu-Ray movies in existence. These are well produced, fancy pants editions of important and interesting films for the discerning film lover. We continue our journey through Jim's collection of movies with... Moonrise Kingdom Spine Number: 776 Director:Wes Anderson Genre: Comedy And once again we return to the well of Wes Anderson for what is, quite possibly, the most Wes Anderson film of his career. Wes is one of those directors who has an undeniable style, and every single aspect of that style is on full display in Moonrise Kingdom. This movie dances right up to the edge of being too much several times. It is very nearly too quirky, too clever, too stylized, but it never crosses over. Instead, you get a wonderfully charming, funny, and completely original and entertaining movie that could have only been made by one man.  So, join us as we discuss this fantastic little film, as well as a host of other topics. Next time... Spine number 803: The Manchurian Candidate Also, check this out. <a href="http://www.thelifemasters.podbean.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Life Masters</a> is now it's own show with its own site and own dedicated feed. That's right, we have two completely different shows!  Right now check it out at <a href="http://www.thefilmthugs.com/www.thelifemasters.podbean.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.thelifemasters.podbean.com.</a> You can also drink in our brilliance on Youtube for both <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/thefilmthugs" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Film Thugs</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHoHROMqCKRMF71RZ6OExVQ" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Life Masters</a>. <a href="http://fantasymovieleague.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://fantasymovieleague.com/</a> Looks like Summer Movie League has officially become Fantasy Movie League. It looks quite fun. Here's how it works. You have an 8 screen theater. Every week you pick movies and have a budget/salary cap you have to stay under. Then you compete against other theaters in your league. It's fantasy football for movie people. Our league is Film Thugs 2015 and the password is Porterhouse. And remember, you can be a part of the show any time you wild like. How's that? All you have to do is call or e-mail us. If you live in the US, or any place that makes calling the US easy, just dial 512-666-RANT and leave us a voicemail. We will read the Google Voice transcript and play your message. It's both funny AND informative. If you live outside the US you can call us on Skype at The_Film_Thugs. You can leave a message, or someone might actually answer. E-mail us at thefilmthugs@gmail.com and we will read/play whatever you send us, or you can e-mail thugquestions@gmail.com to be part of  an upcoming "Ask the Film Thugs" show, where we answer questions on any subject without having heard them first. Also, we are on twitter @thefilmthugs and on Facebook and Vine. Also, be sure to check back often for our new endeavor The Life Masters, where we answer questions to other advice columnists. Thanks for listening, and until next week...

Criterion Year Week 69: Moonrise Kingdom

The Criterion Collection, the last vestige of truly collectible DVD and Blu-Ray movies in existence. These are well produced, fancy pants editions of important and interesting films for the discerning film lover. We continue our journey through Jim's collection of movies with... Thief Spine Number: 691 Director: Michael Mann Genre: Heist   Michael Mann is in that rare club of directors with a first film that is not only far better than any first feature has the right to be, but also whose first film shows their style fully formed. Few people have figured out how to shoot at night as well as Mann (hint, wet streets), or make shadows against deep blue look as striking, or to present focused anti-hero protagonists with an uncompromising moral code as deftly. In short, Michael Mann is a bad ass, and his first film "Thief," shows it.    James Caan stars as Frank, an ex con who pulls carefully planned heists while maintaining the facade of a local business owner. In his quest to have a normal life, the normal life he has no real life guide to, he decides to pull a job for a syndicate and get the big payday he needs to walk away.  But things never go that easily, do they? Everything about this movie is bad ass. The music by Tangeriene Dream, the use of Chicago at night, the cast (including Tuesday Weld, Jim Belushi, and Willie Nelson himself) are all pitch perfect.  Hell, even the original poster is so incredible that it makes Criterion's decision to change it all the more baffling,  I mean... my DAMN!   So, if you haven't checked out this masterpiece yet, do yourself a favor and get on it. If you have, then enjoy it with us again.  Also, the soundtrack to this episode is provided by Zombi, so check them out as well.      Next week,    Spine number 692: It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World  Also, check this out. The Life Masters is now it's own show with its own site and own dedicated feed. That's right, we have two completely different shows!  Right now check it out at www.thelifemasters.podbean.com. You can also drink in our brilliance on Youtube for both The Film Thugs and The Life Masters. http://fantasymovieleague.com/ Looks like Summer Movie League has officially become Fantasy Movie League. It looks quite fun. Here's how it works. You have an 8 screen theater. Every week you pick movies and have a budget/salary cap you have to stay under. Then you compete against other theaters in your league. It's fantasy football for movie people. Our league is Film Thugs 2015 and the password is Porterhouse. And remember, you can be a part of the show any time you wild like. How's that? All you have to do is call or e-mail us. If you live in the US, or any place that makes calling the US easy, just dial 512-666-RANT and leave us a voicemail. We will read the Google Voice transcript and play your message. It's both funny AND informative. If you live outside the US you can call us on Skype at The_Film_Thugs. You can leave a message, or someone might actually answer. E-mail us at thefilmthugs@gmail.com and we will read/play whatever you send us, or you can e-mail thugquestions@gmail.com to be part of  an upcoming "Ask the Film Thugs" show, where we answer questions on any subject without having heard them first. Also, we are on twitter @thefilmthugs and on Facebook and Vine. Also, be sure to check back often for our new endeavor The Life Masters, where we answer questions to other advice columnists. Thanks for listening, and until next week...

