When it comes to vampires, California seems to be synonymous. At least for a certain generation that grew up with ‘Buffy’. Which is part of the reason ‘The Lost Boys’ seems to slide right into the vampire genre like a sharp fang through a soft fleshy neck, despite coming out nearly a decade prior. Well that and all the vampire tropes this movie expertly plays with. Join Julian, as he walks through this cult classic not-so-horror flick that continues to resonate all these years later. Plus, monologues on the wide world of home projector setups, why horror movies aren’t for everyone, and much more on this very special bonus ToB Film Club episode!
Read More
Bonus Episode - ToB Film Club - Excalibur (1981)
The ToB Film Club escapes the 90’s but retreats into the past, and depending on how you look at it, how far back into the past may be an open question. Julian and Jeremy delve into the mystical world of Arthurian legend, and examine director John Boorman's interpretation of this timeless tale. Despite the stunning, and surprisingly literal, portrayal of knights in shinning armour, an epic score, and precise cinematography, the film suffers from some dated decisions. Not the least of which being extremely clunky dialogue, accentuated by overly hokey “medieval” accents, some very clumsy action scenes, and a complete disregard for any type of coherent pacing. Despite these drawbacks, a few strong performances and an extremely unique and “cool” visual style (it begs for a 4K re-release) help drive this movie, even as it seemingly tries with all it’s might to disengage the audience at every turn.
Read More
ToB Film Club/Christmas Special - Die Hard (1988)
Hard to believe it's already the Holidays already. Seems like just yesterday we were reviewing 'National Lampoons Christmas Vacation'. Oh what a time... we were laughing, snow was falling, things were merry and bright. Well the weather is cold again, and the only way to warm up this year is with EXCESSIVE VIOLENCE! That's right, we're dusting off the action, comedy, Christmas classic 'Die Hard' for this special season. Essentially a perfect action movie, there's very little to critic, but boy is there a lot to love. Join Julian, Jeremy, and Rachel as they break down all the fun one-liners and over the top kills, plus enjoy some bonus Christmas stories from the ToB Crew to kick things off. It's Christmas miracle! Happy holidays everyone!
Read More
Bonus Episode - ToB Film Club - Swingers (1996)
Our film club circle grows once again! This month we have a very special guest joining us to review their absolute favourite movie, another cult classic hit, 'Swingers'. Which comes to us from all the way back in 1996 (which also plays into our primarily 90's heavy selections recently). A movie that launched the careers of Doug Liman, Jon Favreau, and Vince Vaughn. A couple names you might have heard of. A true "bro movie" in that it's really just a bunch of dudes hanging out and partying, but it brings a level of truth and honesty to the situation, with deep characters that you want to root for. It wears its heart on its sleeve as we watch Mikey struggle get over his ex-girlfriend, with Favreau bringing an essential performance to the part, and really being the beating heart of the picture. Join the usual cast of characters, Julian, Rachel and Jeremy, with special guest Matt Tworek, as they unpack it all in this month's ToB Film Club!
Read More