The Arkin Brothers Talk About Movies

Episode 41: First Monday in October (1981)

Jill Clayburgh is the first female Justice of the Supreme Court. What a long way we have come, with still a long, long way to go. Also starring in this dramedy are Walter Matthau, Barnard Hughes, and Jan Sterling, in her last feature film appearance.

Episode 40: In the Line of Fire (1993)

Clint Eastwood wasn't able to save Kennedy on that fateful day and has lived under that shadow for 30 years. When the time comes, will he be able to take a bullet and redeem himself? Directed by Wolfgang Petersen (Das Boot, Air Force One) and written by Jeff Maguire, this taut political thriller also stars John Malkovich, Rene Russo, Dylan McDermott, Gary Cole, Fred Dalton, John Mahoney, John Heard, and Joshua Malina.

Ep. 39: 27 Dresses (2008)

Things got ugly on this one. We could hear the screams. "Romcoms?! You guys are going to talk about romcoms?! And you're starting with this one?" Yes. Yes, we are. Because, like the honey badger, we don't care. Katherine Heigl lives out "Always a bridesmaid, never the bride" in true Hollywood fashion, and for good or for ill, we're going to talk about it. Directed by Anne Fletcher and written by Aline Brosh McKenna, and also starring James Marsden, Edward Burns, and Brian Kerwin.

Episode 38: Silent Running (1972)

Bruce Dern saves the trees in the Sci-Fi classic, directed by visual effects legend Douglas Trumbull (2001: A Space Odyssey, Blade Runner), along with John Dykstra (Star Trek: The Motion Picture, Spiderman, Once Upon a Time . . . in Hollywood).

Ep.37: Escape from New York (1981)

SNAKE PLISSKEN! NEED WE SAY MORE? Okay, just in case we do: It's directed by John Carpenter, and it stars Kurt Russell, Lee Van Cleef, Donald Pleasence, Ernest Borgnine, Isaac Hayes, Adrienne Barbeau, and Harry Dean Stanton.

Ep. 36: The Last Starfighter (1984)

This week we're joined by special guests Lance Guest, The Last Starfighter himself, as well as our good friend Seth Barrish of The Barrow Group. And who can resist a movie that boasts Robert Preston as Centauri and Dan O'Herlihy as Grig? For extra fun, check out this YouTube clip of Lance's appearance on The David Letterman show along with the rest of the cast of Million Dollar Quartet.

Episode 35: The Black Hole (1979)

We got into a real battle over this one. Be careful. It'll suck you in. Disney ramps up the risqué with its first movie to merit a PG rating, as we continue our exploration of science fiction by going where almost no one has ever gone before: a critical examination of The Black Hole. Starring Maximilian Schell, Anthony Perkins, Robert Forster, Joseph Bottoms, Yvette Mimieux, Ernest Borgnine, Roddy McDowall, Slim Pickens, and Tom McLoughlin.

Episode 34: Enemy Mine (1985)

When their fighters are damaged, two pilots are forced to punch out. Stranded together, they must learn to coexist. But their battle was in space, the planet is not Earth, one is human, and the other is not. It's Hell in the Pacific in Space. Starring Dennis Quaid and Oscar-winner Louis Gossett Jr. Directed by Wolfgang Petersen (Das Boot, In the Line of Fire, Air Force One).

Episode 17: Blue Thunder (1983)

Roy Scheider takes to the skies above LA in one of the coolest choppers ever. John Badham (Saturday Night Fever, War Games) directs a terrific cast in this fun action thriller, and . . . oh my God . . . James Murtaugh is in it again! I swear, we're not picking his movies on purpose.

Episode 16: Wrong is Right (1982)

Sean Connery leads an AMAZING cast in this hilarious comedy thriller written and directed by Richard Brooks (In Cold Blood, Looking for Mr. Goodbar, Key Largo) from a novel by Charles McCarry. With characters such President Bedford Forrest “Frosty” Lockwood and General Wombat, the all-star cast includes George Grizzard, Robert Conrad, Katharine Ross, G.D. Spradlin, John Saxon, Henry Silva, Leslie Nielsen, Robert Webber, Ron Moody, Rosalind Cash, Dean Stockwell, and Jennifer Jason Leigh.