The Undiscovered Decade is back with yet another “hidden” gem:
In the dystopian future of 2022 (!), ex-marine John Robbins (Ray Liotta) is sent to a prison island for murdering his commanding officer in broad daylight. Once there, he finds himself trapped between two warring bands of rogue killers, one led by the sadistic Marek (Stuart Wilson) and the other by the enigmatic Father (Lance Henriksen). Can he learn to trust anyone again, and more importantly, will he be able to find his way off the island and back to freedom? Does he even want to? Either way, for Robbins, there may be…..No Escape!
There is also an aggregate site that accesses the multitude of podcast hosts and presents them on one page. Here is our site:
If you’re curious about the different sections, I’ve timestamped here so you can jump ahead, or around (obviously this is primarily for audio):
00:00:45 – Introduction 00:02:10 – No Escape (Brief Synopsis) 00:02:45 – No Escape (Discussion) 00:25:35 – Cory’s Cinema Spotlight – ranked films of April 1994 00:30:10 – Poster Boy Extravaganza! (x4) 00:53:30 – Picks of the Month (Lance Henriksen)
Every month we present a poster or two for a strange or forgotten film, then we have Jeff guess the plot and title. Sometimes he even makes that film sound better!
For those that want to play along and see what Jeff is looking at for this month’s Poster Boys, here you go:
We hope you’ve enjoy this latest episode of Interjections: The Undiscovered Decade, and we’re glad you’ve stuck around through to our fifth season of the show! We’re almost halfway there, baby!
Don’t forget to rate, review, comment and/or subscribe to our channels on iTunes, Spotify and YouTube!
For May 1994, we’re going to take a look at two phenomena that emerged that month! First, the trend of adapting classic sitcoms and cartoons for the silver screen begin with a bone-a-fide rock-solid hit…. The Flintstones! It’s those same cavemen you knew and loved from your youth, brought to live-action by John Goodman and Rick Moranis! Second, we’ll talk about the surprise blockbuster hit that you could only find in your own homes, when Disney decided to release their sequel to Aladdin straight to VHS! That’s right, it’s the pivotal sequel….The Return of Jafar! See you next month for those two films, and much more!
The Undiscovered Decade is back with yet another “hidden” gem:
Secret Service agent Doug Chesnic (Nicolas Cage) feels like he is stuck in the Siberia of all assignments while looking after the widowed former First Lady Tess Carlisle (Shirley MacLaine). The oddball pair are often at odds, because Doug wants to see some action while Tess just wants some peace and quiet. Will Doug get a chance to prove his worth? He’ll be surprised to find that he’ll find it while…..Guarding Tess!
There is also an aggregate site that accesses the multitude of podcast hosts and presents them on one page. Here is our site:
If you’re curious about the different sections, I’ve timestamped here so you can jump ahead, or around (obviously this is primarily for audio):
00:00:45 – Introduction 00:01:55 – Guarding Tess (Brief Synopsis) 00:02:45 – Guarding Tess (Discussion) 00:23:55 – Cory’s Cinema Spotlight – ranked films of March 1994 00:29:35 – Poster Boy (x2) 00:43:35 – Picks of the Month (James Rebhorn)
Every month we present a poster or two for a strange or forgotten film, then we have Jeff guess the plot and title. Sometimes he even makes that film sound better!
For those that want to play along and see what Jeff is looking at for this month’s Poster Boy, here you go:
You may have noticed during our Picks of the Month (James Rebhorn) that I called us to action in donating to Stand Up to Cancer, one of the largest charities dedicated to finding a cure for the disease. Rebhorn passed away in 2014 from melanoma, a battle he had been fighting since just before filming this movie. I plan on personally donating $50 to the cause today, and if you feel so moved, it would be wonderful if you participate as well. Here’s their website:
We hope you’ve enjoy this latest episode of Interjections: The Undiscovered Decade, and we’re glad you’ve stuck around through to our fifth season of the show! We’re almost halfway there, baby!
Don’t forget to rate, review, comment and/or subscribe to our channels on iTunes, Spotify and YouTube!
For April 1994, it’ll be a thrill ride when we jump ahead back (!) to 2022 where ex-marine John Robbins (Ray Liotta) finds himself cast off to a penal colony run by corporations! Wrongfully accused and with danger at every turn, can he trust anyone or will he have to rely on his own wits? We’ll find out, in the end, if there is…. No Escape! See you next month!
The Barbenheimer effect has been strong for the entire course of awards season, and the Golden Raptors are no different! Both Barbie and Oppenheimer scored the most wins at the 23rd Annual Golden Raptor Awards – but Oppenheimer is the big winner, not only securing the big prize of Best Film, but tying a record with 9 overall wins!
