Episode 10 - 5 - 14

Back in action for a minute or two, The Gaffer takes a break from the cornfields to help out, helping to review Gone Girl and pitch a movie about deadly butt electrocutions. You heard me.

We heard music from:

Cannibal Holocaust, 1980 - Riz Orlani
The Fearless Vampire Killers, 1967 - Krzysztof Komeda

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Episode 9 - 15 - 14

Rambo is getting a sequel. And maybe a TV show? Ok. "Jaws" Richard Kiel passed away, notable as Bond henchman and "Happy Gilmore" cameo, respectively. Nothing came out on DVD. I caught Blue Ruin on Netflix, and thought it was a pleasant surprise, so the week was not lost.

We heard music from:

Rambo: First Blood Part II, 1985 - Jerry Goldsmith
The Zero Theorem, 2014 - George Fenton
Italian thrillers - Various

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Episode 9 - 8 - 14

This was the slowest box office weekend in six years, which is sad, because I really feel like we could've made that number larger. Wow, there was nothing to talk about this week.

We heard music from:

Flash Gordon, 1980 - Queen
The Color of Money, 1986 - Various, Robbie Robertson

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Episode 9 - 1 - 14

Labor Day! Tiny, pitiful respite from the unrelenting, brutal erosion of working life in a post-industrial society!

Naked pictures of several starlets were recently hacked from the iCloud, reinforcing our cultural notion of celebrities in general and female celebrities in particular that they are part of our entitlement consumer consumption. Sad shit.

I only caught one newish film this week, David Mackenzie's British prison drama Starred Up. I don't know why prison dramas have such a legacy in film history, but they do, I guess mirroring the prison narratives in literature. Many of them are about escape, but some are simply dramas about life on the inside - the principle of realism being that escape isn't a possibility. Starred is good, a fairly straightforward look at British prison brutality with a slight critique of the system. It ultimately doesn't dive very deeply in any respect, but is worth catching for the performances.

Music from:

The Hunger, 1983 - Michel Rubini
Ghostbusters, 1984 - Elmer Bernstein
The Adventures of Buckaroo Bonzai, 1984 - Michael Boddicker

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Episode 8 - 25 - 14

Richard Attenborough died age 90. Minority Report TV show. Managed to see Richard Linklater's Boyhood and Jonathan Glazer Under the Skin; the former's use of real-time lapse as storytelling overshadowed it's ability to actually create a narrative. The latter however, relied completely on narrative but not story and profited immensely.

Ferris Bueller's Day Off, 1986 - Various

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Episode 8 - 18 -14

Hmm, what exactly is there to talk about this time around? Wiener-cleavage? George Takei? Yes indeed. I won't give you context, you'll have to listen in.

I keep meaning to see Boyhood, which is playing at our local Cinemark. Low-fi artsy-fartsy using real-time aging experimentation for film? I'll check that out. But what I really want to see is this recently unearthed gem:

Music:

Bloodsport, 1988 - Paul Hertzog
No Retreat, No Surrender, 1986 - Paul Gilreath

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Episode 8 - 11 - 14

Robin Williams passed away today, losing a decades-long struggle with depression informed by bipolar disorder and alcoholism. I prefer the expression, "Death by depression" to suicide, since it decenters the individual as the cause and focuses on the illness, much as if he died from a stroke or congenital heart failure. I don't accept the simplistic rational that an individual is solely responsible for their mental illness - we understand that there are biochemical issues in the brain that can be treated with medication and cognitive therapy. It's hard for someone to fight these demons forever, though, and whether it was a momentary mistake or a deliberate decision from a perceived rational state, Robin Williams decided it was time to stop fighting. It's irrelevant to think this entails weakness or failure; if the success Robin Williams achieved and the millions of people he made happy couldn't beat this, maybe nothing could. He was wrong, however, because he believed he was not loved. If only he could see now how much we all wanted him to stay with us.

It's a shame to muddy that somber note with what we talked about on the rest of the show: the goddamn new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie.


Music from:

What Dreams May Come, 1998 - Michael Kamen
Aladdin, 1992 - Alan Menken
Mrs. Doubtfire, 1993 - Howard Shore

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Episode 7 - 28 - 14

Comic-Con pieces needed digesting: 50 Shades of Gray, Mad Max, and at least two other films had their trailer debuts at that symposium of sadness.

We reviewed Expendables III and Lucy. The former was to be expected of the franchise, the latter wrapping up too nicely to be any real sort of heady sci fi, but still decent to see Scar-Jo jumping around flashing her awesome lady parts at the screen.

Music from the following:

Mad Max, 1979 - Brian May
Cobra, 1986 - Sylvester Levay
Desperado, 1995 - Various

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Episode 7 - 21 - 14

Ahead of us looms dark horizons: Guardians of the Galaxy, Vin Diesel's return to the illustrious xXx franchise, and the internet getting its collective nutt over some new...pictures of a new X-Wing and Ultron in upcoming sequel resplendence. The geeks have taken over! Well, they took over a decade ago, at least, but it's still worth opining a bit.

