by Adam Riske and Patrick Bromley
Double Feature 1:
Adam: #1: Midnight Run (1988)
Patrick: #2: Meet the Parents (2000)
Patrick: Trailers/Shorts: Showtime, Dirty Grandpa, The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle
Patrick: Theme: Funny De Niro
Patrick: I went obvious for our first Cinemarink double this month. Midnight Run is a pretty unassailable classic and I didn’t want to be too cutesy with the pairing. I know the trailers are a shit show but I stand by this double, having revisited Meet the Parents during FTMF 2000 month and finding it better and funnier than I remember it being and featuring a super locked-in De Niro performance. It’s become shorthand for a kind of mainstream, corporate bullshit comedy over the last 25 years – the DVD owned by the person who only owns this and The Hangover – but I liked it more than I thought I did.
Adam: That’s great. I wish they stayed with just the original. I’m not a fan of the sequels, although I like Ariana Grande so I’m looking forward to the new one a little more than I should. I’m always fascinated by Funny De Niro because he’s either totally locked in like in Meet the Parents or I’d even argue Dirty Grandpa (which is a bad, bad, bad movie) but other times at sea (have you seen The Comedian?). There’s very little in-between.
Double Feature 2:
Patrick: #1: Rhinestone (1984)
Adam: #2: The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (1982)
Adam: Trailers/Shorts: 9 to 5, Steel Magnolias, Straight Talk, “Islands in the Stream” Live Performance Video
Adam: Theme: Dolly Parton Tribute
Adam: I considered the idea of doing a joint Dolly Parton-Tim Curry tribute here (note: Curry passed away after I initially chose these pairings but before this column ran), but they each deserve their own and we can do a proper Tim Curry themed one in the future. Why are so many cool celebrities dying? Anyways, this is probably my double feature pick of the month because I’ve always liked Dolly Parton from afar but haven’t really dived deep into her work, musically or cinematically. I think the only movie of hers I’ve seen is Steel Magnolias, but that’s too sad to program here so I just had it as a trailer. This double will give me an excuse to finally catch up with a couple of her classics (Is Rhinestone a classic? I know it’s often discussed but as a guilty pleasure). I had to throw in her and Kenny Rogers “Islands in the Stream” into the night’s programming too because it’s a great song written by my boys The Bee Gees. P.S. I paired Rhinestone with The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas because she sings in both!
Patrick: I wanted to say that both of these movies rule but that’s probably not true even though I love Rhinestone. Best Little Whorehouse is legit great and she’s incredible in it so I’m glad you picked another musical, especially one that pairs her opposite a male co-star who a) is a symbol of onscreen masculinity at the time and b) has to sing. These movies pair so well. I should have more shame about my affection for Rhinestone but I refuse because Dolly Parton is so great in it and even Stallone’s best efforts to ruin it are unsuccessful. Losing her and Tim Curry in the same two-day span is unthinkable. All I can think to do to honor their memories is to watch their movies.
Double Feature 3:
Patrick: #2: Hickey & Boggs (1972)
Patrick: Trailers/Shorts: The Getaway, Hard Times, The Warriors
Patrick: Theme: Early Walter Hill
Patrick: I’ve kind of wanted to re-run all the Walter Hills lately so this might be the kick in the dick I need to do it. I know I mixed movies that he wrote with movies he directed but I wanted to focus on some of his lesser-known early work. Have you seen Hickey & Boggs? I know it has Bill Cosby in it, which is unfortunate in 2026, but it rules. Great buddy cop stuff. I decided to go with that over The Warriors because I assume that’s a movie everyone has seen even though I could literally watch it anytime. The Driver is so amazing, too. I never count Walter Hill among my guys because I don’t feel masculine enough to do that (same reason I don’t count John Carpenter) but he’s kind of one of my guys.
