In this piece, I talk about the forgotten 2006 all-star project that was part political satire & part dark thriller. What's more we'll examine how it accidentally foresaw the 2016 run by Donald J Trump and how his various actions over time differ from that of Man of the Year's protagonist, Tom Dobbs. We'll look back at the career of the film's star, Robin Williams, and the writer-director who first worked with Williams in Good Morning, Vietnam. We're taking a deep and wide look at this, so get ready for a wild ride.

Music is Wake Up by Arcade Fire

This is another long-awaited subject that I was spurred to write for the podcast. Some spoilers are contained herein.

I have taken a long look at the versions of The Shining and the documentary Room 237 to really go in depth. One idea even posits that the movie has a symmetrical effect if you play it forwards and backwards, overlaid on top of one-another, each way.

So what really went on for the Torrence family in the Overlook hotel? The answer may just surprise you.

The auteur is a bit of an old-school concept in the world of cinema. Most people who can act, write, direct, and more, tend to do so one at a time, but there are some people who it all at once in a proverbial plate-spinning act.

Wearing that many proverbial hats at once can be a lot of burden, and sometimes it works: Orson Welles, Jerry Lewis, Kenneth Branagh.

So in this episode, I'll tell you a bit about two films by contemporary persons who set out to tell stories all their own, and whether or not they worked as well as you'd hope.

Songs sampled for bumps are by Rose Royce and Scissor Sisters.

Please keep any comments constructive and respectful.

Trigger warning: this discussion centers around relationships, abuse, and sexuality which some viewers may find upsetting or inappropriate for younger audiences. Discretion is advised.

This is a discussion that I have waited almost 25 years to have. I spent multiple semesters getting top marks in Psych courses, making the dean's list & national honors society just to get to the point where I can dissect the dysfunctional personalities in a flop raunchy comedy you probably don't even remember.

Strap in, because we're taking a deep dive on this one. It's literally a movie that I only really like for the ending, because the rest of it is immensely uncomfortable. What do I mean? Listen and find out.

As always, any comments in response should be constructive and respectful.

In this long overdue episode, I'll take you on a journey through all kinds of movies that have characters that are either explicitly or implicitly autistic, and highlight the differences in how they are handled better or worse. Then we'll end on a discussion of autism in television, which only briefly touches on much of the attempts over the years.

In a rarity, I'm talking about a newer project that got overlooked by many last year. Cabrini tells the story of Mother Francesca, who founded the Sacred Heart orphanages & hospitals starting in the USA during the gilded age, and is recognized as America's first canonized saint and the patron saint of immigrants, as well as a bit of a feminist icon in the Catholic church.

To find out more, listen in.

Some discretion is advised for certain topics in the film.

In this episode, we take a look at the career of the late actress, Michelle Trachtenberg: her early days, her highs & lows, and everything in-between.

I really enjoyed her work over the years, and like many, was deeply saddened to hear of her passing. Nevertheless, this 45' discussion pays homage to her as respectfully as she deserves, I think you'll agree.

Wherever you are, Michelle, we tip the bowler brim to you.

For those with younger listeners, discussion about the film EuroTrip does contain some explicit topics, upon which I attempt to tastefully exposit. Discretion is advised for that section.

In a semi-sequel to a recording I had on Patreon, let's take a look back at Earth 2, a popular & short-lived cult scifi show that was part of a mid-`90s boom in primetime science fiction series, featuring Clancy Brown, Terry O'Quinn, Tim Curry, and many more.

Don't worry, this review and discussion is mostly spoiler free.