Case and Sam are joined by Randy Allain from the Media / Lit podcast to ask "Who are your people?" Tune in for this dissection of Solo: A Star Wars Story!

• Podcast hosts Case and Sam introduce the topic: Solo: A Star Wars Story
• Guest Randy from Media Lit podcast joins the discussion
• The movie is described as 'fine' but flawed, given a C grade
• Criticism of the scene explaining Han Solo's name origin

• Discussion of Alden Ehrenreich's performance as Han Solo
• Praise for Donald Glover as Lando Calrissian
• Criticism of limited screen time for Lando and L3
• Analysis of Emilia Clarke's character Kira and her role in the plot

• Examination of Han and Chewbacca's meeting and relationship
• Discussion of Woody Harrelson's character Beckett and his crew
• Criticism of the movie's pacing and overabundance of plot elements

• Praise for the design of droid character L3
• Discussion of the Kessel Run sequence and its importance to the plot
• Criticism of the movie's handling of slavery and oppression themes

• Analysis of Paul Bettany's character Dryden Vos
• Discussion of Darth Maul's cameo and its implications
• Examination of the movie's themes of rebellion and criminal underworld

• Discussion of the change in directors from Lord & Miller to Ron Howard
• Analysis of how the change affected the movie's tone and style
• Speculation on what a Lord & Miller version might have looked like

• Suggestions for improving the movie's pacing and character development
• Discussion of how to better integrate the heist elements of the plot
• Ideas for enhancing the relationships between characters

• Proposal for a more 'Ocean's Eleven' style approach to the heist plot
• Suggestions for restructuring Han's backstory and relationship with Kira
• Ideas for better integrating Lando and other supporting characters

• Further discussion on making Han and Kira's relationship more familial
• Suggestions for improving the portrayal of the criminal underworld
• Ideas for better integrating themes of corruption and rebellion

• Final thoughts on the movie and its place in the Star Wars franchise
• Information about the hosts' and guest's other projects and social media
• Details about upcoming podcast episodes and related content

• Check out Randy's podcast Media Lit and other work (01:36:05)
• Listen to Randy's appearance on the Socially Distanced podcast for their 200th episode Avengers draft (01:36:39)
• Join the Discord for ongoing conversations about the podcast topics (01:38:49)
• Listen to the Reignite podcast for discussions on Bioware games (01:39:08)
• Tune in to the next episode about Highlander 2: The Quickening (01:39:49)

Case and Sam are looking back at the earliest episodes of the show! Check out their thoughts on the thirteenth episode when Case sat down with Ben Milton & Addy Thomas and chatted about Zoolander 2!

Overview

In a review of Episode 14 of the Another Pass podcast, hosts Case Aiken and Sam Alicea engage in a lively discussion about the original Michael Bay Transformers movie, highlighting its entertainment value while pinpointing areas for improvement, such as the underutilization of Transformers characters like Starscream and a disproportionate focus on human characters, particularly Shia LaBeouf. Originally joined by Tom G, they analyze scenes, praise Optimus Prime's portrayal, and suggest ways to modernize the franchise. The conversation also touches on production insights, including audio editing challenges and the regret over cutting original content. The episode concludes with reflections on actors' career transitions and a preview of future discussions, including the upcoming episode on Age of Ultron, alongside housekeeping notes.

Notes

Transformers Movie Discussion (00:01 - 09:28)

• Case Aiken and Sam Al Saya discuss Episode 14 of Another Pass podcast

• Focus on the original Michael Bay Transformers movie

• Case expresses his positive opinion of the first movie

• Sam agrees the movie was fun and good for big screen viewing

Movie Analysis (09:29 - 18:34)

• Tom G joins to discuss how to improve the Transformers movie

• Both enjoyed the movie but noted areas for improvement

• Praise for inventive use of Transformers' abilities (e.g., Starscream's dogfight scene)

• Discussion on updating Transformers for modern technology

• Criticism of too much focus on human characters, especially Shia LaBeouf

Character and Plot Discussion (18:34 - 26:20)

• Debate on the portrayal of Transformers characters, especially Starscream

• Suggestion to introduce Transformers earlier in the movie

• Criticism of underutilized military characters

• Praise for Optimus Prime's character portrayal in fight scenes

️ Podcast Production Insights (26:20 - 36:04)

• Case reflects on the episode's production quality and length

• Discussion on audio editing challenges and improvements over time

• Regret expressed over cutting content from the original recording

Actor Discussion and Franchise Impact (36:04 - 47:22)

• Analysis of Shia LaBeouf's performance and public perception

• Discussion on the challenges faced by Disney child stars transitioning to other roles

• Reflection on how sequels and actor controversies affected perception of the first movie

Final Thoughts and Future Episodes (47:22 - 59:02)

• Agreement that the first Transformers movie was solid despite franchise issues

• Discussion on upcoming podcast episodes, including Age of Ultron

• Housekeeping notes on recent and upcoming podcast content

Case and Sam are joined by Ben Haslar from the Reels of Justice podcast to take a look at a movie that really bears a Grudge!

Case and Sam are looking back at the earliest episodes of the show! Check out their thoughts on the thirteenth episode when Case sat down with Ben Milton & Addy Thomas and chatted about Zoolander 2!

Sometimes, a movie can be derailed by the censors and what happened to the return on this movie was A Dirty Shame! Wes Johnson, who was in the film as Fat F*** Frank, joins Case and Sam to discuss A Dirty Shame.

Case and Sam are looking back at the earliest episodes of the show! Check out their thoughts on the twelfth episode when Case sat down with Geoff Moonen and chatted about Thor The Dark World!

Originally aired NOVEMBER 2, 2017

Review aired AUGUST 25, 2024

Can we pull the sword and reveal a champion who can restore order to the merely mediocre 2004 film about the noble King Arthur? Lo! There is a champion who might join Case and Sam! Lauren Carter joins them to peer through the Avalonian mists and stalwartly engage with King Arthur!

Let’s look back at the time Addy Thomas joined Case to talk about Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 3!

Remember when the worst impulses of the modern film industry, like digitally resurrecting actors and sterile green screen only sets, were instead a beautiful dream of tomorrow? Well, Case and Sam, along with guest Jesse Fresco, remember. Join them for a discussion of Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow!

Case and Sam are looking back at the earliest episodes of the show! Check out their thoughts on the ninth episode when Case sat down with Geoff Moonen and chatted about Tron Legacy!