PLUG: Movie Reviews by Tom Clift

Greetings all,

Tom Clift here. I just want to invite all LAMB members to particpate in the new weekly game I've started on my blog, entitled DOUBLE FEATURE FRIDAY, where I challenge YOU to pair the weeks releases with your favourite older or classic films.

Each week I’ll name the new theatrical releases as well as a few other bonus picks of my choice. Your job is to comment on what other movie you’d like to screen in a double bill with the given films, and why.

You can pick any movie you want – recent, classic, whatever. Just remember to try and be as creative as possible. It’s a chance to show off you movie knowledge and cinematic ingenuity.

The following week I’ll select the most interesting choices and that person will be awarded a point. Every three months, whoever has the most points will be awarded a prize (probably a DVD, although I’ll determine that a little later down the track).

You can find more information and start playing at http://reviewsbytom.blogspot.com/search/label/Double%20Feature%20Friday.


Got a Press Release, something to Plug, or a Screener available for review (or some combination of the three)? Ok, don't get all crazy about it. Just click here and give me the details (what, when, where, and a link, for starters) - I'll handle the rest.

LAMBcast #81: Fall/Winter Preview (aka Our Top 5s for the Rest of the Year)

So many films, so little time. There was some worry early on that there would be overlap with a lot of our individual top fives, but that proved not to really be the case, as there's a wide array of interesting flicks coming down the pike in the next few months. So many films that (spoiler alert!) not a single person chose either of Spielberg's flicks or Scorsese's kids' movie. And to top it all off, we had another "only in a LAMBcast" moment, but I won't spoil that for you just yet. Your host Dylan was joined by Nick, Sebastian, Tom and Sam. Apologies in advance for some slight audio wonkiness that can be heard during the show.



Also on tap:



* Rants of the Week

* Raves of the Week

* Last LAMB Standing

If you're interested, you too can be a LAMBcaster - we love new blood! For more information on the LAMBcast, check out the topic at the LAMB Forums. Music provided royalty-free by Kevin MacLeod's Incompetech website. Big thanks to Kevin for providing this service. The LAMBcast loves feedback, too. Either here in the comments section or to dylan@manilovefilms.com or to our Facebook page. Also, we're on iTunes, and would still love a review, even if it's a bad one.



Thanks for listening!

PLUG: Movie Reviews by Tom Clift

2011 marks two very exciting anniversaries for the Melbourne International Film Festival. Firstly, it is the festivals sixtieth birthday. Secondly, and perhaps more excitingly, it is the first year that I have been able to attend!

From now until August 7th, I will be covering the festival both at my blog Movie Reviews by Tom Clift (http://reviewsbytom.blogspot.com) as well as at another Australian based LAMB blog: Cut Print Review (http://www.cutprintreview.com). I’ll be seeing over thirty films, including Takashe Miike’s 13 Assassins, Lars von Trier’s Melancholia, James Gunn’s Super and many many more. So check out both sites as I chronicle the highlights and low-lights of Australia's oldest and most prestigious film festival.



Got a Press Release, something to Plug, or a Screener available for review (or some combination of the three)? Ok, don't get all crazy about it. Just click here and give me the details (what, when, where, and a link, for starters) - I'll handle the rest.

Movie of the Month/LAMBcast #76: The Third Man

Veteran LAMBcaster James was pushing hard for The Third Man to be the next MOTM for a few months now, and he finally got his way. The 1949 drama starring Joseph Cotten and Orson Welles is regularly included on lists of the best noir films and was voted in 1999 as the best British film of the 20th century by the BFI.

For those unfamiliar with it, the plot synopsis from IMDb:

"An out of work pulp fiction novelist, Holly Martins, arrives in a post war Vienna divided into sectors by the victorious allies, and where a shortage of supplies has lead to a flourishing black market. He arrives at the invitation of an ex-school friend, Harry Lime, who has offered him a job, only to discover that Lime has recently died in a peculiar traffic accident. From talking to Lime's friends and associates Martins soon notices that some of the stories are inconsistent, and determines to discover what really happened to Harry Lime. "

First up, the links! Big thanks to the LAMBs that sent in their posts for this edition of the MOTM. Like I said on Facebook earlier this week, I can kind of understand the lower output this time around given the 1949 release date of the film so please do check out the opinions on this classic below:

* 1001plus
* Bill's Movie Emporium
* Bonjour Tristesse
* Cinema Sights
* Duke and the Movies
* Flickers
* Friday Night Films
* Rachel's Reel Reviews

It's also time to vote on next month's movie. I've included many of the choices from last month, but swapped a few out to keep it interesting. If you'd like to place the poll on your site, click on the "Copy Poll" link below. You have one week to vote.

Online Surveys & Market Research

As we do every month, the LAMBcast is tied in with the MOTM. This time, Sam, Steve, Tom, Dylan and James gathered 'round our virtual table and produced what I tend to think is one of of best episodes yet. Also of note, a thanks to Dan of the Midnight Movie Club for sharing a technical tip with me that has hopefully made the sound quality the best yet (for sure - a good connection helped, too). 76 episodes in and we're still getting better!

Also on tap:

* Rants and Raves of the Week
* Last LAMB Standing

Finally - here's the video Tom tells Steve about - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lu02VSsLorE.

If you're interested, you too can be a LAMBcaster - we love new blood! For more information on the LAMBcast, check out the topic at the LAMB Forums. Music provided royalty-free by Kevin MacLeod's Incompetech website. Big thanks to Kevin for providing this service. The LAMBcast loves feedback, too. Either here in the comments section or to dylan@manilovefilms.com or to our Facebook page. Also, we're on iTunes, and would still love a review, even if it's a bad one.

Thanks for listening!

LAMBcast #73: The LAMMY-nominated Podcasts Roast

It's funny - I think I usually refer to this show as the "homage" or "tribute show" to the LAMMY-nominated podcasts, but let's be honest - it's more like a roast, since we're less about singing praises (just this once) and more about having fun with the shows. Offensive? Perhaps, but as I say in the show, we're lovers of these podcasts and are doing this all in good fun, so please take it in the spirit that it's intended.

Now that the legalese is out of the way, get ready for some fun, as Dylan, James, Jason, Nick and Tom put on their impressionist hats (kinda) as they poorly recreate Frankly, My Dear, The Demented Podcast, Reel Insight, LAMMY-award winner The Matineecast, and The MILFcast.

None of our regular features for this week's special episode, but they'll all return next time.

If you're interested, you too can be a LAMBcaster - we love new blood! For more information on the LAMBcast, check out the topic at the LAMB Forums. Music provided royalty-free by Kevin MacLeod's Incompetech website. Big thanks to Kevin for providing this service. The LAMBcast loves feedback, too. Either here in the comments section or to dylan@manilovefilms.com or to our Facebook page. Also, we're on iTunes, and would still love a review, even if it's a bad one.

Thanks for listening!