Watch This With Rick Ramos

Loser Row - David Mamet's American Buffalo  This week I go it alone to ramble on about losers, warped friendships, bad ideas, and hopelessness in David Mamet's 1975 play to 1996 film adaptation, American Buffalo. A three man showcase for Dennis Franz (Donny), Dustin Hoffman (Teach), and Sean Nelson (Bobby) in an angry portrait of loses who have no idea how desperate and ridiculous their ideas are. Not a great film, but a hell of a good time for those of us who love simple stories about hopelessness. Take a listen there's a pretty good amount to unpack. Thanks for listening; Thanks for the continued support. Questions, Comments, Complaints, & Suggestions can be directed to gondoramos@yahoo.com. 

"I Know You're There . . . " - Wim Wenders's Wings of Desire Ibrahim and I continue our dive into foreign, arthouse, and obscure films with this examination of Wim Wenders's 1987 cinematic elegy to angels, poetry, sacrifice, and love. With beautiful performances from Bruno Ganz, Otto Sander, Solveig Dommartin, and Peter Falk, Wings of Desire is a powerful, romantic, and inspiring film that leaves viewers feeling hopeful and enlightened. It's a beautiful film that we are thrilled to look at. Take a listen; It's a fun conversation. Let us know what you think. Questions, Comments, Complaints, and Suggestions can be directed to gondoramos@yahoo.com. 

City of Solitude - Wong Kar-wai's Fallen Angels In the very late 80s and early 1990s, Hong Kong Cinema was evolving from the wuxia epic swordplay films of the Shaw Brothers, Bruce Lee's explosion and evolution into Jackie Chan's Golden Harvest heyday, John Woo's police and crime epics, and the emergence of Wong Kar-wai - a director of intense visual and thematic beauty. This week Ibrahim & I discuss a visually stunning and poetic example of Wong's work; showcasing the after hours nights of 1990s Hong Kong, Wong's film looks at an assassin, his "manager", a recently escaped convict, and a series of questionable types that come into their lives. This is a beautiful film that Ibrahim & I loved and loved talking about. Take a listen and let us know what you think. 

In Search of Goosebumps  Last week we looked at Rick Ramos, this week Mr. Chavez takes center stage, diving into the myriad influences that have created Ibrahim Chavez. Take a listen as we dig into Mr. Chavez's psyche and memories to understand him just a bit better. It's a hell of a fun conversation. We hope you enjoy.  Questions, Comments, Complaints, & Suggestions can be directed to gondoramos@yahoo.com. Many Thanks. 

Defining Rick Ramos  The Self-Indulgence is strong in this episode as Mr. Chavez and I break down our lives in movies over the next two episodes. From The Blues Brothers through Unforgiven and the concert films of George Carlin, it's a fun trip through the psychology of a movie lover. Take a listen; it's a fun conversation.  Questions, Comments, Complaints, and Suggestions can be directed to gondoramos@yahoo.com Many Thanks. 

Three Auteurs: DePalma, Friedkin Uncut, and by Sidney Lumet  When you have these three names there's little else that needs to be said. Take a listen as Mr. Chavez & I look at the careers and brilliance of three 1970s names that are sometimes left in the shadows of Scorsese, Spielberg, and Coppola - Brian DePalma, William Friedkin, and Sidney Lumet. It's a fun talk. We hope you enjoy it.  Questions, Comments, Complaints, & Suggestions can be directed to gondoramos@yahoo.com. Many Thanks. 

A Dish Served Cold: Mark Mylod's The Menu  This week Ibrahim & I sit down to talk a film that has recently left theatres, Mark Mylod's The Menu. Featuring a wonderful slumming performance from Ralph Fiennes and a captivating Anya Taylor-Joy (both Golden Globe nominated), this film is the very definition of empty calorie cinema. Ibrahim & I differ greatly in our opinions of this film, but we had fun with the viewing and and an even better time talking the film. You're in for an interesting and enjoyable discussion on a fun and forgettable film that many of you will enjoy simply for what it is. Class, Culture, The Restaurant and Cooking Industries, and Fame - We cover all of it, doing so with our usual insight and penchant for truth. Take a listen and see if you agree. Questions, Comments, Complaints, & Suggestions should be directed to gondoramos@yahoo.com. 

The Colonel and The King - Baz Luhrman's Elvis  This week Ibrahim and I sit down to discuss the Academy Award nominated, Baz Luhrman directed, Elvis Presley Bio-Pic, Elvis. Definitely a visual assault on the senses, Luhrman has an incredible eye that re-creates the country from the 1950s thru the birth of the Vegas Lounge Act in the 1970s. Featuring an award-winning performance from star, Austin Butler, as Presley and Tom Hanks as his controversial and Svengali-like manager, Colonel Tom Parker (born Andreas Cornelis van Kujik) in a strange and polarizing performance. Luhrman's film hits the familiar points; the music, censorship, racism and segregation, The Blues, Gospel, and - of course - the enduring legacy of Elvis Presley and the early days of the media star and the beginnings of cancel culture. Take a listen; it's an interesting discussion. Questions, Comments, Complaints, & Suggestions can be directed to gondoramos@yahoo.com. Our Continued Thanks. 

