David Robert Mitchell | First Impressions

The End of Oak Street puts Mike in mind of the sort of disposable but likeable films he watched on video as a child, although they didn’t tend to cost $85 million to make. Writer-director David Robert Mitchell conspicuously apes Steven Spielberg with a family, a suburb, a dinosaur invasion, a large pile of poo and a lot of 1980s nostalgia. We debate whether the film’s derivativeness, charmless performances, ropey CGI and poor plotting are outweighed by its genuinely effective set-pieces and its success as uncomplicated monster-movie fun. The End of Oak Street is far from good but if you watch it on VHS when you’re eight years old, just as Mike did with The Pagemaster and 3 Ninjas, it’ll probably stay with you forever.

Listen on the players below, Apple Podcasts, Audible, Spotify, or YouTube Music.

With José Arroyo of First Impressions and Michael Glass of Writing About Film.

James Thompson on UNDER THE SILVER LAKE:

Unpacking the mysteries of this dream-like neo-noir, the podcast takes a look at the film’s many potential meanings and messages, as well as its wide array of influences and homages from classical Hollywood. From subliminal messages in the media, to mythical murderers, to secret underground bunkers or to cults of the ultra-rich, this episode explores all of the surreal enigmas of Under The Silver Lake. Shrouded by all of the mystery and excitement of Under The Silver Lake, however, lies something deeper. Beneath the surface, the film poses a profound statement as to the human condition, the search for meaning and the turmoil of consciousness, all of which will be revealed in this podcast, which be listened to below: