Living for the Cinema

Remember, Remember the Fifth of November.....
Based upon the acclaimed 1982 graphic novel anthology written by Alan Moore, this highly influential tale of revenge and revolution takes place in a dystopian United Kingdom ruled by fascists in the not-too-distant future.  A masked vigilante with the nickname V (Hugo Weaving) begins a deliberate campaign of vengeance towards the government which left him disfigured as a result of dangerous medical experiments.  One fateful night, he rescues and meets Evey (Oscar-winner Natalie Portman) who works for the propaganda news network controlled by the government.  Just as he's starting his own deliberate campaign to spread the truth, he takes Evey hostage and eventually enlists her to his cause.  Along the way, several officials are killed, Evey becomes radicalized, and......a revolution begins??  Written and produced by the Wachowskis as a follow-up to their Matrix trilogy, this was also directed by James McTeigue (The Raven, Ninja Assassin) who also collaborated as their First Assistant Director on that trilogy.  
Host & Editor: Geoff Gershon
Producer: Marlene Gershon  
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This was the directorial debut of the late, great Penny Marshall (Big, A League of Their Own, Awakenings) and it stars (in only her second on-screen acting role) Oscar-winner Whoopi Goldberg (Ghost, Sister Act, The Color Purple) who plays Terry Doolittle, a computer whiz who works at an international bank when one day her terminal starts receiving mysterious messages from an individual overseas with the online handle, "Jumpin' Jack Flash."  Being a lonely, curious person in search of adventure and intrigue, Terry not only forms a relationship with 'Jack but becomes enveloped within an increasingly complicated espionage plot involving the KGB and British Intelligence. :o And what results is a somewhat dated (with regards to technology) but very funny techno-thriller comedy with Whoopi at its center at the height of her comedic powers!  This film's stacked supporting cast includes John Wood, Stephen Collins, Annie Potts, Carol Kane, Jeroen Krabbe and Jonathan Pryce along with several alumni of Saturday Night Live including Jon Lovitz, Jim Belushi, and the late, great Phil Hartman.  It's a gas, gas, gas!!!
As referenced within this review, see below for a link to the official music video for Aretha Franklin's cover version of the title song!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9biAp1-mBQ&list=RDO9biAp1-mBQ&start_radio=1
Host & Editor: Geoff Gershon
Producer: Marlene Gershon  
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Considered by many to be his best film overall, this was the late, great David Lynch's (Mulholland Drive, Wild At Heart, Twin Peaks) follow-up to the massive flop which was his adaptation of Dune just two years prior - he both wrote and direct this mind-bender and also earned an Oscar nominatiion for Best Director.  The story focuses on Jeffrey (Kyle McLachlan), a small-town college student who's home to take care of his father's local hardware store when suddenly one day....he finds a severed ear in a nearby forest and decides to take it upon himself to investigate WHOSE ear this might be and the mystery surrounding it.  Initially helping him is local student Sandy (Laura Dern) whom he develops a romance with.  Their investigation leads him to the apartment of a local lounge singer named Dorothy (Isabella Rossellini) who has both a beautiful voice and some very dark secrets.  One night, Jeffrey sneaks into her apartment to find out what Dorothy's hiding and he witnesses some shocking brutality from a local villain thug named Frank Booth (Dennis Hopper).....and what results is a dizzying, haunting thriller which defies explanation and remains one of the more ground-breaking films of the 1980's! 
WARNING: DISTURBING VIOLENCE PORTRAYED VIA MOVIE CLIPS HEARD WITHIN THIS EPISODE
Host & Editor: Geoff Gershon
Producer: Marlene Gershon  
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Accclaimed creators Nathan Fielder (The Curse, The Rehearsal) and Lance Oppenheim (Primetime, Ren Fair) have collaborated to direct this now highly-buzzed about documentary about infamous former tech billionaire Elizabeth Holmes.  Just over 30 days before she is to report to federal prison for crimes convicted in association with the creation of Theranos, Holmes has invited Nathan Fielder to her beachfront home to spend time getting to know Elizabeth and her family, including entrepeneur Billy Evans and the three young children they have had together.  What results ends up being much more than your standard documentary interview.....
As mentioned within this review, see below for links to my written Letterboxd reviews of both "The Dropout" Hulu series and "The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley" documentary on HBO Max:
https://letterboxd.com/living4cinema/film/the-dropout/
https://letterboxd.com/living4cinema/film/the-inventor-out-for-blood-in-silicon-valley/
Host & Editor: Geoff Gershon
Producer: Marlene Gershon  

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Set in Spain during World War II, this is the moving story of a young girl named Ofelia (Ivana Baquero) who is sent along with her pregnant mother (Ariadna Gil) to live with her new stephfather (Sergi Lopez), a ruthless captain of the Spanish army.  During her first night there, she meets a fairy who takes her to meet an old faun (Doug Jones) in the nearby forest.....which is also at the center of a labyrinch.  And thus begins a haunting, fantastical adventure which is part fairy tale and part war story.  This modern classic was both written and directed by Oscar-winner Guillermo Del Toro (The Shape of Water, Hellboy, Blade II, Nightmare Alley) and became a worldwide phenomenon, eventually winning three Oscars for Cinematography, Art Direction, and Makeup.  
Host & Editor: Geoff Gershon
Producer: Marlene Gershon  

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