Late to the Movies

Jurassic Park Re-Re-Release (Happy Sam Neilloween!)

October 7th, 2024  |  1 hr 38 mins

ben holt, film, halloween, horror, jeff goldblum, jurassic park, late to the movies, laura dern, movie, review, richard attenborough, sam neill, scifi, steven spielberg

This year's October theme is Sam Neilloween! We'll be going deep on one of the most underrated and fearless actors of modern cinema, watching only Sam Neill-starring films all month. First up: the re-re-release of our episode on Jurassic Park, originally released in July 2022. Ben, Greg, Kyle, Lyndsey, and Ray discuss Neill's biggest film, the 1993 Steven Spielberg blockbuster that set a new standard for special effects in film (and also has that weird laugh that Jeff Goldblum does). It's weird they never made any legacy sequels to this one!

Directed by Steven Spielberg and starring Sam Neill, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, and Richard Attenborough.

Gremlins

December 18th, 2023  |  57 mins 1 sec

ben holt, chris columbus, christmas, film, gizmo, gremlins, holiday movies, howie mandel, joe dante, late to the movies, mogwai, movie, phoebe cates, review, steven spielberg, zach galligan

Holiday season continues with the 1984 comedy-horror classic, Gremlins! Ben, Cory, Noah, and Robbie hop in their Kentucky Harvesters, take a ride on faulty stair lift, and break all three simple rules for Mogwai care while discussing Joe Dante's tonal mashup.

Directed by Joe Dante, executive produced by Steven Spielberg, and written by Chris Columbus. Starring Zach Galligan and Phoebe Cates, with Howie Mandel providing the voice of Gizmo.

Jurassic Park (30th Anniversary Re-release!)

August 25th, 2023  |  1 hr 39 mins

anniversary, bd wong, ben holt, bob peck, dinosaurs, film, jeff goldblum, jurassic park, late to the movies, laura dern, michael crichton, review, richard attenborough, sam neill, samuel l. jackson, steven spielberg, wayne knight

It wouldn't be Anniversary Month without a re-release! Jurassic Park is roaring back into theaters this weekend, celebrating 30 years (in 3-D!). To mark the occasion, here's our Big Steve Summer (July 2022) episode of the best movie to ever feature Jeff Goldblum going hehHEHhaha-ahem-huhuh. Happy National Cinema Day!

Directed by Steven Spielberg, based on the novel by Michael Crichton, and starring Sam Neill, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, Richard Attenborough, Bob Peck, BD Wong, Samuel L. Jackson, and Wayne Knight.

Close Encounters of the Third Kind

April 24th, 2023  |  1 hr 6 mins

alien invasion, aliens, ben holt, bob balaban, close encounters, close encounters of the third kind, extraterrestrial, film, françois truffaut, late to the movies, melinda dillon, movie, review, richard dreyfuss, steven spielberg, teri garr, ufo, watch the skies

Watch the Skies Month concludes with our last look at alien invasions and visitations - Close Encounters of the Third Kind! Ben and Anthony carve a mountain out of mashed potatoes, get a sunburn on half their faces, and have a jam session with a spaceship as they discuss Steven Spielberg's 1977 sci-fi classic.

Written and directed by Steven Spielberg and starring Richard Dreyfuss, Melinda Dillon, Teri Garr, Bob Balaban, Cary Guffey, and François Truffaut.

The Fabelmans

March 31st, 2023  |  1 hr 55 mins

2023, academy awards, ben holt, best picture, film, gabriel labelle, judd hirsch, late to the movies, michelle williams, movie, oscars, paul dano, review, seth rogen, steven spielberg, the fabelmans, tony kushner

Our semi-comprehensive dive into this year's Best Picture nominees at the Oscars comes to an end with The Fabelmans! Ben, Bree, Sam, and Vaz dance in the headlights, dream about punching Seth Rogen, and move to Arizona and then Northern California to discuss Steven Spielberg's semi-autobiographical coming of age film... and I promise the episodes will be back to normal length next month!

Directed by Steven Spielberg, who co-wrote it with Tony Kushner. Starring Gabriel LaBelle, Michelle Williams, Paul Dano, Seth Rogen, and Judd Hirsch.