(The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King and Blade Runner 2049 also have 9 wins.)
Besides Best Film, Oppenheimer nearly swept the Drama categories, nabbing Best Director (Christopher Nolan), Actor (Cillian Murphy), Supporting Actor (David Krumholtz) and Supporting Actress (Florence Pugh). There’s always one regret I have each year, and it may be that I couldn’t find room for Emily Blunt under Best Actress. It would have been the first big five sweep (Birdman also came close in 2015, securing all 4 acting awards.)
Beyond the Drama section – where it won the actual Best Drama award as well – Oppenheimer won Best Sound and Best Visual Effects. It also won Best Adapted Screenplay for its director, Christopher Nolan, who now has three Golden Raptors to his name (Director, Dunkirk, 2017).
The comedy side of things is unsurprisingly dominated by Barbie, where director Greta Gerwig gets her due, while Actor goes to Ryan Gosling. The film also nabbed Best Production Design, Best Cameo for Rhea Perlman and Best Song for the gem “I’m Just Ken”.
Ryan Gosling earned his third Golden Raptor this year (previously: Half Nelson, 2006 & The Nice Guys, 2016) but his Crazy, Stupid, Love. costar Emma Stone came through as well to get her third win for Best Actress in Poor Things. (previously: Birdman, 2014 & The Favourite, 2018.) The Yorgos Lanthimos helmed comedy also pulled in Best Makeup. Oscar rival Lily Gladstone won Best Actress over on the Drama side for Killers of the Flower Moon, which also took Best Western.
The other Best Picture nominees fared just fine, with Past Lives getting two wins: Best Romance and Best Original Screenplay for Celine Song. The Boy and the Heron got Best Animated Film and Best Voice Acting for Robert Pattinson. Godzilla Minus One became the third foreign film to also be nominated for the top award, but settles for giving Japan its second win in the Foreign Film category (previously: Shoplifters, 2018). Unfortunately, Wes Anderson’s Asteroid City becomes another in a short list of Best Picture nominees to get blanked at the Golden Raptors.
Through 2023, we lost a multitude of talented actors, directors, writers and cinematographers we cherished from the world of cinema. This year’s Robin Williams Memorial Award goes to Tom Sizemore, whose body of work could encapsulate nearly any other one of his contemporaries. Hard and fast working, he gave us incredible performances in True Romance, Heat, Strange Days, Pearl Harbor & Heart & Souls, all dating back to one of his earliest roles in Born on the Fourth of July. My personal favorite was Bringing Out the Dead, but his biggest role may have been as Tom Hanks’ Sergeant in Saving Private Ryan. It’s a shame that we lost him, but honor his memory by watching first year Golden Raptor Best Picture nominee Black Hawk Down!
Here’s the full list of winners:
Best Film: Oppenheimer
Best Drama: Oppenheimer Best Director for Drama/Fantasy: Christopher Nolan, Oppenheimer Best Actor in Drama/Fantasy: Cillian Murphy, Oppenheimer Best Actress in Drama/Fantasy: Lily Gladstone, Killers of the Flower Moon Best Supporting Actor in Drama/Fantasy: David Krumholtz, Oppenheimer Best Supporting Actress in Drama/Fantasy: Florence Pugh, Oppenheimer
Best Comedy: Bottoms Best Director for Comedy/Animated: Greta Gerwig, Barbie Best Actor in Comedy: Ryan Gosling, Barbie Best Actress in Comedy: Emma Stone, Poor Things Best Supporting Actor in Comedy: Sterling K. Brown, American Fiction Best Supporting Actress in Comedy: Ruby Cruz, Bottoms
Best Animated Film: The Boy and the Heron Best Voice Acting: Robert Pattinson, The Boy and the Heron Worst Film: Haunted Mansion Best Foreign Film: Godzilla Minus One, Japan Best Documentary: Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie
Best Sci-Fi/Fantasy Film:Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves Best Horror Film: Thanksgiving Best Mystery/Thriller: The Killer Best Biographical/Historical Film: The Zone of Interest Best Romance: Past Lives
Best Adapted Screenplay: Christopher Nolan, Oppenheimer Best Original Screenplay: Celine Song, Past Lives Best Soundtrack: Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem Best Song: “I’m Just Ken” – Andrew Wyatt and Mark Ronson, Barbie Best Cinematography: Linus Sandgren, Saltburn Best Visual Effects: Andrew Jackson, Jill Jivrajani & Scott R. Fisher, Oppenheimer Best Art Direction: Sarah Greenwood, Dean Clegg & Katie Spencer, Barbie Best Editing: Daniel Garber, How to Blow Up a Pipeline Best Sound: Richard King, Michael W. Mitchell & Willie D. Burton, Oppenheimer Best Stunts: Adam Lytle, Noon Orsatti, Travis Gomez & Sunny San, Extraction II Best Costumes: Jacqueline Durran, Barbie Best Makeup: Carolyn Cousins, Mark Coulier & Josh Weston, Poor Things
Best Poster: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem Best Cameo: Rhea Perlman, Barbie
Lorenzo Music Award: The Mill Richard Harris Lifetime Achievement Award: Robert Duvall Robin Williams Memorial Award: Tom Sizemore Albert Finney Appreciation Award: Philip Seymour Hoffman Hall of Fame: Alien, Ghostbusters, Godzilla (1954), The Muppet Christmas Carol
Thanks again to all who voted, and thus participated in donating to a good cause! With the support of those who voted, I’m planning on donating $165 to Parkinson’s research through the Michael J. Fox foundation.