The Criterion Collection, the last vestige of truly collectible DVD and Blu-Ray movies in existence. These are well produced, fancy pants editions of important and interesting films for the discerning film lover. We continue our journey through Jim's collection of movies with... Thief Spine Number: 691 Director: Michael Mann Genre: Heist Michael Mann is in that rare club of directors with a first film that is not only far better than any first feature has the right to be, but also whose first film shows their style fully formed. Few people have figured out how to shoot at night as well as Mann (hint, wet streets), or make shadows against deep blue look as striking, or to present focused anti-hero protagonists with an uncompromising moral code as deftly. In short, Michael Mann is a bad ass, and his first film "Thief," shows it. James Caan stars as Frank, an ex con who pulls carefully planned heists while maintaining the facade of a local business owner. In his quest to have a normal life, the normal life he has no real life guide to, he decides to pull a job for a syndicate and get the big payday he needs to walk away.  But things never go that easily, do they? Everything about this movie is bad ass. The music by Tangeriene Dream, the use of Chicago at night, the cast (including Tuesday Weld, Jim Belushi, and Willie Nelson himself) are all pitch perfect.  Hell, even the original poster is so incredible that it makes Criterion's decision to change it all the more baffling, I mean... my DAMN! So, if you haven't checked out this masterpiece yet, do yourself a favor and get on it. If you have, then enjoy it with us again.  Also, the soundtrack to this episode is provided by Zombi, so check them out as well. Next week,    Spine number 692: It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World  Also, check this out. <a href="http://www.thelifemasters.podbean.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Life Masters</a> is now it's own show with its own site and own dedicated feed. That's right, we have two completely different shows!  Right now check it out at <a href="http://www.thefilmthugs.com/www.thelifemasters.podbean.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.thelifemasters.podbean.com.</a> You can also drink in our brilliance on Youtube for both <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/thefilmthugs" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Film Thugs</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHoHROMqCKRMF71RZ6OExVQ" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Life Masters</a>. <a href="http://fantasymovieleague.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://fantasymovieleague.com/</a> Looks like Summer Movie League has officially become Fantasy Movie League. It looks quite fun. Here's how it works. You have an 8 screen theater. Every week you pick movies and have a budget/salary cap you have to stay under. Then you compete against other theaters in your league. It's fantasy football for movie people. Our league is Film Thugs 2015 and the password is Porterhouse. And remember, you can be a part of the show any time you wild like. How's that? All you have to do is call or e-mail us. If you live in the US, or any place that makes calling the US easy, just dial 512-666-RANT and leave us a voicemail. We will read the Google Voice transcript and play your message. It's both funny AND informative. If you live outside the US you can call us on Skype at The_Film_Thugs. You can leave a message, or someone might actually answer. E-mail us at thefilmthugs@gmail.com and we will read/play whatever you send us, or you can e-mail thugquestions@gmail.com to be part of  an upcoming "Ask the Film Thugs" show, where we answer questions on any subject without having heard them first. Also, we are on twitter @thefilmthugs and on Facebook and Vine. Also, be sure to check back often for our new endeavor The Life Masters, where we answer questions to other advice columnists. Thanks for listening, and until next week...

Criterion Year Week 61: Thief

The Criterion Collection, the last vestige of truly collectible DVD and Blu-Ray movies in existence. These are well produced, fancy pants editions of important and interesting films for the discerning film lover. We continue our journey through Jim's collection of movies with... The Last Emperor Spine Number: 422 Director: Bernardo Bertolucci Genre: Drama Sorry for the late post. I'm out of town and doing this on my laptop. For most people in the west, China is a complete mystery. I mean, during 12 years of formal education, your average American gets about 1 year of "World History" education. That's including college. Mind you, not the history of a specific country or continent, but the history of the WORLD generally gets less attention than the foreign language you all but completely forgot as soon as the class ended. That mystery is what makes Bertolucci's "The Last Emperor" both fascinating and frustrating. It's fascinating because it's a look into a part of history that most of us have no knowledge of, and it's frustrating because it's a look into a part of history that most of us have no knowledge of. There is no background, no context, no nothing except for what we see on the screen. Is this moment important? Not sure. If it is, we have no idea why. With that said, this is a fascinating and gorgeous movie.  Legendary filmmaker Bernardo Bertolucci won his only two Academy Awards for this film and it is understandable why. The story is fascinating, the performances are fantastic, the direction is pitch perfect, the production design is beyond beautiful, and... well, it's just a fantastic film.   So, join us as we talk about this amazing movie and how the story of a child who becomes an emperor and an emperor who becomes an ordinary citizen fits in with the current nightmare of the American political landscape.      Next Week:  Spine number 428: Blast of Silence Also, check this out. The Life Masters is now it's own show with its own site and own dedicated feed. That's right, we have two completely different shows!  Right now check it out at www.thelifemasters.podbean.com. You can also drink in our brilliance on Youtube for both The Film Thugs and The Life Masters. http://fantasymovieleague.com/  Looks like Summer Movie League has officially become Fantasy Movie League.  It looks quite fun. Here's how it works.  You have an 8 screen theater.  Every week you pick movies and have a budget/salary cap you have to stay under.  Then you compete against other theaters in your league.  It's fantasy football for movie people.  Our league is Film Thugs 2015 and the password is Porterhouse. And remember, you can be a part of the show any time you wild like. How's that? All you have to do is call or e-mail us. If you live in the US, or any place that makes calling the US easy, just dial 512-666-RANT and leave us a voicemail. We will read the Google Voice transcript and play your message. It's both funny AND informative. If you live outside the US you can call us on Skype at The_Film_Thugs. You can leave a message, or someone might actually answer. E-mail us at thefilmthugs@gmail.com and we will read/play whatever you send us, or you can e-mail thugquestions@gmail.com to be part of  an upcoming "Ask the Film Thugs" show, where we answer questions on any subject without having heard them first. Also, we are on twitter @thefilmthugs and on Facebook and Vine. Also, be sure to check back often for our new endeavor The Life Masters, where we answer questions to other advice columnists. Thanks for listening, and until next week...

