Video Monsters

In-depth movie analysis podcast with hosts Nathan, Eric, and Dan where we take movies seriously, but we don't take ourselves seriously. Sponsored by Chattanooga Film Festival, and Central Cinema (Knoxville, TN)

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466 episodes
Updated June 20
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Episodes466

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Nov 14, 2020 · 1 hr 24 min
Frightening Ass Film Fest 2020
Despite being in the middle of a pandemic, the Chattanooga Film Festival was still able to bring a scary good time to Chattanooga (and beyond!) on Halloween weekend with the virtual edition of the Frightening Ass Film Fest!! As we have mentioned countless times on Video Monsters, part of what makes film festivals so special (beyond just the great films, that is) is the ability to interact with filmmakers and fellow film-lovers alike. And once again, the Chattanooga Film Festival was able to bring that camaraderie to a virtual setting with its mixture of awesome horror films, live events (from some of our favorite podcasts), and a "virtual lobby" for discussion of what everyone was watching. We obviously still long for the day when it is possible for film fests to reconvene in person again...but in the meantime, virtual film festivals such as the Frightening Ass Film Fest are bringing some much needed fulfilment to the cinematic void in our lives. So, grab a Moon Pie, your favorite Chattanooga beverage, and watch out for Babysface as we discuss the Frightening Ass Film Fest 2020!! Video Monsters is brought to you by the Chattanooga Film Festival and Central Cinema in Knoxville, TN. Follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or online at chattfilmfest.org and centralcinema865.com Links for each of these can also be found on our pages, so be sure to follow us at videomonsterpod on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram as well. music for Video Monsters by Evan Simmons
Oct 25, 2020 · 1 hr 14 min
The Frighteners (1996)
Our Halloween 2020 coverage continues with special guest, and friend of Video Monsters, Brian Salisbury!! We are major fans of Junkfood Cinema here at Video Monsters, so we are ridiculously excited that Brian was able to join us for a frighteningly lively (and puntastic) discussion of The Frighteners!! This family-friendly(ish) R-rated horror comedy beautifully blends an incredibly dark tone with genuine humor, relatable characters, solid acting, and a score from Danny Elfman that perfectly captures the mood. Bridging the gap between Jackson's early work (such as Dead Alive) and his big-budget blockbuster epics, The Frighteners is a light-hearted romp down a dark and spooky path! So grab your broken garden gnome, a pistol full of holy water, watch out for an asshole with an uzi, and follow us into the light for our review of The Frighteners!! Despite being in the middle of a pandemic, the Chattanooga Film Festival is still bringing a scary good time to Chattanooga (and beyond!) this Halloween (Oct. 30-31) with the virtual edition of the Frightening Ass Film Fest!! The full lineup for the Frightening Ass Film Fest has already been announced (and can be found at chattfilmfest.org), including a live show of Junkfood Cinema. But, we are pleased to announce that we have a Video Monsters scoop of what film Junkfood Cinema will be discussing...so be sure to listen to tonight's episode to find out what's in store! Badges for Frightening Ass Film Fest available at https://faff.festivee.com/ Video Monsters is brought to you by the Chattanooga Film Festival and Central Cinema in Knoxville, TN. Follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or online at chattfilmfest.org and centralcinema865.com Links for each of these can also be found on our pages, so be sure to follow us at videomonsterpod on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram as well. music for Video Monsters by Evan Simmons
Oct 21, 2020 · 1 hr 54 min
Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth (1992)
