Be Reel

Ahead of Bruce Lee’s (would-be) 80th birthday, we marvel at the flying kicks, wildcats shrieks, and star wattage of the global icon. This week, Be Reel dives into the Dragon’s life, legacy, and three of his major films—“Fist of Fury” (1972), “Way of the Dragon” (1972), and “Enter The Dragon” (1973)—with the help of biographer Jeff Chang and professor/martial artist Lory Dance.

In honor of both the late Sean Connery and the 25th anniversary of "GoldenEye" (1995), Be Reel looks back at the debuts of every actor to play 007: Connery (“Dr. No”), Roger Moore (“Live and Let Die”), Timothy Dalton (“The Living Daylights”), Pierce Brosnan (“GoldenEye”) and Daniel Craig (“Casino Royale”)—with a courteous nod to George Lazenby, too. Don't worry, folks, we don't try too many impressions.

It’s Halloween week, and nobody embodies the committed glam and eerie camp of the holiday quite like Tim Curry. This week, we celebrate and reappraise the British legend’s iconic costumed roles in “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” (1975), “Legend” (1985), and “It” (1990). We also make a brief return to “Clue” manor. Recorded deep in the Vermont woods, this episode also features Noah's girlfriend, Lucy, and their mutual friend Brie, laying down those indispensable "TC Fun Facts."

You may recognize Mark Webber as the talent, the creep, or the kid from cult favorites like 
“Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World,” “Green Room” or “Broken Flowers.” What you might not know is that the well-traveled character actor has embarked on an ambitiously self-interrogative directing career as well, culminating in his latest film: “The Place of No Words.” This week, Webber talks with Chance about acting with his children in movies they can’t watch, the stewardship of Jim Jarmusch, and leafing through bittersweet set photos from “Green Room.”

For the 30th anniversary of "To Sleep with Anger" (1990), we dive into the films of principal "L.A. Rebellion" director Charles Burnett. Part of the first generation of Black directors to come out of American film school, Burnett brought a daring cinematographer’s eye and watchful activist’s pen to films like "Killer of Sheep" (1978) and "The Glass Shield" (1994). Of course, one can’t talk about Burnett without discussing how underappreciated he’s been compared to white directors of his era with similar influences and indie bonafides. So let’s appreciate, dammit. In addition, Be Reel would like to continue directing you to causes that support Black artists and creators. This week, please consider a donation to the “Our Stories Our Lives” response fund from the Portland nonprofit Open Signal. It’s turning donations into hundreds of stipends supporting Black filmmakers in the Northwest. Thank you for supporting their work. https://secure.givelively.org/donate/open-signal/our-stories-our-lives-black-media-make

Miranda July is a genre of her own—quite literally—this week on Be Reel. We're talking about the just-released "Kajillionaire" (2020), "Me and You and Everyone We Know" (2005) and "The Future" (2011). In each, the writer-director introduces us to relationships familiar but strange, where chat rooms, taboos and family traditions both create and bridge the gaps between the world's loneliest people.

God loves a terrier and probably the directorial work of Christopher Guest, too. On the latest Be Reel, we watched “Waiting for Guffman” (1996), “Best in Show” (for its 20th anniversary), “A Mighty Wind” (2003), and “For Your Consideration” (2006)—all currently on Hulu. Let’s dive in to ask what these movies tell us about today’s documentary crazes and whether there’s anything funnier than Parker Posey freaking and Fred Willard yapping.

To celebrate the 20th anniversary of “Almost Famous” (2000), Be Reel looks back at an era-jumping bunch of music movies about fictional bands. This week, it’s “That Thing You Do!” (1996), “Dreamgirls” (2006), “Rock Star” (2001) and, of course, Cameron Crowe’s aforementioned neo-classic about 15-year-old Rolling Stone writer William Miller coming of age in a tour bus. So hop on, and let's zoom to the top of those completely fabricated charts!