Poltergeist

October 3rd, 2022  |  1 hr 27 mins

beatrice straight, ben holt, craig t. nelson, film, horror, jobeth williams, late to the movies, movie, poltergeist, review, scary movies, spooky season, steven spielberg, tobe hooper

It's spooky season, so you know what that means - Spook 'em Up Month! A totally common phrase to describe horror movies, which is what we'll be focusing on this October. Up first, we celebrate the 40th anniversary of Tobe Hooper's Poltergeist! Ben, Greg, Ray, and Robbie go for a swim, climb a tree, and throw a rope into hell as they discuss this horror classic.

Directed by Hooper and written by Steven Spielberg, Michael Grais and Mark Victor from a story by Spielberg. Starring JoBeth Williams, Craig T. Nelson, Beatrice Straight, Dominique Dunne, Oliver Robins, Heather O'Rourke, and Zelda Rubinstein.

Jurassic Park

July 25th, 2022  |  1 hr 37 mins

bd wong, ben holt, bob peck, dinosaurs, film, jeff goldblum, jurassic park, late to the movies, laura dern, michael crichton, movie, review, richard attenborough, sam neill, samuel l. jackson, steven spielberg, summer blockbuster, wayne knight

Welcome... to the Jurassic Park episode! This week on Late to the Movies, we're closing out 'Big Steve Summer' with the most block-busting of all of Steven Spielberg's summer blockbusters. Ben, Greg, Kyle, Lyndsey, and Ray jump in the Ford Explorer to discuss the thrilling set pieces, great performances, and very good puppets that make up this 1993 classic. Directed by Steven Spielberg, based on the novel by Michael Crichton, and starring Sam Neill, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, Richard Attenborough, Bob Peck, BD Wong, Samuel L. Jackson, and Wayne Knight.

Jaws

July 18th, 2022  |  1 hr 15 mins

ben holt, film, jaws, late to the movies, lorraine gary, movie, murray hamilton, peter benchley, review, richard dreyfuss, robert shaw, roy scheider, sharks, steven spielberg, summer blockbuster

'Big Steve Summer' floats on as Late to the Movies dives in to Steven Spielberg's Jaws (1975). Ben, Robbie, and Will continue our month-long look at Spielberg's summer blockbusters by going back to the film that made summer blockbusters a thing. Starring Roy Scheider, Robert Shaw, Richard Dreyfuss, Lorraine Gary, and Murray Hamilton and based on the novel by Peter Benchley.

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial

July 11th, 2022  |  58 mins 46 secs

ben holt, dee wallace, drew barrymore, e.t., film, henry thomas, late to the movies, movie, peter coyote, review, robert macnaughton, steven spielberg, summer blockbuster, the extra-terrestrial

'Big Steve Summer' continues with the one-time highest grossing film ever, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial! Ben, Martha, and Robbie will be here, always, as Late to the Movies' month-long focus on Steven Spielberg's summer blockbusters pedals along. This week's episode is on one of the most effective films about childhood, "imaginary" friends, and the government putting a big bubble over your house ever made. Directed by Steven Spielberg, starring Dee Wallace, Henry Thomas, Peter Coyote, Robert MacNaughton and Drew Barrymore.

Raiders of the Lost Ark

July 4th, 2022  |  1 hr 19 mins

ben holt, film, george lucas, harrison ford, indiana jones, john rhys-davies, karen allen, late to the movies, movie, paul freeman, raiders of the lost ark, review, steven spielberg, summer blockbuster

It's 'Big Steve Summer!' All month long on Late to the Movies, we'll be focusing on Steven Spielberg's summer blockbusters. Up first - Ben, Bree, Kay, and Sam discuss the Spielberg / George Lucas collaboration, Raiders of the Lost Ark. We talk about Harrison Ford's iconic turn as Indiana Jones, Spielberg's masterful action set pieces, and we cast a new Indy. Also, we definitely stay completely on topic the whole time with no tangents. Directed by Steven Spielberg and starring Harrison Ford, Karen Allen, Paul Freeman, and John Rhys-Davies.