There is nothing more spectacular than a well choreographed stunt, be it a fight, a drive, a fall, or whathaveyou.  In today’s cinematic climate of CGI, it is easy to forget the time when most of the stunts were done by real stunt people who had the courage and craziness to put their life on the line for art. These are the unsung doubles with the glued on mustache and wig, who make the star of the picture look like a bad-ass. These are the death defying maniacs who leap from great heights to give you the thrills that you seek to have by living vicariously through them. These are the fall guys. This week on CinemaJaw we will take a look at our favorite movie stunts of all time. There will be no harness, net or tether.

Our only safety, the best possible guest for the situation. Stunt Person, Martial Artist, Actor and Teacher: Kelso Ashby of Asylum Stunts. Kelso rounds out our panel and throws down with his top 5 stunts of all time.

In addition to that we  have some other stunts to pull off: I for an I, CinemaWAR, Trivia and a whole lot more. So don’t look down, double check that parachute, close your eyes and jump into this episode of CinemaJaw!

Reviewed this episode: Iron Man 3, Oblivion, Promised Land
CinemaWAR: Which starship is better: The Millennium Falcon or The Enterprise?
I for an I: Francis Ha, Star Trek Into Darkness
Trivia: Star Trek Actor Movie Trivia

The Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo – also known as C2E2 – is a convention spanning the latest and greatest from the worlds of comics, movies, television, toys, anime, manga and video games. Bringing the best of popular culture to Downtown Chicago, C2E2’s show floor is packed with hundreds of exhibitors, panels and autograph sessions giving fans a chance to interact with their favorite creators and screening rooms featuring sneak peeks at films and television shows months before they hit either the big or small screen! C2E2 just celebrated it’s fourth year this April, and it nearly doubled in size from years past.

In what has become an annual tradition CinemaJaw cozied up at our very own table in “Podcast Alley” to spread the word and land some cool interviews. Boy, did we ever! Over the course of the weekend we talked to Tron himself , Mr. Bruce Boxleitner. Along with two of his collaborators Bruce walked us through his new steam-punk television show in development, Lantern City. We also sat down with comic book super star J. Scott Campbell to discuss his upcoming projects, summer movies, and have a little CinemaWAR. Last, but not least, we were fortunate to get a few minutes of time from Lance Fenserman the guy who RUNS C2E2! Lance also happens to be a fabulously interesting dude, and also gets his chance at a trivia rematch against Matt K.

Matt and Ry take a breather at C2E2. For the rest of our C2E2 photos, check out our Facebook album!

So sit back, relax and adjust you blaster holsters and lightsabers. Get your geek on with CinemaJaw’s C2E2 special!

Reviewed this episode: With Great Power, Mud
CinemaWAR: Which Comic Book Director is Better, Sam Rami or Christopher Nolan?
I for an I: The Great Gatsby
Trivia: Leonardo DiCaprio, Tobey McGuire Movie Trivia

(There were so many great interviews that we got at C2E2 that we couldn’t fit them all into one episode. Rest assured that they will come out! Follow us on Twitter for constant updates)

Rather than leave you all with no Jaw this weekend (perish the thought!), we would like to present CinemaJaw’s first ever Mini-sode! In this Mini CinemaJaw we interview our first fictional character from Hank Frisco Galaxy Defender, Lt. Bonzo from the C2E2 convention floor.

Lt. Bonzo, Matt K, and Ry the Movie Guy

Be sure to tune in next week for the FULL C2E2 CinemaJaw special!

Super Dooper!

Comic book movies are often only thought of as the summer blockbuster fare. With men in tights, high flying super heroics, and amazing action, we all love these films! However, today CinemaJaw is delving a little deeper into the world of graphic novels and comics to unearth the films that were based on sequential illustrations, but do NOT feature superheroes! (GASP!) It’s true… they do exist, and whether you know it or not, these are some of your favorite movies!