We got into an interesting discussion about the new craze with kitschy "bad art" ala Birdemic and The Room and whether or not our collective obsession with it detracts from good art. The answer is: yaidunno.

Then followed talk of Hercules, past and present. So many Hercules. Why did he get the lion's (yuk yuk) share of Greek Myth popularity, when my boy Theseus was just as cool? They never do Greek Myth right - except Lars Von Trier! Alas.

The Boom Operator reviewed The new Apes movie and enjoyed it, perhaps more than the original.

We heard music from the following:

The Avengers, 2012 - Alan Silvestri
Hercules, 1983 - Pino Donaggio
TMNT movies - Various


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Episode 7 - 14 - 14

Since literally no other movies came out, the new Apes movie ruled the roost. We talked about a bunch of stuff as usual as the Gaffer managed to gchat to people for most of the show and barely pay attention for the rest of it, while being passive aggressive via blogger about the Boom Operator bringing a guest to the studio.

We heard music from the following:

"Planet of the Apes", 1974 - Lalo Schifrin

12 Monkeys, 1996  - Paul Buckmaster

Robocop 2, 1990 - Leonard Rosenman

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Episode 7 - 7 -14

Not a lot happened this past ID4 weekend; either the fireworks have lost their luster or things just didn't come together this year. So it goes, Mr. Vonnegut.

Snowpiercer: It exists. We talked about it.

We heard music from:

How to Train Your Dragon 2, 2014 - John Powell
Rise of the Planet of the Apes, 2011 - Patrick Doyle
The Last Starfighter, 1984 - Craig Safan

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Episode 6 - 20 - 14

Hey how y'all doin' now? I don't even understand what that means, but we're back after a two-week hiatus talking all the crazy Star Wars Batman Superman Ninja Turtles geeky bullshit news that has diminished us all personally. We did have micro-reviews of the movies we saw:

22 Jump Street - Dick-humor, delivered by actors who were, in actuality, pretty funny.

Maleficent - The Boom Operator had a bone to pick with this film's "feminist agenda". We both agreed that a villain should stay a villain, and not be cheated out of turning into a badass dragon.

How to Train Your Dragon 2 - This one surprised me a bit, growing up from its predecessor in tone and stepping up the game of its a art direction to Miyazaki-esque heights. It ultimately panned out


We heard music from the following:

"CHiPs", 1977-1983 - Alan Silvestri
Catch Me If You Can, 2002 - John Williams


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Episode 6 - 9 -14

Rik Mayall died! :'( We played what tribute we could.

On tap this week were reviews of the film Edge of Tomorrow, a film which is impossible to describe without describing other films, which illustrates an easy point about postmodern pastiche without me having to. It worked as pulp sci-fi and little else; to its credit, it never tried to think about its own whacky premise, but that's always a backhanded compliment. I don't always understand the "Just shut off your brain and enjoy!" dictum. Why the fuck would I shut off my brain? It seems useful. If I happen to find stupid things entertaining, it sure won't be because I shut my brain off.

Anywho, DVD's may also be dead by 2016. Say lah vee.

We heard music from:

Drop Dead Fred, 1991 - Randy Edelman
Drive Angry, 2011 - Michael Wandmacher
Elektra, 2005 - Christophe Beck

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Episode 5 - 26 - 14

This week X-Men: Days of Future Past was on the chopping block; the Boom Operator thought it was one of the better installments of this franchise, and the Gaffer thought that was scant praise in itself. I've never felt like these live-action renditions of the classic comic phenom felt as big as they should, and this latest time-spanning epic storyline should've felt big, at the least. I don't wholly like the attempt to fuse the history in the X-Men universe with American geopolitical history from the 60s and 70s, but I guess that might be in keeping with the origins of this comic.

Talk: Upcoming Marvel and DC projects! Edgar Wright breaks up with Ant-Man! Malefecent movie - how will she be characterized?

Then we pitched our ideas for a new era of super-heroes: Ass-Man and Invisible-Farting-Man!

We heard music from the following:

Patton, 1970 - Jerry Goldsmith
Legend, 1985 - Jerry Goldsmith / Tangerine Dream

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Episode 5 - 19 - 14

Tonight the Gafferzilla returned briefly to chime in his thoughts on more and more origins prequels no one wanted: Rescue Rangers, Smurfs...a Batman show with no Batman? There aren't enough WTFs.

I (the Gaffer) also caught Slavoj Zizek's The Pervert's Guide to Ideology on Netflix, and can't recommend it enough for those who like (or are amused by) critical theory.

We talked about vampires and Vampire Academy, and why goddamn vampires won't go away, but mostly we talked about Godzilla's triumphant return, which the Boom enjoyed quite a bit.

