The Macguffin Report

MGR Quarantine Movies epilogue: Listener comments/questions & trivia

The news now tells us that by next week, every U.S. state will have lifted part(s) of their current quarantine conditions; at the MacGuffin Report, we’re betting more will still be social distancing for some time to come yet – so we hope you’ve found our Quarantine Edition shows useful.

This time, an epilogue for co-hosts Raechel Wong and Os Davis to tie up a few loose ends. No movie reviews, but some listener comments/questions on the Indiana Jones movies and bad Bill Murray movies. Plus random trivia about Michael and Buster Keaton, plus why the dashing hero of Casablanca was named Victor Laszlo (or maybe that should be László Viktor).

And finally, are the movies doomed in the post-COVID world…?

Good luck, everyone; stay healthy!

MGR Quarantine Movies #6 – Cloud Atlas and Tom Hanks movies

In California and other states, quarantine conditions may be slowing winding down, but we’ll all have more time to kill yet – thus does The MacGuffin Report bring you episode 6, our last regular show within the mini-series Quarantine Movies featuring rewatchable and bingeable movies.

And what actor has produced more movies ripe for the re-viewing than Tom Hanks? MacGuffin Report co-hosts Os Davis and Raechel Wong deep-dive into three Hanks movies: Cloud Atlas, That Thing You Do, and A League of Their Own. The MacGuffins also go through a run of 32 movies starring Hanks from a 30-year period.

Here’s to hoping you’re staying healthy and enjoying lots of classic movies. MGR will return with one more brief episode to tie up losse ends, though if coronavirus-induced conditions continue, we may return with a second run of Quarantine Movies (but we’re hoping it’s not necessary)…

MGR Quarantine Movies #5 – Ghostbusters plus Bill Murray and/or Wes Anderson films

Social distancing and quarantining are crawling on, so The MacGuffin Report brings you episode 5 in our mini-series Quarantine Movies, featuring excellent films ideal for repeat viewing and for starting movie marathons.

In this episode, MacGuffin Report co-hosts Os Davis and Raechel Wong deep-dive into three Bill Murray movies – Ghostbusters, Lost in Translation and The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou – run down Murray’s eminently bingeable filmography and, not incidentally, end up talking Wes Anderson films as well.  

More of the MacGuffin Report Quarantine Movies mini-series coming soon; until then, stay safe, stay healthy and enjoy some great rewatchable films with the MacGuffin Report!

MGR Quarantine Movies #4 – Casablanca, Audrey Hepburn, Marx Brothers & classic films

The social distancing, the quarantining, the time off, the fluctuating numbers of COVID-19 cases – they’re all still happening, so The MacGuffin Report has episode 4 in our mini-series Quarantine Movies, featuring excellent films ideal for repeat viewing and seeds for movie marathons.

In this episode, MacGuffin Report co-hosts Os Davis and Raechel Wong travel back through time to exotic locales: They talk the all-time Hollywood flick Casablanca; Roman Holiday and Audrey Hepburn movies; A Night in Casablanca along with the Marx Brothers movies; and a few Charlie Chaplin films – some now 100 years old.

More of the MacGuffin Report Quarantine Movies mini-series coming soon; until then, stay safe, stay healthy and enjoy some great rewatchable films with the MacGuffin Report…

MGR Quarantine Movies #3 – Four weddings... & Richard Curtis movies

Yes indeed, we’re still social distancing, still self-quarantining, still running down those streaming options -- The MacGuffin Report brings you a third episode in our limited series on Quarantine Movies, great films and movie-marathon fodder.

This time out, MacGuffin Report co-hosts Raechel Wong and Os Davis discuss the movies of screenwriter Richard Curtis, including a deep dive into Four Weddings and a Funeral (spoiler: Andi McDowell’s the problem) plus takes on a pair of more recent works by Curtis, Yesterday and About Time.

So stay safe, stay healthy and enjoy some great rewatchable movies with the MacGuffin Report!