Joining us for his third appearance on CinemaJaw is Chicago comic book artist Jim Terry. CinemaJaw has been fortunate to be among the few to see the pages of his most recent project fresh from his drawing table, and we’ve been talking to Jim about his exciting news for well over a year! That news: (slightly out of the bag at this point) is that Jim is the artist on The Crow: Skinning the Wolves book, penned by James O’Barr (creator of  The Crow). It is the first such book from O’Barr in a long long time, and we are VERY happy to see Jim hand picked for this project! It is out now, and all of you should READ IT!

handsome lads

In addition to our Non-Superhero Comic Book Movie picks, we go I for an I (Interested or Ignore) on  , have a CinemaWAR over Michael Bay, and play some Bounty Hunter movie trivia. Plus all the tomfoolery you’ve come to expect. So leave your cape and tights at the dry cleaners and kick your feet up, listen to some CinemaJaw!

Reviewed this episode: Jurassic Park 3d, Dredd, Robot & Frank, The Imposter
CinemaWAR: Is Michael Bay a Hack? or a Good Director?
I for an I: Pain And Gain
Trivia: Bounty Hunter Movie Trivia

This week on CinemaJaw we stay close to home (but outside of Chicago) as we cover our favorite Midwestern films (NOT Chicago Films, since we have covered that a bunch). Aside from cornfields, cornfields, and Chicago the Midwest is a veritable hotbed of cinema. Spawning many an unlikely Hollywood blockbuster, as we learned this episode.

Welcome to the heartland

Our guest is a local dynamo and a spitfire powerhouse of Midwest film knowledge,  Mr. Mike McNamara. It makes sense that he is too, because Mac (his nickname) is the co-founder and director of the Midwest Independent Film Festival. So this guy really knows his stuff! What follows is one of the most hilarious and energetic episodes of CinemaJaw to date. Midwestern style!

CinemaJaw with Mike McNamara

Reviewed this episode: Evil Dead, The Place Beyond the Pines, The Paperboy
CinemaWAR: Wesley Snipes Comeback
I for an I: Oblivion
Trivia: Tom Cruise – Morgan Freeman Movie Trivia

The internet in three words: One, Zero, Cats.

Since the late 80′s the internet has rapidly turned into an indispensable part of our daily lives. From Chat rooms to email, to social media and mobile. Who could exist anymore without the internet? It’s quite true, this very podcast that you are reading about wouldn’t exist either! That is why this week on CinemaJaw we will take a look at our favorite Cyber/Computer/Internet Movies.

We need a digital dynamo to help us hack into this mainframe. Enter Joe Avella. Fresh off his feature directorial debut Master of Inventions (which is available FREE and in its entirety here), Mr. Avella helps us get plugged into this topic. This also marks Joe’s 3rd appearance on CinemaJaw, and a heated trivia battle is SURE to ensue!

Nevermind the Master… Here’s The Master of Inventions

Download it.

Reviewed this episode: American Grindhouse, Foxy Brown, War Witch, No, Gi Joe: Retaliation, Olympus Has Fallen, This is 40
CinemaWAR: Which is the better baseball film: Major League or Field of Dreams?
I for an I: Disconnect, 42
Trivia: Harrison Ford Movie Trivia

Here on the Jaw Matt and Ry tend to argue. Throw in Eliaz who randomly chooses a side and our little family is not what you would exactly call nuclear. As it turns out, most families in film are a touch of what is commonly known as dysfunctional. We don’t need to get all clinical here, we all know what dysfunction is and every movie family defines it. After all, were they not, it would make for some pretty boring movies. This week on CinemaJaw we take a look at our favorite dysfunctional movie families, comical, horrific and everything in between.

We need a councilor to help us on this therapy session. Enter Brent Kado. Brent is a man of many talents and ambitions  He is currently on the board of the Chicago Comedy Film Festival, as well as beginning a new film school: The Chicago Film Institute. Somehow he also finds time to make feature films. Brent is someone to pay attention to, and a perfect guest!

Brent Kado and Matt and Ry

In addition to the above, we also have some great segments like I for an I, CinemaWAR, Trivia and a whole lot more. So let CinemaJaw join the family in your head and give your eardrums a complex.

Reviewed this episode: Stoker, The Croods, Liberal Arts, Bully
I for an I: Trance
Trivia: Movies That Take Place in The Woods

This episode of CinemaJaw is dedicated to the memory of Roger Ebert. He will never be equaled. 

An Iconic Movie Moment

Love. Love is what brings us here today. A challenging love at that. As the age old adage goes, behind every great person is another. This week on CinemaJaw we take a look at Superhero Love Interests. These are the women (and men) who stand pillar like in support of the hero. They may or may not have powers of thier own, but they face the struggles both within the relationship and without. No great story is complete without a love, and these are the super ones.

