2020 Movie Preview (featuring Tom Chang of Bleeding Cool)
Close Watch with Robert Yaniz Jr.
Release Date: 02/14/2020
Close Watch with Robert Yaniz Jr.
In a harmonious double feature, Close Watch continues venturing through the world of movie musicals with an in-depth breakdown of both the 1961 classic West Side Story and Steven Spielberg's 2021 remake. Does the Oscar-winning original still hold up, and was its update worth the creative risk? of joins us in this melodic journey through two versions of Maria and Tony's love story. We'll explore the rich history of the original film and how it laid the foundation for modern musicals. Then, we'll dive into the reimagined 2021 adaptation and how it measures up. These two films have...
info_outline 'An American in Paris' (feat. Philip Boone of Ultimate Gilmore Girls Movie Night)Close Watch with Robert Yaniz Jr.
Every episode, Close Watch gives us the chance to get to know our guest through the movie they love. But more recently, the show has sharpened its focus on the wide world of movie musicals. And after the man-eating plant of and the cultural celebration of , musical icon Gene Kelly has officially entered the chat. of the podcast joins us to discuss 1951's An American in Paris. We'll discuss where it fits into Kelly's filmography, how it compares to fellow classics Singin' in the Rain and On the Town, and why -- despite winning six Academy Awards, including Best Picture -- An American...
info_outline 'In the Heights' (feat. The Lady-Wan from Screen Run)Close Watch with Robert Yaniz Jr.
Way back in 2020, a few hardcore Hamilfans -- including this episode's guest -- united for the to talk up the Disney+ release of Lin-Manuel Miranda's Tony-winning musical Hamilton. Now, at last, loyal listeners get the long-awaited spiritual sequel to that discussion. On this episode, Close Watch continues its year-long analysis of movie musicals as of joins us to talk 2021's In the Heights. Based on Miranda's other Tony-winning musical, the film follows a group of largely Latinx characters in New York's Washington Heights. We'll discuss why In the Heights underperformed at the box...
info_outline 'Little Shop of Horrors' (1986) (feat. film critic Morgan Roberts)Close Watch with Robert Yaniz Jr.
It's 2023, and Close Watch has a song in its heart this year. For the next year, we're dedicating this podcast to movie musicals. Every month, the show will feature at least one episode in which Rob and a guest go in-depth on a beloved movie musical. And what better way to celebrate one of cinema's most beloved genres than with a man-eating plant from outer space?! Film critic joins the show to discuss 1986's Little Shop of Horrors starring Rick Moranis, Ellen Greene, and Steve Martin. We'll discuss the elite group of movie musicals the Frank Oz-directed film belongs to, the staggering...
info_outline 'Weird: The Al Yankovic Story' (feat. Lauren Carey of the Beer'd Al Podcast)Close Watch with Robert Yaniz Jr.
After , "Weird Al" Yankovic fans faced a wait of more than three decades for another movie featuring the musical icon. And finally, along comes Weird: The Al Yankovic Story. Starring Daniel Radcliffe as "The Weird One" himself, the movie pokes fun at Yankovic's life and career as well as the very notion that someone would make a biopic about him. of the joins us to discuss 2022's Weird: The Al Yankovic Story (). We'll cover whether The Roku Channel original movie met our expectations, how it connects back to the criminally under-seen 1985 mockumentary The Compleat Al, and what we want...
info_outline 'Bandits' (feat. The Famous Ashley Grant)Close Watch with Robert Yaniz Jr.
Cate Blanchett might be poised to win a third Academy Award for her performance in Tár. But more than two decades ago, the actor -- who was already well on her way to becoming one of the best actors of her generation -- co-starred with Bruce Willis and Billy Bob Thornton in an under-seen crime comedy-drama. And unsurprisingly, she steals the film. joins us to discuss 2001's Bandits from director Barry Levinson. We'll talk about Blanchett's mesmerizing turn as the hostage who comes in between two bank robbers (Willis, Thornton), how the movie's treatment of romance is so progressive, and...
info_outline 'Cloud Atlas' (feat. Brian Skutle of the Sonic Cinema Podcast)Close Watch with Robert Yaniz Jr.