We have such sights to show you as we continue on with our Halloween 2020 coverage!! Tonight, we are joined by special guest and friend of Video Monsters, Kyle Kuchta, for our review of Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth! Unlike typical slasher franchises that can play things safe by just putting the slasher into a new group of unsuspecting college kids with overactive libidos, the Hellraiser franchise has to follow in the footsteps of the smart and incredibly powerful (yet, beautifully simple) original. While this results in a franchise that often-times tries too hard to be clever, it has also resulted in a number of sequels that have tried (not always successfully) to present new ideas to keep expanding the world of Pinhead and the Cenobites. But, the attempt to expand on an incredibly fascinating world has definitely resulted in some unique sequels...of varying levels of fun. And one of the most fun of the Hellraiser sequels is Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth....or, as Nathan calls it...Hellraiser III: Pinhead Takes Manhattan. So put on your tight leather outfit, grab your microwave cookbook, and learn how to dream again as we sink our hooks into Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth!! Video Monsters is brought to you by the Chattanooga Film Festival and Central Cinema in Knoxville, TN. Follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or online at chattfilmfest.org and centralcinema865.com Links for each of these can also be found on our pages, so be sure to follow us at videomonsterpod on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram as well. Knoxville Horror Film Fest: Oct. 23-25 - knoxhorrorfest.com Frightening Ass Film Fest: Oct. 30-31 - chattfilmfest.org music for Video Monsters by Evan Simmons
Oct 18, 2020 · 1 hr 41 min
Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon (2006)
Our Halloween 2020 coverage continues with special guest and friend of Video Monsters, Mike Wolfe! Before unmasking just how much we love Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon, we start things off with a quick update about the Knoxville Horror Film Fest, some highlights of the lineup of the Frightening Ass Film Fest, and a bit of a discussion of the short films and creative projects that Mike has been working on. Even though Behind the Mask has been on our radar for a while, it has remained a blind spot for us for years...so, we are incredibly happy that it was Mike's pick for our episode as it forced us into finally getting around to watching what will undoubtedly quickly rise among the ranks to become a favorite of Video Monsters!! This meta horror comedy mockumentary might be light in outright scares, but it more than makes up for it with its insightful analysis of horror tropes, endlessly quotable lines, and a framework that is so artfully crafted that practically every single shot and line of dialogue is intentionally woven to draw you into its web! So double check the batteries in your flashlight, grab your pre-cut tool from the shed, and keep an eye out for red herrings as we smash through a 1st floor window and run till daylight with our review of Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon!! Video Monsters is brought to you by the Chattanooga Film Festival and Central Cinema in Knoxville, TN. Follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or online at chattfilmfest.org and centralcinema865.com Links for each of these can also be found on our pages, so be sure to follow us at videomonsterpod on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram as well. Knoxville Horror Film Fest: Oct. 23-25 - knoxhorrorfest.com Frightening Ass Film Fest: Oct. 30-31 - chattfilmfest.org music for Video Monsters by Evan Simmons
Oct 11, 2020 · 2 hr 22 min
Dead Silence (2007) - special guest Matt Mercer
Our Halloween 2020 coverage continues with special guest and friend of Video Monsters, Matt Mercer!! In preparation for tonight's episode we saw a film and then worked on conjuring up what to say, without sounding too much like dummies. That's right, tonight's episode is about Dead Silence! While we certainly do not think that this film deserves the hate that it has received, we also ended up spending most of the episode talking about the movie that Dead Silence could have been and how amazing that movie would have been! Also, as is to be expected anytime that we are joined by Matt, we also went on several tangents, including unsolicited suggestions for Screen Drafts and whether or not Jason X is a perfect film. So, grab your squeaky rocking chair, your electric razor, and be sure not to scream during our review of Dead Silence! Video Monsters is brought to you by the Chattanooga Film Festival and Central Cinema in Knoxville, TN. Follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or online at chattfilmfest.org and centralcinema865.com Links for each of these can also be found on our pages, so be sure to follow us at videomonsterpod on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram as well. Knoxville Horror Film Fest: Oct. 23-25 - knoxhorrorfest.com Frightening Ass Film Fest: Oct. 30-31 - chattfilmfest.org music for Video Monsters by Evan Simmons
Oct 6, 2020 · 1 hr 50 min
Fantastic Fest & Knoxville Horror Film Fest 2020
