Category Archives: Movies
In which Liz tells Frank about klassic kinema.
DUNE: Liz Tells Frank Live Ep. 6
Dear Frank,
Let’s just get this out of the way — when you and I last got together to talk about the world of Dune, a young man named Timothee Chalamet was at that point best known as the actor who played the teenage version of Casey Affleck in Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar. That’s why we never dig into Denis Villeneuve’s upcoming adaptation of Frank Herbert’s seminal work in the latest installment of Liz Tells Frank Live! — though, to be fair, David Lynch’s 1984 adaptation gave us plenty to discuss!
As you and I get ready for the first-ever digital Liz Tells Frank Live experience(!!!!!!!), it’s a thrill to look back at how much fun these were to produce in meatspace. Special thanks to producer David Nett, live-tweeter Jason Merrell, guest introducer Jay Bushman, the live studio audience for attending, and as always, you for listening!
Love,
Liz
PS: Again, did I mention that Liz Tells Frank Live is coming back?! That feels important to mention again! May 1, 2021, 5 PM PT! Live on YouTube!
Coming May 1: ‘Tenet’ LIVE!
Hey friends! It’s been way too long since Liz sat down with her friend Frank and told him what happened in something while other people watched, and on Saturday, May 1, 2021, we’re gonna fix that!
Rather than in a lovely gym in North Hollywood, though, this time Liz, Frank, producer David Nett and some special guests will be using this thing called the internet to talk about a little film called Tenet — live! Can Liz succinctly explain the plot of Christopher Nolan’s latest masterpiece? Will Frank find it hard to remember the name of the film’s protagonist? Will we somehow invert time at some point and find ourselves doing the whole thing again backwards? Will there be a Quibi joke? (Spoiler alert: There will definitely be a Quibi joke.)
We’ll be streaming live on YouTube, and tickets will be free — we simply ask that you acquire your ticket in advance on Eventbrite so that we a) know how many people will be watching and b) can send you the stream link when we’re ready to go live! This pandemic has been, everyone can agree, a very bad thing, but a growing sophistication when it comes to live audience events in the digital space is one of the notable upsides.
Liz and Frank haven’t seen each other in person in over a year. They miss each other. They also miss you. So hopefully we’ll see you May 1 at 8 PM EST/5 PM PST for some laughs and some deeply nerd discussion of 2020’s 12th highest grossing film at the box office. Get your tickets now! (Seriously, do it. There might be something special in it for you if you’re one of the first to sign up!)
MAD MAX: Liz Tells Frank Live Ep. 5
Dear Frank,
Five years ago, in a much more sane time, you and I got together in front of a live audience to talk about the Mad Max films! It was a really long night! We had a lot of fun! The James Bond movie Goldeneye came up a lot more than expected! And you can now relive the magic, with the audio recording here!
So much material was featured in this recording, and I am so honored to finally have the opportunity to share it! Special thanks to producer David Nett, Nerdstrong Gym for hosting, live-tweeter Megan Westerby, our bell-master Aimee Jones, guest introducer Meredith Berg, the live studio audience for attending, and as always, you for listening!
Love,
Liz
FIFTY SHADES OF GREY: Liz Tells Frank Live Ep. 3
Dear Frank,
How I wish I could say that, in our most recent live adventure, I told you everything that was bonkers dumb about the publishing phenomenon/blockbuster/BDSM misrepresentation “Fifty Shades of Grey.” Because oh god, there is SO MUCH to tell you about! But I did tell you a LOT about it, most importantly the complete backstory about this story’s roots and what it means for fan culture.
YouTube version:
And audio-only, available via iTunes or below!
This presentation includes swears, dancing vampires, “Saturday Night Live” sketches and (unlike the actual film) the notorious tampon scene. Thank you, Frank, for letting it happen. And thanks to everyone who helped make it possible!
Do you want to be cool like them? Well, the next Liz Tells Frank: Live is COMING SOON. Get ready for March. Get ready for something we genuinely love.
Love,
Liz
PS: Please don’t forget that our dear friend John told us in detail about the books a couple of years ago. Our struggle is real, and ongoing. Forever thanks to John.
SUCKER PUNCH: Liz Tells Frank Live Ep. 2
Dear Frank,
‘Twas a temperate November evening last year that brought you, I and a wonderful live studio audience together so that the mysteries and layers of Zack Snyder’s “Sucker Punch” could be peeled back.
What did we learn about? Oh, just multiple realities, multiple attempted rape and some of the stupidest character names ever. It was a magical evening, and now those who weren’t there can get a taste of the magic, thanks to YouTube and podcasts!
Video here:
And audio-only version available via iTunes (eventually) or below (right now)!
Huge thanks to our fabulous studio audience, Andrew Deutsch and the fine folk of Nerdstrong in North Hollywood for hosting, official bell-masters Aimee and Toni, live-tweeter Margaret Dunlap and Barrett Garese and Laurel Vail for additional production assistance. Plus, a very very special thanks to introducer and producer David Nett!
Do you want to be cool like them? Well, the next Liz Tells Frank: Live is COMING RIGHT THE HELL UP. Specifically, January 23 in North Hollywood. Even more specifically: “50 Shades of Grey.” Details and (free!) tickets here. (Inner goddess, save me.)
Love,
Liz
Jeff Tells Liz What Happened in “Winter’s Tale”
Dear Liz,
Yes, I know it’s not a true story, because it’s not a documentary.
If you’re anything like me, you remember seeing the ads for Winter’s Tale and thinking, “So, Colin Farrell is in love with that girl from Downton Abbey, but then he gets reincarnated in modern day New York? Or something?” The ads certainly suggested romance, and then some vaguely supernatural buggery-boo, but mostly they made no damn sense, and the film only grossed $30 million worldwide on a $60 million budget.
Why were the ads so cagey? This is a romance that opened on Valentine’s Day — why not give us some indication of why Farrell winds up in present day New York, or what Russell Crowe is doing in the movie at all? Could it be that the studio simply wanted to indicate sweeping romance while hiding the fact that this movie is BUGFUCK INSANE??? Liz, this film is so crazy that I started taking notes about 1/3 of the way through because I knew I had to tell you about it. And now I will. [Oh, thank god. –Liz]
Liz Tells Frank What Happened In... 