The Criterion Collection, the last vestige of truly collectible DVD and Blu-Ray movies in existence. These are well produced, fancy pants editions of important and interesting films for the discerning film lover. We continue our journey through Jim's collection of movies with... The Last Emperor Spine Number: 422 Director: Bernardo Bertolucci Genre: Drama Sorry for the late post. I'm out of town and doing this on my laptop. For most people in the west, China is a complete mystery. I mean, during 12 years of formal education, your average American gets about 1 year of "World History" education. That's including college. Mind you, not the history of a specific country or continent, but the history of the WORLD generally gets less attention than the foreign language you all but completely forgot as soon as the class ended. That mystery is what makes Bertolucci's "The Last Emperor" both fascinating and frustrating. It's fascinating because it's a look into a part of history that most of us have no knowledge of, and it's frustrating because it's a look into a part of history that most of us have no knowledge of. There is no background, no context, no nothing except for what we see on the screen. Is this moment important? Not sure. If it is, we have no idea why. With that said, this is a fascinating and gorgeous movie. Legendary filmmaker Bernardo Bertolucci won his only two Academy Awards for this film and it is understandable why. The story is fascinating, the performances are fantastic, the direction is pitch perfect, the production design is beyond beautiful, and... well, it's just a fantastic film. So, join us as we talk about this amazing movie and how the story of a child who becomes an emperor and an emperor who becomes an ordinary citizen fits in with the current nightmare of the American political landscape. Next Week: Spine number 428: Blast of Silence Also, check this out. <a href="http://www.thelifemasters.podbean.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Life Masters</a> is now it's own show with its own site and own dedicated feed. That's right, we have two completely different shows! Right now check it out at <a href="http://www.thefilmthugs.com/www.thelifemasters.podbean.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.thelifemasters.podbean.com.</a> You can also drink in our brilliance on Youtube for both <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/thefilmthugs" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Film Thugs</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHoHROMqCKRMF71RZ6OExVQ" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Life Masters</a>. <a href="http://fantasymovieleague.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://fantasymovieleague.com/</a> Looks like Summer Movie League has officially become Fantasy Movie League. It looks quite fun. Here's how it works. You have an 8 screen theater. Every week you pick movies and have a budget/salary cap you have to stay under. Then you compete against other theaters in your league. It's fantasy football for movie people. Our league is Film Thugs 2015 and the password is Porterhouse. And remember, you can be a part of the show any time you wild like. How's that? All you have to do is call or e-mail us. If you live in the US, or any place that makes calling the US easy, just dial 512-666-RANT and leave us a voicemail. We will read the Google Voice transcript and play your message. It's both funny AND informative. If you live outside the US you can call us on Skype at The_Film_Thugs. You can leave a message, or someone might actually answer. E-mail us at thefilmthugs@gmail.com and we will read/play whatever you send us, or you can e-mail thugquestions@gmail.com to be part of  an upcoming "Ask the Film Thugs" show, where we answer questions on any subject without having heard them first. Also, we are on twitter @thefilmthugs and on Facebook and Vine. Also, be sure to check back often for our new endeavor The Life Masters, where we answer questions to other advice columnists. Thanks for listening, and until next week...

Criterion Year Week 43: The Last Emperor

The Criterion Collection, the last vestige of truly collectible DVD and Blu-Ray movies in existence. These are well produced, fancy pants editions of important and interesting films for the discerning film lover. We continue our journey through Jim's collection of movies with... Foreign Correspondent Spine Number: 696 Director: Alfred Hitchcock Genre: Suspense   I have said, for years, that if you give a great script to a bad director that you will get an OK movie, and if you gave a bad script to a brilliant director, you will also get an OK movie. Essentially, if the basic story is solid enough it will shine through, no matter how bad the director. Conversely, if the basic story isn't solid no director, regardless of skill, can turn it into something great. This is the case with Hitchcock's "Foreign Correspondent."  This is the issue with Foreign Correspondent. It has all the elements of a classic Hitchcock movie, but the story is just missing too many little parts to make it really good. It's not bad, but it is just a few shuffled elements away from being really good. But that's ok. Even a lower tier Hitchcock is better than what most people can do, so in that regard it's pretty good. We also go off quite a bit about soda, for some reason. Which is always nice. So, check it out.    Next week,    Spine number 699:A Brief History of Time  Also, check this out. The Life Masters is now it's own show with its own site and own dedicated feed. That's right, we have two completely different shows!  Right now check it out at www.thelifemasters.podbean.com. You can also drink in our brilliance on Youtube for both The Film Thugs and The Life Masters. http://fantasymovieleague.com/ Looks like Summer Movie League has officially become Fantasy Movie League. It looks quite fun. Here's how it works. You have an 8 screen theater. Every week you pick movies and have a budget/salary cap you have to stay under. Then you compete against other theaters in your league. It's fantasy football for movie people. Our league is Film Thugs 2015 and the password is Porterhouse. And remember, you can be a part of the show any time you wild like. How's that? All you have to do is call or e-mail us. If you live in the US, or any place that makes calling the US easy, just dial 512-666-RANT and leave us a voicemail. We will read the Google Voice transcript and play your message. It's both funny AND informative. If you live outside the US you can call us on Skype at The_Film_Thugs. You can leave a message, or someone might actually answer. E-mail us at thefilmthugs@gmail.com and we will read/play whatever you send us, or you can e-mail thugquestions@gmail.com to be part of  an upcoming "Ask the Film Thugs" show, where we answer questions on any subject without having heard them first. Also, we are on twitter @thefilmthugs and on Facebook and Vine. Also, be sure to check back often for our new endeavor The Life Masters, where we answer questions to other advice columnists. Thanks for listening, and until next week...