MGR Quarantine Movies #2 – Rob Reiner and Jack Nicholson movies

Still practicing appropriate social distancing, we hope! Just to keep you encouraged, the MacGuffin Report has its second of six episodes featuring Quarantine Movies, great rewatchable films and bingeable series.

This time out, MacGuffin Report co-hosts Os Davis and Raechel Wong discuss the movies of Rob Reiner and Jack Nicholson, including deep dives on A Few Good Men and The Princess Bride. And between these two Hollywood alums, we've got 30 movies you'll want to watch – most probably directly after listening to this podcast...

So stay safe, stay healthy and enjoy some great rewatchable movies with the MacGuffin Report!

s03e03: What we're watching during the pandemic

You want recommendations for binge-watching or even one-time views? The MacGuffin Report’s got you covered. MacGuiffin Report co-hosts Raechel Wong, Walter Hong and Os Davis give the lowdown on their adaptation during lockdown, which naturally involves great gobs of viewing.

Walter, the bingiest among us, goes deep on his latest favorite Korean drama, Itaewon Class (part of the recent collaborative production scheme of Netflix and JTBC), plus the Viki.com webtoons I’ll Go to You When the Weather is Nice and Tell Me What You Saw. Beyond these, Walter’s got takes on Blacklist, 911, Deputy, Brooklyn 99, Bull, the Netflix film Wild Card and the occasional marble race and cornhole tournaments.

For Raechel, the accent’s on the comedy: She discusses her latest viewings and re-viewings of Kingdom, Parks and Rec, Curb Your Enthusiasm, 30 Rock, I'm Not OK With This and Magic Mike, plus Sang-ho Yeon’s film Train to Busan.

Finally, Os trips out on classic sports reruns on ESPN and YouTube, plus movies! He’s got Knives Out, Jay and Silent Bob Reboot, The Man Who Killed Don Quixote and a list of the top 20 films of the past 20 years.

The MacGuffin Report: Stay healthy, stay inside and stay entertained...

 

MGR Quarantine Movies #1: Indiana Jones and trilogies

After a month of so of self-quarantine binge-watching, even the most receptive viewing is certainly running out of options. MacGuffins assemble!

MacGuffin Report co-hosts Raechel Wong and Os Davis bring you this mini-series full of rewatchable classics and the marathones they may spawn.

For episode #1, Raechel and Os take a deep-dive into Steven Spielberg's franchise-creating, megaclassic action-adventure flick Raiders of the Lost Ark, plus brief looks at Indiana Jones & the Temple of Doom and & The Last Crusade. Then the dueling geeks get to work on recommendations with their resepective favorite movie franchises, The Lord of the Rings/Hobbit Tolkienverse and Star Trek.

So stay safe, stay healthy and enjoy some great rewatchable movies with the MacGuffin Report!

s03e02: (Re)watching 1917, Parasite

Recorded pre-coronavirus, this episode of The MacGuffin Report is devoted to deep dives into a couple of films from 2019: Oscar nominees for Best Picture, 1917 and Parasite. Quarantine gives you a good excuse to watch (or re-watch) this films again.

MacGuffin Report co-hosts Walter Hong, Raechel Wong and Os Davis have surprisingly varied takes on last’s year top war epic and the Academy Awards’ biggest surprise in a looooooong time.

Among the topics discussed are the problems inherent in billing a film with a single technical trick, the quality of star power, the power of a tight visual vocabulary and just how freakin’ weird Parasite was.

Next time: The quarantine sets in on the MacGuffins…

s03e01: What should have won at the Oscars?

The MacGuffin Report returns after celebrating the movie geek's Christmas, i.e. the Academy Awards, a.k.a. the Oscars.

Raechel Wong, Walter Hong and Os Davis discuss the films nominated in this year's Best Picture category in the attempt to answer that classic post-Oscars question: What and who *really* should have won the trophies? That's right: The MacGuffins're second guessing the Academy -- and their choices might surprise you.

So until next time, the MacGuffin goes to...