Monster Hunter - Todd Field's TÁR - WatchThis W/RickRamos  This week Mr. Chavez & I sit down to talk Academy Best Picture Contender, Tár, featuring a stand-out performance from Cate Blanchett. This is the kind of picture we only ever get to see at awards season. In a cinematic world filled with remakes, re-hashes, and action tent-poles, Tár delivers a wonderfully nuanced and brutal honest examination of the  world we live in. This is a slow-paced, thoughtful film that asks a great deal from its viewers while simultaneously delivering a great deal. Take a listen and catch this essential film playing in theaters and streaming on select services.  Questions, Comments, Complaints, & Suggestions can be directed to gondoramos@yahoo.com. Many Thanks for your continued love and support. 

Blue Dances with Wolves - James Cameron's Avatar Films  In 2009 James Cameron took old soup and re-heated it in a familiar bowl. Equal parts Lawrence of Arabia, The Last Samurai, and (most glaringly) Kevin Costner's revisionist Western, Dances with Wolves, Cameron has gone back to the well-worn tradition of re-imagining Native Cultures, Colonialism, and the Trope of the White Saviour. This is territory that we (and many others) have explored ad-nauseum, however the films continue to get made and starving whores that we are, we take the bait. You can love this film series, you can hate it, but the discussion will always be an important, controversial, and impassioned one. Take a listen as Mr. Chavez and I discuss 2009s Avatar and it's thirteen years in the making sequel, Avatar: The Way of Water. At the very least it's a fun and combative discussion.  Questions, Comments, Complaints, and Suggestions can be directed to gondoramos@yahoo.com. Many Thanks for your continued love and support. 

Eating Images: Jordan Peele's Nope  On this episode, Mr. Chavez & I sit down to discuss one of the best directors to emerge from the late 2010s into the early 2020s, Jordan Peele. With three films under his belt, 2017s Get Out, 2019s Us, and his latest - 2022s Nope, Peele has established himself as one of the most creative and compelling voices in today's cinema. His films challenge convention and stun audiences and critics with their audacity. This week we discuss Peele's emerging style as a filmmaker as well as the conventions and evolution of the genre. Take a listen. Ibrahim & I continue to have great times recording these episodes. We hope you can join us.  Questions, Comments, Complaints, and Suggestions can be directed to gondoramos@yahoo.com. Many Thanks. 

The Many Faces of The Little Wooden Boy - Pinocchio  Talking a Classic . . .  Netflix has recently premiered Guillermo del Toro's (with co-director Mark Gustafson) Pinocchio (2023), a touching stop-motion animation feature that is overwhelming in its beauty. On this week's episode I'm taking a look at Carlo Colidi's 1883 classic tale (The Adventures of Pinocchio) as it has been interpreted throughout the 20th and 21st Centuries. For this episode I look at the del Toro Netflix film, the 1940 Walt Disney Classic, and (my favorite) the 2019 Italian film from director Matteo Garrone and featuring Roberto Benigni as Geppetto. Hopefully this episode will give you a few things to consider. Take a look at these three films. I hope you will enjoy them.  Questions, Comments, Complaints, & Suggestions can be directed to gondoramos@yahoo.com. Many Thanks.   

Hollywood - Spectacle & Sacrifice: Damien Chazelle's Babylon This week, Mr. Chavez & I continue our close out of 2022 (going into this third week of 2023), with a look at one of the most highly-anticipated films of the year (and one of its most polarizing films and biggest box-office disappointments), Damien Chazelle's Babylon. This is certainly a film that defines cinematic ambition, but also thematic and visual excess; A film of grotesque imagery and questionable plot points, Chazelle's love and fascination for the Hollywood's Silent Era and the slow emergence into "Talkies" is divisive at the very least. Rarely does a film emrege that is as beautiful, overblown, and misguided as this three-hour opus. Featuring Hollywood Stars interpreting the lives of early screen stars John Gilbert (Brad Pitt) and Clara Bow (Margot Robbie), and newcomers Diego Calva, Li Jun Li, and Jovan Adepo, as well as Jean Smart, Flea, Lukas Haas, Eric Roberts, Jeff Garlin, and Tobey McGuire. Incredibly problematic, but defi

Prison of the Self: Darren Aaronofsky's The Whale On this week's episode of WatchThis W/RickRamos, Mr. Chavez & I continue our look at a series of challenging, polarizing, and (in some cases) critically-acclaimed films closing out 2022 and carrying us into 2023. This week we look at Brendan Fraser's return to the big screen in Darren Aaronofsky's The Whale. There is definitely greatness here, but there are also troubling and problematic (cinematic) elements to this film. We are not getting on a bandwagon our overlooking the attitudes and problems the public may have with this film, but are focusing - rather - on the qualities of telling a narrative centered around a morbidly obese man and all that that entails.  There's a lot to unpack. Mr. Chavez and I do our best to come at the film with open-minds and balanced understanding. Take a listen as we dive into this moving and difficult film.  Questions, Comments, Complaints, & Suggestions can be directed to gondoramos@yahoo.com. Many Thanks. 