Halloween has always been one of our favorite holidays here at Video Monsters - and our love of the Halloween season has grown exponentially over the past few years as we have made it a habit to attend the Knoxville Horror Film Fest and the Frightening Ass Film Fest (in Chattanooga). And while living in a pandemic royally sucks and is sadly (ridiculously sadly) preventing us from being able to attend Knoxville Horror Film Fest in person this year, the necessity of changing formats to adjust to our current world means that we were finally able to "attend" Fantastic Fest, as it went virtual for 2020 (as Chattanooga Film Festival did, and as Frightening Ass Film Fest will do as well). And while each festival is adjusting to the pandemic in their own way, they are all doing their best to keep everyone as safe as possible while still providing a great festival experience and screening some awesome movies!! As we have discussed numerous times before, part of what we love so much about film festivals is being able to share in that cinematic experience with fellow film lovers (yes, the movies are awesome, but it is the shared experience that really puts it over the top). And it is safe to say that Fantastic Fest and Knoxville Horror Film Fest understand that as well (as does Chattanooga Film Festival & Frightening Ass Film Fest) as Fantastic Fest virtually maintained several of their live events, and Knoxville Horror Film Fest embraces some cinematic roots (and ensures social distancing) by screening films at Parkway Drive-In. So, grab your favorite movie snacks, a tasty beverage, and watch out for chainsaws and zombie rain as we share our love of cinema and discuss some of the films of Fantastic Fest and Knoxville Horror Film Fest 2020!! Fantastic Fest films discussed: The Queen of Black Magic How to Deter a Robber The Boy Behind the Door Action U.S.A. The Stylist Knoxville Horror Film Fest films discussed: The Stylist Evil Dead 2 Pieces The Return of the Living Dead Demons Grizzly II: Revenge (via discussion of Grizzly) Video Monsters is brought to you by the Chattanooga Film Festival and Central Cinema in Knoxville, TN. Follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or online at chattfilmfest.org and centralcinema865.com Links for each of these can also be found on our pages, so be sure to follow us at videomonsterpod on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram as well. music for Video Monsters by Evan Simmons
Oct 2, 2020 · 2 hr 24 min
Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992)
Our Halloween 2020 coverage continues with a truly batty 90s horror gem from the director of some of the greatest films of all time... Francis Ford Coppola’s Bram Stoker’s Dracula! This film is a gorgeous, gloriously weird throwback to the early days of genre cinema. We discuss the allure of sexy Gary Oldman, Coppola’s commitment to pulling off the film’s many stunning special effects in-camera, how this modern adaptation stacks up the rest of the Dracula canon, and so much more! It’s safe to say we both enjoyed the film, but that didn’t stop us from getting into a few hearty debates over the film’s central romance, the way it treats its female characters, and even Keanu Reeves’s accent. Yes, you read that right. One of us had the audacity to actually defend the “sweet music” that comes from Keanu’s lips. But which one of us is it? So grab your comically large (and very suggestive) bowie knife, watch out for wandering shadows, and join us (you children of the night) as we cross oceans of time with Bram Stoker’s Dracula! Video Monsters is brought to you by the Chattanooga Film Festival and Central Cinema in Knoxville, TN. Follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or online at chattfilmfest.org and centralcinema865.com Links for each of these can also be found on our pages, so be sure to follow us at videomonsterpod on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram as well. music for Video Monsters by Evan Simmons
Sep 23, 2020 · 1 hr 28 min
Arachnophobia (1990)
On tonight's episode, we continue our Halloween 2020 coverage and our 90s/00s horror series with a family friendly horror movie that absolutely draws you into its web: Arachnophobia!! Frank Marshall clearly learned from working with the best, as Arachnophobia is packed with characters that feel genuine, humor, and just enough subtle scares to give you the creeps the more that you think about them! Arachnophobia has all of the heart of a Spielberg film and arguably does the same thing for spiders that Jaws did for sharks! So grab your finest bottle of wine from the cellar (or a rare '74 Miller Lite with a misprint on the label), pop some popcorn with some extra butter, and cuddle up with your favorite arachnid as we sink our fangs into