Bravo for the B-side Podcast

Revenge of Zoe is a micro-budget film from 2018 that is a must see. A self-proclaimed “Nerd Comedy” that pays tribute to the 80s nerd films, this movie takes us on a fun ride through the lives of two comic store owners, an alcohol and drug addled writer, and imaginary or hallucinatory friends as they navigate the ominous task of writing a sequel to a successful comic adaptation. This movie proves you don’t need big budgets to make a fun, relatable film. Great performances, not the last of which is from our good friend of the show, Eric Schumacher. It’s one of those movies that gets us into some tangental conversations, all attributed to the context of this fun film. Revenge of Zoe can be found on Tubi.

With Dani not fully recovered, Jim speaks with director/producer Michael Matteo Rossi, who’s film Chase we covered last week. Jim and Michael talk about the movie, the pandemic, the importance of using social media a platform for encouragement, and so much more. Listen to this fantastic talk with a truly wonderful man, and be sure to check the links below. Links to Michael’s presence and films: facebook.com/michaelmatteorossi [http://facebook.com/michaelmatteorossi] instagram.com/michaelmatteorossi [http://instagram.com/michaelmatteorossi] twitter.com/michaelmatteoro [http://twitter.com/michaelmatteoro] https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2751807/ [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2751807/]

Chase was brought to our attention by its director, Michael Matteo Rossi. We’re glad for it. Starring Damien Puckler, yes indeed, we follow a hit man who is torn between two lives. A low-budget indie film, Chase brings some excellent emotional struggle as well as great overall lessons on filmmaking. Rossi shot this in just 18 days, commendable if not amazing. Chase can be found on Amazon Video.

Our daughter Lily sits in for Dani, who is out sick, to talk about Space Captain: Captain of Space. This sci-fi comedy is a wonderful salute to the throwback serials of the 1930’s, like Flash Gordon and Buck Rogers. It doesn’t stop there, the connections and spoofs span decades of sci-fi schlock movies as well. Starting out as a multi-media play, and later turned into a feature, this movie is fun for everyone. Solid performances, loads of puns and one-liners, it excels in lessons of making the most of a micro-budget. Scenery, costumes, effects, they are all wonderful. This was a delightful watch with fun lessons. Space Captain: Captain of Space can be found on Amazon Video.

One of Jim’s all-time favorites, Lost in Translation. Filmmaker Sophia Coppola blows the lid off of traditional filmmaking with this brilliant movie. Beautifully shot and paced this movie brings attention to lessons of tone, characters, and the art of drawing in the audience to share in the emotional state of the story, and the power and art of editing. Another must see film that is coming up on 20 years old. Lost in Translation can be found on Amazon Video and iTunes.