Thursday, April 30, 2020

We've Got Mail #28 | What Are the Movies Always Make Us Cry?


It's an all-new episode of WE'VE GOT MAIL, the podcast where film critics William Bibbiani and Witney Seibold answer YOUR letters!

This week, Bibbs and Witney talk about why a movie doesn't have to be popular to be a classic, the movies that always make them cry, why superheroes might be too violent, and why long takes in movies like 1917 and EXTRACTION might be hurting the story!

Give it a listen!


Tuesday, April 28, 2020

Critically Acclaimed #124 | Extraction, The Willoughbys, Circus of Books, 0.0mhz, To the Stars, and Paint Your Wagon!


CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED has boatloads of movies this week! Film critics William Bibbiani are reviewing new releases from all over the streaming world, and also one of the worst movie musicals they've ever seen (which is saying something)!

This week on CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED, Bibbs and Witney explore the new ambitious action thriller EXTRACTION (Netflix), the dark animated family film THE WILLOUGHBYS (Netflix), the local bookstore documentary CIRCUS OF BOOKS (Netflix), the Korean supernatural thriller 0.0MHZ (Shudder) and the coming of age drama TO THE STARS (VOD)!

And this week on THE CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED STREAMING CLUB, Bibbs and Witney dig up the oft lampooned but rarely actually watched Clint Eastwood/Lee Marvin western musical PAINT YOUR WAGON, which is just... just terrible, folks.

Give it a listen!


Saturday, April 25, 2020

The Iron List #6 | The Best Movies About Movies Ever Made!


Every month on THE IRON LIST, the Patrons of the Critically Acclaimed Network get to pick a topic for a giant-sized episode! And this month, since we could all use a little escapism, they picked THE BEST MOVIES ABOUT MOVIES!

Join film critics William Bibbiani and Witney Seibold as they highlight the films about filmmakers that illuminate what works about the industry, and what's an absolute and unforgivable nightmare! The walls between fiction and reality are about to crumble!

Give it a listen!


Friday, April 24, 2020

Star Wars: Episode Zero - 21-87!


Film critics William Bibbiani and Witney Seibold are working backwards through film history, using STAR WARS as the starting point!

This week on EPISODE ZERO they explore Arthur Lipsett's experimental short film 21-87, a montage of imagery and ideas about the interconnectivity of all things! How did this film inspire George Lucas to create "The Force," and how does it connect to and impact his whole filmography, including THX-1138? We're about to find out!  

Give it a listen!


Thursday, April 23, 2020

We've Got Mail #27 | Which Old Movies Are Eerily Relevant Today?


It's an all-new episode of WE'VE GOT MAIL, the podcast where film critics William Bibbiani and Witney Seibold answer YOUR letters!

This week, Bibbs and Witney talk about trickster movie characters, how press screenings really work, old movies that seem eerily relevant today, whether we need to re-evaluate KING ARTHUR: LEGEND OF THE SWORD and more!

Email us at letters@criticallyacclaimed.net, so we can read your correspondence and answer YOUR questions in future episodes!

Give it a listen!


Monday, April 20, 2020

Critically Acclaimed #123 | Brian Dennehy, Sergio, Endings Beginnings, Selah and the Spades, Rising High, and Fist of Fury


CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED is overflowing with movies this week! Film critics William Bibbiani are reviewing new releases from all over the streaming landscape, and a kung fu classic starring Bruce Lee!
This week on CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED, Bibbs and Witney explore the incredible career of the late, great BRIAN DENNEHY, and review the new streaming releases SERGIO (Netflix), ENDINGS BEGINNINGS (Amazon), SELAH AND THE SPADES (Amazon) and RISING HIGH (Netflix).
And this week on THE CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED STREAMING CLUB, Bibbs and Witney explore the groundbreaking kung fu classic FIST OF FURY, starring the legendary Bruce Lee!

Saturday, April 18, 2020

Star Wars: Episode Zero - The Dam Busters!


Film critics William Bibbiani and Witney Seibold are working backwards through film history, using STAR WARS as the starting point!

This week on EPISODE ZERO they explore Michael Anderson's blockbuster epic THE DAM BUSTERS (1955), about the real-life low-flying air attacks that destroyed German dams in World War II, which directly inspired George Lucas's unforgettably dogfighting finale in the original STAR WARS!

Give it a listen!


Friday, April 17, 2020

We've Got Mail #26 | Is Paul Thomas Anderson the Great American Auteur of the 21st Century?


It's an all-new episode of WE'VE GOT MAIL, the podcast where film critics William Bibbiani and Witney Seibold answer YOUR letters!

This week, Bibbs and Witney talk about the legacy of CONAN, the past, present and future of movie musicals, movie-watching relationship advice, the glories of CLUELESS, the most stylish menswear in the history of film, and whether Paul Thomas Anderson is America's great 21st century auteur!