Arachnophobia!! Following the intro/announcements/etc., timestamps for each of the segments (we try to keep the content within the appropriate sections, but there is bound to be some overlap within the sections) are as follows: Prior information and how it shaped our expectations - 0:06:00 What we thought of the film from a technical standpoint - 0:16:06 What we thought of the film from an emotional standpoint and/or our analysis of the film - 1:01:00 How rewatchable the film is - 1:16:44 Who we recommend the movie to - 1:20:06 Closing - 1:24:36 Video Monsters is brought to you by the Chattanooga Film Festival and Central Cinema in Knoxville, TN. Follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or online at chattfilmfest.org and centralcinema865.com Links for each of these can also be found on our pages, so be sure to follow us at videomonsterpod on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram as well. music for Video Monsters by Evan Simmons
Sep 18, 2020 · 2 hr 10 min
Troll 2 (1990) & Best Worst Movie (2009)
We kick off our Halloween 2020 coverage in tonight's episode with some announcements about Knoxville Horror Film Festival, Frightening Ass Film Fest, and Chattanooga Film Festival ....then, we sink our teeth into one of the most deliciously terrible movies of all time - Troll 2!! This movie is an absolute mess... and sheer enjoyment from start to finish! While generally considered to be one of the worst movies of all time, there is so much heart put into the movie by those who made it. And once you learn a bit more about the people who were in the movie, Troll 2 becomes an endearing cult gem of a comedy of errors. While Troll 2 can certainly be enjoyed on its own, having a bit more of the backstory absolutely adds to the connection to the film. Because of this, we very strongly recommend watching Best Worst Movie (the documentary about Troll 2 made by Michael Paul Stevenson - the actor who played Joshua) prior to watching Troll 2. And, consequently, tonight's episode is a sort of a double feature as it is almost impossible for us to discuss Troll 2 without also discussing Best Worst Movie. So grab your double-decker bologna sandwich, remember to pick up supplies, and don't piss on hospitality as we take a trip to Nilbog for Troll 2 & Best Worst Movie!! Video Monsters is brought to you by the Chattanooga Film Festival and Central Cinema in Knoxville, TN. Follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or online at chattfilmfest.org and centralcinema865.com Links for each of these can also be found on our pages, so be sure to follow us at videomonsterpod on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram as well. music for Video Monsters by Evan Simmons
Sep 9, 2020 · 3 hr 40 min
History of Cinema: 1970s
Continuing our year-long theme covering the history of cinema, today's episode covers films from the 1970s! Following the civil unrest of the 60s, cinema in the 70s took a much more cynical view of the world, exposing the rough edges of humanity with the "gritty realism" that defined movies from that decade. While not every movie from the 70s hated the world in which it was born, the increase in original horror movies that were more grounded in "reality" than reliance on classic monsters, the popularization of disaster movies, and an abundance of vigilantes and rogue cops "cleaning up the streets" was clearly holding up a mirror to reflect the disillusionment of humanity at the time. While a pretty solid chunk of the episode is discussing the representation of vigilantes (as well as the potential impact it continues to have on modern society), we do also spend some time talking about some brighter spots of the decade that don't center around rogue "justice." We also spend some time (not nearly enough time, honestly) discussing a hidden gem that might honestly be one of our favorite films of the decade, Keoma!! As a reminder, these History of Cinema episodes will not be a comprehensive coverage of every single movie that was released that decade. It isn't even necessarily going to be the "top" movies from the decade. Instead, it will be more of a broad discussion of some of the advancements, themes, and highlights from each decade, with the various movies that we watched as examples. This series is also serving as an opportunity for us to fill in some gaps in our own personal film viewings (this series was also inspired, in part, by our Horror Movie Blindspots series we did last year). Video Monsters is brought to you by the Chattanooga Film Festival and Central Cinema in Knoxville, TN. Follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or online at chattfilmfest.org and centralcinema865.com Links for each of these can also be found on our pages, so be sure to follow us at videomonsterpod on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram as well. music for Video Monsters by Evan Simmons Audio clip from Keoma (1976) Directed by Enzo G. Castellari starring: Franco Nero, Woody Strode and William Berger music: Guido De Angelis & Maurizio De Angelis song performed by: Sybil & Guy
