The MacGuffin

Ok, fine. I admit it. I watch the Twilight movies and enjoy myself. I know I should be ashamed, but I’m really not. (That is a horrendous lie. Whenever my friend Sarah outs me on Facebook, I get all snippy with her. She just has no shame.) They are kind of horrible, but they are also awesome. I like over-the-top craziness, and these films deliver in that area. I also enjoy a dramatic teen romance, bad acting, and adult men pretending to be teenagers that sparkle. What’s not to like here? On occasion, I have been genuinely moved, relived some of my own teenage feelings, and teared up. Twilight has a lot of haters, but the films still keep getting watched, so they must be offering up something that some girls and women want.

In honor of Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance, Spencer and Greg discuss Idris Elba. Then they look at cinematic rivalries, before giving DVD picks of the week.

In honor of Haywire, Spencer and Greg discuss Ewan McGregor. Then they look at vampires and werewolves together in film, before giving DVD picks of the week.

Another Top 5 segment from The MacGuffin. This time Allen and Brandi share their top 5 letdowns.

This segment is also available on Stitcher and iTunes. The audio version can be downloaded directly from here. After you’ve watched the video please vote in our poll and share which one you think is the best.

In honor of Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, Spencer and Greg discuss Robert Downey Jr. Then they examine threequels and give DVD picks of the week.

Being a parent comes with many (maybe too many) responsibilities. Near the top of this list is properly educating your child about cinema. At least, it’s near the top of my list. My father introduced me to movies when I was a kid, and when my daughter was born I looked forward to doing the same for her. Here was a blank slate! She hadn’t had her views and education warped by those whose knowledge was small and opinions were simply wrong. I was very excited.

Another Top 5 segment from The MacGuffin. This time Brandi and Allen share their top 5 duos.

This segment is also available on Stitcher, iTunes, and Zune. The audio version can be downloaded directly from here. After you’ve watched the video please vote in our poll and share which one you think is the best.

Spencer and John look at series finales in honor of Harry Potter, consider the importance of the release date, and give DVD picks of the week.

If there is one word to describe Akira Kurosawa’s masterpiece, Seven Samurai (1954), it is “epic.” Epic in scale, in ambition, in scope, and in length. At a meaty two hundred and seven minutes, the film is an adventurous experience in and of itself. However, Kurosawa was able to craft his project in such a way that the three and a half hours whip by without us noticing. It is one the best stories ever put on screen, made by a director at the very height of his powers. We become ensnared by the story of seven unemployed samurai, hired by the people of a poor village to help defend it from bandits. The characters are so perfectly realized, the action so expertly shot, the questions raised so thought-provoking, that I become both entertained and challenged by it with every re-watch. It is a movie that I have returned to routinely, each time my admiration of it only growing. Without question, it is one of the best movies ever made.

Another Top 5 segment from The MacGuffin. This time Brandi and John share their top 5 films that shouldn’t happen.

This segment is also available on Stitcher, iTunes, and Zune. The audio version can be downloaded directly from here.