Movie HighLow

Why do Terry Gilliam’s movies always feel just a little… off?
In this episode, we get into why the film still feels so unsettling and alive, from its warped visual language to the way it turns time travel into something tragic, paranoid, and psychologically unstable.
We talk about Gilliam’s direction and why his surreal style is such a perfect fit for James Cole’s fractured point of view, the film’s blend of post-apocalyptic sci-fi and time-loop storytelling, Brad Pitt’s unhinged and funny performance as Jeffrey Goines, and the role reversal between Bruce Willis and Madeleine Stowe as the story keeps shifting its sense of reality. We also dig into the airport memory, the Army of the 12 Monkeys misdirect, the movie’s layered rewatch value, and the small details that make it feel so strange and specific.
🎧 Listen on your favorite platform:
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/movie-highlow/id1894669466
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5F6GMoqeJcahbZtk592a9a
 
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Jaws: The Revenge is where one of the greatest blockbusters ever made finally turns into pure franchise absurdity. In this episode, we talk about how the movie turns shark terror into family vendetta nonsense, and why that makes it both embarrassing and weirdly entertaining.
We get into the movie’s wildest choices, from the idea of a shark personally targeting the Brody family to Ellen Brody’s near-psychic connection to the threat in the water. We also talk about the sequel problem, the way Jaws gets reduced from a landmark film into a hollow brand, and why this entry still has some camp value if you meet it on its own ridiculous terms. Along the way, we cover Michael Caine as Hoagie, the painfully forced romance, the recycled echoes of the original film, the infamous ending, and the handful of moments that are funny for reasons the movie probably never intended.
🎧 Listen on your favorite platform:
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/movie-highlow/id1894669466
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5F6GMoqeJcahbZtk592a9a
 
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You ever watch Big as an adult and realize… it’s not the same movie?
This week on Movie HighLow, we revisit Big—the classic Tom Hanks film that somehow hits even harder the older you get. What starts as a fun “kid becomes an adult overnight” story turns into something way deeper.
🎡 A wish gone wrong
🧸 A dream job at a toy company
💔 And a reminder that growing up isn’t always what you think
 
We break down:
Why Tom Hanks’ performance is still unbelievably convincing as a kid in an adult body
How the movie changes depending on when you watch it
The balance between comedy, fantasy, and something surprisingly emotional
And… yeah… that relationship (you know the one)
 
🎹 Plus:
The iconic piano scene
The weirdness you definitely didn’t notice as a kid
And why this movie still works decades later
 
🎧 Listen on your favorite platform:
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/movie-highlow/id1894669466
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5F6GMoqeJcahbZtk592a9a
 
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This is how you do a modern murder mystery.
This week on Movie HighLow, we break down Knives Out—the insanely fun, layered whodunit from Rian Johnson that surprised us way more than we expected.
🕵️‍♂️ A dead mystery novelist
🏡 A house full of suspects
🎭 And a detective with a very questionable accent
 
At first, it feels like a classic whodunit… …but then the movie flips the formula on its head.
 
We get into:
Why this might be the most fun murder mystery in years
How the movie gives the audience more information than the characters (and why that works)
Daniel Craig’s surprisingly hilarious performance
Why Ana de Armas becomes the emotional core of the story
And how this script rewards you even more on a rewatch
 
🎬 Plus:
The “live-action Clue” vibes
That insane ensemble cast (seriously, everyone shows up)
The twist… and the twist behind the twist
 
🎧 Listen on your favorite platform:
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/movie-highlow/id1894669466
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5F6GMoqeJcahbZtk592a9a
 
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Did this remake need to happen at all?
This week on Movie HighLow, we’re diving into Jacob’s Ladder (2019)—a remake of a cult classic that… doesn’t quite justify its existence.
🪖 A war medic haunted by trauma
🧠 Hallucinations that blur reality
😈 And a story that never quite lands
 
At first, it feels like it might work…
…but the deeper it goes, the more it falls apart.
 
We get into:
Why the movie feels rushed from the start
The problem with revealing too much too early
Why the twist doesn’t hit the way it should
The overuse of CGI horror vs practical effects
And the biggest issue: it doesn’t bring anything new to the story
 
🎬 Plus:
Some surprisingly decent visuals and shot composition
A few ideas that almost work
And why this might just make you want to rewatch the original instead
 
🎧 Listen on your favorite platform:
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/movie-highlow/id1894669466
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5F6GMoqeJcahbZtk592a9a
 
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If you could erase someone you loved… would you?
This week on Movie HighLow, we’re diving into Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind—a film that’s as heartbreaking as it is brilliant.
💔 A relationship falling apart
🧠 Memories being erased
❄️ And two people who can’t seem to stay away from each other
 
This isn’t your typical love story. It’s messy. Honest. Painful. …and uncomfortably real.
We get into:
Why this feels more like real relationships than most movies
Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet completely flipping their usual roles
The genius of Charlie Kaufman’s screenplay and non-linear storytelling
How the memory-erasing concept actually works (and why it feels believable)
And why the middle of this movie is where it truly becomes unforgettable
 
🎬 Plus:
The small, painfully real moments that hit the hardest
Why this is one of our all-time favorite films
And the question that sticks with you long after it ends…
 
👉 Is it better to forget… or to remember, even if it hurts?
 
