Film Pigeons Episode 34: Crossfire, Wrapping up the C's

On the thirty-fourth episode of the Film Pigeons podcast Andrew, Eddie, Mark and Sara have come to that sad time again. Yes, this week we say farewell to the C's and look forward to a brighter day in which we can watch Dangerous Liasons and the Keanu Reeves led Day the Earth Stood Still! For a proper sending off we watch Edward Dmytryck's Crossfire and serve up an abundance of lists - Particularly the 4 worst 'C' films we watched, the 4 best and the 4 'C' films we should have watched. Andrew also serves up a heaping platter of film trivia and Mark discusses the dangers of the sun.

SHOW CONTENTS

Movie Trivia - 12:07
Crossfire - 27:42
Film Pigeons 4 - 1:03:07

This week's music is from an artist that I'm assuming no one would like. Which is why, of course, it makes sense to use them as bumper music! I'm referring to, of course, Comets on Fire. You can hear them spinning their sludgy, grungy 7 minute long tunes at cometsonfire.com.

Introduction - Jaybird
Transition 1 - Lucifer's Memory
Transition 2 - Holy Teeth
Closing - Sour Smoke

Write the Film Pigeons at filmpigeons@gmail.com. We are desperate enough to read your letters on the air! Also, visit us on the web at filmpigeons.blogspot.com and give us a vote at podcastalley.com.



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Film Pigeons Episode 33: Cider House Rules, A Christmas Tale, Top 4 Holiday Films

On the thirty-third episode of the Film Pigeons podcast Andrew, Eddie, Mark and Sara hit the road with Tobey Maguire in search of desperate, abortion-worthy situations as we review Lasse Hallstrom's Cider House Rules and heartlessly butcher the French language in our discussion of Arnaud Desplichin's A Christmas Tale. Then, Eddie strings up the mistletoe and spikes Mark's non-alcoholic egg nog with shots of vodka in a sad, misguided attempt at a Film Pigeons Christmas card as we reveal our Top 4 Holiday Films.

Along the way Mark leads us through his testosterone fueled film trvia, Eddie warns about the dangers of video game addiction, Andrew gets lost in Tobey Maguire's dreamy eyes and Sara reveals the amazing origins of the catchphrase, "Release the Kraken".

SHOW CONTENTS

Movie Trivia - 11:51
Cider House Rules - 20:30
A Christmas Tale - 47:02
Top 4 Holiday Films - 1:18:12

Music this week comes from incredibly named and possibly defunct Clap Your Hands Say Yeah! You can find them and links to their various, active side projects on the web at clapyourhandssayyeah.com.

Introduction - Clap Your Hands!
Transition 1 - Heavy Metal
Transition 2 - In this Home on Ice
Transition 3 - Upon this Tidal Wave of Young Blood
Closing - Emily Jane Stock

Write us at filmpigeons@gmail.com, visit us on the web at filmpigeons.blogspot.com and give us a vote on Podcast Alley.



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Film Pigeons Episode 32: Cape Fear, Cry-Baby, Top 4 Films that Make us Feel Dirty

On the thirty-second episode of the the Film Pigeons podcast, Andrew, Eddie, Mark and Sara take a roll in the muck as they review Martin Scorsese's sleazy thriller Cape Fear and John Waters surprisingly un-sleazy Johnny Depp vehicle Cry-Baby. We also let our biases and moral sensibilities fly loose as we reveal the Top 4 films that made us feel dirty after watching them.

Also on this week's episode Andrew moderates the film trivia, Eddie talks about saving the environment, Sara gets philosophical with Cry-Baby and Mark name drops Wayne Brady for the first time since 2002.

SHOW CONTENTS

Movie Trivia - 3:40
Cape Fear - 17:36
Cry-Baby - 44:50
Top 4 Films that Make us Feel Dirty - 1:08:54

If the music the Film Pigeons produced doesn't satisfy (and I can't see why it would) our music this week comes from earth-friendly, tormented souls Cloud Cult. You can find their music at cloudcult.com. There you can pre-order their new album and get a digital copy immediately. Sorry for the shameless plugging but I love this band.

Introduction - Running with the Wolves
Transition 1 - Your 8th Birthday
Transition 2 - No One Said it Would Be Easy
Transition 3 - That Man Jumped Out The Window
Closing - When Water Comes to Life

Visit us on the web at filmpigeons.blogspot.com and write us at filmpigeons@gmail.com. Also, if the moment strikes you, give us a vote on podcastalley.com.



