With Oscar season behind us, @chadsmart and Eric Bennett turn their attention to movies they feel fly under the radar. Picking five movies each from their libraries, they discuss films that have had an impact on their lives but feel few people have seen.
From all night scavenger hunts to high sea adventures. Low budget film shoots to independent films. Two movies with devil in the title and nothing else in common.
After listening to the show, share your own underappreciated movies on twitter with @chadsmart. Then head over to the Jittery Monkey Shop and pick up a Positive Cynicism shirt.
As a fan of 1980s cinema, March 10, 2009 was a dark day. That was the day former teen star Corey Haim died. For this edition of Positive Cynicism, @chadsmart and Travis (@PopCultIQ) Yates pay tribute to one of their favorites actors.
From his early roles in Firstborn and Lucas to the classic three films with Corey Feldman, Chad and Travis discuss the talented teen actor who appeared to have a bright future ahead of him.
Unfortunately, Haim didn’t make the jump from child actor to adult without succumbing to the demons that have haunted child actors for decades. Substance abuse and poor choice of projects hampered Corey Haim’s career in the ’90s. Corey kept acting in various films but couldn’t reclaim the success of his early days.
A special bonus edition of Positive Cynicism this week. @chadsmart after running his first half-marathon talks with @kevinhunsperger (a veteran of multiple 5Ks, a couple half-marathons and a full marathon) about the experience. During their conversation, chad talks about his reasoning for doing the half-marathon at his age and with no prior running experience, the decision to raise funds for St. Jude Children Hospital and how depression affected his training.
Eric Bennett returns to the show to continue the discussion of Star Wars. Eric and host @chadsmart look at fan criticism towards The Last Jedi and discuss if it’s warranted or another example of social media fauxrage. One thing they can agree on is the Star Wars universe needs more focus on 4-LOM and Zuckuss.
It’s celebration time this week on Positive Cynicism. Host Chad Smart celebrates the ten year anniversary of moving to Los Angeles with some anecdotes about experiences he had in the City of Angels. After reminiscing about the last decade, it’s time to look towards the future and the next crazy sports trip. This one may be a bit too extreme. As always, the episode ends with the “Question of the Week.”
Film Week continues on Nerds United as I talk with filmmaker Hansi Oppenheimer.
Hansi Oppenheimer shown here at the Tribeca Film Festival. (Credit Facebook)
Hansi is a kickass fangirl who has filmed the ultimate Fangirl Project: Squee!
So we talk about her background in film, including her father’s job at [Spoiler] and the fact that Hansi has been around and immersed in the culture for years. Punk rock, Doctor Who, The Walking Dead – it all gets covered in this near hour-long discussion.
Hansi is big on fandom, and she’s very supportive of other filmmakers. That’s why she is hosting a screening of Comix: Beyond the Comic Book Pages next month in Queens (which is not Brooklyn…this country boy found out).
What can you do if you want to help make this screening happen? Follow the links above, RSVP on the Tugg site, and help guarantee the showing of Comix. And check out other independent films that might be in your area.
Thanks again for hitting that download button. I have one more episode for you for Film Week. Look for that one Saturday morning.
Speaking of Saturday, I’ll be at the Cape Comic Con where I just learned this week that Butch Patrick (aka Eddie Munster) will be appearing.