Aug 29, 2020 · 2 hr 7 min
Schumacher's Batmen
Holy infrequent podcast, Batman!! The Video Monsters signal has gone up and we have answered the call - turning our "Joely" into "SchumAugust" to bring you our heartfelt reviews of two of the lesser-loved films in the cinematic world of Batman. Well...lesser-loved to most. Here at Video Monsters, we recognize the flaws that these films have...but who cares!! These movies are popcorn fun with a lot to love!! So put on your anatomically correct leather suit, make some bad puns, and power up with diamonds (that still makes less than zero sense) to share in our love of Joel Schumacher's Batman Forever and Batman & Robin!! Following the intro/announcements/etc., timestamps for each of the segments (we try to keep the content within the appropriate sections, but there is bound to be some overlap within the sections) are as follows: - Prior information and how it shaped our expectations - 0:5:27 - What we thought of the films from a technical standpoint - 0:20:14 - What we thought of the films from an emotional standpoint and/or our analysis of the films - 1:15:16 - How rewatchable the films are - 1:58:30 - Who we recommend the movies to - 2:01:13 - Closing - 2:04:54 Video Monsters is brought to you by the Chattanooga Film Festival and Central Cinema in Knoxville, TN. Follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or online at chattfilmfest.org and centralcinema865.com Links for each of these can also be found on our pages, so be sure to follow us at videomonsterpod on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram as well. music for Video Monsters by Evan Simmons
Jul 24, 2020 · 2 hr 12 min
The Lost Boys (1987)
Even though we got a very (very, very) late start, the theme of July at Video Monsters is Joel-y, in which we are paying respects to the passing of Joel Schumacher by covering some of his more notable films. And we are kicking things off with one of the most beloved films in Schumacher's filmography, The Lost Boys! Along with discussing all of the obvious things about this film that have made it a classic (the cinematography, soundtrack, amazing performances, unforgettable characters, etc.), we also get into a pretty deep analysis into the much darker subtext of what the vampires represent....or, at least what Nathan's over-analysis thinks that they could represent. So grab your box of maggots, grate some garlic, and invite us in as we sink our fangs into The Lost Boys! Following the intro/announcements/etc., timestamps for each of the segments (we try to keep the content within the appropriate sections, but there is bound to be some overlap within the sections) are as follows: Brief discussion of Joel Schumacher's filmography - 0:06:08 Prior information and how it shaped our expectations - 0:15:11 What we thought of the film from a technical standpoint - 0:28:27 What we thought of the film from an emotional standpoint and/or our analysis of the film - 0:41:13 How rewatchable the film is - 1:31:28 Who we recommend the movie to - 1:43:42 Closing - 2:00:50 Video Monsters is brought to you by the Chattanooga Film Festival and Central Cinema in Knoxville, TN. Follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or online at chattfilmfest.org and centralcinema865.com Links for each of these can also be found on our pages, so be sure to follow us at videomonsterpod on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram as well. music for Video Monsters by Evan Simmons
Jul 13, 2020 · 2 hr 42 min
History of Cinema: 1960s
Continuing our year-long theme covering the history of cinema, today's episode covers films from the 1960s! With an increase of morally grey "protagonists", anti-heroes, sexuality, and critiques of establishment, the increasing counterculture was abundantly clear in the cinema of the 1960s! This counterculture critique of establishment is also part of what contributed to significant social change, such as the civil rights movement. And the civil unrest is clearly captured in the films of the decade - sometimes through directly addressing the issues of the day; while other times capturing the emotion of the unrest through more subtle forms, such as merely challenging the standard structure of how a movie is presented. The social commentary of the films of the 1960s is especially relevant (and highly