In The Wheelhouse

This week on the penultimate episode of this season’sPeanuts and Popcorn, both the Cubs and Tigers win their respective wild card series, as both Tom and I squeal with delight. In Popcorn, we have two excellent movies to break down. We begin with a Gurinder Chadra-directedmusical interpretation of the Jane Austen novel, Bride & Prejudice, we then turn to Tom’s selection, a French film noir classic directed by Louie Malle from 1958, Elevator to the Gallows. Next Show's Films:Leo's Pick: The Killing of a Chinese Bookie (1976)Tom's Pick:  Black Orpheus (1959)

This week on Peanuts and Popcorn, we start with Peanuts, the last week has been an eventful one for the Chicago Cubs, starting with Anthony Rizzo Day at Wrigley followed by a playoff clinching win. Detroit’s AL Central lead is inperil.In Popcorn, we’ll start with Leo's choice, A Matter of Life and Death (1946) from, Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger. Tommy opted for Nashville (1975), directed by the great Robert Altman.  Next Show's Films:Leo's Pick: Bride & Prejudice (2004)Tom's Pick:  Elevator to the Gallows (1958) 

This week on Peanuts and Popcorn, we are one week into the last month of the MLB season, AJ Hinch and Craig Counsell are getting the Tigers and Cubs ready for the playoffs. In Popcorn, we start with a forgotten Charlie Bronson classic, Hard Times (1972), then we pivot to Stanley Kubrick epic, Barry Lyndon (1975).  Next Show's Films:Leo's Pick: Stairway to Heaven (1946)Tom's Pick:  Nashville (1975)

This week on P&P we open the bag of Peanuts, as MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred, suggests a new alignment that would add 2 new teams, and create 4- four-team divisions in each league. In Popcorn, we review Leo's pick from 2011, Pina. We then pivot to Tom's selection, The Exterminating Angel (1962)Next Show's Films:Leo's Pick: Hard Times (1972)Tom's Pick:  Barry Lyndon (1975)

This week on Peanuts and Popcorn, Ichiro Suzuki, CC Sabbathia, Billy Wagner, Dick Allen and Dave Parker are all inducted into the Hall of Fame, while we bow our heads with respect to the passing of Ryne Sandburg.In Popcorn, we begin with Leo’s selection from 1988, Pascali’s Island, with Ben Kingsley and Helen Mirren, we then take on Tom’s choice, the Japanese animation classic from 2001, Spirited Away.Next Show's Films:Leo's Pick: Pina (2011)Tom's Pick:  The Exterminating Angel (1962) 

This week on Peanuts and Popcorn, the All-Star break has come and gone, while the White Sox celebrated the 20th anniversary of their World Series win over the Houston Astros, while mourning the passing of Bobby Jenks. In Popcorn, we have a pair of great films to review this week. We start with Tommy’s choice, a modern film noir effort, After Dark, My Sweet (1990). We then move to Leo's selection, the Werner Herzog epic, Fitzcarraldo (1982).Next Show's Films:Leo's Pick: Pascali's Island (1988)Tom's Pick:  Spirited Away (2001)

This week on Peanuts and Popcorn, we begin with the peanuts as Pope Leo has a message for White Sox fans, we’ll discuss the Tigers and Cubs and who merit selection as All-stars, then we pivot to the popcorn for a lively discussion on two movies, the 1946 William Wyler classic, The Best Years of Our Lives, and the Mike Nichols "La Cage aux Folles" remake, Birdcage. Next Show's Films:Leo's Pick: Fitzcarraldo (1982)Tom's Pick:  After Dark, My Sweet (1990)

This week on Peanuts and Popcorn, the Detroit Tigers are the best team in baseball and the Chicago Cubs are (one of) the best teams in the National League. They meet in Detroit for a mid-season preview of a possible World Series matchup. We then pivot to Popcorn with critiques of two more moviesthat we think might be worth your time. The first is Tom’s suggestion, The Rules of the Game (1939), directed by Jean Renoir.  Leo's choice is a Clint Eastwood project, The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976).Next Show's Films:Leo's Pick: The Birdcage (1996)Tom's Pick:  The Best Years of our Lives (1946).