Joining us is CinemaJaw’s own Superman, marking his 6th official appearance as guest, Mr. Charles Klein. Fresh off the set of his latest film our Chuck is promoting his upcoming premier and the upcoming Indie Incubator Film Fest! Also he knows a thing or two about superheroes and uses his X ray vision to see to the heart of this topic.

In addition to that we have all the usual side kicks: I for an I, Movie Trivia, CinemaWAR and a whole lot more. So wring out your tights and wear your underwear on the outside. It’s time to get super duper!

The Three Amigos!

Reviewed this episode: Oz The Great and Powerful, Stone Cold Steve Austin The Bottom Line, Everything or Nothing, Liberal Arts, End of Watch
I for an I: The Place Beyond The Pines
Trivia: Tournament Movie Trivia

Welcome to CinemaJaw’s Delorean. Every so often we will take a look back at long forgotten episodes of the Jaw that had a great topic and/or guest that didn’t quite have the audience that we have now. Obviously we’ve come a long way since then, but as they say, “know your roots”. And we do.

A great discussion featuring fellow podcaster John Suintres of Word Balloons.

Aside from Ben Affleck, we have some awesome segments: I for an I, CinemaWAR and the brand new MovieWed Game, and a whole lot more! Its Oscar Worthy!

Reviewed This Episode: Seven Psychopaths, Magic Mike, The Invisible War
I for an I: Oz the Great And Powerful
Jaw 101: James Franco

Bust out your treasure maps and be on the look out for booby traps because this week on CinemaJaw we undertake an epic quest for adventure! Adventure Movies that is. Now Matt and Ry know how to buckle some swash, but these intrepid movie adventurers need to meet their proverbial Yoda.

Enter Matt Kelly and Joe Dejulius of hit web series Hank Frisco: Galaxy Defender. These Frisco boys certainly know a thing or two about adventure, having crafted a hilarious high quality DIY space adventure episodic that would give the Ice Pirates ship envy. With thier help, CinemaJaw deturmines the difference between Action and Adventure, and names thier top 5 of the genre.

Also ever present are the adventurous segments: I for an I, CinemaWAR and many many more.

Keep your whip and six-gun handy. Fortune and glory are near.

Reviewed This Episode: After Porn Ends, How to Survive a Plague, Paranorman
I for an I: Stoker
CinemaWAR: Is James Franco a quality actor, or a lucky pothead?
Trivia: Nicole Kidman Movie Trivia

Journalism: A word synonymous with freedom, integrity, and celebrity gossip. Since the invention of the printing press we have used the written word to spread our messages and let them know the news. Journalism is as important a profession as any, and at it’s best the media is an important watchdog in our society. But we like the movies section. So, we are covering our Top 5 Journalism Movies!

We need a reporter to help us. One with gumption, moxie, one who runs the entire ChicagoNow blog network for the Chicago Tribune Media Group, one who’s a regular Chicago RedEye contributor since it’s inception, One who wrote the book “100 Things Cubs Fans Should Know and Do Before They Die“, one like the incomparable Jimmy Greenfield. So it’s a good thing that his schedule was open!

Jimmy joins this entire episode as we talk media, journalism, movies, chicago, Cubs/Sox, Bruce Willis and a whole lot more. Plus all the usual segments you’ve come to love: I for an I, CinemaWAR, Trivia, and a whole slew of reviews.

No Comment…

Also at the top of this episode is our interview with Ben Gleib and Angie Greenup of the Oscars Road Trip! Yes that is a REAL Oscar below! Special thanks to Angie and Ben for being gracious enough to let us hold Oscar and granting an interview. We think it turned out well!

Medicine and movies have gone hand in hand since the dawn of the medium. We all want to know what those people in white are thinking, the pressures they face, and the romances they pursue. From funny to gory, the Medical genre spans all. That’s why this week on CinemaJaw we grab the rib spreaders and go surgical on the best Medical Movies!

