Cinebanter #75 - THE HURT LOCKER

The MP3 of Cinebanter #75 is available here.

In this episode, Michael and Tassoula blow up over the intensity of THE HURT LOCKER, then compare the work to BEAU TRAVAIL since both are war movies directed by women. In The Last Five®, Michael watches a favorite television actor in a terrible movie, while Tassoula live tweets a guilty pleasure drunk. Plus, the hosts respond to Listener Feedback from prior shows. The breakdown is as follows:

• 00:00 Intro
• 00:32 THE HURT LOCKER Discussion
• Break
• 27:52 To Sum It Up
• Break
• 28:30 BEAU TRAVAIL Discussion
• Break
• 36:00 The Last Five®
• Break
• 1:09:43 Listener Feedback
• 1:15:47 Credits

Michael's Last Five in this episode were: BIGGER, STRONGER, FASTER; SUMMER HOURS; THE TRIALS OF TED HAGGARD; PAUL BLART: MALL COP and THE GIRL NEXT DOOR. Tassoula's Last Five in this episode were: JULIE & JULIA; GO; 13 GOING ON 30; MOON and SUMMER HOURS

If you'd like to subscribe to the show (it's free, of course) via iTunes, click here.

The show is also available on Podcast Alley, and blubrry. Please vote for us at any of those sites and leave comments if you like what you hear.

Want to donate to the show and help with production costs, server fees, etc.? Click on the "Make a Donation" button to the left of this blog.

Special thanks to Brad Daane and Mark Cummins for providing the original music in this episode.

Reviews and/or notes of every movie Michael sees can be found at his MichaelVox website.

Tassoula has reviews, musings and movie-related product links at Tassoula's Movie Review Blog.

Feedback is always welcome - you may leave comments here or e-mail the hosts at cinebanter@gmail.com.

We hope you enjoy the show!

Join us Wednesday, July 22th for an ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND Live Tweet

Calling all Cinebanter listeners who happen to have a Twitter account: the show hosts, along with dozens of fellow film buffs around the country, will participate in a Live Tweet of ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND on Wednesday, July 22. The fun will commence at 8:00 p.m. Pacific Time and everyone is welcome to Tweet with us (or just lurk and enjoy the film). There is no public broadcast of the film on that night, so you'll need to have your own copy of the movie oh hand to play along.

Follow @michaelvox and @tassoula to see what they have to say, and don't forget to use the hashtag #ESOTSM if you chime in.

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Cinebanter #74 - PUBLIC ENEMIES and DEAR ZACHARY: A LETTER TO A SON ABOUT HIS FATHER

The MP3 of Cinebanter #74 is available here.

In this episode, Michael and Tassoula raise a glass to their 3rd year together as co-hosts with a double show featuring PUBLIC ENEMIES and DEAR ZACHARY: A LETTER TO A SON ABOUT HIS FATHER. In the Last Five®, Michael heads to film class with Hitchcock, while Tassoula honors the recently departed Karl Malden. The breakdown is as follows:

• 00:00 Intro
• 00:32 PUBLIC ENEMIES Discussion
• Break
• 17:39 To Sum It Up
• Break
• 19:27 DEAR ZACHARY: A LETTER TO A SON ABOUT HIS FATHER Discussion
• Break
• 31:06 To Sum It Up
• Break
• 31:41 The Last Five®
• Break
• 55:11 Listener Last Fives (Scott in Florida and Cynthia in California)
• 1:04:02 Credits and Outtake

Special note: The National Museum of Crime & Punishment (NMCP) is hosting a John Dillinger exhibit through September 1st in Washington, DC. View historic artifacts, original photographs and more associated with the famous bank robber. Learn more about John Dillinger from the museum.

Michael's Last Five® in this episode were: ADDICTED TO PLASTIC, THE WIND THAT SHAKES THE BARLEY, THE GOLD RUSH, ACE IN THE HOLE and FRENZY. Tassoula's Last Five® were: I'VE LOVED YOU SO LONG, AWAY WE GO, FOOD, INC., A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE and THE JUROR.

If you'd like to subscribe to the show (it's free, of course) via iTunes, click here.

The show is also available on Podcast Alley, and blubrry. Please vote for us at any of those sites and leave comments if you like what you hear.

Want to donate to the show and help with production costs, server fees, etc.? Click on the "Make a Donation" button to the left of this blog.

Special thanks to Brad Daane and Mark Cummins for providing the original music in this episode.

Reviews and/or notes of every movie Michael sees can be found at his MichaelVox website.

Tassoula has reviews, musings and movie-related product links at Tassoula's Movie Review Blog.

Feedback is always welcome - you may leave comments here or e-mail the hosts at cinebanter@gmail.com.

We hope you enjoy the show!

New Written Reviews (7-12-09)

The Cinebanter co-hosts have new written reviews posted to their blogs.

Michael recently saw BIGGER STRONGER FASTER, while Tassoula went to JULIE & JULIA.

Be sure to leave comments with your feedback if you've also seen the films!

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Book Review — Paris Movie Walks: Ten Guided Tours Through The City of Lights! Camera! Action!

Having visited France, but never Paris, the new book Paris Movie Walks: Ten Guided Tours Through The City of Lights! Camera! Action! has me salivating for a plane ticket.

In the first page of the Prequel, author Michael Schümann confesses that readers have "come to the wrong place" if they're looking for a city guide that covers historical figures and facts. But that doesn't mean the pages aren't rich with stories from the past—they're just fictional ones that have been brought to life by cinema.

And what a wealth of them there are!

From 1954's SABRINA to the recent sequel THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM, Schümann covers it all, with step-by-step walks down to the street corner (and detailed maps to help). The narrative is structured so specifically, I almost feel as if I'd have to carry the book with me on all ten separate self-guided tours to be sure not to miss anything. But I guess that's the idea, eh?

What I like about the book (and what faithful Cinebanter listeners will find refreshing) is that the author spares no reserve about spoiling film plots. If you haven't seen the movies he's discussing, you'll probably want to catch up via Netflix before you depart (plus, what's the fun of walking by something you have no frame of reference for anyway?). That said, just reading his different descriptions of places and characters (specifically Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke's lovers from BEFORE SUNSET) had me longing to literally follow in their footsteps and re-live some of the greatest moments I've experienced as a viewer.

Also to note is the author's balanced treatment of independent films (THE THREE COLORS TRILOGY, TELL NO ONE) and mainstream fare (THE DA VINCI CODE, A VIEW TO A KILL). If the films both happened on the same block, he appropriately offers equal narrative for each.

I've taken themed walks in European cities before (i.e. "Magical Mystery Tour" in London, focusing on The Beatles), but never have I contemplated such a comprehensive tour, which covers so much ground both of the city and of the art.

The only minor drawbacks of the book are the sloppy edits (Reese Witherspoon doesn't spell her name "Reece") and the somewhat jumbled "What to Watch" section at the end that isn't based on more than the author's enjoyment of the films. Instead, I'd have preferred a list of which flicks contain the most minutes of Paris or a few more sections like the one titled The French-American Friendship, which offered more context into the landmarks along the walk.

Overall though, it's a definite gem for any film buff thinking of a trip to The City of Lights. I can't imagine wanting to see it for the first time any other way.


Paris Movie Walks by Michael Schürmann includes 280 pages of text, photos and maps. It is available now in trade paperback from The Intrepid Traveler, $15.95.

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