HUSH (2018)—It’s a battle of wits when a deaf writer (Kate Siegel), living remotely in the woods, must fight for her life because a masked killer (John Gallagher Jr.) shows up one hellish night to torment and kill her. It’s a simple premise, but in the hands of uber-talented director Mike Flanagan, Hush (2016) is a quick, gut-punch of a roller-coaster ride. Join us as we discuss why this film is so good and, naturally, dive deeper into our obsession with all things Flanagan. Listen, as Johnny Has the Keys uses intellect and whatever household items are available to defend ourselves from a malevolent and soulless killer.
WALL-E (Waste Allocation Load Lifter Earth-class) is the last robot left on Earth. He spends his days tidying up the planet, one piece of garbage at a time. But during the past centuries, WALL-E has become lonely. One day, he spots EVE, a sleek and shapely probe sent back to Earth on a scanning mission. Smitten WALL-E embarks on his greatest adventure, hitchhiking a ride and following EVE across the galaxy.
We’re back with not only our 2nd animated film but also our second Disney movie. From the geniuses at Pixar, WALL-E (2008) is a stunning achievement, a visual, heartfelt, and emotional ride told almost entirely with no dialogue. Join us as we discuss the things that contribute to this movie’s (one of our favorites of the entire season) success. Listen, as Johnny Has the Keys leaves a desolate earth, hyper-speeding across the galaxy in pursuit of love.
PHANTASM (1979)—The residents of a small town are dying under strange circumstances, leading young Mike (Michael Baldwin) to investigate. After discovering that the Tall Man (Angus Scrimm), the town’s mortician, is killing and reanimating the dead as misshapen zombies, Mike seeks help from his older brother, Jody (Bill Thornbury), and local ice cream man Reggie (Reggie Bannister). Working together, they try to lure out and kill the Tall Man, all the while avoiding his minions and a deadly silver sphere.
Sex slayings by gender-fluid villains, giant flying skull-drilling pinballs, Jawa-esque zombie slaves from another world. That’s right. We’re talking Phantasm (1979). Join us as we discuss this genuinely unique entry into the horror canon, including its memorable franchise villain (the Tall Man), the quirky script, impressive effects, terrible acting, and everything else that makes this film a bona fide cult classic. Listen as Johnny Has the Keys investigates a peculiar mortuary/mausoleum, where the halls are stalked by killer balls, robed dwarfs, and a tall man guarding the gateway to another dimension!
TOTAL RECALL (1990)—Douglas Quaid (Arnold Schwarzenegger), a bored construction worker in the year 2084, dreams of visiting colonized Mars. He uses “Rekall,” a company that plants false memories into people’s brains, in order to experience the thrill of Mars without having to travel there. But something goes wrong, and Quaid discovers that his entire life is actually a false memory and that the people who implanted it in him now want him dead.
Welcome to our third outing with Philip K. Dick (Minority Report; Blade Runner) and Arnold Schwarzenegger (Terminator; T2: Judgement Day) and our second with the director, Paul Verhoeven (Starship Troopers; Robocop). Total Recall (1990) was extremely popular and innovative at the time but has not aged well. Join us as we discuss the pros (Bottin’s FX; the supporting cast) and cons (Schwarzenegger) that may separate it from the average genre fair, though no longer lift it. Listen, as Johnny Has the Keys journeys to Mars… or did we? Perhaps this episode is merely a memory implant and we never really recorded it at all!
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