discussed) on tonight's episode, as history repeats itself and we see numerous issues from back then continuing (or, resurfacing) in the present day. As a reminder, these History of Cinema episodes will not be a comprehensive coverage of every single movie that was released that decade. It isn't even necessarily going to be the "top" movies from the decade. Instead, it will be more of a broad discussion of some of the advancements, themes, and highlights from each decade, with the various movies that we watched as examples. This series is also serving as an opportunity for us to fill in some gaps in our own personal film viewings (this series was also inspired, in part, by our Horror Movie Blindspots series we did last year). Video Monsters is brought to you by the Chattanooga Film Festival and Central Cinema in Knoxville, TN. Follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or online at chattfilmfest.org and centralcinema865.com Links for each of these can also be found on our pages, so be sure to follow us at videomonsterpod on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram as well. music for Video Monsters by Evan Simmons
Jul 3, 2020 · 1 hr 44 min
The Droving (2020)
Tonight's episode is about The Droving (2020) - a story of loss, grief, trauma, revenge, and the role that one's belief has in how they cope with their suffering. Without giving too much away, this film is essentially a cult movie without the cult. The Droving has many of the tropes of a cult film (mysterious disappearance, traditional festival, folklore, discrepancy between the mundane aspects of daily life and the supernatural elements of belief), but focuses primarily on Martin (Daniel Oldroyd) and his emotional journey set forth by the beliefs of another. At only 80 minutes, this film quickly gets to the point - which helps to keep the focus on "what will happen next?" rather than lingering on the mystery of what happened in the past. The great performances of this small cast bring an intimacy to this film what will keep you engaged and give you a LOT to discuss by the end (at least, we certainly had plenty to discuss....)!! Following the intro/announcements/etc., timestamps for each of the segments (we try to keep the content within the appropriate sections, but there is bound to be some overlap within the sections) are as follows: Prior information and how it shaped our expectations - 0:11:17 What we thought of the film from a technical standpoint - 0:18:34 What we thought of the film from an emotional standpoint (major spoilers during this section) - 0:45:00 How rewatchable the film is - 1:22:52 Who we recommend the movie to - 1:27:10 Closing - 1:35:30 Video Monsters is brought to you by the Chattanooga Film Festival and Central Cinema in Knoxville, TN. Follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or online at chattfilmfest.org and centralcinema865.com Links for each of these can also be found on our pages, so be sure to follow us at videomonsterpod on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram as well. music for Video Monsters by Evan Simmons
Jun 20, 2020 · 1 hr 20 min
Butterfly Kisses (2018)
Tonight's episode focuses on Butterfly Kisses (2018), a mockumentary/found footage mashup about a filmmaker's journey attempting to prove the authenticity of evidence of an urban legend, caught on the tapes of a couple of film students for their final project. While most found footage films rely too much on the "found footage" gimmick as an attempt to draw the audience more into the story (without actually focusing on a story into which the audience wants to be drawn), director Erik Kristopher Myers wraps a mockumentary around the found footage to bring a lot more depth to the story, as well as play with (and poke holes in) the tropes of found footage films. The deconstruction of the genre, as well as having most of the urban legend and found footage experts portrayed by real people actually in the field, results in a much more authentic feel that helps Butterfly Kisses be a truly entertaining film! Video Monsters is brought to you by the Chattanooga Film Festival and Central Cinema in Knoxville, TN. Follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or online at chattfilmfest.org and centralcinema865.com Links for each of these can also be found on our pages, so be sure to follow us at videomonsterpod on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram as well. music for Video Monsters by Evan Simmons
Jun 16, 2020 · 2 hr 18 min
History of Cinema: 1950s