We are going to need a man with a steady hand, someone who’s scalpel like taste in film can dissect this patient. Welcome Nelson Carvajal,  an independent digital filmmaker, writer and content creator. He writes a great blog blog FREE CINEMA NOW , and his video essays for indieWIRE can be found here.  Nelson has been a considerable presence in the emerging new media independent moviemaking arena, sporting a filmography is mainly made up of niche experimental digital shorts.

His video work has been featured in the London Underground Film Festival, the Milwaukee Avenue Arts Festival, the Fractured Lens Video Festival, the Chicago International Movies and Music Festival (CIMM Fest) and the 0110 International Digital Film Festival. In early 2012, Carvajal and fellow underground filmmaker Amir George collaborated on a video installation art show titled “Film Is Dead: Edges of the Digital Frame” which played for an entire month at the I Am Logan Square Art Gallery in Chicago.

Needless to say Nelson scrubs in with us this entire episode. In addition to the Medical Movies, we cover a ton! Trivia, CinemaWAR, J.J. Abrams and much more! So let us suture your wounded ears and give them a podcast worth listening too… STAT!

Reviewed This Episode: Amore, Compliance, Frankenweenie, Special When Lit, Chasing Ghosts, Game Over: Kaspirov and the Machine, Ecstasy of Order
CinemaWAR: Was JJ Abrams a good choice to direct the new Star Wars films?
Trivia: Steven Soderbergh Trivia

Profanity, it’s not called “Anti-fanity” for a reason. There are generally two schools of thought on the topic of profanity in media. The first school think that it is highly offensive, and even dangerous, and more that it demonstrates a lack of creativity. We’ve all heard that a potty mouth is a substitution for strong vocabulary skills, the first school touts that argument. In a nut shell, some people don’t like it. However the second school (which we attend here at CinemaJaw) believe that when used correctly profanity, verbal or otherwise, can be truly musical and add tremendously to a story worth telling. Not that it is always easy or fun to imbibe, but storytelling would be crippled without it. It’s not all sunshine and roses out there and it’s up to art to reflect that.

That’s why this week on CinemaJaw we take a look at our Top 5 favorite Profane Movies. These are the films with an F-Bomb count in the triple digits, or the ones that employ a visual or thematic profanity that flies in the face of wheat is generally acceptable in society. We will need an expert in profanity to help us swear up and down, enter the “Queen of Cussin’” herself, Nicole Knepper of the hit blog Mom’s Who Drink and Swear! Nicole and Profanity Consultant buddy Sal will help us buckle through the swash and crawl through a river of shit and come out clean on the other side.

In addition to profanity, you will find us covering some great topics, trivia games, CinemaWAR and a whole lot more. So why the @#$!%& not listen?

I for an I: Bullet to the Head
Reviewed This Episode: Gangster Squad, Game Change
CinemaWAR: Who has had the better career, Sylvester Stallone or Arnold Schwarzenegger?
Trivia: Jodie Foster movie trivia

With so many choices, there is bound to be some noise, so CinemaJaw enlists the help of Chicago Filmmakers (in the midst of creating their own subculture film Vannin’) Nick Nummerdor and Andrew Morgan of Little Cabin Films. The Little Cabin guys tell us all about their upcoming projects, and offer up their own top 5 subculture movies list as well. Not only that, but they were kind enough to join us on all of our usual segments and a few unusual ones as well.

Certainly Podcast Listeners and Movie Buffs are their own subcultures, and we thank you for being a part of our little corner of them. VIVA LA JAW!

I for an I: Hansel & Gretel
Reviewed This Episode: Zero Dark Thirty, Total Recall
CinemaWAR: Which third installment will be better Iron Man 3 or Hangover 3?
Trivia: Fairy tale Movie Trivia

Ah 2012, what a year for film. We saw sequels, prequels, reboots and even some originals of epic proportion grace the silver screen with their luminosity! Without naming names here, some of the best actors and directors were at the top of their game this past year, and stunning examples of cinema were produced. That is why this week on CinemaJaw we take a look back and choose our favorite films of 2012. Flying solo (as we like to say) we have our engineer Eliaz Rodriguez fill in the guest slot and offer up his opinions on the year and also participate as victim…er uh… CONTESTANT in trivia and judge of CinemaWAR.

But wait! …There’s More! We will also cover our favorite movie quotes, death scenes, and hidden gems of the year as well. How’s that for content?!

