All posts by Robert Yaniz Jr.

Close Watch Episode 5: ‘The First Wives Club’ (feat. Phoenix Clouden of the Film Code Podcast)

Considering The First Wives Club earned $100 million in 1996, it’s remarkable how little people seem to discuss it. This episode, Phoenix Clouden of the Film Code Podcast helps us fix that. As the movie celebrates its 25th anniversary, now is the perfect time to celebrate the iconic performances from Goldie Hawn, Bette Midler, and Diane Keaton.

Even as a child, Phoenix found himself drawn into the story of three women of a certain age contending with their duplicitous ex-husbands. We’ll discuss why The First Wives Club is so much deeper than it seems, which of the three leading ladies we relate to the most, and whether we’d want to see a sequel reuniting Hawn, Midler, and Keaton even now.

Join us as we officially call this meeting of The First Wives Club to order.

SYNOPSIS
Despondent over her ex-husband’s marriage to a younger woman, a middle-aged divorcĂ©e (Stockard Channing) plunges to her death. At her funeral, her former college friends (Bette Midler, Goldie Hawn, and Diane Keaton) reunite. When they discover the reason for their friend’s suicide, they realize their ex-husbands have taken them for granted. Deciding it’s time for revenge, they make a pact to get back at their exes.

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Franchise Detours Episode 8: ‘Curse of Chucky’ (feat. Sandro Falce of Oldie But a Goodie)

It’s not uncommon for a horror film franchise to eventually find its way into direct-to-DVD or on-demand territory. But what makes 2013’s Curse of Chucky is how it not only endures but thrives from that point on. Nearly a decade after Seed of Chucky fell short of most fans’ expectations, writer-director Don Mancini reinvented his signature character yet again.

In the penultimate episode of our Child’s Play/Chucky mega-series, Sandro Falce of Oldie But a Goodie joins the show. This entry introduces another new protagonist in Nica Pierce (Fiona Dourif). We’ll discuss how Dourif’s addition makes the series a family affair, why Curse of Chucky needed to step back to move forward, and where the story is heading.

Listen in as the Child’s Play franchise hits its third incarnation. It’s the haunted house movie of the series this episode. But if Curse of Chucky seems subdued for good ol’ Charles Lee Ray, just wait to see what he’s up to next.

SYNOPSIS
Twenty-five years after Brad Dourif first voiced Chucky, he’s back for the sixth Child’s Play film. Set nearly a decade after Seed of Chucky, the killer doll (Dourif) re-emerges at the home of a grieving family. However, following the death of her mother, Nica begins to suspect Chucky may be the key to recent bloodshed and chaos.

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Franchise Detours Episode 7: ‘Seed of Chucky’ (feat. Matt Donato of Certified Forgotten)

Bride of Chucky introduced the first major detour in the Child’s Play franchise. Adding Jennifer Tilly as Tiffany Valentine injected more comedy and self-awareness to series writer Don Mancini’s macabre tale. But as audiences discovered in 2004, Chucky’s world would get a lot wilder. In Mancini’s directorial debut, Seed of Chucky, the killer duo become parents.

In the fifth episode of our Child’s Play/Chucky mega-series, Matt Donato of Certified Forgotten joins the show to help us break down how Seed of Chucky changed the series forever. We’ll discuss its handling of gender identity, how it marks a dramatic turning point for Chucky (Brad Dourif), and why its release led Mancini to take the franchise back to basics.

Listen in as we bid farewell to the “Chucky and Tiffany” section of the Child’s Play franchise. Next up: Curse of Chucky marks a new era for the franchise, as Fiona Dourif joins the series as Nica Pierce.

SYNOPSIS
Glen (Billy Boyd) is the offspring of evil doll Chucky (Brad Dourif) and his bride (Jennifer Tilly). When Glen hears that a film is being made about his parents, he goes to Hollywood and resurrects them. But Glen is horrified when Chucky and Tiffany embark on a new killing spree. Meanwhile, Glen must decide whether to follow in his parent’s footsteps.

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