Most Anticipated Movies of 2024

After a bizarre year for cinema, we set our sights on… possibly another bizarre year for cinema. That’s right, we’re doing our annual look ahead to our most anticipated (and least anticipated movies) of the new year. In 2024, superhero movies seem to be out (unless you’re talking about our least anticipated list) and what’s in is, well, who knows really. We’re just guessing here as to what will be good and what will not be good, but these are the movies that either piqued our interest or have us dreading their release date. Continue reading →

The Twelfth Annual Mildly Pleased Awards

Just when you thought 2023 was over, we’re here to take a slightly belated look back at the year that was. Kicking things off before we get into posting our Top Tens of 2023 over on Mildly Pleased is, of course, the award show that bears the site’s name. We’re talking about awarding the “good but not great” moments in culture, pop and otherwise, that defined last year. Recurring topics include ChatGPT/AI, the weird state of movies, the absurd state politics, and just a tiny bit of Taylor Swift (because she was already talked about enough this year). We even rename one of our awards mid-show in honor of a truly mildly pleasing entertainer. As always, it’s a long one, but a fun one.

Read on for the nominees and winners! Continue reading →

The Pick: The Preacher’s Wife

Every time an underrated Christmas movie is acknowledged, an angel gets its wings. Or at least, that’s what we’d like to think after talking about The Preacher’s Wife, a Christmas movie that we enjoyed quite a bit despite it not being one of the big holiday movies everybody watches this time of year. We delve a little bit into why that is, while also lauding the movie’s very ’90s charms. Also, we really stretch out the Little Picks by getting sidetracked by lengthy conversations about Siskel & Ebert and the Pink Floyd discography. It’s the last The Pick of the year, so better savor it like a comfy Christmas morning! Continue reading →

The Pick: Notting Hill

We’re back in romantic comedyland, looking once again at Richard Curtis’s wish-fulfillment shenanigans (and another Julia Roberts movie) with a discussion of 1999’s Notting Hill. Even though we split on this one, it’s a fairly cordial conversation full of British accents and debate over the charms (or lack thereof) contained by its co-star Hugh Grant. It may not be a Christmas movie, but it’s still one to put you in that feel-good spirit if you’re willing to just go with its easygoing look at love, fame, and romantic montages. Continue reading →

The Pick: The Pelican Brief

Needless to say, the gap between this latest and our last episode hasn’t been all that… brief. It wasn’t helped by the fact that The Pelican Brief is an overwhelming passable but unremarkable film, and one that pales a bit compared to some of the other John Grisham adaptations that were filling multiplexes in the mid-90s. Still, it gives us a chance to dive into Grisham’s fascinating background and the types of movies that his books inspired, even if this one doesn’t entirely adhere to his distinctly Southern flavor. Continue reading →

The Pick: Wolf

We end this Shocktober (for the most part) with a movie that’s hard to even categorize as a horror movie, even if it tackles one of the most iconic movie monsters. 1994’s Wolf sees the odd pairing of Mike Nichols’ actor-centric directing with modern-day werewolves and the results are… pretty fun if you’re willing to overlook everything that doesn’t quite work about it. Which is quite a bit. But come on, where else are you going to see Jack Nicholson as a werewolf book editor? Also, if that wasn’t enough, John has fun relying on AI to concoct a version of this movie that stars Robin Williams (surprise, it’s not that great). Continue reading →

The Pick: Cat People

As we make our way through Shocktober, this week we take a look at a horror movie of sorts (or perhaps an “erotic fantasy”) with the 1982 remake of Cat People. We discuss how effectively the film expands on its horror-noir inspiration and whether director Paul Schrader was the best person to bring this source material to the screen. But mostly we rag on John Heard and how ill-equipped is to be the leading man in a film that needed someone a little more sexy and charming (our apologies to the memory of Mr. Heard). Continue reading →