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Film Pigeons Episode 31: The Crazies, Chinatown, Top 4 Movie Scenarios that would Scare us in Reality

In the thirty-first episode of the Film Pigeons podcast (in which we work alphabetically through the classics and provide more enlightenment than a philosophizing monk holding a light bulb) Andrew, Eddie, Mark and Sara head into the murky depths of two of cinema's greatest locations. We explore (and attempt not to forget about) Chinatown in our review of Roman Polanski's Chinatown then hit up generically idyllic, yet non-descript mid-western town beset by unexplainable horrors in our review of Breck Eisner's The Crazies. Also, speaking of murky depths, we turn inward and reveal our top 4 movie scenarios that would terrify us in real life.

Mixed in with the usual madness is Eddie's condemnation of modern day parenting, Sara's version of movie trivia and Andrew's irrational fear of The Towering Inferno. And it has nothing to do with OJ Simpson being in the cast.

SHOW CONTENTS

Movie Trivia - 7:40
The Crazies - 17:12
Chinatown - 41:17
Top 4 Movies That Would Scare us in Reality - 1:19:27

Music this week comes from sadly defunct pop outfit Chin Up, Chin Up. You can get their albums from their label at flameshovel.com, or check out their new band Vacations.

Introduction - The Architect Has a Gun
Transition 1 - We Should Never Have Lived Like We Were Skyscrapers
Transition 2 - Islands Sink
Transition 3 - This Harness Can't Ride Anything
Closing - Virginia Don't Drown

Visit us on the web at filmpigeons.blogspot.com and drop us a letter at filmpigeons@gmail.com. Give the show a vote on podcastalley.com.

*Sorry about the lack of an embedded player. Libsyn is having some streaming issues

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Film Pigeons Episode 30: Count of Monte Cristo, The Caine Mutiny, Top 4 Water Movies

On episode 30 of the Film Pigeons podcast, Andrew, Eddie, Mark and Sara hit at least two (maybe even three!) of the seven seas as we give our takes on swashbuckling adventure yarn The Count of Monte Cristo and high seas thriller The Caine Mutiny. Also, in honor of all this sea-faring, we list our top 4 water movies.

Mixed into all of this, of course, is Mark bringing the crazy as he runs us through his masculine movie trivia and Eddie making vague, innuendo filled references to softcore late at night Showtime skin flicks. In other words, this is a pretty typical episode.
SHOW CONTENTS

Movie Trivia - 4:09
The Count of Monte Cristo - 16:30
The Caine Mutiny - 42:57
Top 4 Water Movies - 25:03

This week's musical interludes come from The Coral Sea. You can find their infrequently updated website at thecoralsea.net.

Introduction - Ancient Modern People
Transition 1 - Look at her Face
Transition 2 - Under the Westway
Transition 3 - In this Moments Time
Closing - Closing

You can visit the Film Pigeons on the web at filmpigeons.blogspot.com, you can write us at filmpigeons@gmail.com and you can spin us a vote at Podcast Alley.






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Film Pigeons Episode 29: Cinderella Man, Cloverfield, Top 4 Monster Movies

On the twenty-ninth episode of the film pigeons podcast Andrew, Eddie and Mark (Sara's out this week) let the testosterone fly as the trade punches in their review of Ron Howard's Cinderella Man, dodge dismembered statue heads in their review of Matt Reeves' Cloverfield and discover what Eddie means when he talks about the one-eyed wonder weasel as we reveal our Top 4 Monster movies.

In our spare time guest Megan orchestrates Mark's most successful run at the movie trivia, Eddie drinks too much sangria and lets his true feelings for Mark be known and bemoans the lack of nudity in Starship Troopers and Andrew begs for a reduction in the influx of Irish Lottery applications in our e-mail inbox.

SHOW CONTENTS

Movie Trivia - 2:21
Cinderella Man - 18:36
Cloverfield - 41:01
Top 4 Monster Movies - 1:06:40

Music this week comes from Swedish troubadour Christian Kjellvander. You can visit his infrequently updated website at christiankjellvander.com.

Opening - The Road
Transition 1 - Poppies and Peonies
Transition 2 - Broken Wheels
Transition 3 - Homeward Rolling Soldier
Closing - Need Not Worry

Write the Film Pigeons podcast at filmpigeons@gmail.com or visit us on the web at filmpigeons.blogspot.com. And, if you have the time, give us a vote at podcast alley.



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Cinderella Man

Cinderella Man
Director: Ron Howard (2005)
Russell Crowe, Renee Zellwegger, Paul Giamatti

Words by Sara Kelley

I have to begin by saying that I don’t like sports movies, especially ones concerning boxing (not that I’ve seen many, they tell me Rocky’s good though), and I most definitely don’t care for Russell Crowe. With that being said I’m sure it’s no surprise that Cinderella Man sat on my shelf for many a month before I actually put it in, and even then it was only because of our podcast. So with the determined procrastination that only a college student during finals weeks knows, I watched the film a full three hours before we were supposed to record the show. After putting the effort in and actually watching the movie, I found I couldn’t make it to the recording, so it seemed the only solution was to write my review.