So goodbye 2012, we loved the flix. Looking forward to an even better year!

I for an I: Broken City
Reviewed This Episode: Zero Dark Thirty, Queen of Versailles, Django Unchained, This is 40
CinemaWAR: Who got the biggest Oscar Snub this year?

With the phenomenal movie year 2012 behind us we take a look forward at all the great movies coming out in 2013, boy are there some interesting ones! Yes, we will have a slew of remakes, reboots and sequels, but we will also be treated to some great fresh ideas from A-list directors and actors and we could not be more excited about it!

We are also excited to be joined in studio by none other than Dorian and Brant, the team behind the upcoming indie thriller Chicago Rot. The Rotters tell us all about their upcoming film, and what went into making it the love letter to the darker side of Chicago that it is. The Rot guys also brought their list of films of 2013 that get their blood pumps going and we all go round robin.

All that plus JawBox, Trivia, CinemaWAR, Reviews and a while lot more. So goodbye 2012… Hello 2013!

Happy New Year!

I for an I: A Haunted House
Reviewed This Episode: Les Miserables, Rust and Bone, Arbitrage, Premium Rush, Craigslist Joe
CinemaWAR: Who had the bigger break out year, Joseph Gordon-Levitt or Jennifer Lawrence?
Trivia: 2012 Movie Trivia

Doomsday, Armageddon, Ragnarok, Judgement Day, The  End. 12-21-12 has come and gone and the Mayans were wrong about the end of time. We here at CinemaJaw are rather pleased about that fact, because we now get to cover our favorite Doomsday movies (we were waiting… just in case)! The annihilation has been covered in films since the dawn of the medium, and the trend continues today. It seems that we are fascinated by what comes after, and a good Doomsday movie is second to none.

We are joined by Renascence Man, Mulit-media artist and comedian extraordinaire: Mr. Jonathan Fin. Jonathan has a whole slew of new projects up his sleeve to tell us about plus he is outfitted with his own top 5 Doomsday Movies.

Jonathan Fin

I for an I: Gangster Squad
Reviewed This Episode: Django Unchained, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, The Impossible, Savages, Thin Ice
CinemaWAR: Was 2012 the Year of the Avengers, or the Year of James Bond?

Careers, like great stories, have a beginning, middle and end. This week on CinemaJaw we are taking a look at the beginning of some of our favorite directors careers as we cover the Best Directorial Debuts!  It was amazing to us how many fantastic movies are made by directors who nailed it right out of the gate. Seriously, there are too many to list in just a top 5 list!

To help us cover this fresh topic, we needed someone with a fresh perspective. Welcome Sam Long. Recent graduate of Tribecca Flashpoint Academy and a winner in the Indie Incubator Film Fest. Sam lends us a fantastic point of view as we delve into the firsts… Best Directorial Debuts.

Also returning are a few new segments: JawBox, CinemaFeud among others. Plus the usual suspects I for an I, Movie Reviews, Trivia and a whole lot more. It is brimming over with CinemaFresh Happiness! Listen:

I for an I: Django Unchained, Zero Dark Thirty
Reviewed This Episode: Ted, Lawless, Dark Shadows
CinemaWAR: Superman Man of Steel, good idea? Or Leave it Alone?

This Holiday Season, don’t just listen to any ol’ advice. Go to the people you trust at CinemaJaw to help you make those xmas shoppin lists for the movie lover in your family… or just for you, because CinemJaw is droppin the GEMS of home theater shopping. While Matt K may famously think that physical media is dead, it still seems to fly off the shelves and true collectors rejoice because this episode we are picking the Best DVDs and Blu Rays!

Helping us choose is a guy on an epic mission. One that could take him 25 years or more. His mission… to watch every Criterion film! He is Matt Streets, also know as The Criterion Completist  over at Keeping-it-reel.com. Matt S. sits in on the entire episode and lends his tremendous expertise and shopping savvy to the show.

Add to it new segments including a new game and this episode is chock full of ju-ju yummies! Its Cinemalishous! Happy Holidays!

I for an I: The Hobbit and Unexpected Journey
Reviewed This Episode: Killing Them Softly, Life of Pi, Hide Park on the Hudson, Brave
CinemaWAR: Which is the better prequel The Hobbit or X-Men First Class?