Email us at letters@criticallyacclaimed.net, so we can read your correspondence and answer YOUR questions in future episodes!

Give it a listen!


Tuesday, April 14, 2020

Critically Acclaimed #122 | Trolls World Tour, We Summon the Darkness, Sea Fever, Tigertail, Love Wedding Repeat, You're Bacon Me Crazy, and Maniac!


CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED is jam-packed full of movies this week! Film critics William Bibbiani are reviewing new releases from all over the streaming landscape, and a cult classic horror movie on Shudder!

This week on CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED, Bibbs and Witney review the Universal animated comedy TROLLS WORLD TOUR, the heavy metal slasher WE SUMMON THE DARKNESS, the aquatic body horror thriller SEA FEVER, the earnest Netflix drama TIGERTAIL, the time-tripping comedy LOVE WEDDING REPEAT, and the Hallmark food truck rom-com YOU'RE BACON ME CRAZY!

And this week on THE CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED STREAMING CLUB, Bibbs and Witney explore William Lustig's cult classic ultraviolent serial killer thriller MANIAC

Give it a listen!



Saturday, April 11, 2020

Canceled Too Soon #185 | Jim Henson's Little Muppet Monsters (1985)


If you loved MUPPET BABIES, you might vaguely remember JIM HENSON'S LITTLE MUPPET MONSTERS! It was a short-lived spin-off series about little puppet creatures who lived in the Muppets' basement and ran their own low-budget television station, with puppet-based sketch comedy and cartoon shorts starring Kermit, Fozzie and... PIGS! IN! SPACE!
LITTLE MUPPET MONSTERS is one of the most forgotten chapters in Muppet history, but was it, possibly... CANCELED TOO SOON? Film critics William Bibbiani and Witney Seibold explore this surprising misfire and figure out ways to make the weird concept work, in an all-new episode!


Friday, April 10, 2020

Star Wars: Episode Zero - The Hidden Fortress!


Film critics William Bibbiani and Witney Seibold are working backwards through film history, using STAR WARS as the starting point!

This week on EPISODE ZERO they explore Akira Kurosawa's samurai epic THE HIDDEN FORTRESS (1958), which inspired George Lucas to tell the story of STAR WARS from the perspective of two droids, and which set the storytelling template for THE PHANTOM MENACE!

Give it a listen!


Thursday, April 9, 2020

We've Got Mail #25 | What Are the Best Dance Movies Ever?


It's an all-new episode of WE'VE GOT MAIL, the podcast where film critics William Bibbiani and Witney Seibold answer YOUR letters!

This week, Bibbs and Witney talk about style vs. substance, their favorite faith-based films, the best dance movies ever, and how film critics decide what to reveal about a movie and what to save as a surprise for audiences!

Email us at letters@criticallyacclaimed.net, so we can read your correspondence and answer YOUR questions in future episodes!

Give it a listen!


Wednesday, April 8, 2020

Critically Acclaimed #121 | Coffee and Kareem, The Other Lamb, Slay the Dragon, Pooka Lives, Invisible Life, and High and Low


There's no shortage of movies this week on CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED! Film critics William Bibbiani catch you up on new releases from all over the web, and a classic kidnapping thriller you don't wanna miss!

This week on CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED, Bibbs and Witney review the buddy comedy COFFEE AND KAREEM, the cult horror drama THE OTHER LAMB, the gerrymandering documentary SLAY THE DRAGON, the horror-comedy sequel POOKA LIVES!, and the Brazilian drama INVISIBLE LIFE!

And this week on THE CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED STREAMING CLUB, Bibbs and Witney explore Akira Kurosawa's masterful crime thriller HIGH AND LOW

Give it a listen!


Friday, April 3, 2020

We've Got Mail #24 | Do We Really NEED The Razzies...?


It's an all-new episode of WE'VE GOT MAIL, the podcast where film critics William Bibbiani and Witney Seibold answer YOUR letters!

This week, Bibbs and Witney talk the films of Rainer Werner Fassbinder, directors and genres we used to dislike and learned to love, how to review boring movies, why the tv series FIREFLY doesn't hold up, and whether we actually NEED the Razzies anymore!

Email us at letters@criticallyacclaimed.net, so we can read your correspondence and answer YOUR questions in future episodes!

Give it a listen!



Wednesday, April 1, 2020

Star Wars: Episode Zero - The Flash Gordon Serials!


One of the best ways to learn about film history is to take a popular movie and work backwards, to discover its many influences. And there is perhaps no movie that embodies the fascinations, obsessions and inspirations of its director more than STAR WARS!

Join film critics William Bibbiani and Witney Seibold as they examine a film that directly inspired STAR WARS every single week, starting with the original FLASH GORDON serials, which inspired George Lucas so much that he tried to make a FLASH GORDON movie, couldn't get the rights, and had to make STAR WARS instead! 

It's our brand-new podcast, STAR WARS: EPISODE ZERO!

Give it a listen!