The Criterion Collection, the last vestige of truly collectible DVD and Blu-Ray movies in existence. These are well produced, fancy pants editions of important and interesting films for the discerning film lover. We continue our journey through Jim's collection of movies with... Foreign Correspondent Spine Number: 696 Director: Alfred Hitchcock Genre: Suspense I have said, for years, that if you give a great script to a bad director that you will get an OK movie, and if you gave a bad script to a brilliant director, you will also get an OK movie. Essentially, if the basic story is solid enough it will shine through, no matter how bad the director. Conversely, if the basic story isn't solid no director, regardless of skill, can turn it into something great. This is the case with Hitchcock's "Foreign Correspondent." This is the issue with Foreign Correspondent. It has all the elements of a classic Hitchcock movie, but the story is just missing too many little parts to make it really good. It's not bad, but it is just a few shuffled elements away from being really good. But that's ok. Even a lower tier Hitchcock is better than what most people can do, so in that regard it's pretty good. We also go off quite a bit about soda, for some reason. Which is always nice. So, check it out. Next week,    Spine number 699:A Brief History of Time  Also, check this out. <a href="http://www.thelifemasters.podbean.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Life Masters</a> is now it's own show with its own site and own dedicated feed. That's right, we have two completely different shows!  Right now check it out at <a href="http://www.thefilmthugs.com/www.thelifemasters.podbean.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.thelifemasters.podbean.com.</a> You can also drink in our brilliance on Youtube for both <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/thefilmthugs" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Film Thugs</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHoHROMqCKRMF71RZ6OExVQ" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Life Masters</a>. <a href="http://fantasymovieleague.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://fantasymovieleague.com/</a> Looks like Summer Movie League has officially become Fantasy Movie League. It looks quite fun. Here's how it works. You have an 8 screen theater. Every week you pick movies and have a budget/salary cap you have to stay under. Then you compete against other theaters in your league. It's fantasy football for movie people. Our league is Film Thugs 2015 and the password is Porterhouse. And remember, you can be a part of the show any time you wild like. How's that? All you have to do is call or e-mail us. If you live in the US, or any place that makes calling the US easy, just dial 512-666-RANT and leave us a voicemail. We will read the Google Voice transcript and play your message. It's both funny AND informative. If you live outside the US you can call us on Skype at The_Film_Thugs. You can leave a message, or someone might actually answer. E-mail us at thefilmthugs@gmail.com and we will read/play whatever you send us, or you can e-mail thugquestions@gmail.com to be part of  an upcoming "Ask the Film Thugs" show, where we answer questions on any subject without having heard them first. Also, we are on twitter @thefilmthugs and on Facebook and Vine. Also, be sure to check back often for our new endeavor The Life Masters, where we answer questions to other advice columnists. Thanks for listening, and until next week...

Criterion Year Week 63: Foreign Correspondent

The Criterion Collection, the last vestige of truly collectible DVD and Blu-Ray movies in existence. These are well produced, fancy pants editions of important and interesting films for the discerning film lover. We continue our journey through Jim's collection of movies with... The In-Laws Spine Number: 823 Director:Arthur Hiller Genre: Comedy   There is no shortage of criminally overlooked movies. Yes, they have an audience, and they are beloved by that audience. But it just feels like they don't get the amount of attention they deserve. Well,"The In-Laws" is one of those movies.  This is one of those movies that could have happened in the 70's. Alan Arkin and Peter Faulk are pitch perfect in their respective roles as an uptight dentist and a completely off the rails CIA man. It is populated with a fantastic collection of actors and is flawlessly written and directed. It's a rare feat of broad comedy with an intellegent delivery.  So, join us as we take a look at a too often overlooked classic, and remember... "Serpentine!"    Next time... Spine number 830: Chimes at Midnight Also, check this out. The Life Masters is now it's own show with its own site and own dedicated feed. That's right, we have two completely different shows!  Right now check it out at www.thelifemasters.podbean.com. You can also drink in our brilliance on Youtube for both The Film Thugs and The Life Masters. http://fantasymovieleague.com/ Looks like Summer Movie League has officially become Fantasy Movie League. It looks quite fun. Here's how it works. You have an 8 screen theater. Every week you pick movies and have a budget/salary cap you have to stay under. Then you compete against other theaters in your league. It's fantasy football for movie people. Our league is Film Thugs 2015 and the password is Porterhouse. And remember, you can be a part of the show any time you wild like. How's that? All you have to do is call or e-mail us. If you live in the US, or any place that makes calling the US easy, just dial 512-666-RANT and leave us a voicemail. We will read the Google Voice transcript and play your message. It's both funny AND informative. If you live outside the US you can call us on Skype at The_Film_Thugs. You can leave a message, or someone might actually answer. E-mail us at thefilmthugs@gmail.com and we will read/play whatever you send us, or you can e-mail thugquestions@gmail.com to be part of  an upcoming "Ask the Film Thugs" show, where we answer questions on any subject without having heard them first. Also, we are on twitter @thefilmthugs and on Facebook and Vine. Also, be sure to check back often for our new endeavor The Life Masters, where we answer questions to other advice columnists. Thanks for listening, and until next week...

