It’s Die Hard in a bank! This week we’re discussing Spike Lee’s outstanding heist movie

INSIDE MAN with the help of our own “inside man” Randy Wilkins, a frequent Spike collaborator who actually worked on this movie!

When calculating master thief Dalton Russell (Clive Owen) puts in motion what he claims is the perfect robbery and takes multiple hostages inside a Wall Street bank, eccentric NYPD detective Keith Frazier (Denzel Washington) is assigned to lead the hostage negotiations. However, the fragile situation is complicated yet further when the enigmatic high-level fixer Madeleine White (Jodie Foster) is tasked by the bank’s owner Arthur Case (Christopher Plummer) to retrieve a mysterious artefact located inside a safe deposit box. In order to save the hostages and diffuse the crisis, Detective Frazier must navigate a complex spider’s web of hidden agendas, misdirection and politics both inside and outside the besieged bank, as well as locking horns with the calm, calculating robber who appears to be much smarter than anyone else involved…including himself.

The guys get into Randy’s long-standing professional relationship with Spike Lee and how he came to work on this particular picture, then move into the ‘DIE HARD DNA’ section where the many connections between the two films are discussed. They break down what makes this film unique in the over-saturated ‘heist movie’ genre, examine its political themes, and discuss the three central performances of Denzel Washington, Clive Owen, Jodie Foster (as well as the wider cast). Awards are handed out in the ‘Die Hard Oscars’ and as always events culminate with the ‘Double Jeopardy Trivia Quiz’, where the scores can really change!

TRAILER: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4G7n7O5pel0

At the time of release, INSIDE MAN is streaming on Starz and Philo in the US and is available to rent or buy on Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV/iTunes, YouTube, Fandango and all the usual platforms! It is also available on physical media!

Click here to subscribe to our Patreon feed 48 HOURS OF BUDDY MOVIES!

www.patreon.com/48hoursofbuddymovies

Pre-order NO ESCAPE on 4K (featuring our commentary track) here:

https://shop.umbrellaent.com.au/products/no-escape-1994-4k-blu-ray?srsltid=AfmBOoqnRCaCPMg02WCWvNPTkK_8_fwYeelYFr90HpRlEuQQZ0025adT

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's DIE HARD on the Radio, Part 2: Radio Harder! We were invited back on OJ Borg's show on BBC Radio 2 where we gave OJ an 'Xmas Action Movie Quiz' for Midnight Mastermind! Check out the video (or just listen!) here and find out if the scores DID really change.

See you in the new year!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s Die Hard on the streets! This week on DIE HARD ON A BLANK we’re discussing Richard Donner’s 2006 action-thriller/character study 16 BLOCKS, a film that some fans consider an alt-universe DIE HARD sequel! To get to the bottom of this we enlisted special guest Mitchell Beaupre, head of editorial at Letterboxd and an avowed 16 BLOCKS (and FREEJACK) fan!

Aging, alcoholic New York City detective (Jack Mosley) is a depressed deadbeat waiting for death when he’s given an unwanted but seemingly routine assignment: to transfer petty criminal Eddie Bunker (Mos Def) from a jail cell to court, where he is planning to testify to a grand jury. However, after he saves Eddie from an assassination attempt, Jack comes to discover that everyone – including his own NYPD colleagues - seem to want Eddie dead. In dire need of redemption, Jack becomes determined to get Eddie to court on time, no matter what the cost or the consequences…

The guys discuss the abundant DIE HARD DNA (and 48 HRS connections) and place this performance in the wider context of Bruce Willis’ career. They discuss the historic importance of LETHAL WEAPON-helmer Dick Donner making a DIE HARD-adjacent movie, and examine the film’s thematic interests, tonal inspirations, and ultimate ambitions. They discuss the film’s supporting cast, including Mos Def/Yasiin Bey as the interestingly named ‘Eddie Bunker’, podcast favorite David Morse as corrupt cop Frank Nugent, and David Zayas as the trigger-happy Bobby Torres. Awards are dispensed in the ‘Die Hard Oscars’ and as always events culminate with the ‘Double Jeopardy Trivia Quiz’, where the scores can really change!

TRAILER: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XqffzRFzdco

At the time of release, 16 BLOCKS is streaming on Hoopla in the US and is available to rent or buy on Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV/iTunes, YouTube, Fandango and all the usual platforms! It is also available on physical media!

Click here to subscribe to our Patreon feed 48 HOURS OF BUDDY MOVIES!

www.patreon.com/48hoursofbuddymovies

Pre-order NO ESCAPE on 4K (featuring our commentary track) here:

https://shop.umbrellaent.com.au/products/no-escape-1994-4k-blu-ray?srsltid=AfmBOoqnRCaCPMg02WCWvNPTkK_8_fwYeelYFr90HpRlEuQQZ0025adT

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.