Cinderella Man took me completely by surprise.

Seriously.

I thought this movie was going to be a complete bore, and it started that way. The first twenty minutes or so of this film gives us the back story of Jim Braddock, the would be world champion of boxing, if only he could learn to use his left and let his right hand heal. Instead of this being a few minutes of the “where he was then” montage, it’s dragged out far too long and almost lost my interest right then and there. Thankfully though, as odd as it sounds, the Great Depression hits and the movie picks up.

From that point on, the characters carry the film through its ups and downs in one of the most emotionally compelling movies that I’ve ever seen. The relationship between Jim and his wife, Mae, is one of the sweetest and most believable couples you’ll find in a any film. Although the story takes place in the 1930’s Mae is neither submissive nor weak, but does everything in her power to help support and protect her family in a way that both flattering to women of the era and believable. Despite my distaste for Mr. Crowe, he really showed his stuff in this film and his acting is superb as is just about everyone else in the film, especially Renée Zellweger (although it may be the comparison to her work in the last film we watched her in, Cold Mountain, that makes her seem amazing) and Paul Giamatti as Braddock’s smooth talking agent.

There’s one scene in this movie that stands out far above the rest in my mind. After the Depression has hit Braddock loses everything. With no job, no fights and a broken hand he’s unable to pay his bills and Mae, terrified for their children’s health and safety, must send them away. Devastated by their loss Braddock goes to the men of the boxing industry and pleads that they help him in this time of need. While this scene could be corny or pathetic, Crowe becomes this desperate father and it’s impossible not to feel for this proud man who has been brought to his lowest level begging to bring his children home.

Overall this film is one of my favorite that we’ve watched so far. Is it perfect? Of course not. But it does prove Andrew’s theory about Ron Howard’s movies wrong, which is fun. There are not one, not two, but three black actors in this movie… so take that! Any movie with characters that can make me cry several times ranks high in my book. I give Cinderella Man an 8 out of 10.

Film Pigeons Episode 28: Control Room, The Candidate, Top 4 Political Movies

This week on the Film Pigeons podcast we see the return of Eddie as he joins Sara, Andrew and Mark in the proverbial smoky back corridors of our political system in their reviews of Jehane Noujaim's Control Room and Michael Ritchie's The Candidate. We also hit the campaign trail hard as we reveal out Top 4 Political Movies.

In between the madness we discuss Joe Pesci (or, as Eddie puts it, Joe Pepsi) in Casino and Andrew proposes a new democratic state that would finally give Eddie a reason to vote. Finally, Mark steps out of the Bed, Bath and Beyond lingerie section long enough to best his own record for futility in Sara's movie trivia.

SHOW CONTENTS

Movie Trivia - 11:39
Control Room review - 22:17
The Candidate review - 43:52
Top 4 Political Movies - 1:19:29

Music this week comes from defunct emoteers Camden. I honestly have no idea where you can find them on the web but their one album is pretty damn good.

Opening - Not Without Your Blessing
Transition 1 - Mike, Who is Diary?
Transition 2 - The Red Roofs of Talin
Transition 3 - Of Course I'd Try to Save You
Closing - How to Make America Proud

If you have any comments on our reviews, your own Top 4 list or any Top 4 suggetsions you can write us at filmpigeons@gmail.com. You can also find our infrequent updates on the web at flimpigeons.blogspot.com and you can vote for us at podcast alley.



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Film Pigeons Episode 27: Chocolat, The Conversation, Top 4 Moments of Insanity

On the twenty seventh episode of the Film Pigeons podcast Andrew, Mark and Sara follow the North Wind as we seek to explain the presence of Johnny Depp in Lasse Hallstrom's confectioner's saga chocolat. Then we jack up the subterfuge and completely record our review of Francis Ford Coppola's The Conversation through a discreetly placed bug somewhere on Mark's person. Finally, in honor of Harry Caul's breakdown we reveal our Top 4 characters that go insane.

Mark also leads us in round of trivia and discusses the "south wind" while Sara shares her opinions on John Hillcoat's The Road and Orson Welles Citizen Kane.

SHOW CONTENTS

Film Pigeons Movie Trivia - 1:38
Sara talks up The Road - 8:10
Chocolat - 16:25
The Conversation - 35:25
Top 4 Moments of Insanity - 1:06:49

Music this week comes from Sleep Station. You can find their new album on airandseabattle.com.