The Criterion Collection, the last vestige of truly collectible DVD and Blu-Ray movies in existence. These are well produced, fancy pants editions of important and interesting films for the discerning film lover. We continue our journey through Jim's collection of movies with... The In-Laws Spine Number: 823 Director:Arthur Hiller Genre: Comedy There is no shortage of criminally overlooked movies. Yes, they have an audience, and they are beloved by that audience. But it just feels like they don't get the amount of attention they deserve. Well,"The In-Laws" is one of those movies. This is one of those movies that could have happened in the 70's. Alan Arkin and Peter Faulk are pitch perfect in their respective roles as an uptight dentist and a completely off the rails CIA man. It is populated with a fantastic collection of actors and is flawlessly written and directed. It's a rare feat of broad comedy with an intellegent delivery.  So, join us as we take a look at a too often overlooked classic, and remember... "Serpentine!" Next time... Spine number 830: Chimes at Midnight Also, check this out. <a href="http://www.thelifemasters.podbean.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Life Masters</a> is now it's own show with its own site and own dedicated feed. That's right, we have two completely different shows!  Right now check it out at <a href="http://www.thefilmthugs.com/www.thelifemasters.podbean.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.thelifemasters.podbean.com.</a> You can also drink in our brilliance on Youtube for both <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/thefilmthugs" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Film Thugs</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHoHROMqCKRMF71RZ6OExVQ" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Life Masters</a>. <a href="http://fantasymovieleague.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://fantasymovieleague.com/</a> Looks like Summer Movie League has officially become Fantasy Movie League. It looks quite fun. Here's how it works. You have an 8 screen theater. Every week you pick movies and have a budget/salary cap you have to stay under. Then you compete against other theaters in your league. It's fantasy football for movie people. Our league is Film Thugs 2015 and the password is Porterhouse. And remember, you can be a part of the show any time you wild like. How's that? All you have to do is call or e-mail us. If you live in the US, or any place that makes calling the US easy, just dial 512-666-RANT and leave us a voicemail. We will read the Google Voice transcript and play your message. It's both funny AND informative. If you live outside the US you can call us on Skype at The_Film_Thugs. You can leave a message, or someone might actually answer. E-mail us at thefilmthugs@gmail.com and we will read/play whatever you send us, or you can e-mail thugquestions@gmail.com to be part of  an upcoming "Ask the Film Thugs" show, where we answer questions on any subject without having heard them first. Also, we are on twitter @thefilmthugs and on Facebook and Vine. Also, be sure to check back often for our new endeavor The Life Masters, where we answer questions to other advice columnists. Thanks for listening, and until next week...

Criterion Year Week 72: The In Laws

What madness is this? We decided that instead of doing a straight chornological run of the Bond, we would go with a "ping pong" method. How does that work? Basically, we are bouncing between the old and the new ones. We began with Dr. No, follow that with Spectre, next is From Russia With Love, follow that with Skyfall, and so on until we meet in the middle. So, this week we come at you with the most recent installment "Spectre." This is in many ways a landmark Bond film. It marks the first time since Connery that the most iconic Bond villian, Ernst Stavro Blofeld, could be used. Yes, a Blofeld like figure did appear in For Your Eyes Only, but that wasn't offically Ernst. This is a big deal. Which, of course means that we spend zero time talking about that, and a lot of time talking about how "Blofeld" sounds like the name given to a fat character. It's what you've come to expect.    So, we talk classic Bond, fat names, and Toblerones. It's a damned good time.   We sahll return in two weeks time with... From Russia With Love.

What madness is this? We decided that instead of doing a straight chornological run of the Bond, we would go with a "ping pong" method. How does that work? Basically, we are bouncing between the old and the new ones. We began with Dr. No, follow that with Spectre, next is From Russia With Love, follow that with Skyfall, and so on until we meet in the middle. So, this week we come at you with the most recent installment "Spectre." This is in many ways a landmark Bond film. It marks the first time since Connery that the most iconic Bond villian, Ernst Stavro Blofeld, could be used. Yes, a Blofeld like figure did appear in For Your Eyes Only, but that wasn't offically Ernst. This is a big deal. Which, of course means that we spend zero time talking about that, and a lot of time talking about how "Blofeld" sounds like the name given to a fat character. It's what you've come to expect. So, we talk classic Bond, fat names, and Toblerones. It's a damned good time. We sahll return in two weeks time with... From Russia With Love.

The James Bond Files: Spectre

Kirk Cameron

We continue a new tradition with a look at Kirk Cameron's "epic" work of cognitive dissonance. That's right, we take another look at "Saving Christmas," this time with our friend Rick, who is seeing it for the first time. Is it a bit profane... oh, indeed. But, we still have a good time examining what is put forth as a defence of something that didn't really need defedning.

We continue a new tradition with a look at Kirk Cameron's "epic" work of cognitive dissonance. That's right, we take another look at "Saving Christmas," this time with our friend Rick, who is seeing it for the first time. Is it a bit profane... oh, indeed. But, we still have a good time examining what is put forth as a defence of something that didn't really need defedning.

Kirk Cameron's Saving Christmas 2017

The Criterion Collection, the last vestige of truly collectible DVD and Blu-Ray movies in existence. These are well produced, fancy pants editions of important and interesting films for the discerning film lover. We continue our journey through Jim's collection of movies with... Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb Spine Number: 821 Director:Stanley Kubrick Genre: Comedy   Kubrick is one of those directors that is almsot impossible to discuss objectively. There is an obsessive cult surrounding his work that declares any of his work to be unquestioned genuis. And, let's be honest, that reputation is well earned. The brilliance of his work is completely undeniable. What happens when a filmmaker of his skill decides to make a jet black comedy about one of the most terrifying issues of the day? Well, you get Dr. Strangelove.  On top of Kubrick's incredible directing, you get a collection of performanes that rivals any in the history of film. Peter Sellers, and Sterlig Haden, and Peter Sellers, and George C. Scott, and Peter Sellers, and Keenan Wynn all give career defining performances. Sellers, pulling triple duty, which is pretty par for the course for him, delivers three absolute stand out performances, and possibly the greatest comedic sceen in the history of film (and the only one sided phone call to eclipse Bob Newhart in sheer comedic brilliance).   Not much else to say. So, check it out with us, won't you?      Next time... Spine number 823: The In-Laws Also, check this out. The Life Masters is now it's own show with its own site and own dedicated feed. That's right, we have two completely different shows!  Right now check it out at www.thelifemasters.podbean.com. You can also drink in our brilliance on Youtube for both The Film Thugs and The Life Masters. http://fantasymovieleague.com/ Looks like Summer Movie League has officially become Fantasy Movie League. It looks quite fun. Here's how it works. You have an 8 screen theater. Every week you pick movies and have a budget/salary cap you have to stay under. Then you compete against other theaters in your league. It's fantasy football for movie people. Our league is Film Thugs 2015 and the password is Porterhouse. And remember, you can be a part of the show any time you wild like. How's that? All you have to do is call or e-mail us. If you live in the US, or any place that makes calling the US easy, just dial 512-666-RANT and leave us a voicemail. We will read the Google Voice transcript and play your message. It's both funny AND informative. If you live outside the US you can call us on Skype at The_Film_Thugs. You can leave a message, or someone might actually answer. E-mail us at thefilmthugs@gmail.com and we will read/play whatever you send us, or you can e-mail thugquestions@gmail.com to be part of  an upcoming "Ask the Film Thugs" show, where we answer questions on any subject without having heard them first. Also, we are on twitter @thefilmthugs and on Facebook and Vine. Also, be sure to check back often for our new endeavor The Life Masters, where we answer questions to other advice columnists. Thanks for listening, and until next week...

