Stuff We’ve Seen

Furiosa and The Hitman Begin Jim and Teal's Summer Movie Season

The summer movie season is upon us, but what a strange season it is so far. Film and after film has underperformed, and one movie's poor performance at the box office is surprising given the prestige of its predecessor. Of course, I'm talking about Furiosa: a Mad Max Saga. Apparently, movie audiences weren't up for a prequel installment to George Miller's near-universally praised Mad Max: Fury Road.

Jim and Teal are monster fans of Fury Road, so what do they think of Furisoa? Well, you'll have to listen to find out.

What else? Both Jim and Teal caught Richard Linklater's Netflix film offering, The Hitman, startting Glen Powell and Adria Arjona. This light and breezy comedy neo noir hit the right spot for enjoyment level, and gets a recommendation from Jim and Teal.

But that's not all. Jim watched Am I Ok? and Teal caught up with Lisa Frankenstein. And for added measure, Jim recommends a bit of an odd hidden gem, The Sweet East.

Lots of films on the docket for this hour of podcast funtainment. Enjoy!

From Skidoo to Lost Films: Christian Divine Speaks His Mind

Who is the world's foremost expert on Otto Preminger's 1968 film Skidoo? Who is the man who is devoted to physical media preservation, and has the YouTube Channel to prove it? Who is a BAFTA and Peabody award-winning game writer who brought Life is Strange to gamers everywhere?

 

This week, Jim and Teal chat with Christian Divine, a writer, journalist, and lover of films. His knowledge is vast, and he isn't shy about sharing his opinions, even if his insights might make you rethink some of your childhood favorite movies.

Love Lies Bleeding and Monkey Man: Teal has a Case of the Grumpies

This week Jim and Teal look at some films from 2024, including Dune 2, Love Lies Bleeding, Monkey Man., Riddle of Fire, and Arcadian. All are available for streaming or On-demand in one form or another. But just because you can stream them, should you? Have a listen and find out what Jim and Teal think.

Civil War and On the Silver Globe

This week Jim recommends the new A24 Alex Garland film, Civil War. And then things get a bit crazy with a discussion on Andrzej Zulawski's insane sci-fi epic, On the Silver Globe. One thing is for sure: it is one of the most mind-bending insane films Jim and Teal have ever seen. Never heard of it? Well, you wouldn't be alone. But for the lover of film bizarre, this may be the film you've been searching for.

Never Say Never Again: Stuff We've Seen is Back in Action

Never say never again; wise words from Sean Connery on playing James Bond after Diamonds Are Forever, which is the first time he came back to the role after vowing never to play the character again. Well, he did return for 1983's, Never Say Never Again, and the verdict's still out on if that was a wise idea or not.

Still, just like Sean Connery, Jim and Teal vowed the show was over, well...okay, Jim did. But Teal had other plans, and here we are--back in action, and ready for another season of Stuff We've Seen. What's on tap for our first return episode?

Well, first, Jim reveals what he's been doing while on break from the show. It turns out, he was finishing, and self-publishing his first novel. It's a YA look back at his high school days from the late 1980s. The book is, "Parental Guidance Suggested: A Wicked Awesome Tale Of High School In The Late 80s That's Totally Not Rated PG". It's available on Amazon for Kindle, Paperback, or Hardcover. Just search by the main title and James Kent, and you should find it.

That announcement segues into a discussion on teens in trouble movies, where we spotlight two films: The River's Edge (1987), and Over the Edge (1979). These two films capture something real and true about teenagers that Jim and Teal feel is missing from today's films about youth.

 

Lots to enjoy this episode. And we're glad to be back at it. Never say never again!

Stuff We've Seen Concludes with Jim's Top Ten Films of 2023

The Stuff We've Seen podcast comes to a close after five successful years, hundreds of episodes, and loads of laughs. What better way to end the run, but with a recap of Jim's top ten films of 2023? Enjoy the list, and who knows? We may be back again someday.

2024 Oscar Nominations

Welcome to our annual nominations episode with all of this year's 2024 Oscar nominations. We got a super-packed episode where we cover all the categories. As always, Teal doesn't know what the nominations are when he hears them from me. To get this episode out quickly we didn't do the usual editing, but that means you get to hear every little bit. Enjoy!

 

Did your favorite films make the cut?

Holiday Leftovers: Jim and Teal’s Final Film Recommendations of the Year

Get set for a huge heap full of filmic holiday leftovers as Jim and Teal bring you a large batch of movie recommendations from their last viewing week of 2023. Amongst the bounty of titles they discuss are Wonka, Ferrari, Poor Things, Maestro, Salt Burn, Dream Scenario, Anatomy of a Fall, and a low-fi sci-fi hidden gem called Lola. Looking for something to watch in the theater or stream at home? This episode covers all the basis. Take a listen, and then get to watching some stuff!

Priscilla and May December: The Fourteen-Year-Old Connection

Priscilla and May December are two films now available to stream or watch on Netflix that share a strange bond. They both involve plotlines that deal with inappropriate relationships between adults and fourteen-year-olds.

This week Jim and Teal take an inside look at Sofia Coppola's Priscilla, about the relationship between Priscilla Presley and Elvis. Jim notes some of the striking similarities between this film and Todd Haynes' May December.

What else? Jim and Teal offer up an alternative holiday classic, the 1961 gritty noir, Blast of Silence.

Finally, Jim and Teal gift each other by watching a film that the other one recommends. Teal watched a film from the BFI 250 list, the amazing The Ascent, and Jim watched this year's independent film, How to Blow Up a Pipeline.

The Holdovers and Plenty of Leftovers

Thanksgiving is over, but it brought moviegoers plenty of leftovers and The Holdovers for viewing. This week Teal and Jim discuss Napoleon, Thanksgiving, The Killer, The Wrath of Becky, The Creator, and Alexander Payne's The Holdovers.

 

Which films deserve second helpings, and which films get tossed out of the fridge? Take a listen and find out!