Adam: No, I’m pretty lacking in my early Walter Hill watches, too. I haven’t seen anything before The Warriors. Laughing at you saying you don’t feel masculine enough to consider Walter Hill as one of your guys. I kind of have the same thing too but maybe didn’t realize it. I like a lot of Walter Hill movies I’ve seen but it’s never occurred to me to be more than a tourist in his filmography. I’d never be so bold to claim residency. In any event, I’m looking forward to watching more unseen Walter Hills!
Double Feature 4:
Patrick: #1: Back to School (1986)
Adam: #2: Summer School (1987)
Adam: Trailers/Shorts: Better Off Dead, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure
Adam: Theme: Classroom Hijinks
Adam: There’s something a little extra fun about programming ‘80s comedy double features. I haven’t seen all of Back to School (I remember diving board stuff from when I watched it on cable as a kid but that’s it) so I’m looking forward to finally seeing the whole thing. I paired it with Summer School, which I watched ALL THE TIME on cable in the late ‘80s. I think it’s one of my first experiences seeing something with horror elements with that Chainsaw & Dave sequence. I’m surprised that part never scared me. I was intrigued. Summer School is gateway horror is what I’m trying to say.
Patrick: If I didn’t already want to do the Dolly double this would for sure be my pick of the month. I love a Classroom Hijinks comedy, and even if I don’t love Back to School (the fact that it was one of highest-grossing movies of its year will forever confound me the same way the success of Crocodile Dundee confounds me) I find it incredibly watchable. Here’s why this is a sneaky brilliant double: I have been listening to nothing but Oingo Boingo lately and programmed Back to School because it’s an early Danny Elfman score (and Boingo performs live). Guess what else is an early Danny Elfman score? Summer School! Very well done, Adam! Also, Summer School is total gateway horror. Rick Baker did the effects! I was obsessed with that scene when I was 10. I would just watch that part over and over again. It’s one of my favorite ‘80s comedies.
Double Feature 5:
Patrick: #2: Ticker (2001)
Patrick: Trailers/Shorts: Soul Survivors, Novocaine, ‘R Xmas
Patrick: Theme: 2001 Artisan
Patrick: I always associate Artisan Entertainment with shitty DVDs but they had some good movies too. Made is one of them. Ticker isn’t, but it’s an Albert Pyun starring Steven Seagal, Tom Sizemore, Jaime Pressly, Ice-T, and Kevin Gage. How can we not see it on the big screen at the Cinemarink? It’s one of the most Us movies ever made.
Adam: This is in the running for our FNDF episode in November because I feel like rewatching Made (the Casino to Swingers’ Goodfellas), and the cast of Ticker is insane, and I must see this unseen Pyun! Plus, we haven’t done our Ice-T episode of the year. This is lining up like the Da Vinci Code or something.
Double Feature 6:
Patrick: #1: They Live (1988)
Adam: #2: Society (1989)
Adam: Trailers/Shorts: The Stepford Wives (1975), Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978), The Stuff
Adam: Theme: Conform or Else
Adam: This theme is on the nose. I mean, sure, but it doesn’t excite me. I dunno. The pairing is good, though. They Live is the ultimate conformity horror movie, and I think Society would be a fun movie on the back leg of a double feature with it since it ends so crazy. I love that conformity horror makes everyone in the audience align to it but then immediately un-radicalize most of them the moment they leave the theater. Maybe I’m just speaking for myself.
Patrick: LOL you’re totally right. We’ll get all mad and worked up and then leave and go get Taco Bell and forget all of our righteous rage. Society is a great pick to play on the back end of this double because it offers a totally different flavor of horror.
Double Feature 7:
Patrick: #2: Seekers of Infinite Love (2026)
Patrick: Trailers/Shorts: North Hollywood, Multiple episodes of Hacks
Patrick: Theme: OMG Marry Me Hannah Einbinder
Patrick: I never watched Hacks but then I saw Teenage Sex and Death (currently my favorite movie of the year) and immediately fell madly in love with Hannah Einbinder. We have since watched all of Hacks. This double is a cheat because she only stars in one other movie and it hasn’t come out yet but we will cheat and play it at the LC. Maybe she will show up and be my friend.
