Remainders

This week on Remainders we watch the 2019 documentary 63 Up. Part of the long-running British film series that started in the 1960s, The Up Series has been following its cast of characters since they were 7 years old. Originally intended as a study on the British class system, their personal lives have become the purpose over the decades of filming. About as unique of a film project as can be, and a clear influence on contemporary directors like Richard Linklater, this epic story of regular people continues to unfold.

Other topics include A.I. and movies, social media and The Up Series prediction of social fame, rewatching Tenet and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, 90s movies, and how Anthony Hopkins punches a bear in The Edge.

Songs of the Week

Everybody’s Gotta Learn Sometime by Beck

Blues and Sentimental by Jay McShann

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On this episode of Remainders, we watch the 2002 biographical comedy drama 24 Hour Party People. Steve Coogan plays Tony Wilson and follows his work in late 1970s and early 1980s post-punk with such bands as Joy Division, New Order, and Happy Mondays. Consistently breaking the fourth wall tied together with Coogan’s brand of snark, the story of Manchester in the 70s is a pivotal piece in the history of modern music.

Other topics include Poor Things and Yorgos Lanthimos, Russell Mulcahy movies, True Detective, the idea of “selling out”, personal punk and post-punk influences, Oasis drama, the work of Billy Childish, and more British rock.

Songs of the Week

She’s Electric by Oasis

We’er Gone by Thee Headcoats

Wild Man by Thee Headcoatees

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This week on Remainders, we watch the 1974 horror-comedy rock opera Phantom of the Paradise. A cult classic by Brian De Palma, Phantom has gained notoriety in the decades since its release thanks in part to De Palma’s legendary filmography, but also because of a small but rabid fan base that hails to this insane mashup of horror and glam rock.

Other topics include Killers of the Flower Moon, Chicago legends Siskel & Ebert and Tom Skilling, January movie marathons, Godzilla Minus One and the Oscars, new Criterion pickups and the lost art of movie posters.

Songs of the Week

Goodbye Eddie, Goodbye by The Juicy Fruits

Dilemma by Green Day

Don’t Toss Us Away by Lone Justice

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This week on Remainders, we watched the 2001 Icelandic fantasy-drama No Such Thing. Directed by Hal Hartley, with a stealthily great cast and aspirations to surreal stories like Beauty and the Beast and Beowulf, No Such Thing tries to have its cake and eat it too. A throwback pick to the era of endless DVDs, revisiting this drama leads to some surreal and honest opinions on the movies and how they age.

Other topics include TLB in Chicago, Godzilla Minus One, Ti West and Mia Goth’s X-trilogy, favorite movie experiences of 2023, Star Wars commentaries and Tony Gilroy, physical media corner, and how black metal can save a movie.

Songs of the Week

Bad Case of Loving You (Doctor, Doctor) by Robert Palmer

Love is a Long Road by Tom Petty

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This week on Remainders, we watch the 2009 movie Trash Humpers. A piece of post-cinema and experimental insanity by Harmony Korine (Gummo, Spring Breakers), Trash Humpers is a practice in hedonistic voyeurism, found-footage VHS, elder depravity, and plenty of garbage. A movie that questions what even is a movie, it’s another great example of Korine’s exploration into erratic places in film.

Other topics include praise for Andor and defending the Star Wars prequels, Lord of the Rings as Christmas movies, streaming woes, The Holdovers and Alexander Payne, visiting the Music Box Theatre, Plain White T’s and TLB in Chicago, and Darren on the To the Bottom podcast.

Songs of the Week

Somebody That I Used To Know by Elliot Smith

Smoke & Mirrors by The Hives

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This week on Remainders, we celebrate our 50th episode in style with the 1987 satirical classic, RoboCop. The story of Alex Murphy, a Detroit cop who is executed only to be remade by corporate America as the ultimate police enforcer. Paul Verhoeven’s action movie could be viewed as just a seminal piece of 80s action filmmaking, but that would still be selling it short. RoboCop builds upon ideas of capitalism, creeping fascism, and media propaganda in a way that very few movies can manage. I’d buy that for a dollar!