You can still donate directly through their website linked below:
All sights are set on the Oscars this Sunday, where Oppenheimer should be in for a big night as well. Will it be the fourth film to share Best Picture with the Golden Raptors? Let’s hope it joins The Return of the King, The Departed and Parasite on the big stage! Thanks for voting once again!
The Undiscovered Decade is back with yet another “hidden” gem:
Actor Matt Hobbs (Nick Nolte) is forced to take in his daughter (Whittni Wright) after his ex-wife gets sent to jail. How can he balance his career, his love life, and this newfound acceptance of fatherhood? In the end, he will probably just end up saying…..I’ll Do Anything!
There is also an aggregate site that accesses the multitude of podcast hosts and presents them on one page. Here is our site:
If you’re curious about the different sections, I’ve timestamped here so you can jump ahead, or around (obviously this is primarily for audio):
00:00:45 – Introduction 00:01:55 – I’ll Do Anything (Brief Synopsis) 00:08:00 – I’ll Do Anything (Discussion) 00:26:45 – Cory’s Cinema Spotlight – ranked films of February 1994 00:34:00 – Poster Boy (x2) 00:46:55 – Picks of the Month (Nick Nolte)
Every month we present a poster or two for a strange or forgotten film, then we have Jeff guess the plot and title. Sometimes he even makes that film sound better!
For those that want to play along and see what Jeff is looking at for this month’s Poster Boy, here you go:
We hope you’ve enjoy this latest episode of Interjections: The Undiscovered Decade, and we’re glad you’ve stuck around through to our fifth season of the show! We’re almost halfway there, baby!
Don’t forget to rate, review, comment and/or subscribe to our channels on iTunes, Spotify and YouTube!
For March 1994, we’re watching one of Tristan’s favorite movies growing up! Secret Service agent Doug Chesnic (Nicolas Cage) thinks he’s being punished when he gets his next assignment: providing security for the widowed former First Lady Tess Carlisle (Shirley MacLaine). He’ll slowly learn that not every job is to be underrated, and while the pair make quite the odd couple, both will learn what life holds beyond the height of one’s career. Let’s see how well Doug does…. Guarding Tess! See you next month!
P.S. – Don’t forgot to participate in the 23rd Annual Golden Raptors Awards by voting! The winners will be announced March 8th!
Welcome once again to the Golden Raptor Awards! This is our 23rd year, believe it or not, and we’ve no signs of stopping! We’re in a bit of a crunch mode this year, as we want to be in with the winners by March 8th!
Before we get into more information, here’s a link to vote!
Last year I started an initiative that is near and dear to my heart. For every vote recorded, I will match with $5 donated to a particular cause. We contributed to a program called Hunger Ward last year, which focused on distributing food, water and humanitarian aid to the people of Yemen. If you’d like to contribute there again yourself, the links are still live and available.
For this year’s charity, I chose to support the search for a cure to Parkinson’s disease. It’s a cause close to my heart, and I have had a number of loved one’s family members affected by the disease throughout my life. I became first aware of Parkinson’s when it began to afflict the great Muhammad Ali and actor Michael J. Fox. While there is a 2023 documentary covering Fox and his battle with the disease, even nominated for this year’s Best Documentary award, I’d long planned to support Fox’s foundation with the Golden Raptors this year. You can contribute yourself through these links:
Oppenheimer has dominated the awards season, and it is no slouch here, garnering 13 nominations. That equals the second best amount in Golden Raptors history, tying Grindhouse (2007) only one spot below Wonder Woman 1984’s haul of 14 in 2021. Besides Best Picture, there are nods for Best Drama, Biography/Historical, Visual Effects, Editing, Sound and Cameo. For acting, Cillian Murphy and Florence Pugh are recognized in Actor and Supporting Actress, while David Krumholtz will fight it out with Benny Safdie for Supporting Actor. Christopher Nolan is in line for his second win on seven nominations, with a nod each for Director and Screenplay.