To Our Graves, We're Taking This: Martin McDonagh's The Banshees of Inisherin On this week's episode of WatchThis W/RickRamos, Mr. Chavez & I move into 2023 with one of the best films of 2022, Martin McDonagh's The Banshees of Inisherin. A reunion for stars Brendan Gleeson & Colin Ferrel as well as their Director Martin McDonagh (all three of In Bruges - 2008), Banshees is a beautifully realized character study looking at a decades long friendship as it comes to an end and the struggle of both men dealing with that separation, McDonagh's film is both beautiful and touching in it's examination of friendship, aging, and loneliness. It's a thrill for the two of us to sit down and discuss this wonderful film playing in theaters and on HBO Max right now. Please realize that Mr. Chavez & I will be discussing all aspects of this film. Be sure to see the film before listening to the episode. However you get into this it's a fun and informative discussion. We hope you enjoy it. Questions, Comments, Complai

Dance of Death: Lars Von Trier's Melancholia  Cinema is a strange and captivating artform. In many cases, understanding a filmmaker's intent is a hopeless effort. Lars Von Trier is a director whose filmography has captivated, confused, angered, and endeared itself to audiences. His critically-lauded 2011 film, Melancholia, would startle and fascinate audiences at The 64th Cannes Film Festival. The film itself would beguile audiences (awarding Best Female Pereformance to Kirsten Dunst and making the film a top contender for the Palme d'Or, but it was press conference in support of the film that would torpedoe it's chances at the Award. This week, Mr. Chavez & I discuss the controversy surrounding that press conference as well as our own contradictory attitudes regarding the film. This is an interesting film with a great deal to recomend. We discuss these positives and dive just as deeply into the negatives of the film's offerings. Take a listen and let us know what you think. Questions, Comments, Complaint

Questions in the Rain: Bong Joon-ho's Memories of Murder  On this week's episode of WatchThis W/RickRamos, Mr. Chavez & I continue our exploration of South Korean Cinema with a look at Bong Joon-ho's Memories of Murder. Based on a true-life series of rapes and murders that captured and terrified the minds of South Koreans from 1986 thru 1991, Bong's film is a subtle and intriguing police procedural that takes the great elements of Police-Thrillers, Crime, and Noir. Memories of Murder is a captivating and powerful look at paranoia, fear, and the minutiae of police work It's a beautifully realized and thrilling introduction to a filmmaker that would make an incredible stamp on Cinema in the years to come. Take a listen and let us know what you think. It's an interesting and fun talk. Questions, Comments, Complaints, & Suggestions can be directed to gondoramos@yahoo.com. Many Thanks. 

Nothing Left to Say - Defining Films of the 2010s Nothing left to say, People . . . this week Mr. Chavez & I conclude our look into the Defining Films of Their Respective Decades. We started in the 1910s and here we are, one hundred years of Cinema later. It's been a fun time looking at some great films and a bunch of painful ones. The fact is that Cinema influences society, but also is a reflection of it. We're thrilled to have dedicated nearly a year to the art, power, and influence of The Movies. Take a listen to our opinions, ideas, and thoughts on This Final Decade. It's been a whole lot of fun. We hope you've enjoyed the ride and we hope this final chapter lives up to whatever expectations you have formed. Questions, Comments, Complaints, & Suggestions can be directed to gondormaos@yahoo.com. Many Thanks. 

Blue-Collar Love Song - John Turturro's Romance & Cigarettes I've been wanting to talk this movie for quite some time. I'm not exactly sure when and where I first saw John Turturro's Romance & Cigarettes. I had heard stories of a "Working-Class, James Gandolfini led Romantic/Musical Comedy". With no idea what to expect, the film would finally find it's way into limited release sometime in 2007 - shortly after it would find its way to home video, where - I believe - I finally saw it. It exceeded any expectations I may have had and did away with any fears that may have come with it. I love this film and am thrilled to finally get Mr. Chavez to sit down and give it a watch. This is a fun talk looking into a surprising, tender, and heartfelt performance from James Gandolifini; with Susan Sarandon, Kate Winslet, Steve Buscemi, Aida Turturro, Mandy Moore, Mary Louise Parker, and stand-out performances from Christopher Walken (excessively Christopher Walken) and the great Broadway actress, Elaine Stritch in

Celebrating a Genius - Martin Scorsese's 80th Birthday This week a bonus episode of WatchThis W/RickRamos drops as I go solo to celebrate - in my opinion - The Greatest Living Director (and easily one of the greatest filmmakers in the history of the medium) - Mr. Martin Scorsese. Since my partner is not joining me for this episode, I am choosing to look at Mr. Scorsese more from a fan's vantage than from a critic's. Martin Scorsese has made some of the greatest films in the medium - Mean Streets, Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, The King of Comedy, Goodfellas, Casino, Bringing Out the Dead, The Departed, Gangs of New York, and Hugo.  I don't want to go into detail here . . . you're going to have to just sit down and listen to the episode. It's a good one.  Questions, Comments, Complaints, & Suggestions can be directed to gondoramos@yahoo.com. Many Thanks.