After taking a short break after my " Run, Bandit, Run " series, I'm back.  This time, I'm taking aim... with a " Lethal Weapon "... 50 year old Sergeant Murtaugh has a nice home, a lovely family, a new fishing boat, and a fairly safe career... Sergeant Rigs has a motor home, memories of his deceased wife, a risky career... and a "special" bullet for a "special" occasion... When they get partnered up, it becomes a question of who'll get the "special" bullet in the end... 1987's " Lethal Weapon " helped to transform the Buddy Cop movie from a genre that was generally comedic to one that had action, humor, and depth of character. The story is pretty 1980's in that it consisted of drug cartels- which was the real hot topic back then due to Nancy Reagan's " Just Say No " campaign.  But it's really only the bones from which hangs the real "flesh" of the movie- the relationship betwe...

The Basement Boys are back! And they're bringing the first of the final three prime-time From The Basement episodes with them with this, the latest podcast... From The Basement! What have Jason and Shawn got in store for listeners? How about an easy half dozen, if not more, reviews for your ear holes? Sound good? Great! The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, is put on the chopping block. Can the latest film based on the alleged case files of Ed and Lorraine Warren stand up to the previous two, not to mention all those spinoffs? Stick with us! And stay tuned, as Zack Snyder's Army of the Dead, and the new Jason Statham/Guy Ritchie collaboration Wrath of Man, are also put to the test. Shawn has caught up with the Canadian comedy series Letterkenny, and Jason took on the horror offerings Great White with Katrina Bowden, and The Djinn. Plus he's seen the Saw sequel Spiral: From the Book of Saw. You get all this, and a little bit more, when you push play on the player below. So...

The Basement Boys are back! And they're bringing the first of the final three prime-time From The Basement episodes with them when they take to the mighty Radio NL airwaves at 6:05 tonight! What have Jason and Shawn got in store for listeners this eve? How about an easy half dozen, if not more, reviews for your ear holes? Sound good? Great! The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, is put on the chopping block. Can the latest film based on the alleged case files of Ed and Lorraine Warren stand up to the previous two, not to mention all those spinoffs? Stick with us! And stay tuned, as Zack Snyder's Army of the Dead, and the new Jason Statham/Guy Ritchie collaboration Wrath of Man, are also put to the test. Shawn has caught up with the Canadian comedy series Letterkenny, and Jason took on the horror offerings Great White with Katrina Bowden, and The Djinn. Plus he's seen the Saw sequel Spiral: From the Book of Saw. You get all this, and a little bit more, tonight at 6:05, and...

I've always been a fan of anthology shows, as they have the opportunity to showcase new and interesting ideas. Love Death + Robots is such a series, as it is essentially a collection of unrelated animated sci-fi short films. It hosts a variety of interesting concepts, unique art styles, and a fair helping of gore. In the current era of restricted, often sanitized science fiction, this series is so refreshing in its creative freedom. Unsurprisingly, the show's quality can be hit or miss. Some episodes are fairly generic, and offer little substance on the second watch. However, this is somewhat balanced by the great attention paid to the animation and stylization of each story. This is a futuristic, sardonic box of chocolates that's got something for almost every kind of sci-fi nerd. Even if certain episodes fall short, they still manage to be thought provoking and entertaining. This series is definitely a Good.

Just a gentle reminder From The Basement returns next Friday -- June 11 -- to the mighty Radio NL with an all-new episode! That's the good news. The bad news it'll be the first of our final three prime-time shows. What, you might ask? Are you bastards quitting AGAIN!?!? No. No we're not. We learned our lesson the last time. Shawn and I's long-running show will return to being "just a podcast," and not adhering to any set broadcast schedule. Why, you ask? Our lives are becoming increasingly busy outside of The Basement, and it's getting harder for Shawn and I to keep up with the latest movies, TV shows and entertainment news. We'd rather cease our weekly duties than produce an inferior product. Simple as that. Much thanks to Howie Reimer and the Radio NL crew for hosting us the last three years, first as a Friday morning segment, then as a prime-time series. It's been a blast! Don't worry, we're not coasting on these last three episodes. T...