The comedy side of the Golden Raptors was more fruitful this year, with Oppenheimer‘s summer partner Barbie feeling the most love. Nominations include two for Greta Gerwig (Director & Screenplay), Actor (Ryan Gosling), Actress (Margot Robbie), Supporting Actress (America Ferrera), Song, Art Direction, Costumes, Makeup & Cameo.
Asteroid City may be Barbie‘s biggest competition in the comedy categories, where the unsung masterpiece could be lauded for Actor (Jason Schwartzman), Cinematography, Art Direction, and Editing. In direct opposition with Gerwig in Director and Screenplay is Wes Anderson, who is now the most nominated person in Golden Raptors history, with 11. He won in 2015 in both categories for his film The Grand Budapest Hotel. Barbie herself double dipped in this film, with Margot Robbie garnering a Cameo nod. This brings her career nomination total to 9, which is the highest for a person primarily nominated for acting. She won Best Comedic Actress in 2020 for Birds of Prey.
Just as Wes Anderson made history with his 10th and 11th nomination this year, Martin Scorsese ties that record with three entries under his latest film, Killers of the Flower Moon. While he gets in for Director, Screenplay & Cameo, the film also sees nominations for Best Drama, Biography/Historical, Western, as well as spots for Actress (Lily Gladstone) and Supporting Actress (Cara Jade Myers).
Another high roller this year, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves showed a lot of charisma in the comedy categories, with hopeful winners under Best Comedy, Actor (Chris Pine), Actress (Michelle Rodriguez), Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Song, Visual Effects, Art Direction, Makeup & Cameo. It’s up against the absurd horror comedy Beau Is Afraid for Best Comedy, Actor (Joaquin Phoenix), Art Direction & Makeup. That film also garnered spots under Supporting Actress (Zoe Lister-Jones), Screenplay, Horror & Editing.
For the second straight season, a foreign film is nominated for Best Picture. Japan’s Godzilla Minus One took over the world this year, stomping its way to 6 spots in the Golden Raptors. Those also include Actor (Ryunosuke Kamiki), Supporting Actress (Sakura Ando), Sound, Visual Effects & Foreign Film. It’s also the first time in fourteen years that a country has two nominees under that category, with Wim Wenders’ Perfect Days there as well.
Another Japanese film, The Boy and the Heron, is actually also up for Best Picture, as well as being the first animated film nominated for the top award since Wolfwalkers in 2020. It’s other nominations include Voice Acting (Robert Pattinson), Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Soundtrack, and two nominations for Director & Screenplay for the masterful animator Hayao Miyazaki, who previously received the Richard Harris Lifetime Achievement Award in 2017.
The final Best Picture nominee is Past Lives, which showcases the Korean philosophy of inyeon, which translates to providence and indicates an idea of how relationships may form over many lifetimes. The three major actors in the film – Teo Yoo, Greta Lee & John Magaro – are all nominated here, while their director Celine Song gets on the ballot twice, also for Screenplay. It also gets a nod for Best Romance, naturally!
For full nominations, and to vote, click the link below!
We have two stellar actors for the special awards this year:
Richard Harris Lifetime Achievement Award
Richard Harris Lifetime Achievement Award – Robert Duvall
A consummate character actor, Robert Duvall has been a mainstay in feature films since 1962. His first cinematic appearance was as the enigmatic figure Boo Radley in the seminal film To Kill a Mockingbird. From that moment on, his appearances in nearly 100 films over the course of 62 years and counting have delighted and thrilled audiences. Whenever he might show up to support such actors as Marlon Brando, Tom Cruise or William Holden, you knew you were in for a treat.
His early working days, after a very brief stint in the Army, were spent at the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre. He would room with fellow Richard Harris recipients Dustin Hoffman (2005) and Gene Hackman (2008) while clerking at Macy’s and the post office. His big break beyond Broadway were bit parts in films like Mockingbird, The Rain People, Captain Newman, M.D. and True Grit, where he played the ruthless Ned Pepper opposite John Wayne. Duvall would eventually become synonymous with television miniseries Westerns, but he appeared in plenty on the big screen, including The Chase, Joe Kidd, Geronimo, and Open Range.
A highlight of his career was possibly his greatest performance, as broken country singer Mac Sledge in Bruce Beresford’s drama Tender Mercies. The screenplay, written by the man who discovered him, Horton Foote, finds Sledge on a downward spiral in a backwater motel. Before he can completely self-destruct, he finds solace with a young widow played by Tess Harper. If you need an example of the subtle anguish Duvall could bring to his everyman roles, look no further than this masterpiece, for which he won his only Oscar.