Continuing our year-long theme covering the history of cinema, today's episode covers films from the 1950s! While I can understand why some people might not want to watch movies with social commentary because they view movies as pure escapism, the 1950s serve as a pretty strong rebuttal to people who say that movies should never include any social commentary. Cinema in the 1950s was packed full of commentary about the fallout (literal and metaphorical) of atomic weapons, finding one's identity in a post-WWII world, and the red scare fear mongering of McCarthy. Even the "B-movies" of the era (which saw an increase thanks to things such as drive-in theaters) were often giant monster movies, playing off of fears of atomic war. And while some of the movies from the decade now serve as mindless escapism, it is the social commentary (even in some of the more "mindless" films) that has led to so many of these movies becoming classics and still continuing to have a powerful impact!! As a reminder, these History of Cinema episodes will not be a comprehensive coverage of every single movie that was released that decade. It isn't even necessarily going to be the "top" movies from the decade. Instead, it will be more of a broad discussion of some of the advancements, themes, and highlights from each decade, with the various movies that we watched as examples. This series is also serving as an opportunity for us to fill in some gaps in our own personal film viewings (this series was also inspired, in part, by our Horror Movie Blindspots series we did last year). Video Monsters is brought to you by the Chattanooga Film Festival and Central Cinema in Knoxville, TN. Follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or online at chattfilmfest.org and centralcinema865.com Links for each of these can also be found on our pages, so be sure to follow us at videomonsterpod on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram as well. music for Video Monsters by Evan Simmons
Jun 13, 2020 · 3 hr 13 min
Chattanooga Film Festival 2020 - with special guests Andrew Austin and Mark Covino
The Chattanooga Film Festival was held virtually this year on 5/22 - 5/25. Despite the obvious limitations of not being able to attend a film festival in person, the Chattanooga Film Festival did an amazing job of translating the festival experience into a virtual format and we, once again, had an amazing time watching films and interacting with fellow film lovers! The change in format this year did have an impact on how many films we were able to see (Nathan was able to watch more while, unfortunately, Eric was not able to watch as much), which in turn had an impact on our coverage. So, while we were not able to cover every single film we saw in as much depth as we would have liked, Andrew Austin and Mark Covino have joined us once again to provide an overall view of the entire fest. There is a bit of overlap in discussion from each of the discussions, but the timestamp for the start of each of the general segments is below: Opening statement against racism - 0:00:53 Intro of Mark and Andrew - 0:05:00 Overall Thoughts of Chattanooga Film Festival - 0:13:43 Highlights of Feature Films, part 1 - 0:23:46 Highlights of Live Events - 0:46:08 Highlights of Feature Films, part 2 - 1:03:27 Highlights of Short Films - 1:58:49 Impact of Virtual CFF on Future Film Fests - 2:48:22 Final Thoughts on CFF - 3:02:44 Where to Follow and Closing Remarks- 3:06:31 Video Monsters is brought to you by the Chattanooga Film Festival and Central Cinema in Knoxville, TN. Follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or online at chattfilmfest.org and centralcinema865.com Links for each of these can also be found on our pages, so be sure to follow us at videomonsterpod on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram as well. music for Video Monsters by Evan Simmons
May 21, 2020 · 1 hr 57 min
Matinee (1993)
The virtual Chattanooga Film Festival is set to begin in just a few short hours and this year's CFF includes a presentation of the CFF Lifetime Achievement Award to the incomparable Joe Dante!! The presentation will be Saturday at 7:00pm, but we wanted to get the celebration started a little early...so, tonight's episode is a discussion of Matinee - a heartwarming tale of the impact that movies can have when it feels like the rest of the world is falling apart (it is set during the Cuban Missile Crisis, but its certainly just as relevant today!) This was a cinematic blind spot for us here at Video Monsters, but we instantly fell in love with it as it is Dante's love letter to monster movies and the importance of cinema in society!! Also, Matinee has one of the greatest movies within a movie - Mant! (which, by the way, also includes a scene in a movie theater, creating a beautiful movie within a movie within a movie). The love of cinema and the celebration of Joe Dante make