🎧 Listen on your favorite platform:
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/movie-highlow/id1894669466
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5F6GMoqeJcahbZtk592a9a
 
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What if the gangster story… doesn’t end in glory?
This week on Movie HighLow, we’re diving into The Irishman—Martin Scorsese’s long, quiet, and brutally honest look at the cost of a life in the mob.
🧓 Aging hitmen
🤝 Loyalty vs betrayal
⚰️ And a life that ends not with violence… but loneliness
This isn’t Goodfellas. It’s what comes after.
We get into:
Why this feels like Scorsese’s “final word” on mob movies
The legendary performances from De Niro, Pacino, and Joe Pesci (in a very different role)
The emotional weight behind the Hoffa storyline
Why the ending hits harder than any shootout
And yes… the de-aging (what works and what doesn’t)
🎬 Plus:
The small moments that make the story feel real
Why this movie is intentionally slower and quieter
And the idea that this isn’t about crime… it’s about consequences
 
👉 In the end, this might be the least glamorous gangster movie ever made.
And that’s exactly the point.
 
🎧 Listen on your favorite platform:
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/movie-highlow/id1894669466
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5F6GMoqeJcahbZtk592a9a
 
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Check out:
 Martin Scorsese NY Times Op-Ed - https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/04/opinion/martin-scorsese-marvel.html 
 Irishman "deepfake" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dyRvbFhknRc
 The Shining starring Jim Carrey - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HG_NZpkttXE
"Home Stallone" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2svOtXaD3gg
 

How does a movie this bad become this entertaining?
This week on Movie HighLow, we’re diving into The Wicker Man (2006) — a movie that somehow failed as a thriller… and accidentally became a comedy classic.
🐝 Nicolas Cage vs. bees
🐻 A bear suit for no reason
👊 Punching his way through an entire island
 
What was supposed to be a dark, psychological remake turns into something completely different… and honestly, way more fun.
We get into:
Why this is the definition of “so bad it’s good”
The absolute insanity of Nicolas Cage’s performance
The unintentionally hilarious dialogue and moments
The bizarre third act that completely goes off the rails
And whether this movie is secretly more entertaining than it has any right to be
🎬 Plus:
The infamous “NOT THE BEES!” scene
The twist (and why it kind of works… and kind of doesn’t)
And how this became one of the most meme-able movies ever
 
👉 This isn’t a good movie.
👉 But it is a great time.
 
🎧 Listen on your favorite platform:
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/movie-highlow/id1894669466
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5F6GMoqeJcahbZtk592a9a
 
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References:
"Nic Cage Losing His Shit" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zySHepF04c   
 Nic Cage Interview talking about his process/using fake cocaine (also referenced in show) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1sziPDrRJc
"Mega Wicker Man" (long standing YouTube favorite) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJ-5Mg_12zo
"Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans" (one of many legitimately great Nic Cage Movies/Performances) - https://amzn.to/2GmZAPL

This isn’t just a bad movie… it’s an endurance test.
This week on Movie HighLow, we take on Battlefield Earth (2000) — a sci-fi epic that somehow became one of the most infamous flops of all time.
👽 Psychlos
🐀 Man-animals
📉 9 Razzies (yes, NINE)
 
What was supposed to be a massive sci-fi franchise starter turns into a confusing, overlong, and honestly exhausting experience.
We get into:
Why this movie feels way longer than it is
John Travolta’s wild performance (and endless villain laughs)
The infamous “Dutch angle” overload
The bizarre tone that never quite lands
And the moment that almost makes it worth it:
👉 “DO YOU WANT LUNCH?!
 
🎬 Plus:
The confusing plot and uneven world-building
Why the concept actually had potential
And how this movie became a textbook example of what not to do
 
👉 It’s not fun-bad.
👉 It’s not good-bad.
👉 It’s just… bad. (…with a few unintentionally hilarious moments)
 
🎧 Listen on your favorite platform:
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/movie-highlow/id1894669466
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5F6GMoqeJcahbZtk592a9a
 
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Is The Dark Knight still the greatest superhero movie ever made?
On the very first episode of Movie HighLow, we start with a HIGH—and it doesn’t get much higher than The Dark Knight.
🃏 A Joker with no rules
🦇 A hero pushed to the edge
⚖️ And a city forced to choose what it stands for 
This isn’t just a comic book movie.
It’s a crime story.
A character study.
And a film that completely changed what blockbuster movies could be.
We get into:
Heath Ledger’s unforgettable Joker performance
Why this version of the Joker is so different (and so terrifying)
Harvey Dent’s arc and the idea of heroes vs villains
Christopher Nolan’s grounded, realistic approach to Batman
And whether the movie really has any flaws
🎬 Plus:
The philosophy behind chaos vs order
Why the movie still feels relevant today
And the moments that made this an all-time classic
👉 Gotham deserves a better class of movie… and this might be it.
 
🎧 Listen on your favorite platform:
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/movie-highlow/id1894669466
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5F6GMoqeJcahbZtk592a9a
 
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