Other topics include Darren’s work at the When We Were Young festival, Halloween movies, the Music Box Theatre’s 24-hour horror festival, 1980’s Alligator and other creature features, Scorsese and first impressions of Killers of the Flower Moon, and upcoming TLB and Plain White T’s shows.

Songs of the Week

Wishes by Beach House

Looking For The Magic by The Dwight Twilley Band

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This week on Remainders, we discuss the 2016 film Manchester By the Sea. A story of grief, depression, trauma and confronting the past, Kenneth Lonergan directs a movie that manages to deal with these difficult themes while also showing the imperfections in life and the awkward, sometimes funny moments in between. A case of realism with a touch of levity, Casey Affleck plays Lee, a man who upon losing his brother must step into the parental role for his nephew, played by Lucas Hedges. Both give incredible performances and let’s the audience feel for their characters as they are exposed and vulnerable in times of death.

Other topics include best performances by Casey Affleck and Michelle Williams, Darren’s upcoming Punk Rock & Paintbrushes at When We Were Young festival, recent and upcoming live shows, the month of Friday the 13th marathons, and Elvis in the movies.

Songs of the Week

See See Rider by LaVern Baker

Shake Some Action by the Flamin’ Groovies

All songs on the Remainders Jukebox Playlist

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This week on Remainders, we talk the 2007 gem The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford. Partially forgotten and possibly overshadowed by No Country for Old Men and There Will Be Blood upon its release, Assassination is absolutely an essential modern western. Brad Pitt plays Jesse James who is put on a pedestal by Casey Affleck’s Robert Ford. As Ford idolizes and fawns over James and tries to become one of the gang, he learns the man and the myth do not align. A story about paranoia and disillusionment that is both poetic and dreamlike, elevated by Roger Deakins’ cinematography and Nick Cave and Warren Ellis’ epic score.

Other topics include the woes of streaming, Kurt Russell battling Godzilla, what makes for a great film score, the sad Affleck brothers, and difficulties with tongue twister movie titles.

Songs of the Week

Blame Brett by The Beaches

Ready Steady Go by Solid State Radio

Frank and Jesse James by Warren Zevon

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This week on Remainders we watch The Big Heat. A gripping 1953 film noir directed by Fritz Lang, The Big Heat follows determined detective Dave Bannion (Glenn Ford) as he exposes corruption within his own department after a fellow officer's death. Gloria Grahame is essential as one of Darren’s all-time picks for noir femme fatales. With intense performances, dark atmosphere, and themes of corruption and justice, it's a stellar noir standout.  

Other topics include William Friedkin and Peter Jackson commentaries, physical media corner, hangout movies, the new Hives album, the new Texas Chainsaw Massacre video game and Matthew McConaughey’s rise the Texas Chainsaw franchise, and hoping for an equally cinematic gaming experience with the upcoming Killer Klowns from Outer Space video game.

Songs of the Week

BloodRedMoon by Ha Ha Tonka

Sing Me Back Home by The Flying Burrito Brothers

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This week on Remainders we discuss the 2018 crime thriller Dragged Across Concrete. From director S. Craig Zahler (Bone Tomahawk, Brawl in Cell Block 99), Dragged stars Mel Gibson and Vince Vaughn as two cops caught committing police brutality who turn to robbing criminals out of desperation. Filled with his trademark violence and considerable runtime, Dragged is a movie that further cements Zahler as one of the best working directors today.

Other topics include the passing of Paul Reubens, Rodriguez and William Friedkin, Jon Hamm and his jump from drama to comedy, the Meg 2 and how bad shark movies can get, A24’s Talk to Me, violence in film, Peter Jackson commentaries, the best time of the day to watch grindhouse movies, and the perennial favorite Cool as Ice.

Songs of the Week

Love Must Have Passed Me By, by Bobby Vee

Den minsta av segrar, by 1900

I’ll Slip Away, by Rodriguez

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This week on Remainders, we watch the 1946 noir classic Gilda. An iconic role for Rita Hayworth, she plays the femme fatale shrouded in secrets. Set against the backdrop of a post-World War II casino in Buenos Aires, Gilda’s past collides with her present as Johnny Farrell (Glenn Ford) steps back into her life. An all-time great in the noir genre.