Opening - Caroline London 1940
Transition 1 - Burden to You
Transition 2 - A Soldier's Dream
Transition 3 - Oh Mary
Closing - Grow Tired of Me

You can contact the Film Pigeons at filmpigeons@gmail.com or on the blog at filmpigeons.blogspot.com. Also, if you have the time give us a vote at Podcast alley.



Right click and save as to download episode 27 here.

Film Pigeons Episode 26: Casino Royale, Citizen Kane, Top 4 Franchise Characters

On the twenty-sixth episode of the Film Pigeons podcast Andrew, Eddie and Mark reap the rewards of hours of parkour practice as we review the recent Bond flick Casino Royale and we leave no stone unturned in our search for Rosebud as we review what is generally considered the finest film of all time...Citizen Kane. Finally, in honor of the venerable Bond we discuss our Top 4 Franchise Characters of all time.

Also, Mark tries to break his record setting streak of futility in our movie trivia while Eddie discusses his visit with Mickey Mouse and his "favorite" Disney characters.

SHOW CONTENTS

Movie trivia - 4:49
Casino Royale - 12:33
Citizen Kane - 34:56
Enlightening Lightning Top 3 w/Eduardo Alba (sexualized Disney characters) - 1:11:00
Film Pigeons 4 (Franchise Characters) - 1:12:22

Music this week comes from Michelle Williams obsessed balladeers The Comas. Find them on the web at thecomas.com

Introduction - Red Shoes
Transition 1 - Come my Sunshine
Transition 2 - Tonight on the WB
Transition 3 - Dirty South
Closing - Last Transmission

Get in contact with the Film Pigeons podcast at filmpigeons@gmail.com or visitu us on the blog at http://filmpigeons.blogspot.com. Also, if time permits, give us a vote at podcast alley.

Right click and save as to download Episode 26 of the Film Pigeons podcast right here.

Film Pigeons Episode 25: Cold Mountain, Cabaret, Top 4 Worst Oscar Nominees

In the twenty-fifth episode of the Film Pigeons podcast Andrew, Eddie, Mark and Sara grab their blood-encrusted hacksaws and head back to a simpler time - when dentistry and surgery could be performed in the same business with the same tools - in our review of Anthony Minghella's Cold Mountain. They also slap on the go-go boots and demonically foppish grins as they review (and sometimes eviscerate) Bob Fosse's 1972 Nazi themed (according to the DVD blurb) musical Cabaret.

Eddie also takes the time to lead them through a rousing round of Film Pigeons trivia and three out the four Film Pigeons list what they consider the 4 worst multiple Oscar nominees in history. Three out of the four also list their 100-90 choices of the best movies of all time. Eddie, on the other hand, is just...Eddie.

SHOW CONTENTS

Movie trivia - 1:36
TOP 100 (100-90) - 9:43
Cold Mountain - 20:08
Cabaret - 51:04
Film Pigeons 4 (Worst Oscar Nominees) - 1:29:28

Music this week comes from Swedish rockers Caesars. You can find them on the web at their label's website, www.astralwerks.com.

Opening - Turn it Off
Transition 1 - She's Getting High
Transition 2 - Strawberry Weed
Transition 3 - In Orbit
Closing - You Nailed Me

Contact the Film Pigeons podcast at filmpigeons@gmail.com or visit us on the website at filmpigeons.blogspot.com. Also, if you have the time, give us a vote at podcast alley.

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Film Pigeons Episode 24: Casablanca, Children of Men, Top 4 Leading Men

On the twenty-fourth episode of the Film Pigeons Podcast Andrew, Eddie, Mark and Sara head to (and then desperately try to catch a plane from) Michael Curtiz's 1942 classic Casablanca. Unfortunately for them, the only plane out of town drops them off in the bleak, dystopian future world of Alfonso Curaon's 2006 film Children of Men. Finally, in honor of lead actors Humphrey Bogart and Clive Owen, we name our top 4 leading man performances.

Sara also takes the time to lead us in a rousing round of film trivia, Eddie misinterprets our Film Pigeons 4 topic to hilarious results, Andrew admits to admiring Johnny Depp in one film role and Mark records the lowest trivia score in Film Pigeons history.

SHOW CONTENTS

Film Trivia - 1:18
Casablanca - 11:18
Children of Men - 39:18
Film Pigeons 4 (leading men) - 1:16:23

Music this week comes from countryish warblers Clem Snide. You can find them on the web at clemsnide.wordpress.com.

Introduction - Yip-Jump Music
Transition 1 - I Got High
Transition 2 - Happy Birthday
Transition 3 - Moment in the Sun
Closing - End of Love

As always you can write the show at Filmpigeons@gmail.com. You can read our infrequent updates on the blog at filmpigeons.blogspot.com and we'd really appreciate a vote over at Podcast Alley.

 

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