The Criterion Collection, the last vestige of truly collectible DVD and Blu-Ray movies in existence. These are well produced, fancy pants editions of important and interesting films for the discerning film lover. We continue our journey through Jim's collection of movies with... Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb Spine Number: 821 Director:Stanley Kubrick Genre: Comedy Kubrick is one of those directors that is almsot impossible to discuss objectively. There is an obsessive cult surrounding his work that declares any of his work to be unquestioned genuis. And, let's be honest, that reputation is well earned. The brilliance of his work is completely undeniable. What happens when a filmmaker of his skill decides to make a jet black comedy about one of the most terrifying issues of the day? Well, you get Dr. Strangelove. On top of Kubrick's incredible directing, you get a collection of performanes that rivals any in the history of film. Peter Sellers, and Sterlig Haden, and Peter Sellers, and George C. Scott, and Peter Sellers, and Keenan Wynn all give career defining performances. Sellers, pulling triple duty, which is pretty par for the course for him, delivers three absolute stand out performances, and possibly the greatest comedic sceen in the history of film (and the only one sided phone call to eclipse Bob Newhart in sheer comedic brilliance). Not much else to say. So, check it out with us, won't you? Next time... Spine number 823: The In-Laws Also, check this out. <a href="http://www.thelifemasters.podbean.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Life Masters</a> is now it's own show with its own site and own dedicated feed. That's right, we have two completely different shows!  Right now check it out at <a href="http://www.thefilmthugs.com/www.thelifemasters.podbean.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.thelifemasters.podbean.com.</a> You can also drink in our brilliance on Youtube for both <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/thefilmthugs" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Film Thugs</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHoHROMqCKRMF71RZ6OExVQ" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Life Masters</a>. <a href="http://fantasymovieleague.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://fantasymovieleague.com/</a> Looks like Summer Movie League has officially become Fantasy Movie League. It looks quite fun. Here's how it works. You have an 8 screen theater. Every week you pick movies and have a budget/salary cap you have to stay under. Then you compete against other theaters in your league. It's fantasy football for movie people. Our league is Film Thugs 2015 and the password is Porterhouse. And remember, you can be a part of the show any time you wild like. How's that? All you have to do is call or e-mail us. If you live in the US, or any place that makes calling the US easy, just dial 512-666-RANT and leave us a voicemail. We will read the Google Voice transcript and play your message. It's both funny AND informative. If you live outside the US you can call us on Skype at The_Film_Thugs. You can leave a message, or someone might actually answer. E-mail us at thefilmthugs@gmail.com and we will read/play whatever you send us, or you can e-mail thugquestions@gmail.com to be part of  an upcoming "Ask the Film Thugs" show, where we answer questions on any subject without having heard them first. Also, we are on twitter @thefilmthugs and on Facebook and Vine. Also, be sure to check back often for our new endeavor The Life Masters, where we answer questions to other advice columnists. Thanks for listening, and until next week...

Criterion Year Week 71: Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love The Bomb

There are few, if any, literary characters more recognizable than Sherlock Holmes. I'm hard pressed to name even one.Over the years London's Baker Street Detective has had multiple incarnations, and is now hitting what is perhaps his biggest rebirth of all.Also, our Summer Movie League is back. Just go to www.summermovieleague.com, create a studio and join the Film Thugs 2014 league. The winner wins stuff. Remember, you can be a part of the show any time you wild like. How's that? All you have to do is call or e-mail us. If you live in the US, or any place that makes calling the US easy, just dial 512-666-RANT and leave us a voicemail. We will read the Google Voice transcript and play your message. It's both funny AND informative. If you live outside the US you can call us on Skype at The_Film_Thugs. You can leave a message, or someone might actually answer. E-mail us at thefilmthugs@gmail.com and we will read/play whatever you send us, or you can e-mail thugquestions@gmail.com to be part of  an upcoming "Ask the Film Thugs" show, where we answer questions on any subject without having heard them first. Also, we are on twitter @thefilmthugs and on Facebook and Vine. You can also click on one of our sponsor links below and THEY will pay us. That's right. You won't have to pay a PENNY extra, and Amazon/Onnit/Teefury will give us a little taste.  Thanks for listening, and until next week...So, join us as we discuss the greatest fictional detective of all time along with some other stuff.

There are few, if any, literary characters more recognizable than Sherlock Holmes. I'm hard pressed to name even one. Over the years London's Baker Street Detective has had multiple incarnations, and is now hitting what is perhaps his biggest rebirth of all. Also, our Summer Movie League is back. Just go to <a href="http://www.summermovieleague.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.summermovieleague.com</a>, create a studio and join the Film Thugs 2014 league. The winner wins stuff. Remember, you can be a part of the show any time you wild like. How's that? All you have to do is call or e-mail us. If you live in the US, or any place that makes calling the US easy, just dial 512-666-RANT and leave us a voicemail. We will read the Google Voice transcript and play your message. It's both funny AND informative. If you live outside the US you can call us on Skype at The_Film_Thugs. You can leave a message, or someone might actually answer. E-mail us at thefilmthugs@gmail.com and we will read/play whatever you send us, or you can e-mail thugquestions@gmail.com to be part of  an upcoming "Ask the Film Thugs" show, where we answer questions on any subject without having heard them first. Also, we are on twitter @thefilmthugs and on Facebook and Vine. You can also click on one of our sponsor links below and THEY will pay us. That's right. You won't have to pay a PENNY extra, and Amazon/Onnit/Teefury will give us a little taste. Thanks for listening, and until next week...So, join us as we discuss the greatest fictional detective of all time along with some other stuff.

