Author Archives: Chance Solem-Pfeifer

In the wake of “Death On The Nile,” we peer through our spyglass at that classic sub-sub-genre Nautical Murder Mysteries. Along for the pleasure cruise is Mashable illustrator Bob Al-Greene, who’s currently working on the first-ever graphic novelization of an Agatha Christie mystery. We talk Poirot, Branagh, and distracting CGI before diving into our other […]

While 2020 kept so many families painfully apart, three acclaimed indies from last year made the opposite case: “Why do I see these people again?” Playing a little 2021 catch-up, Chance and Noah drop by to visit “Spencer,” “Shiva Baby,” and “The Humans” to explore how families—be they English royalty or middle-class Americans—banter, bristle, covet […]

To celebrate the 80th birthday of the eternal G.O.A.T., Chance dives deep into Muhammad Ali’s cinematic legacy. Morgan Campbell of CBC Sports joins to discuss the unwavering supply of Ali documentaries and films, plus the necessity of preserving context around Ali’s life and legacy as an activist athlete. Then, to finish, Chance runs down his […]

To close the book on 2021 movies, Chance is joined by Conner Reed (Portland Monthly) to celebrate their favorite films and performances in the following categories: Oregon Feature, Documentary, Foreign Film, Blockbuster, Comedy, Horror, Acting Newcomer, Ensemble, Supporting Performance, Lead Performance, and Top 3 Movies of 2021. Happy new year, all!

One doesn’t simply walk into a “Lord of the Rings” episode—at least not without a 20-year anniversary and amateur Tolkien scholar Brent Rivers on one’s side. On today’s blockbuster episode, our fellowship reflects on an all-time great film trilogy, assessing LOTR’s bizarre relationship to star power, how Peter Jackson adapted almost anti-modern novels, and how […]

After many Thanksgivings spent recording supersized Be Reels, we finally do the sensible thing and just cover films about Turkey Day itself. The trio of “Planes, Trains and Automobiles” (1987), “Home For The Holidays” (1995) and “The Ice Storm” (1997) explores the great lengths to which families go to gather, despite cornucopias of evidence they […]

In the debut of a “Guest’s Choice” format, Portland writer and film programmer Aaron Colter joins Chance to discuss a pair of ’80s movies about New York vampires: “The Hunger” (1983) and “Vampire’s Kiss” (1989). The former is Tony Scott’s first movie (dark, entrancing, and with David Bowie), while the latter finds Nicolas Cage channeling […]

By the year 1991, Wes Craven had already solidified his place in the Hollywood “master of horror” pantheon. But for his third act, the “Nightmare on Elm Street” creator began asking, “What’s the point of all this slashing?” as he embarked on a series of socially critical and self-reflexive scary movies: “The People Under The […]

Reflecting on Sept. 11, 2001 twenty years later, we watched three films depicting the post-9/11 psyche at its most charged and wounded. “25th Hour” (2002), “Worth” (2021) and “Reign Over Me” (2007) consider 9/11 from grieving standpoints, but they also tell on themselves, revealing how difficult meaningful reflection actually is, whether from swaggering New Yorkers, […]