Other topics include Oppenheimer, favorite Christopher Nolan movies, movie commentaries, Mission: Impossible directors, and the greatest femme fatales in cinema.

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This week on Remainders, we talk the 1999 crime thriller A Simple Plan. Directed by Sam Raimi, mostly without his signature chaotic style, Bill Paxton and Billy Bob Thornton play brothers who discover a duffel bag of money and decide to keep it. Almost immediately, this apparent blessing turns into a curse as greed, violence, past trauma, and death all arise as a result. Paxton and Thornton reunite after One False Move and once again prove they are both timeless character actors.

Other topics include the screenwriters and actors strike, Margot Robbie, the Boogie Nights soundtrack, new music picks, ranking the Mission: Impossible movies, and Tom Cruise as the last movie star.

Songs of the Week

Cocktails by Dennis Wilson

Martha by Tom Waits

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This week on Remainders we watch the 1992 crime film One False Move. From director Carl Franklin and co-written by Billy Bob Thorton, Bill Paxton and Thorton lead this forgotten gem about three criminals clashing with a small-town sheriff. Paxton, the all-time great everyman, is at his best as naïve Chief Dale “Hurricane” Dixon, who is excited at the opportunity to become a real cop. But when his past comes to light, his will is put to the test. A Coen-esque thriller with the perfect Paxton performance that shouldn’t be missed.

Other topics include Bill Paxton’s filmography, the summer sale at Darrenvorel.com, Jurassic Park at 30, the merits of VHS nostalgia, The Cure’s new tour and upcoming album, Treat Williams and Cormac McCarthy, and a rally for the return of film commentaries.

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This week on Remainders, we talk the 1981 neo-noir Body Heat. Written and directed by Lawrence Kasdan – around the same time as writing Raiders of the Lost Ark and the Empire Strikes Back – Body Heat was inspired by Double Indemnity and launched the careers of William Hurt and Kathleen Turner. Ned (Hurt) is a hapless lawyer who falls hard for the sultry but married Matty (Turner). Their affair turns dark though when they initiate a plot to kill her husband – with the potential to reap his fortune. A throwback to 40s crime noir, Body Heat feels especially relevant today as society reevaluates the eroticism in films of the 80s and 90s.

Other topics include new pieces from Darren’s collection and his upcoming exhibit at La Luz De Jesus Gallery, some first time Remainders swag available for purchase, a visit to the Hollywood Museum, what we’re watching on TV these days, Ebert vs. Kael, favorite William Hurt and Kathleen Turner performances, and the enduring brilliance of traumatic 1980s kids movies.

Music Picks of the Week

Sink to the Bottom by Fountains of Wayne

Mysterium by Hammock

Mashed Potato Time by Dee Dee King

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This week on Remainders we watched the 2017 film First Reformed. An all-time best performance by Ethan Hawke, First Reformed follows Hawke playing a small-town minister as he grapples with despair brought upon by the looming threat of climate change. Hawke’s crisis of faith leads him down a dark path as he bounces between hope and despair in a world that often leaves little to have faith in. Paul Schrader’s script and direction bring back many themes he explored in Taxi Driver into a modern world with new uncertainties about the future.

Other topics 90s yuppie thrillers, Darren’s selection for a new art exhibition, drinking with Cedric the Entertainer, The Cure’s summer tour and the lasting influence of their album Pornography, favorite Michael J. Fox movies and the new documentary Still, William H. Macy, thoughts on AI and what it may mean for the artistic process, and Jen Pop’s new video Saw In Half.

Songs of the Week

Walls by The Jonas Brothers

Willie The Pimp by Frank Zappa

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This week on Remainders we watch the 1997 drama Cop Land. James Mangold’s urban western was Sylvester Stallone’s return to drama after a slew of over-the-top 90s action bombs. Giving one of the best performances of his career, it helps that the rest of the cast is a list of all-time greats, including De Niro, Keitel, and Liotta. A tale of justice and grit, this sleeper hit is almost a hidden gem these days and should not be missed. Don’t blowwww it!