Sherlock Holmes... and some other things.

The Criterion Collection, the last vestige of truly collectible DVD and Blu-Ray movies in existence. These are well produced, fancy pants editions of important and interesting films for the discerning film lover. We continue our journey through Jim's collection of movies with... The Thin Blue Line Spine Number: 753 Director:Errol Morris Genre: Documentary   What is the highest goal a movie can attain? Huge box office? A ton of awards? A massive following? How about saving a man's life? It might seem impossible, but that is exactly what Errol Morris's "The Thin Blue Line," did.  Errol Morris is one of the greatest documentarians of all time. He has a fluid and intimate style that allows his subjects to come to life and tell their own stories. He's made some amazing films, but "The Thin Blue Line," stands head and shoulders above the rest. It tells the story of a man convicted of killing a police officer in Dallas in the 70's. He goes in depth to show just how much our legal system can be screwed up by people just trying to do what they think is "the right thing."  This is one of the most captivating and compelling pieces of documentary filmmaking in the history of the genre, and another glaring example of how screwed up The Academy Awards can be. A film that tops almost every list of greatest documentaries ever made that was not even elligable for an Oscar because... of re-enactments. That's right. One of the greatest documentaries every made, a movie that literally saved a man from being executed was "Well, actually"ed out of an Oscar. But no matter. Everything about this film, from the interview style to the music, is perfect. And in addition we take a look at the brilliant "Documentary Now!" send up "The Eye Doesn't Lie," which as about as perfect a tribute as you could hope to find. So, join us for an absolute classic.  Next time... Spine number 776: Moonrise Kingdom Also, check this out. The Life Masters is now it's own show with its own site and own dedicated feed. That's right, we have two completely different shows!  Right now check it out at www.thelifemasters.podbean.com. You can also drink in our brilliance on Youtube for both The Film Thugs and The Life Masters. http://fantasymovieleague.com/ Looks like Summer Movie League has officially become Fantasy Movie League. It looks quite fun. Here's how it works. You have an 8 screen theater. Every week you pick movies and have a budget/salary cap you have to stay under. Then you compete against other theaters in your league. It's fantasy football for movie people. Our league is Film Thugs 2015 and the password is Porterhouse. And remember, you can be a part of the show any time you wild like. How's that? All you have to do is call or e-mail us. If you live in the US, or any place that makes calling the US easy, just dial 512-666-RANT and leave us a voicemail. We will read the Google Voice transcript and play your message. It's both funny AND informative. If you live outside the US you can call us on Skype at The_Film_Thugs. You can leave a message, or someone might actually answer. E-mail us at thefilmthugs@gmail.com and we will read/play whatever you send us, or you can e-mail thugquestions@gmail.com to be part of  an upcoming "Ask the Film Thugs" show, where we answer questions on any subject without having heard them first. Also, we are on twitter @thefilmthugs and on Facebook and Vine. Also, be sure to check back often for our new endeavor The Life Masters, where we answer questions to other advice columnists. Thanks for listening, and until next week...

The Criterion Collection, the last vestige of truly collectible DVD and Blu-Ray movies in existence. These are well produced, fancy pants editions of important and interesting films for the discerning film lover. We continue our journey through Jim's collection of movies with... The Thin Blue Line Spine Number: 753 Director:Errol Morris Genre: Documentary What is the highest goal a movie can attain? Huge box office? A ton of awards? A massive following? How about saving a man's life? It might seem impossible, but that is exactly what Errol Morris's "The Thin Blue Line," did. Errol Morris is one of the greatest documentarians of all time. He has a fluid and intimate style that allows his subjects to come to life and tell their own stories. He's made some amazing films, but "The Thin Blue Line," stands head and shoulders above the rest. It tells the story of a man convicted of killing a police officer in Dallas in the 70's. He goes in depth to show just how much our legal system can be screwed up by people just trying to do what they think is "the right thing."  This is one of the most captivating and compelling pieces of documentary filmmaking in the history of the genre, and another glaring example of how screwed up The Academy Awards can be. A film that tops almost every list of greatest documentaries ever made that was not even elligable for an Oscar because... of re-enactments. That's right. One of the greatest documentaries every made, a movie that literally saved a man from being executed was "Well, actually"ed out of an Oscar. But no matter. Everything about this film, from the interview style to the music, is perfect. And in addition we take a look at the brilliant "Documentary Now!" send up "The Eye Doesn't Lie," which as about as perfect a tribute as you could hope to find. So, join us for an absolute classic. Next time... Spine number 776: Moonrise Kingdom Also, check this out. <a href="http://www.thelifemasters.podbean.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Life Masters</a> is now it's own show with its own site and own dedicated feed. That's right, we have two completely different shows!  Right now check it out at <a href="http://www.thefilmthugs.com/www.thelifemasters.podbean.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.thelifemasters.podbean.com.</a> You can also drink in our brilliance on Youtube for both <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/thefilmthugs" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Film Thugs</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHoHROMqCKRMF71RZ6OExVQ" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Life Masters</a>. <a href="http://fantasymovieleague.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://fantasymovieleague.com/</a> Looks like Summer Movie League has officially become Fantasy Movie League. It looks quite fun. Here's how it works. You have an 8 screen theater. Every week you pick movies and have a budget/salary cap you have to stay under. Then you compete against other theaters in your league. It's fantasy football for movie people. Our league is Film Thugs 2015 and the password is Porterhouse. And remember, you can be a part of the show any time you wild like. How's that? All you have to do is call or e-mail us. If you live in the US, or any place that makes calling the US easy, just dial 512-666-RANT and leave us a voicemail. We will read the Google Voice transcript and play your message. It's both funny AND informative. If you live outside the US you can call us on Skype at The_Film_Thugs. You can leave a message, or someone might actually answer. E-mail us at thefilmthugs@gmail.com and we will read/play whatever you send us, or you can e-mail thugquestions@gmail.com to be part of  an upcoming "Ask the Film Thugs" show, where we answer questions on any subject without having heard them first. Also, we are on twitter @thefilmthugs and on Facebook and Vine. Also, be sure to check back often for our new endeavor The Life Masters, where we answer questions to other advice columnists. Thanks for listening, and until next week...