Adam: I’m excited to see Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma and see how I fare in Einbinder Crushing (which could’ve been the name of a Star Trek: The Next Generation episode). You and I usually have a lot of crossovers in our top 10 lists each year and not much crossover outside of the top 10, so if you say it’s your current favorite movie of the year then it shoots up my must-see list. Plus, I really liked I Saw the TV Glow, so I really want to see the follow-up by Jane Schoenbrun.
Double Feature 8:
Patrick: #1: Pale Rider (1985)
Adam: #2: Cocoon (1985)
Adam: Trailers/Shorts: The Goonies, St. Elmo's Fire, Perfect, Lifeforce, Music Video block - “Everything She Wants” (Wham!), “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” (Tears for Fears), “Heaven” (Bryan Adams)
Adam: Theme: June 1985
Adam: I sort of selfishly put this together as an excuse to watch two ‘80s movies I’ve never seen but have always been on my radar. Hell, I’ve even seen Cocoon 2 (which I remember nothing about) but not the original. I’ve been meaning to see Pale Rider, but I get decision fatigue every time I try to figure out which unseen Clint Western I should watch next (e.g. Pale Rider, The Outlaw Josey Wales, Hang ‘Em High). This should be a really fun, time capsule kind of night between the features and trailer block.
Patrick: As much as I’m allergic to naked nostalgia this night sounds AMAZING and I’m all in just for the trailer block if nothing else. I’m not the biggest Cocoon guy but maybe it will hit differently now that I’m probably the age of all the old people in the movie. You can’t really go wrong with any of those Clint Westerns, but you should watch them in this order: Josey Whales, Pale Rider, then Hang ‘Em High is if you have time and get to it but there’s no rush.
Double Feature 9:
Adam: #1: Eddie (1996)
Patrick: #2: The Associate (1996)
Patrick: Trailers/Shorts: Call Me Claus, Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit, Fatal Beauty
Patrick: Theme: She’s Making the Decisions Now
Patrick: This one is for my friend Adam because it’s his new favorite subgenre. I’d probably want to watch Fatal Beauty the most of all of these but The Associate clearly pairs best with Eddie because it came out the same year and because she’s making the decisions now.
Adam: If you would’ve asked me at the beginning of the summer if I’d 100 percent sit down for a 1996 Whoopi Goldberg double feature, I would’ve said no but after her making the decisions now became one of our (and Rob’s) running jokes of the summer, it makes me want watch all (scratch that…one) varietals of Whoopi. I’ve seen Eddie but not for a very long time (and it might be fun to check out following the Knicks’ recent championship) and I’m currently in the mood to watch The Associate, which has never happened before. This is an interesting feeling that I’m feeling. All because of an offhand joke I made out of nowhere.
Double Feature 10:
Patrick: #1: I Love You, Beth Cooper (2009)
Adam: #2: Scream IV (2011)
Adam: Trailers/Shorts: A Bug's Life, Remember the Titans, Ice Princess, Heroes Pilot Episode, Music Videos - “Telescope” and “I Still Believe”
Adam: Theme: Hayden Panettiere Tribute
Adam: I didn’t keep up with Hayden Panettiere’s career much in recent years, but I remember her being a natural in early roles like Remember the Titans and on Heroes (I didn’t continue past the first season). And of course, she’s a spark plug in Scream VI and Scream IV, especially, which is why I wanted to pair it with I Love You, Beth Cooper (which I haven’t seen despite it having local ties and directed by my boy Chris Columbus). I’m glad we got to do a tribute night to Panettiere, but I wish we didn’t have to under these circumstances. This is a case where I didn’t appreciate someone’s work enough until they were gone and that sucks.
Patrick: It’s all so sad. I just rewatched I Love You Beth Cooper and it’s much more of a Paul Rust vehicle than a Hayden Panettiere one. She’s just saddled with “generic dream girl,” which she does well. I am excited for you to check off an unseen Columbus, though. She pops way more in Scream IV, so that’s a great call. I wish she had been in more movies and that she had an easier life. Now I’m sad. Time to put on Summer School again.
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