Absolute Shambles Absolute Shambles

It's Japanese animation time! That's right, you guessed it, PERFECT BLUE (1997), directed by Satoshi Kon and starring the voices of Junko Iwao, Rica Matsumoto and Masaaki Ōkura.
The fellas attempt to wrap their noggins around this psychological reality warping masterpiece while, as always, finding a few side roads to sojourn down along the way. Bon appetit.

Next up: ROAD HOUSE (1948)

We have returned! And to celebrate this most auspicious occasion we are delving deep into Haskell Wexler's ambitious, lively portrait of 1968 America (and Chicago to be more precise). We talk Wexler, we talk about how goddamn verité this cinema is, we talk flashbacks and how to recognise them (or not) and take a few detours along the way.

Next up: PERFECT BLUE, 1998

The trillin' conclusion to our lil not so lil Fast and Furious two-parter. Calum wraps up the series rundown, Ryan presents his thesis on the franchise, Kieran busts out some totally not written last-minute questions. 

Next discush: POINT BLANK (contrary to what Kieran says)

In a break in regular scheduling, due to unforseen editing delays, your favourite movie chatting trio have decided to engage in a bonus two-episode series diving deep into the Fast & Furious franchise. Why you ask? Good question. Basically Ryan and Calum love it, Kieran is nonplussed and they wish to change that. Will they succeed? Find out over the course of this and the next episode xx

California, early 70s. Two fresh, intrepid filmakers Willard Huyck and Gloria Katz set out to make... well, a movie. And it works! Just about. Tune in for the story of this chaotic production and unexpected classic of independent horror. Next episode: THE QUIET EARTH (1985)

Thursday, 18th August 1994. The 15th Commonwealth Games opens in Victoria, Canada. "Love Is All Around" by Wet Wet Wet is #1 in the UK charts. In Rathmines, Dublin, Martin Cahill is assassinated in his car. 

So begins 1998's THE GENERAL (well, apart from the first two things), written & directed by John Boorman and starring Brendan Gleeson as Mr Cahill. Also appearing are Jon Voight as his Kerryman garda nemesis and Adrian Dunbar as his goodbuddy pal. 

It's part heist movie, part outlaw biopic, part rumination on insitutional abuse and societal shift in Ireland, or as Calum most eloquently states, "This is Ireland, for better or worse". 

Next up: MESSIAH OF EVIL, 1973.