SPOILER-FREE! Normally when a classic film is remade there is some concern. However, from the first trailer it seemed that Jon Favreau and Disney and had gotten The Jungle Book right. The real question here is, how good was it? Did the all-star voice talent (Bill Murray, Ben Kingsley, Idris Elba, Lupita Nyong’o, Scarlett Johansson, Christopher Walken, Garry Shandling) successfully bring the animals to life? And speaking of bringing the animals to life, was this the best CGI representation of animals we have ever seen? And most importantly, how scary was Shere Kahn? We answer all of these questions and more in episode 68 of The Smoking Screen Podcast recorded live on 4/20. Come join the circle!

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SPOILER-FREE! This is a tough one to describe. A somber meditation on the process of grieving? Not quite. A moody and atmospheric piece on the quest for self-identity? No. That’s not it either. A post-modern critique of the industrialization of romantic relationships? Ok, I’ll stop. However you describe Jean-Marc Vallée’s Demolition, there is one thing that is certain. Jake Gyllenhaal loves playing dark and brooding characters. Is that creepy? How quirky and strange is this film? What genre is it? Was the always solid Naomi Watts sufficiently solid? We answer these questions and the meaning of life in episode 67 of The Smoking Screen Podcast. Come join the circle!

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SPOILER-FREE! There is little doubt we have become a high surveillance society. Hi NSA! However, in this Orwellian-nightmare, what is often overlooked (pun intended) are the moral and ethical questions about how we should act upon the information we gather. When should we intervene and at what cost? This is the fundamental question at the heart of Eye in the Sky. Sporting an strong ensemble cast including Helen Mirren, Aaron Paul, and Alan Rickman (in his final dramatic role), does the film find a palatable way to delve into these complex and troubling issues? We answer all of theses questions and more in episode 66 of The Smoking Screen Podcast.

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