Criterion Year Week 68: The Thin Blue Line

The Criterion Collection, the last vestige of truly collectible DVD and Blu-Ray movies in existence. These are well produced, fancy pants editions of important and interesting films for the discerning film lover. We continue our journey through Jim's collection of movies with... The Manchurian Candidate Spine Number: 803 Director:John Frankenheimer Genre: Drama   Ever since the first time I saw "The Manchurian Candidate," back in college I have maintained the same opinion. It was possibly the best opening and closing of any movie ever with a damned solid film in between. It holds up as well as it did on the first viewing.  The Manchurian Candidate does what a good suspense movie is supposed to do. It sets up a fantastic scenario, leaves you completely in the dark as to how it could possibly work out, and then doesn't tip its hand until the very end. Honestly, if you haven't seen it, even if you don't listen to this show, you should do yourself a favor and check it out. But then, you should totally listen to the show because... why on earth would you not?  Next time... Spine number 821: Dr. Strangelove: or How I Learned To Stop Worrying and Love The Bomb Also, check this out. The Life Masters is now it's own show with its own site and own dedicated feed. That's right, we have two completely different shows!  Right now check it out at www.thelifemasters.podbean.com. You can also drink in our brilliance on Youtube for both The Film Thugs and The Life Masters. http://fantasymovieleague.com/ Looks like Summer Movie League has officially become Fantasy Movie League. It looks quite fun. Here's how it works. You have an 8 screen theater. Every week you pick movies and have a budget/salary cap you have to stay under. Then you compete against other theaters in your league. It's fantasy football for movie people. Our league is Film Thugs 2015 and the password is Porterhouse. And remember, you can be a part of the show any time you wild like. How's that? All you have to do is call or e-mail us. If you live in the US, or any place that makes calling the US easy, just dial 512-666-RANT and leave us a voicemail. We will read the Google Voice transcript and play your message. It's both funny AND informative. If you live outside the US you can call us on Skype at The_Film_Thugs. You can leave a message, or someone might actually answer. E-mail us at thefilmthugs@gmail.com and we will read/play whatever you send us, or you can e-mail thugquestions@gmail.com to be part of  an upcoming "Ask the Film Thugs" show, where we answer questions on any subject without having heard them first. Also, we are on twitter @thefilmthugs and on Facebook and Vine. Also, be sure to check back often for our new endeavor The Life Masters, where we answer questions to other advice columnists. Thanks for listening, and until next week...

The Criterion Collection, the last vestige of truly collectible DVD and Blu-Ray movies in existence. These are well produced, fancy pants editions of important and interesting films for the discerning film lover. We continue our journey through Jim's collection of movies with... The Manchurian Candidate Spine Number: 803 Director:John Frankenheimer Genre: Drama Ever since the first time I saw "The Manchurian Candidate," back in college I have maintained the same opinion. It was possibly the best opening and closing of any movie ever with a damned solid film in between. It holds up as well as it did on the first viewing. The Manchurian Candidate does what a good suspense movie is supposed to do. It sets up a fantastic scenario, leaves you completely in the dark as to how it could possibly work out, and then doesn't tip its hand until the very end. Honestly, if you haven't seen it, even if you don't listen to this show, you should do yourself a favor and check it out. But then, you should totally listen to the show because... why on earth would you not? Next time... Spine number 821: Dr. Strangelove: or How I Learned To Stop Worrying and Love The Bomb Also, check this out. <a href="http://www.thelifemasters.podbean.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Life Masters</a> is now it's own show with its own site and own dedicated feed. That's right, we have two completely different shows!  Right now check it out at <a href="http://www.thefilmthugs.com/www.thelifemasters.podbean.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.thelifemasters.podbean.com.</a> You can also drink in our brilliance on Youtube for both <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/thefilmthugs" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Film Thugs</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHoHROMqCKRMF71RZ6OExVQ" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Life Masters</a>. <a href="http://fantasymovieleague.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://fantasymovieleague.com/</a> Looks like Summer Movie League has officially become Fantasy Movie League. It looks quite fun. Here's how it works. You have an 8 screen theater. Every week you pick movies and have a budget/salary cap you have to stay under. Then you compete against other theaters in your league. It's fantasy football for movie people. Our league is Film Thugs 2015 and the password is Porterhouse. And remember, you can be a part of the show any time you wild like. How's that? All you have to do is call or e-mail us. If you live in the US, or any place that makes calling the US easy, just dial 512-666-RANT and leave us a voicemail. We will read the Google Voice transcript and play your message. It's both funny AND informative. If you live outside the US you can call us on Skype at The_Film_Thugs. You can leave a message, or someone might actually answer. E-mail us at thefilmthugs@gmail.com and we will read/play whatever you send us, or you can e-mail thugquestions@gmail.com to be part of  an upcoming "Ask the Film Thugs" show, where we answer questions on any subject without having heard them first. Also, we are on twitter @thefilmthugs and on Facebook and Vine. Also, be sure to check back often for our new endeavor The Life Masters, where we answer questions to other advice columnists. Thanks for listening, and until next week...

Criterion Year Week 70: The Manchurian Candidate

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