It's not often I find anything superhero related that I wholeheartedly recommend, but the animated series Invincible is just one of those pieces of media. Invincible is an adult superhero series, in more ways than one. It has the violence, gore, and swearing you'd expect with that kind of tag line, but it's fairly adult with it's storytelling as well. Instead of characters taking a back seat to the action, as they do in most superhero stuff, their struggles and internal conflicts are front and center. We get to see the consequences of wearing the cape and saving people, we get to see how difficult a job it is, and how you can't save everyone no matter how invincible you are. I was afraid this series would end up being just another "edgy" addition to the genre, but was pleasantly surprised at how mature it was.  Now, don't get me wrong. There's still plenty of fun, superpowered action to be had here. Thanks to it being animated, everything hits with...

  The sun is shining down on me as I sit on my balcony- feet propped up and enjoying the scenery.  By my hand is this week's tip and sip... a Super Root Beer... All you need to make this drink is some ice in a tumbler, an ounce o spiced rum, and  ounce of root beer schnapps, and some Coca-Cola.  For this, I used Black Bear Honey Spiced Rum by Divine Vineyards. I found this drink to be okay.  Not great, but not shit either.  It just kinda is.  It does taste like root beer- though a bit sweeter due to the honey based rum. But in all honesty, the flavor and the effect could've been done with fewer ingredients.  Two in fact.  Root beer, and rum- or the root beer schnapps even.  Less fuss and muss. I don't think most bars have root beer schnapps... nor do I think most pubs do.  I also don't think most people think of having a bottle of it around.  Due to that, this isn't really a drink you're likely to find being made in many places...

  Tuesday rolls around with clear skies, clear lakes, and clear highways.  Along the long stretches Smokey can be found chasing the Bandit... and adventure follows close behind. After his uncle passes away, Bandit finds himself helping a beautiful widow keep their carnival afloat. But all is not as it seems with this carnival.  It hides a secret... a shiny, glittery secret that others would kill to keep for themselves... " Bandit: Bandit's Silver Angel " sees the 1990's TV movie series based on the original "Smokey and the Bandit" films come to a close.  And to be honest, it wasn't a bad send-off for the series. Brian Bloom once again brings a pleasant charm and playfulness to the character of Bandit.  While Donald O'Connor didn't get a lot of screen time, he brought quite a bit of humour to his character as Uncle Cyrus, and gave a solid impression that he's one of the few characters that could easily outwit Bandit.  Traci Lords in the role o...

It's rare to find a movie as haunting and darkly profound as Apocalypse Now. It's even rarer to be able to see how such a film is made, in raw and intimate detail. Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse documents the turbulent production of the anti-war classic, and its ambitious director's slow decent into madness. It's probably one of the best filmmaking documentaries I've ever seen. It captures the fluid chaos of making a movie, and how that experience bleeds into the final product. This documentary is both inspiring and horrifying for an amateur filmmaker to watch. You see director Francis Ford Coppola pushed to his limits, unwilling to give up on a movie that had a chance of being truly great. In some way, I understand that parasitic obsession, and the toll it can take on its host. Documented by Elanor Coppola during the production, this film is also incredibly personal. It's not just a record of technical chaos, but an investigation of the direct...

Tuesday arrives in roar of a fast engine, and sirens as I hit the road again in pursuit of that iconic outlaw, Bandit... On his way to open the Coca-Cola 600, a chance encounter with a mob boss's girlfriend sends Bandit on a detour involving a tour bus of nudists... And some nuns... And an Elvis impersonator... " Bandit: Beauty and the Bandit " is a silly movie- but one that harkened back to the rather silly antics of Burt Reynolds in the original movies (and it's spiritual relative, " The Cannonball Run ").  The story, while not engrossing, certainly was capable of pulling several chuckles and smiles from me. Brian Bloom, brought his usual charm and lighthearted sense of wit to the role of Bandit again.  Kathy Ireland was a big name back in the 1990's as a supermodel- but not so much as an actress.  I'd have to guess that the franchise was trying to use her name as a draw for audiences. The best thing that connected this installment of the franchise...