Cinema Oblivia

Episode 51: American Ninja 2

We got an all-star line-up today! T.L. Foster is back! Anthony Abatte is back! Norm from A Question of Character is back! And they're all here to talk about American Ninja 2! Is it a good film? Probably not, but it's a great excuse to talk about Steve James, the man who should've been the biggest action star of the 1980s/90s/2000s/2010s and today.

Episode 50: Car Wash

A brilliant slice of life comedy from the director of The Last Dragon(!!) and Joel Schumacher(!?!?!?), Car Wash is a perfect time capsule of a bygone era, but still manages to hold up today as a fantastic comedy, all while offering insightful commentary on race, gender, sexuality, and religion. And it has George Carlin and Richard Pryor!
Anthony Abatte joins me to talk about this great piece of 70s pop culture, and its legendary soundtrack.

Episode 49: Big Shots

I'm dumb white boy (sometimes) and Norm from A Question of Character is a black dude from Chicago, so we felt we absolutely had to cover Big Shots - a film about a dumb white boy (sometimes) and a black kid from Chicago.
This is not a great film, but it's definitely the best film about a white kid from suburban Chicago that was made without John Hughes' involvement. I absolutely love it.
It also has what might be the worst rap song of all-time.

Episode 48: Thrashin’

Thrashin' was an attempt by out-of-touch middle-aged men to make a hip and cool skateboarding film. They failed miserably. But I still love it! And so does Nextlander's Alex Navarro! We talk about this fascinating failure, and why we can't hate it despite it's mediocre acting, idiotic story, and absolutely atrocious original music.

Episode 47: Class of 1984

Class of 1984 is a fantastic exploitation flick about a high school from hell, its evil bullies, and the poor teachers who just try to teach their damn students. Diamond Feit joins me to talk about this classic late-era grindhouse flick.
Disclaimer: Although this is an over-the-top exploitation film, we do discuss real world school violence at times. Additionally, this was recorded BEFORE the horrific events in Texas.

Episode 46: Your Vice is a Locked Room and Only I Have the Key

Your Vice is a Locked Room and Only I Have the Key isn't the best giallo ever made, but it certainly is one of the best-named.
Joe Odber takes a break from chronicling the Mandela Effect weirdos of Reddit to stop by and discuss this lesser-known gem of Italian sleaze, which features just about every depraved act you can possibly imagine, and then some.
So yeah, content warning for this one. Seriously.

Episode 45: Fangs

Once upon a time there was a man named Snakey. He liked snakes more than he liked people. One day, a lot of the people he didn't like made him angry and he decided to get his revenge.
You can probably guess where this is going but I swear to you that Fangs (aka Snakes aka Holy Wednesday aka Snakelust) will leave you guessing to the end, thanks to its fantastic script, hilarious dialogue, and a breathtaking performance by former radio star Les Tremayne as Snakey!
Madeline Koestner returns once again to talk about Snakey, snakes, and incredibly convenient ways to dispose of bodies and cars.

Episode 44: Pyscho II and Psycho III

Shane Bettenhausen previously graced this podcast to subject me to the awfulness that is The Apple. But he redeems himself today to talk about not one, but two, very good movies - the much belated sequels to Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho!
Are they as good as the original? Of course not, but they're both damn fine films that you need to see. We discuss how these fascinating films got made, and go over them in gory detail, so spoilers abound! Make sure you see the movies before you listen to this one!

Episode 43: Deadlier Than The Male

Very happy to have Rob Hill from the Bad Movie Bible joining me today to discuss a forgotten piece of Bondsploitation, 1967's Deadlier Than The Male!
This 60s update of the Bulldog Drummond books (which themselves inspired the Bond films), turns the character into a suave, understated ladies' man (of mystery) which makes his surrounding world of buxom female assassins, maniacal super-villains, and robotic chess pieces from hell all the more ridiculous.
It sure as hell ain't a classy film, but Rob and I agree that it's a hell of a lot of fun!

Episode 42: Alligator

An amazing film with a great cast, fantastic crew, and stellar script: Alligator isn't just one of the best Jaws rip-offs ever made, it's one of the best horror comedies ever made. Period.
Madeline Koestner agrees with me, and she took time out of her busy schedule planning the Unnamed Footage Festival to sit down and talk with me about this film that's a downright masterpiece.