This week on a Memorial Day episode of Peanuts and Popcorn, we review two movies. We begin with Leo's choice, Jackie Chan's Super Cop (1992), and finally, Tom’s selection, Take Shelter (2011). Next Show's Films:Leo's Pick: Outlaw Josie Wales (1976)Tom's Pick:  The Rules of the Game (1939)

This week on a Mother’s Day episode of Peanuts and Popcorn, we’ll review two movies. We’ll begin with Leo's choice, the Argentine (2014) film, Relatos Salvajes (Wild Tales), and finally, Tom’s selection, The Night of the Hunter (1955). Next Show's Films:Leo's Pick: Supercop (1992)Tom's Pick:  Take Shelter (2011)

This week on Peanuts and Popcorn… we begin with Leo’s choice-starring Gene Hackman: Crimson Tide (1995). Our second feature is Tom's selection: the Vittorio de Sica classic, the Bicycle Thief (1948).Next Show's Films:Leo's Pick: Wild Tales (2014)Tom's Pick:  The Night of the Hunter (1955)

This week on Peanuts and Popcorn, we honor the passing of the American director David Lynch---as we review two of his best-known films: Mulholland Drive (2001) and Blue Velvet (1986).Next Show:Leo's Pick: Crimson Tide (1995) Tom's Pick: Bicycle Thieves (1948)

This week on Peanuts & Popcorn we review Elem Klimov's Come and See (1985) and The Heist of the Century (2020) from Argentina. Next Show will be a celebration of the work of David Lynch with Leo's choice of Blue Velvet (1986) and Tom's selection Mulholland Drive (2001).

This week on Peanuts and Popcorn, we do our post mortem on the recent Oscars and then we review our first two non-Oscar selections for 2025. Tom’s choice is, The Vanishing (1988) directed by George Suizer. We close with Leo's choice, My Old Ass (2024) starring Aubrey Plaza. Next Show:Leo's Pick: The Heist of the Century (2021) Tom's Pick: Come and See (1985) 

This week on Peanuts and Popcorn, we do double double-feature of reviews ahead of this evening’s 2025 Oscar Awards ceremony. We will start with Conclave and The Nickel Boys, and we finish with The Substance and The Brutalist.Next Show:Leo's Pick: My Old Ass (2024) Tom's Pick: The Vanishing (1988)

This week on Peanuts and Popcorn, we break down two more 2025 Oscar nominees for Best Picture. We’ll get things going with the controversial, Emilia Peréz, starring Karla Gascón and Zoe Saldaña; directed by JacquesAudiard, and A Complete Unknow, starring Timothée Chalamet and Edward Norton, directed by James Mangold.Next up our Oscar preview show with the reviews forThe Brutalist (2024)The Substance (2024)Conclave (2024)The Nickel Boys (2024)

This week on Peanuts and Popcorn, we submit our picks for the Midsummer Classic. The new playoff format was supposed to encourage competition top to bottom, yet 6 teams are on a pace to lose 100 games. Shohei Otani makes history---while former Cub, Kyle Farnsworth is on a body building binge. Finally, our Popcorn discussion is at the 35:15 mark on the Clint Eastwood film, Grand Torino. Next Week: The Treasure of the Sierra Madre

This week, we kick off the 9th season of Peanuts & Popcorn's nationally ranked movie podcast. P&P returns to discuss two of Oscar's Best Picture nominees from last year. We begin with Wicked (2024), directed by John Chu, starring Cynthia Erivo and Arianna Grande. We close out with Anora (2024), directed by Sean Baker, starring Mikey Madison, Paul Wesiman and Yura Borasov. Next Show: Leo's Pick: Emelia Perez (2024) Tom's Pick: A Complete Unknown (2024)

This week on the final episode of Peanuts and Popcorn for the 2024 season, we hand out the second annual “Poppy” Awards; where we select the best from the movies we’ve reviewed this year. We will give awards for best actor, actress, worst picture, best director and the coveted Paul Katzowsky award for Best Picture in a movie suggested by the other.

This week on Peanuts and Popcorn, in Popcorn, we start with the Popcorn and our last two choices for the calendar year, Brooklyn (2004) and Still Crazy (1998). In Peanuts, the Classic Era Committee meets to re-consider the cases of a small group of potential Hall of Famers, and Lou Whitaker is not one of them. The World Series has ended and no one is surprised to see the Dodgers reach the top of the mountain. How significant is it to see Shohei Otani win a title? Next Week, the 2nd Annual Poppies.