088: SFFCH – Mortal Kombat

‘Mortal Kombat’! Rich, Ant and Abi let out their inner fighters, and far too many wrestling references, as they chat about this 1995 Paul WS Anderson movie. They contrast wildly with the beloved video game version, and wonder wildly just what kind of tournament it is, really! What are the rules? Why is it called ‘Mortal’ Kombat, when the contestants are immortal? Is it all in another universe? Are Subzero and Scorpion badly misused and neglected, and what’s going on with the bizarre adaptation of Reptile? Of course, they all ended up liking the movie still. Welcome to ‘Spoiler Filled Film Conversation Hooray’, where such things can happen! (Ep 88, Rec 2015)

087: SFFCH – A Simple Plan

This time on Spoiler Filled Film Conversation Hooray, We make a rare journey to Sam Raimi land for his 1998 film ‘A Simple Plan’. Yes, it’s a story about a pile of stolen money and what happens to the people who find it and resolve to keep it for themselves, with dire consequences. Join Rich, Jamie and Abi as they talk it through like reasonable adults and ponder the merits of this latest choice of Jamie. It’s a rare Bill Paxton-led film, with few likeable characters and several instant transitions to evil. What’s with the curiously bodged plan to keep the money, are the smart characters really dumb and vice-versa? Is it typical Raimi fare or exceptional? When was the rule about bumbling sheriffs officially built into American cinema? How would you deal with it all? None of those questions answered, and more! (Ep 87, Rec 2015)

086: SFFCH – Encounters At The End Of The World

Once again the Film Bin Crew dare to go where they haven’t gone before, in this instance to the land of documentaries and Werner Herzog. Yes, Rich has brought in ‘Encounters at the End of the World’ from 2008, and Ant is there to discuss it with him. They seemed to like the documentary very much, contrasting it favourably against ‘Cave of Forgotten Dreams’, and especially appreciating the Herzog presence, eschewing as it does the normal invisibility technique of documentary makers. Points of interest include: The bucket head game used for training people to survive in a blizzard, a poor confused penguin, the eccentricity of the inhabitants of the South Pole in general, the ever so slightly awkward editing style, and that sturgeon. (Ep 86, Rec 2015)

085: SFFCH – The Rookie

It’s time to go into Spoiler Filled detail for a movie again, and this time it’s ‘The Rookie’, a curious Clint Eastwood/Charlie Sheen film from 1990. Once Ant finishes apologising to Rich and Jamie, the truth comes out: It’s terrible! Was it really a movie that Eastwood was talked into making to get funding for some other hits, and was he really on autopilot as much the guys suspects? Was it really necessary to kill another dog? Was Raul Julia trying to be that bad and super-villainy? Could any more Dirty Harry tropes be fitted in in a parodic manner? We don’t know. At least the score, apart from the theme, was interesting, and seatbelt jokes were still in force in 1990. If you can handle all of that, and one of the weirder opening scenes in movies, then listen in!

Warning; The word ‘like’ is uttered extremely numerously in this episode. Sorry, it’s a Welsh thing. (Ep 85, Rec 2015)

084: SFFCH – The Kentucky Fried Movie

‘Spoiler Filled Film Conversation Hooray’ strikes again, and this time it’s for ‘The Kentucky Fried Movie’ from 1977, the precursor to the Zucker/Abrahams/Zucker hit ‘Airplane’. Well, we say prelude, but in actuality it’s much more of a sketch film than their other notable films, and a defiantly mixed quality 1970s sketch film at that. Join the chooser Abi and Rich, Jamie and Ant as they try to work out just what works and doesn’t. Points of interest include a pre-Hulk Bill Bixby, the question ‘Is sex funny?’, Kenny Baker, the ‘Wizard of Oz’ meets action movie traditional flabby middle to a sketch film, and someone even accuses Ian Fleming of being a shlocky writer and George Lazenby of being a good Bond! All that, and it has a squeamish/icky ending. (Ep 84, Rec 2014)

083: SFFCH – Invasion Of The Body Snatchers

Once again, it’s time for Jamie’s choice and he’s brought the excellent 1978 remake of ‘Invasion of the Body Snatchers’ in for Spoiler Filled Film Conversation Hooray! Listen in as Rich, Jamie and Ant chatter about the movie, despite not everyone having seen it, and ponder just why it was remade at all. As it turns out, Jamie and Ant both really liked this 1970s example of supreme cynicism and creepiness. Points of interest include the oddity of the human-face dog, the naturalistic performances, the ambiguity of Nimoy’s alien clone psychologist, and just what the target of the allegory might be in 1978 with McCarthyism but a distant memory. Also, what exactly was going on with the vibrating eye trick?!

Note: Rich has since seen it and gives it the thumbs up, thus proving he isn’t some kind of  emotionless alien replica of a human. (Ep 83, Rec 2014)

082: SFFCH – The African Queen

‘The African Queen’ has steamed in as Rich’s choice for the latest Spoiler Filled Film Conversation Hooray’! Huzzah! Join us, as Rich, Abi and Jamie talk about this 1951 classic that starred Bogart, Hepburn and a ramshackle boat on an African river. Amongst the positivity and adoring talk, various things get talked about, including Jamie’s past aversion to old movies, the behind the scenes illnesses, the movie’s possible status as a reverse ‘Apocalypse Now’, and Bogart’s hippo impressions. Yes, of course he does hippo impressions! Have you never seen ‘Casablanca’? (Ep 82, Rec 2015)

081: SFFCH – Kiss Of The Spider Woman

It’s time to go highbrow here at Spoiler Filled Film Conversation Hooray, as Ant has brought in the award winning ‘Kiss of the Spider Woman’ of 1985, after a trawl through Raul Julia’s back catalogue. As a result we have a moderately serious show to present as Rich, Ant and Abi chat about the movie, its success despite being essentially about two prisoners in a Brazilian cell, its triumph as the first independent movie to boast an Oscar winning performance, it’s got curious character motivations, and it somehow succeeds as a film despite it’s somewhat worthy nature. Also, what is with the name? Is it come kind of Marvel comics slash fiction? No. (Ep 81, Rec 2014)

080: SFFCH – Knock Off

Jean Claude van Damme and Rob Schneider join forces in this week’s movie, posing a frightening prospect for the Spoiler Filled crew of Rich, Abi, Jamie and Ant as they consider ‘Knock Off’ from 1998. Yes, a fashion designer gets caught up in espionage antics in Hong Kong during the changeover… and it’s a comedy too! Listen in as the crew chatter about the tendency for top villains to have swanky bases, the universal and inexplicable dubbing, the extremely eccentric visual tricks, Schneider’s terrible Connery impression, a fireproof cop, and just how it is a fashion designer actually knows how to do the things he does! (Ep 80, Rec 2014)

079: SFFCH – Strange Days

On this occasion ‘Spoiler Filled Film Conversation Hooray’ is left in a strange daze due to 1995’s ‘Strange Days’. Rich, Jamie, Ant and Abi discuss this cyber film noir by the mysterious axis of Kathryn Bigelow and James Cameron. The movie does start off with the veritable bucket-load of setup. Points of interest include the mystery of whether 1999 was secretly like ‘Strange Days’, minidiscs evil craziness, the presence of literal backstabbings, the de-wigging of Tom Sizemore and the comparative lack of special effects. If any of this sounds interesting then listen in. (Ep 79, Rec 2014)