Saturday, January 27, 2018

Episode 118 - All Ages Show

Netflix! It brings us so many things, so often, that it can be overwhelming at times. For this show we decided to look at two films that are newly on Netflix that seemed like a good fit for the cave. Both are from 2017, but from opposite sides of the "pond". We start with "Bad Day for the Cut", an Irish production that tells a very twisty story of revenge where a quiet, unassuming farmer has to find out the reason his elderly mother is brutally murdered one night. It has moments of humor and surprising plot developments and, we think, is well worth your time. We follow that up with "Super Dark Times" which is set in a gray town in the US in the 1990s and follows a group of teens who get into some situations where things go VERY wrong and we see the extremely bad way they deal with it. The movie starts off strong but ends up losing it's way about halfway through and the ending is completely out of step with what happens prior. It's interesting, but not as entertaining as Bad Day for the Cut.  If you've seen these, let us know what you thought by writing to us at flickersfrom@yahoo.com or flickersfrom@gmail.com. You could also post a message on our Facebook page or Tweet us @cavewalls.
 

Sunday, January 14, 2018

Episode 117 - Jacked Up

Happy New Year and welcome back to the cave!  We have wanted to look at the Billy Jack series of films since before the podcast started, and it seemed like the 117th episode was a perfect place to finally do it! These are legendary low-budget movies and there is no question why...they are great! We start off with 1967's The Born Losers and follow that up with the masterpiece Billy Jack from 1971. Both films were directed by and star Tom Laughlin as Mr. Jack ( he directed both under the pseudonym T.C. Frank ).  There is a kinetic energy, and a vibrating core of danger in both films, with some amazing cinematography and powerful dialogue. Calling these "message films" is valid but the messages are relayed with such a high degree of craft that they rarely seem preachy. Both are fascinating studies of the 60's and 70's counter-culture movement, from within and without.  Mostly-excellent acting and some stirring music really round-out the packages and now we find ourselves eager to watch the 3rd and 4th films in the Billy Jack canon. Let us know what you thought of the show by writing to flickersfrom@yahoo.com or flickersfrom@gmail.com or just leave us a message on our Facebook page.