Four Play Last Free Nation

We start our new Four Play arc with our first focus on a director, Denis Villeneuve. Lately celebrated for his Dune films, we dive into his back catalog and begin with 2016's Arrival. Like Dune, Arrival is an adaptation of a science-fiction text, and takes an intellectual approach to the concept of first contact and the ensuring geo-political consequences. Ultimately, Arrival focuses on personal decisions made in the freedom of non-linear time and calls upon viewers to examine their ethics and the nature of life and death.

The Robert Redford-led Sneakers from 1992 serves as an interesting time capsule to the late Cold War era and the dawn of computer hacking. However, the movie mostly fails in delivering a consistent tone and can't figure out whether it would rather be a high-stakes thriller or a comedic caper that relies on the quirkiness and synergy of its characters. Thorin, Richard, and Monte laugh at the hilarious plot holes and ridiculous final heist scene, but also point out the serious themes of remaking the world order and the destruction of capitalism that underpin the plot.

Sidney Lumet's 1975 film Dog Day Afternoon focuses on an intimate cast of characters during a tense hostage negotiation after a robbery gone wrong. Touching on American social issues and adapted from a true story, the film provides a vehicle for a sympathetic powerhouse performance from a young Al Pacino. The movie deals with modern themes, such as the distorting power of the media and the implications of going to prison as the central crime spirals out of control. Monte, Richard, and Thorin discuss the historical context in which the film was made as well as the real robbery that inspired Dog Day Afternoon.

The 1999 remake of The Thomas Crown Affair presents Pierce Brosnan as the slick, titular character indulging in a heist dripping in male fantasy. John McTiernan directs a film, in the downswing of his career, that could have been much more if it focused principally on the cat and mouse game between Brosnan and Renee Russo. The film is beautifully shot and revels in the splendid aesthetics of New York, the art world, and even Brosnan's buttocks. Watching this movie left our hosts questioning what could have been with a better script writer, supporting cast, and a more ambitious director.

Michael Mann's 1995 film Heat finally arrives on Four Play, an inevitable addition to the show since it's one of all of our hosts' favorite films. Not only an excellent heist movie, Heat is unbelievably well-crafted with characters and a scope that smacks of Shakespearian or Greek tragedies. Richard, Thorin, and Monte discuss the themes of criminality, compulsion to vocation, and the satisfying conclusion to every character's arc. They celebrate the incredible cast, particularly the iconic performances of Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Tom Sizemore, and Val Kilmer whose interplay forms the heart of the film. Heat deserves your attention and multiple viewings. We keep coming back to it, and so should you.

Satoshi Kon's seminal 2003 film Tokyo Godfathers explores the touching stories of three homeless people who have created a found family on the streets of Japan. While not as fantastical or surreal as Kon's other work, the film still indulges in the fantastical with a series of charming miracles and coincidences that befall the main characters. Tokyo Godfathers tackles a variety of taboo subjects in both Japan and the wider world: homelessness, sex work, organized crime, queer identities, alcohol abuse, immigration, and more with extraordinary sympathy. We recommend this film for everyone's regular Christmas viewings.