Matinee the perfect pre-Chattanooga Film Festival movie! So head over to chattfilmfest.org to get your CFF badges (10$ for a day pass, $30 for the entire weekend) and then go to your preferred VOD platform and check out Matinee...you'll be glad you did! And speaking of love and Chattanooga Film Festival, a few of our fellow Video Monsters stop by (virtually, of course) to send their love to the Chattanooga Film Festival and Chris Dortch!! Video Monsters is brought to you by the Chattanooga Film Festival and Central Cinema in Knoxville, TN. Follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or online at chattfilmfest.org and centralcinema865.com Links for each of these can also be found on our pages, so be sure to follow us at videomonsterpod on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram as well. music for Video Monsters by Evan Simmons
May 14, 2020 · 1 hr 21 min
Chattanooga Film Festival 2020: pre-CFF coverage with special guest Chris Dortch II
Anyone who has ever listened to even a single episode of Video Monsters probably knows just how much we love the Chattanooga Film Festival!! The love of cinema of everyone involved always shines through with all of the hard work and sacrifices they put into making CFF happen each year. And this year, there has been an extra dose of hard work and sacrifices as CFF had to shift from its usual format to a virtual CFF because of the global impact of COVID-19. So, we are beyond excited to once again be joined by Chris Dortch II (CFF Director) as we discuss this virtual shift, along with some of the highlights of this year's programming. But, most importantly, we discuss how CFF is about the people. Not just the people involved in making the films, but the people attending CFF. Every time that we discuss CFF on the podcast, we go on and on about how the movies are awesome...but the camaraderie of sharing and discussing those experiences with fellow cinephiles and filmmakers is why the Chattanooga Film Festival has firmly established a permanent place in our hearts!! And while it certainly won't be exactly the same with not being able to be there in person, after seeing the programming and hearing Chris talk about how the focus on supporting filmmakers and maintaining the experience (as best as virtual can offer) was at the center of all they have been preparing this year...we have no doubt that this year's Chattanooga Film Festival will be one that we never forget!! Video Monsters is brought to you by the Chattanooga Film Festival and Central Cinema in Knoxville, TN. Follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or online at chattfilmfest.org and centralcinema865.com Links for each of these can also be found on our pages, so be sure to follow us at videomonsterpod on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram as well. music for Video Monsters by Evan Simmons
May 4, 2020 · 2 hr 43 min
History of Cinema: 1940s
Continuing our year-long theme covering the history of cinema, today's episode covers films from the 1940s! The 1940s were a very dark time in America (coming out of the Great Depression only to go into WWII) and that abundantly clear from the movies that were released that decade. But, despite the heavy tone, the 40s also graced us with some of the most iconic movies in cinematic history...including what many consider to be "the greatest movie of all time." So, grab a snow globe, join us at Pleasure Island, and avoid the full moon as continue our cinematic journey through history with the 1940s!! We also start the episode out discussing the announcement from the Chattanooga Film Festival regarding their partnership with Microsoft to bring you an online, interactive, film festival!! As a reminder, these History of Cinema episodes will not be a comprehensive coverage of every single movie that was released that decade. It isn't even necessarily going to be the "top" movies from the decade. Instead, it will be more of a broad discussion of some of the advancements, themes, and highlights from each decade, with the various movies that we watched as examples. This series is also serving as an opportunity for us to fill in some gaps in our own personal film viewings (this series was also inspired, in part, by our Horror Movie Blindspots series we did last year). Video Monsters is brought to you by the Chattanooga Film Festival and Central Cinema in Knoxville, TN. Follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or online at chattfilmfest.org and centralcinema865.com Links for each of these can also be found on our pages, so be sure to follow us at videomonsterpod on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram as well. music for Video Monsters by Evan Simmons