Not Your Grandparent's Movie Reviews

Word is spreading about the hottest new viral film review show: Reel Geezers. The set up is simple, get two octogenarians who like film, sit them in a darkened theatre, and interview them afterward.

But these are no typical grandparents. As the L.A. Times notes: "Lorenzo is actually Lorenzo Semple, 84. One of Hollywood's top screenwriters in the 1970s, he helped write movies for virtually every star of the day, notably Warren Beatty (The Parallax View), Robert Redford (Three Days of the Condor), Steve McQueen (Papillon) and Paul Newman (The Drowning Pool). His foil is Marcia Nasatir, 81, a longtime agent, pioneering woman production executive and producer of such films as The Big Chill and Hamburger Hill."

One of the reasons I love watching Reel Geezers is that I ran an art-house theatre for many years in a neighborhood filled with cranky elderly folks. There was often complaining about incomprehensible, strange, or dirty things happening on screen. But then there were also elderly folk like these two, who were so excited and loved to talk about new films, even when they didn't always like them. In other words, these were our dream patrons.

Also, the Reel Geezers doesn't reek of seniorsplotation. I genuinely love their take on films, that they focus on the hipper art house releases, and that they engage in Siskel and Ebert style debates. Oh, and I really like how Marcia insists that "I've had 15 different jobs, and I consider being fired from them a mark of honor." That, my friends, is a hip lady (even if she doesn't know much about oral sex - see the first review below).

Their first and most popular review so far is for Superbad. And, yeah, it's a kick.

And since this is a radio station blog, after all, we should find out what they think of I'm Not There.

Speaking of seniorsploitation, I can't wait for their review of Young At Heart. I really hope they hate it!

Comments

[Mick O]

Amazingly, your post is the ONLY Google result for "seniorsploitation". That's kinda cool, too.

[E.P.]

Can you elaborate on your dislike of Y.A.H.?

[Resident Clinton]

I assume you mean this.