While he had a handful of starring vehicles, such as The Great Santini, The Apostle, and early George Lucas project THX 1138, Duvall truly shines in his supporting performances. His most recognizable role might be as Tom Hagen ,the consigliere to the Corleone family in the Godfather films. Another shining moment might be in pivotal war film Apocalypse Now, where he delivers the iconic line, 12th in AFI’s top 100, “I love the smell of napalm in the morning” to a beleaguered Captain Willard (Martin Sheen).
Duvall originated the screen version of Major Frank Burns in the film version of M*A*S*H*, as well as the Commander in the first version of The Handmaid’s Tale. He backed early projects from Billy Bob Thornton (Sling Blade) and stole scenes from John Travolta twice in the ’90s (Phenomenon and A Civil Action). He played Jesse James in The Great Northfield, Minnesota Raid, Joseph Pulitzer in Newsies and Sherlock’s partner Dr. Watson in The Seven-Per-Cent Solution. He even played his own distant relative Robert E. Lee in the Edgar-winning historical film Gods and Generals.
You could unravel Robert Duvall’s filmography and find ten favorites as you scroll down the list. It’s one thing to have as expansive a career, but to have as immaculate a showcase of performances may never be seen again. It’s my honor to welcome Robert Duvall into the pantheon of Golden Raptor cinematic legends.
Recent Recipients: Tommy Lee Jones (2021); Eva Marie Saint (2022); Robert Redford (2023)
Albert Finney Appreciation Award
Albert Finney Appreciation Award – Philip Seymour Hoffman
It’s now been ten years since we lost the incredible performer Philip Seymour Hoffman. In the same way that Robert Duvall could brighten every film he stepped foot in, you knew you were in good hands when you saw Hoffman’s name crawl through the credits. Hoffman’s ability to super charge every scene he was in, or temper the mood of every collaborator was indelible.
It’s hard to pinpoint the exact moment I fell in love with Philip Seymour Hoffman as an actor, though I know exactly where I first saw him: the ridiculous summer blockbuster Twister. His loveable goofball sidekick to Helen Hunt’s tornado chaser stole every scene, but it was his caring touch to the character that sticks with you. Look for the moments when he attends to Jami Gertz’s neglected fiancée Melissa as she is continually ignored by Bill Paxton.
Perhaps the lynch pin was when he buoys the entire production of the deliciously campy thriller The Talented Mr. Ripley, which for me saw the introduction to several important actors of the next two decades – Matt Damon, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jude Law & Cate Blanchett. It was Hoffman’s tragic Freddie that once again stole the show. Maybe it was the downtrodden Jacob in Spike Lee’s underrated 25th Hour, where Hoffman once again waxes poetic to his on-screen friends played by Edward Norton and Barry Pepper. Most of his films would highlight an illustrious word count that only an immaculate performer could withstand.
Like Robert Duvall, Hoffman found his calling in the New York theater scene, joining the LAByrinth Theater Company in the mid-90s, between bit parts in films like Leap of Faith and Scent of a Woman. Larger roles in hits like Boogie Nights and The Big Lebowski would only endear him to audiences at large as his star rose. By the time he would receive his career-defining role, one that would earn him his only Oscar, he would be admired for his unwavering work ethic and constant dedication to his art.
While Capote is an easy choice for Philip Seymour Hoffman’s best part, he would follow that up with a series of enduring films. Opposite Tom Hanks, he drives the ferocity of Charlie Wilson’s War. His quiet troubled priest in Doubt stood up against the indomitable Meryl Streep. He bolstered Brad Pitt in Moneyball, and did everything he could to prevent George Clooney’s downfall in The Ides of March. Almost as if he knew he had to save the best for his last, he exploded opposite Joaquin Phoenix in the thinly veiled Scientology critique The Master.
Whatever performance might be your favorite, there’s no doubting the haunting memory Philip Seymour Hoffman marked upon cinema from 1991 through 2015. While he burned bright and fast, we could not look away whenever he touched celluloid. I’m happy to honor the memory of Albert Finney’s costar from Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead with this year’s award.
Recent Recipients: Stanley Kubrick (2021); Gregory Hines (2022); Paul Newman (2023)
As we’re running a little late this year, I hope you’ll all get a chance to get your votes in ASAP! I’ll tally the votes and announce the winners on Friday, March 8th, just in time for the Oscars that Sunday. You’ll have until March 7th to vote! Here’s the link again:
Interjections 