As we enter the most fraught back-to-school season in recent memory, Be Reel looks back at Hollywood’s conception of underserved students and the inspirational educators who rescue their learning. This week, it’s “Stand and Deliver” (1988), “Lean On Me” (1989), “Dangerous Minds” (1995), and “Precious” (2009). Joining us are Dr. Micia Mosely and Kia Walton from Black Teacher Project to discuss 2020 classrooms, ideas for improved and updated teacher movies, and their organization’s mission to develop and sustain more Black teachers (36:55). Learn more and donate at BlackTeacherProject.org.

Only in a career as pioneering and storied as Gordon Parks' could an achievement like "first Black Hollywood director" fall into the second paragraph. Yet Parks' significance as a photographer and renaissance man does often overshadow a film career that saw him direct "The Learning Tree" (1969), "Shaft" (1971), and "Leadbelly" (1976). This week, we revisit these too-forgotten cinematic portraits of Black life, joined by director/producer Craig Laurence Rice to discuss the years he spent with Parks making the Emmy-nominated documentary "Half Past Autumn" (2000).

It's slobs vs. snobs, divas vs. duffers, and Be Reel vs. the bygone bubble of American golf comedies. "Caddyshack" turns 40 this week, which gives us a great excuse to talk about this frozen-in-time genre: when class conflict could allegedly be solved with a 400-foot slapshot ("Happy Gilmore") and any old folkloric f*ckup could tear through the US Open ("Tin Cup"). These sports comedies are long on charm, low on logic, and were all clearly made in a time before Tiger Woods. Let's tee off. * * * To continue supporting the causes of justice and equality for our Black colleagues, friends, neighbors and fellow citizens, please consider donating to: -The AAR Diversity Internship Initiative-- aaronline.org/page-1795315 -Don't Shoot PDX -- www.dontshootpdx.org/tag/donate/ -The Family of James Scurlock -- www.gofundme.com/f/for-james-scurlocks-family

When it comes to being an on-screen mariner, Tom Hanks takes his orders from no one. To celebrate his recent birthday and the release of the new WWII submarine movie "Greyhound" (2020), Chance and Noah dive into the boat-bound roles of Hanks’ storied career. That means “Splash” (1984), “Sleepless In Seattle” (1993), “Cast Away” (2000), “Captain Phillips” (2013), and then “Greyhound.” Can the guys craft a coherent thesis as to why Hanks keeps choosing the water as his co-star? Permission to come aboard. * * * To support the causes of justice and equality for our Black colleagues, friends, neighbors and fellow citizens, please consider donating to: -The AAR Diversity Internship Initiative-- aaronline.org/page-1795315 -Don't Shoot PDX -- www.dontshootpdx.org/tag/donate/ -The Family of James Scurlock -- www.gofundme.com/f/for-james-scurlocks-family

"Cane River" (1982), a recently unearthed debut from writer/director Horace Jenkins, is now, after a year of remastering, available for streaming. Part love story, part critique of colorism in Louisana, "Cane River" is a moving examination of how cinematic romances can't escape history. Critic and writer Tiana Reid guests this week (16:00) to unpack the concept of the "Black outdoors" and review some of Peter Metoyer's poetry. Read Tiana's tremendous review of "Cane River" here: https://www.nybooks.com/daily/2020/06/20/searching-for-freedom-in-cane-river-and-the-black-outdoors/ * * * To support the causes of justice and equality for our Black colleagues, friends, neighbors and fellow citizens, please consider donating to: -The AAR Diversity Internship Initiative-- aaronline.org/page-1795315 -Don't Shoot PDX -- www.dontshootpdx.org/tag/donate/ -The Family of James Scurlock -- www.gofundme.com/f/for-james-scurlocks-family