Some movies are too big to cover in a single conversation. Cloud Atlas -- the 2012 epic directed by the Wachowskis and Tom Tykwer -- is definitely such a movie. So to celebrate the film's tenth anniversary, we invited of the Sonic Cinema Podcast to help us dig into the movie and its ensemble cast, which includes Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, and Jim Broadbent. In this first half of a massive two-part crossover event, Brian joins us to discuss the audacious production that was Cloud Atlas, its controversial casting choices, its six interwoven stories, and its grand themes. Plus, the thrilling...
info_outline 'Willow' (feat. Jeremiah Stewart of Let's Talk)Close Watch with Robert Yaniz Jr.
Unless superheroes, hobbits, or boy wizards are involved, fantasy films are all too rare these days. But in the 1980s, the genre was thriving on the big screen. Filmmakers coupled state-of-the-art visual effects with puppetry, make-up, and good ol' movie magic to create worlds fans could previously only imagine. Director Ron Howard's 1988 film Willow is one such film. Featuring a story by George Lucas, Willow was the filmmaker's blatant attempt to tell a story like The Lord of the Rings. And with the new Disney+ sequel series right around the corner, of the YouTube channel joins the show...
info_outline 'Willow' (feat. Jeremiah Stewart of Let's Talk)Close Watch with Robert Yaniz Jr.
Unless superheroes, hobbits, or boy wizards are involved, fantasy films are all too rare these days. But in the 1980s, the genre was thriving on the big screen. Filmmakers coupled state-of-the-art visual effects with puppetry, make-up, and good ol' movie magic to create worlds fans could previously only imagine. Director Ron Howard's 1988 film Willow is one such film. Featuring a story by George Lucas, Willow was the filmmaker's blatant attempt to tell a story like The Lord of the Rings. And with the new Disney+ sequel series right around the corner, of the YouTube channel joins the show...
info_outline 'Willow' (feat. Jeremiah Stewart of Let's Talk)Close Watch with Robert Yaniz Jr.
Unless superheroes, hobbits, or boy wizards are involved, fantasy films are all too rare these days. But in the 1980s, the genre was thriving on the big screen. Filmmakers coupled state-of-the-art visual effects with puppetry, make-up, and good ol' movie magic to create worlds fans could previously only imagine. Director Ron Howard's 1988 film Willow is one such film. Featuring a story by George Lucas, Willow was the filmmaker's blatant attempt to tell a story like The Lord of the Rings. And with the new Disney+ sequel series right around the corner, of the YouTube channel joins the show...
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For us pop culture enthusiasts, 2019 was one for the record books. Just on the movie side, moviegoers the finale of Marvel Studios' "Infinity Saga" in Avengers: Endgame and witnessed the end of Skywalker story in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Of course, the year brought a ton of sequels, reboots, and spin-offs of various quality levels. But it also delivered unexpected -- and Oscar-winning -- treats such as Jojo Rabbit, 1917, Marriage Story, and director Bong Joon-ho's Parasite.
We already discussed our favorite films of 2019, and with the Academy Awards now officially in the rearview, it's time to look forward to what 2020 has to offer. Although we're now a month and a half into the new year, Tom Chang of Bleeding Cool joins us to break down some of the most exciting movies coming soon. Starting with current box office champ Birds of Prey, both DC and Marvel have several new projects on the way.
We have so many questions about what lies ahead, and the answers await. Can DC keep its momentum going strong with the long-awaited Wonder Woman sequel? Will Marvel Phase Four find a fresh way to build on Endgame? And what does the future hold for James Bond, Bill and Ted, and the Ghostbusters? We'll cover all that and more in an extensive look at 2020 in film.
SHOW NOTES
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