Close Watch with Robert Yaniz Jr.

It's 2023, and Close Watch has a song in its heart this year. For the next year, we're dedicating this podcast to movie musicals. Every month, the show will feature at least one episode in which Rob and a guest go in-depth on a beloved movie musical. And what better way to celebrate one of cinema's most beloved genres than with a man-eating plant from outer space?!

Film critic Morgan Roberts joins the show to discuss 1986's Little Shop of Horrors starring Rick Moranis, Ellen Greene, and Steve Martin. We'll discuss the elite group of movie musicals the Frank Oz-directed film belongs to, the staggering puppetry that brings Audrey II to life, and explore why some of our favorite movie musicals go to some very dark places.

So shimmy downtown to the little flower shop on the corner for a glimpse at the strange and unusual plant in the window. Just don't feed the plants!

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Shane Black is a name that tends to elicit either unbridled enthusiasm or consternation from moviegoers. Black started out as an actor before hitting it big as the legendary screenwriter of Lethal Weapon. Then in 2005, he made the leap to directing his own scripts. And this episode, Thomas Greene of Movies After Work joins us to discuss Black's directorial debut, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang.

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang stars a pre-Iron Man Robert Downey Jr., a post-Batman Val Kilmer, and a star-making turn by Michelle Monaghan. The film's blend of noir subject matter and buddy cop energy turned it into a cult classic for some, despite its box office underperformance. But Thomas and I will delve into how it was a pivotal movie for not only those involved but him as well.

We'll discuss how accurately Black captures the Los Angeles scene, why the movie impacted Thomas' own writing, and which of the movie's three lead performances ultimately steals the movie.

SYNOPSIS Two-bit crook Harry Lockhart (Robert Downey Jr.) stumbles into an audition for a mystery film while on the run from the cops. Winning the part, he lands in Hollywood, where he's flung into a tangled, murderous conspiracy with his childhood sweetheart, Harmony Lane (Michelle Monaghan), and hard-boiled private eye Perry van Shrike (Val Kilmer).

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The Dark Universe might have been dead on arrival, but 1999's The Mummy remains just as beloved as ever. More than two decades later, fans continue to revisit Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz's sweeping adventure.

On this episode, Catherine Gonzales of Latinx Lens joins the show as we talk about the film's influence on modern blockbusters, its iconic cast of unforgettable characters, and how well it holds up by today's standards.

SYNOPSIS The Mummy is a rousing, suspenseful and horrifying epic about an expedition of treasure-seeking explorers in the Sahara Desert in 1925. Stumbling upon an ancient tomb, the hunters unwittingly set loose a 3,000-year-old legacy of terror, which is embodied in the vengeful reincarnation of an Egyptian priest who had been sentenced to an eternity as one of the living dead.

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Few films released in the 21st century have as universal a reputation as David Lynch's 2001 thriller Mulholland Drive. To that end, a celebration of the film and its 20th anniversary hardly qualifies as "the world of film from a fresh angle." Yet, the movie's surrealistic tone and multi-layered tale likely flew under the radar for some mainstream moviegoers.

So listen in as returning guest Albert Lanier lays out what he believes to be the "Lynch pin" to understanding Mulholland Drive. In this episode, we'll compare interpretations of the film's final act, discuss its origin as a TV pilot, and attempt to decipher one of cinema's most inscrutable minds.

"There is no band," at Club Silencio. But here is an entire discussion all about Lynch's critically lauded, Oscar-nominated masterpiece: Mulholland Drive.

A dark-haired woman (Laura Elena Harring) is left amnesiac after a car crash. After wandering the streets of Los Angeles, she takes refuge in an apartment. There she is discovered by Betty (Naomi Watts), a wholesome Midwestern blonde who has come to the City of Angels seeking fame as an actress. Together, the two attempt to solve the mystery of Rita's true identity.

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For years, CinemaSins has taken the movies to task with its popular videos cheekily tackling "everything wrong with" the movies. However, with billions of views and millions of subscribers, even critics can't deny the success of CinemaSins. Jeremy Scott -- the YouTube channel's co-founder and the "voice of CinemaSins" -- has found the perfect outlet for his passion for cinema.

Now fans of Jeremy's irreverent "takedowns" of Hollywood hits discover the story of how he developed his love for movies. His new book, Original Sin: From Preacher’s Kid to the Creator of CinemaSins (released May 18), chronicles his rise from movie theater employee to viral sensation. And Jeremy joined the Crooked Table Podcast to tell us what readers can expect.

In addition, we'll discuss the precarious, post-pandemic state of cinema, his long-term plan for CinemaSins, the biggest sin he sees in movies today, and whether he struggled to tear into one of his favorite movies. So listen to our interview with Jeremy Scott. Then be sure to pick up a copy of his book, Original Sin, available May 18 wherever books are sold.

CinemaSins' Everything Wrong with The Room

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