This week, "It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia" co-creator and star Rob McElhenney talks with Chance about 14 seasons of changing yet not changing Mac, answering constant questions about his physique, and the new quarantine episode of his Apple TV+ comedy "Mythic Quest: Raven's Banquet." If that's not enough, there's George RR Martin talk and McElhenney's general advice for staying sharp and responsible as an artist. To support the causes of justice and equality for Black Americans in these times, please consider donating to: -The AAR Diversity Internship Initiative-- aaronline.org/page-1795315 -Don't Shoot PDX -- www.dontshootpdx.org/tag/donate/ -The Family of James Scurlock -- www.gofundme.com/f/for-james-scurlocks-family

"Chicken Run" (2000) turns 20 this week, and to celebrate, Chance and Noah are looking back at the filmography of Nick Park, the chief creative voice of Aardman Animation through its heyday. To understand the origins of Park's droll but heartfelt world, we rewind to the original, Academy Award-winning "Wallace & Gromit" shorts and discuss all the hallmarks of tactility—exploding fruit, precocious critters and nightmarish “steam folk” machines—that made Aardman movies so singular. After a full-scale celebration of “Chicken Run,” we also review “Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit” (2005) and “Early Man” (2018). * * * To support the causes of justice and equality for Black Americans in these times, please consider donating to: -The AAR Diversity Internship Initiative-- aaronline.org/page-1795315 -Don't Shoot PDX -- www.dontshootpdx.org/tag/donate/ -The Family of James Scurlock -- www.gofundme.com/f/for-james-scurlocks-family

Spike Lee is back and streaming with his latest, “Da 5 Bloods,” an homage to Black Vietnam War vets by way of “The Treasure of the Sierra Madre.” Delroy Lindo gives the performance of his career as one of four vets who return to Vietnam to retrieve their fallen friend’s body and also the pile of gold they hid on their final tour. Chance and Noah break down the unexplored legacy of Black GIs and their diverging politics, now 50 years later, in the Trump era, as well as the hallmarks of a topflight auteur teaming with Netflix. To support the causes of justice and equality for Black Americans in these times, please consider donating to: -The AAR Diversity Internship Initiative-- http://aaronline.org/page-1795315 -Don't Shoot PDX -- https://www.dontshootpdx.org/tag/donate/ -The Family of James Scurlock -- https://www.gofundme.com/f/for-james-scurlocks-family

He’s been called the Lizard King, the Iceman, the Dark Knight, and is constantly applying for the post of your Huckleberry. Val Kilmer is one of the most fascinating and elusive screen presences of the last 40 years. In the wake of his new memoir, Noah and Chance chronicle the highlights (and a few lowlights) of a roller-coaster career. We know there are far more important issues in the world right now, but we hope you’ll come along with us, at least from "Real Genius" to "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang."

American independent film lost a guiding light this month with the sudden passing of Lynn Shelton. From 2006 to 2019, Shelton created a multi-film roadmap for considering the dimensionality of place (often Seattle) and deep personal meaning from simple conversation. This week, Be Reel looks back at "We Go Way Back" (2006), "Humpday" (2009), "Your Sister's Sister" (2011), "Laggies" (2014) and "Sword of Trust" (2019) to celebrate an aspirational career, cut tragically short.

Hollywood and Bollywood both suffered an incalculable loss last month with the untimely passing of actor Irrfan Khan. Known to American audiences for his character work in "Life of Pi" and "Jurassic World", the icon in India spent 30 years embodying quiet masculinity in chameleonic performances, notably: "Paan Singh Tomar" (2012), "The Lunchbox" (2013), and "Piku" (2015). To start the show, Chance is joined by Vulture contributor Mallika Rao to discuss Khan's career and her tremendous remembrance of the actor, which you can read below. https://www.vulture.com/2020/05/the-undefinable-something-of-irrfan-khan.html

With theaters still closed, the Be Reel guys turn their sights to Ryan Murphy's Netflix original miniseries "Hollywood," a send-up/revisionist history of postwar... Hollywood. Over seven hour-long episodes, we follow the cast and crew of the fictional film "Meg" as they rewrite American movie lore and vanquish countless obstacles for LGBTQ artists and artists of color. Is it alluring and ground-breaking reverie or anachronistic and reductive mumbo-jumbo? Action.