Afterthoughts

We're talking about BARBENHEIMER: the phenomenon that's sweeping the nation and making the movies relevant again for the first time since the pandemic. (And we're also talking about some weird shit John watched.)

Damn... They Cloned Tyrone (2023) is out. It's got a hook so solid that they laid it out clear as day in the title, but does its bold tactic of giving away a would-be twist sacrifice any of the drama, thrills, and chills explored by its ensemble cast? What is this movie about beyond the clones of Tyrone? Who the hell even is Tyrone? Dixon, Ryan, and John are digging into this fresh new contemporary mix of Blaxploitation and Sci-Fi to answer these questions and more.

It's time for an eclectic, mainstream Recommend or Refute episode! Dixon could eat a peach for hours while he talks about Face/Off, but he'll have to settle for the time we give him in this ep. John investigates whether Hollywood's scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could add post-process 3D that they never stopped to think if they should. And Ryan brings us another Classic Ryan take informed by his in-flight movie decision: M3GAN.

In celebration of John's birthday this year, we're allowing John to wreck our Blockbuster movie streak with a big flop, so we're talking about The Astrologer (1976). It's a passion project from director/star Craig Denney that paints Astrology and tangential practices under the confusing tone of a crime drama. Once thought lost for nearly 40 years, it somehow found its way into our resident trash movie enthusiast's heart, and now here we are. Join us as we ask him "Why?" again and again and attempt to piece together the story of this disorienting daymare.

Our special guest Mark Garcia is back to dissect the trauma induced by his son watching Sing (2016) on repeat. Dixon breaks down the shockingly awful Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part 1 (2023), and John finally watches a Francis Ford Coppola film but for some reason settles on Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992).

This week we're continuing the summer blockbuster theme with the greatest Pixar movie of all time, Toy Story 4 (2019). Has Dixon lost his mind (almost certainly), or is there a beautiful, indie soul to this franchise installment that raises it above typical studio fare?

We fell back into our usual roles this week and delivered the kind of varied Recommend or Refute episode you've come to expect from the Afterthoughts crew. Join us as Ryan analyzes the new Netflix animated movie Nimona (2023), John breaks down the alien sex shlockumentary Love and Saucers (2017), and Dixon puts aside his Tom Hanks hate to finally watch A League of Their Own (1992).

On a belated 4th of July episode, Dixon, John, and Ryan dive head first into the dangerous waters of Jaws (1975). It's a cultural touchstone that might be single-handedly responsible for modern Blockbusters, an entire week dedicated to fearing sharks, and Steven Spielbergs illustrious career, but in the cinematic world of ever-growing big shark movies how does it hold up? Join the Afterthoughts crew as they set sail for Amity AND an entirely new segment that Dixon is testing the waters with.

This week's Recommend or Refute is 2/3rds science fiction, 1/3rd comedy, and definitely contains some more of John's usual schlock. Join us as Dixon takes us to the top of cinematic achievements with 2001: A Space Odyssey, John takes us to the bottom with Spanish knock-off of ET by the name of The Extraterrestrial Visitors, and Ryan talks about the upcoming comedy Theater Camp he saw at a mystery screening. Will it be recommends all around? Is there a surprise refute for Stanley Kubrick? You never know, so tune in.

Seems like every week there's new evidence of alien life and elaborate government cover-ups, so we decided to watch the most whimsical alien movie of all time, Wes Anderson's latest creation Asteroid City (2023).