We heard music from:

Mysterious Island, 1961 - Bernard Hermann
X-Men Origins: Wolverine - Harry Gregson-Williams
Various Godzilla films - Various

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Episode 3 - 31 - 14

(Original broadcast 3 - 31 - 14)
We played Shredder to the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle movie trailer, because it really looks unfun and just awful. I don't understand why the oft-maligned but capable TMNT didn't keep this franchise rooted in a 100% animated atmosphere. The conversation ranged after that, although I think my favorite bit was a diversion about the worst films to ever star a pro wrestler. I went on to review Divergent, the latest blockbuster YA dystopian film to cash in on Harry Potters and Hunger Games past; Mazerunner and The Giver are forthcoming. I thought it was ok, though it certainly did not distinguish itself in any way from any of the other YA crazes; the story did still have unexpected violence and consequences where I assumed punches would be pulled. So, I was impressed in that regard.

We heard music from:

Gattaca, 1997 - Michael Nyman
The Grand Budapest Hotel, 2014 - Alexandre Desplat
Rocky movies - Bill Conti

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Episode 3 - 24 - 14

(Original broadcast 3 - 24 - 14)
"That guy!" character actor James Rebhorn passed away this week past, a memorable character actor who always seemed to play some bureaucratic, officious toolbag . It must be interesting to be a ubiquitous character actor that everyone recognizes and yet no one knows from where - to achieve fame but no one knows your name...sound kinda existential, ne?

A lot of weird, macabre shit in the hews this week: Ivan Reitman abandons Ghostbusters III, a project whose death should've preceded Harold Ramis's by a mile. Naturally, Sony is moving forward with this nightmare, because money. And speaking of ghosts, a digitally reanimated Paul Walker will appear to finish his scenes in FF7, raising a slew of upsetting questions about post-death image usage rights. Yegh.

B.O. reviewed Knights of Badassdom and I reviewed nothing, because what is in theaters right now - Tyler Perry and YA fanfic. Nope!

We heard music from:

Mad Max, 1979 - Brian May
The LEGO Movie, 2013 - Mark Mothersbaugh
Vampire Academy, 2014 - Various

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Episode 3-17-14

We bitched and moaned about St. Patrick's Day because, well, it's topical and because we survive on a delightful IV of haterade. But yes, it's that "Irish" time of year again, meaning that frat-fucks around the country will claim an indiscernible Irish heritage while ordering offensive car-bombs and vomiting green beer onto coeds all in the name of venerating a Catholic saint.

We went on to such topics as "True Detective," Amazon Prime, and Lars Von Trier's wiener-opus, but you should listen for yourself, you lazy prick. Why am I synopsizing for you!?

We heard music from:

Subspecies, 1991 - Richard Kosinski
The Color of Money, 1986 - Various
Leprechaun, 1993 - Kevin Kiner, Robert Walsh

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Episode 3-10-14

Our wintry cloud has temporarily lifted and we emerge to report on Oscar atrocities, though, like everyone else, we were able to predict within a high percentage the winners and losers beforehand. I was filled with mordant disgust that Frozen won over a pair of  excellent contenders, one a swan song from Miyazaki (which I reviewed this week), but otherwise the Academy Awards shot as straight as we expected.

We heard music from:

Dead Man, 1995 - Neil Young
Battle Beyond the Stars, 1980 - James Horner
Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, 1984 - Joe Hisaishi

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Worst of 2013

(original podcast date 1-13-14)
Hooray! After two weeks of holiday and arctic temperatures we returned from our Igloos just in time to rain vituperation with our Worst of 2013 lists. We didn't compare or rehearse the lists beforehand, which always makes this show interesting. Like the years before, we spent much of the last days of December revisiting the worst-reviewed critical failures of the year, and again I noticed that the "worst" of 2013 actually consisted of a few stupid movies that really weren't worth kicking a fuss about (I differentiate between bad and merely stupid), particularly when compared to the more highly anticipated efforts which garnered upwards of a billion in gross and were, in my estimation, boring bloated nightmares. I'm talking more specifically of my #'s 6, 4, 2, and 1. But there was certainly plenty to be hated, so chime in with your own worst-of and we can all complain together.

Gaffer's List:

10. Despicable Me 2 made a worldwide total of $918,612,050.
9. Boy-band Movies (One Direction, Justin Bieber)
8. "Out of Retirement" Porn (The Last Stand, Bullet to the Head, Another Day to Die Hard, Escape Plan)
7. Machete Kills
6. Iron Man III
5. Young Adult Bullshit (Mortal Instruments: City of Bones, Beautiful Creatures, The Host, Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters)
4. The Lone Ranger
3. Skit Comedy (Movie 43, Inappropriate Comedy)
2. The Wolverine
1. Star Trek: Into Darkness

Boom Operator's List:

10. Horror-Spoof Comedy (Scary Movie 5, Haunted House)
9. The Great Gatsby
8. Lords of Salem
7. Gangster Squad
6. Grownups 2
5. Tyler Perry
4. Monsters U
3. Smurfs 2
2. Wolf of Wall Street / World War Z
1. Movie 43

We heard a bit of music from:

John Carter, 2012 - Michael Giacchino
Oblivion, 2013

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