Other topics include Mangold’s upcoming Indiana Jones movie, thoughts on the new Cage flick Renfield, theater experiences good and bad, Joe Dante favorites and Key and Peele’s incredible Gremlins 2 sketch, Dee Dee Ramone’s novel, the new Evil Dead, South Park and Spielberg, and the final push to get Warren Zevon inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

 Songs of the Week

Saw in Half by Jen Razavi

Cannibal Holocaust (Main Theme) by Riz Ortolani

Lawyers, Guns and Money by Warren Zevon

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This week on Remainders we continue De Palma Days and talk about 1984 film Body Double. Possibly De Palma’s most Hitchcockian film, it’s the story of a man caught in between voyeurism and murder – essential Hitchcock tropes. We discuss its horror and pornographic elements, De Palma’s use of over-the-top acting and direction style, lead actor Craig Wasson’s effectiveness as the lead, Melanie Griffith’s introduction to Hollywood, and where it stands in De Palma’s filmography.

Other topics include Air and the Affleck brothers, Renfield, a legendary encounter with the great Leslie Nielson, the legitimacy of TMZ and CNN, the Twilight Zone, Stuart Gordon, monster movies and creature features, 80s special effects, and whether James Cameron brought Dee Dee Ramone pizza.

Songs of the Week

Down About It by The Lemonheads

Anything Could Happen by The Clean

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This week on Remainders, we talk Brian De Palma and his 1981 film Blow Out. A classic in Travolta's and De Palma's filmography, the story of a movie soundman uncovering a murder plot against a presidential candidate has grown in appreciation amongst cinephiles since its release over 40 years ago. De Palma's innovative camera movements and focus on doubles and murder mystery do not go unnoticed as Hitchcock devotees, in addition to all time performances from Travolta and John Lithgow as the lurking serial killer. We pay homage to one of the most important auteurs of the 70s. 

Other topics include Tarantino's great book Cinema Speculation, new movies Air and Renfield, Dee Dee Ramone's hip hop, L.A. movie billboards vs. Chicago's movie billboards, John Lithgow's best performances, and Dennis Franz's exquisite scumbaggery. 

Songs of the Week

Racist Society by Screeching Weasel

Open Your Eyes by Lords of the New Church

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This week on Remainders, we talk about the 2008 documentary Anvil! The Story of Anvil. Anvil is the story of a veteran heavy metal band that influenced the genre, but never saw their own success. Childhood friends Steve ‘Lips’ Kudlow and Robb Reiner made a pact to become rock stars and they never looked back, despite the doubts, setbacks, day-jobs, and all the other mundane chores that got in their way. A rockumentary hailed by Scorsese about a band adored by Motorhead. What more could you want?

Other topics include Robert Smith vs. Ticketmaster, new movies in theaters, the Oscars, Tarantino’s (most likely) final film, Pauline Kael and Roger Ebert stories, and Bayside’s new EP with cover art by Darren.

Songs of the Week:

Don’t Call Me Peanut by Bayside

Pain Remains III: In a Sea of Fire by Lorna Shore

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This week on Remainders, we talk the 2007 documentary King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters, the story of die-hard gamers competing for the record high-score on Donkey Kong. Steve Wiebe, a down on his luck everyman, needs a purpose and discovers it in classic arcade gaming. As he attempts to break the record in Donkey Kong, he is exposed to the power and corruption in the underbelly of competitive gaming.  The charismatic but deceptive Billy Mitchell, self-proclaimed “world’s best gamer,” will do anything to maintain his high-score and championship title regardless of the cost.

Other topics include American Movie’s influence on 2000s documentaries, Tarantino’s new book, Scorsese’s upcoming Killers of the Flower Moon, Leonard Cohen, big-budget movies and their influence on the movie industry, and Warren Zevon’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nomination.

Songs of the Week

Your Wild Years by The Menzingers

Nothing in Return by Roky Erickson

All Songs of the Week here

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